For Those Interested In Woody

This Friday at the Cactus Cafe, Jimmy LaFave, Eliza Gilkyson, and other folkies will pay tribute to folk legend Woody Guthrie. 

The show starts at 8 p.m. and I'm not sure how much tickets are but they shouldn't cost much.

For those interested in Woody Guthrie this should be a good introduction. For more info click here.

They're only two known videos of Woody Guthrie preforming. Since both of the videos have aged poorly over time, I decided to show this video that includes a Woody recording and a slide show. 

BCS Declares Germany the Winner of WWII

For more information about this surprising decision click here.

The 5 Evilest Teams In Sports

OK maybe evil is a little strong, but whenever these teams step on the field/court I have to root against them. Unless they were playing Al-Qaeda or Neo-Nazi's I would root for a tie. 

Oklahoma Sooners- OK I'm a UT fan, but lets be honest they're called the Sooners. Sooners are settlers who entered the Unassigned Lands before President Grover Cleevland officially declared them for settlement in 1889. In other words, they are cheaters. 

San Antonio Spurs- Despite them being the closest professional sports team to me, they still have the most annoying player in basketball, Manu Ginobli. Plus they're just boring to watch. But I do give my respects to Greg Popovich and Tim Duncan. 

Miami Dolphins- Damn it, why couldn't they go 0-16 last year. And I'm tired of seeing Bob Griese and the rest of the '72 Dolphins celebrate every year they stay the only undefeated team in the history of the NFL. At least they haven't won a championship since 1973.

New York  Yankees- Hank Steinbrenner, case closed.

Boston Celtics- My disdain for this team is fairly recent due to their whooping of my Lakers in last years NBA Finals. Plus for whatever reason, I don't like Paul Pierce. 

The Juice

Drink milk because OJ kills.

Albums of the Year: 2008

In response to the newly released Grammy nominations, here are my top 10 albums of the year.

10. Bob Dylan- Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8

9. Vampire Weekend- Vampire Weekend

8. Death Cab for Cutie- Narrow Stairs

7. Beck- Modern Guilt

6. The Black Keys- Attack & Release

5. Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band- Conor Oberst

4. Cat Power- Jukebox

3. The Raconteurs- Consolers of the Lonely

2. Gnarls Barkley- The Odd Couple

1. Radiohead- In Rainbows

Top 10 Christmas Songs

I've never fancied Christmas music, but I have to admit these 10 get me in the spirit of the holidays.

10. Little Saint Nick- The Beach Boys

9. The Spirit of Christmas- Ray Charles

8. Run Rudolph Run- Chuck Berry

7. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!- Dean Martin

6. Merry Christmas Baby- Otis Redding

5. Winter Wonderland- Aretha Franklin

4. Jingle Bells (Instrumental)- Booker T. & the MG's

3. White Christmas- Bing Crosby

2. Blue Christmas- Elivs Presley

1. Happy Christmas (War Is Over)- John Lennon & Yoko Ono

TRL Dead

With the demise of TRL, MTV has vowed never to play music again. 

The Tales of Beedle the Bard

Don't fret Harry Potter fans, J.K Rowling is back with and new book "The Tales of Beedle the Bard." I can't say I know to much about the book because Rowling has refused to give review copies to critics and nothing has leaked on the web. But I do know that the book is composed of five fairy tales that all connect with the adventures of Harry Potter. Expect this to be a top seller this holiday season.

Doug Nagy Read My Mind

First time ever that a movie review was funnier than the movie.

45-35

I only have one thing to say about Texas getting passed up by Oklahoma in the BCS:

If winning in a head to head match up on a neutral site isn't the best way to judge a team being superior to another, then I don't know what is.  

All-Time Starting 5

Magic Johnson (PG)- His accomplishments alone make this argument easy: 5-time NBA champion, 3-time MVP, and 9-time NBA First Team. Not to mention at 6-9 he is the tallest point guard in history.

Michael Jordan (SG)- In my opinion, the greatest champion in league history with 6 rings, 5 MVPs, and averaged 30 points a game for his career. MJ is king.

Larry Bird (SF)- If your team needs a steal, point, rebound, or whatever, Bird will give it to you.

Hakeem Olajuwon (PF)- the most artful and fluent big man ever, watching Hakeem was a dream.

Shaquillle O'Neal (C)- In his prime, nobody could stop the Big Aristotle.

Celebrities

I used to think that to become famous you had to be particularly talented at something. After a few years of life I realized that talent and fame have very little to do with each other. Sometimes talent and massive fame collide but the covers of US Weekly and People Magazine aren't filled with Oscar winners or guitar gods but of Pete Wentz and Ashlee Simpson talking about how they named their son some crazy-ass name just so they can talk about naming their son some crazy-ass name.

The people on the covers may of been productive at some point of time, i.e. Lindsey Lohan or Madonna. But now their careers are revolving around staying in the spotlight no matter how much they claim to hate the attention. So I wonder why we are so fascinated with people who aren't currently making good music or movies. Why isn't Phillip Seymour Hoffman on the cover? Why are the Jonas Brothers on the cover instead of Radiohead?

I guess I already know the answers to these questions. Philip Seymour Hoffman isn't sexy or snorting coke in a nightclub. None of the members of Radiohead are nearly as cute as even the ugliest Jonas. I guess beautiful people are just more interesting.

Sexiest Man Alive

According to People Magazine (the official judges of sexy celebrities) Hugh Jackman is the sexiest man in the world. This notion is seconded by my mom, who has maybe seen one of Hugh's movies but nonetheless can not stop dreaming about the tall, dark, and handsome Ausie. 

Well this got me thinking. Characteristics of Hugh Jackman:breathtaking smile, sculpted abs, powerful pecks, romantic, and has women swooning at the very sight of him. I.E. a mirror image of myself. Isn't it obvious, I'm Hugh Jackman's illegitimate son!

It all makes sense now. So Papa Jackman, I beg you. Come reunite with you son and spoil me with your millions of dollars.

NBA Weak Rankings

1. Oklahoma City Thunder- The new change of scenery doesn't seem to help Kevin Durant and Co. At 1-15, the Thunder are painfully waiting for the offseason.

2. Washington Wizards- Still waiting for Agent Zero to recover, they still made the playoffs last year without him. So what is the deal Washington?

3. LA Clippers- A team who is very familiar with this list, if only they could of kept Elton Brand in the offseason.

4. Minnesota Timberwolves- Their roster seems to have every NCAA All-American from the past 4 years. But I guess when your veteran is Mark Madsen, then you may have problems.

5. Memphis Grizzlies- I predict they will play better as the season goes on.

NBA Power Rankings

1. LA Lakers- Of course, at 12-1 the Lakers are the deepest team in the NBA having 7 players average over 9 points a game this season. Oh yeah, they have been beating their opponents by an average of 15 points a game. 

2. Boston Celtics- The defending champs have cruised through the first 16 games of the year and their defense and physical presence may bring them another title this year.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers- Formarly the Cadavers, Cleveland is off to the best start that I can remember mostly in thanks to a certain King James.

4. Houston Rockets- With the addition of Ron Artest and a healthy Yao, they may actually get out of the first round this year.

5. Phoenix Suns- This team has way to much talent to just fade away, but they still have to show me more to believe. 

Trends: Britney Spears

Doesn't matter if she's on a comeback or walking barefoot in a gas station bathroom, Britney will always be on this list. 

Trends: The Nostradamus

He may of died over 500 years ago, but he's still getting top 10 search hits with his WWIII prophecies. 

Trends: Beatniks of the 21st Century

Sweeping college campuses everywhere, the look of Jack Kerouac minus the ideals of Jack Kerouac.  

Trends: Teenie Boppers

First if was Donnie and Marie, then Britney and Christina, now our televisions are saturated with the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, and Taylor Swift. 

Trends: Hot Vampires

Whether it's Twilight or Buffy, hot young and sexy vampires will always make the big $$$.

BCS

Why does College Football feel the need to embark so much stress on its fans? 

As a lifelong UT football fan, I am happy Texas moved up to No. 2 in the BCS rankings. But for the past few weeks I have been losing to much sleep and hair due to worrying whether or not my Horns are going to make it into the championship game. 

Who in the world thought of the BCS? 

Was he trying to be cool and different making Division I College Football the only major team sport without a playoff system. Hell, even Division II and III college football has a playoff system. I mean isn't the whole purpose to find a national champion. But the BCS often has split champions. Something that never happens in pro and other college sports. 

Why does College Football alienate its primary consumers (the fans)?

Ever since I can remember fans have been begging for a playoff system. The BCS only seems concerned with its sponsors and not with its fans. But luckily for College Football, their sport is football meaning they shouldn't worry to much about losing viewership. But why must they disappoint so many fans when their team unfairly doesn't make the championship game?

YouTube

I just figured out how to post YouTube videos. So here are some particularly badass ones.

Gnarls Barkley "Goin On"


Miles Davis and Coltrane "So What"


"Mantage" Your Welcome


Jim Carey "Karate Instructor"

Christmas on Mars

The science fiction film, Christmas on Mars, directed by the Flaming Lips front man Wayne Coyne was released on DVD November 11th. As a Flaming Lips fan myself, I am interested in the film, but honestly the trailer looks awful.

Take a look for yourself.

Ralph Nader Says The Darnest Things

Ralph Nader like to talk.

Too much? Or too awesome?

As reported by Rolling Stone, a 1965 Fender Stratocaster previously owned and set ablaze by guitar god Jimi Hendrix was auctioned off for $490,000.

Now first thing that came to my head was $490,000! I could live off that for years, if he gave that money to somebody less fortunate, he could change their life.  

But then I thought, if I was some smooth millionaire, hell ya I would buy that guitar in a heart beat. A piece of music history in my house, now that's priceless. 

100 Greatest Singers: Rolling Stone

Every so often, Rolling Stone makes a list of the all-time greatest something. Guitarists, albums, songs, artists, and now 100 greatest singers. 

The top 10 goes: Aretha, Ray Charles, Elvis, Sam Cooke, Lennon, Marvin Gaye, Dylan, Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder, and James Brown. 

The top ten is good but I do have some criticism. First, Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra are not on the list. Sinatra should be mentioned, but Armstrong completely revolutionized singing in the 20's and should at least be in the top 25. Two other great jazz singers, Billy Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald, are not on the list either. I guess it's because Rolling Stone doesn't really cover jazz, but jazz musicians always get left out on their lists. Also Morrissey is way back at 92. Morrissey could be in my top 10 due to the way he influenced so many indie singers with his New Wave band The Smiths. Finally, Wilson Pickett at 68 should be much higher. Anybody who hears "Mustang Sally," and "Ninety-Nine and a Half (Just Won't Do)," knows exactly what I'm talking about.

All other changes I would make are to minuscule to mention. But Rolling Stone deserves credit for making a good list and I always find it interesting to see what they have to say. 

Quantum of Solace

Watching Daniel Craig play the infamous James Bond in last years Casino Royale was a refreshing take on a brutal and personally tormented Bond that has not been touched since Sean Connery. In the follow up to Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace keeps the same Bond, but loses its originality. 

The movie is filled with chase scenes and constant explosions that seems more fitting for Jason Bourne than James Bond. Now Bond wouldn't be Bond without chase scenes and explosions, but to this level seems to used as a tactic to distract the viewer from a weak plot. 

But the movie has all we love about Bond: fancy cars, beautiful women (especially Ukrainian beauty Olga Kurylenko), and swanky parties that for some reason the bad guys pick as a spot to do business. Quantum of Solace is entertaining but should go down as just another Bond movie.

B-  

The Greatest Pick Up Line Ever

Being able to come up with a completely original and ingenious pick up line is an art form that many men wish to possess. Kansas City running-back Larry Johnson is one who has certainly mastered this art, and is an inspiration to men everywhere. 

Well here on my blog, I will expose Mr. Johnson's full proof scheme to pick up women. Men if you follow these simple steps I will promise you that no woman would be able to resist you.

1. Buy a drink

2. Put the drink stalled in your mouth

3. Find an attractive woman

4. Spit the drink all over her face

5. Then to really hook her, yell "I'm going to kill your boyfriend!"

With this ultimate act of courtesy, she will undoubtedly see you as a fine gentlemen and at the very least will give you her phone number. Or in Mr. Johnson's case, a law suit. 

Lakers: 83-0

As the only Los Angeles Lakers fan in Texas, I can't help but relish in the fact that the San Antonio Spurs are off to are mediocre 2-4 start with both Tony Parker and the basketball Anti-Christ himself Manu Ginolbi out with injuries. Not to mention my Lakers are 6-0 while beating their opponents by a smooth 20 points a game. 

OK, maybe it's a little early to get my hopes up for a record breaking season by the Lakers, hell even the Atlanta Hawks are 5-0 and the season is a long road with injuries and other obstacles to overcome. Plus my boys looked pretty good last year until the Boston Celtics kicked their teeth in during the Finals. 

But as a fan, I'll choose to ignore all of these minor details. 

Real Artists

This may sound odd or sick, but what I want in an artist is insanity, depression, and recklessness. To be clearer, an artist who is happily married with two children and living in the suburbs for whatever reason just doesn't do it for me. I want a Vincent van Gogh who chopped his ear off, a Ludwig van Beethoven who was suicidal and deaf, a Robert Johnson who died foaming at the mouth and barking like a hound dog from his girlfriend poisoning him, or a Syd Barrett who was even too crazy for Pink Floyd. 

When I hear Mick Jagger received a degree in economics or that Neil Young has been happily married for 30 years I selfishly see them differently. Why am I programed to expect artists to live miserable lives drugged out and constantly looking for love? Why can't I be happy for the people who make me happy with their art?

Cryptozoology

Jeff Wilson's photography exhibit Cryptozoology will be shown at St. Edward's University in the Fine Arts Building through Nov. 5th. 

In his exhibit he captures many images in black and white. One that particularly caught my eye was the photograph of the Lincoln Memorial. The picture captures Lincoln head-on showing his emotionless face looking out into the unknown. Lincoln's long arms are stretched out along the arms of his chair and is sitting completely upright showing a man in complete control and power.

But the photograph gives the viewer a sense of coldness and loneliness. The memorial makes you appreciate Lincoln's impact on our country, but looking at the photograph causes you to hear the silence and feel the coldness the moment the picture was taken.

There is a light shinning over Lincoln as he is surrounded by darkness. This contrast in light dramatizes the image. With the lighting, you get a sense of Lincoln being God-like or a superior being. Wilson creates this God-like effect also from shooting below Lincoln, making Lincoln tower over the viewer.

Wilson's exhibit is very interesting and I would recommend others to go see his work

You can also go to his website at jeffwilsonphoto.com

Zack and Miri Banned

New R-rated comedy "Zack and Miri Make A Porno" has been banned by Megaplex Theaters based in Utah because of the film's "graphic nudity and graphic sex."

"Saw V" also opens this weekend and Megaplex Theaters has no problem showing the exceedingly violent horror flick.

So why are people so afraid of sex? 

Why is it ok to watch somebody get decapitated? 

And why is it so much more offensive to look at a pair of breasts?

I don't know. As Jim Morrison once sang, "People are strange."

Football's Elephant in the Room

As New Orleans Saints football players Deuce McAllister and Will Smith tested positive for steroids this weekend, I couldn't help but notice how little publicity it is getting. You would think two former Pro Bowl caliber players getting caught for performance enhancing drugs would be front page news like it is with baseball. But as I look at Yahoo's NFL home page, there is not one mention of the incident.

Baseball has grown weaker and weaker over the years since suspicions and accusations of home run sluggers like Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, and Sammy Sosa for taking steroids. But football is stronger than ever, despite evidence than steroids are just as prevalent in football as they are in baseball.

So why does baseball get all of the negative publicity? First, baseball is America's pastime, and with its rich history, all of its records are considered sacred. Breaking records in baseball is almost as big as winning the World Series. Every time a pitcher reaches 300 wins or a slugger hits 500 home runs, it's top news. But in football, records are just a footnote. The media pays attention when football records are broken, but not nearly to the degree as they do in baseball. So when Barry Bonds breaks the all-time home run record on steroids, people are going to be offended.

Also football is big money for everybody, including the media. If SportsCenter starts talking about Shawn Meriman (Pro Bowl linebacker) who tested positive for steroids last year, then maybe Joe Six Pack won't wake up and watch Sunday NFL Countdown for four hours.

In conlusion, steroids are bad for business, just ask baseball who is having record low ratings for the World Series this year.

KVUE Top Stories: 10/23/2008

Here's a list of all the stories on the local news tonight.

1. Crazy Man Harasses Gas Station Customers

2. Boxer Convicted of Aggravated Assault

3. Officer Shot and Killed a Pit Bull

4. Fake ID Sting

5. Woman Killed By Hit and Run Driver

6. John McCain Supporter Attacked

7. Restaurant Los Jaliscienses Failed Health Test Again

8. Cold Weather

9. High Allergy Forecast

10. Sports

Damn, I thought I had a pretty good day. But according to the news, today sucked.

250-to-1, I Like Those Odds

Greatest investment of all-time; betting on the Tampa Bay Rays to win the World Series. The Rays had 250 to 1 odds in spring training, so one would get $250 for every $ gambled. Now the Rays are a mere 4 wins away from winning the Fall Classic. 

Dave Marger of St. Petersburg was smart enough to take on those odds, and if the Rays win he will receive $25,000 for a $100 bet!

Maybe the Rays weren't a sure fire way to win 25 grand, finishing in dead last in 2007 and almost every year before that. The Rays have never even finished a season over .500, let alone make the playoffs, let alone make the World Series. 

Still, next season I'm putting my money on the Washington Nationals. 

The House of Torment

As a virgin to the haunted house scene, I didn't know what to expect from the House of Torment. How long would it be? Do they touch you? And is it OK to cry? Well, it's only 15 minutes long. Thankfully they aren't allowed touch you (even though it is hard not to push them away in self-defense). And even me being the wimp that I am, did not cry. 

The house tries to spook you from the start, with ghouls roaming free by the ticket line. All of the monsters look a little to real for comfort. Especially when they get right up in your face, you can't help but feel a little uneasy. 

What impressed me was the diversity in each character and room. You have all your horror essentials: zombies, aliens, pig-men, skeletons, mummies, clowns, and a handful of other bizarre creatures. All of them placed in a room befitting for their evil persona. 

Exiting the haunted house is quiet a sight, watching distressed customers trying to forget the experience they had just inflicted upon themselves. And like every attraction, there is a souvenir shop in the parking lot. 

  

Hopefully Badass Movies of the Fall Pt. 2

Quantum of Solace- Picking up from Casino Royale, Daniel Craig plays arguably the best James Bond in history. Capturing Bond as the rugged live wire that Ian Fleming seemed to envision when he created the infamous spy. (Nov. 14th)

The Soloist- Jamie Foxx may of finally picked his first good movie since Ray, as he plays a classical music prodigy who has found himself sleeping on the streets of L.A. The film also stars newly revived Robert Downey Jr. (Chaplin, Iron Man) and Catherine Keener (Capote) whom I swear never picks a bad movie. (Nov. 21st)

Milk- Sean Penn is obviously looking for another Oscar with his portrayal of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected into public office. Penn is surrounded by hot upcoming actors such as Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild, Lords of Dogtown) and James Franco (Spiderman). The film is also directed by Oscar nominated Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting, Finding Forester). (Nov. 26th)

Doubt- Starring Meryl Streep (The Deer Hunter, Out of Africa) as a nun who confronts a priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) about abusing a black student. The movie has a lot of potential and it should be interesting to see how John Patrick Stanley directs the film, given he has only directed one other motion picture (Joe Verses the Volcano). (Dec. 12th)

The Class- A French film about a high school teacher who has trouble getting through to his students. There is not very much information about this film, but it did win the prestigious Golden Palm d'Or at Cannes this year. (Dec. 25h)

Revolutionary Road- One big reason to see this movie, it's directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition). Starring Leonardo DiCaprio (The Departed, Gangs of New York) and Kate Winslet (Iris, Little Children) as a young married couple having trouble dealing with conforming to the 1950's lifestyle. (Dec. 26th)

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Possibly the most hyped movie of the fall, stars Brad Pitt (Babel) as Benjamin Button who was "born under unusual circumstances," as a man who was born in his eighties and ages backwards. Adapted from the F. Scott Fitzgerald short story by Charlie Kaufman, this movie has everybody talking Oscars. (Dec. 25th)

Hopefully Badass Movies of the Fall Pt. 1

W.- Director Oliver Stone (Natural Born Killers, Platoon) is as brilliant as he is liberal, this bold depiction of George Bush should be interesting to say the least.

Changeling- A Clint Eastwood production seems to be the closest thing to a sure thing these days, as Angelina Jolie plays a dramatic role as a mother who is searching for her kidnapped son. (Oct. 24th)

Synecodoche, New York- the directorial debut of my all-time favorite screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) narrates a story about a theatre director who is in the process of making his masterpiece as he is suffering from a disease that is slowly shutting down his body. By the way, the movie is starring Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote), Catherine Keener (Being John Malkovich), and Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain). (Oct. 24th)

 

Zack and Miri Make a Porno- Director Kevin Smith (Clerks, Dogma) is back. Supported by currently hip funny man Seth Rogen (Pineapple Express, Superbad). The title is intrigue enough to see this film. (Oct. 31st)

Role Models- Paul Rudd (Knocked Up) and Seann William Scott (Dude, Where's My Car?) are forced to do community service with smart mouthed children and Christopher Mintz-Plasse (aka McLovin) now that sounds funny. (Nov. 7th)

Australia- About the bombing of Darwin in Australia during World War II, Australia stars Nicole Kidman (The Hours) and Hugh Jackman (The Prestige) in what appears to be a visual spectacle of the year. (N0v. 26th)

Albums Everybody Should Own

Whether or not they're yours or my favorite albums, these works have an undeniable place in music history. Only rule, no repeating the artist. 

Revolver, The Beatles

Highway 61 Revisited, Bob Dylan

Kind of Blue, Miles Davis

King of the Delta Blues Singers, Robert Johnson

Electric Ladyland, The Jimi Hendirx Experience

Tommy, The Who

At Folsom Prison, Johnny Cash

A Love Supreme, John Coltrane

The Velvet Underground & Nico, The Velvet Underground

What's Going On, Marvin Gaye

Live at the Apollo, James Brown

Exile On Main Street, The Rolling Stones

Pet Sounds, The Beach Boys

Astral Weeks, Van Morrison

I Never Loved A Man The Way I Loved You, Aretha Franklin

The Dock of the Bay, Otis Redding

Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin

Harvest, Neil Young

The Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd

Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols, The Sex Pistols

The Clash, The Clash

Meat Is Murder, The Smiths

Doolittle, Pixies

Nevermind, Nirvana

(What's The Story) Morning Glory?, Oasis

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Wilco

Elephant, The White Stripes

In Rainbows, Radiohead

The Foot Fist Way

The Foot Fist Way is a low budget comedy that was shot in only 19 days staring Danny McBride as an over eccentric tae kwon do instructor. The movie has a plot, but is more of an excuse to tie together "kick-ass" jokes. A significant part of the movie is clips of little children, graceless middle-aged men, and senior citizens awkwardly practicing tae kwon do. 

The movie revolves around McBride's character Fred Simmons and his relationship with his dimwitted wife and his hero Chuck "the truck" Taylor. Simmons, like most comedy leads today, is exceptionally stupid and arrogant but is also oddly somebody for the audience to cheer for.  

There isn't much to the movie, but if you like laughing out loud while watching some "crazy awesome" tae kwon do, then this is the movie for you.

B

Here's a link to the badass trailer

Fleet Foxes

As indie rock is going through its folk movement, Fleet Foxes are capitalizing on this new fad. Their soft woozy style brings back memories of legendary folk-rockers like The Band, Nick Drake, and Crosby, Stills, and Nash. 

With their self-titled debut album, Fleet Foxes mix what these acts have accomplished and created their own melodic sound that is easy on the ear. But their pleasant sound doesn't come without a price. The songs wash together without any real change of pace and their lack of intensity can cause a loss of interest after only a few songs. The songs individually are good but I would like to see them try and go outside of their comfort zone. 

I do like where the Fleet Foxes are going with this album and am interested in what they will do next. If you like The Band, you will certainly like this band.

B

The World United Music Festival and Radio Conference

Austin Music Fans, here's something that may of slipped under your radar, and it's coming up soon. In close by San Marcos, The World United Music Festival and Radio Conference is being held November 14, 15, and 16th of this year! For whatever reason, I had not heard of this massive music fest until a few weeks ago. 

I believe this is the first year of the festival, and it is set up similar to Austin City Limits. 150 bands, 8 stages, and 3 days. But the fest has two major differences to ACL. First, it is held in November, which means no dust and certainly no heat. And secondly, it only costs $70 for a weekend pass and if you only want to check the fest out for one day then it is mere $35 for a day pass! 

The festival doesn't have big names like Beck, Foo Fighters, or Gnarls Barkley. It is centered around independent groups and should be a good event to attend if you are looking for some new interesting music. 

Wilco: I Shall Be Voting

The new fad these days for musicians is trying different ways to get their fans to vote. Which I'm completely in favor for. Suffrage is a right that people have been fighting for throughout the history of this country, and the fact that people today have the right to vote and choose note to is incomprehensible to me.  

Wilco is another band trying out this voting tactic. They do it in a way that is at least appeasing to me, giving out a free song while "pledging" to vote. If you go to wilcoworld.net/vote and type in your name and email, you will get Wilco's cover of the Bob Dylan song "I Shall Be Released" emailed to you and ready for download. There is also a link at the bottom to register to vote for those who are not registered. 

Woody

Woody Guthrie was the original folk protest songwriter and has brought a heavy influence on later songwriters like Bob Dylan and Ramblin' Jack Elliot; by singing about fascists, unions, the Dust Bowl, and equality. His sarcastic wit in songs like "Mean Talkin' Blues," powerful voice in "Dust Bowl Blues," and day-dreaming reflections in "Ingrid Bergman," makes him one of the most diverse and creative songwriters of the 20th century.

Guthrie is from another time, making his lyrics and sound hard to relate for people in today's society. Today we're more worried about terrorists than fascists and hurricanes than dust storms. But Guthrie's ideals of freedom and love are something we should all relate to.

My advise for those who have not heard Guthrie before is to check out Wilco and Billy Bragg's collaboration called Mermaid Avenue, in which they cover many unreleased Guthrie songs with a more modern alt-country sound. There are two volumes released in 1998 and 2000. The sound is good, but what makes the album worth buying is Guthrie's words.

"Birds and Ships"

The birds are singing

In your eyes today

The flowers blooming in your smile;

The wind and sun

Are in the words you say;

Where might your lonesome lover be?

Birds may be singing

In my eyes this day;

Sweet flowers may blossom when i smile;

My soul is stormy

And my heart blows wild;

My sweet hearts rides a ship at sea.

-Woody Guthrie

The Red River Shootout

Now, like any lifetime University of Texas sports fan, I'm particularly excited for next Saturday's match up against the vile Oklahoma Sooners. With this being a bitter rivalry and given that both teams are highly ranked. One should expect this to be a game of epic proportions. Right?

Wrong, now this scenario seems to happen every year, both teams come in highly ranked and one dominates the other. Now granted last year was and exception (Oklahoma won 28-21) but that was the only time in the last ten years that the game has been determined by less than 10 points. Over this time OU has beat UT by scores of 63-14, 65-13, 12-0, 35-24, and 14-3. All in convincing fashion. Similarly UT has beat OU by scores of 45-12, 28-10, 34-3, and 38-28. 

Certainly, I will be watching the game next Saturday, and honestly I hope it isn't close and Texas blows out Oklahoma. But if your a neutral observer craving a good game, I wouldn't guarantee that this one will satisfy your hunger.   

Will The Cubs Ever Win?

Oh the Cubbies! The most depressing team in sports. 

You would think that this year would be their year. The best record in the National League, Sweet Lou Pinella as their manager, and if you superstitious this is the 100th anniversary of their last championship. 100 years! 

But no, the poor decrepit Cubbies have been blown out of their first two playoff games and are one game away from elimination. To make things worse, both of the games were at home and against the mediocre Dodgers who barely finished over .500 for the season. 

But there is still hope, and you know Cubbie fan has hope. Hell, just a couple of years ago the Red Sox broke their little championship slump being down 3-0 to the sinister Yankees. 

So anything can happen. But it is the Cubs, the team of infinite sorrow.

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

This FX T.V. series is without question the craziest and most ridiculous show on T.V., and I mean that in a good way. The show is centered around five people who work in a rundown bar called Paddy's in Philadelphia. "The gang" is what they call themselves. There is not an innocent character in the show, all of them are shallow, backstabbing, lazy, and genuinely repugnant. 

One of my favorite episodes is when "the gang" decides to start letting high school kids into their bar to "help keep them safe." So naturally the bar becomes packed with high schoolers and all "the gang" can't help but become swept up in all the high school drama. They start going to high school house parties and dating way to young high school kids. Eventually they all get asked to the prom except for one. Mac, a twenty something year old guy doesn't get asked so he decides to go to the prom stagnant. A grow man going stag to the prom, now that's funny. Eventually, they all get pathetically dumped and wind up not going to the prom at all. 

Their episode names are so properly titled "The Gang Goes Jihad," "Dennis Looks Like A Registered Sex Offender," or "Sweet Dee's Dating A Retarded Person." All of them are equally offensive an equally funny. 

Watch it for free here at hulu.com

10 Greatest Albums of The New Millennium

There is no real reason why I devised this list. I just like lists, and hopefully I can cause some debate (if anybody reads this).

10. Songlines, The Derek Trucks Band

9. Paparazzi Lightning, Ghostland Observatory

8. I'm Wide Awake It's Morning, Bright Eyes

7. The Big Come Up, The Black Keyes

6. The Greatest, Cat Power

5. Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, The Flaming Lips

4. A Ghost Is Born, Wilco

3. The Odd Couple, Gnarls Barkley

2. Elephant, The White Stripes

1. In Rainbows, Radiohead. The guitar is abstract, vocals soothing, and rhythm section simple. There is no repetition as each track sounds different from the next. The disc opens with "15 Step," which starts with a drum beat that is fast passed and intense and contrasts well with the Thom Yorke's calming voice and the jazz-rock arpeggios of the guitar. Tracks like "Reckoner," "All I Need," and "Jigsaw Falling Into Place" have such intense and complex sounds that I can't even begin to fathom how they were composed. In Rainbows deserves to be the best album of the millennium. 

ACL Fest: Sunday

Today was mostly filled with acts that I have heard nothing or little about. So I was hoping to find some new cool bands Here's how my day went:

1:30-2:00: Octopus Project, I enjoyed this psychedelic instrumental quartet. Their style reminds me of The Flaming Lips minus the words, and their sound was full especially went they invited the Austin High School band on stage with them. B

2:00-2:30: The Kills, I left Octopus Project to checkout the Kills who left an impressionable mark at SXSW this spring. I definitely dig their sound, even though their band is just two guitarists and recorded drums, they have a full and inventive sound. B

2:30-3:30: Mike Farris feat. The Roseland Rhythm Revue, I had never heard of them until today and they put on a decent show. Farris has a really soulful voice and their style is a kind of funky gospel. B-

3:30-4:30: Stars, another band I have not heard of, they were just OK. Their sound was full but I thought their style was kind of generic. C+

4:30-4:45: Silversun Pickups, I have heard a couple of their tracks on the radio and I thought it was a 50/50 chance that I would enjoy their show. Well, maybe they were just having a bad day, but I didn't enjoy their set at all and left after only a couple songs. F

4:45-5:30: Neko Case, they had a nice and calming country vibe but I found their show to be a little boring after a while. The musicianship was good, just not my style. C+

6:30-7:45: The Raconteurs, the one band I was really looking forward to today. Unfortunately they were paired up against Gnarles Barkley, but since I have already seen Gnarls (they were amazing) The Raconteurs were a no brainer. They grabbed the crowd's attention right away with two high energy songs in "Consoler Of The Lonely" and "Level." They slowed it down slightly for the rest of the show but still kept a good energy level and full sound. Jack White and Brendan Benson are madmen on the guitar as Patrick Keller and Jack Lawrence hold everything together with their heart-pounding beats. The Raconteurs also changed up their song structure to where the song sounded fresh and new but still held onto the qualities that their fans love so much. With White's crazy guitar solos, Benson's calming voice, Lawrence's thundering bass, and Keller's pulsating drums, The Raconteurs were the kings of ACL 2008. A

Because I couldn't get close enough to hear Band of Horses clearly and myself not being particularly fond of The Foo Fighters, I decided to pack it in on a high note.

ACL Fest: Saturday

I have been going to ACL for four years now, and today may of been the most entertaining day yet. Here's how my day went.

2:30-3:30: Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, maybe the best show of the fest so far. Jones may be fifty, but she has the energy of a toddler on crack. As we already knew, her voice is incredible and her backing band (The Dap Kings) can play some funky soul. Highlights were "Nobody's Baby", "Tell Me", and "Let Them Knock." I certainly hope to see them again. A

3:30-4:00: Eli "Paperboy" Reed and the True Loves, on first glance you would mistake them for just another young indie rock band, but these cats can play some mean soul. Reed has a powerful voice and their style reminds me of The Dap Kings with a little more instrumentals. B+

4:00-4:45: Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, rounding out my afternoon that was filled with soul, Black Joe never fails. I've seen him play in Austin a few times and his act is always full of energy. B

5:30-6:30: MGMT, the first time I saw MGMT I was a little disappointed. Not because they sounded bad, but for whatever reason they refused to turn up the volume. Well this time they really put on a great show. They played all their grooviest songs like "Electric Feel," "Time To Pretend," and "Weekend Warriors," and most importantly they played loud. A-

6:30-7:30: Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, one of the best songwritters around put on one of the ten best shows I have ever seen. He played louder than I expected and his new band (The Mystic Valley Band) really complemented his songwriting. Oberst sang passionately and played my personal favorite "I Don't Want To Die (In A Hospital)." I dig Oberst's new country style and to my pleasure he played mostly songs from his new album. A

8:30-10:00: Beck, fresh off his new album Modern Guilt, Beck was the one headliner I have really been looking forward to. I thought his show started off slow, playing some of his old standards. But to my delight he switched to some of his new songs like "Orphans" and "Chemtrails." The act took an interesting turn when Beck and his band all stood at the front of the stage with some mixers and played "Hell Yes." The highlight of the performance for me was when he covered Bob Dylan's "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat." The overall sound of the show was lacking a little bit, but I was pleased with the performance. B+

Saturday was so jam packed with good acts that I didn't even get a chance to see rock legends John Fogerty, Roky Erickson, Robert Plant & Allison Krauss, and the most blueswelling Black Keys.

ACL Fest: Friday

Oh! The smell of reefer and sweat is in the air, and this means only one thing; the majestic Austin City Limits Festival is upon us. 3 days, 8 stages, and 130 bands, 100 degrees Fahrenheit. When it comes to events in Austin, it's hard to top ACL. 

Here's how my Friday at ACL went down.

2:30-3:30: Vampire Weekend, I was sort of torn between seeing them and Jakob Dylan, but because I was so impressed with Vampire's debut album I choose the afro-pop ivy league alt- rockers. They played a decent show but I was sort of disappointed. Their singer sounded good but their overall sound was lacking. They also needed to turn up the volume. But they did play some new material which makes me curious to see how good their next album will be. B-

3:30-4:30: Del the Funky Homosapien, and I now have a new favorite rapper. You probably know him best from his guest appearance on the Gorillaz's hit song "Clint Eastwood." His fast rhymes and jovial style makes him sound like the old school rappers of the early 90's instead of the ones today. Del and his funky rapping crew know how to accompany each other's styles and really had the crowd moving with their tremendous stage presence. B+

5:15-6:00: Mates of States, I have to say that before today I knew very little of this duo. But they caught my attention with their melodic tunes. Their show was good but did not make my jaw drop. B-

6:30-7:30: N.E.R.D., this is probably the show I enjoyed the least. Although they played loud and had a good backing band, for some reason I just wasn't feeling the music. Most of the crowd seemed into it so maybe it was just me, but to me all their songs sounded the same and all the various parts of their songs did not seem to complement each other to well. It wasn't bad, just OK. C+

7:30-8:15: The Swell Season, everybody now knows this two from their Oscar winning soundtrack Once. Their set was a nice change of pace with their laid back and intimate style. Possibly my favorite moment of the whole day was when they played the great Van Morrison song "Astral Weeks." Definitely a good show for laying in the grass on a cool night. B-

8:15-10:00: The Mars Volta, without a doubt the loudest show of the night. Their guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez is truly unbelievable as he sounds like a mix between Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath) and David Gilmour (Pink Floyd). Volta definitely doesn't sound like anybody else today and I would best describe them as a psychedelic alt-rock jam band. Personally, I'm not big on their recorded albums, but live they are certainly worth the ticket price. B+ 

Friday was a good day, but what I'm really looking forward to is Saturday.