Isn't this wonderful?

I might do this more often.

One lazy evening Something horrible happened someoneone with less talent than the Bieber kid came on TV! Someone worse than Bieber exists!? Yes! He appeared on a stupid TV show last night I saw! Uh oh, that's bad. We're gonna have a bad time A few months later hey! I've finally done it I made music like Bieber! I just went in the kitchen and turned on my wonderful food processor ~ End of experiment ~ written with HTML ~ Comix Markup ~ from cmx.io/edit ~ backed by gist.github.com ~ by Esquire

Educate Yourself!

I'm a big proponent of science education, and Pew Research has given the people of the Internetz the opportunity to compare their knowledge of science with that of the average American. This 13 question quiz covers a wide variety of scientific fields, and allows you to understand which ones you need to improve in. You can take it at: http://www.pewresearch.org/quiz/science-knowledge/

I personally scored a perfect 13 out of 13, placing me in the 93rd percentile. After you take the quiz, spread the word! Encourage others to take it as well, and improve your scientific knowledge. 

Science rules!

Review: "Delta Machine" by Depeche Mode

Cover art for Delta Machine

The Return of Depeche Mode

If you're this far into the blog and don't know who Depeche Mode is, go here to educate yourself.

It's been four long years since the the last DM release, and four years is a long time for this dynamic band, enough to go from A Broken Frame to Black Celebration.

Is Delta Machine an equally as great shift in the band's style?

No.

But that's a good thing.

Martin Gore described the album as a cross between SOFAD and Violator in an interview after releasing "Heaven," which oddly has failed to receive major airplay, despite the fact it comes form the masters of synthpop themselves. While it does (kinda-sorta) have the vibe from both Songs of Faith and Devotion and the triple-platinum Violator, it seems more closely related to Exciter at most points, while still remaining totally original.

Why You Should Buy the Album

• Here's a simple and silly reason: the baselines. Delta Machine contains some pretty badass synthesized baselines, with "Welcome to My World" and "All That's Mine" (deluxe version only, B side for "Heaven") standing out.
• Those blues tracks, emphasizing that fact that you could call the Mode a blues-rock band and get away with it. "Heaven," of course, is the greatest example of it, with Gahan and Gore's contrasting vocals. "Angel" stands out as well, serving as a slightly more upbeat contrast to the darkness of "Heaven."
• The connection between previous styles of Depeche Mode, such as the nice little primitive synth riff in "My Little Universe."
• The darkness of the album, along with its connectivity to the modern era. "Broken" (no relationship to the Tears for Fears track) makes you say "That is why I love Depeche Mode." "Soft Touch/Raw Nerve" is particularly emotional, reminding us of the often fragile balance between love and hate in our relationships with the people around us. 
• "The Child Inside." "Heaven" is great single material, no doubt about that. However, "The Child Inside" sums up the album quite nicely. It is simultaneously brand new and reminiscent of Depeche Mode's past, along with being both terribly dark and connectable, being a song about the dismay of seeing someone lose their innocence and traits that you connected with and loved. If someone makes this into the background music for a film adaption of Sartre's "Nausea," then this song will be completely and utterly perfect.
• This was originally filed under the con section before I came to my senses: it feels...incomplete...like Depeche Mode could evolve more...like this already great album could influence even greater ones.

Why You Shouldn't Buy this Album

• You're a moron who has no taste in music and rather would listen to One Direction. In this case, you can go with other people, since Sartre correctly pointed out that "Hell, is other people." 

There you go. I said I would write it. As always, give me your eloquent opinion below. Heck, if I like it, I might add it on.

Existential Music: What It Is and Isn't

While I was doing research for a paper (yes, fair readers, you will see it), I ran across a whole bunch of junk about existential music after remembering that Friedrich Nietzsche was a composer. This rather angered me, and rather then signing up for half a dozen forums to refute their claims, I'll do it here.

Before I go crushing students who are required to provide such examples of existential artwork, songs, or plays (may I suggest one of the plays in Sartre's No Exit and Three Other Plays?), I will define existentialism.

Existentialism is the ultimate atheistic philosophical school: it states that there is no meaning to life, merely what meaning an individual assigns to it. While most existentialists are atheists, the philosophy was originally founded by a Christian by the name of Kierkegaard. However, religious existentialism was proven to be illogical by the French author, playwright, and father of modern existentialism Jean-Paul Sartre, who made the deduction that if there is no external meaning to life, then there is no external power (god). Sartre was by no means the first atheist existentialist; indeed, Fredrick Nietzsche and Sigmund Freud predated Sartre by thirty years. Existentialism has several “branches,” practical applications of the philosophy within the “soft” sciences, i.e. psychology, political science, and sociology. Its relationship with the “hard” sciences is an estranged one; originally conceived to be separate of science and to replace it within one’s personal philosophy, existentialism now has found a place complementary, not contradictory of science, existing as a guidebook to life in society. There are a few instances in which science and existentialism conflict; one should be able to recognize these, and decide for themselves which side is correct. Existentialism should not be confused with moral nihilism and nihilism in general, although most existentialists are in one of these categories. Moral nihilism states that there are no morals in life, merely those forced upon one by society and religion; it can be seen as another deduction from the overall idea of ''existence precedes essence,'' Sartre's famous way of describing the lack of meaning in life. Nihilism in general is total lack of belief; pessimistic nihilism the idea that since there is no real meaning in life, one's job is to kill themselves and bring upon the inevitable. Existentialism avoids these pitfalls in its political branch.

I'm kind of cheating, as I wrote that a while ago...

And yes, you will get a Delta Machine review this week.


"American Pie" by Don McLean- Stupid Yahoo Answers. This is absolutely not an existential song, it is a piece that chronicles the "Day the Music Died."

Anything by Pink Floyd- Pink Floyd pretty much is the hallmark of angsty music, some of it "teenage wasteland," some of it existential. Floyd's music typically deals with loneliness, depression, and reasons to live The whole group were atheists, so it pretty much makes it easy to classify this one.

Linkin Park- Nope. Teenage wasteland music, yes. Deep philosophical thought, no. 

"Freewill" by Rush- This absolutely qualifies. The narrator chooses between free will and creating his or her own path versus being kept in chains by social normality. Geddy's also an atheist, so it make the case even stronger.

Friedrich Nietzsche's compositions- Yes, of course. Music written by an existentialist will qualify.

If there's anything other piece you think might be existential, comment the name of the song and artist and I will evaluate it.

If you want more of a focus on industrial music, I suggest checking out this article here.   

Stupid formatting.