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Have I mentioned the podcast for The Big Takeover? I have? Well, it's on iTunes. Subscribe to it. Love it.

I've got plenty of ideas for lists and rants and stuff, but here's something awesome to tide you guys over.

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Yesterday, the Washington Post published a local survey, asking if people thought that Conan O'Brien would be a better 'Tonight Show' host than Jay Leno. I don't know if the Post wanted to express diverging viewpoints as the media, in the classic sense, is wont to do, but the poll revealed that about 51% of people who responded said that Conan would not be better. Then, the publishers scattered quotes about how Leno has been consistently beating Letterman in the ratings, how genuinely funny Leno is, blah, blah, blah.

I know this seems trite, but that kind of attitude slightly bothers me. These people who a) prefer Leno over Letterman, and b) are frightened of Conan O'Brien are the reason we've had someone like Bush in the White House for the last 8 years, and the reason that sitcoms remain LCD-haha-fart stupid like they are. Conan O'Brien is probably the best raw entertainer of our generation, and the old hats had better get ready for him. Even when his show is at its most scattershot and unfunny, Conan buoys it to ridiculous watchability. Next year, I think peoples' opinions will greatly change about the man responsible for everything from the Monorail episode of the Simpsons to the "Fun Hole" guy.

And Carson Daly still has a show on after Conan, and apparently they're giving Jimmy Fallon a show in Conan's old spot. I'm glad they're so much demand for them. I think we should accidentally deport them both to some obscure Eastern European nation (Slovenia is an option) so they can have a series of wacky adventures to report back to 'Late Night with [Insert DC Comic, possibly Justin Schlegel or Hampton].' Who's with me?

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The sweltering days of summer are in full swing, and I'm feeling like bouncing around the country. Did you guys know that Boise, ID is the home to the US' second largest Basque population, behind Bakersfield, CA? And did you guys know that Bakersfield, CA is the home to the US' largest Basque population? I don't know what they do in Bakersfield, but in Boise they have a big Basque festival every five years. The next one's in 2010, and I'm already making plans. Booyah!!

No, wait, that's not what really prompted me to type "Booyah." If you really need to know (and you do), it's because
THE BIG TAKEOVER IS PODCASTING!
And not just any type of podcasting. IT'S ON ITUNES, MOTHERBITCHES!

You see, before iTunes (the thing that is to mp3 players what Kleenex is to snotrags) accepted the radio show's podcast into its warm embrace, all of the episodes (most of them, anyway) were available on this site. Now, it's readily available to the tightly wound world of podcast listeners through a handy RSS feed.

Yeah, yeah, podcasting is glorified mp3 blitzing, but it's a pretty neat process actually. Wish that some 2nd-grade type illustration were there to inform you? Beg no more.



So, go to the iTunes store in your local neighborhood iTunes program, and just search for "The Big Takeover" and you'll see our free podcast, to which you can subscribe and never miss another overenthusiastic introduction of some indie song by Tyler, another silly accent by Jake, another smack in the face of culture by Herbie, and on and on.

Man, it's hot outside.

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First things first...

Here it is, here I am, turn it up FUCKIN’ LOUD!

RADIO RADIO RADIO RADIO RADIO RADIO -DIO!

Tonight at 10pm on www.georgetownradio.com! Tune in and show some love. Just thought I’d plug this first before getting into the meat of this entry. By the way, if you don’t recognize the reference, listen to more Rancid.

So, in an effort to do something even nerdier than ranking all of the songs on Weezer’s Pinkerton, I’m going to rank all of the songs on Pavement’s debut album Slanted & Enchanted. It isn’t even their best album (Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, for the record), but I suddenly got possessed by S&E’s critically acclaimed shambolic charm. A few months back, I wrote this treatise on how I pick Pavement was best band of the 90’s. While it’s not my favorite Pavement album, S&E is, more than anything, the definitive document of label-defying indie rock, and also what set the tone for a genuinely great half-decade of music to come. Testified:

1. Perfume-V (Track 11)
   There’s something about the line “she’s got the radio active and it makes me feel okay” over a sea of guitar fuzz that just wraps it arms around you in this warm embrace. Best song from the era of burnt-out hippie Gary Young playing drums.
2. Zurich is Stained (Track 6)
   Hipsters hate this song for some reason. I just love the groove and the way that SM washes his hands of guilt over the Swiss city being…stained. Wait, what the fuck is this song about?
3. Loretta’s Scars (Track 8)
   A textbook example of why Pavement excelled at making rock songs that didn’t sound like rock songs were supposed to. I can’t decide if I like the verse or the chorus better.
4. Summer Babe (Winter Version) (Track 1)
   Their signature song, for a good reason. Pretty anthemic as far as their stuff went, and there’s a lot to be said about any great band’s first track of their first album.
5. In the Mouth a Desert (Track 4) Slow and focused as hell. The last thirty seconds as it fades out represent everything I wish I’d been old enough to experience in the early 90’s.
6. Trigger Cut/Wounded-Kite at :17 (Track 2)
   “Lie and betrayals, fruit cover nails, electricity and lust” is probably the coolest line to start a Pavement song. “There is no castration fear” on ‘We Dance’ off Wowee Zowee is up there, too. I like how they revisited this format for track 2 on Brighten the Corners, "Shady Lane."
7. Conduit for Sale! (Track 5)
   I’M TRYING I’M TRYING I’M TRYING I’M TRYING… you get the idea. Pretty “Fall”-esque (rambling lyrics, overly but not inappropriately aggressive), but more Pavement-esque all in all. A winner when Bob Nastanovich sang the “chorus” live when he joined the band.
8. Here (Track 9)
   Hipsters love this song for some reason. It’s pretty, no doubt, and it sticks out like a sore thumb from the rest of the sloppily recorded album. It’s very interesting for a song this well-produced and mellow. Something about Spanish candles?
9. No Life Singed Her (Track 3)
   The weirdest title, I think, from a band with a shitload of weird song titles. Actually, I take that back. The title isn’t terribly weird. “I’ve got a secret for you, I cut your angel in two” is an awesome lyric, and the song gets in your face like no other Pavement song. Too bad this song, among others, make it impossible to put this album on in mixed company.
10. Chelsey’s Little Wrists (Track 7)
    The scattershot barking at the end recalls the Pixies’ “Crackity Jones” or some other Frank Black freak-out. At least it doesn’t overstay it’s welcome as the shortest song on the album.
11. Jackals, False Grails: The Lonesome Era (Track 13)
    A stalwart in the lo-fi canon. Not overly listenable, but still great, and Spiral Stairs and SM make some high quality weird guitar sounds on this. The spontaneous cut-off ending is so indie OMG! Wait…they didn’t do it to be ironic. Damn, these guys were geniuses.
12. Two States (Track 10)
    Oh, wait, here’s the anthem! I’m not a guitarist but I imagine it’s fairly easy to play. Too bad high school bands are trying too hard to pull off Op Ivy songs and not listening to enough real indie.
13. Our Singer (Track 14)
    This song is Stephen Malkmus in a box. Calm and collected, with occasional arty outbursts. A great final track.
14. Fame Throwa (Track 12)
    The album’s “Fall”-est song, which isn’t really a good thing. Mark E. Smith could have probably pulled this off in his own right, but its not the most accurate picture of where Pavement were back then. Compared to most of the stuff SM’s churned out, this sucks.

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The Capitol Fringe Festival is kicking off this weekend! Tons of great shows, so little..great..time to watch them, but still- awesome. Here is where the ticket and schedule info are. Two shows in particular I think you (by "you" i mean people at large) should check out are:



This one sounds like a riot, and my good friend Courtney, who's in the cast, has nothing but the best things to say about it. Doug, one of the members of the Diamond Dead, called into The Big Takeover this week. Hear the interview here! (It's about 12 1/2 minutes in). Anyway, it costs $15 and showtimes are Saturday, July 12 at 4:30 PM, Friday, July 18 at 9:30 PM, Thursday, July 24 at 6:00 PM, Friday, July 25 at 10:00 PM, and Saturday, July 26 at 12:00 PM. It's happening at the Warehouse Theater on 7th St NW, right north of NY Ave.

My friend Hannah, who I had the pleasure of working under in Shawn Northip's "Playdoh Golem" at the JCC, is producing her friends from NYC who call themselves Delusions of Spandex:



This looks pretty funny, and they're performing at the times listed right here, so come and check it out: Thursday 7/10 @ 8:00PM, Friday 7/11 @8:30PM, Saturday 7/12 @ 7:00PM, Sunday 7/13 @ 4:00PM, and Saturday 7/19 at 3:00PM & MIDNIGHT.

Happy theatre-going.

Oh, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the Laughing Lizard Comedy Showcase this Saturday night at O'Shaughnessy's. 1324 King St, Alexandria, great lineup and free as always! Come out- 10pm.