Begging for Relief: the Fred Thompson edition
0 Comments Published by Kate on Thursday at 5/31/2007 12:23:00 PM.So lately with Comedy Central running all these re-runs of Daily Show and Colbert Report episodes I’ve been going through political comedy withdrawal. Where to turn? The Fox-sponsored Republican Debate from May 15th (it was during finals, so I only got around to watching it on Monday of this week). Which leads me to post the following:
The best round-up of any debate, ever:
What Romney actually said about doubling Guantanamo (the real thing is pretty hilarious/scary) = proof that Romney thinks that if he talks like a fascist, the GOP will nominate him. No luck there, since Giuliani actually is a fascist. Now I will go hide in a corner behind John McCain, who called Romney a flip-flopper (in a few more words).
Time for funny video #2 - Guantanamo this!
So into this mess of candidates emerges Fred Thomspon, who has serious potential to be the only non-McCain, non-loser candidate in the GOP nomination race, along the lines of a Gingrich candidacy. Now, he must live up to his potential, and APPEAL TO THE CENTER minus the talk of "Hey terrorists - Terrorize this!" on torture (also known as "enhanced interrogation techniques").
Other features to hope for: a lack of specific talk on gay marriage and other social issues except for promises to "leave things to the states" and "uphold precedent" (the best you can expect from a Republican before the general election) and expressions of displeasure with the Iraq war paired with an uncertain tone when it comes to troop withdrawal deadlines.
Hell0 Saferide - San Francisco
"The only place in North America not destroyed by the government"
Labels: Daily Show, Giuliani, Guantanamo, McCain, Romney, Thompson
Gingrich, Giuliani, and those darn dark horse candidates
0 Comments Published by Kate on Wednesday at 5/30/2007 10:28:00 AM.Slate has a great piece asking the question of authentic (and not-so-authentic) populism, and why voters turn to some candidates who fake it and not others, the case in point being the gloriously undeclared Fred Thompson. Thompson, as it turns out, is looking less and less undeclared.
Back to Rudy ("Rude") Giuliani: he's gotten his act together, and has even learned how to make nice with voters who don't like him. If only he hadn't. Though apparently, if you ask him about his Yankee championship commemoration rings...
Another sad performance for Bill Richardson on Meet the Press: nothing we didn't know already.
For good laughs: Fox News isn't actually a news station (see Anna Nicole Smith) and DC Needs A Slogan ("The City of Unethical Love", anyone?)
Labels: DC, Fox News, Gingrich, Giuliani, Karl Rove, Richardson, Ron Paul, Thompson, Tom Delay
Let's try this again, two at a time
0 Comments Published by Kate on Sunday at 5/27/2007 09:53:00 PM.Winterkids - Hear Me Out
For a band that has yet to release a full, well-promoted album (this excludes Memoirs, which appears to have only been released for promotional purposes?), Winterkids know how to make gloriously danceable indie rock. Some of us indie kids get bored out here in the country, but "Hear Me Out" requires a one-person head-bobathon. Think the Futureheads, kiddos.
Winterkids' Website / MySpace
Buy Tape It (7") from Rough Trade
Phonograph - Watch and Ward
On the opposite end of the indie rock spectrum (I didn't know there was one until I made it up just now) lies Phonograph, whose music reeks of deliberate cautiousness and subtlety in a world fraught with difficult decisions and regret. Yes, their debut album was released in February, but I don't discriminate.
Phonograph's Website / MySpace
Buy Phonograph from arclight records
P.S. - The Broken West are touring + Pitchfork announced the final line-up for its music festival.
Labels: artist profile, band dump, broken west, festival, phonograph, pop, rock, winterkids
Somewhere in this notion of driving are memories of tipsy girls, parties, and the sweetly interested guys and friends who clean things (and people) up.
Josh Ritter - Kathleen
Bright Eyes - Another Travelin' Song
Elephant Parade - Riding in your car
Wilco - Passenger Side
Carbon Leaf - On Any Given Day
Jennifer O'Connor - Tonight We Ride
Incubus - Drive
Labels: mixtape
An Oberlin Review article on the issue.
Labels: Oberlin
Voxtrot, Georgie James, whimpy Congressional Dems, etc.
3 Comments Published by Kate on at 5/23/2007 10:53:00 AM.Voxtrot - Kid Gloves
Buy Voxtrot from Amazon.com
Just an FYI - They'll be heading to the Black Cat in DC on June 13th (more dates).
Meanwhile, the reason I'm back to posting again is that finals are over and I'm back in Virginia, though still working on unpacking.
Limbeck - Home (Is Where the Van Is) (download or die)
Georgie James, who have been looking for a record label for a few months now, finally settled on Saddle Creek, and changed the planned name of their album without telling anybody. Supposedly before it was "Hello" but now it's Places, and it'll be released in September.
Georgie James - Cake Parade (live)
Buy Georgie James records/singles from Dischord records
Their Website / Myspace
Ted Leo's got some more tour dates, the Little Ones have a new EP coming out with a new track "There's A Pot A Brewin" and some remixes.
A final music-related plee: someone, anyone, please stop by the Satellite Ballroom on your tour this summer.
More of the inside scoop on Giuliani from one of his former NYC admin officials; McCain goes at it with Romney. Hillary can't decide what U2 or KT Tunstall song she wants for her campaign.
Congressional Democrats are whimps and that's all I have to say about that.
Bonus: Wilco - Impossibly Germany
(for a friend who's out of the country at the moment and won't be reading this post)
Labels: Georgie James, Giuliani, Hillary, McCain, Romney, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, The Little Ones, Voxtrot, Wilco
Did you know? You're probably not rich enough for Giuliani.
0 Comments Published by Kate on Monday at 5/14/2007 11:24:00 AM.Make fun of Bill Richardson's ad all you want, I love it.
Labels: Giuliani, Richardson
Belle and Sebastian - We Rule the School
Labels: Ron Paul
You can also send an e-mail to your Senators telling them that you support DC Voting rights.
Where I did I get such a silly post title from? Here.
Some Download Fun:
Sir Salvatore - Hooray This Projector
Cute, cheerful indie rock for your next stroll through the city. Think Built to Spill on happy chill pills.
Sir Salvatore's Website / Myspace
Lost in the Trees - Walk Around the Lake
Distant and soothing, the lead singer's voice reminds me a little bit of Travis. Ghosts wander in the background, humming and singing in chorus.
Lost in the Trees' Website / Myspace
Buy Time Taunts Me EP
Beat Radio - Ancient as the stars, no. 2
Beat Radio - People are talking
"Ancient as the stars, no. 2" is as sweet as the name suggests, making me think of summer breezes blowing through the window and the first time I held hands with a boy I liked. Think of it as the folksy soundtrack to your post-modern desperation, you dreamer, you. "People are talking" is newer, and a bit more distracted, but still lovely.
Beat Radio's Website / Myspace
Labels: band dump, beat radio, DC street cred, folk, lost in the trees, pop, rock, sir salvatore, twee pop
But I'm posting it anyway. Why, you ask? The track is outstanding.
The White Stripes - Icky Thump
Labels: White Stripes
We the Presidential Candidates 2008
3 Comments Published by Kate on Sunday at 5/06/2007 04:36:00 PM.The Question: How do you evaluate the candidates?
In my mind, there’s a serious distinction to be made between the candidate best suited to make decisions about the future of the
Is in comparison to the current front runners in both parties that these candidates properly stand out – Rudy Giuliani has never served in office except as major of
Back to the real world: noting that Bill Richardson will probably never make it in with the Democratic front-runners due to his sad lack of charisma and public speaking ability, I have no clear preference between the top three Democratic candidates. I campaigned for John Edwards in 2004, and I like both Obama and Clinton, though I have a slight preference for Obama. My only hope for those three is whichever one of them wins the nomination and possibly the presidency will consider Bill Richardson as their Vice President or Secretary of State.
….Which leaves the Republic field of candidates. Noting my distaste for Giuliani, and considering that Romney has changed his position on every social issue the religious right cares about and has basically no integrity left to throw out the window, McCain is clearly the best candidate for the Republican nomination. Every Republican presidential candidate supports continuing the
Mystery Pollster asks, "Who won the Republican Debate?" The answer: not Giuliani, but Romney
Labels: Edwards, Giuliani, Hillary, McCain, Obama, Richardson, Romney
News-wise: We have the Easy Tiger tracklist! (Source)
01 Goodnight Rose
02 Two (ft. Sheryl Crow)
03 Everybody Knows
04 Halloweenhead
05 Oh My God, Whatever, Etc.
06 Tears of Gold
07 The Sun Also Sets
08 Off Broadway
09 Pearls on a String
10 Rip Off
11 Two Hearts
12 Three Girls
13 I Taught Myself How to Grow Old
Now, some of you folks out there may think Ryan Adams is a bit pretentious, but you can't deny that as far as songwriters go, he's got an astounding work ethic. The album will be released on June 26th.
Ryan Adams - Oh My God, Whatever, Etc. (live)
After some time off from recording, serious touring, it likes like Lauryn Hill is getting back on track with some UK tour dates...maybe this means a new Fugees album? In the meantime, if you love The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, there's some potential that you might love her MTV Unplugged Recordings, which I'm a huge fan of.
Lauryn Hill - Adam Lives In Theory
Buy the album, seriously.
Meanwhile, Shameless Complacency has a nice collection of White Stripes b-sides posted.
BONUS: Voxtrot - Stephen
Labels: Lauryn Hill, Ryan Adams, Voxtrot, White Stripes
This video also reminds me of a certain other single...same guy?
Ted Leo - Since U Been Gone + Maps
Labels: Kelly Clarkson
Fox News on Hillary - let's talk media distortion
8 Comments Published by Kate on at 5/03/2007 03:49:00 PM.Now, that segment looks kind of creepy, but when you hear the context of the speech, the media distortion becomes obvious:
(Correction: for those who aren't going to bother to read the comment discussion, I assume she changes accents because she's quoting a hymn)
Let's take this one step further: imagine if Rupert Murdoch, who owns Fox News, also owned the Wall Street Journal...
I am not a Hillary Clinton fan (go McCain at tonight's debate!!! 8 pm MSNBC), but please, Fox could do a little less obvious of a job distorting what actually happened.
Labels: Fox News, Hillary, Rupert Murdoch
If I feed you music, will you eat it?
1 Comments Published by Kate on Tuesday at 5/01/2007 05:43:00 PM.I only have one track from New Believers, which was released April 17, sitting on my computer at this time, but I've been listening to it the way I do when I find a piece of perfect pop. "So if you're feeling lonely and alone / put down your sorrows and pick up the phone."
Buy New Believers from Amazon
Elk City's Website / MySpace
Windmill - Plastic Pre-Flight Seats
I picked up this track as part of my ongoing emusic browsing/downloading, and find that, in all its electronic instrumentation and quietness, it gives me an overwhelming sense of deep frustration hidden in whispered moments and walks in the morning sunlight. Where I get this feeling from, who knows?
Buy Puddle City Racing Lights from eMusic
Windmill's Website / MySpace
The Broken West - On the Bubble
"Indie rock" is something of a hated label amongst those who don't listen to it (or who don't admit it). Though the Broken West fits this label with a hard-to-pin-down guitar section, a solid drumline, and ever-thoughtfully worded lyrics, as I write this I realized I have a hard time pinning down where it fits on the "indie rock" spectrum. Pavement? Voxtrot? something? I feel like this may be the secret to the Broken West's success within the blogger community (see Hype Machine).
Buy I Can't Go On, I'll Go On from Amazon
The Broken West's Website / MySpace
Ahem. A radio rip of the new Interpol single has been making its way around.
Labels: band dump, broken west, Electronic, Elk City, pop, rock, windmill
It's called The Broken String, it's out July 24th, and it's primarily composed of re-recorded songs from this year's EP series. Thanks, YANP.
Now...I'm a little disappointed, because I was expecting more than one new song on the album, seeing as I've made some effort to collect all this year's EPs.
At least John Collins talked to NME about the upcoming New Pornographers' album, Challengers, while they were at Coachella.
Bishop Allen - Corazon
Labels: Bishop Allen