DVD Review: Artie Lang's Jack and Coke

For 9 years comic Artie Lang has held an esteemed seat on the Howard Stern Show endearing himself to fans with his down to earth blue collar demeanor and despite his recent brutal suicide attempt the New Jersey native has recently released his second standup special Jack and Coke on DVD.

The show which was filmed at New York’s own Gotham Comedy Club runs about an hour and a half and shows what a confident performer Lange is despite his insecurities. The best material in Artie’s set is his most personal and many of the funniest jokes will be familiar to fans of the radio show. Unfortunately, Artie’s best bits are few and far between and the comic often veers from the heartfelt and lands in the more predictable territory of gay and hooker jokes for much of the show, pulling from a seemingly never-ending bag of hack.

The best comedy often stems from personal trauma and rage and nothing says that more than 9 stab wounds to the abdomen so it’s a shame Lange doesn’t get real in his set. He ends up appearing like any number of stage vets who go through the motions and he never feels in the moment. When he does occasionally break from the mold it’s thoroughly interesting and funny and a few examples can be found on the DVD extras. Lange has proven he has great ability in his time on the Stern show so hopefully he sticks around long enough to reach his potential onstage.

For: Short & Sweet NYC

Elvis Perkins- Stay Zombie Stay acoustic

Elvis Perkins is one of my recent favorites since his In Dearland album came out a while back and I stumbled on this fantastic version of "Stay Zombie Stay" from his most recent EP recorded acoustic at Lake Fever. Not bad for a bunch of white guys who look like they were bumped from Blind Melon!

Saints Superbowl Song: "Glory Bound"

Who would've guessed that Aaron Neville would out do Prince in creating a football team theme song (or even that either would try) but with the newly released"Glory Bound" it's a hands down knock-out. The song blends together a portion of "Who Dat?" which was created back in 1983 by New Orleans producer Carlo Nuccio along with a portion of "When the Saints Go Marching In" and features hometown musicians such as: Theresa Andersson, Carlo Nuccio, Matt Perrine, Jon Cleary, and Aaron's son Ivan Neville on organ.

“Glory Bound” is available for download at TeamGloryBound.com, and a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the track will go to The New Orleans Musicians Clinic, a not-for-profit occupational medicine and wellness partnership offering affordable, comprehensive health care to New Orleans musicians.

Author, Recluse J.D. Salinger Dies

Catcher in the Rye was the first book I ever read on my own and I loved it before I even understood it but the story of the author has become almost as intriguing as one of his stories.

Dave Eggers' wish: Once Upon a School

Music Review: Animal Collective- Fall Be Kind

As the decade without a name comes to a close, a look back reveals a strange amalgam of musical developments, but without question one of the most exciting bands to surface was Animal Collective. The Baltimore natives put out an amazing album this year but may have even raised the stakes with their new 5 track EP, Fall Be Kind, which pushes the sonic envelope a bit further, offering new developments and, if possible, a more complex sound.

The intro track “Graze” begins with a theatrical note and has a feeling reminiscent of a late 70’s progressive rock concept album ala Pink Floyd or Yes. It’s followed up with “What Would I Want? Sky” which samples the Grateful Dead’s “Unbroken Chain” from Mars Hotel (the first ever licensed use of a Dead sample). The song changes pace a bit with the addition of strong percussion and a spacey, tribal feel, which develops into a brilliant movement that approaches a more traditional rock song format with an almost hip-hop quality.

This track alone makes the album worth picking up but it’s followed with an ambient layered interim entitled “Bleed” and “On a Highway” which continues the tribal, echo chamber feel but with a more pronounced 1980’s pop/rock edge. The EP closes with a Frankensteinian track entitled “I Think I Can” which blends together a drive to the beach in 1986 with deep space “wall of sound” production and a dash of medieval troubadours to create something inherently Animal Collective in every way.

For: Short & Sweet NYC

I heart Alma

Alma from Rodrigo Blaas on Vimeo.

This is a fantastic short animated film from director Rodrigo Blaas who has worked as a Pixar animator for a number of years. Watch it, Love it, repeat.