No Longer Contagious

I'm a graduate student, electrical engineer, and musician from New Jersey with a taste for alcohol. This is my life and music collection.

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HOBOKEN – Often, people believe there’s not much one can do to help the homeless. And they say that if they try to help, they don’t know where their money goes. But what if it makes someone’s life a little easier, no matter what they do with it? And what if a group of people, instead of just shaking their heads, decided to actively try to change the life of one street person? Kerry D. and other concerned Hoboken residents got Joan and her cat off the streets of Hoboken this week and into a ho...

I usually don’t share this stuff but this one is good.  I’ve seen this lady countless times over the last 6 years but never knew she was homeless.

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This is one of my few finished musical projects that I'm truly proud of.

Take care David.  We'll talk soon.

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No Longer Contagious’ Top Albums of 2015

Between school, work, travel, and social and family obligations, I managed to listen to some 100+ albums this year.  But somehow I couldn’t find the time to write reviews.  So here’s my top 25 albums this year:

25) Let the Good Times Roll, JD McPherson 24) Painted Shut, Hop Along 23) Sprinter, Torres 22) Beauty Behind the Madness, The Weeknd 21) Wildheart, Miguel 20) Every Open Eye, Chvrches 19) I Want to Grow Up, Colleen Green 18) Cocksure, Laura Stevenson 17) I Love You Honeybear, Father John Misty 16) Art Angels, Grimes 15) Surf, Donnie Trumpet and the Social Experiment 14) Rose Mountain, Screaming Females 13) Platform, Holly Herndon 12) Summertime 06, Vince Staples 11) b'lieve I'm goin down..., Kurt Vile 10) 1989, Ryan Adams 9) The Epic, Kamasi Washington 8) Abyss, Chelsea Wolfe 7) No Cities to Love, Sleater-Kinney 6) Ratchet, Shamir 5) Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, Courtney Barnett 4) Currents, Tame Impala 3) Ivy Tripp, Waxahatchee 2) The Most Lamentable Tragedy, Titus Andronicus 1) To Pimp a Butterfly, Kendrick Lamar (duh)

Happy New Year everyone and stay safe.

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“Higgs Boson Blues” - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Push the Sky Away

When I first heard this album two years ago, my biggest problem was that I hated my roommate.  Now the things keeping me up at night are all the reasons humanity is screwed.

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“Wicked Garden” - Stone Temple Pilots, Core

I’ll admit I always thought Scott was a terrible person but god damn I loved him as a musician. 

About a decade ago, I moved to a new town.  I was trying to find a good local radio station and I stumbled upon the alternative rock station.  This was the first song I heard on that station.  Little 13-year-old me couldn’t have been happier.

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Tumblr and South Park

I haven’t been on Tumblr in two months.  And it’s good to see nothing’s changed.  In those two months, Matt and Trey have done a great job with this season.  It’s getting easier to just accept that y’all are full of shit a good portion of the time.

Also, I really really really wish that South Park fans would go find out that Caitlyn Jenner came pretty damn close to getting charged with vehicular manslaughter and that’s why Matt and Trey have her bulldozing every damn pedestrian in that show.  It’s fucking hilarious.

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“Chorus” - Holly Herndon, Platform

I’ve been up to the usual catching up with stuff I’ve missed this past year.  And Holly Herndon is next on the list.  I’m only two songs in and I’m already impressed.  With this track especially.  It’s impressive.  Taking a bunch of random sounds and organizing them into something coherent with a driving rhythm and a pretty decent tune.  And the fact that she’s using Max makes me so much more interested in this.

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“After the Fall” - Chelsea Wolfe, Abyss

Two days until I go see Chelsea Wolfe and I’m preparing by making my neighbors hate me.

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I put this on my Facebook page a week ago and totally forgot to put it on tumblr as well.  Either way, here’s another album I can’t wait for.  To paraphrase myself:

Marry me Laura Stevenson.

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Thoughts For The Week

It might be a little late for this but coverage of that Free the Nipple Day was pretty awful.  Every news website I saw blurred out everything, effectively shitting all over that movement.

Speaking of shitting all over things, rooting for New York sports is tough and amazing at the same time.  Only the Giants could totally embarrass themselves while playing against one of the worst teams in the league.  But I love my pinstripes and it’s good to see the Yankees going through their whole batting order in a single inning.

Moving on, I’m really hoping that people stop liking Macklemore.  That new song is like he tried to do “Uptown Funk” but he was just way too white to be groovy.

Finally, I really wish my neighbor wasn’t married.  She is literally the only person in Hoboken that laughs at my jokes.  Oh well.

Basically, the universe is dealing me shit and I’m taking it.  What else is new?

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“Thunder Road” - Bruce Springsteen, Born To Run

Flying down the Parkway.  Just lost $100 in Atlantic City.  Getting a slice on the beach in Asbury Park.  The Gaslight Anthem just finished a gnarly set.  Day drinking on the 4th of July.  Staying up late for extra innings.  Giants winning the Superbowl.  Twice.

All memories made better by this record.

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“Fired Up” - Titus Andronicus, The Most Lamentable Tragedy

I’ve officially entered another one of those Titus Andronicus benders.  This is a serious contender for No Longer Contagious’ Album of the Year.

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So I saw Motley Crue and Alice Cooper last night...

...and I felt like I was in high school again.

Alice Cooper was gnarly as hell.  The theatrics were amazing, especially during The Ballad of Dwight Fry.  And he sounded great.

Motley Crue was pretty cool too.  The pyro and the strippers were a bit much though.  I kinda feel like I should get tested now.

Fuck man, I love how this review reads like I’m still in high school.  I wish my phone could take better pictures so I actually had something other than text to put on here.

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“Carrion Flowers” - Chelsea Wolfe, Abyss

Upon first listen, I have immediately fallen in love.  It’s cold, it’s dark, it’s heavy.  Each album Chelsea Wolfe drops is better than the last.  And her voice continues to hypnotize me without fail.

This record is truly amazing.  Go listen to it now.

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Taylor Swift “May Pass Out” Because Ryan Adams Is Recording A Cover Album Of 1989

"Guaranteed saddest version of Welcome to New York ever," Ryan Smith shared on his Instagram late last night in the recording studio. In what should become the perfect Sunday evening album for your existential crisis, Ryan Adams is, in fact, currently recording a complete cover album of Taylor Swift's 1989 in the style of The…

DUDE

1989 is still in regular rotation and Ryan Adams’ last album is also still in regular rotation.  This new creation will also be in regular rotation.

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After being in the middle of nowhere for a month, it’s so great to be at the center of the universe again.  And it’s even better than I’m getting to see my team play again after almost 20 years.  Sure we lost, but I’ll be damned if you don’t fall in love with this city after going to a game.

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“Come On, Siobhan” - Titus Andronicus, The Most Lamentable Tragedy

After spending a month in the middle of nowhere without even basic cell coverage, this is first new thing I’ve heard.  And it’s perfect.