www.seipokai.com

This is to all the sh*t that’s going on around me and to all the people that I give a damn, a big fat F**k You. Onwards to the real deal.

The Shins - Wincing The Night Away

1. Sleeping Lessons
2. Australia
3. Pam Berry
4. Phantom Limb
5. Sea Legs
6. Red Rabbits
7. Turn Me On
8. Black Wave
9. Split Needles
10. Girl Sailor
11. A Comet Appears

Apparently Natalie Portman describes The Shins as a “life changing” band. So I picked up their latest album to sample their flavour of indie pop/folk rock sound, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised as I was expecting a commercial sound to the folk genre and yet I was presented with a soothing approach to their outlook of what music could be. Soothing is the right word. Sleeping lessons is one of those rare introductory tracks that you would remember very very well, with dreamy notes from synthesizers acting as a backdrop and slowly becomes a well orchestrated crescendo of synthesizer, bass, drums and guitar. The vocalist James Russell Mercer serenates clever lyrics which you will be humming for quite a while.
Australia is another very memorable track, albeit heavy Beach Boys influenced.

I’ll keep this review short. The Shins - Wincing The Night Away gets 3-1/2 stars from me. They’ve got great lyrics and a few tracks show experimentalism which always gets a nod from me. A great album to accompany you whilst reading a good book or whilst relaxing after a tiring day.

I had the pleasure of watching Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man’s Chest with a few of my friends. The first Pirates of the Carribean was excellent. Johnny Depp exceptionally played Jack Sparrow the eclectic Pirate Captain and “Savvy” became a constantly used replacement to the typical “ya?”… Ok I might have made the last one up.. Savvy?

In Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man’s Chest, Johnny Depp is back again as the beloved Captain Jack Sparrow on the Black Pearl with his bunch of Hearties, this time running away from Davy Jones, the legendary Pirate which Jack Sparrow made a deal with to resurface the Black Pearl from the depths of the ocean. In admist of the running away… our other two protaganists Will Turner and his fiance Elizabeth Swann which are reprised by both Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley face the gallows for aiding the escape of Captain Jack Sparrow from the first movie. The East India Company (EIC. Open up your history books…) makes a deal with Mr Turner in return for an official pardon of both him and his soon-to-be wife, a certain little trinket that holds great value to Sparrow must be secured and returned back to the EIC. Soon a whirlwind of confrontations between the two factions occur. One that’s running away from the mystical Davy Jones and the other fighting for the freedom of his loved one. And oh yeah, did I mention a giant squid? There’s a humongus, UBER GIGANTIC, GILA BIG, ULTRA TERROR giant squid. (I just had to get that off my chest)

Plot aside, Dead Man’s Chest is a fantastic journey, one that would make you giggle like a four year old Insert Gender Here (Not that I did of course…) and awe in toal disbelief and excitement. Johnny Depp again, without fail, presented the Jack Sparrow that we remembered and loved from the first movie: the eclectic, witty, intelligent and yet some what cowardly pirate captain. Jack Sparrow is the core of the movie and the directors un-ashamably acknowledges that, placing more scenes with Sparrow in it than the last movie and all for the better really. Johnny Depp was that good with his character! The cast list was excellent, each and every actor/actress potrayed their characters beautifully and convincingly, especially Kiera Knightley’s character whom surprisingly at near the end of the movie delivered a blowing twist to the plot. . However, Dead Man’s Chest is a basic no-nonsense, no complex plot twists (The plot is as thick as a piece kueh tiaw frankly) swash-buckling pirate movie that brings the audience to a fantasy world and it delivered the goods very very well. If you’re expecting a mind-boggling brain wrecker I suggest you look elsewhere, however if its good ol’ fashion feel good movie that you’re looking for then look no further. Get some snacks and a nice cold drink (alcoholic or non… up to you), sit back and enjoy a light hearted mind-numbingly good movie.

Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man’s Chest 4-1/2 Stars out of 5

Oh yeah.. Pictures while at Star Cineplex in town

Captain Jack Sparrow on a box… Savvy?

Why whenever I take my phone out, they want me to take a picture of them?

Gorilla Unit protecting his precious popcorn…

The stingy f*ck that’s wearing the shirt and protecting his popcorn