Artists of the Month
- Calvin Harris: This month, the 6' 5.5" Scottish lad got us all to put our shoes on so we would be ready for the weekend and the High Contrast remix put me in a Beetha state of mind. Also, he has done remixes of MIKA's new track "We Are Golden." The man is redefining the potential of Electro.
- Mr. Hudson: His Canal Room show was rockin' - even more so because he went on with the show even though he was under the weather. "Supernova" is a hit with or without Kanye.
- Basement Jaxx: New singles have been released, the best of which are "Feelings Gone" (featuring the golden tongued Sam Sparro) and "She's No Good" (featuring the always welcome, super soulful Mr. Eli "Paperboy" Reed). And there is still a matter of that little song known as "Raindrops." Not to mention the awesome graphics that accompany it all. Scars is going to be one hell of an album.
- Dizzee Rascal: Blowing up the airwaves, or at least my earbuds and stereo, with a little ditty called "Holiday." Featuring clever lyrics and rhymes, it is produced by the uber-talented Mr. Calvin Harris, who brings a massive backing track to the whole affair. More Ibiza cravings.
- Magistrates: "Heartbreak" is a killer song. Totally hooked after one listen.
- Alex Cornish: Soulful music for lazy summer nights, or winter nights, or any night you want to curl up with a book and escape from all the rest of it. "The King of Hearts" and "The Trouble I Am" are choice tracks.
Things I Cooked
- Triple-creme french cheese sandwiches with green apple
- Curried carrot soup
- Curried tuna and egg salad sandwiches
- Zesty crab cakes
- Israeli couscous salad with broccoli, dried fruits, and lemon vinaigrette
Movies
- The Hurt Locker
- Public Enemies
- Star Trek (4th viewing)
- (500) Days of Summer
- In the Loop (2nd best movie of the summer - laugh out loud hilarity)
- The Ugly Truth
- Shrink
Books
- Can't Buy Me Love, Jonathan Gould. Fascinating look at The Beatles and the cultural and societal movements going on around them. This is as much a history of music's role in the decade that stretched from the late 1950's to the late 1960's as it is a history of one of the world's most revered and storied bands. While I learned many many interesting things about both music history and The Beatles, my one most fascinating fact is that Beatles albums released in the US were often completely different from the albums originally released in the UK, from track listings to cover art. This meant that American fan at the time were not exposed to The Beatles true visions for their albums, which is sad seeing as how they were pioneers of the album format.
- The Associate, John Grisham. A bit of a return to classic Grisham and a great read for ambitious young New Yorkers. However, it seemed a bit like an imitation of vintage Grisham rather than the true article and I found the ending extremely unsatisfying. It was like a lite version of The Firm.
- The Thrill of It All, David Buckley. In an odd way, this history of Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music picks up where The Beatles books left off at the end of the 60's. After reading such a masterful musical biography in Can't Buy Me Love, this book felt like a bit of a let down as it was not as well crafted. However, the story of Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music is an interesting one and took me through the British music scene in the 70's, so I am glad to have read it.
- The Tummy Trilogy, Calvin Trillin. An enjoyable, light foodie read that got me laughing out loud on several occasions. As it was written in the 70's and early 80's, it presents a very different food landscape than the one I know today. It was interesting to compare the foodie landscape in Trillin's New York to the one that exists today.
Theater
I have to give a special shout-out to Farragut North at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. This play was one of the best I've seen, a very close second to "Fault Lines" at the Cherry Lane here in New York last fall. The script was above average with some nice plot twists and great character development. But the thing that really brought it all home was the acting; especially Chris Pine. I have a soft spot for him to begin with (he was the whole reason I made a special trip clear across the country just to see a play), but he really rocked this thing. He developed his character so fully and deeply that by the final scenes your heart went out to his character; pitied him, but at the same time were disgusted with/by him. If it were possible, I would go see this play again because it is an extremely enjoyable, well-acted piece of theater.
