Review: Bob Dylan’s Christmas Album

On October 13th, Bob Dylan released an album of Christmas standards entitled Christmas in the Heart. The reaction from critics, and much of the public, has been: Is this some kind of joke?

“Hearing Bob hack out the words ‘With angelic host proclaim/Christ is born in Bethlehem’ reminds one of grandpa clearing his throat after finishing a glass of eggnog,” wrote Joseph Brannigan Lynch at Entertainment Weekly.  It’s no joke, writes Andrew Ferguson in The Weekly Standard; it’s worse than that – Christmas in the Heart is a deliberate “affront, a taunt,” to fans and downright “embarrassing.”

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So, is it really that bad?  Not really.  Dylan’s work tends to inspire either over-praise or over-criticism, and this album is no exception (though receiving far more of the latter).

My reaction upon hearing the record lurch to life with “Here Comes Santa Claus ” in my ear buds was first to laugh; whether a joke or not, this shit is funny. Mostly because Dylan sounds so uncharacteristically jovial and (yes, I’ll say it) jolly, even.  My second reaction was relief – it’s nice to hear that from Dylan for a change. (more…)

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Tags: Bob Dylan, Christmas in the Heart, Entertainment Weekly, Little Drummer Boy, The Weekly Standard
Posted Nov 23rd 2009 at 10:20 am in Music | 26484657 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/mpatterson/2009/11/23/review-bob-dylans-christmas-album/Review%3A+Bob+Dylan%27s+Christmas+Album2009-11-23+18%3A20%3A13Matt+Patterson

Prime-time Threesome: ‘Gossip Girl’ Hits New Low?

The CW program “Gossip Girl” has often found itself in the glare of the political spotlight. It has often relished that position and used it to garner more attention from conservative critics and groups that are opposed to the salacious content of the program. With that in mind, the show, now in its third season, has once again grabbed the spotlight with a recent sexual threesome featuring three young adults on the program.

If you are not familiar with the show that was famously once called “every parent’s nightmare,” it revolves around a group of elitist and predominantly rich young people in New York City who often spend their time manipulating and betraying each other while being observed by an anonymous online author named “gossip girl.” The show is escapist fare for young people and adults who may envy the lives of the rich and outrageous. I have seen a couple of episodes of the program since its premiere several years ago. Although its ratings are not great, the program has shown a keen ability to grab a lot of attention and make headlines with some of its racier storylines. For instance, the media attention for the threesome episode came only a few short weeks after the show received a lot of attention for a kiss between two guys, one of whom is the show’s resident bad boy, Chuck Bass. (more…)

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Tags: CW, Entertainment Weekly, Gossip Girl, Hillary Duff, threesome
Posted Nov 11th 2009 at 11:27 am in Culture, Politics, Television | 261378119 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jhanlon/2009/11/11/primetime-threesome-did-gossip-girl-hit-a-new-low/Prime-time+Threesome%3A+%27Gossip+Girl%27+Hits+New+Low%3F2009-11-11+19%3A27%3A48John+P.+Hanlon

Obviously, Adam Lambert Isn’t Gay Enough

If you haven’t heard of Adam Lambert, you will soon.  He is the flamboyant rocker who recently came in second on “American Idol” in a stunning upset by boy-next-door Kris Allen.  Adam, the judges’ obvious favorite throughout the show, is a 27-year-old actor-singer who was struggling to make it in the music business until “Idol” came along.  A former cast-member of “Wicked,” Adam worked in various Broadway touring groups and avant garde shows in order to pay his rent.  But his real dream was to become a pop-rock star.

Adam has an amazing vocal range and a falsetto so rich in quality that it is imperceptibly different from his chest voice.  His incredible ability to control his vocals enables him to hold his high notes seemingly forever.  His versatility is unmatched in “Idol” history.  With the arguable exception of country music (his rendition of “Ring of Fire” received strong emotional reactions both pro and con, as it was more like Johnny Cash doing Goth music with Middle Eastern undertones), Adam excels in every genre of music.  He sings soulful ballads to pop to heavy metal and glam rock, all with ease, style, and pitch-perfect tone. (more…)

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Tags: "Outrage", Adam Lambert, Burning Man, Christianity, Danny Gokey
Posted Jun 3rd 2009 at 3:01 pm in Entertainment, Featured Story, News, Religion | 1512425 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/dweiss/2009/06/03/obviously-adam-lambert-isn%e2%80%99t-gay-enough/Obviously%2C+Adam+Lambert+Isn%E2%80%99t+Gay+Enough++2009-06-03+22%3A01%3A03Deborah+Weiss

Hey Tim Robbins – Still Feeling That Chill Wind?

Back in 2003, actor Tim Robbins gave a famous (infamous?) speech in front of the National Press Club in Washington DC regarding his right to express his negative views about the Iraq War:

“A chill wind is blowing in this nation. A message is being sent through the White House and its allies in talk radio and Clear Channel and Cooperstown. If you oppose this administration, there can and will be ramifications.”

Cry me a river. The irony that he gave his speech at the National Press Club and wasn’t tossed into a gulag afterward obviously didn’t dawn on him. That stage direction must not have been written into the script. (more…)

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Tags: 9/11, Barack Obama, Dixie Chicks, Entertainment Weekly, george w. bush
Posted Apr 17th 2009 at 7:54 am in Entertainment, Politics | 107002No Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/pmeister/2009/04/17/hey-time-robbins-is-that-chill-wind-still-blowing/Hey+Tim+Robbins+-+Still+Feeling+That+Chill+Wind%3F2009-04-17+14%3A54%3A00Pam+Meister

Web ‘Superbrain’ Predicts ‘House’ Plot Surprise

Last week’s episode of the Fox Network medical-mystery series House included a Big Event meant to shock the show’s viewers and send the story line in an interesting new direction, as one of the main characters of the series was killed. As it happens, the show’s fans figured out exactly who it would be, several days in advance of the program’s airing, as the kind of public conversation the Internet makes so easy enabled a mass pooling of information and instant critiquing of same. (more…)

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Tags: Entertainment Weekly, house, internet, Kal Penn, spoliers
Posted Apr 13th 2009 at 12:27 pm in Entertainment | 104882No Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/stkarnick/2009/04/13/web-superbrain-predicted-house-plot-surprise/Web+%27Superbrain%27+Predicts+%27House%27+Plot+Surprise2009-04-13+19%3A27%3A02S.T.+Karnick

Lourdes Help Us – Is Madonna’s Kid the Next Style Icon?

You don’t have to be a cultural conservative to be alarmed about the path Madonna’s child, Lourdes, may be on.

The 12-year-old offspring of the Material Woman and ex-beau Carlos Leon has led a fairly private life up until now – by celebrity kiddie standards.

That’s no easy feat considering the circles her mamma sashays in. But that appears to be changing and it’s hard not to cringe at the possibilities.

(more…)

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Tags: Carlos Leon, Dr. Drew Pinksy, Entertainment Weekly, Lourdes Leon, madonna
Posted Apr 12th 2009 at 3:14 pm in Celebrity News | 103894No Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/cftoto/2009/04/12/lourdes-help-us-is-madonnas-kid-the-next-style-icon/Lourdes+Help+Us+-+Is+Madonna%27s+Kid+the+Next+Style+Icon%3F2009-04-12+22%3A14%3A03Christian+Toto

Ugly Pop World Drives Beauty Underground

The disconnect between beauty and popularity in music has never been greater.  Where once America sang the Beatles or Motown (”The Sound of Young America”), today the music industry is severely fragmented.  Gangsta rap.  Speed metal.  Trip-hop.  The major recording companies whine about declining profits even as they pay Mariah Carey $18 million not to record.

Unanimity of public opinion over popular song has passed.  Music, which used to unite, now divides.  Eminem and Ludacris would have been unthinkable thirty years ago.  We live in an antinomian age where it’s hip to defy conventional wisdom long after every vestige of conventional wisdom lies in tatters.  Where Keats’ Grecian Urn once proclaimed, “Beauty is truth, truth beauty,” today’s antinomian consumer proclaims, “Whatever,” in a voice oozing ennui. (more…)

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Tags: "American People", "Burden", "Evil White Men", "I Got a Life", "McLife"
Posted Feb 27th 2009 at 2:05 pm in Entertainment, Reviews, Video | 6857889 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/mbaron/2009/02/27/68578/Ugly+Pop+World+Drives+Beauty+Underground2009-02-27+22%3A05%3A03Mike+Baron