Dec
6
2010
Nov
24
2010
Recommended Reading 11/24/10
Nov
17
2010
Paragraph Reviews 11/17/10
Music, Movies, Television, etc. Pop culture reviews for the short-attention-span Internet age.
Nicki Minaj – Pink Friday
Call it a case of the hype machine, but upon several initial listens, it would seem Nicki gave away her best verses to other people’s songs. Certainly we are asking too much if we expected the album to be more “Roman’s Revenge” and less “Your Love” – and that is something (albeit a disappointing fact) that I’m willing to overlook. The production is slick, the melodies are catchy, and Minaj has a great singing voice. So what if the finished product is a little too soft R&B and less manic schizo rapping? Nicki has many faces; the first impression was obviously just one of many styles. But the rhymes on this album do not live up to Minaj’s past work on tracks by Diddy, Trey Songz, Kanye, etc. The cadence is samey, the words are lazily repetitive, the dead air is filled by stuttering, and the unwritten law of rap is violated many times (the one that says you can’t rhyme a word with the same word….it’s the same word). Pink Friday will be a moderate success, but it’s not strong enough of a debut to give Nicki the promotion from “featured” to “standalone” artist.
Rating: 6
Two more after the jump…
Oct
8
2010
My Top 300 Songs of the 2000s – 150-141
Today I continue my ongoing feature showcasing my personal picks for the best songs of the past decade, posting ten songs at a time.
150. Kanye West – Stronger
The Daft Punk-sampling first single from Graduation not only showed a compelling progression in West’s production, but it showcased his always-improving lyrical prowess. Kanye’s known for his incessant bragging and unfathomable ego, but with beats and words this precise, this banging, this funny, he continued the consistency of delivering on his Cassius Clay-channeling talk.
Sep
13
2010
Five MP3s You Must Grab 9/13/10
Aug
1
2010
Random Web Findings: Happy Birthday to Me
The Unemployment Chronicles — Ten College Grads, Ten Stories
Script Surfaces for Lost SNL Movie Co-Written by Conan O’Brien
The Web Means the End of Forgetting
The 8 Sexiest Subway Systems in the World
Top 10 Celebrity Music-Video Cameos
How To Find A Job NOW: 7 Crucial Tips From A Career Expert
The 10 Most Sacrilegious Music Videos of All Time
The 15 Most Annoying Ringtones You Can Get
9 Amazing Attempts To Live Off the Electricity Grid
Nine Movie Pitches Based On Facebook Apps
Nine Nostalgic Nintendo Games to Secretly Play at Work
Moogy Blues: Ten Quintessential Moog Songs
10 Ways Darth Vader Might Be Spending the Money He Stole
10 Great Movie Plot Twists (And Five We Totally Saw Coming)
10 Books That Will Help You Improve Your Writing (Or Your Sanity)
Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Indie Film
Crap At My Parents’ House: An Homage To Mom & Dad’s Terrifying Belongings
The Celestial Jukebox: Unlimited Music Services Face Off
The 25 Greatest Boot Camp Clik Songs Of All Time
13 Of The Most Ridiculous Things Overheard In Bookstores
The Most Obvious Headlines Of All Time
The Coolest Minimalist Websites Ever
10 Moments of Cynical Sincerity in Adam Sandler Comedies
Racist, Racy, ‘Derogatory’: 13 Facebook Posts That Got People CANNED
The Funniest Notes Left For Thieves Ever Written
The Most Expensive P.R. Bait Restaurant Dish Gimmicks
9 of the Most Amazing Bookstores in the World
15 Films the Geek Crowd Really Wants to See
Bizarre Magazine’s 31 Geekiest Places
The 19 Most Regrettable Pop Culture Tattoos
The 15 BEST iPad Apps Every User Should Try
10 Reasons To Label Genetically Engineered Foods
Austin: Top Ten Things Newbies Should Know
11 Of The Best MFA Writing Programs
The Top Ten Rap Supergroups That Never Happened
Top 10 States With The SLOWEST Internet Speeds
10 Weirdest Sites To See In America
40 Comics That Should Be TV Shows
The Best Tweets of Kanye West’s First 24 Hours on Twitter
The World’s 15 Best Countries For End-Of-Life Care
The Definitive Beastie Boys Sample Source Collection
The 15 Biggest Bestsellers EVER After The Bible
The Funniest Facebook Page Suggestions Ever
2010 Is the Worst Year for Movies Ever, Just Like Every Year Before It
Apr
6
2010
My Top 300 Songs of the 2000s – 280-271
Today I continue my ongoing feature showcasing my personal picks for the best songs of the past decade, posting ten songs at a time.
280. Say Anything – Wow! I Can Get Sexual Too
At this point I feel I need to make a quick reminder (especially to my music snob friends) that a lot of the songs in this list are not really songs I listen to on a regular basis. Most of them are here for nostalgic purposes and to give a perspective of my preference and its evolution over the past ten years. Having stated that, I love all these songs; they all hold a special place in my….uh, music heart. And, as they say, much like most countdowns, as the numbers get smaller, the hits get bigger. So hang in there, hipsters!
That being said, this song is really dumb. The lyrics are stupid, in a Bloodhound Gang kind of way (look for them later in the list, kids!), and this band really does nothing for me. But when this song came out, I rocked this bitch like it was “Stairway to Heaven.” And just try not to smile once while listening. The guy’s voice is humorously absurd, much like the story he’s telling.
Mar
25
2010
My Top 300 Songs of the 2000s – 290-281
Today I continue my ongoing feature showcasing my personal picks for the best songs of the past decade, posting ten songs at a time.
290. Les Claypool – Iowan Gal
Where do I begin? Les is one of my all-time favorites, and his past decade work will be represented well on this list through his Oysterhead project, solo work, and songs from his main band Primus. Needless to say, I’m a die-hard fan; I first discovered Les and Primus back in 1996 when my cousin Joe brought Pork Soda to my house during a Christmas visit.
Claypool’s solo work is weirder and leans toward jam-band noodling sometimes, but “Iowan Gal” is good ol’ Les, mostly just him and his mighty bass guitar slapping, popping, and showing off. It’s funky, humorous, and a return to form from the great weird one.
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