Songs of the Year, 2008

Let the lists begin.....

Keane: "Perfect Symmetry" Sweeping and soaring, the title song of Keane's third album, has a memorable keyboard riff, philosophical musings about humanity and is infectious in its melancholy epicness. When singer Tom Chaplin lets loose with the phrase "wrap yourself around me" at the song's middle eight, you can't help losing yourself in the music.

Coldplay: "Viva La Vida" Seemingly ubiquitous this summer, Coldplay's string riffed anthem is one of the band's best. About a fall from power and grace ("sweep the streets I used to own"), the song is gorgeous, melodic and as with the rest of the album, with a dash of the unexpected and surprising.

The Verve: "Judas" Continuing the theme of "melancholy epicness", this song from the Verve's reunion album contains the usual Richard Ashcroft theme of searching, "I keep seeking, cause I gotta know" and "For a dream to happen, you gotta let it go" amid a swirling soundscape that is pure Verve.

Vusi Mahlasela: "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own" An exquisite cover of the U2 song. Stripping the song of bombast, the South African singer makes it his own and delivers a powerful reading of Bono's lament for his father.

Last Shadow Puppets: "Standing Next To You" The best track from Arctic Monkey Alex Turner's project with Miles Kane , is a seemingly lost song from the sixties, all strings and echoed vocals delivering more "epicness" but in just a little over two minutes.

Vampire Weekend: "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" The first song I heard from the Columbia grads terrific debut. Afro-pop meets preppy and musical magic is made.

The Fireman: "Sing The Changes" A fine moment from Sir Paul and Youth's side project which now comes with vocals. Soaring and anthemic and a perfect soundtrack to the Obama victory.

Will Young: "Let It Go" From the pop album of the year, this British singer comes into his own with the album and its title track, which yearns to let go of what we can't control while affirming that "I've only got one life/Heaven knows what I'm stressing for".

Honorable Mentions to:

Paul Weller: "Cold Moments"
REM: "Hollow Man" and "Supernatural Superserious"
Kathleen Edwards "Buffalo"
Elvis Costello "No Hiding Place"
Goldfrapp "A&E"
Lindsey Buckingham "Treason"
Billy Bragg "I Keep Faith"

Peace

Sorry for the lack of posts lately...but we shall return soon with a roundup of the best music of 2008 as well as some film, book and other tasty recommendations. You know how music fans just can't resist lists.

Until then have a joyous, peaceful and happy holiday.

Red

(Red)Wire will launch on December 1, World Aids Day, with its first selection of music that will benefit the (Red) organization, which though the Global Fund helps HIV infected people in Africa. Bob Dylan, U2, R.E.M., Coldplay, the Killers and Elvis Costello are among the first artists signed up for the initiative. For both creativity and humanitarianism (and some potentially great music) this is a terrific idea on many levels. Oh, and this holiday season you'll also be able to help the Global Fund through Starbucks by drinking some of their holiday coffees.

A new day breaks...

For today only, Bruce Springsteen's new single, "Working on a Dream", will be available as a free download from iTunes and the official Bruce Springsteen site. (The digital single will go on sale beginning tomorrow). The song is a preview from the album of the same name, which will be released on January 27. So, 2009 will start off as a banner year with a major new album from Bruce, the follow up to last year's terrific Magic. The new single is a gently swaying pop tune with some sunny and hopeful lyrics and was first performed live by Bruce at an Obama rally just a couple of days before the election.

Sing the Changes

As we transition away from the campaign to the Obama presidency, it seems that it is about time to address some other issues that this blog is intended to address, namely: music! and film! and books!

This seems a perfect time to transition on the blog and mention the imminent release of Electric Arguments from the Fireman. Who are the Fireman you may ask? None other than Sir Paul McCartney and the DJ Youth, who first and anonymously released two albums in the nineties. Now, with anonymity long gone, the duo are set to release their third album; and this one from what I've heard is basically the McCartney follow-up to last year's terrific Memory Almost Full. Unlike the previous albums, which were experiments in dance and electronica, Electric Arguments boasts lyrics and song structures, albeit not quite what we would expect on a traditional album from Sir Paul. I first heard the brilliant song "Sing the Changes" with its soaring melody and almost otherworldly backing vocals (compliments of Sir Paul himself) a few weeks before the election, and I thought it would make the perfect song and anthem for an Obama victory. I think it beautifully captures what came to pass on November 4.

You can hear the song at the Fireman site as well as stream the entire album on NPR's site. Electric Arguments is released on November 25 and we'll be putting a full review of the album up soon.

Hope

Yes we did. November 4 truly brought change to America. Hope is alive and the work is ahead of us, but this is a truly inspiring and wonderful moment for the United States.

Vote

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Yes We Can

Finally here it is. Election Day only hours away. After months and months of campaigning and speechifying it all comes down to us. Tomorrow we can elect a man who will help turn America around after eight years of war, corruption, economic neglect and the very subjugation of our constitution. Barack Obama is a man who will be a transformational leader; a man of ideas and the power to inspire us all. We can defeat the forces of fear and the ideas of yesterday with the promise of change and the hope of a brighter future. Others more eloquent than myself have penned words endorsing Barack Obama and this is a good time to share some of them:

Addressing Obama's transformational candidacy and also stating how his eloquence is also a means to govern, The New Yorker's endorsement concludes with, "at a moment of economic calamity, international perplexity, political failure, and battered morale, America needs both uplift and realism, both change and steadiness. It needs a leader temperamentally, intellectually, and emotionally attuned to the complexities of our troubled globe. That leader’s name is Barack Obama."

The New York Times noted that Obama has "the will and the ability to forge the broad political consensus that is essential to finding solutions to this nation’s problems" in their endorsement which concluded that "this country needs sensible leadership, compassionate leadership, honest leadership and strong leadership. Barack Obama has shown that he has all of those qualities."

Always eloquent and never more so in his campaign appearances with and for Obama, Bruce Springsteen talked about the American promise and how it was handed down to us giving us the things that "bind us together and give us faith in our contract with one another." He went on to say that he has spent his life and career "measuring the distance between that American promise and American reality" and that Obama will "restore" that promise and how we can all rebuild the "house that is truer and big enough to contain the hopes and dreams of all of our fellow citizens."

And so, tomorrow we can finally act and with one voice say, "Yes We Can."

Socially Speaking

The cries of "socialism" and "wealth spreader" from the McCain-Palin campaign that have been reigning down on Senator Obama and that are being hooted and booed by the throngs at Republican rallies the past few days are, extrememly ironic on the one hand and deeply dishonest and hypocritical on the other. On two levels there are problems with this latest turn in the campaign saga. One: Obama's tax plans, which are being called "socialistic" are hardly that; and two: what exactly is wrong with a little socialism anyway? Unfortunately and expectedly, these words are being devoured by the throngs that shout and holler at McCain rallies and by gullible people who look no further than any talking point or the latest diversionary tactic.

What McCain and Palin are not stating to their adoring minions, for one thing, are their own "socialistic" behaviors and comments over their time in public life. Back in 2000, McCain said that "when you reach a certain level of comfort, there’s nothing wrong with paying somewhat more"; but that was McCain v.2000 and the McCain who at one point opposed the Bush tax cuts, not McCain v.2008. In an interview this summer with The New Yorker's Philip Gourevitch (conducted weeks before she was picked to be the VP candidate) Palin explained that Alaska is "set up, unlike other states in the union, where it’s collectively Alaskans own the resources. So we share in the wealth when the development of these resources occurs." Alaska's collective ownership of resources which are then given back to the state's citizens in the form of dividend checks have lead to it being "sometimes described as America's socialist state", according to Gourevitch. Food (or oil) for thought, eh?

Additionally, would Senator McCain be in favor of dismantling America's progressive and graduated income tax? I think not. As Hendrik Hertzberg writes this week, "the federal income tax is (downwardly) redistributive as a matter of principle: however slightly, it softens the inequalities that are inevitable in a market economy, and it reflects the belief that the wealthy have a proportionately greater stake in the material aspects of the social order and, therefore, should give that order proportionately more material support." How about dismantling (entirely) Social Security, Medicare, unemployment insurance and a myriad of other programs that many Americans rely on for everyday life? Again, I think not.

Of course, that is the hidden truth beyond the right's rhetoric: most aspects of what they would call "socialism", are not a bad thing. In fact, caring and supporting for all for the public good and securing a social compact--isn't that what a compassionate and forward looking society should be doing? I'd love to ask the sneering and booing rabble at some of those rallies if they would support the dismantling of the programs just mentioned above; and even more so: how many of them or their family members have benefited from these "socialistic" programs? Once again, the right wing has found a word that simplifies, labels and distorts (communist! socialist!) and tries to turn an honorable candidate and his positions into plans that they say will be the very means to the end of America as we know it. Again, with hope, we can only try and be optimistic that reality and seriousness will prevail next week and not the empty cries of "-isms" and deceitful, vague and distorted talking points.

Hard Candy

Yesterday the team of McSame and....uh, McCain and Palin stumped in Hershey, PA. Land of the Hershey Kiss, and other delectable delights. Unfortunately, there was nothing sugary and delicious in their rhetoric; only the same stale and past the sell-by date words of attack, division, diversion and distortion. He criticized Senator Obama for having the audacity, the audacity to run a commercial that may delay the World Series tonight with the words "no one will delay the World Series game with an infomercial when I’m president!’’ We are so relieved Mr. McCain. Because of course, a game is SO much more important than the finacial crisis, war, climate change, innovation and well, just about anything! Almost un-American wouldn't you say? Ah, but that is the rub isn't it? The not-so hidden ugly truth behind McCain's desperate and apalling campaign as it snakes its way to conclusion. Palin, hot off the trail from the "pro-America" parts of the country and from criticizing money spent on the research of fruit flies, ignoring the salient and intelligent points that this very research helps scientists determine information on genetics, heredity and congenital disorders, attacked the "wealth-spreader" in her oh, so mavericky and brainlessly charming way. We still don't know what will happen in one week: take nothing for granted and fight for every vote that will hopefully lead to a Democratic victory, but we do know that the bitter and stale taste of McCain's campaign will linger for a long time.

Equality?

A new study from the OECD entitled Growing Unequal? reports on growing income inequality in all OECD countries over the course of the 21st century. This is not good news overall, and for us even worse news: the United States is behind only Mexico and Turkey for overall income inquality and poverty levels in OECD countries. "Since 2000, income inequality has increased rapidly" in the United States according to the study, as well as an increase in poverty among the elderly, a low social mobility in relation to other countries and very low expenditures on social benefits. As Bill Moyers said when commenting on this study, "now there's some real spreading around of the wealth - in one direction: up." For a PDF document for the United States "Country Note" of the report, click here.

Seriously

In a column over the weekend Paul Krugman stated that with the current economic crisis "Americans have rediscovered the virtue of seriousness" to the detriment of McCain's "deeply unserious" campaign. Certainly McCain's focus on the issues of triviality have been the mark of his campaign and underlined his desperation, and with this focus on the unserious comes the illumination that there is nothing there for him to run on. McCain's only hope is to keep bringing up issues that will tear Obama down, scare voters and further distract the electorate with issues that really don't affect their daily lives and muddle the issues of what should be important to them. Of course, the politics of distraction have worked before and we have to hope that this time they will not. As Krugman notes, "when the world seems to be falling apart, you don’t turn to a guy you’d like to have a beer with, you turn to someone who might actually know how to fix the situation." This is what "independent" voters should most remember when going to the polls next week. It seems here to be a good time to give kudos to Paul Krugman for his recent Nobel Prize in Economics. In these last eight years his thoughtful, insightful, brave and illuminating words from his columns, his book The Conscience of a Liberal and his blog have all been tonics for the world we have been living in. Congratulations, Paul.

More of McSame?

Interesting piece by Nicholas Kristof in today's New York Times about Somalia and Bush administration policy in regards to the intervention by Ethiopia in Somalia in recent years, an intervention that helped to create one of the world's "greatest humanitarian disaster(s)" today. One of those stories that is certainly not on many people's radars but one that should be watched carefully and that Kristof states relates directly to why a McCain administration could lead to "four more years of blindness to nuance in the Muslim world"; a result that would be "a tragedy for Americans and virtually everyone else."

Tax Relief by the Numbers, Obama Style

The Ownership Society?

As expected, right wingers are now trying to blame the latest financial mess (the mortgage aspect, at least) on poor people and government policy. Two recent pieces refute this meme entirely. According to the Boston Globe, "the subprime mortgages that have failed left and right are the antithesis of the carefully designed, well-supervised loans provided by tightly regulated banks" and are not the fault of government induced loans to poor people. Therefore, "the subsequent meltdown of the nation's entire financial system could not have happened without a huge - and entirely voluntary - inflow of money from Wall Street into a sketchy sector of the mortgage market." McClatchy reports that almost 85% of these loans during their height were made by private sector loaning institutions, and unregulated ones at that, of course. As the Globe concludes, "the current financial crisis grows out of loose regulation that gave big investors plenty of freedom to make foolish bets, and then force their losses upon the taxpayers." Such is the legacy of the "ownership society" that the Bushites loved to tout just a few short years ago. And important talking points to keep in mind when faced with the latest accusations from the right.

The Scrappy Fighter

So This article says McCain's got a new speech to fire up the masses and convince people (once again) that Obama's gonna raise taxes and yadda yadda yadda. Senator McCain, that's nothing new. You've been lying about the democrats raising taxes for months now.

Exactly who's counted you out?

Who's measuring drapes?

Is this one more indication of McCain's disconnection with reality or does he think people are going to be swayed by this redundant rhetoric?

Hopefully, McCain didn't rile up the masses so much that they've shifted into mob mentality. Because if that's the case, he's lost them and this country's going to be a dangerous place to live in if you don't agree with them.

Forget about God bless America, how about God save America?


Ed

McCainomics, Part 3

There are, of course, a myriad of issues that citizens should take into account when making their choice for president this year. One of the issues, however, that many people have at the forefront of their decision making process is that of taxes. The Republicans have always been good at misrepresenting whichever Democrat is running as a "tax increaser". One wonders if the crowds of middle Americans screaming and hollering their approval for McCain really know the numbers and the basic facts of the differences between McCain and Obama in terms of taxes. Well, here they are:

This chart published in the Washington Post from an analysis by the Tax Policy Center, says it all. As the New York Times also pointed out in an article this week about McCain's misleading statements about Obama's tax plan, "Under Mr. Obama’s tax proposal, those in the middle of the middle class — people earning $37,000 to $66,000 a year — would receive a tax cut of more than $1,000 a year, more than three times what Mr. McCain is proposing in his tax platform." Need we be any more clearer than that? The vast majority of Americans will do better under Sen. Obama's tax plan. Period. Full stop.

Stunt Man

So, last week John McCain played stunt man. "Supending" his campaign and forgoing the debate so he could rush to DC to aid in the passage of a financial bailout plan. By many accounts a plan was almost settled upon before he arrived, then once he got there it was derailed again. And then he went to the debate anyway. And then the plan failed in the House. And then....well, you know the story. A shameless political stunt if there ever was one by the 'country first' candidate.

McCainomics, part 2

Paul Krugman points out this incredible statement from McCain, published in a current magazine, in relation to the issue of his health plan:

"Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation."

This in conjunction with the Wall Street/banking meltdown and his conflicting (by the hour) statements is just more proof of McCain's utter unreliability on the economy.

What about me what?

Sarah Palin commented on what a Palin/McCain administration will do in the White House. I'm sorry, who's running for president? Oops.

Which Rapids are you in? Don't get out of Alaska much, do ya?

Someone needs to tell them that Palin Power has been grossly overshadowed by silly things like the economy and as soon as she opens her mouth, there's a drop in confidence of her ability as VP and possibly (God forbid) president.

How about Trooper-Gate? First Dude (as he's been called) refuses to testify and it looks like the kabosh is almost complete on this.

What does it tell us?

That McCain and Palin are not above the usual Bush-like political games to stifle the truth from coming out. Welcome to Bush III.

John McCain, in an interview with an affiliate of Spain's Union Radio, when asked about meeting with the prime minister of Spain, said he'd be happy to meet with anyone in Latin America and the region. This is the article from US News & World Report.

Further, when the interviewer said, But what about Spain, I'm talking about the prime minister of Spain, John's response was "What about me what?"

Did you know Spain (a NATO ally) is an adversary of ours? According to the McCain campaign they are.

Uh-huh. This is a man that is completely confused about who's where and where's where and he's been banking on his foreign policy experience.

Can I get another uh-huh? Amen.

Hey John, no president can fire the, uh, FCC chairman.

What does it say when Chuck Hagel, Republican from Nebraska, comments on Palin's lack of experience?

We want these people running the country?

Nope.

This is just too much to believe. You can't make this stuff up. Luckily we have Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann to help us sort it all out.

I wonder what other countries' residents think of us now?


Ed

Walter Monegan was fired because...

A. He wouldn't fired Sarah's brother in law.

B. He tried getting federal funds to fight against rape in Alaska, the number one state in the country for rape.

C. He was insubordinate regarding budget issues.

The answer is...

B. Yes, today, Sarah admitted that she fired Monegan because he wanted federal funds to fight rape. You read that right. No, you're not on The Onion's website, nor is this The Daily Show website. This is not a joke.

This is the article from The Muckraker discussing what went on.

Sarah Palin (she of the female gender who believed because she was now on McCain's ticket all the Hillary followers would turn to McCain) charged rape victims for rape kits. Got that? A woman gets raped in Alaska and she must pay to get tested for DNA. Charge the victim? Isn't there something VERY wrong with that?

Do we really want her a "heartbeat" away from the presidency?

Nope. Not me. Not now. Not ever.


Ed

McCainomics, part 1

Lipstick and pigs aside, the real issues of this election need to be brought to the forefront of the discussion--and to the public's mind. Foreign policy, national security, energy independence, climate change and a myriad of serious issues facing the country all come to mind. And of course, health care and tax policy. As proven over the last couple of weeks the McCain campaign cannot win on the issues and is running on the politics of distraction. What should be important to all Americans are the radical changes that a McCain-Palin administration would bring to the country. Bob Herbert, in today's New York Times addresses the issue of McCain's tax policy and how it would effect, quite disastrously, millions of Americans who have employer based coverage. In short, his proposals would consider these health plans as income and tax employees who have them. This from a man who believes that capital gains taxes should be lowered and those who gain that kind of unearned income should, in effect, pay less than those with earned income (ie. from actual work). Of course, this is all part of a plan to move Americans from employer based health care to the private marketplace which, according to the authors of the study that Herbert cites in his piece would, "tend to raise costs, reduce the generosity of benefits, and leave people with fewer consumer protections."

The simple sound bite of this should be that McCain is going to raise taxes. And of course, the underlying reason for this is his proposed movement to marketplace insurance and a radical change in the insurance system. Certainly, this is change we DON'T need from 'mavericks' who subscribe to the traditional Republican right-wing ideology.

News Flash: McCain is running for president

Contrary to popular entertainment and culture, it is John McCain, not Sarah Palin, running for president. John, who turned 72 this year, may be concerned about his health and therefore found a VP who is farther right than he is to carry on the Bush legacy should anything happen to him.

The truth seems to be that in this entertainment society we live in, the plights of a hockey mom turned politician captures more of our attention than the economy, Iraq, healthcare...you know, the issues that really affect us that the two candiates should be talking about.

Ed

White Privilege (Republican Style)

Just in case you're wondering what white entitlement is, as applied to Republicans it's this:

http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/contributors/1755

Ed

Truthiness, part 1

The Nation has put together this video delineating some of the McCain campaign's most egregious advertising lies. (This post is part 1 of probably many because the concept of truth is one that is certainly not respected by the McCain campaign at all this year).

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080929/adlies_video

Know the Facts

www.factcheck.org

Just a friendly reminder to always be informed.

Ed

The Palin Interview

I try to be unbiased. I don't try very hard, but I like to think I give people the benefit of the doubt. For the most part.

I watched the Gibson/Palin interviews and what struck me is that Sarah seemed to be repeating what she had been coached/prepped to say in response to questions without actually offering a single original thought. She never got mad because perhaps she was repeating what someone told her to say in answer to the questions and how could she get mad at that?. "If they bring up the bridge, just say that once congress pulled the plug you had to decide that it was time to let that project go."

Okay, if this wasn't the case, why did Gibson have to ask her three times about changing from the Bush economy and another three times on the bridge to nowhere? She had nothing to offer except Republican rhetoric. Her answers to the Bridge to Nowhere show that she doesn't even understand the question.

Offering up "I believe every woman should have the right to choose" and then saying she wants to create a "culture of life" suggests that she believes what's good for her is good for all. And explain how a culture of life includes guns. She is pro-gun/pro-NRA. I have an issue with being pro-gun (do guns kill or do people kill?) and wanting a culture of life.

Obviously, her stance on wildlife and the environment demonstrates that her culture of life only extends to humans and possibly, maybe to animals so long as they aren't in her way or on her dinner menu.

It might be apparent at this point that I will not be voting for the Republicans. If they ever stood for something I agreed with, I'd consider it. But under the circumstances of McCain wanting to continue four more years of Bush doctrine, there's no way I'm going to.

Have you gone to www.ontheissues.org? Go there and read up to see what ol' Johnny really wants.

Have a blessed day.

Ed

A Place to Celebrate

This morning, I took a moment to remember the events of September 11, 2001 and what those people in the planes and in the buildings must've experienced. I said a prayer for them all and prayed that one day soon we would all live in peace.

Until we end war we will never find peace.

Until the wounded egos of those with power are healed so that they find peace within themselves and can thus allow others to live as they choose, there will be war.

Until we stop recognizing the differences that divide us as "a colorful rag is unfurled" before recognizing the oneness we all share as part of the human race we will never find peace.

Now is the time to put aside our fears, our hatreds and reach out to one another and live in peace and live from love.

You may say I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only.


Until we meet again
Ed Straker

The Veil of Deception

It turns out, if you live close enough to another country (so close that you can even see it from some remote island), it qualifies you in the category of foreign policy.

Are we on a mission from God? Sarah Palin said yes, then she said no, then she said she doesn't presume to know what God's plan is, only that we're a part of it. What?

Wanna bridge to nowhere? Sarah's going around using the same speech she used at the RNC, saying she said thanks but no thanks to the bridge.

Well, she's right. She said thanks, we'll take the money and build the bridge, but after second thoughts and other issues, she said no thank you, but we'll keep the money.

Weren't the Republicans the "Family Values" party? Since when did marrying off your unwed pregnant 17-year-old daughter become part of American family values?

Could someone tell Sarah that the Pledge of Allegiance wasn't around for the Founding Fathers. She said if it's good enough for the Founding Fathers then it's good enough for her.

I'm not one to pick on gender, but if the self-proclaimed pitbull with lipstick, she nicknamed Sarah Barracuda, can't take the heat of the political ring, she should step out now. Anyone who plays the "Oh, she's just a sweet hockey mom that the media keeps picking on" card is a bit out of touch with reality. She is attempting to become the first woman vice president. That qualifies her to be placed under the scrutiny of the media and everyone else in this country trying to make an informed decision.

As far as being able to make an informed decision...

Barack says McCain's economic plan is like putting lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig.

So why are the Republicans asking Barack for an apology? Why are the Republicans calling Sarah a pig?

I know why. It's the usual political deception to get Barack (and the rest of us) off the issues because simply put, the Republicans have nothing to stand on. While McCain touted his 20 years of experience, the last 8 of those agreeing and supporting W., he's now claiming he and Sarah are the party of mavericks, bringing change to Washington.

Fascinating, Captain.

Until next time...

Ed Straker

Welcome!

"You can say anything you want to,
In your fetching cloak of anonymity"

Elvis Costello, 'No Hiding Place'

So here we are. The first post to Progressive Gumbo. Why are we adding our voices to the seemingly endless electronic ether? Well, because we can for one thing. And because we believe that good (or attempts at good) writing are balms for the mind and the soul. In this space music, books, film and politics will be discussed and hopefully our thoughts and musings will provide further insights on your part as well as nods of recognition and agreement, and perhaps a smile or two.

The above lines sung with a sneer and maybe a resigned smile by the iconic Elvis Costello from his great new album "Momofuku" say much about the new art of 'talking' on the Interweb and while not exactly our credo, they say much about our society's current conversational modes. However 'talking' and communicating are essential for the public forum and if done (we hope) correctly and dare we say, progressively, they can make for a better place to be. So, we hope our cloak is of many colors and of course, quite fetching. Enjoy.