Friday Thoughts

1. In light of John McCain's constant complaining for the past 2 weeks, Mrs. Bartender wisely commented, "well, we are a nation of whiners."

2. Saw The Dark Knight last week. Perhaps the biggest complaint I have is that either I'm going deaf or there is something kooky with the acoustics at the Uptown Theatre. Both Mrs. Bartender and I had trouble hearing a good chunk of dialogue because of the music in the film. The same thing happened with Iron-Man. My parents, who also saw the movie last week (at a different theater) had no such problem. I am thinking of popping in to watch a few minutes of The Dark Knight when we next hit the movies at a different cinema to confirm that the problem is with the Uptown. Or else I better get a hearing aid.

As you probably know, the movie is very good and Heath Ledger is amazing. But don't miss the underrated Aaron Eckhardt--he is terrific although I wish much of what happened to his character was saved for Batman III. (Am I right that the Michael Keaton/Val Kilmer/George Clooney Batmans never happened when we count what number film we are up to in the Christian Bale Batman's? Actually, the Clooney Batman never happened. Period. I think Clooney had all copies destroyed.)

3. We also went to see the Eagles on Saturday night--a very good concert. The band--all now around 60--still sound great. They interestingly wore black suits and ties (it ain't the 70s any more) and played a little too much new stuff. However, there was about 3 hours of music (not counting a 15 minute intermission), so you got your money's worth.

Glen Frey is the emcee while Don Henley sticks more to the music (and Joe Walsh is the jester). I have a connection with Glen and have met him and had heard for years that he referred to his first wife as "Plaintiff." Nonetheless, I didn't realize that he always dedicated Lyin' Eyes to her. That get a particularly loud chuckle from me. (He dedicated Take It to the Limit to his current wife and her credit cards.) I was also surprised by the amount of solo material Don and Joe performed (including some James Gang stuff from Joe). They wrote a lot of really good music, and Joe Walsh is one hell of a guitar player.

4. Had dinner at Proof before the show, which was excellent. The servers were fantastic and very friendly, the food (we stuck to the charcuterie, cheeses, and small plates) was very, very good, and when the bottle of Pinot Noir we ordered was unavailable and I asked for "something similar," not only did we get a great bottle of Pinot, it was actually a few dollars cheaper.

5. Mrs. Bartender and I finally started to watch Heroes. We've seen the first 15 episodes and definitely enjoy it. It's certainly not Lost, but it is quite obvious why Hiro and Claire are the break out characters (along with Claire's "dad"). Looking forward to the climax of season 1, and while we realize that season 2 is not going to be close to as good, luckily it's short!

Have a great weekend. Mrs. Bartender and I are dining with Red Fraggle and Gobo tomorrow night, so perhaps will have some new stuff for next week.

Heidi + Britney = A Really Bad Song

Maybe everyone else has already heard this, but I got a little behind in my blog reading lately, so just in case I'm not the only one who'd missed it:

Heidi Montag and Britney Spears recorded a duet called "Dramatic". And it is . . . not very good. One might even say awful. I couldn't sit through the whole thing and I actually like a lot of Britney's songs. But this, oh holy hell, is it unlistenable. The most interesting thing about it (apart from rather hilarious lyrics) is how Britney's trademark breathy singing sounds so professional compared to Heidi's ... I guess I should call it singing too.

Via Jezebel.

Bowie likes (and contributes to) Scarlett Johansson's Tom Waits Album

Music magazine NME ran a short piece about David Bowie and his involvement with Scarlett Johannson's Tom Waite cover album, titled Anywhere I Lay My Head (not Scarlett Sings Tom Waits, as originally reported). Apparently Bowie contributed some bare background vocals to the album, and he says "Scarlett's performances are mystical and twice cool. She creates a mood that could have been summoned by someone like Margery Latimer or Jeanette Winterson.”

Like Bailey, I was skeptical about this album, but now that Bowie has given it his stamp of approval, I'm more optimistic. It will be released on May 19, so we'll see whether it's any good in a few months.

100 Greatest Songs of the '90s

I have been working a lot lately, and one way I am making it slightly bearable is by leaving the office at night and working from home into the late night. Working from home has some real advantages, with the most obvious being that you can wear your pajamas and you can have the television on in the background.

What is difficult is finding the right show to watch. It can't be something that requires too much attention, otherwise work won't get done. So last night I was thrilled to flip the channels and find VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of the '90s." It's almost the ideal work-from-home show because it features music that makes you happy (or at least it makes me happy, most probably because it reminds me of my otherwise long-forgotten youth), but because the music is so familiar you don't have to pay any real attention to what's going on (and who wants to listen to the talking heads anyway?).

I didn't think there was any question about which song would be number 1, and I was right: "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was the Obvious Choice. I love the song, but even 13 years after Cobain's death (I actually had to stop typing for a few minutes after I did that math--it does not seem that long ago; perhaps more disturbing than the time that has passed is that I am beginning to say things like "it does not seem that long ago," which used to be the type of thing my mom said) I still have mixed feelings when I hear it. I'm taken back to my 16 year old self, so sad over Cobain's death and blaming his fame, and therefore the song, for his fate.

But there were also moments of joy during "100 Greatest Songs of the '90s." Like when I realized song number 14 was "Vision of Love." I honestly cannot remember the last time I heard that song. And you know what? It's pretty great! Actually, vintage Mariah is one of my guilty pleasures. A few months ago I was in CVS when "Without You" came on their music/speaker system thing, and then was interrupted (right at the really emotional "can't leeeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiive," part), prompting me to stand in line, impatiently muttering "shut up, shut up, shut up, put Mariah back on."

Or when they played song number seven came on: "Hit Me Baby One More Time," because it allowed me to feel vindicated yet again. She was always so trashy! Really, the pigtails and white button-down tied just beneath her chest and the above-the-knee socks...there are people out there who are surprised that she doesn't have a quiet, normal life?

And then, song number 3. I wasn't expecting this one to make it so high on the list, but it is a classic. Yes, that's right: "I Want It That Way." How can one resist bopping around when this song comes on? I got so into watching the 45 second clip on VH1 that when the "don't wanna hear you say" part came on I actually shouted the words out loud. And my fist may have been pumped in the air. At 1:30 a.m. In my living room. While I'm supposed to be working.

So if I'm fist-pumping and rewinding to watch Mariah a second time and so inspired that I had to blog, I guess that means I am not getting as much work done as originally anticipated. But really, completely worth it.

The Police in Concert

Last night, I saw the Police in concert. I hadn't had the chance to see them a few months ago when they toured the U.S., so I was excited that they added more dates (and a show in DC) so I could see them this go-round.

The most surprising part of the concert was just how good Sting's voice still is. He can still hit all of the high notes and hold them with power, which is pretty impressive for a 56 year old man. Sometimes the length he would hold a note seemed almost indulgent, but...he's Sting! And the crowd loved it, so it's difficult to hold the excess against him.

The set list for the show (November 5, 2007 at Washington D.C.'s Verizon Center):
Message in a Bottle
Synchronicity II
Walking on the Moon
When the World is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around
Don't Stand So Close to Me
Driven to Tears
There's a Hole in My Life
Truth Hits Everybody
Every Little Thing She Does is Magic
Wrapped Around Your Finger
Da-Do-Do-Do Da-Da-Da-Da
Invisible Sun
Walking in Your Footsteps
I Can't Stand Losing
Roxanne
Encore 1
King of Pain
So Lonely
Every Breath You Take
Encore 2
Next to You

So...a lot of greatest hits. Which was fine with me. "Message in a Bottle" is my favorite Police song, so it was great that they started with it. I wasn't surprised, because every set list I have seen from this tour shows they started with this song. In fact, there are few deviations from this set list and the others I have seen--the biggest difference I have seen is that they appear to have played "Murder By Numbers" at their other concerts, but not last night.

I have to admit that I didn't love some of their lesser-known choices ("When the World is Running Down," There's a Hole in My Life," "Truth Hits Everybody"), and I'm sure many critics would complain that the band was uninspired in playing so many hits. But as someone who will probably never have another chance to see them play in concert (and I guess that the other 18,000 people there are in the same boat), I enjoyed hearing their popular songs. They generally played the songs as they were recorded, although they did alter the arrangement of "Walking in Your Footsteps" a bit, and it sounded quite good. (The graphics of footsteps playing on the large screens above their heads were not as inspired.)

There weren't many young people at the Verizon Center last night (I don't know that I saw anyone who looked under 30), which I think makes getting the crowd worked up a little more difficult. I'm generally not someone who dances at concerts and I certainly wasn't the only one sitting in my seat. But the band did a nice job of getting people excited and they just sounded really good. I'm glad I can add them to the list of great bands of my youth I have seen live.

New Favorite Radio Station

The last couple of times I was in Portland, Oregon I couldn't get enough of this radio station, KNRK 94.7. It bills itself as "Alternative Portland" and its slogan is "It's different here." (Which, on a sidenote - word - Portland is very different.) Anyway, it's a mix of modern alternative music, whatever that means, and classics from the 80s and 90s. The mix is fabulous. I just heard Talking Head, Green Day, and Tears for Fears. I know everyone has different music preferences, but . . . if this sounds at all appealing, check out their audio stream here. The registration process is a little annoying, but I think worth it. (It may not be if you are lucky enough to be able to listen to satellite radio at home or the office, but I'm not that lucky. If you want to get a better sense of what they play before registering for yet another website, here's their recent playlist.)

New Music Alert

I'm looking forward to the new Spoon album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, which is being released on July 10. You can already hear it here.

For the doubters: Need I remind you of the greatness of "I Turn My Camera On"? And that Britt Daniel was on Veronica Mars!?! Also, the New Yorker loves it.

Commercial Appeal

I know that there's a huge debate about whether bands letting their songs be used in commercials is "selling out." And I have been appalled by this practice in a few instances -- "Lust for Life" being used to sell Jaguars comes to mind. But mostly I think it's awesome; I love hearing songs I like on tv, especially when they're by bands that don't get played on the radio.

So, I've been amused to hear the New Pornographers' song "The Bleeding Heart Show" on commercials for the University of Phoenix lately. Of course, they don't include any of the words, so we don't get to hear Neko Case singing.

Accuracy in Media

Since everyone else is doing it, I have to link to this 2004 Spin article by Chuck Klosterman about bands that are neither underrated nor overrated, but rated exactly where they should be. The bit about Ton Loc is hilarious.

I have to agree with the entry on Matthew Sweet.

5. Matthew Sweet: Every Matthew Sweet album has only one good song, and this good song is inevitably the first single, and this single is always utterly perfect (“Sick of Myself” off 100% Fun, “Where You Get Love” off Blue Sky on Mars, “Girlfriend” off Girlfriend, etc.). He sells enough albums to live comfortably, and that seems reasonable.

And, indeed, I have exactly two Matthew Sweet songs on my iPod -- "Sick of Myself" and "Girlfriend." And I do think that "Sick of Myself" is pretty close to being the perfect pop song. I loooove it.

Making the case for satellite television

On Saturday I called my dad and he was clearly distracted. He asked me to guess what he was watching on television, and after I had gone through all of the usual suspects (Friday, European soccer, Good Will Hunting, Three Ninjas, Greek soap operas) and struck out, I gave up. He then informed me he was in the middle of watching the Eurovision Song Contest, but that unfortunately Greece was in seventh place and only the top five acts would advance* (or something like that, I was too shocked that he thought I would guess he was watching the Eurovision Song Contest to really pay a lot of attention).

And then I go to Go Fug Yourself today and I see this post about the contest. The costumes are head and shoulders above anything an Olympic ice dancing team has put together. And yet my dad failed to mention any of this to me. This all leaves me a little confused, but I'm just going to decide that I'm proud of my dad for being so cutting edge.

*Just a note, Greece won the contest in 2005 with a song called "My Number One," that played on at least one radio station in the country every minute of every day when I was there in the summer of 2005. My cousins in the country expressed true shock when I told them I had never heard of the Eurovision Song Contest or "My Number One" until stepping off the airplane that August. We're obviously missing out here in the U.S., unless you are like my dad and have satellite television for this very reason.

Don't Take A Good Look At My Face

I watched the Grammys on and off on Sunday night. A few thoughts"

1. I thought the Police were okay; nothing spectacular. However, I do hope to see them this summer. Mrs. Bartender will slaughter me if I don't get tickets.

2. The biggest problem with the Grammys is that the same people keep winning. Yes, some years the same movie wins again and again at the Oscars, but at least different people are receiving the statue. Here, the same 3 groups/individuals win what appears to be the majority of the awards. Or at least the awards they decide to present during the broadcast.

3. Is Stevie Wonder now as fat as Aretha Franklin? Just asking.

4. What is the difference between record of the year and album of the year and does it matter because the Dixie Chicks won both? Oh year, they also won the song of the year.

5. And the most frightening moment . . . seeing Smokey Robinson. Man, I would love to be his plastic surgeon.

JT and Special Guest at MSG

First, I note that I hate calling Justin Timberlake "JT," but it does work well in blog post titles. (I guess I could go with JTim.) Second and more importantly, last night at Madison Square Garden, Andy Samberg joined Timberlake on stage to perform their "hit" from SNL in December. You can watch it here but be warned that the quality of the recording is what it is.