how bout some futbol?

so maybe i could go pro after all...

hang on!

so i know i already said goodnight, but holy shit!...i just found the most beautiful video i think i've ever seen. ever. seriously. and let me just tell you, you have to watch it to the end to understand what's happening. this is amazing. seriously, if you want to know what it's all about, watch this damn video. and it just so happens to be a video made to a weepies song, "stars." it's another amateur video. a guy films the video, and his two little girls are in the video. this was their christmas present to their mom this past year. trust me. watch this. all the way through.

simply music. (lot of animation too)

alright. sorry for the day with no music. i pulled a double throwdown. yes, that's right. a double! the other night was myself and jamor throwin' down. last night everyone came home. so, myself, marianyi, ippy, and chris took to the town. unfortunately, i didn't have my camera with me. but we started it off as any sane human being would....jimmy john's under 2 east 8th street. the only way to begin anything you do. so we stopped at a few stores. ultimately, i picked up an M-Audio D/A interface for my "studio" if you will. For those of you who are thinking "uhhhh..." let me help you. It's basically a box that allows me to connect things, such as a guitar, to my computer. Trust me, when you are like me, that is actually something exciting. So, we all came back, and I grilled up some steaks on the George Foreman for myself, Ipsen, and Harris. Then the four of us took to the hot tub. The only way to wind down the night. Except, we were missing one activity. So, at 1 am, we ordered a pizza from Chicago pizza. oh yea, that's right. we did. so that's that. okay. now for a taste of melodic sex in your ears.

so last night, on our walk, we stopped into old navy. there was a bin of futbols. or soccer balls, whatever prefer. so, alex and harris asked if i thought we'd get thrown out for starting a soccer game in the middle of old navy....that brings me to my video. oddly enough. it's kings of convenience. the song is called misread. the video is amazing, and the music is just right. its got this mix of like a mediterranean sort of acoustic, jazzy, beach, classical, pop feel. it's easier if you just watch the damn video. i will definitely do what this singer is doing in the video many times in my life hopefully. the lyrics describe about the first 16 years of my battle with finding a common ground with "love." very interesting stuff. reminds me of days gone by.



this...well this is just bad ass.



this next video is for a song called samson. probably one of the most beautiful songs i know. you may know regina spektor from her song "fidelity," which is also very cool. but this song, this song is just amazing. the lyrics, if you think about them, are extremely poignant. i can't even begin to count the many ways this song could describe my life...



this is one of my favorite groups around right now. they are one of the few that make albums that i can listen to all the way through without finding one song i don't like. so, i thought i would share one of their great songs with you. the song is called world spins madly on. it's a song that i have felt synonymous with lately. maybe it'll pass. but for now, it keeps me in the right mind. keeps me humble. it reminds me that i don't have it all figured out yet. so check it out.
oh and by the way, this is an amateur video. there is no official music video. and let me just say, as a student from columbia and having my limited knowledge of video editing and filming, i think this is just great.



ok. that's what i'm bringing on the music front for the day. tomorrow starts a new semester. i gotta say, as odd as this may sound, i'm feeling homesick. 2501 doesn't feel so much like home without fouad and ibrahim. now, i just have a very loud, most of the time, half naked roommate. although he's a good guy, and i talk to him and have known him, it's not the same. maybe this will be good for me. but regardless, i still wish i had that immanent feeling of home. so, for now, i am off to bed. i go to the MIDI studio at 9 a.m. should be exciting to see if i am able to wake up. til then...

let's take a walk...

as per request, i spent yesterday, thursday, walking around chicago taking pictures. it was 5 degrees in chicago. in case you didn't catch that, i just said...it was 5 degrees in chicago. alright then. let's get on with it shall we...




well...you heard what the video said...LET'S GO!










so i began by shooting the frozen tundra from my window...
(i shoulda listened when they said don't look down)



then it was time to make breakfast...that's a lot of frosted flakes.
don't worry, i didn't use the soap in my cereal.


bagel, cereal, apple juice, and yogurt.
nice and healthy. good carbs for the energy to walk around the freezing cold city.





home sweet home.



the frozen river.



that building on the left sure seems to TRUMP
the Wrigley building there on the right, eh?


michigan avenue.


niketown. brasil! and j'amor.


bathroom break at intercontinental.




so after walking around the mag mile with j'amor, i decided it was time to get out of the freezing cold and back to the warmth of 2501. so jason and myself came back and made ourselves a feast...it was like eid up in this b.




little cookin'.


we got some homemade pasta and veggies and grilled chicken. yea baby.


mmm...you know want some. go ahead, just try it.


after dinner, we blogged each other blogging each other.
it was intense.

anyways following this we made a short movie which is in post production. it's very post modern. it'll be posted soon. anyways, this is the blog of the bad assness that is chicago so i hope you all enjoyed. i stayed up til 4 am here so you may enjoy it. and now, i'm going to pass the fun out. so, until next time, goodnight.

audio for visual media.

so today's blog has music of a common thread i suppose. there is some type of cinematic quality to all of these songs. an elusive characteristic, if you will. at the same time, and, perhaps due to the aforementioned peculiarity, the music in all of these pieces has a great build up of emotion within its' framework. by the time the song is done, you find yourself drifting off thinking about something, and the music has passed almost subconsciously. it's as if these songs create the actual soundtrack to real life. not just another scene in a movie. but all the scenes in your movie. they evoke great thought. so don't just skip through. take a moment. reflect. you might be inspired.

i'm not going to say a whole hell of a lot about these videos individually as i usually do. just what you read above and a little something for each video.

this is explosions in the sky. they seem like really down to earth guys. song is called the only moment we were alone.



this is cinematic orchestra. well the pianist/singer anyways. song is called to build a home i think he has a different band usually. this is definitely one of the most painfully emotional songs i know. be patient. let it sink in.



this is a band called stars. song is call your ex-lover is dead. starts of with one of my favorite quotes. very interesting video. awesome musically speaking. beautiful collision of musical worlds. listen.



this next song has a different mood. it's called happy alone. it's by earlimart. i'm not sure how i feel about the band. but i love the song. they're very underground so unfortunately this video isn't the greatest. but it'll do. check it out on iTunes if you want to hear it better.



okay. now this next video is completely different. many of you may have seen this but i think it's worth putting out there. this guy is a great video editor. just remember when you're watching this, he had to play each note individually and then put it back together in a time that made sense musically. it's more than just drums so be patient.



just so you all know, the wind chill tonight in chicago is -25. so anyone in warmer weather, i don't like you right now.

update and glitch.

alright guys...we seem to have hit a brick wall of some sort. a lot of the music i have come to like is so unknown, i can't even find videos on youtube. so, if there is anyone who knows of a great source to find videos, please let me know. obviously it would be great if i could get a URL to embed the video in my page. now for the music that hasn't hit a brick wall.

amos lee is a pretty swell guy. yes, i said swell. you'll understand after you listen to this song..."sweet pea." yea. anyways, he has a great soulful voice. if you've ever watched the last kiss with zach braff, you may have heard him on the soundtrack singing one of his greatest songs, "arms of a woman." but for now, i'm going to showcase this tune because i like the throwback modern day twist he's got. haven't heard much else like it, and quite frankly, i can't seem to get it out of my head.



alright, these guys are i suppose a mix between the fray, mutemath, and coldplay. yeah, not a bad combination to be working with, wouldn't you say? of course, through all of there influences, you hear their own unique sound which is what this blog is all about. this song is called gone. phenomenal lyrics. i think we've all been there at some point in our lives if not multiple times.
i don't think they released an actual music video for it, so this might be a bit boring to watch, but at least you'll have the music.



half is a great song. now if you start listening to this and think, what's so special? well, just remember you've come this far with me, so maybe there's something further into the song. and there is. the chorus is a masterpiece of the marriage between the lyrical and melodic aspects of music. and as always, i think it's catchy. that's what gets me to a song. something that grabs you as your listening to it that makes you go..."NIIIIIICE"...it's a connection with a physical and emotional feeling within yourself from the music that makes you have to go back and listen to that part. the part where you turn it up in the car and go..."wait wait, this is it. shut up and listen!"...and sometimes people get it, while other times, they just look at you like your crazy.but don't worry, you're not. we all have that. we're just not all the same. and thank God. so without further ado, i present half by g tom mac.



now as for these couple of guys that i can't seem to find a video for, let me just give you some names and songs. you can find them on iTunes and take a listen.

Simple by Violet Archers
Runnin' Round the World by Pete & J
There Will Come Soft Rains by Dead Heart Bloom


okay. that should hold you over. outside of that, just a quick update on life at the condo. 2501 is still alive and kicking. it's looking like our good friend ippy will be moving in for next year. should be nice. finally replaced the lightbulb in my damn floor lamp in the living room. (the temporary fix was to put some christmas lights on the plants around the condo). also went to the store and found that candles were on sale, 10 for $10. so i bought the 10. i have been sitting here for a good 4 hours on the couch watching tv, researching, discussing, and the condo has been lit by 15 cinnamon apple candles. mmm mmm good. (15 cause i had some from before). also working on a new music project with ippy. for those of you who've known ab&ippy, we're trying to branch out. we're going to take back some of our old songs and rework them til they're right. then we'll let 'em out. and, we're entering an experimental playing field to see if we can't bring something to the house music scene. it should be an interesting ride. if you wanna come along, just keep up with the blog. i'm always updating. and lucky for you guys, i bought some good batteries for my digital camera so you can see what's been goin on around here...

most of these pics are for fouad and ibrahim. guys, now may i present to you....2501!!!

8 candles so far...


the recording area


another 2 candles...and i installed a new toilet seat.


but mom, everyone's doing it!



it's weird seeing the couch without fo sitting there watching FSC...and hearing Ibrahim in the kitchen making something I've never heard of with more spice than every latin country's spices combined...

miss you guys.

taking some advice.

well apparently i've found some calling in my music blogging. so, in that light, i will be weaving a lot more of that into the blog. of course, there are more aspects to this blog than just the music. so, for an update on what's going on with me just briefly, at the moment, i've just moved back home to chicago from winter break. i brought a lot more stuff with me this time too. all my recording equipment, instruments, etc. i'm throwing a shout out to chris harris as i have 2 monitors now working in the computer area. thanks for the inspiration buddy. i've been getting back to working out which is great, and i'm trying to work on my sleeping habits so i'm ready when school kicks back in. outside of that, my head is spinning a million miles a minute because i'm trying to organize 2501 before the roomie shows up with whatever he may bring. so now that the boring stuff is out of the way, let's head to the music...

first off we have catherine feeny. i don't have the slightest idea how i heard about her. i kind of discovered her for myself twice. once a while back that i can't remember. and then recently i was just scrollin through my library and i know i keep passing her up but i figured she must have something about her that made me add her to my library. and sure enough, she did. the song i'm posting is called mr. blue and it's elusively memorable. when you listen to it, it's one of those songs that's catchy but you can't seem to remember it well enough that you keep going back and listening to it. most definitely worth a listen...




next up we have megan mccauley. oddly enough, i stumbled across this wonderful up and coming girl watching dr. phil. i know. it's bad. but i was in kenosha on break for over a month. what do you expect me to do? regardless, i don't regret it because it lead me to find this hidden gem...did i just say gem? wtf. anyways, the video i'm posting porcelain doll has an actual video but i can't seem to find it so you're getting a very strange video. the nice part is it is 3D animation so if you know ibrahim, you can tell him what you saw and have a conversation, if you don't...well then it's just a weird video so don't mind it and listen to the song. it's beautifully poignant.



ok now this next two videos are intertwined with each other. they are from one of my newly found favorite films. it is, in a sense, a modern version of a musical. but it's not. lol. maybe an indie musical? who knows. it's just one of the most honest, earnest pieces i've seen. the director was brilliant. using small cameras and giving the feel of a documentary/home movie, and the unbelievably raw talent of the actors/singers is incomparable. it's just such an honest movie. it's - in a word- real.

this first clip is not the complete song but instead the piano ballad written by marketa irglova called the hill from the movie clip. you'll have to sit through the first minute or so of acting, but i think the intro only adds to the character to give you the sense of realism and personality to the song. this has to be one of the most painstakingly honest and ubiquitously relatable songs i've ever heard. it's so pure. it's everything you've ever wanted in a song. it's simple.



glen hansard has written one of my favorite songs with this piece. i cannot get enough of it. when it starts, it doesn't seem like anything special. but trust me, listen to it all the way through. one of the most emotionally captivating pieces i've ever heard. ever. that's 20 years worth of "ever"-ness. i'd trust me on this one. in fact, i do. ok now you trust me too, cause damn this song is ridiculous. also, this video clip is from the opening of the film once, which, you should watch. do it. go watch.


now let's get the two together. this is a song called if you want me. it is so bad ass it's not even funny. again this is a clip from the movie. i cannot say enough about this damn movie. best 20 bucks you could ever spend on a movie. finally someone has come up with a love story that's more than what you expect. it has been best described as the love story of a mutual respect based upon emotional intimacy as opposed to physical. in my own head, it makes sense as the film that goes beyond the material and into the immaterial. something you can make tangible. that's what really brings us all together. so anyways, check this out. and check out the movie if you do anything with that 20 bucks you found in your back pocket as you were doing the laundry.



ok, well, that's all for now. there's definitely a lot more to come. the more feedback i can get, the better i can gauge what you guys are enjoying musically from this blog. let me know what you think.

til then, cheers mate!

listen to the music.

so i have been doing some looking around to see what some good new artists on the rise are, and i gotta tell you, there is a lot of talent coming up. some more underground than others. but these next few people are pretty intense. at least i think.

first off, we have kate nash. a little more mainstream, i spotted her on nocturnal state of VH1. it's what keeps me up at night. she's pretty catchy. check out the video right here. the verse is a bit boring. still catchy, but not a lot of movement, but it builds a great tension so that when you get to the chorus it's a great release. but i like the honesty of the lyrics...



this next chick is from paris. for those of you who know the show...she was on star academy 7. not known in america very well, although she definitely should be. i love this song, new soul. i feel that as of where i am right now, about to enter my 20s, this song is a direct reflection of all of us around this age/point in our life. i can say i definitely thought about fouad when i heard this song. she's got kind of a feist-ish feel to her music. the video is also brilliant. definitely worth a listen...but then again, so is the rest of her album.




this next group is indescribable. you just have to listen to the most unbelievable thing you've heard. there needs to be more of this in the world. i love how different the intro is from the rest of the song. beautiful marriage of jazz/hip hop. if you like avishai cohen and bone thugs n harmony, this is about what you get. ridic.



and last but not least for this episode anyways, a group called ozomatli. this one is like earth wind and fire meets mos def. definitely loved hearin this one. not even sure how i stumbled upon it. doesn't matter. my world is that much better now. haha...check it...



oh...before i go, i want to bring your attention to this guy that flies just below the radar. he's had a couple of radio hits, but his best work is the stuff that doesn't make it to be a single. his name is josh kelley. i saw him live and he's got a lot of soul. fresh pop feel. little alternative. little rock. good acoustic. i'm posting his video for Only You, which was one of his singles only cause i can't find what i want and this is the best single i think he made. my suggestions outside of this single are - cain and able, hey katie, hard times happen, pretty much most of his collection. haha. so here's the video. little interesting fact, katherine heigl, some of you may know from grey's anatomy, is in this video before she was famous. it's where these two met. just recently, they got married. kind of a cool way to start the relationship...