sounds like someone got a hold of this book: http://www.amazon.com/Web-Standards-Creativity-Innovations-S.... It details how to develop websites he's referring to, particularly DirtyPrettyThings.com done by Sam Collision.

A lot of the elements are all pre-Web 2.0. Go to any Border's or B&N and find a web design book printed in 99 and you'll find the very same styles he so loves. The point of this article should have been: "How to determine if you have taste?"