Monday, March 31, 2008
Jackson Whole
Previously:
When You're Young, You're Gold
Page 1 Consider (03/31)
'Girls' Behaving Badly
Friday, March 28, 2008
Move Over, Mr. Miyagi
Good Stuff
I've long loved The B-52's. But something about their first new album in 16 years -- and first with all four surviving members in nearly 20 -- just wasn't all that appealing to me. Sure, I still loved listening to their old music (I'm a huge "Mesopotamia" fan!), but every time I'd see photos from their latest concert tour it just made me feel kind of sad. (It didn't help that 1998's Greatest Hits add-on "Hallucinating Pluto" pretty much convinced me they'd run out of new ideas.) So call it a cosmic thing (or was planet Claire aligned just so?), but Michael and I just happened to be walking home from dinner in the East Village on a gorgeous spring evening in Manhattan earlier in the week when we came upon the Virgin Megastore. Staring at me from the window in Union Square was a huge lighted promotional poster for the band's new album, "Funplex." Suddenly, I was 16 again. I ran in to buy it (only 10 bucks -- the price CDs should be!) then raced home to play it. I'm the only person I know who doesn't listen to the radio, so I hadn't even heard the title track -- which my brother had mentioned "picks up exactly where they left off" -- so I didn't really know what to expect.
But right from the opening song, "Pump," to Kate and Cindy's perfect retro harmonies on "Juliet of the Spirits" and the full-band experience of "Funplex" and "Eyes Wide Open," it felt like the party had never ended. (If only Blondie's "No Exit" had been half this fun.) I see I'm not alone here. "Funplex" has been Number 1 on Amazon.com, and the buzz all around it is great. (I hope they tour for it without the True Colors outfit. I hate festivals.) Having played the new album another dozen times now I began to wonder why I ever thought The B-52's had become sad. Sure, they're not 22 anymore (in their advanced they've even dropped the erroneous apostrophe in their name). But neither are their fans -- and there's certainly nothing wrong with having a good time at any age.
(That said, if you do wanna feel really old, check out these adorable clips from 1978 of the band performing at the Downtown Cafe in Athens. Kate was already pushing 50 even then, but the rest of 'em are babies -- and you get to see the adorable Ricky Wilson: "Downtown," "Rock Lobster," "52 Girls," "Runnin' Around," "Devil's in My Car," "Hero Worship" and
"Dance This Mess Around." (I assure you, they can no longer do all 16 dances -- and neither can I!)
Cry for Help
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Movie Wood: Alessandro Calza
Page 1 Consider (04/26)
Thursday Ad Watch
This Tom Ford eyewear ad is hot, minus the foot; That said, it might have worked if it'd been this Dolce & Gabbana's guy's (is that Perry from "Make Me a Supermodel," btw?)
K-Swiss has done a beautiful job of using Tommy Haas in its ads. Keep 'em coming ...
Nordstrom shows off its Rock & Republic look, while Bloomingdale's goes with a classic all-American guy in a Hugo suit ...
And last, but certainly not least, the Brazilian government wants you to "do whatever you want, just do it with a condom."
This week's eye-catching advertisements
Gimme Moore!
I love how glamorous Demi Moore looks just strolling around the city. (It was a gorgeous day in Manhattan yesterday, I must say.) And I love that her fan base is all old queens.
Love it, love it, love it!