Jeff "Jmunney" Malone's Self-Styled "Expert" Thoughts on Movies, TV, Music, and the Rest of Pop Culture
January 20, 2021
Best of 2020, Best of Music 2020, Music Ariana Grande, Best of 2020, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Dua Lipa, Elvis Costello, Fiona Apple, Haim, Hayley Williams, Miley Cyrus, Neil Young, Paul McCartney, Pearl Jam, Run the Jewels, Tame Impala, U.S. Girls Leave a comment
I didn’t listen to every new album that was released in 2020 – DON’T LET ANYONE TELL YOU OTHERWISE! But I did listen to a few dozen; some were rockin’, some were poppin’, some were hippity-hoppin’, and a few even had some jazzy freakouts. Here are the 15 that most satisfied my ears and my tapping toes:
December 18, 2020
Cinema, Entertainment To-Do List, Music, Television Alex Trebek, American Dad!, Ariana Grande, Chadwick Boseman, Evermore, I Love You Daddy, Jeopardy!, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, McCartney III, Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift, Viola Davis Leave a comment
Every week, I list all the upcoming (or recently released) movies, TV shows, albums, podcasts, etc. that I believe are worth checking out.
Movies
–Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (December 18 on Netflix) – Viola Davis plays the title role alongside Chadwick in his final role.
TV
–American Dad! Holiday Episode (December 21 on TBS)
–Jeopardy!: “Around the World with Alex” (December 21-January 1, check local listings) – 2 weeks of classic episodes of Alex presenting clues from across the globe.
Music
-Paul McCartney, McCartney III – Macca making more music.
-Taylor Swift, Evermore – This came out last week. Taylor keeps sneaking up on us with surprise releases.
Music Documentary
–Excuse Me, I Love You (December 21 on Netflix) – Ariana Grande in concert, hurray!
February 15, 2019
Best of 2018, Best of Music 2018, Music All the Stars, Ariana Grande, Back Down, Beck, Bob Moses, Boo'd Up, Childish Gambino, Colors, Come on to Me, Dennis Lloyd, Ella Mai, Elle King, God is a Woman, Good Morning, I Feel Like I'm Drowning, Janelle Monáe, Kendrick Lamar, Love It If We Made It, Make Me Feel, Max Frost, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Nevermind, No Place, No Tears Left to Cry, Paul McCartney, Portugal. The Man, Pynk, Rüfüs Du Sol, Shame, SZA, The 1975, This Is America, Tidal Wave, Two Feet, Tyler the Creator, U.S. Girls, Velvet 4 Sale, You Worry Me, You're a Mean One Leave a comment
CREDIT: Ariana Grande/YouTube
These were the singles released in 2018 or that first became hits in 2018 that had the strongest impacts on me.
1. Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left to Cry” – Has any other singer besides Ariana Grande ever endured so many personal struggles so publicly and on such a massive scale? She still had a lot of heartbreak left to come after releasing “No Tears Left to Cry,” but luckily she was already equipped with and had gifted the world with a timeless anthem for how to insist on finding the joy amidst all life’s turmoil.
2. Dennis Lloyd – “Nevermind” – The ultimate kind of elastic groove to which you can chill out or dance ’til you drop.
3. Ella Mai – “Boo’d Up” – Ella Mai captured the language of infatuation in 2018, but the feelings are eternal.
4. Ariana Grande – “God is a Woman” – Oh, trust me, I believe. I was certain once I heard that first sexy guitar strum.
5. U.S. Girls – “Velvet 4 Sale” – This is the sort of rock music that makes me happy to currently be an adult human.
6. Beck – “Colors” – Is Beck the greatest dance artist of his era? “Colors” makes a strong case.
7. Janelle Monáe – “Pynk” – If we all had our own personal “Pynk” to announce to everyone who we are, the world would be a much better place.
8. Rüfüs Du Sol – “No Place” – I imagine that this is what it will sound like when I drift off this mortal coil.
9. Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – The musical equivalent of getting shot in the head and living to tell the tale.
10. Portugal. The Man – “Tidal Wave” – The force of extreme weather, but going down smooth and easy.
11. Janelle Monáe – “Make Me Feel” – Feeling good should sometimes feel like there’s a worm dancing in your brain.
12. Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats – “You Worry Me” – It’s good to know that some musicians are out here to make sure we’re safe and sound.
13. Elle King – “Shame” – It’s healthy to exorcise the lowdown dirtiest impulses of your humanity through song.
14. Paul McCartney – “Come on to Me” – I know I’d also like to remain this punny and lusty into my seventies.
15. Bob Moses – “Back Down” – An ideal soundtrack for making an unstable night feel just a little bit more stable.
16. Kendrick Lamar and SZA – “All the Stars” – The kind of song that assures you that all the spirits of your community are with you.
17. Max Frost – “Good Morning” – I’m happy to admit when I wake up in a day-conquering mood, and Max Frost has packaged that feeling.
18. Tyler, the Creator – “You’re a Mean One” – Maybe all kids movie theme songs should be crafted by pansexual oddballs.
19. Two Feet – “I Feel Like I’m Drowning” – When the sound cuts out right before the chorus, and then the guitar chimes in so nastily, I feel like I’m drowning, into the Sunken Place or something … and I like it.
20. The 1975 – “Love It If We Made It” – The desire to make it all the way through together really does often sound this urgent, doesn’t it?
December 16, 2012
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television Martin Short, Paul McCartney, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Season 38, SNL, SNL Season 38 Leave a comment
I asked for an end to genocide.
Cold Opening – The New York Children’s Chorus performs “Silent Night”
At first, I assumed this performance was in response to the Connecticut shooting. Then I figured it was just be the kids singing. But as it turns out, it probably was in response to Connecticut. Anyway, they sounded good.
Martin Short’s Monologue
What really made this monologue work was the timing of the revelation of the guest appearances: Oh, Kristen’s stopping back. And Jimmy’s here, too! And Tom Hanks! And Sam Jackson?! (Oh, but he’s too scary to kiss.) B+
December 13, 2010
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television Paul McCartney, Paul Rudd, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Season 36, SNL, SNL Season 36 1 Comment
A Message from the President of the United States
And is this what the world (or just the country) has come to? B
Paul Rudd’s Monologue
Good-natured, but too short. Jeez, let a premise develop, why don’t ya? B
Feline Culinary Creations
I’ll allow it, since it didn’t last very long, but it didn’t do very much. C+
