January 2007 (PDF) - Antigravity Magazine

WRAPS UP 2006MEMBERS OF THE AG STAFF GIVE YOU THEIR HIGH(OR LOW)LIGHTS OF THE YEAR PASTLEO MCGOVERN, PUBLISHERTOP 10 SONGS10. “Music Is My Hot Hot Sex,” CSS, Cansei De Ser Sexy09. “Birdies Singing,” Kelley Stoltz, Below The Branches08. “In The Morning,” Junior Boys, So This Is Goodbye07. “Emily Kane,” Art Brut, Bang Bang Rock & RollWhile it doesn’t have the “hit” quality that “Good Weekend”has, “Emily Kane”personifi es Art Brut’ssimple, yet poignantstyle. In writing a songabout a love from longago, Art Brut singerEddie Argos manages toarticulate the emotionsof still having feelingsfor your fi rst love andthe simplicities of thatyoung love. Art Brut (inmy book, anyway) hasthe rare trifecta of having a top track, a top album, and beingone of the best live shows, all in the same year.06. “Consolation Prizes,” Phoenix, It’s Never Been Like That05. “Holiday Home,” Rotary Downs, Chained To The Chariot04. “Ain’t It Strange,” Dr. Dog, Takers & Leavers03. “Pismo Beach Lisa,” The Interlopers, You Make It Sound So Bad02. “Liar,” Built To Spill, You In Reverse01. “Another Sunny Day,” Belle & Sebastian, The Life PursuitTOP 10 TV SHOWS10. Robot Chicken, Odd times on Cartoon Network09. The Offi ce, Thursdays on NBC08. The Sopranos, Sundays on HBO07. Project Runway, Wednesdays on Bravo06. House, Tuesdays on Fox05. Veronica Mars, Tuesdays on CW04. Family Guy, Sundays on Fox03. Heroes, Mondays on NBC02. Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip, Mondays on NBC01. Arrested Development, Cancelled, FoxStudio 60 would otherwise take the top spot easily, and justmight in ’07 (if it’s still around), but ’06 housed the tail end ofone of the best TV series ever, Arrested Development. Despitethe Emmys and all the other critical acclaim it received overits three year run, AD never garnered the number of viewersneeded to make it acertifi able hit—havingits air times switchedconstantly and beingstuck between twoSunday animated showsnever helped it—andits ability to weavecomplicated storylinesand continuallyreference itself madeit diffi cult to jumpinto, but that verydrawback made it anextremely rewardingviewing experience,approximated by noother show.DAN FOX, SENIOR WRITERBOTTOM TO THE TOP FOR 20065. Violence Against Women / Leo & Michelle’sWeddingIt’s been a tough year for anybody in the 504 but women seemto have it especially bad, whether it’s a radio personality offing hisex-wife in a Metairie parking lot, some French Quarter slackerchopping up his beloved, or just the constant, daily barrage ofcatcalls coming from pickup trucks around the city. Can we pleasestop this?On the more endearing side of man/woman relations, Leo andMichelle’s wedding was like a shoestring budget indie film thatsomehow beats out all the Hollywood crap. They understand thatall good weddings start with two simple words: open bar. “I do” issomewhere in there, too. Congratulations, y’all.4. Jello Biafra Speaks at Loyola / Ian MacKaye Speaksat LoyolaJello was boring, repetitive, cliched (Bush is dumb? He can’t talkright? What insight!), and two hours late. Ian, on the other hand,could’ve talked to a captive audience long into the night, provingonce again that he is more relevant to music than ever.3. The Flaming Lips at Voodoo / The Rest ofVoodooYeah, I know, Wayne Coyne got inside a big plastic bubble andwalked over everybody; it was so amazing and there are ten millionLiveJournals with cell phone pictures of it. But those pics should beaccompanied by some of the more choice quotes from Wayne’sin-between banter, like his nasally, over enunciated use of the word“motherfucker” in getting the crowd to “rock.” And what abouthis rambling excuses as to why the Lips wanted to play last yearbut didn’t (we were confused!!!), and how New Orleans was goingto rise up and rebuild and all kinds of other canned declarations?Thanks Wayne; you’re only about twelve months too late.On the other hand, it was nice to catch NOMA bathed inamber light as Duran Duran played just to the right of it. And WuTang’s cancellation was another New Orleans miracle as our ownJuvenile took their place. I believe a lot of daughters made theirfathers proud during his set.2. U2 and Green Day at the Superdome / SteveGleason’s blocked puntIf U2 runs for office I’ll vote for them but that “thing” they didwith Green Day before the Saints game was just weird. As BillieJoe Armstrong massacred Animals lyrics I couldn’t help but thinkabout how Green Day came from a movement in music thatemerged as direct opposition to such bombastic spectacles. Andwhy all the make-up? Why, Green Day, why?Well, the aftertaste of that business was soon erased by SteveGleason’s blocked punt in the 1st quarter against the Falcons inthe Saints’ return to the Superdome. We all turned a corner onthat exact moment. Sometimes a game is more than a game. WhoDat.1. Talent Drain / Great Show SpacesSome of our friends, scattered to the far corners of the country,have prospered and found new perspective and new successeswhere they’ve landed and we’re all very happy for them. But justknow, Kirk, Melanie, Fredo, Christy, Kelly, Art, Brian, and the rest ofthe 504 talent base, that we’re a little less interesting city withoutyou here. Come back soon, please.But you know what? It’s been a good year for venues. Nomatter what kind of music you play there has been a space towelcome your band. To all the venues and promoters that made fora great year in music—Chickie Wah Wah, Dragon’s Den, Circle Bar,Coach’s House, Big Top, Dave & Melissa, Bryan Funck, High Ground,Green Space, and Eye Candy are the ones that immediately cometo mind—thank you and keep up the good work.PATRICK STRANGE, EDITORTOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2006 THAT WERE NOTCOVERED IN ANTIGRAVITYWe all get busy from time to time and with a group of highlyvolatile and contentious editors vying for infl uence (well, notreally), some very good albums just don’t make it into the mix.Here are ten of my favorites that were somehow tossed in thedust bin.10. Robocop EP by Johnny Alive (High Brow Records)9. YoYoYoYo by Spank Rock (Big Dada)8. Like Father, Like Son, Birdman and Lil Wayne (Cash Money)7. Pretty Little Head by Nellie McKay (Black Dove)6. Better Days Will Haunt You, Chavez (Matador)5. We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions by Bruce Springsteen(Sony)4. Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards by Tom Waits (Anti)3. The Letting Go by Bonnie “Prince” Billy (Drag City)2. Savane by Ali Farka Toure (Nonesuch)1. Dividing Island by Lansing-Dreiden (Kemado)I know it’s predictable for meto describe the #1 pick, but thisalbum is just too good. Every timeI play this record I feel like a rockstar with a minimalist apartmentand a penchant for smooth velvetrobes and lots of cocaine.TOP 10 NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS FOR 2007Yeah, this is absurdly personal but you never know—you justmight fi nd something below that gives you a few ideas. Thenagain, maybe not.10. Go to the dentist9. Listen to more Elton John8. Find a more interesting drink ofchoice, like something with vermouthor ginger beer7. Read the Book of Mormon (critically, ofcourse)6. Memorize once and for all that “their” isnot spelled “thier”5. Invest in a telescope4. Stop staring for so long3. Learn to like olives2. Visit Paw1. Get my wrists un-crippled12_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative