Tomorrow is the debut of Hip Hop Honors celebrating the twenty-five years of seminal rap label Def Jam. And to do a little honoring of my own I am highlighting one of my personal songs that the label produced that seems to get lost in the cracks in the annals of rap history. This despite being one of the few rap songs that even non-rap heads can appreciate (I remember a guy in high school who wore nothing by Metallica t-shirts who would walk around singing the Nate Dogg parts all the time) thanks to the late back rhymes of Warren G, a sing-a-long hook courtesy of Nate Dogg (and with all due respect to Mary J. Blige, he is the best of all time), and samples provided by Michael McDonald and Young Guns, where the title comes from. I dare you to press play and not instinctively sing along with ever word.
Tool Academy: I need someone to explain to me again how running across tapioca pudding leads to maturity? Shouldn’t playing with your food show a lack of maturity? And sadly Big Big got the ax, things will be less fun without him. You can stream recent episodes over at vh1.com. You can also download Tool Academy on iTunes.
Trauma: I though the show was going to turn the corner when Herc told the gang bangers “Don’t shoot the white guy” but unfortunately the character stuff just isn’t living up to the bang bang stuff. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Trauma on iTunes.
The Big Bang Theory: To answer Sheldon’s question he posed at the end of the episode: yes, every hot chick to walk this planet. Or at the very least every one I have ran into. You can stream current episodes over at cbs.com. You can also download The Big Bang Theory on iTunes.
Castle: It always has to be the naïve husband, doesn’t it. But what does it say about me that I was thinking that the babysitter would turn out to be the culprit. 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.
Sons of Anarchy: One of the most intriguing relationships of the show is that between Hale and Unser, well Captain American Hale and anyone. But the scene where Unser told Hale why he made Hale his number two was a great one. But Hale has been uncharacteristically grey recently. First he doesn’t do anything about Darby’s meth lab and then he gives Jax the video of Opie at the scene of the crime. If Hale’s moral compass starts to drift east, is there any hope for Charming? You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Sons of Anarchy on iTunes.
Mercy: Even though I saw it coming, I can’t believe they let a raccoon loose in the hospital. And then Dawn Summers killed it! Good times. Although Rescue Me did a much funnier Russian internet bride storyline. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Mercy on iTunes.
Gary Unmarried: It was a little disappointing that we did get to learn what Louis said to the bully. One could deduce that it was something global warming related as it caused the kid to stay in front of The Weather Channel. But it would have been nice to know the exact threat she gave him. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com. You can also download Gary Unmarried on iTunes.
Modern Family: After keeping the families separate last episode, it is clear the show is at its best when they interest. The fake producers should force the families to have at least one family dinner a week just to have an excuse to do so. And I found it odd that the eldest daughter’s boyfriend has been in more episodes than the daughter herself. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.
Real World-Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins: Someone who still watches MTV really needs to remind me when there is a new Challenge because I always seem to miss the start and have to play catch up. And oh so much happened in the first two episodes. Except any punches thrown. Instead we get a lot of head butting, literally. But my favorite moment so far was Darrell’s housewife comment. He may have said it just to get under the skin of Wes, but he basically insulted every female on the show because Kelly Anne may not even crack the top five sexual partners on the show. But what be the most shocking is Brad being on the challengers team. How many of these has he participated in and hasn’t won any yet. Even Katie and Tonya have managed to scrape out a win over the past decade. You can stream recent episodes over at mtv.com. You can also download Real World-Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins on iTunes.
Survivor: Samoa: I was really hoping that the one tribe was going to go 0-for until the merge. And how you could blame Monica (who thankfully didn’t go home because she was my pick to win it all) because you still were leading coming off the rope portion of the competition. You lost because you couldn’t get the final blocks to stay. Hopefully Russell’s tribe gets back to its losing ways, wise up to his shenanigans and vote him off. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com.
Community: From the pilot I thought making Annie the lead would be best for the show and after this episode I realized how they should go about it. For a spin-off, follow her in her pursuit of a psychology degree because those scenes were the funniest of the series so far. I could pass along some plot ideas from the experiments I participated during my college days. You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Community on iTunes.
Quote of the Week: I’ve actually been in this situation many times so I’m just going to be upfront: I’m not allowed to date students. Even though you’re an eight, which is a British ten. (Professor Duncan – Community)
Big News of the Week: NBC Cancels Southland: Here is one of the most surprising cancelations ever as NBC has canceled Southland before it even airs. I have heard of networks canceling new shows before they air, but this is the first time I have heard of an already established show getting the ax before the season premiered. But being optimistic guy I am, hopefully this means that Friday Night Lights can return early 2010 instead of having to wait until that summer for those of us without DirecTV. Because it is not like NBC has much left to fill hole left with Day One getting cut to miniseries status; just Chuck and Parenthood (if they ever get around to recasting Maura Tierney(Scooter's Update: Never mind. Lauren Graham just signed up)). Or NBC is going to turn 9:00 into the Dateline NBC hour and only have scripted shows at 8:00.
Coalition Links of the Week: We keep hearing that the only thing keeping us from an Arrested Development movie is scheduling conflicts, so BuzzSugar checked in on what each cast member is up to now. (BuzzSugar)
Vance agrees with Mia Michaels who said that the remaining Top 4 Girls in the current So You Think You Can Dance Canada Top 8 is the strongest ever. But Vance still loves Vincent best. (Tapeworthy)
Video of the Week: Another once in a lifetime performance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon as Chritopher Cross is joined onstage with Michael McDonald all the while backed by The Roots for Ride Like the Wind. I can die in peace now.
Next Week Pick of the Week: Hip Hop Honors, Tuesday at 9:00 on VH1: I am not sure how I feel with instead of honoring individual rappers this year instead honoring Def Jam as a whole. VH1 could have honored the label on a separate occasion because there are still a lot of artists Hip Hop Honors still need to get around to. Def Jam legends Public Enemy, DMX, Method Man and Redman will share the stage with Eminem, Wale, Kid Rock and many more during the show all backed by house band The Roots. Hopefully Christopher Cross will be nowhere to be found.
It is hard to image that The Dog Whisperer is entering its sixth season because in his hundred plus cases Cesar Millan has yet to come to the McGavin compound to tame my dogs yet. Of course of the episodes I have seen, my terrors (see Ren and Snoopy’s Doghouse) are like angels compared to most of the dogs Cesar has come up against. And for the sixth season premiere of The Dog Whisperer, Cesar is doing a little something different.
Instead of going to our houses to correct problems our dogs have, for the season premiere Cesar is showing us How to Raise the Perfect Dog (there is also a book of the same name out that Cesar has written) so we don’t have to contact him in the future. To demonstrate, adopted for new dogs of different breeds: a Labrador pup Marley, a Miniature Schnauzer Angel, an English Bulldog Mr. President, and a Pit Bull pup Junior. The latter Cesar hopes that he can groom to help him in tougher cases as he number two Daddy gets up there in age.
But after the premiere, Cesar will be back into the field helping with other people’s dog featuring thirty new episodes starting tonight. Cesar will even be heading Down Under to Australia this season as well as to Texas to work with NASA astronauts. And of course visits some well known dog owners in the next couple weeks including The Biggest Loser’s Jillian Michaels and Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum.
The Dog Whisperer airs Fridays at 9:00 on the National Geographic Channel. You can stream select episodes over at Hulu. You can download episodes of The Dog Whisperer on iTunes. You can also buy previous seasons and specials of The Dog Whisperer on Amazon.
At the start of the decade, I would have put money on David Gray would at the end of the decade would be one of the biggest. On White Ladder he effortless mixed a singer-songwriter and electronic music with a pop sensibility better than anyone had before. But some tragedy between albums led to a darker A New Day at Midnight and Life in Slow Motion didn’t get much sunnier. So with months until the end of the decade I am glad I am not a betting man.
But that is not to say Gray didn’t deserve to stay in the public consensus as there were plenty of great songs on those two albums. And he has put out another strong effort with Draw the Line, the first album without longtime contributor Craig McClune. Without McClune, the album has a folksier feel to it, dropping the electronic sounds of previous work. Gray also brought in a pair of singing partners, Jolie Holland adds some sweet harmonies on Kathleen. The other being a very angry Annie Lennox, whose voice I first thought was Meat Loaf until I looked at the liner notes, closes out the album with Full Stream.
Draw the Line starts off with the impassioned Fugitive which stands up with anything in the Dave Gray catalogue. And the simplistic Transformation is Gray at his best that starts with just him and the piano. But if there is a criticism to be had with Draw the Line is that as a whole it is a little too melancholy and you just wish he would let go like on Fugitive. Then there is Harder which gets too close like sounding like Run by Snow Patrol. But for those that have stuck with during his dark period will still find the classic David Gray on Draw the Line.
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.
Ask me on the right day and I say this is my favorite Dave Matthews Band song off their latest album. And this video just looks cool with all the additions to the band as the song progresses.
When The Roots signed on to be Jimmy Fallon’s house band that we would get less music from the band. But maybe being tied to one place means more albums with How I Got Over coming later this year. Speaking of The Roots night job, one byproduct is some awesome collaborations including the recent one where they backed Christopher Cross and Michael McDonald. I think I can die in peace now.
When did Norah Jones become the go to hook singer for rappers? An odd composition from Q-Tip with just one verse that just name drops his favorite rappers that doesn’t even start until a minute and a half of Jones crooning. I like it though.
Some music supervisors on television shows care more about breaking bands these days than actually fitting the best song with a scene. And writers are more than willing to write these musical montages because they can no longer fill forty-two minutes worth of dialogue anymore. I even remember reading one silly article about a feud between the supervisors of One Tree Hill and Grey’s Anatomy on whom broke an artist first.
Then you have a show like Friday Night Lights which builds its show around the spacey soundtrack provided by Explosions in the Sky and artfully selects music not base on what is on the radio or some silly chest thumping my a music supervisor that they single handedly broke a band but on what songs would heighten the mood of the scene. This was most notably evident with the Tony Lucca’s version of Daniel Johnston’s Devil Town that bookended episodes in the first season.
Another standout from the musical department at Friday Night Lights was the song the accompanied the official coupling of Landry and Tyra with If it’s the Beaches by The Avett Brothers. I can count the number of times I rushed to my computer to find a song I heard on a television show on one hand of a shop teacher, and that is one of them. The song managed to be heartbreakingly romantic without being sappy and got massive airplay on my iPod since Friday Night Lights helped me discover it.
Now after almost ten years on the indie circuit, the brothers Seth and Scott signed to Rick Rubin’s American Recordings with Rubin producing I and Love and You. And as Rubin shown on his session with Johnny Cash, Rubin has no problem producing great country music even with the Avett Brothers eclectic set up of acoustic guitar, banjo, piano, upright bass, trumpet and cello.
For those that lone introduction to the band is their contribution to Friday Night Lights, start right off with the first single, title track, album opener, I and Love and You (three word that became hard to say) that packs the same emotional punch as If it’s the Beaches and with all due respect to Jay-Z and Mos Def, I and Love and You is the best ode to Brooklyn since the Beastie Boys refused to sleep until they got there. From the title track, move to Heart Full of Doubt where the band prefects the emotional punch of previous work with the brothers vocals soaring with intertwining harmonies.
But the Avett Brothers just don’t settle with battling with Ryan Adams for the title of sappiest artist from North Carolina, there are also have plenty of songs that could kick start any hootenanny that just beg to be heard like Kick Drum Heart, Tin Man, Slight Figure of Speech, and Laundry Room which ends with a killer fiddle solo. The even wraps up the emotional punch and upbeat party into The Perfect Space effortlessly and to great effect.
Back in 2007 I called Paramore the band of the year (See The 100 Best Songs of 2007). Granted that isn’t as prestigious as it sounds as I also called 2007 the most mediocre year ever. And Paramore just fit that description, they were nothing to write home about (or a blog about as that was the first and last time I wrote about the band on the 9th Green until today) but not bad enough that you will want to plug your ears. Plus lead singer Hayley Williams is a highly likable person that you really can’t say anything bad about (unless of course you consider being called mediocre an insult).
The band’s formula hasn’t changed much for their third album Brand New Eyes but they do sound tighter as a band and that may be attributed to the band aging (though most of the members are still unable to buy beer) and new producer Rob Cavallo (Green Day). This can be heard most on first single Ignorance that sounds like their breakout hit Misery Business but bigger. Brand New Eyes should be right up the alley the rabid fanbase it garnered with the release of Riot! or anyone who was like Avril Lavigne but wish she was more edgy (but not too much).
For those looking for a primer to get into the band, look for Brick by Boring Brick. And for anyone looking for something difference, check the slowed down The Only Exception and Misguided Ghost which makes you wish the band would go with the, soft, simplistic, acoustic route more often. Or combine the two songs like do on the album closer All I Wanted. If Paramore was able to perfect their sound on Brand New Eyes, hopefully on their next album that can expound their sound.
Tool Academy: That was a morbid therapy session. I’m not sure I would want to teach a girlfriend how to appreciate me. And another week another peak into Leah’s world. Last week we learned she was a stripper and this week she has a kid whom I am presuming is not Dre P’s. I can’t image that the Rebecca-Manscaped Tool will last that long because he was ready to dump her after the challenge even though she was a perfect lady during the date. I can’t image it would last much longer after she sees that footage. Plus as we saw from the dress she wore at elimination, she is way out o his league. You can stream recent episodes over at vh1.com. You can also download Tool Academy on iTunes.
Greek: Holy Olivia Munn sighting! Let’s hope that she stick around a while. As an added bonus, having Cappie and Evan catering may be comedy gold. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.
The Big Bang Theory: I was really hoping that the Leonard-Penny relationship would flame out because I had the under. Plus the sooner that happens, the sooner we can get the drunken Penny-Sheldon hook-up. You can download The Big Bang Theory on iTunes.
Castle: You pretty much knew there was going to be some sort of draw when they doubled up on the head shaving. Too bad, because the dresses side bet would have been funny. But watching Beckett get in on the action almost made up for it. 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.
Sons of Anarchy: After some slow burning so far this season, we get to see a boiling point between Jax and Clay. But I get a feeling we will have to wait until the end of the season before something big goes down. You would think Piney would take things into his own hands if Jax doesn’t do something soon though. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Sons of Anarchy on iTunes.
Mercy:I think I may had laughed more during this episode than any of the sitcoms this week. And that wasn’t even because of the dude from Saturday Night Live because I rarely laugh at him when he is on SNL. Although I laughed pretty hard when no one tried to stop him when he cut off his ear only for a delayed tackle from the orderlies. This show may turn out to be watchable after all, but maybe not for the reasons the show wants you to watch. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Mercy on iTunes.
Modern Family: Really the only thing funnier than a racist (Al Bundy calling Superman and Manny’s father illegal aliens had me on the floor), is a racist that is actually married to a minority. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.
Survivor: Samoa: Well that was a letdown. The promo made it seem like Jaison was going to plot against Russell but he just wanted to get Ben out. Hurph. And what is with all the comined immunity and reward challenges? They haven’t done a separate one yet expect for that mini one in the premiere with just the four participants. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com.
Quote of the Week: Truth is, I was an idiot back then. You saw the goatee. (Ted, How I Met Your Mother)
Song of the Week: Centuries – Stars of Track and Field (Greek)
Big News of the Week: The Olympics are Heading to Rio: It is probably a slow news week when the big news is something that won’t happen for another seven years. But the Olympics will be heading to South America for the first time ever beating out Chicago despite the presence of the Big O’s. I never really understood the Chicago nomination because as a resident of the Great Lakes, I cannot imagine anyone wanting to do any open water swimming in Lake Michigan and when I think summer, The Windy City never has ever crossed my mind. Instead the games will be heading to the sandy beaches of Ro de Janeiro which may be the most visually striking games since Barcelona. And as an added bonus, it is only one hour ahead EST so none of the silly tape delays that plague NBC whenever the Games are held in the other hemisphere.
Coalition Links of the Week: Vance ranks the new shows he's checked out from best to worst. Where did you think he put Glee and Modern Family? (Tapeworthy)
In the wake of the much ballyhooed Jenny Slate controversy, Kyle examined indecency, SNL, the FCC and drew one conclusion -- who cares? (TiFaux)
As the third season of Mad Men rolls on, BuzzSugar's got the rundown on what other projects the talented ladies of the show have lined up. (BuzzSugar)
This week, we took a first look at Al Pacino in HBO's new original movie, You Don't Know Jack. (Daemon's TV)
Free Download of the Week: Trauma (iTunes): I was lukewarm on the premiere (see First Impressions: Trauma) and I cannot imagine the explosions and helicopter crashes will look better on an iPod, but for those interested you can download the episode for free.
Deal of the Week: Halloween Sale (Shaun of the Dead, Beetlejuice, Freddy vs. Jason, Ghostbusters)
Video of the Week: As a straight man, I am a huge fan of breasts and feel obligated to promote breast health every once in a while and have even participating in a few Relay for Life walks and the like. Being Breast Cancer Awareness Month here is a public service announcement featuring Minka Kelly, Alyson Hannigan, Emily Deschanel, Jamie King, and Katherine McPhee. The clip may be from Funny or Die, but early detection is no laughing matter.
Next Week Pick of the Week: 30 for 30, Tuesday at 8:00 on ESPN: No one does self congratulatory like ESPN, their 25th anniversary seemed to last five years. For thirty years on basic cable, the network is handing the reigns over to thirty directors to do a documentary on a story of the past three decades including Barry Levinson (Colts leaving Baltimore), Steve Nash (Terry Fox), John Singleton (Marion Jones) and Ice Cube (the Raiders in LA). The celebration kicks off Tuesday with Friday Night Lights creator Peter Berg looking into Wayne Gretzky’s trade to Los Angeles.
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 In Gail We Trust, Mercy, Trauma, Yo Gabba Gabba, The 20 Most Shocking, Poliwood, Episodes, and 15 Duo Who Should Do It.
- Right off of the success of CTRL, NBC’s latest foray into digital programming is In Gail We Trust starring Eliza Donavan. The ten part series is already up to its sixth episode, but for a primer, here is a trailer for the show:
- After this week’s episode, I think we can go ahead and firmly put Mercy in the guilty pleasure category. I think I actually laugh more at Mercy than any of the comedies that aired this week. And that unintentional comedy isn’t exclusive to the television as the character Chloe (You may know her better as Dawn Summers) has started a blog over at nbc.com which is pretty nonsensical. In other NBC blog news, the real Aimee Garcia has one taking you behind the scenes of her show Trauma also on nbc.com.
- Here’s one for those that have kiddies, Yo Gabba Gabba is heading out for its first tour with tickets currently on sale for American Express users (the rest can get theirs October 6). Head over to their website for times, dates and locations.
- On TruTV tomorrow in the premiere of new series The 20 Most Shocking at 8:00. The show will feature some of the most shocking things ever caught on film like practical jokes gone wrong and after-hour misadventures.
- The press release for Poliwood that looks into the convergence of politics and Hollywood actually has a line in it that says, “The film gives the viewer a front-row seat and backroom access to the most significant presidential campaign of the 21st century.” You know, of the two presidential campaigns we have had so far in the 21st century. But anyways. The documentary airs Tuesday November 2nd at 7:30 on Showtime, a week before people forget to go out and vote. In other Showtime news, Matt LeBlanc will star in Episodes about a show within a show set to air sometime in 2010.
In Hollywood’s never-ending quest to avoid coming up with new ideas, A Nightmare on Elm Street is the latest slasher film to get “re-imagined” after Rob Zombie’s Halloween (which is already onto the sequel) and the horrible reboot of Friday the 13th earlier this year. Of course it is almost an insult to Freddy Kruger to call his movie a slasher flick because he was much more cerebral than the slow and stalking killers of his ilk which made him the scariest of the genre. Of course this begs the question how soon until the second scariest, Pinhead gets his own millennium makeover?
Unlike the unwatchable reincarnation of Friday the 13th (except of course for that one “stupendous” scene), the new A Nightmare on Elm Street may live up to its legacy. C’mon, it stars Tami Taylor and Beaver Casablancas. Although I have never heard of the girl who updates the chick from Just the Ten of Us. Where they may lose me is that they did not bring back Robert Englund as Freddy instead opting for Rorschach from Watchmen. Are you telling me even a sixty-plus Englund still couldn’t still pull Freddy? This is almost as egregious as not bring back Mr. T for The A-Team movie. Englund may not have been included in the new movie, but his version of Freddy Kruger is being inducted into the Scooter Hall of Fame. And here’s hoping if the long rumored Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash ever comes to fruition Englund gets the nod.
But what do I know; check out the Englund-less trailer below for yourself:
The real question though with the new Elm Street coming April 30, 2010 is which rapper is going to update DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince’s A Nightmare On My Street for the film?
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.
Wow. I had Carrie Underwood at 8 on my Most Anticipated Albums of Fall 2009 list, but after watching this video I may have to bump that up a couple notches. Well maybe not because there won’t be in videos included.
This year’s VMA’s have come and gone and the token buzz band Muse failed to impress. But band continues their penchant for weird videos with this Staypuff Marshmallow inspired by way of a teddy bear theme. Alrighty.
Well the Kanye West exile lasted just about as long as the death of auto-tune. Can’t say I am surprised about either even though I wished both would have lasted a little longer.
How long has it been since we have had a pop star with glasses? I’m thinking mid-nineties. Gary Go wants to buck that trend with his ultra-catchy tunes. And if you like Wonderful, you can download it for free over at Borders.com as I write this.
When the new shows were announced last May, one show stood out from the rest for me: Trauma. This says something as I stay away from medical shows due to my dislike of the sight of blood. But the show came from Peter Berg, the guy who gave us the second greatest television show of the 00’s, Friday Night Lights. Berg even pulled Herc from his wheelchair for the new show as one of the paramedics on the show. A finger-less Buddy Garrity even makes an appearance in the premiere.
Trauma also produced the best promo of the season with its mid-air helicopter collision that was even more jaw-droppingly looking in its entirety. That accident sets up the rest of the show as the plot then goes forward a year and everyone still seems shaken up. Anastasia Griffith (Damages) lost her partner / lover and naturally she is struggling with the fact she was supposed to be on the chopper that crashed. She was kept off from the flight by Cliff Curtis (10,000 B.C.) who may or may not also had a relationship with Griffith and somehow survived the crash when he was thrown from the cockpit onto a rooftop.
After some time in a coma Curtis return to the job just son happens to be the one year anniversary. His first day back is also the first day coincides with the first day on the job Aimee Garcia (George Lopez) who had been flying in Iraq because what show these days wouldn’t be complete without a war veteran in its cast? Filling out the cast are Derek Luke (Notorious) as Herc’s partner who can’t get over that day a year ago and Jamey Sheridan (Chicago Hope) who seems to be in charge of the paramedics. While Griffith’s new partner may or masy not be the long lost Jonas Brother.
Verdict: The crashes were visually stunning but one has to wonder how a show could keep that up in this economy. And aside from a few scenes like the Garrity car crash, the show wouldn’t have been that special without those crashes. But then again, if you check out my First Impressions of Friday Night Lights, I was not keen on the first episode and just look how that show turned out. And since they have graduated and Berg is fond of nepotism, I would not mind seeing, Smash Williams, Jason Street, Lyla Garrity and / or Tyra Collette make an appearance on Trauma.
Trauma airs Mondays at 9:00 on NBC. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Trauma on iTunes (as I write this, you can download the Pilot for free).
It seemed like someone made a conscience effort to make Pearl Jam’s last album, the self titled one, a comeback album with a full media blitz behind its release (or as full as the media shy band has had in a while). The band even appeared in their first music video fourteen years. But the album just didn’t stand out from their other four albums since they were last a cultural phenomenon with the release of Vitology. The band’s ninth studio album Backspacer may not be getting the comeback buzz the last one did, but it is actually better and possibly their best this decade.
What may or may not be coincidentally, this is the first time the band worked with producer Brendan O’Brien since 1998’s Yield. And the album is better for it with much of the songs short and to the point with eleven songs crammed into thirty-six minutes. And you can tell that from the beginning with the rapid fire beginning of the first three tracks Gonna See My Friend, Got Some, and The Fixer barreling through in less than nine minutes and you will be surprised it took that long after listening to them in a row. It is like the band reminding everyone they are a rock band first and foremost.
That’s not to say the album slows down with the next track Johnny Guitar slows things down that much sounding like Eddie Vedder singing over lost track from Bruce Springsteen’s seventies catalogue. Things do get slowed for Just Breathe which may be the most melancholy song the band has ever recorded. Backspacer may not get Pearl Jam back to their former glory (granted the record business isn’t creating many cultural phenomenons anymore) but it should get some of the fans that wrote off the band earlier this decade back.
Please note, if you buy Backspacer on CD or through iTunes, you can download two concerts from the band in their entirety from a virtual vault that features eleven concerts spanning from 2005-2008. Also the only big box retailer selling the album is Target (you should also be able to find it at your local record store with a different cover than the one at Target) and the only online store you can find it is iTunes where it is available in its new iTunes LP format (see banner below).
Tool Academy: This episode made it clear that the show should never have a competition between just the guys. C’mon, wouldn’t the farming challenge have been more entertaining if the females were helping out? But therapy more than made up for it. They always make the females on the show seem like angels, but when two were outted as strippers you can see things a little more clear from the tools perspective. And I totally have to back Shannon on her observations of strippers. You can stream recent episodes over at vh1.com. You can also download Tool Academy on iTunes.
Greek: I am never a fan of dope humor and the wingman metaphors just fell flat, but this episode was saved by three things, Laura’s adventures in karaoke, Rebecca’s reaction to finding out her boyfriend was gay and professor Homer Simpson’s curmudgeoness. And with Frannie apparently no longer at Cypress Rhoades, Laura is been slowly becoming my favorite character on the show after landing last week’s quote of the week and this week’s musical interludes. Now if only she starts making geo-political references she will make my favorite character’s list. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.
Castle: You have to admire any woman who carries around a slutty outfit in her purse just in a case where a situation where one is needed. Too bad we didn’t get more with Castle commenting on Beckett’s outfit. And just when you thought the case was a simple someone gets thrown of a building kind, the ambulance gets attacked. Can’t say I saw that coming. 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.
Sons of Anarchy: I am not sure what I laughed at more, Bobby Elvis singing Jewish tunes or the Mad Men porn. Well, Bobby singing had a much less disturbing ending to it. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Sons of Anarchy on iTunes.
Gary Unmarried: Interesting that Gary’s dream job is a sports radio host considering he has guest hosted the Jim Rome Show and even participated in a few Smack Off’s. The cast overhaul continues for anyone without the last name Brookes as both love interests are gone as well as Gary’s Hispanic buddy who is traded in for a black one. The class warfare with the station manager, albeit extremely clichéd, should induce some laughs. But Louise still remains the star of the show. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com. You can also download Gary Unmarried on iTunes.
Survivor: Samoa: I literally cringed when Russell found the immunity idol. He isn’t the love to hate kind of person, he is a loathe that I even know who he is kind of person. On the bright spot, he is so conceited he may not see a blindside coming. And this season is dying for a blindside. Maybe I am just spoiled from all the blindsides last season. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com.
Community: It is clear that Annie is going to be the reason to watch the show, she stole every scene she was in and actually really the only good scenes beside the montage at the end. Hopefully next semester we can get her a spinoff. You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Community on iTunes.
, where the title comes from. I dare you to press play and not instinctively sing along with ever word.
- Will Hoge
(Evil Dead/Evil Dead II, Hellraiser, Creepshow 2)
(there is also a book of the same name out that Cesar has written) so we don’t have to contact him in the future. To demonstrate, adopted for new dogs of different breeds: a Labrador pup Marley, a Miniature Schnauzer Angel, an English Bulldog Mr. President, and a Pit Bull pup Junior. The latter Cesar hopes that he can groom to help him in tougher cases as he number two Daddy gets up there in age.
![Terror Alert Level: High [ORANGE]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebDZ0qqwOVKMZj7oFSUe8Hm3ax54U9Hp1fThJPgiddTyzcdwx_5SV6E3b7hkKyxbaDiym4COmUXT2YJnsKCUjBHI_a2xZtNoY7qFQRslP5AGO5gLkJwn2ZbO0wIF80ycbKrgPPA/s400/small_high.png)
on my 
![Terror Alert Level: Elevated [YELLOW]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-iVFV0hXCTSYP16K_V0Rrxp3GqFrtBIJKeTUyQ2LpxZQ9XKHFj6QGtqqa7oxhLadLV8vUj8R84AftD8IKUSfN0u_u0CYDtJwhrpCPN2DBWquAIDv0jbVlhZL0mDFKlPKluGyxw/s400/small_elevated.png)
on my 
(which is already onto the sequel) and the horrible reboot of 
earlier this year. Of course it is almost an insult to Freddy Kruger to call his movie a slasher flick because he was much more cerebral than the slow and stalking killers of his ilk which made him the scariest of the genre. Of course this begs the question how soon until the second scariest, 
gets his own millennium makeover?
and 
. Although I have never heard of the girl who updates the chick from Just the Ten of Us. Where they may lose me is that they did not bring back Robert Englund as Freddy instead opting for Rorschach from 
. Are you telling me even a sixty-plus Englund still couldn’t still pull Freddy? This is almost as egregious as not bring back Mr. T for The A-Team movie. Englund may not have been included in the new movie, but his version of Freddy Kruger is being inducted into the 
for the film?
) lost her partner / lover and naturally she is struggling with the fact she was supposed to be on the chopper that crashed. She was kept off from the flight by Cliff Curtis (
) who may or may not also had a relationship with Griffith and somehow survived the crash when he was thrown from the cockpit onto a rooftop.
) who had been flying in Iraq because what show these days wouldn’t be complete without a war veteran in its cast? Filling out the cast are Derek Luke (
) as Herc’s partner who can’t get over that day a year ago and Jamey Sheridan (Chicago Hope) who seems to be in charge of the paramedics. While Griffith’s new partner may or masy not be the long lost Jonas Brother.
