I just received great news from my friend Ben Willmott that he will be touring for a couple of dates with musician, singer-songwriter Jesse Harris. Harris is best known for writing "Don't Know Why," the song that made Norah Jones a household name. I know him best for his awesome album The Secret Sun. Tracks 1-5 on that album are essentially the soundtrack of my 2003 summer.
I'm so proud of Ben for his musical accomplishments in such a short time. He is an awesome musician and if you're ever in the New England area you should definitely check him out. If you don't travel to that area much, why don't you check him out on the radio...tonight! Of course, you can always visit his web site or his blog. Man, this guy's everywhere!
Look for Ben's latest album, Rich With Love, due May 30, 2008. And go out and buy some Jesse Harris albums too!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Oscar Tops
I've found that it's really hard to watch the Oscar's when you aren't rooting for any particular movie. It's difficult to get excited about watching someone except an award when you've only seen two of the films nominated for Best Picture, one of which you thought really shouldn't have been nominated. Plus, the whole nominating and campaigning process is becoming way too political for me. It's almost like the winners have been determined months in advance. That said, there were plenty of moments that kept me entertained before and during the show this year. Below are my top five Oscar moments for 2008.5) Seeing Diablo Cody win for Best Original Screenplay - NOT because I think she deserved to win, because she definitely did not, but because it gave America a chance to see just how much of a trainwreck she is. What was up with that dramatic exit?
4) Steve Carrell getting upset after finding out that he wasn't presenting an award for the gritty, meaningful Best Documentary, but rather for the Best Animated Movie. Anne Hathaway did a very nice job of consoling him.
3) The bazaar exchange between Jennifer Garner, Ryan Seacrest and Gary Busey on the red carpet prior to the awards. Garner looked scared for her life as an obviously drunk or drugged Busey went to hug and kiss her on the neck, while Seacrest had absolutely no idea what to do during the situation. How did Gary Busey even get in there?
2) Oscar's tribute to binoculars and periscopes as well as their moving "awakening from a bad dream" montage. This was supposed to give us a taste of what the show would have been like if if had been affected by the writer's strike. It would have been hilarious, that's what it would have been!
...and my number one Oscar 2008 moment...
1) Jon Stewart having Marketa Irglova from the movie Once come back to the stage and give her acceptance speech after the orchestra cut her off. Her partner, Glen Hansard, used most of the alloted time in accepting the Best Song award and the microphone was cut off as she began to speak. Her speech, which lasted just under a minute was the absolute best of the night:
The fact that we're standing here tonight, the fact that we're able to hold this, it's just proof that no matter how far out your dreams are, it's possible," Irglova said during take two. "And, you know, fair play to those who dare to dream, and don't give up. This song was written from the perspective of hope, and hope, at the end of the day, connects us all, no matter how different we are.
It's moments like this that make staying up late to watch the Oscar's well worth it.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Ferras Fever
The side of me that is susceptible to hooky pop songs has once again resurfaced! Today, I can't stop humming Hollywood's Not America by Ferras, otherwise known as the lucky bastard who's song was hand-picked by American Idol producers as the sayonara song, as I like to call it. I'm assuming the message of the song is that Hollywood isn't the only place where you can live the American dream, so failing of not making it in that town isn't the end of the world. But, frankly, for a song like this I don't really care much what the message is. All I care about is hearing, "So long, put your bluejeans back on," otherwise known as the hook. I fall for the hook every time! Damn the hook!The real question is, why does American Idol do such a good job of picking the sayonara song (remember Daniel Powter's Bad Day and Chris Daughtry's Home?) but such a terrible job picking the song that will eventually become the winner's first single (remember, This Is My Now and Believe...didn't think so)? American Idol needs to recruit some new talent to write a song with relevance and a good hook for this year's finale and ditch once and for all those stale songwriters who regurgitate the same song year after year.
That said, I am looking forward to this year's Idol competition. The talent seems much stronger than in year's past and a lot of the contestants are also quite impressive musicians. Let's hope the song in the finale does the eventual American Idol some justice. If not, you can always tune in just to hear Hollywood's Not America every week.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Old Spice, Moon Style
My love for all things Will Ferrell continues with this hilarious batch of commercials for Old Spice done in the character of Jackie Moon, Ferrell's latest brilliant creation for the new movie Semi-Pro. I can't wait for this movie much like I couldn't wait for Blades of Glory and Talladega Nights, especially after seeing these commercials. Enjoy!
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Perez Elects Next President
I have officially seen it all in regard to this presidential election. Our society is bordering on ridiculousness when well established news organizations imply that people like Perez Hilton (yes, PEREZ HILTON!!) singlehandedly helped a presidential candidate win the votes of young people and women just because of his endorsement. Here's a newsflash for the media -- just because people use the Internet and like to read about pop culture does not mean that they blindly cast a vote for whoever the author of their fourteenth favorite blog endorses.Also, newsflash for Sam Donaldson, who has been anchoring the news in some capacity for over 25 years -- The Internet was created decades ago and blogs aren't exactly a new technology. Is it really that inconceivable that Perez Hilton wrote a post about who he endorses for president AND one about a pregnant person -- in the same day!? Do you even know what a blog is?
After watching this video I have decided that I want to crawl in a hole loaded with Flight of the Conchords and How I Met Your Mother DVDs, Cheez-It's, and Sheryl's new album and not come out until this election is officially over. Can't we just have one day - just ONE day - where we don't have to hear how Perez Hilton elected the president or see Tim Russert blow his load all over the Today Show set because this race is just "so exciting?" Please? Ugh, I didn't think so. Hole, here I come.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Detours, Song By Song
My copy of Detorus has downloaded. My ears are prepared for auditory excellence. My fingers are prepared to type for you my first reactions to Detours, song by sweet awesome song. It's a good day for all. Here goes...
1) God Bless This Mess - Completely stripped. Just Sheryl and a guitar. I wonder if she's playing the guitar here. Her voice cracks a little when she says "God" for the first time. I like that it's not polished. It's raw, which is appropriate for a song like this. Very political. I think she's saying what a lot of us are thinking. There are pieces to this country that are a mess right now. Good intro to the album.
2) Shine Over Babylon - One of the two songs I already know from the album. At first I thought the chorus was lazy, but it's melody gets stronger and stronger with every listen. I'm going to have to study these lyrics! The message here is a lot like God Bless This Mess - we're in need of something positive to overtake the messy, almost degenerate society we've created. There's an interesting instrumental effect in the background of the song that I love, but I can't place what instrument it is.
3) Love Is Free - The second of two songs that I knew going into the album. Very catchy. Reminds me a little of All I Wanna Do from Tuesday Night Music Club. Really good chorus. There's a weird instrumental effect in the bridge that sounds like a Nintendo sound effect when Mario jumps into one of those big round tubes. Distracting. The song makes me happy.
4) Peace Be Upon Us - Worldly instrumentals. I love when she harmonizes with herself. Sounds like an Arabic singer in the second verse. Wonder who it is. Interesting choice - maybe saying that music can bring these two cultures together. The chorus is catchy and the song has a nice beat.
5) Gasoline - Instantly love it. This album takes me back to her Globe Sessions album. I love when she kind of talks and sings at the same time. Sounds like something you'd hear in the 60's and 70's - or the Forrest Gump soundtrack to be more exact. Again, a political song if you couldn't figure that one out from the title. The jist is that we need to free ourselves from our gasoline addiction.
6) Out of Our Heads - Another worldly sounding song. Her voice sounds different here, almost like Madonna. Hmmm, the chorus is very catchy! Wow, I really like this. There is a nice choir singing in the chorus. It sounds like one of those African Freedom songs like Singabahambayo or Siyahamba.
7) Detours - The sound here reminds me of some of the Wildflower songs. Quiet, almost sad sounding. I'm a little iffy on this one. Good song, but it doesn't stand out for me.
8) Now That You're Gone - I love when songs start out with just a beat. Good start for me. This one is a little bluesy, almost R&B if you can believe it. I like the instrumentation in here. There are subtle strings in the background during the chorus and some nice guitar riffs. Not the catchiest song so far, but definitely a keeper.
9) Drunk With the Thought of You - I immediately thought Sad, Sad World, which is one of my favorite Sheryl Crow songs. I love the music in this one. I almost think her vocals could have been a little more distant in this. Maybe my stereo isn't mixing it well. Short song.
10) Diamond Ring - Short, syncopated beats - then the chorus comes and everything becomes elongated. I like the addition of reverb in the chorus. This song is obviously about Lance Armstrong, and her vocals are very raw. She goes hoarse in the middle of the song a little. This is a really good song. The bridge definitely made the song for me. She sings with a lot of raw emotion.
11) Motivation - This album is so good!! This is one of those songs that I instantly like. It will probably be my favorite for the first few weeks and then I won't be able to listen to it anymore. It's not overly political (not that I mind) and not about Lance Armstrong. I think I like it because it will make me think about how she came to write the song - and thinking about Sheryl is always a good thing. This is a fun song.
12) Make It Go Away (Radiation Song) - Not a radio song, but very good nonetheless. You can tell this is a very personal song for her. It's obviously referencing her recent bout with breast cancer. I'm really impressed with the musicality of this album and this song is a good example of it.
13) Love Is All There Is - Good melody to the song. Not too impressed with the chorus, but it's still a good song. Not my favorite. It's going to have to grow on me, which I'm sure it will.
14) Lullaby for Wyatt - So simple and really beautiful. Not overly produced. It sounds as it should - like a lullaby. The lyric is interesting. She talks about the day she is going to have to give her son away to the world as he becomes an adult. Interesting that she is thinking about that now.
Overall impressions - This album is great. Another "front to back" album where you don't have to skip songs. I can't wait to listen more and more to find some deeper meanings. You should go out and get your copy today! Grade A.
1) God Bless This Mess - Completely stripped. Just Sheryl and a guitar. I wonder if she's playing the guitar here. Her voice cracks a little when she says "God" for the first time. I like that it's not polished. It's raw, which is appropriate for a song like this. Very political. I think she's saying what a lot of us are thinking. There are pieces to this country that are a mess right now. Good intro to the album.
2) Shine Over Babylon - One of the two songs I already know from the album. At first I thought the chorus was lazy, but it's melody gets stronger and stronger with every listen. I'm going to have to study these lyrics! The message here is a lot like God Bless This Mess - we're in need of something positive to overtake the messy, almost degenerate society we've created. There's an interesting instrumental effect in the background of the song that I love, but I can't place what instrument it is.
3) Love Is Free - The second of two songs that I knew going into the album. Very catchy. Reminds me a little of All I Wanna Do from Tuesday Night Music Club. Really good chorus. There's a weird instrumental effect in the bridge that sounds like a Nintendo sound effect when Mario jumps into one of those big round tubes. Distracting. The song makes me happy.
4) Peace Be Upon Us - Worldly instrumentals. I love when she harmonizes with herself. Sounds like an Arabic singer in the second verse. Wonder who it is. Interesting choice - maybe saying that music can bring these two cultures together. The chorus is catchy and the song has a nice beat.
5) Gasoline - Instantly love it. This album takes me back to her Globe Sessions album. I love when she kind of talks and sings at the same time. Sounds like something you'd hear in the 60's and 70's - or the Forrest Gump soundtrack to be more exact. Again, a political song if you couldn't figure that one out from the title. The jist is that we need to free ourselves from our gasoline addiction.
6) Out of Our Heads - Another worldly sounding song. Her voice sounds different here, almost like Madonna. Hmmm, the chorus is very catchy! Wow, I really like this. There is a nice choir singing in the chorus. It sounds like one of those African Freedom songs like Singabahambayo or Siyahamba.
7) Detours - The sound here reminds me of some of the Wildflower songs. Quiet, almost sad sounding. I'm a little iffy on this one. Good song, but it doesn't stand out for me.
8) Now That You're Gone - I love when songs start out with just a beat. Good start for me. This one is a little bluesy, almost R&B if you can believe it. I like the instrumentation in here. There are subtle strings in the background during the chorus and some nice guitar riffs. Not the catchiest song so far, but definitely a keeper.
9) Drunk With the Thought of You - I immediately thought Sad, Sad World, which is one of my favorite Sheryl Crow songs. I love the music in this one. I almost think her vocals could have been a little more distant in this. Maybe my stereo isn't mixing it well. Short song.
10) Diamond Ring - Short, syncopated beats - then the chorus comes and everything becomes elongated. I like the addition of reverb in the chorus. This song is obviously about Lance Armstrong, and her vocals are very raw. She goes hoarse in the middle of the song a little. This is a really good song. The bridge definitely made the song for me. She sings with a lot of raw emotion.
11) Motivation - This album is so good!! This is one of those songs that I instantly like. It will probably be my favorite for the first few weeks and then I won't be able to listen to it anymore. It's not overly political (not that I mind) and not about Lance Armstrong. I think I like it because it will make me think about how she came to write the song - and thinking about Sheryl is always a good thing. This is a fun song.
12) Make It Go Away (Radiation Song) - Not a radio song, but very good nonetheless. You can tell this is a very personal song for her. It's obviously referencing her recent bout with breast cancer. I'm really impressed with the musicality of this album and this song is a good example of it.
13) Love Is All There Is - Good melody to the song. Not too impressed with the chorus, but it's still a good song. Not my favorite. It's going to have to grow on me, which I'm sure it will.
14) Lullaby for Wyatt - So simple and really beautiful. Not overly produced. It sounds as it should - like a lullaby. The lyric is interesting. She talks about the day she is going to have to give her son away to the world as he becomes an adult. Interesting that she is thinking about that now.
Overall impressions - This album is great. Another "front to back" album where you don't have to skip songs. I can't wait to listen more and more to find some deeper meanings. You should go out and get your copy today! Grade A.
Happy Sherylday!
It's Sherylday! How are you going to celebrate? Oh, you're going to go pick up her latest album, Detorus, at your favorite music store? That sounds like a swell idea. See you there.
My First Wii
More than a year after its release, I finally had my first Nintendo Wii experience this past Friday. I haven't blogged about it until now because I'm just finally coming down from the euphoric high Wii's sensory remote and stunning graphics provided. The experience was enough to whet my appetite, but I'm afraid the hunger that is Nintendo Wii will soon resurface in by belly.I enjoyed a few nice rounds of tennis, all of which I won, and I even bowled a few games, one of which I lost (!) because I embarrassingly lost my spin. I didn't make it through an entire round of golf because I was presented with birthday cake and got distracted, but that too seemed quite enjoyable. I was impressed with how quickly and sharply the system recognized my movements and the sound effects and graphics were just as I expected a 21st century gaming system's to be.
All in all, I'd say Wii-1, Savings Account-0.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Damon's Star Is Rising
Man, Matt Damon is everywhere these days. He was in last year's best picture of the year (The Departed), and had huge success with the third Bourne movie, The Bourne Ultimatum. But I'd have to say that his crowning success of the year is finally sticking it to Jimmy Kimmel by f***ing his girlfriend, Sarah Silverman. Way to go Matt Damon.
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