I am average (and don't you forget it)

[illusionofjoy]

I'm having trouble sleeping again, which is probably a sign that I shouldn't have eaten half a bag of Doritos before midnight. However, since the chips have no caffeine, I was mired in the disbelief that there would be no negative consequences. I don't feel bad, save for the thoughts that being wide awake now will make me drag-arsed once I have to go to work in the morning. It won't really matter though, as this is the week of endless filing, which will keep me vertical for most of the workday. It will also keep me mercifully away from the rest of humanity as well.

I have become shamefully bad with communicating...or being on the receiving end, that is. I haven't checked my voice mail messages in three weeks. So, if you called, trying to contact me and left one, thinking I'd call back, well...sorry. At this point, I'm thinking that I should probably log in, delete everything in my mailbox and start from scratch, in an attempt to get back into my old habit of checking on a regular basis. Perhaps there are people out there who wish to converse with me regarding important matters, but damned if I'd know. Then again, damned if I'd want to know half the time either...

I've moved my [musical] keyboard next to my computer and have decided to leave it there for the time-being. At this moment, I am recording sporadically. I actually have a nice little "karaoke" pop song recorded - at least until I can upgrade my studio set up with a vocal mic. Other than that, I've been using my multi-tracking software as a sonic "sketch pad." I've come to realise that I haven't so much as lost my muse recently as I've been unable to remember the stuff I'm coming up with. Rarely do I ever jot down my song ideas, foolishly assuming that I'd simply remember them later, if they were good enough. With so much else on my mind lately, the art is suffering. So, if I'm able to, I'll scribble down lyrics on what scraps of paper I have available or, if I'm home, I'll fire up the recording software and play whatever sweet little phrase or hook just zipped into my head. There's not much in the way of cohesion right now, but the new album - and I'll be damned if there won't be a new album; I don't give up so easily (as my virtually unknown discography will attest to) - will be better than Division. Not that Division or any of its predecessors are bad, but...this time I want to really blow any latent mediocrity in my art out of the water. I want people to listen to the next one and say, "fuck..." as their jaw line hangs flaccid from stunned faces.

High hopes have I.

joi_division and I went out to Best Buy this evening. The new U2 album - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb - saw it's release date on the 23^rd and she I and I wished to get copies. If I feel so inclined, I may write a thorough review of the Irish lads' latest. Suffice it to say that U2 has always been a good rock band - with some unfortunate detours by the names of Zooropa and Pop along the way - and the new disc is no exception. I think that anyone who claims that this album or the single from it are crap do so simply to prove their musical elitism. All they really end up doing is proving that their opinions are mired in irrelevancy. You can only stick your nose in the air so far before falling over backwards on your ass.

While we were there I also picked up No Roots, the new one from Faithless. It turns out that the single version of "Mass Destruction" married to the music video is actually a remix (which does appear as a bonus track at the end of the disc). The LP cut is much more chilled-out, with a greater focus on the lyrics (thankfully). Again, an in-depth review will happen if I feel inclined. I like what I hear, suffice it to say. This is intelligent techno.

I'm going to lay in bed and pretend to sleep now. I'm so happy that I have Thursday off...though I could really use Friday off as well. I think I need to crash, shut down and reboot of my own volition before something causes it to happen for me.

Comments

[joi-division.livejournal.com]

:( I'm sorry you couldn't sleep.

As for the new U2 album...for me, it's love. It almost makes me wish I had a long busride into work to listen to it this morning. But no one can diss the new album without listening to it...because...they don't know! grr!