Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Gheorghasbord

Your occasional compilation of flotsam and jetsam, compiled when I probably should've been doing something to advance my career or improve myself. Or at least not staring at Twitter and getting angrier and angrier about the state of our nation's affairs.

Paste Magazine released its annual list of the year's best albums. As always, it's a mix of somewhat mainstream alternative and hip-hop and stuff that modestly aware but not deeply immersed hipster suburban dads haven't ever heard of. Case in point, Kendrick Lamar's excellent DAMN. is second on the list. But the top spot is occupied by Jay Som's Everybody Works. Your guess is as good as mine, though Melina Duterte's ethereal fuzz-core is cool, if a bit laid-back weird. Father John Misty, Run the Jewels, Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile, LCD Soundsystem, New Pornographers, Alvvays, Jason Isbell, and King Krule all made the top 15, but so did Sampha, Mount Eerie, and Sheer Mag. I've got some catching up to do.



If you didn't see Sunday's Grey Cup between the Toronto Argonauts and the Calgary Stampeders, you might've missed the greatest moment in Canadian history. In a driving snowstorm, Ontario's own Shania Twain entered stage right aboard a dogsled, and was escorted to the stage by a phalanx of Mounties. For real.



Morrissey recently said some pretty stupid shit about Kevin Spacey, among several other things. And the AV Club dropped a solid, if obvious headline:


A modest tax reform proposal: the Government should buy a shitload of Bitcoin and wait. Next step, we're all rich. Show me how I'm wrong.

We're in the market for a NCAA hoops squadron for G:TB to adopt. We could do worse than Texas, which played spirited games against Duke and Gonzaga in the PK80 event, taking both teams to overtime before losing. Mo Bamba is both fun to watch and to say, and Kerwin Roach has hops like Arrogant Bastard.



Zman introduced Bring a Trailer into our lives recently. And now I'm addicted. Thanks, zman.

It's almost Gheorghemas, so head into the comments to tell us what you want this year. Other than a new government.

36 comments:

TR said...

Note to self: use the word phalanx more in everyday conversation

rob said...

gheorghemas resolution!

zman said...

He rose from the ashes like a phalanx.

zman said...

Reuters reports that Donald Trump, Jr. choked on a small bone in his salmon cake. "It just got stuck in my phalanx for a second but I'll be fine. Luckily Eric was there to administer the Heimerdinger maneuver.

zman said...

The Crawford Daily reports that George W. Bush recently developed an interest in learning, so much so that he started reading books. Now he's inspired to travel and experience new cultures. "I can't wait to go to Egypt. I'm dying to see the Great Phalanx of GZA. I bet it bangs."

Squeaky said...

What can be opened but never closed?




An egg

Phalanx, Phalanx a lot. I'll show myself out.

Squeaky said...

On a more serious note, the Coast Guard story is pretty whacked out.

zman said...

That Mini is still under five with about an hour to go ...

rob said...

it was at 8k yesterday

zman said...

Sorry I meant five figures. It's at $8500 with 24 minutes left.

zman said...

During our annual Thanksgiving late night mini-summit with everyone's favorite ER doctor, I opined to TR and Shpfecht that the Maras are too loyal and/or classy to trade or cut Eli unless he asked them too, unlike the Patriots who heartlessly dump past-their-prime fan favorites. Further proof that I know absolutely nothing.

zman said...

Francesca is on fire, a HoF display of righteous indignation.

zman said...

The Matt Lauer news might be more surprising than the Eli Manning news.

Danimal said...

Must be some serious dirt there for him to get canned like he did. Surprised as well. He strikes me as inauthentic and arrogant, but not as a person that let's his penis do his thinking for him, especially at work.
At least now he can get some serious work in on his golf game.

TR said...

Lauer is known as a dirty dog. Has slept w/ many models.

TR said...

Brian Williams must be puffing his chest somewhere, saying all he did was fib. But then he sighs and goes to fetch Rachel Maddow her latte.

zman said...

Those read like a couple of Trump tweets.

rob said...

there is literally no news about dudes harassing women that would surprise me at this point. except maybe the dalai lama - and even then, i probably wouldn't be that shocked.

Danimal said...

People that would shock me:
-Steven Spielberg
-Ron Howard
-Jerry Seinfeld

People that we'll likely hear about:
-Chevy Chase
-Ben Affleck
-Mark Wahlberg
-Brent Musberger

zman said...

Ok, maybe you'll find this surprising. Upcoming shows at the Wellmont Theater in suburban Montclair, NJ include:

12/27 - The Roots
12/29 - Rick Ross
1/19 - Fetty Wap

TR said...

In more downlifting news, Roy Moore is back on top in his Senate race.

If he wins, they should snub Bama from the football playoffs out of spite, no matter how the games play out.

TR said...

Lauer, Rose, Halperin and O’Reilly should start their own media company. John Lassiter can bankroll it and Garrison Keillor can contribute.

rob said...

i'm disavowing alabama football if moore wins. fuck that entire state.

TR said...

This Saturday’s slate of football games looks fun as hell. Only a 5% chance my family room will be functional for it, but will still be a good backdrop for afternoon/evening cocktails.

rob said...

matt lauer had a button under his desk that allowed him to lock his office door from the inside without getting up. that dude is a world-class scumbag, and nbc should get its letters sued off for allowing him to do that.

Mark said...

Saturday’s games are basically the first round of the playoffs. I’m pumped. In fact, I bailed on a friendly get together because most of the group aren’t big sports fans and the venture was going to have limited to no TV access. I’ll be smoking ribs and drinking whilst watching football all day Saturday.

Whitney said...

In Nashville for the night. Must-visit bars?

Shlara said...

Welcome to the reckoning boys.

There is literally no harassment news that would surprise me.

Squeaky said...

Whit, haven't been there in years. But Exit/In used to be a good place to see live bands. But it's got to be dated by now if it still exists. Wow, still there. Tootsies Orchid Lounge is another big spot but there are a ton bars and honky tonks on Broadway.

Donna said...

I'm with you, Shlara. Not a single case could shock me now. Good to know our tax dollars have been used to fund settlements for this kind of thing, too. Oy!!

Dave said...

i'm not keeping up all that well with the new music but i still have some strong opinions: run the jewels 3 is awesome, the best album of the year is undeniably war on drugs "a deeper understanding" and lcd soundsystem's new album is totally ersatz-- it just makes you want to listen to old lcd soundsystem.

rob said...

highest scoring game in the history of the tribedome tonight - good guys 114, marshall 104. tribe made 18-28 threes. connor burchfield made 10-12(!). the fact that this team is 4-2 is a little bit amazing.

rob said...

as for the reckoning, i imagine it's long overdue.

Whitney said...

Reckoning is one of the best albums by two of my favorite bands.

And Nashville is terrific. From what I recall.

rootsminer said...

Whit, is Honky Tonk Women still a staple of every Nashville bar band?

zman said...

Happy birthday Billy Idol.