Top 25 songs 2006, 15 to 6

My love/hate relationship with the list continues. Here's 15 through 6:


15. Steady As She Goes • The Raconteurs (Broken Boy Soldiers)
I think indie rock will be remembered by two singles this year. Number 9 on my list, and this little number by the Raconteurs. Jack White's cynical pop song about the fears of a long term relationship (how's that second marriage going?) is helped by the full band sound and Brendan Benson's calming backing vocals. This single was also boosted by having an hilarious video featuring Paul Reubens (aka Pee Wee Herman).


14. 9 to 5 • Lady Sovereign (Public Warning)
"Love Me Or Hate Me" is the perfect Lady Sov single, but it's songs like this one that explain why she's the number one UK Grime import. Lazy rhymes with unexpected twists, lyrics about the mundane life of an office job (which I guess she's read about?) and production with so many bleeps and background asides, you have to listen to it 10 times to catch them all.


13. Pharrell • Best Friend (In My Mind)
I think I expected too much from Pharrell. I was sort of hoping for the Prince for this generation, but he's not there yet. Right now, he's maybe the Jamiroquai. While "In My Mind" has flashes of brilliance, it's not really the classic I was hoping for. This song is an early highlight, Pharrell opens up a little lyrically and the cymbal crashing chorus punctuates the feeling of the song perfectly.


12. Nausea • Beck (The Information)
Step one: Beck reaches into his bag of Beck tricks and makes one of his upbeat Beck singles. It contains most of the usual Beckisms and a one word chorus. Nice try, Beck, but I've heard it before. Step two: The song stays in your head for months. Curse you, Beck! You've done it again!


11. At Last I Am Born • Morrissey (Ringleader of the Tormentors)
Morrissey wins the "Best Closer Award" this year with this finale from "Ringleader of the Tormentors." He continues to mix up his dramatic/dark humor dynamic to create yet another classic. Sample lyric: "I once thought that time accentuates despair/But now I don’t actually care."


10. Oh My God • Jay-Z (Kingdom Come)
While reviews for Jay-Z's comeback appear mixed, I think that it's an overall success. While there were some clunkers ("Hollywood" and "30 Something" come to mind), the return has mostly great songs, like this one which has Just Blaze using a sample of "Whipping Post" to great effect and Jay-Z attacking the song like he never left. Which, technically, he didn't.


9. Crazy • Gnarls Barkley (St. Elsewhere)
When a quirky song comes out by a couple of outcasts, and becomes a hot hit that you end up hearing on radio for the rest of the year, it's a rare and impressive feat. Seriously, listen to this song! The production is pretty dark and the lead singer has raspy chipmunk voice and is talking about being insane. I love it, but how did this get so popular?!


8. Smile • Lily Allen (Alright Still)
Lily Allen made one of the debuts of the year in 2006, and while we Yanks have to wait for the CD to come out in January, this song was available on iTunes for a little while. Think Nellie McKay only less loungy and more pop. A bright, happy song about seeing an ex-boyfriend squirm. Lovely.


7. Kick, Push • Lupe Fiasco (Food & Liquor)
Another amazing debut from 2006. I don't even skateboard, but this song makes me wish I did.


6. Tangled • Black Heart Procession (The Spell)
This is my choice for for "Opener of the Year." This song perfectly sums up the mood and atmosphere that's carried out through the "The Spell," the latest (and possibly best?) CD by the Black Heart Procession. You can feel yourself spiraling downward, clausterphobic and haunted. And it feels so good.

Top 25 songs of 2006, 25 to 16

In what's sure to be some of my more ambitious posts yet, I'm going to attempt to rank 25 of my favorite songs of 2006. The six people/editors of Ronsonville have compiled their lists, and this is what we've come up with.

Here's the criteria: Any song that was released in the calendar year 2006 (which means my favorites from late 2005 can't count. Sorry, Boris and Art Brut) and I have to have heard it. That's it. Whether it was a single or not is largely unnecessary. Sounds good, right? Here we go starting with 25 to 16:

Song • Artist (Album)

25. Chasing Cars • Snow Patrol (Eyes Open)
Slow build? Check. Huge chorus? Check. "I Give Up" lyrics? Oh yeah. It's another Snow Patrol hit!


24. Calling Me • The Rapture (Pieces Of People We Love)
Why did everyone stop liking indie dance music this year? Kinda depressing. Fortunately, nobody told The Rapture. Although this song is more eerie and rock-oriented than most Rapture tunes, it's still catchy and pretty frickin' great.


23. Dear Mr. Supercomputer • Sufjan Stevens (The Avalanche)
One of the leftovers from Illinois, this song stands out for two reasons: 1) Woodwind flurry and 2) Awesome (maybe too obvious?) Beatles ref.


22. Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then) • The Decemberists (The Crane Wife)
While the new Decemberists CD is best listened to in one giant chunk, this is my personal favorite song from the set. The harmonizing and call-and-response are nice, but it's the unexpected chorus that has me hitting the replay button.


21. Dirtywhirl • TV on the Radio (Return To Cookie Mountain)
I knew TV on the Radio weren't going to disappoint me again (not a fan of 2004's Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes) when I heard "Dry Drunk Emperor" earlier last year. Dirtywhirl is a great example of the goodness of coming from Cookie Mountain, a cyclical, catchy rhythm...and sleigh bells.


20. Blue Day • The Heartless Bastards (All This Time)
While "All This Time" showcases a softer side of the Heartless Bastards, I'm a huge fan of this song, which almost sounds like it came off their first album. It's really a toss-up between this and lead-off track "Into The Open," which I think best shows off the Bastards' newly discovered versatility.


19. The First Vietnamese War • The Black Angels (Passover)
Black Grease may have the hook, but I was really sold on the Black Angels on the power of this song, which sounds like the lead singer from Clinic fronting the Jesus and Mary Chain. Fortunately it's the best of both.


18. Ya'Meen • Method Man (4:21...The Morning After)
Method Man has probably done enough corny movies and UPN TV shows to sully his reputation for good. I think he's got a few good raps left, as evidenced in his 2006 disc, mostly about how he's mad at critics and ready to take his rap career seriously again. At the top of the list is this track, which has an infectious chug while Meth spouts how he's "the one shot killa one shot killin' it." Did I also mention that this is the year I discovered the power of a great gym song?


17. I Should Have Know Better • Yo La Tengo (I Am Not Afraid Of You...)
In a disc bookended by epic 10-minute drones, I prefer this 3-minute energetic mini-drone from Yo La Tengo's latest. The vocals are understated and a perfect match to the music. I can only imagine that this song is amazing live.


16. Living Proof • Cat Power (The Greatest)
Cat Power is one of those artists that I really like, but can only get into when I'm in certain moods (read: depressed). Fortunately, "The Greatest" explores a ton of other emotions, like on this song which comes off as soulful and, dare I say, happy.

Coming soon...

Love copying the style of old cartoons from '50s ads. Brief blog announcement: In the new year, I'm planning more sketches -- only more autobiographical, so get excited about that.

By the way, the "guy" in question above is most likely me...

Further into the abyss...

So ends the story of Catman, but at least it's a happy one...

Angry boss

I think the inspiration for this guy (at least is glasses) is from the pseudo-senile sportscasting legend Harry Carey. Otherwise, not much to say about this drawing, except that for some strange reason, I kinda like it.

Toughest critic? Some duck.

When I find myself sketching, trying (in a very unfocused way) to come up with the next Icon of Popular Culture, I often hit a lengthy stretch of writer's block. I enter into patterns and draw the same safe, boring character over and over again.

Since I'm really the only person who looks at my work, it's up to me to criticize it. And, usually, it ain't pretty. Above is an example of one of the more polite ways I grade my work. I'll draw an animal (often a duck) and have it make fun of what I've just drawn. I'm sure there's a deeply psychological explanation for all of this, but mostly, I just like drawing ducks.

Technology scares me

Well, not all technology, but any advance in technology that kind of makes us look like futuristic freaks. Case in point, above is a drawing of somebody wearing one of those "attached to your head" cell phones (I was inspired when I saw someone in a meeting wearing one. And, yeah, this is an old sketch. Maybe this fad has passed by now. That's not gonna stop the following rant though...).

I mean one day, when we're all part machine anyway, this will be fine. Right now? It's a bit creepy. Are there really people who are on their cell phone enough that can justify having one attached to their head? And how does someone casually walk down the street and buy groceries with a hunk of plastic stuck to their ear? These are the questions the above doodle raises, then promptly dismisses.

New Shins!

Hey - like the Shins? Sure ya do. Well, the new CD (Wincing The Night Away) isn't available until January 23rd, but you can get one of the songs right flippin' now. It's called Phantom Limb and it's available from through Sub Pop right here, right now. Check it out!

Iowa makes it's way to the New York Times...

In fact, this was the number two e-mailed story on the Times web site. Complete with a very "How New Yorkers view Iowans" type of photo. I mean, granted, the guy worked on a farm in Adel, but still. Aren't there any non-farm related things happening in Iowa that deserve a national news story? Maybe I'm just being sensitive...

The gist of the story (which can be found here) is that a corn and soybean farmer in Adel has converted his farm into vineyard and tasting room. And it's been relatively successful. And he isn't the only one. Apparently, these days in America's heartland it's all about grapes.

Unfortunately, according to a quote in the story, the wine snobs from the coast aren't buying it. I guess the wine isn't ritzy enough for more refined palates. Too bad, but I'd be still be happy to one day hit the Marshalltown wine region.

In other Iowa news, on Studio 60 tonight, in a waaaay too drawn out and unfunny joke about peace in the Midwest, Amanda Peet asked us to take a moment to consider the suffering in Des Moines. Yeah! Iowa!! Seriously, why isn't this show canceled yet?

Masters Course

Check out this How To Be Funny article from a recent New York Times Magazine. It's enlightening and surprisingly....funny. For me, the highlights come from Paul Rudd and Bob Balaban...

Current obsessions...

Obsession on some of these things might be too strong a word. Also, be warned that some of these links take you off to fancy, Flash-lovin' Web arenas. Fascinating stuff, I'm sure...

Movies
Borat
Stranger Than Fiction
For Your Consideration
Harold & Maude

TV
HBO (just got it a week ago and I'm watching it all the freaking time)
I'm Alan Partridge

New seasons of:
The Office
Aqua Teen Hunger Force
The Simpsons

Music
70s-era Stevie Wonder (Music of My Mind, Talking Book, Innervisions)
Nico
Richard Hell
Best of 06 (Tapes 'n Tapes, Beck, Thom Yorke, Black Angels, Boris, Lupe Fiasco)
MF Doom (in various incarnations)
The What It Is! box set (on my wishlist...)

Food
"Fast Food" burritos (various places, except Qdoba)
"Fake bacon" BLTs
UDF Reeses Peanut Butter Cup deep freezes
The search for the perfect trail mix

Drink
Lemon-lime Gatorade
Pibb Xtra
Amber Bock
Gin and Tonic
Hosmer Sangría

Places
Coffee Emporium
Shake It Records
The Comet
The Northside Tavern
Clique
The Southgate House
Muz's?
Westy's
Target

Projects
- Get a handheld video camera, make stupid movies
- Actually update Ronsonville: The Web Site
- Create a new comics-based adventure/romp
- Post more interesting things on this blog than just a list of things I like (impossible?)

The dork knight returns...

Catman made his way back into my sketches the other day, so I thought I'd update you on his developments. Unfortunately, It's sad times for the feline-looking freak. For no apparent reason, he turned to evil and spends most of his days attempting to terrify people in suits. Those attempts are met with sarcasm.

Let's hope things turn around for him soon. Or that maybe he just disappears...

Book review #3: Please Kill Me

After some pretty tough words about hardcore (where did that come from?) I've decided to hold back a little and give a fairly unbiased review about my third summer reading choice:

Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain. Telling the entire story of a genre of music can very easily get out of hand. I suppose that's why Please Kill Me seems to focus specifically on the New York and Detroit punk movements from the late 1960s through the 70s. That means key groups: The Modern Lovers, The Clash, The Damned and the Sex Pistols are overlooked or sidelined for the most part (thankfully John Lydon's autobiography/punk memoir Rotten fills in the Sex Pistol gaps nicely). If you want the total history of punk, you'll still have some reading to do, but the books does an excellent job covering these 7 key groups: Velvet Underground, the MC5, The Stooges, Patti Smith Group, the New York Dolls, the Dead Boys and the Ramones.

Admittedly, I was most intrigued by the early chapters about the proto-punk bands (the Velvets, Stooges and MC5). Beyond that, Richard Hell turns out the most interesting interviews (his first band Television is mentioned briefly, followed by his brief involvement with the New York Dolls spin-off The Heartbreakers). Hell comes off as the original punk -- he lived the life, dressed the part long before anyone and wrote "Blank Generation" (the idea of which was rewritten by the Sex Pistols as "Pretty Vacant"). He's also one of the few people who escapes the a-hole or junkie or slut category that nearly everyone else in the book falls victim to at some point. Well, he almost escapes being an a-hole.

There's a lot to like about Please Kill Me. I totally bought into the interview format and the intertwining stories. But eventually, it starts to get tiresome. You can tell punk fizzled out by 1979 (coinsiding with the death of Sid Vicious), but the book still drags on over a decade later, through the depressing, drugged-out lives of its main characters. It finally ends in 1992 with the deaths of New York Dolls/Heartbreakers guitarist Johnny Thunders and drummer Jerry Nolan.

Hmmm....how do I bring up this next part? OK, I'm just gonna say it: The book starts getting a little creepy when it begins romanticizing heroin addicts. It's true! Thunders, Nolan and Dee Dee Ramone are the focal points of the story and the book lingers on them well past their prime. I guess because their lives were so messed up, it makes for a more interesting read? Possibly? I have no idea. I just felt like there must be so much more to talk about, why fixate on this? I never thought punk and heroin were so synonymous, but apparently that's not necessarily the case. Eh. Just something I noticed.

There's also some typical "what is punk" nonsense that I'm not even going to get into. None of this takes away from Please Kill Me being a great read. It's an involving book. If you don't mind checking an index every five minutes to see who's talking and can get past some of the occasional shady undertones, you'll get an intensely detailed picture of the music and the people of punk, from the crazyass people who were there.

Poor K-Fed

"Let's get something to smoke, and pour me a glass of Privilege to wet my throat. Tonight it's going down."

Well, K-Fed, what can I say? We had some good times. This is your ticket back to obscurity. C-ya!

Book review #2: Our Band Could Be Your Life

Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes From the American Indie Underground, 1981-1991 by Michael Azerrad. Not sure what to say about this book, other than I was let down a little bit. I don't know exactly what I was expecting, but because of the number of bands it covers, it's very hit or miss. I found the chapters on Dinosaur Jr., The Replacements and Hüsker Dü to be the most interesting, the chapters on Fugazi, Minor Threat and Black Flag to be the most irritating and thought the Mission of Burma and Sonic Youth chapters were about great bands with dull stories.

The winner of the "Deserves Their Own Book" award goes to the Minutemen, who I didn't really know much about prior to reading this, but instantly wanted to buy their music when I was finished.

The "Doesn't Deserve To Be In This Book" award goes to The Butthole Surfers, who look the most out of place lined up with the rest of these bands. I personally believe that the Buttholes are responsible for every crap alternative band formed in the 90s and that the only reason anyone is interested in them at all is because of the "butthole" in their name. Their chapter was a total waste and only made me hate them more. Runner-up goes to generic (but "the first!") grunge band Mudhoney, whose chapter was saved because it also told the much more interesting story of Sub-Pop Records.

Overall, you get the typical self-righteous vibe that comes with doing things independent and cheap and the venom against anyone actually trying to make money. I got the sense that every night these guys crashed on somebody's floor equaled three nights of them bragging about it. People who can't live in meager squalor (i.e. Henry Rollins) are labelled weak. Ian Mackaye is put on a godlike pedestal, which he happily accepts. Like I said, I got a little annoyed.

I found the book's heart to be the Minutemen story -- it was the least pretenious and most emotional. The Minutemen were definitely political and lived simply, but actually seemed to be concerned about how their music sounded too. They actually sang and created tunes rather than hardcore's typical brutish, loud and shouty songs that are spared by being jock jams because of their lyrics. I was in disbelief that Minor Threat and Black Flag seemed to be confused by their predominantly violent male followings. Like, people weren't "getting the message." Give me a break. Oops. Sorry, hardcore...

Also, sorry for that random rant it what is supposed to be a book review. Guess I had more to say than I thought. To sum up, read it for the bands you love, but don't expect to be turned on by the bands you're not sure of...

Book review #1: Cash

And here are my takes on the previously mentioned books, just so I feel like I accomplished something by reading them, starting with...

Cash. Probably the best book of the bunch. It's definitely the most hopeful tale -- Cash has an almost unbelievable story. His battles with drugs and self destruction seem the most intense, he reached a level of success few have attained, and yet he managed to keep a level head about it all through the end of his career. Of course, Cash had the advantage of writing this from a perfect perspective: If he had written it any earlier in his career, it would likely have come off as either too brash or cocky or preachy. While these sides have their moments, he manages to keep them from dominating. But, above all, what keeps you reading is his stories. Cash has some great ones, and a knack for telling them too.

My biggest criticism is that some chapters read like extended shout-outs to family and friends, which gets a little dry. Even still, Johnny keeps the tone conversational, so when he's bragging about his kids and grandkids you feel like the chat is between just he and you. It's a great memoir and I would recommend it to anyone who appreciates the music and wants to know more about Cash beyond the entertaining (but historically patchy) biopic Walk The Line.

Ugh, I need a recommendation...

Pictured above are the last three books I've read. In the early months of summer, while relaxing in Myrtle Beach, I read about the life of Johnny Cash. In the middle of summer I read about Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Black Flag and a slew of other American indie bands from the '80s. And on the plane trips to and from San Francisco I checked out the sometimes interesting, sometimes morbidly depressing lives of those in American proto-punk.

That's a lotta nonfiction music history. And I'm worn out. So I'm looking to you for some help. Any ideas you can throw out there, I'm receptive. The less to do with music, the better! The only conversation starters I have right now have to do with semi-talented junkie musicians from the 70s. It doesn't come up that often.

The Top Ten Songs of All Time Right...Now*

It's official. These are the definitive top 10 songs (of all time) today, November 2, 2006. At roughly 3:30 p.m. This may seem like an arbitrary list made up by one random person, but I did some checking and this indeed is the official list for this particular moment. All right, here we go:

Title/Artist (Album)
10 Fairest of the Seasons/Nico (Chelsea Girl - 1968)
9 Perverted World/Sebadoh (III - 1991)
8 Electric Relaxation/A Tribe Called Quest (Midnight Marauders - 1993)
7 Ghost Town/The Specials (The Singles Collection - 1991; orig, 1981)
6 Who Me?/KMD (Mr. Hood - 1995)
5 Sure Shot/The Beastie Boys (Ill Communication - 1994)
4 Nausea/Beck (The Information - 2006)
3 9 to 5/Lady Sovereign (Public Warning! - 2006)
2 I Believe (When I Fall In Love That It Will Be Forever)/Stevie Wonder (Talking Book - 1973)
1 Blank Generation/Richard Hell and the Vovoids (Blank Generation - 1977)

*This list is now completely invalid.

Hey, what's up?

Not much going on in Ronsonville as I've just finished up a massive 192-page bonanza of our lil magazine this week. It's been a crazy couple of weeks, but since I finally have a break, I thought I'd update you all on a couple of movies I've seen recently:

Nashville (directed by Robert Altman, 1975)
This is the classic Robert Altman film. A bunch of characters and cross narratives and then a big crazy ending. He copied this formula in Short Cuts (which I think I still prefer) and Gosford Park and A Prarie Home Companion and pretty much every movie he's made since. (Except maybe Popeye). Anyway, it's an excellent flick with a looooot of country music and stars Lily Tomlin, Henry Gibson, Ned Beatty and a bunch of people who look like they might be younger versions of famous people, but actually are not.

Marie Antoinette (directed by V.S. Van Dyke, 1938)
Yeah, I was on a tangent with this one. I decided I'd give it a try because the new Coppola/Dunst version was coming out and since I know that film is anachronism-loaded, I thought Id' watch the original to see how things really played out. Bad idea. The problem with watching really old, mediocre movies is that you're constantly thinking about it. You can't get lost in the story, so you just sit there thinking "Wow, this is so old. How sad. All these people are probably dead." It was also two and a half hours, which is an ungodly length even in these modern times. I made it through about 45 minutes before I started fast-forwarding...

In Her Shoes (directed by Curtis Hanson)
That's right, folks. After making 8 Mile (aka the Eminem movie), Curtis Hanson followed it up by directing this little pile of fluff. Cameron Diaz! In an old folks home! Kari made me watch this, and so, as revenge, I'm gonna make her watch The Deer Hunter I think...

So there you go! In my spare time, I 've been watching weird, old movies. What's up with you?

Attention, Starbucks!

I know that Starbucks is an evil power and can basically do whatever they want, but why are they hiring rude morons to serve us? In the long run, it's gonna drive business away, which is ridiculous since they've easily cornered the overpriced coffee market.

I've had the pleasure of dealing with one of these morons recently on a trip to the Starbucks in Cincinnati's lovely Rookwood Pavillion. It's the Disney World of mall shopping, folks. Anyway, here's a dramatic interpretation of the incident:

Me: One Grande Mild coffee, please. (my usual order)

Crazy Starbucks Guy: A dollar, seventy-five.

(at this point, it seems like it's going to be a normal Starbucks experience. But alas, no. Money exchanges. And then....)

CSG: All right, so one small coffee, right? (CSG holds a small cup up to me, like I need a visual representation)

Me (confused): No, I said "grande."

CSG (exasperated, yelling and shaking the small cup at me): What?! Now, wait a second you said you wanted a tall coffee. Small! You said a tall coffee!

Me (baffled and angry): I gave you a dollar seventy-five.
CSG glances at the cash register.

CSG: Oh.

No apology or anything. He pours the coffee, hands it to me, says nothing and moves on to ruin someone else's morning. A completely awful and awkward experience. I want the coffee, but I'm not goin' through that. Also, after complaining about this at work, I found out several of my co-workers have dealt with this guy too. He has a reputation! How does he even have a job?

So, as a public service, I've roughly sketched the guy (above). Avoid him at all costs! And, if you're in a position of power in the Starbucks machine you might want to find a way to demote him to stockroom clerk or something so he deals with the public in no way whatsoever.

You're welcome, America!

Music Update: The Latest Buys and Most Listens

Last five CDs bought:
1 Beastie Boys • Ill Communication ($3 at Amoeba Records in SF)
2 Nico • Chelsea Girl ($10, also at Amoeba. Got interested after reading about her and the Velvet Underground in Please Kill Me. Oh, that book. That's a whole 'nother post...)
3 Sebadoh • III (this is the reissue -- picked it up for 12 bucks at another SF music store. Worth it for the "Gimme Indie Rock" EP...)
4 KMD • Best of KMD (Doom when he was Zenlove X.)
5 Beck • The Information/The Decemberists • The Crane Wife (tie)

Heavy rotation (a little harder to quantify):
1 KMD • Best of KMD
2 Lupe Fiasco • Food & Liquor
3 TV on the Radio • Return to Cookie Mountain
4 Beck • The Information
5 The Beatles • Please Please Me (The first Beatles record -- I bought this a long time ago, but never listened to it. I know most of the songs anyway, so I guess it wasn't really a priority. P.S. I Love You is actually a pretty good song...)

100-word Project Runway recap DOUBLE FINALE PART TWO

Just 100 more words and it'll all be over...

Back for more drama! Previously, scandal was afoot. Tattoo Neck labelled a liar, cheat, and just generally creepy. After much build-up, Tatt is cleared on all charges (except going over budget by $230. Wait. Isn't THAT cheating?). He cries like a little baby. Very un-punk.

Runway. The "creator of fashion week" is the special bonus judge. Sounds fishy. Debra Messing unavailable?

Judges. The judges aren't keen on Michael (boo!) or Architect Woman (eh). They're out. It's down to Uli and Tattoo Neck. Since "Pleatgate," these two haven't been able to keep their hands off each other. Kinda weird. Tattoo Neck wins! No one cares.

The message? If you're a cocky, rude, former drug addict with a big, ugly tattoos on your neck who shows no regards for the rules of the game and yells at people's moms, you can win a reality TV show! And you win a Saturn too, to which Tattoo Neck replies "This does not suck!" Wish we could say the same, Tatty.

I'm back!

San Francisco was a lot of fun. Took a cool drive up the Pacific. Great food and a couple of really cool music shops. Here's a pic I took of a happy couple while we were hanging out at the Golden Gate bridge. They solve mysteries or something. Anyway, it's back to work!

San Francisco fan

Heading out to San Francisco soon, so posting will be erratic for a bit. Very excited about the trip though! See that person having a picnic in the above photo? Um....that's me!

Finally, I'll get the subtle nuances in SF-based TV shows like Charmed, Full House and Suddenly Susan. See ya when I get back!

100-word Project Runway recap FINALE PART ONE

More Runway insanity! It's 2 months later:

Tim Gunn and his Saturn Roadster check on the finalists. First, Michael. His work looks shaky but Tim hangs with his family anyway. New York. Architect Woman's kid offers Tim turtle crap. Miami. Uli has no family or friends. Sad! Last, L.A. Tattoo Neck's work impresses Tim to hug level.

Back in NY. Everyone has problems, except Tattoo Neck who gets another hug. He then does nothing for two days. AW thinks something's up... jealousy or legit?

She and Tim talk on the veranda. AW thinks Tatt cheated. A tiny bit. Tim says the producers will investigate. Then, because she's crazy, AW confronts Tattoo too. He freaks in a guilty-ish way.

Next Week: Dramatic conclusion! Tattoo Neck gets booted from the competition and has to get the word "Cheater" tattooed to his forehead. Architect Woman, after putting too much effort into the "Tattoo Neck shakedown," forgets to design the rest of her collection. Michael, in a panic, puts sequin pockets on all of his outfits. He is then sued by David Hasselhoff. Uli wins and for the next 8 years everyone will look like they're going to a cocktail party in Miami. Eh. It's still a better conclusion than Season 2.

Apple cores and Chinese newspapers

Hey all, in this week's CiN, I was a guinea pig for a power bar taste test with a few other brave members of our staff. You can check out the story here via CiN Weekly's web site. Might not learn much, but it's pretty entertaining stuff...

Welcome back, WOXY.com!

Fortunately for us all, the coolest online radio station is back, for a second time. When they sounded off with Kick Out The Jams, I had a sense that they might be back again soon (after all, though MC5 is great, that wasn't the most sentimental of choices for "last song ever...").

Oddly enough, I first found out about this through Kari via that other blog we do, which is a little weird. Ah, these modern times...

They opened with a song called Caheunga Shuffle by The Oohlas. Not quite sure the signifcance of that. For those looking for more symbolically titled ditties, they followed that up with songs from Babyshambles (Back From The Dead) and Yo La Tengo (The Race Is On Again).

Anyway, the latest WOXY rescue is apparently thanks to a web site called Lala.com. And there's some crazy new ideas coming from the site too. Here's just one according to the news story at Pitchfork.com:

“...listener-generated playlists, or what WOXY and La La have deemed "Citizen Radio". Beginning in a matter of weeks, WOXY fans will be able to program their very own set of favorite tunes over at lala.com, drawn from the extensive and always growing WOXY digital catalog. Quite a few test playlists are already up and running at La La's website.”

See? Crazy. And exciting! It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. Anyway, let me be the 7,000th person to say welcome back!

Latest art project

Just so you all know that I'm not just drawing giant chin dudes and bizarre super heroes, here's the latest thing I've been working on. It's really just for the enjoyment of it, basically a project without a home...

I went to the tablet to draw something a little more detailed than my first project. I wasn't really thinking about the final drawing (my initial idea was actually some sort of alien wearing a suit). I ended up with some sort of carny, so I gave him a crazy sidekick. Yeah, I need to stop it with the insane animals...

While talking to Rob about the drawing a bit later, he started singing the tune to "The Entertainer" (a lot). That gave me the idea that this guy could also pass as a silent film star. Just take away Psycho and change the coloring...

So if you know somebody working on a project about silent films or carnival hucksters, I've got an illustration for 'em! Pretty common subjects. I'm sure the offers will be rollin' in...

100-word Project Runway RECAP Reunion Special

And now the latest from Project Runway! aka Ronson's reunion show rant...

I hate TV shows that try to hype their own mythology, like shamelessly plugging things as the "most talked about moment in the history of the show." That's why I really hate any type of reunion show.

By rehashing the "mom incident" to death and Keith's early boot from the show, this episode salted old wounds the only way reality TV can. The fifteen minutes of entertainment came from the cast's bizarre quirks (i.e., Milan's Peter Lorre-esque laugh), Vincent's laundry freakout and Bradley's possible "oh-my-God-I-look-like-the-Spindoctors'-lead-singer" moment, as he's now completely clean-shaven.

Otherwise, a bunch of awkward, chair-shifting moments and meaningless filler. Eh.

Next week: Tattoo Neck and Architect Woman lash out at each other in more inventive, ridiculous and immature ways. Uli designs the exact same dress sixteen times. And Michael wins. Please oh please let Michael win...

Peach iced tea. You're gonna hate it.

If you don't know what this is from, you've got a show to start watching. I've had this line in my head all day and then I keep laughing at my desk to myself like an idiot.

More Kinkade action!

Above is an exciting and tense moment from last weeks game. Since my pseudo-injury (shin splints? I'm having it checked out soon), I find myself turning into some sort of soccer dad acting as the primary cheerleader and sketch artist for the team. In fact, my plan is to bring a cooler of water to the next game, then take the gang out for Pizza Hut afterward.

The rest of the Kinkade highlights are here. Check 'em out!

Your Guide to Music, 10/3/06

Hey, R-ville is on a little break, so check out my guide to new music this Tuesday over at one of the side projects I'm involved in, the pop culture review Popography. I give predictions on everything from Beck and the Decemberists to Evanescence (sp?) and Jet. Surely, your music collection will thank you!

100-word Project Runway RECAP

And away we go...

The Final Four. Only three will make it to fashion week. That's how the show works, right?

Challenge? It's off to Elle where Nina tells them to design something that represents their style. Isn't that what they always do? They pick three words to describe their style. Uli and Tattoo Neck get nasty with Michael's words - awkward to watch. Admittedly, "sexiness" isn't the best choice.

Runway. Judges hate everyone except Uli. She wins. It appears Tattoo Neck is going down...but wait! Because they were all so mediocre, everybody's going to fashion week. No elimination. Total cop out -- wasted episode.

Next week: Fashion Week finale! Heidi forces the designers do an surprise extra design inside a burning building. Then, the designers freak out when they find out they'll be designing an outfit for fashion designer icon Shelia Phalangeles. Finally, in one more nasty twist, it's declared that no one wins. The judges laugh in the designers' tear-filled faces. No Saturns for anyone.

Actually, I think it's just the reunion episode...

All new things to click on!

Yep, I've added some links and blogs to my little side panel, so check 'em out when you get a chance. If I've left anyone out, let me know, I'm all about the commerce.

Last and least

Art Week concludes in Ronsonville with the birth of the criminally terrible super hero known as Catman. He's intentionally lame, but that doesn't stop him from being just plain creepy. At least Bach came by to mix things up a bit...

Musclemen have feelings too

Another disturbing character sketch from my notebooks...

Stay tuned for the All New Adventures of...

IU boxer shorts? I'm sure that was a completely random decision. I've drawn a lot of dogs, but this is THE dog of 2006...

From the "sketchbook"

Here are some drawings I did recently for a brainstorming session for an ad campaign. The medium is red ink on post-it notes. The theme is "green" but I was trying hard to avoid potential copyright nightmares. I find turning any popular character into a businessman sneakily escapes this trap. I have no idea why the Glob is playing poker. We ended up not using any of this.

Whiskey-soaked

It's the cliché of the day!! I despise this phrase so much that I call for any reviewer describing a musician as having a whiskey-soaked voice (and making it sound like it's a good thing) to be stripped of their laptops and sent straight back to Critical Writing 101. I'm lookin' at you, Matt LeMay.

New Feature! The 100-word Project Runway recap!

And away we go with last night's thrilling ep:

Heidi reveals worst surprise ever: Vincent and Angela are back. If they win (yeah, right), they're back in the competition. Wouldn't it have been nice to see someone with talent?

Black and white dress challenge. Even more cruel: You must use all of your fabric. Architect Woman freaks out. New baby hormones?

Architect Woman and Michael do fine. Though she freaked, Architect Woman wins. Shock: Vincent and Angela do terribly. They're out (again). Uli and Tattoo Neck do the same thing they always do. Kayne chooses not to follow the very basic rules of the challenge, designing a black dress. Bye-bye, Kayne!

Next week: Heidi tortures the designers by making them design with their arms tied behind their backs. What a twist!

And the Most Random Cast Award goes to...

Enemy of the State (1998)! Congrats to all for playing. I've been blazing through movies lately, and I doubt there's a movie with a more randomly assembled collection of actors.

On the surface, it's basically a Harrison Ford-styled thriller (um, with Will Smith playing the part of Harrison) where a mild-mannered lawyer gets thrown into extrodinary circumstances. But literally everybody in this movie is somebody. It's actually weird when you don't recognize someone...

The cast includes a before-he-was-profitable Jack Black playing it straight; the pairing of Jamie Kennedy and Seth Green as surveillance buddies (who I always used to get confused. You can almost hear the director say, "We need a Jamie Kennedy/Seth Green type in this role. We can get 'em both? Let's use 'em!"); Jason Lee, Lisa Bonet, Gabriel Byrne and Tom Sizemore all in bit roles; and Regina King (who voices Riley and Huey in the Boondocks cartoon) as Will Smith's wife. Even the people who are nobodies (Scott Caan, Jake Busey) are sons of famous people. There are so many people in this movie, I can't name them all. It's a Kevin Baconesque nightmare.

Tony Scott is also director of the second place movie in this category, True Romance. But that movie, written by Quentin Tarantino, sort of begs for stunt casting. This was like watching Witness with Jim Carrey as Amish Guy #2. Weird.

Kennst Du Kästchenhüpfspiele?

Christmas Alfreakingready?

Christmas comes early for fans of Sufjan Stevens this year. A 5-CD box set of Christmasy music is coming on November 21st. I'm a little late to the party -- apparently these tracks have been circulating for awhile. Anyway, this should be a perfect collection for either those looking for a little extra depression this holiday season or those who feel that the banjo has been wholly underused in the history of Christmas tunes (that would be me).

For those more concerned with music happening right now, it'll be a big shopping day for me on September 12, with new releases from The Rapture, TV on the Radio and Yo La Tengo. Goodbye, disposable income!

MTV Video Awards recap!

Cultural shift alert! R&B and watered down hip hop, look out! It might have been subtle, but I noticed a change in the guard last night. MTV has decided to pass the torch to corny pop-rock bands like Fall Out Boy and AFI, who swept up most of the VMAs last night.

This was most symbolically apparent during the Video of the Year award. J. Lo seemed confused and maybe even hesitant when she begrudgingly announced "Panic! At The Disco" as the winner in this category. It's supposedly the biggest award MTV can hand out (although everyone stopped caring about 15 years ago) and it went to a hack "rock band" who has the most annoying song titles ever. You could almost hear every pretty boy 20-year-old with an angular haircut pick up their guitar and flock to New York and L.A. to ride out the trend, forming bands with names like SchoolGirl Crush and Johnny Danger.

I'm not actually interested in any of this, except maybe in a scientist checking out an ant colony sort of way. From what I've checked out, most folks thought the awards were pretty dull.

My personal reasons for checking out the VMAs were pretty disappointing. Jack Black was painfully unfunny (and I'm a fan) and Jack White (leading the VMA house band the Raconteurs) continually made faces that seemed to say "this is the worst mistake I've ever made." Hoping for some witty banter between Jacks Black & White? Didn't happen. Just awkwardness and plenty of it!

OK, the rant stops here. Admittedly, I didn't watch more than a half hour of the show. I need to cut myself off from awards shows completely. I felt bad for Kari who had to hear a few of my rants, including one that involved comparing the decadence of the VMAs to the Roman Empire (this was around when the cast from Jackass gave out an award). A little over the top on my part. Maybe.

Season opener

Not much going on here at Ronsonville today, so check out the goings-on at my soccer team's blog. Above is a stunning recreation of some of the action that went down at this past week's game. Check out the whole thing here.

Blogs blogs blogs

Here are a couple blog shout outs of recent note. My uncle Mark just got back into blogging and has a great blog featuring some great pics (including the one above of my grandma). Also robots and the tragic page-turner The Love That Failed! You can check it all out here. Definitely worth a visit...

Also, cuz you can't stop reading/seeing enough blogs, pals Dan and Gretchen are on their way to Oregon for the largest relay race in North America. They're putting together a photo diary of the trip. A cross country relay race? Sign me up! (er, to watch, not necessarily to participate. I've got a trick knee. Seriously! I do!) Anyway, you can check that out here... Sounds like it'll be quite a sight!

Go to your local music-buying place

and pick up the following CDs:

1 Tapes 'n Tapes • The Loon
2 The Heartless Bastards • All This Time
3 Thom Yorke • The Eraser
4 Johnny Cash • American V: A Hundred Highways
5 Neko Case • Fox Confessor Brings The Flood

then get this at the itunes store:
Luna • Lunafied

then, just for kicks, pick up:
Al Green's Greatest Hits

C'mon, it'll be fun. You know you want to.

This is great

All the great music I listen to these days is thanks to Clell Tickle...

My movie debut

This is my YouTube debut! My friend Gina has been experimenting w/ video and I'm the subject matter of her first full length (er, 4 minute) film. Or rather, my hair is. Most of my role in the film is rambling and saying goofy things like "opinions of thought" and "interplay." I am completely honored nonetheless...

Check out the woman in the elevator. Definitely a highlight...

Tablet debut

This is my first drawing using the pen and tablet I recently received. It's a little rough-ish. I call it "Bouncer at the G Lounge" ...or whatever.

Yikes.

It's a shame Justin couldn't get a new pic for the rerelease of his 1994 crapfest. It scares me a little when I'm scanning new releases online. His hairstyle is very haunting...

I've got it and I think I'm in love

Well, it's that time of year. In August and September, we (the music-buying public) have to shell out cash for a number of potentially "hot new releases." This could be stuff that either seems promising from unknown artists (i.e. Lily Allen or Lupe Fiasco) or from artists who have a pretty good track record (by the end of the year we should see stuff from Beck, The Shins, DJ Shadow, just to name a few).

So, above is a new video from Beck (which is VERY promising). The song is called "I Think I'm In Love." Check it out and then get annoyed cuz this CD probably won't be out until October...

The other generous preview I have for you today is from Matador Records. Yo La Tengo's latest "I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass" (that's the real title, folks) is on its way on September 12. They've been nice enough to provide a couple of MP3s from the disc "Beanbag Chair" and "Pass The Hatchet, I Think I'm Goodkind."

Please enjoy.

Oh, you're so silent Jens

Going to see Jens Lekman tonight in Newport, Kentucky at the Southgate House. Jens is a precocious (well, he's 23ish) singer/songwriter who samples Belle and Sebastian and Beat Happening riffs and turns them into unique and catchy songs.

Also, many of his lyrics are hilarious. (In a Jonathan Richman or Morrissey type way. In fact, both these names invariably pop up when describing Jens' sound). Anyway, check out this video for "You Are The Light" and you'll get what I'm talking about. It's not the best Jens song (that would either be Pocketful of Money, Black Cab or Maple Leaves), but there are a few payoffs.

Check out his Web site, where he's been giving away MP3s of three of his old tour-only EPs...

One more thing about Jens: He's an artist that both my dad and I like. It's a key crossover to win over both Ronson and Ron...

I'm obsessed...

with those New York Times human interest stories. You know, those stories about intangible things that you (well, I) don't usually think about? The latest example involves people who have problems distinguishing different faces. This stuff is always fascinating to me. There's even a way to test yourself... Good luck -- I recommend taking the Old/New Faces Test. It's more challenging and a better test of your face recognition abilities. Just be warned though, I got a 96% on that one... That's right -- just try to top my ability to recognize creepy, disembodied faces!!

Syd Barrett dies

Also, Syd Barrett, founding (and arguably best) member of Pink Floyd died yesterday at age 60. Syd's influence is huge and his reclusive withdrawl from popular music is one of the more unusual stories in rock history. If you haven't, you should really check out "Piper At The Gates Of Dawn" as well as his solo albums ("The Madcap Laughs" and "Barrett.").

I have to admit, I was late into getting into Syd and I only got his solo albums last year (I picked them up after hearing his greatest hits CD on a friend's itunes). I had this idea (for some reason) that Syd solo albums were these crazy freak-outs. Buuuut of course they weren't, and I ended up feeling like an idiot. They're a good mix of laidback stuff and a few upbeat songs too (well, depending on your definintion of "upbeat." Remember, two of my favorite bands are Joy Division and Radiohead). Anyway, highly recommended. Shine on, you crazy diamond, you.

Thank God

I can stop worrying about cancelling my subscription from yet another music magazine, as Andy Pemberton's incompetent reign over Spin has ended its speedy, two-issue span.

Among the terrible ideas Andy and his team brought to the table: A porn star sex columnist; an Entertainment Weekly-style "Top 25 People Under 25 Issue" (wtf? I thought this was a music magazine); a completely vapid Editor's Note, a Q&A back page (also ripping off EW), and the hiring back of Ultragrrl and her pointless, page-hogging "101 top parties in the U.S." Seriously -- this thing wasted 20 pages of their last two issues. Don't worry, Spin -- we here in America can find the parties on our own. No one cares.

They also removed any attempt at legit music criticism and the "Spin 20" (one of the only things worth reading even in an otherwise bad issue). While my problems with Spin have been frequent in the past (My Chemical Romance appearing twice is 4 months comes to mind), nothing has been more worthless than these past few issues.

The future of the magazine is still a little shaky. How it's going to get out of this mess and turn into something I enjoy reading again seems like a pretty daunting task. Music mags in general are in a pretty sad state (which is unfortunate for a music fan like myself), so if anyone's interested in starting one up, let me know!

Maybe this is why TV is so confusing to me

So they just announced the Emmy noms this morning. It seems like a lot of the nominees are for shows that are going off the air (West Wing, Arrested Development, Six Feet Under, Huff) and a couple of shows that have barely been on the air (The Comeback, The New Adventures of Old Christine). And then there's this curious amount of love for Two and a Half Men. Seriously? The show should be banned from participation by its name alone.

As always, a few shows I actually like are nominated as well (The Office and Curb Your Enthusiasm -- the only two shows I watch with any regularity). So clearly the Emmy Nominating Committee Deal People and I see eye to eye on a few things. Maybe I'll start watching Two and a Half Men and loving it. Holy crap, what am I saying...? Ugh, see what I mean?

Currently high in rotation

Newsradio on DVD

I haven't talked much about TV much on this blog yet and for good reason. I hate it.

Heh heh heh. Juuuuust kidding, TV!

Like a lot of people, I have gotten sick of TV lately -- it's become a dumping ground for freakshows who'll do anything for a few seconds of fame (aka the entire reality genre), and the shows I have liked have gotten pretty lame.

I'm also completely out of the loop on the current, top action-dramas (24, Lost, Sopranos, any HBO series outside of Curb Your Enthusiasm). This has made small talk very difficult.

Oh, so yeah, what point was I making? I've been watching some of TV's past glories on DVD. Most recently, I've been getting back into NewsRadio, a consistently funny comedy from the mid-to-late 90s. The 4th Season just came out on DVD aaaand if you can get past the corny DVD packaging and the terrible promo copy, you'll find that the show itself was really clever and innovative.

I could go on for hours (I mean it. Literally. Hours.), but you probably get the point. Check it out if you get a chance!

Bleah, I hate sounding like a commercial. Now back to your regularly scheduled blog...

Hilarious....well, kinda

Every week, the staff at our little mag must answer a question. It can be anything from "favorite movie quote" to some really random stuff. And sometimes it can be pretty funny. Anyway, they started posting our answers online. You can check 'em out here...

I'm sure people have been clamoring for some time to know my favorite type of processed cheese snack. Now you might be able to find out!!

Sleater-Kinney on indefinite hiatus

Huge shock for me to discover this morning (in tiny print on Pitchfork.com's web site) that after 11 years, Sleater-Kinney is breaking up. S-K has been one of my favorite bands for as long as I can remember, so this is sad news. Here's the word from their web site:

After eleven years as a band, Sleater-Kinney have decided to go on indefinite hiatus. The upcoming summer shows will be our last. As of now, there are no plans for future tours or recordings.

We feel lucky to have had the support of many wonderful people over the years. We want to thank everyone who has worked with us, written kind words about us, performed with us, and inspired us.

But mostly we want to extend our gratitude to our amazing fans. You have been a part of our story from the beginning. We could not have made our music without your enthusiasm, passion, and loyalty. It is you who have made the entire journey worthwhile.

With love and thanks,
Sleater-Kinney

Apparently their last show is Lollapalooza -- however they will be in Lousiville (close to my neck of the woods) on July 29. Might have to get tix for that show...I've seen them twice and both times I was blown away. Music is taking a hit with this break-up...

In other news...

I've found the last obscure, really good, late 70's new wave (0r whatever) rock song that I've never heard before. It's by the Talking Heads and it's called Happy Day. Seriously, it's great. No, really, it is! Check it out...

I'm probably full of crap. It's likely I'll find some random Blondie song tomorrow and take the whole thing back. Eh. But for now, you should listen to it!

What I learned from Soylent Green

Ya know, I don't talk about movies enough on here (mostly it's all about music. Obscure music). So I'm gonna start talking about the movies I've watched lately too. I finally finished Soylent Green last week and I have a few fun facts that sum it up -- just in case you never have any desire to see this film...

1. New York City in 2022 is gonna suck.

2. It's Edward G. Robinson's last movie. Really, he's the highlight of the whole thing. He eats...a lot!

3. A recent Simpsons episode (Million Dollar Abie) parodied the Old People Death Device used in this movie.

4. The Riot Controlling Scooping Machine is too funny to be terrifying. Also blood is really, really red in the future.

5. It's people!

Blog flurry

A few posts today while I'm waiting for the OK to leave work today. The first one is a recommendation to check out the underlooked, understated "The Conversation." It's the movie Francis Ford Coppola did between his Godfather movies, but nothing like those movies at all. It's more a character study starring Gene Hackman as a surveillance expert that gets a little wrapped up in his work.

It features some of Coppola's frequently used actors, like the guy who played Fredo and Frederic Forrest (better known to Apocolypse Now fans as Chef), Harrison Ford (pre-Star Wars) and Robert Duvall. Great cast and interesting story, relevant today in our wire tapping times...

On temporary hiatus...

Hey all,

Sorry for the recent lack of posting -- currently working from an Internet cafe, where I have about 10 minutes left. When I originally envisioned this trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C., I thought "Great! More blogging time." Unfortunately, that's just not the case. So greetings from the beach (which has been a little rainy recently). And I'll be back soon!

Ronson