That Insane Video for DJ Shadow’s “Nobody Speak”

I think I just found my new favorite music video. Directed by Sam Pilling for the song “Nobody Speak” by DJ Shadow featuring Run the Jewels from the June 2016 album The Mountain Will Fall, the unofficial video depicts some kind of negotiation of international importance between the United States and the United Kingdom. Set to the truly fantastic track, the countries’ representatives are in disagreement from go, lip-syncing rhymes at one another as the meeting quickly devolves from discord to fury to full-on chaos. It’s exquisitely filmed, beautifully stunt-coordinated and lots of fun, and it includes inexplicable (but who cares?) cameos from a pig and a rooster. At a time of intense political and ideological strife, the video is making a clear and colorful statement about white male rage. I’ve survived some intense meetings in my day, but this is holy shit crazy. Enjoy.

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David Byrne Radio, June 2016: “Current Events”

If you’re like me, you love David Byrne, the former Talking Heads frontman now solo artist, author, musicologist and prophet of culture and the arts. For years, I used to enjoy David Byrne Radio, which was a monthly updated playlist of fabulous music curated by David himself. It was available for streaming on his own website and through iTunes, where I kept it in a playlist of favorites. Then it disappeared.

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The Fascinating DNA of Old Vinyl Records

I always loved vinyl records. My first years of music collecting were during the late 1970s and early 1980s, and it was all about records and the occasional cassette. When I was in college, I was a DJ on Boston College’s amazing radio station (WZBC 90.3 FM) and in a nightclub across the Charles River at Man Ray in Central Square near Cambridge. While CDs and CD mixers were certainly in full swing at the time, my favorite format was still vinyl, hands down.

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Middle Eastern & Maghreb Disco Funk on David Byrne Radio

I have been a longtime follower of and listener to David Byrne’s monthly streaming music playlist. I just “rediscovered” David Byrne Radio at Mixcloud after getting DB’s email newsletter this morning. For April’s show, John Fitzgerald, aka DJ Fitz, put together a mix of his favorite songs from the Middle East and Maghreb, focused on the golden era of disco and funk (1975 – 1985).

This is not a geography I would immediately associate with really good funk or disco. This playlist, however, opened my ears to a whole new world, thanks to the talents of DJ Fitz and the unyielding good taste of David Byrne. It’s totally unexpected and absolutely fantastic. I had to share…

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My Urbanears Headphones

If you’re willing and able to drop $199 or more for a pair of Beats by Dre, the universe will surely shower you with radiant envy as a member of an exclusive club. If, however, you’re interested in a good pair of well-made headphones with fantastic sound and an elegant, understated design for $49, then hear me out…

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Episode 30: Jessica Jones and Other Trouble in Hell’s Kitchen

In this episode, I talk about Jessica Jones, a great new original Netflix series that is also part of the Marvel universe. Like its terrific “brother” show Daredevil, it takes place mostly in Hell’s Kitchen, NYC, in the wake of the alien invasion incident from The Avengers.

Speaking of Hell’s Kitchen, I was recently sentenced to a day of community service after being stopped on Ninth Avenue by NYPD for making a rolling stop through a red light on my bicycle. In the interest of safer streets in the city, NYC has implemented an initiative called “Vision Zero,” which I wholly support with its interest in safer streets for everyone. However, ticketing bicyclists is an exertion of energy and resources toward the wrong target, in my opinion.

I’m also putting the finishing touches on my December 2015 Spotify playlist for your enjoyment.

Thanks for listening!

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