thethinkingphrase

CRCL Icon Set by thethinkingphrase

2010-12-27T03:48:00.000Z

Hey everyone!

Here is the fruits of a little project I've been working on for a few months. It's an icon set that will make your dock look all lovely and circular! They're in .icns format as, for some reason, the .png files didn't work at all as icons. Anyway, it's good practice to use .icns files.

Regardless, to install these icons, I recommend Candybar (for the applications) and LiteIcon (for the system/folder icons). Two amazing pieces of software that make this whole installation process a million times easier. The only problem is iCal, for which I've included specific installation instructions.

So, without further ado, here is what the icons look like! You can click the preview to instantly download the icons, or click the download link below!

Enjoy!

Click here to download!

Full list of icons (as of 27/12/2010):
Address Book, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Bridge, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe Fireworks, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, Apps Folder, Audacity, Burn Folder, Desktop Folder, Developer Folder, Dictionary, Documents Folder, Downloads Folder, Dropbox Folder, DVD, Finder, Flickr, Folder, Garageband, Google Chrome, Groups Folder, iCal, iChat, iMovie, iPhoto, iTunes, Library Folder, Mail, Movies Folder, MS Excel, MS Messenger, MS Oulook, MS Powerpoint, MS Word, Music Folder, Open Folder, Pictures Folder, Preview, Public Folder, RSS, Safari, Server Folder, Sharing Folder, Sites Folder, Skype, Smart Folder, System Folder, System Preferences, Time Machine, Torrent, Trash Empty, Trash Full, Twitter, Users Folder, Utilities Folder, Word Processor.

To The Sea

2010-12-22T20:32:00.001Z

To The Sea, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Isolation

2010-12-14T01:59:00.001Z

Isolation, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Dem Bugs

2010-12-09T03:51:00.001Z

Dem Bugs, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Bark

2010-11-29T00:15:00.001Z

Bark, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Where?

2010-11-27T15:43:00.000Z

Hi there,

I haven't really posted anything in ages. To be honest, I've been properly busy since my last post. It's kind of a weird experience, but it is legitimate. I'm now in the third year of my course, and Honours subjects really take up a lot of time! Though I can't wait until next year when all I have is Honours subjects. There's more work, but you're only in for 2 hours a week, it's great.

So, two of my three courses this semester have finished, leaving me with a five day weekend. I really haven't got an excuse now. Therefore, I plan on blogging more! If I have anything interesting to say, I'll say it!

First and foremost, I've been playing Red Dead Redemption online a lot these days. If you have a Playstation 3 and play Red Dead Redemption online (or any game really, I have more than one game), add me! My PSN ID is 'Edenology'.

Right, that'll do for now. I'll come back soon with more shit to talk about!

-S

Fire Water Burn

2010-11-27T15:41:00.001Z

Fire Water Burn, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Rotting

2010-11-27T15:36:00.001Z

Rotting, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Night Light

2010-11-25T05:16:00.001Z

Night Light, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Allegiances

2010-08-12T20:09:00.000+01:00

Note: I advise you don't read this if you haven't seen Inception yet.

There's one thing that I've noticed these days. In fact, it's not exclusive to the past few years at all when you think about it.

A certain people, or type of people, feel that there must be an allegiance with certain companies or products. I only really noticed this in the build up, and subsequent time after, the release of Christopher Nolan's new movie, Inception. A lot of people believe Christopher Nolan to be one of the greatest storytellers of all time. I love his earlier work, particularly The Prestige and Memento. However, I personally feel that he's become quite akin to Michael Bay, if Michael Bay had any shame. Both directors rely on their action sequences to push their movies forward.

For example, what do you think will be the most memorable scene from Inception? In years to come, what will be the scene that everyone remembers? What will be its The Matrix dodging-bullets moment? Will it be the scene with Eames driving around the Modern Warfare 2 snow level? Or the scene with Cobb and Mal walking around Limbo? Or even the climax of the movie when Fischer meets his father? No, it'll be the scene with Arthur fighting in the corridor while the gravity shifts. It was an awesome scene, that is undeniable, but it is an action scene that must be there, otherwise the plot doesn't move forward.

Take a look on the other hand at The Prestige. In my opinion, the most memorable scenes in that film is the climax. The 'oh shit' moment when you realise that there's one last twist left. That culmination of the entire plot told from a different angle is so well paced and beautifully scripted, no action is needed. The Prestige is a movie in which the plot is furthered by the mystery. The second half of Inception is basically one big action sequence. While yes, very exciting, and hellishly tense at moments; it reeks a bit of the Michael Bay School of Cinema at times.

So, what has all this got to do with allegiances? When The Dark Knight was released, a huge gust of fanboyism spread over many many people, and they felt that it was the best movie ever made. In fact, it made it to the #1 spot on the IMDb Top 250 list. People lapped it up. Only after the dust had settled have we been able to see how The Dark Knight is far from a perfect movie. Unnecessary moral dilemmas, dumb action sequences and questionable acting from the majority of the cast produced a movie that ultimately did not live up to the hype. However, the dest never seemed to settle for some, and they knew that they were going to love Inception from the moment they saw the first teaser trailer. They had a built-in allegiance to it.

Regardless of what you think of my opinions on both The Dark Knight and Inception, you can't ignore that it is currently #3 on the IMDb Top 250, just behind The Godfather and just ahead of The Godfather, Part II. You can't ignore that the same gust of fanboyism that swept over The Dark Knight is also sweeping over Inception. People feel that whatever Christopher Nolan releases turns to gold, when actually it's fool's gold. It looks like gold, and you can want it to be gold all you want, but it just isn't gold. The same thing will happen in a few years' time when the next Batman movie is released. That, I can guarantee.

I never really meant for this to be a review of The Dark Knight or Inception. I think I might actually review them in detail, and perhaps draw comparisons between them, and see how Christopher Nolan is evolving as a director and storyteller. Is he good? Yes, very. Is he amongst the greatest storytellers of all time? No, not yet. He needs to stop dumbing-down his movies. People complained that Inception was difficult to follow, and that I never understood. I was able to follow it from beginning to end without issue. Perhaps it's because I'm a sci-fi fan and have seen this type of thing done before, but I don't think so. I have a friend who said the exact same thing, and he's not big into sci-fi. If you compare Inception to The Prestige or Memento, you can clearly see how Christopher Nolan is much more into holding the audience's hand through the movie.

Also, I think the ending of Inception was cheap. It was made so that people would be talking about it and discussing it. How much better would it have been if the top kept spinning throughout the credits? I tell you, you'd be stuck to your seat. I feel Nolan should have come down on one side of the fence. There was no real reason to have the top spinning, apart from being a stupid ambiguous ending.

Anyway, these feelings are for another day. Let's move on.

Another example of allegiances come from brands. "XBox 360 or PS3? Mac or PC?" Really, all these machines are the same as their counterparts. Are the differences between the XBox 360 and the PS3 so huge that it's worth getting into huge arguments before. I personally own a PS3, but I have no allegiance at all to Sony or the Playstation line. Yes, I have owned a PS and (two) PS2s But those were the best consoles at that time. I preferred the games on the Playstation over the N64 or the Dreamcast, so I got it. The PS2 never really had a rival until the XBox was released, by which time I'd had my PS2 for over a year and was building up a library of games. This, ultimately led to my decision to get a PS3. My PS2 and PS games play on it, so I had a much bigger selection of games to play. Also, I never liked the XBox 360 exclusive titles, so they weren't enough to sway me. I could have easily have got an XBox 360 instead, but I didn't. Will I blindly support Sony and get the PS4 ahead of the next XBox or Nintendo console? No, of course not. If I feel it's a better machine, more worth my money, then I will. If not, then I won't. Simple decision.

Now, my decision to get a Mac stems from a slightly more different line of reasoning. I've used PCs all my life. I wanted a Mac originally because of how they looked, I'll be honest. I didn't get one at that point however, instead I got a Toshiba. After one year, and a startup that took over 5 minutes, I decided I needed a change. My best friend had recently got a Macbook and I'd been using it quite a lot. I loved how quick it was and the OS was really straightforward. I admit that if I want to code a game or something, a Mac isn't the way to go. In fact, at the time I was doing my A-Level ICT coursework which involved creating a database and GUI in Microsoft Access, which you can't get for Mac. To my enjoyment and to the hush of my classmates who were berating me for buying a Mac, I loaded up Parallels and booted Windows XP, with the full Office suite installed. I got 100% in that coursework by the way. Boo-yah, as I believe nobody says these days.

But, do I defend Apple and all their misgivings? Will I go out and buy the next Macbook or Macbook Pro? I might, but not based on a comparing of the facts. My dad would always point out to me how "This Dell laptop has blahdeblah more RAM and blahdeblah more HD space". The fact is that those things don't matter, if the operating system doesn't use them efficiently. Yeah, my Macbook may have only got 2GB of RAM when I could have got a Dell or an HP at the same price with double the RAM. However, they would have been running Windows (7, to be particular). I personally don't like Windows 7. I loved Windows XP, and my last 'PC' ran XP. I've never owned a laptop that ran Vista or 7, and I'm glad. While Vista did improve, I hated how brutally slow it was. My mum has a computer currently running Vista and it's absolutely hateful. Sometimes it boots, sometimes you have to reboot it to get it to boot. However, do I think that Macs are better than 'PCs'? No, because that's not the question. The question is, do I think that OS X Leopard is better than Vista or 7? And the answer is that yes, I do.

I have no allegiance to Apple however. I like their products, but I'd have no hesitation in buying a better one. When it came to getting a new phone, I looked at every phone other than the iPhone, because I felt that it was too expensive for what it was. It just so happened that by a lucky set of circumstances, I was able to get my sister's one, then lower the contract. The fact is that an HTC costs just as much as an iPhone. If you want a phone that is as good as the iPhone, you have to expect to pay the same amount as the iPhone. In which case, why not just get an iPhone? The attraction to the iPhone will always be the App Store. While I know how much more potential it has as I've experienced a jailbroken iPhone, I still think the App Store is the selling point.

Fact is, base your opinions on the current state of affairs, not on past records or achievements. Sure, when deciding if a movie is going to be worth going to see, looking at the director's CV is a good move. But, love it for what it is. Love it for tangible reasons, and recognise it's flaws, as nothing is perfect. Don't make yourself love it because the same director made another movie that you love. I loved The Matrix, but I didn't think that the others in the series were of the same calibre. I recognised that at the time. Don't feel you have an allegiance to a director. If you support them, then you should be searching for flaws in their movie. Point out what is wrong, what works and what doesn't. That way, a director can improve and create better work. Christopher Nolan is a director who wants to create smart movies, and he does. But his recent works are baby steps compared to the leaps his previous works were. In my opinion, Nolan needs to learn how to tone down the dumb action sequences and moral ambiguity which add unnecessary fat to a great movie.

I want to make this clear; I loved Inception. I've not been that tense in a cinema for a long time. I just hate the glowing reviews it is getting that say things like "Can it be any better than The Dark Knight?". I feel like people assume that it is a great movie based on Nolan's resumé. "He's Christopher Nolan, of course it's a masterpiece." That doesn't fly with me, and it shouldn't fly with you.

This was a long one folks, and I appreciate it if you made it this far! I'd really love to hear your opinions on this one, seeing as it seems to be something that is steeped in internet culture. I'm taking a break from blogging over at FringeFX, so I should be back up here for a bit! I'll be posting up a kind of back-catalogue of posts that I posted on FFX, so expect those soon.

Until then, be smart.

-Simon

The Sun Shines

2010-07-30T22:14:00.001+01:00

The Sun Shines, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Everyday Art: The Album Artwork

2010-07-24T16:25:00.000+01:00

The Everyday Art feature is now going to be fortnightly rather than weekly. This schedule change allows me to put more research into the topics and ultimately produce better articles.

Designing Album Art is one of the most daunting and yet rewarding jobs a graphics designer can do. There are so many aspects to get right that it is very easy to get it wrong. It is effectively a piece of art that could be seen by millions and millions of people. Few mediums of art are as general, widely seen and remembered than that of album artwork. In designing it, it is important to reflect the overall feel and themes of the album as it is just as much a part of the art as the music.

I know that, for me, when I think of my favourite albums I think of the album art. The music and the artwork go hand-in-hand. Forgettable artwork can totally kill the appeal of an album to consumers. It may be 'judging a book by its cover', but sometimes the cover of a book reflects the effort and intention behind the content. If a cover looks like it has been thrown together in about two minutes, the content probably didn't take much longer. Let me give you a couple of examples.

The Climb (Single) - Joe McElderry

Now this album artwork does achieve a few points for a good, if safe, typeface choice. It's rare to see Helvetica used in the artwork for the winner of a reality TV show. But you can see that this artwork took a whole five minutes to put together. Add type, stroke, and gradient overlay to a standard photo of your subject and you're away. Being a graphics designer is easy! At least sometimes the music industry would have you believing that. I reckon Simon Cowell did this himself because he figured it'd be cheaper than hiring a freelancer.

The Time Of Our Lives - Miley Cyrus

Now this, this is just awful. Regardless of what you think of Miley Cyrus' music, you'd think a big star like her would be able to have album artwork that was at least appealing. I have a general rule of graphics design, one that is especially appropriate for album artwork; never use more than two typefaces. Generally, more than two typefaces leads to clutter and confusion. Another rule I have is that one pixel white strokes on text generally looks awful and tacky. Doubly so on a cursive font. Also, look at the wonderful placement of that text. Good lord, we can just tell how much time and effort has been spent to make this 'album' the best it can be.

I'm a bit tired of looking at awful album art though, so let's talk about some examples to the contrary.

London Calling - The Clash

The Clash are often considered to be one of the most influential bands of all time, and their third album "London Calling" is widely accepted as one of the greatest rock albums of all time. The artwork beautifully and simply sums up the themes that are prevalent in the album. It features the bassist, Paul Simonon, smashing his guitar against the ground. It was originally felt that the photo was too out-of-focus, however Joe Strummer (lead vocalist) and the graphics designer Ray Lowry felt that it worked well. It perfectly displays the heart and soul of rock'n'roll. The text is an homage to Elvis Presley's debut album, and London Calling has far surpassed that album in influence. Rolling Stone magazine named it the album of the 80s.

Thriller - Michael Jackson

Now look at that. Jackson just reeks of coolness in that white suit and that pose. The handwriting in the corner just adds to the suave nature of the whole cover. And Thriller is probably Jackson's coolest and slickest album. I envy those who were old enough to go out and buy Thriller when it came out. I can only imagine looking at that artwork while listening to the first track; "Wanna Be Startin' Something'". Spine-tingling, I imagine. Thriller is the single biggest selling album of all time, with an estimated 110 million copies sold. That is over double the second best selling album (AC/DC's Back in Black) which has an estimated 49 million sales. This cover art defines one of the greatest artists who ever existed, and will always be associated with that unwavering funk and soul that Jackson so fervently popularised.

There are some bands who are synonymous with their album art. Two in particular are Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. When we think of great album art, the discography of these two bands might as well double up as a list of great album art. Here are a few of my favourites:

Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd

The Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd

Houses of the Holy - Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin

Hopefully from this brief little insight into the importance and influence album art can have, you will have a greater appreciation when walking around your local record store. Or, a greater contempt for album art which is lazy and unenthusiastic. Remember, the first thing that you see from an album is the artwork, and it will be imprinted in your memories if the music has an effect on you. Never underestimate the impact of the visuals that accompany the music.

-S

Everyday Art: The Movie Poster

2010-07-20T20:52:00.000+01:00

What do I mean by 'Everyday Art'? The idea behind it is to bring people's attention to the art and trends in our culture that we may miss, as they have become background noise in our day-to-day lives. It will span from things so basic as fonts and logos, to things as complex as architecture.

So, let's get started shall we? This week's post is all about movie posters. I'll get started by showing you all my favourite movie poster.

And that's not because of the flat stomach, thank you very much.

We see them almost every day of our lives. Whether we're walking past a cinema, billboard or bus shelter, or even just browsing the internet; movie posters penetrate through our culture. If a big-budget movie is being released, you can expect a large chunk of that budget goes into marketing, and getting that poster in front of your eyes. Yet so often we just gloss over when we look at them. Taking a step back, we can see some of the wonderful art that has gone into movie posters, past and present.

These days there is far less focus on the physical marketing campaign for movies. Usually you'll see some kind of viral or online marketing campaign used to drum up some hype. Most people will see the trailer for a movie long before they ever see a poster. Although often, the poster is released as a brief teaser to just give people a taste of what's coming.

One thing that I really love in posters is when we just get an image that is associated with a series. It's like the creators of the movie are saying, "Yeah, we know you know what this represents, that's just how good we are. We don't even need to tell you the name of the movie." Here are a few examples:

While these are all well and good, they don't really tell us a whole lot (if anything) about the story. Before the recent growth of the internet and computers, people relied on posters a lot more. You couldn't simply go onto IMDb or Wikipedia and read a synopsis. Fewer people had televisions, so were less likely to see an advert there (if one was even made). The poster was intended to create the feel of the movie and give the person looking at it an idea of what they're in for. You'll get the idea when I post a few examples:

It's a big fish that eats people. Straightforward enough.

It's a woman. She's 50ft tall. Not too complicated.

Yeah, I think we get the idea.

For even more fun, let's compare the posters of a couple of remakes against their original counterpart!

Wow, a big ape.

Wow, a big ape that's kidnapped a woman and is climbing up buildings in New York and destroying planes! Sweet! (Yes, people in 1933 said "Sweet!". I swear.)

Wow, a house.

Wow, that's messed up! Wes Craven has some serious issues!

The remake of Wes Craven's classic debut "The Last House on the Left" actually brings me on to another big trend in movie posters. Trajan. For those who don't know, Trajan is a typeface, named after the Roman Emperor Trajan. I'm afraid that saying this might change how you look at movie posters, but it must be done. Trajan is everywhere. I mean it, everywhere. Do you recognise the font from the Last House on the Left poster? No?

What about now?

If you want to avoid going insane at all the Trajan, then stay well clear from the Horror aisle at your local video store.

And then there's the ever popular 'floating heads' poster.

On top of that, there's one man in particular who loves having his head floated around.

Morgan Freeman: Fearless of the float.

No discussion about movie posters can be complete without a mention to Drew Struzan. Many of the classic posters that stick in our head have been created by Struzan. He has a way of bringing an entire story to life in one single image. None more so than the Indiana Jones franchise. Struzan's poster work for Temple of Doom, The Last Crusade and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull are synonymous with the explorer/adventurer character we've all grown to love.

Some more of Struzan's work you might recognise:

Back to the Future I, II, and III

Star Wars Episode VI: Revenge of the Jedi

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

The Thing

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone

I highly recommend you go onto his website and check out his portfolio. The man really is the master of the movie poster. Hey, if you have a spare $450,000.00 then why not buy the original Back to the Future poster!

So, the next time that you see a movie poster, take a second look and see if you recognise it. Perhaps it's a Struzan classic, perhaps it's a comedy with big bold red letters, or a horror with Trajan and some splatter brushes. Or, if you're really lucky, it'll have floating heads, Trajan, and Morgan Freeman all rolled up into one beautiful little ball.

Now that's just not acceptable.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on movie posters. What are your favourites? Any that stick in your mind from childhood? Also, tell me what you think about this feature. It's new, and I'd like to know if you all find it interesting.

Thanks very much for reading!

-Simon

Neglect

2010-07-09T16:26:00.000+01:00

Hey there everyone.

Sorry for the neglect I've been giving this blog recently. I've just been blogging photos really. I do write for the FringeFX Art Blog regularly, and I will eventually post those articles here for you to read. You can read them over there now if you like, or wait for me to post them up here eventually.

So what have I been doing? Well, bits and bobs really. It looks like I'm going to be doing some freelance graphics design work over the next few months, which is really cool. I've also gone back to playing my guitar and my ukelele, which I had kind of ignored since I went back to university last year.

I'm really getting in to Star Trek these days. I'm nearly on Season 4 of The Next Generation and I'm loving it. It's really quite campy at times, but it's so good. I've got a ridiculous amount of TV to watch. Alias, Fringe, X-Files, Battlestar Galactica, Life on Mars, Bones, Star Trek: Enterprise; all of these I own but have not watched yet. It's really quite bad.

My auntie and uncle were here about a week ago and my uncle gave me all this old camera equipment. It's seriously awesome. Even just to take pictures of it is cool, let alone with it. I also found out that all the old SLR filters fit my OWLE Bubo, so I'm able to play around with them a bit more.

I'm probably going to go now and play some Red Dead Redemption online, perhaps try and get my level up a bit more. I usually don't bother with levels, but when it actually means that I will get a better character in the game, it's a bit important.

Hooah and all that. Shall be chatting to you all soon.

Toodle pip.

-S

Lens Light

2010-07-08T01:00:00.001+01:00

Lens Light, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

The Clock Strikes One - Redux

2010-06-30T23:45:00.001+01:00

The Clock Strikes One - Redux, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Comin' Home

2010-06-22T10:53:00.001+01:00

Comin' Home, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Erase This

2010-06-15T22:17:00.001+01:00

Erase This, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Ham Dynamic Range

2010-06-10T06:04:00.001+01:00

Ham Dynamic Range, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Sorry about that

2010-06-02T18:40:00.000+01:00

Hey everyone.

If you're subscribed to the RSS feed, then things have been a little weird recently from here.

Basically, I've totally re-designed my blog and portfolio pages. They are now A LOT more functional and the blog contains near enough every post I've ever made.

I'm also testing out mobile blogging, let's see how that works out.

Bye bye :)
-S

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Jetpowered Vampires

2010-05-30T22:09:00.001+01:00

Jetpowered Vampires, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

In Memoriam

2010-05-29T19:52:00.000+01:00

Dennis Hopper
1936-2010

In Memoriam

2010-05-28T20:34:00.000+01:00

Gary Coleman
1968-2010

FlyByNight

2010-05-23T19:58:00.001+01:00

FlyByNight, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Four Lions

2010-05-23T19:25:00.000+01:00

Aloha.

Yesterday I went to see Four Lions, the feature debut from Chris Morris, the brains behind Brass Eye amongst other things. This isn’t going to be a review or anything, just a recommendation.

Go. See. This. Movie.

Seriously, this is an absolute must-see movie. Hilariously funny, and wonderfully smart. Afterwards there was a Q&A with Chris Morris and a few of the actors which really opened up the whole movie. You can appreciate the thought and research that went into making it.

So yeah, go and see Four Lions.

Also, apparently there are like, 30 people following this RSS feed. This’ll make me sound like an absolute loser, but I think that’s really cool. I didn’t know there were so many people who were interested in the crap I have to say. So thanks a lot :). Why not leave a comment, let me know who you are?

-S

Where I've Been

2010-05-21T14:36:00.000+01:00

So em, hi.

Yeah, I haven’t been around in over a month. Sorry about that. If you hadn’t noticed, I gave up on BEDA. That just lead to me neglecting this blog. I have been writing though!

Every Monday and Wednesday I post on the FringeFX Design Blog. If are interested in art, then the Design Blog should be very interesting reading for you.

Another interesting thing that’s happened recently: I designed the cover art for Alan Lastufka and Luke Conard’s new album “Erase This”. It started shipping yesterday, and you can get it on iTunes or the physical copy off DFTBA.com. I highly recommend it, not just because I had a little input into it. The album is a wonderful piece of art, and it’s more than worth the money.

I’ll be off, but hopefully I’ll have the energy to continue posting. Probably after my exams. If you miss my postings, then check out the FringeFX Design Blog.

-S

The Clock Strikes One

2010-04-27T01:07:00.001+01:00

The Clock Strikes One, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Eugh

2010-04-13T21:13:00.000+01:00

Hola,

I keep forgetting that I have to make a BEDA post until the point when I decide that I have to do it now, or I’ll fail. I didn’t fail last year, and I don’t plan on failing this year.

I hate the words ‘fail’ and ‘epic’ by the way. Combine them and you can almost guarantee that we won’t be friends.

Derren Brown was obviously outstanding. I won’t go into it, but I recommend you watch him live on this tour, or watch it when the show eventually is broadcast on TV. The man is a witch, an amazing witch.

-S

Ham Sughes

2010-04-13T02:43:00.001+01:00

, originally uploaded by .Ham.

Derren Brown

2010-04-12T18:32:00.000+01:00

Hey,

I’m going to see Derren Brown tonight, for the third time :)

I would type more, but I have to leave soon and Rapidweaver is being seriously dick slow.

Cheerio.

-S

Clash of the Titans

2010-04-11T20:51:00.000+01:00

So I went to see Clash of the Titans today.

It’s been pretty panned by critics, but I agree with Roger Ebert. The film is energetic, and a bit silly. For what it is, it’s good. You can clearly see the effort that has gone in to making it, and it does look visually very impressive, as we’ve now become accustomed to. The acting is solid, as is the writing and the directing.

I do recommend you go see it. I saw it at matinee price, and I’m glad I did. You’d probably feel a bit more animosity towards the film if you paid full price. If you see it, then it’s worth going 3D, as most movies are these days. There are only a few instances when it gets cheesy and does the whole ‘coming out of the screen’ thing that used to be all the rage.

I also noticed something weird. Kaya Scodelario and Nicholas Hoult are in this. They play(ed) Effy and Tony respectively in the TV show ‘Skins’, and they are brother and sister. Just kind of weird, I thought.

Anyway, I’m heading off now. I’m really tired, so I imagine I’ll just pop off to sleep pretty quickly.

I always feel like naming my posts ‘Tired’, then I remember that I’ve already done that. Seriously, I could pretty much name every blog post ‘Tired’.

Cheerio,
-S

Today

2010-04-10T21:51:00.000+01:00

Hey,

Today’s been kind of lazy in a way. I got up later than I wanted to and I haven’t really done a whole lot. I’ve started the work I’ve got to do, but apart from that it’s not been a very productive day.

What I will say is that I’m really loving Doctor Who right now. The last series’ have always had crap episodes at the start, but this one hasn’t. I would do reviews of the episodes, but to be honest I’m doing so much writing these days that it’d just be a bit too much extra to handle.

I’m now officially a blog writer over at FringeFX, which is really really cool. I’m getting back into graphics proper and everything.

I’ll head off now. I had this amazing pizza tonight from a dodgy pizza place.

Awesome.

-S

Ian Huntley

2010-04-09T21:06:00.000+01:00

Ian Kevin Huntley is a man who murdered two ten year-old girls in 2002, in Soham, Cambridgeshire. What he did is inexcusable and deplorable, and he couldn't get a long enough prison sentence if you ask me. I want to preface this post by stating that Ian Huntley's actions were disgusting and horrific, and my deepest sympathies go out to the parents of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. I will not be trying to excuse what Huntley did in any way. What happened happened, and now he's paying the price for his mistakes in prison.

This past week, Ian Huntley was taken to hospital as his throat had been slashed by another inmate. There are implications that the authorities in the prison turned a blind eye to attacks on Huntley in the past. Now, Huntley is claiming compensation for the attack. He is set to receive as much money as the parents of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman received collectively for their murders. Now everyone is in a fit about this and 'Justice' Secretary Jack Straw has vowed to fight any claim.

I'm not going to comment on the fact that Huntley is set to receive as much as the parents of the girls he murdered. That's bullshit, but it's the failing of the original payout, not this payout. They should have got more. That is undeniable, but it doesn't mean that Huntley shouldn't be entitled to a fair amount of compensation.

Right, so on to the important bit. The problem with what happened here is that there is a lot of emotion surrounding this case. People don't see Ian Huntley as a human being, but as a monster.

The thing is, Ian Huntley is a human being. Regardless of the fact that he killed two girls, he still has human rights and still needs protecting. If the guards did not do their job and turned a blind eye to the attacks, then he should get compensation.

I basically wrote this post like a week ago, and can no longer be bothered to finish my point.

You get the idea though.

(Laziness)

-S

iPhoneography - An Introduction

2010-04-08T19:08:00.000+01:00

Photography movements are as common as 3D movies and Twilight fans these days. Each has their own interesting take on photography, be it either a certain subject, or a certain style of shooting. It leads to some excellent innovation that otherwise wouldn't have been possible.

The movement I've recently become quite heavily interested in is that of iPhoneography. The name is pretty self-explanatory - iPhone photos. However, it's not just about taking some blurry photos of you and your mates at a club, it's about taking proper photographs with a camera with some serious limitations. The camera on the iPhone 3GS is a meagre 3 megapixels (which we all know is largely irrelevant). The bigger issues come from the noise that is dangerously apparent in photos. It adds a clear lack of quality in the photos. There's also a slow 'shutter speed', fixed aperture (2.8), fixed focal length (5.9mm), and hugely varying ISO which ranges from ~70 to 1000+ as it pleases.

With the handicap of a camera like that, it makes for a very interesting and rewarding experience to make it work. The beauty of the iPhone is the software versatility and variety. Application developers have made the severely limited iPhone camera able to do some wonderful things. Although there are no real hardware changes, the software totally changes what the camera once was.

Now there is an entire movement about getting some beautiful results out of such a limited camera. Chase Jarvis coined the phrase "The Best Camera Is The One That's With You", and iPhoneography shows how steeped in fact this statement is. The saying "it's not what you use, but how you use it" is also apt. A good photographer shouldn't need the best camera in the world to take excellent photos. Seeing as most people with an iPhone will have it with them, it creates the possibility for a lot of 'on-the-go' yet still high quality photos.

Over the course of these articles, I plan on reviewing applications, techniques and products which can aid you in your iPhoneography and even in your general photography ventures. Many of these applications allow you to pick a photo from your hard drive, so they can be used as post-processing tools for photos taken with any other type of camera. Although that is not strictly iPhoneography, it will still benefit anyone who wishes to try their hand at utilising their iPhone or iPod Touch in a more interesting way. As the iPod Touch does not come with a camera, it can only be used for post-processing. It seems straightforward enough, but time after time I see people rating camera applications one star because they don't work on their iPod Touch. At the start of each review I'll state the compatibility of the application/product, so people don't unwittingly waste their money on products that don't work with their device.

Finally, I'll end this introduction with a few my favourite iPhone shots:

And here are a few of my own shots, just in case you were interested:

That's it for this little introduction to the vast world of iPhoneography. Hopefully, I'll be speaking to you all soon.

-S

Wayne Christ

2010-04-07T20:18:00.000+01:00

I’m currently watching the Champions League semi-final match between Manchester United and Bayern Munich.

Now, this isn’t a post all about football, so don’t be put off. It’s more about one specific player, Mr. Wayne Rooney. Last Tuesday, Wayne Rooney suffered an injury to his ankle, and hobbled off the pitch. People worried that he might miss the World Cup in the summer. However, we were reassured that it wasn’t that serious, and he’d only be out for two to three weeks.

Now, eight days later, he is on the starting line-up against Bayern Munich.

Bull. Shit.

There is no way, no matter who you are, that you could recover from an ankle injury that quickly.

The only explanation that I have found is that Wayne Rooney is in fact Jesus Christ, risen again. It’s an Easter miracle!

But seriously, it’s clear that Manchester United have told some porkies here just to make it look like Wayne Christ can do anything, even defy the laws of biology!

Well it seems to be working because they’ve just gone 3-0 up before half time. (HAHA SCRATCH THAT: 3-1).

Right, that’s it for football talk.

Cheerio!

-S

Cameras

2010-04-06T19:13:00.000+01:00

Hey everyone,

This will be my earliest post to date :).

I’ve got a conundrum at the minute. I’m looking at getting a new camera for my birthday, also funded by selling my current camera and all its lenses.

I’ve currently got a Nikon D40, but I’m looking at changing to Canon, probably the 450D.

Jessops currently have a really good offer, I hope I can still get it when I come to buy it.

Rapidweaver is being brutally slow right now, so I’m going to publish this and run.

Buhbai x

-S

Tired

2010-04-05T23:19:00.000+01:00

I think I’m too tired to post a proper blog today.

Basically, I had a pretty good day in which I kind of half decided what I might want for my birthday.

I also watched bits of a load of movies, but no full movies.

Pretty wild.

Bedtime calls.

G’night.

-S

LOL

2010-04-04T20:53:00.000+01:00

Hahaha.

My last post wasn’t meant to be that short and to the point. I published the site without realising that I hadn’t finished typing up the blog post.

Yes, I hope you all have had a lovely Easter. I know I have.

Speak to y’all tomoz.

-S
xxx

E-str

2010-04-04T15:36:00.000+01:00

I find it kind of difficult to believe that we’re nearly a third of the way through this year already. New years really doesn’t feel like it was that long ago.

Anyway, today’s post will just be short and to the point.

Happy Easter everyone.

-S

An Apology

2010-04-03T23:51:00.000+01:00

I, Simon Campbell, also known as thethinkingphrase, hereby apologise for my actions at 10:44 this evening. In my post entitled “Kick Ass”, I stated that it was my earliest BEDA10 post this year. I now recognise that this is in fact false, as yesterday’s post (entitled “New Website!”) was uploaded at 8:41pm, over two hours earlier than “Kick Ass”.

I apologise greatly for any harm my words may have caused. I recognise that I am a role model for many people, and my actions have put my responsibility into question.

I hope you will choose to forgive me soon, and we can move forward together, stronger and more educated.

Yours,
Simon Campbell
http://www.thethinkingphrase.com/

Kick Ass

2010-04-03T22:44:00.000+01:00

Hey there,

Feeling a bit funny today. Bittersweet, so to speak.

I met up with my friend and his girlfriend and walked around the city centre for a bit, before going to the cinema to watch Kick Ass.

The movie was good, a few bothering things, but good overall. A tad gruesome and it had some very funny moments. I definitely recommend it to see in the cinema. It’s a pretty true representation of teenage life, at least at the start. Obviously it would take someone with mental deficiencies to actually go out and fight crime dressed as a superhero. Also, a video of him becomes the ‘most watched clip on the internet’, which sounds kind of general, but it’s nothing big really.

I’ll do a review of it in the next few days, and post it up here :).

I won’t go into why the day was bitter, but it’s not a huge deal.

Also, I dyed a little bit of my hair red last night and I’m really pleased with the results.

I also realised that there’s a problem with trying to load the site straight from an RSS reader. I know why it doesn’t work, but fixing it makes the rest of the site not work, so I’ll just deal with it.

If you want to see what the new site looks like, then just click here.

I actually have some more good news. I’m now writing on the design blog of FringeFX. You can read my first post here. It’s a great little (ha) community and it’s so cool to be writing for them!

I best be off. This is the earliest I’ve got a BEDA10 post out this year!

Talk to you sexy beasts tomorrow,
-S

New Website!

2010-04-02T20:41:00.000+01:00

Hello there, fair travellers!

If you are reading this through the RSS feed, then I implore you to come onto the website and have a look at the new redesign. It’s a complete overhaul and I’m really happy with it. Things aren’t complete yet, but it’s on its way. I’m hoping this shows up in the feed and works without issue. If it doesn’t, I’ll probably just weep for days.

I hope you like that big 3D spinny thing at the top. I’ve spent all bloody day trying to get it to work, but thankfully it does now.

Right, I’m going to see if this works or not.

Wish me luck!

-S

The Rise

2010-04-02T10:22:00.001+01:00

The Rise, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Welcome!

2010-04-02T04:39:00.000+01:00

This is the new site, which currently isn’t working like it should!

Family Tree

2010-04-02T02:01:00.001+01:00

Family Tree, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Breakdown

2010-03-29T21:09:00.001+01:00

Breakdown, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Brian Houston - 27/03/10

2010-03-28T18:26:00.001+01:00

Brian Houston - 27/03/10, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

The Hipster is Dead

2010-03-25T22:23:00.001Z

The Hipster is Dead, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

indieVISUAL Journal - Day 2

2010-01-03T22:01:00.001Z

indieVISUAL Journal - Day 2, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.
Click image for more.

indieVISUAL Journal - Day 2

2010-01-02T19:11:00.001Z

indieVISUAL Journal - Day 2, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.
Click image for more.

indieVISUAL Journal

2010-01-01T23:14:00.003Z

Hey everyone.

I'm starting something called the "indieVISUAL Journal". Basically, I have to draw a picture, every day, for 2010. I've created a new section on my website for it, so it doesn't conflict with my actual blog (which I will still write to).

The section of the site dedicated to the indieVISUAL Journal can be found here:
http://tinyurl.com/yeuu4vc

Day 1 (today) has already been posted, and is here:
http://tinyurl.com/ye2o6ud

Seeing as it's a whole new part of the site, there is a whole new RSS feed that you can subscribe to, so you get a nice little notification, every time I post a new picture.

That feed is here:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/iVJ

Thanks very much, and I hope you follow me through this, as it's going to be a bit of a ride.

-Simon

Ripl

2009-12-31T01:11:00.001Z

Ripl, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Jump Around

2009-12-22T01:47:00.001Z

Jump Around, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Drops of Jupiter

2009-11-20T02:23:00.001Z

Drops of Jupiter, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

[Album Review] Say Anything - Say Anything, 2009

2009-11-10T19:49:00.004Z

I have been anticipating this album for a long time now. The first album I heard by Say Anything was "... Is a Real Boy", and I was hooked straightaway. That is an album that defines my youth, and probably the most important years of my life. Say Anything are one of those bands for me. They are pretty much top of the list of bands I have got to see live.

When that they were releasing a new album, I got very, very anticipant. I have been listening to old Say Anything songs over and over again, and when the first songs started to come out, I was straight on them.

The album starts with a short song called "Fed to Death". I absolutely love this song. It's a hell of a way to kick off the album. The lyrics are amazing. Bands often fall into the trap of opening an album with either a punchy but lyrically plain song, or a boring and forgettable song. Say Anything have managed to break this with Fed to Death. This song might have some of my favourite lyrics on the album. The first verse was on their website just around the time they announced their new album. It was a teaser, and ever since reading them, I have been wondering how the music would fit with such lyrics. It really does not disappoint. This is a truly wonderful start to the album.

There was a man from Allen Town,
Who fed his son to death.
He calmly watched him gorge himself,
Until his final breath.

And there he stood,
Surprised and shocked,
Above his tiny frame.
He said "I bear no blame for this,
I only share his name".

The second song on the album is also the first single, "Hate Everyone". According to the lead singer of Say Anything, Max Bemis, this song was written at a time in his life when he did indeed hate everyone and everything. Everybody has moments like this, most likely during their teenage years, and this song encapsulates that perfectly. The riff is strikingly similar to the Sex Pistols' "I Fought the Law". It's punchy, and catchy as hell. The lyrics are smart, and if you take into account the position that Bemis was in when he wrote it, it makes it all the more interesting. A very very solid first single.

Then I grew a few hairs where the sun don't shine
Pack me in a classroom to count the time
Studying the history of men’s minds
Chasing tail and committing hate crimes
Rich hippy girl with the gas guzzler
Forced myself to fall in love with her
She was so strung out she swear it never occurred
The honkey king went back on his word
The next one did the same
The blind leading the lame

"Do Better" is the upcoming second single off the album. Many people have considered it to one of Say Anything's biggest hits, "Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too". I can definitely see this comparison. The lyrics are smart, witty and simple. The song doesn't have a whole lot of layers, but it really works very well.

Drink alone and watch TV.
You're expecting harmonies
To tap your tune with silver spoons,
Anthem of impending doom.
Guiding Satan's steady hand,
Forcing Beatle's to dispand.
It's ego freaks and drama queens,
The young at heart know what I mean

The fourth track, "Less Cute" is one of those songs that doesn't define the album, but you aren't going to skip it either. The song has this lovely background noise of brass instruments during the first verse that adds this really upbeat lightheartedness to it. I think I have a thing for brass instruments in songs. The song is a kind of anti-love song. It's about a girl who wants 'the' boy, but cannot get him, so has to settle on someone who is less than their potential. The girl talks about how much she wants the boy and how great he is, and also talks about the inadequacies of the boy she settles on.

Though I fell in love with you, all fey and grizzled and mature
You left me naked, pining, whining on you bathroom floor
If it makes you jealous tell us just which boy we should adore
And we talk about myself so I don't mind that he's a bore

"Eloise", the fifth track, is about getting over a girl, and getting closure with the relationship. It's not my favourite track on the album, but it's a solid mid-album song. It's good, but it doesn't blow me away. On a bad day, I'll skip it. But, to be honest, I don't think I've skipped it yet since I've started listening to this album. It's a good song, but not a great song.

Laid out, puking in the back of a fancy bar.
You and your friends in the front booth,
laughing at my sweet naivety; and its awkward gravity.
Three years, saw the decimation of the world in you.
Messiah complex led a fickle flu,
To see its antidote and end in you...
and now I’m gonna leave you.

Track number six is "Mara and Me". I love this song, a lot. It's just a great song. The song almost seems to have a few separate movements within it, and in just under four minutes, that's quite a variation. It reminds me of Green Day's "Jesus of Suburbia". There are definitely a few different sections, with different guitar sounds and different singing styles. However, this really is not a bad thing. It sounds like it could be very muddled, but it isn't. The lyrics are tight, and the sound is great.

Fake players and the twisted web they weave
I contend that the coming holocaust will be of those who choose to believe
In anything but a phallic sense of self
Hang alone in the attic, tied up tightly with your father's belt

Track seven. "Crush'd". This is probably my favourite song on the whole album. It is a love song for his (then) fiancé, Sherri DuPree. I say then because they married in April this year. This song is beautiful. It's perfectly arranged. The verses have a seemingly techno style to it, but come the pre-chorus, it changes to an acoustic-based track. The songwriting is really quite amazing. If there is one thing that you can rely on Max Bemis for, it is writing really great lyrics. I really love this song. It's innocent and wonderful.

Quite sure you love me, Sherri
Quite sure I love you too
We'll each should make a verbal agreement
To only kiss each other
Because one time, beneath the sky
Outside my New York pigsty
I saw a vision of you and I

"She Won't Follow You" is the eighth song on this record. This is quite a political song for Say Anything. I know that Say Anything do quite often have political undertones, but in this case, it's there on the surface for all to see. It's a song about social standards and loving somebody. How your love for somebody can be a defiance against a society that doesn't promote human relationships. The song sounds a bit like an old My Chemical Romance song, but the lyrics are nothing like that. The idea of love denied by society is one that is prevalent all the time nowadays with the 'issue' of gay marriage almost always making headlines. This song is a nice way of reminding us that behind those headlines, there are people who are affected, and who have to deal with it.

There's nothing like the brain of a beautiful girl
Where they grasp the fallacy of the world
We're in the back room, back to back
Breathing hard, reading the file on the heart they sought to defile

"Cemetery" is another fantastic song. Max Bemis says that it's about how love relates to death. In particular, he says that finding love alleviated his fear of death and growing old. The song is about how love is something that supersedes our physical form; that love carries on after death. Love seems to be a theme that runs through this album, and it is a real reflection of Max Bemis' situation at the time of writing. Bemis really should not stop writing love songs. It seems to be something that has greatly affected him in many ways, and it has certainly aided his (already excellent) songwriting.

And I'll face the one who made,
My disgusting heart from a lump of clay.
Should he ask what got me through,
If he asks me, it was you.

The tenth song is "Property". This was the second song I heard off the album as it was released for free from the band's website. This is such a fun song. The guitars are great, and the lyrics are even better. It is written from the first-person perspective of a right dickhead. He considers the woman that loves him his property. I listened to this song so much when it was released and it still has not work thin on me. It has a really lovely variation between slow, swaying music, and hard, dirty guitars. It's a really good lift towards the end of the album.

Sell you into bondage,
Baby I own you.
You'll entertain all my friends,
Dressed in the latest trendy frocks.
You'll get a tattoo that I am your patriarch.
It's your ambition, soon you will fear the dark.

"Death For My Birthday" sounds like a song that's quite dark and brooding, but it's strangely uplifting. It's an attack on religious people who almost look forward to death, as it is a gate to the afterlife. Bemis, who is himself a religious guy (though not in the traditional sense), says that he is a live-in-the-moment kind of guy. The idea is based around people who see life as problematic, when compared to the advantages of death and the afterlife. As you can tell, that's quite a deep and philosophical issue, but Say Anything make it sound effortless. By taking it in the first-person of a person like this, it really points out how silly and ridiculous a way of living it is. This is another well executed song, with a catchy as hell chorus and great lyrics. At the end of the song, it appears that although people say they cannot wait for the afterlife, in the last moments of their life they will plea for more time on earth.

One sweet day, his heart ceased to beat.
He fell so fast beneath all our feet
Through bugs and snakes, last words he had to say
were 'Help me claw my way to the surface.
Oh sweet Lord, you know I deserved this.
Just one more. Just one more birthday.'

The penultimate track is "Young, Dumb and Stung". Max Bemis describes it as "a healthy version of "Hate Everyone" in which this anger is actually being channelled for the greater good and not blindly thrown out there for anyone who walks by." This is another catchy as hell song. The lyrics verge on inspirational at times and the vibe of 'this is who I am and screw whoever doesn't accept that' really shows. I like this song a lot, and listening to the lyrics only help it along. So many people, including myself, can relate to these lyrics. Probably the most relatable are these:

When I was ten years young, my douche best friend
Decided that I was just not cool enough for him.
My awkward frame and buck-tooth grin
Were no accoutrements for one with a new skin.
Well, late last week I saw that man.
He was far too high to grasp that I shook his hand.
I’ve got my pride and my rock band,
Singing words that he don’t understand.

The closing track is "Ahh... Men", and according to Max Bemis, it is encapsulates how he feels about the universe and spirituality. The title is supposed to have double meaning (Ahh... Men - Amen). I have a feeling that, to Bemis, this is probably the most important song on the record for him (perhaps next to Crush'd). The lyrics are nice and the instrumentals are definitely solid. I like this song, it's quite a slow end to the album, but it's a nice track. Simplicity serves it well.

So can I lie in your grave in the of the edge at the end of the world
Where I will sit with my love in it's fluorescent swirl
Eat us up, break it down to the tiniest cell
In a room with a view and a window to hell
With those who bury bodies in their barrels of fun
We will march through museums that display what they've done.
We'll be shot up through the sky by the cannon of sin
Who reluctantly let them in.

And that's it. Say Anything's fourth album, and I have to say that I am very, very happy with it. I was a bit let down by their last effort, "In Defense of the Genre". It wasn't bad, but it wasn't comparable to "...Is a Real Boy". This however is comparable. It's more mature and features more personal themes.

People often ignore modern punk bands because of this assumption that they are all Californian whiny angsty kids whose appeal doesn't go beyond 15 year olds. However, Say Anything are something else. They take that style, and yet make it sophisticated and symbolic. Bemis has the ability to write a great, upbeat song, yet with some serious undertones to it. For example, Say Anything's most popular song is probably "Alive With the Glory of Love", and that is a song about a Jewish couple who are separated in a concentration camp during the Second World War.

I think I'll give this album 9/10. Max Bemis really seems to have grown up and fleshed out in this album. He's less bitter, and is focusing on the good things in life a hell of a lot more. This is an album about Say Anything as a band, and Max Bemis as a person. I recommend it highly. I also recommend "...Is a Real Boy", but that's a whole other review for a whole other day.

Rating:
9/10

http://www.sayanythingmusic.com/
http://www.myspace.com/sayanything

http://www.thethinkingphrase.com/

[Album Review] Alex Day - Parrot Stories, 2009

2009-10-02T00:28:00.003+01:00

I've been watching Alex Day on YouTube for near enough as long as he's been active on the site. I've seen his songwriting style develop and his singing abilities get much more solid. I've been eagerly anticipating his first (proper) album, entitled "Parrot Stories". I've been listening to Alex's free album, “Nerimania!” for too long now and it feels like ages since we first heard Parrot Stories. However now, it's out, and I've listened to it over and over again. I purchased it three minutes after midnight on the day of release off the UK iTunes Music Store. I ended up staying up far too late listening to it, soaking it up.

So the album starts off very strongly with "A Thousand Hours". The very start of the song seems a bit obscure, but when the music kicks in, you instantly realise that this album is going to live up to the buildup there has been. The punchy guitar reels you in and when Alex starts singing, it's clear how far he has come in getting his vocal style down.

The next song is "Hearts", featuring Tyrannosauruslexxx. This was the first song that most people heard off the album (in it's final version) as it could be heard on http://dftba.com/ a few weeks prior to the album release. It's another strong song, and it has Alex Day's typical songwriting style. There is a real nice contrast between Alex and Lex's voices.

. There's someone out there in the world like you,
. Perfect glossy hair and skinny jeans from Camden.

“No More” is the third song, and is a song that Alex posted on the fiveawesomeguys channel on YouTube. That was well over a year ago, and now the song has finally got the production value it so deserves. There is a little glockenspiel interlude that does seem to stand out a bit. If you ask me, this is a song that could have been a lot more than it became. I'm not saying it's bad, it really isn't. However at this stage, I'd still rather listen to the video-rip from Nerimania!. This is a song that should be stripped down and acoustic if you ask me, and I think it's a bit over-produced on Parrot Stories. It's good, but not as good as the original, which I must admit, is quite fantastic.

. And when I've rid these voices in my head,
. I'll hear what you've been saying and we'll sleep under the stars.

If you ask me, "Holding On" is Alex Day's Magnum Opus at this stage. I liked the original acoustic version, however the Parrot Stories version is near-perfection. There is a wonderful balance between Alex's voice and Tom Milsom's harmonies. The glockenspiel is a more than welcome addition in this song, it just adds to the charm it already has in spades. This song lifts this album to a new level and makes it exceed all expectations. Personally, I have listened to it nearly 50 times since I bought it, and it never gets old. I am not one for putting my iTunes on 'Repeat One', but for "Holding On", I had to.

. So I'll play until the strings on my guitar give out,
. And I'll be aching from the pain of trying to pretend.

After the peak of Holding On, there is the little ukulele ditty called "Candy Floss". If I remember correctly, this was one of Alex's first songs on a ukulele that he'd been given. I remember watching the video and listening to the mp3 rip over and over again. This is another song that really deserved proper production quality, however unlike No More, I think it really works with this. It's a cute little song, and the transition to CD quality has only done it good.

. And we spun on the teacups,
. Round and round and round until we felt dizzy.
. You asked me to win you a bear,
. And said it was fine when I failed.

The next song is another that was on Nerimania!. "What You Do" is a song that really needed the upgrade in production quality, and I'm happy to report that it's another success in transition. It's not the best song on the album, but it is certainly not the worst. There isn't really a whole lot else to say.

“No Sacrifice” is another new song and it's a bit funny. I don't really know what to think of it. It seems very over-produced in places (like towards the start - the guitar has a way of blurring all the other sounds). However the chorus sounds nice and stripped down. It is one of the weaker songs on the album though.

The next song, "Impossible Dreams" would be my favourite song if it weren't for the excellence of Holding On. This song is simply, beautiful. I wish it weren't so short, because I could listen to it over and over again. I think it's probably the second best written song on the album. The lyrics fit like a glove. It sounds like some sort of slow acoustic Flogging Molly song. I really love it. A lot.

. The sky's getting darker, the air's getting cooler
. And I just can't win anymore
. So forgive me, my darling
. We all have impossible dreams

If Impossible Dreams is the second best written song on Parrot Stories, then "Sicily" is by far the best written song. Like Holding On, the composition of this song is simply wonderful. The subtle screeching guitars in the background really add atmosphere to the song. The acoustic guitar is reminiscent of “Shangri-La” by The Kinks. The atmosphere reminds me of “Spanish Train” by Chris de Burgh. I doubt Alex Day would like that comparison. Regardless, this is by far, one of the strongest songs on the album.

. Sat in peaceful scenery
. The city lights shine bright around me
. Smell of last night's dinner is still breezing through the air
. Dozing in tranquility
. The morning sun hangs high above me
. Flicking camera shutters catch bewildered form in stares

The penultimate song is the last new one, entitled "How We Were". This is another I'm really quite unsure of. The lyrics are strong, very strong, however there is a strange mix of a kind of techno bassline, mixed with light guitars. I think I want to like it, but the odd mix just puts me off too much. It's stronger on paper than it is in the flesh. The lyrics are very good though.

. Things I like to think about involving me and you
. Include a wait for a proposal underneath a London cloud.
. We make choices and they take us closer to our future,
. And the day I wake up next to you completely safe and sound.

The last song, "Don't Look Back" was my favourite song by Alex Day prior to the release of Parrot Stories. The demo on the DFTBA Compilation is one of my most listened to songs. I absolutely love it. The song is quite exquisite in that form. It's charm is in it's simplicity. Although the version on Parrot Stories is simple, compared to some of the other songs, it still suffers from over-production. All this song needs is Alex and a ukulele. Extra bits in the background just make it muddier than it needs to be. Sadly, I was let down a bit by the album version. I'll still be listening to the demo though, as the song is still beautiful.

. It's late and your nose is turning red from the cold
. Our feet are walking rhythmically, and crumpling the snow
. And I have got myself a question, that I would like to ask
. When it gets to midnight, will you take my freezing hands and dance?

Well that's my track-by-track review of Alex Day's "Parrot Stories". Although, for me, the album ends on a bit of a low note, I am really pleased with how it turned out. I really appreciate what DFTBA Records are doing and I hope that Alex has a bright future ahead, because from what I hear on this album, his bills are definitely paid with said skills.

I also want to point out how excellent a job Tom Milsom did in producing this album. The quality sounds excellent and I'm really very impressed with the composition of most of the songs. He's going from strength to strength and I'm interested to see what's next for him.

If you ask me, Chameleon Circuit's album was a good start for Alex Day. However "Parrot Stories" really shows off his skills as a songwriter, singer and performer.

Rating:
9/10

You can buy Parrot Stories at iTunes, AmazonMP3, or DFTBA.com

http://www.thethinkingphrase.com/

Old-Fashioned Blogging

2009-09-23T22:50:00.005+01:00

I haven't written just a plain old blog for a while. They've all been about some kind of topic or what not, so I thought I'd just have a chat.

I've decided to put a little banner at the top of each of my posts, just to make them look a little jazzier :) I like how it looks, and I'd love a bit of feedback on them.

I signed up for some societies today at university, six to precise. The Law Society, Law Mooting Society (which is effectively just making legal arguments), Photography Society, Secular Society, Film Society (which sounds amazing) and the Scottish National Party (which I was peer pressured into). Last year I only joined three societies, and I really wanted to join a few more this year. I just had this bug and I really wanted to sign up for like, every society.

I was annoyed that people from the Army, Navy and RAF were at this societies fair thing. In my opinion, people should think about that possible career path after their studies, rather than in the middle of them. My school did the same thing. It made it compulsory to join either the Army, Navy, RAF or community services for two years. Now quite a few people I know are in the forces, when they probably wouldn't have been interested in it before.

Anyway, I could get into a big rant about that.

I made a decision about what subject I'm doing at university. My course has been Law with European Studies, however I've been wanting to drop European Studies, because it's really boring. So now, in my first semester, instead of doing Introduction to European Legal Systems, I'll be doing Forensic Medicine. How exciting does that sound?! I'm not even being sarcastic. I'm really looking forward to it. I bet it's mega boring though just to thoroughly burst my proverbial balloon.

I might also contribute a bit to this new Student Magazine called Vox-Pop. I've been very much into writing ever since BEDA, and it sounded like a good idea. However it's more like, reporting, whereas I'm more into opinions and subjectivity. So we'll just have to see where that goes.

I'm reading In The Miso Soup by Ryu Murakami at the minute and I absolutely love it! I really highly recommend it.

Em, I stuck a fake moustache to my guitar today, just to give it some character.

As you can tell, I think I've ran out of things to say. I could probably think of more if I tried, but I'm tired, and I'm going to sleep.

Goodnight!

I'm so doing this more often.

Live and Let Live

2009-09-23T17:28:00.008+01:00

I've had a thought. Is it enough to say "live and let live" anymore?

This is something I've seen come up usually in the realms of controversial issues like homosexuality and gay marriage. A lot of gay people take the opinion of "I don't care what people think as long as they don't try to take my rights away".

This definitely makes sense to a degree, but I would rather have more from a 21st century society. I don't want these stupid people thinking the way they do. Live and let live is a concept that breeds hate. If you allow these people to believe these idiotic things, then it'll spread and more people will believe it.

Socrates said that ignorance leads to hate, and I have to agree with this. When people don't understand something then they tend to be critical of it. Another example of this is the current economic situation and the bailout plan currently being implemented by the United States. Many people are critical of Barack Obama, even though they don't actually understand how it works. People tend to forget that the plan was actually introduced by the Bush administration. Instead, they use something they do not understand to support their already deep-rooted opinions.

The only reason that Barack Obama is in my mind is because I was on twitter and saw some really stupid things being said about him. For example, Muammar al-Gaddafi spoke kindly of Barack Obama, and someone said "if the world's evil people like you does that say something about you?" The stupidity really hurts my head. To me, it isn't enough to have these people believing these stupid things. Something has to be done.

Yes, I want my cake and I want to eat it too. The fact is that if somebody strongly disagrees with your way of living, then it is likely will try to change it, either directly or indirectly. An example is Proposition 8 in California last year. I'm sure many gay people in California had the attitude of "live and let live" with the people who opposed gay marriage. Well in November, those people voted yes on Prop 8 and gay marriage was banned in California.

Should we just let people continue believing hateful and ridiculous things? Or should we try to educate them further and bring them round to a 21st century way of thinking?

I've made my opinion clear. Education really is the way forward.

Thanks for reading,
x

Flower Relic

2009-09-22T10:41:00.001+01:00

Flower Relic, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Web Maze

2009-09-19T11:07:00.001+01:00

Web Maze, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

[Movie Review] District 9, 2009

2009-09-08T17:56:00.005+01:00

This review will contain spoilers, but I'll point them out when they are coming up.

The basic story to District 9 that a spaceship appeared over Johannesburg, South Africa. The ship is drilled into and over a million aliens are found, malnourished and leaderless. The aliens are brought down to earth and kept in a camp, called District 9. This was meant to be temporary, however soon became permanent. Crime and poverty become rampant and District 9 turns into a slum. The aliens are often referred to as "prawns" due to their appearance. Multinational United (MNU) are placed in charge, and the main character is an employee, called Wikus van de Merwe. The plan is to move the aliens to a more permanent home, called District 10, and this is pretty much when things start to go off.

The main problem with this movie is that you have to suspend your disbelief a hell of a lot. If you totally immerse yourself in this world, then maybe you can ignore all the little things. However for me, this is supposed to be a representation of what might happen if aliens landed on Earth, so I'm going to treat it by my opinion of Earth standards. If you are able to avoid these things, then you are a better person than me.

The aliens have red blood
The aliens walk on their back legs
The aliens can understand English
The aliens have mannerisms similar to humans
The aliens have a similar skeletal and organ structure to humans

Now this might not seem like anything unbelievable, but what you have to remember is that these are aliens. These aliens never had contact with humans before, yet they have all these similarities. It's strikes me a lot more that the writers of this movie did not want to make the aliens seem too far removed from humans as it would be difficult to relate to. This reveals another problem though, the message of the movie. The movie is set in South Africa, and there are quite obvious nods towards the Apartheid. This is why I think the aliens were made to seem more human, as it would be difficult to empathise with them if they were totally removed from our concept of humans.

If the film tried to remove it's message, then they could have made the aliens totally removed, and then it would have been interesting. For example, why, when an alien gets mad, would they lash out and punch a wall? That is a human mannerism, so why would aliens have that? It's one thing that bothered me throughout the entire movie. The aliens are basically humans with a different exterior.

*SPOILERS START*

So, what happens is Wikus gets infected, so to speak, and is gradually turning into an alien. This concept, on the whole, I like a lot. And to be honest, it's one part that is done pretty well. The actor who plays Wikus is really very good in it, and is totally believable.

Wikus and the main alien in this story end up storming MNU in order to get a small vial of fluid that Wikus confiscated earlier. This allows the alien to fly a spaceship that is under his shack. He can then get back into the mothership, pick all the aliens up and fly back home. He also says that he can cure Wikus with the technology on the ship. So (without explanation as to how they got there) Wikus and the alien run up to the building and use alien weaponry to storm it. With relative ease they get down to the secret base and get the vial. The alien then makes a quick bomb and they escape back to District 9.

There really is no explanation as to how nobody spotted an alien and a half man/half alien running down the street with massive alien guns as they approached MNU. It's really quite difficult to grasp the idea that they got there with no problems. At this point, Wikus is the most wanted man in the world, so everybody is on high alert.

In the climax, Wikus is on his knees at the mercy of the main bad army guy. If you ask me, the ending would have been a lot better if Wikus was shot and killed. He would have been like an anti-hero, or a martyr, and the message would have been a lot stronger. However they went for the Hollywood ending were aliens ambush the army guy and tear him to bits.

There is an interview with Wikus' wife at the end, and she holds up a rose sculpted from metal. Apparently it was found outside a friend of hers house, and she believes it to be from Wikus. The film then cuts to the image of an alien sculpting this rose from scrap metal. So Wikus fully turned into an alien. Great. Wow. Curtains.

*SPOILERS END*

This film has had a lot of anticipation and I know that a lot of people are going to disagree with what I'm saying here. I just, didn't like the movie. It disappointed me quite a lot.

So I'm giving the movie 5/10. The concept is a lot better than the execution in this movie. I love the idea that the aliens don't land on one of the major cities like New York or London. It's a really cool idea that aliens land, and we have no idea what to do. However this movie suffers from Hollywood syndrome. It is over-dramatic and unrealistic at times. The ending should have been bittersweet, however instead it was predictable and unsatisfying.

The movie is very visually pleasing however. The aliens look like they fit into their surroundings. Very rarely is it noticeable that they are CGI. Whenever somebody gets killed by an alien weapon, it looks really really cool. They get like, obliterated. And when the aliens attack someone, that also looks cool and realistic.

I'm giving this movie 5/10. I imagine this might be an unpopular belief, but it's how I feel. It's a wasted opportunity to make a really excellent movie.

Also, the reason I didn't refer to the real alien by his actual name is because it's so stupid. His name is Christopher Johnson. Apparently he was given this name by MNU, but this must mean that they've assigned names to all 1.8 million aliens in District 9, which I somehow doubt. I think realistically they would just assign them a number or a code or something.

Anyway, that's just me rambling. The movie gets 5 aliens out of 10.

- Simon

Banning Mobile Phones

2009-09-03T08:31:00.007+01:00

I was stuck watching GMTV this morning. For those who don't know, it's mindless morning television that might as well not talk about the news because their opinions are so stupid and idiotic.

Anyway, they were doing a feature about whether or not mobile phones should be banned in public. I couldn't actually believe what I was watching. Everybody who texted or e-mailed in agreed that it should be. I was literally in shock. Sometimes I forget how stupid most people are, then I get reminded in a really annoying way. Whenever I heard that they were getting an etiquette expert on, I knew it would only get worse.

Right, so here are the basic arguments.

People talking loudly in public places is annoying and disruptive.
People talking on their phones in cinemas or restaurants is very disruptive.
Being subjected to sitting beside somebody on the bus who is on the phone is horrific.
It's really annoying to only hear one half of a conversation.
Phones are banned on aeroplanes, so why not on other forms of public transport?
Mobile phones have taken over our lives and, apart from in emergencies, they are unnecessary.

Okay, so let's address each of these ridiculous arguments one at a time.

People talking loudly in public places is annoying and disruptive
It must just be me, but I don't go into public places for a bit of peace and quiet. Whenever I'm out on the street and I can hear somebody talking loudly on their mobile phone, it really does not disturb me. There is probably traffic noise and people talking to one another on the street, so it won't be quiet anyway. I find this argument to be stupid and petulant.

People talking on their phones in cinemas or restaurants is very disruptive
This one I largely agree with. It can be annoying if somebody is talking on their phone in a cinema whenever the movie is playing. And if they are talking loud in a restaurant, that can be annoying. However I tend to find that people don't really talk louder than they would when they are talking to the people in their physical vicinity. If the person is literally shouting (like they were in the example they played on GMTV), then I would complain. Less than that, I'd be a bit annoyed.

Being subjected to sitting beside somebody on the bus who is on the phone is horrific
I understand that, to the etiquette expert, sitting on a bus in the first place must be humiliating enough. Having to slum it with all the working-class people, how horrible! She described one time when she was sitting on the window seat, and a girl was sitting beside her. The girl was on the phone the entire bus journey and the woman heard everything the girl got up to the night before. The worst part was that she was "trapped" as she couldn't move.

Really? She couldn't move? If it bothered me that much, I would have moved. This girl was so annoying though! So annoying that the woman was "trapped" and "forced" to eavesdrop on this person's conversation.

It's really annoying to only hear one half of a conversation
Get your own conversation. You have no right to hear someone else's full conversation. If it bothers you so much, ask the person talking to put their phone on loudspeaker so you can hear the other side. Better yet, just ask to talk to whoever they are talking to! I'm sure they will really appreciate that.

Phones are banned on aeroplanes, so why not on other forms of public transport?
Yeah, you are right, phones are banned on aeroplanes. However that is only because there is a very slim chance that a phone signal could take down a plane (although it is debated whether there is a chance at all - another topic for another day). Your phone will not blow up a bus or a train. Buses do not use the same complex navigation technology that planes use. Whoever uses this argument should be locked in a cage until they've learnt their lesson.

Mobile phones have taken over our lives and, apart from in emergencies, they are unnecessary
This is the worst argument if you ask me. It really is the worst. I agree with one part, in an emergency, mobile phones are great. If you are being raped, a mobile phone makes it really easy to call the police. And, mobile phones are a big part of some people's lives, but I do not think they have "taken over" our lives. We may use them a lot, but we also see a lot of advertisements. In fact, I would say that we don't lift our phone as often as we see an advertisement. However I do not think that advertising has "taken over" our lives either. It's just something that is there. Why can people not have something without it taking over their lives.

But the worst part, is saying that mobile phones are unnecessary. Let's face it, if we didn't have mobile phones, we would use a landline. Mobile phones have not changed the fact that people talk on the phone, however it has made it easier to call somebody when you are out. This, if you ask me, is not unnecessary. With the innovation of the internet, and e-mail, the world is getting smaller. You can send something to someone who lives thousands of miles away and they will receive it in seconds. That is amazing! Mobile phones have revolutionised how businesses run, how people communicate on a day-to-day basis, how we access information. Mobile phones are an amazing invention! They are not something to look down on or scowl about. Be glad that you live in a time were communicating with people is as easy as pressing a button.

To conclude, mobile phones are wonderful. And should not be banned. Ever. Get over your petty little hang-ups. Additionally, don't worry about your etiquette or manners. Those people are too hung up on the smallest of details that they can't appreciate the world we live in today.

The Mind Garden

2009-09-02T23:23:00.003+01:00

Me and my friend Sam have set up a forum, and we'd love you to join. It's a forum for photographers/writers/graphics designers and people who just want to chat. We want to get a really good community on it, and to do that we need members. Our goal is not to get millions of members. We just want a solid community. There's a place for anybody who wants to join, and you'll be more than welcomed!

It'd also be a way of me getting to know the people that read this blog. I'll be posting regularly on there, so if you fancy a chat, sign up :).

So please, click the following link and join in!

http://themindgarden.net/

Stand out

2009-08-19T17:39:00.001+01:00

Stand out, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Close up flower

2009-08-14T18:21:00.001+01:00

Close up flower, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

The Lavender Bug

2009-08-09T02:37:00.001+01:00

The Lavender Bug, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Bokeh Berries

2009-08-08T23:20:00.001+01:00

Bokeh Berries, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Silhouette

2009-08-08T20:35:00.001+01:00

Silhouette, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Web of lies

2009-08-08T16:46:00.001+01:00

Web of lies, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

The Lights 2

2009-08-08T06:25:00.001+01:00

The Lights 2, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

The Lights 7

2009-08-08T06:13:00.001+01:00

The Lights 7, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

The Lights 1

2009-08-08T04:20:00.001+01:00

The Lights 1, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

The light flow

2009-08-05T02:37:00.001+01:00

The light flow, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

The subtlety in popular lyrics is lost

2009-08-02T15:09:00.000+01:00

I don't know if anyone has been listening to the radio recently. If you have, then you will have noticed how there is literally no subtlety in popular music anymore. This isn't just me getting older, as younger people are noticing it too.

I remember whenever sexual innuendo in songs went only as far as:
Boom boom boom boom
I want you in my room
Let's spend the night together
From now until forever
Boom boom boom boom
I wanna double boom
Let's spend the night together
Together in my room
And that was like "wow, explicit" back then. Now, well now there is just no attempt to be even slightly subtle. Here's an example from Kelly Rowland's "Work It (Put It In)":
(Put It In) Check it baby, get it baby, check it baby get it(work)
Do it baby d-do it, d-do it baby get it (put it in)
Check it baby, get it baby, check it baby get it (work)
Do it baby d-do it, d-do it baby get it (go hard)
Check it baby, get it baby, check it baby get it
Do it baby d-do it, d-do it baby get it
Don’t come around if you gone let me down
You gotta get it all the way in
I wanna see you work
I can't be the only one who thinks that is not exactly "sexy". This song does not make me want to have sex with Kelly Rowland. It's probably the least sexy thing i've ever heard on the radio.

How about this from "Right Round" by Flo Rida:
You spin my head right round, right round
When you go down, when you go down down
I wonder what he's taking about! Hmm, maybe he's talking about going to going down to the wine cellar to get a nice bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. Or perhaps he's referring to going down to the shops to purchase some headache tablets for his spinning head. Or maybe, you know, he's being very obvious and talking about how he loves it when a girl performs fellatio on him! Yeahh! That's it! It get's worse when the girl in the song repeats it. Yay! I really like the thought of Flo Rida performing cunnilingus on some disgusting girl! Thanks for that!

Lady Gaga's "LoveGame":
Let's have some fun, this beat is sick
I wanna take a ride on your disco stick
That's pretty obvious isn't it?

Oh and, on the topic of Lady GaGa. Why hasn't anyone noticed how all her songs sound the same? Have a look:
P-p-p-poker face, p-p-poker face

Papa-paparazzi

We just like to party, like to p-p-party yeah
What is it with her and that "pa" sound?

Anyway, I'm off now.

Sorry for the lack of textual blogging recently. I've just finished work for the summer now so I should be able to do more of it :).

Oh and, I've added a re-tweet button on each post, so feel free to do so!

I passed 2,500 views recently. That's insane.

Anyway, rambling on.

Goodbye!
x

Converse

2009-07-30T20:35:00.001+01:00

Converse, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

.relief.

2009-07-28T01:50:00.000+01:00

the long winters - the commander thinks aloud

This song pretty much sums up how I feel right now.

Relief.

Window of Your Mind

2009-07-26T23:14:00.001+01:00

Window of Your Mind, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

My Inspiration

2009-07-26T20:44:00.001+01:00

My Inspiration, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Music Is My Radar

2009-07-26T12:41:00.001+01:00

Music Is My Radar, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

That Other Checkered Shirt

2009-07-25T23:07:00.001+01:00

That Other Checkered Shirt, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

That Checkered Shirt

2009-07-23T23:13:00.001+01:00

That Checkered Shirt, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Zoom-bah-riz-uh-bock-meh-zoom-buh-zow!

2009-07-23T20:59:00.001+01:00

Zoom-bah-riz-uh-bock-meh-zoom-buh-zow!, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Pick Your Tooth

2009-07-23T06:59:00.001+01:00

Pick Your Tooth, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Bedknobs and Broomsticks

2009-07-23T01:12:00.001+01:00

Bedknobs and Broomsticks, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Starry Eyed Surprise

2009-07-21T21:21:00.001+01:00

Starry Eyed Surprise, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Your Sex Is On Fire

2009-07-21T20:43:00.001+01:00

Your Sex Is On Fire, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Blow Me Away

2009-07-21T19:50:00.001+01:00

Blow Me Away, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

The Consumer

2009-07-20T23:12:00.001+01:00

The Consumer, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Bend Me

2009-07-20T21:33:00.001+01:00

Bend Me, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

Alicia Keys Beauty

2009-07-20T20:37:00.001+01:00

Alicia Keys Beauty, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

The Pole

2009-07-20T19:59:00.001+01:00

The Pole, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

flickr

2009-07-20T18:49:00.002+01:00

So that last post was me testing the blog integration with flickr, and I really like it. I'm about to upgrade to a flickr pro account so I can upload lots of more photos there. Expect the activity levels on this blog to probably go up by a lot, with me posting photos here that I'm taking. I have a real desire to take photos and be a bit artsy right now, so these things will be posted here. I'd really love it if you were to give me feedback, and if you like it, favourite it on flickr.

You can see my flickr here

I'm going to be posting a lot more now, so stay subscribed and keep reading :)

Thanks very much,
Simon

The Empty Window

2009-07-20T02:42:00.001+01:00

The Empty Window, originally uploaded by thethinkingphrase.

NFORN - Episode 2

2009-07-15T23:12:00.001+01:00

Simon and Matt are non-stop this week, after a lengthy break. Between the resignation of Sarah Palin and the death of The King of Pop, Matt barely has any time to talk about his brand new pair of loafers. Also they review Sacha Baron Cohen's new movie "Brüno".

-

Subscribe via the iTunes Music Store:
http://tinyurl.com/ninefifths

Subscribe directly via the RSS feed:
http://tinyurl.com/ninefifthsrss

Blog:
http://ninefifths.blogspot.com

E-mail us:
ninefifthspodcast@gmail.com

Follow us on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/nine_fifths

-

Thanks,
Simon
x

The Twelfth

2009-07-15T19:14:00.003+01:00

I've spoken quite a bit here about religion and I've also spoken quite a bit about Northern Ireland. The topics have crossed (as you would imagine them to), and this is one of those posts.

The Twelfth of July is a very special time for many people in Northern Ireland. It is when people line the streets (mostly Protestants but I won't doubt that there are Catholics who go too) and watch Protestant men march down carrying banners that glorify the men who fought to keep Northern Ireland Protestant.

Sounds alright?

Yeah, no.

This is a tradition that has been around for hundreds of years in some areas. It comes from a time whenever the division between Protestant and Catholic was much stronger. A little history lesson for you. The Battle of the Boyne is pretty much the battle were Northern Ireland was kept Protestant. Over a thousand Catholics were killed and around 700 Protestants died too. I know, a war fought over religion, some things never change.

The men on the aforementioned banners are men who killed Catholics in battle (which makes it okay - obviously), and Protestants want to march through areas which have a strong Catholic community in them, holding these banners. Why are people shocked whenever violence kicks off every single year?

Another problem I have is the Eleventh of July. This is what is known as Bonfire Night. In England, people gather round bonfires on November 5th and burn effigies of Guy Fawkes. In Northern Ireland, people gather round bonfires on July 11th and burn effigies of the Pope. Pleasant people, I know.

Have a look at this picture.

The sign underneath says "Keep Ulster tidy so kill all Taigs". If you don't know, "taig" is a derogatory term for Catholic.

This is what I'm talking about. Not only is this highly sectarian and hateful, it's also very damaging to the environment.

To be honest, my opinion is that if Northern Ireland wants to move on as a country and aim for "peace", then it needs to ditch this primitive annual ritual. It is like a wedge that stays in between the two sides of Northern Ireland, and until it's removed, they will never come closer.

That's it for now. I'm going to post more soon.

Thanks for reading,
Simon.
x

Nine Fifths of Richard Nixon

2009-06-27T21:57:00.000+01:00

Me and my friend Matthew have (finally) started a podcast. It's called "Nine Fifths of Richard Nixon" (the name is explained in the pilot episode).

I'd really appreciate it if you went over to iTunes and subscribed. It's a little venture that we're pretty passionate about and we want to get it off the ground and running. I'll post links to the iTunes Music Store page, and to a direct link for subscribing.

We are going to be posting new episodes often (although the last one was over a week ago - it took time to process into iTunes), so please do subscribe. It's free and you don't need an iTunes Music Store account to do it. Also you'll be able to find out what my voice sounds like! Because I know you've all been wondering!

That's the big announcement :) I really would appreciate it if you supported this and contributed by sending us e-mails and feedback (we promise to read and reply to everything).

-

Subscribe via the iTunes Music Store:
http://tinyurl.com/ninefifths

Subscribe directly via the RSS feed:
http://tinyurl.com/ninefifthsrss

Blog:
http://ninefifths.blogspot.com

E-mail us:
ninefifthspodcast@gmail.com

Follow us on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/nine_fifths

-

Thanks everyone.

Bye :)
x

In Memoriam

2009-06-26T23:53:00.002+01:00

Michael Jackson
1958-2009

The Birmingham Reader

2009-06-25T21:16:00.003+01:00

Hello there cupcakes.

Time for an old-school chat blog eh?

I have a request.

If you live in Birmingham, and read this blog, please make yourself known.

If you don't want to leave a comment, feel free to e-mail me at thethinkingphrase@gmail.com

I was just wondering because I have 106 views from Birmingham (since around the middle of March). I have more visits from Birmingham than I have from any other city in the world.

Also my friend Conor has got 30 views on his blog from Birmingham.

I find this peculiar, yet amazing at the same time. If you are just one person, then you have got to let me know who you are so I can personally thank you. If you are several people, then you still have to let me know.

Oh, other addition, I will reply to every e-mail I receive (policy decision). Keeps me in touch with the readers eh?

I mentioned that I had something to tell you all in my post "Apologies". Well, you should know about it by tomorrow.

Well, that be it for today. No rant or anything. Just a little request.

thethinkingphrase@gmail.com

Thanks everyone!

Toodleski pipski
x

[Movie Review] Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, 2009

2009-06-21T21:37:00.005+01:00

This review is spoiler free.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is probably the most anticipated summer blockbuster since The Dark Knight. The first Transformers movie showed us some amazing CGI that would take a lot to be matched. Everybody knows the Michael Bay style of directing, and this is his first directing job since the first Transformers.

The first movie opened us up to lots of things. One of them was Megan Fox. Before then, she was relatively unknown. Since then she has been shot into some form of super sex symbol. She was voted the Sexiest Woman in the World last year by FHM readers. To be honest, this is something that is definitely exploited in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. In the first movie, there are a few obvious softcore-porn shots for the male audience. However in Revenge of the Fallen, there are numerous scenes. I counted at least two slow-motion/low-cut top running scenes (including diving into the sand with chest close-ups). The first time we see her, she is perched over a motorcycle, in probably the most awkward position anyone could hold when painting a design on a bike. It's pretty clear that the writers/producers/director knew that Megan Fox would be a big selling point for lots of people, and boy, do they exploit it.

Now, Shia LeBeouf. Since the first Transformers movie, he has acted in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Eagle Eye. Both of these are kind of, action-type movies. I never saw Eagle Eye, but I heard that it was actually alright. In Revenge of the Fallen, there seems to be a bit of influence from LeBeouf's character in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. He runs around with a slight bit of facial hair and wears a leather jacket. Also they end up doing a bit of archaeological work in Egypt, seems a little Indie.

The acting in this movie is alright. I think I would criticise the writing more than the acting. However Megan Fox is quite distinctly off-par. She seemed very stale and it was difficult to believe that she was her character. Most of the way through it I'm just thinking it's Megan Fox, not Mikaela Banes. The rest of the acting is alright though, not going to win any awards, but alright nonetheless. My problem is with the writing though. At points it is just so, ridiculous. The character of Jetfire has this one line where I just cringed. He's saying something like "They're going to kill you!" It's supposed to be epic. However right before he says "you", he looks right into the camera, implying that he's referring to the audience. What? I hate it when movies do that. The only movie I've ever seen it done successfully in is Fight Club (when Tyler Durden talks to the audience). There's also one point were the characters are in a butcher shop, and dead pigs are around. Sam (LeBeouf) makes an off-camera remark about Swine Flu. This was obviously edited in during post-production as the first teaser for Revenge of the Fallen was released well before the Swine Flu outbreak. It's just a pointless culture reference and it pissed me off.

I'll move on to the actual characters shall I? First the humans.

Sam Witwicky is moving to college, and his parents are finding it difficult to let go of him. When he gets there, he meets his roommate, called Leo. Leo is pretty much a stereotypical conspiracy theory nut. Except, he runs a website with two employees from the room he just moved into. Pretty impressive eh? Those guys must have planned it well so they all got into the same college.

Okay so Sam is typical here. There really is little to say about the character. Imagine Shia LeBeouf in pretty much any of the other recent movies he's been in. There you have it, Sam Witwicky.

One character that does bother me though is Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox). In this movie, she's a bitch. At the start of the first Transformers movie, she was a bit of a bitch. However in Revenge of the Fallen, she is a bitch right the way through. I really didn't like her in this. It's like, she knows she's good looking, and instead of being down-to-earth about it, she's a complete bitch and flaunts around like she's Queen of the world.

I'll move onto the Autobots now, I could go on forever about Megan Fox and how below-average she was.

I won't talk about the Autobots that were in the first movie, I'll only talk about the new ones.

So we have Mudflap and Skids (The Twins), Wheelie, Jetfire and Arcee. There are others, but these are the main ones that I'll talk about here. Mudflap and Skids are probably the most annoying characters in the entire movie. They are your typical "double act". It's rather tragically unfunny. Wheelie is a little toy monster truck. It develops a relationship with Mikaela (making her even more unbearable). Alright character though, to be honest. He had his moments which were funny. Jetfire was an old man Autobot, if you get me. Basically he walks around with a limp and a walking stick. Fairly ridiculous concept but he was rather awesome towards the end. Arcee was an Autobot that turned into three motorbikes. Didn't really do a whole lot.

Right, the Decepticons.

Obviously we have Megatron and Starscream who were in the first movie. We also have The Fallen, Soundwave and Demolisher (amongst others). The Fallen is the main bad-guy in this movie, although you don't really see him in action until the very end. Soundwave is considered a favourite amongst fans and they really changed him for this movie. He was one a robot that summed up Transformers. The original Soundwave had a cassette tape loader in his chest which ejects smaller robots. Now he's just a generic looking Decepticon. They've taken one of the most memorable characters and made him forgettable. Demolisher is seen in the trailer and looks really awesome to be honest. He/she/it features in the first main scene of the movie and it kicks off the amazing effects.

Talking about the effects. That really is one area that this movie does not fail in. The CGI is amazing, it really is. The movie is two and a half hours long, and it can be a bit tiring watching all the visual porn that you get, but it doesn't take away from how amazing it is. This is one of the major plus points to this movie. It is a visual orgasm.

Overall, this movie is good, if you like these types of movies. If you were a fan of the first Transformers movie, you'll like this one. It's not a deep movie. It has it's fair share of close-ups and slow-motion, and if that's your thing, definitely go and see this movie. I do recommend it for the stunning visuals. However do not expect it to be a moving experience.

This movie gets 4 Autobots (out of 10)

Go and see it if you like the visual porno and the slow motion action. It's not going to emotionally affect you, but you'll enjoy it nonetheless. A bit long at two and a half hours, you'll probably feel completely spent by the end of it.

Anyway, that's it for today. Expect more posts soon!

x

Apologies

2009-06-21T11:37:00.002+01:00

Sorry for the severe lack of posting in recent weeks. I've been busy working and also setting up other projects (which you should be informed about in a week or so).

I'm in the process of writing my next post. It's a review of a new release movie. A certain, robot/aliens-related movie.

Speak to you later!