PoP, Edition 9

Music
Siriusly Smiling by Various Artists
(Learn more about this album from Stephanie Perkins. The proceeds benefit the National Foundation for Facial Reconstruction.)
I remember when Harry and the Potters came on the scene as the very first wizard rock band. Yeah, they sucked, but it was music with terribly clever lyrics about Harry Potter. They spawned a movement that now consists of over 450 wizard rock bands--18 of the best bands are represented on this compilation. The melodies tend to stay in the punk rock/pop genre, but let's be honest. You listen to wizard rock for the lyrics. Romance, teen angst, and incest are just the iceberg's tip of topics. ("C'mon, Harry, let's get frisky/Snogging is better than firewhiskey.") Some are purely tongue-in-cheek, but all of the songs are created with the love of Harry Potter and that's worth supporting.

Costello Music by The Fratellis
I picked this up last week at my favorite used music store and it was the second-best thing I got there. The first was a sticker that says "I dated Rick Astley--Never gonna give!" NOTHING can beat that. Anyhow, Costello Music is the perfect driving cd. Brightly exuberant and sardonic, The Fratellis are masters at the art of creating a song that will get stuck in your head for days. The best part is you never mind that it's stuck.

Books
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
I have this strange goal of reading all of the National Book Awards YA Fiction books before the end of the year. One down, four to go! Frankie Landau-Banks, a sophomore at an elite prep school, is like a slightly more insecure version of Lorelei Gilmore. Frankie's sharp wit and confidence have landed her a senior boyfriend and acceptance with the popular kids. (Her newfound curves didn't hurt, either.) Soon enough she learns that being the girlfriend of Matthew Livingston means staying sweet and pretty, but she resolves to show everyone that it doesn't have to be that way. This is done by taking silent control of the all-male secret society and organizing some seriously awesome pranks. With the potential to be a future criminal mastermind, Frankie is a strong and engaging character. I loved every page and while the book doesn't need a sequel, I'd like for E. Lockhart to write more.

T.V.
Battlestar Galactica, Season One
Two of the biggest BSG fans I know--Ashley and Jenn B--are also good blog friends of mine and I respect their opinons on tv more than anyone else. So you can blame them. I think I might be addicted. I'm not surprised or anything, but yeah, BSG is incredible. I'm kicking myself for not watching it earlier. Without mentioning any spoilers, BSG outshines every other show because it tries to be perfect in everything it does. The showrunners know where they're going and they aren't going to slack off until they get there.
A few highlights:
The music is impeccable. From the war beats to the main theme, the show gains so much from the score.
Jamie Bamber, Edward James Olmos, and Katee Sackhoff. Stunning actors. Like whoa. Also, I would like to eat Jamie Bamber's face.
The characters are complex, fascinating, flawed, and talented. They're real people, which is rare in television where most characters are caricatured.
There are no words for how good the writing is on the show. We'll just leave it at that.
Each episode builds on the already extreme tension that comes from being stuck in space and having cylons on your back 24/7.
BSG raises questions about philosophy, religion, and politics that other shows wouldn't dare to touch.
I know it sounds intense, but (so far) the journey has been very enjoyable. In the words of Dwight K. Schrute, if you're not watching this show, you're an idiot.