we just won't be defeated

no one on the corner has swagger like us

I have mixed feelings about M.I.A.� On the one hand, "Paper Planes" is one of the greatest singles of the past decade.� But on the other hand, the song rose to prominence in no small part due to its place on the soundtrack to Slumdog Millionaire.� And fuck Slumdog Millionaire.� That said, it's been a long, long time since the music video has been relevant as an art form.� Her new song may suck (and it does), but the shocking video which accompanies it is a brutally honest portrayal of a world in which social justice is still much, much further away than most people want to believe.

M.I.A, Born Free from ROMAIN-GAVRAS on Vimeo.

M.I.A. - Born Free

songs for whoever

Last night on the way home from work, Elvis Costello's "Alison" came on my Zune.  I don't know why I started thinking about it (frankly, I don't know why I ever start thinking about anything), but I realized it's the perfect 'song about a girl.'  The title is even the girl's name.  Then I decided I was going to make a mix of songs with girls' names in the title.  It wasn't easy; I definitely had to to make some tough choices.  This was by far the most significant thing I accomplished today.

Song For Whoever  The Beautiful South

Stephanie Says  The Velvet Underground

Help Me Mary  Liz Phair

Maggie May  Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs

Romeo And Juliet  Dire Straits

For Emma  Bon Iver

Ingrid Bergman  Billy Bragg & Wilco

Alison  Elvis Costello

Oh Sherrie  Steve Perry

Venus  Television

Billie Jean  Michael Jackson

Jack & Diane  John Cougar

Agnes, Queen Of Sorrow  Palace Songs

Pocahontas  Neil Young

Angelyne  The Jayhawks

Chasing Heather Crazy  Guided By Voices

Jackie  The New Pornographers

Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)  Bruce Springsteen

Cindy  Johnny Cash featuring Nick Cave
Doreen  Old 97's

way better than clydesdales

Yinz have probably noticed - we're sure - that new content has been slight lately.  There's a good reason for that, and it's certainly not because we're busy or, ahem, lazy.  Not at all.  No sir.  In fact, we have big changes in store for our little corner of the internets.  We're very proud of the work we've done here over the past four years, and we've been working on taking our message to a wider audience.

You're not going to believe this, but we actually made a commercial.  That's right - hotrod.vox.com is going to be advertising on the TV!  We'd have loved to buy some Super Bowl ad time, but we haven't made millions off our blog (yet), so that just wasn't in the cards.  We could, however, scrape up enough dough to buy time during the NFL Draft tomorrow evening.  On behalf of the entire editorial staff of this fine publication - and because we value your loyalty - we're allowing our faithful readers a sneak preview.  Enjoy!

Super Bowl Commercial

talking with the taxman about birthdays

I knew it!  I remembered this one without the Facebook reminder and without looking it up from last year.  The only reason I am getting to this so late in the day is because I was absolutely swamped at work.  But I just got home and it's finally time to wish my youngest nephew - Foreman - a very happy first birthday!

Foreman

still life with funyun

IMG00415.jpg

treading water

Okay, okay.  I know.  Really, I do.  I'm waaaaaaaay behind.  I get it.  You don't have to hound me.  I just haven't much felt like writing of late.  Yes, there are several outstanding items that require my attention  And yes, I will address these topics in the coming week:

High Church of the Indie Rock Orthodoxy (DC Chapter):  Last week I saw Wilco and Vampire Weekend, and both shows were worthy of much more than my meager-to-nonexistent commentary.  I aim to right that wrong.

The Onion AV Club Undercover: It would be generous to call my half-assed introduction to this new feature, which was to recur over the next half a year, "cryptic."  I'm now three weeks behind, and there has already been a modest surprise.  No, it's not Bryan Adams covering "I Will Dare," but Lord knows I wish it was.

Photos From My Bike:  I don't even know how many weeks past due I am on these posts.  I've lost track, and it would probably depress me to pay attention to the date on my introduction.  Skipping a week for weather-related reasons certainly didn't help with my sense of urgency.  This topic is the most important of these three.  I should - I do - know better than to slack on this.  I really don't know what has gotten into me.

vampire saturday

I give a fuck about an Oxford comma.

IMG00399.jpg