Today's Moment of Zen: My answer for everything from now on

Word.

First impressions of ... Jimmy Eat World's "Chase this Light"

"Chase this Light," album No. 5 for Arizona's kings of "girlfriend-safe" rock, Jimmy Eat World, won't be released until Oct. 16, but the Budgeteer got its grubby li'l paws on a copy this afternoon -- and here's how the story unfolds:

1. "Big Casino"
This song has a simple message: Sonically, Jimmy Eat World hasn't skipped a beat since its last effort, the underrated "Futures," and, melody-wise, the group is looking back to its pre-"Bleed American" roots.

Catchy, but not too catchy.

2. "Let it Happen"
"Let it Happen" just screams lead-off single ... am I wrong? I don't listen to radio, so I wouldn't know. (Anyway, before I forget, you can listen to tracks off "Chase this Light" at JimmyEatWorld.com, and pre-orders at select merchants will net you a bonus disc with the exclusive track "Open Bar Reception" -- which, unfortunately, I do not have access to.)

3. "Always Be"
Billy Joel? No, Matt, no. Sorry, the snapping of the fingers threw me....

Poppy, mindless fun nonetheless -- kinda like if the Postal Service intentionally went for a Top 40 hit. (But only only "kinda.")

4. "Carry You"
If you happened to catch Deepsky's intriguing remix of America's "Ventura Highway" for the "What is Hip?" project, you might be prepared for this tuneful tune. Yeah....

5. "Electable (Give it Up)"
Ooh, a rocker! While it doesn't sound as forced as Pearl Jam's recent attempts, it doesn't quite fit with the tracks that precede it. I have the distinct feeling this one was written for people that only know Jimmy Eat World for "Bleed American."

6. "Gotta be Somebody's Blues"
A slow builder, I like it. It's a little moody, but it shows a band becoming more mature in its songwriting approach.

7. "Feeling Lucky"
Upbeat, catchy = YES! YES!

8. "Here it Goes"
Butch Vig actually produced this!? Oh, he only served as "executive producer" ... whatever the [EXPLETIVE DELETED] that means. (Translation: This song is conspicuously missing any sort of "edge." In fact, it actually kind of sounds like a Christmas song in spirit....)

"Hey, hey, hey, hey."

9. "Chase this Light"
The title track is ... pretty. Not completely lame, but this will probably be single No. 2, and it will, as it should, sell millions of records for Jimmy Eat World.

10. "Firefight"
A driving rocker like much of the band's early output. Nice.

11. "Dizzy"
Unfortunately not a cover of Tommy Roe's classic of the same name (leave that to the unstoppable Self), but, it is, like so many songs in the Jimmy Eat World canon, the perfect mix-tape track for lovers on a cross-country roadtrip. (Or, at the very least, one for lovers returning home to Fargo's North Dakota State University after an event-filled weekend in Crosby, Minn.)

THE VERDICT? Good ... damn good. I'm not afraid to throw my full support behind Jimmy Eat World -- they've written way too many memorable songs ("Call it in the Air" and "Lucky Denver Mint" quickly come to mind) to be written off as a '90s one-album wonder. If you liked "Futures" as much as I did, you'll surely love "Chase this Light."

*A special thanks to the fine folks at Interscope Records for making all this possible -- especially for a humble little newspaper man like myself!

Today's (Unending) Moment of Zen: Blogger Play

It goes a little something like this: Every time an image is uploaded to a public Blogger blog, it will flash across your screen at http://play.blogger.com/.

It's utterly compelling -- just try and not be sucked in!

UMD film series opens this Sunday

The University of Minnesota Duluth recently announced the selections for this year’s School of Fine Arts International Film Series. All of the films, which are screened at Weber Music Hall, are free and open to the public. For more information, call 726-8561. (For information on the films, follow the links to their individual Internet Movie Database listings.)

“Tsotsi” (2005, South Africa) Oct. 7, 2007, 7:30 p.m.

Based on a novel by Athol Fugard, “Tsotsi” won the Academy Award for best foreign film in 2005. Set on the edges of Johannesburg, South Africa, 19-year-old Tsotsi (Presley Chweneyagae) has learned to fend for himself. One night, driven to the brink of desperation, he steals a woman’s car. As he drives off, he makes a shocking discovery in the backseat.

“Takva” (2007, Turkey) Nov. 11, 2007, 7:30 p.m.

In contemporary Istanbul, Muharrem, a 45-year-old single man living in one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods, lives an ascetic existence as a devout follower of Islam. The film, using a focus on Rumi, the 13^th century mystic and poet, depicts Muharrem’s transformation when he acquires new duties with the leader of the religious sect he serves
selflessly. Soon he falls victim to the group’s hidden agenda, as his faith and their materialism collide.

“Himalaya” (1999, Tibet) Feb. 3, 2008, 7:30 p.m.

Filmed over seven months in the forbidding Dolpo region of Nepal, “Himalaya” tells the story of a generational struggle for the leadership of a tiny mountain village between its proud old chief and a headstrong young caravanner. The balance of power shifts uneasily as they make their annual salt trek across the Himalayas. A visually striking and spiritually captivating portrait of life in one of the world’s most extraordinary places, Himalaya is both an intense drama and a gorgeous tapestry of the fast-disappearing traditions of Tibetan life.

“The Lives of Others” (2006, Germany) (pictured) April 6, 2008, 7:30 p.m.

East Berlin, November 1984. Five years before its downfall, the former East German government ensured its claim to power with a ruthless system of control and surveillance. Party loyalist, Captain Gerd Wiesler, hopes to boost his career when given the job of collecting evidence against the playwright, Georg Dreyman, and his girlfriend, the celebrated theater actress, Christa-Maria Sieland. After all, the “operation” is backed by the highest political circles. What he doesn’t anticipate, however, is that submerging oneself into the world of the target also changes the surveillance agent. The immersion in the lives of others – in love, literature, free thinking and speech – makes Wiesler acutely aware of the meagerness of his own existence and opens to him a completely new way of life, which he has ever more trouble resisting. But the system, once started, cannot be stopped. A dangerous game has begun.

THE INTERNATIONAL FILM SERIES IS SPONSORED IN PART BY UMD CHANCELLOR KATHRYN A. MARTIN.

Historic trial underway in Duluth this morning

There was a subdued air of anticipation at Duluth's Federal Building this morning as Jammie Thomas' case against a majority of the biggest record companies on Earth neared its 9 a.m. start time -- but things are expected to heat up after jury selection.

If you're not familiar with the case, Mark Stodghill did a nice piece for the Duluth News Tribune, but the best story I've read so far actually comes from the Great White North, where the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's picked up an AP wire story that actually features a few comments from Thomas' lawyer, Brian Toder.

As expected, Thomas is remaining quiet. When I contacted her yesterday via e-mail, she said she had no comment at the time (after consulting with Toder, of course).

(Photo courtesy of me.)

A&E FYI: McInnis’ Kitchen announces CD release party

McInnis’ Kitchen announces the U.S.

release of its new album, “The Water that Connects Us.”

The public is invited to attend a special CD release party event, which will be held Oct. 25 in the Murphy Fireside Room of Dubh Linn Irish Pub & Billiards, 109 W. Superior St. in downtown Duluth.

The event will include hors d’œuvres, “peel-and-eat” shrimp and CD signing from 6 to 7 p.m., a special cameo performance by McInnis’ Kitchen from 7 to 7:30 p.m., more CD signing from 7:30 to 8 p.m., and live Irish pub music from 8 to 9 p.m.

There will also be drawings for “McInnis’ Kitchen - The Water That Connects Us Tour 2007” T-shirts.

McInnis’ Kitchen released their album in Canada in August, during its two-week concert tour in Newfoundland.

The album has already received rave reviews and airplay on CBC Radio and local radio stations in the St John’s area in Newfoundland.

Prior to the U.S. release of “The Water that Connects Us,” McInnis’ Kitchen’s music was featured here in Minnesota and throughout the region on KAXE during the station’s “Best of the New Music” showcase on “Currents” with Mark Tarner.

McInnis’ Kitchen performs music that is energetic, rhythmic and represents the synergy of combining Newfoundland and Cape Breton “kitchen music,” an Irish ceilidh and a New England contra dance.

The group’s original compositions take the listener to exciting new ground. Its instrumentals feature plenty of driving double-fiddling, and the songs are rich in the tradition of Irish music of Newfoundland and the Canadian Maritimes.

Since forming two years ago, the group has performed internationally at festivals and concerts, and has been featured on radio and television.

The members of McInnis’ Kitchen are Mark Boggie, Chuck Butler, Sue Spencer and Jim Ofsthun.

During the August tour of Newfoundland, the band was featured in major Newfoundland newspapers – and on Newfoundland television they were featured on the very popular “Summer Breeze” program, which boasts an audience share of 50,000-60,000 households throughout Newfoundland.

McInnis’ Kitchen was also featured at three major festivals: the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival in St John’s, the Festival of Friends in Outer Cove and the Blueberry Festival in Brigus, which boasts an attendance of around 20,000 people.

For more information about McInnis’ Kitchen, the CD release party and Dubh Linn Irish Pub & Billiards, contact info@mcinniskitchen.com or info@pondstage.com.

(Image and press release courtesy of the band.)

*******

In other CD-release news, the Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank will play a show in honor of their hot new album* ("Sing!") at 10 p.m. Oct. 12 at Pizza Luce. The Floorbirds will open.

*I'm not making this up. An advance copy made its way into my hands this afternoon, and I've been listening to it ever since. Early verdict: Another Duluth classic.

Duluth FYI: History in the making Tuesday, 9 a.m. (sharp)

In case you slept through the entire weekend (like I did), here's the big news you probably missed: Duluth will be the center of the entertainment-law world tomorrow when the first supposed jury trial in the RIAA's half-decade litigation frenzy goes down at 515 W. First St.

Going up against "Goliath" in this case is Jammie Thomas, a single, Native American mother of two who lives in Brainerd.

There's a great opinion piece at the L.A. Times, and local discussion is going down (per usual) at Perfect Duluth Day.