Beltmann

Me too--Okemah reignited my interest in SV, and I'm excited to see what happens next.

The common gripe that Ryan Adams releases too much material always strikes me, in a way, as unfair--as if Ryan should be striving to make each album a contender for the "canon" just so the self-appointed cognoscenti can declare it so. I'd say there's a disparity between Ryan's artistic goals and the goals of those listeners. What finally validates his generous release pattern is that, for every track one person would gladly cut, another fan would declare that track meaningful and significant. As long as each song expresses something personal and connects with at least a few listeners--which

I know what you mean, but for me, I would argue that no good album is ever truly depressing. We can be saddened by tragedy, but exhilarated when that tragedy is transformed into good art.

Actually, that's one of the reasons I've been hesitant to try torrenting. A while back I scaled back my trading dramatically because it was consuming too much time, and I was collecting at a rate much faster than I could possibly listen. I'm afraid if I upgraded to torrenting, I'd be right back where I was.

Didn't that happen at the Summerfest show, Teeg? I think I remember something like that.

I like Ten, but it's no documentary--Kiarostami rehearsed by thoroughly explaining the characters and the story's rough outline, and then allowed the actors to improvise their dialogue while driving in the car. Plus, it's not about a taxi; that car belongs to the driver and the movie charts her various conversations with the passengers she happens to have, including her own young son. Still, that camera bolted to the dashboard sure makes it look like Taxicab Confessions, doesn't it? However, Kiarostami's follow-up, 10 on Ten, actually is a documentary. Recycling the same minimalist method

"If I have a fairy godmother, then where the hell have you been for the last sixteen awful years, bitch?!" At least, that's what it sounded like to me.

It's great to hear Jeff singing in that familiar high key again.

Even the Superman Underoos? How could you?

I am BT-challenged. Anybody care to help me out with a B&P of this show?

I hadn't listened to Sufjan in months, but this thread inspired me to give Illinois a spin this morning. Pretty sure the summer school kids thought it was weird stuff.

Does anybody know the proposed US DVD release date? Netflix has a page for the movie, but lists the date as unknown.

I remember reading about this in Sight & Sound or Film Comment quite a few months ago, and have been eager to see it ever since.

I immediately thought of that, too.

So, if he's being bold he's an asshole, but if he's not bold enough he's a pantywaist?

Is Spawn enjoying that one? I'm looking forward to the day when my daughter is old enough to enjoy Miyazaki... maybe a couple more years.

I don't agree with many of his conclusions, but I still think that was a reasonably thoughtful and fair piece of criticism.

I don't know what that means. I think the terms movie and film are interchangeable.

I like you.

That's true in both cases, but I actually think it's probably less true now about Wilco than in years past. I suspect there's greater collaboration between Jeff and the current lineup than between Jeff and any previous incarnation of Wilco.