Shutting Down…..

Sunday, August 9, 2009.

I am no longer enjoying doing this blog.

I liked that it helped me discover a lot of new music. However, most of the music is DIY stuff made by pro-ams and rating that sort of stuff is contrary to why I started this blog.

I started this to sift through the immense amount of commercial entertainment media content and find the few that are worthwhile in the slag heap. It ended up with me rating a bunch of crappy movies. The purpose of this blog ended up being much too broad and it became a chore to maintain.

Although I am getting a fair amount of hits, I do feel that there is all that much depth of interest. I would rather post about subjects that a few others are genuinely interested in than subjects that a bunch of people have passing interest.

It was fun while for a while, good practice and I learned a lot.

I might in the future start a more focused music blog. However, there are already a bunch of great music blogs that I subscribe to so there really is no need.

Currently, I am still very much enjoying my craft beer blog: http://ciceronito.wordpress.com

I have also become disenchanted with my socio-economic blog ( http://prfx.wordpress.com ) but for the reason that socio-economic practice and policy is literally insane and conducting rational discourse about insanity is crazy.

I have a personal blog ( http://papaloveszaky.wordpress.com ) that is fulfilling and enjoyable to post. It does not have mass appeal but is personally meaningful.

And I have a random blog that I use as an outlet for casual posting: http://randommax.wordpress.com , there I will probably post some of the very select stuff that I used to post here. Like films, books, comics or whatever that I am super into.

Anyways, so long from Sifter X. I will keep this blog online but no longer post to it.

-Maxwell

novel- Liberation: Being the Adventures of the Slick Six after the Collapse of the United States of America by Brian Francis Slattery

bfslattery site.

This 2008 novel is a hoot and a holler. The protagonist, Marco, is a dangerous man on a prison ship who returns to America after an economic and political collapse. He seeks out the talented individuals that made up his former crew, the Slick Six, and tries to reunite the group with a new purpose.

This is an incredibly creative novel. Slattery paints a vividly vibrant yet unrecognizable America. It is part pulp, part political and part apocalyptic burner, is the best I can put it. While reading I got the distinct impression that the author is big into the Buring Man lifestyle or, at least, perspective. Not the straight up hedonistic part (although probably) but more the intellectual and creative hedonism. I dunno, that is what I got and I mean that (mostly) complementary.

Anyways, this was a fun trip well worth reading.

Content rating: 8.5/10

Style rating: 10/10

movie: Up

IMDb. Disney Official Site.

I recently took my son to this 2009 film, twice. It was actually a quite enjoyable film for both of us. It begins incredibly cute and sweet but soon turns tragic. There is a depth and emotive quality that rivals serious live-action films. That is very rare for an animated American film.

We saw it in once in 3D and once regular. The 3D was not as impressive as Monsters vs Aliens but still was a fun experience.

Overall, this is one of the best animated American children’s films in a long time. Endearing characters and the aforementioned depth make this film stand out and make it as enjoyable for an adult as I assume it is for children. Plus, balloons are awesome. Great film.

Content rating: 7/10

Style rating: 9/10

comic: Heart Throbs

This 4 part series is a parody of an old DC romantic comic series by the same name. The new series is a bunch of short stories that are twisted to varying degrees. Each short story is done by different writers and artists. Some are pretty stupid and some are mildly interesting but overall this is pretty much garbage.

Content rating: 2/10

Style rating: 3/10

movie: Streets of Blood

IMDb. Wikipedia.

This 2009 film stars Val Kilmer and 50 Cent as cops in New Orleans in a cops vs gangsters vs feds vs dirty cops vs dirty feds shoot ‘em up that takes place in the chaos following Katrina.

It is not that good. Worse than the super mediocre “Street Kings.” Mindless police and gangster action flicks are pretty much a sure thing. Dudes are going to Netflix them or watch it on PPV and it does not need a ridiculous budget to produce, just some cars and prop guns; so it will make money. Plus, every now and then an actor gets an award for playing the hardbroiled cop, like Denzel and Ethan Hawke for “Training Day;” so big name actors will do it. These type of flicks are to Hollywood what Westerns were 40 years ago: a can’t lose.

Anyways, this film was a mindless action flick that is between bad and mediocre. The highlight was the sets and location shots. Oh, and the super cliche thunder and lightning at the dramatic betrayal. I liked that.

Content rating: 3.5/10

Style rating: 5/10

album: Bass Binshit Summer Promo Mix by Taliesin

MySpace. Mix <—hot link.

This 2009 mix has been getting posted on a lot of music blogs lately and for good reason. It is 38 minutes of heavy, neurotic dubshizz at a stony tempo. Plus, some recognizable flows dropped every here an thur.

Definately bumpy, heady music that is kind of hardcase chill music. I’m definately gonna check out dude’s other mixes now.

Content rating: 7.5/10

Style rating: 8.5/10

album: Sounds of Summer 09 by Shinichi Osawa

Palms Out Post <— DL thur freeze. MySpace.

This 2009 mix is #9 in the venerable 2009 Sounds of Summer mix series by Palms Out Sounds is by Tokyo’s Shinichi Osawa. It is by far my least favorite. It is 61 minutes of super chill down-tempo music. Not my thing. Occasionally, I will do some Thievery Corporation or Mushroom Jazz but I tend to stick with dubby or trip hop type chill music or listen to roots or even some Buddha Bar type lounge music. This is super soft chill music, kinda emo or something I dunno how to describe it but it ain’t my style. There is a few minutes in the middle that picks up with some mellow house but then it gets even more chillistic afterwards. I actually really wanted to skip through it but it is only fair to listen to an entire mix if reviewing it.

The SoS series has a lot of variety and it is cool to see the different interpretations that the different artists come up with when tasked with making a summer mixtape. So each itteration is entirely different which makes listening to it like unwrapping a present. For me, this mix is going to be re-gifted.

So, if you like chill-out, emo-ish music then cop it.

Content rating: 2/10

Style rating: 1/10

album: Sounds of Summer 07 by Urchins

Palms Out Post <–DLz thur. MySpace.

This 2009 mix is part 7 of Palms Out’s Sounds of Summer mix series and, unfortunately, one of the weaker entries. It is 66 minutes of soul, disco, disco house and chill out. It is straight cheese. Soft, stinky cheese. There are a couple of quality cuts but it is mostly cliche, not regular cliche but ironically hipster cliche which is the worst. Anyways, it is not for me but I can appreciate the appeal. Plus, it adds variance to the venerable SoS mix project.

All that being said, go check out the Urchins myspace (link above) and listen to their tracks, some of which are pretty cool.

Content rating: 4/10

Style rating: 5.5/10

album: Sounds of Summer 11 by Youth Attack!

Palms Out Post. Youth Attack MySpace.

Palms Out already is on the 10th release of the Sounds of Summer series of mixes for summer 2009. (This is actually #11 in the series but #3 got skipped cuz whomever was set to mix it lagged hardcore) I will try to review them all but they come out so quick it is hard to keep up with that plus everything else.

Anyways, Youth Attack! is a couple blokes from Leeds… Hmmm, yes, Leeds… who drop this tech-housey mix that, frankly, reminds me of a very Atlantic sound. It reminds me of a hybridization of what I think of as UK and NY house sounds. It is a pretty banging mix. Qual 4 def.

Palms Out has done a stellar job with this mix series. The mixes are varied and eclectic. Plus, the artists are all relatively unknown but talented. A great opportunity to hear fresh music and check out upcoming mixers. Very nice!

Content rating: 7/10

Style rating: 7.5/10

album: A Badman Cometh Promo Mix by DZ

MySpace. Mix DL Here Freeze.

This 2009 dubstep mix is rollers, growlers and steppers for the junglist massive. Dem sum ruff cutz ya heard?

Anyways, I have been bumping this lately. The basslines are absolutely supa tremendous. And it clocks in a lean 43 min. There is no fat on this mix. If ya diggin da big sounds then you will definately enjoy it.

Fiiiiiiiiiire!!!!

Content rating: 8/10

Style rating: 8/10