On 'The Artist' And What Makes A Movie 'Foreign'
Cries and Whispers notches a "nah" in that chart?! Well..."I cannot wish for anything better."
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On 100 Great (Not Best!) Songs of 2011
@s. My own objection to Lulu didn't stem from its whodathunkit sonic mishmash -- moments of which were inspired, if "difficult" in their way -- but from Reed's strangely unengaged hijacking of the Wedekind plays. (I did some reporting/close-reading on this angle for a story I never got around to writing, as it happens.)
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On 100 Great (Not Best!) Songs of 2011
@Bobby Womack Oh, just to be clear: those 50 albums (which are ranked) are all ones that I'd rep as being "enjoyable" listens, front to back. Each one obviously isn't suitable for every mood or listening environment, but I think of that as a good thing.
In any case, the albums that are available on Spotify I included in the playlist; if you'd like to hear them as albums, you can click-navigate toward just such an experience!
@Murgatroid Yes, I liked the Stetson but wasn't blown away. But I'm glad you, Nitsuh and many others are into it!
@semiserious @rodt You might like the tracks by Lone and 2562 in the playlist. Plus some of the hip-hop stuff, like Big K.R.I.T., might be used in a pinch by those at a dance party. (The Weeknd ain't for me, stacked against the R&B of Ambrosius, Saadiq, Hamilton, or Nikkiya.)
@Jasmine Heh, might as well be true! But I do think this solo piano CD is the best thing he's released yet.
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On See You Tonight For Our Holiday Party?
@Brian Nah, but I'll be there, droning on about poststructuralism in the corner. (Half of that sentence is true. GUESS WHICH)
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On 'Until The End Of The World' At 20
See also: Four Tet.
http://twitter.com/#!/FourTet/status/134285123607740416
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On Happy Birthday, Lion Cubs! Enjoy Your "Bloodcicles" And The Excellent New Wild Flag Video!
@Dave Bry @Matt Interested parties should also look into Timony's Kill Rock Stars LP from 2007, The Shapes We Make. (Full band behind her and everything.)
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On Happy Birthday, Lion Cubs! Enjoy Your "Bloodcicles" And The Excellent New Wild Flag Video!
This is indeed a good video, though it should not be watched by anyone currently homesick for Portland. (Miss u, Jackpot Records, Red E cafe, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.)
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On Maybe Stop Watching the Throne So Hard
@Dave Bry I hear you there. And I will also say I put the RZA-assisted "New Day" on repeat while on the train this morning ... even if I gritted my teeth through Ye's verse *every time*. RESOLVED: let us speak more comprehensively/holistically about the album in a month's time. (Though not online, maybe.)
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On Maybe Stop Watching the Throne So Hard
@Dave Bry Yeah, it's worth complaining about these things -- or at least raising those issues. But first off, I'm not sure this is an internet problem, strictly. This album is cultural news! Any news environment at any time, webby or not, would be on it. Covering the thing shortly after its release seems fair, even if critics didn't get the month-long head start they're used to (in the name of both leak-avoidance and aura-building).
I didn't write a trad review (or do a track by track breakdown of the various productions), because a) the Internet's already full of those, as you note and b) I'm happy to let the experience sit as a whole for a while. But the politics + class issues are right up front here. And besides, I'm not sure it's possible to over-focus on rap lyrics as lyrics -- that is, if one is persuaded by the way Jay talks about 'em in "Decoded."
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On Books Cheap
Denon's No Tomorrow is a good, short (and sexy) one -- but it's really just a short story! Not sure how they packaged it as a standalone novel. And in any case, the Lydia Davis translation that NYRB uses is also available in The Libertine Reader (if you could do with more libertine stuff).