March 12, 2010

SXSW Preview: March 17-20

Looking at the gauntlet that’s in store for this year’s South By Southwest can be pretty intimidating, so we here at TUIW are going to try to sort through the noise and find the stuff that’s worth doing. This preview is by no means complete, and it reflects my own particular biases (free food, free drinks, and eclectic, left-of-the dial leaning rock), but here goes.

At last we’ve come to the heart of SXSW, four days of music, networking, and, with a little luck, lots and lots of free booze. There’s a lot to get through, so I’ve made an executive decision to only focus on day parties and other events not on the official schedule, otherwise I will die. Every band with a video here is also playing an official showcase at some point, so if you like them, head over to the SXSW website and search for them to see when they’re playing (or check their Myspaces):

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17

Austinist’s Gonna Get Down Party – 11AM – free – Mohawk
The Besnard Lakes just put out a really great record and they’re gonna be there! So’s Washed Out (who you may enjoy more than I do). And I met the Austinist editor a couple weeks ago and he’s a real nice guy!

KEXP Live – 11:30 AM – free – Gibson Studios
KEXP is doing live sessions all week and they’re worth checking out. Best Coast (one of my favorites of the bands in town this week) and Crayon Fields stop by on Wednesday and The Very Best will be there on Thursday. Not exactly a “party,” but live music.

Brooklyn Vegan Day Party – 12:00 Noon – Free – Emo’s
Probably the best option here, this show has got all kinds of free food (including breakfast tacos), drink (vodka and Magic Hat!) and cool bands (Fucked Up, GZA, Titus Andronicus, Andrew W.K.)

Terrorbird Media/Force Field PR SXSW Day Party – 12 PM – free – Red 7
This one has a real sweet line-up, headlined by Jersey beach-rockers Real Estate and chillwaver Toro y Moi (two bands who I’d make a point of seeing this week, and who you should have plenty of opportunities to), plus free drinks till 2!

Waterloo Records Day Party – 1 PM – free – Waterloo Records
Using the same setup they had for Spoon’s in-store, Waterloo’s going to be having some sweet bands out in their parking lot, including sure-to-be ubiquitous Florida rockers Surfer Blood (seriously, if I wanted to, I could probably spend the whole week seeing just them). But Surfer Blood + outside show probably equals a win.

IAmSound Records Showcase – 7 PM – free with RSVP – Malverde (400 W. 2nd St)
If you’re not doing an official showcase Wednesday night, this looks to be the place to be, between Sleigh Bells (Crystal Castles 2) and jj (mysterious Swedish poppers playing what could well be their first US show). Free drinks too.

THURSDAY, MARCH 18:
Day Parties:

Austin Carniville – 12 Noon – RSVP – Mexican American Cultural Center
Austin Carniville is a three day party that is absolutely stacked with music. Like, it looks ridiculous. Among the bands, Major Lazer, The Walkmen, Diplo, The Very Best, and Cymbals Eat Guitars. Should be fun.

Consequence of Sound & Sled Island Day Party – 12 Noon – free with RSVP – The Compound (1300 E 4th)
Titus Andronicus made a really great album called The Monitor (I may even write about it later today), so you owe it to them to see them live. Why not do it here, where they’re flanked by Surfer Blood and Royal Bangs.

Eastbound & Found – 12 Noon – free with RSVP – 1001 E. 6th
No Kenny Powers, but this event’s Facebook page promises plenty of capacity and fun. The lineup is a nice mix of local acts (Ume) with bigger ones like Grizzly Bear’s BFFs Here We Go Magic or Delorean.

Insound Party – 12 Noon – free with RSVP – Club Deville
Since you already get all your music from insound.com, it makes sense to hit up their day party, which has Vivian Girls, Delorean, Liars, and $3 for all the beer you can drink (a good deal, since most free beer goes pretty quickly)

NPR Day Show – 12 Noon – free – The Parish
I’m listening to the Local Natives record as I write thanks (on Michael’s recommendation) and it is damn good. If you want to check them out, this is a good chance to do so, thanks to NPR. They’ve also got Sleigh Bells and Surfer Blood on the bill.

Other Music Presents – 1 PM – free with RSVP – French Legation Museum
The FLM has always seemed like a cool place, and I think it was a nice brainstorm by Other Music to put their showcase on the lawn out there. The lineup includes Vivian Girls-approved Austin act Yellow Fever, Pitchfork-approved electro-dance band The XX, and me-approved Dum Dum Girls.

The Austin Imposition – 7 PM – free with RSVP – Longbranch Inn
The Longbranch Inn is a cozy spot on the East Side that will host this excellent looking show, that’s a good badgeless option for Thursday night. The lineup includes Woods, who made one of my favorite records of 2009.

FRIDAY, MARCH 19

Morning After Party – 11:30 AM – free with RSVP – 1711 S. Congress
Free breakfast tacos and bloody marys!

Mexican Summer Gorilla v Bear – 12 Noon – day party free, night party is an official showcase, RSVP here – Klub Krucial
I’m having a hard time thinking of a less indie-sounding place for this show than Klub Krucial, but nonetheless, the Facebook invite promises free beer, Dum Dum Girls, and Memory Tapes.

Homeslice Pizza/WOXY Pizza By the Slice – 12 PM – free – Home Slice Pizza (South Congress)
Homeslice is my favorite pizza place in town, WOXY is my favorite radio station in town, and Wye Oak is one of my favorite bands coming for SXSW. What could go wrong?

Mess with Texas DAY 1 – 12 PM – free with RSVP – 1001 E. 6th
MwTX is basically a mini-Fun Fun Fun Fest, but this year its moved out of Waterloo Park. Day 1 features Frightened Rabbit (whose new album shows they really, really like The National), Billy Bragg, and Man or Astroman?

Fader Fort – 1 PM – free with RSVP – 1101 E. 5th
There’s no real reason why I put this here, since its running Wednesday through Saturday with all kinds of good stuff. Basically, RSVP and go hang out. Now enjoy this video of The Very Best

Village Voice Media Party – 1 PM – totally free and open – La Zona Rosa
This year’s SXSW All-Star Surfer Blood performs with last year’s All-Star The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, but, perhaps most excitingly, Superchunk is there!

Pitchfork Party – 1 PM – free, no RSVP – Emo’s
Boasting a lineup stacked with all your favorite Best New Music acts of the last six months, the P4K party seems like a good chance to knock out a bunch of must-see acts in one fell swoop, including Memory Tapes, Surfer Blood, Best Coast, Neon Indian, and Japandroids

Dickies Sounds/Filter Party – 3 PM – RSVP for afternoon shows – Lustre Pearl
Though they say they’re only allowing RSVPs for the afternoon shows, if you’re crafty, you may be able to stick around for She & Him (Zooooooooooey), Broken Bells (Michael may pass), and Warpaint.

SATURDAY MARCH 20:

East Meets Fest – 11 AM – RSVP – Uchi (801 S. Lamar)
There’s bands and stuff, but more importantly, Uchi is going to be selling a whole bunch of really delicious sounds Japanese street food. Yes, they’re selling, but compared to the average price of a meal at Uchi, think of this as a value deal. Plus, Austinites The Octopus Project will be there.

Brooklyn Vegan & M For Montreal Party – 12 PM – RSVP – Galaxy Room
Another free BV party (with free food and some drink specials), this should be a good time. Its also got Rocky Erikson with Okkervil River, Local Natives, Wye Oak, Jason Collett, and Plants and Animals.

Mess with Texas Day 2 – 12 PM – RSVP – free with RSVP – 1001 E. 6th
Day 2 of this thing is waaaay more hardcore than Day 1, thanks to the combination of Fucked Up, Andrew W.K. and GWAR (yes, really). However, pale people like me will find plenty of stuff to do as well, between We Were Promised Jetpacks, Japandroids, and Smith Westerns

Stereogum Range Life – 1 Pm – free with RSVP – The Parish
Ben Gibbard graves our presence with a solo set, joined by Wye Oak and The Morning Benders. Plus, its a party named “Range Life” so there’s got to be, like, a 50% chance Pavement shows up, right?

Phew. Stay safe, stay hydrated, wear sunscreen, have fun, and be sure to come back here all week for daily coverage of the whole damn thing.

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March 12, 2010

Parks and Rec – “The Possum”

Parks and Rec, like it’s big brother The Office, survives by moving between the work of the Parks Department and the personal lives of its characters. When it does one, it has to do the other to even things out. That’s what happened in “The Possum,” with Leslie’s task force being the main event, with Andy and April (Anpril?) and the Swanson Code being the back up stories, creating an evenly balanced episode.

At the forefront was Leslie’s task force, created by the mayor to rid the golf course of Fairway Frank, a troublesome possum that had bitten the mayor’s dog. Leslie, of course, will do anything in the name of the mayor, and with a rag tag game of pea-brained animal control workers, Tom, and Andy, she goes to the golf course, and Andy tackles and captures the possum. Leslie is given a favor by the mayor’s office which she intends to use for The Pit (remember that?) and Andy gets a big write up in the paper. That’s where things start to unravel.

You see, there’s another possum loose on the golf course, and Leslie isn’t sure if the captured is really Fairway Frank. Meanwhile, Andy’s realization that his new status as possum catcher could win back Ann (who’s away on vacation), which upsets April, Ann’s house sitter. She retreats to Ann’s house with the possum, which Leslie had her kidnap. The possum gets loose in the house, and the two run in terror from it. It is then that April lets slip her crush on Andy to Leslie, who is sympathetic at first, but crosses the line when she wants to talk about it. That’s what I love about April’s character, she has emotions, she just doesn’t want people to know that. They get the possum, but the damage is already done. Leslie looses the support of the mayor, meaning the Lot Formally Known as the Pit will remain the same. April on the other hand makes up with Andy, who apologizes for making her mad, even though he doesn’t know why.

Then there was the Swanson Code. Ron wanted to make some improvements to his house, but Mark wouldn’t sign off on them until there were no violations in Ron’s house, which, no one else had stepped foot in in 10 years. There are violations all over the place, for a lack of ventilation, to a basket of oil-soaked rags hanging over a wood burning stove. Ron fights and fights it, but Mark wins in the end when he goes and helps Ron, against his better judgment. As a thank you, Ron gives Mark a canoe. Even trade off.

So that was that. Not a spectacular episode, but a pleasing and funny one none the less. Like The Office in its second and third seasons, Parks and Rec has a lot of unmatched heart mixed into the workplace, which is what makes it so enjoyable each week. Next week sees Andy Samberg stopping by, and we’ll, as always, be watching.

Michael’s Score: 76

TUIW Grade: B+

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March 12, 2010

Community – “Basic Genealogy”

One of the joys of Community is that it’s been able to take common sitcom stories, funnel them through the odd-ball world that is Greendale, and make them into their own creations. If it weren’t for Modern Family, Community would be the best new show of the season. The latest installment, “Basic Genealogy,” was another strong episode that, again, took bland stories and made them gut bustingly hilarious.

It was Family Day at Greendale, which in itself was pretty funny, but that meant we got to meet some of the Study Group’s family. We’d already met Abed’s dad, but we were introduced to his burka-wearing cousin, Shirley brought her kids, Troy his evil grandmother, and Pierce his ex-step-daughter Amber (Katherine McPhee). The episode started with Jeff getting dumped by Professor Slater, but in typical Jeff fashion, brushed it off. He immediately grosses out his classmates by sharing his plan to start hooking up with a random girl right away, which is when he meets Amber. Unfortunately, he’s blocked by Pierce, who is paying for Amber to go to photography school. Though he can’t remember her mother’s name, Pierce views Amber as the closest thing he has to a daughter, so he decides to keep Jeff around to get her to like him.

But Amber wants to hook up with Jeff, not hang out with her creepy ex-step-dad, so she goes along with it all, even through a hilariously bad Pictionary game, where Pierce’s swastika of a windmill offends Senor Cheng’s brother, Rabbi Cheng. When Jeff and Amber finally get their moment in a supply closet, Jeff discovers Amber is simply grifting Pierce. Jeff then faces a moral dilemma that doesn’t stop him from sleeping with her (“Yeah, but not twice. I wanted to do it twice.”), but Annie, who popped up to be the voice of reason for the episode, convinced him to tell Pierce. When he did, he revealed that Pierce’s friends are his family and that he was hurt by Professor Slater (and her irrational love of Glee). Aww.

Britta and Troy had my favorite story of the night, as Britta was brushing off Troy’s claims that his grandmother was the meanest woman you’d ever meet, insisting she’s probably a sweet old woman. She, of course, wasn’t, but Britta was so determined to be right, that she went so far as to get lashed by a switch she fetched for her, as Troy cried in the background. It was pure slap stick (see what i did there?), and provided some of the funnier moments of the episode. It’s been great to see the show change Britta from the righteous girl she was in the first few episodes, and her chemistry with Troy is pretty good.

Last, there was the weak link of the night, with Shirley and her kids Elijah (like the prophet) and Jordan (like the 14-time NBA All-Star) mingling with Abed and his disapproving father. Abed’s dad thought Shirley was a bad mother for letting her kids run wild, while Shirley didn’t like that Abed’s cousin wasn’t allowed to jump in the bouncy castle. It was a rushed plot line that just didn’t do it for me, thought it did produce a great line from Senor Cheng, who greets Abed’s cousin with, “Hey, Phantom Menace, how’s the trade embargo with the Naboo?” I’m still a little uncertain about Shirley’s character. She’s the most underdeveloped, so there’s a hesitancy that goes with each of her stories for me.

So all in all, it was a pretty funny episode. Like I said at the start, there were several typical sitcom tropes (The girl is using his affections to get money! Old people really aren’t so sweet!), but they were done in a unique way, which is what makes Community fun to watch. Katherine McPhee was a little shaky at the end when we found out Amber was evil, and the Abed-Shirley story was not my favorite, but the rest was pretty solid and enjoyable to watch.

Michael’s Score: 67

TUIW Grade: B

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March 12, 2010

Review: Broken Bells – Broken Bells

In 2007, if you’d told me that James Mercer of The Shins and Danger Mouse were teaming up for a collaborative project, I probably would have flipped out. The Shins were riding high after three great records, and Danger Mouse had been the man behind The Grey Album, Gnarls Barkley, and producer of Gorillaz’s hit, “Feel Good Inc.” The combination would have been just too good. Now in 2010, it’s still an exciting pairing, but not nearly as much as when the two were on top. Since touring for the last Shins record, Wincing the Night Away, in 2007, Mercer has largely been absent from the music scene, appearing in a mumblecore film. Danger Mouse continued to work, producing Damon Albarn’s The Good, The Bad, The Queen, releasing another Gnarls Barkley album, and collaborating with the late Mark Linkous on the Dark Night of the Soul project, which featured a cameo from Mercer. The two teamed up to do album on their own, and that’s the birth of Broken Bells.

Before hearing the self titled release, I had high hopes for a combination of two masters of pop. I was hoping for a hybrid of The Shin’s bright “So Says I” and Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy,” a song that would surely be the catchiest ever released. But yet, Broken Bells lead-off single, “The High Road” was fairly bland. It’s got catchy moments, but it sounds like a retread of songs I’d heard before. It didn’t stand out in the work the two had already done, and was a disappointment. But that didn’t stop me from getting the full record, giving these two great musicians a chance. While I was glad to know the record as a whole was better than “The High Road,” I was still disappointed with it overall.

First, let’s talk about the good things. There are definitely catchy hooks throughout the record. “Vaporize” is about as good as it gets, a song where the duo shows what they’re most capable of. The song bounces and it the most fun you’ll have listening to it. Other highlights include “Trap Doors” and “October,” which follow in the same vein and demonstrate just what exactly Broken Bells set out to do. But the problem is, there’s seven other songs on the record that aren’t as good as those three. That’s when Broken Bells starts to get off track.

Broken Bells has two big flaws to it. First of all, it rarely goes over mid-tempo. For every catchy hook there is, the songs never pick up steam and Mercer’s voice is stuck in its lower range, never reaching the falsetto so frequently used in The Shins’ bounciest songs. Secondly, every song sounds about the same. Each song is steady drumming with sad, slow lyrics coming from Mercer. The keyboard parts added to Mercer’s acoustic guitars all beep and boop, but they don’t add anything more than that. There’s nothing exciting about any of the songs, and after a while, you almost feel like you’ve been listening to the same thing over and over again. It’s shocking to me that two talented musicians, masters of the pop song, could make a record this bland.

I know it sounds like I hated the record, but not totally. It was more a matter of disappointment than it was dislike. Broken Bells is enjoyable to listen to, but not in the same way as Chutes Too Narrow or St. Elsewhere. In a lot of ways, it sounds like an album of mid-tempo Shins’ songs produced by Danger Mouse, which sounds obvious, but wouldn’t you like more variety? Why wouldn’t you want to hear a hybrid of “So Says I” and “Crazy?” Unfortunately, you won’t hear that (yet) from Broken Bells.

Michael’s Score: 55
TUIW Grade: C

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March 11, 2010

TUIW Conversation: Lost – “Dr. Linus”

Each week, after taking a couple days to digest the episode and read what the blogs are says, we’re going to have a TUIW Conversation about Lost to try and unpack the episode, bounce theories off each other, and see if we can’t figure out what’s going on with our favorite group of TV castaways (sorry Gilligan!)

Jonah: This week on Lost, we got a bit of a gear shift, with all the jerkiness and forward progression that implies. Team Jacob is united (and back on the beach), Charles Widmore is back in play, and we got some tantalizing hints about key pieces of mythology (especially Richard Alpert, whose stuff I’m especially excited to unpack). But before we get into that, let’s talk a little about this week’s emotional core: Ben’s redemption. AlternaBen got the opportunity to make the right choice and save Alex, while regular Ben went further down the path of his own redemption. I’ve read a lot of criticism of how these scenes played out (too on-the-nose, that Ben could have just blackmailed the Principal into giving Alex the recommendation too) and I agree with some of it, but it all still worked really well for me, thanks in no small part to Michael Emerson’s typically strong work. What did you think of Ben and AlternaBen’s journeys? Did they work for you? And do you buy into Ben’s redemption?

Michael: I do buy into. Ben has already been a character that needs to be needed. When his power with the Others was usurped, he sought it from Jacob directly. When that didn’t work, he followed Smokey. If Team Jacob wants him, he’ll be about as loyal as anyone they can find. What interested me the most was his decision to go with Team Jacob rather than Team Smokey, who showed up in Locke’s flesh to court him. I kept thinking about the parallels between Ben and Sayid, two characters with evil pasts that both lost the person they loved the most, Nadia and Alex respectively. Both were faced with the choice of who to go with, Sayid choosing Smokey, and Ben to Jacob. In both episodes, the AlternaCharacters were faced with decisions to do good or evil, and at the same time they decided on the Island, they decided in AlternaLA. Coincidence? I don’t think so! Either way, we have our teams set up, with Jin and Kate the two wild cards (both seem to be with Smokey out of circumstance, not choice). Which one is stronger? Team Smokey is obviously bigger, but Team Jacob has some mystical protection around them. Who do you pick, at this point, to be the stronger team?

J: I wouldn’t bet against the team that is impervious to dynamite. All things considered, I think this part of the season has been about stacking the odds as much against Team Jacob as possible, which will make their triumph over evil that much more satisfying. Although that does get at one of my concerns with this episode: the moral simplification that seems to be going on. Never has Ben seemed as redeemed (I’d hesitant to say he’s full-on good, but he certainly does seem to have become a good guy) and Widmore as evil as those last few minutes (especially the dark music and Widmore’s far more sinister delivery and behavior). I guess it never occured to me that, as we neared the end, things would need to become more morally straightforward, but that seems to be what’s happening. One of my favorite things about Lost has been its moral ambiguity, and yet, within the span of a couple of episodes, we’ve gotten a lot of talk of “good and evil,” and the line seems to be a lot clearer between good (Jacob, Ben, Jack) and evil (Smokey, Widmore). Will Lost pull the rug out from under us again? Am I frittering over nothing? Or does clarifying the mythology necessarily mean clarifying the moral sides?

M: I think there’s still a little more ambiguity than there seems. Are characters like Claire or Sayid truly evil or are they just claimed by evil? What about Sawyer, who’s motivated by grief? Is Ben truly good or just happy to be somewhere that will have him? I think these questions will become more clear as the war starts to move on. I think it’s time to move into the territory you touched on at the top, what do we make of the events at the Black Rock? The inability to kill oneself went back to Season 4, when Michael and Jack struggled to do it off the Island. Locke was also interrupted out of nowhere by Ben just before killing himself in Season 5. So it’s not the Island preventing it, but Jacob. So…what does that mean? Finding out more about Richard Alpert could shed more light on that, but I’m just curious as to why Richard doesn’t age, yet Kate and Sawyer, touched by Jacob as kids, did. What exactly you get out of the whole Black Rock incident? I’m I the only one as flustered by the whole thing?

J: What I loved about the Black Rock sequence is that it hinted at the big picture, without fully giving it away (kind of like a free sample for the rumored Richard Alpert episode coming in a couple weeks). I’m a little disappointed that, if people touched by Jacob can’t kill themselves, that kills my theory about Jack and Michael being unable to kill themselves because they had to be alive for Jack and Co. to travel back to the 1970s, but oh well. I do think, though, that Jacob’s touch may affect different people in different ways. He seems to have picked Richard for some kind of job, different from the one he has for the Candidates, and that job may give him the ability not to age, while Kate and Sawyer continued to. Or maybe it has to do with being on the island combining with Jacob’s touch. In fact, maybe everyone Jacob touches gains some kind of ability (Miles and Hurley can talk to the dead, Locke can walk again) and it just changes from person to person. Alternately, it could simply be that Jacob represents and controls the island’s powers (like healing people; remember, his touch seemed to bring Locke back to life in “The Incident”). Meanwhile, the other big stuff for me, from a theorizing point of view, was from Roger Linus’ cameo. There’s no way he and Ben could have made it off that island before the nuke went off so…what happened? Could it be that the bomb isn’t what separated the two timelines? Is something else going on? Can the writers find a way to make the flash-sideways even more confusing?

M: I think that’s one of the biggest questions that will ultimately play into the way this show is resolved in a lot of ways. My idea is that in Timeline X, 815 never crashed, so they never set off the bomb, so therefore whatever happened in Timeline X is only related to the Original Timeline because it created it. Meanwhile, the Original Timeline is proceeding in its own “real time” (whatever that means for Lost). That may sound super confusing, and it is. I do think there’s a connection between the two, but I think the past of Timeline X is completely split from the Original Timeline. I do still want to know why Jack, Kate, Sayid, and Hurley ended up in the 70s, which I’m thinking will be a big step towards figuring out Timeline X. My big theory on that is because they needed all the Candidates in the same time period. That would make Jin the “Kwon” on the wall and not Sun, and explain why only those four time traveled. We’ll see on that one. In the meantime, we’re a third of the way through the season, which is where we’ve heard from the cast things start to move forward. The lines are finally drawn, the stakes are there, it’s time to watch the war begin.

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March 11, 2010

Conan Reveals Tour Dates!

Conan O’Brien announced the 30 dates for his upcoming “The Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on Television Tour” this morning. The dates cover the whole country and even include a stop at Bonnaroo. No word on what the tour will include other than, “A night of music, comedy, hugging, and the occasional awkward silence.” Head over to Team CoCo for dates and tickets.

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March 11, 2010

Modern Family – “Truth Be Told”

One of the things that I love about Modern Family is that every episode is funny throughout, but they always build towards a hilarious climax that’s unrivaled in TV right now. “Truth Be Told” was a prime example of that, the show slowly building, as if it was raising its grade throughout. It’s another episode where the three families are completely separate (until the very end), but each plot worked extraordinarily well.

We’ll start with my favorite, the Dunphys. A couple things are going on, with Luke finally getting a good burn on a dumbfounded Alex, Phil reconnecting innocently through Facebook with an ex, Denise (the always great Judy Greer), and Claire being jealous about that, thinking Denise’s intentions are far from innocent. All three weave together as Alex tells Luke that Denise is his real mother, Denise really does want Phil to come to her hotel, and Claire backs off, thinking it all innocent. The incredible blocking of Phil avoiding Denise behind Claire’s back in the kitchen was one of the funniest bits of physical comedy I’ve seen on any show in recent years. It was a great sequence, made all the more better by three actors with incredible comedic instincts.

Over in the Mitchell and Cameron household, Mitchell was struggling with being constantly called into work and missing out on Lily’s growth. He gets especially nervous when he complains about his boss on speakerphone with the windows open at a light next to his boss. Ouch. He and Cam try to recreate the moment at the light, in one of the funnier bits of the night (“A little bit louder now!”), but Mitchell can’t take it anymore and quits his job. He and Cam celebrate at first, then panic, as their source of income is now gone. But things will get better, and they’ll be okay. In the meantime, we’ll inevitably get to see some hilarious panicking.

Lastly, there was Pritchett house, where Manny was lamenting his unsuccessful audition to play Teyve in Fiddler on the Roof (I’ve seen Fiddler dozens of times, but I’d be first in line to see that show). Jay tries cheering him up with an inspirational poster saying “what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” Of course, when he attempts to hang it up, it falls on Manny’s turtle tank, breaking lamps, and killing his turtle Shel Turtlestein (best turtle name ever!). Rather than own up to it, and risk losing the rapport he’s gained with Manny, he fakes the scene and claims a raccoon came in and attacked the turtle. Gloria figures it out right away, and pressures Jay to tell Manny the truth, but he can’t bring himself to do it during a memorial service for the turtle, instead revealing the truth that night. Manny already knows, and it turns out he had a secret of his own, having scratched Jay’s car. So all’s even, (dead turtle = scratch on car) and things go back to being normal.

All in all, it was an episode that didn’t miss a beat. Like I said, the three households were separated this episode, but it didn’t matter. Every plot was played perfectly, every little joke hitting the mark. Modern Family is justifiably the best new comedy of the year, and is currently tied in my mind with Parks and Rec as the best comedy on TV. This is what a good comedy should be.

Other Notes:

- Phil auditioned as a break dancer for Star Search under the name “O-Zone!”

- Other pet names: Flyza Minnelli and Zsa Zsa Gaboa. How did Jay not know Mitchell was gay?

- “Go around — we’re recreating a faux pas!”

- “I need the ID to make the elevator go down … to freedom!”

Michael’s Score: 98

Tangled Up In Wires Grade: A+

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March 11, 2010

The Internet Works Again: Betty White to Host SNL

This whole idea of using the internet for “networking” had me skeptical at first, but now it seems quite effective. Thanks to a large campaign on Facebook and Twitter, Golden Girl Betty White will co-host Saturday Night Live on May 8. The episode will be Mother’s Day special, with the 88-year-old White being joined by SNL alums Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Molly Shannon, Maya Rudolph, Ana Gasteyer and Rachel Dratch. Here’s hoping we get a weekend update featuring Fey, Poehler, and current anchor Seth Meyers, three of the best to hold the position. Here’s hoping it’s a good episode.

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March 10, 2010

SXSW Preview: March 13 – 16

Looking at the gauntlet that’s in store for this year’s South By Southwest can be pretty intimidating, so we here at TUIW are going to try to sort through the noise and find the stuff that’s worth doing. This preview is by no means complete, and it reflects my own particular biases (free food, free drinks, and eclectic, left-of-the dial leaning rock), but here goes.

While the music doesn’t start until Wednesday, there’s plenty of free parties and shows going on during the Film and Interactive Festival. Let’s look at some of the most promising, along with what you need to get in (RSVP, Wristband, Badge, etc.). If there’s music we like, there’s a youtube video posted so you can sample the band before you decide. And, finally, if you have any tips or know of anything else going on, post it in the comments or drop us a like at tangledupinwires@gmail.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 13

Mobile Social SXSW 2010 – 2:00 – 6:30 PM – Badges or can pick up a ride wristband from them – Info – Mellow Johnny’s (4th and Trinity)
Austin is a huge biking town, so Mobile Social is kicking things off with a social bike ride at 2, followed by a BBQ and Variety Show at 4. Beer, BBQ, and biking…can’t get much more Austin than that.

Mozilla SXSW Happy Hour Party – 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM – Open – RSVP here – The Cedar Door (201 Brazos)
If you’re reading this blog right now, there’s a good chance you’re familiar with Mozilla, so why not stop by and say hello (and take in some kind of marketing pitch). The Facebook event says “Happy Hour Drinks and Appetizers” so it doesn’t sound like there’s free stuff.

Lamebook Party – 6:00 PM – $3 with RSVP – Shangri La (E. 6th)
Office timewaster and hilarious tool of Facebook shame, Lamebook is branching out with a happy hour party at one of my favorite bars in town, Shangri La. They have some DJs and a little music (although no one who stands out to me) prizes, and BBQ, even though you have to pay to get in.

Gawker Media and io9’s Timebender – 9:00 PM – Seems to be open to everyone with RSVP – Pure Volume House (504 Trinity)
Gawker’s big party features a real sword fight! That’s right, at 9 the High Fantasy Society and the Association for Renaissance Martial Arts are going to show off their swordfighting skills. Plus there’s a DJ and an open bar. Basically, this cannot be missed.

SUNDAY, MARCH 14

PopBox Party – 7:30 – 9:30 PM – Open w/RSVP – Speakeasy
Sunday is a pretty slow day on the party front. Here’s one that has a DJ, free drinks, some food, and they’re going to try to sell you apps. Hooray?

Mashable’s MashBash SXSWi 2010 – 10:00 PM – 2:00 AM – Open w/RSVP – Buffalo Billiards
If I’m a little slow at work on Monday, this is probably the reason why. A 3 hour open bar, live DJ, and a ridiculous amount of people should make for one of the most crowded and nutty parties of the first weekend.

MONDAY, MARCH 15

T(ea) for Tennesse Party – 7:00 – 11:00 PM – RSVP – Elysium (7th and Red River)
There’s plenty of music on Monday as bands start to trickle in. This party has a couple of promising, if waaay below the radar, bands (including How I Became the Bomb, who I’ve always kind of liked), as well as free beer and free t-shirts.

eDoorways.come Interactive Party – 8:00 PM – Can’t find an RSVP or info like that – The Parish (6th)
Local dance-funk band L.A.X. headlines this (presumably) free show.

The British Music Embassy – 8:00 PM – 2:00 AM – RSVP but Badges and Wristbands Only – Latitude 30 (512 San Jacinto)
Here’s your first chance to see punk legend Billy Bragg (who is going to be all over SXSW next week) and the amusingly named Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly.

Beer Camp – 7:30 PM – 11:00 PM – RSVP – Emos (6th and Red River)
Of course, why go after music when you can go to something called Beer Camp? Their Facebook invite promises no hard sell, just some free beer and music, and even a beer pong tournament. Sounds pretty sweet to us!

ATX Emerge – 8 PM – 2 AM – Info – Mohawk
ATX Emerge has got some solid local bands, including Brazos and Califone, and it also ties into this year’s movie festival, and the Texas-shot-and-themed film Skateland.

TUESDAY, MARCH 16

Day Before the Mess Fest – 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM/9:00 PM – 2:00AM – Open – 30th and Red River/707 W.21st St.
So this looks positively epic. As best as I can tell, this is a pair of house parties going on at a couple of co-ops around town with an absolutely insane lineup. The early show has local Phil Spector fans The Carrots and nostalgic chillwavers Reading Rainbow, while the late show has Woven Bones (last seen on Casual Victim Pile) and The Fresh and Onlys, among others. This looks awesome.

House Party – 9:00 PM – 2:00 AM – Open – 1907 Red River St.
I’m not sure if this is also a part of Day Before the Mess or not, but its the same concept. Performing here are booming Austin band Harlem and The Beets!

2nd Annual Panache Pre-Party – 8:00 PM – Badges, Wristbands, or $10 Cover – Scoot Inn
Here’s a promoter party, headlined by Be Your Own Pet alumni Turbo Fruits (who are going to be all over town all week) and punk band The Coathangers.

Art Disaster no. 10 – 8:00 PM – RSVP – Beauty Bar
There’s some DJs and buzzy local bands like Pomegranates and Bright Light Social Hour, but, more importantly, from 8 to 9 they have free beer and vodka.

PureVolume/Paste KickOff Party – 8:00 PM – RSVP – PureVolume House
Since its the PureVolume House, I imagine there will be some free food (although that food will be from Taco Bell) and drink to go with this party filled with Pastey artists like Eisley and Neko Case (performing with Jakob Dylan, so don’t get too excited).

Todd P Presents: Texas Bands and Friends – 6:00 PM – RSVP, open to everyone – Cheer Up Charles (E. 6th)
Promoter Todd P is actually holding his own festival in Mexico next weeked, but on Tuesday, he’s got a SXSW showcase featuring a lot of local bands including Pataphysics (who I’ve seen and enjoyed), No Mas Bodas (who I’ve also seen and enjoyed) and Ringo Deathstarr (whose name I’ve seen and enjoyed).

From the Mind of Adi KickOff Party – 8:00 – Free with RSVP or $3 at the door – Chupacabra Cantina
Dancing and free booze, the two staples of any good SXSW party, are available at this party, according to the Facebook event. I haven’t really heard of any of the acts (except for Austin’s own DJ Car Stereo (Wars) and folkers Peter and the Wolf), but it looks like a good time.

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March 10, 2010

Big Love – “End of Days”

Thanks to the Oscars being on Sunday, I didn’t get a chance to watch “End of Days” until last night’s replay, and I’m actually glad I waited. Sunday night I would have written a review of the episode, saying how exciting the episode was and how next season of Big Love will hopefully run with that (and be more than nine episodes!). Instead, I went to bed immediately after and didn’t start formulating my thoughts until the next morning. Sleeping on it lowered my good will towards the episode, and the season itself. Last season of Big Love was incredible in part because it was character driven, with the overall narrative coming out of the actions of the characters instead of the other way around. This season has been all about horrible ideas those characters had and their inability to tell each other those are horrible ideas.

But let’s talk about “End of Days.” Bill, as always, has several fish to fry, but apparently more than enough time to deal with them all. There’s the Casino, where he fires Tommy for lying about his involvement in Tribe’s drug dealing, constantly covering for his messed up family. There’s Marilyn, who saves Bill’s ass, only to discover he’s an absolute lunatic that is not going to do anything for her in return, en route to ruining what could be a promising political career. Albie is going out of his mind crazy, ripping wall paper off the walls and cutting his wives’ faces. And there’s crazy ass J.J., who, contrary to what the Feds think, doesn’t promote incest, but just implanting eggs into infertile women without their knowledge. What?! For such a crazy plot line, there was little setup of it. I was conflicted about this, because on one hand, it was pretty messed up, and was better as a shocking reveal as opposed to a slow one. But on the other hand, it seemed like lazy writing, a way to make J.J.’s craziness come to a head.

Then we have the wives. Barb is pissed at Bill for never listening to her, going so far as to leak information about Anna’s baby to the press. She also tells him she needed him for 20 years, but now, not so much. She is still very opposed to the public outing of their family, yet she lacks the ability to permanently close Bill’s mouth and keep him from doing so. Margie’s stance is unclear. She wants to divorce Goren but is opposed to it. She wants to announce the truth, but doesn’t want to lose her business. Nikki is the only one that’s really gung-ho about it all, but she also wants Bill all to herself, which is pretty contradictory to the idea of Bill announcing that he has three wives. She was also drugged up by J.J.’s doctor, and just before getting implanted, was saved by Adeline, who had uncovered the plot the previously. Bill got there just in time too, because Wanda regained the ability to speak just moments after Nikki took off. Then Adeline burns J.J. and his wife in the hospital. Plot ended.

Of course, everything was building up to Bill’s announcement of the family’s polygamy. Before we get to that, let’s go over how stupid Bill is:
1.) He thinks that if they just get in a limo when it’s all over, they won’t be harassed or arrested. We all know there’s different laws in limos.
2.) He tells Barb he knows that the Senate run got them off track, but he doesn’t know what to do other than keep going. I don’t know, how about stop?!
3.) HE RAN FOR STATE SENATE TO REVEAL HIS TRUE IDENTITY! WHY?!

When the announcement finally came, I was, even when I still enjoyed the episode, I was kind of angry. Margie looked so gutted when he name was called, Barb needed a moment to even stand up, and even steadfast Nikki looked terrified. Poor Don was there, a slight smile on his face, but why? Bill literally destroyed his life by making him take the fall at HomePlus. Life won’t at all get easier for him or the Hendrickson family. In fact, it’s going to be an even bigger mess than it was before. Bill will probably lose everything: the Senate job, the casino, HomePlus, probably Barb, and maybe Margie. Sara already left the family, knowing what was to come, and she’s just the first one.

So that’s it for a shaky season of Big Love. As I said at the start, it was a season dominated by stories rather than characters, and it was as a result much weaker than last year. For highlights we had the culmination of the Ben-Margie issue, the return of Anna, Nikki’s transformation, and Albie’s affair with Dale. For low lights, we had the Senate run, the trip to Mexico, and enough scattered and rushed plots to fill a season of Heroes. When Season 4 was at its best, it was very good. When it was at its worst, it was more frustrating than I could have imagined. I don’t really know why either. For all the bad parts, the writing was either lazy or over zealous, which was surprising for a show that improved from an already consistent story. So here’s hoping next season will be better.

Disagree? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Michael’s Score: 54
TUIW Grade: C

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