Now Downloading: New Releases 09.07.10

It's the week before Super Tuesday, and it's mostly quiet, aside from the latest from Interpol and the Thermals, that is.

Playlist: New Releases 09.07.10

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Interpol - Interpol
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Interpol sees the band back with their first label Matador, and in many respects, back to the sound of their gold standard setting debut, Turn on the Bright Lights. Their last two releases (Antics, Our Love To Admire) saw the band slipping in quality, so it's good that they've at least somewhat reversed the trend. The album is a bit too uneven to be considered a return to glory, but perhaps the lineup change (Carlos Dengler left the band after the album's recording and David Pajo has since taken his place) will light a fire under the band.

Free AOL Album Stream

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The Thermals - Personal Life
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Once upon a time The Thermals were bubbling with punk-inspired energy, their first few release brimming with piss & vinegar. That changed with last year's Now We Can See, which saw the band move in a more melodic direction, losing some of the spunk we'd gotten used to. Personal Life continues the 'maturation' trend to it's fault, somewhat. "I Don't Believe You," though, is a great fucking song, which, along with the opening track and "Never Listen to Me" make up for some of the lulls spread throughout the release.

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More on the radar (and in the mp3 player) this week:
Jukebox the Ghost - Everything Under the Sun / Free AOL Album Stream / "Empire" [mp3]
Fabienne Delsol - On My Mind
The Acorn - No Ghost / Free AOL Album Stream
Winter Gloves - All Red EP
Robyn - Body Talk Pt. 2
Sam Prekop - Dream Attic
The SteelDrivers - Reckless / Free AOL Album Stream
Unicycle Loves You - Mirror, Mirror / "Mirror, Mirror" [mp3]
Helmet - Seeing Eye Dog
The Intelligence - Males / "Like Like Like Like Like Like Like Like" [mp3]

tags: music, album review, interpol, the thermals, indie rock, new releases, rhapsody

Chuck vs the Ring - I'm Kilroy, Kilroy!

Josh Schwartz said in a recent interview that if Chuck wasn't renewed, this episode "will be one of the least satisfying finales of all time." I have to differ with that in one regard, namely that it's hard to find any circumstance where this finale wouldn't be less than satisfying. From the the opening with Millbarge's Buymoria flag all the way to the game-changing Matrix-referencing ending ("Guys, I know Kung-Fu") it was Chuck firing on all cylinders. If it wasn't the best Chuck episode ever (that would stillb e last week's "Vs the Colonel," it was still quite possibly the most entertaining hour of television all year. And while my living room won't be on fire if it's not renewed, there will definitely be at least some gutteral screams at the news. As Casey says after seeing a few Bartkowski leg kicks, "Chuck me."

I'll try to keep it brief (epic FAIL) for now and get more in tomorrow, but here's few things about the music. Jeffster! We knew they were going to be in the finale, and we've heard just about every "Mr. Roboto" joke in the book, but from now on, Chuck owns the song. If you noticed the song changing throughout it's duration, you weren't hearing things, as it moved into different orchestrations/versions as the action changed. Chris Fedak, in an interview with Alan Sepinwall, laid out three versions that changed with the action. After starting with Jeffster's version (and the crowd reaction to them was priceless,) it moved into composer Tim Jones' orchestrated instrumental version as Bryce walked into the room. Then it subtly slides into the original Styx version as Casey and his team enter the action, before finally settling back into the hilarious Jeffster rendition. As funny as it was, the song kind of fits Chuck's secret (secret, I've got a secret) identity, so the joke even works better in that context.

Other musical highlights included the opening with Portland's The Thermals' "Now We Can See," which serves as an ideal quit-the-Buy-More soundrack for Chuck and Casey ("Ditto"). Gramercy Arms' "Looking at the Sun" was an OK choice, but I couldn't help being distracted by knowledge that Sarah Silverman supposedly lent her voice for back-up vocals on the song. The rest are below.

One final hits before I pass out:
Mr Awesome (Bruce Boxleitner) complaining to Awesome about Jeffster: "Why are you letting Sam Kinison and an Indian lesbian ruin your wedding?"

So how was your $5 footlong?

Playlist: Chuck - Episode 2.22
1. "Now We Can See" - The Thermals - Chuck & Casey quit the Buy More
2. "Looking at the Sun" - Gramercy Arms w/ Sarah Silverman - Chuck talks to Ellie/talks to Sarah, pre-wedding
3. "Mr. Roboto" - Styx (three different versions montaged/blended) Jeffster helps stall for time / battle in the reception
4. "Christmas TV" - Slow Club - wedding on the beach
5. "Friday I'm in Love" - The Cure - reception
6. "3 Rounds and a Sound" - Blind Pilot - Sarah and Chuck dance at reception

Previously: Chuck vs Your Stomach, Chuck versus the Colonel - Awesome and Awesomer (Episode 2.21)

Chuck vs Your Stomach - Eating renewal one footlong at a time

In the age of social media, a campaign to save a series from doom quickly becomes something akin to a well-oiled machine. Chuck fans on Twitter, Facebook, and countless blogs (including this one) have been circling the virtual wagons in an effort to empower other fans to have a voice in the life of their favorite show... and it might just work. Show-runners Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak have endorsed sending Nerds Candy to NBC, but the suggestion that has resonated the most has been the 'pocket book' campaign of purchasing sandwiches from sponsor Subway, and leaving comment cards behind.

Zachary Levi even got into the action while in the UK this weekend, leading festival goers to a Subway, and then helping out behind the counter:


I visited a Subway today (forgot my camera!) that was packed at 1:45PM, a time you go to lunch to avoid crowds. I didn't get a temperature reading on the crowd to know if it was all Chucksters, but the employee I talked to said that it had been inexplicably busy since opening. They had no idea of the campaign, though, so were caught off guard a bit, but still weathering w/ all hands on deck for the extra long lunchtime storm.

My wife is heading there later tonight to pick up our finale dinner, so I'm doubling up on the #savechuck front. $5 footlong Oven Roasted Chicken with fixin's for lunch, and I'm looking at a Sweet Onion Chicken Teryaki for dinner. That's a lot for a stomach that hasn't had a Subway sandwich in a few years. We'll see how I do...

Tonight's finale promises to be a good one, and we can already piece together nearly half the soundtrack from preview clips (see below) like "Now We Can See" from Portland's The Thermals.

Song: "Now We Can See" - The Thermals



Previously: Chuck versus the Colonel - Awesome and Awesomer (Episode 2.21)

Ear on TV: Week of February 12

I'm sure you're sick to death of me writing about Lily Allen on the telly, so I'll just say two words regarding her this week: Conan + Tuesday. Instead I'm going to give some virtual ink to The Thermals, who stop by Last Call With Carson Daly late Friday night to perform some of their politically-charged rock from their latest release, The Body, the Blood, the Machine. While this indie rock band from Portland, Oregon made plenty year-end lists for best album, one has to think Sub Pop's latest push with The Shins (along with the surprise success of Band of Horses) is now reaping benefits for other acts on the label, which is a good thing.

Meanwhile, The Apples in Stereo make another appearance here, as they perform some of their psych-pop on Conan, Wednesday. On a different note, If you were like me, you were secretly hoping to see Justin Timberlake break into "Dick in a Box" last night on the Grammys, especially after he performed it live at Madison Square Garden with Samberg a few nights before (see video.) Alas, no such luck, but they're rerunning his Saturday Night Live hosting performance this weekend, so we can as yet still relive the magic.

Picks for this week:
Monday, February 12
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Matisyahu
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Rickie Lee Jones
SYNDICATION: The Ellen Degeneres Show: Nelly Furtado
Tuesday, February 13
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Cat Empire
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Lily Allen
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Regina Spektor
Wednesday, February 14
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Madeleine Peyroux
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: The Apples in Stereo
Thursday, February 15
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Nas
Friday, February 16
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: The Thermals
Saturday, February 17
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Justin Timberlake (RERUN)

tags: music, television, soundtrack, talk shows, lily allen, the thermals, apples in stereo, justin timberlake, indie rock, rhapsody