"OHMYGOD! This. But, I'm riding a dragon."

Time to talk about some of my ol' favorites and the new things they are begetting/creating.

We'll start in television and that means my favorite show ever to be on the air, Frisky Dingo. For those of you who may not have heard of it or those of you who have no idea what it was about, let me post a screen capture from the commercial for the season two dvd. I think what follows should tell you all you need to know.

If it looks familiar it's probably because it was made by the same people who did Sealab 2021 (another super fantastic show) - 70/30 Productions. Now, the sad news is 70/30 went belly up and Frisky Dingo ended with a cliff hanger that we may never know the resolution to. The good news is; We get a distraction, in the form of a new Fx Original series tentatively called Archer.

Created by Adam Reed, Archer is a comedy set around an international spy code-named Duchess. With an animation style similar to what was done with Sealab, Dingo, and its spin-off The X-tacles (Also great, but only two episodes were ever made), and placing it on a network spin-off channel instead of in-network spin-off channel, leads me to believe that this could be great. Fx has ordered six episodes and it's set to launch this fall.

Also coming to Fx: Louie by Louis C.K.

In music: Two of the absolutely most fantastic local bands have been quietly bringing themselves back to life.

John Condron & the Benefit: MySpace/Facebook

Click on an Album to Purchase

As far as the Benefit aspect goes - they've added a new member. Jeff Julian, most recently from Deconstructing Jim, has signed on and is sure to give the band's sound a new dynamic. And, music, well, after what has seemed like forever, the band is set to release their new 12-track Cd, Eleventh Hour Grace, this fall. I've heard a few tracks off it live already, and, trust me, this is going to be a must have.

The Righteous Hillbillies: MySpace/Facebook

Click Album to Purchase/Here to Download

For you instrument nerds out there, the hillbillies have updated their website and, on top of new artwork, photos, and show information, they have started to post in-studio updates of the recording of their new record. This in-depth stuff; I'm not just talking about the hangover and puke stories (surprisingly unrelated), but also the amount of detail they go into describing the use of instruments, amps, and the reason for the different microphone placements. If you're into the technical side of recording a record, this is some good stuff. If you're like me, however, and just like the pretty sounds and the pretty colors it makes you see (wha... wait. Nevermind.) know that I've also heard some of their new stuff live, and I have a feeling this album will be better than their last, which is really saying something.

Speaking of live - See them Thursday, September 3rd with John Condron & the Benefit at the Elbo Room in Chicago OR Friday, September 4th by themselves at Chicago St. Pub in Joliet OR if you're feeling really special, they open for The Charlie Daniels Band Thursday, October 1st at The Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet.

For Free:

Click Album for Free Download

Deano Waco - Deano Meets the Purveyors

Coming from the Chicago country band The Waco Brothers, guitarist Deano Schlabowske brings you 14 free tracks with Austin's The Meat Purveyors. It's folk with country, some electric guitars, a pinch of hyper-bluegrass, and topped with sensitive song-writing. In short; it's a mess, a beautiful, beautiful mess.

"The best way to describe it? Picture yourself on an empty highway, zooming along at, lets say, ninety. You see a curve ahead, a slight curve, no need to reduce your speed, and you ease into it with no worries at all. Sounds great, right? Now, picture yourself coming out of this turn to see a brick wall blocking all the lanes, including yours, your only hope is to slam on the brakes and pray to God you stop - that's the best way I can describe it."

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Now playing: The Righteous Hillbillies - Love Burns Cold
via FoxyTunes