Wednesday, August 27, 2008

The Books, Movies, Theater, Concerts, Etc. I've Seen In 2008

Updated December 31, 2008

MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES

1. I Am Legend ** 1/2
2. Atonement ** 1/2 / ***
3. Enchanted **
4. There Will Be Blood ***/ *** 1/2
5. Lars and the Real Girl ****
6. Charlie Wilson's War ***
7. Lady Chatterly ***
8. American Gangster ** 1/2
9. The Savages *
10. Rescue Dawn ** 1/2
11. Day Zero *
12. Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day * 1/2
13. Honeydripper ** 1/2
14. L'Iceberg *** 1/2
15. Mister Foe ** 1/2 (but *** 1/2 to Jamie Bell)
16. Breach * 1/2
17. Eastern Promises * 1/2
18. The Royle Family Series One (TV) ****
19. The Royle Family Series Two (TV) ****
20. Dragon Wars no stars
21. Cloverfield **
22. The Boss Of It All **
23. Jane Eyre (w Samantha Morton and Ciarin Hinds -- 1997) * 1/2
24. Last Year At Marienbad (1961) ***
25. Black Book ***
26. The Ex-Mrs. Bradford (1936) ** 1/2
27. The Kingdom * 1/2
28. Deep Water ***
29. Freshman Orientation *
30. Becoming Jane ** 1/2
31. Charlie Chan in Honolulu (1938) **
32. Charlie Chan in Reno (1939) **
33. Charlie Chan at Treasure Island (1939) ** 1/2
34. Charlie Chan in City In Darkness (1939) ***
35. Topper Takes A Trip (1939) *
36. Oscar Animated Shorts **
37. Oscar Live Action Shorts **
38. Surfwise **
39. Violent Saturday (1955) at Film Forum ** 1/2
40. Jumper *
41. Jamaica Inn (1939) *
42. It Always Rains on Sunday (1947) at FF ***
43. The Ice Follies of 1939 (1939) * 1/2
44. Nocturna (animated film at NYCFF) ** 1/2
45. Standard Operating Procedure (Errol Morris) ***
46. West Side Story (1961) ****
47. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (at Ziegfeld)(1982) ****
48. Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired *** 1/2
49. Where in The World Is Osama Bin Laden? **
50. Run For Your Life (NYC Marathon docu) ***
51. Green Porno (Rossellini shorts about insect sex at TriBeCa) ***
52. All Saints Day (Brooke Berman short at TriBeCa) ***
53. The New Yorkist (short at TriBeCa) ** 1/2
54. Shine A Light (Rolling Stones concert film) **
55. Tilt: The Battle To Save Pinball **
56. Blast of Silence (1961) ** 1/2
57. Hamlet (Kenneth Branagh's version @ EbertFest) **
58. Delirious (@EbertFest) **
59. Yes (@EbertFest) *** 1/2
60. Canvas (@EbertFest) **
61. Shotgun Stories (@EbertFest) *** 1/2
62. Underworld (1927 w Alloy Orchestra live @EbertFest) *** 1/2
63. The Real Dirt On Farmer John (@EbertFest) *** 1/2
64. Mishima (@EbertFest) *** 1/2
65. Hulk (Ang Lee's @ EbertFest) **
66. The Band's Visit (@EbertFest) *** 1/2
67. Housekeeing (@EbertFest) ***
68. The Cell (@EbertFest) ** 1/2
69. Iron Man (at Ziegfeld on my birthday) ***
70. Waltz With Bashir (at Cannes) ***
71. Hunger (at Cannes) ***
72. Un Conte De Noel (A Christmas Tale) (at Cannes) **
73. The Chaser (at Cannes) * 1/2
74. Rumba (at Cannes) ** 1/2
75. Vicky Cristina Barcelona (at Cannes) ** 1/2
76. Tyson (at Cannes) ** 1/2
77. Tokyo! (three shorts, stayed for two) *
78. It's Hard Being Loved By Jerks -- The Trial (at Cannes) ***
79. Linha De Passe (at Cannes) *** 1/2
80. Tokyo Sonata (at Cannes) **
81. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (at Cannes) ** 1/2 (now **)
82. El Dorado (at Cannes) *** 1/2
83. Acne (at Cannes) **
84. La Silence De Lorna (at Cannes) **
85. Of Time and the City (Terence Davies at Cannes) ***
86. Serbis (at Cannes) no stars
87. Uc Maymum (at Cannes) ** 1/2
88. Sangue Pazzo (at Cannes) * 1/2
89. The Changeling/The Exchange (at Cannes)**
90. Two Lovers (at Cannes) **
91. Elevre Libre aka Private Lessons (at Cannes) ***
92. La Mujer Sin Cabeza/The Headless Woman (at Cannes) * 1/2
93. Che (at Cannes) ** 1/2
94. La Frontiere De L'Aube/The Frontier Of Dawn (at Cannes) * 1/2
95. O'Horten (at Cannes) ***
96. Il Divo (at Cannes) *** 1/2
97. Wendy and Lucy (at Cannes) ** 1/2
98. Synecdoche, New York (at Cannes) ** 1/2
99. The Class aka Entre Les Murs ****
100. My Magic (at Cannes) *
101. The Good, The Bad and The Weird (at Cannes) ***
102. What Just Happened (at Cannes) *
103. My Winnipeg (Guy Maddin) *** 1/2
104. The Love Guru *
105. The Incredible Hulk *
106. Happy Go Lucky (Mike Leigh film) ***
107. Boy A ***
108. American Teen docu **
109. Brideshead Revisited (2008 remake) **
110. Hancock ** 1/2
111. Foyles War Series 5 *** (the last season on DVD) -- overall series *** 1/2
112. Encounters at the End of the World (Werner Herzog at Film Forum) ***
113. Jazz on a Summer's Day (at Lincoln Center on July 4 w my friends) ****
114. Stop-Loss **
115. What We Did Is Secret (screening) ** (but Ashton Holmes ***)
116. Man On A Wire (World Trade Center docu) ***
117. Hell Boy 2 (at Union Square) no stars
118. Love Is News (1937 on DVD) **
119. La France (at Anthology Archives) ***
120. Buffy The Vampire Slayer Seasons One Through Five on DVD finale *** 1/2 (overall series); 1 - ***, 2 ***, 3 ****, 4 ***, 5 *** 1/2
121. The Dark Knight (at Lincoln Square screening) ** 1/2
122. That Wonderful Urge (1948 on DVD) *
123. Rhythm Romance aka Some Like It Hot (1939) *
124. Pineapple Express **
125. Religulous (screening) ***
126. Anita O'Day: The Story of a Jazz Singer ** 1/2
127. The Panic in Needle Park (at AA) ***
128. Shoot The Piano Player (at FF) ** 1/2
129. Boomerang! (on DVD) ** 1/2
130. Appaloosa ** 1/2
131. Eagle Eye **
132. Intermezzo: A Love Story (1939) ***
133. Night Nurse (1931) ** 1/2
134. A Big Hand For The Little Lady ** 1/2
135. The Story Of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939) ***
136. Ballast (at Film Forum) *** / 1/2
137. Sufi Soul: The Mystic Music Of Islam ** 1/2
138. The Happening -- no stars
139. The Visitor *
140. Cinderella (1950) **
141. The Seventh Voyage Of Sinbad ** 1/2
142. Journey To The Center Of The Earth in 3-D *
143. Sex & Justice: Anita Hill Vs. Clarence Thomas (1993) ** 1/2
144. Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssssss Song at MoMA **
145. Millions Like Us (1944 WW II UK factory film) *** 1/2
146. To The Limit (mountain climbing docu) ** 1/2
147. High School Musical 3 (at Ziegfeld) **
148. Men In War (1957 -- Korean war movie Robert Ryan) ** 1/2
149. Ashes Of Time Redux **
150. Sugar (baseball player from Dominican) ***
151. The Times Of Harvey Milk (DVD) *** 1/2
152. Espionage Agent (1939) * 1/2
153. Kung Fu Panda *** 1/2
154. Tropic Thunder * 1/2
155. Stax Volt Revue Live In Norway 1967 ***
156. Eleven Minutes (project runway docu) ** 1/2
157. Cadillac Records ** 1/2
158. They Made Her A Spy (1939) * 1/2
159. Quantum Of Solace ***
160. Milk ** 1/2
161. The Reader **
162. In Name Only (1939 Carole Lombard and Cary Grant) ** 1/2
163. Made For Each Other (1939 Lombard and Jimmy Stewart) **
164. Dark Streets (New Orleans faux Cotton Club musical) *
165. Last Chance Harvey ***
166. Australia **
167. Twilight *
168. The Day The Earth Stood Still (2008) **
169. Amarcord at FF *** 1/2
170. Goodbye Solo *** 1/2
171. Slumdog Millionaires ***/
172. The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button **
173. Gran Torino **/
174. Coraline ***/ (great use of 3-D)
175. Defiance **
176. The Palm Beach Story ****
177. The Lost Patrol (1934) ** 1/2


BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS

1. Billy Boyle: A World War II Mystery by James R. Benn ***
2. Reservation Road by John Burnham Schwartz ***
3. Bicycle Days by John Burnham Schwartz *** 1/2
4. The Commoner by John Burnham Schwartz ***
5. Things I've Learned From Women Who Dumped Me edited by Ben Karlin *
6. The Feast Of Love by Charles Baxter *** 1/2
7. Saul and Patty by Charles Baxter ***
8. The Cheese Monkeys by Chip Kidd ** 1/2
9. The Soul Thief by Charles Baxter **
10. The Learners by Chip Kidd ***
11. High Crimes: The Fate Of Everest In An Age Of Greed by Michael Kodas ** 1/2
12. City Of The Beasts by Isabel Allende **
13. Kingdom Of The Golden Dragon by Isabel Allende **
14. Hotel de Dream by Edmund White ***
15. Nightwood by Djuna Barnes ** 1/2
16. The Good Soldier by Ford Maddox Ford ****
17. The Hungry Years: A Narrative History of the Great Depression in America by
T.H. Watkins *** 1/2
18. The Man Who Made Lists (Roget's Thesaurus) by Joshua Kendall **
19. Ball Four by Jim Bouton *** 1/2
20. Jumper: Griffin's Story by Steven Gould ***
21. Whose Body by Dorothy L. Sayers (Lord Peter Wimsey) ** 1/2
22. In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin ****
23. The Guns Of August by Barbara W. Tuchman *** 1/2
24. Clouds of Witness by Dorothy L. Sayers (Lord Peter Wimsey) ***
25. Unnatural Deaths by Dorothy L. Sayers (Lord Peter Wimsey) *** 1/2
26. Hubert's Freaks by Gregory Gibson ** 1/2
27. Demon of the Waters by Gregory Gibson ** 1/2
28. A Wolf At The Table by Augusten Burroughs *
29. The Mists Of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley ****
30. Housekeeping by Marilyne Robinson *** 1/2
31. The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea by Yukio Mishima *** 1/2
32. Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Hero by Jon Lee Anderson ****
33. Blindness by Jose Saramago *** 1/2
34. Reminiscences of the Cuban Revolutionary War by Che Guevara * 1/2
35. Bolivian Diary by Che Guevara * 1/2
36. Ten Men Dead: The Story of the 1981 Irish Hunger Strike by David Beresford ***
37. Haroun and the Sea Of Stories by Salman Rushdie * 1/2
38. What Just Happened by Art Linson ***
39. A Pound Of Flesh by Art Linson **
40. The Complete Stalky & Co. by Rudyard Kipling ***
41. The Children Of Hurin by J.R.R. Tolkien ** 1/2 (for serious Tolkien fans only)
42. The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club (Wimsey) by Dorothy L. Sayers *** 1/2
43. Strong Poison (Lord Peter Wimsey) by Dorothy L. Sayers *** 1/2
44. The Long Way Round by Ewan McGregor & Charley Boorman ***
45. I Love You, Philip Morris by Steve McVicker ** (but story ***)
46. I, Lucifer by Glen Duncan * 1/2
47. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh *** (the miniseries is better)
48. Austerity Britain: 1945-1951 by David Kynaston *** 1/2
49. Act One by Moss Hart ****
40. Tales of The South Pacific by James A Michener ***
41. Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell ***
42. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas *** 1/2
43. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Himself ***
44. Victory Of Eagles by Naomi Novik *** 1/2
45. Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery ***
46. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston ****
47. Go Tell It On The Mountain by James Baldwin *** 1/2
48. Beloved by Toni Morrison *** 1/2
49. The Five Red Herrings by Dorothy L. Sayers ***
50. Middle Passage by Charles Johnson **
51. The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley ****
52. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou *** 1/2
53. Angler by Barton Gellman (Dick Cheney book) **
54. The Ipcress File by Len Deighton ***
55. Funeral In Berlin by Len Deighton ***
56. The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead *** 1/2
57. Anne Of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery *** 1/2
58. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga ***
59. Captain's Courageous by Rudyard Kipling ***
60. Netherland by Joseph O'Neill ***
61. A Gathering Of Old Men by Eernest J. Gaines ***
62. Train Whistle Guitar by Albert Murray ****
63. The Riddle Of The Sands by Erskine Childers **
64. Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis ***
65. The Watsons Go To Birmingham -- 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis **
66. Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama *** 1/2
67. Out Of Africa by Isak Dinesen *** 1/2
68. Shadows On The Grass by Isak Dinesen **
69. Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates ****
70. The Deerslayer by James Fenimore Cooper ** 1/2
71. Have His Carcase (Lord Peter Wimsey) by Dorothy L. Sayers ***
72. Murder Must Advertise (Lord Peter Wimsey) by Dorothy L. Sayers *** 1/2
73. The Nine Tailors (Lord Peter Wimsey) by Dorothy L. Sayers *** 1/2


THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS

1. Dawn Landes at Joe's Pub * 1/2
2. Eli "Paperboy" Reed at Mercury Lounge ***
3. Signal The Escape in Brooklyn's Europe ***
4. New Jerusalem by David Ives at Classic Stage Company *** 1/2
5. Judith Owen at Metropolitan Club ** 1/2 (but *** 1/2 for the service)
6. Stan's Cafe: Of All The People In The World (one person=one rice exhibit) *** 1/2
7. Back Door Slam at Mercury Lounge *** 1/2
8. Nicole Atkins at Bowery Ballroom ***
9. 100 Years by Mike Leigh at Acorn **
10. Blind Boys Of Alabama at Cutting Room ***
11. Makin' Whoopee dress rehearsal by Susan Stroman at ABT ***
12. Happy Days by Beckett w Fiona Shaw at BAM *** 1/2
13. They Might Be Giants at Beacon *** 1/2
14. Adding Machine at Minetta Lane ** 1/2
15. Sharon Jones at the Beacon ****
16. Macbeth w Patrick Stewart at BAM *** 1/2
17. Jay Brannan of Shortbus ***
18. Gonzalo Rubalcaba at Village Vanguard ***
19. Traces at New Victory (circus) ***
20. The National at BAM ** 1/2
21. Can Cheez Doodles Do You Harm? and other one acts at American Theatre ***
22. How I Met The Beatles at Public ** 1/2
23. Eddie Izzard rough draft of new show ***
24. Passing Strange at Belasco ** 1/2
25. Tyson American Cup Gymnastics at Madison Square Garden ***
26. Paradise Park (Charles Mee musical play) at Signature ** 1/2
27. The Slug Bearers Of Kayrol Island at Vineyard ***
28. The Hooters at BB King's (murky sound, had to leave after an hour) **
29. Yank! staged reading for investors at Zipper ***
30. Hilary McRae at Living Room ***
31. Chamber Magic Show **
32. August: Osage County (at Imperial) ***
33. Straight Up With A Twist (at Players Theater) no stars
34. Bell X-1 at Bowery ** 1/2
35. Cry-Baby The Musical (at Marquis) * 1/2
36. Ladies and Gents (at Bethesda Fountain bathrooms) ***
37. Gypsy (at St. James w Patti LuPone, Laura Benanti, Boyd Gaines) ***
38. Laurie Anderson: Homeland (at Carnegie Hall's Zankel) ***
39. Paul Simon: Songs From The Capeman (at BAM's Harvey w Frankie Negron) *** 1/2
40. Drunk Enough To Say I Love You (Caryl Churchill play at Public) ***
41. Paul Simon World Music (at BAM w Ladysmith, David Byrne, etc) ***
42. Sunday In The Park W George (at Studio 54) *** 1/2
43. Sizwe Banzi Is Dead (at BAM) *** 1/2
44. Boeing Boeing (at Longacre w Mark Rylance and Mary McCormack) ***
45. Chris Rock (at MSG's WAMU w Joe) ***
46. The Walworth Farce (at St. Anne's) ***
47. The God Of Carnage (at Gielgud in UK w Ralph Fiennes and Janet McTeer) ***
48. Fram (at National in UK) * 1/2
49. The Pitmen Painters (at Natonal UK) *** first act, ** second, ** 1/2 whole
50. The Common Pursuit (at Chocolate Factory in UK) **
51. Fucking Men (in UK) **
52. The Lord of the Rings (in UK) * 1/2
53. Psycho Buildings (art exhibit at Hayward in UK) *** 1/2
54. Medieval Play (reading of Kenneth Lonergan play) ***
55. Occupant (Edward Albee play w Mercedes Ruehl) play ** Ruehl *** 1/2
56. /passengers (at Mercury Lounge) ***
57. Single Black Female (at 42 West) ** 1/2
58. Hamlet (Shakespeare in Park w Michael Stuhlbarg) ** 1/2 (w Stuhlbarg ***)
59. Delfeayo Marsalis (at Snug Harbor in New Orleans w David Pulpis on bass, Joseph Dyson Jr. on drums, Victor Red Atkins on piano, Donald Lewis w monologue and Marlon Jordan on trumpet) *** show but did not like Jordan's technically proficient, fast, flashy playing
60. Port Authority (w Jim Noonan) ***
61. Cirque Dreams (at Broadway Theatre) no stars (but *** for eye candy)
62. Steel Pulse (at Battery Park) ***
63. Hair (in Central Park) ** 1/2
64. Bruce Springsteen (at Giant's Stadium) ** 1/2 (forced to leave before encores, weakest night after looking at set lists)
65. David Byrne -- Playing The Building art exhibit at Governor's Island Ferry waiting room ***
66. Hal Willner's Bill Withers Project at Prospect Park in Brooklyn *** (w Nona Hendryx, Corey Glover, Howard Tate, Bill Withers, etc)
67. The First Breeze of Summer (at Signature) ** 1/2
68. South Pacific (at Lincoln Center w Kelli O'Hara) ***
69. Ellis Island visit ***
70. Kurt Wagner of Lambchop (at Living Room) ***
71. Yankee Stadium Tour *** 1/2
71. The Marvelous Wondrettes (at Westside) **
72. The Tempest (w Mandy Patinkin at CSC) **
73. That Other Woman's Child (bluegrass musical) * 1/2
74. The Atheist (w Campbell Scott) ** (but Scott ***)
75. Raul Midon at Joe's Pub ***
76. Body of Water (Lee Blessing, starring Christine Lahti) ***
77. Ben Kweller at Bowery ***
78. PBR final regular season event at Mohegan Sun in Conn. ***
79. The Soul Of John Black at Webster Hall *** (v brief set)
80. Like You Like It (John Hughes/Shakespeare at Gallery Players) ***
81. Michael Arden Sings "Blue" (at Joe's Pub) ** 1/2
82. Joan Baez at Town Hall ***
83. A Tale Of Two Cities (musical at Hirschfield) *
84. Sleepwalk With Me (one-man show w Mike Birbiglia) ***
85. Boz Scaggs at Blue Note ***
86. Catalpa at Irish Arts Center ** 1/2
87. Opening Night (Dutch on Cassavetes at BAM Harvey) ***
88. Lightning At Our Feet (Emily Dickinson performance piece at BAM) * 1/2
89. Drama League Readings w Alisa -- * to ** 1/2
90. Roadshow/Bounce at Public ***
91. Home at Signature ** 1/2
92. South Pacific w David Pittsinger at Lincoln Center *** 1/2
93. Aimee Mann Christmas Show w Joe ***
94. LaBelle at Apollo (abbreiviated due to power outage) ***



CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS (Only the Cds I've listened to thoroughly and with a strong emphasis on the ones I like, so don't think I love everything I listen to -- I just don't bother really listening to the ones I don't like more than once and don't think it's fair to rate on a cursory listen)

1. Al Green -- Lay It Down *** 1/2
2. R.E.M. -- Accelerate ***
3. Daniela Cotton -- Rare Child *** 1/2
4. James Hunter -- The Hard Way ****
5. kd lang -- Watershed *** 1/2
6. The Kooks -- Konk ** 1/2
7. Drive By Truckers -- Brighter Than Creation's Dark ** 1/2
8. Billie Holiday -- Rare and Live Recordings Boxed Set *** 1/2
9. Raconteurs -- Consolers of the Lonely ***
10. Shelby Lynne -- Just A Little Lovin' *** 1/2
11. The Blind Boys Of Alabama -- New Orleans ***
12. Panic At The Disco -- Pretty Odd ** 1/2
13. Joe Jackson -- Rain **
14. Various Artists -- Nigeria Disco Funk Special: The Sound of the
Underground Lagos Dancefloor 1974-1979 *** 1/2
15. Various Artists -- Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds &
Nigerian Blues 1970-1976 ****
16. Cassandra Wilson -- Loverly ***
17. The Whigs -- Mission Control *** 1/2
18. Happy Mondays -- Pills, Thrills & Bellyaches *** 1/2
19. Van Morrison -- Keep It Simple **
20. Ella Fizgerald & Louis Armstrong -- Porgy & Bess ***
21. Gary Louris -- Vagabonds ***
22. MGMT -- Oracular Spctacular **
23. Various Artists -- Umalali: Garifun Women's Project **
24. She & Him -- Volume One ***
25. Otis Taylor -- Recapturing the Banjo *** 1/2
26. Cowboy Junkies -- Trinity Sessions Revisited ** 1/2
27. Nick Cave -- Dig, Lazarus, Dig ***
28. Billy Bragg -- Mr. Love and Justice ** 1/2
29. Happy Mondays -- BUmmed *** 1/2
30. Ersi Arvisu -- Friend For Life ** 1/2
31. Mimi and Richard Farina -- Reflections in a Crystal Wind ***
32. Vampire Weekend -- Vampire Weekend ***
33. Irma Thomas -- Simply Grand ** 1/2
34. Jay Brannan -- Goddamned ***
35. Lou Donaldson -- Here 'Tis (reissue) ****
36. Ron Sexsmith -- Exit Strategy Of The Soul ***
37. Simon & Garfunkel -- Live 1969 *** 1/2
38. Bon Iver -- For Emma, Forever Always *** 1/2
39. Neil Diamond -- Home Before Dark *** 1/2
40. Richard Swift -- Richard Swift as Onasis ** 1/2
41. Otis Redding -- Otis Blue ***
42. Lonely Drifter Karen -- The Grass Is Singing ***
43. Anita O'Day -- All The Sad Young Men ***
44. Bill Withers -- +'Justments *** 1/2
45. Bill Withers -- Naked and Warm ** 1/2
46. Fratellis -- Here We Stand *** / 1/2
47. Mudcrutch -- Mudcrutch *** ("Crystal River" song *** 1/2
48. Jorge Ben -- Jorge Ben (1969) ****
49. Brian Wilson -- That Lucky Old Sun ** 1/2
50. Linda Lewis -- Fathoms ***
51. Randy Newman -- Harps and Angels ***
52. Emmylou Harris -- All I Ever Intended To Be ** 1/2
53. Seals & Crofts -- Summer Breeze * 1/2
54. Graham Nash -- Songs For Beginners ***
55. Boz Scaggs -- Speak Low ****
56. Joan Baez -- Day After Tomorrow *** 1/2
57. Ryan Adams and the Cardinals -- Cardinology ** 1/2
58. Menew -- Of The Future ** 1/2
59. Copeland -- You Are My Sunshine ***
60. The Soul Of John Black -- Black John ***
61. Isobell Campbell and Mark Lanegan -- Sunday at Dirt Devil ** 1/2
62. The Streets -- Everything Is Borrowed ** 1/2
63. Sugarland -- Love On The Inside ***
64. Kaiser Chiefs -- Off With Your Their Heads *** 1/2
65. Tom Jones -- 24 Hours ** 1/2
66. Del McCoury - Moneyland *** 1/2
67. The Real Tuesday Weld -- The End Of The World ***
68. The Smiths -- The Sounds Of The Smiths ****
69. Southside Johnny with LaBamba's Big Band -- Grapefruit Moon: The Songs Of Tom Waits *** 1/2
70. Jenny Lewis -- Acid Tongue *** 1/2
71. Conor Oberst -- Conor Oberst ***
72. Inara George with Van Dyke Parks -- An Invitation *** 1/2
73. Supergrass -- Diamond Hoo Ha ***
74. Peter Broderick -- Home *** 1/2
75. Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson - Rattlin' Bones *** 1/2
76. The Jonas Brothers -- A Little Bit Longer *** 1/2
77. Q-Tip -- The Renaissance *** 1/2
78. George Jones -- Unreleased Duets ***
79. Taj Mahal -- Maestro ** 1/2
80. TV On The Radio -- Dear Science ** 1/2
81. LaBelle -- Back To Now *** /1/2
82. Coldplay -- Viva La Vida ** 1/2
83. Various Artists -- Little Stevens' Christmas A Go-Go ***
84. Harry Connick Jr. -- What A Night * 1/2
85. Ledisi -- It's Christmas **
86. Gary Louris -- Vagabonds ***/
87. David Archuleta -- Crush ** (but **** for single)
88. Tony Bennett -- Swinging Christmas ***
89. Aimee Mann -- F*#@ing Smilers ***/
90. Duffy -- Rockferry ***
91. Various Artists -- The Golden Age Of Popular Music: Jazz Hits From 1958-1966 ****
92. Kathy Matea -- Coal ** 1/2
93. Nas -- Nas *** 1/2
94. Sam Roberts -- Love At The End Of The World *** 1/2
95. Sonny Rollins -- Road Show Vol. 1 *** 1/2
96. Mates of State -- Mates of State **
97. George Carlin -- Am/FM *** 1/2
98. Nick Cave -- Dig, Lazaruz, Dig! *** 1/2
99. Joe Higgs -- Life Of Contradictions ***
100. Bob Newhart -- The Button-Down Mind Of Bob Newhart ***
101. Jessica Lea Mayfield -- With Blasphemy So Heartfelt ** 1/2
102. Jamey Johnson -- That Lonesome Song ***/
103. Raphael Saadiq -- The Way I See It ** 1/2
104. Watermelon Slim -- No Paid Holidays ***
105. BB King -- ONe Kind Favor *** 1/2
106. Lil Wayne -- Tha Carter ** 1/2
107. Beck -- Modern Guilt ***
108. Ricky Skaags - Honoring The Fathers Of Bluegrass: Tribute To 1947 and 1947 ***
109. Lee Ann Womack -- Call Me Crazy *** 1/2/
110. Last Of The Prophets -- The Age Of The Understatement *** 1/2
111. Stephen Malkmus -- Real Emotional Trash ** 1/2
112. Randy Travis -- Around The Bend *** 1/2
113. Johnny Flynn - A Larum **
114. The Roots -- Rising Down ***
115. The Mannish Boys -- Lowdown Feelin' **
116. Charlie Haden Family & Friends -- Rambling Boy *** 1/2
117. Antony and the Johnsons -- Another World EP *** 1/2
118. Januva Magness -- What Love Will Do ***
119. Bill Cosby -- To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With ****
120. Wynton Marsalis -- Standards & Ballads *** 1/2
121. Martha Wainwright -- I Know You're Married ** 1/2
122. The Cure -- 4:13 Dream *** 1/2
123. Knux -- Remind Me In Three Days ** 1/2
124. Elvis Costello -- Momofuku ***
125. Los Campesinos -- We Are Beautiful ** 1/2
126. M83 -- Saturdays=Youth **
127. Erykah Badu -- New Amerykah Part One (4th World war) *** 1/2
128. The Gaslight Anthem -- The '59 Sound *** 1/2
129. Matthew Sweet -- Sunshine Lies * 1/2
130. David Byrne and Brian Eno -- Everything That Happens Will Happen Today ***/
131. Mavis Staples -- Live At The Hideoout ****
132. R.E.M. -- Accelerate ***
133. Ray LaMontagne -- Gossip In The Grain ** 1/2
134. Alejandro Escovedo -- Real Animal **
135. The Explorers Club -- Freedom Wind ** 1/2
136. Elbow -- The Seldom Seen Kid *** 1/2
137. The Hold Steady -- Stay Positive **
138. The Grascals - Keep On Walkin' ***
139. Magnetic Fields -- Distortion ***
140. Little Joy -- Little Joy ** 1/2



Updated December 31, 2008.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Star Trek Controversy, Kids Music and Portals To Hell

Here are my latest articles: a roundup of movies with weird portals to hell for the NY Daily News, a profile of kids music superstar Laurie Berkner also for NY Daily News and a Huffington Post DVD column about the controversial "improved" editions of old "Star Trek" episodes.