What's Got You Hard?

Yes. It has been another long hiatus. I wanted to try something new again. There is a lot of negative stuff said about certain things on the show, and that is the nature of the thing - tearing down inexplicably universally beloved figures. However, I wanted to start celebrating stuff every episode. There's plenty of stuff out there that's bound to excite you. So, send in your non-sexual submissions in the comments section below for the new segment "What's Got You Hard?". It can be anything. A movie, band, song, book, geometric figure, organic vegetable stand. Just mention it in the comments and a couple of sentences about how it got your blood pumping.

Episode V

Episode V is not quite what was promised but I got tired of waiting around just to do one thing. This episode is also a bit of a departure as it is the first show with no co-host, again, a by product of not wanting to wait for stars to align. Below are the videos that I mention that were VMA snubbed by MTV.



As you can see, this is where I think Jack Black's talent really flourishes. Best Rock Video Nominees:

 




  
Rammstein's "Mein Land"  
Tenacious D's "Rise Of The Fenix"



And for anyone interested in my full funeral playlist (Morbid, I know. That Gigi, well...), I have made a Spotify playlist. It took for-fucking-ever.

Episode IV has finally arrived

OK, so it has been about six weeks in between podcasts and that is unacceptable. But this is the most epic one yet (read: longest) so, hopefully, that compensates for the delay. As promised ad nauseum, this podcast is about The Avengers. If you haven't seen it yet and don't want spoilers, hold off on listening. How is that possible anyway? The damned movie has made around half a billion dollars domestically in less than 3 weeks. Are you one of the 7 people that have managed to avoid it thus far? The other unfortunates are either hospitalized, blind, or have short-term memory loss. Either way, Marvel/Disney has their money. Point is, see it so that you can listen. You are doing yourself a disservice.

New Podcast...Psych!

Yeah. I know. It's been over a month and still no hijinks. I've been busy...thinking about The Avengers. I saw a special fan screening of the superhero genre's most awe-inspiring flick to-date. I have been able to concentrate on little else ever since. I have wanted to talk about it but, since most people haven't seen it, I have had to bottle it up. I fear that any podcast will leave me no choice but to explode with spoilers. So, this week (read Monday), I took a little break from Robert Downey Jr.'s 'stache and Scarlett Johansson's breasts in my mind's eye and picked up an actual book. More of a book than a comic, anyway. Although there is a comic strip segment in it. Regardless, if you like to tickle bones of the funny variety, you must read the book by the hilarious Patton Oswalt:

Not only is that the greatest title ever but it is one of the top 5 books by comedians ever. I'm talking Napalm And Silly Putty quality here. I nearly died laughing at work. But now, I need to find another distraction until the next podcast, which should be shortly after The Avengers premiere. Knowing me, I won't even talk about it then as something else silly or shiny will have me distracted.

MDNA = NFTW (Not For The Win)

Some of you may know that I am a contributor to the music website The Big Takeover. Listeners of the show have, undoubtedly, noticed my/our affection for the 1980's, specifically its popstars. I would get laughed off of The Big Takeover for posting this there. So, here is my take on Madonna's latest.

I admit, and not begrudgingly, I mostly love the first half of Madonna's career. How much of that adoration comes from me being in my formative years at the beginning of her career, and my being raised on MTV in its relative infancy, is up to debate. And while she has always been a club-friendly act, her full-on embrace of electronica has been tough to swallow. It has only intensified as she has gotten older as she tries to ever stay relevant. David Bowie went the industrial route as he entered his middle ages and was harshly criticized for chasing a younger style. What people seemed to forget is that in the previous decade, Bowie was an admitted sell out. He was more commercially successful during the '80s than at any point at his career but I doubt that anyone can say that “Modern Love,” or “Let's Dance,” was the height of his artistic integrity.

Now, don't misconstrue that David Bowie is somehow an unoriginal hack and Madonna is some kind of creative maverick. Ziggy Stardust is one of my top 5 all-time favorite albums. I'm merely pointing out the similar trajectories that their careers have taken. In the eighties, as Bowie was surrendering to the almighty dollar, Madonna was focused on ruling the world. Pop culturally, she was Alexander The Great. Her influence on music and fashion is unparalleled by any other female artist ever. Period. It will, most likely, never come close to being eclipsed. That she is still so widely revered is astonishing, if not a bit puzzling. In the past thirteen plus years, her catalog has been largely forgettable. Personally, I don't know any of her songs by name more recent than 2000's Music. It seems dance music is in her heart, if not in her own perceived best interest to her image. It's not as if she has latched onto the popular producers however. William Orbit was a remix guru before joining up with Madge on Ray Of Light. He also does some production work on MDNA. Other producers on this latest effort, Benny Benassi and Martin Solveig, are known far more for being DJs than being hitmakers.

Madonna may not seek out über-producers but she has enlisted the help of current popular artists like Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. (as well as Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake in the past) to help keep the youth interested. Their contributions on MDNA are fun but don't sway opinion on any of the tracks they appear. The Benassi tracks, especially opener “Girl Gone Wild”, are rave songs that don't move me anywhere except toward changing the dial. Solveig, along with co-writer Michael Tordjman, have much better success in pumping the bass while maintaining pop sensibilities. The back-to-back “Turn Up The Radio,” and “Give Me All Your Luvin',” are the best songs on the album. Orbit's contributions with “Gang Bang,” and “Love Spent,” are also quite listenable but hardly on-par with the Ray Of Light mega-hits. The bits that don't quite fit finish the album. This is Madonna at her most heartfelt. The Golden Globe-winning “Masterpiece,” sticks out like a sore thumb but it is a welcome distraction from all of the bumping and thumping and “Falling Free,” is a sorely needed ballad but falls a bit flat.

All being said, this is Madge's best effort in a decade but that isn't saying much, just like this album. It has all the bells and whistles but very little substance. It's like a Michael Bay movie. Or worse, a Madonna movie.

Episode III & March Madness

Here we are. The third episode already. Every site out there has an NCAA-style tournament going so I decided to put one up of my own. This took quite a bit of time to put together so I would appreciate your responses. Click the link below and "predict it" to cast your vote.

Best Frontperson Of All Time

In the meantime, enjoy the reasons to hate Paula Deen.

Episode II Is Complete

In this episode we talk Goonies, Oprah, and plenty of female-on-male violence.