1. Radiohead fool everyone
This time last week there wasn’t much to say about Radiohead. Well, past Thom York’s lazy eye and the never-ending conversation of arguing whether “The Bends” or “Ok Computer” is a better record (I prefer the later). But Sunday that all changed. With announcements through e-mails, fan sites and blogs, Radiohead revealed that its next album wouldn’t be coming out in 2008 as they had previously, yet vaguely, stated. Instead, “In Rainbows,” the band’s first studio album since 2003’s gloomy and great “Hail to the Thief,” will be released via Internet download Oct. 10. And it just gets better. Not only is the album coming out in a mere five days, but if you’d like, it’s completely free. That’s right. Radiohead has given fans everywhere the option to either download the album for free or pay whatever they want for it (you fill in your own price when buying). This may be the smartest music marketing move ever. Not only does it appear to foreshadow another nail in the recording industry’s dusty coffin, but it’s also sure to give them more exposure and praise than ever before.
2. “Dexter”
I’ve always felt there was something missing from network TV. Maybe it’s the prevalence of the same tired format, or the fact that for some reason “Two and a Half Men” is still airing, that’s kept me away. But I’ll be honest: It was probably just the lack of a serial killer drama series with a lot of dark humor. Good news though, with the return of the second season of Showtime’s “Dexter,” I’ve got my fix back. The show’s first season helped to even further cement Michael C. Hall (of Showtime’s “Six Feet Under”) as one of TV’s best actors. Last Sunday’s season premiere picked up right where last season left off and brought a whole new mess of trouble for Dexter. And now with the script exploring new territory instead of drawing more influence from the series of books that inspired the show (“Darkly Dreaming Dexter”), this will no doubt be a must-see season.
3. The Hives keep it classy
I don’t really know much about fashion, but I hear gray is in this season. Well, it may be for others, but as far as I’m concerned the only colors I need this fall will be black and white. With the release of The Hives’ “The Black and White Album” on Nov. 13, I’ve got good reason. It’s been three long years since the last Hives album, the tightly wound chaos of “Tyrannosaurus Hives.” In that time, the band has done just what they do best: tour relentlessly. And while only the single, “TICK TICK BOOM,” has been released, if it’s any indicator of the rest of the album, we’re in store for another record full of punk rock cuts inspired by everything from ’60s garage and ’70s pre-punk to ’80s rigid experimentalism like Devo.
4. Saves The Day
Everybody has got some band or song that symbolizes a period or time in their life. For me it has always been Saves The Day. And up until three years ago, that’s really all they were to me. Sure, you’ll probably always have a favorite band or record that might mean a little something extra to you, but it’s hard to look at something like that objectively and ask, “Is this just nostalgia or is it really good?” Lucky for me, when the band released its first in a series of three concept albums, “Sound the Alarm,” in 2006, it took its sound to completely unexpected and uncharted avenues of rock. Now with the release of “Under the Boards” on Oct. 30, the band looks to build even more upon the offbeat time signatures and playfully odd, yet still rockin,’ melodies of past records.
5. “The Darjeeling Limited”
There’s no shortage of things to say about Wes Anderson. Ever since his directorial debut and breakthrough indie hit “Bottle Rocket” in 1996, people have been clamoring to call him the “next big thing” while others squabbled over just how overrated he was. At this point, with landmark moving dark comedies like “Rushmore” and “The Royal Tenenbaums,” both titles seem totally irrelevant. The guy can make one hell of a movie. Now with the release of “The Darjeeling Limited” on Oct. 12, he’s looking to do it once again. With a cast made up of Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Adrien Brody and Anjelica Huston, this is not one to miss.
6. “No Country For Old Men”
With the release of films like “3:10 to Yuma” and “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford,” already this year, it’s probably safe to say that the western is back. On Nov. 9, wonder duo the Coen brothers (“The Big Lebowski,” “Fargo”) look to cement this recent western resurrection with the premiere of their new crime drama “No Country for Old Men.” Set in the modern southwest (shot in Texas and New Mexico) and starring Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin and Woody Harrelson, this looks to be one of the most exciting and intense movies of 2007.
7. K-fed gets custody
It’s been quite the year for Miss Spears. She’s had a child, shaved her head, gave an embarrassingly out of it performance at MTV’s VMAs and has been in and out of rehab. And now she’s lost custody of her children to ex-husband and awesomely horrible white rapper Kevin Federline. I never thought the day would come that K-Fed would be considered a better parent than even a boozing and trashy Spears, but that day has come. Take this last little moment of fame for all it’s worth K-Fed, and milk it like the media-whore in training you are. Whether this is temporary or permanent for the couple remains to be seen, but as long as Spears’ blood levels keep showing up “Toxic,” K-Fed keeps the babies.
8. “Kid Nation”
What exactly goes into quality programming? The formula seems to be constantly changing and it’s hard to get right. I just wish I could have been at the meeting where they pitched the genius idea of the new TV series “Kid Nation.” I mean, what’s to complain about? You’ve got a bunch of kids from different backgrounds on a reality TV show trying to create a sustainable society. Plus all of that great reality TV magic like in-fighting among groups, accidentally drinking bleach and plenty of crying. It’s every kid’s dream: “no parents, no rules.” However, it’s every responsible adult’s worst nightmare: legalized and supported child labor.
