Midnight Madness - Tatiana Del Toro Edition

She likes herself, she really really likes herself: Tatiana Del Toro in full drama action.

The ultimate drama queen, Tatiana Del Toro, lost for a second time on American Idol and ended her run on her knees crying in front of the judges. While she's annoying as all get out, I've gotta say her self absorbed dramatics have provided many of the entertaining moments from this season so far. In her brief episode this week, Tatiana defended her tired old song choice (Whitney Houston's "Saving All My Love For You") and tried to ride the good will fellow contestant Jorge generated by invoking a Latin accent. It was so blatant that Paula Abdul called her on it. So goodbye Tatiana Del Toro, the show is technically better without you but will be a little duller too.

American Idol update - The show is going for a Top 13 this year to give a little room for the Anoop Dogg. Of the people to not make it, the only one I really wanted to see more of was Jesse Lerseth who turned out a pretty decent version of Chaka Khan's "Tell Me Something Good."

Everybody Wants Some!! - There may be a Guitar Hero: Van Halen in the works on top of the existing GH: Metallica and the forthcoming GH: Beatles. With all these boutique Guitar Hero games, will we eventually get down to a Guitar Hero: White Lion game?

Target Team Members Gett Off - Prince has signed a deal with the chain store to sell his upcoming 3 CD set. It will include two new Prince albums plus a third disc by someone who I assume is a protege' of his. Maybe Target will create a Prince section like Wal Mart did for AC/DC? You can pick up his CD, get some diamonds and pearls plus purple glitter coat in one spot!

Bonorific - U2 has a street named after them in New York now called U2 Way. With their return to the limelight, all of the good U2 puns are taken. So all I got is Bonorific. They've also announced they'll release a second album this year called Songs of Ascent and that it will feature a song called "Every Breaking Wave".

Mis Fortune - INXS says they didn't release singer JD Fortune and the supposed firing at the airport never happened. Sometimes you kick, sometimes you get kicked.

Crue it - Motley Crue will be hitting the road again soon and may even play the Dr. Feelgood album in its entirety to celebrate its 20th anniversary. If you're a fan that's been waiting to hear "Slice of your Pie" live, this is your year.

Teen group failure, now in 3D! - The media is widely reporting that the new Jonas Brothers movie has stiffed at the box office. I'm not a fan of these kids music, yet it seems to me the media is having too much fun reporting on this. Though on the up side, at least film will be one part of electronic media that I won't have to see endlessly advertised for them in the future.

Stay With Me - The Faces reunion rumors just won't die, it's pretty much been said it's all up to Rod Stewart to make it happen.

Let's Tap into America - The Spinal Tap tour is going unplugged meaning we'll be hearing acoustic versions of classics like "Hell Hole" and "Big Bottom". I'm sure it will be funny, just as a concept it doesn't cut it for me.

Get Your Groove On Grunge God - Chris Cornell has a new track produced by Timbaland called Scream. Interesting. Very interesting.

Cherry Bomb - Looks like the Runaways movie is picking up steam, former child star Dakota Fanning has been cast in the film.

Meeting People is Easy - It seems both Myley Cyrus and Kanye West received the cold shoulder from Radiohead. Guess all those songs about alienation aren't fake.

Robin Williams will be undergoing heart surgery - The comic actor has given several memorable performances and great moments during his long career, so I won't poke fun at him at all. I'll just say I wish him well.

We All Watch the Watchmen - The delayed comic book adaptation finally hit the big screen and raked in the big bucks over the weekend. Yes!

Reality TV Douchebags - Two guys have caused a stir with their recent reality TV appearances. The Bachelor dude apparently picked a winner to marry and then turned around and dumped her for a runner up contestant. He'd be the most hated man in reality TV if it wasn't for the guy from last month's episode of Wife Swap. This guy takes stuck up to a new level and I'm sad to say is from the Bay Area, if you want some proof just check out what's below.

Wife Swap dude

Midnight Madness - Electra Woman and Dyna Girl Edition

Saturday mornings used to be filled with fun live action nonsense like this, Isis and Shazam! Ah, the good 'ol days.

The inspiration for this week's subject was not a good one. My wife received an electric shock from a light switch after washing dishes at my parent's house on New Years Day :( She is doing better now, but I was worried for a while. Hopefully there will be no more electric shocks in the future for little Bunny.

So with electricity on my mind, the third thing to come to mind was this classic kids tv show I used to watch. Electra Woman and Dyna Girl, a sort of a female Batman and Robin on the cheap. The theme song has always stuck in my head. And yes Soap fans, that is Diedre Hall of Days of Our Lives fame in spandex and a cape. Electra-fantastic!

I Will Possess Your Heart - Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard (master of the sad sack unrequited love song) and indie singer/actress du jour Zooey Deschanel (Almost Famous, Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy) are engaged. If these two have a child, it will probably be financed by an independent studio who really believe in the story.

Sign O' The Times - Prince is planning to release three, count 'em, three albums in 2009 without a label. By the time he's done, he may go down as the most prolific artist in the modern era by my count. This guy could is so talented, he could probably find musical inspiration in a fart.

The Dead Will Rise Again - The remaining members of the Grateful Dead are reforming for a tour.

Dropping the Ball - Owners of a certain model of Zune music players got a surprise when their machines shut down with the beginning of the New Year. I don't own a Zune, but I shake my fist at the sky in sympathy anger.

You Killed Kenny... - Quintan Tarantino's long gestating project Inglorious Basterds will finally be made and released this year. I think Tarantino's been working on this since before Kill Bill.

Employee of the Month - Not a good week for people who have starred in movies with this title. Actor Matt Dillon was caught speeding in Vermont. Meanwhile, actor/comedian Dane Cook's brother has been accused of embezzlement from Cook.

A Second Look - Speaking of Death Cab for Cutie, their recent album Narrow Stairs didn't impress me much on the first few listens when I got it in the Summer. I've had it in my car for the last two weeks and have found it a mildly addictive listen. The Mitchell Froom like murky sonics give a deshelved manner to a pack of songs about crushed romantic hopes and resignation (ironic this guy just got engaged). Songs like the loping "Your New Twin Sized Bed", the mid 90's alt sounding "Cath" and the fast moving "Long Division" sound great. And while "I Will Possess Your Heart" is Ok, I sing along doing a bad Patrick Stewart imitation which always makes it sound better to me. So my consideration of this disc has moved up from Meh to Pretty Good, an enjoyable album.

What's in My Car - For a change of pace, I'm changing my section on the songs I'm listening to now to the CDs in my car.

Wii Fit Mania - I've been doing the Wii Fit with my wife which has been fun, some of the games in the system could have even worked as stand alone titles (like the Skiing ones, especially the Ski Jump).

The New Year - This is really turning into more of a Death Cab post, but with this many mentions I thought it would be fitting to end with their song "The New Year". Again, done in the band's typical downbeat yet disassociated way. With his pending marriage, Ben Gibbard may face a big artistic challenge: can he write happy songs?

Death Cab for Cutie "The New Year"

Midnight Madness - Wii Edition

It's been a long time since I've actually cranked out a post this late at night, so here it goes! On my Birthday I received a Wii as a gift and it's become a fun way for my wife and I to play sports in the safety of our own home. Tennis, Golf and Bowling have become great past times for us as we play against the endlessly resourceful computer. Of all the game systems I have owned, the Wii is definitely the most active and I can see why that makes it stand out against the technically superior competition. Oh yeah, I also got Super Mario Galaxy which is also a blast. Mario rarely has let me down in the past and he doesn't here, running all crazy over little planets. Wheeeee!

On the Horizon? - U2 is preparing to release their disc No Line On the Horizon in March of '09. Get ready for another year of domination by Bono and the gang, I liked their previous disc and they delayed this album to write more songs so I'm optimistic this could be a really good one.

No More Garnishing Milk Money Allowances - The RIAA is giving up on suing teenagers (and other people) who steal their music into financial oblivion and will focus on working with ISP's to restrict or stop the internet services of their targets.

I Thought The Day Would Never Come - The long rumored Guitar Hero: Metallica game looks like it's going to be real. Wonder if people make tabs of Guitar Hero songs? That would be cool. "No, the chord before the solo is a red-yellow, not a blue-green". I look forward to flailing wildly to "Seek and Destroy" or "Battery"!

Metal Health Will Drive You Mad - An Australian doctor claims Headbanging causes medical problems in the head and neck. I thought this was old news? And somewhere Jason Newsted says "See? I told ya so."

The Curious Case of Jennifer Aniston - The ex-Friend steals some of her ex-husband's thunder by gettin' provocative on the cover of GQ magazine. Easily the best career move in a long time by Aniston as she has gotten a ton of press for this. We'll have to wait and see if this translates into box office Gold for the upcoming Marley & Me. Or will she remain an actress better known for her looks than her talent?

Let's Go Crazy - Prince is starting to show flashes of new material online and on the radio as he works on a new album.

Mamma Mia! - I learned from Melodicrock.com that a musical based on the music of 80's Power Rock called Rock of Ages is both Broadway and film bound. You've gotta like a musical that manages to include Europe's "The Final Countdown".

No New Doubt - The No Doubt reunion will have a tour but no new album is the latest word.

DVD Mini Reviews:

• I Am Legend - Will Smith joins the latest film wave of hunting Zombies as he places more or less the last man on Earth surrounded by the hungry malevolent creatures. Decent but not amazing, though Smith remains as charismatic as ever.


• Definitely, Maybe - Ryan Reynolds and crew come up with an inventive rom com that is sort of like that TV show How I Met Your Mother. A good cast including Elizabeth Banks, Isla Fisher, Rachel Weitz and Abigail Breslin help keep things moving. Not bad if you see it cheap, it's sort of like a TV movie with a film look.

Snikt! - The new trailer for the upcoming Wolverine movie is out. I'm not sure what to make of it, there's a lot that happens in the trailer but nothing really cohesive. I see action and grimacing faces and hey look it's Gambit kinda! But where's the bo staff and trenchcoat, mon chere? (what does "mon chere" mean anyway? He always said that in the comic.)

Wolverine Trailer

Numbers 22, 21 and 20

Time Flies - Bruce Springsteen in 1975

I kept meaning to add to my 100 favorite Cd list during November and never got around to it, so here are the next three entries:

Number 22: The Clash - London Calling (1979)

When I bought the Rolling Stone magazine with the best albums of the 80's at the end of that great decade, I was amazed by how many records that were listed that I never bothered to listen to. At the top of that list was The Clash's London Calling double lp. I bought the CD and was instantly impressed by the naturalistic songwriting, punky energy and ability to adapt to different sounds. Going in, the only song I knew was the hit Train in Vain which I liked. After playing the disc a few times, I was impressed with the hard slamming rock of Clampdown, the whimsical Lost in a Supermarket, the swing style Wrong 'Em Boyo and the reggae driven The Guns of Brixton. All of the songs on this record had a feeling of almost gleeful creative excitement. The title song has gone on to be regarded a bona fide classic rock, er, classic. Sometimes the critics get it right.

Number 21: Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run (1975)

The album where The Boss stripped back the rambling lyrical delivery and rambunctous Jersey Boardwalk arrangements to deliver bracing common folk anthems about cuttin' loose, breakin' away and gettin' out in those hard driving cars of the night. A masterpiece of Heartland rock, the title song alone is worth the price of admission with its hyperactive pace, clenched teeth thrust and wild sax solo. Outsiders had a theme song for their independence in Backstreets while we all fought our way through the majestic Jungleland. And if that's not enough, the poetic grandeur of Thunder Road remains a highpoint of songwriting by anyone anywhere. It was here that The Boss was truly born, amid those burnt out shells of Chevrolets.

Number 20: Prince - Sign 'O The Times (1987)

You might think that like many people "1999", "Purple Rain" or "When Doves Cry" made me a Prince fan. But no, it was actually "U Got The Look" that got me into listening to one of the best artists of my generation. Prince's catchy dance floor duet with Sheena Easton could not be denied it's greatness and became a Top 10 hit. I bought the cassette and it became a gateway to the rest of the Purple One's work. Sign 'O The Times is the album that to me had everything Prince did well while at the top of his powers. The music is tight, timely (in the context of 1987), hooky and personal. You want sleazy Prince? There's "Hot Thing". Slow jam Prince? "Slow Love" Religious Prince? "The Cross". Jam band Prince? "It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night". James Brown Prince? "Housequake". Psychosexual Prince? "If I Was Your Girlfriend".

Even politics shows up in the form of the reggae lead single title track. Sign 'O The Times serves as a portrait of an Artist at a time when their ability to express their ideas is almost cosmic. A fantastic record and staggering achievement.