Good.

In my estimation "Hit Me Baby..." and "Oops..." aren't even Britney's best singles, such was her strength for a while. Happy birthday. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2017/02/25/m...

Country makes Hot 100 inroads while R.E.M. tumble hard after several years of success, despite one of their best latter-day singles. wp.me/pzXeC-kJe

Country makes Hot 100 inroads while R.E.M. tumble hard after several years of success, despite one of their best latter-day singles. wp.me/pzXeC-kJe

Satan only appears at the end of "The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton," but it's a memorable appearance.

Every year on World AIDS Day I commemorate my uncle, a man I barely knew who died in 1995. He haunts my memory because I can't say he was a great, good, or OK man -- he barely existed. In those days we tended to x-out AIDS victims. But his life shadows -- shades -- mine. wp.me/pzXeC-kJ3

Thanks. My hope is that, especially while living in South Florida, I never have to share it again.

Every year on World AIDS Day I commemorate my uncle, a man I barely knew who died in 1995. He haunts my memory because I can't say he was a great, good, or OK man -- he barely existed. In those days we tended to x-out AIDS victims. But his life shadows -- shades -- mine. wp.me/pzXeC-kJ3

“Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.” Milton didn't know about air conditioning. Anyway, I like these tunes about Satan. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2021/12/01/s...

I love this photo. Imagine the horror knowing 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough" wasn't #1 for months. wp.me/pzXeC-kJ1

I love this photo. Imagine the horror knowing 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough" wasn't #1 for months. wp.me/pzXeC-kJ1

I admired Hamnet, a more lived-in experience than the novel. Chloé Zhao and cameraman Łukasz Żal summon the spirits of air and earth — I could smell the mud and rosemary. Yet the copiousness of the tear-letting starts to look like tear-jerking. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2025/11/30/t...

I admired Hamnet, a more lived-in experience than the novel. Chloé Zhao and cameraman Łukasz Żal summon the spirits of air and earth — I could smell the mud and rosemary. Yet the copiousness of the tear-letting starts to look like tear-jerking. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2025/11/30/t...

Enjoying about as good a year as any actor, Josh O'Connell gives his best performance of 2025 by doing little "acting" in THE MASTERMIND, another of Kelly Reichardt's subdued exposition-hostile dramas. My review. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2025/11/28/t...

1. Depeche Mode – Enjoy the Silence 2. Kate Bush – Love and Anger 3. The Cure – High 4. Electronic – Get the Message 5. Hole – Celebrity Skin 💥💥💥💥💥

That's right.

Things get grim after the late '90s, so it's no surprise that my list of the best songs to hit #1 on the American modern rock tracks chart appear less frequently as the millennium approaches. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2024/06/16/t...

Here's a fascinating polyglot of a chart: Tears For Fears and Madonna, Maxwell and Roxette. Michael Bolton and Anita Baker. wp.me/pzXeC-kIJ

Here's a fascinating polyglot of a chart: Tears For Fears and Madonna, Maxwell and Roxette. Michael Bolton and Anita Baker. wp.me/pzXeC-kIJ

At times Randy Newman's vocals were too fructose-y for my taste. Here are the covers I prefer. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2020/01/08/t...

In South Florida "autumn" means "less humidity." All this nonsense about changing leaves is as mythological to me as the Kraken. Anyway, some good songs about the season. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2023/10/07/i...

Although he would match and surpass "Starman," David Bowie had written a song as stirring as a quiet bedsit ballad, at once aimed at you and of general interest. It still sounds fucking great. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2025/11/29/r...

Although he would match and surpass "Starman," David Bowie had written a song as stirring as a quiet bedsit ballad, at once aimed at you and of general interest. It still sounds fucking great. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2025/11/29/r...

I loved Kelly Reichardt's THE MASTERMIND, another one of her films thst forgoes exposition for the sake of observation. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2025/11/28/t...

I loved Kelly Reichardt's THE MASTERMIND, another one of her films thst forgoes exposition for the sake of observation. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2025/11/28/t...

At times Randy Newman's vocals were too fructose-y for my taste. Here are the covers I prefer. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2020/01/08/t...

I hope you can watch more than one film this weekend, and I hope one of them is SENTIMENTAL VALUE. My review. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2025/11/24/r...

I often don't hear the "irony" in Randy Newman's work -- unless like in Pet Shop Boys' work the reveling in a shallow sensibility is at odds w/our expectations. Happy birthday. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2019/01/03/r...

I often don't hear the "irony" in Randy Newman's work -- unless like in Pet Shop Boys' work the reveling in a shallow sensibility is at odds w/our expectations. Happy birthday. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2019/01/03/r...

A great review which makes everything from "Sound, Solid" upwards sound irresistible, but I only dimly know one or two tracks... so I had to make a playlist (with props given in the details box). Can't wait to listen and discover em all for myself! Thanks Alfred. open.spotify.com/playlist/7rR...

"Jump Into the Fire" is one of the few tracks conveying what it's like to BE on coke, for which we owe GOODFELLAS a debt. The Staple Singers, Frederick Knight, and Cher offer comedowns. I guess The Souther, Hillman, Furay Band is a payola thing? humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2025/11/28/r...

Reminded of a great song

"Jump Into the Fire" is one of the few tracks conveying what it's like to BE on coke, for which we owe GOODFELLAS a debt. The Staple Singers, Frederick Knight, and Cher offer comedowns. I guess The Souther, Hillman, Furay Band is a payola thing? humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2025/11/28/r...

Thanksgiving films are in surrprisingly short supply, but I tried. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2025/11/27/m...

Thanksgiving films are in surrprisingly short supply, but I tried. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2025/11/27/m...

I've listened to Taylor Dayne's 'Don't Rush Me' more often in the last 48 hours than is healthy.

I admire Jimi Hendrix without loving him, but I can't detract from his achievements. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2018/07/13/t...

I admire Jimi Hendrix without loving him, but I can't detract from his achievements. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2018/07/13/t...

Thank you all. My thank you playlist. wp.me/pzXeC-kIi

Thank you all. My thank you playlist. wp.me/pzXeC-kIi

"Losing your job isn't the problem -- it's how you deal with it," says a character in Park Chan-wook's NO OTHER CHOICE. Boy, does he in this murderous little comedy. My review. wp.me/pzXeC-kHW

"Losing your job isn't the problem -- it's how you deal with it," says a character in Park Chan-wook's NO OTHER CHOICE. Boy, does he in this murderous little comedy. My review. wp.me/pzXeC-kHW

I’ve always had a soft spot for this

I could triple this list with songs about dysfunctional families but it's a couple days before Black Friday and the consumerism's got me glum enough. wp.me/pzXeC-kI6

Tina Turner cared less about R&B than about gutbucket rock, though she ranged wildly across genres. She would've celebrated a birthday. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2019/05/30/r...

Paul Mescal deserved to win Best Actor in 2022 for his hair alone. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2025/11/25/m...

Tina Turner cared less about R&B than about gutbucket rock, though she ranged wildly across genres. She would've celebrated a birthday. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2019/05/30/r...

Consider what came afterwards and how well "Tim McGraw" holds up as example of Taylor Swift's songwriting power -- and her shrewdness. For her first crossover hit, she's already setting up an anxiety of influence who needs overcoming. wp.me/pzXeC-kHT

Consider what came afterwards and how well "Tim McGraw" holds up as example of Taylor Swift's songwriting power -- and her shrewdness. For her first crossover hit, she's already setting up an anxiety of influence who needs overcoming. wp.me/pzXeC-kHT

In which I dissect the 2022 Best Actor race: the worst winner in this category in years vs the most deserving nominee in years. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2025/11/25/m...