A chronological directory of my Coil Review Project.
A Thousand Lights In A Darkened Room
Horse Rotorvator
Scatology
The Remote Viewer
The Unreleased Themes For Hellraiser
Time Machines
Moon's Milk (In Four Phases)
Love's Secret Domain
Astral Disaster
Musick to Play in the Dark, Vol. 1
Queens of the Circulating Library
Musick to Play in the Dark, Vol. 2
Constant Shallowness Leads To Evil
Black Antlers
The Restitution of Decayed Intelligence
Worship The Glitch
The EPs of Coil
ANS
The Ape of Naples
The New Backwards
Moon's Milk In Final Phase
The Coil Review Project - Wrap Up
electric sewer age - bad white corpuscle
peter christopherson - time machines II
zos kia/coil - transparent
3.18.2014
Bond Notes...James...Bond Notes
For Christmas, my wife got me the Bond 50 Blu Ray collection and, since then, we've been working our way through them.
I've been watching them since I was six, but, watching them all in order in a relatively short period of time has produced a few thoughts and some superlatives.
Favorite Connery Bond
From Russia With Love
Not too silly with gadgets, great bunch of villains, both the physical (Red Grant) and the cerebral (Klebb and Kronsteen), a great ally and character in Kerim Bey and a really solid plot; the best, as far as I'm concerned.
Least Favorite Connery Bond
Diamonds Are Forever
Except for Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd (who are amazing), so much of this is shit. Blofled goes from being a real threat to a dapper dandy whose fate is so badly handled they had to wrap him up in a Moore opening sequence years later, that random sexy bodyguard fight, a moon rover chase for no reason...ugh. Not going to continue. Sadness is forever.
Least Favorite Moore Bond
Moonraker
The damn thing is just too silly.
Favorite Brosnan Bond
The World Is Not Enough
This is my favorite mainly because I dislike the other three so much. GoldenEye is just awful; the caricatures, the silly villain names (Janus? Onatopp? Jesus...), bringing in the Q'ed out Z3 and then doing nothing with it (bold choice, gentlemen...bold, stupid choice), Sean Bean utterly chewing the scenery every time he's on camera, the sheer quality and quantity of shitty puns and adolescent sex jokes.
Some of the GoldenEye damage is repaired in Tomorrow Never Dies, but not nearly enough. If anything, Pryce is ever more over the top and scene-chewing than Bean. Plus, starting World War III for ratings really is a stupid plot.
Going back to The World Is Not Enough, a lot of the good done by casting the flat out amazing Sophie Marceau as Elektra King* was udone by casting Poutyface Broporn, Denise Richards as *sigh* Christmas Jones. Sorry. Nuclear physicist, DOCTOR Christmas Jones. Way to shit in your own salad fellas. Carlyle is a great villain on his own, that cold, seething delivery...and even more so when stacked up against the Twin Hams of Bean and Pryce.
And then, there's Die Another Day.
Okay. I'm going to do a "Compliment Sandwich"**.
I did love how Michael Madsen seemed to not want to be in the movie every time we saw him though. I feel like he was playing the role of the audience.
Aside from these revelations, I also had a few cast off observations.
While The Spy Who Loved Me could have had a really interesting relationship develop between Amasova and Bond, they just tossed the whole "I'm working with you because I have to, but as soon as the mission is over, I'm going to kill you for killing my lover" thing because...I'm not really sure. Instead, they just have her point a gun at him and then shoot the top off a bottle of champagne (which could have blinded Bond with shards of glass but they decided against that ending). I mean, I understand that she might not want to kill him anymore because he saved her life a bunch, but, guys, address it. A line, something, please.
Also regarding Spy, when you place it right next to Moonraker, you begin to notice a lot of similarities. Like the villains' plans. Specifically how they are exactly the same. Stromberg wants to hide underwater and destroy the world because they all suck and Drax wants to do the same, but from space. And with a bit of Fourth Reich flavor. Right next to one another, guys? Really?
I also found myself getting bored with Moore. And the creepy way his cheeks get all sucked in when he kisses girls.
Ew.
I am ready to declare that Dalton is one of my favorite Bonds and that, while he might have been a bit too gritty for the pansy Bond fans of the late 80's, he nailed the essence of Fleming's Bond without going over the top. I love the reference to SMERSH in Living Daylights. I wish there had been more Dalton Bonds.
And, finally, I've discovered that I do not really like Pierce Brosnan's Bond very much at all, especially when wedged between the solidity of Dalton and Craig. I don't Lazenby-hate him, but he doesn't have enough of his own identity. He's a little of Connery, a little of Moore and tried to do the gritty darkness of Dalton but doesn't come close. Should have just stuck to Remington Steele.
Taking a short break before jumping into the Craig Bonds, which, yes, are knocking it out of the park (except for QoS, going to have to try and put my finger on what, exactly, isn't working there for me...), although I'd like them to bring back Quantum. I enjoy a shadowy enemy organization.
Yes I do.
* Did it have to be "Elektra"? Can't you give the audience some credit?
** You get how that works, right? Good thing, bunch of shitty things, good thing? Good.
...her name is Elektra because she kills her father...like in the Greek plays, Electra.
*** BUT, I thank God and all his Angels EVERY DAY that they didn't follow their original plan to give "Jinx" her own spin off film series. Dodged a huge shit bullet there, people. Get on your knees and give thanks.
I've been watching them since I was six, but, watching them all in order in a relatively short period of time has produced a few thoughts and some superlatives.
Favorite Connery Bond
From Russia With Love
Not too silly with gadgets, great bunch of villains, both the physical (Red Grant) and the cerebral (Klebb and Kronsteen), a great ally and character in Kerim Bey and a really solid plot; the best, as far as I'm concerned.
Least Favorite Connery Bond
Diamonds Are Forever
Except for Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd (who are amazing), so much of this is shit. Blofled goes from being a real threat to a dapper dandy whose fate is so badly handled they had to wrap him up in a Moore opening sequence years later, that random sexy bodyguard fight, a moon rover chase for no reason...ugh. Not going to continue. Sadness is forever.
Least Favorite Moore Bond
Moonraker
The damn thing is just too silly.
Favorite Brosnan Bond
The World Is Not Enough
This is my favorite mainly because I dislike the other three so much. GoldenEye is just awful; the caricatures, the silly villain names (Janus? Onatopp? Jesus...), bringing in the Q'ed out Z3 and then doing nothing with it (bold choice, gentlemen...bold, stupid choice), Sean Bean utterly chewing the scenery every time he's on camera, the sheer quality and quantity of shitty puns and adolescent sex jokes.
Some of the GoldenEye damage is repaired in Tomorrow Never Dies, but not nearly enough. If anything, Pryce is ever more over the top and scene-chewing than Bean. Plus, starting World War III for ratings really is a stupid plot.
Going back to The World Is Not Enough, a lot of the good done by casting the flat out amazing Sophie Marceau as Elektra King* was udone by casting Poutyface Broporn, Denise Richards as *sigh* Christmas Jones. Sorry. Nuclear physicist, DOCTOR Christmas Jones. Way to shit in your own salad fellas. Carlyle is a great villain on his own, that cold, seething delivery...and even more so when stacked up against the Twin Hams of Bean and Pryce.
And then, there's Die Another Day.
Okay. I'm going to do a "Compliment Sandwich"**.
- The opening credits (the content, not the music) is one of the best Bond opening credits ever. We see invincible superspy, James Bond broken and tortured for fourteen months. I will freely admit I got chills the first time I saw this. After 19 Bond movies, we finally get to see that he's human.
- The theme song. She actually says "I'm gonna avoid the cliche" while being a cliche.
- Halle Berry.
- Sword fighting. For no reason.
- Sword fighting on a burning plane. For no reason.
- Zao is getting gene therapy in order to create a new persona, and yet, while he's had time to get his skin and eyes lightened, he hasn't gotten those diamonds out of his fucking face yet?
- "I'm Mister Kill." "Well, isn't that a name to die for."
- Halle Berry.***
- That whole VR cocktease scene.
- John Cleese.
I did love how Michael Madsen seemed to not want to be in the movie every time we saw him though. I feel like he was playing the role of the audience.
Aside from these revelations, I also had a few cast off observations.
While The Spy Who Loved Me could have had a really interesting relationship develop between Amasova and Bond, they just tossed the whole "I'm working with you because I have to, but as soon as the mission is over, I'm going to kill you for killing my lover" thing because...I'm not really sure. Instead, they just have her point a gun at him and then shoot the top off a bottle of champagne (which could have blinded Bond with shards of glass but they decided against that ending). I mean, I understand that she might not want to kill him anymore because he saved her life a bunch, but, guys, address it. A line, something, please.
Also regarding Spy, when you place it right next to Moonraker, you begin to notice a lot of similarities. Like the villains' plans. Specifically how they are exactly the same. Stromberg wants to hide underwater and destroy the world because they all suck and Drax wants to do the same, but from space. And with a bit of Fourth Reich flavor. Right next to one another, guys? Really?
I also found myself getting bored with Moore. And the creepy way his cheeks get all sucked in when he kisses girls.
Ew.
I am ready to declare that Dalton is one of my favorite Bonds and that, while he might have been a bit too gritty for the pansy Bond fans of the late 80's, he nailed the essence of Fleming's Bond without going over the top. I love the reference to SMERSH in Living Daylights. I wish there had been more Dalton Bonds.
And, finally, I've discovered that I do not really like Pierce Brosnan's Bond very much at all, especially when wedged between the solidity of Dalton and Craig. I don't Lazenby-hate him, but he doesn't have enough of his own identity. He's a little of Connery, a little of Moore and tried to do the gritty darkness of Dalton but doesn't come close. Should have just stuck to Remington Steele.
Taking a short break before jumping into the Craig Bonds, which, yes, are knocking it out of the park (except for QoS, going to have to try and put my finger on what, exactly, isn't working there for me...), although I'd like them to bring back Quantum. I enjoy a shadowy enemy organization.
Yes I do.
* Did it have to be "Elektra"? Can't you give the audience some credit?
** You get how that works, right? Good thing, bunch of shitty things, good thing? Good.
...her name is Elektra because she kills her father...like in the Greek plays, Electra.
*** BUT, I thank God and all his Angels EVERY DAY that they didn't follow their original plan to give "Jinx" her own spin off film series. Dodged a huge shit bullet there, people. Get on your knees and give thanks.
3.04.2014
Some Oscar Movies I Saw
A friend lent me some screeners and, after agreeing to "destroy this disc by cutting it in half" once I was finished watching them"*, I watched "Captain Phillips", "12 Years A Slave" and "Philomena". I also watched "Drive". Because of Hotline Mimi.
As far as big ol' based-on-real-life let's-engineer-this-to-be-an-Oscar-movie movies go, "Captain Phillips" hit every note.
Tom Hanks? Check.
Score by Hans Zimmer? Check.
Harrowing real-life drama that turns out okay for America? Check.
Introduction of some foreign, talented unknown actor? Check.
Tom Hanks crying? Check.
I'll admit that my staggering lack of awareness of "current"** events made this movie much more suspenseful that it should have been.
What else needs to be said?
"12 Years A Slave" was fantastic and brutal and horrifying, the serious version of "Django Unchained". I wish there had been more Michael K. Williams, and I wish I'd known that Ejiofor was the super-badass, completely fucked up mercenary from the final episode of Firefly.
Damn.
"Philomena" was sweet, but not Oscar sweet, na' mean? It was wonderful to see The Coog *** sing his insurmountable snark for the forces of good. For the most part. And Dam Judi nch. Good lord. She played an actual leprechaun and made it believable. One thing that did kind of boggle me a bit: her totally cool and laid back reaction to her son being gay. I understand that she was a nurse for thirty years, but she was so wide0eyed and naive in so many other ways that her complete acceptance, like, not batting an eye, was a bit hard to swallow. Also, wasn't her son taken when he was something like two or three years old? Can you really nail down that your kid is gay by then? In the forties? In Ireland? In a nunnery? When you didn't even know what sex was? Again, a bit of a stretch, but, like I said, not quite up the "standards" (read "rigorous and intentiona codtructional guidelines") of an Oscar movie.
I would now like to see the sequel to "The Trip" starring Judi Dench and The Coog.
Chop chop, we've all got places to be.
And, then, after a conversation with Ray about Hotline Miami, he urged me to watch "Drive".
And I did so.
Yikes.
First things first, I don't think I've ever seen anything of Ryan Gosling except for the meme with him being the best boyfriend in the world and riding on a white horse, so his character, who bounced between three states of being namely, being good with kids and Carey Mulligan (who looks like a grown up version of Drew Barrymore from "E.T." AKA as cute as the very cute nose on her very cute face), pure, cold nothing and Kill Machine X-15 was quite a shocking introduction. I have this crazy urge to not see anything else he's ever been in and let this be the Ryan Gosling that I know.
I love love love the idea of Ron Perlman and ALbert Brooks (!) as aging, Jewish gansters who are also brothers. LOVE. Brooks did a great job of being that bad guy who you hate to hate. He was just so nice...the way he murdered Bryan Cranston so humanly...wait.
Oh, and yeah, Bryan Cranston.
Why did they pick Zombieland over him as Luthor?
Silly.
And the quickness and brutality with which they dispensed Christina Hendricks?
Holy fuck.
Aside from a few too many shots dragging on for a few took many seconds, this was a really solid film. Surprisingly so.
Planning on checking out "Gravity", "Matthew McConaughey Gets AIDS In The 80's And Learns A Lesson About Being A Homophobic Asshole" and "Batman, Hawkeye, Hunger Games, Lois Lane, Hangover, No Actual Plot, Just Stars: The Movie" soon.
* Oh, Hollywood. Do you honestly think your movies are THAT valuable or that someone couldn't just download a torrent of them in the time it would take for someone to put said screener in the mail?
** There's no way I can get away with calling 2009 current without ironic quotation marks, is there?
*** What Steve Coogan's friends call him.
As far as big ol' based-on-real-life let's-engineer-this-to-be-an-Oscar-movie movies go, "Captain Phillips" hit every note.
Tom Hanks? Check.
Score by Hans Zimmer? Check.
Harrowing real-life drama that turns out okay for America? Check.
Introduction of some foreign, talented unknown actor? Check.
Tom Hanks crying? Check.
I'll admit that my staggering lack of awareness of "current"** events made this movie much more suspenseful that it should have been.
What else needs to be said?
"12 Years A Slave" was fantastic and brutal and horrifying, the serious version of "Django Unchained". I wish there had been more Michael K. Williams, and I wish I'd known that Ejiofor was the super-badass, completely fucked up mercenary from the final episode of Firefly.
Damn.
Paul Giamatti is the worst person in the world and probably had a great time portraying it, Michael Fassbender is, literally, hypnotizingly evil, and Benedict Cumberbatch is absolutely amazing until he, with all sincerity and heartfelt intention says the words, "you are an extraordinary nigger", at which point the audience is reminded that a nice slave owner...yeah, still a slave owner.
My only issue with this film was Brad Pitt playing that role. It felt so...I don't know...self-indulgent? I might not have felt that way if his company, Plan B, hadn't produced it and it had just been a weird casting choice. But him as Solomon's savior was a bit too much.
Seriously though, other than that?
Wow.
One question though, just something to think about: why are there still films being made about slavery and the Holocaust and other such atrocities? Do we need films with famous actors to remind us that these things happened? Are these movies for people who don't know anything about history? I'd like to hope they aren't just being made to garner Oscars. But, Kate Winslet did make a pretty compelling argument in Extras.
Maybe films like "12 Years A Slave" are made to mitigate the existence and *gag* success of Tyler Perry's cavalcade of loose feces that is his entire filmography.
Just something to chew on.
The question, not the loose feces.
Don't chew on the loose feces.
I would now like to see the sequel to "The Trip" starring Judi Dench and The Coog.
Chop chop, we've all got places to be.
And, then, after a conversation with Ray about Hotline Miami, he urged me to watch "Drive".
And I did so.
Yikes.
First things first, I don't think I've ever seen anything of Ryan Gosling except for the meme with him being the best boyfriend in the world and riding on a white horse, so his character, who bounced between three states of being namely, being good with kids and Carey Mulligan (who looks like a grown up version of Drew Barrymore from "E.T." AKA as cute as the very cute nose on her very cute face), pure, cold nothing and Kill Machine X-15 was quite a shocking introduction. I have this crazy urge to not see anything else he's ever been in and let this be the Ryan Gosling that I know.
I love love love the idea of Ron Perlman and ALbert Brooks (!) as aging, Jewish gansters who are also brothers. LOVE. Brooks did a great job of being that bad guy who you hate to hate. He was just so nice...the way he murdered Bryan Cranston so humanly...wait.
Oh, and yeah, Bryan Cranston.
Why did they pick Zombieland over him as Luthor?
Silly.
And the quickness and brutality with which they dispensed Christina Hendricks?
Holy fuck.
Aside from a few too many shots dragging on for a few took many seconds, this was a really solid film. Surprisingly so.
Planning on checking out "Gravity", "Matthew McConaughey Gets AIDS In The 80's And Learns A Lesson About Being A Homophobic Asshole" and "Batman, Hawkeye, Hunger Games, Lois Lane, Hangover, No Actual Plot, Just Stars: The Movie" soon.
* Oh, Hollywood. Do you honestly think your movies are THAT valuable or that someone couldn't just download a torrent of them in the time it would take for someone to put said screener in the mail?
** There's no way I can get away with calling 2009 current without ironic quotation marks, is there?
*** What Steve Coogan's friends call him.
2.28.2014
End of the Month Music Bitchfest - February 2014
Nine Inch Nails
The first few dates of the Japanese/European/Latin American/who fucking cares it's not where I can see them Tour have come and gone, the Japanese ones anyway.
The first show featured one live debut, that of "Hand Covers Bruise", which sounded great on some Japanese dude's iPhone and flowed perfectly into "Beside You In Time", a song which hadn't been played live in almost ten years.
Fuck me, The Downward Spiral came out twenty years ago. Excuse me as I age, screaming, in the corner.
Other than that and Mariqueen joining them on stage at the end of night two to perform "Ice Age" and "BBB" by How to destroy angels, nothing new on the setlist that Reznor promised to be spilling over with Year Zero and Fragile material.
Hm.
Speaking of Nine Inch Nails live...their performance at Austin City Limits from last year has been given a broadcast date of April 5th, which will, hopefully, coincide with the full release of the live Blu Ray.
Sadly, only about half of the set will be shown.
The fuckers.
I thought everything was bigger in Texas.
There was also this interview, which, in case you don't have eighteen minutes to listen to it, Senartor Busyasfuck, the last few minutes have Reznor addressing the goddamn motherfucking Fragile deluxe edition, which is, apparently, ready to go. Then, this cockteasing whoremouth mumbled something about have FORTY* unfinished demos, ranging from noises to finished songs just...sitting there until he decides how and what to do with them.
To answer your question, yes, I would rather he cancel his tour and his work on Gone Girl if it meant we'd have this fucking thing before 2015. 2014 marks the fifteenth anniversary of The Fragile, and having it come out around September...oh, I don't know, 21st? would be just the best fucking thing to happen since ice cream.
Will it though?
All signs point to Reznor.
Who softly whispers... "soon".
Beck
Homeboy, you just bought yo' self about eight months of me not bitching about your lack of stuff.
...
Although, in that time, if you want to release some more of those 12" vinyls, I'll buy them.
Just sayin'.
Here's what else happened with Beck this month: after Morning Phase came out and I had listened to nothing but it for two weeks (here's the review), I went back and just flailed around in a huge sea of Beck. I had never listened to those handful of country songs on Mutations, never, so I gave them another chance and, duh, guess what, you fucking idiot**, I liked them. Because they're performed and written by a superfuckingtalent musician. God, sometimes I'm so self destructive. "Bottle of Blues"? Are you kidding me? What a great song that's been out since 1998.
You dolt.***
Anyway, aside from gaining a new appreciation for all of Mutations, I spent some time with Guero and its companion remix album (along with all the other remixes, not just the thirteen on the disc) Geurolito.
I know the album was good, I know all his albums are good, but I always seem to forget how good.
Am I really just talking about how good Beck albums are?
Yes, it appears that I am.
So, moving on.
Eels
2014 tour dates have been announced and, on June 1st, I will be seeing Eels for the seventh time...at the Apollo Theater. Very excited about what this particular venue could mean. The last two Eels shows that were seated were at the Highline, where E and the Chet came out and marched all over the Eels catalogue, and their once-in-a-lifetime performance at Town Hall with a string quartet and a few multi-instrumentalists. Could I see Eels performing with a choir?
Yes I could.
In other news, the cover of the new Tori Amos album, Unrepentant Geraldines, was revealed on Perez Hilton's site on the 18th. A side note: based on his writing, I would have guessed that Perez is a 13-year old girl. Just saying.
It looks like the motif for the artwork will be that of paint.
So.
For all your painters who are also Tori fans, this looks like it's going to be your kind of album.
On the 19th, she posted pre-order stuff and whatnot.
If I don't sound ecstatic about this album, it might be because she's said it's going to be a step away from the dense, bold orchestral nature of her last few releases a return to her songwirting roots.
Bottom line: I'm worried we're going to get more bland, Adult Contempory music from Tori AMos.
Guess we'll find out in a few months.
And then, there's St. Vincent. In February, we got the new album (review coming very soon) and the first night of the North American leg of her Digital Witness tour, at Terminal 5. I've covered the album in the review and will only say that it's fantastic and that you should listen to it now, so I'll focus more on the show here.
I'd only seen Annie Clark perform once before with David Byrne on their Love This Giant tour, and it was an amazing show, their back and forth was just perfect for the what they were trying to achieve, but then, at Terminal 5...
Sometimes, Annie Clark was a robot sex kitten. Sometimes she was a malfunctioning robot sex kitten. Sometimes she was a friend, confiding similarities between you and her. Sometimes a figure in a cuckoo clock (moving in tandem with her spectacularly talented bassist/keyboardist/back up singer, Toko Yasuda). Sometimes a Silent Hill nurse, missing only a rusted scalpel to complete the picture. Sometimes a goddess, sometimes the sacrifice offered unto said goddess.
She also played a guitar that made the most wonderful, horrible, compelling sounds.
After ridiculously punishing hours of rehearsal, some spent with choreographer, Annie-B Parson, we finally get to see it all pay off in just under two hours. Most of the evening was focused on her new, self-titled album (all of which was amazing, specifically when she followed "Huey Newton" with "Bring Me Your Loves", my two favorites tracks on the new album), but she made sure to represent her older material as well, hitting about half of Strange Mercy and a handful from her first two albums.
Highlights included "Digital Witness", "Laughing With A Mouth Of Blood", and "Cheerleader", one of my favorites from her last album.**** There was a brief punk rock/thrash segment which consisted of "Northern Lights" and "Krokodil" and then, there was the encore: a heart-wrenching solo rendition of "Strange Mercy", then "The Bed" and, finally, the violent juxtaposition of "Your Lips Are Red".
Within two hours, we had witnessed Annie Clark go from flirty, quirky and leggy***** to panting, staring and all-consuming, like a sun in supernova.
It was terrifying and invigorating and astonishing.
And, now you may go, preferably to buy Morning Phase and St. Vincent and to pick up tickets to see St. Vincent live on her Digital Witness tour.
* That's twenty two MORE than eighteen, in case you're keeping track.
** Me, not you, You're smart. And pretty.
***Again, me, not you, You also smell great.
**** Mind you, these are picking out brighter patches from the surface of the sun. This show was amazing.
***** Good lord, are her legs something worth discussing.
The first few dates of the Japanese/European/Latin American/who fucking cares it's not where I can see them Tour have come and gone, the Japanese ones anyway.
The first show featured one live debut, that of "Hand Covers Bruise", which sounded great on some Japanese dude's iPhone and flowed perfectly into "Beside You In Time", a song which hadn't been played live in almost ten years.
Fuck me, The Downward Spiral came out twenty years ago. Excuse me as I age, screaming, in the corner.
Other than that and Mariqueen joining them on stage at the end of night two to perform "Ice Age" and "BBB" by How to destroy angels, nothing new on the setlist that Reznor promised to be spilling over with Year Zero and Fragile material.
Hm.
Speaking of Nine Inch Nails live...their performance at Austin City Limits from last year has been given a broadcast date of April 5th, which will, hopefully, coincide with the full release of the live Blu Ray.
Sadly, only about half of the set will be shown.
The fuckers.
I thought everything was bigger in Texas.
There was also this interview, which, in case you don't have eighteen minutes to listen to it, Senartor Busyasfuck, the last few minutes have Reznor addressing the goddamn motherfucking Fragile deluxe edition, which is, apparently, ready to go. Then, this cockteasing whoremouth mumbled something about have FORTY* unfinished demos, ranging from noises to finished songs just...sitting there until he decides how and what to do with them.
To answer your question, yes, I would rather he cancel his tour and his work on Gone Girl if it meant we'd have this fucking thing before 2015. 2014 marks the fifteenth anniversary of The Fragile, and having it come out around September...oh, I don't know, 21st? would be just the best fucking thing to happen since ice cream.
Will it though?
All signs point to Reznor.
Who softly whispers... "soon".
Beck
Homeboy, you just bought yo' self about eight months of me not bitching about your lack of stuff.
...
Although, in that time, if you want to release some more of those 12" vinyls, I'll buy them.
Just sayin'.
Here's what else happened with Beck this month: after Morning Phase came out and I had listened to nothing but it for two weeks (here's the review), I went back and just flailed around in a huge sea of Beck. I had never listened to those handful of country songs on Mutations, never, so I gave them another chance and, duh, guess what, you fucking idiot**, I liked them. Because they're performed and written by a superfuckingtalent musician. God, sometimes I'm so self destructive. "Bottle of Blues"? Are you kidding me? What a great song that's been out since 1998.
You dolt.***
Anyway, aside from gaining a new appreciation for all of Mutations, I spent some time with Guero and its companion remix album (along with all the other remixes, not just the thirteen on the disc) Geurolito.
I know the album was good, I know all his albums are good, but I always seem to forget how good.
Am I really just talking about how good Beck albums are?
Yes, it appears that I am.
So, moving on.
Eels
2014 tour dates have been announced and, on June 1st, I will be seeing Eels for the seventh time...at the Apollo Theater. Very excited about what this particular venue could mean. The last two Eels shows that were seated were at the Highline, where E and the Chet came out and marched all over the Eels catalogue, and their once-in-a-lifetime performance at Town Hall with a string quartet and a few multi-instrumentalists. Could I see Eels performing with a choir?
Yes I could.
In other news, the cover of the new Tori Amos album, Unrepentant Geraldines, was revealed on Perez Hilton's site on the 18th. A side note: based on his writing, I would have guessed that Perez is a 13-year old girl. Just saying.
It looks like the motif for the artwork will be that of paint.
So.
For all your painters who are also Tori fans, this looks like it's going to be your kind of album.
On the 19th, she posted pre-order stuff and whatnot.
If I don't sound ecstatic about this album, it might be because she's said it's going to be a step away from the dense, bold orchestral nature of her last few releases a return to her songwirting roots.
Bottom line: I'm worried we're going to get more bland, Adult Contempory music from Tori AMos.
Guess we'll find out in a few months.
And then, there's St. Vincent. In February, we got the new album (review coming very soon) and the first night of the North American leg of her Digital Witness tour, at Terminal 5. I've covered the album in the review and will only say that it's fantastic and that you should listen to it now, so I'll focus more on the show here.
I'd only seen Annie Clark perform once before with David Byrne on their Love This Giant tour, and it was an amazing show, their back and forth was just perfect for the what they were trying to achieve, but then, at Terminal 5...
Sometimes, Annie Clark was a robot sex kitten. Sometimes she was a malfunctioning robot sex kitten. Sometimes she was a friend, confiding similarities between you and her. Sometimes a figure in a cuckoo clock (moving in tandem with her spectacularly talented bassist/keyboardist/back up singer, Toko Yasuda). Sometimes a Silent Hill nurse, missing only a rusted scalpel to complete the picture. Sometimes a goddess, sometimes the sacrifice offered unto said goddess.
She also played a guitar that made the most wonderful, horrible, compelling sounds.
After ridiculously punishing hours of rehearsal, some spent with choreographer, Annie-B Parson, we finally get to see it all pay off in just under two hours. Most of the evening was focused on her new, self-titled album (all of which was amazing, specifically when she followed "Huey Newton" with "Bring Me Your Loves", my two favorites tracks on the new album), but she made sure to represent her older material as well, hitting about half of Strange Mercy and a handful from her first two albums.
Highlights included "Digital Witness", "Laughing With A Mouth Of Blood", and "Cheerleader", one of my favorites from her last album.**** There was a brief punk rock/thrash segment which consisted of "Northern Lights" and "Krokodil" and then, there was the encore: a heart-wrenching solo rendition of "Strange Mercy", then "The Bed" and, finally, the violent juxtaposition of "Your Lips Are Red".
Within two hours, we had witnessed Annie Clark go from flirty, quirky and leggy***** to panting, staring and all-consuming, like a sun in supernova.
It was terrifying and invigorating and astonishing.
And, now you may go, preferably to buy Morning Phase and St. Vincent and to pick up tickets to see St. Vincent live on her Digital Witness tour.
* That's twenty two MORE than eighteen, in case you're keeping track.
** Me, not you, You're smart. And pretty.
***Again, me, not you, You also smell great.
**** Mind you, these are picking out brighter patches from the surface of the sun. This show was amazing.
***** Good lord, are her legs something worth discussing.
2.18.2014
A review of Beck's "Morning Phase"
Yes, I'll admit I would have been more excited if the newest Beck album, the first proper Beck album in five and a half years,* had been a continuation of Midnite Vultures, but I'll take a continuation of Sea Change with nary a qualm.
Ha!
I'll bet you thought this was going to be an outpouring of bilious vitrole!
Well, in your face, nobody, because I really, really like Morning Phase!
...although I do have, like, two qualms.
I'm not going to be the first nor the last to call this album gorgeous, epic, radiant, award winning, a triumph...because it is.
Maybe it'll even earn Beck another five-star rating from Rolling Stone!!!
EEK!!!
What a world!!!
I'm also not going to be the first or last to compare it to Sea Change, so let's get that out of the way: Morning Phase is denser than Sea Change, but the cloth it's woven from is brighter than that of Sea Change. While there's night on Sea Change, the closest thing we get to it on Morning Phase are those seconds right before the sun shows itself, when the sky is already lit, just not directly. The darkest song on here is "Unforgiven", and even that addresses the end of night.
However, the strongest and most direct connection between Beck's ridiculously well-crafted 2002 opus, Sea Change, and this latest ridiculously well-crafted opus is the second track from Morning Phase, "Morning". The acoustic guitar, bright, plinking notes and ambient electronic echoes floating in the background are absolutely a reference, whether intentional or unintentional**, to "The Golden Age".But, enough about Sea Change.
There are only a few tracks on Morning Phase that don't contain the words "morning", "sun", "day" or "light", and, each song, regardless of its lyrics, captures a different aspect of the sun's light.***
For example, "Heart Is A Drum" feels like mid-day light, more silvery, falling on a small, honest town as it goes about its day. The opener, "Cycle", and its fraternal twin, "Phase", are straight up representations of a sunrise, the notes sung by Beck and then transposed to strings by his father and long-time collaborator, David Campbell. "Cycle" is the perfect opener for Morning Phase.
The sunlight on "Blue Moon" feels older and more mature than the rest of the album, but still new; perhaps a decades old photograph of the sunrise in "Cycle" and "Phase". The sparkling guitar at the end does an amazing job of cutting through the dreamy, sleep-dusted atmosphere up to that point. I also love the piano on this as it lends such a sense of sincerity. And, like most tracks on this album, the myriads voices and vocalizations in the background add a sense of warmth and depth, depicting, in sound, yet another aspect of sunlight.
Another relation to those two instrumental twins, "Wave", might be the simplest track on the album, but it's also one of the most stirring. There's something so brave and powerful about "Wave", something brazen about that one voice just set adrift in this soporific sea of strings, swallowed and dwarfed by the size of it. The lyrics, out of context, could fit on a moodier-than-usual Nine Inch Nails album, and the repeated chant of "isolation" is almost silly but for the setting. Narrow miss on that one.As I mentioned before, the darkest track on here (sonically) is "Unforgiven", although it contains sunlight as well. I'm picturing the light in the sky just seconds before the sun crests the horizon and stings one's eyes. Or, maybe a dark dream in a sunlit room.
There is a tiny handful of songs I've yet to get into, namely the more-folky-than-I-prefer "Turn Away" and the more-country-than-I-prefer "Country Down". I'm not altogether worried though, I didn't love everything on Sea Change when I first listened to it either.
But then, there's "Waking Light". I don't like sweeping statements. So I did some thinking before I put this here. This is tied for my favorite Beck album closer.
You know how "Debra" is the perfect ending for the sweaty, glitter orgy that is Midnite Vultures? Thus is "Waking Light" for Morning Phase.**** In a recent NPR interview, Beck mentioned that he'd originally had "Waking Light" at the beginning of the record. I've never actually wanted to slap Beck until that moment. "Waking Light" is the perfect evolution of all those ambient vocalizations we've been hearing this entire time, the perfect evolution of Morning Phase as a whole; it has the light and the facets and the darkness inherent in the album in one, glorious, five minute song. And, just when you think it can't get any more perfect, because it's already perfect, that guitar comes in at the end, and your mind and body actually dissolve into pure sunlight.
Beck.
You've just transmogrified your listeners into sunlight.
Brava.
One comparison I wish I could draw between Morning Phase and Sea Change is that Sea Change had that SACD release with a music video for each track and the album in stunning, jaw-dropping 5.1, but, guys, this a new, full length*****, really great Beck album.
With music written and played by Beck.
Beck Hansen.
The musician!
But I digress.
I want to pour Beck's vocals on Morning Phase over a stack of buttermilk pancakes and then eat those pancakes while listening to this album. They're just that thick and golden and syrupy and delicious.
What can I even say here? I'm completely biased because this is the first Beck album in half a fucking decade and I'm so starved for buttery, syrupy Beckcakes that of course I'm going to find a way to love it.
Although, to be fair, Beck facilitated things nicely by making yet another career defining masterpiece.
That rascal.
* Song Reader? Yes, I have heard of it. It's a bunch of fucking sheet music.
** Most of the musicians on Morning Phase helped to craft Sea Change over ten years ago.
*** Like TV On The Radio's Nine Types of Light, but for just sunlight. Dig?
**** Is "Waking Light" a better song than "Debra"?
Whoa.
I can not and will not answer that.
That's like comparing sex and pizza. Both are important. Both are excellent. But both cannot be compared to one another, and you'd be a fool to try.
***** By today's deplorable "full length" standards. FILL THE DISC, YOU LAZY BLACKGUARDS.
1.31.2014
End of the Month Music Bitchfest - January 2014
Nine Inch Nails
Some bittersweetness from/for Trent to start the new year...
Most of the bitterness was generated by the exclusive Beats Music remix EP with the stunningly original title Seed Eight (Remix 2014 EP).
Phew.
75% mung.
100% shrug.
My review's here.
Then, there was the catastrophic "fuck you" to Nine Inch Nails, Queens of the Stone Age, Dave Grohl and Lindsey Buckingham perpetrated by the Grammys. In a nutshell, these artists shared a stage for the finale of the Grammys...only to be preempted for a word from our sponsors.
Ouch.
Honestly though, no one gives a shit about the Grammys.
Then there's the big one: Reznor and Ross are teaming up, once again, to create another score for another David Fincher film, this time it's Gone Girl, about which I know nothing.
It's a book.
The upside to another score is that we know exactly when the film is set to come out (October 3rd, 2014) so we KNOW the new music will have to be out by then (or thereabouts).
The downside is that it's not Nine Inch Nails.
I'd rather have a new HTDA album than a new score (no matter how many discs there are).
I'm also hoping that Reznor and Ross get out of their studio for this one. I've enjoyed the last two scores very much, but I'd like to see something completely different this time around, not just the two of them using the knobs and buttons across the room from the ones they used on Social Network and TGWTDT.
Beck
Well, I still don't quite believe it, but, next time you hear from me, I guess we'll talk more about that.
Until that moment...apparently the new Beck album, Morning Phase*, is coming out on the 25th of February, same day as the new St. Vincent. The first single, "Blue Moon" has been released and it's real good. I was concerned that it would sound like any of the random bits and pieces he's been releasing for the past six years, but it feels...weightier, more important. It's hard to explain. Take a listen and get really excited.
Eels
New album, song, tracklist and album art just announced!
Based on the cover, title and first single, this might just be a bit of a personal record for E.
And a bit stripped down, musically.
Although, I've been misled before by Eels, so I'm going to try and sit tight until there's more to, you know, actually listen to.
I don't love what I've heard thus far though.
I do love that there's going to be a deluxe version with a second disc consisting of 7 non-album tracks and 6 live tracks from the recent tour.
Here's the trailer and the first single, "Agatha Chang".
The second new St. Vincent track (and its slightly creepy, entertainment-industry-in-Orwell's-1984 music video), "Digital Witness", has been released and boy oh boy has David Byrne been influencing our little Annie, both in sound and in content.
This new track could be a follow up to their song from Love This Giant, "I Should Watch TV".
Something I am super okay with. Here's the video.
On pins and needles for this album to drop.
More on that in a month.
So, I've been trying out Beats Music, not because I'm a huge fan of all things streaming and need to be on the cutting edge of such things, but because Trent told me to.
Got to say, I don't really care.
Sory Trent.
Sorry Dre.
If you love being lazy and indecisive about what music you listen to and want to have a different computer algorithm do this for you, head on over and give it a whirl.
Also, as there were a whole bunch of "Best Of" lists circulating at the start of the month, I decided to jump right in, eyes shut, mouth open and drink in some pop culture, specifically what the culture thought was popular.
I ended up listening to:
And, finally, on the 25th, I saw Mother Feather at the Bowery Ballroom, my second show of theirs. God damn can these women rock cocks. Aside from the awesome show, they had copies of their new, unreleased EP, Living Breathing available. After getting into them this last year, the anticipation of this EP might have trumped that of some of my favorite bands.
Some bittersweetness from/for Trent to start the new year...
Most of the bitterness was generated by the exclusive Beats Music remix EP with the stunningly original title Seed Eight (Remix 2014 EP).
Phew.
75% mung.
100% shrug.
My review's here.
Then, there was the catastrophic "fuck you" to Nine Inch Nails, Queens of the Stone Age, Dave Grohl and Lindsey Buckingham perpetrated by the Grammys. In a nutshell, these artists shared a stage for the finale of the Grammys...only to be preempted for a word from our sponsors.
Ouch.
Honestly though, no one gives a shit about the Grammys.
Then there's the big one: Reznor and Ross are teaming up, once again, to create another score for another David Fincher film, this time it's Gone Girl, about which I know nothing.
It's a book.
The upside to another score is that we know exactly when the film is set to come out (October 3rd, 2014) so we KNOW the new music will have to be out by then (or thereabouts).
The downside is that it's not Nine Inch Nails.
I'd rather have a new HTDA album than a new score (no matter how many discs there are).
I'm also hoping that Reznor and Ross get out of their studio for this one. I've enjoyed the last two scores very much, but I'd like to see something completely different this time around, not just the two of them using the knobs and buttons across the room from the ones they used on Social Network and TGWTDT.
Beck
Well, I still don't quite believe it, but, next time you hear from me, I guess we'll talk more about that.
Until that moment...apparently the new Beck album, Morning Phase*, is coming out on the 25th of February, same day as the new St. Vincent. The first single, "Blue Moon" has been released and it's real good. I was concerned that it would sound like any of the random bits and pieces he's been releasing for the past six years, but it feels...weightier, more important. It's hard to explain. Take a listen and get really excited.
Eels
New album, song, tracklist and album art just announced!
Based on the cover, title and first single, this might just be a bit of a personal record for E.
And a bit stripped down, musically.
Although, I've been misled before by Eels, so I'm going to try and sit tight until there's more to, you know, actually listen to.
I don't love what I've heard thus far though.
I do love that there's going to be a deluxe version with a second disc consisting of 7 non-album tracks and 6 live tracks from the recent tour.
Here's the trailer and the first single, "Agatha Chang".
The second new St. Vincent track (and its slightly creepy, entertainment-industry-in-Orwell's-1984 music video), "Digital Witness", has been released and boy oh boy has David Byrne been influencing our little Annie, both in sound and in content.
This new track could be a follow up to their song from Love This Giant, "I Should Watch TV".
Something I am super okay with. Here's the video.
On pins and needles for this album to drop.
More on that in a month.
So, I've been trying out Beats Music, not because I'm a huge fan of all things streaming and need to be on the cutting edge of such things, but because Trent told me to.
Got to say, I don't really care.
Sory Trent.
Sorry Dre.
If you love being lazy and indecisive about what music you listen to and want to have a different computer algorithm do this for you, head on over and give it a whirl.
Also, as there were a whole bunch of "Best Of" lists circulating at the start of the month, I decided to jump right in, eyes shut, mouth open and drink in some pop culture, specifically what the culture thought was popular.
I ended up listening to:
- the latest Bonobo, The North Borders, which I didn't care for
- the latest Childish Gambino, Because The Internet, which, while it had some interesting moments and sonics on it, I didn't really care for
- Overgrown, by James Blake, which I liked very much. His voice reminds me a bit of a more polished Thom Yorke and the sparseness and coldness of the album created some great depth and mood. Plus, a love song with RZA? Not that that makes up for his crazy line about rape in "The Baddest Man Alive".
- The Lorde album the song "Royals" is on, which was nothing special, although that song is veritable ear herpes.
- the new Vampire Weekend, which was pretty damn worthy of all the best album fanfare. I haven't liked anything else of theirs ever (that I remember), but this is just so fresh and joyful and open. Really well crafted stuff. Cannot fight with this one.** Going to have to give these guys another listen.
- The latest release from The National, Trouble Will Find Me. While I didn't really love their last one, this one is pretty solid, with a few amazing stand outs (namely "Demons", "This Is The Last Time","I Need My Girl" and "Humiliation"). Sad bastardry done right.
I think it's a combination of knowing the people creating this music and the fact that the music is fucking tight. This isn't some obligatory/courtesy thumbs up for some people I went to college with. Ann and Lizzie are awesome at this shit, they've got it nailed down.
You can read my sincere outpouring and review of both the show and the new EP here.
And that's it.
Still working on my BITCHWISHLIST.
Next time I spit words at you, there's going to be a new Beck album AND a new St. Vincent album.
Wow.
* Or Sea Change 2 if all the articles and album cover are to be believed.
** And, in case you think I'm going to pout over NIN losing to Vampire Weekend, I'm not. I'm a pragmatist when it comes to these things. There's no way that the best Nine Inch Nails album in history will ever beat anything by Vampire Weekend. They have too much street cred and popular appeal. I'm comfortable with that, if a bit bummed.
And that's it.
Still working on my BITCHWISHLIST.
Next time I spit words at you, there's going to be a new Beck album AND a new St. Vincent album.
Wow.
* Or Sea Change 2 if all the articles and album cover are to be believed.
** And, in case you think I'm going to pout over NIN losing to Vampire Weekend, I'm not. I'm a pragmatist when it comes to these things. There's no way that the best Nine Inch Nails album in history will ever beat anything by Vampire Weekend. They have too much street cred and popular appeal. I'm comfortable with that, if a bit bummed.
1.30.2014
This Bar Is Our Bar
The first week of November 2013 marked my return to the "stage" at Our Bar, the monthly sketch thing of which I am now a part. Big thanks to my two real friends, Jen and Christina who managed to make it out.
For the rest of you, I totally understand how hard it is to get the Midtown Manhattan. I completely get that there probably weren't any buses, trains, cabs or you-have-fucking-legs-and-could-have-walked-there-if-needed-be.
I rully do.
Rully.
You guys.
Rully.
Anyway, I've come to terms with my disappointment and with the fact that no one does anything any more if it requires more than clicking "Like" or "Favorite" or "Smile".
Sort of.
Man. I am just a sack of bitter squenchface today, isn't I?
Next time I'll just list the media I've been interacting with and my thoughts on it.
Promise.
Than you can click "Like".
JESUS!
FOCUS!
Okay.
The original reason for this was to delve into how it feels to be stage acting and writing (one of the three sketches I wrote for the November show was chosen and performed at the show, same with the December show) again. At least, in this particular format. I'm always writing something.
Usually scathing.
Usually directed at my friends.
Sorry.
This is a totally different place. I'm now writing with people in mind. I'm writing stuff that actual people who don't know me and don't get my charmingly poisonous sense of humor or perspective on life will see. And sometimes there's collaboration.
I like to think that I haven't really given a shit about what people have thought about me since I was 16 or so, and, on the whole, it's been a very helpful tool. When you take other people out of the equation that is your life, things get a lot less complicated.
I'm not talking about disregarding the rules of society, but more along the lines of spending time hoping that people will like me and trying to get them to do so by...I don't know...doing things to impress them.
It's a waste of time and energy.
But.
With Our Bar, I'm finding that feeling resurfacing.
When I write something, I now have to think: are these people who, for the most part, I find funny and intelligent, going to like this? Just because it's funny for me is it going to be funny for them?
If they don't laugh, is it because it wasn't funny? Or because they "didn't get what I was going for"? Or because their heads are not in a funny place on that particular day?
Or because it was so funny and I'm so talented that they're all threatened by my talent and are trying to make me feel bad?
Am I paranoid or just fucking gorgeous?
Writing with a particular audience in mind is nuts.
Then, and this might be the worst part, when I do write something that I think is funny and they do laugh, the first thing my brain asks me, in that subtle, knifelike voice is: are they just trying to make you feel welcome? Are they just coddling you? What do they get out of it?
And so on.
This has been my last ten years as an actor in New York City.
Every victory is almost immediately tainted with questions like that.
And, even if everything is just 100% diamond aces, there's always that awful question that every professional actor has to ask themselves...when's my next paying gig?
How long do I consider myself a professional actor until I don't anymore?
A month?
Six months?
A year?
And, if I'm a professional actor who hasn't worked in a year, doesn't that, technically make me unemployed?
That.
That is the downside to making six months rent in one, two hour VO session.
But, back to Our Bar.
When it comes to creating content, I've always found myself best in a sound board capacity.
Someone has a seed but that's it.
I like imagining what that seed will grow into. Is it a tree? What if this? What if that?
I do create my own stuff, but I always love the bouncing back and forth of ideas, and that's something else I've gotten from Our Bar, to a point.
At the handful of writer's retreats I've been to, it's, usually, all about seeds, although sometimes, someone will have a full scene that needs a little something. The beginning doesn't work, the ending is a bit abrupt, something seems to be missing, whatever.
Sometimes I get something out of the retreat and run off to write my own thing, sometimes not.
I don't like to force creativity, as you can usually tell when it's been forced.
Then, there's the submission and the readthrough and the jury and a whole bunch of other stuff that makes me feel like a teenager, desperately yearning for that same approval I yearned for before I evolved into someone who just doesn't need that as a source of sustenance.
I'm still rambling.
Okay....on the whole, the experience has been great but nervewracking.
And that's all my fault as these are some of the most warm and wonderful and fucking whip-smart and funny people I've ever had the pleasure of working with.
My friends Becca and Jesi brought me into this place and, despite the problems with my fucking eyes and everything I might say or do to myself to try and convince me otherwise, I'm loving it here.
The next show is Wednesday the 5th of February.
Pretty sure you won't be there.
For the rest of you, I totally understand how hard it is to get the Midtown Manhattan. I completely get that there probably weren't any buses, trains, cabs or you-have-fucking-legs-and-could-have-walked-there-if-needed-be.
I rully do.
Rully.
You guys.
Rully.
Anyway, I've come to terms with my disappointment and with the fact that no one does anything any more if it requires more than clicking "Like" or "Favorite" or "Smile".
Sort of.
Man. I am just a sack of bitter squenchface today, isn't I?
Next time I'll just list the media I've been interacting with and my thoughts on it.
Promise.
Than you can click "Like".
JESUS!
FOCUS!
Okay.
The original reason for this was to delve into how it feels to be stage acting and writing (one of the three sketches I wrote for the November show was chosen and performed at the show, same with the December show) again. At least, in this particular format. I'm always writing something.
Usually scathing.
Usually directed at my friends.
Sorry.
This is a totally different place. I'm now writing with people in mind. I'm writing stuff that actual people who don't know me and don't get my charmingly poisonous sense of humor or perspective on life will see. And sometimes there's collaboration.
I like to think that I haven't really given a shit about what people have thought about me since I was 16 or so, and, on the whole, it's been a very helpful tool. When you take other people out of the equation that is your life, things get a lot less complicated.
I'm not talking about disregarding the rules of society, but more along the lines of spending time hoping that people will like me and trying to get them to do so by...I don't know...doing things to impress them.
It's a waste of time and energy.
But.
With Our Bar, I'm finding that feeling resurfacing.
When I write something, I now have to think: are these people who, for the most part, I find funny and intelligent, going to like this? Just because it's funny for me is it going to be funny for them?
If they don't laugh, is it because it wasn't funny? Or because they "didn't get what I was going for"? Or because their heads are not in a funny place on that particular day?
Or because it was so funny and I'm so talented that they're all threatened by my talent and are trying to make me feel bad?
Am I paranoid or just fucking gorgeous?
Writing with a particular audience in mind is nuts.
Then, and this might be the worst part, when I do write something that I think is funny and they do laugh, the first thing my brain asks me, in that subtle, knifelike voice is: are they just trying to make you feel welcome? Are they just coddling you? What do they get out of it?
And so on.
This has been my last ten years as an actor in New York City.
Every victory is almost immediately tainted with questions like that.
And, even if everything is just 100% diamond aces, there's always that awful question that every professional actor has to ask themselves...when's my next paying gig?
How long do I consider myself a professional actor until I don't anymore?
A month?
Six months?
A year?
And, if I'm a professional actor who hasn't worked in a year, doesn't that, technically make me unemployed?
That.
That is the downside to making six months rent in one, two hour VO session.
But, back to Our Bar.
When it comes to creating content, I've always found myself best in a sound board capacity.
Someone has a seed but that's it.
I like imagining what that seed will grow into. Is it a tree? What if this? What if that?
I do create my own stuff, but I always love the bouncing back and forth of ideas, and that's something else I've gotten from Our Bar, to a point.
At the handful of writer's retreats I've been to, it's, usually, all about seeds, although sometimes, someone will have a full scene that needs a little something. The beginning doesn't work, the ending is a bit abrupt, something seems to be missing, whatever.
Sometimes I get something out of the retreat and run off to write my own thing, sometimes not.
I don't like to force creativity, as you can usually tell when it's been forced.
Then, there's the submission and the readthrough and the jury and a whole bunch of other stuff that makes me feel like a teenager, desperately yearning for that same approval I yearned for before I evolved into someone who just doesn't need that as a source of sustenance.
I'm still rambling.
Okay....on the whole, the experience has been great but nervewracking.
And that's all my fault as these are some of the most warm and wonderful and fucking whip-smart and funny people I've ever had the pleasure of working with.
My friends Becca and Jesi brought me into this place and, despite the problems with my fucking eyes and everything I might say or do to myself to try and convince me otherwise, I'm loving it here.
The next show is Wednesday the 5th of February.
Pretty sure you won't be there.
1.28.2014
A review of Mother Feather at Bowery Ballroom (1.25.14) and the new "Living Breathing" EP
I knew this was going to be good, but I didn't know how good until it happened to me.
Seeing pictures of a Mother Feather performance, one might think that they have an idea of how the show will play out, but, just as a picture of a sumptuous meal isn't the same as indulging in said meal...you get the idea.
Seeing Mother Feather live is like watching a bonfire; they smoulder and dance and explode and burn.
Along with heat, they emit a strange, aggressive, confrontational sexuality.
At times, lead singer, Ann Courtney, is a screaming, fist-pumping dynamo and, at other times, she appears as a chastened child...the kind who plays with matches, her voice is warm, impish, admonishing, dirty, flirty and often soaked in both sincerity and innuendo.
Ann and Lizzie (backing vocals and keyboards) work in perfect concert, like some ferocious, otherworldly clock, telling us to revolt and dance and live, rather than just what time it is. Their smirking, perfectly placed and executed interactions serve to expertly display their background in theater and how well they utilize it.
Highlights of the evening included the playful choreography of their opener, "Egyptology", the energetic sensuality of their infectiously catchy "Trampoline" and, as always, their massive, anthemic closer, "Mother Feather", which you really need to experience to understand. These ladies and their harem of talented instrumentalists are so much more than just what's on record, if you're just listening to the music, you're not getting all of Mother Feather.
And, speaking of the music...at their Bowery show on the 25th, Mother Feather debuted their new EP, Living Breathing.
This was a truly excellent birthday present.
Steve Martin and the Bangles wish they could write a song this awesome.
Someone find a song like this anywhere else, and I'll buy you a trampoline.
There's also "Mirror", which is as dark and intense as three plus minutes of uninterrupted eye contact with Ann herself, and the title track, another god damn awesome rock song with a fun, slinky, twisty climax that might be the sexiest suicide ever.
One aspect of Mother Feather I keep returning to is the fact that, after all the songs and all the music that have been, they have an originality and theatricality that doesn't seemed forced, we're hearing and seeing the real them; it's genuine and doesn't suffer from the pseudo-intellectual eye-rolling that plagues most of pop culture. They love and care about everything they create and that rings true in every facet of Mother Feather.
If you're interested, I interviewed the ladies of Mother Feather for my podcast a while back.
Check it out if you'd like to know about what makes these vixens tick.
digressive_obscenity - ep. 12 - mother_feather
Seeing pictures of a Mother Feather performance, one might think that they have an idea of how the show will play out, but, just as a picture of a sumptuous meal isn't the same as indulging in said meal...you get the idea.
Seeing Mother Feather live is like watching a bonfire; they smoulder and dance and explode and burn.
Along with heat, they emit a strange, aggressive, confrontational sexuality.
At times, lead singer, Ann Courtney, is a screaming, fist-pumping dynamo and, at other times, she appears as a chastened child...the kind who plays with matches, her voice is warm, impish, admonishing, dirty, flirty and often soaked in both sincerity and innuendo.
This might sound fractured, schizophrenic, but it all fits, it's all Mother Feather.
Highlights of the evening included the playful choreography of their opener, "Egyptology", the energetic sensuality of their infectiously catchy "Trampoline" and, as always, their massive, anthemic closer, "Mother Feather", which you really need to experience to understand. These ladies and their harem of talented instrumentalists are so much more than just what's on record, if you're just listening to the music, you're not getting all of Mother Feather.
And, speaking of the music...at their Bowery show on the 25th, Mother Feather debuted their new EP, Living Breathing.
This was a truly excellent birthday present.
 |
| Mother Feather's new Living Breathing EP |
Like their first, self titled EP, Living Breathing contains four songs that range from fun to fiery and, also like their first EP, nothing here doesn't stand out. The drums aren't just keeping a beat, Gunnar Olsen uses every measure to do something to keep the listener present and engaged, and the interplay between Basile (bass) and Foley (guitar) is always riveting, never rote. While it may not be as catchy or packed with instant hits as their debut, I was too caught up in reveling in new Mother Feather music to complain. One thing is does feature is a song called "Egyptology" (usually their set opener) and that's worth the price of admission alone. It's a blistering rocker centering around how funky the Egyptians were and containing the lyrics "I go where he go / follow my pharaoh / to the underworld disco / down in Old Cairo".
Yeah.Steve Martin and the Bangles wish they could write a song this awesome.
Someone find a song like this anywhere else, and I'll buy you a trampoline.
There's also "Mirror", which is as dark and intense as three plus minutes of uninterrupted eye contact with Ann herself, and the title track, another god damn awesome rock song with a fun, slinky, twisty climax that might be the sexiest suicide ever.
One aspect of Mother Feather I keep returning to is the fact that, after all the songs and all the music that have been, they have an originality and theatricality that doesn't seemed forced, we're hearing and seeing the real them; it's genuine and doesn't suffer from the pseudo-intellectual eye-rolling that plagues most of pop culture. They love and care about everything they create and that rings true in every facet of Mother Feather.
If you're interested, I interviewed the ladies of Mother Feather for my podcast a while back.
Check it out if you'd like to know about what makes these vixens tick.
digressive_obscenity - ep. 12 - mother_feather
1.22.2014
A review of Nine Inch Nails' "Seed Eight (Remix 2014 EP)"
Before he'd announced Hesitation Marks but after he'd announced Beats Music*, I was 100% sure that Reznor was going to debut new Nine Inch Nails music on this streaming service as a way to get at least a few hundred thousand people (NIN fans who would gladly remove a small portion of their skin for new NIN music) to join on Day One.
I was kind of 100% right.
Yesterday was the debut of Beats Music and Seed Eight (Remix 2014 EP), a Beats Music exclusive** consisting of three new remixes of tracks from Hesitation Marks and one remix from the Japanese release of the album.
Seventy five percent of this free, promotional EP is not worth the money I didn't pay for it.
We start with the Hot Chip remix of "Satellite". On the album, it's a dark, dancy track that, as I've said before, might feel at home as the "edgy" track on a Justin Timberlake album; here, it's a boring, "thump aimlessly until we die" drag featuring some garbled whispers in the background that don't do anything at all for me or my dance bone. Keen example of some truly lazy remixing.
Next, we get the Cold Cave remix of "Running", the first twenty seconds of which tricked me into thinking it might be interesting. Then they start then they start then they started doing that obnoxious, shiity remix thing where they play the first half of a lyrical phase a few times before completing it. Genuinely innovative technique, gents. Grateful I'm never going to see these guys open for Nine Inch Nails, because I just might I just might I just might fucking kill myself.
Then, we have the Simian Mobile Disco remix of "Copy Of A". This! Here! Yes! SMD vs. NIN! WOO!
More like "WOE".***
I will say that I'm impressed they managed to find something less interesting than the Hot Shit**** remix. How can such a fun and talented bunch do something this pointless?!
Finally, we have the previously released Autolux mix of "Everything". Here's something interesting...when I first heard this, it was my least favorite remix from Hesitation Marks (the deluxe edition of which came with three additional remixes). The vocal manipulation done by Autolux made it sound like Trent Reznor was going through puberty right before our very ears. But now? After these other three poops? Although it brings stark relief to some of the silliness in the original ("SHAKE! SHAKE!"), I now have a deeper appreciation for it, especially the ending. At least Autolux tried something different.
In general, remixes that only sample a tiny fraction of the lyrics from the original bore me, and those that just thump-a-thump-a tend to annoy me. Going by those guidelines, I may never listen to the first three tracks of this EP ever again.
Here's a test: if you skip two minutes into a remix and the only thing that's changed is the addition of a hi-hat, you've got a bad remix on your hands. However, I see this release as an exercise in perspective: yes, I could just trash it and say it's a bunch of leftover remixes Reznor had lying around that he didn't have a place for...or, I could say that it's the perfect example of how juxtaposition can help one shift their point of view.
And, seriously, none of these are as bad as Olaf Fuckhead's abortion of "Me, I'm Not".
Oh, and the cover art might be the worst, most try-hard, high-school-teenaged-goth, angsty thing that's ever been associated with Nine Inch Nails...and I'm including these:
* Better than Pandora, Spotify, Deezer, Napster, Blinkbox and Rdio.
Apparently.
I guess.
I don't use streaming music things.
** Unless you know what a torrent is and, as all NIN fans know what a torrent is...yeah. "Exclusive" is such an exclusionary word...
*** ZING!
**** Typo?
1.14.2014
2013 BITCHWISHLIST REVISITED: How Did We Do?
Let's see how well everyone did with last year's BITCHWISHLIST.
Nine Inch Nails
New HTDA LP
Delivered, and how. Plus a truly groundbreaking live show to go with it.
Great job, guys.
The Goddamn Motherfucking Fragile Ultra Super Deluxe Edition
Nope.
Although, regarding a 2014 release, Reznor said in a recent Reddit AMA: "It's possible."
Yeah, so is cock cancer, let's hope we get the former before the latter.
The Year Zero mini-series
Nope.
Probably going to have to let that one go. Which, I'm maybe okay with. I mean, what if Reznor had his writing and/or directorial debut and it was fucking awful?
Better to not know, right?
...sorry?
"Negging"?
Am I "negging" Trent Reznor?
...I'm sorry, I don't know what that means...
A new Nine Inch Nails album
Perhaps the biggest and best surprise of 2013. The time between the announcement and the delivery was a scant three months.
THREE FUCKING MONTHS.
That...doesn't happen.
Except that one time with The Slip.
And Ghosts I-IV.
But Hesitation Marks is better than those.
An original Reznor / Ross score for a new Silent Hill game
I'm going to have to be more realistic when it comes to this list, it appears. As in, a new NIN album is probably not the craziest thing to hope for, from, you know, Nine Inch Nails, whereas Reznor suddenly up and scoring a video game? He hasn't done that since Quake.
Then again, it is a wish list...
Anyway, for all we know he did score the new Silent Hill game but hasn't told anyone about it.
After this tricksy business with Hesitation Marks, I'm not putting anything past him...
Some Fucking Transparency
Uh...not really?
Some Fucking Impenetrability
Not really. Although there was some stuff on Hesitation Marks that didn't sound like typical Nine Inch Nails, I'd hardly say anything was overly experimental or boundary-pushing. Very good album, but nothing impenetrable.
A release of the NIN cover of "Sex Dwarf"
Sigh.
No.
Collabos
Bowie - Nope.
Tori - Nope.
tweaker - After a period of silence between Reznor and Vrenna, they had sort of talked to one another about remixing something; Vrenna remixing HTDA and Reznor remixing tweaker, but communications broke down and it never happened. Would have been cool though...
Dave Sitek - Sort of. Sitek did a spaced out remix of "Keep it together" for How to destroy angels which was...interesting.
They Might be Giants
That the new album is rich and good
100%
New and interesting tracks during the 2013 tour
Most everything from Nanobots sounded great live and the smattering of new and dusted off songs worked very well indeed. That Celebrate Brooklyn show remains one of the best I've seen in a while.
Still playing fucking "Damn Good Times" though...
2013 IFC
As the last bits of the 2012 IFC were delayed and dragged into April, having a 2013 IFC probably would have been a bit weird and I can see why it didn't happen.
New Monopuff and State Songs albums
Nope.
The return of the amazing TMBG podcast
Nope, sadly.
Beck
You, Beck, Recording Song Reader
Beck has kind of done everything but. He's performed songs from it live and even went as far as to get a whole slew of folks, including his dad, the string god, David Campbell, to perform the entire thing live...but he has not (and, I suppose) will not hop in the studio and jut fucking record the whole thing.
Whatevs.
I don't love Americana that much.
Midnite Vulture Deluxe Edition
So, while there's not going to be an official deluxe release in honor of the 15 year anniversary of Midnite Vultures, if you take the album and the handful of b-sides that popped up on singles from that era, you have seventeen songs clocking in at just under ninety minutes.
Anyone with an iPod can construct their very own Midnite Vultures double album from those.
Some would rather curse the darkness than light a candle, and I am not that guy.
Totally not.
A music video collection
Zilch.
Although I guess something like a music video collection seems a bit quotidien when you're designing sunglasses and releases albums of sheet music.
Tool.*
Stop Producing, Start Collaborating
Nope.
Get Back To Writing and Recording and Releasing Your Own Music
Do the three songs, the full versions of which total over fifty three minutes that he released on three 12" vinyls count?
Yes?
Well, then, okay.
I did only wish for him to write and record and release his own music, I didn't stipulate exactly how much.
You loophole-exploiting bastard.
You monkey's paw.
But, fool me once, etc.
Next time I'll be more specific.
Eels
I feel that Wonderful, Glorious was a true return to form for Eels and that the world tour supporting it was utterly fantastic.
No complaints here.
Cake
Complaints here.
Release A Double Live Album Comprised Of The Greatest Moments From The Last Few Years
*fart noise*
Shut Up And Make Some Fucking Music
*fart noise*
Retire
*fart noise that becomes shit noise*
A new Gorillaz album produced by TV On The Radio
Nope, although Albarn has gone from saying that Gorillaz is done to saying they're not done and, as soon as Hewlett gets bored of not doing Gorillaz, that there could be a new Gorillaz album tomorrow.
It doesn't have t be tomorrow, it just has to happen. There is too much love and amazing shit that's put into Gorillaz for it to just fizzle.
Another St. Vincent/David Byrne album
No, but we are getting a new St. Vincent album in February.
The redemption of tweaker
I don't know if one could consider a really great remix album a redemption of the band whose music is being remixed.
Whatever the case, And Then There's Nothing is a really great remix album.
Hopefully the rumors of Vrenna's retirement are being blown out of proportion.
For the new Maximum Balloon album to be half as good as the first one
Dave Sitek told me that there would be a new Maximum Balloon album in early 2013, but there has been nary a sound from him on that front. Maybe he meant 2014?
A Phone Call From Prince
Oh...did I not tell you about this?
Totally cool guy. We talked for, like, three hours.
For the Atoms For Peace album to be amazing
Yup.
Not that I put a lot of stock in these sorts of things, but Amok is on a lot of "best of" lists this year.
And it's completely warranted..
I Want One Of My Five Favorite Bands To Release An Album I Love From Top To Bottom, The First Time Through
YES! And the award goes to They Might Be Giants for their stunning new album, Nanobots!!! Even after almost a year with it in my ears, I hardly have anything even remotely negative to say about it.
Way to go, gentlemen!
now comes the hard part of living up to and exceeding expectations for the next one...
Sorry.
NEXT UP:: MY 2014 BITCHWISHLIST!!
* I'm referring to Beck as a tool, not randomly typing the name of the industrial band fronted by Maynard James Keenan.
Nine Inch Nails
New HTDA LP
Delivered, and how. Plus a truly groundbreaking live show to go with it.
Great job, guys.
The Goddamn Motherfucking Fragile Ultra Super Deluxe Edition
Nope.
Although, regarding a 2014 release, Reznor said in a recent Reddit AMA: "It's possible."
Yeah, so is cock cancer, let's hope we get the former before the latter.
The Year Zero mini-series
Nope.
Probably going to have to let that one go. Which, I'm maybe okay with. I mean, what if Reznor had his writing and/or directorial debut and it was fucking awful?
Better to not know, right?
...sorry?
"Negging"?
Am I "negging" Trent Reznor?
...I'm sorry, I don't know what that means...
A new Nine Inch Nails album
Perhaps the biggest and best surprise of 2013. The time between the announcement and the delivery was a scant three months.
THREE FUCKING MONTHS.
That...doesn't happen.
Except that one time with The Slip.
And Ghosts I-IV.
But Hesitation Marks is better than those.
An original Reznor / Ross score for a new Silent Hill game
I'm going to have to be more realistic when it comes to this list, it appears. As in, a new NIN album is probably not the craziest thing to hope for, from, you know, Nine Inch Nails, whereas Reznor suddenly up and scoring a video game? He hasn't done that since Quake.
Then again, it is a wish list...
Anyway, for all we know he did score the new Silent Hill game but hasn't told anyone about it.
After this tricksy business with Hesitation Marks, I'm not putting anything past him...
Some Fucking Transparency
Uh...not really?
Some Fucking Impenetrability
Not really. Although there was some stuff on Hesitation Marks that didn't sound like typical Nine Inch Nails, I'd hardly say anything was overly experimental or boundary-pushing. Very good album, but nothing impenetrable.
A release of the NIN cover of "Sex Dwarf"
Sigh.
No.
Collabos
Bowie - Nope.
Tori - Nope.
tweaker - After a period of silence between Reznor and Vrenna, they had sort of talked to one another about remixing something; Vrenna remixing HTDA and Reznor remixing tweaker, but communications broke down and it never happened. Would have been cool though...
Dave Sitek - Sort of. Sitek did a spaced out remix of "Keep it together" for How to destroy angels which was...interesting.
They Might be Giants
That the new album is rich and good
100%
New and interesting tracks during the 2013 tour
Most everything from Nanobots sounded great live and the smattering of new and dusted off songs worked very well indeed. That Celebrate Brooklyn show remains one of the best I've seen in a while.
Still playing fucking "Damn Good Times" though...
2013 IFC
As the last bits of the 2012 IFC were delayed and dragged into April, having a 2013 IFC probably would have been a bit weird and I can see why it didn't happen.
New Monopuff and State Songs albums
Nope.
The return of the amazing TMBG podcast
Nope, sadly.
Beck
You, Beck, Recording Song Reader
Beck has kind of done everything but. He's performed songs from it live and even went as far as to get a whole slew of folks, including his dad, the string god, David Campbell, to perform the entire thing live...but he has not (and, I suppose) will not hop in the studio and jut fucking record the whole thing.
Whatevs.
I don't love Americana that much.
Midnite Vulture Deluxe Edition
So, while there's not going to be an official deluxe release in honor of the 15 year anniversary of Midnite Vultures, if you take the album and the handful of b-sides that popped up on singles from that era, you have seventeen songs clocking in at just under ninety minutes.
Anyone with an iPod can construct their very own Midnite Vultures double album from those.
Some would rather curse the darkness than light a candle, and I am not that guy.
Totally not.
A music video collection
Zilch.
Although I guess something like a music video collection seems a bit quotidien when you're designing sunglasses and releases albums of sheet music.
Tool.*
Stop Producing, Start Collaborating
Nope.
Get Back To Writing and Recording and Releasing Your Own Music
Do the three songs, the full versions of which total over fifty three minutes that he released on three 12" vinyls count?
Yes?
Well, then, okay.
I did only wish for him to write and record and release his own music, I didn't stipulate exactly how much.
You loophole-exploiting bastard.
You monkey's paw.
But, fool me once, etc.
Next time I'll be more specific.
Eels
I feel that Wonderful, Glorious was a true return to form for Eels and that the world tour supporting it was utterly fantastic.
No complaints here.
Cake
Complaints here.
Release A Double Live Album Comprised Of The Greatest Moments From The Last Few Years
*fart noise*
Shut Up And Make Some Fucking Music
*fart noise*
Retire
*fart noise that becomes shit noise*
A new Gorillaz album produced by TV On The Radio
Nope, although Albarn has gone from saying that Gorillaz is done to saying they're not done and, as soon as Hewlett gets bored of not doing Gorillaz, that there could be a new Gorillaz album tomorrow.
It doesn't have t be tomorrow, it just has to happen. There is too much love and amazing shit that's put into Gorillaz for it to just fizzle.
Another St. Vincent/David Byrne album
No, but we are getting a new St. Vincent album in February.
The redemption of tweaker
I don't know if one could consider a really great remix album a redemption of the band whose music is being remixed.
Whatever the case, And Then There's Nothing is a really great remix album.
Hopefully the rumors of Vrenna's retirement are being blown out of proportion.
For the new Maximum Balloon album to be half as good as the first one
Dave Sitek told me that there would be a new Maximum Balloon album in early 2013, but there has been nary a sound from him on that front. Maybe he meant 2014?
A Phone Call From Prince
Oh...did I not tell you about this?
Totally cool guy. We talked for, like, three hours.
For the Atoms For Peace album to be amazing
Yup.
Not that I put a lot of stock in these sorts of things, but Amok is on a lot of "best of" lists this year.
And it's completely warranted..
I Want One Of My Five Favorite Bands To Release An Album I Love From Top To Bottom, The First Time Through
YES! And the award goes to They Might Be Giants for their stunning new album, Nanobots!!! Even after almost a year with it in my ears, I hardly have anything even remotely negative to say about it.
Way to go, gentlemen!
now comes the hard part of living up to and exceeding expectations for the next one...
Sorry.
NEXT UP:: MY 2014 BITCHWISHLIST!!
* I'm referring to Beck as a tool, not randomly typing the name of the industrial band fronted by Maynard James Keenan.
1.13.2014
The Making of the "Grey World" Music Video
 |
| Adam Rivera, rocking out |
 |
| Gigantic John Heads created by Christina Bryant |
 |
| Linnell goes in the cage. Linnell...always goes in the cage |
But, as with most They Might Be Giants songs, the uptempo beat and jaunty instrumentation often belies a darker reality. We've all heard "Don't Let's Start", with John Linnell happily singing "no one in the world ever gets what they want, and that is beautiful / everybody dies, frustrated and sad, and that is beautiful". So, I decided that Adam, in the true spirit of TMBG, should also, not ever get what he wants.
The idea was to go to the locations of four early They Might Be Giants videos, specifically "Put Your Hand Inside The Puppet Head", "Don't Let's Start", "Ana Ng" and "They'll Need A Crane", and have Adam try and recreate these ideal, perfect moments from the past, but have each one ruined or interrupted, either by something mundane like a throng of uncaring tourists or a locked gate, or by something a bit more...dramatic. Also, the moments from the past were to be saturated with bright, vibrant colors while everything in the present would appear muted and washed out.
I wanted this to reflect the feel of the band itself and their early work, but I also wanted to address how people are always striving for that idyllic, golden past, bemoaning the fact that "their new stuff isn't as good as their old stuff" and refusing to let go of how things were and focus on how things are and how to make things better. We're never going to get those moments back because we're no longer those people.
No one in the world ever gets what they want, and that is beautiful.
 |
| (from left to right) myself, Phil, and Adam at the Williamsburg Waterfront |
The three of us got together and shot for two days in October, the first in Central Park at the Bethesda Fountain and then at the site of the 1964 World's Fair in Flushing, New York, and, the second day, at the Williamsburg Waterfront.
 |
| "Death & The Johns" |
"Grey World" written and performed by Adam Rivera
Directed by Paul Guyet & Phil Maniaci
Prop Construction by Christina Bryant
Illustrations by Ethan Harper
Kraken Master - Bryan Rusch
Kraken Master - Bryan Rusch
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