James Brown is the godfather of soul, funk and groove and on this live album from 1980 he proves why he deserves the title. With his typical showmanship he performs classic tracks like Get Up Offa That Thing and I Got You (I Feel Good). This album is guaranteed to get you up offa your thing and dancing along to every groovy, funky beat. We here at Numéro picked up this gem at Co-Op Records in Campustown, so dust out your LPs and turntable. Many still argue that vinyl is the best way to experience music. Check your local record shop to find music by new artists on LP, some even include codes to get the mp3 download of the tracks as a bonus!
After a disappointing Super Bowl, and with no interest in basketball whatsoever, it's going to be a long, cold, dark 2 months until baseball kicks off. With no real sports to watch, I guess I'll just have to substitute sports movies instead. But not just any sports movies, THE BEST 5 SPORTS MOVIES OF ALL TIME.
5. Miracle Miracle is the true story of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, a ragtag bunch of college kids who toppled the unstoppable Russian squad and took the gold medal. Kurt Russell stars as head coach Herb Brooks in this uplifting story of victory in the face of impossible odds.
4. Snatch Okay, fine. Snatch isn't really about sports as such. But it is technically about boxing, and it is a damn good movie. Jason Statham and Brad Pitt star in this fast-talking, hard-hitting, laugh-out-loud film that many call the jewel of Guy Ritchie's collection.
3. Invictus Morgan Freeman played Nelson Mandela. That's all I have to say, but I'll say more. Invictus tells the story of the 1995 South African rugby team. Faced with the task of uniting a nation made of violently independent factions, newly-elected President Nelson Mandela turns to the Springboks, long considered a symbol of apartheid government, to unite the country under a World Cup victory. Also Matt Damon was in it.
2. Remember the Titans No list of sports movies would be complete without this classic. It is widely considered one of the most inspiring films of its generation, and may be the finest performance of Denzel Washington's impressive career. During the integration of schools in southern Virginia, the T.C. Williams Titans and their black head coach Herman Boone rise above race and bring unity to the team and to their city.
1. Space Jam Oh yes. This is happening. Space Jam had Michael Jordan and Bill Murray in it. And the Looney Tunes. And they somehow got Mugsy Bogues, Carl Malone, Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, and (for some reason) Shawn Bradley to admit that Michael Jordan could singlehandedly destroy all of them on the basketball court. This was the golden age of basketball and the golden age of me watching cartoons. When alien invaders steal the skills of the five "best" basketball players in the NBA and threaten to enslave the Looney Tunes unless they can beat the aliens at basketball, it's up to Michael to come back from playing baseball and save the day by schooling them. I Believe I Can Fly plays, there's a cool rap by the MonStars, and then the God of basketball beats a bunch of cartoons.
It's Friday, celebrate with a Lava Lamp! This beautiful drink is simple to make with just three ingredients.
LAVA LAMP
1oz Absolut Citron Vodka
6oz Woodchuck (or apple juice)
1 dash of grenadine
In a tall glass pour grenadine and vodka over ice, fill with woodchuck, for a lighter drink you can substitute the woodchuck with apple juice. This drink will have you on the fast track to feeling groovy! If you happen to try it, let us know what you think!
When out on your thrifting adventure, don't forget about the toy section. This often ignored corner of the store contains some unique vintage treasures that can be used as more than just playthings. I found this invisible man figure in the toy section at a local Goodwill and was delighted to discover that his heart lights up when you push the black button on his stand. I like him on my bookshelf but he can be used as a jewelry holder (as above) or if you've got the knack for the craft, turned into a night light. Another overlooked treasure from the toy department are the board games. These discarded items can be cut up with an exacto knife and used as coasters or as unique coffee table tops when they're covered with glass. Also, keep your eye out for old happy meal toys. Clean them up and attach them to a wrapped gift with a bow and they become a fun little extra on a present. If they are light weight enough they can also be used to create a unique hanging mobile. There are numerous possibilities available to the toy lover in all of us if we keep a keen eye out for hidden treasures.
For many of us, we barely have the time to sit down and watch TV let alone read a good book. It's difficult to surrender our attention for hours to a single lengthy story. This book may prove to be a remedy for those of us who crave quality writing but don't have an excess of time.Kazuo Ishiguro has compiled five short stories to satiate your craving.
Amongst the melancholic, angst filled lives of the characters inhabiting Ishiguro's enlivened snapshot stories in Nocturnes, there is one transcendent beacon. When the light of day fades, music is the point of hope, the life force sustaining the aspirations and wills of the main characters as you follow them throughout world. Not every story may strike a cord with you, but I found a few to have hooks in them that bubble up within my memory from time to time. Throughout our lives we encounter people who change our lives and then never see them again, some of these stories embrace that cross cultural occurrence. And you are reminded that amidst every tragedy there is a hint of beauty.
Motion City Soundtrack is back in action with a new album for the loser, the dropout, the failure, the outcast in everybody.
My Dinosaur Life takes the band in a newer direction with some heavy instrumentals without losing the loser-esque nature of Motion City lyrics.
While they’ve gotten less whimsical and more grungy instrumentally, Justin Pierre’s unique vocal style and lyrics still show the band hasn’t changed their style. Chock full of breakups, misery, self-medication, and video game references (in one track he references Ocarina of Time!!!!), My Dinosaur Life doesn’t disappoint on the “Justin Pierre is miserable” front.
But don’t read too much into it, Motion City Soundtrack isn’t just for high school nerds. The instrumentals are still among the best in the pop-alternative field and they’re doing something new with harmonized vocals that I really enjoy.
My favorite track is “Her Words Destroyed my Planet,” but the whole album is worth listening to. So if you don’t mind a bit of everyday misery, I recommend heading to your local record store and picking up a copy of My Dinosaur Life.
A word of warning, six of the songs (Worker Bee, Her Words Destroyed my Planet, Delirium, History Lesson, Pulp Fiction and @!#?@!) are explicit, so make sure to check the lyrics before you get this album as a gift for your nephew.
Unless he’s a little @#!%@, in which case he probably knows all those words, anyway.
It's February which means a new issue of Numéro Magazine is out today! This month's theme is Groove and we have a fresh crop of juicy, groovy articles for you like:
Salsa Dancing at the CAC
A New Groove: Switching Careers
Groovy: Defining Two Separate Decades
The Evolution of a Music Mainstay
You can find Numéro Magazine at many fine local retailers. Click here to find the location nearest you.
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