03.29.10 My Top Ten RIGHT NOW

1. CONCERT Miike Snow at Music Hall

A live show of electronic music has the potential to fail, I mean, wouldn’t it be better to just find a hopping club and dance the night away?  Not so with this incredible live performance in which the entire venue was filled with smoke, the lights never stopped flashing and the music sounded exactly like it does on CD except a million times better.  This band has found a way to make programmed music completely alive, giving fresh takes on hits like “Animal” and “Burial,” motivating an entire room to ceaselessly move with the beat.  This is a concert experience not to be missed… A

2. FOOD Athenian Room

Literally the second I step foot off the airplane in Chicago, my mind drifts to the classic good eats of Athenian Room.  Their spanikopita is a delightful flaky masterpiece of filo dough and spinach.  The Greek salad is nothing to scream about, but thanks to a large helping of feta, it’s a welcome side dish.  But it’s all about the Greek fries, thick cut potatoes doused in a lemony herb oil that is tart and mouthwateringly scrumptious.  While putting “Greek” in front of everything hardly is a claim for authenticity, who cares when it tastes this good… A

3. SONG “The Old Days” Dr. Dog

I generally don’t listen to songs over and over again, but this has become my go to groove.  Opening with simplistic repetitive chords, the odd vocal line counterpoints until the song breaks open into a thunder of guitars and drums creating what is ultimately a completely infectious tune.  As the speed picks up, the song never loses its musicality creating the perfect get-up-and-go jam… A

4. TV American Idol

I could not be more bored by this show.  Seriously where did the fun go?  The singers, when they actually find a right note, are still lackluster.  The judges are inane at best, Kara somehow becoming more like Paula every day, Ellen trying way too hard to be funny and kind, Simon clearly has left the building and Randy, well, I’ve never had anything nice to say about him.  The saving grace currently is guitar-toting Crystal Bowersox, but honestly, I can catch her and the millions of copycats like her in any coffee house across the country.  This is most certainly not must see TV… D

5. ALBUM The Magicians Private Library Holly Miranda

There might be a little too much going on in this album, so many sounds and melodies colliding, but they’re all independently quite wonderful, making me excited to hear what’s next.  The opening song, “Forest Green Oh Forest Green” is a wall of sound, horns and layered vocals in a sing-songy vibe that delights.  “Waves” quiets things down into a more Fiona Apple vibe with a Keren Ann backing track.  By the time you hit the excellent track, “Every Time I Go to Sleep,” the cool vibe that brought you into the CD has worn a bit thin and become a bit cloying.  All things considered, this is definitely an artist to watch… B

6. ALBUM Black Holes & Revelations Muse

After falling in love with their latest album, I started to dig through the back catalog.  This album is worth it for the opening track alone.  “Take A Bow” is a sonic marvel, from the Philip Glass on acid opening to the climactic central pulsing build, this song is a journey that must be taken.  The rest of the album plays nicely, with clear send-ups to Queen like the power ballad “Invincible” and the piano banging “Hoodoo.”  Everything doesn’t come together like Resistance, but there are enough gems here to be worth a full listen… B+

7. ALBUM Alligator The National

Another trip through the back catalog here, ultimately proving that this band really hasn’t fumbled at all.  Opening strong with the catchy “Secret Meeting,” the album expands outward with a bit of influence from the best of The Magnetic Fields on tracks like “Looking for Astronauts” and “Daughters of the Soho Riots,” although that could just be an unfair comparison due to similarity in deep husky vocals.  It’s lyrically delightful, sonically pleasant and in many ways bests Boxer but all of it falls short of the genius of their one contribution to Dark Was The Night, “So Far Around the Bend”… B+

8. FOOD 67 Burger

It’s a simple burger, but it’s a distinctly delicious one too.  With a menu that guides you through the selection process, giving you a surprising wealth of options, especially in the cheese department, you can’t go wrong.  My personal pick is the spicy pepper jack, keep it simple with a little kick.  The specialty burgers are also quite tasty, especially the Greek one, with the excellent addition of feta and olives.  To accompany the meal, the curly fries are a delight, almost as good as the ones you get at Hooters.  Sometimes simple truly is the best recipe… B+

9. PLAY Lend Me a Tenor

I’m not sure what the thought process was for remounting this play, other than to get some notable people on stage and have them not quite hit the right beats and not quite make anything out of this ridiculous farce.  Justin Bartha does admirably as the adorable Max and Anthony LaPaglia makes the most out of the bloated tenor role, but even with a couple more bright spots in the cast, this is one dim show.  There might be a reason why no one bothered to revive this trash for the past twenty years… C-

10. MOVIE Hancock

I didn’t really think that I’d like this film on any level, but it was available for instant download and seemed mindless enough to pass two hours.  I was surprised to find it actually entertaining and with a bit of an edge to it.  Will Smith plays a reluctant hero quite well, amazing how charismatic he really is, and the Charlize Theron twist was certainly unforeseen.  But while it’s nice to see Jason Bateman working, this was a real zero for him.  All in all, it was better than your average summer blockbuster, but what does that really say… B-