In my scouring for good things to read online, I've stumbled across (not actually Upon) a new favorite. Carrie Brownstein, former guitarist of one of my favorite bands, Sleater-Kinney, now writes for NPR's much commented-on new music blog, in a section called "Monitor Mix". She gets about 50 comments per post, no doubt partly due to her fame, but her writing is also really good in its own right. I've already discovered a couple new bands I like through Carrie, and identified with her on many occasions, in her musings on the new year, the use of theme songs by politicians - "It is noteworthy that U2's ubiquity has transformed their songs into ones that are both non-partisan and non-threatening, which at least in the aforementioned contexts skirts a little close to non-music" - musical pet peeves, and comments on where the music industry stands today versus earlier days. If you're not already a reader, check it out. more ›

(alternate title: Things to Do in LA When You're Not Dead) more ›