"On The Road"

The Dead - Film Review

2010-09-12T15:03:00.006+01:00

The Dead (2010) Review

Frightfest 2010

General Release TBA

Considering their firm grounding in commercials The Dead seems, on paper to be an ambitious leap for the Ford Brothers. Dig a little deeper however and it’s clear that this is the culmination of a twenty year obsession with all things undead. They’ve been dreaming of making this film ever since they were teenagers and the result is a genre defying zombie horror-cum-road-trip-journey movie that manages to avoid the pitfalls of convention whilst at the same time breathes new life into the genre.

Throwing caution to the wind the Fords chose shoot their zombie flick in Bukina Faso; a near untouched gem in Africa’s crown. The potential ramification of setting a horror film in such a location are clear; broad daylight, large open spaces, plenty of places to run to mention but a few potential tension killers, yet the Ford’s seem to relish in the challenge. It’s a master stroke in outside the box thinking that through dynamic cinematography, shuffling zombies, sound effects and other staples of the genre ensures the audience is not only terrified by what’s on the screen but at the same time inexplicably absorbed by the beauty of it all.

The narrative is a fairly straightforward affair. Rob Freeman stars as Lt. Brian Murphy, the last survivor of a group of mercenaries who must traverse the length of the country in order to find a way home to his wife and child. Along the way he teams up with Sgt. Daniel Dembele played by Prince David Oseia who is searching for his lost son. The coming together of two seemingly independent and otherwise disassociated parties in order to survive is a political undercurrent straight from the pages of a Romero textbook, and rarely if ever feels heavy handed.

The special effects are top notch; the (un)dead look genuinely un(dead) and suffice to say they come in the purist pleasing shuffling variety; there’s no runners here and yet they’re still as relentless and shocking as ever. Not only that but in one the many fraught zombie attacking scenes there’s homage paid to Savini in the form of a perfectly placed machete to the head; It’s all delightfully gory, adorably old school and not for the faint hearted.

The film only stumbles in its failure to tap into the emotional side of an apocalypse film. The most laughable moments come in overly emotional scenes and at points become almost too over the top to bear; Murphy’s vision of his family is perfect example, especially as it’s meant to be in an American suburb yet is clearly shot in England; both a mail box and a door letter box? This doesn’t detract too much to the overall picture as in essence it all harks back to the horror b-movies of by-gone years; it just unintentionally teeters on the line of serious and comedic one too many times not to be noticed.

One of the most compelling and downright shocking elements of this film is not what occurs on the screen but of the events that occurred off. To say production was merely dogged with setbacks would be a gross understatement of the highest order. Countless near death experiences by cast and crew, muggings at knife and gun point, corrupt locals, production stalled by weeks due to missing equipment, crippling sickness and the lead catching Malaria, cultivate in this being probably one of the toughest and arduous experiences most of the people involved will ever face. It’s fitting then that the film stands as the perfect testament to everything they went through and survived; it is after all a well thought out and executed story of survival against all the odds.

The Ford’s have not so much as torn up but re-written the rule book and thrown themselves into the horror arena with quite frankly impressive results. The Dead is a compelling watch; that offers an insight into a part of the world rarely, if at all filmed. Despite its flaws and off pacing in the middle, demands a viewing. A genuinely terrific entrance into the world of co-directed full features; the Fords are ones to watch.

Words - Ben Ross

8.5/10

Trailer Link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e6lP7gksV0

Like putting on an old suit

2010-08-10T22:59:00.004+01:00

it's been a while, and at once being oddly familiar it is strangely foreign and altogether a disconcerting experience.

inspirational photo of the day;

So I'm not sure what to do with this blog any more, I'm sort of tired of it's constraints and altogether dull appearance and marginality and lack of clarity, which is all the things I set out to tackle. It's also a lot less express in a clear and concise way than I'd imagined it would be as I started to write more personally than objectively, and it steals alot of other people's work rather than just being my own, which is hardly a good thing id I'm not thus being creative with the inspiration, so at the moment I'm in limbo about this place, but have I always been?

Anyways, I'll sort it out at some point hopefully, maybe turn it into a tumblr as that's the 'in' thing to do, in the meantime, watch Inception, it's worth the hype.

Due To A Potential Violation of Terms

2010-04-12T12:29:00.007+01:00

Right Just a general update,

I've been told that it's probably a good idea to cite where most of the written work comes from on here, if it's not already made perfectly clear.

Also worth noting;

All my pictures I have obtained (where possible) from sources I have confirmed I am able to use, from public content (creative commons-Flickr), or are my own work. In the few cases where I have used stock photos from around the web, I do not take credit for, and credit is due to the original photographer, I make no attempt to claim them as my own at any point in this blog.

If any of your work; literary, photography or other such media is used on this blog, without prior consent and you are unhappy about my use of it, please get in contact and I will happily remove the offending article.

Thank You Very Much

A Stark Realisation, As Clear as A Pane Of Glass

2010-04-11T15:43:00.004+01:00

I Hope You're Not Still as Hopeless as You Once Were
That One Day You Find it in Yourself to Return
After He Carved You From Wood
Like Every Loving Father Should
I would have thought you'd have learnt
How Much Turning Your Back Can Hurt

B.Ross

We Will Never Find The Pieces To Put Them Back Together

2010-04-11T14:57:00.002+01:00

In the end, we had pieces of the puzzle, but no matter how we put them together, gaps remained -- oddly shaped emptiness mapped by what surrounded them, like countries we couldn't name. What lingered after them was not life, but the most trivial list of mundane facts -- a clock ticking on the wall, a room dim at noon, the outrageousness of a human being thinking only of herself. We began the impossible process of trying to forget them.

Just watch it;
The Virgin Suicides

Alive and Kickin'

2010-03-26T09:56:00.004Z

For those who read this and don't personally know me,

I'm currently away travelling with a friend, we've started our own blog which is here;

http://bensirusasiaaustralia.blogspot.com/

Fear not, this blog is NOT dead, Given the chance I shall update it as much as I can.

I Try But I Can't Remember

2010-02-16T22:21:00.003Z

The Colour Of Your Eyes

Just the Shape of Your Dress

And Just one Good Deed
Is Undone Through the Lack Of Another
And though you wear indifference like victory spoils
You Wrestle with the truth of your inner turmoil
It tears you apart
tears you apart
Tears You Apart

B.Ross

Just a Taste

2010-02-13T23:13:00.004Z

And I'm sold, and Controlled and forever longing for more.

We never met, you and I. We were always inside, we were somewhere inside one another. And I'll live without you, Love, but what good is one glove, without the other?

Still you only ask about my leaving, oh but honey I had no choice, and I call (and when you hear that heavy breathing) for the sound of your voice.

But you sit there silent, folded arms, and look down as I walk by. My face has changed, you know it's me. You know by the stillness in my eyes. Come and whisper in my ear, "You're very pretty, dear" and..and, "It'll be alright." You're lying!
But I don't mind tonight.

So I wander and I wander. Your absence beating inside my chest. And I try, but I can't remember the color of your eyes - JUST THE SHAPE OF YOUR DRESS!

And through a garden overgrown, nah, it's a long walk home. I said I'd not come back, well I'm coming back-AND YOU BETTER BE ALONE

You sit there silent, folded arms, and you smile as I walk by. My face has shamed, but you know it's me, YOU KNOW ITS ME! Come and whisper in my ear, "my dear! my dear!"
"it'll be alright...
it'll be alright...
it'll be alright...
it'll be alright...
it'll be alright...
it'll be alright...
it'll be al- No! NO!"

mewithoutYou - Gentlemen

You are everything and more

President Of What?

2010-02-06T18:57:00.003Z

Saw the scene unfold on a rainy Sunday
Creases indicating folds that kept four walls from caving in
I took a little more of what I take for granted
And filled my plate with fear that gears would turn
And wheels would roll away

Something’s got to break you down
Something’s got to break you down

Entered the scene, I’m told, on, I think it was Monday
You drove straight through and mined that quarry
For all it could bleed ‘til dry
I took a little more ‘til I got taken for granted
‘Cause beautiful boys gave chase
And when they arch your backbone
It’s such a dreadful sight

Something’s got to break you down
Something’s got to break you down

And I’ll react when faces find you
With jealous fits that gag and bind you
‘Cause nothing hurts like nothing at all
When imagination takes full control

(For years, I've been closely watching parents and children.
I've noticed how the success of children later on
really starts very early, in the home.
All boys and girls are born with their own special talents.
These talents have their greatest chance to grow
in a friendly, loving home.)

And I’ll react when faces find you
With jealous fits that gag and bind you
‘Cause nothing hurts like nothing at all
When imagination takes full control

I saw the scene unfold
I saw the scene unfold
I saw the scene unfold
I saw the scene unfold

Death Cab For Cutie - President Of What?

And My Heart Will Keep Beating

2010-02-06T00:29:00.003Z

On And On

I'll Fight and Fight, Coz 'this Love Is Fuckin' Right'

You were a song that I couldn't sing
you were a story I couldn't tell
I'm not the boy that I once was,
but I'm not the man I'll be.

Remember Me

mewithoutYou- Nice And Blue

All Roads Lead Somewhere

2010-01-28T23:31:00.003Z

RIP J.D.Salinger

I was half in love with her by the time we sat down. That's the thing about girls. Every time they do something pretty, even if they're not much to look at, or even if they're sort of stupid, you fall half in love with them, and then you never know where the hell you are. Girls. Jesus Christ. They can drive you crazy. They really can.

NOTE: The Catcher In the Rye Is one of the greatest novels I've ever read, it saved me, honest to God it did.

00:00

2010-01-24T00:00:00.003Z

I'm neither tired, nor awake
I am in perfect Equilibrium
It'll only last a minute though mind

The Horror, The Horror

2010-01-23T21:50:00.005Z

Did he live his life again in every detail of desire, temptation, and surrender during that supreme moment of complete knowledge? He cried in a whisper at some image, at some vision - he cried out twice, a cry that was no more than a breath-

"The Horror! The Horror!"

Joseph Conrad - Heart of Darkness

This Is Very Much For Real

2010-01-22T19:55:00.002Z

Refused's Manifesto

The worms of the senses ponder quickly towards destruction. Winning is not everything but in our elitist competitive society it is all that matters. Rice cakes for the people and caviar for the leaders who built our world around machines, money and matter. We were left out of the plan and our destination is set by the used car dealer or the factory boss. Bored we walk home with our heads hanging and our creativity stolen as an effect of capitalist gain. In a dream state there is nothing more than simple abstraction of the mind from the matter and the belief that work will somehow "macht frei". The theory that Marx recognised from Feuerbach, and now we, the people, need to see the spectacle that binds us to our "destiny". Alienation is not commodity, figures, statistics or make believe but very much a real tool of oppression and seclusion. If we can't take our part then we must not take part. The faculties of the skull are another dimension of that which is sucking us dry. The imperialisation of the third world is dominant even in our taste for soft drinks and afternoon snacks. With dry wits and knuckles dragging the ground co-operations claim that profit is rightfully theirs and that the blood squeezed out of Africa, South America, Burma, The Baltic states and South Asia is nothing but market interest and public craving. Their products are death and they are salesmen of corruption and power abuse. They are the slave dealers of our time. They are the inquisition. They are the machine that must be stopped.

Turn the knob and wait for the liberating sound of ecstasy and revolution. Who pays the newsman and who owns the radio stations and who runs the record label? Who benefits from the de-politicizing in art and music and who benefits from the clean sound of the next pop wonder? Who runs the game show and who pays the salaries to the reporters? Here and now we offer you a taste of our liberation frequency, provided by us for your satisfaction and excitement. This is radio clash, 33 Revolutions Per Minute, our haven of thoughts and ideas. It could be yours too, if only you'd let yourself go and turn the knob and listen and love and sing and think.

Stuck by the deadly rhythm of the production line. Stuck by the conditions set by the capitalist market. Stuck by the necessities of living and forced to take part. If we are tired it is because we are supposed to be and if we are hungry it is because we have to be and if we are bored it is because it is expected of us. Bored and chained and stuck and dead. New forms of work camps are arranged and new ways of hiding the monotonous beat of slavery are being presented. The preliminary condition required for propelling the workers to the status of "free" producers and consumers of commodity was the violent expropriation of their own time. The spectacular return of time was made possible only after this dispossession of power. Urbanism is capitalism's seizure of the natural and human environment; developing logically into absolute domination, capitalism can and must now remake the totality of space into it's own setting. Time, work, environment and joy all have their norms set by modern ways of production.

The awkward youngster touches his poster and glances upon the stars and the heavens. The day seems neverending and there is a certain notion of innocence and childhood play. The mantra will be repeated and we will learn to obey and love and cherish the chosen few. Manners inconceivable and then we have to live. Ideals corrupted and echoes from the past about ideas once held true are shining like untouchable constellations. But we are all stars, shining and burning, cruising down the highway looking for the next stop and the next break from capitalised boredom and slavery. Then there is the option of summer holidays vs. punk routine. Then there is greed and money and fallen heroes. "We are all tired of dying". So why not try and live for a change and turn that glimmering into bright shining creation through the realisation that you know everything and that you are you?

Must I paint you a picture about the way that I feel? This situation of Art vs. Life and the present elitism within the bourgeoisie and upper-class. The critics hold their heads high cause they know about the real suffering and the real work while we get the easy accessible forms of communication and entertainment, pinned down simple for us to comprehend. The lack of stimulants within art, politics and life lowers our standards which is why we settle for talkshows and MTV. We are not stupid, but if we are treated like ingrates we will start to act like children. The lack of challenging forms of expression and thoughts of fire and self-confidence gives us a passive and hollow nature. So reclaim art, take back the fine culture for the people, the working people, the living people and burn down their art galleries and destroy their fancy constructions and buildings. Cause we, unlike the bourgeoisie, have nothing to lose and therefore our expression will be the only honest one, our words will be the only challenging ones and our art will be the one revolutionary expression. We need new noise and new voices and new canvases to become something more than the last poets of a useless generation.

The credentials with which we call upon you are simple linguistics thrown and tossed liked flaming songs of discontent. The Refused party programme screams out not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, not 5 but 6 opinions and 6 structures of change and 6 levels of liberation. All in all not mystical but direct and attractive and as we shout "Yeah" you'll feel the same sensation best described by Tomas Paine: "Let them call me rebel and welcome, I feel no concern from it; but I should suffer the misery of devils, were I to make a whore of my soul...". Here and now and all the time the mythical touch and the obvious message. Behold the wisdom of the party program.

Pro (in favour) – attest (testify for). The time is now and still we sit and wait for it to become the now that we think we need. The movement of protest has strong traditions and we are far from the first to recognise and use the power of the song and the words from the young poets. We are trembling from the taste of days gone to waste and there is inspiration and there is clarity. Phil Ochs stated firmly "If I have something to say I'm going to say it now" and still protest song 68 is nothing more than a pastiche, a blueprint of seduction of the echoes that once filled the corridors of dorms and boys/girls rooms in an era where rebellion and revolt was present in art and music. From the first until the last, from the taste of longing freedom to the shackles of oppression, the weapon of the artist has always been used.

Refused are fuckin dead that's what the answering machine said, looks like this is it!!! They talked one to many shit about the upper-class and the government, did you hear what those faggots said in some fanzine someone else read. I heard they are a bunch of spoiled little rich kids who need to get their asses kicked. Fuckin ingrates! Fuckin pussies!! Refused are fuckin dead guaw huydsas kjhds aowedde (fighting sequence). Refused are fuckin dead by order of the postmaster general just like the panthers only this time for real because SAPO have tapped their telephones and the Umeå police raided their homes and they must have been killed.

Are you ready baby? For the shape of punk to come. Get the equipment together and we'll meet at the show. It's gruesome that someone so handsome should care. We all recognise the hint of the programme screaming at the top of his lungs that "We're all dressed up and we got somewhere to go". Like the rebellious swing kids of the 40's or the crazy jazz heads of the 50's to the stylish mods of the 60's we all need to recognise that style in contradiction to fashion is necessary to challenge the conservatism of the youth cultures placed upon us. Strict in our style but with a touch of elegance and freedom and individualism. The uniform and the production of constructive challenges comes in the most unexpected of shapes, Ornette Coleman reinvented jazz altogether and we need a new beat to move to so grab your partner and ask: "Do you want to go out with me, watch me get on my knees and bleed?" This blind date might take you to places unknown and it will be new and scary and vital. But nonetheless there is no danger in exploration and searching. It never tasted this great to scream "yes" and you never had more enticing cavalier to hold hands with. The new teen hysteria of noise and kisses and politics and crazy entertainment and naked fun and beats and books and poetry and travelling and style. It's never been safe to live in a world that teaches us to respect property and disregard human life. So drop your belongings and get on this soul train, dig the static sound and think that maybe this once there is just us, the kids, playing the day away, it's just us kicking over statues and smashing windows of houses of parliaments, just to show them who has the real power. This blind date will take us anywhere we want.

A dream only lasts so long. Imagine the pyramids inhabited by aliens and the dark corridors and the dreams and the longing for better financial conditions. The sweat pours down your neck and you run and you run, heart beating, head pounding, alive tonight. The streets never sleep, they are glowing, vibrating with the echoes of laughter and joy, screams and curses. We just need to take the time and see what it can offer us and how we can break free from this boredom that the capitalist reign has forced upon us. Tonight we can be as mighty as Tannhäuser and we can tumble excited down the labyrinths and the turns knowing that derivè is potent. So where do we go from here?

The Apollo programme was a hoax or so we say. The biggest lie was market economy that blinded us with the glory of prosperity and freedom. The deck was dealt and we all lost, on our knees in the dirt hoping for salvation and then we look and there are golden drops of dawn functioning as oral sagas, keeping us shackled, making glory of the lies that the spectacle provides us with. So as we sit tight and enjoy the soap operas that are designed to keep us bleeding out of our eyes and keeps us nodding and sighing, there is still hope in the petrol bomb and in it, the revolution. For in the destruction and the overthrowing there is a certainty of salvation. We need to destroy the museum and it's old artefacts, we need to tear down the power structures that enslaves and then in revolution we can live and be alive. Yes, this is our hymn and our praise to the brave and bold stranger in the night, to the fed up worker and the angry wife. Hope, revolution and dedication. Fight fire with fire and everything will burn. Yeah.

This manifesto is very much for real.

I want a lover I don't have to love

2010-01-10T23:19:00.004Z

I want a boy who's so drunk he doesn't talk
Where's the kid with the chemicals?
I've got a hunger and I can't seem to get full
I need some meaning I can memorize
The kind I have always seems to slip my mind But you, but you... You write such pretty words
But life's no storybook Love's an excuse to get hurt And to hurt.
Do you like to hurt?
I do,
I do

Bright Eyes - Lover I Don't Have To love

An Evening

2010-01-05T19:46:00.005Z

On the North East Side of Town, is nothing to be smiling about

The overcast skies, and littered streets held a sense of arrogance about them, as if they knew what was about to happen and relished the opportunity to be part of it.

Watch this space, the longest night of my life has just begun.

B.Ross

Be My Saviour

2010-01-03T18:55:00.009Z

It's time to write, because, lets be honest, I'm just wasting my time if I'm not,

And lets be truly honest; I hate wasting time, hating the fact I'm always wasting time.

I'm tired, I'm tired of this that and myself
Breath new life into me, bring me back to health
Please darling, lay with me,
Oh please, dear god lay down beside me
please baby; save me...

The Right words, they come and pass
Just as I know that all I need is ask
"So take my hand, come with me and go
Lets hit the open road together, and never look back"

Together we'll tear through this vicious circle of self doubt
That has contained me for too long,
This time will be different, This time you'll be by my side
You'll keep me strong
I'll Just close my eyes,
And you'll lead the way;
Just as the night becomes day
together we lay

B.Ross

I Align My Heart, My Body My Mind

2010-01-03T17:55:00.006Z

Mumford & Sons- Dust bowl Dance

The young man stands on the edge of his porch
The days were short and the father was gone
There was no one in the town and no one in the field
This dusty barren land had given all it could yield

I've been kicked off my land at the age of sixteen
And I have no idea where else my heart could have been
I placed all my trust at the foot of this hill
And now I am sure my heart can never be still
So collect your courage and collect your horse
And pray you never feel this same kind of remorse

Seal my heart and brake my pride
I've nowhere to stand and now nowhere to hide
Align my heart, my body, my mind
To face what I've done and do my time

Well you are my accuser, now look in my face
Your opression reeks of your greed and disgrace
So one man has and another has not
How can you love what it is you have got
When you took it all from the weak hands of the poor?
Liars and thieves you know not what is in store

There will come a time I will look in your eye
You will pray to the God that you always denied
The I'll go out back and I'll get my gun
I'll say, "You haven't met me, I am the only son"

Seal my heart and brake my pride
I've nowhere to stand and now nowhere to hide
Align my heart, my body, my mind
To face what I've done and do my time

Well yes sir, yes sir, yes it was me
I know what I've done, cause I know what I've seen
I went out back and I got my gun
I said, "You haven't met me, I am the only son"

Killin Time'

2010-01-03T12:13:00.007Z

Setting My Watch to the pulse outside,
Get tired hanging from piano wires on soap repeats
Elle Milano - The Great Gulf

It's been too long, I've been on the road for so long, I barely remember why I even set out on this journey, or where I'm headed. I've lost all sense of perspective.

And as I made my way through the dimly lit streets , I made sure I kept my head down
As I walked through your end of town.

You know how it is,
You Know
You Know, You Know
You Do

Come home it's been too long, your absence is killin' me

B.Ross

I Chop and I Change and The Mystery Thickens

2009-09-26T21:32:00.004+01:00

There's blood on my hands and you want me to listen
To brawn and to brain when the truth's in the middle
Born of the grain like all good riddles

Boy, this is gonna be one terrific day, so you better live it up, because tomorrow you'll be nothing.

NOTE:I'm gonna start constructing my own work, otherwise I'll go insane, this will become a journal of how well my journal of constructive thought is going, if you get what I mean.....

Echo & the Bunnymen - My Kingdom
Rebel Without A Cause

Please, Please, Please Let me Get What I Want

2009-08-23T04:27:00.004+01:00

I'm trapped between your essence and my existence

Good times for a change
See, the luck Ive had
Can make a good man
Turn bad

So please please please
Let me, let me, let me
Let me get what I want
This time

Havent had a dream in a long time
See, the life Ive had
Can make a good man bad

So for once in my life
Let me get what I want
Lord knows, it would be the first time
Lord knows, it would be the first time

Oh Morrissey how I love you

Lyrical Appreciation

2009-06-29T23:20:00.006+01:00

Because this place has been a tad bare since I've left college, despite bieng free, lets post some of my favourite lyrics of the moment;

Love - Maybe The People Would Be The Times or
Between the Clark and Hilldale

Wrong or right they come here just the same
Telling everyone about their games
And if you think it obsolete
Then you go back across the street
Yeah, street, hey hey

Michael Jackson (RIP) - Billie Jean:

She was more like a beauty queen from a movie scene
I said don't mind, but what do you mean I am the one
Who will dance on the floor in the round
She said I am the one, who will dance on the floor in the round

Titus Andronicus - Titus Andronicus:

Throw my guitar down on the floor
No one cares what I've got to say any more
I didn't come here to be damned with faint praise
I'll write my masterpiece some other day
(Fuck everything, fuck me)

Manic Street Preachers - Peeled Apples:

A series of images against you and me
Trespass your torment if you are what you want to be

I once impersonated a shop-work dummy
The Levi jean will always be stronger than an Uzi

The Jam - Down In The Tube Station at Midnight

Behind me
Whispers in the shadows - gruff blazing voices
Hating, waiting
Hey boy they shout - have you got any money?
And I said - I've a little money and a take away curry,
I'm on my way home to my wife.
Shel'l be lining up the cutlery
You know she's expecting me
Polishing the glasses and pulling out the cork
And I'm down in the tube station at midnight

FREDOM

2009-06-20T11:35:00.003+01:00

After tearing myself apart over the last month stressing/revising and sitting exams I am finally free, and trust me things around here (the blog) are gonna change ;) :D

Somtimes, Just Soemtimes

2009-05-23T09:40:00.003+01:00

You Hear an album that you just can't beleive is so brilliant that you hadn't heard it earlier.
For me that album at the moment is;

Love-Forever Changes

I'll probably do a nice little review at some point, but as just a snap shot, this at the moment will do,

Check it out, the vocals are sublime the music is ethereal, everything just fits together.

Honestly check it out, spotify it or something, it'll be on all during summer I can feel it.

Two In The Campagna

2009-05-21T20:30:00.004+01:00

Extracts on one of my Favourite poems by Robert Browning;

I.
I wonder do you feel to-day
As I have felt since, hand in hand,
We sat down on the grass, to stray
In spirit better through the land,
This morn of Rome and May?

VIII.
I would that you were all to me,
You that are just so much, no more.
Nor yours nor mine, nor slave nor free!
Where does the fault lie? What the core
O' the wound, since wound must be?

XII.
Just when I seemed about to learn!
Where is the thread now? Off again!
The old trick! Only I discern--
Infinite passion, and the pain
Of finite hearts that yearn.

Breathtaking stuff, worth checking out if you've never read anything by him, his dramatic monologues are breathtaking.

Other poems worth looking at;
Prophyria's Lover, Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister and Andrea Del Sarto

A Message From Above

2009-05-19T20:11:00.003+01:00

An Interview With Adam Crisp

Former Frontman of The Best band you've never heard of;

ELLE MILANO

Currently in a band (wittily titled) The Pre-marital Sect and also his own Solo-project Entrepreneurs

L=Luke (Interviewer)
A=Adam Crisp (Interviewee)

L: Your recent, albeit fairly understated, output from Entrepreneurs and The Premarital Sect has been totally varied and substantial. It really feels far removed from Elle Milano already. What's your perspective on this rate of change? Did your work under Elle Milano finish a while before you started your new projects?

A: Well over the last couple of years I’ve finally decided what I like. For instance; if you're going to be a band: sound like a band. And if you're going to work on a computer in your bedroom, don't try and sound like a band. So, the two tangents of my musical output have gone in more extreme directions. Hopefully. In the past the music that’s got released was written years before or something ridiculous, what you hear now was at least done sometime in the last six months, hah.

L: Do you think that either of your new groups will reach a stage where you could start playing gigs again any time soon?

A: Right now I have no intention of playing Entrepreneurs or The Super-Ego (beats/electro/etc project) live. Not ruling it out further down the line though... The Premarital Sect however is all about being live. Its the first band I’ve done where the recordings and the live set are the same thing. We're getting pretty close to being gig-ready, which is exciting. Its not gonna be pretty.

L: I hope that I don't seem like I'm missing the point here, but do you think that you'll ever go back to any of your music from Elle Milano, either live or in recordings?

A: It depends what you mean, if you're referring to FM- friendly indie rock then I doubt it very much. If you're literally referring to the songs of Elle Milano then definitely not. Never look back.

L: Your lyrical style is incredibly distinctive and observant, are there particular lyricists that you feel a strong connection with? You often wear your Mark E. Smith influence on your sleeve.

A: I think I’m more influenced by Mark E. Smith's attitude than lyrics. Undoubtedly I’ve been influenced by obvious things in my younger years- Kurt Cobain, Thom Yorke, Ian Curtis... but nothing consciously. I prefer to just spurt stuff out and worry about it later. Truth be told; I don't like writing lyrics much, its not something that seems to come very naturally to me, but I do my best.

L: You've spoken about your enjoyment of Girls Aloud pretty frequently. What am I missing out on never having gone out my way to listen to them?

A: Nah mate, they got old years ago. The second album was great, about 2004 or whatever, but I haven't raved about them since then I don't think. Lets never speak of this again.

L: Everything from your new sounds and your less-than-public releasing of new music is a far cry from the relative conventionality that Elle Milano often inhabited. Is there any specific reason behind this, or has it been more of an unconscious decision?

A: Well its only 'less-than-public' because I have absolutely no backing right now. Hang on, are we talking music or marketing? Musically speaking I just make what I’d want to hear. It bores me to death how guitar music repetitively regurgitates itself. I recommend everyone goes and listens to “Los Angeles” by Flying Lotus ten times in a row. I'm going to at least try with Entrepreneurs to do something different, for better or worse. And The Premarital Sect will hopefully stand as an example that you can just make a racket for the sake of it.

L: Have you made any remixes other than the completely reworked snippets of your own music that appear in some of your latest stuff?

A: Haha, yes I did a rushed and not very good remix of No Scrubs - TLC, and have a pretty phat house track predominantly using a Japan sample. I'm not that into remixing but i'll do it for filthy $$$$$$$$$

END THE FED

Thanks go To Adam Crisp for his time and Luke for his permission to use this on here.

It's not because I enjoy it per say...

2009-05-19T20:03:00.003+01:00

It's because it's a fucking compulsion

To Feel Something,
Anything
Distract myself from all the smoke
Close your eyes and pray you don't choke
Keepin' my head above the water
my feet firmly on the ground

Never Look Back

Soundtrack To The Party I was Never Invited To

2009-05-15T20:17:00.005+01:00

And We'll Never Amount
Never Amount
Never Amount to anything
But We Don't Care....

This is Too Much For Me...

It's still too much for me oh oh.

Entrepreneurs - Soundtrack To The Party I Was Never Invited To

Burnt Out and Out Of Truth Hope And....

2009-05-13T18:10:00.005+01:00

Original Ideas... Unfortunately
So this means nothing it says, but everything I say I mean

Repeat after me;

This Is Worthwhile, I am Worthwhile, I Am Not Simply A Cog, I Am A Person I Am Real, I Have Feelings, I Can Fail Just Like I Do In My Dreams

Hours Spent in the Wrong Direction
No Pause For Thought Or Time For Reflection
I Drift From Place To Place
Making Mistake After Mistake

I am my own Manifestation of a failure
to Believe
a failure to Create
a failure to Achieve
Destined to fail my own ambitions
Ambitious in my destiny to fail
a truth no less sublime
than a monster of my own design

Basically, there's nothing I'd rather do than be able to sing, to sing to you, tell you you what I truly think
Tell you what I really want to say, but instead ill just carry on with the façade that words on a computer monitor interface carry some ethereal meaning, something more than simply the pretence of something important on a an internet blog

I am Happy I am Complete I am Satisfied

I am a fool...

B.Ross

Torn In Two

2009-05-07T20:05:00.003+01:00

Protecting Myself From The Truth
Cutting Myself Apart For You

Here I go out to see again
the sunshine fills my hair
and dreams hang in the air
Gulls in the sky and in my blue eyes
you know it feels unfair
there's magic everywhere

Look at me standing
here on my own again
up straight in the sunshine

No need to run and hide
it's a wonderful, wonderful life
No need to laugh and cry
it's a wonderful, wonderful life

Sun in your eyes
the heat is in your hair
they seem to hate you
because you're there
and I need a friend
Oh, I need a friend
to make me happy
not stand here on my own

Look at me standing
here on my own again
up straight in the sunshine

No need to run and hide
it's a wonderful, wonderful life
No need to laugh and cry
it's a wonderful, wonderful life

I need a friend
oh, I need friend
to make me happy
not so alone.......
Look at me here
here on my own again
up straight in the sunshine

No need to run and hide
it's a wonderful, wonderful life
No need to laugh and cry
it's a wonderful, wonderful life

No need to run and hide
it's a wonderful, wonderful life
No need to run and hide
it's a wonderful, wonderful life
wonderful life, wonderful life

Black - Wonderful Life

And So It Goes On

2009-05-04T19:24:00.004+01:00

And On And On And On
I'll Fall Further and Further away
Blame it on you
Pretend I'll change, pretend you'll care

Lets Change The Scene
I'll Cut My Hair, You'll Change your Clothes
Together we'll hit the open road
Lets change Everything
And carry on Pretending that it'll make a difference

YOU FUCKING POLARISE ME
B.Ross

Maybe you could have it all
Maybe you could have it all

Just Maybe

Maybe You Could Have it all
Maybe you could have it all

Just Maybe

Maybe you could have it all

Just Maybe

Maybe you could have it all
When Our Dead Stars Collide
But until the end I'm filling in the gap.
Elle Milano

If you Knew Me, You probably wouldn't like me or simply not give a SHIT!
Elle Milano

I think I'll carry on pretending that this isn't happening

Mary Mary Quite Contrary

2009-04-23T20:04:00.007+01:00

True Incarnation Of Whitehouse's Dream
In Retaliation; Lets Tarnish the Pristine
Evoke The Revolution
Destroy her solution

I've Been Cut And Torn
Since The Day I was Born
I've Been Cut And Torn
Since The Day I was Born

Made To Sit Down And Listen
I've Sold off My Soul To Tradition
You Cannot Censor Hope,
You Cannot Censor Truth,
You Won't Hide True Ugliness
Once It Has Cut itself Lose

B.Ross

Becuase Apparently Pen and Paper Won't Do

2009-03-25T20:06:00.005Z

I felt as though I should write something on here as I haven't in a while
Though I tend not to have anything to say when forced I feel fairly creative as of late
through I haven't been able to project this creativity onto any form of canvass, rest assured
I will be adorning this page in new creative ideas, thoughts and feelings, in the meantime;

To sing you must first open your mouth. You must have a pair of lungs and a little knowledge of music. It is not necessary to have an accordion, or a guitar. The essential thing is that I want to sing.
Then this is a song, I'm singing.
I breathe in & I, I create
Revoke the spirit '68
Fresh meaning to torn ideas
Let's bring life to old clichés
Punch a hole in tradition, yeah!
Let's listen to the songs of discontent

Refused/Henry Miller

Dream Whitehouse's Dreams
Tarnished & Obscene
Cut and Torn
Since The Day We Were Born
B.Ross

They Told Me The Classics Never Go Out Of Style But They Do, They Do Somehow Baby, I Never Thought That We'd Do Too

Refused

The Return Of The Horror

2009-03-17T20:33:00.005Z

The ominous countdown that adorned The Horrors homepage ended Monday night, and it was a countdown to remember. Being a mailing list member I received the surprise a few hours before the rest of the world and boy what a surprise it was.

The Horrors are back with ‘Sea Within a Sea’. An eight minute masterpiece, that sounds almost nothing like anything from their Debut: ‘Strange House’. Talk about a change in direction. It feels ethereal, it feels sublime, yet it feels oh so right. Faris’ soft vocals (YES soft vocals) layered over the beautifully crafted music akin to Neu make for a song like nothing they have ever done before. With the release of their cover of Suicide’s ‘Shadazz’ last year merely hinting, that they may indeed be moving away from the angry Goth roots they were born from, ‘Sea Within Sea’ merely confirms this.

It is set to be the closing track of the new album; ‘Primary Colours’ (Out 4^th May), according to a recent NME article and it feels like the perfect piece of music to end an album on. This may not convert the haters, and whilst it may not bring them in to the mainstream, it will surely turn some heads. This could well and truly be the year of the Horrors…

Some say we walk alone
Barefoot on wicked stone, no light
and sanctuary found never waits around awhile

Music Video – www.thehorrors.co.uk

MP3 - Right Click, Save Target As <>

Part III

2009-03-08T16:01:00.005Z

I Know I Beleive In Nothing, But It's My Nothing

So Damn Easy to Cave in, Man Kills Everything

Manic Street Preachers - Faster

Tear the shackles from your broken skin
Fight Forever and never give in

B.Ross

Part II

2009-03-05T20:17:00.004Z

Thy Will Be Done

On Earth As You Claim it is In Heaven
But Just as The Twelve Became The Eleven
I Fell For You, And Then I Fell Away
And I've Been Falling Further
Each And Every Day

Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man
~~~

I'm looking at a hand full of broken plans
And I'm tired of playing it down
You just want her to do anything to you
There ain't nothing that you won't allow

Elliott Smith - The White Lady Loves You
~~~
Restless and Tired Of Symmetry
I Awoke From A Dream You Were Still Around
Most Nights I feel Nothing but Pity
On Occasion I Lay Down and Sleep Sound

B.Ross

Thy Will Be Done

The First Of A Series On Unconnected And Unimportant Posts

2009-03-05T16:13:00.004Z

Part I

A Collection Of Broken Ideas, Concepts and Words

-Midnight Treatment-
Your True Colours as Silhouette Lovers

Stopped,Stolen,Sudden

Awake.Sleep.Tiring

Play Well, Forgive but Forget

B.Ross

Im Cut, Bruised and Playing To Lose.

2009-02-23T20:52:00.006Z

Constructed from a scrapbook of forgotten ideas;

As Dark as The Dawn, Yet As Light As The Day

Swamped by the Flood of Praise and Blame
Carried Away By the Stream
Behaving like a Crowd,
Forceful Words Spoken Proud

No Recollection of Your Fate
Abandoned In This Twilight State
How Can Such A Man Remained Unmoved
It shall Take The Rapture Proved

B.Ross
Picture Copywrite - Callum Stannard

Through The Vast Wilderness

2009-02-12T17:15:00.012Z

So this is permanence, love's shattered pride

What once was innocent, turned on it's side

Joy Division - Twenty Four Hours

Isolation

2009-02-11T21:00:00.006Z

This Is Hardly original.

Through the words of others, not my own is where my expression is made

'someone else has already said it best. So if you can't top it, steal from them and go out strong.'
AHX

In fear every day, every evening

He calls her aloud from above

Carefully watched for a reason

Painstaking devotion and love

Surrendered to self preservation

From others who care for themselves

A blindness that touches perfection

But hurts just like anything else

Isolation, isolation, isolation

Mother I tried please believe me

I'm doing the best that I can

I'm ashamed of the things I've been put through

I'm ashamed of the person I am

Isolation, isolation, isolation

But if you could just see the beauty

These things I could never describe

These pleasures a wayward distraction

This is my one lucky prize

Isolation,
isolation,
isolation,
isolation,
isolation,

Joy Division - Isolation

I'm Just Another One Of Your Wasted Days

2009-02-08T20:10:00.007Z

Empty, Forgetful and Unfulfilled

I am Dethroned

I managed to convince my friend and fellow blogger to let me use his photography (See above)
I don't know how, as none of these words will be half as good as the photographs are.

I haven't posted in ages, and I feel bad because of it, rest assured I have a few ideas in the pipeline for this place, brighten it up, sort out my labels, actually put something interesting up etccc.

I haven't been interesting and creative in a long time, which is a shame because I think self expression at this juncture is possibly the only thing that could save me.

I am sorry there's been no Joe Ben Jovi by the way. There should be at some point in the near future, If I get off my arse, stop being such a prude and manage to find five minutes in which Joe isn't screaming his heart out on stage to actually go out and eat someplace.

Weary inside, now our heart's lost forever

Can't replace the fear, or the thrill of the chase

Each ritual showed up the door for our wanderings

Open then shut, then slammed in our face
Joy Division - Decades

It's Just My Style Baby...

2009-01-04T19:34:00.004Z

We're Four Days into 2009,

I thought I best do some sort of happy new year thingy etc.

Because this Blog Is boring as fuck. So therefore pointless for anyone to read, other than myself, which in turn is boring and moronic.

VIVA JOEBENJOVI BABBBBYYYYYY

Trust me I'm working on it ;).
Note; I will still post on this....

B.Ross

They Told Me The Classics Never Go Out Of Style But....

2008-12-21T12:33:00.004Z

They Do, They Do

Somehow Baby I Never Thought That'd We'd Do Too
(Refused - Worms Of The Senses)

It is not merely the access
Neither the control
It is about Success
And Achievement of an entire generation

Perpetual motion, and forward thinking
will only get you so far
instincts are what reliance is built upon
remove this reliance, and we are free

B.Ross

ah, in such an ugly time the real protest is beauty
Phil Ochs

Some Days Are Just Bad, The Rest Are Worse

2008-12-12T16:27:00.005Z

Here's the MUCH ANTICIPATED Part II

Of Albums Of The Year

Please bare in mind I can't written
very well, so most ideas of these
are borrowed of stolen.

05. Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago

Jason Vernon’s album under the moniker Bon Iver (a play on the French Bon Hiver meaning Good Winter) is a beautifully peaceful and serene composition, unchallenged in its flourishing passion. Having broken up with his girlfriend, Vernon retreated to a remote log cabin in the forests of Wisconsin and spent the next three months writing and recording ‘For Emma, Forever ago’. Much like Fleet Foxes, the vocal harmonisation is what makes this such an absorbing album.

The album is full of heartening, and inspirational moments. It is both engaging and poignant. ‘Skinny Love’ and ‘For Emma’ soar above the rest as standout tracks. They are both touching and thoroughly emotional. The solitude in which the album was constructed is exhaled through every word sung, and every note plucked on Vernon’s acoustic guitar. Overall the sense of hope is one that is conveyed throughout the record.

Vernon’s deeply intimate songwriting, elegant musicianship and lucid imagery are what makes this album one of the most refreshing albums of the year. Free from over production and unnecessary and intrusive effects, there is very little more than a man and his guitar. This is an album that will be remembered for years for its seamless construction and vividly poetic delivery.

04.Conor Oberst – S/T

His first solo album in over a decade, Conor Oberst delivers an uncharacteristically uplifting album in contrast with his previous work under the moniker ‘Bright Eyes’. Oberst was once described, by Rolling Stone as ‘Rock’s Boy Genius’, a title that couldn’t, in my opinion be more fitting. With each album made as Bright Eyes, Oberst manages to mature, and develop his style, this album is without a doubt his most assured work to date.

For his new record, Oberst enlisted the help of some close friends, and long time collaborator Nate Walcott. In the heart of Mexico, they constructed a make-shift recording studio and laid down various tracks, many off which made the album, and a few that didn’t. The albums focus is on Oberst’s constant travelling, touring, and his own self discovery. Oberst reflects himself as a somewhat modern day musical Jack Kerouac like figure, in his honest and careful lyrics. His attention to subtlety and the self-assuredness seen on this record is a far cry from his earlier solo work, as a teenager young-naïve and lacking the confidence that makes Oberst’s work so special now. Oberst’s deeply intimate lyrics are one of the things that make him such a brilliant musician, and this record is no exception. His astounding ability to construct such powerful imagery through his lyrics is a skill musicians twice his age fail to achieve. His vocal ability carries the lyrics throughout, with his bleak and desperate tone seen on some of the tracks contrasting with the uplifting high rising vocals on others.

Overall this album is one of his best works to date, while not quite reaching the emotional level of previous outings such as ‘Fevers & Mirrors’, it is still incredibly personal, and scarily intimate. The comparisons are well deserved, as believe it or not Conor Oberst is, without a doubt the modern day Bob Dylan.

03.Late Of The Pier – Fantasy Black Channel

Welcome to the world of Late of The Pier. Their debut album, according to them is the aural substitute to taking drugs, I can think of no better description. It’s a unique album, spinning contrasting beats, sounds shapes and vocals. After a slew of singles Late of the Pier established themselves at the forefront of synthesiser led bands in the UK. They even managed to lure Erol Alkan out of retirement to produce their debut, a stroke of genius on their part.

The impressive debut is completely bonkers. Each track flows seamlessly into one another, forcing you to concentrate on working exactly when one track finishes and the next starts. Having heard many of the tracks on the album before it was released I was slightly worried that they would be the standout songs, and the rest would be filler, how wrong I was. The new songs are just as elegant and bizarre as the previous singles and some more so; ‘The Enemy are the Future’ springs to mind.

The spacey, obscure and downright odd lyrics take a backbench in this record, as the music is where Late of the Pier shine, and that’s the point. This isn’t an album to sit down and reflect about life to, this is an album to get up, get drunk and dance to. For those who managed to catch them on their NME tour or in support of Justice will know just how downright epic this band are live.

The album ends on a complete high, my person favourite track; ‘Bathroom Gurgle’ ends proceedings and is the track to check out if you still need convincing that this Doncaster 4-piece are better than Klaxons. All that’s left to say is ‘Can you smell snacks?’

02.Fleet Foxes – S/T

It is clear within the first few seconds of ‘sun it rises’, the album’s opener, that you’re in for something special. The mystical lyrics accompanied with the perfectly orchestrated instruments mean that straight away you know you’re in for something special.

The highlight of the entire album is without a doubt Robin Pecknold’s astonishingly exquisite voice, the way he delivers it and how it perfectly harmonises with the music and the rest of the band. It is the soothing and alluring vocal melodies that capture you, and make you realise that Fleet Foxes are one of the most genuine bands of recent years. ‘White Winter Hymnal’ is a clear highlight of the eleven track LP. The charming imagery of the lyrics see Pecknold ‘following the pack’ in the snow of wintertime, it is peaceful, and it is total bliss.

The album hardly ever, if at all lets up, if anything it continues to grow and grow as the album progress. The album leads up to the epic finale of ‘Blue Ridge Mountain’, followed by the heartfelt close ‘Oliver James’. Some claim that Fleet Foxes are boring, and as a band offer nothing original. Many American’s are at a total loss as to why the band has received such critical acclaim in the UK, I for one don’t understand why people can’t see what is special about this band. I honestly can’t stress enough how remarkable I think this album truly is, it is without a doubt one of the most original and pure albums I have heard in years.

01. Elle Milano – Acres Of Dead Space Cadets

(also bearing in mind that this is a rip of a friend's review which is better lots.)

Which can be found here;

http://2forward4back.blogspot.com/

‘This cabin fever, the shocks and the shivers, intoxicant rivers through binge drinker's livers'

The best band that no-ones ever heard of. This will probably read more like an obituary than a review because as of October 2008 Elle Milano are no more. Their Debut album, is without a shadow of a doubt the finest album of this year. Four years in the making, from their incarnation in Leicester from the ashes of former band (for Lead Singer Adam) Psirens, it has been a tough old time for the Brighton based three piece. A lack of recognition from critics, and a constant struggle to get even the smallest amount of column space in any music related magazine have led the band to become the ultimate sufferers of a corrupt and frivolous music industry. For a long time I feared their debut album would never see the light of day and that Elle Milano would disappear in obscurity for ever more. Luckily for us they didn’t and instead managed to unleash a near perfect debut.

The shrewdly entitled ‘Laughing All The Way To The Plank’ starts the ball rolling, and it’s possibly the best album opener ever conceived. The lyrics are witty, the music is loud, and it’s the perfect song to introduce; Adam Crisp (Lead singer/Guitars) with his cynical social commentary, and tortured vocals, he is anything but the archetype front-man. The blistering opener is followed by singles ‘Meanwhile In Hollywood’ Adam’s bleak reflection of the repetition of modern life and ‘My Brother, The Astronaut’ a frustrated view of the struggle to be the best you can.

‘Carousels’ sees a deeply personal side to the band, with the lyrics revealing Adam’s desire to turn his back on everything and everyone and escape into the ‘English Sunset’. The song is somewhat more subtle and sublime in comparison to other tracks on the album. The closing jaunty piano is poised, delicate and magnificently haunting. This intimacy is continued in ‘Curiosity Killed The Popstar’. The Band’s own way of sticking their middle finger up at the inane Music industry that fail to recognise

them in any shape or form.

The later part of the album feels like the band is on the verge of self destruction. Those that were lucky enough to see them live will understand exactly how close this was to happening every time they performed. The final two songs round off the album in a climactic way. ‘Wonderfully Wonderful (All The Time)’ the penultimate song is the standout track of the entire album. The song is steeped in cultural references, both positive and negative. It sees Crisp descend into the macabre melodrama that make Elle Milano such an outstanding band. Adam himself claims the song makes him feel like the world is about to end. The album closer, aptly titled ‘This is how it ends’ opens with a spoken word verse by Chloe Joanna, the band’s bassist. Set to a much calmer musical arrangement than any of the previous tracks on the album, the song details the failing relationship between two people. It’s a tame song to end the album on, and this may be the only reason I find it to be the weakest of all the tracks on the record. It’s a brilliant song, but I feel somewhat underwhelmed by it in comparison to the rest of the album.

Even if I spent this entire article writing about Elle Milano, I’d still feel as though I hadn’t quite said enough about them. This is the greatest British debut album since The Libertines’ ‘Up The Bracket’. Elle Milano’s ‘Acres of Dead Space Cadets’ is to music what J.D.Salinger’s ‘Catcher In The Rye’ is to literature. The biggest shame of it all is that bands with little or no talent in comparison are lauded by critics when truly original and special bands are left to disappear into obscurity. Long Live Elle Milano, hopefully in years to come people will marvel at this masterpiece, and realise what a brilliant debut album this is. But for know all you can do is ‘leave a message, Coz we’re already dead’……

Those That Saved me This Year Part I

2008-12-08T18:22:00.003Z

Music Of The Year Part I

To say this year has been hard on my wallet in relation to music is somewhat of an understatement. I decided to keep my new years resolution this year (for once) and embarked on what one might call a student’s worst nightmare; to not illegally download an entire album for exactly a year. I succeeded, but only just. With that in mind, this is my list of top ten albums of 2008.

Top Ten Albums 2008

10. Lightspeed Champion – Falling Off the Lavender Bridge –

Totally original and brilliantly epic debut from the former Test-Icicle Dev Hynes

09. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend – Afro-Pop at it’s finest from the New York Based band

08. These New Puritans – Beat Pyramid – Arrogance seeps from every note, yet somehow mesmerising and totally enchanting debut album.

07. Laura Marling – Alas I Cannot Swim- Folk at it’s finest. A beautifully crafted album, with a genuinely unique talent at the helm

06. MGMT – Oracular Spectacular – The anthem for many peoples summer, deceptively good debut album that just gets better and better with every listen.

Part II will be full reviews.

It won't be a long wait don't worry.

Handle With Care

2008-11-22T17:58:00.004Z

Steeped in History, the cracks through ancestry
Send me to sleep, with the secret stories of; bloodlines, and migration
Sing to me their Crimes, and humiliation.

B.Ross

It's Always Night....

2008-11-21T20:00:00.007Z

It's not just the sun and the stars that burn bright in your eyes
The Moon, The Tears And Your Lies
Cold, Dark and White,
That Keep me up all Night

I'll shield you from the storm
The Storm...
The Storm...
Shield me from the storm

B.Ross

It's Your Life Story That's Inscribed On My Arm

2008-11-20T20:02:00.009Z

I'm pretty worn down at the moment, UCAS is doing my nut, but it should be all over by Monday, which is nice, something to look forward to.

End of the year, reflection time; life, music,films etc.

I'm currently working on my top ten albums of the year, top 3/5 EPs, and single of the year for an article for 'Student Voice' at college (BHASVIC, in case you wondered). At Least I thought I was, I think someone else is atm, but it's all cool I'm planning on putting it up here anyways.

In case you read this and don't know me check out;

www.wwtdd.com

I genuinely wish I was that funny, honestly it makes my day that page.

Also if you hate racism, and hate those that are part of a racist group, and fancy seeing if any live near you check this link out;

www.bnpmemberslist.co.uk

ENJOY

Don't know this, Don't Know That
Lack this, Lack that
I'm on my hands and Knees
Listen and Please Listen and Please
Repeat
repeat
repea.
repe..
rep...
re....
r.....

Can you hear me?......

B.Ross

Even A Broken Clock Is Right Two Times A Day

2008-11-02T15:15:00.004Z

I've gone over a month without posting, which is weird....

It's been a weird couple of weeks..

Open Wounds & Empty Rooms
Blind Guidance,Good Riddance.
A Void to Avoid At all cost

I'm pretty much imploding at the moment, a self inflicted, self centred self destruction. It's only fitting really, I wouldn't want it any other way ahahaha.

RIP ELLE MILANO....

I'll get some reviews up here quick sharp, it's looking Desolate round here.

B.Ross

A Fleeting Glimpse

2008-09-25T21:44:00.003+01:00

Of Brilliance

The tenderness of remembrance
The comfort of your warmth
***
Run Run Run...

From Shore To Shore
From Door To Door
It's almost over
It Couldn't be closer
Lost in the sea
always forget me

B.Ross

....And Justice For All

2008-09-11T21:23:00.003+01:00

Im half annoyed, because this is gonna be a wasted post for such a beautiful picture....

but that's only becuase no matter what I scribble or scratch the right words just won't come out.

In case you wondered, I did in fact, despite all the odds against it happening, get a worse timetable than last year. I do however have marginally alright classes although I do manage to feel somehwat un-confident (that a real word) and confident about myself at the same time at college at the moment, not good, but means i'm more destructive, which means I'm more creative, which is alright I suppose, that's a lie it's better than alright...

So far so good...

It's The Only Way, At The End Of The Day

2008-09-10T17:22:00.003+01:00

Oh What A Privilege
It is to eat from my own fridge
This financial crunch
won't stop me eating my lunch

(that's not funny, or witty just pathetic and shitty)

No seriously those aren't proper lyrics, they're a joke

HONESTLY

I've never felt more destructive in my entire life, and therefore I've never felt so constructive, in thought word and deed, finally I found the pen, that makes what I have inside me , expressible in a comprehensible, yet interesting way to the world around me. Without being mundane, plain or an outright shame, I can now write words down onto paper, and for me to read them back to myself and think they sound half decent, which for once is nice.......

Or in normal talkkkkkkkk BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH I CAN WRITE HALF SHIT LYRICS, which means they're therefore half decent, which is nice....but then again so are you and nothing I can say would express it babbbbbyyyyy.... YEAH

B.Ross

She Was Dead Wrong

2008-09-09T18:59:00.006+01:00

Not That It Matters now She's Gone

College starts again tomorrow,
I'm half prepared,
and surprisingly scared.

New year, last year, hope, faith and all that jazz.

If only I'd bothered to read jazz....

Blah blah blah. Im so fucking boring you're better off ignoring
all I have to say, it aint worth a thing
trust me....

Anyways enough off me blabbbbling, I'll post on here again when I get my timetable, to either whine that it's worse than last years (hardly possible) or rejoice that it's half decent.

I need some new music...

B.Ross

And Just For A Day

2008-09-05T20:56:00.006+01:00

I Want The World To Burn...

Just so I can feel alive.
make believe I tried
Pretend that in those flames
We stopped playing all these games

I'll Burn Down This City
To Stop me Feelin' so loathsome and shitty
You'll lose your everything
I pray to God I won't remember Anything

It'll Crumble Away,
And you'll pay
Tonight is not the end
But I can pretend...

B.Ross
With a tad more than a passing reference to Refused

She Seemed Like An Alright Girl

2008-08-31T20:52:00.005+01:00

I was thinking, Just One Night Won't Hurt.....

We Haven't Spoken in so long, We can't get past the 'How Are You' We're Not talking like we used to..

Bombay Bicycle Club - How Are We

I need to get her out of my head, it's killing me, seriously killing me, I need to meet some new people, it's driving me INSANE..... She's Driving me INSANE

(Note to self on re-reading, past Ben, you were so melodramatic, and not in a witty or clever way either)

I should have Promised myself I wouldn't,
But I just couldn't...

I Fell in Love With A Girl At A Conor Oberst Show

2008-08-29T20:53:00.004+01:00

She knew all the words to my favourite songs, righted all my wrongs
And made me literally like fall in love in a second, it half killed me, seriously.

God She was perfect....

blahblahblahblahblah

The Doors Joy Division Bright Eyes

listen to them now if you haven't. They are my current classic (musical) loves...

Newer stuff worth checking out/keeping an eye/purchasing 7'' singles by;

Late Of The Pier- Linkage
Bombay Bicycle Club - Linkage
Fleet Foxes - Linkage
Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man -linkage

And because you asked and I forgot;

Strange Days Have Found Us

2008-08-27T16:22:00.008+01:00

Reading Festival 2008

Incredibly this years festival was better than last years, which I honestly thought was not possible. For those of you who don't know me, but still read my blog, I applaud you, thank you and cherish you, and apologise to you; because these pictures will not make much sense to you. Only to those who are my friends who attended the festival with me will understand, and thank you to all of them for making it the best festival ever.

Luke's Reading Dress
SeXXXX
Black Baby
Just getting pissed 'n' shit
Obey the Pole

Chillin 'n' shit

Baby's Dead, he's dead....

The music He Constantly plays, says nothing to me about my life

Some people can't go a few days without getting into trouble...

Breakfast Never tasted so sweet.

Don't Ever Buy nothing From A Man Named Truth...

2008-08-19T22:15:00.004+01:00

Reading Festival is upon me, I leave tommorow for an exteneded weekend of amazing music, drunken antics and a distinct lack of food/sleep, should be good.

I got my results last thursday before setting off to Southend for the weekend, which was awesome, my results less so, but I'll rectify that come January, I'll write a massive post (makes a change...) when I get back from Reading Festivallllll

If I go to heaven, I'll be bored as hell, like a little baby at the bottom of a well.

Bon Voyage... I'm hitting the road baby, and trust me it's gonna be crazy...

So This Is Fatherhood?

2008-08-10T21:52:00.003+01:00

Going Out Chopping Wood

Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man

Musical recommendation, in the form of a great London based band called Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man.
I went to a mini day long festival on Friday called Underage Festival. It was a good day out with a couple of mates, saw some great bands, but for me the stand out of the day was without a doubt Ox.Eagle... They are all great musicians and Frederick Blood-Royale is an amazing front man. They recently released their 'opus one' in the form of a mini album entitled; The Lay Of The Land; The Turn Of The Tide.

Also, as mentioned I have re-fallen in love with Bright Eyes, I therefore highly recmod his first solo album in nearly 15 years. It is self titled, and was written with his 'Mystic Valley Band'

I'll do a proper post, about my current state of mind tommorrow if I get a chance......

Distracted, Tired, losing control....

2008-08-10T18:55:00.004+01:00

I promised a decent post today, but that's not going to happen I'm afraid, this is an apology.

I'm a week late setting up Joe Ben Jovi, and I still haven't set it up, If I get a chance tomorrow, or sometime this week I will do. It's gonna take more time than I think I want it to, and I really haven't done anything towards it yet, ebcause of my lack of money/time/commitment, but I will, don't worry....

worker bees can leave 
even drones can fly away 
the queen is their slave



If you can then;

Subvert and destroy the current world of remote
control through the puppet strings of purse strings

I know I want to...

Chuck Palahniuk - Fight Club

Let's Not Shit Ourselves....

2008-08-09T18:30:00.003+01:00

(To Love And Be Loved)

I'm shattered from Underage festival, I'm going to a work meal tonight, I'm all over the place as of current, and I have re fallen in love with Bright eyes, Enjoy;

Well, the animals laugh from the dark of the wilderness.
A baby cries hard in an apartment complex,
as I pass in a car buried under the influence.
The city's driving me out of my mind.
I've seen a child is caught in the sad trap of gravity.
He falls from the lowest branch of the apple tree
and lands in the grass and weeps for his dignity.
Next time he will not aim so high.
Yeah, next time, neither will I.
Now a mother takes loans out, sends her kids off to colleges.
Her family's reduced to names on a shopping list.
While, a coroner kneels beneath a great, wooden crucifix.
He knows there's worse things than being alone.
And so I've learned to retreat at the first sign of danger.
I mean, why wait around, if it's just to surrender?
An ambition, I've found, can lead only to failure.
I do not read the reviews.
No, I am not singing for you.
Well I stood dropping a coin into the pit of a well.
And I would throw my whole billfold if I thought it would help.
With all these wishes I make,
I should buy something real, at least a telephone call home.
Well, my teachers, they built this retaining wall of memory,
all those multiple choices I answered so quickly.
And got my grades back and forgot just as easily,
but as least I got an A.
And so I don't have them to blame.
Well I should stop pointing fingers;
reserve my judgment of all those public action figures,
the cowboy presidents.
So loud behind the bullhorn, so proud they can't admit
when they've made a mistake.
While poison ink spews from a speechwriter's pen,
he knows he don't have to say it,
so it, it don't bother him.
"Honesty", "Accuracy" is just "Popular Opinion."
And the approval rating's high,
and so someone's gonna die.
Well ABC, NBC, CBS: Bullshit.
They give us fact or fiction? I guess an even split.
And each new act of war is tonight's entertainment.
We're still the pawns in their game.
As they take eye for an eye until no one can see,
we must stumble blindly forward, repeating history.
Well, I guess we all fit into your slogan
on the fast food marquee:
Red blooded, White skinned oh and the Blues.
Oh and the Blues, I got the Blues! That's me! That's me!
Well, I awoke in relief.
My sheets and tubes were all tangled weak from whiskey and pills,
in a Chicago hospital.
And my father was there, in a chair, by the window, staring so far away.
I tried talking, just whispered, "...so sorry...so selfish..."
He stopped me and said, "Child I love you regardless
and there's nothing you could do that would ever change this.
I'm not angry. It happens. But you just can't do it again."
So now I try to keep up, I've been exchanging my currency.
While a million objects pass through my periphery.
Now I'm rubbing my eyes 'cause they're starting to bother me.
I've been staring too long at the screen.
But where was it when I first heard a sweet sound of humility?
It came to my ears in the goddamn loveliest melody.
How grateful I was then to be part of the mystery,
to love and to be loved. Let's just hope that is enough.

I'll do a proper post tomorrow....

Bright Eyes - Let's Not Shit Ourselves

The Night Is Darkest Before The Dawn

2008-08-01T22:06:00.016+01:00

Dark Knight Review

Batman Begins was the start of something truly interesting and special; comic book adaptations that were, well good. It was mature, dark, and most importantly fun. It felt as through DC had recognised what had made Spiderman good, and what Marvel was capable of doing, taken the formula and raised the bar. With The Dark Knight, not only is the bar raised again for Comic book adaptations, it raises the bar for action films as a whole. In short The Dark Knight is one of the most impressive, hype deserving action films I think I’ve ever seen.
Christopher Nolan’s desire to keep the Batman universe cemented well and truly in reality is a stroke of genius. It make’s the struggles of all the characters involved seem that bit more realistic and believable. The portrayal of Batman, as the Dark Knight tortured by the repercussions of his actions, and the affect it is having on the people of Gotham, is perfectly played by Christian Bale. His adversary of the film and as all Batman fanatics will know his ultimate adversary is The Joker, a horrifically powerful portrayal of a man who has totally lost control is beautifully played by the late, and great Heath Ledger.
I don’t wish to divulge any specific details about the storyline, in fear of ruining even the smallest part of the experience for you. I will however make reference to the opening five minutes, and lay claim to it being one of the best opening five minutes to a film I’ve maybe ever seen, and one of the coolest introductions to a villain, EVER.
The films opening cinematography is magnificent, the establishing shot is great, and reminded me of the opening of Psycho with the camera focusing on a building amongst a city. The camerawork continues to be impressive throughout the film, as does the soundtrack, and of course the performance of all the cast, which is quite frankly star studded. Both Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine reprise their roles as Bruce Wayne’s (Batman) butler and personal technician respectively. This time however Maggie Gyllenhaal replaces Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes, one of the film’s only down sides, I felt her performance was somewhat lackluster and below par, compared to all other actors involved.
Now for the paragraph, detailing the crucial part of the film everyone is talking about, Heath Ledger’s frankly astonishing performance as The Joker. He outshines Jack Nicholson’s performance in the original Batman film by a mile, and that sort of statement should not be said lightly. I personally love Jack Nicholson, he’s a great actor, but Heath’s method acting shines through. He creates the perfect conflict for the audience; a character so psychotic we cannot root for him, but at the same time humorous to our inner darkest thoughts. And that’s exactly what the Joker is, an agent to bring about the evil in everyone, and he does this through the characters in the film, Batman, Harvey Dent, and the characters in the finale, and most importantly as I just mentioned the audience, he is nothing short of perfect. His untimely death, could however out shadow his performance, and lead people to believe the hype surrounding this film is caused by his death, this however simply put is plain wrong. He is brilliant in this film, a blistering performance for an integral role to the film.The film, as mentioned is beautifully shot, Nolan’s use of IMAX to record some of main action sequences help make them that much more impressive. I doubt I will have the chance to watch the film at an IMAX cinema, the quality is however conveyed through a normal screen, but given the chance you should defiantly try and see it at an IMAX cinema. The ‘car’ chase, to which I will not give anything away about involving Batman’s newest vehicle the ‘Batpod’ was intense. The ‘Batpod’ was every bit as impressive on screen as it is in the screenshot that have been floating around the internet for what seems like years. The film is not constant all out action however, but the action scenes are well placed and well paced, they feel fluid and just as important as the character development and story progression.

I could continue for well ever, talking about how good this movie is, but I must refrain, I will however now talk about the downsides to this film, and believe you me, it’s a short list(if you could even call it that). As mentioned I felt Maggie Gyllenhaal’s acting was weak, compared to all the others actors involved, and a bad choice in my opinion. My only other main grip about the film was on my first (of currently two, and probably at least one more) sitting I found Christian Bale’s Deep Batman voice, somewhat annoying and hard to follow, however less so on my second sitting. Finally the running time, at two and a half hours this is an epic, but as My friend said to me afterwards ‘I felt as though 2 and a half hours was going to be too long, after two hours I felt it had wrapped up everything, then it carried on and I realised I wanted it to not go on for another half hour, or even an hour, but forever’. That sums up exactly how I felt about the film, and I genuinely have never been more excited for a sequel than I am now, bring on Nolan’s Batman Three, rumoured to be called ‘Gotham’.

9.5/10

Still Need Convincing that you should watch this movie?

First Five Minutes Of The Film

NOTE- Now Updated With Added Paragraph, (I'm not entirely happy with this review) 02/08/08

Some People Just Want To See The World Burn

2008-07-31T23:35:00.005+01:00

This will be short, sweet and concise, unlike some of my other posts.

I just got back from my another sitting of the Dark Knight, and it was well worth the £6 (again) to watch it for a second time. I shall, as promised in my previous post write a full review on the film, I shall do this tomorrow and upload it here, for all my fans....

The Joe Ben Jovi Food Guide will launch on Sunday, I just decided, so i'll be posting a link up on sunday, after/ before but definitely not during the Grand Prix....

For some reason, I feel somewhat distant from everything as of late, it might be my lack of interest in anything that requires time, effort or commitment because of a fear of failure, and maybe my fear of achieving something, anything...

Driving lessons start next week, only four Months after my 17th Birthday....Should be good Fun.

I'm beginning to ramble on, which for one post at least, I don't want to and won't do.

So until tomorrow, farewell.

Your Simple Imperfection
Only adds to your complexion

WHYSOSERIOUS?

2008-07-28T22:58:00.007+01:00

General

I've been back from Cevvenes for a little over a week, and it's been hectic...

I've Worked loads of extra hours, helped me granddad out with Pond Maintenance, worked some more and maybe had a day off somewhere....

I'm pretty exhausted but, still the weather's been good (he says as he is deafened by the rain at his window)

I wonder if my Dad has even bothered to read ANY of this, If he has or does rather then I'm sure I'll get an earful soon enough....

Music

This week I've been mostly listening to the following

Born Ruffians
Mumford & Sons
The Jam
Bright Eyes
Elle Milano

For further information, and an even bigger list of what I've been listening to then you are welcome to check out my Last.fm

I'm am currently trying to get into classic artists, and broaden my musical tastes, that's why I've also been listening to Marvin Gaye's classic - What's going on and plenty of Lou Reed, And The Doors.

Movies

I watched the Dark Knight on Friday, let's just say it deserves every bit of hype it has received, and it is one of the best action films I've ever seen, rest assured a full review will be up here quick sharp, after I've seen it again for the second time and probably the third.....

General...again

The blog I mentioned in my first post that is run by me and my friend will be initiated this week.
Despite wanting it to be a surprise it really isn't, It'll be a food review guide for Brighton and will be called;

The Joe Ben Jovi Guide to dining in and around Brighton....

Joe Ben Jovi, because My Name is Ben, and his name is Jovi.... Only kiddin' his name is Joe...

Also expect more reviews etccc because I need to start being creative, productive, and worthwile

What is right is wrong to hide
Drapped in your own flag
Is this really Pride?

A flood of admiration
he must stand the strain
of his own suffocation

Exhaustion,Existance & Indulgence

2008-07-20T15:48:00.011+01:00

I'm Tired Baby

But We Can Still Make It
Honest

I returned from my week away to the most sparsely populated region of France called Cevvenes yesterday morning at 7. At that point in time I had had the grand total of 6 hours sleep in two and a half days.

The trip was very enjoyable as was (surprisingly) the 20 hour coach journey there and back. I now have probably 70 more friends than I did before I went. Everyone got on with everyone really well and despite my initial reservations I managed to thoroughly enjoy working my skin to the bone making the two films that documented the social and work side of the trip.

Arguments were had, raised voices were used, insults exchanged and probably a few tears shed, but the final results were worth every bit of it. As was the massive hangover I received from celebrating....

Note: Despite Trying I wasn't able to bootleg the videos that we shot and edited, in time. The files were massive and I didn't get a chance to put them on my mp3 player. When the DVD version is issued I shall upload the unedited bootleg version of the films and post them up here. These will be the final versions that I Joe.S and Ben.H.S were happy with NOT the ones edited by the Tech guy at college

I also discovered I quite enjoy table tennis....

I don't like my photograph being taken because I'm one of the most unphotogenic people on the planet, I'm not saying I look gorgeous in real life or anything but I just don't like the way I look in pcitures......

But here are a few, that document the state of mind I was mainly in during the evenings.......

We could have gone so much further baby,
I'm not yet a man, but you're a lady
the mountain between us was too hard to climb
These dreams are yours, but they're not mine
they're not mine....

B.Ross

I Love you But You're Green

2008-07-11T22:07:00.006+01:00

How much greener are you now we are closer and closer to the end of the world?
(From Global Warming, Obviously)

Man it really grinds my gears when products exclaim exactly how much plastic cups it's taken to make into the product they now are like a fucking ruler or a cup holder!!!! I mean who gives two shits? But therein lies the problem, people do 'care' but they can't grasp that it's simply a marketing technique. It helps shift products and make money, it's hardly saving the world is it?Why can't those plastic cups STAY as plastic cups, and stop turning one item into another? Recycle rulers into rulers, cups into cups not three cups into a ruler and three rulers into a cup. It doesn't add up....

END

On The Road.....

Well this is a blog detailing my personal experiences, travels etc so now is a good time to mention my latest journey which begins tomorrow.

I set off to the south of France to document on camera the trip for the biology and geography students, I was informed that instead of shooting our own personal short film we had to record the other students work to make a DVD advertising the trip for next year, I wasn't the least bit happy when I found this out, and I still have a sour taste in my mouth about it.

Anyways, I am heading to the south of France to a picturesque little retreat, that looks remarkably like the setting of 'The Shining'. I Leave tomorrow at 7.30 at night and get there at 2 o'clock in the afternoon the NEXT DAY. quick mathematics with my fingers informs me that's 18 and 1/2 hours in a coach, Wow that's going to be fun.

I'll keep a sort of note diary of my feelings, observations, and ideas, I'll put them all up here when I return. I will also photograph as often and as much as I can and upload them here.

I am away from 12th-19th of July.

Don't miss me too much ahaha.

Can you picture what will be
So limitless and free
Desperately in need...of some...strangers hand
In a...desperate land

The Doors - The End

Lately I've Been Wishing I had One Desire

2008-07-09T20:15:00.005+01:00

Something that would make me never want another,

Something that would make it so that nothing matters,
All would be clearer then
Bright Eyes - A Perfect Sonnet

Music Saves me, really it does. Bright Eyes are one of the purest and most perfect bands I have ever listened to. Very few artists manage to encompass such passion, emotions and power in songs the way Bright Eyes do, and even fewer artists am I able to relate to in such a personal way.

I may never get a chance to thank Connor Oberst personally, so on here I'll say thank you Connor for getting me through High school.

Today, Unrelated, Uninteresting and Unimportant....

I am going away on Saturday for a week long trip, I mentioned it in another post but I'll forgive you if you haven't read that one, or this one as a matter of fact. Enough waffle, I do that too much, I get it from my Dad, he never gets to the point, he never does I swear.

Instead of being given the opportunity to shoot a short film of our choice whilst away on the trip we instead have to follow around a bunch of biology and geography students and video their experiments and shit. The teachers are making us do their jobs for them so they can sue our video footage to advertise the trip to next years students, apparently it will look good in out portfolio, as If I'm gonna tell my university or possible employers that instead of doing complicated experiments I instead have the capacity to hold an object in the face of the people who can do these complicated experiments and ask dimdwitted half thought out questions, Im sure employers love type of stuff. Anyways what a fucking joke, totally worth £400....

I'll probably just take the time to write some poetry and lyrics, I really need to get some of that stuff down....

Talking of lyrics and Poetry and great musicians, I'll make the first mention Of Morrissey right now, I will dedicate an entire post to The Smiths and how they got me/ are getting me through college soon. Man Marr and Morrissey are genius, anyways to the point.

Listen to Morrissey's cover of The Jam's; That's Entertainment It's beautiful.

Here's a youtube link because I'm too scared to give you an illegal download link

HERE

Enjoy, next time I'll try and write soemthing less corny.

Juno Review

2008-07-07T20:43:00.005+01:00

Hilarious, touching and engaging this is a comedy about a very serious matter that hits all the right notes, with a brilliant script, brilliant cast and amazing performances from the lead character played by Ellen Page and the love interest played by Michael Cera.

The script is by (fellow blog writer) Diablo Cody and it’s just superb. The dialogue between Juno’s character and the rest of the cast is razor sharp, quirky and always hilarious. The film is funny throughout, with the soundtrack adding yet another layer of enjoyment to the film; I’ll come back to the soundtrack a little later.

Ellen Page is perfect for the role of Juno. Having seen her in Xmen-3 and Hard Candy, the later which I highly recommend it’s safe to say that Ellen page is a diverse actress with a very bright future indeed. Despite the fact she plays the 16 year old witty wisecracking Juno, she is in fact 22. The rest of the cast is magnificent Michael Cera plays the somewhat bumbling Paulie Bleeker, who still at 16 has a car for a bed; this pretty much sums up his character. Also involved are Jennifer Garner of Alias fame and Jason Bateman from Arrested Development who play the couple who are desperately seeking to adopt.

The film tells the story of how Juno becomes pregnant after she and Paulie lose their virginity to one another. Having decided against having an abortion after visiting the clinic and being confronted with a friend from college she decides that seeking to adopt would be the best course of action. Having found the perfect couple in classifieds in the paper, the adoption process is initiated. The film tells the story of the ups and downs of this process the struggles Juno faces and ultimately giving birth to the child.I didn’t want to ruin anything so I kept the outline short and sweet. I also won’t put any quotes from the film because I A, don’t want to ruin them and B, there are just too many to chose from.

Ellen Page’s quite frankly beautiful performance is what drives this movie, and if you’re not currently a fan you will be after you watch this film. The splendid script is also one of my favourite aspects of the film; it is witty, funny and clever. Finally the soundtrack as mentioned before is brilliant. It includes songs by Kimya Dawson, The Moldy Peaches, velvet Underground and Sonic Youth. Trust me it’s worth watching the film just for the soundtrack; the lyrics are so appropriate, you’d be forgiven for thinking that some of the songs written up to thirty years ago were in fact written for this film.Overall the film is heart warming and humorous. It does however seem to make the idea of becoming pregnant less of serious matter than it clearly is, and according to my mother there has been spate of girls becoming pregnant (apparently thirty, but My mother likes to exaggerate) in the same American high school all because of this film. Weird note to end on but somewhat appropriate to this quirky Movie.

8.5/10

Related Films

Superbad- Stars Michael Cera, Hilarious.

Hard Candy - Stars Ellen Page, Gripping and Brutal.

External Links

Juno DVD

Juno OST

There's A Thousand Things I Want To Say To You

2008-07-07T17:59:00.003+01:00

This'll probably be a long post, one in which I drown my sorrows, tell you my life story all in a non witty and unfunny way. For your Convenience (or is it mine?) I'll header stuff off.

Mona's Never Ending Tragedy

Is Currently the working Title (maybe, probably not, Oh God...) of my current musical output, which I mentioned in my last post. The first live performance of the band, and myself went rather well, despite the stupid amount of nervous visits to the toilets, the sweating and the lack of being able to chose a decent outfit oh and the abysmal sound check we Had had the day before.

It wasn't all Doom and gloom, I rather enjoyed myself for the two songs I contributed on and the solo I did on keyboard for the Horn part in Neutral Milk Hotels - In An Aeroplane Over The Sea was my favourite part. I also highly recommend that artist by the way, the album is amazing.

Confidence

I have a distinct lack of confidence when it comes to introducing myself to women. This probably stems from the fact I over analyse everything and my distinct lack of being able to 'relax' in certain situations. I really do need to chill sometimes...... Well anyway, this isn't going to be a post about a specific woman I can't get out of my head (maybe that's my problem). The current trend of me finding women attractive is half killing me. I swear every time I see an attractive girl, or see a girl do something attractive I fall half in love with them seriously, It genuinely kills me. Blimey I'm starting to sound like Holden Caulfield....

Music, Escape, Holiday And Hope.

On this coming Saturday I go to the south of France for a week with loads of people form college. The trip I'm going on masquerades itself as a Media/Film trip. The bulk of students are in fact biology and geography students completing VERY VERY important coursework. Well for me I have to shoot a film which we still have been told nothing about. I'm going with a couple of my close friends (and band mates) J & L. J's with me on the media front and L is a geography student! Enough!

I'm basically going to get wasted, Drink loads, for a Euro a Beer it's gotta be loads, and likewise pricewise for wine (I'm Not a wine drinker im not gay or something). Also do shit loads of poppers (again I'm not gay, Honest) Oh and at somepoint shoot some short film that turns me form some boring 17 year old into super stardom, or soemthing like that, or in years to come my fans will uncover it and call it a sublime perfroamce/direction.

Enough of that shit. I talk way to much. Well on here I do....

Well I wonder
Do you see me when we pass ?
I half die ...
Why .............

The Smiths - Well I Wonder

I Get By With A Little Help From My friends

2008-07-01T21:57:00.005+01:00

Well Today is Tuesday, I normally attend explorers but it's on tomorrow instead for various reasons.

In Two Days time I'll be playing my first ever live performance in a musical outfit, well a band basically. It's been a hectic three weeks getting ready for it, especially because I couldn't play an instrument three weeks ago, and now I'm learning Guitar and Piano(keyboard/synth) the later of which I'll be playing live. I'm fretting, I'm excited, I'm nervous. It's been a productive few weeks and finally I have a creative output. Without the help from my Comrades none of this would be possible, to them I'm eternally grateful. We Have settled on a name for our 'outfit' but I shall leave that to another post....

Quick Film Recommendations I hardly need to write reviews for these two(one is a classic and one has so much hype around it you'd have to be living under a rock to not have heard about it), I may do at a later date but with the band stuff and two books needing to be read for college by next week I don't really have anytime, anyways here they are:

Rambo 4

Good Action film watched over a curry with Me Dad, Very much a lads film. Very Gory and pretty hard Hitting (surprisingly) in places. Also How the Hell can Stallone look like that at 60 odd? I reckon he's made a pact with the Devil and sold his dignity to live for ever, bit of an oxymoron that one eh?

Dirty Harry

Caught this on TCM the other day, I've been meaning to watch it for literally years. Well worth the wait Clint Eastwood is gold in this playing a Cop who Fights for Justice, rather than following blindly the rigid rules of the police force. The Antagonist in this played by Andrew Robinson is one of the scariest psychopaths in a film I have ever seen. Very Overblown but totally amazing.

"You Feelin' Lucky Punk?"

First Post

2008-06-29T11:44:00.002+01:00

Well i finally Set one of these up.

My Name Is Ben Ross

The Day Destroys The Night is a lyric By The Doors and this blog will focus on Film reviews, Music Reviews, News, My thoughts, Expressions Ideas, and well everything and anything really.

I Also Have a combined Blog With A close friend, I'll post up the link later when i get a chance.

Enjoy.. x
B.Ross