Friday, February 09, 2007

Cranes, Drones, Hüsker Dü, Keef, and Neko

You know, I usually don't feel like writing. It's odd, really (because I really love talking). I think it stems from my days at university. They kept making me write all these papers to show that I understood the topic and whatnot. I would write them and they would (generally) praise them. Then they would make me write some more. Why the fuck couldn't they just ask me? Couldn't they see my genius? Well, actually, I'm neither stupid nor naive enough to seriously ask that question. Not here, anyway...

So. While I'm killing time and avoiding writing, please let me recommend to you some music I've been listening to tonight. (Actually I like music a lot more than I could ever like reading and/or writing. That's another story, however... [From the "Did I say That?" Dept.: I may have over-stated myself here...])

I've recently discovered a very cool and interesting Australian band called The Drones. You've probably already heard of Hüsker Dü (there's supposed to be some kind of umlaut-looking thingie over the 'u's, but I can't be bothered finding the right fucking font or whatever just so I can perfectly capture the correct spelling of a fucking rock band--they're fucking good, though). [UPDATE: Copy and paste umlaut goodness courtesy of Maht.] If you don't know Keef (Keith-fucking-Richards!! Talk Is Cheap is the one to look for), go crawl back into your hole. By now everyone must have heard of Neko Case. If you haven't, I demand to know right now what the fuck you've been listening to.

There's more, actually: Comets on Fire (psycho-delic!), ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead (So Divided was maybe the best rock album of 2006), Irma Thomas... shit, I could go on forever...

Anyway, here's some pictures I took of cranes. They're ubiquitous in Japan (as is any and all manner of construction).

Here's a crane in Atami.


In Tokyo, cranes litter the landscape (heh, what a stupid sentence!).


Cranes in Nagasaki harbor. This is a repeat pic, but for some reason I really like this one...


[UPDATE #2: I completely forgot about the two cranes in the picture below from the zoo in Miyazaki .]

5 comments:

  1. Composition is the big thing in the last pic. Very pleasing, isn't it? Veticals on either side, the darker, bold one at the left, its repetition, the tallest crane taking one third of the canvas, the flat sky that doesn't disturb the fine lines of cables ...
    Are those musicians you mentioned important?

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  2. We like that pic for the same reasons, it seems. I should say, though, that I wasn't thinking any of that when I actually took the picture!
    I don't know if the musicians are important, but they're interesting...

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  3. Kyklops: I have come here to taünt yoü with my ümlaüts and to tell you that Neko Case lives in my neighborhood.

    I have a recürring fantasy in which we meet at the corner market and begin a long, happy life together.

    Hüsker Dü. Cut and paste.

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  4. Sorry for not mentioning the music, since I'm not into it a lot, but I must say that your camera skills really make me long for a country I have very little, minuscule, chances to visit. If one thing I do wish, it is to be able to visit Japan before I'm 60. (longing sigh)

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  5. Maht, thanks for the umlauts! Neko case, what a voice...

    Usual Stuff, don't worry about not mentioning the music. Not everyone has the same taste as me! I hope you get to visit Japan (and lots of other places!).

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