New Prize Inside Podcast

Prize Inside, the podcast I host with Corey Be, has a new epsiode (4!!!) which we just uploaded.

Checkit!!!

Review: Manchester Orchestra, "Mean Everything to Nothing"

Manchester Orchestra
"Mean Everything to Nothing"
(Favorite Gentlemen/RED)

For their debut LP, "I'm Like a Virgin Losing a Child," Georgians Manchester Orchestra channeled a host of obvious of influences such as Built to Spill, Modest Mouse and Lord knows who else to bring together one hell of a moody album about Woody Allen movies and religion. And as random as it sounds, the combination played up the band's strengths and singer Andy Hull's vivid lyricism.

On their second record, "Mean Everything to Nothing," the Orchestra goes balls to the wall, immediately creating a frantic atmosphere with very little pauses. The second track -- and in my opinion, the highlight -- "Shake it Out" is one of the most aggressive hardcore songs, without actually beiing a hardcore song. The loud guitars and breakneck rhythms may turn some older fans off who liked the melodic fragility of "Virgin," but the sonically challenging nature of "Nothing" further diversifies Manchester Orchestra's sound. Bravo.

[bonus video]

"Shake it Out"

Prize Inside Vol.3 Now Up!!!

The podcast and Corey and I host is now running into its third (!!) episode. Recognize. Stream it. Download it.

PRIZE INSIDE

Racism Still Exists in America; Chasing Coolness is Not Surprised

It's a rather bittersweet time to be a person who's interested in American politics. On the one hand, we're witnessing some of the most radical changes to the status quo in quite sometime (and granted it's not as radical as, let's say, the Marcos Exile in the 1980s or Castro taking Cuba, but give America a little credit) and yet it's marred with pictures like this.

These ridiculous tea-bagging (if you haven't seen the Rachel Maddow video, Google it; it's hilarious) parties that have been going on around the country just serve as a reminder of much closer to idiocracy we are as a society. I may not agree with these dumb events, but I'm not going stop them from congregating. I am, however, appalled (though not shocked) that for many people, it was more about their displeasure of having a Black man as our President. People are bullshit.

Prize Inside Podcast 2

Corey and I did another PRIZE INSIDE podcast.

Episode 2: Superzeroes.
Corey debuts "Ryan Doesn't Know Shit About Sports" and we talk comics (books and stand up) and the Real World (the TV show).

Video: Modern Life is War, "D.E.A.D.R.A.M.O.N.E.S."

This song is on my AM jog playlist. It rules.

Prize Inside Podcast

Corey Bee + Ryan P = Prize Inside

A former rapper and a former DJ come together for a new podcast. Episode 1 up now.

Review: Silverstein, "A Shipwreck in the Sand"

Silverstein
“A Shipwreck in the Sand”
(Victory)

Long running Canadian screamo outfit, Silverstein, is still churning out records like it’s nobody’s business and their latest album, “A Shipwreck in the Sand,” is supposedly decidedly different. Supposedly.

Like the erstwhile other Canadian screamo band, Boys Night Out, Silverstein’s newest album is a concept record based around some story or another. While I’ve never shied away from concept albums (“Winners Never Quit” and “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea” being among my favorites) it’s a harder pill to swallow from a pop-punk band.

Not to say that “Shipwreck” is a bad album. It is probably Silverstein’s most polarizing record, in as much as the heavy parts are pretty heavy and the delicate parts are very delicate. But make no mistake, Silverstein do what they do best, which is to write and perform catchy songs with intricate guitar parts.

As much crap as I’ll get for saying this, there’s a consistency in Silverstein’s overall songwriting and this album is no different. Concept record or not, they have a formula in writing songs that are fairly easy to digest and while I can’t say that this is their best album, it is, in essence, a Silverstein album.

Nerdiness Ensues

Last night, a partial list of this year's Bumbershoot participants was released. It's no secret that I kind of hate Bumbershoot for a number of reasons, chiefly the fact that it's gone from a small homegrown celebration to a big corporate fuck party. There are logististics here that I choose to ignore (namely that it costs these super big corporate dollars to run such an event), but I can't help but think that it's kind of like a grown up Bamboozle (aka a giant mall for pop-punk bands).

Anyway, as I was looking through the list of scheduled artists, I saw that S.E. Hinton was going to be there.

Yes, THAT S.E. Hinton.

Hinton is responsible for some of my favorite middle school books like The Outsiders and Rumble Fish and like Harper Lee, J.D. Salinger, Judy Blume and, prior to her death, Madeline L'Engle, Hinton lives in relative obscurity. She's nowhere nearly as prolific as Stephen King, James Frey and Stephanie Meyer, and it really works to her advantage.

I haven't been to Bumbershoot since 2004, but I think I may have to go this year, if only to see S.E. Hinton in person.