10. Haim, Days Are GoneIt seemed like years and years passed from the release of the "Forever" single until we were finally able to get our hands on the Days Are Gone album. But it was worth it.
Showing posts with label Culture Consumption. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Culture Consumption. Show all posts
The 10 Best Albums Of 2013
It's that wonderful time of the year where every critic in the world lists his or her favorite television shows, movies, books, and music. But all kidding aside, this was a very good year for music. Here are the Top 10 Albums of 2013:
10. Haim, Days Are Gone
It seemed like years and years passed from the release of the "Forever" single until we were finally able to get our hands on the Days Are Gone album. But it was worth it.
10. Haim, Days Are GoneIt seemed like years and years passed from the release of the "Forever" single until we were finally able to get our hands on the Days Are Gone album. But it was worth it.
Culture Consumption: Fall Out Boy, Allison Weiss, And The Simpsons: Tapped Out
Hello and welcome to Culture Consumption, my sometimes-weekly-but-mostly-monthly look at the best of pop culture!
Fall Out Boy, Save Rock And Roll
"Are you ready for another bad poem, one more off-key anthem?" Patrick Stump asks the listener after Courtney Love finishes Jim Carrolling the beginning of "Rat A Tat." He's being too hard on himself: his voice is as awesome and ever and the lyrics are bombastic, a little cheesy, but a lot of fun. This is the album for the summer, something to blast through your speakers as you sing along. Fall Out Boy is not saving rock and roll with this album, but they're making you remember why you love it.
Consume Now: Everything. Get the whole album.
Allison Weiss, Say What You Mean
This is my favorite album of 2013. Say What You Mean is ten songs about heartache and pain, but you don't realize it at first because you're digging the catchy rock-infused pop songs. Then you start listening to the lyrics more intently and they're so incredible, it's like discovering a whole other album! These are emotionally deep, heart-on-your-sleeve lyrics that everyone can relate to. Heartache never sounded so good.
Consume Now: Everything. Get the whole album.
The Simpsons: Tapped Out
This game is addictive as hell. Basically, you're building your own Springfield. You start out with just Homer, standing on a track of land and you gradually earn money through tasks to use for buildings and to gain other characters. But it doesn't happen overnight. This is a game you'll play everyday, a little at a time. This is a freemium game, meaning there are things to be bought. The game itself is free, but you can purchase donuts with your real-life cash and use them to speed up tasks or to purchase items you can't earn through normal gameplay. That part kind of sucks, but the free items in this game are so awesome, it more than makes up for it. And it's not one-and-done either: they come out with new content and buildings for it every few weeks. There's a reason EA claims it's "life-ruiningly fun."
Albums Of The Moment
Fall Out Boy, Save Rock And Roll"Are you ready for another bad poem, one more off-key anthem?" Patrick Stump asks the listener after Courtney Love finishes Jim Carrolling the beginning of "Rat A Tat." He's being too hard on himself: his voice is as awesome and ever and the lyrics are bombastic, a little cheesy, but a lot of fun. This is the album for the summer, something to blast through your speakers as you sing along. Fall Out Boy is not saving rock and roll with this album, but they're making you remember why you love it.
Consume Now: Everything. Get the whole album.
Allison Weiss, Say What You MeanThis is my favorite album of 2013. Say What You Mean is ten songs about heartache and pain, but you don't realize it at first because you're digging the catchy rock-infused pop songs. Then you start listening to the lyrics more intently and they're so incredible, it's like discovering a whole other album! These are emotionally deep, heart-on-your-sleeve lyrics that everyone can relate to. Heartache never sounded so good.
Consume Now: Everything. Get the whole album.
App Of The Moment
The Simpsons: Tapped Out
This game is addictive as hell. Basically, you're building your own Springfield. You start out with just Homer, standing on a track of land and you gradually earn money through tasks to use for buildings and to gain other characters. But it doesn't happen overnight. This is a game you'll play everyday, a little at a time. This is a freemium game, meaning there are things to be bought. The game itself is free, but you can purchase donuts with your real-life cash and use them to speed up tasks or to purchase items you can't earn through normal gameplay. That part kind of sucks, but the free items in this game are so awesome, it more than makes up for it. And it's not one-and-done either: they come out with new content and buildings for it every few weeks. There's a reason EA claims it's "life-ruiningly fun."
Culture Consumption: Girls, Santigold, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, And Pudding Monsters
Hello and welcome to Culture Consumption, my sometimes-weekly look at the best of pop culture!
Judging by all the press it receives, the awards it earns, and the countless blogs that provide weekly recaps, I assume that I am the only person on the planet that does not watch HBO's Girls. But that doesn't mean I can't appreciate the greatness that is the soundtrack from the series. In addition to awesome tracks you might already have on your iPod by Robyn ("Dancing On My Own"), Sleigh Bells ("Infinity Guitars"), Icona Pop ("I Love It"), and Belle & Sebastian ("I Don't Love Anyone"), the Girls soundtrack boasts new songs from fun., Santigold, Grouplove, Micheal Penn, and Tegan & Sara. The fun. track sounds like something that might've been written between Aim And Ignite and Some Nights. "On Your Way" is awesome, like most of Michael Penn's songs. Tegan & Sara cover the Stones' "Fool To Cry," and it's one of the soundtrack's strongest tracks.
Consume Now: Grab the whole thing even though you might already own several of these songs. It's a really great album.
Video Of The Week: Santigold, "Girls"
Album Of The Week: Various Artists, Girls Soundtrack
Judging by all the press it receives, the awards it earns, and the countless blogs that provide weekly recaps, I assume that I am the only person on the planet that does not watch HBO's Girls. But that doesn't mean I can't appreciate the greatness that is the soundtrack from the series. In addition to awesome tracks you might already have on your iPod by Robyn ("Dancing On My Own"), Sleigh Bells ("Infinity Guitars"), Icona Pop ("I Love It"), and Belle & Sebastian ("I Don't Love Anyone"), the Girls soundtrack boasts new songs from fun., Santigold, Grouplove, Micheal Penn, and Tegan & Sara. The fun. track sounds like something that might've been written between Aim And Ignite and Some Nights. "On Your Way" is awesome, like most of Michael Penn's songs. Tegan & Sara cover the Stones' "Fool To Cry," and it's one of the soundtrack's strongest tracks.Consume Now: Grab the whole thing even though you might already own several of these songs. It's a really great album.
Culture Consumption: The Top 10 Albums Of 2012
It's that wonderful time of the year where every critic in the world lists his or her favorite television shows, movies, books, and music. Here are my Top 10 Albums of 2012:
10. Fiona Apple, The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than The Driver Of The Screw And Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do
The great thing about putting this album on your Top 10 list? The title takes up so much space, there's no room to provide commentary. All kidding aside, this was another great album from Fiona Apple, who can really do no wrong musically in my eyes.
9. The Royalty, Lovers
"Bartender" brought me to this band, a song awesome enough to make me want to check out the entire album, which I'm so glad I did. Lovers sounds like it could've been recorded in the '60s, with its mixture a mixture of blues, soul, and doo-wop, led by the unique and killer vocals of Nicole Boudreau.
8. Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
I've seen this album at #1 on several year-end lists. While I don't have it that high, I am equally blown away by songwriting on this album.
7. Wideboy Generation, No Time To Be Shy
Loved this debut album. Here's what I wrote about it back in June: "No Time To Be Shy is catchy punk, clocking in at a little bit longer than the A Side of an old C60, and will bring to mind bands you might find on an old cassette, like The Jam and the Buzzcocks. It's explosive, engaging, and truthfully, it's been pretty much all I've listened to during the past two weeks."
6. The Rescues, Blah Blah Love And War
Technically, this album doesn't come out until 2013. But the band has released it to the fans who helped fund the album through Pledge Music (and I believe if you donate to the project, you can still download the album now), so I get to include it on my best of 2012 list. This album is incredible, led by the perfect four-part harmonies of Kyler England, Rob Giles, Adrianne Gonzalez, and Gabriel Mann that weave their way through the album's dozen tracks. On their Pledge Music page, if you donate $21,474,836, you can clone The Rescues. I think we should all chip in and buy this because God knows the world needs more great music.
10. Fiona Apple, The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than The Driver Of The Screw And Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever DoThe great thing about putting this album on your Top 10 list? The title takes up so much space, there's no room to provide commentary. All kidding aside, this was another great album from Fiona Apple, who can really do no wrong musically in my eyes.
9. The Royalty, Lovers
"Bartender" brought me to this band, a song awesome enough to make me want to check out the entire album, which I'm so glad I did. Lovers sounds like it could've been recorded in the '60s, with its mixture a mixture of blues, soul, and doo-wop, led by the unique and killer vocals of Nicole Boudreau.
8. Frank Ocean, Channel OrangeI've seen this album at #1 on several year-end lists. While I don't have it that high, I am equally blown away by songwriting on this album.
7. Wideboy Generation, No Time To Be ShyLoved this debut album. Here's what I wrote about it back in June: "No Time To Be Shy is catchy punk, clocking in at a little bit longer than the A Side of an old C60, and will bring to mind bands you might find on an old cassette, like The Jam and the Buzzcocks. It's explosive, engaging, and truthfully, it's been pretty much all I've listened to during the past two weeks."
6. The Rescues, Blah Blah Love And WarTechnically, this album doesn't come out until 2013. But the band has released it to the fans who helped fund the album through Pledge Music (and I believe if you donate to the project, you can still download the album now), so I get to include it on my best of 2012 list. This album is incredible, led by the perfect four-part harmonies of Kyler England, Rob Giles, Adrianne Gonzalez, and Gabriel Mann that weave their way through the album's dozen tracks. On their Pledge Music page, if you donate $21,474,836, you can clone The Rescues. I think we should all chip in and buy this because God knows the world needs more great music.
Culture Consumption: Sapient, Leogun, And LOLwork
Hello and welcome to Culture Consumption, my weekly look at the best of pop culture!
Do you remember rock 'n' roll? Sure, there are still indie bands that strum a guitar or two, but do you remember balls-to-the-wall, in-your-face rock 'n' roll? Leogun does! On their debut EP, they showcase the talent that spurred Yamaha to sign Leogun as the very first act to their new record label. You'll hear nods to Zeppelin sprinkled throughout the EP, but make no mistake: Leogun has a sound all their own that kicks you in the mouth and demands your attention, led by Tommy Smith's killer vocals. This EP has me eagerly anticipating their full LP in 2013.
Consume Now: All four tracks, but "Let's Be Friends" and "End Of The World" rock the hardest.
I know it's probably premature to gush about a reality television show that's only aired one episode, but I love Bravo's LOLwork. The show is about the staff that runs the I Can Has Cheezburger? website. While the website itself does absolutely nothing for me, the staff certainly does.
Now I realize that the devil is in the editing and these people might not be portrayed onscreen the way they are in real life, but my two favorite people on the show are Sarah, who I think has a crush on fancy-haired Forest and may also be a real-life version of April Ludgate, and Will, who appears to be a misanthrope that not-so-secretly drives the rest of the staff crazy.
Here are some of Will's best lines from the debut episode:
LOLwork airs on Bravo on Wednesdays at 11:00 PM and is repeated throughout the week.
Song Of The Week: Sapient, "Shotgun In My Spaceship"
Album Of The Week: Leogun, Leogun EP
Do you remember rock 'n' roll? Sure, there are still indie bands that strum a guitar or two, but do you remember balls-to-the-wall, in-your-face rock 'n' roll? Leogun does! On their debut EP, they showcase the talent that spurred Yamaha to sign Leogun as the very first act to their new record label. You'll hear nods to Zeppelin sprinkled throughout the EP, but make no mistake: Leogun has a sound all their own that kicks you in the mouth and demands your attention, led by Tommy Smith's killer vocals. This EP has me eagerly anticipating their full LP in 2013.Consume Now: All four tracks, but "Let's Be Friends" and "End Of The World" rock the hardest.
TV Show Of The Week: LOLwork
I know it's probably premature to gush about a reality television show that's only aired one episode, but I love Bravo's LOLwork. The show is about the staff that runs the I Can Has Cheezburger? website. While the website itself does absolutely nothing for me, the staff certainly does.Now I realize that the devil is in the editing and these people might not be portrayed onscreen the way they are in real life, but my two favorite people on the show are Sarah, who I think has a crush on fancy-haired Forest and may also be a real-life version of April Ludgate, and Will, who appears to be a misanthrope that not-so-secretly drives the rest of the staff crazy.
Here are some of Will's best lines from the debut episode:
- Sleeping is cute. Dead? Not cute.
- The less hair a cat has, the more likely you are to see its genitals.
- Dogs hump your leg. Do I have to give any other reason why cats are better?
- Oftentimes people tell me, "Wow. Your cat's like a dog." I tell them to shut up.
LOLwork airs on Bravo on Wednesdays at 11:00 PM and is repeated throughout the week.
Culture Consumption: The Burning Of Rome And Mixtapes
Hello and welcome to Culture Consumption, my weekly look at the best of pop culture!
Mixtapes, How To Throw A Successful Party
I had never heard of Mixtapes six months ago; since then, I've fallen head over heels for the band. They are simply amazing, pop-punk perfection. How To Throw A Successful Party was originally given as a free download with preorders for 2011's Maps & Companions, but on October 30th, you'll be able to purchase the nine-track acoustic album. If you were a fan of Even On The Worst Nights, you'll love this too.
Favorite tracks: "6 P.M. (How To Enjoy The Scenic Route)," "10 P.M. (Safe)," and the anthem "5 A.M. (How To Throw A Successful Party)"
Song Of The Week
The Burning Of Rome, "Norman Bates" (NSFW)Album Of The Week
Mixtapes, How To Throw A Successful PartyI had never heard of Mixtapes six months ago; since then, I've fallen head over heels for the band. They are simply amazing, pop-punk perfection. How To Throw A Successful Party was originally given as a free download with preorders for 2011's Maps & Companions, but on October 30th, you'll be able to purchase the nine-track acoustic album. If you were a fan of Even On The Worst Nights, you'll love this too.
Favorite tracks: "6 P.M. (How To Enjoy The Scenic Route)," "10 P.M. (Safe)," and the anthem "5 A.M. (How To Throw A Successful Party)"
Culture Consumption: Leogun, Chaos Chaos, James Bond, And Eytan & The Embassy
Hello and welcome to Culture Consumption, my weekly look at the best of pop culture!
I still love this song so much.
Chaos Chaos, S
Rising from the ashes of Smoosh, sisters Asy and Chloe have left their childhood behind and created Chaos Chaos, a more mature-sounding version of their former band. This is a spacey, dancey, insanely catchy, indie-pop album that will leave you marveling at the fact that the sisters are only eighteen and twenty because this is music beyond their years. S is only five tracks, but it gives you a sense of the greatness that will come from Chaos Chaos.
Consume Now: All five tracks, but listen to the incredible "Antibiotics" first.
Various Artists, Best Of Bond... James Bond
James Bond films have always been a hit-or-miss affair for me: some have really blown me away, but some have downright sucked. The same can't be said for the music. Most of the official themes from the movies have been downright awesome, with only a clunker or two along the way (Madonna's "Die Another Day"). Last week, Capitol/EMI released this double album which collects fifty Bond songs: all twenty-two official themes (except for Adele), Louis Armstrong's excellent "We Have All The Time In The World," and twenty-seven instrumental tracks. Truthfully, except for a few, I became a little bored with the instrumentals after repeated listens, but the first disc is top-notch and full of all the songs you love by some of the biggest names in the history of music: Shirley Bassey (who actually did two Bond themes), Nancy Sinatra, Tom Jones, Paul McCartney, Carly Simon, Sheena Easton, Duran Duran, a-Ha, Gladys Knight, Tina Turner, Sheryl Crow, Garbage, Soundgarden's Chris Cornell, Alicia Keys, and Jack White.
Consume Now: Opt for the single-disc version (and skip over the Madonna track).
Eytan And The Embassy, Everything Changes
We've reviewed an Eytan And The Embassy live show and spent Seven Questions In Heaven with Eytan, so you know we're obviously fans. So what do I think of Everything Changes? Simply put, it's one of the five best albums of 2012. The songs are happy and peppy, an indie-soul-pop hybrid, and sound at times like Crowded House mixed with Elvis Costello mixed with the Beatles and backed by some Motown horns. It's a damn amazing album from start to finish.
Consume Now: The entire album. And get a copy for your best friend while you're at it.
Song Of The Moment
Leogun, "Let's Be Friends"I still love this song so much.
Albums Of The Week
Chaos Chaos, SRising from the ashes of Smoosh, sisters Asy and Chloe have left their childhood behind and created Chaos Chaos, a more mature-sounding version of their former band. This is a spacey, dancey, insanely catchy, indie-pop album that will leave you marveling at the fact that the sisters are only eighteen and twenty because this is music beyond their years. S is only five tracks, but it gives you a sense of the greatness that will come from Chaos Chaos.
Consume Now: All five tracks, but listen to the incredible "Antibiotics" first.
Various Artists, Best Of Bond... James BondJames Bond films have always been a hit-or-miss affair for me: some have really blown me away, but some have downright sucked. The same can't be said for the music. Most of the official themes from the movies have been downright awesome, with only a clunker or two along the way (Madonna's "Die Another Day"). Last week, Capitol/EMI released this double album which collects fifty Bond songs: all twenty-two official themes (except for Adele), Louis Armstrong's excellent "We Have All The Time In The World," and twenty-seven instrumental tracks. Truthfully, except for a few, I became a little bored with the instrumentals after repeated listens, but the first disc is top-notch and full of all the songs you love by some of the biggest names in the history of music: Shirley Bassey (who actually did two Bond themes), Nancy Sinatra, Tom Jones, Paul McCartney, Carly Simon, Sheena Easton, Duran Duran, a-Ha, Gladys Knight, Tina Turner, Sheryl Crow, Garbage, Soundgarden's Chris Cornell, Alicia Keys, and Jack White.
Consume Now: Opt for the single-disc version (and skip over the Madonna track).
Eytan And The Embassy, Everything ChangesWe've reviewed an Eytan And The Embassy live show and spent Seven Questions In Heaven with Eytan, so you know we're obviously fans. So what do I think of Everything Changes? Simply put, it's one of the five best albums of 2012. The songs are happy and peppy, an indie-soul-pop hybrid, and sound at times like Crowded House mixed with Elvis Costello mixed with the Beatles and backed by some Motown horns. It's a damn amazing album from start to finish.
Consume Now: The entire album. And get a copy for your best friend while you're at it.
Labels: Books, Chaos Chaos, Culture Consumption, Eytan And The Embassy, James Bond, Leogun, Movies, Music, TV
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Culture Consumption: Wendy James, Brooklyn Brothers, The Office, Kate Upton, And Unicorn Porn
Hello and welcome to Culture Consumption, my weekly look at the best of pop culture!
Brooklyn Brothers, The Album
The Brooklyn Brothers are actors Ryan O'Nan and Michael Weston. But don't let the actor tags scare you off. Here's another thing that sets them apart from lots of other bands: some of their instruments are toys. The end result is a funny, folky, indie rock album with sounds that you might hear coming out of your kids' playroom.
Consume Now: "Come On Girl," "278 (Airport)," and "Faster Than Aeroplanes"
Song Of The Week
Wendy James, "You're So Great"Album Of The Week
Brooklyn Brothers, The AlbumThe Brooklyn Brothers are actors Ryan O'Nan and Michael Weston. But don't let the actor tags scare you off. Here's another thing that sets them apart from lots of other bands: some of their instruments are toys. The end result is a funny, folky, indie rock album with sounds that you might hear coming out of your kids' playroom.
Consume Now: "Come On Girl," "278 (Airport)," and "Faster Than Aeroplanes"
Television Show Of The Week
Culture Consumption: D A W N S, Frank + Derol, Nightmare River Band, Jaws, The New Normal, And Big Brother
Hello and welcome to Culture Consumption, our weekly look at some of the best music, movies, television, books, and pop culture!
Frank + Derol, Frank + Derol (EP)
Codi Caraco and Brandi Cyrus make up Frank + Derol, a talented duo who released their 4-song debut EP earlier this month. The songs range from pure addictive pop ("Let It Go") to haunting but no less addictive lo-fi ("Barely Love You Too"). This EP serves as a welcome introduction to the band and and makes me long for a full-length debut.
Consume Now: "Let It Go" and "Barely Love You Too"
Nightmare River Band, Last Goodbye
I don't know how you would classify this band -- country? folk? one of these with an alt- modifier? -- but I really don't care. I was a big fan of their 2009 debut, Call The Cops!, and I'm an even bigger fan of Last Goodbye, which takes everything great about the debut and adds a certain maturity to their sound. And nowhere is this more evident than in the anthem "Last Goodbye," a five-minute sing-along about heartbreak.
Consume Now: "Last Goodbye," "Walk On," "Goodbye To Your Friends, "Why Don't You Love Me?"
Jaws: Memories From Martha's Vineyard
Jaws was my Star Wars. I loved everything about this movie. If it's on TV (even heavily edited) when I'm flipping channels, I'll leave it on until the end. And if you're like me and Jaws is your religion when it comes to movies, then Jaws: Memories From Martha's Vineyard will be your Bible. It's 312 pages of images, newspaper clippings, pieces of the script, set designs, and first-person accounts from those involved with the filming. It's an astoundingly massive, in-depth look at one of the greatest movies of all time and by the time you're through devouring it, you might actually believe you were on set during the filming. Plus, since it weighs approximately twenty-five pounds, you can also use it to bludgeon your attacker if you ever find yourself face-to-face with a great white. Bonus!
Big Brother
I don't watch Big Brother. Seriously, I don't. But if I did (once again, I don't), I would have to say that Dan is one of the wiliest and most clever reality show contestants I have ever seen (But once again, I don't watch Big Brother. I don't even know who this Dan person is.).
The New Normal
The New Normal is the funniest new show I've seen this season. The little girl, the gay couple, the pregnant mom -- I love them all. But by far the funniest character, and one of the funniest characters on a network sitcom in years, is Ellen Barkin's Nana. She's unapologetically un-PC and every word out of her mouth will simultaneously make you cringe and laugh.
Song Of The Week
D A W N S, "So Help Me God"Albums Of The Week
Frank + Derol, Frank + Derol (EP)Codi Caraco and Brandi Cyrus make up Frank + Derol, a talented duo who released their 4-song debut EP earlier this month. The songs range from pure addictive pop ("Let It Go") to haunting but no less addictive lo-fi ("Barely Love You Too"). This EP serves as a welcome introduction to the band and and makes me long for a full-length debut.
Consume Now: "Let It Go" and "Barely Love You Too"
Nightmare River Band, Last GoodbyeI don't know how you would classify this band -- country? folk? one of these with an alt- modifier? -- but I really don't care. I was a big fan of their 2009 debut, Call The Cops!, and I'm an even bigger fan of Last Goodbye, which takes everything great about the debut and adds a certain maturity to their sound. And nowhere is this more evident than in the anthem "Last Goodbye," a five-minute sing-along about heartbreak.
Consume Now: "Last Goodbye," "Walk On," "Goodbye To Your Friends, "Why Don't You Love Me?"
Book Of The Week
Jaws: Memories From Martha's VineyardJaws was my Star Wars. I loved everything about this movie. If it's on TV (even heavily edited) when I'm flipping channels, I'll leave it on until the end. And if you're like me and Jaws is your religion when it comes to movies, then Jaws: Memories From Martha's Vineyard will be your Bible. It's 312 pages of images, newspaper clippings, pieces of the script, set designs, and first-person accounts from those involved with the filming. It's an astoundingly massive, in-depth look at one of the greatest movies of all time and by the time you're through devouring it, you might actually believe you were on set during the filming. Plus, since it weighs approximately twenty-five pounds, you can also use it to bludgeon your attacker if you ever find yourself face-to-face with a great white. Bonus!
Television Shows Of The Week
Big BrotherI don't watch Big Brother. Seriously, I don't. But if I did (once again, I don't), I would have to say that Dan is one of the wiliest and most clever reality show contestants I have ever seen (But once again, I don't watch Big Brother. I don't even know who this Dan person is.).
The New NormalThe New Normal is the funniest new show I've seen this season. The little girl, the gay couple, the pregnant mom -- I love them all. But by far the funniest character, and one of the funniest characters on a network sitcom in years, is Ellen Barkin's Nana. She's unapologetically un-PC and every word out of her mouth will simultaneously make you cringe and laugh.
Labels: Big Brother, Books, Culture Consumption, D A W N S, Frank + Derol, Jaws, Music, The Nightmare River Band, TV
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