Saturday, May 15, 2010

Lyrics Quiz: As Seen on TV 2010 Edition


As we wind down the television season, I am going to run down the best music placement of the past twelve months and as an added twist, I am going to do it in Lyrics Quiz form so you have to guess to see the actual list. As usual, place your guesses in the comment (or e-mail me), both artist and song title, and if you are correct I will un-bold the lyric. You can also get a bonus point is you correctly guess which show the song was featured on and double bonus points if you correctly guess the character how sang the song on the show if it was not performed by the original artist (you can steal the bonus point if and only if someone correctly guesses the lyrics).


1. Maybe I can feel you, heal you on the inside. Underneath the willow tree, wearing nothing else but me.
2. I bought a ticket to the world, but now I've come back again. Why do I find it hard to write the next line?

3. She just can’t be chained to a life where nothing’s gained and nothings lost at such a cost.  (Ruby Tuesday - Rolling Stones;  guessed by Anonymous;  Bonus Not Guessed)
4. A licky boom-boom down. (Informer - Snow; guessed by Doug; Bonus Not Guessed)
5. I’ve been alone with you inside my mind. And in my dreams I’ve kissed your lips a thousand times. (Hello - Lionel Richie; guessed by Doug; Bonus Not Guessed)
6. All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go. I’m standing here outside your door. I hate to wake you up to say goodbye. (Leaving on a Jet Plane - John Denver; Bonus - Jeffster on Chuck; both guessed buy Anonymous)
7. Don’t come knocking around my door. Don’t wanna see your shadow no more. Colored lights can hypnotize. Sparkle someone else’s eyes. (American Woman - The Guess Who; guessed by Anonymous; Bonus Not Guessed)
8. Get a shoe at me by a mean old man; get my dinner from a garbage can.9. These girls are really sleazy, all they just say is please me or spend some time and rock a rhyme; I said “It's not that easy.”  (It's Tricky - Run-DMC;  guessed by Rose;  Bonus Not Guessed)
10. I’m a runaway son of the nuclear A-bomb. I am the world’s forgotten boy.
11. You got the blues. Yes you ain’t got no one else to use. There’s an open road that leads nowhere. So just make some miles between here and there.
12. She was a black haired beauty with big dark eyes and points all her own, sitting way up high. Way up firm and high.
13. Our mothers cried and sang along and who’d blame them. Now you’re grown, so grown, now I must say more than ever.
14. Some folks are born, silver spoon in hand. Lord, don’t they help themselves. But when the taxmen come to the door, Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale.

15. Hold on little girl, show me what he’s done to you. Stand up little girl, a broken heart can’t be that bad. (To Be with You - Mr. Big; guessed by Doug; Bonus Not Guessed)
16. Just like the prodigal son I’ve returned. Anyone stepping to me you’ll get burned. (Jump Around - House of Pain; guessed by Doug; Bonus Not Guessed)
17. Don’t lose your grip on the dreams of the past; you must fight just to keep them alive.
18. Oh my love, my darling, I’ve hungered for your touch a long, lovely time. (Unchained Melody - Righteous Brothers; guessed by Doug; Bonus Not Guessed)
19. Ohhhh, she got a way with the boys in the place. Treat ‘em like they don’t stand a chance.
20. Forget about that, let’s go into the story about a girl named Blah Blah Blah that adore me.
21. You’re talking to a tourist whose ever move’s among the purest. I get my kicks above the waistline, sunshine.
22. Excuse me while I tend to how I feel. These things return to me that still seem real.
23. I wanna love somebody. I hear you’re looking for someone to love.
24. Take a little trip, take a little trip, take a little trip with me.
25. If I told you things I did before, told you who I used to be, would you go along with someone like me?  (Young Folks - Peter Bjorn and John;  guessed by Rose;  Bonus Not Guessed)

Bonus: This song wasn’t actually on television, but an internet tie in with a television show. But it was so awesome; I thought I would add it.
I look for trouble and I find it. It’s such a rush I think I mind it. What am I looking her for. I put the bottle to my lips now. I want to stop but I don’t know how.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Around the Tubes vol. L


I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Friday Night Lights, Treme, Storm Worlds, Perfect Couples, Mary Knows Best, Lost, Late Night, and Miss USA.

- Miss the season premiere of Friday Night Lights? Well here is a two minute replay to get you caught up.



- Anyone who is watching Treme, or just likes the music that comes from New Orleans, will want to head over to 17dots.com where David Rogen, the guy that David McAlary, played by Steve Zahn, is based on, will be contributing a weekly blog to the site.

- This weekend on the National Geographic Channel there will be the start of a new three part series Storm Worlds. The series shows what would happen if the worst weather conditions in the Universe happen here on Earth. Here is a preview of what you can expect Sunday at 8:00.

Disaster Lights in the Sky


- Just short couples days from announcing their next season schedule, NBC has picked up another new comedy. Perfect Couples sounds like Friends with the cast already coupled up to start the series. But the show will feature Olivia Munn, so they have that going for them. No one else in the cast sounds familiar except the one of the guys from My Boys, the second actor that NBC poached from the show. For those that need to know what next fall will look like on the Peacock, NBC will be making their announcement this Sunday at around 5 PM with their official Upfront presentation Monday at 11 AM.

- SyFy has a new reality block coming Thursdays this Summer and here is the star of Mary Knows Best taking about her show:

Mary Knows Best – Meet Mary O


- For those of you that cannot get enough Lost with the final few episodes closing in, you will want to check out The New Yorker’s article on the composer for the show Michael Giacchino.

- It is Rolling Stones Week on Late Night and you knew The Roots would be involved eventually and here they are backing up Sheryl Crow and Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell for All Down the Line.

Rolling Stones Week: Sheryl Crow


- I really haven’t gotten all the fun surrounding the photo shoot of the Miss USA contestants, just because they always talk about solving world peace, none have come close yet. And it is hard to make some moral pronouncement a contest that already features a bathing suit competition. But anyway. Here is a behind the scenes look at the previously mention scandalous photoshoot.

Waking up in Vegas


Thursday, May 13, 2010

I Want My Music Television vol. LXXXII


There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.


Un-thinkable (I'm Ready) - Alicia Keys



As a white dude I am not sure what I am more offended by: that when Alicia keys thinks of a token white dude, she thinks Chad Michael Murray, c’mon, when you are such a bad actor that you are not even good enough to star in One Tree Hill anymore you should just give up the profession, or when she thinks white dude in the eighties, he has to have a mullet.


Undo It - Carrie Underwood



You rarely the live performance spliced with non-live and miniskits, but Undo It - Play On gave it a try for some reason. And as much as I want to dislike this song, it just gets stuck in my head for way to long.


If It's Love - Train



Wait, another storyline to live performance video? I guess this is a beginning of a trend. Not so fun fact: the latest music video by Train was directed by Pete Wentz. Why? Who know, or cares.


One Track Mind - Mayer Hawthorne



Alicia Keys thinks she has it bad, One Track Mind is stuck in a love triangle with the real girl from Lars and the Real Girl.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

First Impressions: Friday Night Lights 4.x


I am a very patient man; you may not find a more patient man than me. Yet waiting for the new season of Friday Night Lights to start on broadcast television was excruciating to the point that I was asking everyone I know if they had DirecTV last fall knowing NBC wasn’t planning airing the new season until this summer. The Jay Leno debacle gave me some hope of the show returning earlier, but alas we had to wait until May, a full year after the season three finale, and thanks to a tornado, I had to wait a couple days longer.

The show did not disappoint. Even as they recycle out some old cast members (so long Tyra and Lyla) they still manage to find ones to replace them that just intriguing. We meet Michael B. Jordan (a name made for a sports show) running away from the cops, who is lucky enough that one of the arresting officers brothers played for Coach Taylor and Coach is in desperate need of players even if the only football he ever plays is Madden.

Another entertaining introduction, but for an entirely different reason, is when Riggins tumbles out of bed to the sound of flings daughter Becky Sproles singing, who asks possibly the harshest question ever delivered from a sunny disposition, “So what is it like to be the guy who used to be Tim Riggins.” Ouch. That almost makes up for the show trying to make us believe that the pale redheaded Alicia Witt has a high school aged ethnic looking kid.

But that was all peripheral to Coach Taylor who went to three straight playoffs, two championship games and one win but because he took on the rich guy with a son who has a rocket arm, he gets stuck with the short straw when the school does some redistricting. All the good players just happened to stay at West Dillon with Joe McCoy and it seems the only former Panther relocated to East Dillon with Coach was perennial benchwarmer last season, Landry Clarke. And for some reason, even his staff stayed in West Dillon (how dare you Mac McGill after Coach stood by you after racism claims and health problems) except one who I don’t even recognize.

So after three years of a town that cared about football above all else including a new scoreboard when the classrooms were in desperate need of new books, this season will be through the eyes of the football team time forgot with even worse school conditions and I cannot wait to see how the season unfolds as I burn my Panthers blues in favor of Lions reds.

Friday Night Lights airs Fridays at 8:00 on NBC. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Friday Night Lights on iTunes.




Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Feed Your iPod vol. XLIV: Aisle 10 (Hello Allison)


There is probably a reason why I never do a Next Big Thing post because since sporting a Hootie and the Blowfish t-shirt in high school a good year before they got over played on the radio I have pretty much gone O-fer in predicted what unknown bands would go big. Take Scapegoat Wax, with their quirky rap subjects and live instrumental based beats, I would have put money on them being the heir apparent to the Beastie Boys. They were even signed to their Grand Royal record label and Aisle 10 (Hello Allison) came in at number fourteen on my Best Songs of 2001 list. Then Grand Royal folded and one album later, released by Hollywood Record which is known for being the label to all the Disney stars, the group disbanded. But Aisle 10 (Hello Allison) is worth discovering.

Aisle 10 (Hello Allison) - Scapegoat Wax Scapegoat Wax - Luxurious (Out of Print,) - Aisle 10 (Hello Allison)



Monday, May 10, 2010

I Was Raising Cane, Now I’m Raising Babies


Court Yard Hounds

It is a tricky situation when you are in a band and one of the members isn’t up for recording but doesn’t want to leave (with the exception of Jack White who will just start a new one every year). But it has been four years since the last Dixie Chicks album and sisters Emily Robison and Martie Maguire were itching to get back to work though lead singer Natalie Maines wanted some more rest.

So the sister went with another animal themed side project Court Yard Hounds (not to be confused with the Junkyard Dog). Their self titled debut sounds exactly like what you would expect a Dixie Chicks album without Maines would sound like, very Chicks like, especially circa their Home era, but still mellower affair and songs do not get much mellower that the album opener Skyline. Even faster songs like Ain’t No Son still sounds restrained with Robinson taking over the vocals from the spunkier Maines (whose in her hands would have sounded something like Sin Wagon).

Some stand out tracks include Delight Something New Under the Sun and its funky guitar riff and wall of sound at the height of the song. See You in the Spring, a duet with Jacob Dylan, fits right in with his new folksier sound. Then Didn’t Make a Sound sounds like the most fun the sisters have had on a song a decade. In the end, Court Yard Hounds should be right up the alley of even moderate Dixie Chicks fans, especially the ones that jumped off the bandwagon when Maines started on her Bush tirade, though it is hard not to think how the album would have been better with her behind the microphone.

Song to Download – Didn’t Make a Sound

Court Yard Hounds gets a Terror Alert Level: High [ORANGE] on my Terror Alert Scale.



Sunday, May 09, 2010

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CXXIX


How I Met Your Mother: If Ted wrote himself a not as to why not to get back with Robin, why didn’t he read it when he got back with her a couple seasons ago? But anyway. I am completely for the whole separate beds for sleeping. I have enough trouble getting to sleep by myself and that is only exacerbated when there are knees in my back. And why stop there, how about separate rooms? You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com. You can also download How I Met Your Mother on iTunes.

The Big Bang Theory: As painful as the post breakup interaction of Leonard and Penny were, at least Sheldon trying to play both sides was one of his funniest bits of the season. You can download The Big Bang Theory on iTunes.

Castle: Holy Veronica Mars reunion! Okay so Parker and Deputy Leo didn’t share any screen time here or on Veronica Mars, but I will take what I can. And I wouldn’t mind if Parker sticks around because Beckett could us a female friend or just someone to fight over for Castle. But this begs the question whatever happened to Day On that Julie Gonzalo was starring in for NBC? Last I hear it got trimmed down to a two hour movie. You know it is not good when as hard up for programming NBC was, they still haven’t found time to air the show. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Castle on iTunes. Also be sure to check out my chat with Stana Katic.

Lost: Seriously, Jin is going to down himself and let his daughter that he never met grow up an orphan? Hurmph. I am really beginning to think I was on the button when I said that the “Real” timeline will end with everyone dying but everyone lives happily ever after in the Flashsideways like in that one Buffy episode. At least there are four and a half hours left before I can stop thinking about this show. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.

Lost on iTunes


Justified: Holy Dan Doherty sighting! And of course it was Seth Bullock to talk him down. Here’s hoping that this is only a precursor for the show to bring in Al Swearengen. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Justified on iTunes.

Parenthood: Wait, was that really the host of Tool Academy that I just saw on the show? And as one of the “cool” parents? Alrighty. And if Joel was so upset about the soccer quitting, why didn’t he step up and coach when schuedual must be open. C’mon, if the dude from Survivor can coach girls soccer, how hard can it be? You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Parenthood on iTunes.

Modern Family: I am not sure who laughed harder, Alex, when talking about her sister flirting with a middle schooler, or me laughing at Alex laughing at her sister. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.

Modern Family on iTunes


Happy Town: And we have our first “seriously” moment of the series when it turns out Kubiac (yes, I just made a Parker Lewis reference) turned out to be the one who nailed a rail road spike threw the dude’s head. Alrighty. The second would be the sherriff letting the Kube off the hook for the murder. Sure, why not. And if the dead dude said where the bodies were, why not at least take a look? You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Happy Town on iTunes.

Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains: Hopefully this is the last stand of Russell. Despite the previews, I cannot see Rupert, after his tirade against him this week, teaming up with him. I am really ready to get Russell off my television and if he is ever asked back to another All-Star season everyone is smart enough to get rid of him first. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com.

Survivor on iTunes


Community: I loved all the not so thinly veiled pot shots at the college’s glee club: “I’m all for winning but let’s not resort to cheap ploys,” “That is so uninspired,” “Write some original songs,” Couldn’t have said it better myself. You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Community on iTunes.

Friday Night Lights: The season three finale just happened to air as the say day as Opening Day in Cleveland when a rai delay pushed the game into the evening pre-empted FNL and I ended up having to watch it on Hulu the next day. Then almost a year later the season four premiere just happened to coincide with a tornado warning preemption making miss the show because of weather two epidsodes in a row. Huruph. Here’s hoping the episode shows up On Demand so I am not stuck watching it on my computer again. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.

Friday Night Lights on iTunes