Man of the Year

With all this end of the decade talk, a lot of people are publishing the best of this and the worst of that lists. It's all a bit much so I decided to make a one person list of who to watch in the new year/decade. The most obvious answer is President Obama. Sure, he has a national crisis on his hands but it pale in comparison to the burdens of my nominee. Who is this champion of the people, this savior of the nation? None other than your boy from the 'hood, T-Pain.

T-Pain: Man of the Year 2009

For those unfamiliar with T-Pain, he is a a hip-hop and R&B artist who came on the scene as a solo artist in 2005 with his debut album, Rappa Ternt Singa. Also, he has a thing for top hats. Why, out of all the people in the world, did I choose T-Pain? It all started a few months ago when my friend and I were looking for a good taco place and discussing the status of the music industry. My friend brought up T-Pain and said he was a joke, at best a self-parody who always hides behind his top hat, sunglasses and massive grill. Plus, he always uses Auto-Tune, which corrects and/or distorts his voice. The more I thought about the guy, the more I agreed with my friend. But despite T-Pain seeming more artifice than true musician, I slowly came to appreciate his personal brand and approach to music. I'd much rather watch a self-aware rapper in a top hat than the aggressive posturing of other rappers. T-Pain seemed to be willing to bring a lighthearted spirit to the rap game and make a fine living doing it. 

 He's only 24 and has a record that has sold at least a million copies. To me, that's impressive. But more than just a seller of music, he seems very brand conscious and uses it to his advantage. By brand conscious, I mean he is self-aware of the image he is projecting and how that can be perceived and/or marketed to the general public. Look at 50-Cent with the Vitamin Water deal or Snoop with his T-Mobile commercials or Roca Wear and Baby Phat. Rappers were once the dangerous outcasts that lived and worked on the fringes of society and music. They were drug dealers and vandals who came off the streets and made music with lyrics like, "...motha fuck the po-lice..." and song titles like "Cop Killer." Now Snoop is on TV telling us we should buy a Sidekick. He's gone from gangster to lifestyle icon in the span of a few years. He's like the hip-hop version of Kramer, an eccentric, but lovable neighbor who, no matter what trouble he gets in, can always be forgiven with a knowing nod of an audience member's head. 

 T-Pain, being relatively young, grew up with fun-loving Snoop rather than thug Snoop. Tupac was killed when T-Pain was in the 5th grade.  When T-Pain was a kid rap was no longer a purveyor of social reform and a voice from the streets but a supplier of image and lifestyle. Music videos today are filled with rappers smoking cigars, driving Bentleys, and being surrounded by strippers. And through it all, the rappers keep a straight face. Their videos aren't fantasies but earnest aspirations, signs that the kid from the streets has made it in a big way. What I feel T-Pain brings to the scene is a sly wink. He is aware of how seriously rap takes itself and how ridiculous it can seem (If spotting Cadillac Escalades with rims and LCD screens were a drinking game, you'd be drunk in under an hour). 

 Some fans, however, have grown tired of the  rap cliches and want something new, In comes T-Pain with a a playful image and danceable tracks. One needs to only look at his album name (Rappa Ternt Singa) to understand his tone. My entire argument for T-Pain's greatness rests solely on two videos. One is for his song, "I Can't Believe It" and the other is for his guest appearance on SNL's digital short, "I'm on a Boat." 

"I Can't Believe It" is largely circus themed and begins with an image of T-Pain opening his palm to reveal a smaller T-Pain who begins rapping/Auto-Tuning his way into our hearts. Then, there's a close up of T-Pain where his top hat pops open to reveal three more T-Pains and a deer head wearing a top hat and shades. Later, a teddy bear with shades and a top hat shows up, along with contortionists, a Ferris wheel, and a largely unintelligible verse from Lil' Wayne. All of this done in a very trippy, Yellow Submarine like way where things just appear out of nowhere and explode from top hats. For the full effect, watch the video below.  

 The second video is "I'm on a Boat" which was done for Saturday Night Live and, as such, is meant to be funny and satirical. T-Pain, again decked out in shades and a top hat, hangs out with SNL's Andy Samberg and raps about how cool it is to be on a boat. I wouldn't even call what he does rapping. He's really just the featured artist/MC who repeats the words "I'm on a boat" about 200 times. But he's doing it while wearing a tuxedo and a nautical themed top hat. Most of the humor is derived from the lyrics and T-Pain is the lucky dude who gets to be featured in the video. His willingness to partake, however, proves his self-awareness both as a rapper and a promoter of his brand.

   

 There have been many a music video that includes rappers on boats (i.e. Jay-Z's "Big Pimpin'"). In true Hype Williams fashion (the director of "Big Pimpin'" and by the way, what happened to that guy?), the "Big Pimpin'" video features fish eye lens work, women in bikinis, and women in bikinis walking in slow motion for dramatic effect. We get it, Jay-Z. You're a bad ass. Mad props to you and yours.

By 2009 the whole rap music video aesthetic had become played out and predictable. Andy Samberg, along with his Lonely Island crew (Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer), capitalized on rap video's tired imagery and brought T-Pain along for the ride. Who else but a man whose entire career is based on self-parody could have been in that video? 

 Some might argue that that's all T-Pain is--self-parody. That's certainly what my friend said when we were looking for tacos. And maybe all T-Pain is is a carefully marketed hype machine with no real skills. But the man sells records And not just to people who saw him on SNL and picked up his album on a lark. He's also reaching fans who feel he's as legitimate as his gangster rap predecessors. Whether T-Pain is talented or not, he's still loved by millions and making money while living his dream. Looks like the joke is on us.

Another Tantalizing Tuesday

Lots of good stuff to report, some from the tech world, some from music, and some from art. How typical of me, wouldn't you say?

Wired Magazine's list of top 8 online mix tape distribution sites.





Article detailing St. Louis and their Complete Street Project. Finally, urban planning that de-emphasizes auto-centric streets.





New York Times article examining the state of conceptual art and the welcoming of former rebels like Jeffery Koons into the establishment.

Google Android is making a grab at the Ipod Touch market with their Archos 5. It looks incredible.

French illustrator over at Nesk.

Ever get tired of pie charts and PowerPoint presentations? Let David McCandless' new book, The Visual Miscellaneum show you information in a colorful new way.


As per the A.V. Club, Tegan and Sara's new album is awesome to the max. Also, Midlake and Los Campesinos! are coming out with new albums in 2010. Oh Huzzah!

Friday Night Links/P.J.'s Picks

There's a lot of talk among music critics about scenes. There was the grunge scene in Seattle, the hardcore scene in D.C., the punk scene in London, the new Pac Northwest scene that includes Death Cab for Cutie and the Decemberists. Every city seems to have had a "scene" at some point within music history. Omaha, of all places, has a scene thanks to Conor Oberst and Saddle Creek Records. Los Angeles never seems to make any of these scene lists, at least to my knowledge. The closest thing I can think of is the East Coast/West Coast rap battles of the 90's, which cooled down considerably after the murders of Biggie and Tupac as well as the incarceration of Suge Knight.


It's surprising to me that L.A. is void of a scene especially since it's described as being such a small town, socially speaking. This has a lot to do with Hollywood and the massive networking that goes within the entertainment industry. With all these people working together, how can some sort of scene or movement not exist in L.A? I think one does exist and has been around for a while. It's difficult for me to know whether this scene is currently emerging or I just think it is because I'm becoming cognizant of it.

Take, for example, Largo. (I think you will find that after a while, this article will be nothing more than a Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon like scenario which, incidentally, can be played here.) Largo is a sit down theater that is host to many actors, musicians and comedians. A quick look through their schedule shows performances by comedian Patton Oswalt and musician Jon Brion. Both work with director Paul Thomas Anderson whose movie "Magnolia" featured songs written by Aimee Mann who also performs at Largo along with Fiona Apple, who dated Paul Thomas Anderson.

If we expand the circle out a little wider, Zack Galafinakis also performs at Largo. He is friends with Patton Oswalt, who has done stand up for 826LA. 826LA is part of 826, a non-profit organization started by author Dave Eggers who wrote a movie, Away We Go, starring John Krazinski and Maya Rudolph. Maya Rudolph is going out with Paul Thomas Anderson. And this list could go on forever, circling outward into a vast orgy of Hollywood incest. All this is done to prove, however, that L.A. does a very credible arts scene that, at least according to my knowledge, has been developing since the 90's.

Much of the artistic movement of today has a lot to do with the so-called hipsters, particularly around the Echo Park and Silver Lake areas of Los Angeles. There has been a backlash against hipsterdom for a while now, primarily because of their alleged love of anything obscure, cerebral or pretentious. They're the new wave of art school prepsters pretending to barely get by on their boho chic lifestyle. Say what you will about their fashion, attitude, or gentrification of various cities, but at least they have a vested interest in the city's cultural life. I asked a friend how she liked living in Austin. She said there was a lot of plaid, so it was a pretty cool place. Plaid is shorthand for hipster fashion along with skinny jeans and funky colored sunglasses and there's plenty of that around L.A. I can only imagine what the crowd will look like at the FYF this weekend.

And what are the hipstesr listening to, what art are they promoting? They listen to, among other things, No Age, a stripped down indie outfit that often play at Family Bookstore on Fairfax. Family Bookstore, along with Stories in Echo Park and Origami Vinyl are all in the business of promoting local musicians, artists, and writers. Both Family and Stories are collaborating with 826LA on various events. For a mini documentary on Family Bookstore, check out the We Love You Blog all about Spike Jonze's new movie, Where the Wild Things Are. Oh, did I neglect to mention Spike is also a friend of 826LA? Small word, huh? No Age, in addition to playing Family Bookstore also play at a venue called The Smell. Need more like-minded, L.A. based non-profit organizations? Look no further than Machine Project, Ooga Booga, and the Silver Lake Conservatory of Music.

What makes all these people an organizations more than just businesses? The difference is that they are integrally related to the neighborhoods in which they stand. They don't just sell things to the community, but welcome the people in to be participants in conversation. Not just literal conversation, but to be a dynamic force both in the L.A. art world and the immediate neighborhood. There is a reciprocal relationship between the establishments and residents. And not only do the businesses provide workshops, classes, music, art, books, meeting spaces to their customers, but to other business as well. They work together for the betterment of everyone. As mentioned above, 826LA has worked with both Stories and Family Bookstores. It has worked with Maya Rudolph and Spike Jonze and Patton Oswalt and Largo. There are artists, musicians, and actors in Los Angeles who, without trying to, are part of a burgeoning group of people keeping the interest and promotion of art alive in Los Angeles. And that's more than can be said for LACMA who just recently had to cancel its weekend film series. And UCLA narrowly escaped having to close down its arts library. With major artistic institutions falling by the economic wayside, it's comforting to find people willing to make a scene. An L.A. scene at that.


Random Links:

L.A. FreeBee

Sartorialist

Look Book

NPR Story about the comedy scene in L.A. during the 1970's.

Two Martin Short interviews on Letterman that, although about 15 years apart, are eerily similar and equally hilarious.

Interview I
Interview II

Carl's Jr.: How Loathsome Can You Go?

There has been a lot of buzz on the interwebs lately over the new Carl's Jr. commercial featuring "Hills" cast member, Audrina Patridge. In the commercial Audrina is lounging on the beach in a bikini while eating a burger. Its pretty standard stuff for Carl's Jr. whose previous commercials have included Padma Lakshmi and Paris Hilton. This new commercial, though, this one really puts my fries in a twist.

The commercial is intolerable for two reasons, the first of which is Audrina's voice work. Her voice is sleepier than her eyes. At no time does she sound the least bit sexy or at all enthused about the burger. Stephen Hawking whispering into my ear is more arousing than listening to Audrina.

The most infuriating thing about the commercial, though, is the use of Rilo Kiley's song, "Moneymaker." This isn't Carl's Jr.'s fault, it's Rilo Kiley's. I'm of the school of thought that believes bands shouldn't license out their music to corporations. Beyond that, I never thought Rilo Kiley was the kind of band to do such a thing. They are indie darlings who have four albums worth of solid song craft. Added to that, many of their songs are about, in some way or another, female struggle and empowerment. They take an honest look at life as a female. Their artistic integrity and message are completely at odds with the imagery and message of the commercial. Not least of all, Jenny and many if not all of the other band members are vegetarian/vegan. Why would a band of vegetarians agree to release their song to a fast food corporation? Are they really that desperate for money? Are there really that many bills to pay? My only explanation is that Rilo Kiley doesn't hold rights to the song and it was sold to Carl's Jr. by their record label. And that, my friends, is shitty.

Although, it's a whole other discussion, a record label's job is to represent and promote a band in the best way possible. Not everything is about the bottom line. Part of representation means ensuring the integrity of the band's image and message. Selling songs to a fast food corporation is not how I would define the preservation of artistic integrity.


The abomination can be seen here:

Friday Night Links

P.J. and I had a week full of suck and it's all because DirecTV pulled the bonus channels we were receiving like VH1 Classic and Ovation. It was to be expected and something we should have seen coming. As every kid in high school econ learns, "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch." DirecTV surely wasn't going to let us enjoy premium channels for free. No sir. Instead they just titillated us with their artsy channel peep show and then pulled the plug just when we were getting comfortable. We will no longer be watching documentaries on bands like Pink Floyd or the Sex Pistols, nor will we get to decide whether a painting is art or not. So, thanks a lot DirecTV. Now P.J. and I have to make due with A Baby Story mini-marathons, True Life: I'm a College Baller, and the wacky antics of Bam Margera. It's like a pop culture smoothie where the only ingredients are lard, apathy, and a fat scoop of shame.

After being burned so badly by technology, P.J. and I decided to go the old school route and devote this week's links to something decidedly non-digital: BOOKS. And don't get me started on the Kindle (shakes fist).



Friday Night Links/P.J.'s Picks:

I've always had a fascination with bookplates. I'm not sure why. Probably because it's a really bad ass personalized sticker and who doesn't like stickers?

I'm not sure how legit and official the organization is, but this site claims to be the home of the American Society of Bookplate Collectors and Designers.


Confessions of a Bookplate Junkie has hundreds of fine examples of the art, some of which are quite elaborate and enviable.

Found Beloved is a site dedicated to children's books found at garage sales and second hand stores. At least I think that's what the site is about. Also somehow affiliated with Marzipan Press.

And for those interested in the design and making of books I give you:

Biblio Odyssey which focuses on antiquarian book art

Amassblog which covers book design through the ages

and for the font enthusiast...

Typographica

Two Rabbis Walk Into a Bar...

Though there is a video on Youtube chronicling the Evolution of Dance, no such video exists for the Evolution of Comedy(a video involving The Three Stooges and two Richard Pryor clips doesn't count, especially when the opening song is by Bachman Turner Overdrive), which is a shame. And no, I'm not going to make an Evolution of Comedy video, if that's what you're thinking. What I am going to do I highlight a particular brand of humor that, according to a "New York Magazine" article, is fading fast.

Article writer, Mark Harris, contends that Jewish humor in American stems from the Jews' position as an outsider; an immigrant people who were forced to assimilate and oftentimes had trouble doing so. The comedy, he says, "emerged from a combination of pain and pride that now seems more historical than contemporary. Jewish humor has always struggled between extremes: The excluded outsider is also the smarty-pants; self-mockery tussles with self-aggrandizement; the prideful intellectual is also a slave to his basest appetites and most uncontrollable bodily functions." This fear and worry over assimilation and identity has been passed down through the generations, leading to the creation of comedy legends like the Marx Brothers, Sid Caesar, Milton Berle, etc. Each of these performers were born into and part of a society in which they were perceived, in some way, as an outsider.

Due to cultural changes that started in the 1970's, the Jew as outsider has slowly disappeared and the classic Jewish comedic archetypes are no longer featured as prominently in TV and movies. Contemporary funnymen like Jon Stewart are cited as being able to slip into an old school Jewish persona and then proceed to shrug it off. It is no longer essential to their comedy, nor is the feeling of being an outsider central to their life experience.

Amid this seeming loss of Jewish comedy, there are two men keeping the dream alive: Woody Allen and Larry David. Allen is famous for his nebbish New York Jew; an angst ridden individual who sees very little to be hopeful for and finds the human condition to be discouraging. Larry David, rather than being the self-reflective introvert like Allen, opts for the more out sized persona. David, both through "Seinfeld" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" creates characters that are visibly uncomfortable with the world they inhabit and makes sure everyone knows it. His misery becomes everyone else's.

These two titans of Jewish humor recently teamed up to make a movie titled, "Whatever Works." According to Harris, watching the movie allows the viewer to,"...witness the Jewish man as funny–sad–barely functional Gloomy Gus come to life again and also to wonder if that guy still has any relevance in an age when American Jews don’t feel so bad about things, except on Yom Kippur."

For those hoping for an Allen revival, this movie might bring some hope. The screenplay is vintage, going back all the way to the early 1970's. It never got made for a variety of reasons and was brought back into the light because of the recent writer's strike. Whether the movie is a true return to form for Allen isn't here nor there. I think the important thing is that the comedic tradition is being kept alive and with any luck, being picked up by a new generation. This new generation includes Adam Sandler, Judd Apatow's ensemble, and the guys from Stella/The State (a.k.a Michael Showalter, Michael Ian Black, David Wain) among others. Woody Allen once said, "tradition is the illusion of permanence." I hope the illusion will last just a little while longer.

EXTRAS:

"New York Magazine" has a handy timeline of Jewish comedians (It's a .pdf, though).

For those of you needing succinct and immediate examples of Jewish humor I submit to you, Old Jews Telling Jokes.

Tim Whatley: Uber-Jew


Also, although I can't attest to the fact that all the people are Jewish, I think Art Garfunkel's misguided attempt at artistry via "Bookends'" fifth track, "Voices of Old People" is a classic example of old school kvetching. "I still haven't gone to the doctor. I've been coughing up blood for the past 48 hours and I can't get up the mucus for the past two or three months..." The way the guy says mucus is priceless.

Indexed

Indexed understands me in a way none of you ever will.

"Come on Come on and Dance All Night, Despite the Heat It'll be Alright..."

Pitchfork has posted a list of all the major and not so major music festivals going on this summer. Some of them look pretty tempting. Anyone down for a trip to Chicago, Montreal, or Quebec? I need to get out of town for a while.

Friday Night Links

In honor of Fridays and esteemed American architect Philip Johnson (pictured above), I've decided to start a weekly post dedicated purely to cool websites I've come across during the week. I'm going to make a vague effort to group the links thematically, but I'm not making any promises.

This Week's Links/ P.J.'s Picks:

Philip Johnson's Glass House
Good Magazine's Blog
Self-proclaimed "Directory of Wonderful Things:" Boing Boing
Style and design magazine/website: Daily Icon

The Breakup: Starring Me, You, and Everyone We Know

A recent New York Times article talks about how couples who share their Netflix queues often have to make difficult decisions and be willing to compromise, both in their movie selections and in their relationships. Maybe Netflix is the reason the divorce rate is so high. Damn you, moooooooviiieeesss!!!!

FYI: I came across the article by reading the blog of Youngna Park, a talented photographer and co-founder of the what seems to be defunct, Modern Letter Project. :(

Criss Angel Freaks My Mind

Criss Angel became well known and universally mocked shortly after his now cancelled television show "Mindfreak" began airing back in 2005.* The show features Criss Angel performing various tricks and illusions while sporting eyeliner, a freshly waxed chest, and a diamond studded necklace in the shape of handcuffs (because nothing says "I'M A MINDFREAK!!!!!" like jewelry so gaudy even Liberace wouldn't have worn it). My problem isn't with the fact that he's a magician, it's that he looks so ridiculous yet takes himself seriously.

The man dresses in a style that can only be described as Hot Topic meets The Village People: all black clothes, large rings in the shape of skulls, and dyed black hair cut in an asymmetrical pattern that covers his eyes. Oh yeah, the all black clothes include an unbuttoned leather vest that accentuates his freshly waxed chest. How this man is completely oblivious to the homoerotic nature of his look is completely lost on me. I guess that's why he's the Mindfreak and I'm not.

Normally people in the entertainment industry have some amount of self awareness. They know the image they are projecting and how that image is perceived. Criss Angel either completely lacks that self awareness or doesn't care. How else can you explain why he voluntarily goes out in public looking like this?

People who actively sport the Criss Angel look usually do it ironically and for comedic purposes, such as Hope is Emo. Angel wears his skulls and chains non-ironically and with an earnestness that verges on pathetic. In perhaps his greatest trick ever, Criss Angel has managed to meld Criss Angel the man with Criss Angel the persona so thoroughly even he can't tell the difference. The results of the trick are painful because it involves watching a 40 year old man wear eyeliner and sing the theme song from his TV show live in Las Vegas.

Even if his fashion sense is forgivable(which it isn't), there is still the small matter of his website which proudly asks visitors to, "Give the gift of Criss Angel. Criss Angel Fan Club Memberships Available Now." Not only is he assuming that people want to be part of his fan club, but that being a part of that club is somehow gift worthy. Wondering what to get that special person in your life who seems to have everything? Why not bless them with the epic fail that is Criss Angel's magic career?


More pictures of Criss Angel can be found here and here, although I think he'd be better represented if his photos were posted here.

For those of you who have no idea what I'm taking about, here is a commercial for Criss Angel's show "Mindfreak."




* Editor's Note: Holy crap, "Mindfreak" is still on the air and about to begin a new season on A&E. I could have sworn A&E stood for Arts and Entertainment. Criss Angel is neither of those. They must be desperate for content.