You don't need a half-wit music critic to tell you it's been a remarkable year for America, one historians will be discussing and researching for centuries to come. War, financial collapse, politics, technology: All have been dinner-table topics for many Americans. Racial barriers in 2008 were demolished by a Midwestern black man, and gender barriers were hurdled by an Arkansan and an Alaskan.Democracy has a few awesome new dance moves rolling into the Obama presidency, and it'll be a feast for
via pitbullmusic.comPitbull to Kanye: Ai-yai-yai!​It's high time we gave some link love to the other local music blogs out there. Look out for a weekly roundup here on Wednesdays. Know of another site we should add to our blog roll? (It's on the right, scroll down). E-mail me and let me know. Here are some posts worth a few minutes of your precious cubicle time. *Dro at The305 posted a video of Pitbull (walking with Jim Jonsin) weighing in on the Kanye VMA debacle. My favorite part is at
via Flickr User whittlz​Queen Latifah, star of the mid-'90s Fox show Living Single, a.k.a. the greatest sitcom ever, is coming to Fillmore Miami Beach on November 17. Unfortunately, she's not taking Synclaire, Maxine, Regina, and Overton with her to do live Living Single theater. No, instead she'll be banking on her musical talent to entertain the crowd during "The Persona Tour." Persona is Latifah's first album in six years, and it's getting mixed to positive reviews. Tickets are available no
via Flickr user whoSHOTyah?​Like hip-hop and country music? You're in luck with today's concert announcements then. The New Boyz, creators of what might be the most annoying chorus in the history of music "You're a Jerk" have been tapped to open for Chris Brown. The show takes place on November 29 at Revolution Live. Tickets are $30 and are available now through Ticketmaster.Hit the jump to hear the infamous chorus.
​Take a look at the biographical blurb and accompanying author photo on the back cover of David Hajdu's latest book, Heroes and Villains, and you'll discover that not only is Hadju a professor, but he looks like one. Smiling wryly behind frameless spectacles, the 54-year-old prof (and music critic for the New Republic) folds his arms across the front of his grey, long-sleeve, button-down sportshirt while his short, neat coif blows in the wind.
Yes, Hadju looks like an unassuming, mild-m
Poet Gabrielle Calvocoressi​Born in Central Connecticut, poet Gabrielle Calvocoressi now lives in Los Angeles and teaches. Her accolades are numerous--Stegner Fellowship, Jones Lecturer, Rona Jaffe Women Writer's Award, Bernard F. Conners Prize, Connecticut Book Award--but even they don't prepare a reader for the richness inside her debut The Last Time I Saw Amelia Earhart (2005) and her newest collection, Apocalyptic Swing (2009), both from Persea Books.
My interview with her on October 30 w
