So prior to The World Is Flat, I read Collapse. The conclusion to that book was that that if China and India consume resources at the rate of Americans, the world is going to descend into an apocalyptic state of war, famine, and turmoil. After finishing The World Is Flat, I’m convinced this is inevitable. [...]
Posts under ‘Media’
Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not
The Arctic Monkeys are the most promising UK acts finding their way into my collection. This album is superior to countrymen Franz Ferdinand and Bloc Party. The radio single “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor” is one of the album’s highlights and representative of the brash teenage type theme. I don’t think [...]
KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic
I’ve frequently mentioned the radio show Morning Becomes Eclectic from KCRW, the NPR station out of Santa Monica, as a way to listen to new music. The typical format of the show is a 15 minute set, a 15 minute interview, and then another 15 minute set of music. What I didn’t realize is that [...]
Eels with Smoosh at the Fillmore
A few words about the opening act. Smoosh [official site / allmusic bio] is a duo of sisters from Seattle, aged 14 and 12. They played at the Fillmore in San Francisco. This is an awesome way to spend one’s summer vacation.
What makes an Eels show great is that it’s going to be unique, almost [...]
The New Pornographers – Twin Cinema
In the genre of power pop, there’s basically Carl Newman (NP, solo album under A.C. Newman, Zumpano), then Fountains of Wayne, and then a large drop off. Jimmy Eat World stands out from the crowd a bit. NP get bonus points for the inclusion of Neko Case, who provides the fan-favorite female voice [...]
Company (Max Barry)
A book where a major storyline is the investigation of a stolen donut is a special thing. The scary part is that this is based on an actual incident at Hewlett-Packard. The rest of the novel doesn’t draw as literally from Max Barry’s time at the computer giant, but what does it say about [...]
Bloc Party – Silent Alarm
I sort of missed the boat on Bloc Party. Last year’s single Banquet garnered quite a bit of attention, but then I read a misleading review and passed on Silent Alarm. Anyway, I finally gave Bloc Party another chance, and it’s better than I rememeber. Does it live up to last summer’s hype? Pitchfork thinks [...]
Collapse (Jared Diamond)
Guns, Germs, and Steel is Diamond’s history of the world. Collapse is Diamond’s prediction for the future based on the success or failure of past civilizations. The conclusion is that there are 12 major environmental challenges facing us, and if we don’t overcome all of them, there’s going to be a sharp decline in [...]
The Go! Team – Thunder, Lightning, Strike
Now here’s something pretty different. In addition to the normal instruments, i.e. guitars and drums, the Go! Team also play the harmonica, glockenspiel, recorder, and banjo along side samples of trumpet lines while the vocals basically consist of cheerleader or double-dutch type chants. The result is something celebretory and triumphant, reminiscent of the music from [...]
Metric – Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? / Live It Out
A few weeks back, I tuned in to Live 105’s new and indie music show, Soundcheck, and thought I was hearing a new Yeah Yeah Yeahs track. I was getting into it, and excited about a new YYYs album. Well, I was way off. The song turned out to be “Monster Hospital” by [...]
Giants baseball! Catch the fever! How about for $100?
In their new radio advertising campaign, the Giants offer to pay a guy on the street $100 to paint his face black and orange. The guy is about to accept, when he realizes that the painters are going to put the interlocking SF logo on his face. He then changes his mind, declares his allegeance [...]
Broken Social Scene – You Forgot It In People
The Canadian Broken Social Scene has been around for a while, but I only stumbled upon them playing with the machine at Rasputin. Apparently they earned a reputation as a pop act after 2001’s Feel Good Lost, but You Forgot It In People is more indie/experimental. I’m not sure you can be considered anything [...]