Come Out Screaming

Best of 2010 - 5-1

2011-02-18T13:48:00.004-07:00

5. Vampire Weekend – Contra
I can’t think of a band more universally liked. Does anyone have a problem with VW? No. You know why? Because they’re infectious and fun and even the most hardened pessimist has to admit that they’re on to something. Something special. And, there’s no one else like them doing this faux-reggae/calypso/jangle-pop hybrid thing that they do. Contra is even an improvement on their first record because the sound, while staying basically the same, has evolved slightly with some electronic and brass elements that weren’t there before, which I’m sure were influenced by the Discovery side project. Keep ‘em coming, boys.
Nugget: “Run”

4. Jonsi – Go
This one took me a while to fully digest and is really only best appreciated through good headphones. Jonsi is the lead singer (wailer?) of Sigur Ros and he brings their trademarked cinematic lushness to his first solo album. This album is the sound of childhood, of innocence. It’s the sound of wonder and curiosity. It’s the sound of life seen through the eyes of a child who’s frames of reference are fantasy and magic. It’s fitting the Jonsi did a song for the film “How To Train Your Dragon” because he evokes the sensation of flight. Animated flight even. The colors are lovely.
Nugget: “Boy Lilikoi”

3. The Soft Pack – ST
There’s almost nothing better than the sound of a garage band grinding out fast and furious rock in the true DIY style. It’s perfect simplicity. That term may seem boring. Simplicity is so… simple. But, when done right, simplicity is also the sound of truth. That’s why true Pop music is such an amazing thing; it’s the sound of universal truth. It’s irrefutable. The Soft Pack don’t over-think things or stretch beyond their comfort area. They just thrash a melody, a chorus, and an ending all in a couple minutes. Pure and simple.
Nugget: “Down On Loving”

2. Underworld – Barking
I wrote off techno and Underworld years ago. It’s not really my thing anymore. So, imagine my surprise when one of the pioneers release something better than anything they’ve done in over 15 years, or since techno mattered. In their old age (they’re in their 50s!!!!!) they’ve matured. The silly experiments are gone and Barking is just plain warm and spirit-lifting, which is what the best techno always was to me. It’s the best workout music you’ll ever hear. When I’m really in the zone, I call it a bio-rhythm, the beats and my feet are movie together and my breathing is natural and normal. This album helps me get there. It’s a selfish pick because it doesn’t take over-analyzing. I just liked it. A lot.
Nugget: “Always Loved A Film”

1. Fitz and the Tantrums – Picking Up The Pieces
When deciding who to pick for #1 one, the biggest determining factor is “who do I want the world to fall in love with?” They are. My favorite music moment of the year was watching them perform with Daryl Hall on Live From Daryl’s House and see the alchemy between their modern version of retro soul and Daryl’s years of experience working the same retro groove. A torch was passed. Every song is a blood-pumping barnburner of classic soul with lots of horns and organs. Very Motown of today. I’m rooting for them above and beyond everyone else.
Nugget: “Moneygrabber”

Best of 2010 - 10-6

2011-02-17T20:54:00.004-07:00

10. Peter Wolf – Midnight Souvenirs
This is the comeback of the year (decade?) award. Wolf’s had an inimitable energy since his days fronting the J. Geils Band (“Centerfold”, “Freeze Frame”). It’s like he’s approached rock stardom with a wink and a grin, like he realized early on not to take it all too seriously. Bless him for it. Unfortunately, he doesn’t make as much music these days, but Souvenirs is a classic bar band album of lived in cuts bathed in whisky and nicotine from a guy who’s been there and back and kept his sense of humor. He’s more rooster than wolf. In fact, he’s actually more peacock.
Nugget: "Tragedy"

9. Maximum Balloon – ST
This is basically a side-project for TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek to indulge in his mad professor-ness. Sitek handles production duties for TVOTR as well as other up-and-coming artists like Scarlett Johansson, and his style is layers upon layers of dense vibes and textures. You know a Sitek production when you hear one. Max Balloon is him turning knobs and twisting dials while a bunch of guests file through the booth making special appearances. Some of it is hip-hop, some of it is alternative, a lot of it sounds like a variation on Massive Attack. All of it kills.
Nugget: “Groove Me”

8. Cee Lo Green – The Ladykiller
Cee Lo has positioned himself as one of the most important artists active today. He’s written, possibly, the two best singles of the last 10 years, Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” and last year’s “F**k You”. His mind is twisted, he’s neurotic and paranoid. He’s like the musical equivalent of a Richard Pryor stand-up routine of the 70s, airing his demons for all the world to see. And whether he’s rapping or singing (that voice is a gift from God) he’s cutting to the heart of the matter with a devilish grin. The little fat man is a mad genius. And Ladykiller is a near masterpiece.
Nugget: “F**k You”

7. Joe Elliot’s Down N Outz – My Regeneration
So, Joe Elliot, lead singer of Def Leppard, gets asked to open for a back-together, Mott the Hoople, one of his rock idols. This inspires him to throw together a covers album of some lesser known Mott nuggets as a tie-in to the show, and to indulge himself of, I’m sure, a lifelong dream of fronting his favorite band while turning the world on to them. Joe attacks the project with passion and teeth. He takes what were already long-forgotten glam rock classics and “regenerates” them for today’s audience. The best part is, you can tell how much fun he’s having and it’s contagious. If only we were all so lucky.
Nugget: “Golden Opportunity”

6. Janelle Monae – The ArchAndroid
How to describe Janelle Monae? I think of her as the modern day Prince. Her tastes run so wide and her abilities so limitless, it reminds you of when His Purpleness was at the heights of his uncontainable imagination during the 80s. There’s rock, r&b, jazz, opera, classical, all on the same album. And “album” is a key word here. There is no one song that defines who Janelle is. Over the course of 18 tracks, she morphs from one ArchAndroid to another, blowing minds along the way. She’s quietly setting a new standard of excellence. People will look back on this album for years to come and know “that’s when a shift was made”.
Nugget: "Tightrope"

Best of 2010 - 15-11

2011-02-16T19:19:00.004-07:00

15. !!! – Strange Weather, Isn’t It?
These post-punk, hard funk, jazz-alternative geniuses are another band that can do no wrong. They’ve created a groove that is downright delicious and never gets old. I would almost find it hard to be in this band because the consistent level of funkiness displayed would have to be exhausting after awhile. Can anyone (or anything) be that funky? They’re working on it. Weather only gets docked a point or two for merely sustaining the funk, rather than elevating it to a new level. More please.
Nugget: "AM/FM"

14. Hoodoo Gurus – Purity of Essence
When one of your all-time favorite bands comes back with a new album after a loooong hiatus (one album in the last 15 years, no good ones in the last 20) the comeback better be good (I’m looking at you Howard Jones and Crowded House who both released junk last year). Thank God when it is! The Gurus started out with some of the most addictive jangle-pop of the early 80s, but then took a weird turn into almost metal for a while. Shame since they’re better at what they do than almost everyone. Purity returns them to the catchy songcraft of their early years, but with meatier hooks left over from their second half. The two sides combine for an excellent comeback. FINALLY!
Nugget: "Crackin’ Up"

13. Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest
I’ve never cared for this band’s brand of gauzy, fuzzy dream pop (if you can even call it “pop”). It’s too murky and shapeless. Halcyon Digest, however, is one beautiful piece of work. It’s still gauzy and, sometimes, murky, but with beautiful textures that stir true emotions rather than sounding like it’s all underwater and being made up on the spot. Some tracks are simple and languid, others build into an extended frothy jam. Both are good. Sneaky good. It’s the kind of album that worms into your skull and leaves a mark.
Nugget: "Desire Lines"

12. Film School – Fission
This is some beautiful 80s alternative in the mold of classic bands like Psychedelic Furs, the Primitives and Lush. They didn’t use to be. Always practitioners of the fuzzy distorted pop of shoegazer bands like the Jesus and Mary Chain, Film School added that priceless “chick singer” element (making for those transcendant boy-girl, Beach Boy-like harmonies) by putting the bassist’s voice higher in the mix, plus the occasional blip and bloop of 80s technology. They've warmed up the sound and improved the songwriting by simplifying the approach. Every track’s a keeper.
Nugget: “When I’m Yours”

11. Warpaint – The Fool
Think Deerhunter, only girls. Warpaint create these dreamy, dirge-like layers of sounds that penetrate deep in the heart and bring meaning to dark corners of the soul. It’s the kind of album you can put on and get lost in. That seemed to be their M.O. while making it, since many of the tracks just liftoff to jazzy improvisation that always serve the overall mood. Put it on and tune out the rest of the noise in life. Or, as John Legend would say, "Get Lifted". Did I mention they are girls? Maybe it’s sexist of me, but that's significant in my book. Of all the bands I've played for friends this past year, Warpaint got the strongest response.
Nugget: "Undertow"

Best of 2010 - 20-16

2011-02-15T20:42:00.005-07:00

20. Nada Surf – if I had a hi-fi
They’re probably my favorite band of the last 10 years, but even I’m not a big enough homer to rank this cute album of covers any higher. Is it as essential as 2002’s masterpiece Let Go? No. (I won’t rest until everyone hears and loves that album). But it is the thinking man’s covers album, especially for our generation, when the interpretations include Depeche Mode, Kate Bush and the Go-Betweens run through Nada’s unique brand of warmth. Put it this way, everything they do is good. Even the stuff that is most disposable.
Nugget: "Enjoy The Silence"

19. Tie - The Roots – How I Got Over / Wake Up!
The Roots. The Roots. The Roots were on FIRE last year!
Not only did they release their strongest and sleekest album in over a decade (Over), but they teamed up with John Legend to reinterpret some classics of jazz and blaxploitation cinema (Wake) for today’s r&b lover. Over holds the edge of the two ever-so-slightly because of the strength of the material (great originals has to trump great covers) and the assemblage of out-of-nowhere collaborators (Joanna Newsom?!). But, Wake Up brings excellent, forgotten classics to the masses. Which would you choose?
Nugget: Over – “How I Got Over” : Wake – “Compared to What”

18. Elton John and Leon Russell – The Union
When was the last time Elton did anything worth anything? Not in the last 20 years at least. Is it a coincidence that it took bringing his idol Leon Russell back from the dead to inspire him to produce one of the greatest things he’s ever done? The last 10 years has seen Elton trying to go back to his earlier, rootsier stuff and none of it has hit. But match him with Russell and the two kill it. Proof you must sometimes go back in order to move forward. 10-1 says John’s next solo album goes back to sucking though.
Nugget: "Hey Ahab"

17. The Besnard Lakes – The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night
Prog rock for the modern rock lover. The Lakes build these intense, majestic soundscapes, like tidal waves crashing in the night, that never veer off into noodling weirdness, and always nail the target head on. Almost every track is a complete journey with a slow build (or a fast one, but always a build), a goose-bump-inducing middle, and a post-orgasmic comedown. Think Sigur Ros with hair on its chest.
Nugget: “And This Is What We Call Progress”

16. Massive Attack – Heligoland
It’s been a while since MA have come close to reaching the galactic heights of perfection that they managed to reach with 1992’s Mezzanine. But, Heligoland comes closer than anything they’ve done since, and near perfection is still pretty damn good. The dark, milky intensity remains with that beautiful black undercurrent of dread lurking in every shadow, and who would want it any other way. They’re always one of the most intensely gorgeous musical experiences you can have.
Nugget: "Girl I Love You"

Best of 2010 - 25-21

2011-02-14T22:52:00.005-07:00

25. Yeasayer – Odd Blood
Experimental music done with soul, these guys craft some of the strangest, yet affective, melodies around. Normally, when you describe music as “experimental” or “risky” it’s synonymous with “imprenatrable” and that isn’t any fun. Yeasayer can move your heart and mind. It's the sound of creativity let loose. It'll be interesting to see if these guys can maintain or if they lose sight eventually.
Nugget: “Madder Red”

24. UB40 – Labour of Love IV
After over 30 years of churning out nearly the same pseudo-reggae vibe over and over again, UB40 remain one of those welcome constants in life. They never change, they always sound good, and it always feels right. Sometimes, change is overrated. Plus, they don’t sound any different with new lead singer Duncan Campbell (brother of former lead singer Ali). Do they ever sound any different? Nope. And that's goooood.
Nugget: “Bring It On Home To Me”

23. Manic Street Preachers – Postcards From A Young Man
These guys bring a level of melodic ferocity that’s unique compared to the younger practitioners of power-pop that are out there. It’s more lived-in. Earned. Considering what they’ve been through and how long they’ve been at it, they deserve respect as the elderstatesmen that they are. Politics + Pop + Power Chords = Perfection. Why are the Brits so much better at this than we are?
Nugget: "Some Kind of Nothingness"

22. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Nobody makes entire albums like Kanye. Love him or hate him, the man IS the genius he claims to be. Fantasy has topped most music critic’s Best of 2010 list, but I don’t love it as much as Late Registration. For all the creativity (and it’s massive), there are fewer hooks and singles. Still, Kanye’s music is more like wild slabs of colorful paint on a canvass than any other artist out there. Those itching to crucify him will have to keep waiting.
Nugget: "POWER"

21. Court Yard Hounds – ST
Having never listened to or paid much attention to the Dixie Chicks, I don’t know how closely related the two bands are, since CYH are basically 2/3s of them. If the Chicks’ output is as beautifully sunny as the Hounds, then I’ve been missing out. Every track sounds like singer-songwriter folk rock of the 70s that was written and recorded in the gorgeous hills of Laurel Canyon. You know that pap Sheryl Crow keeps trying to sell you? Buy a better version here.
Nugget: "Ain’t No Son"

Sundance: Day 3

2011-02-08T21:43:00.008-07:00

"The Son of No One" was another complete waste of time and yet it was the one with all the stars! You got Al Pacino, Ray Liotta, Channing Tatum, Katie Holmes, Tracey Morgan, and yet it's total garbage. I should have known this because it was directed by the guy that did "A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints" another Sundance hit that I saw and hated passionately. This guy's style is lots of brooding and insular tension with a completely overwrought score. Lots of scenes of actors looking glum and intense. Hate that.

And, it had my biggest pet peeve in movies, that thing where if the main character just talked about the problem or told his secret, there would be no point to the movie. Like "I'm going to get close to this person for an article I'm writing on love and then not tell them until I do fall in love with them and they hate me because I kept it from them and they feel our relationship is a fraud and based on inorganic motivation". Whatever. I hate that so much. In this case, Channing Tatum grows up in the projects and accidentally kills a couple of druggies, but Al Pacino lets him get away with it because he was partners with his dad and that's what cop friends do for each other. So, he grows up and decides at the age of 30 to be what? A COP! Of course! But, someone knows his secret and begins leaking it to the paper and the police and it ruins Channing's life and marriage because, of course he's never told his wife, Katie Holmes, any of this. Anyway, the ending is just as stupid as the whole rest of the movie and no one acts or behaves in a way that makes any sense at all. This movie comes out later this year, so maybe you'll see for yourselves. Score: 1

By this point, I'm getting pretty frustrated. Too many disappointing movies in a row is a drag, especially in one 24 hour span. I need some good news and I need it now before I go postal on one of these lame ass directors. And, just like that, it came!

The movie I had wanted to see more than any other was a documentary on A Tribe Called Quest by actor Michael Rapaport called “Beats, Rhymes, and Life”, but all shows were completely sold out. We had a few hours to kill and a lot of movies we’d like to see all starting at around the same time, which meant going all in on the one we stood the best chance of getting into and wait in line. If we didn’t get in we had two hours to waste until the next round (and it meant not getting into anything else we may have wanted). We decided to go with Tribe and take our chances and the bet paid off. We were the last group allowed in and got to meet Michael and shake his hand, our first star sighting. He was very nice and appreciative, humble and funny.

The movie was your basic Behind the Music episode, which is fine for me since I’m a sucker for that. I love that band and I loved getting to know them better. Taken all together, however, it made for the highlight of the trip and epitomized exactly what you want from a Sundance experience. Seeing stars who are cool and nice, seeing a movie you’re dying to see that is a hot ticket, and taking a bit of a risk to make it all happen. Perfect. As a cherry on top, before we left the screening, I spotted TJ Miller, who is an up and coming actor/comedian from films like “She’s Out Of My League” and “Gulliver’s Travels”. He walked by and I grabbed his shoulder and said “you’re hilarious”. He introduced himself by saying “Hi, I’m TJ” to which I replied “I know” and then thanked me very emphatically and then said hi to Farrah. Again, just what it’s all about. Score: 8

From here it was back to Flippin’ Burgers for some amazing chili cheese fries (Farrah couldn’t get enough) and a little down time with the Tippets before closing out the night with two more shows.

First up was a British film we had very low expectations for called “Perfect Sense”. The description didn’t sound like our thing, but it had Ewan McGregor and Eva Green and sometimes, after a while, you just want to see something with people you recognize. Good thing we did. It was an extremely unique spin on a disaster/virus movie where people all over the world suddenly get very depressed, then lose their senses one by one. Ewan is a chef and Eva is a doctor who meet when it's just starting and come together as the virus slowly takes hold and it all makes for one of the most human, sexy, inventive and captivating movie experiences I’ve had in a while. A lot of that is due to my low expectations and general disinterest in this kind of subject matter. But, it showed me that you can’t underestimate the visceral power of beautiful actors and a unique idea. It’s gold. If/when this comes out be sure to track it down. A hidden gem. Score: 8.5.

A quick note about seeing stars. In the crowds of people that show up for these movies, you’d swear half of them are small character actors. It’s like looking through dense fog at people you may or may not have gone to junior high with. Every now and then you see a face and think “in a different context that may have been that one person from that one show”.

Our last tickets of the festival were for whatever film won the best documentary prize. Last year it ended up being “Restrepo” which was just nominated for an Oscar. There were many in the running that we really wanted to see, especially one about the guy behind Elmo. We were bummed when the winner was announced to be “How To Die In Oregon” about people who take advantage of the physician-assisted suicide that is allowed in the state, one of the ones we were not jonesing for. However, it ended up being extremely heartfelt and involving. One of the primary participants is a sweet lady named Cody Curtis, a 50 something year old mother of two who has stomach cancer. We follow her for about a year as she prepares to die, says goodbye to friends, gives her belongings away, and even lives longer than she was initially told she would which causes some consternation over whether to go through with the suicide or when. You come away feeling very blessed that you got to get to know this amazing woman during her last days on earth and feel of her love and spirit.

I have issues with documentaries that don’t adequately or fairly show the opposing view of whatever the topic is. Interestingly, the director of “Oregon” didn’t even bother to tell both sides of the issue. It’s pretty fluffy overall and would probably be a big hit on Lifetime at some point. But, I didn’t care. I was pretty overwhelmed by it all (not to mention I completely agree that people should be allowed to have these suicides if they want to). I’m glad I saw it. Score: 8

So, that’s it. Another successful trip to Sundance. We plan to make this an annual event, as long as family or friends are able to watch the kids, which we’re so grateful for and couldn’t do it without. It’s truly an experience any film lover should take part of at some point in their lives. And, now that we’ve turned on the Tippets, we’re hoping we can add a friend or two each year. Makes it that much sweeter.

Sundance: Day 2

2011-02-01T13:59:00.008-07:00

Friday and Saturday ended up being 14 hour marathons of movie indulgence with several highs and lows along the way.

We kicked off Friday morning with Joe and Leslie at an early morning showing of "A Family Portrait in Black and White" which is the story of a Ukrainian woman named Olga that raises orphans, especially colored and mulatto children that society has completely rejected. The first half practically builds a case for Olga to receive sainthood with the life and love she provides to these unloved and unwanted children (27 of them in all in a house with no toilet or hot water).

However, as the story continues along, you see moments where Olga is actually sort of suffocating these children and thwarting their progress. She won't allow most of them to attend schools that are away and would help them get a good education. The kids all have foster families they visit in the summer, many of whom would like to adopt them, but she won't allow it until the kids are 18, even though these families could provide a much better home for them. So, it's all a big dichotomy - what she offers is certainly better than what an orphanage would provide, but she stubbornly stunts their growth in the process. In her words "birds may fly away, but a bird only has one nest".

The film was fascinating and heartfelt, if slightly formless. Many scenes could have been cut easily. Also, all the filming took place during the summers, which is fine except that it would have been interesting to see how everyone endures a Russian winter in a house with no hot water. Still, well worth seeing. Score: 8

Next up was the movie I was most looking forward to of the whole festival- "Black Power Mixtape". It's a Swedish documentary on the Black Power movement covering the years 1967 - 1975. This is a topic I've found fascinating for years and have always watched anything I could get my hands on. Well, this was a slight disappointment.

First of all, I should have been tipped off more that the film is Swedish. Not that it matters too much, after all Swedes can tell the Black Panther story too, but it felt more like some footage that had been laying around and turning it into a film gave it a reason to exist. It's basically a composite of news reports filed by Swedish journalists reporting back on the American equal rights situation. That's fine, it just amounted to an ultimately serviceable, but not crucial, telling of the Black America story. A unique trick they used that I wasn't a big fan of, was having modern day commentators like Angela Davis, Talib Kweli, and Melvin Van Peeples talk over parts as if it was a DVD commentary. Nice idea, but I'd probably rather see these people's faces as they told the story. Maybe that's nitpicking. Overall, it was fine, but not essential. Score: 5.5

From here we went to another drama called "Benevidas Born". It's the story of a high school female power lifter in a largely Hispanic Texas town who is trying to find a way out, not just out of town, but out of her culture and the life she knows.

A film about a female power lifter sounded fascinating to me and it was, despite the very amateurish acting and film making, for the first 30 minutes or so when that was the focus. All of a sudden the film begins taking turns and the lead begins down a path of self-destruction that seems so foreign to the premise and character we were investing in. She goes from pursuing her goal to taking steroids, quitting the sport, starting a fire and going to jail, transporting illegal aliens, and pushing her boyfriend and family away. It just didn't ring true. It was like the filmmakers wanted to throw in any obstacle a poor Hispanic family would come up against and throw them all at this girl. I didn't buy it. Score: 4

We saw this with Joe and Leslie too and afterwards we went to Flippin' Burgers for some dinner and to meet up with Jon and Natalia Anderson, our good friends from our ward that moved to Park City last year so Jon could go to work for Skull Candy. It was so good to catch up with them again. It doesn't hurt that Jon has a cool job and brought some schwag for us, including some sweet headphones at a discount, some cds, stickers, and hats. Love those guys.

The last movie of the day was another I had high hopes for called "Knuckle". It's an Irish documentary about some interrelated Traveler families (think Gypsies) that have been in a heated battled since a fight broke out at a wedding in '92 and someone died. Since then, every few months a member of one clan will challenge someone from another clan to a bare knuckle fight for a purse of money. The winner basically claims bragging rights, but since these fights just keep going and going and younger generations have begun to adopt them, there isn't an end in sight. In fact, they've become a tradition and part of their new heritage.

All very cool, right? You'd think. As cool as the fight scenes were, there was almost no sense of narrative. The director had been following them for 12 years, but never really tells a story. It just goes from one fight to another. The Q&A afterwards was way more informative than the film itself. For instance, he starts out by saying "I assumed when I made this that everyone would know what Travelers are, but I'm learning no one does. So, let me explain..." No kidding! It didn't occur to him to explain that? Another example - two guys fight and the younger, fitter guy breaks the rules and bites the other guy several times so the fight is called. They do a rematch nine years later and in the Q&A, the director explains that the one guy had been embarrassed for the biting and been living in regret ever since. Don't you think that's exactly what an audience would like to know so they can add some context to these fights? Overall, a real missed opportunity. The fights are cool to watch, but there's nothing else there. Score: 4

We finally get home Friday night around midnight and have to be up by 6:30 Saturday morning to get to our first movie, "The Son of No One". I mention this because it's what these trips are really like. A few hours of sleep and then a movie marathon, eating when/if there's time, and then back to bed for a bit to do it all over again the next day. Can't be beat!

Also, notice I've yet to mention any star sightings. That's because there haven't been any. Kinda disappointing.

Sundance: Day 1

2011-01-27T20:13:00.007-07:00

Sundance 2011 kicked off in the worst possible way - with one of the most skin-crawlingly bad movies I've ever seen. "I Melt With You" stars Rob Lowe, Thomas Jane and Jeremy Piven as three of four best friends that reunite every year to relive the glory days of college. It turns into a week of complete debauchery - drugs, sex, etc - as they escape the inert disappointment of their normal everyday lives. On this particular trip, it comes out that 25 years ago they had made a blood vow that if they ever lost the plot on what life was really about, they would all commit suicide. So, one by one, each one offs himself as a means to escape the ruin their lives had become. A promising cast, a perfect soundtrack of 80s post-punk classics, and a potentially relatable premise of middle-age ennui doesn't do a bit of good from stopping me to, literally (and I can't stress that enough), hate every single second of it. It's over-long. It's over-acted. It's over-dramatic. It's ugly and vile and loud. I don't remember the last time I had this sickening a reaction to a film. You know it's bad when the only person affiliated with the film who's available for the Q&A afterwards is a girl who was the 6th lead. Score: 0

To make matters worse, we attended this film with our good friends, Joe and Leslie Tippetts. Now, we didn't drag them to this or talk them into it, but listening to obscene sex convos with your good church friends sitting in the next seats makes the whole thing even more painful. It nearly soured me on even being here and I began to wonder if the positive energy of the past was lost, like the innocence of the men in the movie we'd just seen. Luckily, everything went back to normal soon.

From there we went to a documentary about 9/11 called "Rebirth". Not exactly an original premise, and certainly a well that's been drawn from aplenty, "Rebirth" stands out because it follows the lives of five people who were deeply affected in some way by the events (either a loved one died or they were severely injured) from 2002 thru 2009. You get to watch the way these people cope/grieve/progress with what remains of their lives. They all go through huge ups and downs and each has a process that's unique to them - some find a sense of humour and some barely clear a path for forgiveness. Everyone started over on 9/12 and these five describe a moving travelogue that will probably have you in tears from start to finish. Score: 9

Lastly, the prevailing mood of the day switched, gratefully, to something light and funny with the documentary "Shut Up, Little Man". Two guys from the Midwest move to San Francisco after college and live next door to a couple of old, insane alcoholics, Pete a homosexual and Ray a redneck homophobe, that engage in hilarious screaming matches when the liquor takes over, which is pretty much every night. The two young guys, Eddie and Mitchell, begin taping these outbursts and giving copies to their friends, which kicks off an old-school underground viral sensation of bootlegging among fans of something called Audio-Veritae, which is, basically, found sounds. I've never heard of these guys or was aware of the many comic books, plays, songs, websites, or cds that Pete and Ray inspired. Neither did they, as a matter of fact. So, the movie goes from telling their story, to the legalities, rights, artistry, and legitimacy of using other people's normal lives as art.

The movie is a lot of fun and brings on the nostalgia of a much more innocent time. What's mildly frustrating is how little is truly known about Pete and Ray. They're both dead with no living relatives and both basically drank their lives away. A better understanding of them and more from the fans and people who were influenced by them would have rounded out the picture. Still, it's fun and worth a watch, so long as you find old drunks calling each other co******er over and over funny. Score: 7

We debated whether to try and get into a 4th film, but we hadn't eaten all day, or slept much last night, so we decided to end it today and go big tomorrow.

You Are What You Read

2010-04-02T10:54:00.005-06:00

I received some very good news recently. News I had been looking forward to for a year. I was informed that my free subscription to Business Week had run out. That’s a huge monkey off my back.

When I first started my job, a job I’ve grown to hate very much, a big wig with the company said the best source for information on our business is Business Week and said he reads it religiously. Right then, Farrah secured us a free one-year subscription and I committed to reading every issue, cover to cover.

Well, the year is over (and so is my job) and while there has been some growth (like Billy Madison, “I can understand nine words in that [magazine] now”), more accurate is the fact that every issue has been a slog to get through with most of the info flying over my head. After a few months, I shelved the “cover-to-cover” goal, but did continue to read any article that interested me, seemed to pertain to my job, or that I thought I could comprehend, which amounted to a good 3/4s of it.

What became clear to me was not only what I was reading, but why. For instance, anything dealing with entertainment or branding of products I know and use was a no-brainer. As most people do, I read and liked the stuff I already had some base knowledge of. I followed articles on tech companies like Google or Apple, but more from an outsider’s perspective which makes sense. Though my job is in software, I’ve never fully grasped it, felt like a part of the culture, or been interested in it, outside of a passing understanding.

Think about that. While my dedication to my job is high, my capacity to really “get it” and grow within it is limited, just like my capacity to retain and understand the articles pertaining to this industry. I also found that I would read the articles that didn’t interest me that much if they were short, but skip them if they were too long, which probably says a lot about my own stamina and energy level.

Just as telling were the articles I would skip. Anything regarding banking was out. I’d need a Biz Week for Dummies if I was going to figure all of that stuff out. Other than the high level understanding that the banking industry is in trouble and the prime reason for the current recession, ask me to explain it to someone and I couldn’t. I could maybe regurgitate something I heard on the news, but would I truly understand it in my bones? Sadly, no. I’m just not built that way, as evidenced by my reading habits.

Funny enough, I would also skip most articles pertaining to business in India. Why? Because I just have a perception, though I’ve never been there, that the place is dirty and unappealing. I tend to avoid movies filmed in those locations for the same reason. So, my perception of a culture that doesn’t interest me influences my capacity to even learn about that country or enjoy it. Ironically, I did eventually perk up to articles pertaining to the bankruptcy of Dubai, but that was AFTER seeing it on the "Amazing Race".

This speaks to not only what we learn and why, but how. Package Dubai in a show I like to watch and I’ll pay attention. Make a movie about it with people in robes and the smell of dirt and sweat steaming off the screen and I just turn away. If something interests you, you’ll get it. If it doesn’t, it won’t unless it comes in the right packaging.

Packaging is a big issue, I’ve learned. I’ve started reading Fast Company, another business related magazine. The difference is that FC is bright and colorful with large fonts and eye-grabbing graphics (I’m a big believer in Color Theory). If BW is the Wall Street Journal, FC is USA Today. FC also skews younger with more articles on technology, entrepreneurs, and celebrities. BW rarely has any of that. BW leans more Wall Street and FC leans more Silicon Valley.

In contemplating the “you are what you read” idea, I’ve realized how true it is and how it extends to anything and everything we ingest. For instance, I believe the last 3 or 4 books I’ve read had something to do with either music or movies. I am often recommended sales-related books and often shrug it off because it feels too much like homework. The same can be said for religious books. I’m not a scriptorian, never have been. It just doesn’t interest me. As a result, I don’t spend a lot of time reading scriptures or church themed books pertaining to religion, again too much like homework. But, how many Christians do we know that could read nothing but the Bible on a daily basis forever and be perfectly happy with it? Based on my argument, that person would have more interest in Christianity than I would and it’s probably true. The proof is in the behavior. I’ll go to church every week (or work every day), but don’t expect me to spend my precious free-time on it. As my reading habits go, so go my behaviors.

So, think about what you read and what that says about you. If you don’t read much, that’s a big message. If you only read gossip magazines, that is too. If you like to read, but are picky about what you read (like me), then there’s another one. My point is, we don’t do much unless we’re urgently motivated by internal or external forces. What and when we choose to read and why is the prime evidence of that. And, our abilities to learn are often tied to more than the subject matter.

Best Docs of the Decade

2010-03-30T21:58:00.012-06:00

10. New York Doll

A film very close to my heart as it combines two of the dominant pieces of my genetic make-up – music and Mormonism. It’s the story of Arthur Kane, former bass player for the revolutionary punk band the New York Dolls, and how he went from cross-dressing rock icon, to broke drug addict, to Mormon temple worker. It’s a story you probably thought never would or could exist, and yet here it is. It’s proof that the message of the gospel has the potential to touch just about anyone that’s open and ready. That’s miraculous to skeptics like me that begin to question whether it’s possible.

9. Capturing The Friedmans

It’s the story of possible child molestation taking place by an educated man (and his son?) at his home in an uppercrust suburban neighborhood. I say possible because the film takes the risky angle of not completely answering the question of guilt versus innocence. Did they do it? The film doesn’t tell you, you’ll have to work it out for yourself. The puzzle is wonderfully challenging. The fact this family has no qualms airing all their dirty laundry in front of the camera doesn’t hurt. Side note: the project began as a feature on NYC’s most popular party clown. While getting to know him, this story comes spilling out. Crazy.

8. For The Bible Tells Me So

What if the modern interpretation of how the Bible views homosexuality is wrong? What if there are other ways to look at the subject from a religious perspective? Not to mention, the science behind homosexuality (as opposed to the predominant religious view that it’s a choice). Are we ready to face that? This is a crucial argument for looking at tradition another way. Change your way of thinking and you may find some truth lying in areas you wouldn’t have guessed. Given the heightened urgency Christian churches are placing on this issue (especially my own), it’s worth everyone’s time to see the issue from another perspective.

7. The Ramones – End of the Century

The best music doc of the decade covers the story of, arguably, the first and most important punk band in history. The film removes the rose colored glasses and laudatory tones of normal rock docs to showcase the internal tensions and drama that plagued the Ramones since the beginning and, ultimately, stalled their careers. Each member, Joey, Johnny, Marky and Dee Dee get equal time with each one’s story being told in full. Sometimes, those stories bump into each other or one corrupts another. So goes the life of a band over time. The fact that 3 of the four members are gone now and all within a short span of time, makes it all extra poignant.

6. Outrage

Every few months, some ultra-conservative politician seems to get caught in the act of homosexual activity. And chances are good that guy has a voting record that has fought to keep basic human rights away from gays and lesbians. So, the camera gets turned on them. What congressmen and senators are in the closet? How have they voted? The film makes the statement that if these closeted government employees are going to fight so hard to keep homosexuals as second class citizens in order to further their political careers, then they deserve to be outted and labeled as the hypocrites they are. It sounds sensationalistic, but it’s just good investigative journalism.

5. The King of Kong

The great American narrative played out over a game of Donkey Kong. Steve is a guy with an average life and a lot of regrets. He figures he can alter his station if he can score the world record in Donkey Kong. Standing in his way is the arrogant Bill, who has held the record for years and will stop at nothing to maintain it. Good vs. Evil battle it out at the arcade. It’s an age-old premise fought on a new battlefield. Will fairness prevail? Find out for yourself.

4. Bigger Stronger Faster

An inside look on the effects of steroids in sports, both good and bad, and how they have not only changed the games, but contributed to the American need to always be the best. Again, greed plays a big part (the biggest, actually) and corruption from the top down mounts unabated. For instance, anyone remember Pres. George W. Bush’s address where he said it was imperative to get steroids out of baseball for the sake of children and fair play? Ironic that just a couple years before he was the owner and president of the Texas Rangers, a team with 4 known ‘roid users. He conveniently ignored the issue then, we assume, because it benefited him. It’s all a big scam. Everything. Everywhere. Prepare to lose your faith in just about everything.

3. Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room

Maybe the most culturally and politically important film of the last 10 years. It pulls back the curtains on the inside scandal that brought Enron to the ground and shines a bright, unflattering light on those that made it happen. You realize while watching it that corporate America and, by extension, the financial system, are run by a bunch of greedy nerds with Napolean complexes. They can’t knock another team down by nailing a 3-pointer, but they can do it with a balance sheet. It’s all a big boys club where the rules, what little there are, are bent or ignored. It’s my opinion that these criminals deserve the death penalty. Taking someone’s livelihood is almost the same as taking someone’s life. The saddest part, the corruption continues to this day and probably always will.

2. Murderball

This is the fascinating story of a bunch of paraplegics that play full contact rugby in their souped up wheelchairs. These guys are nuts, tougher than you and me with half the appendages. The film covers all the bases. How did they get that way? How do they feel about it? How do they have sex? How do they live? What motivates them? What are their prospects? And they don’t entertain sympathy. Don’t feel sorry for them and don’t get in their way.

1. Spellbound

It’s as gripping and full of tension as any tied sporting event with one second left on the clock. Becoming invested in these childrens lives and then seeing them have to perform under pressure is one of the most emotionally taxing experiences you’ll have at any movie. The kids are bright, smart, awkward, nerdy, driven, funny, everything a child should be. And they have this skill that makes them special, maybe gives them some place in this world and some self-esteem that they work very hard at. And it all comes down to that moment with so much on the line. You’ll be yelling the next letter at your TV screen and cheering when they get it right.

I'm Sundancing As Fast As I Can

2010-02-02T20:16:00.006-07:00

If anyone is on the fence about whether Sundance is worth the expense, or the time, or the effort, my answer to that is a resounding “YES”. You have to do it at least once, assuming you’re a film buff. If you’re not, I wouldn’t bother. As much as star searching is part of the fun, it’s a secondary bonus to actually seeing the movies in packed houses with a captive audience.

Our trip began bright and early Thursday morning. The first film, “Sympathy for Delicious” was starting at 8:30, so we needed to leave Farrah’s parent’s house in Bountiful by about 6:45 to get to Park City, park the car, walk to the theater, and get a good seat. This turned out to be easier than we thought it would be. Parking was 10 bucks each time, so we stayed in one spot all day, and the free shuttle service is excellent. And, at the very worst, the many theaters aren’t that far apart so even walking from one film to the next is some nice exercise.

“Delicious” was directed by Mark Ruffalo (his directing debut) and written by actor Christopher Thornton. They had been friends in acting school 16 years ago when Chris became a paraplegic in a climbing accident. Since then, he’s only gotten sporadic acting gigs, all for guys in chairs, while Mark has become a star. Mark did him a solid by directing his screenplay, though they would never admit that. The film is the story of a recently disabled homeless former DJ (Thornton) who lives out of his car on Skid Row where Father Joe (Ruffalo) works to provide shelter. All of a sudden, Delicious wakes up with the power to heal, which has Father Joe lining up the poor folks of Skid Row to be made whole by D’s hand. D is too cynical to believe his gift does anyone any good. While this is happening, D also gets asked to join a band by Juliette Lewis (the best part of the movie by far). The band’s gimmick is to heal fans in concert, which D plays along with for a while, thus becoming a sell out.

The movie is like four different films in one and none of them work that well together. There’s even some courtroom drama near the end. I’m sitting there thinking the thing is a total mess, and realize Mark and Christopher are on the other side of the room gauging the audience’s reactions. That was surreal. I like Mark, but I don’t see a promising career as a director in his future. The sadder thing is, as weird as this movie was, after seeing some really bad ones afterwards, it ended up not being that bad by comparison. 4/10

We didn’t have tickets to anything for a few hours, and rather than taking our chances at another theater, we stayed at this one with the hopes of getting into a documentary called “GasLand”. The story of the environmental hazards of natural gas drilling didn’t sound very enticing at all, but we didn’t have anything better to do. The other bonus was the guy at the ticket counter let us in for free. Little did we know it would be the best film we saw by far.

I knew nothing of natural gas and assumed, based on the term “natural” that all was well and on the up and up with it. Not so. The real story plays out like “Erin Brockovich” or “A Civil Action” where the people and communities living near the drilling end up drinking contaminated water full of chemicals that decimates their health, all while large corporations like Halliburton and EnCana sit back and get filthy stinking rich. People were literally lighting the water coming out of their faucet on fire. Corporations sit back and claim innocence, refusing to do anything unless these people can prove something they did caused the problem. Of course, these people can’t. So, they live out their days heading to WalMart every week to fill up thousands of gallons of clean water so they can bathe, cook, drink, and live. Filmmaker Josh Fox has the muckraking spirit of a young Michael Moore, but without the political bent. Required viewing. 9/10

From there we had some time to kill before our next show so we got lunch at Pizza Hut. I haven’t had Pizza Hut in years and haven’t liked it for longer than that, but this was delicious. Maybe the pizza in the restaurant is better than what they deliver. Whatever it was, I loved it.

The third film of the day was called “3 Backyards” and played at Eccles, which is the main theater and seats about 1200. This was one of the dumbest movies I’ve ever seen. Just the kind of movie you’re afraid you’re going to see at a film festival. All overly-precious artistic indulgence, no story and no entertainment. It shows the lives of three different characters, but goes nowhere, gives no reason for anyone’s behavior, and offers no resolution. One is a guy who’s leaving for a business trip and also leaving his wife. His flight gets canceled so he wanders around town for a day, calls his wife from his own backyard to watch her body language, follows a girl he sees in a café, and ends up going home. That is it. The second story is a little girl who passes through some weird guy’s backyard on her way to school, only to see him in the shed out back whacking off to porn (although she’s probably too young to comprehend that). The third is played by Edie Falco and is a woman who gives a movie star that’s just moved into her upstate New York neighborhood a ride to the fairy. The star, played by Embeth Davidtz, is distraught over something, it never says what, and it irritates Edie, so she gets angry and distraught herself. None of these go anywhere.

In the Q&A after, the director said he wanted to make a sort of nature documentary, but with people. That’s about spot on. Also, the music was the all-time worst film score I’ve ever heard. The rest of the crowd wasn’t too enthusiastic either (although I heard the guy went on to win some kind of director’s award for it which baffles me). 1/10

We had another couple hours to kill before our next show, but none of the options were really compelling us. Farrah wanted to see something called “The Dry Land” with America Ferrera, but that didn’t appeal to me, so we settled on a documentary called “My Perestroika” about what the generation that saw the transition from USSR communism to the current regime and philosophy. The film wasn’t terrible, but it really only focuses on four different people, all of whom grew up and went to school together. Once you realize you aren’t getting anything, but what these people think, it gets pretty boring. They were all friends of the filmmaker, which shows a lack of imagination to me. She said in the Q&A afterwards that she wanted to show a side of Russia that wasn’t grey and dismal like it was depicted in most movies. I suppose she did that, but it still wasn’t very compelling. 4/10

Incidentally, while walking to this theater I passed Joel Schumacher (director of “Lost Boys”, “Batman and Robin”, “A Time To Kill”) which counts as my second star sighting, unless you count Katherine Erbe from one of the “Law and Orders” who was in “3 Backyards” and at the showing. I’ve always liked her, but she isn’t exactly a household name.

The fifth and final film of day one was another doc called “Family Affair”. This one is basically a real life “Precious”. Black family torn apart by the incest and physical abuse of the father. In this case, the dad perpetrating on his three daughters and wife and the film is made by his one son. There’s no question this is an intense topic, but I really didn’t like the way the film was constructed. It was extremely vague in its storytelling. The son/filmmaker shot his one sister in the leg when he was 10 years old, which may or may not have anything to do with the abuse. One daughter is schizophrenic and another has battled cancer, as if these are also possible results of the abuse. Of course one gets pregnant. There’s even a deathbed sort of apology by the dad, except that he doesn’t die (I assume, the movie never closes that loop).

I guess the point is that the family continues to interact (the mom left years ago and has avoided all of them ever since) in spite of the stories that swirl around the air. It plays like an episode of “Intervention”, but without the placards that come up every few minutes to give you the backstory and explain what’s really happening. The director plants a lot of potential bombs in a mine field, but then proceeds to get to them very leisurely and never completely. Plus, in the Q&A after he seemed like kind of a douche, thanking his lawyers for their help. 5/10.

The drive home was going to get us back to the house at around 12 as it was, but there was a wreck or construction or something on the interstate that left tons of us sitting completely still for a good 45 minutes. Cars turned off and everything. We ended up not getting back until around 1:15. Steve came over to stay the night because he was going to be watching the kids for part of the next day, so by the time I finished hanging out with him and got in bed it was 2:15. AND, of all days for this to happen, Georgia decided to wake up the next morning at 5:30! We put her back to bed a couple times, but it only lasted until 6:15 when we were all up for good. Knowing we’d be spending the day in dark movie theaters on less that four hours sleep was torturous.

Day 2 began with “Holy Rollers” a film written by a friend of Farrah’s and a member of the church named Antonio Macia. It’s a story that was new to me, Hasidic Jews in NYC being used as drug mules trafficking Ecstasy into the states from Europe. The movie stars Jesse Eisenberg (who I love, but am convinced can only really do one thing well, from an acting perspective) and Justin Bartha from “The Hangover”. As much as I wanted to like the movie, feeling I had a stake in it knowing the writer and everything, I didn’t love it. It’s a total by the numbers. Young Jew lives uneventful life until his friend turns him into a mule. He gets attracted to the money and lifestyle, turns his back on his family and traditions, only to get into trouble and learn what’s really important in life. We’ve seen it in a dozen “Behind The Music’s”. 4/10

From here we saw the film with the least known cast of all the dramas we saw, “Skateland”. This one is basically “Adventureland”, only the hang-out is a skating rink instead of an amusement park. I actually really enjoyed this one. It’s the typical “what am I going to do with my life after graduation” type thing that we saw in “Adventureland” and “Dazed and Confused”, but it had some fresh moments, an attractive cast (good GOD Ashley Greene is gorgeous), and some really good laughs. The end credits say the film is dedicated to John Hughes, which comes as no surprise. My only issue with these kinds of films that are popping up all the time now, is that they all feel too much like copies instead of originals. Get a soundtrack from 1983, put people in retro band t-shirts and muscle cars, and put cool old posters on their walls, and you’re set. Of course I’m all for that, but it isn’t original. Look more at a movie like “(500) Days of Summer” that takes the John Hughes vibe and makes something new out of it. Still, a copy of the best is better than an original piece of junk. 7/10

We had no more tickets for shows that day, but we weren’t ready to head back yet, so we waited in line to see another doc called “Smash His Camera”. Luckily, we got the last two seats. This was the story of Ron Gallela, who I hadn’t heard of before, but is considered the first and proudest paparazzo. I wish I loved anything as much as he loves stalking celebrities. He’s the perfect subject for a film like this because he’s all New Joisey accented and attitude. The guy’s in his 70s now, but still pounds the pavement and races through traffic to get the right shot. His photos are beautiful and have been shown in the MOMA, which brings up the argument of whether this is really art, whether what he does is decent, whether what he does is lawful, etc. It was made by a guy that won an Oscar for “When We Were Kings”, so the guy has his bona fides. It was a fluffy, sweet confection that isn’t good for you, but so very very enjoyable. 9/10

We headed home after this and were both asleep in bed by 9:45. I managed to stay awake long enough to watch the Jazz beat Sacramento, which is another bonus of trips to Utah. We needed the rest because we were back at it early on Saturday morning.

Oh, while we were walking around on Friday, we were approached by some people working for GMC who offered us Starbucks gift cards if we just sat in the car with them for a minute and listened to their spiel. I was impressed, both with the guts it takes to guerrilla market like that, and the car. Honestly, I’ll consider a GMC next time we buy a car. Isn’t it amazing how that works?

Saturday kicked off with the least indie film of the festival, “Twelve”. It was directed by Joel Schumacher and starred Chace Crawford, so you know an official release date is eminent. I have no problem with seeing mainstream movies masquerading as indies while at Sundance. In fact, it made for a nice change of pace. The movie was nothing special, very Hollywood formulaic, but that’s what you should expect from Schumacher. It’s the story of privileged kids in Manhattan that kill time doing drugs and partying. The cast is all perfect and beautiful and the story is typical. Chace and Joel did a Q&A after and it was good to hear from Joel especially. All the other filmmakers are so nervous and timid and humble during their Q&As. Joel’s a pro, he’s been in the biz for a while, so he knows to quit the pandering and be present. I liked that. 6/10

Farrah’s sister Brooke and her husband Jake came to the movie as well. We like them, so that was fun. They also stuck around and went to the next one with us, which was a documentary on Jean-Michel Basquiat called “Radiant Child”. When Farrah bought tickets a couple of weeks prior, this was the one I was most adamant about seeing. I’ve been curious about him for years and have been on a big art from that period kick for the last couple years. The movie did not disappoint. I’m not sure why I’ve never considered Basquiat’s art anything special, but the second you see it on the big screen it all makes total sense. Had I been an art dealer in the early 80s and been a room full of up and coming artists, I wouldn’t have been able to see anyone but him either.

The film was directed by Tamra Davis, who also, believe it or not, made “Billy Madison”. Davis new Jean-Michel back in the day and had filmed an interview she did with him, which ended up being one of the only interviews he ever did and it wasn’t even “official” it was just friends talking. That footage is like gold, so the movie builds off of it to tell his story. Afterwards we were debating whether it was the age-old story of power and fame corrupting someone, or whether what drove him to drugs and, ultimately, death was the fear of becoming irrelevant. I’m in the latter camp. I loved this film. I would buy it and watch it over and over just for the sensory experience of seeing his work and hearing the music and seeing the fashion of the time. 9/10

While sitting in the theater waiting for the movie to start, America Ferrera walked in and began speaking with someone sitting behind us. It took me a second to recognize her because she’s tiny and very pretty and normal looking in real life. She was wearing a puffy parka, so she may have been bigger than she appeared, but I would guess not. We overheard them say that “Ugly Betty” is getting canceled. It’s too bad for her because that should have been an iconic role. She did it well, but the writers were too all over the place and ABC mis-marketed the show.

We tried, but couldn’t get into anything after this. We had tickets to the Grand Jury prize winner for documentary, but it wasn’t til 8:30. We tried getting into a documentary produced by Adrian Grenier called “Teenage Paparazzo”, but they ran out of seats about seven people ahead of us. The last person to NOT get in was one of the stars of “Twelve”, Emily Meade, so it made me feel better knowing actors and actresses don’t always get special treatment. Granted, “Twelve” was one of Emily’s only credits, but still. At one point, Adrian himself came out and handed out tickets to some of the people in line and was very gracious and nice to everyone, which was a classy move.

The last movie we saw, and the Grand Jury prize winner, was called “Restrepo”. It was made by the guy that wrote “A Perfect Storm” and it shows a troop of Iraq soldiers that have to take over a valley I’ve forgotten the name of. While not being as good as some of the other docs we saw (Farrah hated it), I liked that it was a true, unfiltered look into the life of a soldier under extreme circumstances. We’re so used to seeing movies like “Jarhead” or “Stop-Loss” that dramatize the situation, but this was the real deal. You see them cope with fear, death, boredom, combat, and everything else in between. “Restrepo” was the last name of one of the soldiers in the platoon that died in battle, so they named one of their camps after him. I’m pretty sure two things went into influencing the judges to give it the award, 1) the success of “The Hurt Locker” which has made movies and discussions on the war from an apolitical perspective ok again. And, 2) the danger involved in capturing the images, which is no small feat. Personally, I would have voted for “GasLand”. 8/10

So, that’s pretty much everything. It was an incredible time and I’d do it again in a second. Seek these films out when you can, even the bad ones. It will be interesting to see what the public opinion is. But, if any of you try to defend “3 Backyards” to me, we’re finished.

Best of 2009:The Top 10

2010-01-21T20:04:00.013-07:00

10. Twilight Sad – Forget The Night Ahead

I call music like this “open wound”. The heaviness and emotion are so dense and hard, yet it’s melodic and exquisitely beautiful. Imagine densely powerful alternative pop bands like The Cure or Interpol, but with Billy Bragg, or someone else with a thick Scottish brogue, as the lead singer. Two components that don’t seem like they should go together, yet they do and it makes for something new and special. Proof that something can be both dark and beautiful. Hopefully, you already knew that.

Best Track: "I Became a Prostitute"

9. Jack Penate – Everything Is New

This one is a lot of fun. First bonus, it’s only nine tracks long so it’s over before it wears out its welcome. Second bonus, each song has a heavy influence of world music as if he traveled the world and brought back these knick-knacks. Third bonus, it’s all set to some excellent beats. I’ve heard several people compare him to Lily Allen, but I don’t see that. Maybe they both write pop music with a wider world-view, but she’s totally pop. Jack appears to be an artist. Maybe if he was a hot, drugged out girl that’s always running around naked, the comparison would be more obvious.

Best Track: "Everything Is New"

8. The xx – xx

Definitely the most hyped band of the year and the latest in that ongoing assembly line of bands getting enormous in the UK and then attempting to keep the momentum going in the States. It’s a couple of young ‘uns, a boy and a girl, with only a guitar, bass, and a drum machine, but the sounds they create are intense. It sounds like the hushed, minimal guitar strums of Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game” with some chilled out, bubbling beats. The voices are sly and sexy, but seemingly by accident, like they’re too shy to really belt it out, yet that’s what makes it magical. So simple, but so incredible. Believe the hype!

Best Track: "Infinity"

7. The Temper Trap – Conditions

Probably the safest bet of the year. It’s the best album for the most amount of people because it has multi-quadrant appeal. In other words, they sound the most like Coldplay. I mean all of these things as complements. It’s rare that rock music is done right, AND presents something slightly on the edge. It’s comfortable in a way that the best music should be. I predict big things from them.

Best Track: "Sweet Disposition"

6. Passion Pit – Manners

Another example of the domination of excellent synth pop in 2009. Passion Pit started out as one guy who made some songs for his girlfriend and then posted them on MySpace which led to a record deal. Isn’t that basically the success story template of the new millennium? The beauty of Passion Pit is the sense of soul at the heart of the electronics. That’s difficult to pull off without working really hard at it and it appears to come naturally to them. Plus, his voice hints at some boiling chaos just beneath the surface, which is exciting and keeps you wondering if/when he’s going to blow.

Best Track: "Little Secrets"

5. One eskimO – One eskimO

I’m leery whenever I read that a band is really a single artist on a creative binge, because it’s usually some indulgent nonsense that only sounds good to him (or maybe I’m still scarred by Primitive Radio Gods). In this case, it’s some guy I’ve never heard of named Kristian Leontiou. That being said, this is some rich, full pop music that goes down really easy. It’s largely acoustic with some nice beats percolating under the surface and one of those vibrant blue-eyed soul voices.

Best Track: "Kandi"

4. Friendly Fires – Friendly Fires

I lucked out on this one, as it’s technically a reissue. Originally released in 2007, these French dance club maestros showed a ton of promise with their version of what LCD Soundsystem do so well. In other words, dance music with instruments. In 2009, the single “Kiss Of Life” completely knocked me out with its martial African drums and yell along chorus. It made a splash, which lead to the album being rereleased with the song attached (it isn’t included on the original). The rest of the album is just as good.

Best Track: "Kiss Of Life"

3. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest

Probably the most challenging and least conventional album on the list. These guys create a beautiful racket that sounds strangely like the Beach Boys mixed with Wilco wrapped in a heavy gauze that’s been stained by the sun. When it works, as it does on about 8 of these 12 tracks, it’s intensely powerful and mightily expansive. When it doesn’t, it can make for some forgettable white noise. Luckily, the highs don’t just transcend you, they transcend what you understood music could be and sound like. It’ll stretch your mind and you’ll like it.

Best Track: "Two Weeks"

2. Glasvegas – Glasvegas

Another reissue. What often happens is come January, record companies will throw marketing dollars at the smaller artists on their roster that weren’t priorities during the high traffic shopping seasons. This is what happened to Glasvegas, so their debut also got a rerelease with a bonus track or two. They deserve the attention because it’s gorgeous. Maybe it does sound sort of trendy, the whole early U2/Interpol/Big Country thing with the ringing guitars and melodies to fight a war to. Who cares? Just add them to your list of favorite things that make your life better. That list can never be long enough.

Best Track: "Geraldine"

1. Owl City – Ocean Eyes
Most people hate this guy. Well, not most people, he did have one of the biggest hits of the year from out of nowhere. But, purists will tell you that he sounds too much like the Postal Service and, since Ben Gibbard and all he produces is sacred ground, Owl City is to be sentenced to death by firing squad. I don’t get this. The best true “pop” music is all about improving on a template. Postal Service is great, but they always left me a little cold. Owl City has much more heart and the tunes sound fuller and warmer.

This was a rough year for a lot of people, me included. We all just want to feel better. As a music lover, I can appreciate being challenged (hence Grizzly Bear), but not right now. Not during these times. I just want my outlook brightened and my heart lightened. Owl City provided that for me. I am choosing not to be negative about him. There’s enough of that filling up the rest of my day.

Best Track: "Fireflies"

The Best Albums of 2009: 20-11

2010-01-14T20:33:00.015-07:00

20. Fanfarlo – Reservoir

A fun little band of gypsies. The songs are as strong and poppy as anything Coldplay would come up with. But these guys throw on the brass, the accordions, the violins, etc. It ends up sounding like a Russian hoe-down. After their excellent contributions to the "Little Miss Sunshine" soundtrack, kindred spirits DeVotchka’s profile was raised, but they should have been bigger. Hopefully, Fanfarlo, who sound very similar, can make that breakthrough.

Best Track: "The Walls Are Coming Down"

19. Kiss – Sonic Boom

Everything you want from a Kiss album. Sure, it’s absolutely riddled with clichés, but when you figure Kiss basically invented those clichés, it’s really just them doing what they do best. It’s crass and lunkheaded and misogynistic and all the rest of the stuff they’re constantly accused of. And, that’s why we love them.

Best Track: "Modern Day Delilah"

18. Pet Shop Boys – Yes

If you really think about it, it’s baffling how consistent the Boys are. They’ve been at it for 25 years and have never released a bad album. In fact, there may not even be a bad song. Now, when you follow a template as meticulously as they do, it may be hard to screw up. It’s not like they take a lot of chances. But, it is an enviable skill to be so good at something that you consistently do it well year after year.

Best Track: "All Over The World"

17. Gomez – A New Tide

As these guys have stripped a lot of the cool little tricks they lathered on top of their earlier albums, the songwriting has gotten stronger and stronger and they’ve actually become a much better band, even if they sound less unique. In the beginning, their genius blend of blues and techno was unlike anything anyone else was doing at the time. Still is. But now their sound is richer and the songs are deeper. The gimmicks are largely gone, but the maturity is, arguably, more interesting.

Best Track: "Win Park Slope"

16. Metric – Fantasies

Another example of a band that found the groove among the gimmicks. Canadian band, Metric came up during that time in the early 00’s when groups were merging indie rock with 80s style and synths. Metric were catchy, but lacked much heft. It was pretty noodly in that 80s pong kind of way. Fantasies is them honing those skills into a set of tracks that could almost be described as meat and potatoes alternative rock. Every song is good. Every song is catchy. Never do they sound simple or amateurish. Solid.

Best Track: "Help, I'm Alive"

15. Bob Mould – Life and Times

The guitar God plays it straight. A few years ago, Bob decided he was hanging up his axe for good and turning to turn-tables full time. His fans revolted in droves. Noticing that when you’re one of the world’s greatest guitarists the public would rather you not release dance music, Bob has been melding the two sounds successfully since he returned to form. Of his albums since the comeback, Life and Times rocks the most and will most likely remind you of his excellent work with his power-pop band Sugar.

Best Track: "City Lights (Days Go By)"

14. Simple Minds – Graffitti Soul

Another example of a once world-dominating band from another era that’s releasing consistently strong stuff. It pains me when I realize that one of my all-time favorite bands continues to release music every couple years (admittedly with spotty results) and that music isn’t available for purchase in the United States. Simple Minds have one of the biggest hit singles of all time (“Don’t You Forget About Me”) and was one of the most important and adventurous bands of the 80s, and yet they can’t seem to secure an American record deal. Boggles my mind. The new album is good. They deserve more.

Best Track: "Moscow Underground"

13. Raveonettes – In and Out of Control

They finally get the mixture right. After years and years of combining Buddy Holly pop simplicity with a Jesus and Mary Chain sonic backdrop, the Raveonettes have produced an album of fluid consistency. They’ve always been able to write a few excellent songs. Now, they have an excellent album. Strange how catchy songs about suicide, drugs, and rape can be. Hope they can keep it going.

Best Track: "Bang!"

12. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz

It shouldn’t work. One of the most innovative sludgey-guitar-based bands of the last decade decides they want to focus on the synthesizers. In keeping with a recurring theme on this list, it made for one of their most consistent albums. Their first album with that epic hit “Maps” was a smash, so expectations were high for what they’d come back with. Doubt anyone expected this. The nutty thing is, this album’s better than the first. This is the year for techno-pop and who would have guessed that these guys would be leaders of that charge.

Best Track: "Zero"

11. Mando Diao – Get Me Fire

Mando Diao released one of the best albums of the last decade with their 2003 debut, “Bring ‘Em In” which is also one of the greatest garage rock masterpieces of all-time. Since then, they’ve spit out about an album a year and each one seems to be them taking on a more successful band’s persona whether it be Oasis or Kaiser Chiefs or Stereophonics. None of them were as good as them just being themselves. "Give Me Fire" is the first time since 2003 that they’ve sounded like they should. Hope they can keep it going.

Best Track: "Blue Lining, White Trenchcoat"

Top 10 Movies of 2009

2010-01-07T20:01:00.010-07:00

10. Anvil! The Story of Anvil
Rock and Roll dreams come through! The band of Canadian knuckleheads had the chops to make it in the 80s hair metal scene, but never managed to make it click. They sunk further and further into obscurity while they watched their fellow cohorts go multi-platinum. After 20 years of wondering what happened, and struggling to hold down regular jobs while still putting on shows that only a handful of people even attend, the spotlight is finally shown on them. The film stands as an emblem of the power of redemption and shows that sometimes karma smiles.

9. State of Play
A rare thing: excellent entertainment for adults. Hollywood continues to dumb us down by either sensory overload or trite formulaic story lines. The interesting stories usually have to be found in the indie films. Not this time. It doesn’t hurt that I’m a sucker for movies about journalism and politics. Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck are so good they may cause you to like them again. Granted, the movie indulges one twist ending too many, wish they would have stopped when they were ahead, but I’ll forgive it since the rest was so satisfying. It’s the perfect thing to watch when the kids have gone to bed and you’re dying for some grown up time.

8. I Love You, Man
The funniest movie of the year (hear that, Hangover?). Paul Rudd has ascended to that rarefied air where you’ll line up for just about anything he’s in. And Jason Segal is proving himself to have a similar cache. Today’s man is sensitive. He’s in touch with his feelings and his needs. This evolution calls for a bro-mantic comedy and I Love You, Man fits the bill perfectly. Easily the best odd couple since Oscar and Felix.

7. Funny People
This one took me by surprise. Judd Apatow was beginning to reach that perch in his career where you’d prefer to see him fail rather than continue to succeed (Coldplay is another good example). Just when you’re ready to write him off and think it’s safe to condemn his new “dramedy” (speaking of men “evolving”) before even seeing it, something unexpected happens. He throws something at you that’s half Apatow, half Ingmar Bergman. Funny People feels more like a foreign film for the leisurely pace and high dramatic content, and, yet, it’s OK. In fact, it’s better than OK. I’m sure it was exactly this mix that doomed it at the box office, which is a shame. Just hook up to it and let it take you on a journey. It’s a surprisingly good one.

6. Sugar
Speaking of being surprised, wait til you see Sugar. It’s the story of a minor league baseball player from the Dominican Republic and the culture clashes he’s forced to acclimate to while playing ball in small-town America. A sports movie, but not really, it’s one of the rare films that tells a story you didn’t know, but assumed you did, and then learn you had no idea about. The hidden gem of the year.

5. Fantastic Mr. Fox
Wes Anderson’s films had begun to rub the wrong way. They were like one big pregnant pause without a payoff. Who would have thought that his best film by a mile would be an animated one. But, it actually makes sense. Go back and watch his other films and they’re practically animated as they are. It was a stroke of genius to go old school with Rankin-Bass looking puppets. Never having read Roald Dahl’s original book, I have no idea how close it is to the original story, but I wouldn’t call this a “kid’s movie” by any stretch. They’ll probably think it looks really cool, but not understand the subtext of the little guy fighting off the boss man. I can’t wait to show it to my kids when they’re old enough to sit through an entire movie.

4. Up In The Air
Michael Jordan was born to play basketball. Michael Jackson was born to entertain. And George Clooney was born to be a movie star. These people couldn’t possibly be anything but exactly what they are and we’re lucky to have them enrich our lives (even if we are blind with jealousy). No movie has captured George at the top of his natural powers until this one. It’s the Network or Wall Street or All The President’s Men of its time. In 50 years people will want to know what life was like at the turn of the millennium and that curiosity should lead them right here.

3. Food Inc.
The documentary of the year and, hopefully, the film that changes the way you live and think about life. Not only is it dispiriting to learn about the ugly politics behind the food and goods we buy from our local grocery story, it’s a sobering reminder of how difficult it always seems to be to do the right thing in this country. The system’s corrupt, from how the food we eat is made, to who gets to provide it and who doesn’t (tip: the money makes the rules). Food is a hot topic now in this country and deservedly so. Inform yourself and start here. It’s essential.

2. The Informant!
I’ve heard a lot of gripes about this film because it doesn’t stack up to the book. Well, I never read the book so I have no problem saying it’s one of the best movies of the year. Matt Damon is hilarious (who knew?) as an unstable corporate whistleblower who’s really in it for himself. Another excellent film for adults with brains. Both horrifying and hilarious, the tone keeps you slightly off guard, never really knowing exactly whose side to take or how you should feel. After an hour or so of laughing with tears in your eyes, you’ll know where it’s all going.

1. (500) Days of Summer
Simply, the best time I had at the movies last year. If you’re in the right demographic, this is probably the story to a half-dozen of your own love stories. It’s smart, it’s funny, it’s insightful, and it’s a different spin on the traditional rom-com. By the end you realize it isn’t so much a love story, as the story of the person you fall in love with just before the person you end up with.

Live in Concert: Green Day 8/15/09

2009-08-31T22:27:00.005-06:00

It's rare I see a big name band at the top of their powers. I tend to gravitate to the nostalgia circuit in an effort to either catch one last glimpse of a former favorite (John Mellencamp, Steely Dan), or play catch up on someone I ignored back in the day, only to finally come around to their brilliance later (Def Leppard, Camper Van Beethoven). So, I was on the fence whether to bother with Green Day since, I'm sure, they'll be around long enough to see them in some package deal with the Offspring, Sugar Ray and Live in about 10 years (that's usually how it works).

But, I went against tradition and decided to see the real deal in all it's present glory. I'm glad I did. It was an especially welcome example of fan payback compared to the distant stiffarm from Trashcan Sinatras a couple nights earlier. If you want to see it done right, see Green Day. Surprisingly, I'm not even the world's biggest GD fan. I self-identify as a product of the 80s, while GD are totally and completely aligned with the 90s (no matter how crucial their more recent work is), so they never belonged to me. There isn't a moment in my life that's capped by a GD song (they were completely ubiquitous during my first days and months and year after my mission, but by then my innocence had been lost and songs didn't carry the weight they did during adolescence).

However, it occurred to my while watching the show that no band in the last 15 years have more effectively and exactly held a mirror to their generation than Green Day have. Let's explore the parallels.

First, they were birthed out of the early 90s grunge scene. While not being grunge themselves (I heard a lot of Social Distortion at first, which no one ever mentions), they were harder edged rock and that was in style (finally). Also, their attitude was that of a slacker who sat around their parent's house aimlessly daydreaming about what to do next, both in the macro sense (for a job) and the micro (what's on TV). Songs like "Longview" (a song about masturbating while stoned) and "Basket Case" (name says it all) perfectly summarized in clear and direct words how the youth of America were feeling at that time. The message was powerful, millions listened and followed. They had yet to lose their innocence.

As the indulgent 90s wore on, messages like that became less and less immediate (even the Clinton administration became mired in sex scandals, probably out of a lack of anything better to do). After a couple years of living the slacker dream, it was time to grow up and growing up can be hard, especially if you are ill-equipped. Green Day's next few albums, while trying to expand on the snotty punk that had painted them into a corner, made less impact and the band found themselves as irrelevant as a guy in his late 20s still getting high in the basement.

Then, suddenly in September of 2001, the country woke up. Woke WAY up. Shaken from their juvenile stupor, Green Day got wise. Feelings began to boil inside, like anger and skepticism and frustration, that weren't there before not pointed in this direction anyway. Matters became more important. But, this is the generation that gets their facts from the Daily Show. They aren't reading the New York Times, rather they're obeying their media heroes. Information funneled this way may not be complete, but it's potent and it sparked one of the most miraculous turnarounds rock has ever seen. And, once again Green Day were talking in a language their generation, as well as just about everyone else, could understand when they released American Idiot, the album that changed everything.

American Idiot managed to take the bits of facts and soundbites of the media and regurgitate them in a way that incited action. It gave words to the feelings of the less informed that the New York Times couldn't touch. It didn't have to. All this generation needed to hear was our President called an Idiot. That alone made us feel better and, God knows, no one else was doing it. It managed to direct that anger at the singular person who embodied the trainwreck our country was racing headlong into. Who is this idiot and why are we listening to him and what can we do about it? It was also a huge smash.

Fast forward five years and Bush is no longer in office and Obama has assuaged some of that anger, but now what are we left with? Christian fundamentalism. A new great depression. A whole ton of residual frustration. If American Idiot said "I'm pissed!", 21st Century Breakdown says "I'm still pissed because I still don't see any reason not to be!" If Green Day's career isn't the trajectory of, what Pepsi called Generation Y, I don't know what is. They go from uninformed slacker, to Daily Show educated, to media ingestion 24/7, just like everyone else.

The best part about the show was how they got the crowd involved, inviting people up to the stage to sing backup, play guitar, stage dive, you name it. The highlight was when a 12 year old boy came up to play "Jesus of Suburbia" with the band. Green Day made these people's lives better. That 12 year old gets to go to school and tell his friends (not to mention the bullies who may beat him up) that he got to jam with Green Day in front of a few thousand people. That is what being a true rock band is all about, knowing enough to give back to the people who got you there. Green Day know this. They live by it. And it helps to ease the anger.

Live in Concert: Trashcan Sinatras 8/06/09

2009-08-14T19:37:00.006-06:00

This feels like blasphemy. One of my favorite bands and I'm speaking ill of them. I was even lucky enough to meet them once and they couldn't be nicer. It doesn't feel right, but neither did their show. In fact, neither does the trip they're on these days. I'm disappointed.

Here's some backstory. TCS burst on the scene in 1990 with their debut album, Cake (my 2nd all-time favorite album). Their popcraft was immediate and beautiful, their wordplay clever. It was the perfect sound for the time and completely in line with contemporaries like the Ocean Blue, the Smiths, and Aztec Camera. Cake was not the smash in America that it should have been (though popular on alternative radio thanks to the obvious perfection of singles "Obscurity Knocks" and "Only Tongue Can Tell" which if you don't like them, you don't know what joy feels like) and they followed it up with the comparatively darker I've Seen Everything, which also underperformed in spite of another infectious single, "Hayfever". Here's where things get dicey.

This was followed by A Happy Pocket, an almost glacially paced album of heavily hushed tunes that their record company refused to release stateside and remains out of print and hard to find to this day. Not that it's a total lost, despite a few pretty tracks (including their somber take on "To Sir, With Love") it is quite a bear to get through. Then, they disappeared without nary a peep for eight years before coming back in a major way with 2004's Weightlifting. Their fans rejoiced! The songcraft hadn't lost a step in the years off, but, if I'm honest, the songs got very delicate and soft. Still beautiful, in fact there may have been TOO high a premium on beauty, (as evidenced by "Weightlifting" and the gorgeous "Got Carried Away"). No one minded too much because we were so glad to have them back. I love that album, but that joy has been replaced with some sorrow and sympathy.

Ok, here's the point: the concert was almost completely dominated by new material. They just produced a new album called In The Music that has, so far, only been available online. If Weightlifting was soft, then In The Music is practically weightless. The show consisted of ZERO songs off Cake (I was so pissed), three from Everything, ZERO from Pocket (just as well), three from Weight and the rest new.

So, do the math with me on this. A beloved band returns from hibernation choosing (that's the key word here, bands don't forget to play those songs, it's a choice) to ignore the past and focus on the now. That works if you're a band like U2 or the Cure who have an extensive catalog of hits and crowd faves that people will forgive you for skipping some obscure early faves. But, TCS only have five albums and it was the early stuff that hooked us! You can't throw us a bone and just sprinkle a couple of them here and there? There was a section in the show of about seven sleepy new songs in a row (remember, the album has not even been officially released). You expect people to stay awake for that? Here's another sort of nervey thing, they kicked the show off with a new song (of course) and then played two crowd faves ("Hayfever" and "Easy Read") back to back and then didn't return to the classics until the end of the show. That's such cruel foreplay! It's like they wanted to get that stuff over with as soon as possible, yet satiate the crowd who don't know that's the last bite they'll get for a long time.

Bands will often try to distance themselves from their past because they get tired of playing the hits, or they were only that way in the first place because of label pressure (notice the descent of the Police, especially Sting, who went from angry, artful punks, to guys who write music for soccer moms). But when your career and output are as scattered as TCS's, ignoring a chapter of your history is ignoring half the story! Plus, it's the good part!

I'm afraid my TCS worship has fallen off the rails. I'll continue to get their music (the new album, which I bought at the show, is underwhelming so far), but I doubt I'll pay to see them live again. It's a shame, I was rooting for them. The world is a better place with them in it, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. The weird thing is, I'm a "friend" of theirs on facebook and they post setlists and such every couple days. Well, I took it as an opportunity to tell them I was annoyed about the show. They didn't respond, but the other fans sure did. Some of them were on my side and felt similarly, others were calling for my head. My feeling is, if you're going to purposely alienate your fans like that, you deserve to get kicked in the nuts a little. I just hope they don't get their feelings hurt and disappear for another eight years.

The opener, however, was a band I had never heard of but now love called Brookville. No one knew them, they asked the crowd a couple times to no response at all, but people were impressed. Turns out, Brookville is basically Andy Chase's band and Andy is a member of Ivy, an excellent band that I like a lot, as well as the producer of some of the TCS's stuff. So, the night wasn't a complete waste. It's like I went on a double date and ended up with a crush on my date's friend. It ain't cool, but love is love and so is good music.

Live in Concert: Jonathan Richman 7/01/09

2009-07-03T15:20:00.006-06:00

Here's exactly how this typically goes down. I've seen him three times now and every time it's the same.

Me: "I'm seeing Jonathan Richman tonight"

Someone: (very confused look on their face) "Who?"

Me: "He's the singer that pops up throughout 'Something About Mary'"

Someone: (the light just went on) "Ooohh!"

That's how JR is most widely known. He is best known, however, as the leader of the Modern Lovers, one of the seminal underground punk bands in music history. The Modern Lovers, who only really released one proper album under the original line-up, were important for a few reasons. 1) They were from Boston which set them apart from the hub of the scene in New York. 2) The band featured Jerry Harrison, who went on to the Talking Heads, and Dave Robinson, who went on to join the Cars. And 3) JR's heartfelt, almost childlike lyrics. Where most punk bands yelled about drugs and mayhem and desperation, JR was the nerdy punk who wore his heart on his sleeve. It set him apart from the rest of the pack. They didn't really have any hits, but they had some classics ("Roadrunner", "Pablo Picasso" and "I'm Straight")

Now, JR's solo stuff over the last 25-30 years bears almost no resemblance to punk. It's become almost performance art, a sort of comic/musical mix that sounds somewhat like the Violent Femmes and Flight of the Conchords. Sparse, emotive, lovelorn, and deeply serious about how unserious it is. He's been doing this thing for many many years (the guy's almost 60) and has it down. In fact, everything you could say about him live can be explained in this clip of him on Conan (a big fan) in 1992 performing one of his staples "I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar". This is exactly what you get. It's like watching a child perform their first dance recital looking intently at their parents in the front row for encouragement. That child like innocence in his eyes is mesmerizing. He also makes up songs on the spot or adds new lyrics to existing ones or sings them in a different language. He doesn't have any hits he has to trot out, so it can all be as off the cuff as he wants. In fact, this time he made up a song about how he makes up new lyrics. He compared it to fresh baked bread. It's great for the first couple hours, but after 8-10 hours it's sold as day old bread. That's his philosophy. If he doesn't feel it, he doesn't perform it (his words exactly).

So, either he is a consummate performer with his schtick nailed down tight, or he's a total kook. This interview from 1978, where he actually gets emotional when the host mentions William Blake, implies he may have a screw loose. However, I saw him in the bar before the show talking to a friend and he seemed as normal and unassuming as anyone else. It's quite a trick he pulls off, but it's a good one.

I wanted to post the song and performance that turned me onto him in the first place. Like I mentioned, Conan's a fan (as are the Farrelly Brothers, hence the "Mary" and "Kingpin" cameos) and has had him on the show a few times. This performance of "Let Her Go Into The Darkness" was released on a cd of performances from the show that I purchased from BMG or Columbia House back in the day. I thought it was haunting and, not being able to see him perform it, took it to be deadly serious. Only now do I realize everything he does is with a wink.

Live In Concert: Doves 5/26/09

2009-05-27T19:16:00.006-06:00

I feel sorry for those who don't know Doves. I feel even sorrier for the ones that don't get it. When they're on, their music is a spiritual experience on par with total rapture. How artists can cause a listener to feel sadness, beauty, gloom, and hope at the same time and within the same 5 minute song is a miracle brought only by God, or the Muses. Think about that. The literal sinking and soaring of your soul in a single, short journey.

Doves started out as more of a techno outfit, producing dance tracks in Manchester under the name Sub Sub to some local acclaim and success. After their studio burned down with all their stuff in it, they picked up proper instruments and found a groove symbolic with that fire. Dance music going up in flames and burning to a crisp might be the best way to describe their music. When Coldplay said "a rush of blood to the head" they might have been talking about their fellow countrymen and label mates.

So, why all the hyperbole? Because it can be that good. Because their song "Rise", off their first album Lost Souls, is my #5 all-time favorite song and, possibly, number 1 in terms of emotional response. Because few modern bands are imbued with this power. And because they're still fairly unknown among the general American population (though far from underground nobodies).

Notice I said "can be". When they're on, they set the bar for the power and weight pop music can carry. When they're off, as they have been on their last two albums, (the first two are near perfect) it sucks more because of what could have been. I've seen them live twice now and something is occurring to me: The best songs on the albums miss the mark live, while the lesser material really takes shape in front of an audience, which leads me to believe the studio is a crucial place for this band to get where it needs to go (or, rather, where I need them to go). They seem to live or die by studio trickery. It goes back to that dance music background. Groove and mood are their driving force. Production can either capture and organize that raw energy, or stifle it.

So, how was the show? It was pretty good. I heard several songs I was hoping for and not sure I'd get like "Words" (one of my favorite running songs. My pace and this beat are one), "Black and White Town" (one of the only songs I even remember from their last record), "There Goes The Fear" (one you might know if you heard it) and "Pounding" (the rallying cry for the battle at the end of the world and if you don't believe me, click that link and take up your arms!). They also played "Rise", but at, what felt like, twice the speed, thus ruining my ability to achieve total liftoff. I suppose I should be grateful I heard it at all, but just tossing off my favorite tune left me wanting. Click on the link for a live version that is a full two minutes shorter than the original which proves my point.

AND, they didn't play two staples that were sorely sorely missed. "Catch the Sun", the first song of theirs to make a splash in America, was nowhere to be found, as was "The Cedar Room" a live staple for years and the song most often yelled out by the audience this night. Skipping two of your fan's favorites doesn't make any sense. Doves create music that washes all over you completely. Omissions like these felt like a cold shower.

Still, I love them. I want everyone to love them. The good stuff is, pretty much, better than anything ever. I hold out hope that it can all be that good and will remain devoted as long as their is hope. Luckily, I have every reason to feel that way. They deserve it.

This Week In Mormons In The Media

2009-04-30T19:31:00.005-06:00

It's been a while and this is hardly even news anymore, but it's an issue worth discussing.

The USA Today posted a story recently about the influx of illegal immigrants in the church, and our efforts to bring them into the fold. I promised myself I was done dwelling on the whole gay marriage issue, but I couldn't help but find numerous hypocritical statements made by church leaders in this article that remind me of Prop 8. I'll keep it all on the up and up, but here's a breakdown.

Unlike most of my Democratic brethren, I am passionately against illegal immigrants. I've mellowed out over the years a little, I get now that they do the jobs American's won't do, but I feel we are on the verge of losing our culture. So, the article makes the case that the church basically has a "don't ask, don't tell" policy when it comes to baptizing illegals. It also says we're sending more and more Spanish speaking missionaries into the country to convert them. I'll tackle these one at a time starting with the second issue.

I'm not aware of any additional efforts or specific marketing agenda laid out by the church meant to appeal to these people. The church has always been attractive to Latin Americans and, with more and more coming into this country, my guess is the effort has expanded as demand has dictated it. Latins are probably joining the church in America at rates that equate to their entrance into the country. The increase in Spanish speaking missionaries is, I suppose, a response to the need, as are the increase in Spanish speaking branches and wards in heavily populated Latin areas. So, I think they're stretching on that one.

Now, for the first issue. Why are we knowingly baptizing people who are breaking the law? Maybe it isn't seen as a "life or death" type of law, but we are still inviting people who are, basically, known criminals. I can't quite remember, but isn't one of the questions in the pre-baptism screening interview something about whether or not they're obeying the law? I remember it asks about abortions which, while not being favorable to any Christian religion, is not technically "unlawful" in most states, but is still raised as a red flag. It seems to me we're picking and choosing our own lawfulness. We won't allow you to be gay and married, whether you want to join our church or not, but we feel we have a moral obligation to help and support all the illegal immigrants saturating our country. What hypocritical BS. Granted, this article focuses on Arizona and not California, but where was your "so-called" compassion last fall?

My favorite is the quote from Mesa Mission President Mark Bassett, "We don't know what their immigration status is. We are not the government or the police." Riiiiiight. Pull this leg and it plays "Jingle Bells". (Name the movie!) The other gem comes from a Mesa Spanish Branch President, Pablo Felix, "The Lord doesn't look at documentation. He just looks at our faith as members." My guess is, the Lord does look at your criminal record. Maybe you just haven't been caught yet.

If we see this as an issue of compassion and helping families stay together, why are we stepping in when it was the family itself that tore itself apart when it chose to high-tail it for the border in the first place? It isn't like there was a war and we're looking after the widows. So, as long as moral issues aren't being compromised, it looks like we're happy to be on the front lines? But, if "perverts" are involved, we hang back judging and demanding repentance? Whatever.

If we truly handled this situation logically and fairly, we would teach them, but then expect them to make changes before baptizing them. That's what we do if someone is living in sin. You can't get baptized until you get married. We wouldn't allow it if someone hadn't quit smoking. We wouldn't allow it if someone hadn't quit drinking. So, again, we place our moral laws above the laws of the land. The 12th Article of Faith, which every child is expected to memorize, states emphatically that is not the way we claim to live. Yet, we're doing it anyway.

Bottom line: we're as full of crap as anyone else.