::happily picturing the Dr. Frank we saw in Atlanta::

And victor as Eddie! That still cracks me up.

Poker Face (shut up, I like it)

I quite like her song, "Paparazzi". For some reason I'm not so keen on most of the video, except where she's poisoning her boyfriend in Mickey Mouse glasses. That's kind of cute.

Viva la Vida (just the song)

I like this song, I keep tossing up whether to buy just it or the whole album. Coldplay isn't my favourite band by any means, but I'm happy to see them recover from XY.

I don't know if this was posted here before, but: theremin lovers, rejoice! [link]

Currently watching the video to Sophie Ellis-Bextor's "Heartbreak Make Me A Dancer". It's readily apparent that it hasn't worked yet. I actually quite enjoy this, I imagine it's rather like trainspotting. How many videos can you count where the singer employs such tricks as jump-cuts and surrounding themselves with professionals in order to disguise their own lack of moves?Jewel's "Intuition" has to be the stand-out for mer, but let me commend Katy Perry on her "Hot And Cold" as well.

Hello awesome Buffistas! I have not been around these parts in eons.

Yesterday I was procrastinating and decided to do some album shopping on emusic and downloaded The Kinks' Muswell Hillbillies. (I am embarrassed to say it is the first full Kinks album I have ever owned.)

Anyway, I had to drop by because I just can't believe that none of you music fiends (especially, you, Hec!) ever told me about this album before! It is effing FANTASTIC.

That's all. I am going to cruise around here and see how everyone is doing.

Anyway, I had to drop by because I just can't believe that none of you music fiends (especially, you, Hec!) ever told me about this album before! It is effing FANTASTIC.

Ahem. It's one of the albums we featured in Lost in the Grooves. So I have publically and professionally pimped it.

The Kinks have a lot of fantastic albums but their consensus peak, with three five-star albums in a row was Face to Face, Something Else, and Village Green Preservation Society.

All of which have been remastered and re-released with copious extra tracks in the last five years. Buy them all! Also get the Village Green 33 1/3 book.

Whenever I daydream about having something like a reading club but for an album, I always start with either Face to Face or Roxy Music's For Your Pleasure.

Hey tina! I've missed you!

From the LitG review by Gary Pig Gold:

November, 1971, and the freshly revitalized Kinks have just signed a new contract in the wake of their worldwide smash "Lola." Who on Earth would have ever expected the band would - or could - deliver such an inscrutable gem as Muswell Hillbillies as a follow-up?

D efiantly out-of-step in its time, Muswell remains remarkable today not only for its sound but for its weird and utterly wonderful undercurrent of deceit, deception and conspiracies set aganst the seedy backdrop of post-WWII Britain. For in those dank times, inner city London's bombing victims were coldly up-ended and up-rooted into the bleak, government "newtowns." Not coincidentally, the Kinks spent their ignoble childhoods amid such prefab rabble.

Ahem. It's one of the albums we featured in Lost in the Grooves. So I have publically and professionally pimped it.

Whoops. Well, I am glad I didn't miss out on it entirely. I have listened to it three times this morning and I am floored. It's kind of perfect.

I will invest in more Kinks posthaste. But will I be disappointed since the others won't be so twangy? We shall see.

I have missed you, too, Mr. Hecubus. Hope the family and all else is well. I have thought of you while watching the Giants have such a fun season this year. As opposed to my poor, dismal Royals. It took me 5 years but I finally picked my Chicago team - sadly they (the White Sox) are finishing up their season with a really stellar flame out.

As long as I am here, I have also mention the other album that has occupied my stereo all weekend. The xx debut. Holy crap, people! It's like the most perfect almost-fall album ever. It kind of reminds me of the Stars but better. I love it. Interested parties should give "VCR" a quick listen.

But will I be disappointed since the others won't be so twangy? We shall see.

I seriously cannot imagine a discerning music fan being disappointed in those albums. It's Ray Davies at the height of his powers, and that's a standard maybe only five or six songwriters were reaching in the sixties.

They're not as twangy, no. (One of Gary's points in his review of Muswell is that its the secret templete for Americana and No Depression bands.) But they are quite gorgeous musically. Village Green might be the prettiest; Face to Face is the transitional album bursting with ideas; Something Else is the one slopping over with masterpieces ("Waterloo Sunset" etc.)

The Giants have been a surprise blast this year, even with their dismal offense. Any team that's got the Panda and Timmy on it is fun to watch. The A's are about a year from respectability and two years from contending, but they're stacked in the farm system.

White Sox have some intriguing pieces. I love G. Beckham and I thought Peavy was a good pickup.

The xx debut. Holy crap, people! It's like the most perfect almost-fall album ever. It kind of reminds me of the Stars but better. I love it. Interested parties should give "VCR" a quick listen.

Will do! What did you think of Animal Collective's last album?

Recent pictures of: Matilda and Emmett.

Oh! I went to Athens, GA earlier this summer and thought of you when I was at Wuxtry Records.

I love G. Beckham and I thought Peavy was a good pickup.

Did you know that by his request they play The Outfield's "Your Love" when Beckham comes up to bat? SwOOOON. I love him. And Peavy will be great though losing Thome was tough.

What did you think of Animal Collective's last album?

I bought the last Animal Collective and it just didn't stick with me. I have been on a nothing but Archers of Loaf/Superchunk or sad slow country/bluesy stuff (the Everybodyfields, The Dutchess and The Duke, William Elliott Whitmore and the obsessively wonderful Bon Iver) kick for the last year, so I think it was just not fitting in with that groove.

Recent pictures of: Matilda and Emmett.

OhMyGosh! Emmett is so big and grown up! And Matilda! What an adorable girl. I have been away too long. They are all grown and stuff!