#OG vol 1 tonight!!

[lizkreates]

Time to continue my brand of posting rough WIPs at 12am.

I swear this will be a fun one-pager. Also in color! (I want to test out those digital markers again.)

I was going to draw more but 90% of this was being distracted as I skimmed TriMax for ref of Vash's outfit and then I started reading it.

[freshthoughts2020]

[snackpointcharlie]

When you’ve got that run down, not-fresh feeling, take two tablets of Snackpoint Charlie and watch your cares and woes disappear. The latest curative airs tonight at 10pm Eastern Standard Time on WGXC, 90.7 FM in the upper Catskills of New York state. That’s Snackpoint Charlie, in your grocer’s freezer section: ask for it by name. Feel fresh & clean inside with this week’s episode, now podcasted in gelcap form for easy digestion

Snackpoint Charlie - Transmission 131 - 2024.01.17 https://wavefarm.org/wf/archive/z8f0yq [ ^ click for download ^ ]

PLAYLIST

1) Big ‡ Brave - “i felt a funeral” from A CHAOS OF FLOWERS https://thrilljockey.com/products/a-chaos-of-flowers https://bigbrave.bandcamp.com/album/a-chaos-of-flowers

2) Martin Rev - “Jomo” from MARTIN REV http://www.bureau-b.com/

3) Allison Burik - “Heiemo og Nykkjen” from REALM https://allisonburik.bandcamp.com/album/realm

(underbed throughout:) Pinchas Gurevich - “Fsckingmajor”

4) Willie Dunn - “I Pity the Country” from NATIVE NORTH AMERICA: ABORIGINAL FOLK, ROCK, AND COUNTRY 1966-1985 (VOL. 1) https://nativenorthamerica-variousartists.bandcamp.com/album/native-north-america-vol-1-aboriginal-folk-rock-and-country-1966-1985

5) Ryu Tsuruoka - “Wagamama” from OMAE https://ppudc.bandcamp.com/track/wagamama

6) Dr. Alimantado - “I Am The Greatest Says Muhammad Ali” from BEST DRESSED CHICKEN IN TOWN https://www.discogs.com/master/91461-Dr-Alimantado-Best-Dressed-Chicken-In-Town

7) Meiko Kaji - “Kanashii Egao” from GINCHO WATARIDORI https://www.wewantsounds.com/?lightbox=dataItem-lr661tlq

8) The Nelories - “Banana” from A HELLO RECORDING CLUB SELECTION - APRIL 1993 https://www.discogs.com/release/1052981-The-Nelories-The-Nelories

9) Pen Ran - “Koun K'Teuy (Baby Lady Boy)” from THE ROUGH GUIDE TO PSYCHEDELIC CAMBODIA https://www.discogs.com/release/5970582-Various-The-Rough-Guide-To-Psychedelic-Cambodia

10) ታምራት ሞላ [Tamrat Molla] - “እኔ እየወደድኳት [Ene Yewededkwat]” from ETHIO ROCK'N'ROLL - ORCHESTRAS & RHYTHM, FUZZ AND WAHWAH GUITAR IN ETHIOPIA & ERITREA, 70S & 80S https://ultraaanirecords.bandcamp.com/album/dj-mitmitta-ethio-rock-n-roll-mixtape

11) Yemane G/Michael - “ፈተነ [Experiment]” from VOL. 2 https://awesometapes.com/yemane-ghebremichael-vol-2/ https://ethio-pain-music.blogspot.com/2013/07/yemane-ghebremichael-yemane-barya-1992.html

12) فريد الأطرش [Farid El Atrache] - “يا حليوه (Ismaa)” https://www.discogs.com/release/6203453-%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B7%D8%B1%D8%B4-Farid-El-Atrache-%D9%82%D8%B3%D9%85%D9%87-%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D8%AD%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%87-Ismaa-Yahlewa

13) Aine O'Dwyer - “Deep Sound' Invocation” from MUSIC FOR CHURCH CLEANERS VOL I & II http://mie.limitedrun.com/products/537633-aine-odwyer-music-for-church-cleaners-vol-i-and-ii-2lp

14) Ryuichi Sakamoto - “tri” from ASYNC https://thevaultpublication.com/2020/11/10/async-by-ryuichi-sakamoto-appreciating-differences-in-the-face-of-death/

15) David Greenberger & The Pahltone Scooters - “Leave This Hemisphere” from FRACTIONS BY STELLA https://www.discogs.com/release/15434343-David-Greenberger-The-Pahltone-Scooters-Fractions-By-Stella https://davidgreenberger.com

16) Tom Dissevelt & Kid Baltan - “Song of the Second Moon” from SONG OF THE SECOND MOON: THE SONIC VIBRATIONS OF TOM DISSEVELT & KID BALTAN https://www.discogs.com/release/492239-Tom-Dissevelt-Kid-Baltan-Song-Of-The-Second-Moon-The-Sonic-Vibrations-Of-Tom-Dissevelt-Kid-Baltan

17) Ryan Patrick Maguire - “moDernisT” from GHOST IN THE MP3 https://rpm7.bandcamp.com/track/modernist

18) Alba Haro - “L’Alba i l’Aurora” from TRÍPTICA https://www.microscopi.cat

19) Tony Elieh - “It's good to die every now and then” from ANTHOLOGY OF ELECTROACOUSTIC LEBANESE MUSIC https://unexplainedsoundsgroup.bandcamp.com/album/anthology-of-electroacoustic-lebanese-music with 20) Eartha Kitt - “The Beautiful Girl Who Had No Teeth” from FOLK TALES OF THE TRIBES OF AFRICA https://www.discogs.com/master/724703-Eartha-Kitt-Folk-Tales-Of-The-Tribes-Of-Africa

21) Derek Monypeny - “Laayoune” from Cibola https://derekmonypeny.bandcamp.com/album/cibola

[mythanklessexistence]

Kool Skool (01) Teriyaki Asthma Session

Mythanklessexistence.tumbler.com – Session(1)

I found Chuck, freshman year at college.  We had a bunch of things in common… skating, skiing, surfing, mountain biking and most importantly the love of PUNK ROCK!!!  Thank GOD!!! Millersville was quite a cultural black hole, back in the late 80’s.  We ditched our roommates after Christmas Break and first thing ya know, Chuck and I are settling in to our cave of a dorm room.  That’s when he started getting tapes sent to him, from his High School best friend, who went to the University of Washington in Seattle.  It was a direct link into the Seattle music scene. Live & Direct... from his record collection, radio air tapes he recorded for us from local DJ radio shows, and even occasional freebie samplers direct from Seattle!!  What?.  By 1988/89 I wanted everything that came out of that arena… Sub Pop, Am-Rep, Estrus, C/Z, Glitterhouse, 1/ 4 Stick, Boner, Touch & Go, Alternative Tentacles, etc… what an era for original music.  Especially as eclectic music scenes where co-existing and erupting all around the country!

That was how I met Bill Tormas, after venturing into his seminal Lancaster, PA record store – Web of Sound.  He was very curious about how we knew so much about that scene, as he too was just discovering it and bringing in everything, he could for the store… it was a truly amazing experience, trust me.  There isn’t a scenester in that town that doesn’t owe a debt of gratitude to that man. He was the first.  He was the first one that went through that proverbial BRICK-WALL of Mennonite/Amish/PA Dutch conservative thick-headedness.  But damn was he cool and did he have an ear, head and taste for music and people!!  He could talk a douchey rich dude into being a juke box 45 collector to the must fuzzed out stoner dude$30 imports and everything in between.  He was sweet too – really cared about your experience with music and he was quite the gateway!!

Most of these singles where purchased around that era at his shop.  Some I just drooled at and had to hunt down once I got some cash in my pocket. So… KOOL SKOOL is sort of me recreating Bill’s distinctive “The Web” experience in honor of that great store, man and musical era!!  Sharing tunes, I enjoy and think you may have interest in, and then following the spider web out of the C/Z arena into its web of connections throughout the scenes across the country of that era.

Tonight, we started with the second release in the Teriyaki Asthma 7” Vinyl series.  ALERT – this entire series is available on a CD, or Vinyl LP collection – check it out here, I love Discogs, but I Really Love record stores (Shop Local): https://www.discogs.com/Various-Teriyaki-Asthma-Vols-I-V/master/41161

VOLUME II starts us off with Amorphous Head, playing Lonely Lonely and Hullabaloo with, Kill your Parents. Next, we threw VOLUME Four on the deck and played one of the iconic tracks from this series – Alice Donut’s, Mrs Hayes… I can still remember the first time Bill played this song for me – SOLD. He brought them to the Chameleon shortly after this for a “Business Person’s Special” Friday Night early show, that just BLEW the doors off the place, making us all fans.  The 2nd song is of equal caliber – it’s Gwym by Vexed. Then it’s back to the OG platter – TE Vol II for the second side with Pitbull Babysitter’s – The Head Talks Cheese b/w Hold On, by My Name.  What a killer side this is too!!  Back to deck two and TE Vol Four for one of the unsung heroes of that scene and era – Icky Joey for Josephine b/w God’s Acre – Wood.  Seriously check out some of the other God’s Acre releases for some real strong recordings of the scene and it’s sound.

Moving on, we throw down Teriyaki Asthma Vol VI with one of Seattle’s most obnoxious punk/noise bands – The Thrown Ups with Walrus Head.  Def a must check out, is some of the Thrown Ups stuff on Am-Rep.  The second song is also one that Bill turned me onto when he first pointed out Olivelawn, back when they first hit the shelves.  Freaking A, are they awesome!!  Key to the band in my mind is the ensuing friendship and sheer brilliance of Eddie Glass, from Fu Manchu and in later in my world – Nebula. Several times they came to the area and played shows in York and Baltimore with my band PORTER.  I really loved my time spent with those dudes.  Nebula’s drummer, Ruben is definitely one of the top five drummers born out of that era – if not thee best and a real great dude!! Hope someday to get to Cali and share some tasty waves with him and my new friend Ben a pretty good surfer from Cali, I met via Puerto Rico and my nieces wedding back in February.  

So that’s when we started a run on Olivelawn 7” ‘s.  First went the 1990 ish release from insta-noise records with Side A featuring: Instant Punk Rock Song and b/w a killer tune – Mom’s Farm.  Mixed in on the other deck was the Nemesis 7” with The Cat’s Meow and another version of Mom’s Farm.

That slab was followed by another Olivelawn – Nemesis release – 4 is greater than 2 and the tunes Whale Finger & Signed DC.  The last disc in the Olivelawn tribute is the Sympathy for the Record Industry 1991 release of the tune – Beautiful Feeling on side A and Carvin is the Devil’s Paintbrush as the B-Side.  That Olivelawn jag end by taking us back to the TA Vol VI record for the Pain-Teens with Come Up and See Me Sometime, b/w with a great tune from Unrest entitled – Caitlin Bums(?)

So I’m not exactly sure where the Instagram Live shut down, so the rest of my original set included the Teriyaki Asthma Vol. VII with it’s A-Side of Poster Children’s, It’s True and Hammerbox’s, Promise to Never.  The B-Side has two killer voices of the “Indy Rock” scene that was starting to filter over into the punk & noise scene, Superchunk with the rocking tune, Sister and the lovely band – Tsunami.  Since the moment I first heard the first note and beat from this band. I was in love!! Just awesome!!! Their tune Punk Means Cuddle was to be the Segway into a Tsunami jag with their Simple Machines release with the tunes: Flameproof Suit, World Tour and Ski Trip on the A Side. The B Side has Kickball Babe w/Candyman.

I hope you enjoyed checking out these records as much as I enjoyed collecting and listening to them.  Thanks for the memories, for sure!!  Buy more Porn Orchard records… seriously!!!!  See ya round…  

[partyardi]

PARDI's July Mix 2018. Enjoy!

*Disclaimer: all music used for creative practices only.*

SONG LIST: 1. Pon De Time (Nitti Gritti Edit) - Wuki 2. Blood Moon - Ekali, Tynan & Hekler 3. Jefe (Seek n Destroy & chief Street Remix) - Boombox Cartel 4. Dum Dee Dum (Subspace Remix) - Keys n Krates 5. Shakuhacki - Bouhi & Lethr 6. Back 2 Back - Zookeepers 7. Be The One (KRANE Remix) - Dua Lipa 8. Eyes Wide Shut - NEO 9. BUTT IS HOT (Juke Ellington Remix) - Wanna Wake 10. Elex - Japanese Food 11. Loosin’ Mind - IK-EY 12. Hard In The Paint (remix) - YehMe2 13. Humble (Crystalize remix) - Kendrick Lamar x Skrillex 14. Gods Plan (edit) - Seabass 15. Whistle (YOOKIE remix) - 4b & Teez 16. Dollars - Crankdat 17. Olé - Dabow 18. Swang (WHIPPED CREAM rewhip) - Rae Sremmurd 19. Tell Me - RL GRIME & What So Not 20. Gray - Whipped Cream & KTRL 21. OG Pump (Ennemi Remix) - Tha Trickaz x Creaky Jackals 22. Eclipse - Allen Mock 23. Twerk It Out - XLAB, Glitter Soda 24. Jericho - Haterade & Snafu 25. Love Me Tonight - Frank Royal 26. GOLD - Medasin 27. Starlight - Thesia 28. Swing - Paskal 29. Charlie - BROHUG 30. Sun Salute - Shwann & Alex Wells 31. Sing Me To Sleep (KTRL x Brithdayy Partyy Remix) - LUZCID 32. With It - Gerry Gonza 33. Mansion - NuKid 34. Public Enemy - Yellow Claw & DJ Snake 35. Make Some Noise (Moon Rush remix) - Chunckie & Junxterjack 36. Both (YehMe2 Remix) - Gucci Mane ft Drake 37. We Like To Fuck That Shit - Wuki 38. Space & Time - Nazaar 39. Louis Backpack - Runnit 40. Kami - Lutez x Toma 41. Mask Off (Bad Habit Remix) - Future 42. White Flag (Sam Lamar Flip) - Delta Heavy x Tisoki 43. Alone VIP - Infinite 44. Summer - Modestep 45. BANG - Jurgaz 46. Savage - Kartax 47. Throw It - Plain Sight x HVRDWOOD 48. Discovery - XLAB 49. That’s A Lot (Dropwizz remix) - Space Laces 50. Getting To Ya - EXSSV 51. Choppaz - Space Laces 52. Will You Be There - Willy Joy 53. Past Life - Ekali

[judgereviews]

Top 10 Albums of 2017

As the year is almost done, it is time for my yearly top 10 albums of the year! I can definitely say that although this year wasn't the best for the world, it was one of the best years in music in a LONG time. It was really hard ordering this list just because there were so many albums I liked this year! As always, this list is my opinion and albums I played the most throughout the year, but let me know in the comments  what you think are the best!

Honorable Mentions:

N.E.R.D – No_One_Ever_Really_Dies

Lil Wayne - Dedication 6 (D6 Reloaded tonight!)

Offset, 21 Savage & Metro Boomin – Without Warning

Calvin Harris – Funk Wav. Bounces Vol. 1 (Straight vacation vibes)

Daniel Caesar – Freudian

 Rapsody – Laila’s Wisdom

Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.

 Lorde - Melodrama 

 10 G Herbo – Humble Beast

G Herbo has always been a young prodigy to me. In a world of trap music, it is so refreshing to hear a young rapper being lyrical while still being a street artist. Humble Beast is an album about the triumphs and street wisdom G Herbo has to offer. Everything about this album is high-quality from the beats, bars and even features from Lil Uzi Vert and Lil Bibby. If you missed this album, I would highly recommend it.

9. SZA – Ctrl

I remember coming to the end of 2016 thinking that this album would become the new Detox and never be released. The wait for this album got so long that SZA herself was getting frustrated at TDE threatening to leave the label, but alas, in June we finally got this gem of an album. In a time where R&B music was becoming more singular and not creative, SZA came through with an album so different from the climate, but still relating to so many people through her lyrics. I am so proud of her and can only imagine great things to happen in the future for her!

8. Joey Bada$$ - ALL-AMERIKKKAN-BADA$$

Among all the political albums we got this year, AABA still is leaps and bounds ahead of the crop. Joey doesn’t seem like an artist who is screaming the issues at you, or doing this for a cash grab, instead he tackles these issues from a very humanistic view and the records asks you to participate in the revolution. Musically Joey experiments with his vintage sound and it pays of big time! If you only heard Devastated and never checked the project out, please do.

7. Steve Lacy – Steve Lacy’s Demos

I have been championing this guy since The Internet released Ego Death in 2015. Lacy is pretty much responsible for the sound of that project and as soon as I heard he has his own solo material I was in love. Steve colorfully mixes alternative rock music in with soul in a way I can’t escape. Even though this album is only 16 minutes, I have found myself going back to this since it came out in Febuary. If you liked Ego Death, you will like this Demo as well.

6. Mac Demarco – This Old Dog

I have always liked Mac Demarco’s music here and there, but I have enjoyed a full project from him until This Old Dog came out. I just love how the music is so relaxing, but some of the themes of this album are somber. I also love Mac’s decision to move from his signature electric guitar sound to a more acoustic sound this go around. If you want good cleaning music, this is the album for you dawg.

5. Migos – Culture

I can’t think of any other people who have had a better 2017 than the Migos. Not only did they own mainstream music collectively and individually, they actually came through with a very good album. Its not easy for rappers like Migos to make an album I can bump from front to back, but they did. Not only are the beats hypnotic and bounce, I truly believe the Migos rap really well all over this thang, specifically on Deadz and the intro track.

 4. Big K.R.I.T – 4eva is a Mighty Long Time

I have already gushed about this album in my review, but man is this a dope album. Besides To Pimp a Butterfly, I cannot think of an hour and a half album I have enjoyed from front to back. This album just really inspires me and makes me motivated through the stories K.R.I.T is telling and I am glad that the King of the South is back.

3. BROCKHAMPTON – The Saturation Series

Just from the standpoint that it would be obnoxious to post all three saturations in this list made me decide to clump all these projects in one spot. I remember the first time I watched their video for HEAT, I knew these guys were going places. Each Saturation album is oozing with creative production, lyrics and sounds like nothing anyone is doing right now. Each member contributes heavily to each song. The most surprising part about these albums is that each album sounds completely different even though they were released in a 6-month span. I love these guys and I cannot wait for whatever they have going next.

2. JAY Z – 4:44

HOVA! In a time where kids my age hate on OG’s saying they are washed and can’t create dope albums in their 3rd acts of their career had to eat their words when Jay released this album. Not only am I in awe of the music quality and bars on this album, Jay actually talked about solutions the black community can do to empower each other. Not only that, Jay gave us his most personal project yet, when there is more on the line now then when he released Reasonable Doubt.  I know we won’t be getting another Jay Z album for a while, but I hope Jay takes as much time as he wants and crafts another project like this one.

1. Tyler, The Creator – Flower Boy

I know that everyone saw this coming!!! While I do think 4:44 and Flower Boy are neck and neck, I had to give it to Flower Boy because of the magnitude of a statement Flower Boy is. Even though Kevin Abstract of BROCKHAMPTON proudly declares his homosexuality, Tyler is a much larger artist. Not only that, the way Tyler artfully composed an album about his love life and his sexuality so beautifully is astounding. Aside from the content, Tyler has improved exponentially with his production and even more on his lyricism. If you guys were doubting Tyler’s genius on Cherry Bomb (Which Ya’ll are still wrong on), you definitely aren’t with Flower Boy.

[laylainalaska]

I rewatched GotG Vol. 1 tonight and I’m so full of love for these a-holes right now. <3

I found myself thinking about the movie structurally this time and noticing that, as heist/grab-the-Maguffin movies go, it’s really well put together. There are solid in-movie reasons why the characters meet, why they want the orb, and why they stick together -- in particular, I liked that they all had good reasons for sticking around each other that had nothing to do with having any particular liking or trust for each other (e.g. Rocket and Groot protecting Peter in prison because they wanted the bounty on him; Peter swiping the orb so they couldn’t leave on the Milano without him). Basically, even knowing the plot pretty well by now, there aren’t any egregious lapses of plot logic that I noticed (except for one; see below). Everyone’s got good reasons for being where they are and doing what they do; everything that’s important later is established earlier in a seemingly casual way (e.g. Groot’s regenerative abilities are introduced very early, when Gamora cuts his arms off; Peter double-crossing Yondu is why there’s a bounty on him, which is why Rocket meets and sticks around him and also why the Ravagers are on Knowhere to rescue him from deep space; the Hadron Enforcer and its moon-exploding firepower are first introduced before Knowhere, then again when Rocket attacks Yondu’s ship, before being used in the climax; etc).

And it’s so fascinating, now, to see them in this movie with all of their Vol. 2 characterizations in mind.

I still think the Ronan and Thanos parts of the movie are somewhat flat and jarringly comic-booky compared to the rest of it, but I was even a little more engaged with those this time because Nebula is also in most of those scenes and I luff her. <3 

One bit that is never adequately explained in the movie is why Ronan can handle the Infinity Stone. I think that’s the only thing that really isn’t explained anywhere to the point that it feels like a lapse in plot logic. Apparently there is a bit of cut dialogue that explains him having Celestial ancestry. It’d be nice if that’d stayed in.

Other random thoughts/new things I noticed:

The opening lyrics of the song Peter is listening to in the first scene talk about not being loved. MY HEART. ;__;

Still amused/impressed at how everything Meredith says about Peter’s father applies to Yondu in some way, and yet is completely, plausibly not about Yondu (from Meredith’s point of view).

Pretty sure the dog that the kid is petting in the hologram on Morag is James Gunn’s dog. I know several of the kids in the movies are members of his family (the little girl with the flower on Knowhere and the pink plastic girl in Ego’s diorama are two of his nieces) so it wouldn’t surprise me if that kid is too.

I love how we get a feeling for the galaxy as a place where people live. That’s one thing you get a lot more of in the first movie, since the second movie is so tightly character-focused. The backgrounds of the on-planet crowd scenes are wonderfully rich and full of detail. These are very Star Wars-y feeling movies in that way. (Well, actually in a lot of ways.)

After making some Rocket gifs yesterday, I’m amazed and impressed at how well done his body language is. He’s never still; there’s always some part of him moving, whether it’s twitching his ears, moving his tail, shifting his weight, talking with his hands, etc. He’s just so fantastically expressive.

I didn’t remember that Drax says the names of his wife and daughter. I wasn’t sure if (like most of the OG Ravagers in the second movie) the wiki/fanfic is just getting their names from behind-the-scenes stuff. But no, they’re established in canon.

I love that bit in the prison where everyone else is fighting and then it cuts to Peter and he’s doing his bit of the escape plan by ... talking. And ultimately paying the guy rather than stealing from him. In general, I love that (while Peter can definitely fight) his skill set for the most part is a non-combat, thief/trickster/pilot/con artist set of skills, and he’s never quite lost that basic sweetness that goes along with being Meredith’s son, even if it’s buried under a few layers of space pirate by now.

“I look around and you know what I see? Losers. ...... I mean, folks that have lost stuff” will never fail to make me laugh. 

The ending of this movie is so delightfully upbeat -- the ship flying away and the cut to dancing baby Groot just makes me smile so hard. 

[cabinboy100]

GOTG2: First screening spoilerful appreciation…

Saw GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 tonight for the first time—woo-hoo!

I'm not gonna go into much in the way of criticism of the film here except to say that it's a rockin' good time that goes deeper on character and a little shorter on plotting than Volume 1. What I *am* gonna do is some half-baked comic book fanboy rambling and appreciation.

Gotta say, I was kind of WTF? when I realized that Sylvester Stallone's character, Grand Poobah of the Ravagers, was going by Stakar, who in the Marvel Universe is also known as Starhawk, aka "The One Who Knows." It seemed like a weird direction to take that namesake. Of course, it's still pretty much in line with Yondu's translation from page to screen, right?

I didn't think that while watching the movie, tho. What "fixed" Stakar for me was one of the end credits scenes, where we see Stakar saying how pleased he is to be able to reassemble old friends-slash-teammates, including Martinex (Stakar's crystalline right hand, Plutonian in the comics), Charlie-27 (superstrong Jovian in the comics, played by Ving Rhames), and Aleta (comics Starhawk's wife, played by Michelle Yeoh). This is Starhawk assembling a roster of the OGs, from the 30th century team of Marvel comics!

But—it's not to do any guardian-ing, but instead so they can go rob the heck out of the galaxy. Hrm…Some pretty heavy hitters—Sly, Ving, Michelle. How do they fit into upcoming MCU shenanigans? GOTG allies? GOTG imposters? Maybe their story-slash-heist unfolds in end credits scenes over a few movies? Right now they don't click in place for me.

Still, very fun to see the MCU's version of the 30th century OGs.

Tazerface! The reaction to that name in the film is so perfect! I wonder which Marvel writer created him and what s/he thinks about what's become of him? From what I remember of the comics, he was some kind of enhanced Badoon who had a personal beef w/the 30th century Guardians.

Nice to see Yondu upgrade his arrow fin tech to more closely match Marvel comics' Yondu's natural fin. Legitimately sad to see him go already, even if he did get a proper Ravager funereal sendoff. He got a pretty decent arc, and even though you could see the biodad vs. real dad conflict-slash-realization from 40 clicks away, the actual unfolding of it was pretty rewarding and okay, even a bit emotional. Nicely done, Rooker and Gunn!

Kurt Russell as Peter's dad. Kinda perfect. Ego as Peter's dad? Weird, but a good and creative answer to the question of MCU Peter Quill's paternity. I don't think comics Ego ever walked as a man, but I also don't think he was ever just a floating space brain, either. *Immediately* flashed to FUTURAMA. =)

I think I first met Ego in the pages of FANTASTIC FOUR. Or maybe it was ROM? In any case, I thought he was part of the FF's universe, so was surprised to find him playing a part in the MCU. But then I remembered that when he met the FF, he'd already encountered Thor, so he's fair game as an Avengers connection. We did get one shot of Ego the Living Planet as he looks in the comics, a giant face defined by the landscape and funky organelles of the planet. I was hoping for more, tho, and maybe some of the funky macro-microbiological stuff from the comics, too, like humanoid antibodies and freaky scaled-up cells and organs, y'know? Instead, we get some gooey energy tendrils and Ego's Kurt Russell—and David Hasselhoff!—looking host body in various states of disrepair. Not bad, but y'know, a comic fanboy's heart wants what it wants—giant antibodies! =)

It's nice to see Mantis on the GOTG roster, but her introduction seemed a bit crowbarred in. Ego keeps her as a pet and sleep aide. Her unique empathic powers enable her to help Ego sleep, because apparently he has trouble sleeping? Would've been nice to get a better explanation for her presence. Maybe she helps tame Ego's growing insanity/instability?

Huh. Ego calls himself a Celestial, and Peter immediately asks him if he means that he's a god. So, MCU spacefarers are familiar with the term? Until Ego called himself one, I thought that Celestial referred exclusively to the giant space gods, one of whom's head has become the world-station known as Knowhere.

I think in the comics, Ego is a legitimate Elder of the Universe, like the Collector and Gamemaster. Celestial as a title for him doesn't seem quite right to me, but o well…

It *does* perhaps help with the logic of Mantis attaining a title of Celestial Madonna, tho.

I wish there was maybe one or two more scenes-slash-steps to Nebula and Gamora's hatchet burying, but the arc does work quite well. Also very touching and smart to have Peter's eulogy for Yondu—the part about searching for something for so long only to realize it was next to you all the time (would getting Survivor's "The Search is Over" have been too nail on the head?)—apply both to the sisters' bond as well as "this unspoken thing"/CHEERS-Sam-and-Dianne between Peter and Gamora.

The make-your-own-family theme is pretty irresistible. For a 40-something story consumer like myself, on paper that notion can seem trite and tired, but with these characters, and this writing, it still works on me. Several crescendos really helped, I think. Peter's reaction to Ego's admission of giving his mother that tumor (that was a smart stroke, no sympathy for Ego after that). Nebula's description of the duels Thanos forced on Gamora and herself, and the price she paid for her losses. Yondu and Rocket's breakthrough therapy session.

Heh. Nice to see Stan Lee as a distinct space-suited character in conversation with the Watchers on the surface of some planet or moon in one of the stargate jumps, and then in one of the end credits scenes. The Watchers actually walk away from him as he explains that he's still got more stories for them. Very nice. =)

In retrospect, I want to say that I should've seen the Adam Warlock cocoon coming when we were introduced to the golden-skinned Sovereign, but no, there was too much fun stuff going on with them to make me think of that while watching the movie. LOVE their ENDER'S GAME-y remote control space navy action.

But, yeah—Adam Frickin' Warlock! =)

Love the sweet laser balls weapons system on Yondu's heist ship, perfect for general offense and defense, reconfigurable for drilling into the core of a living planet, as well as a Death Blossom! =)

When Howard the Duck showed up again in a space bar where the Ravagers were hanging out, the audience reaction was loud enough that I couldn't catch any of his dialogue. Nuts.

Hrm…I think that's all I've got right now. I'm a bit frazzled when it comes to processing cinema right now as I'm coming off of eight days and 21 films of festivalizing as of yesterday. If I come up with more thoughts before my next GOTG2 screening, I may add/edit to this, and if a next screening fires up the fried synapses with more thoughts, connections, and/or crazy talk, I'll ramble out a new post.

Keep on keepin' on~