Ovi, that was wonderful! I'm gonna spread it around a bit--the more people who see it, the better. :=)

Thanks, man. Really appreciate it.

Hi, I haven't posted here in a while but I've just made my first short movie and thought some people might find interest in this. Lemme know what you think:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HMil1p-aLE&

I loved it! I left a comment for you under my real name(Jason Smith), with some of my thoughts on it.

Thank you! Glad you liked it.

Hi, I haven't posted here in a while but I've just made my first short movie and thought some people might find interest in this. Lemme know what you think:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HMil1p-aLE&

Disappointing, his weakest so far.

This week I began rewatching the fantastic Horace & Pete, which Louis CK released to Hulu maybe 15 months ago after first dropping through his website. I was really glad to see it still there after the publicity of his creepy masturbatory habits as part of the #MeToo stuff. It’s a great show. He’s a talented guy and I hope he keeps putting out new content—and that outlets continue to be willing to show it.

But hopefully he’ll stop jerking off in front of colleagues who aren’t into watching him do that.

I hope he will be back too. His latest stand-up special was easily as good as anything he's ever done in the field. The incidents all happened in the late-90s and early 2000s so I think he was long over that even when they surfaced. My opinion is that what he did was not that bad, certainly not in the way the media portrayed it. He always asked for permission, he never locked the door etc. Other comedians who were around at the time spoke about how some women treated the whole thing lightly when it happened rather than being offended.

One of my favorite albums.

And at the moment I can't stop listening to this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYFachqAup4

So fast, groovy and demented.

Speak of Miles, I got myself a little gift a couple of days ago:

I like the songwriting on Double Fantasy, but can't stand the production. Way too AC and polished. I think John would've went for that artificial 80s sound even more had he lived, just like Paul eventually did.

I was listening to Yoko's Plastic Ono Band a few weeks ago too. Pretty interesting, way more adventurous musically than any of John's stuff (though with the same musicians).

That being said, #9 Dream is probably my all-time favorite solo Lennon tune. Given how it was during a time when, as I mentioned, he was struggling a bit artistically, when I hear it I'm still like "Wow, where did that come from?" (From a weird dream he had, I know, but I mean compared to the other stuff he was recording at the time). It's just so beautiful, the perfect 'dream' song...that chorus is out of this world and sounds like a George Harrison type thing, including the opening slide guitar solo. The only part I kinda don't like is the 'pousse pousse' or whatever word. I know they changed it so it wouldn't sound like the other word, but it still stands out and adds a sort of sexual context to an otherwise innocent sounding song. Oh well, no biggie. Still love it. If you can, listen to the fade out with the volume up, you can briefly hear I 'think' John doing some backup vocals that are drowned out during most of the rest of the song. It just shows how much is really going on.

So '#9 Dream' is the song I'm obsessing over right now. 

I've always thought this song was inspired by The Zombies' Hung Up on a Dream.

I think John kinda lost his relevance after Sometime in New York City. Paul was more consistent in the 70s for me, but John's highs were higher, with most of Plastic Ono Band and the early singles Instant Karma, Cold Turkey, Happy Xmas etc. I don't think Paul could ever write something as powerful as God.

I started watching the new season of Bojack Horseman.

Best show on TV right now IMO.

Sunset Bvld. really blew my mind a couple of weeks ago. What a movie.

Watched Dazed and Confused for the 40th time, great movie on par witb American Graffiti for capturing youth angst in  different eras of American History.

Amazing movie. I love Linklater.

John (and others), I remember you really liked the video I posted a while ago with the rhyme analysis of some great rappers. Here's some more regarding MF DOOM:

An line-by-line breakdown of Madvillain's Accordion that shows how much depth there really is inside every single DOOM bar. Maybe the video is too long, but even a few minutes can send your mind to a truly heavy trip, in the same way analyzing Dylan's lyrics does. It's a huge inspiration for me as an aspiring writer and a person interested in language.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3v5iqAWvvw&

On a lighter note, here's rapper Mos Def reciting DOOM lyrics and stopping every few bars just to laugh at how ridiculously cool/smart/funny they are. This is another one of my favorite videos, for it shows a famous artist acknowledging and being passionate about another one and often there's no higher praise. It's like when Keith Richards talks about Chuck Berry and you realize how much it means to him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTBIvIDnnv8

Highlight: When he gets to the 3rd verse of Beef Rapp and you realize along with him how funny DOOM's put-downs of mainstream rappers really are:

What up?
To all rappers: shut up with your shutting up
And keep your shirt on, at least a button-up
Yuck, is they rhymers or strippin' males?
Out of work jerks since they shut down Chippendales

Looking forward to the new Tyler, The Creator album. I am a pretty big fan of his stuff. Great sound.

What do you think of it? Pretty great album.

I took a listen to the few tracks from Kanye West's debut album available to me on YouTube and these two stood out:

"Through The Wire" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr_5yTNvIt4)

"Slow Jamz" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HanMCyypC68)

Really like the use of samples here. Oh, and belated happy birthday, Ovi. :=)   

Thanks man. Really glad you dug it. I view Kanye as the single most important artist of the 21st century, and quite a genius in what he does. It seemed like every new album he did shifted the course of popular music. I love the high-pitched soul samples on The College Dropout, the whole album has such an inviting, warm character. Naturally, everybody started doing that after and he's never returned to it.

Also, about 808's I think you kinda need to be a Kanye fan to even understand where it comes from. Do you like his early stuff? Otherwise I wouldn't recommend 808's as a starting point at all.

Oh my goodness then I think I have a problem, lol. I hardly know who he is----I'm certainly not familiar with his music. Although people around me are saying he's really good. Where would you suggest I start?

1. Leave all preconceptions at the door
2. The College Dropout, his excellent soul-infused debut. Then proceed forwards chronologically if you like what you hear.

 

Also, about 808's I think you kinda need to be a Kanye fan to even understand where it comes from. Do you like his early stuff? Otherwise I wouldn't recommend 808's as a starting point at all.

I like parts of Close to the Edge. But my favorite Yes album is Fragile by far where I think they're both technically impressive and accessible/rocking.

[Tales from Topographic Oceans]

A lot of people hate it, but my favorite heartbreak album is easily Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak. That means so much to me that I can barely speak about it. It's my Blood on the Tracks.

Can't promise I'll like it, Ovi, but I've got it lined up for listening after I finish with Tales from Topographic Oceans. I expect the difference between that and 808s & Heartbreak to be considerable.

Cool, I need to hear Tales as well for curiosity sake. I'm not a big Yes fan at all.

A lot of people hate it, but my favorite heartbreak album is easily Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak. That means so much to me that I can barely speak about it. It's my Blood on the Tracks.

[Birth of the Cool]

Even as a jazz agnostic I have three albums by Miles, Birth of the Cool, Jack Johnson and the magnificent Sketches of Spain, the last of which I heartily recommend.

Sketches of Spain is an insanely beautiful jazz-classical hybrid.

I've just listened to this for the first time. Beautiful, ethereal.

Nice, thanks. I'm fascinated reading about Miles, even though I'm not familiar with a lot of his music yet. He seems to have pioneered at least 3-4 subgenres of jazz! Is there anybody in rock that can claim to that?

He really did: maybe something like a Bowie or Madonna, it's not exactly that he pioneered, but he was always smart about hopping on and advancing or perfecting things that were bubbling up. If there is anything you like or hate, I'd be really happy to dive in and try to help get you further on those tracks (or off them). I know I've been in and out around here and my time and energy are inconsistent on these things, but this is the kind of effort that is very worthwhile to me.

Do you have a favorite genre?

Nice, thanks. I'm fascinated reading about Miles, even though I'm not familiar with a lot of his music yet. He seems to have pioneered at least 3-4 subgenres of jazz! Is there anybody in rock that can claim to that?