As Willie Nelson himself puts it in the press release: “This is my definition of real country music.” This is handy information, since followers of Nelson have witnessed about a hundred definitions of country music—the ‘60s songwriter who wrote “Crazy,” the ‘70s progressive strains of The Red Headed Stranger, the glitz of Stardust, the very modern Teatro, or the inevitable reggae album Countryman, just to name a few.

A documentary about ultra-smart teens and the competition that could catapult them to genius stardom—and send them to college—sounds fascinating. Unfortunately, director Tom Shepard and co-director Tina DeFeliciantonio don’t get to the heart of their protagonists or the competition.

Capable heroine fighting against the elements in a strange environment, drawn by Steve Lieber…hmmm. Comparisons to Lieber and Greg Rucka’s Whiteout are inevitable, I suppose.

It is always the singer that gets the most attention, even when your group only has two members in it. Erasure equals Andy Bell and all his outlandish, outrageous, “out”-ness.

Amanda Palmer is a source of relentless energy who bends the laws of cabaret (and often, life) to her twisted bidding, be it alone, with The Dresden Dolls, or with her new project, presenting and “producing” the debut album of conjoined twins, Evelyn Evelyn. (Really Palmer and pal Jason Webley in a dress built for two and dubious wigs, but I’m willing to suspend my disbelief if you are.) Their stage show, which stopped in Los Angeles for a three night run at the appropriately old-Hollywood Largo at the Coronet, was heavy on the theatrics, and even heavier on camp. Cynics, you have been warned.

Brooklyn-based folkie weirdos Woods were doing lo-fi psychedelia long before it was fashionable, so its fitting that they’re one of the few bands working in that field that’s actually worth a damn.

Fox Kids’ Iron Man animated series ran for only two seasons in the mid 1990s, and I remember watching regularly back then. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment is banking on that twenty-something nostalgia and the timeliness of issuing this bare bones, 3-DVD set so close to the theatrical release of Iron Man 2. Well, after watching the episodes that aired during Iron Man‘s first season, I’m fairly certain my nostalgia was terribly misplaced.

There is a never ending need for music that sounds sad even when it is not. Aqualung’s Matt Hales understands this and handles his sensitive audience with care.

It is interesting to note that my Moleskin notebook’s resonance is exactly the same as Shout Out Louds’ “Hard Rain.” Of course it seems like this tour might be teaching the Shout Out Louds a few things about emotional resonance. While Friday night’s crowd reacted politely to their impeccable renditions of middling material from newest album Work, it was really favorites from Our Ill Wills and debut Howl Howl Gaff Gaff that really caused audience-wide oscillations.