A few things in today’s paper: my final cultural lesson — of memes and Mentos; SARS wasn’t the viral hit of the decade after all — appears, as does my list of movies of the year. Also, I take part in this week’s Popcorn Panel. The movie? Avatar, which made my top 10. Also, over on The Ampersand, you can find my pick for album of the year.
In Tuesday’s National Post I talk to Jonas Bonnetta of Evening Hymns about his new album, Spirit Guides.
In today’s National Post I chat with cartoonist R.O. Blechman, who’s in town for this year’s International Festival of Authors; I also talk with musician Suba Sankaran, who is taking part in this week’s Canwest Cabaret.
I write about books, music, and art in today’s paper: I chat with author Nick Hornby about his latest novel, Juliet, Naked; I sit down with Cuff the Duke frontman Wayne Petti to talk about the alt-country outfit’s new album, Way Down Here; and I go rummaging through junk with Japanese artist Kyohei Sakaguchi as he prepares for Nuit Blanche.
Over on The Afterword I’ve posted a Q&A with Peter Terzian, editor of Heavy Rotation, a new collection of essays in which 20 writers discuss the album which changed their lives.
A second harvest: In today’s National Post I chat with Nils Edenloff, frontman of The Rural Alberta Advantage.
Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, passed away today at the age of 50. Instead of drinking beer on the couch and watching the NBA Draft, I was busy blogging about his death, here and here.
In today’s National Post, I talk to Chris Eaton of Rock Plaza Central about the band’s latest album, at the Moment of our First Needing.
In today’s National Post I take a brief look at the longlist for the 2009 Polaris Music Prize, and talk to Geoffrey Dawe and Jeanne Beker about the fate of Toronto-based magazine publishers, Kontent. I also review some of the Midnight Madness films playing this year’s Worldwide Short Film festival.
In today’s National Post, I talk to Canada’s polka king Walter Ostanek and others about the Grammy Awards’ decision to eliminate the category of Best Polka Album. Also, I review the new comedy The Hangover.