The Useless Critic 2.0

Not Just Because He's Dead - I think this is an okay Christmas song- certainly not my first choice. My sister adores this song, though. And, considering the anniversary of his death (33 years), I figured this was a fair choice. Not Celine Dion's heartless slaughter of it: Also, here is a John Lennon song I love, which came out roughly the same time he was killed: Oh, Yoko!

I included some Christmas music as well as secular music. That M.I.A/Weeknd song? Wow. She really can't sing but there is something entirely intoxicating about it. I'm not sure what to make of the new stuff by the Sounds; "Sweet Tooth" by Blue Hawaii is something you MUST hear, as is Arcade Fire's "Joan of Arc." "Let Me Back In" and "Memoir" are more somber than the rest of the tracks. However, the holidays are proving to be a bit hard for me this year. I really don't think the Flaming Lips' version of "Just Like Starting Over" compares to John Lennon, but Spotify sucks about anything Beatles-related. It will do, pig, it will do.

Before other people cut me off: 27.) "People Can Do the Most Amazing Things"- Kisses Jens Lekman loves them and you can plainly see why: because they are like him! one of my favorite discoveries of this year. 26.) "Let's Go Surfing"- The Drums it's too catchy! too happy! it makes me think of Presque Isle and I DON'T KNOW WHY! I also like the song "I Felt Stupid" because it sums up my attitude on a lottttt. 25.) "Not in Love"- Crystal Castles f. Robert Smith omg it's like the Cure at a rave and where is my beloved Alice Glass? to make a good song just cover some obscure 1980s hit...that's the ticket, I guess. also: RIP JOHN LENNON WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE CATCHER IN THE RYE THAT MAKES PEOPLE WANT TO KILL I HAVE READ IT IT IS AN OKAY BOOK

She does not like white vans. She has toured with Uh Huh Her, among others. She has a fanbase in Erie (???). Singer-songwriter, Michigan native and former model Angie Mattson played a show in Erie two weeks ago that I was personally unable to attend due to my poor transportation situation. Nonetheless, she was amazing enough to do an interview with me. Her new album, Skeleton Arm is currently out. It's been described as "rockabilly" and "jazz." How do those two coexist? Wonderfully! The girl is worth a listen (and seriously read her bio here, it's fascinating) Angie first played the amazing metropolis of Erie (sorry about the snark! I'm entitled! I live here!) six years ago. "It was one of my first shows," she remembered. The enthusiasm has remained up since then, because the Beer Mug was pretty packed when she made her return. "I was happy all the seats were filled and everybody was so into the music. We had a great time," Mattson s...

(for the record, I was beyond delighted when Ursula agreed to write this, because she's one of the best writers I've ever stumbled upon. for reals . the Useless Critic is not worthy of this girl. here she is though, writing about the former Beatle who helped open Pittsburgh's newest concert venue/hockey home, the Consol Energy Center, on August 18 th ) The day after I saw Paul McCartney live in Pittsburgh, at the brand new Consol Energy Center (A.K.A. brand new hockey arena), I spent many hours on the couch in a semi-vegetative state, flipping channels, eating whatever I could find in the freezer. Seeing Paul in concert is hard work. If you’re a one-generation-late Beatles fanatic like me, there’s a lot of screaming and shrieking and dancing and singing that occurs when you witness the majesty of SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY IN THE FLESH. Paul is a bit droopier in the face than in past years, but he did just turn 68, and for all that, he’s still just as energetic, quick-witted, an...

My friend mentioned this in his tumblr (which you should follow by the way, especially now that he's in the exotic locale of ESTONIA - which another one of my friends didn't even realize was a real country, shudder: http://totempole.tumblr.com so now you know, like Andorra, Estonia is a real place) about the coincidences he had noticed in his life. for the past few years, I've noticed the same kind of things in my life, remarkably similar things seem to occur in a pattern. but what happened today was just, err, creepy. and warrants being mentioned here, HAI. I do believe that synchronicity is a very powerful (and real) phenomenon. Argue about UFOs and Bigfoot as you will but there's no denial in the existence of this. Sometimes weird coincidences can't be ignored. For example, my siblings are all born on the 16th, as am I, as my parents are married on this day as well. And don't bad things just seem to happen in threes? (or good things too, but I, being morbid ...