There was an urban legend floating around after 9/11 that certain songs were banned from radio airplay, including the classic, "What a Wonderful World." Somehow the following song is not only eerily prophetic, but sums up the arc of my emotions. The opening riff seems relaxing, but is fraught with droning tension. The lyrics lead us into an awareness of the mass confusion and ennui that surround us all. The song builds to a crescendo......

Donning a trademark jumpsuit and moon-man helmet, Cee-Lo Green of Gnarles Barkley emerged on stage at USC's Galen Center to the tune of a surging, epic, space-odyssey instrumental. Touting the merits of Danger Mouse, Feng Shui, and Crown Royal, our weeblesque hero warmed up the enthusiastic crowd with a string of pervasive, electro-rock/neo-soul, head boppers. Threatening that the party might get “off the chain” to a bunch of arty-indie-college-punks was certainly the booze talking,......