Thursday, April 27, 2006
DMB to play in Chicago (sort of)
Well, it wasn't what everyone was hoping for, but DMB will be playing at the newly renamed First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre (formerly known as the Tweeter Center, The New World Ampetheatre, etc.) on September 15, 2006. While it isn't the Grant Park show that everyone was predicting, some would say it's better than nothing (although, many more would say nothing would be better). On the upside (depending on your point of view), opening for the band will be George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, which could make for a very interesting opportunity should the two groups collaborate. Many avoid the Tinley Park dates like the plague due to the poor acoustics and iffy crowd, so it will be interesting to see the reception to this news in the coming days.
Gnarls Barkley "Crazy" video
Click here to check out the hot new video from what could turn out to be the biggest indie release of 2006. The video is pretty cool and I'm pretty sure it'll be on demand just like everything else Gnarls Barkley related.
New Music Tuesday, Love Monkey, and 24
In the World of Music
It's odd not having anything to really write about with a new music tuesday having come and gone, but yet again, I've been nothing but underwhelmed with the albums that have come out. Here's a look at some of the major releases that came out yesterday:
Bruce Springsteen We Shall Overcome- The Seeger Sessions
Preview Verdict: I know critics and Springsteen fans will drool over this album, because, honestly, Springsteen has reached the point where he could release a blank album and have audiences raging. As I'm personally not much of a fan, I can't really recommend it, you're either going to love it or hate it, just like everything else he's ever done.
Goo Goo Dolls Let Love In
Preview Verdict: I mentioned when discussing the release of their single that they appeared to have reached the point of releasing totally generic music. That pretty much sums up how I feel about the album as a whole. I'd only recommend it if you're a fan of elevator music and yet need something that will make you feel current.
Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris All The Roadrunning
Preview Verdict: It seems like albums like this have been done a million times before, but despite being formulaic, it does seem to work to a certain extent. While I personally could not put down the money to purchase the album, I could see why a person would want to.
Avant Director
Preview Verdict: Yeah, I know he's from Chicago and all, but that doesn't give permission to be an exact carbon copy of R. Kelly. True there are worse artists to rip off, but copying a confused artist isn't exactly the best move a person can make. I mean seriously, what's next, a series of twelve songs entitled Trapped in the Basement? Really, just stop now.
The Streets The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living
Preview Verdict: I read the reviews that were building prior to the release and couldn't believe that there's any way that Mike Skinner could've lost his touch, but it appears as if he might've made the first misstep of his career. I could forgive a few tracks here and there having Skinner singing the choruses, but every track is a bit much, not to mention the seemingly forced and calculated nature of the production and rhymes. It almost sounds too polished for it's own good, and that's too bad because he's a truly talented artist. You may like it, but I have a feeling a number of fans will leave scratching their heads thinking "wtf mate?"
So yeah, as you can see it's been a pretty disappointing week. Something else that's been interesting to me is the string of releases from Nelly Furtado. I know that she's been very well-connected with many in the hip-hop community, but I never thought she'd be one to get involved in the mainstream reggaeton/hip-hop fusion hype that has become somewhat popular lately. "No Hay Igual (Club Mix)" is almost like a mainstream take on M.I.A., while her newer single "Promiscuous" is almost dominated by Timbaland's hard hitting beats. It always takes an album or two before fringe artists like Furtado take their crack into the mainstream, so I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised, but I didn't think she would take such a watered-down approach.
At this point I've been addicted to Pearl Jam's "Worldwide Suicide" and am anxiously anticipating their new album (which I've already pre-ordered), which is strange because up to this point I have never been much of a fan, but they really seem to have gotten everything together on this album. Also, of course, I'm heavily anticipating Red Hot Chili Pepper's latest, but considering that's a further while off, I'll just have to be content with "Dani California" for now.
In the world of TV
Love Monkey, which has been airing once again on VH1, is really progressing nicely and given the character development taking place, it confuses me even more why CBS was so ready to ax the show. I won't give away any details, but once again I encourage you (particularly if you were a fan) to watch them again, and I do think that there's a chance that the show will be picked up for additional seasons at some point. Other than that, I'm starting to get the feeling that the writers of 24 just spin a wheel to determine what character they decide is going to be somehow involved in a plot that has become so convoluted that it would easily outdo the zaniest storylines from any Mission Impossible or James Bond-related flick. In a way, however, it is very smart in a creating such a conspiracy theory given today's environment where the nation as a whole heavily doubts anything that our president and cabinet are up to, and in that sense I greatly appreciate the story line... it's still absolutely nuts though.
It's odd not having anything to really write about with a new music tuesday having come and gone, but yet again, I've been nothing but underwhelmed with the albums that have come out. Here's a look at some of the major releases that came out yesterday:
Bruce Springsteen We Shall Overcome- The Seeger Sessions
Preview Verdict: I know critics and Springsteen fans will drool over this album, because, honestly, Springsteen has reached the point where he could release a blank album and have audiences raging. As I'm personally not much of a fan, I can't really recommend it, you're either going to love it or hate it, just like everything else he's ever done.
Goo Goo Dolls Let Love In
Preview Verdict: I mentioned when discussing the release of their single that they appeared to have reached the point of releasing totally generic music. That pretty much sums up how I feel about the album as a whole. I'd only recommend it if you're a fan of elevator music and yet need something that will make you feel current.
Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris All The Roadrunning
Preview Verdict: It seems like albums like this have been done a million times before, but despite being formulaic, it does seem to work to a certain extent. While I personally could not put down the money to purchase the album, I could see why a person would want to.
Avant Director
Preview Verdict: Yeah, I know he's from Chicago and all, but that doesn't give permission to be an exact carbon copy of R. Kelly. True there are worse artists to rip off, but copying a confused artist isn't exactly the best move a person can make. I mean seriously, what's next, a series of twelve songs entitled Trapped in the Basement? Really, just stop now.
The Streets The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living
Preview Verdict: I read the reviews that were building prior to the release and couldn't believe that there's any way that Mike Skinner could've lost his touch, but it appears as if he might've made the first misstep of his career. I could forgive a few tracks here and there having Skinner singing the choruses, but every track is a bit much, not to mention the seemingly forced and calculated nature of the production and rhymes. It almost sounds too polished for it's own good, and that's too bad because he's a truly talented artist. You may like it, but I have a feeling a number of fans will leave scratching their heads thinking "wtf mate?"
So yeah, as you can see it's been a pretty disappointing week. Something else that's been interesting to me is the string of releases from Nelly Furtado. I know that she's been very well-connected with many in the hip-hop community, but I never thought she'd be one to get involved in the mainstream reggaeton/hip-hop fusion hype that has become somewhat popular lately. "No Hay Igual (Club Mix)" is almost like a mainstream take on M.I.A., while her newer single "Promiscuous" is almost dominated by Timbaland's hard hitting beats. It always takes an album or two before fringe artists like Furtado take their crack into the mainstream, so I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised, but I didn't think she would take such a watered-down approach.
At this point I've been addicted to Pearl Jam's "Worldwide Suicide" and am anxiously anticipating their new album (which I've already pre-ordered), which is strange because up to this point I have never been much of a fan, but they really seem to have gotten everything together on this album. Also, of course, I'm heavily anticipating Red Hot Chili Pepper's latest, but considering that's a further while off, I'll just have to be content with "Dani California" for now.
In the world of TV
Love Monkey, which has been airing once again on VH1, is really progressing nicely and given the character development taking place, it confuses me even more why CBS was so ready to ax the show. I won't give away any details, but once again I encourage you (particularly if you were a fan) to watch them again, and I do think that there's a chance that the show will be picked up for additional seasons at some point. Other than that, I'm starting to get the feeling that the writers of 24 just spin a wheel to determine what character they decide is going to be somehow involved in a plot that has become so convoluted that it would easily outdo the zaniest storylines from any Mission Impossible or James Bond-related flick. In a way, however, it is very smart in a creating such a conspiracy theory given today's environment where the nation as a whole heavily doubts anything that our president and cabinet are up to, and in that sense I greatly appreciate the story line... it's still absolutely nuts though.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Scary Movie 4 and Spank Rock
Scary Movie 4
I'd like my brain cells back please.
I'd like my brain cells back please.It's impossible for anyone to walk into a film like Scary Movie and expect anything more than silly fun, but apparently even that was a lot to ask. The reason why the first ones worked more or less is that despite being ridiculously off-the-wall, they were focused enough where it didn't feel like a moshposh of ill-fated skits that would barely be amusing on their own and only try to outdo each other in pure stupidity rather than humor. Considering this is the only movie that had absolutely no involvement from the Wayans Brothers, it seems like that can be the only reason for this movie to be so terrible. While many of the things that happened within the movie could've very well been funny (and on some rare occasions are), there isn't any time for the jokes to really work their magic as the high-strung pace of the movie could only be fitting for six year olds with the shortest of attention spans. Perhaps next time they shouldn't focus so hard on the name dropping (there are almost too many cameos in this film if that's possible) and steer the movies back to being a bit more of a commentary on the films they're making fun of; possibly something more interesting than the "let's speak faux-Japanese by naming every Japanese company or food we can think of" gag that died out the same time it stopped being hip to have white guys play Native Americans. If you really need to escape, there are about a million things that I can think of that I'd rather do (a million more that are illegal), so really, just don't bother.
Overall Rating: 0
Spank Rock YoYoYoYoYoYo
Overall Rating: 100
Overall Rating: 0
Spank Rock YoYoYoYoYoYo
The most innovative thing to happen in hip-hop in a long, long time.
Right off the bat, after listening to "Backyard Betty" you would think that you'd stumbled on yet another incredibly inventive, if a bit cacophonic, British trip-hop duo. You would be wrong, as the very group that could save the fading creativity that exists within hip-hop comes from the city of Baltimore, MD. Now I should warn right off the bat that they do call themselves Spank Rock for a reason, as essentially every song thrives on its very nastiness that is accentuated with the rugged production. The lyrics though are never really spoken seriously, and often times appear to mock everyone from 50 Cent to Neptunes and others for their fake "hardness" and misogynistic lyrics. Of course, there's always the edited version, and as good as this album is there should be no reason not to buy it if it'd sit better with you. First and foremost, the beats and production provided by XXXChange are superb and while some tracks wouldn't sound too out of place as a backdrop for Roots Manuva or The Streets, MC Naeem Juwan does an even better job of spattering in his raps without ever overpowering the production making for an incredibly spartanic-yet-smart sound that hasn't been heard since the earliest days of hip hop. The aforementioned "Backyard Betty" is an outstanding opening track, with its avalanche of beats matched with quirky video game affects, while "Bump" and "Sweet Talk" deliver a hammering one-two punch. "Bump," shows off Juwan's lyrical ability and the additional rap by Amanda Blank elevates the song to an even higher level. "Sweet Talk" is an all-out party track, and shows off XXXChange's dexterity as a producer, as the sound ranges everywhere from Electronica to Rock to Motown R&B as Juwan once again matches him point for point. This is an incredibly addicting album and is one of the most inventive debut albums I've ever heard, let alone in the hip-hop genre. I do think that Spank Rock might've caught onto something that should kick the door open for other artists if this hits the mainstream. A must have.Overall Rating: 100
Monday, April 17, 2006
Fuzzy Bits: April 17, 2006 (Countdown to 100, TV notes, and more)
Things have been relatively quiet, but that will change in a couple of weeks with a few major releases coming (The Streets on Apr 25, Gnarls Barkley, Pearl Jam, Tool and Ludacris in the first week of May). Also, we're coming up to 100 posts here on Fuzzy Thoughts and in honor of that I'll work to come up with something worthwhile to commemorate.
The Return of Love Monkey
On the TV front, it looks like Love Monkey is coming back, this time on VH1. Starting tomorrow night at 9pm ET you'll have the chance to see the rest of the unaired episodes from the first season. Whether or not it goes any further will probably depend on ratings, so we'll see what happens.
Movies, movies, movies!
The heavy hitters of film are soon lurking as well. I admit I had the great displeasure of seeing Scary Movie 4, which was awful beyond belief. I'll probably have a full report on it in the coming days, but it won't be pretty. Coming up however are some pretty interesting films to keep an eye on. First, there's American Dreamz which I've been eagerly waiting about six months for (since the teasers/trailers first started coming out) as I'm a big fan of Paul Weitz (American Pie, About a Boy, In Good Company). Essentially the movie is a satire of American pop culture, spurring Hugh Grant on an American Idol-esque show. In addition when you have Dennis Quaid as a whacked out president and a few other interesting twists you've got the makings of what should be a huge success. Also coming soon is Flight 93, and while I have absolutely zero intentions of seeing the film, it will be interesting to see the response it gets from the audience and critics and how it affects the other 9/11-related projects that are in the works. Also, the blockbuster season is starting early with Mission Impossible 3 coming out May 5, soon to be followed by The DaVinci Code, and X-Men: The Last Stand.
The Return of Love Monkey
On the TV front, it looks like Love Monkey is coming back, this time on VH1. Starting tomorrow night at 9pm ET you'll have the chance to see the rest of the unaired episodes from the first season. Whether or not it goes any further will probably depend on ratings, so we'll see what happens.
Movies, movies, movies!
The heavy hitters of film are soon lurking as well. I admit I had the great displeasure of seeing Scary Movie 4, which was awful beyond belief. I'll probably have a full report on it in the coming days, but it won't be pretty. Coming up however are some pretty interesting films to keep an eye on. First, there's American Dreamz which I've been eagerly waiting about six months for (since the teasers/trailers first started coming out) as I'm a big fan of Paul Weitz (American Pie, About a Boy, In Good Company). Essentially the movie is a satire of American pop culture, spurring Hugh Grant on an American Idol-esque show. In addition when you have Dennis Quaid as a whacked out president and a few other interesting twists you've got the makings of what should be a huge success. Also coming soon is Flight 93, and while I have absolutely zero intentions of seeing the film, it will be interesting to see the response it gets from the audience and critics and how it affects the other 9/11-related projects that are in the works. Also, the blockbuster season is starting early with Mission Impossible 3 coming out May 5, soon to be followed by The DaVinci Code, and X-Men: The Last Stand.
Monday, April 10, 2006
Music reivews: Ben Harper, J Dilla (aka Jay Dee), Shout Out Louds, and the Walkmen
Ben Harper Both Sides of the Gun
Ben Harper's always been known as an artist whose capability has seemingly evolved into the mastering two types of music. For one, Harper has written some incredibly beautiful ballads and heartbreaking songs over the course of his career. Likewise, he has also improved greatly in his writing of more uptempo folk/rock songs and more recently funk-infused rock songs. Both Sides of the Gun capitalizes on this as disc one is full of slow songs while disc two is nothing but mid- to uptempo goodness. Granted, like any other double-album (with the only recent exception being Outkast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below), Ben Harper runs into the problem of redundancy, as he could have easily taken the best tracks of each of the discs and made what very well would've been his pinnacle record, rather than yet another solid yet imperfect release. While the first half of the slow side (disc one) is incredible as "Never Leave Lonely Alone" is the most haunting song Ben Harper's ever done and if it weren't for the vocals could almost be seen as an Elliott Smith B-Side; It is the second half that falters badly, with the closing trio of "More Than Sorry," "Crying Won't Help You Now," and particularly "Happy Everafter In Your Eyes" all but erase the high points that were experienced earlier in the album. Once getting to disc two, there's a much better balance of good and bad songs. The opener and single "Better Way" is a very inspiring song and leads into the equally good "Both Sides of the Gun." The title track is an interesting experience as many of Ben Harper's previous attempts at funk-rock have been relatively poor to say the least (the tacky "Bring the Funk" from the last album comes to mind). On this track though as well as "Black Rain," it doesn't seem like Ben Harper is forcing the issue, but rather taking his already hard-edged lyrics and allowing them to do the work themselves while his band pumps out the funk to match the piece. "Black Rain" in particular smartly uses orchestration to emphasize the political message of Harper's piece. Other highlights include the classic rock stomper "Get It Like You Like It"-- horrible reference of the Red Sox winning the World Series aside-- and the awesome closer "Serve Your Soul" which really show off the talent of Ben Harper's backing band, The Innocent Criminals. While it's great to see such a strong showing from Ben Harper, it's slightly disappointing that he decided to go the dreaded double-album route. Despite that, this is a recommended album for fans and outsiders alike, with 18 tracks, you're bound to find something you like.
Overall Rating: 82
J Dilla (aka Jay Dee) Donuts
Overall Rating: 91
Shout Out Louds Howl Howl Gaff Gaff
Fuzzy Vaults Review
Overall Rating: 84
The Walkmen Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me is Gone
Fuzzy Vaults Review
Overall Rating: 96
Despite suffering from the same faults as most other double-album releases, this is still one of Ben Harper's best efforts.
Ben Harper's always been known as an artist whose capability has seemingly evolved into the mastering two types of music. For one, Harper has written some incredibly beautiful ballads and heartbreaking songs over the course of his career. Likewise, he has also improved greatly in his writing of more uptempo folk/rock songs and more recently funk-infused rock songs. Both Sides of the Gun capitalizes on this as disc one is full of slow songs while disc two is nothing but mid- to uptempo goodness. Granted, like any other double-album (with the only recent exception being Outkast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below), Ben Harper runs into the problem of redundancy, as he could have easily taken the best tracks of each of the discs and made what very well would've been his pinnacle record, rather than yet another solid yet imperfect release. While the first half of the slow side (disc one) is incredible as "Never Leave Lonely Alone" is the most haunting song Ben Harper's ever done and if it weren't for the vocals could almost be seen as an Elliott Smith B-Side; It is the second half that falters badly, with the closing trio of "More Than Sorry," "Crying Won't Help You Now," and particularly "Happy Everafter In Your Eyes" all but erase the high points that were experienced earlier in the album. Once getting to disc two, there's a much better balance of good and bad songs. The opener and single "Better Way" is a very inspiring song and leads into the equally good "Both Sides of the Gun." The title track is an interesting experience as many of Ben Harper's previous attempts at funk-rock have been relatively poor to say the least (the tacky "Bring the Funk" from the last album comes to mind). On this track though as well as "Black Rain," it doesn't seem like Ben Harper is forcing the issue, but rather taking his already hard-edged lyrics and allowing them to do the work themselves while his band pumps out the funk to match the piece. "Black Rain" in particular smartly uses orchestration to emphasize the political message of Harper's piece. Other highlights include the classic rock stomper "Get It Like You Like It"-- horrible reference of the Red Sox winning the World Series aside-- and the awesome closer "Serve Your Soul" which really show off the talent of Ben Harper's backing band, The Innocent Criminals. While it's great to see such a strong showing from Ben Harper, it's slightly disappointing that he decided to go the dreaded double-album route. Despite that, this is a recommended album for fans and outsiders alike, with 18 tracks, you're bound to find something you like.
Overall Rating: 82
J Dilla (aka Jay Dee) Donuts
Simply put, Donuts is a genius' curtain call.
To be honest, I was at first very skeptical about this album. While Jay Dee has always been one of my favorite producers, I didn't see how 31 tracks of one-minute songs could amount to anything substantial, and if it weren't for the tragic circumstances immediately following the release it probably wouldn't be so highly acclaimed. While the last point is certainly up for debate, there is simply no denying the great effort put into this album. Jay Dee implements and toys with old-school soul and R&B to perfection, crafting an album that stands almost like a curtain call of sorts. Tracks like "The Diff'rence," "Stop," and "Two Can Win" take you for a trip down memory lane, with a sense of breezy nostalgia unheard of since The Avalanches released Since I Left You, while "Mash" and "Time: The Donut of the Heart" truly show off Jay Dee's ability to take various elements of both instrumentals and vocals (spoken and sung) and combine them to make it his own sound. An album any fan will love, and should be held close specifically for any inspiring DJs. It's really too bad that we'll never get to hear the talent of Jay Dee again.Overall Rating: 91
Shout Out Louds Howl Howl Gaff Gaff
Fuzzy Vaults Review
An impressive debut, but not for everyone.
Shout Out Louds are a quirky indie rock outfit from Sweden that, based on the debut, appear to specialize in crafting bittersweet songs in which the somewhat dreary lyrics are heightened by beautiful and/or inspiring melodies. Perfect examples of this can be seen in the single "The Comeback" as well as "A Track and a Train." Much like earlier Belle & Sebastian, the sound of Shout Out Louds is one that will either immediately click or its bright, poppy vocals will be somewhat off-putting. Shout Out Louds do have a couple of very well done upbeat songs in "100ยบ" and "Hurry Up Let's Go," both of which should lead to serious head bopping or toe tapping if nothing else. Another highlight is the closer "Seagull," which is probably the greatest departure for the band in terms of sound. While maintaining the semi-quirkiness that defines the other songs on the album, there's a much more apparent connection to the atmospheric psychadelia that serves as one of the bands sonic influences. This combination makes for a very engaging, and wholly entertaining eight and a half minutes. Overall, this is a noteworthy debut from a talented band well worth keeping an eye on.Overall Rating: 84
The Walkmen Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me is Gone
Fuzzy Vaults Review
Better after each listen, Everyone Who Pretended... is quite possibly one of the most subtly outstanding since 2000.
From the transition of the opening intro of sorts "They're Winning" to the song "Wake Up" there's a sense of discovery in a band that, while possibly not easily accessible, is almost wickedly talented. The dissonant piano offsets the guitar riff perfectly, creating a sharp, haunting sound that's become the staple of The Walkmen's music. Dissimilar to their follow up Bows + Arrows, the finest moments don't come from their brash, hard-hitting tracks-- as a matter of fact, you'd be hard pressed to find anything to liken to "The Rat"-- but rather their involved, and sometimes endearingly tedious songs that really bring the album together as a whole. Each track contributes in its own manner to the entire puzzle of the album, adding in textures while taking away others, and all in all creating such a wonderfully solemn atmosphere that you feel as if you're being taken into a world created specifically by the band. Appropriately enough the biggest highlight of the album sits comfortably in the middle of the record entitled "We've Been Had." With the lush toy piano fading in, and vocals perfectly swaggering along without ever overpowering the hushed-yet-rough feeling of the song, the song creates an amazingly balanced dynamic-- in the same way the album does-- by molding together seemingly dissimilar elements and making them not only sound good, but also making you want more. While it will almost certainly take repeated listens to settle into the record, this is certainly a worthwhile album that is all the more impressive considering it's a debut effort.Overall Rating: 96
Sunday, April 9, 2006
The Inside Man reviewed
The Inside Man
Dear Mr. Lee,
I know times have been hard for you and apparently the three other minority film directors in Hollywood right now, and after your disaster of a movie She Hate Me, just about everyone for once had a reason to have it in for you. The ultimate solution comes through with the film Inside Man. It's the perfect template for a Hollywood genre movie that will surely bring in the most money out of any film you've ever made (and probably will ever make), and with its cast of surefire A-list actors you might actually *gulp* crack into the mainstream audience for the first time since people learned that "Plymouth rock landed on us." So what do you do with a conceptually great movie that follows an all-too-familiar Hollywood pattern? That's right, you do everything you can to make it better, and bless you for doing so. It's funny in a way, I mean, you've worked with Denzel Washington since the beginning of time it seems-- and long before he was known simply as "Denzel"-- and now, what the hell's happened to him? I know he's gotta be your main man and everything, but you've got to tell him that not every movie calls for him to act like the amalgam of all of his prior roles (if you don't think there's any truth to this, I want you to watch Denzel act in every movie from "Crimson Tide" on and come back to me). On the plus side you do have Willem Dafoe and Clive Owen who can both make just about any role relatively interesting. Then there's Jodie Foster... yeah.
Anyway, while I do truly thank you for making a visually entertaining film, it still doesn't help the fact that the screenplay could've been better written by an inebriated Paris Hilton. That's not to say that I think your film was a complete disaster. I mean, you did after all have some outstanding shots and really smart camera matches that are rarely seen by many other directors (at least not as subtly). But it doesn't help that the watered-down storyline is further hindered by equally simplistic social commentary, which I don't want to blame you for. I mean, considering all of the masterful films in the past I'd hate to think that you'd have anything to do with a line like "So I'm guilty of violating Section 34DD?" Not to mention that all of the social/racial jokes made in the film have been picked out of the Hollywood rhetoric recycling bin and have probably been used in much more interesting ways previously as well. But once again, I don't blame you for any of this, because I understand that this is probably a stepping-stone and that you were really just trying to show Hollywood that you can after all make a blockbuster film. Congratulations for pulling that off, but next time, please make use of a better script. I hope you don't take this too hard, because I really am a big fan, and on the plus side, I'm sure in a month or so I'll forget I've ever seen this movie.
Sincerely,
Your Average Moviegoer
Overall Rating: 63
Tired, dull and painstakingly stupid, Spike Lee would have needed an act of God to save this film.
Dear Mr. Lee,
I know times have been hard for you and apparently the three other minority film directors in Hollywood right now, and after your disaster of a movie She Hate Me, just about everyone for once had a reason to have it in for you. The ultimate solution comes through with the film Inside Man. It's the perfect template for a Hollywood genre movie that will surely bring in the most money out of any film you've ever made (and probably will ever make), and with its cast of surefire A-list actors you might actually *gulp* crack into the mainstream audience for the first time since people learned that "Plymouth rock landed on us." So what do you do with a conceptually great movie that follows an all-too-familiar Hollywood pattern? That's right, you do everything you can to make it better, and bless you for doing so. It's funny in a way, I mean, you've worked with Denzel Washington since the beginning of time it seems-- and long before he was known simply as "Denzel"-- and now, what the hell's happened to him? I know he's gotta be your main man and everything, but you've got to tell him that not every movie calls for him to act like the amalgam of all of his prior roles (if you don't think there's any truth to this, I want you to watch Denzel act in every movie from "Crimson Tide" on and come back to me). On the plus side you do have Willem Dafoe and Clive Owen who can both make just about any role relatively interesting. Then there's Jodie Foster... yeah.
Anyway, while I do truly thank you for making a visually entertaining film, it still doesn't help the fact that the screenplay could've been better written by an inebriated Paris Hilton. That's not to say that I think your film was a complete disaster. I mean, you did after all have some outstanding shots and really smart camera matches that are rarely seen by many other directors (at least not as subtly). But it doesn't help that the watered-down storyline is further hindered by equally simplistic social commentary, which I don't want to blame you for. I mean, considering all of the masterful films in the past I'd hate to think that you'd have anything to do with a line like "So I'm guilty of violating Section 34DD?" Not to mention that all of the social/racial jokes made in the film have been picked out of the Hollywood rhetoric recycling bin and have probably been used in much more interesting ways previously as well. But once again, I don't blame you for any of this, because I understand that this is probably a stepping-stone and that you were really just trying to show Hollywood that you can after all make a blockbuster film. Congratulations for pulling that off, but next time, please make use of a better script. I hope you don't take this too hard, because I really am a big fan, and on the plus side, I'm sure in a month or so I'll forget I've ever seen this movie.
Sincerely,
Your Average Moviegoer
Overall Rating: 63
Friday, April 7, 2006
More music reviews: Ghostface Killah, Jaheim, Van Hunt
Ghostface Killah Fishscale
While Ghostface Killah is easily one of the most entertaining, not to mention talented, lyricists around, it always seems like his productions and overall composition have fallen short (see Pretty Toney Album). That's not at all the case on Fishscale, one of the few albums in recent memory that doesn't have a single throwaway track despite being 24-tracks long. Ghostface is sharp is ever and this time he's got the focused productions to back it up with MF Doom, Madlib and Pete Rock as the men behind the scene. "The Champ" hits hard with Ghostface's vicious rhymes and appropriately uses a boxing match as the backdrop. On a good chunk of the tracks, namely "Kilo," "9 Milli Bros." and "Dogs of War," members of the Wu-Tang Clan contribute successfully, even pushing the already impressive productions further and it really seems to also bring the most out of Ghostface's lyrics. There's not much more to say about this album other than it's a truly compelling listen and exemplifies the true talent that Ghostface Killah possesses. Highly recommended.
Overall Rating: 100
Jaheim Ghetto Classics
On Ghetto Classics, Jaheim is very well versed in recreating the "slow-jams" era R&B to a stunning effect a times, while other times just falling short. At his best, he creates tracks like the openers "The Chosen One" and "Everytime I Think About Her." Both songs feature sweeping melodies that create a classically dynamic sound once characterized by such artists as Teddy Pendergrass, while songs like "Forgetful" more closely resemble the sound that Jaheim had on Still Ghetto. The biggest departure from Jaheim's typical sound is on the track "Like a DJ" which is an interesting 80's electronic/r&b fusion that's actually relatively successful. The super-smooth ballad of "I Ain't Never" and laid back "125th" are also noteworthy tracks. It seems as if Jaheim has found his stride as far as his music is concerned, now if only his lyrics could improve to match his voice.
Overall Rating: 78
Van Hunt On the Jungle Floor
While his eponymous debut relied more heavily on the linear croons and grooves that noted such influences as Stevie Wonder among others, Van Hunt really lets loose on On the Jungle Floor, sometimes sounding like he's trying to even outdo Prince in funkified strangeness (see the opener "If I Take You Home (Upon...)"). While there's nothing as striking as the singles from his previous effort, overall Van Hunt seems to be much more focused and has progressed greatly as an artist. The absolutely gorgeous "Daredevil, Baby" shows a sense of maturity rarely seen so early in a career. "Ride, Ride, Ride" gets closer to Jimi Hendrix than Lenny Kravitz could ever dream of, while "Being a Girl" is a lazy and airy groove with such an outstanding baseline it's hard not to get into. Nikka Costa guests on "Mean Sleep" and despite the seemingly odd coupling, she actually does a great job in complimenting Van Hunt and helps elevating what would otherwise be an easily disposable song. "Priest or Police" and the single "Character" are also very nicely done grooves, and show Van Hunt at his most comfortable vocally. One of the most intriguing songs on the album is Van Hunt's cover of Iggy Pop & The Stooges' "No Sense of Crime" which features the Sonus Quartet. It shows an interesting dynamic not only in Van Hut's musical influences but also in his approach to making a song, particularly rock song, his own, and on "No Sense of Crime" he is very successful in accomplishing that. If there's a weakness to this album, it would be that there is nothing on here that is going to be immediately accessible to anyone; On the Jungle Floor is best enjoyed in it's entirety and will begin finding its way into heavy rotation after repeated listens. Considering how much better this album is over the debut overall, I'd say that's a pretty good trade off.
Overall Rating: 86
Fishscale encompasses all that is great about Ghostface Killah, a mesmerizing album.
While Ghostface Killah is easily one of the most entertaining, not to mention talented, lyricists around, it always seems like his productions and overall composition have fallen short (see Pretty Toney Album). That's not at all the case on Fishscale, one of the few albums in recent memory that doesn't have a single throwaway track despite being 24-tracks long. Ghostface is sharp is ever and this time he's got the focused productions to back it up with MF Doom, Madlib and Pete Rock as the men behind the scene. "The Champ" hits hard with Ghostface's vicious rhymes and appropriately uses a boxing match as the backdrop. On a good chunk of the tracks, namely "Kilo," "9 Milli Bros." and "Dogs of War," members of the Wu-Tang Clan contribute successfully, even pushing the already impressive productions further and it really seems to also bring the most out of Ghostface's lyrics. There's not much more to say about this album other than it's a truly compelling listen and exemplifies the true talent that Ghostface Killah possesses. Highly recommended.
Overall Rating: 100
Jaheim Ghetto Classics
More consistent than his previous effort, Jaheim returns with a solid album.
On Ghetto Classics, Jaheim is very well versed in recreating the "slow-jams" era R&B to a stunning effect a times, while other times just falling short. At his best, he creates tracks like the openers "The Chosen One" and "Everytime I Think About Her." Both songs feature sweeping melodies that create a classically dynamic sound once characterized by such artists as Teddy Pendergrass, while songs like "Forgetful" more closely resemble the sound that Jaheim had on Still Ghetto. The biggest departure from Jaheim's typical sound is on the track "Like a DJ" which is an interesting 80's electronic/r&b fusion that's actually relatively successful. The super-smooth ballad of "I Ain't Never" and laid back "125th" are also noteworthy tracks. It seems as if Jaheim has found his stride as far as his music is concerned, now if only his lyrics could improve to match his voice.
Overall Rating: 78
Van Hunt On the Jungle Floor
On the Jungle Floor is the sound of Van Hunt fully realizing himself as an artist and having a good time doing it.
While his eponymous debut relied more heavily on the linear croons and grooves that noted such influences as Stevie Wonder among others, Van Hunt really lets loose on On the Jungle Floor, sometimes sounding like he's trying to even outdo Prince in funkified strangeness (see the opener "If I Take You Home (Upon...)"). While there's nothing as striking as the singles from his previous effort, overall Van Hunt seems to be much more focused and has progressed greatly as an artist. The absolutely gorgeous "Daredevil, Baby" shows a sense of maturity rarely seen so early in a career. "Ride, Ride, Ride" gets closer to Jimi Hendrix than Lenny Kravitz could ever dream of, while "Being a Girl" is a lazy and airy groove with such an outstanding baseline it's hard not to get into. Nikka Costa guests on "Mean Sleep" and despite the seemingly odd coupling, she actually does a great job in complimenting Van Hunt and helps elevating what would otherwise be an easily disposable song. "Priest or Police" and the single "Character" are also very nicely done grooves, and show Van Hunt at his most comfortable vocally. One of the most intriguing songs on the album is Van Hunt's cover of Iggy Pop & The Stooges' "No Sense of Crime" which features the Sonus Quartet. It shows an interesting dynamic not only in Van Hut's musical influences but also in his approach to making a song, particularly rock song, his own, and on "No Sense of Crime" he is very successful in accomplishing that. If there's a weakness to this album, it would be that there is nothing on here that is going to be immediately accessible to anyone; On the Jungle Floor is best enjoyed in it's entirety and will begin finding its way into heavy rotation after repeated listens. Considering how much better this album is over the debut overall, I'd say that's a pretty good trade off.
Overall Rating: 86
Thursday, April 6, 2006
Fuzzy Bits: April 6, 2006 (New Pantheon Award Winner and Concert News/Info)
Although I've had the Flaming Lips on repeat and haven't quite settled down over how impressed I am with this album, I'd like to take this time to reflect on the top albums of 2005 as the New Pantheon Award Winner was announced a few days ago. The winning artist was a bit of a surprise for me, only because I was sure he wouldn't win despite my feelings of him being the most deserving. Fortunately, the winner was no other than Sufjan Stevens for Illinois, which ranked #3 on my list of top albums. Beating out such famed acts as Bloc Party, Arcade Fire, M.I.A., and the rumored favorite Antony and the Johnsons, Stevens was easily the most deserving of the bunch. Congratulations both to him as well as the Pantheon Awards for a successful inaugural launch!
Pearl Jam announce second leg dates for summer tour
Pearl Jam, on the heels of their upcoming eponymous album, have released the dates for the second leg of their tour for which Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers will be opening three shows for. Petty will open for Pearl Jam on June 26 and 27 in St. Paul, Minnesota and also on the July 2 and 3 shows in Denver. After July 6, Sonic Youth will serve as the opening band. Here's a list of the complete dates for this summer:
04/20 - London @ Astoria
05/09 - Toronto @ Air Canada Centre
05/10 - Toronto @ Air Canada Centre
05/12 - Albany, NY @ Pepsi Arena
05/13 - Hartford, Conn. @ New England Dodge Music Arena
05/16 - Chicago @ United Center
05/19 - Grand Rapids, Mich. @ Van Andel Arena
05/20 - Cleveland @ Quicken Loans Arena
05/22 - Auburn Hills, Mich. @ Palace of Auburn Hills
05/24 - Boston @ TD Banknorth Garden
05/25 - Boston @ TD Banknorth Garden
05/27 - Camden, N.J. @ Tweeter Center
05/28 - Camden, N.J. @ Tweeter Center
05/30 - Washington, DC @ MCI Center
06/01 - East Rutherford, NJ @ Continental Airlines Arena
06/03 - East Rutherford, NJ @ Continental Airlines Arena
06/23 - Pittsburgh @ Mellon Arena
06/24 - Cincinnati @ US Bank Arena
06/26 - St. Paul, Minn. @ Xcel Energy Center
06/27 - St. Paul, Minn. @ Xcel Energy Center
07/02 - Denver @ Pepsi Center
07/03 - Denver @ Pepsi Center
07/06 - Las Vegas @ MGM Grand
07/07 - San Diego @ Cox Arena
07/09 - Los Angeles @ Forum
07/10 - Los Angeles @ Forum
07/13 - Santa Barbara, Calif. @ Santa Barbara Bowl
07/16 - San Francisco @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
07/18 - San Francisco @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
07/22 - George, Wash. @ the Gorge
08/25 - Leeds, England @ Leeds Festival
08/27 - Reading, England @ Reading Festival
Damian Marley joins Ben Harper & Innocent Criminals for tour
As if Ben Harper isn't enough on his own, he's going to be joined by the one and only Damian Marley for some shows in August and September. Here are the dates:
August 2006
10 - Phoenix, AZ - Dodge Theatre (w / Damien Marley)
11, 12 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre (w / Damien Marley)
13 - San Diego, CA - Bayside Concerts (w / Damien Marley)
15 - Santa Barbara, CA - County Bowl (w / Damien Marley)
18, 19 - Berkeley, CA - Greek Theatre (w / Damien Marley)
20 - Stateline, NV - Harvey's Lake Tahoe Amphitheatre (w / Damien Marley)
22 - Salt Lake City, UT - USANA Amphitheater (w / Damien Marley)
23 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre (w / Damien Marley)
25 - Kansas City, MO - Starlight Theatre (w / Damien Marley)
26 - Somerset, WI - River's Edge (w / Damien Marley)
27 - Chicago, IL - Charter One Pavilion (w / Damien Marley)
31 - Noblesville, IN - Verizon Wireless Music Center (w / Damien Marley)
September 2006
1 - Rochester, MI - Meadow Brook (w / Damien Marley)
5, 6 - New York, NY - Central Park - Rumsey Playfield (w / Damien Marley)
8 - Boston, MA - Bank of America Pavilion (w / Damien Marley)
10 - Columbia, MD - Merriweather Post Pavilion (w / Damien Marley)
11 - Philadelphia, PA - Festival Pier @ Penn's Landing (w / Damien Marley)
13 - Cary, NC - Koka Booth Amphitheatre @ Regency (w / Damien Marley)
14 - Knoxville, TN - World's Fair Park (w / Damien Marley)
Pearl Jam announce second leg dates for summer tour
Pearl Jam, on the heels of their upcoming eponymous album, have released the dates for the second leg of their tour for which Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers will be opening three shows for. Petty will open for Pearl Jam on June 26 and 27 in St. Paul, Minnesota and also on the July 2 and 3 shows in Denver. After July 6, Sonic Youth will serve as the opening band. Here's a list of the complete dates for this summer:
04/20 - London @ Astoria
05/09 - Toronto @ Air Canada Centre
05/10 - Toronto @ Air Canada Centre
05/12 - Albany, NY @ Pepsi Arena
05/13 - Hartford, Conn. @ New England Dodge Music Arena
05/16 - Chicago @ United Center
05/19 - Grand Rapids, Mich. @ Van Andel Arena
05/20 - Cleveland @ Quicken Loans Arena
05/22 - Auburn Hills, Mich. @ Palace of Auburn Hills
05/24 - Boston @ TD Banknorth Garden
05/25 - Boston @ TD Banknorth Garden
05/27 - Camden, N.J. @ Tweeter Center
05/28 - Camden, N.J. @ Tweeter Center
05/30 - Washington, DC @ MCI Center
06/01 - East Rutherford, NJ @ Continental Airlines Arena
06/03 - East Rutherford, NJ @ Continental Airlines Arena
06/23 - Pittsburgh @ Mellon Arena
06/24 - Cincinnati @ US Bank Arena
06/26 - St. Paul, Minn. @ Xcel Energy Center
06/27 - St. Paul, Minn. @ Xcel Energy Center
07/02 - Denver @ Pepsi Center
07/03 - Denver @ Pepsi Center
07/06 - Las Vegas @ MGM Grand
07/07 - San Diego @ Cox Arena
07/09 - Los Angeles @ Forum
07/10 - Los Angeles @ Forum
07/13 - Santa Barbara, Calif. @ Santa Barbara Bowl
07/16 - San Francisco @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
07/18 - San Francisco @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
07/22 - George, Wash. @ the Gorge
08/25 - Leeds, England @ Leeds Festival
08/27 - Reading, England @ Reading Festival
Damian Marley joins Ben Harper & Innocent Criminals for tour
As if Ben Harper isn't enough on his own, he's going to be joined by the one and only Damian Marley for some shows in August and September. Here are the dates:
August 2006
10 - Phoenix, AZ - Dodge Theatre (w / Damien Marley)
11, 12 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre (w / Damien Marley)
13 - San Diego, CA - Bayside Concerts (w / Damien Marley)
15 - Santa Barbara, CA - County Bowl (w / Damien Marley)
18, 19 - Berkeley, CA - Greek Theatre (w / Damien Marley)
20 - Stateline, NV - Harvey's Lake Tahoe Amphitheatre (w / Damien Marley)
22 - Salt Lake City, UT - USANA Amphitheater (w / Damien Marley)
23 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre (w / Damien Marley)
25 - Kansas City, MO - Starlight Theatre (w / Damien Marley)
26 - Somerset, WI - River's Edge (w / Damien Marley)
27 - Chicago, IL - Charter One Pavilion (w / Damien Marley)
31 - Noblesville, IN - Verizon Wireless Music Center (w / Damien Marley)
September 2006
1 - Rochester, MI - Meadow Brook (w / Damien Marley)
5, 6 - New York, NY - Central Park - Rumsey Playfield (w / Damien Marley)
8 - Boston, MA - Bank of America Pavilion (w / Damien Marley)
10 - Columbia, MD - Merriweather Post Pavilion (w / Damien Marley)
11 - Philadelphia, PA - Festival Pier @ Penn's Landing (w / Damien Marley)
13 - Cary, NC - Koka Booth Amphitheatre @ Regency (w / Damien Marley)
14 - Knoxville, TN - World's Fair Park (w / Damien Marley)
Wednesday, April 5, 2006
The Flaming Lips At War With the Mystics
The Flaming Lips At War With the Mystics
The Flaming Lips are an odd band to review. With this being their 12th album in their 22-year existence, you would think people would have figured this lot out by now. Instead, we've relied on this group, much in the same way we've relied on Beck, to be predictable in their unpredictability. Because this album fits sonically between and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots and The Soft Bulletin it appears that some have already rendered the band tired... please excuse me while I pick my mouth up off the floor. If you spend your every waking moment trying to pick apart a band just because they're different, you're occasionally going to miss the point. Just like Beck's Guero it was almost intimidating that the masters of weird could have come up with an album that's at all familiar. But seriously, if you think about it, you could take the world's supply of mind-altering drugs and a Virgin rocket trip around the moon and still may have a hard time pushing the envelope much further than The Flaming Lips have. That being said, At War With the Mystics is a masterpiece and if I wanted to be incredibly bold I'd say that this will be the album of the year when it's all said and done, but since it's only April I suppose I'll hold off on that statement for awhile. The opening trio of songs are as solid as anything the band has ever released, particularly "The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song" which is almost too fun for it's own good. The political overtones are much more abundant in this homage-if-you-will to President Bush than they've ever been in any other of their albums working in literal commentary rather than metaphors. What is amazing about this album is how alienating yet radio-friendly it is, thus combining the best of both worlds of the aforementioned previous two releases. "It Overtakes Me" is an absolutely superb seven-minute opus that never gets tiring and leads to the equally poignant "Mr. Ambulance Driver," which is a wonderfully bittersweet song. "The W.A.N.D." is by far the best song on here, and after one play will likely be stuck in your head for the rest of the day, it's just that addicting. The song carries an impeccable energy, particularly through the awesome electric guitar riff is enhanced through the punchy vocals and handclaps really make it a worthwhile three and a half minutes. Another great track is the closing "Goin' On" which serves as a great social commentary and appropriately gives a sign of hope in what's been to say the least a difficult time. If you haven't bought the album already, I do recommend getting it on iTunes as you'll get three incredible bonus tracks including an outstanding cover of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," that can almost match the original. Otherwise, this is an astounding record that shouldn't really be viewed so critically. No, they didn't reinvent the wheel, but when you're still ten years ahead of everyone else, maybe you don't need to.
Overall Rating: 100
An outstanding achievement and well worth the wait.
The Flaming Lips are an odd band to review. With this being their 12th album in their 22-year existence, you would think people would have figured this lot out by now. Instead, we've relied on this group, much in the same way we've relied on Beck, to be predictable in their unpredictability. Because this album fits sonically between and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots and The Soft Bulletin it appears that some have already rendered the band tired... please excuse me while I pick my mouth up off the floor. If you spend your every waking moment trying to pick apart a band just because they're different, you're occasionally going to miss the point. Just like Beck's Guero it was almost intimidating that the masters of weird could have come up with an album that's at all familiar. But seriously, if you think about it, you could take the world's supply of mind-altering drugs and a Virgin rocket trip around the moon and still may have a hard time pushing the envelope much further than The Flaming Lips have. That being said, At War With the Mystics is a masterpiece and if I wanted to be incredibly bold I'd say that this will be the album of the year when it's all said and done, but since it's only April I suppose I'll hold off on that statement for awhile. The opening trio of songs are as solid as anything the band has ever released, particularly "The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song" which is almost too fun for it's own good. The political overtones are much more abundant in this homage-if-you-will to President Bush than they've ever been in any other of their albums working in literal commentary rather than metaphors. What is amazing about this album is how alienating yet radio-friendly it is, thus combining the best of both worlds of the aforementioned previous two releases. "It Overtakes Me" is an absolutely superb seven-minute opus that never gets tiring and leads to the equally poignant "Mr. Ambulance Driver," which is a wonderfully bittersweet song. "The W.A.N.D." is by far the best song on here, and after one play will likely be stuck in your head for the rest of the day, it's just that addicting. The song carries an impeccable energy, particularly through the awesome electric guitar riff is enhanced through the punchy vocals and handclaps really make it a worthwhile three and a half minutes. Another great track is the closing "Goin' On" which serves as a great social commentary and appropriately gives a sign of hope in what's been to say the least a difficult time. If you haven't bought the album already, I do recommend getting it on iTunes as you'll get three incredible bonus tracks including an outstanding cover of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," that can almost match the original. Otherwise, this is an astounding record that shouldn't really be viewed so critically. No, they didn't reinvent the wheel, but when you're still ten years ahead of everyone else, maybe you don't need to.
Overall Rating: 100
Tuesday, April 4, 2006
New Music Tuesday Info 4.04.06
Today's new music Tuesday and iTunes has some pretty significant additions going for this week. First and foremost, the entire Dave Matthews Band studio library has been added, which is huge news as most fans are more than familiar with the band's previous stance on online music store distribution. Also very noteworthy is that the Red Hot Chili Peppers have a sweet pre-order offer running. If you feel like putting down $20 for their upcoming double album Stadium Arcadium, you not only get the single "Dani California" immediately, but you're also eligible for the Ticketmaster pre-sale of any of their summer concert dates, and entered for a chance to win a limited edition Red Hot Chili Peppers iPod (which I'm guessing will be an iPod with the RHCP logo on it and have all their music pre-loaded). That's not it though, as you'll also receive the making of the "Dani California" music video and audio commentary from the Peppers. Considering I'll be seeing RHCP at Lollapalooza, I'm not sure if I'd take advantage of the Ticketmaster offering but it still seems like a pretty good deal, if nothing else it's an awesome promotion. Here are the New Music Tuesday previews for today, and you might have noticed I left off a certain highly anticipated album that came out today. Yeah, I did that on purpose, the Flaming Lips review will be done later tonight. In the meantime, enjoy!
New Music Tuesday 4.04.06
The Vines Vision Valley
Preview Verdict: It seems like the Vines can only be counted on their singles. With each song coming in around 1-2 minutes (with exception for the six minute closer), I can't see myself putting down any more than $5 for this album. If you're the Hives, that's one thing, but really, I don't think these guys have much left in the tank.
Massive Attack Collected
Preview Verdict: If you're a big Massive Attack fan like I am, you have no real reason to purchase this album as it's nothing more than a greatest hits record (the only new track is Live with Me). However if you're a casual fan or new to the duo, definitely check it out as it's a sweet compilation of their more famous music. With an atmospheric group like Massive Attack it's a bit difficult to come up with a greatest hits type album (they're the kind of band that does better from an album standpoint rather than individual songs), this is a nice collection.
Bubba Sparxxx The Charm
Preview Verdict: It's sad that of all songs in the world, "Ms. Fat Booty" had to become the hit record from the album. Ideally, signing with Big Boi's label would be a good thing, but everything on here seems either clichรฉd, tired, or idiotic (sometimes all three). Maybe eventually he'll figure it out.
The Charlatans Blackened Blue Eyes (single)
Verdict: Wow, good stuff. I've always been a fan of the Charlatans and this song is no exception, definitely worth a listen. 90
The Goo Goo Dolls Stay With You (single)
Preview Verdict: These guys just won't go away. Sure they were (reasonably) cool in the 90's, and then they had a breakthrough (as far as audience reach) with the heartbreaking "Iris" from the City of Angels soundtrack. But now, I don't know, it kind of sounds the same as anything else you'd hear on the radio. Snore.
Chicago Chicago XXX
Preview Verdict: Speaking of not going away. Apparently back from being cryogenically frozen, Chicago releases an album that would ruin their legacy if it weren't for the fact that their legacy was lost for quite some time. XXX should really stand for the dirty feeling you'll have after purchasing such a god-awful CD.
Morrissey Ringleader of the Tormentors
Preview Verdict: I'm admittedly not a Morrissey fan, but this doesn't appear to be bad for him. I know his fans will eat it up like candy, but I don't imagine it bringing in a new audience. So if you liked You Are The Quarry my guess is that you'll find plenty to appreciate on this album.
Snow Patrol Hands Open (single)
Preview Verdict: U2's favorite band is back in action with this single. I'm guessing I'll like it much better when I hear it in the context of the new album, but as of right now it's not doing a lot for me.
New Music Tuesday 4.04.06
The Vines Vision Valley
Preview Verdict: It seems like the Vines can only be counted on their singles. With each song coming in around 1-2 minutes (with exception for the six minute closer), I can't see myself putting down any more than $5 for this album. If you're the Hives, that's one thing, but really, I don't think these guys have much left in the tank.
Massive Attack Collected
Preview Verdict: If you're a big Massive Attack fan like I am, you have no real reason to purchase this album as it's nothing more than a greatest hits record (the only new track is Live with Me). However if you're a casual fan or new to the duo, definitely check it out as it's a sweet compilation of their more famous music. With an atmospheric group like Massive Attack it's a bit difficult to come up with a greatest hits type album (they're the kind of band that does better from an album standpoint rather than individual songs), this is a nice collection.
Bubba Sparxxx The Charm
Preview Verdict: It's sad that of all songs in the world, "Ms. Fat Booty" had to become the hit record from the album. Ideally, signing with Big Boi's label would be a good thing, but everything on here seems either clichรฉd, tired, or idiotic (sometimes all three). Maybe eventually he'll figure it out.
The Charlatans Blackened Blue Eyes (single)
Verdict: Wow, good stuff. I've always been a fan of the Charlatans and this song is no exception, definitely worth a listen. 90
The Goo Goo Dolls Stay With You (single)
Preview Verdict: These guys just won't go away. Sure they were (reasonably) cool in the 90's, and then they had a breakthrough (as far as audience reach) with the heartbreaking "Iris" from the City of Angels soundtrack. But now, I don't know, it kind of sounds the same as anything else you'd hear on the radio. Snore.
Chicago Chicago XXX
Preview Verdict: Speaking of not going away. Apparently back from being cryogenically frozen, Chicago releases an album that would ruin their legacy if it weren't for the fact that their legacy was lost for quite some time. XXX should really stand for the dirty feeling you'll have after purchasing such a god-awful CD.
Morrissey Ringleader of the Tormentors
Preview Verdict: I'm admittedly not a Morrissey fan, but this doesn't appear to be bad for him. I know his fans will eat it up like candy, but I don't imagine it bringing in a new audience. So if you liked You Are The Quarry my guess is that you'll find plenty to appreciate on this album.
Snow Patrol Hands Open (single)
Preview Verdict: U2's favorite band is back in action with this single. I'm guessing I'll like it much better when I hear it in the context of the new album, but as of right now it's not doing a lot for me.
Monday, April 3, 2006
Yeah Yeah Yeahs and People In Planes reviewed (Brief news intro)
Here are a couple of music reviews that I hope you enjoy. Before I get to them though, I'd like to say that there have been a couple of really great performances lately on the late shows. Firstly, on Craig Ferguson's Late Late Show, the New Cars (yeah they're actually just The Cars with a couple of new guys) appeared and sounded absolutely amazing performing their new single "Not Tonight." I actually had to keep checking the screen to make sure that it was in fact the same band. The single is available for download on iTunes now, but it will be featured on a Greatest Hits album that they have coming out in a few weeks. The second performance relates to a band whose album is reviewed in this piece and that is the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Performing their single "Gold Lion" on David Letterman a few nights ago, they did an awesome job of bringing a lot more life out of the song than I realized existed from listening to the studio version. It also confirmed that Karen O. (Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman) is exceptionally quirky but incredibly cool, and that was an added bonus. So without further adieu I give you some reviews. Enjoy!
Yeah Yeah Yeahs Show Your Bones
While produced to a glossy sheen, Show Your Bones does nicely to avoid a sophomore slump.
After honing their skills for sometime, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs released the brash yet lovely debut
Fever to Tell in 2003. For anyone expecting a similar sound you should probably just stop reading this review now and forget about it. While you may very well end up liking the album, it'll be for a completely different reason than it was before. That isn't to say that Show Your Bones and Fever to Tell are night and day, it's just that on this album, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs sound is so much more controlled that it's not surprising that there are fans calling the band a sell out after hearing the single "Gold Lion." While the song has definitely grown on me since I first heard it and works well within the context of the album, it's difficult to listen to it (particularly for the first time) and think that you might've accidentally slipped onto a Teagan & Sara track (or if you're feeling generous, Sleater-Kinney with half the punk). However, listening to tracks like "Fancy," which is just as solid as most anything you'll find on the debut, the catchy "Phenomena" and the surprising closer "Turn Into." With that said, if you wanted to be cynical about the album, you could once again refer to either of the dreaded terms that bands never want to hear. The first would be a "sell out," and with songs like "Gold Lion" and the nursery rhyme like "Dudley" you could have yourself an argument. After all, it's the "rough around the edges" bit that made them big in the first place right? On the other cynical path you could say that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs hit a bit of a sophomore slump. That would be another feasible argument, as like any other band that hits it big on the first album, what direction do you go in if you want to do something different? More often than not, that direction is sideways, and that's precisely the case with Show Your Bones. But, to that person I'd have to ask, if your debut album was deemed as being a great album, is going sideways so bad so long as you're actually making progress? I think not.
Overall Rating: 89
People In Planes As Far as the Eye Can See
You know, hype is a funny thing. Every now and again, more true recently than in the past, we put certain bands on a pedestal and claim them to be everything but the greatest band to ever come into existence. Sometimes that hype is warranted (White Stripes, The Hives) and sometimes it leads to destruction (The Libertines, The Darkness) or they're simply never heard from again. While the Arctic Monkey's have been the latest band to win the media's hearts, with SXSW performances from bands like Art Brut amping up the critics attention as well, it seems that these blokes from Wales have completely gone under the radar, and that's really quite a shame. Comparisons to such bands as Muse aside, People in Planes have really got a good thing going on As Far as the Eye Can See. The opening track "Barracuda" is a seething piece, sweeping almost effortlessly between quiet and loud tones without ever losing energy. "For Miles Around" is the track that will probably be the track people look at most to make their Muse comparisons, especially with the swirling guitars over the anthemic chorus. The thing with People in Planes though, is that it's rarely overdramatic or overly indulgent. Case in point being the appropriate lead single "If You Talk Too Much (My Head Will Explode)," which not only marks a perfect marriage of rock and pop music, but also delivers just enough to bring you in without ever going over the top, as a matter of fact, it's pretty linear in arrangement. Another standout is the unsuspectingly catchy "Moth" which thrives on its great rhythm and bass lick. As the album progresses People in Planes' songs become increasingly experimental which is a relatively rare thing to see on a debut album. They are all within the same realm as the other songs, so it doesn't feel as if you're listening to another artist, but it is nevertheless intriguing that the final three tracks clock in at over five minutes each, and focus a bit more on atmospheric tones as opposed to the earlier tracks, which is a very good thing. "Penny," for example, is a lush downtempo track that constantly evolves and morphs throughout its six and a half minute length. For a debut album, this is a very impressive release and is truly worth checking out. The only main drawback is that for as strong as the arrangements and instrumentals are on each of the songs, the lyrics sometimes lag behind. While they certainly won't make you cringe, and is something that will surely improve over time, it is worth noting for those of you that go for lyrical substance over other elements in music. Once again, this is a great debut from People In Planes and here's hoping they get their share of hype soon, because they do deserve it.
Overall Rating: 90
Yeah Yeah Yeahs Show Your Bones
After honing their skills for sometime, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs released the brash yet lovely debut
Fever to Tell in 2003. For anyone expecting a similar sound you should probably just stop reading this review now and forget about it. While you may very well end up liking the album, it'll be for a completely different reason than it was before. That isn't to say that Show Your Bones and Fever to Tell are night and day, it's just that on this album, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs sound is so much more controlled that it's not surprising that there are fans calling the band a sell out after hearing the single "Gold Lion." While the song has definitely grown on me since I first heard it and works well within the context of the album, it's difficult to listen to it (particularly for the first time) and think that you might've accidentally slipped onto a Teagan & Sara track (or if you're feeling generous, Sleater-Kinney with half the punk). However, listening to tracks like "Fancy," which is just as solid as most anything you'll find on the debut, the catchy "Phenomena" and the surprising closer "Turn Into." With that said, if you wanted to be cynical about the album, you could once again refer to either of the dreaded terms that bands never want to hear. The first would be a "sell out," and with songs like "Gold Lion" and the nursery rhyme like "Dudley" you could have yourself an argument. After all, it's the "rough around the edges" bit that made them big in the first place right? On the other cynical path you could say that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs hit a bit of a sophomore slump. That would be another feasible argument, as like any other band that hits it big on the first album, what direction do you go in if you want to do something different? More often than not, that direction is sideways, and that's precisely the case with Show Your Bones. But, to that person I'd have to ask, if your debut album was deemed as being a great album, is going sideways so bad so long as you're actually making progress? I think not.
Overall Rating: 89
People In Planes As Far as the Eye Can See
Well hell, this is the band people should be talking about...
You know, hype is a funny thing. Every now and again, more true recently than in the past, we put certain bands on a pedestal and claim them to be everything but the greatest band to ever come into existence. Sometimes that hype is warranted (White Stripes, The Hives) and sometimes it leads to destruction (The Libertines, The Darkness) or they're simply never heard from again. While the Arctic Monkey's have been the latest band to win the media's hearts, with SXSW performances from bands like Art Brut amping up the critics attention as well, it seems that these blokes from Wales have completely gone under the radar, and that's really quite a shame. Comparisons to such bands as Muse aside, People in Planes have really got a good thing going on As Far as the Eye Can See. The opening track "Barracuda" is a seething piece, sweeping almost effortlessly between quiet and loud tones without ever losing energy. "For Miles Around" is the track that will probably be the track people look at most to make their Muse comparisons, especially with the swirling guitars over the anthemic chorus. The thing with People in Planes though, is that it's rarely overdramatic or overly indulgent. Case in point being the appropriate lead single "If You Talk Too Much (My Head Will Explode)," which not only marks a perfect marriage of rock and pop music, but also delivers just enough to bring you in without ever going over the top, as a matter of fact, it's pretty linear in arrangement. Another standout is the unsuspectingly catchy "Moth" which thrives on its great rhythm and bass lick. As the album progresses People in Planes' songs become increasingly experimental which is a relatively rare thing to see on a debut album. They are all within the same realm as the other songs, so it doesn't feel as if you're listening to another artist, but it is nevertheless intriguing that the final three tracks clock in at over five minutes each, and focus a bit more on atmospheric tones as opposed to the earlier tracks, which is a very good thing. "Penny," for example, is a lush downtempo track that constantly evolves and morphs throughout its six and a half minute length. For a debut album, this is a very impressive release and is truly worth checking out. The only main drawback is that for as strong as the arrangements and instrumentals are on each of the songs, the lyrics sometimes lag behind. While they certainly won't make you cringe, and is something that will surely improve over time, it is worth noting for those of you that go for lyrical substance over other elements in music. Once again, this is a great debut from People In Planes and here's hoping they get their share of hype soon, because they do deserve it.
Overall Rating: 90
Friday, March 31, 2006
Back in action...
Apologies for the long away, but there's a lot of good stuff on tap for the upcoming updates, so look for those pretty soon. For now, I've got two movie reviews for you.
Thank You For Smoking
Thank You For Smoking
With razor-sharp wit and superb acting, Thank You For Smoking is a pop culture masterpiece.
From the moment the movie begins, with the hilarious accompaniment of "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke That Cigarette!" by Tex Williams and the Western Caravan, Jason Reitman (son of the Ivan Reitman of "Ghost Busters" and "Twins" fame) presents you with a hard-hitting piece of social commentary that's unlike anything that's been seen in years. Aaron Eckhart, playing the role of lobbyist Nick Naylor, is once again fulfilling the "likeable asshole" quality much like he did in the 1997 film In the Company of Men, and is just as outstanding in this film as he was in the aforementioned movie. The same holds true for Katie Holmes, who plays an exceptionally crafty news reporter, and gives such a convincing performance that she may very well have established herself as a credible Hollywood talent. What really made the movie work however was the relentless storyline, as Jason Reitman really made the most out of what was already a great platform in Christopher Buckley's novel. Also, the performances of William H. Macy, Rob Lowe, and most notably youngster Cameron Bright (who plays Nick Naylor's son Joey), make this film an incredibly fun yet smoldering ride from beginning to end.
Overall Rating: 92
Match Point
Woody Allen has enjoyed one of the most paradoxical careers in Hollywood. While attaining a core cult audience, Allen has garnered quite a lot of critical acclaim as well lately, despite having a number of ill-fated works for the past decade. The ideas behind every single Woody Allen movie is always good at least, and is more often than not brilliant, but the issue that has almost always plagued his movies is the transition from the paper to the big screen that's occasionally been lacking. Case in point would be Allen's last release Melinda & Melinda, which had its bright spots but was nowhere near what it could be, despite having a very thoughtful concept. With Match Point, Woody Allen has finally executed an idea from start to finish that is impeccably perfect. To make the movie all the more worthwhile, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Scarlett Johansson put out the best performances of their careers, as they continue to best each other not only in the plot of the story but also in their acting, it shows how far they were pushed by Allen's direction. The writing, as always, is remarkable, and the story effortlessly flows from being relaxed to seductive to intense to funny and all points in between. What Woody Allen has accomplished within Match Point, is a perfect slice of life where moral ambiguity is the norm and it's within those imperfections that an audience can find themselves wrapped up in the world of what would otherwise be a very disturbing story. While the Match Point experience is still definitely on grounds for being disturbing, it's difficult not to get attached to any particular one of the characters, or at the very least their particular stories, and that takes a true gift in filmmaking.
Overall Rating: 100
From the moment the movie begins, with the hilarious accompaniment of "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke That Cigarette!" by Tex Williams and the Western Caravan, Jason Reitman (son of the Ivan Reitman of "Ghost Busters" and "Twins" fame) presents you with a hard-hitting piece of social commentary that's unlike anything that's been seen in years. Aaron Eckhart, playing the role of lobbyist Nick Naylor, is once again fulfilling the "likeable asshole" quality much like he did in the 1997 film In the Company of Men, and is just as outstanding in this film as he was in the aforementioned movie. The same holds true for Katie Holmes, who plays an exceptionally crafty news reporter, and gives such a convincing performance that she may very well have established herself as a credible Hollywood talent. What really made the movie work however was the relentless storyline, as Jason Reitman really made the most out of what was already a great platform in Christopher Buckley's novel. Also, the performances of William H. Macy, Rob Lowe, and most notably youngster Cameron Bright (who plays Nick Naylor's son Joey), make this film an incredibly fun yet smoldering ride from beginning to end.
Overall Rating: 92
Match Point
Steamy, seductive and absolutely brilliant.
Woody Allen has enjoyed one of the most paradoxical careers in Hollywood. While attaining a core cult audience, Allen has garnered quite a lot of critical acclaim as well lately, despite having a number of ill-fated works for the past decade. The ideas behind every single Woody Allen movie is always good at least, and is more often than not brilliant, but the issue that has almost always plagued his movies is the transition from the paper to the big screen that's occasionally been lacking. Case in point would be Allen's last release Melinda & Melinda, which had its bright spots but was nowhere near what it could be, despite having a very thoughtful concept. With Match Point, Woody Allen has finally executed an idea from start to finish that is impeccably perfect. To make the movie all the more worthwhile, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Scarlett Johansson put out the best performances of their careers, as they continue to best each other not only in the plot of the story but also in their acting, it shows how far they were pushed by Allen's direction. The writing, as always, is remarkable, and the story effortlessly flows from being relaxed to seductive to intense to funny and all points in between. What Woody Allen has accomplished within Match Point, is a perfect slice of life where moral ambiguity is the norm and it's within those imperfections that an audience can find themselves wrapped up in the world of what would otherwise be a very disturbing story. While the Match Point experience is still definitely on grounds for being disturbing, it's difficult not to get attached to any particular one of the characters, or at the very least their particular stories, and that takes a true gift in filmmaking.
Overall Rating: 100
Sunday, March 19, 2006
A couple of Music Reviews
Here are the first set of album reviews. The rest will be coming shortly along with other news. Enjoy!
David Gray Life In Slow Motion
David Gray Life In Slow Motion
Sadly overproduced, David Gray's latest still manages to compensate with incredibly well-written songs.
It must be known that David Gray is easily one of the best singer/songwriters to come out of the 90's. While US fans are most familiar with him from the outstanding 2000 release White Ladder, many don't realize that he indeed had a couple of very notable releases prior to that album in Sell, Sell, Sell and A Century Ends. After White Ladder, Gray faced heightened expectations and released A New Day at Midnight to a mixed response. There were moments of the same sheer brilliance as featured on Gray's previous albums, but in the end it fell short. Feeling as if he might've hit his creative peak, I hadn't bothered in his latest album, which was released in 2005, until recently. What caused the change was that once I dug a little deeper than the overly-glossy single of "The One I Love" I realized that the same insightful Gray was still there. Unfortunately, the slick nature of a number of his songs cloud what would otherwise be a readily apparent sign of Gray's strength in songwriting. Also gone are his intricate drum and bass lines, replaced by either softer guitar or orchestral tones, this is a different sound yet not at all alienating. The evolution of David Gray's sound is clear from the opening track of "Alibi," which begins almost atmospheric before evolving into an all out anthem. By far the best track on the album is the simple yet beautiful "Lately" which highlights Gray's talent with the song's sparse instrumentals that swirl around his vocals. Other noteworthy songs are "Slow Motion," the bittersweet "Hospital Food," "Now and Always," and the great closer "Disappearing World." When everything clicks, Gray puts on some of his best work to date, however there are moments where the amount of slick overproduction reaches a point of superficiality, and for an emotional writer like David Gray, it really can detract from his music. While more of a cd for true David Gray fans, I would recommend the selected titles above for those who, if nothing else, would like a bit more exposure to the artist.
Overall Rating: 84
Beth Orton Comfort of Strangers
Continuing the trend of prominent 90's singer/songwriters, Beth Orton has established herself as being one of the more prominent female singer/songwriters, while in the process becoming overshadowed by such artists as Fiona Apple and Sarah McLachlan. On this album, Orton's focus extends from start to finish, with absolutely no filler whatsoever (something that's evident given that the longest track clocks in at 4:30, and most tracks are around the three minute mark). Each of her songs posses such an earthy, organic quality that her music almost seems like an effortless extension of herself. "Worms" is a perfect opener for the album, and tracks such as "Heartlandtruckstop," "Rectify," and "Conceived" are such great slice-of-life stories that, when combined with Orton's charming and breathy vocals, make for a very intriguing and worthwhile album. It may come off as being too simplistic for it's own good, but with a talent that's as generally diverse as Orton in terms of her sound, the idea of her honing in on a specific focus truly showcases her abilities. An album that's best enjoyed when played straight through beginning to end, Comfort of Strangers, is an incredible album.
Overall Rating: 98
It must be known that David Gray is easily one of the best singer/songwriters to come out of the 90's. While US fans are most familiar with him from the outstanding 2000 release White Ladder, many don't realize that he indeed had a couple of very notable releases prior to that album in Sell, Sell, Sell and A Century Ends. After White Ladder, Gray faced heightened expectations and released A New Day at Midnight to a mixed response. There were moments of the same sheer brilliance as featured on Gray's previous albums, but in the end it fell short. Feeling as if he might've hit his creative peak, I hadn't bothered in his latest album, which was released in 2005, until recently. What caused the change was that once I dug a little deeper than the overly-glossy single of "The One I Love" I realized that the same insightful Gray was still there. Unfortunately, the slick nature of a number of his songs cloud what would otherwise be a readily apparent sign of Gray's strength in songwriting. Also gone are his intricate drum and bass lines, replaced by either softer guitar or orchestral tones, this is a different sound yet not at all alienating. The evolution of David Gray's sound is clear from the opening track of "Alibi," which begins almost atmospheric before evolving into an all out anthem. By far the best track on the album is the simple yet beautiful "Lately" which highlights Gray's talent with the song's sparse instrumentals that swirl around his vocals. Other noteworthy songs are "Slow Motion," the bittersweet "Hospital Food," "Now and Always," and the great closer "Disappearing World." When everything clicks, Gray puts on some of his best work to date, however there are moments where the amount of slick overproduction reaches a point of superficiality, and for an emotional writer like David Gray, it really can detract from his music. While more of a cd for true David Gray fans, I would recommend the selected titles above for those who, if nothing else, would like a bit more exposure to the artist.
Overall Rating: 84
Beth Orton Comfort of Strangers
Simply put, this is Beth Orton's best album ever
Continuing the trend of prominent 90's singer/songwriters, Beth Orton has established herself as being one of the more prominent female singer/songwriters, while in the process becoming overshadowed by such artists as Fiona Apple and Sarah McLachlan. On this album, Orton's focus extends from start to finish, with absolutely no filler whatsoever (something that's evident given that the longest track clocks in at 4:30, and most tracks are around the three minute mark). Each of her songs posses such an earthy, organic quality that her music almost seems like an effortless extension of herself. "Worms" is a perfect opener for the album, and tracks such as "Heartlandtruckstop," "Rectify," and "Conceived" are such great slice-of-life stories that, when combined with Orton's charming and breathy vocals, make for a very intriguing and worthwhile album. It may come off as being too simplistic for it's own good, but with a talent that's as generally diverse as Orton in terms of her sound, the idea of her honing in on a specific focus truly showcases her abilities. An album that's best enjoyed when played straight through beginning to end, Comfort of Strangers, is an incredible album.
Overall Rating: 98
Friday, March 17, 2006
A Brief Announcement and Two Movie Reviews
Album reviews will be coming up next, in the meantime I have a couple of movie reviews for you all-- one old and one new. Before I get to that though, I'd like to point out the little box at the bottom of the webpage. No, it's not an ad, but rather a list of my top listened to artists for the week, just in case you're ever wondering what I'm listening to. The website responsible for it is last.fm, a really nifty webpage that allows you to download a program that will track what you listen to purely for statistical purposes, and from that you can access the website and find other similar artists or even meet other people that like the same music as you. So in case you were wondering what that was, now you know.
Dave Chappelle's Block Party
It's a shame that this film will probably go unnoticed when Oscar-time comes around again, as it has been unable to even make a dent in terms of ticket sales. Directed by Michel Gondry (who directed Eternal Sunshine... as well as an immense number of music videos), Block Party offers some great insight into a world that's not often explored, much in the same way of the festival that this documentary was somewhat based on Wattstax. The movie begins by watching Dave Chappelle in his hometown of Dayton, OH, interacting with locals as he talks to them about going to see his Block Party, as he appropriately enough hands out "golden tickets" as invites. It's both here and in the Bedstuy neighborhood of Brooklyn-- the locale in which the concert takes place-- that the foundation of the film shines through. The audience is given a sneak peek into the humble life of Dave Chappelle as well as many of the musicians who in some cases grew up in the very same area that they were performing in. For those going to see it only for Dave Chappelle's humor, you'll more than likely be sorely disappointed, although he does have a few skits within the piece that are simply hilarious. For anyone else that is even remotely interested in hip-hop culture and music, or just wants to see a feel-good story in which people of all backgrounds are able to not only come together but enjoy each others company for hours on end, this film is for you. Gondry has always been outstanding in capturing the human fabric within the realm of music, and this documentary is no exception. The quality of the film might be crude, and the rough cuts and handheld camera angles might be off-putting to some, but it truly just solidified how down to earth all these people are. In a world where people like 50 Cent get the headlines or all the "rap" artists that are getting in fights (or "beef") for no apparent reason, its projects like these where people who usually don't have access to true hip-hop can see that there's a lot more to it than that, and hip-hop is a unifier of a culture, not a divider. If you're willing to soak it all in, you'd be hard pressed not to leave the theatre with a smile on your face.
Overall Rating: 93
Jarhead
Overall Rating: 86
Dave Chappelle's Block Party
An incredibly inspiring piece, this is a film everyone should be talking about.
It's a shame that this film will probably go unnoticed when Oscar-time comes around again, as it has been unable to even make a dent in terms of ticket sales. Directed by Michel Gondry (who directed Eternal Sunshine... as well as an immense number of music videos), Block Party offers some great insight into a world that's not often explored, much in the same way of the festival that this documentary was somewhat based on Wattstax. The movie begins by watching Dave Chappelle in his hometown of Dayton, OH, interacting with locals as he talks to them about going to see his Block Party, as he appropriately enough hands out "golden tickets" as invites. It's both here and in the Bedstuy neighborhood of Brooklyn-- the locale in which the concert takes place-- that the foundation of the film shines through. The audience is given a sneak peek into the humble life of Dave Chappelle as well as many of the musicians who in some cases grew up in the very same area that they were performing in. For those going to see it only for Dave Chappelle's humor, you'll more than likely be sorely disappointed, although he does have a few skits within the piece that are simply hilarious. For anyone else that is even remotely interested in hip-hop culture and music, or just wants to see a feel-good story in which people of all backgrounds are able to not only come together but enjoy each others company for hours on end, this film is for you. Gondry has always been outstanding in capturing the human fabric within the realm of music, and this documentary is no exception. The quality of the film might be crude, and the rough cuts and handheld camera angles might be off-putting to some, but it truly just solidified how down to earth all these people are. In a world where people like 50 Cent get the headlines or all the "rap" artists that are getting in fights (or "beef") for no apparent reason, its projects like these where people who usually don't have access to true hip-hop can see that there's a lot more to it than that, and hip-hop is a unifier of a culture, not a divider. If you're willing to soak it all in, you'd be hard pressed not to leave the theatre with a smile on your face.
Overall Rating: 93
Jarhead
Not perfect, but a very thoughtful and engaging film.
I picked Jarhead up on DVD this past weekend, as it's a movie that I really wanted to see but never had the opportunity to. Not usually one to blindly purchase DVDs, I had a very good feeling about this one given that it was both directed by Sam Mendes (of Road To Perdition and American Beauty fame) and starred Jake Gyllenhaal (of Donnie Darko and Brokeback Mountain fame). The problem with war films, particularly now, is that you never know what to expect from them. It has reached the point where there are now genres within the war film genre. There are the psychological war films, the grandiose epic war films, and then the brutal war film. The intriguing aspect of Jarhead is that it doesn't fit into any of those categories, the commentary of it being an anti-war film is apparent just through its cinematic qualities. There are no major-scale battle scenes here, no dramatic classical score, nothing. Now while it might seem disappointing, it really is such a poignant film in the sense that it doesn't meet any expectations and then the more you process the movie, the more everything becomes clear. Sam Mendes once again does a stellar job directing this film, and both Jamie Foxx and Peter Sarsgaard were so compelling in each of their roles that they essentially made the movie from an acting standpoint. That being said, there still seems to be something missing from the film, and in a way, that might've been the point. To me however, it's the only thing that kept it from being in the same company as all the other great war films.Overall Rating: 86
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Fuzzy Bits: March 16, 2006 (The Big One!)
Sorry for the long delay, but at least I'm back with great news. I've got the lineup for Lollapalooza 2006, and this will be by far the best show Chicago will see this summer (and could be arguably better than every other summer festival going). So first, let me get to that and then I will give my long-overdue award show recap.
Breaking News! Lollapalooza 2006 Lineup Released
With over 130 bands on 8 stages, it's impossible to get the entire list down without dizzying you, so if you're interested in the full listing please visit the webpage. Here are some of the bigger headlines:
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Kanye West
Wilco
Death Cab for Cutie
The Raconteurs
The Flaming Lips
The Shins
Common
Ryan Adams
Queens of the Stone Age
Matisyahu
Thievery Corporation
Sleater-Kinney
Blues Traveler
Broken Social Scene
Iron Wine
The New Pornographers
Eels
Andrew Bird
Gnarls Barkley (Cee-Lo Danger Mouse)
Stars
Of Montreal
and many, many, more...
So long story short, there's absolutely no reason not to go unless you just don't like music-- even if you can't afford it, just volunteer and get in for free. Thankfully we can put the Smashing Pumpkins rumors to rest, although you never know with them, it is good to see though that there have been so many Chicago acts picked up this year as I think that was one of the weaknesses last year. For those that don't know some of the more famous Chicago artists that will be here are: Kanye West, Common, Wilco, and The Redwalls. I'll be sure to let you know if any more developments take place.
Additional Details on DMB/Sheryl Crow Fenway Park show
There are two options available as far as tickets are concerned: for those willing to spend the money you can get a VIP Reserved pass for $250 while reglar priced tickets will be $65. The shows once again are July 7 and 8 at 8pm. Ticket reserves are available now for Warehouse members, while the general public will be able to get their shot at tickets starting April 8.
Oscar Briefs
Yeah, it was a while ago, but I still wanted to make a few points. First off, Jon Stewart must've thought that it was amateur night-- he was so nervous in his delivery you would've thought he was at the Source Awards. For those unfortunate souls that had never experienced Jon Stewart, I direct you to the incredibly famous The Daily Show which comes on nightly on Comedy Central and really shows off Stewart's comedic genius. George Clooney's acceptance speech was awesome, and it's really too bad he didn't get anything for Good Night and Good Luck, because that really was an incredible film. Whether or not they deserved it is up to you, but I was quite happy that Three 6 Mafia won the oscar for best song, which has the thoughtful title of "It's Hard Out There For a Pimp." Now, I've personally never been a fan of the song, much less would think of it as being Oscar-worthy, but I have to hand it to the Oscar committee for at least attempting to make people think that they're hip. Kudos to Philip Seymour Hoffman and Reese Witherspoon as well for their well-deserved wins. When things started going downhill though is when Crash won for both best screenplay and picture of the year. Outside of possibly Match Point, I don't see how Crash could've beaten all those movies for best screenplay, and I had pretty much given up hope that a movie other than Brokeback Mountain would win for best film, so that was a huge surprise to me as well. My main problem with the Oscars this year was that they were acting like films like Brokeback Mountain and Crash were envelope-pushing movies. Hate to break it to everyone, but they're not, they're both "safe controversial" movies in that they've been presented in such a manner that anyone can relate to them. However, because they feature a couple of gay characters or a "diverse" cast that are all equally racist, we immediately want to say that the movies stand for something. Spike Lee has been making stimulating race movies for years and no one has handed him an award. There have also been a number of other movies that have dealt with the issues of homosexuality more directly than Brokeback Mountain as well, and none of those have been embraced either.
Breaking News! Lollapalooza 2006 Lineup Released
With over 130 bands on 8 stages, it's impossible to get the entire list down without dizzying you, so if you're interested in the full listing please visit the webpage. Here are some of the bigger headlines:
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Kanye West
Wilco
Death Cab for Cutie
The Raconteurs
The Flaming Lips
The Shins
Common
Ryan Adams
Queens of the Stone Age
Matisyahu
Thievery Corporation
Sleater-Kinney
Blues Traveler
Broken Social Scene
Iron Wine
The New Pornographers
Eels
Andrew Bird
Gnarls Barkley (Cee-Lo Danger Mouse)
Stars
Of Montreal
and many, many, more...
So long story short, there's absolutely no reason not to go unless you just don't like music-- even if you can't afford it, just volunteer and get in for free. Thankfully we can put the Smashing Pumpkins rumors to rest, although you never know with them, it is good to see though that there have been so many Chicago acts picked up this year as I think that was one of the weaknesses last year. For those that don't know some of the more famous Chicago artists that will be here are: Kanye West, Common, Wilco, and The Redwalls. I'll be sure to let you know if any more developments take place.
Additional Details on DMB/Sheryl Crow Fenway Park show
There are two options available as far as tickets are concerned: for those willing to spend the money you can get a VIP Reserved pass for $250 while reglar priced tickets will be $65. The shows once again are July 7 and 8 at 8pm. Ticket reserves are available now for Warehouse members, while the general public will be able to get their shot at tickets starting April 8.
Oscar Briefs
Yeah, it was a while ago, but I still wanted to make a few points. First off, Jon Stewart must've thought that it was amateur night-- he was so nervous in his delivery you would've thought he was at the Source Awards. For those unfortunate souls that had never experienced Jon Stewart, I direct you to the incredibly famous The Daily Show which comes on nightly on Comedy Central and really shows off Stewart's comedic genius. George Clooney's acceptance speech was awesome, and it's really too bad he didn't get anything for Good Night and Good Luck, because that really was an incredible film. Whether or not they deserved it is up to you, but I was quite happy that Three 6 Mafia won the oscar for best song, which has the thoughtful title of "It's Hard Out There For a Pimp." Now, I've personally never been a fan of the song, much less would think of it as being Oscar-worthy, but I have to hand it to the Oscar committee for at least attempting to make people think that they're hip. Kudos to Philip Seymour Hoffman and Reese Witherspoon as well for their well-deserved wins. When things started going downhill though is when Crash won for both best screenplay and picture of the year. Outside of possibly Match Point, I don't see how Crash could've beaten all those movies for best screenplay, and I had pretty much given up hope that a movie other than Brokeback Mountain would win for best film, so that was a huge surprise to me as well. My main problem with the Oscars this year was that they were acting like films like Brokeback Mountain and Crash were envelope-pushing movies. Hate to break it to everyone, but they're not, they're both "safe controversial" movies in that they've been presented in such a manner that anyone can relate to them. However, because they feature a couple of gay characters or a "diverse" cast that are all equally racist, we immediately want to say that the movies stand for something. Spike Lee has been making stimulating race movies for years and no one has handed him an award. There have also been a number of other movies that have dealt with the issues of homosexuality more directly than Brokeback Mountain as well, and none of those have been embraced either.
Thursday, March 9, 2006
Fuzzy Briefs: March 9, 2006 (More Breaking News!)
Over the course of the weekend I will have reviews for the following albums:
Asheru and Blue Black of the Unspoken Heard Soon Come...
David Gray Life In Slow Motion
Jaheim Ghetto Classics
Shout Out Louds Howl Howl Gaff Gaff
The Walkmen Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone
In addition, I'll have my wrap up of the Oscars (and my overall sentiments of the movie awards) complete during this time as well. In the meantime, I've got some news that just can't wait, so I'm going to go ahead and post that info and I'll have more for you in the next coming days, enjoy!
News!
Dave Matthews Band and Sheryl Crow to perform at Fenway Park July 7 and 8
I didn't think it would happen, but it appears to be true. I have no further information than what was stated in the title, but expect more to be coming soon. Of course, given that Sheryl Crow has been recovering from her battle with breast cancer, she is only expected to make her appearance as the opening act if her health allows her, but other than that the shows should continue without a hitch.
More DMB-related news!
Soulive has been slated as being the opening act for the July 28 show at Hartford. The funk/jazz group has been around the DMB circles for a while, most famously of which is the performance Louisiana Bayou that was televised from the Red Rocks show which featured Robert Randolph and Soulive trumpeter Rashawn Ross. The final piece of DMB news is that David Gray has been added to the Randall Island concert schedule on August 6, with Slightly Stoopid and Tea Leaf Green being added to perform on the side stage for both dates.
Red Hot Chili Peppers release trailer for new album containing clip from upcoming single
Here's the trailer from the band's upcoming album Stadium Arcadium. At the end of it you can catch the new single, "Dani California." Click here to play.
New Beck album?
While this hasn't been confirmed there are rumors spreading that Beck has a still untitled album in the works that was actually recorded shortly before what became the album Guero. If these rumors are indeed true this would be Beck's tenth album (11 if you want to count Guerolito, the remix companion to his recent release). Also of note, Beck has a couple of very well-done Nick Drake covers on his webpage that are worth checking out. If you're too lazy to look for yourself, the songs are "Which Will" and "Parasite."
Asheru and Blue Black of the Unspoken Heard Soon Come...
David Gray Life In Slow Motion
Jaheim Ghetto Classics
Shout Out Louds Howl Howl Gaff Gaff
The Walkmen Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone
In addition, I'll have my wrap up of the Oscars (and my overall sentiments of the movie awards) complete during this time as well. In the meantime, I've got some news that just can't wait, so I'm going to go ahead and post that info and I'll have more for you in the next coming days, enjoy!
News!
Dave Matthews Band and Sheryl Crow to perform at Fenway Park July 7 and 8
I didn't think it would happen, but it appears to be true. I have no further information than what was stated in the title, but expect more to be coming soon. Of course, given that Sheryl Crow has been recovering from her battle with breast cancer, she is only expected to make her appearance as the opening act if her health allows her, but other than that the shows should continue without a hitch.
More DMB-related news!
Soulive has been slated as being the opening act for the July 28 show at Hartford. The funk/jazz group has been around the DMB circles for a while, most famously of which is the performance Louisiana Bayou that was televised from the Red Rocks show which featured Robert Randolph and Soulive trumpeter Rashawn Ross. The final piece of DMB news is that David Gray has been added to the Randall Island concert schedule on August 6, with Slightly Stoopid and Tea Leaf Green being added to perform on the side stage for both dates.
Red Hot Chili Peppers release trailer for new album containing clip from upcoming single
Here's the trailer from the band's upcoming album Stadium Arcadium. At the end of it you can catch the new single, "Dani California." Click here to play.
New Beck album?
While this hasn't been confirmed there are rumors spreading that Beck has a still untitled album in the works that was actually recorded shortly before what became the album Guero. If these rumors are indeed true this would be Beck's tenth album (11 if you want to count Guerolito, the remix companion to his recent release). Also of note, Beck has a couple of very well-done Nick Drake covers on his webpage that are worth checking out. If you're too lazy to look for yourself, the songs are "Which Will" and "Parasite."
Tuesday, March 7, 2006
Fuzzy Briefs: Marh 7, 2005
Unfortunately I don't have a complete Oscar editorial written yet, school has been pretty hectic lately, so my apologies for that. Rather than waiting though and posting everything at once, I thought I would post a review for an outstanding album that was just released today, as well as a single that's worth noting and some other news. Also, it's been called to my attention that comments may or may not be working. I'm trying to do what I can to get this fixed, so if you continue to experience problems please let me know and I'll do what I can. So, without further adieu, here are the news/reviews:
Nightmares on Wax In a Space Outta Sound
2006 is strangely becoming the year of electronica.
Surprisingly enough, some of the albums that have been most impressive so far this year have been electronica albums. Even more surprising is that these albums aren't being churned out by the more recognizable names such as the Chemical Brothers, Daft Punk, or Basement Jaxx. Instead, they've been released by relative newcomers or in the case of Nightmares on Wax, an artist that has maintained a somewhat muted underground presence for the past 15 years. Getting back to today's electronica scene however, there was the recent release of Mylo's Destroy Rock & Roll, that was superb to say the least, and the same can be said for Vitalic's OK Cowboy which also just recently arrived on US shores. Like the two aforementioned albums, In a Space Outta Sound is an extremely well-executed album. Rooted in a perfect fusion of reggae and old-school funk with a touch of atmospheric practicality, the album manages to always be intriguing and engaging without ever reaching the point of seeming tedious or boring. The loose jam of "Pudpots" would make a perfect platform for James Brown, while tracks like "Flip Ya Lid" recall some of Massive Attack's finer moments on their Blue Lines album. This is an album that begs to be played from start to finish, and as such it's difficult to pinpoint any particular highlights for the album, as they all flow so perfectly that it's almost like an entire, winding journey rather than a linear effort. That said, this is once again one of the most complete electronica albums I've heard, and if I must make a comparison I would call it the late-night chill version of The Avalanches' Since I Left You, and that's quite the compliment.
Rating: 95
Buckcherry "Crazy Bitch" - Single
Also released today was Buckcherry's latest single for their upcoming album 15. While Buckcherry was, to me, pretty much a novelty band since their breakthrough single "Lit Up" back in 1999, it appears that if their single is any indication whatsoever this may not be true. Once again following in the tradition of the mid to late 80's heavy rock bands (think Van Halen and Motley Crue at their respective bests), "Crazy Bitch" is an undoubtedly classic rock tune with it's sheer cockiness (yes, it's also misogynistic) and straightforward but effective pop sensibility. I would personally argue that this song manages to outdo "Lit Up" as the best single the band has ever released, and while they've never been a favorite of mine, that once again could change if the rest of the album follows suit in being as equally surprising (in the good sense) as this song is.
Rating: 90
News!
The Raconteurs releases tracklist for upcoming album
Slated as being one of the albums to look forward to most this year, The Raconteurs released the list of songs that will be appearing on their May 16th released album entitled Broken Boy Soldiers. While tour dates haven't yet been officialized yet, it's almost guaranteed that we'll be seeing a tour here in the states possibly starting as early as April, after their UK tour is over, and also once the White Stripes are done in Japan. Here is the track listing:
01 Steady, As She Goes
02 Hands
03 Broken Boy Soldier
04 Intimate Secretary
05 Together
06 Level
07 Store Bought Bones
08 Yellow Sun
09 Call It A Day
10 Blue Veins
Gnarls Barkley releases track listing for St. Elsewhere
Another highly anticipated album is this collaboration between Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo, and it looks like it's going to be a good one folks. The release date for the album is May 2, while the single Crazy will be released on April 10. Here is the listing:
01 Go-Go Gadget Gospel
02 Crazy
03 St. Elsewhere
04 Gone Daddy Gone
05 Smiley Faces
06 The Boogie Monster
07 Feng Shui
08 Just A Thought
09 Transformer
10 Who Cares?
11 On-Line
12 Necromancer
13 Storm Coming
14 The Last Time
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah kick off US tour starting tonight
After a superb performance on David Letterman a little over a week ago, CYHSY is ready to do their US tour, and while most of the shows have sold out there is still hope for those of you who can't make it but would like nothing better than to at least listen to one of their live performances. All you have to do is go to NPR's website (www.npr.org) tomorrow at 9:30 EST and you'll find that the entire Washington DC concert will indeed be aired. For those of you that'd like a refresher on the tour dates they are as follows:
03-07 Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts
03-08 Washington DC - 9:30 Club
03-09 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
03-10 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
03-12 Sunrise, FL - Markham Park (Langerado Festival)
03-15 Ft. Worth, TX - Ridglea Theater
03-16 Austin, TX - Eternal (SXSW)
03-17 Austin, TX - SXSW
03-18 Austin, TX - SXSW
03-21 Tucson, AZ - Solar Culture
03-22 San Diego, CA - The Casbah
03-23 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theater
03-24 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
03-25 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
03-28 Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater
03-30 Lawrance, KS - The Bottleneck
03-31 Omaha, NE - Sokol Auditorium
04-01 Minneapolis, MN - 400 Bar
04-03 Chicago, IL - Metro
04-05 Newport, KY - Southgate House
04-06 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
04-07 Ann Arbor, MI - Blind Pig
04-08 Toronto, Ontario - Lee's Palace
04-10 Montreal, Quebec - La Tulipe
04-11 Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
04-12 Boston, MA - Paradise
04-14 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
04-15 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
04-29 Indio, CA - Empire Polo Field (Coachella Festival)
05-28 George, WA - The Gorge Amphitheatre (Sasquatch! Festival)
06-16 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
One final note regarding DMB's Summer tour
It appears that Robert Randolph & The Family Band will be the opener for all but one of the shows that had the opening artist TBD. The one exception is the show on the 28th of July which still does not have a confirmed opening act. Also, to update you all on the rumor mill it appears that there is growing speculation in DMB playing a free show at Grant Park much like the Central Park and Golden Gate concerts in previous years. If that plan does not work out it seems that the back up plan is to play at Soldier Field, with the newly named First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre (formerly known as the Tweeter Center, formerly known as the New World Music Theatre, you get the idea) in Tinley Park thankfully scrapped altogether. In regards to the Fenway Park rumors, while there's still been no official releases stating it, it appears that the pieces are falling in place to where a DMB show there could conceivably happen.
Nightmares on Wax In a Space Outta Sound
2006 is strangely becoming the year of electronica.
Surprisingly enough, some of the albums that have been most impressive so far this year have been electronica albums. Even more surprising is that these albums aren't being churned out by the more recognizable names such as the Chemical Brothers, Daft Punk, or Basement Jaxx. Instead, they've been released by relative newcomers or in the case of Nightmares on Wax, an artist that has maintained a somewhat muted underground presence for the past 15 years. Getting back to today's electronica scene however, there was the recent release of Mylo's Destroy Rock & Roll, that was superb to say the least, and the same can be said for Vitalic's OK Cowboy which also just recently arrived on US shores. Like the two aforementioned albums, In a Space Outta Sound is an extremely well-executed album. Rooted in a perfect fusion of reggae and old-school funk with a touch of atmospheric practicality, the album manages to always be intriguing and engaging without ever reaching the point of seeming tedious or boring. The loose jam of "Pudpots" would make a perfect platform for James Brown, while tracks like "Flip Ya Lid" recall some of Massive Attack's finer moments on their Blue Lines album. This is an album that begs to be played from start to finish, and as such it's difficult to pinpoint any particular highlights for the album, as they all flow so perfectly that it's almost like an entire, winding journey rather than a linear effort. That said, this is once again one of the most complete electronica albums I've heard, and if I must make a comparison I would call it the late-night chill version of The Avalanches' Since I Left You, and that's quite the compliment.
Rating: 95
Buckcherry "Crazy Bitch" - Single
Also released today was Buckcherry's latest single for their upcoming album 15. While Buckcherry was, to me, pretty much a novelty band since their breakthrough single "Lit Up" back in 1999, it appears that if their single is any indication whatsoever this may not be true. Once again following in the tradition of the mid to late 80's heavy rock bands (think Van Halen and Motley Crue at their respective bests), "Crazy Bitch" is an undoubtedly classic rock tune with it's sheer cockiness (yes, it's also misogynistic) and straightforward but effective pop sensibility. I would personally argue that this song manages to outdo "Lit Up" as the best single the band has ever released, and while they've never been a favorite of mine, that once again could change if the rest of the album follows suit in being as equally surprising (in the good sense) as this song is.
Rating: 90
News!
The Raconteurs releases tracklist for upcoming album
Slated as being one of the albums to look forward to most this year, The Raconteurs released the list of songs that will be appearing on their May 16th released album entitled Broken Boy Soldiers. While tour dates haven't yet been officialized yet, it's almost guaranteed that we'll be seeing a tour here in the states possibly starting as early as April, after their UK tour is over, and also once the White Stripes are done in Japan. Here is the track listing:
01 Steady, As She Goes
02 Hands
03 Broken Boy Soldier
04 Intimate Secretary
05 Together
06 Level
07 Store Bought Bones
08 Yellow Sun
09 Call It A Day
10 Blue Veins
Gnarls Barkley releases track listing for St. Elsewhere
Another highly anticipated album is this collaboration between Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo, and it looks like it's going to be a good one folks. The release date for the album is May 2, while the single Crazy will be released on April 10. Here is the listing:
01 Go-Go Gadget Gospel
02 Crazy
03 St. Elsewhere
04 Gone Daddy Gone
05 Smiley Faces
06 The Boogie Monster
07 Feng Shui
08 Just A Thought
09 Transformer
10 Who Cares?
11 On-Line
12 Necromancer
13 Storm Coming
14 The Last Time
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah kick off US tour starting tonight
After a superb performance on David Letterman a little over a week ago, CYHSY is ready to do their US tour, and while most of the shows have sold out there is still hope for those of you who can't make it but would like nothing better than to at least listen to one of their live performances. All you have to do is go to NPR's website (www.npr.org) tomorrow at 9:30 EST and you'll find that the entire Washington DC concert will indeed be aired. For those of you that'd like a refresher on the tour dates they are as follows:
03-07 Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts
03-08 Washington DC - 9:30 Club
03-09 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
03-10 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
03-12 Sunrise, FL - Markham Park (Langerado Festival)
03-15 Ft. Worth, TX - Ridglea Theater
03-16 Austin, TX - Eternal (SXSW)
03-17 Austin, TX - SXSW
03-18 Austin, TX - SXSW
03-21 Tucson, AZ - Solar Culture
03-22 San Diego, CA - The Casbah
03-23 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theater
03-24 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
03-25 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
03-28 Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater
03-30 Lawrance, KS - The Bottleneck
03-31 Omaha, NE - Sokol Auditorium
04-01 Minneapolis, MN - 400 Bar
04-03 Chicago, IL - Metro
04-05 Newport, KY - Southgate House
04-06 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
04-07 Ann Arbor, MI - Blind Pig
04-08 Toronto, Ontario - Lee's Palace
04-10 Montreal, Quebec - La Tulipe
04-11 Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
04-12 Boston, MA - Paradise
04-14 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
04-15 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
04-29 Indio, CA - Empire Polo Field (Coachella Festival)
05-28 George, WA - The Gorge Amphitheatre (Sasquatch! Festival)
06-16 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
One final note regarding DMB's Summer tour
It appears that Robert Randolph & The Family Band will be the opener for all but one of the shows that had the opening artist TBD. The one exception is the show on the 28th of July which still does not have a confirmed opening act. Also, to update you all on the rumor mill it appears that there is growing speculation in DMB playing a free show at Grant Park much like the Central Park and Golden Gate concerts in previous years. If that plan does not work out it seems that the back up plan is to play at Soldier Field, with the newly named First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre (formerly known as the Tweeter Center, formerly known as the New World Music Theatre, you get the idea) in Tinley Park thankfully scrapped altogether. In regards to the Fenway Park rumors, while there's still been no official releases stating it, it appears that the pieces are falling in place to where a DMB show there could conceivably happen.
Wednesday, March 1, 2006
Fuzzy Briefs: March 1, 2006 (Breaking News!)
I know I've been doing a lot of updates lately, and to prevent overwhelming you guys I'm keeping this one short. I just wanted to give a preview to what's going to be coming up later on in the world of Fuzzy Thoughts.
Breaking News!
Daveheads unite... just as I published this post I found in my email the schedule for this years DMB summer tour. It appears that the folks at Warehouse listened to our votes after all as the opening acts include Matisyahu, O.A.R., Umphrey's McGee, Gov't Mule, Pat Green, G. Love & Special Sauce, ALO, Gomez and more! DMB will also be returning to Randall Island in August, and will be performing with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones and Gov't Mule, and many other artists. While I'm a bit disappointed that there haven't been any IL shows listed yet, that just gives me one more excuse to go out to Alpine. Also, you notice there are some dates missing, so perhaps they will be filling those in with (crossing fingers) a Pavillion show out on Chicago's lakefront? Hey, it's just as likely as them playing in Fenway Park. Here are the dates:
Tue / May 30 / UMB Bank Pavilion / Maryland Heights, MO / with G Love & Special Sauce
Wed / May 31 / Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre / Bonner Springs, KS / with G Love & Special Sauce
Fri / Jun 2 / Verizon Wireless Music Center / Noblesville, IN with G Love & Special Sauce
Sat / Jun 3 / Verizon Wireless Music Center / Noblesville, IN with G Love & Special Sauce
Tue / Jun 6 / DTE Energy Music Theatre / Clarkston, MI with G Love & Special Sauce
Wed / Jun 7 / Germain Amphitheater / Columbus, OH with G Love & Special Sauce
Fri / Jun 9 / Post Gazette Pavilion at Star Lake / Burgettstown, PA with G Love & Special Sauce
Sat / Jun 10 / Post Gazette Pavilion at Star Lake / Burgettstown, PA with G Love & Special Sauce
Tue / Jun 13 / Molson Amphitheatre / Toronto, ONT with Matisyahu
Wed / Jun 14 / Darien Lake Performing Arts Center / Darien Center, NY with Matisyahu
Fri / Jun 16 / Saratoga Performing Arts Center / Saratoga Springs, NY with ALO
Sat / Jun 17 / Saratoga Performing Arts Center / Saratoga Springs, NY with ALO
Tue / Jun 20 / Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre / Charlotte, NC with ALO
Wed / Jun 21 / ALLTEL Pavilion at Walnut Creek / Raleigh, NC with ALO
Fri / Jun 23 / HersheyPark Stadium / Hershey, PA with O.A.R.
Sat / Jun 24 / Nissan Pavilion at Stone Ridge / Bristow, VA with Gomez
Tue / Jun 27 / Tweeter Center at the Waterfront / Camden, NJ with Gomez
Wed / Jun 28 / Tweeter Center at the Waterfront / Camden, NJ with Gomez
Sat / Jul 1 / Alpine Valley Music Theatre / East Troy, WI with Umphrey's McGee
Sun / Jul 2 / Alpine Valley Music Theatre / East Troy, WI with Umphrey's McGee
Tue / Jul 4 / Verizon Wireless VA Beach Amphitheater / Virginia Beach, VA with Umphrey's McGee
Wed / Jul 5 / Ford Pavilion at Montage Mountain / Scranton, PA with Umphrey's McGee
Fri / Jul 28 / New England Dodge Music Center / Hartford, CT with TBA
Sat / Jul 29 / New England Dodge Music Center / Hartford, CT with Gov't Mule
Tue / Aug 1 / Riverbend Music Center / Cincinnati, OH with Gov't Mule
Wed / Aug 2 / Blossom Music Center / Cuyahoga Falls, OH with Gov't Mule
Sat / Aug 5 / Randall's Island / New York, New York with Gov't Mule and Bela Fleck & the Flecktones
Sun / Aug 6 / Randall's Island / New York, New York with Bela Fleck & the Flecktones
Wed / Aug 9 / Ford Amphitheatre / Tampa, FL with Pat Green
Fri / Aug 11 / Sound Advice Amphitheatre / West Palm Beach, FL with Pat Green
Sat / Aug 12 / Sound Advice Amphitheatre / West Palm Beach, FL with Pat Green
Tue / Aug 15 / HiFi Buys Amphitheatre / Atlanta, GA with Pat Green
Wed / Aug 16 / Starwood Amphitheatre / Antioch, TN with Pat Green
Fri / Aug 18 / The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion / Woodlands, TX with O.A.R.
Sat / Aug 19 / Smirnoff Music Centre / Dallas, TX with O.A.R.
Wed / Aug 23 / Cricket Pavilion / Phoenix, AZ with O.A.R.
Fri / Aug 25 / Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre / Irvine, CA with TBA
Sat / Aug 26 / Coors Amphitheatre / Chula Vista, CA with TBA
Mon / Aug 28 / Hollywood Bowl / Hollywood, CA with TBA
Wed / Aug 30 / USANA Amphitheatre / West Valley City, UT with TBA
Fri / Sep 1 / Gorge Amphitheatre / George, WA with O.A.R.
Sat / Sep 2 / Gorge Amphitheatre / George, WA with O.A.R.
Sun / Sep 3 / Gorge Amphitheatre / George, WA with O.A.R.
Wed / Sep 6 / Raley Field / West Sacramento, CA with TBA
Fri / Sep 8 / Shoreline Amphitheatre / Mountain View, CA with TBA
Sat / Sep 9 / Shoreline Amphitheatre / Mountain View, CA with TBA
Tue / Sep 12 / Pepsi Center / Denver, CO with TBA
Fri / Sep 22 / John Paul Jones Arena / Charlottesville, VA with TBA
Sat / Sep 23 / John Paul Jones Arena / Charlottesville, VA with TBA
Lollapalooza 2006
Once again Lollapalooza will be in Chicago this year. Being one of the approximated 60,000 that attended last year's event, I have to say it was an absolute blast and I can't wait to do it again this year (I'm hoping it won't be nearly as hot this time around though). I'm working on getting as much info as possible in terms of lineup rumors, as the completed lineup won't be revealed for some time. There have been so far only two confirmed acts, both of which are very appealing. The first is one I actually mentioned in my last update, but once again Red Hot Chili Peppers will be taking part in the festivities, as will Thievery Corporation. This year's festival is going to be much larger than last, spanning over a three day period this time around and expecting as many as 225,000 people. That's a ton of people, but as long as they're as organized and well prepared as they were last year, it just might work out well. Dates this year are August 4-6, and you can register for e-mail updates, ticket info and the like when they become available here.
Upcoming Stories
With the Oscars coming up on Sunday, I'll be sure to give a recap for both that and my overall impression of the awards season as I haven't yet commented on them. I'll also have some "Vault" reviews coming from The Walkmen, The Shout Out Louds, and DJ Logic.
Breaking News!
Daveheads unite... just as I published this post I found in my email the schedule for this years DMB summer tour. It appears that the folks at Warehouse listened to our votes after all as the opening acts include Matisyahu, O.A.R., Umphrey's McGee, Gov't Mule, Pat Green, G. Love & Special Sauce, ALO, Gomez and more! DMB will also be returning to Randall Island in August, and will be performing with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones and Gov't Mule, and many other artists. While I'm a bit disappointed that there haven't been any IL shows listed yet, that just gives me one more excuse to go out to Alpine. Also, you notice there are some dates missing, so perhaps they will be filling those in with (crossing fingers) a Pavillion show out on Chicago's lakefront? Hey, it's just as likely as them playing in Fenway Park. Here are the dates:
Tue / May 30 / UMB Bank Pavilion / Maryland Heights, MO / with G Love & Special Sauce
Wed / May 31 / Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre / Bonner Springs, KS / with G Love & Special Sauce
Fri / Jun 2 / Verizon Wireless Music Center / Noblesville, IN with G Love & Special Sauce
Sat / Jun 3 / Verizon Wireless Music Center / Noblesville, IN with G Love & Special Sauce
Tue / Jun 6 / DTE Energy Music Theatre / Clarkston, MI with G Love & Special Sauce
Wed / Jun 7 / Germain Amphitheater / Columbus, OH with G Love & Special Sauce
Fri / Jun 9 / Post Gazette Pavilion at Star Lake / Burgettstown, PA with G Love & Special Sauce
Sat / Jun 10 / Post Gazette Pavilion at Star Lake / Burgettstown, PA with G Love & Special Sauce
Tue / Jun 13 / Molson Amphitheatre / Toronto, ONT with Matisyahu
Wed / Jun 14 / Darien Lake Performing Arts Center / Darien Center, NY with Matisyahu
Fri / Jun 16 / Saratoga Performing Arts Center / Saratoga Springs, NY with ALO
Sat / Jun 17 / Saratoga Performing Arts Center / Saratoga Springs, NY with ALO
Tue / Jun 20 / Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre / Charlotte, NC with ALO
Wed / Jun 21 / ALLTEL Pavilion at Walnut Creek / Raleigh, NC with ALO
Fri / Jun 23 / HersheyPark Stadium / Hershey, PA with O.A.R.
Sat / Jun 24 / Nissan Pavilion at Stone Ridge / Bristow, VA with Gomez
Tue / Jun 27 / Tweeter Center at the Waterfront / Camden, NJ with Gomez
Wed / Jun 28 / Tweeter Center at the Waterfront / Camden, NJ with Gomez
Sat / Jul 1 / Alpine Valley Music Theatre / East Troy, WI with Umphrey's McGee
Sun / Jul 2 / Alpine Valley Music Theatre / East Troy, WI with Umphrey's McGee
Tue / Jul 4 / Verizon Wireless VA Beach Amphitheater / Virginia Beach, VA with Umphrey's McGee
Wed / Jul 5 / Ford Pavilion at Montage Mountain / Scranton, PA with Umphrey's McGee
Fri / Jul 28 / New England Dodge Music Center / Hartford, CT with TBA
Sat / Jul 29 / New England Dodge Music Center / Hartford, CT with Gov't Mule
Tue / Aug 1 / Riverbend Music Center / Cincinnati, OH with Gov't Mule
Wed / Aug 2 / Blossom Music Center / Cuyahoga Falls, OH with Gov't Mule
Sat / Aug 5 / Randall's Island / New York, New York with Gov't Mule and Bela Fleck & the Flecktones
Sun / Aug 6 / Randall's Island / New York, New York with Bela Fleck & the Flecktones
Wed / Aug 9 / Ford Amphitheatre / Tampa, FL with Pat Green
Fri / Aug 11 / Sound Advice Amphitheatre / West Palm Beach, FL with Pat Green
Sat / Aug 12 / Sound Advice Amphitheatre / West Palm Beach, FL with Pat Green
Tue / Aug 15 / HiFi Buys Amphitheatre / Atlanta, GA with Pat Green
Wed / Aug 16 / Starwood Amphitheatre / Antioch, TN with Pat Green
Fri / Aug 18 / The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion / Woodlands, TX with O.A.R.
Sat / Aug 19 / Smirnoff Music Centre / Dallas, TX with O.A.R.
Wed / Aug 23 / Cricket Pavilion / Phoenix, AZ with O.A.R.
Fri / Aug 25 / Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre / Irvine, CA with TBA
Sat / Aug 26 / Coors Amphitheatre / Chula Vista, CA with TBA
Mon / Aug 28 / Hollywood Bowl / Hollywood, CA with TBA
Wed / Aug 30 / USANA Amphitheatre / West Valley City, UT with TBA
Fri / Sep 1 / Gorge Amphitheatre / George, WA with O.A.R.
Sat / Sep 2 / Gorge Amphitheatre / George, WA with O.A.R.
Sun / Sep 3 / Gorge Amphitheatre / George, WA with O.A.R.
Wed / Sep 6 / Raley Field / West Sacramento, CA with TBA
Fri / Sep 8 / Shoreline Amphitheatre / Mountain View, CA with TBA
Sat / Sep 9 / Shoreline Amphitheatre / Mountain View, CA with TBA
Tue / Sep 12 / Pepsi Center / Denver, CO with TBA
Fri / Sep 22 / John Paul Jones Arena / Charlottesville, VA with TBA
Sat / Sep 23 / John Paul Jones Arena / Charlottesville, VA with TBA
Lollapalooza 2006
Once again Lollapalooza will be in Chicago this year. Being one of the approximated 60,000 that attended last year's event, I have to say it was an absolute blast and I can't wait to do it again this year (I'm hoping it won't be nearly as hot this time around though). I'm working on getting as much info as possible in terms of lineup rumors, as the completed lineup won't be revealed for some time. There have been so far only two confirmed acts, both of which are very appealing. The first is one I actually mentioned in my last update, but once again Red Hot Chili Peppers will be taking part in the festivities, as will Thievery Corporation. This year's festival is going to be much larger than last, spanning over a three day period this time around and expecting as many as 225,000 people. That's a ton of people, but as long as they're as organized and well prepared as they were last year, it just might work out well. Dates this year are August 4-6, and you can register for e-mail updates, ticket info and the like when they become available here.
Upcoming Stories
With the Oscars coming up on Sunday, I'll be sure to give a recap for both that and my overall impression of the awards season as I haven't yet commented on them. I'll also have some "Vault" reviews coming from The Walkmen, The Shout Out Louds, and DJ Logic.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Fuzzy Bits: February 28, 2006- Mardis Gras Special
While there's not going to be anything Mardis Gras related to this entry, I did want to take the chance to perhaps give you folks out there a few reasons to feel good about the music scene in 2006. Before I get to that though, a couple of you touched on a subject that I'd been meaning to get to but kept forgetting about. About a couple of weeks ago, CBS pulled the plug on "Love Monkey" much to the chagrin of both critics and its selective fans. I can understand wholeheartedly why it didn't receive the ratings of rival shows, but to completely shelve the show altogether is rather startling. I think that CBS was being exceedingly short-sighted in that they expected "Love Monkey" to be immediately rewarding (for the company) and thus be the proper successor to their relatively weak lineup of sitcom TV shows. Instead, they should have moved the date and time of the show, and market it differently, because it's really a solid show, but between the dozens of other shows that have been going on and off the air it always felt lost in the shuffle. So, speaking on a relative topic, I thought I'd first give some insight to what I'm currently watching on TV, and then also give you a heads up on a movie that I hope will be #1 this weekend.
What's good on TV
Meanwhile, my favorite new show "The Boondocks" (Sundays 11PM ET on Cartoon Network's Adult swim) is still going strong as it's been renewed for a second season much to the dismay of many (ahem, Al Sharpton) who feel that the TV show is too edgy for its own good. Moving on to another show, "24" has managed to captivate me, despite having no problems avoiding it for the previous four seasons. I'm not sure if it's actually better this year or I just have finally been able to "get it," but it seems to me that the plot is much tighter than I can ever remember this season. Another show that I've been watching religiously, although it's a bit of a guilty pleasure for me, is "Grey's Anatomy." With its diverse casting, intriguing characters, consistent storyline, and not to mention an outstanding soundtrack, it's no surprise that it's been the hit TV show of the year.
Upcoming movies to look for
Coming up on Friday, Dave Chappelle's Block Party finally hits the big screen. Directed by Michel Gondry, while there is some focus on Dave Chappelle and his comedic talents, the main point of Block Party are the performers. Joined by the newly-reunited Fugees, the Roots, Common, Talib Kweli, Erykah Badu, Mos Def, Jill Scott, and many more, this is looking to be a true gem of a documentary. Block Party will be released this Friday.
Reasons to feel good about music 2006
As many of the comments lately have suggested, things are running a little dry right now in the music industry. However, I do completely expect 2006 to be one of the best years of music in recent memory by the time all is said and done. With that in mind, I'm going to discuss some of the upcoming albums that should be coming out that are well worth getting excited (or at least hopeful about).
Rock
This category is easily the most promising, with veteran acts Ben Harper and Flaming Lips returning with new releases. Ben Harper's latest Both Sides of the Gun, to be released March 21, is a two-disc effort, one disc containing a softer acoustic sound while the other rocks just a bit harder. While this would mean an almost certain automatic failure for any other artist, Ben Harper is one of the few that works equally well in both respects, as both his slower, quieter ballads as well as his harder songs have both earned substantial acclaim. Harper currently has a single that's available on iTunes entitled "Better Way," and is definitely worth checking out. As positive as it is political, this is easily one of the best songs to be released by Ben Harper and manages to avoid coming off as preachy. Also a major positive as far as touring is concerned is that it's almost guaranteed that Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals will be doing some extensive touring all over the country (and perhaps internationally once again) to support his latest effort. The Flaming Lips' latest, At War With the Mystics, is their first album since the delightfully strange Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots which was released four years ago. From the sound of both "The WAND" and "Ambulance Driver," this album seems to fall somewhere in between their last couple of records-- in other words, a much more guitar oriented electro-rock sound. The date of release will be April 4th. Guster is also set to release a new album June 13, which will be entitled Ganging Up on the Sun. The single for the album was released digitally last year and is entitled "Manifest Destiny/Sorority Tears" and proves that Guster is indeed going into a different direction with their sound, which is probably a good thing given the success of Keep It Together. Dave Matthews Band is heavily rumored to have their new album ready by late this year, as they are in the process of working with Stand Up producer Mark Batson once again. In the meantime, DMB has been keeping busy as they have been collaborating with Jurassic 5 (yes, you read that correctly) and will be featured in J5's upcoming single "Work It Out" for their new album which will be released June 6. Also, one of the albums I'm personally anticipating the most is Subtitulo by Josh Rouse, which will be coming out March 21. Considering Rouse has already established an impressive set of releases already, it would not be surprising to see Subtitulo follow suit and be considered one of the most impressive efforts by years end. Finally, one of the most anticipated releases is John Mayer Trio's Continuum which is still set for release sometime in May. While the live album Try! was not only an outstanding preview as to what's to come, it also showed the versatility of John Mayer that will hopefully be even more visible on the studio effort. It is also worth noting that Robert Randolph & The Family Band will be back with a new album in May that will feature such guests as Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews and a few others, which could potentially help to surpass the success of their studio debut Unclassified. Lastly, Red Hot Chili Peppers look to propel themselves back into the limelight with their latest double-album Stadium Arcadium, which will be released May 9. In support of the album, RHCP will be doing some extensive touring, including being recently confirmed to headline Chicago's Lollapalooza festival.
Alternative
In case you missed my earlier post on them, The Raconteurs look to be the latest supergroup to win over fans and critics alike. With the singles "Steady as She Goes" and "Store Bought Bones" available on their webpage, you get an idea that this could very well be something special. With the braintrust of Jack White (of White Stripes fame) and Brendan Benson, it'd be very difficult for them to go wrong. While I wouldn't agree with some of the comments heralding them as the "Nirvana of Detroit" (I believe that was NME but I might be wrong), their album Broken Boy Soldiers should be quite the treat regardless. The CD should be released sometime in May. The other-worldly rockers known as Radiohead are also slated to release their latest studio effort some time this year. For anyone that has checked out any of the numerous Radiohead affiliated webpages, you've probably seen the messages from those within the band, and by the looks of things it appears that Radiohead is almost, if not finished, with their album, so hopefully it will be released sometime in the summer or fall. Out of nowhere alt-rock darlings Snow Patrol is all set for their new album Eyes Open to be released in April, and since they've now broken into the mainstream it will be incredibly interesting to see how the reception to their latest release will be. Bloc Party, who made an incredible breakthrough album in Silent Alarm is already getting set to head back into the studio for their new album which is hoped to be released in August. From the gate, Bloc Party has stated that the band is looking to change their sound, so look for a lot of experimentation to take place, for better or worse. Finally, The Walkmen are all ready for their follow up to Bows + Arrows with their new album A Hundred Miles Off to be released May 23rd. Expect a relatively lighter sound to come from the New York based band this time around, rather than the harsher sound that they have displayed in previous efforts.
Hip-Hop/Rap and R&B
Easily the most anticipated album to come out this year in the Hip Hop category will be The Roots' debut on Jay-Z's Def Jam label with their September release of The Game Theory. While details are relatively unknown about the album, it is worth mentioning that the album will be on a new Def Jam imprint called Def Jam Left. Also of note, there has been talk, as Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson has pointed out, that Black Thought (lead MC of The Roots) could possibly do a solo project with acclaimed producer Danger Mouse. While realistically this project would not necessarily see the light of day until 2007, especially considering the September release of Game Theory it's definitely something worth keeping an eye on. Speaking of Danger Mouse, his collaborative effort with Cee-Lo under the name Gnarls Barkley will be released May 2. The album, which will be entitled St. Elsewhere, has been hugely anticipated, and will feature "Crazy" as the lead single. While the single won't be officially released until April 10, it appears some of the overseas press has been able to get it already and BBC called it "one of the hottest tracks of 2006." Ludacris is all set to release his latest album, his sixth in as many years, Release Therapy. In a pleasant surprise, it seems that Ludacris, who has lately been featured in a number of acclaimed movies, most notably Crash, has been influenced by his roles and as such plans to be much more politically and socially aware in his approach to music, starting with the upcoming release. The most delayed album of the year, Outkast's Idlewild is now supposed to be released in April, and hopefully that will remain true as the date approaches. The soundtrack for the movie with the same name is set in the rural south during the 1930's, so it's to be expected that the sound will be deeply rooted in ragtime/delta blues genres. Finally, Busta Rhymes is releasing The Big Bang sometime this year and could prove to be one of the top albums sales-wise this year. Also, the most prolific R&B artist to be releasing an album this year, Prince's latest album 3121 will be out March 21. He has already released several singles for the album, most notably "Black Sweat" and "Te Amo Corazon" which both have supporting videos. "Black Sweat" is much like the Prince we've come to know and love, and is as funky and sexy as anything he's released (without being over the top) and his video definitely backs that up. "Te Amo Corazon" is also a very sensual song, and it's latin flavor will definitely make it a favorite for many. The video for "Te Amo Corzon" is also very well done, as it was directed by actress Salma Hayek.
So, there you have it. As you can see there are plenty of reasons to get excited about 2006, and for those that are looking for albums that are currently out now I'd still highly recommend the following which I recently reviewed:
Aceyalone & RJD2 Magnificent City
Belle & Sebastian The Life Pursuit
KT Tunstall Eyes to the Telescope
Mylo Destroy Rock & Roll
Also, for the list of my top ranked albums of last year, here are the links:
40-30
29-20
19-11
The Top 10
What's good on TV
Meanwhile, my favorite new show "The Boondocks" (Sundays 11PM ET on Cartoon Network's Adult swim) is still going strong as it's been renewed for a second season much to the dismay of many (ahem, Al Sharpton) who feel that the TV show is too edgy for its own good. Moving on to another show, "24" has managed to captivate me, despite having no problems avoiding it for the previous four seasons. I'm not sure if it's actually better this year or I just have finally been able to "get it," but it seems to me that the plot is much tighter than I can ever remember this season. Another show that I've been watching religiously, although it's a bit of a guilty pleasure for me, is "Grey's Anatomy." With its diverse casting, intriguing characters, consistent storyline, and not to mention an outstanding soundtrack, it's no surprise that it's been the hit TV show of the year.
Upcoming movies to look for
Coming up on Friday, Dave Chappelle's Block Party finally hits the big screen. Directed by Michel Gondry, while there is some focus on Dave Chappelle and his comedic talents, the main point of Block Party are the performers. Joined by the newly-reunited Fugees, the Roots, Common, Talib Kweli, Erykah Badu, Mos Def, Jill Scott, and many more, this is looking to be a true gem of a documentary. Block Party will be released this Friday.
Reasons to feel good about music 2006
As many of the comments lately have suggested, things are running a little dry right now in the music industry. However, I do completely expect 2006 to be one of the best years of music in recent memory by the time all is said and done. With that in mind, I'm going to discuss some of the upcoming albums that should be coming out that are well worth getting excited (or at least hopeful about).
Rock
This category is easily the most promising, with veteran acts Ben Harper and Flaming Lips returning with new releases. Ben Harper's latest Both Sides of the Gun, to be released March 21, is a two-disc effort, one disc containing a softer acoustic sound while the other rocks just a bit harder. While this would mean an almost certain automatic failure for any other artist, Ben Harper is one of the few that works equally well in both respects, as both his slower, quieter ballads as well as his harder songs have both earned substantial acclaim. Harper currently has a single that's available on iTunes entitled "Better Way," and is definitely worth checking out. As positive as it is political, this is easily one of the best songs to be released by Ben Harper and manages to avoid coming off as preachy. Also a major positive as far as touring is concerned is that it's almost guaranteed that Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals will be doing some extensive touring all over the country (and perhaps internationally once again) to support his latest effort. The Flaming Lips' latest, At War With the Mystics, is their first album since the delightfully strange Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots which was released four years ago. From the sound of both "The WAND" and "Ambulance Driver," this album seems to fall somewhere in between their last couple of records-- in other words, a much more guitar oriented electro-rock sound. The date of release will be April 4th. Guster is also set to release a new album June 13, which will be entitled Ganging Up on the Sun. The single for the album was released digitally last year and is entitled "Manifest Destiny/Sorority Tears" and proves that Guster is indeed going into a different direction with their sound, which is probably a good thing given the success of Keep It Together. Dave Matthews Band is heavily rumored to have their new album ready by late this year, as they are in the process of working with Stand Up producer Mark Batson once again. In the meantime, DMB has been keeping busy as they have been collaborating with Jurassic 5 (yes, you read that correctly) and will be featured in J5's upcoming single "Work It Out" for their new album which will be released June 6. Also, one of the albums I'm personally anticipating the most is Subtitulo by Josh Rouse, which will be coming out March 21. Considering Rouse has already established an impressive set of releases already, it would not be surprising to see Subtitulo follow suit and be considered one of the most impressive efforts by years end. Finally, one of the most anticipated releases is John Mayer Trio's Continuum which is still set for release sometime in May. While the live album Try! was not only an outstanding preview as to what's to come, it also showed the versatility of John Mayer that will hopefully be even more visible on the studio effort. It is also worth noting that Robert Randolph & The Family Band will be back with a new album in May that will feature such guests as Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews and a few others, which could potentially help to surpass the success of their studio debut Unclassified. Lastly, Red Hot Chili Peppers look to propel themselves back into the limelight with their latest double-album Stadium Arcadium, which will be released May 9. In support of the album, RHCP will be doing some extensive touring, including being recently confirmed to headline Chicago's Lollapalooza festival.
Alternative
In case you missed my earlier post on them, The Raconteurs look to be the latest supergroup to win over fans and critics alike. With the singles "Steady as She Goes" and "Store Bought Bones" available on their webpage, you get an idea that this could very well be something special. With the braintrust of Jack White (of White Stripes fame) and Brendan Benson, it'd be very difficult for them to go wrong. While I wouldn't agree with some of the comments heralding them as the "Nirvana of Detroit" (I believe that was NME but I might be wrong), their album Broken Boy Soldiers should be quite the treat regardless. The CD should be released sometime in May. The other-worldly rockers known as Radiohead are also slated to release their latest studio effort some time this year. For anyone that has checked out any of the numerous Radiohead affiliated webpages, you've probably seen the messages from those within the band, and by the looks of things it appears that Radiohead is almost, if not finished, with their album, so hopefully it will be released sometime in the summer or fall. Out of nowhere alt-rock darlings Snow Patrol is all set for their new album Eyes Open to be released in April, and since they've now broken into the mainstream it will be incredibly interesting to see how the reception to their latest release will be. Bloc Party, who made an incredible breakthrough album in Silent Alarm is already getting set to head back into the studio for their new album which is hoped to be released in August. From the gate, Bloc Party has stated that the band is looking to change their sound, so look for a lot of experimentation to take place, for better or worse. Finally, The Walkmen are all ready for their follow up to Bows + Arrows with their new album A Hundred Miles Off to be released May 23rd. Expect a relatively lighter sound to come from the New York based band this time around, rather than the harsher sound that they have displayed in previous efforts.
Hip-Hop/Rap and R&B
Easily the most anticipated album to come out this year in the Hip Hop category will be The Roots' debut on Jay-Z's Def Jam label with their September release of The Game Theory. While details are relatively unknown about the album, it is worth mentioning that the album will be on a new Def Jam imprint called Def Jam Left. Also of note, there has been talk, as Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson has pointed out, that Black Thought (lead MC of The Roots) could possibly do a solo project with acclaimed producer Danger Mouse. While realistically this project would not necessarily see the light of day until 2007, especially considering the September release of Game Theory it's definitely something worth keeping an eye on. Speaking of Danger Mouse, his collaborative effort with Cee-Lo under the name Gnarls Barkley will be released May 2. The album, which will be entitled St. Elsewhere, has been hugely anticipated, and will feature "Crazy" as the lead single. While the single won't be officially released until April 10, it appears some of the overseas press has been able to get it already and BBC called it "one of the hottest tracks of 2006." Ludacris is all set to release his latest album, his sixth in as many years, Release Therapy. In a pleasant surprise, it seems that Ludacris, who has lately been featured in a number of acclaimed movies, most notably Crash, has been influenced by his roles and as such plans to be much more politically and socially aware in his approach to music, starting with the upcoming release. The most delayed album of the year, Outkast's Idlewild is now supposed to be released in April, and hopefully that will remain true as the date approaches. The soundtrack for the movie with the same name is set in the rural south during the 1930's, so it's to be expected that the sound will be deeply rooted in ragtime/delta blues genres. Finally, Busta Rhymes is releasing The Big Bang sometime this year and could prove to be one of the top albums sales-wise this year. Also, the most prolific R&B artist to be releasing an album this year, Prince's latest album 3121 will be out March 21. He has already released several singles for the album, most notably "Black Sweat" and "Te Amo Corazon" which both have supporting videos. "Black Sweat" is much like the Prince we've come to know and love, and is as funky and sexy as anything he's released (without being over the top) and his video definitely backs that up. "Te Amo Corazon" is also a very sensual song, and it's latin flavor will definitely make it a favorite for many. The video for "Te Amo Corzon" is also very well done, as it was directed by actress Salma Hayek.
So, there you have it. As you can see there are plenty of reasons to get excited about 2006, and for those that are looking for albums that are currently out now I'd still highly recommend the following which I recently reviewed:
Aceyalone & RJD2 Magnificent City
Belle & Sebastian The Life Pursuit
KT Tunstall Eyes to the Telescope
Mylo Destroy Rock & Roll
Also, for the list of my top ranked albums of last year, here are the links:
40-30
29-20
19-11
The Top 10
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