Tegan and Sara - Aragon Ballroom 3/26

Tegan and Sara played the Aragon Friday night. I listen to them all the time. I saw them perform at the Hollywood Bowl this summer and was a bit underwhelmed. I assumed it was because the venue was so enormous and the sound system didn’t pack much of a punch, but I had a similar experience at the Aragon.

One reason for not having my potential for enjoyment maximized may have been the song choices. They began with “The Ocean,” which was really dull, then played “On Directing,” which picked things up a bit, but then played “The Cure,” which dragged again. All of those songs are on their newest album, “Sainthood,” which I’m not the biggest fan of. Most of the songs that I do like on that album are Sara songs (ie. “On Directing”). Tegan’s are pretty weak (ie. “The Ocean” and “The Cure”). If they were to play the best “Sainthood” songs, Tegan wouldn’t be singing very many of hers. Perhaps they try to balance the number of songs. Normally I wouldn’t oppose, but “Sainthood” is so Sara-heavy that the balance worked to their disadvantage. They may have also considered it cliché to open with the first track of their newest album, but “Arrow” would have been a much better opener that “The Ocean.”

I think I also realized that I’m not a big fan of their style live. Both girls are charming and fine musicians (along with the band), but don’t possess much stage presence. I wanted to see some swagger. They also change guitars between every song. I don’t know much about alternate tunings, but it would behoove them to consider grouping similar tunings when planning the set. They lost so much momentum between songs.

I love listening to Tegan and Sara records, but they just don’t put on a very dynamic performance. I’m sure some people really loved the show, but me? Well, I like everything big. I didn’t dislike the show, I was just a bit unsatisfied.

2010 Irwies

It's that time of year! That's right, the second annual Irwie Award presentation. Irwies are awards presented in honor of the late Steve Irwin honoring people, things, or phenomena that have made a significant dent in the realm of pop culture over the past year.

Here we go!

Achievement in Douchebaggery - Spencer Pratt.

For beginning the process of legally changing his name to “King Spencer Pratt.” Seriously. No idea if it’s officsh yet. You got lucky Kanye. Disrespecting T-Swift like that was pretty douchey. And count your blessings NBC. You guys might not be so dumb after all- choosing one of the douchiest years in recent memory to do Conan bogus like that.


Song of the Year - “Hawaii” by Mew

It’s big. It’s pretty. Holy cow. Just listen to it.


Artist of the year – Woody Harrelson

“The Messenger” gave Harrelson Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for best supporting actor and “Zombieland,” which gave him a much-deserved starring role, garnished rave reviews. Unfortunately I haven’t seen either of those. But I have seen “2012.” And let me tell you, what a performance! Harrelson is the best part of the movie. Better than the epic special effects. Better than those two old ladies. 2009 will forever go down as the Year of Woody!


Heartbreak of the Year – Frusciante’s Exit

Now I love Billy Mays as much as the next guy and I’ll be the first to tell you that Conan got shafted (though I have to admit, I didn’t watch him as much on The Tonight Show as I did on Late Night), but this is downright sad. John Frusciante, the guitarist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, has stepped down. I am a little biased, but I consider Frusciante’s visionary work to be the driving force that lifted the Chili Peppers to rock’s upper echelon over the last decade. I’m sure the new guy can play, but I have a feeling the Chili Peppers are going to miss Frusciante’s songwriting. He has such a musical ear and that is not easily replaced. Frusciante claims that the intrigue he once found in the Chili Peppers has now manifested in his solo music and I think he should pursue what he is passionate about. Frusciante is one of the great musicians of this era and I will take great music from him in whatever form I can get it, but I will miss him as a member of the Chili Peppers.


Greatest Guilty Pleasure – Jersey Shore

I can’t believe that “2012” isn’t receiving this award, but “Jersey Shore” is like a car wreck that you can’t look away from. A buff, tan, fake-boobed, Ed Hardy-clad car wreck. By the end of the season the episodes become a bit repetitive, but I have such fond memories of the show: particularly The Situation and Pauly D trying to “smoosh” with their respective girls in the same bedroom.
(Note: Justin Bieber was not considered in this category because I am legitimately proud to be a fan of his).


And last but certainly, certainly not least...

Stone Cold Fox of the Year

Rachel Berry. Yes the character. Not the actress, Lea Michele, who plays her. Yes, I know that Lea is lovely. And yes, I know that Rachel’s not real. There’s just something about her. I went through the entire first season of Glee in under 80 hours and I solely blame Rachel Berry for that. I’ve watched interviews with Lea Michele on youtube and it just isn’t the same. Something about those dorky clothes and abrasive attitude really rev my engine. And call me old fashioned, but Rachel being a high school sophomore doesn’t hurt either. (I can say that if she’s not real, right?).

'81 by Joanna Newsom

Joanna Newsom just released a triple album, Have One on Me, on which each disc has but six songs and most of the songs are in the 6 to 10 minute range. That's a lot of music and I've only listened to about 20 minutes of it, but included in those 20 minutes were 3 minutes and 51 seconds of bliss in the form of the song "'81." I heard that this album would be more straightforward and less weird than Newsom's previous work and it seems to be so far. "'81" is one of the few conventionally-lengthed songs and boy is it pretty. Newsom removes her quirkiness from the foreground and just gets down to business. Her voice sounds a lot better too.

Bottom Line: Listen to "'81."

Dust It Off pick: Bringing Down the Horse

This is a new feature for Critical Condition. I often listen to an album or watch a movie that I haven’t listened to or watched in a while and will be reminded just how good it is. As I receive those reminders, I will document them on “Dust It Off” to urge the lovely people of the world to take it off the shelf and dust it off as well.

My first entry is for the 1996 Wallflower’s album Bringing Down the Horse, the most memorable album of an unfortunately forgotten band. The fact that the Wallflowers have gone relatively unnoticed while continuing to make good music since the release of Bringing Down the Horse is not one that I will explore… today.

What I will discuss is how downright majestic Bringing Down the Horse is. It also brings down the “sophomore slump" notion. The album starts off with a bang – the band’s signature song “One Headlight” - and keeps the momentum going. “6th Avenue Heartache” and “Three Marlenas” bring down the tempo, but keep you just as mesmerized. The tempo picks up again on “The Difference,” the most upbeat song on the record, just before taking a huge breath with the precious “Invisible City.” The rest of the album continues to alternate upbeat and laid back tracks, but never ceases to enchant. Bringing Down the Horse is also a great soundtrack for driving at night (FYI).

Super Star

For me, the most memorable Super Bowl moment was not Tracy Porter’s interception of Peyton Manning, any of the million dollar commercials, The Who’s halftime performance, or Drew Brees cradling the Lombardi trophy in his arms. The most memorable moment of Super Bowl XLIV came on Matt Stover’s missed field goal in the fourth quarter. The forty two year-old kicker missed a 51-yard kick with the Colts up 17-16. The Saints took over and scored two more touchdowns to win the game.

Some consider the missed FG to be the turning point of the game. It’s possible. Though that is not what makes it memorable. After the miss, with Peyton Manning obviously frustrated on the sidelines and all the Colts fans very disappointed, Stover lifted his head to the sky and pointed to the heavens.

When I saw that replay I thought “they must be showing his reaction to the field goal that he made in the first quarter,” but the announcers assured me that it was not. “Stover, a very spiritual man, points to the sky after every kick. Make or miss.”

It took a while for that to sink in. I had never seen that before, but it had such power. Stover, though he won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens, was not a member of the 2007 champion Colts team. He must have wanted to prove himself to the rest of the team, but he realized there was something more important. He acknowledged that there is something bigger than that kick, bigger than the game (even the biggest of all games). Stover acknowledged that, win or lose, God still reigns. It’s great that players are so passionate about what they do and work so hard to foster their gifts, but at the end of the day there are bigger things in this world. To see that on display, on the biggest of stages, was the brightest spectacle of the night.

The Simpsons Address Sexism

An episode of The Simpsons titled “Duffless” features a hilarious ad for Duff beer. The commercial opens with a group of women picketing outside of the McMahon and Tate Advertising building chanting “down with sexism.” Two young male onlookers lean against a Duff truck. One of them scoffs “Look at all those feminists." The other responds by asking “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” The two males each grab a bottle of Duff, shake it up, and spray it on the protesters. The women are then transformed to dancing women in bikinis and their signs now read “Party Down,” “Get Me Drunk,” and “I’m Easy.”

The ad is a highly funny exaggeration of the sexism that exists in American culture, especially beer advertisements. A few moments after watching the ad, I began to feel guilty for laughing at it. Since the ad does reflect the unfortunate reality of the world, is it appropriate to laugh at? Do the writers consider sexism and the objectifying of women laughing matters? Surely not, The Simpsons can do no wrong! Right?

While no television show is morally infallible, I believe that this particular ad serves as appropriate social commentary as well as satire. The ad begins with the frame on the sign of the building “McMahon and Tate Advertising.” You may recognize the name as the agency that Darrin worked at in the 1960’s television show “Bewitched”. The allusion to classic television gives the building significance – old-school beliefs. Because of progress we’ve made such as women’s suffrage and Title IX it is not hard to consider sexism a thing of the past. The women are protesting those “notions of the past,” but after being sprayed down with some beer they become objects themselves. The ad is a reminder of how little progress has been made in valuing women, especially in the media.

Decade Playlist

It's about a month late and a pretty weak excuse for my first entry in two weeks, but here is my twenty-song playlist for the past decade. I'm not claiming that these are the 20 greatest songs, but simply twenty of my favorite songs in no particular order. I took into consideration some of my favorite songs at the beginning of the decade (when I was 11) though they had to have some staying power to make the list.

Highlighting the list is my pick for song of the decade: "Stacy's Mom." The song was unfortunately absent on so many "best of" lists. No other song this decade was so simultaneously fun and catchy. The chorus is killer, absolutely killer. It also embodies the milf/cougar element of the decade. People will listen to this song 30 years from now and feel the 2000's. It also took to the mainstream airwaves like no other power pop song. Everybody and their mother loved Stacy's Mom.

"Once Around the Block" Badly Drawn Boy
"Stacy’s Mom" Fountains of Wayne
"This Modern Love" Bloc Party
"War All The Time" Thursday
"Do You Realize??" The Flaming Lips
"My Number" Tegan and Sara
"Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors" Editors
"I Wish" R. Kelly
"Let Me Love You" Mario
"I Get Wet" Andrew W. K.
"Only For the Weak" In Flames
"Feel Good Inc." Gorillaz
"Only Time" Enya
"American English" Idlewild
"Emily Kane" Art Brut
"You Are Loved (Don't Give Up)" Josh Groban
"Recovery Room" The Jealous Sound
"Teen Angst" M83
"Dry Your Eyes" The Streets
"Alive" P.O.D.