New Japanese Technology Album: Red Blue Green

Well, the new album has finally been posted online, along with slightly better versions of just about all of my old songs. I think all of them are available for download. 

http://www.purevolume.com/NewJapaneseTechnology

http://www.purevolume.com/NewJapaneseTechnology/albums/Red+Blue+Green

Dirty Hairy

New Japanese Technology news

Well sorry for the decrease in posting. Since I was going to release a new album, I decided to go back and remaster and edit my last two albums, plus the b-sides collection, so that everything would be squeaky clean and new on purevolume.com for the release. I've spent the last two weeks or so (maybe more) adjusting levels and balancing EQs and the like, so I haven't had much time to post cartoons. Anyway bad news: the night of June 25th, Michael Jackson died of a heart attack as well as my desktop computer it seems. I had finished cleaning up California Blue and the California B-sides, and I was extremely close to finishing Strobe Lights and Hurricanes when my computer quit. So all those polished songs, along with a few more unfinished prospects, may be lost forever. I guess this is the Music gods' karmic retribution for me taking Michael Jackson's death lightly (see next week, when God strikes me down for speaking of "Music gods"). Anyway, yesterday, CT was hit with a massive storm (as some of you may have noticed) which knocked out my power. Apparently I won't have electricity until sometime late tomorrow. So that means the album and comic funniness is being pushed back a few more days. My laptop has only 38% battery life. Right now I'm broadcasting from a local cafe, unfortunately I forgot my power cable. It's been a great week.

News Update

Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, has died at the age of 50. His title will be passed to Prince, who is to be crowned at a cornation ceremony this weekend.

Stickball - Father's Day Edition

Stickball

Assorted Nuts

New New Japanese Technology

A new New Japanese Technology album is just about ready to be released. Right now it's in the final listening and mixing stages. Most of the songs were written last fall and winter. There are going to be 13 songs.

go to the link below to hear a demo version of the first single "Beholder" as well as a B-side and other old tracks

http://www.purevolume.com/NewJapaneseTechnology

All Spanish Teachers Go to Mars

News Update

According to Wikipedia, North Korea has declared that it will "weaponize all plutonium" following the passage of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1874 (which overturns Denmark's decision to grant Iceland home rule). U.S. military leaders have released a statement in which they predict North Korea's next step will be to try and design a slingshot big enough to propel a nuclear warhead across the Pacific Ocean.

LOVES

Gettin' Some Cake

Stickball

Stickball

Album Review: "The Ecstatic" by Mos Def

While I was taking a shower this morning I found myself wondering "When is Mos Def going to release a new album?" Later, I logged into to iTunes to buy a couple Tom Waits tracks and I was surprised to see that Mos Def had released a new album two days ago. The Ecstatic is a solid rap record in which Mos Def sings and raps his way over an ever-changing soundscape. While 2004's The New Danger has a lot of hard-rock and blues influence, The Ecstatic encompasses a wide range of styles and influences which may be attributed to the fact that seven different producers worked on this album (excluding Mos Def). Overall, this album has better grooves and is it a bit more playful that his last release.

Listen to it suckas!

Assorted Nuts

News Update

This week actor David Carradine died in Thailand. Investigators believe he died performing a risky sexual act in his Hangkok hotel room.

Life of Riley

Life of Riley

Assorted Nuts

Stickball

So the last Stickball cartoon was about slavery in 19th century America. Now, because race and the merits of forced labors are sensitive issues, I have prepared the following cartoons to give some perspective on the last cartoon. Enjoy.

Stickball

Mississippi, 1831:

Life of Riley

The Greatest Funk Band That Will Never Be

While I'm thinking about supergroups, let me say that I have discovered the perfect line-up for the ultimate funk/rock band:


Vocals: Cee-Lo Green











Guitar: Tom Morello

Bass: Flea

Drums: ?uestlove
















(note: for best rap group substitute Aesop Rock for Cee-Lo)

Music: Street Sweeper Social Club

Since the break-up of Audioslave in 2007, Tom Morello has kept himself busy with his solo career as the Nightwatchman. However, Tom is now working on another collaboration called Street Sweeper Social Club, a rap/rock group formed with Boots Riley from the politcal hip-hop group, The Coup. While I enjoyed Morello's work as the Nightwatchman, it is nice to hear his guitar god skills back at work. Still, it's hard to adjust to hearing Tom's hard rap/rock riffs without Zack de la Rocha's shrill voice. Also it's still hard to imagine Morello rocking out without the rhythm section of Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk. However, one listen to Street Sweeper Social Club and you can tell they're on to something hot. Imagine elements of Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, and the Nightwatchman being thrown into a blender and mixed with a secret ingredient, and you'll get Street Sweeper Social Club.

http://streetsweepersocialclub.com/

http://www.myspace.com/streetsweepersocialclub

Stickball

News Update

According to AOL.com, the last survivor from the RMS Titanic died last night. The legendary ship snuck into the woman's room last night while she was sleeping and finished what is started 97 years ago. There are no survivors. This will be the last Titanic joke that is "too soon".

Movies: Star Trek

I read somewhere that Star Trek is this generation's Star Wars. Well it's not because, let's face it, Star Wars is a million times cooler than Star Trek will ever be. However, the new Star Trek movie is pretty good. It's a great sci-fi thriller featuring fresh takes on familiar characters. Amazing special effects make for exciting action scenes and comic relief keeps things from getting too serious. This film is very enjoyable, except for sTrekkie shout-outs and a few minor plot points that stretched my patience.