When people say that the internet doesn't have any culture, I respectfully disagree. i.e...

Say what you will about Kanye being a douchebag occasionally.

The short answer to that question is: "Yes, yes it is."

Two quick recommendations of younger artists I've been enjoying of late. What they lack in polish or a full-on musical philosophy they more than make up for in terms of freshness.

Recently talk show host and comedienne Ellen DeGeneres replaced Paula Abdul as the fourth judge on American Idol. More recently the show's signature presence Simon Fuller announced his departure. Last week an actual credible record producer, Steve Lillywhite, went public with his go at auditioning for the show.

The documentary is called Ladies & Gentlemen, Mr. Leonard Cohen.

Tickets went on sale last week for The New Yorker festival, the annual roundelay of uber-cultured readings, panels, concerts & events which -- much like The New Yorker itself -- are perhaps a bit too self-consciously about Culture with a capital C rather than about the culture (lower case c) that they are presenting.

One reason I stopped being a full-time music writer is that I hate feeling compelled to write about what I'm hearing when language fails to do justice to the sound. It should also go without saying that, at times, what one sees at a concert actually seems even more important than the music.