June 18th through July 6th, 2009 [COMPLETE]

[Final Edit] Damn it, I DECLARE THIS POST COMPLETE! [/Final Edit]

God, what a monster 2009 is. I get busy for a few days and it becomes insurmountable to catch up without spending hours and hours. Time to get back up to speed.

Phew. So much is happening all the time.

MUSIC

Only one thing can top out this section... Michael Jackson is dead.



Kamaal the Abstract is getting released, at last! But as the universe seems to work by karma, Vibe magazine has gone under.

Drake's video got released, and I'm sorta disappointed. Video's like 90% boob shots. Well, we'll let him just keep working and see what he does next.

Oh ho ho! Pitchfork don't care for the new Moby album? When has THAT ever happened before, huh? It always amuses me. Anyway, everybody else thinks it's great.

Mew is one of my favorite music outfits, so it should come as a surprise to nobody that their free MP3, "Repeaterbeater," is basically all I'm listening to.

Jigga's at war.

TMT sobers us with the good-and-bad vinyl sales news. Medium of kings... sounds distinguished.

Jens Lekman caught swine flu, and seems pretty okay.

Damn you, Dirty Projectors, and your tantalizingly good music video! When I get money again, I may just buy thirty copies of your album. Friggin' recession.

Idolator has a cool way of finding new music, and evidently it works.

Poor Crystal Castles. First they get in trouble for something as inconsequential as stealing people's music and calling it their own, and now when they throw equipment at security, they get restrained? It's so unfair! When will the hard knocks stop?

But I'll admit. As much as I loathe Crystal Castles, all of my loathing today goes towards the abomination of Millionaires. No words. Just... no words.

Let's round this out with a good-feelings chaser. Remember that awesome Conan performance with Jamie Foxx and Drake? Now you can have a nice, clean MP3 of the remix, courtesy of illRoots. Also making guest appearances, Kanye and Dream. This is one of the most addictive tracks of 2009.

FILM

Bit of a disaster over at /Film, but they handled it respectfully. It's their integrity in handling these situations - how receptive they are to reader criticism - that elevates them. That, and how they are willing to write potentially unpopular articles about mega-popular films. Oh, and they have kind words for Bruno.

But on the topic of the debacle that is Transformers 2's racism, I was going to "see it anyway," but you know what? Harry at AICN made a pretty passionate case, and while I don't even close to agree with all of his logic (from his anti-PC outlook to bandying about the word "retarded" like he was twelve) I agree that paying to see the movie, especially outside of opening weekend (i.e., helping to give the movie "legs") is not something I intend to do. So fuck it, it'll come out on television someday, and I'll yawn THEN instead. Word up, Knowles.

I'm not sold on Megan Fox, but count me in to see Jennifer's Body anyway.

I'm not usually impressed by viral marketing, but what they're doing for Funny People is damned brilliant. Warning - the link autoplays, and is NSFW off the bat. Also on the subject of funny people, Gervais has a new movie that will make us all pee laughing.

I'm curious about Buried. But not too curious.

The Box looks solid. Pull through, Richard Kelly!

Duncan Jones' new feature is well worth getting excited about, especially after his stellar freshman performance, Moon.

Not gonna lie, Deadgirl looks like a crappy Make-Out With Violence. I'm not saying ripoff because they've both been in underground development for ages, I'm just saying the premise is similar, Make-Out With Violence is exceptional, and Deadgirl looks like crap.

WEIRD

A dead body was found at Bonnaroo.

The Weather Channel says goodbye to smooth jazz and hello to Smiths b-sides.

Brad Pitt + Sumo Wrestler + Department of Eagles = Japanese Commercial.

The Terminator is REAL.

Perez Hilton got punched in the face. I'm honestly surprised that it took this long.

WORLD

Damn it, PETA... just when I was starting to be cool with you, too.

Other that, the situation in Iran is the big issue on my mind.

PERSONAL

I'm living in a new place, I'm without the cash to buy CDs, I'm working on more projects than I care to think about, and god damn if it isn't hard keeping up with popular culture. How's this for my closest summary: The king of pop has died under the reign of a newly (and conveniently) sympathetic media buzz, as the same people who danced on his publicity grave squeeze their eyes as tight as possible to make tears. Meanwhile, revolution rages in Iran, war continues to evolve in Iraq, and there's still a recession, still an environmental crisis, still animal rights abuses the world over, and damn it, still people fighting for something better.

2009 FILMS SEEN: 18
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 942
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, overworked with all this video editing.