tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27272710170267858102024-02-07T19:18:20.601-05:00SPEAK A&D BLOGNews and Information Concerning The Art & Design of Tim SpeakerTim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comBlogger684125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-33542909947582545812012-08-07T19:59:00.000-04:002012-08-07T20:04:11.994-04:0070 For 70: The Top 70 Albums of the 1970'sThe task was simple, yet epic: to create a ranked list of the our 70 favorite albums of the 1970's. Myself (Tim Speaker) and <b>MIM</b> (Madison Institute of Musicologists) founder <b>Pete Fahndrich</b> took on the challenge, and responded with lists that were extremely painful to create. When in doubt, we chose the albums that meant the most to us, as opposed to what we thought were the best.<br />
<br />
Pete tweets at https://twitter.com/pmstation<br />
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Without further ado, her is <b>70 For 70</b>:<br />
<br />
Tim Speaker's Favorite 70 Albums of the 1970's<br />
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70. <b>Leonard Cohen</b>—Death of a Ladies’ Man</div>
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69. <b>Neu!</b>—Neu75</div>
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68. <b>Van Morrison</b>—St. Dominic’s Preview</div>
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67. <b>Patti Smith</b>—Easter</div>
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66. <b>Black Sabbath</b>—Master of Reality</div>
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65. <b>Nick Drake</b>—Pink Moon</div>
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64. <b>Leonard Cohen</b>—New Skin For the Old Ceremony</div>
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63. <b>The Kinks</b>—Lola Vs. Powerman and the Money Go Round</div>
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62. <b>Nick Drake</b>—Bryter Layter</div>
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61. <b>The Grateful Dead</b>—Workingman’s Dead</div>
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60. <b>T.Rex</b>—The Slider</div>
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59. <b>Television</b>—Marquee Moon</div>
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58. <b>Elvis Costello</b>—My Aim Is True</div>
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57. <b>Talking Heads</b>—More Songs About Buildings and Food</div>
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56. <b>Brian Eno</b>—Another Green World</div>
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55. <b>Patti Smith</b>—Radio Ethiopia</div>
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54. <b>Suicide</b>—Suicide</div>
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53. <b>Tom Waits</b>—Closing Time</div>
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52. <b>Pink Floyd</b>—Meddle</div>
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51. <b>Black Sabbath</b>—Paranoid</div>
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50. <b>The Grateful Dead</b>—American Beauty</div>
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49. <b>Talking Heads</b>—Fear of Music</div>
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48. <b>The Grateful Dead</b>—Blues For Allah</div>
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47. <b>David Bowie</b>—Lodger</div>
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46. <b>The Clash</b>—Give Em’ Enough Rope </div>
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45. <b>The Rolling Stones</b>—Some Girls</div>
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44. <b>Neil Young</b>—After the Gold Rush</div>
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43. <b>The Beatles</b>—Let It Be</div>
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42. <b>Patti Smith</b>—Horses</div>
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41. <b>Pink Floyd</b>—Wish You Were Here</div>
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40. <b>Big Star</b>—Third/Sister Lovers</div>
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39. <b>Brian Eno</b>—Here Come the Warm Jets</div>
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38. <b>Van Morrison</b>—Moondance </div>
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37. <b>The Doors</b>—LA Woman </div>
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36. <b>Patti Smith</b>—Wave </div>
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35. <b>David Bowie</b>—Young Americans </div>
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34. <b>The Who</b>—Who's Next</div>
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33. <b>The Grateful Dead</b>—From The Mars Hotel</div>
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32. <b>Bob Dylan</b>—Desire</div>
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31. <b>Led Zeppelin</b>—In Through The Out Door</div>
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30. <b>T.Rex</b>—Electric Warrior</div>
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29. <b>David Bowie</b>—Diamond Dogs</div>
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28. <b>Black Sabbath</b>—Black Sabbath</div>
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27. <b>Iggy Pop</b>—Lust For Life</div>
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26. <b>Lou Reed</b>—Transformer</div>
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25. <b>The Velvet Underground</b>—Loaded </div>
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24. <b>Iggy Pop</b>—The Idiot </div>
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23. <b>Led Zeppelin</b>—IV</div>
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22. <b>Led Zeppelin</b>—Presence</div>
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21. <b>Pink Floyd</b>—Dark Side of the Moon </div>
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20. <b>The Stooges</b>—Raw Power</div>
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19. <b>The Rolling Stones</b>—Exile on Main Street</div>
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18. <b>David Bowie</b>—The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust &
the Spiders From Mars </div>
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17. <b>David Bowie</b>—Aladdin Sane </div>
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16. <b>Bruce Springsteen</b>—Born To Run</div>
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15. <b>David Bowie</b>—Hunky Dory </div>
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14. <b>David Bowie</b>—Heroes</div>
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13. <b>Led Zeppelin</b>—III</div>
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12. <b>Led Zeppelin</b>—Houses of the Holy</div>
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11. <b>David Bowie</b>—Station To Station </div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>Note: Only 1 artist
per entry in the Top Ten<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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10. <b>Pink Floyd</b>—The Wall</div>
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09. <b>The Clash</b>—The Clash </div>
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08. <b>The Sex Pistols</b>—Never Mind The Bollocks </div>
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07. <b>Bob Dylan</b>—Blood on the Tracks </div>
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06. <b>Joy Division</b>—Unknown Pleasures</div>
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05. <b>The Stooges</b>—Funhouse </div>
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04. <b>Bruce Springsteen</b>—Darkness On The Edge Of Town </div>
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03. <b>The Rolling Stones</b>—Sticky Fingers</div>
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02. <b>David Bowie</b>—Low</div>
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01. <b>Led Zeppelin</b>—Physical Graffiti</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br />
Pete Fahndrich's Favorite 70 Albums of the 1970's<br />
<span style="text-indent: -20pt;">70.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -20pt;"> </span><b style="text-indent: -20pt;">Talking Heads</b><span style="text-indent: -20pt;"> - More Songs about
Buildings and Food</span><br />
<br />
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69.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Led Zeppelin</b> - Houses of the Holy</div>
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68.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>John Lennon</b> - Plastic Ono Band</div>
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67.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>The Who</b> - The Who by Numbers</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
66.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Van Morrison</b> - Tupelo Honey</div>
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65.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Neil Young</b> - After the Gold Rush</div>
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64.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Fleetwood Mac</b> - Rumours </div>
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63.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Queen </b>- A Night at the Opera</div>
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62.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Faces</b> - A Wink is as Good as a Nod to a
Blind Horse</div>
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61.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Badfinger </b>- Straight Up</div>
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60.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Patti Smith</b> - Easter</div>
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59.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>The Pretenders</b> - The Pretenders</div>
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58.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>The Kinks</b> - Lola vs. Powerman and the
Moneyground</div>
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57.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Big Star</b> - Third (Sister Lovers)</div>
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56.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Pink Floyd </b>- Dark Side of the Moon</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l15 level1 lfo16; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
55.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Roxy Music</b> - Country Life</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l16 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
54.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Stevie Wonder </b>- Songs in the Key of
Life</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l17 level1 lfo18; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
53.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>George Harrison</b> - All Things Must Pass</div>
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52.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Neil Young </b>- Harvest</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l19 level1 lfo20; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
51.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Van Morrison</b> - Moondance</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l20 level1 lfo21; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
50.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Paul McCartney </b>- Ram</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l21 level1 lfo22; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
49.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Marvin Gaye</b> - What’s Going On</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l22 level1 lfo23; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
48.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>The Beatles</b> - Let it Be</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l23 level1 lfo24; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
47.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Lou Reed</b> - Transformer</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l24 level1 lfo25; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
46.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Billy Joel</b> - The Stranger</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l25 level1 lfo26; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
45.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Elvis Costello</b> - Armed Forces</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l26 level1 lfo27; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
44.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Led Zeppelin </b>- Led Zeppelin III</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l27 level1 lfo28; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
43.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>David Bowie</b> - Diamond Dogs</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l28 level1 lfo29; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
42.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Modern Lovers</b> - Modern Lovers</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l29 level1 lfo30; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
41.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>David Bowie</b> - Low</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l30 level1 lfo31; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
40.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>The Who</b> - Who’s Next</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l31 level1 lfo32; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
39.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Pink Floyd </b>- The Wall</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l32 level1 lfo33; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
38.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Van Morrison</b> - His Band and Street
Choir</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l33 level1 lfo34; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
37.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Big Star</b> - # 1 Record</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l34 level1 lfo35; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
36.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Creedence Clearwater Reviva</b>l - Cosmo’s
Factory</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l35 level1 lfo36; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
35.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Van Morrison </b>- Saint Dominick’s Preview</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l36 level1 lfo37; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
34.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Iggy Pop </b>- The Idiot</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l37 level1 lfo38; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
33.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>The Ramones </b>- The Ramones</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l38 level1 lfo39; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
32.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>John Lennon</b> - Imagine</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l39 level1 lfo40; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
31.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Velvet Underground -</b> Loaded</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l40 level1 lfo41; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
30.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Joni Mitchell </b>- Blue</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l41 level1 lfo42; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
29.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>The Stooges</b> - Raw Power</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l42 level1 lfo43; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
28.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Neil Young </b>- Tonight’s the Night</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l43 level1 lfo44; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
27.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Joy Division</b> - Unknown Pleasures</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l44 level1 lfo45; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
26.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>T-Rex </b>- The Slider</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l45 level1 lfo46; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
25.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Elton John </b>- Tumbleweed Connection</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l46 level1 lfo47; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
24.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Led Zeppelin</b> - Led Zeppelin IV</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l47 level1 lfo48; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
23.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Iggy Pop</b> - Lust for Life</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l48 level1 lfo49; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
22.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>David Bowie</b> - Aladdin Sane</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l49 level1 lfo50; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
21.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Elton John </b>- Honky Chateau</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l50 level1 lfo51; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
20.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Bob Dylan </b>- Desire</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l51 level1 lfo52; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
19.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>The Who</b> - Quadrophenia</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l52 level1 lfo53; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
18.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>The Clash </b>- The Clash</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l53 level1 lfo54; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
17.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>David Bowie </b>- Honky Dory</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l54 level1 lfo55; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
16.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>The Stooges -</b> Fun House</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l55 level1 lfo56; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
15.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Led Zeppelin </b>- Physical Graffiti</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l56 level1 lfo57; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
14.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Elvis Costello</b> - This Year’s Model</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l57 level1 lfo58; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
13.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Brian Eno</b> - Here Come the Warm Jets</div>
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12.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Talking Heads</b> - Fear of Music</div>
<div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 20.0pt; mso-list: l59 level1 lfo60; tab-stops: list 20.0pt; text-indent: -20.0pt;">
11.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>The Rolling Stones </b>- Some Girls</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="BodyA">
<o:p><i>And the Top Ten Albums of the 1970's...</i></o:p></div>
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10.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>David Bowie </b>- Station to Station</div>
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09.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>The Sex Pistols </b>- Never Mind the
Bullocks</div>
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08.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Television</b> - Marquee Moon</div>
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07.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Bruce Springsteen</b> - Born to Run</div>
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06.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>David Bowie -</b> The Rise and Fall of
Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars</div>
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05.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Neil Young</b> - On the Beach</div>
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04.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Bob Dylan </b>- Blood on the Tracks</div>
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03.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>The Rolling Stones</b> - Exile on Main
Street</div>
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02.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>Bruce Springsteen </b>- Darkness on the
Edge of Town</div>
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01. <b>The Rolling Stones</b> - Sticky Fingers<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-89400502059366642622011-12-18T15:08:00.001-05:002011-12-18T20:23:47.285-05:00Reflections On The State Of Music In 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/stateofmusic-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/stateofmusic-1.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><b>REFLECTIONS ON THE STATE OF MUSIC IN 2011<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">or Why I Cannot Learn To Stop Worrying and Love
Spotify<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">"<i>It
takes effort and attention...like most things, the more it hurts, the more it
means…</i>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">– <a href="http://blog.frankchimero.com/post/11912032950">Frank Chimero</a> commenting on <i><a href="http://blog.frankchimero.com/post/11912032950">The Tree Of Life</a></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">As true rock journalism has been replaced by
blog/internet culture (which explains the ascendancy of the shoddy, short-sighted,
pot-shot criticism of Pitchfork and their ilk) that seems to exist without correlation
to rock history or lineage, it is as if many of the current rock “journalists”
are so consumed with the post-modern tendency to simply link references rather
than analyze with intelligence. It seems they cannot, or will not invest in the
process of thoughtfully considering the work they are attempting to criticize
beyond the most superficial of connective elements (again I’m looking at you
Pitchfork). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Perhaps this tendency to connect rather than
analyze is due in part to the entire catalogue of recorded music literally
becoming available at your fingertips. This unprecedented access brings with it
a wholly modern problem – access without filter; without a way to navigate this
bottomless pit of history the rock journalist of today can merely attempt to
connect like-objects in an attempt to plot a course in the wake of the collapse
of the music industry. This is why I cannot learn to stop worrying and love Spotify—the
discrepancy between access and education, breakneck opportunity and analytic
understanding is staggering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Yes, it is a dream to be able to access anything
in the realm of music, but what are we losing? Unfettered musical access at the
speed of light often causes surface dismissal, on-to-the-next-thing, shallow
interaction (the topic of recent book <i><a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127370598">TheShallows: What The Internet Is Doing To Our Brains</a></i>). Rock criticism has now
become similar to Tumblr, but for music—a rapid succession of images that “look”
significant or rather become symbols for significance rather than doors to
deeper, more meaningful interaction. In short, many members of youthful
audiences can discern what significance “looks like”, but cannot elucidate why
those images/peoples/texts/musics are actually significant. Imagine if you applied this method of criticism to other forms of art: if art history courses were only
constructed as Tumblr-style image sequences without discourse and crucial
support/contextual information; that the annals of film were only a series of
YouTube clips; that the vast history of literature were only brief sentence
summaries or worse, context-free quotations (this already is the <i>only way</i> that most young people interact
with the classics—through Tumblr-loaded quotes or Disney-fied movie versions). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">This lack of context positions all works of art
to be of equal value as seen through the lens of an endless succession of
quickly viewed/listened to works; the truly substantial and the commonly mediocre
become indiscernible in the anonymous rush of material hissing past at hurried
speeds. We are at the top of the ladder in our ability to access, but without
means of navigation, we are kicking out the rungs beneath us. This can only end
in a culture of art that is repetitive, unoriginal, and worst of all, cliché. <sub><o:p></o:p></sub></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">It is this superficial contact that I am attempting
to make a plea against—in every area of art, be it literature, painting, film,
design, or music. If venues like Spotify or Rdio are used in the right way—as
modern conduits to connect us to the art we listen to, to contemplate, to
investigate, to discuss—then they are certainly a positive. This screed may
come across as the ranting of an old-timer, claiming that things were better
“back then”. To be clear, I am no luddite; I am an avid user of Twitter, Tumblr,
Blogger, etc. But I fear that for those listeners who are at the outset of
their formative listening experiences and critical listening development will
not gain the ability to analyze, but rather to only be able to at best connect-the-dots,
and at worst—never develop the ability to “listen” at all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">SIDENOTE: I just want to publicly request that
David Bowie shake free of his early retirement and get back into the ring this
year. This is my biggest hope for the new year—Bowie, come back—we need you now
more than ever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-91057404665599937552011-12-17T23:54:00.000-05:002011-12-18T11:56:40.885-05:00Top 10 Albums of 2011 – Extended Selections<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/justinvernon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/justinvernon.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">So every year I make additional selections by offering several awards outside of the "official" ballot. Here they are, my extended selections.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><b>SONG OF THE YEAR<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Holocene</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">
– Bon Iver<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Listened to this song sitting in the window
overlooking Old Town Saginaw when I got back from the hospital the morning my
brother died. Seared into my soul forever. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><b>SINGLE OF THE YEAR<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Walk – </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Foo Fighters<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Runners Up: <i>Shake
It Off</i> – Florence + The Machine, <i>Midnight City – </i>M83, <i>Discoverer – </i>REM, <i>Lonely Boy – </i>The Black Keys, <i>The Death of You & Me – </i>Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, <i>The World Is Yours – </i>Glasvegas</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p><b>SONGS OF THE YEAR</b> (30 great songs, in no particular order)</o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">We Are Augustines – <i>Headlong Into The Abyss</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Chelsea Wolfe – <i>Tracks (Tall Bodies)</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Papercuts – <i>Charades</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Glasvegas – <i>Whatever
Hurts You Through The Night</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">The Horrible Crowes – <i>Sugar</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">M83 – <i>Steve McQueen</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Zola Jesus – <i>Collapse</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">The Black Keys – <i>Little Black Submarines</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 12px;">Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds – </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><i>(Stranded On) The Wrong Beach</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 12px;">Dirty Beaches – </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><i>Speedway King</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">The Twilight Singers – <i>The Beginning of the End</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Girls – <i>Vomit</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 12px;">M83 – <i>Wait</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 12px;">Foo Fighters – </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 12px;">I Should Have Known</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Florence + The Machine – <i>Only For Tonight</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Chelsea Wolfe – <i>Movie Screen</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">The Horrors – <i>Changing
Rain</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Wild Flag – <i>Romance</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Glasvegas – <i>The
World Is Yours</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">I Break Horses – <i>Hearts</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">We Are Augustines – <i>Chapel Song</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">The Horrible Crowes – <i>Behold The Hurricane</i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Wolf Gang – </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Lions
In Cages</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">M83 – <i>Reunion</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Zola Jesus – <i>Lick The Palm Of The Burning Hand</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">The Horrors – <i>Oceans
Burning</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">PJ Harvey – <i>The
Last Living Rose</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Arctic Monkeys – <i>She’s Thunderstorms</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">REM – <i>Discoverer</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Florence + The Machine – <i>No Light, No Light</i></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><b>ALBUM COVER OF THE YEAR<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><b>Badlands</b>, Dirty Beaches<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Redundant to bring this up again, but it really is fantastic. Check it out.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><b>VIDEO OF THE YEAR<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><i><a href="http://vimeo.com/31407779">Lonely Boy</a></i>, The Black Keys<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span style="font-size: 12px;">In a weak year for the dying artistic genre known as the music video, this one was perfect.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><b>DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE YEAR<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Beady Eye—<b>Different
Gear, Still Speeding</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Nobody, and I mean nobody, is a bigger Liam
Gallagher fan on this planet than I am. And that’s not to say that that this
album is bad—it’s just sort of…meh. I really like <i>Beatles & Stones</i> and <i>The
Morning Son</i> but otherwise it’s kind of forgettable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">RUNNER UP: Glasvegas, <b>///Euphoria Heartbreak\\\ </b>Repeat all of the above commentary for
Beady Eye but insert the word Glasvegas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p><b>BUMMER OF THE YEAR</b></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p>The breakup of REM, <a href="http://speakartanddesign.blogspot.com/2011/09/what-breakup-of-rem-means-part-2.html">obviously</a>.</o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><b>ROCK DOC OF THE YEAR<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><i>Back & Forth: Foo Fighters<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">This Foo Fighters/Dave Grohl/Nirvana doc does
everything a great rock film should do—<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">RUNNER UP: <i>From The Sky Down: The Making of
<b>Achtung Baby</b></i> is also pretty great, but I wanted more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">SIDE NOTE: I also really liked <i>Stones In Exile</i>
about the making of <b>Exile On Mainstreet</b> and <i>Lemmy</i>, concerning the handsome and debonair Lemmy
Kilmister of Motorhead. <o:p></o:p></span></div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-33058842088125700402011-12-17T22:45:00.000-05:002011-12-18T13:30:18.153-05:00The Top 10 Albums of 2011<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">MADISON
INSTITUTE of MUSICOLOGISTS (MIM) 2011 OFFICIAL BALLOT – TIM SPEAKER</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Ok, so it's really fifteen. But it was a really strong year so I went with more than ten.</span></span></div>
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<br />
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<a href="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/wildflag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/wildflag.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">15</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">.
Wild Flag—<b>Wild Flag<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">The
sound is the blood between me and you<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Rock and roll is alive and well and living in the
hearts of these four women. Killer top to bottom.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">14</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">.
The Black Keys – <b>El Camino</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">But
everybody knows / That a broken heart is blind<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Loving it, but since it just came out I haven’t
been able to spend the kind of time with it that I need to.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">13</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">.
The Twilight Singers—<b>Dynamite Steps</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">All
come alive in the present tense<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">The disappointment was in the buildup; the
promise of <b>Dynamite Steps</b> was too
great, as word of a new Twilight Singers album, following one of the best
albums of the past decade—<b>Powder Burns</b>—would
also feature Gutter Twin Mark Lanegan as well as erstwhile genius (and personal
guitar-god) Nick McCabe of the Verve? The lure proved too much. Instead of an
epoch-defining work, Greg Dulli and Co. return with another excellent album of
noir rock. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">It’s tough to call this a disappointment, as it truly does have its
moments (like the Song of the Year contender </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">The Beginning of the End</i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">), but considering the buildup, it was hard
not to feel a bit letdown. Again, that isn’t to say I don’t love this album,
because I certainly do.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">12</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">.
We Are Augustines—<b>Rise Ye Sunken Ships</b>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Well
call the police, go ahead call your shrink / Call whoever you want but I won't
stop the car<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">I love albums that have a good story behind them,
and this one is a doozy. From <a href="http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2011/08/we-are-augustines-rise-ye-sunken-ships.html">Paste Magazine</a>’s review:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 8pt;">Jim,
the brother of lead singer and songwriter Billy McCarthy, had a very troubled
past. Since high school, he lived in homeless shelters and on the streets of
California after succumbing to excessive substance abuse. He was also committed
to psychiatric hospitals on multiple occasions.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 8pt;">Jim
eventually used a knife to attack a worker in a shelter where he was living. He
then found himself in prison and diagnosed as a schizophrenic, unfit to stand
trial and too dangerous to stay with the general public…For four years, Jim
remained in solitary confinement, his only escapes being small stints at more
psychiatric hospitals…While staying at one, he overheard he’d again be
relegated to solitary confinement…He panicked…Then hanged himself.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 8pt;">Their
mother, also a schizophrenic and addict, came to a similar demise. Lying on a
cot in a homeless shelter, she overdosed on sleeping pills and cocaine…Next to her
bed, she had scribbled two things on the back of a business card from a local
mortuary: her children’s names…Billy, Jim and their sister never knew their
father.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">The funny thing about this album, one sprung from
so much darkness, is that is sounds mostly triumphant. Though it does trail
off a bit, a more honest group of songs you will not find this year.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">11</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">.
Dirty Beaches—<b>Badlands</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Speedway
/ It's taking over me<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Badlands</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">
sounds like it was unearthed from beneath the garbage barrels behind CBGB’s,
the mutant offspring of a late night jam session between Suicide, The Cramps,
and Elvis singing lyrics written by Charles Starkweather in an alley somewhere
in my dreams. Very, very hard to leave this out of my top ten. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">SIDE NOTE: This is the best album cover of the
year, by far. To fully experience the album as it was intended, pick it up on
vinyl like I did. Pressed on white wax, the grime sounds like a demented
symphony, and the noir-ish photography provides ample evidence for the need to
continue producing tangible packaging.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">10</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">.
Bon Iver—<b>Bon Iver</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">…and
at once I knew I was not magnificent<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Another tenderly brilliant album from Justin
Vernon, Wisconsin’s most famous cabin dweller. The blatant Peter Gabriel-ism is
a bit concerning to most, but since I actually like Peter Gabriel (and am not
afraid to admit it) I am OK with it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Of anyone on this list, I think his next
album will have the highest stakes (so to speak) of his career. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">09</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">.
The Horrors—<b>Skying</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">The
moment that you want is coming / If you give it time<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Another set of gorgeous, post-punk warbles. The
law of diminishing returns does govern this follow-up to my <a href="http://speakartanddesign.blogspot.com/2009/12/top-ten-albums-of-2009.html">2009 Album of theYear</a>, <b>Primary Colours</b>, but it is
still a strong batch of high quality, billowy, psych. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">08</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">.
Chelsea Wolfe—<b>Apokalypsis</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">We
could be two straight lines in a crooked world…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Chelsea Wolfe snuck onto the musical landscape by
releasing her debut album <b>The Grime and
The Glow</b> in the final week of 2010. I discovered that album in late spring,
and spent a considerable portion of the summer of 2011 playing <i>Halfsleeper</i> on repeat late into the
night. Her follow up—<b>Apokalypsis</b>—was
released in September and is an absolutely white-nuckle, horror movie scary
collection of feral doomfolk. In a good way. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">This album has an atmosphere that is totally exclusive to anything else put on wax this year. Listening, you can almost smell the smoky haze of incense burning at some ancient, biblical rite taking place, being presided over by a feral priestess that may or may not be PJ Harvey. It kind of reminds me of the atmosphere created on the title track to the first Black Sabbath album, if that helps describe the late night, bizarre environment constructed here. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">I found myself in the month of
December basically playing <i><a href="http://vimeo.com/29470183">Tracks (TallBodies)</a></i> on repeat, hypnotized by it's repetitive spell. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">SIDE NOTE: Try as I might, I could not find this
on CD or (extremely) limited LP, as it was mostly a digital only release. A
sign of the times I guess.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">07</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">.
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – <b>Self-Titled</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Build
a little fire where it’s cold…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">This is the best album of the year<i> while</i> you are listening to it. Nothing
makes you feel this good—so good that it feels like a collection of <b>Be Here Now</b> B-sides, which is the
ultimate compliment I can give it. I ask you to listen to this record, and take
a moment to appreciate the level of traditional English-with-a-capital-E
songwriting here, as nobody else does this anymore. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">A dying art to be sure.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">06</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">.
Foo Fighters—<b>Wasting Light</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">I
never wanna die / I never wanna die / I'm on my knees / I never wanna die…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">Are Foo Fighters the last straight-up rock and roll band
in the mainstream left in America? I must admit that the placement of this
album was significantly influenced by repeated viewings of the extraordinary
documentary </span><i style="font-size: 9pt;">Back & Forth</i><span style="font-size: 9pt;">. The album, like the documentary that chronicled its creation, is a look back in order to forge a new path forward. Many of the best songs here—</span><i style="font-size: 9pt;">Dear Rosemary</i><span style="font-size: 9pt;">, </span><i style="font-size: 9pt;">I Should Have Known</i><span style="font-size: 9pt;">, </span><i style="font-size: 9pt;">Bridge Burning</i><span style="font-size: 9pt;">, </span><i style="font-size: 9pt;">Miss The Misery</i><span style="font-size: 9pt;">, <i>Arlandria</i>, and the spectacular </span><i style="font-size: 9pt;">Walk</i><span style="font-size: 9pt;">—all deal with the subject of reflecting on past losses, past mistakes, past failures as a way to appreciate what you have now, today, in the present. A song like </span><i style="font-size: 9pt;">I Should Have Known</i><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> is given incredible gravity not only by the subject matter—not being able to stop someone you care for from self-destruction, one of which is explicitly Kurt Cobain—but through the inclusion of Krist Novoselic (performing for the first time with Grohl post-Nirvana) and Pat Smear (now back in the fold as a full time member) a resonance that </span><span style="font-size: 12px;">supersedes</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> the Foo Fighters as a musical entity. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">Few
albums are as life-affirming as this set from Grohl’s Army, and that alone set </span><b style="font-size: 9pt;">Wasting Light</b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> apart from most of the
pack this year. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">05</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">.
Florence + The Machine—<b>Ceremonials</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">And
would you leave me / If I told you what I've become?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Blown away by the power of her talent. Lyrically,
musically, and vocally this album is phenomenal – I was totally caught off
guard by <b>Ceremonials</b>. Superb in
every category. Calling her a force of nature is not mere hyperbole, she seems to exert powerful sway over the elements. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">04</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">.
M83—<b>Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">I
woke up stronger than ever…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Epic in the best sense of the world, this
sprawling shoegaze/technopop extravaganza should come with a map. Huge in sound
and scope, this album steps forward from 2009’s John Hughes inspired
masterpiece <b>Saturdays=Youth</b>. Should
M83 mainman Anthony Gonzalez have decided to prune this back to a single disc,
it certainly would have fought for Album of the Year. But forget about all
that, just take it as it is – a bittersweet mix of upbeat heartfelt symphonies
dedicated to the loss of innocence and youth. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Beautifully confidant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">SIDENOTE: If <b>Hurry
Up, We're Dreaming</b> was released when I was 22, it would have been the
soundtrack to my life. Every song sounds like a movie. Also, I highly recommend
seeing them live. They are absolutely massive live.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">03</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">.
The Horrible Crowes—<b>Elsie</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">If
you should go there before I do / God's gonna trouble the water<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">This side-project from Brian Fallon (who may be
my favorite young songwriter in America) reaches into areas of lyricism
undiscovered in his day job as Gaslight Anthem’s director and guiding force. <b>Elsie</b> seemed to get better and better
with each and every listen I gave it. An album about loss, in it's many forms. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">SIDE NOTE: You know when you lose your
objectivity about quality because you feel so close to a work? This album has
served as my companion through the long hours of grief in the wake of my
brother’s death last August. I spent every available minute driving the
backstreets of South Carolina in September and October listening to this album and
I will always have a hard time listening to it.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/conatus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/conatus.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">02</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">.
Zola Jesus—<b>Conatus</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Cause
it hurts, yes it hurts to let you in…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">An operatic goth/synth/dance/dreampop tour de
force. The Goth Queen of Madison, WI takes on a broad range of subjects and
moods here; fitting for an album whose title—<b>Conatus</b>—is latin for moving forward. <b>Conatus</b> is a major leap ahead in terms of songwriting, production,
and instrumentalism from her brilliant twin 2010 EP’s <b>Stridullum</b> and <b>Valusia</b>.
The best compliment that I can give this is to say that it is a complete work,
a true album in the sense that each song is sequenced with precision, and work
as links to a whole. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Heroic, picturesque, heart-wrenching, <i>strong</i>.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/letenglandshake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/letenglandshake.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">01</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">.
PJ Harvey—<b>Let England Shake</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Goddamn
Europeans! / Take me back to beautiful England…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">Not her first reinvention (my favorite would be the now over 10 years old, still phenomenal <b>Stories From The City,
Stories From The Sea</b>) but certainly the most convincing and total, <b>Let England Shake</b> is a brilliant
treatise on post-WWI Britain. It is of the utmost importance that artists
continue to challenge their audience with complex, confrontational, or
uncomfortable material and Harvey has found inventive and distinctive ways to
do this since the early 90’s. Even in a very, very strong year for female
artists, Harvey continues to be in a class unto herself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 9pt;">SIDE NOTE: I find the current pre-eminence of PJ
Harvey as an influence on contemporary, female based "rock" to be truly
fascinating, as it is difficult—nearly impossible—to imagine much of the
significant female work at present without her influence. A brief look at my
Top Ten Albums of 2011 exemplifies this – Chelsea Wolfe, Florence + The
Machine, Zola Jesus, and countless others bear her distinctive mark. It’s as if
her particular brand of intelligent, literary, visceral rock and roll has aged
with such formidable significance and dignity that what was once periphery has
now become central to the post millennial, post collapse-of-the-music-industry,
post rock-as-cultural-force, post rock-is-dead musical landscape (this same
observation may also be applied to the work of Nick Cave). I am not certain why
this is, but I think it is a worthwhile discussion to cultivate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-2753374448052834392011-12-17T20:40:00.001-05:002011-12-17T20:41:03.599-05:00Top Albums of 2011 – 25 To 15<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/top25to15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" src="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/top25to15.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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OK folks, it's that time again. Time for the <b>Madison Institute of Musicologists</b> to convene, place their ballots, and select their <b>Top Ten Albums of 2011</b>. As usual, I will be offering an extended version of the ballot. As this was an especially strong and competitive year, I have decided to include a full list of the <b>Top Twenty-Five Albums of 2011</b>. </div>
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More to come. So without further ado, here we go:</div>
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<b>25</b>. Diego Garcia—<b>Laura</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>24</b>. The War On Drugs—<b>Slave Ambient</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>23</b>. Papercuts—<b>Fading Parade</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>22</b>. The Kills—<b>Blood Pressures</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>21</b>. The Raveonettes—<b>Raven In The Grave</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>20</b>. Radiohead—<b>King of Limbs </b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>19</b>. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart—<b>Belong</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>18</b>. Chapel Club—<b>Palace</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>17</b>. Girls—<b>Father, Son, Holy Ghost </b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>16</b>. Glasvegas—<b>///Euphoria Heartbreak\\\</b></div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-59917891523217220042011-10-30T23:21:00.003-04:002011-10-30T23:36:41.479-04:00Top 20 Stone Roses Songs<a href="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/stoneroses.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: justify;float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 268px; " src="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/stoneroses.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Stone Roses</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "> are one of the greatest bands of all time — this is fairly indisputable. Their recent resurrection is as improbable as it was amazing. More on this at another time.</span></div></b><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For now, here is my <b>Top 20 Stone Roses Songs of All Time</b>, in honor of their return.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>62</o:Words> <o:characters>355</o:Characters> <o:company>Anderson University</o:Company> <o:lines>2</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>435</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">20. What The World Is Waiting For</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">19. Here It Comes</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">18. Standing Here</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">17. Fool’s Gold</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">16. How Do You Sleep?</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">15. Sugar Spun Sister</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">14. Standing Here</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">13. The Hardest Thing In The World</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">12. Mersey Paradise </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">11. Waterfall</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">10. She Bangs The Drums</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">09. Going Down</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">08. All Across The Sands</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">07. Made of Stone</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">06. Sally Cinnamon</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">05. Ten Storey Love Song </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">04. I Wanna Be Adored</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">03. Love Spreads</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">02. This Is The One</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">01. I Am The Resurrection</p> <!--EndFragment--></div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-49934752616080139012011-10-19T08:52:00.004-04:002012-04-21T21:35:21.650-04:00Top 25 Characters On The Wire<a href="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/omarbrothermouzone.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/omarbrothermouzone.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 268px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 600px;" /></a><br />
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<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>There are two types of people—those who have seen <b>The Wire</b> and know it's the best show of all-time, and those you haven't seen it yet.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
—Tim Speaker</div>
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One of the many reasons why my favorite (and best) show of all time is <b><a href="http://www.hbo.com/the-wire/index.html">The Wire</a></b> are the characters. Fully three-dimensional, real characters either based on factual individuals, often played by non-actors, or amalgamations of real-life people, the characters on <b><a href="http://www.hbo.com/the-wire/index.html">The Wire</a></b> move far beyond any film or television series in terms of truth.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Most shows have a character, or a few characters, that keep you coming back. Yet when I thought to put this list together, I immediately thought of over 30 characters that I loved off the top of my head. I cannot imagine being able to do this with any other show. And that alone says alot for the quality of the acting on <b><a href="http://www.hbo.com/the-wire/index.html">The Wire</a></b>. Also, I had to leave out characters that I loved or felt were brilliant, in order to limit the list to 25 (sorry Herc, Prezbo, Clay Davis). This is astounding for a television show.</div>
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Here it is, my <b>Top 25 Favorite Characters On</b> <b>The Wire</b>:</div>
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25. Slim Charles</div>
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24. Carver</div>
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23. Chris Partlo</div>
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22. Snoop</div>
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21. Poot</div>
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20. Cutty</div>
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19. Brother Mouzone</div>
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18. Randy</div>
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17. Marlo Stanfield</div>
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16. Bunny Colvin</div>
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15. Dukie</div>
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14. Michael</div>
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13. Kima Greggs</div>
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12. Bodie Broadus</div>
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11. Wee Bey</div>
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10. Wallace</div>
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09. Proposition Joe</div>
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08. Lester Freamon</div>
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07. D’Angelo Barksdale</div>
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06. Bubbles</div>
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05. Avon Barksdale</div>
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04. Bunk Moreland</div>
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03. Jimmy McNulty</div>
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02. Stringer Bell</div>
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01. Omar Little</div>
</div>
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I know it's cliche to like Omar the best, but the brilliant <b>Michael K. Williams</b> portrayal of him is simply electric. He owns the screen every second he is on it, regardless of who he is sharing it with.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And fans can find a great home here, at <b><a href="http://wirefans.com/">WireFans.com</a></b>.</div>
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<br /></div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-23526840825454901272011-10-11T09:54:00.004-04:002011-10-11T10:04:06.898-04:00Deus Ex Machina Releases First Book, Typically Brilliant<div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align:left; width:450px"><object id="myWidget" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.blurb.com/assets/embed.swf?book_id=2343307&locale=en_US" width="600" height="375"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://www.blurb.com/assets/embed.swf?book_id=2343307&locale=en_US"><a target="_new" href="http://www.blurb.com/books/preview/2343307?ce=blurb_ew&utm_source=widget"><img src="http://bookshow.blurb.com/bookshow/cache/P3190631/md/wcover_2.png" /></a></object><div style="display:block;"><a href="http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2343307?ce=blurb_ew&utm_source=widget" target="_blank" style="margin:12px 3px;">The Temple of Enthusiasm by Carby Tuckwell</a> | <a href="http://www.blurb.com/landing_pages/bookshow?ce=blurb_ew&utm_source=widget" target="_blank" style="margin:12px 3px;">Make Your Own Book</a></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I love <b><a href="http://deuscustoms.com/">Deus Ex Machina</a></b>. I love their bikes. I love their bicycles. I love their posters. I love their gear. I love their website. I love their branding. I love their spirit. I love their photography. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I do not love their prices, but that is more a personal problem (I'm broke as a joke) than anything they are doing per se.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And now? They release a new book via <b><a href="http://blog.blurb.com/index.php/2011/10/07/book-of-the-week-temple-of-enthusiasm/">Blurb</a> </b>called<b> <a href="http://blog.blurb.com/index.php/2011/10/07/book-of-the-week-temple-of-enthusiasm/">The Temple of Enthusiasm</a></b> and it's what you would expect - brilliance dripping from every page, and a drool-festival for a cover. Amazing. The problem? It's $146 dollars!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Oh well. I can dream right?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Buy one <b><a href="http://blog.blurb.com/index.php/2011/10/07/book-of-the-week-temple-of-enthusiasm/">here</a></b>. Check out <a href="http://deuscustoms.com/"><b>Deus Ex Machina</b> <b>here</b></a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-19894523080740991822011-10-11T09:42:00.002-04:002011-10-11T09:49:26.460-04:00Lines & Lives Of The Face Opens In Tryon<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/30331546?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=ffffff" width="600" height="330" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last saturday I had the good fortune of being included in a brilliant show of portraiture at the <b><a href="http://www.upstairsartspace.org/">Upstairs Gallery</a></b> in Tryon, NC. What an amazing space! I was blown away by the great work by the artists involved, and the subtle curation by Nancy and Margaret. Truly a superb space operated by wonderful people. Tryon is this cool little mountain town (which there are tons of great ones in NC) where <b><a href="http://ninasimoneproject.org/">Nina Simone</a></b> was born, and her monument park is directly across the street from the gallery - so cool.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://vimeo.com/user4694632">David Slone</a></b> - a fellow <b>Art Bomber</b> - was also included in the show, and created the above video to capture a glimpse of the show. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Check it out. The show runs through November 19th. More information at the <b><a href="http://www.upstairsartspace.org/">Upstairs Gallery</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-62255449906303492362011-10-06T10:31:00.005-04:002011-10-06T12:51:10.876-04:00Postmodernism Film Is Clarifying<object width="600" height="335"><param name="movie" value="http://www.vam.ac.uk/channel/swf/EmbededVideoPlayer.swf"><param name="flashvars" value="requestURL=http://www.vam.ac.uk/channel/json/video_player.php?id=687%26style=3%26embeded=true&urlToShare=http://www.vam.ac.uk/channel/happenings/exhibitions_and_galleries/postmodernism_the_substance_of_style/"><param name="menu" value="false"><param name="allowFullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF"><param name="wmode" value="window"><embed width="600" height="335" src="http://www.vam.ac.uk/channel/swf/EmbededVideoPlayer.swf" flashvars="requestURL=http://www.vam.ac.uk/channel/json/video_player.php?id=687%26style=3%26embeded=true&urlToShare=http://www.vam.ac.uk/channel/happenings/exhibitions_and_galleries/postmodernism_the_substance_of_style/" menu="false" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" wmode="window" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object>Postmodernism is one of those slippery terms to define. Want some clarification? Check this film out to coincide with the exhibition. Superb.<div><br /></div><div>More information <b><a href="http://www.vam.ac.uk/channel/happenings/exhibitions_and_galleries/postmodernism_the_substance_of_style/">here</a></b>.</div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-29409628708938170772011-10-06T10:12:00.005-04:002011-12-18T17:34:01.667-05:00What The Breakup Of REM Means, Part 4<a href="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/rempete.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/rempete.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 268px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify; width: 600px;" /></a><br />
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<br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
For <span style="font-weight: bold;">What The Breakup of REM Means, Part 4</span> we turn to guest blogger <span style="font-weight: bold;">Pete Fahndrich</span>. World traveller, shepherd of lost bands/albums/artists, President and Founder of the <b>Madison Institute of Musicologist</b>s, and one of the best people you could ever have the good fortune to know, Pete "gets it" and is the only person I know who is as hungry for music as I am, and is willing to talk about it endlessly. </div>
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We are Soul Brothers of Musicology, so it is with great pleasure that I bring you his <span style="font-weight: bold;">31 Years, 31 Songs</span> for our old friends REM. I cannot think of a more fitting way to close this series of REM posts than with the selections and memories of someone so specially tuned to REM's greatness. So enjoy...</div>
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<b>31 YEARS, 31 SONGS </b><i>by</i><b> PETE FAHNDRICH </b><i>of the</i><b> SAGINAW FAHNDRICH CLAN</b></div>
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<i>31.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></i>How The West Was Won and Where It Got Us -<i> New Adventures in Hi-Fi</i></div>
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<i>30.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></i>Green Grow The Rushes - <i>Fables of the Reconstruction <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>29.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></i>The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite - <i>Automatic For The People<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>28.</i><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>I Believe - <i>Life’s Rich Pageant</i> </div>
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<i>27.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></i>Radio Free Europe - <i>Murmur<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>26.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></i>Electrolite - <i>New Adventures In Hi-Fi<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>25.</i> Bittersweet Me - <i>New Adventues In Hi-FI<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>24.</i> Finest Worksong - <i>Document<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>23.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></i>Feeling Gravity’s Pull - <i>Fables Of The Reconstruction<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>22.</i> Sweetness Follows - <i>Automatic For The People</i></div>
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<i>21.</i> Imitation Of Life - <i>Reveal<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>20.</i> Pretty Persuasion - <i>Reckoning<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>19.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></i>What’s The Frequency Kenneth? - <i>Monster<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>18.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></i>Perfect Circle -<i> Murmur<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>17.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></i>At My Most Beautiful - <i>Up<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>16.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></i>Half A World Away - <i>Out of Time<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>15.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></i>Try Not To Breathe - <i>Automatic For The People<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>14.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></i>Don’t Go Back To Rockville - <i>Reckoning<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>13.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></i>Daysleeper -<i> Up<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>12.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></i>The Great Beyond - <i>Single<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>11.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></i>Begin The Begin - <i>Life’s Rich Pageant<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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10.<span style="font-style: italic; font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>Driver 8 - <i>Fables Of The Reconstruction<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>09.</i> Talk About The Passion - <i>Murmur<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>08.</i> Leaving New York - <i>Around The Sun</i></div>
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<i>07.</i> Fall On Me - <i>Life’s Rich Pageant<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>06.</i> Man On the Moon - <i>Automatic For The People<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>05.</i> Country Feedback - <i>Out Of Time<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>04.</i> So. Central Rain - <i>Reckoning<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>03.</i> Nightswimming - <i>Automatic For The People <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>02.</i> Cuyahoga - <i>Life’s Rich Pageant</i></div>
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<i>01.</i> E-Bow The Letter - <i>New Adventures In Hi-Fi<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><o:p> </o:p></i></div>
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<u>SIDE NOTES<o:p></o:p></u></div>
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<i>28.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>Is because of Mary</i></div>
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<i>27.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>Is for dropping the needle on the first REM album and hearing this come out</i></div>
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<i>22.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>Is for my cousin Peter Thomas and driving on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago</i></div>
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<i>19.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>Is for the big deal Monster was when it came out my first summer in Madison</i></div>
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<i>17.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>Is because Mike Mills convinced Michael stipe the Beach Boys were worth checking out</i></div>
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<i>08. Is because I wish I didn’t have to</i></div>
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<i>03. Is for the college nights in Madison when we did and for Jereme</i></div>
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<i>01. Is because I could never get past this song</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-31052273245825399622011-09-29T22:13:00.005-04:002011-10-06T10:27:26.224-04:00What The Breakup Of REM Means, Part 3<a href="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/rem3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 600px; height: 268px;" src="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/rem3.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">OK, as promised, for my continuing series <b>What The Breakup of REM Means, Part 3</b>, I present my list of 31 Songs For 31 Years. My 31 favorite REM songs, in honor of their 31 years together.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Enjoy. Oh, and hey, what are some of yours?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>31 YEARS, 31 SONGS</b></div><div> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>166</o:Words> <o:characters>950</o:Characters> <o:company>Anderson University</o:Company> <o:lines>7</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>1166</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:""; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:""; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:""; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">31. Find The River – <i>Automatic For The People</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: '; ">30. Belong – <i>Out Of Time</i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">29. Daysleeper <i>– Up<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">28. Try Not To Breathe – <i>Automatic For The People</i><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">27. Orange Crush –<i> Green</i> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">26. Electrolite -<i> New Adventures In Hi-Fi<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">25. Talk About The Passion - <i>Murmur</i><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">24. Don’t Go Back To Rockville - <i>Reckoning</i><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">23. Harborcoat <i>- Reckoning<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">22. The One I Love – <i>Document<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">21. Catapult<i> – Murmur<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">20. Superman -<i> Life’s Rich Pageant<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">19. So. Central Rain – <i>Reckoning</i><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">18. At My Most Beautiful –<i> Up<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">17. Feeling Gravity’s Pull – <i>Fables of the Reconstruction</i><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">16. Driver 8 - <i>Fables of the Reconstruction<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">15. Leaving New York –<i> Around the Sun</i> <i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">14. Let Me In - <i>Monster<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">13. I Believe – <i>Life’s Rich Pageant</i> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">12. Bittersweet Me - <i>New Adventures In Hi-Fi</i> <i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">11. What’s The Frequency Kenneth? –<i> Monster</i> <i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">10. Fall On Me – <i>Life’s Rich Pageant</i><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">09. Radio Free Europe – <i>Murmur</i><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">08. Sweetness Follows – <i>Automatic For The People</i><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">07. Begin The Begin - <i>Life’s Rich Pageant</i> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">06. E Bow The Letter – <i>New Adventures In Hi-Fi</i> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">05. Drive – <i>Automatic For The People</i><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">04. Leave - <i>New Adventures In Hi-Fi</i> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">03. Finest Worksong – <i>Document<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">02. Country Feedback – <i>Out Of Time</i><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:""">01. Nightswimming – <i>Automatic For The People</i><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment--></div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-4612236004116928192011-09-28T21:32:00.027-04:002011-09-29T09:48:21.689-04:00What The Breakup Of REM Means, Part 2<a href="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/rem2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 600px; height: 268px;" src="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/rem2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">This is <b>Part 2</b> of my series, <b>What The Breakup of REM Means</b>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">These are a collection of r<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: '; ">andom thoughts, memories, and observances about REM.</span></div><!--EndFragment--><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: '; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span">The first CD I ever purchased was <b>Out Of Time</b> and <b>Sam Cooke’s Greatest Hits</b> from Meijers on Gratiot in Saginaw MI with money from mowing lawns. Thusly, <i><a href="http://youtu.be/xGXVyDsOV2w">Radio Song</a></i> was the first song ever played on CD on my stereo. This is significant...to me.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span">____________________________________________________________________</span></div><div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family:"""><a href="http://youtu.be/cVSf5PrAk24">Country Feedback</a></span></i><span style="font-family:"""> is the exact same song musically as <i><a href="http://youtu.be/Wp1rL7DI_D4">Revival</a></i> by Soulsavers. Both of these songs are incredible. Don’t die without having played them both on repeat.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">____________________________________________________________________</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family:"""> <a href="http://youtu.be/ahJ6Kh8klM4">Nightswimming</a></span></i><span style="font-family:"""> still has the unique power to make me cry - sometimes. <i><a href="http://youtu.be/ahJ6Kh8klM4">Nightswimming</a></i> can make me happier than any song ever - sometimes. <i><a href="http://youtu.be/ahJ6Kh8klM4">Nightswimming</a></i> always makes me swoon with nostalgia, even the first time I ever heard it. <i><a href="http://youtu.be/ahJ6Kh8klM4">Nightswimming</a></i> is a different song <i>every</i> time that I hear it, and touches places inside me that nothing else does.</span></p> <div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span">____________________________________________________________________</span></div><div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ''; ">I always loved REM, but when I saw <b><a href="http://youtu.be/RFMaXANEZOI">Tour Film</a></b> on VHS at my friend Chris Gober’s house – he projected it on his living room wall and hooked up speakers to the TV, cranked them up to 10 and let it rip - it blew me away. Many of these songs immediately became my favorites due to the film. If you haven’t seen it, do. It’s as good a concert film as has been produced. And the black and white cinematography is simply stunning.</span></p> <div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span">____________________________________________________________________</span></div><div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ''; ">REM were the closest thing Americans ever had to The Smiths. We are not likely to hear their kind again. This is a BIG statement, but think about it – if REM had split in 1997 this statement would be much easier to agree with.</span></p> <div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span">____________________________________________________________________</span></div><div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ''; ">John Paul Jones wrote and conducted the symphony on <b>Automatic For The People</b>. This unlikely collaboration created some of the most heart-wrenching music ever recorded.</span></p><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span">____________________________________________________________________</span></div><div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">For a long time in the late 80’s and early 90’s I thought Michael Stipe and Natalie Merchant were a couple. This was not an uncommon belief amongst my friends and I. Oh, how naive we were back then.</p><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span">____________________________________________________________________</span></div><div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I always loved how they put “Berry/Buck/Mills/Stipe” in the credits to their music. It seemed like such a unified group, a four-legged table like U2 or The Smiths or The Stone Roses. This was proven astoundingly accurate during the last 14 years of their career.</p><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span">____________________________________________________________________</span></div><div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">It was the first warm day of spring of my Sophomore year. That first day of sun is like heaven after long cold winters in Michigan, when everything suddenly comes back to life. I was at my friend Rod Huyett’s house in Mt. Pleasant, MI. We set up two amps outside, plugged in a Rickenbacker for him and a Les Paul Special for me, and I learned my first ever chords to <i><a href="http://youtu.be/jWkMhCLkVOg">What’s The Frequency Kenneth?</a></i> To this day that widescreen, fuzzy, skuzzy opening riff always makes me feel warmth and rejuvenation and optimism and <i>absolute</i> like the first day of spring.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:"""><b><i>SIDE NOTE</i></b>: Those chords were too tricky for my unlearned hands, so we played <i><a href="http://youtu.be/dwe4bwQTj0o">Down By The River</a> </i>by Neil Young for about 8 hours straight instead. Truth.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span">____________________________________________________________________</span></div><div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ''; ">When Stipe’s voice jumps an octave for the line “<a href="http://youtu.be/cZUmrpzmYCg">leave it, to leave it all behind</a>” in the song <i><a href="http://youtu.be/cZUmrpzmYCg">Leave</a></i>, I can physically feel my chest tighten like when you slam on the brakes and the seatbelt seizes your chest, and my entire body shudders. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i>This is a power found only in music</i>.</p> <div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span">____________________________________________________________________</span></div><div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ''; ">One of my best friends – Jo Carol Mitchell-Rogers – went to the University of Georgia in the few years before <b>Murmur</b>, and saw REM play at campus bars and parties countless times. Michael Stipe’s sister was in one of her drawing classes, and Jo Carol drew Michael’s portrait when he would model for her.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ''; "><b><i>SIDE NOTE</i></b>: Her roommate dated Herschel Walker during his Heisman campaign and she was a student during their National Championship season – which pretty much means she was at UG for all the best things that <i>have ever happened</i> <i>there</i>, in the entire history of the university.)</span></p> <div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span">____________________________________________________________________</span></div><div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ''; ">Many of the best REM songs are truly cinematic, widescreen affairs (<i><a href="http://youtu.be/cZUmrpzmYCg">Leave</a></i>,<i> <a href="http://youtu.be/-R2hvKDFLHE">Bittersweet Me</a></i>, <i><a href="http://youtu.be/tCvnGxfBfiw">Leaving New York</a></i>, all of <b>Automatic For The People</b>) while simultaneously feeling confessional and near. This is something only the truly great bands achieve.</span></p> <div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span">____________________________________________________________________</span></div><div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ''; ">The recent 20<sup>th</sup> Anniversary of Nirvana’s <b>Nevermind</b> reminded me of how important REM were at that time. From late 1991, through to Kurt Cobain’s suicide in the spring of 1994 was an incredibly exciting and confusing time*, and Kurt and Eddie Vedder both sought advice and support from whom they considered to be their heroes, and Michael Stipe was very publicly involved in assisting Kurt after his heroin overdose in Rome. This memory brought up a couple of interesting points, that:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ''; ">1. There was a vital, significant correlation between the mainstream explosion of “alternative” music of 1991 and the trails blazed to that mainstream led by bands like REM and U2, who were still considered “alternative” at the time. I highly doubt that America could have been able to accept the bands of this movement without the groundwork laid by their 80’s precursors.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ''; ">2. The relationship between REM and (someone like) Nirvana is most likely imperceptible to someone who is 20 years old (or an adolescent listener, or even a contemporary audience) because to their ears, REM is either sunshiny pop (<i><a href="http://youtu.be/iCQ0vDAbF7s">Shiny Happy People</a></i>, <i><a href="http://youtu.be/jWkMhCLkVOg">What’s The Frequency Kenneth?</a></i>) or kind of sappy and overblown (<i><a href="http://youtu.be/ijZRCIrTgQc">Everybody Hurts</a></i>), or vague moral and religious dilemmas that they don't seem to understand (<i><a href="http://youtu.be/if-UzXIQ5vw">Losing My Religion</a></i>). Either way this connection is completely lost to them, and maybe for all time. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:"""><b><i>SIDE NOTE</i></b>: This perception was fostered during REM’s lost years, the final 14 of their career, when their intent and message no longer received a mass audience, especially with listeners under the age of 30.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ''; ">*From late 1991 through 1994 was the a thrilling time to be coming of age, as it felt like my generation took over and overthrew all that came before. It is often said that the 60’s was really only a few years, from 1966 (<b>Revolver, </b>Dylan goes electic) to1969 (Altamont) and the same can be said for the 90’s – the 90’s were only from 91-94 (the release of <b>Nevermind</b> to Cobain's suicide). Just as the "60's" were not Connie Francis and Pat Boone (though they sold heavily too), the 90's were not Limp Bizkit and Backstreet Boys and all the other garbage that filled the rock n roll vacuum post 1994. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ''; "><b><i>SECOND SIDE NOTE</i></b>: Yes, I realize I’m beginning to sound like an old Vietnam Vet – “you weren’t <i>there</i> maaaan…”.</span></p> <div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span">____________________________________________________________________</span></div><div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ''; ">REM’s last American Top 40 singles were <i><a href="http://youtu.be/jWkMhCLkVOg">What’s The Frequency Kenneth?</a></i> And <i><a href="http://youtu.be/8FNfB6WfwM4">Bang And Blame</a> </i>from <b>Monster</b> in 1994 and 1995. It makes sense, but I did not realize this until now.</span></p> <div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span">____________________________________________________________________</span></div><div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ''; ">Perhaps the closest thing we have to REM in today’s musical landscape is <a href="http://youtu.be/KehwyWmXr3U">The National</a>. I would like to publicly challenge them to take the next step and formally pick up the flag flown by REM. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ''; ">Matt Berninger I’m calling you out.</span></p> <div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span">____________________________________________________________________</span></div><div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ''; ">In 2009 I selected <b>Automatic For The People</b> as the <b><i>#10 Album That Defined My High School Experience</i></b>. Here is what I said at the time: "<i>When I first heard Nightswimming, I knew there was a world somewhere so different, that would suit me if I could only get there. I wanted (want) to live inside that song".</i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:"""><a href="http://speakartanddesign.blogspot.com/2010/03/top-fifteen-albums-that-defined-my-high.html">http://speakartanddesign.blogspot.com/2010/03/top-fifteen-albums-that-defined-my-high.html</a></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span">____________________________________________________________________</span></div><div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ''; ">Yes, REM should have broken up in 1997. But that doesn’t make their passing any easier now. In fact, it makes it possibly more difficult. Because now they are gone, we can love them again, miss them, appreciate them for all that they meant to us and will always mean to us, and recognize how they changed American culture in a real way in the 1980’s and 1990’s. This recognition was exceedingly difficult to maintain as they released a string of mediocre albums (yet with killer lead singles – <i><a href="http://youtu.be/tCvnGxfBfiw">Leaving New York</a></i>, <i><a href="http://youtu.be/Yl78XMnb8Xw">Living Well’s The Best Revenge</a></i>, <i><a href="http://youtu.be/tKNJV9OtKBI">Discoverer</a></i> – due must be given to these, because those are great singles) as persistent reminders of how “lost” they were following Bill Berry’s departure in 1997. With each release I fell into a familiar cycle – hope that they would make that one true, last brilliant album based on said killer single, then utter disappointment upon the release. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ''; ">But now we can love them again for all they are and were, because that is what endings do.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ''; "><b><i>SIDE NOTE</i></b>: This is much the same occurrence I observed when Michael Jackson died – all of a sudden there was this crazy outpouring of love for a man that was nothing short of monstrous, a likely pedophile who had disconnected from his public long before. Upon his death it seemed that he could be loved again, not for what he was when he died, but for who he <i>had been</i>, the Michael Jackson of his audience's youth, rather than the fiend he had become. It should be noted for clarity however, that REM did not become an awful <i>thing </i>as Jackson had, but merely a mediocre, rudderless ship, and for a band that had so often charted territories of Greatness, this would not do. However, both REM and Michael Jackson were instantly beloved in death.</span></p><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span">____________________________________________________________________</span></div><div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span">And Finally...REM are gone, but their legacy lives on in a million ways, from the current Indie scene to the 80's underground, to the 90's era of grunge. They live on in their fans, in the ways they influenced their ethics and general understanding of the world. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Thank you REM, for all you have meant to me, my youth, my young adulthood, and today.</span></p> <!--EndFragment--></div></div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-20275469338809709202011-09-25T13:53:00.003-04:002011-09-25T14:01:09.854-04:00Wood Type Revival Is A Worthy, Beautiful Place<a href="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/woodtype.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 600px; height: 268px;" src="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/woodtype.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">You know all those beautiful old wood types that don't exist in any digital format that you seen in old specimen books? What if you could have some of them, digitized and ready to use in your contemporary Adobe environments? What if?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That was the question that several brilliant graphic designers asked when they started a <b>Kickstarter</b> campaign last year to create the <b><a href="http://www.woodtyperevival.com/">Wood Type Revival</a></b>. Now that the generous support of backers from <b>Kickstarter</b> have made this idea a reality, you can visit the site to download formerly unavailable antique faces, in digital form.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From <b><a href="http://www.woodtyperevival.com/">Wood Type Revival</a></b>:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); 13px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><i>Born out of Kickstarter: Wood Type Revival is printing rare historic wood type, and turning it into digital fonts for modern designers.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); 13px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); 13px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Go there <b><a href="http://www.woodtyperevival.com/">now</a></b> - support this <b><a href="http://www.woodtyperevival.com/">beautiful idea made real</a></b>.</span></div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-33780072768302915342011-09-25T13:16:00.002-04:002011-09-25T13:52:47.631-04:00What The Breakup Of REM Means, Part 1<a href="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/stipe.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 600px; height: 268px;" src="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/stipe.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">By now you have heard I'm sure about the breakup of <b>REM</b>. For me I have had differing emotions about this everyday since. Sometimes these moments are totally opposite one another. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Over at the brilliant and essential <b><a href="http://circlingskeleton.tumblr.com/">The Ever Circling Skeleton Family</a></b>, some of those tangled emotions have been distilled in a superb post discussing the staggering song <b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVSf5PrAk24&feature=player_embedded">Country Feedback</a></i></b>:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(50, 59, 65); font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><i><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; ">I think it’s a song like this, like “Country Feedback,” that highlights a part of R.E.M.’s contribution to music, life, everything. I think I’ve said it before even on this page. But there that song is, mammoth, untouchable. Completely inscrutable, but also the most welcoming and understandable set of emotions put to words. Resignation, weariness in a set of words, in every note, every repetition of that chord sequence. But then that resignation and weariness is informed by what could only be love. And that’s all from a line like “you come to me with a bone in your hand.”</p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; ">Michael Stipe heard characters in his band’s songs, found those characters, became them. For three minutes at a time, he was someone else, and when we listened, we knew those characters like old friends.</p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; ">The way this band worked together to allow that kind of, I don’t know, magic was amazing. I’m excited, in a way, for the rest of the week, because I’ve already read some great pieces about the band, and I’m sure there’ll be a few more. I’m going to be thinking about it, certainly. </p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; ">But “Country Feedback.” Just watch that video, and you’ll be devastated by it. The moment for me, in that particular version (from the “Road Movie” tour film), comes around 4:48, when Michael Stipe just sits down on the stage, letting the song flow around him. He’s done his part in that story. The shot of his profile with the projected house in the background is perfect and beautiful.</p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; ">And now I’m sitting here thinking of a friend who just died, prematurely and tragically, and remembering that this song hinges on the line “it’s crazy what you could have had.” It’s a sad case of “song meaning something different to you” as there ever could be, I guess.</p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; ">Well, I need this.</p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; ">I need this.</p></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This, is extremely accurate. Look for<b> What The Breakup of REM Means, Part</b> 2 in the next few days, and a <b>Part 3</b> featuring my <b>Top 25 REM Songs Of All Time</b>. In the meantime, enjoy listening to their old albums. I am.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-91171175081615221032011-09-24T19:25:00.003-04:002011-09-24T19:30:27.572-04:00OFFBOOK For PBS Focus On Type Is Brief But Fun<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><object width="600" height="360"> <param name="movie" value="http://www-tc.pbs.org/video/media/swf/PBSPlayer.swf"> <param name="flashvars" value="width=600&height=360&video=2080123317&player=viral"> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www-tc.pbs.org/video/media/swf/PBSPlayer.swf" flashvars="width=600&height=360&video=2080123317&player=viral" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" wmode="transparent" allowfullscreen="true" width="600" height="360" bgcolor="#000000"></embed></object><p style="font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #808080; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 600px;">Watch the <a style="text-decoration:none !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#4eb2fe !important;" href="http://video.pbs.org/video/2080123317" target="_blank">full episode</a>. See more <a style="text-decoration:none !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#4eb2fe !important;" href="http://video.pbs.org/program/2056619908" target="_blank">Off Book.</a></p></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://www.pbs.org/arts/gallery/off-book-episode-2-type-typography/off-book-episode-2-type-typography/">OFFBOOK</a></b> is a series on <b>PBS</b>. Recently they featured Typography as their subject of the episode, and grab brief but interesting interviews with <b>Tobias Frere-Jones</b>, <b>Jonathan Hoefler</b>, and <b>Paula Scheer</b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Check it out above - it's worth the few minutes.</div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-1113781734872285022011-09-12T20:09:00.002-04:002011-09-12T20:12:34.679-04:00Ralph Fiennes Coriolanus Looks Gargantuan<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><iframe width="600" height="330" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bsYrGIQnmxo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Ralph Fiennes</b> directorial debut - <b>Coriolanus</b> - looks truly epic. A modern retelling of the <b>Shakespeare</b>an work, <b>Fiennes</b> stars and leads a strong UK cast. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Comes out Christmas day. Looks incredible.</div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-27571232157540925722011-09-11T15:47:00.005-04:002011-09-11T15:55:31.435-04:00Learn To Make Coffee At Intelligentsia<div style="text-align: justify;"><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/8709313?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=ffffff" width="600" height="350" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/8709313">Espresso, Intelligentsia</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/thed4d">The D4D</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As you may or may not know, I am a licensed barista. That's right, I can make coffee anywhere in the world. Not just filters, but full on espresso (notice there is no X in the word espresso), cappuccino, and the best froth you can get. I don't like to brag, but I'll brag on my froth.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Anyway, the superb <b><a href="http://thed4d.com/projects/intelligentsia-coffee/">Department of the 4th Dimension</a></b> - the premier short makers - has created a stunning set of shorts for exemplary coffeehouse <b>Intelligentsia</b>. And they are fantastic.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Check out the whole series<a href="http://thed4d.com/projects/intelligentsia-coffee/"> <b>here</b></a>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gorgeous.</div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-32088251895232523182011-09-11T15:01:00.003-04:002011-09-11T15:15:24.385-04:00RRL By Ralph Lauren Is Nothing But Spectacular<a href="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/ralphlauren.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 600px; height: 268px;" src="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/ralphlauren.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I've long be a fan of turn of the century mugshots and stereoscopic photographs. Their atmosphere was deliberately evoked in my <b><a href="http://timspeaker.com/#1426840/XTRMNTR">XTRMNTR</a></b> series a couple years ago.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://www.ralphlauren.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=11757743&ab=global_men_rrl">Ralph Lauren</a></b> has released a lookbook for their <b><a href="http://www.ralphlauren.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=11757743&ab=global_men_rrl">RRL</a></b> line, and the photographs are spectacular. Directly referencing to the work of early documentarian photographers, <b><a href="http://www.ralphlauren.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=11757743&ab=global_men_rrl">Lauren</a></b> has created a legitimate collection of images, as stirring as any produced recently. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Additionally the site that supports the line is also a must see. Find the entire series <b><a href="http://www.ralphlauren.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=11757743&ab=global_men_rrl">RRL</a></b> <b><a href="http://www.ralphlauren.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=11757743&ab=global_men_rrl">here</a></b>. Find my <b><a href="http://timspeaker.com/#1426840/XTRMNTR">XTRMNTR</a></b> series here.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Simply brilliant.</div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-56900158266428281692011-09-08T10:12:00.004-04:002011-09-08T20:37:18.338-04:00MVOTW: "Lions In Cages" by Wolf Gang<iframe width="600" height="385" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6bpPyRPnnRs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">As I've discussed many times, I have a deep love of music videos. I believe that they are an art form unto themselves, though unappreciated and now without their former cultural impact. In their first 20 years (1982-2002) they were a dramatic influence on our culture, and their release dates were true events, as large as single releases or album debuts. You would stay up until the late hours to watch a new video (and if it was significant enough it would be played every hour on the hour - like every <b>Guns N Roses</b> video released from the now 20 year old <b>Use Your Illusion</b> albums), you might even stay home from school to be there for this <i>event</i>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now of course music videos are kind of a novelty, a mostly non-essential entity shot to specifically appease interested band members, with the decidedly disposable outlet of <b>YouTube</b> or <b>Vimeo</b>. And with the proliferation of inexpensive video equipment and editing software, virtually anyone can make a music video at any time. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That being said, I still love them. To me they hold a power unlike any other art form. As I've discussed previously, they hit me at a very young age and their magic continues to inspire me. And the odd thing is that while the "golden age" of the music video has cleared passed, some interesting and strong work has continued to be produced.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With that in mind, I bring you the <b>Music Video of the Week: Lions In Cages by Wolf Gang</b>. This video is a classic example of taking a song that is solid/good, and elevating it through the unique power of the visual. And it's brilliant, and beautiful, and hits you in the chest, and you don't even really know why. And that is why the music video is an art form, one that will continue to resonate. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Enjoy.</div></div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-23178214767375359602011-09-01T10:36:00.003-04:002011-09-01T10:40:49.165-04:00Adobe's Muse Is A Design Industry Game Changer<div style="text-align: justify;"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/emaFCcxX2mY" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="500" width="600"></iframe>
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<br />Coming from a print background, I have eternally fought between my print mindset and the limitations of my coding abilities (or lack thereof). For years I have wondered: why does it have to be this hard? Why can't there be an <span style="font-weight: bold;">InDesign</span> for web?
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<br />Apparently <span style="font-weight: bold;">Adobe</span> listened to me (and others like me) as the creation of<a href="http://www.fastcodesign.com/1664905/adobes-muse-lets-designers-make-websites-without-knowing-code"> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Adobe Muse</span></a> is about to prove. Even if it can do half of what they claim, it will be a design industry game changer.
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<br />Watch the <span style="font-weight: bold;">film</span>. Dream <a href="http://www.fastcodesign.com/1664905/adobes-muse-lets-designers-make-websites-without-knowing-code"><span style="font-weight: bold;">no more</span></a>.
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<br /></div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-14234265327910964512011-08-31T17:52:00.007-04:002011-09-08T20:36:41.328-04:00Sadly Epic Space Oddity Becomes Beautiful Kid's Book<a href="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/majortom.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 600px; height: 268px;" src="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/majortom.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Illustrator <a href="http://kolbisneat.com/spaceoddity.htm"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Andrew Kolb</span></a> decided to create a children's book for <span style="font-weight: bold;">David Bowie</span>'s immortal song <span style="font-weight: bold;">Space Oddity</span>. Rendered in the style of a classic <span style="font-weight: bold;">Golden Book</span>, the lovingly crafted images tell the story of lost astronaut <span style="font-weight: bold;">Major Tom</span>. And it's brilliant.<br /><br />Take a look at the book and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Andrew Kolb</span>'s other amazing work<a href="http://kolbisneat.com/spaceoddity.htm"> <span style="font-weight: bold;">here</span></a>.<br /><br /><br /></div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-265628978523967362011-08-25T09:00:00.004-04:002011-08-25T09:04:00.891-04:00The Onion Takes Down Long Reviled Comic Sans<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><iframe src="http://www.theonion.com/video_embed/?id=21202" frameborder="no" height="390" scrolling="no" width="600"></iframe><br /><a href="http://www.theonion.com/video/new-study-explains-why-comic-sans-font-so-hilariou,21202/" target="_blank" title="New Study Explains Why Comic Sans Font So Hilarious (Season 1: Ep 8 on IFC)">New Study Explains Why Comic Sans Font So Hilarious (Season 1: Ep 8 on IFC)</a>
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<br />Comic Sans</span>, one of the most vomitous, disgusting typefaces ever foisted upon humanity, gets a tongue-in-cheek comeuppance by "America's Most Trusted News Source" - <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Onion</span>.
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<br />While this is really humorous, what is significant about the clip is that it exemplifies the raised consciousness the average person now has about typefaces. And that alone is noteworthy.
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<br />Brilliant.
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<br /></div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-64130098409933603992011-08-22T22:46:00.001-04:002011-08-22T22:49:20.585-04:00Dark Side Of The Lens Is Monumental<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/14074949?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=a3a3a3" frameborder="0" height="350" width="600"></iframe>
<br />Mickey Smith</span> is an incredibly talented filmmaker. This brief film feels like an epic journey, all in 6 minutes. I don't want to tell you much - just watch it. It will be the most beautiful 6 minutes you will spend all day.
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<br /></div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727271017026785810.post-83416948419708310042011-08-20T15:16:00.003-04:002011-08-20T15:24:27.198-04:00Genetic Portraits Are Unsettling, Beautiful<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/split.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 600px; height: 268px;" src="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp358/starspeak25/Jan%202010/split.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<br />The work of artist <a href="http://www.ulriccollette.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ulric Collette</span></a> seeks to examine the connections between family members in a unique, and sometimes unsettling way.
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<br />From <a href="http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/split-family-faces"><span style="font-weight: bold;">My Modern Met</span></a>:
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<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Quebec, Canada-based graphic designer and photographer Ulric Collette has created a shockingly cool project where he's exploring the genetic similarities between different members of the same family. By splitting their faces in half and then melding them together, he creates interesting new people that are sometimes quite normal looking and other times far from it. He calls this series </span><em style="font-style: italic;">Genetic Portraits</em><span style="font-style: italic;">.</span>
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<br />Check out more of his great work <a href="http://www.ulriccollette.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">here</span></a>.
<br /></div>Tim Speakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.com