First Impressions: Jericho

In a measure of full disclosure, I have to say that I went into Jericho not wanting to like it on account that I came up with a small town after a nuclear war a while ago. Granted my concept was different as it is much funnier as I don’t expect the show to feature “Weird Al” Yankovic’s Christmas at Ground Zero during its holiday special. Then another reason not to like the show going into it: seriously, who names there show after a professional wrestler/karaoke singer? But I went ahead and watched it anyways even though CBS didn’t bother to send me an advanced screener (not that I’m bitter or anything).

Jericho was pretty much as advertise with a small town being shut off from the outside world after a nuclear bomb hits down in Denver (as well as Atlanta). And of course in a time of crisis, most of the townspeople panic especially after the power goes out and it seems everyone heads down to the local gas station to stock up. All the while, a bus full of schoolchildren hasn’t made it back from a field trip.

The premiere centered on the returning Skeet Ulrich, who mad a living last decade taking roles in movies where producers couldn’t get Johnny Depp to sign on. Dude seems somewhat shady as when everyone asked him where he’s been the last five years he has a different answer for them, army, navy, minor-league baseball. The only one who calls him on it is former girlfriend, I think, Ashley Scott who should go back to the dark hair continues to look like a stripper with the blonde hair. Yeah it suited her well when she played a stripper in Walking Tall, but it just looks tacky when she’s actually wearing clothes.

To add to the shadiness of Ulrich, it turns out the only reason he came home after the long absence was to collect his trust fund from his grandfather, but his dad, who still controls it, still won’t turn it over to him prompting Ulrich to leave as fast as he arrived. Granted that all changes when the bomb is dropped. And Ulrich isn’t the shady character that arrives in town the same day of the bomb as there is a mysterious black dude who seems to know a little too much about disaster relief. And I know the residents of the town may be preoccupied, but how doesn’t anyone wonder what a black dude is doing in a small town in Kansas?

It was a little disappointing that the show didn’t have that many interesting characters aside from the UFO fearing-shotgun carrying dude as that is what makes most small town dramas interesting. In fact there was no comic relief in the first episode. There were a couple of good twists like with the second bomb in Atlanta. I think it’s safe to assume that if there are attacks in Denver and Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and others were targeted too. Also, I didn’t see a second bus full of prisoners being found coming and should add to the drama. Plus the show had a great soundtrack with the episode opening up with The Killers All These Things that I’ve Done and closing with Snow Patrol’s Run. Although I wonder why they had the Goo Goo Dolls Christmas song, Better Days, in the middle of the episode. But in the end Jericho looks like it may suffer from the same thing that brought down Invasion in that it moves way to slow.

Verdict: As long as it doesn’t fall into Invasion type tedium (I quit the show after about a month), it may be worth watching. Granted even if that happened, since the show is available on Innertube the day after the new episode airs, I may stay around longer given I could watch it whenever I want. Oh, and the concept of my show is totally better.

First Impressions: America’s Next Top Model Cycle 7

The start of the The CW has bit a little auspicious. First the very first show the network ever airs is a repeat of a 7th Heaven episode. Then in its first two days on the air, it shows the same launch special twice. Then for its very first original program it picks of all thing America’s Next Top Model. Granted does anyone know what was the first show NBC ever aired, or WB for that matter? And my sources are correct I don’t believe the next new episode (or should I say fresh, is the CW doing that too?) won’t air until next week.

As for that first original programming for the CW, I have to admit that I watched the show more for the band new way to commercials that was hyped at the network launch. And to much to my surprise, when the first commercial break came they showed… commercials. Um, okay. Apparently the “pods” they were referring to will only be happening once per episode and in-between the shows. When the pods, apparently referred to as CWhat’s as in “C-What’s” not “CW-hat’s” (I think), they were basically two minute infomercials for Herbal Essences hosted by Rachel Perry of VH1 fame. There was also an appearance by some dude named Perez Hilton who sadly admits that he named himself after Paris Hilton (dudes who name themselves after Adam Sandler movies are much cool). But I have to admit, even though the whole fashion week theme didn’t really interest me, the CWhat’s were much more entertaining than your standard thirty second ads. I just hope that Tuesday Girls Night doesn’t have tampon themed CWhat’s.

As for the show in-between the CWhat’s, it was your standard first episode of a reality show including a way too long thirty minute elimination sequence. But first was they had to select the final thirteen. I was going to complain how they already announced the finalist thus ruining the first hour but to be honest, except for the twins, none of the other finalist stood out from the press release.

The big news from the first hour was the first photo shoot would be a nude one. This didn’t really sit well with the resident conservative, a very Lilly Kane looking Ginger (I always thought Mary Ann was the prude), who didn’t want to compromise her morals for a television show. And I would have to agree with her because with a camera on the set, you never know where an unedited version would come out whether leaked to the internet or hyped for a future DVD. Plus as a wise man once said, “We don't have to take our clothes off to have a good time.” Then Mr. Jay went short of saying she would get the ax for refusing to strip. And here’s my problem, liberals attack conservatives all the time for not being accepting of other people, but much like Dani from last cycle, they rip apart the conservatives for their values, and cut them from the show what seems to be solely on their moral. How accepting. Okay, off my soap box.

Once the actual show starts, they have what Mr. Jay calls the most controversial photo shoot ever. It only turned out to be model stereotypes. Although some were not actual stereotypes as Naomi Campbell did hit her assistant with her cell phone, and another one is on the record saying that she wouldn’t get out of bed unless she was getting paid five digits. But I’m just nitpicking. And did anyone else find the irony in Mr. Jay ripping someone for bad acting after Tyra Bank’s little “tirade.” Her diva mode made her fake-fainting from last season look like something out of Citizen Kane. In the end some random chick got cut. Here are some predictions for this season:

Winner: A.J.
Backup Choice: Anchal
Next to Go: The Ugly Twin
Contestant I’d Most Like to Have Dirty, Dirty Sex With: CariDee

Verdict: Hopefully the makeovers will be dramatic because none of the girls are all that attractive. I may catch the repeats on Sundays not that there is much on Wednesdays at 8:00 although I’ll be checking out Jericho on Innertube later because no one bothered to send me a sneak peek of the show (not that I’m bitter or anything).

First Impressions: The Class

Remember last year when My Name Is Earl and Everybody Hates Chris came along making us believe that we may be witnessing of a new renaissance of the sitcom. Even How I Met Your Mother was watchable. But then there was also The War at Home and the laugh-less midseason replacements like Four Kings and Emily’s Reasons Why Not. Unfortunately that trend looks to continue with this year’s crop of sitcoms starting with The Class.

The show does have a decent pedigree as it comes from the guys who created Friends and Mad About You. The plot is you usual absurd sitcom fair with a guy, Jason Ritter (John’s son), decides to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the first day he met his girlfriend which happened on the first day of third grade by gathering the other classmates for a surprise party despite not talking to any of them for a long time. And for some reason some of the people showed up, but none of the black classmates showed up of course as this was a show from the creator of Friends.

But the weakest part of the show is the cast. Ritter tries too hard as the overzealous party planner. Lizzy Caplan is just re-hashing her Mean Girls character. You can tell this because she's back to the black hair which means she's moody. Then she has a presumably twin sister (they are in the same class) that is somehow the exact opposite even though they have lived w\hat looks like their whole life together. Then there are those that make no sense to why they would even show up like the local newscaster who explains the only reason she wants to go is to confront her prom date who turns out to be gay. The supposed joke here is that, in a sitcom context, her ex-boyfriend would be Will (of Grace fame) while her husband is Jack. Less plausible is the football player’s wife played by someone who was on Joey so I don’t expect you to know who she is. And if wondering why she showed up in the first place, what she does at the end of the episode is even less conceivable.

There are some redeemable aspects of the show. Jon Bernthal plays the resident jock that made nothing of his life and lives in his mother’s basement had some funny lines especially when he goes at it with his mom. Then there was the loveable loser portrayed by Jesse Tyler Ferguson who provides some humorously funny lines with his dire outlook. Oddly enough, nowhere in the first episode did anyone decided that meeting up with each other should become a regular occasion, but there were connections made between individuals that will most likely continue. It may be interesting to see where the show is going if it would incorporate more funny situations, and better actors to deliver the lines.

Verdict: Normally I would bail on a show like this, but since each new episode will be available for streaming the day after it airs on CBS’s broadband channel Innertube (if you missed the show and want to see it for yourself hop over there) with limit ads, giving me a chance to watch it when ever I want, I may give it a couple more chances.

Also available on Innertube is the second season premiere of the previously mentioned How I Met Your Mother. At the end of last season I thought that Ted and Robin hooking up was a potential Jump the Shark moment and this episode only strengthened that assumption. At least Barney had some classic lines.

Toss Up: Clay Aiken vs Fergie

It’s not a good sign when the two biggest releases of the week are from Clay Aiken and Fergie. Both suck in their own special way, Fergie had to join an already established group to make after her all girl group Wild Orchid failed miserably, while Aiken had to resort to reality television to get a record contract. Except he lost. He lost to a guy who eventually fell into obscurity. Now neither albums deserve their own reviews, so instead I’ll stage an old fashioned Toss-Up to determine which one sucked the least. Hey, it’s how I choose whom I voted for president the last two elections, so why wouldn’t it work for work music?


Got Their Start Karaoking On
Aiken: American Idol
Fergie: Kids Incorporated
Winner: Fergie


Still in the Shadow of Fellow Karaokers
Aiken: Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, the dude he lost to and ever subsequence winner
Fergie: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Scott Wolf, A. C. Slater, Martika
Winner: Aiken


Controversy
Aiken: Bored housewives thought he was robbed of the American Idol title.
Fergie: Self proclaimed hip-hop purists thought she ruined the Black Eyed Peas.
Winner: Fergie


Makeover to Make Themselves Look Trendy
Aiken: Spiked up his hair
Fergie: Got her eyebrow pierced
Winner: Aiken


Should Be Sued by For Ripping Off Their Style
Aiken: Barry Manilow
Fergie: Gwen Stefani
Winner: Aiken

Should be Sued by For Destroying Their Song
Aiken: Richard Marx - Right Here Waiting
Fergie: The Temptations - Get Ready (and yes this is the CW theme song)
Winner: Fergie


Album Title
Aiken: A Thousand Different Ways
Fergie: The Duchess
Winner: Fergie


Runtime
Aiken: 55:34
Fergie: 69:21
Winner: Aiken


Producer
Aiken: Some dude named Jaymes Foster
Fergie: Will.i.am
Winner: Fergie


Written By
Aiken: Majority are established hits, but did co-write (with three other people) Lonely No More
Fergie: Wrote majority of the songs
Winner: Aiken


Lead Single
Aiken: A karaoke version Without You made famous by Harry Nilsson (and later Mariah Carey)
Fergie: The stick a pencil in your ear inducing London Bridge
Winner: Aiken


Guest Appearance
Aiken: duets with Suzie McNeil (also a karaoke loser from Karaoke Star: INXS) on Foreigner’s I Want to Know What Love Is
Fergie: John Legend plays piano on Finally
Winner: Fergie


Funniest Moment
Aiken: His version of Because You Loved Me (not to be confused with Celine Dion’s version)
Fergie: Ludacris’ sorry guest appearance on Gamorous (not to be confused with Slim Thug’s sorry guest appearance on Stefani’s Luxurious)
Winner: Aiken


Best Song
Aiken: Umm… Well…
Fergie: Let Me rephrase that


Song that Sucked the Least
Aiken: Without You
Fergie: Finally
Winner Aiken


So there you have it, if you like horrible music but only have money to buy one album this week, make it Clay Aiken’s A Thousand Different Ways. And for those wondering what other songs Aiken destroys before you pick the album up that weren’t mentioned above, they include: When I See You Smile (Bad English), Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word (Elton John), Everytime You Go Away (Paul Young), Everything I Do (I Do for You) (Bryan Adams), Here You Come Again (Dolly Parton) and Broken Wings (Mr. Mister). Now if you excuse me, I have to go to the doctor to remove the pencils from my ears.

A Thousand Different Ways gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

The Duchess gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

You Feel It, I Feel It, Let's Not Pretend

There is no bigger crime against humanity in years then Lionel Richie being relegated to being called “Nicole’s dad.” Here’s a guy who brought us Endless Love, Sail On, wrote Lady for Kenny Rogers, taught us how to dance on the ceiling and taught us the proper proportions of the fairer sex (36-24-36, although Sir Mix-A-Lot had to clarify that’s only if she’s 5’3’’ years later). If fact many of you reading this may have Lionel to thank for being conceived, hey even I may have Lionel to thank for that. Mmm, now I have to get that thought out of my mind. But anyways. Thankfully Madison Avenue still holds him in high esteem featuring Hello and All Night Long in commercials recently by Starburst and Mountain Dew, respectively.

In all fairness, it is somewhat easy to forget about Richie since it’s been twenty years since his last hit album, Dancing on the Ceiling. And maybe for most of the time in between he was fine with resting on his laurels as his records were album to rack in more money than even his spoiled brat of a daughter could spend. But maybe his daughters new found fame and being called “Nicole’s dad” lit a spark under him because Lionel’s back with songs that stands up with some of his best work that show up on his new album Coming Home.

Unfortunately, in a cheap attempt to connect to a younger audience Lionel Richie brought it some big name producers to help craft a few songs, and “big name” doesn’t necessarily mean good ones. First there’s Jermaine Dupri, best know for his work with thirteen year olds, who helped out on What You Are which is fairly boring. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had a hand with Up All Night because it sounds exactly like ever Jagged Edge, a group that Dupri discovered, song I’ve ever heard. Then there’s Dallas Austin, most know with his work with TLC, who helmed the ill-conceived Stand Down, a politically charged reggae song. The one marquee producer that manages to properly catch the Richie vibe is Raphael Saadiq of Tony! Toni! Toné! fame on Sweet Vacation where he also provides Babyface style backing vocals. Well there is also the Swedish production team that crafted the first single, I Call it Love. What with the Swedes and their mastery of American pop music?

But where Richie shines is with his own material as there a bunch of songs that have that classic feel to them. The breezy I’m Coming Home could fit easily in Richie’s early catalogue and the same goes for Out of My Head. Both songs hearken back to the good old days of R&B when the singers didn’t need rappers to gain mass exposure. The soft beginning to Reason to Believe that conjures up thought of to Sail On. Then there’s I Love You with its haunting vocals is very reminiscent of Hello, but I doubt it will inspire anyone to make a bust of Lionel’s head. But not of Lionel’s own songs are comeback worthy, All Around the World sound like an update of All Night Long, but fall flat compared to the earlier song. Coming Home may not save Lionel from being called “Nicole’s dad,” but at least it reminds those of us who grew up with him in the eighties what made him great back then.

Song to Download - Reason to Believe

Coming Home gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

First Impressions: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

It’s not really a good sign when the fourth network in now a five team race decides to have not one, but two shows on it’s fall lineup based a show that everyone hasn’t been funny in a while (I’ll go with circa the Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Mike Myers era). But that’s what NBC has done, one a drama, which seems to be topping every critics best list (as well as my preseason pick) the other being a sitcom that looks to be on a few first to be canceled list, 30 Rock. But it was Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip that I got a sneak peak at.

The show is the mastermind Aaron Sokin, creator of the great, but sadly short lived Sports Night depicting the backstage at a Sportcenter type show. My sources tell me that he ran another show that had modest success, but apparently I missed that one. Oh well. The pacing of the first episode was a little slow at times and the oversized cast as well as other bit players left me throughout the show wondering who was who and what relation they were to their co-workers at the fake network, NBS (NBC and ABC were both referenced during the show so presumable NBS is another network in the real world). There were even cue scenes that tell you who people are as they introduce them, but I still haven’t figured out who the “Big Three” are in context of the show.

The show centers around an on air breakdown of the current show runner, guest Judd Hirsh (Dear John), of Studio 60 who was not too fond when the studio’s Standards and Practices decided to pull a religious based sketch just seconds before the show starts. Apparently the scene mirrors that of one in the movie Network that every critic, and the show for that matter, has brought up, but the movie is older than me, so I really didn’t make the connection. Not really the first day new president, Amanda Peet (Saving Silverman), had envisioned. To deflect from the negative publicity, Peet decides to bring back two people who were around the last time the show was worth wild in Matthew Perry (Almost Heroes) and Bradley Whitford (the Sokin show I didn’t watch). The only problem with bringing them back in is that they have gone onto bigger and better things as well as the guy who unceremoniously pushed them out the door, Steven Weber (Wings) is still around.

Since we really don’t spend much time with the fake show except for the actual meltdown, we really don’t get to meet the cast of the fake show as they only pop up periodically during the first episode. Sarah Paulson (nothing worth mentioning) looks like will have the biggest storyline in future weeks as she hooked up with Perry during his first stint, but things went sour afterwards as the reason they broke up is about as funny as the reason Perry tells everyone. Then there is D.L. Hughley (Soul Plane) who plays the token black guy not only on the real show, but the fake show as well. Newcomer Nathan Corddry also pops up but doesn’t have much here in the first episode. I guess it’s possible that this was the Big Three previously mentioned, but I wouldn’t bet the bank on it.

The first episode was a little disappointing, even though it is a drama, being based on the backstage of something that is funny, there should have been more laughs. But like most pilots, they are too busy setting up the premise of the show, sometimes things gets too crammed so hopefully the show hits its stride in the next couple episodes. With the episode filled with a bunch of network suits who haven’t laughed since high school, Peet is a breath a fresh air as she is the one who isn’t taking things too seriously even though she should be the most concerned as it is her first day on the job. Since the show is based on Saturday Night Live, it looks like there will be a slew of guest “host” as Felicity Huffman, who also starred in Sports Night, pops up in the pilot and my sources tell me Lauren Graham will make an appearance later this season in that role.

Verdict: Not as good as expected and had some pacing issues as it was too fast in some places but too slow in others, but there are definitely signs of greatness and should get much better after everything is ironed out. But if this is the best new show of the season, that isn’t a very good sign of what’s to come. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip premieres Monday at 10:00. If you can’t wait, you can watch the pilot in its entirety, commercial free, at AOL.

Second Impressions: Survivor: Cook Islands

Scooter’s Note: This post is an extension of my previous post on Survivor so check that link out first if you have not done so.

The first episode of Survivor: Jim Crowe Cook Islands has come and gone and there weren’t any race riots in Harlem or Compton because the black team lost so all of you that predicted the downfall of civilization because a reality show divide teams by race can rest a little easier tonight. But racial divide aside, the first episode was your normal start to Survivor where the teams had to find their camp, make shelter, get to know each other, and figure which person of the opposite sex they would be willing to have sex with even if they haven’t showered in a while.

The challenge of the week which was for immunity and reward was the garden variety that mixed rowing and solving problems (but not at the same time). And what makes this season interesting, I can talk about the outcome of the challenge two different ways, but with the exact sentiment, but one way could offend people, but the other won’t. If I said, “it was obvious before the challenged started that the Blacks would come in dead last because it dealt with water” I’m sure some liberal communist would be up in arms. But if I said, “The producers of Survivor should be ashamed that they choose a challenged that put the African-American tribe in a distinct disadvantage” no one would give a second thought. And on that note who had the Asian dude being the biggest racist on the show in your office pool?

But not all was lost for the black team as they were able to choose who went to exile this week with the chicken stealer being an easy target. Granted I would have went with the strongest Asian or Hispanic dude as they blew the other two teams away, but that’s just me I guess. Another thing I wouldn’t have done, vote off the strong dude. Someone may be banking on a merger happening sooner than later. But by judge of the preview, it doesn’t look like it will happen next week. I would put good money on at least five weeks before a merger otherwise the whole “social experiment” idea would just be a sham and I bet there will be a few weeks where there will be tribal for the two bottom teams. Speaking of tribal, that whole pirate ship was pretty cool.

As for my preseason predictions, with the Asians dominating, my pick of Becky is looking good. And speaking of looking good, I was totally spot on with Pavarti Shallow being the chick I would most want to have dirty, dirty sex with even if they hadn’t showered in a month award. And for the people who didn’t care for my religion themed tribes for the next Survivor, here’s another suggestion: divide the groups by sexual preference: straights, gay homosexuals, people who play on both sides of the ball, and a-sexual. And don’t tell me you wouldn’t want to watch that.

Verdict: Much like every Survivor past, I will watch like a lemming every week relegating Smallville and My Name Is Earl to VCR duty. If you missed the first episode, or want to see all the racial goodness again, head over to CBS’s broadband station Innertube to stream the episode for free (with limited or no ads). Every Friday morning, the latest episode will be available to stream there. Or if you want to download the show for a small fee, check out iTunes.

Lyrics Quiz: “Weird Al” Yankovic Edition

Even More Hints Added Below

With the release of Straight Outta Lynwood just days away, I figured that a “Weird Al” Yankovic theme would be appropriate for this month’s lyrics quiz. But since I can’t have all “Weird Al” songs because it would be too easy to guest the artist, instead the next twenty-five songs were all parodied by the accordion master at sometime. As always, put both the song title and artist in the comment section and if you are right, I will un-bold the song and give you credit. As an added bonus, you can get an extra point if you can name the title of the “Weird Al” song parody. If someone guesses the original lyrics but doesn’t guess the bonus, you can steal that point. Now onto the quiz:

Hints:
7. Speaking of the dude who changes his name every month; The Weird Al song had to do with technology and featured Drew Carey in the video.


1. Watchin' X-Files with no lights on, we're dans la maison, I hope the Smoking Man's in this one. (One Week - Barenaked Ladies; guessed by Lisa; Bonus not guessed)
2. I said, “Can I take you home where we can be alone?” Next we were movin' on and he was with me. (I Love Rock n Roll - Joan Jett and the Blackhearts; Bonus - I Love Rocky Road; both guessed by Angie)
3. We change the world tomorrow; this could be a better place. If you don’t like what I’m saying then won’t you slap my face? (Bad - Michael Jackson; Bonus - Fat; both guessed by TheWatchList)
4. How come everybody wanna keep it like a Kaiser? (Give it Away - Red Hot Chili Peppers; guessed by Dara; Bonus not guessed)
5. Dance to this and you're gonna get thinner, move, slide your rump, just for a minute let's all do the bump. (U Can't Touch This - M.C. Hammer; guessed by Lisa; Bonus not guessed)
6. He needs some cool tunes not any will suffice but they didn’t have Ice Cube so he bought Vanilla Ice. (Pretty Fly for a White Guy - The Offspring; Bonus - Pretty Fly for a Rabbi; both guessed by Lilfunky1)
7. Tryin’ to get my hands on some Grants like Horace. Yeah livin’ the raw deal three course meals.
8. The one she got was sorta rotten and insane, smcould land. all things so sad that birds (Lump - The Presidents of the United States of America; Bonus - Gump; both guessed by Dara)
9. You’re making me laugh out when you strike a pose; take off all your preppy cloths. (Complicated - Avril Lavigne; Bonus - A Complicated Song; both guessed by Lilfunky1)
10. If they can’t understand it how can they reach me? I guess they can’t. I guess they won’t. I guess they front that’s why I know my life is out of luck fool. (Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio; Bonus - Amish Paradise; both guessed by Lilfunky1)
11. Frustrated Incorporated. Well I know just what you need, I might just have the thing, I know what you'd pay to see. (Misery - Soul Asylum; guessed by Dara; Bonus Not Guessed)
12. They want you to be Jesus, they’ll go down on one knee, but they’ll want their money back if you’re alive at thirty-three. (Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me - U2; guessed by Lisa; Bonus not guessed)
13. Out of the doorway the bullets rip to the sound of the beat. (Another One Bites the Dust - Queen; guessed by MC; Bonus - Another One Rides the Bus; guessed by Angie)
14. I’m not dumb but I can’t understand why she walk like a woman but talk like a man. (Lola - The Kinks; guessed by Lisa; Bonus not guessed)
15. New Orleans, Detroit City, Dallas, Pittsburg PA, New York City, Kansas City, Atlanta, Chicago, and LA. (Living in America - James Brown; guessed by Lisa; Bonus not guessed)
16. The phone rings in the middle of the night, my father yells, “What you gonna do with your life?” (Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cindi Lauper; guessed by Lisa; Bonus not guessed)
17. Think about direction, wonder why you haven’t before. (Stand - R.E.M.; Bonus - Spam; guessed by TheWatchList)
18. There’s an old man sitting next to me making love to his tonic and gin. (Piano Man - Billy Joel; guessed by Lisa; Bonus - Ode to a Superhero; guessed by Anonymous)
19. Helter skelter in the summer swelter. (American Pie - Don McLean; guessed by Lisa; Bonus - The Saga Begins; guessed by Anonymous)
20. Now everybody do the propaganda and sing along to the age of paranoia. (American Idiot - Green Day; guessed by MC; Bonus not guessed)
21. This world is mine for the taking. Make me king, as we move toward a, new world order. (Lose Yourself - Eminem; Bonus - Couch Potato; both guessed by Lilfunky1)
22. Have the guts, got the glory, went the distance, now I'm not gonna stop. (Eye of the Tiger - Survivor; guessed by MC; Bonus not guessed)
23. You can act real rude and totally removed and I can act like an imbecile. (Safety Dance - Men Without Hats; guessed by Angie; Bonus not guessed)
24. Load up on guns and bring your friends. It's fun to lose and to pretend. (Smells Like Teen Spirit; Bonus - Smells like Nirvana; both guessed by Lisa)
25. There’s a little black spot on the sun today, it’s the same ol’ thing as yesterday. (King of Pain - The Police; guessed by Lisa; Bonus Not Guessed)


Some cool news I just learned that I'd like to pass along. Some already know that U2 and Green Day planned to team up on a cover for the Skids The Saints Are Coming to benifit The Edge's Music Rising fund. Well it was just announced that the bands will premiere the song live on Monday Night Football on ESPN September 25th which happens to be at the Superdome. The performance will then be available fordownload on Rhapsody. Hopefully the studio versions will be available everywhrere soon. (A small hint, both bands are in this lyrics quiz.)

In other U2 news, they have already begun work on their next album with Rick Rubin as producer. How great will that be with those two? Expect the album out next year sometime.

Walk Me Out in the Morning Sun

At first listen to Nightcrawler, the third album from Jersey’s own Pete Yorn, it is pretty much a let down. His first two albums was a return to root-rock in the mold of John Mellencamp and fellow Jersey denizen Bruce Springsteen but with a modern edge to it. But I wasn’t sold on his previous albums upon first listen either as they both grew on me to become permanent staples in my playlist. And more I listen to Nightcrawler, the more I’m coming around to it.

The main problem with this album is its rocky start, Vampyre is a little too dark and moody to kick of and album even with its weird upbeat outro. Then it moves into For Us (which features Dave Grohl of The Foo Fighters the drums) that just doesn’t click well. The album gets on track with Undercover, a classic Yorn song with electric elements but still rooted in rock music. Policies follows it up with a driving ambient which sounds like what Pearl Jam would have sounded like if they listen to too much of The Beach Boys. The Man is one of Yorn’s best, a soft lilting balled with lush harmonies provided by the Dixie Chick’s Natalie Maines. While Maybe I’m Right is right up there will all of Yorn straight ahead rock songs with crushing guitars.

The album does fall into tedium for a few songs until he starts sing about “Michael Jackson in Disney Land” where he’s walking around holding hands with Goofy. Um, yeah, you read that right. Actually Splendid Isolation actually works even with its absurd lyrics. But there are some more sidesteps on the album, Broken Bottle is a little to slow and could put you to sleep, same with Ice Age. Georgie Boy is just a little weird in a British kind of way.

Now apparently this album is the last in a trilogy of albums based on the events of one day. Looking at the album titles, Musicforthmorningafter, Day I Forgot, and Nightcrawler, it makes sense although it never crossed my mind listening t the individual songs on those albums. I’ll have to play all three in sequence and maybe it will click. But if you were to make a trilogy based on the events of a day, the night version shouldn’t be the least entertaining. But then again Nightcrawler may grow on me more like the pervious ones do.

Song to Download - The Man

Nightcrawler gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

Go ‘Head Be Gone with It

In a measure of full discloser, for the age ol’ debate of who from the boy band era sucked the least, I would always side with the Backstreet Boys. When it came down to, they were the better group to do karaoke to, and don’t try to tell me you and you’re boys never did a sing I Want it That Way at sometime in a drunken stupor. With that said, I won’t let bias taint my review of former the former *NSync member not currently making out with dude (well at least not in public), Justin Timberlake and his second solo outing FutureSex/LoveSounds.

The album starts out with the title track; well actually it is a little different as the song is entitled FutureSex/LoveSound because apparently the song just has a singular “sound” while the album as a whole has “sounds.” You’re a tricky one Justin Timberlake. The song plays almost like an intro that sets the mood with Timbaland futuristic beats that almost drown out the vocals that just repeat themselves anyways. Granted this intro drags on for almost four minutes, so the mood that is set isn’t a good one. The trend of futuristic beats follow for the next few songs making me feel like I’m in a techno club, but I haven’t taken the required mild altering drugs to make the music bearable.

Then about halfway through the album, the beats slow down and the song become more tolerable starting with the I Think She Knows (Interlude). It’s never a good sign when an interlude is one of the better songs on the album. This is actually attached to Love Stoned and in lies a major a major problem with the album, besides of course the music itself. A bunch of the songs blend into each other on the official track listing. To put it better there are sixteen different songs but there are only twelve tracks (if you are confused, check out iTunes or Amazon and it should make more sense).

Back to the music, once the tolerable arrives, it leaves just as quickly with the arrival of Oscar winners Three 6 Mafia. After hearing this song I have a better understanding why Crunchy Black left group (okay, I really have no clue why Crunchy Black left the group, or who Crunchy Black is, but I make it my mission to reference Crunchy Black as much as possible because it’s my new favorite name). And in his pitch to become the least credible rapper ever (which will be hard considering Nelly and Kevin Federline are still out there) the Antoine Merriwether look-a-like T.I. makes an appearance on My Love. Surprisingly his rap isn’t the most annoying part of the song as the intro could easily cause seizers and I would recommend pregnant women not listen to it. Then the once creditable Will.i.am shows up on Damn Girl (and the obscenity only get worse on the album as shown by the Parental Advisory sticker).

Then after fifty minutes of over-sexual music over headache inducing techno beats, TJ decides to make a social statement where he talks about how messed up things are in the world today on Until the End of Time. Ah, but wait, it’s all a rouse because he was using the end in near trick to bed some chick. Classy. And Prince better contact his lawyers because the song blatantly steals from The Beautiful Ones. On the next track Losing My Way, Timberlake makes a social commentary on crack but comes across as pretentious especially after saying, “I’m tired of trying to save the world” in the previous song. Then the song goes into almost parody mode when he brings in the church choir to close the song. I can just imagine JT in the studio thinking, “hey let’s bring in a church choir like on Man in the Mirror.” And we all know what happened to the dude who sang that song.

The album surprisingly ends with an actual song that doesn’t suck. Not surprising that (Another Song) All Over Again is the lone song produced by Rick Rubin who has worked on iconic albums like early Run-DMC ones and Johnny Cash’s American Recordings. The slow song recalls Memphis soul albums from the seventies to much effect. Now if Timberlake would recruit Rubin for his next album, make more songs like the closing track, and stop making inane goals like trying to bring SexyBack, that album may be worth listening to. And to that point, I don’t know why anyone would want to bring SexyBack because as a wise man once said, “It’s hip to be square.”

Song to Download - (Another Song) All Over Again

FutureSex/LoveSounds gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

It's Not a Silly Little Moment, it's Not the Storm before the Calm

There hasn’t been an artist this decade that has changed more musically than John Mayer granted he has yet to have a U2 type transformation yet, but the effort is there. Mayer started out his career, to some, as a solo Dave Matthews knock-off. And as much as his major label debut, Room for Squares, was pop perfection, he didn’t rest on his laurels for the follow-up Heavier Things. As the title suggested Mayer moved on from the safe world of pop-rock and made music more in the vain of his guitar idol some of which he even had the chance to play with over the years. To descend even deeper into the blues, Mayer recruited two heavy hitting studio and touring musicians in Steve Jordan and Pino Palladino to form the John Mayer Trio and tour behind a mix of new songs, cover tunes, and even made some of Mayer songs even bluesier.

Now Mayer is back to being a solo artist with the release of Continuum. The album does rehash a couple of the songs that were recorded for the live album the trio made, but Gravity and Vultures sound better now that they are polished up especially the latter which features a more crisper Mayer falsetto. It’s just the Trio again as the cover Jimi Hendrix’s Bold as Love but this studio version sounds a little overproduced and a Hendrix song should never sound overproduced. The band has done killer live version (you can find a version on a music service not named iTunes from the Tsunami Relief Benefit telethon) and may have benefited from putting a live version on the album instead. And just like its predecessor, the latest album Continuum lives up to its name as instead of making another blues album, this latest outing has much more of a soul vibe to it like on I Don’t Trust Myself where Mayer croons over silky horns and a mellow beat.

Aside from his musical growth, Continuum can also point to Mayer’s growth as a person as he deals with many grown up themes including not one, but two song with political commentaries. First up is the album opener and lead single Waiting on the World to Change. In the song Mayer brilliantly sums up the conscience of whatever you want to call the generation born in the late seventies to the early eighties highlighted by the line “It’s not that we don’t care, we just know that the fight ain’t fair.” Later there is Belief, featuring Ben Harper on guitar, where Mayer sums up all the wars in the world, most over religion, in Belief where he sings, “We’re never gonna win the world, we’re never gonna stop the war, we’re never gonna beat this if belief is what we’re fighting for.” Aside from the state of the world, Mayer takes stock of the state of his own life in Stop this Train featuring a dude from Maroon 5 who contributed some acoustic guitars, singing lines like, “So scare of getting older, I’m only good at being young.” I feel ya Johnny, I really hate this whole getting old thing too.

For those who prefer Mayer’s lovelorn songs, just head to the back of the album starting with Slow Dancing in a Burning Room, a song that you will undoubtedly be hitting the back button multiple times until you realized after an hour it would have been easier just to have hit repeat. I’m going to go ahead and call it right now that this song will replace You’re Beautiful from last year (as well as You and Me from two years ago) as the song that every television show plays at some romantic juncture for added effect (just think had Rescue Me played this song at the end of the season finale this year and how much more fitting it would have been). The song also has the potential to be this decade’s token mistake love song (see Crash into Me for the nineties; Every Breathe You Take for the eighties). For all of you that were teenage girls when Mayer first broke and flocked to his shows only to drown out ever word he sang as you shouted over him, prepare to shout, “Do I have to fall asleep with roses in my hand,” (Dreaming with a Broken Heart) and “I’m in repair, I’m not together but I’m getting there,” (In Repair) the next time Mayer visits your town.

Song to Download - Slow Dancing in a Burning Room

Continuum gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

Someday We’ll All Be Free

Five years ago I was working as driving instructor. Yeah I have plenty of material from that short experience to write a book, but that’s something for another time. Since school was in session in September, I didn’t start until the schools let out around three o’clock. So like many in their early twenties with nothing to get up fore in the morning, I routinely slept in back then. But on this day five years ago, I was awoken by my roommate who knocked on my bedroom door and told me to turn on the TV. When someone tells you to do as much, you know something is up because if it wasn’t important, someone would have to sell you on it like “turn on Sportcenter, they have the top ten goalie fights in NHL history.”

When I turned on my television, it was already tuned to NBC so it was The Today Show where I saw a picture of on of the Twin Towers with a pillar of smoke coming out of it. Katie Couric and her colleagues were taking about how this was possibly an accident, but I knew better, pilots just don’t accidentally fly into buildings and I doubted that they were even aloud to fly above New York City for that very reason just in case something went wrong. But Couric built her career on optimism, so it’s only fitting that an accident would be the best case scenario. Then just minutes after turning on my television, all doubt were put to rest as we could see live on our sets that a second plane flew into the other Twin Tower.

For the next five hours I sat in front of my television even though there was very little to report aside from another plane going into the Pentagon and a fourth plane that went down in the middle of Pennsylvania that may or may not have been connected. Of course we know now that it was and I even drove out to Shanksville on the first anniversary to see the memorial which was just a makeshift one. For those five hours I remember flipping through the channels of my television just to see how other channels reported the news. Most cable channels switched over to the broadcast station of their parent company such as MTV and VH1 were airing CBS News, USA and Bravo were showing NBC’s coverage, and so on while other channels just went blank. Even though I had no family or friends who

When if was finally time to go to work, I switched over to a radio station, which also simulated its sister station’s new coverage. When I picked up my first student up from school, we called her mother and I gave them two options, I could drive her home or we could go ahead with her scheduled block of driving. She, as well as my other students I had scheduled for that day, choose to go on with their appointment even the one who had an uncle who worked at the Pentagon. I usually don’t let student to listen to the radio as they drive, but I made an exception that day, and the next couple days so we both would be caught up to date.

If there was something good that came out of the days after September 11th was there was it brought the country together for the first time that I could remember. I was a little too young to remember the Miracle on Ice and of course World War II was well before my time. There was even a sense that the materialism of the vapid late nineties and would give way for people to live more meaningful lives. Of course that hasn’t happen as in the last five years Paris Hilton has somehow been able to release a book and album as well as star in a television show and a movie (well two, one of which you can purchase at Best Buy and one you can’t) and somehow her arrest was the biggest story of last week. Even the togetherness we felt as a nation didn’t last long as way too many people make too much money on this nation being divided and just three years afterwards we had the most bitter presidential election ever that is still being argued about two years after the fact making us more fractured then even before that day. And finally after five years, the powers that be just unveiled the plans for what the new World Trade Center plaza will look like, although maybe that would have gotten more press had they not made it public the same week Paris Hilton got her DUI.


For longtime reader, most of you know that the title of my posts comes from lines of songs or movies (or at least I hope you have figured that out by now). But as easy as this post flowed out of me, it took me a while to come up with a fitting title. But while typing this up, I put on the America: A Tribute to Heroes album. If you remember the Friday after, most every network simulcast a telethon to raise money for the victims then rushed out the CD with royalties also going to the fund. On the broadcast Alicia Keys performed a Donny Hathaway song; Someday We’ll All Be Free. Even though the previous paragraph decried how we as a culture have gotten worse opposed to better, I think there is hope that someday we’ll all be free.