Rivers Thaw - A Genres & Judgments Mixture

Rivers Thaw is a 41-minute ode to moving on from winter told via 10 songs, nearly all of which have been unleashed upon our collective eardrums in these few weeks since the new year began.

Song descriptions and track list available after the jump.

'Member The Ed Lover Dance, Dawg? - A Genres & Judgments Mixture

I don't have much to say about this batch of tunes. Other than "High School Lovers," which is an old favorite I re-discovered recently, all the tracks are new to me since my last mix. I spent a little longer crafting this one than my previous endeavors. Hopefully it shows.

Track list and listening links available after the jump.

Evaluating TV's Fall 2010 Semester (...Finally)

I'm back with another breakdown of recently ended television shows, this time delayed roughly a month more than I had originally planned, and I apologize for that if you were waiting.
This slew of shows from the fall is almost exclusively comprised from AMC, HBO and FX, which are easily my favorite three networks. However, this is a bit of a mirage, as the big four networks broadcast their programming differently, and most of their shows will wrap up in the the late spring.

This edition covers shows having ended after September 16th, when my last recap was published, through December 31st, 2010.

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Boardwalk Empire
(Season 1, HBO)
When you hear Marty Scorsese directs the pilot of a new gangster show on HBO, you expect it to be good. And, unlike Treme, the other highly anticipated HBO show that debuted this year, Boardwalk didn't disappoint. That pilot was extraordinary, featuring great performances, writing and direction, as well as superb set and costume design. It looked more impressive than most big-screen period pieces do. That says a lot about how far television programming has come, as I doubt anyone would've been able to say that even five years ago. As fantastic as that Scorsese-directed episode was, the rest of the series never slowed down a bit in subsequent weeks. More often than not, blood, bullets and fisticuffs exploded onscreen with Great Depression-era culture and dilemmas. I felt the "slow" sections of Boardwalk were included more as a chance to let the audience catch their breath as oppossed to there being a lack of ideas in the writing room. Season 1 ended with a bit of a wimper in comparrison to the other events the series displayed thus far, but also showed promise of grander plots to come next year during the final minutes.  A-

Bored To Death
(Season 2, HBO)
This show is simply a lot of fun. Jason Schartzman is a good straight man in all the hijinx his cases get him into. Ted Danson's aging, rich playboy facing cancer and Zach Galifianakis' brokenhearted comic artist trying to find happiness were infinitely more interesting this time around than they were in season 1. As a trio, they kill almost every situation they're in together.  B

Caprica
(Season 1.5, SyFy)
The second half of the first season of Caprica was a welcome surprise. After underwhelming me and much of the Battlestar Galactica fanbase with the first wave of episodes, the new batch accomplished much of what I had expected early on. Season 1.5 no longer feared to associate itself with the BSG brand, exemplified by diving deeper into Tauron culture and making direct (albeit sometimes misleading) links to its predecessor. Wallowing in sorrow took up too much time in early episodes and turned off too many people, and unfortunately, the spinoff never recovered from it. At this point, it may not be worth it for disgruntled BSG fans to take a second look, but I was very impressed on where they took the show in those final few episodes.  B+

Dexter
(Season 5, Showtime)
I am not a big Dexter fan, which I've discussed previously on the site. However, this may have been its strongest season yet. After an excruciatingly slow start, season 5 finished in explosive fashion. Each season the show finds a way to come up with a more interesting villain than the year before, and Johnny Lee Miller rose to the occasion this time. However, Julia Styles was the great strength this time out, as her portrayal of victim-turned-vindicator Lumin gave the show a spark it had never seen before. And I was happy to find that I didn't miss Julie Benz much at all. There's really no telling what's in store for the next season of Dexter, but I won't be surprised if it wins me over a little more than previous seasons have.  B

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After the jump, I'll recap nine more shows that finished up their most reason season by the end of 2010, including Mad Men and The Walking Dead.

The Best of 2010 - The Year in Television

First off, my apologies if you were waiting for this final piece of my Best of 2010 trilogy. The holidays, work, intense procrastination, blah-blah-blah...
Second, writing about TV over the course of a calendar year is far more difficult than I realized it was going to be. It's simply not a natural time to do so. Most shows are in the middle of their current season at the moment, and if I get really technical about my analysis in this recap, I should take into account the second half of last season's episodes as well (which, because I'm a crazy person who thinks about this stuff too much, I do).
Anyway, on with the list.

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Terriers (FX)

This scrappy PI duo was the very definition of television bliss. Rarely does a show steadily improve over the course of 13 episodes the way Terriers did. The first three or so installments were nice, well-constructed hour-longs. You'd chuckle at the banter between Donal Logue and Michael Raymond-James, and be pleasantly surprised that the plotlines weren't too obvious as they proceeded to solve that week's case. But there was a little something bubbling up underneath these two men and their predicaments. Then around the end of end of that fourth episode, you realized these mofos just Veronica Mars-ed your ass. You had NO idea that was going down, and from then on out, they never stopped hittin' the pleasure buttons as you fell harder for every character on the show with each passing week.
But I'm one of the few who watched it, and now it's gone. I haven't been this disappointed in a show's cancellation since... well, Veronica Mars. Have no fear, however, new viewers. While Terriers only lasted one season, it at least ends in a way you can still go on with your life, as there is no insane cliffhanger and the majority of the key storylines are resolved in a satisfactory way during that last hour. If you're going to watch anything on this list, let it be Terriers.

Mad Men (AMC)

Another stellar season from the always excellent Mad Men. In it's fourth year, the show examined lowest points of multiple characters, none moreso than Don Draper, as our favorite ad agency struck out on it's own in a new business endeavor following the series-altering events of season 3. Don't worry, there's still plenty of drinking, smoking, bad-mothering, racism, sexism and skinny ties to go around. We're introduced to a litany of ladies vying for the heart of Mr. Draper (a great guessing game over the course of the season as to who he'll end up with), Lane's father, Peggy's lesbian friend, suave Glen, new bitch-faces from Pete, Roger begging, and Joan riding a bus. Not to mention an astronaut. Season 5 can't arrive soon enough.

Community (NBC)

For my money, there's nothing more consistently funny on the airwaves than Community right now. In particular, the second half of the first season was amazing episode after amazing episode. The ensemble half-hour is at it's best when parodying classic genres, whether it be post-apocalyptic warfare, zombie infestation, space exploration, or the American mafia to name a few. I sell this show to friends and family by saying Chevy Chase is great in it, which he is. But really, he's the one I look forward to least. Community is comedy gold. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Friday Night Lights (DirecTV/NBC)
Of all the shows that are tricky to review based on it's scheduling, none pose more of a problem than FNL. Season 4 originally aired on DirecTV at the end of 2009, and then re-aired on NBC in the spring of 2010. Season 5 is in mid-swing on DirecTV currently, but most of you won't have access to it until NBC airs it later this year. Fortunately, any way you look at it, great television was aired in 2010 from Friday Night Lights. Season 4 was perhaps the show's strongest, and season 5 thus far has been no slouch. Despite its flaws (none of the kids seem to know what a text message is, and there's almost zero Latinos present in an entire Texas summon me to write such lofty claims, but this one does. I'm sorry that season 5 will be its last.

Justified (FX)

Based on characters from the great Elmore Leonard, Justified expertly combines well-scripted crimes, quirky characters and an Old West mentality in a modern setting, and is without question one of the highlights in television over the past year. After reading a lot of other reviews on the show from critics, there seemed to be a consensus that Justified was uneven at the outset of its first season and then improved steadily as it concluded. I suppose they're right, but I enjoyed it immensely right out of the gate. Great one-liners, intense glares and gunfire are never in short supply. I found myself rooting for the villains just as often as I was the heroes, which is no small feat. Season 2 starts in February.

Fringe (FOX)

Is this the best sci-fi show on television? Well, there are some other very strong contenders for that title at the moment (who have all made my Others Worth Your Time list after the jump), but I think the answer is yes. The second half of last season really threw the show into a new realm of awesome, and season 3 has only improved upon that high level. As dueling universes continue to battle, wrapping an already complexly wound mythos even tighter, Fringe is surpassing previous seasons work both in terms of storytelling and acting. Anna Torv in particular has excelled in this two-Earth format, displaying a range in her ability she'd never been given opportunity to explore previously. FOX has moved the show to Fridays in 2011, traditionally a timeslot where good science-fiction such as Firefly and Dollhouse have been sent out to pasture. However, the network execs say they believe it can be a longtime staple, ala The X-Files at that position on the schedule. Time will tell.

Louie (FX)

This harsh, often provocative new comedy from Louis C.K. plays up his existence as an aging, out-of-shape comic through his daily life, whether it be encountering obsessed fans, his family or the women he hopelessly attempts at dating. It's unconventional structure, sometimes tossing out as many as four loosely connected stories, may be a turn off to some, but I appreciate the subtlety he utilizes by constructing each of the vignettes into a cohesive episode. As I enter my 30s, many of these topics on the show hit pretty close to home, sometimes uncomfortably so. But I'm sure that's the point. The show's humor is rooted in truth -- philosophically, if not in actuality.

Lost (ABC)

Like it, love it, or loathe it, the final season of Lost was both memorable and entertaining. Personally, I've teetered back and forth whether I was actually satisfied by its conclusion. Regardless, it was an engaging end to a show many of us have labored with for years, and in my opinion was one of the best of the year.

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After the jump, my pick for Television Series of the Year is revealed, as well as some other extras.

The Best of 2010 - The Films of the Year

What follows is a quick review on what I felt was the best film of 2010, preceded by eight others which were impressive in their own right. Beyond that, I've also taken a look back at some of the other movies I watched this year -- good and bad. If you're curious about any of the films I list here, each is linked to a trailer.

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The Town 
The Town is perfect... just an absolutely perfect heist flick, that is. There's really nothing new going on here when it comes to this sort of story, but I can't think of another movie so successful in the execution of all these standard elements at once -- internally tortured lead character, engaging romantic interest, bucking against the pull of childhood friendship, FBI agents who aren't one-dimensional, great getaway/chase scenes and even better stick-ups. What a cast; everyone in this movie knocked it out of the park -- Renner, Hamm, Hall, Lively, Cooper, Welliver. And Affleck is solid as well.
People may scoff at me when they read this, but even with only two films under his directorial belt, Ben Affleck is starting to turn into this generation's Clint Eastwood -- a big-time actor morphing into a top-notch filmmaker. Pay attention to whatever it is he does next as a director. He's earned it.

Inception
At the surprise no one, Christopher Nolan continues to own our asses. I'm not sure what I can say about this film that hasn't already been posted somewhere on the internet. Maybe it didn't reach the heights of some people's lofty expectations, but I think even many of us who walked into the theater this summer hoping for a great film weren't disappointed. I recall being mesmerized for a few days afterward. The only legitimate critique I've heard regarding it was that it didn't go far enough within the dreams as it could have. Touche. Anything else seems to be obnoxious nit-picking.

Winter's Bone
This movie follows the trek of young Ree Dolly as she attempts to learn the whereabouts of her fugitive father in order to save her impoverished family from losing their home. Treading through both strained family history and violent locals, the teenage girl repeatedly sacrifices herself and her dreams in order to care for her young siblings and disturbed mother. The highly original setting in the Ozark Mountains gives this bleak drama a sense of foreboding I can't recall seeing in some time. Winter's Bone is haunting and harrowing during its most-intense moments, yet still has the ability to fill an audience with vigor by its conclusion.

The Killer Inside Me
Now THIS is some film noir, baby. Based on Jim Thompson's classic 1952 novel, The Killer Inside Me is the picture of a criminally warped mind encased in a community pillar of a small Texas town. Casey Affleck's portrayal of small-town sheriff and complete sociopath Lou Ford is brilliant. Now, this movie has been labeled as a work of misogyny, which I see the argument for, but egregiously overlooks and distracts from the film as a whole. You can't watch this movie and not have the violence burned into your memory. It contains scenes that, without a doubt, are some of the most brutal I have ever seen on film -- they are completely revolting, yet simultaneously mesmerizing. But, honestly, these assaults make up a only few minutes of the film, unlike some of the others I've referenced in this article (Kick-Ass and The Expendables in particular) and many entries from the filmographies of countless celebrated directors, such as Tarantino for example. Critics should give it another shot, because Michael Winterbottom pulled off this adaptation. At times, Killer is downright beautiful and should be recognized as such.

Kick-Ass
Everything you need to know about why Kick-Ass was phenomenal is in this clip.

The Ghost Writer
An excellent political thriller. Everything is top-notch here. Ewan McGregor delivers a necessarily strong performance as we weave along with him on a journey through a British politician's personal life and past. On the way to the truth, we're also given memorable scenes from Tom Wilkinson and Eli Wallach, as well as good work from Olivia Williams and Pierce Brosnan. The parts of this movie I'd normally delve into here are too spoilery for those who haven't seen it (which is probably most of you). This may not be a classic like Chinatown or as fun as The Ninth Gate, but The Ghost Writer shows Polanski is still at the top of his game.

Animal Kingdom
A simple, yet superb crime drama from top to bottom. After the death of his mother, confused teenager "J" Cody begins living with his grandmother and uncles, who are seeped in the Australian underworld. From there, his introduction into the criminal world takes his life and the lives of those he cares about into an uncontrollable tailspin. Guy Pearce is predictably fantastic as the cop trying to get the kid to turn on his family. Joel Edgerton oozes charisma as J's likable uncle (wouldn't be surprised to see him make an Eric Bana-esque splash in the next few years). And, man, what a performance from Jacki Weaver as the matriarch of the Cody clan. She makes Livia Soprano look like the mother of year. This crime drama is very curious in that there is barely any actual crime shown. Much of it is alluded to of course, but even then it's vague. But that doesn't take away from the story. If anything, it draws you in deeper. Highly recommended.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
Soooooo much fun. I had a smile on my face the entire time. The editing and direction of this movie really deserve some sort of major recognition they'll undoubtedly fail to receive. I suspect Pilgrim will become regarded as an innovative movie for future filmmakers. Now I'm really looking forward to Edgar Wright's Ant-Man, which I believe is still in the works after The Avengers debuts in a few years from now.

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After the jump, my selection for Film of the Year, in addition to mentions of 28 other movies from 2010.

The Best of 2010 - The Albums of the Year

Unlike the past few years, I threw a ton of new music at my eardrums in 2010, and a high percentage of it came out this year, too. So, while last year's pick of Yonder Is The Clock for album of year was unmistakably worthy, it may have been joined by some other selections had I actually made any effort to keep up with new music. That isn't the case this year.

What follows are the top eight albums I listened to this year. And, since I'm such a swell mofo, I linked a track from each one below the artwork for your listening pleasure.

Track 1: "Blue Blood Blues"

Sea Of Cowards 
The Dead Weather
Another Jack White side project gone amazing. This album is angry, mysterious and subversive, all while rocking the f out.

Track 13: "When I'm With You"

Crazy For You 
Best Coast
I was intoxicated by this group and their lo-fi surf rock for most of the summer. They remind me a little of a female-led version of the Ramones with early Beach Boys mentality seeped in today's world. Simplicity at its finest. Good luck not getting addicted to it.

Track 3: "Power"

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy 
Kanye West
Even President Obama recognizes he's a jackass, but the ridiculous celebrity antics can't stifle my ability to praise the dude's brilliance as a musician. Kanye sampled King Crimson's "21st-Century Schizoid Man" to perfection on "Power"; growing up with a father obsessed with that great prog-rock band, that's the previously unimagined highlight for me. Sit down, embrace and revel Kanye's narcissism. It's the best way to absorb this one.

Track 2: "Drugs"

LP4 
Ratatat
I find it tough to classify this instrumental duo. Electronic tracks with a smattering of synthesized guitars is the best portrait I can muster up. Despite the lack of ability on my part to describe their music, the fourth album from these two dudes is the bomb. You're taken on a mini journey on LP4 (much as you were on LP3) as they drastically alter mood and atmosphere within virtually each song. Check it.

Track 7: "Cousins"

Contra 
Vampire Weekend
Those preppy fuckers somehow one-upped their debut album with their second effort.

Track 4: "Kill My Baby"

Reform School Girl 
Nick Curran & The Lowlifes
Nick Curran is a white dude covered in tattoos that has pipes Little Richard might be jealous of. Combine that with 1950s rock 'n roll song structure, a healthy dose of punk attitude and lyrics a more upstanding member of society might find tasteless, and this album is impossible to not enjoy. The title track is my personal favorite, but Curran and company didn't dump any filler on this album. There's plenty of good tunes to devour here.

Track 3: "Laredo"

Infinite Arms 
Band of Horses
Another triumph. Well done, boys.

Track 4: "Howlin' For You"

Brothers 
The Black Keys
This is a slight musical step up for the blues-rock duo, as they brought in additional instrumentation for some of the songs this time around to supplement the lone guitar and drum makeup of their previous five albums. But have no fear, there aren't any overly drastic changes going on here; you'll know this is a Keys' LP from the start with tales of wayward ladies breaking hearts and those gloriously fuzzy riffs they deliver so well.

More of the Best of 2010

The Films of the Year
The Year in Television

Drawing the Human Body - A Genres & Judgments Mixture

Before hitting you up with the Fall TV report card and my end-of-year media rundown, here's a brief alternative to the plethora of Christmas music playing right now. This is more or less a burning-off of some cuts I've been digging of late, so ring in the new year with a crisp selection of tunes.

Track list and download link available after the jump.

And Thus Spoke The Graffito - A Genres & Judgments Mixture

Been listening to some good jams lately, but hadn't sourced any into a playlist since my last endeavor. Some entries were relatively brand new to my ears since July, while others are long-forgotten favorites recently rediscovered via a shuffling iPod.

Whether it be a testament to a diversity of soundscapes or merely an example of musical psychosis, is for you to determine. Regardless, I implore you to enjoy.

Track list and download link available after the jump.

TV's Summer 2010 Report Card

I'm back with another comprehensive recap of the past few months of my television viewing. Looking back, it was an excellent summer for TV. I mean, when the David Simon entry is the amongst the least interesting shows you've watched, I believe that's a sign you've surrounded yourself in some quality programming.

This edition covers shows having ended after June 1st, when my last recap was published, through September 12th.

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Breaking Bad
(Season 3, AMC)
Is this now the best show on television? In my mind, only Mad Men gives it a run for it's money. Season 3 was THAT good. A horse with no name. Gustavo. Hank slamming the SUV into reverse. The tortoise. Saul. Leg blood on a hospital floor. Motherfucking Badger's voice. The Chicken Brothers. Mike the PI/hitman. That one god-damned fly. And those are just the ancillary bits of Breaking Bad I get jacked up for. I don't think Mad Men, as phenomenal as it is, is constructed in a way that I can enjoy it as I now enjoy the trials of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman.  A+

Doctor Who
(Series 31, BBC)
What a blast this latest incarnation of Doctor Who turned out to be. Even if you prefer David Tennant as the Doctor, I think you have to admit Matt Smith did an admirable job taking over the reigns of the series. I feel he did a fantastic job and accepted him by the time the second episode of the season rolled around. And of course, there's the mega-crushable Karen Gilliam as Amy Pond, who is easily my favorite companion not only because she's a cutie pie, but also because she's intelligent, mischievous and . Rory was also a nice addition, and was in perfect doses. But let us not forget Steven Moffat, who I justifiable praise on this site constantly, taking over the show's direction from Russell T. Davies. A fabulously entertaining season resulted from mixing high concept science fiction, simple humor, and repeatedly tugging and tearing at our heartstrings as each week's story progressed. As much as I enjoyed this season, I expect 2011 to bring an even better one.  A-

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After the jump, you'll find the nine other shows I watched to completion this summer, including Entourage, True Blood and some more fantastic imports from overseas.

Summer 2010's TV Supplement

There are only a handful of shows worth watching during the summer (a recap of those will arrive once True Blood and the other HBO shows wrap up). Compound that with the fact that other than Inception and Iron Man 2, I had zero interest in the cinema these past few months, I embarked on a massive TV binge this year, catching up on loads of shows I'd been recommended by friends and acquaintances, or just plain wanted to check out. Behold.

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Being Human
(Series 2, BBC)

This show continued to show great balance between horror, drama and humor wrapped into a well-crafted universe of the supernatural, and provided another strong season. For those of you who are not familiar, Being Human revolves around the lives of a vampire, a werewolf and a ghost who live together in a flat (hey, it's British), and deal with everyday problems of existence in modern society in realistic, yet interesting ways relative to the show's context. They gave us a very nice cliffhanger this season, and series 3 is amongst the shows I'm most looking forward to return. In addition, there's an American version on the horizon via SyFy at some point, although I'm sure they'll find a way to f it up.

Charlie Jade
(Season 1, Canadian Space Channel)

A parallel universe jumping version of Blade Runner? While it certainly gave off that vibe in the early episodes, Charlie Jade didn't quite live up to my initial lofty expectations. Revolving through a trio of universes, this sci-fi tale had all the grand hallmarks of modern noir, while simultaneously warning of the dangers of big-brother commerce. Making its premiere the same year that brought us LOST (2004), this joint project from Canadian and South African companies probably was a bit ahead of its time in terms of widespread audience acceptance.Also, its inconsistent level of engaging stories during the middle portion of its lone season wouldn't have helped its changes of success much. However, it ended rather triumphantly, and had some nice little tales in spots. I wish the second season, which was written, had been produced. There was a lot of potential in those three universes, not to mention all the others they could've explored and exploited down the line.

Community
(Season 1, NBC)

As you'll see later on in this column, this was a very good year for new comedies, as Community joined the ranks of my favorites this year. I always enjoyed Joel McHale on The Soup, but he's even better in this format. Add in a rejuvenated Chevy Chase, Pittsburgh's own Gillian Jacobs (who I dare you not to develop a TV crush on), and Ken Jeong's Senor Chang who all highlight the cast, but certainly don't overshadow the ones I haven't taken the time to list, and I'm constantly laughing out loud. Easily graduated to must-watch status for me.

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After the jump, I liked some of what I saw from the highly recommend list of Dexter, Modern Family, Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Arrested Development. But not all of them.