tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24694237635031036322024-02-18T18:03:43.418-08:00Holland, 2002Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-71881369680356611402012-01-07T07:35:00.000-08:002012-01-08T07:21:57.718-08:00Try the Punch: Handpicked Hits from 2011<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHIcpHptsB-3lL0tzrhC7EPEKXW-5zXkvI62xcn0z1qfEH2qhQvGHXlfGyT6yiAq9kfiP-TzdiKcHbdNlODIeMYLoQXFxPrVgSiKkvQmINBLm1oyHw46cSdBPr_h-jxwV0Lqr15FpMU0/s1600/Try+The+Punch.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 263px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHIcpHptsB-3lL0tzrhC7EPEKXW-5zXkvI62xcn0z1qfEH2qhQvGHXlfGyT6yiAq9kfiP-TzdiKcHbdNlODIeMYLoQXFxPrVgSiKkvQmINBLm1oyHw46cSdBPr_h-jxwV0Lqr15FpMU0/s320/Try+The+Punch.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695280570372820162" /></a><br /><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b></b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:16px;"><b></b></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">Hello friends,</span></p><p></p><b><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">Thank you for your interest in this year's mixes. For those of you new to the drill, here's a little bit about them:</span></p></b><b> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">The discs are organized (roughly) by genre. In total, there are five this year, and the tracklisting can be found below. Although you may be mostly interested in one or two, I encourage everyone to try them all. The country/folk mix may have Taylor Swift & Lady Antebellum on it, but it also has Bill Callahan and Cass McCombs. Hopefully everyone can find something new that they enjoy.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">As always, I strongly recommend checking out the rest of these artists and bands' work. There are certainly some singles on this compilation, particularly on the Pop and Electronic mixes, but most of these songs come from albums that I love.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">Thanks for all the positive feedback on the facebook page. I'd love to hear what you think of these.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">Lastly, thanks to my brother for the cover photo (more <a href="http://www.joelbarhamand.com/">here</a>) and to Giovanni for help with the name.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">Happy New Year,</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">Adam</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">---</span></p> <p style="font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;">TRACKLIST</span></i></b></p></b><p></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;">DISC I : POP / HIP HOP / R&B -- 1:19:25 -- 160.5 MB</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">1. "1+1" -- Beyoncé (from <i>4</i>) [Columbia]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">2. "212" -- Azealia Banks feat. Lazy Jay (from the <i>212</i> Single) [Self-Released]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">3. "Ass on the Floor" -- Diddy-Dirty Money feat. Swizz Beatz (from <i>Last Train to Paris</i>) [Bad Boy]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">4. "Somebody That I Used to Know" -- Gotye feat. Kimbra (from <i>Making Mirrors</i>) [Eleven]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">5. "Super Bass" -- Nicki Minaj (from the <i>Pink Friday</i> Deluxe Edition) [Young Money Entertainment]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">6. "Niggas in Paris" -- Jay-Z & Kanye West (from <i>Watch the Throne</i>) [Roc-A-Fella]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">7. "The Morning" -- The Weeknd (from <i>House of Balloons</i>) [Self-Released]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">8. "Heaven" -- Emeli Sandé (from the <i>Heaven</i> Single) [Virgin]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">9. "We Found Love" -- Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris (from <i>Talk That Talk</i>) [Def Jam]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">10. "Novacane" -- Frank Ocean (from <i>Nostalgia, Ultra</i>) [Self-Released]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">11. "Video Games" -- Lana Del Rey (from the <i>Video Games</i> Single) [Interscope]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">12. "Wildfire" -- SBTRKT feat. Little Dragon (from <i>SBTRKT</i>) [Young Turks]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">13. "Till the World Ends (The Femme Fatale Remix)" -- Britney Spears feat. Nicki Minaj & Ke$ha (from the <i>Till the World Ends</i> Single) [Jive]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">14. "Stay Away" -- Charli XCX (from the <i>Stay Away</i> EP) [This is Music]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">15. "Turning Tables" -- Adele (from <i>21</i>) [XL]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">16. "Realest Alive" -- Clams Casino (from <i>Instrumental Mixtape</i>) [Self-Released]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">17. "Good Man" -- Raphael Saadiq (from <i>Stone Rollin'</i>) [Columbia]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">18. "Marvins Room" -- Drake (from <i>Take Care</i>) [Young Money]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">19. "Swerve... the Reeping of All That is Worthwhile (Noir Not Withstanding)" -- Shabazz Palaces (from <i>Black Up</i>) [Sub Pop]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;">DISC II : ROCK / INDIE-ROCK -- 1:18:12 -- 155.9 MB</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">1. "Honey Bunny" -- Girls (from <i>Father, Son, Holy Ghost</i>) [True Panther Sounds]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">2. "The Other Shoe" -- Fucked Up (from <i>David Comes to Life</i>) [Matador]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">3. "Dawned on Me" -- Wilco (from <i>The Whole Love</i>) [dBpm]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">4. "Still Life" -- The Horrors (from <i>Skying</i>) [XL]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">5. "Operation" -- Yuck (from <i>Yuck</i>) [Fat Possum]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">6. "It's Real" -- Real Estate (from <i>Days</i>) [Domino]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">7. "Jesus Fever" -- Kurt Vile (from <i>Smoke Ring for My Halo</i>) [Matador]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">8. "Baby Missiles" -- The War on Drugs (from <i>Slave Ambient</i>) [Secretly Canadian]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">9. "Whirring" -- The Joy Formidable (from <i>The Big Roar</i>) [Atlantic]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">10. "Imidiwan Ma Tennam" -- Tinariwen feat. Nels Cline (from <i>Tassili</i>) [Anti]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">11. "Weekend" -- Smith Westerns (from <i>Dye It Blonde</i>) [Fat Possum]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">12. "Ice Cream" -- Battles feat. Matias Aguayo (from <i>Gloss Drop</i>) [Warp]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">13. "Understand at All" -- Cloud Nothings (from <i>Cloud Nothings</i>) [Carpark]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">14. "Believer" -- John Maus (from <i>We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves</i>) [Upset the Rhythm]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">15. "Mona Lisa" -- Atlas Sound (from <i>Parallax</i>) [4AD]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">16. "Marked" -- EMA (from <i>Past Life Martyred Saints</i>) [Souterrain Transmissions]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">17. "The Stars in His Head (Dark Lights Remix)" -- Colin Stetson (from <i>New History Warfare Vol.2: Judges</i>) [Constellation]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">18. "Replica" -- Oneohtrix Point Never (from <i>Replica</i>) [Mexican Summer]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">19. "Ffunny Ffrends" -- Unknown Mortal Orchestra (from <i>Unknown Mortal Orchestra</i>) [Fat Possum]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;">DISC III : ELECTRONICA / DANCE -- 1:17:41 -- 148.6 MB</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">1. "A Real Hero" -- College feat. Electric Youth (from the <i>Drive Original Motion Picture Soundtrack</i>) [Lakeshore]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">2. "Midnight City" -- M83 (from <i>Hurry Up, We're Dreaming</i>) [Naïve]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">3. "Jam for Jerry" -- Holy Ghost! (from <i>Holy Ghost!</i>) [DFA]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">4. "Social Studies (Plastic Plates Remix)" -- Body Language (from the <i>Social Studies</i> Single) [OM]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">5. "Getting Me Down" -- Blawan (from the <i>Getting Me Down</i> Single) [White Label]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">6. "Emergency Room" -- Ford & Lopatin (from <i>Channel Pressure</i>) [Software]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">7. "Streetz Tonight" -- AraabMUZIK (from <i>Electronic Dream</i>) [Duke Productions LP]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">8. "Falling" -- Hercules & Love Affair (from <i>Blue Songs</i>) [Moshi Moshi]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">9. "Far Nearer" -- Jamie xx (from the <i>Far Nearer / Bear For</i> EP) [Numbers]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">10. "Ye Ye" -- Daphni (from Four Tet & Daphni's <i>Pinnacles / Ye Ye</i> Split EP) [Text]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">11. "Pyramid" -- Four Tet (from <i>FABRICLIVE. 59</i>) [Fabric]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">12. "Snooze 4 Love" -- Todd Terje (from the <i>Ragysh</i> EP) [Running Back]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">13. "Blue Lanterns on East Oxford" -- Mountains (from <i>Air Museum</i>) [Thrill Jockey]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">14. "NYC" -- Burial (from the <i>Street Halo</i> EP) [Hyperdub]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;">DISC IV : (ALT-) COUNTRY / FOLK / SINGER-SONGWRITER -- 1:18:35 -- 150.1 MB</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">1. "I've Been Gone" -- Zoe Muth and The Lost High Rollers (from <i>Starlight Hotel</i>) [Signature Sounds]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">2. "Fine Tune" -- Miranda Lambert (from <i>Four the Record</i>) [RCA Records Nashville]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">3. "Friday Night" -- Lady Antebellum (from <i>Own the Night</i>) [Capitol Nashville]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">4. "Staying's Worse Than Leaving" -- Sunny Sweeney (from <i>Concrete</i>) [Republic Nashville]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">5. "Don't Carry It All" -- The Decemberists (from <i>The King is Dead</i>) [Capitol]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">6. "Steve Earle" -- Lydia Loveless (from <i>Indestructible Machine</i>) [Bloodshot]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">7. "Drover" -- Bill Callahan (from <i>Apocalypse</i>) [Drag City]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">8. "The Circle Married the Line" -- Feist (from <i>Metals</i>) [Arts & Crafts]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">9. "Daphne" -- Lia Ices feat. Justin Vernon (from <i>Grown Unknown</i>) [Jagjaguwar]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">10. "Alabama Pines" -- Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (from <i>Here We Rest</i>) [Lightning Rod]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">11. "The Flood" -- Glossary (from <i>Long Live All of Us</i>) [Last Chance]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">12. "The Way It Will Be" -- Gillian Welch (from <i>The Harrow & the Harvest</i>) [Acony]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">13. "County Line" -- Cass McCombs (from <i>Wit's End</i>) [Domino]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">14. "Ours" - Taylor Swift (from the <i>Speak Now</i> Deluxe Edition Bonus Disc) [Big Machine]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">15. "Takin' Pills" -- Pistol Annies (from <i>Hell on Heels</i>) [Columbia Nashville]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">16 & 17. "First Watch" & "John Taylor's Month Away" -- King Creosote & Jon Hopkins (from <i>Diamond Mine</i>) [Domino]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">18. "Zebra" -- Bry Webb (from <i>Provider</i>) [Idée Fixe]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;">DISC V : INDIE-POP -- 1:19:22 -- 159.9 MB</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">1. "Black Night" -- Dodos (from <i>No Color</i>) [Frenchkiss]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">2. "Savage Night at the Opera" -- Destroyer (from <i>Kaputt</i>) [Merge]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">3. "Cruel" -- St. Vincent (from <i>Strange Mercy</i>) [4AD]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">4. "My Mistakes" -- Eleanor Friedberger (from <i>Last Summer</i>) [Merge]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">5. "Helplessness Blues" -- Fleet Foxes (from <i>Helplessness Blues</i>) [Sub Pop]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">6. "The Last Living Rose" -- PJ Harvey (from <i>Let England Shake</i>) [Island]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">7. "Surfer's Hymn" -- Panda Bear (from <i>Tomboy</i>) [Paw Tracks]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">8. "Glass Jar" -- Gang Gang Dance (from <i>Eye Contact</i>) [4AD]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">9. "Love Out of Lust" -- Lykke Li (from <i>Wounded Rhymes</i>) [LL]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">10. "Abducted" -- Cults (from <i>Cults</i>) [In the Name Of]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">11. "Jareaux" -- Jensen Sportag (from the <i>Pure Wet</i> EP) [Cascine]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">12. "Waiting for Kirsten" -- Jens Lekman (from the <i>An Argument With Myself</i> EP) [Service]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">13. "Space is Only Noise If You Can See" -- Nicolas Jaar (from <i>Space is Only Noise</i>) [Circus Company]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">14. "Virus" -- Björk (from <i>Biophilia</i>) [One Little Indian]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">15. "July" -- Youth Lagoon (from <i>The Year of Hibernation</i>) [Fat Possum]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">16. "Cloak" -- Julianna Barwick (from <i>The Magic Place</i>) [Asthmatic Kitty]</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">17. "Beth / Rest" -- Bon Iver (from <i>Bon Iver</i>) [Jagjaguwar]</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-50152748073615870922011-01-02T02:59:00.000-08:002011-01-02T09:35:42.697-08:00Prime Time: Choice Cuts from 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSGngffAlxlKqR2Mbqh1egN7bSlm28zvsyAhKftT_y5LFHnETMq5OcyJpkAVHNzo33yKXcjIJSYQM5p8PbGBgst2oxDsf2oy_nQS7Bm4SHZL3Zh6GW3eJ9F7mplE4vDJ0y_Zf_oGgEgJg/s1600/Prime+Time+Cover+pink.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 365px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSGngffAlxlKqR2Mbqh1egN7bSlm28zvsyAhKftT_y5LFHnETMq5OcyJpkAVHNzo33yKXcjIJSYQM5p8PbGBgst2oxDsf2oy_nQS7Bm4SHZL3Zh6GW3eJ9F7mplE4vDJ0y_Zf_oGgEgJg/s400/Prime+Time+Cover+pink.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557620171910930786" /></a><br /><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span></b></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Dear All,</span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">2010 was perhaps the most important year of my young life. I wrapped up my rowing career, finished grad school, moved back home to my girlfriend after three years of long-distance, and following months of searching, found a job. Needless to say, it was an incredibly busy time for me, and yet, I had more free time than ever. I read books, saw countless movies, and predictably, listened to a ton of music.</span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Lucky for me, 2010 was the best year for music in recent memory. Whether you're a fan of indie-rock, electronic, pop, hip hop, rock, country, folk, or, like me, all of the above, there were a number of phenomenal albums released this year. The aim of these mixtapes is to summarize those records. It is my hope that whether you're a diehard music fan or just someone who listens to the radio, you'll be able to find something new to love on these discs.</span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Like usual, I've sorted the mixes by genre. Please be aware that I heard considerably more good "indie" this year than "rock," so the ROCK mix has quite a few bands that'd I'd normally throw on the INDIE mix (i.e. if you like DISC I, you should probably grab DISC V too). Also: in my opinion, the ELECTRONIC mix is one of the best this series of mixtapes has ever produced.</span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I truly believe that each and every song on here is worth hearing. More importantly, I believe these artists, bands, and musicians are worth supporting. If you like a song, please consider visiting the artist's website, going to shows, and buying their records (next to each song below, you'll find the name of the album and the record label from which the song originates).</span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Special thanks to my sister for naming the mix and to my brother for allowing me to use his picture for the cover (<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/barhamand/">see here for more</a>). Lastly, I always love getting feedback, particularly from people I haven't talked to in years, so please don't be shy. Happy New Year, everybody.</span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Adam</span></span></p></span></b></span><p></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">DISC I : INDIE-ROCK</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">-- 1:19:46 -- 138.7MB</span></b></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1. "Dance Yrself Clean" -- LCD Soundsystem <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>This is Happening</i>) [<a href="http://www.dfarecords.com/thisishappening/">DFA</a>]</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">2. "Heaven's on Fire" -- The Radio Dept. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Clinging to a Scheme</i>) [<a href="http://www.labrador.se/releases/radiodept.php3">Labrador</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">3. "Home" -- Glasser </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Ring</i>) [<a href="http://www.truepanther.com/store/releases/ring">True Panther Sounds</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">4. "Norway" -- Beach House </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Teen Dream</i>) [<a href="http://www.subpop.com/releases/beach_house/full_lengths/teen_dream">Sub Pop</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">5. "Kiss Your Lips" -- Allo Darlin' </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Allo Darlin'</i>) [<a href="http://www.fortunapop.com/release_details.php?cat_no=FPOP91CD">Fortuna Pop!</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">6. "Round and Round" -- Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Before Today</i>) [<a href="http://www.4ad.com/releases/before-today-0/">4AD</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">7. "I Want the World to Stop" -- Belle & Sebastian </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Belle & Sebastian Write</i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span></span>About Love</i>) [<a href="http://www.belleandsebastian.com/recordings/write-about-love">Rough Trade</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">8. "Blood Red Youth" -- California Wives </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from the <i>Affair</i> EP) [<a href="http://californiawives.net/">Self-Released</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">9. "Giving Up the Gun" -- Vampire Weekend </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Contra</i>) [<a href="http://www.beggarsgroupusa.com/releases/contra/">XL</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">10. "O.N.E." -- Yeasayer </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Odd Blood</i>) [<a href="http://www.scdistribution.com/cat/scd_catalog.php?usersearch=Yeasayer">Secretly Canadian</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">11. "Lewis Takes Off His Shirt" -- Owen Pallett </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Heartland</i>) [<a href="http://www.dominorecordco.com/uk/albums/30-11-09/heartland/">Domino</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">12. "Give It Up" -- Diamond Rings </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Special Affections</i>) [<a href="http://www.secretcityrecords.com/albums/special-affections">Secret City</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">13. "Go Outside" -- Cults </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from the <i>Cults</i> Single) [<a href="http://forestfamilyrecs.bigcartel.com/product/cults-go-outside-7">Forest Family</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">14. "Helicopter" -- Deerhunter </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Halcyon Digest</i>) [<a href="http://www.4ad.com/deerhunter/news/~halcyon-digest-o/">4AD</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">15. "Throwing Shade" -- Abe Vigoda </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Crush</i>) [<a href="http://www.postpresentmedium.com/cd/">PostPresentMedium</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">16. "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)" -- Arcade Fire </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>The Suburbs</i>)</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> </span> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span>[<a href="http://www.mergerecords.com/thesuburbs/">Merge</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">17. "Me and the Devil" -- Gil Scott-Heron </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>I'm New Here</i>) [<a href="http://www.roughtrade.com/site/shop_detail.lasso?search_type=sku&sku=333505">XL</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">DISC II : ELECTRONICA / DANCE </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">-- 1:19:23 -- 154.1MB</span></b></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1. "Angel Echoes" -- Four Tet </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>There is Love in You</i>) [<a href="http://www.dominorecordco.com/uk/albums/24-11-09/there-is-love-in-you/">Domino</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">2. "Celestica" -- Crystal Castles </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Crystal Castles</i>) [<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/album/crystal-castles-ii/id369025130">Universal Motown</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">3. "One Life Stand" -- Hot Chip </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>One Life Stand</i>) [<a href="http://hotchip.co.uk/onelifestand/">EMI</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">4. "You Put a Smell on Me" -- Matthew Dear </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Black City</i>) [<a href="http://ghostly.com/releases/black-city">Ghostly International</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">5. "King Night" -- Salem </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>King Night</i>) [<a href="http://www.iamsoundrecords.com/store/salem/">IAMSOUND</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">6. "On Melancholy Hill" -- Gorillaz </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Plastic Beach</i>) [<a href="http://virginrecords.com/gorillaz/pb_preorder.html">Virgin</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">7. "Real Life" -- Tanlines </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from the <i>Settings</i> EP) [<a href="http://www.truepanther.com/store/releases/ring#/store/releases/settings-ep">True Panther Sounds</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">8. "Lovesick" -- Lindstrøm & Christabelle </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Real Life is No Cool</i>) [<a href="http://www.feedelity.com/">Feedelity</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">9. "Wut" -- Girl Unit </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from the <i>Night Slugs Allstars Volume 1</i> Compilation) [<a href="http://nightslugs.net/#/releases/night-slugs-allstars-volume-1/">Night Slugs</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">10. "CMYK" -- James Blake </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from the <i>CMYK</i> EP) [<a href="http://randsrecords.greedbag.com/buy/cmyk-ep-0/">R&S</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">11. "Maze" -- Actress </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Splazsh</i>) [<a href="http://honestjons.com/shop.php?pid=36068">Honest Jon's</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">12. "Derezzed" -- Daft Punk </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from the <i>Tron: Legacy</i> Soundtrack) [<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/tron-legacy-original-motion/id406192538">Walt Disney</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">13. "Computer Face//Pure Being" -- Flying Lotus </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Cosmogramma</i>) [<a href="http://warp.net/records/releases/flying-lotus/cosmogramma">Warp</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">14. "In Heat (Javelin Remix)" -- HEALTH </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>DISCO2</i>) [<a href="http://lpu.bigcartel.com/product/health-disco2-cd">Lovepump United</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">15. "Coma Cat" -- Tensnake </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from the <i>Permanent Vacation: Selected Label Works 2</i></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><i></i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Compilation) [<a href="http://www.perm-vac.com/products-page/?category=1&product_id=74">Permanent Vacation</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">16. "Tron" -- Joker </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from the <i>Tron</i> Single) [<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/tron-single/id363998961">Kapsize</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">17. "Animals" -- Baths </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Cerulean</i>) [<a href="https://store.anticon.com/item.php?code=abr0105">Anticon</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">18. "Ouroboros" -- Oneohtrix Point Never </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Returnal</i>) [<a href="http://www.editionsmego.com/release/eMEGO+104">Editions Mego</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">19. "Candy Shoppe" -- Emeralds </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Does It Look Like I'm Here?</i>) [<a href="http://www.editionsmego.com/release/eMEGO+101">Editions Mego</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">DISC III : POP / HIP HOP / R&B </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">-- 1:18:07 -- 140.4MB</span></b></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1. "Teenage Dream" -- Katy Perry </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Teenage Dream</i>) [<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/teenage-dream-deluxe-edition/id387712061">Capitol</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">2. "Call Your Girlfriend" -- Robyn </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Body Talk</i>) [<a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=401164294">Konichiwa</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">3. "Shutterbugg" (feat. Cutty) -- Big Boi </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico</i></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Dusty</i>) [<a href="http://www.islanddefjam.com/artist/discography_single.aspx?artistID=7416&productID=12381">Def Jam</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">4. "All of the Lights" -- Kanye West </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy</i>)</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>[<a href="http://www.islanddefjam.com/runaway/rocafella/">Roc-A-Fella</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">5. "Fuck You!" -- Cee-Lo Green </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>The Lady Killer</i>) [<a href="http://ceelogreen.com/uspreorder">Elektra</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">6. "Man of the House" -- Fantasia </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Back to Me</i>) [<a href="http://www.sonymusicdigital.com/fantasia/details/5589542">J</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">7. "Your Love is My Drug" -- Kesha </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Animal</i>) [<a href="http://www.keshasparty.com/us/music/animal">RCA</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">8. "4th of July (Fireworks) / Segue 2" -- Kelis </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Flesh Tone</i>) [<a href="http://www.interscope.com/artist/releases/detail.aspx?pid=2579&aid=1149">Interscope</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">9. "Ice Cream on Blast" -- A-Trak </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Dirty South Dance 2</i>) [<a href="http://atrak.bandcamp.com/album/dirty-south-dance-2">Self-Released</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">10. "Just a Dream" -- Nelly </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>5.0</i>) [<a href="http://store.umrg.com/nelly/">Derrty Ent.</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">11. "Cold War" -- Janelle Monáe </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>The ArchAndroid (Suites II and III)</i>) [<a href="http://store.jmonae.com/the-archandroid-deluxe-digital-album/">Bad Boy</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">12. "Ghetto" -- Ghostface Killah </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Apollo Kids</i>) [<a href="http://www.islanddefjam.com/artist/discography_single.aspx?artistID=7302&productID=12437">Def Jam</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">13. "Window Seat" -- Erykah Badu </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)</i>)</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>[<a href="http://universalmotown.com/discography/artist/album.aspx?aid=422&pid=12382">Universal Motown</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">14. "On and On" -- Girl Talk </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>All Day</i>) [<a href="http://www.illegal-art.net/allday/">Illegal Art</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">15. "Yamaha" -- The-Dream </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Love King</i>) [<a href="http://www.islanddefjam.com/artist/discography_single.aspx?artistID=7288&productID=12322">Def Jam</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">16. "Club Can't Handle Me" (feat. David Guetta) -- Flo Rida </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Only One Flo:</i></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Part 1</i>) [<a href="http://officialflo.com/onlyoneflo/">Atlantic</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">17. "What's My Name?" (feat. Drake) -- Rihanna </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Loud</i>) [<a href="http://www.islanddefjam.com/artist/discography_single.aspx?artistID=7366&productID=12422">Def Jam</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">18. "King of Anything" -- Sara Bareilles </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Kaleidoscope Heart</i>) [<a href="http://store.epicrecords.com/Kaleidoscope-Heart/A/B003NE65GI.htm">Epic</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">19. "Love Is" (with K. Michelle) -- R. Kelly </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Love Letter</i>) [<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/love-letter/id405040643">Jive</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">20. "Bed Intruder Song (Original)" -- The Gregory Brothers </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>YouTube</i>)</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>[<a href="http://thegregorybrothers.com/music.html">Gregory Residence</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">DISC IV : (ALT-) COUNTRY / FOLK </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">-- 1:18:39 -- 132.4MB</span></b></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1. "Harlem River Blues" -- Justin Townes Earle </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Harlem River Blues</i>) [<a href="http://www.bloodshotrecords.com/album/harlem-river-blues">Bloodshot</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">2. "Burden of Tomorrow" -- The Tallest Man on Earth </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>The Wild Hunt</i>)</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>[<a href="http://www.scdistribution.com/cat/scd_catalog.php?usersearch=the%20tallest%20man%20on%20earth&pagerequest=&label=Dead%20Oceans#">Dead Oceans</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">3. "Harm's Swift Way" -- Robert Plant </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Band of Joy</i>) [<a href="http://www.rounder.com/artist/music/default.aspx?pid=64143&aid=8790">Rounder</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">4. "Set 'Em Up Joe" -- Jamey Johnson </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>The Guitar Song</i>) [<a href="http://www.jameyjohnson.com/theguitarsong/store/">Mercury Nashville</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">5. "Giddy on Up" -- Laura Bell Bundy </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Achin' and Shakin'</i>) [<a href="http://www.umgnashville.com/artist/releases/release.aspx?pid=1625&aid=216">Mercury Nashville</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">6. "Mean" -- Taylor Swift </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Speak Now</i>) [<a href="http://www.bigmachinerecords.com/taylorswift/">Big Machine</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">7. "Need You Now" -- Lady Antebellum </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Need You Now</i>) [<a href="http://www.capitolnashville.com/ArtistDiscography.aspx?ArtistID=922839">Capitol Nashville</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">8. "Where Are You Driving?" -- Laura Veirs </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>July Flame</i>)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">[</span><a href="http://www.ravenmarchingband.com/boutique/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=12"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Raven Marching Band</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">9. "Peace Sign" -- Sharon Van Etten </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Epic</i>) [<a href="http://www.badabingrecords.com/products-page/sharon-van-etten/sharon-van-etten-epic/">Ba Da Bing</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">10. "From a Table Away" -- Sunny Sweeney </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from the <i>From a Table Away</i> Single)</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> </span>[<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/from-a-table-away-single/id378558687">Republic Nashville</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">11. "Bite the Dust" -- State Champion </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Stale Champagne</i>) [<a href="http://sophomoreloungerecords.com/stalechampagne.html">Sophomore Lounge</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">12. "Birthday Boy" -- Drive-By Truckers </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>The Big To-Do</i>) [<a href="http://atorecords.com/releases/drive-by-truckers-the-big-to-do/">ATO</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">13. "Draggin' the River" (with Miranda Lambert) -- Blake Shelton </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from the <i>All</i></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>About Tonight</i> EP) [<a href="http://www.blakeshelton.com/music/album/all-about-tonight-six-pak-album-stores-august-10">Reprise Nashville</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">14. "That'll Make You Wanna Drink" -- Easton Corbin </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Easton Corbin</i>)</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>[<a href="http://www.umgnashville.com/artist/releases/release.aspx?pid=1616&aid=215">Mercury Nashville</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">15. "Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man" -- Alan Jackson & Martina McBride</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>(from the <i>Coal Miner's Daughter: A Tribute to Loretta Lynn</i> Compilation) [<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/coal-miners-daughter-a-tribute/id400750321">Sony</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">16. "Hey Little Darlin'" -- Zoe Muth and The Lost High Rollers </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Zoe Muth and</i></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The Lost High Rollers</i>) [<a href="http://www.zoemuth.com/music.html">Self-Released</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">17. "Pickin' Wild Mountain Berries" -- Kurt Wagner and Cortney Tidwell</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Present KORT </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Invariable Heartache</i>) [<a href="http://www.slangstore.com/store/product_info.php?info=p447_PRE-ORDER--KURT-WAGNER---CORTNEY-TIDWELL-present-KORT---LP.html">City Slang</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">18. "Little White Church" -- Little Big Town </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>The Reason Why</i>) [<a href="http://littlebigtown.com/shop/digital/reason-why-digital-album">Capitol Nashville</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">19. "Climbing High Mountains" -- Sam Amidon </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>I See the Sign</i>)</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>[<a href="http://www.bedroomcommunity.net/releases/i_see_the_sign">Bedroom Community</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">20. "'81" -- Joanna Newsom </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Have One on Me</i>) [<a href="http://www.dragcity.com/products/have-one-on-me">Drag City</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">21. "Coming Home to Me" (with Julie Miller) -- Patty Griffin </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Downtown</i></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Church</i>) [<a href="http://pattygriffin.credentialrecordings.com/music/?id=1049336">Credential</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">22. "Infra 5" -- Max Richter </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Infra</i>) [<a href="http://fat-cat.co.uk/fatcat/release.php?id=321">Fat Cat</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">DISC V : ROCK </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">-- 1:19:05 -- 161MB</span></b></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1. "Tell 'Em" -- Sleigh Bells </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Treats</i>) [<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/treats/id371959684">Mom + Pop</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">2. "Blow Dumb" -- Nobunny </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>First Blood</i>) [<a href="http://www.goner-records.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=6321&zenid=88e8e8d06ea370552bc952496dd6527c">Goner</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">3. "Pobody's Nerfect" -- Wolf Parade </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Expo 86</i>) [<a href="http://www.subpop.com/releases/wolf_parade/full_lengths/expo_86">Sub Pop</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">4. "I Get Nervous" -- Lower Dens </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Twin-Hand Movement</i>) [<a href="http://www.midheaven.com/item/twinhand-movement-by-lower-dens-cd">Gnomonsong</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">5. "Bloodbuzz Ohio" -- The National </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>High Violet</i>) [<a href="http://www.4ad.com/thenational/news/~release-expanded/">4AD</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">6. "Albatross" -- The Besnard Lakes </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night</i>)</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>[<a href="http://www.jagjaguwar.com/onesheet.php?cat=JAG126">Jagjaguwar</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">7. "Facelove" -- PS I Love You </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Meet Me at the Muster Station</i>) [<a href="http://paperbagrecords.com/shop/meet-me-at-the-muster-station-pre-order">Paper Bag</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">8. "Waterfall" -- The Fresh & Onlys <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Play It Strange</i>) [<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/play-it-strange/id394034564">In the Red</a>]</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">9. "Come on Baby Grace" -- Boston Spaceships </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Our Cubehouse Still Rocks</i>)</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>[<a href="http://rockathonrecords.com/boston_spaceships.html">Rockathon</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">10. "A More Perfect Union" -- Titus Andronicus </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>The Monitor</i>) [<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-monitor/id355708784">XL</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">11. "Meet Me in the Basement" -- Broken Social Scene </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Forgiveness Rock</i></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Record</i>) [<a href="http://www.arts-crafts.ca/releases_spotlight.php?search=AC054">Arts & Crafts</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">12. "Written in Reverse" -- Spoon </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Transference</i>) [<a href="http://www.mergerecords.com/transference/">Merge</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">13. "Attack Music" -- These New Puritans </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Hidden</i>) [<a href="http://angular.greedbag.com/buy/hidden/">Angular</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">14. "My Neighbor" -- Wye Oak </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from the <i>My Neighbor / My Creator</i> EP) [<a href="http://www.mergerecords.com/store/store_detail.php?catalog_id=704">Merge</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">15. "Post Acid" -- Wavves </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>King of the Beach</i>) [<a href="http://www.fatpossum.com/products/king-of-the-beach">Fat Possum</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">16. "Rebel Horns" -- Frog Eyes </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Paul's Tomb: A Triumph</i>) [<a href="http://www.scdistribution.com/cat/scd_catalog.php?usersearch=frog%20eyes&pagerequest=&label=Dead%20Oceans">Dead Oceans</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">17. "Intuition" -- Lonelady </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Nerve Up</i>) [<a href="http://warp.net/records/releases/lonelady/nerve-up">Warp</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">18. "11 of Diamonds" -- Grass Widow </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Past Time</i>) [<a href="http://www.buyolympia.com/killrockstars/Item=krs533">Kill Rock Stars</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">19. "Reeling the Liars In" -- Swans </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky</i>)</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>[<a href="http://younggodrecords.com/Releases/Detail.asp?C=2343">Young God</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">20. "Heathen Child" -- Grinderman </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Grinderman 2</i>) [<a href="http://www.anti.com/catalog/view/161/Grinderman_2">ANTI-</a>]</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">21. "Chem Trails" -- No Age </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(from <i>Everything in Between</i>) [<a href="http://www.subpop.com/releases/no_age/full_lengths/everything_in_between">Sub Pop</a>]</span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-78709890822472482242010-01-02T03:45:00.000-08:002010-01-06T11:05:13.580-08:00Extra Hot Spirit: 2009's Hottest Tracks<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJAFPL5AMfVZFBanhSvqSUM8vXav5s44RcZyIcMMtPotE_Y8CaqoEBg9PezkBaNzRu_2k03E0Bppu2PJx8eK4S7Ugihh7qtktNE04G9hAP6I125wYWmHFL7JEHr_BQssrUvY-IyBY8KU/s1600-h/Extra+Hot+Spirit+Cover.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 282px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJAFPL5AMfVZFBanhSvqSUM8vXav5s44RcZyIcMMtPotE_Y8CaqoEBg9PezkBaNzRu_2k03E0Bppu2PJx8eK4S7Ugihh7qtktNE04G9hAP6I125wYWmHFL7JEHr_BQssrUvY-IyBY8KU/s320/Extra+Hot+Spirit+Cover.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423248545992362194" /></a><b><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">At the close of each of the last four years, I have attempted to compile the year’s best music in a set of mixtapes. Although 2009 was a pretty darn good year for music, when I sat down to make these mixtapes, I found that I had spread myself too thin—there were dozens of albums that, despite enjoying, I listened to only once or twice. So after a good deal of revisiting and deliberation, I’ve decided to trim the fat and limit myself to only tracks and albums that I listened to with regularity in 2009.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This editing resulted in some rather blurry mixes, genre-wise. I’ve combined the indie and rock tapes into one mix that roughly balances the two, with side B (starting with Future of the Left) being a good deal more “rock” than side A. The electronica mix has bands that, in the past, were on my rock and indie mixes. And the pop/hip hop/r&b and country/folk mixes are a little all over the place. Still, I’ve done my best to make these as cohesive as possible. Hopefully they make sense and are enjoyable in the order I’ve placed them in.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">As always, I am convinced that nearly all of these songs come from </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">albums</span></span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> and </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">artists</span></span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> worth supporting. If you like a song from these mixes, please check out the artist’s myspace, buy their albums, and go to their shows. This year’s tracklist (below) lists the albums from which the songs were culled and includes links for purchasing.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Last but not least, thanks to everyone for the continued interest in these mixes. I love hearing that people are still listening to </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Anchors Away</span></span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> or that they discovered one of their favorite bands from one of these things. It makes it all worthwhile.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Happy listening,</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">adam</span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment--> </b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">DISC I – ELECTRONICA</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">– 1:19:30 – 143.3 MB</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">1. “Velvet” // The Big Pink </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">A Brief History of Love</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Brief-History-Love-Big-Pink/dp/B002HREBJ0">buy</a>]</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">2. “My Girls” // Animal Collective </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Merriweather Post Pavilion</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Merriweather-Post-Pavilion-Animal-Collective/dp/B001MW0J2O">buy</a>]</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">3. “1901” // Phoenix </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wolfgang-Amadeus-Phoenix/dp/B0021X515S">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">4. “New Theory” // Washed Out </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Life of Leisure</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> EP) [<a href="http://www.mexicansummer.com/release.php?artist=42">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">5. “Zero” // Yeah Yeah Yeahs </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It’s Blitz!</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Its-Blitz-Yeah-Yeahs/dp/B001UJIMF0">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">6. “Oh! (A-Trak Remix)” // Boys Noize </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from A-Trak's </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">FABRICLIVE. 45</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fabriclive-45-Trak/dp/B001MIVU3U">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">7. “Goth Star” // Pictureplane </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Dark Rift</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Rift-Pictureplane/dp/B002CVQ86A">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">8. “Second Lives” // Vitalic </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Flashmob</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Flashmob-Vitalic/dp/B002GYKU7Q">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">9. “A New Chance (The Juan Maclean Remix)” // The Tough Alliance </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Prison Break</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> EP) [<a href="http://www.klicktrack.com/sy/releases/the-tough-alliance/prison-break">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">10. “Seasun” // Delorean </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ayrton Senna </span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">EP) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ayrton-Senna-Bonus-Track-Version/dp/B002DS4SMS">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">11. “Plain Material” // Memory Tapes </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Seek Magic</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.roughtrade.com/site/shop_detail.lasso?search_type=sku&sku=315647">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">12. “Light, Pt. 1” // Nosaj Thing </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Drift</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Drift-Nosaj-Thing/dp/B0028R1LUG">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">13. “All for the Best” // Thom Yorke </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ciao-My-Shining-Star-Mulcahy/dp/B002GJWU06">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">14. “Bits and Pieces” // Junior Boys </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Begone Dull Care</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Begone-Dull-Care-Junior-Boys/dp/B001T46UBO">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">15. “Surf Solar (7” Edit)” // Fuck Buttons </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Tarot Sport</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tarot-Sport-Fuck-Buttons/dp/B002L132R4">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">16. “Hyph Mngo” // Joy Orbison </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Hyph Mngo</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> 12”) [<a href="http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=226754">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">17. “Xam” // Subway </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Subway II</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.souljazzrecords.co.uk/releases/?id=16209">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">DISC II – POP / HIP HOP / R&B</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">– 1:19:41 – 140.3 MB</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">1. “Rockin’ That Shit” // The-Dream</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Love vs. Money</span></i><span style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-vs-Money-Dream/dp/B001PPLJ22">buy</a>]</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">2. “Keep It Goin’ Louder” (feat. Nina Sky & Ricky Blaze) // Major Lazer </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Guns Don’t Kill People… Lazers Do</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Guns-Dont-Kill-People-Lazers/dp/B0027WNRN6">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">3. “Help Somebody” // Maxwell </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">BLACKsummers’night</span></i><span style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/BLACKsummersnight-Maxwell/dp/B0028K3192">buy</a>]</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">4. “Life on TV” // Kid Sister </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ultraviolet</span></i><span style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ultraviolet-Kid-Sister/dp/B002NPUCLW">buy</a>]</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">5. “Time” // O’Spada </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Time</span></i><span style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> 7”) [<a href="http://www.roughtrade.com/site/shop_detail.lasso?search_type=sku&sku=320543">buy</a>]</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">6. "Echo" // R. Kelly </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from <i>Untitled</i>) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Untitled-R-Kelly/dp/B002LLDT86">buy</a>]</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">7. “Raindrops” // Basement Jaxx </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Scars</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scars-Basement-Jaxx/dp/B002JODUFM">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">8. “Hey Playa! (Moroccan Blues)” (feat. Tai ‘Missy’ Phillips) // DJ Quik and Kurupt </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">BlaQKout</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blaqkout-DJ-Quik-Kurupt/dp/B0026IZRD4">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">9. “Run This Town” (feat. Kanye West & Rihanna) // Jay-Z </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The Blueprint 3</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blueprint-3-Explicit-Jay-Z/dp/B002DMJM66">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">10. “House of Flying Daggers” (feat. Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah, Method Man & GZA) // Raekwon </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Only-Built-Cuban-Linx-Pt/dp/B002GZQZX8">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">11. “Not Your Average Girl” (feat. Shareefa) // Ghostface Killah </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ghostdini: The Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ghostdini-Wizard-Poetry-Emerald-City/dp/B002M2N9I4">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">12. “Ballskin” // DOOM </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Born Like This</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/BORN-LIKE-THIS-Doom/dp/B001G4JREO">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">13. “Day ‘n’ Nite (Crookers Remix)” // Kid Cudi </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Day ‘n’ Nite</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> 7”) [<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/day-n-nite-crookers-remix-single/id309819386">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">14. “Left My Heart in Tokyo” // Mini Viva </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Left My Heart in Tokyo </span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">7") [<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Left-Heart-Tokyo-Mini-Viva/dp/B002HRFOBO">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">15. “Playing God” // Paramore </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Brand New Eyes</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Brand-New-Eyes-Paramore/dp/B002FRNCG0">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">16. “Shine Blockas” (feat. Gucci Mane) // Big Boi </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Shine Blockas</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> 7”) [<a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=KtsYJHHpUV8&u1=jive-website|bigboi&offerid=78941&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%253A//itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum%253Fid%253D342571437">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">17. “Dirtee Cash” // Dizzee Rascal </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Tongue N’ Cheek</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tongue-N-Cheek-Dizzee-Rascal/dp/B002HWRMS2">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">18. “Mfumu” // The Very Best </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Warm Heart of Africa</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Warm-Heart-Africa-Very-Best/dp/B002IW62LO">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">19. “Bad Times” // Annie </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Don’t Stop</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Stop-Annie/dp/B002LIZWVG">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">20. “This Must Be It” (feat. Karin Dreijer Andersson) // Röyksopp </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Junior</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Junior-R%C3%B6yksopp/dp/B001TIQTJS">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">21. “All Yr Songs” // Diamond Rings </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">All Yr Songs / Facelove</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> split 7”) [<a href="http://hypelighter.com/press/">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">DISC III – INDIE / ROCK</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">– 1:17:44 – 135.9 MB</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">1. “Two Weeks” // Grizzly Bear</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Veckatimest</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Veckatimest-Grizzly-Bear/dp/B001U7FWM8">buy</a>]</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">2. “Stillness is the Move” // Dirty Projectors </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Bitte Orca</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bitte-Orca-Dirty-Projectors/dp/B0026T4RTI">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">3. “Hi-Fi Goon” // Throw Me the Statue </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Creaturesque</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Creaturesque-Throw-Me-Statue/dp/B002CVQ83S">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">4. “Daniel” // Bat for Lashes </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Two Suns</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Two-Suns-Bat-Lashes/dp/B001RQ0SJO">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">5. “Night Time” // The xx </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">xx</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/XX-xx/dp/B002DESIE6">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">6. “You and I” (with Feist) // Wilco </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Wilco (The Album)</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wilco-Album/dp/B0029358GM">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">7. “So Far Around the Bend” // The National & Nico Muhly </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Dark Was the Night</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Was-Night-Various-Artists/dp/B001KVW574">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">8. “Young Adult Friction” // The Pains of Being Pure at Heart </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The Pains of Being Pure at Heart</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pains-Being-Pure-at-Heart/dp/B001LGXIDS">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">9. “Lovers’ Carvings” // Bibio </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ambivalence Avenue</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ambivalence-Avenue-Bibio/dp/B00292SQNA">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">10. “French Navy” // Camera Obscura </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">My Maudlin Career</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/My-Maudlin-Career-Camera-Obscura/dp/B001T46U32">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">11. “Early Warnings” // Foreign Born </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Person to Person</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Person-Foreign-Born/dp/B002736YJ4">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">12. “Lust for Life” // Girls </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Album</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Album-Girls/dp/B002GNOMJE">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">13. “Arming Eritrea” // Future of the Left </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Travels With Myself and Another</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Travels-Myself-Another-Future-Left/dp/B002736YIA">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">14. “Die Slow” // HEALTH </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Get Color</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Get-Color-Health/dp/B002IJA66Y">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">15. “Nothing to Hide” // Yo La Tengo </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Popular Songs</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Popular-Songs-Yo-Tengo/dp/B002ERCI5C">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">16. “Indiana” // Cymbals Eat Guitars </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Why There Are Mountains</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Why-There-Are-Mountains/dp/B001RWY8HG">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">17. “Let’s Go Surfing” // The Drums </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Summertime!</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> EP) [<a href="http://moshimoshi.greedbag.com/buy/summertime-10/">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">18. “Pine On” // Obits </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I Blame You</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/I-Blame-You-Obits/dp/B001Q8FSCA">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">19. “Over It” //</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> Dinosaur Jr. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Farm</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Farm-Dinosaur-Jr/dp/B0026T4RPC">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">20. “Bell” // </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Screaming Females </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Power Move</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Power-Move-Screaming-Females/dp/B001W9V1BU">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">21. “Fast Jabroni” // Surfer Blood </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Astro Coast</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Astro-Coast-Surfer-Blood/dp/B002ZPIBG8">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">22. “Take It In” // Wye Oak </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The Knot</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Knot-Wye-Oak/dp/B002AKALZ2">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">DISC IV – ALT- / COUNTRY / SINGER-SONGWRITER / FOLK</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">– 1:19:06 – 126.9 MB</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">1. “Jump Then Fall” // Taylor Swift </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from the Platinum Edition of </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Fearless</span></i><span style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fearless-Platinum-DVD-Taylor-Swift/dp/B002NPUCRQ">buy</a>]</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">2. “Country Roads” // Ryan Bingham and the Dead Horses </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Roadhouse Sun</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Roadhouse-Sun-Ryan-Bingham/dp/B001VLBDEY">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">3. “People Got a Lotta Nerve” // Neko Case </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Middle Cyclone</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Middle-Cyclone-Neko-Case/dp/B001MWGZDG">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">4. “Mama’s Eyes” // Justin Townes Earle </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Midnight at the Movies</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Movies-Justin-Townes-Earle/dp/B001P5Q6KC">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">5. “Time to Get a Gun” // Miranda Lambert </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Revolution</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Revolution-Miranda-Lambert/dp/B002FGTO5O">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">6. “The Devil and Maggie Chascarillo” // Lucero </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1372 Overton Park</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/1372-Overton-Park-Lucero/dp/B002NOYX3G">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">7. “A Love I Think Will Last” (with Chris Janson) // Holly Williams </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Here With Me</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Here-Me-Holly-Williams/dp/B0027BOL0A">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">8. “Whip-Poor-Will” // Magnolia Electric Co. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Josephine</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Josephine-Magnolia-Electric-Co/dp/B002ANHMCE">buy</a>]</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">9. “The Blue” // Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jason-Isbell-400-Unit/dp/B001OSRIVQ">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">10. “Frank, AB” // The Rural Alberta Advantage </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Hometowns</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hometowns-Rural-Alberta-Advantage/dp/B0029Z8KHE">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">11. “Tenuousness” // Andrew Bird </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Noble Beast</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Noble-Beast-Andrew-Bird/dp/B001LTVBX4">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">12. “Much More Than That” // Sharon Van Etten </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Because I Was in Love</span></i><span style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Because-Was-Love-Sharon-Etten/dp/B0024O9LOQ">buy</a>]</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">13. “Two” // The Antlers</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Hospice</span></i><span style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hospice-Antlers/dp/B002GYKTW2">buy</a>]</span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">14. “Blood Bank” // Bon Iver </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Blood Bank</span></i><span style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> EP) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Bank-Bon-Iver/dp/B001MJ3MQW">buy</a>]</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">15. “Eid Ma Clack Shaw” // Bill Callahan </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sometimes-Wish-We-Were-Eagle/dp/B001Q2EIXG">buy</a>]</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">16. “Boat Behind” // Kings of Convenience </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Declaration of Dependence</span></i><span style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Declaration-Dependence-Kings-Convenience/dp/B002LFIZDG">buy</a>]</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">17. “Anna” (feat. Panda Bear) // Taken By Trees </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">East of Eden</span></i><span style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/East-Eden-Taken-Trees/dp/B002ERCICA">buy</a>]</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">18. “Bode” // Julianna Barwick </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Florine </span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">EP) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Florine/dp/B002HIZCOM">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">19. “Royal Festival Hall, London – Part VIII” // Keith Jarrett </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Paris / London: Testament</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Paris-London-Testament-Keith-Jarrett/dp/B002JVHELG">buy</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-4238247530502335602009-10-20T11:45:00.000-07:002009-10-26T01:07:56.438-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">For awhile now I've been posting links to videos, songs, and interesting articles on my Facebook page. I find little time or enthusiasm to write paragraphs about random songs I'm enjoying, but oftentimes, those are the things I want to share with my friends most--not just full album reviews and lists and such. Facebook offers a tweet's worth of text and a URL link, plus all of my posts automatically appear on my friends' newsfeeds, so it's pretty much perfect.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So if you'd like to follow me on Facebook, you should be able to see all my posts by following <a href="http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=8603838&share_id=181817707124">this link</a> (if you're my friend) and <a href="feed://www.facebook.com/feeds/share_posts.php?id=8603838&viewer=8603838&key=92c4b5763f&format=rss20">this link</a> (if you're not). Regardless of how you feel about Facebook, this page <i>should</i> remind you a lot of a blog...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">adam</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-54247003976148832192009-07-21T09:19:00.000-07:002009-07-21T09:22:29.627-07:00We're moving.For the time being, Dave and I are posting on a blog called The Captured Perspective. It is a place chock full of talented writers with different interests and perspectives. Check it out here:<div><br /></div><div><a href="http://capturedperspective.com/">http://capturedperspective.com/<br /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Please check back to Holland, 2002 in the future, as we may double-post on both blogs or retreat altogether. Thanks for reading.</div><div><br /></div><div>Adam</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-74893411255758978952009-07-02T13:37:00.000-07:002009-07-02T13:47:44.801-07:00Why Leave America Behind?<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">This November, I am moving to Uganda to manage AssetMap Uganda, a project in the start-up phase that aims to foster collaboration among NGOs. Last week, someone asked me, “Why are you leaving America behind? Isn’t the nonprofit sector in the U.S. just as much in need of an effort like this?”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">The first answer that came to mind was a utilitarian one: We ought to produce the greatest good for the greatest number of people. The degree of need and the stakes of successful nonprofit collaboration are higher in sub-Saharan Africa than anywhere else in the world. Leaving America behind makes a lot of sense within the utilitarian framework.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Here’s the problem: I hate utilitarian ethics. Human beings are more than utility consumers and producers, and our responsibilities to one another cannot be whittled down to simple formulas. A utilitarian worldview leaves little room for the demands that culture, kinship, history, faith, and other aspects of our lived experience place on us.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Outside of a utilitarian approach, I had no idea how to respond to this rather pointed question. Instead, I babbled on about conscience and experience, trying to avoid saying things like:</span><br /></span><ul><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> They need my abilities (No, they don’t)</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> Nobody else will do it (Yes, they will)</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> I feel called (Sort of)</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> The need is so great (Welcome back, utilitarianism)</span></span></li></ul><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">In retrospect, I didn’t have a good answer. How, then, do I justify leaving the country that I love, the community I hold close, to invest my time and energy in a place that is entirely foreign? It comes down to mutuality and innovation.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">The phrase “leaving America behind” assumes that the value of my traveling to Uganda is a one-way street, that the U.S. is losing an asset and Uganda is gaining one. This is not only arrogant but also wrong. Instead, I hope to add-value to Ugandan civil society and, at the same time, be informed and transformed by the ideas and lives of Ugandans. This cross-pollination of cultures and people is crucial for thriving in a globalized world, we must learn from Uganda and they must learn from us.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Innovation often stems from having people with multiple perspectives and skill-sets thinking about the same problem (e.g. when engineers work with anthropologists to design a new product). Imagine if Americans never left the country, never engaged with ideas and institutions around the world, do you think we could stay innovative? Also, if Ugandans are going to find better ways to do things, then it might be useful to have me at the table as yet another perspective thinking about the same problem. In short, AssetMap will not be innovating </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:times new roman;" >for</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> Ugandans, we will innovate </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:times new roman;" >with </span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">them.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">When next asked why I am leaving America behind, I will say that I am not, that Uganda is doing America a favor by allowing me to learn from and innovate with them.</span></span><br /></div>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836713793470393978noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-61792725600044434552009-06-30T16:33:00.000-07:002009-07-01T19:10:39.456-07:00Underdog Albums of 2009: Part II<div style="text-align: justify;">[This is Part Two of a Two-Part post. Part One can be found <a href="http://holland02.blogspot.com/2009/06/underdog-albums-of-2009-part-i.html">here</a>.]<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/Jasonisbellandthe400unit.jpg/200px-Jasonisbellandthe400unit.jpg"></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Today's post continues on where yesterday's left off, highlighting two more of 2009's best records from lesser-known artists.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Phoenix - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix</span></span> [Loyauté / Glassnote / V2]</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/cf/PhoenixWolfgang.jpg/200px-PhoenixWolfgang.jpg"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/cf/PhoenixWolfgang.jpg/200px-PhoenixWolfgang.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="text-align: justify;float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px; " /></a><div style="text-align: justify;">Of the five albums on my "list," this is the one that doesn't quite fit the theme of "underdog albums." Veteran French pop-rock group Phoenix are indeed garnering a good deal of praise for this, their fourth full-length release in their ten-year history; a much blogged about appearance on SNL, an <a href="http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13052-wolfgang-amadeus-phoenix/">8.5</a> from Pitchfork, and a #37 spot on the US Billboard 200 are certainly not indicative of "lesser-known artists." Still, few would have predicted <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix </span>would be the album to bring the band the global fame they seemed to be made for.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Back in 2006, after Phoenix released one of my favorite albums of the decade, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">It's Never Been Like That</span>, I wrote in a year-end retrospective, "It's utterly shocking that French alt-pop band Phoenix hasn't been plastered on billboards, commercialized to no end, and replayed thousands of times on US radio stations." Pitchfork placed that album at #13 on their <a href="http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/6510-top-50-albums-of-2006/4/">top 50 of the year</a>, doing their part to boost the group's cred, but still it seemed no one would take them seriously.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What changed? First, they went bigger. Lead single "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBR_FVBED4w">1901</a>," which rivals their best tracks (and they have some absolute monsters), adds giant electro-flares to their trademark guitar/kick drum rhythms. Second, they finally nailed the consistency/flow thing. While <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Never</span> got the former right, without a dud in the bunch, it still somehow felt weighed down. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Wolfgang</span>, however, is more carefully ordered. Some critics have claimed it's frontloaded, when in fact, the last four tracks, particularly the momentous closer "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV8ENWz_ldA">Armistice</a>," make up a better stretch than the middle chunk. Last, they took an admirable risk with "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8c3CUNKQ2Q">Love Like a Sunset</a>," a near-eight-minute, two-part behemoth that acts as an album fulcrum, that paid off immensely. Simply, Phoenix may be my favorite singles band of the decade, but this is pretty easily my favorite album of 2009.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Visit Phoenix's official website <a href="http://www.wearephoenix.com/">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Watch Phoenix play "Lisztomania" & "1901" live on SNL <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8w56f_phoenix-live-saturday-night_music">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit</span></span> [Lightning Rod]</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/Jasonisbellandthe400unit.jpg/200px-Jasonisbellandthe400unit.jpg"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/Jasonisbellandthe400unit.jpg/200px-Jasonisbellandthe400unit.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="text-align: justify;float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px; " /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/cf/PhoenixWolfgang.jpg/200px-PhoenixWolfgang.jpg"></a><div style="text-align: justify;">In 2007, much fuss was made about Jason Isbell's exit from Southern/alt-country band the Drive-By Truckers. Credit Isbell, formerly one of the group's three lead singer/songwriters, for two of the band's best tracks in their final two albums together, "The Day John Henry Died" and "Daylight." As such, I wasn't all that surprised that his debut solo record, 2007's <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Sirens of the Ditch</span>, was pretty damn tight. "Dress Blues," in particular, which told the story of US Marine Corporal Matthew Conley who died in the Iraq War, was the type of tune that makes grown men cry.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was surprised, however, to find his 2009 follow-up, named in honor of his new backing band, the 400 Unit, was twice as good. Even casual fans of alt-country -- say, Ryan Adams, Neko Case, earlier Wilco, or My Morning Jacket -- will be drawn to the sound of this album, which is more consistent than the scattered recordings of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Sirens</span> allowed for. More importantly, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit</span> manages to do what so many of the Truckers' albums have failed to: remain balanced from start to finish. From the uptempo "Good," to the beautifully simplistic guitar lick in "The Blue," to one of the best closing tracks of the year, "The Last Song I Will Write," this is such a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">listenable</span> record, I often find myself playing it two or three times in a row.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Visit Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit's official website <a href="http://www.jasonisbell.com/">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Listen to the band perform on World Café Live <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=101202342">here</a>.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-21405811439299677432009-06-09T04:15:00.000-07:002009-07-03T13:24:27.117-07:00Underdog Albums of 2009: Part I<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.readjunk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/cds_justintownesearle_midnight.jpg"></a><div style="text-align: justify;">[This is Part One of a Two-Part post. Part Two can be found <a href="http://holland02.blogspot.com/2009/06/underdog-albums-of-2009-part-ii.html">here</a>.]</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Today is June 30th, the year's halfway point. Dave and I have agreed that we need to post more than we have been of late, so let's kick things off with some of my favorite records of 2009. Instead of regurgitating information you're likely already privy to (yes, the Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear records are top notch), here are a three excellent releases (I'll post two more tomorrow) from artists who mostly continue to float under the radar:<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Bat for Lashes - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Two Suns</span></span> [Parlophone / Astralwerks]</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><img style="text-align: justify;float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px; " src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/61/Bat_for_lashes_two_suns.jpg/200px-Bat_for_lashes_two_suns.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: justify;">Try as she might, Natasha Khan seems destined to not be taken seriously. Perhaps its the gaudy album art, the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek3coSedm7o">lazer shooting wolf videos</a>, the regular <a href="http://www.prefixmag.com/reviews/bat-for-lashes/two-suns/25172/">exaggeration</a> of the "concept" behind <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Two Suns</span>, or the fact that Kate Bush is referenced in every single review of her work. It is true that like Bush, Bat for Lashes transforms what might otherwise sound like cheesy electronic music into majestic songs, but Khan's voice is much closer to Chan Marshall's of Cat Power. Khan's vocals on <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Two Suns</span> are at times shockingly good (see: "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeLNuQdfcQw">Glass</a>"), an enormous step up in range and ambition than what she displayed on her debut record, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Fur & Gold</span>. But more than the mere technical craft that went into this album's creation, the most impressive aspect of its 45-minute runtime are its eleven songs. If <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Fur & Gold</span> hinted at Khan's talent as a songwriter, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Two Suns </span>announces it loud and clear from its kickin' first single "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00ZHah-c0hQ">Daniel</a>" to the crescendoed "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9Y-mtihWiI">Siren Song</a>," her most ambitious track to date.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Visit Bat for Lashes' official website <a href="http://www.batforlashes.com/">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Watch the must-see performance of "Daniel" on the Late Show with David Letterman <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GobEk0ZAIpw">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">A-Trak - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">FabricLive.45</span></span> [Fabric]</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/63/FabricLive.45.png/200px-FabricLive.45.png" border="0" alt="" style="text-align: justify;float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 206px; " /></span><div style="text-align: justify;">A-Trak release reviews almost always mention his tenure as Kanye West's tour DJ, among his many other impressive credentials (e.g. youngest ever winner of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DMC_World_DJ_Championships">DMCs</a> at age 15, and first ever to win all three major DJ competition titles). As they should; A-Trak should first and foremost be appreciated for his proficiency with his instrument. But where artists like DJ Shadow and The Avalanches pushed the envelope of what people thought turntables could be used for, A-Trak is simply doing what DJs have been doing for years, better than just about anyone else.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">His <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Dirty South Dance</span> mixtape was probably the record I listened to most in 2007. Despite consisting almost entirely of the most over-used and tired technique in the business, mash-ups, his layering of hip-pop and crate-dug electronic gems improved on every song in the bunch and flowed seamlessly from beginning to end. His newest mixtape, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabric_discography#FabricLive_series">commissioned</a> by London's Fabric nightclub, is as simple as they come: save for a single mash-up to start the tape, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">FabricLive.45</span> is just 25 killer tracks and remixes, perfectly beatmatched and mixed. Even if you're clueless as to the technical skill required to mix records as well as A-Trak does, his selection of bass-throbbing electronic jams will interest anyone hunting for the year's best summer driving album.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Visit A-Trak's official website <a href="http://djatrak.com/">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Preview tracks from <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">FabricLive.45</span> <a href="http://www.fabriclondon.com/label/fabriclive/45/">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Justin Townes Earle - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Midnight at the Movies</span></span> [Bloodshot]</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 26, 139); "><img src="http://www.readjunk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/cds_justintownesearle_midnight.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="text-align: justify;float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px; " /></span><div style="text-align: justify;">The way I see it, music lovers can hope for two types of records, those that push boundaries or explore new territories and those that execute a style to a tee. Justin Townes Earle, son of prolific country musician Steve Earle, has perfected the latter technique. Eight months ago I <a href="http://holland02.blogspot.com/2008/10/justin-townes-earle-good-life.html">posted</a> about <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">The Good Life</span>, his debut album and one of the finest releases of 2008. Less than a year later comes his sophomore effort, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Midnight at the Movies</span>, which continues on down the "traditional but damn good" road. The thing is, "traditional" country music is pretty hard to come by these days. So when Earle's twang takes front and center on "Walk Out," or when the harmonica on "Halfway to Jackson" mimics a southbound train, I guarantee you'll be more pleasantly surprised than you expect. Most impressive are the record's early stand-outs, "Mama's Eyes" and "Can't Hardly Wait." The former is a brief but sobering account of his dysfunctional relationship with his father, while the latter is a straightforward countrified cover of one of my favorite Replacements' tracks. Both succeed because they're exemplary of Earle's forté: uncluttered, perfectly-executed, memorable country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Visit Justin Townes Earle's MySpace page <a href="http://www.myspace.com/justintownesearle">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Watch the KEXP interview and performance, which includes "Mama's Eyes" <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Yj128KBIaY">here</a>.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-46167157715301926972009-06-07T05:21:00.000-07:002009-06-07T05:35:08.267-07:00The Last Two Months of My Life... and the Next 12<div style="text-align: justify;">I can't speak for Dave, but personally, I've been a bit too swamped these last couple months to worry about the blog. Here's a snip-it of what I've been up to, and what the next 12 months of my life will be dedicated to:</div><div><!--StartFragment--><span style="Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-USfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"></span><blockquote style="text-align: justify;"><span style="Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Curiously, history provides concrete evidence that the world’s most capable democratic states do not respond to instances of genocide with consistent behavior.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The principles of nonintervention and sovereignty, a state’s self-interests, and an array of internal and external pressures, can cause action, or be completely ignored.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The primary puzzle to be investigated is thus, ‘</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What motivates advanced democratic states to politically commit to genocide intervention?</span></i></span><span style="Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This project will investigate the argument that states have made calculated responses to recent acts of genocide based on national self-interests, internal and external pressures, and their normatively influenced identities.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Contributions will therefore be made to the existing literatures of genocide research, humanitarian intervention, and international relations.</span></span></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Being a grad student has its perks, but it can also be quite frightening. I envy those with stable 9-to-5s and a family life. What if my research turns up nothing? What if no one even reads the damn thing? How in the hell is this going to help me get a job?<br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For me, the easiest answer to the above questions is another question: 'Who cares?' There are few things in life more gratifying than committing yourself 100% to a goal and seeing it come to fruition. And that's exactly what I'm going to do. For now, I'm taking things one step at a time, which means I've got just one more week in England before my first year is kaput. Then: iced coffee, sand, sunshine, music, and Lake Michigan.<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-14750271074988361012009-04-26T07:28:00.000-07:002009-04-29T06:00:55.250-07:002008 Film in Review<div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Let me start</span> by acknowledging the awkwardness of discussing the films of 2008 at the close of April 2009. I realize that many of these movies are long forgotten, the Golden Globes and Oscars having beaten any remaining interest into the ground.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I for one, however, still have not seen all of the films released in 2008 that I had originally intended to. What's more, I have little doubt that the vast majority of individuals that voted on the aforementioned awards would say the same. Nonetheless, I have finally reached the point where I have seen enough to merit this post. So that's that.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now, I've heard every argument in the book against making "stupid, pointless lists" at the end of the year, but fuck it, I like them. So here's mine. These are the films I saw from last year and the grade I would give them. Yes, grades are somewhat arbitrary. Deal with it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">The List</span></div><div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">The Wrestler</span> -- A+<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">In Bruges</span> -- A</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">WALL-E</span> -- A</div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">I.O.U.S.A. </span>-- A- <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">[see my review </span><a href="http://holland02.blogspot.com/2009/04/solo-iousa.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">]</span><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">Frost/Nixon</span> -- B+</div><div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">The Reader</span> -- B+<br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Waltz With Bashir</span> -- B+<br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">Marley & Me</span> -- B<br /></div><div><div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">The Dark Knight</span> -- B<br /></div><div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div></div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Man on Wire</span> -- B<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">Vicky Christina Barcelona</span> -- B-</div><div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Slumdog Millionaire</span> -- B-</div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Milk</span> -- B- <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">[see my review </span><a href="http://holland02.blogspot.com/2008/12/milk.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">]</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Changeling</span> -- C+<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">The Fall</span> -- C+<br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">The Curious Case of Benjamin Button</span> -- C</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Iron Man</span> -- C</div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Ché, Pt. I</span> -- C-</div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">Quantum of Solace</span> -- D+<br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">Defiance</span> -- D+</div><div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Bolt</span> -- D</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Films I Have Not Seen, But Would Like To:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Revolutionary Road </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">[see Dave's review </span><a href="http://holland02.blogspot.com/2009/03/revolutionary-road.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">]</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Gran Torino</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Doubt</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Happy-Go-Lucky</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Burn After Reading</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Australia</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Tropic Thunder</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Pineapple Express</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">More on Five:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">The Wrestler</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(director: Darren Aronofsky; starring: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood)</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEAs-ZlpxKeJhvpVxy15KwOMhJt2xO1ltDOJHaC_lNzoQox9WAQDbrkdNq9-9navJNFMI4ETlJyoWKfsZrE39shHY_qn19NSax2ucJtZdJQagsRIfRcddvipMk33xERL08mnIvh-Q861A/s400/RourkeWrestler.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329832848564396274" style="text-align: justify;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 173px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The best film I saw in 2008, hands down, and probably the best movie I've seen in recent memory. Much of this is due to Mickey Rourke's realistic portrayal of Randy "The Ram" Robinson, a washed-up semi-pro wrestler, living in a trailer park and searching desperately to reclaim some purpose in his life. Credit must also be given to director Darren Aronofsky (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Requiem for a Dream</span>,<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"> Pi</span>) who finally made a movie I didn't just "appreciate," but enjoyed. In particular, there's an insanely brilliant scene where Aronofsky's camera follows Rourke from an upstairs bathroom in the grocery store where he works, down the stairs, across the stockroom, through a pathetic plastic curtain, and into the deli. It's all done to the faintly heard rumbles of a crowd cheering, apparently heard in his head, and this short description doesn't do it anywhere near the justice it deserves.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The movie's real triumph, however, is the story itself, which comes courtesy of Robert Siegel in his writing debut. Siegel's protagonist is a complete fuck-up who sleeps with twenty-somethings instead of remembering to meet his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Wood) for the dinner date they'd planned just a few days prior. He claws tooth and nail for a date with a stripper (Marisa Tomei) and continues taking steroids after a serious bout with death. And yet, no matter how far he falls, you're always on The Ram's side. I could go on, but just: see this, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">please</span>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">[ </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">97%</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><a href="http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_wrestler/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">on RottenTomatoes</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> / </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">8.4</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1125849/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">on IMDB</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> / </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61-GFxjTyV0"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Trailer</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">]</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">In Bruges</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(director: Martin McDonagh; starring: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdTCtQiHiKhVjB5S2XuiAgmI1exVB6-R0hyHCd4yKK3mjnBdlIoMA87fqjxCgkGUg536jPLkpmPmn8TtSKRvfFPiKyy3ctaXZH1oGdQ_pz1lPkxPQr1RvykAVPG4PEPJ8FwKzKE6cLZY/s1600-h/in-bruges2.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdTCtQiHiKhVjB5S2XuiAgmI1exVB6-R0hyHCd4yKK3mjnBdlIoMA87fqjxCgkGUg536jPLkpmPmn8TtSKRvfFPiKyy3ctaXZH1oGdQ_pz1lPkxPQr1RvykAVPG4PEPJ8FwKzKE6cLZY/s400/in-bruges2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329832852929467234" style="text-align: justify;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 173px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What makes <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">In Bruges</span> so unique? For one, it's dark and violent. There are a couple of graphic shots you'd expect from <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Saving Private Ryan</span>, not a slapstick comedy about two dudes hiding out in a scenic European city. In fact, those dudes (Colin Farrell as Ray, Brendan Gleeson as Ken) are hitmen awaiting instruction from their boss, Harry (Ralph Fiennes). Ray's new to the biz, and on his first and only job, he accidentally shot a little boy. Harry informs cheery Ken, who's delighted with the sight-seeing, that he must kill the sorrowful Ray, who's burdened with the guilt of murdering an innocent child. On a night out, Ray meets and falls in love with a drug dealer (hot <a href="http://www.lumos.it/harry-potter-movie/attori/images/poesy.jpg">French chick</a> from the Harry Potter fliks) on the set of a movie starring a midget.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The plot summary should take care of answering the question that opened this review: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Bruges' </span>script is tremendous. Written and directed by Irish playwright <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_McDonagh">Martin McDonagh</a>, his first full-length feature film, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Bruges</span> is smart, surprisingly human, and funny as all hell. Now I toiled over which quote to choose, but I think this gem sums up the humor well:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ken: "Oh we shall strike a balance between culture and fun."</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ray: "Somehow I believe, Ken, that the balance shall tip in the favor of culture... like a big, fat, fucking retarded, fucking black girl on a seesaw."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">[</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">80%</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><a href="http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/in_bruges/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">on RT</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> / </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">8.1</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780536/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">on IMDB</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> / </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoE9edjEDCI"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Trailer</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">]</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Frost/Nixon</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(director: Ron Howard; starring: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfGscio2ObutIWhyOG1ObAagbOvovAL9CGDD1vBrAabqoNyJwMfrkuGeWVdAT1JfYuEM29C1PsWrOE3GJ0cavQ9djxXleL7YoPOl2lleozqdkmAt4KQmc3hwOkbs-P7s0rdSOwHg_ZiOc/s400/frost-nixon-cp-2825677.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329832851643955218" style="text-align: justify;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 172px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A few years back, I would have told you Ron Howard was the biggest hack in Hollywood. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">The Da Vinci Code</span>? <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">A Beautiful Mind</span>? <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Splash</span>? Yawn. Across the board, this guy was making sappy garbage and being touted as one of the most prominent directors in the industry. But since he signed on to <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Arrested Development</span>, I simply haven't been able to look at lil' Opie Taylor the same way. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Frost/Nixon</span> is Howard's best film since <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Apollo 13</span>, and is decidedly un-Ron Howard. He takes a subject that even I -- a student of political science -- had little interest in (a series of post-Watergate interviews with former President Nixon conducted by British TV personality David Frost) and makes a fairly compelling story of it. It's certainly overdramatized at times, but the film's casting director deserves an AIG-style bonus for giving Frank Langella the role of Nixon. In a year when everyone (including <a href="http://holland02.blogspot.com/2008/12/milk.html">myself</a>) was commending Sean Penn for talking with a lisp and kissing James Franco, Langella fills the shoes of one of America's most recognizable and notorious faces with ease. Rourke was better, yeah, but hell if I saw a more gripping scene all year than a drunken Nixon yelling into a phone in the dead of night.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">[</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">92%</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><a href="http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/frostnixon/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">on RT</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> / </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">8.0</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0870111/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">on IMDB</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> / </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ibxs_2nDXUc"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Trailer</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">]</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Marley & Me</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(director: David Frankel; starring: Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Alan Arkin)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVPuEdk7Qo6LM21MCdKfbELwaZ1QeaoJ8bsu84b9lkD-quMKoUlEJGcp_kHnionLukEK46Y4vzwHly8p2dByEXK1tXmExF3AtK643bHLt2Zsn3he9oZqQtq90CZ6Tp4kSIjRQetcJ5I8I/s400/marley_and_me_png_595x325_crop_upscale_q85.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329832851147552386" style="text-align: justify;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 175px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you saw a billboard for <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Marley & Me</span>, it probably looked like <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd5zAS2thBRmak6JtgrraZonF5Trt4OQa3RuI4s0GV3XhHPn-AKKhQWxy5n9mSeHKcz-0vTeKvlSDIzRYx4YhfpOjj8Q2eK20hIlGkbE74M6-KCyu7eyzTvt-wWFyGU6zmuLq8CKky_bQ/s400/Marley+&+me+movie+billboard.JPG">this</a>. Result: most people, myself included, assumed it was some shitty kids movie about a cute dog. To my surprise, this stars Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston (note to studios: put mega-celebrities on billboards, not dogs) in a story that relies on "Marley the dog" as a framing device more so than the central plot focus. The real story, based on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Marley-Me-Life-Worlds-Worst/dp/0061687200/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240850778&sr=8-2">this book</a>, is about a just-married couple and the hardships that accompany the standard American life. We watch Wilson & Aniston as they transition (deteriorate?) from youthful, sex- and career-driven optimists to mature, family-juggling suburbanites. I was amazed at how much I connected with and cared for the characters as I watched them grow in and out of love. There's also a solid supporting cast, which includes Alan Arkin, Eric Dane, and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0676370/">that older guy</a> from <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">The Wire</span>. The movie ends predictably -- the studio's horrendous marketing campaign even <a href="http://www.themovieblog.com/2008/12/marley-me-the-dog-dies">used this</a> to target sympathetic viewers -- but if you've lost a dog in your lifetime, it's worth seeing the film simply to remember the unmatched joy our pets bring us. Miss you, Bob.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">[</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">60%</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><a href="http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/marley_and_me/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">on RT</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> / </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">7.1</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0822832/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">on IMDB </span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">/ </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU8wdW5u5is"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Trailer</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">]</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Waltz With Bashir</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(director: Ari Folman; starring: Ari Folman, Dror Harazi, Ronny Dayag)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8U5bwD7py7GAdMFWgs9atT0xiYioxbxoh3OQcJCpMbL_jNsUimv8T-YNOu5G3mcOnbW3CiNp6-BAFJ7HMrJiffPuOf-Nd0DNhGV6xvqxcPc0MnYiaDfi-WwAC9QAk1D4cRs782QShag/s400/waltz_with_bashir_01.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329832856163903426" style="text-align: justify;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 173px; " /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A foreign, animated documentary is like the film equivalent of a blind, one-legged midget. All things considered, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Waltz With Bashir</span> got a substantial amount of press last year for its grim portrayal of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1982_Lebanon_War">1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon</a>. The protagonist is director Ari Folman, and the plot is essentially his effort to remember the events of the war, which he has perhaps not-so-curiously forgotten. The narrative is thus told first-hand by a series of real life interviews with soldiers, journalists, and friends of Folman's that were involved in the conflict. The stories told by these interviewees are depicted by a unique form of animation that is absolutely stunning, to say the least. The <a href="http://www.israel21c.org/bin/en.jsp?enDispWho=Articles^l2116&enPage=BlankPage&enDisplay=view&enDispWhat=object&enVersion=0&enZone=Culture">technique</a> used, which resembles "rotoscoping," the meticulous process of drawing over live film frames (as famously used in <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Waking Life</span>), was developed specifically for <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Waltz</span>. The process began with a 90-minute live film shot in studio, which was then laid out on a storyboard. Next, the storyboard was used to draw 2,300 free standing illustrations. Then (this is the cool part): "Each drawing was sliced into hundreds of pieces which were moved in relation to one another [in a computer program], thus creating the illusion of movement." But the film's strengths reach far beyond its mere look. In particular, it's difficult to forget the utter silence of the theater in <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Waltz</span>'s closing two-minutes, which personally ran chills down my neck. Finally, I mustn't neglect to mention <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Richter_(composer)">Max Richter</a>'s brilliant original score, which actively and effortlessly supports this unique and commendable film.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">[</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">96%</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><a href="http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/waltz_with_bashir/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">on RT</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> / </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">8.1</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1185616/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">on IMDB</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> / </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKwJgOrN1f4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Trailer</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">]</span><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-83329034898017959592009-04-25T06:35:00.001-07:002009-04-25T07:45:05.228-07:00Solo & I.O.U.S.A.<div style="text-align: justify;">The <a href="http://www.oxdox.com/2009festival/">Oxdox International Documentary Film Festival</a> is one of the more exciting events I've taken part in since moving across the pond. 70 documentaries are being shown in just seven days, many of them accompanied by question & answer sessions with their directors, producers, and stars. Just halfway through the festival, I've already been lucky enough to catch two incredibly well-executed films, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Solo</span> and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">I.O.U.S.A.</span><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Solo</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> is the story of <a href="http://www.andrewmcauley.com/">Andrew McAuley</a>, an Australian adventurer, and his attempt to paddle a regular ol' kayak (solo) across the Tasman Sea, from Australia to New Zealand. I went into this film thinking it would be hugely inspirational to see a man, one who clearly had ten times the gall and strength than me, leave his family for a dream. I was moved, incredibly so, but nothing could have prepared me for what I saw.</span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><img style="text-align: justify;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 175px; height: 200px; " src="http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGC/StaticFiles/Episodes/Solo/Images/solokayak5.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What I saw was one man's obituary. The great majority of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Solo</span> is comprised of two sources: a video journal McAuley kept while on his 30-day trip, and interviews with his wife, Vicki. And what these videos document is a man who pushed himself beyond the limits of what he even thought possible -- and lost.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The film opens with McAuley's distress signal, sent to the New Zealand coastguard just 30 kilometers from shore -- within eyesight. Viewers are then treated to the story of McAuley's life, the preparation that went into his trip, and finally, scene after scene of his battle with one of the most treacherous expansions of ocean on Earth. You see him cry repeatedly, promise his wife he'll never do anything so stupid again, and yearn to hold his baby boy. What you learn is the sanctity of human life, and the very demarcations of what man is capable of. It is no doubt one of the most depressing films I've ever seen, but one that's worth every second.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">You can watch the preview for <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Solo</span> below, and get details on when it will air on the National Geographic Channel <a href="http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/solo-lost-at-sea-3620/Overview">here</a>. McAuley's blog remains intact <a href="http://www.andrewmcauley.com/index.html">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><embed src="http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/videos/satellite/satelliteEmbedPlayer.swf" bgcolor="#000000" flashvars="videoRef=05714_00&autoStart=false&shareURL=http%3A%2F%2Fchannel%2Enationalgeographic%2Ecom%2Fepisode%2Fsolo%2Dlost%2Dat%2Dsea%2D3620%2FOverview%3F%23tab%2DVideos%2F05714%5F00" allowfullscreen="true" name="flashObj" width="496" height="279" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" swliveconnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">I.O.U.S.A.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""> is another in a series of excellent documentaries released this decade that aim to wake up the American public. Some have been tremendously popular with the common moviegoer (e.g. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.fahrenheit911.com/">Fahrenheit 9/11</a></span> and <a href="http://www.climatecrisis.net/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">An Inconvenient Truth</span></a>) while others have gone regretfully unnoticed (e.g. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9219858826421983682">Why We Fight</a></span>). Regardless, each of these films -- and you can add <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">I.O.U.S.A.</span> to this list -- takes a subject that Americans have some cursory knowledge of, and claims that we've got a substantially larger problem than any of us may realize.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This documentary, directed by <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.wordplaythemovie.com/">Wordplay</a></span>'s Patrick Creadon, tackles the issue of the US National Debt crisis by focusing on former Comptroller General, David Walker. Walker's "four deficits" are highlighted: the trade deficit, the savings deficit, the budget deficit, and the leadership deficit. The moral is frightening: if we the nation of America continue down the road we are on, we will be unable to sustain ourselves, and like the empires that came before us, we will crumble.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Creadon mixes media effortlessly -- interviews, news stories, animation, speeches -- and, critically, presents what I found to be a neutral and informative take. I would strongly suggest all Americans see this film precisely because there aren't too many practical day-to-day fixes provided. Instead, solving this problem will take a shift in attitude and political lifestyle that can only be accomplished on a national level.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The full-length film is 85 minutes in length, but if you only have a half hour, they've made a "bite-sized" version that's freely available to watch on their website <a href="http://www.iousathemovie.com/">here</a>, or on YouTube <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_TjBNjc9Bo">here</a>. Watch the trailer:</div><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HBo2xQIWHiM&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HBo2xQIWHiM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-43534279499011778122009-04-12T18:54:00.000-07:002009-04-12T18:56:57.190-07:00Protestantism, Capitalism, and Discontent<div style="text-align: justify;">I want to identify three forces that I find interesting and perhaps related: 1) American society is guided by the self-regulating market and a culture of individualism; 2) We are the most Christian and religiously devout nation in the west; and 3) Americans, both men and women, have gotten steadily less happy over the past 100 years despite living in one of the most opulent nations in modern history.<br /><br />I recently picked up the <em>Conquest of Happiness</em> by Bertrand Russell in which he writes:<br /><blockquote>I was not born happy. As a child, my favorite hymn was: “Weary of earth and laden with my sin.” In adolescence, I hated life and was continually on the verge of suicide, however, I was restrained by the desire to know more mathematics. Now, on the contrary, I enjoy life; I might almost say that with every year that passes I enjoy it more.<br /><br />This is due in large part to a diminishing preoccupation with myself. Like others who had a Puritan education, I had the habit of meditating on my sins, follies, and shortcomings. I seemed to myself – no doubt justly – a miserable specimen. Gradually I learned to be indifferent to myself and my deficiencies; I came to center my attention increasingly upon external objects: the state of the world, various branches of knowledge, individuals for whom I felt affection. External interests, it is true, bring each its own possibility of pain: the world may be plunged in war, knowledge in some direction may be hard to achieve, friends may die. But pains of these kinds do not destroy the essential quality of life, as do those that spring from disgust with self. </blockquote>This speaks strongly to both my life experience and frustration with the church, but also hints at a potentially inherent antagonism between capitalism and Christianity.<br /><br />The primary religion of our culture emphasizes the depravity of the human nature. The institution that has largely guided American social transformation for the past two-hundred years, market capitalism, is centered in the primacy of self-interest. With our economics leading us to focus on ourselves, and our religion on how fallen and broken we are, is it surprising that we aren’t getting any happier?<br /><br />Despite my frustrations, I am a Christian and believer in the usefulness of markets – seeking an alternative way to understand faith and society through a lens of human flourishing, not depravity and selfishness.</div>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836713793470393978noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-7341537430477748742009-03-26T07:33:00.000-07:002009-03-26T07:38:41.295-07:00Revolutionary Road<div style="text-align: justify;">There have been many potent critiques leveled against the American Dream. From <em>Death of a Salesman</em> to <em>American Beauty</em>, the darker ‘untold’ story of American suburban life has been told. While joining this long list of criticisms, <em>Revolutionary Road</em> departs from it in some important ways.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 262px; height: 222px;" src="http://capturedperspective.wordpress.com/files/2009/03/revoroad.jpg?w=300" alt="revoroad" title="revoroad" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-760" /><br /></div><br />Like many, this story begins with a young couple that falls in love, marries, has children, and finds a house in the suburbs. The husband, Frank, takes a job he hates and is ‘too talented’ for and his wife April feels trapped and bored in her role as suburban housewife. Sounds typical, right?<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Wrong. Most other stories have frustrating but likeable characters who end up sticking it to the man or living the life they always imagined upon an enlightening/ empowering experience. Lester Burnham of <em>American Beauty</em> fits this bill well. In <em>Revolutionary Road</em>, nearly everyone is despicable, blind, and completely lacking in courage. The one man who sees clearly the world Frank and April find themselves in is John Givings, a recently released psychiatric patient and former math professor. Here are a couple of his more powerful insights:<br /><br />In speaking about the suburban way of life, he says, "Hopeless emptiness. Now you've said it. Plenty of people are onto the emptiness, but it takes real guts to see the hopelessness."<br /><br />Then, in an argument with Frank about April's second (surprise) pregnancy and why Frank took a promotion at a job he hates instead of moving his family to Paris to start over as he had planned, Givings remarks, "I wouldn't be surprised if you knocked her up on purpose, just so you could spend the rest of your life hiding behind that maternity dress."<br /><br />Unfortunately, Givings sees only ugliness, so much so that he is completely incapable of finding a role in society. Herein lies the underlying theme of the movie: There is no alternative to a seemingly absurd world. While one leaves the film convinced about the futility of suburban married life as an end in itself, a deeper angst comes from the film’s intentional failure to articulate an alternative. I left asking myself, “If no this, then what?”<br /><br />It’s a tough pill to swallow but, once taken, I think it unearths our deepest insecurities as young American hopefuls.</div></div>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836713793470393978noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-88041883378629889752009-03-15T10:47:00.000-07:002009-03-15T13:06:39.581-07:00Watchmen<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></span></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: 150%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Impotence, not coincidentally, is the unifying theme of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Watchmen</span>. I've posted before that the story, as told by Gibbons and Moore, is essentially a freudian analysis of the psychosexual complexes that motivate people to dress in leotards and fight crime, and (therefore) that motivates readers of the genre to commune with the medium with fervent intimacy. When you look past all of the story's remarkable trappings, it is ultimately a tale of freaks and failures, of men and women who believe they're heroes and villains but in the end are little more than slaves to their own subconscious feelings of powerlessness. It is here that I take issue with Snyder's adaptation.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: 150%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Dave Gibbons' name appears in the credits of the film; Alan Moore's does not. This is appropriate, but it is not because Snyder failed to attempt to preserve the integrity of the text. Indeed, both authors' work, as it appears in the ink on the page, is preserved with remarkable fidelity here. Scenes from the novel are regularly reconstructed panel-for-panel and line-for-line. The problem is simply that Gibbons' vision is well-served by the big-screen costuming and special effects; Moore's is not.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: 150%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">...</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: 150%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">To show Night Owl and Spectre engaging in kung fu heroics is not only an exaggeration of the text, it is a fundamental misreading of their characters. These aren't action heroes; they're people who get their capes caught in revolving doors and are brutally gunned down. Moore's greatest insight with <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Watchmen</span> was to realize that if flawed people choose to engage in heroics that are infinitely beyond them, the results of their efforts are not comic (as was, and is, so widely popularized in comedies of bungling superheroes), but tragic. Snyder seems to be completely oblivious to this. These aren't people who are uniquely endowed to be heroes, as the Night Owl/Spectre fight sequences would imply, but are either tormented into doing so (like Rorschach and the Comedian, the moral centers of the work), or are looking to get off (basically everyone else).</span></span></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: 150%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(via </span><a href="http://parentheticaldocumentation.blogspot.com/2009/03/310.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Mark</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">)</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: 150%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: 150%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watchmen"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Watchmen</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> (the book) benefits in a variety of ways from its medium, but the comic format has its drawbacks. Because of the ease with which its pages turn, one can miss the many subtle themes </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Watchmen</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> has to offer. As the above highlights, the movie's greatest flaw is not that it gets the story wrong (J. Hoberman actually </span><a href="http://www.villagevoice.com/2009-03-04/film/zack-snyder-didn-t-ruin-watchmen/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">argues</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> it gets it </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">too right</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) but that it misses one of Alan Moore's fundamental points.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: 150%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Thus, there are two things anyone should do before seeing this film: (1) read the book, and (2) read it again. This is not a suggestion so much as a prerequisite. To see this film without understanding the novel's underlying themes is to reduce its real substance to mere plot.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: 150%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Having fulfilled the above requirements, I left the movie theater last Saturday feeling elated in the knowledge that this movie was probably as good as it could have been. It was true to the book, Snyder's stupid camera tricks never bogged down scenes the way they did in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">300</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, and besides a couple of miscasted roles, the acting was more right than wrong.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: 150%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">And yet, this film's greatest success has nothing to do with what occurs between its previews and closing credits. Unlike the multitude of superhero films released this decade -- </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Spiderman</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">X-Men</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Batman</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> among the most popular -- </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Watchmen</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> serves not to supplement, but to complement (or even advertise) its source material. Since the buzz began for Snyder's adaptation nearly a year ago, the book has seen record sales, and it is </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/books/ref=sv_b_3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">currently sitting</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> at the top of Amazon's bestseller list.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: 150%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ignoring the merits of</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">the film altogether, Zack Snyder and Warner Bros. Pictures deserve one helluva pat on the back for igniting a new interest in both a twenty-year-old comic book and the graphic novel medium itself.</span></span></span></p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-91046050123237273832009-03-11T20:27:00.000-07:002009-03-11T20:38:40.882-07:00Where’s the love?The nonprofit sector is a strange world. I would like to take this moment to reflect on my experience this year working for a nonprofit among 30 other recent graduates doing public interest work in Chicago. For the record, I am not against nonprofits, but I do think good ones are the exception, not the rule. <br /><br />Nonprofits are typically built in the following way:<br /> 1) Someone has a “new idea” that will solve the “most pressing issue” of our time<br /> 2) The founder uses their charm, close networks, and good luck in raising money<br /> 3) They operationalize their idea by developing programs and filling an office<br /> 4) They find ways to show how well their programs are doing without actually addressing whether the world really looks any different because of their programs<br /> 5) The cycle continues: restate the vision, get more funding, run programs, overstate impact... <br /><br />The following are a few of my high-level critiques and observations:<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />1) There is no rational process that incentivizes real impact</span><br />Every nonprofit has a “unique approach” that validates their existence ad infinitum (though they all claim to be working to put themselves out of business). This leads them to have entirely different and thus uncomparable metrics of success, which also undermines the prospects of real partnership and collaboration. If everyone can define success differently, then there cannot be a mechanism that consistently rewards more impactful organizations. This means that funders do not maximize dollar for dollar impact, but instead rely on their gut, being wooed by emotional appeals, or personal pet interests and friendships.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />2) “At least we’re doing something” usually means rationalized mediocrity</span><br />Nonprofits often have unbelievably audacious visions and rarely hold themselves accountable to audacious impact goals. One example is Teach for America (TFA). TFA is often discussed as a best-in-class nonprofit, and I would agree; they definitely attract top-talent (read John Boumgarden). However, I think they too fall into this category of huge vision with dissonant impact. Wendy Kopp’s vision is “One day, all children...” The average impact of a Corps Member is one tenth of one grade level better than the average (<a href="http://www.carnegie.org/reporter/17/thinkers/index4.html">see study</a>). Are we really to believe that this is the strategy that will lead to “One day, all children?” But hey, at least they’re doing something.<br /><br />Did Gandhi start a nonprofit? Did King? The two most impressive civic leaders of the 20th century impacted world structures without the nonprofit apparatus. There are obviously many great nonprofits out there (see Harlem Children’s Zone), but I think we have become too quick to channel our desire to do good into the segmented, weakly accountable, and largely unimpressive nonprofit sector.<br /><br />Vaclav Havel, the great Czech dissident and politician, offers us an alternative to the typical nonprofit approach. He says:<br /><br /><blockquote>We are looking for new scientific recipes, new ideologies, and new institutions to eliminate the dreadful consequences of our previous recipes, ideologies, and institutions [...] We cannot discover a law or theory whose application will eliminate the disastrous consequences of the application of earlier laws and theories.<br /><br />What we need is something different, something larger. Man’s attitude toward the world must be radically changed. We have to abandon the arrogant belief that the world is merely a puzzle to be solved, a machine with instructions for use waiting to be discovered. <br /><br />We have to release from the sphere of private whim and rejuvenate such forces as a natural, unique, and unrepeatable experience of the world, an elementary sense of justice, the ability to see things as others do, a sense of transcendental responsibility, archetypal wisdom, good taste, courage, compassion, and faith in the importance of particular measures that do not aspire to be universal [...] The way forward is not in the mere construction of universal systemic solutions. Instead, human uniqueness, human action, and the human spirit must be rehabilitated.</blockquote><br /><br />How do we implement Havel’s call for a transformed human consciousness based on justice, compassion, and responsibility? I don’t know, maybe I’ll start a nonprofit.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836713793470393978noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-62040326113991981142009-03-10T04:41:00.000-07:002009-03-10T13:12:30.551-07:00The Birds, the Bees & the ICC<div style="text-align: justify;">Last week, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Omar al-Bashir, President of Africa's largest country and home to the infamous Darfur conflict, Sudan. This post is an attempt to consolidate what is no doubt an array of confusing information and names for those unfamiliar with the infant institution. My hope is to offer insight into this watershed event in international human rights.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><img style="text-align: justify;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 170px; " src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45532000/jpg/_45532453_006967849-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">A (Very) Brief History of the ICC</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With the intent to try perpetrators of international humanitarian law, tribunals were created on an <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">ad hoc</span> basis following WWII (the Nuremberg Trials), the atrocities of the Former Republic of Yugoslavia (the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia), and the Rwandan genocide (the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. The results were mixed: while the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">ad hocs</span> represented successes for the international human rights regime, as well as the victims of some of the most tragic events of recent history, they were also marred by bureaucracy, incompetence and corruption, and were accused of being a form of victor's justice. Some important figures were successfully prosecuted; others, most notably Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, "got away" (Milosevic died of a heart attack after almost five years of criminal proceedings -- no verdict was delivered).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ICC is a permanent court based in The Hague with the mandate to prosecute individuals for the "world's worst crimes," including genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. Its creation in the late 90s was an attempt to solve the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">ad hocs</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="">' shortcomings</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"> -- </span>to reduce costs and inefficiencies, as well as deter future violations. Most critically, the ICC can prosecute anyone from Joe the Plumber to Barack Obama, which is <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">huge</span></span>: if this thing works, heads of state will be unable to allow atrocities to happen on their watch, a massive leap -- not a step -- forward for international human rights.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ICC's founding treaty was ratified by the required 60 states in 2002, and today, more than 100 member-states compose its Assembly of States Parties (ASP). And yet, some of the world's most influential states -- Russia, China, India, and oh yeah, the United States -- have thus far refused to join. But that was Bush, and this is "<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7932611.stm">stem cells are alright</a>" Barry.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In all seriousness, it does seem probable that Obama will eventually sign the US up for the ICC, because frankly, Bush's primary insecurities were largely unfounded. I'd be happy to flesh this out elsewhere, but it's not what this post is really about. So...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">What Happened with Bashir?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Who doesn't love bullet points?:</div><div><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Early 2003</span>: Violence begins in Darfur, a conflict that continues today. Roughly 300,000 people have died, more than 3 million people have been displaced, and 4.7 million people now rely on humanitarian aid for food, water, and shelter. It is the world's largest humanitarian crisis.</li><li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">March 2005</span>: In a sly move at the UN, France essentially corners the Bush administration, and the case of Darfur is referred to the ICC.</li><li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">April 27, 2007</span>: The ICC issues arrest warrants for Ahmed Haroun, Sudan's Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs, and Janjaweed militia leader Ali Kushayb. Both remain at large and are therefore classified as "international fugitives."</li><li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">July 14, 2008</span>: ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo presents a case against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in Darfur.<br /></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">March 4, 2009</span>: <a href="http://www2.icc-cpi.int/menus/icc/press%20and%20media/press%20releases/icc%20issues%20a%20warrant%20of%20arrest%20for%20omar%20al%20bashir_%20president%20of%20sudan">The ICC issues an arrest warrant for Bashir</a> on five counts of crimes against humanity and two counts of war crimes, but not genocide as Moreno-Ocampo suggested. It is the first arrest warrant for an active head of state issued by the ICC.</li><li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">In the last week</span>: Bashir is totally not cool with the arrest warrant. The guy's literally <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7926813.stm">dancing in the streets of Darfur</a> and laughing at the ICC's absurd allegations.</li></ul><div><img style="text-align: justify;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 466px; height: 260px; " src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45539000/jpg/_45539213_006975933-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Merit</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Does the ICC have a case against Bashir?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the one hand, he has presided over wartorn Sudan since 1993. There is a myriad of evidence that his government aided Janjaweed militia in the systematic destruction, rape, and murder of the peoples of Darfur. Most notably, it is well documented that combat training and planes were provided. And back in 2004 when the governments of the world actually seemed to care about Darfur (Bush and Co. even called it a "genocide"), Bashir's government consistently prevented humanitarian agencies from entering Darfur, claiming that they had it all under control.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the other hand, Sudan does not provide first year Poli Sci students with a particularly strong example of separation of powers. Sure, Bashir's the President, but the ICC is "<a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/35972a62-08b9-11de-b8b0-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1">arguably chasing the wrong person</a>." Moreno-Ocampo has made him out to be an all powerful dictator, but experts have confirmed the government has numerous centers of power. It is quite possible that others in the chain of command had greater knowledge and authority over the situation in Darfur.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">The Unknown</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Best Case Scenario<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Optimists hope that moderates within Sudan's government will turn Bashir over to the ICC, negotiate a solution to Sudan's multiple conflicts, and that human rights will eventually be prevail.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Financial Times</span>' <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/35972a62-08b9-11de-b8b0-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1">William Wallace rightly concludes</a> this would be "somewhat of a miracle."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Worst Case Scenario</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pessimists say hardliners will rally around Bashir, non-political humanitarian aid agencies will be forced out of Darfur, and old conflicts (i.e. a North-South civil war that precluded the violence in Darfur) will reignite.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While arguably overstated, this scenario seems far more likely. <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7934275.stm">In fact</a>, the licenses of 13 humanitarian agencies have already been revoked, and four peacekeepers were "ambushed" and injured earlier today. Simply put, it's not only possible, but probable, that the ICC's warrant could undo the positive work that has been done in the region since the beginning of the crisis.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">The Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I would argue that, regardless of the current situation, the ICC has four primary impediments: distance, enforcement, investigation, and politicization. All four prove problematic in the current Bashir case and must be considered if the Court is to be successful.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">First, the Court is situated in The Hague, far from the impoverished villages of Darfur. This has two main implications: (1) <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7925667.stm">Bashir and others have deemed</a> the ICC another of the imperialist world's attempts to meddle in African affairs -- in short, it is portrayed as a "White Man's Court"; (2) The separation of the Court from the far reaching locales it has jurisdiction over does little to educate and thus deter would-be criminals from committing crimes against humanity. Nonetheless, I personally believe the Court's permanence is vital to its success and that its seat in The Hague will encourage impartiality (the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">ad hocs</span> arguably suffered from a biased, regional perspective).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Second, the Court has zero means of enforcement -- no police force, no soldiers, notta. The primary responsibility of enforcement therefore lies with its member-states to deliver those who have been issued arrest warrants to The Hague post haste. Again, two problems: (1) What state is actually going to deliver its current President? (Sudan ain't even party to the ICC); and (2) Other states party can only arrest Bashir should he leave Sudan, something he's not bloody likely to do.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Third, the Court relies on state cooperation in regards to investigation. For Moreno-Ocampo to succeed in bringing Bashir to justice, he will almost certainly require official documents and transcripts of meetings and/or phone calls that prove Bashir intentionally committed these crimes. Moreover, he has to prove these crimes even occurred, something that may prove difficult without unfettered access.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Finally, just like the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">ad hocs</span>, the ICC is at risk of becoming entangled politically. Personally, I would argue that there was ample foresight in this area to prevent anything fishy from occurring. Even so, we must resist the temptation to assume Bashir is guilty simply because Moreno-Ocampo has brought a case against him. Like they say, "innocent until proven guilty." Ardent supporters of the ICC should see the warrant as a success, regardless of the outcome.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">So What?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Even if the arrest of Bashir is somehow orchestrated, Moreno-Ocampo's got a tall order. He'll have to prove the crimes occurred, that Bashir organized them, and that he had the proper intent. Something of this magnitude will take extraordinary patience and conviction on the part of the ASP (read: time & $). Forgive me for being less than optimistic.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">More importantly, we must ask ourselves whether this is really worth the risk. It is true that the outlook seems bleak. But it's been nearly seven years since this conflict began, and despite its highly publicized nature, repeated outcries of civil society, and <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/karadzic/genocide/neveragain.html">the promise</a> to prevent another Rwanda, children are still dying in Darfur. Can we afford <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">not</span> to try a new approach?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If I sound conflicted, it's because this is some seriously heady stuff with no clear cut answer. Regardless of the outcome, as a student and proponent of human rights, I recognize the tremendous strides that this week's events represent. Their importance cannot be understated.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I remain ever hopeful that sovereignty will be strengthened, not weakened, by a robust system of international law, that crimes against humanity will one day be prevented, not prosecuted, and that the ICC will be successful in its ambitious goals.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-91274389069357520272009-02-28T13:12:00.001-08:002009-02-28T13:48:25.596-08:00Top Chef Season 5 Wrap-Up: Suck Mountain<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.avclub.com/assets/images/articles/article/24380/NUP_133554_1319_jpg_595x1000_q85.jpg"><img style="text-align: justify;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 595px; height: 395px; " src="http://www.avclub.com/assets/images/articles/article/24380/NUP_133554_1319_jpg_595x1000_q85.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">On a 1-10 scale of suckiness, the Top Chef Season 5 Finale was a 9.4, with Gail's rudeness and Carla's cryfest each accounting for roughly .3 points towards the not-suck end. Here's a frankenstein recap from </span><a href="http://gawker.com/5160829/top-chef-ends-rash-of-self+inflicted-fork+into+eye-wounds-reported"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Gawker's Joshua Stein</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> and </span><a href="http://eater.com/archives/2009/02/top_chef_recaps_all_things_must_come_to_a_terrible_and_disappointing_end.php"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">comedian Max Silvestri</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">:</span><br /></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">After drawing knives, Hosea picks first. He picks Blaise. Stefan picks Marcel. Carla is stuck with Casey. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. FUCK! WE DESERVE TO BE EXPLAINED WHAT IS GOING ON. Here I'll help: Hosea fucks Stefan by taking all the foie gras. Hosea fucks Stefan by taking the caviar. Hosea gleefully eats a cake—he's a fucking fat whore—in which he finds a golden baby. This translates into his using the golden baby to fuck Stefan some more by giving him alligator meat whilst choosing the less challenging red fish from himself. Hosea continues to demonstrate a creepy and malevolent obsession toward Stefan that transcends the competition and delves into deep, if well-founded, insecurities on Hosea's part concerning his lack of intelligence and skill.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The chefs rush to finish their dishes. Carla says it's like the last 6.2 miles of a marathon. Hahaha, oh man, I totally know what you mean. Those last 6.2 miles are such a funny and well-known thing about the marathons we all run.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">At the judges' table, they have harsh words for Carla being so out of character. She breaks down in tears and breaks my heart in the process. Stefan, the tenderest villain ever, hugs her and I literally wept. Hosea's dishes were consistent, but Stefan's highs were higher and lows were lower. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The frozen fish and "pedestrian" dessert were a mistake</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. Each chef gets a chance to plead their case. Not fair! Stefan's got a language barrier. It's unclear whether a better defense would have helped. The new Top Chef? Hosea.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">What a disappointment. The look on Hosea's face and subsequent gleeful "who's the next Top Chef? Oh just little oh me, Hosea" gloating sucked all the joy out of this for me. Stefan's a gracious loser, and he somehow manages to not punch Hosea in the face when Hosea says "You were really close at the end, man" or whatever. No class, Hosea. Speaking of, did you see when Leah ran up to Hosea and tried to kiss him but it got so weird and awkward? Here's a diagram on how of how lamely this season ended.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img style="text-align: justify;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 350px; height: 196px; " src="http://eater.com/uploads/2009_02_hosealeah.gif" border="0" alt="" /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">To anyone watching the entire season, it is clear that Hosea wasn't the Top Chef. He was inferior to both Stefan in terms of technical skill and Carla in terms of imagination and passion. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">After watching an entire season of an uncharacteristically untalented field of competitors repeatedly underwhelm and underperform, I was hoping for less uns and a well-deserved win for either Alpha-Male-Douchebag Stefan or Batshit-Crazy-Sweetest-Woman-Ever Carla. Instead, I suffered through Carla dropping the ball in Casey-esque fashion, the least exciting judges' table ever, and Blow-sea's pathetic defeat over his ridiculous obsession, Stefan.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Lame.</span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-88056888995277111142009-02-23T17:58:00.000-08:002009-02-23T18:01:13.297-08:00Overlooking DemocracyDemocracy is being overlooked in the field of international development. Take a look at the <a href="http://www.undp.org/mdg/basics.shtml">United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG)</a>; strengthening democratic institutions is simply not a priority. Not that this list is the end-all-be-all, it simply represents an important trend. As discussed in <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/22/weekinreview/22baker.html?_r=1&emc=eta1">this recent NY Times article</a> by Peter Baker, even President Obama has not yet made democracy abroad a top priority.<br /><br />We could invest billions in education, health, gender equity, and other important initiatives, but without a foundation of accountable and responsive democratic government, funds may be spent inefficiently and used to maintain corrupt (and mostly ineffective) structures of resource distribution. In my estimate, democracy one of the most powerful forces for social good in the world and is being entirely underutilized.<br /><br />My guess is that democracy is being undervalued for two main reasons. First, large international organizations like the UN, World Bank, World Vision, etc. attempt to be apolitical and categorically nonpartisan in their work. In many developing countries, working for free and fair elections is essentially the same as working against the regime in power, thus being perceived as partisan behavior.<br /><br />Second, the severe degree of need in the developing world seems to legitimize a myopic strategy for change. When making choices about allocating scarce resources, it’s difficult for nonprofit/international organizations to invest in long-term democratic transformation in the midst of the “urgency of now.” When given the choice, they will ensure that bellies are full before working toward contested and inclusive elections. This is despite the fact that, in the long run, a well-functioning democracy may be a far better mechanism for filling bellies.<br /><br />To optimize the efforts of global philanthropy, we ought to make democratization a priority among donors, NGOs, and intergovernmental organizations working in the field of development. We must invest more seriously in building the civil and political societies of fledgling democracies if we are to move beyond the aid ineffectiveness that has plagued the efforts of the West for the past 50 years.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836713793470393978noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-67435434319205200132009-02-16T03:21:00.000-08:002009-02-16T05:55:18.107-08:00Animal Collective - Merriweather Post PavilionFor me, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/animalcollectivetheband">Animal Collective</a> has always precariously toed the line between fascinating and obnoxious. The same could certainly be said of most boundary-pushing artists, but there's always been something particularly eclectic about the group's affinity for yelps, tribal rhythms, and acoustic/electronic pairings. You'd be hard pressed to find a band from our generation who has simultaneously garnered as much hyperbolic praise and utter confusion.<div><br /></div><div>Personally, I have pretty mixed opinions on the band's output. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sung_Tongs">Sung Tongs</a></span> (2004) is about 50/50 un-/bearable, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feels">Feels</a> </span>(2005) is mostly excellent ("<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj-0vMrZJbo">Banshee Beat</a>" is one of my most played tracks, all time), <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; ">Panda Bear's </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Person_Pitch">Person Pitch</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "> (2007) is one of the most exciting albums of the decade, and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry_Jam_(album)">Strawberry Jam</a></span> (2007) was overrated beyond belief.</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; ">Which brings us to </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merriweather_Post_Pavilion_(album)">Merriweather Post Pavilion</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; ">, released (count 'em) six days into 2009 to overwhelming cries of "Album of the Year!" </span>Uncut'<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; ">s Stephen Troussé <a href="http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/animal_collective/reviews/12630">wrote</a>, "[</span>Merriweather Post Pavilion<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; ">] feels like one of the landmark American albums of the century so far," and even your-parents'-favorite-freakin' <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=6630685#">ABC News covered its release</a>.</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b0/Animal_collective_merriweather.jpg/200px-Animal_collective_merriweather.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div><div><br /></div><div>I'm not going to write much about this record, because there's already an absurd amount about it out there (God, alliteration <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">rules</span>). I'd suggest <a href="http://www.hipsterrunoff.com/2009/01/animal-collective-is-a-band-created-byforon-the-internet.html">this blog post</a> in particular, which unintentionally mimics the space between fascinating and obnoxious that I already claimed Animal Collective occupy.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've got two main things to say, and I'm going to present them numerically so as to appease Dave's penchant for organization:</div><div><br /></div><div>(1) Animal Collective isn't particularly good at making consistent albums, but they are titans of the monstrous jam. Just as <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Strawberry Jam</span> had "For Reverend Green" and "Fireworks" hidden amongst a mostly unsatisfying listening experience, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Merriweather Post Pavilion</span> has its ups and downs. I must, however, make it clear that the ups on this record are so ridiculously far up as to be downright astounding. Attach as much hyperbole to "My Girls," "Brother Sport," and jam-of-the-year "Summertime Clothes" as you can possibly muster. They are so mindbogglingly fantastic that I'm going to ask you to stop your reading, pause whatever you're currently listening to, and play these songs as loud as you possibly can, right now:</div><div><br /></div><div>"My Girls" video <a href="http://www.myanimalhome.net/">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Listen to "Brother Sport" <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97pTru6yykM">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Listen to "Summertime Clothes" <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">now</span>:</div><div><object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fQZsr4QcW8E&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fQZsr4QcW8E&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="">Thank you.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="">That</span> said, there are some pretty boring sections (see: "Lion in a Coma" --> "No More Runnin") that make me hesitant to accept any review that touts this record as brilliant. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">That</span> said, this album is mostly very good, and presently only a notch below <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">Feels</span> for me. I'd give it a B+, an 8.3, four stars, <a href="http://the-op.com/ref/ee2.php?ep=110&pg=3">a crocodile</a>, or something else totally nebulous.</div><div><br /></div><div>(2) This album is virtually impossible to emotionally connect with. Taylor Parkes <a href="http://thequietus.com/articles/00991-animal-collective-merriweather-post-pavilion-album-review"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">gets it</span></a>: "Dropping into this record can feel like walking into someone else's dream, all lit up with a significance that somehow fails to connect."</div><div><br /></div><div>But y'know what? I've never listened to Animal Collective with the intent to <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">feel</span> anything besides awe. So I'll just keep on blasting this record and singing "I want to walk around with you" everywhere I go.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-74074780564838462122009-02-09T21:04:00.000-08:002009-02-09T21:10:12.760-08:00Poetic Champions ComposeLast week I attended a reading by three-time Poet Laureate <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Pinsky">Robert Pinsky</a> at the Art Institute of Chicago. I must say that I am a total rookie when it comes to poetry. It takes all of my attention and energy to even read a poem, let alone understand one.<br /><br />If you think reading poems is difficult, imagine listening to them while trying to retain even an ounce of coherence. Pinsky however did not seem concerned with whether the audience correctly decoded the meaning of his words. On the contrary, Pinsky argues, “Poetry does not begin with understanding, but with attraction- like love or hunger for food.” He not only read us his poems, but taught us to listen, arguing that the medium of real poetry is ultimately, and simply, breath.<br /><br />Playing by his own rules, I fell in love with this very short poem entitled “<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MzM-CJmlRI">ABC</a>” in which he uses, in order, every letter of the alphabet:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4MzM-CJmlRI&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4MzM-CJmlRI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />His delivery is earnest yet playful, immediately compelling while not stifling the imagination. I cannot say much more than that without overstepping my bounds as a self-proclaimed poetry weakling.<br /><br />During Q&A I wanted to ask him about his politics. I hoped to catch a glimpse of some radical new vision for society or whatever. However, when asked about such things, he humbly commented that he is not an expert on politics and won’t use his position to pretend that he is one; his aim is to master the English language.<br /><br />In Robert Pinsky I found a man full of depth, passion, and humility in a field of literature that has always pushed me away with its pretense and inaccessibility. I am grateful to have seen him and encourage you to check out his <a href="http://www.favoritepoem.org/">Favorite Poem Project</a>, which landed him the position of Poet Laureate for three years straight.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836713793470393978noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-77331770519006873392009-02-06T09:20:00.000-08:002009-02-06T10:29:58.883-08:00Grouper - Dragging a Dead Deer Up a HillDespite reading articles, blogs, and message board posts galore last year, I managed to remain in the dark on Grouper's <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.typerecords.com/releases/full.php?id=49">Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill</a></span>. In fact, 2008 year-end list season was the first I'd even heard of "Grouper" (a moniker for <a href="http://yellowelectric.googlepages.com/grouper">Portland's Liz Harris</a>), despite the fact that this is (apparently) her third album. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Deer</span> made <a href="http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/148001-the-50-best-albums-of-2008?page=2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Pitchfork</span>'s Top 40</a>, <a href="http://www.boomkat.com/charts.cfm?id=432"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Boomkat</span>'s Top 15</a>, and a few <a href="http://www.dustedmagazine.com/features/791">individual</a> <a href="http://www.dustedmagazine.com/features/792"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Dusted</span></a> <a href="http://www.dustedmagazine.com/features/786">lists</a>, yet I couldn't recall seeing a single review. What on Earth was all this out-of-nowhere fuss about?<div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="http://wearsthetrousers.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/g_lp_grouper_08.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Deer</span> begins with a slow rumble that gradually builds and fades; it's possibly a train rolling by--it doesn't matter. There's an amp switch thrown and Harris' siren-like voice breaks in. It's soft and pretty, or maybe child like. I can't make out a single thing she's saying--that doesn't really matter either. What matters is how this thing <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">sounds</span>.</div><div><br /></div><div>The way it sounds is like: somebody really sad is fucking around with a guitar in an auditorium, and I'm down the hall taking a leak with the door open. And as I get wind of opening track "Disengaged," I'm dragged head first in search of this eery-ass sound; this sound that's so over-muddied, too ridiculously fuzzed out to know whether or not Harris is trying to <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">say</span> anything with her words, or just use that voice to lure me to her. Then there's an organ (or something), and the amp fuzzes out. You hear her switch off a tape recorder, pick up an acoustic guitar, and begin strumming "Heavy Water/I'd Rather Be Sleeping."</div><div><br /></div><div>By now I'm standing in the corridor of the auditorium. The sound of her voice and guitar still echo, but she's more intelligible and emotive than from down the hall: "Oh dreamer/ oh heavy water/ love is enormous/ it's lifting me up/ I'd rather be sleeping/ I'd rather fall in a tideway/ right where the deepest currents flow." (Ok, I'm probably a tad off, but it's close).</div><div><br /></div><div>The way this album sounds is: dark and lonesome, foggy and tired, or <a href="http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=104099">as </a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=104099">Boomkat</a></span><a href="http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=104099"> writes</a>, "It's a mass of mesmerizing magnetic hiss and soft noise, with a voice cloaked in lo-fi haze somewhere at the back." Sounds kinda like shoegaze, don't it? So does <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Deer</span>, except the standard elements aren't used. For instance, "Wind and Snow" blankets just about everything in layers of--not electrics, but--creaking vocals, like a microphone just on the verge of doing that annoying <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">screech</span> thing it does if it gets too close to random objects. The result is a "wall of sound" you absolutely <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">have</span> to hear on the best headphones you can scrounge up.</div><div><br /></div><div>In many ways, this album will appeal most to fans of shoegaze (Harris even reminds me of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asobi_Seksu">Asobi Seksu</a>'s Yuki at times). But it will also serve as a strong companion for anyone who's finding these winter months colder, darker, and longer than usual. I've listened to this album about two-dozen times in the last month, but I doubt I'll touch it once Spring rolls around. Who cares? Right now, it's utterly perfect. Maybe that's why so many music journalists felt compelled to throw a moderately well-received record onto their (December) Best Of lists. And Goddamn am I glad they did.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Listen to "Heavy Water/I'd Rather Be Sleeping" (TURN IT UP):</div><div><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gkANP6xnVgs&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gkANP6xnVgs&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Visit <a href="http://www.myspace.com/grouperrepuorg">Grouper's MySpace page</a>.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-65518472776794435562009-01-27T22:18:00.000-08:002009-01-27T22:19:06.779-08:00Extinction of CultureWhy does it matter whether different cultures are protected from emerging global forces? Some would say it doesn’t, most anthropologists would argue otherwise. I guess I see both sides.<br /><br />On the one hand, no humane person pines over the glory days of when we had a culture of slavery in this country. Or, for a more current example, do we really want to preserve our current American culture of excessive consumption and environmental degradation? Just because a culture exists doesn’t mean it should. Further, as Westerners, we shouldn’t deny remote cultures the vast material benefits of our system (if they desire those benefits) for the sake of being able to visit exotic peoples and discuss our neat differences.<br /><br />From the anthropological perspective, it seems that all cultures ought to be equally valued by outsiders because it’s inappropriate for one group to determine the fate of another based on priorities and principles that are not shared. After all, who is to say that we got it right as Westerners?<br /><br />Intuitively I believe in preserving distinct cultures because I see the beauty and concert in the thousands of unique expressions of human voice around the world. I would just like to unpack a little further what it is specifically that we ought to value about our culture and others’ to better understand how to think about things like globalization and international development both critically and constructively.<br /><br />What do you think? How careful should we be about cultural imperialism when thinking about global "progress?"Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836713793470393978noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-40078355612287343462009-01-26T05:40:00.000-08:002009-01-26T05:54:26.296-08:00Dusted's DestinedOn Friday, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.dustedmagazine.com/">Dusted Magazine</a></span>, my favorite music e-zine, wrapped up their annual <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Destined</span> feature. The site selected 10 emerging artists to watch in 2009, including Bachelorette, Kurt Vile, and Aeroplane. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Dusted</span>'s track record is a strong indication that at least a couple of these artists are worth keeping an eye on: at various points in the last six years, Parts & Labor, Hot Chip, M.I.A., Deerhunter, and Fuck Buttons were each labeled "Destined" before their breakout releases.<div><br /></div><div>If you missed the two-week feature, you can check out the in-depth articles for each artist <a href="http://www.dustedmagazine.com/features/category/34">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>My personal favorite was <a href="http://www.dustedmagazine.com/features/809">Nate Knaebel's look at The Strange Boys</a>, a Dallas-based garage rock band.</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 250px;" src="http://www.dustedmagazine.com/covers/feature_id-809.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div><div><br /></div><div>Here's an excerpt:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold; font-family:arial;font-size:12px;"><p class="justify" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9pt; text-align: justify; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "></p><blockquote><p class="justify" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9pt; text-align: justify; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">While the band’s musical scholarship is undeniable, one would be wise to avoid pinpointing a particular influence. “A band can make a whole career out of sounding like Radiohead, and no one says anything,” Sambol points out. “But when a band tries to go through someone that’s maybe easier to poke at – the Kinks or Dylan – people desperately want to reference it.” Touché.</p><p class="justify" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9pt; text-align: justify; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "></p><p class="justify" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9pt; text-align: justify; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">While Sambol noted that he one day hopes to outgrow any influences, the band’s official debut full-length, <i>The Strange Boys and Girls Club</i>, already finds the band standing solidly on its own. It’s the sound of high school dances stomped out on gymnasium floors long since abandoned; cold nights and warm whiskey; bad decisions and trouble. The jangling guitars are punctuated with strategic bursts of fuzz; the drums provide a laconic shuffling rhythm that pushes the band along just so without ever rushing things. Sambol’s strained bleat sounds simultaneously desperate and elated. </p></blockquote><p class="justify" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9pt; text-align: justify; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "></p></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Listen to <a href="http://www.dustedmagazine.com/media/features/destined/2009/strangeboys.mp3">The Strange Boys' "Heard You Wanna Beat Me Up"</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Visit <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thestrangeboys">The Strange Boys' MySpace page</a>.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-60396468277959296062009-01-20T20:55:00.000-08:002009-01-20T20:58:02.066-08:00Equality as Outcomes or Opportunity?Since I can remember I have readily recited Milton Friedman’s old adage that the government should ensure that people have “equality of opportunity, not equality of outcomes.” The logic here is that if everyone is afforded the same opportunities (e.g. education, health, etc.), then it’s simply a matter of individual will, luck, and choices whether one gets “ahead” in terms of social and economic outcomes (e.g. income level). This line of thought also embodies a general disregard among conservatives concerning the role of government in mitigating inequality of outcomes. As with most others, it’s time for me to revisit this proposition.<br /><br />Rethinking this raises two basic questions: 1) Is equality of opportunity vs. equality of outcomes a useful distinction? and 2) Why might inequality of outcomes be a proper focus of government? In regards to the first question, I’m not convinced that equality of opportunity vs. outcomes is a practical distinction.<br /><br />Theoretically I understand the logic, but we live in a world where peoples’ opportunities are directly shaped by the outcomes of their families and communities. For example, if one’s parents are too poor to live in a neighborhood with high caliber schools, then that directly impacts their opportunity to get a high quality education, thus furthering educational inequality of opportunity.<br /><br />I absolutely agree that we should focus on equalizing peoples’ opportunities, not outcomes, but in order to do that we need to restructure opportunities so they are not dependent on outcomes. This is where the typical conservative line falls apart. You cannot simultaneously advocate for more equal opportunities AND smaller government.<br /><br />If the funding of healthcare and education continues to be largely decentralized, as conservatives advocate, then the quality of those services will mirror the economic circumstances of communities: poor areas will have weak basic services, rich areas have robust education and health systems. If we take Friedman’s logic seriously, I think it undermines his advocacy for small government. By the way, Obama’s quote on this point was spot on: “The fundamental question of our time is not whether government is too big or two small, it will be whether it works.”<br /><br />On the second question, as usual, I think Amartya Sen says it best in this <a href="http://www.indiatogether.org/interviews/sen.htm">tour de force of an interview:</a><br /><br />------<br /><br /> I believe that virtually all the problems in the world come from inequality of one kind or another [...] There are some people who say that they're concerned only with poverty but not inequality. I find that very difficult for the reason that Adam Smith discussed a long time ago in The Wealth of Nations. He pointed out that the same thing that everyone likes doing, talking with others, appearing in public without shame, taking part in the life of the community, if you live in a community that's relatively rich, you need a much bigger income to be able to do these elementary things.<br /><br /> If you are a villager in rural Bangladesh or Uganda, you might be able to meet with people very easily even if you're not schooled or if you don't have a car or if you're not clothed in a way that's regarded as obligatory in some cultures. But in, say, America, if you don't have a television at home your kids might find it hard to converse with each other in school. The income that we need in order not to be poor is much higher in a richer society. So that relative poverty, which is really a matter of inequality, in terms of income can be the cause of absolute poverty, the inability to do the basic things which Adam Smith noted we all like doing.<br /><br /> The idea that we can be interested only in poverty but not in inequality I don't think is a sustainable thought. A lot of poverty is in fact inequality because of this connection between income and capability. The same capability to take part in the life of the community requires a much bigger basket of commodities and therefore a much bigger income in a rich society. So you have to be interested in inequality. And since we live in a global village, events in different parts of the world influence each other. The Internet begins to penetrate in my country. Indians begin to find out how other people live in the rest of the world. Given these circumstances, the issues of inequality and the issue of poverty are not separable even globally.<br /><br /> They're very closely linked, both in terms of the need to ask the moral question, Is it right that I should enjoy my privileges, and not feel I owe anything to others? As well as the other level, do I have a right to be content living in a world with so much poverty and inequality? Both these questions motivate us to take these issues to be central to human living. Ultimately, the old Socratic question, How should I live? has to include a very strong component of awareness and response to inequality.”<br /><br />----<br /><br />My apologies for the length of this interview segment, but Sen makes sense of why inequality matters in a way that I have never been able to articulate. In short, I still agree with Friedman’s basic proposition, but I would argue that taking it seriously undermines the libertarian solution he ends up coming to. Further, I think Sen's argument forces us to reconsider the real difficulties surrounding inequality of outcomes, which may be good reason to believe that it is a proper thing for the government to focus on.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836713793470393978noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-73599477418719047872009-01-13T04:15:00.000-08:002009-01-13T04:27:39.424-08:00Dear Science<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">The following is a quick write-up I did some time ago for my favorite record of 2008, <a href="http://www.tvontheradio.com/">TV on the Radio</a>'s </span>Dear Science<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">. I had planned (and still plan) on writing a bit about some of the records I thought went under-appreciated, but I've been sitting on this for about three weeks and have finally decided to just post it. Hopefully, I'll get my shit together and provide a bit more later on. For now...</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://www.punknews.org/images/covers/tv_on_the_radio-dear_science.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: normal; font-family:Times;"><p align="justify" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style="font-family:VERDANA;font-size:85%;">TV on the Radio formed within the space and culture of New York, New York, a metropolis aptly portrayed one year ago in <a href="http://ufck.org/top25/2007/page5.html">a review</a> for The National's <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Boxer</span> as "catastrophically wounded but still humming like a generator." Isolated as New York may be, Americans from sea to shining sea can no doubt relate to such desolation and persistence: our youth still enlist despite an endless parade of flag-draped caskets; our alarm clocks are still set each night despite continued layoffs; and our united voice still chose "hope" despite eight years of spoon-fed bullshit. Ours is a nation founded on the principle that discontent can always be overcome by equal portions grit and Gatsby-style optimism.</span></p><p align="justify" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style="font-family:VERDANA;font-size:85%;">This same balance is reflected throughout TV on the Radio’s third studio album, <i>Dear Science</i>. These are gloomy days, and singers Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone know it. The two split songwriting duties nearly 50/50, yet coalesce around themes familiar to the coarse American political landscape: war, religion, environmentalism, corruption, materialism, racism, and technology. Malone questions the morality of Israeli military action on "Crying" and wonders "What's this dying for?" on "Stork & Owl." Adebimpe chastises an overtly disingenuous effort towards air quality on "DLZ" and, humorously, those vain enough to dress their Weimaraners in sweaters on "Dancing Choose." Elsewhere, shadows and gallows populate the chorus of "Family Tree," a timeworn interracial love story hindered by "an old idea" whose "roots of evil" are as firm and foundational as ever.</span></p><p align="justify" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style="font-family:VERDANA;font-size:85%;">As with the 2008 presidential election, however, these disenchanted overtones only tell half the story. In an interview with The Onion's AV Club, Adebimpe likened the recording of 2006's <i>Return to Cookie Mountain</i> to "the Ren & Stimpy episode where they get space madness, and they're orbiting the planet, ready to kill each other for a bar of soap." Weary of their childish artistic clashes, TV on the Radio reconvened as a more sensible pop group bent on crafting a percussive, clean, and—according to Adebimpe—more "regular" album.</span></p><p align="justify" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style="font-family:VERDANA;font-size:85%;">The result, which marries the band's usual status quo dissatisfaction with a less familiar brand of romanticism, is a far warmer sound than TV on the Radio has ever experimented with before. Horns and strings are noticeably brighter than on the aggressive and brooding <i>Cookie Mountain</i>, particularly in aid of the crescendoing "Family Tree" and "Lover's Day." Meanwhile, “Crying” and “Golden Age” are downright danceable, if not fit for pop radio. Adebimpe and Malone play a large role in the band’s sunnier tone; the power of love is a theme reiterated in nearly all of <i>Dear Science</i>’s eleven perfectly sequenced tracks.</span></p><p align="justify" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style="font-family:VERDANA;font-size:85%;">The only problem? Five years ago, no band in America sounded like TV on the Radio. Now, TV on the Radio sound like TV on the Radio, and there's no telling how far this tank of gas will take them. Yet this band still seems awfully avant-garde compared to the bulk of their peers. Capturing both the despair and optimism that has defined the last year, <i>Dear Science</i> is TV on the Radio's most commercial-friendly album to date, but also their most sure-stepped, consistent, and best.</span></p><p align="justify" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:VERDANA;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></p><p align="justify" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:VERDANA;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Watch the video for "Golden Age":</span></span></span></p></span></span></div><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hCcEg0tok8o&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hCcEg0tok8o&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1