This one’s a bit embarrassing, if only because the Piano Man is so out of style these days. I heard this tune on the radio the other day, and it’s been stuck in my head since then, so this is partly an effort to purge the saccharine sweetness from my cerebral AM playlist.

When I was a kid I was super into BJ, and probably knew all the lyrics to every song on the Greatest Hits compilation of 1985. I possibly even purchased the album that came out after that one, River of Dreams, but I lost the habit for this style of musical theatre pop when I met a kid at computer camp who was WAY more into Billy Joel than me. Like, superfan status. Knowing I couldn’t compete with that level of sheer cornball, and also anticipating a time when I might want to actually *date a girl*, I started listening to gangster rap instead.

Anyway, check out the awesome video above (not so subtle racial stereotyping included!). 1984 was a million years ago, huh. If you’re feeling extra nostalgic, check out this one too.

My buddy Peter has created the ultimate 2010 Halloween costume. Check out his How-To video below.

They’re voting. And if you don’t, they win. And everybody loses.

This article is part of the CA Midterms 2010 series.

Thankfully, I woke up this morning only hearing the music of this infectious electro duo, because the following video is effing creepy. It uses stock commercial footage (you can almost hear an ad for some pharmaceutical, or Tampax, or a car rental company just by watching) and very subtle “enhancements” that pretty much make these mopes into hellspawn.

Which is to say, it’s still a pretty good video.

Had this song stuck in my head when I woke up this morning. The Grey Album remains solid six years on – a testament to Dangermouse’s talents. I think it would be easy to mess up a Jay/Beatles mashup, and I’ve maintained that this version is better than the beats on The Black Album.

Anyway, here’s the tune (no official video).

Constituent parts after the jump.

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(editor’s note: I couldn’t find the original video, if it exists. There are a host of fan-created ones such as this. It’s the music that matters.)

As usual, an oldie but a goodie. Probably inspired by an idiotic decision to spend some time playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, which is essentially one long, interactive, game version of that leaked video of US helicopter pilots murdering journalists and civilians. The sequel, which has been one of the best-selling media properties ever, apparently has a section where you take on the role of a terrorist and murder civilians in an airport.I mean, I get it that it’s a sick, violent world out there and that we’re all partly responsible by allowing it to happen, but sheesh!

The insidious part for me (and the reason I say it was an idiotic decision), is how bloody addictive this and the other Call of Duty games are, and not to note that it’s extremely fun to play would be remiss. The originals were set in World War II, and while many people feel little remorse for killing lots and lots of Nazis, a game, even one that’s fictionalized, set in a modern war with middle eastern terrorists is just a little too close for comfort. It really is stuff like this (masterfully, artfully created) game that programs our perceptions of violent conflict.

This one’s not hard to trace. I went to karaoke last night (it was crazy expensive – $9 beers anyone?) and attempted to sing Kanye West’s “Gold Digger“. Although I thought I knew the lyrics, the delivery is actually really hard. Say what you will about Kanye, but his style is hard to emulate. Also, it was pouring rain, so it made me think of flooding, and then probably the disaster that was New Orleans during and after Hurricane Katrina. In the wake of that tragedy, during a benefit fundraiser, Kanye, in one of his first outbursts, said on live television: “George Bush doesn’t care about black people.” Hence, the inspiration for this amazing song.

(Editor’s note: I’m not sure if this is the original video, but it’s the only one I could find.)

A local hero who has been blowing up the LAirwaves. Great stuff, buy the album.

Here’s a video for the lead single, Maybe So, Maybe No. It features a bunch of iconic LA spots, from Venice Beach to the Santa Monica skate park to Crane’s Tavern in Hollywood.