The last few weeks I haven't been quite myself. A breakup can do that to a man.
Besides having conflicting sad/angry emotions, sometimes crippling self doubt, and a general loss of appetite, I have been listening to a lot of music. I'm not sure what most people turn to musically when something traumatic happens. I would assume 70s singer/songwriters or maybe Slayer? Not this guy though...I play the most inane pop music of the 80s.
I have about 15 gigs of 80s Top 100 Billboard charts on my iPod, and they have been on shuffle for the last couple of weeks at home, at work, and in the car. It's gotten so bad at work that one of my co-workers actually said (after I explained exactly WHY I was listening to "Kyrie" for the 15th time that week) "now you are making us all suffer". Yet I still turn to my comfort music.
Comfort music is not like comfort food (although they both theoretically share Meat Loaf). At least I don't THINK they are the same. One man's "How Will I Know" could be another man's Cure or maybe Otis Redding. Hell, I don't even know if anyone else does this. My personal belief is that my favorites (whether it be "The Blue Album", "Ten", "The Low End Theory" or "Exile on Main St.") should not be tainted by bad memories of the down times. I want to hear "Rocks Off" in a month or two and shake my sexy white ass without thinking about all the bad shit that I am currently going through.
Fortunately, 80s shit pop is untouchable like Elliot Ness. One cannot put special meaning on Jermaine Stewart or the song "Look Away" by Chicago. All those songs remind me of are being five years old and running through sprinklers and jumping on beds and trips to 7-Eleven for Slurpees and Tony Gwynn's jheri curl on a 1989 Donruss baseball card. The disposableness of those joints makes them have no emotional heft, and I can only tie them to positive memories at a time in my life where I really couldn't feel hurt. They are my aural Salisbury Steak.
Sunday, August 01, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Most Disappointing Fast Food Items
When one thinks of fast food, one thinks quick, cheap, good, but a little slutty. Or at least that is what I think. I always feel like I looked at some really messed up internet lovin' after I eat a Big Mac. Sure I feel satisfied and great, but I sort of hate myself afterwards. So recently, I cut down on the fast food to once a week. Subway, Jimmy Johns, Quiznos, and Chipotle are excluded because they are like a comitted relationship, not the sleazy trysts that await at Maca Dons.
This lack of fast food in my life has got me thinking about limited time offerings that I have had over the years. Some, like the late beloved McCheddar Melt, will live in imfamy in my brain. Others, like the Cuban Sandwich I had at Subway today, are on my no-fly list. Here are a few others that broke my cholesterol choked heart:
The Arch Deluxe - McDonalds dropped this bomb on us in the mid-90s. The Arch Deluxe was supposed to make baby boomers eat McDonalds at times when their whiny kids didn't want it. The sandwich was a failure, probably due to over advertising (I specifically remember getting free coupons in Sports Illustrated for a month for free sandwiches). My whole family also got food poisoning from these bad boys, probably due to the shitty djon sauce they used on the crappy potato bread roll.
Any Grilled Stuft Burrito - Who the hell came up with this idea? The press (so magical with the quesadilla) burns the shit out of the burrito, so every flavor consists of char and bean. Negative bonus points for the Ceasar Wrap Burrito T-Bell tried a few years ago. Nothing says awesome like grilled fucking lettuice.
The Cuban Sandwich - Subway dropped the ball with this one. The Cuban is a bland Islamic/Jewish nightmare sammich in general(nothing but pork on pork, much like the Rosanne-Tom Arnold union). Subway's bland way with things make eating this taste like munching mustard coated sawdust. Even sexy ass red onions couldn't save this 12" Titanic.
Ribs at Burger King - I never tried these things, but Burger King gets me sick as all hell when I eat there for some reason. So I assume the ribs there had to blow. I mean, come on! McDonalds doesn't do foie fucking gras. Stick to your guns, Whopper Land!
The Bert Burger - When I found out about the Bert Burger I was super amped. Wendy's used to have a melt burger back in my college days with Thousand Island that killed. And what was that on Bert's eponymous burger? Yep, 1-0-0-0 Island! Too bad they used just a little dollop, and the huge ass bun soaked it all up. It just goes to show, don't be shy with that sauce!
Honorable mention goes to the Double Down at KFC, even though I believe they were being hipster ironic and daring fatasses to eat the thing. As a large American with a weakness for MSG and irony, I tried it. And it blew, but I knew that deep down in my being going into it. It was sort of like watching a Dane Cook movie. No substance, but high ironic comedy.
Thoughts, feelings, suggestions?
This lack of fast food in my life has got me thinking about limited time offerings that I have had over the years. Some, like the late beloved McCheddar Melt, will live in imfamy in my brain. Others, like the Cuban Sandwich I had at Subway today, are on my no-fly list. Here are a few others that broke my cholesterol choked heart:
The Arch Deluxe - McDonalds dropped this bomb on us in the mid-90s. The Arch Deluxe was supposed to make baby boomers eat McDonalds at times when their whiny kids didn't want it. The sandwich was a failure, probably due to over advertising (I specifically remember getting free coupons in Sports Illustrated for a month for free sandwiches). My whole family also got food poisoning from these bad boys, probably due to the shitty djon sauce they used on the crappy potato bread roll.
Any Grilled Stuft Burrito - Who the hell came up with this idea? The press (so magical with the quesadilla) burns the shit out of the burrito, so every flavor consists of char and bean. Negative bonus points for the Ceasar Wrap Burrito T-Bell tried a few years ago. Nothing says awesome like grilled fucking lettuice.
The Cuban Sandwich - Subway dropped the ball with this one. The Cuban is a bland Islamic/Jewish nightmare sammich in general(nothing but pork on pork, much like the Rosanne-Tom Arnold union). Subway's bland way with things make eating this taste like munching mustard coated sawdust. Even sexy ass red onions couldn't save this 12" Titanic.
Ribs at Burger King - I never tried these things, but Burger King gets me sick as all hell when I eat there for some reason. So I assume the ribs there had to blow. I mean, come on! McDonalds doesn't do foie fucking gras. Stick to your guns, Whopper Land!
The Bert Burger - When I found out about the Bert Burger I was super amped. Wendy's used to have a melt burger back in my college days with Thousand Island that killed. And what was that on Bert's eponymous burger? Yep, 1-0-0-0 Island! Too bad they used just a little dollop, and the huge ass bun soaked it all up. It just goes to show, don't be shy with that sauce!
Honorable mention goes to the Double Down at KFC, even though I believe they were being hipster ironic and daring fatasses to eat the thing. As a large American with a weakness for MSG and irony, I tried it. And it blew, but I knew that deep down in my being going into it. It was sort of like watching a Dane Cook movie. No substance, but high ironic comedy.
Thoughts, feelings, suggestions?
Sunday, July 18, 2010
SUGAR - If I Can't Change Your Mind
I'm in a real sad sack mood lately, and I think I've probably listened to this song about 20 times in the last three days. Man, Bob Mould must have had some SHIT happen to him with dudes breaking his heart. A friend of mine claims that most of these songs are secretly written about Husker Du mate Grant Hart, and I don't know whether or not to believe her on that one...but it makes sense.
Any way you slice it, one of the most carthartic break up songs of all time. Thanks Mister Mould for making my world a little brighter with your pain and suffering.
SIDE NOTE: Did you know Bob Mould was one of the writers for WCW during the Monday Night Wars era in the late 1990s? I've always wondered what angles he planned...and why he was working as a wrestling writer. What other indie legends could have done this? Billy Corgan tried to buy ECW back in the day too I guess...all I gotta say is what the hell?
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Vegas Baby
After having spent a weekend in Las Vegas, I discovered that the old adage about a city having its own personality holds very true. For example, Milwaukee is a messy, lazy city built on the commerce of one export, beer. And the city loves it. It is comfortable in its own skin.
Vegas, on the other hand, is fake. Fake skyline, fake tan, fake tits, fake everything. And I was incredibly enamored with it. At the newsstand in my hotel they sold the one local Vegas daily, but also the New York Post, The London Daily Mail and a Japanese daily. No one cares about the local news, the city just serves as a sandbox for outsiders. This is the charm (and the curse) of Vegas.
My crew decided to venture off the strip to go to In-N-Out Burger. Let's just say the experience was eye opening. A pimp tried to grift my phone from me. Persians did shots of some sort of lemon liqueur while screaming "fuck" every other word. And a local in a Justin Bieber t-shirt and stunner shades claimed he was a regular, and then preceded to botch his order at the counter.
The key to the above paragraph is the location: In-N-Out is off the strip. The strip is clean, a joy to behold, safe. The off strip locations from what I saw were dirty, filled with low rent hotels and gas stations, and void of any people. When I stayed in Vegas a few years ago, I stayed at the south end of the strip past Mandalay Bay and it was very similar. Dead area, dicey.
On the strip though, the fakeness can be amazing. Watching a fountain show in front of the Bellagio (in a city that should have no water) is fun. Drinking Coca-Cola products from around the world is fun. Losing 100 bucks while playing slots is also strangely fun. But all these experiences are absolutely fake. You can't do any of these things in real life, in any other city in America(save for the gambling thing, and its not as fun to drop a Hondo with the old blue hairs at Treasure Island or Mystic Lake).
So Vegas is fake. But I wouldn't have my strip experience any other way. So I'm going to stay in the sandbox.
Vegas, on the other hand, is fake. Fake skyline, fake tan, fake tits, fake everything. And I was incredibly enamored with it. At the newsstand in my hotel they sold the one local Vegas daily, but also the New York Post, The London Daily Mail and a Japanese daily. No one cares about the local news, the city just serves as a sandbox for outsiders. This is the charm (and the curse) of Vegas.
My crew decided to venture off the strip to go to In-N-Out Burger. Let's just say the experience was eye opening. A pimp tried to grift my phone from me. Persians did shots of some sort of lemon liqueur while screaming "fuck" every other word. And a local in a Justin Bieber t-shirt and stunner shades claimed he was a regular, and then preceded to botch his order at the counter.
The key to the above paragraph is the location: In-N-Out is off the strip. The strip is clean, a joy to behold, safe. The off strip locations from what I saw were dirty, filled with low rent hotels and gas stations, and void of any people. When I stayed in Vegas a few years ago, I stayed at the south end of the strip past Mandalay Bay and it was very similar. Dead area, dicey.
On the strip though, the fakeness can be amazing. Watching a fountain show in front of the Bellagio (in a city that should have no water) is fun. Drinking Coca-Cola products from around the world is fun. Losing 100 bucks while playing slots is also strangely fun. But all these experiences are absolutely fake. You can't do any of these things in real life, in any other city in America(save for the gambling thing, and its not as fun to drop a Hondo with the old blue hairs at Treasure Island or Mystic Lake).
So Vegas is fake. But I wouldn't have my strip experience any other way. So I'm going to stay in the sandbox.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
It's Been A Long Time Since I Left You...
...and I'm back kids!
So I have bought a guap of new CDs lately, and let me tell you, this has been an amazing summer for music. Tuesday I picked up the new Kele (the lead singer of Bloc Party) and The Roots. The Kele joint is sort of like Depeche Mode crossed with the gayness of Erasure, and the song "Tenderoni" is probably not about the same girl Bobby B was singing about if you get my drift. Still, I knew what I was getting into when I bought it...I wanted me some sexually ambiguous techno pop.
The Roots disc is murky and solid like their last three. Listenable all the way through. I really dig the track "Radio Daze" (it sounds like the hook was crooned by Gil-Scott Heron) and the Jim James guest starring "Dear God 2.0". The Roots boys should just do a whole album of reworkings of others songs ("Dear God" and "The Seed" 2.0s both being fire).
Next for this guy...Vegas baby! I will be so money this weekend I won't even know it. Here's to eating Del Taco/Weinerschnitzel at 5AM in some sort of weird food court!
So I have bought a guap of new CDs lately, and let me tell you, this has been an amazing summer for music. Tuesday I picked up the new Kele (the lead singer of Bloc Party) and The Roots. The Kele joint is sort of like Depeche Mode crossed with the gayness of Erasure, and the song "Tenderoni" is probably not about the same girl Bobby B was singing about if you get my drift. Still, I knew what I was getting into when I bought it...I wanted me some sexually ambiguous techno pop.
The Roots disc is murky and solid like their last three. Listenable all the way through. I really dig the track "Radio Daze" (it sounds like the hook was crooned by Gil-Scott Heron) and the Jim James guest starring "Dear God 2.0". The Roots boys should just do a whole album of reworkings of others songs ("Dear God" and "The Seed" 2.0s both being fire).
Next for this guy...Vegas baby! I will be so money this weekend I won't even know it. Here's to eating Del Taco/Weinerschnitzel at 5AM in some sort of weird food court!
Friday, May 28, 2010
Land of Body Slams?
One of my secret pleasures is pro wrestling. Well, I should add that not WWE as it is now but the old school shit, from about 1980 to maybe 2000, when WCW and the greatest of all time ECW went out of business. Yes, these were the golden ages, where titans like Hogan, Savage, Flair and Austin battled for my mind and heart.
Needless to say, I read a guap (thanks MIMS) about the goings on in the squared circle around this time. One thing I read was that Abe Lincoln, the Man by all accounts, was the champion of the world. The only other person who can defend this statement is Mister Jeff Hill, and I guess he saw it on a documentary or something. And the only time this is discussed is when both of us are shit faced, in between debating who's record collection is better.
But, now I have proof. I guess Honest Abe murked some fool outside precursor to a Target and then they joined forces to become the first example of the Mega Powers. All I can say is...rad. Fucking rad.
Abe vs Armstong for the Intercontinental Title:
http://rogerjnorton.com/Lincoln48
Needless to say, I read a guap (thanks MIMS) about the goings on in the squared circle around this time. One thing I read was that Abe Lincoln, the Man by all accounts, was the champion of the world. The only other person who can defend this statement is Mister Jeff Hill, and I guess he saw it on a documentary or something. And the only time this is discussed is when both of us are shit faced, in between debating who's record collection is better.
But, now I have proof. I guess Honest Abe murked some fool outside precursor to a Target and then they joined forces to become the first example of the Mega Powers. All I can say is...rad. Fucking rad.
Abe vs Armstong for the Intercontinental Title:
http://rogerjnorton.com/Lincoln48
Monday, May 17, 2010
Yacht Rock 12
This may be the best episode of anything ever...or at least since that Cheers where Kevin McHale was the guest star.
Sunday, May 09, 2010
Confessions Pt. 3
-Five Guys Burgers and Fries is the most amazing take out hamburger ever. I think I have perfected my toppings finally (Bacon Double Cheese, fried onions, A-1 Sauce, pickle and green pepper). I don't know how In-N-Out is going to compare to this in June.
-I bought Miles Davis "Kind of Blue" the other day in the cutout bin for two bucks because everyone always hypes it as mind blowing. I listened to it, and I can see why everyone is amazed by it...but it only affected me in a way that classical music does. I can appreciate the amazing musicianship, but its not my cup of tea. Maybe I will revisit it sometime down the road.
-The other night I actually enjoyed wine. A lot. Although I bought a bottle of Riesling and I was defininetly not beasting off it like Kanye. It really sucked and me and my lovely dinner companion ended up dumping out the bottle.
-Three days of softball may be a bit too much for one man to do in a week. I'm still going to do it though, because I love the game like Favre loves football. I'm an old gunslinger I guess.
-I bought Miles Davis "Kind of Blue" the other day in the cutout bin for two bucks because everyone always hypes it as mind blowing. I listened to it, and I can see why everyone is amazed by it...but it only affected me in a way that classical music does. I can appreciate the amazing musicianship, but its not my cup of tea. Maybe I will revisit it sometime down the road.
-The other night I actually enjoyed wine. A lot. Although I bought a bottle of Riesling and I was defininetly not beasting off it like Kanye. It really sucked and me and my lovely dinner companion ended up dumping out the bottle.
-Three days of softball may be a bit too much for one man to do in a week. I'm still going to do it though, because I love the game like Favre loves football. I'm an old gunslinger I guess.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Half Price Books Rant
Tonight I stopped off at my local Half Price Books after having a few for a work happy hour thing. HPB sounded like a good idea due to the fact that I was a little buzzed (How did I know this? I bumped "Arthur's Theme" by Christopher Cross and sang along at full blast). In retrospect, I should have just went home.
HPB is one of my fave raves when it comes to finding cheap records and CDs. But 50% of the patrons are, to put it bluntly, the scum of the fucking Earth. Tonight a 400 lb sweathog in a neon yellow shirt was screaming about how he found the "Great Milenko" by the Insane Clown Posse and asking his little subservient bitch friend if Moby was "some kind of DJ". The dudes purchases consisted of the aforementioned ICP disc, 10,000 Maniacs unplugged, and a Staind CD. He then literally ran out of the store giggling with his partner in bondage.
Last week at the same HPB, a fat dude in a Canadian Tuxedo waxed poetic to his autistic looking son about Don Knotts and how he "remembered him", how zombie movies were so bad they were "dead" (pun intended) and how Dog Day Afternoon and Reservoir Dogs were the same movie because "they both had that Harvey dude in them".
Also to be noted, none of these people are even giving the books a glance. It's always the VHS tapes and the DVDs that are getting the most play.
Will the sweet mix of white trash, hipsters and the mentally challenged stop me from digging in the crates? Definitely not. But it just feels nice to bitch about it every once in a while. I see HPB more than I see my extended family, so I think at this point I have earned the right to rant about Auntie Half Price.
HPB is one of my fave raves when it comes to finding cheap records and CDs. But 50% of the patrons are, to put it bluntly, the scum of the fucking Earth. Tonight a 400 lb sweathog in a neon yellow shirt was screaming about how he found the "Great Milenko" by the Insane Clown Posse and asking his little subservient bitch friend if Moby was "some kind of DJ". The dudes purchases consisted of the aforementioned ICP disc, 10,000 Maniacs unplugged, and a Staind CD. He then literally ran out of the store giggling with his partner in bondage.
Last week at the same HPB, a fat dude in a Canadian Tuxedo waxed poetic to his autistic looking son about Don Knotts and how he "remembered him", how zombie movies were so bad they were "dead" (pun intended) and how Dog Day Afternoon and Reservoir Dogs were the same movie because "they both had that Harvey dude in them".
Also to be noted, none of these people are even giving the books a glance. It's always the VHS tapes and the DVDs that are getting the most play.
Will the sweet mix of white trash, hipsters and the mentally challenged stop me from digging in the crates? Definitely not. But it just feels nice to bitch about it every once in a while. I see HPB more than I see my extended family, so I think at this point I have earned the right to rant about Auntie Half Price.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Record Store Day Journal 2010
Saturday was the 3rd annual Record Store day. I always get really hyped up for record store day and then puss out on buying any of the big ticket shit because it's too spendy. This year was no different. But let me start with my two previous record store day experiences.
2008 - I went to a record store in Memphis called Katz (I believe) on Record Store Day. No one was there. The only "special releases" were a Black Keys 45 and an REM 45. Seeing as how I owned the records those songs came from, I said fuck it. I did get a goodie bag with the uber-shitty remake of "Wanna Be Startin Something" in it. I also think I bought "Dandy In The Underworld" by T.Rex. Oh wait, that was at the FYE on the Vanderbilt campus. Nevermind. But that record does kick some major ass...
2009 - Record Store Day 2009 was a little more hyped. The only record I really wanted was the Flaming Lips 45 of "Borderline" b/w a Black Keys cover. I guess it was sold out everywhere...except for the dinky ass Down in the Valley by my house. That was the only purchase I made that day.
2010 - This year, there was about four records I was amped for. I knew I wasn't going to get the Hold Steady LP (especially in MPLS) but I figured I could cop the Queens of the Stone Age, Passion Pit and Phoenix discs for cheap. Fortunately for me, I got Twins tickets and couldn't go to the stores early. Because the day was a dissapointment.
Cheapo in Uptown had the QOTSA and Phoenix records, but the QOTSA record was going for 16 bone for four tracks (one of which I owned). So I picked up the Phoenix record for 6 bucks...along with the Pavement "Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain" deluxe edition, the new(ish) Mos Def, and "The Handler" by Har Mar Superstar for under 16 bucks TOTAL.
Figuring my luck may be better at the hole in the wall Down In The Valley I scored at the year previous, I high tailed it over there. That is where I experienced the living, breathing personification of Comic Book Guy
ME: "You have any of the Record Store Day stuff?
RECORD STORE GUY: "Yeah, we have two Pantera records and Owl City."
ME: "Um, do you have the Queens of the Stone Age EP"
RECORD STORE GUY: "NO! That sold within 20 minutes"
ME: "Yeah, I saw it at Cheapo for 16. Kinda expensive"
RECORD STORE GUY: "That's the retail. 16"
ME: "Still expesive for four tracks"
RECORD STORE GUY: "Whatever, its worth, like 100 bucks! There's only 500 of them!"
ME: (Immeadetly leaves the store)
I don't know how the clerk immediately became Beckett Record Store Monthly, or who raised him, but I was about done after that shit. I did hit up Cheapo Fridley, where they had an abundance of the damn Owl City record. The only purchase there was "The Best of The Move" on CD.
Five days later, I still regret not buying that Queens of the Stone Age record...
2008 - I went to a record store in Memphis called Katz (I believe) on Record Store Day. No one was there. The only "special releases" were a Black Keys 45 and an REM 45. Seeing as how I owned the records those songs came from, I said fuck it. I did get a goodie bag with the uber-shitty remake of "Wanna Be Startin Something" in it. I also think I bought "Dandy In The Underworld" by T.Rex. Oh wait, that was at the FYE on the Vanderbilt campus. Nevermind. But that record does kick some major ass...
2009 - Record Store Day 2009 was a little more hyped. The only record I really wanted was the Flaming Lips 45 of "Borderline" b/w a Black Keys cover. I guess it was sold out everywhere...except for the dinky ass Down in the Valley by my house. That was the only purchase I made that day.
2010 - This year, there was about four records I was amped for. I knew I wasn't going to get the Hold Steady LP (especially in MPLS) but I figured I could cop the Queens of the Stone Age, Passion Pit and Phoenix discs for cheap. Fortunately for me, I got Twins tickets and couldn't go to the stores early. Because the day was a dissapointment.
Cheapo in Uptown had the QOTSA and Phoenix records, but the QOTSA record was going for 16 bone for four tracks (one of which I owned). So I picked up the Phoenix record for 6 bucks...along with the Pavement "Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain" deluxe edition, the new(ish) Mos Def, and "The Handler" by Har Mar Superstar for under 16 bucks TOTAL.
Figuring my luck may be better at the hole in the wall Down In The Valley I scored at the year previous, I high tailed it over there. That is where I experienced the living, breathing personification of Comic Book Guy
ME: "You have any of the Record Store Day stuff?
RECORD STORE GUY: "Yeah, we have two Pantera records and Owl City."
ME: "Um, do you have the Queens of the Stone Age EP"
RECORD STORE GUY: "NO! That sold within 20 minutes"
ME: "Yeah, I saw it at Cheapo for 16. Kinda expensive"
RECORD STORE GUY: "That's the retail. 16"
ME: "Still expesive for four tracks"
RECORD STORE GUY: "Whatever, its worth, like 100 bucks! There's only 500 of them!"
ME: (Immeadetly leaves the store)
I don't know how the clerk immediately became Beckett Record Store Monthly, or who raised him, but I was about done after that shit. I did hit up Cheapo Fridley, where they had an abundance of the damn Owl City record. The only purchase there was "The Best of The Move" on CD.
Five days later, I still regret not buying that Queens of the Stone Age record...
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Inside Target Field
Whoa, Nellie! Yesterday was one of those days that will stick with me forever, long after I am bald, fatter, and probably divorced from my Mail Order Russian bride. Saturday, April 17th was monumental in the life of one Jacob Donald Eickholt for one reason - I finally got to see the Minnesota Twins play outdoors at their own stadium.
I have been to probably 75-100 games in the Dome in my lifetime, starting with my first game against the Red Sox in the Summer of 1988. None of the games in the Dome (with the exception of Game 163 last year) can compare with the outdoor baseball I saw yesterday.
Everything was perfect, the green grass, the smell of sausages grilling, the fauxback unis the Twins were wearing. Everything. Walking around the concourses, I thought "I have been missing out on this for 22 years, and now it's here". Not gonna lie, I got a little overwhelmed by it all...yep, thankfully I was wearing sunglasses.
But enough about my emotional state. It's time for a review of the ammenities. The food choices at the Dome sucked. The only thing other than a Dome Dog that kicked any sort of ass was the giant Chicago Dog that you had to be drunk as hell to order.
Target Field, on the other hand, has overwhelmingly awesome food at just about every consession stand. The group I was with did the old "buy a ton of shit and pass it around routine" so I got to try a bunch of stuff. My faves were the Cheese Curds (very similar to the ones at Miller Park) and the Vincent Burger (a Jucy Lucy stuffed with short ribs and smoked Gouda). The Vincent was 12 bucks, but may have been the most delicious "gimmick" burger I have ever had. The only drawback food wise was that the Schweigert Hot Dogs couldn't hold a candle to the Dome Dog.
The restrooms had no troughs, which was nice for a non-public peeer like myself. The only acceptable trough at the Target would have been a double sided joint like they have at Wrigley. Since they didn't go with that, the urinals will have to do.
Maybe the best change was the actual seats. At the Dome, a large American like myself would usually have to sit uber-spread eagle to avoid kneeing the person in front of him. Target Field gives much more leg and ass room, so there was no need to worry on my part about hitting the sexy MILF in front of me with an errant knee.
Out of the six other MLB stadiums I have visited (including the Dome), Target Field is the nicest. That's not just homerism either. The Target feels like it has always been there, nestled in its little corner of downtown, beckoning all with its charms.
I have been to probably 75-100 games in the Dome in my lifetime, starting with my first game against the Red Sox in the Summer of 1988. None of the games in the Dome (with the exception of Game 163 last year) can compare with the outdoor baseball I saw yesterday.
Everything was perfect, the green grass, the smell of sausages grilling, the fauxback unis the Twins were wearing. Everything. Walking around the concourses, I thought "I have been missing out on this for 22 years, and now it's here". Not gonna lie, I got a little overwhelmed by it all...yep, thankfully I was wearing sunglasses.
But enough about my emotional state. It's time for a review of the ammenities. The food choices at the Dome sucked. The only thing other than a Dome Dog that kicked any sort of ass was the giant Chicago Dog that you had to be drunk as hell to order.
Target Field, on the other hand, has overwhelmingly awesome food at just about every consession stand. The group I was with did the old "buy a ton of shit and pass it around routine" so I got to try a bunch of stuff. My faves were the Cheese Curds (very similar to the ones at Miller Park) and the Vincent Burger (a Jucy Lucy stuffed with short ribs and smoked Gouda). The Vincent was 12 bucks, but may have been the most delicious "gimmick" burger I have ever had. The only drawback food wise was that the Schweigert Hot Dogs couldn't hold a candle to the Dome Dog.
The restrooms had no troughs, which was nice for a non-public peeer like myself. The only acceptable trough at the Target would have been a double sided joint like they have at Wrigley. Since they didn't go with that, the urinals will have to do.
Maybe the best change was the actual seats. At the Dome, a large American like myself would usually have to sit uber-spread eagle to avoid kneeing the person in front of him. Target Field gives much more leg and ass room, so there was no need to worry on my part about hitting the sexy MILF in front of me with an errant knee.
Out of the six other MLB stadiums I have visited (including the Dome), Target Field is the nicest. That's not just homerism either. The Target feels like it has always been there, nestled in its little corner of downtown, beckoning all with its charms.
Friday, April 09, 2010
Secret 90s Song of The Day
Continuing with the trend of songs that sound like they came out in 1988 but in all actuality were much, much later...I give you today's song.
This one will go into the category of "songs I totally forgot existed". Let the record state that I am a superfan of Go West's biggesst hit "King of Wishful Thinking". I mean, I would play that song every day if I could, and I got insanely jealous at my brother once for finding the 12" single at a thrift store.
Now if you are a fan of "King of Wishful Thinking" then you will be a fan of this song. Cause it's pretty much the same goddamn tune. The only difference is that instead of a danceable ode to never getting over some chick (possibly Julia Roberts?) "Faithful" is a dancable ode to being "faithful to a lover's prayer." What the fuck is a lover's prayer anyways? The cats from Go West never really elaborate on this, just that they will be faithful. Seems like sort of a cop out to me...
Go West hit #14 with this slice of cheez, which I think is a perfect chart placing. "King of Wishful Thinking" hit #8, so "Faithful" is almost the chart half life of the song it carbon copied. Fitting. If this song were a restaurant, it would be Arby's. Mediocre but strangely satisfying.
This one will go into the category of "songs I totally forgot existed". Let the record state that I am a superfan of Go West's biggesst hit "King of Wishful Thinking". I mean, I would play that song every day if I could, and I got insanely jealous at my brother once for finding the 12" single at a thrift store.
Now if you are a fan of "King of Wishful Thinking" then you will be a fan of this song. Cause it's pretty much the same goddamn tune. The only difference is that instead of a danceable ode to never getting over some chick (possibly Julia Roberts?) "Faithful" is a dancable ode to being "faithful to a lover's prayer." What the fuck is a lover's prayer anyways? The cats from Go West never really elaborate on this, just that they will be faithful. Seems like sort of a cop out to me...
Go West hit #14 with this slice of cheez, which I think is a perfect chart placing. "King of Wishful Thinking" hit #8, so "Faithful" is almost the chart half life of the song it carbon copied. Fitting. If this song were a restaurant, it would be Arby's. Mediocre but strangely satisfying.
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Secret 80s Song of the Day
If there is one thing that screams "Look at me motherfucker, I came out in 1987!" it's programmed electronic drums. Our pick for the day has them in spades.
Upon first glance, Breakfast Club looks like a cut rate Madness. "Where are the horns", you may ask? The answer is horns didn't sell anymore, it was all about programmed electronic drums good sir. It also appears that the band saw that Pee Wee's Playhouse was giant in 1987, so they filmed their video in a knockoff of his famous abode. Not too mention that the band had the same name as one of the biggest movies of the decade. This was one club of opportunists.
According to my gay lover Wikipedia, the Club also featured not only Randy "American Idol Dawg" Jackson as a member at one point but...wait for it...Madonna on drums. Yes, the Material Girl played fucking drums for this act at one point. No wonder they went with the electronic programmed skins for this juicy cut. It's not like Keith Moon was back there.
Anyways, this song reminds me of ads for dance clubs in hotel lobbies that had teen nights. It probably also got mad play at Skateland, seeing as how it is about dancing and being on track. If this song's cool could be personified by an 80s celeb, it would be Judd Nelson...stone cold, baby.
Upon first glance, Breakfast Club looks like a cut rate Madness. "Where are the horns", you may ask? The answer is horns didn't sell anymore, it was all about programmed electronic drums good sir. It also appears that the band saw that Pee Wee's Playhouse was giant in 1987, so they filmed their video in a knockoff of his famous abode. Not too mention that the band had the same name as one of the biggest movies of the decade. This was one club of opportunists.
According to my gay lover Wikipedia, the Club also featured not only Randy "American Idol Dawg" Jackson as a member at one point but...wait for it...Madonna on drums. Yes, the Material Girl played fucking drums for this act at one point. No wonder they went with the electronic programmed skins for this juicy cut. It's not like Keith Moon was back there.
Anyways, this song reminds me of ads for dance clubs in hotel lobbies that had teen nights. It probably also got mad play at Skateland, seeing as how it is about dancing and being on track. If this song's cool could be personified by an 80s celeb, it would be Judd Nelson...stone cold, baby.
Sunday, April 04, 2010
Record Show Journal 4/3/10
The Bi-Monthly Uptown VFW Record Show went down yesterday morning. As usual, there were a lot of people I wouldn't usually associate with other than the fact that they dig the licorice pizza as much as I do. Sadly, there were more hipsters than old smelly creeps this time. I have never seen so many tan cardigans outside of a repeat of Mister Rogers Neighborhood.
One tan cardigan douche hipster was arguing about Cocateau Twins records with some clown who had all his 12" records priced at like 20 bucks a pop (I mean, really, who would pay that much for a single of "Come On Eileen"?). King fucking hipster douche claimed he owned all the Cocateau Twins 12"ers, at which point I felt like interjecting "who the fuck cares? That band kinda blew anyways". But I just shut my fat mouth and continued looking for glam rock records.
ANYWAYS...I got some good finds there, at Cheapo, and at HPB today. The cream of the crop:
"Do You Wanna Get Funky With Me" by Peter Brown - This album cover contains the awesomest naked boob in album cover history. The damn thing is so perky...oh, and its got some disco jams that rule also.
"Emotional Rescue" by Englands Newest Hitmakers - Mainly bought it for Dance, but Dance Pt. II is way fucking better. More of the disco shit between the besties "Some Girls" and "Tattoo You".
"We Went to Different High Schools Together" by The Jaggerz - Donnie Irises first group, way more psychedelic than The Rapper would lead you to believe.
"Street Legal" by Robert Zimmerman - Minnesota native does pop album about Ponies and broads crying. Then he turns to Jesus. I didn't think the album was Messiah worthy.
"Knife" by Aztec Camera - 80s Brit Pop at its best.
Also picked up a late period Sly record I haven't listened to yet, a Roy Wood outtakes album, and some Hall and Oates (who never lie). Good time had by all who attended I believe.
One tan cardigan douche hipster was arguing about Cocateau Twins records with some clown who had all his 12" records priced at like 20 bucks a pop (I mean, really, who would pay that much for a single of "Come On Eileen"?). King fucking hipster douche claimed he owned all the Cocateau Twins 12"ers, at which point I felt like interjecting "who the fuck cares? That band kinda blew anyways". But I just shut my fat mouth and continued looking for glam rock records.
ANYWAYS...I got some good finds there, at Cheapo, and at HPB today. The cream of the crop:
"Do You Wanna Get Funky With Me" by Peter Brown - This album cover contains the awesomest naked boob in album cover history. The damn thing is so perky...oh, and its got some disco jams that rule also.
"Emotional Rescue" by Englands Newest Hitmakers - Mainly bought it for Dance, but Dance Pt. II is way fucking better. More of the disco shit between the besties "Some Girls" and "Tattoo You".
"We Went to Different High Schools Together" by The Jaggerz - Donnie Irises first group, way more psychedelic than The Rapper would lead you to believe.
"Street Legal" by Robert Zimmerman - Minnesota native does pop album about Ponies and broads crying. Then he turns to Jesus. I didn't think the album was Messiah worthy.
"Knife" by Aztec Camera - 80s Brit Pop at its best.
Also picked up a late period Sly record I haven't listened to yet, a Roy Wood outtakes album, and some Hall and Oates (who never lie). Good time had by all who attended I believe.
Friday, April 02, 2010
Secret 90s Song of the Day
Moving on into the 1990s...which, at least until about 1994, didn't sound that much different from the late 1980s (at least in the pop realm). Sure, Nirvana and Pearl Jam were creating insanely personal music that owed more of a debt to the 70s than the 80s. But the records on CHR Radio owed a huge debt to, um, 1988. Listen to the following song and tell me what year you think its from:
Give up? 1993. If it weren't for Jeremy Jordan's Cross Colour inspiried wardrobe, this video coulda come from Rick Astley's debut album. I totally forgot about this joint and I am really ashamed to say it, but 5th grade Jake REALLY loved this song. I even remember the little factoid that Rick Dees used to introduce this song on the top 40: that Jeremy Jordan was homeless until this song hit big. Something tells me that by 1994, Mister Jordan was homeless again.
The song itself is the bastard son of a Michelob ad and the song "C'est La Vie" by Robbie Nevil. All computerized nonsense beats, cosmopolitan crooning, and a bit of a rap. I am sure the right kind of night involved a bottle of Cool Water colonge, a burnt orange silk shirt, and a chick who looked like Taylor Dayne.
Sadly, this song was dated by 1993 and Jeremy Jordan faded from popualrity after another single ("Wannagirl") that sounded even MORE dated than "The Right Kind of Love". Still, a great song from a time in my life when all that mattered was RPG battles with my GI Joes and riding my bike to Tom Thumb to buy Tahitian Treat.
Give up? 1993. If it weren't for Jeremy Jordan's Cross Colour inspiried wardrobe, this video coulda come from Rick Astley's debut album. I totally forgot about this joint and I am really ashamed to say it, but 5th grade Jake REALLY loved this song. I even remember the little factoid that Rick Dees used to introduce this song on the top 40: that Jeremy Jordan was homeless until this song hit big. Something tells me that by 1994, Mister Jordan was homeless again.
The song itself is the bastard son of a Michelob ad and the song "C'est La Vie" by Robbie Nevil. All computerized nonsense beats, cosmopolitan crooning, and a bit of a rap. I am sure the right kind of night involved a bottle of Cool Water colonge, a burnt orange silk shirt, and a chick who looked like Taylor Dayne.
Sadly, this song was dated by 1993 and Jeremy Jordan faded from popualrity after another single ("Wannagirl") that sounded even MORE dated than "The Right Kind of Love". Still, a great song from a time in my life when all that mattered was RPG battles with my GI Joes and riding my bike to Tom Thumb to buy Tahitian Treat.
Thursday, April 01, 2010
Secret 80s Cut of the Day
Recently, I was presented with complete versions of the Billboard Hot 100 year end charts (in MP3 form) from 1980 to 1999. Unfortunately, this is pretty much all I have been listening to for the last two weeks. Fortunately, I am finding a lot of songs I blocked out of my memory, forgot about, or just plain never heard. For the next couple of weeks, I am going to present my loyal reader(s) with some of the cream of the crop. We're gonna start off with a #11 hit from 1986. Yes, here's some Toto.
Toto decided to become Chicago or something with this cut. The passion! The intensity! The McDonald! I remember hearing this joint many many times in the back seat of my parents Delta 88, probably being introduced by Dan Donovan on KS95 (when all KS95 played was supple ass jams like this and "No One Is To Blame" by Howard Jones). For all I know, this song could have played the time my parents took me to Children's Palace and said I could pick out any toy I wanted...and I picked out a Noid toy. I didn't avoid the Noid. But I digress...
I like to judge 80s wuss bullet ballads on a scale of supple. The most supple song of all time is "One More Night" by Phil Collins. It sounds as soft as a baby's ass feels. The suppleness of Toto's "I'll Be Over You" is improved by the Robert Horry of supple, Michael McDonald, singing backups. Yes Big Shot Mike only played for champs when he sang those backups, just like Horry. So if "One More Night" is a 10 on Moh's Scale of Supple, and "Slam" by Onyx is a 0, I give Toto's "I'll Be Over You" an 8.5 on the scale. The only way it could have improved its rating would have been more tinkling piano, and perhaps a 45 second tenor sax solo.
Toto decided to become Chicago or something with this cut. The passion! The intensity! The McDonald! I remember hearing this joint many many times in the back seat of my parents Delta 88, probably being introduced by Dan Donovan on KS95 (when all KS95 played was supple ass jams like this and "No One Is To Blame" by Howard Jones). For all I know, this song could have played the time my parents took me to Children's Palace and said I could pick out any toy I wanted...and I picked out a Noid toy. I didn't avoid the Noid. But I digress...
I like to judge 80s wuss bullet ballads on a scale of supple. The most supple song of all time is "One More Night" by Phil Collins. It sounds as soft as a baby's ass feels. The suppleness of Toto's "I'll Be Over You" is improved by the Robert Horry of supple, Michael McDonald, singing backups. Yes Big Shot Mike only played for champs when he sang those backups, just like Horry. So if "One More Night" is a 10 on Moh's Scale of Supple, and "Slam" by Onyx is a 0, I give Toto's "I'll Be Over You" an 8.5 on the scale. The only way it could have improved its rating would have been more tinkling piano, and perhaps a 45 second tenor sax solo.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Ma-Ma-Ma-uer
So finally the Twins wrap up Big Baby Jesus for 23M a year. Not a bad investment in my opinion. He puts butts in the seats (in some cases, very cute, female butts) and his merch/celeb status probably makes the Twins nearly that a year in revenue. I saw the MLB The Show commercial 10+ times this weekend while watching the tourney.
Its funny to see the way the Twin Cities media is covering the signing though. WCCO ran a crawl during basketball to announce it, sort of like it was the hostages being freed or something. FOX9 spent damn near half their newscast with man on the street reactions and an interview with Al Newman! All in all though, there will be a lot of people in Minnesota, the Dakotas, and parts of Wisconsin who will sleep better tonight.
Its funny to see the way the Twin Cities media is covering the signing though. WCCO ran a crawl during basketball to announce it, sort of like it was the hostages being freed or something. FOX9 spent damn near half their newscast with man on the street reactions and an interview with Al Newman! All in all though, there will be a lot of people in Minnesota, the Dakotas, and parts of Wisconsin who will sleep better tonight.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Spring Training, Etc.
When I moved into the new abode, the switch was made from Comcast Cable to Direct TV. On the whole, I enjoy Comcast more (more video channels and less infomercial channels). But Direct TV has all the sports networks (MLB, NHL, NBA and NFL) for free. And now that I have spent some time with it, the MLB Network is a must.
Also got Twins tickets for the April 17th game today vs Kansas City. I don't think I've been more amped up for a baseball season in years. While watching the preseason game against the Phillies, I realized that the Twins have a superhero style lineup. Thome, Morneau, Kubel, Cuddyer, Mauer, Span, Hudson...even throw Delmon Young into that batch, reluctantly. Damn this year is going to be fire.
Random thought of the day:
What happened to sundresses on girls? Are these cool anymore? My buddy and I were talking about how much we enjoyed a chick in a sundress the other day, and we asked both these questions. If sundresses aren't cool anymore, I think they need to be brought back.
Also got Twins tickets for the April 17th game today vs Kansas City. I don't think I've been more amped up for a baseball season in years. While watching the preseason game against the Phillies, I realized that the Twins have a superhero style lineup. Thome, Morneau, Kubel, Cuddyer, Mauer, Span, Hudson...even throw Delmon Young into that batch, reluctantly. Damn this year is going to be fire.
Random thought of the day:
What happened to sundresses on girls? Are these cool anymore? My buddy and I were talking about how much we enjoyed a chick in a sundress the other day, and we asked both these questions. If sundresses aren't cool anymore, I think they need to be brought back.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Undertones-Get Over You
I have a wicked case of the flu this evening. On top of that, I STILL had to work a 10 hour day. Seeing this clip makes everything better though...
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Top Ten PJ Songs (By Request)
Since you asked for it...here are my top ten Pearl Jam songs. In no particular order.
10."In My Tree" from No Code
9."Yellow Leadbetter" Single
8."Once" from Ten
7. "Satan's Bed" from Vitalogy
6. "Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town" from Vs
5. "Breath" from Singles Soundtrack
4. "Jeremy" from Ten
3. "Betterman" from Vitalogy
2. "Rearviewmirror" from Vs
1. "Given To Fly" from Yield
This list was incredibly hard to come up with. Pearl Jam put out three consecutive discs of classic songs between 1991-1994. As for covers, I really enjoy the Baba O' Riley cover, as well as their "I Got You" cover.
10."In My Tree" from No Code
9."Yellow Leadbetter" Single
8."Once" from Ten
7. "Satan's Bed" from Vitalogy
6. "Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town" from Vs
5. "Breath" from Singles Soundtrack
4. "Jeremy" from Ten
3. "Betterman" from Vitalogy
2. "Rearviewmirror" from Vs
1. "Given To Fly" from Yield
This list was incredibly hard to come up with. Pearl Jam put out three consecutive discs of classic songs between 1991-1994. As for covers, I really enjoy the Baba O' Riley cover, as well as their "I Got You" cover.
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Oscars 2010: Ain't Nothin Else On
Sunday night is a depressing night for yours truly. It usually consists of laundry and being pissed I have to work the next day. Also, all the good stuff on TV is usually done by 7PM.
This Sunday features the Springtime rite of passage called The Oscars. I usually have the Oscars on in the background, sort of like I did with the Olympics. A quick glance is all it usually merits. For some reason, I actually have been watching the telecast this year.
My personal highlight is always the death montage. This year the producers uped the ante by having creepy old uncle type James Taylor sing "In My Life" while the pics of dead celebs fly by. The "holy shit" moment for me was seeing that Ron Silver died. I guess there won't be a Timecop 2 anytime soon. Oh, and also how creepy Macaualy Culkin looks. Its like that little bastard never aged, only grew a little taller.
PS-Cindy Crawford is now hawking clothes for JC Penny. I just want to say, she still looks smokin'. Prince, if you are reading this, I think its time to write a "Cindy C II" post haste.
This Sunday features the Springtime rite of passage called The Oscars. I usually have the Oscars on in the background, sort of like I did with the Olympics. A quick glance is all it usually merits. For some reason, I actually have been watching the telecast this year.
My personal highlight is always the death montage. This year the producers uped the ante by having creepy old uncle type James Taylor sing "In My Life" while the pics of dead celebs fly by. The "holy shit" moment for me was seeing that Ron Silver died. I guess there won't be a Timecop 2 anytime soon. Oh, and also how creepy Macaualy Culkin looks. Its like that little bastard never aged, only grew a little taller.
PS-Cindy Crawford is now hawking clothes for JC Penny. I just want to say, she still looks smokin'. Prince, if you are reading this, I think its time to write a "Cindy C II" post haste.
Monday, March 01, 2010
Spring All of Me
Quoth Homer Jay Simpson, "Lousy Smarch weather". I, for one, cannot wait for Spring to spring. Its a pretty magical time of the year, that Spring. I remember playing backyard baseball in February of 1991 (don't ask why) in 60 degree weather. Why in the hell can't we have that this year? Sure the sun feels nice, but I want it all!
Spring seems to be the time of the year when the entertainment industry comes out of its doldrums and releases some fi-ah. The spring of 1996 seems particularly vivid to me, as I can recall the videos for "Always Be My Baby" by Mariah Carey, "Big Me" by Foo Fighters and "1979" by the Smashing Pumpkins being on regularly. Unfortunately, I don't see "Blah Blah Blah" by Ke$ha an 3Oh!3 igniting my passions like those ditties did.
Oh well, at least we have "Hot Tub Time Machine" to look forward to. Cusack! The dude who plays Daryl on The Office! A Hottub! Magic I tells ya. Magic.
Spring seems to be the time of the year when the entertainment industry comes out of its doldrums and releases some fi-ah. The spring of 1996 seems particularly vivid to me, as I can recall the videos for "Always Be My Baby" by Mariah Carey, "Big Me" by Foo Fighters and "1979" by the Smashing Pumpkins being on regularly. Unfortunately, I don't see "Blah Blah Blah" by Ke$ha an 3Oh!3 igniting my passions like those ditties did.
Oh well, at least we have "Hot Tub Time Machine" to look forward to. Cusack! The dude who plays Daryl on The Office! A Hottub! Magic I tells ya. Magic.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Don't Call It A Comeback....
So, for some reason, Blogger wouldn't accept my last two posts...anyways, I'm back bitches.
The last month has been hectic as all hell. I worked 19 days in a row due to the fact that half the Wendy's in the MPLS area wanted digital menu boards installed ASAP. Easily the biggest project I ever had to work on. Also, during that rollout, I moved into my new digs on the south side of BP. Well, technically not my digs, my bro and his ladyfriends digs, but you get the drift.
I also bought a 160 GB iPod and a 1.5 TB external hard drive. So I'm in the process of re-loading all my discs onto that bastard. Its giving me a great excuse to rediscover some tunes that slipped through the cracks (ie "Allison's Starting to Happen" by the Lemonheads).
I will try to update this monster more frequently in the coming weeks. Work has slowed to a more manageable pace, and I'm almost settled in now. So, with the exception of three nights of softball this summer, it's gonna be back to normal for old Jakey Poo.
The Cuts!(The 68 Comeback Special Edition)
-"My Girls" - Animal Collective
-"Be Mine!" - Robyn
-"Everything Hits at Once" - Spoon
-"Pure" - The Lightning Seeds
-"Race" - Prince
The last month has been hectic as all hell. I worked 19 days in a row due to the fact that half the Wendy's in the MPLS area wanted digital menu boards installed ASAP. Easily the biggest project I ever had to work on. Also, during that rollout, I moved into my new digs on the south side of BP. Well, technically not my digs, my bro and his ladyfriends digs, but you get the drift.
I also bought a 160 GB iPod and a 1.5 TB external hard drive. So I'm in the process of re-loading all my discs onto that bastard. Its giving me a great excuse to rediscover some tunes that slipped through the cracks (ie "Allison's Starting to Happen" by the Lemonheads).
I will try to update this monster more frequently in the coming weeks. Work has slowed to a more manageable pace, and I'm almost settled in now. So, with the exception of three nights of softball this summer, it's gonna be back to normal for old Jakey Poo.
The Cuts!(The 68 Comeback Special Edition)
-"My Girls" - Animal Collective
-"Be Mine!" - Robyn
-"Everything Hits at Once" - Spoon
-"Pure" - The Lightning Seeds
-"Race" - Prince
Monday, February 08, 2010
Jake Day 2010
So I took the day off today because I had all the confidence in the world that the Vikes would make the Super Bowl. Seeing as how that didn't pay off, I had a Jake Day. I decided to get a ton of shit done instead of the usual sitting around and surfing the net for interesting bullshit. Here's what I accomplished:
10 AM - Went to Cheapo. Bought my brother "The Ramones" for his birthday, along with "Sally Can't Dance" by Lou Reed, "Mr. Tambourine Man" by The Byrds, and NOW 15 from England (which I promptly put up on eBay, hoping to get more than the 10 bucks I paid for it).
10:45 AM - Went to Best Buy to by my brother some group called Billy Talent for his birthday. Also bought a Full Throttle.
11:15 AM - Ate 2 Maxwell Polishes from Chris and Rob's. Instantly remembered how fucking kickass Chris and Rob's is.
1 PM - Took the Focus in for a tune up. Had to put a new tire on.
1:15 PM - Went to GameStop. Was shocked that the hipster chick working behind the counter was sort of punky cute. Bought FIFA 07 and the Ghostbusters game.
2:30 PM - Got the Focus back, with $120 less in my pocket.
All in all, probably the most productive day I have had in months. Hooray me.
10 AM - Went to Cheapo. Bought my brother "The Ramones" for his birthday, along with "Sally Can't Dance" by Lou Reed, "Mr. Tambourine Man" by The Byrds, and NOW 15 from England (which I promptly put up on eBay, hoping to get more than the 10 bucks I paid for it).
10:45 AM - Went to Best Buy to by my brother some group called Billy Talent for his birthday. Also bought a Full Throttle.
11:15 AM - Ate 2 Maxwell Polishes from Chris and Rob's. Instantly remembered how fucking kickass Chris and Rob's is.
1 PM - Took the Focus in for a tune up. Had to put a new tire on.
1:15 PM - Went to GameStop. Was shocked that the hipster chick working behind the counter was sort of punky cute. Bought FIFA 07 and the Ghostbusters game.
2:30 PM - Got the Focus back, with $120 less in my pocket.
All in all, probably the most productive day I have had in months. Hooray me.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Chart of Glass
I have been following the Billboard Charts since I was really, really little. I remember listening to Casey Kasem when I was in grade school, and cutting out the top ten lists from the Star Tribune every Sunday. So when Billboard published a column on famous songs that had lower than expected chart positions, I was enthralled.
I would have never guessed that "Zombie Nation" (aka the OH OH WHOA OH OH song they play at sporting events) would have only went to #99.
http://www.billboard.com/charts#/column/chartbeat/taking-peaks-part-4-nos-25-1-1004062209.story
I would have never guessed that "Zombie Nation" (aka the OH OH WHOA OH OH song they play at sporting events) would have only went to #99.
http://www.billboard.com/charts#/column/chartbeat/taking-peaks-part-4-nos-25-1-1004062209.story
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Jake Eickholt, Vikings Fan, 1987-2010
I am done. That was it. It's not even homerism, or anger, or whatever. I officially am a free agent NFL fan. I cannot take this shit anymore. Seriously, 4 NFC title games in my lifetime, 4 heartbreaking losses. And we are done in by Favre doing the same motherfucking, god-damned thing he did for years (up until this season): throw a fucking "gunslinging" pick at a crucial moment in a game. Did it in the Super Bowl against the Broncos, did it in the NFC title game against the Giants. Did it again this year.
I'm open to suggestions, ideas, whatever you will throw at me. I could take up the English Premeir League, or jai ali or something like that. Whatever it is, I cannot take this shit anymore. I just can't. It's not worth my mental health, my well-being, or my sanity. Fuck this shit.
I'm open to suggestions, ideas, whatever you will throw at me. I could take up the English Premeir League, or jai ali or something like that. Whatever it is, I cannot take this shit anymore. I just can't. It's not worth my mental health, my well-being, or my sanity. Fuck this shit.
Skol, Vikings
I am a ball of nerves right now. In less than six hours, the Vikings will stroll into the Superdome to play (New) America's Team for the NFC Championship and the right to go to the Superbowl.
The other three NFC title games during my lifetime were, as the brahskis like to say, epic fails. Darrin Nelson drops a swing pass, Gary Anderson pulls a field goal and the entire Vikings team is replaced with the Champlin Park High School JV squad in Giants Stadium. That's where we stand. I was told by a friend that we know how this story is going to end this year. Here's to hoping that it won't end with me as a puddle on the ground, surrounded by half eaten Checker's wings and empty Schell's bottles.
I can't even predict this one...I just can't put any sort of gris-gris hex on the Purp. I will go out on a limb and say The J-E-T-S, J-E-T-S, Jets beat the Colts 17-13 in Indy today in the early game. Let's hope that Prince really did see "the future" when he wrote that Vikings song though.
The other three NFC title games during my lifetime were, as the brahskis like to say, epic fails. Darrin Nelson drops a swing pass, Gary Anderson pulls a field goal and the entire Vikings team is replaced with the Champlin Park High School JV squad in Giants Stadium. That's where we stand. I was told by a friend that we know how this story is going to end this year. Here's to hoping that it won't end with me as a puddle on the ground, surrounded by half eaten Checker's wings and empty Schell's bottles.
I can't even predict this one...I just can't put any sort of gris-gris hex on the Purp. I will go out on a limb and say The J-E-T-S, J-E-T-S, Jets beat the Colts 17-13 in Indy today in the early game. Let's hope that Prince really did see "the future" when he wrote that Vikings song though.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Wizzard (Roy Wood) - See My Baby Jive
A perfect song, sung by a guy who looks like a cross between Rob Zombie and Gandalf. And what's that...a motherfucking French Horn solo?!?! Who cares what the hell "See My Baby Jive" means. This is manna from the gods.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Best Singles of the Last Decade (Part 2)
Arcade Fire-Rebellion (Lies)
THE anthem on a whole album full of anthems
LCD Soundsystem-Daft Punk Is Playing In My House
How did this one dude in Brooklyn get Daft Punk to play his house? Did they charge a fee? Even if all the furniture was in the garage, how many people could attend? I WANT ANSWERS!
Damian Marley-All Night
Now we all know what a killer party song by Bob Marley would have sounded like.
Radiohead-There There
Radiohead at their most non Paranoid Androidic.
Get Up Kids-Hannah Hold On
"When its over its over for sure"...ouch.
Flaming Lips-Fight Test
If something is worth fighting for, you better do it. Words to live by. Also, the theme song for the awesome MTV show “3 South”.
The Decemberists-We Both Go Down Together
The gayest, best song R.E.M. never had a chance to write.
At The Drive In-Invalid Letter Department
One of the few political songs of the decade that resonated (at least with me). Before this came out, I had no idea there was a serial killer in Juarez targeting Mexican women.
Alien Ant Farm-Movies
You’d think that the “relationship as a movie” cliché couldn’t be made fresh. AAF proved that wrong with this monster.
Weezer-Dope Nose
Two of the most awesome Weezer lines ever in “Fag of the year/who can beat up your man” and “Cheese tastes so good/ On a burnt piece of lamb”.
Electric Six-Danger! High Voltage
Fire in the disco! Fire in the Taco Bell! You know why they keep starting fires? Desire! YESSSSSSSSS!
Lily Allen-Smile
Oh Lily, you cheeky little monkey! You go ahead and scratch that wanker’s records!
New Pornographers-Sing Me Spanish Techno
Nonsensical lyrics…but that beat!
Tom Petty-Flirting With Time
The king of the South, getting all pastoral and lamenting the passage of time.
Taking Back Sunday-A Decade Under The Infuence
A kickass little emo song, until you realize it’s about the lead singer’s wife having an affair. With the lead guitarist.
Coheed and Cambria-A Favor House Atlantic
Like Rush 2K, all whiny vocals and awesome hair and riffage by the ton.
Gnarls Barkley-Crazy
A transcendant pop moment that Gnarls Barkley could come nowhere near matching.
Raconteurs- Steady as She Goes
The combo of Brendan Benson and Jack White works like PB&J on this one
Beck-Lost Cause
As sad as “Lost Cause” was, it felt like it’s just the beginning of Beck's dark night of the soul at the end of the song.
Pulp-Bad Cover Version
Jarvis Cocker at his arch best, lamenting that his ex picked a “bad cover version” of him. Sort of like “Planet of the Apes on TV”.
Dead Prez-Hip Hop
A song that urged the murder of “crackers in city hall” and somehow got played on MTV. Strangely loved by white dudes.
Interpol-C’Mere
Any song that scored an “Entourage” three-way deserves to make this list
Lil Jon-Get Low
All whistles, coming, panty lines and sweaty balls. An X-rated “Shake Your Booty” for a genreration that never had a chance.
Talib Kweli-Get By (Remix)
If the ’27 Yankees recorded a remix, it would be this. With a rookie Kanye West being Lou Gehrig, and Hov being self proclaimed Great Bambino, of course.
Jimmy Eat World-Work
“All the best DJs are playing the slowest songs for last”. Words to live by.
Jimmy Eat World-The Middle
The “Keep Ya Head Up” for the emo teens.
Wilco-Heavy Metal Drummer
Playing KISS covers, beautiful and stoned in the summer by the water…to quote and old beer ad, “it doesn’t get any better than this.”
Wilco-Spiders (Kidsmoke)
First it’s all prog-rock (or the “Newton’s Apple” Theme) then it fucking rocks like Alice Cooper. Bi-polarness at its best.
Ryan Adams-La Cierga Just Smiled
Sadly beautiful
Clipse-Grindin
Back in the day when Pharrell and coke rap were novel concepts.
Spoon-The Way We Get By
Breaking into mobile homes, getting high. Sounds like a fun night in Coon Rapids…
Andrew WK-Party Hard
Dude was so fierce that he smashed his face with a brick! His party was one that always came hard
White Stripes-Hotel Yorba
Shit kicking front porch music on a Saturday night music.
White Stripes-Seven Nation Army
The opening riff will forever live in infamy.
The Strokes-12:51
The best new single of 1981.
Third Eye Blind-Never Let You Go
So summery, so poppy, so perfect. Floats into your head and never lets you go.
Kings of Leon-The Bucket
Ah young love! Um, at least that is what I think it’s about…
Kings of Leon-Sex On Fire
You know a song has made it when brahskis play an acoustic cover at a sports bar. Yep, it happened, but it somehow didn’t diminish the power of “Sex On Fire”.
The Hold Steady-Little Hoodrat Friend
Craig Finn, you lied! You did get with the little hoodrat. I gotta admit though, she did sound easy and sort of fun.
The Hold Steady-Killer Parties
Just what did Charlemange do? And it really sounds like Ybor City knows how to get down.
Kings of Leon-Knocked Up
A Southern Gothic “Young Turks” that seems too short at 7 minutes
Eminem-Lose Yourself
If this doesn’t get you amped, nothing will. Also, no references to killing women! How novel.
OutKast-Miss Jackson
Best sample of “Here Comes The Bride” ever. Maybe the only one, too. Of course, Andre plays the sweetheart while Big Boi discusses how his member is in a mouth.
Joe-I Wanna Know
A song so undeniably pretty, so syrupy sweet, so old school loverman perfect it’s undeniable.
MGMT-Electric Feel
All blissed out beats and baby girls who shock like electric eels. Where is this place?
The Futureheads-Hounds of Love
Best Kate Bush cover. Ever.
Paul Westerberg-As Far As I Know
“I’m in love with someone who doesn’t exist.” We all are, Paul. We all are.
The Game-Wouldn't Get Far
Love em and leave em. Did you know video "vixens" drive Honda Accords? True story. Thanks The Game!
Modest Mouse-Float On
An anthem of our generation? Yes sir.
Death Cab For Cutie-Expo 86
The coolest Expo themed pop culture moment since Bart and Millhouse trashed the SunSphere.
Death Cab For Cutie-The Sound of Settling
Settling never sounded so earnest.
Death Cab For Cutie-Crooked Teeth
Lamenting drunken crushes and the beauty of it all…
Queens of The Stone Age-In The Fade
QTOSA gets all wistful about death or something with a former Screaming Tree and one hell of a guitar riff.
Queens of the Stone Age-No One Knows
According to my dad, it sounded like “Alabama Song” by the Doors. According to me, it rocked hard as hell.
Deftones-Change (In The House of Flies)
The crowning moment in the career of one Chino Moreno.
Jay-Z-Girls Girls Girls
Best punchline of the decade…the Chinese girl kept bootlegging his shit.
Jay-Z-Roc Boys
Speech! Also beat the Black Eyed Peas to the punch with the whole Jewish toasting thing in a rap song by almost 2 years…
The Killers-When You Were Young
Bigger than the Wild West and more exciting than a hurricane.
The Killers-Somebody Told Me
A song about androgynous love, by a married Mormon dude.
Dr. Dre-The Next Episode
Fucker made us wait 7 years. Damn, it was worth it.
Snoop Dogg-Drop It Like Its Hot
More acapella than “Don’t Worry Be Happy”. Also twice as badass.
Justin Timberlake-Like I Love You
MJ turned this one down to come with “You Rock My World”. Um, way to launch a career Mike.
Kaiser Chiefs-You Can Have It All
Brit pop lives!
Ghostface Killah-Childz Play
For those who didn’t hump the pillow when you were young, Ghostface has some words for you…
Nas-Ether
Jay-Z won the popularity battle, but my god, did Nas win the war.
OK GO-There’s A Fire
How this song was not on Nick Gilder’s debut album is beyond me. Killer new wave pop.
UGK/OutKast-International Players Anthem
Built around one of the most killer samples of all time, it was like a tag team royal rumble of awesome where everybody claimed the strap.
The Roots/Cody ChesnuTT-The Seed 2.0
Sheer fire. Rap, rock, R n B all in one package.
The Dream-Shawty is The Shit!
The Dream is fat, he likes girls who make him pancakes and grits and all that pimp shit. Oh yay-er!
HAL-Plays The Hits
The Beach Boys would have murdered someone for this gem. Or at least had Uncle Charlie and his Fam do some damage…
AND NOW...THE NUMBER ONE SONG OF THE LAST TEN YEARS!
R. Kelly – Ignition (Remix)
We just lived through a pretty pitiful decade. Two wars, the economy is in the shitter, American Idol, Brahski culture, 9/11, etc. Wasn’t it nice when you didn’t have to think about shit like that? When all you had to do was, “bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce” and think of the freakin’ weekend? And ride that beat that was lighter than Jell-o salad?
THE anthem on a whole album full of anthems
LCD Soundsystem-Daft Punk Is Playing In My House
How did this one dude in Brooklyn get Daft Punk to play his house? Did they charge a fee? Even if all the furniture was in the garage, how many people could attend? I WANT ANSWERS!
Damian Marley-All Night
Now we all know what a killer party song by Bob Marley would have sounded like.
Radiohead-There There
Radiohead at their most non Paranoid Androidic.
Get Up Kids-Hannah Hold On
"When its over its over for sure"...ouch.
Flaming Lips-Fight Test
If something is worth fighting for, you better do it. Words to live by. Also, the theme song for the awesome MTV show “3 South”.
The Decemberists-We Both Go Down Together
The gayest, best song R.E.M. never had a chance to write.
At The Drive In-Invalid Letter Department
One of the few political songs of the decade that resonated (at least with me). Before this came out, I had no idea there was a serial killer in Juarez targeting Mexican women.
Alien Ant Farm-Movies
You’d think that the “relationship as a movie” cliché couldn’t be made fresh. AAF proved that wrong with this monster.
Weezer-Dope Nose
Two of the most awesome Weezer lines ever in “Fag of the year/who can beat up your man” and “Cheese tastes so good/ On a burnt piece of lamb”.
Electric Six-Danger! High Voltage
Fire in the disco! Fire in the Taco Bell! You know why they keep starting fires? Desire! YESSSSSSSSS!
Lily Allen-Smile
Oh Lily, you cheeky little monkey! You go ahead and scratch that wanker’s records!
New Pornographers-Sing Me Spanish Techno
Nonsensical lyrics…but that beat!
Tom Petty-Flirting With Time
The king of the South, getting all pastoral and lamenting the passage of time.
Taking Back Sunday-A Decade Under The Infuence
A kickass little emo song, until you realize it’s about the lead singer’s wife having an affair. With the lead guitarist.
Coheed and Cambria-A Favor House Atlantic
Like Rush 2K, all whiny vocals and awesome hair and riffage by the ton.
Gnarls Barkley-Crazy
A transcendant pop moment that Gnarls Barkley could come nowhere near matching.
Raconteurs- Steady as She Goes
The combo of Brendan Benson and Jack White works like PB&J on this one
Beck-Lost Cause
As sad as “Lost Cause” was, it felt like it’s just the beginning of Beck's dark night of the soul at the end of the song.
Pulp-Bad Cover Version
Jarvis Cocker at his arch best, lamenting that his ex picked a “bad cover version” of him. Sort of like “Planet of the Apes on TV”.
Dead Prez-Hip Hop
A song that urged the murder of “crackers in city hall” and somehow got played on MTV. Strangely loved by white dudes.
Interpol-C’Mere
Any song that scored an “Entourage” three-way deserves to make this list
Lil Jon-Get Low
All whistles, coming, panty lines and sweaty balls. An X-rated “Shake Your Booty” for a genreration that never had a chance.
Talib Kweli-Get By (Remix)
If the ’27 Yankees recorded a remix, it would be this. With a rookie Kanye West being Lou Gehrig, and Hov being self proclaimed Great Bambino, of course.
Jimmy Eat World-Work
“All the best DJs are playing the slowest songs for last”. Words to live by.
Jimmy Eat World-The Middle
The “Keep Ya Head Up” for the emo teens.
Wilco-Heavy Metal Drummer
Playing KISS covers, beautiful and stoned in the summer by the water…to quote and old beer ad, “it doesn’t get any better than this.”
Wilco-Spiders (Kidsmoke)
First it’s all prog-rock (or the “Newton’s Apple” Theme) then it fucking rocks like Alice Cooper. Bi-polarness at its best.
Ryan Adams-La Cierga Just Smiled
Sadly beautiful
Clipse-Grindin
Back in the day when Pharrell and coke rap were novel concepts.
Spoon-The Way We Get By
Breaking into mobile homes, getting high. Sounds like a fun night in Coon Rapids…
Andrew WK-Party Hard
Dude was so fierce that he smashed his face with a brick! His party was one that always came hard
White Stripes-Hotel Yorba
Shit kicking front porch music on a Saturday night music.
White Stripes-Seven Nation Army
The opening riff will forever live in infamy.
The Strokes-12:51
The best new single of 1981.
Third Eye Blind-Never Let You Go
So summery, so poppy, so perfect. Floats into your head and never lets you go.
Kings of Leon-The Bucket
Ah young love! Um, at least that is what I think it’s about…
Kings of Leon-Sex On Fire
You know a song has made it when brahskis play an acoustic cover at a sports bar. Yep, it happened, but it somehow didn’t diminish the power of “Sex On Fire”.
The Hold Steady-Little Hoodrat Friend
Craig Finn, you lied! You did get with the little hoodrat. I gotta admit though, she did sound easy and sort of fun.
The Hold Steady-Killer Parties
Just what did Charlemange do? And it really sounds like Ybor City knows how to get down.
Kings of Leon-Knocked Up
A Southern Gothic “Young Turks” that seems too short at 7 minutes
Eminem-Lose Yourself
If this doesn’t get you amped, nothing will. Also, no references to killing women! How novel.
OutKast-Miss Jackson
Best sample of “Here Comes The Bride” ever. Maybe the only one, too. Of course, Andre plays the sweetheart while Big Boi discusses how his member is in a mouth.
Joe-I Wanna Know
A song so undeniably pretty, so syrupy sweet, so old school loverman perfect it’s undeniable.
MGMT-Electric Feel
All blissed out beats and baby girls who shock like electric eels. Where is this place?
The Futureheads-Hounds of Love
Best Kate Bush cover. Ever.
Paul Westerberg-As Far As I Know
“I’m in love with someone who doesn’t exist.” We all are, Paul. We all are.
The Game-Wouldn't Get Far
Love em and leave em. Did you know video "vixens" drive Honda Accords? True story. Thanks The Game!
Modest Mouse-Float On
An anthem of our generation? Yes sir.
Death Cab For Cutie-Expo 86
The coolest Expo themed pop culture moment since Bart and Millhouse trashed the SunSphere.
Death Cab For Cutie-The Sound of Settling
Settling never sounded so earnest.
Death Cab For Cutie-Crooked Teeth
Lamenting drunken crushes and the beauty of it all…
Queens of The Stone Age-In The Fade
QTOSA gets all wistful about death or something with a former Screaming Tree and one hell of a guitar riff.
Queens of the Stone Age-No One Knows
According to my dad, it sounded like “Alabama Song” by the Doors. According to me, it rocked hard as hell.
Deftones-Change (In The House of Flies)
The crowning moment in the career of one Chino Moreno.
Jay-Z-Girls Girls Girls
Best punchline of the decade…the Chinese girl kept bootlegging his shit.
Jay-Z-Roc Boys
Speech! Also beat the Black Eyed Peas to the punch with the whole Jewish toasting thing in a rap song by almost 2 years…
The Killers-When You Were Young
Bigger than the Wild West and more exciting than a hurricane.
The Killers-Somebody Told Me
A song about androgynous love, by a married Mormon dude.
Dr. Dre-The Next Episode
Fucker made us wait 7 years. Damn, it was worth it.
Snoop Dogg-Drop It Like Its Hot
More acapella than “Don’t Worry Be Happy”. Also twice as badass.
Justin Timberlake-Like I Love You
MJ turned this one down to come with “You Rock My World”. Um, way to launch a career Mike.
Kaiser Chiefs-You Can Have It All
Brit pop lives!
Ghostface Killah-Childz Play
For those who didn’t hump the pillow when you were young, Ghostface has some words for you…
Nas-Ether
Jay-Z won the popularity battle, but my god, did Nas win the war.
OK GO-There’s A Fire
How this song was not on Nick Gilder’s debut album is beyond me. Killer new wave pop.
UGK/OutKast-International Players Anthem
Built around one of the most killer samples of all time, it was like a tag team royal rumble of awesome where everybody claimed the strap.
The Roots/Cody ChesnuTT-The Seed 2.0
Sheer fire. Rap, rock, R n B all in one package.
The Dream-Shawty is The Shit!
The Dream is fat, he likes girls who make him pancakes and grits and all that pimp shit. Oh yay-er!
HAL-Plays The Hits
The Beach Boys would have murdered someone for this gem. Or at least had Uncle Charlie and his Fam do some damage…
AND NOW...THE NUMBER ONE SONG OF THE LAST TEN YEARS!
R. Kelly – Ignition (Remix)
We just lived through a pretty pitiful decade. Two wars, the economy is in the shitter, American Idol, Brahski culture, 9/11, etc. Wasn’t it nice when you didn’t have to think about shit like that? When all you had to do was, “bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce” and think of the freakin’ weekend? And ride that beat that was lighter than Jell-o salad?
Best Singles of the Last Decade (Part 1)
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Saturday, January 02, 2010
Best Albums of the Last Decade (Part 2)
#26 Common-Be
Common at his poppiest, and at his best lyrically. Even at the time, it felt like there was nowhere to go but down for Com (well, “Finding Forever” was pretty swell, but you saw the cracks). Too bad it was true…but at least we have the genius of “The Food” and “They Say”.
#25 Coup-Party Music
Raps “Communist Manifesto”. The funkiest song ever about murdering capitalists (“5 Million Ways to Kill a CEO”) and the best love jam about a woman lying about being your baby mama (“Nowalaters”). An album Castro would rock out to.
#24 Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele
A nice balance of crime pays raps and childhood whimsy done in the GFK way.
#23 OutKast - Speakerboxx/The Love Below
More than just "Hey Ya!", this disc would have made it on the sheer charisma of Andre 3000 alone. Throw in Big Boi's disc, and you've got a killer.
#22 Deftones-White Pony
Quite possibly the only album from the “Nu-Metal” genre that actually matters almost ten years later. The reason for this was variety. Songs like “Change” and “Teenager” had more depth than say, Linkin Park or Korn. And who can really deny the awesomeness of a song called “Knife Party”?
#21 Jay-Z The Black Album
A monster. From the all black cover, to the black backed disc, to Rick Rubin telling Jay-Z to go hard about his problems. It was understood that his problem wasn’t a bitch (seriously, Beyonce a problem?) nor was it finding the perfect beat (“Lucifer” and “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” spring to mind). The only problem was that The Black Album felt like the perfect career closer, an A plus. Jay-Z would make competent music again, but nothing like this.
#20 Green Day-Warning
Green Day did a 180 with “Warning” and decided that The Kinks were awesome. They made a good choice, because the title track and “Church on Sunday” stand up as two of the best rock songs of the last ten years. They would go back to their roots with their next album, but for one shining moment, Green Day flashed back to the garage.
#19 Death Cab For Cutie-Transatlanticism
Never has there been so much longing on one disc. I have probably played “Expo ‘86” 200 times since I bought this album back in 2004, and “I am waiting for something to go wrong/I am waiting for familiar results” never fails to make my heart twinge. Oh, and settling never sounded so pretty, with its bah-bah chorus.
#18 Kanye West - Graduation
Tighter and less sprawling than his previous two albums, "Graduation" wallops with sheer fire cuts such as "The Good Life" and "Champion".
#17 Ben Kweller-Sha Sha
When this album came out, the way I described it to friends was “Billy Joel meets Weezer”. Rockers like “Commerce, TX” and “Wasted and Ready” were power pop gems and the album closer “Falling” would have been right at home on “52nd Street”.
#16 Pearl Jam-S/T
The men of Pearl spent most of the decade in a holding pattern, releasing subpar discs with a few good songs on each. Then the “Avocado” album dropped, and all was forgiven. Avocado rocked harder than any other Pearl Jam disc (yes, that includes “Ten”) and switched the political focus from one man (Dubbya) to the ills of war and unemployment.
#15 Queens of the Stone Age-Rated R
Musically, it sounds like a bad trip through the desert. Then you listen to the absolute depth of lyrics. Just kidding, the lyrics are all bad trip mindfucks. “Feel Good Hit of The Summer” had only seven drugs referenced in the lyrics. “Monster In The Parasol” was, according to the band, about “Fuckin’ on E”. Strange that high school stoners didn’t make this the new “Dark Side of the Moon”.
#14 Vampire Weekend – S/T
If one album of the last couple of years deserves to be ridiculed, it may be this one. Ironic Lil John references, check. World music leanings, check. But somehow it lives up to the ungodly hype (the cover of SPIN before the album even came out) with pop gems like “The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance” and “A-Punk”.
#13 The Hold Steady-Separation Sunday
Everyone listening had an inkling that Holly was the Hoodrat, but the journey to how the listener finds this out is the real treat. Who knew that a concept album about losing yourself and finding your own personal resurrection could rock so fucking hard?
#12 At The Drive In-Relationship of Command
A very diverse set for a band that was labeled punk at the time. One Armed Scissor was the big hit, but the song that matters most is “Invalid Letter Dept.”, a quasi ballad about the disappearances of women along the US-Mexican border. Also a perfect example of the sum being better than its parts, as the two bands that came out of ATDI (Sparta and Mars Volta) were very inconsistent.
#11 Weezer-Green Album
The anticipation for this album was like nothing I have ever experienced. “Where did they go?” “Did you hear that Rivers guy was in an asylum or something?” Then “Hash Pipe” dropped (I heard it for the first time on some alt station while crossing the Skyway Bridge in St.Petersburg my senior year) and the true believers knew something interesting was going to happen. Interesting turned out to be “Photograph” and “Island in the Sun” which would have sat fine on The Blue Album.
#10 The Streets-A Grand Don’t Come for Free
If there is one album that needs to be made into a movie from the last decade, it would be “A Grand Don’t Come For Free” (Well, maybe this and “Separation Sunday”). It’s a day in the life of a bloke, a day where this bloke does a shit load of drugs, drinks a lot, cheats on his woman, loses his woman, etc. Sure the ending of the story is a little convoluted (really, how could all that money fall into the back of a TV?) but like any great story, it’s the journey that interests, not the ending.
#9 Lyrics Born-Later That Day
The best party album of the decade. Later That Day was a rap album but played more like some 70s party funk shit, rocking the casbah with “Callin Out” and “Bad Dreams.” LB even gives you something for the end of the party (super love jam “Love Me So Bad”).
#8 White Stripes-White Blood Cells
True story. I brought this album over to a friend’s house the day I bought it (based on the “Hotel Yorba” video on MTV the night before). I also had bought “The Guest” by Phantom Planet the same day. The buddy made me take out the White Stripes, saying that they sucked. Guess what album has gotten more play in the last seven years?
#7 Killers-Sams Town
Most critics bust metaphorical nuts over the dance heavy “Hot Fuss”. Most critics are wrong. Sam’s Town slays the other Killers albums released this decade because of the raw emotion it conveys. Sure, the lyrics about Grandma Dixie’s wake and reading minds seem a little corny, but they are delivered with some Springsteen-esqe heart. And, how fucking great is “When You Were Young” still three years after its release?
#6 The Shins-Chutes Too Narrow
Like "Transatlanticism", an album that signaled a sea-change in music and culture right before the Bush-Kerry showdown (hey, the indie kids are owning it). The first album may have changed Zach Braff’s life, but Chutes was more consistent. Tracks like “Kissing The Lipless” and “Turn a Square” had some mighty vague lyrics (“Tennis shorts made of stripes”?) but the music let you in on the secrets the words did not.
#5 Jimmy Eat World-Bleed American
The most Emo of the emo, but not in a bad way, “Bleed American” (later retitled Jimmy Eat World due to 9/11) felt like young love and hope, with a bit of classic nostalgia thrown in for good measure. “The Middle” went top 5 and was on “Kidz Bop!” but the lyric that sums up the album is from “If You Don’t, Don’t.” “We once walked down on the beach/and once I almost touched your hand”. Now if you don’t feel a heart twitter from that, well, my friends you have never been emo.
#4 The Strokes- Is This It?
The death knell for shitty rap rock acts, "Is This It?" ushered in a new era of rockin that looked toward the past for a glimpse into the future. Oh yeah, and it was also really really fun. I can remember where I was when I saw the video for "Last Nite" (my parents basement) and I can remember what I was thinking ("these guys are going to take over the world"). Too bad it didn't happen like that, but for one shining moment post 9/11, The Strokes brought it.
#3 Jay-Z-The Blueprint
AKA “Kanye West’s Rookie Card.” Mister West produced three of the most classic on an album of classics (“Takeover”, “Izzo (H.O.V.A)” and “Heart of the City”) and put himself on the map while elevating Jigga to new heights. To quote Jay-Z himself, this album was so motherfuckin soulful.
#2 Kings Of Leon-Aha Shake Heartbreak
The greasiest, nastiest, most bored album of the decade. There’s gonna be a fight, someone would come all over your party if he could if that damn coke would wear off, and there will be a king of the rodeo at the gathering. In the middle of it all, a hit single about love and premature baldness. Who knew they would sell out the Garden? Who KNEW?
#1 The Hold Steady-Boys and Girls In America
Ah yes, the album of the decade. What can be said about an album that crams so many things into so little space? Craig Finn has the undeniable ability to make you care about the characters he created, a trait that he shares with Dylan and Springsteen. Some may say that I rate this album of the decade due to the fact that I know some of the things Finn speaks on (I worked at the Northtown Mall for three years, I currently spend 50 hours a week Southtown, I have a semi-intimate knowledge of Osseo) but that is not the case. It’s the music, the muscle bound guitar, the keyboards. It’s the stories (Why didn’t the dude at the Chillout Tent get that girls number? Is there really a girl who knows the winners of every horse race? How did those two fuckups win Prom King and Queen?). The Hold Steady speak on truths, on hope, on America viewed through the eyes of a nice Catholic boy from Edina. The perfect storm of story, music and lack of pretense was just what was needed by me (and I can only assume others) in a pretty awful era. And that is why Boys And Girls in America is the album of the decade.
Common at his poppiest, and at his best lyrically. Even at the time, it felt like there was nowhere to go but down for Com (well, “Finding Forever” was pretty swell, but you saw the cracks). Too bad it was true…but at least we have the genius of “The Food” and “They Say”.
#25 Coup-Party Music
Raps “Communist Manifesto”. The funkiest song ever about murdering capitalists (“5 Million Ways to Kill a CEO”) and the best love jam about a woman lying about being your baby mama (“Nowalaters”). An album Castro would rock out to.
#24 Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele
A nice balance of crime pays raps and childhood whimsy done in the GFK way.
#23 OutKast - Speakerboxx/The Love Below
More than just "Hey Ya!", this disc would have made it on the sheer charisma of Andre 3000 alone. Throw in Big Boi's disc, and you've got a killer.
#22 Deftones-White Pony
Quite possibly the only album from the “Nu-Metal” genre that actually matters almost ten years later. The reason for this was variety. Songs like “Change” and “Teenager” had more depth than say, Linkin Park or Korn. And who can really deny the awesomeness of a song called “Knife Party”?
#21 Jay-Z The Black Album
A monster. From the all black cover, to the black backed disc, to Rick Rubin telling Jay-Z to go hard about his problems. It was understood that his problem wasn’t a bitch (seriously, Beyonce a problem?) nor was it finding the perfect beat (“Lucifer” and “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” spring to mind). The only problem was that The Black Album felt like the perfect career closer, an A plus. Jay-Z would make competent music again, but nothing like this.
#20 Green Day-Warning
Green Day did a 180 with “Warning” and decided that The Kinks were awesome. They made a good choice, because the title track and “Church on Sunday” stand up as two of the best rock songs of the last ten years. They would go back to their roots with their next album, but for one shining moment, Green Day flashed back to the garage.
#19 Death Cab For Cutie-Transatlanticism
Never has there been so much longing on one disc. I have probably played “Expo ‘86” 200 times since I bought this album back in 2004, and “I am waiting for something to go wrong/I am waiting for familiar results” never fails to make my heart twinge. Oh, and settling never sounded so pretty, with its bah-bah chorus.
#18 Kanye West - Graduation
Tighter and less sprawling than his previous two albums, "Graduation" wallops with sheer fire cuts such as "The Good Life" and "Champion".
#17 Ben Kweller-Sha Sha
When this album came out, the way I described it to friends was “Billy Joel meets Weezer”. Rockers like “Commerce, TX” and “Wasted and Ready” were power pop gems and the album closer “Falling” would have been right at home on “52nd Street”.
#16 Pearl Jam-S/T
The men of Pearl spent most of the decade in a holding pattern, releasing subpar discs with a few good songs on each. Then the “Avocado” album dropped, and all was forgiven. Avocado rocked harder than any other Pearl Jam disc (yes, that includes “Ten”) and switched the political focus from one man (Dubbya) to the ills of war and unemployment.
#15 Queens of the Stone Age-Rated R
Musically, it sounds like a bad trip through the desert. Then you listen to the absolute depth of lyrics. Just kidding, the lyrics are all bad trip mindfucks. “Feel Good Hit of The Summer” had only seven drugs referenced in the lyrics. “Monster In The Parasol” was, according to the band, about “Fuckin’ on E”. Strange that high school stoners didn’t make this the new “Dark Side of the Moon”.
#14 Vampire Weekend – S/T
If one album of the last couple of years deserves to be ridiculed, it may be this one. Ironic Lil John references, check. World music leanings, check. But somehow it lives up to the ungodly hype (the cover of SPIN before the album even came out) with pop gems like “The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance” and “A-Punk”.
#13 The Hold Steady-Separation Sunday
Everyone listening had an inkling that Holly was the Hoodrat, but the journey to how the listener finds this out is the real treat. Who knew that a concept album about losing yourself and finding your own personal resurrection could rock so fucking hard?
#12 At The Drive In-Relationship of Command
A very diverse set for a band that was labeled punk at the time. One Armed Scissor was the big hit, but the song that matters most is “Invalid Letter Dept.”, a quasi ballad about the disappearances of women along the US-Mexican border. Also a perfect example of the sum being better than its parts, as the two bands that came out of ATDI (Sparta and Mars Volta) were very inconsistent.
#11 Weezer-Green Album
The anticipation for this album was like nothing I have ever experienced. “Where did they go?” “Did you hear that Rivers guy was in an asylum or something?” Then “Hash Pipe” dropped (I heard it for the first time on some alt station while crossing the Skyway Bridge in St.Petersburg my senior year) and the true believers knew something interesting was going to happen. Interesting turned out to be “Photograph” and “Island in the Sun” which would have sat fine on The Blue Album.
#10 The Streets-A Grand Don’t Come for Free
If there is one album that needs to be made into a movie from the last decade, it would be “A Grand Don’t Come For Free” (Well, maybe this and “Separation Sunday”). It’s a day in the life of a bloke, a day where this bloke does a shit load of drugs, drinks a lot, cheats on his woman, loses his woman, etc. Sure the ending of the story is a little convoluted (really, how could all that money fall into the back of a TV?) but like any great story, it’s the journey that interests, not the ending.
#9 Lyrics Born-Later That Day
The best party album of the decade. Later That Day was a rap album but played more like some 70s party funk shit, rocking the casbah with “Callin Out” and “Bad Dreams.” LB even gives you something for the end of the party (super love jam “Love Me So Bad”).
#8 White Stripes-White Blood Cells
True story. I brought this album over to a friend’s house the day I bought it (based on the “Hotel Yorba” video on MTV the night before). I also had bought “The Guest” by Phantom Planet the same day. The buddy made me take out the White Stripes, saying that they sucked. Guess what album has gotten more play in the last seven years?
#7 Killers-Sams Town
Most critics bust metaphorical nuts over the dance heavy “Hot Fuss”. Most critics are wrong. Sam’s Town slays the other Killers albums released this decade because of the raw emotion it conveys. Sure, the lyrics about Grandma Dixie’s wake and reading minds seem a little corny, but they are delivered with some Springsteen-esqe heart. And, how fucking great is “When You Were Young” still three years after its release?
#6 The Shins-Chutes Too Narrow
Like "Transatlanticism", an album that signaled a sea-change in music and culture right before the Bush-Kerry showdown (hey, the indie kids are owning it). The first album may have changed Zach Braff’s life, but Chutes was more consistent. Tracks like “Kissing The Lipless” and “Turn a Square” had some mighty vague lyrics (“Tennis shorts made of stripes”?) but the music let you in on the secrets the words did not.
#5 Jimmy Eat World-Bleed American
The most Emo of the emo, but not in a bad way, “Bleed American” (later retitled Jimmy Eat World due to 9/11) felt like young love and hope, with a bit of classic nostalgia thrown in for good measure. “The Middle” went top 5 and was on “Kidz Bop!” but the lyric that sums up the album is from “If You Don’t, Don’t.” “We once walked down on the beach/and once I almost touched your hand”. Now if you don’t feel a heart twitter from that, well, my friends you have never been emo.
#4 The Strokes- Is This It?
The death knell for shitty rap rock acts, "Is This It?" ushered in a new era of rockin that looked toward the past for a glimpse into the future. Oh yeah, and it was also really really fun. I can remember where I was when I saw the video for "Last Nite" (my parents basement) and I can remember what I was thinking ("these guys are going to take over the world"). Too bad it didn't happen like that, but for one shining moment post 9/11, The Strokes brought it.
#3 Jay-Z-The Blueprint
AKA “Kanye West’s Rookie Card.” Mister West produced three of the most classic on an album of classics (“Takeover”, “Izzo (H.O.V.A)” and “Heart of the City”) and put himself on the map while elevating Jigga to new heights. To quote Jay-Z himself, this album was so motherfuckin soulful.
#2 Kings Of Leon-Aha Shake Heartbreak
The greasiest, nastiest, most bored album of the decade. There’s gonna be a fight, someone would come all over your party if he could if that damn coke would wear off, and there will be a king of the rodeo at the gathering. In the middle of it all, a hit single about love and premature baldness. Who knew they would sell out the Garden? Who KNEW?
#1 The Hold Steady-Boys and Girls In America
Ah yes, the album of the decade. What can be said about an album that crams so many things into so little space? Craig Finn has the undeniable ability to make you care about the characters he created, a trait that he shares with Dylan and Springsteen. Some may say that I rate this album of the decade due to the fact that I know some of the things Finn speaks on (I worked at the Northtown Mall for three years, I currently spend 50 hours a week Southtown, I have a semi-intimate knowledge of Osseo) but that is not the case. It’s the music, the muscle bound guitar, the keyboards. It’s the stories (Why didn’t the dude at the Chillout Tent get that girls number? Is there really a girl who knows the winners of every horse race? How did those two fuckups win Prom King and Queen?). The Hold Steady speak on truths, on hope, on America viewed through the eyes of a nice Catholic boy from Edina. The perfect storm of story, music and lack of pretense was just what was needed by me (and I can only assume others) in a pretty awful era. And that is why Boys And Girls in America is the album of the decade.
Best Albums of the Last Decade (Part 1)
So here you go. My interpretation of the best of the best of the last ten years. I will publish the best tracks of the decade, the TWO! lists I got from readers, and the best of 09 list later this week...
The better, star studded follow up to the critical darling (but sort of lacking) "The College Dropout." If you don't like "Gold Digger," you weren't 21 and at a bar when it dropped.
#35 Arcade Fire-Funeral
Sounding a lot more like classic rock than the indie hipsters would want you to believe, “Funeral” combined orchestral flourishes and driving backbeats in 2004 like no other album.
#34 Radiohead-In Rainbows
The secret best Radiohead album of the 2000’s. Sure, “Kid A” was more influential. But “In Rainbows” was where “The Bends” met “Kid A” and grew up. Rockin’ at some points, contemplative at others, and just downright gorgeous at others (“Videotape”).
#33 Alkaline Trio – From Here To Infirmary
The pop punk album Elvis Costello would have made had he debuted in 1995. Happy shiny riffs coupled with biting lyrics about being a drunk fuckup who loses women and friends. Who could forget as wonderful a line is “Remember when I said I loved you?/Well forget it I take it back”?
#32 TV On The Radio-Dear Science
#31 Phoenix-Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
The album where Phoenix finally put it all together. Other albums had killer singles and filler, where “Wolfgang” had nothing but killer pop anthems. Rightfully so, “1901” became the groups first hit in the US.
#30 Ghostface Killah-Fishscale
The best surrealist painting in the history of rap music. Yes, the album was about coke (a rap sub-genre that I absolutely hate). But Fishscale was so much more than that. So many specific product references dot the tracks it feels like Dutch Masters, Snapple and Pyrex were paying GFK, and I am sure that “Underwater” had nothing to do with coke and waaaaayy more to do with LSD. Spongebob in a Bentley, really?
#29 New Pornographers-Electric Version
Power pop for now people!
#28 NERD-…In Search Of
In 2002, Pharrell was king, Chad Hugo was his resident alchemist, and that Shay dude sat on the fucking couch and played Madden. Together they made beautiful music about lapdances, boob-kissing, hauling coke, being rock stars, and running into the sun. A kick ass party album from guys who knew how to get down.
#27 Flaming Lips-Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
The perfect album for smoking joints in a Honda Civic (not like that ever happened to me…). Sunshine-y tunes about Japanese girls and robots with some of the most humane lyrics of the decade (“Do You Realize?” and “Fight Test” should be required listening for anyone without a soul).
Honorable Mentions:
Here are some of the albums that I considered for the top 50 but just didn't make the cut. Its not that they weren't classic albums, its that they just had one flaw (in my opinion) that kept them from cracking the big list.
Fiona Apple -"Extraordinary Machine", D'Angelo -"Voodoo", The Libertines "Up The Bracket", Beck "Sea Change", Johnny Cash "American IV"
Editors note: I would also like to add The Gaslight Anthem "The '59 Sound" and Against Me! "New Wave" to the list as #50B and #50C. That is the great thing about lists. You can always change them...
And now, to quote the immortal Casey Kasem..."on with the countdown"
#50 Cody ChesnuTT-The headphone masterpiece
You have to love the balls. A no-name records an album in his house and calls it a masterpiece. Funny thing was, he wasn’t lying. The album runs the gamut from wistful (“In The Treehouse”) to hilarious (“Bitch I’m Broke”) to straight up rockin’ (“Young Upstarts in a Blowout”, “Look Good In Leather”). Too bad Mister ChesnuTT gave up the ghost after this one…but maybe its all he had in the tank.
#49 Ben Folds -Rockin' The Suburbs
#48 Franz Ferdinand - S/T
Or as David Lee Roth may have said it "Dance the night away." Pretty sure DLR wasn't dancing with dudes named Michael though.
#47 The Hold Steady-Almost Killed Me
#46 Kings of Leon - Only By the Night
#45 Radiohead - Kid A
I remember people skipping school for this beast senior year. Skip school for a record? Do people even do shit like that anymore? Oh, and "The National Anthem" and its brothers on this disc lived up to the hype.
#44 Beck -Guero
The funkiest disc since "Odelay", "Guero" was a hell of a lot more fun than "Sea Change".
#43 Get Up Kids - On A Wire
Some of the most heartbreaking songs of the decade tempered with a Beatles-esqe bounce.
#42 Green Day- American Idiot
After “American Idiot” came out, I unfairly called it better than “Dookie”. I was wrong. Some people can’t get around the “political” nature of the album, but its more of a story of bored and sad teenagers than one about Bush. Remember, American Idiots were around long before Dubbya and will be here long after.
#41 Interpol-Antics
Interpol came out of the gate being called a Joy Division clone. “Antics” disproved this theory, and how! Songs like “C’Mere” and “Slow Hands” boomed with anthemic intensity. Too bad Interpol wouldn’t hit heights like this again.
#40 Wilco - A Ghost Is Born
#39 Eagles of Death Metal – Peace, Love, Death Metal
A nonstop throwdown on wax, one that involves Frenching the devil, apple wine and Stealers Wheel. Josh Homme claimed that this is what the Eagles would sound like if they were a death metal band. The Eagles only wish they could kick this much skuzzy ass.
#38 Prince-Musicology
In which one of the GOATs decides to quit fucking around with avant garde bullshit and make something straightforward. It sold like hotcakes and contained some of the funkiest shit the mans dropped in years (“Illusion, Coma, Pimp and Circumstance” and “Musicology” were undeniable). A trip back in the day while still seeming thoroughly modern.
#37 The Darkness-Permission To Land
We all knew had a feeling this was going to be a flash in the pan, a one off. But what a fucking ride it was! If you didn’t smile the first time you heard Justin Hawkins sing “I Believe In a Thing Called Love” like he was channeling some mutant Freddie Mercury, you have no soul. Songs about genital warts “Growing On Me” and school activities “Friday Night” were aural Velveeta—cheesy, bad for you but oh so goddamned good.
The better, star studded follow up to the critical darling (but sort of lacking) "The College Dropout." If you don't like "Gold Digger," you weren't 21 and at a bar when it dropped.
#35 Arcade Fire-Funeral
Sounding a lot more like classic rock than the indie hipsters would want you to believe, “Funeral” combined orchestral flourishes and driving backbeats in 2004 like no other album.
#34 Radiohead-In Rainbows
The secret best Radiohead album of the 2000’s. Sure, “Kid A” was more influential. But “In Rainbows” was where “The Bends” met “Kid A” and grew up. Rockin’ at some points, contemplative at others, and just downright gorgeous at others (“Videotape”).
#33 Alkaline Trio – From Here To Infirmary
The pop punk album Elvis Costello would have made had he debuted in 1995. Happy shiny riffs coupled with biting lyrics about being a drunk fuckup who loses women and friends. Who could forget as wonderful a line is “Remember when I said I loved you?/Well forget it I take it back”?
#32 TV On The Radio-Dear Science
#31 Phoenix-Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
The album where Phoenix finally put it all together. Other albums had killer singles and filler, where “Wolfgang” had nothing but killer pop anthems. Rightfully so, “1901” became the groups first hit in the US.
#30 Ghostface Killah-Fishscale
The best surrealist painting in the history of rap music. Yes, the album was about coke (a rap sub-genre that I absolutely hate). But Fishscale was so much more than that. So many specific product references dot the tracks it feels like Dutch Masters, Snapple and Pyrex were paying GFK, and I am sure that “Underwater” had nothing to do with coke and waaaaayy more to do with LSD. Spongebob in a Bentley, really?
#29 New Pornographers-Electric Version
Power pop for now people!
#28 NERD-…In Search Of
In 2002, Pharrell was king, Chad Hugo was his resident alchemist, and that Shay dude sat on the fucking couch and played Madden. Together they made beautiful music about lapdances, boob-kissing, hauling coke, being rock stars, and running into the sun. A kick ass party album from guys who knew how to get down.
#27 Flaming Lips-Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
The perfect album for smoking joints in a Honda Civic (not like that ever happened to me…). Sunshine-y tunes about Japanese girls and robots with some of the most humane lyrics of the decade (“Do You Realize?” and “Fight Test” should be required listening for anyone without a soul).
Monday, December 28, 2009
Mad About Mad Men
I received Mad Men seasons 1 and 2 for Christmas this year. I enjoyed both season 2 and 3 of this marvelous show previously, but after watching season one this weekend, I have to say this.
Mad Men may be the best drama that I have ever seen.
All the characters are perfectly developed, from the lowly secretaries getting sexually harassed in order to land a husband all the way up to the main characters. Every glance, every word has meaning. For those who idealize the 60s as some sort of utopia before the hippies came along, Mad Men tears a huge hole in that theory.
Don Draper, the big swinging head of the Sterling Cooper ad agency, drinks, smokes and cheats his way to the top of Madison Avenue. He's a strange sort of anti-hero, but while watching, you can't help but love him. Actually, all the characters are sort of reprehensible, but that is what makes the show go. They are real people, or at least as real as people on TV can be.
Draper also has a good run of mistresses. His wife is a sexy robot type, but he seems to pick women with substance. The Jewish department store owner. The beatnik chick. The teacher. All are compensating for the shallowness of a supposedly perfect life. Just another layer of complexity in this brilliant show.
Mad Men may be the best drama that I have ever seen.
All the characters are perfectly developed, from the lowly secretaries getting sexually harassed in order to land a husband all the way up to the main characters. Every glance, every word has meaning. For those who idealize the 60s as some sort of utopia before the hippies came along, Mad Men tears a huge hole in that theory.
Don Draper, the big swinging head of the Sterling Cooper ad agency, drinks, smokes and cheats his way to the top of Madison Avenue. He's a strange sort of anti-hero, but while watching, you can't help but love him. Actually, all the characters are sort of reprehensible, but that is what makes the show go. They are real people, or at least as real as people on TV can be.
Draper also has a good run of mistresses. His wife is a sexy robot type, but he seems to pick women with substance. The Jewish department store owner. The beatnik chick. The teacher. All are compensating for the shallowness of a supposedly perfect life. Just another layer of complexity in this brilliant show.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Albums/Singles of the 2000s
Loyal readers,
I would like some submissions for albums/singles of the last decade (2000-2009). Length can be whatever you like, choices can be whatever you like (diversity breeds goodness). Please email your submissions by 12/31/09 to JDE1112@hotmail.com.
Oh, and no jokes. I don't want a top five consisting of Nickelback songs.
Thanks,
Jake Eickholt
I would like some submissions for albums/singles of the last decade (2000-2009). Length can be whatever you like, choices can be whatever you like (diversity breeds goodness). Please email your submissions by 12/31/09 to JDE1112@hotmail.com.
Oh, and no jokes. I don't want a top five consisting of Nickelback songs.
Thanks,
Jake Eickholt
Monday, December 07, 2009
Vampire Weekend - Everywhere (Cover)
80s Fleetwood Mac sort of sucked, but it had its moments..."Everywhere" was one of my highlights. And Vampire Weekend straight up kills this cover.
I Want You Back
Sometimes I reminisce over my life and this reminiscence comes back to one overwhelming thing: products that no longer exist that I wish did. Well, either that or drunken times in college. ANYWAYS...here are a few things I wish came back from the dead.
Cookies and Creme Twix-God, these things were good. It was a cookie layer and a cream layer covered in chocolate. The good folks at Twix started pimping PB Twix, and that was the end of the Cookies and Creme
Apple Slice-Pepsi used to make Apple, Cherry, Orange, Lemon Lime and Dr Slice. Then it was just Orange, Lemon Lime and Dr. Now, its none of the above. Apple Slice tasted like Apple Snapple, only carbonated. It was heavenly.
CD Singles/45s/Cassingles-If only for the B-Sides. I remember buying the singles from the first Third Eye Blind album just for the B-Sides (and yes, that album is incredibly underrated). You just don't get that value added with digital downloads.
Instruction Manuals for Video games-I remember getting Super Mario 2 for Chirstmas when I was 8 and reading about the transsexual dinosaur named Birdo that shot eggs out of its snout. Sure, games still come with manuals, but where are the crazy ass backstory to confuse an 8 year old boy?
Snack Wells Yogurt-Especially the chocolate cherry variety. I would throw one of those joints in the freezer and it was like frozen yogurt but only better.
McPatty Melt from McDonalds-A quarter pounder on rye bread with fried onions and Cheez Whiz. I remember eating 2 of these during a blizzard on the way to a North Stars-Maple Leafs game and falling in love.
An Alt-Rock Radio Station in MPLS-Sure, we have the Current, but I can only stand so much sub-par dead air from DJs and mindless twee pop. I want balls to the wall stations like Zone 105 and The Edge, stations that only had 30 song playlists and featured a "flashback lunch".
Anything else, loyal reader(s)?
Cookies and Creme Twix-God, these things were good. It was a cookie layer and a cream layer covered in chocolate. The good folks at Twix started pimping PB Twix, and that was the end of the Cookies and Creme
Apple Slice-Pepsi used to make Apple, Cherry, Orange, Lemon Lime and Dr Slice. Then it was just Orange, Lemon Lime and Dr. Now, its none of the above. Apple Slice tasted like Apple Snapple, only carbonated. It was heavenly.
CD Singles/45s/Cassingles-If only for the B-Sides. I remember buying the singles from the first Third Eye Blind album just for the B-Sides (and yes, that album is incredibly underrated). You just don't get that value added with digital downloads.
Instruction Manuals for Video games-I remember getting Super Mario 2 for Chirstmas when I was 8 and reading about the transsexual dinosaur named Birdo that shot eggs out of its snout. Sure, games still come with manuals, but where are the crazy ass backstory to confuse an 8 year old boy?
Snack Wells Yogurt-Especially the chocolate cherry variety. I would throw one of those joints in the freezer and it was like frozen yogurt but only better.
McPatty Melt from McDonalds-A quarter pounder on rye bread with fried onions and Cheez Whiz. I remember eating 2 of these during a blizzard on the way to a North Stars-Maple Leafs game and falling in love.
An Alt-Rock Radio Station in MPLS-Sure, we have the Current, but I can only stand so much sub-par dead air from DJs and mindless twee pop. I want balls to the wall stations like Zone 105 and The Edge, stations that only had 30 song playlists and featured a "flashback lunch".
Anything else, loyal reader(s)?
Saturday, December 05, 2009
Record Show Journal 12/5/09
The Uptown VFW was once again the host to a record show today. And once again, the collection of folk who like to dig through piles of hot wax did not fail to disappoint.
Record shows usually draw out three broad groups of people. There are the old burnouts who love rambling about seeing Blue Cheer back in '68. There are the smelly dorks rocking Starter jackets looking for first pressings of obscure garage records. And finally there are the hipster kids with their gigantic 80s glasses, skinny jeans and neck beards who sell weird metal and "noise" records. I have a love/hate relationship with them all. I love them due to the fact that I can obtain KISS records for pennies on the dollar from the elitist burnouts and dorks, and I hate them because they have no concept of personal space or public decorum.
The show is always a great place to eavesdrop on stupid conversations about freak pop culture things you would hear no where else. Today, I heard two unwashed 40 somethings talk about NWA Wrestling from Florida for at least a half an hour. I had walked away from the bins in their general area, came back, and they were still talking about Harley Race and Abdullah The Butcher. One actually called Barry Horrowitz a great wrestler. I was also offered "a great price on steaks" by some redneck in the parking lot. Yep, these are the kind of people I choose to spend my Saturdays with.
Today's show was a huge success for me personally due to two factors: one was the place smelled more like hamburgers and hot dogs and less like farts than it usually does, and two was that I got a ton of great records for cheap. Here's the haul:
-The Jam "Sound Affects"
-Bob Seger "Seven"
-The Music Explosion "Little Bit O' Soul"
-Issac Hayes "Black Moses
-Wizzard "Eddy and the Falcons"
-Dead Kennedys "In God We Trust, Etc"
-Dave Edmunds "Tracks on Wax"
-Stevie Wonder "My Cherie Amour"
-KISS "Double Platinum"
Total spent: 27 bucks. Well, 29 bucks if you count the enterance fee.
Record shows usually draw out three broad groups of people. There are the old burnouts who love rambling about seeing Blue Cheer back in '68. There are the smelly dorks rocking Starter jackets looking for first pressings of obscure garage records. And finally there are the hipster kids with their gigantic 80s glasses, skinny jeans and neck beards who sell weird metal and "noise" records. I have a love/hate relationship with them all. I love them due to the fact that I can obtain KISS records for pennies on the dollar from the elitist burnouts and dorks, and I hate them because they have no concept of personal space or public decorum.
The show is always a great place to eavesdrop on stupid conversations about freak pop culture things you would hear no where else. Today, I heard two unwashed 40 somethings talk about NWA Wrestling from Florida for at least a half an hour. I had walked away from the bins in their general area, came back, and they were still talking about Harley Race and Abdullah The Butcher. One actually called Barry Horrowitz a great wrestler. I was also offered "a great price on steaks" by some redneck in the parking lot. Yep, these are the kind of people I choose to spend my Saturdays with.
Today's show was a huge success for me personally due to two factors: one was the place smelled more like hamburgers and hot dogs and less like farts than it usually does, and two was that I got a ton of great records for cheap. Here's the haul:
-The Jam "Sound Affects"
-Bob Seger "Seven"
-The Music Explosion "Little Bit O' Soul"
-Issac Hayes "Black Moses
-Wizzard "Eddy and the Falcons"
-Dead Kennedys "In God We Trust, Etc"
-Dave Edmunds "Tracks on Wax"
-Stevie Wonder "My Cherie Amour"
-KISS "Double Platinum"
Total spent: 27 bucks. Well, 29 bucks if you count the enterance fee.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Catch Me Now I'm Falling
I am truly, madly, deeply-do in love with the song "Catch Me Now I'm Falling" by the Kinks at this moment. This deep tissue love started in the dining area of a Davannis, and I have been on the lookout for the CD on which the song is contained for a few months. Unfortunately, the CD ran $17.99 at my local Cheapo (I guess there is a high demand for late period British rock music). So I bought that ish on vinyl.
Let me tell you, the rest of the album Low Budget does not disappoint. It plays like some sort of bastard child of disco, punk and arena rock. Sort of like if the Van Halen cover of "You Really Got Me" had actually been remade by the OGs. Even the album cover feels a little glitter glam, with a stiletto walking over a ciggie boo with The Kinks and the album title stenciled in chalk on the sidewalk.
The big hit off the LP ("I Wish I Could Fly Like Superman") is mid-range disco rock cheez, not as bad as "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" and nowhere near as good as "Last Train to London." Still, an enjoyment for the $3.60 I spent for it.
Let me tell you, the rest of the album Low Budget does not disappoint. It plays like some sort of bastard child of disco, punk and arena rock. Sort of like if the Van Halen cover of "You Really Got Me" had actually been remade by the OGs. Even the album cover feels a little glitter glam, with a stiletto walking over a ciggie boo with The Kinks and the album title stenciled in chalk on the sidewalk.
The big hit off the LP ("I Wish I Could Fly Like Superman") is mid-range disco rock cheez, not as bad as "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" and nowhere near as good as "Last Train to London." Still, an enjoyment for the $3.60 I spent for it.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Pickin On Randoms 11/20/09
-Saw "Pirate Radio" the other night. Great movie, great music. It was one of those movies that, going into, I knew I was going to love. I mean, I have always been interested in British culture and the music of that time. Plus, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Murray from "Flight Of The Concords" and Ed from "Shaun of the Dead". According to Wikipedia, the DVD will have like an hour of extras. I can't wait.
-Picked up "I Might Be Wrong" by Radiohead in the cutout bin at HBP today. Its funny how when "Kid A" came out I thought it was the weirdest thing I had ever heard, and today it sounds like straight up rock music (granted with a ambient electronic edge). How Radiohead influenced a whole generation of bands (for better or worse) is something I haven't really realized until now.
-Bought Bill Simmons new "Book of Basketball". I haven't cracked its weary spine yet, but I'm pretty excited to. My relationship with Mister Simmons words is complex...I love some of the stuff he writes, but he dwells too much on shitty 80s movies ("Vision Quest" anyone?) and his brahski tendencies overwhelm occasionally. But the MFer knows his hoops, and hopefully the book dials down some of the Vegas references.
-Picked up "I Might Be Wrong" by Radiohead in the cutout bin at HBP today. Its funny how when "Kid A" came out I thought it was the weirdest thing I had ever heard, and today it sounds like straight up rock music (granted with a ambient electronic edge). How Radiohead influenced a whole generation of bands (for better or worse) is something I haven't really realized until now.
-Bought Bill Simmons new "Book of Basketball". I haven't cracked its weary spine yet, but I'm pretty excited to. My relationship with Mister Simmons words is complex...I love some of the stuff he writes, but he dwells too much on shitty 80s movies ("Vision Quest" anyone?) and his brahski tendencies overwhelm occasionally. But the MFer knows his hoops, and hopefully the book dials down some of the Vegas references.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
A Guy Walks into a Target...
Went to Target tonight for granola bars and the new Felt disc "Felt 3: A Tribute to Rosie Perez". Its pretty good, the beats are a lot harder than Felt 2 (on which I dug the harder edged jams more than the slow joints). Plus, there is a shout out to Pizza Luce in the liner notes. I mean, who doesn't want to validate the best pizza on earth...or at least outside of Chicago.
The Cuts! (Album Oriented Version)
Felt 3
Portishead-Third
King Khan and the Shrines- The Supreme Genius of...
Hall and Oates-Private Eyes
The Cuts! (Album Oriented Version)
Felt 3
Portishead-Third
King Khan and the Shrines- The Supreme Genius of...
Hall and Oates-Private Eyes
Monday, November 16, 2009
Litterbug...Clap, Clap...Litterbug
Recently, I was at a gathering thrown by one of my co-workers. I was keeping it cool, making small talk about people from work, sports, etc, until some non-co-worker types showed up. One of the girls went on a rant about people who don't recycle, apropos of nothing. This bothered the bejezzus out of me, for one reason:
I think recycling is bullshit, plain and simple.
Recycling is, in theory, great. But so are marriage and communism. I should preface this with the fact that I know no actual facts about what happens to what when I dump my cans, paper and glass into a garbage can that is picked up by the same Waste Management truck my garbage is. It just feels like all that "recyclable" refuge winds up right next to the Pampers and apple cores in the incinerator. Also, I get no monetary benefit from it. Finally, most people have sorta given up on recycling. Shit, when I lived in New Brighton, I wasn't even given the OPTION to recycle.
Anyways, I think I won the argument that night by throwing out two totally unrelated points. They were
-I also love to litter
-I am the realest person that this woman would ever meet
We became BFFs by the time point two was spoken, which goes to show, no one really cares that much about recycling anyways.
I think recycling is bullshit, plain and simple.
Recycling is, in theory, great. But so are marriage and communism. I should preface this with the fact that I know no actual facts about what happens to what when I dump my cans, paper and glass into a garbage can that is picked up by the same Waste Management truck my garbage is. It just feels like all that "recyclable" refuge winds up right next to the Pampers and apple cores in the incinerator. Also, I get no monetary benefit from it. Finally, most people have sorta given up on recycling. Shit, when I lived in New Brighton, I wasn't even given the OPTION to recycle.
Anyways, I think I won the argument that night by throwing out two totally unrelated points. They were
-I also love to litter
-I am the realest person that this woman would ever meet
We became BFFs by the time point two was spoken, which goes to show, no one really cares that much about recycling anyways.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
We Are The Goon Squad. And We're Coming To Town
Another Saturday Night, and I ain't got nobody...
In all actuality, that's not entirely correct. I do have Urban Meyer, Tim Tebow, and David Bowie in clown makeup to keep me company. Bowie at full blast, Urban and Tim in the background with the sound off. It's not like I really need the sound on to deduce that Meyer is saying something like "Tim Tebow is the best football player ever. He is also like a son to me, more so than my own sons." God, do I hate most college football...
The Bowie, well that's more important. Every time I fetishize on Bowie, I always go for one of two albums (those two being "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" and "Low") while totally overlooking "Scary Monsters." Let me tell you...this album amazing. Nothing but killer ("Ashes to Ashes", "Fashion", "Kingdom Come", "Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)") and no instrumentals like on "Low" or "Heroes." It sounds futuristic and throwback at the same time.
The only drawbacks have nothing to do with the music. One being the cover looks like a haircutting book my mom got from Aveda when she graduated in 1980 (that always kind of creeped me out as a kid) and two is that the album spawned the New Romantic music scene. So somehow Bowie birthed Ultravox. I guess that can be forgiven though.
In all actuality, that's not entirely correct. I do have Urban Meyer, Tim Tebow, and David Bowie in clown makeup to keep me company. Bowie at full blast, Urban and Tim in the background with the sound off. It's not like I really need the sound on to deduce that Meyer is saying something like "Tim Tebow is the best football player ever. He is also like a son to me, more so than my own sons." God, do I hate most college football...
The Bowie, well that's more important. Every time I fetishize on Bowie, I always go for one of two albums (those two being "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" and "Low") while totally overlooking "Scary Monsters." Let me tell you...this album amazing. Nothing but killer ("Ashes to Ashes", "Fashion", "Kingdom Come", "Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)") and no instrumentals like on "Low" or "Heroes." It sounds futuristic and throwback at the same time.
The only drawbacks have nothing to do with the music. One being the cover looks like a haircutting book my mom got from Aveda when she graduated in 1980 (that always kind of creeped me out as a kid) and two is that the album spawned the New Romantic music scene. So somehow Bowie birthed Ultravox. I guess that can be forgiven though.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Pickin' On Randoms 10/20/09
-I am in love with the song "You and I" by Wilco/Feist off of "Wilco The Album". It's like some magical 1970s time warp happened and this ambrosia came out of it. It actually made me go pick up the Feist CD, something I would have found far too g-a-y to do when it came out a couple summers ago.
-Brett Favre has still not won my heart. Its like if your parents got divorced and your mom started seeing your worst enemy. Even if he was better to your mom than your dad in every single way, you still would hate the fucking bastard.
-Fuck the Yankees...although the way they are molesting the Halos makes them look like the best team in about 30 years...a few "character" guys, cagey vets, and Jeter and A-Rod. I still think the Phils would put up a fight against these cats, but damn they look solid right about now. And CC is KILLING it.
-I ate brats twice today, and I don't feel the least bit guilty about it.
-The thought that Lebron may have even thought about having cancer scares me. What would I do for my mannish basketball fix if he slipped the surly bonds of earth and became one with the heavens?
-The "surly bonds of earth" quote above (what Reagan said when the Challenger blew up) may be my favorite historical quote of the last 50 years. I wonder who wrote that one?
-Brett Favre has still not won my heart. Its like if your parents got divorced and your mom started seeing your worst enemy. Even if he was better to your mom than your dad in every single way, you still would hate the fucking bastard.
-Fuck the Yankees...although the way they are molesting the Halos makes them look like the best team in about 30 years...a few "character" guys, cagey vets, and Jeter and A-Rod. I still think the Phils would put up a fight against these cats, but damn they look solid right about now. And CC is KILLING it.
-I ate brats twice today, and I don't feel the least bit guilty about it.
-The thought that Lebron may have even thought about having cancer scares me. What would I do for my mannish basketball fix if he slipped the surly bonds of earth and became one with the heavens?
-The "surly bonds of earth" quote above (what Reagan said when the Challenger blew up) may be my favorite historical quote of the last 50 years. I wonder who wrote that one?
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Freaky Friday
So the first night I get to go and tie one on since getting over the flu results in my favorite watering hole being hijacked by lesbians. And not the Jenna Jameson style either. Lets just put it this way...one looked exactly like Greg "The Hammer" Valentine.
I mean, seriously, is there any group of people who are less easy to classify than lesbians? For reals, yo. These chicks all either looked like K.D. Lang or Melissa Etheridge, yet still felt the need to change the lyrics to "Joy To The World" to "I'm A Straight Shootin Son of a BITCH" instead of "gun". I get it, you like to do the same kinda people I do. Now can we move on. I don't feel the need to yell "I really like tits and girl-ass" when I'm going off on "The Gambler".
Due to the fact that I couldn't get in more than one song from the usually reliable "DJ Tom", the party of five left the Palace early and I cuddled up with a cheesy bean and rice burrito from Taco Bell. Even though it ended prematurely, I still enjoyed the night.
I mean, seriously, is there any group of people who are less easy to classify than lesbians? For reals, yo. These chicks all either looked like K.D. Lang or Melissa Etheridge, yet still felt the need to change the lyrics to "Joy To The World" to "I'm A Straight Shootin Son of a BITCH" instead of "gun". I get it, you like to do the same kinda people I do. Now can we move on. I don't feel the need to yell "I really like tits and girl-ass" when I'm going off on "The Gambler".
Due to the fact that I couldn't get in more than one song from the usually reliable "DJ Tom", the party of five left the Palace early and I cuddled up with a cheesy bean and rice burrito from Taco Bell. Even though it ended prematurely, I still enjoyed the night.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Bedsitting, Deserves a Quiet Night
So I've been in bed pretty much since Friday at 9 or so...well, except to venture out to the Dome for the Twins ass-spelunking by the Yankees and for work today. Whatever mutant flu bug this is, its kicking me when I'm down (much like the old Offspring single, but far less cool).
Some randoms:
-The Broncos unis yesterday were so hideous they were beautiful. Nothing like mustard, brown, and vertically striped socks to get the blood going
-I don't know if its the flu or what clouding my logic, but the album "Olympian" by Gene may be one of the best Britpop albums ever. Its like a reformed Smiths with a slightly less gay Morrissey. I think this one may be the only album they ever released though. Need to dig into this I think.
-Home Run Inn frozen pizza may be tops in the frozen pizza game
-Pissed off I missed "Mad Men" last night.
-Pissed I watched the last 10 minutes of "The Office" on Thursday. That Chris Brown dance thing was super lame, and waaaaaay to saccharine for a show that thrives on dark comedy. Plus, making Kevin into the biggest retard in TV history is also a little frustrating. Dial it down a notch...
Some randoms:
-The Broncos unis yesterday were so hideous they were beautiful. Nothing like mustard, brown, and vertically striped socks to get the blood going
-I don't know if its the flu or what clouding my logic, but the album "Olympian" by Gene may be one of the best Britpop albums ever. Its like a reformed Smiths with a slightly less gay Morrissey. I think this one may be the only album they ever released though. Need to dig into this I think.
-Home Run Inn frozen pizza may be tops in the frozen pizza game
-Pissed off I missed "Mad Men" last night.
-Pissed I watched the last 10 minutes of "The Office" on Thursday. That Chris Brown dance thing was super lame, and waaaaaay to saccharine for a show that thrives on dark comedy. Plus, making Kevin into the biggest retard in TV history is also a little frustrating. Dial it down a notch...
Sunday, October 04, 2009
No Surrender My Bobby Jean
What a freaking weekend...drunk bowling at Earle Brown Friday, record show/Twins game/Gaslight Anthem concert Saturday, and Twins game on TV/sandlot football today. I'm exhausted by my break.
The Gaslight Anthem show at the Cabooze was quite rockin'. The main opener was a band from Indiana called Death by Murder. They sang murder ballads and songs about Satan and had an electric cello which was pretty mint fly. Oh, and the lead singer kind of looked like Mose from The Office.
The Gaslight Anthem tore down the house with its blend of Springsteen, soul, and punk. No matter what song was played, the crowd sang along like it was a fucking Dashboard Confessional concert. Lead singer Brian Fallon gave a bunch of in-between song banter that didn't kill the mood (except for that of the drunken hot girls next to me who "came there to dance"). Seeing the crowd reaction to the way they tore through "The '59 Sound" and "Meet Me By The Rivers Edge" I thought to myself "these guys are gonna be huge soon." If Kings of Leon can put 10,000 asses in the seats at Target Center, I can't see why The Gaslight Anthem couldn't do the same.
The Gaslight Anthem show at the Cabooze was quite rockin'. The main opener was a band from Indiana called Death by Murder. They sang murder ballads and songs about Satan and had an electric cello which was pretty mint fly. Oh, and the lead singer kind of looked like Mose from The Office.
The Gaslight Anthem tore down the house with its blend of Springsteen, soul, and punk. No matter what song was played, the crowd sang along like it was a fucking Dashboard Confessional concert. Lead singer Brian Fallon gave a bunch of in-between song banter that didn't kill the mood (except for that of the drunken hot girls next to me who "came there to dance"). Seeing the crowd reaction to the way they tore through "The '59 Sound" and "Meet Me By The Rivers Edge" I thought to myself "these guys are gonna be huge soon." If Kings of Leon can put 10,000 asses in the seats at Target Center, I can't see why The Gaslight Anthem couldn't do the same.
Thursday, October 01, 2009
TV Party Tonight!
NBC kinda sorta has some Must See TV on Thursdays again. Forget that SNL Thursday crap and Parks and Recreation (what a waste of funny people, and in the case of Rashida Jones, funny and oh so fine people). What I'm talkin bout is The Office, Community and soon, 30 Rock.
I don't know where The Office is going with this whole Jim-Michael as co-managers thing, but I kind of dig it. Its starting off slow, but I think something weird and uncomfortable is going to happen. In a funny way.
And Community is hit or miss (I hated last weeks episode partially because there was way too much Chevy Chase but LOL'ed at a few moments this week) but there is promise there. Also, it helps that the female lead in the show is absolutely stunning. Like, "she is so damn hot that if the guy from The Soup ends up fucking her on the show its totally unbelievable" stunning.
ANYWAYS...I finally can dedicate most of a weeknight to TV again. And that shit ain't happened since I was rocking Starter Jackets, Nike Airs, and some tapered Arizona Jeans.
I don't know where The Office is going with this whole Jim-Michael as co-managers thing, but I kind of dig it. Its starting off slow, but I think something weird and uncomfortable is going to happen. In a funny way.
And Community is hit or miss (I hated last weeks episode partially because there was way too much Chevy Chase but LOL'ed at a few moments this week) but there is promise there. Also, it helps that the female lead in the show is absolutely stunning. Like, "she is so damn hot that if the guy from The Soup ends up fucking her on the show its totally unbelievable" stunning.
ANYWAYS...I finally can dedicate most of a weeknight to TV again. And that shit ain't happened since I was rocking Starter Jackets, Nike Airs, and some tapered Arizona Jeans.
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