music: LCD Soundsystem

File their latest under 'best new releases'.

The dude channels styles in an eerie pitch-perfect way that can be downright creepy, and his production is so polished and tight it can feel hermetic. Two reasons why I haven't really cottoned to previous releases- he has a couple of songs that I think are brilliant, but I'd never think of listening to a whole disc.

Not the case with his new one. The genre channeling and the spotless production are still in place, but it feels like they've been yoked to the service of some greater good, like an ox pulling a wagon full of rice up the hill to an orphanage.

The best songs sound like a happy collision of 70's Fripp & Eno and the stripped-down Prince of the early 80's by way of the electronic branch of the new wave. And the mix is reversed- most of the stuff here is noteably good, a few tracks are instant classics and there's only one comparative 'dud', which only looks weak next to the majesty of the rest of the disc.

My favorite track so far is North American Scum, a fantastically minimal cocktail of chicken-scratch guitar, muted cowbell & fat bass that periodically explodes in a grand bouquet of a chorus.

But it only has a slim lead over killer tracks like Someone Great, All my Friends, Us vs Them & New York I Love You.

Someone Great is a great New Wave classic lost in a vault for 25 years. It would fit seamlessly on one of those decade-spanning Rhino compilations, sandwiched between ABC & Haircut 100. Us vs Them is actually kind of thin, but its fantastic use of cowbell covers a multitude of sins. All My Friends is absolutely relentless and builds momentum like an avalanche, sweeping you away.

Actually, I think that one's my favorite.
It's got that magic spark, it expands beyond itself into that 4th dimension only great music can access.

Anyway, there are a bunch of great songs here, and a couple of really good ones.
I can see it getting heavy rotation at future Secret Garden dance parties.

film: The Host

Excellent cinema, recommended to all.
Even my horror & monster-phobic wife liked it, with qualifications...which counts as a ringing endorsement.

Dysfunctional modern family takes on nature run amok while society fails them on all sides. Works as social critique, satire of modern life, family drama and balls-out monster film all at the same time...a neat trick.

Also has a kickass monster and really good direction. I can see adding it to the permanent collection, it's got plenty of replay value.

Finally Great Mexican Food

that doesn't require a 45 minute drive.

La Palapa opened recently and I finally checked it out.

Homemade tortillas, excellent salsa, fantastic carnitas and enchiladas & delicious tamales. It is an excellent balance of traditional and 'americanized' Mexican food (meaning they use chilis instead of tomatoes in their enchilada sauce, but don't turn up their nose at serving sour cream).

This is the first new resturant I've been excited about in years.

The Fiend

It's been a while since I reported on the antics of my niece, so here you go.
I'll have some pics up on flickr soon-ish.

She was over for dinner last week, and as is our custom enlisted my help picking lemons for her famous 'pretend lemonaide'.

We've been doing this since she was about half her current size, and the ritual has evolved a list of specialized tools & complicated proceedures rivalling the traditional Japanese tea service.

Just outside the door we spied a large Crane Fly, aka 'Mosquito Hawk'.

After a few moments of intense scrutiny the Fiend turned to me.

"Too many legs," she said, shaking her head sadly.

We resumed our journey to the lemon tree.

movie: Blades of Glory

A fun time.

Shows flashes of brilliance while falling short of the sustained surreal magnificence of Anchorman.

If you like Will Farrel or Jon Heder, you'll dig it.

Tonight I'll probably see The Host, just to shut Bobo up.

I Am Not Patric

In spite of Ivan's shrill accusations.

Witness:

1: Rather than keeping everyone except the bride and the best man in the dark until months after the fact I actually invited people to my wedding.

2: Ivan's demands for updates do not fall on deaf ears, even though 90% of his updates are video clips scavenged from his friend's blogs.

3: I don't use Linux.

So there!