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Once more, with feeling.   Printer-friendly page   Send this story to someone
Tuesday, January 02, 2024 - 08:00 AM
Posted by: Karl

Karl

NANCY SINATRA: "These Boots Are Made For Walking." Are you ready?

RATBOYS played "The Window," "It's Alive," and "Morning Zoo" a CBS Saturday Session.

BOB BOILEN playlisted his favorite albums of 2023 on Spotify and Apple Music.

CHAKA KHAN, on her musical legacy, surviving addiction, her Kanye beef, and more.

THE CLIENTELE's James Hornsey tells us about his Top 10 albums of 2023.

33 GREAT 2023 ALBUMS from indie / alternative legends.

TAYLOR SWIFT surpassed Elvis Presley for most weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart by a solo artist, tho this is more a comment on the charts in the internet age.

THE NUMBER ONES looks back at Gotye and Kimbra's "Somebody That I Used To Know," a leftfield smash that became the biggest hit of 2012.

 

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: Wonka won the holiday weekend with 30MM. Aquaman 2 placed with 26.3MM.  Migration showed with 17MM.  I saw Poor Things, which was eleventh, which might be Yorgos Lanthimos's best-directed film, and well acted all-round, though most of the attention will go to Emma Stone's star turn as a sort of feminist Bride of Frankenstein. The production design and costuming are also dazzling. The film's philosophy will bother some... and it bothers me to at least the degree that it is so sure of its persepctive that it passes up some opportuniies for, well, drama.

TOM WILKINSON, an admired performer on the British stage who in middle age became a skillful character actor and supporting star in a range of movies that gained popularity and acclaim in the United States, including “The Full Monty,” “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Shakespeare in Love,” died on Saturday. He was 75.  The tributes rolled in.

SHECKY GREENE, the legendary standup comedian known for his long tenure as a Las Vegas headliner and for working with Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, died Dec. 31 at his home in the city. He was 97.

LEE SUN-KYUN, best known for his roles in films such as Parasite and A Hard Day, had a private funeral.

PAULA ABDUL alleged in a lawsuit on Friday that she was twice sexually assaulted by Nigel Lythgoe, the executive producer of “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance.” 

JOHN WILLIAMS walks back his retirement plans.

IAN ZIERING got into a street brawl with a Los Angeles biker gang Sunday.

JEREMY RENNER, one year after the snowplow accident that nearly killed him.

GAME OF THRONES: George R.R. Martin says there are three animated spin-offs in the works, in case you thought he was ever going to finish the books.

TIM BURTON wanted to make an 18MM black-and-white Catwoman movie.

 

RED-TAILED HAWK VS KITTEN: Who You Got?

A DOG AND PIG, playing ball.

SPOT the Imposter.

MOSQUITOES are driving these birds to extinction.

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New Year's Rockin' Eve Eve Eve Eve   Printer-friendly page   Send this story to someone
Thursday, December 28, 2023 - 08:00 AM
Posted by: Karl

Karl

THE NEW YEAR HOLIDAY STARTS HERE:

...with THE BEAT FARMERS!  Making a tradition of this more sober than usual, professionally-shot, early BF gig recorded at Universal Studios, including "There She Goes Again" (VU); "Road to Ruin," "Bigger Fool," "Reason to Believe" (Springsteen), "Powderfinger" (N. Young), "Happy Boy," "Big Ugly Wheels," "Bigger Stones," "Gun Sale at the Church," "Dallas Blues," "I Wanna Be Free," "Lakeside Trailer Park," "Death Train," and "Seven Year Itch."  If you're new to the band, my picks would be "Bigger Stones," "Happy Boy" and the cover of your choice.  BONUS:  Now how much would you pay?  But wait... there's more!  If you really want to see someone put the "bar" in "bar band," watch these NSFW clips from Houston, TX of the late Country Dick Montana leading the band through "Lucille" (K. Rogers) -- complete with his favorite beer bottle stunts -- followed by "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Wino," "Are You Drinkin' With Me, Jesus?" and "Mondo."  SUPER-SPECIAL BONUS: Country Dick rolls out "California Kid" and "Anarchy in the UK" (Language warning).

U2: Crushingly obvious, I know

NICK CAVE & SHANE MacGOWAN: "What a Wonderful World."

ABBA wishes you a "Happy New Year,"  but it doesn't sound anywhere as celebratory as "Take A Chance On Me." 

THE MOUNTAIN GOATS perform "This Year" at the M-Shop in Ames, IA.

OTIS & CARLA have a "New Year's Resolution."

CLAUDE PATE: Don't forget you can stream "New Year" on the Tube, with comments from a member of The Eclectics and Friend of Pate Ken King.

AULD LANG SYNE: All my life, I don't know what this song means.

JOE JACKSON: Pate frequently attempted "One More Time" to often hilarious effect, so today I stick with Joe's early material, including "Sunday Papers" live on the OGWT, "Kinda Kute" on the Kenny Everett Video Show, and a Beat Crazy-era run of "On Your Radio."  The Rock Goes To College show provides live takes on "It's Different For Girls,"  "I'm The Man," and this pulsing version of his signature "Is She Really Going Out With Him?"  BONUS: The appropos finale, "Got The Time?

THE 2023 FLUBLOG SURVEY, playlisted at Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube (abridged).

BROOKLYN VEGAN's Top 55 Albums of 2023.

MAGNET's Top 25 Albums of 2023.

BILL'S INDIE BASEMENT's Top 40 Albums of 2023. Also, 2023’s best reissues and box sets.

AQUARIUM DRUNKARD's 2023 Year in Review.

THE BEST INDIE ALBUMS of 2023, according to Uproxx.

THE 2023 UPROXX MUSIC CRITICS' POLL: Over 300 critics weigh in.

THE 50 BEST ALBUMS of 2023, according to NPR.

STEVEN HYDEN's Favorite Albums Of 2023.

THE 50 BEST ALBUMS of 2023, according to Pitchfork.

THE 50 BEST ALBUMS of 2023, according to Stereogum.

 

THE 37 BEST ROCK ALBUMS of 2023, according to Pitchfork

THE 50 BEST ALBUMS of 2023, according to Consequence.

THE 50 BEST ALBUMS of 2023, according to Alternative Press

PASTE's 50 Best Albums and 30 Best Rock Albums of 2023.

POPMATTERS' 80 Best Albums of 2023.

THE 50 BEST ALBUMS of 2023, according to NME.  

MOJO's Top 75 Albums of 2023

ROLLING STONE's Top Albums of 2023.

THE TOP 100 ALBUMS of 2023, according to The Quietus.

THE ZOMBIES: "This Will Be Our Year."

THE BEST MOVIES OF 2023, according to The Ringer.

THE TEN BEST MOVIES of 2023, according to Uproxx

THE BEST TV SHOWS of 2023, according to The Ringer. And Uproxx.

THE 20 BEST MOVIES of 2023, according to Rolling Stone

THE GREAT PERFORMANCES of 2023, according to Roger Ebert dot com.

THE TEN BEST FILMS of 2023, according to Sonny Bunch.

THE GREAT CRAFT OF 2023, according to Roger Ebert dot com.

A CLEVER DOG, a ball, and a treat.

I IMMEDIATELY regret this decision.

NOTHING'S GONNA STOP US Now.

RYAN SEACREST: Don't drink and host. The More You Know. Whoosh.

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The penultimate 2023 entry.   Printer-friendly page   Send this story to someone
Wednesday, December 27, 2023 - 08:00 AM
Posted by: Karl

Karl

ALEX CHILTON: Let's enjoy the Box Tops' "The Letter" and Big Star's "In The Street."

FATHER JOHN MISTY debuts "Corpse Dance" on a surprise live album.

BLEACHERS plays "Alma Mater" on Late Night.

SONDRE LERCHE puts a new-wavey spin on Miley Cyrus's "Flowers."

BAND ON THE RUN: The Best Beatle Solo Album?

SHANE MacGOWAN and the stories we tell.

THE NUMBER ONES looks at Fun. and Janelle Monae's "We Are Young," the first rock song to top the Hot 100 in a decade.

 

THE COLOR PURPLE musical did big box office on Christmas.

REBEL MOON: The franchise is off to a solid start, but Zack Snyder already has the trailer for Part Two online.

MICHAEL MANN, on why his Enzo Ferrari biopic is the answer to comic book fatigue.

EDDIE MURPHY, on the "hard" Beverly Hills Cop 4 shoot.

KANYE WEST apologized to the Jewish community early Tuesday for his series of “unintended” antisemitic “outbursts.”

KEVIN SPACEY & TUCKER CARLSON get weird together.

JOKER 2 director Todd Phillips shares pics.

THE DEFINITIVE RANKING OF CARS in pop culture, according to The Ringer.

 

ONE FLORIDA LAKE may host 30000 gators.

THE UNUSUAL GOOSE who likes someone.

CATS & DOGS, living together...

416 Reads

Get yer Boxing Day on.   Printer-friendly page   Send this story to someone
Tuesday, December 26, 2023 - 08:00 AM
Posted by: Karl

Karl

DAVID BOWIE: Rare footage of "The Jean Genie" from a 1973 performance on Top of the Pops.

BARTEES STRANGE, JASON ISBELL, BLEACHERS, ST VINCENT, and more play the Ally Coalition Talent Show.

THE 2023 FLUBLOG SURVEY, playlisted at Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube (abridged).

BILL'S INDIE BASEMENT's Top 40 Albums of 2023.

NICK LOWE & LOS STRAITJACKETS played "Winter Wonderland" on CBS Saturday.

WHAM!: "Last Christmas" finally became the UK's Christmas Number One, decades after "Christmas Is All Around."

NIRVANA: Spencer Elden, the baby on the cover art the ‘Nevermind’ album, has had his child pornography lawsuit against the band reinstated by a US Court of Appeals.

THE WORST MUSIC TRENDS of 2023, according to Stereogum.

SYDNEY SWEENEY addresses critics of her Rolling Stones video role.

LAURA LYNCH, a founder of the Dixie Chicks, tragically died in a head-on car crash on Friday afternoon. She was 64.

NICK CAVE's eulogy for SHANE MacGOWAN.

 

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: Aquaman 2 tops the holiday chart with 40MM over 4 days, and yet it's still a sad end to this version of the DCEU.  Wonka places with a 4-day haul of 28MM.  Migration shows with 17.5MM.  The Christmas box office is down an estimated 7 percent from last year.

VIN DIESEL has been accused of sexually molesting a former assistant in 2010; he denies the allegations.

MICKEY & MINNIE MOUSE slip into the public domain, sort of.

HOW DENZEL's DEPARTURE changed Netflix's Leave the World Behind.

CHARLIE SHEEN was allegedly attacked by his neighbor.

JOHN SCHNEIDER, a former Duke of Hazzard, thinks the President should be hung.

THE TEN BEST FILMS of 2023, according to Sonny Bunch.

 

A MARMOT takes a shower.

CATS & DOGS, living together...

CATS, seeing snow for the first time.

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The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.   Printer-friendly page   Send this story to someone
Wednesday, December 20, 2023 - 08:00 AM
Posted by: Karl

Karl

THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY STARTS HERE:

... with CHRIS ISAAK, live at Universal Studios. Your holiday-themed numbers include "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Hey, Santa," "Last Month of the Year," "Blue Christmas," and "Christmas on TV." Bonus: Dreidel banter!

THE CURRENT has a holiday-themed stream.

LIT UP LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE, Vols. 1 & 2:  A Vintage Holiday Mixtape.

CHRISTMAS JAMBREE:  A Vintage Jamaican Yuletide Mixtape.

JAZZY CHRISTMAS, BABY: A playlist.

A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS:  Mental Floss has "The Real Story Behind A Charlie Brown Christmas (and why it almost wasn't shown)." There's more reflection at Aquarium Drunkard. The WaPo has reflections from producer-director Lee Mendelson.  And Caitlin Flanagan asks what gives the special its power.

A BLUE CHRISTMAS song can be a comfort, when everyone else seems to feel joy

DARLENE LOVE & RONNIE SPECTOR duet on "Sleigh Ride" and "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree."

THE POGUES:  It's not Christmas Eve in the drunk tank (or even St. Patrick's Day) without a "Fairytale of New York."  From 2012, here's the backstory. And at The Week, Michael B. Dougherty argues that it's the greatest Christmas song of all time. NME has 25 Things you didn't know about the tale.

ANTON BARBEAU, an occasional collaborator of the late Scott Miller, crafted his own "Xmas Song."

THE 10 BEST PUNK CHRISTMAS SONGS, according to L.A. Weekly.

35 ALTERNATIVE HOLIDAY SONGS, courtesy of NME.

"A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS" changed the way the holiday sounds.

THE BEST AND WORST CHRISTMAS COVERS of 2018, according to NME.

NORAD will be tracking Santa, per usual. CNET has a history and behind-the scenes story.

THE 50 BEST HOLIDAY SONGS, according to The Ringer.

THE 20 GREATEST CHRISTMAS ALBUMS, according to The Guardian.

THE 25 BEST CHRISTMAS ALBUMS, according to Complex. BONUS: The L.A. Times rounds up the Merry and the Meh, including the evolving Christmas Time Again, by The dB's and Friends.

THE TOP 10 ALTERNATIVE CHRISTMAS SONGS, according to The Mary Sue.

15 BIZARRE CHRISTMAS ALBUMS, courtesy of Mental Floss.

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY of Christmas Songs.

2021's BEST HOLIDAY MUSIC, according to The AV Club. ALSO: The Best and Worst, ranked by NME.

EIGHT HOURS of vintage department store holiday music.

BILLY MACK: Because "Christmas Is All Around."  ALSO: Is Love Actually is an awful movie? Or a rom-com masterpiece? PLUS: We now know for sure what happened to Harry and Karen. AND: Love, Actually, Finally.

THE FLAMING LIPS perform "White Christmas" as only they can.

WHITE CHRISTMAS: A Snapshot Of The Most Successful Song In Music History.

SUPER FURRY ANIMALS: "The Gift That Keeps Giving."  Not to be confused with "The Gift," which is not Christmasey at all.

THE COURTEENEERS drop a video for "Winter Wonderland" that's not that Winter Wonderland.

CALEXICO: Speaking of presents, here's their "Gift X-Change."

THE MUPPETS: "Ringing of the Bells." Not to be confused with Super Furry Animals.

MICHAEL CAINE looks back at The Muppet Christmas Carol, which has been restored at D+. ALSO: The Muppets look back on The Muppet Christmas Carol for its 30th anniversary. AND: A Muppet Family Christmas, in its original form with all its songs and characters, does not exist on any official streaming service or physical media.

EMMET OTTER's JUG BAND CHRISTMAS Soundtrack.

SONGS OF CHRISTMAS, MID-WINTER & NEW YEAR: From the Alan Lomax Collection.

AN XMAS FLASH MOB from the Berklee College of Music broke out into an impromptu performance of the classic Christmas carol “O Holy Night” at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts.

GLAM XMAS:  I started the month with Wizzard's awesome "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day" and Slade's "Merry Christmas Everybody" (1973's UK Xmas No. 1). The circle is now complete. BONUS: Noddy Holder revealed the real inspiration behind Slade’s festive 1973 hit.

HALL & OATES: "Jingle Bell Rock," reduced to its molten kitchy essense.

CHRISTMAS SONGS: More secular than ever.

THE MOST COVERED CHRISTMAS SONGS, according to FiveThirtyEight.

16 WEIRD FACTS About Big Christmas Hits.

BRENDA LEE's “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” topped the Hot 100 for the first time, 65 years after its release.She was congratulated by Mariah Carey, who then retook the top spot.

HOW GENE AUTRY became the Christmas Cowboy with a musical trifecta.

WHY Are There No New Christmas Songs? WHAT Makes Christmas songs stick?

HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS, online. Also, a 5-year-old called 911 on the Grinch.

DAVID BOWIE & BING CROSBY'S cross-generational duet o­n "Little Drummer Boy." This historic event was recreated by Will Farrell and John C. Reilly. Plus, Jack Black and Jason Segel have done a cartoon cover

EVERY RANKIN-BASS CHRISTMAS SPECIAL, ranked by New York magazine.

THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS:  Many people believe human activity is causing global warming.  I blame Snow Miser and Heat Miser.

INTO THE SANTA-VERSE: How Rankin and Bass teamed up with Japanese animators to define Christmas specials for generations.

CHICAGO CHRISTMAS MEMORIES:  If you grew up in Chicago (and I suspect other places), the season is not complete without watching the short cartoons of "Hardrock, Coco & Joe" (a story fantastic, a story so queer), "Suzy Snowflake" and the jazzy version of "Frosty the Snowman."

THE BEATLES fan club messages, complete.  And the strange story behind the bootleg albums.

A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR YOU...FROM PHIL SPECTOR: Essayed by Aquarium Drunkard and NME.

CHRISTMASTIME FOR THE JEWS: An Oral History.

THE TOP 45 CHRISTMAS MOVIES, according to Varety.

THE 50 BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES, according to NME.

A CHRISTMAS STORY at 40: Includes Ralphie's opinion on Die Hard as a Christmas movie

THE TRON 1982 HOLIDAY SPECIAL, courtesy of Funny Or Die.

T. REXMAS is available for download.

THE SEX PISTOLS & THIN LIZZY played "A Merry Jingle" for Top of the Pops.  BONUS: The Pistols' final UK show was a Christmas benefit.

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: Pate even had a song titled "Rope Around The Moon." BONUS: Vintage Bailey backlash from warped, frustrated old people at FEE, the New York Times and Portfolio. DOUBLE-BONUS: 22 TV variations on It's A Wonderful Life. AND: There Is No "Mary Problem" in the movie.

RUDOLPH, THE RED-NOSED REINDEER:  Pull up an ice block and lend an ear!  Herbie wanted to be a dentistNTTAWWT.  BONUS:  The Rankin-Bass classic continues to inspire ads like 2009's Verizon ad, following 2008's Apple ad, even more so 2007's AFLAC commercial, and AT & T bringing in Rudolph, Bumble, and Santa for 2015.BONUS: NPR has a piece on the original manuscript.  DOUBLE BONUS: Don't Subject Your Kids to Rudolph.

FESTIVUS:  For the rest of us.  Technically already started, so I can be one of your grievances.

SCARY GHOST STORIES: I overheard Andy Williams crooning "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" in a store a few years back, and the lyric about "scary ghost stories" never really struck me before.  Took me a second, but I supposed he was referring to Dickens.  It turns out -- as noted by a coworker -- that this was a thing in Victorian England...  and the modern day. BONUS: Krampus, which has now inspired a major motion picture, and a Nativity set. DOUBLE BONUS: NME rounds up 10 Deliciously Scary Christmas Movies. TRIPLE BONUS: 18 Killer Santas From Film and TV. QUAD BONUS: The scary story tradition is one explained in this book.

LIAM NEESON auditions as a mall Santa.

TEN UNFORGETTABLE Musical Christmas Moments On Film.

THE 30 BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES, according to Empire magazine.

WHAT YOUR FAVE CHRISTMAS MOVIE Says About You.

FIVE REASONS Why Die Hard is a Christmas movie.

VIDEODROME: Metropolitan and Less Than Zero are Christmas movies?

HOME ALONE: Did Kevin McCallister grow up to become the Jigsaw Killer?

THE ICE HARVEST is a Christmas movie?

DRECK THE HALLS: A Holiday TV Specials Retrospective.

23 TV EPISODES based on "A Christmas Carol."

NAT KING COLE:  His chestnuts are roasting.

MAYMO THE BEAGLE gets 210 bottles for Christmas.

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, as told by cats.

17 WEINER DOGS make the perfect Christmas photo.

THE DOGGO who stole Christmas.

A SHETLAND PONY in a Christmas foursie.

A REINDEER prances through the snow.

CHRISTMAS ON CHRISTMAS ISLAND involves millions of crabs.

AN AUSTRALIAN FAMILY shot into the Guinness Book of Records in 2011 after decorating their home with an astonishing 331038 Christmas lights. If the video at the link doesn't work, try this one.

502 Reads

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