OK, just two things to rant about very briefly:

The phrase “price point.” Just say PRICE, dammit. For instance, in this headline, why the f*** don’t they just remove the word “point” - the meaning remains the same. Grrr.

The sappy music that is featured on shows like “Gray’s Anatomy.” I guess it’s supposed to be somehow “meaningful” because it’s played over a montage of meaningful scenes and melancholy faces. Grrr.

Surfing around Google Video using the search word “montana” and I came across this quirky, strangely sentimental video. It appears that the young lad is deeply in love with the young lady. It appears to have nothing to do with Montana, except that the phrase “Montana Place Productions” appears on the credits. What intrigued me, however, was the song that played. It’s very Brit-poppy, with some nifty horn stuff (but not overpowering) in the middle. After Googling some of the lyrics, I discovered that the song is called “Dirty Dream Number Two,” and it is by a band called “Belle & Sebastian.” Apparently Belle & Sebastian is pretty popular, although I’d never heard of such until this evening. Oddly compelling music. iTunes reveals that the song referenced above ranks as the band’s 80th most-popular. Give it a listen.

I went through a very brief period in the mid-to-late 80s during which I dabbled in listening to country music; got a little familiar with some of the stars of that time, such as Dwight Yoakum, The Judds, George Strait, and Tanya Tucker. Thankfully, I moved on and back to my regular favorites (new wave, American standards, etc) just as Garth Brooks was arriving on the scene. Whew…dodged that bullet. But since arriving here in Montana, I’ve begun to appreciate some of the C/W sound again…this time, I seem to be gravitating more towards the “classic country” stuff — older, twangier, etc. But while trying to hear some of those tunes on one of the country stations, I inevitably hear some of the more modern stuff, and what I’ve been hearing a lot of lately is Gretchen Wilson. (more…)

Damn damn damn. Wilson Pickett has died. Damn damn damn. UPDATE: Charles is able to put words to my thoughts, and agrees that “Funky Broadway” was Wilson Pickett at his best.

Just another “Top 100…” list, but this one is particularly offensive due to the large number of albums and bands that are pure & utter crap. What on earth is a “Radiohead,” fercryinoutloud? I had to scroll all the way down to #18 to find the first great album on the list. #32 and #41 are pretty damn good, too. (via MeFi)

Watching “Susan Slept Here” on TCM right now…good stuff. And speaking of Good Stuff, check out this small but wonderful list of Holiday Tunage…if there’s a better overall holiday mix, prove it.

Yes, yes, today is the annual celebration known as Festivus, but more important: playing right now on the Encore channel: “The Good, Bad, and Ugly,” as today marks the 39th anniversary of the release of what many consider to be the greatest Western movie ever made. Of note for me during this viewing: at about the seven-minute mark of “The Good, Bad, and Ugly,” there is some haunting “atmosphere” music (guitar) that is played as Angel Eyes enters the scene…and it sounds very much like the music that is playing when The Bride walks out of the chapel and sees Bill for the first time since the Incident. Is it the same music? I don’t know, but it’s Very Cool. UPDATE: watched the first 1/2 hour again, and now I’m sure that it’s the same piece of music. Good, good stuff.