Miles Runs The Voodoo Down

Registration for spring classes starts next week, and as I was perusing this Polcolonial Musicology course and other related tutorials, I came across the fascinating Dr Henkjan Honing.  Daniel Levitin mentions Honing’s research in his book, but Honing himself articulates the subject much better:

Watch this video.

I may try to sneak into a few lectures for Honing’s Music Cognition course next semester!

Another Way To Die

I’m a sucker for James Bond films.  And apparently the 22nd one, Quantum of Solace, which opened in Britain this weekend, did quite well at the box office (out-purchasing even the last Harry Potter in tickets sales).  Daniel Craig is a great Bond (and easy on the eyes), and I though Casino Royale really switched-up the Bond genre with some unexpected characterizations and murky plot moves.  However, I’m a little concerned about one review of the new film, which states:

But this is 007 without the established Bond cliches and stereotypes. Reviewers said the current Bond movie looked more like Bond-as-Bourne since it dropped Moneypenny, dropped Q, dropped the wit, dropped the gadgets, and dropped the line “The name is Bond, James Bond”.

WTF?  I know John Cleese wasn’t the most original replacement for Desmond Llewelyn, but how do we know Bond is Bond without Q (or ‘P’) and the cool fuckin’ gadgets??  At least Judi Dench is still kicking ass in it.

Regardless, below is the music video for ‘Another Way To Die’ with Jack White and Alicia Keys. It’s definitely within the range of most White Stripes songs, but instead of Meg banging around like a child, we have Alicia Keys looking fabulous, but showing some restraint with those pipes).

In a world where Dame Shirley Bassey isn’t the soundtrack to sex and guns anymore, I still think Shirley Manson and Garbage take the cake for best bond music and video.  The red dress Mason wears oozing over the world/bomb is just stunning.