Hiatus number ... I think I lost count!

I seem to like to take massive hiatuses - or hiatii, the way I do them - from the Odyssey. I've experimented with other websites and even created other blogs in this time to see what fit. Since school is starting and my work load is going to be getting heavier, now seems like the right time to get back into it. In all seriousness, having this is a nice break from the mundane.

From this point on, I promise there will not be anymore posts (a.k.a. excuses) about my time off.

Welcome back, folks! That is, if there are still people who read this...

Krzysztof Kieślowski's Trois Couleurs

I recently checked out a film by Polish film director Kieślowski entitled Trois couleurs: Bleu - the first film as part of the Three Colours Trilogy (the next two are entitled Blanc and Rouge, after the colours of the French flag). He is known to make films as part of a cycle and the story of each film in this series is based on one of the three political ideals in the motto of the French Republic - liberty, equality, and fraternity.

Bleu is speaking loosely on the idea of liberty, not in a political sense, but on an individual, emotional basis. So far, it's pretty interesting - the whole idea of this trilogy brilliant. Too bad I couldn't wait to finish the whole series before I wrote this. I will have a better post when I've watched the next two... I'm having a hard time juggling this with LOST right now. I'm sure you'd understand.

What's Up Buttercup?

Blog out of Vancouver

And so the blog community grows...

With http://internethug.blogspot.com/

This one's from the brains of the coolest kids this side of the planet (literally), Azadeh and Ameneh. These girls give the goods on what's hip and cool out west, that we're all missing here in Toronto.

Trust me, they know what they are talking about!

More Music

So what if my last few posts have been about music. You should be happy you don't have to look too far for it.

There has been some great stuff thus far in 2008... Too bad I haven't heard all of it. Here are albums that have made some noise this year. The link will take you to the respective download. Hope you dig.

Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours


Radiohead - In Rainbows (cd 2)


The Black Keys - Attack & Release


N*E*R*D - Seeing Sounds


Portishead - Third


Coldplay - Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends


The Roots - Rising Down


Lil Wayne - The Carter III


Does it Offend You, Yeah? - You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into


I hope Chris Martin and Weezy don't kick my door down and break my legs for downloading and uploading their stuff for free. If there are no blog posts after this one, you'll know why...

Remember, you only have a week to get the music before the link expires.

Funky Punk

I've had bandwidth and a lot of time on my hands since school's been out, so I've been downloading music and movies like a villain to the industry. (HEY, I'm unemployed, so what do you expect?)

Here is some of the stuff that has been eating away at my ears as of late.

A young Iggy Pop doing what he does best

Iggy Pop & The Stooges – The Stooges (1969) http://www.sendspace.com/file/ingdxt

This is a legendary album that was way ahead of its time. It’s short and intense, but brilliant all at the same time.

The Fall – Live at the Witch Trials (1979) http://www.sendspace.com/file/8y60dq

Continuing with my little classic punk phase is The Fall. This is their first record of many, but don’t let the name fool you – it’s not a live album. This is real, uninhibited punk at its finest. This version of the album is the 2004 reissue.

We Are Wolves – Total Magique (2007) http://www.sendspace.com/file/mi35wl

Out of Montreal, I would describe this album as electro-punk - but those sounds together can be categorized as ‘badass.’

The Long Blondes – Couples (2007) http://www.sendspace.com/file/ze6qet

The day I discovered Sheffield’s The Long Blondes, they were playing a show in town. I listened to this album and was disappointed that I missed them. They have been categorized as neo-punk, but if you hear any trace of punk in this album, please let me know.

Swedish Music Man

Jens Lekman (pronounced "Yens") is an indie rock artist out of Sweden, has 2 LPs and numerous other recordings under his belt. When I started listening to El Perro del Mar, I enjoyed her immensely, but didn’t look into other Swedish artists. I don’t know why. I can't seem to turn him off now...

He's too good.

Thanks to Her Royal Hotness, Isabel who gave me his music SO LONG AGO, but I only listened to it now. Silly me. She's always on the cool way before it becomes cool.

The Bape Life

How fitting that a pair of golden Bapestas led me to the Bape website last night and there I discovered how far reaching the brand has become. Nigo – the mastermind behind the Bathing Ape empire – has had a goal for his brand to be more than just another label. With stores in 6 corners of the globe, and with its various departments, it has become a lifestyle that and continues to exceed and redefine what a lifestyle brand should be.

It has everything you need to live a lifestyle: Towels, glasses cases, bags, pencil cases, wall clocks, and umbrellas to name a few.

One indication that a brand has become a lifestyle is when it successfully extends beyond its original product category – in Bape’s case, it began with clothing. The company not only maintains its apparel line, but also operates Bape Cuts hair salon, Bape Gallery, Bape Sounds Records. There’s even a Bape Café with its own brand of food, drinks and dessert. They don’t miss a beat!

Bape Food!

Designer names like Abercrombie and Fitch and Calvin Klein are considered typical lifestyle brands but are no where near as comprehensive as A Bathing Ape. Part of its far-reaching

success could be its constant collaborations – the current big one being Sponge Bob, but has included big companies like Adidas, Casio, Disney, Marvel and Pepsi in the past – combining strengths of the brands involved, leading to mutual benefits to both in expanding their horizons so to speak.

Bape shirts that are two-sided – You know when you grab that shirt even though its dirty but you still wear it? Bape lets you continue this life style by looking new and fresh on the block while doing it. I like how Bape takes into account your busy lifestyle and not having time to wash your clothes all the time. They make it seem like you have more clothes than you really do. The crazy colours and designs are helpful: in case you get lost in a crowd, you'll be easy to find (not good if you’re a fugitive, so criminals beware).

In North America, the culture Bape reaches is limited to those in-the-know, particularly sneaker heads. But in Japan, where it has been established for over a decade, it is well known and not limited to such subculture, but rather to everyone and that’s really where the lifestyle aspect can really take off. Give Bape a few more years in North America and see how far it can go.