“Today almost half of Americans hold a negative view of Islam. One in four hold “extreme” anti Muslim views.” I guess things like that happen when a group of Islamic men use airplanes as missiles if it is warranted or not. But as I have found in life, when you are quick to make fun of yourself, oddly enough the quicker people are to accept you. And that is what five comedians are doing as highlighted in the upcoming PBS series America at a Crossroads with their newest installment Stand Up: Muslim American Comics Come of Age premiering this Sunday, May 11 at 10:00 (you may want to still check your local listing just in case).
Judging how African Americans comedians such as Richard Pryor in the seventies, Eddie Murphy in the eighties, Chris Rock in the nineties, and Dave Chappelle this decade have been able to help thaw the race relations since the era of Jim Crowe by poking fun of their race and how everyone reacts to the color of their skin, these new Muslim comics just may be able to help ease the animosity that still lingers from the 9/11 attacks as seen in one review that had a caption reading, “trying not to suicide bomb” on stage.
The comics profiled are pretty diverse unto themselves, with only their religion sometimes binding them, with the five being descended from Iran, Palestine, India, Egypt, and one that is half Palestinian and half Italian. It is interesting see how each balances humor with their religion considering how none of them would be about to do their routine as is in their native country.
Here is a preview of America at a Crossroads:
My personal favorite of the five was Ahmed Ahmed:
Then a funny skit about Arabs being the new Black:
What up Mustafa? I am totally using that in the future. You can find a bunch more clips from America at a Crossroads on its YouTube page. And here is a little more information on America at a Crossroads for those that tend not to watch public television (personally I need my weekly Bob Ross fix):
Stand Up: Muslim American Comics Come of Age is part of the acclaimed series America at a Crossroads, created by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to present an in-depth, provocative series of films exploring the challenges confronting the world post-9/11. CPB developed the initial concept for America at a Crossroads in 2004, with an open call for film projects. More than 400 proposals were submitted from public television stations and independent documentary filmmakers around the world. In 2006, CPB named WETA the producing station to oversee all films throughout production. Stand Up: Muslim American Comics Come of Age is part of a series of specials following the premiere week in April 2007. The series has a major interactive Web presence at www.pbs.org/crossroads. Funding for the series was provided by CPB.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I though I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form so here they are courtesy of YouTube. I advise you to watch them before you read my reviews if you don’t want me to spoil things. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available, if not the link goes to YouTube where you can watch the video in full screen). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
If revoking NAFTA means an end to Avril Lavigne’s pink and punk era comes to an end here in America I am all for it. It was moderately cute circa Girlfriend, but she has gone way over the line of tolerability with this video.
Jason Mraz is one of those artist that makes some crappy music, yet every once in a while can create a completely great track. I’m Yours is one of the latter in that is just a quintessential springtime song. And if you have time you really want to hunt down the mash-up How Six Songs Collide that landed at number 14 of the Best Mash Up’s of 2007 list.
If I am not mistaken I think I was an orientation instructor back in college for one half of The Black Keys (and while I am name dropping I routinely hit on a future Playmate of the Month while working at the Recreation Center in college too). Despite the connection, I have never checked out any of the group’s album even though I have been meaning to for years now. Hopefully the great laser tag themed video (hey, we need a way to fulfill our paintball urges when there is too much snow on the ground) will finally get me around to that.
For those of you that like the retro stylings of Amy Winehouse but could do without the course language and tabloid antics, give a listen to Duffy (not to be confused with the MTV VJ of the nineties) who does the retro vibe much closer to the sixties girl groups.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I though I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form so here they are courtesy of YouTube. I advise you to watch them before you read my reviews if you don’t want me to spoil things. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available, if not the link goes to YouTube where you can watch the video in full screen). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
I believe Kanye West is now half way to making a video for each song off his new album. I always found it silly to have the dude from Coldplay sing the hook about Chicago. I don’t think he remembers fireworks on Lake Michigan. The effect are pretty cool anyways.
Yeah some die-hards are upset with this song but I have to give it up to anyone with the gall to go with an eight plus minute epic as their first single without any lyrics until half way through. Now if only Death Cab for Cutie had taken a page out of the Guns n’ Roses playbook and had an accompanying super epic video to go along with it. But the infectious bass line almost makes up for it.
What I like about Sara Bareilles, and why I think she will outlast other potential one hit wonder of the moment Colbie Caillat, is that she has an underlying starkiness. If you thought Love Song was about some dude, take a closer listen to the lyrics (hint: its dircted at her record company). And I love the opening line of this song, “They’ll be girls across the nation that will eat this up.”
I should have a review of Tristan Prettyman’s album up sometime this week, but in short it is better than her debut, of course I think only a small handful ever heard it. To hold you over until I get that up, you can currently download this song for free as iTunes Free Single of the Week (as long as the below graphic is still of her).
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I though I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form so here they are courtesy of YouTube. I advise you to watch them before you read my reviews if you don’t want me to spoil things. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available, if not the link goes to YouTube where you can watch the video in full screen). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
And now it is time for the token Before He Cheats retreat. Nice touch getting men in black to do your dirty work. But much like her previous singles, the latest from Taylor Swift is overly catchy. I wonder if her performing in front of the wall of sparks is an homage to Rihanna (she has been know to perform Umbrella in concert including a recent Live in SoHo set for iTunes).
At this rate The Roots will have a video for every song from their album actually drops, not that I have a problem with that except with ever track, I get more excited for that release date. Birthday Girl sounds like Gym Class Heroes would sound like if they weren’t extremely cheesy while Get Busy is just another instant classic.
Yeah, boring video, but if you like the song, you can download it for free, along with another track off their upcoming Saturday Nights, Sunday Morning, over at their website, countingcrows.com.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I though I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form so here they are courtesy of YouTube. I advise you to watch them before you read my reviews if you don’t want me to spoil things. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available, if not the link goes to YouTube where you can watch the video in full screen). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
All the videos from the first Gnarls Barkley album were innovative and something to see, this is kind of underwhelming. The 80’s dance party theme has been down before. Foe a more jarring video, hunt down the leaked second single Who Will Save My Soul featuring ?uestlove. Speaking of ?uestlove…
…here is one from his group The Roots in a very Reservoir Dogs kind of video. If this song is any indication, Rising Down is going to be another classic.
My favorite song off of Missy Higgins album (see: Breathe Them Deep into Your Lungs) and thanks to this video, I know have a new way to stalk an ex by sending photo booth pictures to her. I will certainly have to try that out the next time I’m jilted.
Everyone has those songs that take you back to a certain place and nothing says Grade School dance more to me than this song from the Jeff Healey Band. And a melancholy happy trails to the namesake who passed away earlier this week. I never actually knew the guy was blind until I read about his passing. To read more about the life of Jeff Healey, check out this AP report.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I though I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form so here they are courtesy of YouTube. I advise you to watch them before you read my reviews if you don’t want me to spoil things. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available, if not the link goes to YouTube where you can watch the video in full screen). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
The first will.i.am man love video for Barak Obama was entertaining in a where did they find Ashley Banks kind of way. But this is just overkill. C’mon, Landry, I expect better of you. And like a dude from Texas in a Christian death metal band would ever vote Democrat. The only thing than can be considered entertaining about this video is figuring out which “stars” appear because the whole heartedly think Obama would make a great president and which ones just signed on for self promotion. This harkens back to the last election cycle with Diddy’s Vote or Die campaign when some of the spokespeople weren’t even registered to vote (*cough* Paris Hilton *cough*). And Jessica Alba’s diatribe makes me think that it is about time to bring back the IQ test for voting.
I am not entirely sure if this is a serious video from Mariah Carey or if she is thinking she is semi-ironic. I guess I am too busy figuring out why she wears less clothing the older she gets. Can we expect a Playboy layout when she his sixty?
What do you do when people don’t find you funny anymore, well if you are Willie Nelson you get Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson and, um, Jessica Simpson to drive lawnmowers. And unlike the previous video, this one is legitimately funny.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I though I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form so here they are courtesy of YouTube. I advise you to watch them before you read my reviews if you don’t want me to spoil things. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available, if not the link goes to YouTube where you can watch the video in full screen). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
Every new Kanye West video has become a major event almost like when you ran home from school to catch the latest from the likes of Michael Jackson which MTV would air hourly for the entire day. But I haven’t decided if his latest, directed by Spike Jones of all people, is a case of him being too high concept or not high concept enough. And yes, the video was supposed to stop like that and no, there won’t be a sequel or any further explanation (or so ‘Ye would have us believe).
It has been awhile since I took the record industry to task, but this may be up their as one of the dumbest. So R.E.M. has a new video out except you can’t embed the video from YouTube. Yet there is a site where you can edit the video at Supernatural Superserious and upload your version to their YouTube page. Except you can embed those (one of which is above) using the same song and much of the same footage. Seriously, why allow one but not the other? But anyways, the song reminds me of something circa the Monster era which coincidently was the last time I was really big into R.E.M., that’s not to say they haven’t has some great songs since.
Hands on Me - Vanessa Carlton
This video from Vanessa Carlton hopefully brought to you from Purell.
If there ever a reason not to let a seventeen year old borrow your camcorder, here is the directorial debut from Taylor Swift. And is she really doing the Soulja Boy dance in the video? It may be time to raise the minimum voting age back up.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I though I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form so here they are courtesy of YouTube. I advise you to watch them before you read my reviews if you don’t want me to spoil things. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available, if not the link goes to YouTube where you can watch the video in full screen). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
A very clever video from Mark Ronson (featuring the dude from Phantom Planet) poking fun of the overtly serious Radiohead video for the song they are covering. For those that do not remember the orginal or you young’ins that never saw it in the first place, see below:
Yeah, the video is pretty nondescript but it is another great song from the undervalued Jimmy Eat World.
Believe - The Bravery
Sometimes when a song that rocks like this song from The Bravery, you do not need some high concept video and a performance piece (okay, with a couple bells and whistles here) will do. Some of you may recognize the song from the Friday Night Lights promos at the beginning of the season, if not; well you really need to start watching the show.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I though I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form so here they are courtesy of YouTube. I advise you to watch them before you read my reviews if you don’t want me to spoil things. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available, if not the link goes to YouTube where you can watch the video in full screen). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
We have our first year contender for video of the year. Although, despite the great concept, it could have been taken a little further as there are many classic albums Erykah Badu didn’t try recreating (someone really needs to do a rock version of this concept). But of the ones she did, Paid in Full has to be my favorite.
As Russ said about this song from Missy Higgins, “Get ready to hear Steer on every TV show in existence.” Well, maybe that would be the case if there were any actually television in the near future, but his sediment is point on with this catchy ditty. And the crash test dummy theme is brilliant.
Kanye West said he had a video coming up for Flashing Lights, I just never expected this was the outcome from some random dude by the name Colin Munroe. But the video is cool in a Bittersweet Symphony kind of way. You can also download this song for free from the dude’s MySpace page.
I doubt anyone was actually reading back then(if you were you rule), but on my list of the Best Albums of 2005, topping that list was Wreck of the Day by Anna Nalick. My review for that album was so long ago, it was the fourth ever on the 9th Green, it even predated the Song to Download at the end of the review. It I had it back then, Catalyst would have been it. Many of you may have figured out that I love the uber depressing sad songs and there are not many sadder than this song. The crescendo at the end is just heartbreaking as her voice starts breaking as she goes into falsetto. No proper video for this song so I hope you like the Spike from Buffy The Vampire Slayer/Angel theme that I found on YouTube.
The reason I bring this song up now is because a new song from Anna hit the internet this week and Shine definitely stands up with anything on Wreck of the Day and is definitely more powerful than anything on that album. Someone has already made a really cool video for the song as seen below:
The line “There are times when the poets and porn stars align and you won’t know who to believe in, well that’s a good time to be leaving” is in early contention as the best lyric of 2008.
Just in case it is gone by the time the next 57 Channels comes around, recently Jo pointed out that Season 3 of Veronica Mars recently dropped below $20 recently. In fact all seasons are on the cheap. Sometimes these sales last a month, sometimes a week or less so check the ads below to see if they are still at bargain bin prices.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I though I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form so here they are courtesy of YouTube. I advise you to watch them before you read my reviews if you don’t want me to spoil things. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available, if not the link goes to YouTube where you can watch the video in full screen). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
Don’t ask me why Bruce Springsteen would release a song about summer in the dead of winter, but it is a great song. I think this version of the song is technically called the Winter Mix, but don’t ask me the difference between it and the original. But the video is beautifully shot and if MTV bothered to nominate actual best videos instead of the best from artists who appeal to fourteen year old girls like they have in recent years, this would be a lock for a moonman.
Speaking of girls in their summer clothes, Carrie Underwood wears plenty in her new video and I am definitely happier for it. Yeah the song is lame in a cheesy country music kind of way but I’m not sure which Carrie I like the most, the cheerleader, the doctor, the cop, the teacher, or the chemist. Although I wonder if she is subliminally endorsing a candidate in the video. On one hand there is the female president, which could be she is backing Hilary. But the dude grooms and the bride may be a subtle hint she is pro-Mitt Romney.
Another person whom I really do not want a political statement from, but it is still hard to not agree with many of points Kid Rock makes in the song, well not that I have ever felt guilty for being white. The song is easily the best of his career.
1, 2, 3, 4 was such an infectiously silly video you can’t hate on Apple for co-opting it for there iPod campaign. Even though the latest from Feist isn’t as colorful, it is still odd and hard to take your eyes off of.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I though I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form so here they are courtesy of YouTube. I advise you to watch them before you read my reviews if you don’t want me to spoil things. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available, if not the link goes to YouTube where you can watch the video in full screen). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
I would like to talk about how this was my favorite song off of Wyclef Jean’s latest album or this cool video but I can’t help trying to figure out just how big ‘Clef head has grown over the past decade. And where is Paul Simon? For more on Wyclef’s possible oversized dome, check out Big Head Timbaland and the Monsters.
Between her album cover (see: If I am a Number I’m Infinity Plus One) and this video, it is safe to assume her album title, Some People Have Real Problems is a self-reference from Sia.
A nice little ditty from Kate Walsh that would probably get lost of play on a television show that stars someone whom she shares a name with if the lazy writers from that show that usually adds a musical montage because they cannot think of anything profound to write to fill a whole episode are on strike. But anyways. It looks like she is lip-syncing backward for the cool backward effect; well either that or she is the worst lip-syncer since Ashlee Simpson. But the greatest lip-syncing backward video ever is…
… this video from The Pharcyde. Fat Lip, where are you? Fun fact: I saw The Pharcyde live in concert opening up for Coolio (I think I was the only one who bought a Pharcyde t-shirt instead of a Coolio one). Man, I miss the 90’s.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I though I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form so here they are courtesy of YouTube. I advise you to watch them before you read my reviews if you don’t want me to spoil things. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available, if not the link goes to YouTube where you can watch the video in full screen). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
Hopefully this song isn’t a bad omen for 2008 because it really isn’t the best way to start of the New Year with the mannequin that Ashlee Simpson has become. But then again, I cannot imagine how anyone could make a song worth than this aside from Ashlee herself. It just shows you how messed up the music business is when they are pushing a reputed lip-syncer down our throats again even after her last album bombed as bad as her Saturday Night Live performance. As for the video, if I were Salvator Dail, I would sue.
Now onto some actual good music. This song appeared on Kanye West’s mixtape last year and even though it is doubtful we will get an actual album from CRS anytime soon, this Thom York sampled track definitely wets the palette and make me reminisce about the early nineties when there actual great rap crews, not just one decent rapper and his crappy friends that populate the rap landscape this decade.
Quote of the Week: If you ever look at her, even tonight again, at school, anytime, I swear to God I’ll end you. Are we cool? No, seriously, that way. (Riggins, Friday Night Lights)
Song of the Week: Short Skirt/Long Jacket - Cake (Waitress, since the lack of actual television, I had to go with a movie I watched this week. I may not getting around to a full review, but if you want to be gruntle, you should definitely hunt down this movie)
Big News of the Week: Scooter McGavin Endorses Joe Biden Who Promptly Drops Out: Yeah, that didn’t work out well. So I guess I need another Democrat to back. I think I’ll go with John Edwards if only because his daughter Cate (click to check out her blog) is what I like to refer to as moderately attractive. Speaking of potential first daughters who I would like to salute, John McCain’s daughter Meghan (seriously, do you have to be a bad spell you’re kids weird to run for president) started up her own YouTube account, here is one of her vlogs:
Tapeworthy: It's the new year and everybody seems to have a best of list and Vance LIVES to make Best of Lists as if they actually mattered. So here are his picks for the Best Movies, Best Music and Best Television of 2007! Happy New Year!
The TV Addict: Picked his favorite shows of 2007. Made some outlandish predictions for 2008 and started the craze that's sweeping the nation: TV Addicts Anonymous. Only together we can survive the WGA Strike!
Sunday Night Football: It is already cheap when you pull your starters like the Indianapolis Colts did in the last game of the season, but it is done right immoral to just lay down like Kerry Collins said Tony Dungy did against the Tennessee Titians when he conceded to Jeff Fisher. If Bill Belichicken gets a fine and loses draft picks for cheating, so should Dungy in this blatant example of collusion. In fact Peyton Manning and all the other Colts that sat should have to give up one game’s salary and have it divvied up everyone in the stands who actually paid for what ended up being a glorified exhibition game with a bunch a scrubs playing the game.
Adding insult to injury, the Cleveland Browns lost a playoff spot due to a tiebreaker to the Titans even though they barely even beat what boils down to a replacement team. What makes thing worse is that this shouldn’t have even been a tiebreaking situation because the Browns got jobbed twice this season with the cheap time out call at the end of the Oakland Raiders game and the Arizona Cardinal game was decided by the only person on God’s green Earth who didn’t think Kellen Winslow Jr. wasn’t pushed out of bounds.
Friday Night Lights: I don’t think it is a coincidence that the best episode of the season came after the finally wrapped up the Landry murder plot line. So much to enjoy this week: Riggins fixing the cable to get porn, attacking the dude who urinated in his locker, Aunt Shells lusting over him, the cheesy 80’s Garrity family montage, Buddy and Coach at the Laundromat, Landry starting a brawl, Tyra pulling Richard Simmons by the hair, her dress at the formal, drunk Julie, ping-pong, Coach threatening Other Coach. The only misstep was Landry’s speech at formal which was basically the exact same speech he gave to Tyra at the Roast last season. But seriously, can they work out some deal like Worldwide Pants to get the Friday Night Lights writer their own deal so they can get back to work? Check out the latest episodes over at NBC.com.
New Hampshire Debates: I’m not sure if this was the best or worst debate ever. It was good because Charlie Rose just let the candidates talk over each other and it almost seemed like Rose wanted to debate more than be an actual moderator. It was bad because I don’t think it really accomplished anything although the candidate’s postures were telling. Mitt Romney looked beaten down, John McCain’s reaction shots were hilarious especially whenever nut job Ron Paul was allowed to talk, and Chelsea Clinton looked about as bored as I did whenever Hilary started to talk. As for winner, on the Republican side I’d go with Fred Thomson if only because he looked alive for the first time in his campaign and on the Democrat side, I’d like to say Bill Richardson won, but I fear if nominated they might bring Horatio Sanz to Saturday Night Live, so I’ll say John Edwards won. Don’t forget to check out who I, Scooter McGavin, Endorsed earlier this week.
This week I uploaded all of my pictures from my set visit to Veronica Mars to my Facebook and MySpace accounts, so if you want to see them you will have to befriend me. Also don’t forget to check out my preview of When Weather Changed History. And don’t forget to check out tomorrow when I announce a big contest.
I would also point out the Blogger recently allowed Open ID commenting so now if you have an AOL/Aim, LiveJournal, TypeKey, Wordpress or any other Open ID account, you can now comment using those. So feel free to give it a test run if you have one and would like to comment on the 9th Green.
Promo of the Week: Not only did Biden drop out of the presidential race right after I endorsed him, I didn’t come across this campaign ad until after I mad my endorsement which may have changes who got mine:
Now there is a Bubba I could vote for.
Next Week’s Pick: My Name Is Earl, Thursday at 8:00 on NBC: Earl and the gang returns for the first episode of 2008 and possibly the last one we will see for awhile as it was the last episode they filmed before they ran out of scripts due to the writers strike.
It is really hard to complain about MTV and VH1 no longer showing videos anymore because who these days wants to wade through videos that they hand pick when you have almost every video ever made at your disposal whenever you want on sites like YouTube? And here are the best of the best of from the past twelve months. I have embedded the first couple videos, the rest you can click the link to follow to YouTube and if you are interested in buying the videos, click the iTunes links. Now I should mention some of these videos are not safe for work but really nothing on YouTube is all the safe for work because I’m sure you boss wouldn’t be thrilled even if your watching a video of a cat playing with a ball of yarn. But anyways:
1. Can't Tell Me Nothing - Kanye West
2. Trapped in the Closet Chapter 1-12 Recap - R. Kelly
promos at the beginning of the season, if not; well you really need to start watching the show.
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theme that I found on YouTube.
, since the lack of actual television, I had to go with a movie I watched this week. I may not getting around to a full review, but if you want to be gruntle, you should definitely hunt down this movie)