Samtastic! Review: Explosions in the Sky

Explosions in the Sky is pretty phenomenal band, to say the least. I think they have had a sort of rough go of it, maybe that's why their song titles are so sad. I have been heavily into instrumental stuff lately. I think there is too much talk talk talking going on in my life...so I can do without lyrics right now.

They hail from Austin, Texas, which might suprise some people, but not if you have actually been to Texas...with it's wide open spaces and undercover spots of major creativity going on, it is a truely beautiful state. I can imagine seeing this band out in a field in TX somewhere, and just being in total euphoria.

I am going to see them this April at the Variety Playhouse, here in ATL. They were supposed to open for Smashing Pumpkins on Halloween, which I almost went to just to see them...this will be 1,000 times better and more personal.

Check them out = www.myspace.com/explosionsinthesky or http://www.explosionsinthesky.com/

Samtastic! Review: Some Top 5's...for today.

Haven't been too inspired by anything new lately so here are some top 5's for right now, in no true particular order:

Top 5 Songs to be sad and lonely to:

1. Aretha Franklin - Without the One You Love

2. Jeff Buckley - Last Goodbye

3. Ray Charles - Just for a Thrill

4. Otis Redding - I Love You More Than Words Can Say

5. Fallin' - De La Soul

Top 5 songs to rock out in the car to:

1. Mark Ronson feat. Paul Smith - Apply Some Pressure

2. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Call Me the Breeze

3. Creedence Clearwater - Down on the Corner

4. Michael Jackson - The Way You Make Me Feel

5. Radiohead - Electioneering

Top 5 songs to dance to:

1. Michael Jackson - Don't Stop 'til you Get Enough

2. Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin's Somethin'

3. Jamie Lidell - Little Bit More

4. Jamiroquai - Feel So Good

5. Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing

Top 10 Songs to chillax to (couldn't pick just 5):

1. Marvin Gaye - Inner City Blues

2. Thelonious Monk - Straight, No Chaser

3. The Temptations - Just My Imagination

4. Stone Temple Piolets - Creep

5. Smokey Robinson and the Miracles - ooo Baby Baby

6. Aretha Franklin - Don't Play That Song for Me

7. Otis Redding - Send Me Some Lovin'

8. Otis Redding - Cigaretes and Coffee

9. Otis Redding - Let Me Come Home

10. Phish - You Enjoy Myself

Samtastic! Review: Amy Winehouse and her inevitable demise

I love Amy Winehouse...I first saw a video of her like a year ago on IMF, and ordered her album from the UK because it wasn't release here yet, and I instantly was obsessed with her. Her style and sound are such a throwback to my favorite kinds of music, and her album is brilliant, well written, funny, and honest.

Everything she sings about unfortunately is true, and her current downward spiral into drug oblivion is so sad...She will probably go down in history, hopefully not for her early demise.

So if you still haven't checked her out, listen to the album, don't watch her perform.

Samtastic! Review: The Freedom of being your own boss...

Lots of things are going on right now that I wasn't really expecting, on top of the ones I was.

I moved, which I was expecting, and I really like it so far. Although I got kind of bugged out last night because I was completely alone except for Dexter (the dog)...and you know how animals can see ghosts and shit, and def hear better than humans? well he kept like seeing things...and then the wind was making weird noises, so it was creepy.

I finally got to talk to my friend Doug last night, he does amazing photgraphy, if you are in a band you should hire him...www.myspace.com/epochshot.

I have realized that I have somehow become completely domesticated over the past 2 years living in suburbia, so there will be a lot of mailings.

Now that I actually commute farther than 15 steps to work, I have realized, again, that working out of your house is really sheltering. In a good way sort of, it's like a whole new world out there in the morning. I can see the sun shining on the mountains and listen to Kanye or Feist or whatever and it just starts the day off right.

Being your own boss is hard, but makes everything else a lot better. Taking that responsibility into your own hands makes the work you do, that much better, because YOU are benefitting from it.

I like Alicia Keys new song "No One", it's more genuine than her stuff when she was younger.

There is way too much Christmas music in the world, some of my faves though are by Nat King Cole, The Grinch Stole Christmas Soundtrack, Sinatra (of course), The Beach Boys and Dean Martin.

My least favorite...Barry Manilow.

Oh, and Fergie needs to be silenced, and if that means Will.I.Am does too then so be it.

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

Energy can not be created or destroyed.

Right?