Gay kiss is missed on soap
Well, readers in America's two largest cities will learn about Luke and Noah today. The New York Daily News has a piece on the couple and their lack of kissing this morning.
Who knew that if a bunch of people wrote to TV critics, those critics might write articles about the subjects of all those letters?
Friday, February 22, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Going National
Soap fans claim bias against gay characters - Los Angeles Times
Well, would you look at that! A journalist at a big paper has written about the Luke and Noah storyline!
Don't be surprised if this isn't the last you see about them...
Well, would you look at that! A journalist at a big paper has written about the Luke and Noah storyline!
Don't be surprised if this isn't the last you see about them...
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Putting a Hole in the Floor
Concerns over Economy Push George W. Bush's Overall Job Approval to New Low
According to this poll, his approval rating is 19%.
That's right. 19.
The previous low in this poll is 25; last month he was at 34. Can Americans really be getting smarter THIS quickly?
According to this poll, his approval rating is 19%.
That's right. 19.
The previous low in this poll is 25; last month he was at 34. Can Americans really be getting smarter THIS quickly?
Monday, February 18, 2008
A Most Unusual Birthday Gift
Celebrating the Semicolon in a Most Unlikely Location - New York Times
Thank you, Sam Roberts! An article about the semicolon--one of my favorite pieces of punctuation, right up there with the long dash--is exactly what I wanted for my birthday!
Thank you, Sam Roberts! An article about the semicolon--one of my favorite pieces of punctuation, right up there with the long dash--is exactly what I wanted for my birthday!
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Gimme a Kiss
There are a lot of reasons to be outraged in the world, so I don't expect you to add this to your list. But on Thursday, for Valentine's Day, As the World Turns aired a special fantasy episode in which different couples on the show imagined how their lives might have played out if certain things had happened. In Luke and Noah's case, they imagined what would have happened if Noah had followed his father's wishes, enlisted in the Navy, and never met Noah.
Over the course of the episode, well...
Everyone kissed but them. As the video shows, they were about to kiss in "reality," but an extra walked by.
They have not kissed, on-screen, since September 26. At this point, the show has achieved quite a feat--it has managed to make its portrayal of an extremely romantic young gay couple seem homophobic.
If that strikes you as wrong, feel free to visit the Support Luke and Noah page to find out how you can help.
In the meantime, I've written a sequel to The Photo Shoot. It's called The Dressing Room. It may be the last part of this little tale...time will tell!
Over the course of the episode, well...
Everyone kissed but them. As the video shows, they were about to kiss in "reality," but an extra walked by.
They have not kissed, on-screen, since September 26. At this point, the show has achieved quite a feat--it has managed to make its portrayal of an extremely romantic young gay couple seem homophobic.
If that strikes you as wrong, feel free to visit the Support Luke and Noah page to find out how you can help.
In the meantime, I've written a sequel to The Photo Shoot. It's called The Dressing Room. It may be the last part of this little tale...time will tell!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Where My Mind Has Gone
rmn21879 - The Photo Shoot
Wondering where my head is at lately? Look above. Warning: real-person slash.
Wondering where my head is at lately? Look above. Warning: real-person slash.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
You Can't Show That On TV!
As long as I'm posting things today, I thought I'd share the video below. As you may or may not realize, the reason I haven't been blogging all that much is that I spend my online time helping keep the Luke and Noah Wiki up and running and chattering about daytime TV's first gay couple with others on a fan site that will remain nameless (to protect me from extreme embarrassment).
Well, that gay couple shared daytime's first gay kiss back in August, and a second in September, but now that they're boyfriends--as opposed to a gay guy and a guy who's struggling to accept who he is--they don't kiss anymore. So a bunch of us looked for screencaps of all the little moments of affection that have replaced the affection, and someone put them all together in this video. Enjoy!
Well, that gay couple shared daytime's first gay kiss back in August, and a second in September, but now that they're boyfriends--as opposed to a gay guy and a guy who's struggling to accept who he is--they don't kiss anymore. So a bunch of us looked for screencaps of all the little moments of affection that have replaced the affection, and someone put them all together in this video. Enjoy!
Mitt for Brains
The Onion diagnoses Mitt Romney's tolerance problem | AfterElton.com
It's been more than a month between posts, but in the wake of Mitt's remarkable win in his birth state last night, I thought the link above would be a good reminder of why he may be my least favorite of the presidential candidates.
I would welcome him as the Republican nominee, though--I think he'd get crushed in November!
It's been more than a month between posts, but in the wake of Mitt's remarkable win in his birth state last night, I thought the link above would be a good reminder of why he may be my least favorite of the presidential candidates.
I would welcome him as the Republican nominee, though--I think he'd get crushed in November!
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Best Music 2007
About a month ago, my friend Paul wrote about 2007 being a down year for music. I have to agree. I’ve been buying fewer CDs, and enjoying the ones I do buy less, than at any point I can remember. Part of this, I am sure, is my fault; I’m getting older, more set in my ways, and less willing to give new things a chance. But how to explain that I got plenty excited about a lot of songs, but not about very many albums? This is completely out of character for me. It makes me think that maybe, in an iPod world, musicians have stopped trying to make those other ten tracks on an album count. For people like me, who live for those ten tracks no one else ever hears, this is a major blow.
Still, there were a few albums this year that managed to rattle my cage. So, in no particular order, here are my top five of 2007. (Visit 3 Minutes, 49 Seconds for Paul's top ten.)
Arcade Fire: Neon Bible
If I listened to this album every day I think I would have driven off a cliff by now, but there’s no denying the power of Arcade Fire’s second full album. The lyrics and music capture the paranoia and fear of living in Bushworld ’07, a land of bogeymen propped up by liars competing with actual threats that pop up seemingly around every turn. The killer track is “Windowsill,” in which lead singer Win Butler concludes a long list of things he doesn’t want with the tear-inducing (for me, at least) words, “I don’t want to be an American no more.” For a man who considers the Constitution a holy document, them’s fightin’ words—but who can blame Butler?
The Shins: Wincing the Night Away
Even this gem wasn’t perfect enough for me—Chutes Too Narrow really had me expecting divinity—but “Australia” and “Phantom Limb” are so darn good and the connective tissue of the rest of the album is very strong. Also, give this enough spins and I think you’ll begin to suss out a theme!
Spoon: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Not the deepest title, is it? But for half an hour this is just one big happy rocker, and, like a large penis, that is always welcome. (That joke will make sense only to those who have watched Rome. But isn’t it true regardless?) Yet there are moments of depth, and this was one of two albums on the list to feature a song with minimal lyrics that absolutely mesmerized me: “It’s just my Japanese cigarette case / Bring a mirror to my face / Let all my memories be gone.” I’m no drug user, but who hasn’t had a day that made you feel like that?
Iron and Wine: The Shepherd’s Dog
Sam Beam continues to astonish me at every turn. To go from the whipering bard of his first album to this bold experimental work and not drop a single clunker along the way is no mean feat! Here he pulls out steel guitar and jazz piano and yet his whisper is still the star of the show. Tremendous.
LCD Soundsystem: Sound of Silver
I bought this on a whim because I remembered playing the last LCD Soundsystem album during a dinner party two years ago and finding that everyone seemed to dig it. Little did I know that James Murphy had concocted a meditation on growing up set to danceable beats. One song has only the following lyrics: “Sound of silver, talk to me/ Makes you want to feel like a teenager/ Until you remember the feelings of/ A real live emotional teenager/ Then you think again.” Madness—but so true!
A list of only five albums doesn’t mean I didn’t like anything else in 2007! Amy Winehouse made a fine album with a few transcendent cuts; I can only hope people who are waiting for her next album are giving Dusty Springfield a chance while they wait.
“Four Winds” by Bright Eyes just about puts tears in my eyes every time I hear it; this is what people were talking about when they called him the next Dylan back at the turn of the millennium.
Parts of the Modest Mouse album thrilled me, and I can’t help singing along to “Effect and Cause” at the end of the new White Stripes album. “Radio Nowhere” kicks off the new Springsteen album with a shot, and even after hearing it during the World Series about a thousand times I still like it.
Kelly Clarkson’s album flopped, but “Never Again” was filled with a gleaming rage that I just get. And another Idol alum, Elliott Yamin, made a pretty good album, too, that actually seemed to get the radio airplay it deserved. Take that, Taylor and Katherine! (And Jordin, and Blake, and...why am I still watching that show?)
Ryan Adams returned after more than a year without an album and delivered a strong one, though it did more to make me re-listen to all his old stuff than to get me to play it.
Oh, and Rufus Wainwright made an album that held my interest, at least for a while. I still can’t get enough of “Release the Stars,” in which I swear he slurs the lyric “So why not just release the gates and let them all come out?” so that you hear “release the gays.” What a joke on Hollywood in a year when letting the gays out was a big topic of conversation! Oh, and “Between my Legs” is so deliciously naughty and derivative of Phantom of the Opera to boot that I can’t help but recommend it.
What did I miss? Feel free to give me grief in the comments…
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Best of the Rest, 2007
Traditionally this would be where I'd give you a list of my favorite music in a variety of categories. (Paul has the whole deal up on 3 Minutes, 49 Seconds.) But, as you'll see when you read the Best of 2007 post, this was no ordinary year. And so, I have but one recommendation to offer in this space this year. It's about my best concert experience--but you can share it with me, even though it took place way back in May.
It was my first time hearing Bernard Haitink conduct the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the program was a doozy: Bruckner's 7th Symphony. I arrived excited to see Haitink, enthused about our seats (we'd finally made the switch from the upper balcony to the lower and expected a better view and better listening experience), and delighted with the piece about to be performed.
Wouldn't you know it? For once, I went into something with high hopes and was still completely blown away. Haitink had me at hello, and for almost 70 minutes I was enraptured. I've been going to more and more classical concerts every year since I moved back to Chicago in 2003, and over time I've had plenty of great experiences; I chronicled one transcendent night at Ravinia in 2006 and I can remember plenty of others (Marin Alsop's rendition of Tchaikovsky 4, Pierre Boulez's Mahler 7, Paavo Jarvi's night of two Concertos for Orchestra, one Bartok, the other Lutoslawski...). But on May 12 of this year, for the first time, something incredible happened.
I cried.
Those who know me know that I cry easily; the wrong song on the radio, or a sad ending to a movie or TV show, is all it takes. But at a concert? Of music that ostensibly has no set meaning?
And yet, when the piece drew to a close, there the tears were, in my eyes, welling up even through thunderous applause.
And why, you ask, do you care? Because for once, I can share my concert experience with you. The CSO has released a recording of that very performance. It's the second release on its new CSO Resound label, and the first to be released as a Super Audio CD. You can buy it here. I cannot promise that it will bring tears to your eyes, but if it does, you've been warned.
It was my first time hearing Bernard Haitink conduct the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the program was a doozy: Bruckner's 7th Symphony. I arrived excited to see Haitink, enthused about our seats (we'd finally made the switch from the upper balcony to the lower and expected a better view and better listening experience), and delighted with the piece about to be performed.
Wouldn't you know it? For once, I went into something with high hopes and was still completely blown away. Haitink had me at hello, and for almost 70 minutes I was enraptured. I've been going to more and more classical concerts every year since I moved back to Chicago in 2003, and over time I've had plenty of great experiences; I chronicled one transcendent night at Ravinia in 2006 and I can remember plenty of others (Marin Alsop's rendition of Tchaikovsky 4, Pierre Boulez's Mahler 7, Paavo Jarvi's night of two Concertos for Orchestra, one Bartok, the other Lutoslawski...). But on May 12 of this year, for the first time, something incredible happened.
I cried.
Those who know me know that I cry easily; the wrong song on the radio, or a sad ending to a movie or TV show, is all it takes. But at a concert? Of music that ostensibly has no set meaning?
And yet, when the piece drew to a close, there the tears were, in my eyes, welling up even through thunderous applause.
And why, you ask, do you care? Because for once, I can share my concert experience with you. The CSO has released a recording of that very performance. It's the second release on its new CSO Resound label, and the first to be released as a Super Audio CD. You can buy it here. I cannot promise that it will bring tears to your eyes, but if it does, you've been warned.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Juices Flowing
If you're not using an RSS reader yet and you've been checking around here occasionally expecting an update, my apologies. A man can only attend to so many things at once, and lately I've been busy at work, busy with school, and busy with my new obsession (see below).
Now, many of my old friends may be shocked and appalled to find me devoting so much time and energy to caring about a soap opera couple, taking up a role as an administrator on the Luke and Noah Wiki and posting thoughts on a fan site, VanHansis.net. Who am I, and what have I done with Richard?
Well, I've gotten him to write again, for one thing. The last time I wrote anything fictional I lived in a different state. But yesterday when I got out of the shower, I had a story fully formed in my mind. And today I wrote a second part to it.
The catch? These "stories" are actually screenplays for the Luke/Noah scenes for two episodes of As the World Turns. Inspired by a single line of spoiler for next week's shows that annoyed me, I built two days' worth of scenes that I think should happen next. Is this as creative as creating a tale out of whole cloth? No. I didn't have to invent characters or backstory or make people care--the people reading these scenes already care quite a bit.
But still, the rush! The feeling! It's as if parts of me that were dead or withered are being rejuvenated. I wrote an article about tai chi and how it can improve immunity for grad school the other week. It was fine; I wouldn't have been ashamed to see it in the local paper. But right in the middle of it there was this lyrical passage describing a tai chi class I attended. For five minutes, typing it, I felt like a different person. I remembered the joy putting words together can bring. I've been so slammed at work of late that I had quite forgotten.
Does this mean more blogging? Hard to say. I have a couple of Amazon products coming for review through Vine, though I don't post those reviews here if they're not interesting. (Do you really care that I think the Homedics quad-roller massage cushion with heat is nothing special?) But in the meantime, here are links to the two stories:
The Day After Thanksgiving
The Day After, Part Two
Happy Thanksgiving!
Now, many of my old friends may be shocked and appalled to find me devoting so much time and energy to caring about a soap opera couple, taking up a role as an administrator on the Luke and Noah Wiki and posting thoughts on a fan site, VanHansis.net. Who am I, and what have I done with Richard?
Well, I've gotten him to write again, for one thing. The last time I wrote anything fictional I lived in a different state. But yesterday when I got out of the shower, I had a story fully formed in my mind. And today I wrote a second part to it.
The catch? These "stories" are actually screenplays for the Luke/Noah scenes for two episodes of As the World Turns. Inspired by a single line of spoiler for next week's shows that annoyed me, I built two days' worth of scenes that I think should happen next. Is this as creative as creating a tale out of whole cloth? No. I didn't have to invent characters or backstory or make people care--the people reading these scenes already care quite a bit.
But still, the rush! The feeling! It's as if parts of me that were dead or withered are being rejuvenated. I wrote an article about tai chi and how it can improve immunity for grad school the other week. It was fine; I wouldn't have been ashamed to see it in the local paper. But right in the middle of it there was this lyrical passage describing a tai chi class I attended. For five minutes, typing it, I felt like a different person. I remembered the joy putting words together can bring. I've been so slammed at work of late that I had quite forgotten.
Does this mean more blogging? Hard to say. I have a couple of Amazon products coming for review through Vine, though I don't post those reviews here if they're not interesting. (Do you really care that I think the Homedics quad-roller massage cushion with heat is nothing special?) But in the meantime, here are links to the two stories:
The Day After Thanksgiving
The Day After, Part Two
Happy Thanksgiving!
Friday, October 26, 2007
Dream Job
A Look Back at Jon Stewart's Greatest Gay Moments | AfterElton.com
The link above leads to a long article filled with clips from, as the headline says, the "greatest gay moments" on the Jon Stewart show. The banana episode is so funny even Stewart and then-correspondent Stephen Colbert can't control their laughter; I spent most of my time watching the collection in similar stitches.
The link also points to a larger theme of late. I've been realizing, while reading liveblogs of each new Nuke episode of As the World Turns, that AfterElton's team of writers and editors have one of my dream jobs.
I was contacted recently by the editor of a left-leaning publication, who said, "Saw your blog. I like the way you write. If you ever want to do anything for insert magazine here, give me a shout." Ever since, I've been pondering what I could write for this publication. But every topic I conceive is a better fit for AfterElton. Sure, I care about a lot of liberal causes--but I don't bring anything special to the table in writing about them.
But gays on television and in movies? Now that is something I know, something I care about. I've seen every Will & Grace, every Queer as Folk, every Six Feet Under, every Desperate Housewives, every Brothers & Sisters, every How I Met Your Mother (even before Neil Patrick Harris came out). I read The Advocate and Out. I have oodles of thoughts on what it means that Dumbledore is gay and the propriety of mentioning it after the books have all been published.
So, Michael Jensen, if you're reading, and you like what you see, give me a shout. Because you and your publication are living my dream.
UPDATE, 4:53: After I posted this, Michael went and posted something that sums up why I think the mission of his site is important (and thus why I would want to be a part of it):
The link above leads to a long article filled with clips from, as the headline says, the "greatest gay moments" on the Jon Stewart show. The banana episode is so funny even Stewart and then-correspondent Stephen Colbert can't control their laughter; I spent most of my time watching the collection in similar stitches.
The link also points to a larger theme of late. I've been realizing, while reading liveblogs of each new Nuke episode of As the World Turns, that AfterElton's team of writers and editors have one of my dream jobs.
I was contacted recently by the editor of a left-leaning publication, who said, "Saw your blog. I like the way you write. If you ever want to do anything for insert magazine here, give me a shout." Ever since, I've been pondering what I could write for this publication. But every topic I conceive is a better fit for AfterElton. Sure, I care about a lot of liberal causes--but I don't bring anything special to the table in writing about them.
But gays on television and in movies? Now that is something I know, something I care about. I've seen every Will & Grace, every Queer as Folk, every Six Feet Under, every Desperate Housewives, every Brothers & Sisters, every How I Met Your Mother (even before Neil Patrick Harris came out). I read The Advocate and Out. I have oodles of thoughts on what it means that Dumbledore is gay and the propriety of mentioning it after the books have all been published.
So, Michael Jensen, if you're reading, and you like what you see, give me a shout. Because you and your publication are living my dream.
UPDATE, 4:53: After I posted this, Michael went and posted something that sums up why I think the mission of his site is important (and thus why I would want to be a part of it):
BTW, Dennis Miller totally cracked me up when he commented, "I'm bored with people's sexuality. I don't care if Dumbledore is gay." Spoken like a straight man who can go to a movie any day and see straight people, can turn on the TV any night and see straight people, and can kiss his wife anywhere in the world without a second thought. Idiot.Exactly.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Nuke Won't Be Gone Long...We Hope
ATWT email blast oct issue copy.jpg
The suddenly large legion of Nuke fans (that's Luke and Noah of As the World Turns, for the uninitiated) seems to be white-knuckled with terror this morning that our favorite duo is headed for a long disappearance as Luke tries to overcome his temporarylisis. After yesterday's insane levels of cuteness, this would be a most unwelcome development! But with CBS suddenly offering nothing in the way of episode descriptions, and no more confirmed appearances this week, there's no way to know when we'll see our heroes again.
But the following image, from the October ATWT newsletter linked above, gives me hope:
As far as I can tell, we've never seen Luke and Noah in this pose (or these shirts) before. The image appears to be set at the Snyder farm...a logical spot for Luke to make his recovery, though the problems Lily and Holden are having will certainly complicate matters. Could Noah be comforting Luke about that? We'll find out. Hopefully soon.
The suddenly large legion of Nuke fans (that's Luke and Noah of As the World Turns, for the uninitiated) seems to be white-knuckled with terror this morning that our favorite duo is headed for a long disappearance as Luke tries to overcome his temporarylisis. After yesterday's insane levels of cuteness, this would be a most unwelcome development! But with CBS suddenly offering nothing in the way of episode descriptions, and no more confirmed appearances this week, there's no way to know when we'll see our heroes again.
But the following image, from the October ATWT newsletter linked above, gives me hope:
As far as I can tell, we've never seen Luke and Noah in this pose (or these shirts) before. The image appears to be set at the Snyder farm...a logical spot for Luke to make his recovery, though the problems Lily and Holden are having will certainly complicate matters. Could Noah be comforting Luke about that? We'll find out. Hopefully soon.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Drifting
Amazon.com: Homedics QRM-400H Therapist Select Quad-Roller Massaging Cushion with Heat: Health & Personal Care
When I got invited to the Amazon Vine program a few months ago, I imagined I would get a jump on all the exciting new books publishers wanted to get into the national consciousness ahead of their release dates. And the first month, that's what happened; the three books I reviewed are all coming out this month and it's been amusing to see interviews with the authors about a book that I, unlike almost anyone else, have already read.
But the second month in I didn't get any books, instead grabbing a British miniseries, an Australian band's third album, and clinical strength deodorant. (I've spared faithful blog readers my review of this last one; I doubt reading about me sweating does anything for anyone.)
And now things are completely off the rails. Amazon has limited Vine reviewers to a single item this month after being bombarded with complaints from people who were invited into the program but didn't get to review anything the first two months because most items ran out. (Obviously, I was part of the problem!) So, while I might have taken a book or two if I had multiple selections, given a single pick I chose the item linked above, a $150 massage cushion. (And grabbed it just in time; the supply ran out about four minutes after the new items became available for the month.) Perhaps this is for the best; I'm still plugging away at Doris Kearns Goodwin's doorstop about the Roosevelts during World War II and I start an intense seven-week course in less than two weeks.
In any case, I expected this program to expand my reading horizons. So far I've read three books I would have gotten around to anyway. But I don't think I'd ever have watched The Amazing Mrs Pritchard or listened to Augie March without Amazon Vine. And I'd probably never have bought myself the massager. Now I'm getting one for free! The quest for Amazon's top 1000 may be a bust (that link leads to the day I hit 2,990, and two years later I'm at 3,256), but something good has come of my obsession.
When I got invited to the Amazon Vine program a few months ago, I imagined I would get a jump on all the exciting new books publishers wanted to get into the national consciousness ahead of their release dates. And the first month, that's what happened; the three books I reviewed are all coming out this month and it's been amusing to see interviews with the authors about a book that I, unlike almost anyone else, have already read.
But the second month in I didn't get any books, instead grabbing a British miniseries, an Australian band's third album, and clinical strength deodorant. (I've spared faithful blog readers my review of this last one; I doubt reading about me sweating does anything for anyone.)
And now things are completely off the rails. Amazon has limited Vine reviewers to a single item this month after being bombarded with complaints from people who were invited into the program but didn't get to review anything the first two months because most items ran out. (Obviously, I was part of the problem!) So, while I might have taken a book or two if I had multiple selections, given a single pick I chose the item linked above, a $150 massage cushion. (And grabbed it just in time; the supply ran out about four minutes after the new items became available for the month.) Perhaps this is for the best; I'm still plugging away at Doris Kearns Goodwin's doorstop about the Roosevelts during World War II and I start an intense seven-week course in less than two weeks.
In any case, I expected this program to expand my reading horizons. So far I've read three books I would have gotten around to anyway. But I don't think I'd ever have watched The Amazing Mrs Pritchard or listened to Augie March without Amazon Vine. And I'd probably never have bought myself the massager. Now I'm getting one for free! The quest for Amazon's top 1000 may be a bust (that link leads to the day I hit 2,990, and two years later I'm at 3,256), but something good has come of my obsession.
Friday, October 12, 2007
One Crowded Hour, Indeed
Augie March: Moo, You Bloody Choir
The first song on Augie March's third album, "One Crowded Hour," is pulling triple duty. It's the album opener, the best song, and its title is a pretty good description of the album as a whole. This is a very crowded album! In many places the producers seem to have given up on getting everything to fit in, surrendering instead to the muddy vibe that results from too many things going on and too few decisions made about what to bring forward and what to push back.
It's also crowded stylistically; one moment Moo, You Bloody Choir sounds like it wants to be a Crowded House album or a Neil Finn solo record, but moments later it's doing a Dylan impression (though not, it must be said, an especially good one). Some might call this range! But to make an album so ambitious, to give it cover art so pretentious, is to promise that it's actually about something. This album isn't sure what it is or what it wants to be, and at more than an hour it can't sustain its momentum.
That's not to say there aren't highlights; while the lyrics for "Just Passing Through" are a bit silly, the song has an actual structure, and the way it builds and recedes gives me little chills every time I listen. "There is No Such Place" is a very pretty ballad. And nothing here is downright bad. It just isn't amazing.
This review has been posted on Amazon.com. Moo, You Bloody Choir was provided for review as part of Amazon's Vine program.
The first song on Augie March's third album, "One Crowded Hour," is pulling triple duty. It's the album opener, the best song, and its title is a pretty good description of the album as a whole. This is a very crowded album! In many places the producers seem to have given up on getting everything to fit in, surrendering instead to the muddy vibe that results from too many things going on and too few decisions made about what to bring forward and what to push back.
It's also crowded stylistically; one moment Moo, You Bloody Choir sounds like it wants to be a Crowded House album or a Neil Finn solo record, but moments later it's doing a Dylan impression (though not, it must be said, an especially good one). Some might call this range! But to make an album so ambitious, to give it cover art so pretentious, is to promise that it's actually about something. This album isn't sure what it is or what it wants to be, and at more than an hour it can't sustain its momentum.
That's not to say there aren't highlights; while the lyrics for "Just Passing Through" are a bit silly, the song has an actual structure, and the way it builds and recedes gives me little chills every time I listen. "There is No Such Place" is a very pretty ballad. And nothing here is downright bad. It just isn't amazing.
This review has been posted on Amazon.com. Moo, You Bloody Choir was provided for review as part of Amazon's Vine program.
Monday, October 08, 2007
Craig, Continued
I'm not usually given to posting YouTube videos, but this one from SNL, mocking Larry Craig's decision to stay in the Senate after promising to resign, is a bit too funny to ignore.
You can visit my YouTube account (I know, I feel like I'm twelve saying that) to find this video along with several related to the continuing Luke/Noah drama on As the World Turns in my favorites.
You can visit my YouTube account (I know, I feel like I'm twelve saying that) to find this video along with several related to the continuing Luke/Noah drama on As the World Turns in my favorites.
Friday, October 05, 2007
British Political Fantasy
The Amazing Mrs Pritchard
This six-hour BBC miniseries tells the story of a grocery store manager who decides, after watching two candidates for Parliament engage in fisticuffs outside her store, that she could do a better job. As luck would have it, a TV camera catches her saying so, and soon she finds herself in the middle of a whirlwind political movement. She inspires other women to run for office, and many defect from their political parties to join her. Come election day, her party wins—and she becomes prime minister. (Forgive me—I’ve just told you how the first hour ends.)
This six-hour BBC miniseries tells the story of a grocery store manager who decides, after watching two candidates for Parliament engage in fisticuffs outside her store, that she could do a better job. As luck would have it, a TV camera catches her saying so, and soon she finds herself in the middle of a whirlwind political movement. She inspires other women to run for office, and many defect from their political parties to join her. Come election day, her party wins—and she becomes prime minister. (Forgive me—I’ve just told you how the first hour ends.)
But all is not so simple for Ros Pritchard, the titular star of the show (played with aplomb by Jane Horrocks). Her husband does not support her choice and urges her to refuse the job, fearful that his own secrets will come to light if she takes office. And within hours of her election, she faces the first of several crises that demonstrate to her that being a world leader is tougher than it looked on TV.
Ros rises to the challenge, though, and for four of its six hours this miniseries is a delightful fantasy about how the world would be if “the great British people” got behind a leader with common-sense ideas and a desire to effect real change. Supporting players generate much of the interest, with no one’s story more compelling and intriguing than that of Catherine Walker, a former Tory and now the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Catherine is the voice of wisdom and experience that Ros desperately needs, but as portrayed by the stellar Janet McTeer she is a woman with regrets that need working out, as well. Watching her work through her own issues while keeping the country running is a gripping experience.
I limit myself to four of five stars because the final hour of the series goes a bit off the rails. Without giving anything away, all I dare say is that the two days depicted in the last hour proceed as if the responsibilities of government have been temporarily suspended. And Americans, used to our tidy endings, probably won’t love the way the series concludes; the text at the end, which British audiences evidently did not see when the program aired on the BBC, seems to wrap things up in a bow but actually makes the conclusion less believable.
Despite that, this is a fine series that anyone with an interest in politics will heartily enjoy. Bonus points if you’re an Anglophile!
This review has been posted on Amazon.com. The Amazing Mrs Pritchard will be released October 30 and was provided for review early as part of Amazon's Vine program.
Monday, October 01, 2007
Sonics Expand, Charm Remains
Iron and Wine: The Shepherd’s Dog
What a remarkable album. Sam Beam takes new steps with each song, pulling in new instruments and new styles without losing his soul or his signature whisper. From steel guitar to jazz piano, each new addition is incorporated with aplomb, and nothing feels forced.
For fans coming to this straight from the last “album,” Our Endless Numbered Days, the changes may come as a surprise, but those who’ve heard Woman King or In the Reins, an EP collaboration with Calexico, will recognize this album as a logical follow-up to those efforts. Indeed, two members of Calexico appear here, contributing to the filling-out of a sound that is bigger and better than ever. Iron and Wine can still do introspective, soul-searing songs (like album-closer “Flightless Bird, American Mouth) better than almost anyone. Now the band can make you dance, too, on songs like “The Devil Never Sleeps.”
If that seems unlikely, consider this: So far, every time I listen to the album, I end up playing it twice. Sam Beam has discovered new worlds of sound. Won’t you explore them with him?
This review has been posted on Amazon.com.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Vacation, All I Ever Wanted
We spent last week in Door County. It was our first vacation in years--and our first trip that didn't have people we knew on the other end of it ever! We had a great time in spite of bad weather and a bad head cold, and before I forget I wanted to get down a few recommendations for others.
Our resort, Little Sweden, was unbelievable. Pictures cannot do the place justice, but here's one of the living room:
We had a king-size bed, two massive whirlpool tubs, and access to free tennis, golf, bikes, shuffleboard, ping-pong, and indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs. The place is a bit pricey--we wouldn't have gone if not for the incredible deal we got through a friend--but it was also, without a doubt, the nicest place I've ever stayed.
We also had some superb meals. Breakfast is Door County's best meal, in my opinion. The White Gull Inn and The Cookery in Fish Creek, Al Johnson's in Sister Bay, and the Village Cafe in Egg Harbor all had phenomenal eggs. And each place excelled at something else as well. White Gull Inn had charming ambiance and great raspberry jam. The Cookery served their homemade strawberry rhubarb jam with their eggs and toast--and it was so good I bought a jar to bring home. Al Johnson's made great potatoes, and of course we had to go twice so we could each also order a stack of the Swedish pancakes. They taste just like they did when I was a kid--but this time I even used the lingonberries! Village Cafe had the best potatoes I've ever tasted. If the owner, who we met three different times during our trip--including the time she delivered pizza to us--is reading this, I'd love the recipe!
The owner of Village Cafe also owned our favorite dinner spot. We ate at Trio in Egg Harbor because I had read good reviews, but while it was good, the place felt a little pretentious and the bill was bigger than the portions. On our way there, though, we had passed Villaggios in Juddville, and two nights later we decided to have our Italian there instead. What a difference! The portions were perfect, the service was friendly, and the place was charming. And while Trio's tiramisu was an interesting, mousse-like creation, the Villaggio tiramisu, served in a large glass mug, nearly brought tears to my eyes. We told the owner on our way out--our first encounter with her, at that point--that we had enjoyed a fantastic meal. We had many good dining experiences, but Villaggio was an unexpected and wonderful surprise.
And don't forget Not Licked Yet in Fish Creek for custard! We didn't--we went four times.
We did more than eat, of course. We also drank! We only found time for one winery, but I'd have a hard time believing we didn't choose correctly. Simon Creek Vineyard and Winery, located a few miles east of Highway 42 on County Road I, served us 12 different wines. Usually, at these kinds of places, you're lucky to like one or two. We had a hard time limiting ourselves to the four bottles we brought home.
And, of course, we hiked. We did a tough trail in Peninsula State Park, and later in the week we walked along the beach at Whitefish Dunes State Park on the peninsula's Lake Michigan side, then climbed a tall sand dune before wandering back through the forest.
If you go to Door County, I hope you get better weather than we did. But the place will leave a smile on your face:
Our resort, Little Sweden, was unbelievable. Pictures cannot do the place justice, but here's one of the living room:
We had a king-size bed, two massive whirlpool tubs, and access to free tennis, golf, bikes, shuffleboard, ping-pong, and indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs. The place is a bit pricey--we wouldn't have gone if not for the incredible deal we got through a friend--but it was also, without a doubt, the nicest place I've ever stayed.
We also had some superb meals. Breakfast is Door County's best meal, in my opinion. The White Gull Inn and The Cookery in Fish Creek, Al Johnson's in Sister Bay, and the Village Cafe in Egg Harbor all had phenomenal eggs. And each place excelled at something else as well. White Gull Inn had charming ambiance and great raspberry jam. The Cookery served their homemade strawberry rhubarb jam with their eggs and toast--and it was so good I bought a jar to bring home. Al Johnson's made great potatoes, and of course we had to go twice so we could each also order a stack of the Swedish pancakes. They taste just like they did when I was a kid--but this time I even used the lingonberries! Village Cafe had the best potatoes I've ever tasted. If the owner, who we met three different times during our trip--including the time she delivered pizza to us--is reading this, I'd love the recipe!
The owner of Village Cafe also owned our favorite dinner spot. We ate at Trio in Egg Harbor because I had read good reviews, but while it was good, the place felt a little pretentious and the bill was bigger than the portions. On our way there, though, we had passed Villaggios in Juddville, and two nights later we decided to have our Italian there instead. What a difference! The portions were perfect, the service was friendly, and the place was charming. And while Trio's tiramisu was an interesting, mousse-like creation, the Villaggio tiramisu, served in a large glass mug, nearly brought tears to my eyes. We told the owner on our way out--our first encounter with her, at that point--that we had enjoyed a fantastic meal. We had many good dining experiences, but Villaggio was an unexpected and wonderful surprise.
And don't forget Not Licked Yet in Fish Creek for custard! We didn't--we went four times.
We did more than eat, of course. We also drank! We only found time for one winery, but I'd have a hard time believing we didn't choose correctly. Simon Creek Vineyard and Winery, located a few miles east of Highway 42 on County Road I, served us 12 different wines. Usually, at these kinds of places, you're lucky to like one or two. We had a hard time limiting ourselves to the four bottles we brought home.
And, of course, we hiked. We did a tough trail in Peninsula State Park, and later in the week we walked along the beach at Whitefish Dunes State Park on the peninsula's Lake Michigan side, then climbed a tall sand dune before wandering back through the forest.
If you go to Door County, I hope you get better weather than we did. But the place will leave a smile on your face:
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