Parlez-vous Excellence?

Put down your monacle and dust off the beret you American swine. Today, the Baron salutes French culture in all it's excellence.

Watch: The 400 Blows (1959): A classic of French New Wave.
It will make you laugh, cry, and think twice about stealing a typewriter. Watch one of my favorite scenes here.

Listen: Serge Gainsbourg (1928-1991): A poet, provocateur, modern bastard. Watch the video for Bonnie & Clyde

Absorb: Leg, An Agency: French graphic design with panache, pompe, and perhaps some circumstance! Huzzah!

Discover: Panoramiqu de Paris: The city of lights in all its panoramic glory.

Excellence On The Television

Just in time for Halloween, a performance so scary-good it will make you cry. I implore you to drop everything (yes, even small children) and watch this immediately.

"Wolf Like Me" by TV On The Radio

YouTube Revived The Video Star

Music videos are finally back thanks to bands like OK-Go and more importantly sites like YouTube. I'm glad too. It gives me yet another way to waste time at work.


Chips Ahoy! by The Hold Steady

Five Excellent Albums For Röcktöber

On your next stop home from the liquor store or bear-baiting match why don't you stop at your local independant record store and purchase these outstanding albums for your phonograph machine?

Band Finally Getting Their Due
The Hold Steady: Boys and Girls In America:
Hard Rock Poetry from Brooklyn via Minneapolis. Just listen to the lyrics.

My Local Chicago Band of the Moment
The Changes: Today Is Tonight
The only unsigned band to play at Lollapolooza. Their debut is worth checking out.
If The Police and Minus the Bear had a baby it would be named The Changes.

UK/Irish Band I'm Currently Into
The 747's: Zampano
The 747's start where The Zutons left off. Why do all these Irish bands sound like they come from California? Their new album hasn't dropped in the states yet, but watch out when it does.

Still Good, Despite the Band Name
Now It's Overhead: Dark Light Daybreak
Not typical of music I usually listen too, but I can't stop. From the Saddle Creek label, Now It's Overhead features members behind many of the labels most popular acts.

Dance, Dance, Dance:
The Rapture: Pieces of the People We Love
It's nice to see an indie band come out with a sophmore effort that doesn't make me roll my eyes or question their direction. Indie-dance may not be as hot as it was in 2003, but it's still good. Paul Epworth, Ewan Pearson, and Danger Mouse aid with production.

Check these artists out on allmusic.com or try to listen to them using the Virtual iPod.