If you don’t have flash on your device, you can view the video on YouTube with this link. Why didn’t I just embed the YouTube video? Damian Kulash, Jr., one of the guys in the band, wrote a very interesting article on a fan forum a few days ago that did an excellent job of explaining the intricacies of the music industry’s DRM machine. Today Kulash followed up with a tremendous New York Times Guest Op-Ed.

I think celebrities sometimes reach a tipping point where they will forever be boxed in by their past actions. Welcome to the club, Mel. Tom Cruise and Gary Busey are glad you’re here.

Keith’s response was rather graceless and his joke about Jon was a bit mean-spirited. However, he did admit he was wrong and apologized.

My eyes were immediately drawn to one of the movies on the bottom and in the middle, The Beider Meinhof Complex. The name was somewhat familiar so I read the description but it didn’t interest me so I closed the window.

Part Two
Every day I review the main page of links at reddit.com, an link aggregator where I often find interesting articles, pictures and video. This morning was no exception as I opened a dozen tabs to peruse one by one. When I got near the bottom of the page, I was a little freaked to see this:

Sure enough, the article exactly described the reverse of what had just happened to me seconds before as I read the link description. Sometimes life is surreal.

There is a great deal of profanity so if that’s not your bag, you probably shouldn’t watch the show (or this clip).

HBO only aired 12 episodes before the show was cancelled by the DVD release includes a 13th episode. You can find the DVD on Amazon or Netflix. Tina and I both agree it’s one of the funniest shows we’ve ever watched and add it to the list of inexplicably cancelled shows.

Top Albums of 2008
1. Raising Sand by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss: When I first heard that these two had gotten together to record an album, I was a bit perplexed. Aside from his brief stint with The Honeydrippers in the 80s, Robert Plant has always been the penultimate heavy metal singer, one who dwells a couple of octaves above where most of us live. Putting him together with Krauss’ gentle soprano made no sense to me until I heard the results of this wondrous collaboration. Pushed outside their comfort zones by famed producer T-Bone Burnett, these two combined to produce a sound that neither could make by themselves. Burnett picked most of the material for the album and it’s hard to argue against his choices. “Killing The Blues”, in particular, showcases how well Plant and Krauss are able to weave their voices together, occasionally stepping out for a phrase or a word to subtle but pleasing effect. Burnett’s influence is so profound that he deserves to be credited with Krauss and Plant as an album artist. The production itself is atmospheric and would be best appreciated in a quiet and possibly dark environment. This is the ideal album for driving down the road by yourself at midnight when you wished you were already home.
2. In Rainbows by Radiohead: When Radiohead delivered their 1997 concept album, OK Computer, it drew many comparisons to Dark Side of the Moon. Since then their output has been brilliant but uneven. Still, it was obvious that they were pushing their own boundaries and the limits of rock and roll, much like Pink Floyd before them. If OK Computer was their Dark Side, then In Rainbows is surely Wish You Were Here. The emphasis is on musicianship and making interesting sounds rather than on lyrical themes and telling a story. As always, Thom Yorke’s vocals soar above everything and provide the baseline anchor for the melody. More than any other singer, Yorke’s voice acts less like a vehicle for delivering the lyrics and more as another instrument in the beautiful cacophony of sound. Songs like “15 Step” and “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi” start with a bare drum pattern with Yorke’s vocal and slowly layer instruments on top until the song has morphed into a complex, lush aural concoction. This is music that completely lacks ego. Guitar solos are eschewed for catchy rhythm loops and all the bass parts are inaudible unless you go hunting for them. I can’t wait to hear Radiohead’s equivalent of The Wall.
3. Songs for Silverman by Ben Folds: In the pantheon of rock and roll, the superstar guitar players probably outnumber the superstar piano players by at least four to one. In fact, the list of singing piano player artists is quite short: Jerry Lee Lewis, Elton John, Billy Joel, Tori Amos and perhaps Fiona Apple. To this list you should add Ben Folds and his 2005 album, Songs for Silverman. While many of the aforementioned artists are sometimes content to consign their instruments to the background of the song, Folds always keeps his piano at the forefront as the lead instrument. I’m tempted to compare him to Jerry Lee in this regard, but his music is much more extraordinary and complex than Lewis’. Think of how beautiful Joel plays on “Piano Man” and you have an inkling of Folds playing style. In addition, Folds is a talented songwriter who writes catchy melodies that are well-suited to his lovely voice. “Gracie”, written for his daughter, is bound to resonate with parents in the same way that Jimmy Buffet’s “Little Miss Magic” does while “Jesusland” is an ironic but earnest take on modern suburbia. There’s a quality to Folds’ voice that makes it easy to empathize with him and his point of view.
4. It’s A Shame About Ray by The Lemonheads: I don’t know how this 1992 album slipped under my radar for so many years. More amazing is that a power pop album with lightly country overtones could become popular when grunge was taking over the world. Part of the reason is Evan Dando’s voice, which is both distinctive and familiar. Production (by The Robb Brothers) emphasizes the liberal use of acoustic guitars over late 80s “alternative” band arrangements (think R.E.M.). Dando’s lyrics are incisive and resonant, such as on ”Bit Part”, a paean from a desperate, spurned lover (“I want a bit part in your life, a walk-on would be fine”) which leads perfectly into the optimistic “Alison’s Starting To Happen”. The songwriting is disciplined as no song goes much beyond three minutes and most stay under two. The album ends perfectly with “Frank Mills”, a cover of a song from the musical Hair.
5. Down by the Old Mainstream by Golden Smog: Years ago I read about something called “alt-country”, a pseudo-underground musical movement based around traditional country music but with none of the commercial aspirations that you find with the artists that Nashville tries to shove down our throats on country radio. Golden Smog is a “supergroup” with a shifting cast of musicians from bands that have made their name as alt-country artists. For this particular incarnation, the cast includes Jeff Tweedy (from Uncle Tupelo and Wilco), Gary Louris (The Jayhawks) and Dan Murphy (Soul Asylum), all of whom also serve as the primary songwriters. Excellent harmonies and acoustic instrumentation are featured heavily on songs that tear down the boundaries between rock and roll, pop, folk and country music. The presence of numerous vocalists also reminds you that it’s all temporary until everyone returns to their own band. In the meantime, this is a very enjoyable diversion.
6. Accelerate by R.E.M.: After a couple of ho-hum albums, R.E.M. roared back into musical relevance with this rocking 2008 album. Although it’s short (34 minutes) by the standards of the digital age, there’s not a single clunker on this CD. If you’re a long-time R.E.M. fan like I am, this album might remind you of Monster, 1994’s failed attempt to break from their previous work with straight rock and roll. Fourteen years after that gloomy record, it’s clear that R.E.M. has learned from their mistakes and produced an album that stands up to repeated listening. Although they dip into the dark for their subject matter here and there (as in their take on the New Orleans disaster, “Houston”), they balance it with careful optimism (“Accelerate”) and unbridled joy (“I’m Gonna DJ”). Guitarist Peter Buck also experiments with several different tones on this album, unlike Monster where the glam-rock crunchy guitar eventually became overdone.
7. The Shepherd’s Dog by Iron & Wine: Iron & Wine is one of those bands that simply defy categorization. Singer-songwriter Samuel Beam has a distinctive vocal delivery technique that borders on whispering which he melds perfectly with sparse and mostly acoustic instrumentation. Iron & Wine became most famous when the last track from this album, “Flightless Bird, American Mouth”, was picked up for the Twilight soundtrack but there are many tracks on this album that are just as good. I have a particular fondness for “Boy With A Coin”, “White Tooth Man” and “Resurrection Fern”. Beam’s voice glides along so easily that it is disarming when he reaches for the higher notes. The fact that he does so with equally clever lyrical turns only serves to make the effect that much more pleasant. Enjoying The Shepherd’s Dog at that level will probably require isolated listening but this album also lends itself quite well to listening with others.

Honorable Mention Albums for 2008
• Greatest Kiss by Kiss: I used to view with disdain those who purchased “The Best of” or “Greatest Hits” albums. As I’ve grown older, I come to recognize that sometimes the career anthology is the most economical way to “own” a band. Kiss is an excellent example for that approach. While never a fan (in fact, I hated them when they were proclaimed to be “bigger than the Beatles”), I do enjoy many of their songs. Several years ago I picked up an excellent tribute album called Kiss My Ass that I played incessantly for a time. Thus, when this album popped up as a two dollar special on Amazon one day, I couldn’t resist. I now have all the classic Kiss I will ever want including “Rock and Roll All Night” and “Beth“. Party on, Wayne.
• Greatest Hits by Styx: I know it’s not uncommon for people of my age to have a nostalgic love for Styx but I think my fondness probably extends beyond that of the average fan. When I was young my brother, Kent, loaned his cassette player stereo to me and my sisters for a time and included some of his cassettes. One of those cassettes was The Grand Illusion, which became one of the first albums I appreciated as a whole. Later it would be one of the first to arrive from the RCA Music Service (later to become BMG Music Service) along with Pieces of Eight and Cornerstone. Although I greeted the arrival of Paradise Theatre with the same enthusiasm that I had given their earlier work, it signaled the eventual departure of Styx from my life. Kilroy Was Here was even more disappointing and came at a time when my musical horizons were expanding. The fact that I never even bought that album says everything about my respect for it. Over the years I’ve encountered a number of Styx fans more rabid than I which only had the effect of reminding me of the pretentious excess of their work in the 80s. Finally, I came to realize that I missed the “album tracks” from The Grand Illusion and that I should have it in my CD collection, so I put it on my wishlist for a time but never purchased it. Eventually, after I reconsidered my position on the retrospective anthology, I investigated anthology options for Styx and found this gem. It has five of the eight songs from The Grand Illusion as well as the good songs from the albums that preceded it. Sure, it’s got the requisite 80s hits, but I suppose I can forgive them for that. The only downside is a new song called “Show Me The Way” which is totally unrelated to the Frampton song and is one of the few songs that I have unchecked in iTunes so it never plays again.
• The Jimi Hendrix Experience Box Set by Jimi Hendrix: I’ve purchased Electric Ladyland at least three times and recorded it more than that. I own all the studio albums, two live albums and several of the albums that have been released posthumously. I’ve paid for movies on VHS and DVD. I’ve sought out numerous documentaries and read several books. I am a lifelong fan of Jimi Hendrix. I offer that as context and an excuse for what follows: unrepentant raving about a box set release aimed at a niche market. When you listen to an alternate take and can tell the difference from the released song, it’s a sure sign that you know an artist’s work too well. I think it is only with that sort of rabid allegiance that one can enjoy a box set such as this. Even so, there are a few things here that the average fan can enjoy. For example, there are two separate versions of “Little Wing” that made me fall in love with that song all over. Alternate takes and live versions abound and there are all manner of previously unreleased songs including some great covers like “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and “Like A Rolling Stone“.

(via isthisreallynecessary)

(switch to chat client)

Mick: dude

(wait 30 seconds and then send text message: “Are TMBG really playing at Jackie’s work?”)

Jonathan: yeah
Mick: Ooops, just sent you a text message
Jonathan: yes they are
Mick: holy shit
Jonathan: beavo powells
Mick: admission?
Mick: what time?
Jonathan: free
Jonathan: i can call her
Mick: please
Mick: G is a huge fan

They Might Be Giants at the Beaverton Powell's

Jonathan: let me see if she answers
Jonathan: oh man that would be cool then
Mick: Cedar Hills Crossing?
Jonathan: yes
Jonathan: 4:30 free
Mick: [explitive deleted]!
Jonathan: they are playing songs from a kids thing they do..
Mick: omg
Jonathan: jackie said there are 100 people there
Jonathan: mini drum kit and mini stage
Jonathan: from a book called “kids go”
Mick: 100 already?
Jonathan: TMBG are a big band
Jonathan: free show
Jonathan: of course 100:)
Mick: think if we get there in 40 minutes we will get in?
Jonathan: i dont know
Jonathan: sorry
Jonathan: traffic is less bad today since its a holiday
Mick: awesome
Mick: no need to apologize
Mick: the boys are hopping
Mick: we’re leaving in 5
Jonathan: haha good luck

(run to the other side of the house yelling, “Get dressed, we’re going to Beaverton!”)