Kanye West’s new album is officially out, and is reportedly maximal enough to move markets. WaPo’s Click Track offers a steady stream of Kanye stuff, and Best Westhoff offers his own take on My Beautiful, Dark, Twisted Fantasy here on City Paper. The New York Times also spills some generous ink.

When John Updike died, not long after the Wall Street collapse and one week after Obama took office, I exchanged messages with a friend, who described the deceased writer thus:

He's completely ravenous. He just consumes everything. He's in many ways the ultimate subject that makes everything an object… He’s a roaring egotist … Obama's election signalled the end of the 20th century—a new era of responsibility, the end of selfish politics, the psychodrama of the baby boomer generation. Updike had no choice but to drop dead.

Well, guess what: Obama just got creamed in the midterms, Wall Street is fat again, TV commercials have gone from humble, “back-to-basics” Americana to a blinged-out Ken Jeong with his solid-gold jet ski and lady pyramid. And Kanye West—the inheritor of Updike’s poetic, voracious, confessional, hedonistic, self-dramatizing, self-glorifying, self-immolating, narcissitic mantle for the Twitter generation—has ditched the lean, recession-era tricks of 808s and Heartbreak for an ambitious monument to exalted, unwholesome brilliance; a massive stimulus for the American ego. By all accounts, the album of the year.

In other words: RECESSION OVER.

In our beautiful, dark, twisted fantasies, at least.

By which, of course, I mean pop culture.

A few unrelated rebukes to the imagined promises of Inauguration 2009 (as long as we’re on the subject and they’re in the news): Das Racist, who remind us that America is anything but post-racial; and Odd Future, who remind us that all politics is personal. Sasha Frere-Jones briefly analyzes both bands. And in Slate, Paul Devlin’s investigation into the poor editorial review of Yale’s Anthology of Rap suggests the near-misappropriation (however well-intentioned) of black cultural artifacts—i.e. rap lyrics—by the “authoritative” historical record.

Where was Obama on that one? Seriously dude, get it together.

For best results, keep your fantasies turkey-related. Bye!

(Editor's note: Usually there's a cool graphic to accompany this column. This week, due to some staff shortages and our impending Fall Arts Guide–out next Thursday!–we were unable create such a graphic. All the more reason to keep your eyes peeled for next week's edition.)

Far Out!                                                               Hot Dang!

Asleep at the Wheel also has long standing ties with the Washington D.C., area:  The group formed in 1970 in West Virginia and started gigging in D.C. They've been frequent inaugural ball performers since George H.W. Bush took office,  and were scheduled to play the White House on September 11th, 2001.

Washington City Paper spoke with Asleep at the Wheel founder and sole remaining original member Ray Benson ahead of Wednesday's show at the Birchmere.

Washington City Paper:  Though Austin is Asleep at the Wheel's home base, you do have strong connections to the D.C. area. You've played inaugural balls for several presidents and were scheduled to play the White House on 9/11. Aside from the Texas connection with the Bush family, why do you think you’re popular with the Washington crowd?

Ray Benson: Well, we started in D.C. We formed in West Virginia and the first gig we played was at L'Enfant Plaza during the Medicine Ball Tour opening for Hot Tuna and Alice Cooper of all people in 1970. We've also been playing in the area for 40 years.

WCP:  You had some brushes with President Obama on the campaign trail. Any plans or invites to play the Obama White House? What do you think of their commitment to the performing arts?

RB: We've certainly planned playing the White House–they just haven't invited us yet. [Laughs]. I'm very optimistic about their commitment to the arts. I'm hopeful that the federal government makes a bigger investment in the NEA and arts education. I've done work with arts education in the state of Texas, and its not just for performing artists–its for scientists, engineers...its for people that use the creative part of their brains to accomplish great things.

WCP: Willie and the Wheel is quite successful, even generating an on-air shout-out from former Clinton staffer and CNN commentator Paul Begala as the best record of the year. What was your reaction to that?

RB: It was great. I don't know Paul personally, but he's from Austin and as far as politics we just want to bring everyone together under one Asleep at the Wheel umbrella [laughs].

WCP: So Asleep at the Wheel are the the real unifiers from Texas?

RB: We really hope the divisiveness that has been so poisonous to our country, we hope that everyone can start thinking about working together. Cooperation is a hallmark of America. Now I sound like a goddamn political candidate.

WCP: A lot of musicians don’t like to label or categorize themselves, yet the Wheel is proud to own the Western Swing label. Have you found that label automatically conjures a context for new listeners coming to your music? Big hats and country piping on the shirts?

RB: The mantle of Western Swing is an all-inclusive one. We can play blues, jazz...fiddle music, anything that we want to play.  The definition of Western Swing is more focused on instrumentation and style. In other words, I can play a Count Basie song, I can play a Dylan song, a Willie Nelson song, and I can play a Ray Benson song. The common thread is that we use fiddles, steel guitar [not pedal], piano, bass, drums, and a horn or two and that's the instrumentation that defines a Western Swing band. What we can play is wide and varied as long as it fits into that instrumentation.

WCP:  Who are the other practitioners of Western Swing that you consider peers or contemporaries?

RB: Well, first there is a difference between country swing and western swing. When George Strait does his version of swing music it is country swing. It's not as jazz and blues orientated as the western swing Asleep at the Wheel plays. As far as contemporaries, there's dozens of 'em—the Cow Town, a trio sort of thing, Big Sandy and the Fly Right Boys, the Wiyos Band from New York—its very much like bluegrass was in that there's a lot of folks playing it.

And Merle Haggard, when he decides to play western swing, he has an incredible band.

WCP:  Van Morrison helped the Wheel with its first record deal by mentioning you in a Rolling Stone interview—have you ever been able to return the favor?

RB: Yes, in fact when Van did his country record he borrowed my fiddle player and steel guitar player, and took them on the road. Van and I talked two years ago when he came and visited me in Austin about me producing an album for him but he's still got a lot on his plate.

WCP: I’m looking at the picture of your studio and there are three portraits on the wall—who are they and what significance do they hold?

RB: Those are three velvet Elvis portraits.There's the young Elvis, the Hawaiian Elvis, and the 70's Elvis. One of the main reasons they hang there is that we have a vintage API board in the studio, one of the very same boards Elvis sang through in the RCA studios in Nashville.

WCP: Asleep at the Wheel is approaching its 40th anniversary. What secrets to career longevity have you learned from the iconic performers you’ve played with, like Willie Nelson or Bob Dylan?

RB: Both have very different ways, Bob is always changing and Willie always stays the same [laughs]. I learned to do a little bit of both. Also, while Willie is always Willie, he's also much like Dylan in that he'll take on a challenge and that's what keeps you fresh.

WCP: You’re proud of your Texas base and Austin, even being named the Texas state musician.  Willie famously left Nashville and convinced you to move to Austin. What place does Nashville still hold for country music? What do you think of Austin’s ascendancy into a musical powerhouse?

RB: Nashville has some of the finest musicians, songwriters, and engineers in the world, but unfortunately it's controlled by pop radio and record companies that want to make a gazillion dollars and really could care less about making good music.

Austin's success has a lot to do with its variety. From Jerry Jeff Walker to Spoon, Ministry, Stevie Ray Vaughn, the Thunderbirds, Fastball, Sean Colvin and dozens more I'm remiss in not mentioning. The whole scene is based on creativity.

WCP: Are there new bands or artists that you’ve been playing with that you’d like to see get more exposure?  Last time I was in Austin I was blown away by Carolyn Wonderland.

RB: I produced Carolyn's record and she's great. She's working on her second record now. I just finished working on the James Hand record. He's an amazing hillbilly singer. I don't work with her but there's a young lady you're going to hear a lot about called Kat Edmonson, a fantastic jazz singer.

WCP: Any plans to write or produce more plays [Benson, along with Anne Rapp, wrote A Ride With Bob, the first-ever play about the life and music of Bob Wills] or other non Wheel or music related projects?

RB: A Ride With Bob is our main one, with the plan being we're going to film it one of these days. We just finished a five date run of sold out shows so it keeps on going.

WCP: Asleep at the Wheel is also known for having a lot of members over the span of your career—who wins in a bar fight, Asleep at the Wheel or Lyle Lovett’s Large Band?

RB: Oh we kick their ass [laughs]. Lyle's my good pal and one of the greatest of all time, and we used to back him up, but in a World Federation Wrestling match we got them beat.

Asleep at the Wheel performs at the Birchmere this Wednesday, August 26thth with the Olivarez Trio. Tickets are $35. at 7:30 PM wi

On Monday night, the Black Cat hosted the Big Shoulders Ball. We were there. We took pictures. We shot some video of Ted Leo and Andrew Bird. By now, other sites have weighed in. DCist posted its review. So yeah this show has pretty much been blogged about enough. It was a great night–one that I was perhaps too tired to even think about yesterday or immediately following the show! But there were some great performances by Ted Leo, the Waco Brothers, Andrew Bird, and Honeyboy Edwards. What made the night so unique–compared to the other balls–was that it was a) actually fun; b) it felt homemade; 3) you didn't have to wear a tux (dress was "thrift store formal"; 4) speakers actually mentioned things like healthcare and unions.

I have a few more pictures that I didn't have time to post the other morning. So here they are.

Honeyboy Edwards

Icy Demons

Ken Vandermark

Tortoise

Jon Langford

The Waco Brothers

Thomas Frank

Ted Leo

Ted Leo covering Pete Seeger:

Andrew Bird with members of Eleventh Dream Day, Tortoise, and Sally Timms:

Ted Leo

Sally Timms

Andrew Bird

The best performances are probably going to be the small ones. I caught Brother Ah at the Aloha Ball over at a small room in the Woodley Park Marriott. The band was tight. He was mystical (in a non-hippie-boomer way) turning the depressing room into a loft party. I half expected Amiri Baraka to walk in. The big ball performance of the weekend was Wyclef. I didn't think much of it.

I know I missed the freakest moment of the weekend. George Clinton got a small portion of his band together and actually played to a room of like 200 at the Aloha Ball. I had to scope out the scene along U Street. Second prize was catching Usher at Ben's.

I just got back from the Green Inaugural Ball on Constitution Ave at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium. I'm sure Darrow will have photos of this event soon. But I was thinking: I just saw Wyclef Jean. And I felt nothing. At one point in my life, Jean's old band dominated every single house party I went to. Tonight, he looked kinda old slogging away with his bad Marleyisms. The dude wore a wife beater. He had a bumper sticker on his forehead. He's got a gut. He phoned in a version of the national anthem. He used a flange pedal on the national anthem. When's this guy going to get his own cruise ship?

Jean certainly worked the crowd (a couple hundred). But is it that hard to inspire a bunch of middle-aged gals who put paid $500 to get in? I counted only one lady doing some kinda hippie trance twirl thing in the back of the room. Just one. Is he pissed that will.i.am stole his schtick?

What made Jean's performance tolerable was that you could chow down at the dessert tables and not feel guilty that you were missing anything. Let me tell you, the mini apple pie thingies with the cheese wedges on top really made the night. They were still warm by the time I got my mitts on them. And the fruit salad had just the right strawberry-to-melon-to-grapes ratio. The American Flag sugar cookies were a nice touch as well.

I still wonder is Wyclef the Phil Collins of hip-hop or the Kenny Rogers of hip-hop? I just thought of posting a clip of Rogers doing "The Gambler." But I thought better of it. I'm going to try and forget I ever saw Wyclef Jean.

*photo by Darrow Montgomery.

Alicia Keys would have been the better choice. I just have this feeling–correct me if I'm wrong here–but the next four, five days are going to be a huge bland sandwich only with massive crowds, security zones, and huge traffic congestion. Safe acts (Sting, Sheryl Crow) meeting up with the usual Hollywood cameos (Kate Walsh?). It's telethon-level talent. But what are they singing for? Obama? The fact that we're done with Bush?

I can't help but be disappointed. Again. Where's Wilco? For my money the best show in town is going to be the Big Shoulders Ball at the Black Cat featuring folks like Ted Leo, Ken Vandermark, Tortoise, etc. I'm going to that show. I promise to post pictures and maybe a little video.