....we awoke. Hello possibly slightly interested readers, I know it's been a while since us lazy writers have done anything on this blog, but hey that's our provacative. Bloggin' ain't easy...it's actually kinda exhausting, what with all the typing. Anyway, we here at IAPP feel just awwwful, even if we only have 2 followers at the moment (shoutout!!). Well, this was just to let these niggas know we're getting things back up to par, reviews, news, and pizza juice fucka
Lotsa luv,
M.G. and the whole ITS A PIZZA PARTY! staff
Albums I'm diggin RIGHTNOW:
Araabmuzik -Electronic Dream (electro-house)
Theophilus London - Timez Are Weird These Days (Hip-Hop)
Submotion Orchestra - Finest Hour (Jazzy-dubstep)
Toddla T - Watch Me Dance (Electronic, Dancehall)
Portugal. The Man - In The Mountain In The Cloud
A Pizza blog about music...and sometimes pizza.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
After the slumber....
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Album Review: Cage The Elephant - Thank You Happy Birthday
When you consider yourself a music aficionado (I.E. hipster douche bag) it becomes progressively harder to admit when you weren't the first on the scene or the man who got the leak 5 months early. Sometimes great music slips through the cracks like sand in the palm of a child. Cage The Elephant is the the one band that I consider myself late upon finding. Having gotten into them only about 6 months ago, I'm quite on time with this new album, Thank You Happy Birthday, and I'm glad because this album worth talking about.
Thank You Happy Birthday is rough from the start, It kicks the listener in the teeth (even harder for the people who knew and loved old CTE) with the opening track "Always Something", a dark, grungy, cracked out beat and Matt Shultz crooning out dank and slimy lyrics. It's repulsing for a second, it really is, I had to collect myself. I remember the opener for their Self Titled debut being a straight punk-rock'n-roll song that any music lover could get into.
When you're blown back by a mean and dark song you think the whole album can't measure up to what you want...but I believe that's the band way of flexing off the old coat and showing something new. Cage The Elephant impressed me, because as you move into the more catchy and digestible "Aberdeen", you figure out that the first song is a bold choice to scare away any casual fans and leave the devoted alive. It's that sensibility that makes me love the band even more.
Cage The Elephant definitely ran the gambit as far as tone with Thank You Happy Birthday, leaving the listener guessing as to what the next song will hold. For instance, "Indy Kidz" is the most difficult but ultimately rewarding tracks, full of lyrical irony and self-examination, while being dark and grungy. But then the next song, "Shake Me Down" is lush with fantastic indie-pop-punk moments, and is the most Radio Friendly I've ever heard Cage The Elephant (and that's counting Rest For The Wicked). TYHB is interesting in a good sense in the simple way the album combination Violent Femmes like alternative-punk songs with the youthful indie-rock songs that sound more likely to be found on a Tokyo Police Club album.
Thank You Happy Birthday has some tough songs. Some have Matt Shultz screaming in your face, others have him singing gently. It's a neat turn of events for a fan of Post-Punk and Post-Hardcore. For fucks sake the final song "Flow" ends with light strumming and fleet foxes like drumming, but someone screaming lightly in the background. It's a gorgeous ending, one that really surprised me.
In the end, Cage The Elephant tried to play chameleon this time, and to me it worked. I now have 12 songs that fit just as many moods. This isn't a bad thing, because this album definitely needed to show more varied side of Cage The Elephant, and Thank You Happy Birthday did that, maybe not perfect or genre defying, but it still did it's job wonderfully. For that I think I'll be remember to reminisce on Thank You Happy Birthday later this year when I decide my favorite albums of 2011.
Album Rating: 8.9 - 10
-MATT GALEY
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Tynan's Top 25 Albums of 2010
Hello friends. Finally got this list done and I'm really glad I put it off as long as I did. I listened to a lot of stuff in the last few weeks that I probably would have missed if I had posted this in December. Hope ya'll enjoy!
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25. Vampire Weekend - Contra
Here are the only reasons I could think up of why someone might not like this album:
-They are a terrorist hell-bent on destroying happiness.
-They are feel a need to bash "gay indie bands" to prove how heterosexual they are.
Below is the fast and fun "Cousins."
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24. Daughters - Daughters
Daughters is a weird band. That's all you need to know. The signature "Elvis on acid" vocal style from "Hell Songs" and their chaotic noise rock sound is still there, but this time there's a little more structure and....melody. It works well and makes for the strongest and most accessible (I can't believe I'm even attempting to call anything by Daughters accessible) Daughters album. Too bad this is their final album. Below is "The First Supper."
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23. Minus The Bear - OMNI
Yeah, it wasn't quite what I would expect to follow up their prog-rock influenced "Planet Of Ice," but it's still a great addition to Minus The Bear's stunning discography. Here is the groovy opening track "My Time."
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22. Envy On The Coast - Lowcountry
Not many bands grow as much between their debut and sophomore albums as Envy On The Coast. They traded their pop punk influenced sound for more of a bluesy alternative rock feel and it was the best choice they could have made. It is really a shame that they broke up, especially right after they made such a great album. Here is the track "The Devil's Tongue."
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21. Periphery - Periphery
If I had to pick one word to describe the metal scene in 2010 it would be "Djent." If you haven't heard of this phenomenon then you will be hearing about it soon, because djent has exploded with popularity this year and isn't showing any signs of slowing down. One of the leading bands in the new djent revolution is Periphery. Their debut album is heavy, melodic, technical, original, and has really established Periphery's place in the current metal scene. The only thing that holds back this album from being truly amazing is its length. There just isn't enough variety to warrant its 70 minute runtime, but Periphery have proven that they have the talent to make a classic metal album, and I hope they do. Check out the song "Light" below.
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20. Tides Of Man - Dreamhouse
This may seem slightly off-topic, but the thing I've always disliked about Emarosa is that their music always seems like it's scared of outshining the singer. There will be glimmers of awesomeness, but most of the time the band tames themselves to let their stellar vocalist shine. Tides Of Man doesn't play by those rules. Their vocalist can stand his own with the likes of Jonny Craig and Anthony Green (believe me, I've seen him perform live) and the rest of the band doesn't feel the need to dumb down their parts. Tides of Man's sophmore album is packed with amazing guitar parts and great vocal lines and the band is streets ahead of their contemporaries. Here is their high energy song "Echoes"
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19. Amia Venera Landscape - The Long Procession
At the tail end of 2010 I stumbled upon one of the best metal albums I've heard all year. The wall of sound this band creates will hit you in the face so hard that you won't know how to react. The chaotic riffs and intense vocals are relentless, but on occasion they will give you a well deserved break with some great clean guitars and singing. The song "Nicholas" is below.
18. 65daysofstatic - We Were Exploding Anyway
65daysofstatic have always had heavy electronic influences, but they decided to go all out electronic on this album. A lot of old fans were disappointed, but if they stopped wishing it was another "One Time For All Time," they would realize that it is a great electronic/dance album with post-rock influence. The bass heavy song "Go Complex" is below and really shows off their great new sound.
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17. Chiodos - Illuminaudio
Parting ways with Craig Owens had to be a hard decision for Chiodos to make. His vocals were very important to their sound and many (including me) didn't think their new album and vocalist would live up to their older material. Holy hell was I wrong. Illuminaudio is Chiodos' best album BY FAR. Their new vocalist fits in perfectly and everyone in the band stepped up their game. Losing a front man is a hard thing for a band to overcome and Chiodos greatly exceeded my expectations. I will never doubt them again. Here is one of the slower tracks off of the album "Notes in Constellations," a song I could have never seen them pulling off with Craig.
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16. Trophy Scars - Darkness, Oh Hell
I didn't discover Trophy Scars until last year with their album "Bad Luck." OH THE YEARS WASTED! They quickly became one of my favorite bands and I proceeded to listen to their entire catalogue. All of their albums/Ep's are great, but the dirty sound on Bad Luck remained my favorite. Luckily they have decided stick with that sound for their EP Darkness, Oh Hell. There is nothing vastly different from anything found on Bad Luck, but this is still classic Trophy Scars and it just makes me more excited for what they will do next. Here is the spectacular song "Darkness" which features plenty of piano, horns, and Jerry's signature dirty vocals.
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15. Deftones - Diamond Eyes
Deftones have been around the block a few times. They've been going strong since the early 90's and I'm surprised they still exist, and even more surprised that "Diamond Eyes" is their strongest album yet. Chino's vocals are amazing as usual and their mix of heaviness and ambiance is as strong as it's even been. The short and sweet title track is below.
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14. Pmtoday - In Medias Res
This is just one of those albums that came out of nowhere. It was a random download and I went into it with no expectations. The first track "Thoughts In Transit" drew me in, and the next track "People Are Machines" blew me away. I was in love. From the fast and groovy "Progress Is A Lemon" to the slow and beautiful "Soma Holiday" this is a post-hardcore album you don't want to miss. The ridiculously awesome "People Are Machines" is below.
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13. Foxy Shazam - Foxy Shazam
Foxy Shazam abandoned their heavy roots with their self-titled album, but that's OK. They managed to write a great collection of pop songs while maintaining their sense of humor and wackiness that they're known for. Below is "The Only Way To My Heart..."
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12. Circa Survive - Blue Sky Noise
Anthony Green is one of my favorite vocalists and Circa Survive has been a band I've been interested in for awhile. On their previous albums they had a very unique sound, but lacked variety. It was evident that they were capable of so much more. Blue Sky Noise is the album we all knew they were capable of making. Anthony Green's vocal performance is astounding and the other members of the band have stepped it up to keep up with him. Below is "Get Out," their most intense and straightforward song yet.
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11. Six Gallery - Breakthroughs In Modern Art
With guitar tapping mastery on their side Six Gallery have created an album that is beautiful, technically impressive, chilled out, and spastic all at the same time. And they are from Ohio, SCORE. Here is one of the slower tunes "Built To Last."
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10. The National - High Violet
I have been hearing about how amazing The National is for awhile. I had listened to a few tracks off of "Alligator" and "Boxer," but they never really clicked with me. When "High Violet" came out this year I tried to listen to them again and after a few tries, it finally happened. I finally started getting "The National." The powerful drumming and Matt Beringer's signature low voice help create an amazing, depressing vibe that I've yet to find anywhere else. Here is my favorite track "Conversation 16."
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9. Monomate - Grand Battle
Peter "Peet" Bunke has been one of the leaders in the nintendocore scene for a few years and has finally released his masterpiece. Grand Battle shows off Peet's amazing talents as an 8-bit programmer and, surprisingly, as a vocalist. Aside from the occasional bad lyrics Grand Battle is a fun and epic album, especially for being created entirely in FL Studio by a 19 year old. Below is the extremely catchy "Dreamland"
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8. The Contortionist - Exoplanet
Yes, Exoplanet is considered a deathcore album, but it is so much more. There's a good amount of chugging and breakdowns, but the melodic moments are what make this album so good. "Flourish" starts off as a somewhat generic metal song, but goes into a clean bridge section that builds up so beautifully that you forget you are listening to a deathcore band. Below is "Flourish."
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7. Letlive - Fake History
Wow, this album is such a mixed bag I don't know where to start. Vocalist Jason Butler has obviously taken hints from Glassjaw's Daryl Palumbo, but that doesn't take away from his performance. Sure, the rest of Letlive is talented, but Butler is without a doubt the center of attention. His screams on tracks like "Casino Columbus" and "The Sick, Sick 6.8 Billion" are top notch and the choruses on every track are infectious. Below is "Renegade 86."
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6. Tera Melos - Patagonian Rats
Tera Melos have been one of my favorite bands for the last few years. Their introduction of vocals on "Complex Full of Phantoms" was interesting, but it didn't accomplish much. On "Patagonian Rats" Tera Melos have taken their spastic math rock tendencies and mixed them with pop melodies. The result is hard to get used to, but is just as strong as their previous efforts. Below is "Aped."
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5. The Tallest Man On Earth - The Wild Hunt
Folk is a genre I've always had a tough time getting into. Very few folk artists ever catch my attention and most of them sound the same to me. There's really something special about The Tallest Man On Earth (AKA Kristian Mattson), because the first time I heard him I was hooked. There's something about his voice that gives me the chills every time I hear it. Mattson really is one of the greatest songwriters of our time and I know there will be many amazing albums from him for years to come. Below is "You're Going Back."
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4. Adebisi Shank - This Is The Second Album Of A Band Called Adebisi Shank
On Adebisi Shank's second album the band decided to go a little more outside the box. Their first album kept a constant punk vibe, but here they experiment with many different styles and they all work extremely well. The added depth and variety mixed with the mathy riffs and odd sounds found on their first album makes this album extremely unique and one of the best releases of 2010. Below is "Genki Shank."
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3. Touche Amore/La Dispute - Searching For A Pulse/The Worth Of The World
With only 4 tracks and a 9 minute runtime, Touche Amore and La Dispute's split EP may seem a bit high on this list, but believe me, it deserves it. Simply put, all 4 of these songs are perfect. I can't find a thing wrong with this ep. These are 2 of the best hardcore bands out right now and they are at the top of their game. Below is La Dispute's "Why It Scares Me."
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2. Orbs - Asleep Next To Science
Orbs is a supergroup with members from Fear Before, Between The Buried and Me, and Cradle Of Filth. It may sound like a clusterfuck, but these members work extremely well together, despite having very different musical backgrounds. What really makes this album different are the keys and the vocals. Don't let Adam Fisher's weird, whiny voice scare you away. At first it's annoying, but acquiring a taste for it doesn't take long. Keyboard player Ashley Ellyllon is always doing something interesting on this album. She switches between piano, synth, organ, and many other sounds and is always playing an impressive part that adds a lot to the music. Asleep Next To Science is one of the most original albums I've heard this year and it is an amazing progressive rock album. Below is the 10 minute epic "People Will Read Again."
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1. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
I'm going to start off by saying I wish this wasn't my #1. I wanted to put a different album here, but I honestly couldn't find one that was more deserving of this spot. Having never been a fan of Kanye West before, I went into this album with low expectations. Right off the bat I knew I was wrong. The first few times through the album I thought it was pretty damn good, and it only got better. I have now been listening to it consistently since it came out and can't deny that it is my favorite album of the year. Fuck you Kanye West.
Well, that's my list, but there were a lot of other great albums that came out this year so here's some honorable mentions
Honorable Mentions:
-Pierce The Veil - Selfish Machines (For not being complete scene garbage)
-LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening (For being Matt Galey's favorite album of the year)
-Fang Island - Fang Island (For making hi-fiving cool again)
-The Dillinger Escape Plan - Option Paralysis (For not needing Chris Pennie)
-Coheed and Cambria - Year of the Black Rainbow (For having Chris Pennie)
-After The Burial - In Dreams (For not being Rareform pt. ii)
-Underoath - Disambiguation (For not needing Aaron Gillespie)
-Jacobi Wichita - Lambsie.Divey ep (For mixing hip-hop and post-hardcore)
-The Books - The Way Out (For being weird)
-Maps & Atlases - Perch Patchwork (For growing up)
-Good Old War - Good Old War (For still being the kings of 3 part harmonies)
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Top Albums of the Year 2010 -Matt Galey's List
2010 has been a helluva year in music. When I took on the task of compiling a list of albums...I ended up with around 60 that I thought could fit on my album of the year list. Dwindling it down to just 20 was extremely difficult, but I think I captured the best of the best. So here's my top 20 albums of 2010.
It's as infectious as it is spanish. Pop Negro is if Animal Collective suddenly became very interested in fiestas and and tostitos chips, there's wave after wave of noise...but with a pop sensibility that really grabbed me and neglected to let go for a good portion of the year, even though I couldn't understand what the fuck the lead vocalist was sayin'. Check out the awesome new single here. (you'll thank me...there's lots of tits.)
If you asked me which band I have the biggest bias for...I'd say Gorillaz, but at the same time, it's undeniable that they fuckin' know how to make a cool, breezy, deep, and interesting trip-hop album.
You'll be hard pressed to find a "best of" list that these indie-dream-pop fucks aren't on, and with good reason. The sleepy sound is really...applicable...for any real situation. It works so perfectly alone, or even better with others, it's hard not to fall in love with the soothing weight this duo brings on this album that's taking hipsters by storm.
Looking back, Circa Survive, to me, had very little variety in their discography. In my eyes, their first two albums suffered because they were two big jumbles of beautiful and delicate indie-rock. Circa Survive sounded nice, but didn't leave me any reason to come back. BSN changed that by giving me songs with actual definition and experimentation that set songs apart...yet all of them sounded equally great. Anthony Green and company can do no wrong...really.
Yes...it's a soundtrack. But it's amazing. A great movie deserves a great sountrack, and I'm not talking the bullshit Hanz Zimmer orchestral shit all the time, that's why The Social Network works so well. A film about busy minds and smart college students all vying over the glory of a modern idea is really solidified by the Trent's buzzing industrial-electronic extravaganza. There's so much to be had here that this definitely stands alone perfectly...I've been using it as thinking music for months now. Don't believe me? Listen for yourself.
Vampire Weekend definitely knows how to make a fun album, and contra is a testament to that. Contra contains a more electronic influence, while still being heavily grounded in the orchestral northern-east-coast sound they're loved for.
Imagine everyone high-fiving everyone. That's this album. I rest thy case.
It's hard for me to explain what I like about this album so much, besides the fact that almost every song is an electronic joy to listen to. There's dubstep, trip-hop, house, and any blend in-between. It's simply full of songs I feel a desire to listen to at almost any time. Wanna know what I mean...check out my favorite off the album "Radium Girls", here.
John Bawldwin Gourley and his wonderful band work hard...they put out this new sweet fuckin' album only several months after releasing the awesome Satanic Satanist, yet American Ghetto feels years in the making. This time Portugal decided to add a slight hip-hop influence, and I must say, it serves them well, adding a new take to a fucking amazing sound.
This year, the world "filthy" took on new simbalence among us teens...usually refering to "nasty" good dubstep...but I can't think of much filthier music than what Sleigh Bells has goin' on here. This is gold, just covered in buzzy reverb, cheeky lyrics, and the slime regurgitated by a handful of drunk girls.
10.Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma
When I started getting into Fly-Lo back when L.A. came out, I had to think "when is this shit gonna get old?" It never did. Cosmogramma continues the genius beat crafting Flying Lotus is known for, all while taking it to a deeper level. It's almost ridiculous how listenable this jumble of noise is. Everything flows wonderfully, without feeling like it should.
If you looked at Foxy Shazam a couple years ago, you'd never think they'd have a song that would be played during the Superbowl or on a commercial for a Cartoon-Network show, but they do now, and it's all due to the incorporation of more pop sensibility on their new self-titled album. For long time fans, the loss of a more scream-post-hardcore sound may disappoint some, but for me, it only allows another shade of this fascinating band to come through, in all it's grand, gay, and garish glory. Bravo Eric Nally, bravo.
Trophy Scars are darlings in the post-hardcore scene, with good fucking reason. Their new EP proves why. The raunchy rasp and gargle spewing from lead vocalist Jerry Jones is almost euphoric when layered so nicely on top of the band's bar-rock-n-roll inspired sound. Perfectly crafted music for doin' the dirty deed with a drunk bitch in the bathroom at a local saloon, shizzwasted and covered in your own vomit.
If I wanted...I could mention who's featured on this masterpiece of a hip-hop album. I could mention how great P.O.S. and Aesop Rock are on their verses, but that isn't necessary, because Dark Time Sunshine does fine on their own, their sound swallows the aforementioned talent, and makes them part of the sound goin' down, instead of having them there to make the song. Basically all you need to know, Vessel is an electronic hip-hop album, and by far one of my favorites this year. The flow on each track is complimented nicely by either a ear-ripping good bass heavy beeps-and-boops, or light electronica complimented nicely by rapping strewn with the Norah Jones-esque singing of Reva Devito. It's all there...and very worth it.
Focken mad zef. If you listen to Die Antwoord long enough, head MC Ninja will infect your mind with his strange South-African take on what it means being a bad ass gangster. Along with that, you will be infected by DJ HI-TEK's rediculous blend of rave-trance and hip hop. And to top it all off, fellow MC, YO-LANDI VI$$ER will infect you with her over-the-top female chipmunk-like singing/rapping. It's borderline terrible music...but it's also borderline genius. I can't help but pump myself up with some south-african "rave-hip-hop" before a work-out, or before a shower...or before a dump...or...anytime for that matter. Love em' or hate em'...they're here to stay, and I'm glad.
5. Baths - Cerulean
Baths are something I had to fall in love with less than a week ago. It happened when I realized just how perfect each song on this Ninjatune backed album is. Imagine Flying Lotus if he stopped using conventional electronic sounds and built strange beats out of the pitter-patter of rain, light piano taps running backward, and angelic wailing. It gets me wet just typing about it. This album is so high up (low down?) here because it has the experimentation that's needed to progress music forward, but without compromising the need for music to sound good. Plus it's so full of good vibes that one can't but help smile at beats made with a xylophone and washboard. Straight up amazin. Check out one of their awesome songs, accompanied by an even more awesome music video here.
First thing you might be struck by with this oOoOO is the name...second...how perfect the album cover fits the band. The third should be how perfectly the music fits the first two striking parts of the band. By then, me telling you that the label oOoOO runs on is called "Witch House", you probably wouldn't be surprised. This EP gives me huge amounts of hope for atmospheric, moody, and ghostly IDM music...but don't just take my word for it, see for yourself!
Omar really shows off his eclectic taste with this new album. We're so used to seeing the Mars Volta member releasing tons of albums a year, usually sounding as heavy and progressive as The Mars Volta, just with Zach Hill wailing on the drums. With Tychozorente, he takes a turn for the more electronic and trip-hop, with most of the songs lacking his usual instrumentation. The beautiful drugged out Spanish singing from Ximena Rivera flows wonderfully underneath the veil of synth-inspired dub-trip-hop, it all works together to lend something new to experimental electronica. Think if Kid A had a spanish-speaking baby that dug more bass-heavy noise. See for yourself here.
As if I needed to explain. Kan-yeezy simply blew me away with this blend of depth in self examination and mainstream-sensibility, all rolled into a gorgeous hip-hop package. Each song personifies the mind of a delusionally aware mad-man, one who knows he's an asshole, but a talented one at that. It's a disturbingly good album, and one that really made me grow to love a man who shouldn't be loved, and asks that you don't. This album is one of the most important releases this decade, and really proves what can be done with mainstream hip-hop when you lose the auto-tune-heavy, club-and-drinks, grills-and-crunk inspired shit that plays over our radio waves today. Read my full-ish review from a month ago here.
I ended up choosing This Is Happening as the best album for 2010 simply because it's already a classic to me. Basically, I can't imagine my music library without this album. James Murphy blends his electronic-dance music with his own character of singing that feels like a mix between David Byrne and David Bowie, creating a perfectly strange and cool atmosphere for his amazing lyrics to thrive.
This album is my album of the year because it is an album full of the best songs this year, ones that I know will live on in dance parties, clubs, films, and any other place music can be heard, many years from now.
Did you enjoy the list? Think I'm full of shit? Do ya disagree with me? Did you discover something new and cool? PLEASE, Lemme know, I wanna hear your douchy (or un-douchy) comments! Leave me some hate/love in the comments section!
P.S. Don't forget readers, fellow writers Tynan Evans and Paul Holt will be releasing their lists soon!
-Matt Galey
Friday, November 26, 2010
The Walking Dead: a TV Thriller! (pun-tastic!)
So, by now you must've heard about the new show on the wonderful AMC, The Walking Dead. If you're not watching yet, lemme tell you, this show is definitely a sweet upgrade from the shit that is on most regular (ish?) cable. The Walking Dead is another addition to the amazing line-up of other original shows on AMC, right next to Mad Men and Breaking Bad, and next to those two giant hits The Walking Dead rounds out the need for something with a bit more of a fast paced tinge and action edge, but to say it is any less fantastic than the other two is impossible to say. Frankly, I've been enjoying the motherfuck out this show, and I kinda feel the need to tell the world about it (THANK GOD FOR BLOGS RIGHT? Usually I just write in my diary, and that doesn't have sweet image embedding and being able to make things italic!)
The Story:
(skip if you're bored by reading shit that shouldn't be in paragraph form)
At its core, The Walking Dead is somewhat old school as far as Zombie stories goes. The show (yes, I know it's a comic, fuck off) starts by introducing our lead character, Rick Grimes, who's name shouldn't keep you from liking him as the hero, like it did when I read the comics, anyway, Rick is the sheriff for a small town in Georgia, where he lives with his son and wife. Before the show even really begins Rick is already on the rocks with his wife, and things aren't going well.
Rick gets shot in a kickass shoot-off with some redneck hoodlums (oxymoron?)and heads to the emergency room in a pretty dire state. He wakes up in what looks more like a war zone than a deserted hospital, which is full of rotting corpses, some dead, and some less than dead. If it sounds slightly like 28 Days Later, it kinda is, but hey, it doesn't feel like it in the show.
On the flip side, Rick's family and police buddy are together with other strangers in a camp just outside of Atlanta, and they are definitely not waiting up on rick, because they think his dead. Too add a bit more drama to the situation, the reason his wife and kid think Rick's dead is because his cop pal told them so, AND he's been fucking the Miss on the side. (OH NO HE DIH-ENT!)
Basically the show runs from there, and even after he finds his family, the drama continues as himself, family, and fellow survivors are surrounded at their thought-to-be-socluded camp by flesh hungry Zombros.
Oh and as a side note, the Zombies in this show are definitely Romero style, they aren't different than your regular zombies, they shuffle (and run), they smell you, they hear you, aren't coordinated, and want to rip into you, they infect you by bites, and you die eventually and rise again. Simple stuff, which is great to me.
Why I love it:
The Zombies are Dumb- Like I mentioned above, the zombies in this show are simply simple. They walk and run, but they aren't any different than your Night Of the Living Dead zombies. I think it was after Resident Evil 4 (the game) when people suddenly thought our Zombies need to be different to stay interesting to us, suddenly Left 4 Dead revived zombies, but now we had ones that spat green shit and had tongues that could strangle you. What I love is that these are straight zombies, stupid pack animals that will bite and that's it. It keeps the show better grounded and lends less interest on the zombies, and more on our characters...which leads me to my next favorite thing about this TV gem:
The Characters are well done- Our hero Rick, his family, his hateable-yet-relateable best friend, and the assorted camper-survivors are all great characters, they're simple, but in the depth of the situation they are all different and interesting. Our fine characters are believable, they all start out as normal people, and the way they lost everyone they love is different. What are characters without good actors to potray them? Shit, that's what. The Walking Dead has fantastic actors, with everyone playing their parts with finesse, prowess, and other fine adjectives.
Superb Production Values- The Walking Dead has a budget, and a good one at that. A show can't be about the end of civilization and the world as we know it without having a good budget, and be convincing. Everything about the show screams that somebody put some love into making this shit. The first episode really showcases the amazing effects and care for realism in the show when Rick walks up to a zombie that is missing her lower half, her entrails are slowly dragging behind her as she creeps towards our curious hero, it's grippingly real, and disgusting. Atlanta looks great in ruins, and I definitely get the feeling that it's a pain in the ass for the producers to get those empty street shots. To top it all off there's great filming, cinematography, color work, and clarity to the great gore...and about that gore...
The Lack of Mercy on the Viewers- The Walking Dead pulls no punches. That's known in the first 4 minutes of the show when in a precurser to the violence and zombie outbreak ahead, Rick is forced to shoot a little girl in the head after she tries to take a bite out of him, and if you think this happens off screen, you're fucking wrong, we see this little girl fall back, with blood shooting from the back of her head, and it's gorgeous. I love this show for it's lack of mercy violence wise, there's buckets of gore...per episode. Headshots with gooey explosions of the head, crossbow arrows taking out eyes, ax chopping, all of it looks great, and brings a weight to the action on screen.
It's all around fucking great-
The Walking Dead is simply my new favorite TV series on right now, it's very different that what we are used to on cable television. The characters are full of depth, but are also believable, and they themselves hold their own when the gore stops and the need for character development begins. Their storylines are still being fleshed (get it?) out, but they are still interesting and I can't wait to see them develop. The action is great and believable, and definitely stays as one of the biggest draws for the show. To top it all of, this is a gorgeous piece of work, with amazing make-up, effects, gore, and filming, I can't get enough week to week.
So, if you're bored on a Sunday night at either 8:00, 9:00, or 11:00 PM, fucking watch the new Walking Dead episode, you won't be disappointed. Really, it'll be flesh-ripping and roaring good time! (that's a good one huh?) FARTS.
-Matt Galey
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