Inception [2010]

Just saw Inception, and it is without a doubt the best movie I've ever seen. It was an enthralling, dreamy, adventure unlike anything else I've seen. Christopher Nolan has created another mind-blowing masterpiece of film to add to his already commendable filmography. Top-notch acting, effects, script, soundtrack and story. The way the story is told is so engaging, and intrigues you from the first moments. It is a surreal, thrilling, story that questions what is real and what is only what we want to be real. Inception is deep without being pretentious, and keeps you thinking for the entire movie, and for hours after. Really thought provoking, psychologically stimulating story and beautiful special effects make this a must-see. I won't ruin the plot by saying much about it, other than that it is spectacular, and combines some elements of James Bond and some of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind while still being completely original. If you haven't already seen it, definitely go watch it ASAP. It more than lives up to all the hype.

Peace,

-T

Best Concert Ever!

As I expected, the Coheed & Cambria and Circa Survive concert was incredible! To start the night off, me and my friends attended an acoustic performance and signing by Coheed at Graywhale music store. After quite a wait in line, we finally made it into the store and crowded around the stage. Coheed played a three song set, Here We Are Juggernaut, which sounded really cool acoustic, Pearl Of The Stars, and closed with Welcome Home. They sounded great acoustic, and this got me really pumped for the actual concert, which we headed over to after getting some stuff signed.

We got there just before Circa Survive started playing, and pushed up to the front. The band came onto the stage amidst a roar of applause and Anthony announced "We're Circa Survive and this song is called Get Out!" and then started jamming. It was a great opener to their set, which included some songs off their new album like Glass Arrows, Strange Terrain, Through The Desert Alone, and Imaginary Enemy, and some off their older albums like The Glorious Nosebleed, In Fear And Faith, The Great Golden Baby, Stop The Car, Living Together, and In The Morning And Amazing. They have so much energy in their onstage presence, which makes watching them really fun, plus they sound just as boss as they do on their albums, if not better. Anthony Green is a perfect entertainer, with his top notch singing, dancing across the stage, and talking to the crowd, and the entire band really showed off how truly talented they are. I would have enjoyed listening to them for at least twice as long as they played, but unfortunately their set had to end.

Then it was Coheed's turn to rock my face off, and they did just that, starting with One and The Broken. Then they proceded to play many of my favorite songs of theirs, some old some new. Off of Second Stage they played Time Consumer and Everything Evil, off of In Keeping Secrets they played the title track, Three Evils, Al The Killer, A Favor House Atlantic, and 2113, off Good Apollo they played Welcome Home, and off No World For Tomorrow they played the title track, and off Year of the Black Rainbow, they played Here We Are Juggernaut, Pearl of the Stars, Made Out Of Nothing, World of Lines, Guns of Summer, and a beautiful acoustic version of Far. Claudio and his hair did great on the vocals, with backup vocals from the crowd on every song, and all of the band put on a great performance full of mind blowing solos, a great encore, and sounded just as epic, if not more, than they do on their albums. I loved every minute of this concert and eagerly await the return of both bands. If you want to hear the best music you'll ever hear, get their albums and go see them when they come to your area! If not, why are you reading this?



-T

Coheed and Cambria - The Second Stage Turbine Blade [2002]

Let me just preface this post with telling you that I love Coheed. Way too much. I have a wall in my room that is reserved specifically for Coheed merch, I have spent several hundred dollars on them, and I've discovered some of my other favorite bands thanks to these guys. So if I come off a bit strong, you'll know why.

This album is amazing. From the exquisite vocals to the heavy guitars, the story-tinged lyrics to the well placed screams, the instrumentation to the interludes, I love it all. Claudio and crew's first record under the Coheed and Cambria moniker is arguably their best. It's progressive, but has some definite hardcore elements (think At The Drive-In hardcore) that keep it full of energy. Claudio Sanchez's voice rides smoothly over his and Travis Stever's powerful guitar riffs while Mic Todd's basslines and Josh Eppard's drumming perfectly accentuate each section. The band works amazingly well and cohesively to create a sound all their own that makes your fist want to shoot into the air. Standout tracks are "Everything Evil," which starts off quiet and intricate but builds up to a loud and powerful finale; "Delirium Trigger," a fan favorite that's one of Coheed's heavier songs; and "Time Consumer," the album opener featuring Dr. Know of the punk band Bad Brains. This is easily one of the best albums of the 2000's.

Genre: Progressive, Hardcore
For Fans Of: At The Drive-In, Circa Survive, Thursday
Contact: Myspace
Tracklisting:
1. Second Stage Turbine Blade
2. Time Consumer
3. Devil in Jersey City
4. Everything Evil
5. Delirium Trigger
6. Hearshot Kid Disaster
7. 33
8. Junesong Provision
9. Neverender
10. God Send Conspirator
11. Elf Tower New Mexico (B-Side)
12. Junesong Provision" (Acoustic Demo)
13. Everything Evil (Demo)

**Note: This is the 2005 re-release, the original version lacked the last 3 tracks and the secret song "IRO-Bot" was placed at the end of "God Send Conspirator" after several minutes of silence instead of at the end of the "Everything Evil (Demo)"**


-A