I spy with my Muffin eye…

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 22:35:43 +0100

Rotterdam is quickly becoming covered in snow again. Awesome.

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:49:11 +0100

Rotterdam is quickly becoming covered in snow again. Awesome.

"I fockin’ hate pikeys!"

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 21:57:00 +0100

“I fockin’ hate pikeys!”

- Snatch on IMDb

Winter in Kralingen

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:30:00 +0100

Winter in Kralingen

If only Tiger Woods paid more attention…

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:10:00 +0100

If only Tiger Woods paid more attention…

One of the coolest things I’ve ever seen.

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:59:00 +0100

One of the coolest things I’ve ever seen.

An overview of the airports I’ve visited over the last few...

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 09:46:00 +0100

An overview of the airports I’ve visited over the last few years.

My favorite albums of 2009

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:41:00 +0100

We’re approaching the end of 2009, and one of my favorite pastimes during this time of year is to look at the various albums that were released during the year and create one of those “My Favorite Albums of [insert year]” lists. It’s not a lot this year, but here goes:

Editors - In This Light And On This Evening

“WHAT?! ARE THEY FLIPPIN’ SERIOUS?!” was my first reaction to the news that Editors would get rid of their characteristic guitar riffs and would go electronic with their third record. But, I have to say, it’s actually for the better. I don’t think a third Editors album would have been interesting if they would have kept the same style. This is just great. The vocals become just so much more powerful, and they have musically grown a lot; there is a lot more variety in the songs. Interestingly though, my favorite track from this record is on the bonus disc, “This House Is Full Of Noise”. A perfect combination of Editors new style with the noiserock I’ve grown so fond of this year.
A Place To Bury Strangers - Exploding Head

Noiserock, shoegaze, whatever the fuck they call this genre, I only discovered it this year and asked myself why I haven’t listened to it before. It took me some time to get used to it and appreciate it, but once I ‘got it’ I just fell in love. This album might be a bit less noisy than their debut, but their songwriting has become so much better.
Arctic Monkeys - Humbug

The third Monkeys album is by far their best effort so far. It’s extremely cheesy to say that a band has grown and is more mature, but in the case of Humbug that’s just the best way to describe the progress these young lads have made. Josh Homme’s mark as a producer is apparent, but it’s all still very Arctic Monkeys. The only track that blows you away sonically is “Pretty Visitors”, but the Arctic Monkeys prove that they don’t need to rock hard to write good songs.
Kasabian - West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum

Kasabian has always been one of my favorite British bands and with this third album they really outdid themselves. Great riffs and overall a much more coherent effort than the previous two albums. Only unfortunate thing is that I still haven’t seem them live.
Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures

What’s there to say? It’s a supergroup. Usually they disappoint, and if I have to be honest, the first few songs didn’t catch me as much as I hoped. But once you reach ‘Reptiles’ the whole thing just really comes together. It transforms from a Queens of the Stone Age++ into something fresh and exciting, almost psychedelic. That second section really makes the whole record.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but this year hasn’t been the strongest in music. Not a lot of my favorite artists have released anything this year, I haven’t been able to find a lot of new interesting new artists and I really tried to like The XX, Florence + The Machine, Grizzly Bear and all the other new hip indie stuff, but it’s just too boring. On the other hand, the lack of any proper new stuff gave me plenty of opportunity to look back at the past decade and make a list of my favorite albums of the decade (which will come soon).

Thank god 2010 is already very promising with new albums from Dillinger Escape Plan, Does It Offend You, Yeah?, Deftones, Massive Attack and of course the Deluxe Edition of The Fragile, my favorite Nine Inch Nails record.

flpnstmblr.

I spy with my Muffin eye…

Rotterdam is quickly becoming covered in snow again. Awesome.

"I fockin’ hate pikeys!"

Winter in Kralingen

If only Tiger Woods paid more attention…

One of the coolest things I’ve ever seen.

An overview of the airports I’ve visited over the last few...

My favorite albums of 2009