A friend brought over a copy of “Scratch” this weekend and I watched it (IMDB) (Vikipaedia). It’s pretty terrific. . . the interviews are well-done, and the music is so-so fresh.

New goal: go to scratching contest sometime.

Also, one of my favorite columnists – Slate’s Explainer – opened up his mail bag and published some of the best unanswered questions of 2006 . . . of which there are something like 7,000. Some are funny, some are thought-provoking. I guess you get to choose how seriously to take them. My favorites from the article include:

• Is it possible to collect all the cookie dough in Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream and actually bake cookies from it?
• Why did Zidane head-butt his opponent in the World Cup final? Do the French not fight with their fists?
• Why is grilled chicken tasting increasingly rubbery and odd?
• PYGMIES: How/when/where/still in existence/do we mate with them?

Eye update: Still messed up, but improving.

This is pretty much one of the best things that’s ever been on TV.

I was really suspicious of Nelly Furtado at first given the “I’m like a Bird” phase . . . but beginning with her collaboration with Missy on a remix of “Work It” (I really liked her singsong-raps) I started to love her.

I’m now obsessed. There is much funk to be had. . . but she needs to avoid the bangs (is this hypocritical of me to say at this point? Now that I have bangs, do I need to be supportive of other bang-wearers, or can I still have my standards?)

I know all my faithful blog readers have been wanting to ask me my thoughts on the new Gwen album and been too bashful. Fear not, I didn’t forget to buy the album at lunch yesterday during the gale force winds and smile all the way home. And don’t think I haven’t listened to it 10 times within the last 36 hours – what kind of girl do you take me for?

So far as the album goes, I’d never miss a new project of hers, but I’m not in love with it yet. I think it might be analogous to another sophomore project of hers, The Return of Saturn (admission: it’s not technically a sophomore album, and also, I still love it.) At the time, the reviewers said it was a typical sophomore slump, and I can see what they mean given the previous album and the extent to which it kicked butt. But—and this is what gives me hope—it was then followed with an Album of Great Strength (Rock Steady) . . . I can only hope that Gwen’s junior-year effort will have a similar success. Unfortunately, I don’t have the love yet for The Sweet Escape that I have for the Return of Saturn. Perhaps this will happen in its own sweet time.

So far as tracks go so far, I like Wind it Up, Early Winter, and “Don’t Get it Twisted.” And I dig the Sound of Music grabs, and the fake hair. (Perhaps she will do a video as a lion tamer, plain?)

That reminds me, one of my goals for 2-0-0-7 is to go and see Bonnie Raitt in person, hopefully with my Dad.

07_imogen

Originally uploaded by Bearolyn.
This show was at the Avalon, 11/11/06. I was a huge Imogen fan when I first picked up her album, but had cooled down a bit – I think I hit replay a few too many times. Still, I was excited to see her. It’s been a while but I’ll remember as much as I can.

The show started with a mind-boggling, short set by Kid Beyond – an insane professional beatboxer. I would have to doubt that he would be as striking on record, because his way of delivering music isn’t necessarily more beautiful than a drum, it’s just more unusual – but he’s a great showman and his set was fun. He also was Imogen’s percussion during her set – she had no drummer – and I think when he was up there, it was a richer, more exciting sound.

Imogen came in dressed, for anyone who watched Season 3 of Project Runway, in Jubilee Jumbles attire. Red corset, strange poufy skirt, etcetera. Lily-mohawk. I would love to know if that’s her real hair. And I wouldn’t have had it any other way. She’s birdlike and British, and has a cute way of flitting about the stage as if she were – as I remember remarking to a friend – a Mary Poppins on acid. All of this sounds like a dig, but I don’t mean it that way. What I think is interesting about it, actually, is that her whole set looks very drug-induced and are crazy, while a lot of her music is very personal songs, that are beautiful and make sense, dressed up with a more trippy, complicated accompaniment. Maybe this is starting to make more sense now.

At any rate, Ms. Heap’s lovely voice was in relatively good shape and her band, when they were around, backed her up well. She, and her 2 openers, all made liberal use of looping techniques, which was cool at first, but I would have loved to have taken it down a notch. I felt she was best when closest in proximity to the piano, which is where I assume she writes her material and feels most comfortable. I’d also love to see her in a more intimate, less overcrowded venue. I’m definitely interested to see what she will be up to for her new album – or if she’ll go back to Frou Frou for a while.

Lastly – in addition to the Avalon being extremely crowded – has anyone noticed that they start shows in the middle of the afternoon at this point? I assume that it has to do with them opening the club up after a show for dancing – but 6:30 seemed so strange to arrive at the show – I felt as if I should have been receiving a senior citizen’s discount and/or getting in bed by 9.