Features

Keeping Up (Vol. 11)

by Darren Paltrowitz

Here are another 5 quick picks for you, the loyal reader:

MUSIC:  Superdrag / Industry Giants – Original lineup intact, Superdrag returns with Industry Giants, their first new studio album in more than half a decade. Furthermore, it's the first album to feature songwriting and lead vocal contributions by bassist Tom Pappas and guitarist Brandon Fisher. Older and wiser, the group's tempos, dynamics, and lyrical themes are all over the place this time around. But for a taste of manic, high-energy rock, start with the John Davis-penned album opener “Slow To Anger.” Touring in support of the album will start in March with appearances at SXSW 2009. (superdrag.com)

davidfoster_hitman_200BOOK:  David Foster / Hitman: Forty Years Making Music, Topping The Charts, and Winning Grammys – If you say the name “David Foster,” the average person probably won’t know who that is. But the guy is either the most famous not-famous person in existence, or the least famous…well, you probably get the point. As a producer and songwriter, he’s been responsible for hits by a diverse catalog of artists from Chicago and Earth Wind & Fire, to Whitney Houston and Natalie Cole, to Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion, to Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban. While his career couldn’t be much hotter, Foster’s autobiography recounts his personal shortcomings (e.g. marriage, fatherhood, education). But no matter how grim things get, Foster always bounces back and helps to inspire. (davidfoster.com)

VIDEO:  Hoobastank / “My Turn” – While I am not a devoted fan of Hoobastank, I believe that their “My Turn” is creatively a step in the right direction. A standard music video of the song can viewed on YouTube and the usual sites, but this special edition enables fans to get interactive and customize the clip. The possibilities are seemingly endless with all of the available characters and backgrouns. Hopefully, it is a sign of things to come for other mainstream recording artists. (myturn.hoobastank.com)

TOOL:  Google Latitude – Call them “Big Brother” all you’d like, but Google seems to do little wrong. Applications like Gmail, Google Maps, and Google Reader have become an important part of my life in making information readily available.  Latitude is a new application that adds onto Maps and enables people to track one another in almost real-time, similar to a “Buddy List,” thanks to cell phone GPS technology. For some people, it may be frightening for a spouse, family member or friend to know where they are at any given second, but for others it may be comforting. The technology may not be perfect yet, but I’m enjoying it for now. (google.com/latitude)

ARTICLE:  J.D. Roth / “Making A Living Doing What You Love” – A book review of Jonathan Fields’ Career Renegade, this article is featured in the positivity-favoring blog titled “Getting Rich Slowly.” So after you have read the favorable review, you can browse through the user comments regarding making a living pursuing your passion(s). As someone who was briefly self-employed, I realize the pros and cons of such, and why it was not ideal for me in the long-term. But that may not also be the case for you. In an era where telecommuting is possible in many careers and industries, there is no reason you shouldn’t give such a little thought. (getrichslowly.org/blog/2009/02/08/career-renegade-make-a-living-doing-what-you-love)

As always, if I’m missing something that’s worthwhile and deserving of column space, please reach out with an e-mail: darren.paltrowitz@gmail.com.

In the meantime, stay tuned for another 5 picks...

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