It’s not news that Fox News is a megaphone for the conservative movement and a right-wing media propaganda tool. It always has been, regardless of its original tagline promising “fair and balanced” coverage (haven’t seen that graphic in a while). There has always been one anchor there, though, even from the beginning, and usually reporting in the afternoons, that has been the lone voice of reason – an actual reporter surrounded by bumbling idiots, analysts, and pundits shouting rhetoric and heresy rather than fact.
A man who seeks to deliver the news, nothing more, nothing less. A man who usually keeps his views to himself, but when asked, will become the voice of reason in a room full of shouting matches. While Bill O’Reilly and Glenn Beck squawk and squeal, this man sits back and does his job for the viewers at home, rather than for the content managers behind the camera.
That man is Shepard Smith.
After the jump are some of my favorite YouTube-rendered moments of Shep sticking to his guns, proving that knowledge is power, valuing his journalistic duty over ratings credentials, and making an effort to actually keep things “fair and balanced.”
Today I continue my ten-part series showcasing my personal picks for the best songs of last year.
40. Phoenix – Lisztomania
It’s been a long time coming, but thanks to Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, the French quartet are now a festival circuit band and one of the biggest groups in the world. Their jazz-fused, stream-of-consciousness take on upbeat pop is clearly expressed through this track, featuring an unconventional chorus that, like so many things Phoenix, works perfectly, even if it’s a bit outside the boundaries of what we normally hear on CHR.
A few things this week – first, there’s Ron Artest’s press conference. It’s clear he’s the Dennis Rodman of the next decade.
Next, the Dallas Observer rips into the Republican Party of Texas Convention 2010. Make sure you read the comments.
Finally, Amy Poehler has launched a very cool website – SmartGirlsAttheParty.Com, that is both funny and a pretty awesome concept at the same time. Check out the first video at the site.
Today I continue my ongoing feature showcasing my personal picks for the best songs of the past decade, posting ten songs at a time.
240. Menomena – Wet and Rusting
The finest track from Friend and Foe begins with Menomena’s trademark effects layered across an odd strumming pattern. By the time we reach the second chorus, the track turns into a cavalcade of rolling drums and scaling piano lines. And to top it all off, it’s simply beautiful.
Up until about a month ago, I lived in the blue part of that “map” up there – I recently transferred to deep in the red, but I have been a Texan my whole life. And there’s no place like it. Anyone visiting will tell you: there’s something about the Lone Star State, a vibe, a sense of pride you can’t find anywhere else in the Union, or the world for that matter. And I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon.
One of the best things about Texas is the music – from the country background of our capital to the rock and roll roots of the South Plains, to the Dirty South “Screwston” scene, to the metal movement based in DFW. Harlem, Willie, Buddy, Pantera, Paul Wall, we’ve got it all. I invite you to listen to the new mix Subservient Experiment has posted featuring only the finest in the state’s indie rock offerings. It’s an awesome sampling of great tunes from such a huge land mass, and it has inspired me to make my own mix.
So enjoy a helping of tracks from the friendliest region on the planet. I think you’ll agree: everything’s bigger in Texas, even the sounds.
Today he’s a boring, coffeeshop Good Morning America staple, but back in the 70’s, James Taylor led the songwriter craze of pop, alongside the likes of Carole King and Joni Mitchell. I still get a lot of flack for loving Taylor, but anyone who has heard his bestselling Greatest Hits album knows the scope, brevity, and sheer genius of the man.
Originally a product of the Beatles’ ill-fated Apple label, Taylor went on to become one of the bestselling artists of all time. His music is completely accessible and your mom loves it, but from a historical perspective Taylor was the forerunner of a movement in pop music, the early 70’s answer to the overdone, overproduced, over-dramatic bands of the late 60’s. With the Vietnam War still raging and the US in a period of civil unrest, James Taylor and his acoustic guitar represented a more laid-back, back-to-basics side of rock and roll. And the music was pretty amazing, too. Actually, it’s timeless.
He may not “rock” in a traditional, cliche, loud-guitar sense, but for any fan of true music and beautiful songwriting, James Taylor totally rocks. Some hits after the jump.
