New Music: The Sack of Troy

The winter freeze is upon us, and so it's been a big month for musical creativity. The Sack of Troy is a elegy for Hector and all of those who fight reluctantly. Had a lot of fun with the guitars on this one. I used my T57 Tube Screamer with the strat. Initially I had this song at 210 bpm, but I had to slow the drums down to 195 bpm because I couldn't get the bass part right. The lyrics are below.

Give my sons all the coins that I’ve earned

Give my wife my books that I want burned

On the shores they’ve gathered armies

Long of lance and short of heartbeats

You can’t hide yourself any longer

They have swords that have your number

You can’t hide yourself any longer

They have swords that have your number

From the walls I see the blood bath

Children scream the names of fallen

“This one’s armor will go to you,”

“This one’s memories will fall to you,”

You can’t hide yourself any longer

They have swords that have your number

You can’t hide yourself any longer

They have swords that have your number

Around my walls Achilles chased me

Eyes of fire and heart of stone

I did face him though it killed me

He wouldn’t give away my body

You can’t hide yourself any longer

They have swords that have your number

You can’t hide yourself any longer

They have swords that have your number

Names preserved in poet’s lines

Echoed across the seas of time

“Do you remember why we fell

into a churning mass of knives?

Do you remember why we died?”

They can’t hide themselves any longer

We have swords that have their number

They can’t hide themselves any longer

We have swords that have their number

New Music: Lucretia

 

An old instrumental dating back to my Texas days. The original used a Digitech Whammy pedal for the rhythm chord progression; on this recording, I used a Pitchfork set to fifths.I don't remember where I heard the story of Lucretia, but it was a myth that made an impression on me. 

New Music: I Got The End Of Days In Me

 

Wrote and recorded this last night in a frenzy. One positive to the dissolution of my country is that I've been very creative! Went for a 60's feel, with the guitars and Iggy Pop beat.

Vampire Survivors Versus God of War: Ragnarok

 

I've put almost forty hours into Vampire Survivor, a bullet-hell roguelike with pixelated graphics and a nostalgic Castlevania theme so obvious that they released an official Castlevania DLC. Gameplay consists of wandering around an expansive map while ever-increasing waves of enemies attack. Your character auto-attacks, so all you have to do is move and chose from a huge selection of active weapons and passive powerups that random chance offers you every time you level up. If you pair the right weapon with the right passive ability, you'll eventually evolve your weapon into a stronger form. This is gameplay in a nutshell--Vampire Survivors is a very simple game--but the sheer amount of unlockables, from weapons, stages, characters, and relics (items on the map the confer a permanent bonus; e.g., a map, the ability to reroll random weapon/passive ability drops) ensures that you'll always have a reason for another run. The dopamine rush from having your character absolutely annihilate hundreds of enemies--their deaths leaving behind gems of various shades that serve as experience--is very real, and I've often wondered whether Vampire Survivor can be considered a manipulative game. Its designer worked in the casino industry and you can tell. When you kill a boss, a chest will drop that contains anywhere from three to five random rewards. A little piece of crescendoing music plays and fireworks shoot out of the chest, increasing your anticipation. Were there predatory microtransactions, I would think I'd hate this game, but Vampire Survivors is like a gambling ode to the simple games of the NES generation. It doesn't have a story or high production values. It simply massages your lizard brain and lets you relax and forget America's downward spiral into authoritarianism (putting out the positive vibes!).

 

Contrast the simple mechanics/indie production values of Vampire Survivor with God of War: Ragnarok, Sony's big-budget sequel to their 2018 God of War reboot. Ragnarok is a perfect example of a modern triple-A singleplayer game. It's gorgeous, well-voice acted, plays well, and is about as safe a sequel as you could imagine. Developers Santa Monica have added very little new from a gameplay perspective, other than more time playing as Atreus, who serves as the story's focal point. The narrative tension between Kratos and Atreus from the first game is absent, even though Ragnarok tries to replicate this dynamic. Kartos's story from GOW 2018 is just more interesting--Atreus finding his place in the Norse pantheon isn't as compelling as wondering whether Kratos will learn how to parent his son or revert to the monster he was in the original games. Without a really compelling story, Ragnarok becomes just a series of little dungeons and simple puzzles. I wish they'd tinkered with the camera or given Kratos some of his old powers back, or maybe made Atreus more fun to play. It's not that I don't like the game--I've spent almost thirty hours in Ragnarok--but it feels like something I've played before. It's interesting that an indie title like Vampire Survivor can suck up more of my time than a big budget action game like God of War, but that seems to be the situation. Sometimes all we need is a little reversion to the basics. Still, I'd like to commend the PC port of Ragnarok, because it runs really well (triple digit framerates at 1440p maxed out with DLAA on an RTX 3080 and a Ryzen 7 5800x), especially seeing how Spider-man 2's PC port is such a disaster.

God of War: Ragnarok screenshots below (because they're so pretty): 

 

New Music: Daddy Sold Trump Flags

 

My friend who I had a couple beers with last weekend sang me some song about daddy selling Trump flags out of the back of his van to the tune of a John Prine number; I can't remember which. I was very drunk and so was he; nevertheless, such an affront demands a response, and this is what I came up with. We are very lucky to live in the present as opposed to pretty much any time from the past. Still, I didn't foresee witnessing the fall of the Republic. It doesn't have to fall if we do something. Every little bit helps.

Autocracy Is Not Inevitable

 Look at this fucking asshole rat-man.

Trump campaigned on being a dictator on day one, but it seems his ambitions extend far beyond a single afternoon. From issuing executive orders like post-it notes from God to purging the FBI, he sure seems like he's not playing around. Elon Musk, an unelected South African billionaire, is locking Federal employees out of their computers while stealing the keys to the Treasury. The Department of Justice has promised to go after anyone who impedes Musk and his cronies. Birthright citizenship might be up in the air; El Salvador will apparently be the destination for deportees, possibly including American citizens. Nonsense tariffs have been put in place against Mexico and Canada and then temporarily removed, sowing chaos in the markets. America, quite frankly, is not the country it was just a few weeks ago. Project 2025 is being implemented, and its goal is to transform the country into an oligarchy.

What the fuck do we do?

First, you can call your worthless Democratic or Republican representative and tell them you want them to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law. Will this work? Seeing how they give more of a shit about billionaires like Elon Musk, I don't know. I do know that if more and more people call every day, then that might make them think twice about doing nothing while we descend into authoritarianism. To find your congressional representative, click here.    

I called Todd Young, one of my senators earlier, and got transferred to voicemail. I'll call back later to see if I can get an actual living person on the phone, but here's what I said:

Hi I’m a resident of Aurora, Indiana and I have a message for the Senator:

I want to know if the Senator is going to preserve the rule of law in this country. An unelected South African billionaire is preventing government employees from doing their jobs while stealing the personal information of millions of Americans and nothing has been done to stop him. I want to know if he’s going to be complicit with President Trump’s efforts to transform the Justice Department and FBI into his own personal police force. I want to know if the Senator supports birthright citizenship and the Constitution. I want to know if the Senator is going to do his job as a member of Congress, and represent the American people rather than billionaires and special interests. I want to know if the Senator will put his country before his political party. That’s what I want to know.

Thank you.

Secondly, you can donate to organizations like the ACLU and pray that the rule of law holds up enough that the Trump administration obeys the courts. I also give to the World Wildlife Fund and the Union of Concerned Scientists, and while they won't oppose authoritarianism, they will hopefully provide a little resistance against the Trump administration's efforts to destroy the planet. We should also support legitimate news and journalism, and for me that means subscribing to Vox, Slow Boring, and Defector (ostensibly a sports site, but they feature some excellent political writing from David Roth in particular). Maybe also cancel your Amazon Prime subscription, and don't use Instagram or Facebook.

Thirdly, you can take direct action. Join your local Democratic party or attend a protest. Write a shitty little article like this and share it on social media. Just do something. Don't let depression or anxiety take you. These fuckers are moving fast because they know they have limited time. They're counting on the American people to sit on their asses and cry. Nothing is inevitable and no one is absolutely powerless. This is going to be a tough four years, but we can make it through it.  

Bad Poetry: The Slow March

 

First the bubble pops

The endless greed

That desires to replace

All of us humans

With computer programs;

Then come the nonsensical tariffs

On all of our precious microchips

Making it more expensive

To buy a phone,

Computer,

Car,

Or just about anything.

Then the federal funding freezes;

The mass firing of the watchdogs;

The offer to just quit

And hide your head in the sand.

When the deportations start

There won't be anybody to pick the food,

Put a roof on your house,

Or change the sheets at a hotel.

When you're paying ten dollars a carton

For eggs, and the price of apples

Is eight dollars a pound,

And your kid loses their free school lunch,

And the old lady down the street

Can't use her SNAP benefits;

Will you perhaps reflect

That maybe it wasn't a good idea

To vote for an idiot?

Or do I ask too much?

New Music: Dinosaur

 

A simple folk song dating back to those halcyon days of 2011, Dinosaur was supposed to be part of an acoustic project that I abandoned back when I was a younger man. In those days, I worked at Pet Smart and came home and wrote songs. That was my twenties--hiding inside, writing songs, playing video games, drinking cases of Miller High Life, maybe going out to play at an empty club. What am I nostalgic for, really? My life is much better now. It's my youth, baby. That's what we're missing. The big 40 is coming and so begins the descent into middle-aged. That doesn't mean that life is over--really, it's just getting started. But I do wish I had tried a bit harder to make it as a musician back when there was more of an appetite for garage bands, when I had the time to spare. 

New Album: Living In The Past

 

A compelling mix of rock, folk, blues, and electronica, Living In The Past is the second Theme Park Mistress album composed of songs written and recorded over the past decade. It's lo-fi, hi-fi, and everything in-between. Rock 'n' roll ain't dead; it's just been sleeping. Available on all major streaming services. Links below:

Spotify

Tidal

Youtube  

iHeartRadio

Apple Music

 

 

New Music: Kurt's Complaint

 

Hey a Nirvana parody! Nobody's ever done that before, right? I do think this is a pretty good homage, however. I committed garage rock sacrilege by plugging the guitars directly into the preamp and doing all the effects in Reason. But hey, I don't have a band, nor do I have a lot of fancy gear, so on the other hand, doing it all myself is about the most punk rock thing one could do, right?

Through the Eyes of a Dog

 

What's that, Master? Is it time for a walk? I will do my best to destroy the harness before you put it on me. Yes, it is firmly ensnared between my jaws, as I intended. This is an amusing game we play, isn't it? You try to tear the harness from my teeth and I clench down as hard as I can. A-hah, you win again. Your fingers are delicate, Master. Let me bite them for you.

Oh, the outside is wonderful, is it not? Is that a frozen cat turd? Why do you restrain me, Master? Do you not know the deliciousness of petrified cat feces? 'Tis a treat unparalleled in the dog world. I must fight you, Master. You do not know what you deny me.

There, a stranger across the street! I will pull you to them, Master! Hurry, hurry, before they flee! Surely they will want to be clawed across the face and will reward me for pouncing upon their person! Why are you screaming? They want to pet me!

All apologies, Master. I am sorry that you fell because I had to lunge suddenly at a soiled taco bell wrapper. Your bruised knees and curses are worth it, I assure you. This wrapper tastes like garbage. Mmmumm, most delicious.

No, no, no, this is not the time to cross the street. I am sniffing here, Master. You don't understand. I detect the faintest whiff of cat urine on this particular spot. I'm sure the car will stop before it hits us. It's a risk I'm willing to take.

What, now that we're home, you don't want to play? Why can't you sacrifice your new shoe to my destructive urges? Well, if you're going to put that one back, I'm going to get another one.

Oh, this bread and plastic taste so good. What, why are you taking them from me? It was on the counter. Fair game, Master! If I can expend every effort to reach it, then I deserve to have a piece. Or the whole loaf.

This couch is not for me, eh? Then why does Mommy let me lie on it? Explain it to me, Master. I am good dog. I'm sure you won't mind if I indulge in a little casual pillow destruction. Mommy won't mind. As I said, I am good dog.

Hey! You there! Moving shadow across the window! Stop I said! Did you see it, Master? Did you see? Something moved over there! Who knows what it could be? We must raise the alarm! Intruder! Intruder!

I swear I saw something, Master. I better raise the alarm again to see if I can flush it out. Why do you berate me so? I'm going to choose to interpret your shouting as joining in with my raising of the alarm. Yes, shout Master! Let them have it! They will never cross our window again!

Oh, this shoe is great. Most delicious! Here, Master. Why don't you have a taste? I will share it with you. If you can take it from me. What a fun game we play.