Parks and Recreation: "Operation Ann" (4.14)
One of the things that I’ve loved about Parks and Recreation more than nearly any other sitcom I’ve ever seen is the show’s worldbuilding. This isn’t a surprise, given that traditionally sitcoms require the heavy use of just a couple of sets, but even within modern single-camera comedies there’s a tendency to get complacent. While it may go almost without saying that The Office will remain largely set in its titular office, that’s also part of why the show’s declined. There’s a certain sameness that’s set in there, whereas Parks and Rec feels like golden age Simpsons, set in a... read more
Found in: TV, ReviewsUp All Night Review: "Preschool Auction" (Episdoe 1.14)
Week after week the show actually makes me look forward to parenthood. Will Arnett and Christina Applegate are great in their roles as Chris and Reagan. It’s refreshing to see such a small cast carry such a strong show. “Preschool Auction” implements the dual plot that makes the show so successful. Reagan takes on a charity auction at a preschool she wants Amy to attend…in two years. Meanwhile Chris has a friendly sibling rivalry with his brother who comes to visit. read more
Found in: TV, ReviewsRuthie Foster: Let It Burn
When you call Grammy-winning producer John Chelew, the man behind John Hiatt’s career-resurrecting Bring The Family, you’ve got to want to be real. Thankfully, Ruthie Foster - also a Grammy nominee for the blues - knows no other way. read more
Found in: Music, ReviewsJustified Review: "Harlan Roulette" (Episode 3.03)
For those looking for ‘shades of gray’, may I suggest tuning in to the FX Network Tuesday nights at 10:00. Tonight’s episode was about two things, storytelling and what the stories we choose say about the teller. There were (at least) three story monologues tonight and each one was illuminating not only in showing where each storyteller thinks they fall in the spectrum of right and wrong, but also how mistaken they may be about that. Often our best stories are the ones we tell ourselves. read more
Found in: TV, ReviewsMr. Miner’s Phish Thoughts: An Anthology By A Fan For The Fans by David Calarco
Rather than a standard review of David Calarco’s new Phish anthology, author/poet/Phishhead Paul Siegell has given us a poem about a book about a band. read more
Found in: Books, ReviewsMan on a Ledge
In advance of the premier of I Hate My Teenage Daughter, one of Fox’s newest sitcoms about just that, Slate published a thought-provoking, if somewhat cumbersome, piece by contributing writer Jacob Rubin about the entertainment’s industry latest obsession with titles that tell us exactly what we’re about to watch. Obvious offenders include 2 Broke Girls, Bridesmaids, and, of course, Snakes on a Plane. In his write-up, Rubin argues that this phenomenon is the consequence of today’s rabid hunger for quick-hit information, making short titles that get straight to the point good business. “The stories we are told,” Rubin concludes, “center,... read more
Found in: Movies, ReviewspacificUV: Weekends
If each person moves through the world at their own speed, then pacificUV’s Clay Jordan and Howard Hudson operate at a decidedly slow tempo. The Athens, Ga., dreampop outfit have released only three studio LPs in eight years -- each offering features various droning walls of sound, but the two have managed to imbue every album with their own distinct style. read more
Found in: Music, ReviewsLeonard Cohen: Old Ideas
Anyone who was hoping that Old Ideas, the long awaited new studio album from Leonard Cohen would reveal a poet who finally realized that the glass might be half full after all, will be sorely disappointed with these ten new songs. The rest of us who harbor no such expectations or illusions are in for a treat as the Montreal singer’s newest collection is - hands down - his best studio album since I’m Your Man came out in 1988. read more
Found in: Music, ReviewsLana Del Rey: Born to Die
Let’s table opinions for a few paragraphs and talk about facts. It’s a fact that I’ve played Lana Del Rey’s songs 58 times this week and 76 times this month. It’s a fact that I’ve caught myself singing or humming several tunes off Born to Die during this period. In the shower: “Light of your life/ Fire of your loins/ Tell me you want me/ Give me them coins.” Making toast: “Diet Mountain Dew/ Baby New York City/ Never was there ever a girl so pretty/ Do you think we’ll be in love forever? Do you think we’ll be in... read more
Found in: Music, ReviewsAlcatraz Review: “Cal Sweeney” (Episode 1.4)
Four episodes into Alcatraz, and it feels like it may be starting to get a bit too comfortable. It seems somewhat fitting that in “Cal Sweeney”, the criminal of the week is a man who has a clearly laid out plan for how he goes around robbing safety deposit boxes. Everything is familiar, structured. It seems like Alcatraz is also suffering from that rigidity, getting more procedural than the show deserves. read more
Found in: TV, Reviews
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