Ear on TV: Week of 08.30.10: Black Mountain

70s rock revivalists Black Mountain have never been shy about wearing their influences on their sleeve. Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Pink Floyd all swirl in and out of conscious when sludging through their meaty offerings, and their latest release only cements those associations.

Wilderness Heart (not out until September 14), is Black Mountain's most focused album to date, even if much of the focus centers around the aforementioned 70s bands. The five-piece will be making their network television debut on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon this Tuesday, performing the Zepptastic track "The Hair Song" (free mp3 download via AOL).

Elsewhere, make sure come back to Fallon on Wednesday night for a fun preview of the live event of the year... for your three-year old. Nick Jr.'s Yo Gabba Gabba has taken their brightly colored act on the road as part of the There's a Party in my City tour. Even if you don't yourself possess a sugar-smacked 2-5 year old, the list of special guests should be enough to pique your curiosity. Some of the surprise guests performing on stage with the tour have been Snoop Dogg, Sarah Silverman, OK Go, Biz Markie, Drive-By Truckers, Talib Kweli, Kid Koala and even a conglomerate called the Geeks, reuniting Freaks & Geeks' stars Martin Starr, John Francis Daley and Samm Levine. And the surprises aren't limited to the stage, as it's become the de-facto event for celebrity parents. Check out this "spot the celebrity parent" video with Jason Bateman, Christina Aguilera, Dennis Quaid, Travis Barker, Drea de Mateo and more:



Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, August 30
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: The Swell Season (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Ryan Bingham and the Dead Horses
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Chief
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Kottonmouth Kings
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Cyndi Lauper & Jonny Lang
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Phoenix (REPEAT)
Tuesday, August 31
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Merle Haggard
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Echo & the Bunnymen
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Norah Jones
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Black Mountain
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Surfer Blood (REPEAT)
PBS: Tavis Smiley: Norah Jones
TBS: Lopez Tonight: Street Sweeper Social Club (REPEAT)
Wednesday, September 1
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Ozzy Osbourne (REPEAT)
FUEL: The Daily Habit: A Day to Remember
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Goo Goo Dolls
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Yo Gabba Gabba
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Kate Nash (REPEAT)
Thursday, September 2
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: T.I. (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Karen Elson
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Reflection Eternal (Talib Kweli & DJ Hi-Tek
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Herbie Hancock, Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Heart
TBS: Lopez Tonight: Backstreet Boys (REPEAT)
Friday, September 3
ABC: The View: 50 Cent (REPEAT)
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Five Finger Death Punch (REPEAT)
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Damian "Junior Gong" Marley & Nas
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Sara Bareilles
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Never Shout Never
PBS: Tavis Smiley: Dr John
SYNDICATION: Live With Regis and Kelly: Keane (REPEAT)
VH1: Behind the Music: Christina Aguilera (REPEAT)
Saturday, September 4
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Justin Bieber (REPEAT)

Now Downloading: New Releases 08.24.10

Last week in August should be wasteland, which is the perfect place to drop a surprise EP on an unsuspecting audience, but there was more than just Sufjan Stevens' 60 minute EP to be had. There's also the latest from Les Savy Fav, Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan, Eels, Ra Ra Riot, Dead Confederate, !!!, The Capstan Shafts, metal purveyors The Sword, a star-studded collection to benefit New Orleans and a single from No Age. Whew!

Playlist: New Releases 08.24.10

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Sufjan Stevens - All Delighted People EP
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

When an album is 60 minutes long, can it really be called an EP? Sufjan Stevens' latest stealth release (who saw it coming?) is an album length exploration into rich orchestration and self-indulgent turns with little or no cohesion between the songs. It's manna for those who are Sufjan-starved, but after a few listens I understand why he's calling it an EP: because he doesn't want it to count. Essentially, it's a single that got out of hand. If you're patient, you'll wait for the real album in October (The Age Of Adz), because that will count (just not towards 50 state project, aparently.

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Les Savy Fav - Root For Ruin
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

LSF has always been a tremendous live act, thanks in part to Tim Harrison's bonzo act, but the albums never lived up to the gig until 2007's Let's Stay Friends, which finally put everything together for the band. Three years later and it feels like they've used that as a template to try expand their audience a bit towards the mainstream, and the album probably suffers a bit. But this is still LSF and the best songs ("Appetite" & "Lips & Stuff") aren't going to get played on rock stations. No, that honor will belong to "Let's Get Out of Here," which sounds like a mid-90's alt-rock hit in the making, full of Foo Fighter hooks and Pixies twists. It will be interesting to see if the song does indeed widen their reach, but I have a feeling Beardo is still going to be for us weirdos.

Free AOL Album Stream

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More on the radar (and in the mp3 player) this week:
Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Hawk / Free AOL Album Stream
No Age - Glitter (Single) / "Glitter" [mp3]
Eels - Tomorrow Morning / Free AOL Album Stream
Ra Ra Riot - The Orchard / Free AOL Album Stream
!!! - Strange Weather, Isn't It?
The Capstan Shafts - Revelation Skirts
Dead Confederate - Sugar
The Foxymorons - Bible Stories / "Skinny Cow Blues," "Say It Aloud" [mp3]
The Sword - Warp Riders
JP, Chrissie and The Fairground Boys - Fidelity! / Free AOL Album Stream
Magic Kids - Memphis / "Superball," "Summer" [mp3]
Land of Talk - Cloak and Cipher / Free AOL Album Stream
Mogwai - Special Moves (Live) / Free AOL Album Stream
Paul Collins - King of Power Pop!
Grass Widow - Past Time EP / Free AOL Album Stream
JJ Grey & Mofro - Georgia Warhorse / Free AOL Album Stream
The Intelligence - Males EP / Free AOL Album Stream
Various Artists - Dear New Orleans

REISSUES
The Sex Pistols - The Great Rock & Roll Swindle / Free AOL Album Stream

tags: music, album review, sufjan stevens, les savy fav, indie rock, new releases, rhapsody

Mad Men "The Chrysanthemum and the Sword": Guilt vs Shame

The book from the episode title, The Chrysanthemum and the Sword: Patterns of Japanese Culture, that everyone is supposed to read, is a famous post-war study of Japanese culture that helped popularize distinctions between guilt and shame societies. According to the (since questioned*) study, Japanese are ruled by a shame culture, and Don picks up on this and uses it after they're already out of the running (thanks to Roger's shameful outbursts). Shame is intrinsically a negative tool in upbringing in that it lowers self-esteem, but it's effective in maintaining subservient employees.

*It's probably best that Roger didn't read the book as this classic "anthropology at a distance" would've just reinforced many of his prejudices.

Sally's story, while delving a bit in shame (mostly what Betty feels thanks to her sad upbringing), is governed by the Western world's predominant guilt culture. For instance, as Betty lays it out for Don on the phone, sex is bad unless you're married. Sex (and, it's younger sibling masturbation) is (are) one of the predominant guilt culture contradictions. Going even further, you'll notice several references were made to the Civil Rights movement, and that was a fine example of the use of guilt to push forward positive societal change -- by making the general population feel guilty about how another group is being treated.

No time for full analysis mode (which hasn't been triggered here, probably, since the extensive delving of seasons one and two), so here's some bullet points:

• "Who is Dr. Lyle Evans?" Turns out Roger Sterling's angry reference in early part of "The Chrysanthemum and the Sword" was a Google bomb thrown in from the writers. Searches for "Dr Lyle Evans" and "Lyle Evans" spiked during and after the broadcast, but there was nothing really to find, except folks asking "who is Dr Lyle Evans?"
• Favorite exchanges of the night both featured Joan: "They're not very subtle are they?" Joan says, referring to the clients. "No, they're not," responds the translator, looking at her Joan's ample bosom. Add to that Joan's exchange with Roger and you have the most efficient use of a character.
• Unless you count Peggy's ride around the stage on the Honda motorcycle (and you should... bravo).
• This episode moves us up in the timeline to mid-March, 1965, as evidenced by newspaper headlines and an episode of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (which aired March 15).

• "Help Me Rhonda" was also referenced, as the Beach Boys album The Beach Boys Today! was released in March, but the referenced single wasn't released until a month later, so perhaps it's a bit of a stretch to mention the song. The recording of that track was famously interrupted by daddy Murray Wilson, who should be part of a Shame vs Guilt study of parenthood.
• Rogers and Hammerstein's "I Enjoy Being A Girl" (from Flower Drum Song) closed out the episode. On it's face, it seems simple enough, but the song is actually about growing up Chinese in America. Wrong country, but it's Asian nonetheless

Previously: "The Good News" (Episode 4.04)

Ear on TV: Week of 08.23.10: Katy Perry

For someone who was by all accounts supposed to be a one-hit wonder, Katy Perry's career has developed some serious legs -- ones that nearly rival her own oft-exposed appendages. So how did this onetime gospel singer go from wanting to be Amy Grant to becoming the next Madonna? (There can be more than one, right Lady Gaga?)

Perry (née Hudson) provides little or no clues on her sophomore release Teenage Dream, but self-discovery is not really what her pop confections are about -- neither is subversion. Even though she and her counterpart Lady Gaga both may dance a line of innuendo, Gaga shoots fire from her brasserie while Perry has cupcakes and lollipops affixed to hers -- one is a warning, the other a sweet invitation. Who knows what she'll have on her love pillows when she appears on Letterman late Tuesday night, but it's sure to be more risqué than her wardrobe choices for her double-shot Friday morning (The Early Show, The Today Show).

Elsewhere, Canadian comedy troupe Kids in the Hall have reunited for a funny mini-series airing Fridays on IFC, called Kids in the Hall: Death Comes to Town. Eight 30-minute episodes about what happens to a small town when the Grim Reaper arrives via bus? Sign me up.

Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, August 23
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Big Boi
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Willie Nelson (REPEAT)
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Mumford & Sons
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Big Boi (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Daniel Merriweather (REPEAT)
PBS: Tavis Smiley: Rufus Wainwright
TBS: Lopez Tonight: Los Lobos
Tuesday, August 24
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Katy Perry
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Wilco (REPEAT)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings (REPEAT)
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Halestorm (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: David Gray (REPEAT)
Wednesday, August 25
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: The Pretty Reckless
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Duane Peters & the Great Unwashed
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Mike Posner (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Fanfarlo (REPEAT)
Thursday, August 26
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: The Specials
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Robert Cray (REPEAT)
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Titus Andronicus (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: The Raveonettes (REPEAT)
TBS: Lopez Tonight: Lynyrd Skynyrd
Friday, August 27
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: The Black Crowes (REPEAT)
CBS: The Early Show: Katy Perry
FUEL: The Daily Habit: De La Soul
IFC: Kids in the Hall: Death Comes to Town: Kids in the Hall
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Snoop Dogg (REPEAT)
NBC: The Today Show: Katy Perry
SMITHSONIAN: Play On, John: John Cohen
Saturday, August 28
BBCAMERICA: The Graham Norton Show: Pixie Lott (REPEAT)
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Taylor Swift (REPEAT)
SMITHSONIAN: Making the Monkees: The Monkees
Sunday, August 29
DOCUMENTARY: Talking Guitars: Paul Simon, Jackson Browne
SMITHSONIAN: Worlds of Sound - The Ballad of Folkways: Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly

Bliss on the Moon: Doe Bay Fest 2010

Drew Grow & the Pastor Wives

Like Mt. Everest (in reverse?), Doe Bay Fest can take awhile to get to, and even more so to leave, but when you're there and it's on, boy, talk about breathtaking bliss. If it weren't for the difficult process in getting to and from, it would be hands down the best festival. But really, the festival's success owes a lot to the journey, as it's a great deterrent for the douchebags. Works even better than security and heavy duty fences (hear that CHBP?).

I've held back from writing this up in part because we were in Victoria for a couple days after the festival (one way to beat the retreat) and also because as a parent of two, my festival experience was far different than the Yoga Studio and after-hours highlighted pieces. And it's been that way from the start, back in 2008 where it was more like a hootenanny amongst friends. As it's grown, instead of there just being more strangers, it's seemed like more potential friends (and our Facebook friend corrals grow exponentially as a result).

I haven't even talked about the music, which in the rear view mirror can sometimes feel like sweet dessert to go with a healthy meal. Fruit Bats, Drew Grow and Hey Marseilles were all highlights for me, but again, with a five and three-year old in tow, the joys and expectations are far different. The Yoga Studio, bonfire and after-hours entertainment kind of get missed, but to see your kids enjoy and participate in the music is more than enough for me. That goes for taking photos, though, as well... with the responsibility of kids, I don't have as much time to take photos, but here's a few that felt like they were worth the kid-juggling effort to pull the camera out.

Hey Marseilles headlining Friday night

The Maldives

Zane dances to Fruit Bats headlining Saturday night

Doe Bay owner Joe with co-organizer Chad

Now Downloading: New Releases 08.10.10-08.17.10

I've been out of town on vacation, so the blog's taken a backseat, but wanted to throw together something for the past two weeks because of two releases -- the second release from Bottomless Pit and the finely crafted soundtrack to Scott Pilgrim vs the World. Not much else got me out of my seat, but then again, most everyone takes at least part of the first half or so of August off, right? Other new releases from the past couple cycles include one's from New Pornographer Kathryn Calder, Ray Lamontagne, The Budos Band, Matthew Dear, Elsinore, Eli "Paperboy" Reed, Sweet Sweeper Social Club, Sea of Bees and Lissie.

Playlist: New Releases 08.10.10 / New Releases 08.17.10

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Bottomless Pit - Blood Under the Bridge
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Even six years later, the elephant in the room with Bottomless Pit remains the tragic end to Silkworm. Their debut Hammer of the Gods (2007) was a fitting tribute to deceased drummer Michael "Hammer" Dalquist, a raw affair swinging between the heart-on-sleeve from Tim Midgett and bottled up fury from Andy Cohen. With their second, the title, like the title (Blood Under the Bridge) suggests, Tim and Andy are trying to move on, sounding less raw and desperate and more focused on crafting intricate sounds, as they'd perfected with Silkworm. The choice for opener (Midgett's "Winterwind") and first single (Cohen's "38 Souls") seem like a conscious effort to remind us of Silkworm, but beyond that there is plenty of moving on going on. Midgett had begun introducing the baritone guitar on the last Silkworm album, but now it's pretty much his primary instrument, giving the band a dual guitar attack for the first time since Joel R.L. Phelps shared the stage with them. The result is a multi-layered yet spacious affair with plenty of both hooks and surprises to keep you back for more. Silkworm may be under the bridge, but the Silkworm's blood still runs thick here.

Download: "38 Souls" [mp3]

Cohen and Midgett may be moving on, but we still have a hard time knowing Dahlquist's killer (Jeanette Sliwinski) is not only already free from prison, but may already have gotten her driver's license back. By googling her name, I came across this segment on Hulu called Snapped (from the Oxygen network) about Sliwinski, her horrible act and the ensuing trial. We should really all move on, but it's damn hard, so here's the video.

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Scott Pilgrim vs the World Original Soundtrack
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

I probably can't do the soundtrack justice here, so I'll no doubt dedicate a post to it later. Beck wrote and recorded 21 one songs in like a day for the fictional and Super Mario named band Sex Bob-omb, and then actors Michael Cera, Alison Pill and Mark Webber recorded them, as Spinal Tap was the bar set for authenticity here. Broken Social Scene wrote songs for the band Crash & the Boys, and Metric for The Clash at Demonhead (Emily Haines sung version on the release). Throw in some Frank Black, Rolling Stones, T. Rex and Blood Red Shoes and you might have the soundtrack of 2010. What makes the film's soundtrack work even more, though, is the score from Nigel Godrich, which mixes the prog-rock of Dario Argento's Goblin with video game sounds for an exhilarating result.

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More on the radar (and in the mp3 player) this week:
Street Sweeper Social Club - The Ghetto Blaster EP
Kathryn Calder - Are You My Mother / "Arrow", "Slip Away" [mp3]
The Budos Band - The Budos Band III
Starflyer 59 - The Changing of the Guard
Yeasayer - Madder Red EP
Elsinore - Yes Yes Yes / "Yes Yes Yes" [mp3]
Eli "Paperboy"Reed - Come and get It
Ray Lamontagne & the Pariah Dogs - God WIllin' & the Creek Don't Rise
Sea of Bees - Songs for the Ravens / "Marmalade" [mp3
Matthew Dear - Black City / "Little People," "Soil to Seed" [mp3]
Lissie - Catching a Tiger / "Bully" [mp3]
Camu Tao - King of Hearts / "Bully" [mp3]
The Dollyrots - A Little Messed Up
Darker My Love - Alive As You Are / Free AOL Album Stream

REISSUES
Superchunk - No Pocky For Kitty / "Skip Steps 1 & 3" [mp3]
Superchunk - On the Mouth
Arab Strap - Philophobia / "Packs Of Three" [mp3]
Arab Strap - The Week Never Stars Round Here / "The First Big Weekend" [mp3]
The Jon Spencer Blue Explosion - Extra Width + Mo' Width
Modest Mouse - The Moon & Antarctica

tags: music, album review, scott pilgrim, bottomless pit, indie rock, new releases, rhapsody

Ear on TV: Week of 08.16.10

While most your favorite talk show hosts are applying another layer of sunscreen this week, fans of heavy metal can enjoy a 'staycation.' Wolfmother (Lopez Tonight on Monday), Five Finger Death Punch (Jimmy Kimmel Live Tuesday) and Ted Nugent (Lopez on Thursday) all make appearances this week. Throw in some Meat Loaf (Lopez Tuesday) and a little KISS rerun (Tonight Show Wednesday) and there should be enough guitar to get you through the week.

So here's the calendar until next week, when a few of the talkies (Letterman, Ferguson) will be back, while others (Leno, Fallon) will still be running repeats.

Picks for the week
Monday, August 16
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Ozzy Osbourne
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Sheryl Crow (REPEAT)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Flo Rida (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Gossip (REPEAT)
SUNDANCE: A Skin Too Few: Days of Nick Drake: Nick Drake
TBS: Lopez Tonight: Wolfmother
Tuesday, August 17
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Five Finger Death Punch
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Interpol (REPEAT)
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Local Natives (REPEAT)
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Sheryl Crow (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: She & Him (REPEAT)SYNDICATION: The Ellen DeGeneres Show: Mika (REPEAT)
TBS: Lopez Tonight: Meat Loaf
Wednesday, August 18
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: T.I.
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Steel Train (REPEAT)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: KISS (REPEAT)
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Macy Gray (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: The Xx (REPEAT)
Thursday, August 19
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Hey Monday
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Alejandro Escovedo (REPEAT)
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Of Montreal (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Citizen Cope (REPEAT)
TBS: Lopez Tonight: Ted Nugent
Friday, August 20
ABC: Good Morning America: Rihanna
ABC: The View: La Roux (REPEAT)
CBS: The Early Show: David Gray
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Mumford and Sons (REPEAT)
FUEL: The Daily Habit: High On Fire (REPEAT)
NBC: The Today Show: Keith Urban
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: K'naan (REPEAT)NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Green Day (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: RJD2 (REPEAT)
Saturday, August 21
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Vampire Weekend (REPEAT)
Sunday, August 22
SMITHSONIAN: Inside the Music: All You Need is Klaus: Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Carly Simon, Van Dyke Parks

Mad Men "The Good News": For People Who Love Bad News

"Though things have been precarious financially, it’s been a magnificent year," says Lane Pryce, illuminating the only real "Good News" this week's episode had. "May you live in interesting times," goes the famous Chinese proverb/curse, and 1964 seems to have been all that (and a bag of s$#t) for the episode's primaries -- Don, Lane and Joan.

I get the feeling this episode had a checklist of back story that it was to fill in for us, and it did so rather clumsily (which might be a first with Mad Men). We're already aware of just how bad it's been for Don, that's been hammered into us with the first two installments of the season, but it turns out that chap Lane has had a rough go of it himself with the ol' trouble and strife. And, as we might have suspected, Joan's reality of a married life is far from her ideal. But it was nice to find out that Greg isn't as bad a surgeon as we (and Joan) thought. Aside from the tone deaf "filing papers" comment, his bedside manner and efficient stitching up of Joan's finger surprised her, and made the prospect of him leaving for Vietnam seem even more real.

We also get another trip to the W(B)est Coast for Don, which means 1) Anna, so Dick Whitman is let loose; 2) More colors in the palette! 3) Another young nubile temptress (Stephanie) who spouts heavy-handed lines to suggest the coming cultural revolution. Comments on the sit in at Berkley, Jan & Dean and being an anti-consumer dropped like coins in a tin can. "Nobody knows what's wrong with themselves, and everyone else can see it right away," she says at one point, drawing a not-so-dotted line into the over-arching theme of Mad Men. One thing that comment does, though, is make what Anna says a little later that much more special: "I know everything about you and I still love you." Anna knows all about Dick, but Dick knows all about Anna too, that she's dying of cancer. I have a hard time believing that Anna doesn't know, considering she's been going to the doctor all her life, so perhaps it's a shared secret that neither of them knows the other one is in on.

Back to Stephanie, besides Jan & Dean ("Sidewalk Surfin"), she plays Patti Page's "Old Cape Cod" to tease Dick about his age (is an 8-year old song already an oldie?). The song's theme naturally fits in with one of the episodes themes, that of 'getting away from your troubles.' Don/Dick's Cape Cod we already knew is Anna's place, where he can be himself and grounds himself before starting his next chapter. Back on the drab colored East Coast, Don offers Lane his own bit of Cape Cod escapism with a romp around town, and thanks in large part to a steak belt buckle, my memory of this episode will forever be favorable. (Lane for the save.) Just like Don with his trip to L.A., Lane seems refreshed the next day, ready to put the past behind him, and Joan is right on queue with "Gentlemen, should we begin 1965?"

Minor quibble, while it was hilarious to see Don & Lane go from thinking about going to see The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and ending up at a Japanese monster movie. The movie appeared to be footage of Gamera, but that film didn't get its U.S. premiere for another two years. Instead, they probably meant for the film to be Mothra vs. Godzilla, which opened in New York around Thanksgiving in 1964 (as Godzilla vs The Thing).

Mad Men - Episode 4.03
1. "Sidewalk Surfin" - Jan & Dean
2. "Old Cape Cod" - Patti Page
3. "Waves (Antonio Carlos Jobim)" - Oscar Peterson

Previously: "Christmas Comes But Once a Year" (Episode 4.02)

Ear on TV: Week of 08.09.10: Arcade Fire

Arcade Fire will appear on The Daily Show, Thursday

There's no exaggeration in saying it's been a big week for Montreal's Arcade Fire. They released their third album (The Suburbs, which is expected to debut at the top of the charts), they play two sold out shows at Madison Square Garden and then they closed out Lollapalooza last night in epic fashion. Continuing their "Best Week Ever," Arcade Fire do what few bands have ever done: make an appearance on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Thursday).

In the six years since their debut release, it's been a magical rise for the band. I say "magical" as it's an apt description, fitting in with who they managed to pull in to direct a webcast for the second night at MSG: Terry Gilliam. Not that the director of films like Time Bandits and Brazil had any experience with directing a live concert, but the band and director seemed to hit it off in a way that showed up in the final product. Says Gilliam jokingly at one point during the pre-show, "I thought they were bringing me in the help a failing band, but it turns out they're the ones helping out a failing director." You can see most of the concert on Arcade Fire's YouTube site, including the funny pre-show bit, featuring Gilliam and future Spider-Man reboot actor Andrew Garfield attempting to 'boot up' the band:


Elsewhere, Portland's indietastic band Menomena makes their television debut on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Monday, freak folk goddess Joanna Newsom graces the Jimmy Kimmel Live stage on Wednesday, and The Walkmen preview a new song from their forthcoming release (Lisbon, due in stores September 14) on Jimmy Fallon Thursday.

Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, August 9
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Bettye LaVette (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Vampire Weekend
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Mike Posner
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Menomena
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Mishka (REPEAT)
TBS: Lopez Tonight: Har Mar Superstar
Tuesday, August 10
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Steve Winwood (REPEAT)
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Midnight Juggernauts
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Meat Loaf
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Slayer
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Surfer Blood (REPEAT)
VH1: Purple Rain: Prince, The Time
Wednesday, August 11
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Joanna Newsom
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Eminem (REPEAT)
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Here We Go Magic
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Los Lobos
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: JP, Chrissie and The Fairground Boys
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: The Living Sisters (REPEAT)
Thursday, August 12
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: The Dead Weather (REPEAT)
COMEDY CENTRAL: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: Arcade Fire
FUEL: The Daily Habit: U-N-I
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: The Whigs
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: The Walkmen
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Never Shout Never (REPEAT)
Friday, August 13
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Dolly Parton (REPEAT)
NBC: The Today Show: Ke$ha
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Alejandro Escovedo
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: La Roux (REPEAT)
Saturday, August 14
BBCAMERICA: The Graham Norton Show: 50 Cent
NBC: Saturday Night Live: MGMT (REPEAT)

Friday Night Lights "Thanksgiving": Deep-Fried Turkey

The fourth season of Friday Night Lights has come to an end, and even with a few flaws in the finale, it solidifies itself as the best network television drama we saw all year.

Is it so bad that we kind of knew how it was going to end for the Lions? I mean, you know you're getting turkey for Thanksgiving, but since we spent the season getting deep-fried like Buddy's turkey, the result tasted so much better. From the outset ("East of Dillon"), it seemed inevitable that Coach Taylor would mold this underdog of a team together to enact revenge on the McCoys and those Panthers who had forsaken him. It was an unlikely win, to say the least, but we had to crawl over broken glass to get here, so the victory, however improbable, had to happen -- we earned it. And LanceLandry had to make that 7246 yard field goal -- it was the whole reason Eric inexplicably turned him into a kicker (we'll just call that Checkov's foot).

This was an ambitious season, to say the least, with the writers finding a balance between introducing all the new characters, a new setting, giving proper goodbyes to some characters while giving face time to the beloved characters -- all done in a compressed 13-episode season. It's understandable, then, that many stories were introduced and left incomplete (Matt's pantsless svengali artist, Big Mary's return to football, Stan's gay bar revelation, etc.), and many back stories left to our imagination (Vince and Jess, Luke's parents, Jess' father). The great Jesse Plemons was underused as Landry, but was redeemed with the game winner. Similarly, the Tim and Becky relationship was missing something, but when Tim hands her the snow globe for safekeeping, all is forgotten.

Speaking of Tim, his selfless act of taking it all on his shoulders may feel a bit convenient for Taylor Kitsch availability issues with season five*, but all the scenes with Billy as a father helped make this plausible. Tim doesn't want to see his nephew grow up with out a father like Billy and him. The scene of them saying goodbye is all the more heartbreaking looking back on Billy's heartfelt toast at the Taylors for Thanksgiving. Seeing Tim toss his #33 to Billy reminded me there was a nice symmetry with the opening episode, where Becky asks "Didn't you used to be Tim Riggins?" When the cops arrived last week ("Laboring"), they greeted him with "Aren't you Tim Riggins?" to which he replied, "Used to be." The football hero is gone, only the brooding man child remains.

*It's worth pointing out, that season five -- and the series, for all intents and purposes -- just recently wrapped production.

One inevitable turn that didn't feel earned, though, was Tami Taylor's transition from West Dillon principal to East Dillon guidance counselor. We pointed out the season three finale parallel last week, with Tami in Coach's shoes this time, and it played out mostly as expected. But even forgetting the large pay cut she faces, how unlikely is it that a school district would agree to making her a guidance counselor for the very school she's being accused of giving bad guidance? We all knew she'd have to end up at East Dillon somehow, like everybody else we care about, but this felt awfully forced. If anything, she should be forced -- more like releived -- from Panther land for cheering so loudly for her husband's Lions. (Who can blame her, though, right Slammin' Sammy?)

So as we say goodbye to another season, complete with a fitting The Wire-like montage to a Steve Earle tune ("Goodbye"), it's worth thinking about the next, and last, season. All the team should be back, except Landry (unless they shave another year off him), so might we expect a return to the state championships for Coach? We don't yet know the fates of Landry and Julie, but they'll surely get their goodbye arcs. The good news is that Adrianne Palicki (Tyra), Taylor Kitsch (Tim), Zach Gilford (Matt) and Scott Porter (Jason) will all make appearances, helping to bring the series full circle. Something to look forward to, even as we lament the end of the series.

Even though you knew the bullet points were coming, I hope they feel earned:

• There was a nice bit of music symmetry with Vince's run for a touchdown being backed by Obits' "Talking To The Dog", a song which we heard when we first meet Vince running away from the police.
• I feel like we'd already said goodbye to Matt, so it was surprising to get another chance. Part of this goodbye, though, was on Julie's terms (point of deflowering or not).
• Jesse Plemons did a great job riding the many emotions that Landry went through: Pride (the Crucifictorious demo -- which we need to hear), heart break, anger, elation and anticipation (Chicago here we come).
• Michael B. Jordan (Vince) did so much with what little time he had on screen. "I don't think I'm the one who can give it to you." And yet give he does.
• Gracie Belle did finally get herself some pants.

Playlist: Friday Night Lights - Episode 4.13
1. "Remember Me As A Time Of Day" - Explosions In The Sky [download]: Coach Taylor gives speech
2. "Sway" - Heartless Bastards [download]: Thanksgiving day practice
3. "Glittering Blackness" - Explosions In The Sky [download]: Pre-game montage
4. "Lonely, Lonely" - Taking Back Sunday [download]: Game starts, McCoy throws TD
5. "Talking To The Dog" - Obits [download]: Vince runs in for score
6. "Just Got Paid" - Mastodon [download]: Panthers come back
7. "It Ain't Gonna Save Me" - Jay Reatard [download]: Lions respond
8. "Evil Eye" - Fu Manchu [download]: Beginning of second half
9. "Sea Of Japan" - Earl Greyhound [download]: Luke gets into the game
10. "Make It Take It" - Amanda Blank [download]: Luke is out of the game
11. "Goin' Home" - Dan Auerbach [download]: Slammin' Sammy talks about the game on the radio
12. "Goodbye" - Steve Earle [download]: Final montage starting with Tim ending with Matt

Previously; "Laboring" (Episode 4.12)

Now Downloading: New Releases 08.03.10

Summers in Seattle are a busy time, as we only get a compressed amount of time to wear sunglasses, and we all know it can be tough typing on a laptop with suntan lotion-greased digits. Seriously, though, it's been nuts what with the vacations and a scaled back workforce at my day job. But it was going to be hard to punt on this week's release, with two of 2010's best albums dropping in stores. The latest from Arcade Fire and Wavves are sure to make more than a few best of lists, and help add some sizzle to summer's mostly blah releases. Elsewhere, there's the latest from Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band, Autolux, The Magic Numbers, Versus, Shapes & Sizes and an interesting reworking of their hits from Squeeze.

Playlist: New Releases 08.03.10

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Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Looking back to 2004, it's easy to forget just how special Arcade Fire's debut (The Funeral) was, and how out of nowhere it seemed. The band announced itself both an act of subtlety and of "big ideas." While that release looked inward, their next release, Neon Bible, got political, as if the kids in the debut were in college and rebelling against everything, but with it, much of the subtlety from the debut was lost. With The Suburbs, the band retreats from grand statements, instead relying on the more mundane trials of life (Springsteen territory), taking the kids from Funeral trying to get out of their hometown, and finding themselves with kids in the suburbs. It's still as ambitious as we've come to expect and it mostly hits its lofty mark. The opening "The Suburbs" turns Neon Bible's "My Body is a Cage" upside down, both musically (hear the direct reference in "The Suburbs (continued)") and lyrically, with the setting of the suburbs being the new prison to try and escape from. The album finds the band more varied in sound, welcome after the last album's hollow sameness. To wit, there's the My Bloody Valentine-meets-Abba of "Empty Room" along with the pulsating electro of "Half Light II [No Celebration]" and "Sprawl II [Mountains Beyond Mountains]").

If there's a flaw, it'd be that the album is awfully long, but I'm hard pressed to pick a song that would be edited out, so it's not an easy complaint to make. Given that the albums have been following a progression of maturity from high school to college to married with kids, I can't wait to hear what Win Butler and co. do with a theme of mid-life crisis.

Free NPR Album Stream

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Wavves - King of the Beach
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

What a difference a year makes for Nate Williams. After his up and down 2009, rife with on stage meltdowns and low-grade pissing matches in the press, no one would've blamed Williams if he retreated to even lower-fi surroundings for his next release, but he's regrouped and taken a huge leap forward. Scooping up the late Jay Reatard's rocking old band (whom Reatard fired not long before his death), Williams rebuilt his sound from scratch, pulling equally from the two disparate sounds from his surroundings of San Diego - that of the surfing Beach Boys-ish pop and skater punk. With King of the Beach, he's still the loner/slacker/loser protagonist like before, but the musical surroundings are much more resplendent. The title track/opener and "Post Acid" are your first stops, but the whole ride is well worth the self-hate.

Free AOL Album Stream
Download: "Soft Skin" [mp3]

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More on the radar (and in the mp3 player) this week:
Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band - Where the Messengers Meet / AOL Album Stream
Autolux - Transit Transit / AOL Album Stream
The Magic Numbers - The Runaway
Shapes and Sizes - Candle to Your Eyesd / "I Need an Outlet," "Tell Your Mom" [mp3]
Versus - On the Ones and Threes / Stream from Merge Records / "Gone to Earth," "Invincible Hero" [mp3]
Squeeze - Spot the Difference
The Black Crowes- Croweology
EL-P - Weareallgoingtoburninhellmegamixxx3
La Roux - Sidetracked (Curated Mix)
Dax Riggs - Say Goodnight to the World / "No One Will Be a Stranger" [mp3]
Los Lobos - Tin Can Trust
David Dondero - # Zero With a Bullet / "# Zero With a Bullet," "Wherever You Go" [mp3]
Level 42 - Living it Up (Box set)
Middle Men: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack / Free AOL Album Stream

REISSUES
Queens of the Stone Age - Rated R [Deluxe Edition]
jj - jj nº 2

tags: music, album review, arcade fire, wavves, indie rock, new releases, rhapsody

Mad Men "Christmas Comes But Once a Year": Here's Your Bonus [RIP Mitch Miller]

"Reminds me of when I was a kid, and at Christmas I'd get what I wanted."
Lee Garner, Jr.

Any episode involving a party at work is bound to be eventful, and "Christmas Comes But Once a Year" did not disappoint. Besides the holidays, there were several themes tying the episode together: powerlessness, alcoholism and gift giving are what come to mind. And it's the return of Fab Fave Freddy Rumson that nails all three themes in one. Freddy "comes with a $2 million gift in his pocket," that of Ponds Cold Creme. He's also a recovering alcoholic in A.A., whose central doctrine is the "Powerless Doctrine." So, even though the story didn't revolve around Freddy, all the themes seem to emanated from our old-fashioned friend.

The powerless theme circulated around the episode, with people in different seats of power at the beck and call of their superior. Freddy (and his fraternityA.A. buddy) are powerless to alcohol, Joan answers to Roger, Roger (and all of SCDP) answer to Garner, even Glen (creepy is back!) points out Sally's lack of power in her new family structure. Meanwhile, alcoholism has sapped Don's power over women (he strikes out with both the neighbor nurse and the market researcher) so he ends up breaking one of his own taboos, dipping his pen in the company ink. Don's is very stringent about the separation of work and private life (see the marketing questionnaire), but when he's drunk and at his pad, just about any warm body will do, and Allison's at a disadvantage, wanting to keep her job (and, obviously having some admiration for her boss). The handing of the Christmas bonus, with no comment on the previous night's proclivities, came across as a transaction for sexual favors, even thought Don obviously wrote and placed the money in the card prior to his epic fail. Peggy also experienced some post-coital regret, giving herself as a gift to her creep of a boyfriend. There was a bit of power struggle going on there as well, as Peggy had 'the hand' the relationship prior. I expect their relationship to change as a result. (Hopefully Peggy will dump him, but knowing her taste in men and inability to understand diminishing returns, I doubt it.)

In an odd coincidence, the closing credits song, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause" (sung by 12 year old Jimmy Boyd), was a production of one Mitch Miller, who had just died the day prior. Miller left a big shadow on popular music of the 50s and early 60s, with his A&R work for Columbia Records. Jimmy Boyd's holiday hit was a prime example of his sweet spot, that of the novelty song. Miller (also considered the father of karaoke) hated rock and roll... hated it. That's a big reason why he became obsolete fairly quickly as rock became the norm through the 60s. His trajectory mirrors the old-fashioned men on Madison Ave, like Freddy and even Bert Cooper, so inclusion, even as only behind the scenes, is appropos here.

Previously: "Public Relations" (and Jimmy Page)

Ear on TV: Week of 08.02.10: Black Crowes

Rock n' Roll history is littered with sibling rivalries. The Everly Brothers, Ray and Dave Davies (The Kinks); John and Tom Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival) and Noah and Liam Gallagher (Oasis) all have had some very public spats. Somewhere on that list is The Black Crowes' Chris and Rich Robinson, whose long standing animosity has finally led to the band to call for an indefinite hiatus following their current (and aptly named) "Say Goodnight to the Bad Guys" tour.

Before they pack up their gear, this week the Crowes are releasing a retrospective album, Croweology, and launching a seres of interview-centric webisodes titled 20 Years of Tall Tales, where Chris Robinson lets us in on some of the band's crazier moments over the years. Questions like, was the band really fired by Aerosmith on their infamous tour? Did Kate Hudson provide the same amount of good luck when they were together that she did for A-Rod in the post-season last year? (Chris won't probably address that last burning question.) To promote all their activity this week, the band will be making appearances on both The Tonight Show (Tuesday) and Jimmy Kimmel Live (Wednesday), playing a couple of their hits unplugged style.

Speaking of bands on hiatus, The White Stripes have taken a backseat since drummer Meg White's acute anxiety issues put a halt to their last tour. Before the cancellations, though, the band staged a successful tour of Canada, which was documented in the film Under the Great Northern Lights. The award-winning documentary debuts on Showtime Thursday night. Below is the trailer:


Elsewhere, Reggae legend Jimmy Cliff makes a stop on The Colbert Report Monday, Spoon swings by Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday, and Beyonce's most recent concert in Las Vegas is captured for VH1's Friday Night Alright.

Picks for the week
Monday, August 2
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Damian Marley & Nas
COMEDY CENTRAL: The Colbert Report: Jimmy Cliff
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Queens of the Stone Age
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Trey Songz
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: The Airborne Toxic Event (REPEAT)
TBS: Lopez Tonight: Street Sweeper Social Club
Tuesday, August 3
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Flo Rida
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Herbie Hancock
IFC: Dinner With the Band: The Devil Makes Three (REPEAT)
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Chiddy Bang
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: The Black Crowes
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Spoon
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Black Lips (REPEAT)
Wednesday, August 4
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: The Black Crowes
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: The Dead Weather
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Sick of it All
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: K'Naan
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Keane (REPEAT)
Thursday, August 5
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: V.V. Brown
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Sick of it All
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Plain White T's
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Doves (REPEAT)
SHOWTIME: Under Great White Northern Lights: White Stripes
Friday, August 6
ABC: Good Morning America: John Legend & The Roots
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Los Campesinos! (REPEAT)
SUNDANCE: Live From Abbey Road: The Temper Trap, Michael Buble (REPEAT)
SYNDICATION: The Ellen DeGeneres Show: Bon Jovi (REPEAT)
VH1: Friday Night Alright: Beyonce
Saturday, August 7
BBCAMERICA: The Graham Norton Show: David Gray (REPEAT)
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Muse (REPEAT)

drake lelane
curator of the music/soundtrack blog thus spake drake