Tyler, The Creator: "Goblin" — B+

Breaking into the mainstream conscious with the music video for “Yonkers,” an explosion performance on “Fallon” and record deal with XL, Tyler, The Creator has lead his crew Odd Future to gain some serious traction in the past six months. But with traction comes the price of fame, and Tyler’s been having some sobering struggles handling his new-found celebrity; he’s been overly simplified and vilified by one side and hyped, touted and glorified by the other side. This diverged dragging of character has taken an understandable toll on Tyler, and the effects indicated show up full force on his label debut Goblin.

Tyler and Odd Future have been cranking out tapes for years and Goblin isn’t exactly a deviation from the OF norm. It maintains that home-cooked feel of an OF tape and is still littered with disturbia-filled, black lyrics (see “Tron Cat”). But where Goblin strays from the standard is how Tyler addresses pretty much every criticism of character that’s been shot his way over the past few months, be that the stress of producing since Kanye tweeted about Tyler, people saying he’s a role model, or dealing with Bill O’Reilly (“Fuck Bill O’Reilly”). 

The thing to keep in mind, though, is that Tyler is only freaking nineteen years old. Even though he’s achieved a huge amount of success, he still deals with nineteen year old problems like a nineteen year old. He’s got self-doubt, daddy issues, and girl problems, and it’s reflected in Goblin. My pal Bryce pretty much said it best in a text: “heads up its long, really emo, and tyler breaks character :/ it’s still got some bangers on it though.” While a whole lot of Tyler’s stuff deals with super-murky topics, there is another, much more introverted, emotional side to Tyler, which can be incredibly disjointing considering the differing audiences listening to Tyler; when the misogyny-centric track “Tron Cat” goes into the friend-zone-stuck “Her” there’s a distinct moment of “wait, what?” Ultimately though, it’s best that Tyler flashes this delicate side because it shows that he’s not actually an evil Bastard (I mean he does directly tell the audience he doesn’t do any of that shit he says).  

In the end, Goblin is just another Odd Future tape with a price tag. It strides with most of OF’s strengths: in-jokes, alter-egos, and OF culture (Free Earl, SWAG), and Tyler’s synth-haunting beats have never been tighter, especially with the surprising, Bowie-esque instrumental “AU79.” After over three years of giving away his stuff for free, Tyler’s not only deserving of some cash, but he’s crafted an album totally worth the cash (given if you have the stomach)

Joel Samson Berntsen (Africa to America Anthem - The Very Best)

Parks and Recreation, Watch it Already: A+

Originally published for The Maneater.

When “Parks and Recreation” first popped up, it mostly got brushed off as a ploy by NBC to to cash in on the popularity of "The Office"; it seemed like just another mockumentary in another office, except this time the boss was a girl. Shoot, it was even co-created by the same guy. And for a little bit there — for those first couple episodes — it seemed like it actually would just be another carbon copy.

Thank freaking Greg Pikitis that assessment was dead wrong. Not only has “Parks and Recreation” proved itself one of the best comedies currently running on television, it’s proved itself as one of the best shows on TV period. It’s somehow succeeded in finding the sweet spot of golden television. All those "aw-shucks" moments between Jim and Pam on “The Office” have been mastered to a science and applied to pretty much every character on the show. Amy Poehler’s Leslie Knope easily stands as one of the sweetest and most sincere characters in television history.
 
And Poehler isn’t the only embodiment of delightful; the rest of the cast boasts what might just be the greatest ensemble presently gracing TV (Aziz Ansari! Rob Lowe! Rashida Jones! Aubrey Plaza!) and that’s with a chemistry that’s spot on flawless to boot. I mean, really, I love every single character on the show. There's not a single person on the show that I dislike in the slightest. Furthermore, the guest spots shine with such talent (Will Forte as a crazed "Twilight" Fan, Louis C.K. as Knope’s boyfriend cop) that the feeling of sadness always looms after they have their final scene. Louis C.K. and Poehler's brief relationship remains one of my all time favorite TV romances (even if it was just for a couple episodes).

But the greatest trait of “Parks and Rec” is how successfully it blends together laugh out loud comedy with real life. It’s genuinely unlikely that a show has ever handled relationships as well as “Parks and Rec.” The show feels like real life: the break-ups, the co-worker interactions, even the economy mirror the real, which makes everything about the characters a hundred times more relatable than the average show.

By now, “Parks and Recreation” has transformed beyond what anyone could have ever hoped. It has totally surpassed “The Office” in every aspect, be that comedy, relationships or just overall adorableness. It is one of the golden comedies of the decade and belongs to be ranked among the greats “Arrested Development” and “Seinfeld.” Now go watch it. Please, watch it! It needs to last seven seasons! Netflix it! Hulu it! Pirate it if you have to! But start with the second season! Because that first one they're still finding their vision, which they find in the second season! Exclamations!

Seasons one and two are available on Netflix Instant Streaming.

Rob Lowe Goes Nuts from Rob Lowe

Joel Samson Berntsen (Frank Ocean - lovecrimes)

SeaLab 2021 Theme Song // It's My Favorite

Dress Your Family In Poor Career Choices, or David Sedaris & the Great, Shaky Dismay

"It's kind of sad that newspapers are crumbling and that no one really reads them anymore."

This was the response I got from David Sadaris after I told him I was a journalism student.

"Wait, what? What the fuck? Aren't you supposed to support writers? Aren't you supposed to offer a pep talk or something about how I'm making the right career move?" That's what my mind said. What I actually said amounted to me blubbering about how things are just evolving to more online centered media. He replied to that with, "I mean the thing I don't get -- is that I've been reading the papers every day of my tour..."

This was after waiting two hours in line without anything to occupy my mind other than my own thoughts and the anticipation of actually getting to meet David Sedaris, which, granted, was poor planning on my part. Two hours for a two minute conversation that didn't really feel like a conversation at all. It wasn't terrible, but I wouldn't say the experience was pleasant at all. He just pretty much talked at me, mentioned  how "once you're in the New Yorker, you don't really care (about papers and journalism stuff) because you're in The New Yorker" and then sent me on my shell-shocked way.

Up until this meeting point, I'd loved Sedaris. I'd read most of his books. Every time I listened to This American Life I'd wait for Ira to mention if he'd have a segment. Up until that meeting point, Sedaris had a very positive impact on life. He made me laugh. He made me think. However, since that brief conversation, I haven't listened or read a thing by him, and this meeting was over six months ago.

Am I bitter? Maybe. Am I disillusioned? Probably. But it's not a conscious he-bad-mouthed-my major-so-fuck-him attitude, I'm just basically turned off by him now. I have an unfinished copy of "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim" on my bookshelf. I'm looking at it right now. And I have no urge whatsoever to finish it. I'd like to, but odds are I'm not going to touch it for a very long time. 
   
Sedaris was the first significantly important person I admired that I've met. Since Sedaris, I've met two other people I greatly admired: Kevin Barnes (lead singer from of Montreal) and Dan Bejar (New Pornographers side-man and Destroyer Lead). Both of these encounters were very positive, awesome experiences for me. So, I can say that leaving these conversations where you meet people you greatly  admire don't always leave you dismayed. On the other end though, they didn't ask me about my major and we mostly just talked about music.

So why I am I just talking about all of this now? Well, partly because I'm lazy, but mostly because I wanted perspective. I can talk about my first break-up with considerably more articulation than my most recent. If had written this post the week of, it would have been much more pissy and angst-y than this post already is, which would not be good CAUSE PEOPLE GOT PROBLEMS OF THEIR OWN. You don't need to hear my complain about mine all the freaking time.

But what's at the core of this? Why am I so bothered by this encounter? It's because I'm scared of my future (surprise! deja vu). Will I have a job? Will I survive? Having one of your favorite authors talk about how your career path is crumbling is some scary stuff. Eighty percent of the time I am fully confident of my career choice because I like journalism. I like where it's taking me. But, there's times -- mostly in the morning -- where I wake up and yearn for a steady job, a nice family, and a wife to wake up next to. I want the steady job and the steady life because I wake up unsure of myself.

But if I followed that path I would become unsatisfied. I've seen too many people throughout my life depressed that took they took the easy path; they have the wife and kids, but they started right away. They didn't follow any of their dreams. They didn't see Europe or whatever. And now they're in an intense game of responsibility. Revolutionary Road is a very real thing.

Don't get me wrong, I want a family. I just don't want a family till I can completely support one, and that's going to take a while with a major in journalism. There's just a million things I need and want to do before I have a family, which sounds vague, but you get what I'm saying? The best things come to those who wait right? Right? I sure hope so. I hope all my friends don't run out on me.     

So, until next time, I'm telling the David Sedaris of my head to stop fracturing my dreams and maybe it's time for "Dress Your Family" to finally come off that shelf...

Joel Samson Berntsen  (Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) - Arcade Fire)

One of the Best: Rest in Peace Sidney Lumet

Around the time Before the Devil Knows You're Dead came out on DVD, I read an article in Rolling Stone celebrating the career of Sidney Lumet. It was one of those articles that I just got completely wrapped up in -- one of those, "what are all these awesome movies and who is this awesome person, I need to know more, TELL ME MORE" articles. I went out and bought Before the Devil on dvd later. It opened with a kind-of raw sex scene though -- and my parents soon discovered and confiscated it and then proceeded to throw it away in the trash. But my love for Lumet was sparked.

There are eleven Lumet directed movies currently streaming on Netflix Instant Queue including Dog Day Afternoon, Network, and the Roger Ebert recommended Running on Empty. Go watch one if you've got netflix or just rent one if you don't.

Joel Samson Bertsen (History Lesson Part II - The Minutemen)

Pains of Being Pure at Heart: "Belong" — B

New York’s premier pun-loving group, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, swept away the internet in 2009 with their cutesy, adorable music that focused on the emotional conditions of the every-person of indie-class America. Today, the group opens a new chapter as it delves into new territory with its sophomore album Belong.

There’s an added reach to the songs on Belong, and it’s not just that the guitar is louder or that Kip Berman’s voice has more weight. It hinges on the fact that POBPAH, with the help of famed producer Flood (The Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails, The Jesus and Mary Chain), has traded in its twee origins for a more throwback '90s alt-rock sound. There’s still a youth-driven urgency to each song, but instead of light, airy pop jangles drenched in sugar, it’s a rich, embellished dense sweetness — like a dark chocolate version of The Smashing Pumpkins.

 POBPAH caters to this change with a surprising amount of ease. Its sound overhaul seems to be a causal change of clothes for the group. Its knack for crafty lyricism stands as catchy as ever, especially with album highlight “Heart in Your Heartbreak,” in which Berman charmingly chants “you were the heart in my heart break / you were the miss in my mistake.” The album peaks with the waterlogged-guitar crooner “My Terrible Friend,” which comes closest to topping “Young Adult Friction” — the standout single from their debut.

The majority of songs holds the same simple ability and effect: they’re catchy and likeable, and they’ll get stuck in your head. However, the actual body of music throughout Belong varies too little; the album shapes into a cloud of songs that remain too similar to one another. While POBPAH’s mastery of pop lyricism anchors the songs into the audiences' head, its music too often lays dormant.

There are plenty of good songs for a schoolgirl's crush mix-tape or a sad indie-intern, but the formula remains too unchanged for the album to grow into the next Siamese Dream.



Joel Samson Berntsen (On Repeat - LCD Soundsystem)

Kurt Vile: "Smoke Ring for My Halo" — B+

Orignally published for The Maneater 

If Bob Dylan and Sheryl Crow had a child, it would be Kurt Vile. His music combines clever, whispering lines with a constant strumming that – if it weren't for the fuzz – would almost sound country. Returning to the present with his fourth effort, Smoke Ring for My Halo, Vile cements his status as modern day staple of lo-fi heartland rock by producing some of the freshest and finest music of his career. 

Whereas previous efforts were glazed with layer of haze, Smoke Ring for My Halo carries a cleaner, crisper production that effortlessly balances with Vile's causal voice. The memorably charming guitar in standout track "Jesus Fever" adds a breezy quality to the already likable song. The whole album shows Vile proving his knack for clever lyrics with songs like the contrasting "Peeping Tomboy" or "Puppet to the Man" where he sings the sadly potent lyric "By now you probably think I'm a puppet to the man / well, I'll tell you right now, you best believe that I am."

Vile's music has a tattered quality to it and gives impression that Vile's had some character forming experiences. It's wistful but wise – like that cowboy at the end of the bar that's staring down regretfully at his whisky. It reflects the old dust-bowl feeling of desperation but with a more modern touch. 

Smoke Ring for My Halo is like a nice warm of cup of dark coffee. There's a rich fullness to each song, and it keeps the same, strong consistency with each sip. Vile's hushed vocals steam over his melodic guitar with just the right touch of sugar, and though it might not be the best cup of coffee, it's still a pretty good cup of Joe. 





Joel Samson Berntsen (Bros - Panda Bear)

Disturbia Lurking On the Horizon: Tyler the Creator & Odd Future Hang Industry, Critics

Starting with the release of the “Yonkers” video and combined with Odd Future’s killer Fallon performance last week, my mind has been stirring  in a non-stop, whirlwind of obsession with Tyler The Creator and his L.A. rap collective Odd Future or OFWGKTA, which is an acronym for Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All.

Odd Future is disturbing. They are completely unsettling. There’s this feeling I get when I hear certain lyrics or verses in their songs that literally make my head hurt.

But Odd Future is infinitely more intriguing than dangerous — at least for me. How many current rappers would say the following stanza in a rap: “(what you think of Hayley Williams?)/ fuck her, Wolf Haley robbin’ ‘em/ I’ll crash that fuckin’ airplane at that faggot nigga B.o.B is in /and stab Bruno Mars in his goddamn esophagus /and won’t stop until the cops come in.”

No one would rap that. No one wants to start stuff like that. But Tyler did, and he could care less about the ramifications.

And despite the heavy amounts of hate, there’s more to Tyler than spitting some substantial venom. The lyric that comes right before that “Airplanes” smash-fest is “I’m not gay, I just wanna boogie to some Marvin.” And just like that — in 12 seconds of verse, Tyler totally won me over. Plus, he also references watching Adventure Time in “Yonkers”. Swag.    

Tyler is like Nicki Minaj except he actually stands for something: anarchy, disturbia, and youth culture. That line from “Roman’s Revenge” where Minaj says “I-I-I-I hear them mumblin', I hear the cacklin' / I got 'em scared, shook, panickin'” which might apply to Minaj, but it certainly suits Tyler better in that he’s seriously freaking people and parents the fuck out.

Speaking of parents, Odd Future is playing at Coachella this year, but Future’s youngest member — Earl Sweatshirt — isn’t. His parents sent him off to boarding school or boot camp or something like that — it’s a little unclear except that it’s known that Earl is AWOL and Odd Future keeps posting stuff that says “Free Earl”. Can you imagine it though? Missing playing a staple U.S. festival because your parents sent you to boot camp? Sad times for Earl.  

There are two things that make Odd Future so notable: 1) Everyone in Odd Future — at this time — are teenagers. Tyler is nineteen. Tyler is the same age as me. That kind of blows my mind. 2) They have the guts to disregard every censor and everyone in the industry and press. They are carving their own following by saying “fuck everyone”. It’s a bit ironic, but more memorable than anything. 

Odd Future has the potential to become more than a hot topic, more than a weird outfit, and more than Die Antwoord; they have the power to actually stand for something, and maybe change a few things around in the “industry”. Now all we can do is wait for Tyler’s solo LP due in April.  

Tyler the Creator is on twitter as @fucktyler. He’s pretty hilarious and he capitalizes every word, so he's cool in my book. Here’s some choice tweets from after his performance on Fallon: “Fans Were Crying Tears Of Joy Because I'm One Of Them. Feels Good. I'm Gonna Go jack Off And Go To Sleep.” & “This Nigga Travis On The Phone With Me. Nigga Crying.” followed by “Thats My Best Friend Tho, So Its Cool.”

Joel Samson Berntsen (Unluck – James Blake)