Et Tu, U2?

Did Josh Homme produce U2′s new record, or did they just listen to a bunch of stoner rock before they made this. It’s got heavy Homme influence, to my ears.

U2 – Get On Your Boots

Only it’s not as good.

[...]

Vocal Trends in Dance Music

I’m noticing this cut-up, nonsense vocal thing happening more frequently. Justice does it a lot.

Justice – Newjack

The Field (Axel Willner) does it a bit too, and I like his music even better, even though it’s not quite the same rumpshaker-type tracks.

The Field – Over the Ice

This latest in this [...]

Hail and Well Met

It’s hard not to give credence to climate change alarmists when we went from near-90 degree days just last week to last night’s weirdness, when the temperature dropped so fast I could feel it in my stomach. Just a few hours earlier, it was sunny and mild.

And then, just after bedtime, the rattle [...]

Forrest Button, or, The Curious Case of Benjamin Gump

Curiouser and curiouser. Parallels between the two movies are examined.

Teardrop on the Fire

I like Massive Attack, especially the collaboration with Mos Def on the Blade 2 soundtrack. But nothing they’ve done stirs my soul like Teardrop, from 1998′s Mezzanine. Most people know it as the theme from House. I’m glad I heard it soon after its release. It was part of a stream of ambient and dance [...]

Obama and I Remake the Country

Although, my remaking is on a much smaller scale. Also, I’m already done.

I get a sense of accomplishment, and to know that what I planted will grow for a long time and be enjoyed by the people who own and visit the area. The new president has no such luxury. He faces enormous [...]

Gay Bingo

Did I mention? Last Saturday? I guess I didn’t because we dropped $20 and didn’t win squat. The bartender was nice and all, but I don’t know if he was 20 bucks’ worth of nice. Yes, I know, it’s all for a good cause. But when we first played at Stonewall Coffee in West Hollywood [...]

Gas Gets No Cheaperer

Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

Best Video of 2008

Okay, I was going to post Funny or Die’s Best Virals of 2008, but Focal Bliss’s test footage of Las Vegas snow is beautiful and at least in my top 5 for the year.

Man on Wire

Just finished watching this extraordinary film. When I was a little kid, I saw Philippe Petit perform at the circus. Just a simple act of crossing a wire at the top of the tent captured everyone’s attention and provoked total silence from us all. A slight Frenchman dressed in black is the singular image I [...]