Blue Skies

Today Ryno and I went downtown and hit up 23rd street. While Ryan couldnt get the right size P-Rods he was looking for, I did cop a pretty sick M-65 jacket I'd been looking for, but thats besides the point. As we walked out of the little mexican resturant we had lunch in, we looked up and caught a glimpse of a naturally absent blue sky. For those of you who arent from Portland, during the winter months you dont see the sky. Its straight rain clouds. A blue sky brightens anyones day, and if it doesnt you should really get out more- lets just be honest.




Speaking of that mexican food, it was absolutely bomb, and the salsa was some of the best Ive ever tasted.



Last thing I'll say about food, we also found this little gelato spot, and after going in there I never want regular ice cream again. Look up gelato if you dont know what it is.



If youre bored, check out Sais's blog at supersais.com/blog, look back through a few entries and youll find yours truly haha

I did something I dont normally do tonight and that was go to a church that wasnt my own, I went to The Way with Ryan, Ian, Nick Derrah, and Kirk, it was different, but I enjoyed myself. And as for the song of the day goes, Im going to post a song by Telecast, the band that played at The Way. Im a known skeptic of Christian music, but I really like this stuff, check Telecast out on myspace if you get a second.




-lando






P.S.


hahahahaa!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from Clarity to you and your family. Hope its filled with joy and laughter...Designs coming shortly be ready son...

Good lookin out to my dudes at Nike Sb, New video was sick btw



_Ryan

F&F

This past week Lupe Fiasco released his second album entitled The Cool. Ryan and I are going to be doing a joint post, both doing a review on the cd, so as Im up first, here goes

To be plainly honest, Im relatively new to the world of hip hop, I havent been listening long, but in the short time that I have been opening my ears, Ive decided on a couple of things:

1. The radio has suffocated rap music
2. Ring tone rap is killing hip hop
3. People judge hip hop and the hip hop culture off of what they hear on MTV etc.

In the past year or two, Ive tried to find the good stuff, the piece of hip hop that is still thriving and living. I feel like Ive found some. Im no personality, no expert, but I feel like Ive gained some knowledge that Ive willingly added to my mental music library. And from this knowledge, Ive made some firm decisions about Lupes album.

At first I was just excited to listen to it, I had heard a couple singles and it sounded like it was going to be a great album. For lack of a better phrase, I wasnt prepared. I was not ready for an album like this. Earlier this year I had been listening to albums from Little Brother, Jay-Z, and Louis Logic, and I was thoroughly impressed. This kinda stuff was what I knew was still alive in rap, I knew it was there- I felt like I had found some chill beats and lyrics that talked about more than sex drugs and cash.
The Cool is different though, while I've listened to tracks from other artists that have a depth I thought unmatched, I've never listened to a hip hop album that places this depth at the center of every song. If I could be bold enough to make the statement, I feel that The Cool transcends the rap game, it has raised the bar to a level previously unreached. I guess to put this as plainly as possible, Lupe killed it.

Ryan will probably go in depth with the story told in Lupe's albums, but Id like to talk about a couple of my favorite tracks. I want to start with Fighters. When I first heard the beat I was really interested, and as my itunes played through the track I was hooked more and more as each second went on. What I like so much about the record is that while Lupe's telling a story, I feel like its almost open for interpretation. At first I thought the chorus was talking to the 50 cents of the world, but after some extra listening I feel like the track is almost challenging Lupe as he says what he has to say, and for anybody who listens to this album all the way through, youll have to agree with me that hes got a mouthful.

Secondly, I really enjoyed Paris, Tokyo. Its just chill. Its just that track you listen to in the car when youre with those people who keep you calm, it sounds like a classic, like something you forgot you knew, youll know what I mean when you hear it. Its the breath of fresh air on the record, most of the other tracks are laying down the law.

And aside from Dumb It Down where Lupe destroys what everyone thinks is rap these days, thats it for me. I loved the album, I hope you do too, look for Ryan to add onto this post soon or just write a new one with his thoughts.
If you wanna sell more records you gotta dumb it down. psyche




-lando


ps; no song of the day this time, just go buy the album right now.

Call It A Lesson Learned

Let me just start things off by letting anyone and everyone know that if you have not seen I Am Legend yet then head over to fandango.com and buy your tickets right now. It will keep you on the edge of your seat without a doubt. To plainly put it, the movie was awesome.

Anyways.

Every now and then I'll probably end up bringing something a little more on the serious side of conversation, just cause I tend to think about this stuff from time to time, so here it goes;

I am increasingly more surprised at the arrogance and selfishness of my generation as the weeks go by. The things I read and see online, the things that go on at school, the ways that the kids around me conduct and carry themselves really confuses me.
For example, in Vernonia, Oregon, the city has been nearly destroyed by floods and extreme weather conditions. The highschool there was completely unsalvageable and as a result, the students have to go to a highschool 40 miles away every day. A few students from the Leadership class made a video when they drove down to Vernonia just to put into the perspective the state that the town was in. The video was shown a couple times on different days, and not that Im some kind of saintly samaritan, but I mean I tried to think of maybe something small I could do to help out- donate to a drive for something the kids need that went to the school. Little things.
I was in the bathroom after the video had been shown again, and overheard a conversation that went something like this,
Kid A "Dude why do they keep showing that Vernonia video?"
Kid B "I dont know, its so annoying, I mean what are we going to do. They just need to chill out, somebody will help them or something I dont care about whatevers going on."

And I sat there washing my hands wondering how these guys couldnt feel like even a little sorry for those people. Honestly? Their homes and lives have been shaken by something they had no power over.

I've seen things like this more and more as I've started paying a little more attention to whats going on around me. Im not trying to say I've never done anything like this, because I know I have. I've just made it a point to try to be a little more aware of the world around me and act accordingly. I feel that the moral decline of my generation as opposed to that of my parents and grandparents is absolutely appalling. I dont understand it. We're selfish and lazy, we hate doing anything that requires work, even if its better for us in the long run. Im speaking for the population of kids my age in general, obviously there are exceptions. There always is. But dont you think what Im saying has some validity? Im not trying to rant, its just something I've been seeing, and its bothering me. If we're supposed to be the future, how bleak is it looking at this point?
I dont want to be a downer. We just need to pick it up yafeelme?


Since I enjoy music I think I'll put up a song of the day every post I do, Ryan might do the same if he feels so inclined. For today it will be a song of Alecia Keys's newest album. The track is called 'Lesson Learned' and features none other than my personal musical idol, John Mayer. Happy listening.


(I couldnt find just the song so I had to get the youtube version hah)




-lando

Its only Wednesday

I really have nothing to blog about today...so heres some stuff the past few days i've seen that have caught my intrest



In case you havent been living under a rock the past few months, then you have heard the Foo Fighters single (The Pretender). The other day Dave Grohl and company were nominated for 5 grammys, including album of the year, best rock single, and rock album of the year. I personally love the Foo and have been waiting for them to come to Oregon. Well that has been delayed even longer since they are not hitting Oregon on their spring tour so iam praying summer. If you havnt heard the foo I recommend checking them out...


Because Dave Grohl > your favorite rapper



Can someone fill me in on the beatles hype? Ever since Across the Universe every "artsy" kid or "music is my life" kid, claims that they have been listing to the beatles for years. Now some people have (yes aaron white) but others are jumping on the bandwagon like Nike Sb's in 06. I am not hating on the beatles, iam just wondering why everyone and their mother has a picture of them up on their myspace...



Oh and if you havnt heard of Lightspeed champion, then you have been playing way to much COD4 (yes that is a black guy...*_*)


Some of my personal fav artist have gotten together for a big show in Miami. Stash, Futura 2000, Dave White, Jermey Fish. Peep the link and check out some dope stuff. (Artwork by stash on that picture btw)
http://www.fame-collective.com/



Yes and check out Rob Heppler while your at it...

_Ryan

Holy Shim!

Being that we have a closed campus, if you're caught leaving school premises during your lunch period you automatically get an after school detention, they write down your name and student ID# blah blah blah.
Ian and I were still basically in the school parking lot, about to be home free, when one of the administrators came out of nowhere and started crossing the street right in front of the car, stopped, and stared straight at us.
I was pissed cause I figured we were screwed and I wouldnt get my spicy chic. What was weird though, is that she just stopped in the middle of the street and motioned for us to pass.

Haha sucks for Braden and Aaron, they were literally right behind us and they got written up.
Sorry guys




On a lighter note, we caught Buster today in this getup.




And nobody likes doing a historical investigation




Especially Shim...



later for now,

-lando

Grimace

Shakedown - Ryan (Me), Landon and Nick (L.A.) are gonna be keeping everyone up to date with the general direction of Clarity, and life...

Lunch...






Yeeee...Noah's and a Nantucket > school lunch....nuff said





Adam devouring the only thing semi decent at school...muffin



one thousand dollers in cassssssh moooneeeeeeyyyyy...(sigh wheres hip-hop)



shout out to jordan and the og Mcdonalds squad...

_Ryan

A Moment of Clarity

My name is Landon, and I personally am incredibly excited to start this thing that we've decided to entitle Clarity. This post will be short because it's only kind of an intro to what we want to get into. Clarity is about that point in life when things just work out, when that moment comes to your mind and you are in a state of acceptance and ambiguity. We feel like life is about finding that clarity, and however you define the clarity in your life.

It's all in perspective

-landon