Beltmann

This sounds tempting. Not sure we can fit it into the schedule, but we'll see...

I said something like this earlier: I can't fault anyone for reading the "What Light" lyrics as cheesy. But I've always detected a degree of irony in them, an interpretation confirmed when I saw the song being performed live and a sly, playful grin came over Jeff's face as he sang "don't let anyone change your bag." It was as if he knew the line was corny, but he was going to try to have fun with it anyway--and I think the SBS version captures that same sense of throwaway goofiness. Does that justify the line? I dunno, but I respond to the tone.

Just tied it up. Thank God.

"Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid. Trust me, folks.

That's a great line, isn't it? Someone earlier complained that the lyrics are "mundane," but for me the mundane imagery is partially the point, because the simple quotidian imagery is what describes the melancholy of his humdrum routine. To me, mowing the lawn and folding the shirts are metaphors, and so the line "What am I gonna do when I run outta lawn to mow" reveals the guy's realization that what he's doing--consciously getting lost in humdrum routine in order to preoccupy his mind--can't really help him get what he wants, which is to regain some sense of normalcy and self-worth. It ma

I can't imagine ever describing "Hate It Here" as light-hearted. One of the reasons I love it is because it evokes such deep-seated melancholy.

A friend from Texas recommended this to me last month, and at this point I'd describe it as one of my favorite albums of the year (so far). I too noticed the similarity between "ITMWLY" and "In Your Mind" immediately, but I consider that a plus not a minus.

No, the worst threads ever are the ones that crop up every few months dedicated to ranking our favorite Wilco albums. They always end up looking the same, sounding the same, inspiring the same arguments, etc. You know what might be fun, though? We need a thread that cleverly satirizes the interminable sameness of those rank-your-favorite threads. Any ideas?

I've probably seen that segment 15-20 times (I teach it sometimes). I still shake when I watch it.

I believe that was our good friend Big Ray.

When I teach irony, I am going to refer my students to this thread.

Aw, come on...

I had the same reaction when I read your "list." The right answer is obviously: AM BT ST YHF AGIB SBS

Good to hear; we're usually on the same page. I'm excited to see it, but it's unlikely I will see it any time soon... I've taken a vow of cinema chastity until my grad thesis is complete. I barely have time to catch something on DVD these days, and even then it's usually broken up over two or three late nights when I'm too beat to write. In fact, writing is what I'm supposed to be doing right now, so thanks for distracting me, pal.

It's clearly a foreshadow of the cryptic qualities that would soon inform YHF. Nah, I pretty much agree.

Damn you and your enlightened ears.

If anything has surprised me this week, it's your professed love of SBS. But I'm in the same boat: Like you, I was generally dismayed with the new material, but I've been won over. The first few listens were hampered by the natural desire to hear it in context of their previous albums--it's tough to isolate and ignore that baggage--but after spending considerable time with SBS, it's easier now to hear it for what it is, rather than for what I had been hoping it would be. That said, at this point I'd still put it quite a few rungs below YHF and BT, and perhaps, just maybe, approaching AGIB

For shame, Kyle, for shame.

Sounds good.

I'm sorry to learn about your hearing loss. May I suggest that you try one of these: The correct answer is obviously: AM BT ST YHF AGIB SBS

No kidding. And in Inarritu's case, each new outing seems more intricate than the last but, paradoxically, suffers from the law of diminishing returns. At this point I'd like to see him tackle something a little more straightforward. Or maybe I'd like to see him go completely abstract--his contribution to the omnibus film 11'09"01 September 11 is easily my favorite segment. For those who haven't seen it, the movie is a collection of 11 short films about the attack on the Twin Towers, made by filmmakers from around the globe. Some deal directly with the event, others are set in other plac

I confess that I really enjoy Boston--first album at least--and was quite bummed to hear this news yesterday.

Or Kicking Television?