Nerdworld Soundtrack: Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro"

It's what I have playing right now, and it's fantastic, no?  Before you start thinking that I'm all fancy and sophisticated and cultured and whatever, let me tell you that I had completely forgotten about this piece until I heard it in Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation that I was watching earlier (excellent flick, by the way, and how The Marriage of Figaro shows up in it is absolutely in keeping with my irreverent sense of humor!).

Comfort Viewing: "The Karate Kid, Part Two" (1986)

Had enough of the never-ending drumbeat of negativity, identity politics, and divisive rhetoric from all fronts?  Let me recommend one of my favorite movies, now celebrating its 30th anniversary (!).  I assume that you - as properly educated humans - have already seen 1984's original The Karate Kid, yes?  Of course you have.

There is a lot of good stuff in the sequel that it manages to engage without being prissy or preachy - eternally resonant themes like honor, justice, standing up for yourself, respect, mercy, love, friendship, family (both of blood and of choice), forgiveness, and reconciliation across divides of age, race, culture, geography, and time - and I'll leave it to you to enjoy the story, along with a gloriously bombastic, cheesy soundtrack. Hey, it's the 80s! It's OK!

 

By the way, don't bother with the rebooted Karate Kid from 2010.  Look, I love Jackie Chan as much as anybody, but there's only one Mr. Miyagi, and he is the late, great Pat Morita.  Go rewatch the original Karate Kid.

Monday Therapy: Take a Chance

Lawd, another Monday.  Here's a little Shakira to help get you ready to face another work week.   The song is featured in the animated movie Zootopia, so that's why the Colombian songbird appears as a gazelle with hips that don't lie.


By the way, Zootopia is probably the best movie I've seen this entire disappointing year of films.  No, really!  I'll try to write a full review, but it's an A+ movie.  It's also now on DVD, so hop to it!

Dave Grohl Turns Awesomeness Up to Eleven

I've posted about Foo Fighters' and Dave Grohl's awesomeness before, but this is of an entirely different magnitude. 

Come on, just look at the headline:"'I think I just broke my leg': Dave Grohl finishes show after Sweden stage plunge: Foo Fighters frontman returns to the stage in Gothenburg after treatment, completing the set with his bandaged leg propped up in front of him."  

Grohl is now an even bigger rock god whose badassery is clear to all.

Apparently he then told his worried fans, "I may not be able to walk or run but I can still play guitar and scream."

Here's a song in his honor:

Nerd Journal: Music for an Allnighter

Spring exam season is upon us!  We all know - with a sick sense of familiarity - that we'll be up at all hours for the next two weeks, so let's at least have some fun tunes:

Monday Therapy: For All of You/Us No Hopers, Jokers, and Rogues

From a little fishing village on the coast of Cornwall, England, comes this group of Cornishmen who made their mark singing sea shanties:

Music Hath Charms: Vivaldi's "La Primavera" (Spring)

The calendar tells me that spring arrived on the 20th, even though the weather is still chilly.  Ah, well.  Let's have some Vivaldi, shall we?

Free Music From U2? YES, PLEASE

Rejoice, music lovers!

Public Service Announcement: The "Guardians of the Galaxy" Soundtrack Is Available

AND IT IS FREAKING AWESOME.  

Come on, it begins with "Hooked On A Feeling" and ends with "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."  Peter Quill wasn't kidding around when he called the collection "Awesome Mix, Vol. 1."

I'm using Spotify.  You can find it via other services too.

As for the Guardians movie, I've been looking forward to this for months.  It opens tonight, so I will be pretty much useless until then.

Tax Day 2014

This is how I always imagine the IRS and the bloated government as they cast a lustful eye on the populace's paychecks!

Or perhaps this?

 

Nerdworld Soundtrack: Valentine Schmalentine!

Monday Therapy: Halestorm Covers Daft Punk

One Last Day of Sea and Sand

Summer's almost done, but this is a good warm weekend, so let's enjoy it with a hilariously tongue-in-cheek music video of a fantastic song:

A Song for Tax Day

My Crushing Depression Is Now Complete

First the election debacle, now this?  Ryan robbed again.  

My/his/our theme song should be Bob Seger's "Beautiful Loser."

Nerdworld Soundtrack: "Non Nobis, Domine"

Here's something beautiful for your Sunday listening pleasure.  The hymn dates back to the 16th century at least, and this version was part of the soundtrack for Sir Kenneth Branagh's glorious 1989 film production of Shakespeare's Henry V.  Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast, after all, and we could all use a break from the usual nonstop political madness.  (And it is "savage breast," not "savage beast."  Look it up in the original William Congreve play The Mourning Bride of 1697 if you don't believe me!)

 

Nerd Journal: Off to See the Fam!

I probably won't be posting much for the next week or so.  I'm off to see the family, yay!  The Minerva Mob and I intend on eating until we explode.  Soundtrack goodness after the fold:

Nerdworld Soundtrack: Back to the 70s

I'll never get tired of watching the 2000 high school football flick Remember the Titans.  I'll review it properly for you sometime (short version: Denzel - nuff said), but for tonight I'll just say that I have it on while I'm working because it has a fabulous soundtrack.  The flick is set in 1971, and it chooses its music accordingly.  Right now the Hollies are singing "Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress)."  Man, people had awesome music before I was alive!  And now that I'm here I get ... Justin Bieber.

Nerdpocalypse Now!

TOTALLY SWAMPED AT SCHOOL. I hope I'll be back once this crazy week is over!  Here's a fitting song: "But we're never gonna survive until we are a little crazy ... !"

Nerdworld Soundtrack: Grammy-Winning Adele

Enjoy if you haven't already.  The girl is splendid: