Progress on the Killer Cop Front
The progress is slow and compromised, but it's still highly unusual to get a murder conviction when a cop kills a civilian. Yet the Chicago trial of then-officer Jason Van…
Song of the Day 1/19: Robert Cray, “Smokin’ Gun”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gQEDwjhaDE Panicky Trump trolls are active this morning, hollering "fake news!" like a bunch of 9/11 truthers because they're starting to realize they've been played for the fools they are.…
Song of the Day 1/18: Dr. Feelgood, “She Does It Right”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHm7uIC84YM Dr. Feelgood occupies a unique slot in rock history -- the band that bridges the otherwise incomprehensible gap between England's pub rock and punk rock scenes. Pub rock was…
Song of the Day 1/17: The Contours, “First I Look at the Purse”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frCr6eq2Vfc I quoted the title of this song the other day with a friend whose knowledge of '50s and '60s music is deeper than mine and was surprised when he…
If You Think the News Journal Is Bad Now, Just Wait
Here's a bit of national business-page news you won't see in your local upstate daily paper: Gannett, which owns the News Journal, has become the target of a hostile takeover…
Song of the Day 1/16: Randy Rainbow, “There Is Nothin’ Like a Wall”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL5CDt_1xcE You probably know about Randy Rainbow, the pre-eminent political musical parodist of the Trump age. He released this one two days ago and it's gotten 360,000 plays on YouTube…
Song of the Day 1/15: “Pretty Pimpin,” Kurt Vile
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=659pppwniXA It's hard to explain Kurt Vile to someone who's never heard him before. There's a lo-fi vibe that runs through most of his work that, along with his penchant…
Dispatches From the ‘Biden 2020’ Front
Those of us who would prefer Joe Biden support the 2020 Democratic candidate than be the 2020 candidate -- show of hands -- are having a nervous week, at least…
What Your Tax Dollars Are Doing Instead of Working for You
Joe DiStefano of the Philadelphia Inquirer does what the News Journal doesn't have the manpower or inclination to do: Hold the feet of Delaware's corrupt Democratic Party to the fire.…
Song of the Day, 1/14: “So It Goes,” Nick Lowe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEpr8kaczck This single was bassist/songwriter Nick Lowe's first "solo" release as well as the first single released by Stiff Records, which Lowe founded with £400 he borrowed. He played everything…
Song of the Day 1/13: Mandolin Orange, “Take This Heart of Gold”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GzqOq2DY20 Let's end the week with something quiet. Mandolin Orange is a prolific duo from North Carolina. This spare ballad was released on the 2016 album "Blindfall." They'll be in…
Song of the Day 1/12: Daft Punk vs. The Doobie Brothers, “Get Lucky/Long Train Running”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udjV1Udvrl4 Mash-ups can be fun, but I've never heard one that goes together as seamlessly as this combination of Daft Punk's big hit and the Doobies' chestnut. Somebody obviously spent…
Song of the Day 1/11: Warren Zevon, “I Was in the House When the House Burned Down”
Friday calls for kick-ass rock 'n' roll, and this is one of my go-to songs for getting revved up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVRqTUOz1Tc The Warren Zevon songs everybody knows mostly come from the…