By Robert Kahne, RP Staff, on Fri Jan 13, 2012 at 12:30 PM ET I haven’t done one of these in a long while, and it’s pretty close to the new year, so here are some songs from 2011 which I think are great and which were not plastered all over commercial radio. So, if they are new to you and you like them, you ought to check out the artist.
[Iron and Wine – Monkey’s Uptown] This song was very close to being my favorite album of the whole year. I have never really dug Iron and Wine, but this album opens up his sound more than any of his previous stuff. You should check it out.
[The Black Keys – Lonely Boy] Are The Black Keys on commercial radio? Part of me thinks they are. This band has been around forever, but their last album was a huge smash hit, so this might be a song you’ve already heard, which doesn’t really jibe with the theme of this post. I’m sorry. It’s a good song anyway, and you should listen to it. The video is great too, as a bonus.
[Quarter Chicken Dark from the Goat Rodeo Sessions] This album was engineered for me to love it. Chris Thile, who fronted one of my all time favorite bands (Nickel Creek), gets together with Yo Yo Ma and Stuart Duncan to record some epic folk music. Its a gem.
[Paul Simon – So Beautiful Or So What] Did you know Paul Simon came out with an album this year? If you didn’t, you are now. There is no excuse for not listening to this whole album at least twice. He’s one of the greatest song writers of all time. OF ALL TIME.
[Gary Clark Jr. – Bright Lights] I started listening to The Black Keys back in 2005, when their 3rd album Rubber Factory was released. I loved that album, but wondered 1) why had I never heard of these guys before? and 2) Why wasn’t this album more popular that it was? Then, a couple of albums later, Brothers was a huge hit. Gary Clark Jr. is a bit like that. He’s a phenomenal musician. His sound is great, and it seems like this guy would be getting more spins on commercial stations. I figure when he comes out with a full length album (his release this year was just an EP), it will be huge. Maybe. Hopefully.
If you think these songs are good and think I might know what I am talking about when it comes to music, I made a list of the top 20 albums of 2011. You can read it here.
By Zack Adams, RP Staff, on Fri Jan 13, 2012 at 9:15 AM ET The coaching carousel is spinning and spinning and the biggest name on the market is former Titans head coach Jeff Fisher. The St. Louis Rams and the Miami Dolphins are reported to be the leading candidates. Many have been anticipating for days now which one Fisher will choose, however, Fisher insists neither team has offered him. [ESPN]
By Zack Adams, RP Staff, on Thu Jan 12, 2012 at 3:00 PM ET
You may remember several news stories coming out a while back regarding Foxconn, a manufacturer in China that makes primarily Apple products and Xbox 360s. They are back in the news as a group of workers recently threatened mass suicide. [The Atlantic]
Here is an update on the German hacker space program that would bring us uncensored Internet from space. [PopSci]
Twitter has been ordered by the US DoJ to hand over the account information of people thought to have connections to controversial whistle-blower Wikileaks. [Mashable]
A leaked internal memo has suggested that RIM, Nokia, and Apple provide governments backdoor access to their devices. [Slashdot]
Google, Facebook, and Twitter could be in talks to coordinate a blackout in opposition of SOPA. [TIME]
Finally, a super-cool story about a girl that snuck into a Russian military rocket facility. Check out the pictures she took, they really are amazing. [Gizmodo]
By Grant Smith, RP Staff, on Thu Jan 12, 2012 at 1:30 PM ET
The Iranian President decides to take a little trip to Cuba. [Haaretz]
Mitt Romney moves ahead in the polls and starts to take on the welfare state. [CNBC]
A humorous analysis of Ron Paul’s New Hampshire Republican primary victory speech. [The New York Times]
By Zack Adams, RP Staff, on Wed Jan 11, 2012 at 3:00 PM ET
There is one presidential candidate we have not talked about enough up to this point: Vermin Supreme. [YouTube]
In today’s WWG we bring you more hilarious pranks! [.gif]
Free Shrugs. Love that kid. [picture]
This has got to be one of the best Twitter accounts out there. [Twitter]
Hitler’s mom – Michael Cera. Just saying. [picture]
By Stephanie Doctrow, RP Staff, on Wed Jan 11, 2012 at 1:30 PM ET Take a deep breath. A new study shows that stress actually shrinks the parts of the brain dealing with metabolism and emotions. [Time]
In the United States, the average binge drinker takes in eight drinks at a time. [Wall Street Journal]
Instead of concentrating on social media’s negative effects, more doctors are using the Web to interact with teens. [NY Times]
Newsweek provides tips from experts on how to get a bigger brain. Hint: sleep has a lot to do with it! [Newsweek]
New research in Sweden reveals an alternative pain management system for premature babies, who are often too small for traditional painkillers: sugar water, and the human touch. [NPR]
By Grant Smith, RP Staff, on Wed Jan 11, 2012 at 10:00 AM ET
Complete coverage of CES (consumer electronics show) 2012. [Engadget]
Just what we’ve all been waiting for: a new version of Dungeons and Dragons is being released! [The New York Times]
Google is now getting personal, and will begin to search your “world.” [The L.A. Times]
Twitter to Google: you just broke the internet! [CNet.com]
By Robert Kahne, RP Staff, on Wed Jan 11, 2012 at 9:30 AM ET New Hampshire voted yesterday. Many of the pundits (including the ones on this site) did well predicting the top of the polls, but really sucked when it came to figuring out what would happen at the bottom. No one on this site predicted correctly that Newt Gingrich would defeat Rick Santorum for 4th place (although he did only win by 213 votes). For my money, the most important race last night was the one for 4th–and with Newt winning, that sets up an epic battle between Rick “Who’s in your bedroom” Santorum and Newt “Not My Wife” Gingrich for all the palmettos (and maybe a delegate or two) in South Carolina. Also, whoever win the battle between those two will likely be the person whom the media decides is the person who ACTUALLY lost to Mitt Romney. Should be one for the ages, folks.
Full election results here.
By Zack Adams, RP Staff, on Tue Jan 10, 2012 at 3:00 PM ET
The NFL playoffs are underway and we have already seen some fantastic matchups. So far the Saints out-offensed the Lions, the Texans just looked like the better team against the young Bengals, the Giants pounded the Falcons, and the Broncos stunned the injured Steelers. Here is your updated playoff schedule. [Fox Sports]
Peter King does his weekly breakdown thang in the MMQB column. You don’t want to miss these. [Sports Illustrated]
The Giants might have the best front 7 in football. They certainly were dominant against the Falcons. [Yahoo! Sports]
The Broncos defied conventional wisdom to defeat the favored Steelers on the first play of OT. [CBS Sports]
The Tampa Bay Bucs are reported to be in talks with Marty Schottenheimer regarding their vacant head coaching position. A bizarre choice if you ask me as they would be going from one of the youngest coaches in the league: Raheem Morris, 35, to one of the oldest in Schottenheimer, 68. But there you have it. [ESPN]
15 reasons why both Alabama and LSU will win the national championship tonight. [ESPN]
An Alabama-LSU preview from the men at Football Outsiders using their innovative statistics. [Football Outsiders]
By Stephanie Doctrow, RP Staff, on Tue Jan 10, 2012 at 1:30 PM ET Fill yourself in on a possibly pivotal First Amendment case, FCC vs. Fox Television Stations, before it goes before the Supreme Court on Tuesday! [Supreme Court of the U.S.]
Six-year-old Ryan models for Target and Nordstrom catalogues… and has Downs Syndrome. The retailers are receiving positive reactions for their choice of model, and for not making a big deal out of the casting choice. [Time]
The newest Facebook app will allow you to post a posthumous farewell when you die. Macabre much? [Adweek]
In the age of social media and mass culture, how do we break out of the cycle and find our own interests? [NY Magazine]
Starting in 2013, documentaries will have to be reviewed by the NY Times or the LA Times to be considered for Academy Award nominations. [Poynter Institute]
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