Now normally, I’d liken the day after Thanksgiving as one of the few dates on the calendar where venturing into the retail world is about as much fun as sleeping face-down in the Trinity River. But this morning I came across a Black Friday sale that has me interested. Those familiar with this site will know that I am quite the sneaker enthusiast, and one of my favorite boutiques in Dallas, aDiKt, will be having a huge sale on hoodies, sneakers, caps and tees with prices slashed by as much as 80%. And be sure not to miss the $20 shoe sale (what?). Sale will go down Friday and Saturday, 11am until 10pm at aDikt, 3839 McKinney Ave Ste 140, Dallas 75204. Get there early, the freshest of the fresh won’t last long!

As human beings we use music in myriad cultural contexts–to celebrate, to encourage, to separate, to uplift. But never more than in the past thirty years have these functions evolved so drastically. The way that the craft is processed by culture has undergone a huge change from the days of the album as the epitome of the art form, through the days of the 45, and on to today, where a single mp3 distributed through a social networking venue such as Myspace can cause intense international interest in an act seemingly overnight.

Music aficionados Pitchfork have attempted to capture the essence of these changes with the publication of the upcoming book The Pitchfork 500: Our Guide to the Greatest Songs from Punk to the Present, which traces what they deem the most important songs since the days when the pizzazz of David Bowie, Lou Reed, and Iggy Pop gave kids an alternative to the sweetened pop that the Beatles popularized the previous decade. Employing the cunning writing style that the web site is known for, Pitchfork provides an enlightening view to modern music and its impact on society as a whole. While most readers are sure to immediately recognize many of the hits (Madonna’s “Holiday,” Weezer’s “Say it Ain’t So,” Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U”), the guide leaves room for some of the more undercurrent sensations that had more of an effect on future influential performers than they did during their own era.

What is surely one of the first guides to approach music in this way, Pitchfork seeks to enlighten us as it escorts us down memory lane. Set to hit bookstores on 11/11/08, The Pitchfork 500 may just be the template that future music historians refer to when assessing the value that the power of the singular song has played in the collective conscious of the 21st century and beyond.  Pre-order here. Selected highlights after the jump:

mp3: “That’s the Joint (LP Version)” by Funky 4+1, Sugar Hill Gang

[audio http://thenperiod.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/thats-the-joint-lp-version.mp3]

mp3: “Summer Babe (Winter Version)” by Pavement

[audio http://thenperiod.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/pavement-summer-babe-winter-version.mp3]

mp3: “Atmosphere” by Joy Division

[audio http://thenperiod.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/rmjc08-joy-division-atmosphere.mp3]

mp3: “Indian Summer” by Beat Happening

[audio http://thenperiod.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/beat_happening-indian_summer.mp3]

mp3: “Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush

[audio http://thenperiod.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/running_up_that_hill_kate_bush.mp3]

mp3: “Rebel Without a Pause” by Public Enemy

[audio http://thenperiod.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/public_enemy_-_rebel_without_a_pause.mp3]

mp3: “It Ain’t Hard to Tell” by Nas

[audio http://thenperiod.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/nas-illmatic-10-it-aint-hard-totell.mp3]

mp3: “Bros” by Panda Bear

[audio http://thenperiod.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/03bros.mp3]

According to recent local news, the local watering hole the Meridian room has closed. While it was rumored that it was gone forever, Unfair Park reports that it will indeed return. But under new management. You see, as of today the Meridian Room officially has new owners. And you can plan to hit up your favorite Expo Park haunt again by Thanksgiving.  Hurray!

Eric Wareheim, of Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! fame has created a stunnig video for MGMT’s song “The Youth.” If you like these comedians like I do, this video is a must. Also, worthwhile for anyone with even a passing interest in breakdancing.

design by Shepard Fairey

So it’s pretty safe to say that DJ Z-Trip is a genius. Well, he’s put out yet another one of his precious mixes, this time focusing his laser on the upcoming presidential elections. Clocking in at just under 55 minutes, the theme is Obama and the tunes are pumpin’. Uplifting, too. Download it from Z-Trip’s site, for free, here.

z-trip obama mix

[audio http://thenperiod.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/z-trip_obamamix.mp3]

As for the esteemed Meridian Room, they have fallen victim to the benevolent arachnid the DART Rail, whose expansion can add this fine bar to a list that includes the Good Latimer Bridge and its sweet, sweet street art. The light rail’s path of destruction goes directly past the Meridian, choking off traffic during an already slow period that comes every year due to the State Fair. I had even had plans there for Thursday night that have been moved to the Meridian’s sister location–The Libertine.

I bid each of these fine establishments thank you and farewell.

I just love love love this commercial. We need more like this.

First I heard of the above incident involving the police pulling the plug on a Rage Against the Machine anti-RNC concert in St. Paul. That’s fine, Rage will muscle on, performing a capella with the help of a megaphone. Looks like mayhem in the streets the night of McCain’s speech now, though, as twitterers MnIndyLIVE and coldsnaplegal tweet live from what seems to be quite the chaotic situation. Protesters on the Marion bridge are being harassed and threatened to be arrested. Keep in mind that these are peaceful protesters, oh yeah and I forgot to say that they’re seated. There’s also reports of tear gas and concussion grenades being deployed at another location. Minnesota law enforcement must have gone batty — did anything like this happen in Denver? Coverage here from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune.

What? Kanye Kanye Kanye. Big ups for the Olympics timeliness.