essentials for your eyes: the corner (HBO)

CLICK BELOW TO DOWNLOAD THE CORNER:

http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/3516107/The_Corner-_by_HBO_-_All_6_Eps

The Corner is a HBO mini series (six episodes in total) that tells the tale of drugs and their effects in the city of Baltimore. Although it is shot as a documentary with actors and actresses, the stories told are based off of real events and real people (who are interviewed at the end of the last episode). It was influenced by the book The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood. The Corner was shot and aired in the year 2000 and paved the way for the series The Wire. A lot of the actors in The Wire starred in The Corner, as well. The main focus is on the family of Gary McCullough, Francine Boyd and their son DeAndre McCullough. 

Gary was once a successful man, with a lot of drive and ambition and generousity. When he met Francine and got her pregnant, he dropped out of college. After their marriage ended (mainly due to Francines drug habits), Gary got hooked on drugs as well and began to lose control, money and everything else in his life.  While Gary lives in the basement of his parents house, Francine lives in a house with DeAndre and her youngest son Derodd. She struggles with drugs as well, but is always trying to get help to get off of them. DeAndre is in his teenage years and even though he has seen how drugs have ruined what was once a good family, he continues to sell the drugs on the corners of West Baltimore. 

I highly recommend this show if you are a fan of drama, HBO and television that reviews drugs and their effects on cities. It is very well written, shot and acted. If you enjoy this mini-series and are looking for a new series to watch, watch The Wire afterwards. It is also written by David Simon and one of the best television series ever. 

essentials for your ears: coffins - mortuary in darkness (2005)

I have been having a difficult time finding something as crushing and catchy as these guys ... and I've been searching for some time now! Coffins are this insanely evil doom metal band from Japan. They way I always describe them is like a crust record supposed to be played at 45rpm, but purposely slowed down to 33rpm. Stoner metal to mid tempo drums, lots of ring outs and gutteral vocals. Grimey and grim metal punk that can't be topped. They have many releases, including a lot of splits. The one I am going to share today is called "Mortuary In Darkness".  Seven tracks of sheer brutality. 

CLICK BELOW TO HEAR A TRACK (NO DOWNLOAD REQUIRED):

"SLAUGHTER OF GODS"

CLICK BELOW TO DOWNLOAD "MORTUARY IN DARKNESS":

http://www.mediafire.com/?3s95l5s1h8tgbh5

CLICK BELOW TO LEARN MORE ON COFFINS!

COFFINS MYSPACE

PLAY LOUD

- IAN

must see movies: the kings speech (2010)

I heard about this movie a few weeks ago and there have nothing but good reviews for it. I didn't think a movie about a king with a speech impediment would be that great, but I would proved wrong. 

Based in the 1930's (right before WWII), King George V passes away and his son Edward is next in line to be king. However, Edward is in love with a divorced woman from Scotland, but it is rule in the royalty that you can not marry a divorced woman, so Edward steps down as King, leaving it to his younger brother, George the VI (played by Colin Firth). One major issue is that George VI has a stammer and needs to overcome it. He begins to work with a speech therapist named Lionel Louge (played by Geoffrey Rush).

This movie is a great combination of drama and British comedy and I can see where all the good feedback and nominations for awards are coming from!

CLICK BELOW TO WATCH THE TRAILER:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzI4D6dyp_o&feature=fvst

CLICK BELOW TO DOWNLOAD THE MOVIE:

http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/6113652/The.Kings.Speech.2011.DVDScr.XVID.AC3.HQ.Hive-CM8

ROTTEN TOMATOES RATING: 95 / 100

METACRITIC RATING: 88 / 100

NOMINATED FOR 12 ACADEMY AWARDS

must see movies: the fighter (2010)

A great way to spend a Tuesday evening with some of my best friends. After reading way too many positive reviews, I decided to watch this movie with my homies tonight and it did not disappoint. Amazing performances from both Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg. Bale plays Dicky ... a washed up boxer with a crack cocaine addiction, who once had the spotlight. Wahlberg plays younger brother Micky, following in Dickys footstpes. His up and coming career as a boxer (being managed by his brother and mother) often seems to be going nowhere, until he decides to change to a new manager that is outside of the family. Micky also falls in love with a local bartender, much to the dislike of his relatives. Loads of drama takes place and each scene leaves you craving the next.

This film focuses more so on the struggles of the family and the troubles they encounter in this kind of life and doesn't emphasize on the boxing world entirely, which is one of the strong points. The acting is incredible, especially Christian Bale (who seems to perfect any role he touches, especially a crack head) 

This movie is right up there with the classic boxing movie Raging Bull (starring Robert Deniro and Joe Pesci)

CLICK BELOW TO WATCH THE TRAILER:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71l-kIhJ5j8

CAN'T AFFORD A NIGHT AT THE MOVIES? DOWNLOAD LINK BELOW:

http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/6101018/The.Fighter.2010.DVDSCR.AC3.XViD-iNK

Highly recommended. Enjoy!

- ian

essentials for your ears: low threat profile - lp (2010)

Amazing hardcore band from California. One of the best hardcore units I have heard of in a long time. 

For those that don't already know of Low Threat Profile, it is a long time project that is finally coming together. Consisting of members of previous California hardcore acts Lack Of Interest, Infest and No Comment. This band is a combination of all the bands mentioned and picks right up where they left off. Very tight drums, awesome guitar riffs and the most aggressive and best sounding vocalist in the history of hardcore. 

CLICK BELOW TO HEAR THE DEBUT 7 INCH:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8veBlX6Txo

If you like that stuff, you will love the self titled LP they recently releases, courtesy of Draw Blank Records and Deep Six Records. Fifteen songs in under ten minutes. For fans of speed, aggression and hardcore punk.

CLICK BELOW TO DOWNLOAD THE LP:

http://www.mediafire.com/?5gc2ai6ie84k4cq

ENJOY RESPONSIBLY 

- IAN

must see movies : true grit (2010)

This is a remake of the 1969 film and the second film made based off the novel of the same name, written in 1968. This movie has an all star line up in it, including Jeff "The Dude" Bridges (from The Big Lewbowski), Josh Brolin (No Country For Old Men) and Matt Damon. The Coen Brothers are responsible for this remake and they team up with Bridges for the first time since The Big Lewbowski and work with Brolin again (they made No Country For Old Men ... an amazing movie that you should check out if you have never seen it before!) 

The film is about a girl named Mattie Ross (played by Elizabth Marvel) who is on the hunt for Tom Chaney (Brolin) who is the man who killed her father and stole his gold and horses. Mattie meets and constantly tries to hire a US Marshall by the name of Rooster Cogburn (Bridges) to track down Chaney. After many attempts and declines, Cogburn eventually gives in. At the same time, Texas Ranger La Boeuf (Damon) is on the hunt for Chaney as well, for a murder he commited in Texas. La Boeuf wants to team up with Cogburn and Ross, but Ross refuses to, because she believes that Chaney would be prosecuted for the Texas murder, rather than her fathers death. 

CLICK BELOW TO WATCH THE TRAILER:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUiCu-zuAgM

ROTTEN TOMATOES RATING: 95 / 100

METACRITIC RATING: 80 / 100

essentials for your ears: allo darlin - self titled (2010)

Pretty catchy indie rock / pop from the UK. Their self titled came out last year. If you're into super simple and easy listening stuff, check them out!

CLICK BELOW TO WATCH THEIR MUSIC VIDEO "DREAMING":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDM_DyoGGSA

CLICK BELOW FOR THEIR MYSPACE:

http://www.myspace.com/allodarlin

CLICK BELOW TO DOWNLOAD THEIR 2010 ALBUM:

http://www.mediafire.com/?a0646fxo81rjaa6

enjoy xo

- ian

essentials for your eyes: "diary" by chuck palahniuk (2003)

With this new job I got a couple of months ago, I have a lot of down time where I have nothing to do. To fight the war on boredom, I have been reading a lot lately. One author I have been enjoying is Chuck Palahniuk. I have seen Fight Club, but enjoyed the book more than the film. Afterwards, I read Survivor (another great novel that you should check out if you enjoy his work). 

I started Diary a couple days ago and from page one, I was hooked and done it in no time. The best way to describe this novel would probably be as a psychological horror with a unique sense of humor. A twisted sense of humor.

Without giving too much away, it is about a woman (Misty) who was supposed to have a successful career as an artist. She met a man, had a child with him and moved back to his hometown on Waytansea Island. The format of the novel is in the form of (you guessed it) a diary. It is narrated by Misty and supposed to be read by her husband (Peter) once he awakens from his coma, after a failed attempt at suicide. While trying to put the pieces together of her husbands attempted suicide, "she soon finds herself a pawn in a larger conspiracy that threatens to cost hundreds of lives."

"Reading a Palahniuk novel is like getting zipped inside a boxer's heavy bag while the author goes to work on you, pounding you until there is nothing left but a big bag of bones and blood and pain."
-THE MIAMI HERALD

Pretty much sums up his writing, if you haven't check his works out. Sometimes hard to read, but at the same time you have a hard time putting the book down!

Next on the Palahniuk chopping block for me ... Haunted

- ian

must see movies: black swan (2010)

CLICK BELOW TO WATCH THE TRAILER:

BLACK SWAN (2010) TRAILER

I went to see this psycho sexy thriller tonight and it certainly did not disappoint. It was very well written and had a lot of innovative camera angles. Super suspenseful, with an amazing blend of intensity and dark drama thrown in it. Natalie Portman does a remarkable job in her role, along side the rest of the cast. If you have a few bucks in your wallet, take a trip to the theater and go see this. 

ROTTEN TOMATOES RATING: 88 / 100

METACRITIC RATING: 79 / 100

blatant localism: whiskey bent and hellbound

WHISKEY BENT AND HELLBOUND MYSPACE BELOW:

http://www.myspace.com/whiskeybentandhellboundns/music

If you like country music, check out Whiskey Bent & Hellbound. A few friends of mine are in this band and (hopefully) I will be able to catch their act tonight, or in the immediate future. Dirty, dirty ole country. If you like what you hear, they also just released their first album. Enjoy!

essential for your ears: modern english - "mesh and lace"

BAND: MODERN ENGLISH

ALBUM: MESH AND LACE

RELEASE DATE: 1981

GENRE: NEW WAVE / POST PUNK

01 Gathering Dust 

02 16 Days 

03 Just A Thought 

04 Move In Light

05 Grief 

06 The Token Man 

07 A Viable Commercial 

08 Black Houses 

09 Dance Of Devotion (A Love Song) 

10 Smiles And Laughter 

11 Mesh And Lace 

12 Tranquility Of A Summer Moment (Vice Versa) 

13 Home 

14 Swans On Glass 

15 Incident

Big thanks to my friend Rob Butler for this. I have been searching up a lot of new wave and post punk lately and he told me about this release. A lot of people probably won't know Modern English by name, but they are well known for their single "I Melt With You".

CLICK BELOW TO SEE THE "I MELT WITH YOU" MUSIC VIDEO

"I MELT WITH YOU" MUSIC VIDEO

"Mesh And Lace" has a more goth rock sound to it than their later material. Very dark and drony, with almost a Joy Division vibe to it at times. Great music to listen to at night.

CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN TO "GATHERING DUST" OFF OF "MESH AND LACE" 

LISTEN TO THE FIRST TRACK OFF THIS ALBUM HERE

CLICK BELOW TO DOWNLOAD THE ALBUM!

DOWNLOAD THIS ALBUM HERE:

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MODERN ENGLISH, CLICK BELOW

OFFICIAL MODERN ENGLISH WEBSITE

 HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS ALBUM

- IAN

Must See Movies: Winter's Bone (2010)

CLICK BELOW TO WATCH THE TRAILER ...

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TRAILER

From Wikipedia: 

Winter's Bone is a 2010 drama film, an adaptation of Daniel Woodrell's 2006 novel of the same name. 

17-year-old Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) is the sole responsible "adult" in her impoverished Ozark family—with a younger brother and sister and an incapacitated mother. She finds herself forced to track her fugitive father, a longtime crystal meth maker, through the most hardcore of the local criminal network after she learns that he has put their home up as his bail bond. She endures a series of harrowing encounters and experiences, but due to her perseverance, her menaced family survives.

I'm not the only one who thought this was an amazing movie.

ROTTEN TOMATOES RATING: 94 / 100

METACRITIC RATING: 90 / 100

DOWNLOAD LINK BELOW:

THE PIRATE BAY

and so it was written

a new blog that will provide lots of entertaining and interesting pictures, as well as recommendations for music and movies ... hope you enjoy!