Sweet Jeebus!

Oh no! Another one of my favorite music makers has jumped on the cliche and utterly weak "god" bandwagon. I'm officially writing off the Eels from any further iPod play. To read about the Eels' forthcoming album "Blinking Lights and Other Revelations" go here. Lame. What a disappointment.

I like cars more than telephones...

It's funny how the song that's on constant repeat in my head is so relevant. The Arcade Fire needs to record that one on something other than a damn pocket tape recorder.

The Annie Awards took place last night and were pretty interesting to say the least. It's funny to see otherwise fashion impaired animators all dressed up and spiffy. The Incredibles took home an award for every category they were nominated in. Whoa, really? That's a shocker!

I also had a rad Sunday morning drive with my friend Pieter in his sweet R32. Needless to say, it was a car geek good ol' time. We also checked out a few Porsches and Lotus' and the like at the tail end of a gathering in Woodland Hills.

Never fear, comic supporters, I will be working double overtime on the series this and next week. Much like last week, there will be more than one new comic posted. You can thank the non-stop clinking of the cogs in my head and the tugging of the strings attached to my wee metal heart for that. I'm not built like a robot but shit, wouldn't that be so much easier?? I certainly wouldn't have all this nervous energy and the knot in my stomach!

Silver Jews and more 'American Water' material...

I am thrilled to post the following, as I never thought I would ever have the pleasure of doing so....

Reported from pitchforkmedia.com:

Silver Jews Recording With Malkmus

Zach Vowell reports:
So we know that a mere reissue of Pavement's Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain isn't enough to fill the gigantic slacker hole that the band's demise left in your life. However, there is one bright spot-- the Silver Jews are still recording (or is it recording again?), long after their Matador counterpart's demise. And though the process is way too embryonic to start talking about tracklists and release dates, much less album titles, the basic (and pretty fucking exciting) facts are confirmed by Drag City: Stephen Malkmus, Steve West, and Bob Nastanovich are on board to help David Berman with his latest masterpiece. This piece of news substantiates what rampant rumors have speculated ever since Malkmus posted the following on his website: "Nashville is unseasonably warm-- there are termites in my computer that adds things to the dialog". Not that he's not usually cryptic as hell anyway. American Water fans everywhere were baffled by everything after "Nashville", but that city, that city conjured up such sweet possibilities. Consider the possible the actual.

Another New Comic...

Please check the weekly section.

Neues Komisches

Please check the Weekly section for the new comic!!
Do it for freedom! Er, I mean... um... Or do it 'cause you like stuff. 'Cause I like stuff. Can we be friends?

Phoenix or bust!

Great news! My sister officially accepted the Pharmacist job offer in Phoenix, AZ!

The New Year

I'm talking about the band, silly, not the lame time of year that everyone wishes it be "happy" at you. Recently, I trudged back into the depths of my record collection and stumbled across their album called "Newness Ends"(2001). What a damn fine recording, if I do say so myself. Much better than their latest effort "End Is Near". "Newness Ends" has more of a solid and finished feel to it without being too pretty and polished. Oh, and the time signatures their drummer plays with kicks my ass! (Yes, I play drums along with this record. I have no shame in admitting that. Hold your laughter until you leave the room please.)

So me and my mild case of agoraphobia went head to head this weekend as I braved the crowds at a sports bar to watch, gulp, American football with a friend of mine. In the end, I actually a great time. Thanks Kim, for summoning me from my hobbits' den of despair (ie, my home studio). I have to defend my reclusive nature though by stating that I have made drastic headway in the character & story development process. Yes, Ben and Kusai now have more of a stable ground to walk on- figuratively speaking. Different characters will be appearing in the weekly comic as well. Speaking of which- a new comic should be up later tonight if I get my shit together.

New Slang

The Shins' "new" video is up on the Sub Pop label site. This one's definately a more straight forward approach as opposed to the Postal Service's "new" one.
(**DISCLAIMER- this song is even older than the previous Postal Service song, clocking in at 4 years old. Don't you just love it when movies, and by that I mean the nefarious "Garden State", rehash the stuff you love dearly by saying, and I quote Natalie Portman, "It'll change your life!" Argh! That's the absolute most embarrassing line in cinema history! Shame on you Zach Braff!)
This video doesn't really have a narrative but it somehow makes me miss living in a place with seasons that require the use of a winter coat. Maybe it's the film stock. "New Slang" totally represents Seattle when I was there too so maybe that has something to do with it.


Random images... The view out my front door.

"Yikes" on so many levels...

Watch the new Postal Service video for "We Will Become Silhouettes" - yes, a song that's been out now for 2 years. It's directed by a fav of mine, Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite) but really doesn't compliment the song. Then again, I'm not sure what I was thinking would be fitting for it. Certainly not this. I still have it backwards in my head anyway that the Shins acoustic version of this song was the original. Quite possibly because I bought the "Such Great Heights" single (with the Shins version) that came out a couple of months before "Give Up" did. Ah, whatever. Blah blah. Ben Gibbard strangely resembles a child molester clutching his Radio Shack mic while Jimmy Tamborello is cute as hell and will always be my little crush.
I always want to hate the Postal Service on basic principle but every goddamn time I hear some random song of theirs licensed by whatever big company for their flashy new product, I find myself singing along with Jenny Lewis' back up vocals and fantasizing about Clark Gable and an on-screen kiss and... yeah. You get the point.

New Comic

Please check the Weekly section...

A Bunny For Your Thoughts

New comic coming tomorrow... Until then, please check out Buddyhead's so-true-it's-funny "Best and Worst Albums of 2004".

The Arcade Fire show Sunday night at the Troubadour in West Hollywood totally slayed and raised the bar for live performances by indie bands near and far. Hell, they even managed to pull this off despite the fact that their lead singer had 25% of his voice left. I also spied Spike Jonze in the audience which I've heard gives any band mad scene points and instant street cred. Oh wait, the Arcade Fire was already HUGE way before their second set of shows in LA. Nevermind. If anyone has any super early recordings of theirs (even prior to the s/t EP), please let me know. They did a song called "Cars & Telephones" that totally knocked me on my ass and I MUST find it for the sake of all your children, dammit. The internets searchin' ain't been fruitful for this gem, folks.

My sister Caitlin is going to be scoping out a job offer for a Pharmacist position in Phoenix, AZ this week with my dad in tow. Congrats sister! If you choose to accept it, you will be making more than DOUBLE my measly salary and that's right out of college. Hot damn, Dr. Crist. They'll also be headed out here to LA to visit lil' ol' me for a day. It's always nice when family comes to me as opposed to the other way around. The weather sucks balls back home right now and I have to remind myself of that every time I whine about missing the east coast.

That's all for now. As of today, I've got A LOT on my mind and only 4 panels of a comic to translate and fit it into. And wouldn't you know it, I have a headache again.

Don Hertzfeldt!!

His long awaited animated short "The Meaning of Life" will be making it's LA Premiere on Feb 18th at the NuArt Theatre. Don will also be making an appearance and will head up a Q & A after the film. Don't be stupid. Go to this.
For more info about this and the rest of Don's masterworks, go here.

Hello Hooray, I Hope Rain Stops Play

Yes, I am coming to terms with the fact that I have an unhealthy obsession with the band, the Jam. Carlos is wary to ask me to plug my ipod into the car when we're going somewhere for fear of hearing something, as he put it, "old and British" for the zillionth time.

But, but...

Sunny Day Headache

Wow. I've been in some mood lately. Sort of ballsy yet pissy, so anxious it's making me nauseous and spiced with a pinch of defeat. I hope no one talks to me today. I might either rip their head off in one clean blow or fall apart at their feet begging to be held.
And I have a goddamn headache.
Hold me.

In other less whiney news, the Acting Famous troupe will be presenting their "Evening With a Stockbroker, a Bartender, a Teacher, a Whore and a Latina" in early Feb. Please click here for the nitty gritty.

New Comic

Another seemingly pointless yet terribly cathartic comic is up for your enjoyment in the Weekly section. Cheers.
Calgon, take me away. Please.

Can't get it out of my head...

Maybe the new song by the Australian band Architecture In Helsinki will have the same effect on you. Simple but infectious. Check it, yo!

Redirecting...

Here are a few sweet websites to visit that I haven't gotten around to listing in the links section:


www.esao.net
(Artist/ painter Esao Andrews, hails from Brooklyn. This guy does his own website and is a Flash master. Amazing.)



www.theholyconsumption.com
(Chicago based clan of comic artists represented here. My friend Jeffrey Brown is part of this and his stuff is beautiful.)



www.maakies.com
(LA Based Tony Millionaire's site for his weekly Maakies comic. Most all of his past strips are archived here and are for sale. I love this stuff so much.)



www.bobanddavid.com
(Bob Odenkirk and David Cross and all their glory!)



www.germancarfans.com
(Had to put this one. Only go here if you have a boner for these cars.)

Back To Work

So the little vacation is finally over. Normally, I would have been stoked that it rained non-stop but it kept me indoors and thwarted any and all plans to ride my bike.
Jeesh, reading that last sentence back makes me sound pretty lame. My former Philadelphia self would totally kick my present LA self's ass. No silly rain or cold weather would keep me off my bike before. Ugh.

The Acting Famous website will have a hefty update this week as I will be receiving more info. Please check back.