Playlist for 2/25

Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
M. Ward - Post War
Delbert McClinton - Never Been Rocked Enough
Sir Douglas Quintet - Live From Austin, Tx
Merle Haggard - Live From Austin, Tx

Remember The Days of The Old School Video

Regardless of whether I jumped the gun on TRL going away, I bet it will eventually. And now cuts at VH1 Classic and MTV2. Both of these channels started with the best of intentions. Show the videos that MTV no longer aired. Classic was a great ride when it premiered. Old videos that I hadn't seen in years, sprinkled with some original programming. MTV2 was all about videos and at least one great Sunday night show, Subterranean. But eventually videos no longer brought in revenue. Especially, once the internet boom happened. And both channels were reduced to airing MTV spinoffs, movies and non-music shows. MTV2 has become a sad parody of itself, and videos on Classic are being relegated to late night. As of this date the only video channel worth a damn is IMF, and that is only in a fraction of households.

Do You Miss Carson Daly?

At the height of its run, MTV's TRL Total Request Live 1998-2007 was the place to catch up on the latest video hits. A place even a non-chart watcher could look in on and get caught up with what the kids are hearing. But TRL reached its peak as MTV was downsizing videos in favor of reality based shows. By the time the boy band era was over, so was TRL. The kids had grown up and moved on to emo and the next generation was getting their videos from the internet or the Disney Channel. I was one of those that would look in on TRL back in the day. The last time I turned it on, it was a sorry site. Anonymous hosts and videos that didn't inspire the girls in the audience. Was there really a time when TRL-host Carson Daly was being thought of as the next Dick Clark? And how did Ryan Seacrest eventually end up knocking him out of that spot?

Grammy 2007 Recap

I knew it was gonna be a long night when the first award goes to that awful Tony Bennett/Stevie Wonder remake. And if the highlight is a Christina Aguilera tribute to James Brown, well it could only be the Grammy's. Really, every other performer has done their songs better. Perfunctory was the word of the night.

Playlist for 2/9

Patty Griffin - Children Running Through
Clinic - Variations
Smokey Robinson - Where There's Smoke
Apples In Stereo - New Magnetic Wonder
Neville Brothers - Fiyo On The Bayou
Dion - Yo Frankie
Bruce Springsteen -Hammersmith Odeon '75

Final 2006 Poll Musing

Intersting, 4 of the best Country albums (Rosanne and Johnny Cash, Todd Snider, Dixie Chicks)of 2006 land in the Village Voice Poll Top 50 but only one (Dixie Chicks) lands in the new Idolator Jackin' Pop Poll. Both polls have about the same amount of voters, but not the same voters. I voted in both. But it now appears that most Idolator voters favor alt-rock and most Voice voters keep an eye on Country. So, there is room for 2 big Music Polls. And all the naysayers who wondered if the Voice poll would be a bust in its first Robert Christgau-less year were proven wrong.

2006 Village Voice Pazz and Jop Ballot

My 2006 Village Voice Pazz and Jop Ballot is now up at:

Tom Lane's 2006 Village Voice Pazz and Jop Ballot

How Do You Like Your Prince?

There was a time that Prince was so dangerous on stage that you couldn't keep your eyes off him. He's not as dangerous anymore, but he's still fabulous live. Better live than on record. The 15 minute he was alloted at the Super Bowl packed a mighty touch. Good covers and 3 songs from Purple Rain. This isn't the sexual dynamo of the 80's. Longtime Prince fans will complain that give a his biggest audience in years, that he wasn't edgy enough. But he still commands respect that you have to watch.

The Terrible Two?

Why is the 2nd album so much harder to top than the first? I've often thought of this looking at my record collection which is littered with great debuts, but not their followup. Most artists have a lifetime of songs built up for their debut, but when it comes to their 2nd they stumble. And it's because of pressure, being hurried and still reeling from the rewards of their first release.
2007 will bring many followups to debuts that I loved: Arctic Monkeys, Art Brut, Kaiser Chiefs, Arcade Fire and M.I.A. to name some. In fact the first followup is now out and it lives up to my post. Bloc Party's Welcome To The City is not as good as their debut, but it has its moments. It suffers from lack of great lyrics, even though it's a theme album. Its ideas and music carry the day. But this is a good band that will do better by #3. If they get there.

Playlist for 2/2

Dwight Yoakam - Guitars, Cadillacs (remaster)
Pretenders -s/t (remaster)
UFO - Essential
Bangles - Were The 80's
Steve Earle - Definitive
Alison Krauss/John Waite - "Missing You"
Robin Thicke - Evolution of
Blur - Parklife