All-time Highs in Iraq: Escalation by the Numbers

I don't want this blog to get overly political, but this article really sums up the devastation, corruption, and folly of the "Surge". The next time you talk to somebody who thinks we shouldn't be pulling out, and that the surge should be "given a chance"...show them this:

The number of taxpayer-paid private contractors in Iraq,
the number of bullets fired for each insurgent killed,
the percentage of amputations performed on U.S. war-wounded:
a compilation of numbers puts Iraq into perspective.

Someday, we will undoubtedly discover that, in the term "surge" -- as in the President's "surge" plan (or "new way forward") announced to the nation in January -- was the urge to avoid the language (and experience) of the Vietnam era. As there were to be no "body bags" (or cameras to film them as the dead came home), as there were to be no "body counts" ("We have made a conscious effort not to be a body-count team" was the way the President put it), as there were to be no "quagmires," nor the need to search for that "light at the end of the tunnel," so, surely, there were to be no "escalations."

Read more.

Aus Rotten - The Flags Will Cover Coffins.

Tuesday night tracks meant for Monday.

Sorry, I've been busy! Meant to do this yesterday, but such is life...

Here are a few remixes of well known indie/brit pop/dance rock bands for your pleasure. Something for the kids who don't get out much.

Block Party - Hunting for witches (Fury 666 Remix) [A nice over driven remix]

Blur - Song 2 (Eric Prydz remix) [Gets pretty slammin' on in there! Very Busy.]

Interpol - The Heinrich Maneuver (Paul Epworth Phones Remix)
[The bass breakdown in the middle is just swell. I promise.]

Vivek Shraya - Seven Nation Army (Cover).
[Not super super amazing, but a good recasting all things considered]

Political and goth.

Dj Foundation. Who is he? Who knows. This is like if crass were a DJ in Iraq, mashing up tracks instead of making stripped down punk. Politics and dance are amazing I think. It renders other things obsolete. It's pretty fucking amazing and more punk rock than any hardcore band i've heard lately.

Take some time reading his myspace and seeing how much he angers people. It's great.

This track is pretty funny at first, but gets pretty amazing when he drops the genesis. Trust me.

DJ Foundation - G Had.

Next:



I really like She Wants Revenge. It's like Ian Curtis being kicked in the head by Bauhaus. Or maybe Interpol if they aped Kommunity FK instead of Joy Division. They have better lyrics than interpol, that's for sure. The singer reminds me a lot of the french band Corpus Delecti. The only bad thing about them is that they are on Fred Durst label. Yuck. It makes me sad they are probably on warp tour and such... But they have some amazing videos to make up for it.
I need more goth in my life, don't you?

Their new track song is really swell:

She Wants Revenge - Written in Blood.

Dykeenies Dance. What the heart wants.

Apparently their name comes from something in willow. I never really watched that movie. I'm almost tempted to find out what little phrase this comes from...

This track is off the new Single for 'Dry your Eyes'. I posted the Video for it earlier. Go look. Anyway, this track surprised me as a B-side. It's very driving and somewhat "neu-ravish", and a bit outside the britpop mold. Though maybe, this is the britpop mold now days, with bands like Shit Disco and White Rose Movement. I can see this song being remixed and passed around. Maybe I'll remix it myself.

I really love this guys voice. It's almost slurred.

Enjoy.

The Dykeenies - Stationary.

Let me breath hard, like it was hard.

This track makes me laugh something fierce. Basically Wale rapping over D.A.N.C.E. Enjoy it.

Wale - WaleDance

:D

Kiss and Don't Tell.

Uffie Appresh.
I know this isn't fresh, but more people need to know. I can see how a lot of people wouldn't get her, trying to compare it to real hip hop/or saying she is a gimmick. But maybe the interview will help you out 'cuz you're slow. I connected to her music right off because it's such a clear perspective. Yes, she's a cute girl, but she also makes up some really vibrant images with her words. It's the power of just doing things your own way with no real official training.

Vids_

Interview: (lots of shoes and an annoying commentator! Deboo album?)



Live in tokyo: (Fast forward to 1:51. Skip the weird dark techno.)



Some Pics_








Songs_

Uffie - Ready to Fuck.

Justice - the Party (feat Uffie. Smack My Bitch Luv Tek Remix)

Call me prejudice cuz I never touch the black ones...

I don't really like kanye west. He comes off as played and fake to me......not to mention a crazy douche bag.
Sorry if you don't agree.
But I can't deny that this track is nice, and damn if I don't love me some Young Jeezy!

Just something to get you into the weekend.

Kanye West - Can't Tell me Nothing RMX (With Young Jeezy)

Vodka and Sludge.

Curtis Vodka is a DJ from Alaska who is usually too cheesy for my tastes. According to Wikipedia he is also a count! Fancy that? He's done a fabulous mix of a Ladytron track.
It's very atmospheric and organ heavy, a bit opposed to the original, yet it still retains an attractive dance quality.

Vodka has a tour coming soon if you're interested.

Ladytron - destroy everything you touch (Curtis Vodka Satanic Drum Version).



Up next is Black Skies from Chapel Hill N.C. It's a bit odd to me that this is the the kind of thing coming out of the Hill these days, even though I know stoner metal has always been popular with the hip folks. I remember trying to champion metal when I lived there in 2003 with very little success. But I digress, The Point is that they are good at what they do, namely being very heavy and sludgey, yet staying focused on the songs and the energy. They keep you rocking out, which some stoner/doom/sludge bands forget about in that search for the perfect sabbath riff.

I saw them Sunday night with Big Business/Caltrop and I must say their new drummer has improved their sound 10 fold. Great stage presence. It doesn't hurt to have a cute girl playing bass either.

Cheers to you.

They will be touring next month so go check them out.

Black Skies - Black Skies.




AND! A Big Business track:
I'll Give You Something to Cry About.
This is off their new album and quite a good listen. Catch them on tour if you can. It's basically stoner metal but with a more experimental guitar player.

A quickie.

5 tracks for a monday night. Sit back and hold tight the weeks just starting!!!

Anthony Rother - Back home.

Shy Child - Astronaut.

Black Lips - Everybody is Doing it.

Mr Oizo - Nazis (Justice Remix).

Zdar - Don't you want.


This song is a year or so old, but why is it that Depeche Mode is more punk rock than just about any hardcore band these days? Sumbody essplain plz!

Math and stripping.

Another great DJ/remix duo under the moniker Mathematikal. It sounds very similar to what Justice is doing, namely updating michael jackson tracks......but wait... it's an actually Jacko track! Billie jean has never sounded quite so powerful. The bass will rend you from your bum to your sternum. Get into it.

They have some more slamming tunes over at the space:
Mathematikal.





Good news for Zune fans:

Apparently somebody has written a little APP to strip the DRM off any songs you download from the Zune marketplace. This opens up the wifi sharing restriction as well. If you have a Zune I do suggest you look into this.

I'm wondering when companies, intent on owning music, will wake up and realize that the money they sink into developing restrictions on music sharing will always be wasted, as some clever person will always crack/hack/smash it. MS should spend more time making their software functional and giving Zune fans a clock instead of trying to restrict the features that trump the ipod.

More info on the war against MS and DRM.

Windows Media DRM Cracked, Again