Ni hao! Below are a few of my latest reviews.
Pearl Harbor was a waste, but for a good WWII movie currently making the run at the theaters, Enemy at the Gate is well worth your time. Though from a non-Russian and non-German perspective, given the choice between Hitler or Stalin it's impossible to root for either side - that's like choosing between malaria and smallpox, ain't it?
Bob Dylan: New MorningDon't waste your money on Pearl Harbor, because it sucks. Actually, I didn't waste any of my money, since I was a guest. All of the Chinese people in the audience cheered because they still hate Japan. Nobody in East Asia likes Japan. Maybe Japan needs to learn to say "Sorry," sometime - it'd be a start; apologizing is good enough for the Germans, it's good enough for the Nips.
Badfinger: Wish You Were HereIn the olden days, there was a Chinese emperor who greatly admired the hands of lady he witnessed playing a harp, and effused that he had rarely seen such beautiful hands amongst his subjects. To please their emperor, his servants later presented him with a gift - a box containing the lady's beautiful, severed hands.
The Count Five: Psychotic Reaction
New Page: High Tide
Today's word is "prolific." And "cirrhosis."
New Page: Guided By VoicesLife stinks and I like the Kinks and I can't think and I need a drink. But the doctors say I shouldn't, at least not for a while.
Pere Ubu: Dub HousingJust a small update today. I've fallen a bit ill this past week. But I've bought a lot of new CDs, so more is on the way.
Ian Hunter: Once Bitten Twice ShyThings that rule: Japanese sashimi with wasabi, mid-'60s UK mod/freakbeat singles, temples to the god of kung-fu, and cute brown-eyed Chinese girls, all of which I have enjoyed today.
Agent Orange: This is the VoiceIn Taiwan, when a car kills a dog or cat, to purge the tainted car, it is necessary to have a small boy pee on the tires. I learn something new about Chinese culture every day.
The Bluebells: The Singles Collection
Thin Lizzy: Vagabonds of the Western World
The horrible truth about Burma is that it's a military dictatorship that brutally oppresses its citizens, with the barest of freedoms and a scandalous human rights record. Unfortunately, the internet is banned in Burma, so no Burmese can actually read this message.
Mission of Burma: The Horrible Truth About Burma
The Pixies: The Complete B-Sides
The 13th Floor Elevators: Easter Everywhere
This week begins the rainy season. So pardon me if I'm in a crabby mood today.
Aimee Mann: Magnolia [soundtrack]
Bob Dylan: Another Side of Bob Dylan
Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers: Live at Max's Kansas City '79
"Made in Taiwan" still equals=crap. I had to buy a new scooter this week after my old piece of junk fell apart. This is not the first time I've been burned on the quality of a major appliance in this country. Remember, this country made its fortune originally by exporting cheap plastic junk. If you want good quality, buy stuff made in Germany or Switzerland - not Taiwan!
New Page: Game Theory
The long-awaited second half of myNotes From the Philippines arrives.
Sorry that it's been over a month and a half since my latest update. To tell the truth I've just been lazy. Things are a little tense over here in Taiwan right now, with this latest round of PRC nationalism rearing its ugly head and threatening peace in this part of the world. I don't think most Americans realize how eager certain elements in China are for a war....it's pretty scary. Hopefully cooler heads will prevail, as they have in the past.
The Damned: Music For PleasureWho says I'm not eclectic? Simon & Garfunkel and Motorhead reviewed on the same day!
Blue Oyster Cult: Workshop of the TelescopesNot only do I review music, books, and movies, but now I review countries. Notes From the Philippines (Pt. I)
Blondie: Plastic LettersBlue Oyster Cult: Secret Treaties
Another essay on my Taiwanese life: Chia-yi's Ugliest American
C'mon baby, let's go to my new Crazy Horse review.
Roll out de ganja, mon, dere's tree new reggae reviews:
The Harder They Come Soundtrack Bob Marley & the Wailers: Catch a FireMy odds & ends section for 1970s albums was getting a bit crowded, so I split it into
A - N and O - Z sections. Also added three Records reviews (the band, not the piece of
plastic vinyl people used to spin back in the day of Edison recreations):
The Records: The Records
The Records: Crashes
The Records: Smashes, Crashes and Near Misses
Simon & Garfunkel: The Graduate
Don't call me fat big nose, slanty-eyed yellow banana! Sly & the Family Stone: Stand!
Sly & the Family Stone: There's a Riot Goin' On
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome -- Sloan: Between the Bridges
Also, I finally finished posting my backlog of reader comments. I apologize for not putting them up sooner, but I did abandon this site for half a year.
Here's my timely two cents on Elections USA vs. Elections Taiwan
My latest bit of writing doesn't really relate to music, but you might be interested anyway. Introducing my Notes From Taiwan
The Byrds: The Ballad of Easy Rider
V/A: Nuggets -- Long review; my FTP couldn't handle the entire review, so it comes in two parts.