3.31.2016

End of the Month Music Bitchfest - March 2016

They Might Be Giants
The physical release of Phone Power, TMBG's 19th studio album, is out and, yeah, my name is in the liner notes*. That is the best kind of weird. My "for people" review is here, but, personally, I think there's some issues. A few tracks ("Bills, Bills, Bills", "Got Getting Up So Down" and "Black Ops Alt") should not have been included, but, if they hadn't this would have been a super scant release for the Flansburger.

Personally, this is what I was envisioning before the album came out:































Also, TMBG launched their 2016 IFC call for membership and, yes, I bought one. I'll be getting (along with EVEN MORE THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS T-SHIRTS and some shitty trinkets) another unique-to-me ringtone...which, while very exciting, does kind of make the first one a little less special, but, seriously, I feel like the IFC peaked with that offer the first time around and I can't imagine where they go from there. Meet & Greets? Coffee with the Johns? Anyway, shut up, this is magic and I'm a part of it.

Beck
Beck has a pointlessly convoluted new site which, hopefully, means fucking something is coming some time before the sun dies.

St. Vincent
Last month (fuck you, I was busy) her cover of the Rolling Stones' "Emotional Rescue" came out on the A Bigger Splash** soundtrack, proving, once and for all, that even St. Vincent can't make me care about the Rolling Stones.

New Garbage in June! Strange Little Birds it'll be called. Probably not an Anglofied version of Tori Amos' cover album.
Probably.

Along with all this glorious nothing, Mother Feather debuted their video for "Living, Breathing" off their new, self titled LP, scheduled for release on May 13th,*** AND will be on the fucking Warped Tour this summer.
Goddamn ladies, you doin' it right.
I'll be at their show tomorrow at the Bowery Electric and I will tell you all about it, because you're  too scared to go on your own and experience what it's like to stare into Heaven's Eye and have it wink, sassily, back at you.

And, finally, I had a chance to check out the new Dandy Warhols album, Distortland; a review is incoming shortly, but, on the whole, I dig it. Not as much as Monkey House, but, whatever, people change.

* With about 1000 other people but, hush, child, be still, and know that I am God.

** ...sequel to Splash?

*** Pre-order the fuck out of it right now.

3.07.2016

Homework!

I've been cast in my very first feature film, entitled You & Me, which starts shooting in Los Angeles in April. I'll be playing the romantic lead (which is terribly exciting for me as it's not my typical stylo) and, I have been given homework from my director, specifically, to watch these films:

Before Sunrise 
Before Sunset 
Before Midnight
Educating Rita
Annie Hall
Beginners
Once
In the Mood for Love
Coming Home
Shopgirl
Lost in Translation

I've seen Shopgirl and Lost In Translation, and (shockingly?) none of the others.
I have seen one Woody Allen film and it wasn't Annie Hall. Does this make me a bad actor? Or not an actor at all? I don't really care because actors are awful and I hate them. 
Oh Christ how I hate me...

Anyway, I'm going to take you with me on my journey as I watch these films, whether you want to go or not.

First up...Before Sunrise.