[This is as much as I finished before my drunken roommate demanded my presence on his escapades. I will update/complete this action tomorrow]
Missed the blog yesterday for various reasons; time to make up for that.
MUSIC:
Kanye's VH1 Storytellers airs tomorrow. It's going to be the best one ever.
I am in love with this Hauschka video! It's phenomenally orchestrated and exceptionally animated!
Tinted Windows could have just named themselves The Cheap Smashing Hanson Experience for funsies, in my opinion. Oh, and they make powerpop. Also strikingly gorgeous: the new Big Pink video.
RCRD LBL pulls its weight. The Other Girls is only streaming, but it's worth a listen. The Megaphonic Thrift sounds fantastic from these two tracks. Say Hi (formerly Say Hi To Your Mom) has a great MP3 on the site. It seems that his new album Oohs and Ahhs is releasing the same day as The Antlers release their album. Whose album will get purchased that album day? (Only one slot is open; Anamanaguchi's album is getting bought no matter WHAT else is released) Guess we'll have to wait and see.
FILM:
WEIRD:
This section has been lacking lately. Not like the world isn't still weird. So because I love you all so much, it's time to go through some BoingBoing archives.
Oh, and aside from BoingBoing, there's a great little video on /Film. Too much Short Circuit 2 footage, but stick through 'til the end.
Poster Boy kind of = my hero now.
WORLD:
Friday, February 27, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
February 25th, 2009
MUSIC:
Good day on Pitchfork. The new Cursive track is much fun. The DM Stith video is absolutely gorgeous. The Kanye live video, from his upcoming Storytellers show, kicks ass.
RCRD LBL's claim to "exclusivity" on their downloads of Paper may be highly dubious (a quick google search reveals the tracks available for download from several other blogs a week ago) but don't let that discourage you from seizing these kinda-2008-but-just-recently-topical gems.
Also on RCRD LBL, Hype Williams sound like what I think going to hell would sound like, and Rone's little electro popping sounds are very comfortable to slip into.
Hunstville just kind of feels intense at this point.
Kanye shares a bit of Kid Cudi.
FILM:
Via /Film, this (oldish?) awesome now-required-reading Vast Public Indifference blog tackles the gender issues in Pixar movies.
It's just an interview with Watchmen's science consultant, but I will take what I can get at this point. And predictably, Zack Snyder is gonna be one busy dude.
Samuel L. Jackson is going to be Nick Fury nine times. Rejoice!
WEIRD:
Kanye and Transformers do the advertising-dirty.
Via BoingBoing, a different kind of crayon art.
WORLD:
The New York Times reports that several states are considering an end to the death penalty for financial reasons. They also report on violent clashes in Somalia that have been claiming numerous lives.
PERSONAL:
Unexpected: one of the albums of 2008 getting the most play on my iTunes is 808s. Hmm.
I woke up feeling pretty nauseous, and it wrought havoc on my day. Here's hoping that tomorrow I'm feeling well enough to do all the crap I need to do.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 4
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 439
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, addicted to cocaine.
Good day on Pitchfork. The new Cursive track is much fun. The DM Stith video is absolutely gorgeous. The Kanye live video, from his upcoming Storytellers show, kicks ass.
RCRD LBL's claim to "exclusivity" on their downloads of Paper may be highly dubious (a quick google search reveals the tracks available for download from several other blogs a week ago) but don't let that discourage you from seizing these kinda-2008-but-just-recently-topical gems.
Also on RCRD LBL, Hype Williams sound like what I think going to hell would sound like, and Rone's little electro popping sounds are very comfortable to slip into.
Hunstville just kind of feels intense at this point.
Kanye shares a bit of Kid Cudi.
FILM:
Via /Film, this (oldish?) awesome now-required-reading Vast Public Indifference blog tackles the gender issues in Pixar movies.
It's just an interview with Watchmen's science consultant, but I will take what I can get at this point. And predictably, Zack Snyder is gonna be one busy dude.
Samuel L. Jackson is going to be Nick Fury nine times. Rejoice!
WEIRD:
Kanye and Transformers do the advertising-dirty.
Via BoingBoing, a different kind of crayon art.
WORLD:
The New York Times reports that several states are considering an end to the death penalty for financial reasons. They also report on violent clashes in Somalia that have been claiming numerous lives.
PERSONAL:
Unexpected: one of the albums of 2008 getting the most play on my iTunes is 808s. Hmm.
I woke up feeling pretty nauseous, and it wrought havoc on my day. Here's hoping that tomorrow I'm feeling well enough to do all the crap I need to do.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 4
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 439
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, addicted to cocaine.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
February 24th, 2009
MUSIC:
Slumberland is on a roll; the free single from Bricolage is some seriously fun stuff. They wisely draw on the "Since U Been Gone" spelling style to boot.
Wow... I'll let Pitchfork handle the backstory behind Staff Benda Bilili. The music is damn good to boot. Also on Pitchfork, a rad new video from Depeche Mode with a great sense of sick suspense. Apparently though, because it has a car in it, it is ripping off "Karma Police."
The Fader's freeload of Sonido del Principe is probably the straight-up coolest track I've heard all year so far. The Fader nails it: it's sweaty, danceable, gothic bliss. Young neo-neo-noir upstarts, if you're out there: take your inspiration from this track, please. I want to see a film that earns a soundtrack like this.
Discodust brings the goods. Epic german-ish house from Fakebeat, and the Marina and the Diamonds MP3 is what will be stuck in my head for the rest of the damn year. (Doesn't hurt that she's hella crushworthy) So yeah, blend of baroque and ecstasy tablets: just what I expect from Discodust.
FILM:
So far, everybody likes Watchmen a lot. Anecdote: [Warning: I try and avoid spoilers, but if you're good at inference and haven't read the graphic novel, skip this] I told my friend that of the entire film, I had one expectation. There's a line spoken by Rorschach near the end of the graphic novel. To avoid spoilers but clue in fans, I'll say that it's spoken to Dr. Manhattan right before something crucial happens. For me personally, that's the defining moment of the graphic novel - the moment that haunts me, brings tears to my eyes, the moment that elevates Watchmen from great to essential. As long as they do that moment justice, I don't care WHAT Snyder does to the rest of the picture. Well, that friend went to an advance screening, and he's assured me, wide grin on his face, that they did it right. That's all I need to get excited for this film.
Yeah... yeah, I just reread the ending out of necessity, and cried a little.
Yeah.
Anyway.
If you like films based on board games, it's time to get excited. Ish? I already know a few diehard fans of the original live-action Clue, and I don't know if the film will benefit from overly complicated and vague revisionist mythos.
God, the slow trickle of adorable/fun casting reveals from Scott Pilgrim is one of my favorite things about 2009 so far, no exaggeration.
Make no mistake: I don't give a damn about the Dragonball movie. (True fans of japanese animation are all holding out for the Blu-Realistic Akira restoration) No, I'm posting this story for one of its comments, a very strong contender for best non sequitr comment of 2009: "The second picture down looks like he just got slapped in the face with a fish..." Bravo, SR. Bravo.
I need to read more film blogs. With IFC scaled down and AICN frequently tangential, I wind up mostly posting my favorite /Film stories. Not nearly broad enough. RottenTomatoes doesn't help, because they're basically in the same predicament as I am.
WEIRD:
Paste explains all the ways Kenny has died. Prepare to giggle, if you think being run over by the Fonz's motorcycle is giggle-worthy.
WORLD:
The New York Times reports on Obama's promise to rebuild.
PERSONAL:
Try inserting Madea into other movie titles. My friends and I have been hooked on it for days; we call it Madeafest. Examples: Full Madea Jacket, No Country For Old Madea, He's Just Not That Into Madea.
Keeping myself busy is where it's at. Gotta learn from hip hop and apply the rap ethic to my films; gotta work hard and put the hours in. Drake said it best: "I'm not perfect, but I work hard and I deserve it."
Also, Chamillionaire is one hell of a grower.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 4
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 431
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, addicted to bandwidth.
Slumberland is on a roll; the free single from Bricolage is some seriously fun stuff. They wisely draw on the "Since U Been Gone" spelling style to boot.
Wow... I'll let Pitchfork handle the backstory behind Staff Benda Bilili. The music is damn good to boot. Also on Pitchfork, a rad new video from Depeche Mode with a great sense of sick suspense. Apparently though, because it has a car in it, it is ripping off "Karma Police."
The Fader's freeload of Sonido del Principe is probably the straight-up coolest track I've heard all year so far. The Fader nails it: it's sweaty, danceable, gothic bliss. Young neo-neo-noir upstarts, if you're out there: take your inspiration from this track, please. I want to see a film that earns a soundtrack like this.
Discodust brings the goods. Epic german-ish house from Fakebeat, and the Marina and the Diamonds MP3 is what will be stuck in my head for the rest of the damn year. (Doesn't hurt that she's hella crushworthy) So yeah, blend of baroque and ecstasy tablets: just what I expect from Discodust.
FILM:
So far, everybody likes Watchmen a lot. Anecdote: [Warning: I try and avoid spoilers, but if you're good at inference and haven't read the graphic novel, skip this] I told my friend that of the entire film, I had one expectation. There's a line spoken by Rorschach near the end of the graphic novel. To avoid spoilers but clue in fans, I'll say that it's spoken to Dr. Manhattan right before something crucial happens. For me personally, that's the defining moment of the graphic novel - the moment that haunts me, brings tears to my eyes, the moment that elevates Watchmen from great to essential. As long as they do that moment justice, I don't care WHAT Snyder does to the rest of the picture. Well, that friend went to an advance screening, and he's assured me, wide grin on his face, that they did it right. That's all I need to get excited for this film.
Yeah... yeah, I just reread the ending out of necessity, and cried a little.
Yeah.
Anyway.
If you like films based on board games, it's time to get excited. Ish? I already know a few diehard fans of the original live-action Clue, and I don't know if the film will benefit from overly complicated and vague revisionist mythos.
God, the slow trickle of adorable/fun casting reveals from Scott Pilgrim is one of my favorite things about 2009 so far, no exaggeration.
Make no mistake: I don't give a damn about the Dragonball movie. (True fans of japanese animation are all holding out for the Blu-Realistic Akira restoration) No, I'm posting this story for one of its comments, a very strong contender for best non sequitr comment of 2009: "The second picture down looks like he just got slapped in the face with a fish..." Bravo, SR. Bravo.
I need to read more film blogs. With IFC scaled down and AICN frequently tangential, I wind up mostly posting my favorite /Film stories. Not nearly broad enough. RottenTomatoes doesn't help, because they're basically in the same predicament as I am.
WEIRD:
Paste explains all the ways Kenny has died. Prepare to giggle, if you think being run over by the Fonz's motorcycle is giggle-worthy.
WORLD:
The New York Times reports on Obama's promise to rebuild.
PERSONAL:
Try inserting Madea into other movie titles. My friends and I have been hooked on it for days; we call it Madeafest. Examples: Full Madea Jacket, No Country For Old Madea, He's Just Not That Into Madea.
Keeping myself busy is where it's at. Gotta learn from hip hop and apply the rap ethic to my films; gotta work hard and put the hours in. Drake said it best: "I'm not perfect, but I work hard and I deserve it."
Also, Chamillionaire is one hell of a grower.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 4
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 431
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, addicted to bandwidth.
Monday, February 23, 2009
February 23rd, 2009
As has probably been noticed, there was no content over the weekend; no week in review or editorial. There's enough non-2009 stuff I'm writing essays about that I just don't have the time to analyze my week right now. I will try and do something special at the end of the month.
MUSIC:
The new Pheonix MP3 surprises me with its rhythm, which I like. It's also a shit-fun dance bit.
Vampire Weekend + Miike Snow evidently = massive giddy fun.
Once again, The Lipster provides DiS with a singles rundown. They're spot on with Lissy Trullie, and the Glasvegas video is ace, but I'm not so in love with the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs single.
If you aren't up on the whole Last.fm debacle, an unsourced article was claiming that Last.fm gave all its info to the RIAA. Apparently, the article was a sham, and not only is Last.fm innocent, it's handling the whole thing pretty well.
Pavement = back together? Lost Beatles tape = surface? Dying now = acceptable?
Fader says this best: "Jamaican Government Bans Jamaican Music on Jamaican Radio (Basically)"
FILM:
Slumdog won big, y'all.
AICN has a new Watchmen clip. Cue feverish debate.
If you missed the Oscars, don't stress. /Film hooks you up with the Pineapple Express bit and some of the good speeches, significant in that order. I would recommend youtubing both wins for Milk. They're both very special.
Agora looks fun.
WEIRD:
Oh Seacrest, when haven't you been a piece of crap? Also from /Film, David Lynch is great.
WORLD:
The BBC reports on North Korea's plans to launch a satellite.
PERSONAL:
Today has been a really good day! I got pretty minimal sleep last night, but I felt pretty good all day; now I just need to know enough not to attempt repeating the trick.
Oh, and I'm upping the .5 of a film to a film, because I read Soderbergh saying it was standalone.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 4
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 426
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, enjoying all the movie title puns.
MUSIC:
The new Pheonix MP3 surprises me with its rhythm, which I like. It's also a shit-fun dance bit.
Vampire Weekend + Miike Snow evidently = massive giddy fun.
Once again, The Lipster provides DiS with a singles rundown. They're spot on with Lissy Trullie, and the Glasvegas video is ace, but I'm not so in love with the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs single.
If you aren't up on the whole Last.fm debacle, an unsourced article was claiming that Last.fm gave all its info to the RIAA. Apparently, the article was a sham, and not only is Last.fm innocent, it's handling the whole thing pretty well.
Pavement = back together? Lost Beatles tape = surface? Dying now = acceptable?
Fader says this best: "Jamaican Government Bans Jamaican Music on Jamaican Radio (Basically)"
FILM:
Slumdog won big, y'all.
AICN has a new Watchmen clip. Cue feverish debate.
If you missed the Oscars, don't stress. /Film hooks you up with the Pineapple Express bit and some of the good speeches, significant in that order. I would recommend youtubing both wins for Milk. They're both very special.
Agora looks fun.
WEIRD:
Oh Seacrest, when haven't you been a piece of crap? Also from /Film, David Lynch is great.
WORLD:
The BBC reports on North Korea's plans to launch a satellite.
PERSONAL:
Today has been a really good day! I got pretty minimal sleep last night, but I felt pretty good all day; now I just need to know enough not to attempt repeating the trick.
Oh, and I'm upping the .5 of a film to a film, because I read Soderbergh saying it was standalone.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 4
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 426
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, enjoying all the movie title puns.
Friday, February 20, 2009
February 18th through February 20th, 2009
Okay people, we've got some ground to cover.
MUSIC:
HOLY SHIT, I'll bump down my N.A.S.A. rant for this: Anamanaguchi, my absolute favorite 8bit group, got coverage on Pitchfork, and has a proper LP coming soon - like, a couple of goddamn weeks soon! The best news? The song kicks serious ass. If you don't buy their EP/T-shirt bundle, you, sir or madam, are a fool.
Okay, time to come down from the high and tackle the low:
Pitchfork is equal parts music webzine and twisting-knife-in-gut, so I'm not particularly surprised at their abysmally low score for N.A.S.A.'s Spirit of Apollo album. Honestly, the review and score seem at odds; records have suffered far sharper textual barbs and come out in the 3.0-4.5 range, and I'm not a big fan of using a score to stir controversy - if your review isn't valuable enough on its own to warrant the internet's attention, people will know it, and your exaggerated score comes off as cheap and exploitative. Well, reviewer Tom Breihan seems like kind of a prick anyway, albeit an honest one. A fun Ryan Dombal speculative-silliness chaser should do you just fine.
Or you could just take solace in some of Pitchfork's free MP3s. Swan Lake's MP3 is definitely quality, pointing to a really good album. Then, the Friendly Fires/Air France pairing here seems destined to be one of my favorite songs of the year, without hesitation - a sparse, oscillating take on a brilliantly executed pop song? Come on, what more do you need? Oh, if it's an anthem you need, Ladytron/Great Northern will hook you up.
Speaking of MP3s, RCRD LBL has been quite industrious. A rad kudoro-via-Hot-Chip MP3, and their Sholi track is really quite good as well. But clear and away, the best tracks on the site are by The Antlers (I was sucked in by the Vanderslice comparison) and sweet lord, this is good. Album comes out March 3rd... Great Album Day #2, anybody?
That kickass dance video was evidently just a prelude to a badass week on Fader. The Trey Songz track glistens with sheen and bright melodies. Then, they look on as "My President is Black" gets nerdily and awesome-ly dissected.
Leonard Cohen is touring. Hot damn!
Don't know who to link to here, because this was very word-of-mouth, what-am-I-missing-out-on websurfing (I guess RapReviews namechecked it, my search may've started there) but I just found out about Drake's "So Far Gone" mixtape and it's really solid. Spacey production, gooey vocals, a restrained aesthetic, and those shiny names after the abbreviated 'ft.' I mean, when you're with Young Money, I guess you're kinda blessed in more ways than one, yeah?
Rufus Wainwright is a fun person to follow.
TMT reports on a band paying you to download their album; the ploy, as my beloved mixtape lovers point out, is about 3% as clever and meaningful as it sounds.
New St. Vincent album! You can start swooning now.
Hanson / Smashing Pumpkins is no longer just the weirdest mashup on your iTunes bootleg playlist; there's kind of a band with members from both now.
FILM:
I really, really like Edgar Wright.
The Funny People trailer looks somewhat promising, although that could just be my massive man-crush on Schwartzman talking.
I want a Metal Gear Solid movie, and if Watchmen does well, it may friggin' happen!
Also on Collider, a convenient list of all those Watchmen clips floating about. I'll hold my judgement.
Inglorious Basterds posters? Yes, please!
WEIRD:
Demetri Martin knows his palindromes.
The Wrestler's steroid dude got arrested because he had steroids. They're taking this "harmonic performance" thing way too far.
WORLD:
The New York Times reports on the role the U.S. is playing in Pakistan's internal crisis; specifically, our covert attacks on militant rebels.
The BBC reports on Secretary Clinton's attempts deepen relations with China.
PERSONAL:
It has been a wild week. This semester is far more demanding, creative, and messy than the last; in short, it's far more fun.
Wendy and Lucy tomorrow/today! At last!
2009 FILMS SEEN: 2.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 402
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, exhausted from so much blogging.
MUSIC:
HOLY SHIT, I'll bump down my N.A.S.A. rant for this: Anamanaguchi, my absolute favorite 8bit group, got coverage on Pitchfork, and has a proper LP coming soon - like, a couple of goddamn weeks soon! The best news? The song kicks serious ass. If you don't buy their EP/T-shirt bundle, you, sir or madam, are a fool.
Okay, time to come down from the high and tackle the low:
Pitchfork is equal parts music webzine and twisting-knife-in-gut, so I'm not particularly surprised at their abysmally low score for N.A.S.A.'s Spirit of Apollo album. Honestly, the review and score seem at odds; records have suffered far sharper textual barbs and come out in the 3.0-4.5 range, and I'm not a big fan of using a score to stir controversy - if your review isn't valuable enough on its own to warrant the internet's attention, people will know it, and your exaggerated score comes off as cheap and exploitative. Well, reviewer Tom Breihan seems like kind of a prick anyway, albeit an honest one. A fun Ryan Dombal speculative-silliness chaser should do you just fine.
Or you could just take solace in some of Pitchfork's free MP3s. Swan Lake's MP3 is definitely quality, pointing to a really good album. Then, the Friendly Fires/Air France pairing here seems destined to be one of my favorite songs of the year, without hesitation - a sparse, oscillating take on a brilliantly executed pop song? Come on, what more do you need? Oh, if it's an anthem you need, Ladytron/Great Northern will hook you up.
Speaking of MP3s, RCRD LBL has been quite industrious. A rad kudoro-via-Hot-Chip MP3, and their Sholi track is really quite good as well. But clear and away, the best tracks on the site are by The Antlers (I was sucked in by the Vanderslice comparison) and sweet lord, this is good. Album comes out March 3rd... Great Album Day #2, anybody?
That kickass dance video was evidently just a prelude to a badass week on Fader. The Trey Songz track glistens with sheen and bright melodies. Then, they look on as "My President is Black" gets nerdily and awesome-ly dissected.
Leonard Cohen is touring. Hot damn!
Don't know who to link to here, because this was very word-of-mouth, what-am-I-missing-out-on websurfing (I guess RapReviews namechecked it, my search may've started there) but I just found out about Drake's "So Far Gone" mixtape and it's really solid. Spacey production, gooey vocals, a restrained aesthetic, and those shiny names after the abbreviated 'ft.' I mean, when you're with Young Money, I guess you're kinda blessed in more ways than one, yeah?
Rufus Wainwright is a fun person to follow.
TMT reports on a band paying you to download their album; the ploy, as my beloved mixtape lovers point out, is about 3% as clever and meaningful as it sounds.
New St. Vincent album! You can start swooning now.
Hanson / Smashing Pumpkins is no longer just the weirdest mashup on your iTunes bootleg playlist; there's kind of a band with members from both now.
FILM:
I really, really like Edgar Wright.
The Funny People trailer looks somewhat promising, although that could just be my massive man-crush on Schwartzman talking.
I want a Metal Gear Solid movie, and if Watchmen does well, it may friggin' happen!
Also on Collider, a convenient list of all those Watchmen clips floating about. I'll hold my judgement.
Inglorious Basterds posters? Yes, please!
WEIRD:
Demetri Martin knows his palindromes.
The Wrestler's steroid dude got arrested because he had steroids. They're taking this "harmonic performance" thing way too far.
WORLD:
The New York Times reports on the role the U.S. is playing in Pakistan's internal crisis; specifically, our covert attacks on militant rebels.
The BBC reports on Secretary Clinton's attempts deepen relations with China.
PERSONAL:
It has been a wild week. This semester is far more demanding, creative, and messy than the last; in short, it's far more fun.
Wendy and Lucy tomorrow/today! At last!
2009 FILMS SEEN: 2.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 402
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, exhausted from so much blogging.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
February 17th, 2009
No reviews yet. That takes a lot of time, you see.
Wow, I missed less than I thought. Still, there's some good stuff here!
MUSIC:
Pitchfork has a good rundown on the up-to-date details of the Pirate Bay's trial. Also on Pitchfork, a new Kanye video, a great track by Deradoorian of the Dirty Projectors, a stream off the forthcoming Decemberists rock opera, and an intriguing video for Fever Ray.
Fader's freeload of "This Ain't" is some quotable stuff! If that's not enough ain't for you, Jeezy will freeload you up. Oh, and Gui Boratto's bit is, well, aptly tired.
Kanye keeps whetting my gaping appetite for new Mos Def.
FILM:
New Watchmen clips. Honestly, the soundtrack isn't quite clicking for me, but everything else looks pretty good. AICN says it's awesome, though!
The Johnny Quest movie will suck.
Akira is being restored to incredible hi-def! If you have a Blu-Ray player, this is a must-purchase.
IFC makes me really want to see Pink.
WEIRD:
When The Fray covers an electro-pop single by one of the era's premiere hip hop musicians, it does not go in the music section. It goes in the weird section. (scroll down a ways)
Colbert knows his spiritual shit.
Perfect in every way faux-trailer mixes F13 with Aronofsky and finds amazing results.
100 days. 100 dances. 'Nuff said.
WORLD:
The New York Times reports a shartp increase in civilian deaths in Afghanistan during 2008.
PERSONAL:
I am juggling quite a bit of activity right now. It's rough, but manageable.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 2.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 375
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, overheating with busy-ness.
Wow, I missed less than I thought. Still, there's some good stuff here!
MUSIC:
Pitchfork has a good rundown on the up-to-date details of the Pirate Bay's trial. Also on Pitchfork, a new Kanye video, a great track by Deradoorian of the Dirty Projectors, a stream off the forthcoming Decemberists rock opera, and an intriguing video for Fever Ray.
Fader's freeload of "This Ain't" is some quotable stuff! If that's not enough ain't for you, Jeezy will freeload you up. Oh, and Gui Boratto's bit is, well, aptly tired.
Kanye keeps whetting my gaping appetite for new Mos Def.
FILM:
New Watchmen clips. Honestly, the soundtrack isn't quite clicking for me, but everything else looks pretty good. AICN says it's awesome, though!
The Johnny Quest movie will suck.
Akira is being restored to incredible hi-def! If you have a Blu-Ray player, this is a must-purchase.
IFC makes me really want to see Pink.
WEIRD:
When The Fray covers an electro-pop single by one of the era's premiere hip hop musicians, it does not go in the music section. It goes in the weird section. (scroll down a ways)
Colbert knows his spiritual shit.
Perfect in every way faux-trailer mixes F13 with Aronofsky and finds amazing results.
100 days. 100 dances. 'Nuff said.
WORLD:
The New York Times reports a shartp increase in civilian deaths in Afghanistan during 2008.
PERSONAL:
I am juggling quite a bit of activity right now. It's rough, but manageable.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 2.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 375
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, overheating with busy-ness.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Update
Hate to be sketch, but I will review the week tomorrow. In the last half hour, everything has fallen to shit. (Lost my debit card, bought the wrong Tylenol which I can't take and it's too late to go back for it, still have that god damned German essay to write, etc.)
See you then.
See you then.
UPDATE ON THE UPDATE:
Today I realized I have a quiz tomorrow. I will do the best I can here guys, and I will remember to never, ever take 15 hours again.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
February 15th, 2009: Saturday Editorial
Let's get straight to the editorial!
EDITORIAL:
I feel that if older generations are going to grasp the mentality of young, politically active people my age, there's so much they've got to take into account, and not small among those factors is this overriding fact: we grew up politically while under the jurisdiction of the Bush administration.
That means a few things. Most obviously and most crucially, we're less offended by government corruption than we probably ought to be. As far back as we can really recall, that's just how it's done. We know it's bad, sure, but we already hated Bush (see: 1000 lame "Bushism" collections, partisanship) and if you have a bad President, that's the sort of stuff he does. Torturing people with neither justification nor accountability is just one bullet on a list of bad stuff including mispronunciation and rudeness.
I'm obviously exaggerating (although probably less than you're assuming) but it's a frightening phenomenon when deception is seen as the proper order. It's that kind of tacit acceptance that feeds into the bizarre ideology that the government, any government, is some institution from which we are alienated. That's a baffling ideology. It's a flawed system, but there are countless ways to access the power structures that dominate us, which, in the great scheme of history, is an exciting political development. The government ought to be taken for what it really is: a group of citizens who we've appointed to set down rules as we see fit.
I guess it's just startling that so many people assume the government is hopelessly broken, when they've yet to make a single phone call to their representatives.
Going back to my earlier train of thought: For those older folk who don't grasp why Obama is so appealing to our generation's politically active youth, it has a lot to do with the contrast. We're just now old enough to vote, and our votes already made an impact, and now we feel that our President is accessible to us. It's like we lucked out; we not only got the right to vote and get the hell out of high school, but we suddenly have a government we can really work with.
Is that really so sudden? If we had really, genuinely tried to change things through and with government institutions, would we have been shut down? I'm not sure. But if a hero-myth constructed around an intelligent and sincere man is what we need to wake ourselves up and get to work, I'll take it.
PERSONAL:
Blargh agh augh, I am coughing a lot.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 2.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 359
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, annoyed about being coughed upon..
EDITORIAL:
I feel that if older generations are going to grasp the mentality of young, politically active people my age, there's so much they've got to take into account, and not small among those factors is this overriding fact: we grew up politically while under the jurisdiction of the Bush administration.
That means a few things. Most obviously and most crucially, we're less offended by government corruption than we probably ought to be. As far back as we can really recall, that's just how it's done. We know it's bad, sure, but we already hated Bush (see: 1000 lame "Bushism" collections, partisanship) and if you have a bad President, that's the sort of stuff he does. Torturing people with neither justification nor accountability is just one bullet on a list of bad stuff including mispronunciation and rudeness.
I'm obviously exaggerating (although probably less than you're assuming) but it's a frightening phenomenon when deception is seen as the proper order. It's that kind of tacit acceptance that feeds into the bizarre ideology that the government, any government, is some institution from which we are alienated. That's a baffling ideology. It's a flawed system, but there are countless ways to access the power structures that dominate us, which, in the great scheme of history, is an exciting political development. The government ought to be taken for what it really is: a group of citizens who we've appointed to set down rules as we see fit.
I guess it's just startling that so many people assume the government is hopelessly broken, when they've yet to make a single phone call to their representatives.
Going back to my earlier train of thought: For those older folk who don't grasp why Obama is so appealing to our generation's politically active youth, it has a lot to do with the contrast. We're just now old enough to vote, and our votes already made an impact, and now we feel that our President is accessible to us. It's like we lucked out; we not only got the right to vote and get the hell out of high school, but we suddenly have a government we can really work with.
Is that really so sudden? If we had really, genuinely tried to change things through and with government institutions, would we have been shut down? I'm not sure. But if a hero-myth constructed around an intelligent and sincere man is what we need to wake ourselves up and get to work, I'll take it.
PERSONAL:
Blargh agh augh, I am coughing a lot.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 2.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 359
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, annoyed about being coughed upon..
Friday, February 13, 2009
February 13th, 2009
MUSIC:
Yep, DiS is dating Emmy.
Good day on Pitchfork! I've been repeating the Japandroids MP3 on a loop for a while now, so it's really, really good to hear that their debut album is coming soon. Here We Go Magic has a rad little video to fit their rad little song. There's a fun Papercuts MP3. (Feel free to ignore the vaguely interesting discussion tacked on) There's a Titus Andronicus mini-doc of sorts, and Jesus, this band is watchable as hell, so give the doc at least a few minutes. Cymbals Eat Guitars have a compellingly good MP3... maybe I will purchase their album? Oh, and the Extra Golden track is ace.
February is Dilla Month. I'm cool with that if you guys are too.
I'm not posting this in the Weird section because it oughtn't be taken humorously: Chris Brown is, according to his Facebook, super innocent because we'll "start to see her true colors." ...You hospitalized your girlfriend, dude. No excuses.
RCRD LBL interviewed Hegarty! What a great excuse to listen to the album again...
There were a few more goodies on RCRD LBL. The Fitz track is ace, very neo-soul in a good way. Oh, and for anybody who loves The Very Best as much as I do, seeing a Radioclit mix of anything (in this case, Architecture in Helsinki) is very important.
FILM:
The Tales of the Black Freighter trailer is out. (Tales of the Black Freighter = Watchmen's comic-within-a-comic) As I predicted, it looks like shit. Notice the ominous MTV-exclusivity. For some reason, Harry Knowles likes it.
But I'm not full of hate for AICN, because although Capone likes The Pig (the Academy-nominated short I detested) he's pretty much dead-on in his rundown of the program. And he's dead-on about seeing it - if the Academy-nominated shorts program is running in your city (Austinites: That's you!) then you owe it to yourself to see it. It's so rare to see shorts screened these days; with shorts of this spectacular calibur, it's a no-brainer.
Anyway, if you need to wash that Black Freighter taste from your mouth, there's new Watchmen material. And yeah, unmasked Rorschach is pitch-perfect.
Michael Bay is at it again. New handycam-style Transformers trailer; get it while it exists.
Yeah... and... well, there's no way to say this that's funnier than the story itself: They're making a Stretch Armstrong movie.
Jesus? Jesus, if you're real, please, use your magic powers and let Schwartzmann be in Scott Pilgrim!
Speaking of films I am desperate to see, doesn't Gomorrah just kick ass?
WEIRD:
Man... I got nothin'. I guess Charles Hamilton's got me covered?
WORLD:
The New York times reports that the stimulus package will rein in Wall Street pay.
PERSONAL:
A lot of mixtapes to listen to. Jada's new stuff, Chamillionaire's mixtape finally arrived, and Hamilton's just dropped. So far they're all pretty rad.
I saw The International this evening! Definitely worth the long bus ride; I won't spoil Sunday's review, but all I need to say is that (despite cosmetic differences) this fits snugly in Tykwer's ouvre.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 2.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 359
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, pooped out.
Yep, DiS is dating Emmy.
Good day on Pitchfork! I've been repeating the Japandroids MP3 on a loop for a while now, so it's really, really good to hear that their debut album is coming soon. Here We Go Magic has a rad little video to fit their rad little song. There's a fun Papercuts MP3. (Feel free to ignore the vaguely interesting discussion tacked on) There's a Titus Andronicus mini-doc of sorts, and Jesus, this band is watchable as hell, so give the doc at least a few minutes. Cymbals Eat Guitars have a compellingly good MP3... maybe I will purchase their album? Oh, and the Extra Golden track is ace.
February is Dilla Month. I'm cool with that if you guys are too.
I'm not posting this in the Weird section because it oughtn't be taken humorously: Chris Brown is, according to his Facebook, super innocent because we'll "start to see her true colors." ...You hospitalized your girlfriend, dude. No excuses.
RCRD LBL interviewed Hegarty! What a great excuse to listen to the album again...
There were a few more goodies on RCRD LBL. The Fitz track is ace, very neo-soul in a good way. Oh, and for anybody who loves The Very Best as much as I do, seeing a Radioclit mix of anything (in this case, Architecture in Helsinki) is very important.
FILM:
The Tales of the Black Freighter trailer is out. (Tales of the Black Freighter = Watchmen's comic-within-a-comic) As I predicted, it looks like shit. Notice the ominous MTV-exclusivity. For some reason, Harry Knowles likes it.
But I'm not full of hate for AICN, because although Capone likes The Pig (the Academy-nominated short I detested) he's pretty much dead-on in his rundown of the program. And he's dead-on about seeing it - if the Academy-nominated shorts program is running in your city (Austinites: That's you!) then you owe it to yourself to see it. It's so rare to see shorts screened these days; with shorts of this spectacular calibur, it's a no-brainer.
Anyway, if you need to wash that Black Freighter taste from your mouth, there's new Watchmen material. And yeah, unmasked Rorschach is pitch-perfect.
Michael Bay is at it again. New handycam-style Transformers trailer; get it while it exists.
Yeah... and... well, there's no way to say this that's funnier than the story itself: They're making a Stretch Armstrong movie.
Jesus? Jesus, if you're real, please, use your magic powers and let Schwartzmann be in Scott Pilgrim!
Speaking of films I am desperate to see, doesn't Gomorrah just kick ass?
WEIRD:
Man... I got nothin'. I guess Charles Hamilton's got me covered?
WORLD:
The New York times reports that the stimulus package will rein in Wall Street pay.
PERSONAL:
A lot of mixtapes to listen to. Jada's new stuff, Chamillionaire's mixtape finally arrived, and Hamilton's just dropped. So far they're all pretty rad.
I saw The International this evening! Definitely worth the long bus ride; I won't spoil Sunday's review, but all I need to say is that (despite cosmetic differences) this fits snugly in Tykwer's ouvre.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 2.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 359
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, pooped out.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
February 12th, 2009
I can barely even call this a news day in the first place. At the head of this here, I'm going to pimp out Kiva. It's a rad service where you supply microloans to developing nations. It's almost always profitable, albeit slightly, and it helps people develop their businesses... it's good stuff. Feel good, get money. C'mon!
MUSIC:
Not too impressed on RCRD LBL today, although the East Hundred MP3 is really quality.
New Estelle! Ever since seeing her live, I've been madly in love. Doesn't disappoint. Kanye's blog offers lots of other goodies; there's Jada's new mixtape (the link is all messed up, here's the accurate one), there's new Busta Rhymes... Thank heavens for Kanye's blog.
Because aside from that and the good King Khan news, that's pretty much it. It has been a slow, slow music day.
FILM:
SXSW has some new additions in the form of 500 Days of Summer and Treevenge.
Is it just me, or is the Scott Pilgrim casting very wonderful?
If you care enough about G.I. Joe to go all Transformers-hype and analyze the action figures, I have a link for you. Everybody else, well, the link's still for you, since you can scoff freely at the whole "toys as trailers" phenomenon.
WEIRD:
Everybody's talking about this Pheonix/Letterman thing. It's as uncomfortable as an episode of the British Office, but it's, like, real an' stuff. UPDATE: Link may not work; CBS is trying desperately to pull it, but just look around and clips are easy to find. If he has a crazy-man beard, you're in the right place.
There's a promotional "old-school" Watchmen video game.
Starship child-protectors?
WORLD:
The New York Times reports that Pakistan is backtracking on its connection to the Mumbai attacks.
PERSONAL:
Today was a peculiar mix of great and bad. I slept in a bit, too exhausted for work, and when I woke up, a ray of sun was basically caressing me. It was wonderful. And the weather here in Austin- Divine! T-shirt weather again at last. Throw in some candid conversations with rad professors and a great episode of Lost, and it explains why I was able to bounce back from the SXSW rejection e-mail. I'm not angry; it's not personal.
Jada's new mixtape is pretty raw, in the good way, not gonna lie.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 1.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 324
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, comfortable.
MUSIC:
Not too impressed on RCRD LBL today, although the East Hundred MP3 is really quality.
New Estelle! Ever since seeing her live, I've been madly in love. Doesn't disappoint. Kanye's blog offers lots of other goodies; there's Jada's new mixtape (the link is all messed up, here's the accurate one), there's new Busta Rhymes... Thank heavens for Kanye's blog.
Because aside from that and the good King Khan news, that's pretty much it. It has been a slow, slow music day.
FILM:
SXSW has some new additions in the form of 500 Days of Summer and Treevenge.
Is it just me, or is the Scott Pilgrim casting very wonderful?
If you care enough about G.I. Joe to go all Transformers-hype and analyze the action figures, I have a link for you. Everybody else, well, the link's still for you, since you can scoff freely at the whole "toys as trailers" phenomenon.
WEIRD:
Everybody's talking about this Pheonix/Letterman thing. It's as uncomfortable as an episode of the British Office, but it's, like, real an' stuff. UPDATE: Link may not work; CBS is trying desperately to pull it, but just look around and clips are easy to find. If he has a crazy-man beard, you're in the right place.
There's a promotional "old-school" Watchmen video game.
Starship child-protectors?
WORLD:
The New York Times reports that Pakistan is backtracking on its connection to the Mumbai attacks.
PERSONAL:
Today was a peculiar mix of great and bad. I slept in a bit, too exhausted for work, and when I woke up, a ray of sun was basically caressing me. It was wonderful. And the weather here in Austin- Divine! T-shirt weather again at last. Throw in some candid conversations with rad professors and a great episode of Lost, and it explains why I was able to bounce back from the SXSW rejection e-mail. I'm not angry; it's not personal.
Jada's new mixtape is pretty raw, in the good way, not gonna lie.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 1.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 324
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, comfortable.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
February 11th, 2009
MUSIC:
Have fun getting used to this: Santogold is now Santigold.
I missed a crapload of other content over on Pitchfork during my impromptu day off. Working backwards Memento-style, there's a blissful acoustic version of Take On Me, another reason to get into Jeremy Jay, an addictive swooning and syncopated bit from Charles Hamilton, hardcore Palmtree Family melancholy and hardcore Sufjan Stevens-blessed joy, some psychotic neurotic rambling from Cage, and possibly best of all, a seriously wonderful anthemic bit from The Thermals.
There's the usual assortment of gemstones and garbage on RCRD LBL. The really good stuff? For starters, I can't get enough of this Boy in Static track. (Not too in love with the remix, though) The Shadow Dancer stuff is pretty rad. So is the Pterodactyl stuff. Of the Demo Days feature, I recommend Jason Brooks and the Uptown Sound, and Action Painters.
Coathangers want you to stop stomping around.
FILM:
Nolan's got a new, not-Batman project. It's called Inception and has me excited.
New Inglourious Basterds trailer out. If you don't know, it's the next Tarantino film. Cannot describe the awesome. See it for yourself.
Goodbye Solo looks very sweet and thoughtful.
Spielberg wants to make his Lincoln biopic by December. Color me intrigued!
The new Nightmare on Elm Street will not come out this year.
Greta Gerwig is going all non-mumblecore on our asses.
WEIRD:
If you make the peanuts, you'd better fuckin' eat those peanuts.
I feel like this is the best thing I've ever seen.
Sweet lord, this post inspires me to dream of a Kanye/Radiohead collab. (Kanyediohead?)
WORLD:
The New York Times reports on the newly agreed upon stimulus plan.
PERSONAL:
I love this city. Austin's a fantastic place. Just putting that out there.
Anyway, things have been a little hectic, a little busy, but I've been taking it on piece by piece and managing just fine. Anyway, busy with film work- that's my future, right?
If you're wondering why my iTunes count went up so slightly, despite the shit-ton of MP3s I linked to today, it's because a few songs I downloaded (but didn't like enough to post here) were lurking on my 2009 playlist, so I hunted them down and deleted them. That is all.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 1.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 303
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, swampy.
Have fun getting used to this: Santogold is now Santigold.
I missed a crapload of other content over on Pitchfork during my impromptu day off. Working backwards Memento-style, there's a blissful acoustic version of Take On Me, another reason to get into Jeremy Jay, an addictive swooning and syncopated bit from Charles Hamilton, hardcore Palmtree Family melancholy and hardcore Sufjan Stevens-blessed joy, some psychotic neurotic rambling from Cage, and possibly best of all, a seriously wonderful anthemic bit from The Thermals.
There's the usual assortment of gemstones and garbage on RCRD LBL. The really good stuff? For starters, I can't get enough of this Boy in Static track. (Not too in love with the remix, though) The Shadow Dancer stuff is pretty rad. So is the Pterodactyl stuff. Of the Demo Days feature, I recommend Jason Brooks and the Uptown Sound, and Action Painters.
Coathangers want you to stop stomping around.
FILM:
Nolan's got a new, not-Batman project. It's called Inception and has me excited.
New Inglourious Basterds trailer out. If you don't know, it's the next Tarantino film. Cannot describe the awesome. See it for yourself.
Goodbye Solo looks very sweet and thoughtful.
Spielberg wants to make his Lincoln biopic by December. Color me intrigued!
The new Nightmare on Elm Street will not come out this year.
Greta Gerwig is going all non-mumblecore on our asses.
WEIRD:
If you make the peanuts, you'd better fuckin' eat those peanuts.
I feel like this is the best thing I've ever seen.
Sweet lord, this post inspires me to dream of a Kanye/Radiohead collab. (Kanyediohead?)
WORLD:
The New York Times reports on the newly agreed upon stimulus plan.
PERSONAL:
I love this city. Austin's a fantastic place. Just putting that out there.
Anyway, things have been a little hectic, a little busy, but I've been taking it on piece by piece and managing just fine. Anyway, busy with film work- that's my future, right?
If you're wondering why my iTunes count went up so slightly, despite the shit-ton of MP3s I linked to today, it's because a few songs I downloaded (but didn't like enough to post here) were lurking on my 2009 playlist, so I hunted them down and deleted them. That is all.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 1.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 303
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, swampy.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
February 9.5th, 2009
Too much shit went down to get into. Suffice it to say, I need a night off. I will update two days' worth tomorrow, plus a surprise bonus feature.
Monday, February 9, 2009
February 9th, 2009
One hell of a slow news day.
MUSIC:
The new Camera Obscura MP3 that's been floating around hits me in all the right indie pop ways: a piano that sounds like it's in a room the size of a mansion, vocals that sound like they're sung through a wall of sugar, and an ornate little melody/rhythm set.
The Boy Least Likely To has an adorable little track streaming on Pitchfork. Also on Pitchfork, a deliciously baroque morsel of live Beirut and some good ol' Lonely Island fun. Oh, and if you missed the Grammys, they've got the hookup, plus some goofy superlatives.
Is DiS, like, dating Emmy the Great?
The Grammys were pretty much what you expected.
FILM:
On the Austin front, Wendy and Lucy is screening at the Drafthouse! Hard to describe just how excited I am for this.
Oh /Film, you always hook me up with a Watchmen fix.
WEIRD:
Chris Brown is in some deep shit.
WORLD:
The BBC reports on the new Bolivian constitution.
A suicide bomber in Sri Lanka killed 28, the New York Times reports.
PERSONAL:
Remember how my room was frigid? Yeah, now it's stale and warm. Thanks, Jester West!
2009 FILMS SEEN: 1.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 298
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, muggy.
MUSIC:
The new Camera Obscura MP3 that's been floating around hits me in all the right indie pop ways: a piano that sounds like it's in a room the size of a mansion, vocals that sound like they're sung through a wall of sugar, and an ornate little melody/rhythm set.
The Boy Least Likely To has an adorable little track streaming on Pitchfork. Also on Pitchfork, a deliciously baroque morsel of live Beirut and some good ol' Lonely Island fun. Oh, and if you missed the Grammys, they've got the hookup, plus some goofy superlatives.
Is DiS, like, dating Emmy the Great?
The Grammys were pretty much what you expected.
FILM:
On the Austin front, Wendy and Lucy is screening at the Drafthouse! Hard to describe just how excited I am for this.
Oh /Film, you always hook me up with a Watchmen fix.
WEIRD:
Chris Brown is in some deep shit.
WORLD:
The BBC reports on the new Bolivian constitution.
A suicide bomber in Sri Lanka killed 28, the New York Times reports.
PERSONAL:
Remember how my room was frigid? Yeah, now it's stale and warm. Thanks, Jester West!
2009 FILMS SEEN: 1.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 298
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, muggy.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
February 6th, 2009 / February 8th, 2009: The Week in Literal Review
Here's that Friday action, plus a few weekend developments.
MUSIC:
On RCRD LBL, a little atmospheric angst from DJ Hell (far less intense than it sounds).
Fader's also got some fun freeloads. Miss Banks can kick a pretty rad verse, she's refreshingly rude, and rapping over Ladytron is pretty excellent regardless. Then, I usually won't bring up non-2009 music on this blog, but when it's brilliant proto-punk left unjustly unreleased, and the freeload comes with news of a forthcoming release, you set the rules aside.
Hey Morrissey please play at my birthday party?
The video for PB&J's "Nothing to Worry About" somehow out-weirds their current train of brilliant weirdness. I literally cannot estimate what's next for them.
This Kanye blog post brings us one step closer to the incredible Kanye/Passion Pit collaboration I always hear in my dreams.
FILM:
Incredible films sound incredible.
/Film saw, and enjoyed, a portion of Up!. They saw, and didn't enjoy, Push. They also report on some disconcerting trends that point to a less meaningful Academy Awards recommendation.
AICN gives Chocolate a hearty endorsement. And Capone gives The Class some love! Word, man!
Christian Bale apologized. Can we please move on now? Y'know, to cinema an' stuff?
Dreamworks and Universal are breaking up.
Oh sweet Jesus, let the Inglourious Basterds trailer rumor be true!
Oh Watchmen details, you know how to please me.
Observe and Report gets all redbandy.
WEIRD:
I'm not the biggest fan of Fox, but their Abba-covers-for-Putin story is undeniably premium weird.
Weezy seems to be taking up a permanent residence in the Weird section. He does deliver a mean top ten.
WORLD:
As Democracy Now reports, Obama has signed the long-awaited child health insurance program that taxes cigarettes, and under his executive order, the last Gitmo trial was shut down.
Now, it's time to review some week.
Most Interesting, Music:
Pitchfork de-snobs a bit, giving Viva la Vida some love and sticking up for bands with visible influences.
Most Interesting, Film:
I really can't not give it to the Bale fiasco.
Weirdest:
It was a weird week, but Badu takes the friggin' cake with her birth-twittering antics.
Biggest World Event:
The violence in Sri Lanka warrants the world's attention.
Reviews
Franz Ferdinand, Tonight
Much ado about the archduke! I feel like the buzz here is, on both ends, unwarranted. The people heralding Tonight as a masterpiece are getting far too excited, and the people slamming it as a misstep could be accused of the same. If you take off the rose-colored headphones and respect their debut and sophomore albums as what they really are, Tonight reveals itself as a great album by a consistent outfit.
Franz Ferdinand are at their best when they're at their least pompous (a trait which made You Could Have It So Much Better a problem-listen for me) and they keep their proselitizing to the minimums present on their debut - they keep a few "Jacqueline"-style jabs at masculinity (See: "No You Girls Never Know") and a few "Auf Achse"-style melodramatic rushes (See: "Live Alone") and the requisite "holy shit, they're allowed to do that?" moment. (See: the electronic breakdown madness of "Lucid Dreams")
This is not going to be the album of the year. This is not Earth-shattering. What it is, though, is solid, quality music. Maybe it isn't going to define your days like their debut did, back in 2004 when it blindsided you from out of nowhere. But this release is, if a little less tight, made of the same stuff, and deserves the same respect. Franz Ferdinand are always at their best when bending strong melodies through sharp, arch song structures, and in this regard, Tonight doesn't disappoint.
Matt & Kim, Grand
I read, in some sort of interview or other, that this duo spent what they considered an inordinate amount of time on the album, and that they were awarded perhaps too much freedom. Under these conditions, a band tends to have a great opportunity of finding their identity, and we can be glad about what they keep from before - sunny bliss - but even more excited about what their new sound suggests - a kean sense of lyrical introspection.
That introspection may not reveal anything shocking - you get the anthemic hipster chanting of "Don't Slow Down" and the bare emotion in "Spare Change" - but it suits the music perfectly, and the two components gel into perfect proportion.
This is perfect music for mornings, frankly. It's the perfect music to get up, get moving, and get on with a productive day. In some ways, this association limits the album's range. Unlike broader albums, this is a record for a very particular state of mind, which hinders it's turnability. But since when is specificity bad? And anyway, if you've got the blues, just pick up Hegarty or Fever Ray (or hell, the blues?) to do the work for you.
Overall, it's a solid effort that takes a band pointed purely towards freakout-dance giddiness and suggests a more insightful exploration of the sun.
Personal
It's been a hell of a week. I've caught up on sleep this weekend, and I'm ready for another hell of a week.
I'm watching the Grammys at my sister's friend's apartment. There've been ups, downs, and a few WTFs. The rap pack was pretty premium.
SXSW... hit me up, guys.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 1.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 297
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, jittering with anticipation.
MUSIC:
On RCRD LBL, a little atmospheric angst from DJ Hell (far less intense than it sounds).
Fader's also got some fun freeloads. Miss Banks can kick a pretty rad verse, she's refreshingly rude, and rapping over Ladytron is pretty excellent regardless. Then, I usually won't bring up non-2009 music on this blog, but when it's brilliant proto-punk left unjustly unreleased, and the freeload comes with news of a forthcoming release, you set the rules aside.
Hey Morrissey please play at my birthday party?
The video for PB&J's "Nothing to Worry About" somehow out-weirds their current train of brilliant weirdness. I literally cannot estimate what's next for them.
This Kanye blog post brings us one step closer to the incredible Kanye/Passion Pit collaboration I always hear in my dreams.
FILM:
Incredible films sound incredible.
/Film saw, and enjoyed, a portion of Up!. They saw, and didn't enjoy, Push. They also report on some disconcerting trends that point to a less meaningful Academy Awards recommendation.
AICN gives Chocolate a hearty endorsement. And Capone gives The Class some love! Word, man!
Christian Bale apologized. Can we please move on now? Y'know, to cinema an' stuff?
Dreamworks and Universal are breaking up.
Oh sweet Jesus, let the Inglourious Basterds trailer rumor be true!
Oh Watchmen details, you know how to please me.
Observe and Report gets all redbandy.
WEIRD:
I'm not the biggest fan of Fox, but their Abba-covers-for-Putin story is undeniably premium weird.
Weezy seems to be taking up a permanent residence in the Weird section. He does deliver a mean top ten.
WORLD:
As Democracy Now reports, Obama has signed the long-awaited child health insurance program that taxes cigarettes, and under his executive order, the last Gitmo trial was shut down.
Now, it's time to review some week.
Most Interesting, Music:
Pitchfork de-snobs a bit, giving Viva la Vida some love and sticking up for bands with visible influences.
Most Interesting, Film:
I really can't not give it to the Bale fiasco.
Weirdest:
It was a weird week, but Badu takes the friggin' cake with her birth-twittering antics.
Biggest World Event:
The violence in Sri Lanka warrants the world's attention.
Reviews
Franz Ferdinand, Tonight
Much ado about the archduke! I feel like the buzz here is, on both ends, unwarranted. The people heralding Tonight as a masterpiece are getting far too excited, and the people slamming it as a misstep could be accused of the same. If you take off the rose-colored headphones and respect their debut and sophomore albums as what they really are, Tonight reveals itself as a great album by a consistent outfit.
Franz Ferdinand are at their best when they're at their least pompous (a trait which made You Could Have It So Much Better a problem-listen for me) and they keep their proselitizing to the minimums present on their debut - they keep a few "Jacqueline"-style jabs at masculinity (See: "No You Girls Never Know") and a few "Auf Achse"-style melodramatic rushes (See: "Live Alone") and the requisite "holy shit, they're allowed to do that?" moment. (See: the electronic breakdown madness of "Lucid Dreams")
This is not going to be the album of the year. This is not Earth-shattering. What it is, though, is solid, quality music. Maybe it isn't going to define your days like their debut did, back in 2004 when it blindsided you from out of nowhere. But this release is, if a little less tight, made of the same stuff, and deserves the same respect. Franz Ferdinand are always at their best when bending strong melodies through sharp, arch song structures, and in this regard, Tonight doesn't disappoint.
Matt & Kim, Grand
I read, in some sort of interview or other, that this duo spent what they considered an inordinate amount of time on the album, and that they were awarded perhaps too much freedom. Under these conditions, a band tends to have a great opportunity of finding their identity, and we can be glad about what they keep from before - sunny bliss - but even more excited about what their new sound suggests - a kean sense of lyrical introspection.
That introspection may not reveal anything shocking - you get the anthemic hipster chanting of "Don't Slow Down" and the bare emotion in "Spare Change" - but it suits the music perfectly, and the two components gel into perfect proportion.
This is perfect music for mornings, frankly. It's the perfect music to get up, get moving, and get on with a productive day. In some ways, this association limits the album's range. Unlike broader albums, this is a record for a very particular state of mind, which hinders it's turnability. But since when is specificity bad? And anyway, if you've got the blues, just pick up Hegarty or Fever Ray (or hell, the blues?) to do the work for you.
Overall, it's a solid effort that takes a band pointed purely towards freakout-dance giddiness and suggests a more insightful exploration of the sun.
Personal
It's been a hell of a week. I've caught up on sleep this weekend, and I'm ready for another hell of a week.
I'm watching the Grammys at my sister's friend's apartment. There've been ups, downs, and a few WTFs. The rap pack was pretty premium.
SXSW... hit me up, guys.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 1.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 297
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, jittering with anticipation.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Saturday Post, sort of downgraded
I know I keep denying you guys the Friday action, but I am at the home of my friend Ayla, and I do not want to clutter her bookmarks with my absurd number of music blogs. I will mention, however, that the new Pains of Being Pure at Heart album (first Pains of Being Pure at Heart album?) is rad as fuck. Ignore the messy faux-controversy; influences are influences, good music is good music, and bottomline, the album's worth the money and time.
Editorial
As promised, it's time for my Imitation of Life editorial. If you had told me, as I walked out of the mandatory class screening, that I would be thinking for more than ten minutes about the film, I would have responded in utter disbelief. When the credits rolled, I felt robbed. I had heard 'masterpiece,' 'subversive,' and 'brilliant' thrown around, but I had just watched - to the best of my knowledge - a sordid, drawn-out soap opera.
Then I read the assigned essays. Read about Sirk's opinions, read about the context, read about all the little details I'd missed, or rather, not enough to notice. Suddenly, I was seeing a wholly different picture. Structurally, this flick was friggin' impenetrable. Sure, for a good long while, it's just the hackneyed narrative of a woman sacrificing it all to make it big in show business, etc. etc., the standard genre fantasy through which millions could vicariously live. But that which, at the time, felt an awkward diversion (the Sarah Jane subplot) is actually a brilliant narrative-collapsing stab at the genre in which he was working.
If that sounds kind of complicated, it is. Let me sum up the film for you thus: Lora, young white single mother, wants to be an actress. Annie, a black woman, moves in with Lora to become a nanny for Lora's daughter, Suzie. Annie brings along her daughter, Sarah Jane, who is strikingly light-skinned and wishes she was white. For a good long while, the movie follows Lora's predictable trajectory: she falls in love, sacrifices that love and her family for her career, and then, once at the top, realizes she misses what she's left behind. Like I said, hackneyed.
Meanwhile, though, Sarah Jane grows into a teenaged rebel, despising her mother, hiding her black heritage, fleeing from city to city and working seedy showgirl jobs. Only at her mother's death does she return home, weeping and repenting for her lies.
The subversion, then, lies in the peculiar mirror image the movie forms, a mirror with which Sirk freely plays. Both Lora and Sarah Jane perform the titular imitation, but while Lora's career is one of classy success, Sarah Jane is relegated to the slums, performing in night clubs, forced by ethnicity into seclusion. Ultimately, though, Sarah Jane's real performance - her role as a white woman - is a great success: when she runs to her mother's casket, nobody believes Sarah Jane. Nobody believes she's black.
So yeah, structurally, impenetrable. It's a genius sort of back-and-forth. But it's easy - painfully, painfully easy - to miss. The dialogue is wretched. It's the sort of dialogue that comes off as wooden by design. And the pacing, well, we won't get into that. At the time, perhaps these were just forgiveable tropes, but in 2009, they make the movie almost impossible to appreciate.
So how do we react to this movie? Simply relenting with our "respect" seems insufficient for a movie this devilishly subversive, but time has not been kind here, and without the proper context, its subtleties are lost entirely.
I guess, then, a lament is proper. To the film scholars, and to aspiring filmmakers, it will live on as an inspirational achievement, but to those who lack the time to spend appreciating such buried treasures, it's lost entirely. And that's something truly worth being upset about.
PERSONAL:
I am a super busy hero.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 1.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: ???
Current Computer Situation: Ayla's PC.
Editorial
As promised, it's time for my Imitation of Life editorial. If you had told me, as I walked out of the mandatory class screening, that I would be thinking for more than ten minutes about the film, I would have responded in utter disbelief. When the credits rolled, I felt robbed. I had heard 'masterpiece,' 'subversive,' and 'brilliant' thrown around, but I had just watched - to the best of my knowledge - a sordid, drawn-out soap opera.
Then I read the assigned essays. Read about Sirk's opinions, read about the context, read about all the little details I'd missed, or rather, not enough to notice. Suddenly, I was seeing a wholly different picture. Structurally, this flick was friggin' impenetrable. Sure, for a good long while, it's just the hackneyed narrative of a woman sacrificing it all to make it big in show business, etc. etc., the standard genre fantasy through which millions could vicariously live. But that which, at the time, felt an awkward diversion (the Sarah Jane subplot) is actually a brilliant narrative-collapsing stab at the genre in which he was working.
If that sounds kind of complicated, it is. Let me sum up the film for you thus: Lora, young white single mother, wants to be an actress. Annie, a black woman, moves in with Lora to become a nanny for Lora's daughter, Suzie. Annie brings along her daughter, Sarah Jane, who is strikingly light-skinned and wishes she was white. For a good long while, the movie follows Lora's predictable trajectory: she falls in love, sacrifices that love and her family for her career, and then, once at the top, realizes she misses what she's left behind. Like I said, hackneyed.
Meanwhile, though, Sarah Jane grows into a teenaged rebel, despising her mother, hiding her black heritage, fleeing from city to city and working seedy showgirl jobs. Only at her mother's death does she return home, weeping and repenting for her lies.
The subversion, then, lies in the peculiar mirror image the movie forms, a mirror with which Sirk freely plays. Both Lora and Sarah Jane perform the titular imitation, but while Lora's career is one of classy success, Sarah Jane is relegated to the slums, performing in night clubs, forced by ethnicity into seclusion. Ultimately, though, Sarah Jane's real performance - her role as a white woman - is a great success: when she runs to her mother's casket, nobody believes Sarah Jane. Nobody believes she's black.
So yeah, structurally, impenetrable. It's a genius sort of back-and-forth. But it's easy - painfully, painfully easy - to miss. The dialogue is wretched. It's the sort of dialogue that comes off as wooden by design. And the pacing, well, we won't get into that. At the time, perhaps these were just forgiveable tropes, but in 2009, they make the movie almost impossible to appreciate.
So how do we react to this movie? Simply relenting with our "respect" seems insufficient for a movie this devilishly subversive, but time has not been kind here, and without the proper context, its subtleties are lost entirely.
I guess, then, a lament is proper. To the film scholars, and to aspiring filmmakers, it will live on as an inspirational achievement, but to those who lack the time to spend appreciating such buried treasures, it's lost entirely. And that's something truly worth being upset about.
PERSONAL:
I am a super busy hero.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 1.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: ???
Current Computer Situation: Ayla's PC.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Heads Up
No post today; I'm going to see the Academy-nominated shorts screened on South Lamar. If I post before I go, I will miss a big part of the day's entertainment news, and if I post after, well, I'll turn into a sleepless, witless zombie. I'll incorporate Friday news into the Saturday post.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
February 5th, 2009
MUSIC:
RCRD LBL has some good stuff today! The Telekenesis song is one of my favorite singles of 2009 so far, especially for a band I've never heard of 'til now. It's sunny, fresh, and quick.
I was going to post this Couric/Weezy interview in the Weird section, but Lil Wayne has some interesting things to say that outweigh Couric's sheer weirdness.
Young Chris embraces the technology of the era and leaves a spot on his track open for whoever wants to spit.
Also on Fader, a slick new Big Boi freeload and a sweet Julie Doiron gem.
The Mos Def on Kanye's blog kind of, well, defines "swagger" in the best way possible.
Pitchfork sticks up for Of Montreal.
The eternally rad TMT reports on the Performance Rights Act.
FILM:
SXSW watch is in full effect. Best Worst Movie has a trailer that goes on way too long, (and which, according to in-the-know-friend Brett, is older than stone henge) but it still looks funny. Plus, Drafthouse love? Hell yeah.
Another Dragonball trailer, another bitter dissappointment. It gets a point for ending on a screamed "Kamehameha!" which puts it at, well, one point. Oh, and new content for this shit movie too; I guess these movies are friends now? I could see it.
In an alternate universe, Fincher made a badass Spiderman film.
WEIRD:
Slash brings us a hilarious Lost tribute video. Spoilers galore, but fans of the show, trust me- this is funny stuff.
50, Boss, stop your hating! Oh dear, The Game has even stepped in.
IFC has a fun feature on the conversion of non-fiction books to fiction flicks.
WORLD:
Sri Lanka's government continues to refuse a truce, the New York Times reports; according to Democracy Now, Sri Lanka's last functioning hospital has closed.
PERSONAL:
Babysitting is some hard shit, guys. I babysat the two little kids again, the sons of a lady who works at the department. Last time was just an hour and a half; this time was three full hours, and lucrative though it was (it is nice to have thirty-six dollars in your pocket) it was some exhausting stuff. Rewarding, though - kids are the coolest G's, for real.
I find myself warming to "Blame It" on the level of its peculiar endurance on my playlists.
Still in the running for SXSW. If I don't make it, beware: this blog might go through a week of posts consisting of stream-of-consciousness ranting and Leonard Cohen lyrics that are about my life, man.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 1.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 269
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, a little bit anxious.
RCRD LBL has some good stuff today! The Telekenesis song is one of my favorite singles of 2009 so far, especially for a band I've never heard of 'til now. It's sunny, fresh, and quick.
I was going to post this Couric/Weezy interview in the Weird section, but Lil Wayne has some interesting things to say that outweigh Couric's sheer weirdness.
Young Chris embraces the technology of the era and leaves a spot on his track open for whoever wants to spit.
Also on Fader, a slick new Big Boi freeload and a sweet Julie Doiron gem.
The Mos Def on Kanye's blog kind of, well, defines "swagger" in the best way possible.
Pitchfork sticks up for Of Montreal.
The eternally rad TMT reports on the Performance Rights Act.
FILM:
SXSW watch is in full effect. Best Worst Movie has a trailer that goes on way too long, (and which, according to in-the-know-friend Brett, is older than stone henge) but it still looks funny. Plus, Drafthouse love? Hell yeah.
Another Dragonball trailer, another bitter dissappointment. It gets a point for ending on a screamed "Kamehameha!" which puts it at, well, one point. Oh, and new content for this shit movie too; I guess these movies are friends now? I could see it.
In an alternate universe, Fincher made a badass Spiderman film.
WEIRD:
Slash brings us a hilarious Lost tribute video. Spoilers galore, but fans of the show, trust me- this is funny stuff.
50, Boss, stop your hating! Oh dear, The Game has even stepped in.
IFC has a fun feature on the conversion of non-fiction books to fiction flicks.
WORLD:
Sri Lanka's government continues to refuse a truce, the New York Times reports; according to Democracy Now, Sri Lanka's last functioning hospital has closed.
PERSONAL:
Babysitting is some hard shit, guys. I babysat the two little kids again, the sons of a lady who works at the department. Last time was just an hour and a half; this time was three full hours, and lucrative though it was (it is nice to have thirty-six dollars in your pocket) it was some exhausting stuff. Rewarding, though - kids are the coolest G's, for real.
I find myself warming to "Blame It" on the level of its peculiar endurance on my playlists.
Still in the running for SXSW. If I don't make it, beware: this blog might go through a week of posts consisting of stream-of-consciousness ranting and Leonard Cohen lyrics that are about my life, man.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 1.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 269
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, a little bit anxious.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
February 4th, 2009
MUSIC:
The new Speech Debelle on Pitchfork is equal parts catchy and smart; check it out. Also on Pitchfork, a sweet song and a nice video from Cut Off Your Hands. Oh, and the Gospel Gossip track kicks major ass.
Over on RCRD LBL, there's the rad opener from Iran's much-anticipated forthcoming, some holy-shit-time-to-download-this-album quality MP3s from the Phantom Band (you can buy their album digitally here, I recommend doing so immediately), more of those delicious Lemonade remixes, . Of their Demo feature, the music I see fit to download is the stuff by... well, by all of them. It's all really good shit. (Especially Lesser Panda - can you guys just release the Cure's next few records, please?) Damn it, RCRD LBL, this is too many songs to digest in one day! Spread this quality out!
I was joking before, but at the rate Kanye is leaking these tracks, I really might have the entire N.A.S.A. album by the time it drops. Also on Kanye's blog, support for Ma Dukes (J Dilla's mother).
I really respect Pitchfork on this one, sort of the anti-NME: they give Viva La Vida the respect it deserves, and they aren't all smiles and handjobs over Doherty.
FILM:
S. Darko is going straight to DVD. The movie gods do exist!
I'm not sure if this qualifies as film news, but my all-time favorite MST3k episode, Soultaker, is coming to DVD!
Fun new Watchmen viral bit.
So much SXSW analysis! Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo looks really friggin' good.
WEIRD:
The Lonely Island are on a boat. So is T-Pain, evidently.
Rick Ross isn't bad at retaliating, he's just a minimalist, I guess. Seriously, is he trying to look like a moron?
WORLD:
As the New York Times reports, Obama is calling for an executive pay cap.
The Times Online reports on UN accusations that Hamas is stealing supplies. The Times also reports on Obama's efforts towards nonproliferation with Russia.
The BBC reports on the softening of a clause of the U.S. stimulus package that entails buying American.
PERSONAL:
If news is a little scant today, it's due to some other projects; I'll pick up the slack tomorrow. Speaking of tomorrow, I'll be doing some babysitting! Exciting, a little nerve-wracking but exciting.
Speaking of nerve-wracking, my SXSW short doc is still in the running, so I am on the edge of my seat. This has got me terrified.
Oh, and that album by the Shadow Band? Incredible. Really, truly fantastic. Worth a purchase.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 1.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 265
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, a little bit warm.
The new Speech Debelle on Pitchfork is equal parts catchy and smart; check it out. Also on Pitchfork, a sweet song and a nice video from Cut Off Your Hands. Oh, and the Gospel Gossip track kicks major ass.
Over on RCRD LBL, there's the rad opener from Iran's much-anticipated forthcoming, some holy-shit-time-to-download-this-album quality MP3s from the Phantom Band (you can buy their album digitally here, I recommend doing so immediately), more of those delicious Lemonade remixes, . Of their Demo feature, the music I see fit to download is the stuff by... well, by all of them. It's all really good shit. (Especially Lesser Panda - can you guys just release the Cure's next few records, please?) Damn it, RCRD LBL, this is too many songs to digest in one day! Spread this quality out!
I was joking before, but at the rate Kanye is leaking these tracks, I really might have the entire N.A.S.A. album by the time it drops. Also on Kanye's blog, support for Ma Dukes (J Dilla's mother).
I really respect Pitchfork on this one, sort of the anti-NME: they give Viva La Vida the respect it deserves, and they aren't all smiles and handjobs over Doherty.
FILM:
S. Darko is going straight to DVD. The movie gods do exist!
I'm not sure if this qualifies as film news, but my all-time favorite MST3k episode, Soultaker, is coming to DVD!
Fun new Watchmen viral bit.
So much SXSW analysis! Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo looks really friggin' good.
WEIRD:
The Lonely Island are on a boat. So is T-Pain, evidently.
Rick Ross isn't bad at retaliating, he's just a minimalist, I guess. Seriously, is he trying to look like a moron?
WORLD:
As the New York Times reports, Obama is calling for an executive pay cap.
The Times Online reports on UN accusations that Hamas is stealing supplies. The Times also reports on Obama's efforts towards nonproliferation with Russia.
The BBC reports on the softening of a clause of the U.S. stimulus package that entails buying American.
PERSONAL:
If news is a little scant today, it's due to some other projects; I'll pick up the slack tomorrow. Speaking of tomorrow, I'll be doing some babysitting! Exciting, a little nerve-wracking but exciting.
Speaking of nerve-wracking, my SXSW short doc is still in the running, so I am on the edge of my seat. This has got me terrified.
Oh, and that album by the Shadow Band? Incredible. Really, truly fantastic. Worth a purchase.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 1.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 265
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, a little bit warm.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
February 3rd, 2009
MUSIC:
In my Jazz Appreciation class, we've been covering a lot of the roots - pre-Blues, field holler, that. So to hear that a band was inspired by the collections of Alan Lomax definitely catches my attention. It doesn't hurt that Bruce Peninsula's call-and-response intensity really works. Stream it on Pitchfork, then buy the MP3s.
Also on Pitchfork, a cool Black Dice MP3. After that, well, delicate indie pop is my greatest weakness, and Jean on Jean exploits me like I'm a Miss America contestant.
Today on RCRD LBL, a surging and wild song from Mi Ami, a splattering of electro courtesy remixes of Lemonade, and some very pretty Swedish stuff by Gustaf Spetz.
Holy crap, I had never heard of Felix Cartal before, but Discodust makes me want to accept him as my new god. It's tempting to say this is a Justice knockoff, but that's misguided; it's got the same obvious root in Daft Punk but it takes it in a whole 'nother direction; noise is used less as perverse melody and more as repetitious, building chaos. I'll gladly take either.
FILM:
/Film has a cool Annie Leibovitz photoset.
They also have a shitload of SXSW trailers on the pipeline! It's time for me to get pumped. So far, there's the expected loaded-ensemble mumblecore flick, Sorry, Thanks, which looks amusing. Breaking Upwards looks nice too, a little Garden-State-y, which is a-ok.
Carpenter's on something new!
WEIRD:
Apparently this is the Drama edition of the Weird section.
Damage control? Check. Phoned-in T-Shirt? Check. Weird youtube video? Check. (By the Mae Shi? Really?) Sigh... I guess we're doing this now, huh. Keep your eyes peeled for the SNL sketch, the belated puns, and the people who still care about this in any capacity a week from today - those people being the Waldos of this situation. Oh, and people who don't understand what a film set is actually like, having only watched blooper reels? Check. (To be fair... after a few listens, the Mae Shi track is really clever. I admit, I downloaded the MP3)
Oh, and speaking of drama, 50 and Ross are still at it.
Not to be outdone, the writers are striking back with the actors and the rappers (no, not you, Joaquin Pheonix) with author drama of their own: Stephen King doesn't like the author of Twilight. Drama month, anybody? It will be a lonely Valentine's Day for the entertainment industry.
WORLD:
The New York Times reports that Obama intends to enable diplomacy with Iran while tightening sanctions. Obama is also, according to the BBC, making efforts to revise his cabinet selections.
Also from the BBC, Sri Lanka's president has gone on the record claiming that the conflict with the Tamil Tigers will be over within days.
PERSONAL:
I've been doing a lot of thinking about the Sirk film we watched for class, Imitation of Life. After reading more about it, and thinking about it outside the context of an auditorium of jeering students, I'm coming to, well... adore it. The dialogue, the pacing, both are terrible, but embedded in there is kind of a pre-mumblecore refutation of everything mumblecore is about. I dunno... expect this to be my Saturday editorial.
Otherwise, it's busy time for me. Lots of class work to juggle.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 1.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 226
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, a little bit warm.
In my Jazz Appreciation class, we've been covering a lot of the roots - pre-Blues, field holler, that. So to hear that a band was inspired by the collections of Alan Lomax definitely catches my attention. It doesn't hurt that Bruce Peninsula's call-and-response intensity really works. Stream it on Pitchfork, then buy the MP3s.
Also on Pitchfork, a cool Black Dice MP3. After that, well, delicate indie pop is my greatest weakness, and Jean on Jean exploits me like I'm a Miss America contestant.
Today on RCRD LBL, a surging and wild song from Mi Ami, a splattering of electro courtesy remixes of Lemonade, and some very pretty Swedish stuff by Gustaf Spetz.
Holy crap, I had never heard of Felix Cartal before, but Discodust makes me want to accept him as my new god. It's tempting to say this is a Justice knockoff, but that's misguided; it's got the same obvious root in Daft Punk but it takes it in a whole 'nother direction; noise is used less as perverse melody and more as repetitious, building chaos. I'll gladly take either.
FILM:
/Film has a cool Annie Leibovitz photoset.
They also have a shitload of SXSW trailers on the pipeline! It's time for me to get pumped. So far, there's the expected loaded-ensemble mumblecore flick, Sorry, Thanks, which looks amusing. Breaking Upwards looks nice too, a little Garden-State-y, which is a-ok.
Carpenter's on something new!
WEIRD:
Apparently this is the Drama edition of the Weird section.
Damage control? Check. Phoned-in T-Shirt? Check. Weird youtube video? Check. (By the Mae Shi? Really?) Sigh... I guess we're doing this now, huh. Keep your eyes peeled for the SNL sketch, the belated puns, and the people who still care about this in any capacity a week from today - those people being the Waldos of this situation. Oh, and people who don't understand what a film set is actually like, having only watched blooper reels? Check. (To be fair... after a few listens, the Mae Shi track is really clever. I admit, I downloaded the MP3)
Oh, and speaking of drama, 50 and Ross are still at it.
Not to be outdone, the writers are striking back with the actors and the rappers (no, not you, Joaquin Pheonix) with author drama of their own: Stephen King doesn't like the author of Twilight. Drama month, anybody? It will be a lonely Valentine's Day for the entertainment industry.
WORLD:
The New York Times reports that Obama intends to enable diplomacy with Iran while tightening sanctions. Obama is also, according to the BBC, making efforts to revise his cabinet selections.
Also from the BBC, Sri Lanka's president has gone on the record claiming that the conflict with the Tamil Tigers will be over within days.
PERSONAL:
I've been doing a lot of thinking about the Sirk film we watched for class, Imitation of Life. After reading more about it, and thinking about it outside the context of an auditorium of jeering students, I'm coming to, well... adore it. The dialogue, the pacing, both are terrible, but embedded in there is kind of a pre-mumblecore refutation of everything mumblecore is about. I dunno... expect this to be my Saturday editorial.
Otherwise, it's busy time for me. Lots of class work to juggle.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 1.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 226
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, a little bit warm.
Monday, February 2, 2009
February 2nd, 2009
Weirder Weird section than normal... weird.
MUSIC:
You know those moments when you realize a big screw-up you've made? Picture me today, whapping my forehead when I discovered RCRD LBL and wondered why I hadn't found it earlier. I'll be mentioning it daily hereafter. Today on RCRD LBL, a deliciously melodramatic bit from Blitz the Ambassador and a cute nature-infused bit by Twi the Humble Feather (available for purchase here).
New Raekwon! Ft. Ghostface and Method Man! Return to classic form! Nothing else need be said!
The new Lotus Plaza MP3 on Pitchfork (Lotus Plaza = guitarist from Deerhunter) is lush, gorgeous, and roughly organic.
Sweet Jesus, Weezy really never will quit. In his case, that's not a bad thing at all. Oh, and don't feel guilty for deleting opener "Prom Queen" from his mixtape - that's what we're all doing. But put "Filet Mignon" on repeat - it easily wins the Sex-Craziest Song of the Decade award. ("I wish I could f**k every girl in the world!" Wayne repeats ad infinatum)
Also on Fader, some fun Wale tracks.
The Lipster via DiS have their singles feature up. They really like the Miike Snow remix, and I'm inclined to agree. They write off the Constantines single, which I find a little stupid. They also get quite pissy about a charming Coldplay video. They do give Yuill's track proper love, at least.
It's a good day to be an Austin citizen: The Decemberists will play their new album in full at SXSW.
The 50/Boss feud continues. Kemp's claims that Rick Ross rents his jewelry, that's actually pretty hard-hitting stuff.
Discodust has some gorgeous tracks by Classixx. Really thick, dreamy stuff. Cross-genre appeal; just download it.
FILM:
I hate the Superbowl ad craze with passion, but I do love /Film.
Speaking of their coverage, the trailer for The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle adds substance to the echoings of "this movie was weird" and elevates it to must-see status in my book.
Gossip is fun: Christian Bale pissed off on the Terminator set.
Breathe a sigh of relief: there will be no Watchmen sequels.
At last, the next incredible American film is on the horizon.
WEIRD:
Time warp? East German flat found completely unmodified.
Erykah Badu Twittered the birth of her child. No words... no words.
This live-action kid-getting-scared gif is just old-school, hypnotizing, bizarre-as-fuck weird.
Lil Wayne continues to be interviewed by some unexpected people.
WORLD:
Obama will not put an end to extraordinary rendition. There's also a lot of buzz about Obama's administrative selections; the New York Times provides a harsh but reasonable analysis of the problem.
The same Red Cross hospital in Sri Lanka shelled by the Tamil Tigers has been shelled again.
PERSONAL:
It was a pretty good day. I feel like I got a lot of things done. One thing to note - I loathed Imitation of Life. Maybe I'm missing something, but right now, I just plain loathe it. Also, holy hot damn, I have a lot of food right now.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 1.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 218
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, academic.
MUSIC:
You know those moments when you realize a big screw-up you've made? Picture me today, whapping my forehead when I discovered RCRD LBL and wondered why I hadn't found it earlier. I'll be mentioning it daily hereafter. Today on RCRD LBL, a deliciously melodramatic bit from Blitz the Ambassador and a cute nature-infused bit by Twi the Humble Feather (available for purchase here).
New Raekwon! Ft. Ghostface and Method Man! Return to classic form! Nothing else need be said!
The new Lotus Plaza MP3 on Pitchfork (Lotus Plaza = guitarist from Deerhunter) is lush, gorgeous, and roughly organic.
Sweet Jesus, Weezy really never will quit. In his case, that's not a bad thing at all. Oh, and don't feel guilty for deleting opener "Prom Queen" from his mixtape - that's what we're all doing. But put "Filet Mignon" on repeat - it easily wins the Sex-Craziest Song of the Decade award. ("I wish I could f**k every girl in the world!" Wayne repeats ad infinatum)
Also on Fader, some fun Wale tracks.
The Lipster via DiS have their singles feature up. They really like the Miike Snow remix, and I'm inclined to agree. They write off the Constantines single, which I find a little stupid. They also get quite pissy about a charming Coldplay video. They do give Yuill's track proper love, at least.
It's a good day to be an Austin citizen: The Decemberists will play their new album in full at SXSW.
The 50/Boss feud continues. Kemp's claims that Rick Ross rents his jewelry, that's actually pretty hard-hitting stuff.
Discodust has some gorgeous tracks by Classixx. Really thick, dreamy stuff. Cross-genre appeal; just download it.
FILM:
I hate the Superbowl ad craze with passion, but I do love /Film.
Speaking of their coverage, the trailer for The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle adds substance to the echoings of "this movie was weird" and elevates it to must-see status in my book.
Gossip is fun: Christian Bale pissed off on the Terminator set.
Breathe a sigh of relief: there will be no Watchmen sequels.
At last, the next incredible American film is on the horizon.
WEIRD:
Time warp? East German flat found completely unmodified.
Erykah Badu Twittered the birth of her child. No words... no words.
This live-action kid-getting-scared gif is just old-school, hypnotizing, bizarre-as-fuck weird.
Lil Wayne continues to be interviewed by some unexpected people.
WORLD:
Obama will not put an end to extraordinary rendition. There's also a lot of buzz about Obama's administrative selections; the New York Times provides a harsh but reasonable analysis of the problem.
The same Red Cross hospital in Sri Lanka shelled by the Tamil Tigers has been shelled again.
PERSONAL:
It was a pretty good day. I feel like I got a lot of things done. One thing to note - I loathed Imitation of Life. Maybe I'm missing something, but right now, I just plain loathe it. Also, holy hot damn, I have a lot of food right now.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 1.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 218
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, academic.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
February 1st, 2009: The Month in Literal Review
January In Literal Review
Most Interesting, Music:
Fader's hyper-victorious My President Is Black freeload.
Most Interesting, Film:
The Watchmen legal saga found resolution.
Weirdest:
AICN interviewed accidental superstar Soulja Boy.
Biggest World Event:
Obama was inaugurated as the President of the United States.
Best Song:
Animal Collective, "My Girls"
Best Film:
The Wrestler
Reviews
Animal Collective, Merriweather Post Pavilion
I fully understand the hesitation when approaching an album that's hyped as hard as this one. There are a lot of expectations to deal with, which has the tendency of ruining an experience. (See: My thoughts on Che so far)
This, however, is the real deal. This is an album worth getting very excited about.
The MP3s floating around are good - damn good - but they are amplified a thousandfold in their context within the album. Brothersport becomes a shaking, pulsing, breathing climactic burst; My Girls becomes a glistening, pounding gateway. If there was any question about album-based musicians surviving the digital era, consider that shit answered.
MPP is a critic's dream, not only in terms of quality, but because it's so rife with details to mention. The album is a veritable treasure trove of constant surprises. Take the buried grower "Taste," which has a wide array of smart little details: the heartbeat percussion, or the subtle use of an instrument which is about to explode on Lion in a Coma, etc. Oh, and I'll go on record with my theory that "Guys Eyes" is AC's spazzed out and horny as hell take on "God Only Knows." Listen again, and you'll hear what I'm talking about.
As Animal Collective have mentioned in interviews, this is the first album made with a sense of their history as a band, and it shows. MPP departs in all sorts of key ways, sonically and thematically, but it anchors itself, too; "Bluish" opens with a washed out guitar that seems plucked from Feels, and "No More Runnin" feels like "Cuckoo Cuckoo" with the tension all drained out.
There's enough content here for a thousand or more adjectives. I won't praise the album's genius, because that job has been handled by countless other critics; instead, I'll take a stab at sketching a roadmap for the intrigued fence-sitters. It's everything wild and free about Animal Collective, while paradoxically far more natural-sounding while being far more grounded in the electronic. And it's a hell of a joy ride.
Antony and the Johnsons, The Crying Light
We settle for a lot of silliness when it comes to male vocalists. We accept vaguely decent performances on such a regular basis that when a truly powerful male voice comes around, it tends to catch us off guard. And really, "caught off guard" is everybody's first reaction to Antony Hegarty; his surreal warble, his lilting power, these alien turns take some getting used to.
It's worth it. On The Crying Light, Antony has synthesized an incredible amount of emotion and introspection, channeling it through relatively straightforward compositions which act as guides through the intense emotional realm Antony occupies.
Song to song, there's nothing you'll want to skip. "Epilepsy is Dancing" softly and sweetly describes something excruciating, a duality far from unintentional. "Kiss My Name" frolics where the titular track whispers, and little more can be said about "Another World," a sincere and arresting work of intimate introspection. Of course, there's tour de force "Daylight and the Sun," which ruptures and careens and melts in a way befitting of Antony's countless nature metaphors.
If you let it into your heart, The Crying Light will wreak havoc, knocking you down and then lifting you back up, on new terms. It's an album almost too painful to withstand, but too gorgeous to look away from.
Personal:
It's been a strange weekend. Lots of delirious stuff, lots of confused walking, and sadly, not as much productivity as I'd hoped. I took a bus tonight that went through very strange and unjustifiably familiar territory. I feel a little bit upside down.
I've got a lot of work to do in this next half hour.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 1.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 195
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, confused.
Most Interesting, Music:
Fader's hyper-victorious My President Is Black freeload.
Most Interesting, Film:
The Watchmen legal saga found resolution.
Weirdest:
AICN interviewed accidental superstar Soulja Boy.
Biggest World Event:
Obama was inaugurated as the President of the United States.
Best Song:
Animal Collective, "My Girls"
Best Film:
The Wrestler
Reviews
Animal Collective, Merriweather Post Pavilion
I fully understand the hesitation when approaching an album that's hyped as hard as this one. There are a lot of expectations to deal with, which has the tendency of ruining an experience. (See: My thoughts on Che so far)
This, however, is the real deal. This is an album worth getting very excited about.
The MP3s floating around are good - damn good - but they are amplified a thousandfold in their context within the album. Brothersport becomes a shaking, pulsing, breathing climactic burst; My Girls becomes a glistening, pounding gateway. If there was any question about album-based musicians surviving the digital era, consider that shit answered.
MPP is a critic's dream, not only in terms of quality, but because it's so rife with details to mention. The album is a veritable treasure trove of constant surprises. Take the buried grower "Taste," which has a wide array of smart little details: the heartbeat percussion, or the subtle use of an instrument which is about to explode on Lion in a Coma, etc. Oh, and I'll go on record with my theory that "Guys Eyes" is AC's spazzed out and horny as hell take on "God Only Knows." Listen again, and you'll hear what I'm talking about.
As Animal Collective have mentioned in interviews, this is the first album made with a sense of their history as a band, and it shows. MPP departs in all sorts of key ways, sonically and thematically, but it anchors itself, too; "Bluish" opens with a washed out guitar that seems plucked from Feels, and "No More Runnin" feels like "Cuckoo Cuckoo" with the tension all drained out.
There's enough content here for a thousand or more adjectives. I won't praise the album's genius, because that job has been handled by countless other critics; instead, I'll take a stab at sketching a roadmap for the intrigued fence-sitters. It's everything wild and free about Animal Collective, while paradoxically far more natural-sounding while being far more grounded in the electronic. And it's a hell of a joy ride.
Antony and the Johnsons, The Crying Light
We settle for a lot of silliness when it comes to male vocalists. We accept vaguely decent performances on such a regular basis that when a truly powerful male voice comes around, it tends to catch us off guard. And really, "caught off guard" is everybody's first reaction to Antony Hegarty; his surreal warble, his lilting power, these alien turns take some getting used to.
It's worth it. On The Crying Light, Antony has synthesized an incredible amount of emotion and introspection, channeling it through relatively straightforward compositions which act as guides through the intense emotional realm Antony occupies.
Song to song, there's nothing you'll want to skip. "Epilepsy is Dancing" softly and sweetly describes something excruciating, a duality far from unintentional. "Kiss My Name" frolics where the titular track whispers, and little more can be said about "Another World," a sincere and arresting work of intimate introspection. Of course, there's tour de force "Daylight and the Sun," which ruptures and careens and melts in a way befitting of Antony's countless nature metaphors.
If you let it into your heart, The Crying Light will wreak havoc, knocking you down and then lifting you back up, on new terms. It's an album almost too painful to withstand, but too gorgeous to look away from.
Personal:
It's been a strange weekend. Lots of delirious stuff, lots of confused walking, and sadly, not as much productivity as I'd hoped. I took a bus tonight that went through very strange and unjustifiably familiar territory. I feel a little bit upside down.
I've got a lot of work to do in this next half hour.
2009 FILMS SEEN: 1.5
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 195
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, confused.
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