Chuck & Life - My Favorite Ass Man

Thank goodness NBC already ordered the full season of Chuck, because Monday night's have become a slow sinking ship anchored by the disappointing Heroes, dragging Chuck down with it. Thankfully, the series can concentrate on making great episodes like this week's ("Chuck vs. The Seduction",) knowing that Dancing with the Stars will run out eventually.

Now that we've gotten two episodes in (and finally can be done with reintroducing the series,) it's easier to see the Season 2 formula at work here. Bring in a name cameo for this week's baddie (Michael Clarke Duncan last week, The O.C.'s Melinda Clarke this week, NY Giants great Micheal Strahan next week) and figure out a way to weave the three universes (Buy More, Spy world, Chuck's home). This week's episode actually featured two guest stars, the second being John Larroquette playing the legendary and hopelessly drunk agent Roan Montgomery, who is supposedly based on Peter O'Toole's character Alan Swann in the great film My Favorite Year. Appropos for a show betting on guest stars that film was based upon a guest star, specifically Errol Flynn on Sid Caesar's Your Show of Shows. If it wasn't apparent early on with all the martinis and witty one-liners ("this isn't happy hour at Chili's,") then the banner swing that Chuck pulls off at the end should seal the deal. Which lead to the funniest moment of the show, Big Mike looking at the repaired banner reading "New Ass Man" and exclaiming, "I'm not new!" Meanwhile, the ending has me wondering if it's a bit too early to be drawing the Bryce card?

Another part of the second season formula appears to be that a Huey Lewis hit (or two) is to be featured. Last week we got two ("Hip to be Square," "Power of Love,") and this week we got "Do You Believe in Love" twice (the first being the tasty slo-mo of Sarah's cover entrance, complete with cartwheel and cleavage-revealing crawl). We're a "The Heart of Rock and Roll" and "I Want a New Drug" away from knocking out their top five. Throw in Richard Marx ("Right Here Waiting,") and I'm not really feeling that nostalgiac for my high school days.

Playlist: Chuck - Episode 2.02
1. Huey Lewis - "Do You Believe in Love"
Tango band?
2. Richard Marx - "Right There Waiting For You"
3. As yet unidentified Italian opera song
4. The Kooks - "Love it All"

We've had two episodes from Life since we last checked in, and it's good and bad. Friday's episode seemed almost like a throwaway, providing little in plot development and a not very interesting steroid mystery, which was a total waste of guest star and former Barney Miller fave Max Gail.

Last night's episode, however, provided both the punch of the plot points explored towards the end of last season, along with an interesting mystery to solve. Both episodes featured some inspired music choices, including the haunting "Cue the Strings" from Low, the fun use of Sloan's "Emergency 911" and strange (and brief) inclusion of "Count Five or Six" from Cornelius in Friday's episode. Meanwhile, last night's episode ended with Cat Power's "Metal Heart," providing the kind of moment we began to expect by the end of last season's strike-shortened run. I still have a bad feeling about the series getting picked up, though, given Monday's bad numbers across the board for NBC, and the appearance that their burning off episodes (four in two weeks).

Playlist: Life Ep202-203
1. "Ghosts" - Ladytron
2. "Count Five Or Six" - Cornelius
3. "Cue the Strings" - Low
4. "Emergency 911" - Sloan
5. "The Box" - Eastern Conference Champions
6. "Metal Heart" - Cat Power

Previously: Chuck, Life: The Twist (Season 2 premieres)

Best Albums From 2007 (That Were Really From 2006)

It's my annual kicking off point for the year-end lists. Here I highlight the best albums seeing their U.S. debut in 2007 that were released elsewhere prior to that. It's a good way to both narrow down my real 2007 list while still highlighting more at the same time. You might call it having your cake and eat it too.

Playlist: Best Albums From 2007 (That Were Really From 2006)

1. Lily Allen - Alright, Still

It's weird for me to see this on so many year-end lists for 2007, when it was two years ago that tracks started leaking for it -- even my son, who's not even 3, thinks this is old news. Anyway, it was everywhere from the end of last year until Amy Winehouse invaded and our quota overflowed for spunky Britchicks who give an updated twist to soul music. It was #19 for last year's 'have your cake' list, and #1 for this year's 'eat it too'.
(Kinda Review, 07/06/06)
Song: "Knock 'Em Out"

---

2. Loney Dear - Sologne

Another one that made my best album list from last year (#24). Amazingly Sub Pop decided to release the inferior follow up album Loney, Noir first instead, burying this treasure for a late September release. Swedish multi-instrumentalist Emil Svanangen made his mark first with this album, and it's easily the favorite thing I brought back with me from Europe last summer. (On signing to Sub Pop, 09/14/06)
Song: "The City, The Airport" [mp3 - SXSW]

---

3. The Long Blondes - Someone To Drive You Home

Art Brut-like post-punk love spearheaded by Kate Jackson's driving sexuality and moral ambivalence: when she's a)cheating on you. b)stealing you're boyfriend. c)stealing your girlfriend(?) At least she'll leave a twisted smile on your face after she's done. (Review, 06/05/07)
Song: "Only Lovers Left Alive"

---

4. Fujiya & Miyagi - Transparent Things

This is really a compilation of EP's, so it's not on my 'have your cake' list for two reasons (not from 2007 and it's compilation of previously released material). Song "Collarbone" was one of my (and my son's) faves from last year. Actually, this list is remarkable in that nearly every album has a song that's on my son's 2006 top 10 singles list. (Review, 07/19/07)
Song: "Collarbone"

---

5. Cornelius - Sensuous

Cornelius (Keigo Oyamada) recently performed a counting song ("5 or 6") on an episode of Yo Gabba Gabba, which made my son jump up and down like the little freak he is. Appropriate, though, since Cornelius makes what is essentially children’s music for adults, which Sensous demonstrates with his rubbery synth lines anchoring the ping-pong of mayhem surrounding it.
Song: "Fit Song"

---

6. Sloan - Never Hear the End of It

The title is a joke on the the length of this album (30 songs, 80 Minutes,) but even putting it on repeat for a whole week won't make you want the end come any sooner. Since nearly all the songs run together ala Abbey Road, it's improper of me to pull one song from the album. But I'm nothing if not improper. (Review 1/12/07)
Song: "Who Taught You To Live Like That?"

---

7. Peter, Bjorn & John - Writer's Block

An uneven album bouyed by the great song "Young Folks," which in 2007 has been the most whistled song on tv since the The Andy Griffith Show Reunion: Back to Mayberry. (Gossip Girl, 09/19/07 / Nip/Tuck, 11/20/07)
Song: "Young Folks"

---

8. Junior Senior - Hey Hey My My Yo Yo

This album actually was originally released in 2005, taking two years to get here -- as if brought stateside by 17th century explorers searching for the new world. They come of as just a novelty act, but there's some great songwriting underneath the shiny veneer.
(Review 8/14/07)
Song: "Can I Get Get Get"

---

9. The Pipettes - We Are The Pipettes

Like Lily before them, another Brit import that the toddlers seem to like (well, mine anyway). Didn't make the same splash as her or Winehouse, but they could have more legs (and they literally do, quite nice ones at that). (Review - single on 06/07/07, album 10/02/07)
Song: "Your Kisses Are Wasted on Me"

---

10. Charlotte Gainsbourg - 5:55

Actress, singer, spawn of a legend: Charlotte is all of the above -- and she's got some famous friends to help her out on this great introduction to US audiences. With music by Air, and lyrics by Jarvis Cocker and the Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon, Gainsbourg floats gently over the delicate and introspective proceedings.
Song: "Tel Que Tu Es"

---

11. The Phoenix Foundation - Horsepower

This one is actually from 2004! Let's hope we don't have to wait too much longer for 2005's Pegasus and this year's Happy Ending, which chart some amazing growth as artists and musicians. While Horsepower can seem like a star gazing Grandaddy at times, it's the work of a great band figuring out their sound, and that can be an exciting thing.
Song: "Going Fishing"

Infinite jest

This week's new releases caught me offguard, as I was still in holiday mode, and fully focused on the January 23rd date for the first wave of releases of the year. There's some truth to that, but to ignore this week would mean missing this long (long) player from Canadian power-pop legends Sloan. They do love to have fun with their album titles, and Never Hear The End Of It clocks in at over 76 minutes with 30 tracks total, but the end does come, and you'll find yourself hitting play once again.

Album: Sloan - Never Hear The End of It

It figures that Sloan would make a big album like this, as they're best albums have been 70's-rock-ambitious like this (One Chord to Another, Navy Blues) and this one takes it to it's ultimate progression. An album with this many songs can try one's patience (and this is one is no different to some degree,) but it's so diverse in it's reverence for Rock and Roll with only a few misteps that it's worth the effort. It veers from KISS to Big Star to AC/DC to The Beatles seemlessly. Seriously... the songs run into each other like Abbey Road, some clocking in as short as 52 seconds, and there are so many great hooks, it's nearly impossible to highlight just a few. But I will anyway - "Can't You Figure It Out?" and "Fading into Obscurity" are definitely one's to check out, if you can't hack the full 30-track endeavor.

tags: music, album review, sloan, power pop, indie rock, canada, rhapsody