TALES OF A DUSTOGRAPHIC NOTION

End of the Year/Decade Lists Lists Lists!

2010-01-05T08:07:00.007-06:00

THE LISTS (Note: I ran out of steam, as much as I would have liked commentary on all this, I wanted to get them out and just don't have time right now to finish, hopefully I will find a moment to edit in my thoughts, for now here you go):

Best Albums of 2009

1. Merriweather Post Pavillion - Animal Collective

So much has been made about this album at this point, its hard to add to the crowded field. But, here we go. This is an album, which marks itself as a classic, by this trait: every track is stellar and every track plays with the others to form
a cohesive piece of work. From the opening swaths of "In the Flowers" to the closing pulse of "Brothersport" the relentless creative push does not cease until it has planted a seed of wonder in your mind that grows with each listen, digging
further and further in your consciousness until the album begins to dig into your DNA and consume you like a drug. It was hard to cut back, for months, it was a daily ritual, and when I tried to go to other albums, it inevitably ended up
here, the warm comfortable embrace, during those brutally cold months of early 2009. But, I had this: I was the happiest I'd ever been, I had a new son, two months when this album came out, and one of my favorite memories is the
night, inconsolable I began singing him "Brothersport" and he stopped crying and looked at me, now he's going to be a brother and someday soon they will dance to this to their daddy's delight.

2. The xx - The xx

I recently saw this band in concert and they were lackluster, but when I left, I was smiling. I realized I had enjoyed myself, because despite a poor performance, the songs they sang are so good, even when they're bad they're enjoyable. I spent a solid three months listening to this album every morning on my commute to work. "Intro" leading me through the gas station to the sidewalk, by the time I got to the torn down building the pings of "VHS" were playing, I ascend the stairs to the train as "Crystallize's" upbeat lifts me up. "Islands" takes me into the Loop and "Heart Skips a Beat" takes me off the train...and then because I'm feeling the pressure I skip to "Basic Space," I'll admit it, I don't like to skip around on my favorite albums, but this song is so good. And in it you have the essence of both the xx, the band and the xx, the album. The beauty of this album lies both in it's basicness and it's spaces. It is minimal and sparse using its negative space as an instrument in itself, probably best utilized on "Fantasy." And it all seems so basic, but put it together and the hooks never stop, the mood never deviates, but its not meant to, behind the achingly distant vocal delivery to the short bass plucks, to the concise percussion, a beat is not missed, a note not misplaced.

3. Wind's Poem -- Mount Eerie

The opening of this album is the best of the year. The loud burst of black metal that spits from the speaker is nothing short of exhilarating. When this album dropped earlier this year, I had gradually been getting into Black Metal, as much
out of curiosity as enjoyment. It is so viscerally ugly that I am fascinated by attempting penetrate what is meant to repel. Enter Phil Elverum. I've known about Mr. Elverum since his Microphone days of the early aughts. He, himself, is a
curious figure - adored by a small but very loyal fan base. He is a bit of a chameleon, changing from one band to the other blending styles, re-imagining genres, etc. He is from Washington State, so his northwest roots make his music feel
like home to me. Add to that his influence of David Lynch on this album and you have a big old slab of my favorite things. The image on the cover of the album sets the mood perfectly. It is, um eerie, but welcoming, dark, but
introspective. Once you delve past the black burst at the beginning of the album you find all these moods and textures as you move through what is a brilliant progression of songs culminating in the re-purposing of the Twin Peaks theme in
"Between Two Strangers." It is an ethereal moment, when it comes I often close my eyes and imagine myself in the dark woods, wet, a little scared, but home.

4. Girls -- Album

Now, here is your sunny California album. The first time I heard it, my initial, almost involuntary reaction was to cringe. So saccharine, so happy, so sincere? Or was it. It has to be ironic. Right? But the more
I listened to "Laura" the more that melody, straight out of the Top 20 in the early 60's, penetrated my steely skepticism, until there I was singing right along. I want to go get stoned on the beach, too! Then, I
read Christopher Owens back story, and the dark undercurrent of the songs came clear. The play between the dark lyrics and sunny melodies is a classic one, and especially relevant hear in its reference of the
tortured genius of Brian Wilson. When I eventually saw them in concert, it was fascinating to watch Owens sing these songs, cause you do realize, it is sincere and that's what makes it special.

5. Bromst - Dan Deacon
I liked Spiderman of the Rings and enjoyed watching sweaty indie kids bursting with energy at Pitchfork, literally pushing the fences down during Dan's set, but honestly, I thought him a one trick pony, it was the kind of album that didn't
give me a lot of confidence that he would put out anything terribly different. So, imagine my pleasant surprise, when upon hearing Bromst, I found a thoughtful, introspective and, most surprisingly of all, mature Dan Deacon. This album is
the work of a composer, a significant leap from his previous work. I think a wonderful companion piece to understanding this album, is Pitchfork.tv's piece in the studio with Deacon during the crafting of this album in the wilderness of
Montana, you won't listen to "Of the Mountains" quite the same again. But, it's in "Snookered" that the heart of the album lay. "Been down this road so many times feel like its skin is part of mine" is one of the best sentiments of the year.
All of this was capped off this year, at Lollapalooza, when Deacon stole the show with his marching band blasting out "Woof Woof" to a crowd of people probably never exposed to this craziness and he had them all on their knees at one
point, rapt with attention at the next idea to spill from his stage. I can't wait to hear the next.

6. Bitte Orca -- Dirty Projectors

Here is another band I never really quite "got." I respected the effort on Rise Above, the re-imagining of the classic Black Flag album as a jagged artsy Brooklyn album. Maybe that was it all along, this band was always so Brooklyn, maybe it just seemed they were trying too hard. Even, when "Stillness is the Move" first came out, I thought it impressive, but maybe over-hyped. Surprisingly, though, in the context of Bitter Orca, it took on a whole new life, and became one of my favorite tracks of the year, I can't listen to it, without, as it ends, starting to sing "Two Doves." But, really what won me over here is the prog rock. There are so many phrasings here by Dave Longreth that remind me of Steve Howe, it's hard to distinguish them some times. Add to that, the incredible vocal acrobatics of Amber Coffman, kind of like Beyonce mashed with Jon Anderson and throw in Eastern vocal inflections -- you have a sound that really comes into its own on this album. So, sometimes when I'm listening to Bitte Orca, I close my eyes and picture Yes and it blends in a swirl of wonderfully complicated bliss.

7. Veckatimest -- Grizzly Bear

Probably the most anticipated indie release of the year, Veckatimest had a lot to live up to after the very good Yellow House. And, of course, it delivered. I make a best of the year mix of my favorite songs
every year and I have a rule, like any good mixtapologist, that any given band is allowed one song, I mean this is a very tough field to make. I broke that rule this year, because of Grizzly Bear. On "Two Weeks"
and "While You Wait for the Others" (the best song of the year) Veckatimest is already a great album, add "Ready, Able" "Cheerleader" and the beautiful closer "Foreground" and you have yourself a Top Ten slot.
It is not higher for a few tracks that drag and are a bit too Grizzly Bear for their own good, but when they're good, they're great. All year I've found myself walking down the street and the moment that chorus
hits on "While You Wait for the Others" I get chills and am lost in the harmonies. It's been one of my consistently favorite moments this year when I'm transported to the heavens, or maybe just the perfect
cleft.

8. Flaming Lips -- Embryonic

With this album, I was going to officially write off the Flaming Lips. Since Yoshimi they had produced two lackluster albums, that's being generous, a self-indulgent movie and been travelling with the same road
show for what felt like ten years. By the time I walked away in disgust from their set at Pitchfork, I was sure this band had finally run its course. And so, Embryonic saw release and I dutifully put on my
headphones, I mean I should at least listen to it before I wax poetic about a once great band having gone down the tubes, the final nail a bloated double album nonetheless. But, alas, a funny thing happened. They
surprised me. What seeped out of my headphones was a dark, abrasive ooze of psychedelic sludge and I LOVED IT. With every passing minute that lacked a comprehensible vocal, or another blast of low end
fuzz, I couldn't believe they'd done it. They'd managed to do something new and keep it going. Shortly after the release I saw them bang out a redshithot version of "Watching the Planets" on the Tonight Show
to what I'm sure was a befuddled audience of tourists and it was awesome. They are back and I'm happy to welcome them.

9. Farm -- Dinosaur Jr.
This is my nostalgia pick of the year. Hey, at least it's not U2 or Bruce Springsteen or Bob Dylan. But, I digress. I saw Dinosaur Jr. when they first came back in 105 degrees heat at Lollaplooza and they rocked
the shit out of those gigantic Marshall stacks. To hear them bust out the classics from You're Living All Over Me and Bug was amazing. But, why settle for a rehash? There first comeback album was great and I
believe Farm is even better. It's the sound of a band that knows their sound, even if it is 20+ years old, but they do it in a way that doesn't make it stale. The track that really encapsulates this album is "I Don't
Want to Go There."

10. Fever Ray -- Fever Ray

One of my friends recently got into the Knife and late one night told me he was listening to Silent Shout. So, I sent him the video for If I Had a Heart from Fever Ray's debut album. He e-mailed me his thanks
that he wouldn't be able to sleep that night. And so, there in a brief anecdote you have the mood of Fever Ray. Taking the path the Knife laid out before her Karin Andersson, makes the sound her own. This is
one of the most atmospheric albums of the year, it sucks you into its world surrounding you with the hums and rumbles that inhabit it. It's off-putting and beautiful all at the same time.

11. Two Suns -- Bat for Lashes
One of the best songs of the year here with Daniel. Natasha Khan is a great vocal talent, that uses sparing and precise instrumentation to complement her beautiful voice.

12. Atlas Sound -- Logos
I've always preferred Deerhunter to Bradford Cox's solo project, but I do feel that Logos is a step forward, and Atlas Sound has the possibility of creating something on par with Deerhunter's output. For now
enjoy Walkabout and Sheila, two of the best tracks of the year.

13. Real Estate -- Real Estate
Stoner, reverbed out beach rock from New Jersey?! WTF? But it works. I saw these guys open for Girls, a natural combination and their breezy melodies wisp in your ear like the warm summer breeze along
the shore, not that I would know what that is like, I grew up on the West Coast, but I can imagine that if I did grow up on the Jersey Shore, this is the music I'd want to accompany me.

Best Articles of 2009

Let's Call the Whole Thing Off by Sandra Tsing Loh
The Deepest Dive by Alec Wilkinson
Cash for Keys by Tad Friend
Flip and Pop My Collar Like the Fonz by Ta-Nehisi Coates
The End of Pax Americana? by Michael Lind
Andrew Sullivan's blog on the Green Revolution in Iran
Pakistan's Fatal Shore by Robert Kaplan
The Case Against Breast Feeding by Hanna Rosin
Center Stage for the 21st Century by Robert Kaplan
Held By The Taliban by David Rohde
There Are No Poor White People by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Worst Films of the Decade

1. Crash
2. Born Into Brothels
3. Sideways
4. About Schmidt
5. Gladiator
6. A Beautiful Mind
7. Chicago
8. The Pianist
9. Babel
10. Kill Bill Vol. 1

Best Films of the Decade

1. Talk to Her
2. The Son
3. Paranoid Park
4. Half Nelson
5. There Will Be Blood
6. 25th Hour
7. American Psycho
8. Mulholland Dr.
9. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
10. Dancer in the Dark

The Rest:

You & Me & Everyone we Know
Junebug
You Can Count on Me
Lost in Translation
Far From Heaven
Jesus' Son
The Five Obstructions
Morvern Callar
The Incredibles
Wall-E

Best Albums of the Decade

1. Kid A -- Radiohead

October 3, 2000: Kid A is released. Well, I guess it starts before that. I'm not sure the date, but this I remember: finding a leaked copy of Kid A on the internet (this is pre-Napster even), downloading it, turning the lights out, laying on the bed in my 10' x 10' dorm room and listening all the way through. From those dark and deep opening swashes of Everything in It's Right Place to the final ethereal tones of Motion Picture Soundtrack, I was transfixed.

Much was made of the build up to this album. It had been three years since OK Computer had exploded and catapulted Radiohead into superstardom, for which Thom Yorke was ill prepared. As documented in the film Meeting People is Easy, Yorke had a hard time dealing with the new found success. This feeling is shown in its purest form here on Kid A. They said it was the sound of the band imploding and playing from inside the fire. Now that we have the benefit of context in order to properly place this album, it is strikingly prophetic. A month later, the decade would kick off proper with a fradulent election, with terrorist attacks, war, disaster (both natural and human) to follow, capped off by the worst recession of our lifetime. So, when Yorke sings "I'm not here, this isn't happening," it's a sentiment many of us uttered too many times through the course of this decade.

Beyond the larger meaning of the album: the music. This was the first album, Yorke was allowed to flex his IDM muscles, adding Aphex Twin and Autechre to the Pixies, REM, U2 and Pink Floyd as influences. But, like the great albums of all time, this is an album in its purest sense. It's hard to listen to any of these songs outside of the album, they are so tied to its identity.

2. Drum's Not Dead -- Liars

There are many lasting memories I have of this album, but one remains the clearest and best representation of it: riding my bike home at 3AM after having worked a 20 hour day as part of 100 hour week, the streets of Chicago empty, the light bouncing off the pavement, the sound of my breath drowned out by the screaming guitar wail of Let's Not Wrestle Mt. Heart Attack leading to the pounding drums of A Visit from Drum as I peddled faster, sleepless, adrenaline, rhythm and fear driving me home to collapse in bed for a few hours sleep, before I did it again.

This album may not have landed smack in the middle of the decade, but it landed smack in the middle of the shit. We were well into our second term of Bush. We had been at war for 5 years, now in two places, New Orleans had just been left to rot in its own filth and there was no end in sight. This album is the sound of that despair. Primalism was starting to set in. Mt. Heart Attack and the Drum in a constant struggle for supremacy.

But, the most telling thing is that after the ups and downs, beating drive of this album, we find "The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack" and Angus tells us "I won't run far, I won't run far, I can always be found, I can always be found." A small glimmer of hope.

3. Funeral -- Arcade Fire

It took me a solid year to get it. I didn't want to jump on the band wagon, I thought it was a fad, an ironic indie hipster put on. But on a sweltering day in August of 2005, I watched Arcade Fire take the stage at Lollapalooza they proceeded to win me over as they had so many before me and continue to do to this day. Going back to Funeral after this performance, it was like I was hearing the songs for the first time. When Win waded through the crowd during Rebellion (Lies) imploring the crowd that "everytime you close your eyes, lies!" you believed him. He just kept saying it over and over, but he meant it and he continues to mean it. Now, five+ years later, there have been so many knockoffs and wanna bes, but nobody can match this intensity and sincerity. The strength of this band rests on this fact alone, that they believe and feel to their deepest core what they are singing and playing, the day this ceases to be the case, their power is gone.

4. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot -- I fell asleep to this album for my entire first year in Chicago. It seems so appropriate now. I lived in a small incredibly overpriced studio apartment in a high-rise in the terrible Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. I didn't really know anybody in the city, it took me two months to find a job and I lived off credit cards and ramen. Luckily, for me I had Jeff Tweedy to keep my company. I remember in the dead heat of August sweating in my un-airconditioned apartment wondering what lay ahead. It was a rough year. But, I got a job, at a record store no less, I met some good friends and found myself shortly on a career path after getting a job in my field. But, for those few months when I was alone, a little scared, more sad, but in the end hopeful, this album kept me company and welcomed me to Chicago, a place that is dear to my heart now. Thanks Mr. Tweedy

5. Merriweather Post Pavillion -- I had loved Strawberry Jam, the album that finally made me "get" Animal Collective. But, the hype had already built up so big for MPP that I went in very skeptical, believing it couldn't live up to the hype. I listened to it over and over again trying to find the sell-out, the moment of failure, the thing that just made it not as great as everybody made it to be. Then, I kept listening to it and couldn't stop. I remember at one point a few month after it came out talking to one of my friends about it and we agreed that it was like a drug, we couldn't really go that long without getting our fix and it felt so good. It's funny -- as summery as this album is, it reminds me of winter (it did come out in January)

6. Microcastle -- Deerhunter 2008
7. The Woods -- Sleater-Kinney 2005
8. Stankonia -- Outkast 2000
9. Moon and Antarctica -- Modest Mouse 2000
10. Boys and Girls in America -- Hold Steady 2006

The Morality of Torture

2009-08-25T08:14:00.002-05:00

This post on NRO is fascinating. Of anything I've seen about the IG document drop, from the right, this is the clearest statement of contention. For some reason, many on the right won't just come out and say, clearly, how they feel, but you have that here:

The media has led with the story of our interrogation of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and in an effort to shock our national conscience, the report says, among other things, that he was told that if there was another attack on American soil, the CIA would “kill your children.”

I’m sorry but I’m left cold by this. The man who masterminded the actual murder of 3,000 Americans and changed our country forever, wanting to do more, was told that his children would be threatened if another attack took place. Let’s recall what we’re actually doing right now: We use Predator drones to actually kill terrorists with missiles — and we actually kill their children, friends, and relatives at the same time.

We truly have forgotten 9/11.

This is a clear portrait of the philosophical difference on this issue. Those who support these techniques believe that it is OK not only to threaten the children of terrorists, but to go ahead and kill them as well. Those who are opposed, feel this is not OK. I give Leibsohn credit that he lays it out, we have done this for a long time, we are doing this now and we will continue to do this, so don't act shocked when you find out it is happening. The question is are you OK with it?

He goes on to make an even harder philosophical point:

Back in 2001, without naming names, there were serious, intellectual people in Washington who spoke among themselves of doing things far worse than this to prevent another attack. There were learned moralists and foreign-policy experts who privately discussed schemes like threatening to target Mecca if another attack took place. Of course that never became policy, and it wasn’t the administration, but that was the mindset of an awful lot of serious people.

This, I believe, is the truest version of Cheney influenced foreign policy I have seen. The Church of the United States of America, where the US is God and anything and everything must be done to protect her, for she is the highest power and good in this world, that must never be destroyed. This is something not often talked about, but there are many foreign policy wonks who subscribe to this religion. God may or may not exist, but the US does and it is the purest form of Truth and Goodness, therefore any method to protect it is acceptable, including genocide.

I think this post speaks to an overall problem in political discourse and that is the inability of either side to be frank and honest about what they believe philosophically. Take Health Care. The right, if they were being honest, would just come out and say, they don't believe everybody deserves health care, they do not believe government is good for anything except for defense, so get a job, pay for your private health insurance and stop whining. The left, if they were being honest, would come out and say they believe private insurance companies do not care about human beings, just the bottom line, therefore there should be no such thing as private health insurance, but a non-profit, single-payer government run health care system for everybody. But somehow everything has to be equivocated.

So, back to our original subject. Do you think it is OK to do, literally, whatever it takes to protect this country, or do you believe there are moral limits to this?

One final note, I did this last shot amusing:

And finally, as the administration blasts away at the CIA, somewhere at Langley, good men and women, watching their agency go through these political throes, are watching their president who started all this play golf and tennis today.

How soon we forget George W. Bush clowning around in San Diego, while his own citizens died in the flooded streets of New Orleans.

I Love Chicago

2009-06-04T09:43:00.002-05:00

There's Food. There's Locovores. There's Drink. There's Literature. There's Music. I want to see, hear and eat it all.

Let the Bloodletting Begin

2009-05-26T08:17:00.001-05:00

A sign of things to come:

Judge Sotomayor is a liberal judicial activist of the first order who thinks her own personal political agenda is more important that the law as written. She thinks that judges should dictate policy, and that one's sex, race, and ethnicity ought to affect the decisions one renders from the bench.

She reads racial preferences and quotas into the Constitution, even to the point of dishonoring those who preserve our public safety. On September 11, America saw firsthand the vital role of America's firefighters in protecting our citizens. They put their lives on the line for her and the other citizens of New York and the nation. But Judge Sotomayor would sacrifice their claims to fair treatment in employment promotions to racial preferences and quotas. The Supreme Court is now reviewing that decision.

She has an extremely high rate of her decisions being reversed, indicating that she is far more of a liberal activist than even the current liberal activist Supreme Court.

New 26th Ward Alderman

2009-05-20T08:59:00.003-05:00

Meet Rev. Wilferdo DeJesus:

Here is his official bio from his church. Apparently, Rev. DeJesus played an integral part in the recent debate over opening a GLBT school in Chicago. More on that here.

Bacon Cooking Tips

2009-05-15T10:47:00.000-05:00

Always important.

HT: Matt Yglesias

The Curse of Longevity

2009-05-14T08:08:00.002-05:00

I have posed this question to some and figured here would be a good place to include this challenge: Name a band/artist that has put out a GREAT album(s) after having been together for more than 10 years.

Here is what we have so far:

Neil Young -- Ragged Glory, Harvest Moon
Paul Simon -- Surprise, Graceland
Pink Floyd -- Animals, The Wall
Rolling Stones -- Some Girls
Radiohead -- Hail to the Thief, In Rainbows
Modest Mouse -- We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
Flaming Lips -- Soft Bulletin, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
David Bowie -- Heroes, Lodger, Scary Monsters
Sonic Youth -- Everything from Dirty on is 10+ years, a lot of good albums there
Pulp -- Different Class, This is Hardcore
Leonard Cohen -- I'm Your Man

Disqualifications:

Def Leppard -- Hysteria (10 years)
Led Zeppelin -- Physical Graffiti (7 years)

SCOTUS

2009-05-13T08:04:00.001-05:00

K-Lo:

Ruth Marcus continues the nonsense Barbara Boxer started this time.

Marcus writes:

Having more than one woman on the Supreme Court is partly a matter of symbolism. Before O'Connor's retirement three years ago, Ginsburg said in a speech last month at Ohio State, "people could see that women came in all sizes and shapes, we didn't look alike, and we didn't talk alike. . . . Now, there I am all alone, and it doesn't look right."

The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land, which, as we know, wields a tremendous power and has a significant responsibility. With but nine seats, there is no room for the Court to be a forum for "symbolism." We know there are capable women lawyers in the world for the Court. Obama is free to pick one of them. But by no means does he have to. And it would be a very bad idea to make the Court an experiment in bean-counting rather than excellence and committment to the Constitution.

Exactly, which is why the likes of Roberts, Scalia, Alito and Thomas have no business there. Not to mention Bork, whom, I'm sure, Ms. Lopez is still upset didn't wreak havoc on the court over the past 25 years.

More Food

2009-04-16T11:23:00.002-05:00

If you haven't checked out the Atlantic's new food section on their website, you really should. Currently there is an article by Alinea's Grant Achatz.

Food Inc.

2009-04-16T11:01:00.000-05:00

This looks great. Comes out limited release on June 12.

There's a Storm Gathering

2009-04-09T11:47:00.001-05:00

It's raining men and more men!

Lay Off Reality Show

2009-04-08T09:23:00.002-05:00

Disgusting. I have a legal question for Fox though, when one of these employees who gets laid off, comes back and shoots your production staff, are you ready to deal with the lawsuits? Idiots.

New Blog

2009-04-08T07:56:00.002-05:00

Hi all you fans out there (crickets). I have curated a new blog called "Thirsty Culture" a forum for thoughts on culture and all that it entails. While this blog has been a place for quick snippets and found items across the internets, I hope Thirsty Culture will be a place for longer, more in depth pieces on what we are watching, hearing, reading and observing. Please check it out. Thanks for reading.

Obama and Notre Dame part 2

2009-04-02T11:16:00.001-05:00

I have an honest question for those who are against Obama speaking at ND. Do you think that Pro-Choice students should be denied diplomas from Catholic universities?

Obama, Notre Dame and Cardinal George

2009-04-02T09:32:00.002-05:00

So, Cardinal George has now weighed in on the Obama at ND story. This is relevant to me in a number of ways. I went to Notre Dame, I live in Chicago where Cardinal George is the current archbishop and I lived in Portland when Cardinal George was the archbishop there. In fact, while I was attending La Salle High School in Milwaukie, OR we received a special visit from his eminence.

You see, all seniors were required to take a relationship course for their first semester of Religion. The teacher at that time was a lesbian. As I remember the story she brought in pictures of her and her partner and held a discussion on homosexual relationships. Well, obviously this did not sit well with the parents of said Catholic institution. The teacher was booted, the principal was booted for backing her up and the archbishop swooped in to remind us that although we love gays, we abhor their lifestyle because it is unnatural, evil and dangerous to us all. To be a Catholic is to be virulently opposed to the homosexual lifestyle.

Fast forward 10 or so years and here we are, to be Catholic is to not only be against anybody who is pro-choice but to not allow them to speak anywhere that involves Catholic, lest they infect our minds with their culture of death.

The sad thing is Cardinal George is on the fast track to Rome, but with the current pope that seems to make sense.

Parking Meter Good Samaritan

2009-04-01T11:01:00.002-05:00

Contrary to popular belief, it is not illegal to feed a stranger's meter, as proven by the parking geek. So, do a good deed and feed a meter for somebody, then you'll have karma when you're in a pinch yourself.

HT: Windy Citizen

The Next War

2009-03-31T12:08:00.001-05:00

The Israelis are making it pretty clear.

U2 Interview Part 2

2009-03-31T09:38:00.002-05:00

Bono, Edge, Adam Clayton at Smart Bar. We were there for Pitchfork TV.

Sun-Times = Bankrupt

2009-03-31T07:58:00.002-05:00

So, I've been watching the Sun-Times bankruptcy story play out on Twitter this morning. And the Sun-Times finally just posted it, but, of course, without a swipe at the Trib, way to go down swinging:

Our parent company, Sun-Times Media Group filed chapter 11 this morning http://tr.im/i26I joining Tribune Co. in the ranks of the bankrupt.

DeRogatis vs. Flaming Lips

2009-03-30T11:35:00.003-05:00

I have to say I agree with DeRo here. It's actually a joke among my friends and I that the Lips haven't changed their show in so long. It was pretty amazing 10 years ago the first time we saw, but seriously. Many of my friends have given up on them, so when I heard they would be doing the request show, I was pretty stoked cause it would mean it would be different, but alas they reneged and we'll be stuck with Wayne in a ball. It'll be interesting to see if the crowd is interested enough to hold him up.

HT: Gaper's Block

U2 Interview

2009-03-30T09:11:00.003-05:00

Part 1 for your enjoyment. I helped shoot this interview a few weeks ago at Smart Bar.

Imagine David Duke as Secretary of State

2009-03-17T09:53:00.002-05:00

and you'll start to get an idea of what Israel is becoming.

Headline of the Day

2009-03-16T08:46:00.000-05:00

Fewer teens sniffing inhalants to get high

The Polish Triangle

2009-03-13T09:22:00.002-05:00

Gaper's Block brings this to our attention, a noble cause, and reminds me of this old post. Always a good time for a polish triangle story. Oh and if you go, you should eat here, to get the full experience. Amazing.

Money Quote

2009-03-13T08:17:00.000-05:00

"When are we going to realize in this country that our wealth is work."

Jon Stewart

Cramer and the Market

2009-03-13T08:13:00.001-05:00

And Cramer's act of I can't believe CEO's came on and lied to me, is about as believable as his stock tips.

Stewart and the Market

2009-03-13T07:55:00.003-05:00

As I watch last night's Brawl Street between Jim Cramer and Jon Stewart, something Stewart says brings up a question that has lingered with me this whole time. First, here is the passage of concern:

CNBC could be an incredibly powerful tool of illumination for people that believe that their are two markets, one that has been sold to us as long term, put your money in 401ks, put your money in pensions and just leave it there don't worry about it, it's all doing fine. Then, there's this other market, the real market that's occurring in the back room, where giant piles of money are going in and out, people are trading them, and it's transactional and it's fast, but it's dangerous, it's ethically dubious and it hurts that long term market, so it feels like to us, and speaking purely as a layman, it feels like we are capitalizing your adventure.

OK so the bold is mine. And my question is this: Isn't this the definition of the stock market? You hand your money over to people who do with it what they will. A little rudimentary but true. You would like to trust the person you are handing your money too, ehem Madoff, but ultimately you are taking a risk. You are entering your money into the biggest casino on the planet, but you honestly believe that there is no chance you might lose? That seems a little naive to me. Of course, there are degrees to which your money is used in dubious ways. But the stock market is there to "invest" (ie bet) on various companies. Furthermore, if you felt like it was risky to get in, or hand the money over to someone else, why aren't you out there trading yourself? I know your answer: I don't know enough about it, but my broker does. So, you don't know enough about it to work it yourself, but your willing to pour your retirement into it, then act flabbergasted when it returns to the level you first put in there? I'm not siding with shady traders and the networks that support them, but let's call this what it is, enabling. If you hand me a pile of money and say, go make me money please, I'm going to do everything I can do make sure that happens, and while I'm at it I'm going to try to make as much money for myself as I can, with your money. So, yes, Mr. Stewart, you are exactly right, if you enter the market you are capitalizing people like Cramer's adventures, but you should know that going in, you share the blame here too.

The Willis Tower

2009-03-12T11:31:00.002-05:00

Ladies and Gentleman, formerly the Sears Tower, I present the Willis Tower:

The Future of Journalism

2009-03-12T09:16:00.002-05:00

It's funny, as I'm reading this piece, I see this pop up on my RSS feed. I've heard sentiments like this coming out of journalism schools for a while now. It's less infuriating than just plain sad. As the old guard becomes more and more obsolete, it seems, they also become more and more resilient in their belief that new media is just a fad. Well, it's a fad that has made you obsolete. Deal with it or STFU. Now, I do sympathize with the sentiment that this explosion in citizen journalism, blogging, and new media has led to a degradation in quality, that is inevitable. But, to me, all that means is that those who are innovative and smart, those who are able to both offer quality product and monetize it, will be the ones that succeed. America, right. The new frontier.

Judd Apatow

2009-03-12T08:33:00.002-05:00

Here is the trailer for his new movie. If this movie is even a quarter as terrible as this preview indicates, it will erase any memory of anything Apatow has done worthwhile before. Something tells me he wants to become the next James Brooks, and there is a great essay waiting to be written out there about the undercurrent of unspoken homosexual relationships covered up by brutish heterosexuality in all of his movies both directed and produced. Apatow has nuked the fridge.

The Etymology of Pajamas

2009-03-12T08:01:00.002-05:00

I recently reflected on the word pajamas, and, as is often true with English words, found it to be quite an odd word. So, I wondered to myself what exactly is the etymology of pajamas. Well, folks, here you go:

1800, pai jamahs "loose trousers tied at the waist," worn by Muslims in India and adopted by Europeans there, especially for nightwear, from Hindi pajama, probably from Pers. paejamah, lit. "leg clothing," from pae "leg" (from PIE *ped- "foot," see foot) + jamah "clothing." Modern spelling (U.S.) is from 1845. British spelling tends toward pyjamas.

President of Texas

2009-03-12T07:44:00.000-05:00

Who else?

HT: Andrew Sullivan

Come Again

2009-03-12T07:36:00.002-05:00

Jim Jarmusch, Boris, Sunn O))), Earth and Bill Murray?! You gotta be freaking kidding me.

HT: Pitchfork

For those with the capability watch the HD version.

Civil Dialogue

2009-03-11T12:26:00.001-05:00

As only National Review can provide:

The other day when I turned on the tv, the channel was set, as it often is, to Noggin, the toddler network. There was a cartoon image of our president with an announcer saying something like, "Noggin congratulates President Obama. And now here are some things that he likes." I flipped the channel before finding out whether abortion and taxes made the list.

--Ramesh Ponnuru

NPR Music Does it Right (as always)

2009-03-11T11:37:00.003-05:00

They are getting comprehensive over at NPR music for SXSW. Here is their 100 song sampler and All Songs Considered has a great preview show. And don't forget the Decemberists are going to be playing their new album in it's entirety. Get excited!

Doing the Right Thing

2009-03-11T09:16:00.002-05:00

To me this means Obama is doing the right thing. At the end of the day the President's job is to satisfy and work for the American People not the Washington establishment and political class.

Behind the Scenes with Radiohead and USC Band

2009-03-11T08:35:00.004-05:00

In HD! Just go to multimedia on the left side and to video section, it will have a link to the HD file.

HT: Pitchfork.

Funniest Thing I've Read in a While

2009-03-10T07:11:00.002-05:00

Anyone who actually listens to Rush's show knows he's the anti-racist. He wants a color-blind society where everyone is on the level playing field of merit and your dignity is a function of your humanity, not your race.

--Andy McCarthy NRO

Pitchfork Redesign

2009-03-09T08:12:00.002-05:00

is quite impressive. Kudos to those over at Tangible Worldwide. Pitchfork.tv has been wrapped into the main website and organized a bit better, it is also presented in 16:9. My favorite thing is that almost everything is hot. For example when you click on an album that is being reviewed, the artist name is hot and takes you to a page of all the reviews and news about that artists. The label is hot, showing you a roster of their artists. And, finally, where applicable there are links to Lala, last.fm and insound with each album. That is some serious functionality and synergy. Awesome.

Horton Foote

2009-03-05T11:38:00.001-06:00

has died. He won an Oscar for the Robert Duvall pic "Tender Mercies." But, in terms of film, this is his real masterpiece.

David Foster Wallace

2009-03-05T11:05:00.002-06:00

So I'm waiting on my copy of the New Yorker for the much talked about article and excerpt. I am bittersweetly anticipating the new novel.

Yummy

2009-03-05T08:19:00.002-06:00

Mmmmm Mac N Cheese:

Is it weird that I find rendered bacon fat a beautiful phrase?

Neil Young Archives

2009-03-03T21:20:00.002-06:00

So it appears the archives will be split up into multiple releases. Website is a little screwy, so hard to read. Not many firm dates yet. Read here.

AIG Driving Drunk

2009-03-02T11:40:00.002-06:00

Sounds like AIG is a drunk driver, and we dear taxpayers, are its police escort.

What Happened to the Obama Logo?

2009-03-02T08:41:00.002-06:00

The Swiderski Institute investigates:

the Logo : a short film from Lewis Meme on Vimeo.

Monday Morning Media

2009-03-02T07:39:00.003-06:00

On the way into work I listened to the most recent podcast of This American Life, about the banking crisis. Very good and helpful to understand this whole complicated mess. This was produced in conjunction with the folks from Planet Money, which is also an indispensable resource in these times. In the TAL piece and illustrated on Planet Money's blog is this chart:

It's really mind blowing and scary. Frankly, I am a quintessential representative of what this chart illustrates. Basically, that we have all been living outside our means. Living on credit cards. Thank God I was not delusional enough to think that I could get a mortgage, cause some idiot probably would have given it to me.

Pitchfork Music Festival Date Set

2009-02-27T11:53:00.003-06:00

Here is some predictin' courtesy of Time Out and former writer Brent DiCrescenzo. The ironic thing about this statement:

The Dismemberment Plan’s Emergency & I came out ten years ago. It helped put Pitchfork on the map, and vice versa. It’s a long-shot, but makes sense.

DiCrescenzo wrote that review for Pitchfork. Either way that performance would be amazing as would Built to Spill and Jesus Lizard. I'm there either way, I missed last year and was pissed, it is right down the street after all.

Great Decemberists Song

2009-02-26T10:57:00.002-06:00

From the comp Dark Was the Night

Sleepless - The Decemberists

Twitter Resumes

2009-02-25T10:31:00.001-06:00

They're here.

(HT: Planet Money twitter feed)

New Dinosaur Jr.!

2009-02-25T08:22:00.002-06:00

A look at the recording of the new album. As well as two new songs. Thanks Pitchfork.tv!

History Channel

2009-02-24T12:40:00.000-06:00

So, the History Channel has a new web only series. This is the kind of thing I would love to see across the board.

New Beatles

2009-02-24T12:38:00.002-06:00

A Revolution Outtake

Ever Wonder What Nero Looked Like

2009-02-24T07:57:00.003-06:00

Here you go:

(HT: THC)

Keep this in mind, this man is running a state with an unemployment rate in Dec. '08 of 9.5%, which I'm sure will be in the double digits when the new numbers are released. I find it incredibly hypocritical that he prays for these people, yet fails to act in the true spirit of Jesus and actually help the poor and hungry in his state.

Yelp = Extortion

2009-02-19T15:49:00.001-06:00

How to use the internets as baseball bats. Meet the new shakedown artists.

The Best Conservative Movies of the Last 25 Years

2009-02-13T10:04:00.002-06:00

That's right. I'm not sure if any of you have noticed, but over in right wing nut job land (National Review) they have spent the week counting down the top 25 conservative movies of the last 25 years. It has been a truly amazing list that is concluding today. In light of what has come so far I can't wait to see what is #1. This says so many things about conservatives I don't even know where to begin:

The Best Conservative Movies of the Last 25 Years

25. Gran Turino
24. Team America
23. United 93
22. Brazil
21. Heartbreak Ridge
20. Gattaca
19. We Were Soldiers
18. The Edge
17. Chronicles of Narnia
16. Master and Commander
15. Red Dawn
14. A Simple Plan
13. Braveheart
12. The Dark Knight
11. The Lord of the Rings
10. Ghostbusters
9. Blast from the Past
8. Juno
7. The Pursuit of Happyness
6. Groundhog's Day
5. 300
4. Forrest Gump
3. Metropolitan
2. The Incredibles

Death of the Sun Times Countdown

2009-02-05T11:49:00.000-06:00

Could we be a one newspaper town in 14 months?

Short Term Memory

2009-02-05T08:59:00.003-06:00

Here's another gem from NRO's list of "shocking" stimulus:

PURE PORK:

29. $4.5 billion for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Um...remember this?:

Conservative assault on higher education

2009-02-05T08:40:00.003-06:00

This is a fascinating glimpse into the machinations of the conservative psyche these days.

When you strip away the cynicism and sarcasm, a brutal sincerity lies underneath. This past election was greatly swayed by the youth vote, especially college students. What used to be the exclusive domain of the rich and well connected has now become accessible to many more Americans: a college education. Through government grants and student loans, more kids are achieving a higher education and, yes, taking on significant debt. However, the idea that the "non-brilliant young from un-wealthy families" should accept who they are and get a skilled labor job and let the "brilliant young from wealthy families" retake their rightful place is one of the more offensive ideas to come from the right. Translated it reads "working and middle class folks (who skew left) need not apply, while the rich and well connected (skew right) can reap the benefits."

This point is driven home again on National Review by our favorite K-LO with this post

It's a wonder that anyone can support the stimulus bill. DO NOT use this link to see what I'm talking about. Go straight to the homepage.

A quick look at the homepage reveals such outrageous spending suggestions as:

$6 billion for university building projects

$15 billion for boosting Pell Grant college scholarships

Absurd! How dare the government assist the public in reaching higher education. Only those who have rightfully earned that money through the private sector (ie trusts) should be allowed to apply to higher education.

Ultimately, these posts read to me as all out class warfare, the right sees, in this crisis, the opportunity to further reassert the upper classes' rule over the middle and especially working classes. By delaying any sort of stimulus, they are hoping to eliminate jobs, squeeze out quality education, destroy social welfare programs and issue massive tax cuts for the rich all while selling it to the middle and working class as having their "best interests in mind."

As a recipient of both a Pell grant, student loans and a quality private education, I achieved all those and what I make now, through hard work, something that often does not come easy to those who feel entitled to a higher education because of who they are or how much they have. I hope some day that my hard work will bring me to a position where I can help stimulate such "left-wingery" as support for the arts, help for women effected by violence and yes higher education. The right may want an ignorant public who will bend at their will, but the more we, as Americans, educate ourselves, the more we will realize the reality of right-wing nuttery and they will dry up and drown in their own filth. Good riddance.

More Top 5

2009-01-22T12:54:00.002-06:00

While I largely agree with Dustin's top 5 bands he would by anything from, I'd like to add 5 more, avoiding repetition:

My Morning Jacket

LCD Soundsystem

Battles

The Hold Steady

Beck

I would have also said Of Montreal, but that would be prior to Skeletal Lamping.

Listened to Today

2009-01-22T11:11:00.002-06:00

Antony and the Johnsons -- The Crying Light
Animal Collective -- Merriweather Post Pavillion
Young Widows -- Old Wounds
Bear vs. Shark
Swervedriver
Boredoms -- Super Ae

Getting it From Both Sides

2009-01-22T10:48:00.001-06:00

Muslim Lover? or Muslim Hater?

Top Five

2009-01-21T11:10:00.001-06:00

Bands I would buy anything they put out right now

1. Radiohead
2. Liars
3. Arcade Fire
4. TV on the Radio
5. Deerhunter

More Chicago Pride

2009-01-21T10:56:00.002-06:00

Some model behavior from a Chicago Alderwoman. Maybe someday a rain will come and wash these halls of "government" clean.

Bands Listened to Today

2009-01-21T10:52:00.002-06:00

Crystal Antlers
Genghis Tron
Gun Outfit
Silk Flowers
Women
Marnie Stern
Julie Doiron
Odawas
Six Organs of Admittance
Vetiver
Black Flag

Conservatives go to Hollywood?

2009-01-08T10:53:00.002-06:00

It's always funny when Conservatives try to pretend they are cultured.

The Hot Spots of 2009

2009-01-08T10:44:00.002-06:00

Israel in Gaza
Hezbollah in Bekaa Valley
Russia in Ukraine
Al-Qaeda in FATA of Pakistan
Israel in Iran
Pakistan/India in Kashmir
Chaos in Somalia

The Promised Land

2008-12-30T07:33:00.003-06:00

Just in case you were wondering here is the conservative perspective on the current Israeli bombardment of Gaza:

1) Request that 50% of Israel's air-to-ground missiles be duds to ensure greater proportionality.

2) Allow Hamas another 1,000 free rocket launches to see if they can catch up with the body count.

3) Have Israeli soldiers congregate in border barracks so that Hamas's random rockets have a better chance of killing military personnel, to ensure it can claim at least a few military targets.

4) Redefine "holocaust" to refer to deaths of terrorists in numbers under 400 to give greater credence to Hamas's current claims.

5) In the interest of fairness, allow Hamas to establish both the date that war is supposed to begin and the date when it must end.

6) Send Israeli military advisers to Hamas to improve the accuracy of their missiles.

7) Take down the barriers to return to Hamas a fair chance of getting suicide bombers back inside Israel.

My favorite is number 4, because the minute you invoke the Holocaust, it excuses any other kind of indiscriminate killing. Thanks for the clarification douchebag. Now, onto what this means for us hear in the United States of we support Israel no matter what. First and foremost, this is posturing by hawkish Israeli politicians for the upcoming February elections, but underneath it there is also a direct challenge to Obama and his administration. Personally, I think this matter should be addressed, if not on the day of the inauguration, then the day after. Anything after that shows a silent willingness to leave the Middle East in shambles and continue on the futile road of vacuous peace pageantry. If Obama really is what he says he is, he would ignore the cries of his new Secretary of State, aka Israel cheerleader #1, and condemn these attacks for what they are: a disproportionate response to attacks provoked by the Israeli's economic terrorism on the Palestinians. We are already complicit in the suffering in Gaza, both in the fact that our bombs are being used on the Palestinians and we allow the brutal sanctions to starve the people jammed into the strip, the only way to make this right is to demand Israel stop their attacks immediately. But, somehow, I find that this isn't part of the change that we can believe in.

Top Ten

2008-12-19T12:35:00.003-06:00

Top 10 albums of 2008

1. Microcastle -- Deerhunter
My hope every year is that one record will reach out grab me and declare itself the best record of the year. It will so thoroughly engulf my imagination that I will have no choice but to declare it the obvious winner. Unfortunately, this does not happen every year. But when it does I know it immediately. This was the case with Kid A in 2000 and with Drum's Not Dead in 2006. This year we have another: Microcastle by Deerhunter. From the opening wash of Cover Me, I was sucked in. The first two albums and Fluorescent Gray EP were all uneven but progressively better, constantly hinting at what this band was truly capable of, and with this record I believe their potential has been realized in spades. The mark of a great album is that it is seamless, constantly moving and can only be accepted as a whole. This is true with this album. But, with that said, Never Stops and, especially, Nothing Ever Happened are career songs by themselves. But, when placed in the context of this album they serve the whole. From the opening seduction of Cover Me and Agoraphobia, we are led into the pulsing, swirling world of Never Stops. These guys always have been placed in the shoegaze category, but with the guitar during the chorus of Never Stops they embrace it wholeheartedly. This sonic palate brings us into Little Kids and Microcastle, which teases the druggy atmosphere of the suite before launching into a blistering guitar part. The suite of Calvary Scars/Green Jacket/Activa, I would contend, is probably the make or break point for many people on this album. They are reminiscent of the ambient interludes on Cryptograms, which were a tad much on that record; but, here, these songs not only brand this a Deerhunter record, but bring it a texture and depth that complete it as a whole solid listening experience. After listening to this record hundreds of times, I can't imagine it without these songs. The proof of their importance is born in what follows. As we have spent the past 6 minutes being lulled into a kind of sweet, hazy state of mind, the opening march of the drums and bass on Nothing Ever Happened snap us out of it. Back to the Rock! (OK so I'm listening to this right now and have to stop writing cause this song is amazing. Pause please) OK I'm back, it's still going, but I have something to say, I love when this song locks into this groove, it feels so organic, like they just stumbled on it and were like, wow, this is an amazing thing we got here. Yes gentleman it is amazing. And it just keeps going! But, alas after the twist and turns of the sonic build, it must end sometime. After this, another left turn with the funky blues lick that opens "Saved by Old Times." I'm realizing something about this and the Portishead album, they share this menacing sexy feeling. Everything feels very sensual on both these records, but at the same time there is always this dark sense of unease underneath each. Hmm, I wonder what that means. Anyway, back to "Saved by Old Times." This song contains my favorite line sung very sexily: "We were captured by Victorian Vampires/With elaborate designs." Also, the way the chorus comes in after the sound collage is nothing short of spectacular. On "Neither of Us, Uncertainly" you get the sense that things are coming to an end. It's like I said, this record is very aware of it's progression, and we are almost there, says Deerhunter. But, not before some beautiful, Marr like guitar texture and crooning from Mr. Cox. Then, we are led into the "Twilight of Carbon Lake." I remember the first time I heard this song, immediately I thought of "Twin Peaks." There is a point where Maddy, Donna and James are singing a song in Donna's living room. It's an amazingly creepy, but innocent moment. And, ultimately, I realized, David Lynch is a perfect analogy for Deerhunter and this record. They make beautifully arresting music, that captures you and takes you away. At the same time, there is a constant darkness underlying this material that never makes it feel familiar or saccharine. Like the beautiful girl on the cover with the skull in her eye, there is always something sinister lying underneath, but when wrapped in such beautiful noise, how is one to resist it?

2. Third -- Portishead
...And with a bullet. I hadn't heard this album until about two weeks ago. It had the same effect that the Deerhunter record had: my eyebrows rose with each track, surprised that it was getting better, as well as being consistently good and surprising. There are so many points in this record where it takes you off guard. The highlight is "The Rip," especially the point in the middle of the song where the gently plucked guitar pattern turns into a head bobbing synth line. I love the progression of the off-putting pulse of "We Carry On," giving way to the sweet "Deep Water" then turning again to the pounding "Machine Gun." This sequence illustrates what this album does so inexplicably well: it manages to be menacing and sexy at the same time. Each move is obviously calculated and executed to such precision you can't help but listen in admiration that after an absence of 10 years, this band remains more relevant than most.

3. Dear Science, -- TV on the Radio
You knew it was going to be good, you knew it was going to shimmer, shake and lift you up. But, did you know it was going to be what it was going to be? At this point TVOTR is a known commodity, or was. This album is just different enough that you sit, shaking your head saying "they did it again". They not only made another top 10 album, but they surprised you again. I've had an interesting relationship with this band. The first time I heard them was when I picked up their first EP, which blew me away. I couldn't play "Staring at the Sun" enough. Their ensuing debut underwhelmed me, but as it has aged I have warmed to it. "Return to Cookie Mountain" is one of the best albums of the decade, so this one had a tough act to follow. I don't think "Dear Science," is as good as the last one, but nearly and it is different. The album starts off in familiar territory with propulsive drums underlying a canvas awash in noise, in come the soulful vocals, cue handclaps and we're off. Then, about a minute before the song wraps up, it turns telling us "we're halfway home" and the music moves like a roller coaster as your stomach drops and feeling of elation rises. Then, immediately another turn into the funky new soul of "Crying," the lead guitar part the funkiest thing these guys have ever done, accompanied beautifully by the falsetto chorus. Next, is "Dancing Choose" which apparently most people hate. I like it, I don't care what you say, it's good, that's all I'll say about that. "Family Tree" is gut-wrenchingly beautiful, especially in light of the political landscape this year. And, finally the one-two punch of DLZ and Lover's Day serves as a reiteration that this album can stand up to the best in there catalog. With this album, TV on the Radio have established themselves as not only one of the best bands in the country right now, but one of the best in the world. Which, of course, begs the question: What will they do next? I can't wait to find out.

4. Visiter -- Dodos
This was a very good year for strong first tracks and I think this may be the best of the bunch. "Walking" grabbed me from the get-go, it has so much to love: twangy guitar, banjo (which I'm increasingly a sucker for these days), boy-girl vocals and a seamless segue into another great song "Red and Purple." Honestly, for about 8 months this album was at number 1 for me, it is one I have consistently gone back to this year over and over again and that always means it deserves a spot high on the top 10 list. I can imagine a criticism of this album is that it is a bit all over the place, but to me that is part of it's charm. They cull together varying influences and styles, mash it up and make it their own. My friend Dave always likes to say he is a sucker for groups and albums that have creative and strong rhythm and this album has that in spades. On the surface you wouldn't think of Dodos as a rhythmic group, but pay attention to the percussion as well as many of the guitar parts and the rhythmic plays as much a part of the songs as the melodies floating above it. Save the throw away "It's That Time Again," every song on this album is great, the standouts being the first two tracks, "Fools" "Jodi" and "God?" This is one that may have flown under the radar, but deserves to be heard by as many people as possible. And the finishing one-two punch of DLZ and Lover's Day

5. Furr -- Blitzen Trapper
This was a quick riser recently as well. I bought it when it came out, but it became one of those that got lost in the shuffle. I had their first album and quite liked it, while finding it a bit inconsistent. But, after repeated listens these past few weeks, Furr is anything but inconsistent, in fact, one of it's strengths is it's cohesiveness both in sound and idea. "Sleepytime in the Western World" places us firmly in Blitzen Trapper's world; geographically, out west of course, musically we have one part druggy west course rock, a little southern rock thrown in there, with a healthy dose of the Band, and you gotta love a song with an organ like that. "Gold for Bread" starts of as a driving acoustic number, but quickly gets a nice lick of electric guitar and even a little electronic blips for good measure. The title track is actually what made me run out and get this album, one of the most beautiful songs of the year and proof that these guys can shift gear to soft acoustic numbers, then turn around and hit you with a drugged out rocker like "Love U", even give you a light pop ditty like "Saturday Night." Like their first one there is a wide range of styles and influences here, but there is evident growth and confidence that brings it all together. There's a lot of promise to come here so keep an eye on this band from my home, the Great Northwest!

6. Fleet Foxes -- Sun Giant EP/Fleet Foxes
I include the EP with the LP, because I actually think the EP is better than the LP and alone one of the best of the year, together they are a blockbuster. Honestly, this album was higher for a long time, but dropped recently as I realized it is slightly overrated. Don't get me wrong this is one of the best albums of the year and contains some of the best songs "White Winter Hymnal" has some of the most exquisite harmonies this side of "Here, There and Everywhere" and "Because". I think the album tapers off a bit toward the end. While the EP offers five strong tracks different enough to hold your attention, the LP bleeds together a bit in places. All that aside, this is a young band that has crafted an incredible debut. Enough has been said about the vocals, they speak for themselves, but they are consistently backed up by clean warm guitars, competent drumming and the occasional organ swirl. It all feels very organic and very Northwest, so it feels like home.

7. Rip it Off -- Times New Viking
I first heard Times New Viking last year when I picked up their last disc "The Paisley Reich." It was like a paper shredder to my ear drum and I loved it. This led me to further investigate the "shitcore" scene with bands like Pink Reason, Psychedelic Horseshit and all on the Siltbreeze label. But, make no mistake, Times New Viking is the leader of this movement and Rip It Off is their manifesto. 16 tracks that clock in around 30 minutes, of ear-bleeding shit drenched pop. If you have a problem with lo-fi or distortion, it's probably best you not listen. Like the original mix of Raw Power all faders are pushed to the red here and it's not as much an aesthetic choice as it is a direct confrontation to the listener: "We like it fucking loud and if you don't then get the fuck out." But, what must not get lost amongst the muck, is there are pristine pop numbers under it all. The hooks come fast and furious from "My Head" to "Mean God" to "The Early 80's." These kids can write a pop song. It's kind of like Robert Pollard decided to distort every Guided By Voices song. So one last story to illustrate why I love this album: in high school when I had discovered the Velvet Underground, I would sit in my room and play "Sister Ray" in its entirety as loud as my stereo could go. Finally one night, my dad burst into my room and as Lou Reed and John Cale fought to see who could be the loudest my dad screamed "Turn that noise off or I'm going to take a sledgehammer to that stereo." That story makes me smile today and it's why I love this record.

8. Ice Cream Spiritual -- Ponytail
I'm not sure how or why it happened but one morning I heard "Beg Waves." At lunch I promptly went to my closest record store and bought this album and it hasn't disappointed. I like to call them my new Deerhoof. Wild, within-a-hair of being out-of-control guitar parts; lift you out of your seat drumming. And the indelible squelching "vocals." I think it's probably these very vocal acrobatics that many people can't get past, but in the context of this band it makes complete sense. Taken as a whole the cacophonous assault of fuzzed out math pop works on every level. Besides "Beg Waves" the other highlight is the towering 7 minute "Celebrate the Body Electric (It Came From an Angel)." The title alone pretty much tells you what you need to know about this band. The song moves from a tripped out delayed guitar to the blissed out assault seen throughout the album, then sharp punctuated vocals give way to a complete psychedelic freak out and back again...Part of what is so great about this album is its exuberance, you can actually feel that these guys are having a blast making this music and that enthusiasm is infectious as is the music. If you allow yourself to let Ponytail take you away to their wonderful land where there are Ice Cream Spirituals you won't be disappointed.

9. Dig Lazarus Dig -- Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
So, last year I had the pleasure of seeing Nick Cave for the first time live, albeit under the Grinderman moniker. I had loved the album (it ended up number 5 on last years list) and was excited for the show. When the lights dipped, the Grinderman walked out sans Cave, bathed in soft blue light and covered in hair. They grabbed their instruments and locked into the familiar groove of the title track from the album. After a few bars, tall and menacing, Cave emerged from the back shaking sleighbells above his head. He sauntered to the mic leaned forward and told us "I'm a Grinderman...." For the remainder of the show Cave looked larger than life with his handlebar moustache, slicked back hair and tall dark suit. He embodied a preacher incantating to his adoring congregation. For the encore, Grinderman knocked out Bad Seeds classics "Red Right Hand," "The Weeping Song" and "Deanna" After this performance, "Dig, Lazarus, Dig" comes as no surprise. It is a natural progression from Grinderman, but stands on it's own as one of the best of the Bad Seeds catalog. For nearly 30 years Cave and his Bad Seeds have consistently put out strong efforts of dark, foreboding and often poignant (Boatman's Call) music. This album gives much of that range from the snarl of the title track to the languid strings of "Jesus of the Moon." Cave's stories on this album are some of the best. The title track does perfectly embody what this album is all about. The story of Lazarus is one told to us from a small age, a miracle of resurrected life meant to inspire, but in Cave's hands he forces us to ask is this shitty world really worth coming back to, and if it is you better be prepared to own how shitty it is. If Cave keeps making albums like this, despite the depressing news around us, it will always be nice to hear him rail against it.

10. Let in the Light -- Bonnie Prince Billy
The first song on this album, "Easy Does It" reminds me of American Beauty by the Grateful Dead, which reminds me of my senior year of high school and the series finale of Freaks and Geeks. So, basically this song and album, as a whole, make me feel nostalgic. This is what Will Oldham does best: makes folksy Americana music that is familiar and makes you feel warm. Even when he is despairing on I See a Darkness, it is a loneliness you can identify with. So, too, here on Let in the Light, he has found a light at the end of the tunnel. There is a soul to this music that is inspiring and almost religious. There has always been a gospel tinge to his music, "A Minor Place" could be a hymnal in church. So, too, on "So Everyone," the boy-girl chorus is heavenly, so what that it's about blow jobs. At the end of the day, this is an album I would put on while camping sitting and staring at the fire, drinking a beer, hanging out with my friends and family and feeling damn content.

The Rest -- Department of Eagles
Abe Vigoda
Atlas Sound
Crystal Castles
Cut Copy
No Age
Jay Reatard
Spiritualized
Wolf Parade
Women

Best Songs

Nothing Ever Happens -- Deerhunter
The Rip -- Portishead
Crying or Family Tree -- TV on the Radio
Walking -- Dodos
Track one -- Bonnie Prince Billy
White Winter Hymnal -- Fleet Foxes
My Head -- Times New Viking
Beg Waves -- Ponytail
Dig Lazarus Dig -- Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Furr -- Blitzen Trapper
No One Does it Like You -- Department of Eagles
Acid Tongue -- Jenny Lewis
Time to Pretend -- MGMT
Chemtrails -- Beck
Alice -- Crystal Castles
Dead City/Waste Wilderness -- Abe Vigoda
Teen Creep -- No Age
A Punk -- Vampire Weekend
Call it a Ritual -- Wolf Parade
Black Rice -- Women
Night of Broken Glass -- Jay Reatard
Sleepy Head -- Passion Pit
L.E.S. Artes -- Santogold
Flume -- Bon Iver
Constructive Summer -- Hold Steady
Soul on Fire -- Spiritualized

Bands to Watch

Women
Wavves
Eat Skull

Most Anticipated for 2009

Animal Collective
Antony and the Johnsons
Decemberists
Grizzly Bear
Neko Case
New Pornographers

Keep America Obese and Dependent on Foreign Oil

2008-12-17T12:02:00.002-06:00

That's what Obama's appointment of Tom Vilsack as Sec. of Agriculture means to me. He will pour money into the corn lobby that is responsible for pumping high fructose corn syrup into everything on the shelves at grocery stores and producing the most incredibly inefficient fuel known to man (ethanol). But, Obama had to win Iowa and this is how he keeps it in 2012. Thanks for the Change buddy.

I'm Back

2008-12-17T08:34:00.003-06:00

So, entering into the year end madness conversation seemed a good place after my absence. I apologize for the absence, I've been busy taking care of our baby, which has proven to be quite a lot of work, not that I didn't know that. To hear more about that you can head over here, a place I'm also tardy on updates. But, you are here. I'm hoping in the coming weeks to post as much year end commentary as possible. So, what instigated this post: I was thinking about my son, Asher and this being his birth year, what he will think looking back on what the top music was, especially his father's top 10 list (coming soon!); then, I thought what was the top music of my birth year, 1980. In a time and age without internet or blogs I went to the sources I knew existed and here's what they gave me (not too shabby, I must say):

Rolling Stone:

Best Album - London Calling - The Clash
# The River - Bruce Springsteen
# Remain In Light - Talking Heads
# Doc At The Radar Station - Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band
# Le Chat Bleu - Mink De Ville

Best Single - Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
# Emotional Rescue - Rolling Stones
# Stop Your Sobbing - The Pretenders
# Call Me - Blondie
# The Breaks - Kurtis Blow

Creem:

Top Albums

1. Bruce Springteen- The River
2. AC/DC- Back In Black
3. Rolling Stones- Emotional Rescue
4. Clash- London Calling
5. Pretenders
6. Van Halen- Women & Children First
7. Queen- The Game
8. Pete Townshend- Empty Glass
9. B-52's- Wild Planet
10. Pat Benatar- Crimes Of Passion
11. Cheap Trick- All Shook Up
12. Cars- Panorama
13. Devo- Freedom Of Choice
14. David Bowie- Scary Monsters
15. Elvis Costello- Get Happy!!
16. Police- Zenyatta Mondatta
17. Black Sabbath- Heaven & Hell
18. Kinks- One For The Road
19. Bob Seger- Against The Wind
20. Talking Heads- Remain In Light
21. Rush- Permanent Waves
22. Judas Priest- British Steel
23. Ramones- End Of The Century
24. Heart- Bebe Le Strange
25. Public Image Ltd.- Second Edition

Top Singles

1. Devo- Whip It
2. Queen- Another One Bites The Dust
3. AC/DC- You Shook Me All Night Long
4. Bruce Springsteen- Hungry Heart
5. Rolling Stones- She's So Cold
6. Clash- Train In Vain
7. Vapors- Turning Japanese
8. Rolling Stones- Emotional Rescue
9. David Bowie- Ashes To Ashes
10. B-52's- Private Idaho
11. Blondie- Call Me
12. Pretenders- Brass In Pocket
13. Clash- London Calling
14. Pete Townshend- Rough Boys
15. Van Halen- And The Cradle Will Rock

NME:

1
Closer
Joy Division
Closer (1980)

2
Get Happy!!
Elvis Costello
Get Happy!! (1980)

3
I Just Can't Stop It
The Beat
I Just Can't Stop It (1980)

4
Sinsemilla
Black Uhuru
Sinsemilla (1980)

5
Movies
Holger Czukay
Movies (1998)

6
Remain in Light
Talking Heads
Remain in Light (1980)

7
Crocodiles
Echo and the Bunnymen
Crocodiles (1980)

8
Borderline
Ry Cooder
Borderline (1980)

9
Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)
David Bowie
Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) (1980)

10
Searching for the Young Soul Rebels
Dexys Midnight Runners
Searching for the Young Soul Rebels (1980)

11
Sound Affects
The Jam
Sound Affects (1980)

12
The River
Bruce Springsteen
The River (1980)

13
Signing Off
UB40
Signing Off (1980)

14
The Correct Use of Soap
Magazine
The Correct Use of Soap (1980)

15
Songs the Lord Taught Us
The Cramps
Songs the Lord Taught Us (1980)

16
Laughter
Ian Dury
Laughter (1980)

17
Night Passage
Weather Report
Night Passage (1980)

18
Grace and Danger
John Martyn
Grace and Danger (1980)

19
Empires and Dance
Simple Minds
Empires and Dance (1980)

20
Suicide [Alan Vega - Martin Rev]
Suicide
Suicide [Alan Vega - Martin Rev] (1980)

21
Uprising
Bob Marley
Uprising (1980)

22
Warm Thoughts
Smokey Robinson
Warm Thoughts (1980)

23
Colossal Youth
Young Marble Giants
Colossal Youth (1980)

24
Paris au Printemps
Public Image Ltd.
Paris au Printemps (1980)

25
The Voice of America
Cabaret Voltaire
The Voice of America (1980)

26
Warm Leatherette
Grace Jones
Warm Leatherette (1980)

27
Die Kleinen und die Bösen
Deutsch-Amerikanische Freundschaft
Die Kleinen und die Bösen (1980)

28
Soldier
Iggy Pop
Soldier (1980)

29
Live
Toots and the Maytals
Live (1980)

30
Growing Up in Public
Lou Reed
Growing Up in Public (1980)

31
Doc at the Radar Station
Captain Beefheart
Doc at the Radar Station (1980)

32
More Specials
The Specials
More Specials (1980)

33
Cultösaurus Erectus
Blue Öyster Cult
Cultösaurus Erectus (1980)

34
Kilimanjaro
The Teardrop Explodes
Kilimanjaro (1980)

35
Blues for the Fisherman
Milcho Leviev
Blues for the Fisherman (1980)

36
Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)
Captain Beefheart
Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) (1978)

37
Nobody's Perfect
The Distractions
Nobody's Perfect (1980)

38
Hotter Than July
Stevie Wonder
Hotter Than July (1980)

39
Snap, Crackle and Bop
John Cooper Clarke
Snap, Crackle and Bop (1980)

40
Bass Culture
Linton Kwesi Johnson
Bass Culture (1980)

41
Organisation
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Organisation (1980)

42
Countrymen
Twinkle Brothers
Countrymen (1980)

43
Freedom of Choice
Devo
Freedom of Choice (1980)

44
Are You Glad to Be in America?
James Blood Ulmer
Are You Glad to Be in America? (1980)

45
Diana
Diana Ross
Diana (1980)

46
Shadows and Light
Joni Mitchell
Shadows and Light (1980)

47
Kaleidoscope
Siouxsie and the Banshees
Kaleidoscope (1980)

48
Waiting for a Miracle
The Comsat Angels
Waiting for a Miracle (1980)

49
Heartattack and Vine
Tom Waits
Heartattack and Vine (1980)

50
Changes
Etta James
Changes (1980)

Neil Young Archives

2008-11-24T17:38:00.003-06:00

It's real this time. You can pre-order on Blu-Ray or DVD from Amazon. Just hope you have $300 lying around. The official release date is Jan. 27th, 2009. Read more here.

Stop.

2008-11-10T07:19:00.001-06:00

Isn't it Interesting?

2008-11-06T10:43:00.002-06:00

That these two headlines appear right next to each other on my feed from Drudge:

China urges Obama to respect free trade...

WAL-MART poised for big holiday season...

The Fairness Doctrine

2008-11-06T09:56:00.001-06:00

is crap. This is a prime example of what could be a democrat overreach. It is also an easy way for people to label Democrats as elitists who think they know what's best for us. Well they don't and I don't believe in censorship by government in any form. I can't stand Rush Limbaugh, Fox News, Hugh Hewitt, Laura Ingraham, etc. but I will defend their right to spout of their rancid beliefs. We elected this government and we should hold them accountable for what they do. The Fairness Doctrine should be kept where it is, in the trash.

The Answer is Yes

2008-11-03T11:31:00.001-06:00

From KLO:

Obama said that a few ago in Florida. Am I the only one who doesn't want to change America in any fundamental way? Does that make me crazy? And alone?

Ground Game

2008-11-03T11:12:00.001-06:00

At the end of the day this is why he'll win.

MIA

2008-11-03T11:04:00.000-06:00

Sorry I have been MIA for awhile, at the worst time right? Anyway, I'm still cautiously optimistic about Obama's chances tomorrow, but I'm going to say I won't be surprised if McCain somehow pulls it out. That said: Gobama!

What Hell Looks Like

2008-10-24T12:52:00.000-05:00

K-Lo's vision:

With Fred Thompson speaking truth to pessimism, Sarah Palin on the road, and everyone doing his part to use Stanley Kurtz and Andy McCarthy as your weekend talking points, fowarding Robby George and other previews of life under Obama, and using David Freddoso as your coffetable book when you have friends over (have undecided friends over!), things can turnaround for John McCain. This election is close and nowhere near over.

Grandpa Fred Tells it Like it Is

2008-10-24T11:29:00.001-05:00

This video is useful in that it is a one stop shop for every failed Republican attack on Obama.

the Plumber for Congress

2008-10-24T10:33:00.001-05:00

So, I wrote this as a joke a few days ago. Apparently, it's not too far from the truth.

Palin for President Watch #6

2008-10-24T07:37:00.000-05:00

It's becoming official.

National Review Jumps the Shark

2008-10-24T07:34:00.002-05:00

So, in the land of crazy right wingers, the Corner has taken the cake these past few weeks as they see their whole world imploding. But, today they have truly outdone even themselves. In a matter of hours by two separate posters, they managed to equate Sarah Palin with Jesus and Barack Obama with Satan. No I'm not kidding.

Palin for President Watch #5

2008-10-23T10:48:00.003-05:00

First, I would like to say that this image came from Brett Marty, who has been documenting the campaigns for FiveThirtyEight.com. Definitely check out his site, the photographs are really great.

That said, this photo seems incredibly damning to me. She is autographing a sign that is essentially saying her running mate will lose and it will be to the benefit of her. What must John McCain think of this?

Obama!

2008-10-22T10:18:00.001-05:00

Palin for President Watch #4

2008-10-22T08:21:00.001-05:00

The whispers are getting louder.

HT: Andrew Sullvian

Move Over Malibu Barbie

2008-10-22T07:56:00.000-05:00

Wasilla Sarah is in town and ready to shop today. Yet with all that money there's still this.

Whoa.

2008-10-21T14:25:00.000-05:00

I'd call this an enthusiasm gap.

Palin for President Watch #3

2008-10-21T13:47:00.000-05:00

Now she has more experience than Biden.

This is Encouraging

2008-10-21T09:30:00.002-05:00

HT: Yglesias

Palin for President Watch #2

2008-10-21T09:27:00.001-05:00

More from NRO i.e. Palin campaign headquarters:

From what I saw, Palin was about ten times better than McCain was in any of his three debates. Yet she’s supposed to be the drag on the ticket?

Palin for President Watch

2008-10-21T07:12:00.002-05:00

Today, I will begin a new occasional (and hopefully finite) series looking at the run up to anointing Sarah Palin the Queen of the Republican Party. As I showed yesterday there is increasing evidence from right wingers and Palin herself that the run-up to 2012 has already begun. The more I think about it the more I see evidence of Palin fever creeping through the far right. So, it was no surprise to read this from NRO this morning:

I wonder if Peggy Noonan, Kathleen Parker and other naysaying friends and colleagues would feel differently about Sarah Palin if they saw her on the stump. I don't know whether 22,000-strong crowds in Colorado can change the game, but the idea that she's the drag on the ticket doesn't withstand scrutiny.

Palin-the Plumber 2012

2008-10-20T13:55:00.000-05:00

Is this a hint?

Connect The Dots

2008-10-20T12:36:00.002-05:00

What do these stories have in common?

Palin for President 2012?

Sweet Mother

2008-10-16T14:53:00.000-05:00

Ne'er a sweeter sight have I seen.

OMG

2008-10-16T11:18:00.000-05:00

This is definitely one of the worst things I've seen so far.

Fudge Report 5

2008-10-15T14:38:00.002-05:00

NOT AGAIN!

Markets are volatile! Who knew?!

Iran hails financial crisis as 'end of capitalism'...

Yeah if it's friend Obama gets elected it will.

OBAMA CAMPAIGN ISSUES TALKING POINTS TO MEDIA AHEAD OF DEBATE

He can tell the future, he is a demon!

UPDATE: Cheney Experiences Abnormal Heart Rhythm...

The greatest Vice President who ever lived is in peril...

Nancy Reagan hospitalized with broken pelvis...

The greatest first lady who ever lived, also, in peril....

Sex-on-beach trial exposes Dubai's cultural divide...

Muslims love oil money but hate sex.

Murtha warns Obama on Afghanistan...

Murtha's even crazier than Obama!

HIGH STAKES AT FINAL DEBATE...

Can Barack Obama weather McCain's ferocious comeback?

The Debate Tonight

2008-10-15T12:46:00.002-05:00

In all this last chance talk, I think some of us are failing to remember what tonight's debate is about. Domestic and Economic policy. Does anybody really think McCain can win this debate? I'll tell you this, he will try at every chance he gets to make it 100% about energy. For example:

Senator McCain will you please explain your Health Care Plan.

Well, my friends, it all begins with energy independence....

Fudge Report 4

2008-10-15T10:28:00.001-05:00

Palin surprises local WAL-MART shoppers with visit...

Not only is she a hockey mom, she's a Wal-Mart mom too!

Men on trial for spreading HIV at sex parties...

Queers kill.

Fudge Report 3

2008-10-15T09:25:00.002-05:00

The Fudge Report 2

2008-10-15T08:24:00.002-05:00