SoulHonky

It's been a while but Raekwon has finally released his "Only Built For Cuban Linx pt. 2". Now I know this might cost me a lot of credibility in rap circles but I was never a huge fan of the Wu. There first album was a classic but after that I liked a few songs but never a full album. I don't know. Something about them never clicked with me.

A Fine Frenzy's album is out and just $3.99  at Lala.com. I listened to the first few songs and they were OK. Probably not an album I'd buy but at just 3.99 I'll definitely think about giving it a shot.

Wild Beasts are getting some love from critics although I'm not a fan of the falsetto. The songs without it are better but the ones with it bother me. Honestly, it sounds like someone at a karaoke bar.

But the Tryout of the Week is not just one album but a band. Yo La Tengo's been around for around a quarter-century and have a devoted fan base but I haven't really ever given them a listen. I have a few of their songs but I think it's high time for me to really check out their stuff (or, rather, it was going to be high time until I found out I was starting work today.) Anyway, check out their new album "Popular Songs" and then take a look at some of their past hits. 

Posted by SoulHonky at 12:09 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

I mentioned Mew in last week's tryout post but since there wasn't any new music that really caught my eye this week, I decided to with their album as this week's Tryout. I have a few of their songs and am a fan but I've never settled down to listen to one of their albums. They seem like a group that isn't really best suited for Lala since you only get one free listen on that site and it will take more than one listen to really connect with the songs. Hell, it will take more than one listen just to get through the title of the album, "No more stories Are told today I'm sorry They washed away No more stories The world is grey I'm tired Let's wash away".

After one listen, I like it but I don't love it and I'm not sure if it's something that I could see myself putting into heavy rotation. But, as I said, maybe it'll grow on me.

Posted by SoulHonky at 12:11 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

Here's the new video for Pearl Jam's song, The Fixer. I like the song although the video, directed by noneother than Cameron Crowe is a bit underwhelming. The sub-par green screen work on the screens in the background really bugged me. Still, good song, good enough video, can't wait for the new album.

Edit: After listening to it over and over, the songs really growing on me. It also seems like a song that will kill in concert when everyone's singing along.

Posted by SoulHonky at 12:17 PM | Permalink |Digg It!

A decent day for music. Imogen Heap is out with a new album which kind of sounds like most of her old stuff. That's not necessarily a bad thing since I like her sound. Alternative band Mew dropped a record that has a couplet as a title. (At least, I think that's a couplet.) Rockers Jet keep on keeping on. I never got into Matisyahu's stuff but he too has some new material out there. If you are into electronic music, Sally Shapiro seems to be getting some solid buzz. The xx is also getting some solid reviews and is one of the top selling albums on the UK alternative music chart.

For the tryout, I decided to go with Arctic Monkeys, a band that came out with the kind of hype that would make you think they were going single-handedly revitalize rock'n'roll. That didn't happen (although their album was quite good). So now they are back with their third album, trying to avoid a slump (aka Sam's Town). Unfortunately, what they might have done is even worse as it seems like a step sideways. The music is different and OK but it's certainly not anything that is going to make people sit up and listen. The fans will like it and the oblivious will remain happily in the dark. It's one of those situations in which the band never wanted all of the attention... and now they probably won't be getting it. But who knows, maybe you'll like it so give it a try and tell me what you think.

Posted by SoulHonky at 12:36 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

Here's a new video from Trey Green, a friend from high school. You can become a fan of his Facebook.

Posted by SoulHonky at 01:20 PM | Permalink |Digg It!

Here's a song from Wintersleep that's pretty cool. The embed is from The Sixty One, an interesting music site. Listeners vote on songs and they move up and down the rankings. It's a good place to catch new music and old songs that you might have missed.

Also, I just bought the new album from The Cave Singers. It's a nice little folksy album. A little bit like David Gray meets Iron & Wine. Not sure if it's going to get a full fledged SoulHonky recommendation but so far I'm liking it.

Continue reading " The Tryout: Bonus" »

Posted by SoulHonky at 06:44 PM | Permalink |Digg It!

The debut album from The XX isn't on lala.com so I couldn't embed it but it seems like it might be worth checking out. With that album out, I decided to go with Mutemath as this week's tryout. They seem like Phoenix, if that group was from the French Quarter instead of France. It should be interesting to see how this album does and if Twilightmania will help it at all. The first single "Spotlight" was on the Twilight soundtrack so maybe they were able to grab some new fans off of that. We shall see.

I'm not in love with the album but it's a solid listen. I'm torn on whether I should just buy The XX album. The song snippets on ITunes sound alright but I've been led astray by that before (e.g, Burial). I might just hold off.

Continue reading " The Tryout: Mutemath" »

Posted by SoulHonky at 08:10 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

Still struggling to find some great new music.

The Answering Machine is the latest up-beat Brit-pop band but there's something about the lead singers voice that just doesn't do it for me. I think it could grow on me and there are a few cool songs but I am going to give them a pass for now.

Telekinesis put out a solid album but not something that most people would probably rush out to buy. Cassettes Won't Listen is also background music but it's the kind that you zone out on but suddenly notice that there's a catchy groove playing (even if some songs sound like Nintendo background music or what Timbaland would sound like if he was white).

Kate Earl's EP is catchy enough but she definitely helps cement Lily Allen as one of the more influential artists of this young century. The amount of young female artists who mimic her is pretty stunning. Granted, it might just be that labels are looking for soundalikes but still, the influence on the market is undeniable.

In the end, I'll go with Blind Pilot's debut. It's a nice little album that could grow on me. Or maybe not

Continue reading " The Tryout: Blind Pilot" »

Posted by SoulHonky at 08:59 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

This is from Julian Plenti, the side project of Interpol's lead singer Paul Banks. If you like Interpol then you'll probably like this because it sounds a lot like Interpol. I've never really quite understood why people do side projects that just sound like their original band but, hey, I guess it's better than when someone branches out for a new sound that is pretty terrible. Score one for the status quo.

If you like this, click below to check out the whole album.

EDIT: After listening to a few songs, I can see why Banks broke out for this album. The DNA of Interpol is definitely there but it's still a departure from your standard Interpol songs.

Continue reading " New Interpol isn't Interpol" »

Posted by SoulHonky at 04:46 PM | Permalink |Digg It!

I didn't really spend much time looking for a new group but at a first glance, this album by The Features seems pretty good. It's the debut album from this Nashville outfit and I like the first songs I've heard and think they could grow on me a bit.

EDIT: It appears that these guys are the first release from the Kings of Leon's label. So if you like the Kings, check out The Features.

Continue reading " The Tryout: The Features" »

Posted by SoulHonky at 06:14 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

A buddy of mine from high school was one of the editors on this music video so I'm here to spread the word. It's a cool looking video and the song is pretty good as well. Might have to keep an eye out for this band. And, of course, a big congrats to Dan for a job well done.

Posted by SoulHonky at 10:17 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

I'm looking forward to the indie rom-com 500 Days of Summer more than most any other film on the horizon so I thought that I'd give the film a shout out and make the soundtrack the Tryout. It's your typical indie soundtrack with bands like the Smiths, Doves, Feist, and the possibly ironic inclusion of Hall & Oates (although it's a shame if people can't just openly admit that they like Hall & Oates). Anyway, it's a solid soundtrack and it seemed better than anything else that came out this weekend. I just wasn't feeling Jack White's latest side project or any of the releases I checked out.

Continue reading " The Tryout: 500 Days of Summer" »

Posted by SoulHonky at 07:44 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

I've been struggling to find any good new music or really any album at all that I care to listen to in heavy rotation so I thought I'd back and look at some albums that I overlooked in the past... to see if I really overlooked them.

I thought about Imogen Heap, and zero 7 but decided to go with Remy Zero, a group from whom I have a bunch of singles but no album. After listening to a few songs, I can't say that their breakthrough album Villa Elaine has me all that upset that I missed out on it but it's still catchy enough pop music.

Continue reading " The Tryout: The Next Big Nothing" »

Posted by SoulHonky at 12:18 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

My dad's visiting so I don't really have time to look for new music this week. With him in town and the temperature getting up there, I thought I'd go with one of his favorite CD's "December" by George Winston. So cool out with some calming piano music.

Continue reading " The Tryout: Family in Town" »

Posted by SoulHonky at 12:01 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

Thanks for Josh aka commenter JK aka the guy who almost started an internet fracas with Ty Burr over "Knowing" for recommending "Band of Skulls". An interesting listen, the band called Band are clearly inspired by The White Stripes but since I like the Stripes, that's not a bad thing.

Continue reading " The Tryout: Band of Skulls" »

Posted by SoulHonky at 06:13 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

Well, it's going to take a lot to get Elizabeth & The Catapult off of heavy rotation but I thought a group called The Kickdrums might be the ones to do it. After all, who doesn't love kickdrums? The first listen to the albums makes it seem like most of the songs are floaters but, then again, I wasn't sold on The Catapult when I first listened to it. The band seems a lot like G. Love with a tinge of Gorillaz. Songs that first caught my ear were: "Things Work Out", "Death of a Dream Machine", "Impatient (Slow Down). Right now, I'd go with a poor man's G. Love & Special Sauce but maybe it'll grow on me.

And since I'm trying to focus more on actually writing, I didn't spend as much time checkout out new music. I noticed Bedouin Soundclash had a new EP, the soundtrack for some surf movie "The Present" looks interesting (and features "Good Friend", a great song by Plants and Animals), there's an old album from The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, and in case you were wondering what "alternative dance" music sounded like then you can try City Center. Also, Song of the Day Blackstone Heist have an intriguing EP out.

As always, I'm open for suggestions. What new music (or old favorites) are you listening to?

Continue reading " The Tryout: The Kickdrums" »

Posted by SoulHonky at 12:28 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

My original plan was to feature Mos Def's new album but a quick listen to the first tracks left me a bit underwhelmed. I put up "Quiet Dog" as the Song of the Day since that was the only song that really jumped out at me. Maybe it'll grow on me but I thought the album was fairly average. I hope Mos gets back with Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek to get another Black Star album together. They are better as a team than as solo artists.

I'm not sure who writes the music for Dredj but they should get into film scoring. The riffs and instrumentals seem pretty good but the lead singer offers very little. In fact, he probably takes away a lot from the songs.  I wish we could see what other artists could do with some of the songs. Give a song like "Gathering Pebbles" to Radiohead and also to Timberlake/Timbaland and see what they come back with. Some interesting sounds here but no good songs, unfortunately.

Pitchfork loved Dirty Projectors' latest but I only listened to two songs and decided to look elsewhere.

I stumbled upon The Phantom Band and Balmorhea but I wasn't exactly sold on either.

In the end, I decided to go with Elizabeth and the Catapults. It's like School of Seven Bells meets Joni Mitchell or Edie Brickell.

EDIT: On second listen, I'm a fan. It's definitely a mish-mash of genres/influences but it's working for me this morning. Plus, it's only $6.99 on ITunes.

Continue reading " The Tryout: Elizabeth & The Catapult" »

Posted by SoulHonky at 12:33 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

The best rated album of late, the new one from Grizzly Bear, isn't on Lala so I've decided to go back into the vaults and pull out an underrated silly album of the 90's. The Fine Young Cannibals' "The Raw and the Cooked" is a mish-mash of different styles. At one point they seem like they want to be KC and the Sunshine Band, then they want to be a pop rock band, then it's doo wop style, and then some schmaltzy light R&B stylings. Throughout it all, the album just has a light, fun feel to it, probably because lead singer Roland Gift's voice is so odd. A song like "I'm Not The Man I Used To Be" isn't really all that great but his voice just makes you want to mimic him and sing along.

The album does have three standouts (Good Thing, She Drives Me Crazy, and Don't Look Back) and Tell Me What is just plain catchy. Honestly, this album almost sounds like someone goofing around at karaoke.

Here's the video for the least famous song, Don't Look Back. It's kind of fun to see the riveting effects of the video. While you gasp at the technical wizardry, also ponder why, of all the things they decided not to blur, would they just leave Gift's jacked up front teeth crisp and clean for all to see?

Continue reading " The Tryout: Fine Young Cannibals" »

Posted by SoulHonky at 07:33 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

Camera Obscura is one of those bands that I like but never really feel the need to listen to. I have a couple of their albums but the only time I listen to them is when they come up when my ITunes is on shuffle mode. I might hear a song and then want to listen to a couple more but usually I'm more than ready to move on after a few tracks.

Now this isn't really a diss to the band but just the best way I can describe their hold on me. My favorite song by them, which is a bit more driving than their usual tunes, is "Lloyd, I'm Ready to be Heartbroken".

I haven't listen to most of the new album but it seems like more of the same. Still, that's not necessarily a bad thing; just not something that I usually find myself wanting to put on my IPod.

Posted by SoulHonky at 11:12 PM | Permalink |Digg It!

Today is quite the day for music fans of all shapes and sizes. The most notable release is Eminem's "Relapse" but I haven't liked the new songs I've heard and am more interested in the latest release from Red and Meth.

If you want a little more estrogen in your music, try out Tori Amos's latest. Lord knows what the hipsters might be listening to but if they aren't emoting with Amos, then they might be listening to the latest EP from Of Montreal.

For fans of poppier music, Coldplay soundalike Mat Kearney might be more up your alley. And if you are a fan of 80'sish music, perhaps you should give a listen to Passion Pit.  And those are just the bigger names out there. There's a lot of other music dropping this week so it's probably a great week for retailers.

The one album that I bought was actually a new compilation of old tracks from Iron & Wine but instead of making that the tryout, I decided to go with the last album, The Shepherd's Dog. While I'm a fan of the mellow Iron & Wine sound, I really love what was done with the latest album and how the sound was expanded. One of my favorite albums of 2008.

Here's a video from the album.

On a side note, I never know how to refer to Iron & Wine because technically it's just one guy (Samuel Bean) but it's not like he does it all alone. It's also refer to Iron & Wine as "he" or "him". These are the things that go through my mind at midnight.

Posted by SoulHonky at 12:56 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

Phoenix is a band that a lot of people seem to want to see succeed but they just haven't crossed over. And while I kind of like them, the first couple of singles aren't the kind of songs that are going to help them get over the hump. I'm not sure what's wrong with them but the singles, like most Phoenix songs, just seem to be missing something. They are technically sound but don't seem to have much life in them. I first noticed them after hearing Long Distance Call but all of their songs seem to play it just too safe to make a real impression.

It should be interesting to see if this album makes much noise. I'm not sure if has what it takes.

Posted by SoulHonky at 07:13 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

This week's Song of the Day will again be new releases. I've already posted the new single from The Dave Matthews Band over this past weekend and today's song is from one of my favorite new artists, Paolo Nutini. Unfortunately, I'm not a huge fan of the new song but maybe it will grow on me. I don't think it will but stranger things have happened.

As usual, I'm always open to suggestions. I don't really have any other songs picked out right now so some ideas would be appreciated.

Posted by SoulHonky at 06:59 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

Children of the Nintendo Age will probably love this song. It's dirty and not safe for works or little kids but it's a great rap for any fans of baseball, virtual or real.

Posted by SoulHonky at 04:59 PM | Permalink |Digg It!

For some reason, I thought of Kenny Loggins this morning. I wasn't sure about making him the featured artist for the Song of the Day but then I saw his "Danger Zone" video and realized that the man needed a SoulHonky shoutout. There's a fine line between suave and just not doing anything at all and Kenny straddles that line. I'm not sure if the video of him laying around in bed was a creative decision or that they couldn't get Kenny to leave his hotel room. You decide.

On a related note, the Essential Kenny Loggins doesn't feature the first Song of the Day "Playing with the Boys", an odd omission seeing as it has been featured in more movies than probably any of his other songs.

Posted by SoulHonky at 07:13 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

I've been taking some time off to work on my own stuff but it's time to get back to punching a clock. To get me back into work mode, this week's songs will be about work, in one way or another. While I'm sure there will be some on-the-nose work songs like "I Go to Work" by Kool Moe Dee, the first song is going to "Back to Life" which is fitting since I work in reality TV and vacation is over. It's time to get back to life, back to reality. And I'm sure in a few months I'll be wondering however do I want to work or however do I need to?

Unfortunately, the answer to that question is a definitely need to in order to, you know, survive but it would be nice to be filthy rich. So if Soul II Soul's song fits where I am, P.M. Dawn's is the opposite.

Posted by SoulHonky at 02:00 PM | Permalink |Digg It!

Like any person in the world, I've always wanted to be in a band. I'd call it The Creepy Uncles and we'd end every show with "We are the Creepy Uncles and we hope we've touched you all." I have a few songs in my head but as of now, the Creepy Uncles would have to be mostly a cover band and this week's "Song of the Day' will be a song that I'd like to cover.

The first song is a karaoke staple for me, "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera. However, I'd like to mix it up a bit, make it more of a punk/rock song, and during the break we'd throw in the chorus of "Supermodel" by Jill Sobule. It would be a crowd pleaser.

Posted by SoulHonky at 12:06 PM | Permalink |Digg It!

I'm currently working on three pilot scripts for shows that I've been toying with in my head for far too long but other than my writing (which has been inconsistent at best), I have to say that I've pretty much whiffed on all of my New Year's Resolutions. So the latest Biauralgraphy isn't much peppier than the previous entry but what can I say? I have to refocus and take control in April.

Lala didn't have all the songs that I wanted so I ignored some but I found a youtube version of the finale song (which even has the most recent SoulHonky Quote of the Moment in the lyrics). So here it is, this month's hopefully cathartic SoulMix. Give it a listen and then get to making the most of the next thirty days.

Posted by SoulHonky at 12:25 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

When I was watching the trailer for "Terminator: Salvation", I was struck by the fact that it featured Nine Inch Nails' "The Day The World Went Away". Not that that wasn't a great choice but it seems like Trent Reznor's music is more and more the tonal choice for filmmakers and TV editors. "Every Day Was Exactly The Same" was the best part of "Wanted". The opening credit remix of "Closer" for David Fincher's "Se7en" is still haunting and I feel like people have been trying to sound like "The Mark Has Been Made" ever since it was featured in and served as the base for the score of "Man on Fire". The countless cop procedurals on the networks seem to use NIN liberally while the cable shows seem to rely on soundalikes to get the mood.

And while it might be by design, I can't help but think that NIN's low profile is also a sign of what is happening to the music industry. Kenny Loggins's solo career basically lasted between Caddyshack and Caddyshack II and, in those eight years, most of his hits came from movies. The films helped promote his music while his videos flooded MTV and helped the studios get some free advertising.

That simply doesn't happen anymore. Again, it might be by design or it might be that the studios would rather just forego the music element of promotion (especially since MTV doesn't show commercials anymore) and would rather just get the rights for some established Nine Inch Nails songs. Maybe the fact that NIN lives below the pop culture atmosphere, many people don't even realize that the new songs they discovered in the trailer were actually released a decade ago. (And that is a testament to NIN's music; the fact that it is over a decade after they broke through with the Se7en soundtrack, those songs are still setting the tone).

On the other hand, it's kind of depressing. Yes, Explosions in the Sky has started to take over some soundtracks (or at least inspire others) after they did the music for "Friday Night Lights" but almost 15 years after "Se7en", we still seem to be mining the same music, still recycling the same tone. Is it just Hollywood that has hit a rut or is it something deeper. What's frightening is that a film like "Se7en" seems more and more relevant today. If anything, the question might be: how many people would actually agree with the killer and his motives today? I can see Fox News and conservative groups denouncing his actions but saying he had a point (and then blaming the victims).

Now I'm not wishing for the Kenny Loggins good old days that never really were but I can't help but think that it might be nice to see a bit of a tonal shift in the arts. And I think some new artists might want to look at that different perspective because I think the tonal shift is happening one way or another and it's either going to be led by artists or the disposable auteurs that seem to be gaining popularity.

Posted by SoulHonky at 07:52 PM | Permalink |Digg It!

Since I'm hoping to get my focus back on writing, I thought it would be a good idea to make the Songs of the Week for the next two week some selections from my writing mix. When I write I usually just have background instrumental music on. It's anything from Nine Inch Nails to Eluvum and Mono to Crystal Method and some Pete Tong trance mixes. The first song is a favorite Nine Inch Nails song that was used in "Man on Fire".

I'll also post here one song that I believe has already been a song of the week, itsnotyouitsme's "we are malleable, even though they seem to own us". I'd be somewhat surprised if this song hasn't popped up in an opening credits sequence somewhere.

Posted by SoulHonky at 10:32 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

Posted by SoulHonky at 05:00 PM | Permalink |Digg It!

OK, going to break from the theme Songs of the Week to present a week of new (or newer) music. To start, I'd like to throw up a link to Phoenix's website. I'm not sold on the first single from their new album. It wants to be catchy but there's no hook. Take a listen for yourself.

As for the embedded music (upper right corner), I think I'm going to start off with the aforementioned K'Naan and the song that is the ITunes single of the week "Bang Bang". If you like it, you can head over to ITunes and download it for free. 

Posted by SoulHonky at 09:15 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

Few musical genres are as maligned as new "new school" rap. I'm not talking new school in terms of Public Enemy or Eric B. and Rakim but in the first wave of MTV friendly groups: Kwame, Kid 'n Play, and DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. People who don't like rap dislike it. People who love rap mock it. And people who do rap fear being compared to it. Whatever, I liked a lot of it. Sure, some of it was corny but Kwame had some great songs and there were a lot of catchy singles about a wide range of topics in that era.

But perhaps my favorite thing about that era is that more duos and groups utilized the back-and-forth technique. Today, almost every rap group uses the one verse for one MC style. There's little creativity in terms of delivery.

For this week, I"m going to step up for the honor of Kid 'n' Play and all groups that used the ol' back and forth style of rap. I miss the days when rap groups used to be groups and pass the mic mid-verse or even mid-line. Who knows, maybe someone will bring it back but right now it seems pretty dead. Anyone know of any new groups that do it or have any old favorites they want to recommend for one of the Songs of the Day?

Anyway, LeBron's commercial dissing Kid 'n' Play is just another reason I'm going to love it when the Celtics knock the Cavs out of the playoffs again.

Posted by SoulHonky at 01:43 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

For this week, I thought I'd choose songs that let people know a little bit more about the SoulHonky himself so you know where I'm coming from. I'm not going to go as in depth as John Cusack's character in "High Fidelity" but there are songs that I relate to one way or another.

Lala.com didn't have my favorite song so I'm going to start the week with Tegan and Sara's "You Wouldn't Like Me" which basically fits my self-deprecating ways. The key to the song although is the end when the women in wanting deny their true love, saying "I won't say that I'll love you forever". It's one of those weird moments in which even at your loneliest you still aren't willing to settle down long term. At least, that's how I interpret it. 

And don't worry, not all of the songs will be so deep or depressing. A couple I have picked out are about how I look at living in Hollywood and my opinion of our modern era and I'll try to end the week on a hopeful note. 

Continue reading to find out the song that I think best describes me.

Continue reading " Songs of the Week: Autobiographical" »

Posted by SoulHonky at 02:58 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

This got me thinking, what were the most disappointing second albums of all-time? Of course, I can't really answer that since music is so subjective but I can give you a list of the second albums that I found the most disappointing. Mos Def doesn't make it because I never really listened to his second record. And I don't even want to start a Pinkerton debate so Weezer's not on the list either. I know I'm going to forget a lot of albums here so feel free to comment and add your own. (Note: I try to include groups with great first albums and not one hit wonders)

Continue reading " The Sophomore Slump" »

Posted by SoulHonky at 05:35 PM | Permalink |Digg It!

This being Valentine's Week I was trying to decide between songs that said Happy Valentine's Day! or were about a crappy Valentine's day. Then I realized that there was no reason to chose one or the other, I can just post them both. So for this week, every day will being you two Songs of the Day, one for the lovers and one for the lonely.

Choosing the songs was tough. Even just skimming through my ITunes I came up with 30+ songs for each. And that's just browsing through the songs I own.  I'm going to start off with Paolo Nutini's ode to a former flame, Rewind. For the bright side I chose one of my favorite Motown songs, Diana Ross & the Supremes with "Up The Ladder to the Roof".

So what are you favorite love songs? Your favorite songs to mope around the house to?

Posted by SoulHonky at 12:07 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

Continue reading " SoulMix: Drinkin' with the Creepy Uncle" »

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Mitch Hedberg was one of my favorite comedians and I was very happy to see him get the Tupac treatment with a posthumous release. The set released on this CD isn't his best work, it's a bit ragged at time with a few jokes that even Hedberg realizes don't work but, as always, he can spin his biggest flops into laughs. It's a great listen and had me laughing out loud a few times. While it might not be the best Mitch Hedberg routine, it's still better than most stand-up that's out there.

(To listen, go to The Tryout over in the right column)

Posted by SoulHonky at 11:38 AM | Permalink |Digg It!

Another year, another batch of SoulMixes. This year I thought I'd spice it up a bit and try to give each mix a theme. The first mix is a shortened version of a mix I made a while back called Ode to Notes. It's a mix tape that goes through what reality tv editors and story producers feel like when they have to get notes on their episode from EP's and network execs. Here's the breakdown.

"Road to Nowhere" by Talking Heads: First off, I have to say that this mix is based on those bad situations when you're dealing with an exec producer or someone at the network who doesn't know what they are doing. More often than not, notes help make the show better. Unfortunately, there are the cases when the execs are just out of it and their notes are random, if not completely silly. Some execs feel like they need to give notes for the sake of giving notes and end up offering changes that don't make the show better, just a little different. Because of this, heading into some notes meetings can feel like you're on a road to nowhere and in the end you end up repeating, "It's all right" to yourself.

"We Can Work It Out" by Paul McCartney: While most people would publically say that this is the song that best describes their attitude when awaiting notes or sitting down in the meeting, the truth is that in the back of their head, the song that they are hearing is "Better Way" by Ben Harper.

"Authority Song" by John Mellencamp: One of the many mantras I've picked up while working in reality television is "It's their show". You can give every logical reason behind one of your decisions but if the execs don't like it, you aren't going to win the argument. On the extended mix, this point was also represented by "I Fought The Law" by The Clash.

"The Pieces Don't Fit Anymore" by James Morrison: While most reality shows aren't all that elaborate, they are a bit like a house of cards. If you change one thing, many times it affects five other things. If you cut out a couple shots, the editor then has to change the music underneath it so it fits or has to find somewhere else to extend so the show fills the running time. The joke about editors is: How many editors does it take to change a lightbulb? One, but if you change the lightbulb, you have to change EVERYTHING.  

"Rape Me" by Nirvana: I think this is self-explanatory.

"Get Me Outta Here" by Jet: Usually the thought going through everyone's mind at the end of a meeting.

"Everything is Average Nowadays" by Kaiser Chiefs: Heading back to their office or edit bay, many story producers and editors bemoan their clever tricks and interesting subplots that were excised and whine that the show is now just another reality show. People often start wondering why they are still stuck in reality and why they aren't doing something else with their lives. This feeling quickly passes because they realize that making reality TV is better than getting a real job and, to be honest, the show that they originally handed in wasn't Shakespeare. People often say that their shows "could have been something" but that something would just have been another reality show.

"The Slow Descent into Alcoholism" by The New Pornographers: If watching reality TV cast members doesn't kill your brain cells, there's nothing like some booze to finish the job. This songs also somewhat fitting because I'm sure some people would argue that, in a way, reality TV is the new pornography. I haven't seen gay porn but I can't imagine that it's much different than "Bromance". On the extended mix, the drinking continues with "Alcohol" by Barenaked Ladies and "Polar Opposites" by Modest Mouse.

"Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd: People in reality TV have an amazing ability to exhibit passionate apathy. They will hem and haw about having to make changes, some people get visibly upset, others change their facebook status, but they usually defuse themselves by saying "Whatever. I don't care. It's not a big deal." They then make the requested changes and go back to IMing their friends or trying to make fantasy football trades.

"No Need to Argue" by The Cranberries: Everything is calm. It's over and done. You've learned from your mistakes and promise not to get worked up about notes. But you will. As you head to the next notes meeting you'll be humming "Road to Nowhere" and expecting the worst.

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