Getting Lucky in Indi-ucky

Tour w/ husband&wife: Part 4 (The Home Stretch)

2009-03-11T13:04:00.003-04:00

The show in Lexington wasn't quite what we thought it would be, but it was still really cool. We found out last minute that The Stick Figures weren't playing, but another Cinci band called The Atriums were. While we were loading in I saw a dude named Steve loading his gear in and he used to be roommates with Derek Keijner and Mark Lukey. It turns out that he is in this new band The Atriums and so is an old friend of mine named Billy who I hadn't seen in a long time. I knew both those dudes from completely different circles so its always fun to have your worlds collide like that.

Anyway, the show was at Molly Malone's and it was in the second floor of this bar which was cool. There ended up being a ton of people there towards the end and we played a really solid set that everyone seemed to really like. Derek and Meesh ended up coming as they just happened to be on their way to Cinci when I texted him to say that I was playing a show with Steve. The Atriums had a really great set and it is always nice to see old friends doing well. I have a feeling that Chemic and The Atriums will be doing more stuff together in the future.

On the flip side, I felt absolutely aweful all day long. I was trying to ignore it because I thought I just might have been feeling a little hung over from the night before, but by show time last night I was coughing up my lungs and had a fever and felt absolutely terrible. I was hoping that I wasn't getting pneumonia or anything but by the time we left the show, I was pretty sure that I was full-fledged sick. We decided to drive to Louisville instead of hanging around in Cincinnati and while we were on I-71 I realized that I had left my house key on the keychain that I left in Bloomington in order that Bryant can drive my car back to Louisville to meet up with the boys on tour. Of course, this was about 2AM when I realized this so I had to try to get a hold of Shane or Jon to let me in the house, but I was pretty sure that neither of them were actually staying at the house...plus my phone was about to die. So, with the last gasping breath of my phone battery, I got Jon's number and called him a couple times from Will's phone. He finally called me back and we drove over to his fiance Jordan's apartment to get the house key and get some sleep at the house. We finally settled in around 3 and I chugged cold medicine in order to ward off the evil spirits.

This morning I headed out a little early to the LEO (Louisville Eccentric Observer) which is located downtown, and I met up with Mat Herron to do a podcast about Bro. Stephen and the show tonight. It was a good time and Mat was super gracious and even bought me a nice coffee! Mat is the music editor at the LEO and runs his own blog there called Bluegrass Catastrophe. The podcast should be up today and when it goes live I will link it right here.

Tonight is the awesome awesome show with Brooks Ritter at Sunergos Coffee and it starts at 6ish. Bro. Stephen is first, then h&w, then Brooks. I'm really excited! I'm hoping that we'll get to play disc golf again today or do some fun stuff. It's nice to know that we are sleeping in the same place for 2 nights in a row. Of course, I am home for good after tonight and I will start looking into booking a few tours this summer for Chemic and Bro. Stephen! Look out!! I will leave you now with more squirrel pictures...

Tour w/ husband&wife: Part 3

2009-03-10T15:23:00.002-04:00

Our drive to Muncie got very interesting/weird/sad the closer we got to town. We saw a bunch of smoke from a distance on Highway 35 and we pulled up to find a farmhouse burning down. That was really sad and surreal because there were so many fire trucks just trying to put it out, but they really couldn't do anything. Parts of the roof just kept caving in and shooting out giant fireballs. I think that was in Economy, IN.

We also passed 6 cop cars doing a K-9 raid on an abandoned building that had the word "GIRLS" in tiles on the green roof. It obviously used to be a strip club or something, but the scene hinted that the sordid leanings of the building didn't leave with the business. We were on the east side of the river in Muncie and it looks like the economy has not been friendly to this area. It's tough to see such devastating effects of factories closing down. It looked like 1970s Flint, MI.

Anyway, Ball State is on Spring Break right now so Muncie is a ghost town. We weren't quite sure what we were walking into, but it ended up being one of the coolest shows. We first pulled up to Village Green Records and Dan led us over to Doc's to load-in and get everything set up. We then went back to Muncie and had a little acoustic show with Sgt. Schepper, Zach Melton, Bro. Stephen, and husband&wife. That was a lot of fun and there were a good number of folks just blissing out to friends hanging out and playing music on the couch. Village Green is a really cool store and they have awesome shows there all the time, which is suprising because its so small.

We then headed to Doc's and found out that we were going to do an hour long interview and then play an hour long set which is much longer than our normal set. Plus, the interview and performance were going to be broadcast on the major classic rock station in Muncie called 95.3 The Max! We weren't sure what they were expecting from us, but the interview was really fun and we played really well. Kyle from Rodeo filled in on 4 or 5 songs that I didn't know in order to fill out the hour. I'm glad he was there. The folks at Doc's were SO nice. We have run into the greatest folks ever on this tour. It's been really refreshing. They gave us unlimited free drinks and pizza and just treated us like we were old friends. There were some friends from around the way who showed up and Jesse Beals (the old drummer for Rodeo) showed up randomly. It was good to see him and talk about Louisville with his girlfriend. We then went back to the McCombs (old friends of the boys) and they have the most incredible house ever here in Muncie. It's like a summer cabin that is their home and they got it for ridiculously cheap. They've been super nice and they made us waffles this morning and we're getting ready to go to lunch before we head down to Cincinnati to play at Molly Malone's w/ The Stick Figures and The Apprentice. Should be a good show. We've had nothing but great shows. This can't last forever. Or maybe it can!

P.S. The McCombs have a pet squirrel named Wilson that we got to play with. It was awesome! He's a cute little fella that they nursed as a baby and are getting ready to release it in the wild in a few weeks. Will and I played with him today. Here's a picture!

Tour w/ husband&wife: Part 2

2009-03-09T11:34:00.004-04:00

So, to pick up where I left off, I did not bring my A-game to disc golf in Indi. It was a sweet course that was very similar to the course at Iroquois park in Louisville. I didn't do the greatest, but I did finish strong. Andy whipped all of us anyway. After that we met up with Mike and Ryan Dill and some other folks outside of a Starbucks and chatted while Will passed around his little pot of Yerba Matte. I'm told it's pronounced Sherba Matte. I think that's deceiving.

We headed up to Ft. Wayne after that, and headed to the Tiger Room which was a cool room in the Calhoun Street Tavern. I have to say that the staff at this establishment were some of the nicest people of all time! They gave each band member 4 drink tickets and the out of town bands got free food too! I got a massive roast beef sandwich on a fresh soft, handmade bun. It was delicious. Bro. Stephen opened up the show and had a nice reception. I think almost everyone was singing on "The Front Room" at the end of the set which is always kind of terrifying, but exciting. After BS, husband&wife took the stage and totally tore it down. I can't help but sing along as loud as possible to these songs because this new record is really incredible. It's been so much fun playing with one of my favorite bands ever. After us was Everybody from Bloomington again and they rocked out again, and then Metavari took the stage. Ty from Metavari was the sweetest dude ever. During their set, Kyle from Darkroom came by and hung out for a little bit. He's a pretty sweet dude. We talked about how disappointing Bill Mallonee's career arch has been.

After the show we went over to Ty and Emily's and had a dance party til 4 in the morning. Except that there was the time change and it was 5 in the morning. We cashed out and woke up to 3 trays of cinnamon rolls and coffee. We then jumped on the expressway and I took the wheel to get us to Columbus. We were playing at a place called Andyman's Treehouse and it was just as awesome as it sounds. The place was totally out of the way and was one of those awesome hole-in-the-walls where you totally feel like an insider as soon as you walk in. In the room where we played there is a gigantic tree growing out of the floor and through the roof. I really wish I had a camera because the room would be perfect for some awesome pictures. We played with a band called Kyle and The Sowashes and they rocked hard. It was awesome.

We went back to Seth's and crashed pretty hard after drink copius amounts of Mtn Dew (when did the change the spelling?) and eating pizza. We are now catching up on emails and FailBlog and Youtube videos. Fat Man on Youtube is one of the most depressing things I've ever seen. Leaving for Muncie soon and hanging out with Zach Melton so it should be a good time. See you in Louisville on Wednesday!

Tour w/ husband&wife: Part 1

2009-03-07T11:05:00.002-05:00

So, I got into Bloomington Thursday night around 7 and went straight to Mike's house where him and Frank were working on Frank's new record. They are almost done with his record and it sounds SO good. They just have to finish the vocals and a few odds and ends and it'll be good to go. You need to keep an eye out for it. For real. He has some tunes up here.

After grabbing some Taco Bell with the fellas, we headed back to Mike's where Tim, Will, and Bryant all came over for husband&wife practice. We started around 10:30 and after Bryant showed me some of his choice licks (that sounds a little sordid...haha), we got going and I learned the bass to 8 of the husband&wife songs. I was able to learn "Support Yourself", "I Got Fat", "Haven't Got A Friend", "England Lives", "Comp Jam", "You Remain Unloved", "Don't Change" and one more that I can't seem to remember! I was really excited that I was able to pick up on the songs so fast and practice went fairly well. We decided that a morning practice was in order so we pulled the plug around 1:30am and decided to meet back up at 11.

After a solid morning practice, the dudes all headed off to work and I wrote some emails and what-not and then met up with Frant to see Watchmen. I have to say that I have been a fan of the book for quite a long time thanks to Keith and have been so excited that it was finally given the treatment. I was really nervous that it would suck, especially when I found out that the ending was changed...That being said, I loved it! Every negative thing that people have been saying to me (i.e. blue phallics, graphic violence, etc) are from people who haven't read the book so I'm not taking any stock in it because I thought it was really well done. I was impressed. I can't wait to own it on BetaMax.

After the movie I came back to Mike's and ate some amazing pasta that Jessica had made. It had mushrooms and spinach and other delicious stuff all crammed into it and covered in cheese. It was SO good. I ate 3 little plates full (this was a decision I later regretted). Anyway, we packed up the van and drove to a house party in Indianapolis with 4 other bands, but I was excited to see Bronze Float and Everybody. Those 2 bands did not disappoint and the house was packed with about 50 kids all rockin PBR tall-boys. My good buddy Davy ended up coming and we got to hang for awhile which was really fantastic. Tara, if you're reading this, thanks for letting him come hang. There are a few people in this life that make me joyful whenever I see them. Davy and Tara are absolutely 2 of those people. I was kind of bummed Tara couldn't come...

Anyway, after the show and 3 tall-boys we headed back to the house of a dude named Andy that the guys knew. It was pretty late when we got back (2am?) and we went to bed and then when we woke up Andy made us this delicious green pepper, onion, tomato and cheese baked omellette pizza. Just marinate on that for a second...................yep. It was that good. Now, it looks like we're going to go play disc golf in the hood. Andy said they found a dead body there a little while back. Will is going to use a frisbee by choice. He's going to get his ass kicked.

Have I ever told you how much I love The Junior Boys?

2009-01-17T02:10:00.001-05:00

I was at this show and it was amazing!

New Song by Neko Case!!

2009-01-14T11:27:00.004-05:00

"People Got A Lot Of Nerve" by Neko Case (off of the upcoming Middle Cyclone due 03/03/09)

P.S. This is totally legal. I have her permission, so don't get guilty.

Interview with Matt Daniels of ThinkLab! on Buzzgrinder

2009-01-06T11:32:00.004-05:00

You can find the original post here.

I'll reproduce it for you here.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Interview: Matt Daniels of Thinklab

In addition to the beautiful video for Damien Jurado above (which shared best cinematography award for 2008 on Antville), Matt Daniels has done great videos for Throw Me The Statue and Birdmonster, among others. You might know Daniels better as the dude behind Thinklab. Then again, you might not. If that’s the case, you should. Which is why we’ve taken the chance to chat with him.

What is Thinklab and when did it begin?
It was down to Thinklab.com and Drunktank.com, so I registered both. After college, I spent a couple of years working for a web design company in Seattle. In ‘97, I took the summer off to travel and ride my skateboard. This is when I started doing freelance design and animation projects as Thinklab. Before long, I was living in San Diego working with folks I’d grown up reading about in skate magazines… Todd Swank, blk/mrkt, Jose Gomez. As the projects grew, I’d share them with my friends back home in Seattle.

A producer in Los Angeles found our work and we started getting projects for Universal Records and New Line Cinema. Feeling homesick, I moved back to Seattle and started an art gallery in our office next door to the Moore Theater. Shooting stills and making video art for the gallery lead to the video and photography projects I do now…

How did you get involved in film (both video and still)? Is it something you wanted to do all along and pursued, or was it something you just fell into?
It was more like falling, but in slow motion (shot on a Phantom camera). No, I was around cameras growing up, but spent my free time skateboarding, drawing and playing around with computers. It was years before I finally owned a still camera, and in 2001 my producer friend in Los Angeles talked me into applying for a photography workshop in Havana, Cuba. It was there, after meeting dozens of incredible photographers, that I realized I was hooked for life.

How did you successfully turn something that you loved doing (making videos, taking photos) into a legitimate career?
Is it legitimate? It still feels dirty. Nearly all of the Thinklab projects, the art gallery, and ad agency work I’ve done has been marketing for other people’s art. It’s tough learning to do it for yourself, but ultimately, if you’re doing what you love you’ll find a way to keep doing it.

Recently, you’ve done some music videos for Throw Me The Statue and you did one for Damien Jurado as well (which are both amazing), and there seems to be a strong narrative involved in each of them. Was that something the bands had decided ahead of time, or did you come up with the storylines?
Both artists came to me and were pretty open for whatever. I approach the music videos more like short films, and so narrative is key. For TMTS, I sent a friend of mine, Rob Dalton, a bunch of ideas. He (got really high and) wrote the script pretty much as it was shot.

Damien Jurado wanted a video about the death of his brother, Drake, and he had a vision of a final shot of a burning bed. We took this and ran with it. Mike (the D.P.) and I decided it should be set in an old pioneer town, which allowed us a more evocative palette. We shot the video from the perspective of each character, so we had a lot of narrative possibilities to play with in post. A week into editing it all came together, and the story revealed itself — I love the exploration, seeking the throughline, searching for that juxtaposition of elements that makes for an entertaining story.

In a lot of your work, especially the photos, it seems that there’s a strong emphasis put on the contrast in the piece as a way of (forgive the pun) shedding light on or creating intrigue about the individual or contents of the piece. Is that a tool you like to use for creating identity or layers within the photos/videos, or is it something simpler?
That’s deep. I try to keep the stills simple. I look for juxtapositions between the subject and the background. I try to shoot a lot and it’s usually interesting light that I’m most drawn to.

Another commonality I found in some of your work is the capturing of things floating in the air, whether it be a bird in flight, a puddle splash or a dog mid-jump. Do you like the idea of stopping one of nature’s laws, or are you more interested in the way things look when they’re weightless?
If you’re going to freeze time (with a camera), why not do it at an interesting moment? I definitely like the look of weightlessness, but it’s more about seeing things in a place where you’re not used to seeing them.

Back to the music videos, you’ve done the videos with Damien Jurado and Throw Me The Statue — and even Birdmonster I think. Are there any bands right now that you would really like to do a video with or any bands that you think you would aesthetically fit well with?
I tend to be into darker songs and stories at the moment. Maybe it’s a northwest winter thing. I recently wrote a script for an animated music video for a track called Martha Ann by David Karsten Daniels. It’s kind of an Atheist Anthem song. I’ve also been talking about a feature length collaboration with Damien, so that’s keeping me busy, but some other aesthetic matches might involve: Mogwai, The Books, The National, Bob Dylan, Noah and the Whale, Modest Mouse or Will Oldham.

Who are your biggest influences when it comes to filmmaking? Photography?
Stanley Kubrick found great stories and photographed them to perfection. PT Anderson has written and directed some amazing films. Spike Jones and Michel Gondry consistently surprise me. I think they might be the same person.

For photography, I would say I’m probably most influenced by the steady stream of amazing work on Flickr. Yossi Michaeli takes incredible fashion photos. Marco Grob takes stunningly simple portraits. My old buddy, Benjamin Krain is one of the best photojournalists around and James Natchway is insane. If you haven’t seen the documentary War Photographer, you should check it out.

I’m assuming you get to travel a bit for work, what’s the best city that you’ve gotten to visit so far? The worst?
Tokyo was amazing for it’s food, technology, and size. Havanna was both the best and the worst city I’ve been to. They have some of the best music, culture, and dancing on the planet, but be careful you don’t get stung by jellyfish, arrested and then pickpocketed. Most of this happened to me.

Being that the year just ended and all, what are either the Top 10 movies you’ve seen in the past year or so, or your Top 10 movies ever?
Here are my favorites for 2008
10. American Teen
9. Son of Rambow
8. Pineapple Express
7. Surfwise
6. Slumdog Millionaire
5. Snow Angels
4. Let The Right One In
3. Milk
2. The Diving Belle and the Butterfly
1. Ballast

I’m dying to see: Synecdoche New York, The Wrestler, Che and Happy Go Lucky .

The Mix-Tape Ten: Zachary Melton

2009-01-03T23:14:00.003-05:00

There is no doubt in my mind that Zachary Melton is an incredibly cool dude. A whole lot of folks know him as the bass-playing, awe-inducing singer from the now-defunct seminal post-punk band Away With Vega, and more and more people are getting to know him as the brainchild and front-man for one of the fastest growing regional bands, Rodeo Ruby Love based out of Marion, Indiana. They are a indie-pop perfection and might just be my favorite live band around. I don't know of any band that induces such satisfying sing-alongs. Singing along is my favorite. Zach Melton is one of my favorites (part of this is also due to the fact that he shares my love for East Coast Hip Hop).

Ten Favorites by Zachary Melton

1. "What?" - Mount Eerie (Lost Wisdom)
I often struggle with enjoying entire Phil Elverum albums, but he hit the nail on the head with this one. I chose this song because it is probably the most heart-felt out of all of the songs on this record. It is so chill and soft, with my favorite line, "your love swells and pounds me."

2. "Starry Stairs" - Okkervil River (The Stand Ins)
Will Sheff sings in a lovely low voice on this song that separates it from their regular sound. Almost in the vein of Elvis Presley, his voice shakes and soothes on this soft ballad. This album has some great upbeat songs and some not so great slower songs, but this one stands above the rest.

3. "Mathematics" - Mos Def (Black on Both Sides)
In 1999, rap was being taken over by Eminem and DMX. But behind the scenes was Mighty Mos Def telling people how it really is. This song is not just a socially-just anthem, but an intelligent look at racist America. No one flows like Mos Def. And no one makes me hate being white more than he.

4. I'm Going Away - Elizabeth Cotten (Shake Sugaree)
Imagine an old black lady sitting on her porch, strumming a guitar and singing in dry, shaky voice some of the most beautiful folk/blues you've ever heard.

5. Nobody's Nixon - Cass McCombs (Not the Way EP)
It is difficult to choose a favorite song from this EP. They each of have qualities about them that makes them difficult to get out of my head. Nobody's Nixon has a driving groove that none of the other songs have. Cass McCombs has a way of making meaningful lyrics out of total nonsense. For some reason, I always enjoy the line, "I ain't your doggy woggy either."

6. "Say Something, Say Anything" - Pine Hill Haints (Ghost Dance)
I recently got this album, and after a few listens, this song stuck out the most. I like this album because the songs are upbeat and catchy. But this one has an eerie element to it that makes it more mysterious, I think, because of its chord progression and its melody. It is placed perfectly on this record.

7. "Rich Girl" - Hall & Oates (Best of Hall & Oates)
I admit that I love Hall & Oates. It took me a while to connect to Rich Girl, but nobody can sing like these dudes. Nobody knows pop music like Hall & Oates. And you'd like to think they are sissies. But listen to Rich Girl. They are calling out the bitches.

8. "Melody 4" - Tera Melos (self-titled)
I first heard this band on their split with By the End of Tonight, and I needed more. I finally got a hold of their self-titled album. I was a little disappointed with their first three songs (Melodies 1-3) because the split was so chaotic and those songs had been pretty tame. But finally with Melody 4, the chaotic mess of instrumental thrash rock came through for me. No words. Pure testosterone. There are so many great hooks in this song. Definitely my favorite on the album.

9. "Nikki" - The Dream (Lovehate)
Yes, The Dream is an R&B/pop singer. But it has been a long time since I have connected to anyone in that genre. (The last may have been Blackstreet or Mary J. Blige's "What's the 411?"). A little cheesy perhaps, but I have heard very few albums in this genre work so well. Each song compliments another to create a feeling of a "concept album." Nikki is a slow jam about moving past your ex-lover. You might be sorry, but I've moved on. Now I'm making love to Nikki.

10. "Video" - Ben Folds Five (unreleased)
This was originally a song from the band before Ben Folds Five whose name I forget. But I think they re-vamped it to sound like the piano rock we all know and love. I don't think Ben Folds wrote this one. Judging by the lyrics, I'd say it was Darren Jesse. Regardless, the flow of the song is unbelievably addictive. The chorus makes you want to go back and here that melody again. And again and again.

An Acknowledgement Of Void

2009-01-03T22:27:00.003-05:00

If you ever checked this blog with even a passing regularity or even just popped in more than once, I am sure that it is apparent to you that the frequency of posting has taken a sharp decline. It is my policy to not apologize for such things, but I thought I would let you know that I know that you know. Plus, I thought I would offer up a one-time explanation for this.

The long and short of it is that I have made a lifestyle resolution (read: not just for the new year) to be extremely good at 1 or 2 things. Unfortunately for this blog, it is not one of them. I will occasionally be remarking on a good movie or book or record that I'm digging, and I will still periodically be posting Mix Tape Ten spots from the folks who have been kind enough to send them to me. I still have a ton to wade through. So for now, that is what it is, and it is good.

My Top 10 Albums of 2008 (updated!)

2008-12-16T20:40:00.007-05:00

If you've seen any other Top 10 lists, then you'll recognize a lot of notable records missing off of this list like No Age, Fleet Foxes, TV on the Radio, etc. A lot of records I didn't get the chance to listen to them yet, or they just didn't hit me like they did everyone else I guess. Anyway, these albums are worth your time..

10. Throw Me The Statue - Moonbeams (Secretly Canadian)
This is a really great record with a racy cover!! Gotta love SC for getting it right so many more times than most labels. Check out this killer single "Lolita."

9. Thao with The Get Down Stay Down- We Brave Bee Stings And All (Kill Rock Stars)
This record is from newbie Thao Nguyen and her band of buds and they gently tear through this set of tunes. This was a definite surprise for me as I wasn't expecting much and it is one of the albums I have been able to get into during my resurrected love for vinyl.

8. Lightspeed Champion - Falling Off The Lavender Bridge (Domino)
My buddy Derek handed me this record earlier this year and for a few weeks it dominated my car CD player. The tracks are quirky and fun and really well written.

7. These United States - A Picture Of The Three Of us At The Gate To The Garden Of Eden (self-released)
There aren't many wordsmiths with quite as good of a way with words as Jesse from TUS. The put out a few releases in 2008 and all of them deserve to be on here. Check 'em out.

6. Sun Kil Moon - April (Caldo Verde)
Mark Kozelek and his minimalist project Sun Kil Moon released album #2 this year and it is incredible. It weaves his sleepy guitar virtuosity with his limited vocal range and turns them into some of the most intoxicating sounds that have ever come out of your speakers. This record doesn't hit you right off, it churns in teh background until you can't shake it.

5.5 Mason Proper- Olly Oxen Free
I can't believe I forgot this record. This band, from Ann Arbor, MI totally blew me away when I first heard them. This is one of those albums that seems to keep getting better and more enjoyable with every song, and then it's over much too quickly, but when it starts over at the first song, you keep getting more and more into it. The guitars and melodies on this record were near-un-paralleled this year. Standout tracks: all of them.

5. Bonnie "Prince" Billy- Lie Down In The Light (Drag City)
Lie Down in the Light is a remarkable entry into the Palace catalog. Nothing abnormal here, just perfect folk songs thrown together with the sloppy perfection that has become Oldham's trademark. Expect good things from the Prince in '09 as well...

4. Anathallo- Canopy Glow (Anticon)
Not to be lazy, but you can read about it here.

3. Good Luck- Into Lake Griffy (self-released)
Same with this.

2. Bon Iver- For Emma, Forever Ago (Secretly Canadian/Jagjaguwar)
I had a really hard time deciding between this one and the #1 choice because this record just might be a perfect record. We've all heard the back story on this record about how Justin Vernon spent a few months in the middle of the woods and then recorded this gem. If you want to see for yourself, check out the subtle perfection that is Bon Iver in their LaundroMatinee performance. Vernon also is a producer and produced the last Rosebuds record which is great as well.

1. Mount Eerie- Lost Wisdom (P.W. Elverum and Sun)
This might just end up in my Top 10 favorite records of all time.

Honorable Mentions:
Icy Demons - Miami Ice (Obey Your Brain)
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Pershing (Polyvinyl)
She & Him- Volume 1

My Top 10 Films of 2008

2008-12-16T19:37:00.007-05:00

I totally have to qualify this by saying that when I started thinking about all of the 2008 movies I saw, I realized that I only saw about 20 and that there were a ton of movies that I wanted to see, but haven't gotten to yet. So, take this list with a grain of salt or a grain of grain if you don't like salt. It will probably change once I see more 2008 films, but all of these I at least enjoyed a lot. Please feel free to tell me which great films I missed out on. Seriously. I want to know.

My Top 10 Favorite New Movies of 2008 by me

10. Cassandra's Dream
I know what you're thinking...Colin Ferrell, really!? Yeah, he doesn't make this film aweful and for that it deserves a Top 10 appointment. Plus, Woody Allen paid me $50 to have it on here...

9. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
A small qualifier to start out with again, I'm a fan-boy of defunct show Arrested Development and have, thus, been dealing with a non-sexual crush on Michael Cera. He was really funny in the movie and I probably would have liked it even more if I was 18.....and not watching it with my mom...

8. Get Smart
Well, I wasn't around for the original show, but this film was as enjoyable as Hollywood re-makes can be I suppose. Steve Carrell was surprisingly funny and the movie bested my expectations by a long shot. Plus, it had Bill Murray in it, which means that it is better than 98% of the movies made last year.

7. The Foot Fist Way
Now, I wasn't blown away by this movie as much as Will Ferrell and all of those Hollywood folks, but to be fair, if I was Will Ferrell and had made as many mediocre comedies as he has, then I would get pretty excited about this movie too. It does have some genuinely funny moments, and for the fact that it gave Danny McBride a well-deserved leading man role, I am a fan.

6. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
This is another entry from the Apatow clan, and I'm not a fan of everything they've done. BUT, this movie was actually pretty funny, and I have to admit I'm a sucker for movies when the total loser guy gives the proverbial finger to the pretty girl and then runs to the loving arms of the other pretty girl. And the Dracula puppet musical....classic.

5. Son of Rambow
This one came from across the pond and is one of those heartwearming movies that make you feel good all over. While it wasn't perfect, it was actually really well done, and I did actually feel good all over.

4. Role Models
Believe it or not, this movie was actually pretty good! I try to stay pretty far away from anything Sean William Scott does, but this movie is a hilarious vehicle for one of the most under-rated actors in H-wood, Paul Rudd. He totally carries this movie, and it definitely gets bonus points for the epic battle scene in the end.

3. Vicky Cristina Barcelona
This is the best film that Woody Allen put out this year. It is actually one of the better ones he's done in a long time. The casting was perfect and Penelope Cruz is a fireball in this movie and totally takes the movie over when her character is introduced. The cinematography was beautiful and the script was different for Woody, but incredible none-the-less. I think it deserves bonus points for the weird narration, and for introducing me to the talented Rebecca Hall.

2. Snow Angels
This one probably wins the award for saddest movie I can ever remember seeing. It is also in the running for one of the most beautiful movies I've seen. David Gordon Green is a master at what he does, and this is proof.

1. The Dark Knight
OK. No big surprise here, but let's be honest, this movie was really, really great. No matter how many movies I would have watched this year, I still think this one would be at the top. It was Hollywood at its best. It was artful, intense, action-packed, and chock-full of grandeur. Too bad they don't churn movies like this out all the time instead of the standard fare.

The Mix-Tape Ten: Jesse Lucas

2008-12-13T13:18:00.008-05:00

These days Jesse Lucas has his hands in a music project or two and works as a video and flash designer while the sun is up. However, back in the day, Jesse was the booty-shakin' makin' bass player for the local (and unparalleled) indie-pop band The Merediths. I had the pleasure of seeing them many times before they fizzled out dangling the prospects of their much-hyped second album Goose Island which never saw the light of day. We were all very saddened by it, and I still have conversations with random people where somebody inevitably says, "Hey, whatever happened to the Merediths?" or "I just found this incredible Louisville band called The Merediths. Have you seen them?" Yes, dude. I have. But you're never going to get to.

My Top Ten Favorite Songs by Jesse Lucas

1. "Hey" - The Pixies (Doolittle)

My favourite song from Doolittle is "Monkey Gone To Heaven". "Hey" is slowly creeping...

2. "My Body Is A Cage" - The Arcade Fire (Neon Bible)

One of the few songs that by passes my ears and sings directly to my soul.

3. "Beetlebum" - Blur (Blur)

I was just talking to my good friend and band mate Jason Zavala about how all Blur recordings have great separation of instruments. This song is put together so well. The lyrics are insanely personal and really touch the listener. Plus the bass line to this song is incredible!

4. "Three Cigarettes In An Ashtray" - Patsy Cline (Best of Patsy Cline)

Patsy Cline was one of my mother's favourite singers. Now I understand why. The best 2 minute and 31 second description of heartbreak ever.

5. "Pig" - Sparklehorse (Good Morning Spider)

Probably not the first song you think of when you think about Sparklehorse, but damn this song rocks!

6. Honey Bee - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (Wildflowers)

This song is sexy! Just listen to the lead guitar!

7. Wedding Bell - Beach House (Devotion)

One of the newer albums I have. The vocal melodies really move me here.

8. "Jed's Other Poem (Beautiful Ground)" - Grandaddy (The Sophtware Slump)

It's really hard to pick just one song from Sophtware Slump. This song just deserves to be listened too on repeat. My description won't do it justice.

9. "Smith & Jones Forever"- Silver Jews (American Water)

A song that begs you to sing along with it. People should listen to more Silver Jews.

10. "Bullet" - Misfits (Misfits)

If you would have asked my top 10 songs 10 years ago, when I was 16, it would have been half misfits and half minor threat. This song has definitely withstood the test of time with me.

Join Me!: Bon Iver and The Tallest Man On Earth

2008-12-13T12:54:00.006-05:00

This coming Wednesday, the good city of Louisville will be visited by Justin Vernon and his band of buddies operating under the Anglicized French moniker Bon Iver. If you haven't heard Bon Iver yet, then let me assure you that their record which was properly released on Jagjaguwar in February of 2008 was by far one of my favorite records of the year. His soft and unpretentious falsetto is one of the most riveting voices in music right now and the subtle and simple instrumentation create an emotive exprerience which is practically unparalleled. He will be joined by a Swedish gent dubbed The Tallest Man on Earth who is almost as exciting in his own rite. The only downside to the show is that it is at Headliners which is a cavernous dark bar which can either swallow the best music and make it feel empty or it can make it seem bigger than it ever has. Let's cross our fingers for the latter. The show is this Wednesday (11/17) and starts around 8 or 9.

Bon Iver

The Tallest Man On Earth

The Mix Tape Ten: Jordan Holtane

2008-12-13T12:53:00.003-05:00

You can quote me on this: Jordan Holtane is probably my favorite guitar player ever. I have never known someone who can weave melody so beautifully through the strings of a guitar. His guitar doesn't scream or yell, but it sings. It sings like I wish I could. He once introduced me to the band Owen and told me how incredible the dude was at guitar, and we listened and it was great, but all I could think about was how I liked Jordan's playing a lot more. He used to be the guitar player in the most-likely-defunct band Man Cub out of Indianapolis and Indiana's LaRusso. He also happens to be one of the most well-versed people I've ever met when it comes to film. He puts me to shame. He's a great friend and a guy whose taste I trust more than almost anyone. Here he gives us 10 songs that stir up the breezy feelings of autumn for him (even though we have now fully digressed into winter!). Maybe this will help you forget how cold it is. (photo by Davy Rudolph)

Autumn Songs and Signifiers by Jordan Holtane

No specific theme running through these. They just stir up a general autumn feeling inside me, and (I think they) compliment the changing colors, temperatures, and moods of the season.

1. Beirut- Scenic World
from the album “gulag orkestar”

2. The Kingsbury Manx- Animations
from the album “the fast rise and fall of the south”

3. Ronnie Dawson- Rockin’ Bones
from the album “rockin’ bones: the legendary masters”

4. Tobias Hellkvist- step aside
unreleased

5. Pedro the Lion- Slow and Steady Wins the Race
from the album “winners never quit”

6. Clinic- For the Wars
from the album “walking with thee”

7. The Autumn Defense- "The World (Will Soon Turn Our Way)"
from the album Circles

8. Joanna Newsom- "Cosmia"
from the album Ys

9. Aloha- "You’ve Escaped"
from the album Here Comes Everyone

10. Kaki King- "Night After Sidewalk"
from the album Everybody Loves You

Join Me!: The Good Folk Fest

2008-11-20T16:21:00.004-05:00

I have to apologize for not getting this up online sooner because it just so happens that one of the greatest artists ever is gracing our fair city!! This weekend is the annual Good Folk Fest and this year it is featuring the art and music of Daniel Johnston!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot tell you how excited I am as he is one of my favorite musicians of all time. He just might be the best songwriter since Lennon/McCartney or Dylan. I would honestly pay $100 dollars to see him live. That's no joke. I haven't been this excited for a show for a long, long, long time. The best news is.....it's only $5! AND, you just might be able to snag some incredible Daniel Johnston artwork which is unbelievable as well. Take some time and read this about him, then rent The Devil and Daniel Johnston from Wild and Woolly, and then you will be overloaded with joy like I am right now. I had better see you there.

There is music on Saturday and Sunday and also playing is Matt Kinder of the Parade Schedule, Ben Traughber, and The Mack who are artists that I really admire and love. The weekend-long festival will be at the wonderful Mellwood Arts Center and will showcase lots and lots of folk art and music and should be a fun gathering all around. I believe Mr. Johnston plays around 2 on Saturday. If you miss this, then you just don't know...

Netflix Nebulous: Volume 5

2008-11-10T19:29:00.006-05:00

And for today we have a trio of flicks that couldn't be more different. They were all good'uns, yet all tackle very different themes and approaches. One is a heady dissection of our culture's obsession with celebrities, one is a humorous look at a bachelor's misadventures in love, and the other is a harrowing tale of small-town life gone awry.

The first is another Woody Allen film and it is called Celebrity (1998). Here Woody enlists the help of one of his most star-studded casts with Kenneth Branagh in the leading role. Branagh is known for his work successfully adapting Shakespearean plays and here he channels Allen to a "T" and plays a neurotic and nebbish journalist who runs away from his wife and chases after his fantasies to find the identity he's been hoping was lurking inside him. The movie tackles a lot of our hang-ups and notions about celebrities and fame. It is very fun at times, and at times it is a lucid call-out of our inane posturing when it comes to famous people. A very worthwhile entry into the Allen portfolio.

The Baxter is a smart romantic comedy from Michael Showalter who is one of the dudes responsible for the summer camp send up Wet Hot American Summer. This tracks a baxter (a nice guy who always gets rained on) and his search for Mrs. Baxter. He, like any guy, gets caught up in the instant beauty of a very pretty Elizabeth Banks, and doesn't realize that Michelle Williams's character is fawning all over him and would be perfect for him. It sounds kind of schlocky, but if you are a fan of Showalters sleepy dramatic comedy, then you will probably drool all over the couch, and that's gross. But seriously, the movie is really funny. I watched it twice in a row.

The eerily gorgeous Shotgun Stories is the first entry (hopefully of many) by the up-and-comer Jeff Nichols who just happens to be the brother of Lucero frontman Ben Nichols (who does the soundtrack). This is a tale of deep seeded hate and loyalty bred out of rural Arkansas soil. This is a tale of step-brothers who couldn't be less like family and their vigor in making it stay that way. This was one of the most destructively beautiful films I've seen in a while and Nichols seems to be one of those guys falling in line with the Terrance Malik crew, which shouldn't come as a surprise seeing as how David Gordon Green produced it. The acting is superb and pitch-perfect as is the story. The way Nichols captures the mood and the restlessness of his characters is breathtaking. This is one of the better films I've seen in quite a while.

Ratings:

Celebrity- B+
The Baxter- B
Shotgun Stories- A

The Mix-Tape Ten: Jared Cheek and Mike Cosper

2008-11-08T10:50:00.009-05:00

Today we've got two gentleman that I very much respect. They are both music folks who also happen to be pretty cool guys during the day. Everybody put your hands together for Jared Cheek and Mike Cosper!

Jared Cheek is a man about town...as long as you're talking about the town of Bloominton, Indiana which is fast making its way to the top of the charts as one of the coolest cities in America. He is 20% of the indie-rock supergroup Prayer Breakfast and is the Warehouse Manager for Secretly Canadian Distribution which has slung records by folks like Richard Swift, Antony and the Johnsons, and Danielson. He's an all-around good dude with one of the best music tastes this side of heaven. Here's a Top 10 list from one of the coolest guys around.

My Top 10 Favorite Songs by Jared Cheek

#1 "Wichita Lineman" - Glen Campbell from the album Wichita Lineman
Written by Jimmy Webb, one of my favorite songwriters ever, this song makes me want to cry sometimes. It is so beautiful and true and perfect that I could listen to it on repeat for about ten years.

#2 "Let's Go Away For Awhile" - The Beach Boys from the album Pet Sounds

One of two instrumentals on Pet Sounds, Brian Wilson said that this was the most satisfying piece of music that he ever made. And it's just about the most satisfying thing to listen to as well. This song is probably subtly playing on a continuous loop in heaven.

#3 "On The Sunny Side Of The Ocean" - John Fahey from the album The Transfiguration Of Blind Joe Death

Interesting, emotive fingerpicking on an acoustic guitar without letting the fingers get too busy for their own good. This song is on "The Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death", which is a good place to start in the John Fahey catalog.

#4 "Powderfinger" - Neil Young from the album Rust Never Sleeps

Look out, mama, there's a white boat comin' up the river with a big red beacon, and a flag, and a man on the rail. I think you'd better call John because it don't look like they're here to deliver the mail. Shelter me from the powder and the finger. Cover me with the thought that pulled the trigger. Think of me as one you'd never figured would fade away so young with so much left undone. Remember me to my love. I know I'll miss her!

#5 "Be My Baby" - The Ronettes I think was originally just issued as a single....I have it on the box set Phil Spector - Back To Mono (1958-1969)

This song rules!

#6 "West Palm Beach" - Palace Music from the album Lost Blues And Other Songs

Gosh, I enjoy pretty much everything that Will Oldham does. I like the way this song makes me feel.

#7 "He Turned The Water Into Wine (parts 1 through 4)" - Johnny Cash from the album The Gospel Road: A Story of Jesus Told and Sung by Johnny Cash

I trust Johnny Cash and I like hearing him sing about Jesus. This is from the movie he made about Jesus called The Gospel Road.

#8 "What A Fool Believes" - The Doobie Brothers from the album Minute By Minute

I'm not trying to be funny or ironic when I say that I thoroughly enjoy listening to this. It's a wonderful pop song.

#9 "Something Big" - Burt Bacharach from the album Living Together

This song is from the "Living Together" album, which isn't really as good as albums like "Reach Out", "Make It Easy On Yourself", "Burt Bacharach", etc., but it has a few really spectacular tunes like this one.
"Why do I go on and fill my life with little things when there are big things I must do and lots of dreams that really should come true before I'm through? There'll be joy and there'll be laughter. Something big is what I'm after now. After taking, take up giving. Something big is what I'm living for. Yes, its what Im living for."

#10 Theme From "A Summer Place" - Percy Faith Orchestra from the album A Summer Place Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

This song stayed at the top of the charts longer than any other instrumental song ever. Sometimes I wish I lived in the late nineteen fifties/early nineteen sixties.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mike Cosper is one of the most scorching guitar players I've ever seen or heard. He's got such control over his playing and hits each note with such ferocity that it sounds like he sets each one on fire. He can also play it cool and highlight what's around him, but I like it best when he burns down the house. When he's not playing with fire, he's playing with fire as a pastor over at Sojourn Church in Louisville. You've heard him though doing session work for dudes like Jamie Barnes, Bill Mallonee, Peter Searcy and others and he's got a huge affinity for the Great American Fender Telecaster- the true symbol of Americana. Here he gives us his Top 10 Telecaster Songs (a good mix to listen to when reading It Still Moves by Amanda Petrusich).

The Top 10 Fender Telecaster Songs by Mike Cosper

1. Jimmy Bryant - Limehouse Blues (The standard by which all teles are judged.)

2. Roy Buchanan - Sweet Dreams from Roy Buchanan

3. Led Zeppelin - Moby Dick (Yep, that's a Tele, in fact all of Led Zeppelin II was a tele)

4. Bill Frisell - Blues for Los Angeles (from East-West)

5. Roy Nichols - Mama Tried - from Merle Haggard's Okie from Muskogee

6.Brent Mason - My Life's Been a Pleasure (from Last of the Breed, by Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Ray Price)

7. Jim Campilongo - Monkey in a Movie - from Heaven is creepy

8. Radiohead (Johnny Greenwood) - Just - from the Bends

9. Bill Frisell - Pretty Stars Were Made to Shine - Blues Dream

10. Brent Mason - Limehouse Blues - from Smokin' Section

Worth mentioning - if you haven't got The Little Willies, an old-school country record featuring Norah Jones and Jim Campilongo, you MUST. All 15 tracks could arguably be mentioned above. Campilongo is the crazed twisted tele master these days.

Music Review: Anathallo's Canopy Glow

2008-11-04T23:46:00.005-05:00

Artist: Anathallo
Album: Canopy Glow
Label: Anticon
Release Date: November 18th, 2008

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

When I first heard of Anathallo circa 2002, I casually dismissed them like I do a million bands. Back then, I only knew of them as my friend Tim's cousin's band that played shows sometimes in Mount Pleasant, Michigan which was about a 20 minute drive from Midland which is where I grew up. In our group of friends they were famous for having what we called "The Clapping Song" which was a song that had a ridiculously cool clapping pattern. It always makes you feel good to know that their is good music growing up around you.

I had lived in Kentucky for about a year or so when I first went to college and met a fella named Davy in my English class. We instantly bonded over our love for old Tooth and Nail and The Promise Ring and he schooled me on bands like Mineral while I unsuccessfully tried to convert him to Jeff Buckley. Upon talking one day, he was talking about his favorite band ever and they were called Anathallo. I was very much taken aback, as I didn't realize that Anathallo was anything beyond a small local Michigan band. Apparently, while I was shifting my shoes in the Kentucky dirt, Anathallo was making a name for themselves as being a ground-breaking, rhythm-mastering, superfan-creating musical collective like nothing else anyone has ever seen. Davy continued to tell me about their 7 or 8 member band and how they have these incredible songs where the instrumentation is beyond comprehension. They were professionals unlike any other indie band I'd ever heard of. People talk about their 8 hour a day practices every day and it's pretty believable if you've heard their unparalleled rhythm shifting or their almost Vegas-worthy live show that features about 20 different percussion instruments that are played in between the other 3 or 4 instruments that each member seems to play. A band that was seemingly spawned right out of Interlochen.

Anathallo put out a series of successful EPs and more than a few handfuls of national tours before releasing their first full-length Floating World in 2006 which was a masterful, if almost inaccessible, collection of songs that focused on a Japanese folk tale and Matt Joynt's hyper-literate writing. The album was filed with lush arrangements, heart-breakingly beautiful songs like "Kasa No Hone (The Umbrella's Bones)" and propelled them into the indie-rock stratosphere for a lot of folks. They are a peerless band that seems to polarize listeners like most good bands do. Many an aspiring musician has knelt at the Anathallo altar trying to catch just a drop of their talent or maybe through osmosis pick up the ability to switch between 7/4 and 5/4 like they (and Sufjan) can. Others seem to be put-off by their complexity. There is a whole lot going on in each song, and how could there not be when you have a cast of 7 or 8 different musicians. The surprising thing is that the band never lets itself get too carried away in its own ability and creativity, although I know folks who would disagree.

On November 18th, they are releasing their 2nd full length entitled Canopy Glow and it takes their impressive abilities and grasp on composition and marries them to an even more subtle yet concentrated focus on songs. The album is rife with the intricate rhythms and hurried, yet soft melodies as Joynt tries his best to fit a whole book into each line, which fans have come to love and expect from the band. The album starts strong and grips you with the simple-starting "Noni's Field" and locks you in with the joyous palm raising splendor of "Italo". Every song on here is crammed with beauty and it spills out in hand-claps, stumbles out in bells, and cements itself with the Ooo Ooo Ooos that are softly swung in stereo. There seems to be a strong emphasis on solid and concise songwriting on this round of songs and it is perfected in "Northern Lights" which is a surreal sonic version of the phenomenon, and with the gripping story in "All the First Pages" of an astronaut who comes home from space and can't seem to look his wife in the eyes quite the same anymore.

(The artwork for the album is equally as hauntingly beautiful as it features the piece entitled "Temma on Earth" by the Chicago-based artist Tim Lowly who was just featured at The 930.)

Stylistically, the album is much more subtle than their previous effort and its sparser arrangements push Joynt's vocals to the foreground which helps focus the attention on the actual song and not the parts of the song. It seems to revel less in sound and more in emotion and feel (which is a tough line to walk). They pull it off beautifully. There are only a few minor parts of the record that seem a little forced when the melody doesn't quite seem strong enough to carry their full-bodied arrangements, but overall, it is a wonderful record that falls into that special bin of records that I keep for the days when I forget.

The 5 Spot: The Best Comedies from SNL Alum

2008-11-02T17:43:00.009-05:00

The famed Saturday Night Live has spawned the careers of dozens of actors and writers and comedians. It has also vomited out a number of un-stomachable movies like It's Pat, Corky Ramano, and Superstar. Some of the cast members have gone on to have illustrious film careers and have participated in, what I think to be, some of the funniest movies of all time. Here's a list of my Top 5 (not necessarily in order as my tastes change from day to day) and I am sure your list is different so feel free to let me know which ones I mercilessly glossed over.

#5- Christopher Guest and Billy Crystal in The Princess Bride
This fairy tale of a movie has a little something for everyone. It is an adventure, a comedy, a romance and it is probably the most quotable movie of all time. I didn't really get this as a kid when it was in its hay-day of popularity, but when I watched it when I was a little older, I was blown away by how ridiculously good everything was. It was directed by the wonderful Rob Reiner (an SNL Host in its first season) and it might just be one of the best films ever made, and I mean it. Anybody want a peanut?

#4- Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd in Ghostbusters
My favorite flavor of Hi-C juiceboxes is Ecto-Cooler, and this is why. Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Harold Ramis buddy up to fight meta-crime in this 80s classic. They are the underdogs as nobody wants to believe that a group of ghost hunters is needed in NY, but the Key Master has other plans! Zuul and Gozer are ready to party so strap in for a good time.

#3- Chevy Chase in Fletch
If you are the kind of person who enjoys good, overly sarcastic, and biting wit, then you need to look no further than this Chevy gem. I have often been quoted as saying I think this might be the funniest movie of all time. As Fletch, Chevy brings new and wonderful meaning to identity theft. Again, as with the rest of these great comedies, this is incredibly quotable.

#2- Martin Short, Chevy Chase, and Steve Martin in The Three Amigos
There are a lot of things that I liked as a child that make me want to cringe these days. This amazing tale of three Mexi-can'ts named Dusty Bottoms, Ned Nederlander, and Lucky Day is not one of them. This was one of my favorite movies as a child, and for good reason. Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Chevy Chase reign in their collective comediac brilliance and inject it into this Western send-up. Beware: the invisible swordsmen is not as invincible as he sounds, and, No, tequila is not like beer.

#1- Steve Martin in The Jerk
What can you say about this zany tale of Navin Johnson (Steve Martin) who was born a poor, black child in Mississippi and upon learning that he wasn't a natural born child he embarks on a journey due to the horror of finding out he was going to stay that color. He gets everything you could ever want and loses it and lives to tell about it. It's not like he really needed all that stuff. He doesn't really need anything except maybe the ashtray. Yeah, the ashtray and the paddle game. He'll be content with the ashtray, and the paddle game, and this lamp, and...

All Rated: A

Honorable Mention: Chris Farley and David Spade in Tommy Boy; Bill Murray in everything else he ever did; Christopher Guest and Michael McKean in This Is Spinal Tap, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and Waiting for Guffman. I'm sure there's more too...

Notable Nights: Halloween Fest '08 @ The Kingdom in Bowling Green, KY

2008-11-02T01:11:00.005-04:00

Last night was a big night for everyone. All the little and big folks got dressed up to go trick-or-treating, to concerts, bars, parties, or just a gathering of friends. In Bowling Green, at a house called The Kingdom, was one of the greatest parties I've ever been to. The party was dubbed Halloween Fest '08 and was a showcase of 5 different bands. The stage was the back porch of the house and the crowd gathered up in the gigantic backyard sipping $1 Ale-8s and perusing the merch tables of bands like the ground-breaking Anathallo, The Colour Revolt, and even regional darlings Rodeo Ruby Love, The Parade Schedule, and Steven and the Ghosts.

A couple of weeks ago, Matt Kinder of Louisville's The Parade Schedule asked me to sit in with his band at this pivotal show, and I jumped at the chance. The Parade Schedule is his sometimes solo, sometimes 10-piece, sometimes 3-piece (but always riveting) indie band that soars through his old-timey yet progressive folk songs. Tonight was the full band (plus me) that opened up this huge show. It was an incredibly fun set as most of us were dressed up (I was a Christmas tree) and I got to sit in the passenger seat for a change and bang on a drum and a glockenspiel while I sang along just as I would if I was in the crowd. Matt writes really great, powerful songs about honor, love, and the little things that draw us to each other. With songs like “Backyard,” “Dye Your Hair,” and “Brother’s Keeper” it was a set that I almost wish I got to watch rather than contribute to. This was also the first show where the Parade Schedule’s new live CD entitled Songs We Sang in Front of People: Live @ The 930 was available for purchase. It’s got killer artwork designed Mr. Kinder himself and showcases a great live show they did at the Louisville venue a few months back. The band consists of Kinder on vocals/guitar, Brooks Ritter on vocals/guitar, Lauren Ritter on vocals/percussion, Audra Todd on vocals/percussion, Katie Faye Vaughn on vocals/percussion, Mick Price on drums, Danny Loeschen on bass, Clay on trumpets, and Josh on accordion/keys/trombone/etc/etc.

The second band was Bowling Green’s very own Steven and the Ghosts who are a Harvest-y rock band with that little bit of country twinge that makes it gorgeous. Steven and his merry men are all phenomenal players and they tear through each song like they’ve been in Nashville studios for years but have never stopped having fun. They closed their set with a song entitled “The Prettiest Song” and it is. The band is Steven on guitar/vocals, Jordan on guitar/vocals, Russ on bass, and a few folks I didn’t know on drums, cello, and keys. They said it was the first show with the keys player, and he really added a lot to their sound.

Next up was one of my favorite bands to ever see live and you would believe me if you saw me in the front row making a fool of myself dancing and screaming along to every song. Rodeo Ruby Love is the project of ex-Away With Vega bass/singer Zach Melton. Zach wanted a band that you could sing along to and have fun with and has been developing and honing this concept for the past couple of years. After a slew of EPs and various releases, they released their first full-length last year on Crossroads of America Records entitled Rodeo Ruby Love vs. The Great American Cities and it has some killer songs on it like “Quit! (Joel’s in Philadelphia)” and “Patience.” They also played a few new songs like the infectiously affectionate “Save My Money” and got the crowd dancing and singing and there were more than a few new fans made that night. Backing Zach up are Kyle Kammeyer on guitar/vocals, Stephen Boyd on drums, Michelle McEver on keys/vocals, Annie Melton on keys/vocals, Dave Buckler on banjo/ukulele, Erik Fox on glockenspiel, and Dan Schepper on bass.

After Rodeo finished psyching up the crowd, Colour Revolt from Oxford, Mississippi got on stage and were the first of the two main attractions for the night. Colour Revolt is known for their inventive dual-guitar melodic interplay and their gorgeous arrangements and they didn’t disappoint as they played two brand new songs and even threw in a cover of “Pet Cemetery” by The Ramones for a little bit of Halloween flair. I didn’t really know a lot of their material and was pretty worn out after yelling my lungs out during Rodeo’s set, so I stayed in the back with my buddy Jordan who was chatting it up with Matt Joynt from Anathallo as they know have known each other for awhile. The Colour Revolt did put on a great show though and Matt Kinder (who is a fan) said that this set was the highlight of the night for him.

Lastly, around 11:40 Anathallo took the stage to a crowd of chilled, yet anxiously awaiting fans. We all huddled in close partly to stay warm and partly to take in every bit of the set that we could. This show was the first show on Anathallo’s tour touting their new record entitled Canopy Glow out on Anticon and this was the first chance to pick up a copy (by the way the cover art is a painting called “Temma on Earth” by Tim Lowly who was just featured at The 930 and it is quite haunting). If you are not familiar with Anathallo, then you should probably look at their tour schedule and go see them no matter what is going on that night. Anathallo is the little band that could from Mount Pleasant, Michigan which is about 20 minutes from the town I grew up in. They are, hands-down, one of the most exciting live acts ever. That’s right, ever. Don’t get me wrong, there are a few bands out there that might be able to match their energy, the arrangements, their songwriting, or possibly even their confounding musicianship. But the straight truth is that, all factors considered, they are simply peerless. While they were playing frontman Matt Joynt commented multiple times that this was one of the coolest shows they’d ever played. They debuted a couple of songs, and He said that it was shows like this that aligned with his dream of being a musician because it was cozy and with friends and lots of fun. They ended their wonderful set around 12:30 as the kids all ran for their heated cars to warm up their toes. Anathallo is playing at The Southgate House in Newport on Monday and you should all be there. I am working until 10 or 11 otherwise I would.

All in all, this was one of the most well-organized and curated shows that I’ve been too in a long time, if not ever. More shows are supposed to be coming in the near future, and you can be sure that I will be there, at the Kingdom.

The Mix-Tape Ten: Mike Adams and Shane St. Clair

2008-10-28T23:09:00.010-04:00

Today is a two-fer Tuesday (on Wednesday morning)! I'm giving you, not one, but 2 Mix-Tape 10s by some of the coolest dudes ever. That's like a Mix-Tape 20. So, get your CD-Rs together and get ready to impress all of your friends with your music skillz. First up we've got Mr. Mike Adams and then it's on to the unstoppable Shane St. Clair (of The Sin-St. Clair Family Band fame).

There are more than a few people who think Mike Adams might just be the coolest and most influential guy in the Midwest. I happen to fall in that group. Mike Adams is the frontman for the incredible Bloomington band husband&wife, 1/5 of the indie-rock supergroup Prayer Breakfast is a record producer for great bands like Rodeo Ruby Love, and even runs a great record label all while video taping utility board meetings and keeping it real with his wife Jessica and their two cats Two Socks and Peyton Manning. Mike graciously took some time out of his crazy schedule to do a mix-tape here and it's a dandy! Also, click here for a little instant gratification...

Songs I'm Totally Aping Right Now by Mike Adams

1. "I Go Blind" - 54-40 (54-40)

this song was popularized in the late 1990's by hootie and the blowfish. turns out, the original is even better! it's got a real roughness to it that the hit cover lacks, especially in the backing vocals. it's got a real early REM kind of feel to it...great song.

2. "Flaming Home" - Mount Eerie (Lost Wisdom)

it was hard to pick just one song off of this record because i think it's pretty fantastic from front to back, and i've probably listened to it 100 times in the last month. so, here's the "single". it really is a beautiful song.

3. "Time and Energy" - The Delicious (Postcard to My Sewing Circle)

this is the first record in about 4 years that i've listened to more than one time through in a row without changing cds in my car stereo. i love the harmonies in this song that kick in around 1:31. keeps me coming back.

4. "Majik" - Starflyer 59 (Dial M)

this is simultaneously jason martin's most personally revealing and most upbeat song ever. it's a funny combination for someone who's forte is writing songs that are both cryptic lyrically and melancholy musically. the juxtoposition between the sadness of the lyrics and the happiness of the music really speaks to a philosophy in this life that i can relate to. plus it's really catchy.

5. "Over My Head" - Fleetwood Mac (Fleetwood Mac)

this song is as smooth as silk. it just straight up makes me feel good, and that's why i like it. i've spent alot of time with this record on the bus this week.

6. "Unsafest Place" - The Hollows (Darlings of Naught)

this is another really beautiful song. the hook in the chorus gets me right in a spot that no other song in this world ever has. it's really exciting to me that such a thing can still happen, even to a mean old scrooge like me.

7. "Breaker" - Retribution Gospel Choir (Retribution Gospel Choir)

forget about fake-heavy songs. leave them in the dust and listen to this album.

8. "The Introducing" - Vollmar (Tell the Dirt- not pictured)

i had the pleasure of hearing this song in various stages through the creation of this particular recording. listen to the piano jam on at the end (it starts at 2:28). it's totally thrilling. and i mean every ounce of that word - thrilling.

9. "Me and My Arrow / The Game" - Harry Nilsson (The Point!)

i'm not much of a dancer. i think it's wierd and prehistoric. but, this song makes me want to jump up and boogie every time it comes on. this is not a joke to be funny. i'm dead serious.

10. "The Ecstacy (insomnia plus one)" - Elephant Micah (Embarassment of Riches)

this is another one of those records where i had a really hard time picking just one song for this mixtape. every single song on this record is as good as the one before it. i'd kill for this guitar tone... please, buy this record from the guy who made it.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shane St. Clair is a guy that shouldn't need an introduction because he is, hands-down, my favorite keyboard player ever. He also happens to be one of my best friends, and thankfully plays in the same band as I do! He is an burgeoning economist and is also incredibly adept at playing the drums, guitar, and bass. He is a true musician who can cross the often un-crossable borders of rock and jazz and pop and never falter a step. It's nothing for him to play a 4 hour set at a posh jazz spot and then play in a gritty dive bar the next night, heck, sometimes in the same night! Here he has graced us with his ultimate mix-tape.

My Ultimate Mix-Tape by Shane St. Clair

1. "Ce Matin La" by Air (off 1998's Moon Safari)

This is Moon Safari's opener - one of the best album openers that I've heard in a long while, so it's also my mix opener. It's difficult in my mind to put anything beyond Ce Matin La that matches its grandeur, and while the rest of Moon Safari falls short of it's opener, this mix does not.

2. "Lady Luck" by Richard Swift (off 2008's Ground Trouble Jaw EP)

Motown's back. This is a cut off Swift's latest EP, it's 100% free on his Myspace to download!

3. "In Particular" by Blonde Redhead (off 2000's Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons)

Bogart's in Cincinatti - early winter 2004. This unknown band (to me) opened up for the highly revered (at the time) Interpol during their Antics tour. For people who have seen Blonde Redhead, you know that they're not good openers, because more then likely their show trumps all, including the headliner; this was exactly the case that night.

4. "Fallout" by The Futureheads (off 2006's News and Tributes)

Post-punk from England. No one took their debut seriously (it was kind of a joke), but the band hit their stride on their sophomore try. I listen to this album a lot when it's cold out...here's a slice.

5. "Song for Zelbert Moore" by Martin Dosh (off 2002's Dosh)

This dude is the talented drummer/keyboard player/looper genius that's played on Andrew Bird's latest couple of albums. He makes his own music too!

6. "Good Kids Make Bad Grownups" by Ariel Pink (off 2004's The Doldrums)

this is lo-fi at it's smallest bitrate. 'Growing up isn't half as fun as growing down.'

7. "Crossing Lines" by The Sea and Cake (off 2007's Everybody)

This is Chicago band that's all about layers, texture, and drive. Also check out 'One Bedroom'.

8. "Sideways Down" by The Frames (off 2004's Burn the Maps)

Everyone now knows the singer from that one movie (google Glen Hansard), but check out his band and this particular album - brilliant from start to finish, you have my word.

9. "Cats Eyes" by The Guillemots (off 2006's From the Cliff's EP)

Okay the Guillemots are weird. But sometimes I think I've never heard more beautifully orchestrated music in my life.

10. "A Window" by The Radio Dept (off 2006's Pet Grief)

This is a band I got deep deep into last year, and they're virtually unknown (why?), they are champions of texture.

Exclusive Interview with Author Amanda Petrusich!

2008-10-27T01:38:00.002-04:00

*photo by Bret Stetka

It seems that the whole world is busy these days. There's always something to do and it seems that everyone is on overdrive. Very few people are probably as busy as the acclaimed blogger-turned-author Amanda Petrusich, yet she seems to have a ridiculously heightened sense of appreciation for the small things in life. She is a senior staff writer for the venerable print music publication Paste Magazine, a contributor for the seminal Pitchfork Media, and even a frequent contributor for The Onion, NY Times, and a boat load of other important publications. She even did an installment for the 33 1/3 series on the phenomenal album Pink Moon by Nick Drake. She is a phenomenal writer who seems to not quite fit in with the jaded bashing that often is inherent in music critique. She seems to care much more for the personal details involved in the record than record itself. I don't blame her, and I'm glad she does.

Here, this immensely talented writer graciously agreed to let me ask her a few questions about her recent book It Still Moves. (By the way, it's incredibly intimidating to interview a professional interviewer, but I'm excited how it turned out.)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GLIu: Obviously, you are a true fan of music and an incredible writer, at what point did you decide to join those two ideas?

Amanda: For as long as I can remember, I always thought being a music critic was the coolest job in the world, but to be honest, I never really considered it a viable profession – it seemed like something other people got to do. In college, I studied English Literature but focused most of my energy on creative writing, which was what I loved the most. Eventually, I realized that every story or essay I wrote would become, in a sense, about music – you know, if I was writing a scene in a café, it became about the Dylan song that was playing in the background.

GLIu: Where did you get the time to write a book amidst all of the freelance writing that you do?

Amanda: This was a challenge – writing a book requires a completely different kind of discipline than cranking out 100-word record reviews. There’s a certain amount of immersion involved – once you get deep enough into it, you either can’t or don’t want to think about anything else at all. You live and breathe the story, as clichéd as that sounds. I ended up taking a few months off from freelancing to travel and work on the book exclusively, but when I was doing both simultaneously, I had to compartmentalize – you know, do my weekly assignments on Mondays and Tuesdays, work on the book the rest of the week. One of the hardest things about writing full-time is being really diligent about scheduling.

GLIu: There seems to be a theme in your book about the importance of individual's experiences as a means of tracking trends in the American musical landscape. Is that something that you did consciously?

Amanda: I was relatively conflicted, at first, about whether or not I wanted to write this book in the first-person, but ultimately that’s what felt most comfortable to me, and that was kind of story I wanted to tell. There’s nothing objective about this music – from its creation to its dissemination to its interpretation, it’s all informed by individual experience, right? I also didn’t want the book to seem definitive – this is my understanding of this story, this is what I hear and love, and it’s going to be different for everyone.

GLIu: Your book reads much like a wonderful road trip. How long did it take you do all of the traveling?

Amanda: The book took 18 months to write. The longest consecutive amount of time I was on the road was about 4 weeks, and then I went back to certain places to fill in the blanks (the trip I take to Vermont, at the end of the book, was separate from the original southern itinerary). I was in Mississippi three times, Memphis twice.

GLIu: While reading your book, it also seemed that you felt the need to experience these places of interest and dig into the details like the exact content of the room of your nightly lodging and the food at local restaurants, etc. Do you think that its necessary to experience the things that somebody like Lead Belly or The Carter Family would have experienced in their surroundings to better understand how they came up with their music?

Amanda: Absolutely. For me, all that stuff is just as interesting as the kind of guitar someone played. Who says art isn’t affected by what the artist ate for breakfast? I think every aspect of someone’s environment ultimately seeps into the work that they do, in obvious or not so obvious ways. I think that music – that all art, really – is inextricably tied to place, and that relationship is incredibly compelling to me. I didn’t see any other way to talk about this music. And then, in terms of my own personal journey, I wanted the reader to know those details, too – and how they might be coloring my impression of that particular place.

GLIu: How do you think your particular surroundings of Brooklyn influence your art?

Amanda: I have a love/hate relationship with New York City, which I think is fairly common amongst people who live here – there are non-city things I covet (having a garden, having a front porch, having a dog), but I also love being privy to such a staggering display of cultural/social/economic diversity (and being able to walk everywhere). Working on the book, coming from Brooklyn, it was especially interesting because Brooklyn is also where a lot of old Americana music is currently being synthesized and reinvented – readapted to this new, strange, urban place.

GLIu: Your book mentions several current artists who are carrying the American music flag like Sam Beam, Calexico, and Louisville's very own Will Oldham as folks who are marrying their own aesthetic ideals with the grit and texture of their folks-y forefathers/mothers. Are there any other bands that you think do this as well, or any current bands or other artists who excite you?

Amanda: Sure, tons: I really love the new Fleet Foxes LP. I also like Bowerbirds, from North Carolina, and Horse Feathers, from Portland, Oregon. And in Brooklyn, I’ve been really into a local band called Hymns. Oh, and Those Darlins’, from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, have a kind of Freakwater country-punk thing. I think they’re working on a debut LP.

GLIu: You have been known to write insightful pieces for quality publications like Paste and 33 1/3 and groundbreaking internet spots like Pitchfork and The Onion, what made you want to go the route of book-writing?

Amanda: I have an MFA in nonfiction writing, and I’ve always been really interested in long-form literary nonfiction (In Cold Blood is my favorite book). Especially now, with print media existing in a state of semi-panic, there’s not a lot of space for long, time-intensive pieces, which, as a writer, I’ve always found the most exciting – just having the time and space to really commit to a subject or story.

GLIu: How is it having to deal with a publishing company as opposed to publications for which you freelance?

Amanda: It’s a totally different experience. I was lucky to find such a loving home at Faber and Faber, and they were remarkably hands-off through the entire process – it felt, to me, like they were investing in me as a writer (oh man, that sounds so pretentious!), and less so in my book. They trusted my instincts and kind of just let me go, which I’m so incredibly thankful for -- they let me write the book I wanted to write. With magazines, there’s often a bit more of an agenda involved, and I don’t necessarily mean that as a criticism, it’s just a different business – a magazine might have a house style, or more space/length constraints, or different reader expectations, or whatever.

GLIu: How does one get the nerve to be a freelance writer full-time in the big city (or any city)?

Amanda: It certainly takes a bit of hubris, doesn’t it? I was terrified to quit my job and start doing this full-time, and even now, five years later, it can still be terrifying. There’s no financial security whatsoever, and freelancing is a bit of a hustle – you’re constantly pitching stories, corresponding with publicists, coming up with new ideas, listening to records, reading magazines and newspapers, and trying to figure out your role within all that noise. But it’s also the greatest job in the world, on a good day – you’ve got a lot of freedom, and you get to spend all your time doing something you love in the service of something else you love.

and, lastly

GLIu: Being a musician who has released a record that I worked on for a year, I have always felt that having a big project like that must be similar to having and carrying a baby. When you finally release it there is this huge relief and yet a sense of apprehension because now you have to take care of it and help it grow! Maybe it was just me, but can you relate to that at all?

Amanda: Dude, YES. I actually think the month the book came out was the most difficult of my career. I felt completely exposed and shy and crazy and paranoid – you spend eighteen months holed up in your apartment, alone with this fragile little thing, and then all of a sudden it’s out there in the world and PEOPLE ARE READING IT. I kind of wanted to die. I think some writers or musicians feel enormously validated and gratified and excited, but I was just paralyzed with fear. And you also feel so incredibly lucky and fortunate that it’s happening at all, and I think that whenever you’re feeling particularly lucky, you also feel a little bit guilty – you know, what did I do to deserve this?

GLIu: I couldn't think of anyone better.

Netflix Nebulous: Vol 4

2008-10-25T09:16:00.006-04:00

It is now time to get back to the good ole movie summarizing that this fella likes to do so much. I have been a busy boy and haven't had much time for movie watching, but I snuck in a few here and there and in between moments and have lived to tell about it. I have to say that sometimes you just don't feel like watching a movie. Sometimes I want to read a book (like It Still Moves or Kevin Zraly's Windows of the World Wine Course)

Jean Luc Godard's Band of Outsiders (1964)
I know, I know what you're thinking..."French movies are so unbearable to watch!" and "These old movies are so sloooooooooow" or even "I can't stand having to read subtitles". ANYWAY, now that we have that out of the way, please understand that this movie is an absolute delight in every way. Godard was a big fan of the dime-store novel crime stories and this is what came out of his fascination. It is a crime story involving a love-triangle-plagued group of restless young adults who aren't quite sure what to do with themselves. It is gorgeously shot, meticulously written, and funny as all get-out (I don't really know what "all get-out is", but I think it's REALLY funny.) This is a bona-fide classic movie for all the right reasons. Perfect cast, perfect script and the dancing scene which has been cribbed by a boat-load of folks, especially Tarantino in Pulp Fiction, is one of the most fun scenes ever put onto magnetic tape. And that's no hyperbole.

Garth Jennings' Son of Rambow (2007)
I hadn't initially heard a whole lot about this one other than the fact that it had made quite the splash on the festival circuit and that it was quickly becoming a critical darling. The basic premise of the movie is that this boy is in an uber-conservative family that suppresses him on every angle and he rebels and starts re-making the classic testosto-fest Rambo. He enlists the help of an unlikely friend and the movie chronicles the making of their movie. I'm sure Jennings' didn't intend for it to be this way, but the movie comes across as a near-retread of the recent Michel Gondry flick Be Kind Rewind in style (editors note: Gondry's flick only came out 2 months before so the idea that it directly steals from it is ludicrous but the similarities are definitely there). All that aside, it was quite the fun little movie and I think it was a good idea with an even greater execution. Definitely worth seeing.

Jody Hill's The Foot Fist Way (2006)
I am one who distrusts hype. The nature of the great hype-machine is a false sentiment. Most of the time, the hype about a movie or song or whatever can be traced back to a benefitting party (i.e. a studio, label, etc). But, there are times when I let some hope in my heart that a movie or record or whatever will be as good, if not better, than I hear it is. I had heard quite a bit about The Foot Fist Way and was excited about it mostly because I think it's lead character Danny McBride is downright hilarious. He was in the brilliant All the Real Girls by David Gordon Green, and this supposed-star-turning vehicle for him was so well recieved at the festivals that Will Ferrell himself financed it's wide release. To make a long story longer, it was pretty disappointing. That's not to say that it had its moments of pure hilarity for sure, but the film lacked a definitive character development and played out much like the man-child disintegration story that Will Ferrell has bank-rolled on. Also, the adult-themed nature of some of the segments kind of killed the fun of it at times as well. Oh well.

Band of Outsiders- Rating: A

Son of Rambow- Rating: B

The Foot Fist Way- Rating: C+

Enjoy.

The Mix Tape Ten (New and Improved!!)

2008-10-24T11:57:00.007-04:00

Just like John Cusack, I love the idea of a good mix-tape. I've kind of been having a hard time coming up with anything for this consistently so I was trying to think of a good way to do this column and then I thought: "I'll have other people do it!" "What a great idea, Scott!" "Thanks!"

So, for Round 1 of this new take on the series I am enlisting the help of one of my favorite musician folks. He weighs in with a list highlighting our descent into Halloween madness.

Jamie Barnes isn't your average singer-songwriter. He's actually good! Seriously though, Jamie weaves haunting narratives together with his pensive guitar playing. He has put out 3 critically-acclaimed records and is currently on the sonaBLAST Records roster with folks like The Old Ceremony and Ben Sollee. I can thankfully also call him a good friend and his heart is somehow even bigger than his talent. He's a good dude. Here he makes his mark with his Top 10 Murder Ballads.

Murder Ballads and other tragic songs by Jamie Barnes

#1 "Where the Wild Roses Grow" - Nick Cave off of Murder Ballads. It'd be hard not to include Cave on this list. This is the song that should be the primary wikipedia entry for the genre.

#2 "Nebraska" - Bruce Springsteen off of Nebraska. Cuz its boss.

#3 "Caleb Meyer" - Gillian Welch off of Hell Among the Yearlings. Best song about rape retribution.

#4 "Clara" - Scott Walker off of The Drift. Not so much a murder ballad as it is an account of an execution. Mussolini and his mistress are the subject matter in this creepy yarn complete with a session percussionist punching a slab of meat. Can't imagine what that smelled like in the recording studio.

#5 "Poor Edward" - Tom Waits off of Alice. Again - a stretch as far as topic wise. But its about a man taking his demise into his own hands after succumbing to the taunts of the second head that grew atop his shoulders! Creepy!!! Along with Cave, Waits is one of the founding fathers of the genre.

#6 "Outlaw Song" - Sixteen Horsepower off of Folklore. - brilliant adaptation of this traditional tune. Ends with the kick ass line: "Two were dead before they could move - that's my name. "

#7 "Stabbed in the Heart" - Jim White off of Wrong-Eyed Jesus. What sounds like a cliche metaphor is actually a literal chest puncture wound.

#8 "Until The Morning Comes" - Tindersticks off of Waiting for the Moon. A dark, gruesome text hidden amongst a sweet lullaby delivery. Wonderful!

#9. "Duk Koo Kim" - Sun Kil Moon off of Ghosts of the Great Highway. A historical accident - not a murder. Ray Mancini killed his South Korean opponent in a boxing match...No one tells such a yearning, heartbreaking story like Kozelek does.

#10. "Yeah, Oh Yeah!" - Magnetic Fields off of 69 Love Songs. A humorous one to end with to avoid 100% melancholy. Only Stephen Merritt can make you laugh while reciting a dialog between dueling lovers. This also ends with a blade in the aorta.

Honorable Mention: "Hey Joe" - Jimi Hendrix off of Are You Experienced? - Everybody did this song back in the day...but no one owned it like Jimi.

Book Review: It Still Moves by Amanda Petrusich

2008-10-24T03:05:00.005-04:00

Title: It Still Moves: Lost Songs, Lost Highways, and the Search for the Next American Music
Author: Amanda Petrusich
Publisher: Faber and Faber
Released: Fall of 2008
Rating: A+

If you are like me and every other twenty-whatever-year old then you occasionally (or maybe all the time) flip through Paste Magazine or click through Pitchfork getting all the best info on all of your favorite bands, some hyper-critical reviews, and a face-to-face introduction to a slew of bands that you can't stop listening to. I have been a fairly avid follower of both over the past couple of years, and I started to notice something a little over a year ago. A lot of my favorite pieces and reviews happened to have the same name stamped below them; that name was Amanda Petrusich. So, naturally when I read on Pitchfork about Ms. Petrusich writing and releasing a book about the American Musical Landscape, I couldn't wait to read it!! I later caught an excerpt from the book and it only whetted my appetite for what seemed to be an incredible dissection of American music and how to draw a line from the past to the present.

The book is told as a travelogue. Amanda hopped in her car and drove to Memphis to learn everything she could about Americana and American music. Her travels lead her through sleepy little Mississippi hallows, through the denim throes of Nashville/Cashville, and even on up to a wintry hamlet in New England. Along the way she stops everywhere in between and lets you know about it all.

The thing I love about this book is that it is concerned with the details more than the big picture. Petrusich seems to be more concerned with what Ramblin' Jack Elliott would have had for dinner than anything else. But, Amanda Petrusich is privy to the fact that you can't appreciate the big picture fully, until you've combed through the little dots that make it up.

Her beach-combing is never pretentious or hurtful(an often-fault of Pitchfork), and it has a way of humanizing the mythology that has so vastly engulfed American music history. People like Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Lead Belly, and the Carter Family are stuff of legends and Ms. Petrusich takes them off their pedestal with kid-gloves and carefully peels away the layers as if in an archaeological dig. When she's finished dusting off the cobwebs of these great American heroes, the seem tangible and fragile, and even more special because of it. This would be a great feat in itself, but the fact that it is blended so effortlessly with her seemingly endless knowledge about everything from Lomax to Will Oldham and everywhere in between is staggering and humbling. She has done her homework folks, and not just in facts and figures, in body and soul as well, in heart and in soil. She paints with every color in the spectrum, a seemingly endless pallet.

I couldn't recommend this book more because of her understanding of the importance of the small things and relating that to such a wonderful enterprise like American music. It's just one of those books where I neglect reading the last chapter for quite some time just in order to not let it end.

Highly, highly recommended. Check Amazon, or whatever. But buy it!!!!

P.s. She just happens to be an incredibly kind and accommodating person as well. Tops in my book.

Notable Nights: Mount Eerie at Skull Alley 10/22

2008-10-24T01:42:00.004-04:00

If you have read this blog recently then you are well aware of my affinity for the new Mount Eerie record Lost Wisdom. Last night, I had the pleasure of seeing Mount Eerie along with Julie Doiron, Calm Down It's Monday, and Matty Pop Chart at Skull Alley, and I can safely say that it was one of my favorite shows of all time. Period.

I had tried to get some friends to go with me to this show, but no one was really biting the hook except for my buddy Matt who was going to meet me up there. He is basically the only other person I knew that would be there, and I feared that very few people would show up except I knew that Matt Tobey (from Good Luck) was doing a solo set as his solo act Matty Pop Chart. The Good Luck show was very well attended so I figured there'd be some trickle from that, but I wasn't aware of Mount Eerie being popular in town.

I got there a little later than I wanted to but just in time to see Matt Tobey start the night. I hadn't listened to a lot of his solo stuff so I wasn't sure what to expect from him. I love, love, love his band Good Luck so I was just preparing myself to have a great time. He played about 8 songs (a few with some help) and just floored me and Matt with his heart-shattering songs that took the intellect of his writing in Good Luck and married it with an intimacy you can only get in a one-man band. His songs are honest and open, brutal and vulnerable simultaneously. He also got major bonus points for telling one of the funniest stories I've ever heard about a dream where his friend learned about an alleycat's "true name" which was 8 Houses. Moral of the story: don't ever call a cat by it's True Name.

Next up was Calm Down, It's Monday which is a collaboration between Fred Squire (who did the electric guitar on Lost Wisdom) and Julie Doiron (who did the harmonies). I had heard a couple of songs on MySpace and was really excited to see them because I loved what I had heard. Their one song called "The Sweetest May" (which closed out their set) is fantastic! Even Fred calls it (with his tongue glued to his cheek) his "real hit song." Calm Down, It's Monday is the only band that I could ever describe as delicate riff-rock. Fred looks like he had come straight from working under the hood of an old '32 Vicky somewhere in Iowa. The only exception would be his neon green thong-sandals that were a nice touch. He is a lean man, with wiry fingers that coax soul out of his Ibanez hollow-body while he sings starkly, yet warm like a blue-collar family member. Julie softly sat behind him with an occasional perfect harmony stumbling forth in between her minimalist drumming. He was very funny on the mic as well in between songs. During this set, I actually looked over to my left and next to my buddy Max just happened to be standing one of my biggest musical influences of all time, Will Oldham. I got instant butterflies as I came to the realization that him and I might just like the same bands!! I went from Zero to Superfan in about .3 seconds.

Fred and Julie then switched places as Julie paced through a set of her own post-Eric's Trip songs. She has released several records since the demise of her seminal Canadian rock band, and she has honed a craft so delicate and strong that you fall in love the moment she sets her fingers to the strings, and her voice to the air. She has an amazing command of her voice which is reminiscent of another Candadian Crooning Beauty named Leslie Feist. Another buddy J, said that she was like Cat Power, but with a lot more talent. I didn't disagree. Her set was stunning and so were her boots made out of light blue jeans which nestled snuggly underneath her dark blue jeans. Blue jeans on blue jeans.

Phil Elverum then set up a line of 3 folding chairs on the edge of the stage for him, Julie, and Fred to perch on and perform as he kindly and meekly asked us all if we wanted to sit down. The three of them wandered through each wonderful track of Lost Wisdom in the same order that it was on the record. Elverum admitted his reservations about doing the same set every night, but that he felt like it was much better than he thought it would be. I wouldn't have had it any other way. Each song gripped me like welcome hug. I sang every word like I was 16 and didn't care what cool person would think I was lame for singling along. The songs were mesmerizing and cathartic, emotional and calming. I have not felt so overjoyed with music in a long time. Phil closed the set out with another 3 wonderful songs from the Mount Eerie catalog and didn't disappoint a smidgeon.

Shortly after they played I wandered into the other room to pick up a few records (I got a real copy of Lost Wisdom and Julie Doiron's Goodnight Nobody) and eventually got to meet Mr Bonnie "Prince" Billy himself. I know this might not be a big deal for some people, but his song "Hard Life" is one of my favorite songs EVER and there are only a few musicians/artists who are a bigger influence on me and their names are Bob Dylan and Robert Zimmerman. This was a big moment for me. I didn't know if I wanted to talk to him though because if he turned out to be a jerk then it might ruin the whole thing for me. But, I felt compelled to profess my love for his music to him and guess what....he was one of the nicest and most genuinely appreciative musicians I've ever met. He let me tell him how much I looked up to him and how much I love "Hard Life" and then he got us into talking about how awesome Mount Eerie was. I'm still on cloud 9. It was magic.

Made my week for many.

Post Script

2008-10-22T16:20:00.002-04:00

Don't forget about the Mt. Eerie show tonight!!!

I can't wait!

An Enthusiast's Guide to Woody Allen

2008-10-22T16:01:00.010-04:00

There's no questioning the polarity that seems to be caused by Woody Allen. There are a large number of people that think he is way too self-involved and pretentious with his artsy-fartsy schmaltz and the false intellectualism he hangs over his movies to make them inaccessible to common folk. I am not one of these people as we've already established. I don't necessarily think those people totally wrong, but I disagree. So, if you're still with me and are ready for a last trip into Woody-land then buckle your seat belts for a few of Woody's films that are either, at times, a little bit more under the radar, or only for those of us who buy into the whole nonsense that makes a Woody Allen film a Woody Allen film. These are a few of my favorites which scratch a little bit deeper under the surface.

What's Up, Tiger Lily? (1967)- This was Woody's first film of sorts and it is possibly his least initially palatable (which is saying something). This movie is actually a Japanese spy movie called The Key of Keys that the studio purchased for $66,000. They then hired Allen to rewrite the script and overdub the vocal tracks and it turned into a hilarious send-up of spy movies with its over-the-top plot about a stolen egg salad recipe. It's a lot of fun.

Rating: B

Play It Again, Sam (1972)- This is a fan-favorite for many reasons. One is the ridiculous and ridiculously entertaining appearances by Humphrey Bogart's ghost giving Sam advice about everything including how to schmooze on the 100% lovable Diane Keaton. Keaton hauls in one of her best performances and the script, about a film critic who has his heart broken, is one of Allen's most enjoyable. Allen has been known for bending the lines and breaking the 4th Wall and any other film rule, and this film is a great example of him creating his own genre.

Rating: A-

Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex* But Were Afraid To Ask (1972)- 1972 was a successful year for Allen as he put out Play It Again, Sam and this ridiculous piece. This is actually 7 different short films that all are hypothetically based off of the book by Dave Reuben. The best pieces are the one where Gene Wilder falls in love with a sheep and an inside look at what happens during the seduction process. This is definitely not for everyone, but for those looking for a high-caliber, low-brow romp, this is for you!

Rating: B

Manhattan (1979)- There are quite a few people who think that this is Allen's greatest film, and on a lot of levels they are right. The incredible blend of George Gershwin's subtle swing, the camera work of Gordon Willis, and Allen's air-tight script about everyone's desire to love and be loved no matter the consequences makes for one of the most enchanting stories ever filmed. The characters are pitch-perfect especially an Oscar-nod-worthy one by Mariel Hemingway as Allen's 17-year-old girlfriend. A paternal match to Miranda July's Me and You and Everyone You Know.

Rating: A

Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)- Never before has a film about infidelity and guilt and murder been so enjoyable. Martin Landau plays an eye-doctor who is cheating on his wife with a younger Anjelica Huston who flips out and decides she is going to be together or she'll tell the missus! Insanity and conscience-questioning ensue as the story also follows a young documentarian and the woman of his dreams who is also being courted by a Hollywood Suit who is just begging to get socked in the kisser (Alan Alda). Probably the last Allen film of its type to marry humor and guilt so symbiotically.

Rating: A

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hope you have enjoyed our little foray into all thing Woody Allen and know that there are even some gems that I didn't mention, and with a few films that just came out or are in post-production, it doesn't look like he's going to be slowing down anytime soon.

The 5 Spot: The Great Crossover: Musicians Turned Actors

2008-10-19T23:37:00.024-04:00

We all love a good crossover (collectively). If we didn't then Shania Twain and Ja Rule wouldn't dominate the pop charts every now and again (or at one point), Ronald Reagan wouldn't have been president, or Ole Blue Eyes never would have mixed around with Gene Kelly. The crazy thing about crossover artists or figures or whatever is that its so easy for it to go very wrong (read: Michael Jordan's baseball career). I really admire when someone makes the leap successfully. And by successfully I'm not talking financially, but on the basis of artistic merit. And, of course, I judge it by my own criteria. That's how opinions work. Here's a few musicians that I think did a fine job making the jump to movies whether it was a brief stint or still going to this day:

#1: Art Garfunkel in Carnal K nowledge: Everybody knows this goldilocks for having the sweetest vocal chords anyone's ever heard. Half of Simon and Garfunkel, he was the high-register love that came lilting out of your headphones. What a natural choice for a Mike Nichols film, right?! When this film came out about a handful of sexually confused and frustrated co-eds (namely Jack Nicholson, Art, Candice Bergen, and Ann-Margaret), nobody knew what to do with it because everyone wants Garfunkel to be this cherubic figure. It's a classic! Of course it wasn't the first time that Nichols and Garfunkel had collaborated...
Rating: B+
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

#2: Meat Loaf in Fight Club: These days, he's a really nice dad that's going to get that cool new phone for his kid, but back in the day, he used to be totally hardcore!! This bat outta hell, has sold millions and millions of records and happens to have been a part of spawning backyard battle clubs and obsessive midnight movie revues. In this fisticuff festivus, he is a man with an unfortunate problem. Also, you might remember that his name was Robert Paulson.
Rating: B+

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

#3: David Bowie in The Pr estige: The easy route here would be to talk about Labyrinth, but we all know about that one and Bowie isn't exactly a man that needs an introduction. I did enjoy his subtle, yet creepy portrayal of Tesla in this Christian Bale vehicle. A fairly phenomenal movie from someone who knows what he's doing, and its a lot of fun with a pretty great twist!
Rating: B

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

#4: Tom Waits in Down By Law: Tom Waits is another one of those dudes whose career needs no embellishing, glossing over, or paraphrasing. It's depth and breadth suggest that canonization is inevitable, but I particularly love this turn of his in this crazy, depressing, and fun film of indie darling Jim Jarmusch.
Rating: A

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#5: Mark Wahlberg in I Heart Huckabees: He's just a squirrel trying to get a nut, and there's nothing wrong with that. His film career is not lacking good flicks, but I really like this pop-culture pscho-analytic freakout. Q: How is he not himself? A: When he's Marky Mark.
Rating: A-

What've you got for me?

There's Nothing to Do In This Town Vol. 3: 21C Museum Hotel and the Surrounding Area

2008-10-16T17:23:00.008-04:00

21C Museum Hotel
700 W. Main St
Louisville, KY 40202

I had the day off today and decided that it was a good chance to head on over to the endlessly fun 21C on W Main St downtown. I think that the 400-900 blocks of W Main house some of the coolest things in Louisville like The Louisville Science Center, Louisville Slugger Museum, great restaurants, The Belvedere, 21C and more!

Just for a bit of background, according to the 21C website,

"21c Museum Hotel in Louisville, KY is the first of its kind-a 90-room hotel dedicated to world class luxuries, Southern-style hospitality and contemporary art from living artists. The hotel features a 9,000 square foot contemporary art museum funded and managed by the International Contemporary Art Foundation. This stunning collection of cutting-edge art, including Red Penguin (2005) by Cracking Art, inspired the naming of this property and influenced the creation of the museum and hotel. For the finest in libations and culinary creations, Proof On Main, managed by ACE Unlimited, is among the nation's top best new restaurants."

Basically it is a huge hotel downtown that doubles as a free contemporary art museum and it is open to the public 24/7! It houses some great, original and creative work and even features local art like a recent enchanting installation by Mickie Winters. I snapped a few rough photos inside and out to help you get an idea for it. The waterfall-looking picture in the hotel was actually taken from inside the men's bathroom looking out into the hallway, and the mirror above the sink has a bunch of inset eyes who watch you. Needless to say, the whole thing is a fun experience.

Upon entering you will notice a large white, plastic sheet on the floor with a video of a couple sleeping displayed on it. And above the hotel check-in counter is a series of life-like statues of children from various cultures in their natural state (read:naked) and the front room houses a large smattering of various pieces of art. If you take a right then you will also come to a side-room which is typically the video installation room, but currently houses a beautiful installation by Olivier Blanckart of paper-mache-esque sculptures. If you walk through the corner of the big room next to the video installation room, you will be stepping into Proof on Main which is one of the most exciting restaurants in the city, let alone the downtown. I've heard that Wednesday night Fried Chicken is a can't miss and that the Bison Burger is to die for.

From the main room, you can also turn left which will have you passing various works of art in the hallway and if you are a gentleman (or non-gentle) you should check out one of the coolest bathrooms ever. The main room also has stairs in the back to lead to the downstairs which has several rooms displaying various installations and permanent works like the psychedelic hallway. There are rooms and alleys to explore galore. It makes for a fantastic afternoon.

If you're like me, you might feel like you are going to be asked to leave because you are not a guest of the hotel, but don't feel that way! The museum is actually open 24/7 and the staff is very kind and accommodating to visitors.

After the museum I mosey-ed on down the street to a little oasis in the downtown called Fort Nelson Park. It's just a small (approx.) 20ft x 20ft park with some benches and a fountain in the middle and a lot of history writings/plaques/monuments about the original settlement of Louisville. It is kept up (except for the fountain) and you don't have to watch your step because no pets are allowed! It's such a cool spot because it has a very St. James Court feel where it's like a big garden in the middle of a concrete jungle. Walking out of the back of the tiny park you will notice another plaque explaining more about how Louisville was a by-product of Lewis and Clark's expedition to explore the Louisiana Purchase. They actually set out on the Ohio River to begin their quest from Louisville right out by Corn Island (the original settlement). The back of the park also houses two different options: River Walk or Garden Walk. Due to a severe amount of construction underneath I-64 for Museum Plaza (which was just halted til the economy betters), the River Walk is not an option, and I had never noticed the Garden Walk before. It is to the left and if you look close you'll see a little dirt-covered cobble-stone path hugging the flood wall and nestled in with an nominally-appropriate display of significant growth and human abandonment. This little path leads to Yarmuth Garden which is a little picnicking area located behind the wonderful Louisville Science Center. From the garden you can access the Science Center through the rear doors.

Now, I leave you with pictures:

Join Me: Incredible Shows in Louisville!!!

2008-10-16T13:07:00.010-04:00

The music scene in Louisville one can be a little tough to navigate (as is almost anywhere I'm sure). Sometimes its tough to know when great shows are happening and incredible bands come through town without anyone ever knowing. I'm going to try to let you know of as many great shows that I think are worth attending as I possibly can. Thanks to the good folks at Backseat Sandbar I've found out about some cool stuff that I didn't know before. I'm here to return the favor to as many folks as possible.

Date: Wednesday, Oct 22nd (next week)
Location: Skull Alley
Time: 6pm (Early Show!)
Cost: $7 (but it's SOO worth it!)

Lineup:

Update: Pitchfork just reviewed the new Mount Eerie record and liked it almost as much as I did!!

Mount Eerie

Julie Doiron

Matty Pop Chart

Calm Down, Its Monday

Algernon Cadawallader

Music Review: Mount Eerie's Lost Wisdom

2008-10-13T23:28:00.004-04:00

Artist: Mount Eerie (feat. Julie Doiron and Fred Squire)
Album: Lost Wisdom
Released: October 2008
Label: P.W. Elverum & Sun
Hometown: Anacortes, Washington
Rating: 8.9 out of 10

As with my favorite of music, this record was passed on to me by my great buddy Mike Adams. He just gave it to me and told me that he was pretty sure that I would like it. From now on I'm betting on his instincts (as if his taste was questionable...it's not). I can't claim to be down on Mount Eerie's previous stuff which is the pet-project of Phil Elverum who's former project was the well-liked and revered Microphones. This new record features old and new songs in duet stylings with the wonderful and heartbreaking voice belonging to Julie Doiron the leader of now-defunct and revered Eric's Trip.

It takes some pretty fortified sinew to start our your record with a song that's twice as long as the rest of the songs, but from the moment the first notes of the title track kick in, you are on for a slow-paced and absorbing ride. The real story here is the subtlety of the duet-style vocals and the minimalist guitar work of Fred Squire. The vocals shape-shift and switch harmonies and melodies between each other as if they were playing a wonderful game of hot potato. Julie Doiron's voice is gorgeous if devastating as she adds to songs like "Voice in Headphones" and my personal favorite "With My Hands Out" which were also featured on the wonderful record "Dawn" which was a CD that was included in a recent book put out by Elverum. There are also wonderful tracks like the ominous "Grave Robbers" and I couldn't leave you without one of my favorite, if perplexing, pieces of lyrical mastery when Elverum and Doiron croon on "What?" when it closes with, "Visible inside/Dumb and blind/Newborn babies come to life on my face/They say, 'Ta Da!". The song "What?" seems to be a companion piece to the magnificent "Who?" which projects pertinent questions and responses like "What do I want with my life now that you're gone?/I want you're ghost gone."

This album is slow and methodical like a grand joining of Bonnie "Prince" Billy's simplicity and the mood entrancing of Sun Kil Moon. I have, not joking, listened to this record probably about 25 times this week. It's one of those records that holds you in that state between sadness and joy where there doesn't seem to be a line at all.

Busy, Busy, Busy Bees

2008-10-13T18:55:00.003-04:00

Obviously, I have not been able to keep up my previous blogging fervor, but I have very good reasons. More will be coming shortly. I have a bunch of stuff that's almost done. I also am now a contributor to BuzzGrinder (one of the reasons I'm behind) and will be posting a bunch of stuff for them as well. It is a music website, but almost everything I do for them will be non-music related. I will leave you all with this little bit of goodness. I will be there (helping out my friends) and so should you.

P.S. It's in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Special Report: Halloween!

2008-10-11T00:02:00.007-04:00

I never got to enjoy Halloween too much as a kid. As a rule, my siblings and I were not really allowed to go out trick-or-treating and I never got to dress up in fun costumes. Mostly it was, I now believe, an economic decision (which I respect), but it left in me the ultimate desire to have grandiose costumes to use, not just for Halloween but, all the time. My closest friends are privy to this information already, but out of the law of big numbers, I thought I would share this with everyone. I am desperate to find a good adult giraffe costume like these bad boys, but for less than $900 (which is the going price for a typical one). If you're mom is great at making costumes or you happen to have raided an old Toys-R-Us and stole the Geoffrey outfit, then let me know!!!! I want one SOOO bad.

Also, I would like to play music in it like Daniel:

The Mix-Tape Ten: Volume 3

2008-10-05T00:52:00.014-04:00

If you haven't noticed, the whole idea behind MT10 is that you should make a mix CD using these songs and listen to it all week and enjoy!! I recently found a few mix CDs in my car as I was cleaning it this week and here are a few of the highlights:

#1- "Options" by Pedro the Lion off of Control

#2- "Out on the Weekend" by Neil Young off of Harvest

#3- "Two Headed Boy" by Neutral Milk Hotel off of In the Areoplane Over the Sea

#4- "Well" by Eef Barzeley off of Bitter Honey

#5- "Another Travellin' Song" by Bright Eyes off of I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning

#6- "The Big Guns" by Jenny Lewis off of Rabbit Fur Coat

#7- "Honey and the Moon" by Joseph Arthur off of Redemption's Son

#8- "The Christian Life" by The Byrds off of Sweetheart of the Rodeo

#9- "Train in Vain" by The Clash off of London Calling

#10- "Table for Glasses"- by Jimmy Eat World off of Clarity

*As always, let me know what you think...

Netflix Nebulous Vol. 3: A look at the films of David Gordon Green

2008-10-01T00:27:00.009-04:00

For this feature of the Nebulous I wanted to put the proverbial lens to a specific director named David Gordon Green. I was first introduced to Mr. Green's work when a friend of mine took a master's degree film class and had to watch Green's 2000 masterpiece George Washington. I was struck by the beauty he captured from a part of the South that seems to have been struck by endless atrophy. His depiction of these small town scenes can safely be regarded as somewhat of a love letter to the South. He sees it crumble and sees its despair yet somehow pulls real beauty out of a world that seems to be falling apart. There is much to be said about stylistic homage to a writer/director named Terrence Malick (which is very strong in Undertow which Malick also produced), but I like to think of Green as more of a disciple of the Charles Burnett classic Killer of Sheep. Here's a closer look at 4 of the films that were written/directed by David Gordon Green.

George Washington (2000)

This is the first film that Green did and it is a phenomenal movie that absolutely floored me with its pacing, cinematography, and the texture of its characters. The movie follows a group of 12-year old friends around as they explore the world around them in rural North Carolina. The film is devastatingly raw and intimate and hurts that much more when tragedy strikes in the group of friends. The scene where Vernon and Nasia are breaking up is one of my favorite scenes of all time. Also, it has a wonderful appearance by Green favorite Paul Schneider.

All the Real Girls (2003)

This film was Green's 2nd major one after a few short films and is easily one of the most suprisingly interesting movies I've ever scene. I had skipped over this one for a long time because I thought it was just another half-hearted indie movie, but let me reassure you that this is heartbreaking and uplifting all at the same time. Its a movie about redemption and consequences. It's about love and how it doesn't fix everything. It's beautiful and hard to watch at time. It's real. Paul Schneider and Zooey Deschanel rack in career-best performances.

Undertow (2004)

This film is about a man who shelters his two boys in a house out in the middle of nowhere. Come to find out, this man has a brother who finds him and old rivalries flare up which sends the boys tearing through the rural Georgian countryside fighting for their lives. Near the end they find a commune of wayward folks in an abandoned factory and makes for some of the most dream-like scenery I have ever seen on film. Also, beware of the strange eating disorder the younger brother has which causes his body to reject regular food and crave things like paint, dirt, etc at the same time. Poor kid.

Snow Angels (2007)

Snow Angels was a first for DGG for a few reasons. One was that it is set in the North, presumably in Smalltown, Pennsylvania. The other new bit is that it is an adaptation of a novel written by Stewart Onan. WARNING: This movie is not for the faint at heart. It is a story about a few people in a small town as the watch their lives fall apart. It is heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time which is absolutely a trademark of DGGs. There is a plot of redemption though that stands out in the love story between the young characters brilliantly played by Michael Angarano and Olivia Thirlby. One of the most wonderful, yet haunting movies I have ever seen.

Ratings:

George Washington: A
All the Real Girls: A
Undertow: B+
Snow Angels: A-

*Interestingly enough, DGG was picked to direct the major motion picture Pineapple Express. I have not personally seen the movie so I can't say anything about it one way or the other, other than to say that I think DGG is one of the most underrated director/writers ever so I can't see it being too bad.

The 5 Spot: John Candy

2008-09-27T13:59:00.011-04:00

I just happen to be a part of the group of folks who believe that John Candy is one of the most underrated comedians of our time. His early career was a little more indicative of his comedic prowess as he helped foster the famed Second City comedy troupe out of Toronto, Ontario and helped that blossom into the highly revered Second City TV in Canada. Along with him at SCTV at that time were other great comedy minds like Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, Rick Moranis, and Harold Ramis.

Legend has it that John Candy was well-known in Hollywood as being a genuinely nice guy before his tragic heart-attack in March of 1994 while filming the movie Wagon's East in Mexico. Throughout his career he had a few extremely memorable roles and found success hooking up with other greats like Dan Akroyd and most notably John Hughes.

It's tough to pick 5 John Candy movies, but here's my stab at it!

#5- Uncle Buck (1989)- This classic movie is about a down-and-out man (Candy) who ends up having to babysit his 3 nieces and nephews. Along the way, they cause trouble, he teaches them some things, they teach him some things and everyone leaves better off...especially the veiwer.
Rating: B

#4- Nothing But Trouble (1991)- This is one of John Candy's last great movies and also holds the distinction of being the absolute weirdest. He plays a cop-with-a-kind-of-conscience in this wacky movie. I don't even know if I can begin trying to explain the plot, but you need to watch this if you haven't seen it because it is downright hilarious and revolting at the same time. I have to thank my buddy Michael for making me watch this a year or so ago because I didn't even know it existed. "That's what friends are fooooooorrr!"
Rating: B+

#3- Stripes (1981)- This movie kicked the 80s comedy scene into overdrive as the first pairing of Bill Murray and Harold Ramis (Ghostbusters, Groundhog Day) and also featured Candy as a Ox one of the hapless recruits that falls under the tutelage of Murray. Huge bonus points to this movie for being almost completely filmed in the wonderful and beautiful city of Louisville! Give it up for the Second Street Bridge!!
Rating: A-

#2- Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)- This laugh-fest is about an uptight businessman (Martin) who's just trying to make it home for Thanksgiving when his plans are thwarted by a zealous and super-friendly salesman named Del Griffeth (Candy) who just happens to be going the same way. One of the original uncomfortably funny movies that makes you feel like something awful is about to happen around each corner. You'd be right for thinking so.
Rating: A

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

and the best film that has ever starred the larger-than-life comedian...........

#1- Spaceballs (1987)- This comedy is one of the all-time greats written and directed by one of the all-time greats, Mel Brooks. This is easily one of Candy's most memorable roles as he plays the ridiculous Mog (half man, half dog) helping Lone Starr rescue Princess Vespa from Dark Helmet. Who would have known that there was so much comedy to be mined from Star Wars?
Rating: A+

Editors Note: While I wholeheartedly stand behind my picks, I do believe that there are a couple of roles worth noting. Who doesn't love him as the ogre-with-a-heart-of-gold Irv Blitzer in Cool Runnings or as the big-hearted-family-man Chet Ripley in The Great Outdoors. Another personal favorite of mine is the oft-overlooked role of his as the Polish-band-member Gus Polinski from Cheboygan in John Hughes' Home Alone.

There's Nothing to Do in This Town Vol. 2: Vernon Lanes

2008-09-25T00:17:00.014-04:00

Vernon Lanes
1575 Story Avenue
Louisville, KY 40206
Phone: (502) 584-8460

A few years back I happened upon a little bowling joint in Butchertown that I figured I'd try out because I hate going to the bowling Mega-plexes in the East End, and I was really hoping that I could find something cool much closer to home. You see, I do absolutely whatever I can to avoid the East End (even though Butchertown is technically the East End). Not that there's nothing good there, but it just reeks of suburbia and makes me feel super-claustrophobic. Thankfully, I will no longer have to travel that way to fill my bowling needs because Vernon Lanes ended up being the absolute best bowling alley I've ever been to in my life.

The quick history is that Vernon Lanes is supposedly the 3rd oldest bowling alley in the country (since April 1, 1918) that started out as a men's club back in 1886. It later (1918) came to be in the spot that is holds now and it is a small 8-lane room with great food, music and atmosphere. I visited on a recent night with my roommate and walked in shortly after a ton of people just got finished filming a movie scene in there. We laced up as they were taking down the lighting props and cameras which made for a slightly surreal start to our night of bowling, but soon it was back to the same old Vernon full of color, good ball selection, and classic rock songs.

One thing I have to do whenever I go there is stock up on a cheesburger and fries because it always goes well with a few games there. The burgers are made in-house and they taste just like they would if I were to grill them at home. Nothing fancy, just a burger and cheese with a heaping dose of krinkle fries.

At times the Lanes can be crazy-packed due to the fact that it is small, and it has turned into a fairly hip place to be these days, so I definitely recommend going on a weeknight as there is usually plenty of room to put your feet up and a greater chance of having a normal conversation without screaming into your friend's ear.

In the basement of the Lanes is an enormous 500-person venue called Club Vernon where they periodically have bands play. It is an incredible room that I cannot wait to hang out in and see a show when they have one. I tried to get a picture of it, but they were closing the room up for the night and I couldn't get a good shot. Here are a few looks at the great time we had!!

I also think that it's worth noting a few of the classic tunes that were played while we were there:
The Beatles- "I'm Only Sleeping"
The Beatles- "Paperback Writer"
Tom Petty- every other song

And I will say that I have never felt so empowered than when I was stepping up to the lane and "Won't Back Down" came on. It was glorious!

A Skeptics Guide to Woody Allen

2008-09-24T16:52:00.007-04:00

I am no fool (most of the time). I am completely aware that Woody Allen is not for everyone. There could be much said about his shortcomings on and off the screen. At times, even bringing up his name elicits strong resentment and condemnation from people who don't agree with his personal life, most notably his relationship with Mia Farrow's adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn. Some people plain just don't like him, and there are a couple of films that give them some good material to work with. Here's a few that I believe would qualify as a skeptics ammunition:

#5- Melinda and Melinda (2004)- This interesting double take on a woman falling apart showcases the differences/similarities between a comedy and a tragedy. This has all the right ingredients to make it a successful movie (big names like Will Ferrell and Amanda Peet, an intriguining intellectual storyline, etc) but it lacked something big-time...the presence of Woody Allen. This was one of the first films in a while that didn't have Woody playing a significant role and it suffered greatly for it.
Rating: C

#4- A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy (1982)- Don't get me wrong, this isn't an aweful movie, it's just not that great either. If there's one thing that can happen when an artist is so prolific is that the end up churning out some misses in between the big hits (see Charles Bukowski and Ryan Adams). It suffers from being completely unessential.
Rating: C

#3- September (1987)- As always, there are those who would praise this Chekovian drama of Woody's, but for some reason I think it was just kind of tedious and dim-witted. It features two of Woody's leading ladies with Mia Farrow and Dianne Wiest, but even they fail to bring this sob-fest above any real lucidity.
Rating: C-

#2- Hollywood Ending (2002)- There was a period of time when it seemed that all hope was lost for Mr. Allen. He had a habit of putting out half-hearted slop like this ensemble piece. It's pretty sad when a movies only redeeming quality is the fact that it featured Kelly Kapowski from Saved By the Bell. Not worth watching...
Rating: D+

#1- The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001)- Notice how 3 of these films happened within 3 years of each other? This film might not actually be the worst of all of Woody's films, but the simple fact that it still stands to be his most expensive film ever and the fact that it features Dan Akroyd and still isn't entertaining leaves it being the biggest offender. I'd like to personally thank Woody for the fact that he stopped making movies this boring.
Rating: D+

An Exclusive Interview with Good Luck!

2008-09-24T00:07:00.006-04:00

There's always going to be a special feeling reserved for the first time you hear a great piece of music. There is a sense of discovery that first time that mixes with wonder and joy. Often that can fade as you listen to the music again, or it can grow into a profound sense of connection. The first time I heard a song by Bloomington, Indiana's Good Luck I was at the Louisville, Kentucky venue Skull Alley. I was loading in for a show that night and Jamie, the guy who runs the venue, was piping in their incredible tunes over the house system. When I first heard Matt Tobey sing, I knew for sure that it must have been the new Mountain Goats record, but somehow it extremely better than what I was expecting from Darnielle and Co.

One of my friends in another Indiana band, Away with Vega, who was playing that night quickly told me that I was mistaken. He said it was the new project from Matty Pop Chart's Matt Tobey and it was called Good Luck. Consider me hooked.

Good Luck has had rocket-fast growth in that Indiana soil, and with a ton of touring, an EP, and a full-length later, they have a pretty serious fanbase around the country. They didn't even start playing together until last year and have exploded into one of the most popular indie bands in the Midwest. They have appeared on The Pink Couch Series from ifyoumakeit.com and are the new favorite band of everyone I talk to it seems these days. This is no surprise considering their well-crafted songs that seem to have everything you could ever want in a song: unbelievably creative and melodic guitar riffs, harmonies, endless energy, and some of the best lyrics I've heard in a long time. With such strong songs like "Public Radio", "The Stars Were Exploding" and "Pajammin", I would be greatly surprised if Good Luck was not a household name for any indie kid within the next year or so.

If you've read any of this blog, then you are aware of my love for these fine folks. Ginger, Matt, and Mike recently and gracefully agreead to do an interview for the blog here and I am publishing it in its entirety. I couldn't tell you how much admiration I have for this band.

GLIu: To start things off, how did Good Luck come to be and how long have you been together? Are you all originally from Bloomington?

Ginger: Good Luck started in April 2007. Matt had just moved back to Bloomington, IN from Olympia, WA, and he caught me at the punk rock prom or something, and asked me if I'd like to play music with him sometime. I loved matt's music so I thought "of course" and we brainstormed of a drummer we could play with. Mike and I had been hanging out a lot so I suggested him, and Matt said, "oh yeah I played with mike once before I moved out of town," so it all made sense. None of us are from Bloomington. I'm actually from Mississippi. I lived there until 2006, setting up punk rock shows in an old dilapidated farmhouse in the middle of the Delta and playing for many years in a band called One Reason. I knew Matt because my band had played with his bands (Matty Pop Chart, Mt. Gigantic, Abe Froman) many times since he was 17. I actually went to his high school graduation party. How cute is that? I moved to Bloomington because it was the one place in the country that I already had many friends in the music scene (mainly the plan it x records scene), and because I had been here so many times touring and really loved it. Plus it's a small, low stress, low cost town to live in, not too much of a shock after living in the middle of nowhere for many years. I became friends with Mike shortly after coming here because he was basically my neighbor, and basically a great person.

Mike: I grew up in Louisville and lived there until around 2002. I had completely immersed myself in the Louisville punk scene throughout high school, going to shows, playing in bands, and booking shows at the BRYCC House (collectively run infoshop/venue). I was ready to move on after the original BRYCC House closed down, and by that point I had already been hanging out in Bloomington enough to know that I would be incredibly comfortable living there. I lived a few other places and was generally fairly transient until I decided to "settle" in Bloomington more permanently in 2004, where I've been ever since.

GLIu: How does the songwriting process work for you all? Do you write together as a band, or does someone brings skeletons to the other two and flesh it out together?

Ginger: We write pretty much all our music together. Matt will usually have a little guitar part that he comes to the band with and then we just have fun with it until it starts to go somewhere we like. Or if it's not working we leave it be for a while. It's a very organic process. Somehow we almost always agree on what sounds good and what doesn't in a song. Then at some point Matt or I will take over lyrics. Sometimes we work together on vocal melodies and bounce lines off each other but essentially once it gets to that stage it's one of us with a pen staring at a blank page for a while. Except for "Bringing Them Back to Life". Matt wrote that song totally on his own, then brought it to us, which was funny because it ended up then being the hardest song for us to make work as a band. It's like we couldn't keep it simple enough, couldn't make the singer songwriter thing work for how we play. Then when we were in the studio we had this idea to try it out as a complete rocker with me singing it, and it totally worked in like one take. We recorded Matt's original version too, which worked really awesomely in the quiet studio setting, but when we play live I feel kind of bad because we play the rock version I sing and everyone thinks I wrote Matt's awesome lyrics.

GLIu: According to your MySpace profile, it says you guys have been together since 2007, but your songs are incredible and I haven't heard anything that doesn't blow me away. To what do you attribute such a quick progression?

Ginger: Heh, Thanks a lot. Things did go very quickly as a band as soon as we started, it was kind of crazy for us. It was incredibly easy to write music together that we were all happy with. But all of us had been playing music for many years in different projects, so it wasn't new to us. I think it was really easy for me because I'd always loved sort of complicated but very pop indie music. Like Braid was my favorite band in high school. But I never really played much of that because I was doing a very loud punk rock/folk thing. So I was really excited to be playing a kind of music that I loved but hadn't ever done before. And I also hadn't played bass very much before this, I had been a guitar player. Somehow it's almost easier to write when you first start doing something new because everything is fresh and you don't have to worry about not repeating yourself.

Mike: When we first started I was pretty surprised at how quick everything was together, and it became clear that this was the type of band I had been envisioning being a part of for years. I had played in other bands in both Bloomington and Louisville, but they never progressed past a certain point because I guess we were always too young and indignant - it was always a life or death, now or never mentality. We were never able to fully mature as a band. I attribute our quick progression to the fact that Matt, Ginger and myself all respect each other as friends and bandmates, and we pretty much know how to communicate when writing songs and resolving other issues. It's one of the most important and necessary aspects of being in a functional, self-sustaining band.

Matt: Same things really, I had been thinking a lot for a couple years about wanting to play guitar in a loud band, and what kind of parts i wanted to write. Good Luck is basically exactly that. I had only ever played drums in bands before this, so i think there's was just a large well of vague ideas. I think it's pretty lucky that we all had similar ideas about what this band was going to be like.

GLIu: Who are some of the bands/artists/whatever that influenced you all personally and as a band?

Ginger: Well, as I said I really loved Braid when I was in high school, but that was quite a few years ago. And I also have been influenced tremendously by bands I've played with over the years, mostly small punk bands like Operation Cliff Clavin, the Carrie Nations, Pezz, the Good Good, Defiance Ohio, Hot New Mexicans. It's mostly the friendships with people in those bands, seeing them progress in front of your eyes and staying up all night with them talking about music that has changed me. But then I'd say my biggest other influence is Bruce Springsteen. I know the other guys are going to groan when they hear that because I talk about it all the time. But I think he's an amazing lyricist who also somehow managed to surround himself with a talented group of musicians who were his friends. A lot of the guys in his band he's been playing with since he was like 20 years old, and he's what, 58 now? That's an inspiration to me, to be that age and still have the people you have cared about for that long writing original music with you. And you can see onstage when he's playing that he still loves it, that rock and roll music is still the thing that makes his life tick. He has this great song about driving all night across a desolate highway, leaving a stupid job trying to get home, and he's searching the radio for something, and then he yells "Hey Rock and Roll deliver me from nowhere." And coming from nowhere, Mississippi, I think that's what playing rock music did for me. It gave my life shape.

Mike: Growing up in Louisville in the mid to late '90s it was easy to believe that the musical universe revolved around my town. Some of the first bands I ever saw and were heavily influenced by were Guilt, Kinghorse, By the Grace of God, Metroschifter, Crain, Hedge, and a myriad of others that few people outside of Louisville still actually remember. When I was learning how to play drums, I would pretty much stand on the side of the stage and watch every drummer's every move, and then get home and try to play exactly what they did. Most of those bands were playing fast hardcore or bass-driven, technical mathy/indie rock so it kind of forced me to learn some pretty crazy stuff. I also got into a lot of Gravity Records, Amphetamine Reptile Records, and Dischord stuff around this time. But in the late 90s I started to pay more attention to and became more influenced by other political crust, hardcore, and metal bands that had gotten little notice in Louisville... Born Against, Zegota, Catharsis, Reversal of Man, His Hero is Gone, Kill the Man Who Questions. After a certain point and for a solid three years I think I pretty much liked any band that had screamy vocals, heavy metallic guitars, technical drumming, and a political/crust punk aesthetic. I think I tried to channel this influence into my old band Bodyhammer's music as much as possible. After I started hanging out in Bloomington in 2001 I became more inspired by the Plan-It-X crew of bands like This Bike is a Pipe Bomb, Soophie Nun Squad, the Bananas, Against Me, and Abe Froman. They got me stoked on this amazing community of people playing upbeat folk-inspired music, and thus made poppy, melodic, and often sloppy music a lot more listenable. Kind of helped me refine my palate, and made me appreciate melody in song! As a drummer and an active participant in the song-writing process with Good Luck, I think I've called on too many past influences to specifically name... I think every band that has affected me shows itself in the songs I play in some way.

Matt: I didn't even start listening to music at all until i was about thirteen, and my sister started dating this awesome guy who was into a lot of punk bands. He was a really positive influence on my life as well as my musical tastes, and he introduced me to the first bands i really liked, such as Pinhead Gunpowder, Avail, Fifteen, and Screeching Weasel. Mostly Lookout Records bands. He, my sister, and I started our first band soon after that, a pop punk band, and since then, it's mostly been one big mash up of influences, people I've met and played with mostly. I'd say as far as what influences my playing in Good Luck, it's more recent bands with cool noodly guitar stuff! Like: Ted Leo, Kickball (from Olympia), Superchunk, Deerhoof, the Good Good (from NYC), and the Weakerthans.

GLIu: You all are getting ready to head out on another impressive tour, but, to my knowledge, you aren't on a big record label or have a huge booking agent. How do you have so much success in booking all these shows? Do things like MySpace help out with that?

Ginger: Myspace does help simply because it's a centralized space that you can find people who are scattered around the country very easily. It's easy for people to find you as well, and keep up to date with your shows, and contact you personally to say "If you come to my town, I can set up a show for you at this place." So myspace, and the internet in general, makes it very easy to get out the word about your tour without needing a lot of big promotion through the more traditional routes. My friends Harry and the Potters go on these insane three month long, very successful tours, and they have built their fan base just by interacting with them online mostly. They have like 100,000 friends on myspace, or something ridiculous, and do very well, but they have no record label, no booking agent, nothing. They do everything themselves, and because they are willing to put forth that extra effort to not hand over part of their band to someone else to manage, they get control over how things are presented. And the great leveling effect of the internet is that in that kind of setting, you get back exactly how much work you are willing to put into it (give or take a little for talent). But actually we had all been touring for a long time before myspace existed. It hasn't changed that much since. The underground punk/indie scene is all about supporting each other (hopefully), so we've set up shows for many touring friends' bands when they come to town. Then you go to their town and play with them there. Multiply that over many years and many bands, and that's pretty much how it works. Mutual support. You could not go on tour as a punk band if there weren't many people and bands in all corners of the country who want to help you for basically nothing other than friendship and community. There isn't really enough money in it either way, at least at this level, for it to be about anything more than that.

GLIu: In a lot of the underground music scene, there is a weird disconnection where people will listen to your music online and love it, but never actually buy records. Do you all experience any of that?

Ginger: Not really that I've experienced. I think people will buy your record if they think you are honest and deserving. So you should have your band be honest and deserving. If your records cost too much then they won't buy it, because by now people ought to know that even a very nice cd doesn't cost more than $2 to manufacture. They feel ripped off, because they should. At $8 our record costs more than any other record I've ever released as a band before, and we gave that price a lot of thought. But we spent quite a lot of money recording and pressing the record. We spent a lot of time at a local studio here called Russian Recording, but it was only enough to make it the best album we thought it could possibly be. And our engineer, Mike Bridavsky, is an amazing, hardworking, totally talented dude who deserved every penny we gave him. Then we got a 100% recycled digipak and insert because if you are going to be putting that many of something into the world, you should think about its impact at least a little. So the costs add up a bit. But most of what people pay for when they spend $15 a cd is for record companies to put ads in magazines and to put out shitty cds by other bands that no one will ever care about. So if someone understands, "hey, when you buy this cd, it puts gas in our gas tank to drive to your town and play," then they are much more likely to directly support you. Besides that I'm sure that you can download our record tons of places right now, and anyone else's record, and there's just about nothing anyone can do about it so folks need to just move on.

GLIu: Why make music? Why be in a band?

Ginger: Well, I was talking earlier about punk/indie music giving my life shape. It has, it's been the one major thing I've been doing with my life since I was about 15. I'm 27 now, so it's worth reflecting on and asking "why am I still doing this?" And you have to hope it comes down to it being more than just the thing that you are used to doing. For me, I've met almost all my friends I have from playing music. And because they are creative people, they are constantly coming at you with new inspiration. Just being around them and seeing what they do inspires me to do more. Plus, there is really no better feeling than when you have written a new song that you think is really great. Maybe because when you play it you forget about all the other bullshit you have to go through during the day just to get to that moment, your job and your romantic disappointments and being broke, all that falls away on a good day. And lastly, writing lyrics can be very good for your soul when you get it just right. There's one song on the album that is about this really personal moment after I had become estranged for almost everyone in my family, and I was visiting this city and went to a church and lit candles for them because it was my grandparents church, and I was feeling like I was helpless with no one to talk to. And I never told anyone about that until I wrote a song about it. Some people, like me, aren't as gregarious with their emotions until they have an outlet.

Matt: It's a question I ask myself almost constantly. And i still haven't totally come up with an answer. Like Ginger, I have been playing in bands since i was a young teenager, touring starting at 15, and that has been my life for the past eight years. Touring so much that I've never had a steady job for more than a few months at a time. Not until recently have i even started to question if this is what I still want to be doing with my life. Why make music? It just happens. The need to do it is there. I'm not even sure where the need came from. I don't feel like I have all sorts of important ideas that I simply need to share with the world. On the contrary, writing lyrics is nearly always an utter struggle to come up with anything. it's almost painful most of the time. Then something always appears after i'm about to give up, and i almost always feel good about it. Why be in a band? To me, the actual playing of the music is probably the most enjoyable experience that occurs in my life. That's why I keep doing it. There's not much I would rather be doing. I guess the question is if it's worth putting other things I'd like to do on hold, more long-term things, in order to be able to go on tour a lot. In order to have those thirty or so minutes every night of that feeling. It's a strange thought. Whether or not I plan on playing music full-time remains to be figured out in the coming months and years, but I know that i will continue playing in some fashion for the rest of my life.

GLIu: How's the band relationship on the road and off? Are you all really great friends?

Ginger: I think we are pretty great friends. If we weren't I don't think we could or would do this. I feel lucky to have Matt and Mike in my life. It's easy to squabble on the road but it's usually just about the day to day issues of everyone getting what they need to be comfortable in a pretty uncomfortable living arrangement. I think we are all pretty good at taking a step outside of that and saying "ok, I totally love you guys, I'm sorry I just yelled at you because you inferred I don't know how to read a map." (wink, mike)

GLIu: I've heard from a few people that you all have some connection with Kimya Dawson. Is there any truth to that, and, if so, what is it exactly and how did it come about?

Matt: Yeah there is a connection, she's a good friend of mine. She and I played a show together in Maine in the Fall of 2004--it was completely random, i was on tour with a friend of mine Justin Rhody, and the guy who set up our show in Falmouth, ME decided to ask Kimya if she would come up and play with us. Kimya lived in Bedford Hills, NY at the time, and she came up just for the heck of it. I had never heard her music before, but i loved it right away, and we became friends instantly. She came with us for the next few days just for fun, back down to New York. And we've been buddies ever since. I lived with her and her husband and daughter in Olympia for a couple months, and we've toured together many times now--I am usually "her band" on tour. It's been interesting seeing her rise in popularity and dealing with the issues of the music industry. Kimya's an amazing and inspiring lady and a terrific mom. I really respect her and i think if there's anyone whose songs should be heard by lots of people across the world, it's her.

and lastly,

GLIu: Are there any current bands/artists that you guys are really into or think are doing something really cool?

Ginger: There are about a million bands and artists out there doing cool things. I think bands get all the credit, but there are tons of people in our friends alone doing great things. Matt's roommate Nate Powell is an amazing cartoonist, our friend Pat Crann runs a screenprinting business that caters to punk bands called Shout out Loud Prints, our friend Dave Garwacke hosts a website called Ifyoumakeit. com that has high quality videos of lots of great underground bands, our friend Eric Ayotte does a traveling film festival called Gadabout Film Fest that shows lots of hilarious and beautiful short films all around the country in punk venues, and just about every house that lets bands play in the basement is doing something good cool. Even if you don't really listen to underground music, I think that's where most great bands found out how to be great bands.

Whatever Happened To? Vol. 1: Rocky, Colt, and Tum Tum

2008-09-23T21:56:00.010-04:00

Rocky: We should run.
Tum Tum: We should hide.
Colt: We should kick their butts!

I'm often curious as to what happened to various folks that I remember from my childhood. This column will be devoted to finding out what these folks are doing and any new projects they might be doing. In the words of a friend, "I'm mostly curious about mostly everything." Make no mistake about it, this is purely for entertainment purposes, and yes, when I am done I will feel like I wasted quite a bit of my time. So, here for the first installment are the boys from the original 3 Ninjas.

Rocky = Michael Treanor

Then:

"A ninja is honest and good. He has self-control."

The annoyingly level-headed older brother and leader of the three LOVED Emily, but apparently didn't love being a ninja. After the initial success of 3 Ninjas and the subsequent child stardom that came upon Mr. Treanor, it seems that he chose to bow out of the spotlight after he participated in the sequel 3 Ninjas Knuckle Up. According to a couple fan sites that I found that are devoted to finding his current wherabouts (who has that much time!), he is possibly in Boston, MA working on a master's degree. One fan thought he might be studying Ninjanomics. We can only hope! The "Now" photo was found on a fan site, but appears to have been lifted from Treanor's personal MySpace page which he has since removed (yes, I checked).
Now:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Colt = Max Elliott Slade

Then:
Colt: I'm Colt because I'm fast, he's Rocky because he's solid and he's Tum-Tum because he'll eat anything.
Tum Tum: I won't eat dog poop.

Colt, the desperado middle child, with a bravado that outmatched his common sense just might be the one who ended up making the best post ninja business decisions. Max Slade, more than either of his theatrical brothers, is one to embrace his previous success as a ninja and is also the only of the three to still have a career in acting and was the only one of the three to appear in the 3 original 3 Ninja movies (High Noon at Mega Mountain featuring Hulk Hogan doesn't count). He has appeared in a few big movies such as Apollo 13 and Parenthood with Steve Martin, but took a long time out of film to focus on school (a B.A. in Anthropology from USC) and to try his hand at being a rock star. In fact, Slade is now returning to the big screen in the upcoming film Frost/Nixon which will also star the always great Sam Rockwell and perennial favorite Kevin Bacon (maybe this one will allow another nomination as an Awesome Role). You can befriend him here if you want.

Now:

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Last, but certainly not lightest is...

Tum Tum = Chad Power (bonus points for the awesome name!)

Then:
Tum Tum: I dont wanna die! I never even hit puberty yet!

The youngest of the three was also the one with the biggest appetite and the relatively smallest amount of actual ninja talent. It appears that Mr. Power did some TV work as a kid, and then bowed out of Hollywood for the most part. Again, you can be his friend here, but I'll never forget him and his half-hearted karate skills.
Now:

Album Review: Paul Baribeau- Grand Ledge and Paul Baribeau

2008-09-23T12:02:00.009-04:00

Artist: Paul Baribeau
Album: Grand Ledge and Paul Baribeau
Released: 2007 and 2004
Label: Plan-It-X Records
Hometown: Lansing, Michigan
Rating: 8.6 and 7.2

I have recently come across an artist named Paul Baribeau from Michigan (home sweet home) who is one of those guys that shakes the very foundations of any pretentious analytical truths a guy like me likes to lean on when lazy. There is always a stigma surrounding singer-songwriters as almost unbearably boring even if the songs are great. I'd love to say that I have an endless amount of patience for going to see live music of singer-songwriters, but I don't. That's why I stopped doing it myself. I couldn't justifiably ask people to sit through something I wouldn't. There are only a few modern singer-songwriters who make you feel like you're watching a whole band. A few of these would be Jeff Tweedy, Cory Branan, Daniel Johnston, Eef Barzelay, and John Darnielle. They are so complete and full that if you added another instrument you feel like the room might just explode because it couldn't hold everything (a few of those great songwriters are so good that they also front absolutely incredible bands). Paul Baribeau belongs on that list.

I've heard it said before that "Paul Baribeau wants to make you cry", but I don't think that this is the case. Paul Baribeau is pure childish-ness in the greatest sense of the word. If you ever take the time to observe little ones, then you will quickly see that little kids experiences the purest and rawest form of each emotion whether it be love, anger, joy, peace, or disappointment. As adults we learn to hamper and dampen these emotions and we widdle away at each one with our logic, understanding, and the soldering effect of self-preservation. Every once in awhile you come across someone who seems to have missed this step. They seem un-adulterated by the jaded-ness that engulfs so many and they seem so fragile and exposed in their naivete. The first reaction to finding someone like this is to protect them from being damaged because they seem so vulnerable to the world's sandpaper edges.

Paul Baribeau sees love in colors and shapes only reserved for these types of people. This is not to say that he hasn't learned anything, because many of these songs are about learning from your mistakes and not repeating them like when he teaches on ("Ten Things") to "Think of all the things that hold you back/And realize that you don't need them/Think of all the mistakes you have made in your life/And make sure that you never repeat them." Paul encourages us to see the full spectrum of all that life has to offer. With the passing of each song, you can feel your palette expanding.

His first record on Plan-it-X Records which was self-titled is said to have been recorded in one night when the head of the label wrote him a letter asking for a bio and some demos. He rattled out 14-songs in his jangly-in-overdrive style and Chris (the label guy) liked it so much that he just decided to use the demo as the first record. The self-titled contains every bit of the purity that is fleshed out and improved upon on Grand Ledge and has a couple of tracks that will floor you emotionally and physically. This happens every time I listen to Paul recount all of the friends and family members who have come up short on "Never Get to Know" and the microcosmic biography of "Boys Like Me" which rings true in the macro perspective. Even the turnaround of "I Thought I Could Find You" is completely unexpected and wonderful. It is on this first record that I can't help but remember the first time I listened to Daniel Johnston's Fun on cassette and how I couldn't hardly understand how such unabashed and child-like wonder could be so present in songs.

Stylistically, Baribeau is also the purest of singer-songwriters in the sense that both of his records are just him and a guitar. No tricks, no tampering, and every one features his spastic guitar strumming as he careens through tales of former bands, former girlfriends, new towns, old faces, etc. I played it for my roommate and I couldn't tell his reaction until he heard "Hard Work" off of Grand Ledge and just screamed "That's me!" as Paul details his morning by the half-hour as he starts his day. There is something in Paul's music that makes it so you can't help but feel like he's giving a voice to the feelings you lost in a pile of sawdust.

On Grand Ledge, Paul nearly perfects his aesthetic and has 9 songs that are over much too short. I find myself singing the chorus to "Christmas Lights" constantly and when he sings about hearing an old song on "Falling In Love With Your Best Friend" I am overwhelmed by the a contented melancholy that feels like the emotional equivalent to realizing the whole world is connected. Paul Baribeau exists somewhere in the midst of that connection.

There's Nothing to Do in This Town! Vol. 1: The Louisville Zoo

2008-09-21T13:29:00.008-04:00

We’ve all heard it before; some youngin’ who is aching to get out of town and offers up the famous yet insipid line, “There’s nothing to do in this town…” It makes me want to scream at them incoherently because that’s what their bellyachin’ sounds like to me. I am fully aware that this longing for branching out, going to a bigger town is all part of growing up and shedding your youthful image, etc, but to say that there is nothing to do in Louisville is downright asinine. You could do a new thing cool thing every day of the year and never hit the repeat button (although many Louisville adventures warrant a repeat!). I am here to give a synopsis of various Louisville things that I think are worth checking out. Enjoy!

First up is the wonderful Louisville Zoo! If you’re like my friend Amy and hate the zoo, then I guess this post isn’t for you, but I love it! I had actually never before been to a zoo until a year and a half ago when my friends took me there on a special pass to get up close and personal with the Amur Tigers. That day we met Boris (R.I.P. :( ) and Sinda and it got me hooked to the Zoo and I soon after bought a membership.

First things first, I have learned that there are certain times to go to the zoo that are much better than others. Case in point, if you go to the zoo in the middle of the afternoon after all of the animals have been fed then they will most likely be napping and not be that fun to interact with. Therefore, I always suggest one get to the zoo about 10am and try to make your rounds while most of the animals are going through their first feeding. If you get there while they are being fed, then that is the time that the animals are the most active and aggressive and can make for some pretty awesome spectacles. You never know what’s going to happen and that’s part of the beauty of the zoo!

The first thing you should do when you get in the park is to take a left and head toward the Rhinos. This is always my favorite place to start. You’ll pass a big wooden carving of a buffalo which offers up some great photo ops, and soon you will come up on the warthogs on your left. They are sometimes super entertaining when they are rolling around in the mud or being fed. Otherwise, they’ll just be sleeping in the shadows and can be hard to see. The rhinos will be on your right and if you are lucky enough you can catch them while they are walking around. They are such massive animals that they don’t move around an awful lot, but they are beautiful animals that look like dinosaurs. While you are gawking at the massiveness of the rhinos you should do a quick 180 and check out the indoor giraffe exhibit. Without a doubt, giraffes are one of my favorite animals and this is always a special treat for me. One time, my friend Keith caught a giraffe tear! There is only one word I typically can think of when describing the giraffes and that is “majestic.” They are so cool! In that same little exhibit are the Sea Eagles (who usually leave a nice smattering of torn rat carcasses on the ground) and the Rock Hyrax who is a cute little hedgehog-looking guy who is almost always perched at the top-front-right of the exhibit on the rock ledge.

Next you will take the big curve and get the pleasure to witness the deer-family animals which include the super-cool Addax (which have babies fairly regularly), the Bongo (one of whom lost their left eye this summer), and the gazelles. I never even knew that the Addax and the Bongo existed, but they are really cool looking animals with some crazy horns. After the Bongo, you will come up on the ever-popular elephant exhibit! If you’re there at the right time (11am and 4pm) you will get to see the elephant aerobics where young Scotty and his mom Mikki and aunt Punch do their exercises in the yard. It is incredibly entertaining and Scotty does some great tricks that exhibit his sense of humor.

The zebras will be on your left as you keep walking, but they are unfortunately hard to see, so take a little jaunt over to the lions and get a good glimpse of them doing what they do best…sleeping. I’ve only seen them up and about once, but it’s still cool to see them and marvel at how intelligent the structural designs are for these animal habitat recreations. Moving around the loop you will see the dromedary camels on your right who always look a little lonely to me, but you’ve got to hurry to get everything in so walk faster!

Next up on your right you will be tempted to forgo the petting zoo for the sake of cleanliness, but I must admit, that the one time I went in there was one of my favorite times at the zoo ever. Head over to monkey island and make sure to go inside the enclosure to check out the cotton-topped tamarin as he is probably the cutest animal at the whole zoo. The monkeys, if out on the island, will amaze you with their rope swinging and playing sometimes and can be a blast to watch. Many people are afraid that the monkeys could easily just go past the shallow water moat and get out, but in their natural habitat which is recreated at the zoo, there are snakes and various predators lurking in the water under the trees so they don’t even go near the water. I love the instances where the zoo-keepers and designers use the animal’s natural instincts to protect it from escaping, etc.

Next up, the meerkats are always cute with one of them always perched atop the mound on the lookout for predatory birds while the others all nod in and out of consciousness. You are on your way to the amazing gorilla exhibit though so you’ve got to keep moving. On your way to the gorillas, get a good look at the pygmy hippos because they just had a baby last year and he’s getting pretty big. They will be off exhibit soon because of cool weather so get it in while you can. As you walk up to the gorilla exhibit you will notice a very sharp odor once the automatic doors pop open and that is the scent that the silverbacks put out to mark their territory. It can often be a hard smell to stomach, but it hasn’t been as bad recently after the heart-breaking loss of Silverback Frank. Frank was getting old and had terrible arthritis so he was put to sleep a few weeks back. I was deeply saddened by this. Most of the time, if the gorillas are in a playful mood, then they can be the most fun thing at the whole zoo, especially if they are chasing each other around.

After you kill a half hour at the gorillas exhibit, you will wind your way down the hill past the Dippin’ Dots stand and head over to the Alice Etscorn exhibit to check out the Amur tigers. The tigers are so cool and a personal favorite of mine and with the new improvements to their living spaces you might just get to see a feeding of them from just a few feet away. There will always only be one tiger on exhibit because tigers are solitary animals and don’t enjoy the company of each other. Our zoo has two of them, one a 14 year old female named Sinda and Sasha the new 350-pound addition to take over for Boris who died recently of old age at 18 years.

If you don’t have little kiddies with you, then you can pick up the pace a little bit as you pass the various cats and head over to the Islands exhibit and the Herpaquarium. In the Herp is King Louie the rare albino alligator, who I swear has got to be fake because I’ve never seen him move and he’s so strange looking he almost looks plastic. The islands exhibit features the awesome penguins and the sometimes frightening terns, and also has rooms for the orangutan (who is the coolest dude ever when in a good mood) and the Sumatran tiger. Do yourself a favor and ask a zoo helper to explain the advanced tunnel system that was designed for the Islands exhibit. It is a one-of-a-kind feature that makes your zoo experience much, much better. That will about round out your day as you are pretty tired by this point. Later on you can come back and check out a few things like the Wallaroo Walkabout and spend some time in the MetaZoo, but that won’t be a problem because you’ll pick up your You Plus One membership at the front gate for a measley $65 because now whenever you have a friend visit from out of town you can take them to the zoo for a fantastic and unforgettable afternoon where you get to feel like kids and marvel at the wonderfulness of all the animals.

Let me know if you need a zoo buddy sometime.

Album Review: Good Luck- Into Lake Griffy

2008-09-18T12:10:00.007-04:00

Good Luck- Into Lake Griffy
Released: sometime 2008
Label: self-released
Home: Bloomington, IN
Rating: 9.2 out of 10

I have a confession to make...for the past year or so I have lost my love for the music. It has been months since any collection of musical notes and words or just musical notes has moved me even slightly. I often like to qualify this to myself by saying that it is ok to not be in love with music anymore since I play it; that sometimes you just get so surrounded by it that it loses its power. I stand before you today ready to completely denounce that sentiment. There is one catalyst for this change of thought and for once in my life I can put my finger on it. That catalyst is the Bloomington, IN band Good Luck. I first heard their songs over the speakers at Louisville's Skull Alley when I was setting up for a show and have been hooked ever since. This past Saturday night, I caught their set at Skull Alley while they were on their US tour and I finally realized what made them so instantly love-able and engaging. Their live show is energetic and fun, and it is obvious that they love what they are doing as much or more than the people jumping up and down in the front row.

I also picked up their record Into Lake Griffy at this show for a ridiculously cheap $8 and have had trouble getting out of my car ever since. The album is bursting at the seams with brilliant songwriting, lyrics, and incredibly creative musicianship from all three members. It is obvious that Matt Tobey (guitar, vocals), Ginger Alford (bass, vocals), and Mike Harpring, Jr. (drums) have something going on that is not often heard. Maybe that's because Matt is used to banging the skins, Ginger is used to ripping through folk-punk songs on the guitar, and Mike is used to keeping time with complex metal bands. Maybe its the fact that their friendship comes through in their songs in the way that they have incredible chemistry without having to be "tight". Whatever it is, this is one of my favorite records I own. Period.

It seems quite asinine to list song highlights on this record because every song has been on repeat one after the other. Of course, my heart jumps out of my chest when Ginger is pounding out the notes to "Stars Were Exploding" and when Matt is riffing through "Public Radio" I tend to lift my hands and rejoice. Matt Tobey's angular guitar work shape-shifts from riff-rockin edginess to finger-tapped harmonics and everywhere in between. Ginger helms the low end with a creativity that is rarely heard on the bass and Mike keeps the pace with a subtle complexity that is absolutely perfect for their jangled pop masterpieces.

Not only did this record help me fall in love with Good Luck, but it helped me fall in love with Music again and forced me to remember how fun it is. For that, I couldn't be more thankful. It has forced me to think that possibly when the music doesn't move you anymore, maybe it's not the music, maybe you just became immovable.

The 5 Spot: The Films of Corey Feldman

2008-09-18T11:00:00.007-04:00

What can you say about a man who's career took a swan-dive as soon as he was old enough to drink? These days, this half of The Corey's is the only one your remember, but usually as the butt of an 80s joke. Some folks praise him for his Oscar-worthy performances is such classics like My Life as a Troll and The Thief and the Stripper, but I am not one of those folks. Instead, I like to remember him as the smart-alek-ey kid with a brain that's only slightly more developed than his knack for choosing roles.

#5 The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) trilogy as the voice of Donatello- This classic trilogy is one of my favorites from my childhood. The first two movies are definitely the best (a great role as the pizza delivery boy-turned ninja played by Ernie Reyes, Jr in the second) with the third being a little weird with a strange time-travel storyline going back to feudal Japan, but still ninja-fun.

#4 The Fox and the Hound (1981) as the voice of Young Copper- Without a doubt, this is my favorite of the Disney cartoons of yester-year and when Copper first starts sniffing out Tod in the log and lets out his first little howl, I swear I turn into a 4 year old boy again- every time. Also, I'm also known to break out into "When You're the Best of Friends" at work.

#3 The 'Burbs (1989) as Ricky Butler- This is one of those 80s movies that toed the line between perfect comedy and just plain strange. Let me be clear about this though, this classic starring Tom Hanks in one of his better roles has a foot planted firmly on both sides.

#2 The Goonies (1985) as Mouth- This Steven Spielberg-penned classic is the favorite of many. This is the ultimate adventure fantasy for every youngin'. It's got gadgets (slick shoes!), murder, ice cream, pirate treasure, and Sloth. What more could you ever want?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

and the best film that ever featured the shining smart mouth is:

#1 Stand By Me (1986) as Teddy Duchamp- There is no wavering in my mind that this is one of the greatest coming-of-age films ever made. This classic tale of four friends (River Phoenix, Will Wheaton, a chubby Jerry O'Connell and Corey Feldman) going out in the woods to look for the body of a boy that supposedly got hit by a train so hard that he was knocked right out of his Keds. The movie is based off of the novella The Body written by none other than Stephen King in his collection Different Seasons which also contained a few other classic stories like Apt Pupil and Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption.

How could such a good egg go bad? Some stars burn hard and fast...

A Dabbler's Guide to Woody Allen

2008-09-14T23:48:00.011-04:00

There are so many great films in Woody Allen's catalogue that it is difficult to just give you five at a time. Here are five more films that dig a little deeper into his off-beat humor, that feature a little bit more of how his brain works, and a few dramas that amp up the stakes. This does not mean, in any way, that any films not mentioned yet are lesser-Woody Allen films. I just haven't gotten to them yet, but I will. Please enjoy these if you have the time, and if you watch them and hate them, then let me know that too. I'm always interested to see other people's reactions to them.

1. Sleeper (1973)- This is one of Woody's earlier movies and was a part of his comedic career which was slapstick and didn't have any of the high-brow elitism that turns a lot of people away from his later work. Sleeper is a movie about a health-food store owner who is cryogenically frozen and then revived in the future to help start a revolution. He narrowly escapes and accidentally enlists the company of a poet played by Diane Keaton and most of the movie is about his bumbling adventure in the futuristic world. This is comedy at its finest and simplest.

Rating: B+

2. Love and Death (1975)- No matter what anyone says, this is one of the greatest of Mr. Allen's films. It is basically 82 minutes of Woody's thoughts on (you guessed it!) love and death. Word on the street is that this film is Woody's favorite and it's not a big surprise why. This is the beginning of his super heady forays into the films where he injects his films with his intellectual neurosis. Some people are turned off by this, but I think it makes the films some of the most interesting ones ever made.

Rating: A-

3. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)- This Oscar-winning drama is undoubtedly one of the best sibling films ever made. Period. The films follows three sisters and their inner-circles and the complications that arise when their lives take very different trajectories. The film has a perfect cast and showcases two of Woody's favorite leading ladies (Mia Farrow and Dianne Wiest). It is also, most likely, the best performance Woody ever turned in as the hypochondriacal ex-husband of Carrie Fischer's character. The film also stars the ever-classic Max Von Sydow and Barbara Hershey with ovation-worthy performances.

Rating: A

4. Mighty Aphrodite (1995)- I've sold a lot of my DVD collection over the past couple years, but I can't seem to part with this beauty of a film. Mighty Aphrodite features a star-turning role for Mira Sorvino as Linda Ash the “working girl” and mother of Woody Allen's adopted child. The real magic, I think, of this movie is the way that Woody works in the story of Oedipus and his use of the chorus from the classic play “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles to comment and showcase the tragic elements of this incredibly funny and heart-warming movie. This is one of Woody's most enjoyable films, in my opinion, and the scene where he and Helena Bonham Carter (as his ethically questionable wife) are trying to come up with a baby name is classic Woody Allen!

Rating: A-

5. Match Point (2005)- This is another one of the late-career efforts that features Scarlett Johannson and is set in the gorgeous city of London. The story, however, is not so gorgeous as it takes his typically hilarious crime-solver films and explores the dark side with a chilling authenticity. I will not beat around the bush here, I did not really enjoy this film like a lot of his others because of the Hitchcock-ian eeriness that takes center stage, but it is an incredible film in terms of bringing Woody back to the front line of making great films and digging into his cerebellum and coming out with something that marries his wonderful, nebbish sensibilities and the characteristics of his favorite classics.

Rating: B+

Notable Nights: Vol. 1: Good Luck @ Skull Alley

2008-09-14T01:48:00.007-04:00

After the wonderful wedding of my good friends Paul and Sarah, I, along with a few friends, headed down to the wonderful Louisville all-ages venue called Skull Alley. I have been waiting for the show that happened there tonight for quite some time and I can't even begin to relay to you the excitement that I felt. I tried super-hard to think of the last time that I was literally giddy to see a show. You see, there is this band that I am currently in obsession with and their name is called Good Luck. They were playing with three other acts, but we only got to see the one right before them, which happened to be a wonderfully talented singer-songwriter named Paul Baribeau. Paul's set was heartfelt and spastic like a wonderful mess. A highlight was when he ripped through the mercilessly short "10 Things" and brought the room along for his sing-along. It's the kind of performance ability that your typical singer-songwriter could only dream about...

After Paul opened our hearts and left us a little down after his incredible but incredibly depressing last song, Matt, Ginger, and Mike took the stage and ripped apart the room with their high-energy, caution-to-the-wind, no-holds-barred set of transcendent pop songs. They played quite a few of the tracks off of their record Into Lake Griffy including my favorites "Pajammin", "The Stars Were Exploding", and the unbelievable chaos with their set-closer "Public Radio". I couldn't help but scream along during "Pajammin" when Matt rightfully noted "Oh, the feeling!/It's spreading up to the ceiling/When the band plays everyone's favorite song". It was a nice touch as the whole crowd bobbed up and down to their erratic and energetic rhythms. Their music is a wonderful mix-up of Sunset Tree-era The Mountain Goats and an endless amount of energy and fun. I can't remember the last time I saw a band have as much fun as they did on stage. It was inspiring and impressive. I couldn't recommend this band enough. Go to their site and buy their record, or go to a show and buy a record and a t-shirt or whatever. Just do yourself a solid and listen!

The Mix-Tape Ten: Vol (minus) 2

2008-09-14T01:21:00.008-04:00

My past week has largely been occupied with preparing a large number of songs for the wedding of some dear friends of mine. This wedding occurred tonight and went very well and was a good time for everyone except for probably the gigantic pig with the bullet hole between its eyes that was at the end of the buffet line (which happened to be one of the most amazing things I've ever seen). It's always good to see good people joined together forever, and these were two of the best. So, if you ever read this Paul and Sarah, I think very, very highly of the both of you. Here is a track listing of the wedding playlist that I had to do:

1. "Sea of Love" performed by Cat Power off of Covers (and the Juno soundtrack)

2. "Whole Wide World" performed by Wreckless Eric off of Wreckless Eric (and the Stranger than Fiction soundtrack)

3. "Shady Grove" performed by Doc Watson off of The Best of Doc Watson 1964-1968

4. "I Gave My Love A Cherry" performed on a million different records by a million folkies

5. "Master's House" performed by Chemic off of Louisville is for Lovers Vol. 8: Black and Blue

6. "Be Thou My Vision" performed by Pedro the Lion on The Only Reason I Feel Secure

7. "Come Thou Fount" performed by Sufjan Stevens on Hark!

8. "All I Want is You" performed by Barry Louis Polisar on My Brother Thinks He's a Banana and Other Provocative Songs for Children (and the Juno soundtrack)

My personal favorites are 3, 6, and 7.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All of this marriage-ing and music got me thinking about what I want played at my wedding. I will have that post to you shortly. For now, be comforted by the thought that you have a friend here who is not afraid to weep openly in the fact of danger.

Netflix Nebulous: Vol. 2

2008-09-13T11:57:00.009-04:00

Once again, I am here with three more movies, this time each one has significant allusions and themes based in other works of art/film.

The first film is called Strange Brew and I've been meaning to see it for a long time because I've heard that this 1983 movie starring Rick Moranis (Honey, I Shrunk the Kids) and Dave Thomas (Stripes) is a modern, comedic take on the Shakespearean drama Hamlet. I am one who has a profound affection for the Bard's work and it can often be enjoyable when modern writer's get there hands on his concepts (see: Scotland, PA and Titus); this can also yield very different results (see: O and the 1999 version of A Midsummer's Night's Dream). Strange Brew is based on the comedic characters that Moranis and Thomas made famous in Canada called Bob and Doug McKenzie who are a beer-guzzling team that stayed popular for over 20 years north of the US border. The movie is about these two brothers who hatch a scheme to score some free booze and end up in the middle of a vicious and deadly power-struggle between a beer-company heiress and her murderous uncle. The results are ridiculous and pretty funny and make for a good Saturday afternoon movie. Rick Moranis is one of the most underrated comedians out there and he is hysterical as this blundering idiot who hash an unmatched intake capacity (you'll see what I mean...). This is part Escanaba in Da Moonlight and part Logan's Run-esque kitsch.

The next flick I watched and am reviewing is here do to the suggestion from a good friend. I have been accused before of being an elitist and not liking "mainstream" movies (which is totally not true), but I am always up for suggestions of movies I might like. This film that was introduced to me is an Australian romantic comedy featuring Rhys Ifans who you might know as the rowdy and lewd-t-shirt-wearing roommate from Notting Hill. This movie, like any, definitely has its hits and misses, but is overall a very fun, enjoyable movie with a fairly ridiculous storyline that is about crack-pot enough to be creative. The story revolves around a construction worker named Danny who lives for his chance to go on holiday with his live-in long-term girlfriend. After said girlfriend cancels their upcoming holiday trip to have lunch with a new, secret friend, Danny is forced to spend a week at home with nothing but his restlessness and spontaneity in tow. Eventually at a barbie with all of their friends, Danny fulfills a fantasy of his by tying an enormous amount of gigantic balloons to his deckchair (we now understand the title!) and floats into the air and out of sight. Due to a storm he floats into, Danny is hurled into the arms/tree of a shy woman who helps him realize the importance of caring about people and surrounding yourself with people who care about you. At first, the town's people have a fascination with the two which is reminscent of the all-powerful collective narration in Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily". Then Danny becomes a local hero and teaches the people as much as they teach him. All the while, the entire country of Australia is inspired by Danny's fate-al flight to start doing things they've always wanted to do. All in all, it's a cute movie about learning that life is much more than work and our day-to-day routine. It's not quite life without a whole lot of connection.

Our final film for today is a fairly new entry in the Woody Allen catalog called Cassandra's Dream which is a classic moral play from a man who has, in recent years, ventured a little more into the darker side of film. Cassandra's Dream stars the duo of Ewan MacGregor and Colin Farrell (the latter I can barely stomach) and is a great example of Woody trading in New York and it's jazzy coolness for London and it's classical opulence. The style of this film is very much an homage to classics by Kieslovski and Bergman like The Decalogue and Scenes from a Marraige respectively. This is not a film for those with a weak stomach as this moral conundrum is gritty and effective. Some publications have blasted the film for bad acting and unrealistic characters, which isn't off-base, but I don't think that it makes this particular one bad. The situations the characters find themselves in are far-fetched, to be sure, but are completely necessary for a moral struggle of this magnitude. Woody raises tough questions about life, privilege, dreams, and most of all family and the answers are not always easy to digest, mostly because Allen has a deft touch when it comes to asking questions without actually ever giving the answers. It is not an enjoyable film to watch, but it most certainly was good.

Strange Brew: B-
Danny Deckchair: B
Cassandra's Dream: B+

Agree? Disagree? Questions? Comments? Complaints?

The 5 Spot: Possible LHC Ramifications!

2008-09-10T23:09:00.009-04:00

So, if you haven't noticed, there was a scientific experiment called the Large Hadron Collider started this morning that could possibly be the biggest deal in history. If you're not up on what's happening then click here. I've been taking bets at work to see who thinks what will happen. Here's my take on the most interesting possibilities...

#5- They don't find the "God" particle/Higgs Boson: This would be crazy actually! This would force a lot of fundamental physics theories to have to take about a million steps back and re-examine everything. Super-physicist Stephen Hawking wrote about this mysterious physics concept in his book A Brief History of Time and is reported to be betting $100 that they don't find it, but he's really not that smart anyway...

#4- A black hole is created: This could theoretically end the world and would definitely be a bummer for my schedule of weekly movie watching. I'd advise not putting your money on this option though, because even if you win, you lose...

#3- Discovery of New Dimensions: We might just find out that we're living in a 14-dimensional world! Just think what that'll do for Brendan Fraser's career.

#2- Time Travel!!!- I could only wish!!

and last but not least.........................................
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

#1- All the beautiful women of the world become attracted to nerdy dudes!!!!!!- Which subsequently re-launches the career of this dude...

Culture Clash Vol 2: The Corner

2008-09-10T23:03:00.006-04:00

In the beginning of American history, the success of the white man was largely accomplished on the backs of their black slaves. That tradition of exploitation has been an undercurrent of American culture that has continued to thrive until this present day. This is found very densely in the Hollywood system where Charles S. Dutton even quips in 1999 that “there isn't a single black person in Hollywood with any power.” He says that not even the top stars such as Denzel Washington or Morgan Freeman could get a project greenlit without some serious white backing. Whether or not that sentiment is true or not is something that is argued constantly. And that brings the fundamental question that is tackled by the piece “Who Gets to Tell a Black Story?” by Janny Scott on the racial and personal conflict that permeated the set of the hit HBO mini-series “The Corner.”

This award-winning serial drama was the work of a white writer named David Simon who had been collecting data on the drug problem of Baltimore, Maryland for years as a reporter. Simon appeared to have put countless hours on the street learning the rhythm and language of the people and learning the real stories that sprang up from the pavement so he could regurgitate them without any personal slants. What Simon set out to do was almost impossible; to tell the stories of the largely-black drug community members and not come of as exploiting a racial stereotype. Naturally, Charles S. Dutton was concerned and skeptical of Simon because of the scope of the piece and the sensitivity of the subject. The show would be depicting drug addicts (most of them black) so it would be all too easy to make out the characters as your common petty black addicts who's only personality trait consisted of their need to score the next hit. Black people have enough negative images floating (often cemented) around in the American consciousness that they didn't need another movie that glorified the drug problem or wrote off the people as sub-human automatons with nothing good to add to the world's conversation.

I believe that Dutton was sincere and justified of his initial mistrust of Simon because, as a black man with a substantial amount of clout, he considers himself responsible for the images that are projected onto the screen. Unfortunately, I think Dutton was largely blind to the fact that he and Simon had the exact same intentions; to tell the stories of these folks caught up in the drug world, but who still had something to teach all of us. Dutton comes off much more as a passive-aggressive pouter who suppresses his feelings about what is going on on the set, but refuses to bring his misgivings up to the writer or the HBO executives. Without a doubt, it would be great if a black writer was writing the script because in a perfect world, black writers would be the ones exposing black problems. Unfortunately, a white man wrote it, but he also did it with a care and understanding that very few writers, regardless of race, have ever been able to express. Dutton made great points about keeping the film team racially diverse to reflect the actual plight of the city and it was powerful that he was actually able to affect some change in that regard. But, like the two white writers who wrote the fantastic “Nothing But a Man,” Simon deftly and carefully painted this picture of the Baltimore drug culture with a respect for his subjects and a clear respect and understanding of the racial barriers that he was butting up against.

Being a white person myself, it is tough to demonize either Dutton or Simon because I can definitely see both points of view. Simon is writing with responsibility and passion about a story that no one else was writing about. But, I also can't imagine how frustrating it is to have white people assert themselves as the primary leaders and chief thinkers when it comes to the black identity.

Show and Tell (your friends)

2008-09-09T02:06:00.004-04:00

This show is happening tonight at Skull Alley (1017 E Broadway @ corner of Broadway and Barret).

What's Eating You?

2008-09-07T02:46:00.005-04:00

If you are blessed, like I am, to live to in the wonderful city of Louisville, Kentucky then you probably already know that there are some of the most incredible culinary treasures at every turn. People ask me all the time where a good place to go out to eat is and I thought I would compile a short-list of dishes that I think are must-haves that can be found exclusively in our fair city. Here we go!

Breakfast:

Orange Spiced French Toast @ The North End Cafe: This heaping portion of french toast has been infused with orange peels and tastes like heaven. It is one of the most creative and stunning breakfast dishes I've ever had. Absolutely delicious!

The Loaded Omellette @ Barbara Lee's Kitchen: Make sure you go to Barbara Lee's with an open heart and a pocket full of cash because you will fall in love and they don't take credit cards.

The King @ Toast on Market: This incredible breakfast treat is a french toast sandwich filled with peanut butter, bananas and mascarpone cheese. Filling for sure, but not before every taste bud you have is delighted.

Other:

Green Chili Won-Tons @ The Bristol Bar and Grille: I have to admit that I work here, but these little poppers are filled with hot pepper cheese and diced green chilis and when dipped in some flavorful guacamole, offer up a satisfyingly subtle little treat.

Fish and Chips @ Molly Malone's: Get ready for a perfect plate of battered and deep fried white fish that will make you wish you were actually as Irish as everyone who works there.

Bumble Bee Stew @ Gumbo A Go-Go/J. Gumbo's- This incredible dish is sweet and hot and served in huge portions! This happens to be one of the best deals in town and if you're missing out, then you are missing out!

Hot Brown @ The English Grille (inside Brown Hotel)- Get this classic straight from the source! This world-famous open-faced turkey and mornay cheese sauce sandwich was invented in the restaurant in the late 20s a few years after JG Brown opened up the hotel on the corner of 4th and Broadway. It's not too pricey (approx $18) and it'll be worth it to dine like a classic movie star in this uber-posh old-style restaurant.

Eggplant Parmesan @ Ray Parella's Italian Restaurant- This is a classic Italian dish served with perfection and tender loving care by a classic Italian man. Chances are that Ray will come out to your table himself and tell you how to re-cook it and turn it into another dish later on.

Bison Burger @ Cumberland Brews: Wash this Kentucky classic down with a glass of Matt's Red and you're in for a perfect, hearty meal.

Last, but absolutely not least is...

Fried Chicken @ Flabby's Schnitzleberg: There is no doubt in this young dude's mind that there isn't a joint this side of heaven that serves up such a wonderful basket of fried chicken. I'm generally not one to go ga-ga over some greasy drumsticks, but Flabby's has built their reputation on the wings of these beautiful birds that are filled with juicy, white meat. P.S. Wash it down with a bottle of Warsteiner Dunkel and call it a night because it doesn't get any better than that!

There are certainly more to come! Feel free to recommend stuff to me too! I will post more at a later date, but I needed to tell you about these first!

Also, word on the street is that these places are quite stellar:

Varanese: A newer restaurant run by head chef John Varanese with a fantastic menu that doesn't stray to far above $18 and lists all the prices without the decimal points so you can feel like you're being really fancy!

Seviche: Upscale dining with a latin flare. This restaurant is all the rage these days. I've been trying to come up with a good enough special occasion to go!