The Useless Critic 2.0

Hi there, citizens of Earth. Earlier this month, I made a summer playlist. You know I love making playlists (sorry I gave up my earlier efforts, but more important priorities came to light.)  I haven't shared it with you- yet. Until now. '90s Fashion I hope you enjoy it. It's fairly eclectic; Bryan Adams, Iggy Azalea and Vampire Weekend all make appearances. Plus some of my personal favorites from this current year (Lana Del Rey and Lykke Li.) Enjoy it! And make your own (maybe.) And share it with me (maybe.) 

I got Facebook back in 2006. There are few pictures on Facebook in 2006. What they had to give me were celebrity pictures my friends and I apprehended for giggles (teeheehee.) Oh, and one memorable librarian (which got my 18-year-old self in trouble, lolz.) My Facebook movie was cute. Most of the updates were from the past year ("Hey everyone, I'm not dead!" "YAY, YOU'RE NOT DEAD!") I couldn't help but be a LITTLE disappointed. So, summoning my inner Peter Jackson, here is what that movie should have been like: 2006: Break up with Scarlett Johansson Years later, in interview after stepping down as the Oxfam ambassador: "You know, sometimes I wonder about the poor decisions I've made. And I haven't made a lot because I'm nearly perfect, but like marrying Ryan Reynolds letting Britt get away was just a big mistake. I cry about it a lot." (like) 2007: Break stuff with Britney Spears Britney said: "Bri...

Song of the Day I have now begun a week of sheer SPOOKINESS in honor of Halloween.  So every song from this point forward will be a spooky  HALLOWEEN song. Here's a song by Vampire BLOOD-SUCKING Weekend about.... SPOOKY HORCHATA

And not Beyonce or Justin Timberlake! Here are three coming this autumn to the Valley I'm eager to buy tickets for... 1.) James Blake  October 25- Crescent Ballroom James Blake has one haunting, gorgeous voice. And his approach to "dubstep"- if you want to term it that- I think is one of a kind. His new album, "Overgrown," is a trip to another dimension. He'll be at the Crescent (a cool little venue) in October. I think tickets will probably sell out, but I'm too cheap to buy tickets right now. Get them here .  2.) Vampire Weekend October 27- Comerica Theater This one would be fun to see live! Vampire Weekend come across as putting on a lively show. Sky Ferreira is opening, which strikes me as strange, but whatever. The new Vampire Weekend- while not really that different than what they've done before - is nonetheless enjoyable. Why hurt a winning formula? No one messes with Coke. Get your tickets hurr . 3.) Kate Nash + La ...

Song of the Day Vampire Weekend is back! *looks for her Madras shirt* BENIHANA AMY'S BAKING COMPANY (more on that later) IZOD I'm 25 today. I feel ancient!

Song of the Day I have quite the history with this song. Happy Saturday!

up for noms: Arcade Fire, Cee-Lo, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Vampire Weekend, Robyn, Eminem, the cast of Glee (?), Miranda Lambert, Florence + the Machine (swoon!), ... overall I think it was a decent showing for once. except Justin Bieber showed up in there. somewhere.

WILCO just announced (WILCOOOOOO) that they will be hitting up Pittsburgh in April on the 11th. Now for me that's a pretty big deal. I'd put them up in like, near-Radiohead territory. I WANT to see that so hard. for reals. The Antlers will be playing in Akron come January 30th. Tickets are like 11 dollars. Hospice was Amazon's pick for the year! yeahhhhhhh. In February, Sondre Lerche will be in Pittsburgh on February 26th at the Club Cafe. he's very good live, worth a view if you haven't already! JBM will be opening again. Another performer that's very worth a trip to see is ST. VINCENT, who will be at Pittsburgh on Feb. 21, a Sunday. God. she's so like- mesmerizing live. she made me a big fan after witnessing her all-too-brief opening bit for Andrew Bird. Irish group The Guggenheim Grotto will be in Pittsburgh March 3. They're pretty up-and-coming and if you're a fan of Damien Rice or the like, you might appreciate them. WATCH NOW Then you have vet...