“The senator from Illinois, Barack Obama, is with us today.”
Applause follows.
Such is the greeting received for the junior senator visiting the land of Maine.
That Obama is considered a top contender for the Democratic Party’s 2008 nomination for president rarely needs explaining. I had the unique privilage to see Senator Obama at the Portland Expo Center in Portland, ME on the 25th of September. He wowed the crowd as he spoke with confidence and charm. Obama said that to truly effect change; partisan politics must be stopped and the people must have access once again to the federal government. "You've got young people and old people," he said. "You've got poor folk and not-so-poor folk. You've got blacks, whites, Asians, Native Americans. You've got gay and straight. You've got people with disabilities. You've got Democrats and independents, and, yes, you've even got some Republicans."
He received thunderous applause when he said many came to the afterneen rally because they are fed up with the Constitution being treated as a "nuisance" instead as of the foundation of the country, and with a war "that never should've been authorized and has cost us thousands of lives." Whether it's the poverty exposed by Katrina, the genocide in Darfur, or the role of faith in our politics, Barack Obama continues to speak out on the issues that will define America in the 21st century. That is why he has my vote.
If you want more information, I have posted a video of an exerpt of his speech in the Vlog section and photos of the rally in the Fotoes section. You can also click on the Obama '08 icon on this page to learn more about him.
Radiohead is back and royally f&%$ing the record company!
Okay people! Take a couple deep breaths, count to 10, switch the caps lock off, clean up the triple espresso you just spit all over the computer screen, and check this: that new Radiohead album, In Rainbows? The one that the world knew practically zilch about 24 hours ago? The one that drops digitally (DRM-free, no less!) in nine days, for a price of your own choosing? The one that's also coming out in a deluxe "Discbox" in December? Well, it's also coming out in good, old fashioned CD format early next year.
No word on when exactly or through which label-- if any label at all-- but that's the news thus far from the band's publicist.
So, let's sort this whole mess out, shall we? You will eventually have three ways to pick up the seventh Radiohead LP, the Nigel Godrich-produced In Rainbows. It all depends how much you want to pay, which goodies you'd like, and how soon you want the tunes. Observe:
1. As a DRM-free mp3 download, beginning October 10 (and available for preorder now), via www.inrainbows.com (interestingly enough, last week's RickRoll, www.radioheadlp7.com, now directs here as well). This version contains the 10 tracks that comprise In Rainbows, and you can pay whatever the hell you want for it. This is basically the band leaking the album and asking you for a donation to access it.
2. As part of a deluxe "Discbox", available for preorder now and shipping in December. In addition to the 10-track In Rainbows on CD, you also get the release on LP and as a digital download, plus an enhanced bonus CD packed with eight more tracks, photos, and artwork (and an LP of the bonus tracks), plus art and lyrics booklets and some nifty looking packaging. This thing costs £40.00/$81.00.
3. As a traditional CD, available in early 2008. This will presumably cost as much as traditional CDs tend to cost.
What Radiohead's doing here is actually pretty cool. Rather than preface their new album's release with the usual three months of press ballyhoo, only to have it leak at some random time before it comes out, they've kept it completely under wraps, then essentially gone and leaked it themselves. What's more, they've turned this into a moral question of sorts, by giving us the freedom to pay actual money for what amounts to an album leak.
Only a band in Radiohead's position could pull a trick like this. Well played, gentlemen.
Download: Radiohead - "No Surprises" from the album Okay Computer
Minus The Bear Is The Best Band You Haven't Heard Yet!
Minus the Bear's brightly appealing indie-pop may be dispensed with remarkable technical prowess — complete with precise guitar work and complex time changes — but it also benefits from the band's sweetly personal lyrics and flair for writing power-pop hooks...Planet of Ice, maintains an organic quality that allows the songs' innate catchiness to shine through.
Katie and I will be visiting the Middle East Club in Cambridge, MA to see our friend, Minus the Bear perform with Subtle and ELA. I hope you all can join us.
Download: Minus the Bear - Throwin' Shapes from the album Planet of Ice
Download: ELA - Checks Getting Cashed from the album Red Blood on Fake Trees
Whew. This is a long one. I've been busy for the past few days but I'll be posting again by the end of the week. Hope you enjoyed this one!
