The Q Speaks

D-Day + 23741

2009-06-06T12:03:00.001-05:00

On a gray, wet morning sixty five years ago today, over 200,000 brave souls took to the beaches of Normandy. In mankind's darkest hour, they were freedom's valiant torchbearers. History will never forget the sacrifices they made to ensure that our grand experiment called democracy would not fail.

We must never forget that for all its strength and apparent durability, liberty needs to be nurtured constantly and must be protected from the forces of tryanny that ever seek to destroy it. Indeed, on June 6, 1944, liberty's fate, and thus the world's, was far from certain. If not for the unflinching courage of the Allied liberators and for the hubris of our enemies, freedom's flame may have been extinguished from the Earth forever.

Please take a moment today to think of those who toiled, bled, and died on those sandy French beaches many years ago. They fought for their countries and for their families. They fought for Europe's liberation and for the noble cause of freedom. They fought, ultimately, for me and for you. We can never thank them enough.

PostSecret

2009-02-08T22:43:00.006-05:00

Fascinating. Maybe I'm late to the party, but this is the first I've ever heard or seen anything about PostSecret. And it is oddly compelling and addicting. A lot of these are the sort of secrets that a person never says out loud to themselves, let alone to anyone else. Just fascinating.

Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-14T15:15:00.000-05:00

Here we go once again with my annual music list. This time it's a little early; feel free to use it as a holiday shopping guide for your friends and family who have great taste in music. ;) As always, these are the top songs that really got me going this year. As always, it's a frakking awesome list. Is it going to be better than last year's epicness? Let's find out.

My Top 20 Songs from 2008

1. Stay Positive, from Stay Positive, by The Hold Steady

With this album, The Hold Steady firmly cement themselves as my favorite band. They top this list for my favorite song of 2008, they gave me my favorite album of the year, and they gave me the greatest concert of my life. Their music just speaks to me. This might not be the best song on the album (see below), but this song is infectious. Not only does it sing about the transcendent power of music, Stay Positive proves it.

2. Let There Be Rock, from Southern Rock Opera, by Drive-By Truckers

If not for Stay Positive, DBT would have dominated my 2008. Much like The Hold Steady, DBT doesn't reinvent the wheel--they just go about perfecting it. Brilliant songwriting, top flight musicianship, deep emotion, and an unerring ability to rock. "Southern rock" is usually an epithet meaning "derivative and trite Southern-flavored arena rock". DBT instead turns the label into high praise. (All thanks and praise be to Ernest.)

3. Mass Romantic, from Mass Romantic, by The New Pornographers

Big hooks. Gritty guitars. A sonic wall of harmonies. Ecstatic energy. The incredible Neko Case. If only all pop music was like this. This Canadian indie supergroup gives pop a good name, and it was this album and this song that put them on the map. Seeing this song performed live with Neko in the lineup is a highlight of my year.

4. Slapped Actress, from Stay Positive, by The Hold Steady

"Staggeringly good. " As Pitchfork notes, even as killer closing tracks go, this one is something special. So special, I broke my rule about one artist, one song.

5. Sex on Fire, from Only By the Night, by Kings of Leon

It might be presumptuous to put this song so high seeing as how I've been listening to it for only a handful of weeks. And it has a silly name. But with its yearning, its passion, its almost self-destructive desire...it sounds like how you want all your sex to feel. Insistent. Driving. Consuming. Glorious.

6. Goodnight Rose, from Easy Tiger, by Ryan Adams

Three years in a row and Adams scores a top 10 slot on my annual list. Oddly, I listened obsessively to Easy Tiger last year but back then this song was not even among my top 3 off that album. But it just stuck in my playlist this year. Probably because it was the arguable highlight of the great October '07 show I attended.

7. I Kissed a Girl, from One of the Boys, by Katy Perry

I ain't gonna front. I like pop music. And I like this song. It's addictive and fun. Others will say it is annoying and insipid. Screw them. I like kissing girls, why shouldn't she? And no, Katy, your boyfriend doesn't mind.

8. Hometown Glory, from 19, by Adele

Melancholy, mature, and beautiful. And, oh, what a voice.

9. Heartless, from 808s and Heartbreaks, by Kanye West

Kanye does it again. Dude is like Madonna for the 21st century--churning out hits, causing controversy, and constantly reinventing himself...now as a pop star.

10. All Nightmare Long, from Death Magnetic, by Metallica

Reminds me why Metallica was once my favorite band. In an alternate universe, this is the album they release after ...and Justice for All instead of the Black Album. A better universe? Nah, just an alternate one.

11. Sour Cherry, from Midnight Boom, by The Kills

Sharp, dirty, intense, and with a sexy swagger, this post-punk track doesn't let up. It'll make you want to put on a black leather jacket, some skinny jeans, a mean sneer and go find someone to f**k. OMFG!

12. See These Bones, from Lucky, by Nada Surf

Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard lends his vocals to this track from the indie-pop veterans. Poignant, intimate, and layered beautifully.

13. Womanizer, from Circus, by Britney Spears

Really, this could have been any number of guilty pleasures from throughout the year. Songs from Rihanna, Britney, Kanye, Katy, Wyclef, Estelle, Flo Rida, (*gulp*) Avril, and (*double-gulp*) Miley. (Hey, they're called guilty pleasures for a reason.) Womanizer just happens to be the one right now. And it's razor sharp.

14. Teardrop, from Mezzanine, by Massive Attack

Unlike most of their trip-hop contemporaries, Massive Attack and this album really stand the test of time. Still sounds fresh and, as always, moody as hell. (Hat tip to Drs. House, Cameron, and Kutner.)

15. Wonderlust King, from Taranta!, by Gogol Bordello

The song got a shoutout on last year's list; this year it gets its own slot. Aggro gypsy punk. You just gotta listen.

16. In Your Eyes, from Live Session EP (iTunes Exclusive), by Sara Bareilles

Love this song, and this is a great cover from a very good singer.

17. Mastermind, from This is Somewhere, by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

Big bluesy rollicker. Just a lot of fun.

18. Home, from Carencro, by Marc Broussard

A huge swampy stomp, the song is a masterpiece. If Broussard could just churn out a few more tracks like this, he could singlehandedly bring back Southern soul and the Stax sound.

19. Shut Up and Let Me Go, from We Started Nothing, by The Ting Tings

Breaking up never sounded so fun.

20. ...To Be Loved, from The Paramour Sessions, by Papa Roach

Yeah, it sucks. But sometimes you just want a loud, mindless head-banger to thrash out to. This song fit the bill in 2008.

Get 1-10 here, 11-20 here, and some extra tracks here. (If you own the rights to any of the songs I've uploaded and would like the links removed, please let me know.) Shoutouts to Naive by the Kooks, Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap, Brooklyn performed by the usc Trojan Marching Band, End Over End by the Foo Fighters, Silent House by the Dixie Chicks, and Chicken Fried by Zac Brown Band--any of which could have made the list and which are included in the extras pack (along with a few others).

So that's my list. I hope you enjoy some of them. Feel free to return the favor by letting me know which songs turned you on this year. What did you listen to in 2008? What songs inspired and moved you?

As for 2009, I'm already getting excited to explore some new stuff. My Morning Jacket, the new Ryan Adams album, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Raphael Saadiq, the Raconteurs, Beck, Hot Chip, Black Mountain, Kings of Leon, Portishead, the Walkmen, TV on the Radio, The Kills, Okkervil River, Lykke Li, and Oasis are likely to get some early play on my iPod. That is, if I can find time to get to all of them.

Merry Christmas, happy New Year, and all the best to you and yours. Q, out!

The Five Songs You're Not Listening to Right Now, But Should Be: Vol. 4, 5, & 6

2008-08-23T16:27:00.000-05:00

These are songs I'm listening to at the moment and can't understand why you're not. Tripled up for your pleasure.

4.1 Stay Positive from Stay Positive by The Hold Steady
4.2 Jealous Type from This Kind of Life by Olivia Mancini & The Housemates
4.3 Sour Cherry from Midnight Boom by The Kills
4.4 ...To Be Loved from The Paramour Sessions by Papa Roach
4.5 No Dreams from I'll Follow You by Oakley Hall

5.1 Mass Romantic from Mass Romantic by The New Pornographers
5.2 Slapped Actress from Stay Positive by The Hold Steady
5.3 Jerk It by Thunderheist
5.4 Route from Trace by Son Volt
5.5 Last Day of Magic from Midnight Boom by The Kills

6.1 Let There Be Rock from Southern Rock Opera by Drive-By Truckers
6.2 In Your Eyes (live) from Live Session EP by Sara Bareilles
6.3 Setting Sun from Howling Bells by Howling Bells
6.4 See These Bones from Lucky by Nada Surf
6.5 End Over End from In Your Honor by Foo Fighters

Get the mp3 versions of all them here (except 6.2): Vol. 4, Vol. 5, and Vol. 6.

Best songs of 2007

2007-12-31T18:50:00.001-05:00

Grandma's fruitcake, ugly Christmas sweaters, yet-to-be-unfulfilled resolutions, last minute regifting, and champagne hangovers? It must be the end of year, and y'all know what that means: Q's Best Songs of 2007 list! This isn't a list of the best music released in 2007, but rather a list of the songs that really got me going this year. And since I have such brilliant taste in music, I'm generously sharing it with y'all. ;) It is so much more awesome than last year's list, it's gonna be legen…wait for it…dary.

My Top 20 Songs from 2007

1. When Your Mind's Made Up, from Once, by The Swell Season

A brilliant, passionate song, this is the best of many wonderful songs from my favorite movie of the year and my favorite concert of the year. The original Frames version is pretty great too. So is "Falling Slowly", which really should be 1A on this list.

2. First Night, from Boys and Girls In America, by The Hold Steady

I had listened to Boys and Girls a couple times and thought nothing much of it until one cold February night when this track hit me like a ton of bricks. This album is everything I had been looking for in rock for a long time. Joyful, dramatic, high energy, and smart, these guys can both tear the roof of or tear at your heart. They do both on this song.

3. Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives, from Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives EP, by Voxtrot

Skip their poor 2007 full length release and go straight to this EP. These precocious indie kids from Austin have crazy talent, and I'm still predicting big things in their future.

4. What Goes Around, from Future Sex / Love Sounds, by Justin Timberlake

Yes, I like JT. No, I don't have a problem with that. Dude is the new (old school) Michael Jackson. Check it: started performing as a kid, star of a hit boy band, has great dance moves and unique style, worked with the top producers as a solo act, and is a trendsetter for pop music. Don't hate.

5. Que Onda Guero, from Guero, by Beck

This song just reminds of me Los Angeles. Funky, relaxed, and dirty with a generous dose of Spanglish.

6. Oh My Sweet Carolina, from Heartbreaker, by Ryan Adams

If this was a top artists list, Adams would be my #1 this year. If this was a best albums of 2007 list, Easy Tiger might top it. Instead, this track is a placeholder for the dozen or so Adams' songs that dominated my playlist this year. This may be the most beautiful song I heard all year.

7. Stronger, from Stronger, by Kanye West

He may hate whitey and have an ego the size of Hurricane Katrina, but the guy cuts hot tracks. Period.

8. The Crane Wife 3, from The Crane Wife, by The Decemberists

The Decemberists (with one of 2006's critically acclaimed albums) were my first music obsession in 2007. They're a bit too clever for their own good, but this is them at their best. Catchy, unique, and literate.

9. The Saints Are Coming, by U2 with Billy Joe Armstrong

Obscure punk track sampling an epic oldie turned into a superstar Hurricane Katrina stadium anthem. (The live version.)

10. Three More Days, from Till the Sun Turns Back, by Ray LaMontagne

The 2006 album is a disappointment after 2004's Trouble, but this great R&B-inspired cut it is an example of how good LaMontagne can be when he's not slowing things down too much.

11. Ooh Child (Alternate Version), from The Other Side of Daybreak, by Beth Orton

Orton's raspy voice does this oft-covered song well. Gorgeous.

12. The Way We Get By, from Kill the Moonlight, by Spoon

Great hook. These indie vets show how to properly use handclaps and a tambourine in the same song.

13. Hands Open, from Eyes Open, by Snow Patrol

I like anthems, what can I say? I don't love Sufjan Stevens, but I love that line about Chicago.

14. Ah Mary, from This Is Somewhere, by Grace Potter & the Nocturnals

You can add Potter's music to baseball and warm apple pie; this is pure Americana. Think Bonnie Raitt doing bluesy, blue-collar bar rock. Yeah, it's that awesome.

15. My Moon My Man, from The Reminder, by Feist

I like this track better than her iPod Nano-pimping "One Two Three Four". Nifty video too.

16. Shrinking Universe, from Hullabaloo, by Muse

Heard this in the trailer for 28 Weeks Later. Had to download it. Love the over-the-top, apocalyptic drama of it all.

17. Friday Night, from Alright Still, by Lily Allen

The scrappy lyrics are hilarious. No one has ever sung so sweetly about getting into drunken cat fights at the club.

18. Gin & Milk, from Waterloo to Anywhere, by Dirty Pretty Things

Formed from the detritus of the Libertines, this English band can freaking shred.

19. Phenomena, from Show Your Bones, by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Razor sharp guitars, expert drumming, big range of dynamics, an oddly familiar chorus, and Karen O's inimitable voice. Maybe the best rock song on here.

20. Zombie, from The Trucks, by The Trucks

Catchy little electro-pop song that makes the end of the world sound fun.

In addition to the individual links, I've packed the songs linked to above into 3 zip files for easier downloading, for those of you who may be so interested. 1-9, 10-20, and Extra. The extra pack also includes a couple more songs that I didn't mention above, including the acoustic Ray LaMontagne version of Crazy. Good stuff.

Also, I have a few quick shoutouts to Ridin' by Chamillionaire, Sweetest Girl by Wyclef Jean, Superstition by Stevie Wonder, How to Save A Life by The Fray, and Wonderlust King by Gogol Bordello. They know why they're on here.

So that's my list; what's yours? Which songs moved you in 2007? What hot tracks burned up your iPod? Which artists did you fall in love with this year? Drop me a line and let me know.

P.S.- If you own the rights to any of the songs I've uploaded and would like the links removed, please let me know. Otherwise, I'll deactivate them in a couple of months.

The Swell Season @ 9:30 Club

2007-07-29T23:15:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova performed as the The Swell Season at the 9:30 Club here in DC. Some of you may recognize Hansard as the frontman of the Irish band the Frames. Others will recognize him and Irglova as the stars of the phenomenal film Once that was the darling of Sundance.

Either way, all you need to know is that together they put on a GREAT show. Intimate, passionate, and beautiful. One of the best shows I've ever seen and could ever hope to see. It was a great mix of songs from the movie, songs by the Frames, covers, and songs off The Swell Season album.

And thanks to NPR's All Songs Considered, you can hear the absolutely transcendent show I attended for yourself. And thanks to me, you can download all the songs from the show.

When Your Mind's Made Up
Lies
All The Way Down
Drown Out
This Low
If You Want Me
Untitled (Fantasyman)
Falling Slowly
Leave
If You Have Something To Say, Say It To Me Now
Golden
Cactus (Pixies cover)
I Want My Life To Make More Sense To Me
Once
Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy
Into the Mystic (Van Morrison cover)
Star Star
You Ain't Goin' Nowhere (Bob Dylan cover) w/Amy LaVere

That's a lot of songs to download, I know. I wish I could tell you which were the highlights, but honestly, the whole show was a highlight.

For my California buddies, Hansard and Irglova will be in LA on August 1 and San Francisco on August 4. Whatever plans you may have that night, break them. I promise you, it isn't a show you want to miss. You can find more info here. And in case you think this is a lot of hyperbole, at least one other blogger in attendance also thought the show was "amazing".

Not that it is even remotely the same, but they'll also be on Leno on July 30, the Late Late Show on August 1, and Carson Daly on August 3.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the opening act, Amy LaVere. As great as Hansard and Irglova were, it wasn't their CD's I walked away with, but rather LaVere's. Amy is a beautiful brunette-next-door from Tennessee who plays the upright bass and is a revelation in her own right. Her sound is hard to peg, but it definitely has a lot of Tennessee and southern influence. From her myspace page: "If Nora Jones and Hank Williams Sr. were to have a child that bred with the child of Exene of the band X and Bob Dylan...you would get Amy LaVere!!!!!" That's sorta about right.

Her and her band's performance was on point. Great original and cover songs played with tremendous talent all the way around. An undeniably unique sound that I guarantee you won't hear on your local radio (unless you live in Memphis.) She's worth checking out on myspace, and I recommend you buy her album(s) cause you probably won't ever get a chance to hear her live any time soon. Now if I could only convince her to marry me...

Perspective

2007-07-08T17:30:00.000-05:00

A guy who knows a little bit about human rights and totalitarianism urges us not to ignore the future as we determine what can be done in the present to fix the mistakes of the past.

No one can know for sure whether President Bush's "surge" of U.S. troops in Iraq will succeed. But those who believe that human rights should play a central role in international affairs should be doing everything in their power to maximize the chances that it will. For one of the consequences of failure could well be catastrophe.

A precipitous withdrawal of U.S. forces could lead to a bloodbath that would make the current carnage pale by comparison. Without U.S. troops in place to quell some of the violence, Iranian-backed Shiite militias would dramatically increase their attacks on Sunnis; Sunni militias, backed by the Saudis or others, would retaliate in kind, drawing more and more of Iraq into a vicious cycle of violence. If Iraq descended into full-blown civil war, the chaos could trigger similar clashes throughout the region as Sunni-Shiite tensions spill across Iraq's borders. The death toll and the displacement of civilians could climb exponentially.

Perhaps the greatest irony of the political debate over Iraq is that many of Bush's critics, who accused his administration of going blindly to war without considering what would happen once Hussein's regime was toppled, now blindly support a policy of withdrawing from Iraq without considering what might follow.

Sharansky also puts lie to the fallacy that Iraqis are worse off today than under Saddam:

For most people, life under totalitarianism is slavery with no possibility of escape... Of course, Hussein's removal has created a host of difficult strategic challenges, and numerous human rights atrocities have been committed since his ouster. But let us be under no illusion of what life under Hussein was like. He was a mass murderer who tortured children in front of their parents, gassed Kurds, slaughtered Shiites, started two wars with his neighbors and launched Scud missiles into downtown Riyadh and Tel Aviv. The price for the stability that Hussein supposedly brought to the region was mass graves, hundreds of thousands of dead in Iraq, and terrorism and war outside it. Difficult as the challenges are today -- with Iran and Syria trying to stymie democracy in Iraq, with al-Qaeda turning Iraq into the central battleground in its holy war of terrorism against the free world, and with sectarian militias bent on murder and mayhem -- there is still hope that tomorrow may be better.

The Five Songs You're Not Listening to Right Now, But Should Be: Vol. 2 & 3

2007-04-17T00:02:00.000-05:00

These are songs I'm listening to at the moment and can't understand why you're not.

And yes, I'm cheating by doubling up and giving you ten instead of five. Sue me.

2.1 Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives from Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives EP by Voxtrot
2.2 Samson from Begin to Hope by Regina Spektor
2.3 Gin & Milk from Waterloo to Anywhere by Dirty Pretty Things
2.4 First Night from Boys And Girls In America by The Hold Steady
2.5 Three More Days from Till The Sun Turns Black by Ray LaMontagne

3.1 Rehab (Desert Eagle remix) by Amy Winehouse (also, don't miss Ghostface Killah's remix of Winehouse's You Know I'm No Good)
3.2 Gimme Shelter (remix) by Streetlab
3.3 You Know from Loose Mouth by Tigers and Monkeys
3.4 Sway (early version) by Voxtrot
3.5 Crazy by Ray LaMontagne

Technology is fun

2007-02-10T22:54:00.000-05:00

The things you learn how to do when you're sick at home on a Saturday night, like how to embed a youtube playlist into a blog.

Watch my music video playlist, I command thee!

Oh, and the greatest game ever.

Wine

2007-02-10T22:15:00.000-05:00

Wine is good. Owning bottles of it makes me feel good. Drinking it makes me feel better. And with these two sites, I can buy better wine for less.

Wines 'til Sold Out - One wine at a time, heavily discounted, until sold out. Pretty simple. And genius.
RiotWine - A reasonably priced wine club, with interesting and modern picks.

The degeneration of our society

2007-02-10T19:33:00.000-05:00

Really? I mean, what mother-in-law-to-be does this?

Is anyone else creeped out by a woman who's Brazilian-ing her soon to be daughter-in-law so the underage girl can better schtup the woman's son? And the sister of the groom helps? And MTV is airing this? What is going on in the world? How many questions can I ask in one post? Won't someone give me the answers?

The Five Songs You're Not Listening to Right Now, But Should Be: Vol. 1

2007-02-10T14:10:00.000-05:00

These are songs I'm listening to at the moment and can't understand why you're not.

1. Friday Night, from Alright Still, by Lily Allen (youtube, also LDN acoustic live and the LDN video)
2. Amy, from Heartbreaker, by Ryan Adams
3. More Lights, from Demos at Dance Place, by Georgie James (right-click to save the mp3) (They'll be in LA, SF, and the ATL within the next month for those of you there.)
4. When the Sun Goes Down, from Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, by Arctic Monkeys (youtube)
5. The Crane Wife 3, from The Crane Wife, by The Decemberists

Special mention: Not Hopeless, by Nakatomi Plaza (right click on song to save mp3). It's not a great song, but I gotta give a shout out to Nakatomi Plaza for a great name, a good live show, and good songcrafting. I came to see two other bands, and they ended up pale in comparison to Nakatomi Plaza.

For you shoppers out there

2007-02-10T13:24:00.000-05:00

A couple of useful sites for shopping.

The Bargainist - lots of internet sales and discounts
Ugenie - bundles books, movies, and music for the best deals

How useful? How about 20% off the 2nd Gen iPod nanos? Or 40% off video iPods? Check it out.

Best songs of 2006

2006-12-26T01:52:00.000-05:00

Bigger and better, the list returns. Instead of making a simple list of the songs I listened to the most this year or a feeble attempt at a "Best of 2006," I'm going to do a little of both. You're not going to find many Top 40 hits on this list, cause everyone's heard Crazy (which I'm not, wait for it, crazy about) and SexyBack and Promiscuous. Rather, here's a list of "the stuff I listened to in 2006 that I really liked and think that everyone else should check out." Some of it's obscure, some of it's ubiquitous, and some of it's old school. All of it is awesome. Suit up!

Top 20 Songs of 2006

1. Numb - Encore, from Collision Course and Miami Vice, by Jay-Z and Linkin' Park

Superstar collaborations don't often work well, and mashups are often lame back-and-forths, but this track is better than both the original songs and it just plain rocks.

2. How Come, from Trouble and The Devil Wears Prada Soundtrack, by Ray LaMontagne

One of the best new singer-songwriters out there right now, this is LaMontagne at his contemporary blues-folk best. Poignant lyrics, catchy hook, great voice, and evocative guitar.

3. Sinnerman (Felix Da Housecat's Heavenly House Mix), from Miami Vice Soundtrack, by Nina Simone

Hottest track of the year. Nina and the original Sinnerman are hot on their own, but laid over a slick house beat, they sizzle.

4. Tony the Beat, from Dying To Say This To You, by The Sounds

Sexy beat? Check. Sexy lyrics? Check. Sexy hook? Check. Sexy blonde Swedish frontwoman? Check. Blondie meets the Killers? Check. Need I say more? Yes. They're better live. 1000 times better. Oh, and #43 on Rolling Stone's 100 Best Songs of 2006.

5. Come Pick Me Up, from Heartbreaker, by Ryan Adams

I'm a late comer to the Ryan Adams bandwagon. But, after I heard this nearly perfect indie-alt-country breakup ballad, I couldn't be willfully ignorant of Adams any longer.

6. Dope, from I Trust You to Kill Me, by Rocco DeLuca & The Burden

While I really, really like this song…this is almost just a placeholder for the entire album. None of the songs, including this one are super duper great, but they're mostly all really, really good. Heavily blues-infused indie-rock, if it's good enough to get Jack Bauer to manage their 2005 European tour, it's good enough for you to listen to. Plus, he's from Long Beach. So he's got that going for him, which is nice.

7. Close My Eyes, from Live at Stubb's, by Matisyahu

He's the reggae-rapping Hassidic Jew from NYC. What else is there to say? How about, "thanks Lt. Dan." If you've never heard of Matisyahu, you need better friends. If you've never heard of Lt. Dan, you need better friends.

8. Wild Night, from Tupelo Honey, by Van Morrison

Simply a fun, fun song. Just proves that you don't need a hot synth track, the latest hip producer, and pounding bass to get you worked up for a night out on the town. Best played loud.

9. I Will Follow You Into The Dark, from Plans, by Death Cab For Cutie

Morbid yet incredibly touching and sweetly sung lyrics float above a delicate acoustic guitar. In 60 years, I'll be playing this for my wife at her funeral…unless I die first. Dark sentiment? Sure, but this is the most unique love song I can think of.

10. Suddenly I See, from Eye to the Telescope, by KT Tunstall

My favorite pure pop song this year. Absurdly upbeat and infectiously uplifting. Also, no song in the history of film may be more perfectly fitting than this one as the opening track of The Devil Wears Prada.

11. Mad World (Alternative Version), from Donnie Darko Soundtrack, by Michael Andrews

Just a gorgeous, gorgeous (and depressing) song.

12. For Once In My Life, from Greatest Hits, Vol. 2, by Stevie Wonder

The most joyous love song ever? I think it might be. Pretty much the exact opposite of I Will Follow You Into The Dark.

13. Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress), from Remember the Titans Soundtrack, by The Hollies

Old school blues rock kickass-ness. Falls deep into the backbeat and drives relentlessly forward.

14. Open Your Eyes, from Eyes Open, by Snow Patrol

Sure I'm late to the Snow Patrol party, but indie anthems as good as this are worth waiting for.

15. Starts With One, from We Are Pilots, by Shiny Toy Guns

Nothing pithy to say; I just like this track.

16. Lorraine's Song (My Heart Was A Lonely Hunter), from A Love Song For Bobby Long Soundtrack, by Theresa Anderson

Beautiful. Actually makes you want to live a life of drunken impoverishment in New Orleans, it's that good. (See the movie for the music and Scarlett Johansson; ignore Travolta and the rest.)

17. Israelites, from 14 Golden Reggae Hits, by Desmond Dekker

Old school reggae gets the body moving. Bonus points for being the first Jamaican hit in the U.S. and U.K.

18. The Instrumental, from Food and Liquor, by Lupe Fiasco

One of the more interesting and innovative newcomers on the hip hop scene. Kick, Push is his more famous (and better) track, but I just like the driving pace of this song.

19. Portions for Foxes, from Grey's Anatomy Soundtrack, by Rilo Kiley

Lead singer Jenny Lewis has a great pixish voice to go over the rest of the band's lyrical indie pop. The result is a great song that's not remotely cloying or annoying like most indie pop. (No, I don't watch this lame show.)

20. When You're Smiling, by Josh Hedlund

I'll finish up the list with a guy I know you've never heard of. Singer-songwriter from Sandpoint, Idaho (eat at the Point!), all his stuff that I've heard is uniformly excellent. Good lyricist too. As soon as someone slips his demo to Amanda Scheer-Demme, I fully expect you'll hear him during the trailer for the next Zach Braff movie. Just a matter of time. You heard it here first. It's going to be legen…wait for it…dary.

Honorable Mentions (includes overplayed Top 40 hits)

Free Bird, by Lynryd Skynyrd

No, I never heard this song until this spring. Yes, I'm 27. What's it to you? It's a damn great song, even if I just discovered it.

Maneater and Promiscuous, from Loose, by Nelly Furtado

Sure, Nelly sold/slutted out. But who cares when you cut two of 2006's three sexiest dance tracks? (SexyBack is the other one. Yeah, I said it.)

Rock Star (Jason Nevins Remix Edit), from She Wants to Move, by N.E.R.D.

Unstoppable and unrelenting. Whether it is on the dance floor or the treadmill, it gets your body moving. If it doesn't, call the morgue…'cause you're dead.

Hallelujah, from The L Word Soundtrack, by Rufus Wainwright

Better than Jeff Buckley's version. Yeah, I said it.

What You Know, from King, by T.I.

Best mainstream hip-hop track I've heard in a long time. Rolling Stone agrees.

Jackson, from At Folsom Prison, by Johnny Cash

A duet about encouraging each other to be unfaithful? Classic. Dancing on a pony keg? Awesome. Plus, it was two great scenes in Ring of Fire.

So that's my take. (Yes, Dubber, I know no one cares.) There was a ton of other great music I listened to in 2006, but this list is already too long and you're already bored. Now I'm interested in hearing from you. Three of my top 20 this year came from friends, and most of the stuff that just missed was recommended by someone I know. I'm always on the lookout for something new and fresh. What was it that you were listening to this year? Let me know.

P.S. If any of the above are obnoxious Top 40 hits, you'll forgive me cause I don't listen to the radio or watch MTV. I'm cool like that.

P.P.S. I limited myself to one song per artist to stop folks like The Sounds, Rocco DeLuca, Ray LaMontagne, and Ryan Adams from getting too big a head.

P.P.P.S. I really wanted to put a bunch of Dixie Chicks stuff on here - they were easily my most listened to artist this year - but I figured y'all either already know them or hate 'em.

P.P.P.P.S. If anyone has Ray LaMontagne's version of Crazy on mp3, please email it to me. Right away.

P.P.P.P.P.S. I used iTunes links for this because it is easier to preview the music (assuming you have iTunes). But, if you want a better deal, go to allofmp3.com. They got a lot of what iTunes has, including stuff iTunes doesn't, and they have it for 30 cents on the dollar. Better quality files at a third the price? Sign me up.

Yes, you gotta jump through some hoops to get your money to them, but it is worth it. I've used this site for years, and never have I had a problem. iTunes charges you $20 for 2 albums? I can get 7 from Allofmp3 for that price. Plus, they have a 20% bonus for the next three weeks. On a $20 deposit, that's about 15 free tracks.

P.P.P.P.P.P.S. Artists I wish I had room to mention: Wolfmother, Arcade Fire, New Black Eagle Jazz Band, Trombone Shorty, Goldfrapp, Rihanna, Los Lobos, Dropkick Murphys, Dispatch, Queens of the Stone Age, Kanye West, Rachel Yamagata...

P.P.P.P.P.P.P.S. What's up for 2007? Too early to tell, but Honeycut, The Shook Twins, and whatever Lt. Dan recommends next is likely to get a lot of play early on.

In defense of UNITED 93

2006-12-11T22:12:00.000-05:00

DCist slams the DC Film Critics' choice of UNITED 93 as the best movie of the year.

It must be hard out there for a Washington film critic. You've got big-city cinema dreams, but you're stuck in a town where politics is usually the order of the day. The number of people who turn to you as the last word in quality filmmaking is probably frustratingly small considering the size of the media market you're working in. So what are our humble D.C. area film critics to do? Well, as we've noted before, the first step is to get your Best of the Year list out before anyone else has a chance to disagree with you. And the second, we suspect, is to pick a top film that no other critics in their right minds would bestow the honor to. Last year it was Munich, and this year, it's United 93. Really.

I couldn't let that one go, so I had to toss up my own comments.

First off, I gotta agree with the rest of the commenters: UNITED 93 couldn't have been less typical of Hollywood fare. In fact, I can't think of one aspect that was in any way typical.

Second, UNITED 93 a fantastically well made film. The spare writing, the docu-style directing, and the sharp editing draw in the audience without cloyingly manipulating the viewers. Greengrass striped away all sentimentality to reveal the raw emotion and terror of that day. That's all the more impressive since he focuses almost entirely on the men and woman directly involved with the flight rather than the events surrounding it.

Something else worth noting is the film's slowly accelerating pacing. The movie opens slowly, almost lethargically. Yet every minute that passes, the tension increases a little more, like a snowball rolling down a hill. By the film's last minutes, you find yourself hurtling, like a force of nature, to the film's inevitable conclusion at a breakneck speed, powerless to stop it.

Making a movie like UNITED 93 is nearly impossible. There are no larger-than-life heroes or dastardly villains. There is essentially no narrative story (which lies at the heart of nearly every successful American film since A BIRTH OF A NATION). Conventions like character names and music are eschewed. Yet, in the end, Greengrass took the most remembered and dissected day of the last 50 years and managed to make a film about it that is somehow wholly unconventional yet intimately familiar. UNITED 93 might not be a movie many people enjoy, nor is it perfect, but it is certainly a remarkable and singular achievement.

...DCist would appear to be in the minority when it comes to critical kudos for the film. AFI put it in its top 10 for 2006. As mentioned before, NY critics tapped it for best film. LA crix picked Greengrass for best director. UNITED 93 was second in both categories to hometown fave THE DEPARTED among Boston writers. If the early handicapping can be believed, UNITED 93 stands a good shot at being nominated for a Best Pic Oscar. That seems a far cry from the DCist contention that the Washington critics picked "a top film that no other critics in their right minds would bestow the honor to."

I also had to chime in on DCist's pimping of the DEPARTED:

As for THE DEPARTED, I loved it. Even so, it is too flawed to be the best movie of the year. As the nation's best critic, Kenneth Turan, says: "too operatic at times, too in love with violence and macho posturing at others, it's a potboiler dressed up in upscale designer clothes, but oh how that pot does boil." Too indulgent at times.

That said, having not yet seen Whittaker in THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, Leo DiCaprio is my pick for best actor this year.

Best songs of 2005

2006-02-23T21:38:00.000-05:00

I know everyone was just dying to know what tracks were burning up my iTunes and iPod in 2005. Well, here they are.

Top 11 Songs in 2005 (I couldn't quite get it to just 10)

1. Tattoo, from Wanderlust, by Laura Burhenn

Tattoo's the best song I found in 2005. Burhenn's vocals are lush and hypnotizing and her Wurlitzer is rich and full of character. Toss in great songwriting and you have my favorite track of 2005.

2. Ring of Fire, from The Essential Johnny Cash, by Johnny Cash

Ring of Fire is just awesome, especially knowing the song's backstory (which I do, thanks to Amy).

3. Do You Want To, from You Could Have It So Much Better, by Franz Ferdinand

Do You Want To is infectious and if you don't feel yourself starting to groove while listening to it, you probably need to check your pulse to make sure you still have one.

4. Jesus Walks, from The College Dropout, by Kanye West
5. Breathe Me, from Colour the Small One, by Sia

Six Feet Under fans will recognize Breathe Me as the hip/tragic track playing in the show's excellent final montage.

6. The City of Angels, from Sick of It All, by The Distillers

The City of Angels proves two things: 1) most "punk" today is p*ssy sh*t compared to what Brodie Dalle is doing, and 2) guys do not have sole claim on kicking ass.

7. Brothers in Arms, from Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits, by Dire Straits
8. Hallelujah, by Jeff Buckley

Brothers in Arms and Hallelujah are both from very powerful, emotional scenes in The West Wing; if you're a fan of the series you'll probably instantly remember the scenes when you hear the songs.

9. Mr. Brightside, from Hot Fuss, by The Killers

As for this, I was listening to it well before it was overplayed on the radio.

10. Mother, from Danzig, by Danzig
11. Feathers and Down, from Long Gone Before Daylight, by The Cardigans

Honorable Mentions, in no particular order

Comptine D'un Autre Ete - L'après-midi, from the Amelie Soundtrack, by Yann Tiersen

This is simply one of the most beautiful songs on the piano I've ever heard. The whole soundtrack is simply superb.

Hung Up, from Confession on a Dance Floor, by Madonna

As good a dance single that Madonna's ever made.

Folsom Prison Blues, from At Folsom Prison, by Johnny Cash

"I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die..." Nuff said.

Cheers, from LauraLea (EP), by LauraLea

LauraLea is a local singer/songwriter and cover band rock chick with some amazing and versatile pipes. She kicks so much ass that one of her songs and three songs she covers with her band, Tripp Fabulous, have made it on to my 2005 lists (Zombie, Sober, and Mother).

Zombie, from No Need to Argue, by The Cranberries
Sober, from Undertow, by Tool

Zombie and Sober are both welcome throwbacks to my early teen years.

Memory, from Wanderlust, by Laura Burhenn
Vertigo, from How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, by U2
Heart of the City (Ain't No Love), from The Blueprint, by Jay-Z

Top Songs in 2006, so far, in no particular order

New Slang, from Garden State Soundtrack, by The Shins
Don't Let It Bring You Down, from Medusa, by Annie Lennox
Mad World (Alternative Version), from Donnie Darko Soundtrack, by Michael Andrews

Movies and TV seem to greatly influence what I listen to. Fully 5 of my top 11 from 2005 were from soundtracks (the two West Wings songs, the Sia track, Jesus Walks from Jarhead, and Ring of Fire). So far this year I've pulled out the Garden State Soundtrack again, downloaded that Lennox song after hearing it again in American Beauty (it is playing when Spacey and Suvari are about to get it on), and Mad World was in a commerical for Thief (the new FX show starring my man Andre Braugher). The Annie Lennox track is particularly awesome.

Portions for Foxes, from Grey's Anatomy Soundtrack, by Rilo Kiley

Ironically, after talking so much about soundtracks, it turns out I didn't hear Portions for Foxes on TV, but rather I happened to download it randomly and it coincidently was on a soundtrack. A great find, though. Jenny Lewis has a great pixish voice to go over the rest of the band's lyrical indie pop. The result is a great song that's not remotely cloying or annoying like most indie pop.

Little Sister, from Over the Years and Through the Woods, by Queens of the Stone Age
No One Knows, from Over the Years and Through the Woods, by Queens of the Stone Age

These are from a damn good live album, but I really got into the tracks after seeing them performed on the accompanying concert DVD that I saw on JetBlue while flying. QotSA is often hit or miss, unless you're a real big metal fan, but these two are their best mainstream tracks and are infused here with the energy that comes with a great live perf.

Dance, Dance, from From Under the Cork Tree, by Fall Out Boy

Sure, Dance, Dance is probably plastered all over MTV and KROQ right now, and it isn't a special song, but it is damn catchy and bursting with energy.

Holiday, from American Idiot, by Green Day
Get Em High, from The College Dropout, by Kanye West

What songs were you listening to in 2005? What is getting worn out on your iPod this year?

Sometimes it is hard being so smart, part 2

2006-01-16T01:38:00.000-05:00

TigerHawk notes that the nuclear option compromise wasn't the disaster that so many GOPers wailed about back in May, which I might point out was what I said months ago. The Gang of 14 tied the hands of the Dems and two mainstream conservative justices will be appointed to the Supreme Court. You've even got Sen. Feinstein and lefty blogs confused about what to do next.

See, no need for the backlash that would have come from implementing the constitutional option. And, despite the very poor and distasteful showing by the Dems in the Alito hearings, we ended up with MUCH less contentious hearings and public debate over Roberts and Alito than we might have had if not for the Gang of 14.

Now if Sen. Frist would just get back to business instead of letting the Dems' delaying tactics hold up all of the business of the Senate. If Frist continues to wait for Alito to be confirmed before visiting any other legislation, the Senate at this rate might not do anything substantial until February at the earliest.

The chief export of Chuck Norris is pain

2005-12-09T03:26:00.000-05:00

What gets me to come out of retirement, if only ever so briefly? Why...the top 30 facts about Chuck Norris, obviously. (Caution: the following contains foul language and unseen roundhouse kicks of death)

Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried.

Rather than being birthed like a normal child, Chuck Norris instead decided to punch his way out of his mother's womb. Shortly thereafter he grew a beard.

Chuck Norris sold his soul to the devil for his rugged good looks and unparalleled martial arts ability. Shortly after the transaction was finalized, Chuck roundhouse kicked the devil in the face and took his soul back. The devil, who appreciates irony, couldn't stay mad and admitted he should have seen it coming. They now play poker every second Wednesday of the month.

Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.

Chuck Norris once roundhouse kicked someone so hard that his foot broke the speed of light, went back in time, and killed Amelia Earhart while she was flying over the Pacific Ocean.

Chuck Norris is not hung like a horse... horses are hung like Chuck Norris

Chuck Norris built a time machine and went back in time to stop the JFK assassination. As Oswald shot, Chuck met all three bullets with his beard, deflecting them. JFK's head exploded out of sheer amazement.

Chuck Norris's girlfriend once asked him how much wood a woodchuck could chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood. He then shouted, "HOW DARE YOU RHYME IN THE PRESENCE OF CHUCK NORRIS!" and ripped out her throat. Holding his girlfriend's bloody throat in his hand he bellowed, "Don't fuck with Chuck!" Two years and five months later he realized the irony of this statement and laughed so hard that anyone within a hundred mile radius of the blast went deaf.

To prove it isn't that big of a deal to beat cancer. Chuck Norris smoked 15 cartons of cigarettes a day for 2 years and aquired 7 different kinds of cancer only to rid them from his body by flexing for 30 minutes. Beat that, Lance Armstrong.

The chief export of Chuck Norris is pain.

Chuck Norris won 'Jumanji' without ever saying the word. He simply beat the living shit out of everything that was thrown at him, and the game forfeited.

Chuck Norris doesn't read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants.

Chuck Norris is currently suing NBC, claiming Law and Order are trademarked names for his left and right legs.

Chuck Norris was the fourth Wiseman. He brought baby Jesus the gift of "beard". Jesus wore it proudly to his dying day. The other Wisemen, jealous of Jesus' obvious gift favoritism, used their combined influence to have Chuck omitted from the Bible. Shortly after all three died of roundhouse kick related deaths.

If you can see Chuck Norris, he can see you. If you can't see Chuck Norris you may be only seconds away from death.

Chuck Norris lost his virginity before his dad did.

Chuck Norris can make a woman climax by simply pointing at her and saying "booya".

Filming on location for Walker: Texas Ranger, Chuck Norris brought a stillborn baby lamb back to life by giving it a prolonged beard rub. Shortly after the farm animal sprang back to life and a crowd had gathered, Chuck Norris roundhouse kicked the animal, breaking its neck, to remind the crew once more that Chuck giveth, and the good Chuck, he taketh away.

Chuck Norris once ate three 72 oz. steaks in one hour. He spent the first 45 minutes having sex with his waitress.

When Chuck Norris sends in his taxes, he sends blank forms and includes only a picture of himself, crouched and ready to attack. Chuck Norris has not had to pay taxes ever.

Chuck Norris does not have AIDS but he gives it to people anyway.

When Chuck Norris has sex with a man, it is not because he is gay, but because he has run out of women.

After much debate, President Truman decided to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima rather than the alternative of sending Chuck Norris. His reasoning? It was more "humane".

When Chuck Norris plays Oregon Trail his family does not die from cholera or dysentery, but rather roundhouse kicks to the face. He also requires no wagon, since he carries the oxen, axels, and buffalo meat on his back. He always makes it to Oregon before you.

Chuck Norris frequently signs up for beginner karate classes, just so he can "accidentally" beat the shit out of little kids.

Chuck Norris once shot a German plane down with his finger, by yelling, "Bang!"

The original theme song to the Transformers was actually "Chuck Norris--more than meets the eye, Chuck Norris--robot in disguise," and starred Chuck Norris as a Texas Ranger who defended the earth from drug-dealing Decepticons and could turn into a pick-up. This was far too much awesome for a single show, however, so it was divided.

One of the greatest cover-ups of the last century was the fact that Hitler did not commit suicide in his bunker, but was in fact tea-bagged to death by Chuck Norris.

There are no disabled people. Only people who have met Chuck Norris.

Chuck Norris doesn't understand why you should consult your doctor if your erection lasts for more than 4 hours. His erections have been known to last for up to 15 days.

A kind of "oh" feeling...

2005-10-07T18:50:00.000-05:00

Python Tries to Eat Alligator, Explodes

What does this have to do with anything? Could it be an analogy for the rift between GOP party loyalists and party idealists that I outlined in my penultimate post? Maybe, but probably not.

To paraphrase (aka "steal from") Eddie Izzard, that's the end of my blog, and I do like to end things with a kind of "oh" feeling, and I think I've done that quite well. Thank you very much for being here and I hope you've enjoyed it. Yeah...

Time to sign off

2005-10-07T18:40:00.000-05:00

Well, I had hoped for this blog to last at least a year so I wouldn't be lumped in with the masses of blogs that start with a burst of energy and peter out within a year. Sadly, that is precisely what has happened, though not for lack of effort. When I started this site I was a different person with different views in a different city pursuing a different career. Much has changed and today my life doesn't really afford me the time to keep this an interesting and active blog. That much is clear after the last month or so of infrequent and brief posts.

I want to thank all my friends and family who had nice things to say about the website and who were regular visitors. Y'all were my primary audience and I hope you found this site interesting, amusing, and provoking. For everyone else who happened upon this blog via the internet, I hope you enjoyed what you found.

I may update the links to the left from time to time, and the blogroll as well, but this blog should be considered inactive after today. At some point, I'll also update my favorite posts post. While I still may post in the future, it will be infrequently, irregularly, and likely more for my benefit than anything else. I am sort of working on an essay about what I believe in politically and what I want to see from my party and my government. My political philosophy, if you will. If I ever finish it and if it is the sort of thing that can safely be put into the public domain, I'll post it here.

In that vein, I'll leave y'all with some thoughts from Professor Bainbridge. In the wake of the Harriet Miers nomination (regardless if she becomes a decent Justice or not, it was a TERRIBLE political move for the President), the split in the GOP between those who believe in the party and those who believe in what the party stands for has become all the more apparent. As per usual, I agree with the Professor who invokes "what Sir Winston Churchill said when he switched from the Tory Party to the Liberal Party in 1904: 'Some men change their party for the sake of their principles, others their principles for the sake of their party.'"

While the pro-life stance in the following except isn't nearly as important to me, Bainbridge hits things on the nose:

So I'll say it again. I believe in a few basic principles of government: Government should be small, mostly leave people alone, balance its books, and defend life (whether born or not).
* Has government gotten smaller on George Bush's watch? No.
* Has government balanced its books on George Bush's watch? No.
* Are the unborn or those at the end of life better protected on George Bush's watch? Maybe at the margins, but he hasn't effected major legal change.
* Does government leave us alone? No. In the name of the war on terror, government has become more intrusive on our daily lives.
I'll grant you that Bush was better in both 2000 and 2004 than the principal alternatives: John "repeal the first amendment in the name of campaign finance reform/incumbent protection" McCain; Al "scion of privilege reinvented as a fake populist" Gore, and John "I served in Viet Nam" Kerry. But that defense is starting to get a little shopworn.

When I look at the current political situation: A Republican in the White House and GOP majorities in both the Senate and House, I start to feel about Bush the same way Lincoln felt about McClellan:
If McClellan doesn't want to use the army, I'd like to borrow it for a while.

As I leave y'all, know that if the GOP leadership doesn't want to use government, I'm going to do my best to someday borrow it for a while.

Tilt, damnit, tilt

2005-10-07T17:56:00.000-05:00

I so hope that the Dems keep trying to appropriate Republican tactics instead of trying to come up with their own. If the Washington Post keeps burying reports like this on page 7, maybe they will:

Since Kerry's defeat, some Democrats have urged that the party adopt a political strategy more like one pursued by Bush and his senior adviser, Karl Rove -- which emphasized robust turnout of the party base rather than relentless, Clinton-style tending to "swing voters."

But Galston and Kamarck, both of whom served in the Clinton White House, said there are simply not enough left-leaning voters to make this a workable strategy. In one of their more potentially controversial findings, the authors argue that the rising numbers and influence of well-educated, socially liberal voters in the Democratic Party are pulling the party further from most Americans.

On defense and social issues, "liberals espouse views diverging not only from those of other Democrats, but from Americans as a whole. To the extent that liberals now constitute both the largest bloc within the Democratic coalition and the public face of the party, Democratic candidates for national office will be running uphill."

My question is, why was the report on page 7 and not the front page? Is it because WaPo is a liberal rag that is trying not to embarass the party? Is WaPo succumbing to the conservative majority and hiding information that could help the DNC? Or, is it because only political junkies like me are interested in such stories and thus it doesn't warrant the visibility of front page placement. I'm not sure, I'm just glad it is on page 7 and that Howard "I eschew the middle" Dean is the DNC chair.

Another example of irony

2005-09-29T22:35:00.000-05:00

This website goes silent for sixteen days and what happens? The biggest single day of visits to my site. Go figure. I guess people really want to see pictures of Bronson Arroyo being unfaithful.

You know, I don't get the internet sometimes. No, seriously. My internet connection isn't very stable. Plus, I don't understand the internet from time to time.

Damn, that was a terrible joke. I'm going back to sleep...

Shhhh...

2005-09-20T23:13:00.000-05:00

The Q is sleeping. Hopefully he'll awake soon...

Finally!!!

2005-09-12T00:03:00.000-05:00

After nearly 30 weeks in Washington DC, I finally found it. The Holy Grail. Good, cheap sushi. Correction, great sushi that is so cheap I feel like I committed a crime after I leave.

$1 a piece sushi isn't supposed to be edible, let alone good. But at Kotobuki, that's precisely what you get. Damn good, fresh fish for $1 a piece or $1.75 for premium sushi like Toro, Yellowtail, or Scallop. Want a 6 piece spicy scallop roll or salmon and avocado roll? $3 an order. Crazy, insane prices. Practically giving stuff away. Even the uber-crappy strip mall bargain sushi factories can't beat these prices.

Not only are the prices dirt cheap, the fish is superb. The eel was probably the best I've ever had. The yellowtail was to die for. While I'll admit the toro was good but not mind-blowing, at $1.75 a pop, it is cheaper than most mediocre regular tuna orders at other inexpensive places. This was the first time in a long time that I've had salmon and actually craved another piece. The tamago was light and airy and not overly sweet. The slices of fish were very generous and was as fresh as can be. I even tried the sea urchin and didn't gag or spit it out. Quite an accomplishment. (Who eats that stuff?)

Kotobuki is, quite simply, the best sushi joint I've ever been too. They don't do teriyaki. They don't do tempura. They don't do noodles. They don't do crazy rolls. They just do great fish. I've been to sushi bars that are more fun. I've had better sushi before. I've had more creative sushi. But I've never had such quality at such prices. And I've never felt so satisfied after a meal of raw fish.

Thank you Rebecca Walters and DCist for turning me on to Kotobuki. The place is small and really out of the way, but I'm sure I'll be going there every chance I get. I just hope no one reads this post because apparently the recent pub from various DC media has already made it hard to get a seat. With only 24 seats, it doesn't take much to go from a practically unknown local joint to a crowded line-out-the-door hotspot. The place was practically full when I got there tonight when 6 months ago supposedly if there were more than 10 people it was a busy night. On a Sunday night.

Oh, did I mention that they are open on Sundays, unlike many sushi places (like the fancy sushi place downstairs from Kotobuki)? And til 11pm on Friday and Saturday nights? Good, cheap sushi that is open 7 days a week and open late? Finally...a great DC dining experience worth sharing.

For those who keep showing up

2005-09-11T12:00:00.000-05:00

A bunch of obsessed Boston fans keep coming to my site looking for pictures of Bronson Arroyo and some coed from Northeastern. In a sort of reverse Field of Blogs, if they come, he will post it.

Here you go you crazy BoSox bastards. By the way, the Red Sox are the new Yankees, and I mean that in a bad way.