READ/LISTEN/WATCH/RENT

READ: Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby

Nick Hornby is one of my top 5, all time, favorite authors. His latest book, "Juliet, Naked" is one of his best. His book before this, "Slam", was good but seemed almost like a YA novel. Juliet, seems to take the tone of How to be Good and A Long Way Down. The story is told by 3 people, Annie, Duncan and Tucker. Annie and Duncan are a couple living in sea-side England. They are trapped in a small nothing town and only have each other and the music of a reclusive 80's rockstar to comfort them. Tucker, is that rock star, living in rural Pennsylvania with his 5th wife and young son Jackson. Tucker is Bob Dylan meets JR Salinger. The story begins as Annie finds her self in contact with the recluse, unbeknownst to her partner (and number one Tucker Crowe fan) Duncan. This book is great, I can't say to much more without giving the story away. But read it, I am sure you'll like it.

LISTEN: Belle and Sebastian

Belle and Sebastian is (like Hornby was with authors), one of my top 5 favorite bands of all time. In fact, if it wasn't for Nick Hornby I wouldn't know who B&S were. In the film High Fidelity, based on Hornby's great novel, there is a scene where Jack Black walks into the record store and says "What the Fuck is this?" and John Cusack says "It's the new Belle and Sebastian". That's when Black's character Barry pops in his mix tape and you hear "Walking on Sunshine." I loved the name, "Belle and Sebastian". I was 17 and living in the apartment in my parents garage and I logged on to IMESH and downloaded as much as I could find. The first song I listened to is what I know consider my favorite song of all time, "The Boy with the Arab Strap". Ever since, I have been hooked. Also, the fact that they are from Glasgow, Scotland clinched a spot for them in my heart. I love every song. Their newest album, "Write About Love" is perfect, and was on my list for best albums of 2010. Below will be the video for "The Boy with the Arab Strap". Enjoy.

WATCH: The Walking Dead

I do not like horror movies. I also don't really like zombie movies. The only two zombie movies I have really got into were Zombieland and 28 Days Later. If you like the latter, then you will love The Walking Dead, AMC's newest amazing television show. I almost did this on Mad Men, which I have just started watching and really enjoy, but The Walking Dead is more exciting to me. It follows a small town sherriff who wakes up from a gunshot wound to find that a Zombie Apocoplyse has happened. He doesn't know if his family is a live or dead, and has no real answers as to what is going on. It is only 3 episodes in, so start watching it now, you'll dig it. It's based on a popular graphic novel that I had never heard of, but still, it's great. I like how some shows on television now have better acting and directing then most hollywood movies.


RENT: Scott Pilgrim vs the World

This movie is wonderful. I didn't watch it in the theater because when it came out I had just scene Youth In Revolt and really liked it, so I thought that this wouldn't be able to stand up against it. After seeing both, I think I like Scott Pilgrim better. It's a fun movie, with a lot going on, and some really funny actors. I love me some George-Michael Bluth, so I should never have doubted him. And with the man behind Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz behind the camera, it really is a win/win situation. One of my favorite people in this movie was Kieran Culkin, who hadn't done a movie since back in 2002 (the year of The Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys and Igby Goes Down) who stole a lot of scenes as Gay Wallace. This came out last Tuesday so go find it.

My Favorite Albums of 2010

A year ago today I posted a list of "my 100 favorite albums of the decade".

Now, a year later, I give you my list for 2010.
(The links go to youtube videos so you can hear songs from each album.)

My favorite albums of 2010:

The Gaslight Anthem - American Slang

Click to hear "Diamond Church Street Choir"
Click to hear "Lucky"

The Hold Steady - Heaven is Whenever

Click to hear "We Can Get Together"
Click to hear "Hurricane J"

The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt

Click to hear "You're Going Back"
Click to hear "The King of Spain"

The Tallest Man on Earth - Sometimes the Blues is Just a Passing Bird EP

Click to hear "Tangle in this Trampled Wheat"
Click to hear "The Dreamer"

Titus Andronius - The Moniter

Click to hear "A More Perfect Union"
Click to hear "Four Score and Seven"

Belle and Sebastian - Write About Love

Click to hear "Write about Love"

She & Him - Volume 2

Click to hear "In the Sun"
Click to hear "Ridin' in My Car"

Phosphorescent - Here's To Taking it Easy

Click to hear "It's Hard to be Humble (When You're from Alabama)"
Click to hear "The Mermaid Parade"

Band of Horses - Infinite Arms

Click to hear "Older"
Click to hear "Compliments"

album of the year:
Frontier Ruckus - Deadmalls and Nightfalls

Click to hear "Nerves of the Nightmind"
Click to hear "Silverfishes"
Click to hear "Pontiac, The Nightbrink"
Click to hear "I Do Need Saving"

honorable mention:
Tim Kasher - The Game of Monogamy

Click to hear "Cold Love"

READ/LISTEN/WATCH/RENT

READ: When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris

This is my favorite of Sedaris' novels. I read it for the first time recently and loved every story. Much like "Naked" and "Corduroy" it delves into his crazy upbringing, but really is more related to stories of him in his mid to late 20's and beyond. I really loved his story "Road Trips" which has some graphic imagery of what can happen when you hitchhike in the late 80's. If you haven't read any of Sedaris, pick up any of his books and you'll enjoy. Like Augusten Burroughs, he writes great short stories that some how fold together in a non-linear way.

LISTEN: Childish Gambino

I am not a fan of the rap music. I never got into it. It doesn't speak to me. But, Childish Gambino, aka Donald Glover (Troy from Community, and from Derrick Comedy) is wonderful. He takes an indy rock approach, and even though he is an established comedy writer (wrote for 30 Rock for 3 seasons when he was 25) it isn't comedy rap. Think Atmosphere not Lonely Island. My favorite part is he writes about shit I know. He drops lines about Aubrey Plaza, Tina Fey and Dunder Mifflin. He does have some of the normal boistours rapper characteristics, but you can tell the tounge in cheek mixed with honest rap skills in every line. This guy is like Midas, everything he does is golden. And he doesn't even charge for his music. He is a comedian, actor and writer by trade who raps on the side. Enjoy folks.


WATCH: Bored to Death

Bored to Death is exactly what you want it to be. It's like Monk written by the guys from Arrested Development. When the cast is Jason Shwartzmen, Zach Galifanakis and Ted Danson, how could you honestly go wrong? The story is Jonathan Ames (Rushmore) is a depressed writer who takes Private Investigator jobs off Craigslist in his spare time, while sharing time between politician father figure/man-child George (Sam Malone) and comic book artist Ray (He who sits betweenith two ferns). The stories are nothing special (Jonathan finds a skateboard, looses a screenplay) but they are executed perfectly. And with only like 10 episodes per season, they really focus on quality. I have season 1, and can't wait to start season 2 and hopefully it will get a season 3. Great television.


RENT: The Vicious Kind

Adam Scott showed up on my radar earlier this year in Party Down. Then he went to Parks and Rec, and so I started to investigate him. Not only did I realize he was on Boy Meets World, but he also was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Actor last year for this movie, The Vicious Kind. Now, I had this movie in my netflix cue for months, just because I liked the synopsis, so I finally watched it, and I was blown away. It was like The Machinist meets Little Miss Sunshine. Very dark, and awkward at times, but still with heart. Brittany Snow, who I only knew as a teeny bopper, was great (And hot) and Adam Scott really was perfect. I hope that just because he is popping as a comedic actor now, that he doesn't abandon dramatic rolls, because this was one of those rare perfect movies to me. Like Garden State or Royal Tennanbaums, where as soon as it was over, I watched it again. It is for free to watch on netflix so check it out.

The 50 States of Beer - Massachusetts

Massachusetts

Boston Beer Company - Boston, MA
Best Beer:

Sam Adam's Cherry Wheat

This is my favorite time of year for beer. October. Now, you may think it's because of all the wonderful Octoberfest beers that come out around this time. But if you wanna know the truth, I am not the biggest fan of Octoberfest beers.

But, one of my top 5 favorite beers of all time does happen to come out in the fall and it is this Sam Adam's Cherry Wheat. Yum fucking Yum.

The first time I tasted this delicious brew was at (yep, you guessed it) the Old Chicago in Ames. Now, my beer life can be broken up into three categories (so far):

Golden Age / 2003-2007
From when I started to drink beer up until Cassada, Alister and Schenck left Ames.

Silver Age / 2007-2009
From when they left Ames, until Nick told me about homebrewing.

Bronze Age / 2009-Current
From when I started brewing my own beer until now.

Cherry Wheat came into the picture at the dawn of my Silver Age. I had it on the Octoberfest minitour 2007 and fell in love. I can't think of a beer on tap I'd take over Cherry Wheat.

I tried to make my own Cherry Wheat last Christmas, which turned into "St. Patrick's We Wish You A Cherry Christmas". It didn't taste a thing like Sam Adam's Cherry, but it was great and I wish I could recreate it. But it in it's absence, I'll settle for the Boston Brewers version.


For more information on Boston Beer Company, go here.
And visit the official Boston Beer Company website here.

Up Next: Kansas

Read/Listen/Watch/Rent

READ: Bluebeard by Kurt Vonnegut

Bluebeard is one of my favorite all time books. The story of avant garde artist Rabo Karabekian in his twilight years, reflecting on his life. Much like all of Vonnegut's books, this is an extremely dark yet very funny book. Rabo, going through his highs and lows and recalling his triumphs and insecurities, is great. It reads like an autobiography, I feel like it's all true. The final art project revealed towards the end of the novel (and Rabo's life) is the most beautiful part of writing I've ever read. Find this and read it.

LISTEN: The Mountain Goats

"It was song number 3, on John's last cd. Gonna make it through this year, if it kills me. And it almost killed me". That's a line from this song by The Hold Steady, which was on the Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie soundtrack. The first time I heard it, I thought "who the fuck is John?" Well, I went to the old interweb and found out John is John Darnielle, founding member of The Mountain Goats. Before I even listened to his music, I was surprised to find that he had spent sometime living in Ames, Iowa. What are the odds? The first song I looked up, obviously, was Song number 3, on his most recent release. The track titled "This Year". Such a voice and great song, and not at all like The Hold Steady. The songs are so dark and full. Like Daniel Johnston with better recording equipment. Click here to see the song "No Children", which played over the end of Morel Orel (another Adult Swim nod, see how I tie this shit together) and as my friend Aaron pointed out one night, this is one of the most heartbreaking scenes of any tv show. Below, is the video for "This Year" which was my anthem for 2009.


WATCH: Eastbound and Down

Kenny Fuckin' Powers. That is all you really need to know. Or more approraiatly, Danny Fuckin' McBride. He makes this show, and makes me laugh more than anyone else right now. It started with The Foot Fist Way, and then Pineapple Express and Tropic Thunder, and now with Eastbound and Down, as a former MLB hothead who gets in his own way. This show is wonderful. Follow K Fuckin' P on twitter here, and you'll find it's worthy of being a "READ" section on my blog. Below is a compilation of The Best of Kenny Powers. You're fuckin' out, I'm fuckin' in.


RENT: The Messenger

This movie came out last year, and I would say that it should have been nominated for best picture. This and The Hurt Locker go hand in hand, where as The Hurt Locker takes you just to the edge and then pulls back, this movie is after you've already fallen. It's the story of 2 soldiers whose job is to notify families when there family members have been killed in action. It is heartbreaking. Like The Hurt Locker, this doesn't politicize the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, it just presents the reality of it. Woody Harrelson got an oscar nomination for this, and I think that Ben "Tucker James" Foster should have also. When I finished watching this movie it made me feel very erie about the way of the world, and made me think about the soldiers overseas. What a world.

Two New Brews for Fall...

In October I'll have 2 new brews on tap here at 1808.

FIRST:

St. Patrick's Vanilla Cream Ale, which hopefully will turn out similar to Raccoon River's Vanilla Cream Ale.

SECOND:

St. Patrick's Apartment Three Nut Brown, this is my first foray into nut browns, and I am hoping it turns out similar to Empyrean's Third Stone Brown.

Hopefully it will be a very tasty fall!

The 50 States of Beer - Indiana

Indiana

Three Floyds Brewing - Munster, IN
Best Beer:

Robert the Bruce

The first time I had Robert the Bruce was in Chicago a few years ago at a pizzeria. I really like it. I wish they would distribute to Iowa, because it seems like a waste to have such a good brewery so close and yet so far.

In the fall I start to get thirsty for red, scottish ales and nut browns, so hopefully I can find a lesser scottish ale that is comparable.

For more information on Three Floyds Brewing, go here.
And visit the official Three Floyds Brewing website here.

Up Next: Massachusetts