This episode gave me some hope that season two will be better.  I would love to watch Underwood go up against Tusk, since he looks like an opponent that could actually put up a fight.  

I might be wrong, but I always felt the band was a bit adrift after The Boyd, the Blood, the Machine.  That seemed like the natural end point to their sound, a perfect encapsulation of The Thermals.  They just didn't know where to go from there.

Don't be so flippant. My grandfather died of turtle cancer.  

I think it's faulty to always link a character's flashback with present motivations.  I think the flashback to the whorehouse is more thematically important than psychologically.  It fits just as well with Don's storyline as it does with what's happening at the firm, for example.  The entire episode is about selling…

What's odd is that this will actually make the violence more realistic and probably more, not less, disturbing.  You should have left well enough alone, China.

There's definitely a fan community on the internet that is more receptive to certain musicians and kinds of music than the rest of the world.  As much as people go on about the long tail and the fragmentation of culture, major media outlets still matter.  I do remember it was kind of a big deal when Goblin sold less…

It's funny that Tyler is complaining about fame already when he's really only "internet famous."  Sure, people who follow certain music websites know who he is, but the rest of the world could care less.  

Whatever Happened to V. I. Lennon?

I hope there's no permanent damage.  There's nothing more cathartic than hearing Scott Lucas unleash a full throated  scream during a concert.

I guess gender equality means that both men and women are rewarded for their vapid personalities and complete lack of any socially beneficial contributions.  If only Susan B. Anthony were alive to see what she wrought.  

After the Matrix sequels, I thought I was finished with the Wachowskis.  But goddamnit if I don't love Speed Racer and Cloud Atlas, flaws and all.  

I want to like M83 more than I do.  They have some great singles, and Gonzalez is good at creating atmosphere, but anytime there's actual lyrics in their music, it just ruins the effect for me.  M83 should be a strictly instrumental affair. 

Pulp might be my favorite of the britpop bands.  I couldn't get into the full length albums of Blur or Oasis.  In fact, there are a few tracks by Blur that make me especially happy that the colonies decided to break from George III.

It took me a while to warm up to Era Vulgaris, and it's not as good as some of their early work, but it's a solid album overall.  "3s & 7s" of course is great and how can you not love "Make It Wit Chu," vernacular spelling and all.

"You're out of your element, Donnie."

"I had a rough night and I hate the fuckin' Eagles, man!"

I still don't know who Michelle Shocked is.

I'm sure prior to this article Jon Hamm spent a lot of lonely weekends waiting by the phone.

The problem these days is that there's so much compression on newer albums that vinyl just doesn't make sense as a format.  Older records sound great on vinyl, but not new records.  I don't expect this to change any time soon.

Super Black Market Clash is one of my favorite b-sides album.  It has some great lost gems (1977, 1-2 Crush On You) and a whole lot of weird left turns that just wouldn't fit on the regular albums.  I much prefer b-side albums that portray a band's bizarre side than one that offers up a bunch of failed singles.