you talkin' to me?

Pop Life is in the midst of unpacking 100+ boxes (so we're juuuust a lil busy right now). Some quick notes though:

As per S/FJ's suggestion, I'm including some of the photos out of my collection.

Two words: Iraqi football. This story is incredible (we just hope Bush doesn't try to take credit, though we're sure he probably will).

I'm officially not hating swimmer Michael Phelps anymore. Going into the Games, I thought his ambitions to beat Mark Spitz was a mark of arrogance but over the last week, it just sort of made sense: he's that good, so why not? So far, he's proven himself more than capable and clearly has emerged as the most capable swimmer of his generation. Moreover, by giving up his place on the 400m medley relay to teammate Ian Crocker, Phelps proved himself to be a total class act which is unlike what one might say about Gary Hall, Jr., who has no qualms about strutting around like a gaudy peacock and talking smack all the time. Dude is a fast swimmer but jesus, what an ass.

Carly is no Mary Lou. She's not even Kerri. I'm just saying. Give her four years and maybe she'll mature a personality.

I doubt I'm the first who may have noticed this, but Hua passed this on: a review by Ron Wynn in the Nashville City Paper. See if you can astutely spot the problem:

The late Weldon Irvine was a magnificent organist and pianist, and a
musician who never made any distinction between "high" and "low" art.
He could play the most outside jazz conceivable, then come right back
with a soul or funk number and excel at both. Irvine could lay down a
monstrous groove, ease into a collectively improvised section and
deliver his own fiery solo, smoothly accompany a vocalist or merge
into the arrangement with any type of combo from hard bop to Latin.
Sadly, Irvine died in 2002, but his contributions and memory are
celebrated on the new release A Tribute To Brother Weldon (Stones
Throw) featuring Monk Hughes & The Outer Realm, a tight quartet led
by master bassist Monk Hughes. While Joe McDuphrey handles the tough task of supplying inventive, tasty keyboard solos on a variety of
electric instruments, ably backed by organist Morgan Adams III and
drummer Otis Jackson, the group does both moving tribute pieces and
hot funk numbers. "A Piece For Brother Weldon," "Still Young, Gifted
& Black" and "Irvine's Vine" are among the most moving pieces, while
the group cuts loose with verve and spirit on "Liberated," "Keys" and
"Master Wel's Tune" among others. This is another Madlib production,
but he's more in a supportive role than on his other dates that are
mainly remix sessions. This time, Hughes and his crew prove to be the
session's dominant stars.

While you have to appreciate the ways in which Madlib has created a zillion alter egos for himself, it's another issue entirely when a music critic confuses the fake Madlibs (aka Monk Hughes, Morgan Adams III, Otis Jackson, etc.) for the real one. Those last two lines are unintentionally hilarious: "Madlib is in a supportive role." Paging Wynn: dude, Madlib is the ONLY role up in that mug. A rapper/producer by any other name may still rock as hard but when they're the same person, a good music critic should be up on the joke. At least Wynn was saying this in praise of the "group," but once again - if you're going to write about music: Do Your Homework.

Not to say I haven't had my share of screw-ups. Most recently, in my review of The Roots' Tipping Point for the Village Voice, I said that the group covered the song "Melting Pot" by reggae artist Boris Gardiner...mostly because I'm familiar with Gardiner's uber-funky version of the song but what I forgot is that "Melting Pot" is a Booker T and the MGs song. Duh on me.