black holes

Muse has made a career of picking up the prog rock reigns from radiohead when thom yorke decided to pick a synth and his first warped records 12', although not quite as deep as radiohead, muse does mange to layer sound and complexity together in radiofreindly(er) concoction. muse are natural rock stars and would rather rock a stadium then staying at home reading philosophy and studying, as the british say, maths. blackholes and revelations is my personal favorite. in the days of diminished record sales and poor concert attendance this band pulls out the stops and drags stadium rock into the 21st century kicking and screaming

pocket cash

In his introduction, john carter cash says that his father has such a spirit that it even shows in pictures that he isn't in. he is very right and that spirit is over flowing in this collection of jim marshall's iconic photos. spanning the 60's and 70's, including cash's legendary performances at folsom and san quentin, these photos show johnny cash at the height of his creativity and popularity. he was back with june and done with drugs and the rugged survivor's soul is running on all cylinders. this is a legendary artists prime and his status as an american treasure is only reinforced.

stake land

stake land is made for the reader of fangoria magazine. gory, made with a small budget and mean as hell. telling the story of a pot apocalyptic america after a vampire plague, this film works because it doesn't have big special effects shots of cities being destroyed.. it makes it al personal by keeping a tight focus on a few characters and letting them loss on a landscape as familiar as you might see outside your front door. this claustrophobic approach should be used more in modern horror films. not a great movie but a very fun piece of horror fiction.

another good photo book mick rock "Exsposed"

if there has ever been a more comprehensive collection of photos documenting the rock n roll era i certainly have not seen it. Mick rock covers everyone from a young ozzy to gogol bordelo's eugene lutz You will notice many of these photos from iconic album covers, but it's out takes from these shoots that are the most telling. you can see debbie harry lighten up a bit, for instance.. the over all sense of cool in these photos give them all an attitude that embraces rock's rebellious spirit. this is an essential coffee table book.

death cab's even softer side..

indie rocker's death cab for cutie may not be the first band you'd choose as subject for a intriguing photo essay, but autumn de wilde manages to capture the group members in their natural state.. on the road, on stage and in the studio. the result is intimate, feeling like a backstage pass. had she done this to a band like, say U2, it wouldn't have had the same effect. you'd never feel like part of bono's world, but you do feel like you're hanging with the guys in death cab. they are just like us... it breaks down the barrier between band and fan and makes it seem effortless.

Rush april 10, 2011 at madison square garden.

Set list


"The Spirit of Radio"
"Time Stand Still"
"Presto"
"Stick It Out"
"Workin' Them Angels"
"Leave That Thing Alone"
"Faithless"
"BU2B" (from Clockwork Angels)
"Freewill"
"Marathon"
"Subdivisions"
Intermission
"Tom Sawyer"
"Red Barchetta"
"YYZ"
"Limelight"
"The Camera Eye"
"Witch Hunt"
"Vital Signs"
"Caravan" (from Clockwork Angels)
"Love 4 Sale" (Drum solo)
"Closer To The Heart"
"2112 Overture / The Temples of Syrinx"
"Far Cry"
Encore:
"La Villa Strangiato" (with polka intro)
"Working Man" (with reggae intro and Cygnus X-1: Book I outro)


I generally tend to judge a concert by the setlist, which makes this show pretty damn great. after more than 30 years on the scene rush is a band that knows how to please its loyal fanbase. the band gave an overview of its entire career including some tracks from the overlooked counterparts record. many fans would be happy just to listen to neil peart play the drums for two hours, so i really have to hand it to the band that they play with as much passion and heart as they do. the band was having a good time and the crowd fed off of that. back in 1991 rush was my first concert. i liked them live just as much at this show.

The Best Democracy Money Can Buy

The one thing about this book that stood out to me was just how many important scandals the author, greg palast, helped to break. Especially the expunging of black voters in florida in the 2000 election. greg has been a thorn in republican's side for years and this book is a collection of his greatest hits. read and be educated. the bush era, thankfully, is behind us and as we struggle to put it all back together again after his disasterous presidency everyone should read this book so that history never gets a chance to repeat itself.

nonplayer #1

i don't usually mention individual issues of comic series on this blog, Nonplayer #1 v good enough to get a little write up. The perfect mix of art and story this book comes across like a children's book written for adults. telling the story of a slacker gamer who is a master player in an online roleplaying game that isn't what it seems, the lush colors and drawings and deft writing make this one a winner.

picaresque

a lot has been said about the decemberists new album, but i've always felt this was there masterpiece. epic, literary and brainy, i can't help but feeling like a nerd listening to this album , but i don't mind the songs are all beautifully written with a flair for story telling not seen since bruce springsteen. if this album were a kid it would raise it hand and know the answer of every question the teacher had, but you'd like him anyway because he/she would be just as interesting as he/she is smart.

robot chicken

For a person who came to age in the 80's and grew up loving 80's geek culture this show is a godsend. no rock is left unturned, everything from never ending story to gi joe is parodied with loving reverence and potty humor. funny and nostalgic at the same time, you'll remember why you loved the video games, toys, cartoons and movies that you did when you were 10.

an inside job..

Inside Job is a documentary that should outrage you. untethered greed combined with the deregulation of the baking industry has resulted in the loss of millions of jobs and billions of dollars. you can talk all you want about about free markets spreading freedom and wealth throughout the world, but you'd better account for the base human nature of greed. If you want to know why the economic crash happened this film is your road map. It will boil your blood and put into sharp focus that there is a place and a need for government in business and regulations are necessary. laissez-faire just will not cut it.