"The actions of the intelligent, rationally antirational man may be the greatest danger" -Sol Yurick

Wow. I actually wrote on here two days in a row! Not that this is anything especially long, but I was just thinking: How can America produce technological advances like this and people like this? Also, lol at this:

"That's what you get when you let your heart win"

There's some really good music coming out tomorrow, including the new album from the Avett Brothers, which I am eagerly awaiting as my gatefold double 180 gram vinyl should be on its way in the mail. As much as I love those North Carolina boys, it's a band from neighboring Tennessee that's really got me going this week. You might have heard about them. They released a little album called Riot! in 2007 and catapulted into the music stratosphere on the tails of their single "Misery Business." Hell, it even scored them a Grammy nomination. Yea, I'm talking about Paramore.

Sure, these guys don't need any hype from me, as I'm sure their album will debut in the Billboard Top 10, but I'm really writing because these guys are a bit of a phenomenon in my life. On the verge of turning 22(!) one would think that I would be over the pop-punk phase of my life. Hardly! I'm constantly on the lookout for new talent, but, in the past, when a band got as big as Paramore, I would have been quick to dismiss them as sellouts. I would spin their old albums and talk about how much better they were back in the day, which, in all likelihood, was no more than 2 years ago. Yet, on the eve of Paramore's brand new eyes hitting shelves I find myself as excited as any of their tween girl fans.

Paramore are an honest, hard-working band. They write music they're proud of and it shows. Moreover, they're talented. The boys can all play and Hayley Williams is an excellent singer. Check out their MTV Unplugged session right here if you want proof, especially "Brick By Boring Brick." I'm glad that, among all the crap that's getting airplay, a band like Paramore is playing to kids all across the world. It reminds me of how and why music became such an important part of my life, going to VFW hall shows and hoping that the bands I was hearing would be the next big thing, going to the record store every Tuesday to pick up new releases. So, in light of this, I hope that some of you will go pick up Paramore's new album tomorrow or at least sneak a listen on your little sister's iPod. I'm willing to bet you'll be singing along in no time.

"First of the fall and then she goes back/Bye bye bye bye there/Them summer days, those summer days ..."

So I spent the better part of the last 3 weeks sans internet, which is why I haven't been around here at all. I never realized how much of my life was tied to my computer until I was basically without it for that long. Scary stuff. However, I'm back with a treat. This is a little video directed by Marc Webb starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel for the phenomenal She & Him song "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?". If you haven't caught this trio's work in (500) Days of Summer, I suggest you do so right away because it's fantastic. So, without further ado, enjoy...



(Video courtesy of USA Today)