Johnny Cash: Bad Ass or Baddest Ass?

That was the question that good friend, fellow music lover and part time softball aficionado, Teddy Ballgame posed just the other day. I found the topic interesting enough to post my thoughts here for the few people that stumble across this while surfing the net and for all of the Thai spammers that like to try to post comments about how my readers can achieve "rock hard wang to make you girl love you long time".

Ted's assertion was that Johnny Cash was the coolest musician of all time. Cash was a bad ass in the '60s and the 70's, then came back in the 21st century and completely kicked ass on a cover of the Nine Inch Nails song, Hurt. He was in his 70's when he covered that song. His version is so good, that when Ted heard it on the radio, it provoked his teen-aged daughter to comment on it's bad-assery. (Daughter's comment paraphrased, not an actual quote).

I considered his opinion and did not dismiss it out of hand as I do most other people's opinions about music. That is how deep my respect runs for Ted's musical taste. It should be noted that Ted and I completely disagree on about 50% of each other's musical opinions. Chief among these differences:  my belief that Radiohead is one of the most creative and excellent bands of all time and his opinion that they suck big, sweaty donkey balls.

After much reflection (is 5 minutes considered "much"), this is what I determined. I've never been much into Johnny Cash. He was certainly an iconic name that I have summarily disregarded through living my life much like a (lesbian) teenage girl. I do concede that it is impressive that he can still impress youngsters today as he did 60 years ago.

The first time that I ever gave Cash much though was when I caught wind of the aforementioned NIN cover. I have a touchy relationship with cover songs. Usually, I think it is an affront to the original version, even if they do a descent job. It's a result of the Gleeification of America if I can Fox News-ify terminology. You can find legitimate, labeled bands covering every song on YouTube. Sometimes it's bearable; sometimes it's laughable.

There are certain covers that exceed the original version of an excellent song. I present Cake's I Will Survive and Gnarls Barkley's Gone Daddy Gone as examples of this. Johnny Cash's cover of Hurt is not even a cover. It is a complete re-telling. It is that good. To an extent, it shows how amazing he is. A little more digging will see other excellent covers by Johnny Cash. He also does a respectable version of my favorite U2 song, "One".

Despite this, his substantial catalog of songs spanning over 50 years and his Hall of Fame career, I am unable to label him as a Big Sexy Hall of Famer. There is no doubt he's cool. There is no doubt that, as a musician, he's a bad ass, He's just not the baddest ass. That title is still up for debate.  No matter how many black shirts he has and no matter that he has fired the South's collective memory or iconoclast to nearly Dale "3" Earnhart stature, he will continue to be someone I know of and can respect, but someone who will continue to maintain a safe distance from my ipod. There's only so much room on it with all of the live versions of Radiohead's 1997 seminal album, OK Computer crammed on there.

Big Sexy Beer of the Year

Beer is good. But it hasn’t always been. I wonder if my feelings toward beer have changed as my taste buds changed or has beer actually gotten a lot better. I am sure it is a combination of both.

Most people call beer an acquired taste. It is an impressive marketing job beer companies have done over the years to force impressionable young men to continue to ingest it. Young Big Sexy drank for all of the reasons Middle Aged Big Sexy is worried my boys will drink. For YBS, Beer was relatively easy to acquire. Beer was relatively inexpensive. Beer made me more attractive. Beer made me cool. Beer made it possible to talk to people. Beer was the ultimate escapism from the awkward, confused and damaged mind of a teenaged loser with bottomed-out self-esteem.

I remember when I first had beer. It was the worst liquid I ever had.  My first “beer of choice” was Stroh’s. I remember my friends and I would often say “Alex, two cold Stroh’s” in reference to our favorite commercial at the time. Stroh’s had good commercials and they worked on their target audience of High School seniors. Stroh’s was horrible.  I don’t think they make it anymore. If they do, it is likely exported to Egypt or some other beer-poor land as Imported American Beer. Beer is so bad, that YBS would have to play drinking games to be able to force down the swill in an attempt to become the Big Sexy that was bottled up (no pun intended) inside me.

My next beer of choice was MGD. Miller Genuine Draft.  Another horrible beer, but it was an improvement. It had a bit of a lighter feel to it. My uneducated mind attributed it to the fact that it was draft beer in a bottle. All beer in bottles is draft beer that is bottled. They still make MGD but now they target it as a 64 calorie beer that is more like the flavored water that you can get that has a hint of orange or gives you the essence of blackberry. MGD 64 has a beer-like taste to it.

I remember one of the first peers that I ever respected for just being himself. He was not just being a sheep like myself and doing what was expected by other people to be cool. Eric was a college rugby teammate of mine. There has never been a sport more married to beer than Rugby. Not pool, not bowling, not darts. I’d like to argue that rugby goes more hand-in-hand with beer than beer pong does. Anyway, any time we ruggers would go drink, Eric would order a strawberry daiquiri. I loved strawberry daiquiris but there was not one chance I was going to order that at some bar with all my rugby teammates. I could only come up with two reasons why Eric would not drink beer. Clearly, he either has some fatal hops allergy or had been told by a girl that she wouldn’t kiss him if he smelled of beer. Nothing else made sense. I asked him one night, in the least judgmental tone I could muster. Eric told me flatly, “I don’t like the taste of beer. “ My first reaction was to say, “Of course, you don’t like the taste of beer. Who could?” But I didn’t. I simply said what was really true to me, “That’s cool.”

Over the years, the Mad Men successfully found time between bedding their secretaries to change my taste buds. Now, I can honestly say that I love beer. I don’t like it. I don’t prefer it if given the choice at a restaurant. I seek out variety. I enjoy finding local brew during my travels. I write paragraphs expounding its virtues. In fact, I wish I could crack one right now as I write this. I do a lot of “research” to make the annual Big Sexy Beer of the Year awards. I hope that you will take the opportunity to sample the products of my past year of sacrifices in the name of art.

Best Travel Beer – I love to travel and as I stated, I always like to search out local beers. This year’s major trips took me to Cancun (Corona - ugh), Hawaii (Maui Brewing Company – meh) and San Diego. As you might surmise, San Diego was the beer winner. There are many great places to drink in San Diego’s Gaslamp District. Great place. There, I first enjoyed a tasty Sierra Nevada Tumbler Brown Ale. As past readers may know, I don’t like Sierra Nevada and it doesn’t like me. However, the Tumbler Brown Ale has more focus on the malty brown and not the hops. It found a way into the top 10.

The winner for Big Sexy Travel Beer of the Year goes to Karl Strauss Red Trolley Ale. Red Trolley is a highly malted brown ale. Has a big caramel taste. It began as a Holiday Beer for Karl Strauss and was so tasty that it is nearly the brewery’s flagship beer. After my trip to San Diego, the Sexy family went to Disneyland. I’m sure it’s a good thing that they don’t typically serve beer with that huge crowd of people. But if there is a place that a parent craves a refreshing brew and 10 minutes of peace it is Disneyland. Imagine my elation to settle in for lunch in California Adventure and see Karl Strauss on sale. It truly was the Happiest Place on Earth.

Best Every Day Beer – I’m not saying you should drink every day, I’m just saying, if it isn’t a special occasion and you aren’t food pairing with beer, the beer I like to reach for is Samuel Adams Light. I’m heading to Boston this summer and I’m sure my kids are going to learn quite a bit about my favorite patriot.

Best Place to Quaff a Brew – I am so excited that the Kilt Pub opened up within stumbling distance to my house. I’m not sure, but I think my home value went up $5,000 when they opened. Maybe just my internal value of living there did. Either way, the Kilt workers are very nice people that serve (sadly) hit-or-miss food and a wonderful array of beer for Anglophiles and local microbrew lovers alike. They always have Bass, Harp and Smithwick’s on tap. I usually will go with a nice Imperial Pint of Smithwick’s. Every so often, John the owner, will pop the Fuller’s London Pride handle behind the bar. I think he does it just for me. He’s cool like that.

Best Imported Beer – I have mentioned my love of London Pride above and it is definitely a favorite of mine. This year, I am going to go with my favorite special occasion brew, Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale. It’s smooth and dark, but not too dark and not too smooth.

Best Beer to Enjoy with a Burger – Spoetzl’s Shiner Bock. There is a great little burger place in Sacramento named the The Flaming Grill. I originally thought it was called The Flamingo Grill. A little "O" always changes things, or so I've heard. Anyway, The Flaming Grill is owned by a very affable and large fellow. And my man loves beer. We stopped in for the tasty burger, but he turned me onto this dark little number on tap. The Flaming Grill is the only place I have ever seen Shiner Bock on tap but I’m sure it will be all over soon. The name is growing and growing. The contestants of Top Chef Texas could be seen tilting back the distinctive yellow labeled bottle of Shiner Bock when taking relaxing time from cooking to snipe at each other and swear like sailors.

Best Fruit Beer – Pyramid Apricot Ale. I can be more than a little fruity from time to time and I’m not ashamed to say I like a beer with a little fruit flavor. That is the tricky part. The fruit flavor needs to be subtle. Ape Ale was my first ever fruit beer and it is atop the list this year. I am glad they abandoned whatever Generation Y name they were trying to give it and just went back to calling it Apricot Ale. This beer is substantially better on tap, but still tasty out of the bottle is you can get your swirl done right. A very close runner up here is Sam Adams Blackberry Witbier. It may take top honors next year if I can get a little from a tap after hoofing the Freedom Trail.

Drumroll for the ranking of the beers...

10. Newcastle

9.   Sam Adams Light

8.   Smithwick’s

7.   Sam Adams Blackberry Witbier

6.   Sierra Nevada Tumbler

5.   Pyramid Apricot Ale

4.   Fuller’s London Pride

3.   Sam Smith’s Nut Brown Ale

2.   Spoetzl’s Shiner Bock

1.   Karl Strauss Red Trolley Ale

Congratulations to Karl Strauss!! From unranked last year to the top of the board. It’s a big jump that is well deserved. To honor these selections, please find a 6 pack or two at your convenience and think happy thoughts about me while enjoying. There isn’t one beer on this list that I need to chug just because some guy made up a rule prohibiting pointing with my finger.

2011 BS Awards: Top Cool Out Songs

Cool out songs get their own different category than the regular song of the year list. Usually those songs are not even included on the seasonal sets and are therefore not eligible for consideration. But every year I compile a whole separate playlist of songs that I just think are cool. They can be either songs that make me relax or touch me or make me just want to put on some sunglasses and headphones and feel soulfully enriched. What follows is the top 5 Cool Out songs of 2011. The fact that one of the songs on the list was released in 2000 and one was released in the last century makes no never mind to me. They didn’t find there way to me until 2011.

I shouldn't even include videos here. Cool Out songs are purely are aural experience. Best discovered in a peaceful venue through headphones. Do your soul a favor and check these out in the manner suggested.

1. Polar Opposites – Modest Mouse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7l8geCFg7k

Fave lyric: “I’m trying to drink away the part of the day that I cannot sleep away”

I was really hoping for a new Modest Mouse CD this year. Similar to the Black Keys, they keep getting better with every album. Pandora alerted me to this cool, little groover this year. The guitar work here is perfect for a cool out. It is off their 1997 album, The Lonesome Crowded West. That is an excellent album that I really just started listening to in earnest this year. Often, Isaac Brock had a bit of a negative vibe going in his songs, but how much more depressed can you get then the lyric listed at the top. That is brilliant. Modest Mouse is full of gems like that.

2. Exile Vilify – The National

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4X6q7rKGd0

Fave lyric: Does it trouble your mind the way you trouble mine?

The 2010 BS Award winners for album of the year had a couple of excellent cool outs that were released in 2011. They just must not have quite made the cut for the album. This song was released on the soundtrack for a video game, Portal 2. I’ve never heard of it. The other song, Think You Can Wait is from the Win Win soundtrack. (More on that movie in the BS Movie Awards.) I kinda like the fan-made video for this song. That is the saddest looking puppet of all time. The whole stark video and sad puppet so much match the tenor of the song. The violin and piano are beautiful in this song. But as with all National songs, they should be listened to through headphones with your eyes closed. I recommend doing this at work after I get yelled at by the butt-munch who, while discounting my ideas out of hand, still thinks Bush was a great president. Freaking loser.

3. Thank God You Weren’t Thirsty – Fight Like Apes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYAMtOo1Qf8

Fave lyric: “My hair is all blue, my eyes are all green, my heart is all grey…stay away”

This is beautiful song from a band that is typically very high energy and screamy. MayKay does get a little screamy near the end of the song. This song is so much more tender than other songs of theirs, but they do it very well. I love all of the different colors she mentions. I wish I what the whole song was about as I can’t always pick out all of their meanings.

4. Rise to Me – The Decemberists

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGJ8Eos_6u0

Fave lyric: “My darling. My sweetheart. I am in your sway….. Let me hear you say ‘I am going to stand my ground. They rise to me and I blow them down’.”

This is a moving song about Colin Meloy’s autistic son, Henry. It is about teaching his son to overcome all of the obstacles in his life. The child does not need to be autistic for the song to be relevant for how you can feel about any son, maybe especially a teenager. Tears well up. This is a wonderfully emotional song when you really get down and listen to it. Great harmonica in this song from the very Americana ‘The King is Dead’.

5. The Mess We’re In – PJ Harvey with Thom Yorke

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbYIiGu8duk&feature=related

PJ Harvey is just cool. She guested on a few of the Desert Sessions with Josh Homme. The mixture of her deep and mellow voice with Yorke’s high pitched and somewhat excitable voice is really good. I don’t know what the meaning of the song is, I just know it was cool.


Just missing the top 5 were I Should’ve Known by Foo Fighters, Someone Like You by Adele, Us Against the World by Coldplay, Codex by Radiohead and Rented Room by Craig Finn. All top notch songs, but just couldn’t scratch past the top 5.

2011 BS Awards - Top 20 Songs of the Year

Bigger than the Grammies? More hip than the BET awards? Down with the kids more than the MTV VMAs? Probably three no’s. But more important to me than any of those. Most definitely! Since you have wandered onto my little part of the blogosphere, welcome to the 2011 BS Awards for best song of the Big Sexy fiscal year, ending November 18. Click the link, dig the tunes and hopefully discuss your thoughts. Without further adieu…

1. Walk – Foo Fighters

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PkcfQtibmU

Fave Lyric: “I’m on my knees, I’m praying for a sign. Forever. Whenever. I never wanna die!”

The top song of 2011 is not only a kick ass rock song from one of my very favorite bands in the world. It is not only another example of the Foos making good, comic videos with their parody of the 90s movie Falling Down. (The only thing I don’t like about video is that it doesn’t really match the meaning of the song.) Mostly what I love about Walk is that it is an emotionally uplifting number about overcoming a depressive episode. Walk fits so perfectly right after I Should’ve Known at the end of their excellent album Wasting Light. I Should’ve Known is Dave Grohl’s first mention of Kurt Cobain and is a reflective and rather sad song. Walk builds on the emotion of that song. The song slowly works into it, but soon gets the release of the new start the protagonist is feeling. It is very emotional. The simple, repetitive 6 bar guitar strum is so sweet at the start and really feeds the rest of the song. By the middle of the song, Dave is vehemently declaring his re-birth. And I right there screaming with him… at least in my head.

2. Lonely Boy – The Black Keys

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_426RiwST8

Fave Lyric: “Your momma kept you, but your daddy left you. I should’ve done you just the same.”

Hell, yes! That has to be a common refrain when any Keys fan hears their latest hit. They knocked it out of the park. It is rare that a song that hits so late in the Big Sexy fiscal year can land so high on the list. But this song simply cannot be stopped. The album did not make it into the fiscal year, but I cannot wait to get my hands on it. The Black Keys just keep getting better and better. There blues backed rock is getting catchier and catchier. I’m guessing the influence of Danger Mouse is helping them with their crossover status. There is more going on musically in their new songs then if you were to go about five years back. It is hard to not bob your head, tap your toes and sing a few “ohh o ohhs” by the end of this song. I knew this song was special from just that opening guitar riff that stands alone before the drums kick in. That has to be the riff of the year.

While I’m on the Keys, they are getting to be masters of the video. I espoused last year the master work of the dinosaur, who was in several videos, most notably in Next Girl. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_PrT25o8Vs&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLFB509D2DF16D9107  Tighten Up is genius with Beardy and Glasses kids in the schoolyard. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpaPBCBjSVc&feature=endscreen&NR=1  The first time I watched the video for Lonely Boy, I was a little perplexed. But now that you have seen it, try to get it out of your head. This cat can shake it. I have a lot of dancing envy with the videos of these songs this year. He is definitely dancing, as they suggest, “like no one is watching.”

3. Mustache Man – Cake

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3CjPFgTEfc

Fave Lyric: “Meanwhile, back at the Candlerock Lounge, it is past 11:30 and your friends are getting down”

I’ve waited soooo long for new Cake. I was nervous when they released their first new album in nearly 10 years. Had they overstayed their time on the alternative scene? They did not disappoint. They are hotter than ever. While this album is not the best Cake set of all time, it is very good. This song was a big hit for me all year. I enjoyed taking my kids to the Candlerock Lounge here in Sacramento to show them the name-check from this song while were bowling since that is just the dive bar within the bowling alley. This song has all the Cake standard features. Killer Trumpet from Vince DiFiore-check. Vibra Slap – check. Nearly talking lyrical style of John McCrea – check. Background singing of ahhhhh ahhhs-check. It also features the under-rated guitar stylings of Xan McCurdy. This was clearly Lil’ Sexy’s song of year. It inspired him to want to get a tattoo of a mustache on the inside of his index finger so he can hold it up to his lip. Maybe for his 12th birthday. My kids liking an awesome song does not hurt it’s standing on the list.

4. Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ6zr6kCPj8&ob=av3e

Fave Lyric: “Everyday I’m Shufflin”

I was geared up and excited for the new release by the breakout party band of 2011. When I heard this early on in the year, my ears got a boner. By the end of the year, this song has been overplayed to the point that I will usually turn the radio station when it comes on. But I cannot mark it down too far because so many people liked it. That is silly. As LMFAO will tell you “hatin’ is bad”. This dance band hit the big time this year and this song was unavoidable. I knew it had finally hit the mainstream when the Rio Freshmen cheerleaders performed a dance routine to this song at halftime of a football game in the fall. I’m not sure all of the hip soccer moms who are now enjoying this song are ready for all of the party rocking this band has up its sleeves (in its pants) during the rest of their catalogue of songs. This band is a very positive and upbeat band. The guys always look like they have fun and all they really want to do is party. About 110% of their songs are about getting wasted and hooking up. Even this song, if you can shake the crazy infectious beat and hooky chorus, has lyrics such as “I’m running through these hoes like Drano” and “If you’re looking for your girl she’s on my jock”.

Big ups for the video. I saw this just as I was riding the high from watching the first season of The Walking Dead. The video has a great zombie-ish premise and wonderful dancing (man, I wish I could shuffle. If I could, I think I’d do it everyday.)

5. Ready to Start – Arcade Fire

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3wLxAwiPiA

Fave Lyric: “You say ‘Can we still be friends?’ If I was scared, I would. I was pure, I would. If I was yours… but I’m not.”

This is the top rated Canadian band on this list and perhaps on any list. I finally opened my ears and my soul to Arcade Fire this year after largely ignoring them for the better part of a decade in which they have been critical alternative darlings. Ready to Start is their most rollicking number over the two albums I own. This is off of last years release The Suburbs. Ready to Start, similar to Walk (#1 above), deals with a new beginning. In this one, our protagonist has been kept a little at bay by a romantic interest. She puts him down but then picks him up when it’s convenient. Finally, he has had enough and he’s ready to start his life. Actually, it could probably be about any type of a relationship like that from a friendship to a parent. I also like the line “I’d rather be alone than pretend to be alright” in response to asking him to come hang out. I have heard this band is great live. In this cut from a concert, the very large band does seem to be all in. Sweat pouring off Win Butler’s weird hair style. He’s singing with a lot of emotion. That type of feeling that a song can give me goes a long way with me.

6. Jenny Kelly – Fight Like Apes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IQUxXvnZ88

Fave Lyric: “Never trust a ponytail. His evil charm is off the scale.”

This video is fun and may or may not make any sense or relate to the song in anyway. I don’t know what the song is about. I can only understand about every other word. I just like it. I beat the song does not have anything to do with chasing a huge, rolling block of cheese on BMX bikes. I just discussed Fight Like Apes in my latest post. This is an Irish band that was new to me in 2011 thanks to a tweet from my good friend Eddie Argos of Art Brut. I love the passion in the squeaky/hoarse voice of MayKay. There is good use of synths in a rock band. And it kicks it pretty well. It was a tough call which song I liked the best from FLA, but I’m going with Jenny Kelly.

7. Ghetto Love – Spinerette

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae23oi9sxYg&NR=1&feature=fvwp

Fave Lyric: “Ohohowaohoh ohohowaohoh Ohohowaoho Ohohowaoho. HEY!”

I’m a big fan of Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age and Eagles of Death Metal. He has this hard-rocking-but-very-cool vibe that just hits me right. Late this year, I was tipped off to the music of his wife Brody Dalle. Brody started out with The Distillers at the start of the century when she was married to the lead singer of Rancid. Here’s Drain the Blood from The Distillers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0jHnWbbFjI  It is a killer hard driving rock song and actually just missed this list, despite it being eight years old. If you remember what Rancid sounded like, you can kinda hear the similarities. The Distillers are harder edged than Rancid.

Brody left the Rancid dude years ago and just gave birth to her second child with Josh Homme. They have been married for about 5 years. During the Homme relationship, she started a new band, Spinerette, which includes a guitarist for Queens of the Stone Age. This band sounds like QOTSA with a rocker girrrl in charge. This song has a kicking bass sound that I love. Someone is pounding the heck out of a drum kit. The guitar is blistering. And Brody is alternatively singing, ohohing and screaming. Try not getting hooked into that hand clap near the end. During the second half of 2011, I couldn’t get enough of this song or my Best of Brody mix that was able to span a decade of Distillers and Spinerette.

8. Aberdeen – Cage the Elephant

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZBmcSBoRAE

Fave Lyric: “I’ve been trying real hard to realize”

Claymation is always pretty awesome. However, this video makes me a little sad for the poor monster. I wish it had a happy ending (spoiler alert!) But I love this song. There were several good songs from the 90’s throwback band Cage the Elephant off their most recent effort. This was the best one for me. I like the changing pace and screaming. This song rocks. I think he’s screaming “White Flag” at the end of the chorous but the official lyrics say “Way Back”. Mine would be better.

9. Long Time – Cake

Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftxtFYtnRh8&feature=fvwrel

Fave Lyric: “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen your smiling face. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a su-uu-uu-uu-uu-uu-uny day.”

The first band with a second song on the list! I’m saving you from another bad animated video. The song is great, though. Excellent use of the vibra slap in this song! It’s there along with a good base line and signature trumpet blasts and backup “aaahh aahhs”. Plenty going on musically here. The song is about a stale relationship, but it’s ok because he is in love. You can tell we’re all getting older.

10. Bartolomeo and the Buzzing Bees – Ted Leo and the Pharmacists

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w248uwpAX14

Fave lyric: “I know I’ve been resistant, but I feel a change coming on”

The video is actually from another good song from Ted Leo’s album The Brutalist’s Bricks. It’s a good song too, I just prefer the Bees song to it. I couldn’t find video evidence of the song existing so you’ll have to look it. The Bees has a bit of a better driving beat to it and a good bass line. It is also a very positive song about forgetting the past and how you’re living the present and just change for the better. Although, I do love the “tell the bartender” refrain in Bottle Up in Cork, I don’t like them picking on my American Idiot musical.

11. Arlandria – Foo Fighters

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp6SwxUtfLI

Fave Lyric: “Shame, shame, go away. Come again some other day.” And “You and what army?”

I was so ticked I missed the Foos live this year. I have seen them in 3 different states and only Green Day puts on a better show. Dave Grohl is an excellent front man at a concert. Dave does some of his best scream-singing in Arlandria. This song starts off nice and quiet but doesn’t take long to get to the rockin’. It also has a nice groovy guitar in the middle that brings the passion down a bit before it hits hard again.

12. Colours – Grouplove

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ddd70PMxTE&ob=av3e

Fave Lyric: “I am a man man man man up up in the air. And I float around round round round the town town and act like I don’t care.”

I’m not sure if this band will have a long career or not but I love this song. The repetitive words in all the lyrics work here. I could see where that would be annoying in some songs. I didn’t hear this song until late in the summer, but it seems like it would be an excellent summer song. I can see hanging out at a beach while some white guys with dreadlocks are playing hackey-sack of to the side and everyone just is sharing in the peace and love of the day. I have no idea what this song means I just just just just like like like it.

13. Don’t Carry It All – The Decemberists

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG_RDy0Ybj4

Fave lyrics: “You must bear your neighbor’s burden within reason. And your labors will be borne when all is done.”

I really thought their crazy operatic album The Hazards of Love would be a one-off for my love of this band. They hung out with Peter Buck of R.E.M. for a while and came back strong with excellent album full of Americana twang. This song starts with a harmonica blast. The Decemberists are a very lyrical band. They use a lot of words I don’t even know the meaning of. This song appears to be a song about helping your community in the time of a crisis. In this example - the death of a boy.

14. Rolling in the Deep – Adele

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaVFyGBGULc

Fave lyrics: “You had my heart in your hand and you played it to the beat.”

Ok, so that was a cover. You don’t have to look hard to find someone who has covered this song. There are a few talented musicians from David Cook here to Lincoln Park and John Legend that have covered the song. There are also about a million teen and pre-teen girls and boys taking a shot at it on youtube. It’s a sing-able song and David Cook’s version here is not half-bad despite the poor audio quality. The first time I really heard this song was at a bar in Aptos in early May. This young, heavy set black woman wowed the crowd with her excellent rendition of the song. I found out after that she was trying out for some TV singing contest after being rejected by American Idol. It was actually the same night that Aptos’ own American Idol finalist was eliminated. I got to watch him get eliminated in the bar that he used to perform karaoke. There was a lot of venom spewing that night about American Idol.

Without a doubt the best version of this song is sung by Adele. She really has an excellent, heartbroken soul voice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3ROsVTKVDw

I’ve done a lot of mean things on my blogs before, but that might top the cake. I feel bad about myself for doing it, if it is any consolation. I’ll make it up to you. Here’s a live version of the song so you can wash your ears out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow7zrsfCuyk

15. Estate Sale Sign – The Mountain Goats

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBgHvY_qvZE

Who doesn’t love an animated video? You wouldn’t if you saw the video to this. It was ugly, distracting and not in tune with what the song is about, so you get this audio clip only. John Darnielle is usually an excellent story teller spins tales about tragic relationships. I’m not sure exactly what’s going on here, but I bet it’s not good having listened to quite a bit of The Mountain Goats. I think he’s having an “estate sale” from the relationship that is now dead. I wouldn’t swear to it, but he’s very passionate about selling items in front of his house. Great garage sale song or best garage sale song ever?

16. Lotus Flower – Radiohead

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmjCaIvGAqA&feature=watch_response

I dislike the video for this song violently. Therefore, I present a clip of me dancing to it. Ok, that’s not me, but somehow enjoyable. It’s how I picture how Mrs. Sexy pictures me dancing. The clip only has a bit of the song, but you get the point. As with all Radiohead songs, it took a while for Lotus Flower to really hit with me, so if don’t already like it, you won’t miss the other three minutes of the song. I have no idea what it’s about, if anything. I just like the music and how it fits with Thom Yorke falsetto. Radiohead songs come into my soul through my ears, but it’s really not all about the sound. It is hard for me to articulate.

17. Paradise – Coldplay

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G4isv_Fylg&ob=av2e

This is a great video. I love plushies, but telling a story with animal costumes that includes a zoo escape and an elephant riding a unicycle puts it among the top videos of 2011. I liked the song before I saw the video. It is the top song of a very good Mylo Xloto. This is an example of a video making a song even better. The “para-para-para-dise” part of the song reminded me of an absolutely horrible pop song by Rhianna from a few years back that made me want to stick an umbrella-ella-ella through my ear drum. This song overcomes that somehow.

18. Burn It Down – Awolnation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGGeKHnW8FM

Fave Lyric: “If you need love, turn around, do the helicopter” – (fine advice)

This clip is just from a super cool looking EA Sports game coming out in early 2012. It doesn’t play the whole song. The official video is here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bN5AXq4WvZI  I posted it earlier in the year when I raved about this album. It’s a crazy courtroom video where he turns people into ninjas, mermaids, pillow-fighting cheerleaders and floosies. I think this was all in my teenager, J Sexy’s dream last night. The song certainly makes me think the protagonist is a little angry with something, but the video makes me think he’s ready to party all night long despite his legal troubles.

19. Whirring – The Joy Formidable

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2QXqp4B6XI&feature=related

This song sounds a bit like a new wavey 90’s Swedish song at times. But it does evolve into a good 21st century rock beat. The band is from Wales. Maybe that explains the sound. You’ll like it more the more you hear it. I can hear Beavis yelling “Yeah! Break it! Break it all!” near the end of the video.

20. Under Cover of Darkness - The Strokes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l09H-3zzgA&ob=av3e

I thought this would be the album I finally really loved The Strokes. This song was the lead single. It is really good. Dig the bass line. Loved the passionate singing. Was down with the changing tempo. The mid-song guitar solo was good as it was backed by a slowed down bass. Unfortunately, this song was really the highlight of the set. They have it in them, but I don’t think they will ever realize the full respect of the Big Sexy.

There were so many others that were so close to Big Sexy immortality. Kayne just missed with All of the Lights. Excellent cameo by Rhianna who was also excellent in the just-missed Shy Ronnie 2. In the end, I think it was just too old. Or maybe I just don’t like the protagonist in the song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAfFfqiYLp0&ob=av2e

Pumped Up Kicks by Foster the People just got overplayed too much to keep a fringe song on the list.

Let It Out from Girl Talk’s latest compilation mixed Jay Z with General Public was pretty cool. It was just a little overlong. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lff2aw4dqjI

The Black Belles cover of the Stephen Colbert song, Charlene (I’m Right Behind You) is pretty great. You can definitely hear their Jack White influence. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdF1UcTzCPQ

Nicki Minaj owned the David Guetta song Where Them Girls At, as she did with Lonely Island’s The Creep, but both are just outside the list. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pESsKRCg6pQ
Congratulations to all of the winners. May you come back even stronger in the years to come!

BS Band of the Summer: Fight Like Apes

Summer rocks! It’s always a great time for kickin’ beats and sunny rhymes. Now that it is over it is time to look back and name the Big Sexy band of the Summer. You guessed it from the title… it’s Fight Like Apes. I had never heard of Fight Like Apes before my good friend Eddie Argos of Art Brut tweeted that he liked their new album, The Body of Christ and the Legs of Tina Turner, so much that he wanted to bring his ipod into the shower.

I figured if Eddie liked them that much, they are at least worth a listen, so I clicked over to Youtube to see what I could find. I was hooked right away. They have a pounding pop-punk style with a female singer, MayKay, who sounds kind of like a scratchy-voiced Katy Perry but she sounds very passionate about her subject. Passion from a lead singer is a big plus for me. I wouldn’t compare her to Katy Perry though. She is more along the lines of Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but with more expression.

FLA is from Ireland. Apparently, they are kind of a big thing over there, named the 4th best Irish act of their generation. I don’t know who the top 3 are. I can think of 2 other Irish bands but I would consider them from earlier generations. U2 takes me to my college years. Snow Patrol to my foolish 30’s.

The punk-y songs are matched with a lot more synthesizer than you would think sounds good. I don’t think they have a lead guitar. It is synch, bass and drums. It works here. Most of the songs are either upbeat or angry. The band has a sense of humor in both song titles and lyrical content. Their first album, released in 2009, was named ‘Fight Like Apes and the Mystery of the Golden Medallion’. It kicks off hot with Something Global, seen here…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKXzBUAUPto

Most of the noteworthy tracks on this album are loaded at the front of the album. It’s seems like they had some extra wax to fill. The quick thrash song Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues is the only notable song on a forgettable second half. It’s a cover song from a band I’ve never heard of.

Their 2011 release is much more concise and actually has more great songs. There are too many good songs to list. Here is one of my faves, Jenny Kelly. http://www.youtube.com/user/fightlikeapesmusic#p/a/u/2/8IQUxXvnZ88

Fight Like Apes also prove they can slow it down and put out a pretty song Thank God You Weren’t Thirsty. The song does evolve into some screaming later, but it will end up on my top Cool Out songs of 2011 list at the end of the year.

Ok... one more link - Hoo Ha Henry. I love this song. Maximum told me once when listening to it, that he feels sorry for the guy she's singing to in this. http://www.youtube.com/user/fightlikeapesmusic#p/u/5/UO1cVBEutc8 . I don't like this video nearly as much as I love the song. The video focuses too much on the inability to express feelings and not the passionate way MayKay wants to be with anyone else then Henry.

Legs of Tina Turner is a much more complete album and will definitely end up with a BS award at the end of the year.

Movie Review: Super 8 in D Box

Being on the cutting edge of pop culture and movie viewing, I've been aware of the new theater experience of D-Box for some time. It existed in major markets for those movie-goers who felt like they just weren't quite spending enough money on tickets and concessions when they went to see the latest Hollywood blockbuster. D-Box is sort of like those "rides" at an amusement park where the seat moves along with the action and adds a whole other element, an extra "dimension" so-to-say, to the events on the screen.

For Father's Day, my loving family took me to see Super 8 in the only theater in the area that offers the D-Box experience, the Palladio 16. That's not to be confused with the D-Bag experience that comes at many theaters throughout the region. The seats are located in my favorite part of the theater - right in the middle seats of two rows, not quite halfway up the theater. The seats are big, solid chairs that recline are have movable arm rests. I half expected them to have seatbelts.

During the movie, the seat would rumble as if you were in a car with the characters if they were driving down the road. There would even be a different rumble based on the type of car and road you were on. During action sequences, the seats would jerk and bounce with the action, putting you in the same physical state as you might be if you were in the film. It was a pretty cool experience. Here's my criticism... I love movies and I love going to the movies. I like to see movies because unless the movie is really bad, I can get a bit lost in the movie. For the 2 hours that I am watching the screen, I am already involved in the scene emotionally, mentally and in a weird way physically. One of the reasons I like to see movies in a theater is because the screen in larger than life and the sound system is incredible. These facets enhance the "getting lost in the movie" part of the experience. I already feel myself is the characters cars. I already am jerking backward when something blows up because my mind is going to react involuntarily to that stimuli when I am involved in the movie. Having my seat do that seems to just be piling on.

I am very glad I had the D-Box experience it was fun and made the movie and even more physical experience. I recommend it for everyone once. However, I would recommend a repeat visit only for movies that are action packed that you may not be all that interested in. It did not hinder my enjoyment of Super 8 at all, I just don't think the value added was worth the $8 upcharge.

Super 8 is an excellent movie and might be the best movie I have seen this year. I won't go all into the details, but it has a perfect blend of growing up, science fiction, friendship, action and love that you might expect from a Spielberg produced, J.J. Abrahms written and directed movie. All of the young actors were excellent but Elle Fanning stole the show. She is going to be a force. (She was born on exactly the same day as Twin Sexies, so they have an opening line if they meet her.) The interaction between the 13-ish aged characters reminded me of the interaction of the kids in Stand By Me with the addition of teenaged first love. I know I would have really enjoyed this movie in all of my physical reactions were involuntary. Super 8 gets an A.

2011 Albums of the Year (so far)

Last year was a pretty down year overall for music for the Big Sexy. Of course there were awesome new bands, bands that I was finally exposed to and good efforts from long time favorites. But overall, it was not as strong as in years past. I am pleased to announce 2011 is making up for it! As we are entering the summer months, there are already enough great albums to have a top 5 albums of 2011. Some of these might be off the radar by the time the BS Awards are released at the end of the year, but I have a feeling many will still be high on the list, including a likely wire-to-wire winner. I encourage you to seek out these excellent albums and add them to your ipod toot-sweet.

1. Foo Fighters - Wasting Light See the review below for a detailed description and fawning for this excellent set of music. Get it. Really. There is a sea of youtube videos from a Live on Letterman webcast out there. Here is Bridge Burning. The background vocals are rough on this, but you get the idea. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZFMTjQ7Xi0&playnext=1&list=PLB9919D1E902A0681

2. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs It's tough to put this here as this album was on top of a lot of 2010 top alternative lists. It wasn't on the Big Sexy list as I hadn't heard it. I knew of it, I just didn't take an immediate shine when I took a listen. But when many of my favorite albums last year were on the same lists as Arcade Fire, but just lower, I thought I should give it a shot. I was late to the party but I'm enjoying the time just the same. The Suburbs is about exactly what it sounds like it is, growing up in the Suburbs. Arcade Fire is headed by a husband and wife team from Montreal. Win Butler, the lead singer, describes the album as a cross between Depeche Mode and Neil Young. I can buy that. They are pretty theatrical sounding, if that's possible. Here's my favorite song from the album and the most rocking Ready to Start. It is from The Daily Show. I have found they only book guests I love the TDS and The Colbert Report. http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-august-12-2010/arcade-fire---ready-to-start

3. Awolnation - Megalithic Symphony What would happen if you mixed the electronica of LCD Soundsystem with the Prog Rock leanings of Muse and added Maroon 5's singer. I'm not sure, but that doesn't seem like a good idea. That is the best way I can describe the awesomeness of new band of the year Awolnation. There is a lot of variety on this album that is very good from beginning to end. Plus the album cover is the best of the year and is unlikely to be topped. Their "hit" single Sail is not even one of my top songs on the album. It is cool though. Here's the video... http://www.youtube.com/user/awolnation#p/c/E61B647F92CE08AA. This song is more upbeat and the vid is fun. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bN5AXq4WvZI

4. Cake - Showroom of Compassion I have loved Cake for a long time. You don't get to be my size with a considerable sweet tooth. But one of my first ever compilation cd's was a collection of my favorite Cake songs, cleverly titled Pure Frosting. I don't think my kids would think we were camping if they didn't hear that mix. Their unique sound has been varied but similar for nearly 20 years. Showroom of Compassion was their first studio album in almost 10 years. I can't believe it has been that long. This album is very similar to the others with some musical growth mixed in. But there are still kickin bass lines, awesome trumpet blasts and the vibra-slap is used more than on any other album. Not all the songs are top notch and it is not my fave Cake album of all time, but there are more than a handful of songs on this album that are brilliant. Brilliant enough to carry the whole album. Here's one of those great songs at the 98Rock studios right here in Sactown. It's Lil' Sexy's favorite song of 2011. He especially likes it because of the name drop of the Candlerock Lounge. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuYU09zLIQU

5. The Decemberists - The King is Dead I loved their last effort, the weird and emotional fantasy rock opera, The Hazards of Love. I thought it would be one and out for them. I'm not a fan of their older stuff and think I was just caught up in the story and emotion of the HoL. I got this on a whim and it is really good. Colin Miloy has hanging out with Peter Buck of R.E.M. and damned if it doesn't show, especially on the near R.E.M. knock-off, The Calamity Song. Overall, The King is Dead has almost too much twang in it for me. However, their Cool Out songs are very emotive, especially Rise to Me and Dear Avery. Rise to Me is an ode to his wife and son. When Colin sings "My darling, my sweetheart, I am in your sway" I am very touched. I had never heard that phrase before, but it is very loving. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4LfzxI07q4&feature=fvwrel

Not quite making the top 5 but still getting repeated spins on my ipod:

Radiohead - The King of Limbs Radiohead has turned into one of my favorite bands and there most recent album might be my favorite of several landmark albums, but The King of Limbs hasn't quite hit me too hard yet. It's a little too spacey for me. I like this song, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT6zpCY44LMLM but overall I am not moved. (If you have seen the official video for the song, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfOa1a8hYP8&feature=relatede , the previous clip is more amusing) For Radiohead to succeed with the Big Sexy it needs to move my soul and not my ears. So far this album is not a hit.

The Lonely Island - Turtleneck & Chains So far, I really like this. It is mainly a rehashing of all of their SNL Digital Shorts with a few new songs. A good chance this ends up on the Top 10 BS albums of the year list. Sadly the album does not include the brilliant "3 Way" from the last episode of the season. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pi7gwX7rjOw) They get excellent guests musicians throughout the album. This clip for The Creep includes Nicki Minaj http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLPZmPaHme0 . I may have three little creepers for halloween this year. I guess only if Twin Sexies can't find shinny suits and boxes.

Art Brut - Brilliant ! Tragic! Art Brut is another of my absolute favorite bands. They are a punk-ish group with good, simple, fun rock melodies and hooks. But what pushes them over the top is the hysterical lyrics and personality of very British frontman Eddie Argos. Eddie is the only artist from a band that I actually ever talked to. I got to hang out with him briefly and awkwardly before and after a San Francisco show a couple years ago. I haven't had this album long enough to properly rate it. Right off, I suppose I'm a little underwhelmed. Eddie likes to talk his singing. I think he may actually be trying to sing more hear. On this song, it songs more like whispering. The music is great, but I think I'd rather he talk his way through it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_IGqNoB4eI I'll have a better feel about this album by the end of the year.

Cage the Elephant - Thank You Happy Birthday This is another album that was out at the end of the year in 2010 but I didn't get into it much until this year. Cage the Elephant had a minor hit a year or so ago with Ain't No Rest For the Wicked. I liked that the first 50 times I heard it, but got tired of the song and wrote this bank off as a one hit wonder. I gave them more of a chance and this new album is very good. http://www.youtube.com/user/cagetheelephant?blend=1&ob=4

I owe it to Ted to try out the new Kills CD and am getting geared up for new LMFAO and Modest Mouse. There are so many great months ahead for me and my ipod.