More Justin Timberlake? Umm, ok.

Again, it's by request....



For your consideration:
Justin Timberlake - Future Sex/Love Sound Mp3

Justin Timberlake: Sexy Back

By request.... I'm just sexin'

For your consideration:
Justin Timberlake - Sexy Back Mp3

My Memories Of Madden

This week saw interesting phenomenon come to my attention, something called "the Madden Generation." While there maybe generations labeled X,Y, and whatevah, there is also a cross generation of people who have played video games throughout their entire lives. Not just any video game either. Of course I am talking about EA Sports' version of football headlined by the Hall Of Fame coach John Madden. The most recent addition to the franchise is entitled NFL Madden 07, and was released earlier this week to much hooplah.

Jesus, even I still have my Madden 91 for Sega Genesis laying around. If you play nothing but sports video games like me, you likely have one of the versions of it laying around too. I sound like an old fart that complains about walking to school uphill both ways (in the snow) when I say that I go so far back with Madden that I can claim that we didn't play from left to right, we played from top to bottom and bottom to top! And we liked it! You kids today with your left-thumbstick! We had a D-Pad, and just one of them mind you! And we were happy. You kids get to decide play patterns, control the pass, juke moves, oh, new to this year's model you get to be an offensive lineman? We were lucky if we could even control the wide receiver!

What's funny is that inevitably one of you reading this a Tecmo Bowl guy and totally doesn't get what I'm talking about. But you do remember sitting in front of the tv for hours after school with your one buddy playin vids. You had the Atari 2600 or Intellivison, then you got either your Colecovision or waited till Nintendo, the premier system of it's dayto play. You graduated from that to your Sega Genesis, where Madden really took off. From there you started college and was ready for the Playstation, all the while your faithful EA Sports released a new version of your favorite football game every year. Now, you're out of college, worn out your PS2, X-Box, and moved on to the 360. Guess what? The 07 is there for ya, and BOOM! You my friend are a member of the "Madden Generation."

Well now-a-days, these games have gotten outta hand. Music has played a key role in recent versions of the game. It is a sign of prestige for some acts to have their song appear on the popular game, and in recent years the lineup of well known stars has increased tremendously. 2005's version boasted "American Idiot" by Green Day, which later on went to win the Grammy. Coincidence? This year's model is no exception to the trend. Included on the soundtrack to NFL Madden 07 are such artists such well known artists as Audioslave, Keane, and Wolfmother.

But what about the game itself? Looks cool, right? Well, reviews have been mixed at best. Most reviews have said that the game seems to be the same as last year. If there is anything I hate more about a game that comes out yearly is that they didn't make enough improvements. Some have said it might even be a step back because it is harder to operate the receivers. Oh well. At least I can live easier knowing that a new model is only a year away. I'm just sayin'

Here are a couple of tunes available on the Madden soundtrack.

For your consideration:
Wolfmother - Woman Mp3
Keane - Is It Any Wonder? Mp3

My Morning Jacket: Okonokos

For your consideration:
Disc 1
Disc 2
Trailer to the DVD (Windows Media Version)
Buy
(i'm just sayin') posting on My Morning Jacket

Saturday Night Switch: SNL Casts A New Look

Next month NBC's "Saturday Night Live" will begin it's 32nd season, and it will be without at least a third of last year's cast. Cast members Chris Parnell, Horatio Sanz and Kenan Thompson have been fired, along with the already announced departures of Tina Fey and Rachel Dratch. Word is still out as to wether or not impresario Darrell Hammond will be offered a contract, so keep those dreams of more Donald Trump "Dominios" commercial parodies on hold. Fey and Dratch are set to star in "30 Rock," an Office-like comedy that marks the series televsion debut of Alec Baldwin, and his schweaty balls.

Even Weekend Update will be getting a makeover. Returning cast memeber Amy Poehler will not be handling the duties as a solo correspondent, that job has now been given to relative newcomer, Jason Sudeikis (pictured right).

Speaking of Sudeikis, it looks like the cast has been completely Samberg-tized, and I am worried that producer Lorne Michaels has made the same mistake he made years ago when the cast transformed from the Mike Meyers/Dana Carvey years to the Adam Sandler/David Spade era...a move to a more stupid frat guy comedy. What the show doesn't need is more bits about eating lettuce Lorne. I'm just sayin'

Where is the "glue?" And by that, I mean who fills in the Ackroyd/Hartman role? This is why I am most upset about the departure of Parnell. By the way? This is actually the second time he's been fired from the show. Hopefully he will return, cause that guy is talented. Umm, wasn't he in the only big thing that came out of SNL last season? And by that I am referring to the short film "Lazy Sunday?" Bad move Lorne, "Merv the Perv" coulda been your next big movie! Fire Seth Meyers instead, that guy's a stiff!

And finally, we wave goodbye to Horatio Sanz. He will always be remembered as the fat guy who laughed on camera with Jimmy Fallon and stuck out his tongue waaaaay too much. Yes, his Elton John was dead on, and his "Gobi" will always be a "hit" with the stoner crowd. So with that, here is one of good ol Horatio's finest moments from last season, "It's Carol!"

Punch Or Lunch?

Heya folks, it's time for the second installment of "Punch or Lunch." It features people and things who I either want to punch or buy lunch. Here we go!


Greg Behrendt, comedian, author, talk show host. Punch or Lunch?


Dude, this guy needs a punch. Seriously. Someone stop this guy. Somehow Behrendt has managed to turn a marginally funny stand up routine into a self-help book, a spot on Oprah, and as a host of his own syndicated talk show where he speaks on behalf of the average guy. How did we let this douche represent us? Did I miss a meeting? For those of you who don't know, Greggy is the author of "He's Just Not That Into You," a book that supposedly "reveals" the secrets of what men are really thinking about the women they date. If you're interested in buying the book (and getting punched), it can be found in the "No Duh" section of your local bookstore.


Lukas and Dilana from "Rockstar: Supernova" Punch or Lunch?


Lunch! Throw in a shower too! These pixies rock. Dilana is shaping up as the frontrunner to win the coveted spot to be the lead singer of Tommy Lee's latest project to suck, "Supernova," and Lukas (Don't call me Lucca Brazzi) Rossi is shaping up for a fine solo career as long as "The Killers" remain popular. Together these two are the most entertaining contestants on an otherwise bland show. Let's be honest here, they barely stack up to the final five from last season's "Rockstar: INXS." Me? I'll take Jordis and Marty (listen to "Trees" below) over anybody from this season, but ya gotta give it up for these two smurfs. Just how tall are they? When they stand next to Brooke Burke (see side), they pale in comparison, and Brook is a small woman! Side note: Nice crotch shot Dilana. You let your website publish that? Damn girl! Oh, and is it me or can you just picture her passed out naked in a bathtub with a needle hanging from her arm? Now that's rock n roll!

For your consideration:
Marty Casey & Lovehammers - Trees Mp3


And finally, customer service employees at Best Buy. Punch or Lunch?


PUNCH! There are three things wrong with the above picture. The first thing wrong with the picture is that the shelves are stocked with product to sell. The second thing is that the employee of Best Buy actually looks like he knows what he is talking about. And finally, the third thing wrong with this picture is that he is even in it! Have you tried to buy anything from "Best Buy" lately? Good luck with that amigo. Unless you know exactly what you want, and you can find it yourself, don't even bother going through the front door. They seem to be more concerned with checking your receipt as you exit the store than helping you decipher which DVD recorder is best for your home. Here is Best Buy's idea of customer service:

Customer (exasperated after a twenty minute wait): Excuse me, I'm looking for a DVD recorder.

Best Buy Employee: (looks up from his Blackberry): Uhhh, they're over there.


End of story. If you can punch an entire store, do it. I'm just sayin'

So, what do you think? Let me hear from you!

Happy Lollyday!

Sunset Over Swami's Beach, Encinitas, California 8/20/06

For Your Consideration:
The Beatles - Birthday Mp3

Welcome My Friend to The Secret Machines

It's Monday, and usually here at (i'm just sayin') we do the monster mash and post a mashup for you to enjoy. Well, I gotta be honest here, I really don't see anything worth sending your way this week. I did get the "Grey Album" by Jay-Z, but I think I'll save that for another time. Post a comment here if you miss the monster mash, and I'll get some more stuff up for you next week. So, what do I want to bring to your attention today? Today, I'd like you to enjoy the sounds of the Secret Machines.

The Secret Machines are a Brooklyn New York based trio with a sound that is unlike anything coming out of the area. No my friends, they are not another Strokes rip off. If Wolfmother draws positive comparisons to Black Sabbath, the Secret Machines's hypnotic, psychedelic and lush songs that pass the seven minute mark are reminiscent of Pink Floyd, 80's era Rush, and Led Zeppelin. Sure, that's quite an impressive list of bands to be compared to, but the Secret Machines not only live up to it, they make their music their own. Their first major label release "Now Here Is Nowhere" is a must own. It had been years since I had heard an album that warranted a complete listen to from the first track to the last. The Secret Machines accomplished that. Remember the feeling you had when you heard "Grace Under Pressure" for the first time? How about "Wish You Were Here?" You'll relive that feeling again when you hear this album.

So who are these guys? The band members are bassist/keyboardist/vocalist Brandon Curtis, his brother guitarist/vocalist Ben Curtis, and drummer Josh Garza. While the brothers work the sonics and supply the vocals, the secret weapon in the Secret Machines is Garza. If you love your drums loud ala John Bonham, then see this band live. Garza plays the skins like every song was "When The Levee Breaks," and never lets up.

Back in April of this year, the band released their second album called "Ten Silver Drops." It is an interesting follow up to "Now Here Is Nowhere" because it is not nearly as upbeat as their debut. It just doesn't "rock" as much per se, it's moody. Where the first album was tight, the new one is loose and much more spacious with it's sound. It's definitely one to played after midnight. Here's a video to "All At Once," the most upbeat track on the album.

I saw the band play at Avalon in Hollywood in support of the first album a couple of years ago, and the impression I got was that the band is still finding it's niche, and it's audience is still finding them. I felt that we in the audience were the ones catching a band on the rise, in the early stages of a long career. I could visualize them somewhere down the line playing huge arenas with a helluva light show. It was the same feeling I had when I saw Phish in the early nineties, and just look what happened to them. The band has announced a bunch of tour dates and plan to play small clubs in the round. The image to the right is the floorplan for the show. Ever hear of that? I'm tellin you, hop on the bandwagon before the secret gets out (pun intended) and see them now!

Wanna hear the band live? I found a live show on a fan's website you should check out. The sound quality is about a 7/10, not exactly a soundboard recording, but there at least isn't any audience jibber jabber during the songs. You'll get a good idea of what the band sounds like. Here's the link to the 2004 Berlin show: thesecretmachines.net. Also, for your consideration, I've included live versions of the first track off their new album, "Alone, Jealous, and Stoned" and "The Road Leads Where It's Led" from "Now Here Is Nowhere." These two songs are from their May 3rd appearance on Morning Becomes Eclectic as heard on KCRW. Enjoy!


For Your Consideration:
The Secret Machines - Alone, Jealous, and Stoned (Live) MP3

The Secret Machines - The Road Leads Where It's Led (Live) MP3