Best Songs of 2013 by Chicago Artists

     This past year saw the release of some outstanding music by numerous local acts, including new albums from JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound, Ezra Furman, the Orwells, and Cameron McGill. All these acts are widely known outside the Windy City area. The Orwells have embarked on a lengthy promotional tour that saw them perform on the British TV show ''Later...With Jools Holland'', perform Halloween night at Sub-T, and they have are about to go on an upcoming tour in the UK. JC Brooks & the Uptown toured Europe. Ezra Furman left the Harpoons behind to create his strongest work yet, Day of the Dog, and is about to embark on a tour of the British Isles and European Union. He is set to perform at SPACE in Evanston on January 5, along with Cameron McGill, another musician who went solo after his time with his Cameron McGill and What Army and Margot & The Nuclear So and So's. 

      This list also includes many acts that are not as well known as the ones already mentioned. We have todayshits, a prolific lo-fi band that has recorded and uploaded dozens of tracks on their Soundcloud page. There are The Flips, a hard rock band that recently released their newest album, A Deep Harm but Shining, thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign. There is Bonzie, an 18-year old singer-songwriter who has already been compared to Cat Power and Neutral Milk Hotel. There is whysowhite, Yancey Boys, The Noise FM, etc.

      And these are only 20 songs by 20 artists and bands. There are dozens of other tracks that could be here, but many are unavailable to embed or download at the moment. But here is a great selection of the finest music released in 2013 by Chicago's finest musicians.

Album Review: Dream Shake's "Dream Shake"

Dream Shake/Dream Shake/Frenchkiss/2013

Each song title on Dream Shake's self-titled debut is named after a woman. What does that mean? Are they ex-girlfriends, conquests, high school crushes, or simply nine ladies that singer/songwriter James Nee promised he would write and record songs for?

The track "Buffy" hints that these names are loosely connected. The fast-paced guitar-heavy tune and the eight others are homages to fictional females from pop culture. You have the aforementioned vampire slayer and characters from various TV shows, such as "Friends", "Degrassi Junior High", and the NICK series "Cailtin's Way."

"Coraline", which I immediately think of the character from the Neil Gaiman novel and film adaptation, reminds me of mid-1990s Sonic Youth, a dreamy and mysterious track that sounds like it was created out of an impromptu jam session in the studio late one night. Clocking in at just over four minutes, it would be a delight to hear this track for a few minutes longer, much like a Sonic Youth song.

The guitar riffs that build up to each song's climax, or chorus, and Nee's soft yet confident vocals bring a dreamy, intentionally nostalgic aura over the course of 30 minutes--the length of a TV episode.

Nee, formerly of the pop/rock band We Are Trees, is a Virginia Beach native who claimed in an post on the band's website that no one will get the references, stating he is "too nerdy for real girls." Well, the nine women here should be flattered that a musician has written some well-executed, short but sweet love songs in their honor.

Grade: A-

Recommended tracks: "Buffy", "Rachel", "Coraline"

Album review: M.I.A.'s ''Matangi''

M.I.A.| Matangi | N.E.E.T./Interscope | 2013

It has been over three years since M.I.A. has released an album, and the back-story for Matangi is almost as enciting as the musician's work on this release. After delaying Matangi's release for being "too positive", she threatened to take the album from Interscope and release it herself. (Luckily, she has the backing of the  record giant, at least this time.) Though one could understandably be concerned for an artist who has openly courted controversy (i.e. flipping off viewers during the Super Bowl halftime show) to suddenly possess a sunny deposition.

Can you believe that "Bad Girls" was released almost two years ago?!

The singles released over the past eighteen months are here, but the deep cuts are also worth the wait. Her collaboration with The Weeknd in "Exodus"/"Sexdous" are some of the album's finest highlights, an instant R&B radio hit waiting to happen. Musically, the album is all over the place. "Bring The Noize" has those fast-paced verses that suddenly sound like they are going in reverse. There is a roll call of countries in "Matangi" over clattering percussions. There is chanting, a boxing bell, personal lyrics about her struggles, and more. Even though she doesn't have Top 40 radio in mind, the frantic yet familiar "Come Walk With Me" would be refreshing to hear on the FM dial in moderation.

M.I.A., who named this album after the goddess of music, Matangi, does not wish to concentrate her energies or concerns on what else is going on in the music industry. Noting that this is her "spiritual album", Matangi is a vastly compelling piece of pop music that only reinforces that she is at the top of her game, no matter how long she is away.

Grade: A-

Recommended tracks: "Exodus" (feat The Weeknd), "Come Walk With Me", "Bring The Noize", "Lights"

Album Review: La Luz's "It's Alive"

La Luz | It's Alive | Hardly Art | 2013

This all-female quartet from Seattle (whose name is Spanish for "The Light") have released their debut album, and it sounds almost nothing like Seattle, a city with a dreary climate that is still best known for (and trying to get past) its grunge heyday. The key word is almost.

On the surface, this is a light, surf-pop record, like Best Coast or the newest from Washed Out. But once you get past the upbeat riffs and the four-part harmonies, there is some sinister undertones and medleys, especially in "What Good Am I?", a slow and steady track that would fit well in a mixtape for a late night drive or in a 1950s jukebox for heartbroken lovers. It sounds like it came out of a film noir. 

This is immediately followed with "Sunstroke", a short and quick-paced instrumental with an organ player to accompany the haunted house aura. "Pink Slime" has a nostalgic yearning for the days of So Cal in the early 1960s, when surfers were kings of the waves and the Beach Boys were soundtrack of their lives.

The title track, which further emphasises the haunted rock that they hide underneath the surf pop, is the strongest track on the album. This song would fit well in a 1960s teen surfing flick that took a wrong turn and became a suspense or horror thriller, or a psychotic acid trip (like Head or Easy Rider). Maybe zombies pop out of the sand and start attacking the blondes on the beach.

UPDATE: The band have cancelled the rest of their tour after being involved in a severe car accident. A fund has been set up to help pay for bills, new equipment, van, etc. For more info on how to help or to find out more about the band, go here. 

Grade: B

Recommended tracks: "Sure As Spring", "What Good I Am?", "It's Alive"

Album Review: Best Coast's "Fade Away"

 

Best Coast

       Just a year after the release of The Only Place, Bethany Cosentino and Bobb Bruno have new music ready, a "mini-album" (or EP) titled Fade Away (released through Cosentino's own Jewel City record label). With plans for a new LP next year, this seven track selection of songs about heartbreak portrays Best Coast as a band growing up.

''This Lonely Morning'', the opening track and single (and one of the highlights of the seven-song EP), is most likely her most mainstream friendly single to date. It is definitely more polished in terms of production and lyrics than the adolescent "Boyfriend" or "Crazy for You", but not too polished to be thrown into the increasingly-generic stadium rock that is crossing over into Top 40 and "adult contemporary" radio.

According to a press release, Cosentino was musically inspired by Mazzy Star, Patsy Cline, and My Bloody Valentine. She was also inspired by Ambien. Yes, the same stuff that people use to treat insomnia. Does this mean this record will help you fall asleep? Nope.

The reference to Ms. Cline sounds out of left field, until you hear the track "I Wanna Know", with lyrics that sound like they could have belonged to the country queen's catalog. "Tellin' lies it's a big surprise/Gazing into each other's eyes." And then there is "Baby I'm Crying", which fits perfect in a jukebox to play at a nearly-empty country bar on a dark and lonely night. It would be interesting to hear these tracks covered by a country singer, or at least performed by Best Coast as an acoustic version.

With the exception of "This Lonely Morning", each song on here is at least over three minutes in length. There isn't a rush to throw on speedy guitar riffs and too-easy choruses to complete the song and move on. The best example of the slightly-slower paced Best Coast is on "Fear of My Identity", the best song on Fade Away. The lyrics tell a story about confusion and fear that is both personal ("The hate is getting darker/And the fear is growing larger") and universal ("The fear of my identity/Is standing right in front of me").

Fade Away is more calm, confident, and content with itself than the all-over-the-place and over caffeinated atmosphere of Cosentino's previous work. 

Best Coast 
Fade Away

Jewel City

Grade: B+

New Music Tuesday

New music! Here are five songs to check out this week. Create a playlist, or improve one. All track are available to purchase online or stream at various streaming services.

Tune into my radio show on chirpradio.org on Tuesdays 12-3pm, and check out The Attagag podcast at Soundcloud.

Best Coast "This Lonely Morning"



Random fact: Their upcoming EP, Fade Away, arrives on October 22. Check back here for a review later this week.

Ezra Furman  "My Zero"



Random fact: Furman began her musical career performing with the Harpoons, which met in 2006 and began performing while attending Tufts University in Boston.

Album: Day of the Dog

Chrvches "Lies"



Random fact: The Scottish synth-pop band performed a stellar cover of Whitney Houston's "Ït's Not Right But It's Okay" for BBC Radio. Check out here.

Album: The Bones of What You Believe In

Slushy "SF Gals"



Random fact: Slushy hail from the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago. Way to go local talent. You know who else is from Logan Square. These guys....

Brother Ember "Electronicsh"



Random fact: The same studio Eric Sherman and Co. record is the same studio where The Attagag records.

The Five Stages of Grief: Matt Smith leaves "Doctor Who"

Last Saturday, a bombshell was dropped onto fans of Doctor Who when the BBC and Matt Smith announced that the adored actor was leaving the wildly popular and beloved series at the end of this year, following the 50th anniversary special that is set to air in November. According to the BBC and show runner/head writer Steven Moffat, the Doctor will regenerate in the 2013 Christmas special.

To say fans were in shock is an understatement. How does one comprehend what has happened?

The best way to explain a Whovian's emotions at this dark and strange hour would be through the Kubler-Ross model, a very reliable device that is best known as the five stages of grief.

Denial

Whenever something bad happens, whether it's the death of a loved one or the loss of something important, most people go into denial. It can't be, you say. This. Is. Not. Happening. Say it ain't so. Sometimes there are signs that this bad thing was going to happen no matter what. We just didn't see the signs. Or worse, we ignore them and only see what we want to see.

I did see a sign that the Eleventh Doctor's days were numbered. A few weeks ago I attended a Doctor Who convention at DePaul University, a day-long event where in addition to meeting with other Whovians from all over the city--and beyond--there were panels about the show and screenings of classic and contemporary Doctor Who episodes. Right after this, I spoke with a friend and fellow Whovian who didn't make it to the event. She told me that she read a story in a trade magazine that Matt Smith was not returning for the eighth season. "He hasn't signed on yet," she said. "That's nonsense," I replied. "He's coming back. He's at the top of his game." She did not react. "He is coming back."

Fans will deny that they did not see this coming. Hate it break to you, but it was coming. We just refused to see the signs. When the BBC officially renewed the show in May, they did not mention Smith at all.

"We're delightful to confirm a new series of Doctor Who has been commissioned and the show's lead writer and executive producer, Steven Moffat, has revealed he's already plotting a brand new run of adventures for the Doctor."                                   

                                                                                                            --BBC release, May 18, 2013

The key words in this statement are the following that should have had Whovians in a tizzy that Smith was, to quote Tom Haverford, "donzo" with being the Doctor. Brand new and Doctor. Just omit "and" in the previous sentence, and what do you get?

Anger

After you're done hitting your head for not seeing the obvious, you are now getting angry. You didn't read the signs about Smith leaving. Or maybe you're angry at the former floppy-haired actor, who recently shaved off his treasured locks (along with clothing to reveal a ripped physique in publicity stills) for a starring role in a movie that began filming stateside this past spring. Ryan Gosling sought out Matt Smith for a starring role in his directional debut, the drama How to Catch A Monster, which began filming in Detroit in April. He is trying out new different things, and some people don't like change.

How could you?! is a reaction you may have said or thought. Some fans see Smith as the Doctor, not an actor delivering a superb performance in a television series. When the recently departed Jean Stapleton (R.I.P.) would walk down the street, people often called her Edith Bunker, before she politely told them her name was Jean. (It was reported that she received condolence letters addressed to Edith when her on-screen husband, Carroll O'Conner, a.k.a. Archie, died in 2001.)    

The Doctor is so iconic that it's tough to simply walk away from it. Tom Baker, Peter Davidson, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann, Christopher Eccleston, and David Tennant are still recognized, critiqued, and lauded for their Doctor tenures. It's almost like being President. Bill Clinton is often in the headlines for his philanthropic endeavors, oratory skills, and charitable works, visits overseas (whether for the U.N. or his self-named Foundation), but you still recognize him as once being the President of the United States.

Smith could become a Hollywood A-lister, become his generation's Laurence Olivier, win Oscars, become a bad boy turned reformed beloved star (a la Robert Downey Jr.), become the star of a hugely successfully franchise, or simply appear in Ryan Gosling's movie and never to be seen again, but he will always be remembered and recognized for Doctor Who. He will always have people hate him for either leaving the show after only four years or for not meeting expectations that some fans had when he succeeded Tennant. Like anyone else, some people are always going to be angry at you and me. But being angry is exhausting and life is too short to be angry over things we cannot control or change.

And c'mon! How can you be angry at this guy?!

It's not every day you get Dustin Hoffman to get you to kiss a complete stranger. And he's super bashful and adorable about it.

Bargaining

It is tough to bargain with a big star on staying on a show after a certain amount of time. Smith already has three full series (or seasons) of adventures (plus Christmas specials, video game appearances, and a couple of shorts for the BBC's Red Nose Day telethons) under his belt, not to mention he will still be the Doctor for the already-historic 50th anniversary special. Actors leave shows all the time before they wrap up for good (or get cancelled). Steve Carell left "The Office", as it began to suffer creatively and in the ratings, opting to becoming a movie star full-time. Shelley Long left "Cheers" just as the show was reaching its peak to try her hand at a career in Hollywood. And every year, several members of "Saturday Night Live" leave that show after mostly-lengthy tenures to venture into other projects and callings. Smith seems to be doing the same thing.

Depression

I did not go through bargaining (probably because I don't have Moffat or Smith's cell phone numbers) or anger (because I learned long ago that it is useless to be angry at these that are out of my control), but I was in denial and depressed. I was introduced to Doctor Who on a rainy day, when I was at home, bedridden. I couldn't sleep, so I began watching TV. BBC America was not airing any episodes of "Absolutely Fabulous" that morning, but they did have a rerun of "The Eleventh Hour", which premiered a couple of days before. I knew people who watched Doctor Who, but I myself didn't think I would be into it.

After watching "The Eleventh Hour", I went to BBC America On Demand and watched several more episodes (all David Tennant ones). When Whovians ask one another who their Doctor is, they often choose the one they saw the first time they ever seen an episode of Doctor Who or which one they like the most or grew up with. Tennant is an extraordinary Doctor, possibly one of the Top 3 greatest, but my answer is the Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith. Part of the reason is that as I was suffering from a terrible cold and unable to move without experiencing a great deal of pain, his performance as the funny man with the blue box made me feel better, or at least made me forget that I was sick as a dog.

His lively personality, youthful demeanor (which occasionally leads him to act like a child) infused with his centuries-old wisdom, and vanity and stubbornness (not to mention how manipulative he could be) are some of the things that appealed to me. But the big personality trait that had me sold on him was his general awkwardness. I have never defeated armies of Daleks and Cybermen or jumped into my own timeline to try to save the woman who was born to save me, but I have done a terrible job at dancing at a party, reacted oddly when in various romantic situations, and worn questionable hats, thinking they made me look cool. Like Liz Lemon and myself, this Doctor was often in social scenarios that he did not understand, and acted appropriately in them. (Best example of his awkwardness: when he became temporary roommates with Craig (James Corden) in "The Lodger" and "Closing Time") Side note: Now my dream of having a "Doctor Who" series where Smith is the Doctor and Corden is his companion will never happen :(.

Acceptance

Unlike David Tennant, the 30-year old actor seems to have Hollywood on his mind, plus he's only thirty. He was born in the same decade as me, which means he's a young guy (or in the eyes of snotty kids born after the death of Kurt Cobain, we are the exact opposite of fun's "We Are Young".)  

This is the perfect time for a male actor to develop a fine acting resume. He's no longer stuck playing youthful roles (unlike some American actors who are stuck playing high school or college-age kids on TV) but can still appeal to the teens and twenty-somethings at the multiplex or TV. Hopefully his agent will get him some more iconic and outstanding roles along the best and brightest talents stateside and in his native United Kingdom.

He's appearing in How To Catch A Monster, which co-stars Eva Mendes, Christina Hendricks, and Saoirse Ronan. He seems to be ready to venture outside the Tardis for good and try out new things. We know he can tackle serious dramatic fare (see the BBC films The Ruby in the Smoke and the outstanding Christopher and His Kind) as well as comedy (his overall playful demeanor on "Doctor Who", in addition to his talk show appearances). 

I like Matt Smith. I would love it if he not only became the "next big thing" but he develops a rich career in movies and beyond. There are probably writers typing away at their computers roles and dialogue specifically for him right now. He's got the talent, the looks, and the mix of down-to-earth charisma and stylish confidence to become a leading man.

Look, this day was going to come. If he didn't leave this year, it would have been next year, or the year after that. He's leaving at the top of his game. It would have been depressing if he overstayed his welcome and the quality of the show were to be compromised.

Plus, now we can figure out who is going to be the Twelfth Doctor. Who on Earth is going to occupy the Tardis and join Clara Oswald (Jenna Louise-Coleman, assuming she's still with us for Series Eight) on this brand new run of adventures? #

Will there finally be a female Doctor?

  

Thank you Roger Ebert (and the AV Club)

Think I saw @nathanrabin on my way out@ work on his laptop. If that was u, just wanted to say thanks. @ebertchicago is why I love @theavclub
— Eddie Sayago (@EddieSayago) April 12, 2013

@eddiesayago @ebertchicago @theavclub that perhaps was me. Thank you!
— Nathan Rabin (@nathanrabin) April 12, 2013

Fuck you, Donald Rumsfeld

I was going to just not acknowledge that a decade has passed since the Iraq War began, but this I came across a tweet from Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

"10 yrs ago began the long and difficult work of liberating 25 mil Iraqis. All who played a role in history deserve our respect and appreciation."

First of all, I don't remember the people of Iraq begging anybody, let alone the US, to liberate them. They are dozens of countries who are under oppressive dictatorships, and the US did not have plans to liberate them.

Second, I don't get angry often. Upset, yes. But this prick made me very angry. Having the absolute gall to give himself a pat on the back. For destroying a country that had nothing to done with 9/11. For bankrupting the most powerful nation in the world into oblivion, not to mention damaging our reputation at home and overseas. For changing the lives of our troops and their families and hometowns, both deceased and survivors and veterans.

This tweet just sounds like he's congratulating himself. On a job well done. And by well done I mean completely fucked up, causing damage to all in his way.

10 years ago the US military invaded and struck Iraq, based on false information and bloated egos of leaders who were suppose to know right from wrong, but did not.

Not only did they lie to the American public, they lied to the entire world, going as far as having Colin Powell go to the UN and telling them that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. (Which was not true at all.)

People still cry for the heads of Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rove et. al. but even if justice were to be served (and that will never happen unfortunately), that still won't bring back the 5,000 plus dead American troops and the countless thousands of Iraqis killed in their own homes and those defending them.

That still won't undo the struggles that hundreds of thousands of troops who have returned (many from multiple tours) must deal with every single day, from PTSD, missing limbs, and other psychological, physical, and mental issues, not to mention unemployment, depression, and being kept apart from their homes and loved ones for long periods of time.

All the war propaganda, all the screaming and the lies and the hatred, comes from people who are not fighting, wrote George Orwell. Donald Rumsfeld and co. did not have to fight this disgusting and shameful war. He had other men; the sons, husbands, brothers, boyfriends, domestic partners, co-workers, friends, classmates, and neighbors of ours fight for him. These so-called leaders do not have to pay the impossibly large amount of money that they spent carelessly on bombs, fighter jets, drones, and other war toys, all with money and loans that could have gone to millions of other useful things, like education, health-care, repairing roads and bridges, or giving out grants to scientists to cure cancer and AIDS or to prospective students to attend university so they could contribute something to America. The war was sponsored by our tax dollars and from money that was cut from various programs.

The funny thing about history is that someone out there will always remember what really happened, even if the whole story is never printed into the history books. And with all the information in the world available to us with just a few clicks, we can all know what really happened. There is no longer just the official story.

So to Donald Rumsfeld: Fuck you. If hell does exist, may you burn there for all of eternity.

When David Bowie Met Tilda Swinton

Apparently there is a belief held by some people that rock 'n' roll icon David Bowie and screen icon Tilda Swinton are the same person. At least this tumblr believes so. This thought never entered my head before today, but now that I think about, this belief is not that ridiculous.

The House of the Golden God

On Sunday, the ever-growing awards season will finally come to a close. After months of endless (and often unwarranted and unasked) opinions from everyone on the Internet, the media, and the various artistic communities, everyone will finally shut up about who should win the coveted golden god statuette--and instead focus on the various fashion flubs and who should have won the Oscar.

I enjoy awards shows, mostly for the entertainment and the anything-could-happen vibe at live awards.

Like this. (The funniest moment from ANY awards show.)

5x5: French Films To Fall In Love With

I am currently on a cultural bender. For the past couple of weeks, I have been watching a lot of French-language films in various genres, from comedies, dramas, award-winners, and documentaries. So it makes sense for this 5x5 list to focus on French films, all featuring love as a prominent theme (though not all of these are considered romance, genre-wise). All of them are available on DVD.

Anne Hathaway Explains In Song Why She Deserves An Oscar

Anne Hathaway is certain to win an Oscar for what is essentially the scene where she sings "I Dream a Dream" in one continuous take. But someone decided to create this "For This Consideration" spoof. Which is very amazing.

Indiana Bigot Gets Owned by Billy Madison, The Internet

This is without a doubt the funniest video you will see today. And that includes Zach Galifianakis's Two Ferns Oscar special, which premiered Part 2 today.



In short: A teacher (who is not in the school district that the high school in question is located) decided that she would spew hate the second a camera appeared in front of her. Many have already called for her termination, which makes sense, since she is in a position where children's well-being are under her umbrella. Unfortunately, we cannot fire every single person who says something that I don't agree with (something about free speech, even though that really doesn't exist, if you have seen the number of people being fired over the years over this). But it is nice that someone decided to make her look more like the close-minded idiot and bigot she is.

Grammy Predictions: What Could, Should, or Will Happen

The Grammy Awards will be presented live on Sunday (8pmET/7pmCT on CBS). While the ceremonies themselves are either hit or miss in terms of performances (someone once said that the Recording Academy are the only group of people who can have access to the best artists in the world to create potentially incredible concerts--like those they have for Lollapalooza and South By Southwest or tragedies like Haiti or Sandy--AND still somehow fuck it all up ), the awards giving out is equally memorable. Remember when Bon Iver won? Even if you had never heard of his music, you most remember his honesty at the stage. And of course, his distaste for the Grammys. Which is understandable. The Recording Academy are probably the most out of touch institution in the pop culture business, despite the fact that they have made some strides in recent years to open up their ears and recognize the talent that is not being peddled to them by the suits from Sony or EMI.

This year's nominees are overall an outstanding selection of what music has offered to the world in the past year. The top four (Album, Song, Record of the Year, and New Artist) categories have the strongest selection of nominees in quite some time. Even though many have predicted that Frank Ocean will either win Album of the Year (or someone one else could, considering the rise of Mumford and The Black Keys in pundits circles), there will still be some surprises. Unlike last year, there is no front-runner. In fact, there could be four different musicians being honored in the Big 4 categories. Six different musicians are nominated six times.

Adele, who won 6 Grammys last year, could still win won for Best Pop Vocal Performance ("Set Fire to the Rain"),
a song off the album 21, which is the same album that earned her those same 6 Grammys.

 Here are some possibilities on what could go down on Sunday night.

5x5: New Music To Kick Off February

We have now reached the second month of the year. While technically the shortest month of the year, February seems to drag on for eternity. Part of the reason is the lack of new entertainment, save for the lame romantic drama that hits theatres or the remaining awards shows that clog up Sunday nights. Here are five songs to make you feel better about the coldest month of the year.

Devendra Banhart "Never Seen Such Good Things"
This folk rock singer has been performing and recording since he was in his teens, often busking in San Francisco. His new album, Mala, is out March 13.

The Increasingly Dismal Job Hunt

I have applied to no less than 30 different jobs this month. There have been three replies so far. (All unwanted--stuff from shady-sounding "home and life insurance" and sales marketing places. One marketing company was featured on a couple of blogs, stating that the company was scamming prospective employees.)

There was one legitimate response. There was an initial interview with someone from their PR and a senior VP at a communications company. There was even a second interview with a potential supervisor. I was beginning to believe that I had the job. But according to them, to quote the letter I received in the mail, "while we were impressed with your credentials and presentation, we have decided to continue our search." I noticed they posted the job position earlier this week on a couple of job sites. They are apparently still searching for that someone. This is a search is for an entry-level position, by the way. They are not looking for someone to run the company. Granted, I believe they overlooked me because it would have been a lengthy commute, but I had considered relocating. I have applied to a few jobs around the country last month. Canada is even in consideration.

New(ish) Band to Check Out: Brother Ember

Band: Brother Ember
Genre: Rock/Indie Pop

The track below, "Twisted Sermons", is one part rock 'n' roll, one part country, one part pop and all parts exciting. There is no genre to pigeon-hole this track, or the band (according to the Facebook page, they create "indie-ish pop", music), which works to their advantage. Brother Ember consists of three musicians from three different parts of the country--Nashville, Texas, and Chicago--each with a lively music atmosphere.
Even though they have formed the band just a few months ago, Brother Ember have begun making their mark on stage. Their next concert takes place on Groundhog Day (February 2) at Gallery Cabaret in Bucktown. The jazz trio Nonpronto will also be performing. The show is free, so there is no excuse to miss out on a rising band.



P.S. Gallery Cabaret also has a "Two-Hour Comedy Hour", which takes place before the show. If you enjoy comedy, check it out. If not, then just grab a beer or two and pick a good spot for the show.

Stuff from HitRecord

A few months ago, I signed up as a contributor to hitrecord.org, an interactive website created by Joseph Gordon Levitt (yes, that Joseph Gordon Levitt.) People can create pieces of arts and release it onto the world. Some people use others' work and remix it (create a different piece of art). For example, a poem can inspire a painting or a short film. A painting can inspire a poem or a story.

Here is a selection of some of my contributions to hitrecord.org.

FLASH FICTION #1
Summer party, swimming together in pool.

FLASH FICTION #2
Lost: Little Black Lab Named Charlie.

5x5: The Five Best New Songs to Show Off What 2013 Has In Store for Music

Yo La Tengo Fade

One of the greatest bands in the history of indie rock has returned with a top-notch album, Fade, their first collection of new material since 2009's Popular Songs. They recently performed two of their tracks on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon", the opening track/single "Ohm" and a simple yet elegant rendition of the album's finest track, the intimate and beautiful "I'll Be Around."
After nearly three decades of entertaining the (not-so-big) masses, Yo La Tengo is still on a roll, with no signs of slowing down. Fade clocks in at 45 minutes with 45 seconds (45:45) but the time flies by, ending too soon.

A Bunch of Thoughts on Oscar Morning

This is my strange version of Christmas morning. For some reason, I slept through my alarm clock and missed the live annoucement on TV. Then I had to drop off my sister at school and was stuck in traffic. But while I was in the car, I came up with some thoughts about all of this. Here we go.

WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER finally boasts an Oscar nominee, even if it's one who never shows up for the reunions.

5 Surprises for Oscar Nominations

Every year there are always a couple of surprises when the Oscar nominations are announced, whether someone is snubbed or someone locks a nomination at the 11th hour. Last year, Gary Oldman earned a Best Actor nomination for the skillful and slow-moving Tinker Tailor Solider Spy (it took this long for him to earn any recognition for his talent) while Tilda Swinton was not nominated for Best Actress for the creepy We Need to Talk About Kevin. Here are five possible surprises that could occur tomorrow morning.

Best Supporting Actress
Emily Blunt-Looper

In this bizarre and innovative sci-fi thriller, a ''looper'' (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) must hunt down his older self (Bruce Willis), who decides to kill the one they call the "rainmaker", a man who wreaks havoc in the future and sentences him to death. Emily Blunt is the mother of this future-evildoer, a smart and observant boy who resemblances Damien from "The Omen." As the single mother trying to raise her child in a good home, it's not easy, since she is terrified of what he is capable of.

Best Supporting Actor

Erza Miller-The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Though the story is about Charlie (Logan Lerman), a painfully shy high school freshmen struggling with himself and society, the highlight of this remarkable film was Patrick, portrayed by the promising and entertaining Ezra Miller. As the lone-out guy in circa 1991 Pittsburgh, Patrick does not let his sexuality define him and refuses to be pushed around by anybody.

Best Adapted Screenplay
Judd Apatow-This is 40

Comedy is the underdog as few have been nominated (and literally a handful of people winning for comedic fare). But the first two pages of Apatow's insightful script should be more than enough to recognize his talent for storytelling.

Best Picture
Amour

The most surprising film from Michael Haneke's canon is this painful and unsentimental look at a elderly couple as the husband (Jean-Louis Trintignant) cares for his wife (Emmanuelle Riva, who just might earn an Oscar nod for Best Actress), after she has been paralyzed from a stroke. Few foreign-language films have been nominated for Best Picture, so it's chances at the top prize are very slim. But possible.

Best Picture
The Perks of Being a Wallflower

This won't happen at all, but this was my favorite movie of 2012, (and yes, I have seen Lincoln, Les Mis, Zero Dark Thirty, Silver Linings Playbook, etc.) and I can't wait until it's out on DVD, so I can buy it and watch it over and over.

Best TV Performances of 2012

This year was a nonstop parade of suspense and surprises on television. A child pageant participant and her family took the country by storm, allowing increasingly-trashy TLC to document and exploit their lives. People condemned them and TLC for programming like this to exist while others (including mega-fans Anderson  Cooper, Rosie O'Donnell, and several friends of mine) were entertained and fell head over heels with Honey Boo-Boo and her family of misfits. (And for brief moment, that little teacup pig.) Even people who were already in the spotlight excelled in reality TV. The (now sadly late) singer/entrepreneur Jenni Rivera managed to not only have a successful reality series for herself but also one of her daughters.

     One of the funniest podcasts was adapted for TV, as the surreal adventures of Scott Aukerman's "Comedy Bang! Bang!" were visualized for IFC. On Comedy Central, the sketch series "Key & Peele" became an instant hit thanks to the duo's outstanding performances--and their most popular segment, President Obama and Luther, the Angry Translator. Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein returned to "Portlandia", introducing us to new faces and other quirks about the Northwestern paradise. Sitcoms didn't do too shabby. The most talked-about (but strangely not the most-watched) comedy series of the year was Lena Dunham's "Girls", which sparked controversy and conversations from the messages boards on AV Club to daytime chatfest "The View", as well as in coffeehouses, bars, classrooms, and text messages across the country.  Julia Louis-Dreyfus continued her sitcom streak with "Veep", winning rave reviews and her third Emmy Award. "Louie", "Parks & Recreation", "30 Rock", and "Happy Endings" kept hitting it out of the ballpark week after week with its go-for-broke craziness, pathos humor, and engaging characters and one-liners.

     But the biggest TV event of the year was the debauchery that was Presidential Election provided so much entertainment that the debates should be packaged and submitted for consideration for next year's Primetime Emmys for Outstanding Reality Programming. The elections took a toll on everyone from the president to us, the viewers. Even people who didn't watch TV were attacked, thanks to Facebook, pop-up ads, the billions of emails sent by the Obama camp, etc. Watching TV shows online was a hassle, since a banner for a candidate was likely to appear at some point during last night's "Once Upon a Time" or "The Colbert Report."

     The presidential candidates may not appear on this list but a couple of souvenirs from the Election have made it onto this list, recognizing the best performances on TV this year. For the first time, comedy 
performances outnumber dramatic performances. There is a fictional vice president and a real-life vice presidential contender. A woman whose job is to cover up mysteries and scandals and a man whose obsessed with solving them. We will go behind the scenes in the nation's capital, the private quarters of Downton Abbey, and a weird little shop in Gravity Falls.

The rest of the list: Best Songs of 2012

The rest of the Best Songs of 2012.

11-Carly Rae Jepsen | Call Me Maybe

12-Best Coast | The Only Place | The Only Place

13-Kelly Clarkson | Stronger | Stronger

14-Cults | Abducted | Cults

15-Frank Ocean | Thinkin' About You | Channel Orange

16-Jack White | Love Interruption | Blunderbuss

17-Empires | Can't Steal Your Heart Away | Garage Hymns

18-Trailer Trash Tracys | Candy Girl | Ester

19-Alex Clare | Too Close | The Lateness of the Hour

20-Nicki Minaj | Starships | Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded

21-Florence & The Machine | No Light, No Light | Ceremonials

22-Imagine Dragons | Radioactive | Night Visions

23-The Lumineers | Ho Hey | The Lumineers

24-Calvin Harris featuring Ne-Yo | Let's Go

25-tUnE-yArDs | Bizness | W H O K I L L

26-Sophie Ellis Bextor | Revolution (Federico Scavo Radio Edit)

27-Ed Sheeran | The A Team | The A Team

28-Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen | Good Time

29-David Byrne and St. Vincent | Who | Love This Giant

30-Imagine Dragons | It's Time | Night Visions

31-Cloud Nothings | Stay Useless | Attack On Memory

32-Neon Trees | Everybody Talks | Picture Show

33-Adele | Set Fire to the Rain | 21

34-Rihanna | Where Have You Been | Talk The Talk

35-Garbage | Man on a Wire | Not Your Kind of People

36-AWOLNATION | Sail | Megalithic Symphony

37-Emeli Sandé | Next To Me | Our Version of Events

38-Cat Power | Cherokee | Sun

39-Katy Perry | Part of Me

40-Civil Twilight | Fire Escape | Holy Weather

41-Calvin Harris | Feel So Close | 18 Months

42-Flo Rida featuring Avicii | Good Feeling | Wild Ones

43-No Doubt | Settle Down | Push And Shove

44-Alicia Keys featuring Nicki Minaj | Girl On Fire | Girl On Fire

45-Skrillex featuring Sinah | Bangarang | Bangarang EP

46-Psy | Gangnam Style | Gangnam Style

47-Hunter Hayes | Somebody's Heartbreak | Hunter Hayes

48-M.I.A. | Bad Girls

49-Muse | Madness | The 2nd Law

50-Class Actress | Weekend | Rapprocher

51-Beach House | Myth | Bloom

52-Grouplove | Itchin' on a Photograph | Never Trust a Happy Song

53-Adele | Skyfall | Skyfall Soundtrack

54-The Walkmen | Heaven | Heaven

55-Justin Bieber featuring Big Sean | As Long As You Love Me | Believe

56-Metric | Speed the Collapse | Synthetica

57-Nas | Daughters | Life is Good

58-Breathe Carolina | Blackout | Hell Is What You Make Of It

59-Miike Snow | The Devil's Work | Happy To You

60-Ne-Yo | Let Me Love You (Until You Learn To Love Yourself)

61-Stars | The Theory of Relativity | North

62-Jack White | Freedom at 21 | Blunderbuss

63-David Guetta featuring Sia | Titanium | Nothing But The Beat

64-Bloc Party | Octopus | Four

65-Taylor Shift | We Are Never, Never Getting Back Together | Red

66-Santigold | Disparate Youth

67-Mumford & Sons | Babel | Babel

68-The Wanted | Glad You Came | The Wanted

69-Frank Turner | Reasons Not To Be An Idiot | Last Minutes and Lost Evenings

70-Young the Giant | Cough Syrup | Young the Giant

71-Pink | Blow Me (One Last Kiss) | The Truth About Love

72-Emperors | Be Ready When I Say Go | Stay Frosty

73-Kimbra | Settle Down | Vows

74-Midnight Youth | Who Says You're Free | World Comes Calling

75-Duck Sauce | Big Bad Wolf

76-Miguel | Adorn | Kaleidoscope Dream

77-The Vaccines | Teenage Icon | Teenage Icon

78-Fiona Apple | Every Single Night | The Idler Wheel...

79-Now, Now | Thread | Threads

80-Beck | Looking for a Sign | Jeff, Who Lives at Home Soundtrack

81-Saint Motel | Puzzle Pieces | Voyeur

82-The Wombats | Jump Into The Fog | The Wombats Proudly Presents...This Modern Glitch

83-Azealia Banks | 1991 | 1991 EP

84-Karmin | Brokenhearted | Hello

85-JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound | I Am Trying to Break Your Heart | Want More

86-Silversun Pickups | Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings) | Neck of the Woods

87-The Decemberists | One Engine | The Hunger Games Soundtrack

88-Martin Solveig | The Night Out

89-Say Anything | Burn A Miracle

90-Shakira | Addicted To You

91-Two Door Cinema Club | Sleep Alone | Sleep Alone

92-Sleigh Bells | Comeback Kid | Reign of Terror

93-Kylie Minogue | Timebomb

94-Kayne West featuring Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz | Mercy

95-Pitbull | Back In Time | Men In Black 3 Soundtrack

96-Coldplay | Charlie Brown | Mylo Xyloto

97-The Weeknd | House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls

98-The xx | Angels | Co-exist

99-Foster The People | Don't Stop (Color on the Walls) | Foster The People

100-Ladyhawke | Black White & Blue | Black White & Blue

101-The Shins | September | Port of Morrow