Saturday, August 30, 2014

Jingly Saturday Random Ten

Tonight I watched the first couple of episodes from season 2 of Mad Men.  I can see why some aren't into it but there's a strong appeal.  Part of it is the compelling figure of Don, who wants to do the right thing even as he frequently doesn't.  There's also a nostalgia for a time when you could tell your secretary "I've been wanting to see that Valentine heart" because she's got a nice ass.  For some reason that one doesn't appeal as much to women.

There's a deeper nostalgia, though.  In the houses and offices, you can see what was still a thriving middle class, with jobs in general being more secure.  Advertising and spin did very well as the cherry on top.  Now they're supposed to be the whole sundae, which doesn't work as well.


1. Benny Spellman - Fortune Teller
2. Reading Rainbow - Animals Take Control of Me
3. Beasties Boys - Crawlspace
4. Broadcast - Subject to the Ladder
5. The Band - I Shall be Released
6. Diana Krall - So Nice
7. New Order - Blue Monday
8. Lower Dens - Propagation
9. Dirty Projectors - The Bride
10. Heidi Bruhl - Sieh Mal An

2 comments:

susan said...

Having a good memory for the time period and the attitudes I'm not sure I'd be interested in Mad Men. You're right, though, in your assessment that it was a time when everything everywhere appeared to be on a permanently upward trajectory.

Not long ago we watched the TV series Fargo. It was much better than we expected.

The FR10 looks okay to me, but overall less familiar than some. Perhaps I'll have to look up a few youtubes and educate myself. The Beasties and The Band are always good.

Ben said...

Mad Men can admittedly be slow-paced at times, which puts some people off. I appreciate the sometimes out-of-nowhere bits of comedy, though. (We've never gotten used to losing that trajectory, it seems.)

I haven't seen Fargo the series yet. Very definitely I've seen the movie a couple of times. The actress who plays the lead detective on the show seems like a cutie.

Indeed they are.