Shortcuts 12/13/12

Home of the free? Little known fact: The United States has the largest prison population in the world. Despite having only a quarter of the population, we put more people in jail than all of China.
We put more people in prison than all other developed nations combined. And most of it is for petty crimes. This is an excellent article in the New York Times about the lunacy of the US penal system. Anecdotes include: a woman serving a life sentence because her boyfriend stored cocaine in her attack.

Similarly, economist Bryan Kaplan rebuts the argument that we need more law enforcement.

Pre-English Irish Law: Fantastic piece that I had never heard of detailing Irish law before the English got involved. It debunks many myths associated with Irish history that are probably faulty because of poor translation of Old Irish text. This describes a highly stratified social structure that enabled a degree of social mobility. Notably, it seems that the Irish kings had relatively little involvement in lawmaking in a very decentralized state. Rather, a group of legal experts called brehons handled legal disputes with a system based on sureties or bonds. I'd be curious of this version of ancient Irish history is consistent with what students are taught in schools today.

Top 10 albums of 2012

Harking back to my music critic days, here are my top 10 albums of 2012.

Compare my list with metacritic or this guy.

1) Jack White, Blunderbuss
It's not even close. This isn't just the best album I heard this year, it's the best album I've heard in many years. I always liked the White Stripes, but I was never that big of a fan. This album is majestic -- far better than anything I've heard from him in the past.

"Freedom at 21" is nominated for the Grammy for best rock song in 2012, but I don't think it's even one of the best three songs on the album. He's evolved from simple guitar and drums into more expansive, nearly orchestral music. Most of these songs feature broad instrumentation, with the piano, rather than the guitar, at the center. But they all still rock. Very hard.

Best Songs: Hip Eponymous Poor Boy, I'm Shakin'


2) Django Django, Django Django
While it's probably unfair to say that Django Django is the Beta Band re-incarnate, the connections between the two bands are clear and joyous. Electronic modulation on top of great riffs and top-notch songwriting. This album is tight, funky, and danceable. 

Best songs: Default, Waveforms

3) David Byrne & St. Vincent: Love this Giant
It's a David Byrne with Tuba. Best David Byrne album since Uh-Oh, and that was 20 years ago.

Best songs: Who, Dinner for Two

4) First Aid Kit: The Lian's Roar

Two Swedish sisters in their early 20s doing classic Americana better than any Americans did it this year. Celestial vocals and harmonies.


Best songs: Emmylou, This Old Routine


5) Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit: Live from Alabama

Best singer-songwriter and guitarist you've never heard of (unless you're a Truckers fan). If there's a better one alive today, I sure don't know who he or she is. 

Best songs: In a Razor Town, TVA

6) Ben Folds Five: The Sound of the Life of the Mind
Middle-age angst? Ben Folds has the market cornered. This album's fun, funny, and melancholy at the same time.

Best songs: Do it Anyway, Draw a Crowd

7) Kid Koala: 12 bit Blues
This album is a genre in itself, Electronic Blues, without feeling experimental. Handsome Boy Modeling School meets Muddy Waters.

Best Songs: 2 bit Blues, 11 bit Blues

8) Alabama Shakes: Boys & Girls
Mid-tempo, catchy rock-soul. Technically solid and the lead singer has an epic voice.

Best songs: Hold On, Heartbreaker


9) Corb Lund: Cabin Fever

Best lyrics for a country singer ever? Certainly some of the most fun.

"Dig Dig Gravedigger, dig Gravedigger dig, work that shovel with vigor gravedigger before rigor mortis sets in big"

Other songs include a discussion of sex on a motorcycle on the autobahn, and his attempts to try to date Goth girls. Not exactly typical country fare.

Best songs: Dig Gravedigger Dig, Bible on the Dash

10) Brandi Carlile: Bear Creek
Played this a few times with company over, and every time, I caught folks who'd never heard of her tapping their foot to "Hard Way Home."


Best songs: Hard Way Home; Save Part of Yourself



Also pretty good: 
Bruce Springsteen: Wrecking Ball; Dr. John: Locked Down; This One's for Him: A Tribute to Guy Clark; Carolina Chocolate Drops: Leaving Eden; Lumineers: Lumineers; Macklemore & Ryan Lewis: The Heist