the construct :: weblog

If you didn’t notice already, all new iPods have color screens for not too bad of prices.

The simplified lineup features a new 20GB color screen model for $299 (the same price as the older monochrome version), a 60GB model for $399 ($50 cheaper), and an updated iPod U2 Special Edition with a color screen for $329 ($20 cheaper). The company has apparently dropped the 30GB iPod photo model, which sold for $349. (From iPod Lounge)

This makes me want to get one pretty soon. Yes I have an iRiver with a beautiful color screen and lots of other features that the iPod doesn’t have. Yet I still want an iPod. Why? The user interface. The UI that has won the hearts and minds of millions of people everywhere. It’s easy to use, yet very fuctional. So if you are in the market for a new iPod, the color ones are at a decent price, and if you don’t want a color iPod, the old ones are getting cheaper by the second. Then there is always eBay.

Also, one other thing to note, iTunes 4.9 is out not with the new podcast feature. You can subscribe and download and listen to all your favorite podcasts. I wonder how this will affect ODEO(which is an awesome service by the way) If you think back a little ways, I was talking about podcasting as it was really starting to gain attention. Now it will be getting alot of attention, especially since Apple is. Wired has done many articles on the topic. Now is the time of podcasting… I’ll probably write another post on podcasting soon.

Coldplay - X&Y

Quite the excellent album. I’ve been listening to it straight for the last 10 hours or so, and I enjoy every second of it. It’s just the usual beautiful music and lyrics by Coldplay. I have really enjoyed the last two albums A Rush of Blood to the Head and Parachutes, and this album is no exception. To me it a perfect summer opener.

Some of my favorites off of X&Y are “Square One,” “Speed of Sound,” and “Low,” yet to tell you the truth, they are all awesome songs. The album artwork is inspirational aswell, so I encourage you to take a listen.

My Rating: 9 of 10
Support This Site: Buy Coldplay’s “X&Y” on Amazon.com

Beck is an all around awesome artist. For myself, it is also all around good listening music. At this moment I am listen to the album Mutations and also Guero which are both very good albums. Guero is the latest album and it has a very good different sound to it. There is some rock, some electronica, and just good sounds overall. In some ways I am reminded of Sting’s “Brand New Day” album which was experimental for him yet came out great. You might have seen/heard Becks latest single “e-pro” which is a good single. If you have not heard it, you can listen on Amazon.com

With this album I think Beck is actually getting some attention he deserves as an artist. I remember I bought the Mutations album years ago, I think when I was around 16. Granted I only listened to it a couple of times, yet recently I found it in my cd case and ripped it to my computer for some listening pleasure. I am very pleased, and I think you might be too.

Becks website is very creative and cool to explore.

Buy/Listen the latest album “Guero” on Amazon.com
You can also buy/listen to “Mutations” on Amazon.com

BLOC PARTY - Silent Alarm
Over the last couple weeks I have been constantly listening to this album. It is the bands first major release, and it is awesome. It’s one of those awesome albums that I usually talk about that you can listen to all the way through. It’s awesome background music (for me) as well as all the time listening.

They remind me a bit of Moving Units,yet Bloc Party is alot better sounding to me. This album has had some pretty good publicity, and I’ve actually heard of the band for awhile, just never listened… I’m so glad Angela had me listen to them.

They have and awesome sound and I really like the style of the band aswell. Enjoy some of it over at their website, blocparty.com

My Rating: 8.5 of 10
Buy Silent Alarm on Amazon.com

Through a round about way, I was able to pick up an iRiver H320 20 gb audio player. I must say, it’s awsome. It has a color screen, which is now setup to playt movies and tv shows and music videos and look at photos and record audio, and well, oh yeah! It plays audio too!

Today is my first usage of the fine piece of equipment, and I will let you know more of the awesome things about it soon!

By the way, it’s way better than the iPod, hehe.

I’m in San Diego this weekend at home for my pops birthday today. I love San Diego, yet I’m missing school right now for mainly one reason. She knows who she is.

Also, I’m listening to BLOC PARTY, Silent Alarm all weekend long. It’s an awesome album.

I bought a (new to me) record player today at a thrift store down the way. It’s a JVC auto return turntable system. It’s awesome compared to my old one. It sound super good, and it’s like newer so the ground is internal. I am very much pleased that is was also $21.99 which is a pretty decent price for this phono player. I have now stepped up in my entertainment universe. Soon I will get some new better speakers, and who knows what else. Any ideas anyone?

Hey look! I made video of my new record player. Click on either one below. (They are the same)
My_New_Record_Player_Small.wmv
My_New_Record_Player.avi(larger file size.)

I saw The Arcade Fire last night at the Troubadour in Hollywood and it was one of the best shows I have seen. Amazing.

There is actually a funny story to be told here. See how that guy is bashing the scaffolding. Well this other guy here was tripping out, and picked up a high hat (thanks lauren for correcting me) stand and was hitting the scaffold with it. Then the mic stand broke, hit this dudes head in front of us, then hit laurns face and mainly shoulder who was standing right next to me. It was crazy. I picked it up, and handed it back to the guy on stage. All during the song. Thinking about it later, I should have kept it for memory sake because Lauren’s shoulder was hurting her pretty bad. The guy came down off of stage and hugged the dude who got hit in the head (he was okay) and went back up on stage. Then he stumbled up stairs, came back down with a scarf thing on his head and tripped and fell. He was laying on the stage for a few minutes just hitting the ground. When he finally got up, he went over to another guy in the band, took off his glasses, and put them on himself. He then was draping the scarf clothe thing over the guys face as he started to lay down on the stage, while still playing. This was all during the course of a song. Pretty intense. That’s what I would say about that concert, intense and amazing.

By the way, you can view some photos over at the usual place, or just click the above image or here to go to the gallery. I must say that I only took like a photo or two with Angelas camera. She took most of them. Enjoy.

You can also see photos on flickr tagged with the arcade fire

Look at how much arcade fire tickets are selling for on ebay

Muse : Absolution

I just started listening to Muse a bit of time ago, and I really like them. It is a unique sound that is exceptionally awesome, especially when it comes to songs with the piano in it. The band has released a few cd’s and from what I have heard between Absolution and Showbiz they makes some awesome music. The lead singers voice flows melodically with the relatively hard rock combined with meaningful lyrics create an awesome album and band.

Some of my favorites from this album would be “Time is running out,” “Stockholm Syndrome,” and a others. As for myself, there really isn’t a bad song on the album.

My Rating: 8 of 10
Support this Site : Buy Muse:Absolution on Amazon.com

I Just got back from the HIM concert and it was to say the least, awesome. The sound was great, the vocals were a little odd sounding at times, yet overall it was an awesome show. Ville Valo’s (the lead singer) stage presence is just awesome. He dresses super cool, then just goes up there, does his thing. He doesn’t really dance around or anything, he just is there, like the heart of the band.

The setup was great, lights, sounds, everything. Soma is not really a large venue, yet it filled up with a couple hundred people. I only saw one of the openers, by the name of Monster Magnet. They were okay, I really just wanted to see HIM.

Here is some HIM links for your pleasure :
Heartagram.com - official band site
HIMonline.tv - one of the main band sites
HIM on myspace.com - listen to a few songs
HIM on Amazon.com - buy some stuff, by doing so you support this site!

Just and awesome, awesome concert. So glad I was finally able to see them. Now I have seen one band of my two favorite bands. Now I have to go see thursday