Tuesday, June 2, 2009

TV Review: Mental on Fox

The new show Mental on Fox Tuesday nights just aired its second episode. I was intrigued by the premise of this show, most likely because of my affection towards a very similar show House, which is also on Fox. The two shows parallel each other with an array of plot lines. Both shows have male leads who are "different" types of doctors, wiz doctors in a way. They both have wacky off the wall ideas that in the end prove to be right. The two shows also have a woman running the whole hospital who has some sort of relationship with said wiz doctor, which allows her to let him do anything he wants. The two argue, but ultimately she trusts him for some reason and allows his wild ideas. Then there is the worker bees who sit around and argue with the wiz doc and try to prove him wrong, and show how the basic taught way is the right way. This is the point in which i am interested. I like that these shows try to make people think outside the box, and not just always do the ways everyone else has done them before. I dont like how Mental is the psychiatric version of House. House was an original new idea type of show that actually made it big, and now here is a lame follower trying to get success of House's coat tails. I think its lame.

Dont get me wrong, there are some differences in the two shows, but not enough to keep me interested. Mental has a cheating doctor, who is all tough on the outside, but really a softy on the inside. It also has a typical lesbian relationship, in which the other male character is trying to "cure" her from. He claims that once they spend the night together she will no longer be a lesbian. I find that so disrespectful to the gay community and i honestly dont know how it made it to television...oh wait yes i do its on Fox! Oh and the one and only thing that is going to keep me watching next week is the fact that the lead role, (in which i dont even remember his name!!) keeps getting these mysterious calls from a "Rebecca" where she only breathes and he continually tries to get her to come meet him. At first i thought it was his sister, then his daughter, and now im believing it was his wife. Tonight she left him a note at the front desk, we are getting closer to an answer. If i was this shows producer, I would make sure that we didnt find out the story on Rebecca until the end of the season, otherwise they will have no viewers. We all miss House, but not enough to deal with this cheap replacement.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Music Reviews: Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Suckers, and The Horrors

The Tenure Itch by The Pains of Being Pure at Heart.

This song opens up and reminds me of early 90s brit pop mixed with the drum sound of new wave. This band has had a lot of talk surrounding them, and I must say I was one of the people really feeling them. Its not like I don't like this song, its just that i have heard it before. There isn't much new about this band, but they succeed in pulling off a well known sound that I personally enjoy. B

www.thepainsofbeingpureatheart.com

It Gets Your Body Moving by Suckers

At first listen this song does everything but get your body moving. The melancholy, drone sound doesnt really keep my attention that well, even though I do enjoy the fullness of the harmonies and use of orchestra. Just as I was about to turn this song off, because the repetition of not moving my body happens the melody changes and a whistler comes in and nicely builds up a break that takes you over the hump of this song. My advice is if you can get through the first minute and a half you will be rewarded with a nice sing along section you could proudly throw your beer up in the air and sway with the anthem. C

www.myspace.com/suckerstheband.

Sea Within A Sea by The Horrors

Automatically I like this song, because it has a fun upbeat tempo to keep me interested in what could possibly come up over the next 7 minutes of this track. The beat is taking me on a nice trip, but does tend to last a little too long without vocals. As the singer comes in and he sounds a bit like Ian Curtis, but not thats a bad thing in my opinion. The song then takes you down this path, that adds a bit of japanese feel to it, mixed with the weird sounds that remind me of animals crying out for help, similar to the background in Meat is Murder. This then leads to a psychedelic section that promised to bring you back to the song, with a tad bit of electronica driving the bus to the finish line. It does tend to get a bit boring, especially when its the same beat and vocals for the last few minutes. Overall its a good song, it at least has character to it. B+

www.thehorrors.co/uk

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Left of the Dial 5/22/09

Left of the Dial
Ms. Connection 5/22/2009
Happy 50th Birthday Morrissey!!!

1-The Smiths-Stop Me if You Think You’ve Heard This One Before (Strangeways Here We Come)
2-The Killers-Why Don’t You Find Out For Yourself (off Vauxhall & I)
3-Bridges and Powerlines-Interesting Drug (off Bona Drag)
4-Placebo-Bigmouh Strikes Again (off The Queen is Dead)
5-David Bowie -I Know Its Gonna Happen Someday (off Your Arsenal)

6-The Smiths-William It Was Really Nothing (off Hatful of Hollow)
7-Supergrass-Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others (off The Queen is Dead)
8-Copper-There is a Place in Hell For Me and My Friends (off Kill Uncle)
9-Sweet and Tender Hooligans- Heaven Knows Im Miserable Now (off Hatful of Hollow)
10-My Burgundy Waltz-Our Frank (off Kill Uncle)

11-Morrissey-Tomorrow (Your Arsenal)
12-The Pretenders-Everyday is Like Sunday (off Viva Hate)
13-Gene Loves Jezebel-Ask (off Best of..)
14-Bow Wow Wow-I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish (off Strangeways Here We Come)
15-Sharon Van Etten-The More You Ignore Me The Closer I Get (off Vauxhall & I)

16-Morrissey-Speedway (Vauxhall & I)
17-Chris Garneau-Suffer Little Children (off The Smiths)
18-Vitamin String Orchestra-Glamorous Glue (off Your Arsenal)
19-Morrissey-First of the Gang to Die (You are the Quarry)
20-Loomer-Death of a Disco Dancer (off Strangeways Here We Come)

21-The Smiths-The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (The Smiths)
22-Microfilm-November Spawned A Monster (off Bona Drag)
23-Billy Bragg-Never Had No One Ever (off Queen is Dead)
24-Exit Clov-Sing Your Life (off Kill Uncle)
25-The Autumns-Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want ( off Louder Than Bombs)

26-Morrissey-Hairdresser on Fire (Bona Drag)
27-Max Vernon -Headmaster Ritual (off Meat is Murder)
28-The Smiths-Unhappy Birthday (Strangways Here We Come)

Friday, May 15, 2009

Left of the Dial 5/8/2009

1-Air-Playground Love
2-Sparklehorse-Dont Take My Shinshine Away
3-Band of Horses-Weed Party
4-MeWithoutYou-Every Thought A Thought of You
5-The Shins-Sealeags
6-The Shins-So Says I
7-Toyko Police Club-Nature of the Experiment
8-The Promise Ring-Red and Blue Jeans
9-Sea Wolf-Your a Wolf
10-Shout Out Louds-Please Please Please
11-Broken Social Scene-Almost Crimes
12-Metric-Help Im Alive
13-CSS-Reggae All Night
14-Trouble Andrew-Bang Bang feat. Santogold
15-Radiohead-Jigsaw Falling Into Place
16-Peter, Bjorn and John-It Dont Move Me
17-Clap Your Hands Say Yeah-In This Home On Ice
18-Black Moth Super Rainbow-Forever Heavy
19-Morrissey-Black Cloud
20-Built to Spill-Carry the Zero
21-Caribou-Shes The One
22-The National-So Far Around the Bend
23-Wolf Parade-Same Ghost Every Night
24-White Lies-To Lose My Life
25-Interpol-All Fired Up
26-The Ting Tings-Impacilla Carpisung
27-Spoon-I Summon You
28-Lykke Li-Let it Fall
29-Vampire Weekend-I Stand Corrected
30-The Blakes-Commit

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Left of the Dial 3/13/09

1-Big L-Put it On
2-Gangstarr-Just to get a rep
3-Mos Def-Brooklyn
4-A Tribe Called Quest-Phony Rappers
5-Talib Kweli-Never Been In Love

6-Beatnuts-Off the Books
7-Eric B and Rakim-Juice (know the ledge)
8-Big Daddy Kane-Nuff Respect
9-Brand Nubian-Slow Down
10-Lords of the Underground-Chief Rocka

11-Beanie Siegel & Freeway-Rock the Mic
12-The Game-Church for Thugs
13-Ice Cube-It Was A Good Day

14-Digable Planets-What Cool Breezes Do
15-Candyman-Knockin Boots
16-Common-Resurection
17-G-Unit-Smile
18-Wu-Tang Clan-CREAM

19-Murder City Devils-Rum to Whiskey
20-Modest Mouse-Good Times are Killing Me
21-Bob Dylan-Rainy Day Woman #12 &35
22-Cream-Strange Brew
23-Thievery Corportation-Beautiful Drug

24-Radiohead-Punchdrunk Love Singalong
25-Death Cab For Cutie-Champagne From a Paper Cup
26-Arcade Fire-Intervention
27-The Verve-The Drugs Don’t Work

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Left of the Dial 2/27/09

1-Mayer Hawthorne-Just Aint Gonna Work Out
2-Estelle feat. Kanye West-American Boy
3-Santogold-Unstoppable
4-Trouble Andrew-Chase Money
5-Adele-Cold Shoulder (Mick Boogie Remix)

-young gunz-Friday night

6-Kid Cudi-Day and Night (crookers remix)
7-Tobacco-Street Trash
8-MIA-Jimmy
9-Hot Chip-Ready for the Floor
10-Cut Copy-Hearts on Fire

-dead prez-hip hop

11-Flying Lotus-Roberta Flack
12-Erykah Badu-Back in the Day
13-Lykke Li-Complaint Department
14-New Young Pony Club-Ice Cream

15-Peter Bjorn and John-Nothing to Worry About
16-Ra Ra Riot-Can You Tell
17-The Von Bondies-Pale Bride
18-The Living Blue-Tell Me Leza
19-The Pains of Being Pure at Heart-Young Adult Friction

20-The Strokes-Barely Legal
21-Joe Jackson-Steppin’ Out
22-The Pretenders-Brass in Pocket
23-The Decemberist-O New England
24-Morrissey-That’s How People Grow Up
25-Shout Out Louds-Please Please Please

26-The National-So Far Around the Bend
27-Radiohead-Down is the New Up
28-Black Ghosts-Full Moon

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Left of the Dial 2/13/09

1-Etta James-At Last
2-Ella Fitzgerald-Fever
3-Dusty Springfield -The Look of Love
4-Sam Cooke-Nothing Can Change This Love
5-Otis Redding -Ive Been Loving You To Long To Stop Now

6-The Teeth-I Love You
7-The Cure-Love Cats
8-The Yardbirds-For Your Love
9-The Association-Never My Love
10-The Beatles-Love Me Do

11-Bruce Springsteen-Dancing in the Dark
12-The Kinks-Waterloo Sunset
13-Erykah Badu-Love of My Life
14-The Roots-Hip Hop (the love of my life)
15-Beyonce-Crazy in Love

16-Band of Horses-No Ones Gonna Love You
17-Death Cab for Cutie-Title and Registration
18-Morrissey-Suedehead
19-Jeff Buckley-Last Goodbye
20-Dawn Penn-No, No, No, You Don’t Love Me

21-The Cranberries-Linger
22-Coldplay-The Scientist
23-Lauryn Hill-You Just Lost One
24-The Smiths-Last Night I Dreamt Somebody Loved Me
25-Interpol-Song 7
26-Ben Folds Five-Song for the Dumped

27-Clap Your Hands Say Yeah-Is This Love?
28-The Mountain Goats-Woke Up New