Darn you VH1. I told myself I would not watch I Love the Millennium because it is too soon (not to mention I have March 2010 in the office pool as to when they would roll out the series. Then a massive thunder storm hit so I was flipping through the channels during it, stopping on the show. I said to myself I would only watch a segment and then do something productive, six hours later I finished off the marathon and felt dirty (crazy astronaut lady: too soon, man, too soon). Alas I didn't write anything for today so instead you can take an hour or so and check out the widget I mad of the best songs of last year. Because not all the songs are on Amazon MP3,where you can buy the songs DRM free, check out the 100 Best Songs of 2007 for the complete list.
And yes I realize the irony of railing against holding a nostalgia fest for stuff that happened as soon as last year only for me to roll out something from last year.
From the first time you hear the voice of Amos Lee you can tell he made the right decision to become a singer. He has the kind of soulful tones that other singers would go down to the crossroads and sell their soul to the devil to have. Of course being from Philly, a city that knows a thing or two about soul, Lee has probably had that mastered since birth. And by virtue of being on Blue Note Records, thanks to be discovered by Norah Jones, a fair amount of the blues seems in too.
On his third album, Last Days at the Lodge, really fleshes out the music that accompanies his voice which most likely can be attributed to bringing in some of best sidemen in the business including Doyle Bramhall, Jr. (Eric Clapton) on guitar, Spooner Oldham (Neil Young) on keys, Pino Palladino (John Mayer Trio) on bass, James Gadson (Bill Withers) on drums with Don Was (Was, Not Was) producing. Now there’s a murders row of a backing band if I ever saw one.
Lee gets it right from the start of the album when he demands you to Listen. A slick bass line that slow burns into a good old southern style rocker when the guitars kick in and the drums go into high gear. The rest of the album sits mostly in the mellow, sometime baby making (seriously, if you want some sweet lovin’, put on Won’t Let Me Go) category with slick back music reminiscent of Mussel Shoals classics. The standout that breaks that mold is Street Corner Preacher where Lee turns into a Bob Dylan style storyteller on a backdrop of a funky foot stomper that deserves to be heard on every street corner.
Every couple days I troll the internet for new music video and usually I still to acts I already know unless there is a big buzz around a new artist or if a title just catches my eye. Videos by Katy Perry and Charlotte Sometimes basically caught my eye for the exact same reason, I thought that I Kissed a Girl and How I Could Kill a Man were covers of Jill Sobule and Cypress Hill respectively and was severely disappointed when it turned out neither were. So let’s break them down individually to their predecessors:
What a different a decade makes. The Jill Sobule version would have been shocking had it not have been so cheesy. Not we have Katy Perry presumably trying to be shocking with her Girls Gone Wild video with all the good parts taken out. But you can find more shocking things on ABC Family in primetime these days. They you replace upbeat pop with dirty techno. Even worse: no Fabio cameo.
With MTV’s anti-violence stance it was shocking when Yo! MTV Raps started spinning the Cypress Hill song back in the early nineties. But ever since the Dixie Chicks said goodbye to Earl, it seems like every pop tart from Kelly Clarkson to that arsonist Taylor Swift want to do bodily harm to a jilted ex, so again, not so shocking over a decade later.
Okay, I guess it shouldn’t be too surprising that neither could stack up to the original. But as for the premise for the Toss Up between the two new songs, the clear winner is Charlotte Sometimes as her song is at least remotely catchy.
The world is now a little less funny with the passing of George Carlin this past weekend. Like many dudes my age, I was introduced to the comic as Bill and Ted’s spiritual guide on their excellent adventure and subsequent bogus journey, two of his rare appearances on screen which included a memorable cameo in Dogma as a priest who blessed his golf clubs. Of course Carlin spent most of his time on stage where he continued to do until his death and remained funny to the end as I remember seeing him on The Tonight Show not too long ago. Carlin was really the first stand up to have the great mix of intelligent humor and the obscene. If you are too young to know George Carlin, do yourself a favor and head over to YouTube and put his name into the search, pop some pop corn, and prepare not to do anything for the next couple hours (his most famous routine below and definitely not safe for work). Foe more on George Carlin, check out this Kevin Smith, who directed Dogma, eulogy from Newsweek.
We all do things for weird reason. Basically the only reason I check out movies starring the dude from The Notebook is because I have been told by multiple people that I look like the dude from The Notebook (full discloser: I do not think I look like the dude from The Notebook). Ironically one of the few movies of his I have never seen starring the dude from The Notebook is The Notebook.
If there is one thing the dude from The Notebook likes it to take roles that will push him as an actor. And there is really no way to push yourself more as an actor it to have your leading lady be inanimate object like in Lars and the Real Girl. Lars is your typical movie introvert, living in the garage of his family’s home; that is until he orders a living doll “introduces” her to his brother and his wife.
Naturally they are concerned and take him to the local shrink who suggests that they go along with it and he may eventually grow out of the delusion. Of course he may not. And naturally the town folks are a little weary that one of their residents taking Bianca to church and other town functions. This is especially heartbreaking to Lars’ co worker Kelli Garner (Man of the House) who was quite smitten with him despite him running around whenever he sees her.
With that premise, in lesser hands the movie would play like a Saturday Night Live skit that is stuck close to the end of the episode. But every time it seems like the movie is going to detour into the absurd, it comes back to being grounded. And the movie takes a real humorous look at mental illness. Cheers should go to the writer, director, and the dude from The Notebook to be able to pull this off.
Today I will be messing with my template so excuse if the 9th Green looks a little funky right now. Actually I will be trying to switch over to the new XML Blogger. Unfortunately I can pass using HTML but know nothing about XML, so come tomorrow you may be seeing the old template if I get too frustrated (which has happened every other time I have played with XML). But if everything goes well, hopefully this place will look a little more streamlined and organized. Feel free to leave any suggestions to what you would like to see added to the 9th Green in the comment section.
Quote of the Week: Profanity cheapens the soul and weakens the mind. (The Middleman, The Middleman)
Big News of the Week: Grey’s Anatomy Writing Sucks: Katherine Heigl confirmed what I have suspected for the past three years, that the Grey’s Anatomy writing staff isn’t very good. This stems from Heigl pulling herself from Emmy consideration as she says, “I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination” and followed that up with, “In addition, I did not want to potentially take away an opportunity from an actress who was given such materials.” Anyone want to play a game of Over/Under on how many episodes before those writers come up with a way to kill off her character? Of course this is not the first time Heigl has bitten the hand that feeds her calling Knocked Up, “a little sexist.” Heigl as of when I am posting this has no comment on the quality of 27 Dresses yet. (Scooter’s Note: I actually wrote this last week before bigger new broke late last week so I am posting it this week because nothing really that interesting happened.)
Coalition Links of the Week: It may be the Summer hiatus, but Buzz still has a few questions for Grey's Anatomy. (BuzzSugar)
If you know the significance of the 'bench dance', understand the genius of Mia Michaels, and secretly want to be on the Hot Tamale Train then you should check out GMMR & Ducky's So You Think You Can Dance podcast. (Give Me My Remote)
Marcia found herself thoroughly underwhelmed by The Middleman. (Pop Vultures)
On the set of Burn Notice, Rae discovers that Jeffrey Donovan's just as cool as his alter-ego Michael Westen. (RTVW)
Vance video recaps The Tony Awards since apparently, no one watched it on TV. By the way, go see In the Heights, Passing Strange and Xanadu (for real!)! All fantastic! Take a look at the clips for proof! (Tapeworthy)
Dan didn't see the mid-season finale of Battlestar Galactica coming -- that's for dang sure. This week, he mulled the twist ending as well as the concept of merging our world with Battlestar's. (TiFaux)
Jennifer thinks the Oscars and Emmys should take a cue from the TV Land Awards. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen Horshack from Welcome Back Kotter, Nellie Oleson from Little House on the Prairie, and Doc from The Love Boat dressed in their trademark costumes flying through the air, or the paparazzi catching a panty-free crotch shot of Mama from Mama’s Family. Add in the cast of The Office, Wilhelmina Slater, Justin Timberlake and a Lionel Richie concert, and the TV Land Awards were just about perfect. (Tube Talk)
This week, the TV Addict posted his theory on the highly anticipated spin-off of The Office and visited the set of Burn Notice. (the TV Addict)
Raoul talked to loudmouth Jen from Hell's Kitchen. (TV Filter)
Pick for Next Week: Rescue Me, Tuesday at 10:00 on FX: Sadly the season hasn’t been pushed up and we won’t get full episodes of Rescue Me until next year, but this is the first of ten five minute minisodes. For those that don’t see the reason to stay around the television for just five minutes, FX will run all ten together later this summer in one episode.
Yeah, I did my semi-regular I Want My Music Television yesterday, then I cam across this, quite possibly the greatest thing ever in the history of YouTube:
Toe Jam - B.P.A.
I cannot stop watching this video and surprisingly has nothing to do with naked chicks. Seriously Boob Pong could be the greatest thing ever. B.P.A. is just another alias for Norman Cook (if I am not mistaken, that is him, um, twirling) whom you may know better as Fatboy Slim with some help from David Byrne and Dizzee Rascal. Enough technical stuff, they make an eye ball complete with eyebrow their boobs. If I do not post tomorrow it will most likely because I am still watching this. I should not be this entertained with black bars.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I though I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form so here they are courtesy of YouTube. I advise you to watch them before you read my reviews if you don’t want me to spoil things. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available, if not the link goes to YouTube where you can watch the video in full screen). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
Okay, some real country music courtesy of the Old 97’s and the hot chick from Battlestar Galactica. I actually had a chance to meet her but unfortunately had a charity event that weekend. All for the best as I probably would have said something stupid, or worst nothing at all while I starred wide-eyed at her.
I have a soft spot for Vanessa Hudgens because my review of her album quadrupled the record amount of hits for one day at that time. Now there is no way to gauge it, but I also think that day I had the highest percentage of people disappointed to find the 9th Green. But anyways. It is odd that her singing voice in this song sound very little like her talking voice and her singing voice tends to change from song to song. Just thought I’d point that out.
Black gold in a white plight, won’t you fill up the tank, let’s go for a ride. I don’t care ‘bout no wheelchair, I’ve got so much left to do with my life.
Black Gold is no longer just a rocking Soul Asylum song; it is now a reality show on TruTV. Excuse me, it is not reality, it is actuality as the slogan for the former Court TV goes. Of course both refer to oil. Now I am not sure if a show following a bunch of Texas millionaires drilling for the natural recourse when the national average for a gallon of gas just broke four dollars, but the show premieres tonight at 10:00.
The show follows three drilling rigs in close proximity in West Texas that all set up shop at the same time looking to find a pocket of oil two miles under the surface. The process takes about fifty days and despite the millions of dollars it costs to drill in each location, each rig is not necessarily guaranteed to find any oil. Yep, on of the reasons why oil costs so much because it is still a gamble to fins anything.
The Longhorn is the veteran rig, both in terms of the rig, it is sixty years old, and the men drilling. The Viking is the new kid on the block in its first dig but it is complete with new technological advances. The Big Dog is by far the most powerful of the three by twenty-five percent, but is also manned by the least experienced driller.
There is plenty of action on each of the rigs as they drill in extreme heart, high winds, and nasty rain storms. And there is also action that isn’t supplied by Mother Nature with a loitering company guy hanging out at one rig and one driller and most of his crew getting canned within the first episode.
The oil men have plenty of great stories, like the driller with hands that looks like your high school shop teacher who is in a club of only eighteen other people (ones who survived falling off the top of the rig), with as many bleeps per episode as The Osbornes. My personal favorite being Peanut, a worm (least experiences guy on the rig) who almost gets himself killed or fired multiple times in his first week on the job.
The show comes from the guy that brought us Deadliest Catch and Ice Road Trucker so if you are a fan of either; Black Gold should be right up your alley. But just some things you should know first, there has been a lot made of Matthew McConaughey’s brother Rooster being on the show, but Rooter is one of the guys on the rig but just a pipe salesman. Also no one promises to drink another driller’s milkshake up. But here is a fun fact: Black Gold isn’t the first time cameras descended on Odessa, Texas; the city is where the movie and book Friday Night Lights were based in.
Okay, Coldplay never actually ruled the world like the character in the song Viva la Vida, but they were on schedule to do so after the amazing Rush of Blood to the Head put them on the cusp of being the biggest band in the land. The only problem was the follow-up X&Y crashed under its own weight, instead of sounding like the greatest band out there, the album came off sounding like a Coldplay cover band.
Knowing they missed a golden opportunity, Coldplay scrapped the idea for the band and started anew; the result is Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends is much less piano, lead singer Chris Martin discovering his voice can do more than falsetto, and more experimentation than their first three albums combined. That experimentation could be attributed to Brian Eno who is the go to producer when you are trying to mix up your sound.
The change is ever-present from the beginning with the instrumental opener Life in Technicolor featuring a Persian santur. And it seems the band picked up even more influences on their world tour aside from the album title, cover and their poor man’s French soldier get-ups they have been sporting everywhere lately. Cemeteries of London features clapping straight from Spanish flamingo dancers while Yes has a distinctive Middle Eastern fell to it. A bagpipe sound even creeps into the Beatlesque Strawberry Swing. But despite its title, Chinese Sleep Chant, the song doesn’t have much in common with the Far East and is really the only song on the album that sounds close to classic Coldplay with its crushing guitars. Even then, Martin’s falsetto is almost completely hidden under the rest of the band.
The writing gets a major overhaul on the album too with Martin’s main go to of relationship topics are rare, instead were get songs about politics like the first single Violet Hill. But the majority of the album deals goes into U2 territory of religion and mortality with such lines peppered throughout the album like, “God is in the houses and God is in my head” (Cemeteries of London), “You didn’t get to heaven but you made it close” (42) “I know St. Peter will call my name” (Viva la Vida) and “I don’t wanna follow Death and all his friends.”
All these changes for the band collimate in Lost! a foot stomping anthem complete with organs straight from a church playing under some crazy percussion instrument. One change that is a little off is all the combination of songs, three of which have two distinctive songs complete with their own titles on the same track. Then there is 42, one name but with three section; the first that has an early Pink Floyd vibe, the middle sound like Radiohead circa OK Computer while the last is something completely new.
Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends may not give Coldplay biggest band in the world status (especially with a new U2 album coming out in the same year) but the album is the band’s reapplication for that title. We will have to wait until album number five until we find out if they are finally accepted as such.
From the promo, it is hard to tell if The Middleman would end up thoroughly enjoyable or just head scratchingly bad. The acting is not in contention for ant awards and the production value looks like, well, the production value for an ABC Family show. But the lead character seems watchable. And it certainly helps that she looks like Rosario Dawson and Brittany Murphy were somehow able to create a child together and was raised a nerd.
The premise is simple, unbeknown to anyone; comic book supervillains are real and are maniacally trying to take over the world with harebrain plots. That is where The Middleman comes in; he foils the plots all the while keeping the mindless public from realizing the true danger that is out there. Yeah it sounds like Men in Black but no one has had their mind erased (yet). Keeping with the Men in Black theme, The Middleman recruits and new partner to help him in his dogoodary.
That is where are snarky heroine comes in, and really aren’t all the female protagonists since Buffy Summers snarky, who joins up because she has become so jaded with life she isn’t even fazed when she gets attacked by a science experiment gone (the CGI of which looked to take up about 95% of the episode’s budget). And in true comic book fashion, she even comes with alliteration, Wendy Watson. And she has good reason to be jaded, she stuck temping while dreaming of being an artist, her boyfriend is an ambiguously gay douche, her roommate is a activist looking for a cause, and of course her mother is nagging her about it all.
The highlight though is the afro-ed, guitar playing hippie who hangs in the hall of Wendy’s apartment spouting inane comments and obscure pop references. Seriously, it is hard not to down with a character whose first words onscreen are quoting Shaft. Rounding out the cast is The Middleman’s cranky secretary who really is not that fond of Wendy.
The first episode deals with a bunch of mobsters being killed off by, well, I don’t want to spoil it for you because, one, it is a hilarious concept (a good sign for the rest of the series), and two, I’m not sure you would believe me without seeing it for yourself. But I will say, the case involves the chick from 24. The show is chalk full with great one-liners and absurd monologues (it is a real life comic book). Aside from the low production value, being a comic book brought to life, it could have been more stylized, there really isn’t much downside. The sub par acting just builds into the campy feel to the show. Granted being from a writer of Lost there are some holes in the back-story like who sends The Middleman his weapons and dispenses him on his jobs. Hopefully we get these answers quicker than his last writing job.
The Middleman premieres tonight at 8:00 on ABC Family and repeats at 9:00 and midnight. For those that do not want to wait for tonight or want to watch it on the go (or just missed it), you can download the first episode of The Middleman for free on iTunes.
This month’s Lyrics Quiz is pretty simple, I sorted my iTunes library by time and these are the twenty-five longest songs I have. Well, these are all album versions; I took out all the live songs, remixes and obscure songs. Each of these songs clock in at more than six and a half minutes and are ranked starting with the largest. As always you need to put both artist and title in the comments section (or you can e-mail me) and if you are correct I will un-bold it and give you credit. The Lyrics Quiz is for entertainment purposes only so please do not use anything besides your own meandering mind to help you up with the answers. Now onto the quiz:
1. If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me? (Free Bird - Lynyrd Skynyrd; guessed by Dara)
2. Who's up for game three? I can barely see the bourbon drowning next to me and I just lost it all. (That Was a Crazy Game of Poker - O.A.R.; guessed by Lauren fm NC)
3. I never wanted to be your weekend lover. I only wanted to be some kind of friend. Baby I could never steal you from another. It’s such a shame our friendship had to end. (Purple Rain - Prince and the Revolution; guessed by Dara)
4. Did you write the book of love? And do you have faith in God above if the Bible tells you so? (American Pie - Don McLean; guessed by Dara) 5. There are days when outside your window. I see my refection when I slowly pass. Then I long for this mirrored perspective when we will be lovers, lovers at last. 6. And though they could not produce the gun the DA said he was the one who did the deed. And the all-white jury agreed. (Hurricane - Bob Dylan; guessed by Dave Faulkner) 7. The grass was greener. The light was brighter. The taste was sweeter. The nights of wonder. With friends surrounded. The dawn mist glowing. The water flowing. The endless river. Forever and ever. 8. It’s crazy I’m thinking just knowing the world is round and here I’m dancing on the ground. Never right side up or upside down. Is this real or am I dreaming. (Crush - Dave Matthews Band; guessed by Dara)
9. I dream that I never know anyone at the party and I’m always the host. If dreams are like movies than memories are films about ghosts. (Mrs. Potter's Lullaby - Counting Crows; guessed by Dara)
10. Hotel, motel, Holiday Inn. If your girls starts acting up then you take her friend. (Rapper's Delight - Sugarhill Gang; guessed by Curtisleefarmer)
11. Things are okay with me these days. Got a good job, got a good office. Got a new wife, got a new life and the family is fine. (Scenes from an Italian Restaurant - Billy Joel; guessed by Dave Faulkner)
12. Is this the way it’s really going down? Is this how we say goodbye? Should have known when you came around that you were gonna make me cry. (What Goes Around... / ...Comes Around - Justin Timberlake; guessed by Dara)
13. Where were you while we were getting high? (Champagne Supernova - Oasis; guessed by Dara)
14. I thought I told you to meet me, but I walk down o the beach. Tell me how does it feel when your heart goes cold? (Blue Monday - New Order; guessed by Dara) 15. I am yours, you are mine, you are what you are. You make it hard.
16. But this girl was ugly. I mean her body was threw. But after four drinks of more she looked like Paula Abdul.
17. For that mean, mean, mean, mean green. 18. And when he died all he left me was alone. (Papa Was a Rollin' Stone - The Temptations; guessed by Paul) 19. I’ll be loving you until the rainbow and stars aren’t in the skies. Loving you until the oceans cover every mountain high. 20. Remember to let her into your heart, then you can start to make it better. (Hey Jude - The Beatles; guessed by Dara) 21. In this great future you can’t forget your past. So dry your tears I say. 22. Like a fool I fell in love with you. Turned my whole world upside down. (Layla - Derek and the Dominos; guessed by Dara)
23. Right about now, the funk soul brother. Check it out now. (Rockafeller Skank - Fatboy Slim; guessed by Paul)
24. It’s four o’clock in the morning, damnit. Listen to me good, I’m sleeping with myself tonight. (Someone Saved My Life Tonight - Elton John; guessed by Paul)
25. The Surgeon General says it's hazardous to breathe. I’d have another cigarette, but I can’t see. (Paradise City - Guns n' Roses; guessed by Dara)
Quote of the Week: Of course you don’t. It is a literary reference anyone with a high school diploma would understand unless of course you are a dumb jock who eats his way through a public education system with an eighth grade reading comprehension. And you, what are you like forty-five now? The war is over honey. No more hiding at college to dodge the draft and miserable future of a minimum wage paying job. (Frannie, Greek)
Big News of the Week: A Melancholy Happy Trails to Tim Russert: For my political news, I always turn to NBC and Tim Russert was a big reason for that. I treat election night like a big game, picking up a six pack on the way home, and enjoy the back and forth as the results trickle in. And there are few lasting imagers from the quadruple overtime of the 2000 elections with Tim and his dry erase board which it looked like he just ripped off the door of a local college student. Sadly, I know just heartbreaking it is to know such a political junkie as Russert was that he won’t be around to see the outcome of this historical election. But it says a lot about him, in this time when most newsmen are as fair and balanced as an NBA ref that it wasn’t until watching the coverage of his death that I knew his political leanings. You could also tell that he was one of the few newsmen who, when you heard him talk that he truly enjoyed talking politics and it wasn’t just a job for him. If only news had more newsmen, or people like him. Election Day this year will not be the same without him. For more information on the life of Tim Russert, check out the coverage on MSNBC.com.
Coalition Links of the Week: Katherine Heigl made waves with her statement about Grey's Anatomy while pulling out of the Emmy race this week, but Buzz wondered if perhaps she had a point. (BuzzSugar)
We finally found out just who PJ's mystery date was on the premiere of My Boys. Did she bring along the right guy? If you're a fan of My Boys and in the Boston area, join GMMR & Jamie Kaler (Mike) next week for a My Boys party here in Beantown and watch the second episode with fellow fans. (Give Me My Remote)
Still reeling from her great day on the set of Burn Notice, Rae's got a recap of what happened as well as some visual aids. (RTVW)
Woohoo! It's the Top 20 Dance-Off on So You Think You Can Dance! Vance is super excited and the high level of endorphins from the excitement is probably causing him to love all the dancers so far! (Tapeworthy)
TiFaux was a regular Bloggers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes this week as we gave away all sorts of stuff. But you can still enter to win things like Jackie from Work Out's DVD by e-mailing us. Click the link and enter! (TiFaux)
The casting department at Brothers and Sisters can stop looking for Ryan Walker. Jennifer has found the perfect guy. She also mourned the loss of Men in Trees and celebrated that the Smurfs are coming to the big screen! (Tube Talk)
The TV Addict answers all your TV related questions in his new weekly column Ask the Addict. (The TV Addict)
Raoul talked to Bobby from Hell's Kitchen about Gordon Ramsay, Tourette's Syndrome, and what's next for him. (TV Filter)
Greek: As you can tell by the Quote of the Week I got catch up somewhat with the show thanks to the marathon. Unfortunately thanks to the marathon cutting out two episodes, the Greek website still having weird streaming rules, and my Time Warner Cable rearing its ugly head again, I only got five and a half of the eleven episodes I missed. Hopefully now that I have gotten to the point where Frannie has been reinstated she can go back to her Republican spouting ways and drop at least some of the niceties. Because not only is Nice Frannie not as interesting as a character, as seen from the flashback, Mean Frannie is actually more attractive too. Not sure if that says anything about me. You can stream select episodes on ABCFamily.com or download the whole first season of Greek on iTunes.
Pick for Next Week: The Middleman, Monday at 8:00 on ABC Family: This looks to be one of those shows that will either be the greatest things ever or the worst thing ever put to film (actually do they even put things to film anymore and should I start saying worst thing put on a hard drive?). When watching part of the Greek marathon, I stopped on one commercial in a fake PSA that had me on the floor laughing (see promo above). I should have a preview of the show up on Monday, but who cares what I think when you can preview the show yourself and download the first episode of The Middleman free on iTunes.
Also be sure to check out the Big DVD sale at Amazon.com where you can find all seasons of Scooter Hall of Fame inductee Dukes of Hazzard for under $20 and future SHoF'er Veronica Mars for under $25 and other movies, including Blu-Ray and television shows at up to 60% off.
Last month, southern rockers Old 97's released a decent new album Blame it on Gravity although I may never have heard of them had it not have been for Veronica Mars which featured two of their songs during Donut Run. The song that had me running to my computer to see who it was, which is actually a rarity, was the episode closer Adelaide. Then once I got the song I played it ad nausea for about a month afterwards. There is just something about the line, "Looking down she says things are looking up." Below you can see the Veronica Mars scene is question. I could not find a place you could stream the whole song without being autoplay, but you can download the song for free from the band's label's website New West Records.
It has gotten to the point there are so many female imports, that now they are coming across the pond with just one name. Last month saw the debut from Duffy and now comes 19 from the latest retro leaning lass Adele. But where her counterpoints stop at being one women girl groups of the Motown era, typically thanks to Mark Ronson production, Adele goes back even further with influences like Dusty Springfield and Etta James.
Without Ronson at the helm (aside from Cold Shoulder which is easily recognizable as his), the songs sound more simplistic. This isn’t more evident than on the great kiss off, Best for Last with its single bass guitar and a few friends singing background on the chorus to back up the songstress. That same template also shows up on Crazy for Your, sans the background sings, almost to the same effect. Then on First Love it is just her and an sweet arrangement on a xylophone.
Certainly, most of the rest of the songs get the full band treatment, but the real standout instrument on these tracks remains Adele’s voice. Yeah, much like Duffy, it may take a couple listens to get used to, but once that taste is acquired, this is an album that won’t get old quick and it is her voice that saves these songs from boring Norah Jones territory. For the best example of where she just lets go vocally, check out Melt My Heart to Stone.
It is only when Adele speeds things up for something more danceable and in Amy Winehouse’s wheelhouse do things just don’t feel right like on Right as Rain. Speaking of things that just don’t work, the Bob Dylan penned To Make You Feel My Love, the only song on the album not written by Adele, just feels out of place and may have been better off staying in the realm of old dudes like Billy Joel.
Living all my life above the Mason Dixon, I would be able to tell you the difference between Bill Engvall and Bill Bixby. But apparently he was part of the Blue Color Comedy thing with the king redneck Jeff Foxworthy and his series, the appropriately titled The Bill Engvall Show, is the top rated family sitcom on TBS and even set records as ad-supported cable’s number one sitcom of all time among adults 25-54. This is pretty impressive until you of just how little the amount of ad-supported cable sitcom their have been. But anyways.
For those of you like me and missed the first season, let me catch you up to speed. The show is billed as a traditional sitcom (i.e. the ones you remember from the 80’s) and Engvall is just your regular guy with a regular wife (Nancy Travis) raising three kids in the suburbs. Of course being a traditional sitcom, none of these siblings possibly came from the same gene pool. The youngest, naturally is the smartest of the bunch, presumably a genius, while his older brother received the Danny DeVito in Twins treatment and got not brain cells and floats around in full surfer mode. Then there is the eldest daughter who is just too cool for the rest of the clan and has as much street smarts as her youngest brother has book smarts.
Then out of nowhere, Tim Meadows of all people pops up as Engvall’s old friends from way back. The show is remotely entertaining in a stop and enjoys some wholesome fun when flipping past TV Land kind of way. The first episode of the season starts off with the children going on strike when Bill asks them to clean the garage and hilarity ensues when they fight with their parents on who will back down first. The second finds Bill fighting with his cell phone provider and really who cannot laugh at how painful it is to talk to these people.
The Bill Engvall Show premieres this Thursday at 9:00 on TBS.
My Boys seems to be the perfect summer show, it isn’t good enough to divert your attention during the regular season, but is decent enough to keep you from watching all the crappy reality shows that populate the warmer months. Last season ended with PJ heading off to Rome and TBS has forbidden me from revealing who is actually on the plane, but I can say, well nothing because the whole episode revolves around who is on the trip.
So let’s move onto the second episode of the season which was much more entertaining. First, the episode feels more like the series feel during the first season with PJ back with her boys playing poker and the like. This episode also introduces Andy’s new hot nanny which naturally all the guys try to hook up with.
TBS also sent along some clips, one of the opening scene with JP on the plane and the other with the boys back in Chicago not functioning well without here. My Boys premieres this Thursday at 9:30 on TBS. You can also relive the first season, and download the new season as it airs by downloading My Boys on iTunes.
Ask and you shall receive. Not long after mentioning that if anyone sends me free food I would shamelessly mention their project when The Closer sent me cookies did I receive a box of Mountain Dew. In a measure of full disclosure, I stopped drinking pop (or as Jo likes to call it, soda) around college and stopped drinking Mountain Dew around high school when I first heard the urban legend of what the pop does to a man’s manhood. But since the new Dew do not have the infamous yellow dye that is rumored to have the side effect I went ahead and gave it a try because it id free and I’m shameless.
Just a little back story, last November Mountain Dew let its drinkers create the next Mountain Dew choosing the flavor, color, logo and label through a series of online games. But if American Karaoke has taught us anything, letting people vote isn’t the way to success (the show has produced much more flops than actual idols) so we are suck with such silly names as Voltage, Revolution, and Supernova, instead of simpler, more descriptive names like Raspberry Citrus, Wild Berry Fruit, and Strawberry Melon, which is what the flavors of each of the drinks are respectively. And apparently the internet loves ginseng because each drink has it.
Being that each drink has some sort of “berry” in it, the flavors don’t taste too much different, but I would give the slight edge to Supernova with Voltage in a close second. None of these drink will get back to drinking pop full time, but any would be a nice change of pace from the usually Coke/Pepsi you find at most cookouts and the like. But who cares what I think, since all the cans hit the shelves earlier this month, you can give each try yourself and then go to DEWmocracy.com and vote your favorite, with the lead vote getter becoming a permanent flavor at the end of the summer.
Big New of the Week: Jeffrey Tambor, Gary Cole, and Rob Thomas All in One Place: When talking about next year’s schedule I asked where were the Rob Thomas shows were at and apparently at least one is still in development as it was announced that Tambor (Arrested Development) and Gary Cole (Office Space) will star in the pilot joining another AD vet Mae Whitman who was last not seen on Bionic Woman when she was replaced with someone more attractive and with less acting ability.
Coalition Links of the Week: To kick off Summer TV, Buzz listed her top 10 reasons to keep your TV on during the hotter months. (BuzzSugar)
Rae's in Miami visiting the set of Burn Notice but she's still got time to tease us with a few tidbits from the dinner with showrunner and creator Matt Nix. (RTVW)
Vance has always loved the Midwest (People are seriously SO nice AND good looking there!) so no wonder he loved the most dancers at the auditions in Milwaukee for So You Think You Can Dance. (Tapeworthy)
This week, Jace couldn't have been more angry than upon seeing sourpuss Lisa advance her way into the final round on Top Chef. Grr. (Televisionary)
Apparently the ratings for The Mole were in the crapper for the season premiere. However, Dan still thinks it's a reasonably good reality show that is worth sticking with. (TiFaux)
Smallville fans are still mourning the loss of Michael Rosenbaum's departure for next season, but the news that the Green Arrow (Justin Hartley) has signed on as a regular cast member is softening the blow for Jennifer. I mean, have you seen him in the green leather?! (Tube Talk)
We started our desperate attempt to fill the summer with 'interesting content' by posting the first of what will no doubt be many look backs at the 2007-08 television season. (the TV Addict)
Kate talked to the cast of How I Met Your Mother about life, love and just who is the mother? (TV Filter)
Fear Itself: So I basically only watched of Landry Clarke and it was basically what I expected, not really my thing. And it was a little weird seeing Landry not be Landry.
Next Week’s Pick: My Boys, Thursday at 9:30 on TBS: The first season was mildly entertaining and the second season promises to start right where the first left off with PJ going to Rome with a mystery man. Baring a catastrophe, I should have a preview of the show, along with The Bill Engvall Show which also has its season premiere right before My Boys.
Also, if you are like me and missed the second half of the first season of Greek, ABC Family is having at mini marathon starting a noon of the show leading up to the first season finale.
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on my 
is because I have been told by multiple people that I look like the dude from The Notebook (full discloser: I do not think I look like the dude from The Notebook). Ironically one of the few movies of his I have never seen starring the dude from The Notebook is The Notebook.
) who was quite smitten with him despite him running around whenever he sees her.
but no one has had their mind erased (yet). Keeping with the Men in Black theme, The Middleman recruits and new partner to help him in his dogoodary.
where you can find all seasons of Scooter Hall of Fame inductee Dukes of Hazzard for under $20 and future SHoF'er Veronica Mars for under $25 and other movies, including Blu-Ray and television shows at up to 60% off.
treatment and got not brain cells and floats around in full surfer mode. Then there is the eldest daughter who is just too cool for the rest of the clan and has as much street smarts as her youngest brother has book smarts.
