Author: Sebastian Langkilde

Vinyl Collector. NFL Degenerate. Big Sky Country.

Summer 2018

tumblr_p3rl0pU7VL1uyz72xo1_1280

Photo: Crooked Books

These past few weeks have challenged the state where I find myself emotionally.

Am I really in position to find professional satisfaction? Some days work beats you to the ground. Everyone tells me living through this job will payoff, but I’m anxious if it doesn’t.

If I don’t move beyond, what happens then?

While agonizing about work I’m struggling with what I want in my free time. How do I balance my career with hobbies, dating, socializing, and everything else?

Sometimes I don’t know what my hobbies are or what I’m good at.

Last weekend I felt fine with spontaneity spending time with friends, family, and someone I care about romantically.

Maybe I can discover a state where I can unwind when I’m not working.

Recently I can’t define what I’m working towards. Even if my career progresses will that satisfy me? I fear it won’t. Finding a purpose will undo my distress.

This woman seems like a solution but only when she’s here. Living on opposite sides of the country nullifies any potential relationship.

Dating other women didn’t work. I’m not compatible with them and inevitably I think of her.

I don’t believe in fate yet a time could come where she and I can couple. In the meanwhile I focus on situating my career.

Feels like a perfect fantasy but that’s years in the making and a lot can change.

Focusing on finding happiness on my own first will open the door to romantic fulfillment.

I miss making music. My enthusiasm for sounds emitting dormant emotions within me has never left.

On Friday I jammed with Greg and we struggled making headway. Not his or my fault. There’s void in my skill and what I want to contribute. I need to spend time establishing my current voice.

Let me speak to where I am now, how this year holted a hopeful individual at the end of 2017, and relinquishing the last bit of withheld grief.

I’m learning there’s more fruition in life beyond making money and professional status. There’s still solace for that in this space.

Halfway 2018

I’m sad to say since starting my new job I don’t think about music as much as last year. At least not in the same way. I had more time on my hands before. Since transitioning to my new employer I spend most of my time working and the remaining hours planning how to use the rest of my time effectively.

Listing a top 10 right now would be difficult. I could rustle up a great list of singles. Beyonce and Jay Z’s “APESHIT” will remind me of this summer forever, reveling in my life accomplishments. Drake’s Scorpion had several memorable singles, most of which came out before its release. Nas and Kanye made a banger out of “Cop Shot The Kid” despite its timely subject.

Code Orange’s singles have feed off Forever’s continued success. Incredibly clever to give fans little bites of new music while they’re having their moment. They’ll face tall expectations on their follow-up.

Hundredth did the same thing with Ultrarare, a dark new wave remix album. I could get away with playing tracks off of it at Blonde Bar (SD reference). Oso Oso’s new single fits nicely on my summer playlist. I’d kind of forgotten about them, but a good single can serve as a great reminder.

Most of the albums I held expectations for entering this year I never got to or were just disappointing. Dance Gavin Dance’s Artificial Selection didn’t grab me like Mothership. I realize they have a style, constant throughout their discography, but this one didn’t stand part enough. Perhaps with time it’ll catch my fancy.

Parkway Drive’s Reverence alienates me further from the band. They still look incredibly energetic live and the audience still responds emphatically, but I feel nothing for their latest project. I could say the same for The Plot in You’s DISPOSE and Kurt Travis’s new band Royal Coda.

Still haven’t heard new albums from oOoOO, Turnstile, or Turbonegro, yet. Frankly I haven’t been in the mood to listen to those records.

31913969_10155620006531194_7627727931896233984_o

Electrum Photography

I’m more excited for what’s to come this fall. Uniform’s third LP The Long Walk drops August 17th. “The Walk” smashes atoms like nuclear fission. Wake in Fright made my top ten last year and I expect similar quality this year. There’s more material for them to attack with everything that’s gone on in America. Gun violence is soooo last year.

In September, Fit for a King and Revocation embark on headlining tours to support their new albums.

Two years ago Deathgrip nearly topped my annual list. “The Price of Agony” and “Tower of Pain” singles offer both blackening brutality and uncompromising radio metal. These are the best elements FFAK offer: savage pit inspiring breakdowns and moments of festival level callbacks. I’m looking forward to working out when Dark Skies comes out September 14th.

In back to back years Revocation had two of the best albums of those years. David Davidson’s reputation as a generational guitarist keeps building with each release. For me, he’s emerging into James Hetfield/Dimebag level kick ass riffs.

I didn’t enjoy their last outing as much but my intuition says The Outer Ones contends for a spot on my list this year, which drops on September 27th.

Perhaps the release I’m anticipating most is Fiends’ debut album Me Time. I reached out to the band but there’s no set date yet. They’re probably waiting for their unannounced label. Check out their singles “Keep Me in The Dark” and “700 Club” on YouTube.

Metalsucks perfectly described Fiends as a Lamb of God and Tool hybrid. Bassist/singer James Hyde sings a bit like Maynard James Keenan and screamer Garrett Moore reminisces of Randy Blythe; however, in bridges and outros the band stylistically shifts to Rise Records post-hardcore. Those singles have a great mix of “pop” heavy music and universally accepted metal.

As I acclimate to my new job my mood should shift back into exploring new albums. I look forward to the rest of this year and hope you’ll enjoy some of these releases.

Fit For a King

I’ve been a LeBron James hater for most of my life. He cries every time he doesn’t get a call. He falls short in The Finals. Arguably two lucky breaks away from only having one title to his name, yet today The King has now taken his talents to Downtown Los Angeles, my favorite team.

From all media reports and just overall vibes, it seemed LeBron would end up here but not today. I thought they’d have to acquire my favorite player Kawhi Leonard first from The Spurs, but by joining The Lakers now, $154 million dollars for four years, with a fourth year option, he’s bought them time.

They’ve already moved fast signing Lance Stephenson, a bitter rival of James, and have no pressure to trade valuable young players and draft picks away to The Spurs. They should keep all their young pieces at all costs. If they can trade Lonzo Ball to the Hornets for Kemba Walker it would be a miracle. Ball and his family bring too much drama to a team that now employs the greatest player since Michael Jordan.

Next, if needed, trade whatever draft picks you have over the next three years. With LeBron in the fold we’re in win now mode. He’s best suited with three point shooters around him. They’ll have to find players to surround James and fill up their bench.

There’s still Luol Deng’s dog shit contract to either stretch or somehow (likely impossible) trade. They’ll have to figure out what to do with Julius Randle. I watched Bobby Marks on ESPN talk about either extending him or outright renouncing him to make salary cap room. I’m not sure that’s the move. It’s in their benefits to retain him, finding other ways to make room, and/or just waiting to next season.

Whatever happens in the next few hours and days, The Los Angeles Lakers have returned. We are no longer in the genesis of rebuilding. LeBron James acts as the keystone to build a contender around.

I’m not certain we can win a championships with him. He’s 3-6 in The Finals, The Laker’s front office is unproven, and our team is made of players younger than me. Tonight however has given credibility to the organization. Co-general managers Magic Johnson and Rob Palinka can more easily recruit players to come play with James and a promising young roster.

At first it felt cheap to have added LeBron, but this is our history. From Kareem to Kobe we’ve always embraced premiere players. Yes, James is older and due for at least some deterioration, yet after what he did this past year I won’t doubt him again. Bringing that sorry Cavs team to The Finals is his greatest professional accomplishment besides winning championships. Even better than 2007.

Welcome to Southern California LeBron James. I hope your family thrives out here and selfishly I hope this will allow your son to realize all our collective dreams of facing off against you in the NBA some day soon.