R.I.P. APK

In the current economic climate no business is safe from bankruptcy (unless you are exceptionally poorly run bank or car maker). This trend is no different for busnesses that are my favorite bar in London, Ontario.  The Alex P. Keaton is closing it's doors this weekend. The Keaton was many things to many people.  It was named with just the right mix of irony and obscurity.

It was the first place I ate sweet potato fries and now they seem to be everywhere.  I also sawTokyo Police Club play there before I knew who they were.  It was such a small room that I was sure that the bassist was going to smack someone in the head with his instrument.  

It was also probably the first place I got drunk that had actual art on the wall.  That artwork included a portrait that still kinda creeps me out (pictured).

I think there is a bit of irony in the fact that as we see the results of Free Market gone wild we bid farewell to a bar named after was America's favorite prime timeReaganomist between 1982-1989.

In the end there will probably be very few tears shed for the Keaton because it is just a bar and a new one will open there shortly...and you can always just go down the street to The Runt Club, which is less pretentious, there is always room on the patio and the popcorn is free!

Favorite Albums of '08

I try to listen to all the new stuff and this list includes my favorite albums I have listened to all year.  There are albums out there that I enjoyed but I do not actually have the whole album so they have been relegated to the Honorable Mention list (Lykke Li , Why?, MGMT and Woodhands,).  I was also letdown by some heavy hitters (Tapes N' Tapes and Islands).  I have complied a playlist of my favorite song from each of the albums and it should be available somewhere on this page so can listen and read if you want.

10. The Constanitines: Kensington Heights

I never really understood The Cons until I saw them live. This album is full of slow burn tracks that they are totally gonna kill live!

9.  The Hold Steady: Stay Positive

A bit of a let down comapred to Boys and Girls of America but if you get the bonus track that I found on my torrent the whole thing turns into a killer album

8.  City and Colour: Bring Me Your Love

Someday EMO will be cool and this will be one of the best 

albums of that genre.  This might be the first decent emo-folk crossover album...but why would anyone care enough to prove me wrong.

7. Wolf Parade: At Mount Zoomer

I'm not sure if I ever gave this album enough time...perhaps over the next few months it will become amazing but for now it is just a decent follow up to "Apologies...".  I may have thought more about this band than any other band (except The Beatles) in the last 3 years so my expectations might be exceedingly high.  Also the album title and artwork really sucks.

6.  Hot Chip: Made In The Dark

Makes me want to dance in the dark!  Equal parts fast and slow dance music.

5. Los Campesinos: Hold on Now, Youngster.../We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed

This year this band matured in front of my ears.  They went from the joyousness of  a twee 21 year old to the jaded cynicism of a 22 year old!

4. She and Him: Volume 1

Zoey Dachenel (of Elf fame and sister of "Bones") conqured the indie music world with the help of M Ward.  A mix of classics and new classics made this album timeless (when I say timeless I mean it sounds exactly like it was made at a very specific time. So maybe this album is "timeful" but thats not a word).  I think my mom might even like it

3. Tokyo Police Club: Elephant Shell

This band delivered exactly what they promised on their "Lesson In Crime" EP.  This album is just full of catchy tunes...hard not to like.

2. Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend

This album was released in January but it is full of summer songs and survived a full year's worth of hype.  It might be an instant classic.  Again, Mom might like it too.

1. Thao & The Get Down Stay Down: We Brave Bee Stings And All

I already told you what I thought of this...don't make me repeat myself, the internet has only so much space.

TIME for a Change

When I was in third year university TIME magazine started showing up on our door step with a mysterious name on it.  After a few weeks they started to pile up, I gave in and started reading them.  I look back on this time in life as the time when I was most informed about the world at large (read: America, Iraq, Social Security and The Bush Doctrine and only these topics because that is all they focused on).  Recently I decided that I was out of touch and had to get back in the loop.  I ran back to the tried and true.  I am now 6 issues into my TIME Subscription (with my name on it) and have noticed some changes to the format.  They are using the same philosophy that drives O magazine.  Why put different things on the cover if you can just put the same person on week after week.  Barack Obama is on all 6 covers.

This fact has lead me to the conclusion that Barack Obama will probably be named TIME magazine's Person Of The Year.  I guess he is a worthy choice.  He has accomplished quite a bit in the last year and made a total of 13 covers of the 48 published this year.  With 8 issues left this year I am guessing that, your boy, Barack will be on atleast one more cover (but probably 3 more).  He will join a list that includes some of History's Greatest Monsters.  Some of the highlights from the list include:

Adolph Hitler (1938)

Joseph Stalin (1939 & 1942)

The Baby Boomers (1966)

Richard Nixon (1971 & 1972)

The Computer (1982)

The Endangered Earth (1988...what a scam that was...20 years later and look at it now! Never been better)

Vladimir Putin (2007)

and

You! (2006)

Oh no.  All this talk of Person of the Year just reminded me that I have to do a best '08 list.  Its the most important job any blogger has.  I'm gonna have to start studying now.

In other news, I just watched Quantum of Solace.  If you see one Bond movie this year....Make it this one.  There was almost no dialogue and the story was weak...but man can Paul Hagis write a car chase!  Keep your eye out for the polite Canadian in the denouement.  Way to represent your homeland Paul.  There was that perfect mix of anti-corporation and pro-environment sentiment.  The sort of sentiment that lets you know it was made by a studio that is owned by a multi-national corporation and that the filming of this movie was done all over the world and required explosions and car chases that left a carbon foot print the size of a NASCAR season.