comanche/soul

Crime and Punishment

2006-11-29T09:25:00.000-05:00

All the clamoring for me to come back and post some more has not fallen on deaf ears, so here I am.

Thought it best to start out light with a little soccer news:

Carlos Tevez, the 22 year old Argentinian forward, has been subjected to a truly bizarre punishment for his walk out at London club West Ham this weekend. Check it out here.

Wilco's Tweedy slaps rowdy fan at Missouri show

2006-10-17T15:49:00.000-04:00

Sounds like it's really true: apparently last night at a show in Springfield, MO, Wilco leadsinger/Stalinist Jeff Tweedy grabbed a fan by the throat and then slapped him. The fan had made his way onto the stage and moved towards Tweedy, apparently to kiss his cheek. Read more about it here.

Hopefully one of few hundred folks who bought Wilco tickets for Wednesday's 930 Club show in the 4 minute window before they sold out, only to resale them at triple their face value, will suffer a similar fate.

DAM! Festival in DC next week

2006-10-17T14:44:00.000-04:00

Those of you residing in the DC area take note -- an excellent lineup of shows is coming to town courtesy of the DAM! Festival (standing for District's Awake! Music Festival, which, I'm guessing, is a spin on the Postal Service track). I'll hopefully be covering some of it for the DCist, but amongst the highlights are Bishop Allen and the Oranges Band. I've gotten into the latter recently, via a copy of The World and Everything In It, courtesy of my younger sister. And, best of all, c/s folk hero Craig Finn gives them a ringing endorsement. I'll let some fellow Kentuckians tell you about Bishop Allen at MOKB and YANP.

But that's not all. Check out the DAM! website for more details here.

Something to sample:
The Oranges Band - Ride the Nuclear Wave

Hold Steady c/s review on DCist

2006-10-04T09:45:00.000-04:00

The fine folks at the DCist keep posting my concert reviews, and I greatly appreciate it.

I went to see the Hold Steady at Ottobar in Baltimore on Monday and did a review for them. First off, Ottobar is a great little place -- cheap Natty Boh and Pabst, good sound system, really intimate, easy to park on the street nearby. Second, the Hold Steady were terrific. Big Sleep opened up and I'd describe them as "abrasive". Sean Na Na -- a sort of musical alter ego of Har Mar Superstar -- and played a very good punk/pop set, equally informed my the Jam and the Lemonheads.

For more, you can find my full review of the Hold Steady's set here.

I link to them a lot, you should also, be sure to check out the full DCist page regularly for all that's going on inside the Beltway.

Fox labels Mark Foley as a Dem

2006-10-04T09:33:00.000-04:00

There will surely be plenty of folks calling this an honest mistake, and maybe it is. But given that former Congressman Mark Foley wasn't exactly a household name, it seems either a very convenient one or a case of downright deception.

Fox News showed graphics yesterday labelling -- literally -- Foley as a Democrat. This, of course, comes on the heels of his resignation following a scandal involving a 16 year old House Page.

Fox labels Mark Foley as a Democrat

New Hold Steady and Polyphonic Spree

2006-09-27T16:08:00.000-04:00

As we eagerly count down to Tuesday's release of the Hold Steady's much-awaited follow up to Separation Sunday, Boys and Girls in America , I found another track from the upcoming album.

This one's a bit of a departure. Yes, those are strings, and yes, it sorta sounds like Ben Folds. It's a bit of a departure, but I had been expecting some more complex arrangements to compliment their usual bar band stuff. Even if you don't like it initially, stick with it until the end.

The Hold Steady - "First Night"

Also recently discovered that Tim Delaughter's current band, Polyphonic Spree, have covered his old band, Tripping Daisy, on their just released Wait EP. The song is "Sonic Bloom", a true all time favorite. It comes from the Daisy's Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb, which is a true underrated power-pop classic if there ever was one. It also fits his new group well, as there's lots of room for backup vocals and Penny Lane horn flourishes.

Polyphonic Spree - "Sonic Bloom"

Thin Lizzy Lives!

2006-09-21T15:35:00.000-04:00

Pitchfork -- ever vigilant and omnipresent -- beat (most of) the rest of us to another band, Brooklyn's Thin Lizzy devotees Stylofone. They just reviewed a new cut from them called "Helen Keller". I'll confirm all the rumors and tell you that they really do sound a lot like Thin Lizzy. Beyond that, there isn't a lot more to share. Where the Hold Steady copped some Lizzy licks and maybe a lead part or two, Stylofone take almost everyting. But I still like it. A lot.

Stylofone MySpace page (three songs streaming)

Also, the Riff Market blog has a hilarious little thing on how Gary Glitter's "Rock and Roll Part 2" has been banned from NFL stadia. Check it out here.

Rehashed Treasures: Jeff Tweedy DVD

2006-09-20T16:46:00.000-04:00

Just caught the trailer for the new Jeff Tweedy DVD, Sunken Treasure: Live in the Pacific Northwest. View it yourself here. Did you like I Am Trying to Break Your Heart? Did you buy it on DVD? How many times have you seen the outtakes? If you answered "not enough" to this last question, the Sunken Treasure filmmakers are thankful indeed. Yes, the trailer for this latest Wilco-related release bears a strong resemblance to IATTBYH. In addition to the new film's title track (played solo, also in the Pacific Northwest, on IATTBYH), it appears this one will include other similarities like scenes driving in cars, Tweedy's wry sense of humor on the streets, and lots of fascination with geometrically-oriented shots of our nation's cities in gloomy weather.

But seriously, I will no doubt see this movie, probably enjoy it a lot, and maybe even buy it. Even though I'm still pretty angry about their DC show selling out in 4 minutes. To hell with you folks (I didn't post that, by the way) on Craigslist who scarfed up all the tickets only to scalp them and make some easy cash. I'm boycotting.

TV on the Radio on mp3 on various blogs...

2006-09-19T14:35:00.000-04:00

Stopped by a local record store the other day and sampled some of TV on the Radio's latest release, Return to Cookie Mountain. Always one of those bands I'd enjoy hearing on a college radio station or something but never something I'd pursue, the track "Wolf Like Me" has me reconsidering. Yes, it's rife with the same hyper-seriousness I just got done lamenting last week, but there's something more in there. The production is fussy and busy, almost hiding the melody behind a layer of static. But it's there, and while the guitars sound a little too familiar, it's more bombastic than anything Wolf Parade, Interpol, or the Dears have put out.

TV on the Radio - Wolf Like Me

Whole Wide World: Coup in Thailand

2006-09-19T11:39:00.000-04:00

Just got word that tanks have appeared in Bangkok, a possible military coup. Right now there ain't a lot happening on the wires, but the BBC has this. Drudge Report also links to something on Breitbart here.

I'll save you the time of actually following those links if you like: China's official news agency has reported movements of the Thai 3rd and 5th Army areas' four battalions. Though supposedly simply some kind of "personnel rotation", the BBC is saying this morning that tanks have appeared in Bangkok. I'll try to keep updating, but stay tuned to Drudge and BBC for details.

*It's been a while since I've done a segment of Whole Wide World, so here you go:

Whole Wide World...
PAPUA NEW GUINEA - This country of 5.9 million people is the world's most linguistically diverse, with over 700 native tongues. Only 1% of the land is currently fit for cash crops. There's lots of rain forest, which means lots of lumber, which means lots of environmentalist groups crying foul, lots of dangerous-run off and erosion. Gold and copper resources haven't been accessed. The country still maintains very close ties with Australia, which governed the island state until 1975. The capital is Port Moresby and the Gross Nat'l Income per capita is 660 bucks.

Band of Horses: DCist Review

2006-09-15T16:39:00.000-04:00

The folks at the DCist were kind enough to publish a review I did of the Band of Horses / Chan VanGaalen show at the Black Cat on Wednesday night. Very enjoyable, sold out show. You can check out my review here.

You might notice some readers have made comments regarding my slight towards New Buffalo. Well, she really did suck awfully bad in concert, but a couple of her songs aren't terrible. And yes, I was wrong, she is Australian, not Canadian, as I suggested. That's my apology.

Check out the rest of the DCist (updated very regularly) at www.dcist.com.

Pass the Hatchet: YLT back on top?

2006-09-11T09:39:00.000-04:00

I haven't heard all of the new Yo La Tengo album, I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Kick Your Ass, but Pitchfork's calling it a return to form, even after their supposedly lackluster performances on a summer tour. Predecessor Summer Sun wasn't great, more like Dad Rock for the Pure Moods crowd. While it had its moments -- "Little Eyes" and their cover of Big Star's "Take Care" chief among them -- it turned out to be the gloomiest thing YLT have ever put out.

Now they're back, and you'd do well to give a listen to the album's sprawling opening track:

Yo La Tengo - "Pass The Hatchet, I Think I'm Goodkind".

The Firing of Robert Christgau

2006-09-07T14:49:00.000-04:00

The Village Voice has fired ancien rock writer Bob Christgau after 37 years of service. Those of you vaguely familiar with him know that his writing is first pretentious, second funny, and third short. All of these end up being good things if you're in the mood. Ever notice how, in music magazines like Q or Uncut, when they print a full page, 700 word, review of an album from the Coldplay/U2 complex and give it 4 stars, you find it extremely wordy and meandering? Do you also skip to the 100 word capsules and read fifty of them? If so, Bob Christgau is probably why.

To give my readers and better idea of what I'm talking about and what Christgau is all about, I've decided to highlight a few reviews, taken directly from his personal website. Below you'll find links to both c/s album favorites and also simply entertaining ones he's written.

Jefferson Airplane - The Essential Jefferson Airplane

The Beatles - Capitol Albums, Vol. 1

My Bloddy Valentine - Loveless

Radiohead (entire catalog in about 300 words)

My Morning Jacket - It Still Moves

Moby Grape - Vintage: The Best of Moby Grape

The Old 97's - Entire Catalog (for whatever reason, Christgau just loves Rhett Miller and the Old 97's)

Shuggie Otis - Inspiration Information

Stephen Stills - Stephen Stills 2

Anyway, you get the idea. I may add some more recommended reviews every so often, but you really just have to comb through them yourself and get a feel for what he likes and doesn't. Noise does not impress him. Songs do.

Weekend Sports Update and Preview

2006-08-25T09:46:00.000-04:00

Today we'll try to give a broad update on the latest and greatest in the various spheres of interest c/s usually covers.

In sports...
The 2006-07 Champions League draw took place yesterday. Chelsea, who missed out on a seeding due to faulty seeding system, were drawn into Group A with Barcelona. The teams will meet yet again, after offering hotly contested knockout round matchups each of the past two years. Ronaldinho professed Barca lucky to meet the English champs so early in the tourney. Other good looking matchups include Manchester United and Glasgow Celtic, Inter Milan and Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid and Lyon.

Swedish international and former Celtic and Barca star Henrik Larsson has been suspended two games for punching an opponent.

The UEFA Cup, Europe's second tier club competition, had its first round draw today as well. Holders Sevilla face Greek club Atromitos in the first round. Games kick off September 14.

After dropping five of five at home to the Yankees this weekend, the Red Sox look to miss out on the playoffs this season. The Twins and White Sox are essentially tied for the AL wild card lead, after each team enjoyed a blowout last night. Unfortunately, it looks like the Yanks have done enough to get in, despite A-Rod's attempts at sabotage.

In the NL, the Reds continue to hang around in the Central, now only 1/2 a game behind St. Louis. They're currently on a ten game road swing and finish the season with six road games, but with the third best road record in the NL, they may just sneak into the postseason. A clutch win last night in San Fran certainly helped their chances.

Also in the NL, there's still hope for our local boys, the Nationals. No, not for the playoffs, not this year at least, but for Alfonso Soriano. Currently sitting on 41 homers and 30 stolen bases, he's got a real chance at becoming only the fourth 40/40 man in MLB history. He's been to 30/30 three times, matched only by Bobby and Barry Bonds' (when he used to be fast enough to sprint between bases) four times each. If you needed another excuse, you can now get into a Nats game for 3 dollars. That would buy you 3 adult movie tickets pretty much everywhere in town. They're next home against Philly Tuesday-Thursday (29-31).

Finally, DC United advanced to the semifinals of the US Open Cup this week with a 3-1 home win against Red Bull New York. They're back to league play at home on Saturday against defending MLS champions LA Galaxy. 7:30 pm, RFK Stadium, cheap seats $16.

New Hold Steady - "Chips Ahoy!"

2006-08-18T16:27:00.000-04:00

Great news...
Pitchfork just put up a new track from the Hold Steady's upcoming LP, Boys and Girls in America. The 'Fork has made it perfectly clear that they have a copy there on hand and listen to it all the time and its awesome, which, for me, is borderline cruel and unusual punishment. But whatever, I still have a beer coozie signed by Craig Finn and Tad Kubler.

The new album is out October 3rd, and will be the band's first release on Vagrant.
Here's the new tune. Sounds similar to older stuff, but with a little more nuance. I hope to write more later, but wanted to make sure and get this out as soon as possible. Check it out, let me know what you think:

The Hold Steady - "Chips Ahoy!"

Weeding out yer weekends: Golden Smog, Premier League Soccer, and more

2006-08-17T15:44:00.000-04:00

Golden Smog -- the rootsy, midwestern, indie take on the Wilburys -- just put out their first album in 7 years, Another Fine Day, which has been met with near-universal mild appreciation. Now that the buzz has dissipated from soft to "huh?", I've finally gotten around to posting something.

Golden Smog - "Corvette". Inane lyrics be damned, this is the best true power-pop song to come out in quite some time. Using the Beatlesque trick of going chorus first, you get a couple minutes in and it hardly seems the song even took time to have verses. They're there, sort of. The guitars are a little more Blink than Blur -- doctored up, but not quite overmedicated. Where great power-pop thrives on subtle touches, they're few and far between here, as the band can barely be bothered to break it's driving rhythm and heavy-handed (but sweet, if that's possible) vocal harmonies for something a little more nuanced. This may be straight out of the Raspberries' School of Power Pop, but the Smoggers aren't exactly newbies on the subject. Which is still to say, there ain't much to it, but according to my iTunes, I'm up to 22 listens so far.

In the "real" news...
With the ceasefire taking shape in Lebanon, news has broken of the US blocking missile shipments from Iran to Hezbollah. The broad details of how they pulled it off is really fascinating, and Turkey's cooperation is a testament to the importance of having some buddies in the neighborhood.

In the world of sports...
The English Premier League soccer season kicks off Saturday, with a full slate of games this weekend. The season's opening match pits Liverpool -- fresh off a 2-1 Charity Shield victory over defending champs Chelsea -- against newly promoted Sheffield United. Sunday's Tottenham v. Bolton matchup looks like the best on paper, but it really doesn't matter: the season's early start should be a quick fix for anyone feeling a little undernourished by MLS games for the past month.

Speaking of MLS, DC United return home (finally) to take on the Colorado Rapids at 4 pm, this Saturday at RFK. Their play has slipped up lately, stumbling to a 2-1 loss at Real Salt Lake and disappointing in ties against the Chicago Fire (1-1) and Red Bull New York (0-0). Hopefully the friendly confines of Southeast DC will be enough to steer Jaime Moreno and co. to victory.

Wrinkle Neck Mules and the Walkmen

2006-08-11T09:44:00.000-04:00

A number of months ago my girlfiend joined some friends from Richmond, VA at the Iota Club in Arlington to catch a set by Wrinkle Neck Mules, a Richmond favorite starting to make a little national noise. I heard good things about the set -- the words "you would definitely like them" were used -- and today Popmatters has a review of their new LP, Pull the Brake. The album actually came out in March, but they've been on a long Midwest/South tour this summer, with more to follow this fall (including another Iota gig on September 5).

Wrinkle Neck Mules - "Liza" . If the Drive-By Truckers hadn't written "My Sweet Annette", more folks might be hailing these guys as the future of that unnamed genre that slides in somewhere between southern rock and country. But they did, and so the Mules come off here as a somewhat derivative take on an already derivative song. But isn't that the point? Country's few, relatively mild permutations (country-rock, countrypolitan) were initially met with such strong opposition proves it's a music of tradition. Given that, maybe it's better to see the Mules as rootsier -- they trade the trademark Athens jangle of "Annette" for banjos and mandolins -- take on a timeless genre song. Either way, it sure ain't bad, even if the lead singer's voice sounds a little like Jay Farrar on a bad night. It's tale of tragic love and demise is as central to the genre as the trademark shuffle, but (in this reviewer's opinion) the anguish seems a little forced. But that sort of raw emotion and melancholy comes with a little time.

New from the Walkmen...
Some may have read previously about the Walkmen's full album cover of Harry Nilsson's Pussy Cats LP, done with John Lennon during their infamous "lost weekend" where many a Brandy Alexander (Lennon called them "milkshakes") was consumed. The good news is that I found a cut from unreleased album over on Stereogum. It's actually a version of Jimmy Cliff's "Many Rivers to Cross", known best for being part of the seminal soundtrack to the film The Harder They Come .

The Walkmen - "Many Rivers to Cross"

*Editor's Note: A young Harry Nilsson bears a strange resemblance to Walkmen lead singer Hamilton Leithauser.

I'm From Barcelona

2006-08-09T15:17:00.000-04:00

Man, folks are going crazy these days for the 29-piece (!) indie pop collective I'm from Barcelona, who are actually from Sweden. If you ask me, the whole thing reeks of an Architecture in Helsinki rip-off (they're actually from Australia): lots of funny, childish instruments like kazoos and glockenspiels, lots of group choruses. Pitchfork seemed to enjoy their album, Let Me Introduce My Friends, and initial listens to "Treehouse" are promising (less so supposed standout track "We're from Barcelona").

Right now, my inner cynic has to be reminded how much I actually enjoyed the Polyphonic Spree the first few times, and how oddly affecting a happy-go-lucky group like the aforementioned Architecture can be. At any rate, we're about to be hit with a tidal wave of I'm from Barcelona press/hype, so you may as well go for a little dip before it's too late.

Check out the tunes on their myspace here.

The Clientele w/ Great Lakes @ Iota Club

2006-08-07T10:11:00.000-04:00

I ventured down to the Iota Club in Arlington -- a short walk from my then-residence in Rosslyn -- for the second time to catch the Clientele on the second stop of their US tour. This trip to the club was considerably more satisfying (the last time ended with us being shut out of the sold-out Minus 5 show, leaving c/s to blast the club for it's ticket policy), and I now consider this one of the better joints in the DC area to catch a show. Good sound system, reasonably priced Shiner on tap, easy to meet the band afterwards, Metro-accessible.

But to the show at hand: we got there with four songs left in the Great Lakes set, walking in to find the crowd packed tightly into the room but oddly still six feet from the stage. Why the first few people didn't decide to move up front I'm not sure, but after that mob mentality takes over and no one's willing to step forward. The first few Lakes -- an "associate" member of the Elephant 6 collective -- cuts we heard were mid-tempo rockers, country-tinged in a way similar to Dylan's longer, loping stuff from Blonde on Blonde. Pretty enjoyable and a fine opening act, but the band kicked into another gear for the last two songs, both psych-country-rockers, not unlike something from the Beachwood Sparks. I actually got pretty into it, what with the Neil Young feel on the solos and the Patrick Berkery/Ric Menck-style drumming.

After a short break, the Clientele came on. Their Britishness was on display from the beginning, with lead singer Alasdair Maclean adding "Thank you very much indeed" after each tune. The material was new and unfamiliar, but didn't differ terribly from the Byrdsian jangle (Maclean also copped the intro to the Byrds' "Eight Miles High" of previous work. Some songs were certainly better than others-- one called something "and Victoria" was particularly nice, though the band readily admitted they needed practice before heading to Nashville to record at the end of the tour. Assuming they were not, and the band quietly went about their business trying out the new tunes, augmented by new member Mel Draisey on violin. While it was apparent the band was still beginning to gel (Draisey seemed to be unsure of what to do on a few songs), Draisey's addition was a nice bit of polish on the live show.

The high point was undoubtedly single "Since K Got Over Me" -- Maclean quipped that was their "hit", "at 450 copies sold" -- with the wonderful Kinks-inspired bassline and that almost-inside-joke of a hook in chorus, taken directly from the Crystals' "And Then He Kissed Me". They played it near the end of the set, before coming back to accept requests for the encore and closing with a wonderful new song whose name now escapes me. All in all, not what you'd call a mind-blowing show, but certainly a pleasant one from a good band feeling their way through some strong material.

Magnolia Electric Company: Life on the road

2006-08-07T09:33:00.000-04:00

If you're anything like me, you're interested in the dirty details of what life is really like for a touring independent band. Somehow -- and it's there on the blog if you're really curious -- MarathonPacks corralled Jason Groth of Magnolia Electric Company (playing at the Black Cat this fall) into doing a tour diary on his blog.

It takes place during the group's recent West Coast tour and, while only scratching the surface of the shows, is a great take on life on the road: sleeping in vans, days upon days spent driving, meals at IHOP, what's playing on the band's car stereo, run-ins with Macbook-toting hippie grovelers in the Northwest, etc. Pretty much all you ever wanted to know about touring, as far as you could get from riotous backstage parties you always hear about. Regardless of whether it's glamorous or not (it's not), Groth is a pretty good writer, making it hard as hell not to have admiration for these guys.

For me, there's a lesson here: if the band you just paid 10-20 bucks to see is grumpy, tired, plays a slightly abbreviated set, doesn't appear amused by your shouted requests, etc...chances are it's because three of their last six meals were purchased in gas stations and they're trying to play you a great, energetic show on 3 hours of sleep on the bench seat of a cargo van.

Whole Wide World: Couple

2006-08-04T15:48:00.000-04:00

Usually Whole Wide World segments feature a profile of a foreign country, but we decided to make exception this time around:

Whole Wide World...
This band comes to you by way of Absolute PowerPop, an excellent source for very under-the-radar power pop bands and artists. Were an actual power pop radar to exist, it would probably be located within earshot of either Chapel Hill, Athens, or New York City, and chances are, wouldn't even come close to picking up Couple, an excellent power pop quartet from Malaysia. They're pretty straightforward with their influences and very friendly -- after adding them as a myspace friend, I got an immediate reply and started a brief conversation about power pop, etc. They take Weezer's penchant for crunchy guitars and whoo-hoo choruses and marry it to lo-fi production and your standard issue lovelorn power pop lyrics.

Either way, it's excellent stuff, and good to know that the power pop torch burns bright well across the globe. They've also paid tribute to Arthur Lee on their page as well. Check them out here.

More stuff...
A good, brief Arthur Lee tribute here, even if he does quote the song I decided not to quote (see below).

Those of you thinking of seeing Talladega Nights, refer to this promising take from Slate. Might have to check it out myself.

The Black Cat has recently updated its upcoming fall schedule, which is absolutely loaded with c/s approved acts (The Wrens, Band of Horses, Magnolia Electric Company, Rogue Wave, etc).

Arthur Lee passes away, age 61

2006-08-04T09:08:00.000-04:00

It's with a truly heavy heart that I report that Arthur Lee, leader and co-founder of the seminal psych band Love, passed away yesterday at the age of 61. He had been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and several benefits had been held to help defray his medical costs. He died in Methodist Hospital in Memphis with his wife, Diane, at his side (You can read more here).

For me, Lee was a gateway to a different side of music as primary author of Forever Changes -- the much-heralded, but still very weird album that, as a pretty young guy, my dad first played for me. I got some of it then -- the catchy melodies, quirky lyrics, blending of musical styles, but the album's a grower if there ever was one, and it's lived quite a life in the musical history (so to speak) of my family. "Maybe the People Would Be The Times, or Between Clark and Hilldale" was my instant favorite, and I specifically recall my dad asking why I liked it, maybe the first remembered occasion of stopping to consider what made a song great.

Either way, Forever Changes was a far cry from Love's self-titled debut, featuring a blistering cover of Burt Bacharach's "Little Red Book" that once featured prominently on a mix I made for my girlfriend in high school, more proto-punk with a tinge of jangle than anything else. They're perhaps most familiar for their inclusion on the Nuggets compilation with the song "7 and 7 is", which includes the memorably goofy chorus "Oop-ip-ip, Oop-ip-ip, yeah!" set to more emphatic proto-punk. This, of course, was in 1966.
A dynamic band, but not hard to see why they never really made a commercial breakthrough.

A classic argument against Lee is that his work hasn't aged well. The spoken word bits, the late Sixties paranoia, the weird psychedelia...none of it seems as appropriate now. I'll grant that to an extent, but for me, Arthur Lee and Love are one of the bands that altered my musical landscape a little. Forever Changes closes with it's best song, "You Set the Scene", looks death in the face with a sly smile and wink. A lyric quote about life and death would be appropriate, but I'd rather not be so heavy-handed here. Instead, scour your local used record store for a cheap version, download it from the iTunes store, borrow it from your pop's record collection. If Lee's insistent fadeout "This is the time and this is the time, and it is time, time, time, time, time, time, time, time..." isn't a poignant farewell, then I'm not sure I know what is.

Love - Your Mind and We Belong Together (Demo)

Hipsters and the Light bulb

2006-08-01T09:46:00.000-04:00

Saw a good joke -- actually told by Bill Doss of Olivia Tremor Control during a guest appearance with Apples in Stereo in my hometown of Lexington, KY -- that definitely merits reprinting:

Q: How many indie rockers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: I have that on vinyl.

Jingle-Jangle All the Way to the Bank...
Popmatters published an interview with Roger McGuinn which really isn't very good or interesting at all. One of the founders of the Byrds, McGuinn stuck with the group to the bitter end, eventually trotting out different lineup variations that, while not quite on par with late period Chicago, were not particularly good and seemed to work against the band's legacy. While McGuinn's twelve-string Rickenbacker "jingle-jangle" was what marked the band's early, landmark work, that fellow Byrds David Crosby, Chris Hillman, Gene Clark, and Gram Parsons all went on to stronger solo careers says something. Of course, I say all this with the reservation that it makes me sound like something of a jaded hipster, criticizing one of the most influential musicians in rock history. But I've never been a fan of keeping a great band on life support after most of the founding members are gone, and of this charge, McGuinn is surely guilty.

But speaking of guilty, the article's author Michael Franco displays an astonishing lack of historical context when talking about the Byrds (for an extensive history with actual perspective, go here). I personally like his naive assertion that "the Byrds created Americana." This, unfortunately, follows the more accurate statement that their seminal album -- the creation of which McGuinn strongly resisted -- Sweetheart of the Rodeo is "often credited with starting country-rock and its offspring, alt.country". I'd direct anyone who cares about this sort of thing to read up on the history of actual country, which was a little quicker to absorb rock n roll elements than the other way around. For quick reference, check out the Bakersfield Sound page on allmusic.

Beatlesque...
Also, to keep with the classic rock theme, marathonpacks has a killer little thing on his favorite Beatles' moments of genius. He's dissected his favorite moments, even going so far as to offer the moments as mp3's, often separated into particular channels or tracks. A must-visit for any fan. For Ringo-haters out there, listen to his separation of Ringo's drums from "Strawberry Fields Forever". Maybe not the most complicated thing out there, but infectious, menacing, and powerful it surely is.

New tracks...
M. Ward - "Requiem". Another from his upcoming August 22 release, Post-War, this track lacks the immediacy and punch of previously posted Daniel Johnston cover "To Go Home". It's a decent song, one that would sound at home on either of his past two albums, but fails to build the climax it's Creedence-channelling intro suggests. Ward's voice rescues most of his more pedestrian songs (though the resignation at the end of "he's a good man and now he's gone" may be typical of Ward but by no means is it pedestrian), and this one's no different. But despite all that, the most interesting piece of the song is the effects-laden solo --which, depending on your perspective, may or may not be influenced by the Brothers Ween -- which on a personal level has me wondering what the hell this new album is going to sound like.

Band of Horses - "The Great Salt Lake". Most bloggers hit on these guys a few months ago; by now, anyone with any cred has probably already absorbed their b-sides and live bootlegs and stuff. To hell with them, I can't be rushed like that, nor am I willing to get caught up in hype. My Morning Jacket comparisons seem apt once more on this solid offering from a band that -- mark my words -- will feature on a major sitcom or dramedy at some point next season. I don't love it really -- the vocals fall a little flat on the title phrase where MMJ's would've either soared or drowned in reverb or both -- but like most of their stuff, it's a grower.

Getting Carried Away

2006-07-28T14:43:00.000-04:00

This whole mp3 posting thing is pretty damn cool if you ask me (For the record, if anyone has an issue with these mp3 postings, please let me know and I'll remove them immediately). The staff at comanche/soul is pretty geeked up about it, so I thought I'd share a few more for the weekend:

M. Ward - "To Go Home". I've said it before, but the full band really suits M. I've enjoyed each of his releases, and his last, Transistor Radio, was one of last year's most underrated releases. For an alt. country guy, he's mighty tuneful. And with that rising piano part that introduces each chorus and verse and the floor-tom pounds, you sense Ward may have discovered his inner Brian Wilson, finding a complex arrangement to back up his strangely melodic songwriting.

Figurines - "Rivalry". Initial reports from these albums seemed to unanimously trumpet their Pacific Northwest indie (Built to Spill, Modest Mouse) sensibilities and their massive hooks. I picked up the album a couple weeks ago, and had mixed feelings. Yes, it's good, but I would liken them more to the Shins than either of those two -- the production just isn't there yet -- but probably less immediately catchy. It's one of those songs you'll enjoy four or five times before forgetting about it, only to be pleasantly surprised when it surfaces on iTunes again in six months.

In other news...
Recently came across this article on Drudge discussing the new Arab backlash against Israel. Though many predicted the conflict in Lebanon would polarize the region into an Iran-influenced camp and an alliance of Jordan, Egypt and the Saudis. Unfortunately, it seems popular opinion may be pushing that alliance against Israel.

Return of the Berserker

2006-07-25T11:55:00.000-04:00

Time for a return to standard postings here at comanche/soul:

In the news...
Surely everyone's been following the mess in Lebanon. I promised to hit on the subject a week ago but have finally gotten around to it. Nearly 400 people have died on both sides since July 12, and as the fighting continues, U.S. Secretary of State Condi Rice has announced a plan to place a force of 10,000 in southern Lebanon for the time being, to be later replaced by a standing international force of 30,000 to help the Lebanese government regain control of the country. The initial force would be supplied by Turkey and/or Egypt, and would be commanded by either NATO or the UN. Either way, it's a sticky situation that is, according to some, an indication of the polarization of the region into Iranian-Syrian-Hezbollah and Jordan-Saudis-Egypt camps. Slate offers a tabled breakdown of who-hates-who.

Sadly, it's not the only quickly escalating conflict in the region. Yesterday Ethiopian forces entered Somalia by request of the Somali government. The current regime, which occupies only a small portion of the country near the Ethiopian border, has no military or real power, with Islamic militias occupying the capital Mogadishu and the vast majority of the country. If you're looking for the next potential Afghanistan, look no further than Ethiopia, where a weak UN force has set up an even weaker government barely surviving against Islamist militia forces. A situation that will most likely cost a hell of a lot more lives than the Lebanon-Israel conflict, but one that, I'm guessing, will go virtually ignored by the US and EU leadership.

In music...
I realize it's been forever since I've blogged. I've even held up this post for a long time. But luckily some exciting tour announcements have been made. First off, the Hold Steady, in support of their October 3rd release Boys and Girls in America will hit the road. Luckily for the Beltway crowd, they'll be returning to the area, though this time making it to Baltimore's Ottobar on October 2.

Also, the hype machine rolls on as Minneapolis' Tapes n Tapes return to the DC area, this time to play the Black Cat. Led by fellow Carleton College alum Josh Grier, their steady stream of press has continued for the band. Loyal c/s reader Ross Mattson informs me that the Mpls Star-Tribune referred to their joint bill at legendary Twin Cities' venue First Avenue with the Plastic Constellations as the must-see show of the summer. Find out for yourself on Halloween here in DC.

Popmatters ran a nice review of a Futureheads' show recently. Stylus reviews their latest album (speaking of which, I can't find my copy anywhere).

Good news: The Tyde -- from, where else?, Southern California -- return with their third album. Following their debut Once, their sophomore release Twice, their calling this one Three's Company. It's been out in England for a while -- their label, Rough Trade, was undergoing some distro issues Stateside -- and I've heard lead single "Brock Landers" a number of times. I'm going to try to post it, but be patient with me, as this will be the first c/s venture into the realm of multimedia.
The Tyde - "Brock Landers"

Music Update

2006-07-14T09:17:00.000-04:00

After a brief hiatus, lots of music (and music news) has registered on the c/s radar recently. It's a good thing, as you can only listen to so much sports talk radio before you feel like you've heard it all before. So, without further delay, the comanche/soul music update...

Starting with the sad news, Syd Barrett, founding member of Pink Floyd, passed away this week at age 60. One of the more famous acid-casualty cult figures, he left the band after it's second LP, A Saucerful of Secrets. Due to mental illness probably caused by regular LSD use, his behavior had become increasingly erratic; he once supposedly appeared at a recording session with a bowl of oatmeal on his head (note: this is a totally unconfirmed rumor I've heard). His crowning achievement, however, remains Floyd's debut album, Piper at the Gates of Dawn, and specifically that album's tour de force, "Interstellar Overdrive", which I first heard about 3 am on a Tuesday morning at the University of Kentucky college radio station 8 years ago. Slate has a nice obituary here. Read allmusic's here.

The Fiery Furnaces are on tour with Man Man this summer. They recently came through DC -- I missed the show -- but it sounds like a wise decision. Why? Read Popmatters' live review of the band a friend once ridiculously called "the most important band in music today."
*Late addition: My good friend and Seattle music scenester (just kidding...he would surely frown at this title) Andrew Huffer (also, ace guitarist/vocalist of Juggernaut) writes in regarding the Furnaces' tour:

In regards to your recent comments about the Fiery Furnaces, I would have to agree that they were disappointing at best in their live show. Part of the attraction of the furnaces for me is some of the subtle melodic nuances that Matt employs on guitar or keyboard. Unfortunately they have elected for some reason to pump the volume up in their live show to a point where these touches are completely drowned out, leaving a wall of fuzzed out guitar noise. Matt is clearly a very talented guitarist but unfortunately the effects are wasted. This decision has the additional effect of pushing Eleanor's vocals way down in the mix, leaving her trademark delivery lacking in punch. Kate and I actually left their set early, and it was interesting to note that as soon as we were in the street, the sound quality seemed to increase a good deal. The night was not a total waste, as the openers Man Man put on a fascinating show. If you imagine five of the Animal character from the Muppets playing a rotating collection of instruments complete with shouts and whoops you'll get a pretty good idea of what they are like. I'd never heard any of their music before, but you can't help getting into the show. The music itself is kind of a mix of sea shanties and experimental percussion, all sung by their gruff-voiced lead singer. I definitely recommend going to see them play if you get a chance

The Arcade Fire are back in the studio, and Pitchfork has a short update. While I'm a little skeptical of their ability to follow up the tremendous Funeral -- an album that, like Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, got so big and so great so quickly that it later experienced some growing pains -- I'm still looking forward to what might be in store.

The Pipettes have finally released their full-length, We Are the Pipettes, and I think I might have to buy it. Just as my good buddy Smokey loves Cat Power for reasons that border on impure or unclean, there's definitely some pull towards the Pipettes. I think it's mostly the girl-group shtick and the polka-dot dresses, but the songs are okay too.

The Legends, Live at DC9, w/ the Positions
I had the tremendous pleasure of venturing down to DC9 to hear some live music on a Tuesday night. Always good to have a show early in the week -- kind of energizes me a little and gets my musical blood flowing, so to speak. Of course, DC local band the Positions were not so much of the tremendous pleasure. Whether they copped their sound directly from "Indie Success for Dummies" (somewhat cute female lead singer - check, guitarist who can't play - check, no real hooks - check). To be fair, they weren't that bad, it's just that every song ran together and they relied too heavily on the incessant horn parts for any hint of melody or catchiness.

The Legends -- Sweden's former umpteen piece pop collective now condensed to five members -- then took the stage to a packed house (packed meaning roughly 150 people) and played a superb set. They dressed like your standard issue hipsters but brought along a solid stage presence that served them well. Too often up-and-coming bands playing small venues seem unable to really fill the room, as though they have to be seem totally unassuming in order to appear "real."

But as usual (I must say this every time I see a good band), none of this would matter if the tunes weren't good. The Legends did a set of half old, half new material, and both were equally strong. The lead singer rightly and humorously referred to their new material as "disco" -- it had that standard hi-hat and snare pattern that's all the rage with bands like the Killers these days -- only to later claim that he "hates disco" but was going to play it anyway. Another particularly telling moment came when he labeled a new song as our "Joy Division" song, and it was just that: moodier, a little darker, and sung with a tweaked accent, but still melodically strong.

What really stuck out from the show and what made dalliances into Ian Curtis territory interesting (and even fun) was the production. I swear, I've never heard such nuanced production at a live, club show, especially in a venue this small. But on that night, the drums had real depth and variation in tones, the guitar echoes were perfectly foggy, and the vocals lifted and crystal clear when they needed to be. Of course, the band took almost two hours to soundcheck (and maybe more before we got there), so I'm guessing this was a case of efforts paying off. Not to knock the loud, sloppy rock show (and yes, I'll be there on Saturday at the 9:30 Club for the Drive-by Truckers, currently one of America's two best rock and roll bands), but this should still come as a reminder of what a little attention to detail can do for a show.

Unfortunately, we left before the Acid House Kings took the stage, so I can't really comment on them. I'm guessing a little trippy and perhaps with some strange instrumentation and/or driving, persistent beats? Who knows...

The Cup Runneth Over

2006-07-10T12:14:00.000-04:00

The collective hangover that has most of us back to the dull grind of midseason baseball and previews of NFL training camp (if this rings true, do yourself a favor and give the MLS a serious shot) undoubtedly has similarly kept a few Frenchmen in bed today. Their unlikely collapse and unfortunate luck on penalties cost them the World Cup, but it's difficult to argue that Italy weren't deserving winners.

The term "purist" is often used to describe a soccer fan who values the "beautiful game" played by the Brazil of 1982, the Dutch teams of the 70s, and, most recently, the remarkable display Argentina gave us in their 6-0 demolition of Serbia and Montenegro in this World Cup. But, lest we forget, all those teams went down as "unfortunate losers", falling to more pragmatic but equally qualified teams. So I'll submit that the "purist" can describe those of us that take real joy in watching a back four play with the skill and composure we saw from Italy in this tournament. World Cups can be funny things -- take 2002, where Korea and Turkey were semifinalists and France didn't score a goal -- but one thing is generally true: the best team over the course of the tournament usually comes home with the trophy.

Argentina looked the best, Brazil had the most talent, Germany had the raw enthusiasm and energy, France seemed to have fate, but Italy had the most composure, the best defense, maybe the best midfield, and certainly the best luck. Consider how many Italian players could reasonably be in the best eleven. Cannavarro, Buffon, Zambrotta, Gattusso, and Pirlo are probably no brainers, but Grosso, Totti, and even Toni deserve a look. And for sheer value, two goals, a fine penalty in the final shootout, and getting Zidane ejected probably gets Materazzi in. As for luck, they looked to be in a whole heap of trouble down to ten men heading into overtime against Australia, but somehow conjured a penalty out of nothing. They lucked into the easiest draw of the knockout rounds, and they were certainly lucky to see France's fortune run short on Trezeguet's penalty that had Buffon well beaten.

So congratulations to the Italians. For the French, it's probably time to scrap the drawing board altogether and instead draw up a digital spreadsheet or something. I would like to see Viera back to captain the team next time around, in a Zidane-like role, and Henry should have another tournament in him as well. Barthez, however, will not be missed. Zidane's contributions to the world game are undeniable. But in truth, the 98 Final, the stunning Champions League final volley for Real Madrid, the overall mastery against Brazil this year will all be forgotten. When our generation tells the story of this World Cup, it will most likely forget much of his play and remember his momentary, but complete lapse of reason.

comanche/soul Best of World Cup 2006
MVP - Fabio Cannavarro, D Italy. The best defender I've seen for some time. Covers more ground than any center back in the game. For a short guy, he can jump with any striker. For a defender, has wonderful touch. But what's most remarkable about him: for the most tenacious defender in a tournament that set records for most yellow and red cards, he emerged without a single entry into the referee's notebook.

Young Player - Cristiano Ronaldo, MF Portugal. I truly hate him and I believe that he represents most of the awful aspects of this year's tournament. But he was still the best, and if he can keep the theatrics to a minimum, he'll be great.

Best Eleven - GK Buffon, D Grosso, D Terry, D Cannavarro, D Lahm, MF Frings, MF Zidane, MF Viera, MF Appiah, F Klose, F Henry.
(Honorable mention: D Zambrotta, D Thuram, D Rio Ferdinand, MF Maniche, MF Essien, F Robben, F Torres, F Podolski, GK Lehmann, MF C. Ronaldo)
***Note: The Best Eleven was selected without consideration of the team as a whole.

Goal of the Tournament (in order) -
1. Klose, Germany v. Argentina. Perfectly executed and beautiful in its simplicity.
2. Maxi Rodriguez, Argentina v. Mexico. The most spectacular of the bunch, a stunning left footed volley from a right footed player to win in overtime.
3. Torres, Spain v. Ukraine. The early leader for goal of tournament, it sneaks above Cambiasso at #4 because of Puyol's persistence and skill.
4. Ayala, Argentina v. Germany. A subtly impressive goal. Anyone who's ever headed a ball knows that getting a header by a diving, in-form keeper and a man on the post is a difficult charge. Doing so with a man on you even harder. Adjusting mid-air after a bump and diving to reach the ball, even more difficult.

Post-Cup News
Marco Materazzi has admitted to insulting Zidane, claiming it was just a typical on-field insult. Hard to believe really, especially with Materazzi's history of questionable behavior. But until Zidane tells us otherwise, there's not much else to go with.

One of my personal favorite players, veteran German midfielder Dietmar Hammann, has left Liverpool for Manchester City. He's definitely getting older, but it's always sad to see a player with his impact leave. Readers may recall his game-changing introduction into the 2005 Champions League final as a second half sub, effectively shutting down AC Milan's midfield and giving Steven Gerrard license to roam.

Though it appears Real Madrid have learned nothing from the colossal failure of the Galacticos' era, they're gearing up to make a move for Italian World Cup star Cannavarro (see above). It's still a risk to make a bid for an ageing player, but at 32 he appears at the peak of his powers, and center backs tend to age pretty well. Cannavarro and Sergio Ramos should form a productive partnership at the back as Madrid looks to rebuild and finally win some hardware next season.

Best of the World Cup, Part I

2006-07-06T11:25:00.000-04:00

I've decided to go ahead and start my World Cup awards presentation. Today's installment will give a report card to all the first-round-eliminated teams. After the final next week, I'll name my Best Eleven, Player of the Tournament, Coach of the Tourney, and a few other awards TBA.

WORLD CUP REPORT CARDS
Group A
Costa Rica - Have to be disappointed by their showing. An exciting opening match against Germany should've given them a little confidence heading into their more winnable group games, but a suspect aerial defense was their undoing. C-.
Poland - What's the deal here? Same story as 2002 -- qualify with ease, then play miserably before getting it right in their final game for a consolation win. Looked completely lost against Ecuador. C-.

Group B
Paraguay - Typically tough in the back but lacking anything close to an attacking spark. Unlucky not to get something from the England game though, and a draw there would've changed the entire complexion of the group. Not terrible, but could've been better. C.
Trinidad and Tobago - In getting a point in their first ever World Cup match, they far exceeded any previous expectations. In nearly getting another one against England (and nearly taking the lead), they demonstrated that they could battle with anyone. They might have finished bottom of the group, but arguably went home happier than any of the other three teams. B+ (a goal would've made it an A).

Group C
Ivory Coast - Poor Ivory Coast. If not for some slack marking and poor deadball defending, this team would've been in the knockout rounds. Hell, if Drogba could've converted more than one of his fifty or so chances, they would've beaten Argentina. Without a doubt the most exciting team to get knocked out in the first round, the future is still very bright. Expect them back with a vengeance in 2010 when the tournament comes to Africa. B-.
Serbia and Montenegro - Looked one dimensional against Holland and out of their league against Argentina. Blew a two goal lead against the Ivorians to finish last. After much better showings in the past as Yugoslavia, S&M's last games with the M will be easily forgotten. D+.

Group D
Angola - The should've-been-also-rans proved to be much more, showing their mettle in a tough 1-0 loss to Portugal and a steely 0-0 draw with Mexico. A 1-1 draw against Iran was a bit disappointing -- especially with a shock Round of 16 qualification theirs for the taking -- but ultimately this was a successful campaign for one of lowest rated teams in the tournament. B.
Iran - Never seemed likely to beat Mexico despite playing them tough for most of the game. Likewise against Portugal, but maybe should've put Angola away in their consolation game. Expectations were not quite met, and this might be the last adventure for Ali Daei and Co. at this level. C-.

Group E
Czech Republic - What happened here? One of the more impressive and methodical opening match performances led to an utter collapse against Ghana and a subpar performance against Italy. Shame to see the excellence of Nedved and Rosicky go out so early, but the loss of Koller and Baros up top was just too much to get past. C.
United States - The expectations after 2002 were foolishly high. Bruce Arena can devise a gameplan to compete in a hostile environment in the jungles of Guatemala, but what happens when the team is forced to play 11 v 11 to win on neutral soil against a quality, European opponent? Bright points were hard to find, and it's back to the drawing board for the Americans. C-.

Group F
Croatia - Blew a lead twice against Australia that would've put them into the next round. Failed to beat Japan, missing a penalty in the process. Losing to Brazil 1-0 was their best result, but given the South Americans flame-out, that's not much consolation. C.
Japan - For all their energy, clearly not up to this level yet. Still, that they blew a late lead against Australia and even led Brazil briefly, this tournament has to be seen as disappointing. C-.

Group G
South Korea - Everyone knew South Korea wouldn't be in the semis again this far away from home, but that doesn't mean they haven't improved. A credible, if not quite deserved draw against France was a good result, and they barely missed second round qualification. Expect them to be in the hunt to advance in 2010. B-.
Togo - The only team to drop all three group games was suprisingly in each one of them. However, incredibly bad team organization and management issues did nothing to help the worst stereotypes of African soccer. With problems like those, they probably won't be back in the Cup for quite some time. D.

Group H
Tunisia - Blew their chances by drawing with the Saudis. Blew a shock lead against Spain. Blown penalty call ostensibly cost them against Ukraine, but mostly they were undone by poor coaching, choosing to play without a single striker when they absolutely had to win. C-.
Saudi Arabia - By their low standards following the 2002 debacle, not a bad tournament. A decent draw with Tunisia (where they blew a late lead) and a 1-0 loss to Spain have to be acceptable in comparison to the 8-0 thrashing by Germany last time around. But that was Spain's B team and they still lost 4-0 to a mediocre Ukraine team. Not impressive, but not bad by their standards either. C.

Easy Listening

2006-07-06T10:12:00.000-04:00

Since I've departed the comforts of college life, I've found myself wanting for exposure to new music. Used to be all I had to do was turn on the college radio station and flip back and forth until they stopped playing Joanna Newsome and started playing something worth my time. I could drop into the record library too and borrow whatever lost, early 90s gem from the Vigilantes of Love I wanted to check out.

In the real world, things haven't been quite so simple. DC is hurting for quality rock radio, decent record stores are practically nonexistent, and there's a lot less time to spend with my headphones. That said, some degree of disposable income has made purchases possible, and I thought I'd share a few recent discoveries -- both new and old -- for your own listening pleasure:

Albums:
Superdrag - Regretfully Yours. Knoxville's Superdrag remind you of the best one hit wonders of modern rock radio. You'll recognize "Sucked Out" ("who sucked out the feeling?..."), but you'll stick around for the loud but melodic guitar interplay and the band's live show feel.

The Kingsbury Manx - The Fast Rise and Fall of the South. Saying North Carolina's Kingsbury Manx chronicle the rise and fall of the American South is sort of like studying the Kinks' Arthur, or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire as a landmark academic work in social history. But if there is a musical touchstone for the Manx, it's certainly Ray Davies and Co.'s light and melodic mid to late 60s catalog. This album might not do much for history buffs, but the music's great for retro-fetishists seeking a few Southerners take on British folk-inspired whimsy.

Download:
M. Ward - "To Go Home". Probably available for download somewhere, as I did, Matthew Ward continues his remarkably consistent catalog with this cut off the upcoming Post-War. Anyone who saw his tour with My Morning Jacket knows the full-band setup suits him remarkably well. Anyone who heard his last record knows the production quality has continued to improve steadily over his career, adding texture and noise to his brand of folk-rock. Anyone who ever enjoyed any of his stuff at all knows he's best with a resigned verse and a rousing, longing chorus. And for anyone who doesn't fall under any of these categories, start by downloading "Vincent O' Brien" and "Helicopter". If it works for you, continue here. His is one of the most unique voices in indie rock, and easily the most tuneful alt. country songwriter I've heard since Messrs Tweedy and Farrar were still plyin' their trade.

Drive-By Truckers - "Wednesday". The Drive-By Truckers are the kind of band rock geeks love because they ask all those rock fantasy questions that inhabit our dreams and conversations with fellow insiders. Their breakthrough album (some would say their best, but I disagree) Southern Rock Opera asked what Skynyrd would've sounded like if fronted by revisionist Southern historians. Two albums later, The Dirty South wondered how exactly Carl Perkins coaxed such golden performances out of Elvis, while the track "Danko/Manuel" equated DBT youngster Jason Isbell with the late Richard Manuel of the Band. On their most recent album A Blessing and a Curse, standout track "Wednesday" seems to hypothesize as to what the Replacements would've sounded like with a dynamite three-guitar attack. The answer is the best slab of guitar pop I've heard all year and track #1 up to this point on my best of the year list.

2006-07-05T15:43:00.001-04:00

Been a while since I had the chance to blog on the World Cup, but as our days dwindle and our lives return to the normal grind, it seems a bit more pressing. That, and regular reader Ross Mattson has informed me that his summer internship bores him and he needs stimulation. Either way, here's some food for thought as we enter the weekend's final games:

- Say what you will about the coverage and, specifically, the commentary, but the ESPN/ABC family have absolutely done their part. Not only has every game been able in HD, they've also offered espn360.com free through July 17th, meaning every game could be watched online, live. The footage is decent too.

- JP Dellacamera is our best play-by-play man. Tommy Smyth, I'm sorry to say, is our best color guy. John Harkes isn't bad. Marcelo Balboa continues to be abysmal, and I can't imagine he will stick around unless he's married to Chris Berman's sister. He talks as much as Dicky V. but has no schtick, nor expertise, nor humor.
Soccer needs to breathe. If you've never had the pleasure of watching a game with a single, knowledgeable play-by-play man at the helm and no color guy (as many Premier League games are televised), you're missing out on a lot.

- comanche/soul shortlist for World Cup Best 11:
GK - Buffon (Italy), Lehmann (Germany), Ricardo (Portugal)
Defenders - Cannavarro (Ita), Lahm (Ger), Terry (England), Miguel (Portugal), Grosso (Italy), Cole (England), Ayala (Argentina), Marquez (Mexico), Senderos (Switzerland)
Midfield - Appiah (Ghana), Riquelme (Arg), Beasley (USA)...just kidding, Rodriguez (Arg), C. Ronaldo (Port), Pirlo (Italy), Nedved (Czech), Xabi Alonso (Spain), Cahill (Australia), Zakora (Ivory Coast), Yorke (Trinidad and Tobago), Frings (Ger), Zidane (France), Viera (France), Ribery (France)
Forwards - Klose (Ger), Podolski (Ger), Torres (Spain), Henry (France), Villa (Spain), Robben (Netherlands), Crespo (Arg)
*Anyone I'm missing? Let me know in comments. I'll announce the full team next week.

- The Italy-Germany semifinal was a fine game, with both teams committed to playing balanced soccer. Italy went forward far more than usual. You almost sensed that they feared the ensuing penalty shootout -- where history unquestionably favored the Germans -- and really pushed for the regulation win. And when the goal did come, what a goal it was. Pirlo slid a nicely weighted ball between two defenders to Grosso -- excellent all tournament -- who bent the ball immaculately past a few defenders and the diving hand of Lehmann. As Germany pushed for the winner, del Piero sealed it with a terrific finish from Gilardino's through ball. Italy may have had the easiest run to the final, but they've looked pretty sharp, displaying a typical tight defense and quality midfield play. They've also looked stronger as the tournament's gone on. Cannavarro has been tremendous, and should get some votes for Golden Ball (player of the tournament) should Italy win it all.

- We're halfway through the France-Portugal semi, 1-0 to France off a Zidane penalty, calmly stroked past the diving Ricardo. Chances for both teams, with Portugal looking more and more dangerous running at the French defense. Look for France to grab another, then Portugal pull one back for a grandstand finish. We'll see...

- Everybody's saying it so I may as well join in: Eriksson's coaching job was one of the worst in recent memory. Failing to address any of the obvious problems with his team, England barely deserved their quarterfinal spot. 17 year old Walcott had no business on the team and Eriksson paid badly for foolish selection choices. How about a proven goalscorer? Better yet, how about someone with an actual top flight game to his name? The four man midfield of Gerrard, Lampard, Beckham, and Cole would've cleaned up in a long distance shooting exposition (save Lampard, perhaps), but simply couldn't play together. A creative manager would've figured out a way to get the most out of four quality midfielders and seen the pressing need to inject some speed onto the right wing (the left had it in spades). The center backs were predictably excellent and Robinson was good, but goals were clearly the problem. As for the performance in the shootout, you had to see it coming.

The Futureheads, Live at the 9:30 Club

2006-06-29T09:29:00.000-04:00

comanche/soul takes another brief respite from the dog-eat-dog world of the World Cup knockout stages to catch some harmony-laden, angular post-punk from Sunderland's own the Futureheads.

The Futureheads - Live at the 9:30 Club - 6/28/06
The Futureheads' self-titled debut album was, on first listen, one of the most stunning albums I had heard in a long time. Never really going for anything representing a genre (or pseudo-genre, as it were) with the prefix "post-", the drive of the angular, quirky guitars and Beach Boys (if they were singing about Blackpool) vocals was a shock to my jangle-pop system. Seeing them live for the first time at Minneapolis' Triple Rock Social Club confirmed my first impressions. They were sharp, professional, very British, warm, and engaging. And in my concert going career there have been few moments as impressive as hearing their exquisite (maybe top ten all time) cover of Kate Bush's "Hounds of Love", with it's intricate backup vocal interplay providing the hook to frontman Barry Hyde's rousing plea's ("Do you know what I mean?") sinker.

But where does a band go from there? It's been noted that their debut was so urgent and focused that it basically pounded you into submission with its style. In short, it sounded like a band with a very clear sense of what it wanted to do. And, to be honest, the show didn't really provide much of an answer to that question. The budget is clearly beefed up -- it's always funny to see bands that are big in the UK (the Magic Numbers, Travis, etc.) but not so much here tour the US rock club circuit with major label dollars -- evidenced by a plethora of guitars and a fancier stage setup. But the songs, while not the same, are at least similar.

There's less reliance on the "Oh Oh-Oh Oh"s and more straightforward guitar pop. The rhythms are a little more varied, and I'm pretty sure they're even experimenting with some effects pedals these days. Opening with News and Tributes opener "Yes/No" was predictable but enjoyable, the simple chorus letting the audience warmup their vocal chords early on. Then came previous single, "Area" (listen here), which isn't on the new album proper but is a great tune that could've fit onto their debut. Best of all, it showcases a subtle but nice improvement in Hyde's delivery. His phrasing has markedly improved (that that it was ever a problem), adding unexpected rhythmic hooks.

Other highlights were new songs "Fallout" and "Thursday" as well as "Trying Not to Think About Time" from their debut, but while these succeeded others fell flat. I'm not sure if it was the mix on the night or the performance, but even "Hounds of Love" and encore "Decent Days and Nights" (on one of those OC mix tapes) weren't particularly rousing or inspired. It made it all too clear that the Futureheads aren't an ordinary rock club band and need something considerably better than an ordinary rock club mixing job. I say push the vocals farther out front, mic that snare a little better, and let the 'Heads themselves handle the guitar crunch.

And there's one more complaint. If you're one of my friends, you've probably heard it after practically every show, but what's the deal with the crowd at these things? The band gave us a two song warning that their show was nearing its close, they went out with a bang to close their 55 minute set, yet I've never heard an audience cheer so little for an encore. If I were the band, I wouldn't have come back out to such lackluster, half-hearted applause. I'm beginning to think it's the town, as this isn't the first show where I've had this experience.

So there was a little sour taste in my mouth at the end of the show, but I took heart in the $10 purchase of the new album, complete with a number of bonus tracks. I'm three cuts in right now and it sounds terrific: beefed up, loud, and more textured than the debut. If the show sometimes failed to touch the heights, then I'm comforted in knowing that "the only a cappella group that matters" (as Pitchfork writer Sam Ubl put it) is still one of the most rewarding listens out there today.

(Dis)graceful Henry

2006-06-27T16:56:00.000-04:00

I just wrote a long intro to this piece and decided it was too wordy and too preachy to keep around. I'll cut to the chase: Puyol bumped Henry in the chest and Henry grabbed his face in apparent agony, winning the free kick that resulted in Viera's go-ahead goal and set France towards a 3-1 victory over Spain.

To be fair, Spain did not exactly deserve to win. They were fortunate to get a penalty which gave them the lead, and, against stiffer competition, the team seemed to buckle as it always does. When they went down a goal with 7 minutes remaining, surely the deja vu alarms went off. Another talented Spanish team, another premature exit.

But to talk only of Spain's demise would excuse and overlook what was far more disheartening. Watching Henry fake a foul -- specifically the type which has seen players ejected from this tournament already -- and feign injury was truly sad. Some of you may recall at the onset of FIFA and Nike's anti-racism campaign (spearheaded in part by Henry), the ill-tempered Roy Keane said what was really needed was a campaign against diving.

Keane should be taken with a grain of salt, but FIFA's maneuvers to punish diving have failed to address the real problem: those that embellish actual contact by rolling around on the ground in faux-agony. The English -- who, according to them, never dive -- tend to address their complaints towards teams of Latin backgrounds -- Brazilians, Paraguayans, Portugeuse, etc. It may then come as quite a shock that England's favorite foreign footballing son is as big a diver as any.

As for the game, it was pretty standard but engrossing stuff. Lots of room in midfield in the first half but the second much tighter. France's equalizer came once again from a high defensive line -- when are teams going to realize that in this day and age of the "passive offsides" rule, you simply can't play such a defensive system? -- as Ribery got behind and rounded Casillas far too easily. No particularly clear cut chances came until Henry's dive led to a Zidane free kick 45 yards from goal. His bending cross skimmed the head of Xabi Alonso before finding Viera on the backpost. He directed his header down and Casillas looked to have it covered but Sergio Ramos tried to intervene and deflected the ball into the net. Spain pushed forward then, with Joaquin coasting by defenders on the flank only to find that Spain didn't have much of an aerial presence in the box.

If I was angry at the impending result, it felt somewhat better to see Zidane receive Wiltord's through ball, cut back around Puyol, and slide the ball past Casillas (who, I might add, looked pretty poor on two of the three goals). A fine goal for a great player. And with Viera finally firing on all cylinders for his national team, France might just have a little more left in the tank against Brazil. We'll see on Saturday.

The Italian Job

2006-06-26T14:19:00.000-04:00

They've done it again. Ten man Italy escaped this morning, 1-0, thanks to a Francesco Totti penalty, 3 minutes deep into injury time. Grosso beat his man with a nifty move, then pushed the ball by Lucas Neill. Neill had already committed, and all Grosso had to do was run into the defender's body and go to ground. Penalty awarded, and up stepped substitute Totti to blast the ball into the left corner past the diving Mark Schwarzer.

The result is no surprise (1-0 to Italy may well be the most common World Cup result over the past five tournaments...I'm looking into it), but with Inter defender Materazzi already tossed from the game, the Aussies were in prime position to pull the upset, or, at the very least, let the Italians take the game to the penalty kick lottery. But they were wasteful in their finishing and probably missed Liverpool midfielder Harry Kewell (injured) quite a bit. On the whole, they've got to go home feeling good about their performance here. I'm sure we'll see them again in South Africa in 2010 -- they're now qualifying directly through the Asian federation. Let's just hope whomever takes over the team recognizes that superb fitness, hard running, and physical (but not dirty) play can be successful. They were never a pretty team to watch, but they were certainly endearing and entertaining.

As for Italy, who knows. With the easiest knockout draw of any of the big teams, they now have either Switzerland or the Ukraine standing between them and a birth in the semifinals for the first time since 1994. Pirlo looked lost for much of the game, Gilardino and Toni both continued to be wasteful in front of goal, and that joker Lippi subbed in up top is one of the least dangerous players to play up top for Italy in a decade. Where is Inzaghi? At least he can score. They're not a bad team, at all, but there's not much attacking quality there, and it will be difficult to see them making it to the final. And, to be honest, I like Switzerland's chances if they can beat Ukraine today.

Knockout Rounds Outlook
ROUND OF 16
Germany 2 - Sweden 0
Argentina 2 - Mexico 1 (ot)
Italy 1 - Australia 0
Switzerland v. Ukraine
England 1 - Ecuador 0
Portugal 1 - Netherlands 0
Brazil v. Ghana
Spain v. France

QUARTERFINALS
Germany v. Argentina
Italy v. Switzerland/Ukraine
England v. Portugal
Brazil/Ghana v. Spain/France

SEMIFINALS
Germany/Argentina v. Italy/Switzerland/Ukraine
England/Portugal v. Brazil/Ghana/Spain/France

There's a lot being said about the Round of 16 match pitting France against Spain. Spain has to hate the way the draw worked out, but I truly do believe that the Swiss are the tougher draw. Fabregas has proved he can handle Viera and Zidane, and Puyol has proved he can deal with Henry. Ribery has looked active but not necessarily dangerous. Wiltord is simply a role player who can score some goals if placed in the right position. For Spain's sake, hope that Viera starts at right midfield so Zidane can have the middle to himself, then raid that side and pack the middle defensively.

The situation of France brings up a common theme in this tournament: the inflexibility of managers. Domenech of France and Eriksson of England are the prime examples, displaying more and more with each match their unwillingness to field a cohesive team (that is, someone playing right midfield who actually plays right midfield or has some proven degree of success there) and/or bench key players. But enough with the Beckham talk...he's proved his worth. No, the right side is not dangerous, and perhaps a more creative coach (why again is Lampard keeping his place?) would find a way to have Beckham on the field and get him involved more. He simply doesn't have the pace to be a threat offensively in open play, but on set pieces he is still deadly. Spain has looked sharp in part due to the competitive nature of the squad: bringing Raul off the bench makes him hungry to score. With Reyes and Joaquin riding the pine as well, coach Aragones has more attacking variety in his second 11 than most of the 32 managers have in their entire lineup.

But let's be honest...with relatively few major upsets so far, the deepest and most talented teams are advancing, regardless of how well they play. And as other teams seemed bogged down by opposition gameplans and tactics, only two teams have been able to display a consistent ability to set the pace and tone of each match. One is Spain, and they could be pushed to their breaking point by a French team loaded with stars and looking to make Zidane's last ride a memorable one.

The other is the Germans. A tough road to the final lies ahead, but this team is starting to look like the reverse image of France in 98, the attacking pace and youthful enthusiasm to France's seasoned, miserly defence. Both host nations, both with difficult quarterfinals with a seemingly winnable semifinal to look ahead to. You never know.

USA 1 - Ghana 2

2006-06-22T15:24:00.000-04:00

Kwaku, one of my coworkers and former Ghanaian U-21 international, is in a pretty good mood right now. And rightfully so. Ghana put in a performance that, while not nearly of the caliber of their win against the Czechs, was still good enough to see off a spirited but somewhat inept American squad. There's tons to say about the game and US effort and the coaching. You may have heard or read already how ESPN commentator Eric Wynalda commented that coach Bruce Arena "screwed up this World Cup". I'll start here.

While I do not believe that wins and losses are often a coach's fault, Arena did his underdog squad no favors this time around. Where his approach in 2002 was to come out guns blazing against Portugal -- a sort of electroshock method when World Cup openers are often more likely a small cup of room temperature water being doused on the face, in 2006 his team frankly looked scared and nervous. Rather than paying attention to the press at home hailing them as a new force on the international soccer seen, they perhaps should've been reading the press abroad (more knowledgeable, at any rate) that saw them as a longshot to challenge the Czechs. Without a doubt, motivation was a question in that first game.

And then the tactics. In contrast to that magical opening game in 2002, we never really looked like a dangerous team. Donovan had one or two flashes of promising attacking play, but -- and if one stat is telling it is this -- failed to register a single shot on goal. Consider that. Is there a team in the tournament whose best attacking player does not have a single shot on goal? Is there a team in the tournament whose best three players do not have a single shot on goal? After two full games of soccer, the Americans were averaging a tournament low 0.5 shots on goal per half. If I were permitted to ask Arena one question, it would be that: why wasn't the team able to create more shots on goal? Quick...name a save we forced the keeper to make. Yeah, I can't either. You don't score on the best two keepers in the world without shooting (although, poor Kasey Keller, 6 goals allowed in the 3 games is a harsh return for such a classy goalkeeper). Isolating McBride, repeatedly and without any degree of success, shows a surprising lack of flexibility in contrast to what we've seen from Arena in the past.

There were some bright spots for the team. Jimmy Conrad -- who knew? -- is a quality center back. Playing against much, much faster players, his positioning was excellent. He organized well and made a number of crucial blocks and clearances. Perhaps Pope's poor form in the early MLS season should've been a warning sign. Likewise, Onyewu will be a center back to count on for the next five years. He gets a lot of fouls called on him simply because he's huge, but the guy's a force and should only get better through a move to Middlesborough (let's hope that still goes through).

Ultimately, this was not a game we deserved to win. We were not, on the whole of the three games, one of the best three teams in the group. To have a claim to that spot, we would've had to come out and soundly defeat at least one other team, something we never even threatened to do. I would've loved to see us take a crack at Brazil, but if it's got to be someone else, I'm happy it's Ghana. The best news of all this? No Yanks on my fantasy squad.

Judgement Day: USA v. Ghana

2006-06-22T09:23:00.000-04:00

Hopefully the majority of you will be able to tune in at 10 am this morning (hell, hopefully I will be able to tune in) to watch the United States play Ghana in a deciding group match. I've said it before and I'll say it again: a win in this game would constitute a very positive tournament for us, regardless of whether we advance or not.

The media in this country is chomping at the bit for soccer to finally break through. ESPN seems to have really boosted its advertising for games -- especially Mexico's games, rightly sensing changes in the market -- and our success at the last World Cup has raised expectations. But we have to be realistic: until our entire roster is capable of starting in the Serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga, or Premier League, we will always be at a disadvantage. I am confident that this time will arrive. If all goes according to plan, we may have as many as seven or eight potential starters in the Premier League next year -- McBride and Bocanegra with Fulham, Bobby Convey and GK Marcus Hahnemann with Reading, Claudio Reyna with Manchester City, Tim Howard with Everton, and possibly Oguchi Onyewu with Middlesborough and maybe even and Eddie Lewis transfer into the top flight. That's impressive. Add to that Beasley playing for Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven, Kasey Keller firmly entrenched in the Bundesliga. Conor Casey -- not on the roster -- has been started for a Bundesliga team, as has Steve Cherundolo.

On top of that, the MLS is improving. Anyone with a soccer brain knows it and can see it. It has developed players to compete at a much higher level than ever before, and it has replaced the faltering college soccer system in improving our young players. However, look at the US lineup and it's weakest spots. Eddie Pope -- while not disastrous -- cost his team dearly in two games by leaving Koller for the Czechs first goal and getting ejected from the Italy game. Landon Donovan came out against the Czechs looking like he thought he was playing against Chivas USA, not a true European power. Additionally, Mastroeni's red -- while undeserved -- showed a noticeable lack of savvy (something I've often mentioned here) that the Italians and Czechs had in spades. I'm not suggesting the MLS players are the problem (Beasley and McBride were two of the worst in the opening game), but, I think, on the whole, they're missing the experience and composure that comes with playing at the highest level on regular basis.

But I digress. A win today would be a significant step for the USA. 1-1-1 in maybe the toughest group of the tournament, with a 9 man draw against Italy, is, much like that draw itself, a very acceptable if not totally gratifying result. What I'd really like to see is our boys to come out and take care of the little things. I want to see them show that they've learned how to mark a goalscorer in the box -- see Czech Goal 1 and Italy goal. I want to see someone shoot from long range to keep the defense honest. I want to see a dangerous set piece. I want to see Onyewu mark a good forward without shoving him from behind. I would like to see the team switch the ball quickly enough to find Beasley, 1 v 1, where he can simply push it by his man and get to the line. I want to see Donovan get some shots on target. I want us to prove we won't be manhandled by what appears to be a faster, more athletic midfield. I want Kasey Keller to get his first World Cup clean sheet. He deserves it. If these things happen, we will probably win.

But I'll be honest: I'd rather just have a win. Mark people, don't mark people. Score beautiful goals, or settle for undeserved penalties and own goals. It makes no difference. I'd rather just win and advance.

A brief respite from World Cup coverage

2006-06-21T14:04:00.000-04:00

It turns out those ESPN World Cup commercials aren't exactly true: the whole world does not stop for an entire month while the World Cup goes on.

No, unfortunately, I live and reside in the one country that continues its schedule of real news -- though, with Iran's fruitless performance, expect news there to pick up soon -- and commentary covering the self-aggrandizing tendencies of Fox News' Bill O' Reilly and not Phil Scolari.

So without further delay, here's what you could also be checking out:

- Lately I've been listening to more and more talk radio as I become disillusioned with the indie rock scene. Besides the usual sports stuff -- Kornheiser, Sports Junkies, Jim Rome when I'm on the road -- I've started listening to Bill O' Reilly. And you know what? When his guest is Ann Coulter, the guy sounds pretty damn reasonable. But he's not perfect, and Michael Easley (former Slate editor) published an interesting, quasi-review of his book The O' Reilly Factor. Where O' Reilly used to get me pretty pissed off or at least amuse me with his ability to frustrate and deceive, he is nothing compared to fascist Jay Severin.

Some regular readers and friends will note that I often use the term "fascist" in jest, or at least in exaggeration. Make no mistake here: Severin would take delight in such a label. In fact, his own logic -- (direct quote here) "all Democrats are socialists and all socialists are communists" -- invites it. If that's the case, then conservatives are on the total other side of the spectrum which, of course, is fascism. He's a brash guy with a few things to say -- which he repeats, ad nauseam, every show. And he's got a face for radio. I suggest you take a look at some of his beliefs, and see what you think for yourself. My personal favorite is "Illegal immigrants are criminals. They are sewage." You can also check out his own blog here.

- This isn't exactly new news, but I recently found out that a family friend was actually responsible for the latest in-depth reports coming out of Guantanamo Bay. Charlotte Observer reporter Mike Gordon had been invited to the military prison to do a profile of Mike Bumgarner, prison commander. Anyway, he was accidentally given access to a secure meeting of officers and produced a pretty fascinating profile of the camp. Of course, the fallout of publishing the story got him sent home. Read more on that part of the story here.

- An unrelated note: a truly excellent and wonderfully evocative concert review of Bruce Springsteen's Seeger Sessions Band tour on PopMatters.

- Another random note: Slate ran a piece today on the "woes of low-rise pants". Fashion expert Judy Childers comments: I agree the trend is way out of control. Low rise pants have mass produced tunics though (so theyre long enough to cover your body and not show too much), so I am thankful for that.

Back to the Cup
- Mexico looks distinctly suspect -- and screws over my fantasy team -- on defense in a 2-1 loss to a Portugal team missing five regulars. Unfortunately, the plucky Angolans can't capitalize on Mexico's loss and only tie 1-1 with Iran when they needed a two goal victory to advance.
- The afternoon's game between the Netherlands and Argentina -- kicking off as we speak -- should be interesting. Mexico definitely looked like the weaker of the two teams, and I imagine both will want to avoid Portugal in the next round. What kind of lineups will we see? Looks like Robben, van Bommel, and van Bronckhorst (amongst others) will not start for the Dutch. On the other side, youngsters Messi and Tevez will start for Argentina. Advantage: South Americans.
- Michael Owen is, as expected, out for the entire tournament. Looks like some ligament damage.
- Oh, I almost forgot. Remember Jay Severin from earlier in this post? Last night on his show he said ESPN's boosted ratings for this World Cup were due to "the invasion of our country by Mexicans" (or something pretty close to that). I definitely think the growing Latino population helped the numbers quite a bit. But the ultra-conservative argument/paranoia that they're forcing everyone to speak Spanish reminds me that most of them actually do speak Spanish and might actually watch the games on Spanish-speaking channels instead. And as for the supposed "cultural" revolution occurring because of the large immigrant population and as evidenced by soccer's new popularity, I would suggest that Severin merely look at the demographics of AYSO and elite club soccer teams across the country. I think he'll find those numbers have dramatically risen in the past twenty years, and that immigrant demographics don't have that much to do with it.
- Check back after the games and I'll update the Round of 16 preview.

Round of 16 Outlook

2006-06-20T17:14:00.000-04:00

England couldn't figure out how to beat Sweden again. After super-sub Steven Gerrard grabbed a late lead with a header off a Joe Cole cross, Henrik Larsson somehow contrived to nick the ball off his toe and barely into the far corner in injury time for a 2-2 draw. Joe Cole, Man of the Match, after scoring a stunning goal in the first half.

Trinidad's dream also ended today, sadly, with a 2-0 loss to Paraguay. They will be missed.

Round of 16 Outlook
I thought we could look ahead a little bit to how the knockout stages are shaping up. I'm ruling out the possibility of anything I consider to be a major upset happening (partially in hopes that one of them will happen).

Should everything go to script, the knockout round will look something like this:
Germany v. Sweden
Argentina v. Mexico/Portugal
Italy/Czech/Ghana v. Australia/Croatia
Switzerland/France v. Ukraine/Tunisia
England v. Ecuador
Netherlands v. Mexico/Portugal
Brazil v. Czech/Ghana/Italy/USA
Spain v. Switzerland/France

Let's just say seeding/favorites hold in those games. You'd have quarterfinals looking like this:
Germany v. Argentina
Italy v. France
England v. Portugal/Netherlands
Brazil v. Spain

I won't hypothesize further, but those could be some dynamite matchups.

Best Goal of the First Round
Thought I'd start soliciting votes for the best goal of the first round. I'd probably go for Cambiasso's finish to Argentina's intricate passing move against Serbia. Joe Cole's goal today against Sweden merits a mention, as does Torres' goal for Spain against Ukraine.

Cup Update and Other stuff

2006-06-20T11:14:00.000-04:00

Turns out comanche/soul isn't the only blog obsessing over the World Cup. I thought I'd give you a little rundown of what else the internet has to offer, and where to get your slightly less insightful commentary.

The New Republic has a World Cup blog featuring editor Franklin Foer -- who wrote the fairly interesting book How Soccer Explains the World. A lot of it revolves around refuting and supporting the recent book Thinking Fan's Guide to the World Cup. That, and congratulating themselves and their friends for writing such a clever book.

Sports Illustrated also has a Cup blog. It's a lot like mine, but with less insight and more financial backing. Check it out here.

ESPN Soccernet is running a correspondent's program where fans keep a blog sort of thing about one particular team. Some are better than others. The USA correspondent isn't bad.

Finally, Slate's doing a little thing they call "Dispatches from the World Cup". It's a little more offbeat and cultural, and reeks of this new soccer liberalism that is interesting for serious fans but sure doesn't help the sport's future in the American market.

News...
Ecuador fields a weak lineup and goes down 3-0 to Germany. Klose's two goals make him the leading scorer with 4 so far. Podolski gets the third, meaning that all three of Germany's goals were scored by Polish born players. In a related story, Poland claims a 2-1 win over Costa Rica to get third place. Paulo Wanchope has a late equalizer called back for offsides.

Steven Gerrard will be replaced by Bayern Munich's Owen Hargreaves in today's match in order to avoid a second yellow which would rule him out of England's Round of 16 game.

Italian coach Lippi has apologized to fans and admitted to overlooking the USA on Saturday.

World Cup Weekend Recap and Preview

2006-06-19T14:14:00.000-04:00

An unfortunate internet breakdown caused me to lose my entire blog on the US game this past weekend. Which is a real shame for both you and me, as the commentary in the posting was, on the whole, very insightful and of a high overall quality. You would've been impressed.

But, alas, nothing can be done now. Instead, I'll just resort to a quick breakdown and some standard bullet-point type stuff about the weekend's games and what we have to look forward to in the coming week.

USA 1 - Italy 1
A truly engrossing match that started well for the Americans. We took the game to Italy with pace and confidence, and maybe should've had a lead before Eddie Pope decided he was sick of being so close to Gilardino, allowing the Italian forward to easily guide his header past Keller for a 1-0 lead. The USA rebounded quickly, thanks to an Italian own goal. The events which transpired after that are difficult to explain. If you care about soccer at all you know the officiating was a joke -- three red cards issued -- and the USA put in a gutsy performance to preserve a 1-1 tie. I'll just give some quick thoughts to add to what's already been said:

- The main difference between the two teams -- the reason it was a tie and not an American win -- was simply that Italy is much more savvy than the US. They know when and how to win a foul, they know how to fall down in order to draw a card, and they know what to do when they win a foul.
- Onyewu and Keller played excellent games, as did Cherundolo. If little Stevie could serve a decent ball into the box, the upper echelon of European teams might be knocking on the door. His energy and steady play were essential.
- McBride was a true warrior and led by example...but he should've scored when Donovan teed him up in the second half. Getting caught offsides for Beasley's would-be winner didn't help either.
- Jimmy Conrad deputized very admirably at center back. I was nervous when he came in, but he seemed to organize very well and made a couple crucial plays.
- Anyone have any idea why Arena didn't use his third sub? Eddie Johnson on for the dead-tired McBride for the last ten minutes to run at the Italians, maybe sneak a goal, give some energy in tracking back? An extra defensive midfielder? Would it have hurt to throw on Ben Olson or someone scrappy to help win some balls in the last five minutes?

WORLD CUP WEEKEND THOUGHTS
Group A
- Germany and Ecuador clinch spots in the next round with Ecuador's resounding 3-0 defeat of Costa Rica. Ecuador has really come on, scoring five goals in two games and allowing zero.
- Goal differential means a draw between the two in the final group game will send Ecuador into first place, leaving Germany to possibly face England. I like Germany's chances in the game tomorrow, 1-0.

Group B
- Trinidad put up quite a fight against England before ultimately falling 2-0 with goals from Liverpool men Crouch and Gerrard. England will have to be frustrated once more and neutral observers will continue to wonder why Eriksson remains in a state of denial about the way his team has played so far.
- Sweden beats Paraguay on a late Freddie Ljungberg headed goal, 24 hours after I remove him from my fantasy team.
- The Group B scenario breaks down like this: England is in the next round. They can win the group with a win or a draw against Sweden. Sweden can advance with a win, a draw, or a Trinidad loss or draw against Paraguay. Trinidad can advance only with a win and an England win. Trinidad will also need to overcome Sweden's goal differential (currently +1 to their -2). Paraguay is eliminated.
- England will likely field a first choice team in an effort to avoid meeting host Germany in the next round. However, by the time Group B kicks off tomorrow, Group A will be set. If Ecuador wins Group A, do not be surprised to see a below full strength England team. I'm not the coach, but if I was, I might try playing with a defensive midfielder for once.

Group C
- Straightforward. Argentina and the Netherlands are in. They play Wednesday. The winner gets first place and likely Mexico in the Round of 16. The loser gets Portugal. A draw would favor Argentina with their significant goal difference.
- Argentina's trouncing of Serbia -- not a weak team at all -- has sent a warning signal to other Cup contenders. No team has looked so efficient offensively in their first two games and, in Crespo, they appear to have a goal poacher who is truly in form. Watch out.
- Poor Ivory Coast. Two excellent performances and only two consolation goals to show for it. Let's hope they get the win they deserve in their last match.
But most importantly...credit to them for their attacking approach and positive play. Excellent goal on Friday too.

Group D
- Same as Group B. Portugal has clinched a place in the next round. Iran is eliminated. Mexico can advance with a win or a draw in their final game against Portugal or a loss or draw by Angola. Angola can advance with a win and a Mexico loss, and also need to cover the goal difference (now +2 for Mexico v. -1 for Angola).
- With Argentina's dominant performance, Portugal will want to avoid them in the next round and will probably send out a full strength team against Mexico.
- Look for Iran to recover some pride and get a result against Angola, sending Mexico into the second round regardless of the result in their game v. Portugal.
- Thought to be one of the weaker groups, Angola and Iran have really pushed both Mexico and Portugal to the limit and made this much more competitive than many thought. I'd pay good money to see Angola sneak into the second round over Mexico, but I don't see it happening.

Group E
- Scenario: Complicated.
ITALY - Can advance with a win or draw v. Czechs and/or a draw in the Ghana-USA game.
Can clinch the Group with a win or a draw and a draw in the Ghana-USA game.
CZECH REPUBLIC - Can advance with a win, or a draw and a draw in the Ghana-USA game. Can clinch the group with a win and a Ghana loss or draw. Can also advance with a tie and a USA win by less than 4 goals.
GHANA - Can advance with a win. Can advance with a draw and a Czech loss. Can clinch the group with a win and a Czech-Italy tie.
USA - Can advance with a win and an Italy win. Can advance with a an Italy-Czech draw and a win by 4 clear goals.
- It's an uphill battle for the Yanks, but not impossible. This is by far the most fascinating group, with the USA the only team who can't win the group and doesn't control it's own destiny.
- Every team will have to send out a full strength team with Brazil waiting the second place team. After Italy was stung by that improbable 2-2 tie at Euro 2004 between Denmark and Sweden that eliminated them, expect them to try and get a result to control their own destiny. Likewise, Ghana will be confident and may come out boldly to get the win that would put them through.

Group F
- Brazil is in and, if I'm not mistaken, has clinched the group already. Australia is in with a win or a draw v. Croatia. Croatia needs a win over the Aussies to advance. Japan needs a win against Brazil and an Australia loss.
- Brazil will probably field a below strength team, but since this team will feature goalscorer Fred, sub Robinho, free kick expert Juninho and others, they could easily sweep aside the Japanese. Australia looked impressive against Brazil. Their game against Croatia should be very tight and physical, and I like the Aussies to advance with a 0-0 draw.

Group G
- Another wide open group. France really blew their golden chance at qualification with a draw against Korea. They're not really out of it by any means, but they don't control whether or not they get first place in the group. If either Korea or Switzerland win their game, that team will top the group. Should France also win, they would get second place. If they tie and France beats Togo, it will come down to goal differential. Right now Switzerland is at +2 and Korea at +1. France would need to win by 2 clear goals against Togo to be sure.
- Look for France to get the win they need and sneak in the next round to meet Spain. You almost sense that they could use the wakeup call against an established power to really get themselves playing again. Of course, they'll have to do this sans Zidane, out for picking up his second yellow card.

Group H
- Ukraine's 4-0 over Saudi Arabia helped their chances quite a bit. They will -- barring a Tunisian upset of Spain today -- only need a draw against Tunisia to ensure qualification. There are other scenarios, but until the Spain-Tunisia game is over, I'll hold off spelling them out for you.

ESP v. UKR, KSA v. TUN, GER v. POL

2006-06-14T16:07:00.000-04:00

Have barely seen five minutes of the games so far, but I think Spain's victory will rank as the most impressive win of the tournament's first round of games. In beating Ukraine 4-0, their strikers looked sharp and luck appeared on their side. Also, I personally got a big fantasy boost with the shutout and Puyol's assist. Ukraine could easily rebound with two wins in their next two, but they'll have to be better than they were today.

Tunisia 2 - Saudi Arabia 2
According to my friend Casey, a "fantastic game". Bolton's Jaidi gets a 93rd minute equalizer after the North Africans blew the lead. I'll hopefully get to watch a little of this one on tape later this evening.

Germany 1 - Poland 0
A late, late winner from Neuville -- courtesy of a cross from young sub Odonkor who looked very good -- gives the host a much needed win. An Ecuador victory tomorrow ensures qualification, but a tie for the South Americans against Costa Rica would still ensure Germany qualified and actually mean that they'd only need a draw in their final game to get first place in the group. Poland went down to ten men in the 75th minute, and Germany had a boat load of chances to put it away. In the 89th minute, Klose's header hit the bar and Ballack somehow smashed the rebound also against the bar -- screwing my fantasy team -- before another blocked rebound and an offsides call saved the Poles for a moment. Then a quick break down the right, and extremely fast sub Odonkor lobbed in a cross. The dimunitive Neuville snuck in between two Polish defenders and slid low to knock in the game's only goal. A fine match and a good atmosphere as well.

Weekend Forecast
I'm getting out of the District for a long weekend and will most likely -- if my girlfriend has any say about it -- not be contributing to this blog until Sunday night at the earliest. I realize that the Cup without c/s updates sounds almost painfully dull, but I'll provide some predictions now, then you can check back later and see how I did. Feel free to post comments in the meantime so I can have some fodder to cover when I get back. In the meantime, here are some comments and predictions for the weekend to come:

- In the Americans group, Ghana-Czech Republic should be an interesting game. The Czechs go into it without either of their first choice strikers. Another dominating performance makes them a favorite to advance all the way to the semifinals, especially if/when they get Koller and Baros back up top. Likewise, Ghana have the steel and speed in midfield to compete with the Czechs where the US could not.
- The tightest matchup will probably be Sweden and Paraguay tomorrow. Neither team can afford a loss, but a draw would make for a very interesting final round of group games in Group B. I expect Paraguay to play conservatively and hit on the break, where a few moments against Trinidad indicated the Swedes might be vulnerable. I think we'll see a 1-1 draw, handing first place over to England with a game to spare.
- In the Group of Death, don't be too surprised if we know the qualifiers by the time the Netherlands and Ivory Coast finish up. I don't see Argentina -- who looked sharp but have a deep bench that coach Pekerman barely used -- dropping points against the Serbs. However, the other game will be closer and I could even see the Ivory Coast stealing a tie to make the last round of games somewhat interesting. But I'm betting the Elephants impress but fall short again by a score of 2-1.
- The popular notion that Group D's second round qualifiers were set before play even started looked up in the air for a while on Sunday. But Mexico poured it on late and Portugal hung on, and now advancing appears beyond both Angola and Iran. These might not be terribly compelling games and, if things to go plan, Mexico and Portugal will close out group play in a match that will decide who gets the Netherlands and who gets Argentina. Six of one...
- Brazil's group originally appeared pretty straightforward for the favorites to navigate, but Croatia's performance in a 1-0 loss revealed some weaknesses. Australia will no doubt come out physical on Sunday, believing they could get a vital tie that could, conceivably, clinch a spot in the second round. Japan were less than impressive against the Aussies though, so a Croatia win vs. the Japanese would send the Aussies and the Croats into their final game with everything to play for. Predictions: Brazil 3 - Australia 1, Croatia 2 - Japan 0.
- The French were decidedly poor on Tuesday against Switzerland. Korea proved it hasn't lost any energy or stamina from the last tournament, and if they're able to hold France goalless through the first 60 minutes, will like their chances to get a draw or sneak a win. France have far too much quality to fail to score again, but it won't be easy. In the other game, Switzerland will be orderly and composed, and threaten Togo in the air. Predictions: France 1 - Korea 0. Switzerland 2 - Togo 1.
- Finally, Spain to continue their run with a 1-0 win against the Tunisians. They'll dominate possession -- as per usual -- but a physical approach from the North Africans could unsettle them a little. Don't expect Saudi Arabia to trouble the Ukraine too much, with Shevchenko scoring his first goal at a major international tournament. 2-0 to the Eastern Europeans.

Enjoy the games...

Matchday 5

2006-06-13T14:26:00.000-04:00

Missed most of the first two games today but they seemed pretty decent and evenly matched. Korea came from behind to beat World Cup debutantes Togo -- mired in a coaching controversy that has seen Otto Pfister leave then return to coach the team -- 2-1. 2002 star Ahn was left off but came on late to score a very nice winner from about 22 yards out. Both Korean goals looked nicer than they were. Can somebody tell me why there are so few decent African goalkeepers? Kingson of Ghana looked set to pass the laughable Benzekri of Morocco in 98, but Italy seemed determined not to exploit his vulnerability on high, lofted balls and also to fire a number of shots right at him.

Watched about thirty minutes of France-Switzerland, and the Swiss looked like a more dangerous team. I can't imagine this will be a long tournament for the French. If you look back on WC 98, they sort of willed themselves to victory with a watertight defense. You may recall they only beat Paraguay 1-0 on a golden goal from defender Blanc in the Round of 16, beat Italy on penalties in the quarters after a 0-0 tie, beat Croatia in the semis pretty much solely on the determination of defender Thuram, who, never having scored for France before that game, scored twice after making the mistake which originally put Croatia in the lead. They then conquered a mysteriously out-of-sync Brazil in the final with two headed corner kicks goals from Zidane and one late breakaway from Petit after the game was already decided. Their Euro 2000 success owed much to the excellence of Henry and Trezeguet in that tournament. They haven't had the production they've needed since.

Though the direct route from Switzerland looked uncomfortable for France, one great block from Barthez preserved a shutout and a 0-0 draw. Probably a fair result based on what I saw, and you would think that both teams will like their chances in the next two group games. If both take maximum points in the next game, expect France to go through in first place on goal differential. But don't quite rule out the plucky Koreans, who, early though it may be, are still in first place in the group right now.

Later today - BRAZIL v. CROATIA - Preview

Everyone's fantasy teams look set for a big points boost as the favorites finally take the field. Croatia proved difficult to breakdown in qualifying, but with Australia's win there's some pressure to earn a draw here. A point would be a massive step towards the next round.

With these three group games, most people seem to be wondering how many goals Brazil can put up, but I expect Parreira to go for efficiency in the first game. In 94, Brazil (with Parreira as coach) used midfielder Rai's play as a springboard to a 2-0 victory over Russia in their opening game and were never really challenged. Croatia should present a tougher test. They're likely to show their opponents some serious respect and get plenty of players behind the ball in defense. Of course, Ronaldinho and Kaka are masters a breaking down a mass defense, and, should they struggle, Lyon free kick wizard Juninho waits in the wings with some dead ball tricks up his sleeve.

Prediction: 2-0 to the holders.

USA 0 - Czech Republic 3

2006-06-12T14:13:00.000-04:00

As massive Czech forward Jan Koller wheeled away from the goal five minutes into today's game with arms stretched in triumph, you could've been forgiven for having a bit of deja vu. The last time the United States was handed this demanding a draw in the World Cup, they gave up an easy, close range headed goal in the first ten minutes off some suspiciously slack defending. On that occasion, German midfielder Andy Moeller gratefully accepted the gift, albeit with less power and punch than Koller's smashing header five minutes into the game.

And that effectively set the tone. It was always going to be difficult to score, and goals like that tend to deflate young, inexperienced underdogs pretty easily. But the Yanks admirably took possession afterwards, controlling most of the ball in the first half. They looked baffled by a very organized Czech backline that was unspectacular -- they are the type of defenders who prefer to hoof the ball out of the back and let their quick and savvy midfielders chase it down and initiate the attack from there -- but always surefooted. US captain Claudio Reyna came close, hitting the left post with a low shot, but most US attacks ended in weak crossing attempts.

1-0 at halftime would've been one thing -- adjust, gather some steam, go at them -- but Tomas Rosicky's brilliant 25 yard strike put the Czechs up 2-0 and pretty much out of reach. A cross from Nedved was cleared by Onyewu but only as far as Rosicky who had plenty of time to take a touch and line up his shot.

Arena's second half changes were aggressive and attacking, but ultimately proved fruitless. Cherundolo came off for Johnson and Mastroeni was subbed out for John O' Brien as Eddie Pope moved to right back in a 3-5-2 formation, but with the formation change the Americans' possession advantage was lost. The second half saw more of the same: short on ideas, the US could only penetrate as far as 25 yards on each wing and was left to serve hopeful balls into the penalty area. When Nedved took possession just inside the US half in the 75th minute with the American backline pushed up high and flat, a third Czech goal was a mere formality. Nedved laid the ball into space ahead of Rosicky and the new Arsenal signee's first touch took him in the clear. His outside-of-the-foot finish was effortless and a thorough drubbing of the Americans was ensured.

That's more or less how it went down. During the post-game -- I spared myself the pandering of Marcelo Balboa and watched the game on Setanta Sports -- ESPN commentator Eric Wynalda railed on the team's lack of effort and urgency. And he was exactly right. But this was a performance that had you wondering how in the world Wynalda (and others as well) could have possibly picked the US to top the group with ease (I specifically recall Wynalda suggesting we would defeat the Czechs). ESPN Soccernet said it appropriately:

Bruce Arena's Team USA were taught a footballing lesson by the Czech Republic on Monday as they ran out convincing 3-0 winners. Jan Koller opened the scoring after just 5 minutes, but the star of the show was Tomas Rosicky who scored two stunning goals either side of halftime to put the result beyond doubt.

And yes, the score was harsh for all the possession the Americans had. But what of our big players? While Reyna was solid and effective as a distributor, Donovan did very little and McBride was, to put it mildly, atrocious. Convey was poor and Beasley couldn't have been worse. On top of that, Arena's changes didn't offer much, and, I would argue, the 3-5-2 hurt our possession and failed to change the game at all.

But it would be a shame to ruin such a wonderful thing as the World Cup so early in the campaign, so here's the good news. Eddie Johnson looked like he might just be ready for this level. It's a shame he didn't score because even a consolation goal would've done wonders for him going into the next match (which he really should start). I didn't think the back four were bad at all. Onyewu was terrific in the air, though still slow on the ground and called for too many fouls. Lewis was adequate at left back. Save four shots -- three of which went in -- Keller had little to do. The other good news is that now there is officially no pressure. We have nothing to lose at this point and we can't really get a worse result than this. Let's hope Ghana holds Italy to a tie.

Player ratings:
Keller - 4.5. Didn't really have much to do. Might've had a chance on the third goal, but not really at fault. Still, didn't look as authoritative as Cech in claiming crosses and high balls.
Cherundolo - 4. Struggled with Nedved. Poor service from the right flank.
Onyewu - 5. Would've been higher but had a number of needless fouls and lack of quickness let Rosicky through for the third.
Pope - 4.5. Clearly not accustomed to the kind of accurate delivery and clever movement Koller showed for the first goal.
Lewis - 5. Defended well. Didn't get forward very often, and isn't much use as a left back in a three back system.
Mastroeni - 5. Don't really remember him doing too much, which might be a good thing for a D-mid. Probably should've been more aware of Rosicky on the second goal.
Reyna - 6. Best US player. Sharp touches, good passing, kept possession and found feet. Unlucky to get a card, unlucky not to score.
Convey - 3.5. Out of ten crosses, only one threatened at all.
Beasley - 3. Looked scared.
Donovan - 4.5. Good turn in the first half and run at the D won a free kick (subsequently wasted by a poor Beasley touch) and one good run and layoff in the second. How many shots on goal? Zero?
McBride - 3. Maybe a 2.5. Really awful. Really really awful.

Subs:
O Brien - 5. Fine. Didn't do too much but his passing and patience are a nice addition.
Johnson - 6. Wanted to score. Tried to score. Shot the ball. Made hard runs in the box. More than can be said for any of the other attackers.
Wolff - (no score). Fifteen fairly inconsequential minutes.

USA v. Czech Republic - Matchday 4

2006-06-12T09:41:00.000-04:00

***Breaking News***
Wow...three goals in the last ten minutes of the match give the Aussies not only their first ever World Cup win, but their first ever WC goals. Everton midfielder Tim Cahill, a sub, scores twice before John Aloisi adds an insurance third in injury time.

Blogging today from the office, where unfortunate circumstances -- either America's indifference to the game, the impracticalities of cross-time zone TV watching, the socio-cultural constraints of a traditional 40 hour work week, or my quickly decreasing lack of vacation time, depending on your perspective -- have forced me to follow the World Cup action at work.

We open things up today with Australia v. Japan, in what is surely a very pivotal matchup for both teams. With Brazil sure to top the group, both teams (and Croatia) may be in for a dogfight for that last spot. Looks like Japan is in the ascendency at the moment, claiming a controversial goal from Nakamura to go up 0-1 in the 26th minute. Appears to be a rough and tumble game too as a number of guys have already been carded.

Today's second match, of course, features in the Americans' opening match against the Czech Republic. Preposterous FIFA rankings aside (Czechs #2, USA #5), this should be a good matchup. Both teams are strongest in midfield and there look to be a couple great individual battles. Big guys, center backs, and Shaquille O' Neal are all looking forward to the aerial duel between 6-7 Czech striker Jan Koller and 6-5 Olney, MD defender Oguchi Onyewu. Expect no quarter given. Aston Villa forward Milan Baros would normally compliment Koller in attack, but is injured and may miss out.

Where the Czechs have pedigree, the US should have team spirit and an element of surprise. Bruce Arena's teams rarely seemed rattled by big occasions and will hopefully be no different. Arena has also kept his cards close to his chest, announcing his starters only to the team and not the media. Expect the team to start like this:
GK - Keller, RB - Cherundolo, CB - Onyewu, CB - Pope, LB - Lewis, LM - Convey, DM - Mastroeni, CM - Reyna, RM - Beasley, FWD - McBride, FWD - Donovan.

There's a chance Arena would opt for Reyna and Donovan in the center of midfield and Eddie Johnson in attack, but I personally feel he's gonna want someone like the combative Mastroeni to get physical with Rosicky and Nedved.

RECAPS OF MATCHDAY 3

Netherlands 1 - Serbia and Montenegro 0
First half goal from Robben on a breakaway was enough to decide the game. The Serbs took it to the Dutch in the second half, but shot most of their opportunities straight at keeper van der Sar. It was a solid showing and a vital three points in the Group of Death -- already made that much tougher by the Ivory Coast's resilient performance against Argentina. On a curious note, Serbia pulled both starting striker Mateja Kezman and Savo Milosevic early in the second half. Also, Robben's Dutch teammates criticized the Chelsea winger after the game for his selfish play.

Mexico 3 - Iran 1
Billed as Mexican keeper Sanchez brave return after his father's recent death, Mexico looked the better team on the whole in a scrappy Group D match. But they were made to wait to take the lead and things looked in doubt, especially after star striker Jared Borgetti -- lead scorer in all of WC qualifying with 14 goals -- hobbled off in the second half. But Bravo came on to add his second after some dreadful giveaways by the Iranian backline and then Naelson added a third with a wonderful passing move and a very accurate header.

Angola 0 - Portugal 1
After Pauleta's fourth minute goal, it looked like the rout might be on. But Portugal's former colony Angola held firm and made a few half chances of their own late in the game. Cristiano Ronaldo was dangerous but left frustrated after hitting the crossbar with a header and having an 18 yard effort saved. Still, veteran captain Luis Figo was dangerous and Portugal got its three points. But Angola -- much like Trinidad, albeit with less to show for their efforts -- proved they're no pushover.

World Cup Matchday 3

2006-06-11T09:51:00.000-04:00

I'm once again holed up in my apartment on a wonderful late spring morning here in DC, coming to you live during today's slate of World Cup games. A few thoughts on the first two days:

- Poor officiating. While the refs haven't been as card happy as usual, they haven't been letting people play (what was the deal with all those bad throws in the Trinidad game). Lots of free kicks, lots of touchy fouls.
- I'll say it again: Paraguay's Paredes was a real disgrace. He seemed like a pretty decent player when he wasn't rolling around on the ground.
- Overall, positive attacking play. Ivory Coast and Argentina were both a treat, with Argentinian efficiency just edging out the exciting Africans. Look for Ivory Coast to bounce back and compete for a second in the group (*I'm currently watching the Dutch play, and they look sharp).
- TV coverage has been a little iffy. Marcelo Balboa wastes not only his breath but mine -- when I have to swear at the TV and/or criticize the worthless (and often incorrect) observations he makes on the air. John Harkes panders a little bit, but he and JP Dellacamra are a solid team. At least Harkes remembers what it was like to be a player and shares that experience with us as commentator. Also, Wynalda just came on TV and he's pretty good. At least he's got some attitude and cuts to the chase. American TV guys are so worried about saying negative things about games, but after the England game, Wynalda was spot on in suggesting that their play was very dissappointing. I spoke with a couple friends last night who said they were watching on Spanish-speaking TV (they happen to speak Spanish -- an unfair advantage) and that the coverage was pretty good. Comments welcome on this topic.

HALFTIME - NETHERLANDS 1 - SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO 0

The Dutch have looked sharp. I usually hate Robben -- mostly because of his dive vs. Liverpool which got our keeper Reina tossed -- but damn, he's looked good. You can always count on Holland to come out and really knock the ball around. Lots of possession, lots of quick passing -- no team finds angles in quite the same way.

Robben's goal came with the Serbs pushed up high and pretty flat, leaving a lot of space behind. Some high pressure from the Dutch won the ball back and Arsenal's Robin van Persie (impressive so far) released Robben with a nicely waited through-ball. The ESPN guys keep harping on it, but it does stand out: the Dutch had 66% of the possession so far. That said, Serbia has had some chances and if Milosevic gets a little space...wait, they just subbed him out...not sure why, had a very active first half...

Game's back on. I'll take 2-0 to the Netherlandish...

World Cup Matchday 2

2006-06-10T12:57:00.000-04:00

FULL TIME - SWEDEN 0 - TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 0

The casual soccer fan will see this score and be glad they missed a dull game. The average American, skeptical of soccer, will see this score as something similar to a 52-49 win for Angola over Poland in a prelim Olympic basketball game.

But if you watched the whole thing -- whether you know the game well or not -- you know you witnessed a truly historic event. Trinidad, playing in their first ever World Cup game, with a roster full of third division English League players, ageing vets, and players based in their weak domestic league, held off heavily favored Sweden for a nil-nil draw. Sweden dominated chances, especially in the second half after Avery John was harshly sent off for a second yellow card. Substitute Marcus Allback was particularly wasteful, missing the games best opportunities one-on-one with sensational TnT keeper Shaka Hislop (who played in college at Howard University here in the District).

There are thousands of underdogs that go out with the aim of earning a 0-0 draw. It can be hard to watch, and never pretty, but the Caribbeans -- not exactly known for their resolute defending -- soaked up every ounce of pressure, stayed organized, flung themselves in front of crosses and shots, and, simply put, gave the most inspirational performance I've seen in a long time in the World Cup. Man of the match was surely Hislop, but reserve defender Brent Sancho and Carlos Edwards were magnificent as well, while lanky center back Dennis Edwards was quietly efficient. And even if they created no real chances for themselves (save a blast off the crossbar from LA Galaxy forward Cornell Glen), they were never purely negative. There was no diving and no real time wasting -- it was apparent to anyone watching that this was a team that was going to earn their nation's crowning soccer achievement, fair and square.

HALFTIME - SWEDEN v. TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Sweden's definitely looked the better team, with Trinidad defending desperately for most of the half. The Soca Warriors have to be happy with 0-0 at halftime at this point, even creating a few half chances near the end. Can't really see them scoring with just ex Columbus Crew and Birmingham striker Stern John alone up top -- especially with former Man U goalscorer Dwight Yorke playing such a deep midfield role.

Sweden, on the other hand, have to be pretty disappointed. Ljungberg hasn't had much space to work with. Everything dangerous is coming from the punk with the rat-tail on the right or combination play between Ibrahamovic and Larsson up top. Expect an early push for a goal, with one of the strikers to get on the end of a cross or a knock down.

Should Trinidad go down a goal, they'll probably try to hold right there and then throw on wiley veteran Russell Latapy late in the game. This could free up Dwight Yorke a little to go forward, and if it's only 1-0 with ten minutes left...who knows? John and Yorke might just have a little magic up their sleeve to conjure up an equalizer and earn a truly historic result for the Caribbean side.

BREAKING NEWS - one minute into the second half, the rat-tail punk makes a big deal out of a tough tackle from Avery John, John gets his second yellow and Trinidad's down to ten men. A very tough tackle, to be fair, but to end someone's World Cup debut because of it? Typical example of a ref having too much influence on a game.

Prediction - sticking with 2-0 to the Swedes.

EARLY GAME - ENGLAND v. PARAGUAY

Game started pretty typically with a frantic pace and a lot of long stuff towards Crouch and Owen. Then, free kick about forty yards out, on the right, Beckham flights it in and an unfortunate glance off the head of Paraguay captain Carlos Gamarra helped freeze the keeper and give England a dream start.

Course, the next 96 minutes were more of the same from England: lots of long balls to Crouch, zero dangerous touches for Owen. The best work came from Joe Cole on the left -- seemingly the only England player with any real attacking confidence -- but Eriksson pulled him off with twenty minutes to go. No blame there, necessarily, as Cole had been roughed up quite a bit. England did defend well though, Terry and Ferdinand handling most things with ease. Gerrard did passably in a more holding midfield role. Didn't see much from Lampard, besides a couple decent efforts from outside the box.

I do need to say this because it will ruin this tournament like it ruined the 1990 WC in Italy: the diving and rolling around has got to go. Paredes of Paraguay was a true disgrace to the game. To be perfectly honest, I wanted to see something from Paraguay because England was playing so poorly, but I can't root for a team with a player like that. If I were him, I'd fear having to watch that game tape with my teammates.

*stay tuned for most posts later....

Cup-Tied

2006-06-09T09:01:00.000-04:00

Got to the office a little early today so I could make sure to give one last blog before the World Cup gets underway. If you're a big fan like we are here at c/s, you know that the anticipation of the event is worth every second of the four years. The long qualification process is so grueling, so tense, that just being there is quite an accomplishment for a lot of these teams -- Angola with its war torn history; Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay for negotiating the tricky task of playing away qualifiers in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru thousands of feet above sea level; Trinidad and Tobago for winning an away game thousands of miles away against Bahrain. There are others (like Australia, who played exactly two difficult games to get in) for whom the road was less rocky. But all that matters not as we get underway today, with the ailing hosts Germany taking on upstarts Costa Rica just before high noon.

In other, related news, any Junkies Radio fans out there may have heard yours truly on the radio this morning. The Junkies were making their World Cup picks and asked for caller advice, I helped them select their teams. Though Brazil and England went first, I helped EB (I think) select Argentina and Italy with picks four and five. However, I think I may have messed up a fact on the air, so here's the truth: the last time a South American team has won a World Cup in Europe was 1958, when Brazil won in Sweden (the only time it's ever happened). Beyond that, here's a good one: I read some theory the other day that Italy advances to the Final once every twelve years. You do the math.

Pitchfork "reviewed" England's official World Cup song, by the band Embrace. Also, England coach Sven Goran Eriksson has a new training method for penalty shootouts. It involves telling the goalkeeper which way you're shooting to force yourself to hit a better shot. To be honest, I see little to no value in practicing penalties, except to figure out who your good penalty takers are. Course, this comes from a guy who took penalties in high school and club but lost two straight state cup titles in shootouts.

FANTASY UPDATES
Michael Ballack has pronounced himself fit to play in Germany's opener, 24 hours after the coach ruled him out.

Deep-lying Portuguese playmaker Deco will most likely miss his team's tournament opener against Angola. This most likely won't affect Portugal's chances or game plan, but absence later in the tournament would be a big blow.

comanche/soul exclusive (not really): Argentina's starting lineup for Saturday's opener against the Ivory Coast:

Formation (4-4-2):
1-Roberto Abbondanzieri; 21-Nicolas Burdisso, 2-Roberto Ayala, 6-Gabriel Heinze, 3-Juan Pablo Sorin; 18-Maxi Rodriguez, 8-Javier Mascherano, 5-Esteban Cambiasso, 10-Juan Roman Riquelme; 7-Javier Saviola, 9-Hernan Crespo

Ukraine arrived in Germany last night, the last team to get there and set up camp. They're situated in Potsdam, the city which hosted a monumental post World War II conference between Truman, Clement Atlee of Great Britain (who replaced Churchill during the conference after defeating him in the election for PM), and Stalin. The conference divided Germany into four zones of occupation. Ukraine opens the World Cup against Spain on June 14 (Wednesday).

Friday and Saturday's comanche/soul opening match predictions:

Germany 2 - Costa Rica 0

Poland 1 - Ecuador 1

England 2 - Paraguay 1

Trinidad and Tobago 0 - Sweden 2

Argentina 1 - Ivory Coast 1

Enjoy the games and stay posted for updates over the weekend.

comanche/soul discovers the blogging community

2006-06-07T10:05:00.000-04:00

Messing around on the the DCist today and came across a funny little story from last year about this thing called DC Late Night Shots. I don't really know much about it, something vaguely like facebook with membership by invitation only. Fellow blogger why.i.hate.dc -- who, as you may have guessed, doesn't have a lot of great things to say about our fair city -- rails on it pretty good. It's not particularly funny railing, mind you, but you can tell he's pretty annoyed.

Anyway, all this blog-hopping led me to this, a picture of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's young, nostalgic son John. I am somewhat impressed with his picture and very much amused by it (save the Confederate soldier pants he's got on...give it up, kid, it's over). You'll notice he's constructed a belt of Natural Light (I would've gone with Natural Ice... maybe that's just how I was raised) with what appears to be duct tape. His female friend to the side appears equally excited.

So this is how comanche/soul discovered the world of DC blogs. Expect more frequent links and such from now on as we look to expand. In the meantime, we'll return to our regularly scheduled programming.

In the news...
Poor Kennedys. Seems every big political family has that one, not-so-bright, not-so-smooth kid who just keeps sticking his foot in his mouth. Patrick Kennedy has done it again, doing the Democrats no favors in a hotly contested election year by compounding the misery from his farcical and embarassing driving-under-the-influence of "antinausea meds" stunt. When asked if he received "preferential treatment", here's what Kennedy said:

"I expect at the end of the day to have made sure that I will have done the same thing, in terms of the charges, in terms of bookings, in terms of mug shots, fingerprints, whatever they might have me do, it's what anyone else would have done to them if they were an African American in Anacostia and they were picked up and they were -- stay overnight in a jail, because there was no one else to pick them up."

While it's not the worst thing in the world to say, it certainly hasn't made him particularly popular with many African Americans, in Anacostia or otherwise. It's also not a little degrading to fully distance himself from African Americans and Anacostia so much; we all realize you aren't black and don't live in Northeast DC, but there's no need to say such a thing. (To read the whole press conference, go here. After finishing the bit about preferential treatment, he goes on a long tangent about some medical privacy bill he sponsored. Not the most subtle move.)

Mostly, I just wonder how this guy got elected. He was first elected to Washington in 1994 as a 26 year old. A 26 year old who had already been to drug rehab. Also, if you're a Kennedy and the best school you can get into is Providence College, there may be a problem.

Continuing with yesterday's news a little bit, the Senate blocked a vote on the amendment banning same sex marriage. It went 49-48 to end debate on the issue. Patrick Guerriero, President of the Log Cabin Republicans, wrote a poignant open letter to President Bush, blasting the President's intolerance and Constitutional abuses.

In sports (read: "World Cup")...
With just about 48 hours until kickoff of the opening game of World Cup 2006, German midfield general Michael Ballack's fitness is still up in the air. Comanche/soul doesn't really like Germany's chances, but one of the guys at work (who used to play for the U-21 Ghanaian national team) tells me they're going to the final.

Arsenal defender Kolo Toure waxes delusional about the Ivory Coast's chances. While I'm coming around and thinking they could maybe advance out of their group, if they do make the final, I'll spend an entire Saturday night drinking apple martinis at Town Hall.

Good news for the US: Italian midfield hatchetman Gennaro Gattuso will most likely miss Italy's first two games because of a leg injury. If I wasn't such a loyal patriot, it would've been entertaining to see Gattuso chop down Landon Donovan a few times.

Also wanted to extend an invitation to all my readers to join my ESPN Soccernet World Cup fantasy league. You can join by going here. My league is called The Cornwell Cup and the pin is 1045. All entries must be in by kickoff of the first game on Friday.

Billy Preston

2006-06-06T14:35:00.000-04:00

Sad news today as legendary rock keyboardist Billy Preston passed away, at the age of 59. He had battled kidney failure for the past couple years. Beatles' fans know Preston from his work on their swansong, Let it Be, and his subsequent performance at their final rooftop concert. The smooth organ intro on "Get Back" and the breakdown in "Don't Let Me Down"? That's Preston. He's also one of the two guys (Clapton, pre-country-club-blues wankery, being the other) brought in to play on late period Beatles' albums, causing the feuding band members to remark at the time how the presence of another player got everyone on their best behavior and temporarily stopped the bickering. He would go on to do session work for the Rolling Stones and was even asked to join the band full time but declined.

In other news...
Rhode Island Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D) has made his first post-Mayo clinic rehab appearance, speaking at Brown University yesterday. After crashing his Mustang on Capitol Hill, he checked into their drug dependency program, which I don't quite understand since: 1) he has denied that he was drinking and 2) he claims to have taken only standard dosages of his "antinausea and sleep medications." Unfortunately for Kennedy, a waitress at Cap Hill bar Hawk 'n Dove saw Kennedy drinking there that same night (the waitress, incidentally, is also on Missouri Rep. Roy Blunt's staff). Fortunately for Kennedy, the police didn't give him a breathalizer.

An Indonesian volcano look about ready to blow as 11,000 people fleed villages about 250 miles from the capital of Jakarta.

Today in Slate, Bruce Reed waxes about the two sides of the conservative mountain. He notes that, for as long as anyone can remember, two main tenets have helped knit all conservatives together: 1) America is the greatest nation on Earth and 2) America's decline has begun and the fall is imminent. It's a brilliant marketing scheme. Reed's talking mainly about the mostly irrelevant same-sex marriage amendment being proposed (if I'm not mistaken, 45 of 50 states already have a measure in place). And yes, with all this talk of the moral deterioration of America and how the sanctity of family and marriage is on the verge of ruin, it's hard to believe the President's claims that things on the home front really are going well. Actually, it'd be hard to believe them anyway. In the midst of a potential nuclear crisis with Iran, a quagmire (in every sense of the word) in Iraq, a somewhat faltering education policy, and a nasty battle over immigration, I'm almost completely positive that a debate over this amendment is a massive waste of time. Frankly, comanche/soul doesn't agree with the amendment at all, but that's not even really the point. I get that we're supposed to be scared of America's impending fall because of gay marriage, but what could be a better sign of such a decline than a bunch of self-important politicians wasting money, breath, time, and ink debating legislation that -- essentially -- already exists in 90% of the country. While certainly times change -- and with them values, prices, and the cut of men's jeans -- I do find the exercise of asking "what would our forefathers have done?" to be occasionally useful. And, on an occasion like this, I feel completely confident in saying that they would be appalled to see our bloated federal government using its precious time and resources -- during wartime, no less -- like this.

More Cup Previews

2006-06-01T14:50:00.000-04:00

Now 8 days until post time. As I've slacked off a little bit, I will now be previewing the tournament favorites. And today, I'll look at the Yanks' Group E opponents:

CZECH REPUBLIC - For me, a difficult team to figure. Loaded in midfield and possessing some very good strikers in attack, this is the most dangerous attacking team in the group. They are dynamic: if 6'7" striker Jan Koller is healthy, they can attack directly with great efficiency. The talisman is undoubtedly (former?) Juventus midfielder Pavel Nedved, a tricky player who plays in the left center midfield channel. But should he falter, Arsenal signing Tomas Rosicky and alltime Czech caps leader Karel Poborsky are likely to pick up the slack. I don't know much about their defense, but they've got experience and are supposedly well-organized. That they have Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech backing them up will certainly help.
While the Czechs have had some recent success at big tournaments with runs to the Euro 96 final and Euro 2004 semis, this is their first World Cup appearance since they split with Slovakia (Czechloslovakia had a good run in the 90 tournament, losing out to eventual winners West Germany 1-0 on a Matthaus penalty). Expect them to come out hungry and sharp. If there's a weakness, it's a backline that I saw hand Saudi Arabia a few too many opportunities in a recent friendly. They've also taken some knocks -- former Liverpool midfielder Vladimir Smicer is out and Koller and Rosicky are recovering -- that could wear on them.
Best case scenario: Semifinals.
Worst case scenario: The optimist in me says first round elimination, but a second round exit to Brazil seems most likely.

ITALY - Ahh, the Italians. If history is any indication, they will slog through their first round games but advance. Once in the knockout stages, the world will see the uniquely Italian approach to the sport. Italy, if often seems, believes that the true goal of a soccer match is to protect a 1-0 lead for as long as possible. Only in the event that the other team scores can the Italians be coaxed into attack. This is precisely why the Juventus-AC Milan Champions League final of a few years back was the worst thing to happen to the future of soccer in America since the 94 World Cup Final. No goals, and no real chances either. But for an astute fan, it was tactical attrition, the inch-by-inch fighting of World War I played on a soccer field.
Luckily, this time around, the Italians have a true artist in Francisco Totti. He's recovering from injury, but will probably play tucked just behind the strikers, with license to roam. The hitman up top looks to be Fiorentina's Luca Toni, who lead Serie A with 31 goals this year. We may also see master goal-poacher Pippo Inzaghi -- one of those guys who plays no part in the buildup but is invariably found toeing the ball into the net from three yards at the end of an attack -- and Milan's Gillardino. Their defense is ageing, to be sure, but Cannavarro and Nesta are still seasoned, tough, and commanding. After giving away two gift goals to lose to Korea in 2002, don't expect any favors from them this time around. I'd put money on two clean sheets in the group stages.
Best case scenario: this is a team we could see in the final if all the chips fall in place. Experienced, tactically astute, and skillful.
Worst case scenario: Likewise, a team that could -- and, my prediction, will -- overlook their lesser fancied opponents in Group E. We've seen complacency from them before -- Euro 2004, World Cup 2002, and Euro 96 all come to mind -- and it might happen again.

GHANA - Like US coach Bruce Arena admitted when the World Cup draw came out, I don't know much about Ghana. Most US experts -- former players like Eric Wynalda and Marcelo Balboa -- have indicated they think we will knock off the Ghanians with relative ease. And while there's something to be said on the Americans' behalf for World Cup experience (Ghana is competing in their first ever World Cup despite strong performances at the youth level), there's also something to be said for quality. African teams are often the most organized, but Ghana's top players have a good deal of European experience. Premiership fans will know Michael Essien of Chelsea, whose speed and tenacity made him the most expensive African player ever when he was signed from Lyon. The Black Stars can match the US for talent, with captain Stephen Appiah at Turkey's Fenerbahce, playmaker Mutari at Serie A club Udinese, defender Sami Kuffour (formerly of Bayern Munich) at Roma, and striker Matthew Amoah at Borussia Dortmund. Expect a surprisingly stingy performance, but some difficulty finding goals. They'll likely play with only one striker, but if Amoah can score a couple goals, they may be dangerous. A 3-1 win over Korea shows that this is by no means a weak team. However, getting out of the group is probably beyond them, but how difficult they are to beat could go a long way to deciding who advances from the group.
Best case scenario: Second round loss to Brazil. Would be a big achievement.
Worst case scenario: Three losses and a first round exit.

Bruce Springsteen and the Seeger Sessions Band, Nissan Pavilion

2006-05-30T13:49:00.000-04:00

Had the pleasure of making the 50 minute drive out to Nissan Pavilion just outside of nowhere on Sunday night. I noticed that the Boss would be in town a couple weeks ago, but was very surprised to find a large number of tickets still on sale.

Of course, this was mainly due to the fact that he was touring on his new album, We Shall Overcome, a set of songs Pete Seeger used to do (he didn't write them) re-arranged for a 17 piece band. Like most fans, I was a bit skeptical, but for a mere $25 bucks (sans mandatory $7 donation to the Clear Channel Fund for Excellence), I was willing to give it a shot. My girlfriend and I got there early to tailgate a bit with friends, but the parking lot was noticeably subdued for a Boss show on a holiday weekend. When he went on about 8 pm, the pavilion was full but the lawn area (where we were sitting) was patchy at best.

Regardless of my skepticism, Bruce and his band did a fine job. Much like most radio country songs, you need not be familiar with this material (necessarily) to enjoy hearing it. His voice is easily one of the two or three most familiar in the American rock canon, and it translated quite well to the new material. He infused the songs with his trademark blue-collar passion and exuberance, squinting his eyes and wrinkling his brow as he delivered age-old, quintessentially American tunes like "Shenandoah", "Erie Canal", and the showstopping "Pay Me My Money Down" which had the crowd belting out the cyclical chorus well after the band left the stage.

If you can concede that "Americana" is a broad and vast but ultimately relevant musical genre, then we witnessed one of the finest mixtures of all that genre would encompass. If these songs
are -- at their core -- part of our folk tradition, they rely on heaping portions of country and rock. But what's more, no song goes untouched by the wonderful accents of gospel, jazz, zydeco, blues, and bluegrass. His four (maybe five, we were far away) piece horn section was dynamite, his fiddlers tasteful in their leads and licks, and everyone else rock solid. The nicest surprise? Marc Anthony Thompson -- aka "Chocolate Genius", released a couple Pitchfork-acclaimed albums and contributed a great cover of "Julia" to the I Am Sam soundtrack -- who added some wonderfully soulful vocal parts to Springsteen's familiar Jersey-gravelpit bellow.

Watching him on stage, one thing is immediately apparent: you are watching the greatest bandleader on the planet. The players are immaculately selected, the songs perfectly worked out. He has a gravitational presence on stage, cueing chord changes and solos within the band while also leading the audience through previously unheard material.

Now most people probably left slightly disappointed that he didn't play a single hit or old song. In fact, he didn't even play a song that he himself wrote. And, yes, I had a sneaking suspicion he would put that horn section to good use and whip out "Rosalita" or another, maybe a little rare, classic. But to do so would've undermined the image of the Boss that most people love: he's our unassuming, blue collar hero. His posturing isn't ironic, it's empassioned. And while he always seems grateful for his fans' appreciation of his music, it was apparent that this night was more about honoring some of the touchstones of the American songbook. In typically unassuming fashion, the Boss still isn't quite ready to place his own songs on that same level.

10 Days and Counting...

2006-05-30T10:53:00.000-04:00

The World Cup is a mere ten days away. I am way, way behind on my country profiles, so I'll try to abbreviate some of them and make sure to hit all the biggies, but not leave out the interesting little guys either. Also, a lot of friendlies this past weekend and a big slate today, plus injuries and team announcements...

Poland 1 - Colombia 2. Freak goal from the Colombian keeper settles the game.

Czechs 1 - Costa Rica 0. Jan Koller returned to action but Tomas Rosicky was still out and Nedved didn't play in the Czech victory.

ENGLAND - I chose to do England because I don't really need to look anything up for them. England's a team everyone's talking about, and everyone will always talk about, so long as they're a part of the tournament. The second most romanticized team in the world -- "birthplace of football" and all that jazz -- this is a team that could reach the final or severely disappoint their very large (and international) fanbase. The talk nowadays is all about injuries. Can Wayne Rooney return from a broken metatarsal? Will Michael Owen return to fitness in time to lead the line up top?
But there are other significant questions as well. An all-star midfield cast of David Beckham, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, and Joe Cole may be deadly on free kicks and score a number of spectacular goals, but which of those four will provide defensive cover for a good but occasionally shaky backline? Will soon-to-depart manager Sven-Goran Eriksson employ a deep-lying holding midfielder like Tottenham's rising star Michael Carrick? England play today against Hungary, and rumor has it that Eriksson may actually play Liverpool's Jamie Carragher in defensive midfield (as opposed to his more natural center back role).

In terms of their draw, I think most people are looking past Paraguay to a possible showdown with Sweden. This could be fatal. Paraguay is a solid team who's advanced past the group stage both of the past tournaments and given their Round of 16 opponents (eventual champs France in 98 and eventual runners-up Germany in 02) fits before losing 1-0. They allow very few goals but have some Europe-based attacking flair in Bayern Munich striker Roque Santa Cruz. I can see England, without Rooney's cutting edge, only getting a draw out of this game. Trinidad won't put up much resistance, and I think England finally gets over their slump (dating back to 1967) against the Swedes to top the group. The bottom line for this team is playing to their strengths. There is no need for the conservative play that has plagued the team in the past. No European team can match its midfield attack but a few teams could exploit them on the counter attack. How this balances out will likely determine their fate.
Best case scenario: Finalists. Could easily happen.
Worst case scenario: Out at the Round of 16 to Germany on penalties. Every England fan's recurring nightmare.

TUNISIA - Few people will expect much of Tunisia, playing in their fourth World Cup and their third consecutive. They've failed to win a game in their past two appearances, having two 1-1 draws (with Romania in 98 and Belgium in 02) to show for their efforts. But where the last campaign fell apart due to conservative tactics -- they needed a win vs. Japan to advance out of their group in 02 but packed the midfield and underwhelmed in a 2-0 loss -- but this time around they've got former French coach Roger Lemerre at the helm. Lemerre was an assistant for the World Cup winning side in 98 and head coach for the French team triumph at Euro 2000. He may not have the same artillery he had with France, but his team's pedigree is better than it was last time out. Brazilian-born Dos Santos is a legitimate goal-scorer and Rahdi Jaidi is of Bolton is a towering presence in the back and a threat on set-pieces. The real problem will be the supply line. They only have two goals to show for their past six games, and only one win (2-0 vs. Australia in the last Confederations Cup) since becoming the first African team to win a World Cup game (3-1 vs. Mexico in 1978). Can they find the quality in midfield to supply a decent frontline? Can they sneak a result against favored World Cup debutantes Ukraine? Their first game against Saudi Arabia will decide everything: anything less than three points and their chances at advancing are shot. Spain and Ukraine look most likely to advance, but you never know.
Best case scenario: Sneak into the Round of 16.
Worst case scenario: Another measly draw, two losses, and a quick trip home.

The Walkmen with Mazarin and Nethers, 9:30 Club

2006-05-26T10:27:00.000-04:00

Made it down to the 9:30 Club last night to catch homegrown boys the Walkmen. I got there towards the end of Nethers' opening opening set. They showed some promise and my friend remarked that the female lead singer had "a really good voice."

Mazarin came on about 9:30 to a half-full house. I had sampled a few tracks off their myspace page and read some promising reviews. But what tipped the scales was the presence of drummer Patrick Berkery of the Pernice Brothers and -- most importantly -- of one of my alltime favorite bands, Philly's now-defunct Bigger Lovers. The band played with little fanfare, inhabiting a similar sonic-space to other earnest, atmospheric guitar bands like Centro-matic and Band of Horses. Lead singer Quentin Stoltzfus has a Doug Martsch beard but sings with a detachment similar to the Walkmen's Hamilton Leithauser, were he stoned and his voice soaked with reverb. It's all very unassuming stuff, but the band chugged along at a steady clip, its melodic -- if somewhat indecipherable -- songs accented by a little shoegazing. However, the unquestionable hero of the night was Berkery. Let it be noted that I am a biased, big time fan boy who worships the Bigger Lovers' debut, How I Learned to Stop Worrying, as one of the five or so best albums, ever*. Berkery would've been hard-pressed to do wrong by Stoltzfus's songs, but rarely (read: never?) have I seen a drummer add so much power, energy, and depth to a band. The fills were inventive but effortless, the volume perfect...hell, even the mild theatrics gave the whole act a visual appeal it would've otherwise been missing. I'm just gushing now, but, Mr. Berkery, if you're reading...will you come play drums in my band?

Anyway, there was also a headliner on this night, and the place was packed for the Walkmen's homecoming. We actually saw a few over-served girls get asked to leave, and when their friends weren't bumping up against us, they were distracting my buddy Smokey by making out a couple feet away (apparently I missed this). This was the second night of a June tour in support of their third LP, A Hundred Miles Off, and they played a good deal of that album. From what I heard last night, reviews calling the album a little more bland and not as gripping as the first two are true. They were loud and pummelling, but the nice change-up of "What's In It For Me?" was noticeably missing. The band's stage presence could use a little work too: I've never seen a packed house inspire less enthusiasm. The applause before the encore was half-hearted at best.

Which isn't to say that the show didn't have it's high points; in fact, these high points were quite high. New track "Louisiana" was a real gem, starting off breezy but switching gears a number of times and featuring a brief trumpet hook. I enjoyed "Lost in Boston" quite a bit (both songs available on their myspace page) as well, and, of course, they've got "The Rat" down pat. Drummer Matt Barrack looks like a cast-off from the School of Rock set, but he attacks his drums with such persistence that the double backbeat (a favorite of his too, apparently) is actually dictating my bio-rhythms this morning.

All in all, a good evening of performances. Could've been great, but it seems the Walkmen haven't quite figured out how to translate the push-pull, resignation-anger, back-and-forth of their recorded work into a great live show.

*As Berkery exited the stage, I yelled "Long live the Bigger Lovers." He pointed at us.

USA 0 - Morocco 1: Breakdown

2006-05-25T10:03:00.000-04:00

It took me a couple days to wade through the mindless midfield toiling and Morocco's unflinching commitment to sending as few players into attack as possible, but I finally finished watching the USA's first of three main tune-up games ahead of the quickly approaching World Cup.

If you didn't see the game, it wasn't one for the casual fan trying to "get into soccer". Morocco came out with a either a 5-4-1 or a 4-5-1 formation (depending on your perspective), and, though they made some headway early on, stuck to defending en masse for the better portion of the game. They created a couple chances -- one a header early in the second half created by a simply unacceptable marking job by the Americans -- but mainly stayed conservative and organized.

The USA, on the other hand, lost captain and midfield general Claudio Reyna to a hamstring injury -- the guy is always injured -- after fifteen minutes and then never looked like winning. He was replaced by the more defensive-minded Pablo Mastroeni, a bright spot. Our best couple chances were an Eddie Johnson header from a corner, a Bobby Convey right-footed drive from 23 yards, and a Landon Donovan shot from the edge of the penalty area that forced the Moroccan keeper into a good save.

And all that would've been fine; after all, I'm a career defender who sees nothing wrong with a 0-0 draw if neither team really deserved to score. It's definitely the cynic in me, but in a 0-0 game with less than a minute on the clock, I don't leave a single fullback one-on-one while I send everyone else forward. When Morocco cleared Donovan's very lame 90th minute free kick and sent the ball downfield, only poor Steve Cherundolo was there to cover. He misplayed the situation badly, coughed up the ball to the pressuring Moubarki who passed it to the wide open Madihi. Madihi controlled and knocked the ball over the onrushing Kasey Keller with ease for the winner. If it wasn't enough that Cherundolo was left to chase alone, it was an absolute travesty that Moubarki had time to take a touch look up to find a THREE-ON-TWO on the top of the Americans box, with only Mastroeni recovering to help out.

Most of the Americans were medicore -- fine in defense and possession, but offering little in attack. Comanche/soul player ratings:

Keller - 5. Did fine, went down a little early on the goal.
Pope - 6.5. Looked impressive back there, didn't lose any big battles.
Onyewu - 5.5. Is certainly not a right back and, should Arena play a 3-5-2 (see below), there's no real place for him. Looked much better at center back alongside Pope.
Cherundolo - 4.5. Would have been higher but mistakes like that will send the US home early in Germany.
Gibbs - 4.5. Was not particularly impressed with his play. Some quicker Moroccan attackers got too much separation from him.
Reyna - no rating. What's the deal with this guy? Why can't he stay healthy?
Donovan - 5. Was he out there the whole time?
O' Brien - 6. In 45 minutes, alleviated some concerns. We badly need this guy on the field.
Beasley - 5. Defended fine, fought hard, created next to nothing.
Wolff - 5. Not a winger, but looked sharper in the second half when he moved to a more central, advanced role. Still our best bet to partner McBride.
McBride - 4.5. Sub-par. It's been a long season for the Fulham man, and maybe he's a little worn down. Either way, we will not win a game in Germany if neither starting forward can muster a single opportunity on goal.

Subs:
Mastroeni - 7. Probably more like a 6.5, but his effort and presence bump the score up. His fitness may not be ideal as his passing seemed lazy late in the game, but broke up countless plays and could easily figure into a starting lineup in Germany. Don't forget his clutch, composed performances in 2002.
Convey - 6. Looked pretty good to this viewer. Some dangerous serves, a decent strike with his off-foot, ran at players. Maybe worked himself a little closer to the picture. Looking forward to seeing what the ex-DC kid can do in the Premier League next year.
Johnson - 4.5. Had our two best chances. Put his header close, but wide and high (offensive headers down!), and badly sliced the rebound from Donovan's shot. Still, you get the feeling he is just one clean finish away from a scoring tear.
Dempsey - 4.5. Looked ready to attack but didn't get much of the ball. Doesn't offer enough width in a 4-4-2.
Ching - NR. Can't remember any touches, though he won a dangerous free kick.

Bottom line:
A performance even remotely resembling this one will get us, at best, a 1-0 loss again. Enough with the formation tinkering: we don't have the kind of backs that can handle a 3 back system. Eddie Lewis at left back will provide a considerable more attack from that flank, as well as solid experience. Onyewu and Pope are the center backs, without question, and, despite his terrible error, Cherundolo is still the right back. Eddie Johnson deserves a full runout to see what he can do with McBride. Can Beasley play on the right and Convey on the left? O' Brien and Reyna are no-brainers. If one isn't healthy, Mastroeni is the obvious choice.

More World Cup Team Profiles

2006-05-23T16:02:00.000-04:00

31 left to go, so I thought I'd keep pluggin' away. I haven't decided how I'm going to organize it, but for the time being I'll just pick them at random.
Here are two more World Cup Contenders...

IVORY COAST - The former French colony (really "Cote d'Ivoire") is competing in the World Cup finals for the first time, despite its success at youth levels and much of its lineup competing in some of Europe's biggest leagues. Led by Chelsea targetman Didier Drogba, the Ivorians made a strong run in the African Nations' Cup this past winter, losing out to host Egypt in the final in a shootout. In fact, though Drogba is the most recognizable, defenders Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue were instrumental in Arsenal's run to the Champions League final, helping keep 11 clean sheets on the way. The Elephants -- as they're affectionately known -- are coached by World Cup veteran Henri Michel. Michel coached France to their best-ever World Cup finish (at the time) in 1986 in Mexico, then took Cameroon to WC94 and Morocco to WC98. Of all the African teams (four of the five are first-time WC participants), they look the most likely to impress. Unfortunately, they've been given a rough draw into Group C with Argentina, the Netherlands, and the recently-divided-but-still-competing-together Serbia and Montenegro. That said, if those teams overlook them at all, the Elephants are perfectly capable of getting some surprise results.
Best possible scenario: Second place in the group, and a winnable game against either Portugal or Mexico in the Round of 16. A la Senegal, a quarterfinal place is entirely possible.
Worst possible scenario: Three losses in the Group.

JAPAN - The Japanese return to the World Cup for the third consecutive time, having hosted and advanced out of the first round for the first time ever in 2002. They were a little unlucky to lose to Turkey in the Round of 16, and, with more of their players playing abroad and a favorable draw, this is a team with the potential to get to the knockout stages. Of course, calling any draw with the mighty Brazil "favorable" is iffy; regardless, with Australia and stingy but not-so-dangerous Croatia on the slate, they've got a chance. And if anyone in the group could upset the Brazilians, might it be Japan, coached by Brazilian legend Zico? Former Arsenal man Junichi Inamoto and Celtic midfielder Nakamura will have to create plenty of chances for a team that includes five strikers but no proven goalscorers. Their warmup friendly next Tuesday vs. Germany will be a good measuring stick and a decent result could build confidence. The Japanese qualified by topping their Asian qualifying group with Iran, Bahrain, and North Korea.
Best possible scenario: Round of 16 loss to Italy/Czechs/USA.
Worst possible scenario: Three straight losses in the group stages.

Coup du Jour

2006-05-23T09:47:00.000-04:00

In the biggest summer signing so far, Champions League Runners-up Arsenal have signed Tomas Rosicky from Germany's Borussia Dortmund for an undisclosed fee rumored to be around 7 million pounds. For a peek at the dimunitive Czech playmaker's talents, go here (and note the ball he plays to fellow Czech Jan Koller at the 5:21 mark). Comanche/soul likes this signing, as Rosicky is still just 25 and should be accustomed to fast, physical play from his time in Germany. However, it goes to show how the 1997 European champs Dortmund have fallen, selling off a 25 year old star for 8 million pounds less than what they paid for him.

Also, a full slate of friendlies (scroll by day to see the rest of the week) this week sees most World Cup teams in action. The USA takes on Morocco -- a team dear to my heart from my time spent over there -- in Nashville tonight at 7 pm. The game will be televised live on ESPN2.

And finally, though we clearly don't have enough days left before the World Cup, I'll be profiling teams on here regularly, trying to get at least one a day. I'll assess their chances, their lineup, and make some predictions. Stay tuned.

Today's World Cup Contender:
GERMANY - The Germans have never really been a favorite team of mine. I enjoy the 1990 WC winners because they seemed to play with an attacking flair often absent for the team usually characterized as "methodical and organized". On that team, Matthaeus was the engine with Klinsmann and Voeller razor sharp with their finishing. They suffered through a rough patch in 94 and 98, losing to upstart Eastern European teams each time, but that rough period was sandwiched between a fairly impressive European Championship win in 1996. 2002's run to the final was a major surprise, but, as the German media is still quick to point out, they didn't really beat anyone en route (and haven't since they knocked off England 1-0 in Wembley in an early qualifier for 2002...you may recall they lost the follow up game at home, 5-1). To be sure, they can't be counted out. A relatively favorable draw-- Costa Rica, Poland, Ecuador -- means they'll advance out of their group (no host has ever been eliminated in the first round), but will almost certainly have a tough knockout game waiting for them in England or Sweden. They've got a lot of youngters in the team, and new Chelsea signing Michael Ballack showed in '02 that he can carry the team on his shoulders. Bastian Schweinsteiger is the guy everyone's talking about now, and look for him to provide some spark in attacking midfield, possibly off the bench. Miroslav Klose is one of those strikers who always seems to score goals without looking like a particularly good finisher, but I think his goals and the drive of Ballack put them in the quarterfinals.
Best Case Scenario: Semifinals. Could happen with a little luck.
Worst Case Scenario: Second round. Falling to England or Sweden after dropping down to second in Group A.

Agree to Disagree, Agree to Disagree

2006-05-22T16:37:00.000-04:00

Slate's founding Editor published a somewhat interesting piece on the political genius of John McCain. It's okay, I guess, but worth it most for his link to McCain's graduation speech at Columbia. He brings up some interesting points, before fading a little bit at the end. The central idea is that the debate over current polarizing political issues is a worthy and important one, and that the dialogue between right and left (and center, s'pose), should bring us together. Upon first read, his mention of the atrocities in Darfur is refreshing -- inasmuch as its nice to hear an American politician giving some public support for American involvement there -- but its a brief mention and, I think, could use a little more fleshing out. What exactly are we doing over there? What took us so long to start doing it? Our previous inaction isn't something McCain himself is totally responsible for, but while we're laying our individual cards on the table, he might as well give us his view of America's role in Sudan.

In his prior commencement speech at Liberty University, McCain covered similar terrain but, I think, did a good job of gauging his audience. Still, he's one big connection away from making the speech really stick. For example, he talks about how we turned our backs on Rwanda where nearly a million people were killed and how we're not going to turn our backs on Darfur (anymore) and let the same thing happen. Some tangible connection here -- Saddam as ruthless murdering tyrant and we as preemptive force -- would be helpful.

All in all, two speeches definitely worth reading, if just to follow the fine line McCain is walking between different demographics.

DC Summer Concert Preview

2006-05-22T15:18:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year -- lawn chairs dusted off, five or six new coozies broken in, zero sight-line lawn tickets purchased. Comanche/soul is pretty excited about the concert lineup in the DC area this summer, so I thought I'd run down some of the highlights here. Check back for frequent updates as they get announced.

The Walkmen w/ Mazarin. May 25, 9:30 Club. Hometown boys return in support of their newest album, A Hundred Miles Off. Mazarin opens, joined by former Bigger Lovers' and current Pernice Brothers' ace drummer Patrick Berkery.

Pearl Jam w/ My Morning Jacket. May 30, Verizon Center. Pearl Jam's latest is supposedly a return to form, but there's still no denying it: there is no band more to blame for the rise of Creed. Still, MMJ in a big arena might be worth the price of admission.

Eels w/ The Spinto Band. June 11, 9:30 Club. Mark E. leads the Eels back out on tour after releasing a live album and DVD, done with a string section. Their last proper LP, Blinking Lights and Other Revelations, was a bit watered down, but still had some great moments ("Going Fetal" and "Last Time We Spoke").

Cat Power and the Memphis Rhythm Band. June 14, 9:30 Club. Chan Marshall takes her Stax house band out on tour after being delayed due to an unnamed illness. Expect persistent stage fright, charmingly bad dental work, and probably the cutest girl in indie rock. Look for regular c/s reader Greg Lohmeyer front and center.

Dungen. June 14, Black Cat. Swedish psych group Dungen hit the District, very excited about this show, hope to be there.

Alejandro Escovedo w/ Marah. June 24, 9:30 Club. Maybe the best double bill of the summer: veteran cowpunk Escovedo, recovered from his bout with Hepatitis, hits the road again. Philly Springsteen worshippers Marah open.

The Futureheads w/ French Kicks. June 28, 9:30 Club. Sunderland's favorite acapella-post-punk quartet come back to the States for a summer club tour, in support of their sophomore album News and Tributes. Caught them in Minneapolis in early '05 and they're a very tight live band who did great covers of Neil Young's throwaway "Piece of Crap" and the Television Personalities' "Picture of Dorian Gray".

...more shows to follow, stay posted. Also, comanche/soul will be at the Nissan Pavilion on Sunday to see none other than the Boss himself as he takes his Seeger Sessions band on the road. 25 bucks for a lawn ticket seems like a hell of a deal.

"Blank" is the new "Blank"

2006-05-18T14:46:00.000-04:00

You know that phrase "brown is the new black", or the myriad variations of it? It seems like everything in style is the new something else (true or false? either way, a question for the ages) these days, with that phrase being thrown around constantly. I'd like to start compiling a list of similarly-structured phrases, so I'll start it off with some ones I've heard and/or came up with myself. Feel free to post comments or send them to me here.

Ethnic cuisine: Thai is the new Indian.
Tipping: 18 is new the 15 (percent). *Credit Greg Lohmeyer.
Artistic direction of the band Wilco: Audience participation is the new Jim O' Rourke.
Male Fashion: The pocket square is the new necktie.
Navy is the new black.
Music: Josh Ritter is the new Elliot Smith.
Lounge is the new Garage.

As you can see, the possibilities are endless. Send your suggestions my way.

Whole Wide World...
TAJIKISTAN - formerly part of the Soviet Union, this Central Asian country imploded into chaos and Civil War after the breakup of the USSR, presumably to continue to feed the country's addiction to, well, chaos and Civil War. No, but seriously, pre-1991 there was no Civil War, just chaos. Now it's a struggling aluminum-producing state -- unfortunate to be landlocked between China, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and longtime rivals Uzbekistan; ruled by a not particularly open-minded government; and stuck as the first stop on the drug trade from Afghanistan to the West.

Bear eats Monkey in Dutch Zoo

2006-05-16T14:59:00.000-04:00

News...
I open with this strange news out of the Netherlands. Apparently a sloth bear ate a barbary macaque (more commonly known as a barbary ape) while visitors watched at a zoo in the Netherlands. Surprisingly, in the long and bizarre history of "the munchies" in Holland, no one had previously tried to eat a macaque.

President Bush spoke last night about some tough issues or something. I didn't watch; I was busy returning a quarter-full keg of Natural Light to the liquor store.

*NEW FEATURE
Here at comanche/soul we've become alarmed at most Americans' lack of knowledge about other parts of the world. With those map quizzes from middle school long forgotten, we've decided to remedy the problem through a new feature called Whole Wide World -- named after the sweet Wreckless Eric song (oft covered by the Bigger Lovers), not the Raffi sing-a-long.
Each installation will feature a country profile and a few links for your enjoyment.

Whole Wide World...
GUINEA-BISSAU - sandwiched between Senegal and Guinea on Africa's western coast, this small nation was a Portuguese colony until 1974. Its primary export is cashew nuts and it is in a veritable abyss of foreign debt. The capital (easy enough) is Bissau. Read more here. In the FIFA World Soccer rankings, Guinea-Bissau sit tied with Tonga at 186th.

Sports...
Brazil coach Parreira announces his 23 man World Cup roster.

The Mavs knocked off the Spurs in OT last night in Dallas. Finals vet Steve Kerr explains how.
And in a bigger surprise (perhaps), Cleveland slugged out a second straight win against Detroit, 74-72. Pistons forward Rasheed Wallace had guaranteed victory, and continues to guarantee a series victory with things tied at 2 games a piece.

Duke Lacrosse's co-captain was indicted but claimed his innocence in a bizarre PR stunt, press briefing-type session yesterday. Dave Evans -- native of Bethesda and supposedly the son of a lobbyist -- appeared before the media and gave a slightly nervous, but mostly collected speech professing his innocence. This thing has gone on long enough already, but we're probably just getting started...and frankly, I can't stand it. The prosecution seems to have no evidence, but they keep indicting kids, one of whom has a nearly watertight alibi. On the other hand, when I have to watch guys like Evans quiver on camera, I'm merely reminded again of how much I hate Duke. Let's get to the bottom of this as soon as possible, then not mention the word "Duke" until their overrated team bows out meekly from the NCAAs again next year.

In music news...
Quasi-indie, faux-power pop supergroup the Raconteurs have announced tour dates. This after an Australian jazz group forced them to go by "The Saboteurs" whilst down under.

Pitchfork reviewed the still-unreleased sophomore LP from The Futureheads, News and Tributes. Don't know why they reviewed it three weeks before it comes out Stateside. A better Futureheads PR move would've been to review it just before its release and generate some buzz, kinda like that Seinfeld episode where George's girlfriend goes topless around Kramer, Jerry, and Elaine before George has seen her naked.

Stylus has a review of Grandaddy's swansong, Just Like The Fambly Cat.

World Cup 2006

2006-05-15T14:20:00.000-04:00

With the start of the 2006 World Cup in Germany approaching just three short weeks away, I thought I'd turn comanche/soul's attention towards northern Europe and the world's biggest sporting event. While Brazil are clear favorites at this point, exactly who will compete against them is very much up for grabs. Some like Argentina to compete, with their Spanish-based core of Lionel Messi, Riquelme, Aimar, et al, but a South American team has only won one World Cup in Europe (Brazil, 1954 in Sweden). England's stock had risen -- right up until wunderkind Wayne Rooney's broken foot threatened to keep him out of the tournament (at best he will miss only the first two games). Germany, as hosts, should compete but on paper look much weaker than previous teams.

Greg Lalas (any relation?) of SI.com sees a few things coming out of this World Cup:
1. the decline of France as a soccer power and 2. the rise of Mexico and Spain as legitimate title contenders. Though he's marginally right in saying that France has been the definitive influence on world soccer in the past ten years, he misses a few key points. First and foremost, one of the two most feared, talented, and coveted players on the planet right now is French (Henry), and it looks as though he is just reaching the peak of his creative powers. Secondly, France's decline is nothing new. They failed to score a single goal in 2002 and went out to Greece in Euro 2004.

As for Spain, this is nothing to place any money on. Spain's potential and failure to live up to that potential are equally well-documented. I like a lot of their players -- Xabi Alonso, Xavi, David Villa, Casillas, Puyol -- but they always fail to develop the chemistry that their talents require. In other words, the jury's still out, but at least this Spain squad has some new faces.

In the case of Mexico, Lalas may be on to something big. Mexico has one of the strongest team spirits in the tournament. They play well together and I've never seen them be truly outclassed by a better opponent. They're comfortably above the second tier talent-wise, but always seem hungry for the respect given to the top tier of teams. Lalas comments that a few of their players are now plying their trade in Europe, but of the three, only Marquez has impressed me while Borgetti has barely stepped on the field at Bolton.

Like most World Cups (see Korea and Turkey as semifinalists in '02), it's all up in the air. But in case you're wondering, here's my World Cup breakdown, as of May 15:

Round of 16:
Germany v England
Netherlands v Portugal
Italy v Australia
France v Ukraine
Sweden v Costa Rica
Argentina v Mexico
USA v Brazil
Switzerland v Spain

Quarterfinals
England v Netherlands
Italy v France
Sweden v Mexico
Brazil v Spain

Semifinals
Netherlands v Italy
Mexico v Brazil

Finals
Brazil by a goal over the Netherlands.

Everybody's Workin' for the Weekend

2006-05-12T11:55:00.000-04:00

Last day of a not-so-grueling week. The fanboys out there will be happy to see I posted twice in one week. Have a good weekend.

In the news...
Champion of the People, Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher has been indicted by a special grand jury this morning. Besides generally sucking, Fletcher's posse cleaned house when they came into office, removing a good number of government workers from merit-based jobs and replacing them with party loyalists. Sounds pretty par for the Republican course if you ask me (cough, cough Michael Brown cough, cough), but this indictment could be big trouble in lil' Frankfort for Kentucky's first Republican governor since Louie B. Nunn was elected in 1967.

The always-interesting John Dickerson of Slate finds some peculiarities with declaring Hillary Clinton a Democratic shoo-in so early in the process. Is it a Republican conspiracy? Are they trying to handpick their opponent?

Quick world news recap: The situation in Sri Lanka has escalated, with international truce monitors intervening with the Tamil Tigers after two days of rebel attacks on Sri Lankan naval ships. An oil pipeline explosion in Nigeria has left over 150 dead and was likely caused by people drilling holes in the pipeline to steal oil. Places to cross off the family summer vacation list: Ethiopia, where bloody battles ensued yesterday in Mogadishu. The violent conflict pits "transitional government forces" more commonly known as warlords against radical Islamic leaders known as the Islamic Court Union. Now that's a marquee matchup of corrupt evil right there.

In music, etc...
Also on Slate, Josh Levin reviews Art School Confidential, a movie I still plan to see. Unfortunately, his review did nothing to encourage me.

The staff of Allmusic Guide once again breaks down this week's American Idol episode. For those that don't know, Chris was shockingly eliminated, while Katherine McPhee seemed to slide in to the next round by the skin of her pearly white, suburban teeth. Could it come down to Taylor and Elliot, the two least marketable of the final five? Comanche/soul sticks with Taylor's country-club R&B shtick...he can play my wedding any day.

Finally, a link to one of my alltime favorite Pitchfork pieces, The Days Rock Died by Rob Mitchum. Pretty damn hilarious if you ask me.

In the sports world...
Weekend soccer preview/wrap-up:
Liverpool take on West Ham United in the FA Cup Final, Saturday (10 am EST) at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff. It's Liverpool's first FA Cup Final since triumphed over Arsenal 2-1 in 2001. Xabi Alonso's injury status is still up in the air.
Looks like AC Milan's Andriy Shevchenko, former European Player of the Year, wants a move away from the San Siro -- specifically to somewhere in the English Premier League. This, of course, is bad news for everyone except Chelsea.

NBA Playoffs back tonight - Heat and the Nets are back in Jersey tied 1-1. Clippers and Suns are in LA, also tied at 1 a piece.

ESPN.com does some more entertaining but mostly useless analysis on the baseball season so far (it's still just a month old, right?). The Cincinnati Reds are one of the big surprises, leading the division (and coming off an 11th inning walk-off homer win over the Nats last night), but any good Reds fan knows how little the first two months of the season mean. But if Griffey can get healthy, watch out...

Welcome back

2006-05-10T11:00:00.000-04:00

Complaints have rained in lately regarding the infrequency of my posts. I apologize...I didn't expect this to be as incredibly popular as it has been so far.

On to the important stuff...
Frontline last night really turned my attention towards the developing (or, developed, as it were) crisis in Palestine. The election of the Hamas party to power has had serious diplomatic and economic consequences. With Gaza on the verge of financial collapse due to mounting debts and fuel shortages, a temporary band-aid has been put in place. The Frontline piece itself stuck to the usual Western media criticisms of the Palestinian cause, but it was hard to find much sympathy in a Hamas group that failed to see any value in continuing any sort of negotations with Israel.

Supposedly -- supposedly -- a Chicago school teacher is being investigated for making derogatory remarks about Mexican students. According to accusations made by middle school kids, she said that "all Mexicans were criminals" and were "only good for cleaning floors." Reasons I don't believe this story (yet): 1. They're middle school kids. 2. She taught in a Latino charter school. No one in their right mind would say such a thing while teaching in a Latino charter school in urban Chicago.

Slate articulated Monday how Nancy Pelosi may have blown the Dems' advantage ahead of November's midterm elections. Thanks Nance.

I actually feel sick when I read this story...poor little critters. NBC 4 -- by way of the DCist -- reports that 86 dogs and cats were removed recently from a home in Stafford, VA.

Good news everyone! It's official: Britney Spears and Kevin Federline are expecting a second child. Rumors had been swirling, but Spears made it official last night on David Letterman.

A collective exhale -- presumably of pharmaceutical-tinged smoke -- went out everywhere yesterday when Rolling Stones publicist Fran Curtis announced that Keith Richards had not suffered any more brain damage as an effect of surgery on May 9 following "a fall" last month in Fiji.

In sports...
The UEFA Cup -- European soccer's second most prestigious club tournament -- final will be played tonight in Eindhoven. English club Middlesborough face Spanish club Sevilla in what should be an exciting match. Middlesborough had to overcome three goal deficits in both the quarters and semis to reach the final. Those of you lucky enough to get Fox Soccer Channel can watch at 2:30 pm EST. Please do not tell me the score; I am taping it.

My boy Tayshaun Prince had 20 as the Pistons beat the Cavs to take a 2-0 series lead. Elsewhere the Mavs tied up their series with San Anton', 113-91.

Lexington Herald-Leader sportswriter John Clay breaks down the Kentucky Derby winners and losers. Strangely, the Derby festivities in Southeast DC this weekend went unmentioned.

In music...
Slate has two fascinating articles up now. John Cook looks at the bizarre controversy surrounding Stephen Merritt's supposed racism. To quickly break down the story, two disgruntled, irresponsible rock critics (including Sasha Frere-Jones of the New Yorker) have labelled Merritt (of the Magnetic Fields) a racist because he does not like hip-hop and enjoys the song "Zippity-Doo-Da" from Song of the South. He even referred to him as a "cracker" on her blog, which -- and I may be wrong on this -- is itself racist, right? Most problematically, as Cook points out, Frere-Jacques's argument infers that racism and taste are correlated -- an assumption that is in some ways a distant-cousin to Fuzzy Zoeller's comments about Tiger Woods's 1997 Masters win (itself a racist comment).
Slate has also published a great article on the spread of "poptimism" in the face of rockism -- that is the championing of hip-hop and polished, true Pop (capital p) acts in the face of Rolling Stone-style rock fogeyism. Jody Rosen looks at such things as RS's creation of the canon, but also examines potential pitfalls of poptimism and why rockism (the celebration of the rock and roll style as the true form of popular music) can't be totally discounted.

This week marks the 1,500th consecutive week Pink Floyd's magnum opus (up for debate, I suppose) Dark Side of the Moon has spent on Billboard's Top 200 album charts. Bob Marley's Legend runs a distant second at 845 weeks. What makes this really exciting is that Roger Waters has agreed to take the album -- in its entirety -- out on tour with him this summer. Hopefully that will include his stop at the Nissan Pavilion on Sept. 23.

Modesto, California's own Grandaddy released their final album, Just like the Fambly Cat, yesterday. Jason Lytle and company announced this past winter that they would break up after a run that saw them develop into one of American indie rock's most consistent bands. Pitchfork says 6.8; allmusic gives (surprise) four stars.

Get me down to F-L-A

2006-04-26T09:21:00.000-04:00

Some of you have expressed some frustration with the infrequency of my entries here. I apologize. I'm actually headed to F-L-A for about a week, so don't expect anything until next Thursday. But I'll be back, I swear.

In the meantime, here's what's going on out there...
In fast food news, a Stafford, VA Taco Bell worker was recently arrested for something that no doubt happens hundreds of times each day. She now faces up to 10 years in prison.

Tanning salons marketing to teenagers. No way. I want to make sure my hard-earned tax dollars went to funding research like this. But seriously, if you were opening a tanning salon -- purely a vanity business -- who would you target first? You might advertise in sorority newsletters or something (do they have such things?), but I'm guessing your second target audience would be teenagers.

Slate is keeping a running log of hilarious "Bushisms". Check them out.

In sports news...
No real shocker, but Dolphins RB Ricky Williams has been suspended for the 2006 NFL season. I understand it's time for him to go, but you have to admit that doing what he did while smoking that much is fairly impressive. He now owes the Dolphins $8.6 million for breaking contract.

Ahead of the NFL Draft this weekend, what the hell is going on with Reggie Bush? So we got something like three potential agents, one known felon and ex-gang member, a random Indian tribe, and his folks' dirt floor house? Huh? Also, at NFL Rumor Central, John Clayton reports Raiders CB Charles Woodson may be a Packer or a Buc next season.

My main man John Clay reports that this years Derby entries are imitating their celebrity fans and arriving fashionably late.

Arsenal held off Villareal for a 0-0 draw, giving them a 1-0 aggregate victory and a place in the final in Paris. German keeper Jens Lehmann made a dramatic savefrom Argentinian Juan Riquelme's final minute penalty kick to preserve the Gunners' overall lead and vindicate German national team coach Jurgen Klinnsman's decision to bench 2002 World Cup hero Oliver Kahn at this summer's World Cup in Germany. One quick comment: as much as I love the Champions League, I think ESPN has to strongly consider whether or not they want that to be a major year long investment. The quality of soccer is great for a knowledgeable fan -- very tactical, often very defensive -- but it occasionally lacks the adventure, excitement, and -- let's go ahead and say it -- the goals that might draw in new fans. What about showing a weekly Premier League match? What about a weekly match from La Liga? What about an hour long highlight show?

DC United continued their strong start to the season this past weekend with a 4-1 win against the New York Red Bulls. Alecko Eskandarian scored twice. After the first goal, he celebrated by grabbing a can of Red Bull from the sideline, taking a swig, then shaking his head and spitting it out. Clever? Sort of. But anyway, in the most confusing PR move of the young season, the MLS fined him $250 and also named Esky player of the week. I don't really know how much $250 is to Esky -- I'm guessing it's not a ton -- but just think about how much this would cost him in the NFL.
DC United also named their all time best 11. It's a testament to how good some of their teams have been that no other franchise -- save maybe the league's biggest underachievers LA -- could field a team that holds water to these guys. Don't know about Nick Rimando in goal, but the only way anyone could score on the Pope, Llamosa, Nelsen, and Agoos backline would be if ol' Goos went ahead and stuck it in the net for you.

In the music world...
Pitchfork discovers a newly minted Scarlett Johansen song, the standard "Summertime". Sounds like it might be worth listening to once. But just once.
They also reviewed the new release from Bruce Springsteen on Monday, We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions. Despite making it out to the tour for The Rising, I haven't really cared for any of his last releases. As has been well documented, they're terribly overproduced, sterilizing the joy and exuberance of his earlier work. I'm looking forward to hearing him go after someone else's songs too, as the lyrics on the last two albums were a little too literal, lacking the punch that his imagery often carries.

Also, much to my delight, Ween's infamous tour diaries are back. They just returned from a little swing through the Southeast and are gearing up for some West Coast dates later (including two with the Flaming Lips) this summer, with supposedly more TBA. Check them out.

The best 60s song by an Australian band - What is "Friday on My Mind" by the Easybeats?

2006-04-21T11:00:00.000-04:00

Friday on my mind, here's some news...
Have you checked out the new allmusic set up? They've really updated the look of the page, but, best of all, they've added new features. My favorite so far is the chat room style run down of this week's American Idol episode. It seems like everyone -- myself included -- is getting pretty attached to this show. Somehow aspiring blond bombshell and complete idiot Kellie Pickler survived another week, with American Idol voters showing the rest of us a little mercy and voting Ace Young off. He was just a little too much to take, especially when he actually showed us his scar a few weeks back to coincide with a line in the song he was singing.

Slate's Tommy Craggs laments the loss of the upper deck in America's baseball stadiums. I have to add a couple things to what he says, because I strongly agree with him. I used to go to Riverfront Stadium (former home of the Reds) as a kid and I loved the place. Sure, it was a product of 60s-70s functionalism in stadia, where you built large concrete fortresses that could shift quickly to house a concert or a football game. Places like Three Rivers in Pittsburgh, Veterans Stadium in Philly, Busch (the old one) in St. Louis. Places that were undeniably unattractive but very much welcoming and inviting. Riverfront has now been replaced by a much nicer stadium whose name currently escapes me. I've been there and I like it, but for whatever reason I long for lime green astro turf, concrete pillars, and a mostly empty upper deck with 5 buck seats. The "intimacy" argument is BS anyway; baseball owners have figured out that most of their home games will not sell more than 30,000 seats anyway. Most MLB teams won't play a home playoff game in the next 5-10 years, so a sellout of 55,000 is pretty much out of the question except on Opening Day or unless a player is chasing a longstanding record. So...why not get the city to build you a new park, where you can raise parking fees, the prices of dogs and beer, and tickets themselves in the name of atmosphere and intimacy? You'll still sell the same number of tickets, but get twice more back for the city's investment in your own wealth.
To sum up...I went to Rome and visited the Colisseum this past summer. That thing is about 2000 years old. Sure it's fallen apart, but you can't tell me that: 1) there's a bad seat in the house and 2) if they can build something that simply lasts that long, we can't stick with the same stadium for 30 years.

New Drive-By Truckers album came out Tuesday, A Blessing and a Curse. I picked it up, and it's quite good, by far their most streamlined album to date. Standout tracks include the opener "Feb. 14", "Goodbye", and "Wednesday", which sounds like the Truckers traded in their Skynyrd for a healthy dose of the 'Mats (finished off with an almost Built to Spill three guitar outro). And on the closer, "World of Hurt", Patterson Hood makes a claim to the throne of rock's most affecting spoken word singer (see his historical rant on "Three Alabama Icons" or the intro to "The Boys from Alabama" for more proof). It lacks the specificity of past albums, and may not have such finely drawn characters, but to me this sounds like a breakthrough, a chance for them to gain a whole new legion of fans, dancing drunk at frat parties everywhere. Long live the Truckers.
Of course, Stylus wasn't as big a fan, and Pitchfork scored it lower than their other albums. My friend pointed out, however, that allmusic's review sounds pretty similar to Pitchfork's, just with differing scores.

McCain, the Park, and Other Things...

2006-04-13T13:25:00.000-04:00

In the news, etc...
Slate is chock full of good stuff today, including two specials on John McCain. Jacob Weisberg examines McCain's new right wing "act", while John Dickerson quetions whether McCain has what it takes to be a frontrunner.
Of course, taxes have to be postmarked by the beginning of next week, but Slate also looks at ways to a void paying taxes.

In our daily Iran watch, Iranian President Ahmadinejad has shocked the world and stated that Iran will continue its nuclear program.

Former Senator Mike Gravel will become the first officially announced Democratic Presidential candidate today. If you haven't heard of him, it might be because he hasn't served in your lifetime and is also from Alaska. He would be our second President from Alaska, right behind McKinley, who, of course, has a mountain there named after him.

I'm just going to provide the link to this story and keep my comments to myself. Strange situation though: Condi/Watermelon math test question seen as racist.

In other stuff...
Not everyone loves Band of Horses' debut album.

Rocket Summer

2006-04-13T09:21:00.000-04:00

Following the trend Manchester United set a few years back, Spanish giants FC Barcelona will tour the United States this summer, playing three matches. They'll face off against two Mexican clubs before taking on the newly named New York Red Bulls in Giants Stadium.

This, of course, will come on the heels of a World Cup summer where key players like Argentinian Lionel Messi, Brazilian Ronaldinho, and Dutchman Mark Van Bommel promise to be very busy, virtually guaranteeing that you will see a subpar Barca team fielded. Which makes sense, but it's a shame. Last summer Manchester United and Bayern Munich squared off in Chicago and played what -- by most reports -- was one of the dullest, drabbest games ever attached to those two teams. I guess what I'm trying to say is that these tours are great, and they definitely get some fans out there and create some interest in soccer, but the difference they're making is either negligible or hasn't been seen yet. Soccer still lags behind all four major team sports, despite a few facts that should be working in its favor: 1)Hockey's popularity is at an alltime low. 2)More kids are playing soccer than ever before. 3)Soccer players and families represent a fairly affluent section of the population.

I think in the next five-ten years, you'll start to see some signs of whether soccer will or won't turn the corner. As the population (those under the age of, say, 28) that grew up playing the game as a kid in AYSO gets older, and their kids play the game, will it then start to take root? The 2002 World Cup TV ratings suffered from bizarre start times, where only the die-hard fans were called out of bed at 3 am to watch Croatia lose to Mexico by a solitary penalty kick. World Cup 2006 in Germany will see most of its games played in the daytime, but there should still be some improvement.

For me, the real barometer will be the MLS. We've already seen a women's league fail, despite the fact that the US Women's National Team sells out most games and is revered pretty much anywhere it goes. The Men's National Team is, by some comparisons, less popular, but the MLS has survived, mainly on thrifty business decisions and not taking too many chances. Is the quality getting better? It's hard for me to tell. Undoubtedly the league was better off when National Teamers like Brian McBride, DaMarcus Beasley, Carlos Bocanegra, Tim Howard, and Bobby Convey were counted in its ranks. But like so many solid smaller, foreign leagues (the Belgian and Dutch leagues seem like good examples), feeding the bigger leagues is a natural and healthy consequence.

For me, step one is getting the real soccer fans -- the people who were up for Blanco's nifty footwork and ensuing penalty that won that 2002 game against Croatia -- who have to commit to the MLS to make it successful. The league can't count only on soccer moms and dads carting a Nissan Quest load of replica-jersey wearing 10 year olds. The league's success requires the devotion and (required) patience of the hardcore fanbase -- those of us who recognize that a Tuesday night game between FC Dallas and Houston Dynamo ain't exactly Liverpool-Man U, but that there's something appealing about watching potential.

Fletch Lives!

2006-04-12T10:45:00.000-04:00

In the news...
Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher -- who, with any luck, will not be in office much longer -- revoked a phrase in the state government's employee policy that protects state workers from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. A number of Kentucky Democrats joined a few prominent Republicans groups in speaking out against the hopefully-soon-to-be-former Governor's actions.
Now normally this would be a pretty stunning display on its own, but, somehow (SOMEHOW) the Governor had the good sense to announce all this on the day he proclaimed as "Diversity Day".

In the most redundant and least surprising news story of the day, Iran has been urged to stop its nuclear activities. It appears to be a slow news day.

I'm not totally in the know, but it seems like a good thing that Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and House Speaker Dennis Hastert are both backing off legislation that would make illegal immigration a felony. Of course, they're also insisting the Dems were the ones who wanted to keep this provision in the bill, which seems odd since Republican House Judiciary Chair James Sensenbrenner originally pushed the bill that included such provisions. It seems like something of a spin job, but, like I said, I'm not exactly in the know, so I'll wait for this to fully play out before I pass judgement.
*Side note: I recently had a new idea for my blog. I'm going to be announcing official comanche/soul policies in regards to current events and issues, when appropriate. I'll consult with my Board of Directors, some third party consultants, and let you know.

Pretty funny political cartoon today on Slate.

Elsewhere...
Pitchfork reports that Bright Eyes have a new album in the works. Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss, singer Gillian Welch, and, one of comanche/soul's personal favorites, gruff country-rock troubadour M. Ward are all contributing.

On Monday they also published a very entertaining interview with Neko Case. Those not familiar with Case -- often referred to as a "chanteuse" by inane rock crits everywhere -- might still enjoy it. It's one of the first times I've read an artist be so direct, self-deprecating, and generally accessible in an interview.

Last week Popmatters.com published a series of reviews of Continuum's 33 1/3 book series. The series is made up of small books (about 100 pages or so) where a writer tackles a classic album. There is no Revolver or Dark Side of the Moon, but rather most editions go after a so-called "cult" favorite. I've personally read the one on Love's Forever Changes, and I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on Velvet Crush and Tyde drummer Ric Menck's take on the Byrds' foray into country, Sweetheart of the Rodeo.

Also, I got an email from my buddy Andrew Huffer recently urging me to check out the new Band of Horses' LP, Everything All the Time. He's headed to their show in Seattle soon, so to honor his request, here's a link to their single, the very fine "Funeral". Mr. Huffer describes them as sounding like "(My Morning Jacket's) Jim James' little brother formed a less hair band." Apt.

Rolling Stone reviews Built to Spill, Carleton College's own (sort of) Tapes N Tapes, and give us 5 bands that hit big at SXSW.

April Morning

2006-04-10T09:59:00.000-04:00

On this day in the history of the decline of Western civilization, the duet "Ebony and Ivory" by Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney first charted (April 10, 1982). It would rise to number one, and hold the position for seven weeks.

Breaking news...
Pitchfork reports that Arthur Lee, leader of the band Love, has been diagnosed with leukemia and has undergone chemotherapy. Like most musicians, he has no health insurance and thus a benefit is in the works to help fund his recovery (Calexico, who have covered Love songs before, and Cake are amongst the possibilities). Pitchfork's article incorrectly states both that Love's classic album Da Capo and their truly indispensable third album Forever Changes were released in 1977; they actually came out in 1967. I'm assuming this is just a typo, because surely the folks down there know that sort of thing by heart. I think it's even on the entrance exam.

Dave Jamieson of Slate examines the Duke Lacrosse rape scandal by taking a closer look at the East Coast lacrosse culture. I personally have had few run-ins with lacrosse players, and the game itself was always pretty entertaining to watch. I'm not sure Jamieson's point isn't a little narrow-minded...maybe the Duke incident is a symptom of a problem larger than just the prevailing lacrosse team culture.

The DCist predicts a hellish evening commute today, as protests on Immigration Reform sweep the country and the District. Montgomery County schools are even offering community service credit for protest participation, angering many local parents.

In sports...
With less than a month before the Run for the Roses, the Derby preps start to heat up. Looks like trainer Nick Zito may have finally found a likely Derby entry in Little Cliff, to run in the Bluegrass Stakes this weekend at Keeneland. In the Illinois Derby on Saturday, Sweetnorthernsaint cruised to a 9 length victory. The Bob Baffert trained horse Bob and John won the Wood Memorial derby prep on Saturday as well.

F is for...

2006-04-07T11:42:00.000-04:00

The end of yet another trying week, but still much to look forward to.

Allmusic, bless their thorough little hearts, have profiled The Razorcuts' R is for..., an album I have been longing for ever since I read a capsule review in an issue of Record Collector magazine at the Virgin Records Superstore in London last summer.

CokeMachineGlow to close its virtual doors after this week. Sad. A high-quality Canadian based indie website was just starting to make a name for itself -- a move which saw a vastly improved interview section (such as one with the Hold Steady's Craig Finn) and the writing really start to take off -- when they made the announcement earlier this week. In the meantime, savor their last series of reviews, including the pre-release teaser of Built to Spill's You In Reverse (available Tuesday March 11). Speaking of teasers, if you really can't wait, you can listen to two new tracks from the BTS LP here.

NFL Schedules announced yesterday. The Skins open at home against Minnesota (preseason openere at Cincinnati, where hopefully Pops Cornwell will be in attendance) on Monday Night Football. Somehow, that's our only MNF game of the season.

Keeneland race track opens up today back home. Wish I was there but I will be in a week for the Toyota Bluegrass Stakes to get an early peek at some Kentucky Derby contenders. Lexington Herald-Leader columnist Maryjean Wall profiles and ranks the Derby hopefuls here.

ESPN's Robert Gotta profiles the fall of the Italian giants Inter Milan and Juventus in the European Champions League, also alluding to the lapse in form of AC Milan's once-formidable and stereotype-breaking Brazilian keeper Dida (Check out his subtle but great pun on Dida's first name and post a comment if you get it).

Let's drink to the Salt of the Earth

2006-04-07T11:08:00.000-04:00

I went to an ear/nose/throat doctor last week to take care of this sinus/allergy/something pressure that had been in my ears for a while now. They tested everything, found that nothing was really wrong with my ears, and then asked: "Do you eat a lot of salt?" My reply was iffy (I think I said, "Sorta"), but it has occurred to me since that I eat a ton of salt. They told me to go on a super low sodium diet (I guess sodium causes some kind of build up in your sinus passages?) and to start taking Claritin. Initially, I figured eliminating the bowl of Ramen noodles I have most days at lunch would do the trick, but then I started looking into exactly how much salt is in certain foods.

For example, 1/3 of a box of flavored couscous probably has almost 1/3 of your daily salt intake. 17 Rold Gold pretzels make up a quarter. Any normal, snack size bag of chips is easily a quarter, probably more if you go for Fritos or something like that. Cheese has salt. A slice of pizza has 1/3 your daily salt intake by itself. Bread has salt. Frozen vegetables, sometimes, even have salt.

I've been trying pretty damn hard not to eat too much salt (oh, and I can't have caffeine), but I've come to the simple conclusion that salt is the single hardest thing to eliminate from your diet. For example, I had to request my fries without salt at Chadwick's on Wednesday (they obliged) and then had to correct myself to order the grilled tilapia, instead of the blackened tilapia, which, of course, is rubbed with spices that include a pretty solid amount of salt. I didn't salt my grits or eggs last weekend either.

So that's pretty much where I stand. Someone asked me a while ago how salt just naturally got into foods. Fresh vegetables, for instance, have about 32 mg of sodium per serving. That's not much, but where does it come from? I'm at a loss, and Google ain't helping. Any possible answers would be appreciated.

Yeah it took some time, cuz it's a lot...

2006-04-06T09:20:00.000-04:00

The new Flaming Lips reviews are starting to pour in. Allmusic have thrown their ever-optimistic two cents into the pile. You have to love them. They find good things to say about just about everyone. Even the Vines' new album, roundly dismissed by other folks, allmusic said, "feels like the Vines may still regain the momentum they had earlier in their career." Though it is your one stop shop for pretty much every record known to man -- especially if you're disproportionately obsessed with a particular sub-genre, like, say power-pop or something -- it's sometimes hard to get a good feel of just how good a record is. For example, you might only be able to find one Mayflies USA review on Pitchfork but all four on allmusic, including their best, Walking In A Straight Line. Of course, the fact that this particular record received four stars does not mean that it is on par with other four star records, such as Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot or is a better record than Neil Young's self-titled debut. In this sense, the volume of reviews hurts.

But for the voracious music consumer, there is nothing finer than having a web of thousands of reviews that exalt traits like "production with lots of character", "pop instincts", "insidious hooks", and, of course, "the double backbeat". In the past couple weeks alone, allmusic has added a number of entries to my ever-expanding wish list (quickly rising to the top of the list is The Possibilities' Way Out). The more you dig through the site, the more a wonder it becomes. Their staff is so well-versed in pretty much every style of pop music that they can cover everything from a newly rereleased early Them LP to the brand new smash from Ashlee Simpson with equal enthusiasm and attention to detail. It's all relative on allmusic, and, so long as you understand that, it's the best site around.

Everything All the Time

2006-04-04T11:00:00.000-04:00

The aforementioned new Flaming Lips LP, At War with the Mystics, is out today. Pitchfork jumped the gun and reviewed it yesterday.

They also look into the new Terrell Owens single, which sounds about as ugly as that last Cowboys blowout loss to the Skins in December. But better, check out their review of the Paper Cranes' single "I'll Love You Til My Veins Explode", then move directly to their my space site and listen to it for yourself.

In sports news...
Florida claims the national title. From this fan's perspective, they looked absolutely dominant. They may not have had the most difficult run to the title game, but they did knock off the Big Ten champs and #1 seed Villanova. Joakim Noah, the best player on the court despite his face, set the record for blocks in a title game...by halftime.

Kentucky point guard Rajon Rondo will turn pro. Coach Tubby Smith will join him for a 1 pm press conference at men's practice facility and women's game facility Memorial Coliseum. Smith has advised him not to sign with an agent to maintain his eligibility.

Barry Bonds started strong with a ground rule double in his first at-bat, but finished 1-4 and had
a syringe thrown at him in a 6-1 loss at San Diago.

Elsewhere...
Slate Magazine breaks down your trip to Trader Joe's just as the first opens in New York City. Their guide to TJ's follows-up Andy Bowers's guide to cheap wine that isn't Two Buck Chuck.

Finally, a good recap of the Dems' "Real Security" plan. Not that I necessarily disagree with them most of the time, but it seems likely that if Bush and Co. cured cancer or created 10 million new jobs for Americans in a week, we Democrats would find things to complain about.

The Daily Grind

2006-03-31T09:57:00.000-05:00

Friday, finally. Been a long week. In the latest news...

Back in my hometown of Lex, KY, a man turned himself in for carrying 56 pounds of marijuana in his trunk...in 1989.

The NCAA Final Four tips off Saturday from Indianapolis. As of time of publication, no rules had been changed to allow Kentucky to compete based solely on our impeccable tradition (UCLA qualifying on the usual grounds of winning games didn't help our chances). As it is now, I like Florida to win it all, though I hate them. Rick Pitino is bad enough, but Billy Donovan is a bargain-bin Pitino-wanna-be.

In other college basketball news, Indiana has a new coach, but the future looks bleak. Pat Forde of ESPN.com profiles the decline.

Major League Soccer kicks off its 11th season this weekend. Most of you don't care, but the early season games take on added significance in a World Cup year, especially for US players as they vie for the final roster spots on the National Team. ESPN Soccernet previews the teams here.

Today's music news...Some HUGE releases coming up in the next couple weeks. The Flaming Lips made us wait 4 years for the follow-up to Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, but Tuesday will see the release of At War With The Mystics.
Built to Spill made us wait through a couple tours, a decent Doug Martsch slide blues solo album, before their proper follow-up to Ancient Melodies of the Future. Thankfully, the wait is over, and You in Reverse will come out on April 11th (unfortunately the band has postponed the spring tour due to Martsch's eye surgery). If the sample songs on their MySpace page are any indication, there's a lot of triple-axe guitar heroics to look forward to.
The Drive-By Truckers will release their latest, Blessing and a Curse on April 18. They're also gearing up for a Spring Tour on the West Coast and through the Midwest.

The 'Mats are back

2006-03-30T13:47:00.000-05:00

Breaking News:
Pitchfork reports today that everyone's favorite losers, the Replacements, have recorded new material for the first time since 1990. Chris Mars, Tommy Stinson, and Paul Westerberg are all back, and the two new songs will appear on an upcoming Best of compilation.

Destroyer/Magnolia Electric Company

2006-03-30T13:18:00.000-05:00

Metro'd up to U Street last night to catch the Destroyer/Magnolia Electric Co. double bill at the Black Cat. We got there a bit early, so we walked around the corner (go up 14th to the next block, turn right, go one block) to a little corner store and picked up a couple tall boys. We like to make this a small tradition for Black Cat shows, and I highly recommend others follow suit.

There was a second opener on the bill, somebody called Friends of Avalon (I think, please correct). They looked pretty young, local perhaps, and sounded like Zeppelin with a less powerful front man and a female lead guitarist (Magnolia Electric leader Jason Molina would later smugly note that, between the three bands on the bill, "We got just about all of the 70s covered") . Not bad, and I wouldn't mind catching another one of their sets. Destroyer came on about 10 pm. Not having heard much of their stuff I didn't know what to expect, but found their set very enjoyable. Bejar has some interesting turns of phrase and the band backing him up was pretty rockin'; I'd compare their live sound to something like Centro-Matic's -- twangy guitar rock with a bit of a dark side to it.

Magnolia Electric Company announced their intentions from the get-go: they would be playing 5-8 minute, mid-tempo, Crazy Horse style jams, all night long. The pace and tone didn't vary too much, but it wasn't a problem. Both Molina and the band's other guitarist get great tones out of the instruments, and the mix on the night was sharp. Highlights included "North Star", "The Dark Don't Hide It" (requested loudly by yours truly), and an unexpected cover of Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London". The band played for about an hour and fifteen minutes, and left with no encore.

Initially I was a little disappointed, but I've though about it and come to admire them. Every bad you see gives you an encore, whether you want it or not. It's become an obligation, rather than an audience privilege. If they play a great set and you want more, then you've got to cheer and clap and work hard to get them back out there. At the same time, I've always wondered if the audience simply refused to go home and kept cheering -- what kind of band wouldn't come back out and play one more? Misanthropes, probably.

Off the Record - Tracklisting and Liner Notes

2006-03-30T12:35:00.000-05:00

I recently finalized a compilation that had been in the works since Christmas. Part of the delay was tinkering, part of it involved a still ongoing debate with comanche/soul records' parent company over the "lack of commercial appeal" of the music. I'm happy to say that it's now officially done. Here's the tracklisting with a little commentary.

(warning: the rules of indie rock say that none of these things are as cool now as they were when I first started putting this mix together. I find it still holds up fine, but be warned that your local record store clerk is "definitely over" the Wolf Parade by now.)
1. Our Love Will Change the World – Outrageous Cherry. Detroit psych-rock band reportedly refuse to let their drummers play with cymbals, resulting in Motown style beats to back up their textured guitar pop.
2. Emily Kane - Art Brut. British buzz band's half heartfelt, half tongue-in-cheek plea to a childhood sweetheart whose name actually is Emily Kane.
3. Ageless Beauty - Stars. Of all the super-serious bands coming out of Canada today, Stars are one of my favorites, exuding a little more pop smarts than most. Plus, they had the audacity/talent to pull off a decent impromptu cover of "Blue Moon of Kentucky" during a show in Lexington last year.
4. Ibi Dreams of Pavement - Broken Social Scene. An anthem for nothing in particular, the production's a cluttered mess...that somehow works. I like the horn charts at the end.
5. Tell Me Why - 20/20. Classic power-pop from the overlooked Oklahoma band.
6. Heartworm (Ooh Ooh Song) - Four Volts. More power pop, this time a heftier dose of power, grit, and punk. Former Carleton College professor Theo Cateforis on drums.
7. Baby C'mon - Stephen Malkmus. Malkmus' post-Pavement albums blow hot and cold for me, but they all have a few undeniably good tracks; this is the best off his latest, Face the Truth.
8. Kindling - Architecture in Helsinki. Australian umpteen-piece do schizo-pop that's a few times catchier and more manageable than "genre" pioneers the Fiery Furnaces. This is off their first, Fingers Crossed, but I recommend checking out 2005's In Case We Die.
9. You Didn't Have to Be So Nice - The Lovin' Spoonful. The Lovin' Spoonful don't get enough credit. "Do You Believe in Magic?", this song, and "Darling Be Home Soon" were some of the greatest of the Sixties, and their folk harmonies directly influenced some of the Beatles' stuff (see "Good Day Sunshine").
10. Shake Some Action - The Flamin' Groovies. Maybe the best power pop track of all time?
11. Freak Scene - Dinosaur, Jr. Terrific song, frequently cited as the band's tour de force. One of the best rhymes in rock history in the last chorus.
12. Road to Joy - Bright Eyes. I find Conor Oberst's work is very much love-it-or-hate-it, and I'm proud to declare myself on the former side of the fence. Closing track from his best album so far, I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning.
13. Hey Man (Now You're Really Livin') - Eels. The Eels latest studio release, Blinking Lights and Other Revelations, was a bit watered down over the course of two albums, but it had plenty of good moments like this one.
14. In This Home on Ice - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Everybody loves these guys...or rather, everybody loved these guys. It's pretty good, but hard to see what the fuss was all about. Lead singer sounds a hell of a lot like David Byrne.
15. Off the Record - My Morning Jacket. Kentucky boys continue to put out consistent material, even with the shift to the reggae-inflected, keyboard heavy sound.
16. Cool - Gwen Stefani. Graham's guilty pleasure of 2005. I love this song.
17. I Turn My Camera On - Spoon. Not the best song on the album ("Sister Jack"), but still a very fine track. Pretty soul Prince homage for a bunch of skinny white guys from Texas.
18. Incandescent Hearts - The Russian Futurists. The Futurists' (really just one guy with some synths and a laptop) Our Thickness is one of my favorite albums of the past couple years. Very catchy synth stuff, set behind beats that are almost hip hop (at any rate, the closest thing to rap I've listened to all year).
19. Shine a Light - Wolf Parade. Modest Mouse frontman Isaac Brock produces. Another bunch of Canadians.
20. Love Me Like You - The Magic Numbers. Double bro-sis quartet from Britain. Recently had the pleasure of seeing their show at the 9:30 Club. One of the most gracious, warm, and joyful performances I've seen in a while. Looking forward to their second album.
21. Killer Parties - The Hold Steady. From their debut, ...Almost Killed Me, and also one of the most fitting closing tracks in a while. I love the bassline and the lyric, "If they ask why we left in the first place/ Say we were young and so in love and I guess we just needed space/ So we heard about this place they call the United States".

Hope you enjoyed it.

Welcome All

2006-03-29T14:31:00.000-05:00

New to this whole blog thing, but based on boredom and curiosity, decided to start it up. Not sure what's to come. Expect weekly updates in the worlds of music, sports, and culture.
I'll let you know soon.

In the meantime, check out a good interview with power-pop underdog/stalwart Tommy Keene, recently off tour with Bob Pollard's (former GBV) dynamite new band. I had the pleasure of catching them at the 9:30 Club in January, and they tore the roof off. If you have the chance, download "Dancing Girls and Dancing Men" and "Love is Stronger than Witchcraft" off Pollard's latest, From a Compound Eye.

Also, Ween has announced a series of summer tourdates with more to follow. The closest they'll be to the DC area right now looks like Charlottesville, but I wouldn't hold my breath for anything closer. The band tends to stick to slightly off-beat venues and towns, though I would count on another Philly area show to be added. Of course, I have no basis for reporting any of this.

Finally, Wilco concluded the first segment of their spring tour last week at the historic Val Air Ballroom in Des Moines. Check out the setlist; looks like Des Moines was treated to a relatively rare cover of the oft-skewered classic "Don't Fear the Reaper" (but better yet, looks like they've started breaking "Red Eyed and Blue/I Got You" back out for encores).