Fuzzy Bits: Damon Albarn forms new band

The lead singer of the band Blur and Gorillaz looks to have yet another project on his hands: The Good, The Bad, and The Queen. Clever name aside, it looks like Albarn has some serious talent (as always) on hand. He will be joined by bassist Paul Simonen (of the Clash), ex-Verve guitarist Simon Tong (who also played occasionally with Blur), and Tony Allen on drums (from Fela Kuti). Their debut isn't planned for release until October but of course, as new information crops up you'll be the first to know.

Powered by Qumana

The Peter Jackson School of Film: A Look at a Disturbing Trend in Blockbusters

Shortly after the release of King Kong, looking at the trailers for the then upcoming summer blockbusters, I thought to myself "Could this finally mark the year that spectacle returns to film?" It turns out I was right, and it seems as if a film that I thoroughly enjoyed can easily be made out to be the scapegoat of a recent disturbing trend in Hollywood films: The overuse of "suspension of disbelief." Now, I'm well aware that calculated blockbusters have been around forever, chief among them 1997's Titanic, but this trend that I'm speaking of seems to have only risen within the past few years, most notably with Jackson's King Kong. The issue is that on top of the jam-packed action that's all but guaranteed out of our summer blockbusters, we've also been getting a lot of what I refer to as fluff action-- fantastical action sequences so out of place that they verge on becoming tedious. Peter Jackson has long been king of this, and one needs to look no further than the Lord of The Rings trilogy (which felt more like a pentalogy if you go by running time), making films that are as all-encompassing as humanly possible. He brought this same framework to King Kong, a movie whose budget rose from roughly $175 to a mind-boggling $207 million, all because of Jackson's efforts to push the envelope in eye candy. Where did that extra $32 mil go? Your guess is as good as mine, but I have a hunch that a good chunk of that went to the senseless marathon battle between King Kong and a T-Rex. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed that whole bit (as well as the rest of the film), as it answered every young kid's (well boy's anyway) question-- especially if you grew up at the same time as Jurassic Park-- of what dominating beast would win, a brute like Kong or the also feared T-Rex. The downside of action sequences like these is twofold. First, it's becoming standard now that you have to deal with CGI which is a real shame because as advanced as computers today are, there's no replacing reality, and even quality CGI (of which there's been very few-- even George Lucas' last two Star Wars looked incredibly tacky and he's been in the forefront of special effects) will look outdated in five to ten years. The second downside is that in an already overcrowded and competitive atmosphere, there comes a point where pushing the envelope for the sake of wowing the crowd becomes pushing the envelope for the sake of pushing the envelope.

That brings us to the now, where there have been continual flops from seemingly sure-fire blockbusters and I'm beginning to wonder if this could be the reason why. Could it be that everyone is trying to outdo their counterpart so they feel the need to insert the aforementioned "fluff action" to try to grab brownie points from the audience?

Well, today I finally saw Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, and that is both the point of as well as the basis of my rant. Like the second Matrix, Dead Man's Chest is 95% action and 5% of (very poor) dialogue. Unlike the second Matrix, Dead Man's Chest feels about one hundredth as creative as the original.

While the cast of characters are still in tact (much to the delight of any Pirates fan), you won't get much chance to enjoy any of them-- if it weren't for Johnny Depp's astounding presence as an actor, he too would've come off like a one bit actor wasting what could've been useful time and space. Keira Knightley's character goes from playful and innocent to full on tease, while Tom Hollander (who plays the "bad guy" Cutler Beckett) is such an unfathomable bore that he appears incapable of creating such conflict. Even Orlando Bloom, a man who I would hardly say is blessed with much acting talent, should be offended as the role of Will has been reduced to either being pouty or indifferent.

The actual action sequences themselves were at times enjoyable but when the running time approached an hour it began to feel tedious. From tedious it went to tiring, and then by the end of the movie, you wondered what the hell they possibly could've left out to need a third film outside of a Keith Richards cameo. They threw everything including the kitchen sink into the action of this film, and it served no purpose whatsoever. While some scenes, such as when the imprisoned men of Captain Jack's crew were forced to swing back and forth from their hanging cage, evoked the clever playfulness that made the first film so enjoyable, there were too many moments where you would expect something as strange as Dr. Phil getting in a food fight with a puffin (with Mills Lane refereeing of course) on the moon just for the sake of doing it (and being the first ones to do it). The whole three-way fight between Jack, Will, and Norrington was pointless-- their supposed motivations were about as deep as a bird bath-- and took far too long (I'm almost certain it was thirty minutes long), ending with Will and Norrington fighting fiercely on a... giant... wheel. Apparently no T-Rexes were available to make Will and Norrington run that much faster, but the point of the matter is that these films' increase in length and increased complaints in weariness stems from this very real problem-- there's simply too much fluff. That's what plagued Pirates 2 (and if it weren't for the fact that this movie were a sequel I can guarantee that it wouldn't have done half as well at the box office), Superman, and will plague every following film until someone realizes that they need to actually insert a story somewhere to keep the audience awake for the whole three hours.

Oh, and by the way, my rating for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest is a paltry 52. You should save your money and wait to join Jack Sparrow and company on a Blockbuster night (no pun intended).

Powered by Qumana

New Music Tuesday (Jurassic 5, Tom Petty, and more)

Today marked the release of a few heavily anticipated albums, chief among them Jurassic 5's long awaited release of Feedback, Tom Petty's return with Highway Companion, and finally Pharrell's long talked about solo release of In My Mind.

Stinker Alert!

Looking at the last album first, Pharrell's album, in a word, is awful. Whether or not you'd like to consider him to be an innovator in the hip-hop world as a producer is one thing, but setting mediocre rhymes and worse vocals to videogame music is hardly anything groundbreaking, much less worthwhile. Even if you're a fan of Pharrell/NERD/Neptunes, do yourself a favor and make a trip to a listening booth before you put down any money on this album.

Jurassic 5 Feedback

As always, you can expect feedback to be mixed on this effort.

Thankfully, the increasingly unbearable wait of Jurassic 5's album came out much better than Pharrell's. However, it's hard to argue that Feedback was indeed worth the wait. The opener "Back 4 U" gives the album a great start before it stumbles out of the blocks with the bland "Radio" and "Brown Girl (Suga Plum)." From "Gotta Understand" until the end of the album though, J5 punches through with very well done old-school hip-hop that at the best moments certainly outdo their previous effort, and sometimes come close to matching the finer moments on Quality Control. The single "Work It Out" featuring Dave Matthews Band is a fun, laid-back summer jam, while "Baby Please" takes its inverted Al Green backdrop and matches it perfectly with well-timed rhymes. Another mentionable is "End Up Like This," which is really the tragic romantic storytelling rap that "Thin Line" should've been, and is a perfect endnote for the album. Overall, this is sometimes among J5's strongest work, but it suffers from the same thing that all previous albums have suffered from, inconsistency. Beyond that, there's a lot for fans new and old alike, and with all the touring that Jurassic 5 has been doing with bands such as DMB, maybe they're hoping to reach a new audience.

Overall Rating: 81

Tom Petty Highway Companion

It may not be the grand return to form everyone was hoping for, but it's not bad.

Tom Petty's latest perhaps should've been called "Sleepy Hollow" as Petty spends almost the entirety of the album on cruise control, methodically running through each americana-tinged track with varying degrees of success. At its best, Petty comes up with such great songs as "Saving Grace," "Flirting With Time," and "Big Weekend," which aren't great in terms of their creativity-- many of these songs feel like displaced B-sides from Petty's earlier works-- but within their simple frameworks they are impressive for both Petty's presence as well as his unrelenting knack for making even the most mundane song accessible. On the other hand, tracks like "Ankle Deep" and "Turn This Car Around," really make you want to turn your car around and return the album. They're not bad or offending in any way, especially within the context of an already laid-back album, these tracks suffer from a coma-inducing monotony that few other artists outside of Yanni can take pride in causing. With the seven remaining tracks, they are all resigned to Petty's own reclusive musings and can really only be designated as typical. There's nothing new or groundbreaking here, although, for anyone that has paid attention to Tom Petty's music for the last few years, that's to be expected. In addition, given Tom Petty's last release was the atrocious Last DJ, it's probably just as well that Petty decided not to stray too far from his most familiar path after all.

Overall Rating: 80

The Roots Pre-Game EP

I've been trying to refrain from making this statement for a few months now, but I can't hold it in any longer: The Roots' Game Theory will be, hands down, the best album of the year. Proof of this should come in the form of this Ep, appropriately named Pre-Game. The first track is the lead single "Don't Feel Right," which has been my favorite track for some time now since ?uestlove released a special mix version on the Okayplayer website. While definitely a bit of a slow burn compared to the singles the Roots have released lately-- it's more "Next Movement" than "Boom!"-- Black Thought and the crew are just as solid as ever. Where they really step it up is on the next track, "Here I Come." Malik B. gives a huge boost on this track, his intensity matching one the most dense tracks that the Roots have ever done and, frankly, makes the stuff off of Phrenology look tame. "In the Music" is yet another dark track, and while it isn't the heavy-hitter that the two previous tracks were, it's just as engaging. The last track is "Bread & Butter," yet another track out of left field (or, more appropriately, the Delta), which features a handclap-laden blues/gospel-tinged backdrop (complete with muffled wailing). From each of these four tracks, four complete differentiating sides of the Roots come through, each of them equally creative and somewhat groundbreaking. While many (including myself) would say that The Tipping Point was little more than an intriguing failure, it was already apparent that its purpose was to serve, in addition to allowing the group to move on to Def Jam, as a platform for their next great undertaking-- the upcoming release of Game Theory.

Overall Rating: 100

There will be more reviews/news coming tomorrow and after the air finally clears I'll be able to get back to the Lollapalooza preview just in time for the start of the festival.

Powered by Qumana

Fuzzy Thoughts Profiles Lollapalooza 2006: The Main Acts Pt I

Here's the first of the Lollapalooza profiles, and to quote (roughly) Reservoir Dogs, we'll be going "first thing last." That being said, it'll be main acts (everyone performing post 6:30pm) first and then the other guys afterwards. Since I'll be in Vegas next week, I can't promise that I'll be churning out posts as quickly as I usually can, but I'll put some new posts up whenever possible.

Blues Traveler August 6 adidas-Champs Stage (7:30-8:30)

Alongside the now-defunct Phish, Blues Traveler carried on the jamband torch most notably started by the Grateful Dead for a new era of fans. With the big hit of "But Anyway" from their 1990 debut, Blues Travelers made it big and haven't really looked back since. Although inconsistency and tragedy plagued the band in the mid 90's, two factors which have still hurt the band to this day, they are still mildly popular though pale in comparison to fellow mates Dave Matthews Band. Despite that, Blues Traveler still knows how to perform live, so look for them to make the most of their one hour set. Besides the aforementioned "But Anyway," some other hits of theirs includes: "Hook," "Run Around," "The Mountains Win Again," "Girl Inside My Head," "Let Her and Let Go," and most recently "Amber Awaits."

Recommended Albums

Bastardos! (2005)

Truth Be Told (2003)

Four (1994)

Blues Traveler (1990)

Broken Social Scene August 6 Q101 Stage (7:30-8:30)

Indie rock group Broken Social Scene is likely one of the most critically acclaimed bands around at the moment, and that acclaim is very well deserved. Their debut album Feel Good Lost was an all instrumental effort that showed loads of potential, which they fulfilled on their follow-up You Forgot It In People. Most recently, Broken Social Scene released an arguably even better eponymous album this past year, which was listed very highly on my top albums of 2005.

Recommended Albums

Broken Social Scene (2005)

You Forgot It In People (2002)

Common August 5 AT&T Stage (6:30-7:30)

Still flying high from his most recent album BE, Common is well-regarded as being one of the better underground hip-hop artists of the past half-decade. From his frequent work with such respected artists like The Roots, Erykah Badu, Roy Hargrove, and most recently Kanye West, Common is as diverse as they come. Reflecting that, Common's audience is as varied as Common's own music, so even if you aren't necessarily a fan of most hip-hop, you might find that you like Common regardless. Most notable singles for Common include "Go," "The Corner," "Come Close," and "The Light."

Recommended Albums

Be (2005)

Like Water For Chocolate (2000)

Powered by Qumana

Fuzzy Bits: Weezer breaking up? Future releases for the month...

Weezer break up rumors surfacing again

While it seems that this has been discussed almost after every release, it seems more and more like front-man Rivers Cuomo, along with the rest of his band, are ready to call it quits. Cuomo, who is now 36, had some really interesting news when he said that he had been writing a lot of songs, but doesn't see them being Weezer songs. At the same time, he said that he had no desire to pursue a solo career, so who knows what that means. My take on it is that I think fans would welcome a completely different Weezer album, especially if that means they don't have to put up with another Make Believe, so I don't really see what the big deal would be, but maybe they're just bored.

Upcoming Releases

July 25 is shaping up to be a busy Tuesday for new releases. Jurassic 5's heavily anticipated Feedback will be released as well as Tom Petty's Highway Companion, an album shaping up to be a real hit this summer. As far as more mainstream artists, Alien Ant Farm releases Up In The Attic, while Pharrell Williams releases his much discussed solo project, In My Mind.

Powered by Qumana

Concert Review: Damien Rice/Fiona Apple

Just so you know, Lollapalooza mini-profiles will be on their way throughout the weekend. Due to both a busy schedule and downtime in the server, I've been unable to get them out beforehand so I'm just going to bump them back a bit and instead do this review. Sorry for the inconvenience (didn't want you to think I'd forgotten about them).

Damien Rice/Fiona Apple Live at Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island (7/13/06)

First off, I have to say that the Charter One Pavilion is an absolutely gorgeous venue, I do sincerely hope that it stays a part of the city's lakefront permanently. The space is relatively intimate, housing a crowd of about 5,000. Unfortunately, tonight's show was not sold out-- a real shame considering both of their performances.

Damien Rice opened the show with The Blower's Daughter Part II and once he started, he never lost his form. Consistently delivering exorbitantly passionate vocals and guitar solos-- especially on "Volcano", "Woman Like a Man" and "Delicate"-- Rice had much of the crowd standing on their feet by the end of his set. Fulfilling a request by the crowd, his encore entailed an absolutely superb performance of "The Professor & La Fille Danse" to which he really worked his magic by looping his vocals and guitar over and over until it finally swirled amongst the crowd.

If that weren't enough, there was still Fiona who had yet to come on stage. With Apple's performance there was a bit of a build-up, as it seemed like either her voice was shot from the night before or she just didn't quite get into it yet, but once she got there, she really made sure that everyone got their money's worth and thensome. Between her on-stage antics that would make Janis Joplin look calm, and the undeniable talent showcased by her band, Fiona Apple had a ever present connection between herself in the crowd. As such, she sung her heart out on every piece, and was especially good on "I Know," "Slow Like Honey," and "Love Ridden." On her higher energy tracks, Apple adjusted herself accordingly-- and really seemed to be energized by the end. Apple herself (as well as the crowd) was going well enough that she could've performed for an additional hour had she been able to. Instead, after her semi-intentionally funny story about bugs (in which she confesses her fear of killing them but justifies it by saying "the little f****** should move"), she performed "Paper Bag" before streaming into her other hit songs. After a five minute encore break, she returned to do a really lovely acoustic version of "Extraordinary Machine" as well as others.

This concert (and tour for that matter) is quite interesting because both Fiona Apple and Damien Rice are incredibly emotionally raw artists to the point that you can not only see or hear their emotions, but also feel them. While Rice's anger, hurt and frustration was placed solely in the form of his music, Fiona really does let it all unfold the way she wants it to, and that's pretty admirable. While some (and these people were in attendance too) were completely thrown by her antics, others embraced it-- it's hard to be in between. That being said, this is one of the finer concerts I've been to, and I look forward to seeing them whenever they may stop by the Windy City again.

Powered by Qumana

Fuzzy Thoughts: Lollapalooza Day Three

So we've come to the conclusion of the Lollapalooza preview. While day three may not have the big names that day two featured, there is a lot of top talent here, so it should be arguably the most interesting of the three day set. First though, I offer the following tips for the first-timers that aren't really sure what to expect out of Lollapalooza:

1. More than likely, it will be really hot. Last year it was well over 100 and humid, so get to know the concessions stands really well. You can bring your own water and camelback backpacks so that is also a good plan for the thrift-minded.


2. There is lots of food to choose from at Lollapalooza, but if you'd like to, you can venture off elsewhere and find somewhere else to eat (and perhaps some AC in the process). While there's more than enough available for you to be able to walk around and just find something, you can always check out Metromix to find something specific.


3. Don't forget about the autograph tent! There's almost always someone good over there after performances, so be sure to check out their schedule, and get there early.


4. Stay alert for secret performances, aftershows, etc. as they're almost a certainty.


5. Yes, it'll be crowded, but everyone's there just to have some fun. For a first-year run event, Lollapalooza was run extremely well last year, and despite the massive growth in size this year, I'm thinking that Perry & Co. are going to pull through once again in running a great operation.

Hopefully that will clear up some of the questions and concerns and, if not, feel free to post a comment. With that in mind, I'll move right along to my picks for the grand finale that is day three of Lollapalooza.

From Opening until 2:30

Surprisingly enough, the opening set is one of my "must-see" picks, as Jim Noir is performing (appropriately enough) at the adidas-Champs stage at 11:45. For those of you that aren't familiar with Noir, his single "Eanie Meany" has served as the background music for the outstanding adidas World Cup commercials that you might've seen (I'm still upset that France lost, ridiculous head butt aside). Noir has also attained an incredible amount of hype with his full length album titled Tower of Love, which was already released overseas and will be here August 8-- making the timing of his performance at Lollapalooza all the better. Following that should be yet another great show from local band (Highland Park to be exact) The Redwalls. They absolutely blew away the crowd (myself included) last year and have been riding a high horse ever since. From one hot band to another, look for The Hold Steady to put on a very solid show for their hour-long set.

From 2:30 until 6:30

I was a bit surprised that Ben Kweller was selected once again as he hasn't released anything new since his so-so release On My Way. On the other hand there is the pop/country/bluegrass group Nickel Creek, that also knows how to put on a show. I'm picking Nickel Creek easily over Ben, as much as I like the guy, because I'm betting that Nickel Creek really puts on a big-time show. If you're looking for something under the radar, check out The Benevento-Russo Duo. Though they're only performing for 45 minutes, they're a very intriguing avant-garde jazz duo (think of a poor man's Medeski, Martin & Wood). At 3:30, Andrew Bird will be performing, and there's really no contest if you're wondering who you should see then. Bird is just about as good as it gets, and he should definitely let everyone else know that much with his performance. Coming in at 4:30 are Matisyahu and The Shins. My personal pick goes to The Shins, I can't really take Matisyahu all that seriously (bad reggae is bad reggae, period), although I might leave early to check out Of Montreal who performs (for some strange reason) from 5:00-6:00pm. It seems to me that it'd make much more sense to have them paired off against Poi Dog Pondering and She Wants Revenge (which is a little bit like choosing whether you'd like to poke your left or right eye out), but oh well.

From 6:30 until Close

Once again, I'm torn with the 6:30 performances. If it were almost any other act, I would go with Queens of the Stone Age and never look back. If you're looking to rock out and really get hyped about the Chili Peppers performance, QOTSA would be the band to see. However, seeing that this is Chicago's own Wilco that is performing at the same time, there's no way I can go against them. I've been waiting to see Wilco far too long to let the opportunity pass by, and if the heavy stuff isn't for you anyway you would more than appreciate their wonderful sound. Afterwards, I'll head over to check out Broken Social Scene, because I can't really see Blues Traveler doing all that much in a one hour set-- they fare much better when they're able to jam out. To make up for missing them, I do plan on possibly seeing their HOB aftershow, which I think would probably be more fun anyway, but I may change my mind. The Red Hot Chili Peppers are the last set of the day, so you don't really have much of a choice to see anything else. Given how incredibly happy I was with Stadium Arcadium though, I'm really excited to see how those songs transfer over live.

Aftersets?

There are none that have been officially listed surprisingly, but I'm pretty sure that will change, I'll keep you posted.

Well that's the conclusion of day three and thus also the preview of Lollapalooza. In the next coming days I'll be throwing up profiles of some of the artist to give you some information on them without having to scour the internet. Here's a breakdown of my picks for day three:

Powered by Qumana

NMT: July 11, 2006 (John Mayer, Muse, Thom Yorke, and Sufjan Stevens)

Well, haven't done one of these in a while, but yes, good things come for those who wait indeed. John Mayer has resurfaced once again (although for all this time you'd think he'd do a bit better), and there are some very intriguing releases from Thom Yorke, Muse and Sufjan Stevens. Easily the most exciting week in music in a while, here's a look at new music Tuesday on July 11, 2006.

John Mayer releases "Waiting on the World to Change"

The single which is slated to be on the album Continuum (which is still coming out sometime before Sufjan Stevens finishes all 50 states albums-- or 50 Illinois albums, take your pick) was released today. After first listening to it, it sounded too familiar for its own good yet still strangely addicting in its own clichéd way, much like Lenny Kravitz at his best moments. That's a backhanded compliment, sure, but so is making a song that sounds so much like Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions's "People Get Ready." If you don't believe me, I dare you to download both and not notice a striking similarity. Besides that, this is a touching song, and while it seems like it might've been written way before the release date, it's still very much appropriate. I can see this single as being a late-summer bloomer as far as radio airplay is concerned, and hopefully Continuum will show the same kind of maturity (without the ripoffs). One final question, why name this single as being by John Mayer when the album Try! was John Mayer Trio? It still has Dino Palladino on bass and Steve Jordan on drums. Plus it seems like it'd be a better way of showing progression and maturity on Mayer's part. Either way, it'd be so much easier on everyone to just stick on one name Mr. Mayer.

Muse Black Holes and Revelations

During one of my moments of deep inner monologue-- if I remember correctly it was during my writing about Coheed and Cambria-- I thought to myself, playing devil's advocate if you will, "How could you possibly have such a strong dislike for Coheed and Cambria, a band that you find pretentious and self-indulgent (not to mention tacky and annoying), when you listen to Muse?" I remember smiling to myself, and beginning to retract my comments about C&C (and after looking at them now, I can see I did stifle myself somewhat), before I said to myself "Well, I'd much rather be a band that is accused of self-indulgently ripping off a band like Radiohead-- well regarded as one of the best rock bands around-- than sound like a mash up of the Trans Siberian Orchestra and Fred Durst with his nuts kicked in." The relation to this story and the review of this album (and I assure you, there is some sense of relevancy here), is that Muse, as much as everyone hates to admit it, is good at what they do-- almost too good. They know when to throw in the strings, when to play loud, and when to be delicate. Everything is timed so perfectly that it feels calculated and, on the occasion that the song fails, you feel yourself chuckle a bit. That's the double-edged sword involved with doing music like Muse-- you want to pull the heart-strings like Coldplay while at the same time have the urgency of Radiohead while also maintaining the massive dynamics of both bands. Where Black Holes and Revelations fits in all of this is that this is perhaps the first time where Muse has finally come into their own. They've integrated a heavy undercurrent of techno-rock (as noted when their single "Supermassive Black Hole" was released) that had yet to be seen this consistently, and have also drawn back on the heavier and apocalyptic arrangements that were evidenced on Absolution. What's been replaced is just, well, supremely well-done music. Songs like the aforementioned single, "Map of the Problematique," "Assassin," "Knights of Cydonia" and others are so consistently good, that you'd begin to wonder if this is really a Muse album. Of course, what would Muse be without a ballad on their album? The one that's on this release, "Soldier's Poem," is easily the best they've ever done, as it's just as haunting as it is incredibly beautiful. Never have they sounded so focused, so consistent, and so mature. Most importantly, they seem to really be enjoying themselves here. If they keep this up, the only people chuckling will be Muse at all the critics that have spent the better half of their career dogging these guys.

Overall Rating: 100

Thom Yorke The Eraser

The way Radiohead's been going lately, it's a good day if you hear about them even working on new music, let alone making something that is actually released. Rather than this being a Radiohead album though, this is instead a solo album by frontman Thom Yorke, which makes this a curious release indeed. Seeing Yorke's influence on Radiohead's sound, it almost seems as bizarre as when Dave Matthews decided to release his own solo album. Truth be told, I do think that there's a similar reason for it happening, that being that Yorke (much like Dave) saw Radiohead moving in a different direction while he was still interested in toddling around with Kid A/Amnesiac-like landscapes. As such, rather than risk compromising the entire band, it sounds a heck of a lot better to say that you're going to do this on your own as a solo project. Fans will go out to buy it to see what their favorite frontman has been up to, while others will simply buy it out of curiosity. That being said, The Eraser really is a bit like a sparse cousin of the Kid A/Amnesiac duo. The bizarre sonic landscapes are still in tact, but there's hardly any guitar, nor the same all-encompassing soundstage. While all of the songs are relatively solid, there are only a few true stand-outs, that being the opening title track, "Black Swan," "Atoms for Peace," and the closing "Cymbal Rush." Overall, this is a surprisingly good album (especially as far as solo projects are concerned), just not much of a departure for anyone that's been listening to Radiohead for the past five or so years. On the other hand, it certainly goes down well and is, at worst, good from beginning to end.

Overall Rating: 90

Sufjan Stevens The Avalanche- Outtakes and Extras from the Illinois Album

First of all, only Stevens would have the audacity to take a 21-track album and try to pass it off as an "outtakes and extras" record. I guess he doesn't want to admit to the fact that he's given preferential treatment to Illinois versus his home state of Michigan. Either way, there's really not much new to be had on this Illinois part two album. Stevens spends most of the album living by the old adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," as he manages to pull off three different variations on the song "Chicago," and otherwise uses the same lush arrangements that made both Illinois and Greetings from Michigan famous. That's not to say that this is a wasted effort-- though it's definitely calculated-- songs like the title song, "Adlai Stevenson," "The Henney Buggy Band," and "The Mistress Witch from McClure" are way too charming to dislike, and Sufjan Stevens still presents each of the songs with such magnificent flair that it's just as fun as his previous efforts as well. The only creeping question that enters my mind is, can he really keep this going? I know all of these elements are working now, but he's already beginning to wear thin for many listeners, and if he doesn't start to change up, he might have a hard time just getting through the rest of the midwestern states. For the time being however, Sufjan Stevens is white-hot right now and can really do no wrong. His songs are about as unoffending as they get, not to mention incredibly spirited. That being said, I'd only recommend this album for die-hard Sufjan and Illinois fans, everyone else need not apply. It's not that it's a bad album, it's actually quite good, it just certainly won't make anyone change the way they see Sufjan Stevens' music.

Overall Rating: 85

Powered by Qumana

Fuzzy Thoughts: Lollapalooza Day Two

Well, day one was fun, but day two looks even better. As the lineups get better though, the choices get even more complicated, and one glance at the day two or three schedule should confirm that. Of course, that's where I come in, and without further adieu I give you my picks for day two:

From Opening until 2:30

First off, for those that care, The winner of the Last Band Standing contest will be playing at 11:15. I'd like to say that I'd be out there, but more than likely, I'll just be waiting for Sa-Ra's lean 30 minute set at noon. After that warm-up, I think the show that everyone will be talking about (for the non-mainstream acts anyway) is Wolfmother at 12:30. I've seen these guys live on a couple of TV spots, not to mention some of the iTunes teasers they've released, and they've definitely got the energy level kicked up a few notches when it comes to live performances, so they should be really fun to see. Immediately following that show at 1:30 will be The Go! Team, and given what their album sounds like I can only imagine what they're like live (they're supposedly very entertaining as you can imagine). Feist would be a good back-up plan, especially if you don't think The Go! Team's cheerleaders gone indie rock antics are going to be for you.

From 2:30 until 6:30

If you're looking for a good time to take a break (and if last year didn't prove anything else, it proved that breaks are indeed good-- especially at 100+ degrees), I'd definitely look at doing one sometime between the 1:30-3:30 time period. Personally, I can live without seeing Coheed and Cambria (I don't see how even a mother could love Claudio Sanchez's voice), and if I get the chance I'd probably look to catch the last half of Built To Spill. After that, the highlights look to be nothing but hip hop acts, as there's no way anyone should pass up on Lyrics Born at 3:30 (unless your going to see Calexico, then I'd understand), and everyone should see Gnarls Barkley just to see what movie characters they'll be dressed up as this time around (not to mention they've been consistently outstanding in all their live performances). Instead of heading over to one of the 5:30 shows (Dresden Dolls and Smoking Popes oh my!) I'll keep the energy going by seeing the underrated Blackalicious.

From 6:30 until Close

This 6:30 time slot is what really gets tricky for me. Flaming Lips or Common. Yes, one is hip hop and the other rock, but at the same time you're talking about two of the top (and most creative for that matter) talents in either genre. This one is pretty much a coin flip, but if pressed, I'd more than likely check out the Flaming Lips because I've never seen them live before (and out of hope that Common will pop on stage and perform with Kanye West later on). I'm mad that Lollapalooza had to set it up that way, but one conflict out of a few dozen possibilities really isn't too shabby. After that, there are probably going to be the people that decide they're going to camp out to see Kanye or Manu Chao for that matter, and the people willing to risk not being up close and personal so they can see The New Pornographers and Thievery Corporation. I really could care less whether or not I'm in reach of Kanye's backpack so I'll more than likely be checking out Thievery Corporation. Now it's 8:30, and there really should be no question about who to see. Yes, I know, Manu Chao hardly performs in America, but think about it: Kanye West in his hometown of Chicago, performing in front of tens of thousands of fans in the largest musical festival that Chicago has to offer... what's not to like?

Aftersets?

Two really interesting prospects here: The Frames, Nada Surf, and Elvis Perkins will be playing an 18+ show at the Metro at 9pm, and Blues Traveler and Particle will be playing at the House of Blues at 10pm (18+ show).

The days just keep getting better and better, check back tomorrow for a look at the finale of Lollapalooza, and also a list of things to look for and expect out of Lollapalooza 2006. Here's a simplified look at my picks for day two:

Powered by Qumana

Fuzzy Thoughts: Lollapalooza Day One

Well, with less than a month to go until Lollapalooza, it's time for me to give my picks on who to see, and what to skip. Now after much brain teasing, many sleepless nights, and a few lost brain cells, I've come up with what I think is a suitable schedule. There are definitely some surprise picks mixed in here, but all in all I hope this makes your scheduling a bit easier considering all the choices available. Onto my selections!

From Opening until 2:30

To be honest, the first half of Day One (until at least 2:30) is surprisingly weak. Of course, festivals like these give the little guys a chance to give a breakout performance and make a name for themselves, so it may turn out much better than it looks on paper. That being said, my first band pick is Sound Team at noon. I'm pretty sure more people will be going for deadboy & the Elephantmen, but frankly, I don't find the duo all that appealing, and I'm banking on Sound Team to put out the better set. Following that, I'm going to be skipping out on both The Subways and Blue October to check out Husky Rescue. While there's a good chance that Blue October might be decent live, I'm thinking that the atmospheric Helsinki-based Husky Rescue will probably end up putting the best show out of the bunch.

From 2:30 until 6:30

Staying within the mellow trend, my next pick (and the easiest one by far) is eels. No offense to Panic! At the Disco, but I'd much rather be depressed by Mr. E's songs of sorrow than want to off myself after listening to them for more than five minuets, because at least Mr. E's songs are good. Immediately following that performance is a group of equally compelling performances: Stars, Editors, Jeremy Enigk, and Mute Math all perform at the same time. An interesting predicament if you ask me, as both Stars and Editors are increasingly gaining attention, while Enigk and particularly Mute Math are not necessarily as well known. If you're looking for a sleeper pick of the bunch, it would definitely be Mute Math, and if it weren't for the fact that Stars was playing at the same time, I'd go with that pick. However, since Stars is playing, and I love their music, I have to go with them (perhaps if I get antsy though, I'll head over and check out the end of MM's set). Following Stars at 4:30 is yet another easy pick for me, and should be one for pretty much anyone that's a fan of either group (I don't know if any overlap is possible)-- Ryan Adams over Umphrey's McGee (a pick I would take any day of the week). I'm just hoping that: a) no one pisses Ryan off and b) that he actually puts out for the entire hour. I've heard about his shenanigans, but seeing that this will be the first chance I'll get to see him live (and probably many others as well) I'd like to think he'll do what he's capable of and not go off if someone should call him Brian. At 5:30, both Iron & Wine and The Secret Machines will be performing. As much as I love Sam Beam (the man that is Iron & Wine), I can't imagine him doing well in this venue, so I'm going to go with The Secret Machines and hope that perhaps there will be some kind of Iron & Wine afterset.

From 6:30 until Close

Okay, I get it, everyone loves Jack White and outside of Gnarls Barkley, The Raconteurs is the collaboration of the year. So of course, I'd have to pick them right? Well, in the words of Lee Corso "Not so fast, my friend." While I think that what Jack White is doing is great, unless he's going to bring Meg out on stage and start performing White Stripes songs and then let Brendan Benson do some of his own stuff, there's no way I'm going to pass up My Morning Jacket (yes they're the special guest), a group I consider to be one of the most underrated right now. In my mind, with their release of Z last year, an album that was ranked #1 on my 2005 list (and cracked the top 3 on many others), MMJ has finally broken through and proven that they're not just a fluke. I'm sure that the crowd will be small compared to what The Raconteurs will be getting, but I'm almost 100% certain it'll be worth it regardless. After that set is over, I will be thoroughly enjoying myself as I watch Sleater-Kinney tear it up. While I don't blame anyone, particularly fans, for picking the Violent Femmes, if you're not familiar with SK, you should definitely at least give them a listen as it will be their last performance ever (yep, they're breaking up). Finally, battling certain claustrophobia, I'll be watching Death Cab for Cutie close it out for the second year in a row. They put out too good of a show last year for me not to see them again, and maybe they'll even top the previous performance.

Aftersets?

There's quite a bit to choose from in this department. Of Montreal will be playing at Schuba's (21+ show) at 10pm. Thievery Corporation will be playing along side Govinda and Husky Rescue at the Metro (18+ show) at 9pm, while Blackalicious and Lyrics Born will be performing with Ohmega Watts at the House of Blues (18+ show) at 10pm. Also of note, Lake Trout will be at the Abbey Pub for an 18+ show at 9pm.

Phew, that's quite a lot of music for one day, and we're just getting started! Check back tomorrow for the Fuzzy Thoughts' Day Two overview of Lollapalooza. Just to simplify things a bit, below is a summary table of my picks for Day One:

Dave Matthews Band Live at Alpine Valley 7/1/06

Even without the strongest setlist, DMB still puts out the best performances money can buy.

Say what you'd like about Dave Matthews Band, there are many that love them and many that dislike them, but no matter where you stand there's one thing that should go unquestioned-- DMB is about as good as it gets when it comes to live performances. The opening night setlist suffered from a bit of inconsistency, particularly with the latter half of the set, but yet there were so many great moments during that time that it was hard for even the most discerning Davehead to fault it. The favorite of the new songs were played, that being "Kill The King," "Break Free" and "Sister," which was played only by Dave. Also, the new segway entitled "Can't Stop" (no relation to the Red Hot Chili Peppers song), which serves as an intro of sorts to "Crush" was played quite nicely in it's first relatively full-length rendition. Outside of the new stuff highlights included a rarely-seen "Pay For What You Get", and outstanding jams on both "Seek Up" and "Jimi Thing." Another crowd favorite was the "So Much To Say"->"Anyone Seen The Bridge?"->"Too Much" jam, the latter which had a brief Lil' Jon "YEAH! WHAT? OKAY!" vocals on the part of Dave Matthews (yeah, it's about as funny as what you're picturing I'm sure). All in all it was a very, very good show, I just wish I had tickets for night two as they definitely kicked it up an extra notch for that night. Overall though, the setlists this year have been incredibly exciting and really encouraging in terms of signaling a sense of where the band is going, especially given the addition of Rashawn Ross (from the Hip-Hop/Jazz outfit Soulive) at trumpet. If you can manage to get a ticket to one of the remaining shows this year, I'd say it's a must see. Otherwise, check back in the fall/winter, as they might sneak in a tour in between recording their upcoming album (due early next year).

Powered by Qumana

Les Poupees Russes (Russian Dolls) reviewed

Les Poupees Russes (Russian Dolls)

Simply put, Russian Dolls is a remarkably fun and stimulating film.

Every so often there's a film that comes around that unexpectedly strikes the very core of human nature to the point that you're almost enraptured by the very characters that you're watching. Russian Dolls, which is a sequel to L'Auberge Espangole (The Spanish Apartment), is a film that perfectly follows the aforementioned statement. Writer/director Cedrick Klapisch does a superb job in recreating a world that for most other directors, let alone writers would've been far too overwhelming, as it manages to focus just enough on each of the supporting cast of characters to get across a good understanding of Xavier's (the main character) friends, but at the same time there is so much insight into Xavier, as he serves as the narrator, that you're often spending time in his head. Like Amelie, Russian Dolls should be remembered as being an incredibly intelligent romantic comedy, except this time around, from the perspective of a male character. The cinematography is absolutely astounding, and the soundtrack is just as well done. As it's playing in very limited release currently in the states, you may not have the opportunity to see it in theatres, but if you do manage to find a theatre that is showing it, do yourself the favor of watching it. While the fast pacing of the film may be off-putting for some, I can pretty much guarantee that for most it'll be worth the price of admission and then some.

Overall Rating: 100

Powered by Qumana