College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #413 to #411
413. Gang of Four, Songs of the Free (1982) According to Hugo Burnham, the drummer for Gang of Four, the band was striving for a slicker, more commercial product when they made their third album, Songs of the Free. But … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #413 to #411
Outside Reading — Fantastically Powered Princess edition
Does “Wonder Woman 1984” Hide Its Hero’s True Superpowers? by Jill Lepore To evaluate the new Wonder Woman movie, The New Yorker turns to staff writer Jill Lepore, who wrote an entire book on the amazing Amazon and her creators. … Continue reading Outside Reading — Fantastically Powered Princess edition
This Week’s Model — Pom Pom Squad, “Hello Santa”
If I’m going to listen to a Christmas song on Christmas day, please let it be a tight, raucous punk tune with lyrics from Santa Claus’s perspective that include sentiments such as “Th Grinch/ He freaks me out/ I’m going … Continue reading This Week’s Model — Pom Pom Squad, “Hello Santa”
Christmas Eve
Merry Christmas to all who celebrate the day! Continue reading Christmas Eve
Greatish Performances #51
#51 — Nicole Kidman as Alice Harford in Eyes Wide Shut (Stanley Kubrick, 1999) Across his storied career, Stanley Kubrick left many actors feeling broken. Nicole Kidman wasn’t one of them. “You always think, ‘Ah, I could have done better,’” … Continue reading Greatish Performances #51
Golden Words — Murphy Brown, “Jingle Hell, Jingle Hell, Jingle All the Way”
Since great television comedy always begins with the script, this series of posts considers the individual episodes that have claimed the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series over the years. Murphy Brown went into its third … Continue reading Golden Words — Murphy Brown, “Jingle Hell, Jingle Hell, Jingle All the Way”
The Art of the Sell — The X-Files Christmas promo
These posts celebrate the movie trailers, movie posters, commercials, print ads, and other promotional material that stand as their own works of art. As Christmas approached in 1993, The X-Files was a weird new show plopped onto the Friday night … Continue reading The Art of the Sell — The X-Files Christmas promo
College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #416 to #414
416. Eric Clapton, Just One Night (1980) The Nippon Budokan Theater, located in Tokyo, Japan, had a sterling reputation as a venue conducive to live recordings. Bob Dylan made a live album there, as did, more famously and more lucratively, … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #416 to #414
Outside Reading — Photo Negative edition
Texas Wedding Photographers Have Seen Some $#!+ by Emily McCullar Writing for Texas Monthly, Emily McCullar details the dilemma faced by wedding photographers in the state she covers, which presumably mirrors the experiences of similar professionals across the country. McCullar … Continue reading Outside Reading — Photo Negative edition
This Week’s Model — Diet Cig, “Happy Holiday”
As we stumble to the end of this misbegotten year, it’s only right and proper that our holidays tunes are tinged with melancholy. In the opening lyrics of “Happy Holiday,” the new track from Diet Cig, Alex Luciano sweetly intones, … Continue reading This Week’s Model — Diet Cig, “Happy Holiday”
Coffee for Two 