WHOA!

i went to see Music for 18 musicians performed at the NewEnglandConservatory last night (Steve Reich is in res, he showed up at the end)
its kind of mind blowing up close and in person. they also did 6 pianos.
AND john and i met and shook hands with roger miller of mission of burma. wow.

here's the students practicing 18 musicians
">18
(interestingly there were 20 musicians onstage...maybe cause they're students)

also, peeped Margot at the Wedding, the new Noah Baumbach piece. I was very pleased with this and I don't think he's fallen off post Squid&Whale which seems to be the consensus of most of the reviews I've read. Kinda Interiors-esque, but moves quicker with more Jack Black. Noah said he was Eric Rohmer inspired and so I'ma check that bub out. Anyone seen any Rohmer? Anyone seen Margot? ANYone else out there an Interiors apologist...?

Lists

I think we should start doing lists. 

Here's one:

Please write below websites you check (or would like to check) on a frequent basis. I'm leaving out facebook because it's too much of a given (maybe this is just me). 

Celeste

- theavclub.com and of course theonion.com

- slate.com

- mcsweeneys.net

- theapiary.com

- thesuperficial.com

- mindyephron.blogspot.com

- ucbtheatre.com/ny

Tales of mere existence

Fred Armisen, my heart is yours

I'm Not There?

Has anyone else caught this new Todd Haynes experimental Dylan-biopic?

I saw it last night. It was too long, but I enjoyed the constant Dylan-referencing-madness and there were a few brilliant moments. Malkmus singing "Ballad of a Thin Man" was a highlight. Cate Blanchett is a genius.

Next up is the new Coen brosephs' film. Anyone seen this yet?

Comedy Vids

Check out New York Magazine's list of the 20 intentionally funniest videos.

More Wain

Americans and Gangsters

Americans love gangsters, and so do I. Why? (1) They're the ethnic underdogs--Italians, Irish, Jews, Blacks. (2) They know how to have a good time, and even if they kill people they look good/bad-ass doing it. (3) They make a living exploiting the system, which is always portrayed as corrupt anyway (this ties into the ethnic stuff in complicated ways).

When I saw "American Gangster" I was pissed that the soundtrack did not include any Jay-Z. Jay-Z's new album was only "inspired" by the movie. Obviously I need to read more Entertainment Weekly.

Anyway, the movie was an excellent genre exercise, as is Jay-Z's new album.

If any of you guys see the movie I'd love to discuss the gender-and-or-race politics with you. They were far from subtle.

Also, as an ethicist I should say I am opposed to gangsterism in all its forms. But what is unacceptable in life is often more than agreeable in art.

the swedes are alright

the HIVES have a new album
the black & white album
i've alwyas had a soft spot for the Hives and this does not disappoint
its fun, its rock

">ticktickboom
is the single

you got it all ">wrong

is a good one as well


i saw yo la tengo do the freewheeling ylt the other night
(mostly acoustic set with lots of Q&A and all manner of requests fielded)
it was an excellent evening of sit down rock and roll
they opened with tom courtenay which is a favorite of mine
georgia sang

beautifully

ask the optimist

">optimist
the sound of young america turned this little george saunders piece into something of a extra smug crank yankers
but i laughed
and crank yankers was funny sometimes anyway

Weezy F Baby

KARA WALKER at the whitney

http://nymag.com/arts/art/reviews/40277/

The following is printed on a large wall in the second room of Kara Walker's exhibit at The Whitney Museum of American Art.

The last eight words are the title of the exhibit, which is just incredible, shocking, outrageous, horrific, awesome and terrifying.

“Dear you hypocritical fucking Twerp. Id like to thank you for giving me clothes when I needed them and food when I needed it and for fucking my brains out when my brains needed fucking. I hope that the time we spent in the quarters with my family sleeping nearby quietly ignoring what you proceeded to do to me—what, rather I proceeded to do to you—was worthwhile for you, that you got the stimulation you so needed, Because now That Im Free of that poison you call Life, that stringy, sour, white strand you called Sacred and me savior, that peculiar institution we engaged in because there was no other foreseeable alternative, I am LOST. I am left here alone to recreate My WHOLE HISTORY without the benefit of you, my complement, my enemy, my oppressor, my Love.”

I urge you to check out her work.

What about the voice of Geddy Lee?

Tom Sawyer:



Also, Van Halen:

this is some dopeness

Chomsky vs. Foucault

Revisiting this great set of videos on youtube. Here's the first one. What an amazing confrontation of minds and personalities. Can Chomsky's humanist anarchism withstand Foucault's Nietzschean critique? Get excited.

timbaland is the man

I'm obsessed with this song, especiallly Timbaland's part.

There's no video, but here's the track playing over a picture of M.I.A. and Tim on youtube.

White Denim

Austin band I'm seeing at Fun Fun Fun fest today. Also seeing Of Montreal today and Battles tomorrow. Will report.