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Peter Gabriel Orchestral Covers Album On the Way
Peter Gabriel first LP in seven years will be something of a group project, an orchestral covers album that hosts an eclectic bunch of music hot shots performing each others’ songs. The title, Scratch My Back, plays along with the record’s tit-for-tat song swaps among artists like Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, Radiohead, Randy Newman and The Kinks, according to The Guardian.... read more
Found in: Music, NewsThe Best TV Theme Music
The little ditties that open TV shows keep growing littler and dittier, almost disappearing into Lost’s single sustained chord. The assumption may be that we’re just going to fast-forward through them anyway, but part of the charm of shows like Cheers, M*A*S*H and Sanford and Son was the musical intro. Fortunately, not everyone has given up on the theme song. Here are 10 current shows with tunes that make us put down the remote.... read more
Found in: TV, FeaturesMark Knopfler Announces New Album, Spring Tour
Former Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler has announced spring U.S. tour dates to support his sixth studio solo record, Get Lucky, which will hit stores about six months before his first show. Needless to say, his live sets should be well ripened by then.... read more
Found in: Concerts, NewsThe Greatest Art Ever Made About the Midwest
The new Cam’ron single “Get It In Ohio” is, amongst other things, an ode to the Midwest. In the grainy video, Cam and friends drive through slushy streets and complete business transactions in parking lots—and even if this doesn’t conform to your personal Midwestern experience, there’s a shock of recognition in seeing the heartland represented so proudly in a rap song. As someone who spent a fair amount of time in the Midwest myself, this got me thinking about other memorable songs, albums, movies and literature about the oft-ignored expanse of real estate known pejoratively as “flyover country.” Here are my... read more
Found in: Blogs, List of the DayComic duo Paul and Storm celebrate 25 days of Randy Newman
[Pictured: Paul and Storm with comedian Jonathan Coulton]Randy Newman had a pretty great 2008. His most recent album, Harps and Angels, was warmly received by critics and audiences alike. Renowned for his work on a number of films, including his Oscar-winning tune for Pixar's Monsters, Inc., Newman's trademark voice and sound is instantly recognizable. So recognizable, in fact, it's inspired Washington D.C. comedians Paul and Storm to create a bizarre "advent calendar" inspired by the bespectacled piano man himself, entitled 25 Days of Newman. Imitation is the highest form of flattery, right? Right.... read more
Found in: Music, NewsThe 12 Best TV Theme Songs from Current Shows
Next Monday we'll look at the Best TV Theme Songs of All Time. But while we lament the lack of a Cheers or M*A*S*H or Sanford & Son theme song in today's TV landscape, we've picked our 12 favorite theme songs from TV shows that are still in production. In the era of TiVo, the little ditties opening today's shows seem to be littler and dittier than their predecessors (I guess if people are going to fast forward through them anyway, why spend the effort?). But here are 12 that make us put down that remote:[note: Sesame Street would have... read more
Found in: Blogs, List of the DayRandy Newman Burns On
Randy Newman’s sardonic first album covered father/son dynamics, childhood obesity and pork-barrel politics, and in less than four minutes told the story of a young couple from marriage to death. The record’s trenchant humor and chamber-pop melodies created a... read more
Found in: Music, FeaturesRandy Newman on...
The current Bush administration: “You can’t look through a book of presidents and find a precedent for it. I mean, [James] Buchanan and those guys—as bad as they were—you can’t find, in my opinion, anything worse. I don’t think there has been.”The best song he’s ever written: “I would say ‘The World Isn’t Fair.’ Musically, it’s all intro—it never starts. It’s all presentory in a way, like the verses in the ’20s and ’30s. But I think that’s about the best. ‘I’m Dead’ is a very good song. ‘Political Science’ just clicks along pretty well. I thought ‘Great Nations Of... read more
Found in: Music, FeaturesRandy Newman: Harps and Angels
Many albums I receive in the mail include... read more
Found in: Music, Reviews
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