1. A slightly truncated weekender for a slightly truncated week. First off, The Guardian’s newfound boldness paid off–in spades!–in the non-Snowden-related form of Giles Fraser’s “Our Fear of Boredom Is Simply a Fear of Coming Face to Face With Ourselves”. As the title indicates, it’s a terrifically wise take on what’s really going on in […]
Thanksgivings: Big Star’s Thank You Friends and Scott Walker’s Thanks for Chicago, Mr James
If rock n roll is to be trusted, it would appear that human beings are not hard-wired for gratitude. Songs dealing with the subject are that few and far between. Or perhaps the medium just lends itself to discontent? Either way, putting together a good Thanksgiving mix is no easy task. On their controversial Third […]
RIP Alex Chilton – Keep An Eye On The Sky
The greatest rock n roll anti-hero Alex Chilton of all-time died of a heart attack this past Thursday. In tribute, we thought we’d re-run the Big Star post that went up in October, “Keep An Eye On The Sky – Big Star Talks To God”. But first, children by the million: The Replacements Alex ChiltonUploaded by […]
Favorite Movies, Music and TV of 2009 (Plus)
Okay, here goes. I would break the pop culture of 2009 down this way: a pretty good year for music, an alright year for film and a downright incredible year for television. Five Favorite Films Of 2009* 1. Fantastic Mr Fox 2. District 9 3. In The Loop [warning for profuse-albeit-very-inventive foul language] 4. Coraline […]
November Playlist
Pretty heavy on the classic rock this time. Happy belated Thanksgiving: 1. Heroes And Villains – The Beach Boys 2. Just Another Whistle Stop – The Band 3. Caribbean Wind – Bob Dylan 4. The Cross – Prince 5. Space Age Mom – Damien Jurado 6. Apple Of My Eye – Badfinger 7. Everytime I […]
October Playlist
1. I’m Sorry – Hall & Oates 2. Meat City – John Lennon 3. Soily – Wings 4. Sowing The Seeds Of Love – Tears For Fears 5. 11th Dimension – Julian Casablancas 6. Last Dance – The Raveonettes 7. Two Weeks – Grizzly Bear 8. Jesus Christ – Big Star 9. Big Star Baby […]
Keep an Eye On the Sky: Big Star Talks to God
Last month brought the long-awaited release of Keep An Eye On The Sky, a boxed set collecting the music 70s power-pop pioneers Big Star. I recently heard the short-lived Memphis group referred to as “the greatest American cult rock band this side of The Velvet Underground”. Which basically means their influence is inversely proportionate to […]
