tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34144782024-03-13T13:49:22.674-05:00bloggedy blogThe personal weblog of Andrew Careaga, author, part-time youth minister, wannabe rock star. Thanks for visiting.Andrewnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1983125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-27931226481252855212007-03-13T06:17:00.000-05:002007-03-13T06:47:19.934-05:00<b>RIP: bloggedy blog, 2002-2007</b><br /><img align="right" width="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7ASLkkUTd6I/RfaO08rnsnI/AAAAAAAAAB4/DaV04atH1dI/s320/the-end-bb.gif" border="0" vspace="5" hspace="5" alt="the end" /><i><a href="http://bloggedypod.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2007-03-13T04_39_41-07_00">Farewell podcast</a></i><br /><br />Well, gang, it's been a fun ride. But after five years of blogging about music, God, life, religion, politics, etc. -- starting in March 2002 -- it's time to put an end to this blog.<br /><br />These days I'm focusing my blogging energies on two projects: my <a href="http://highered.prblogs.org/">higher ed marketing</a> site and a <a href="http://namechange.umr.edu/">name change blog</a> I'm managing as part of my real job. Not much time for personal blogging here these days (or at <a href="http://nevermindthebibles.blogspot.com/">Never Mind the Bibles</a>, which has been on life support for several weeks now). Plus, it just isn't that much fun anymore.<br /><br />This site will remain up for as long as Blogger allows.<br /><br />I've virtually met some fine people through this blog, and even had the pleasure of meeting a few of your in meatspace. Because of those acquaintances, my life is richer. I hopes yours is, too.<br /><br />Thanks for reading over the years. I'll still be around, popping in on your blogs on occasion, lurking, possibly leaving an occasional comment. But other adventures await me.<br /><br />If anyone wants to drop me a line, feel free to do so at andrew DOT careaga AT gmail DOT com.<br /><br />Peace!<br /><br />P.S. - Here's some <a href="http://bloggedypod.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2007-03-13T04_39_41-07_00">music</a> to accompany this final post.Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-40744623466451039742007-01-29T06:14:00.000-06:002007-01-29T06:17:25.750-06:00<b>Hiatus time</b><br />I need a break. Even as infrequently as I post here nowadays, I still need a break.<br /><br />Lent is approaching. Maybe I'll give up blogging for that season. Who knows?<br /><br />All I know is I need a break.<br /><br />See you later.<br /><br /><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/blogging" rel="tag">blogging</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/hiatus" rel="tag">hiatus</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-44188904926581967972007-01-26T07:26:00.000-06:002007-01-26T09:12:46.046-06:00<b>Friday five: stuff you should know edition</b><br />Five things I think you should know about:<ol><br /><li> <a href="http://main.losthighwayrecords.com/default.aspx">Lost Highway Records</a> gives us a listen to <a href="http://main.losthighwayrecords.com/product.aspx?ob=disc&src=art&pid=1715">"Are You Alright?"</a>, the first tune from Lucinda Williams' forthcoming album, <a href="http://main.losthighwayrecords.com/product.aspx?ob=disc&src=art&pid=1715"><i>West</i></a>.<br /><br /><li> The <a href="http://cityrag.blogs.com/main/2007/01/100_greatest_gu.html">20 Greatest Guitar Solos Ever - With Video</a>. Plus bonus videos. Via <a href="http://agentbedhead.com/">Agent Bedhead</a>.<br /><br /><li> <a href="http://tallskinnykiwi.typepad.com/tallskinnykiwi/">Andrew Jones</a> <a href="http://tallskinnykiwi.typepad.com/tallskinnykiwi/2007/01/wiki_words.html">informs us</a> that <a href="http://www.socialtext.net/wired-mag/index.cgi?big_questions_wiki">Wired's Big Questions Wiki</a> needs some help filling in the blanks. The one Andrew mentions is, <a href="http://www.socialtext.net/wired-mag/index.cgi?where_is_the_holy_grail">Where is the Holy Grail?</a> But perhaps a more urgent, immediate query on the wiki needs to be solved: <a href="http://www.socialtext.net/wired-mag/index.cgi?why_does_it_hurt_when_i_pee">Why does it hurt when I pee?</a><br /><br /><li> <i>Yeah, right</i>, said I when I read the first line of <a href="http://radaronline.com/features/2007/01/dennis_kucinich.php">this story</a>: "Dennis Kucinich may be the next President of the United States of America." Jeff Bercovici of <a href="http://radaronline.com/">Radar</a> interviews the diminutive Democrat.<br /><br /><li> How long has it been since you've listened to a podcast from <a href="http://www.garagepunk.com/">GaragePunk</a>? Far too long, probably. You should go there right now and tune in. That's where I'm heading.</ol>That's all for now. Happy Friday.<br /><br /><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Friday+Five" rel="tag">Friday Five</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/music" rel="tag">music</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Lucinda+Williams" rel="tag">Lucinda Williams</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/guitar" rel="tag">guitar</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/guitar+solos" rel="tag">guitar solos</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wiki" rel="tag">wiki</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Dennis+Kucinich" rel="tag">Dennis Kucinich</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/podcast" rel="tag">podcast</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/garagepunk" rel="tag">garagepunk</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-62399499221769720122007-01-25T16:22:00.000-06:002007-01-25T16:34:29.627-06:00<b>Ah, blogomediasphere, how I've missed ye</b><br />Hello, blog.<br /><br />Did you miss me while I was gone? I missed you. I was busy, though, attending a conference and blogging all about it <a href="http://highered.prblogs.org/">over there</a>.<br /><br />While I was away, <a href="http://blog.oddhead.com/2007/01/22/blogomediasphere/">someone</a> tried to usurp my position as <a href="http://bloggedyblog.blogspot.com/2005/12/john-lennon-remembered-update-happy.html">the blogger who coined the term "blogomediasphere"</a>. The guy at <a href="http://blog.oddhead.com/">Oddhead</a> <i>thought</i> he coined the term when he wrote, some 13-plus months after my original reference to the term:<blockquote>C’mon: no matter how closely Apple guarded the iPhone’s specs, no matter how persuasive Jobs’s rhetoric, no matter how surprised industry watchers were at the <b><i>blogomediasphere</i></b>’s glowing reception of the gadget, Jobs’s speech could not possibly have revealed over $8 billion in previously undisclosed information.</blockquote>But he was wrong, and <a href="http://blog.oddhead.com/2007/01/22/blogomediasphere/">fessed up in a later post</a>. <i><b>But</b></i> he also suggested that <a href="http://frannyzoo.blogspot.com/2006/09/join-madridwilson-debate-frenzy-frenzy.html">two</a> <a href="http://www.balloon-juice.com/?p=6968#comment-157165">interlopers</a> may have a rightful claim to originating the term. They do not. I was first. They all stole the term from me.<br /><br />Let the record show that I am the rightful coiner of the term <i>blogomediasphere</i>.<br /><br /><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/blogomediasphere" rel="tag">blogomediasphere</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/blogosphere" rel="tag">blogosphere</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/blogging" rel="tag">blogging</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/etymology" rel="tag">etymology</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-68602413262701298042007-01-19T18:48:00.000-06:002007-01-19T18:56:14.608-06:00<b><a href="http://slycivilian.com/?p=192">Happy Blog for Radical Fun Day</a></b><br />I almost missed it. Thanks to <a href="http://www.slanttruth.com/">Slant Truth</a> for showing me <a href="http://slycivilian.com/?p=192">the light</a>. Spread the good word!<br /><br /><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/blogging" rel="tag">blogging</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/blogs" rel="tag">blogs</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/blog+for+radical+fun+day" rel="tag">blog for radical fun day</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-70612877249953869572007-01-19T16:09:00.000-06:002007-01-19T16:36:27.354-06:00<b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ05hSr1MpY">Colbert does <i>O'Reilly</i></a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBbzXVp4a7s">O'Reilly does <i>Colbert</i></a></b><br />Stephen Colbert descends into the den of the Papa Bear himself, and O'Reilly returns the favor. (Click headline for YouTube links.)<br /><br />Snippets from the former:<blockquote><b><i>Bill O'Reilly:</i></b> Who watches you? Who is your audience?<br /><br /><b><i>Stephen Colbert:</i></b> I emulate you, and I want to bring your message of love and peace ... to a younger audience, people in their sixties, people in their fifties, people who don't watch your show.<br /><br />* * *<br /><br /><b><i>O'Reilly:</i></b> How does [<i>The Daily Show</i> star Jon] Stewart handle the fact that you're now more famous and more successful than he is?<br /><br /><b><i>Colbert:</i></b> I don't know. We don't talk.</blockquote><br />From the latter:<blockquote><b><i>Colbert:</i></b> What's destroying our country more: activist judges, illegal immigrants, gay marriage or NBC News?<br /><br /><b><i>O'Reilly:</i></b> NBC.</blockquote>Via <a href="http://www.metafilter.com/">MetaFilter</a>.<br /><br /><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Stephen+Colbert" rel="tag">Stephen Colbert</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Bill+O%27Reilly" rel="tag">Bill O'Reilly</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/the+Colbert+Report" rel="tag">the Colbert Report</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/the+O%27Reilly+Factor" rel="tag">the O'Reilly Factor</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/television" rel="tag">television</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/comedy" rel="tag">comedy</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-74075801705748724482007-01-19T06:54:00.000-06:002007-01-19T07:21:07.913-06:00<b>Friday five: five free and legal mp3s</b><br />Grab 'em while they're hot:<blockquote><li> The folks at <a href="http://www.trekkyrecords.com/">Trekky Records</a> sent over <a href="http://www.trekkyrecords.com/mp3/talltrees.mp3">Tall Trees.mp3</a>, from the forthcoming <i>Time Taunts Me</i> EP by a guy who goes by <a href="http://www.myspace.com/lostinthetrees">Lost in the Trees (MysSpace site)</a>. Trekky Records writes: "After fronting The b-Sides and The Never for years, Ari Picker is finally ready to reveal his solo work to the masses, under the moniker Lost in the Trees. A compilation of songs written over the last 7 years, the Lost in the Trees repertoire represents some of Picker’s most haunting and personal songwriting to date, coupled with his most elaborate and engaging orchestral arrangements." <i>Time Taunts Me</i> will be released March 20.<br /><br /><li> Another one from <a href="http://www.myspace.com/gstories">Ghost Stories (MySpace)</a> (featured here <a href="http://bloggedyblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/fistful-of-mp3s-free-and-legal-for-your.html">last weekend</a>): <a href="http://sonicboomrecordings.com/ghoststories/press/GhostStories_You_Wear_It_Like_a_Stained_Glass_Window.mp3">You Wear It Like a Stained-Glass Window.mp3</a>. I'm really digging these cuts. Music courtesy of Team Clermont.<br /><br /><li> Another pitched my way by Team Clermont: <a href="http://www.teamclermont.com/mp3/fultonlights_thankgodfortheeveningnews.mp3">Thank God fhr the Evening News.mp3</a>, by <a href="http://www.myspace.com/fultonlights">Fulton Lights (MySpace)</a>. Team Clermont says: "The self-titled debut from Fulton Lights, brainchild of Brooklyn NY’s Andrew Spencer Goldman (John Guilt, Maestro Echoplex), is a big-sounding but hazy-feeling slow-burner of a record very much the product of the city it calls home. New York’s manic and sublime energy —sometimes majestic, sometimes claustrophobic, often both—radiates throughout these forty-four minutes of music that took over three years to create. The album achieves an unusual feat: Fulton Lights subtly rumbles, roars, screeches and buzzes while retaining melody and structure and leaving room for Goldman’s expressive voice and elemental piano/organ/guitar parts."<br /><br /><li> Via <a href="http://www.earvolution.com/">Earvolution</a>: <a href="http://myspace.com/deerhoof">Deerhoof</a>'s new weird-rockin' single, <a href="http://www.girlieaction.com/deerhoof/+81.mp3">+81.mp3</a>. Don't let the "Magnificent Seven" trumpets fool you.<br /><br /><li> And now for something completely odd: <a href="http://www.fluxblog.net/yokoonoletigre_sistersosisters.mp3">Sisters O Sisters.mp3</a>, by Yoko Ono (yes, <i>the</i> Yoko Ono) and <a href="http://www.letigreworld.com/sweepstakes/index.html">Le Tigre</a>, via <a href="http://www.fluxblog.org/">Fluxblog</a>, who calls this "an inspired combination -- few living people represent the aesthetic of 60s progressive activism as completely as Ono, and Le Tigre made a career out of trying to revive it in a new context. Like a lot of their respective music, it contains a lot of protest language that may seem anachronistic, corny, and cheap, but they know that, and at least part of the point is to make the listener question why they feel that way about this sort of thing even if they essentially agree with the politics."</blockquote><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/music" rel="tag">music</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/mp3" rel="tag">mp3</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/download" rel="tag">download</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/new+music" rel="tag">new music</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-78553701932200027282007-01-16T12:57:00.000-06:002007-01-16T13:21:01.024-06:00<b><a href="http://www.gurulib.com/">GuruLib: my latest Internet obsession</a></b><br /><a href="http://www.gurulib.com/"><img align="right" width="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7ASLkkUTd6I/Ra0ktl_YBQI/AAAAAAAAABs/k9GQN2ideNI/s320/GuruLib.gif" border="0" vspace="5" hspace="5" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5020709525298611458" /></a>I survived the weekend ice storm that racked much of the Missouri Ozarks, thanks in part to a new Internet library thing called <a href="http://www.gurulib.com/">GuruLib</a>.<br /><br />GuruLib is a web-based cataloging tool that allows users to organize their book, music, CD, DVD, software, video game collections. It uses the power of the Internet to search some 530 public and university library databases and six Amazon.com servers to retrieve the info you need about your library. I spent several hours over the weekend cataloging <a href="http://www.gurulib.com/andrewcareaga">my stuff</a> on GuruLib. (Hey, it was better than watching the "Missouri Miracle" on every cable and local TV new channel, or listening for the next tree limb to fall.) Now I have a nice inventory of my personal music and book libraries, complete with pricing, for inventory and insurance purposes.<br /><br />If you're looking for a nifty way to catalog your stuff, I suggest you give GuruLib a try. It's free and, despite a few bugs, relatively easy to use. Plus, you can meet other people who share the same interests as you.<br /><br />Disclosure: GuruLib is the creation of a <a href="http://www.umr.edu/">UMR</a> Ph.D. student whom I interviewed for a <a href="http://news.umr.edu/research/2007/gurulib.html">press release</a> about the service.<br /><br /><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/GuruLib" rel="tag">GuruLib</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/books" rel="tag">books</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/music" rel="tag">music</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/online+cataloging" rel="tag">online cataloging</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/online+catalog" rel="tag">online catalog</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/catalog" rel="tag">catalog</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/social+networking" rel="tag">social networking</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/libraries" rel="tag">libraries</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Internet" rel="tag">Internet</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-27812195027614415562007-01-13T13:35:00.000-06:002007-01-13T14:28:36.680-06:00<b>A fistful of mp3s -- free and legal</b><br />For your listening pleasure, some free and legal mp3s from independent artists many of us (including me) would have never heard of if not for the blogosphere:<br /><br /><li> A couple from <a href="http://www.theswimmers.com">The Swimmers</a>' forthcoming album, <i>Fighting Trees</i>, due this spring: <a href="http://images.bloggedyblog.multiply.com/song/1/69/full/U2FsdGVkX1,RwAaCGsg.XMHTdyumzkVGCkaD69N,yLYruz6W9wfwmE1weiUCGkks/01_ItsTimeTheyKnew.mp3">The Swimmers_It's Time They Knew.mp3</a> and <a href="http://images.bloggedyblog.multiply.com/song/1/70/full/U2FsdGVkX1,0bYmyu6cnd.PEcjqhC7fCeqNvA3s.0CUwSO12huD9,lWTidslF9fm/06_AllTheNewSounds.mp3">The Swimmers_All the New Sounds.mp3</a>. You can also stream the album at <a href="http://www.theswimmers.com">the Swimmers website</a>.<br /><br /><li> From <i>Ears Like Golden Bats</i>, <a href="http://myspace.com/myteenagestride">My Teenage Stride</a>'s third album, to be released Feb. 27: <a href="http://images.bloggedyblog.multiply.com/song/1/72/full/U2FsdGVkX1.Vcxf2KpolF,WPRgBNctM9Lp83NtpubDx8awzeBn,lSICLy0nNZYoM/myteenagestride_airportlounge.mp3">My Teenage Stride_To Live and Die in the Airport Lounge.mp3</a>.<br /><br /><li> A little something from Ghost Stories' new album, <a href="http://sonicboomrecordings.com/ghoststories/"><i>Quixoticism</i></a>, due Jan. 23: <a href="http://images.bloggedyblog.multiply.com/song/1/71/full/U2FsdGVkX1.YD9jnPAHGompaKjLP4jIkH0bfnYuu45UN5o3otHK3ANH6RUjqu7ST/GhostStories_The_Motions.mp3">Ghost Stories_The Motions.mp3</a><br /><br /><li> <a href="http://images.bloggedyblog.multiply.com/song/1/73/full/U2FsdGVkX1.Ud1J,apmj3GEefXJa6zVSsgAwaydkA9ewiVMcDwYL6efu4mNAosnD/brentamakerandtherodeo_bringmethewhiskey.mp3">Brent Amaker and the Rodeo_Bring Me the Whisky.mp3</a>, a fun one from <a href="http://www.brentamaker.com/">Brent Amaker and the Rodeo</a>' self-titled debut, coming Feb. 20.<br /><br />Or <a href="http://images.bloggedyblog.multiply.com/playlist/4/68/full/U2FsdGVkX19MbhOlyGRB1VB6sL5pr4vdZjJd9DrZDi0=/Some%20new%20indie%20stuff.m3u">listen to the entire playlist</a>.<br /><br /><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/music" rel="tag">music</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/mp3" rel="tag">mp3</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/download" rel="tag">download</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/new+music" rel="tag">new music</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-34158488015550017502007-01-13T11:05:00.000-06:002007-01-13T11:19:44.431-06:00<b><a href="http://fasterthantheworld.com/2007/01/50_fake_bands_the_poll.html">Vote for your favorite fake band</a></b><br /><img align="right" vspace="5" hspace="5" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7ASLkkUTd6I/RakUJV_YBPI/AAAAAAAAABg/NOCXjQRYfv0/s320/spinaltap-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" />What's your favorite fake rock band? Is it Spinal Tap? The Banana Splits? The Partridge Family? Greg Brady as Johnny Bravo? <a href="http://fasterthantheworld.com/2007/01/50_fake_bands_the_poll.html">Rock the vote</a> for your favorite at <a href="http://fasterthantheworld.com/">Faster Than the World</a>.<br /><br /><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/music" rel="tag">music</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/quizzes" rel="tag">quizzes</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/surveys" rel="tag">surveys</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/memes" rel="tag">memes</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/pop+culture" rel="tag">pop culture</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-71316384354246736182007-01-12T14:58:00.000-06:002007-01-13T11:58:33.860-06:00<b>Delurk, delurk, delurk</b><br /><a href="http://lizditz.typepad.com/i_speak_of_dreams/2007/01/wednesday_editi.html"><img vspace="5" hspace="5" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7ASLkkUTd6I/Raf4TS-ME8I/AAAAAAAAABQ/palsmIupaN4/s320/delurk6.jpg" border="0" alt="National Delurking Week - image via lizditz.typepad.com" /></a>I like saying <i>delurk</i>. It's one of my favorite words of late. And according to <a href="http://smokeringsandcoffeestains.com/?p=126">some</a> <a href="http://lizditz.typepad.com/i_speak_of_dreams/2007/01/wednesday_editi.html">folks</a>, it's National Delurking Week here in the USA. So, all you lurkers out there, remove your invisibility cloaks and post a comment on this and every other blog you visit. Come out of the dark and delurk, delurk, delurk.<br /><br /><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/delurk" rel="tag">delurk</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/delurking" rel="tag">delurking</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/national+delurking+week" rel="tag">national delurking week</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/memes" rel="tag">memes</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/blogs" rel="tag">blogs</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/blogging" rel="tag">blogging</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-68781074317340736382007-01-11T07:27:00.000-06:002007-01-11T08:10:25.594-06:00<b>Post-'surge' speech roundup</b><br />Taking a break from the usual musings on music, pop culture and other frivilous pursuits to bring you some Monday-morning quarterbacking re: President Bush's Wednesday night speech offering his rationale to increase troop levels in Iraq. (Like you couldn't find this stuff anywhere else.)<br /><br /><li> From <a href="http://www.opinionjournal.com/">OpinionJournal</a> (the Wall Street Journal's site): <a href="http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110009508">Mission Baghdad: "Clear, hold and build" will take at least this many troops</a>.<blockquote>Crucial to all of this will be the new U.S. ground commander in Iraq, Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, who not only recruited and trained the Iraqi Army starting in 2004 but also oversaw the drafting of the U.S. Army's latest Counterinsurgency Manual. His job will be to execute the "clear, hold and build" strategy Mr. Bush has talked about for some time. General Casey has resisted the deployments necessary to make the "hold" and "build" phases work, and General Petraeus will have to insist that he has them.<br /><br />Iraqi leadership will also be important to the new strategy, as the President noted last night. ...</blockquote><li> Winning headline: <a href="http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/20070110_bush_apologizes_for_mistakes_promises_to_make_more/">Bush admits mistakes, promises to make more</a>, from <a href="http://www.truthdig.com/">TruthDig</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.slate.com/"><img align="right" width="150" border="0" vspace="5" hspace="5" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7ASLkkUTd6I/RaZAEi-ME6I/AAAAAAAAAA8/nl03G_Lkn90/s320/Slate_surge_protector.jpg" alt="Slate" /></a><li> Second-best headline: <b><i>Surge protector</i></b>, which <a href="http://www.slate.com/">Slate</a> used on its cover package.<br /><br /><li> <a href="http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NTU0MjE0NTAzMzU0ODc4MDY3NTE3ZTcxZDJlMTFlZWM=">Surge Scoring</a> -- Peter Brookes, Cliff May, Clark Judge, Joseph Skelly, Jim Robbins and others analyze the speech for <a href="http://www.nationalreview.com/">National Review Online</a>.<blockquote>Brookes (of the Heritage Foundation): "[I]t's clear from last night's post-speech response that the Democratic congressional leadership still doesn't have a plan for victory in Iraq other than thwarting the president's efforts."<br /><br />Clark Judge, of the White House Writers Group: "The president must move fast. The speech has brought him time, but not much. The Democrats probably won’t dare block him, yet. But six months from now — even three — will be another story, unless our forces are producing results."</blockquote><li> <a href="http://donklephant.com/2007/01/10/the-war-on-terror-can-not-be-won/">Takes</a> 'n <a href="http://donklephant.com/2007/01/11/yet-another-take/">takes</a> on the speech, via <a href="http://donklephant.com/">Donklephant</a>.<br /><br /><li> <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/1/10/231350/204">The Uniter Divides: Bush plan fractures the DLC</a>, from <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/">Daily Kos</a>:<blockquote>Well, the reviews are in. Bush's <a href="http://www.mediainfo.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003523154">11% doctrine</a> speech was a <s>bomb</s> IED.<br /><br />So now, the scramble is on for politicians of all stripes to distance themselves from his idiotic "plan." Of course, <i>that</i> surge was well underway even before the teleprompter was even hooked up, and Democratic presidential candidates were among the first to find their way to the microphones.</blockquote><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Bush" rel="tag">Bush</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/politics" rel="tag">politics</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/iraq" rel="tag">Iraq</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/current+affairs" rel="tag">current affairs</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/current+events" rel="tag">current events</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-69031950933902755452007-01-09T07:19:00.000-06:002007-01-09T07:28:10.370-06:00<b><a href="http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070108/UPDATE/701080412/1033/ENT01">Patti Smith selected to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame</a></b><br />Along with REM, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five and the Ronettes. Good for them -- especially Patti, the godmother of punk.<br /><br />If you're wondering which Van Halen will show up for the ceremony in March:<blockquote>Both David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar are set to be honored during Van Halen's induction, and it would be a shocker if sparks didn't fly between the cantankerous rockers and lead guitarist Eddie Van Halen.</blockquote>What about Gary Cherone?<br /><br /><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/rock+and+roll+hall+of+fame" rel="tag">Rock and Roll Hall of Fame</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/rock+and+roll" rel="tag">rock and roll</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/music" rel="tag">music</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/awards" rel="tag">awards</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Patti+Smith" rel="tag">Patti Smith</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Van+Halen" rel="tag">Van Halen</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-66336690531810909232007-01-08T18:20:00.000-06:002007-01-08T18:23:12.082-06:00<b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t56mG9e7Kro">Strummer worship</a></b><br /><br /><object width="300"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/t56mG9e7Kro"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/t56mG9e7Kro" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="300"></embed></object><br /><br />Just because.<br /><br /><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Joe+Strummer" rel="tag">Joe Strummer</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/the+clash" rel="tag">the Clash</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/music" rel="tag">music</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/YouTube" rel="tag">YouTube</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-48412128442438927282007-01-07T17:05:00.000-06:002007-01-07T17:15:29.361-06:00<b>Unsnapped</b><br />So maybe the <a href="http://www.snap.com/about/spa1A.php">Snap Preview Anywhere</a> feature isn't such a great idea for this blog. I <a href="http://bloggedyblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/snap-preview-anywhere-installed-i-stole.html">orginally thought</a> it would be a nice addition. I've got such a mother lode of links on this page that the popup preview feature just gets in the way. It looks like <a href="http://12ddm.blogspot.com/2007/01/snap-preview-anywhere.html">Danno</a> and <a href="http://whiskyprajer.blogspot.com/">Whisky</a> feel much the same way about it. Anyway, I've uninstalled it for now.<br /><br /><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/SPA" rel="tag">SPA</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Snap" rel="tag">Snap</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/search" rel="tag">search</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-23677689402933769432007-01-07T16:33:00.000-06:002007-01-07T16:49:00.854-06:00<b><a href="http://metadish.com/news/courtney-love/courtney-love-has-a-big-year-ahead-of-her.php">A big year ahead for Courtney Love</a></b><br />Not only is she planning to release a new album in 2007, but Courtney Love has set <a href="http://metadish.com/news/courtney-love/courtney-love-has-a-big-year-ahead-of-her.php">some other pretty ambitious goals</a> for the new year.<br /><br />She's planning to quit smoking, learn to drive, "try this "thin" anthropoligical experiment -- get to my goal weight healthily and stay there," "have fantastic sex with commitment and honour with someone whoo treats me as i deserve and dont give my power away," and "DO NOT SLLOW MYSELF TO BE A DOORMAT INA RELATIONSHIP EVER EVER AGAIN," among other things. Her <a href="http://www.celebwarship.com/wp/?p=1198">new face</a> may not have been on the list. I didn't actually read the whole thing.<br /><br />Link via <a href="http://passanopenwindow.blogspot.com/">Michele</a>.<br /><br /><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Courtney+Love" rel="tag">Courtney Love</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/rock+and+roll" rel="tag">rock and roll</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/music" rel="tag">music</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/celebrities" rel="tag">celebrities</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-27332688864346329902007-01-07T15:49:00.000-06:002007-01-07T16:27:16.455-06:00<b><a href="http://www.knightopia.com/journal/?p=648">Anarchy in the West Wing?</a></b><br /><a href="http://www.knightopia.com/journal/">Steve Knight</a> discovers comedian <a href="http://www.youtube.com/artpaulschlosser">Art Paul Schlosser</a> on YouTube and points to a little ditty called <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Glp8Vjszogw">Punk Rock in the White House</a>.<blockquote><i>The president's wife was wearing a leather jacket<br />They were all getting down to the sounds of the Clash and the Ramones.</i></blockquote>If only.<br /><br /><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/punk+rock" rel="tag">punk rock</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/humor" rel="tag">humor</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/YouTube" rel="tag">YouTube</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/music" rel="tag">music</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/video" rel="tag">video</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-3992635351795836532007-01-07T15:12:00.000-06:002007-01-07T15:23:45.183-06:00<b><a href="http://www.dilbert.com/comics/dilbert/games/career/bin/ms.cgi">How to say nothing with a lot of big words</a></b><br />Need to reorientate your prioritizations this new year? Or maybe just create a vision statement for your organization, your band, your blog, yourself? The <a href="http://www.dilbert.com/comics/dilbert/games/career/bin/ms.cgi">Dilbert Mission Statement Generator</a> may be your answer. Give it a whirl.<br /><br />Here's the new bloggedy blog mission statement:<blockquote>It's our responsibility to quickly administrate corporate deliverables in order to dramatically customize professional sources</blockquote>Um, yeah.<br /><br />Hat tip: <a href="http://urbanonramps.com/">Urban Onramps/Rudy Carrasco</a>.<br /><br /><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/humor" rel="tag">humor</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/mission+statement" rel="tag">mission statement</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/mission+statements" rel="tag">mission statements</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/corporate+culture" rel="tag">corporate culture</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/cubicle+culture" rel="tag">cubicle culture</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-38096165180107352412007-01-06T08:35:00.000-06:002007-01-06T08:40:11.123-06:00<b><a href="http://www.theonion.com/content/node/43189">Dick Cheney = the voice of God?</a></b><br />From <a href="http://www.theonion.com/">The Onion</a>, a <a href="http://www.theonion.com/content/node/43189">bit of levity</a> (or not, depending on how seriously you take your faith and politics):<blockquote>WASHINGTON, DC—Telephone logs recorded by the National Security Agency and obtained by Congress as part of an ongoing investigation suggest that the vice president may have used the Oval Office intercom system to address President Bush at crucial moments, giving categorical directives in a voice the president believed to be that of God.<br /><br />While journalists and presidential historians had long noted Bush's deep faith and Cheney's powerful influence in the White House, few had drawn a direct correlation between the two until Tuesday, when transcripts of meetings that took place in March and April of 2002 became available.<br /><br />In a transcript of an intercom exchange recorded in March 2002, a voice positively identified as the vice president's identifies himself as "the Lord thy God" and promotes the invasion of Iraq, as well as the use of torture in prisoner interrogations.</blockquote>Sacrilege!<br /><br /><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/humor" rel="tag">humor</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/satire" rel="tag">satire</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/politics" rel="tag">politics</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/the+Onion" rel="tag">the Onion</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-73653396786734784052007-01-05T09:37:00.000-06:002007-01-05T09:56:02.817-06:00<b><a href="http://www.skrenta.com/2007/01/winnertakeall_google_and_the_t.html">All hail King Google!</a></b><br />Bow down to the ruler of the third age of computing!<br /><br />Google is more than the king of this age, according to <a href="http://www.skrenta.com/2007/01/winnertakeall_google_and_the_t.html">this post</a> by <a href="http://www.skrenta.com/about.html">Rich Skrenta</a>, co-founder of <a href="http://www.topix.net/">Topix.net</a>, which is just one of the many search and news aggregator sites in Google's wake. It is the <i>environment</i> in which we operate, the technological air that we breathe.<blockquote>Google has won both the online search and advertising markets. They hold a considerable technological lead, both with algorithms as well as their <a href="http://blog.topix.net/archives/000016.html">astonishing web-scale computing platform</a>. Beyond this, however, network effects around their industry position and brand will prevent any competitor from capturing market share from them -- even if it were possible to match their technology platform.<br /><br />To paraphrase an old comment about IBM, made during its 30 year dominance of the enterprise mainframe market, <i>Google is not your competition, Google is the environment.</i></blockquote>In case you forgot about life before Google, the kings of the first two ages of computing were IBM (1950-1980) and Microsoft (1984-1998). Google's reign began in 2001.<blockquote>The interregnum between the end of the PC era and the rise of the online world has concluded, and Google is the new king of forward market growth in computing and software technology. Major companies will succeed by working within the framework of Google's industry dominance, and smaller players will operate in niches or in service to the giant.<br /><br /><i>"I for one welcome our new insect overlords."</i></blockquote>(Hat tip to <a href="http://www.futureofthebook.org/blog/">if:book</a>).<br /><br /><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Google" rel="tag">Google</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/internet" rel="tag">internet</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/technology" rel="tag">technology</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/computing" rel="tag">computing</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-69304694161854799042007-01-05T08:28:00.000-06:002007-01-05T09:00:00.043-06:00<b><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-fi-music5jan05,0,4231339.story?coll=la-home-entertainment">Digital music sales grow, but slowly</a></b><br />"Digital music offsets drop in CD buying," says the headline in the LA Times. But buried in the story is the fact that digital sales are slowing down, and the music industry, overall, is still ailing.<blockquote>[S]ome analysts said that the 65% growth in downloads paled in comparison with the 150% rise in digital purchases a year earlier, a sign that the industry could be in for tougher times.<br /><br />"Digital downloads are growing, but not at a fast enough rate to compensate for a decline in physical sales," said Richard Greenfield, a senior analyst at Pali Research in New York.<br /><br />Greenfield noted in a report that if digital sales increased by less than 40% in the future, total sales in the industry might fall below even the lackluster 1% growth reported in 2006.<br /><br />Digital downloads are slowing because the iPod market has matured, so fewer people are purchasing large volumes of digital music, Greenfield said. And the music industry's response to piracy has been less than adequate, he added.</blockquote><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/music" rel="tag">music</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/digital+music" rel="tag">digital music</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/mp3" rel="tag">mp3</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/music+industry" rel="tag">music industry</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-43781009865456484842007-01-01T15:27:00.000-06:002007-01-01T15:34:41.423-06:00<b><a href="http://www.snap.com/about/spa1A.php">Snap Preview Anywhere</a> installed</b><br />I stole this idea from <a href="http://tallskinnykiwi.typepad.com/tallskinnykiwi/">Andrew Jones</a>: It's the <a href="http://www.snap.com/about/spa1A.php">Snap Preview Anywhere</a> script from the search engine <a href="http://www.snap.com/">Snap</a>. Just scroll over any link and you'll see a preview of the website it links to.<br /><br /><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/SPA" rel="tag">SPA</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Snap" rel="tag">Snap</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/search" rel="tag">search</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-75691051346559423392007-01-01T15:07:00.000-06:002007-01-01T15:25:12.853-06:00<b>The year ahead in music</b><br />From <a href="http://stereogum.com/">Stereogum</a>, a <a href="http://www.stereogum.com/archives/004221.html">listing</a> of upcoming musical releases for the new year. The three on his list I'm most looking forward to are the releases from Arcade Fire, Bloc Party and Of Montreal.<br /><br />And, via <a href="http://www.largeheartedboy.com/blog/">Largehearted Boy</a>, <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2006/12/26/will-next-year-rock/"><i>Rolling Stone</i>'s list</a> of the most anticipated albums of '07.<br /><br /><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/music" rel="tag">music</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/2007" rel="tag">2007</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-47772620764483912422006-12-30T10:51:00.000-06:002006-12-31T11:49:53.787-06:00<b>Album of the year</b><br />Here it is. The final countdown: the 40 albums of 2006 that I consider my favorites, listed in reverse order, counting down to No. 1. (With a <a href="http://bloggedypod.podomatic.com/">podcast</a> of selections from the top 10).<br /><br />Several from my <a href="http://bloggedyblog.blogspot.com/2006/07/year-in-music-so-far-new-british.html">mid-year list of the top 11</a> are still in the hunt, although some of them have shuffled spots to make room for newer, better stuff. The second half of 2006 saw the release of some pretty good music. Will <i>The Life Pursuit</i>, by Belle and Sebastian, still top the list? Or will they have been dethroned by another, more excellent work? Have a look. Keep in mind that this list, like all the others on the Internet, is subjective -- the likes and tastes of one music fan. Feel free to disagree with my picks, and to sound off in the comments below.<br /><br />Also, I'm too tired, not to mention too sick, to link to all these albums. It's just too much effort at the moment.<br /><br />40. Kudu - <i>Death of the Party</i>. Danceable electrofunk. (Not that I dance much.)<br /><br />39. The French Kicks - <i>Two Thousand</i>. They aren't really French, but they do kick.<br /><br />38. Yusuf - <i>An Other Cup</i>. After 28 years, the Cat is back.<br /><br />37. Scanners - <i>Violence Is Golden</i>. Nice blend of mostly dark, moody postpunk.<br /><br />36. The John Doe Thing - <i>For the Best of Us</i>. An old punk still has some of it.<br /><br />35. The Be Good Tanyas - <i>Hello Love</i>. Don't tell my brother, but I do like some country.<br /><br />34. Swan Lake - <i>Beast Moans</i>. One of the better side projects of the year.<br /><br />33. The Fondas - <i>Runaway Bombshell</i>. Garage rock from Motown.<br /><br />32. Exene Cervenka and the Original Sinners - <i>Sev7en</i>. Another old punk who still has it.<br /><br />31. The Lemonheads - <i>The Lemonheads</i>. They're back.<br /><br />30. Hard Fi - <i>Stars of CCTV</i>. Decent Britpop along the lines of Franz Ferdinand, et. al.<br /><br />29. The Buzzcocks - <i>Flat Pack Philosophy</i>. More old punks.<br /><br />28. Sufjan Stevens - <i>The Avalanche</i>. A pit stop on his 50-state tour. Only 48 states to go.<br /><br />27. Frida Hyvonen - <i>Until Death Comes</i>. Lovely voice, from Sweden.<br /><br />26. Bobby Bare Jr.'s Young Criminals Starvation League - <i>The Longest Meow</i>. Bobby Jr. and a bunch of his friends record in an old church in a single day, using some of Bobby Sr.'s old reel-to-reel tape.<br /><br />25. The Beatles - <i>Love</i>. Does this really count? The so-called "fifth Beatle," George Martin, and his son play around with holy scripture, remixing a bunch of Fab Four stuff.<br /><br />24. Prototypes - <i>Prototypes</i>. Electropunk from Paris. The French are our friends again!<br /><br />23. The Flaming Lips - <i>At War With the Mystics</i>. Another strong outing by the Lips.<br /><br />22. Wolfmother - <i>Wolfmother</i>. Wolfmother takes you back in time to the '70s with Led Zepp-inspired heavy rock.<br /><br />21. Mission of Burma - <i>The Obliterati</i>. One of the best postpunk returns with a majestic comeback.<br /><br />20. Camera Obscura - <i>Let's Get Out of This Country</i>. Beautiful vocals, shimmery pop from Scotland.<br /><br />19. The Futureheads - <i>News and Tributes</i>. Tributes, indeed -- to the Clash, Big Country, U2 and more influences.<br /><br />18. Bob Dylan - <i>Modern Times</i>. No. 1 on a lot of lists, but not so great IMHO. Still, it's <i>Bob Dylan</i>.<br /><br />17. The Bottle Rockets - <i>Zoysia</i>. Fine southern rock with a political message.<br /><br />16. The Pipettes - <i>We Are the Pipettes</i>. Retro girl group. Amazing sound, prettier than the Pussycat Dolls.<br /><br />15. Yo La Tengo - <i>I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass</i>. Long title, good tunes.<br /><br />14. Paul Simon - <i>Surprise</i>. I think I've said enough about this.<br /><br />13. Macon Greyson - <i>Translate</i>. Great rock, discovered too late.<br /><br />12. The Raconteurs - <i>Broken Boy Soldiers</i>. Jack White's side project was almost as good as the hype.<br /><br />11. Neko Case - <i>Fox Confessor Brings the Flood</i>. One of the sweetest voices around.<br /><br />10. Ben Kweller - <i>Ben Kweller</i>. Just good, solid pop that makes me feel happy.<br /><br />9. Drive By Truckers - <i>A Blessing and a Curse</i>. Mostly a blessing. The Truckers' best yet.<br /><br />8. Johnny Cash - <i>American V: A Hundred Highways</i>. What can I say? Even in death, Johnny Cash is <i>the man</i>.<br /><br />7. Art Brut - <i>Bang Bang Rock & Roll</i>. Making fun of the art and music world, and laughing all the way to the bank.<br /><br />6. The Arctic Monkeys - <i>Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not</i>. Believe the hype.<br /><br />5. The Hold Steady - <i>Boys and Girls in America</i>. Infectious rock and roll. Plus, I don't think he sounds a bit like the Boss.<br /><br />4. Asobi Seksu - <i>Citrus</i>. Stellar in any language.<br /><br />3. Cat Power - <i>The Greatest</i>. Lovely, soulful white woman blues. The Memphis sound lives.<br /><br />2. Belle & Sebastian - <i>The Life Pursuit</i>. Oh, no! B&S have been dethroned!<br /><br />1. Tapes 'n Tapes - <i>The Loon</i>. This one just kept growing on me. A weird mix of sounds and songs, but in the end, it works. At least for me.<br /><br /><object width="320" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.podOmatic.com/flash/flashcatcher"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.podOmatic.com/flash/flashcatcher.swf" width="320" height="315" flashvars="playlist_url=http://bloggedypod.podOmatic.com/xspf.xspf" ></embed></object><br /><a href="http://www.podOmatic.com/podcast/embed/bloggedypod" style="text-decoration: none"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="#0033ff"><strong>Click here to get your own player.</strong></font></a><br /><br />So, there you have it. What did I miss? What did I screw up? Just how far off base was I with these picks? Do your worst.<br /><br /><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/music" rel="tag">music</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/music+lists" rel="tag">music lists</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/best+music+of+2006" rel="tag">best music of 2006</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/CD+of+the+year" rel="tag">CD of the year</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/lists" rel="tag">lists</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/2006" rel="tag">2006</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/best+CDs" rel="tag">best CDs</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/podcast" rel="tag">podcast</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/podcasting" rel="tag">podcasting</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/mp3" rel="tag">mp3</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3414478.post-21590168904952082592006-12-29T14:02:00.000-06:002006-12-29T14:06:45.969-06:00<b>Still more of the music year in review</b><br /><br />I'm still a <a href="http://bloggedyblog.blogspot.com/2006/12/puny-blogger-i-was-sick-yesterday.html">sick pup</a>, but daytime TV sucks (at least until the bowl games begin) so I might as well blog, no? If I'm less coherent than usual, credit the fever. Or the meds.<br /><br />Anyhoo. On to today's end-of-year installment: comeback of the year, best male artist, best female artist, best rock CD -- all with accompanying <a href="http://bloggedypod.podomatic.com/">podcast</a>.<br /><br /><b>Comeback of the year</b><br />2006 was the year of the geezer, what with Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, the former Cat Stevens, et. al., all releasing new albums. Many of those releases were outstanding (well, I never listened to the Springsteen one, but I <i>heard</i> it was good) and any of these old-timers have a legitimate shot at this coveted honor. But in the final analysis, the comeback kid is none other than:<br /><br /><img align="right" width="150" border="0" src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000F0UV1S.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_V52045262_.jpg" hspace="5" vspace="5" alt="Paul Simon - Surprise" /><b>Paul Simon, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000F0UV1S/evangelicom-20/"><i>Surprise</i></a></b><br />A surprisingly good album, considering how Simon fell from grace after 1986's brilliant <i>Graceland</i> release. (On some fansite discographies, 1990's <i>The Rhythm of the Saints</i> isn't even catalogued; that's how dreadful it was.) But Simon returns to <i>Graceland</i> form with this album. And thanks to some brilliant production work by Brian Eno, the album features all kinds of swamp things crawling around the soundscape. I still <a href="http://bloggedyblog.blogspot.com/2006/12/music-year-in-review-fun-ugly-cleverly.html">have issues with the album art</a>, though.<br /><br />This album has become a fascinating obsession for <a href="http://crackingthesimoncode.blogspot.com/index.html">one blogger</a>, who is finding all kinds of hidden ideas within <i>Surprise</i>'s lyrics.<br /><br />Runners up:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000I5X82O/evangelicom-20/"><img align="right" border="0" src="http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000I5X82O.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_V39429636_.jpg" width="155" vspace="5" hspace="5" alt="Yusuf Islam: An Other Cup" /></a><b>Yusuf, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000I5X82O/evangelicom-20/"><i>An Other Cup</i></b></a><br />Twenty-eight years after his last album as Cat Stevens, Yusuf is back, preaching his views on Islam in a spiritually provocative album. (Stevens converted in the '70s and changed his name to Yusuf Islam, which he has since shortened to merely Yusuf.) There's a lot to like about this CD, but in today's politically charged climate in which so many followers of Islam are being lumped in with the fringe elements that are causing a global ruckus, it's doubtful that <i>An Other Cup</i> is getting a fair hearing. Whether you agree with Yusuf's spiritual beliefs or political point of view, you can still appreciate Yusuf's mellow, tranquil vocals, even as he's singing an homage to Allah.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-1884665-10364977?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emusic.com%2Falbum%2F10961%2F10961237.html&cjsku=10961237"><img align="right" src="http://www.emusic.com/img/album/109/612/10961237_155_155.jpeg" border="0" vspace="5" hspace="5" alt="The Lemonheads"/></a><br /><b>The Lemonheads: <a href="http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-1884665-10364977?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emusic.com%2Falbum%2F10961%2F10961237.html&cjsku=10961237"><i>The Lemonheads</i></a></b><br />When I was a kid, I would gorge on <a href="http://www.ferrarapan.com/html/lemonhead.html">the candy version</a> of Lemonheads. Then sometime in the mid to late '80s, along came a power-pop/hardcore band out of Boston that appropriated the sweet candy name for themselves. I wasn't really listening to power pop or hardcore back then, so I couldn't tell you much about them. I think they had a song on the radio one year. And then, in the mid '90s -- <i>poof!</i> No more sonic Lemonheads. Apparently ,front man Evan Dando got caught up in a drug-induced haze. Now, he's apparently out of it, and the Lemonheads are back with a self-titled CD that is, if not great, decent. It's full of flavorful, chiming guitars, if you like that kind of thing (I do). Lemonheads fans everywhere should rejoice.<br /><br /><b>Best male artist</b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002W18MU/evangelicom-20/"><img align="right" border="0" vspace="5" hspace="5" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0002W18MU.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_V66888578_.jpg" width="155" alt="A Hundred Highways" /></a><b>Johnny Cash: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002W18MU/evangelicom-20/"><i>American V: A Hundred Highways</i></a></b><br />Just when you thought that Johnny Cash in the twilight of his career could get no finer than his 2002 release, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00006L7XQ/evangelicom-20/"><i>American IV: The Man Comes Around</i></a>, along comes this posthumous offering from Cash and light-handed producer Rick Ruben. <i>American V: A Hundred Highways</i> is the fifth and final release in the legendary musician's <i>American</i> series, and it is even more powerful and more touching than any of the previous four releases. It's obvious that Cash was in a race with "Doctor Death" when cutting this album, and that makes it all the more poignant. The vocals are strained and sparse, and that's the way Rubin and Cash both wanted them. This collection of mostly covers is the sound of a man who has lived hard, but well, and who is ready to meet his maker.<br /><br /><b>Runners up</b><br /><br /><b>Paul Simon, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000F0UV1S/evangelicom-20/"><i>Surprise</i></a></b><br />See above.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dpbolvw.net/click-1884665-10364977?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emusic.com%2Falbum%2F10952%2F10952900.html&cjsku=10952900"><img align="right" vspace="5" hspace="5" src="http://www.emusic.com/img/album/109/529/10952900_155_155.jpeg" border="0" alt="Ben Kweller"/></a><b>Ben Kweller: <a href="http://www.dpbolvw.net/click-1884665-10364977?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emusic.com%2Falbum%2F10952%2F10952900.html&cjsku=10952900"><i>Ben Kweller</i></a></b><br />At first, I was skeptical. In an <a href="http://bloggedyblog.blogspot.com/2006/11/friday-five-mini-reviews-of-five-cds.html">earliler review</a>, I poked fun about how young Ben Kweller looks on this album cover. But don't let that youthful appearance keep you from checking out his sound. It's good stuff, and Kweller has been around the music business for longer than you'd think. He was 12 -- yes, 12 -- when he fronted the alt-grunge band Radish. With this self-titled album, he plays all the instruments, he wrote all the songs, and he sings them. Groovy stuff that reminds me of some of the best pop-rock of the '70s.<br /><br /><br /><b>Best female artist</b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.dpbolvw.net/click-1884665-10364977?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emusic.com%2Falbum%2F10894%2F10894857.html&cjsku=10894857"><img align="right" vspace="5" hspace="5" src="http://www.emusic.com/img/album/108/948/10894857_155_155.jpeg" border="0" alt="The Greatest"/><b>Cat Power, <i><a href="http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-1884665-10364977?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emusic.com%2Falbum%2F10894%2F10894857.html&cjsku=10894857">The Greatest</a></i></b><br />2006 was the year of the Cat for Chan Marshall, aka Cat Power, who wooed and won our hearts all year long with this early '06 release. <i>Sultry</i> is the adjective that comes to mind when I think of how Marshall's voice sounds. And with <i>The Greatest</i>, she enlists the help of several "Memphis sound" musicians to give this a special appeal. Cat Power delivers more soul with this than with her past offerings. Overall this is a worthwhile effort that goes down smooth as a shot of Southern Comfort.<br /><br />Runner up:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.kqzyfj.com/click-1884665-10364977?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emusic.com%2Falbum%2F10902%2F10902121.html&cjsku=10902121" target="_top"><br /><img align="right" vspace="5" hspace="5" src="http://www.emusic.com/img/album/109/021/10902121_155_155.jpeg" border="0" alt="Fox Confessor Brings the Flood"/></a><br /><img src="http://www.tqlkg.com/image-1884665-10364977" border="0"/><b>Neko Case, <i><a href="http://www.kqzyfj.com/click-1884665-10364977?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emusic.com%2Falbum%2F10902%2F10902121.html&cjsku=10902121">Fox Confessor Brings the Flood</a></i></b><br />Paging Patsy Cline... Alt-country darling Neko Case seems to be <i>channeling</i> Patsy at times. But Case's own unique, saccharine vocals draw me in like a Siren's song. It's hard to believe she's the same singer who also performs with the power-pop band the New Pornographers. With <i>Fox Confessor</i>, The vivid, earthy lyrics recount episodes of tragedy, love lost, fingers lost in canning factory incidents -- every song is a story wrapped within a poem, beautifully arranged.<br /><br /><b>Best rock CD</b><br /><br />I'm not the rocker I once was. But every once in a while, like when I'm vacuuming, I still love to rock out. This year, the definitive rock album was:<br /><br /><img align="right" width="150" border="0" src="http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000EJ9MTW.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_V54782139_.jpg" hspace="5" vspace="5" alt="Wolfmother - Wolfmother" /></a><b>Wolfmother, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000EJ9MTW/evangelicom-20/">Wolfmother</a></b><br /><i>AH-WOOOOOO!</I> These guys from Down Under make no bones about their influences. Led Zepp, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Jethro Tull and a ton of other metal and prog rock acts from the '70s come blasting thick and heavy from the speakers when you put this bad boy on play. (Yes, that is some White Stripes flavor at the beginning of track one, but stick with the Wolfies and you'll soon hear a young Ozzy wannabe cannibalize Jack White.) So what if it's derivative? It <i>rawks</i>, and that's all that matters. Turn it up to 11 and enjoy.<br /><br />Runner up:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.kqzyfj.com/click-1884665-10364977?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emusic.com%2Falbum%2F10962%2F10962800.html&cjsku=10962800"><img align="right" vspace="5" hspace="5" src="http://www.emusic.com/img/album/109/628/10962800_155_155.jpeg" border="0" alt="Boys and Girls in America"/></a><b>The Hold Steady: <a href="http://www.kqzyfj.com/click-1884665-10364977?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emusic.com%2Falbum%2F10962%2F10962800.html&cjsku=10962800"><i>Boys and Girls in America</i></a></b><br />For those of you who get tired of Craig Finn's vocals -- think Springsteen when he forgets to take his Sudafed -- get over it. The Hold Steady is here to stay. These erstwhile alt/indie punkers cranked out a flat-out rocker with <i>Boys and Girls in America</i>. Influenced more by Patti Smith than Springsteen, the songs are still prose-poems. But the solid rock is more reminiscent of the Allman Brothers, Thin Lizzy and old-school punk than the Boss. This is the Hold Steady's third album, and it's their best yet.<br /><br />Coming next installment: my top 40 favorite albums of the year.<br /><br /><object width="320" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.podOmatic.com/flash/flashcatcher"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.podOmatic.com/flash/flashcatcher.swf" width="320" height="315" flashvars="playlist_url=http://bloggedypod.podOmatic.com/xspf.xspf" ></embed></object><br /><a href="http://www.podOmatic.com/podcast/embed/bloggedypod" style="text-decoration: none"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="#0033ff"><strong>Click here to get your own player.</strong></font></a><br><br><br /><small>Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/music" rel="tag">music</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/music+lists" rel="tag">music lists</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/best+music+of+2006" rel="tag">best music of 2006</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/CD+of+the+year" rel="tag">CD of the year</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/lists" rel="tag">lists</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/2006" rel="tag">2006</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/best+CDs" rel="tag">best CDs</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/podcast" rel="tag">podcast</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/podcasting" rel="tag">podcasting</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/mp3" rel="tag">mp3</a></small>Andrewnoreply@blogger.com