http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Sun, 13 Oct 2002 07:28:09 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/ Phillip WinnSunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding. Administration0@blogcritics.org Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2002/10/13/072809.php Robert M. CentorReading this review requires context. I live in Alabama. This movie includes our favorite Alabama song (see the title). Reese Witherspoon is special. After the movie, my wife asks me what I thought. Sometimes I struggle to answer that question, last night the answer was easy. Sweet Home Alabama is a nice movie. It is no a great movie; it has no great meaning; it is a nice movie. As you enter the theater, you have a great idea of what this movie will tell you. The plot is transparent. What makes this movie are the scenes. When you recall movies with friends, you invariably discuss certain scenes. This movie has some great scenes. Now I am biased, but I like Alabama. I like a movie that makes fun of New York snootiness and snobbery. While we are not hicks (and all movies about Alabama portray us as hicks), I believe that we are less pretentious than our Northern counterparts. That is probably a bias, but we are entitled to some biases. You cannot help liking Reese Witherspoon as an actress. Her foil (and original husband), Josh Lucas, plays his part with the right mixture of down home and intelligence. To paraphrase my favorite line, he states that just because he talks slow does not mean that he thinks slow. Those of you who have not spent time in the South, think critically. When you hear a southern accent, what do you think? Do you assume ignorance? Do you assume prejudice? This movie has no basis in realism. These events could never occur. Nonetheless, you will leave the movie theater smiling. And I think that makes it good entertainment. Video1263@blogcritics.org Sun, 13 Oct 2002 07:28:09 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2002/09/12/205319.php Robert M. CentorI cannot get these lines out of my mind. They have struck a chord and allow me to laugh off frustrations. Duncan Sheik sings them in Good Morning "who needs to join the circus/come on, just look around/we are surrounded/by a bunch of f**king clowns" Advertising works. Free music works. I use Musicmatch Jukebox to listen to music on my computer. It does a great job of producing MP3s and allowing CD burning. Musicmatch also has a radio feature. Last month I noticed that a particular radio feature - 'featured stations'. The Coldplay CD - A Rush of Blood to the Head - was available for listening for a couple of weeks. After listening multiple times, I decided to buy the CD - an excellent decision. As Coldplay cycled off the 'featured stations', several new CDs became available for 'previewing'. I tried Nickelback (reasonable but not worth buying), Natalie Cole (not exactly), and Duncan Sheik. I remember the first time I heard Daylight by Duncan Sheik (I confess that I had never heard of him before), I was not really impressed. Why I continued to listen still puzzles me. For whatever reason, I listened to him for a couple of days. After a few listenings, the melodies started to stick in my head. We all have the phenomenon of discovering an artist and a CD and obsessing over some songs. That stage grabbed me. Then I started to appreciate the lyrics and how they fit the music. While not a huge poetry fan (I clearly prefer prose), I do appreciate a good phrase or a nice way of expressing a feeling. Duncan Sheik in Daylight has written some great songs. The music is 'adult alternative pop rock' - whatever the hell that means. Some of the songs recall John Mayer. One song reminds me of Sting. A couple have a soft psychedelic feel. But I find the lyrics the key to my attraction. from Genius 'Clearly I'm a genius/If she only knew it/but somewhere in her radius/I really blew it'from On Her Mind 'She's wearing the tee-shirt/of a band I really like/maybe that's coincidence/maybe that's alright' from Memento 'how can you hold a soul?/you just can't hold a soul/that shines like gold/she shines like gold'from Good Morning 'who needs to join the circus/come on, just look around/we are surrounded/by a bunch of f**king clowns'If you like adult male singer songwriters, you should give this CD a try. I have introduced several friends to this CD this week, and they have all thanked me. I think it is worth a try. Music: Alternative Rock578@blogcritics.org Thu, 12 Sep 2002 20:53:19 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2002/08/17/075613.php Robert M. CentorI wrote this review originally in April (on a now defunct blog). As I was considering blogcritics.org, I thought of my favorite CDs. As I lay in bed thinking of the best CDs in my collection (especially the ones that get recycled often), the haunting beautiful Yankee Hotel Foxtrot began to play in my head. Here is my review soon after hearing the CD. I follow with my comments 4 months later. Stop reading, go buy Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco Bought Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot on its release date. Have listened to it almost continuously since then. I listen to many CDs and occasionally have addiction overcome my senses. This time it's major. The music is imprinting my cerebrum, the sonic manipulations haunt my waking hours. The story of Wilco's CD is apparently well known, but I haven't been a Wilco fan. You can read the story elsewhere, but the gist follows. This CD was delivered to Reprise records who demanded major changes. Wilco refused, paid $50,000 to retain ownership of the CD, and shopped it around, settling on Nonesuch Records (interesting owned by the same company as Reprise). The CD was made available by Wilco on their web site until Tuesday's release. So what's the fuss? Wilco has 11 beautfully constructed songs punctuated by sounds (reminds me of late Beatles or Radiohead). I can't even tell you which songs are favorites. As each one starts, my excitement returns. Jeff Tweedy writes about love; he writes about chaos; sometimes both together. I wish I know how to describe music. Since I don't, I urge you to find a listening bar and try the CD. Or just take my word for it. Who won't like it? Those who like simple pop noise. 14 year old girls won't like it or the group (they aren't cute or sexy). Those who like simple songs and top 40 radio. And apparently idiot music executives didn't like it. Obviously, being a music executive has nothing to do with liking music. Sometimes you know after a few listenings that music has staying power. I still like Sgt. Peppers, Court of the Crimson King, Chicago Transit Authority, Disraeli Gears, Remember Two Things, etc. This CD ranks in that personal pantheon. Having reread my review, I had it mostly right. The songs are complex, yet catchy in their own way. Tweedy uses many extraneous sounds, but they seem perfect for the CD. If you do not know this CD, please find a way to sample it. I hope you like it as much as I do. Music: Alternative Rock112@blogcritics.org Sat, 17 Aug 2002 07:56:13 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2002/08/16/061536.php Robert M. CentorWe could be friends. We are almost the same age. I have listened to him since college. One likes to see one's friends do good work. October Road is good work. James has made db happy. The new James Taylor CD came out on Tuesday. I had to buy it immediately. I started listening and haven't stopped. The CD feels so familiar despite having new songs. If you do not like James Taylor already, then this CD will not convert you. Fans will rejoice. October Road has 12 songs (11 new to me - everyone has heard "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"). My favorites (as of this moment) are "Caroline I See You", "September Grass", "October Road", "On the 4th of July" and "Mean Old Man". The production focuses on James' voice and his excellent musicians (including James on guitar). The songs are vehicles for James' expressiveness and storytelling. At least one review that I read rated this better than any work he has done over the last decade. I will agree with that reviewer, the CD has variety and depth. Each song works, and they are not all alike. Fans will hear songs that they think they've heard before, but they are new songs. I look forward to continued listening without boredom. Thanks friend for bringing your sweet sounds into my home. Music: Pop99@blogcritics.org Fri, 16 Aug 2002 06:15:36 EDT