Cab @ MindSay

The Cab's new album Whisper War -- Augh, so before I even get into the album, I have a few complaints. I try very hard to give you guys a little bit of background about the band or the album before I get into the music; it helps set the scene for what I'm about to talk about. One of my biggest frustrations is when bands act like they're big and then don't even have a damn 'About Us' section. And sometimes, that wouldn't bother me, but with this band in particular, it's like they're nothing but pretty faces with no personality.

I'm going to be honest with you; I'm very torn on this album. Half of me loves it and the other half is disgusted with it. It's nothing but pure boy band fluff -- pretty faces (their pianist looks like a freaking girl) with pretty voices (and they do sound really good) singing trite and angst-ridden lyrics (who is this "girl" that everyone keeps singing to?). "Vegas Skies" is an entire song dedicated to (of course) "girl", alcohol references, and lyrics that sound like the poetry I used to write when I was twelve and thought my life was OVER because I got in a spat with my best friend. But if you can manage to completely ignore the lyrics, the steady piano and the light violins in the background combined with the acoustic bridge makes it a song that could really pull on your heartstrings. "One Of THOSE Nights" is the track that is most like their city- and labelmates Panic! At The Disco, but with a really shallow boy band twist. Believe me, if you're looking for a Panic! fix, don't come here. That's not to say this song isn't enjoyable on it's own, because it does have it's moments -- and can I just say, the electric guitar solo in the background near the end made me laugh the first time I heard this song. Seriously guys, what the hell was that? And "Risky Business"? Pretty sure I've heard this before... oh wait, "London Beckoned Songs About Money Written By Machines"! Except P!ATD did it incredibly better, with real lyrics and relevant references. But now I'm just poking fun at them, rather than actually reviewing them.

Now if you're okay with a boy band that literally sucks other genres into it and spits it back out onto a cd, then these guys will be great for you. I like a little bit more substance in my music, but I'm not everyone. All in all, The Cab sound like a shallow Panic! At The Disco trying to include their *NSYNC boyfriends in an attempt to build a Maroon 5 / All Time Low hybrid album. If that sounds appealing to you (and I know of a few people that it will) then go ahead and get them. I mean, they honestly make a great attempt at a boyband, and will probably be the heartthrobs of the rising generation -- but keep in mind, this is the same rising generation that has photos of themselves in their bras and panties at the tender age of 13.

Death Cab For Cutie's "I Will Possess Your Heart". - Who would have thought that an eight and a half minute song could be so enthralling, particularly when the lyrics don't even begin until after halfway through the song? Apparently Death cab For Cutie did, and personally, I think they got this one just right. It's hard to imagine this song without the beginning being so drawn out and sprawling; I'd call it an intro but it's so much more than that. It's the steady climb of levels and sliders and slightly out of focus riffs until it builds and then tapers off into the perfect volume for Ben Gibbard's deliciously mellow voice as he strikes the same bargain that I often strike with women: Just give him a chance. Some have called this single 'creepy' or 'desperate'. I call it honest and sincere and really, it just hits the spot on all of the things I've wished I could have in a song.

"How I wish you could see the potential, the potential of you and me..." Give adorable Mr. Gibbard a chance - listen to his new single. I promise you won't be disappointed.

[Edit!]: Just got my hands on the radio edit of their single and oh, Mr. Gibbard -- why would you let them get rid of that delicious sprawling that gave this single so much volume and strength? Rather than the climactic buildup we are simply launched into a song that just seems... empty and flat-line without the introduction. *Sighs* Such is the way with radio sometimes. I'm really grateful that we're moving towards music becoming entirely online -- it means we have to destroy beautiful songs less.[/Edit!]

This afternoon my friends and I decided to enjoy Restaurant Week here in DC.  Due to the snow, we decided to take a cab back to the office after lunch, even though we walked to the restaurant from the office.  After we hopped in our cab, the three of us were chit chatting about getting around DC, in particular from Georgetown, which has no Metro station.  Somehow we digressed into taking cabs short distances, like going the 1 mile from Georgetown across the river to the nearest Metro in Rosslyn.  When Shiny and I lived in Rosslyn we used to just walk over the bridge.  Our cab driver Mr. Brown piped up that he gives a lot of people rides over that bridge to Metro.  I then remarked "Remember Emily D. who worked with us?  She used to take a cab to work every morning, and she didn't live that far away from the office."  Mr. Brown asks "What was her name? Did you say Emily?"  "Yup!" "I used to drive her in every day."  "SHUT UP!"  I thought he was kidding.  Then he goes on to describe her to a T, tell us where he picked her up, he was there every morning, and he always drove her to the same spot.  The very same one where he dropped us off.  "She would go in that door every morning." "That's our door! We work there!"

DC is a big city, but in many ways, it's very much a small town.

I forgot to mention two things in my last post about Korea, although the first thing is really a very general thing.
I hate Taxi Cabs. The very thought of needing one sets me on edge. I dislike hailing them, riding in them and paying for them. Even here in Asia where tipping is actually frowned upon (I never know how much to tip a cab driver) I still can't stand cabs.

Case in point:
Korean cabs are very cheap. Like, $10us to get from one side of Seoul to the other. The problem is that I have no idea how they are organized.
At one point my girl and I were walking around Seoul trying to hail a cab while going in what we figured was the general direction of our hotel. We had in our possession a business card with the hotel's address, name and a small map on it. It took a while, but a taxi with no passengers finally stopped and picked us up. I showed the driver the card and he promptly waved his hand and kicked us out of his cab.
We walked another block and another cab puled up. This time the guy smiles and starts the meter.
It took about 5 minutes to get us there. Which means if the other guy had just driven us in the direction that he was headed for about 6 minutes he could have brought us there.
Similar things happened about three times with taxis during our stay and I still can't figure out why some cabbies would take us and others flat out refused. We got lucky on the last day, it only cost about $30us to get to the airport, and that's only about $5us more then if we would have taken the subway and bus.

The other thing is much better. My girl and I went to an aquarium named Coex that resides in, of all places, a mall; the Hyundai Department Store to be exact. Despite its odd location its a pretty wonderful place. The fish and animals are well taken care of, the enclosures are clean and the exhibits are rather elaborate. Although it is a full aquarium, the likes of which you would expect to see situated near a museum, it is also a gallery of creative fish-tanks. Artists from all over the world have created interesting, functioning aquariums that are on display in Coex. Some of the cooler ones included a vending machine, a refrigerator and gas pump.

Anyways, we were just walking through admiring the various swimming things when I felt a little tug on my hand (for informations sake, I just had both of my arms hanging at my sides, no hands in pockets or anything). I turn and look down and there is a little girl, maybe six or seven years old, gripping onto my hand and looking straight ahead into the fish tank. After a second she notices something is a miss and looks up into my face. She just kind of stares at me for a second before I try to mime, "I think your mom is over there" to her. She gingerly releases my hand, takes about four steps in the direction of her family then starts to panic a bit. She called out "mama" about three times rapidly, each time with rising tension and volume. Her mom was right there so she comes running up and takes her daughters hand and they begin to walk away. As they do, the little girl looks back at me once more with a sort of curious look on her face.
I dunnow. It made me feel all warm inside for some reason.

Today we had our first meeting at W5 for the year and if all goes well, I'll only have about three more before I go home to America for good. The meetings are only held at the beginning of semesters, so if my contract is renewed in April (I hope I hope I hope) then I will attend another one in May, one in October and one more in January next year. I'm still hoping to work here in Japan until at least next April. I plan on staying in Japan for one or two months after I am done working to take a little break, truly enjoy the island and send stuff like my kotatsu home so I don't have so much to carry on the airplane.

So far this year is turning out all right. I'll probably go home for about a month in August (during summer break)  because it would be cheaper and also because I love to watch the Olympics with my family. We'll have to wait and see though. Honestly this year already feels like it's gonna go by pretty fast... We'll also have to wait and see if that's a good thing too.

It's late, and I have classes tomorrow. I'll write more as I think of it!
-Maru!

Small examples of fate:

I was babysitting tonight, and I decided with my new-found (and undeserved, I have to admit, since bedtime was 8:30 and at 10:30, everyone was still up but the parents apparently expected as much...) wealth, I could take a cab home; especially since it was 10:45 at night and I was cold and alone and a good half-hour walk to my building.

I waited on 14th and B, but a guy stood on the more east corner, and got the cab that was meant for me.  Lame.  But because that happened, I ended up getting this really cool, nice driver who was good to talk to; I let him down that I wasn't going out tonight, didn't have a boyfriend, have never been to Richmond Hill, and am not partially Indian, but we had a good ride.  I had asked him to drop me at Laguardia and Bleeker, which is right outside my building, but halfway through the ride I said, 'just dropping me off at the park is fine, I can get home from there' so he wouldn't have to deal with something on Third Street.  I've walked thru and around Washington Square Park to know this isn't a big deal.

Because I cut through the park, I walked by the Kimmel Center for Student Life.  And because there IS such a thing as fate, who was standing in the lobby of Kimmel?  SARREA.  My Sarrea.  Holy shit.  Apparently, the All University Gospel Choir performed tonight and I missed it :( but Sarrea, a former singer/member drove in to see them.  AND I GOT TO SEE HER.  And Danielle and Isabel, which was also fantastic, but just Monday or Tuesday I was thinking about Sarrea and then, there she was.  She was with Krystal and Marta who I don't know but sorta know.  And she was also with Mo, who remembered me from Relay for Life!!!!  And is quite cute:).  And then they're friend Noah showed up and just gave me a giant hug whilst introducing himself to me.  Better late than never?  Whatever, I like hugs.  And I like seeing people I know.

And none of this would have happened if I hadn't decided to take pity on the cab driver who didn't wanna go all the way to the village.

Super <3.