KONG

I saw Kong later than most, I suppose, nearly two weeks after the initial opening. Box office wasn't what the studio hoped for, as I understand it. But I think it has a chance to hold on to the top spot for another week or two at least because the word of mouth on the film has to be this: incredible. Long? Sure. Go to the nicest theater in your area, the one with the most comfortable seats & the best sound.

Peter Jackson has again proven that he's today's undisputed master at using special effects to astound us, the frighten us, and to move us. Kong is a character, in fact, a misunderstood hero, caught without expression in a world where communication is king.

Some thoughts about podcasting

Well, I've done it. I've removed the last "independent" podcast from my iTunes subscription list. I was hanging on to The Dawn and Drew Show but I hadn't listened to an episode in a long time and I was getting tired of watching my PC work to find new episodes of a show that I knew I wouldn't listen to. Now I have subscriptions to KCRW's The Treatment with Elvis Mitchell, the New West Records podcast, ABC's LOST podcast, and the long-delayed Shaun Townley Podcast. Oh, and the Ricky Gervais podcast which I haven't been able to listen to on my iPod for some reason. It shows up, but skips to the next track. Weird.

Anyway, podcasting started out as a way for anyone to put their stuff out there to find a small but dedicated audience and I'm sure it will continue in that way for the foreseable future. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you see it, the cream has risen to the top. I think I've finally given in to the truth, that despite the fact that Dawn & Drew are pretty funny, I'd rather listen to Elvis Mitchell interview Peter Guralnick about the new Sam Cooke bio. That's just me. And it could be a phase, I don't know.

That's not to say that I think all independent podcasters should hang it up. There's lots of great niche stuff out there that you can't find anywhere else, the long tail, & all that. I hope people stay subscribed to my little podcast, because I hope to do some more stuff in the future, but unless this is your job, it's really hard to devote the time & energy necessary to make it great. It's been a fun experiement and I love the fact that it's only $5 a month for me to continue it. We'll see where it goes.

SNL / NYT

Okay, remember two posts ago, when I mentioned that the Lazy Sunday video was everywhere on the web? Well, the New York Times picked up on that too. This is actually a pretty good article.

READ IT HERE

"Feb. 14" for Dec. 25

A Christmas gift from Drive-By Truckers! They're releasing a completely free, no strings attached song from their upcoming record, A Blessing And A Curse. Go to www.blessingandacurse.com to download "Feb. 14" in a number of formats. The email I got from Jenn, their webmaster, said "No one will be chasing after ya for trading it, so share freely - Limewire, Gnutella, and MP3 blogs should feel free to pass this around." So spread the love & let everyone know that the new record's out in April. If you love what you hear, go to http://drivebytruckers.com for more on the band.

Don't forget, DBT will be playing a couple of shows at the 40 Watt in Athens on Jan. 20th & 21st, so all of you in the area, check it out.

Merry Christmas!

Crazy Delicious

Okay, it's everywhere now. If you didn't see the "Lazy Sunday" music video on SNL last weekend, you've probably seen it online by now. YouTube streams it HERE. iTunes Music Store has released it as a FREE download for the iPod. The bit's popularity on the web makes sense though. Andy Samberg, new addition to the SNL cast, came from Lonely Island, a web comedy troupe. In fact, I think the other two fellas from Lonely Island were involved in the production of "Lazy" behind the camera. All their stuff's available under a Creative Commons license which is a legal agreement between content producer and consumer, less restrictive than your standard, old-fashioned copyright. My blog & podcast are produced under a similar license. Read more about Creative Commons HERE.

Some Thoughts on Mobile Access to Content

I've been thinking about the progress we've made in mobile technology over the last few years. These days music and video content are often available freely online as "streaming" media, essentially allowing you to sample a song but not to "own" it, that is, not to have complete control over when and how you listen to it.

Record companies say you're allowed to listen to this song on your PC but you can't burn it to a disc and listen to it in your car and you're not able to download it for free and listen to it on your ipod whenever you want to unless you buy the CD or download the track for a buck at iTunes.

BUT...what happens when the promise of mobile technology is fulfilled? Content will be available for consumers to stream from their internet-ready devices, and in some cases it already is. Consider a blanket broadband connection covering a city. Consider a wireless device that can access streaming content in the car, on the street...anywhere. The line between access to streaming media and essential ownership of that media is blurred. Puts the content folks in quite a pickle. Why would I buy a copy of a song when it's constantly available for streaming?

XBOX 360 LINE AT BEST BUY

I was at the Best Buy on Route 10 in East Hanover, New Jersey tonight around 8pm and snapped this with my phone's camera. There was a sign on the door saying they'll have 45 of the deluxe 360s and 2 of the core systems at 8am Sunday morning. First come, first serve. As I type this it's 28 degrees outside in East Hanover. These folks really want their XBOX.

"Heard 'Em Say"

Did you like "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"?
What about "Gold Digger" & "Jesus Walks"? What about Maroon Five? Do you like them?
And Macy's? Who doesn't like Macy's? They usually have great sales, right?

Well, if you said yes to all of these questions, you might enjoy the latest Kanye West video directed by video maverick Michel Gondry.

CLICK HERE to find out.

Baby Townley

Little baby Townley is about 4 and a half pounds and progressing nicely. We went for another ultrasound today. You can see the nose & mouth and his closed right eye. You can see there's a little bit of placenta or something in front of his left eye.

Horowitz for Christmas?

Are you looking for that perfect Christmas gift? The one that will arrive after the tree's taken down, the lights are rolled back into a knotty ball and the egg nog spout's grown a beard of mold?

Be sure to get your copy of The Mind of the Modern Moviemaker at Amazon.com (available Jan. 31st) by clicking HERE.

The author, Josh Horowitz used to work with me. Great guy, extremely knowledgeable and funny too. Don't believe me? See for yourself. Check out his site, betterthanfudge.com.

iPod Zepto at McSweeney's

Saturday Night Live recently tried something akin to what Jon Fitch has done much better here at McSweeney's.

THE IPOD ZEPTO: INCONCEIVABLY SMALL.
BY JON FITCH

HVD > HD-DVD & B-R?

The continuing battle over the next generation DVD format rages on. Will it be Sony's Blu-Ray or the HD-DVD? Both goofy names if you ask me (you didn't). Well, if the folks over at Hitachi Maxell get their way, it may not be either for long. They're working on HVD, a disc based on holographic technology that will allow storage of an entire season of Lost in high definition on just ONE DISC.

Read more at Red Herring.

Tivo on iPod

I posted October 6th and October 20th about how it would be great if we could transfer TiVo recordings to the iPod. I just found an article that says TiVoToGo will be expanding soon to allow transfers not only to the new iPod, but also to the PSP.

READ MORE HERE

Metropolis / Chattanooga

Chattanooga's downtown resurgence is featured in the November issue of Metropolis magazine. I picked it up initially for the cover story on the new Bloomberg headquarters in New York where I work. I was surprised to see that the issue featured an article on Chattanooga and glad to see that the article is available for free online.

READ IT HERE

"Development" is arrested

I read a report from Reuters that Arrested Development's season will be cut short. Only thirteen episodes will see air this season, presumably its last. Such a shame. The best shows never last. Let's hope My Name Is Earl keeps its viewership up so it doesn't meet the same fate.

Lord, I Apologize

A surprisingly insightful look at "redneck" comedian Larry The Cable Guy by Bryan Curtis on slate.com.
CLICK HERE to read it.

Incident Report

I was at a coffee shop yesterday morning and bought a medium coffee with steamed milk which I then spilled on my hands. It was extremely hot. The coffee lady came from the back with gels and creams and a cold pack. She gave me a new coffee free and I felt sufficiently mothered. The other customers waited for my skin to bubble up. The woman asked if I wanted to fill out an incident report.

Incident report was new to me but i knew instantly what it was. It's a "this is what i'm saying happened in case this ever comes up in court" document. I assured her that I was the idiot who spilled the coffee on myself, that it was my fault and no one else's. I don't want to go to court any more than they do. I'll make my money the old fashion way. As an assassin for the CIA.

Presidential Speechalist

You've probably seen this already, but boing boing posted a link to it and I watched it again and I'd forgotten how funny the debate section was.

CLICK HERE to the see the short.

Hitchcock on TCM

Over 20 Hitchcock films on Turner Classic Movies over the next eight days.
Psycho, Rear Window, Vertigo, North By Northwest, Strangers On A Train, and many more.
Visit www.turnerclassicmovies.com to search for your favorites.

I thought this was a podcast

I haven't posted a podcast in a long time. I know you probably don't care but you may be wondering why the podcasts have become less and less frequent since they began many months ago.

When I started podcasting I thought, this should be easy. I've got a lot to say and I've got an hour or two of free time to say them. Well, believe me, if you think you've got a lot to say and decide to share your thoughts with the world, you'll discover a couple of things.

1) You don't have much to say.
You have a few things to say and you say them over and over again. Try it. You'll see.

2) You don't have an hour or two of free time as often as you think you do and if you do have that time, you'd rather spend it with your spouse or your friends or with your good friend, television rather than plugged in to a computer with a headset on talking to no one specific.

My wife and I are expecting our first child (a boy) in February so we're spending time preparing for that and just kind of enjoying our last few months as a duo.

Podcasting has exploded since I started doing it and there are lots of interesting shows out there. Keep visiting. It's much easier to do a blogpost, so I'll do that more often, obviously, and I will podcast again. I'm just not sure how often, so keep me on the favorites list. You can even start personalizing your Google page and add my RSS feed so you can keep up with posts there.

Thanks,

Shaun

Video iPod

Yeah, so there's a video iPod. I think it's great in theory. BUT...what are we going to watch on this thing? Madonna's music videos? Episodes of DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES for $2?

This guy says he's figured out how to create iPod-ready video from TiVo recordings, but it's complicated and slow. Trust me, I tried the process and I could't even get it to work. So...until TiVo and Apple strike a deal that makes transferring TiVo recordings to the iPod simple, or unless someone figures out a simple and affordable way to get content on the thing, it's like having a gun with no bullets, pretty useless.

BUMMER

I was pretty excited about the whole TiVo-Netflix partnership. We were going to be able to download films and store them on TiVo instead of receiving them in the mail.

I guess it was too good to be true. Read THIS POST ON ENGADGET for details.

It Was My Understanding That There Would Be No Math

Not only did I have to watch the Braves get POUNDED in the seventh inning and subsequently lose the third game in the NLDS series against Roy Oswalt and the Astros, but I was stupid enough to keep the volume up during the game.

The Fox announcers (I think it was Josh Lewin and Steve Lyons) spent the entire game talking about how young the Braves players were, saying stupid things like "You remember Michael Jackson's Thriller video? Well some of these Braves rookies don't. They weren't even born yet."

If you don't know anything about the players except what you can read off the back of a baseball card and what you can figure out with a calculator, go host a game show.

Okay, so I'm bitter my team's down 2-1 in the series. At least I know where the mute button is.

Apple Video iPod?

Well, the rumour mill's goin' nuts. Apple's got an event coming up in which everyone's speculating they're going to release a video iPod. Please, Steve, let it play shows that I've recorded on TiVo! I can already transfer them to the PC and watch them there. It's just one more simple step from the PC to the device.

First Season of "Lost"...completed

The wife and I just finished watching the first season of Lost on DVD and I have to say it was amazing. Like everyone else I can't say enough about it and I'm excited to watch the second season. We've been TiVo'ing each of the new episodes. I'm sure it won't take long to get caught up. If you didn't watch the first season, rent the DVDs and enjoy the first season 3 or 4 episodes at a time.

Who Knew?

Chewie's got a mean slider.

CLICK HERE for the explanation.

Peter Jackson: Lord of the RING

RING...HALO...get it?
That's right. Reuters is reporting that Peter Jackson & Fran Walsh are going to serve as Executive Producers for the film version of HALO. Jackson described himself as a "huge fan" of the game. Next time I see him I'm going to suggest the inclusion of an elite unit of warriors, code name: ABRACADAVER.

Nic Cage stole our NAME!

ABC News reports that Nicolas Cage has named his newborn son Kal-El Cage. I'm not joking. If you don't know the name Kal-El, it's Superman's name from Krypton.

Drive-By Truckers comin' to YOUR town

Drive-By Truckers are touring throughout the South.
They're gonna be at Rhythm & Brews in Chattanooga October 13th so be sure not to miss it.

CLICK HERE for a complete list of tourdates.

"Shining"

Okay, another fun one from boing boing. According to this New York Times story, Robert Ryang entered this fake trailer for "Shining" in a contest and won. The idea was to take visuals from a film of any genre and make a trailer for a new film in another genre. He took Kubrick's "The Shining" and turned it into a Cameron Crowe-esque dramedy.


CLICK HERE to watch the video.

New TV is Here At Last

The wife and I have a TiVo season pass for most of these. I'm looking forward to Lost, obviously. We're the only people in the country who didn't watch a single episode last season, so we're netflixing the first season on DVD now (thru 8 episodes so far) and we're TiVo'ing the second season so we'll be able to catch up. It's a great show. Also, House's new season is great so far. Hugh Laurie was robbed at the Emmys.

SUNDAY
The West Wing 8pm
The Simpsons 8pm
Family Guy 9pm
American Dad 9:30pm

MONDAY
Arrested Development 8pm
How I Met Your Mother 8:30pm
Two And a Half Men 9pm
Medium 10pm

TUESDAY
House 9pm
My Name Is Earl 9pm
The Office 9pm

WEDNESDAY
Lost 9pm
CSI: NY 10pm

THURSDAY
Smallville 8pm
CSI 9pm
Without A Trace 10pm

FRIDAY
Threshold 9pm
Numb3rs 10pm

Legos for the 21st Century

Great use of technology by the folks at Lego. Visit the Lego Factory online and use their virtual designer to create a virtual lego project. Then, (this is the cool part), send them your design online and they'll send you the lego parts necessary to build it!

Face Transplants

BBC News: US Plans First Face Transplant

This is pretty scary. There's no telling where it could lead. What if a mesomorphic supervillain decided to steal the identity of a slightly bigger family man? Of course, he'd need to disguise his voice somehow and completely change every other aspect of his appearance in order to fool co-workers and family, which is, let's face it, kind of impossible, but we're headed down that road, people!

It Was Only A Matter of Time

Pick these up over at bustedtees.com.

SIN CITY & THRESHOLD

I was pretty excited when I heard SIN CITY was going to be made into a film by Robert Rodriguez. But, as it often does, life got in the way and I didn't get to the theater to see it. I'm sure it was a much better experience on the big screen but I thought the movie was pretty amazing. I watched at home this weekend. The DVD doesn't have a commentary but these guys have fixed that. It was a Carla Gugino weekend here at the Townley household. She was featured in "Sin City" as Lucille, Marv's parole officer, and again in the new CBS Sci-Fi drama, Threshold. I watched the two-hour premiere and I'm hooked. Got myself a season pass for that one.

Vacation + Reunion

We've been back from vacation since Labor Day. I had a "short" week at work that seemed extremely long. I've finally gotten vacation & reunion photos posted at flickr. If you're interested,
CLICK HERE.

Fox News Coverage of Katrina

(via Boing Boing)

This is pretty funny. I wish I'd seen it. Blogs are reporting this exchange between Shepard Smith and a New Orleans man-on-the-street during Hurricane Katrina coverage:

SHEPARD SMITH: You’re live on FOX News Channel, what are you doing?
MAN: Walking my dogs.
SMITH: Why are you still here? I’m just curious.
MAN: None of your f**king business.
SMITH: Oh that was a good answer, wasn’t it? That was live on international television. Thanks so much for that.

California and Georgia

It's been a while since I've posted and even longer since the last podcast. I'm on vacation! The wife and I were in San Francisco for five days. Great town. Now we're in Georgia with my family and we're going to be attending my 10 year high school reunion. It's nice having some time off of work and seeing family. I'll try to get a podcast together soon after my return.

When I get home I'll be installing Google Talk to check it out. It looks pretty great. If you haven't heard about it, read more here: GOOGLE TALK.

Wanna see the world's ugliest dog?

I laughed for about a minute straight when I saw this picture of Sam, the ugliest dog in the world. He's been featured on MSNBC and in the LA Times in recent days. I didn't post the picture because it's a little much if you're not expecting it. If you WANT to see this dog, CLICK HERE to go to the LA Times article.

New Sigur Ros record coming Sept. 12th

There's a new Sigur Ros album coming out September 12th. It's called Takk, which means "thanks" in Icelandic. If you don't know Sigur Ros, I suggest you check out this site: http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/. The MEDIA section contains some free downloads to whet your appetite. I recommend the live version of untitled #4 (a.k.a. njósnavélin / the nothing song).

You can also download Saeglopur, the new single, at iTunes.

Jason Harrod Interview - Podcast #12

This podcast is an interview with singer/songwriter Jason Harrod. The podcast also features music from his latest CD, "Bright As You". You can find more information about Jason and his music at www.jasonharrod.com. Enjoy!

Download podcast #12 here: stp-08-07-05

How do you say "fab four" in Arabic?

A friend told me if you call the Syrian embassy in New York, the hold music is a midi version of The Beatles' "Let it Be".

These are the things that make me happy.

WHITE is overrated

This CANNOT be good for you
http://whitelight.com/

Okay, so no podcast this week

I know I said there would be a podcast this week, but hey...there ain't one. So what are you gonna do about it? Huh? Huh?!! Come on punk! You got somethin' to say??

...yeah, I didn't think so. You'll get your podcast when I'm good & ready to give you a podcast...and not a minute sooner.

Upcoming podcast

The next podcast is scheduled for next week some time. I'll have a conversation with singer/songwriter Jason Harrod. It should be fun, so be sure to drop by next week to check it out. Or better yet, subscribe to the podcast and it will come to you!

For those of you who have never subscribed to a podcast before, iTunes makes it really easy. Just download the latest version of iTunes by CLICKING HERE.

Once it's installed, go to the music store and look for "Podcasts" on the left side of the page. Once you're on the podcasts page, type in "Shaun Townley" and you'll find my podcast and a "subscribe" button there. It's that simple.

PS3 price

Chief Executive of Sony's gaming division, Ken Kutaragi,
is quoted on the PS3: "it will be expensive".

To the Moon...

http://moon.google.com/
Funny stuff. Zoom all the way in.

30 Days

I just finished watching my third episode of 30 Days on FX and I have to say I'm really impressed. If you saw the film Supersize Me (I didn't), you'll recognize Morgan Spurlock, the creator and host of the show.

First one I saw was a Christian who lived for 30 days as a Muslim, the next was another Christian (sense a pattern?) who went to live with a gay man in San Francisco to confront his stereotypes about homosexuals. This most recent episode featured a guy who wanted to spend thirty days getting back to his old physique by taking around 40 supplements per day, testosterone shots, and daily human growth hormone as well as eating well and exercising. There's something to be said for growing old gracefully. If you get a chance, check it out.

A Free Acoustic Set By Drive-By Truckers

So maybe you've read about the band Drive-By Truckers or heard me talking about them on the podcast but you haven't bought any of their records. Well, enjoy an acoustic set they recorded for Sirius satellite radio. It's been released as a podcast on the New West Records website. If you like what you hear, head over to iTunes and pick up The Dirty South & Decoration Day. I just got Southern Rock Opera this past weekend. It's a great record too.


Click here to download the podcast: Drive-By Truckers on Sirius

Moving Advertising

I've been taking the PATH train more than usual lately on the way into work and was amazed to see an ad for the new Range Rover as I looked out the window of the train. As Brandweek.com describes it, there's "an installation in the New York subway that creates the effect of flip-book-style animation by the motion of trains themselves". It's hard to describe but it's extremely cool. There are a bunch of still posters on the wall of the tunnel, each varying slightly, so as you're moving past them in the train, the images appear to move before your eyes. It's pretty incredible. I encourage all of you to travel to New Jersey (and then, of course, on the PATH to New York) just to see it. Really. Come on. It'll be fun.

Defrag

I've never defragged my hard drive before. I had no idea you have to set aside a day to do it. This is taking FOREVER.

A few thousand bucks lyin' around?

Star Wars producer Gary Kurtz will be auctioning some props used in the films, including Luke's light saber and Yoda's cane.

College fund? What college fund?

Click here for more information

(thanks Boing Boing!)

Google Earth!

On April 5th, I blogged about Google Maps' addition of satellite images. Since then, Google has taken a giant leap forward. GOOGLE EARTH is now available. You have to download this free software and take it for a test drive. It's too incredible for me to try to explain.

Download it HERE

"Hamburger America" - Podcast #11

"Hamburger America" is a great new documentary by filmmaker George Motz. You can see it Monday, July 4th at 8pm on Sundance Channel. I had a chance to talk to George about the film Friday night, and I've included that conversation in this podcast. Enjoy!

Download Podcast #11 here: stp-07-01-05

New podcast coming soon...

Sorry it's been a while, y'all.
I should have a new podcast up soon!

Podcasts on iTunes!

It's here, folks. iTunes 4.9 supports podcasting.

I've been raving about iTunes for a while now. If you listen to the podcast regularly you're sick of hearing me talk about how great iTunes is. Well it got a whole lot better on Tuesday. I'm sure every podcaster is posting and podcasting about what they love or don't love about the new iTunes. You should go check it out for yourself. It's a free download and it just simplifies everything. If you want to subscribe to my podcast, just search "Shaun Townley" in the podcast section and you can click to subscribe. Simple.

It's "giant leap" time for podcasting.

Aha Shake Heartbreak

Boy, it's kinda been a while. I've been super busy lately and just haven't had the time to chill in front of the computer. I was upset to find that the latest Kings of Leon CD has copy protection that wouldn't allow me to put the tracks on my iPod. So, bumpin' around online, I discovered all you have to do to bypass the copy protection is hold down the SHIFT key while you're loading the CD into the drive. Then rip away. So, if you find yourself in a similar predicament where the music company won't let you do what you want to with the music you've purchased, remember, SHIFT happens.

I'm glad to say, the CD's pretty good.

Dude...

I been busy...a'ight?

Get Behind Me Satan

Get Behind Me Satan is the new White Stripes record.
It is great.
Buy it.

Podcast #10, An Interview with Josh Green

Podcast #10 features an interview with Josh Green, a friend of mine from way back. Josh is the drummer and a founding member of Infradig, a great "electro-funk-hop" band from Chattanooga, Tennessee. We talk about the creative process, the state of the music industry, and of course, we share some fun memories from our childhood.

Infradig's upcoming EP, "Clinical Indifference" is scheduled for release this summer. Please be sure to visit www.infradig.net for information about upcoming shows and the latest info. on the EP.

This podcast also contains a sneak preview of the title track. Enjoy!

Download Podcast #10 here: stp-06-03-05

Songs For Silverman

I've been listening to the latest from Ben Folds, Songs For Silverman, and have to tell you it keeps getting better each time I hear it. I suggest you pick it up if you haven't already. Now, I've yet to try this new DualDisc format so I can't vouch for it. Do your research first or just go ahead and buy from iTunes.
Here's the link to Ben Folds:

It's been a while...podcast #9

It's been a while, but podcast #9 is here. Podcasting news, book/tv/music talk, a bit about Star Wars, your quote of the day, & honor system trivia.

Download the ninth podcast here: stp-05-29-05

Submissions

A reminder to anyone out there with music or other audio pieces that they'd like to share, I'm always taking submissions for inclusion in the podcast. Send attachments to shauntownley@gmail.com

I don't think this is a joke

Uhhh... CHECK THIS OUT

Segway Centaur

Segway has a new concept vehicle called the Centaur that I first saw in the new WIRED this month. The video of this thing in action at the Segway site is pretty cool.

CLICK HERE: Segway Centaur Video

Creepy Kooky Robotic Cats

What would we do without Boing-Boing?
So many crazy things I never would have found if it weren't for this fantastic collection of oddities.

Take a look at this video: CLICK HERE

Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs

I forgot how great Chuck Klosterman is. No excuses. I just forgot. I picked up his book "Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs" tonight, flipped to a chapter about Star Wars, and remembered again. Chuck Klosterman is the man.

Exhibit A: "Luke went to the University of Dagobah with a major in Buddhist philosophy and a minor in physical education. There's not a lot of career opportunites for that kind of schooling; that's probably why he dropped out in the middle of the semester."

Exhibit B: His funny & revealing "Fargo Rock City", another great book.

Your honor, the defense rests.

Movies on XBOX Live...Part II

So, if you look back a few posts, I was going on about how I thought it would be cool if you could download video content via broadband to be stored and accessed via XBOX360. I was at Joystiq just now and they've posted an interview with Steve Ballmer and they asked him that very question.

Here's that part of the interview:

Q: Is there a plan for people to be able to purchase TV shows or movies via their Xbox even if they don’t have a Media Center PC?

A: Right now we’re working hard with a number of partners, like SBC, like Bell Canada, a number of others, to get IPTV to critical mass. As IPTV gets to critical mass, you will find that those partners are anxious to have as many people monetizing their investment as possible , and the Xbox community will be one of them.

Q: They’re looking at Xbox as a distribution channel?

A: I think so, we’re certainly talking to them about all of these things. Until there is some real business deal to announce I won’t announce it, but we’re set up technologically, but it does require some sort kind of business relationship.

Sith Happens

So it's 11:43pm as I write this and it occurs to me that folks all over are probably settling into their seats about now to see Revenge of the Sith. My folks took me & my sister to see Star Wars at the drive-in when we were less than a year old. I'm told I stared slack-jawed at the giant spaceships flying overhead. I fell asleep pretty quickly as I understand it, but hey, it was my first film.

It's incredible to me that 27 years later I'd have the opportunity to see the the final film projected digitally on the big screen as crisp as the day it was shot. It's a stunning movie in many ways and I had a huge grin on my face watching it. And this time I didn't fall asleep.

Hamburger America!

If you're in the NYC area, be sure to check out the May 24th screening of Hamburger America, a great documentary by George Motz. If you're not in the area, don't worry. DVDs are available at the site as well.

CLICK HERE for information about the May 24th screening. George will answer questions afterwords, so stick around for that. If you love burgers (and I know you do), don't miss it.

Movies on XBOX LIVE?

So, the grand unveiling took place Thursday night on MTV and I have to say, I was expecting more. But then I thought, this is just to whet our appetites. We'll get more information at E3. So, let's hope so.

I'm thinking if Microsoft is serious about positioning the XBOX360 as the new media hub in the home, why not USE that 20GB hard drive to store films downloaded from XBOX Live? I've been reading that you will be able to network a Windows Media Center PC to stream stored video to the 360, but what about the millions of us who don't have a Media Center PC?

Picture this. You go on XBOX Live and scroll through a list of new releases. Select a film from the list and pay $3 via your Live account to rent the movie in standard definition or HD. The download begins while you listen to music, watch a show you recorded earlier, or play a game with friends. Or you might choose to start watching the first part of the film as you download the rest of it. The film is stored on your XBOX hard drive for a specified amount of time or maybe until you rent another few films (the netflix model).

More announcements to be made about XBOX Live at E3, so we'll see.

Trivia Winner: Scott Ledridge!

Congratulations to Scott Ledridge. He's our honor system trivia winner for podcast #8. Believe it or not, he knew that the first Cracker Barrel was built in Lebanon, Tennessee. Also in the photo is his daughter Aaralyn. All together now...Awwwwwww.

Best cardboard sign...ever

Spending most of every day in New York City, you're bound to see some crazy stuff. On the way home today, I caught a glimpse of this dude with a wild beard and a big cardboard sign that read "Ninjas killed my family. Need money for kung-fu lessons". I usually have my camera at the ready for moments like this, but alas, I didn't get a photo.

It's times like these that the beauty of the internet is so abundantly apparent. I figured if I saw it and thought to take a picture, maybe someone else did too. Little did I know, this guy is ALL OVER the internet. The photo above comes from citynoiseorg.

I also found a mention of him in this "dear diary" entry in the New York Times!

Mickey's first podcast!

My friend Mickey joins me for his very first podcast. We talk about all kinds of stuff for a little less than an hour. Enjoy.

Download the eighth podcast here: stp-05-07-05

For those of you who don't know...

I'm a bit late in getting up this week's podcast, but for good reason. I'm in the middle of editing a sprawling conversation with my friend Mickey, who joined me via skype for the podcast. I should have it up in a day or two.

Eddie Izzard's new pilot

Eddie Izzard is extremely funny. I first saw him in the HBO special called Dress to Kill and made an audio cassette of it that I listened to constantly in my old Saturn that had a tape deck. I later saw his act on stage in New York and it was great. Sooooo...I was happy to hear that Mr. Izzard is working on a pilot for FX. You can read more about it HERE.

If it's as good as Denis Leary's Rescue Me (I can't wait for season two to start on June 21st!), we're in for a treat.

Follow the link to iTunes to get buy some of Eddie Izzard's live shows.

Patience is a Virtue

No podcast yet. You can listen to the post below to find out why. I called it in this morning. Ain't technology grand? I'll get one up as soon as I'm able. I appreciate your patience.

New logo too similar?

Okay, help me out here folks. Engadget is reporting that the logo on the left for the new XBOX360 MAY be the official logo. Isn't it a little too close to game-maker Ubisoft, which you see on the right? Yes? No? Perhaps?

Microsoft "podcasts"

I was wondering when Microsoft would formally address the audio phenomenon known as podcasts. The podcast is, of course, named after rival Apple's iPod, so I was curious to find out if Microsoft would ignore podcasts completely, try desperately to rename the podcast something more ms-friendly like "audioblog", or whether they would go with the flow. I'm pleasantly surprised to say they chose door #3.

Here you'll find an official microsoft site referring to official microsoft "podcasts". Found this via curry.com. Thanks Adam.

Raining in West Orange, Podcast #7

It's a rainy night in West Orange and I'm podcasting a day earlier than usual. New music, a review of the great sci-fi film Primer, and more.

Download Podcast #7 here: stp-04-24-05

Branch Brook Park, Newark

Okay, so I was really late in posting this picture but I think it's pretty nice. It's from the trip we took last weekend to Branch Brook Park in Newark to see the Cherry Blossoms.

Honor System Trivia Winner!

Congratulations to Dave Huppert. Once again, he was the quickest draw in the honor system trivia competition. He knew that David Bowie portrayed Andy Warhol in the film Basquiat. He sent along this photo of himself. Please don't add comments about the hair. He's pretty self-conscious about it.

Those of you in the area (DAVE!), be sure to check out the Basquiat exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum.

XBOX 360 Pics (maybe...perhaps)

I apologize for the lack of posting. It's been a long week. But hey, I got somethin' nice to make up for it. Engadget and other sites are now reporting that THIS is the new XBOX! Of course, no one knows for sure, but this actually looks pretty legit. Now if we can just see some video from some of these next-gen games...

Podcast #6: The first "propaganda" podcast

The new podcast is available. I've purchased a new software program created specifically for the creation of podcasts. I'm pretty impressed with Propaganda. There are some distinct limitations to what you're able to do, but for my purposes it's certainly an improvement over my previous set-up. Should be a quicker & easier recording process and I now have real editing capabilities. Some music and film reviews, a quote of the day from Laurie Anderson, honor-system trivia, our continuing celebration of National Poetry Month, and podsafe music from Samantha Murphy.

Download the sixth podcast here: stp-04-18-05

Podcast feed issues resolved

A few problems with the podcast feed seem to be resolved thanks to the hard work of Dave over at LibSyn.com. If you're subscribed to the podcast and your software recently attempted to download the latest podcast (#6), you MAY have received the original test file of The Shaun Townley Podcast from March 13th. It's possible you didn't receive any file at all.

It should be all cleared up now. If you have any issues, please let me know.
If you'd prefer, you can download the podcast HERE.

Sweet!

MacFarlane Toys will be releasing Napoleon Dynamite action figures this fall. If you're not familiar with the company, it's worth browsing around their site. These are not the action figures you remember.

Propaganda

I'm really excited about a new software package I'm testing out for the podcast. It's called Propaganda. It streamlines the recording process and will cut down immensely on the time it takes me to put these things together. They'll hopefully sound a whole lot better too because I'll be able to drop in music, sound effects and other recordings in post-production instead of trying to do everything live. We'll see.

Dreams

I had a dream this morning just before waking. My buddy Mickey and I went camping with a couple of friends...Yasser Arafat and Doctor Emmett Brown, portrayed beautifully in the dream by Mr. Christopher Lloyd who originated the role on celluloid. The DeLorean broke down so I had to get out and PUSH it up to 88 mph. Then Yasser decides to pull out a sub-machine gun and start firing rounds near my head, celebrating the score of the Seahawks game. I'm rolling around in the dirt trying not to get hit. It's about this time that Mickey heads over to the tent and begins to brew a pot of decaf.

"Bright As You"

For those of you who have been listening to the podcast (subscription information available in the LINKS secion), I've mentioned Jason Harrod a few times. His new album, Bright As You, was just released a few days ago. It's extremely good, in fact it's one of the best I've heard so far this year. It's not available on iTunes or Amazon, so you'll need to visit www.jasonharrod.com for more information. You'll be glad you did.

The Fifth Podcast is now available!

Have no fear, kids. Podcast #5 is here. Same format, including some great music and chatter from the recesses of my mind on this blissful Sunday night. A new honor system trivia question to tickle your brain and some poetry for y'all from a seemingly unlikely source.

Download the fifth podcast here: stp-04-11-05

Drive By Truckers!

If you're not familiar with Drive By Truckers, you can click the link below to find their music at iTunes. Also, visit www.drivebytruckers.com for more information about the band. They're great songwriters, great storytellers and they rock. I've got "Decoration Day" & "The Dirty South" and love 'em.

When you get to iTunes, also try searching Drive-By Truckers with that hyphen in there. That will bring up two other records, "Alabama Ass Whuppin' (Live)" and "Southern Rock Opera". iTunes has it listed in such a way that you won't find it without searching with the hyphen.

Huh?

It was reported recently that Cole Ford, a former pro football player who allegedly drove by Siegfried & Roy's house last October and began shooting, did so in order to "warn the world of the illusionists' unhealthy danger to them and to animals".

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the "unhealthy danger" starts when mentally ill placekickers fire off shotgun rounds at the homes of magicians.

You can read more about this at WIRED NEWS.

Fever Pitch

The wife & I saw Fever Pitch today, the new Farrelly Bros. film. They've eased up on the nasty this time 'round and put together a nice little movie. Jimmy Fallon & Drew Barrymore are both better than I expected and the story moves along at a good pace. I chuckled when I realized why Jimmy Fallon's character, the world's biggest Red Sox fan, is a teacher.

The film is based on the book by Nick Hornby (About a Boy & High Fidelity) which was about a soccer fan. Can you think of a British novelist with a better track record for creating stories that connect with American film audiences? Strange, but cool.

If you'd like to see some actual, professional reviews of the film, there's a great site that collects reviews and gives films (& books, music, games, etc.) a score based on those reviews. It's called Metacritic.
Click here for their page on Fever Pitch.

Oh my goodness, this is funny

My friend Taj pointed this one out to me. I happen to think it's extremely funny. You may find it pointless. But that's why America is the greatest country in the world (Switzerland is second, Nigeria third), because we can agree to disagree about these things.

Another brilliant bit of comedy from McSweeneys.net:
A REALISTIC ASSESSMENT OF HOW MANY 12-YEAR-OLDS I COULD BEAT UP BEFORE THEY OVERTOOK ME.
by Matt Schweiger

100 Best April Fool's Day Hoaxes

It's late, I know. April Fool's Day was last week. This is funny stuff though, no matter what day it is. I especially like #4 and #7.
Check it out: THE MUSEUM OF HOAXES

Podcast #4 has arrived!

"The Shaun Townley Podcast", now with 84% more coughing throughout! I learned a valuable lesson tonight. Don't try to podcast when you've got a cold, folks. Just wait. Seriously though, this podcast has a little of everything including a tribute to Neil Young who's recovering from surgery, a look at the latest podcasting news, music reviews & your quote of the day. Enjoy!

Download the 4th podcast here: stp-04-05-05

New & Improved Google Maps!!

Okay, Google Maps was incredible before tonight, but check it out NOW. You can click on "satellite" in the upper right-hand corner and the map will instantly convert to a satellite image of the area you've selected.

Ever wanted to see your neighborhood from space?!!!

Neil Young

Prayers and good thoughts go out to Neil Young. He's recovering from treatment after a brain aneurysm.

Podcast #4 coming soon!

Sorry folks, I didn't get a chance to put together a podcast for you Sunday night as I expected to. I hope to have one up soon. Had a great time at my cousin's wedding this weekend. Saw lots of family and I even cut loose on the dance floor to the sounds of a great band from Philly called Jellyroll.

Upcoming podcast (#4!)

I hope to bring y'all a new podcast this weekend but I will be out of town until Sunday evening so I'll probably record and post it then. If you have any suggestions about what you'd like to hear, please let me know. Send me MP3s or links to sites that you're diggin' or email me with questions or just things you're thinking about. My hope is that the podcast will be a way to build upon a community that shares information and experiences. Your participation is essential to the success of this endeavor. To all of you who have subscribed to the podcast, thank you! It's a really cool feeling to check my stats page and see how many are listening!

"Guero" es muy bueno

I got Beck's new record, Guero, from iTunes yesterday and enjoyed it today during the commute home. Fat beats, sweet hooks & some harmonica thrown in for good measure. You should definitely check it out.

The World Isn't Fair

I was originally going to post a link to the Randy Newman song "The World Isn't Fair" but I was unable to do that because the link wasn't working correctly. However, I did manage to get a working link that takes you to the entire album, which is better anyway because the whole record is great. Newman re-recorded some of his best songs with just him at the piano.

"The World Isn't Fair" is a great song. If you don't know it, follow the link to iTunes and check it out. Marxism and hot PTA moms in the same 3 minutes? Only Newman can pull that off.

You'll find other great songs here in future posts.

"Office Space" Quiz

All right all you folks who think you know the movie Office Space. I've got a quiz for you. CLICK HERE to take the quiz at redswinglinestapler.com.

My pathetic performance:

Thank you for taking the Office Space Quiz
Here are your results:
* Correct Responses: 49
* In-Correct Responses: 50
0.49%
Entry Level Office Space Fan - Looks like you should watch Office Space a couple more times.

Erin joins me for podcast #3!

My lovely wife Erin agreed to sit down with me for the third podcast. We talk a little about the NCAA tournament (yes, again) and the premiere of NBC's The Office. We hear a track from Infradig and talk about the first John Edwards podcast. Some funny stuff from McSweeney's, a really tough honor-system trivia, a shout-out, and your quote of the day (x2).

Download the 3rd podcast here: 04_stp-03-27-05.mpg

(oh, and i state that John Lennon sings "Her Majesty" on Abbey Road when in fact it's Paul. Did I mention I'm an idiot?)

A Call For Podsafe Music

"Podsafe" denotes music that I can play on a podcast without being sued by a record company or music publishers. If you know of music with a Creative Commons license or if you or a friend have music that you would like to get out to new listeners, please send MP3s to shauntownley@gmail.com. I'd love to play good music on the podcast and I can't afford paying ridiculous fees to ASCAP & BMI.

Covers

One of the most amazing thing about music is the variety of interpretations one song can yield. There's even a podcast devoted solely to cover songs called Coverville and you can find it at www.coverville.com.
Here are a few of my favorites:
"All Along the Watchtower" by Jimi Hendrix (originally Bob Dylan)
"I Shall Not Walk Alone" by The Blind Boys of Alabama (originally Ben Harper)
"I Will" by Alison Krauss (originally The Beatles)
"Crazy Mary" by Pearl Jam (originally Victoria Williams)
"Besame Mucho" by The Beatles (written by Consuelo Vazquez)
"Jolene" by The White Stripes (originally Dolly Parton)

So what are your favorite cover songs?
Click on "comments" below and let me know!

David Huppert wins the first honor system trivia!

Congratulations to David Huppert of Brooklyn, NY.
He won the honor system trivia on the very first podcast.
Question: What is the last track on The Beatles' Abbey Road?
Answer: "Her Majesty"

I'm now listed at Podcast Alley!

Okay folks, this is now gettin' kinda official 'n stuff. The Shaun Townley Podcast is now listed at www.podcastalley.com along with a ton of other shows. You can go to the site and VOTE for "The Shaun Townley Podcast" as one of your favorites (if, in fact, it is). I think it's a one vote-a-month deal at this point. Podcast Alley is a great place to start if you're new to podcasting. You can find lots of great shows there. A few of the ones I listen to regularly are The Daily Source Code, The Dawn and Drew Show (often raunchy, beware), On the Media, and more recently, The John Edwards Podcast.

U2's induction into R&R Hall

If you missed the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on VH1, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE
GO HERE to read Bruce Springsteen's amazing speech about U2.

Oh, and if you happen to have $150 that's burning a hole in your pocket, you can purchase ALL of U2's music (remixes, unreleased tracks, EVERYTHING) by clicking on this link to iTunes.

The 2nd podcast

The second podcast is a bit longer than the first. It's 40 minutes of talk about basketball, film, & upcoming music. We talk briefly to my wife, Erin, and hear a track from Paul Westerberg. Enjoy! (p.s., it looks like I now have at least nine subscribers. Thanks for listening, y'all!)

Click here to listen

Gillian Welch & Jay Farrar downloads

It seems Gillian Welch & Jay Farrar are among the artists that have taken up the iTunes model for direct downloads. In the downloads section of their sites you can order their songs for $.99 each or around $10 per album in a variety of formats.
Check it out:
Gillianwelch.com
Jayfarrar.net

Have you ever had food poisoning?

Boy, I don't recommend it. Yesterday wasn't fun at all. Here's a tip for you. Don't eat a bacon cheeseburger in a dimly lit bar, no matter how hungry you are. My wife (my hero) rushed me to the urgent care center because I couldn't keep WATER down. A dose of antibiotics, a shot in the bum, and four hours of sleep later I was feeling well enough to drink gatorade. It's true what they say. You really don't appreciate agony-free consciousness until it's gone.

Ninjas!!

I was in Borders the other day and saw this book on the shelf. What I read was really funny.

Real Ultimate Power: The Official Ninja Book

The first full length podcast

To hear the first full-length podcast, click on the file name below.
Direct download: 02_stp-03-16-05.mp3

It's about 24 minutes, which is probably how long these things are going to be. I'm not 100% happy with it. I had some audio problems and rambled a lot, but hey, it's the first one. It will only get better with time and practice. Enjoy!

Good News for TiVo lovers!

As you may have heard, TiVo's been having a bit of a tough time lately. Their CEO is leaving and DirecTV has steered away from using TiVo technology in their boxes. But it was recently announced that TiVo and Comcast have made a deal which will put TiVo technology into Comcast DVRs. Read the story here at ABC News.

How To Subscribe To the Podcast

For those of you who have never subscribed to a podcast before, iTunes makes it really easy. Just download the latest version of iTunes by CLICKING HERE.

Once it's installed, go to the music store and look for "Podcasts" on the left side of the page. Once you're on the podcasts page, type in "Shaun Townley" and you'll find my podcast and a "subscribe" button there. It's that simple.

Of course, you can always use another podcatcher. Here's how:

1) Download free software that will automatically check for and download new podcasts when they become available. I use iPodder.
Click here to download it: IPODDER

There are other programs as well.
This page at podcastingnews.com might help:
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PODCASTING SOFTWARE


2) Once you get the iPodder up and running, you will be given the option to "add a feed manually". I've found this to be the easiest way to subscribe. Simply copy this text:

http://stownley.libsyn.com/rss

and paste it into the field next to "add a feed manually" and click "ADD".

You'll see the feed listed.

3) Next, click "check for new podcasts". iPodder will check and if any new podcasts are available, the mp3 will be automatically downloaded and stored on your computer. You can then listen to it on your PC, on your portable media player (iPod, or any player, really) or you can even burn it to a CD for listening in the car!

4) Most of these programs will give you the option of a daily automatic check. You can set the time you want it to check for new podcasts.


Please let me know if you run into any trouble at all. It sounds pretty complex but it's not that hard. If you'd like to just download the audio without subscribing, you can do that too. Check the links section to download the latest podcast.
Thanks for listening!

The first podcast test!

When you click here you should begin automatically downloading the very first podcast test. Remember, this is only a test. Check back here soon for subscription information once I get it all ironed out.

One step closer to podcasting

I've had some time today to work out a lot of the recording set-up for the podcast. I recorded a 2 and a half minute test and was able to output it from my digital 4-track to my pc and then encode the wav file as an mp3. I completed the id3 tags, using the format that Adam Curry uses on the Daily Source Code. The next step is to get the file to a host server and to complete the feed setup so that anyone can subscribe to the podcast. I've never done any of this before so if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know. When there's more info on the podcast, you'll find it here.

Audioblogger & Sky Captain

I tried audioblogger out for the first time today. You can listen to the test. It's the post below this one. It took something like 7 hours for the audio to show up on the blog. So, I probably won't be doing that anymore.

Erin and I watched Sky Captain & The World of Tomorrow on DVD tonight. Visually it was pretty incredible, especially when you know the backstory. Read this WIRED piece from May of '04 for more info on the first-time director Kerry Conran and his efforts to get the film made. I need to go back and watch the DVD to be sure, but when Dex is showing off all the old robots that they've managed to disable and study through the years, I think I saw The Iron Giant. If you haven't seen The Iron Giant, go rent it. It's the first movie from Brad Bird, a former Simpsons writer who brought you The Incredibles (out on DVD TUESDAY!).

Successful (yet extremely tardy) audioblogger test

Tech's in the ACC Finals!

My father told me early in the season to watch Georgia Tech this year. He said they've got a chance to do something. They defeated North Carolina today and will be facing Duke on Sunday for the ACC Championship.

The Deathstar in Legos...can be yours

I saw this on Gizmodo, which led me to the Lego site. It's out in September of this year.

Creativity is everywhere

I found this on the wall at the Newark Broad St. train station. Some paint started to chip off the wall and it seems someone saw a face there and finished it off. I just thought it was kinda cool.

A Question

This is probably explained somewhere, but does anyone know how Superman flies? What is it technically that he's doing? It's not that he's lighter than air. Something about gravity? Canon?

(a note: My friend Taj is responsible for this one. He asked me today and I have no clue and now I'm just really curious.)

Details on the next XBOX

A few details were released yesterday, I'm sure y'all have probably heard by now. Some Microsoft fellow named Allard gave a keynote address at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco and talked about HD and the new interface and a whole lotta processing power. Click here to read the Reuters story. There are screenshots of the new user interface for the next box at XBOX.com.

Shaun of the Dead

If you haven't seen "Shaun of the Dead", it's out on DVD now. Mickey & Sarah went with Erin and I when they came up to visit last year. I think I sent this out via email to some people, a little fun with Photoshop. Open up for the larger view to get the full effect.

Live bookmarks

If you're using the Firefox browser, click on the little orange RSS symbol in the bottom right hand corner of the browser. This will add a live bookmark for this page in your "bookmarks" menu which allows you to see all recent posts without having to load the page. I have live bookmarks for slate.com, nytimes.com, and boing boing too.

The Braves are 4-0

It's that time again. Spring Training is underway, and as Mike Fitzpatrick of the AP points out,
"Atlanta's starters have not allowed a run this spring, combining for nine shutout innings". Keep it up fellas, we'll be watching. Tim Hudson pitched well today. Should be a nice addition to the rotation.

My Favorite Music of 2004

In no particular order:

Interpol - Antics
The follow-up to "Turn on the Bright Lights" is even stronger than the debut.



Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose
With Jack White aboard, Lynn sounds right at home.




Kanye West - The College Dropout
I hate the Grammys but they got this one right. This record deserved every nomination and more. It's everything hip-hop should be, catchy, smart, funny and thought-provoking.




Alison Krauss & Union Station - Lonely Runs Both Ways
After a few listens, you'll feel like you've been singing along for years.




Garden State Soundtrack
If Colin Hay's "I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You" hadn't appeared on his 2000 record "Transcendental Highway", it would have been a shoo-in for Best Original Song at the Oscars.
Frou Frou's "Let Go" is pop perfection.




Bruce Hornsby - Halcyon Days
This is an extremely solid record. It usually takes years for Hornsby songs to be appropriated for television commercials but "Gonna Be Some Changes Made" is already showing up in ads for Lowe's.




David Byrne - Grown Backwards
You may recognize "Glass, Concrete & Stone" from ads for the film "In Good Company". It's a great song among several others on a very good record.




Keb Mo - Keep it Simple
While his most recent project, an album of covers called "Peace, Back By Popular Demand" seemed lifeless and opportunistic regarding the current political climate, this previous release somehow managed to hug the guardrails of schmaltz without careening over the side.




Norah Jones - Feels Like Home
I tend to think it's better than "Come Away With Me", but even if you don't, you must concede it's certainly on par. And that's saying something.




Ryan Adams - Love is Hell
I'm glad they released the two 2003 EPs (Vol. 1 & 2) as a full length album in 2004 so I could add it to this list.
"Avalanche" & "Wonderwall" are among his best recordings.




Sam Phillips - A Boot and a Shoe
You may remember her as the blonde mute at Simon's side in "Die Hard: With a Vengeance" but she's put together a great record with her husband, T-Bone Burnett (producer of 'O Brother'). It sounds to me like somebody got Marlene Dietrich so drunk that she dropped the accent and started confessing.




Tomoyasu Hotei - Battle Without Honor or Humanity (single track)
You know that awesome music in the Kill Bill Vol. I previews that they later used in that Jaguar commercial? Yeah, this is it. The title alone would get it on this list.




U2 - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
They just keep doin' it.




The White Stripes - Blackpool Deluxe
Three live tracks released on iTunes exclusively. Jack White's vocals threaten to topple over throughout, but the balance he manages in their cover of Dolly Parton's "Jolene" is daring and impressive.




Drive By Truckers - The Dirty South
Check out this record and their previous "Decoration Day". I don't know if it's possible, but this seems like parody, celebration, and one of the truest incarnations of southern rock around today.




Elvis Costello & Lucinda Williams - There's a Story in Your Voice (single track)
"The Delivery Man" is the latest record from Elvis & the Imposters. It's good enough, but you might do better just to get this track off of iTunes. It's the only thing on there that you absolutely need to own.




Wilco - A Ghost is Born
A worthy follow-up to "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot"