otium cum dignitate:

New Music

The Arcade Fire: Neon Bible
A good friend of mine convinced me to buy "Funeral," Arcade Fire's first album, last year and I'd say my reaction to that album was mixed. I recognized that the band had some unique ideas, and an interesting sound, but it just didn't really fit my musical tastes. "Neon Bible" may be less inventive, but all in all, I think it is more enjoyable to listen to than "Funeral." However, I actually went to an Arcade Fire show here in DC last weekend, and I have to admit that the songs they played from "Funeral" were much more energetic and exciting than the selections from "Neon Bible." The concert, like the recordings, come off as highly orchestrated and refined rock compositions. There is little wasted space, and the music features an interesting, although somewhat off-putting blend of instruments and vocals. The finished product takes some getting used to, but once you've acquired the Arcade Fire taste, it's hard to put these albums down. (****)
Bloc Party: A Weekend in the City
Sure enough, Bloc Party validated my predictions and avoided the dreaded "sophomore slump" with their second album. While Silent Alarm was a bit more polished, A Weekend in the City takes more chances, and offers a more diverse and creative set of songs than the band's first album. There are clear allusions to Radiohead's Kid A throughout this album, but Bloc Party does a good job of continuing to hone their own unique sound. "I Still Remember" is the sort of anthemic single that could propel Bloc Party onto the national spotlight. (****)
Thom Yorke: The Eraser
This is basically a solo version of Kid A, although you can't really tell it's solo since there isn't really any instrumental background, only synthesized stuff like on Kid A and Amnesiac. I like this album, but i'm still really looking forward to the full band's new album which is expected in a couple of months. The Eraser is basically an addendum to Kid A/Amnesiac, and that's ok. But im excited to hear what's next. (****)
The Strokes: First Impressions of Earth
This is my first Strokes CD, and the first album in a recent foray of CD buying over the last week or so. Knowing almost nothing about the band, I first listened to this CD with an open mind, and I liked what I heard. Although there aren't many especially interesting songs, the overall sound is pleasing, and even a bit catchy at times. To me, Julian Casablancas' singing basically makes this band what it is. He has an extremely deep voice, and he features his impressive singing ability much more so on this album than on the other two. I went out and bought "Is this it" as an encore, but I am so far dissapointed in the older album. Sorry, AMG, but we just can't agree this time. (***)
Brad Mehldau: Day is Done
Another fine addition to the Brad Mehldau collection. On this newest album, the trio welcomes Jeff Ballard on drums to replace Jorge Rossy at least temporarily, and I must say Ballard provides a refreshing new feel to a trio that was in danger of becoming somewhat repetitive and dull. As usual, Mehldau delights those of us who supplement our Jazz listening with recordings from the real world as he begins this album with a rendition on the Radiohead composition "Knives Out." This is one of Mehldau's better albums in recent years. I don't want to completely sell out Rossy, but this trio seems to have more energy and spontaneity than it had on the previous few albums. (*****)
Bloc Party: Silent Alarm
After hearing a short clip online, I decided to see these guys perform at Music Midtown. Typically with rock-type bands, I know whether I'm going to like them or not within the first 30 seconds. Clearly, since I just bought the CD, Bloc Party impressed me from the outset and maintained my interest throughout their hour-long performance. In danger of becoming just another English band in the form of Coldplay or Keane, Bloc Party has thus far succeeded with a unique sound that blends the smooth and clean style of those former two bands with the type of rock heard on some of, dare I say, Radiohead's older albums like the Bends and Pablo Honey. Just released in March, this first album has a lot of good stuff on it. Bloc Party has serious potential. (****)
Joe Lovano: I'm All For You
As far as ballad-oriented albums go, this one is pretty damn good. Offering fresh renditions of standards as well as a few originals, Lovano's tone and expression remains unique but also traditional as he moves around these charts and improvises. This is really my first exposure to Lovano other than seeing him live once in New York. I like the album a lot and personally think he handles the ballads much better than Michael Brecker on his Ballad Book album a few years ago. (****)

Photo Albums

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Fantasy Sports and the Law

My two worlds (fantasy sports and the law) collided today as I read the NYT article on a current lawsuit involving a dispute over who actually owns the statistics generated by players in professional sports leagues.

The question is whether fantasy league providers should have to pay Major League Baseball for the right to use daily statistics and player names for it's leagues. The fantasy sports industry argues that these statistics and names are in the public domain, they are used every day by newspapers and other news outlets. MLB counters that fantasy league providers are using the stats and names of players in order to profit in a commercial setting, and thus they should be required to attain a license from MLB before running their leagues.

This is a really interesting dispute, and in resolving the issue, a judge will be forced to decide what the essence of a fantasy league actually is. In "reality," a fantasy league is a context for passionate fans to become engrossed in stats and player names in a more personal way than merely reading a news story. But MLB's argument hinges on the widespread assumption among fantasy managers that what they're doing is actually somewhat real. In other words, when I trade Josh Beckett for Ben Sheets, in my head im trading more than just a name and stats. Im trading the persona and the public image of those players. I think, "wow, Ben Sheets is on my team now, how cool is that!" If I was merely trading a name and stats, I would probably have been more wary of Ben Sheets' injury problems this spring (he's currently on the disabled list). This thought process is common among fantasy managers, and it is a big reason why fantasy sports is so popular today.

This is a tough argument for MLB to make, and its success will depend on whether the judge or jury deciding the case has any real familiarity with how fantasy leagues work.

The major fantasy league providers such as Yahoo! and ESPN already pay the license to MLB, and for this reason they are able to display pictures and video along with the player names and stats. But the small-time providers worry that requiring this license will essentially grant MLB a monopoly over the rights, and competition will be stifled.

The way I see it, players make enough money with their exorbitant salaries (and this is especially true for baseball players). A player gets paid to be a public figure, and his/her professional attributes are thus in the public domain and should be available for free use.

Tuesday, May 16, 2006 at 01:30 PM in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0)

Friday, May 12, 2006

Good Stuff

I just found out my internship this summer will only be on tuesdays, wednesdays, and fridays. What to do on the other days?? Any suggestions?

Today's Mike Luckovich

Friday, May 12, 2006 at 11:51 AM in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (4)

Monday, May 08, 2006

Update

I finally finished my exams, and I'm currently working on reclaiming my life from the first year of law school. I'd forgotten what the world was like out there beyond the hallowed walls of jurisprudence.

This summer, I have a legal internship lined up at the Association for Artists and Recording Companies (AARC) in Alexandria, VA.

I'm home in Atlanta now for about a week and a half or so.

More to come soon, including my new plan to save the world.

Monday, May 08, 2006 at 07:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)