NO STUFF TODAY...

...way too busy w/ getting our carpet cleaned (amongst other stuff). More later, promise!

JAY BENNETT 1963-2009

Your amazing talents will be missed, but you'll live on forever in some of my favorite music ever recorded. R.I.P. and all my prayers to Jay's family and friends.

Saturday Bonus Track...

I've been revisiting some of the semi-disposable punk-pop (or is it pop-punk?) I have enjoyed as a 'guilty pleasure' over the years. Perfect example: Sugarcult.

Y'know what...life is too short not to enjoy fun music. So, enjoy 'Stuck in America'.

No Such Thing as a 3-Day Weekend...

...when you're unemployed. Heh.

That said, everybody have a great holiday weekend and, please, don't forget to say thanks for all the Veterans who've given their lives to keep this country safe. Thanks!

For Kids of ALL Ages...

Both the boys and I have recently been enjoying DC's 'Tiny Titans'. Kind of an Elementary-school version of the Teen Titans, it's a really fun take on the 'DC Universe' that you can enjoy with your kids. The 'Dynamic Duo' kept getting into my Wizard magazines to further quench their growing thirst for Superhero knowledge and, quite frankly, some of the stuff within is just a little too graphic for them to be taking in right now. Well, at least that's what Wonder Woman (AKA Mommy) thought.

So, I started grabbing a couple of back-issues of the 'Tiny Titans' and the recent 'Super Friends' comic based on the toyline. They are both kid-friendly as all get out, but the latter is rife w/ a lampooning of the actual characters I can appreciate as well. I mean, where else can you see Darkseid as the school lunchlady? Plus, the art by Chicago's-own Art Baltazar is really fun to take in. Highly recommend whether you have kids or not.

Back in the Saddle Again...

I have another job interview this afternoon, so no good stuff today. As always...fingers crossed.

'He Was a Bad Dancer'...

...'til he learned to shimmy.'

Wow, were The Connells one of the most underrated bands EVER or what?

To Boldly Go, Where No Trek Flick Has Gone Before...

As I said on Friday, I caught that new 'Star Trek' flick and thought i'd step up w/ a tad meatier review today. I've never been a 'Trekkie' by any means...watched the original series here and there as a kid...caught the first 2-3 films and really only liked 'Wrath of Khan'...caught an occasional episode of 'New Generation'...and then completely lost interest as the whole property became diluted by all the spin-offs. Leave it to J.J. Abrams to not only capture my interest again, but make a total geek over it.

This film successfully captures a lot of the best elements of the original TV series and infuses it w/ a more modern, more action-packed attitude. Don't take that the wrong way...there is plenty of substance here. 'Star Trek' just leans a little more on the fiction than the science and it works. I would have felt dirty watching it had it just been a sexier, younger version of the property and, while it definitely is both sexier and younger looking, felt pretty satisfied they blended it w/ an engaging story as well.

The flick is a fun twist on the origin story of the crew of the Enterprise. Via the plot device of time-traveled altered realities, the film really becomes a true re-boot and a fresh one at that. Abrams dipped into the old Trek mythos where appropriate, but never really panders to it either. As with the original, the relationship between Kirk and Spock is the foundation for the rest of the story and both Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto did a great job in making that happen. Actually, Quinto completely nailed the whole Spock thing and the rest of the casting worked well to boot.

Bottom line, a whole mess of fun and i'm thinking it is going to be pretty hard for any other flick to come close to beating it this Summer. I'm already stoked about the potential for a sequel and the film has only been out for a few weeks. Whether your a sci-fi nerd like myself or not, you'll enjoy this...or may I choke on a Tribble.

Saturday Bonus Track...

I have absolutely fallen in love w/ this song (and the album it came from) all over again.

Soul Asylum in 1988, performing 'Sometime to Return' on what may have been MTV's 120 Minutes or some other short-lived variety show from when that channel was still cool.

Sorry Kids...

A lot of good traction w/ some possible job leads, had some beers w/ a friend yesterday afternoon and went and saw that new 'Star Trek' flick this afternoon. Review forthcoming on the latter, but suffice to say...PHENOMENAL.

Live Long. Prosper. Have a Great Weekend!

WILCO (THE STREAM)!

Well, no need to be all clandestine about things...check out Wilco (The Stream) at Wilco 'The Album'. Thanks, Wilcoworld!

It's the Little Things...

...that make me happy as of late. Things like my kids being in a good mood this morning, the LOST season finale tonight and (best of all) a new Wilco album.

More on the last one coming soon.

Oh, Why the Hell Not...

The tune they play every time the Hawks score a goal (and in Amstel beer ads)...'Chelsea Dagger' from The Fratellis.

Best use of a U.K. rock song at an American sporting event since Gary Glitter's 'Rock 'N' Roll Part II'.

HOLY CRAP...GO HAWKS!

The youngsters on the Chicago Blackhawks, are advancing to the NHL Western Conference finals for the first time since 1995 after beating the Canucks 7-5 in one crazy-ass third period of hockey!

Who'da thunk it'd be hockey i'd be getting excited about this Summer? GO HAWKS!

Hooray! 'Primeval' Season 3!

I was watching 'Doctor Who' on BBC America last night and saw that Season 3 of 'Primeval' starts this Saturday, 16-May! Like I said earlier, while not as good the good Doctor...it's still a really fun show. It'll be perfect for some Summer UK Sci-Fi escapism and I highly suggest you give it a try.

Also saw that 'Torchwood: Children of Earth' will air in July! Going to be some good stuff to catch this Summer!

Saturday Bonus Track...

I heard this at the grocery store of all places, over a week ago...still can't get it out of my head.

ZZ Top battling a monster truck in the video for 'Sleeping Bag'...of course.

ROCK IS DEAD...ALMOST.

Great sketch from Kids in the Hall. 'If I can't air guitar...I want no air at all.'

When I Get A Job...

...these cubist-inspired Chucks may be one of the first things I buy. Kind of loud, but cool.

Mo' Joe...

Official full-fledged trailer for the upcoming 'G.I. JOE: The Rise of Cobra'...still looks kind of fun to me.

Needs More Magneto...

In another late review, I actually went and saw 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine' last Friday to kick off the Summer-popcorn-movie-palooza (and get out of the house). It was fun enough, but suffered from some of the same foibles the actual 'X-Men' flicks did. The flick started off pretty focused actually, but (like 'X-Men') it ended up feeling overcrowded w/ too many mutants...you couldn't feel invested in any of the characters.

That said, the casting was pretty damn good. Hugh Jackman took another decent turn at Wolverine...Liev Schreiber was actually a pretty awesome Sabertooth...Taylor Kitsch played a great Gambit...but the biggest surprise was how much I liked Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson (AKA Weapon XI/Deadpool). 'The Merc w/ a Mouth' doesn't get that much screen-time, but enough to kick-start a possible spin-off.

Throw in some eye-catching big ole' action sequences and you've got a pretty enjoyable flick for the most part. Not sure if those w/ no X-Men comic experience will do w/ it...they could like it more via lack of preconceived ideas or less than us geeks who revelled in the subtle nods to the Marvel Universe throughout. See it for yourself and decide, bub.

ART BRUT

'Art Brut vs. Satan'

Have you ever wondered what the Pixies would sound like if they were fronted by Shaun Ryder instead of Black Francis? Me neither, but thanks to the UK's Art Brut...I do now and, thankfully, I like it. Fittingly, after their last tour, the band went to Portland, OR, in late 2008 to record songs with Frank Black as producer. The sessions took just two weeks, and their third album, 'Art Brut vs. Satan', hit the ground running a couple of weeks ago. It's been in regular rotation here at the AMBFAD lab and I had to give it a review (late or not).

'Art Brut vs. Satan' is a raw, semi-freewheeling and extremely fun listen. The band's indie-punk ode to no-frills recording, 'Slap Dash for No Cash', captures the ethos of how this album was made and sounds perfectly. Calling out Brian Eno on said track, frontman Eddie Argos issues a manifesto for the records he likes and, obviously, likes to record as well. That said, the album is actually pretty tight...in fact, so tight and/or economical, it's the complete antithesis to bodies of work more over-produced.

While the band has great chops musically, the real draw here is Argos' lyrics and delivery. Oft snotty and borderline adolescent, he still manages to sneak in some really clever stuff. The line 'I fought the floor and the floor won' from the almost funky attempted recollection of a night out in 'Mysterious Bruises' is pure gold. Throw in a tale of arrested development that hits kind of close to home in 'DC Comics and Chocolate Milkshake', a tuneful rediscovery of a favorite old/new band in 'The Replacements' and the cheeky 'Alcoholics Unanimous'...I dare you to not have fun listening to this disc.

Like I said earlier, 'Art Brut vs. Satan' has been out for a few weeks and should be readily available wherever you prefer to nab your music. If you are looking for a great 'Summer Album' to enjoy while you imbibe adult beverages and/or grill up animal flesh...this'll do it. Your neighbors may hate you afterwards, but who needs 'em. If you like your neighbors, maybe you should test the waters w/ a sample in the AMBFAD jukebox. Whee!

DOM DELUISE 1933 -2009

R.I.P., Captain Chaos.

Hey Kids...

I've been home w/ a sick kid since yesterday, opening a can of whoop-ass on my yard and continuing job search activities. Stay tuned for some new stuff w/in the week including both a music and movie review, tennis shoes and more Jack Kirby stuff!

Saturday Bonus Track...

Busy day! We've got swim lessons this morning and then heading downstate this afternoon...the Mrs. and my Sis are going to see Jason Mraz in Champaign and (after kids are in bed) i'm going to have some adult beverages at my bro-in-law's basement bar. Somewhere in there, I also have to make it to a comic book shop for FREE COMIC BOOK DAY! Damn.

It'll be a little late, but look for a review of Art Brut's latest album early next week...i'm smitten w/ it. Until then, enjoy the vid for 'Emily Kane' from earlier platter 'Bang Bang Rock & Roll'.

Back in Action?!

Yeah, a few posts, but i'm still not quite feeling it...i'm getting there though. Keep checkin' in, kids!