Album of the Year
Sections: Music Reviews Dec 30th, 2007 No Comments
2007 was a great year for music but one album stood out to me as 2007’s best:
Archive for December 2007
Album Art of the Year
Sections: Music Reviews Dec 30th, 2007 No Comments
BTW the album as a whole is excellent with one stand-out track that could have easily been song of the year.
Dude (extended version)
Sections: Advertising Dec 17th, 2007 1 Comment
Best beer commercial since Errol Morris’ High Life spots.
BMW 1 Series Configurator is Live
Sections: Auto Dec 16th, 2007 9 Comments
For the life of me I can’t build a 1 Series with the limited options I want under $40k. Here’s my 135i with the handful of options I’d call essential:
- Alpine White - BMW’s traditional racing color and it looks great on the 135i.
- Sport Package - worth it for the seats but the shadow line trim is a must have as well.
- Silver interior trim - tough choice as the piano black would work well also.
- Red Leather interior - Few combinations nicer than red leather on alpine white. It’s a bit of color inside what could be called a conservative exterior choice.
- Navigation - a must have in modern BMWs
- BMW Assist - the only way to get Bluetooth as a standalone option
- iPod adapter - another must have
- Heated front seats - it’s 19 degrees this morning in Chicago. That’s a good reason in my book.
[ Gabe's 135i ] PDF
You can check it out yourself here: BMWUSA.com
What Not to Do While Driving in a Severe Snow Storm
Sections: Auto Safety Dec 16th, 2007 4 Comments
Based on a three hour drive from South Bend to Chicago in a recent severe winter storm:
- Talk on a cell phone
- Pass on the shoulder
- Think your SUV can stop as well as it can go
- Run red lights
- Cut people off
Led Zeppelin Reunites to Positive Reviews
Sections: Music Dec 11th, 2007 No Comments
From the New York Times:
At the O2 arena here on Monday night, in its first full concert since 1980 — without John Bonham, who died that year, but with Bonham’s son Jason as a natural substitute — the band found much of its old power in tempos that were more graceful than those on the old live recordings. The speed of the songs ran closer to those on the group’s old studio records, or slower yet. “Good Times Bad Times,” “Misty Mountain Hop,” and “Whole Lotta Love” were confident, easy cruises; “Dazed and Confused” was a glorious doom-crawl.
…The excitement in the hall felt extreme, and genuine; the crowd roars between encores were ravenous.
[ Led Zeppelin Finds Its Old Power ] New York Times
Fall Music Reviews
Sections: Music Reviews Dec 9th, 2007 1 Comment
My apologies for this list being so long and not having done it sooner. Work has unfortunately been running my life lately. Luckily I can still listen to music.
Heavy Trash / Get Way Out with Heavy Trash / 4.0
MIA / Kala / 3.0
Eagles of Death Metal / Death by Sexy / 3.0
Ambulance Ltd / LP / 4.0
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club / Baby 81 / 3.0
Cold War Kids / Robbers & Cowards / 3.5
The Dandy Warhols / Odditorium / 3.5
Neil Young & Crazy Horse / Live at the Fillmore East / 4.0
Yeasayer / All Hour Cymbals 3.5
Animal Collective / Strawberry Jam / 3.75
Band of Horses / Cease to Begin / 3.25
Beck / Timebomb (single) / 4.5
Black Devil Disco Club / 28 After / 3.0
Calvin Harris / I Created Disco / 3.75
Caribou / Andorra / 4.0
LCD Soundsystem / A Bunch of Stuff EP / 4.0
LCD Soundsystem / 45:33 (release) / 4.75
New Young Pony Club / New Young Pony Club / 3.5
Radiohead / In Rainbows / 4.25Shocking Pinks / Shocking Pinks / 4.25
A Sunny Day in Glasgow / Scribble Mural Comic Journal / 4.0
The Tough Alliance / A New Chance / 3.5
VHS or Beta / Burning On the Comets / 2.5
White Williams / Smoke / 4.5
5 - classic / 4 - excellent / 3 - good / 2 - mediocre / 1 - not worth rating
When Chicago Potholes Attack
Sections: Auto Dec 3rd, 2007 5 Comments
People ask me what I mean when I say Chicago roads are like a 3rd world country. This says it all…
Three people were injured and at least 20 vehicles were damaged after hitting at least one pothole this morning on a stretch of North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago officials said.[ On Lake Shore Drive, a pothole mess ] Chicago Tribune
