I get David Gray, but Raspberry Beret?

From Mother Jones:

Head of the Class was also a good show.

Garfield Minus Garfield

I used to enjoy Garfield back in the early 80s. Remember his "roommate" Lyman? What happened to that guy? Gay lover scorned? Jon killed him? Odie ate his toes off? Anyhoot, Garfield sucks now. Get rid of Garfield though, and it immediately improves!!

Whoa. SNL was funny!!

I watched in preparation for Wilco being on next week. I was shocked that there was a funny skit in the middle of the episode:

Jay Reatard is going to explode!!

(Note: photo not of Jay Reatard, taken on the way to the show)

I popped my Reggie's cherry last night with Jay Reatard, Submarine Races and Daily Void. I forgot my ID and called ahead and they were cool about it, since it was an all ages show. They said as long as I looked over 18 it was fine, and it was. It is an interesting room with that concrete bunker feel most new rock clubs have. It was super packed so I watched from the balcony, which was designed with giant cross beams in the line of sight. Hmmm. The sound was good up there. First show I've been to with a "mosh pit" in a very long time. Someone got pulled out by a bouncer by the shirt! Double Flying V power on stage. He's gonna be selling out Metro soon.

5 Nights of Wilco

If you went to any of Wilco's five nights at the Riviera maybe you noticed the Laurie's Planet of Sound banner on the merch table (although it was pretty deep so maybe you didn't). Thanks to that arrangement I got to enjoy all the shows! Wilco played EVERY SONG ON A REAL ALBUM. That's pretty admirable! They sounded great, and even greater joined by Andrew Bird. I took a whole lot of pictures. A LOT of Pictures.

Beardo of the Week

Congratulations to Sam Beam of Iron and Wine. You are my Beardo of the Week. Before Iron and Wine played at Metro last time Kristina and I were drinking at the Gingerman he walked in and she said he looks like a getty. I think she meant Yeti.

The Grammys 2008

I can't remember the last time I cared about the freakin' Grammys. Chicago was well representing this year, and of course I was curious about Amy Winehouse's performance, so I figured I could endure.

Ugh.

The majority was intolerable. Kanye and Daft Punk were awesome! Kanye's speech was great too, chiding them to turn off the "hurry up" music and when he started talking about his mama he really stuck it to them.

Breaking update: the death montage was stirring. Have now tuned out of the Pavarotti tribute.

Anyhoot. Tina and Beyonce was tolerable, would have been better without Ms. Bootylicious. The Time would have been better without whoever that was...

I never really thought Wilco would win, but the brief glimpse of Jeff Tweedy and Susan Miller in the crowd was pretty cool. I really thought Bruce would win, but hey, go Foo Fighters? At least Pat Smear is hanging with them again.

Then there's Amy. I really wanted to hate that album. I have this attraction to... women with issues? I don't know how to put it really. I mean, I like to party, I can understand how you can just... get caught up in that? Whatever. She can sing, she sang well, and I am glad she won those awards. She seemed nackered however.

In the old codger department: would you believe Little Richard is younger than Jerry Lee Lewis? Maybe Jerry Lee should hire his makeup artist!

The Best American Sitcom FINALLY on DVD!

Well, of course it is! Don't be reedikulous! Alright, I'll amend that to "Best American Sitcom Of My Lifetime". Yes, Season 1 and 2 of Perfect Strangers is here! Season 1 was a mid-season replacement and only 6 episodes long, but Balki and Cousin Larry had an amazing chemistry from the very first episode. The physical comedy is up there with I Love Lucy and Three's Company, and yet they manage to squeeze some heart warming message in to nearly every episode. Don't forget the always awesome "comic misunderstand" too! Toss in the fact that it takes place in Chicago and how could you have a more Perfect Sitcom?!

Here's a nice montage of some musical scenes from throughout the show:




I'd also like to present to you the simple Perfect Strangers Drinking Game! Take a shot or drink each time:

•Balki says "Of course...Don't be ridiculous."
•Dimitri, Balki's stuffed sheep appears on screen.
•Balki wears suspenders or a vest.
•A popular song is sung.
•Larry corrects Balki's grammar.

Dwight Yoakam's Chicken Lickin' Buffalo Style Bites

I am always eager to try music related food; Kenny Rogers Roasters, Rap Snacks, Linda McCartney's Frozen Veggie meals, Yo La Tengo Taquitos... I was especially thrilled to find these Chicken bites from one of the only good crossover country stars at my local Walgreens for $1!! Seriously, how could I refuse? They were sold out of the other variety of Chicken Fries, so someone was buying them! Upon opening the box I found 5 nuggets, some of which were vaguely boot shaped! I went for the recommended cooking method (over over microwave), and let 'em bake! (Note: you might want to get baked yourself while waiting for them to cook.)

I pulled them out of the oven with great anticpation and partnered the bites with a ramekin of ranch dressing. They were... spongy. The buffalo styleness was tangy. Certainly worth one hard earned dollar and not a penny more. I'm not sure if they are available anywhere but Walgreens. Hmm..

Top 25 of 2007

Reviews, maybe later.

1 Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
2 New Pornographers - Challengers
3 LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
4 Sloan - Never Hear the End of It
5 Iron and Wine - The Shepherd's Dog
6 Okkervil River - The Stage Names
7 Baby Teeth - The Simp
8 Bobby Conn - King for a Day
9 Dinosaur Jr - Beyond
10 Crowded House - Time On Earth
11 Scout Niblet - This Fool Can Die Now
12 Panda Bear - Person Pitch
13 Grinderman - Grinderman
14 Shellac - Excellent Italian Greyhound
15 Josh Ritter - Historical Conquests of
16 Bat for Lashes - Fur and Gold
17 Bill Callahan - Woke on a Whaleheart
18 Jens Lekman - Night Falls on Kortedala
19 Jarvis Cocker - Jarvis
20 Lavender Diamond - Imagine Our Love
21 They Might Be Giants - The Else
22 Busy Signals - Busy Signals
23 Black Lips - Good Bad Not Evil
24 Miss Alex White and the Red Orchestra - Time and Space
25 White Stripes - Icky Thump

The Night They Saved Christmas

They don't make TV movies like this anymore, yet the message of environmentalism is as fresh as Al Gore's green necktie. Follow your typical nuclear family circa 1983 of fed up, pilot license possessing mom (Jaclyn Smith) and stereotypical children (the bully, the brain and the girl) as they are pitted against geologist Dad who is totally going to blow up the North Pole if he continues with his oil drilling! Santa sends his head elf Ed (played by tiny freaking genius PAUL WILLIAMS) to win mom and kids over with a harrowing trip to the North Pole. Of course nobody believes them, and the theory of them being dosed with mind altering drugs is postulated several times by dad's
grumpy boss. This will rise like froth on eggnog to the top of your
Christmas movie viewing.

The Carpenters + Carol Burnett do Paul Williams Medley!

Top Ten of the Last Ten Years Part One!

1997


I was not working at Laurie's Planet of Sound in 1997. I had just turned 21 and was still stuck in Jacksonville, FL. With the gift of hindsight, I present to you:

Sam O'Rama's Top Ten Albums of 1997!


10. Flaming Lips - Zaireeka

In an awesome exhibition of the excesses of the uber-crummy mid 90's I give you an album you have to listen to 4 cds at once to experience it correctly, and whilst I own it, I have never listened to it in its intended form. Hooray, 1997!! Good start!

9. Smoking Popes - Destination Failure

I would be fired for not including this one. Last studio album, yet 10 years later we are hoping for a new one! Come on Caterers!!

8. Matthew Sweet - Blue Sky On Mars

Probably his worst, which gracefully exhibits what a crummy year this was. Aw, hell, still better than a lot of crap happening then. Matthew makes an amazing pop song under TWO MINUTES!

7. Jayhawks - Sound of Lies

First post Olson offering, hell yeah! One of the best albums you can sometimes pick up for like $2.99 in a cutout bin. We know better, if we have it used it's a mere $6.99, and a damn steal!

6. Ween - The Mollusk

Spend some time with this one, I once poo-pooed these fuckers, but now I'm in awe.

5. Stereolab - Dots and Loops

I cannot recommend this enough, especially in the Drag City-made vinyl version. The music is incredible enough on its own, but once you pull out the white and aqua vinyl from the lime and aqua sleeves you are just consumed by this entire entity. Beautiful all around.

4. Will Oldham - Joya

His first non-Palace album, and a really incredible entity. Nothing by this guy sucks. I was put off for so many years because of his reluctance to pick a moniker, now I could care less what he calls himself, so long as he keeps doing what he has to do.

3. Pavement - Brighten the Corners

Not the most popular from the beloved Alt-rock posterboys of the days of Alternative Nation, but the most rewarding if you give it a 16th chance. So very rewarding. Everybody wants one, everybody needs one, oh my god. oh your god....

2. Sloan - One Chord To Another

Wake Up America! Go out and buy every single Sloan record!! This one holds a special place in my heart as the first one I ever purchased (not until 1999, mind you) and dang, no, it's just that good, please buy it!!!

1. Radiohead - OK Computer

Well duh. Also purchased 2 years after release. What was I doing in 1997? Oh yeah, listening to crummy "ska" music. Seriously, this will be the one you play for your rugrats 10 years from now. They will HATE it, but maybe when they turn like 17, they will embrace it in a fit of rebellion.

Baby Teeth The Simp

You know an album is good when you can invision a montage to a few of the songs. Anyone can write an anthem, but a good montage song is hard to come by. This is music for a summer camp underdog story, the geeks vs. the jocks, the stoners vs. the matheletes... Did I mention the disco strings? It's perfectly paced too, with a good cool-down period right in the middle, just when you think you might explode from all the joggin' in place. Oh! They are playing Schubas on Saturday July 28. I highly recommend the live show, but come in and buy the CD first!

This DVD Will Change Your Life, I Promise You.

The premise of Tom Goes To The Mayor is easily summed up in that title: Every episode, Tom Peters, Jefferton's resident entrepreuer goes to see the Mayor of the town with an idea for improving life in Jefferton, an abysmal burg of strip malls and chain restaurants.

The animation style is unlike anything you have seen before: photos of the actors are taken and treated with a photoshop filter, the background are drawn, and the food is photorealistic. Some things are completely live action though, like Jefferton's Married News Team. Oh and like every episode has some special guest: Tenacious D, David Cross, Sarah Silverman, Brian Poesehn, Zack Galiafinakis, John C. Riley... It's a surreal absurdist comedic entity of geniosity that may never be matched again. The complete Adult Swim-run series is on 3 DVDs, and every episode has commentary and tons of bonus stuff. I cannot recommend this more highly if you are in to "indie" comedy. It's that amazing.

P.S. - The creative team behind Tom has a show currently on Adult Swim - Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job that is also very very good.

Why Keith Richards is a legend.

"I snorted my father."

Also, on the state of modern music:
"Everyone's a load of crap," he said. "They are trying to be somebody else and they ain't being themselves. Libertines, Arctic Monkeys, Bloc Party? Load of crap, load of crap. Posers, rubbish."

edit: now he's changing his tune. boooo.

I had no idea Lawrence Welk was so hip.

VH 1 Classic's Top 20 of the 80s.

So far 2 videos in a row have featured a band member wearing the t-shirt of their own dang band. I always thought it was bad enough when fans wear the t-shirt of the band they are seeing, but can you imagine like the guy from the Shins wearing a Shins t-shirt? Maybe that would be some cosmical ironic paradox and the world would implode and we'd live out existence in the Eurythmic's "Sweet Dreams" video instead. When that video came out, I was 5 years old I think and I drew a picture of the Eurythmics and a cow.

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