Month: December 2009

Dec232009 by Chris Holmes2 Comments
2009 – The year in recorded musical performances

2009 – The year in recorded musical performances

Music
I swear that each year I have less and less time to spend listening to new music.  It seems like a losing battle anymore to keep up with all the new albums coming out, but I have to keep trying.  So rather than pontificate on the albums of the past year - as I've been known to do - I'm going for brevity in an attempt to get more done.  And I'm adding one new feature to this year's year-end music wrapup (and future releases as well), by introducing a grading system.  Here's the rundown: Dig It - You can safely part with your hard-earned money for this and not feel like a sucker. Download It - Still worth a listen, but you'll probably want to just download it and cherry-pick the best tracks. Ditch It - If you can find something of lasting value, you're a better person than I. Got
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Dec212009 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Gray Flannel Mixtape: The Best of ’09

Gray Flannel Mixtape: The Best of ’09

Music
Before I unleash my awe-inspiring year-end album wrapup, I thought I'd share with you a mixtape featuring ten of my favorite songs from 2009.  The only restriction I'm placing on myself here is that I won't be double-dipping from any artists, although some could have easily taken up half this list.  And away we go! (more…)
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Dec142009 by Chris Holmes4 Comments
Listening Booth – Flairs, “Truckers Delight”

Listening Booth – Flairs, “Truckers Delight”

Listening Booth
If you want to know what my current favorite song in the world is, it's a little ditty from a French outfit called Flairs - "Truckers Delight".  It's catchy as hell and the video is, well, it's something else.  Think of it as what Grand Theft Auto would've looked like on the Commodore 64 or Sega Master System.  I will say that this should not be viewed from work or in front of a loved one.  Unless you've got a really open kind of relationship. But in either case, crank up the volume and enjoy.
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Dec82009 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Free Christmas .mp3s at Amazon!

Free Christmas .mp3s at Amazon!

Music
Now through Christmas, Amazon.com is giving away one free Christmas download per day.  For certain some of them are priced right, but there have also been some good ones thus far.  "Slower Than Christmas" by The Boxmasters (Billy Bob Thornton's band) seems to have roused the ire of the Amazon community but I found it to be pretty entertaining.
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Dec72009 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Venture Bros. wrapup: “The Better Man”

Venture Bros. wrapup: “The Better Man”

TV & Radio
There's always some danger going into an episode like "The Better Man", which fanboys like me knew in advance would mark the triumphant return of Dr. Orpheus and the Order of the Triad.  The Triad is sort of like the Boba Fett of the Ventureverse - they don't get a lot of screen time but are basically awesome every second you see them, and as a result fans have grown intensely fond of them.  So the danger is that when you know they're going to get a spotlight episode, it will be a letdown. (more…)
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