Marissa's theme by Bob Mould

Play it: The O.C. Episode 3.04
Play it: Reunion 1988

Is it just me, or is it weird to find a Bob Mould song permeating throughout an episode of the O.C.? Nearly every dramatic moment for Marissa Coop this episode was backed by a looped opening keyboard sequence from the Bob song "Circles." I suppose it's not that strange when you consider Bob took time off from music recently to write some professional wrestling scripts (what, pro wrestling is scripted? My childhood is ruined!)

Also of note this week is to hear the dichotomy of school dances. Marissa's at public school now and they were dancing to the earthy M.I.A., while at her old private school, Summer and Seth commiserate to the sounds of the glossy Infusion. There was also yet again another cover, this time by The O.C.-friendly Youth Group, doing a too faithful version of Alphaville's "Forever Young." Come on... mess that sh*t up, man.

So back to Marissa... she's been through it all. She's OD'd, she's been nearly raped, she's been up on attempted manslaughter charges, and now she's faced with her biggest challenge: Public High School. Please... Orange County has the safest schools in SoCal. There is this mean girl that makes fun of her and makes her cry (boo-hoo, poor Marissa,) but she's made some friends as well, with bizarro world versions of Summer, Ryan and Seth. The real Ryan, however, is already jealous of his bizarro, naturally, because that's what Chino boys do, right? Get jealous. Speaking of one-dimensionality, S&S again face their evil nemisiseseseseses Taylor and Dean Discipline, who Summer finds out (long after everyone else watching) that they're swapping bodily fluids. Everybody's already fast-forwarded to the time when S&S catch them w/ their pants down and their espunged from the show.

Kristen's evil nemesis, grifter Charlotte (Jeri Ryan) is back and crestfallen to find Kristen's not really that rich. Rest-assured, she'll find a way to stay on the show awhile longer with some villainous plan.

My favorite scene of the night, though, is Julie Coop crying in her thousand dollar Louis Vuitton keep-all bag, after getting booted from Caleb's broke-ass mansion. Life is like, so hard.

Speaking of life being, like, so hard, this week's Reunion sucked like no other. It's getting so bad it's not even worth making fun of anymore. A bit of good news, though... the MLB playoffs will force it (and The O.C., and nearly every FOX show) on hiatus until November. I think it will be on permanent vacation here.

More:
Full O.C. music tracklisting with scene descriptions here.

Previously:
In the aeroplane over the O.C. (Episode 3.03)
Lions and Tigers and Blondes, Oh my (Episode 3.02)
The Blow-C is back in the hizza (Episode 3.01)
The hole that follows Blow-C (Reunion pilot episode)

Other playlists:
Play it: The O.C. Season 1
Play it: The O.C. Season 2

tags: playlist, music, the oc, soundtrack, reunion, bob mould, mia

The Browncoats are here

Play it: Serenity (this fan's own interpretive soundtrack)

That annoying sound you've been hearing.... sort of like a bee in your ear... that BUZZ? Well, it's the groundswell of years and years of rabid fans' work to get their favorite forgotten stepchild of a tv series, Firefly, resuscitated and back to life. Serenity, the movie based on the series, opens in theaters today, and is a great story of redemption.

Joss Whedon (Buffy, Angel) created Firefly (pitched as Stagecoach in space,) with the idea that Han Solo was a more interesting character to build a movie around then young (boring/one-dimensional) Skywalker... but it's much more then that. The series was an interesting one that FOX repeatedly f*cked with (not even airing the pilot first) and it never got the chance to get it's audience.... FOX wanted it to fill The X-Files shoes right away, and it could never do that as quickly as FOX wanted and thus was prematurely killed off. Or was it?

The viewers who tuned in and got it right away were hooked, and became the sort of viewers that only a handful of shows can ever garner. They started letter-writing campaigns, viewing parties, and when the series was officially cancelled, they did something even more impressive: they refused to give up.

"Can't Stop the Signal" became the rallying cry and websites cropped up with a network of fans displaying fan-fiction, artwork, and ideas to get it back up and running. The series was broadcast in South Africa, Mexico, South America, the UK, Australia and then Switzerland and became a hit everywhere. When the DVD of the series was announced, it became #1 on Amazon as a pre-ordered DVD, and the little fires here and there started to collect into a metal-melting blaze.

The fact that it's been made into a movie now owes a lot to these same fans, so Whedon has written it as a love-letter to them, but don't go thinking if you haven't seen Firefly that you'll be on the outs. Like the Serenity spaceship itself, it welcomes all travelers, and you'll find yourself checking out the series - whether on the Sci-Fi channel or on DVD through rental, Netflix, or my favorite, the public library (it's free.) All us fans hope it's a great success, if only to embarrass the FOX airheads who cancelled it prematurely.

Notes: Whedon has said he's open to reviving the series, but in order for that to happen, the network that runs it has to buy back the rights from FOX as Whedon refuses to work with those &^%&%s again.

More:
Serenity Now!: Whedon Flips Off Fox in Clever Space-Western (Village Voice)
Scruffy Space Cowboys Fighting Their Failings (NYTimes)
Joss Whedon's intimate sci-fi epic "Serenity" rockets straight out of the universe of second chances (Chicago Tribune)

Previously:
A celebration for Browncoats

tags: playlist, music, television, movies, serenity, firefly, joss whedon

The Hold Steady playing 7th period

Play it: The Hold Steady

Not since The Langley Schools Music Project have I been so jealous of kids in school.

The Hold Steady will perform a live acoustic set during seventh period October 25, in Littleton, Colorado's Littleton High School gymnasium. (Pitchfork) The show is for a program at LHS Freshman Academy, one dedicated to aiding ESL, Special Education, and emotionally troubled freshmen in the transition from middle school to high school.

Instructor Thom Uhl, heard the Hold Steady on this NPR All Things Considered piece, and Separation Sunday's theme of a teen girl in torn between the allure of drugs and sex and the pull of her Catholic upbringing struck a chord w/ what he's trying to do there. In anticipation of the show, their making a Hold Steady advent calendar and holding a Hold Steady look-a-like contest.

Meanwhile, Target made some small films with Bloc Party, the 22-20s, British Sea Power, and The Hold Steady, making their acting debut in the final installment playing at, you guessed it, a high school gymnasium (the song "Stevie Nix.")

But wait... there's more, The Hold Steady has been written into a future episode of Lost, to be appearing in October. I still haven't gotten my mind around that one.

More:
The Hold Steady on NPR's All Things Considered And checkout the lyric examination of the songs for "Swish," "Chicago Seemed Tired Last Night" and "Cattle and the Creeping Things"
Target's Odds Against 7 Even films

Previously:
Woke up in the grass in the assless chaps (Craig Finn's previous band, Lifter Puller)

tags: playlist, music, hold steady, all things considered, littleton, target, lost

Franz, Spoon & Rilo on ACL

Play it: Austin City Limits 30th Season

The 30th season of Austin City Limits has been revealed, and while not as stellar as last year's (Guided By Voices, The Pixies, Flaming Lips, etc.) it certainly isn't backpedaling very far.

October 8: Jack Johnson followed by Rilo Kiley
October 15: Alison Krauss and Union Station followed by Kathleen Edwards
October 22: Etta James
October 29: Ben Folds followed by Ray LaMontagne
November 5: The Killers followed by Spoon
November 12: John Prine followed by Amos Lee
November 12: Franz Ferdinand
TBD: Widespread Panic and Blues Traveler.

Rhapsody in Blog on ACL:
Austin City Limits: 1975-1980
Austin City Limits: 1981-1985
Austin City Limits: 1986-1990

tags: playlist, music, television, austin city limits, spoon, rilo kiley, franz ferdinand

Ape humanized, human animalized

Play it: Nip/Tuck Episode 3.02

This week's Nip/Tuck diverse soundtrack has Smokey Robinson, T. Raumschmiere, The Brothers Johnson, Geoffrey Oryema and Nina Simone. "Strawberry Letter #23" makes (at least) it's second tv appearance, having appeared in Six Feet Under's third to the last episode of the series (Episode 60,) which begs the question, why not use the original Shuggie Otis version?

In this week's episode we see Christian operate on an ape, and Matt go apesh*t when he finds out his girlfriend Ava (played viciously by Famke Janssen) is a transgendered male. The ape (Kiki) needs a scar fixed so her mate won't kill her, and Christian grudgingly does the job pro-bono only after seeing her more human nature. Meanwhile Matt, after hearing the news, gets all confused about gender and sexuality and finds his way to the closest watering hole for the species. There he picks up someone (Cherry) who he thinks is like Ava. After going back to her place, they make nicey-nice until he finds she's got twigs and berries where Ava had a reconstructed pomegranite, then he proceeds to smash her like he's the ape. Cue head shave and total attitude, which is knocked down a few knocks after Cherry's buff trans-friends take him down for a beating (and a most unsexy golden shower.)

The scene where the transgender/vestites beat him up was difficult for me to watch when they got to the part where they peed on him, as it brought back memories where I got beat unconscious by a gang here in Seattle (back in 11/92) and then woken to a urination party on my face. My dislocated jaw still sticks (TMJ) to this day, so I've got reminder enough, thank you.

Previously:
Bad cop, goooood cop (Ep. 3.01)

tags: playlist, music, soundtrack, niptuck, brothers johnson, shuggie otis

The fall of legends

Play it: Big Star In Space
Play it: Gang of Four Return the Gift

So two acts who have arguably been more influential on underground artists today then any other (save The Velvet Underground) have reunited, recorded and released albums for the first time. Big Star releases their first in 30 years, and it's mostly new material, which is part of the problem with the release. Meanwhile, Gang of Four releases their first in 20 years, and it's a rerecording of previously released material, which is part of the problem with their release. Maybe there should be an exchange program here.

Let's look at Big Star's release, In Space, first. It should be stated up front, that this release was doomed in many's eyes before it was even conceived. When you only record three albums, and each one is an absolute must-own, anything that doesn't meet these expectations only serves to 'ruin the brand.' Couple that with Chilton's spotty solo career and disinterest in his legacy as a power pop pioneer, and you have a recipe for disaster. That being said, it meets/exceeds these artifically set low expectations, and just having the oppurtunity to hear them again is reason enough to give it a listen.

In Space is, on whole, a scattered mess, but that's the best part of it, as where it dares to get messy is where the album shines in a sort of endearing way. "Love Revolution" is a just plain silly (and messy song,) but it's the first song (at track 5) on the album that feels like it's got a pulse. The Posies' Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow contribute songs that seem to function (along with drummer Jody Stephens' "Best Chance We've Ever Had") to keep the album in the power pop frame of mind, as Chilton's songs would rather 'get their blues on.' Auer's "Lady Sweet" feels pedestrian, and Stringellow's "Turn Your Back on the Sun" feels like a call to Jellyfish (last holdout of the 90's power pop revival) to reunite. Stephen's "February's Quiet" is probably the best power pop song here, though it reminds one more of Teenage Fanclub then Big Star. Meanwhile, though, Chilton continues with his obsession with 50's to early 60's rock, which begs the question, why did he even bother calling this a Big Star album?

Gang of Four, on the other hand, are all about the brand and preserving their legacy, so it's fitting (and frustrating) that instead of writing new songs, they've just rerecorded their favorite songs from the first couple albums. Do they think that because Franz Ferdinand and Bloc Party are making some bank on their sound that if they just record their songs again w/ the latest compression that they'll be able to be on The O.C.? I know (that is, hope) they'd give the finger to TV execs, but it's funny to think of their songs in a Target ad, anyway. Selling an anti-consumer song to hawk consumer products is just so wrong, it could be contrained as punk. Regardless of intention, the songs still sound vital today, and some of these updates are actually an improvement ("To Hell with Poverty 2005," for one)so it's worth a few spins. But for me, I'm sticking with the original recordings, especially Entertainment!

All this leads me to believe that both bands should go back in the studio and trade concepts. Chilton should be forced to rerecord all the best songs from Big Star, and Gang of Four will go in and record all new material, and we'll see which wins out. I think Gang of Four is already on that path, while Chilton would rather ride out a hurricane then relive his own past, so we know the answer to that one.

Previously:
Big Star to release new album
Everything old is new again (Gang of Four's Entertainment!)
Chilton rides out Hurricane Katrina
Power Pop 1966-1978 - Pioneers
Second time around (The Posies)
More ammo for the Power Pop revival front (Teenage Fanclub)

tags: playlist, music, alex chilton, big star, gang of four, the posies

Grey's = ER + OC?

Play it: Grey's Anatomy Season 1
Play it: Grey's Anatomy Ep. 2.01 (Season Premiere)

Another television soundtrack was released today, one for the still relatively new (only 10 episodes so far) drama, Grey's Anatomy. Like The O.C., the show relies heavliy on a indie music soundtrack, only this one is definitely more for the ladies. Tegan & Sara, Jem, The Dittie Bops, Rilo Kiley, The Cardigans, Vaughan Penn, Nellie Mckay, Rosie Thomas (etc.,) and the theme song is by Psapp. Of course, sprinkled in there is some chic-approved male vocals like Wilco and Iron & Wine.

The second season premiered Sunday night (first season was a half one,) and already we're faced with more soap opera-like plotlines ("my boyfriend's married?" "should I, or shouldn't I have the baby?") but also mixes in some interesting character studies.

While it takes place in Seattle, the only Emerald City you see (like Frasier) is setup shots of the Seattle skyline, as the whole of it is filmed in Vancouver B.C. (maybe that's why there's so much Tegan & Sara in the soundtrack, as Tegan's a Vancouverite.)

Which reminds me... does anyone remember Medicine Ball? The short-lived (only 9 episodes) FOX hospital drama from 1995 starred a young Donal Logue (The Tao of Steve, Grounded For Life, Jimmy the cab driver) as an eager Irish intern and was actually shot in Seattle (at the old Sandpoint Naval Base.) Perhaps my memories bad, but it seems like it was ahead of it's time (aside from the surgeon who played guitar in a rock band at night - it's Seattle, dude.)

tags: playlist, music, television, soundtrack, grey's anatomy, medicine ball, tegan and sara

Give me your eyes, I need sunshine

Play it: Wolf Parade Apologies to the Queen Mary

So nice that for my birthday today, there's so many great releases, and the first I'll comment on is the cream (and a surprise that it's in Rhapsody today.)

After a lot of (well-deserved) buildup, Wolf Parade's debut finally sees it's release today. Two bands you're inevitably going to hear a lot in association with Wolf Parade are The Arcade Fire and Modest Mouse. Since they're based in Montreal (but born from Victoria, B.C.,) the Arcade Fire reference is obvious a geographic grouping, but couple the fact that Wolf Parade is opening up for their Montreal compatriots on their current tour and that the Wolf has a former member of Arcade Fire, and bond is even more understandable. But their sound has nothing in relationship, other then being good guitar-based indie-rock. The other association, with Modest Mouse, is born of the fact that Isaac Brock produced this (and their previous EP,) and his ear in the studio must've had some influence on the Wolf's sound because of the quirky dynamic quality of the sound (and Krug's yelps which remind one of Brock.) So while folks are clamouring to call them the "next Arcade Fire" a more apt title (and more desirable, commercially anyway) would be "the next Modest Mouse."

The songs are divided between singers Spencer Krug (one time member of Frog Eyes and Destroyer) and Dan Boeckner, with Krug's songs having more quirky vocals (and lyrics,) while Boeckner's are more straightforward, if you can call anything on this excellent debut straightforward at all. Krug's highlights are the opener "You Are a Runner and I Am My Father's Son" (bound to make many think of Modest Mouse,) "Grounds for Divorce" and the great dirge "I'll Believe in Anything," which is kind of like a lost Neutral Milk Hotel classic:

Give me your eyes, I need sunshine/ Your blood, your bones/ Your voice, and your ghost.

Boeckner's highlights include "Shine a Light" and the great closer "This Heart's on Fire" (which they close their great live sets with.)

But maybe, instead, they could be "the next Bowie/Eno," as I hear a heavy Bowie in Berlin influence (siphoned through a Black Francis-centric Pixies concoction, of course.) Just listen to "Dinner Bells" and "Same Ghost Every Night."

It just might be my album of the year, projecting how the songs keep growing and growing on me with every listen... so far it's exponential gratification is on pace to make my ear heart explode.

More:
Wolf Parade And Modest Mouse Defy Nature And Get Together (Chart Attack)
Band of the day (Spin)
Ten to Watch (Rolling Stone)

Previously:
The Arcade Foyer

tags: playlist, music, wolf parade, arcade fire, modest mouse, isaac brock, david bowie, brian eno

Willie Hutch RIP

Play it: Willie Hutch - Soundtrack Magic
Play it: Songs of Willie Hutch

Willie Hutch, Motown legend, died Sept. 19 in Duncanville, Texas. With all the hubub about Hurricane Rita, this somehow slipped past everyone for the past week.

Hutch is known mainly for two distinct things. One is as a songwriter for Motown, penning such hits as "I'll Be There" and "Never Can Say Goodbye" for the Jackson 5. His songs were also performed by Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops, The Spinners, The Commodores and, more recently, Usher.

As a solo artist, Hutch is best known for his soundtrack work, specifically for the groundbreaking blaxploitation films The Mack, and Foxy Brown. The Mack is considered to be one of the era's finest, featuring "Brother's Gonna Work it Out" and "Slick."

tags: playlist, music, willie hutch, soundtrack, the mack

Tomorrow's a Big day

Play it: The Big Star Story
Play it: Big Star Covered

Two big things tomorrow.

First, Big Star releases their first studio album in nearly thirty years, and in anticipation, I thought I'd do a quick rundown of the band's rich history. But while I was putting it togethert, I noticed Freeway Jam already put together a very complete one back in May, and this playlist goes very well with it. I also the band in a snapshot from the Power Pop Pioneers post (also in May, just a few days prior.)

Alex Chilton's recent brush with Hurricane Katrina in his adopted home of New Orleans will make for an interesting story that hopefully will get both new and old releases some more attention.

The only thing I'd add to Freeway Jam's excellent profile and my previous snapshot, would be that Teenage Fanclub was the backing band for Big Star's reunion tour in Europe, and, like The Posies, adeptly covered a Big Star-related song (Chilton's "Free Again") prior to getting the call from Uncle Alex.

The new album, In Space, so far is getting lukewarm revues, as it appears to be less a Big Star album, then an Alex Chilton solo album, in scope and feel.

What's the other big thing tomorrow? Let's just say I'm getting old.

Previously:
Alex Chilton missing
Power Pop 1966-1978 - Pioneers

tags: playlist, music, alex chilton, big star, box tops, chris bell, the posies

Rock you like a... tropical storm

Play it: Austin City Limits 2005 Music Festival

Ok, so Hurricane Rita kind a peeta'd out a bit from the hyberbolic "3rd largest hurricane ever" predictions, but upwind, the Austin City Limits Music Festival blew galeforce rock n' roll (really... I'm grabbing at straw-like metaphors here, aren't I?)

The festival was close to being cancelled, but got the go ahead the day prior.

Quite a few evacuees were in attendance.

Bloc Party was a highlight today. (Blogcritics)

Drive Like Hell recaps day 1 and day 2.

Yahoo! is streaming select live footage from the festival.

tags: playlist, music, austin city limits, bloc party

In the aeroplane over the O.C.

Play it: The O.C. Episode 3.03
Play it: The O.C. Supplement - The Originals
Play it: Reunion 1987

This week's soundtrack sampler features some noteworthy covers. First Matt Pond PA (a Josh Schwartz fave) doing an tame indie-cred cover of Neutral Milk Hotel's "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea," and the relatively unknown All Sad Girls Are Beautiful covering power pop pioneers Badfinger with "Baby Blue." I've included the originals, (play it: The O.C. Supplement - The Originals,) as that's probably the closest we'll get to having the great Neutral Milk Hotel on television.

Our crazy red-headed step-villainy wishy-washy Jimmy Coop' finally cracks like we knew he would. When it's found that Caleb was broke, Jimmy Coop's financial red takes that form all over his face, first figuratively when he realizes the wagon he's hitched himself to is headed straight off a cliff, then later literally when his loan shark sends his boys to rough him up...but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Everything conspires to separate Marissa and Ryan, with the Coopers moving to Hawaii (a Julie Coop endorsed Jimmie scheme.) The night before they leave, the S&S (Seth & Summer) conspire to give them a romantic weekend together, using their new drama club indentured slave status to equip them with a South Pacific beach hut so they can do it for the first time (first, yeah, right.) Why are S&S indentured drama club slaves? It's because they're main characters in the show and need conflict to overcome... wait, no, I'm sorry... because the (transparent) villain Dean of Discipline told them to... or else! Not good enough either? Ok, so (transparent) villainess Taylor can boss them around making Summer annoyed enough to call her a 'skank' (twice!) Yes, that's reason enough.

So, while Marissa and Ryan are getting busy on the beach, a few meters away M's dad (Jimmy Coop) is getting battered on the beach. He should've been 'taken out' so his sorry-ass character couldn't come back, but instead he's allowed to sail off into the fake painted sunset in his (strike that, the bank's) boat.

For Reunion, forgive me for just piggy-backing their weekly soundtrack to The O.C.'s as that's really all the show is now, is a piggy-back on the O.C. If you ask me, the show's days are numbered, as the shares were down considerably from the pilot, and it's done little to convince this viewer that it has any legs (a busy bulletin board not-withstanding. 14-year old cap-lock-handicapped girls claiming it's like, THE BEST SHOW EVER!!! can't polish this turd.) Anyway, this week's is from 1987 (THAT'S LIKE, MY GRADUATION YEAR!!!) and includes R.E.M., Crowded House, and, from the promos, The Bangles "Hazy Shade of Winter" (included here because song was from the 1987 film, Less then Zero.)

Full O.C. music tracklisting with scene descriptions here.

Previously:
Lions and Tigers and Blondes, Oh my (Episode 3.02)
The Blow-C is back in the hizza (Episode 3.01)
The hole that follows Blow-C (Reunion pilot episode)

Other playlists:
Play it: The O.C. Season 1
Play it: The O.C. Season 2

tags: playlist, music, the oc, soundtrack, reunion, matt pond pa, neutral milk hotel, badfinger

Mama Cass in the hatch

Play it: Mama Cass "Make Your Own Kind of Music"

Finally got to see the Lost season premiere (missed it originally for a good reason: Arcade Fire,) and wow (minor spoiler ahead...)

We finally get to see inside the hatch, and what is in there? A turntable playing Mama Cass, what looks like a TRS-80 computer, and a damp, long-haired, booster-injecting occupant who's from Jack's past. As far as the raft goes, Shannon sees the previously abducted Walt in a creepishly cool vision, where he's all wet and trying to tell her something... his mouth is moving, but what comes out is odd whispers and acid-induced gibberish.

It's rare that they play any music that I can replicate in Rhapsland, so this is a treat (at least for me it is.) The way the show started, with the old computer and Mama Cass playing on the turntable had us going on whether it was a flashback, that is until the dynamite explosion. Truly an inspired beginning for the show, giving last season's cliffhanger a good bit of liquid to quench our thirst. I don't know how J.J. Abrams does it (because his previous shows Felicity and Alias certainly haven't predicted the good weirdness on Lost.)

Michelle Rodriguez is now a cast member... don't know how that works. Is she a castaway we never noticed from last season, or one of 'the others'? Guess we'll find out soon.

tags: playlist, music, television, soundtrack, lost

The eyes have it

Play it: Big Eyed Baby

According The Human Face: A Natural History (by Daniel McNeill,) the size of eyes are an evolutionary trait that is key for survival. Babies have eyes that are bigger relative to their face in order to avoid neglect from their parents. This often called the baby-face. Austrian zoologist Konrad Lorenz, regarded as one of the founders of modern ethology, was the first to measure the disarming allure of big eyes, and proved that the baby-face theory works with all mammals. A mother chimp will take better care of her baby with bigger eyes. It works the other way as well as a baby's eyes are also evolutionary conditioned to be focused the exact distance to the mothers eyes while breast-feeding.

Some babies are born with larger eyes then normal, Eli for instance ([pictured above] who's eyes sometimes look like their out of a Margaret Keane painting [pictured right.]) What, if anything, does science have to say about this? Is it perhaps compensation for parents who aren't prone to cute things? I'd hate to think that compensation would be needed, but I know there's something to it, as at 3AM, when lil' one won't go back to sleep, I'm thankful that I can look at Eli's face and laugh (that's really why you need night lights.)

The large eyes are found everywhere in commercial art, like in the art of the aforementioned Margaret Keane. Disney has made a fortune on the perfection of this, and it's really everywhere you look, especially in how companies market to kids and women, who are proven susceptible to the baby-face. Most recent example would be the Puss N' Boots (left) character from DreamWorks Pictures’ Shrek 2... the eyes really had to be made big to make up for the voice of Antonio "I know no shame" Banderas.

360/NPR discuss the evolution of cute (listen to the broadcast)

tags: playlist, music, books, baby face, evolution, konrad lorenz

Bad cop, goooood cop

Play it: Nip/Tuck Ep. 3.01 (Season 3 Premiere)

Last night, the deliciously trashy Nip/Tuck premiered for it's 3rd season, and did not disappoint... especially with the soundtrack. Featuring mesmerizing tracks from Madeleine Peyroux, Elbow, Telepopmusik, Feist, (and the obligitory fun operating song "Stuck in the Middle With You" by Stealers Wheel,) the show's been better then most at matching up mood and music that's not run of the mill.

The storyline picks up from Christian's brush with the carver at the end of last season, and we get a nod to Six Feet Under with a dreamed death and funeral for Dr. Troy. We weren't fooled, though... you don't kill off your main star - that is until the last season, right Nate? ("Narm!") Beyond that there was the anal rape of a main character, plenty of gross medical prodecures, and a threeway... with Kimber and a cop (Officer Kit McGraw, played by Rhona Mitra. I've been a bad bad boy, officer McGraw...

tags: playlist, music, soundtrack, niptuck

Remember dancing in September

Play it: Earth Wind & Fire Illumination

(RHAPSNOTE: The tracks are misnamed and in wrong order - I've mapped the true names of the songs in comments.)
We can't technically call this a comeback, as Earth Wind & Fire already did that with '97's In the Name of Love and 2003's The Promise, which were both fairly well received, so let's call it a rebirth, however long in the tooth these Chicago vets are now. The core is still there of vocalists Maurice White and Phillip Baily, only for Illumination they've retooled their approach to the neo-soul sound of many contemporary artists like Musiq, D'Angelo, Angie Stone, Raphael Saadiq and Floetry. These last two make guest appearances on the album, along with Will.I.Am (Black Eyed Peas,) Kelly Rowland (Destiny's Child,) Sleepy Brown (Outkast,) and Brian McKnight.

The gamble to update their sound pays off, as EWF sound more vital on this record they have since their heyday in the 70's. "Pure Gold" early on signals that while they've updated their sound, they still will ride a great Phillip Baily crooned groove. Since EWF influenced most neo-soul and, especially, guest artists on the album, the songs exhibit a truly symbiotic relationship that is best exemplified in the track "Show Me The Way" (featuring Raphael Saadiq,) which both sounds both like classic 70's EWF and fresh in today's R&B ears, and Saadiq is a perfect fit for the task. Even Sleepy Brown's rap on the next track "This is How I Feel" doesn't feel out of place, especially when followed up by Kelly Rowland's chorus. And if it isn't obvious that the boys from Outkast were influenced by EWF, it's more apparent in their (however misguided) cover of Outkast's (and Snoopy Brown's) "The Way You Move," which unfortunately gets a smooth jazz lacquer with the abominable Kenny Gorelick (nee G.) sappy sax solo throughout. I'd further fix the track order issue by eliminating that song from your Rhapsody list, but I suppose it's alright hearing at least once to get the gist.

Of course it's fitting that we talk about Earth Wind & Fire today, as they sing in their biggest hit to date (and at the Emmys Sunday night:)

Do you remember the 21st night of September?
Love was changing the minds of pretenders
While chasing the clouds away
- "September" Earth Wind & Fire
Play it: "September"

And while there's no songs equal to "September" on Illumination, I recommend taking this new EWF model out for a spin this 21st night of September - as while it's got a nice rearview mirror to see the past, the headlights shine brightly on what's ahead.

tags: playlist, music, earth wind and fire

Baby Bobby of the Radish

Play it: Mix for Baby Bobby

Robert of the Radish is now a dad times 2... Robert "Bobby" Joseph Burke III was born last night at 10:22pm. 10 lbs 6.6 oz and 21.5 inches long.

A big round of applause and sigh of relief for Robert's wife Patrica, that's a biggen!

How's my stormy weather now?

Play it: Echo & the Bunnymen Siberia
Play it: "Parthenon Drive" song references

With all the bands these days paying homage to the 80's in their sound, it's refreshing that so much of the real thing has come back with teeth snarled. Echo & the Bunnymen are down to just two now (Ian McCulloch and Will Sergeant - so maybe they should now be Echo & the Bunnyman?) and the resulting release, Siberia, is more like their early work since, well... their early work. Of particular note is "Parthenon Drive" which musically is like a cutup of Echo classics "The Cutter," "Bring on the Dancing Horses" and "Villiers Terrace" (play it: "Parthenon Drive" song references.) As it eerily drifts in and out of these self-references, the lyrics fittingly are a look back on life ala Sinatra's "It Was a Very Good Year." To top off the reminiscing, the song has the sonic sound of the album Heaven Up Here - which shouldn't surprise as with Siberia, the band is reunited with producer Hugh Jones, who hasn't worked with them since the aforementionedHeaven Up Here (play it: Heaven Up Here.)

Other track highlights and observations: The first single, "Stormy Weather" harkens back to the underrated '97 album Evergreen, and Will Sergeant's guitar cuts his lines through like glass. "All Because of You" seems to be a nod (or jab) to U2 in both it's sound and the opening lyrics ("I don't want to run, I don't want to hide,") and reaches similar histrionic heights, effortlessly. Another self-referential track is "Of a Life" which references their greatest hits comp (Songs to Learn and Sing) with the lyric "I want a song to learn and sing/Of a life requited." The other standout track is "Scissors in the Sand," where we find McCulloch and Sergeant can still rock cool and confident. Not the 'masterpiece' that McCulloch has been proclaiming it to be, but truly a beautiful record, and another in an unbelievably long line of great comeback albums this year.

tags: playlist, music, echo and the bunnymen

Lolita having hot flashes

Play it: Lolita

Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul.
- Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita

Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita is fifty this week... of course that means it's nearly been fifty years since the name Lolita has been a reasonable option to name a daughter. Lolita became a cultural entered the lexicon of the english language as a sexually active or precocious young girl.

The book, understandably, had difficulty getting printed, as publishers feared they could be prosecuted on obscenity charges. Lolita ended up finding itself published in France by Olympia Press - which published plenty of serious novels (William H. Burroughs' Naked Lunch for one) along with plenty of pornography. Upon it's publication (and really ever since,) the book has split readers into two camps - one calling it a classic, the other finding it's subject matter to be immoral. Regardless of which camp a reader finds himself in, one thing that cannot be denied is that the language with which it was written is truly beautiful. Every sentence, every word is given such attention that you can't help but fall in love with the prose, even when the acts of H.H. would otherwise make your skin crawl. Outside of the prose, Lolita's other outstanding achievement is that in the end the reader is able to both despise and sympathise with the criminal H.H., and that truly takes a gift.

The playlist includes songs from the original movie (composed by the great Nelson Riddle,) the theme from Adrian Lynne's more recent remake (composed by the even greater Ennio Morricone,) along with probably the most recognizable musical cultural reference of Lolita - The Police's "Don't Stand So Close To Me."

tags: playlist, music, books, lolita, vladimir nabokov

... and the Heeb goes to

Play it: The 1st Annual Jewish Music Awards

The New York Jewish Music & Heritage Festival is going on all this week, and as part of it tonight, presented by Heeb Magazine - The New Jew Review, is the 1st Annual Jewish Music Awards.

Nominees include such illustrious MOT's as Matisyahu, Perry Farrell, Ben Lee, Keren Ann and Ben Kweller. A lifetime acheivement award will be given posthumously to Joey Ramone as well, and several bands (including Golem, Divahn, What I Like About Jew) will perform songs from the Ramones.

Oy... vay so loud with this meshuggah noise?

tags: playlist, music, jewish, matisyahu, karen ann, ben kweller

Even scif-fi shows get 'O.C.'d

Play it: Threshold - Pilot (2 hour series premiere)

Friday nights historically have been the time slots where networks dump shows for death. Somehow NUMB3RS bucked that trend last year (and, beat the odds by having a hit show about math.) The lead-in this year is the science-fiction drama Threshold, from the producer of Enterprise, and shows like this tend to get a core audience that watch regardless of time. Thing is, though, they've decided to infuse this sci-fi alien invasion drama with music that you might normally hear on the O.C., which makes for an odd fit. Not sure if it will continue, but in the first half-hour they had Franz Ferdinand blasting on a US Coast Guard ship, and then later Kasabian in the background for an action sequence. It's the O.C. effect in full effect. It's an odd choice to spend the money on, especially given that Friday night audiences are usually void of the folks that would appreciate the musical gesture.

To the show's credit, it's probably got the best ensemble cast of any new series introduced this season. Peter Dinklage (The Station Agent,) Brian Van Holt (Black Hawk Down,) and Charles S. Dutton (Roc) are heavy hitters, and Carla Gugino (Karen Sisco) absolutely sizzles on the small screen. It's not a home run, but I'm sure it's already found an audience... it will need it to survive Friday night, with or without the O.C. effect.

tags: playlist, music, the oc, soundtrack, threshold, carla gugino

Lions and tigers and blondes - oh my

Play it: The O.C. Episode 3.02
* "Soul Meets Body" - Death Cab For Cutie (predictably)
* "Do You Want To" - Franz Ferdinand (also seemingly so)

This week we get all of this season's villains lined up at once. First there's Charlotte (Jerri Ryan) who was introduced last week from Kirsten's rehab. She's blonde with pearly whites that smirk at just the right time. She's going SWF on Kirsten and has stolen her away to her own cabin-as-halfway-house.

Next up is the new "dean of discipline" at the school. He's blonde with pearly whites that smirk at all appropriate times for a villain. He's trying to get Marissa and Ryan expelled from school before it even starts.

Finally we have Taylor, who's... you know blonde...pearly whites..etc. She's the one-dimensional foil for Summer and Marissa this year it appears. Yawn. Anyway, with her help, Deanvillain gets both expelled and the die is cast for the season.

But wait... is there another villain? Oh, yeah... what's the scoop, Julie Coop? After trying to frame her daughter's boyfriend for murder, this week she's taking it off (bribing the school isn't that villainy is it?) But Jimmy Coop's got some poop to dupe her with. He's back in the hole and proposes again to Julie in hopes that Caleb's inheritance can save his sorry ass (but will it?) So Jimmy's a villain? Sort of, but he doesn't get the respect of an archetype villain. You see Jimmy's a red-head and doesn't smirk. Duh.

Full tracklisting with scene descriptions here.

Previously:
The Blow-C is back in the hizza

Other playlists:
Play it: The O.C. Season 1
Play it: The O.C. Season 2

tags: playlist, music, the oc, soundtrack, death cab for cutie, franz ferdinand

frejio npeagoipafw aew

Play it: pioagrpo[ ag[a av [avjkl;

oiaiu ves[ pvzs';ger[i po[ergo p'age s joage jibfesjpi[aeg jva gea age opv jpova p[aver p'va p'av jpoavpjo av jpovera-9ewf09u j'vaz oav jpo afp[oafwe jpo... apowtr;opiagioph affal;fakl.yv.nl nkeag.

Drake/Daddy note: This Eli guest-bloggin experiment was fun, but has to end as it's caused several reboots and quite possibly the shorting out of a keyboard (from some serious spit-up.) My wrist is still buggin', so posts will be short and to the point y'all.

tags: playlist, baby, eli

Eli taking over

Play it: Three Dog Night "Eli's Coming"

Since my wrist is buggered, I've gotten Eli to step up and do a guest blog appearance tomorrow.

He's already got some songs picked out and we'll just have to all interpret his Keruoac-like-typing ramblings tomorrow as best as we can.

Pain in my blog

Play it: DeQuervain's Disease

Ok, I've got this ridiculous condition called DeQuervain's Disease, which is essentially, a nasty form of tendonitis of the thumb/wrist. It's an inflammation of the sheath or tunnel that surrounds two tendons that control movement of the thumb, and is a subset of what's called Stenosing tenosynovitis (sounds like a great name for a Swedish Prog Rock band, ala Dungen) Basically, sometimes when I move my thumb, the tendons get stuck in a sub-tunnel while moving across the interior of my wrist. It's like a knife cutting my wrist every time it happens (about 20-30 times a day.)

I got a shot of steroids and this mammoth brace in hopes that it heals w/o surgery - but Doc gives me an 80% chance that I'll be under the knife (due to the severity of the tendon snap - you can even hear it when it happens!) so I've got that to look forward to.

So what am I doing with a disorder that used to be called washerwoman's sprain and more lately is being called baby wrist due to it's frequency with new mothers?

Well, it's also common with musicians, construction workers, fly fisherman, and computer users as well, and I'm battin' .500 there. But truthfully, it's really baby wrist, as it's mostly from carrying my pride and joy the wrong way (like this... and like this... and like this.)

So let this be a lesson to all mad-bloggers out there looking to have and hold their own lil' baby... let the Mom do it! j/k... actually, you can probably avoid it by not acting as a human Johnny Jump Up... that's hell on the wrists, bro.

More:
Drummers/massage therapists get it too...

tags: playlist, dequervains disease, wrist disorder, stenosing tenosynovitis, johnny jump up, surgery, thumb

The motherlode returns

Play it: 09.13.2005 New Release Highlights

This might just be hyperbole, but I don't think there's ever been so many great releases come out the same day before. Sure, there's been long time classics released the same day, but there's never been over 20 albums vying for my ear time like this. Yesterday I spoke of the exciting new Devendra Banhart album, so let's move on from there...

First off, the new Paul McCartney album, Chaos & Creation In The Backyard is damn good. No joke. He went and got indie rock producer god Nigel Godrich (Radiohead, Pavement's Terror Twilight, Beck's Mutations) to twist the knobs on this one, and hats' off to McCartney for giving up the reins, as this is the best production on an album he's had in all his solo career. McCartney's allowed to concentrate on the songs - and on playing every instrument ('cept the occasional string or horn that occasionally blows in and out.) Gone are the silly and sentimental Paulisms, as the album is more somber and introspective, befitting the clear and focused production. The quieter tone may make for casual listeners to pass this one by after one listen, but give it a chance... it's the best we've gotten from a Beatle in a long time.

Another highly anticipated release this week is Sigur Ros' Takk... The Icelandic bands sprawling compositions of mood and beauty are sung in both Icelandic, and a made-up language they call Hopelandic. This time around, in place of drones is a warmer, and dare I say, more accessible fare, but it's DEFINITELY still Sigur Ros, as it feels like a minor sounding change in the full scope. That being said, there is a child-like lullabye end to one of their songs ("Se Lest") which I would've never expected from them. Like all Sigur Ros albums, this one will take a while to fully sink in (and I'm chomping at the bit to start the sinking,) but at first listen, it's an interesting minor move from their usual fare, and I'd probably still recommend Agaetis Byrjun (not in Rhapsody) for the uninitiated.

The Dandy Warhols' Odditorium or the Warlords of Mars sees the light of day today as well, and in it there's a great release trying to get out. They start off with what sounds like an inside joke, but really is just an annoying minute to skip through, and then meander for 9+ minutes with "Love is the New Feel Awful." It'd feel better, or at least just as good at even 6 minutes if you ask me. This is followed by a 7+ minute dance-groove oriented number ("Easy," and it's not until the 4th track ("All the Money or the Simple Life Honey") that we get what we really want from the Dandys - some infectious pop rock. It's almost as if their drive to be famous is always derailed at the last minute by their drive to not seem like a sell-out, so they make a good song fair by dragging it out uneccessarily and then fu*k around with the track order for good measure to make sure that it won't seem too much like a proper album. Anyway, that's my little rant, as the album is a great Dandys album (even rivaling Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia) once you get past the first three tracks. Put it on repeat and start on #4 (after removing track 1)... you'll thank me for it.

Stellastar*'s sophomore release, Harmonies for the Haunted , doesn't suffer the slump, but it does feel a little bent over under the weight of it's lofty ambitions. Says the press release accompanying it's advance copies: "a grandiose, limitless expression of the array of emotions that can occur within one moment." If that weren't enough, listeners will be "awestruck, engrossed, and lost in time." All in all, it's a worthy extension of the 80's rework they performed on their self-titled debut - while it's less pop-oriented (no "My Coco" here,) it's certainly more willing to reach for those hard to get emotional releases (and reaches it, musically at least, a few times.) It might just be me, but this album is just missing something, and I'm not sure what it is. RCA might have had the same problem as Harmonies for the Haunted's release date was repeatedly pushed back, essentially burying it in a sea of great releases this week.

There are so many significant releases, hopefully I'll get to all of them by eod or eow... but who knows. Here's the ones I'm looking forward to drowning myself in: CocoRosie's Noah's Ark, Nada Surf's The Weight Is A Gift, Apollo Sunshine's self-titled release, The Rosebuds' The Birds Make Great Neighbors, The Double's Loose in the Air, Catherine Wheel frontman Rob Dickinson's debut Fresh Wine for the Horses, Tim Fite's Gone Ain't Gone, The Like's Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking, Giant Drag's Hearts and Unicorns, Brakes' Give Blood and Annie Hayden's The Enemy of Love.

Previously:
Devendra Banhart Cripple Crow
Sped up and miniaturized (Dandy Warhols)

tags: playlist, music, new releases, paul mccartney, sigur ros, stellastar, devendra banhart