It seems like I went all semester without seeing a great movie. I liked Slumdog, but thought it was a bit overrated (and maybe a bit too saccharin?). Shotgun Stories, however, completely bowled me over. As soon as I finished watching it, I turned right around and watched the director's commentary. I have no clue how this slipped by big film festivals, the Oscars, and year-end lists ostensibly unnoticed and remarkably unheralded.
Shotgun Stories tells the tale of two different families: one that was abandoned by their father, another that was raised by that same formerly-fleeing father. The abandoned children were left at the mercy of their unloving mother in a working-class world, while the father's new family experienced the love, support, and relative financial prosperity that he provided.
The father dies near the film's outset (he never appears on screen), and these two previously separate worlds collide, once Son, the eldest of the three abandoned boys, speaks his mind at the father's funeral (their father's lack of devotion is most evident--but never explicitly explained--by the fact that the children have the names Son, Boy, and Kid). The other family, the ones that benefited from their father's sobriety and religious conversion, are angered by Son's disparaging eulogy, and what emerges is a modern tragedy of Shakespearean dimensions.
The film's writer and director, Jeff Nichols, grew up Arkansas and the film is set in its rural areas. The focus on the area's natural beauty, simple surroundings, and long scene transitions had me convinced that Nichols was ripping off David Gordon Green ... until I watched the commentary and found out they had been classmates at film school and DGG put his own cash into the film when he became one of its producers. Furthermore, the film's cameras and second unit were the very same that DGG employed in George Washington and perennial Cine-Men favorite, All The Real Girls. Thus, I excused Nichols from any sort of infringement into DGG's territory.
The surprise for me here was Michael Shannon, the actor that played Son. I couldn't remember seeing him in anything and the trailer actually made me a bit skeptical of his talent, but his calculated and contained rage were perfectly portrayed for what his character embodied. A minor character (that actually plays an important role) named Shampoo provided a bit of necessary laughter to offset the film's deadly serious tone.
Blurb: An absolutely outstanding piece of cinema that somehow was--and still is--under the radar. I can't wait for Jeff Nichols' next project, even though it's entitled Goat.
Grade: A+
Here's the trailer if you want:
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Fanfarlo: Reservoir
So I realize I haven't blogged about any music or movies since February. Well, for the most part,I haven't had anything spectacular in either category come my way. There have been some good albums, and I probably should've blogged about Other Lives' (FKA Kunek) self-titled album (available at Amazon for $5!), but for sheer laziness I didn't do it. (By the way, that album is real, and it's spectacular.)
I came across Fanfarlo in article about bands people love that nobody knows. I was instantly smitten. Instantly. Smitten. I looked up the band and found out their album hadn't released yet, but when it became available this week, I snatched it up (only $5.99 on iTunes!). I really wanted to wait for it to come out on eMusic, but I simply couldn't wait (eMusic > Amazon > iTunes).
Describing Fanfarlo's sound is surprisingly easy: it's Beirut meets Ra Ra Riot versus Arcade Fire. I actually think that's a perfect description. These guys have been around since 2006, dropping a two-song EP each year, so I don't think they consciously took bits and/or pieces from any of the abovementioned bands (plus, Fanfarlo's first EP came out before Beirut and Ra Ra Riot debuted). However, even if Fanfarlo totally stole their sound from those bands (which, again, I don't think they did), I still wouldn't care because those are somewhat disparate sounds and they do such a great job melding them into one sound.
The lyrics are fun, playful, and downright simple at times, but it contrasts well with the complex melodies of--get this--violin, keyboard, mandolin, saw (SAW!), bass, banjo, trumpet, glockenspeil, saxophone, clarinet, and guitar. Seriously! The lyrics can also be sufficiently ambiguous, which meshes perfectly with the musical melancholia that emerges in songs like "Comets" and "If It Is Growing."
Blurb: A great mixture of the sounds of a few different bands. These guys are my new favorite.
Final Grade: A
There's no video for my favorite song ("The Walls are Coming Down," which is a dead ringer for a Zach Condon production), so here are songs for which videos are available. Enjoy (and then go buy the album!):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pySzy1wepdg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVwvozAFe8Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e6453HyewA
I came across Fanfarlo in article about bands people love that nobody knows. I was instantly smitten. Instantly. Smitten. I looked up the band and found out their album hadn't released yet, but when it became available this week, I snatched it up (only $5.99 on iTunes!). I really wanted to wait for it to come out on eMusic, but I simply couldn't wait (eMusic > Amazon > iTunes).
Describing Fanfarlo's sound is surprisingly easy: it's Beirut meets Ra Ra Riot versus Arcade Fire. I actually think that's a perfect description. These guys have been around since 2006, dropping a two-song EP each year, so I don't think they consciously took bits and/or pieces from any of the abovementioned bands (plus, Fanfarlo's first EP came out before Beirut and Ra Ra Riot debuted). However, even if Fanfarlo totally stole their sound from those bands (which, again, I don't think they did), I still wouldn't care because those are somewhat disparate sounds and they do such a great job melding them into one sound.
The lyrics are fun, playful, and downright simple at times, but it contrasts well with the complex melodies of--get this--violin, keyboard, mandolin, saw (SAW!), bass, banjo, trumpet, glockenspeil, saxophone, clarinet, and guitar. Seriously! The lyrics can also be sufficiently ambiguous, which meshes perfectly with the musical melancholia that emerges in songs like "Comets" and "If It Is Growing."
Blurb: A great mixture of the sounds of a few different bands. These guys are my new favorite.
Final Grade: A
There's no video for my favorite song ("The Walls are Coming Down," which is a dead ringer for a Zach Condon production), so here are songs for which videos are available. Enjoy (and then go buy the album!):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pySzy1wepdg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVwvozAFe8Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e6453HyewA
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Best Music of 2008: #5-1
#5. Kings of Leon -Only by the Night
Initially I was a little disappointed with Night, but after I put it aside for a few weeks, I went back to it and it became a top-ten album. They were vaulted into the top five after I saw them in Indy a couple of weeks back (video below). This album definitely seems like it's poised for--and has already received some--mainstream success with its spic-and-span production value. There's some grit or something missing in Night. I can't quite put my fingers on it, but there's something Because of the Times had that Night lacks. However, it's still a really good album that has definitely broadened the fan base. Here's "On Call," probably my favorite song from the show.
#4. Beck - Modern Guilt
This album was conspicuously absent from most year-end lists. It got good reviews when it came out, so I can't really understand what happened. Guilt might just be my favorite Beck album (and perhaps I owe it all to producer Danger Mouse). I'm not really a fan of his '90s stuff--it's fine but purposeful dissonance has never floated my boat. Guero was one of my top albums from '05, but I was disappointed with The Information (2007), so I didn't really know what to expect when Guilt dropped back in July. I'm sure [super producer] Danger Mouse helped Beck focus to refine Guilt's sound. I also thought Beck's lyrics were stronger on Guilt than on Information. My favorite tracks are "Youthless," "Walls," "Orphans," and "Gamma Ray," the video for which is featured here (again, the video is weird... which seems to be a theme for a lot of the videos I've posted):
#3. Sigur Ros -Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
As was the case with the Kings of Leon album, I was also initially disappointed with Med Sud. I wasn't bothered by the fact they went more accoustic with guitars or whatever, it's simply the fact that their '05 release Takk... is one of my favorite albums of all time. However, seeing Sigur Ros in concert back in September certainly gave me a new perspective on Med Sud. I still don't think it's as good as Takk..., but I like it more than ( ). "Gobledigook," "Inni Myr," and "Vid Spilum" are all five-star tracks and can hold their own against other amazing songs such as [my all-time fave] "Saeglopur", "Hoppipolla," and "Glosoli." If you ever get the chance, catch their show... it's fantastic (in the words of Flight of the Conchords, "definitely in the top three"). This outdoor performance [of "Inni Myr"] doesn't convey it, but they put on a visually spectacular show:
#2. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Although Emma was released in 2007, it was a very limited release and I didn't stumble upon it until JagJaguar released it in February of '08. I instantly fell in love and told just about everybody that would listen to buy this album. First, Emma deals a lot with heartbreak, something I was going through at this time last year, so it got a lot of bonus points for that. But even when I listen to it today, I'm still amazed at how haunting and beautiful it remains. Justin Vernon (AKA Bon Iver) wrote and recorded most of the album on a now-famous hiatus in a Wisconsin cabin during the winter, chopping wood for heat and hunting his own food. That solitude permeates the album, but it's semi-melancholoy nature doesn't depress becuase his falsetto voice seems uplifting--even when its bellowing out a tune about lost love. I'm aleady in love with Blood Bank, and I can't wait for his next LP (although that song "Woods" seems like a cheap Imogen Heap knock off). You can also hear his song, "Bracket, WI" on the righthand side of this blog (it's part of one of the greatest for-charity compliations ever). This music video for "The Wolves" might give you a sense of Vernon's surroundings as he wrote Emma.
#1. Horse Feathers - House with no Home
For those of you keeping score at home, this is the third Portland-based band to make the list (Starf***er and Blitzen Trapper being the other two). How this album escaped every year-end list I came across seems absolutely befuddling, bemusing, bewildering, and--with all due respect--just plain dumb (what? I said with all due respect). The only good thing about their absence from those lists is that it sets mine apart from the rest of the field (a hipster requirement, to be sure), but I would've loved for them to have gotten the publicity. I was at their show in November and they produce America's most beautiful music. There's no doubt. Their music is just as hauntingly beautiful as Bon Iver, except it's got a cello and a violin... instruments that make almost any song better! :) "Curs in the Weeds" might be my favorite song from 2008. Just. Freaking. Beautiful. I also really enjoy "Working Poor," one of the faster-paced songs from Home. Here's the aforementioned "Curs":
Initially I was a little disappointed with Night, but after I put it aside for a few weeks, I went back to it and it became a top-ten album. They were vaulted into the top five after I saw them in Indy a couple of weeks back (video below). This album definitely seems like it's poised for--and has already received some--mainstream success with its spic-and-span production value. There's some grit or something missing in Night. I can't quite put my fingers on it, but there's something Because of the Times had that Night lacks. However, it's still a really good album that has definitely broadened the fan base. Here's "On Call," probably my favorite song from the show.
#4. Beck - Modern Guilt
This album was conspicuously absent from most year-end lists. It got good reviews when it came out, so I can't really understand what happened. Guilt might just be my favorite Beck album (and perhaps I owe it all to producer Danger Mouse). I'm not really a fan of his '90s stuff--it's fine but purposeful dissonance has never floated my boat. Guero was one of my top albums from '05, but I was disappointed with The Information (2007), so I didn't really know what to expect when Guilt dropped back in July. I'm sure [super producer] Danger Mouse helped Beck focus to refine Guilt's sound. I also thought Beck's lyrics were stronger on Guilt than on Information. My favorite tracks are "Youthless," "Walls," "Orphans," and "Gamma Ray," the video for which is featured here (again, the video is weird... which seems to be a theme for a lot of the videos I've posted):
#3. Sigur Ros -Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
As was the case with the Kings of Leon album, I was also initially disappointed with Med Sud. I wasn't bothered by the fact they went more accoustic with guitars or whatever, it's simply the fact that their '05 release Takk... is one of my favorite albums of all time. However, seeing Sigur Ros in concert back in September certainly gave me a new perspective on Med Sud. I still don't think it's as good as Takk..., but I like it more than ( ). "Gobledigook," "Inni Myr," and "Vid Spilum" are all five-star tracks and can hold their own against other amazing songs such as [my all-time fave] "Saeglopur", "Hoppipolla," and "Glosoli." If you ever get the chance, catch their show... it's fantastic (in the words of Flight of the Conchords, "definitely in the top three"). This outdoor performance [of "Inni Myr"] doesn't convey it, but they put on a visually spectacular show:
#2. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Although Emma was released in 2007, it was a very limited release and I didn't stumble upon it until JagJaguar released it in February of '08. I instantly fell in love and told just about everybody that would listen to buy this album. First, Emma deals a lot with heartbreak, something I was going through at this time last year, so it got a lot of bonus points for that. But even when I listen to it today, I'm still amazed at how haunting and beautiful it remains. Justin Vernon (AKA Bon Iver) wrote and recorded most of the album on a now-famous hiatus in a Wisconsin cabin during the winter, chopping wood for heat and hunting his own food. That solitude permeates the album, but it's semi-melancholoy nature doesn't depress becuase his falsetto voice seems uplifting--even when its bellowing out a tune about lost love. I'm aleady in love with Blood Bank, and I can't wait for his next LP (although that song "Woods" seems like a cheap Imogen Heap knock off). You can also hear his song, "Bracket, WI" on the righthand side of this blog (it's part of one of the greatest for-charity compliations ever). This music video for "The Wolves" might give you a sense of Vernon's surroundings as he wrote Emma.
#1. Horse Feathers - House with no Home
For those of you keeping score at home, this is the third Portland-based band to make the list (Starf***er and Blitzen Trapper being the other two). How this album escaped every year-end list I came across seems absolutely befuddling, bemusing, bewildering, and--with all due respect--just plain dumb (what? I said with all due respect). The only good thing about their absence from those lists is that it sets mine apart from the rest of the field (a hipster requirement, to be sure), but I would've loved for them to have gotten the publicity. I was at their show in November and they produce America's most beautiful music. There's no doubt. Their music is just as hauntingly beautiful as Bon Iver, except it's got a cello and a violin... instruments that make almost any song better! :) "Curs in the Weeds" might be my favorite song from 2008. Just. Freaking. Beautiful. I also really enjoy "Working Poor," one of the faster-paced songs from Home. Here's the aforementioned "Curs":
Saturday, January 24, 2009
More music for your eyebulbs
Okay ... so I saw this video and instantly loved it. I bought the album, and it's not so good. It's kind of like that album by The Feeling ... you know the one. It's got that song "Fill My Little World" - really good. The rest of the album is a big w-o-t wast of time.
Back to Matt and Kim. Their first album (self titled, released 2006) is like that Feeling album sans "Fill My Little World." That's right, avoid it. In fact, if you see it somewhere in a social setting don't even give it a head nod of acknowledgment.
Their whole sound is kind of in the vein of the minimalist thing the White Stripes do (did?). And unlike Jack and Meg they are still married. Instead of drums and guitar, Matt and Kim use drums and synth/keyboard. Sounds workable right? They're slowly but surely honing their craft.
The good news is that Matt and Kim's newest album, Grand, is much, much better. More than one good song, in fact. I will bet you (stakes tbd) that you will like "Daylight" (featured in this video) and "Good Ol' Fashion Nightmare."
As I mentioned, this is the "Daylight" music video. Delightful really. They look so happy! Seriously, we gotta figure out a way to bottle this!
Back to Matt and Kim. Their first album (self titled, released 2006) is like that Feeling album sans "Fill My Little World." That's right, avoid it. In fact, if you see it somewhere in a social setting don't even give it a head nod of acknowledgment.
Their whole sound is kind of in the vein of the minimalist thing the White Stripes do (did?). And unlike Jack and Meg they are still married. Instead of drums and guitar, Matt and Kim use drums and synth/keyboard. Sounds workable right? They're slowly but surely honing their craft.
The good news is that Matt and Kim's newest album, Grand, is much, much better. More than one good song, in fact. I will bet you (stakes tbd) that you will like "Daylight" (featured in this video) and "Good Ol' Fashion Nightmare."
As I mentioned, this is the "Daylight" music video. Delightful really. They look so happy! Seriously, we gotta figure out a way to bottle this!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Best Music of 2008: #10-6
We made it to the top ten! (Facebookers: you know where to go... and I mean that in the nicest possible way.)
#10. Blitzen Trapper - Furr
At the start of 2008, I had never even heard of these Portlanders. While the 2007 song "Wild Mountain Nation" is tremendous, that album is a less stellar than it's title track, possessing some of the worst parts of early Beck (schizo electrono-rock with purposeful dissonance and auditory overload). Although I've somewhat decried apparent mainstream-ization of albums *cough Dear Science cough*, Blitzen Trapper's latest effort benefits from a sonic scalpel, likely applied by the guys over at Sub Pop. By toning down the worst parts of the band and boosting the best, BT put together a solid album (although it probably wouldn't be in the top 10 if I hadn't seen them in concert in November... hearing their songs evokes memories of their very lively show; there's no doubt in my mind if I had seen The Black Keys this year, Blitzen Trapper would be knocked out of this spot). "Furr" isn't my favorite track off the album of the same name, but it's got a cool video (and is evidence of BT's storytelling):
#9. Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple
While that awesome-but-quickly-ubiquitous-and-subsequently-annoying song "Crazy" got all the fame, I was a bigger fan of St. Elsewhere's weirder tracks, like "Go-Go-Gadget Gospel" and "Transformers." Odd Couple is the triumph of the weird-but-good vibe from their debut album. However, while bands with a similar sound (TVotR) seems to get an insane amount of praise, the fact that Odd Couple was left out of so many best-of lists seems--wait for it--odd, especially given how much cred Danger Mouse seems to have. One of the reasons Odd Couple is so high in my countdown is the number of listens this album garnered: just like Konk, this album stayed in my car's six-disc player from it's release date until one or two months ago. Here's the video for "Going On," one of my favorite tracks off the album:
#8. Lykke Li - Youth Novels
Yet another artist with whom I was unfamiliar at the outset of this past year. This sprightly Swedish twentysomething burst onto the scene thanks to the work of Bjorn (of Peter Bjorn & John fame) and you can tell--or at least I think I can tell--his influence: electronic beats and sometimes-slightly-off-key tones. This album is full of a few songs that will become big singles: "I'm Good, I'm Gone," "Breaking it Up," "Complaint Department," "Dance, Dance, Dance," and "Little Bit." If those saw the light of day on MTV (or whatever it is that influences high schoolers), the kids would be eating it up. For now, I'll keep things the way they are (I'm a little bit in love with her). Here's the [weird but good] video for "I'm Good, I'm Gone":
#7. Dr. Dog - Fate
When I saw these guys open for The Black Keys in '06, I thought they had a fun stage presence, but didn't think they'd amount to much. This is like, you know, one of the three or four times in my life that I've been wrong. Fate is a tremendous album that takes a few listens to really get into your head, but you later find yourself craving it, as I often do with the song "The Old Days" (video below). The songs are catchy without being cheesy; think Rooney, and then the exact opposite... sort of like if Spoon took PCP and heroine and then played a show at a trucker's bar in Philly. Genuine emotions are carried in each tune, and the lyrics can be a treat at times: not every band can question the meaning of life and get away with it. If they come back to the area anytime soon, I'll definitely show up... as long as nobody's head gets chopped off, like in "The Ark"; here's a studio version of my favorite song, "The Old Days":
"The Old Days" - Dr. Dog from LaundroMatinee on Vimeo.
#6. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
It took me a long time to get my hands on this album. I put it on my Amazon wishlist when it was released, but I could never scrounge enough cash together to actually buy it (or my cash went towards the purchase of other albums). Thankfully, some friends intervened and gave me a copy. While this album has received an unbelievable amount of praise (Pitchfork's #1 album), I tried not to hold that against it (I think the offices at Pitchfork have those leadership posters, but instead of inspirational words, they've got stuff like "Pride" and "Pretension" and "Braggadocio"). Some people have criticized FF for sounding like Band of Horses, and while there is a recognizable similarity, it doesn't bother me at all. With each listen, this album inched itself up this list, from initially being just outside the top 20 to being inside the top 10. If I had another month, it might take that next step into the top 5. Here's a great little stop-motion animation video for "White Winter Hymnal":
The top 5 is next...
#10. Blitzen Trapper - Furr
At the start of 2008, I had never even heard of these Portlanders. While the 2007 song "Wild Mountain Nation" is tremendous, that album is a less stellar than it's title track, possessing some of the worst parts of early Beck (schizo electrono-rock with purposeful dissonance and auditory overload). Although I've somewhat decried apparent mainstream-ization of albums *cough Dear Science cough*, Blitzen Trapper's latest effort benefits from a sonic scalpel, likely applied by the guys over at Sub Pop. By toning down the worst parts of the band and boosting the best, BT put together a solid album (although it probably wouldn't be in the top 10 if I hadn't seen them in concert in November... hearing their songs evokes memories of their very lively show; there's no doubt in my mind if I had seen The Black Keys this year, Blitzen Trapper would be knocked out of this spot). "Furr" isn't my favorite track off the album of the same name, but it's got a cool video (and is evidence of BT's storytelling):
#9. Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple
While that awesome-but-quickly-ubiquitous-and-subsequently-annoying song "Crazy" got all the fame, I was a bigger fan of St. Elsewhere's weirder tracks, like "Go-Go-Gadget Gospel" and "Transformers." Odd Couple is the triumph of the weird-but-good vibe from their debut album. However, while bands with a similar sound (TVotR) seems to get an insane amount of praise, the fact that Odd Couple was left out of so many best-of lists seems--wait for it--odd, especially given how much cred Danger Mouse seems to have. One of the reasons Odd Couple is so high in my countdown is the number of listens this album garnered: just like Konk, this album stayed in my car's six-disc player from it's release date until one or two months ago. Here's the video for "Going On," one of my favorite tracks off the album:
#8. Lykke Li - Youth Novels
Yet another artist with whom I was unfamiliar at the outset of this past year. This sprightly Swedish twentysomething burst onto the scene thanks to the work of Bjorn (of Peter Bjorn & John fame) and you can tell--or at least I think I can tell--his influence: electronic beats and sometimes-slightly-off-key tones. This album is full of a few songs that will become big singles: "I'm Good, I'm Gone," "Breaking it Up," "Complaint Department," "Dance, Dance, Dance," and "Little Bit." If those saw the light of day on MTV (or whatever it is that influences high schoolers), the kids would be eating it up. For now, I'll keep things the way they are (I'm a little bit in love with her). Here's the [weird but good] video for "I'm Good, I'm Gone":
#7. Dr. Dog - Fate
When I saw these guys open for The Black Keys in '06, I thought they had a fun stage presence, but didn't think they'd amount to much. This is like, you know, one of the three or four times in my life that I've been wrong. Fate is a tremendous album that takes a few listens to really get into your head, but you later find yourself craving it, as I often do with the song "The Old Days" (video below). The songs are catchy without being cheesy; think Rooney, and then the exact opposite... sort of like if Spoon took PCP and heroine and then played a show at a trucker's bar in Philly. Genuine emotions are carried in each tune, and the lyrics can be a treat at times: not every band can question the meaning of life and get away with it. If they come back to the area anytime soon, I'll definitely show up... as long as nobody's head gets chopped off, like in "The Ark"; here's a studio version of my favorite song, "The Old Days":
"The Old Days" - Dr. Dog from LaundroMatinee on Vimeo.
#6. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
It took me a long time to get my hands on this album. I put it on my Amazon wishlist when it was released, but I could never scrounge enough cash together to actually buy it (or my cash went towards the purchase of other albums). Thankfully, some friends intervened and gave me a copy. While this album has received an unbelievable amount of praise (Pitchfork's #1 album), I tried not to hold that against it (I think the offices at Pitchfork have those leadership posters, but instead of inspirational words, they've got stuff like "Pride" and "Pretension" and "Braggadocio"). Some people have criticized FF for sounding like Band of Horses, and while there is a recognizable similarity, it doesn't bother me at all. With each listen, this album inched itself up this list, from initially being just outside the top 20 to being inside the top 10. If I had another month, it might take that next step into the top 5. Here's a great little stop-motion animation video for "White Winter Hymnal":
The top 5 is next...
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