Tuesday, 26 June 2012
Edward Elgar - "Enigma Variations, For Orchestra, op 36"
This is were Rob Dougan got his famous strings for "Clubbed to Death" got from!
Monday, 25 June 2012
Decemberists - "Chimberly Sweep"
Nice song, except for that girly high voice somewhere in the beginning.
Hooverphonic - "Magenta" (Blue Wonder Power Milk)
a bit mesmerizing. Thought I didn't like the newer Hooverphonic stuff, but this is pretty nice.
Saturday, 23 June 2012
Tindersticks - "Desperate Man"
She knows, what happens when I'm without her
How this ring itches on my finger
Does she let me go to help me remember
Remember how I came in?
I was desperate then
Remember what I am without her
And that's a desperate man
How far I go, when I'm without her
How fast and how long that slide, I'll always take that ride
It itches on my finger, helps me remember
Remember how I came in
I was desperate then
Remember what I am without her
And that's a desperate man, yeah
She knows, what happens when I'm without her
She sees the problem, she understands the irony
When I'm slumped there in that seat
And slobbering of how much I love her
Hey, bartender, let me tell you about when I walked in
I was desperate then
If I could find my way back to loving her
I'm a desperate man, yeah, I'm a desperate man, yeah
How this ring itches on my finger
Does she let me go to help me remember
Remember how I came in?
I was desperate then
Remember what I am without her
And that's a desperate man
How far I go, when I'm without her
How fast and how long that slide, I'll always take that ride
It itches on my finger, helps me remember
Remember how I came in
I was desperate then
Remember what I am without her
And that's a desperate man, yeah
She knows, what happens when I'm without her
She sees the problem, she understands the irony
When I'm slumped there in that seat
And slobbering of how much I love her
Hey, bartender, let me tell you about when I walked in
I was desperate then
If I could find my way back to loving her
I'm a desperate man, yeah, I'm a desperate man, yeah
Friday, 22 June 2012
Operatica - misc
Classic with beats.
Anybody thinking Enigma? Yes, though more melodious (and less Gregorian chants) but after a while things become repetitive.
Anybody thinking Enigma? Yes, though more melodious (and less Gregorian chants) but after a while things become repetitive.
Thursday, 21 June 2012
Mass noun, the plural of 'vinyl'
http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4017
If you don't hang out with millennial hipsters, you might not have noticed that the cool kids are listening to music on turntables playing old-fashioned vinyl records, with many of these records being newly released rather than rescued from thrift shops. And you might also have missed a fascinating case of peeve emergence: the "rule" that one of these objects is called a "vinyl", while (say) three of them should be called "three vinyl", never "three vinyls". So instead of "many of these records", I could have written "many of these vinyl", but not "many of these vinyls". This is an issue that some people feel very strongly about.
Thus Dave Segal, "What Is the Plural of Vinyl?", 12/28/2010:
There's even a eponymous web site thepluralofvinyl.com — which would be more convincing if it didn't misspell "independent":
This is a lovely peevological case study. In the first place, of course, the "rule" is a doubtful one at best. Vinyl is a mass noun, like beer or cheese or glass, and as such, it doesn't have a plural. Not having a plural is basically what being a "mass noun" means — a mass noun refers to stuff that comes in variable but conceptually undifferentiated quantities that are measured rather than counted.
But English also has a general morphological process that Arnold Zwicky has called "Countification", whereby the plural form of a mass noun can be used to refer to more than one type or instance of the named category of stuff. Thus we can talk about "Mexican beers" to refer to brands of beer associated with Mexico; and you can give your order to a waiter by saying "two beers".
Countification has become lexicalized in the case of some mass nouns, like beers, wines, cheeses, waters, bronzes, rubbers, and so on.. But it's available in principle for pretty much any mass noun, where NOUNs might be used to mean "types of NOUN" or "instances of NOUN". Thus (members of the gang aside) blood doesn't have a common countified plural bloods, but the 1854 Notes of M. Bernard's Lectures on the Blood tells us that "All the analyses already given have been general, as others will be given hereafter when the blood of particular parts, or when particular bloods are described"; and also that "… in this respect all bloods do not resemble each other"; and that "The distinction of color does not exist in the foetus; in it both bloods [i.e. arterial and venous] have exactly the same tint". You may be able to think of a mass noun that can't plausibly be countified, but I haven't come up with one.
What about the zero-plurals like deer, fish, sheep, shrimp, etc.? Does vinyl belong in that group? As far as I know, the only significant regularity there is the zero-plural-for-game-animals pattern discussed in "The European Council legislates English morphology", 10/5/2003; "We have deer and elk and bear and mice around here", 5/26/2004; "Psycholinguistics in the logging industry", 6/6/2004; "Chad back in the news", 5/30/2008. But vinyl records are not exactly game animals; except that maybe, on second thought, the folks who administer tar and feathers to users of "vinyls" are also people who hang a brace of vinyl on their wall as a sort of hunting trophy.
Another pocket of regularly zero-plural nouns is ethnonyms in -ese: Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese – vinyl is clearly not a member of that group. And there are a few zero-plural units of currency: yen, yuan, rand, … Beyond that, there are sporadic examples like cannon and aircraft.
So "the plural of vinyl is 'vinyl'" is an invented "rule", more or less the opposite of the general patterns in the language, which a convinced minority has promoted to the point where "people are tarred and feathered for saying 'vinyls'" in some settings. This is an unusually pure case of peevological emergence, without either tradition or logic on its side, and also (as far as i can tell) without any single authoritative figure behind the idea.
If you don't hang out with millennial hipsters, you might not have noticed that the cool kids are listening to music on turntables playing old-fashioned vinyl records, with many of these records being newly released rather than rescued from thrift shops. And you might also have missed a fascinating case of peeve emergence: the "rule" that one of these objects is called a "vinyl", while (say) three of them should be called "three vinyl", never "three vinyls". So instead of "many of these records", I could have written "many of these vinyl", but not "many of these vinyls". This is an issue that some people feel very strongly about.
Thus Dave Segal, "What Is the Plural of Vinyl?", 12/28/2010:
This issue came to my attention twice
yesterday: once on Twitter, where someone griped about people using the
term "vinyls" to describe more than one record; the other instance
occurred while perusing Sonic Boom's holiday zine, in which a clerk
informed its readers that vinyl is indeed the plural term for vinyl (the
same principle applies to fish, buffalo, and sperm).
I am guilty
of occasionally using vinyls, but it's always deployed in a
tongue-in-cheek manner. When you know the rules, you can break them—but
only once every three months. It's in the manual. Trust me.
"The plural of vinyl is vinyl", Drowned in Sound 2/23/2012:
Just a
heads-up, so you can stop saying/typing "vinyls". Cos doing so makes you
sound like you buy your music exclusively from Urban Outfitters.
No need to apologise. We've all been out of our depth at one point or other. And we learn from our mistakes, yeah?
Some other plural options: records, LPs, albums, vinyl records.
This has been a public service announcement. Thank you for your avoidance of this increasingly widespread "vinyls" wrongness.
"vinyls" 6/1/2012
having
a bit of an argument with someone that has only just started buying
records that the plural of vinyl is vinyl. not vinyls. but he went to
uni and is about 20 so obviously he is right. anything i can say to shut
him up? is vinyls a real word?
"Amputechture vinyls", The Comatorium 5/11/2012:
Man, I
hate to be the school marm but… "Vinyls" is not a word. The plural of
vinyl is "vinyl" like deer is the word for multiple deer. Or you could
say records. Not trying to be a jerk, just educating. I've been on some
forums where people are tarred & feathered for saying "vinyls."
"Zzz Records' Frequently Asked Questions":
How many vinyls do you have?
Vinyl.
What?
The plural
of "vinyl" is "vinyl". To answer the previous question, though, we have
about 12,000 LPs in stock, as well as some assorted 12″ singles and
45s.
Comment on unkut.com:
That’s cool man. I’m a wax fiend too. But
just so you know there is no such word as “vinyls.” The plural of vinyl
happens to be vinyl and I’ve never heard someone with a vinyl
collection use the term “vinyls.” Usually its some mp3 downloading kid
who has never held a record in their life saying this incorrect and
highly frustrating word.
And so on, and on, and on.There's even a eponymous web site thepluralofvinyl.com — which would be more convincing if it didn't misspell "independent":
Show your
support in the fight against vinyls with a plural of vinyl shirt,
available at your local independant [sic] record store …
This is a lovely peevological case study. In the first place, of course, the "rule" is a doubtful one at best. Vinyl is a mass noun, like beer or cheese or glass, and as such, it doesn't have a plural. Not having a plural is basically what being a "mass noun" means — a mass noun refers to stuff that comes in variable but conceptually undifferentiated quantities that are measured rather than counted.
But English also has a general morphological process that Arnold Zwicky has called "Countification", whereby the plural form of a mass noun can be used to refer to more than one type or instance of the named category of stuff. Thus we can talk about "Mexican beers" to refer to brands of beer associated with Mexico; and you can give your order to a waiter by saying "two beers".
Countification has become lexicalized in the case of some mass nouns, like beers, wines, cheeses, waters, bronzes, rubbers, and so on.. But it's available in principle for pretty much any mass noun, where NOUNs might be used to mean "types of NOUN" or "instances of NOUN". Thus (members of the gang aside) blood doesn't have a common countified plural bloods, but the 1854 Notes of M. Bernard's Lectures on the Blood tells us that "All the analyses already given have been general, as others will be given hereafter when the blood of particular parts, or when particular bloods are described"; and also that "… in this respect all bloods do not resemble each other"; and that "The distinction of color does not exist in the foetus; in it both bloods [i.e. arterial and venous] have exactly the same tint". You may be able to think of a mass noun that can't plausibly be countified, but I haven't come up with one.
What about the zero-plurals like deer, fish, sheep, shrimp, etc.? Does vinyl belong in that group? As far as I know, the only significant regularity there is the zero-plural-for-game-animals pattern discussed in "The European Council legislates English morphology", 10/5/2003; "We have deer and elk and bear and mice around here", 5/26/2004; "Psycholinguistics in the logging industry", 6/6/2004; "Chad back in the news", 5/30/2008. But vinyl records are not exactly game animals; except that maybe, on second thought, the folks who administer tar and feathers to users of "vinyls" are also people who hang a brace of vinyl on their wall as a sort of hunting trophy.
Another pocket of regularly zero-plural nouns is ethnonyms in -ese: Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese – vinyl is clearly not a member of that group. And there are a few zero-plural units of currency: yen, yuan, rand, … Beyond that, there are sporadic examples like cannon and aircraft.
So "the plural of vinyl is 'vinyl'" is an invented "rule", more or less the opposite of the general patterns in the language, which a convinced minority has promoted to the point where "people are tarred and feathered for saying 'vinyls'" in some settings. This is an unusually pure case of peevological emergence, without either tradition or logic on its side, and also (as far as i can tell) without any single authoritative figure behind the idea.
Wednesday, 20 June 2012
Puppini Sisters - misc
Who knew... Three girls (no sisters) inspired by the Andrew Sisters, covering songs like "Wuthering Heights" and "Walk Like an Egyptian" in '40's close harmony style.
Also, I seem to have listened to them before...
It's fun, but many songs in a row slowly turn you cwwwwazy.
Also, I seem to have listened to them before...
It's fun, but many songs in a row slowly turn you cwwwwazy.
Tuesday, 19 June 2012
Jill Tracy - "Diabolical Streak" (album)
All songs very much the same dark cabaretesque style as "Evil Night Together".
She's also done some shorts (music, voice-over).
Definitely look into. Tres nice.
She's also done some shorts (music, voice-over).
Definitely look into. Tres nice.
Monday, 18 June 2012
Pareidolia
when the brain arranges random stimuli into a significant image or sound; faces in the moon, animals in clouds.
The word comes from the Greek words para- ("παρά" = 'beside', 'alongside', 'instead') in this context meaning something faulty, wrong, instead of; and the noun eidōlon ("είδωλον" = 'image', 'form', 'shape') the diminutive of eidos. Pareidolia is a type of apophenia.
The word comes from the Greek words para- ("παρά" = 'beside', 'alongside', 'instead') in this context meaning something faulty, wrong, instead of; and the noun eidōlon ("είδωλον" = 'image', 'form', 'shape') the diminutive of eidos. Pareidolia is a type of apophenia.
Monday, 21 May 2012
Kurrel the Raven - "Furry"
Seriously, don't ask how I got here (it was actually rather logical, but without context such a song makes you wonder), quite amusing Ozzie-song.
I've written a little song about furries.
It is a rap song.
I hope you like rap songs.
I know I do.
I will magically count to 4, and the beat shall appear.
1, 2, 3, 4.
Are you grooving yet? I hope so!
Grooving is what this song's about.
Grooving to furry information.
Hello!
Furries are diverse - let me say that first.
And it's this one fact which confuses the worst.
We don't all have costumes or collect stuffed toys,
so allow me to separate the signal from the noise.
First off, what's furry? That's an easy thing to tell:
It's an animal that happens to be human as well.
In technical terms we call it anthropomorphics,
But it's easy to explain without all the linguistics;
If it walks like a person but meows like a cat,
You've got yourself a furry - it's as simple as that!
If it talks like a person and flies like a bird,
Then it's still a furry even though it sounds absurd.
'Cause even though birds have feathers and not fur,
Mammals are the commonest type of furry in the world
So the word comes from them. Even starting with a fly,
You'll end up with a furry no matter how hard you try.
That's a furry. That's a furry, that's a furry.
I will sing it.
That's a fuuurry. That's a furry, that's a furry.
That's a furry you know.
So, that's a furry character but what about the rest?
A furry is a person to whom furries are an interest.
So both the character and the viewer are furry -
It'll all make sense soon, so don't worry.
Most furries never meet face to face.
We come from everywhere, all over the place.
There's furries in the Americas and in the EU.
There's furries in Asia and Australasia too.
On the Internet we gather from the soil of all nations:
All ages and races; both genders; a range of educations.
Here we are, all the furries are we,
Whether artists or congoers or strictly RP.
Now to help with the furry jargon here's some quick education:
RP is roleplaying in a made-up situation;
A fursona is a furry you pretend to be,
Usually one you make up yourself for other people to see.
In furry lingo, one word stands out:
And that word is yiff and this is what it's all about.
Or maybe I'll shut up and move right along,
Because you can't define yiff in a polite sort of song.
And that's without touching scritching or spooge,
When it comes to furry-speak, there's a veritable deluge.
But that's about the quota for the second verse done,
So join in the chant and have some fun!
Furry. This is furry. This is furry.
This is furry, furry!
Furry!
(We're not furbies, by the way.)
To make a furry's easy - anyone can do it:
You take your favourite animal and mix a human through it.
You modify the product - is it real or cartoony?
Is it two legs or four? Is it straight? Is it loony?
Does it have a pair of wings sprouting out of its back?
Does it have an extra set of legs that other furs lack?
Can it talk or does it speak with psychic communication?
Is it you? Is it not? Is it just speculation?
Once you have your fursona all sorted out,
You can take a walk and see what we are all about.
Some of us have gone and made a costume for effect -
But that's a different story - fursuiters on the left
and to the right we have the artists, who are numerous in style:
Anyway you like it, they can draw it with a smile!
But keep in mind that in the mix is every sort of thing
And not all of it for children, which can be a bit of a sting.
Experimentation is the order of the day;
Imagination keeps our minds at play.
Now the next verse is long so I'm going to abort
And start the chant early to keep the third one short.
We're Furry. We're Furry. We're Furry. Furry.
So Furry. So Furry. So Furry! aaaaah....
Up to the downside of all this furry fun:
Some people don't get it not all, just some.
Misinformation and lies are afoot!
It's crap up with which I shall not put!
Hey MTV! Hey Vanity Fair!
Take a bow, Eurotrash and Marie Claire!
And a special shout out to - you know what? I don't care.
If I bitch about detractors, it's a total waste of air.
I'm only a furry to have fun, say what you like.
Anti-furry propaganda can take a long hike!
And it's not just that we're all completely squeaky clean,
Only sometimes the normal world thinks it has a right to be mean.
And normal? Who'd wanna be? It's not for us!
You can heckle us all you like from the Boring Bus!
And if you need to put a weirdo down to feel bigger,
then you're a sad sort of person and you're sicker than Doug Winger.
Some furries are odd, some furries are mean,
Some furries draw pictures which are rather obscene.
Some furries believe things which are strange to me!
But remember what I said about furry diversity?
'Cause it's not a bad thing for the world to know us,
But just the kooky stuff is not a fair part to show of us.
We don't mind curiosity, 'cause that's what we're about,
But any future journalists had better watch out!
One extra singe doesn't do a lot of damage;
We furries have dealt with quite enough spammage.
With all that said, the tide is turning.
The wounds are healing and we're quickly learning that:
Best paw forward is the way to go!
Put your best paw forward and away you go!
Put your best paw forward and away you go!
That is if you've even got a paw. Um. I don't know.
I'd rather be furry and use my imagination
And die a happy death instead of bitter stagnation.
I'd rather express than repress and then get depressed
And then get stressed about my situation.
Well I've laid it on you birdy style, the good and the bad,
The fun and the games and the problems we've had.
So sayonara people, now you know what we're about.
This is Kurrel on the microphone, over and out!
I've written a little song about furries.
It is a rap song.
I hope you like rap songs.
I know I do.
I will magically count to 4, and the beat shall appear.
1, 2, 3, 4.
Are you grooving yet? I hope so!
Grooving is what this song's about.
Grooving to furry information.
Hello!
Furries are diverse - let me say that first.
And it's this one fact which confuses the worst.
We don't all have costumes or collect stuffed toys,
so allow me to separate the signal from the noise.
First off, what's furry? That's an easy thing to tell:
It's an animal that happens to be human as well.
In technical terms we call it anthropomorphics,
But it's easy to explain without all the linguistics;
If it walks like a person but meows like a cat,
You've got yourself a furry - it's as simple as that!
If it talks like a person and flies like a bird,
Then it's still a furry even though it sounds absurd.
'Cause even though birds have feathers and not fur,
Mammals are the commonest type of furry in the world
So the word comes from them. Even starting with a fly,
You'll end up with a furry no matter how hard you try.
That's a furry. That's a furry, that's a furry.
I will sing it.
That's a fuuurry. That's a furry, that's a furry.
That's a furry you know.
So, that's a furry character but what about the rest?
A furry is a person to whom furries are an interest.
So both the character and the viewer are furry -
It'll all make sense soon, so don't worry.
Most furries never meet face to face.
We come from everywhere, all over the place.
There's furries in the Americas and in the EU.
There's furries in Asia and Australasia too.
On the Internet we gather from the soil of all nations:
All ages and races; both genders; a range of educations.
Here we are, all the furries are we,
Whether artists or congoers or strictly RP.
Now to help with the furry jargon here's some quick education:
RP is roleplaying in a made-up situation;
A fursona is a furry you pretend to be,
Usually one you make up yourself for other people to see.
In furry lingo, one word stands out:
And that word is yiff and this is what it's all about.
Or maybe I'll shut up and move right along,
Because you can't define yiff in a polite sort of song.
And that's without touching scritching or spooge,
When it comes to furry-speak, there's a veritable deluge.
But that's about the quota for the second verse done,
So join in the chant and have some fun!
Furry. This is furry. This is furry.
This is furry, furry!
Furry!
(We're not furbies, by the way.)
To make a furry's easy - anyone can do it:
You take your favourite animal and mix a human through it.
You modify the product - is it real or cartoony?
Is it two legs or four? Is it straight? Is it loony?
Does it have a pair of wings sprouting out of its back?
Does it have an extra set of legs that other furs lack?
Can it talk or does it speak with psychic communication?
Is it you? Is it not? Is it just speculation?
Once you have your fursona all sorted out,
You can take a walk and see what we are all about.
Some of us have gone and made a costume for effect -
But that's a different story - fursuiters on the left
and to the right we have the artists, who are numerous in style:
Anyway you like it, they can draw it with a smile!
But keep in mind that in the mix is every sort of thing
And not all of it for children, which can be a bit of a sting.
Experimentation is the order of the day;
Imagination keeps our minds at play.
Now the next verse is long so I'm going to abort
And start the chant early to keep the third one short.
We're Furry. We're Furry. We're Furry. Furry.
So Furry. So Furry. So Furry! aaaaah....
Up to the downside of all this furry fun:
Some people don't get it not all, just some.
Misinformation and lies are afoot!
It's crap up with which I shall not put!
Hey MTV! Hey Vanity Fair!
Take a bow, Eurotrash and Marie Claire!
And a special shout out to - you know what? I don't care.
If I bitch about detractors, it's a total waste of air.
I'm only a furry to have fun, say what you like.
Anti-furry propaganda can take a long hike!
And it's not just that we're all completely squeaky clean,
Only sometimes the normal world thinks it has a right to be mean.
And normal? Who'd wanna be? It's not for us!
You can heckle us all you like from the Boring Bus!
And if you need to put a weirdo down to feel bigger,
then you're a sad sort of person and you're sicker than Doug Winger.
Some furries are odd, some furries are mean,
Some furries draw pictures which are rather obscene.
Some furries believe things which are strange to me!
But remember what I said about furry diversity?
'Cause it's not a bad thing for the world to know us,
But just the kooky stuff is not a fair part to show of us.
We don't mind curiosity, 'cause that's what we're about,
But any future journalists had better watch out!
One extra singe doesn't do a lot of damage;
We furries have dealt with quite enough spammage.
With all that said, the tide is turning.
The wounds are healing and we're quickly learning that:
Best paw forward is the way to go!
Put your best paw forward and away you go!
Put your best paw forward and away you go!
That is if you've even got a paw. Um. I don't know.
I'd rather be furry and use my imagination
And die a happy death instead of bitter stagnation.
I'd rather express than repress and then get depressed
And then get stressed about my situation.
Well I've laid it on you birdy style, the good and the bad,
The fun and the games and the problems we've had.
So sayonara people, now you know what we're about.
This is Kurrel on the microphone, over and out!
Saturday, 19 May 2012
Queen - Making of "A Night At The Opera"
How about that; the very first time I write something about Queen... not so suprising as I've been a fan for so long that I have been drifting the last decade, drifting to faraway lands.
But this documentary proved again; I am a Queen fan and always will be.
The documentary itself is okay; it was mostly the footage and the few gems of Freddy Mercury talking that completely gave it its glamour.
But this documentary proved again; I am a Queen fan and always will be.
The documentary itself is okay; it was mostly the footage and the few gems of Freddy Mercury talking that completely gave it its glamour.
Thursday, 17 May 2012
Choke
Interesting film. Not extremely good, but fun enough.
Fun to watch after reading some of Chuck Palahniuk's essays. You can see the hidden guns, the mind-method vs heart method.
It's a good example of one way of story telling.
Fun to watch after reading some of Chuck Palahniuk's essays. You can see the hidden guns, the mind-method vs heart method.
It's a good example of one way of story telling.
Tuesday, 15 May 2012
Stereo MC's - "Breeze" (Deep Down & Dirty)
Never thought I was much fan of them. I know their name, but I cannot remember ever listening to them with pleasure. Nor with distaste. Just nothing special.
This is a rather intriguing song. Even though they use a vocoder.
This is a rather intriguing song. Even though they use a vocoder.
Little People - "Basique" (Mickey Mouse Operation (Mumbe Jumbo/Illicut))
Pandora on a roll... seems I have listed them before, but it's catchy triphoppy with a soft bite. ahem.
Kid Loco - "Don't Forget The Fourth Track" (the Graffiti Artist (OST))
Slow hip hop in the lazy French style of Serge Gainsbourg (yes, I stole that description from Pandora).
Jack White - "Love Is Blindness"
Haven't heard this song in quite some time. Jack White's version is good, his screaming and high voice fits the craziness.
Monday, 14 May 2012
The Quiet Earth
Australian post-apocalyptic sci-fi flick in which an energy grid has "removed" all humans, yet those who were dying at the moment of happening, survived.
Okay, fun enough, but am not crazy about it. The very last scene... I don't know what they wanted to accomplish with that, but it did not make much sense.
The usualy "almost-going-crazy" apocalyptic-survivor stuff.
Okay, fun enough, but am not crazy about it. The very last scene... I don't know what they wanted to accomplish with that, but it did not make much sense.
The usualy "almost-going-crazy" apocalyptic-survivor stuff.
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