Author Archives:

In the grand scheme of history, the Slavs (with the possible exception of Russia) are better known for being conquered than conquering.  However, I would put their choral traditions against that of any other culture in the world.  I love acapella choral works and nobody does it as well as the Slavs. Read the rest of this entry →

Captain America – The First Avenger is the best comic book movie since The Dark Knight and it competes with Spiderman 2 and X-Men 2 for being the best Marvel adaptation. It isn’t the smartest movie ever made, not is it terribly original, but what it does, it does very well. It is a crowd-pleasing action movie, which is good enough. Read the rest of this entry →

Here’s your list:

1. Merle Haggard
2. The Supremes
3. Jimi Hendrix
4. The Temptations
5. Earth, Wind, and Fire
6. Stevie Wonder
7. Ray Charles
8. Linda Ronstadt
9. Dolly Parton
10. Patsy Cline

We have reached the end of an era. There will be no more disappointing Harry Potter movies. After this weekend, at least. Read the rest of this entry →

Inspired by this thing at McSweeney’s (and the fact that I’ve been meaning to do another for months).

10 artists, pick the best single (aim for hits that came out in the 80s, but you can argue for other inclusions, I guess):

1. Air Supply
2. The Cars
3. The Cure
4. Bryan Adams
5. John Cougar Mellancamp
6. Peter Gabriel (solo only)
7. Motley Crue
8. Eurhythmics
9. The Thompson Twins
10. Pet Shop Boys

You know the drill:

1. Pink Floyd
2. Simon and Garfunkel (no solo Simon)
3. Nirvana
4. ABBA
5. Lynyrd Skynyrd
6. Neil Young (solo work)
7. The Violent Femmes
8. Duran Duran
9. Marvin Gaye
10. Buddy Holly

Here are your options:

1. Johnny Cash
2. The Who
3. They Might Be Giants
4. Dire Straits
5. Christina Aguilera
6. Coldplay
7. Eric Clapton (in or out of a band)
8. Eminem
9. The Police (not Sting)
10. George Michael (in or out of a band)

I’m doing this because Rusty, apparently, isn’t anymore and I liked it. So, here are your artists:

1. The Kinks
2. The Smiths
3. Aimee Mann
4. The White Stripes
5. Alison Krauss (with or without Union Station)
6. Kelly Clarkson
7. Foo Fighters
8. Phil Collins
9. Elton John
10. Bon Jovi

Sometimes, good songs fade into cultural (and personal) obscurity. This is the thread for those songs. Here is my entry:

Enjoy.