The Taste Monkeys

Your weekly guide on what to look at, talk about, and listen to:

Oryx and Crake

by Margaret Atwood

Atwood's thrilling, if slightly heavy handed, take on one man's seemingly solitary future amongst the ruins of a world torn apart by genetic engineering and biological terrorism. A chilling view of what our desire for perfection coupled with human ingenuity can lead to if left unchecked.

Babylon by Bus

Bob Marley & The Wailers

recorded on their first world tour in 1978, it captures everything that makes marley and the wailers' music so powerful; brothers carlton and aston barrett's propulsive, insistent rhythm work, junior marvin's guitar floating and skanking throughout the album, and above all marley himself so full of soul, righteousness, and conviction towering over the group like a dreadlocked moses, leading europe to the promised land.

South Park: Season 9 (wed.@ 10 e.)

First off, kids swearing is always funny. That the show manages to be so much more on a weekly basis just adds to its greatness. TV's most realistic take on kids, and as cynically honest as the "daily show," it inspires the sometimes uneasy laughter of all great social commentaries. Thank God they're cartoons, because to see stan, kyle, kenny and cartman grow up would be a shame.