So far so good I have to say.  While I think the gut-busting days of the first five years are long gone, Scrubs can still be entertaining.  On the plus side, the juvenile and somewhat scatological humor from the last few years was gratefully absent.  The writing style and stories reminded me very much of vintage Scrubs.  The cast is largely intact, save for the introduction of Dr. Taylor Maddox (Courteney Cox) as the new chief of medicine.  Dr. Kelso’s still around, though he pretty much sticks to the coffee shop now.

The two episodes (”My Jerks” and “My Last Words”) returned the series’ focus to the main characters of J.D., Turk, Carla, and Elliot.  They both had their share of laughs (I liked the new intern, Ed, as well the Steak Night song and dance routine), but the real winner was “My Last Words”.  It reintroduced an element of real human drama (focusing on a patient who is basically waiting to die) that the show lost as it spun off into the realm of the bizarre in recent years.

In fact, the only real negative I can think of was the brief but scary reappearance of Christa Miller, who looks more and more like one of the Joker’s “living art” projects from the 1989 Batman movie.  If that’s not botched plastic surgery, then we have real evidence of aliens living among us.

Dick Clark, bless his heart, is just too awkward to watch at this point.  I commend him for coming back from a stroke to usher in the new year once again, but when you find yourself waiting eagerly for Ryan Seacrest to come back you know it’s bad.

Over on NBC, Carson Daly put in yet another competent but bland effort.  How the hell is this guy still in show business?  He’s got the personality of cold oatmeal.

The greatest New Year’s Eve celebration, it turns out, was over on CNN.  The festivities were hosted by Anderson Cooper and…Kathy Griffin?!?  Yep, Kathy “no job is too small” Griffin.  In contrast to the rather scripted and stilted productions from the broadcast networks, Anderson and Griffin spent the evening playing rather loose with things and wandering from whatever script there was.

It did actually result in a fairly entertaining show, especially just before 1am Eastern.  Griffin, who had apparently been heckled from the crowd below all night, lost it and fell victim to a producer who must’ve had too much to drink and forgot to cut her mic in time.  As a result we got this TV instant classic:

I don’t know about you, but that’s gotta rank just ahead of the moon landing as the single greatest moment in television history.  In the event the video gets taken down (as well as the dozens of others already up), here’s a transcript:

“Shut up!  You know what, screw you, I’m working!  Why don’t you get a job buddy?  You know what, I don’t go to your job and knock the dicks out of your mouth.”

You stay classy, Kathy.

The Best of the Best (Albums)

Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (Sub Pop)

Yeah, this seems like an obvious choice, but it’s also a damn good one.  I’m always up for listening to good vocal harmonies, and this band has them in spades.  The music is gorgeous to boot, and is a highly engaging blend of folk titans like CSNY, America, and early ’70s Fleetwood Mac.  The vocal round of “White Winter Hymnal” is worth the price of admission by itself.  And as a bonus, I’ve seen enough live clips of material from this album to witness that its beauty is not just the result of studio trickery.

Metallica - Death Magnetic (Warner Bros.)

You can accuse me of falling for the hype if you want, but this is an excellent album.  While it’s not enough to make me throw away my copy of Master of Puppets, it’s certainly strong enough to make me forget the group’s creatively dry Load era.  There’s a touch of filler present, but tracks like “All Nightmare Long” and “My Apocalypse” stack up against the best material Metallica has ever produced.  And most importantly of all, the group is once again relevant to the world of metal.

The only bummer regarding Death Magnetic is the craptastic mixing/mastering job, which like far too many modern albums is compressed to the point of being physically uncomfortable to listen to.  Fortunately there is relief in the form of an alternate mix produced for the Guitar Hero video game, which was widely distributed over torrent sites.  I’m not advocating that sort of downloading of course, but let’s just say it’s far superior to the officially released version.

School of Language - Sea From Shore (Thrill Jockey)

Whether or not Field Music ever reconvenes under that name is sort of irrelevant since Peter and David Brewis, the creative energy behind Field Music, seem to be carrying the torch of top-notch English pop/rock as if nothing had changed.  Witness David’s first release as School of Language, a slightly more understated but still masterfully executed piece of pop bliss.

The Week That Was - The Week That Was (Memphis Industries)

Speaking of the brothers Brewis, August was Peter’s turn to knock one out of the park and he did with the self-titled debut from The Week That Was.  It’s a denser and darker journey than Sea From Shore, but no less rewarding.  Taking musical cues from early ’80s Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush, Brewis has delivered one of the most satisfying and sadly overlooked releases of the year.

Russian Circles - Station (Suicide Squeeze)

You’d think that an album of metal instrumentals, averaging seven minutes in length, would not be particularly interesting or rewarding.  You would be wrong.  There is a craftsmanhip evident on Station that belies the fact that it’s only the band’s second album.  It sounds like thoroughly modern metal, but it feels vintage.

Randy Newman - Harps and Angels (Nonesuch)

2008 was the year I finally hopped on the Randy Newman bandwagon, and Harps and Angels played a large part in that change.  No longer is he just the guy from those Family Guy bits or the man I blame for a bunch of schlocky Pixar music.  Well, he still is a little.  But I’ve connected with his top-notch lyricism and easy-going, modernized New Orleans-style blues piano, which are in full flower on this record.  Newman thrives when he has nice, big targets for his cynicism, and he has plenty of material to work with here (from the Supreme Court to the Bush administration to their hypocritical pop music critics).  But the tender moments are just as effective, and songs like “Losing You” and “Feels LIke Home” will undoubtedly stand the test of time.

Dengue Fever - Venus on Earth (M80)

I predicted back in April that this would make my year-end list, and I called it (funny how that works).  This off-kilter blend of Cambodian lounge pop and psychedelia is one of the oddest albums to win my heart.  It was also good enough to get the attention of Peter Gabriel, who decided to distribute it on his Real World imprint.  It would be easy to focus your attention on the spellbinding vocals of Cambodia’s own Chhom Nimol, but the catchy musical arrangements are the real star of this effort.  Venus on Earth swings, it grooves, and it captivates.

Danilo Pérez - Across the Crystal Sea (Verve)

I was turned on to this release by the JazzPortraits blog (not updated nearly enough for my liking), and it’s a winner.  Pérez’s piano is backed this time by a string section led by the renowned arranger and conductor Claus Ogerman, known to many jazz fans for his work with Bill Evans, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and Diana Krall among others.  It’s a subtle and gossamer work that never slides into the dreaded “easy listening” realm.  Guest vocalist Cassandra Wilson shines on a pair of tracks, “Lazy Afternoon” and “(All of a Sudden) My Heart Sings”.

Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree (Mute)

Seventh Tree is one of those albums that I suspect will only get better with age.  Everything is slightly muted here, from Alison Goldfrapp’s vocals to the arrangements themselves.  But in trading sex appeal and danceability for nuance and delicacy, Goldfrapp has produced their most rewarding album since Felt Mountain.

Build - Build (New Amsterdam)

Recalling at times both the structured and subdued approach of Philip Glass and the sheer musical joy of Penguin Cafe Orchestra, the self-titled debut from Brooklyn’s Build can best be described as classical music for people who hate classical music.  It’s exuberant and poppy but never gimmicky, and I highly recommend it.

Jim Noir - Jim Noir (Barsuk)

The eponymous followup to Noir’s 2006 debut, Tower of Love, finds him mining the same sound as the first time - namely the ’60s salad days of ’60s British pop, Mod, and psychedelia.  The formula worked for Noir (real name Alan Roberts) the first go-around and it certainly works now.  The melodies are not awe-inspiring but the DIY charm still holds; don’t be surprised if you find yourself humming parts of “Don’t You Worry” and “Happy Day Today.”

Next: The best of the rest…

A Charlie Brown Christmas - Vince Guaraldi Trio

Let’s just get this one out of the way now.  I defy anyone to hear any part of “Skating” or “My Little Drum” and not be instantly transported back to their childhood.  I can’t say anything that hasn’t been said a million times about this album, so I’ll just implore you to add this to your collection even if you hate Christmas music.  Just be careful what version you purchase, as a 2006 remaster edition released by Concord Records has been met with much scorn (details on that here).

‘Tis the Season for Los Straitjackets! - Los Straitjackets

Los Straitjackets, for those not familiar, are a modern-day surf rock revival band known for their wild live shows and their penchant for wearing Mexican wrestling masks.  This album is basically their surf-tinged take on a baker’s dozen of holiday standards like “A Marshmallow World” and “Sleigh Ride.”  It’s fun without being silly, and offers a fresh perspective on some very old songs.

Ultra-Lounge: Christmas Cocktails - various artists

The Christmas line of the uber-retro Ultra-Lounge series is definitely an example of the law of diminishing returns, but the first entry is splendid.  While the presence of gold standard yuletide tunes like Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song” and Dean Martin’s “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” lend this set the appropriate amount of suave ’50s hipness, it’s the offbeat period pieces like “Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer Mambo”, “Holiday on Skis”, and “Jingle Bells Bossa Nova” that will keep you coming back for more.

The Jackson 5 Christmas Album - The Jackson 5

For those who like a little less schmaltz and a little more soul with their holidays, you can’t go wrong with the Jackson 5.  Wait until you’ve downed a few egg nogs before listening to this, however - you’ll still look like a dumbass while dancing to “Up on the House Top” but at least you won’t care.

The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album - The Beach Boys

You’ve probably heard “Little Saint Nick” at least 20 tmes, so why not make it 21?  Not everything on this record is a keeper, but the highlights (”The Man with All the Toys”, “Frosty the Snowman”, and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” among them) are worth the price of admission.  Newer editions contain the group’s a capella rendition of “The Lord’s Prayer”.  While it’s not a holiday song per se, the harmonies are to die for and it’s worth hearing.

A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra - Frank Sinatra

What could be more classy and timelessly hip than unwrapping presents while Frank Sinatra plays in the background?  Nothing, pally, that’s what.  So don’t give me any of that bunk about how those new holiday albums are where it’s at.  You haven’t experienced Christmas until you’ve heard Ol’ Blue Eyes croon “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” or “Silent Night.”  Ring-a-ding-ding, indeed.

Nutcracker Suite for Guitar - Stevan Pasero

You’ve heard Tchaikovsky’s immortal work countless times, so isn’t it time to mix things up a bit?  This is the 1985 debut of the extremely talented classical guitarist, Stevan Pasero.  You may have a hard time tracking this down, but it’s worth it if you can.  It’s a very mellow and relaxing take on the Nutcracker - perfect for any moments of down time you can get during the holidays.

Ki Ho’alu Christmas: Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar - various artists

Hey, why not?  Hawaiin slack key guitar may not be your cup of tea, but this collection’s not without its charms. Most of the songs here are tastefully done instrumentals, and can lend some much-needed tranquility to your Christmas proceedings.

GFS Bonus: Christmas songs you need to own

• Pretty much anything featuring Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters
• “Wonderful Christmastime” - Wings
• “Blue Christmas” - Elvis Presley
• “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” - The Chipmunks
• “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” - John Lennon
• “Jingle Bell Rock” - Bobby Helms
• “Little Drummer Boy” - Low
• “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” - Andy Williams
• “A Holly Jolly Christmas” - Burl Ives
• “Christmas at Ground Zero” - “Weird Al” Yankovic
• “Jungle Bells” - The Four Seasons
• “Frosty the Snowman” - Jimmy Durante
• Just about anything by Louis Armstrong, but particularly “Christmas in New Orleans” and “‘Zat You, Santa Claus?”
• “The Christmas Song” - Mel Tormé
• “Christmas in Hollis” - Run-D.M.C.
• “Thank God It’s Christmas” - Queen
• “Christmas Wrapping” - The Waitresses
• “Peace on Earth / The Little Drummer Boy” - Bing Crosby and David Bowie

I don’t have any stirring essays in me, so my small tribute to our armed forces is a small collection of images portraying the history of American military conflict.  Thank you all for your service!

The Battle of Trenton (December 26, 1776) was a turning point in the American Revolution, as General George Washington led his demoralized troops across the Delaware River and captured 1,000 Hessian soldiers.  Washington and his soldiers followed up the surprise attack with another victory a week later in Princeton.

War of 1812 - The fabled British Royal Navy suffered a stunning defeat at the hands of the much younger and smaller U.S. Navy on August 19, 1812 when the USS Constitution bested the HMS Guerrriere after a 35-minute battle.  A year later the American defense of Fort McHenry in Baltimore inspired lawyer Francis Scott Key to compose the poem that became the basis for the “Star-Spangled Banner”.

The Mexican-American War was a politically contentious issue, although it did vastly increase both the size of the U.S. Army and the United States itself.  The Battle of Monterrey (September 21-24, 1846) was fought effectively to a stalemate, although a two-month armistice agreement signed between General Pedro de Ampudia (Mexico) and General Zachary Taylor (U.S.) saw the Mexican Army surrender the city of Monterrey.

The Battle of Antietam (September 17, 1862) was the first major engagement of the Civil War to take place on Northern soil. Around 23,000 soldiers died that day, making it the single bloodiest day in American combat history. This photo shows President Abraham Lincoln visiting the battlefield on October 3.

The Spanish-American War lasted for just over 100 days (April-August 1898) and is remembered mainly for two things - the controversial destruction of the USS Maine (which became a pretext for the war) and the rise to fame of Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders.  Roosevelt wave of popularity carried him first to the governership of New York (elected 1898) and then the White House (elected as William McKinley’s Vice President in 1900).

Despite a declared policy of isolationism during World War I, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson could no longer ignore German aggression and Congress declared war on April 6, 1917.  The Germans were convinced that it would take at least 18 months before we could muster enough forces to make an impact, and hoped to win the war in the interim.  By the summer of 1918, 10,000 Americans were arriving in France daily.  The above image of American forces in the Argonne Forest was taken on September 26, 1918.

World War II - Our finest hour.  Not much else I can say about this that hasn’t been said by better.  Here, African-American troops of a field artillery battery set up a 155mm howitzer in France (June 28, 1944).

A Sherman tank fires on an enemy bunker - May 11, 1952.  It’s difficult to understand how a war that resulted in so many casualties was so easily forgotten, but that seems to be the case for the Korean War (June 1950-July 1953).  Although the Koreans and Chinese suffered the most casualties, it is still important to remember that more than 36,000 Americans died and nearly 100,000 were wounded.

Sadder still is that after all those deaths, the war is technically not even over.  North and South Korea have never signed a peace treaty, and have been under a cease fire agreement for more than half a century.

I’ve spent a lot of time learning about the background and conduct of the Vietnam War, as well as debating whether we should have fought it in the first place.  But for at least one day I will put that aside to remember the nearly 60,000 U.S. dead, 2,000 missing, and 300,000+ wounded (one of whom is shown in this 1965 photograph).

In many ways, the Gulf War (August 1990-February 1991) is still being fought, as many of the veterans from that war still suffer today.

Speaking of which…

Today the eyes of the nation are on our fighting men and women serving in the Middle East, specifically Iraq and Afghanistan.  However much our feelings and opinions on the ongoing wars may vary, I think we can all hope that ultimately our soldiers can return home safely.

Thank you, veterans!

While TO&FS is not nearly as engrossing or rewarding as The Company, it was fun and engaging nonetheless.  Without giving too much of the plot away, the basic story goes like this: A CIA operative named Wanamaker is running an operation (code name Stufftingle) that may or may not be officially sanctioned by the agency, but is confounded by a leak.  To find and stop the leak he brings in a retired and somewhat disgraced former Naval Intelligence officer, one Admiral J. Pepper Toothacher (yes, that’s the name they stick with) and his chauffeur/assistant/math whiz Huxstep.

The leak, as it turns out, is another CIA operative named Silas Sibley (aka The Weeder), who has personal and convuluted reasons for interfering with Wanamaker’s operation.  But he quickly gets in over his head when the Admiral and Huxstep close in on him.  The bulk of the novel details The Weeder’s attempts to save his own hide while still trying to put a stop to Stufftingle.

Had Littell just left it at that, TO&FS would have been a serviceable (albeit unremarkable) work of spy fiction.  But he adds a story device that I rather enjoyed, although some may find it hackneyed.  Sibley, as it happens, is also a Revolutionary War buff.  And not just the war, but one participant in particular, whom he refers to as “Nate.”  Sibley, who claims to be Nate’s descendant, is obsessed with Nate’s life and the circumstances leading to his early death.

As such, the novel alternates between the present and Sibley’s accounts of Nate’s activities during the war.  Nate turns out to be Nathan Hale, widely regarded as America’s first spy.  As the two stories progress, the similarities between Hale and Sibley become more obvious.  The only question is whether the similarities are truth, coincidence, or merely the figment of Sibley’s overactive imagination.

So in truth, TO&FS is as much a work of historical fiction as it is spy fiction.  And for a lot of the book, I was much more interested in Nate’s story than in Sibley’s.  Littell incorporates enough historical fact into Nate’s life to lend it credibility, so the more fanciful portions seem plausible.  The book seems a bit forced toward the end, but wraps up fairly nicely.

So I can recommend this book easily, and look forward to exploring more of Littell’s catalog.

Jones also stated that this new singer will not simply be a Plant sound-alike, in order to avoid seeming like a tribute band.  So the big question is: Who will be the one to step into Plant’s skin-tight bell bottoms?  While the safe choice would be someone with some strong pipes and a decent hard rock pedigree (but not necessarily a big name), a new contest by the good people at Popdose has given me inspiration to think outside the proverbial box.

So indulge me for a moment, while I spitball a few names that may provide just the jolt this new version of Zep needs to stay popular and relevant…

William Shatner - In addition to being the greatest living entertainer, Shatner is of course an accomplished vocalist.  I can just hear it now:  “And she’s…buying…a staiiiirway….to Heaven!”

Clay Aiken - Kinda gives a whole new meaning to “cock rock” doesn’t it?  (oh yes, I just went there.)

Rick Astley - “It’s been a long time since I’ve been Rickrolled…”

Jack White - OK, you may have picked up on the last few suggestions being somewhat less than serious, but I think White would actually be an interesting pick.  He’s got the vocal chops even though he’s not a prototypical hard rock frontman, and having a second guitarist playing Zeppelin would be pretty sweet.

Oh yeah, the trailer.  It looks even darker than the previous movies, which of course is to be expected, but the touch of humor at the end is most welcome.  What’s not welcome is the continuing de-evolution of Rupert Grint (aka Ron Weasley), whose face looks like it continues to suffer the ravages of the full moon.

But it happened for me when Ben Folds Five got together about a month ago for a one-off concert at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Memorial Hall to play the entirety of their criminally overlooked swan song, The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner.  That’s right, the whole thing - Ben’s dad even came out to recreate his answering machine message as heard on “Your Most Valuable Possession.”  How fucking cool is that?

To me, the band sounds like they’ve never been apart.  The only giveaways are Ben hiding what appears to be a bit of Friar Tuck action going on with his hair, and Robert Sledge’s additional poundage (life’s been good I guess).

I wasn’t there to witness this amazing moment, sadly, but MySpace’s cameras were (it was part of their Front to Back concert series).  Yay!

So until the hopefully inevitable DVD concert release, I’ll have to get by with their video of the event.  And for your viewing pleasure I’ve included a few of the highlights here:

“Narcolepsy”
Click here to view the embedded video.

“Hospital Song”
Click here to view the embedded video.

“Army”
Click here to view the embedded video.

The performance is interlaced with interview clips featuring Folds, Sledge, drummer Darren Jessee, band producer Caleb Southern, and others (like Chris Walla from Death Cab for Cutie) talking about the band and the Reinhold Messner record.  Sadly, the video does not feature the encore songs:

“Jackson Cannery”
“Eddie Walker”
“Selfless, Cold & Composed”
“Battle of Who Could Care Less”
“Where’s Summer B.?”
“Julianne”
“Song for the Dumped”

Now I don’t remember getting any Cracker Jack in my bag when I went panhandling for goodies (aka ‘trick or treat’).  And even if I had I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have had the gall to stand there and eat it right there on the person’s front walk.  (Cracker Jack, 1954)

Witchcraft?  No, that’s just Procter & Gamble’s patented Flexinol system at work.  (Hidden Magic hair spray, 1965)

Here we see an early incarnation of what later became the iconic Sugar Bear mascot.  God I hope those dark things in the bowl are berries.  (Sugar Crisp cereal, 1955)

“Psst!  This is the house that has the Brach’s!  OK Jimmy, you cut the phone line.  Tommy, you pick the lock.  Susie, you make sure those neighbors don’t come nosin’ around.  And Ralph, you try not to suffocate yourself in that stupid goblin mask.  OK, let’s move people!”  (Brach’s Candy, 1959)

And speaking of stupid masks - if you grew up during my generation then you probably remember the ubiquitous and awesome mass-produced children’s costume combo sets.  Turns out they weren’t always quite so cheap.  (Sears Roebuck Christmas catalog, 1965)

By the late ’70s/early ’80s things had gotten much worse, and manufacturers such as Ben Cooper turned out those flimsy mask/smock costumes by the metric shit-ton.

Just what every dad wants this Hallowe’en season!  (Ballantine Ale, 1955)

And finally, here’s one of my personal favorites from a time when commercials didn’t (or couldn’t) rely on fancy computer technology to sell something.  Dammit, I want my McNugget puppets back!  (McDonald’s, c. 1980s)