Beltmann

It totally sucks when an album I love, like YHF, instantly morphs into bad music the second other people start enjoying it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Graham!

But he would be right.

I noticed that, too. That mistake keeps cropping up in various reviews, along with "Impossibly Germany."

Not all of them, just Adam Schlesinger. If I remember correctly, the studio accepted submissions and Schlesinger's tune won the contest. Schlesinger also contributed some songs to the recent Music and Lyrics (the one with Hugh Grant as a has-been pop star). That Thing You Do! is a terrific movie. I still think the scene where the band first hears their record on the radio is the best of its kind--it really captures their sense of exhilaration. My pre-order, from Deep Discount, actually arrived a few days early... it came last Friday, I think.

I'm not even a casual fan of Metallica, but I still found this documentary about a band on the verge of collapse to be extraordinary. There's something surreal about seeing these metal icons entering group therapy and embracing the methodology of their mild-mannered Dr. Phil, but, perhaps because all three members are thoughtful, reflective, and articulate, the movie never becomes a cartoonish, real-life version of Spinal Tap. Instead, it's about the difficulty of sustaining relationships after 20 years, making art and maintaining integrity, trying to stay enthusiastic and relevant at the ag

When that lyric arrives, does anybody else instead hear, "When I'm whacking off, I'm gonna shake it off"?

The defense of calculus--and all maths--is abstract: It forces your brain to think in new ways, and those brain muscles are useful in daily life. For example, you might never again do a geometric proof, but you will be forced to think logically. Math class is one of the places where those transferable skills are developed.

I think it is fair game for a reviewer to question, or even disagree with, Mr. Tweedy's point. In fact, isn't part of the goal of criticism to evaluate an artist's thinking, as well as how skillfully that thinking has been expressed? I might not agree with everything in those two reviews, but both are reasonable in their arguments.

Patty Griffin - Children Running Through I bought this back in February, but I never spent much time with it until the last few weeks. It's fantastic.

I use that phrase all the time now. Larry David and I would get along just fine, I think.

I'm with you. I enjoyed Shaun of the Dead immensely, but Hot Fuzz is the better movie--sturdier plot and character construction, wittier jokes, a more consistently deadpan tone. It's terrific. The best joke might be that while it's taking the piss out of bloated actioners--I loved the overkill editing as the officers do paperwork--it's also completely kicking the ass of most comedies. I almost fell out of my chair at the line "Forget it, Nicholas... it's Sandford." That line was integrated so seamlessly... and the tone of delivery was perfect. I had to lean over and explain it to my wif

I'd just like to observe that tonight the Brewers improved to 17-9, which is good enough for first place and the best record in baseball.

Wow... that's truly unexpected.

Yep. Suppan has been their most reliable starter; he and Estrada were both terrific additions. Hall will come around, I think. At this point I think reaching the playoffs is a reasonable goal--in this weak division, they might make a real run for the division title. Anyway, back on topic. Anybody else notice that Wilco and SBS are featured in this week's iTunes New Music Tuesday email?

My wife noticed "What Light" playing in a restaurant tonight. I was preoccupied with a baseball game, but heard the last few bars.

One link--even one that is transparently the work of a shill--might be appreciated, but two is desperate and three is wearing out your welcome. The best way to get this community to hear and respect your tune is to actually be part of the community, and not treat the place as your own personal billboard.

Three terrific movies this weekend: Pickpocket / Robert Bresson / France / 1959 Boudu Saved From Drowning / Jean Renoir / France / 1932 Hot Fuzz / Edgar Wright / UK / 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Lou!

I used to write headlines... I can't remember many, but I do recall that our city once had a star high school athlete with the last name of Butt, and my headline was "Butt Heads For State."

Alec Baldwin Chews Out Dora the Explorer

That's not a gripe with MT; that's a gripe with reviewers.

I've got a bee problem and would like to know how to exterminate all those bastards.