Thursday, December 16, 2010

Top 10 Albums of 2010... Cause I said so!

2010 in music was a disaster. Very few diamonds came up in all the rough this year. Soon, the Grammy's will be on... pimping their usual brand of glitzy bullshit and one-trick ponies whose names you won't remember four years from now. It's sad watching the recording industry cling so desperately to it's antiquated business model, frowning on most anything revolutionary and embracing the same old teen angst and bubble gum cliches. I guess that's just the way it goes.

I am a genius in every sense of the word. This list should be your list, disagreeing with me is pointless. Go listen to these albums and then thank me for telling you to.

10. John Legend and The Roots - Wake Up
Do you like Motown? You'll like this album. It lags in a few places but, overall, is worth the listen.

9. Deftones - Diamond Eyes
There's really nothing new going on with this album, just pure Deftones greatness. I've come to respect that the Deftones (much like AC/DC) haven't changed their style, they just stick to doing what they do best... I used to hate bands for being that way, maybe I'm groing up?

8. Nas & Damian Marley - Distant Relatives
Excellence in hip hop, Nas and Jr. Gong make a great team, they flow into and out of each other seamlessly. A must listen.

7. Karnivool - Sound Awake
I was turned on to this Australian band earlier this year by a friend, and I am grateful for it. Most people I've played these guys for say it reminds them of Tool. I can hear that, but it makes me think more of The Mars Volta. If you like well thought-out rock/metal with melodic (no-screamy) vocals, definitely get your hands on this album.

6. Mogwai - Special Moves (Live)
I love Mogwai. To me, they are the quintessential post-modern rock band. This live release is wonderful and captures their essence beautifully.

5. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
A great album, start to finish. My choice for the Grammy Album of the Year. Not because I really think it is the best album of the year, but when put up against Lady Antebellum, Eminem (really? I wanted to like Recovery but I'm so sick of the same thing over and over, lyrically and from a production standpoint) and Katy Perry (I don't think this needs an explanation, Teenage Daydream for album of the year? Could the Grammy's make their cash-profit motive a little more obvious? I think not).

4. Clint Mansell - Black Swan (Soundtrack)
As of writing this, I have yet to see the film. This soundtrack is intelligent, moving, disturbing and oddly beautiful (as I am sure the film is, Aronofsky is the man!). It's hard to believe that the former Pop Will Eat Itself front man has produced so many beautiful film scores, but there you have it.

3. The Black Keys - Brothers
I don't think there's a lot to say about this album. It's very good and I put it at number three, though I'm wondering if I should have put number four in this slot.

2. The Roots - How I Got Over
Easily the best hip hop record of the year. The Roots know how to do it and, honestly, I'm surprised this album didn't really get any attention.

1. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - The Social Network (Soundtrack)
I could (and do) listen to this album over and over again. Done much in the vein of Nine Inch Nails' Ghosts album, this ambient/pseudo-techno/industrial score is thoroughly enjoyable and has a high relistenability rating as far as I'm concerned... and, as I stated in the title of this post, my opinion is really the only one that matters.


Honorable Mentions

Tom Caruana - Enter The Magical Mystery Chambers (Wu-Tang Clan vs. The Beatles)
It's no Danger Mouse's Grey Album, but Wu-Tang fans will enjoy this work.

Jonsi - Go
Jonsi gets a mention, though I say it with a frown... this guy just isn't the same outside of Sigur Ros. Much like Thom Yorke's solo work, something just seems to be missing.

Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3
Good work, could have been better. Death Of Autotune makes it a worthwhile listen.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Irreversible (France, 2002)

At the premier of Irreversible at the Cannes Film Festival, 200 of 2,400 audience members walked out... and that is considered a compliment by director Gaspar Noe. For the first 30 minutes of the film, do you not only get to enjoy some motion sickness-inducing camera work but, also, the background noise is a frequency of 28Hz. While the frequency of 28Hz is barely audible to the human ear, it is linked with causing nausea and vertigo in human beings. The feeling of watching a film that is drunk with bed spins ebbs and flows throughout the entire film, never quite leaving, but certainly calming down and stopping well enough to allow the viewer to take in the story here.

The end of this film is definitely NOT for epileptics. If you are affected at any degree whatsoever by strobing lights, stay away. I'm not even joking in the least bit, if you can't handle strobes, are prone to motion sickness, like light-hearted romantic comedies, want your mommy, and don't like being visually punished by a film... stay away.

The most striking thing about this film for me isn't what it is notorious for (a 9-minute single shot anal rape scene), rather for what it does the whole film through. Nearly every scene in this film is single shot. This approach can make you forget that you are watching a movie (the subtitles seem like saviors from time to time, reminding you that it's a film). For instance; if you have not seen this film, but you read about it, then you all ready know about the notorious rape scene. Thing is, knowing that it's there doesn't the soften the blow. The camera spends a good 9 minutes stationary, causing you to get completely lost in the scene, so that when it finally moves you almost jump.

Wonderful acting, interesting direction, and the more you learn about the film (watch it first, then check out the trivia section over at imdb), the more impressive it seems. I liked this film a great deal, mostly for it's artistic merit. I don't know if the word "recommend" is suitable here, but it is certainly a film worth watching, a film you will never forget.

Monday, September 20, 2010

So I'm Thinking I Should Watch More Takashi Miike Films.

Just today, I finished watching my second film by Japanese filmmaker, Takashi Miike. "Imprint" is the film I finished today. At one hour in length, there's no good reason for a horror fan to not watch this film. It doesn't require a serious investment of time. Is the acting bad? Yes (particularly that of the one American actor in the film).
Is the story any good? Yes, and that's why I would recommend this film. I'd also recommend it because anything that a company commissions, receives, and then decides to essentially ban... must be worth watching. Showtime commissioned Miike to make this film for their "Masters of Horror" series, which touts itself as being an artistic outlet for filmmakers to produce work without butting in and taking over artistic control. In Showtime's defense, while they did ban it from cable television, they did release it on DVD and it is currently available for streaming on Netflix (I watched it on my iPhone, thanks for getting around to that Netflix).
Be aware that the so-called "torture-porn" scenes in this film are not for the squeamish. I'm recently learning that many of Miike's fans watch his films simply for these scenes, which I think is kind of sad. If you really want to watch something just to see if you can bare it, I understand Irreversible features a 9-minute long, single continuous shot rape scene. I'm just saying this because this film (as well as the one I yammer about after this) does have a moral to it.

Audition. Some people love this film, some people hate it. If you're put off by subtitles, go back to your cheesy action movies and don't dabble in foreign films... the rest of the world doesn't have to cater to you, whitey! If you're put off by disturbing imagery, go stare at whatever Pixar movie you're watching again (for the bazillionth time) and discontinue reading this. If you want a well made film with beautiful cinematography and a solid story that doesn't feel the need to rush itself, then this is a film for you. Oh yeah, at about an hour in, this film decides to do something that I don't think very many filmmakers could get away with. Nice job on Dusk til Dawn, Quentin... Shyamalan, no one cares about your cheesy fucking twists... let a real filmmaker show you how it's done.
Rob Zombie has called this "the only film that really gave me the creeps" and it is obvious why. Audition doesn't go for any of the standard horror conventions and, in the end, it's not even the gore that gets you. In fact, the gore is minimal. It's what Audition does as a film that shakes you up. Okay, if you haven't watched this and are planning to watch it, stop reading this now and come back later when you're done. Then you can gleefully tell me what a moron I am for having enjoyed this film so much.

The thing that I think makes this film so interesting, aside from the complete genre-change that happens midway through the film, is the plethora of possibilities that the end of the film could be. Is Asami all of woman kind punishing Aoyama (all of man kind) for countless ages of objectification? Is Asami his conscience, burdening Aoyama with the guilt of a widower who has finally learned to love again, but still can not let go of his past? The possibilities seem endless.
I liked just about everything about this film. The characters are easy to relate to. Nearly every horror in this film could be seen as a metaphor for a deeper social issue. I must say, though, that the craft put into the cinematography, the actual visual, of this film are excellent. Well placed wide shots, warm tones, continuity with setting changes. And the iconic imagery of Asami in her leather apron with that piano wire, the tongueless legless man who dines on Asami's purge. *Quick note: Eihi Shiina claims that the vomit in the dog bowl was hers, she is a method actor.
Anyway. Blah, blah, blah. I liked this film and plan on checking out more of Takashi Miike's work. Next up will probably be Old Boy and then Ichi the Killer. Either way, there's a lot of his stuff to watch, the guy pumps out 13 films a year... now that's fucking prolific!

Monday, September 28, 2009

Porcupine Tree w/ King's X at the House of Blues 9/27/2009

Look at that, I actually have something to write about here...

I'd heard a lot about Porcupine Tree is supposed to blow your mind when you see them in concert. Between what I heard from friends, and what I had read in reviews, they had a lot to live up to. And they did.

Let's start with the opening act. I didn't originally plan on being at Landsdowne Street in time for King's X, but I was and I'm kind of glad about it. For one, to try to get a decent spot on the floor if we (my wife and I) had showed up late would have been impossible. Two, I was pleasantly surprised by King's X. I've tried really hard to enjoy their music over the last few months... listening to their entire catalog, forcing myself to get through songs and albums that I just couldn't stand. Seeing King's X in concert certainly did not make me a fan (I'm not going to go back and suddenly love, or even remotely like, all those albums now), but I do have a respect for their live performance and presence on the stage.
I can not recite their set list for you, but I can tell you that they played Dogman, Black Flag, and Music (during which Ty Tabor played perhaps the most jaw-dropping guitar solo I have ever witnessed). Doug Pinnick gave a speech, during Music, about there being no one true religion and "never give up your dream." After their set, we stood by a table at stage right to sign autographs and take pictures and just basically hang out with their fans, which I guess was a pretty cool thing for a band to do. I'm not really into them, but I can tell you that the people who are into them, are waaayy into them.

King's X is now off the stage, the crowd on the floor barely shifts, approximately a 20 minute wait and now the synth-drums from "Blind House" is the intro music for Porcupine Tree.

Though I knew what to expect, I'd be a liar if I tried to deny how awesome it was to hear The Incident's opening "Occam's Razor" blast from the stage in perfect timing with it's visual accompaniment. This is where my complaints begin, but not because of the band at all, we'll get to my bitching and moaning later. After "The Blind House," Steve Wilson said a quick hello and informed the audience that he wanted to make Roadrunner Records job easy. "We're gonna make their job easy, we figure we'd just promote the new album by giving them one long song and playing it live, and that's what we're going to do as we continue." And thus the rest of The Incident was played, basically without stop.
The highlight of the first half of the show (The Incident) in my opinion was "Time Flies." I kind of wanted to hate this opus when I first heard it, because of how much it sound like Pink Floyd's Animals, but I love it and think it makes sense for it to sound like such an obvious knock-off. So much so, that you can actually sing Roger Waters' lyrics along with the opening chords. Performance was perfect, visual accompaniments were thought-provoking. Other high points of the first half of the nights performance included "Drawing the Line," "The Incident," and the "The Hearse." The entire performance was one of the most enjoyable concert experiences I've ever had, except for what I am about to complain about...

If you like to talk, sarcastically mimic people who are dancing (which means they are enjoying themselves, assholes), or make fun of people who are singing along (another sign that one is enjoying themselves)... DO NOT ATTEND CONCERTS. I highly doubt that the two assbags who stood behind me, mindlessly yammering throughout the ENTIRE performance of The Incident, will read this. You two wastes of sperm know who you are (Big poofy hair, big noses, probably Berkley students) and if you are reading this, never attend another concert. Stay at home and listen to the CD. I know that the concept of people having fun is beyond you, so do the rest of the world a favor and don't show up. These idiots were carrying full, lengthy conversations during the performance. I am not exagerating. I was glad to see these two told off by a young lady in the audience during the second set, because they were oblivious to the signs being given to them to shut the hell up during the first set. Then again, that's probably because these two have such under-developed minds that they don't realize that there is a world outside of their own existence.

Ten minute break, with a stop watch on the screen, audience counts down the final ten seconds of the break and Porcupine Tree takes the stage once again. Time for more fun, here is the set list for the second half of the show.

The Start of Something Beautiful - Excellent performance, excellent visuals.

Russia On Ice - Steve Wilson played the coolest guitar I've ever seen for this one. I used to think Matthew Bellamy (of Muse) had the coolest guitar, with the built in Kaoss pad under the bridge. I don't know what make or model this guitar is, but it has an LCD screen where the pick guard would be. The screen on the guitar displayed animations of galaxies and planets, which also blended in to psychedelic visuals. Oh yea, and the body of the guitar lights up as well. SWEET. GUITAR. Russia On Ice is played until the middle section starts, synth swells, guitar change for Steven, video screen lights up and now into the insane second half of

Anesthetize - Need I say more? Gavin Harrison is up there in my top 5 drummers of all time and is relentlessly making up for all the down time he had during the first. This is probably my favorite PT song, so my only disappointment is not seeing this performed in it's entirety. But, hey, it's an 18 minute journey when played in it's entirety so I can't really be harsh on this, I was more than happy to witness this abridged version.

Remember Me, Lover - The one thing that really surprised me. I'd been following the set lists and reviews for this tour and didn't expect to hear this. Most previous shows included "Bonnie the Cat" as the soul song from The Incident's second disc to be performed live. We lucked out in Boston, I was really hoping they would play this.

Strip the Soul - Excellent performance, excellent (creepy as hell) visuals.

Normal - Another one of my favorites from the FOABP sessions, executed wonderfully. Again, Gavin Harrison is the man when it comes to the drums.

Mother and Child Divided - The instrumental from the DVD for Deadwing. Excellent song, the visuals for this gave it a context that I found sad and inspiring at the same time... a moment of insight, the type that usually comes during an LSD trip. Not that I would know.

The boys leave the stage, everyone knows there's more. Lots and lots clapping, screaming, stomping of feet. Very energetic. Not even 5 minutes go by and PT is playing...

The Sound of Muzak - A song that seems to become more relevant as time goes by. Steven introduces the members of the band. He introduces Gavin as "the Drum Wizard," and tells us that he part-times as a magician. "He's going to do a magic trick half-way through this next song, so you'd better keep an eye on him. This is our last song this evening, this one is called...

Trains" - Steven Wilson headbanging while strumming away on that sweet Ibanez acoustic of his is fun to watch. At the first break, following the line "the hissing subsides, I'm in luck." Richard Barbieri humorously messes up and hits a note on his keyboard that is supposed to represent ghostly magic. The audience laughs, Steve and Gavin look at him, confused. Steven begins to finish the lyric "When the evening reaches here, you're tying me up. I'm dying of love... did you do your trick yet?" Gavin does his trick, Richard plays the sound late (instead of early) this time, everyone gets a good chuckle, and they finish the song.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

blogging is dumb

that's right. blogging is dumb, and that's why i do it so often... because i know that you care what i have to say. the president called kanye west a jack-ass, i like that. he is a jack-ass. going to see porcupine tree next week, looking forward to it. the new album is good. PAY CLOSE ATTENTION! IMPORTANT INFORMATION WILL BE REVEALED SOON!

Friday, December 5, 2008

youtube viewers

i noticed that people posting comments on youtube seem to not think about what they say...   i am new to blogging and wonder if it's the same way here.