Shapiro
The book is basically a sympathetic defense of disco as an important genre rooted in the sociopolitical changes taking place in NYC in the 70s, as well as the crass commercialism that eventually did disco in (as a label, anyway) by the end of the decade. It's a really interesting look at a period that hasn't…

Turn The Beat Around
I'm currently reading Peter Shapiro's great TURN THE BEAT AROUND: THE SECRET HISTORY OF DISCO—if you like music books and hate disco, I highly recommend it. It will seriously school you.

(!)
Hey guys, when I wrote this for some reason I was thinking 28 ounces instead of 28 grams, hence the (!) I've since removed it. Does roughly an ounce of weed warrant an (!)? Discuss.

The Wire
I've only seen the first season of The Wire, and I thought it was pretty amazing. I know Scott loves it, based on what he's written in the past. We focused on The Sopranos and The Shield because they are unfolding simaltaneously with similar arcs. In short, no dis to The Wire or any other one-hour quality…

Clarification
Homeless Charlie has now been given credit for the rape joke.

The Bob The
That's why I gave the movie a D-: Nobody should see this movie. Let me be clear: NOBODY SHOULD SEE THIS MOVIE. Please trust me on this one.

D- explained
The A.V. Club tends to hand out F grades like non-Texans administer the death penalty—sparingly, and only as a punishment for truly awful cases. Delta Farce was bad, and surely will go down as one of the worst films of the year, but it wasn't quite historically bad. The movie earned a D- because I laughed…

Noel not you
When I say if "you" find the record too mellow, I meant the proverbial "you," not you personally.

Good post, Noel
1. I've had one first track-first album experience similar to your Uncle Tupelo moment: "Dead Leaves On The Dirty Ground" from The White Stripes' "White Blood Cells." Total whoa moment there.

Thanks Was
I corrected my Timbaland mistake above. Thanks for the catch.

Guy Whitey
I thought the most recent Sopranos (which aired after my post) wasn't quite "incredibly fucking awesome," but it was pretty solidly fucking awesome.

Graham
Actually, Kuti is a well documented influence on Byrne and Eno. (Eno has said he owns more records by Kuti than any other artist.) I'm sure they liked juju, too.

I agree with Noel
I think the decline in theater attendence will cause studios to throw even more money at blockbusters because, really, what else can they do but promise the biggest, most exciting spectacles around to get butts in the seats? Small, personal movies are not going to to compel people to get off the…

I agree completely with Unlobsters except…
On "the shut up and die" thing. Let's try to keep it friendly, dudes!

Thanks Lorin
The mistake has been corrected!

I hear you, guys
I have loved this album for so long that I don't notice the "80s production" anymore, but I can definitely see it being a turn-off for people. (The same applies to Born In The USA.) Trust me, if you stick with it, this album will get under your skin eventually.

Graeme, the review is fine
It's in the comments section that I'm (jokingly) letting my geography shortcomings show. I've got this, you've got the 5/4-7/4 thing.

Going with the nitpick trend
Canada and the U.S. are part of North "America," so we're all Americans. Just as the Scottish are British, I guess. Were we talking about an album review or geography?

OK, seriously…
In the review I wrote The Fratellis play British rock while also pointing out that they are from Scotland, which makes no sense unless you hear the record. (Kinda similar to The Band playing American music while being mostly from Canada.)

Actually, The Fratellis are Scottish
But Europeans all look alike to me.