Test drive.

Hi kids.

It was a year-long joyride I've had with this here blog. There were some grand times, bland times, but overall, somewhat grand times.

However, I want to take my blogging a little more serious and move into a specific direction. I have a new blog now, titled I'm Glowing!.

Granted, I've only posted four entries since I inaugurated it yesterday, but I would love for you all to get the hang of reading it on a regular basis.

This blog was my project to testing out my thoughts, but now, I'm wanting to take 'em to a whole new level of professionalism.

CMoS wants to thank you for the support, but if you would kindly carry your support to my new blog, that'd be even sexier.

Love,
Amb

Can't wait, can't wait.

(Still from next week's episode of Ugly Betty)

Ugly Betty was so fantastic last week that all I can say about next week is I'm so anticipatory of it that it'll be the only thing to think about. I have a feeling that my week already will rule because of that. Well, that and seeing this guy play basketball before mine eyes.

Anyway, so bottom line is I'm excited. So far, the best Ugly Betty episode ever. Seeing she and Henry finally make love is the sweetest thing, not to mention me wanting to see Wicked. Man.

Honestly, I got nothing. All I gotta say is: if you're not hooked to this show yet, I wonder how you sleep at night.

Open letter to Wolf Parade.

Dear Wolf Parade,

Remember when The Rapture came out with that badass EP in 2002, followed by an even more badass LP in 2003? And remember when the end of 2006 rolled around, and their newest album came out, and folks were excited, only to be slightly disappointed because the CD really wasn't that worth the wait?

No? OK. How about when you came out with that badass EP in the summer of 2005, followed by your badass LP in the fall of 2005? Oh, now it's ringing a bell. At first fans were led to believe that your newest album is set for the end of this year; now you're telling us it's gonna be the first half of next year? Hmm. Looking all-too familiar here. Please don't be another Rapture. I love you too much. You're super talented. Make it happen. Make it worthwhile.

P.S. Spencer Krug--I know you're prolific, having two other projects (Sunset Rubdown, Swan Lake) that are very solid bands and all, but let's now focus on Wolf Parade please. Thanks.

A show even better than Family Guy.

Before the fall of 2006, the only show I could rely on for cynical political commentary similar to mine's was Family Guy. And imagine how heart-broken I was as a hardcore 15-year-old fan when that shit got canceled. So you must can imagine my elation when it was revived and came back better than ever.

And even before I got into Family Guy, there was South Park, the even more acerbic comedy I was into.

Well, there's a show that combines both of those elements, this time behind the eyes of a cynical black man named Aaron MacGruder, creator of The Boondocks comic strips, and, thank God, the television series on Adult Swim.

A homeboy who was a photographer for our campus newspaper gathered a few of us around his computer and showed us the show. It was immediately a hit with me. What this show does for the educated black folk is what aforementioned shows Family Guy and South Park may do for the educated white folk: divulging racism, whether it's blatant or subtle. Like how Family Guy makes fun of rich, white Republicans or South Park making fun of poor, low-class white people, The Boondocks make fun of the polar opposites of blacks: you're either an idiot thug or an uppity well-to-do black person who has identity crises.

At least, that's what you gather about all three of those shows, but essentially, they're making fun of the American ideals of minority cultures through the gaze of a closed-minded nincompoop who cannot accept change. I know, deep shit, but as some of you may know, Amb is all about controversy.

But the funny thing is is the fact that Boondocks isn't controversial at all. It talks about real shit, and, thankfully, it expresses different opinions and shows how some people can still get along despite their differences. And the fact that it's narrated through militant 10-year-old Huey (named after Black Panther founder Huey Newton), who sports a huge afro, while his younger brother, Riley, sports cornrows and embraces the negative rapper image.

Just because the show uses "nigga" a lot or the main characters are black doesn't mean it's specifically for a black audience. In honesty, I'm really glad to see a show with majority black characters, albeit cartoon characters, that isn't canceled and is actually successful without having to compromise itself.

Because Lord knows we don't need another Dave Chappelle situation.

You, sir, are an asshole.

How this moron gets all the hype of being "one of the best living singer/songwriters," I'll never understand. Nevermind the fact that Ryan Adams has put out 97 albums in seven years. Just because you have the capabilities of putting out the album doesn't make you the goddam Messiah.

Don't get me wrong, he's a talented asshole, but after the release of his debut, Heartbreaker, which is, apparently, the best album ever, he's just been that guy known to be to wear his emotions on his sleeve and being an asshole.

I first heard about Adams in 2003 when I was at a local CD Warehouse and the clerk, looking like he was in an alt.country band with his long beard, Wranglers, fitted tee and rock star boots, was recommending me the new Ryan Adams album at the time, Rock 'N Roll. The guy was raving about it! I was like, "Shit, the way you're talking about it, I'll get it, brother." Yes, I said that verbatim.

Anyway, so he plays the title track of the album, which didn't sound like rock 'n roll at all, but instead a piano ballad. So that alone intrigued me.

As soon as I leave the store, I pop the album in my CD player. I listen to the first song, "This Is It," and I was somewhat interested. But for some odd reason, I didn't get into the rest of the album. Turns out, that album was a piece of shit.

Now, now. I know the story--record label Lost Highway was all like, "Hey, man, your shit's just not commercial enough, so get back into the studio and make a whole new album in two weeks, no matter how shitty it is. We just want results." Or something like that. And I agree, that's unfair.

And I guess that's how the rest of his career went. He just kept throwing up albums, left and right. It was to the point that that was all he was known for. Well, that and his September 11-era "New York, New York." And being an asshole.

Every time I say I hate Ryan Adams, it's a guarantee I'll end up in an argument with the millionth hardcore Ryan Adams fan. After telling them I got into him with Rock 'N Roll, they'd usually say the same thing: "Oh, you shouldn't have started with that album. You should've started with Heartbreaker. It's the best album he's done and one of the greatest albums ever and whenever I'm dumped by my girlfriend, I listen to it non-stop and it makes me weep like a little bitch"--verbatim.

It always trips me out, because, as I said, he has put out 157 albums in seven years, and the only album people think about is his very first album as a solo artist he put out seven years ago.

So, please, everyone, tell me: Why the hell is Ryan Adams significant, other than the fact I just spent 20 minutes talking about my dislike for the bastard?

Take your time. I'll wait.

BTDubs.

This scene from Thursday's episode of Ugly Betty is all you freakin' need to know how incredibly brilliant the show keeps becoming. The writing is just impeccable.

This one was a good'un, to say an understatement. I really didn't see most of the shit coming. Marc giving up a date with a hot, yet idiotic underwear model to be with cute and cuddly photographer Cliff?! Alexis suddenly regaining her memory on the juicy parts (yes, I said "juicy" more than once--that's how serious it is!) of her life and admitting she was aiming to kill her dad?! Christina's husband tracking her down on a dating Web site?!

And, of course, Henry and Betty overcoming their awkward, standstill positions and finally owning up to their love for each other and kissing each other passionately with that one song from Casablanca playing in the background!

I really didn't see that one coming. I just figured it was gonna be another farewell they'd end up eating later in the show, but I didn't expect for her to come back outside and plant a wet one on him. Damn!

Literally, a tear exited my eye sockets and glided down my cheek.

Bravo, Ugly Betty team. Bravo.

That goes for you, too.

Because Zora Neale Hurston, too, is the shit.

Oh, God bless.

Seriously, Kurt. I recently discovered newfound inspiration to write again. Inspiration--it comes and it goes, and when it comes back, boy, is it a beautiful thing.

Can't get enough.

Probably my favorite song of the year, this here Liars song I'm about to mention below:
Liars - Leather Prowler
Every time I hear this song, I, literally, stand up, and suddenly, my feet are moving around frantically to the point where I'm hopping around. Kind of like those kids at a punk show circa 1977 at CBGB. Just random flailing/gyration.

And another fave of mine comes from the band pictured above.
Spoon - Don't You Evah
This song, too, makes me want to get up and dance, but in a more choreographed way. The minute and a half bass/guitar solo brings nothing but rhythmic jams to it, and then, of course, Britt Daniel tops it off with his amazingly versatile voice. He does some wonderful things with his vocals here. A sexier, better version of "Stay Don't Go" off their critically and commercially successful 2002 album, Kill the Moonlight.

And I mustn't forget this song:
Animal Collective - Fireworks
I can't believe I didn't fully elaborate how wonderful the experience of seeing them live last month. All I gotta say is this: I've never been so sweaty after a show. They are incredibly talented, despite some criticisms of them being pretentious and their "weird music" resulting from drug usage. Well, for one--bullshit, and two--who the hell cares?

Two albums I own but have yet taken time out to give them the full listens they deserve:

as well as:

Don't worry. Full details coming soon.

OK, you got me: Pt. 2

“When they say a movie I make is smarter-than-thou, that the movie is ‘too smart for its own good,’ as if we’re making movies to try to show everybody how great and cool we are…well, that’s just not the case. We’re trying our hardest to entertain people, to make something people will like, something people will connect with. I don’t think there’s a great effort to try to make some statement about ourselves, you know?”

Oh, Wes Anderson. What else needs to be said after that quote? Do yourself a huge favor and read the full piece New York Magazine wrote.

The Life Obsessive With 'The Darjeeling Limited' Director Wes Anderson

Also:

This is Pylon. They are the shit. Formed in Athens in 1979. Disbanded in 1983. Now they are back together again, touring. They come to Atlanta Nov. 2. DFA Records reissued their influential LP, Gyrate (reissue is titled Gyrate Plus. It's amazing. I'm amazed. Gotta check it out, folks.

Pylon on Myspace

OK, you got me.

Oh, Wes Anderson, you delightful bastard. You won me over again, baby. The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou is forgotten about. The Darjeeling Limited has definitely re-opened my eyes with love for you.

However, I'm just one person. Apparently, critics aren't too impressed, giving Anderson mixed reviews. Of course.

The main criticism is a bit lame to me: what makes Darjeeling different than his previous two--Aquatic and The Royal Tenenbaums? Nothing, critics quip, except this one's on a train, while the other two are on a boat and in a castle-esque home, respectively.

Another thing Anderson keeps up is his themes of alienation, loneliness and hope. I find it unfair that when Martin Scorsese casted Robert DeNiro, Harvey Keitel and, recently, Leonardo DiCaprio in is films, as well as using slow motion in his earlier films, he was considered a visionary genius; however, Anderson does the same thing, yet he's repetitive.

I use Scorsese as an example because I see a lot of his work reflected in Anderson's films, as well as Francois Truffaut and Hal Ashby. It wasn't too long ago where Marty was just another young auteur whom critics deemed "pretentious" and "arrogant," and boy, did it take a long time for him to get a golden statue.

Anderson is definitely a true auteur, involved in just about every significant aspects of film. When I'm watching his films, I feel as if I can see the scenes directly from his eyes.

Another great thing about Darjeeling is the casting of Adrien Brody as the hothead yet mild-mannered middle brother. This is the thing about Adrien Brody: where the hell have you been since that magnificent, Oscar-winning performance in The Pianist? He just haven't been getting good roles, and I'm so happy that Anderson did what he does best by snatching great actors out of their funk and bringing them back to the beautiful side of cinema--another sign of great directing (see: Gwyneth Paltrow, Anjelica Huston, Danny Glover, Bill Murray, Gene Hackman, Ben Stiller).

But what I love most about Anderson, visual cinematic elements aside, is the fact that he focuses on the family. It's common psychology that most of our actions relies on our familial background. Sadly enough, not many directors delve into said aspects. Anderson shows that families are bound to be dysfunctional, and those who feel they are the sane members tend to find a way to escape from all the craziness. I've been searching frantically to find articles that touched on Anderson's background, but to no avail. My guess is that he relates to his characters in several ways and uses his films as therapy. Watching his films are definitely therapeutic to me.

Thank you, Wes. You've done it again. I haven't been this moved since, well, your last amazing movie about that Tenenbaum family.