December 2009 - The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit

Dec232009 by Chris Holmes2 Comments

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 ...

Dec212009 by Chris HolmesNo Comments

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…)

Dec212009 by Chris HolmesNo Comments

Listening Booth – The Soulful Strings, “Jingle Bells”

Listening Booth

I'd be remiss if I didn't try to spread at least a little holiday cheer with the Listening Booth. So here's some of said cheer, along with a touch of light symphonic funk. It's "Jingle Bells" by The Soulful Strings, from their 1968 album The Magic of Christmas.

Dec182009 by Chris Holmes4 Comments

Listening booth – Field Music, “Them That Do Nothing”

Listening Booth, Music

Yeah, so I pimp Field Music a lot on this site...what of it? If your band made music as great as this, I'd hype it to death too. Here's the video for "Them That Do Nothing", from the band's upcoming album. I simply cannot wait, but I will not download a leaked copy.

Dec142009 by Chris Holmes4 Comments

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.

Dec102009 by Chris Holmes2 Comments

Coming soon to CNN: The Situation Room, Jersey Shore Edition

TV & Radio

In today's complex, fast-paced world we need more than just news. We need, nay demand, intelligent insight, well-formed opinion, and washboard abs. Who else can deliver this but Jersey Shore's own Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino? Move over, Wolf Blitzer, and leave the hair gel behind. It's time for...

Dec82009 by Chris HolmesNo Comments

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.

Dec72009 by Chris HolmesNo Comments

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…)

Dec22009 by Chris HolmesNo Comments

Listening Booth – Field Music, “If Only the Moon Were Up”

Listening Booth

I'm pretty jazzed to see Field Music in Brooklyn tomorrow night, so to get the party started early here's the opening cut from their self-titled debut - "If Only the Moon Were Up". Dig that early '80s MTV cinematography!