The Useless Critic 2.0

NEW OH LAND ALERT I just need to tell you how much I adore this song. I'm digging it so much more than anything on "Wish Bone."  "Earth Sick" drops Nov. 11 and Oh Land has promised a sound beckoning back to her first album "Fauna." She's actually been using PledgeMusic to fund the album. (I obviously donated but you all know I had to keep myself from donating too much.) It's very dancey and synth-heavy, but it also plods along peacefully. And the hook! The hook is the hook is the hook, to paraphrase Gertrude Stein/Blues Traveler.  If the rest of the album is this good, UGH NO WORDS EVEN DESCRIBE. (Gwen's new single comes out tonight, but I'm not sure that's as good as this.)

Originally, this song angered me. A little irrational? Yeah, probably. I'm starting to resent the now-diminishing neo-folk wave. However, now I'm more okay with it. It's insanely catchy, and while the lyrics are somewhat vapid, they have a few otherwise glimmering - eh, quirky - moments.  The video gives the song another dimension, in my opinion. Anyway, judge for yourself. This blog isn't called "the Useless Critic" for nothing. 

Hey everyone! I have returned to present you one very belated music mix. Sounds about right. It was intended more for late summer, but let's not kid ourselves. I hope y'all enjoy it. I've got Beach House, Andrew Bird, some new Spoon, and Charlotte Gainsbourg. The Neighbourhood is on there as well because that song gets stuck in my head all the time. Zach has some content planned for October btws. Besides pumpkin spice lattes and football at bad neighborhood sports bars, there's another thing to love about fall!

A true anthem of our generation. - You know, maybe it's these outfits we wear, I mean, I can see your boobies. - Shit, my stylist is on a budget. He's just trying to save some fabric. - It really doesn't matter, I'm just gonna end up taking it off anyway. - So what if I'm a little nudie? It don't mean you're gonna get some booty. Baby, I just wanna shake it, it took mama nine months to make it. - My Daisy Dukes they fit just right, they squeeze my coochie really tight, so that when I shake and dance, there's a party in my pants. - Shit, I like your Daisy Dukes. I think they're real classy. Ugh, not even John Lennon or Bob Dylan were ever able to come up with such transgressive, brilliantly crafted lyrics. Too bad the duo split up.

I'm impressed by the fact Keira Knightley - gorgeous, gracefully aloof, talented - can sing! Yesterday, while working, I listened to the "Begin Again" soundtrack. As expected, it's catchy and well-done. That's not a huge surprise, though, since the team behind "Begin Again" is the team behind 2007's beloved "Once" (and Glen Hansard is partially responsible for songwriting duties.)   And from what I've read of "Begin Again," it's essentially a repurposed "Once" set across the Atlantic. With Adam Levine (bleh.) So, that aside, the film is getting decent reviews and I'll probably see it at some point. However, Keira Knightley has been getting some glowing feedback for her vocal chops in the movie.   This was the biggest prompt in me seeking the soundtrack out on Spotify. Even Adam Levine - bleh , again - has some shining moments. I die. At first, Keira's voice takes some getting used to...

SURPRISE, BITCH. I know I've been slacking off for a while now, but I decided to dust myself off and write my annual coverage of the broadcast networks' fall schedule announcements. This year's post might not be as elaborate as my previous ones, but I'm still putting my heart (and trademark sass) into it. Enjoy! ABC Renewed: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. • Castle • The Goldbergs • Grey's Anatomy • Last Man Standing • The Middle • Modern Family • Nashville • Once Upon a Time • Resurrection • Revenge • Scandal Cancelled: The Assets • Back in the Game • Betrayal • Killer Women • Lucky 7 • Mind Games • Mixology • The Neighbors • Once Upon a Time in Wonderland • Suburgatory • Super Fun Night • Trophy Wife New series: Agent Carter • American Crime • The Astronaut Wives Club • Black-ish • Cristela • Forever • Fresh Off the Boat • Galavant • How to Get Away with Murder • Manhattan Love Story • Members Only • Secrets & Lies • Selfie • The...

Spoilers: Maybe. Mid-2000s television was full of “Lost” lookalikes—ensemble dramas with sprawling storylines, huge casts, and vague symbolism plastered to every inch of the script. That genre has fallen out of favor in recent years, but HBO's latest summer offering seeks to bring obsession-worthy modern-day mystery back to television. “The Leftovers” has a pretty solid pedigree, being directed by Peter Berg (“Friday Night Lights”) and written by Damon Lindelof (one half of Lost's major creative duo). But on a leftovers rating scale, is the pilot episode a post-Thanksgiving turkey sandwich, or the moldy meatloaf in the back of your mom's fridge? The episode begins by jumping right into the show's hook. While sitting in the parking lot with her sobbing baby in the backseat, beleaguered mother Nora (Carrie Coon) is sent into horrified shock when the child's crying suddenly ceases—her son has vanished from his car-seat, along with 2% of th...