TV Show Review- Party Down

There seems to be a new television undercurrent, a good one, of hipper and smarter comedies.  These new shows often get better, more thoughtful laughs out of someone like me by not hammering us over the head with a punch line or a laugh track and instead let silence or social awkwardness generate smarter, deeper laughs.  These shows also seem to lavish in more intelligent humor, often letting quantity yield to quality jokes.  The combination for me is most ofte

n seen in shows like 'Arrested Development,' 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' '30 Rock,' 'Flight of the Conchords,' 'The Office,'The Life and Times of Tim' and now 'Party Down.'  

I'd be surprised if most people have even heard of 'Party Down,' but it's worth checking out particularly if you like any of the shows from above, all of which individually probably deserve their own review- some for continued brilliance, others for being funny once, but have wandered astray.  Regardless if you like, or have ever liked any of the above shows, I think 'Party Down' is worth 30 minutes of your time to check out an episode.  

Party Down and these shows are the antithesis of most prime time comedies that remain following the beat down brought on Hollywood writers by low risk, high return reality TV shows.  They're like Seinfeld residue and i don't find much shame in that.  In some ways they have even a bit more room for error and progress.  It seems to be so hard to get a non-reality TV show greenlit that the network is more pot-committed to the project and the show has more rope to either run with or hang itself.

'Party Down' is a prototype of this type of creative humor.  It's on a pay channel.....kinda.  Starz, which most people know not from going out of their way to subscribe to it, but more because it's been piggy-backed on top of their HBO

or Skinemax dues.

  

The bartenders and waitstaff who make up the cast are all transients with their eye on showbiz who suffer through the requisite high balls and bacon-wrapped scallops as they wait to be discovered.  It's very easy for them to work in a guest star as a new or temp waiter also, something they appear to do just about every episode.  One of the better ones, in a limited role is Stiffler's Mom, who is the latest person through the revolving door of clever guest spots.  

The boss (Randy) is essentially the Michael Scott of the L.A. catering business.   The protagonist, played by Adam Scott is a waiter/former actor.  Scott's character, Henry, was unfortunate enough to be typecast by a cheesy commercial so much so that he cannot find gainful employment elsewhere, but also did not do well enough to survive on a truckload of residuals.  His love interest is not-technically-yet-divorced, struggling waitress/comedienne.  Then there's a waiter/actor-musician-model who is trying to break through in the 'handsome business' and a bitter, holier-then-though waiter/writer.  Lastly and perhaps best of all, there's the past-her-prime-waitress/way-past-her-prime-actress.  They're all stereotypes in the funniest possible way.    

I remember reading that part of the success of 'Cheers' was due to it's setting.   Story lines could essentially walk in the door.  Each customer potentially held not only the requisitie drinking problem, but a potential story line as well.  That's how 'Party Down' works.  Sometimes they work a high school reunion (Randy, the boss is a member of the graduating class as well as the catering company.......on purpose), Porno awards, Young Conservatives rally, and even a single's mixer for senior citizens.   

If you don't have Starz riding on the coattails of your HBO subscription, don't worry.  There are still ways to check this show out.  You can go to STARZ.com to see a couple of episodes by clicking the 'Original Programming' tab, then 'Full Episodes.'  There should be two shows there and of course there are some other less then admirable ways to check them out online (so I heard).  If you do have Starz, check it out on On Demand.  

Book Review- 'Outliers' by Malcolm Gladwell

Answer this- What is the formula for the classic American success story?  Take a minute and answer.  It's probably some variation on the following....poor kid, came from nothing, born so far on the wrong side of the tracks that the right side of the tracks is virtually a mirage.  Kid has a dream constantly out of reach but has the drive to keep reaching.  He struggles, then struggles some more.  Maybe he has a dusting of success, then a setback, que more struggle, struggle, struggle.....and finally through sheer force of will and drive, the dream is realized and success is along for the ride.  It's the puritanical work ethic with a splash of over-reaching ambition and dusting of 'Rocky.'  Now forget all that garbage, because that's essentially what Gladwell does.

This isn't to say that the above scenario doesn't happen, but Gladwell's thesis is this- far more then we realize, people don't transcend their environment quite like we think.  Success across the board in any field, is often cultivated, albeit frequently unintentionally.  It is the biproduct of a unique combination of timing and environment with less Balboa then most of us think.  Success may be a fortunate accident, but it is not a mysterious coincidence. 

I'm assuming anyone who is reading this is about as good at math as I am.  Apart from low-balling any readers, this assumes you think the following- That if there are an equal number of children born in Canada in each month, it would stand to reason that each has an equal chance of being a pro hockey player.  Barring some weird mathmatical Canuck anomaly, that's has to be right?  Right?  No.  The cut-off for Hockey for our Neighbors to the North is December.  That means that the difference in age, maturity, and dexterity isn't a month, or even a week, but almost an entire year in some cases.  The January little maple leaf that could then starts with a head start, which produces more positive encouragement, which provides a better coach, which leads to more and more games because the kid is on a better team that plays more puck then the others.  Everything snowballs and it doesn't stop it continues on and on until- statistics show that more then half of profession, Canadian hockey players are born within the first three months.  January is best, followed by February, then March, and you can probably guess the rest.  As a matter of fact, if some poor bastard hoser has the misfortune of being born on the same day many of us were conceived- December 31st, they should put down the stick and gloves 'cause they're not playing hockey.  Even if his last name is 'Gretsky' his parents may as well give him the middle name of 'no chance.'.  I don't want to paraphrase too many statistics, but the results are staggering.

Bill Gates gives so much money to a Pacific Northwestern college not as so much because he wants more stuff named after him or he wants to further the education of minors or anything, but because there was some sort of beta program in place while his nerd genes were maturing.  He was given unlimited use to one of those pre-historic, giant computers that would cost anybody else tens of thousands of dollars, and that's assuming you could even get to one.  He had all the time he needed and could hit the thing with a rock from his house.  

Gladwell's book is essentially a compilation of stories like the above, which support his thesis.  As he typically does, the content and his writing ability make it so entertaining that it has a lot of the enjoyable components of easy-reading found in light or pulp fiction, but leaves you with an aftertaste of stuff you'll be curious about, feel smarter about, and wish to discuss with others.  

I'm probably a little too much a fan of Gladwell and look past the other side of the coin a reflexively though.  The hockey player example ties in to education and the argument that, 'why wouldn't you want to have your child stay back a year if they're on the border in order to give them the best possible chance at success?'  I'm haven't quite alienated all my family yet, but i do have several nieces and nephews and their parents are probably at the tipping point of telling me, 'blast off!  we're not holding back my kid because you read a book!!!'

Anyway, i encourage you to check this out, and if his book 'Blink' strikes you more, start there.  They're all fantastic, 'Blink' is probably the most entertaining, while 'Tipping Point' is often the most professionally rewarding and 'Outliers' probably most so personally.  

Gladwell thinks that oftentimes 'conventional wisdom' is widely accepted not necessairly because it is wise, but because it;s conventional.  Gladwell is constantly looking past convention in order to find wisdom.  You can argue the extent, but he's surely found it in all three of his books thus far.  

Beer Review: Smuttynose Star Island Single

It's Booze Day at the Love-Camel! Thanks to rino, an old friend of mine and a new contributor to the blog who says he has plenty of ideas to get us through the lean months ahead when I become a dad again and sleeping (and most likely, posting) goes on a temporary hiatus.

I meant to write about this new Smuttynose offering shortly after it came out a few months ago. A coworker told me about it and I went to several liquor stores until I found a six-pack. I had to try it for two reasons: 1) I grew up going to Star Island and it's one of my favorite places on the planet, and 2) Smuttynose is one of my favorite New England breweries, and despite my last review of one of their beers, I think they have a pretty stellar line-up.

Here's the rundown from the Brewery:

Our Star Island Single is an eminently sessionable, abbey-style ale offering a beguiling mix of flavor and refreshment. This medium-bodied golden ale features a slight residual sweetness from Honey Malt and hints of citrus and tropical fruits from the unique Belgian yeast it is fermented with, leaving a crisp dry finish. Enjoy it sociably while you savor good times, tall tales, friendly company & life’s unexpected pleasures.

Color: Pale gold
ABV: 5.2%
Availability: year-round in sixpacks and on draught in 1/2 & 1/6 barrel kegs.

The beer pours a cloudy gold--think Blue Moon. Not as cloudy as a well-poured hefeweizen, but enough to make it look Belgiany, if you will. Not quite as bitter as a pale ale, but the citrus sour enhances what hoppiness there is. Leaves you with a not-unpleasant lemony aftertaste. That's lemony--not lemonadey. Though the brewery's description mentions a "residual sweetness", I'm not getting much of that (I write, as I take another sip).

I am, however, getting the "eminently sessionable." This is a tastey beer. A beer I could--and probably will--be drinking a number of this summer. Smuttynose is dropping their Portsmouth Lager altogether and replacing it with this offering, which is I think is a bold, but wise, move. The Portsmouth Lager wasn't bad, but it was a bit on the boring side, and nearly all of the other styles they offer are more flavorful and, ultimately, more drinkable.

Due to the citrus undertones of the Star Island Single, I can't quite imagine drinking this in cold weather, so I'm slightly surprised this will be available year-around. But it's perfect for warm weather, and you better believe I'll have one of these in my hand during many a grilling session this summer. I bet it would accompany BBQ shrimp pretty perfectly...I think I just decided what I'm having for Memorial Day weekend.

Drink endorsement- 007

Sometimes you just don't feel like a beer and sometimes you've had so many you can already taste next day's cotton- mouth. You're too young to order a gin and tonic and too old to order a rum and coke,. It's too late to order a screwdriver and your stomach turns too sour when you order a margarita. Thus, a couple words in recognition of the 007- the perfect non-fruity, summer drink.

Most haven't ever heard of it (not sure, but it may be called an 'Arnold Palmer' down South), but those who have actually ordered it tend to become devoted fans. It's a mix of vodka (most commonly Stoli-O, or some other orange-flavored vodka), Sprite (although occasionally ginger ale), and some orange juice. It should look like a very, very strong (good) screwdriver and taste 10X better. A good bartender will serve it in a pint glass rather then in something small or with a stem, even if you're charged extra for the privilege.

It's a perfect mix of those three ingredients and fairly easy to explain if the bartender is a neophyte. It's refreshing and strikes a perfect note nestled comfortably between fruity summer drink and vodka and (tonic)(soda)(carbonated beverage).

While we're talking vodka, I have to mention what seems to be a new trend within the service industry. Somewhere along the line between bad economic times and driving your tab up it's become commonplace to ask, 'any particular type of (vodka)(other booze)?' Anyone who knows me knows I'm not a cheap bastard, but the fact remains when it comes to something that's going to be mixed with two other somethings, my palate doesn't distinguish between alcohols. However, my inclination is towards Grey Goose and away from looking cheap, which has often led to me asking for the Goose, when I could really care less. I'm sure many others have done the same. For those of you who have, I recommend memorizing the phrase, 'nah that's okay- you're well is fine.' This not only hoses the cheap bastard stink off you and saves you a buck, but also sends the subliminal message you were once on the other side of the bar with the person taking your order. That may just get you an extra second or two on the pour.

So raise it up to my favorite 007, including Sean Connery. The next time that thought bubble pops up inquiring, 'what do I feel like?' - order a 007. Feel free to thank me after the first and second, adore me after the third and fourth, worship me after the fifth and sixth, and curse me the following morning. Cheers!

Mmm...Spocky

So I went to see what will probably be my last movie in a theater for a while since the next little incubus will be arriving soon. There's not a whole lot I can say about Star Trek that hasn't already been said. But I will anyway, because I like to hear myself type:

The Good:

• It was fun. It was surprisingly action-heavy and there were lots of fist fights and 'splosions. Sulu even got to whip his sword out (snicker) . Also, that Romulan ship was crazy cool looking.
  
• There were plenty of inside jokes for those of us who actually watched Star Trek. I've never been a Trekkie (and yes, I know they prefer to be called Trekkers...whatever), but I did like the original series. There's also some excellent TWOK references.
• The cast, for the most part, was really good. I mean, Simon Pegg elevates pretty much anything he's in. I understand some people were upset that a comic actor was cast to play Scottie and he wouldn't lend much dignity to the role. These people clearly never actually watched Star Trek.

The Bad:

• I got a little Spocked out by the end. Not that Spock isn't a cool character, but c'mon. Enough is enough. It's like if a band has someone who plays the ukelele. It's a fun instrument, kind of a novelty. But you certainly don't need two of them, and they don't have to be playing front and center on nearly every song. (I come up with some pretty kick-ass analogies after midnight apparently.)
• Eric Bana didn't do much for me as the bad guy. I actually kind of like my Star Trek villians a bit over-the-top, but Bana's Nero was more under-the-bottom. Luckily, for a main antagonist, he's not actually in the movie all that much. And Winona Ryder as Spock's mom? Really?
  
• Plots that involve time travel always annoy me, yet Star Trek is addicted to them. It's a terrible crutch. There's obviously going to be a sequel to this film, possibly several. I'm not asking for anything terribly original plot-wise, just something that does NOT involve paradox-riddled time travel.

The Ugly:

• That one nurse with the weird eyes who delivered Kirk at the beginning really freaked me out. OK, I'm grasping here.

All in all, I liked it enough to tell people they should check it out. It's a decent summer movie with plenty of action, a surprising number of laughs, and some scantily clad space ladies. Nerdtastic.

A Few Older Must Listens

I recently stumbled upon some albums from 2008 and very early 2009 that are too good not to mention and/or force on people. I've been splurging on music for the past few months, so anything that makes it to my CD player more than once a week is notable. Some of the songs on these albums might get played multiple times a day, so yeah, I would call them "must listens".

Coconut Records - Davy
Experience tells us that bands created and/or fronted by actors should suck. Jason Schwartzman's band, Coconut Records, gets a pass for several reasons. First, Schwartzman played Max Fischer in Rushmore and practically gets a free pass for life just for that. Second, Schwartzman was a musician before he was an actor, drumming for Phantom Planet when he was just 14. Third, and most important, this album is actually really good. There's nothing very groundbreaking here, just a lot of catchy songs, many of which I liked upon the very first listen. The first couple tracks, "Microphone" and "Drummer" (I'd start out with "Drummer", the track that got me interested in the first place), are particularly strong, but really the whole album is a good from beginning to end. Go Max Fischer.

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson
Though the name is cumbersome, the music on MBAR's debut album is anything but. If you can listen to the opening track, "Buriedfed", and not be hooked, more power to you. The doubled up vocals are reminiscent of Bon Iver or Elliot Smith, and some of the material is equally as dark, but there's an energy to this music that you don't always get from Bon Iver especially. I'm not disparaging these other artists, both of whom I enjoy (especially Smith), but Robinson's debut is really impressive. The album is growing on me more and more with every listen and I highly recommend it.
Buriedfed

Laura Marling - Alas, I Cannot Swim
I wish I'd never found out that Laura Marling was 19. It's depressing for someone my age to think that someone that young could make an album this amazing. The first track, "Ghosts", is undoubtedly one of the best songs I've heard in ages. I never want to put a song on repeat--with 10,000+ songs at my fingertips at any given time, why would I want to? But I can listen to this song over and over again. And though "Ghosts" is my favorite track, the rest of the album holds its own and demands repeat listens. The last time I heard as mature a voice in someone this young was with Fiona Apple, and by "voice" I mean both the actual sound of her voice and the maturity of the lyrics. Marling is a young artist with an old soul, and as I continue to absorb this first LP, I find myself already looking forward to whatever she does next.

Best...Compilation...Ever

I've been meaning to post about this for a while now, but better late than never, I suppose. I'm generally wary of compilation CDs. They often have a lot of filler by bands I've never heard of and maybe a few tracks that are keepers. But when I saw the artists on the Dark Was the Night compilation that came out this past February (I told you I was late), my brain almost melted. Check it out:
THIS DISC

1 Knotty Pine – Dirty Projectors + David Byrne
2 Cello Song (Nick Drake) – The Books featuring Jose Gonzalez
3 Train Song (Vashti Bunyan recorded, written by Alasdair Clayre) – Feist + Ben Gibbard
4 Brackett, WI – Bon Iver
5 Deep Blue Sea – Grizzly Bear
6 So Far Around the Bend – The National (arrangement by Nico Muhly)
7 Tightrope – Yeasayer
8 Feeling Good (popularized by Nina Simone) – My Brightest Diamond
9 Dark Was the Night (Blind Willie Johnson) – Kronos Quartet
10 I Was Young When I Left Home (Bob Dylan) – Antony + Bryce Dessner
11 Big Red Machine – Justin Vernon + Aaron Dessner
12 Sleepless – The Decemberists
13 Stolen Houses (Die) – Iron and Wine
14 Service Bell – Grizzly Bear + Feist
15 You Are The Blood – Sufjan Stevens

THAT DISC
1 Well-Alright – Spoon
2 Lenin – Arcade Fire
3 Mimizan – Beirut
4 El Caporal – My Morning Jacket
5 Inspiration Information (Shuggie Otis) – Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
6 With A Girl Like You (The Troggs) – Dave Sitek
7 Blood Pt 2 (based on original song “You are the Blood” by the Castanets) – Buck 65 Remix (featuring Sufjan Stevens and Serengeti)
8 Hey, Snow White (Destroyer) – The New Pornographers
9 Gentle Hour (Snapper) – Yo La Tengo
10 Another Saturday (traditional song) – Stuart Murdoch
11 Happiness – Riceboy Sleeps
12 Amazing Grace (traditional song) – Cat Power and Dirty Delta Blues
13 The Giant Of Illinois (Handsome Family) – Andrew Bird
14 Lua – Conor Oberst + Gillian Welch
15 When the Road Runs Out – Blonde Redhead + Devastations
16 Love vs. Porn – Kevin Drew

Not only are many, many of my favorite artists on here, but a lot of them are collaborating with each other. I mean, c'mon, The Books and Jose Gonzalez covering one of Nick Drake's best songs? That track alone should make any musically inclined person salivate.

And here's the thing: none of these songs are throw-aways. There are some covers, but they're really well chosen covers. A lot of these are originals that you won't hear anywhere else, and they're not crap-ass songs that were clearly trimmed off albums. The National, The Decemberists, Spoon, Sufjan Stevens, The New Pornographers all contribute some stellar original tracks--some of their best songs.

And here's another thing: it's all for a good cause. Proceeds go to the Red Hot Organization, which raises money and awareness for HIV and AIDS. Remember AIDS? Yeah, it's still around, and the number of new cases is going up again. Since this is a charity album, I encourage you to actually go out and BUY the album. I'm certainly not going to send you any free tracks. And if you find someplace to download it for free, you are stealing from people with AIDS. How does that make you feel, Mr. I-Don't-Pay-For-My-Music?

The bottom line is, if you have don't have this album yet, you should get it. Now. Stop wasting time and buy it on Amazon or download it from iTunes or do whatever you kids do these days (as long as you actually pay for it).

Ice Cream Review: Ben & Jerry's Mission to Marzipan

Oddly enough, it was almost a year ago today that I did my one other ice cream review on this blog. That flavor was probably a little less polarizing than Mission to Marzipan, because I don't know many people who dislike cheesecake brownies, but I know a lot of people who dislike marzipan. My German wife got me hooked on the stuff (we've even visited Luebeck, where marzipan was supposedly first created), and after chocolate, it's probably one of my favorite dessert flavors.

The marzipan in this new Ben & Jerry's flavor isn't exactly Niederegger quality, but it's still pretty dang good. I initially bought it for my highly pregnant wife, but I confess that I think I've eaten more of it than she has. The sweet cream ice cream would probably be pretty delicious on its own, but the almond cookies and marzipan swirl make it downright addictive. A must-try for anyone who likes marzipan, and it might even win over some marzipan skeptics. The only thing that would have improved it is a little dark chocolate somewhere, but then again, I think chocolate improves pretty much anything.

More Mini Music Reviews: April 2009

Still listening to a ton of new and newish music; still compelled to write about it. Here's what's been spinning lately...

The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love
This album has been pretty polarizing among Decemberists fans (of which I am one) and critics in general. Even I'm of two minds about it. Listening to the album from start to finish--which one should certainly do, since it's a concept album/rock opera/what have you--has been a roller coaster ride for me. Sometimes I think it's brilliant and innovative, sometimes it feels like the most pretentious tripe Colin Meloy has pulled from his literary ass. It's certainly beautiful. Tucker Martine's production has never been better. Some of the songs are among The Decemberists' best; "The Rake's Song" is both disturbing and witty, hearkening all the way back to "A Cautionary Song" in its style and quality. Dunno...I'll have to give more time. I know it won't be among my favorite Decemberists albums, but you have to admire their effort, no matter what you think of the actual music. For now, a B.

The Thermals - Now We Can See
Wow, I liked this album waaaay more than I thought I would. I never even heard The Blood, The Body, The Machine, The Thermals' second album, because I was only so-so on their debut, More Parts Per Million. I'm glad I took a chance on this one. The themes are pretty grim for the most part, as one might expect from tracks titled "When I Died", "We Were Sick", "When I Was Afraid", and so on. But the album's still full of jangly tunes that demand some head shakin' and leg slappin'. The title track is definitely a stand-out, but the whole album is highly listenable. Hutch Harris has a voice that you either really dislike, or you tolerate. I can't imagine many people really like it, but that's a small price to pay for songs this catchy. Besides, how many male indie vocalists are really any good? I'm giving this one a B+, though it might even lean towards an A-.

Dan Deacon - Bromst
This was my first foray into the Deacon-zone, and from what I understand, this album is one of his most user-friendly. I have never really immersed myself into electronic music--I listen to some, but not a lot. Deacon takes electronic music well past a thumping beat into something much more complex, and ultimately for me, rewarding. It's hard to believe all this music was made by one dude. There's a lot of texture here, and the album is very versatile in that I can either concentrate on it when I listen and find new things every time, or it could be pleasant background music. Still not something I could listen to tons, but a good intro to this interesting artist. B

Madeleine Peyroux - Bare Bones
Peyroux has a voice I could listen to even if she sang the phone book. Its bluesy warmth wraps around you like a glass of red wine on a cold night. I honestly don't know what most of these songs are about. I just like to listen to her sing. Known for her covers, these songs are originals, many written or co-written by Peyroux herself. This is the type of album you put on during cocktail party to impress your friends and make them think you're cultured. Except for maybe "You Can't Do Me," which is a fun song, but sounds kind of silly when you actually listen to it. B+

Telekinesis - Telekinesis!
I posted about this band recently when I saw them live a few weeks ago. I bought their album at the show and I'm glad I did. Two of the songs in particular, "Coast of Carolina" and "Tokyo" (see video below), are ridiculously infectious. I have to be careful when I listen to the CD because I'm garaunteed to get one of these two songs stuck in my head for hours. Michael Benjamin Lerner knows how write a hook. Really hooky hooks. The whole album is solid, and this band is well on its way to being one of my favorite newcomers of the year. A-

Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles - The Stars Are Out
I enjoyed the first two albums by this group (one made my top 20 a few years ago), but I was a bit let down by this one. Borges and her band are definitely talented, but with the exception of a pretty cool Magnetic Fields cover (of "No One Will Ever Love You"), nothing really grabbed me by the lapels here. I don't know if the producer changed or what happened exactly, but when the best song on an album is a cover--even if it's a great cover--that's never a good sign. The band's previous albums tended to be more country than rock n' roll, but the opposite is true this time around, and that didn't do them any favors. A lot of bands tend to drop off a cliff at the third album, and though I wouldn't call this a cliff exactly, it's definitely a step down. C

Ida Maria - Fortress 'round My Heart
Holy crap. If you're reading this, go out and buy this album right now. I should probably give this album its own post, but I'm kinda lazy, and at least I'm saving the best for last. It's so rare for me to like an entire album upon the very first listen, but that's what happened here. The first track, "Oh My God", is bursting with energy and emotion, and Ida Maria Siversten manages to maintain that raw energy right to the last track, "In The End." The UK has apparently been all about Ida Maria for a while now, and I think it's only a matter of time before she starts hitting US charts. And I mean the real charts, not just indie and college radio. The album's first single, "I Like You So Much Better When Your Naked", is so ridiculously catchy that it'll make your head spin (see video here).

There's nothing hugely ground breaking here. The music is pretty simple. Well done, but simple. The lyrics are also relatively simple--lots of talk about booze, caffeine, cigarettes, and sex. You don't really expect any high falutin' literary shenanigans from a Norwegian anyway. I think the real draw for me is Siversten's voice. She lets it crack and stretch and howl in ways that you just don't hear that often from a female vocalist this day and age. My first thoughts upon hearing her sing were of Janis Joplin, and upon looking at some other reviews, I'm certainly not the first make the comparison. That rawness in her voice lends a sense of urgency and sincerity to all of the songs. And they're not all head bangers; "Stella", "Keep Me Warm", and the aforementioned closing track are all slower, but no less powerful.

Considering how much I've already been listening to it, I can already tell you that this'll end up somewhere in my top 10 for the year. A solid and enthusiastic A.

Weaksabi-Ginger Pop

I finally tried the Wasabi-Ginger pop from Lollyphile and it was a bit of a let down. Maybe they spilled some of the Maple-Bacon batch in my batch of Wasabi-Ginger, but it wasn't all that gingery and it definitely didn't have much wasabi. It mostly tasted like sugar with a vaguely ginger aftertaste. Of the three flavors I've tried so far, I'd have to say that this one falls in the middle. Absinthe had a strong flavor, but a strong bad flavor. Maple- Bacon was actually pretty tasty. This one was just meh.

Blitzen Trapper in Juan's Basement

I've never really paid attention to the "Juan's Basement" feature on Pitchfork. Juan apparently invites bands to jam in his basement and then he has an informal interview with them. His latest victims are Blitzen Trapper, a band I'm coming to appreciate more and more.

Having watched this edition of Juan's Basement, I can honestly say that if I saw these guys walking down the sidewalk, it would take some mental effort not to walk to the other side of the road to avoid them. But they're pretty amusing, and their music is highly entertaining. Check it out if you have 15-20 minutes or so to spare. Or, just check out my favorite song from this short set below.

Boyle's "Million" Movies

The one and only movie I've seen in theaters recently was Slumdog Millionaire, which was playing at the tiny crap theater down the street from where I live. It's pretty much pointless to review of a film that just won best picture and has had tons of publicity. If you've seen it, you know it's good. I have no idea whether or not it deserved best picture since I didn't see anything else that was nominated. If you haven't seen it, you probably should.

Whether or not you think Slumdog Millionaire deserved the accolades it received, it's hard to deny the skills of Danny Boyle as a director. He's joined the ranks of David Fincher, Wes Anderson, and Jean-Pierre Jeunet as one of my favorite directors of the past decade or so. What sets Boyle apart from some of these other directors, however, is the sheer diversity of his movies. There's the underrated Shallow Grave (a remarkable effort for his first feature), Trainspotting, the turn-the-genre-on-its-ear zombie film 28 Days Later (the last movie I saw in theaters twice), and though I haven't seen it yet, his sci-fi film Sunshine is reportedly excellent. And then there's Millions, a DVD I got for free after sending some cereal box tops in.

Millions is dubbed a "family" film, and I'm assuming it is Boyle's only PG-rated movie. Set in Britain, a little boy finds a huge bag of money--British pounds that will be useless in a few weeks when the currency is converted to the Euro. The film follows our protagonist, Damian, and his brother, showing what they do with the money. There are elements of fantasy (Damian is obsessed with saints and talks to them throughout the movie) and crime--the money turns out to be stolen, and the thief wants it back. It's a bit of a hodge podge, actually. Nevertheless, I loved it. I'd even go so far as to say that I liked it better than Slumdog. It has its semi-cheesy tug-at-the-heartstrings moments, but they really did tug at my heartstrings. I'm not gonna lie. I cried at one point. Shut up! A movie hasn't made me do that for a while, and it actually felt pretty good. If you've been avoiding this film because you thought it was just for kids, I urge you to check it out.

The bottom line is, I knew Boyle was a solid director, but his two "Million" movies have confirmed that he'll be a force in film-making for a long while yet. I hope he continues to experiment with genres--a western or straight-up comedy might be nice--and I hope he can maintain the high standard he's set for himself.

Nerd Rant: Terminator Salvation

I was kinda sorta willing to give Terminator Salvation a chance, but that chance was blown after watching the third trailer here: http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/terminatorsalvation/

Hmm...robots that look like people and don't know that they're robots, and don't want to be robots. Sounds kind of familiar, doesn't it? BSG has, let's face it, wrung this sci-fi plot line for all it's worth. And though I haven't started watching this last season yet, I'm willing to bet they've done it better than this movie will. Just sayin', is all.

Concert Review: Telekinesis/Blind Pilot/The Broken West/Say Hi

So I actually went to a show last night--possibly my last one before the next bun comes out of the oven. It needed to be a good one, and when I saw that Blind Pilot and Say Hi were playing a double bill at the Middle East (with two Merge artists I'd never heard of), it was a go. It's rare, for me at least, to see four bands in one night and not have at least one of them suck. There was no suckage last night, so...yay! The breakdown of the sets:

Telekinesis
I nearly bumped into Michael Benjamin Lerner, the man behind Telekinesis, in the bathroom right before his band's set. An apparent Telekinesis fan started chatting him up while he was peeing, and for a guy who's clearly new at this indie rock pseudo-fame thing, he handled the situation well. Lerner is clearly a nerd, but he's a nerd who can rock your socks off, and I can dig that. Though he wrote and performed all the music on his forthcoming debut album, he (wisely) brought along a band for the tour. Lerner himself played drums and sang, which you just don't see all that much. The rest of the band was capable, if slightly bored looking. Lerner pretty much made up for that lack of energy all by himself however, and was the quintessential "I'm just so happy to be here" guy. The songs were punchy little numbers, and almost too short. Just as you were getting into them, they were over and the next song started. All in all, it was a fun set. I put a lot of faith in Merge, arguably one of the best indie labels out there, and I think they've got a potential winner here. Though sadly, the band has thus far failed to move a single object with the power of their collective minds.

Just a side note, I've never seen such a petite bass player. Seriously, her bass guitar was nearly as big as she was. She was also very cute, and I'm pretty sure my single friend didn't stop looking at her for the entire set. But for real, she could have fit inside her own bass case.

Blind Pilot
This was the band I was most looking forward to, and they met and surpassed my expectations. Blind Pilot is or was originally just two dudes, Israel Nebeker and Ryan Dobrowski , but the band that got on stage last night was much more than that. When six people get on a stage and start tuning their trumpet, standing bass, vibraphone, banjo, ukulele, mandolin, etc, then one tends to be wary. Too many wacky instruments can lead to a big ol' mess if not done correctly. But this band pulled it off with aplomb, and they enhanced the music from what was already an excellent album. I wish could find out the name of the woman who played the banjo, uke, and dulcimer (and on one song, the drums), because like The Dude's rug, she really tied the room together. The banjo, so often a scorned instrument, meshed remarkably well with the songs. This group had clearly been playing together for a while, and they seemed to be sincerely enjoying what they were doing. Even the banter was good.

They pretty much played most of the songs from their one and only album, as well as a few new ones (sorry I don't keep track of playlists like certain other bloggers, but I'm just too lazy). The new songs were great, and I sincerely hope it means another album is forthcoming. I also hope the album is recorded with this band. If so, I predict Blind Pilot is going to be on the radar of a lot more people in the next couple years.

Here's a video of the closest thing I could find to what I heard last night:


The Broken West
I probably have the least to say about this band. It's not that they were bad, but Blind Pilot was just a tough act to follow. Another Merge band, the music was pretty solid, but I was completely unfamiliar with the songs and I couldn't tell you what a single one of them was about. Stylistically, they reminded me of The Figgs, a band I really enjoy listening to when I hear them, but not a band I actively seek out very often. Good stuff--not great stuff--but good stuff. I kind of had the feeling they were having an off night though...I think they only played about 5 songs, then suddenly they were done with nary a "goodnight and thanks for coming." Kinda weird.

Say Hi
I just blogged about Say Hi's newest album the other day, and that post pretty much summarizes how I feel about the band. I didn't have super high expectations for their set, but I wanted to stick around for a band I'd been listening to off and on for years. Much like Telekinesis, the band that's actually touring with them right now, Say Hi is essentially a one man show, with Eric Elbogen recruiting whoever's handy for his tour band. Elbogen played his new album sequentially from start to finish, which was fine, I guess. I understand The Decemberists are doing that with their new album on the current tour, but that's a concept album, so it's a bit more understandable. As far as I can tell, Oohs & Aahs is not a concept album, so why play it like it is? At least they wrapped up with two of my favorite songs from my favorite album, "These Fangs" and "Sweet Sweet Heartkiller" from Impeccable Blahs.

Two things I found myself thinking about during their set. One, Eric Elbogen looks exactly like how I'd imagine Jay Sherman's son looking like, all grown up. Have no idea who Marty Sherman is? Here:

Yes, I am a pop culture geek. Two, and more importantly, I never really appreciated the odd structure of most of Say Hi's songs: they're all chorus. Whereas most songs are "Blah blah CHORUS blah blah blah CHORUS blah blah blah CHORUS" (wow, you can tell I never had any formal music training), Say Hi's songs are more like "Blah CHORUS CHORUS blah CHORUS CHORUS CHORUS CHORUS" full stop. In other words, it's like Elbogen stumbles upon two or three lines that sounds really good and just runs with it, generally unconcerned about whether or not they can or should be considered a real song. This is kind of a backhanded complement I suppose--I do genuinely like a lot of his songs. But they're simple. Some of them are REALLY simple. But any good ear worm has to be.

Mini Music Reviews, March 2009 Edition

So I've actually been listening to a ton of music the past few months. I wish I had time to write at length about every album--not that many people care about my opinion, but because sometimes I'm really not sure how I feel about an album until I put my thoughts into words. I'm going to try to catch up on a few albums of note that I've been listening to...some are old, some are quite new. In the interest of time, both mine and any readers, I'll keep'em short, and even throw a letter grade in there for easy reference.

Heartless Bastards - The Mountain
Listening to Erika Wennerstrom's voice is like taking a warm swig of good bourbon. It's smooth, but simultaneously has a bit of an edge to it. The songs here aren't quite as catchy as those on their previous albums, but I keep coming back to this CD even though I've had it a couple of months now. It's been a good winter warmer and it's a decent addition to this underrated band's discography. B+

Unbunny - Sensory Underload
This was a 2008 album, but I picked it up relatively recently, and I'm glad I did. The only band I could really compare Unbunny to is maybe Grandaddy. The songs are short, fairly lo-fi for the most part, and really catchy. I like nearly every song here (though "Water and the Spanish Tongue" and "Mandi" are stand-outs), and I find myself putting this on a lot considering it was an impulse buy. I'm even surprising myself a bit by giving it a solid A.

Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
I'm always hesitant to get the next Animal Collective album because I think they're consistently overrated by music critics, particularly the Pitchforkians. That said, I think this is one of their more accessible efforts and I'm glad I picked it up. Still not something I could to listen to frequently, but I'll listen to it more than pretty much any other Animal Collective album. B

Ben Kweller - Changing Horses
Kweller kind of blew his load on this one when he released the EP, How Ya Lookin' Southbound? Comein..., last year. Pretty much all my favorite songs from Changing Horses were on that EP, so the full length effort was a bit of a let down. There's nothing wrong with the other songs, but they strike me as a bit more disposable. So why not just dispose of them and go with the EP? C+

A.C. Newman - Get Guilty
This was my first Newman album outside The New Pornographers, and though it doesn't rate as high as any given TNP album, it's still pretty good. It's been a bit of a slow burn for me, and I definitely like the second half of the album better than the first (particularly "The Palace at 4 A.M.", "The Changeling (Get Guilty)", and "All Of My Days And All Of My Days Off"). But man, this guy knows how to write a quick little pop song. B+

Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
And speaking of New Pornographers. I rarely use the adjective "sexy" to describe anything, but Case's voice is pretty damn sexy. I could almost listen to her sing the phone book. Instead I get to hear her sing some interesting covers and several quirky originals. The oddness of these songs--such as singing from the point of view of a tornado or tiger--is probably what is keeping Case from going more main stream. Oh well. The indie crowd is happy to keep her to ourselves for a while. A-

Clem Snide - Hungry Bird
I confess that I've only listened to this album once, and perhaps my expectations were too high. Clem Snide has put out some of my favorite albums over the past decade, and they were supposedly broken up as of a few years ago with front man Eef Barzelay pursuing a solo career. This album was apparently salvaged from some of their older stuff, and I kind of wish it hadn't been. Barzelay can write songs that are dour or witty (or if we're lucky, both), but the bulk of these songs lean towards the dour alone and it grew tiresome. I'd say better luck next time, but I doubt there will be a next time. I'm bummed that one of my favorite bands wrapped things up on such a sour note. D+ (the "+" is for old times sake)

Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You
I'm so not the target audience for this album, and I'm honestly surprised that I like it as much as I do. Here are a few possible reasons why. She's profane. Unlike Britney Spears dancing around being naughty with a song on her last album called "If U Seek Amy", Allen just comes out with a song called simply, "Fuck You." Her songs can be funny, like "Never Gonna Happen", and they can be sweet, like "Chinese." Or maybe I just like her accent. Whatever the reason, I'm giving it a B+.

Bishop Allen - Grrr...
Another one I haven't listened to all that much, but a bit of a let down after The Broken String, which I really liked. I definitely need to give this one some more play time, but so far only a few songs have jumped out at me as particularly good, and I can't say anything's great. So far, only a C+



Say Hi - Oohs & Aahs
Say Hi (formerly Say Hi to Your Mom) is always a little hit or miss. Usually, I like about 1/3 to 1/2 of an album and the rest is just meh. Sometimes I like the whole album, like Impeccable Blahs, but the last album, The Wishes and the Glitch, didn't do much for me at all. Happily, I can say that this latest album falls into the 2/3 very good category. Maybe I just have to be in the right mood for a Say Hi album, but it's undeniable that Eric Elbogen can write a hook like nobody's business. I might also just be getting my own hopes up because I'm seeing the band live for the first time in a few days. Maybe I'll get sick of this album sooner than later, but for now it gets an A-.

Gory Musicals

I haven't posted in so long, I almost forgot how to ride this pony. As always, I'll keep it short and leave the in depth analysis to EJP. On the recommendations of some friends I have seen two rather brilliant movies lately that I'd like to pass along as suggestions.

Zombie Love
"...Never try to hide Zombie Love...eat flesh." Coming in at about 37 minutes, this musical is worth those minutes of your life (as well as the $15 bucks to purchase the DVD). I find myself wanting to sing these songs at work. Definitely a low budget film. Ha!



Repo! The Genetic Opera
I have a feeling this movie will generate a cult following. I'm sure it already has, and as always, I'm just behind the times. Since you can get this movie via NetFlix, I'm guessing that to be the case. Again, the music from the movie will find it's way into your brain and before you know it, you'll be singing about the Repo man.

Beer Review: Samuel Adams Irish Red

This review is a little late since St. Patrick's Day was a few days ago, but I thought I'd give a little shout-out to what may be my new favorite beer from Sam Adams, their Irish Red.

I should start by admitting that though I live near Boston and I'm strong supporter of drinking local brews, I'm not a huge fan of Samuel Adams in general. For some Bostonians, this may be akin to saying I'm not a huge fan of the Sox or the Pats, but it's true nonetheless. Their flagship Boston Lager is a fallback in bars if nothing better is available, and their seasonals are often more misses than hits with me. It's not that their beer is bad, per se, I just don't usually find it interesting enough to choose over something from Magic Hat or Red Hook or any number of other New England breweries.

That said, I picked up a six-pack of their Irish Red (from the Brewmaster's Collection) and I'm impressed. I've sort of avoided Irish Reds for a while now because I think I drank one too many Killian's in college and it put me off the style for about a decade. I suspect Sam's Irish Red is way better than Killian's (the BeerAdvocate thinks so, too). It pours a deep ruby brown and smells a bit like brown bread. The Caramel malts are immediately apparent upon the first sip, but it's not a cloying sweetness (like the Cherry Wheat...blah!). It's definitely a malt-heavy beer, but there's just enough hops in there to give it a kick at the end.

A few brew facts for the beer nerds:

Samuel Adams® Irish Red is brewed with two-row Harrington, Metcalfe and Caramel 60 malted barley. The Harrington and Metcalfe malted barley provide most of the body and sweet backbone of the beer, while the Caramel 60 contributes to the deep red color that defines the style. To balance all of that sweetness, we use earthy East Kent Goldings and Spalt-Spalter hops. Their subtle bitterness and aroma provide a delicate complexity to the brew.

The taste is a bit complex, but in a good way. You want to take another sip and ask youself, "What did I taste this time?" All in all, Sam Adams has redeemed itself in my eyes with this brew, and since it's sold year around and could potentially be good both in warm weather and cold, this might the first Sammy to go into my regular rotation.

Sam Raimi: Back to Basics

Trailer for Drag Me to Hell, directed by Sam Raimi (sorry, no imbedding yet). I think Raimi needs something like this to cleanse his system after Spiderman III. Man, that movie was a disaster. A return to his horror roots is just what the fanboy ordered. And who isn't afraid of crazy old gypsy women?

Flavor Tripping with Miracle Fruit

So today my work sponsored a "flavor tripping" party with miracle fruit, the crazy-ass berry that makes sour things sweet, and negates heat and bitterness as well. I enjoy cooking and eating, and though I wouldn't really consider myself a "foodie", I enjoy discovering new flavors and trying new foods. I didn't eat anything new today, except the miracle fruit, but I certainly experienced some new flavors.

The berry itself is no big deal. You stick it in your mouth and squish it around for a while. It tastes a little sweet, but that's about it. Then you starting tasting things...lots of things. Here's a list of what I tried, and how I felt about it...

• The first thing we all tried was a wedge of lemon. They were delicious. It was like eating lemon drops, only better. I think we all would have eaten an entire lemon if we could have. I wish we'd had limes, too, but we did have...
• ...grapefruit. Also delicious, though I'm not sure how sweet it was before the miracle fruit, so it's difficult to say how sour it was to begin with.
• The dill pickles got a thumbs down from me, basically because because the berry made them taste like bread and butter pickles, which I hate. I like dill pickles just the way they are.
• The tomatoes no longer tasted anything at all like tomatoes. They tasted more like cherries, or some other sweet fruit. Very strange, but not unpleasant.
• The Tabasco sauce was by far one of the strangest samples. I dumped a full teaspoon or so on my tongue, and it was undeniably sweet. Not a hint of heat at all. Not that Tobasco sauce is that hot, but usually even those of us who have destroyed our palates with hot sauce can pick up a little heat from Tabasco. I also tried some Vietnamese hot sauce (you know the one, with the rooster on it?), with similar results.
  
• Along the same lines, the peperoncinis and jalapenos were also pretty odd. Without the normal heating effects of the caspacin, you could actually taste the vegetabley parts of the pepper.
  
• The wasabi was confusing. I always feel wasabi in my nose first, and that's still what happened here. But I put a big ol' glob of it on my tongue and just had a vaguely horseradishy flavor. At least until I swallowed. The back of my tongue apparently did not get enough miracle juice, so I got a bit of a jolt when I actually swallowed.
• Chocolate stout. I tried this one first before the berry because I'd never had the particular brand before (and I forget the brand now). Tasted pretty stouty with a bit of a chocolate after taste. But after the berry: YooHoo.
• Roxy Rolles (from Magic Hat)--This usually hoppy beer tasted more like a weakish summer ale after the miracle fruit. The beer lost all its bite, sadly.
• Oddly, the fruit did nothing to aleviate the bitterness of black coffee. The coffee just tasted like coffee. Also, the raw onion tasted just like raw onion. Bleh.
  
• I tried a co-worker's homemade kimchi, but since I didn't really know what it tasted like before the miracle fruit, this particular test was kind of wasted on me.
  
• I'm glad I saved the raw garlic clove until last, because that pretty much tainted everything that would come afterwards. The garlic tasted like garlic, without the slight burning sensation raw garlic can sometimes cause. But I can still taste it on my breath 8 hours later, so I don't highly reccomend this one.
• And finally, to top things off, I tried my own concoction of coffee, lemon juice, beer, tobasco sauce, pickle juice, and jalepeno juice. Not only did I not throw up, but it actually didn't taste half bad.
• OK, I confess that I actually topped things off with a handful of TUMS. It's important to remember that the fruit dampens the taste of acidic foods, but it doesn't actually neutralize the acid.
  

Final thoughts: I really can't recommend miracle fruiting enough. Today's taste test made what was otherwise a very busy, not-so-fun week into something truly memorable. I think these "parties" would definitely be best with a large group of people--we had about a dozen--and lots of things to try. In hind sight, we wished we'd brought more. Every site that sells them will have recommendations of foods and drinks to taste. Be adventurous. Try something you normally hate. Bring your TUMS.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Zero

Their first single from the new album is available on iTunes; the album is available for pre-order. I've bought it already.

Anyone in Tennessee want to go to see them at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester June 12? I'm already there.