The Flaming Lips have teamed up with singer Wayne Coyne’s nephew’s band, Stardeath and the White Dwarfs, for a take on Pink Floyd’s classic “The Dark Side of the Moon,” which is available exclusively on iTunes.

Now, there are millions of Floyd fans all over the world, and in this country I’d say there MIGHT be a few hundred who have absorbed them on as many levels as yours truly. Just sayin’. So I can’t resist making a few notes here.

• While there appears to be a more official video of “Breathe,” I REALLY don’t like the version Lips & Co. grind out. I tried to attach “Time/Breathe (Reprise)” along with a really weird but cool sync with “The Wizard of Oz,” but the guy disabled the embedding code (who knew you could even DO that?). I like that one, and can even tolerate the “Breathe” reprise in this context.
• Yes, Henry Rollins and Peaches seem like stunt casting, and in Rollins’ case it doesn’t always work. On the other hand, hearing him recite the lines about violence in “Us and Them” works pretty well.
• I WAS a little worried when I saw Peaches’ name on this project. But halfway through the amazing version of “The Great Gig in the Sky,” I realized she was gonna play it straight and earnestly go for Clare Torry’s iconic vocals. I was genuinely moved, and found myself rooting for her as she went for it, and in her own understated way, kinda nailed it. You go, girl.
• As you can tell by the previous two bullets, Rick Wright’s contributions are recreated with the most reverence. “Breathe” and “Money” are butchered, IMO (“Money” I’m sure is meant to be purposely anticlimactic, but still … ).
• I must confess a bit of bias in that I found myself comparing Lips & Co.’s “TDSOTM” more to Easy Dub All Stars’ “The Dub Side of the Moon,” an absolutely inspired cover of the classic inna rubbadub stylee. Because of the natural differences in style, it was easier for EDAS to embrace elements of the songs that Lips & Co. needed to avoid because of their inherent psychedelic rock sound (“Money”). And while dub has always pioneered in this department, I was a bit surprised that Lips & Co. didn’t work the echo harder (particularly on personal favorite “Any Colour You Like,” where EDAS worked it appropriately hard), given their use of it in their own work. There are points where I wonder if the groups were aware of EDAS’ version.

Law enforcement agencies around the Bay Area, including BART police, have announced their solution to preventing another Oscar Grant situation from occurring this Thursday night when the New Year comes around again.

And it’s … more cops?!

So the attitude is that there wasn’t ENOUGH cops on the platform at Fruitvale that night? Really? Take a look at any of the videos we’re fortunate enough to have at our disposal and tell me the reason Oscar Grant was shot in the back by Johannes Mehserle was there wasn’t enough cops around.

Forgive my vulgarity, but my immediate thought is that it’s like saying the key to preventing another rape at a Richmond high school is to make sure there are more violent thuggish scumbags lurking in the shadows at school-sponsored events.

After all, it was THE COP WHO DID THE SHOOTING.

Now, I’m not saying there shouldn’t have been ANY cops around. I’m just saying that instead of scores more, maybe ONE LESS cop should have been there on the platform that night. And that’s been taken care of.

Anyway, there IS a solution to not only law enforcement’s solution this week, but to the problem that precipitated it.

Forget more officers. We need more Karina Vargases. That’s why I’m calling for all you citizens armed with smartphones and cameras and vidcams to make double sure your batteries are fully charged while you’re out and about making merry.

And god forbid, if you’re forced to use it, and some officer “forgets” your rights in such a situation and demands you hand over your “weapon,” be like Karina and keep your wits about you.

Just say no.

Remember your rights. Remember OUR rights. Remember Oscar Grant.

I’ve been slightly obsessed with Christian cartoonist Jack Chick since before I can remember.

In my childhood, his ingenious combination of a fire-and-brimstone message and simple comic book graphics, spoke to me. Unfortunately for him, it spoke to me in a way that didn’t bring me into the flock so much as make me run screaming from it. It was pretty close to the reaction I had to my Uncle Roberto’s black velvet Jesus painting, which depicted Jesus bleeding from the crown of thorns and pleading to the heavens, “WHYYY?!” just like Kurt Russell’s Stuntman Mike in Quentin Tarantino’s “Death Proof.” (Except admittedly more legitimately so.)

Decades (ugh) later, I was walking down Mission Street with my friend Cara Bruce when I was handed a Chick tract by a Mexican who obviously didn’t realize he was betraying his Catholic roots by handing them out (Chick hates the Church, may God have pity on his soul).

But it wasn’t just any Chick tract – it was THE Chick tract. The Beast.

A coarse, vulgar, violent vision of the Book of Revelation that borders on pornographic in its exploitation. I still have that one on my coffee table, along with others, all handed to me by zealots (I shan’t buy them, heavens no).

So pair that sick obsession with what others might deem an equally sick obsession with Christmas, and voila!

Here’s how Chick the Man himself views the most wonderful time of the year. Strangely enough, one might argue that, between the two of us, his vision might be the more cynical. “People are emotionally vulnerable during the holidays … that’s when you STRIKE!”

Humbug, indeed.

Well, what can I say? Another great “use” of TV time for the unemployed marketing copywriter … keeping up on cool advertising trends!

And it’s not a bad time to be a lookyloo on the landscape of American television advertising right now. With media at large fracturing into a hundred little pieces, the targeting of niche markets has become more focused than ever, and for me, that means more interesting ads.

Here are some that caught all four of my eyes this year:

The Most Interesting Man in the World

An obvious choice, maybe, but sometimes these choices are obvious because they’re the obvious choice. Yeah.

Whatever they paid Euro RSCG/New York, it wasn’t enough. This ad accomplishes every possible goal, including adding so much prestige to a lackluster brand that I almost forget I wouldn’t subject Dos Equis to a mule.

I’m Sorry, Dick Butkus

Not only is this ad funny in and of itself, but the nerdy guy pretty much sums up why I’ve never seen Death Cab for Cutie at the Fillmore. Props to BBDO New York for nailing this into my noggin.

The Meanest Man Ever

Okay, someone call child services! The “Truck” and “Bike” variations of these are good too, but this “Pony” version of Ally Bank’s Jerky Shady Banker campaign from BBH New York is firing on multiple cylinders. First, there’s the joke. Then there’s the jerk. Then there’s the subtle dynamic of the little blonde girl getting the pony while the brunette girl stews.

Subtle where it doesn’t have to be, not subtle where it needs to be. Classic.

Googley Geico

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m8iwFlqVoA&NR=1

Geico had multiple campaigns going this year, and they all worked for me. Even the latest caveman installment, with the bowling and the awful hokey Three Doors Down track was great. And the office gecko campaign, while hit and miss, had solid ads like “Pip pip, Cheerio!” the temp one with the hissing lizard, and the suction tube. (And the “Catch Me!” one was good, too!)

But this campaign likely got the most attention. A guaranteed “love it or hate it,” either way that tune was glued to you, and the branding doesn’t get lost in the abstraction, which is easier said than done.

Not many agencies could handle having all those, erm, balls in the air for a client, but there aren’t many Martin Agencies, either. (Hire me, hire me, hire me. I promise no ball jokes.)

Big Mac

In 1982′s epic “Conan the Barbarian,” Conan is asked what is best in life. “To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women.”

That’s the philosophy of this ad by TBWA/Media Arts Lab. Exploit the weakness of your competitor as ruthlessly as possible. If you can throw in some wit to soften the blow/sharpen the knife, all the better. This one might be a little obvious too, but frankly it would be irresponsible for Apple not to hit Microsoft where it hurts.

Miike Snow's Andrew Wyatt at Popscene.

Last Christmas, my friend Gwen gave me Dave Thompson’s book “I Hate New Music,” his chucklicious classic rock manifesto. It was a half-joke – after all, it was me who first played the Calvin Harris remix of The Ting Tings’ “Great DJ” for our group of friends.

On the other hand, were you to check out the recently played list on my iPod, you’d see Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush. Mustache-and-robe rock. Prog rock. Foghat if you were LUCKY.

But being unemployed all year this year allowed me a lot of time to really reconnect to the world of contemporary music. Being able to listen to KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic five days a week helped … a LOT.

And what did I find the kids are listening to these days? (Cue spit take.) Prog rock?!

Well, not all of it. Obviously, there’s a bunch of fun dancey pop to be had, and I found myself drawn to it for reasons I don’t fully grasp.

But yes, I remember distinctly two moments at the Treasure Island Music Festival, where many of the bands I was casually interested in were appearing. First, the bass player from Grizzly Bear pulled out the same model bass that Chris Squire from Yes and Geddy Lee of Rush used in the ’70s. Second, the realization that, three songs into their set, The Decemberists were going to play their entire new album. A CONCEPT album, no less.

So without further adieu, my favorite musics of the year.

The Decemberists – The Hazards of Love

This album is nothing short of a revelation for me. Before I heard it, I simply would have not believed it possible. In truth, The Decemberists and some of their alt/indie peers have been flirting with elements of progressive rock for a couple of years, as they naturally test the limits of their form and themselves.

But where comparisons of “The Crane Wife” to Jethro Tull were a bit premature, to place this record next to “Thick as a Brick” or even Pink Floyd’s “The Wall,” as shocking as that is, makes sense. In the prog-rock continuum, this is easily the most compelling concept album since Marillion’s “Clutching at Straws” more than 20 years ago, and has appropriately taken that record’s place as my drunken late night indulgence.

I had a hard time picking one track from “The Hazards of Love,” since it works best as a whole. But I think this one sums up the shocking nature of this record. The band rocks harder than in previous releases, and here they channel (I shit you not) Deep Purple, with Jenny Conlee throwing in a Jon Lord-esque organ fill!

Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest

Grizzly Bear isn’t so much prog rock as they are art rock, and they don’t look backwards to the same influences as The Decemberists. But all the same, I’m both surprised and grateful that they exist.

This track, a version of the single “While You Wait for the Others,” with Michael McDonald (!) guesting on vocals isn’t even on “Veckatimest,” and might be misconstrued as a stunt. But it’s good, check it out.

Miike Snow – Miike Snow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnD9CrsZeOE

Why on earth do I love this record so much? I mean, I DID intend to challenge myself this year, but these guys produced BRITNEY, for god’s sake! And “Silvia” is like an ’09 version of a-ha, supercharged with Autotune!

I just have blinding white memories of hearing this song for the first time on the stoop of my apartment, and it was just so insufferably pretty and the sun was out and I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry or shit. Same thing happened on the sunny afternoon of my friends’ wedding.

And I think that’s why I listen to music.

Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BJDNw7o6so

More frothy pop, this time a French souffle. I remember Phoenix from the “Lost in Translation” soundtrack, where their enthusiasm stuck out.

They keep that feel going on their new one, and yes, you’ve heard them on that car commercial. Don’t hate.

Passion Pit – Manners

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5i3yQ_zeT8

Sure, with their ridiculously high-pitched vocals, these guys sound as enthusiastic as Phoenix. But I don’t know if I’m reading into it or what, but there seems to be something melancholic under there.

This one’s not one of the better-known ones from “Manners,” but it’s my current favorite. I just love the line: “Nobody knows you the way you know you/But I think I do/Well, I thought I knew/Yeah, I thought I knew”.

Yup, it’s list time, and I’m not immune from it. We’ll be doing lists this week, starting with the things most San Franciscans were talking about or living through.

It hasn’t been an easy year, that’s for sure. But as you’ll read below, I think we’ve seen worse. In any event, for those of us who love our city, we’ll be around to see better times. The rest of you can move to Phoenix. Have fun.

1. The Economy.

Duh. For me personally, that is to say, as a person, I was laid off the week of the presidential inauguration, and apart from a couple of odd jobs, have spent the entire year unemployed. Boo hoo. Membership to that club isn’t exactly exclusive, to say the least.

And yet, despite my own predicament and the unavoidable news of national catastrophes on Wall Street AND Main Street … I don’t know. If you were here in this city in 2001, you’ve seen worse.

Subjectively, it FEELS different this time. A couple of my friends/peers have been laid off, but most of them are still working, and full-time at that. Objectively, the data reflects that San Francisco’s unemployment rate, while no barrel of monkeys, has hardly been clobbered to the extent that other municipalities have, or the state at large.

2. Gay Marriage.

It’s a strange time to be a supporter of gay marriage in this city, watching other places in the nation run the torch that WE lit to the finish line while we’re forced to watch from the sidelines.

But now what? The issue goes round and round in the courts. Proactive activists on the pro-marriage front, not content with sideline status, differ on whether or not to give the voter initiative process another spin.

As a straight man (not in the Bud Abbot sense), I still have some skin in the game (okay, no more sports analogies!). I TOTALLY thought of this before anyone else did, but you have to DO something with an idea, so while I’m a bit chuffed, I’m glad someone’s doing something about it. Hit these pious rubes where it hurts, I say.

3. Transit.

No matter how you choose to get around in the city (bike, BART, bus, boots, Benz), this wasn’t an easy year.

Bikes - San Francisco’s streets have been rated among the worst in the nation. You could spend the entire stimulus just fixing potholes.

BART, bus – Does anyone manage to add insult to injury quite like our local transit system? This involves our beloved MUNI, BART is only guilty by association, as MUNI is responsible for the unholy alliance of service cuts WITH fare increases. So sad that when I moved here from SoCal, I actually admired local public transit.

Boots – It has become increasingly difficult for pedestrians to get along with our non-motorized friends on wheels. By “get along” I mean not grab one of them as they blatantly disregard you and punch said commuter in the throat. And by “non-motorized friends” I mean a bunch of assholes with a douchebag sense of entitlement because they’re socking it to the man. Keep it up bikers, and you’ll find you won’t like your new status any more than drivers like Critical Ass.

Benz – Because of said potholes, drivers in San Francisco spend a lot more on car maintenance than almost anywhere in the country. And before this year, who the hell knew what an eye-bar was?

4. Food in the Hour of Chaos.

Like I said before, this recession feels different than the dot bomb earlier in the decade. One way this has manifested itself is in the culture of food.

Whereas in 2001, the food scene was defined simply by the closure of scores of restaurants that had thrived during the bubble, this year was just as well defined by what has popped up, not only because of the economic situation, but in spite of it.

We may be undergoing a complete food revolution in this country, but there’s no question it’s already happening in San Francisco, and not even the threat of a second Great Depression could stop it.  Since top chefs didn’t have the option of moving to Vegas this time around, they got creative, and local denizens came along for the ride.

It was hard, being broke, but I managed to take advantage of some of the pulsing trends in food in ’09 – the street food craze, the Mission Street Food craze, even the unbelievable and totally unsustainable SF Pizza Bubble of ought-nine!

5. Blog, blog, blog.

Did you start a blog this year? Everyone else did, me included. And not just this one! I also have been fortunate enough to be featured in my friend Jeff Diehl’s supercool blog, Spots Unkown.

And it’s only the beginning. When I started my humble Sunnyside neighborhood blog earlier this year, I was all alone out here. Since then, at least three covering this area have popped up.

On the larger scale, though, local blogs are supplanting local media outlets like SF Gate. Sure, SF Gate still has its place – you’ll note many links to the site in this piece. But really, while they work well to link to for feature pieces, more and more locals are depending on blogs for local news.

What’s going on with La Rondalla? What’s up with the plans to renovate the Safeway down the street?

Turns out the interest in local and sustainable goes beyond food.

… an old man an ass-whuppin’, as shown in this classic SNL sendup of the classic “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

I have way more enthusiasm for Christmas than anyone of my snarky peer group ought to, something which I’ve written about previously.

Having said that, I DO draw the line at Frank Capra. Give me the “Married With Children” holiday chestnut “It’s a Bundyful Life” (featuring the late, great Sam Kinison in the role of the angel trying to get his wings) instead.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58zgDXwXFlQ]

And while we’re on the topic of holiday giving, I’m kinda liking this Burger King holiday ad campaign that taps into my particular feeling about Christmas – slightly wistful, slightly sardonic.

Adweek did a number on the campaign:

The fast-food chain this week kicked off its “Dollar Holidays” e-card promotion. The effort, which is being handled by BK’s lead agency, Crispin Porter + Bogusky, and PR firm Edelman, allows consumers to send a holiday card containing a real dollar bill to those who are at the bottom of their gift list. As BK puts it on its Web site: “Casual friends don’t deserve second-rate gifts.”

There are 20 e-cards in the collection, and each costs $1 to send. Senders can decide on the tone and type of card. A “casual friend,” for instance, would receive a card that says, “I think you’re special, though I have no evidence to back that up,” while a “virtual stranger” would receive something like, “Happy Holidays, What’s-Your-Face.”

Another personal favorite is the one displayed at the Adweek site, “Happy Holidays, valued blog follower.”

Marketing wonks will note that CP+B’s BK campaigns have been hit and miss all year, which is fine by me, as long as the hits are clever enough to make you forget about the misses. And I think they hit this one outta the park.

I’ve been trying to get a hold of this version of Miike Snow’s “Animal” for months, and now I’m happy to share it with you. There have been many remixes of “Animal,” but this one offers a cool, dubby take courtesy of superstar DJ Mark Ronson (I won’t hold it against him).

Dear Porn Industry,

I know times are hard (heh). But I was checking out the AVN awards nominees, and boy, am I depressed.

They say success can be ruinous, and in this case, the success of my girl Hillary’s Brady Bunch parody has done a real number on the geniuses who are the creative forces behind the adult industry.

Yes, parodies hold a special place in the heart of both porn hounds and those who create them, but half the fun was butchering the name of the source of the parody. But this year we have a slew of parodies that borrow from the “Brady Bunch” idea, leaving the name intact: “The Jeffersons,” “Scrubs,” “30 Rock” … Come on now! You couldn’t do ANYTHING with “30 Rock”?!

For better and for worse, I expect more from porn. Having worked in it as a writer myself, I’m acutely aware of both the dearth of cleverness within as well as the little sparklers of genius that exist. I have read porn copy every bit as witty as any pop culture medium that exists, and that is why I know you can do better.

I know that porn is just like every other industry, and in hard times creative teams get laid off more than they get laid. Next thing you know, your douchey CEO is coming up with shit because his coke-fueled delusions, along with an inner circle of equally coked-up and delusional sycophants, have convinced him that he’s funny.

He’s not.

Let’s show some pride in our porn, people. And yes, I am available at a reasonable salary.

Love,

Olde Nasty

P.S. I didn’t think the Sarah Palin parody was particularly compelling, but I put it up there ‘cos it didn’t have naughty bits on it. And contrary to this post, this is not a porn blog.