Christopher Mackay's Blog

Does it get any better than this?

iTunes recently released a remastered version of John Lennon’s 1980 Double Fantasy album, which includes remixed versions of a number of tracks.

These new mixes have a stripped-down sound that eliminates a lot of the backing vocals, reverb and other production techniques that tend to make the songs very much of their original era. I remember these songs well from when they were released, as they got a lot of radio play following Lennon’s death, and I like these new arrangements a lot, though purists might not.

If anyone can make a phone nobody wants to look at… Microsoft can:

Really.

And yes, I do like the ad. It just won’t sell any phones for Microsoft. It will start a lot of fights in living rooms, though.

A mashup of various online clips of Christopher Hitchens, pamphleteer. I think the swipe at the “gentleman” advocating genital mutilation is the most devastating (and that’s saying something):

Via Hemant Meta, the Friendly Atheist.

How did I miss this album when it came out? “A Mirror Without” by Royal Wood is one of the most amazing songs I’ve heard in ages. Sublime melody:

He was even chosen as Artist of the Year for 2009 on iTunes. Royal Wood on iTunes.