I've mentioned that I like Ugly Betty, right? I like Ugly Betty. And I'll be doing this every episode this season.

Hahahahahaha "It means we won." (Thanks, Mike.)

Me on the reissue of the year for Baltimore City Paper. I do wish they'd excised that final line like I'd asked them to--it's too silly and grandstanding--but that's made up for by what is probably my favorite opening graf I've ever written. Big thanks to Rickey Wright for helping cook it up.

Where do you begin with this? The good-gosh grade-school Greilisms? The asinine idea that it's possible for anyone to "capture the true essence of the entire country," or to "turn a five-minute rock song into a melting pot for the disparate sounds of Nashville, New York City, Memphis, San Francisco, and Texas, to name but a few locales" (which Barr acknowledges "is a massive undertaking"--gee, ya think?)? The unspoken assumption that "America" equals guitars and nothing else? The idea that indie rock doesn't sound American enough? Between his belated discovery of Justin Timberlake (headline in the print edition: "Am I Gay?") and this, someone please tell me this is all an elaborate joke.

071020
• Burial, “Ghost Hardware” (Hyperdub)
• Electrelane, “The Lighthouse” (Too Pure)*
• Jamie Lloyd, “What We Have ( . . . Is a Zwicker Remix)” (Future Classic)
• Jay Rodriguez ft. Chucho Valdes, “Blues to You (Live in Italy, 1999)” (Explore)
• Kelley Polar, “Rosenband (Magic Tim's Instrumental Version)” (Environ)
• M.I.A. ft. Bun B & Rich Boy, “Paper Planes (Remix)” (Interscope)
• Marcel Fengler, “Early Glow” (Ostgut Ton)
• The Mary Onettes, “Lost” (Labrador)*
• Rihanna, “Don't Stop the Music” (Def Jam)
• Studio, “Origin” (Information)*

* = only song I care for on the albums

071019
• Amuka, “My Man (Al B Rich Rough Club Mix)” (JVM)
• Animal Collective, “Peacebone (Pantha Du Prince Remix)” (Fatcat)
• Basteroid, “16 Steps Away From the Stars” (Areal)
• Brendon Moeller, “Pink Noise” (Third Ear)
• Danuel Tate, “Bloss” (Wagon Repair)
• Kinski, “Boy, Was I Mad!” (Sub Pop)
• Les Savy Fav, “Patty Lee” (Frenchkiss)
• M.I.A., “Paper Planes” (Interscope)
• The New Pornographers, “Go Places” (Matador)
• Nick Lowe, “Long Limbed Girl” (Yep Roc)

The 2008 Pop Conference topic should get some pretty interesting responses--maybe from you? See you there, in any case.