Lilac, "So Young"

From 2011, here's Lilac with "So Young."

Enjoy!

Culture Brats Top 10 Most Popular Ranked! Columns Of 2011

Last week, we gave you the best that pop culture had to offer in 2011 with our look back at the best movies, music, and television shows of the past year. This week, we're looking inward and giving you the best of Culture Brats!

To kick things off, here are the 10 most popular Ranked! columns of 2011:




10. Top 20 Saturday Night Live Skits

9. Top 16 Bill Murray Roles

8. Top 20 Football Movies

7. Top 16 Movies About Prostitutes

6. Top 25 Musicians Turned Actors

5. Top 16 Winona Ryder Roles

4. Top 13 Shark Movies

3. Top 25 Atari 2600 Games

2. Top 20 Movie Prom Scenes

1. Top 17 Mockumentaries

CD Review: Stephie Coplan & The Pedestrians

A lot of independently-produced debut albums sound like independently-produced debut albums: trite lyrics, off-key vocals, and poor musicianship because they're often recorded too early in a band's development. Some bands' debuts, however, sound as if they've been together for years. Stephie Coplan & The Pedestrians are ready for their closeup: their self-titled EP is fun, catchy, witty, intelligent, and begging for you to take it home.

The album leads off with "Jerk!," which oozes with attitude and demands to be played loudly and screamed along to by everyone who's ever been wronged by a lover yet can't seem to break the ties with him or her. While "Jerk!" might remind you of Garbage, the rest of the album is totally different and sounds like Ben Folds due to Coplan's amazing piano skills and humorous lyrics. "Caroline" is Coplan at her Foldsiest and is a great character study. The funniest song on the album is "Take Me Back To The Suburbs," with its unbelievably catchy "get me to the burbs ASAP" refrain and pop culture references to Anthropologie, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, The Simpsons, Will Smith, Starbucks, Twitter, Urban Outfitters, Weeds, and The Wire. "Suburbs" was my favorite song on the disc until I spent this past weekend listening to and appreciating "We Don't Need Much," the album's closer, on a nonstop loop. "We Don't Need Much" is a sweet and mature song about love being more important than material items, and sounds like classic Liz Phair if Liz Phair had turned in her six-string for eighty-eight keys.

Stephie Coplan & The Pedestrians is a great album. My only fear is that the critics' inevitable comparisons of Coplan to Ben Folds might overshadow the greatness of this EP. But I don't think that will happen because Coplan owns these comparisons; she wears them like a badge of honor. The question is: does the world need a younger, hipper, funnier, and prettier Ben Folds?

Yes. Yes it does.

And so do you.

Stephie Coplan & The Pedestrians will be released on January 21, 2012. You can preorder it on their Bandcamp page for five bucks and will be able to download "Jerk" on the spot.

Book Review: Postcards From Divine

Who among us didn't love Divine? The hair, the sequin-encrusted frocks, the stiletto heels, the meticulously teased wigs, the... wait, do I see a hand raised in protest in the back?

Someone throw a lucite shoe at that dissenter!

Did you feel that, Negative Ned? That is the sensation of complete wrongness righted with the power of violence. Now sit down and keep that hand placed firmly at your side while we all bask in the warm glow of my review.

Where were we? Ah yes, Noah Brodie, Dan Marshall, Frances Milstead, and Michael O'Quinn's Postcards From Divine, the newly released book that features never before seen postcards and photos collected over the years by family and friends while the outrageously popular and magnificent Glenn Milstead traveled the world and entertained the masses.

Squirtgun, "Social"

From 1995, here's Squirtgun with "Social."

Enjoy!

SpongeBob SquarePants, "Don't Be A Jerk (It's Christmas)"

From 2009, here's SpongeBob SquarePants with "Don't Be A Jerk (It's Christmas)."

Enjoy!



Happy holidays, everyone!

Holly Golightly, "Christmas Tree On Fire"

From 2006, here's Holly Golightly with "Christmas Tree On Fire."

Enjoy!

Culture Brats Top 20 Movies Of 2011

Today, we're wrapping up our look at the the best of pop culture in 2011 with a look at the year's best movies:




20. The Guard
19. Take Shelter
18. Rango
17. The Adjustment Bureau
16. Hanna
15. Fright Night
14. Super 8
13. The Help
12. Crazy, Stupid, Love.
11. Midnight In Paris

Eurythmics, "Winter Wonderland"

From 1987, here's "Winter Wonderland" by the Eurythmics.

Enjoy!

Parentz, "Back It Up"

From 2011, here's Parentz with "Back It Up."

Enjoy!