Spot Cool Stuff: Media

Other People’s Love Letters: 150 Letters You Were Never Meant to See

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:38:41 +0000

“Oh, how I love thy. Let me count the ways . . .” This is NOT a book of those sorts of love letters. These are real love letters, the sorts that the general public was never meant to see. Some of the letters in this book are beautiful, eloquent and poetic. Some are very much not eloquent or poetic, yet it surprised us how much beauty there was on those also. Other People’s Love Letters, complied by Bill Shapiro, is the sort of book that will cause a single and lonely person to cry into his or her gin and tonic. For everyone else, it makes a lovely gift.

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Shaï No Shaï - Human Condition

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 10:42:22 +0000

Genre: World fusion

Best tracks: Empty House (#3), This Is My Life (#4), Big Storm (#12)

Wow! This album is a stunning musical achievement — except for track #5, Human Condition, which is so inexplicably horrible that we think it was included on the album and made the title track as the result of some sort of lost wager. With that one exception, all the tunes on this album are rich tapestry of global sounds. Lead singer Olga Helm (pictured above) is from France, but sings in English, sets her songs to Middle Eastern beats and makes heavy use of Celtic instruments. We didn’t like this album on the first listen mostly because we didn’t know what to make of it. Who in their right mind, we initially asked, puts bagpipes to Arabic riffs as Shai No Shai does in Big Storm? Countless listens later we still find our appreciation growing for this, one of our all-time favorite albums. Except for track #5.

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Cool YouTube: Amazing Violin

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 05:22:37 +0000

The violin has come a lot way since Torolli, Bach and Handel. This rendition of Owner of a Lonely Heart (by 70s rock band Yes) and Smooth Criminal (by Michael Jackson) is absolutely incredible. We are amazed that the musician can even see his violin through his hair.

The Book of General Ignorance

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 14:13:05 +0000

Eskimos only have 4, not 32, words for snow. Ostriches don’t bury their heads in the sand. At the time of Columbus almost no one believed the world was flat. There are words that rhyme with “orange.” And that story you may have heard about the horse and how Catherine The Great died . . . not so much. The Book of General Ignorance, by John Mitchinson, is a fascinating look at what you thought you knew. It is also useful for winning bar bets.

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The Bad Examples - Kisses 50 Cents

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:58:50 +0000

Genre: Pop / alternative

Best tracks: Every Poet Wants To Murder Shakespeare (#1), A Mindless Pop Song (#11)

We have to think that this band never made it big in part because they are a bad example of what to name a band. The tracks on this album, though, are fabulous. Fun harmonies and catchy rhythms combine on tunes that build from a base. The songs’ hooks pull you in from the first cords, the lyrics then keep you listening. Who would have thought that a tune called A Mindless Pop Song could make a profound and ironic statement on the state of modern music? Sadly, none of The Bad Examples’ other albums match the music genius of Kisses 50 Cents. Even more sadly, The Bad Examples don’t tour much anymore (though lead singer Ralph Covert does). Absolutely go and see The Bad Examples if they do play a gig near you — they put on quite the lively show.

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Cool YouTube: Surprise Wedding Dance

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:10:07 +0000

Now this is the sort of wedding we wish we were invited to! The twist half-way through this video inspired several other newlyweds to post their own spiced-up first dances on YouTube. We still think this original one is the best.

New York Ska Jazz Ensemble - Live In Europe

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:49:54 +0000

Genre: jazz and ska fusion
Best tracks: More Whiskey (#4), Tilt-a-Whirl (#9)

If you are either a jazz or ska purist then give the New York Ska Jazz Ensemble a pass. If you like your music genre-bending (as Spot Cool Stuff does) then this is an alum for you. Background ska riffs frame jazzy trumpets and scorching piano solos to create a sound that’s more ska than jazz. Indeed, most of the ensemble members are from well known ska bands, including Rick Faulkner and Jonathan McCain (the Toasters), guitarist Devon James (the Skatalites) bassist Victor Rice and keyboardist Cary Brown (the Scofflaws).

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Cool YouTube: How Men And Women Shower (Separately)

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:47:04 +0000

This humorous skit about the differences between how men and women shower isn’t far from the reality it. And that what makes it funny.

Cool YouTube: PC Music

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:13:03 +0000

Macs are usually considered cooler but this video shows that PCs have some game as well. Here’s a song composed entirely of the default alerts, warnings and other sounds made by the Windows XP and Windows 98 operating systems:

24: Season One Special Edition DVD

Mon, 12 May 2008 15:04:39 +0000

The writer’s strike cut short the second season of the blockbuster TV show, 24. But you can squeeze more out of the first season with the special edition DVD set. These DVDs include 5 extended episodes, 25 deleted scenes and, our favorite, an alternate season finale ending! For die hard fans there’s also a documentary on the making of 24.

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