HOUSING album review

"Communication is breaking down." 

   That lyric perfectly sums up the eponymously titled first album from Housing. Listening to the album, you get the feeling of a lost soul trying desperately to connect with something, anything. It's a cold and lonely landscape, but also beautiful and hopeful. 

   Housing is made up of:

Cory Greene-Bass

Devin Metzger-Guitar/Vocals

Justin Pennington-Drums

Paul Wurth-Guitar/Vocals

   From the opening chords, as the first voice comes fading in, the music reflects the feelings of alienation and disconnect that the lyrics describe. "Talking backwards...spun out of control...we can't hear you...stuck in limbo...should I just stop asking questions?" are just some of the phrases that come floating up as Wurth's voice sounds like a conscience looking for someone to call home. The music matches the feeling of unease, moving in fits and starts from full throttle guitar rock to quieter and more melancholy sounds.

   Housing is the perfect name for the band and the album. Housing is not home. Home is comforting and a place where you always belong. Housing is a last resort or something you're forced into or a holding pen until you find something permanent. The world this album creates is one of that middle place where we all find ourselves sometimes when we're adrift and nothing feels anchored. We're not where we belong and we know it. The words and music on Housing create that kind of off-kilter sense of being adrift.
   Don't get me wrong, though. The album rocks like a bitch. The one-two punch of "Waist Side" and "The Setup" are going to sound really good blasting out of my car speakers this summer. "Waist Side" in particular, employs a monster beat and lyrics dripping with contempt that carry you, headlong, all the way to final "Fuck you!" at the end. There's never a moment when there isn't something interesting happening on the album: From the melodic chorus of "Counting Clean" to the otherwordly backing vocals on the atmospheric "Soft." The album was recorded and mixed by Shelby Preklas at Loud and Clear Studios and the sound is amazing. The guy knows how to mix a rock and roll album.
   The album closes with the nine-minute "Nice Man." I'm not a huge fan of long songs. They're usually just endless noodling and end up sounding like the band is just playing with itself. Dammit if this long ass song doesn't have a structure that holds my attention for it's entirety, though. From Greene's opening bass riff to the last few seconds when the vocals and the melody come crashing back in, it's riveting. If it were a movie, it'd be 70mm cinemascope. The same could be said for the whole album.
Housing is available on iTunes.

What Do You Want?

“Who does not see that the same authority which can establish Christianity, in exclusion of all other religions, may establish with the same ease any particular sect of Christians, in exclusion of all other sects?" - James Madison

   I have a question for Christians. Not all of you, just the ones who keep perpetuating the myth that this is a Christian nation and that our government is based on "Christian values." The ones who think that God Himself had a hand in writing our Constitution, even though He is not mentioned in it not even once. The question is this: What do you want? What. Do. You. Want?

   What kind of government is it that you're envisioning? Because let me tell you that if you search history for governments built upon religions, they don't have a great track record. I'm pretty sure the founders knew this. They were smart guys. They actually studied history. They didn't have FOX News to tell them what to think. Thomas Jefferson wrote,  “History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance of which their civil as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purposes.”

   Let's say, for shits and giggles, that we alter our Constitution and proclaim, legally, that the United States of America is a Christian nation and Christianity is our state religion. Tell me, true believers, are you going to trust the establishment of that most personal of beliefs, your faith, to someone like Mitch McConnell? Do you really want decisions affecting your entire belief system to be in the hands of Nancy Pelosi? 

   By the way, which one of the estimated 1,500 denominations in America are we going to go with? You can't get a group of Baptists to agree on what temperature to set the thermostat on in the sanctuary. Let's throw Catholics, Methodists, Baptists, Pentecostals, Presbyterians, and Mormons in a room and tell them to come up with "the rules." Trust me, people are going to leave that room bloody. If the Pentecostals get their way, are you okay with wearing denim skirts for the rest of your lives, ladies? Oh, and I guarantee that some of you are thinking, "You shouldn't have included Mormons on that list." See, I was raised in a Baptist church and I was taught that the Mormons were a heathen and blasphemous cult. Funny, how so many Christians who believe that had zero problem voting for a Mormon for president. New joke: How do you get a Christian to vote for a cult member? Run him against a black guy!

   Whatever sect of Christianity you align yourself with, you have to know somewhere deep down inside you that the establishment of a state religion goes against EVERYTHING that our founder's fought for and is unconstitutional on the most basic and remedial level. I know that you dream of this utopia where everyone shares your faith and everyone fellowships together and prays together. Guess what? That place exists. You attend it every Sunday. Why is that not enough? What do you want? If Christianity becomes the law, I promise you, it's not going to be the "version" of Christianity that you have in your head. It's going to look more Iran. Ask people who have gotten the hell out of there what living under a state-sponsored religion is like.

   From Christianity Today: 78% of Americans identify themselves as Christians. The next largest percentage is Judaism and Islam. Combined, they represent less than three percent of the United States population. That's great news, Christians! You are not alone and there is no war against you in 'Merica, no matter what Bill O'Reilly says. Stop whining and bitching and moaning like petulant children, just because the First Amendment, that guarantees you the right to believe and worship as you please, also means that you are occasionally going to see things that offend you or that you disagree with and that you have to at least tolerate all those people who believe differently than you. All those things, DO NOT equal persecution, by the way. 

   The thing about living in a democracy is that it's the majority's responsibility to make sure the minority enjoys the same rights as they do. You are the majority, Christians. One more question: What will you do?

Us vs. Them-The Genius of Harold Ramis

   When discussing the films of Harold Ramis, one of the things you hear over and over is the phrase "the slobs vs. the snobs" or some similar variation. That's not an accurate description. I would describe them as "the smart guys vs. the world." From "National Lampoon's Animal House" to "Ghostbusters" we see stories of smart people going up against the status quo, social conventions, and authority figures and winning because they're smarter than everyone else and because they give not a shit about what the rest of the world thinks of them. In the case of "Ghostbusters," the fact that they save that world only makes them more noble and heroic.
   Ramis was a triple threat in the comedy world. He wrote, he acted, he directed. Of the films he directed, acted in, or wrote, I would have to name "Ghostbusters" as my favorite. No, wait..."Groundhog Day." Scratch that. "Caddyshack" is definitely my favorite. Shit...I forgot about "National Lampoon's Vacation." "National Lampoon's Animal House" is right there as well. I can't forget "Stripes" either. Okay...I loved them all, dammit. Each and every one of them. Love, love, love. Those movies were part of my comedic education and if you can't laugh at those films and see the genius on display, then you simply do not understand comedy and should probably keep your opinions to yourself, lest you sound like a complete and utter douche nozzle.
   The age old theme of the underdog coming out on top runs through a lot of Ramis' films. His underdogs are unique, though, in that the reason they're underdogs is that they refuse to play by society's rules and usually take great pleasure destroying that society, not for financial gain or for political power, but because...well, because it's there and we're smart and we can do it. "I think that this situation absolutely requires a really stupid and futile gesture be done on somebody's part," says Otter in "Animal House." Remember the chant in "Meatballs?" "It just doesn't matter!" At the end of "Animal House" the Deltas destroy the town. In "Caddyshack", the country club's golf course is blown to shit. "Stripes" ends with Ramis and Bill Murray blowing up Russia. Why? A really stupid and futile gesture is sometimes the only response to a stupid and futile world.
   His movies aren't all anarchy, however. I will defend "Groundhog Day" as one of the best love stories ever made. "Multiplicity" is underrated and is probably the one movie that allowed Michael Keaton to put all of his "Keatoness" on display. "Analyze This" is a mob comedy about a mobster going to psychotherapy. There is no way that movie didn't plant the seed for "The Sopranos" in David Chase's head.
  "There’s a personal story of my own that I will write at some point, and it’s a film that I will happily make," Ramis said not too long ago. Death has robbed us of that film. His films are our's forever, though. I've watched them many times when I needed a laugh, or felt down, or needed inspiration. His movies stand up to repeated viewings like no one else's.  He was one of the greats. I put him on the same list as Chaplin, Groucho Marx, and Mel Brooks. I'll be watching all of his movies very soon, because in the words of Stork from "Animal House," "What the hell are we 'sposed to do you moron?"

The Chin That Wouldn't Die

   Last night, Jay Leno said goodbye ( for reals this time ) after a 22 year run as host of "The Tonight Show." The best thing I can say about it is this: It was nice. Just like everything Jay ever did on that show. Nice. When people describe Jay, you will hear the word "nice" a lot. As a person, I have no problem with this. The world sure as hell could use more nice people. As a comedian, though, I don't want "nice." If the best thing you can say about a comedian is, "He/she was nice," then they aren't really doing their job as a comedian. Groucho Marx or Richard Pryor were never described as "nice."
   Talk show hosts are a different story. Jay has proven that being a "nice" talk show host will reap you millions and all the classic cars you could ever want to tinker with. I know I'm in the minority here, but I was never a huge Leno fan. I'm a Letterman guy to the death. Dave is the antithesis of "nice." The thing that always impressed me most about Jay was how he could sit next to vapid celebrities night after night and appear enthusiastic about it. If you can sit next to Snooki more than once and actually look interested in what she has to say, then you have a rare talent, my friend. David Letterman has never tried to hide his disdain for all things "celebrity."
   The Letterman show's number one priority was always comedy. The Leno show's priority was always the guests. Therein lies the difference. An example: When Hugh Grant was caught with a hooker, he went on Jay's show to do penance, because, God forbid, that guy in those romantic movies should turn out to be human. Jay's first question: "What were you thinking?" America laughs. We can all relax now. Over on Dave's show, he had America's Sweetheart Julia Roberts on after she had been through a public break-up. Dave told her that bandleader Paul Shaffer had a question for her. Paul asks, "So Julia...you getting any?" It's rude, obnoxious, and, most importantly, funny as shit. That in a nutshell is why I love Dave.
   Here's a weird fact about me: Whenever I think about the Leno show, the first thing that pops into my head are those damn "Dancing Itos" that Jay always had as a bit during the OJ Simpson trial. Judge Ito was presiding over the trial and every night, Jay would trot out these guys dressed in judge's robes to dance a little jig. I'm a comedian and you could hold a gun to my head and I couldn't tell you why people thought that was funny. Be honest...neither could you. Dave did, and does, a lot of absurd bits. Monkey-cam, Stupid Pet Tricks, Is This Anything?, Will It Float?, dropping stuff off a building. That is some absurd shit. There's a difference between absurd and pointless, however.
   Look, I'm not trying to bash Jay. He is beloved by millions. He always won the ratings battle over Dave. ( It needs to be noted, however, that Jay became known, primarily, because of his frequent appearances on Dave's "Late Night" show when it followed Johnny Carson. ) It's just a my opinion. I think Dave going to door to door with Siskel and Ebert and asking people if they need any yard work done is funnier than "Jaywalking."  Jay's final show was as uneventful and inoffensive as all of his shows were. That was his secret: send America to bed without ruffling any feathers and remember that the show is the most important thing. Dave thinks the whole concept of a "talk show" is a joke and treats it as such. Dave doesn't care if you go to bed comfortable.
   I didn't feel any emotion as I watched Jay's last hurrah. As a matter of fact, there have been only two times I've gotten emotional watching a talk show. First was watching Johnny Carson tear up as Bette Midler sang on his final night on "The Tonight Show." ( THAT was a historic moment. ) Second, I was watching Dave one night and he began doing monologue jokes concerning events that had happened a year or two years before. I thought at first that it was a rerun, even though it was supposed to be a new show. After doing these jokes, Dave let it be known that all of those jokes had been written by Johnny Carson, who had been writing jokes for Dave and sending them to him for years after he had retired. Johnny had just passed away. It was one of the most moving things I've ever seen on television. And proof that Johnny thought Dave was funnier, too.
 
   
 

Racism Is Dumb

   When I was in high school, I knew a guy who was horribly, obnoxiously racist. I asked him about the reasons for his hatred one day. "A couple of black guys jumped me one time and beat the shit out of me. I've never forgotten it." It was a dumb reason to give. Besides the fact that this guy thought the two gentlemen who beat his ass were representatives of the entire African-American community, he also didn't seem to have a problem forgetting the numerous lily-white gentlemen who had beat his ass over the years. Trust me. There were way more of them. The kid was an asshole. His whole "mean black people beat me up" story was nothing more than a convenient excuse to keep using the word "ni**er" and to keep being awful to his black classmates.
   If the subject of race makes you uncomfortable or you think that it shouldn't be discussed at all, do us both a favor and stop reading. I can also do without the following argument:

"Gee, Todd, white people aren't the only ones who are racist!"

   REALLY? I had no idea! Look, I realize that douchebaggery knows no color, but I'm a white dude in America that thinks racism is dumb, so this is being written from the perspective of a white dude in America who thinks racism is dumb. If you want to gripe about "reverse racism" or complain about "that time a black guy looked at me funny," start your own damn blog and write away. This one is mine.
   I mentioned that I'm white. I'm not proud of this fact. I'm not ashamed of it either. It's not like I had a choice in the matter. I'm indifferent. Accomplishment makes me proud. If I make it to the end of this piece with no misspellings or grammatical errors, I'll be the proudest white man you ever saw. I, however, have zero problem with African-Americans proclaiming, as James Brown once said, "I'm black and I'm proud."  You need a self-esteem boost when you live in a country that once characterized your whole race as "property" and "less than human" as a matter of law. I also want to punch dumb white people in the face when they talk about blacks "getting over" slavery. I have actually seen a grown man dressed as a confederate soldier for a Civil War reenactment complain that, "Blacks need to get over slavery." If the irony of that escapes you, stop reading this. Might I suggest "Family Circus?"
   If you think racism doesn't exist anymore, spend a day with me. If I were to write a post every time I heard someone say "ni**er" I'd be accused of spamming. I wish I were making this up. When I hear that hateful, fucked-up word, it's almost always in the context of someone complaining about our President (I also hear it a lot in hip-hop, but if rappers want to use the word as a "fuck you" to Whitey, who am I tell them no?) . They give me a conspiratorial look, usually accompanied by a elbow in my side as they assume I must share their hatred and disgust because we share the same skin tone and tell me what they "really" think about President Obama.
   Is everyone who dislikes the President a racist? No. That would be a stupid argument to make. That does not mean, however, that everyone who dislikes the President is automatically NOT a racist. Everyone who disagrees with the Presidents policies is not dumb, either, although there is that element as well. It's VERY simple to tell who is who by their words.

"I think Obama is a bad president and I disagree with his policies." - Not Racist

"I think Obama is a bad president and I disagree with his policies because he's like Hitler and he wants to take my guns and send me to a FEMA camp and he's a Muslim who is going to make 'Merica into a Communist country and he's going to give himself a third term because Presidents who hate 'Merica can just do that." - Dumb

"I think Obama is a bad president and I disagree with his policies and somebody needs to shoot that ni**ger." - Racist

   If you think I'm making that last one up, you are surrounded by awesome people with normal human feelings or you're just not paying attention, because since President Obama was elected I've heard it A LOT. Ironically, from a lot of those "patriots" who used to tell me that I was un-American if I simply disagreed with President Bush during wartime. Well guess what, we still have troops in Afghanistan and Obama is our President so, you tell me what the difference is. You tell me why it's okay to insult this President's wife and make threats against his children. You tell me why the very same people who, up until the election of our first black president, would have proudly said, whether Republican or Democrat, "that you respect our Commander in Chief" but now think it's perfectly acceptable to advocate the assassination of that Commander in Chief. Conservatives and Tea Baggers can scream "race has nothing to do with it" til they're red, white, and blue in the face but, there is only one major difference between this president and all the others and that thing is the color of his skin. And that skin color has caused a large portion of the population to lose their goddamn minds. It's like some weird plot twist. America, a historically racist country, elects a black man as president and uses the black president as an excuse to be even more openly racist. I shudder to think what those people will do if we elect a woman.