MEDIA MONDAY
What have you been reading, listening to, watching?

Comeback
While most of the counry's attention is focused on Gen. Petraeus' congressional testimony, students - mine anyway - are buzzing about something else today: the unfortunate comeback of Ms. Britney Spears at last night's MTV Awards. The reviews are not flattering. I wonder how much longer the corporate music world will tolerate embarassing the industry by pushing music on us from celebrities with no talent? Well, I guess I know the answer to that.

I do have to say that it's not cool in my mind to label her as out-of-shape or worse yet, fat. Clearly she's neither. It's pretty insulting to the women - especially the recent mothers - of the world that her condition is considered that way just for not being tv-toned tiny. On the other hand, it's hard to feel sorry for her on that count. Given the known standards going in, one marvels at the decision to wear the, er, outfit she did. You can read a damning take, and see more pictures than you want to at the This is London review here. Be warned, I guess, that while the pictures are maybe not technically unsafe for work, getting caught perusing them will surely damage your reputation with, well, anyone.

Did anyone dare to watch the actual event?

Elvis Costello
I'm already regretting my decision to skip his show with the Nashville Symphony last night. It was a little pricy and I was really not interested in hearing his ballet Il Sogno, which rather underwhelms me (the most impressive thing about it is that it exists at all, that it's an interest he would pursue), but I'm overhearing people in the coffee shop regaling the fascinating orchestrations of his old material, with the Symphony and Steve Nieve backing him up. I guess I can imagine that sort of thing being so dreadful that I didn't want to chance it. But, I shouldn't have doubted him.

If you're interested in old Elvis material by the way, you may want to pick up the 30th anniversary release of My Aim is True - with lots of extras - which you can get with a free Newbury Comics pint glass at his website! Also, check out the podcast series of Elvis discussing his first 10 years.