I listen to a lot of podcasts so doing this has brought me back into the music fold as of late. And I’m glad because I’d forgotten some of the simple pleasures that go with listening to tunes. Here again is what happened when I hit shuffle on my Ipod. Nothing has been omitted.

Interpol – Wrecking Ball

Law of diminishing returns? Interpol’s first album is an all out masterpiece. The second album, while not as good still has it’s great moments. This song, off their third release sounds great after giving it a long rest. Maybe it’s context, but this album may require a second listen.

Make Up – Joy of Sound

In the late 90’s no one was making music as important as this. Groovy, hard and dirty all at once. These guys changed indie rock forever and only a few people were witnesses.

Iggy Pop – Sister Midnight

The mountain of coke that fueled this low key funk jam had to be as high as the Berlin wall. Seems unstuck in time even though it was recorded in 1977.

Virgin Prunes – Pagan Love Song

I had to take the Ipod out of my pocket to see who this was. It harkens back to a simpler time for me but listening to someone sing about his wet dream wasn’t something I’d do twice.

Bright Black Morning Light – All We Have Broken Shines

More stony weirdness that could be a Mazzy Star song sung by someone who got a hold of the downers Iggy had to do to come down from recording The Idiot.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Ain’t No Telling

If Hendrix wasn’t a genius, then the sky isn’t blue. Fast little tune that showcases how tight his band was as well.

Amusement Parks on Fire – Wiper

One of those bands that I don’t know where they came from or where they went but right in my damn wheel house. Shoegazery with a stoner rock edge. This is what I want to hear as I head off into the void. Scratch that. I want to listen to “Into the Void.”

Superchunk – Trash Heap

When I think of what my life was like in the early 90’s, Superchunk is the soundtrack. The little riff and break down in this song? It’s just so right it gives me the shivers.

Johnny Cash – Rowboat

Keep em coming Ipod. Cash may have been ailing when he recorded these latter albums but he was still bad as shit. I think this is a Beck cover and it never sounded better in Johnny’s capable hands.

The Geto Boyz – 1,2, the 3

Believe it or not, but this recent Geto Boyz album is great. None of that vocoder crap or whatever Cher uses. The Bushwick Bill part was so filthy it actually shocked me for a second. Then I was alright.

Guided By Voices – Big Fan of the Pigpen

I’m telling you this Ipod is haunted. More early 90’s classics. Someone would pay a lot of money these days for a producer to put that kind of low-fi buzz into a song. Bob Pollard is some kind of genius in his own right.

Beck – Think I’m In Love

Beck makes another appearance only this time as himself. Beck’s last couple of albums have been ridiculously good and this is a prime example of that. Must be underrated genius night for the ol’ Ipod.

Jay-Z – Interlude

Well, it is an interlude after all. Still, it’s nice.

Cat Stevens – Lilywhite

The string part after the first verse just grabs my heart and gently squeezes it.

Willie Nelson w/ Toots Hibbert – I’m A Worried Man

From Willie’s reggae album. Fitting that a cover of a Johnny Cash song made it on the list….this Ipod is up to something. But how come this wasn’t played on modern country radio? Oh that’s right. Because a 19 year old who looks like a hooker wasn’t singing it. Better get on that Willie. Add Toots Hibbert to the list of underrated geniuses. Or maybe it’s just that only a small group of people know he has one of the greatest voices in reggae. He certainly lends some credibility to the song. If only he was 19. And a chick. And looked like a hooker.

If you’ve ever read anything I’ve written about movies, you will know I don’t like going to the theater. Rubbing elbows with the slack jawed masses gives me the creeps. The loud breathing, dead stares and cell phones going off doesn’t make for a good movie going experience in my opinion.

But I’ve been going lately because my kid doesn’t have the same hang-ups about movie theaters and I want him to figure out for himself that the people who go to the 7 pm first night showing of Transformers 2 are not the brightest of bulbs.

I usually take my son to a matinee of the movie he wants to see a week or two after it has been out and there’s typically no one there. Not this week however.

This week I took him to see Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief on the day it opened. The theater wasn’t packed but there were more folks there than I was used to. Some teenage boys, who I at first took to be special needs kids, turned out to be just gawky teen age boys that sat down in our aisle. They were surprisingly well behaved. Maybe they were retarded after all.

Freaks aside, there was something else that bugged the shit out of me during this movie experience: The “pre” previews. I don’t know whose idea this was, but they should be put in front of me for a slap in the balls. Not only do you have to sit through some sort of Army recruiting Kid Rock music video, but I was treated to a mini-documentary on how great the new Miley Cyrus/Greg Kinnear movie is going to be. So painful. If I have to sit through this shit, shouldn’t the $5 Coke I drank be free?

Then the previews started and I swear to Christ I saw a trailer for a Marmaduke movie with Owen Wilson doing the voice of the comic strip pooch. Not making this up. Owen Wilson has lost his goddamned mind. That or someone drove a dump truck full of money and coke up to his place, put the contract in his hand and started blowing him. There’s no other reason/excuse for this to happen. I’ve read Marmaduke in the comics a thousand times and never once did I ever think, “damn, this would make a fucking excellent movie.” The only people it did occur to were the studio hacks who signed off on it and Owen Wilson as he did the back stroke in his pile of money and coke.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is such a knock off of Harry Potter, they don’t even try to hide it. It’s impossible due to the ham fisted script, so why even try? Percy (Logan Lerman) is the son of a Greek God he never knew (Poseidon) and doesn’t assume he’s special. There’s trouble when Zeus’s lightning bolt is stolen and Percy is the suspect. His home life is unpleasant and I was shocked to learn he didn’t live under the stairs. Then he’s then ushered into a magical world he didn’t know existed where he’s the “chosen” one. He’s preternaturally good at activities he’s never engaged in and people look out for him while evil forces try to attack him.

J.K. Rowling is owed a check, that’s all I’m saying. That aside, the film is a moderately entertaining action movie that plays fast and loose with Greek Myth while using tons of CGI to bring various legendary creatures to life. The story however is very clunky: Percy wants nothing to do with the convoluted war that will happen if the lightning bolt is not returned. He sets off with his goat legged protector (Brandon T. Jackson) to find his mother (Katherine Keener) who is imprisoned by Hades. Athena’s daughter (Alexandra Daddario) inexplicably decides to join them and like Hogwarts magic, any conflict between them is conveniently written out of the picture. Also conveniently relieved of explanation is why all the half human children of Greek Gods live in a camp (Camp Half Blood – Rowling will take cash this time) and don’t venture outside of it. What is there purpose in the world? There’s so many unanswered questions offered up by the ramshackle screenplay, I spent more time thinking about them than wondering how Percy and crew were able to drive from Nashville to Las Vegas in a matter of hours.

Percy saves the day. Surprise. And the guy who they thought was helping them is really the Lightning Thief. Shocker. Then they rescue Katherine Keener and she tells Percy she rectified her chaotic home life by kicking out his deadbeat step-father (played by Joe Pantoliano in what has to be the most ridiculous, clichéd performance of the year) when it was already explained they were living in his apartment. If it wasn’t for the fairly top notch CGI and lack of giant ants, I would have thought I was watching something produced exclusively for Sy-Fy.

Anyone under the age of 15 should enjoy this. Over that and you’ve got some real problems. The fact that the story was such a re-hash of Potter wouldn’t really matter if the script wasn’t such a shambles. The acting isn’t too bad but when the characters are required to run to one place and fight a monster and then run to the next place and do the same thing, it gets old fast. The script runs out of time exactly at the same point that Percy does. Shit gets resolved and the possibility for a sequel is securely anchored down. I’m $15 lighter and greasy teens breathed on me for two hours. That Miley Cyrus movie isn’t looking too bad right now.

I’ve had this idea for awhile and last night sealed it for me: my Ipod is awesome…or I am. I’d like to think this reflects on my good taste, but let’s give it up for my Ipod for selecting such great songs shall we?  This was done while I was working. I just hit shuffle and let me vast music library offer up its bounty. Nothing has been omitted.

$20 – MIA

I guess it’s a cover of sorts of one of my favorite Pixies songs? Doesn’t matter, it’s a stellar track and bodes well for the selection tonight.

2:1 – Elastica

O.k. maybe not. Probably not Elastica’s best considering it’s kind of a downer and I could play the guitar solo, but it’s nostalgia factor was worth it.

Hard Luck Kid – Street Dogs

Ah, there we go: Great track with, as usual, a fantastic chorus.

Sentimental Johnny – Flogging Molly

Complete and total rip off of the Pogues “Fiesta” which I’m sure is a nod to the legendary band. Goes on a little too long, but probably not bad to play if you’re four margaritas deep.

I’m a Carpenter (part 1) – David Robinson

Got this from a funk comp I bought in Ireland. And no, not a Carpenter like the musicians, but like a love carpenter. As in “let me work on your building.” Put this on after your fifth margarita.

Caterpillar March – Kyuss

Older Kyuss that sonically isn’t quite there yet, but still packs a southern California, Sabbath infused punch.

Africa – John Coltrane

It starts out mellow enough but this nearly 17 minute song gets cooking rather quickly. The drummer and the bass player have a secret pact and Coltrane has his way with his sax throughout. Epitomizes 60’s jazz and what I hear when I think of Coltrane.

You Don’t Know What Love Is (you just do as you’re told) – The White Stripes

Nice, tidy slow rocker from these guys and a great palate cleanser after the meal that was Coltrane.

Is This Love – Bob Marley and the Wailers

Maybe the one misfire in the whole bunch. Even so, for a pop reggae song, it’s still better than anything that has been written in the last 30 years since it was released. And it’s on Kaya which is a great album, so all you reggae officiandos can bite me.

Tumbling Dice – Rolling Stones

Back on track with the Stones. Classic song that everyone knows, but jesus it’s good.

Church For Thugs – The Game

I don’t have too much time to weigh in on which rapper is fighting with his contemporaries, but this album was my soundtrack for a whole summer while I mowed the lawn. THUG LIFE!

On the Banks of the Old Pontchartrain – Hank Williams

The Game and Hank Williams would have probably done a duet if Hank was alive today.

Superhumans – The Flaming Lips

Older Flaming Lips track that hints at some of their more grandiose moments yet to come.

Jump Around (Pete Rock Remix) – House of Pain

Great remix of this song with an extra rap by someone who isn’t in House of Pain. Don’t laugh, if you’re drunk in a bar and this comes on, you’re bouncing, even a small bit, on your barstool.

Swan Swan H – REM

Beautiful REM song way before they were rich enough to let their pretentiousness get the best of them.

Something About You – Boston

Love this album. Definitely remember it from when I was a kid, but I found a new respect for it many years later. Stellar 70’s power pop.

Nude as the News – Cat Power

Noisy, yet pretty Cat Power song that somehow name checks Jesse Jackson. Great stuff, long before she was rich and sober enough to let her weirdness get the best of her.

The Wrong Coat For You Mt. Heart Attack – Liars

Wildly underrated? I don’t know if that’s accurate, but it is great and certainly far better than anything Radiohead has put out in the last couple of years.

Things Behind the Sun – Nick Drake

Well shit. I’m wrapping up work at this point and Nick seems to bringing the ship back into port. Foggy days, big sweaters and the promise of warming yourself by the fire.

Microphone Fiend – Eric B and Rakim

It’s hip hop remix night. Although this doesn’t say it is one, this isn’t the original version of the song. Regardless, not only a hip hop classic but one of the better songs of the 80’s in general.

Helicopter (Whitey Version) – Bloc Party

Am I the whitey this was meant for? Rounding out remix night is a decent version of this song. There are better remixes out there but this one hits the right buttons when it counts.

Letter Never Sent – REM

Another REM gem. This one got me through a lot of low points in high school. Or did it cause them? I don’t know but this song is great. Wait. Should I risk one more?

King Tubby – Unknown track

It’s unknown because I paused the Ipod when this song was on and when I plugged it in to check the songs, this one didn’t show up. But I included it as a way to combat that horrendous BMW song from before. I knew you could do it Ipod.

new column about Broncos trip to London: http://tinyurl.com/ylbq766

When people Rush Limbaugh cares about need some help, I want you all to lend a hand. I know it will be hard to do. Considering Rush’s obvious and inflammatory comments about the earthquake in Haiti, I still want everyone to show this fat gas bag what it’s like to be a human being.

Rush was really trying to rip into Obama when he claimed the President would use this horrible tragedy to his benefit. Well I’m pretty sure he will – he’s a politician after all– but even if someone can wield his mighty power to help these people, we’ll take it right? Rush ain’t having it. So if he doesn’t like you, stand on the sidelines and do nothing.

Rush also said, “We’ve already donated to Haiti. It’s called the U.S. income tax.”  That’s a pretty cynical statement from a pathologically cynical and nasty man. But even if you believe this, keep that one to yourself.

I think the wave of apathy toward the situation in Haiti does stem from the fact that the country is a shit hole. No one goes on vacation there anymore because of the crime and rampant AIDS. In other words, it has nothing to offer the U.S. but a hand held out for more cash we don’t have.  People like Rush hate this kind of country: he’d like to go there and score some illegal pain killers, but he’d get robbed leaving the airport and catch the AIDS from whatever teen age girl he had sent to his room.

Pat Robertson, a mentally ill religious nut claimed Haiti was cursed by a pact it made with the Devil many years ago, thus causing this horrific natural disaster. He claimed that when the Haitians were dominated by the French, the whole country had a sit down with Satan who agreed to kick the French out. Things have been looking up ever since. I don’t know what’s worse about this statement: that the people of Haiti made a deal with the Devil, or that Pat Robertson believes any of this. Regardless, he thinks they shouldn’t have kicked the French out in the first place because the country went in the crapper as soon as the white people left.

Again, even if you think that, keep it to yourself right now.

Why anyone is shocked and dismayed by Limbaugh and Robertson’s comments is the real comedy here. One knows exactly what he’s saying and the other has become so paranoid and delusional because of religion, he has no idea what’s coming out of his mouth. But you expect this from Limbaugh and giving him any extra attention for his “outrageous” comments will just make the next poop nugget to fall from his mouth even more ridiculous.

Still, the best thing you can do is the help Rush out. When the roof of the country club collapses onto scores of rich white people, lend a hand. It may just show him that people are people no matter where they live or what color their skin is. And besides, he’s too fat to actually help anyway.

My latest and almost greatest over at the AV Club Denver:

http://tiny.cc/aTsVw

I just watched my new favorite show, Apocalypse Man on the History Channel. I’m a sucker for anything involving the end of the world and this show, starring ex-Marine Rudy Reyes was Armageddon porn for someone like me.

hopefully he doesn't get too hungry

The show’s premise is that an unnamed catastrophe has presumably wiped out the human race and one man navigates his way through the wreckage, teaching you how to survive. This kind of thing is near and dear to my heart because I have an unfinished novel with the same basic idea. I’m just throwing that out there so if I ever do finish it, no one can accuse me of totally ripping off Apocalypse Man.

But I may have to rip it off a little bit because there really is some cool information presented on the show: how to get gas from gas station holding tanks, how to hot wire a car, how to make bio diesel, and where to find one of those living dolls so you can have sex. Alright, I added the last one, but that’s certainly something I would need to find out.

The show is fascinating and I hope there’s more. But there were a couple of things that bugged me though: Reyes runs around serpentine like there are snipers everywhere. He’s established during his conversations with the camera that he needs to find people. I can understand watching your back, but I kept expecting your garden variety flesh eaters to come chasing after him. They didn’t. Yet he kept running like he was being hunted which made it all too dramatic.

Where was his gun? The first stop after I woke up to find everyone gone would be to the gun store. Then it wouldn’t matter who you met along the road – a survivor, hungry dog, cannibal mutant – you’d be ready for them.

He took an older model diesel SUV and prepared his own fuel for it. Cool. But when he broke in to the vehicle, he busted out the driver side window to gain access. Anyone who’s ever stolen a car knows you don’t bust out that window. Sitting on broken glass, no matter the situation, is not fun.

I know they were going for a certain feel but everywhere they filmed looked like a burned out husk. I don’t know how long Reyes was supposed to have been on his own, but there would at least be some buildings in nice shape still right? Pottery Barn would still be in good shape right?

More to that point, he had to salvage an old battery from the weeds to power a vehicle. If the world ended and no one was around, wouldn’t you just walk over to Sears and grab a new battery off the rack? I would. And I’d grab a box of those auto air fresheners to clear up any corpse smell I came in contact with.

Small gripes to be sure, but the overall appeal of the show more than made up for it. I don’t know if it’s just the 12 year old in me lovingly dreaming of surviving the zombie apocalypse, but Apocalypse Man was the best thing I’ve seen in awhile. Now if I can just finish my story before the world does end, I’ll be happy.

My latest column over at AV Club Denver.

If you live and die by Fox News you are either A) old and it’s just easier this way, B) dumb as a fucking stump, or C) you’re cashing in on the first two.

I’m no fan of any politician and I certainly understand that the news media is essentially Entertainment Tonight with Iraq coverage, but Fox News is just one of many things that is seriously wrong with this country.

And once again, Jon Stewart and crew point out just how shameful and reckless these Nazis really are:

From the Daily Show

A tip of the cap to the dearly departed Barrel Man.

LINK