Top 20 new band names, per the first 2008 Presidential debate
By the time we got around to watching last Friday's debate between Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama, we were more than a little loopy (thanks, ACL). Our feet were weary, our voices shot and our lungs full of dust, but our inner Dave Barrys were on fire: Despite the gravity of the issues at hand, all we could hear coming from the mouths of these two very powerful and important men were band names. Goofy band names. Awesome band names. Names of bands we want to own all the albums by. Names of bands whose fans we want... read more
Trailer Stash: Australia, Benjamin Button and Seven Pounds
And now, a brief look at a few of the latest movie trailers to hit the web:AustraliaRelease Date: Nov. 26Director: Baz LuhrmannStarring: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, David Wenham On the surface, Australia seems to radiate quality and prestige. Sumptuous costumes? Check. Gorgeous candy-colored hues? Check. Epic war-time romance? Check. Sure-to-be-terrific performances? Well, maybe. Neither Kidman or Jackman look entirely comfortable, and just because the two hail from down under doesn't guarantee they'll have chemistry on screen. Luhrmann's previous films (Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge!) have often leaned a little more toward style than substance. Despite that, the trailer proves... read more
Dance the Pain Away: 5 Songs to Assuage Your Bailout Blues
In 2005, Mountain Goats frontman John Darnielle released a terrific little song called “Dance Music,” which chronicled the harrowing experience of growing up. The point of the song was that, when times get really hard, it’s easy to find escapist comfort in dance music. In moments of chaos, Darnielle suggests, you can use the simple pleasures of a dance track to drown out the noise—“so this is what the volume knob’s for,” he sings in one memorable line. We love this sentiment. Lately, dance music is practically all we listen to. And perhaps it’s no coincidence that 2008 has been a... read more
TV Detail: Pushing Daisies review. Season 2 Premiere—"Bzzzzzzzzz!"
As last night's season premiere proved, there is nothing else on television that can match the dreamlike whimsy of Pushing Daisies—a comforting, sugary confection as light and sweet as cotton candy. The chemistry between the show's four leads—the endearingly boyish Lee Pace as Ned, the piemaker; the sunny Anna Friel as Ned's childhood sweetheart Charlotte, a.k.a. "Chuck"; the deadpan Chi McBride as the private eye Emerson Cod; and Kristin Chenoweth, who plays Ned's co-worker and secret admirer Olive Snook with perky verve—is so charming it's combustible. There is undeniable magic about a show built on the premise of bringing people... read more
The 10 Best Hip-Hop Songs VH1 Forgot
VH1 just announced the “100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs Ever!!!” and the list isn’t terrible. It’s actually pretty good. They have Public Enemy's “Fight The Power” in the right place (# 1), they identified the best Notorious B.I.G. song (“Juicy”) and, apart from the egregious inclusion of Coolio (at #38 with the horrendous “Gangsta’s Paradise”), they don’t have a lot of embarrassing inclusions. But they did forget some amazing tracks. Here, in 10 words or less, we make the case for the 10 best hip-hop songs VH1 forgot. They may not trump “Fight They Power,” but they’re all better than anything... read more
Crystal Bands Are the New Animal Bands
It hasn't even been a year since we posted our field guide to animal bands, and there's already a new trend emerging: crystals. Some of my favorite songs this year are from bands with the beautiful quartz in their names: Crystal Antlers, Crystal Castles, Crystal Stilts and Crystal Skulls.Listen below and let us know whether the mineral kingdom is a worthy successor to the animal crown. Related Links: Rhymes With Five: Gossip Girl Stole My iPod Brooklyn Vegan: Crystal Antlers Tour Dates... read more
Janelle Monae's "Many Moons" video released
It's no secret I'm obsessed with Janelle Monáe. I don't think I've ever been this excited about an artist. It's still early in her career (she's only released an EP), but virtually everyone who's seen her perform agrees she's will be a superstar. Smart lyrics, impeccable image, ecclectic genre-bending music, mind-blowing live performances, thoughtful interviews. She has it all. Bloggers are quick to draw OutKast comparisons (especially since Big Boi discovered her), but her appeal is even broader. If she maintains the quality she's displayed so far, she has 1980s-Michael-Jackson potential (in breadth of appeal if not in album sales... read more
Top 10 films by which to remember Paul Newman
Paul Newman left behind a historic career with more than 60 films to his credit... read more
Rock ’N’ Roll Animal: Five notable moments in cross-species collaboration
Recently in the Paste office, we received a press release about an Oct. 6 event called Gimme Shelter, which will feature Debbie Harry, Moby and Earl Greyhound, and which was described as a “concert benefiting NYC’s at-risk animals.” Being dog-owners ourselves, we were moved by the whole idea—moved, that is, to commemorate Gimme Shelter with a list of other significant collaborations between musicians and animals. We’re sure we missed some good ones. Add yours in the comments.... read more
The Story of the 2008 Presidential Election in Song: A Playlist (Part 1)
In honor of this Friday night's presidential debate between John McCain and Barack Obama (the first of three)—and my obsession with politics as full-contact sport—I've compiled the following playlist to tell the story of the 2008 election so far. Whether you're red, blue, independent or other, enjoy.Part I: The Primaries “Changes” - David Bowie The Thin White Duke sings about what us young (and old) Americans want in Washington this year.... read more
The Story of the 2008 Presidential Election in Song: A Playlist (Part 2)
Part 2: The Conventions/The General Election Begins “Nearly Lost You” - The Screaming Trees A blistering grunge-rock anthem for the almost-barred Michigan and Florida delegates, who—after much heated debate—were finally seated at the Democratic National Convention. Nearly lost you - Screaming Trees... read more
The Story of the 2008 Presidential Election in Song: A Playlist (Parts 3-5)
Part 3: The Media “You’re The Best” - Joe Esposito CNN claims it’s got “The Best Political Team on Television,” while Fox News claims it’s got “The Best Political Team Ever.” With slogans this superlative, how come the coverage sucks so bad? Youre the Best Around - Joe Esposito... read more
Rhymes With Five: Most confusing moments of the 60th Emmy Awards
I watched last night's Emmy Awards ceremony while unpacking from a weekend out of town, and only then because there were no Law & Order SVU re-runs on. (It's another story for another day, but man, I love unpacking in the company of Benson and Stabler, et al. Something about that particular brand of completely predictable yet oh so compelling melodrama really helps one unwind from a long drive and focus the mind on eliminating that strange stale/rotten smell that cropped up over the long weekend.) Occasionally, something would rise above the droning mess of forced jokes and awkward teleprompter... read more
Front to back, and a little bit more: Ben Folds Five reunites in Chapel Hill
One song into Ben Folds Five's first show in eight years, the regrets were already pooling up. "If I'd known about this gig, I'd have sequenced the album differently," Folds heaved, grabbing for a water bottle as the last notes of "Narcolepsy" were swallowed by the crowd's applause. Fair enough: The song works beautifully as the opener of The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner, the band's last album, which they played in its entirety last night at UNC Chapel Hill's Memorial Hall at the behest of MySpace and for the benefit of Operation Smile. But in terms of ideal set-list... read more
Ben Folds Five is reuniting tonight, and Paste will be there
I'm hitting the road in a few minutes, heading up to Chapel Hill, N.C. for Ben Folds Five's first live show in eight years, which I still kind of can't believe is actually happening.... read more
TV Detail: Confessions, revelations and doppelgängers on MTV's The Hills
As an introduction to what may be both the first ever and last ever post on PasteMagazine.com about MTV's The Hills, I feel I should offer some kind of explanation as to why, exactly, I watch this show. Why, exactly, I allow these producer-contrived, forced, unrealistic stories (if you can even call them stories-- more often than not, "loose amalgamation of somewhat related bits of dialog and people staring at each other" would better apply) of these shallow, listless, over-priviledged human beings to suck away half-hour upon half-hour of my life every Monday night. Why, exactly, despite the sheer ridiculousness... read more
First Impressions of iTunes Genius
Just last week, during a brainstorming session, Paste publisher Nick Purdy wondered aloud why Apple hasn't done much with the listening preferences contained in his iTunes library. With the introduction of its Genius playlist generator, Apple has put all that data to work, and the results are surprisingly good. Here's a sample of what iTunes gave me on my first three Genius playlists: ... read more
Does a McCain/Palin ticket = Tigh/Roslin Battlestar ticket?
So, while the rest of the media world chirps over John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as his VP selection, I think we are missing a crucial connection that concerns these candidates eerie similiarities to two Battlestar Galactica characters.Could John McCain and Sarah Palin really be a ticket for President Laura Roslin and Colonel Saul Tigh? You decide...... read more
Rhymes With Five: Spam worth reading
If you use email, you probably get Spam. It's pretty much a fact of life, and it's nearly as useless to complain about the Spam messages as it is to wonder aloud about what, actually, composes its meaty-ish namesake. (Which, by the way, seems to have undergone a major re-branding of late. "Crazy Tasty"-- really?) Something about Spam email that I find really funny is how it so pointedly-- yet so unsuccessfully-- preys on peoples' fears and insecurities. A few weeks ago, some of Paste's inter-office email lists were besot by numerous Spam emails with subject lines like "what a... read more
Live Review: Tom Petty in ATL (7/9/08)
During our drizzly, overcast haul out to the Atlanta suburbs to see Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers play the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park, my wife wondered aloud “if he’ll play many hits or if it’ll be mostly be stuff I don’t know from his newest album.” The mood in our car was more than a little bleh. What if this show is more trouble than it’s worth? The interstate commute, the inevitable parking debacle, the shitty weather, the prospect of several thousand stumbling-drunk baby boomers pathetically trying to relive their freshman year of college.... read more
The 20 Best Gadgets of the Decade…
The 17 Best Romantic Comedies This Decade
The 50 Best Albums of the Decade…
The 25 Best Movie Performances of the…
Blind Pilot - The Story I Heard
Kim Taylor - Days Like this
B.O.B. - Put Me On
Gregory Alan Isakov - The Moon Song
Punch Brothers - Punch Brothers at CMJ
Anya Marina - Whatever You Like
David Bazan - Hard To Be
