Favorite albums, rough draft

A list, not exhaustive, not refined, and not in order...

Clube da Esquina - Milton Nascimento, Lô Borges
Os Afro Sambas - Baden Powell, Vinícius de Moraes, Quarteto em Cy
Estrangeiro - Caetano Veloso
Noites do Norte - Caetano Veloso
Acabou Chorare - Os Novos Baianos
Abbey Road - Beatles
Downtown Science - Blockhead
Classics - Ratatat
Ratatat - Ratatat
Deadringer - RJD2
Since we Last Spoke - RJD2
Like Water for Chocolate - Common
The Listening - Little Brother
Tributo - Suba
Buena Vista Social Club - Ibrahim Ferrer
Blackstar - Mos Def & Talib Kweli
Bambas e Biritas - Bid
Median's Relief - Median
Murray's Revenge - Murs
Midnight Marauders - A Tribe Called Quest
Panis et Circencis - Tropicália artists
Simple Things - Zero 7
Mezzanine - Massive Attack
Homework - Daft Punk
Discovery - Daft Punk
Sem Lenço, Sem Documento - Caetano Veloso
Minha História - Gilberto Gil
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill - Lauryn Hill
Pause - Four Tet
Rounds - Four Tet
Vocal Studies/Uprock Narratives - Prefuse 73
One Word Extinguisher - Prefuse 73
DJ Kicks - DJ Cam
Power in Numbers - Jurassic 5
EndTroducing - DJ Shadow
Aparelhagem - DJ Dolores
10 Seconds - Jel
Soft Money - Jel
Greenball - Jel
Brazilian Girls - Brazilian Girls
Confusão Urbana, Suburbana e Rural - Paulo Moura
Da Lama ao Caos - Chico Science e Nação Zumbi
Gold - Edu Lobo
Epistemology - Diplo
In a Space Outta Sound - Nightmares on Wax
A Procura da Batida Perfeita - Marcelo D2
Lost Subject - Deceptikon
Madvillainy - Madvillain
The Mirror Conspiracy - Thievery Corporation
Red Hot & Riot - Various Artists
Remedies - The Herbaliser
Very Mercenary - The Herbaliser
Tales of High Fever - Zuco 103
The Shining - J-Dilla
Saul Williams - Saul Williams
Music by Cavelight, vol. 1 - Blockhead
Stankonia - Outkast
The Thesis - MC Coffee Mug
Kakuesi - DJ Krush
Mylight - DJ Krush
Cold Krush Cuts - DJ Krush & Coldcut
Talkie Walkie - Air
Come With Us - Chemical Brothers
Figure 8 - Elliot Smith
Travelling Without Moving - Jamiroquai
3rd Eye Vision - Hieroglyphics
Hotter Than July - Stevie Wonder
Bebel Gilberto Remixed - Bebel Gilberto
The Three EP's - Beta Band
A Arte de Tom Jobim - Tom Jobim
Vespertine - Björk
Blazing Arrow - Blackalicious
Livro - Caetano Veloso
Cansei de Ser Sexy - Cansei de Ser Sexy
Stereotype A - Cibo Matto
Contraditório - DJ Dolores & Orchestra Santa Massa
The Underground Spiritual Game - Fela Kuti
Paparazzi Lightning - Ghostland Observatory
Narradores de Javé Remix - Instituto vs. DJ Dolores
FabricLive 09 - Jacques Lu Cont
Hail to the Thief - Radiohead
Louden Up Now - !!!

recently (relatively) viewed films

Slam, dir. by Mark Levin
Typical tale of a hard luck African American stuck in a life of petty crimes and gang mentality, which he eventually overcomes through his lyrical talent and some luck. Except in this case the protagonist, played by slam poet/rapper Saul Williams, gets himself out of trouble while in prison via his craft, not having to turn to physical violence at any point in time, and eventually straddling between different demographics of African American society. This is a poor, short description of the film, but it's not the plot or the cinematography that make this film. It's Sal Williams. This man is an engaging personality no matter what medium he participates in. First I ever heard of him (besides hearing his name) was when I saw him open for Aesop Rock at South by Southwest music festival in Austin, TX a few years back. His performance made me an immediate fan; he was by far the best that night. In this film, his poems are incredible, from the way in which they are delivered, to the lyrics themselves, to how they become catalysts for the story. The plot always takes a turn when a poem is recited, and Williams' acting catapults off of the enthusiasm of the poems. Worth seeing.


Harold and Maude, dir. by Hal Ashby
This film has been on my to-see list for a while, seeing that it's one of my best friend's favorite movie. The characters portrayed in this film are excellent. Harold's morbid pranks around his mother, and general infatuation with death, give the film a great early comedic slant. Maude's general disregard for societal conventions at the same time connect and disconnect the audience from reality, a real-life version of Harold's absurd stagings. Harold's mother's obsession with marrying Harold off and assimilating him into high society give the film its closest semblance to a prototypical antagonist, but it is really society that is the antagonist in this movie; Harold and Maude represent the personal freedoms that had become so publicly battled for in the previous decade (60's)... ...albeit extended into the realm of absurdity. I really enjoyed this film, and the soundtrack by Cat Steven kicks ass.

El Crimen Perfecto (The Perfect Crime) dir. by Alex de la Iglesia
Alex de la Iglesia is definitely an Almódovar protegé. There is no way around it; controlling and borderlne insane female characters, chauvinistic male leads, and twisted plots usually including violent crimes, murders, and exposing the protagonists to their most ingenuous instincts. This specific film details the story of Rafael, a salesman at the women's section of a department store, who is obsessed with his profession, and the beautiful women that come along with it. After some disappointing work-related news, he accidentally commits a crime, only to have someone at work help him cover up his tracks... ..ok, this is very difficult to describe without giving the story away (as is the next film on this list). Trust me, this is an incredible film about desperation, skewed values, and obsession. Watch it!

La Comunidad (Common Wealth) dir. by Alex de la Iglesia
Another tale of crime and trickery, but this one involves an entire building full of tenants, a disenchanted real estate agent, and a whole lot of money! Unexpected twists start from the early stages of the movie, and the cast of characters, and how little they evolve through the film, is astounding. I think one of the main points that de la Iglesia gets across (and I in no way know if this is his intent) is that people don't necessarily change much as a result of extreme circumnstances. More likey, they adapt to the conditions at hand to get themselves out of trouble, and that adaptation oftentimes is mistaken as learning, or evolution. This may be just an extreme criticism of most movies that involve lessons, in which characters learn life lessons just because of love for one character (cheesy American romantic comedies come to mind) or financial troubles that render them equal to those he once looked down upon (a lot of classic dramas). De la Iglesia's characters are more realistic than that, and it makes them much more interesting and engaging to the viewer. Oh, and by the way, Carmen Maura is in this flick. She is a demi-goddess of cinema.

Bande à Part (Band of Outsiders), dir. by Jean-Luc Godard
You know, I was much more of a fan of Truffaut than Godard, but I'm starting to think it was more a result of me not being so moved (more likely confused) by Alphaville, and being so enamored with 400 Coups. The more I watch Godard, the more I begin to understand his genius. This storyline is not that different than most other crime stories, but the cinematography, characters, abrupt scenes juggled into the plot, and general high level of innovation and playfulness made this one of my favorite films in a long time. No script, innovative camera work, use of no extraneous lighting, disregard for cinematic conventions, and fast-flowing, irreverent action make this a must-see, a true masterpiece. And Anna Karina is exquisite.

The Weather Underground, dir. by Bill Siegel and Sam Green
An insightful documentary, if only because of present times' intersecting history with the 60's. This film portrays the story of The Weather Underground, a radical leftist group that emerged from the student liberal movements of the early 1960's. This particular group eschewed peaceful means of protest, choosing instead to literally fight the establishment. This violent attitude led the group to move underground in the late 60's and 70's, from where they were still effective in bombing politically relevant establishments and pursuing equality and peace through their own means. This film includes interviews with some of the leaders of the movement, as well as some of the experts that tried in vain to capture them. This film rose a lot of issues for me when I watched it. One is how the leftist movement evolved during that decade, and how conditions then differed from now, especially having to do with disadvantaged people, and level of comfort in life for those protesting. Today's youth (catchphrase, yes, but I'm definitely including myself in this) is too comfortable, it has nothing personal to fight for. Even back then, many people were in some kind of peril: African Americans were fighting for their civil rights, young Americans were fighting for peace and against the possibility of being thrust into war, families were fighting to bring their loved ones home. And economically, none of those groups were nearly as well provided as we are now in first-world countries. Make no mistake about it, those people had good intentions, but they were fighting for issues that affected them personally, and had very little to lose. Could we possibly be too comfortable to fight for justice and peace? Do we just not care, and did we ever? What happens now, when those that have very few means to fight for their rights and opportunities (in poor countries or restrictive situations) need to do so on their own? And what means of protest can even be effective in this day and age, when it seems that marches and civil disobedience do not affect people with the same strength, even when practiced?

Tropa de Elite (Elite Squad), dir. by José Padilha
Yes, yet another Brazilian film about organized crime, drug trafficking and the favelas. So why did this win many awards, and is showing up at film festivals around the world? Well, people like repetition, and realistic stories in which they can rally behind the disadvantaged of the world from behind a screen (kind of the way I do on this blog), but this story is different. First off, it is a story from the point of view of the police, specifically the BOP, or "elite squad" that intervenes in the favelas when the military police loses control of situations (which is often). Secondly, because of its specific point of view, it tries to debunk a different set of myths about crime in Brasil; it attacks the notion (sometimes too aggressively) that all police in Brasil are corrupt. At the same time, it shows throughout the story that most police are in fact corrupt. But, it pinpoints a few honest man that actually care about the law (what that means in Brasil, I don't know), and that try to fight through the mediocrity and corruption of the police force. It's insightful, but at times blood-curdling and excessively violent. Excessively violent, that is, if this level of violence wasn't actually present in Rio.

the end of poverty, pt.1

Just finished reading The End of Poverty by Jeffrey Sachs. First off, it was at the same time an inspiring and an infuriating read; in fact, I'm sure it was meant to be so. The foreign aid and world poverty situation is absolutely unnecessary, and relatively easy to solve; this makes the topic itself infuriating. But very few people are aware of the facts, and even differing opinions on the issues, and the ones that do have too many other concerns, bureaucratic obstacles, and idealistic differences to create true change. I'm not going to sit here and repeat everything he says either, and I have my skepticism as to the volition of Americans and other rich countries to give their money to the poorest of the poor, as well as to their citizen's goodwill at the expense of their own wealth (this includes me, but now I feel like I need to do something... ...wow, sad that I need a kick in the butt too). But I do agree that this is a solvable issue. Sachs says the whole can be solved with foreign aid given to state governments, who must submit a plan of action to the UN, and be supervised by its agencies on the field. The argument is that monetary aid to individuals, or private program aid, does not solve the problems of the countries in any sustainable manner; these are merely stopgap or localized measures. Commendable, to be sure, but they don't solve all of the problems.

Foodies

So it seems the food crisis keeps getting worse, and all people can talk about is stopping biofuels. How about we give these people some food, and raise our own? No, that would be too much of a sacrifice. Maybe if we tell some state governments (Haiti, for example) to spread their wealth, while giving them some monetary aid to do so? No, that would be hypocritical and would take funds away from the iraq war. Take away subsidies from American farmers, to even out the playing field and create an actual free market? No, that would be unpatriotic. Send over farming technologies that these people can easily learn how to use but cannot afford? Nah, we would probably need the "wonderful efficiency" of biofuels to transport that and people forced us to stop making them...riiight.
Well, I think it's timeour governments make some actual sacrifices. Or else we'll be the only ones left standing. Maybe that's less of a burden on our shoulders. Since we've done all we can, there's no reason to feel guilty, right?

Earth Day!

Earth Day is upon us, and while I usually gloss over holidays, occasions, and anniversaries, I feel this one is specifically noteworthy, especially considering the need for a global shift in environmental policy. I'm not incredibly radical in this issue, not going so far as saying we all have to completely change the way we eat, produce, supply, or live. At least not yet, maybe. I think. We do have to begin making changes that are easier and simple, while making some bigger strides in our personal/community lives. But organizing on local, regional, and global scales has become a necessity.
Political action is crucial to resolving, or even making strides towards resolving, our ecological issues; here our old friend explains why.
More than changing the exposure politicians give to environmental issues, or invoking the participation of the US in international environmental agreements, the politicization of this "agenda" will lead to better public transportation, transit laws, alternative energy funding, zoning/code changes to allow more green roofs and urban gardens. These and other political moves will set up an infrastructure of progress and sustainability, from which people will comfortably change the way they live. But then the question becomes: if people are not willing to change the way they live within the status quo, why would they fight to create a situation for change? There's less personal investment necessary in the latter, I would argue, and it is almost universally accepted that a crisis is at hand. Some people have no sense of urgency about the situation, some people are just plain selfish, while others just don't know what to do about it. What needs to happen is that those of us with some more information about the situation need to take positions of leadership on all scales (local, regional, global), and share this information. Figure out how to give someone a personal stake, an immediate interest in the situation. We need to find out how to best petition our political representatives to make sure they include the environment on their agenda. We must insert global warming and other environmental issues into the presidential and other political campaign dialog. We must to mobilize the global citizenry to alter the course of the world. Every day shall be Earth Day if we follow with this declaration.

My commitment is renewed today.

The NJ4

Ran across this little public service announcement, about homophobic brutality in NYC, and the consequences to those who fight back. Here's a blog entry on this incident.

While I think people should never resort to aggression, and I do separate aggression from self defense, and I do believe (from the descriptions of the incident) that at least one of the women was aggressive, I don't think they would have harmed the man in question unless they were seriously threatened. They were trying to intimidate the man, to make him leave them alone. Not to mention that it seems they did not apparently commit any serious crime, and that three men who entered the fry were responsible for the "victim"'s wound. Anyway, they are heading to jail for 3 1/2 to 11 years, for trying (albeit aggressively) to defend themselves. Some justice...

WTC plans

A homeless man found a couple of sets of drawings on the Freedom Tower at the World Trade Center, and of course The Post made a fuss about it. Then, in true architect fashion, the bloggers and posters at archinect decided to make light of the whole thing...

The lessons: beware of homeless terrorists, old drawings and all the wasted paper at my firm do have post-consumer use, believe everything you read, and never trust architects.