Well, yet again, it's been nearly a week with no postage. I've no real excuses this time, except perhaps Burnout Paradise on the 360; that, and I am notoriously lazy. Sunday Lunch with Isho Pt. 2 will be coming very soon but it's taken a bit longer than expected. Kit must have been cooking it. Anyway, I'm going to dedicate this post to three wonderful ways to waste your time...
1. The Wire - Quite simply the best TV series ever made.I'll let this description I lifted straight from TV.com break it down for you:
In chronicling a multi-generational family business dealing illegal drugs and the efforts of the Baltimore police to curb their trade, this series draws parallels between these organizations and the men and women on either side of the battle. The words of Gary W. Potter, Professor of Criminal Justice and Police Studies at Eastern Kentucky University, in writing about the savings and loan scandals of the 1980s, can also be used to illuminate some of the central premises of the show:
"There is precious little difference between those people who society designates as respectable and law abiding and those people society castigates as hoodlums and thugs. The world of corporate finance and corporate capital is as criminogenic and probably more criminogenic than any poverty-wracked slum neighborhood. The distinctions drawn between business, politics, and organized crime are at best artificial and in reality irrelevant. Rather than being dysfunctions, corporate crime, white-collar crime, organized crime, and political corruption are mainstays of American political-economic life."
In New York's Newsday, Diane Werts says: "Most TV crime series aspire to John Grisham's level. 'The Wire' aspires to Dostoevsky's."
Season One centers around a family of drug dealers and the innerworkings of their empire. It also follows the detectives who are trying to catch the high members of the empire.
Season Two steps away from the drug trade (while still mentioning characters from the previous season) to a case of dead prostitutes which turns into a look at the corruption surrounding the Port.
Season Three investigates politics and finishes the main stories that were left open in season one.
Season Four focuses on four middle school students and their journeys through the public school system and continues to address the politics of an inner-city and the issues of an election.
Season Five is about the media's role in Baltimore.
With a healthy balance of characters and plot driving the show, The Wire shouldn't be left on in the background. It demands and deserves your full attention. The music throughout isn't all that prominent, but it's damn good. There are two soundtracks out now, both released at the beginning of the year:
In chronicling a multi-generational family business dealing illegal drugs and the efforts of the Baltimore police to curb their trade, this series draws parallels between these organizations and the men and women on either side of the battle. The words of Gary W. Potter, Professor of Criminal Justice and Police Studies at Eastern Kentucky University, in writing about the savings and loan scandals of the 1980s, can also be used to illuminate some of the central premises of the show:
"There is precious little difference between those people who society designates as respectable and law abiding and those people society castigates as hoodlums and thugs. The world of corporate finance and corporate capital is as criminogenic and probably more criminogenic than any poverty-wracked slum neighborhood. The distinctions drawn between business, politics, and organized crime are at best artificial and in reality irrelevant. Rather than being dysfunctions, corporate crime, white-collar crime, organized crime, and political corruption are mainstays of American political-economic life."
In New York's Newsday, Diane Werts says: "Most TV crime series aspire to John Grisham's level. 'The Wire' aspires to Dostoevsky's."
Season One centers around a family of drug dealers and the innerworkings of their empire. It also follows the detectives who are trying to catch the high members of the empire.
Season Two steps away from the drug trade (while still mentioning characters from the previous season) to a case of dead prostitutes which turns into a look at the corruption surrounding the Port.
Season Three investigates politics and finishes the main stories that were left open in season one.
Season Four focuses on four middle school students and their journeys through the public school system and continues to address the politics of an inner-city and the issues of an election.
Season Five is about the media's role in Baltimore.
With a healthy balance of characters and plot driving the show, The Wire shouldn't be left on in the background. It demands and deserves your full attention. The music throughout isn't all that prominent, but it's damn good. There are two soundtracks out now, both released at the beginning of the year:
"...And All The Pieces Matter: Five Years of Music From The Wire" features 35 tracks spanning the five seasons, including every important piece of music from the series, as well as dialogue from choice moments.
The second one comprises of 11 B-more club tracks featured in the series. I haven't managed to get myself a copy of either yet, but I do fancy picking up the first one for the 60 page booklet. Because I'm a nerd like that.
2. Taiko No Tatsujin - Crazy Japanese Nintendo DS Drum GameIt's like Guitar Hero but way simpler and very Japanese. Just hit the drum in the centre of the touch screen in time with the symbols moving along the top screen. If you're feeling tech, you can go nuts with double stylus action. There's no Slayer but there's plenty of J-pop, anime music, western classical music, traditional Japanese festival music, and video game themes. Here's an example of what you can play...
What's not to like? There's a new one coming out soon too, I hope it has this on it too...
Thanks to Seiv for the heads up on that one.
3. Radio Skool with A'La Fu on SHMU 99.8FM - Monday nights at 8pm (GMT)If you're lucky enough to live in the Aberdeen area, you can tune into this on the good old wireless. For the rest of you , the wonder of the internet will provide a means to listen to this live. Either that, or, you can listen to an archive of last weeks show. Every week Kenny picks a letter, and bases the music in the show round that, so expect a varied selection of styles and genres. For those of you who don't know, A La Fu has released numerous projects, including the Radio Skool series featuring among others; Maseo (De La Soul), Juice Aleem (New Flesh), Mike Ladd (!K7) and Infinite Livez (Big Dada). As well as all that, one of the Radio Skool mixes was a top five seller on New York's Turntable Lab alongside DJ Shadow and Coldcut.
No comments:
Post a Comment