An album cover doesn't have to be pretty to be great.  And that's certainly the case with jazz guitar legend Wes Montgomery's A Day in the Life, released in 1967. I'm not sure what the inspiration was behind this rather striking cover photo was, as I don't imagine it would have appealed to people in the late '60s, even though smoking was obviously much more acceptable then.  I know Montgomery was a smoker, so that likely played a part. Anyway, this was Montgomery's debut ... Read on, Daddy-O

Well that was...f&@*ed up.  It seems poor Doc Venture is once again left to clean up one of his father's messes.  And speaking of Jonas Venture, the shine sure has come off his apple this season, eh? The action this week returns to Venture Industries - deep below Venture Industries, in fact (just how friggin' big is this place anyway?).  Rusty and Brock drop through the floor of the compound and find themselves trapped in different areas of what's revealed to be a ... Read on, Daddy-O

This is shaping up to be a banner year for Batman.  The Dark Knight comes out next week, and I can't see any way it won't kick ass.  So to whet the appetite of the hardcore Bat-fan, this week marks the release of Batman: Gotham Knight, a direct-to-DVD animated adventure. But rather than being just another animated Bat-film, Gotham Knight is actually an anthology of six short films, all presented with different styles of animation.  Those six short films, and my take on ... Read on, Daddy-O

Courtesy the MTV Movies Blog, we've got four new stills from the upcoming Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince film.  I'm sure it will just as entertaining as the previous five movies, but you wouldn't know it from these shots: THRILL as Draco Malfoy broods in a corner! MARVEL as Harry Potter stares at a wand! GASP as Luna Lovegood blocks a doorway and wears funny glasses! VOMIT as Ron Weasley looks uncomfortable in a weird-looking Quidditch uniform! Like I said, I'm sure the trailers and the ... Read on, Daddy-O

Having only ever read one other Frederick Forsyth book (his 1971 debut, The Day of the Jackal), I had high hopes for The ODESSA File.  And while it isn't quite the classic that his first novel is, it's a damn fine yarn just the same.  It did prove, without a doubt, that the greatness of Jackal was not a fluke.  Of course, his long and successful career proves that too, but I digress. The story takes place in 1963-64 and centers on a ... Read on, Daddy-O

Ahhh, now that's the stuff! What's not to love about "Dr. Quymn, Medicine Woman"?  There was plenty of action, mystery, and top-notch jokes.  Oh yeah, and my prayers about seeing more Hank and Dean were answered tenfold.  This was vintage Venture Bros. my friends. Save for a few brief (but extremely relevant) flashbacks into Dr. Venture's life, this was a completely self-contained episode; the first one of the season.  In it we find Rusty in the Amazon, where he has stolen a native ... Read on, Daddy-O

From Idolator via the AV Club comes a pretty cool music meme - compile a list of your favorite albums, with one for each year you've been alive. Sounds easy enough, but some years are positively stacked with music I love.  Forcing me to choose among my musical children is just so...cruel. For me the most bountiful years were 1975-1978, 1980, 1982-1984, 1990, 1997, 1999, 2002, 2006, and 2007. 1975 - Kiss, Alive! 1976 - Led Zeppelin, Presence 1977 - Rush, A Farewell to Kings 1978 - ... Read on, Daddy-O

OK, so maybe this one is a bit literal, but it's just weird enough to be cool.  It's the cover for 1981's self-titled sophomore album by - you guessed it - Penguin Cafe Orchestra. The artwork, by Emily Young, closely resembles that of the group's 1976 debut (Music from the Penguin Cafe), but I definitely prefer the more elegant and aloof look of this one.SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Album cover of the week: Penguin Cafe Orchestra", url: "http://www.grayflannelsuit.net/2008/07/07/album-cover-of-the-week-penguin-cafe-orchestra/" }); Read on, Daddy-O

I'll cop to not being a huge Pixar believer.  I've seen Toy Story, The Incredibles, and a few of their other features, but for some reason they've always left me a little cold.  Oh sure, they are marvels of computer animation technology, but I have always preferred the old school style.  It's hard for me to get emotionally invested in movies that look more like extended video game cut scenes. But I have to say that watching WALL-E got me about as close ... Read on, Daddy-O

It's time once again to recharge the ol' batteries and head out for some well-deserved vacation.  I'll try to post my two current regular features (album cover of the week and the Venture Bros. recap) around Monday, but no promises.  So until next time... SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Peace out", url: "http://www.grayflannelsuit.net/2008/07/01/peace-out/" }); Read on, Daddy-O