January 2009
37 posts
Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne
streamrunningover:
ptbruiser:
Props to this album for the cutest album art and the radical incongruity of the innocence thereof with the significantly rougher lyrics. As the Dem-Gaz pointed out, “If Kanye meant to imply that rapping was passe, Lil Wayne reminded us that it’s not.”
John Lepine just named Tha Carter III his number nine album of the year. I feel I must take some credit for...
1. The Stand Ins by Okkervil River
No, it’s no Black Sheep Boy. But I don’t care. I have never loved a band like I love Okkervil River, and The Stand Ins did nothing but confirm that for me. Sort of a “part two” to their 2007 relase, The Stage Names, major themes on The Stand Ins include fame, wealth, and rockstardom. As I said with Conor Oberst, listen to the whole album, but DO NOT MISS Track 2,...
2. Conor Oberst by Conor Oberst
Conor Oberst’s first album as Conor Oberst since 1993, Conor Oberst is a great album—especially for a road trip—especially to the Southwest or to Mexico. In my estimation, better than any Bright Eyes album except maybe I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning (2005). Good from start to finish. See especially: no. No, I can’t do it. Just listen to the whole album.
3. The Juno Soundtrack (Various Artists)
Yes, the movie was released in 2007, but the soundtrack came out January 8, 2008. I listened to it non-stop thoughout January. As quirky as the movie, the soundtrack has songs from artists ranging from classics Buddy Holly and The Kinks to indie band Belle & Sebastian to kids musician Barry Louis Polisar to the bizarre, fun Kimya Dawson. Put it on your shelf next to the Garden State...
4. Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
Named the best album of 2008 by Pitchfork, Fleet Foxes is like a breath early March wind, when the air is cool, but the sun is warm and the leaves budding green. With intricate harmonies and soothing lyrics, Fleet Foxes is a heckuvan album. Watch out for these guys.
5. Rebel by Lecrae
Christian rap can sometimes have really good content, but weak beats and delivery. But in his third EP, Lecrae sacrifices neither truth nor musicianship, offering deep lyrics with a well-produced sound. Notable songs include “Identity,” “Live Free,” and “Beautiful Feet.”
6. Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
From the moment I saw these guys on Saturday Night Live, with their upbeat jams and enormous scarves, I knew I’d like them. Solid album all the way through. A-Punk is my favorite track.
7. The Atonement by Shai Linne
And here’s where you start to raise your eyebrows. What album? By whom? The Atonement is a deep look at the implications and mechanics of Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross. Shai Linne is a Christian Rap (or “Holy Hip Hop,” as I prefer) artist from North Phillie. His blog is worth a read. Track 12, Jesus Is Alive (House of Tea Remix), is fantastic.
8. Dear Science by TV on the Radio
Track 3, Dancing Choose, would be enough to get this album an honorable mention, but there are a host of good songs to choose from on this experimental indie rock album. Golden Age and Red Dress are also of note.
9. Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne
Props to this album for the cutest album art and the radical incongruity of the innocence thereof with the significantly rougher lyrics. As the Dem-Gaz pointed out, “If Kanye meant to imply that rapping was passe, Lil Wayne reminded us that it’s not.”
10. Loyalty to Loyalty by Cold War Kids
No sophomore slump for this California rock band. Feeling both laid-back and amped-up, Loyalty to Loyalty is a solid album with some bad-a cover art. Don’t miss Track 4, “Something Is Not Right With Me.”
My Top Ten Albums of 2008
“Top Ten Albums” is an ambiguous term. It could mean “ten best albums, regardless of whether or not I like them.” For example, I think Barack Obama is the best politician of 2008, even though I don’t agree with him on much. But in this case, I present to you nothing more than my favorite albums released in 2008. I make no effort to offer you the balanced analysis you...
December 2008
59 posts
“The games themselves are dominated by swimmer Michael Phelps, who wins eight...”
– Some of the more libertarian—because yes, Dave is a libertarian—excerpts from Dave Barry’s Year in Review. Definitely worth a read, for both freedom-lovers and meddling statists (as in, “And I would’ve gotten away with it too, if it weren’t for you meddling...
Shameless Musical Sibling Plug →
The Revolution: A Manifesto receives most positive... →
Hours of Pretentious Grammatical Fun →
8 songs that I could listen to every day
1. Girl America by Mat Kearney
2. Jesus Is Alive (House of Tea Remix) by Shai Linne
3. You Don’t Know Me by Ben Folds, featuring Regina Spektor
4. Wash Away by Joe Purdy (LOST fans, you may remember this song from the end of “Tabula Rasa” in Season One)
5. NYC - Gone, Gone by Conor Oberst (incidentally, did you know that “Oberst” is the German word for Colonel, as...
“Back in the 80s, Fox purchased the rights to a Watchmen movie and celebrated by...”
– From Daniel O’Brien’s angry letter to Fox, urging them to, quote, “Eat all the dicks.”
“It would be irresponsible in the extreme for an individual to forestall a...”
– Peter Shiff, economist, in a pro-Austrian article in today’s WSJ
5 things I love
bagcoffee:gnomechomsky:srsly:deadshot:8tania:
1. Arrested Development
2. Graphic novels
3. Freedom
4. Staying up until 3 AM
5. Acting
“The song “Till There Was You” was covered by The Beatles in 1963 on...”
– From the Wikipedia article on The Music Man
Allusion or Not?
“1st Salesman: He’s a what? 3rd Salesman: He’s a what? 2nd Salesman: He’s a music man and he sells clarinets to the kids in the town…”
-“Rock Island” from The Music Man
“He’s a WHAT? He’s a WHAT? He’s a newspaper man And he gets his best ideas from a newspaper stand…”
-“Dancing Choose” by TV on...
"Sugar Water" is too generous a term for American...
Milo: The dilemma remains. Coke or Pepsi? Or do we overlook an even more vital national issue? Binkley: Yes. Both taste like malted battery acid.
-Excerpt from Bloom County, a fantastic 1980s comic strip by Berke Breathed
Max Raskin, amateur writer for the Mises Institute, offers this analysis of Binkley and Milo’s observations on American soda, which is sweetened with high fructose corn...
“The law is justice….Depart from this point, make the law religious,...”
– The Law, by Frédéric Bastiat
Complaint #332
whitewhine:
“I hope the economy stays shitty for another 3-4 months, I want a good exchange rate when I go to Europe in the spring.”
-Whine by Andy
“The Barr ’08 campaign team repeatedly and deliberately dismissed and insulted...”
– From David Nolan’s RESOLUTION SUBMITTED FOR LNC CONSIDERATION (re: Barr/Root 08), which can be found here.
“The drugs entered Egypt through various exotic supply routes. Much arrived...”
– The Heroin Century by Tom Carnwath, Ian Smith
“… but it was only possible to film a small percentage of passing camels” — come on, how hard could it be to x-ray a camel?
(via lukescommonplacebook)
But here’s the question: is it easier for a camel to pass through an x-ray machine or for a...
“Imagine if the number of annual immigrants increased from around 650,000 a year...”
– Yaron Brook, of the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights
The era of free markets →
(via citizenoftomorrow)
Worst. Sabbatical. Ever.
“‘cause you know as soon as breathe we scrutinize the paint away.”
– The Shins
Juxtaposition #2
“Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them?”
-Hamlet
“Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight; Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight; Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower: Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.”
-Saint Dallan Forgaill
“I believe in God, God. God, I believe in God.”
– Dewey Dell, As I Lay Dying
“Be still, and know that I am God.”
– Psalm 46:10
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I want to be a fairy when I grow up.
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