Modern Suburbanite

Catching Up with Franz Nicolay

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Franz Nicolay has been a busy man, indeed. When we last heard from the multitalented Mr. Nicolay, he was on the road with Against Me! and readying songs for his second full-length solo outing, Luck and Courage (out now via Team Science; stream the album at Punknews.org.) He returns to the stage this fall and embarks on a tour with Two Cow Garage in November.

"This Is Not a Pipe" (from Luck and Courage)

Franz was kind enough to respond to a second round of questions for Modern Suburbanite.

First, is it fair to call Luck and Courage a “concept album”? Is it meant as a linear narrative?

It is not. It's allusive and intertwined, but not a linear story. In my head, it's parallel stories: of two characters who can't, or won't, make their relationship work. And, of course, one can always feel the end of a relationship coming, like a change in the weather, or a gathering sickness. And so there's a metaphoric mirror-narrative of this plague-ridden country. But the overall theme is one of domesticity vs. wanderlust. Most bluntly in "Anchorage." An anchorage, of course, is where you anchor your boat. But it's a traveling song.

Listening to the opening track, I get a tremendous sense of movement- the drums, the urgency in your voice, and the overall sound. In a way, it reminds me of “America” by Simon and Garfunkel- that “nation of two” of Vonnegut’s that you’ve talked about. Did you set out to write these songs as this sort of narrative, or did it evolve over time?

It evolved that way. These things present themselves. The opening track literally came to me in a dream, word for word, and I got up and wrote it out. So who knows how things congeal. It's funny, you're the second person who's asked me about Simon and Garfunkel - this other guy compared "Luck & Courage," the title track, to "59th Street Bridge," which I guess mostly has to do with the groove of it; and something about having a lot of words but still being melodic. But the first track, it's so open-ended in its narrative that there was obviously more to tell. The characters aren't communicating much to each other, much less us.

Was the relationship between Felix and Adelita an outgrowth of the “Old Testament” mindset you had previously mentioned, or did it come out of something new?

It presented itself as a way of personalizing what I was already thinking, about the way life can make you pay for your past. Or at least, you have to make a reckoning with it before you can craft a new future.

There’s something that feels really optimistic about this record, especially the bookends (“Felix & Adelita” and “Luck & Courage”), despite the dark content. Was that juxtaposition intentional, or did it present itself as a “happy accident”?

Well, from a dumb technical standpoint, most of the songs are in major keys, which is not something I often do. But there is a conscious emotional narrative built into the sequencing - the first four songs are a kind of introduction of the characters and their context; the middle third is quite dark; and "Anchorage" and "Gene Autry" are the relief. It's one of the reasons I left "Rock, Rinse, Repeat" off the record - good song, but it's got nothing to do with the arc of "Luck & Courage." It's free-standing.

You seem to be tipping your hat more and more to classic country, both in arrangements and in lyrical content. Is there a “Franz Nicolay Goes West” record in the future?

I found last year that all I wanted to listen to was country music. I was sick to death of rock and roll, and I love me some punk rock but the nature (and strength) of that is it doesn't lead to particularly nuanced songwriting. And one of the great strengths of country music is its ability to deal with, for lack of a better phrase, grown-up life: parenting, bankruptcy, work, property, and so on. Musically, one of the things I always love doing is toying with a template; that is, trying to work creatively within a genre format (Tin Pan Alley, classic rock), and country music and its arrangements are definitely a strict template. Of course, the big string sound of classic Nashville production appeals to my taste for melodrama. There's not a great deal that separates George Jones and Jacques Brel.

In our last interview, you mentioned your upcoming wedding. How does your bride-to-be feel about this collection of songs about a seriously damaged relationship?

You'd have to ask her. I would say that Felix & Adelita's isn't so much a damaged relationship as one that could go either way - obviously they have a real connection, but they're grown people who have had a lot of up-and-down relationships in the past, and have their own independent lives, and have to decide whether to compromise the way of living they've made work for themselves to take another shot at something they'd maybe written off. It's the way, I think, most people negotiate emotional choices in adult life. "The Last Words of Gene Autry" is a vision of one way that it could work out: the tenderness of a long-married, elderly couple.

Download "This Is Not a Pipe" at Paste Magazine.
For more info including tour dates, visit Franz Nicolay's website.
Contact the author here.

REVIEW: Bern and the Brights Shine on EP

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 17:44:00 +0000

Artist: Bern and the Brights
Album: Swing Shift Maisies EP
Label: Self-Released
Available at the band's website

At just under 20 minutes, Swing Shift Maisies is a strong EP by a band recording together for the first time without sounding as such (previous efforts were done piecemeal) and suggests that this is a band capable of making a bigger splash in coming releases.

That said, Bern & the Brights’ strongest moments come when they manage to capture some of the spark of their pre-“alternative,””college rock” forbears. The band’s bio mentions favorable comparisons to R.E.M., and they do manage to tap some of that group’s pre-Warner Bros. energy; however, the more apt comparison is the early 90s incarnation of 10,000 Maniacs, with both groups’ penchants for strings, jangle-pop guitars, and an energetic rhythm section. Moments in the record also recall the post-True Stories incarnation of Talking Heads, with ringing guitars and polyrhythmic flourishes dotting “Sangria Peaches” and “Sleepless Aristotle.”

A word about the band’s lineup: this is a two-guitar/violin/bass/drum band, which means they walk a very thin line. In similar settings, the presence of both a lead guitar and violin can spell disaster, with the violin left sounding like an afterthought rather than a participant in the song. In other acts, a violinist is like stunt casting on a sitcom, but in Bern & the Brights’ case, violinist Nicole Scorsone is scrappy enough to hold her own as a second lead instrument, playing off of Bernadette Malavarca’s guitar in a way that feels less like decoration and more like a key part of the song’s DNA.

(The set’s “odd track out” is its closer, “It Goes Like That,” which nicks a riff from Led Zeppelin’s “Over the Hills and Far Away.” It’s the only song in which Scorsone’s violin seems inessential, though it gives the distinct impression that it may be a stronger live number.)

In less capable hands, this could be seen as an easily-abused pass, excusing acts for veering too far into the disastrous realms of coffeehouse and “lite” world beat of the sort that filters out of freshman dorm room stereos every fall- a lazy format a decade past the days of WOMAD and Lilith Fair.

Thankfully, this threat is largely sidestepped; the Brights’ arrangements work in the service of substance rather than style. Only one track on Swing Shift Maisies tops the five-minute mark (often the territory of jam bands and prog outfits), and none seem to overstay their welcome or become soggy in the middle.

Thought there’s nothing that would have been out of place during the heyday of Lilith Fair, the band manages to avoid the sense of complacency and generic tendencies that cursed other acts (after this point referred to as “McLaughlinisms.”) Rather, what Swing Shift Maisies suggests is that, for fans of jangle-pop who appreciate a brassy female lead and a healthy regard for a solid beat, these may really be the days, after all.

The Modern Suburbanite Interview: Franz Nicolay

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Franz Nicolay is a man of many talents, indeed- the New England-raised, New York-based singer/songwriter/composer/author is a co-founder of Anti-Social Music, a member of the anarchist-cabaret troupe World/Inferno Friendship Society, a member of The Hold Steady from Separation Sunday through Stay Positive and its supporting tour, and a collaborator with Mischief Brew and Guignol. In addition to preparing for an upcoming wedding, he has contributed to The Bushwick Book Club and is readying a followup to Major General, his 2009 solo release.

"Jeff Penalty" (with Demander, from Major General)

Franz is presently on tour with Against Me!, playing keyboards and providing vocals. He took some time out of his (very, very busy) schedule to answer some questions for Modern Suburbanite.

You’ve achieved two very iconic things this summer: you’ve played The Tonight Show and you signed the Green Monster at Fenway. What is it like now that you’re a part of a couple of bona fide cultural institutions?

FN: I can pretty much hang it up now, huh? My favorite thing about the Fenway trip was noticing that the Sox bullpen has a Jolly Roger hung on the inside of the centerfield wall. I figure that's got to be a Papelbon thing. (Ed note: the Sox relievers have had a "pirate" theme, complete with flag and parrot. More in this ESPN column.) I got my hands on the ballpark organ, too - but it's a little electric job stuck in the corner of the corporate suite bar. He can't even watch the game, he has a little black-and-white TV screen. Typical.

I read the interview you did with Peter Bognanni for InDigest and was kind of struck by how, though we grew up in drastically different situations (I’m from a fairly conservative suburb of Oklahoma City), we both were kind of late to delve into punk rock. Do you think that it’s possible for an older listener to process punk the same way as, say, a fourteen year old might?

Of course not, but the benefit is you're more likely to have a lasting relationship with it. You can absorb the useful parts and ignore the ridiculous parts. The average 15-year-old has a three-year relationship with punk rock and then rejects it halfway through their freshman year of college for "experimental" indie.

"I Was a Teenage Anarchist" (Against Me! live on The Tonight Show)

When the previous Against Me! album was released, one of the loudest criticisms was that they had sold out their previous punk credibility. Does it seem like there’s still a sense of that at the shows supporting this record, or does it seem like the audience has made its peace with everything?

Most of this tour is supporting Silversun Pickups, who have a pretty big production and a $35 ticket price, so mostly Against Me fans don't come. Judging from some of the other shows, I would say that there's a contingent of their fans that are still pissed. And I understand that. Honestly, when I heard "Teenage Anarchist" for the first time I had a negative reaction as well. But I appreciate aggressive songwriting, and I think anyone that is blindly upset by that song is missing an opportunity to consider the very real and relevant point that Tom's making about the reactionary closed-mindedness of most music scenes, one that's especially ironic in the context of a belief system that's theoretically about doing whatever the fuck you want whenever the fuck you want and not having to answer to anyone. I think you have to consider the possibility that any band that manages to piss off so many people might really be on to something. I think they've been very true to their experience - which would be the bigger betrayal of themselves: to continue to document their life honestly and openly, or to write sloganeering songs about cops for the rest of their lives? Songs are meant to stake out desciptions of the undescribed, not to retread well-worn ground. I happen to think Against Me having stayed true to a commitment to an honesty to tell their own stories and stake out a career independent of a variety of pressures, which takes a great deal of bravery.

You’ve mentioned that there’s been progress on the follow-up to Major General. Will there be an accompanying tour with a tour-specific look, like the white suit during the previous tour?

Well, the white suit wasn't a conscious "tour look" - I just go through phases of feeling more comfortable in one outfit or another. Right now I'm back on the black-vest thing for the Against Me tour. But, I'm getting married in October, and I think I'm getting a custom suit made, so I'll be hard-pressed to resist wearing that if it turns out nice!

"There Will Be Violins" (live 1/14/09)

Any idea on a possible release date for the follow-up?

October 12, more or less; with a month-long tour planned for November.

The “Old Testament” aspect you’ve mentioned is interesting to me.

Thanks. It's rare that I feel a starkness of right and wrong about a situation, but I find I am full of the feeling that some people need to be judged.

Interpunk lists Fight Dirty as being sold out- are there any plans for another run?

That just means Fistolo hasn't restocked Interpunk - it is far from sold out! (Ed. Note: Here's Amazon.)

The last time you played a date in Oklahoma (to my knowledge) was with the Hold Steady in 2007- you described Norman as being out of a film like The Last Picture Show or The Outsiders. Tuesday’s Against Me! show is actually in Tulsa, the town where The Outsiders was set (and, I believe, filmed), as was fellow accordion enthusiast Al Yankovic’s masterpiece, UHF. Have you given any thought to your return to the Sooner State?

Against Me's lighting guy, whose name is John Paul and thus goes by Pope, is from Oklahoma City and some of his people are coming out. This is a guy who went on the road with the Flaming Lips as a teenager and has "Satan" tattooed on his neck. So I'm curious to see what kind of people he comes from!

I read the interview you did with Karan Kanan Correa for Largehearted Boy, and I thought the anecdote about “bands that only talk about movies” was funny, but your response reminded me of the key conversation in Field of Dreams, about how there was always baseball. In a lot of situations, it seems that kids who gravitate toward music and bands don’t always have a sports vocabulary, but often have a film vocabulary in common. Do you think that perhaps that’s what the movie talk is used for- to build a common vocabulary?

I think it speaks to the larger question of what men talk about with each other, and that they are ways of filling conversational space with conversation that's not really about anything in particular. Not everyone likes sports - or admits to it, in rock world - or books - but everybody's got opinions on movies.

You also mentioned the relationship between keeping pigeons and men who are isolated. Tesla kept pigeons and, according to some reports, had a favorite that, when it died, he claimed creativity had left him. When I read “Little Hobbes in the Big Woods” I found it surprisingly affecting, considering that pigeons aren’t thought very highly of, even around here (Oklahoma City is actually home to the American Racing Pigeon Union.)

Pigeons are mysterious creatures, a combination of the filthy-mundane "winged rat" and the slightly magical. I'm pretty sure that what I once heard, that they actually contain some kind of magnetically-responsive stone or gland in their pea-brains, is false, but imagine if it wasn't - that all the dead pigeons on New York city streets would decompose leaving a small black bean with mystical powers.

Franz Nicolay performs with Against Me! at The Marquee in Tulsa, OK, on Tuesday, 7/13. Tickets are available here. All ages.

Against Me!'s new album, White Crosses, is available now.

Contact the author here.

THANK YOU.

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 16:44:00 +0000

Wow.

Thanks to everyone who has been checking out the site. We had a tremendous number of visits on Tuesday, which I suspect came as a result of tweets by Bryan Lee O'Malley and Edgar Wright (O'Malley confirms that Wright sent him the link first.) Thank you to Bryan and Edgar and to Carla Gillis and Catriona Sturton of Plumtree for being so gracious.

If you were following my tweets during the day, you know that my brain pretty much fell out- there were over 1300 visitors from 45 different countries in one day, which was amazing.

I still don't know what it'll take to earn some love from West Virginia and Vermont. If anyone has suggestions, let me know. (Vermont, especially- I already enjoy your ice cream and maple syrup and think Dr. Dean has an impressive handshake. What more can I do?)

I'm working on the next feature right now, but it may be a couple of days. If you haven't already done so, please click the RSS subscription button or choose to "follow" via the Google Friend Connect option. Either way, you'll know as soon as the next post goes up.

Ten Years After Splitting, Halifax's Plumtree Gets Their Closeup with 'Scott Pilgrim.'

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 07:01:00 +0000

Think about the crushes you had in your teens and early twenties. For even the boldest kid on the block, there was still some knockout who inspired stammering, knots in the stomach, or- in some cases- a fuzzed-up sugarbomb of a song that puts any crummy MASH note you wrote in study hall to shame.

For Carla Gillis, guitarist and vocalist for the now-defunct Haligonian rockers Plumtree, it was the latter.

"Scott Pilgrim," Plumtree

“I was 19 or 20 when I wrote the lyrics to ‘Scott Pilgrim’ and in the throes of probably half a dozen crushes at the time,” Carla Gillis said. “There is one person who comes to mind because he was someone I’d liked for many years but, even at that, I think the lyrics came out of a general feeling of liking people but being afraid to act on those feelings.” The name itself was an inside joke among the band members- a friend named Scott Ingram had his name juxtaposed with another acquaintance named Philip Pilgrim.

Fact: the ladies of Plumtree- Gillis, drummer Lynette Gillis (the two are sisters), guitarist/vocalist Amanda Bidnall (nee' Braden), and bassist Catriona Sturton (who replaced original bassist Nina Martin following Martin’s amicable departure in 1995) - are responsible for the name of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s bass playing protagonist, soon to hit the silver screen in the form of a Michael Cera-starring, Edgar Wright-directed comedy called Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (due August 15 in North America.) Plumtree’s song, with its infectiously simple “I’ve liked you for a thousand years” verses, has an, err, plum role on the film’s soundtrack, landing amid songs from a “who’s who” of indie rock heavy hitters- not bad for a song born of a crush and a band joke.

“’Scott Pilgrim’ was the first bassline I ever wrote,” Sturton said. “I’ve always been a very lucky person.” (The version included on the film’s soundtrack is the original track, recorded for a split 7” made with fellow Halifax veterans The Inbreds- both bands’ material is now available digitally through Zunior.com)

Plumtree could be seen as a bit of a muse to O’Malley. His most well-known character is named for their single, while references to their songs and to band members pop up throughout his work in often subtle places- for example, a Plumtree poster turns up on Zero’s wall in issue #3 of Hopeless Savages: Ground Zero (page 17, first panel, beneath The Who and next to Hot Hot Heat, for those who might be curious.)

“In Bryan Lee O’Malley’s book before Scott Pilgrim [Lost At Sea, Oni Press], the school is called ‘Sturton Academy.’ I showed that to my mom and it was pretty cool.” Sturton points out that O’Malley drew inspiration from the Halifax scene, noting that, in addition to Plumtree, Thrush Hermit are another key reference point. Edgar Wright himself pointed out references in the Scott Pilgrim trailer, continuing the nods to the scene. (The film’s easter eggs include posters for “You Just Don’t Exist” and “Let’s Hope There’s a Heaven,” among others.)

“It’s really, really cool to be a part of this Scott Pilgrim world thanks to songs we wrote in our youth,” Gillis said. “It feels like we’re being rewarded or recognized for it now more so than back then.”

"You Just Don't Exist," Plumtree

Gillis and Sturton noted that, during Plumtree’s initial run, the band played to small audiences, often in fire halls and house shows, their records underwritten by grants and any press earned through the band’s own pursuit of coverage.

“Fanzines and college radio were so important,” Sturton said. “That was how people found out about our shows.”

Fellow veterans of the scene in Halifax made attempts at breaking through in the US (the Thrush Hermits and Sloan each secured distribution through major labels at one point), but, despite a strong work ethic and some solid notices that landed the band on a festival lineup including Foo Fighters and Our Lady Peace, Plumtree remained a secret beyond their native Canada.

“The world was a little more regional before YouTube,” Sturton noted. “Canada was our region.”

“We never even concentrated on getting big in the States,” Gillis said. The band’s touring did lead them south of the border on occasion, including a trek to Los Angeles which included a taping of ‘The Price is Right’ where, Sturton pointed out, the band sat in close proximity to the host of the Mexican version of the program and met the show’s announcer, the late Rod Roddy.

Despite the era’s opportunities for anti-image alt-rock acts (“We never had fun hair,” Gillis said) and the ladies’ combined work ethic (all four members were full-time students while treating the band as a full-time vocation), Plumtree called it a day following a hometown show at the end of June, 2000.

Following the band’s dissolution, the group’s songs began to get traction in unexpected ways. A spot in an episode of Degrassi: The Next Generation (“Was That All?” is in episode 619, “Don’t You Want Me?”), here, an appearance in a comic book there, and the band began to receive more recognition outside of their home region.

“As you get older, I think it’s easy to feel a gulf between yourself and the generations coming up after you,” Gillis said. “So it’s cool that the songs are resonating with kids today.”

“[With the digital revolution] people can access your music all over the world. We got a letter from Italy yesterday from a guy who just discovered Plumtree through the SP books.”

(A note about the Degrassi connection: Gillis points out that this was, indeed, The Next Generation and not the original program. “That would’ve been mindblowing. It’s cool, I guess, but I don’t think we ever saw the episode or anything.”)

But does the July release of the final Pilgrim chapter (Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour, out July 20^th from Oni Press) and the slot on the film’s soundtrack between Beck (as Scott’s band, SEX BOB-OMB) and Frank Black mark resurgence for the band?

There are no present plans for any sort of Plumtree reunion, though the band members have stayed in contact and three quarters of the band are involved in musical endeavors.

“Carla and Lynette are playing the [Finest Hour] release party with their band, Sister,” Sturton confirmed. “I’m coming in for that.” The lack of a full-scale reunion is partially due to the distance created in the past decade (Bearden is completing a doctorate; the Gillis sisters are based out of Toronto, while the Ottawa-based Sturton travels extensively as the sole Canadian employee of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program.)

Sturton is, at present, about to enter the studio with Rolf Klausener, the principal member of Ottowa’s alt-folk group The Acorn; she is also, at present, plotting out dates around her schedule with Imagination Station. (“Being in an indie rock band was the perfect training for the kind of work I’m doing,” she quipped.)

Catriona Sturton with Rolf Klausener

The Gillis sisters will be taking the Sister EP on tour following its release this month, though schedules are still being consulted. “It was so easy to do those things when we all still lived at home,” Carla Gillis said. “Now we’re adults with jobs… but we’ll definitely do some touring if there’s interest.”

Graphic novelists in need of inspiration would be wise to take note.

On the web:

Plumtree http://www.plumtree.ca

Catriona Sturton http://www.myspace.com/catrionasturton

Sister http://www.myspace.com/sisterband

Scott Pilgrim comics by Bryan Lee O'Malley http://www.scottpilgrim.com

Contact the author here.

Hulu Do You Love? Network Streaming Service Unveils Premium Details- Should Cable Be Scared?

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Hulu has announced its long-expected premium service, Hulu Plus, with a "preview-by-invite" free trial.

While the service isn't without it's head-scratchers (it still features commercials, for example), the advance word from CNet is that it "freakin' rocks" (their words, not mine.) Entire seasons of currently-running shows are available, with new episodes appearing the day after their initial airdate (another of those head-scratchers.)

CNet's early review points to what may be the strongest case for a premium Hulu: the ability to use the service on Samsung's internet-ready televisions and Blu-Ray players, Apple's iPhone, iPad, and third generation iPod Touch, and, in the near future, the PlayStation 3; XBox 360 is due in early 2011. (Apple products need to be running iOS4.)

Hulu's chief competitor looks to be Netflix, which has established a robust streaming library of commercial-free feature films and television programs and, with an already-operational iPad app and a forthcoming iPhone one, ought to be a strong rival.

When considered on the grander scale, though, one gets the impression that each service, in fact, compliments the other. Hulu has the stronger lineup of current shows; Netflix has to wait until seasons are released on DVD, often causing a lag of several months. Netflix has a greater library of feature films, all commercial free; it remains to be seen if Hulu's feature library will continue to have periodic commercial breaks.

The two services, at their most basic levels (each coming in at almost ten bucks), are still markedly cheaper than a cable subscription with comparable features, which becomes very attractive. Wired has more on that.

What do you think? Have you checked out the Hulu preview? Let me know how it goes- and if it's worth the Hamilton.

Death of a Party: One More Record Store Bites the Dust in OK.

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 12:13:00 +0000

As I drove down Air Depot Blvd. in Midwest City yesterday (6/28), I was a little disappointed to discover that the CD Warehouse franchise previously found in a small plaza north of S.E. 15th had been closed and the location available for rent.

CD Warehouse isn't the sort of establishment to wax nostalgic about- it's a chain of new/used CD shops that started popping up in the OKC metro area back in the 1990s, effectively gobbling up the smaller mom and pop shops that couldn't keep up and sopping up the remaining customers left after establishments like Blockbuster Music began collapsing. The emergence of second-hand music stores in this area on the scale that they once seemed to coincide with the time just before the advent of file sharing.

With the shuttering of CD Warehouse, there is, to my knowledge, now a complete lack of a retailer whose primary product is recorded music in the eastern part of the metro. "Big box" retailers Wal-Mart, Target, and Best Buy (whose music section seems to have contracted in recent months) hold the lion's share of the market, with used multimedia store Vintage Stock, whose music section is dwarfed by its selection of used video games, toys, and DVDs, as the lone holdout for customers seeking anything other than recent releases by acts currently occupying the Billboard singles chart and select catalog releases by established acts.

Much has been made of the death of the record store, whether it be due to the big boxes or online services (both legal and illegal.) There are still record stores in Oklahoma City- a couple of very good ones, at that- but the distance from the eastern suburbs now becomes a legitimate issue, especially for younger listeners. CD Warehouse wasn't independent by any means, and it certainly didn't have the sense of identity that one finds at Size or Guestroom Records, but it was the last nearby location for intrepid listeners in Midwest City, Choctaw, Harrah, and other suburbs east of I-35 to explore bins and take chances on music.

Related:The Tulsa World's piece on "retail volunteerism" (from 2008) illustrates the effect a record store can have on members of the community- what other for-profit establishment can inspire people to volunteer to work?

Sunlight Set To Shine on 'Dark Night.'

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

After over a year of legal wrangling, Dark Night of the Soul, the collaboration between director David Lynch, producer Brian "Dangermouse" Burton, and Mark Linkous, the late Sparklehorse mastermind, is finally going to see the light of day. Hear Dark Night of the Soul at NPR.

The Dark Night saga is a weird one, as befits a Lynch-related project. Cryptic posters were sent to press outlets announcing the work, which features a second collaboration between Burton and Linkous, with Lynch credited as providing "visuals." It was later announced that Lynch was responsible for a corresponding book of photographs, which were then a part of an art exhibit, at which the book was sold with a CD. The kicker? The CD was blank. During this early period of promotion, Spin offered this track-by-track breakdown.

Due to legal wrangling between parties involved and EMI, the music is just now getting an official release (though promo copies were sent to journalists and a stream was made available to the public through NPR.) A fine explanation of the events that transpired last summer can be found via The New York Times.

The release of Dark Night is especially poignant, as both Linkous and contributor Vic Chesnutt have passed away since the project's completion. Linkous and Chesnutt each committed suicide in the interim leading up to the album's official release. The album's website indicates that it's dedicated to their memories.

Burton and Mercer have been including Dark Night songs in recent appearances by Broken Bells, including their set last Friday (6/25) at Glastonbury.

Broken Bells play "Insane Lullaby" on KCRW.

"I told Mark [Linkous] that we'd worked things out with EMI back in January and he was very ahppy that the album was finally going to be released this year," Burton said in a statement reported by NME. "Mark meant a great deal to a lot of people and I'm grateful to have amde music with him and to be a part of his legacy."

Dark Night of the Soul participants include Iggy Pop, Jason Lytle (late of Grandaddy), Suzanne Vega, James Mercer (Burton's partner in the band Broken Bells), Julian Casablancas (The Strokes), Frank Black, and The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne, who previously worked with Linkous for a Daniel Johnston tribute. (Hear Sparklehorse and the Flaming Lips perform Johnston's "Go" here.)

Dark Night of the Soul arrives in the US on July 13 (the day before in the UK.)

'The Social Network' (AKA "That Facebook Movie") Has a Trailer.

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Slashfilm, by way of Mashable, has posted a trailer for The Social Network, the David Fincher-directed, Aaron Sorkin-scripted film based on Ben Mezrich's book about the rise of Facebook.

The trailer itself is a teaser in the truest sense- only snippets of dialog over some on-screen text. (See it here if the video below does not play.)

In a related move that might be brilliant or awful, there's a Facebook group for the film. As of early Saturday (6/26) morning, there are only 512 "fans" of The Social Network. One can imagine that Mark Zuckerberg is probably not among them.

For earlier coverage of the origins of this film and some of the controversies surrounding Mark Zuckerberg, read this post.

UPDATED Michael Jackson vs. Prince: Stranger Than Fiction.

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 21:15:00 +0000

As today is the first anniversary of Michael Jackson's passing, it's expected that there's going to be coverage and reflection regarding what his life and death mean to us as individuals and as a culture. There's a fair bit of nostalgia, to be sure, but it's also an opportunity for some critical consideration; for example, though Thriller continues to cast a long shadow, I've heard more Off the Wall and Bad cuts on the radio and in other media than anything.

Perhaps the best thing to come about during today's remembrances turned up on my radar thanks to ?estlove's Twitter feed. Questo posted a link to Vibe magazine's oral history of the rivalry between Michael Jackson and Prince. Read the article here.

Jackson, Prince, and Madonna were all born within a few months of each other in 1958; with the exception of Bruce Springsteen and U2 (who didn't hit their true commercial peak until very late in the decade), they represent the biggest acts of the 1980s. As gigantic as they were at the time, it's interesting to think of them as having any sort of competition between themselves, rather than being occupied with their own universes. There has been plenty of commentary about the relationship between Madonna and Jackson, but he had always seemed to exist outside of any peer group, both during his dominant period and his decline.

The oral history is great- the rivalry between the two seems to have provided at least some of the fuel behind their best work. Each would show up at the other's shows, taking notes and looking for ways to top what they were seeing and hearing. Perhaps the most compelling aspect of this article is that it does a great deal to humanize Jackson without passing judgement on him, for good or for ill. If Jackson is the Howard Hughes of the pop world, this rivalry provides another piece of the puzzle as to what spurred him creatively. UPDATE: Vanity Fair has a fantastic account of Jackson circa the "Thriller" video that provides further insight and some great anecdotes from that era.

There's an anecdote about a James Brown show attended by Jackson and Prince, in which Alan Leeds describes an impromptu showdown between the two men:

Prince went to a James Brown gig [in 1983] with Bobby Z, his drummer at the time, Big Chick, who was his security guard, and I think Jill Jones, who was one of his protégés. By now, everybody knows what happened at that gig. I don’t think Prince realized that Michael was going to be there. James looked a little puzzled in that video when Michael whispered in his ear, “Hey, bring Prince up.” And of course Prince didn’t really know what to do either. He went to the guitar first but he fumbles with that because it was left-handed. He played a few licks, did some dancing and knocked over a prop by accident. Now I always wondered if Michael intentionally brought Prince up to put him in that position just to say, “Hey, you think you’re on my ass? Well follow this, motherfucker [laughs].” Bobby Z called me and said, “Oh boy…he made an ass of himself tonight.” He said Prince didn’t say a word the whole way to the hotel.

Here's the video of that moment.

There are some other choice nuggets in there, including the nature of "Bad"'s beginnings (it was intended as a duet between Prince and Jackson; Prince walked out on the record, stating that it'd be a hit without him- Chris Rock and Prince confirmed this in a VH1 interview and Quincy Jones provides a little more info on the Bad rerelease) and stories of intense ping-pong matches in '86. Bobby Z, Prince's former drummer, confirmed basketball games between the two at Paisley Park- one has to wonder if Prince offered MJ pancakes afterword.

Chappelle's Show

True Hollywood Stories - Prince

www.comedycentral.com

Buy Chappelle's Show DVDs

Black Comedy

True Hollywood Story

Keeping all of this in mind, it's hard to think of a contemporary analog for two brilliant creative forces goading each other on. Had Jackson completed his London performances, there's no doubt that this fire would have kept burning and, with Prince in better form over the past few years than he's seen in a decade (at least), there's at least some possibility that Jackson may yet have reasserted some of his artistic powers beyond the tepid, two-star-at-best Invincible.

On the Jobs Incident: iPhone 4 vs. Your Left Hand?

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 14:11:00 +0000

One of the weirdest issues emerging with the new iPhone has to do with how the phone is held.

According to some reports, the phone actually loses signal when held in your left hand. Engadget has a pretty solid explanation of what's happening (be sure to watch the videos), but here's the long and short of it:

The metal frame surrounding your phone is actually two antennae. One is for the 3G, the other is for your Bluetooth, etc.

When you hold the phone in your left hand, your hand actually acts as a bridge between the two antennae at a point near the lower left corner of the phone. This causes the antennae to sort of short out.

This is an easy fix: you need some way to prevent the bridge. You can either purchase a case for your phone (which most of you will probably do anyway- you just dropped hundreds of dollars on a piece of tech- you really want to cheap out on the case?) or, if you're feeling especially trashy, you can put a small piece of electrical tape (or duct tape, if you want to rep the silver) on the lower left corner of your sleek, shiny, minimalist phone, preventing your skin from acting as a bridge. Of course, it'll make you look like a hillbilly; but, if you're using duct tape on an iPhone, you probably don't care about appearances.

This is in line with Steve Jobs's take on the situation (via Engadget again). You have to give the J-Man credit for continuing his tradition of responding to queries.

The antennae quirk, however, shouldn't be seen as "anti-left handers," as Buzzfeed suggests. Consider this: which hand do you use to dial numbers- your dominant hand or your subordinate hand? Score one for the lefties. (Brendan Hilliard will be relieved.)

Edith Shain: A Kiss to Build an American Dream On

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:11:00 +0000

Photo ©Life Magazine

Edith Shain, the nurse in Eisenstadt's famous V-J Day photo, has passed away. Hear Eisenstadt's commentary on the photo here.

Here's Shain interviewed for NPR's All Things Considered in 2005, discussing the end of the war and the moment captured in the photograph.

Shain's passing is the sort that makes one wish Robert McG Thomas was still alive and writing obituaries. The one in The Washington Post is about as solid as any I've found.

The photo of Shain and an unidentified sailor has become a part of our cultural lexicon, inspiring countless tributes and homages, from similar photos and appearances in film and television to a statue of the pose. (That statue, Seward Johnson's Unconditional Surrender, has been a bit controversial in its current home, Sarasota, FL.)

BONUS:Footage of NYC, Chicago, and Seattle on V-J Day

REVIEW: On New Release, The Roots Prove a Day Job Won't Stop Them From 'Getting Over'

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 13:22:00 +0000

Album: How I Got Over
Artist: The Roots
Release Date: 6/22
Stream How I Got Over at MySpace

Perhaps the best thing to come out of the implosion of NBC's late-night lineup this past spring had less to do with who would be behind the desks and more with the fact that, in Conan's departure and Leno's return to The Tonight Show, the current Jimmy Fallon-led Late Night would remain at its "still night, not morning" position.

Translation: more exposure for the greatest band in hip hop history.

The Roots have been at the center of an alternate universe for well over a decade now, ruling over a world in which their strength as a live unit has buttressed any number of talents into successes of their own; performing with "The Legendary Roots Crew" could bolster an otherwise unimpressive artist into something worth your attention, while sets with equally strong acts became the stuff of, well, legend. It's not by accident that, in backing Jay-Z during his Unplugged 2.0 set for MTV, The Roots propelled Hova to his most playful, powerful set prior to his "retirement" (and possibly ever.)

With their nightly gig on Fallon's program, The Roots have been able to establish their eclectic, elastic strengths for an increasingly broad audience, the whole while forging a new facet to their identity: best live band on television today. While Leno's band recedes further into banality by adding the musical director from American Idol and Letterman's CBS Orchestra stays firmly rooted in the sort of classic rock songbook that has been their meat-and-potatoes, The Roots effortlessly cover the bases in virtually any genre required of them.

More after the jump, including a collaboration with a pair of Yacht Rock legends.

The Roots with Christopher Cross and Michael McDonald. Yes, this happened.

The question then became one of The Roots' ability to make records that lived up to their reputation for creativity within a medium frequently criticized for its narrow sonic scope. If the jones to create something unexpected and inventive for an audience was being met on a nightly basis, would their next release suffer? Some concern began to arise when the band's latest, How I Got Over, was delayed from its original release date last fall. Questlove, the band's drummer and co-founder, stated that the delay was due to a desire to create an album that was, in his words, "perfecto." Did the Legendary Roots Crew rise to the occasion?

Yes.

The Roots "How I Got Over" from Okayplayer on Vimeo.

Much will be made of the album's eclectic guest stars- Jim James of My Morning Jacket, John Legend, and Joanna Newsom are among those stopping by- but their talents are wisely used in creating the mood and texture of the record, rather than as some kind of attention-getting depth charge.

Though the delay has resulted in what one assumes is a superior product, How I Got Over has a very "fall feel" to it, rather than that of a "summer record." The sound is steeped in the sort of widescreen soul found in the best of Curtis Mayfield or Bobby Womack in the mid '70s. Everything feels alive and vibrant, but it's more leather jackets than Hawaiian shirts. The instrumentation throughout the record makes the final product feel very organic, with an overall production that benefits from the decision to move from ProTools to a live mixing board (did Questlove get this on a Neve?)- How I Got Over has the sound and feel of a classic soul album.

Black Thought, The Roots' MC, told XXL that this was a more "celebratory" record than the previous efforts and, while that may be true overall, the celebration sounds hard-won. This is a mature hip hop album about perseverance in the face of adversity, plain and simple. How I Got Over isn't a party album- it's a set of songs for courage and confidence, and, by the time the title track comes around, one can hear the spirit of Curtis Mayfield in the room.

How I Got Over is a record that benefits from repeated listenings, revealing more about itself with each spin. It's a "required replay" record, and each spin yields more surprises, which really isn't a surprise from this eclectic, adventurous crew. Give it some time to reveal itself and let it help you get over any preconceptions of what a hip hop album- or any album- should sound like in 2010- this is the sound of a group that is less concerned with sounding contemporary and more about creating something timeless, and it largely succeeds.

The "Facebook Movie": The Geeks Shall Inherit the Megaplex?

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

As I continue the search for a new social media service, the Facebook discussion continues.

Over the weekend, Columbia Pictures unveiled the teaser poster for The Social Network. Based on Ben Mezrich's The Accidental Billionaires, it's got a screenplay by none other than Aaron Sorkin (A Few Good Men, TV's The West Wing) and is being helmed by David Fincher (Fight Club, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.)

More about the movie and the past, present, and future of Facebook after the jump.

Mezrich has covered the "supernerds make a big splash" beat before; his Bringing Down the House was a hit and spawned a film adaptation called 21.

The film stars Jesse Eisenberg (Zombieland, The Squid and the Whale) as Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's CEO. Other cast members include Rashida Jones, Justin Timberlake, and Joseph Mazzello (you remember, the kid from Jurassic Park.)

Watch: Aaron Sorkin discusses the beginning of his involvement with the film at MakingOf.

At the same time, author David Kirkpatrick has released The Facebook Effect: The Inside Story of the Company That Is Connecting the World (Simon & Schuster.) Kirkpatrick recently gave a very interesting interview to Salon, which speaks a little to one of my ongoing concerns: the possibility of mass Facebook migration.

Salon: There was a lot of hype about "Quit Facebook Day," when all these people pledged to cancel their accounts on May 31 of this year, and not very many people actually wound up quitting. Do you think a mass Facebook exodus is even possible at this point?

Kirkpatrick: I do think people could leave Facebook en masse. They could screw up on privacy enough, or the government could force them to do things that are awkward enough that it becomes a pain in the neck to use, and people just leave -- that's the nature of the Internet. But for the moment, most of what you do on Facebook can't really be replicated anywhere else, and the network effect -- the more people that are on there, the more people want to be on there -- acts as this sort of intrinsic sort of glue holding the thing together.

Then there's a switching cost: Once you've established this whole network of friends and put data and photos up there, to reassemble that elsewhere is a heck of a lot of work. So even if there were another platform that came along that enabled you to do that, I don't think it's something most people would want to do. I see Facebook remaining the colossus of social networking for the foreseeable future.

An interview with Kirkpatrick. Via Hub Culture.

Kirkpatrick's book has sparked a little bit of controversy regarding its coverage of Zuckerberg's relationship with one of Facebook's fathers, Aaron Greenspan, who notes some errors in this piece on Huffington Post. Greenspan makes a compelling case for Facebook's paternity and has published his own take on the dawn of "the Facebook era" in a book of his own.

Happy Father's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 13:50:00 +0000

REVIEW: For Pernice & Co., Another 'Killer' Set of Bummers for the Summer (UPDATED)

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:23:00 +0000

Album: Goodbye, Killer
Artist: Pernice Brothers
Release Date: June 15 (US)
Stream Goodbye, Killer at Spinner
Download "Jacqueline Susann" via their website

There are two ways a person can experience Joe Pernice's songs:

Reading the lyrics first, during which one would assume Pernice is the most bummed-out English professor in New England. This is the wrong way to listen to these songs.

Listening to the songs, completely oblivious to their lyrical content, and being completely sucked in by the exceptionally high level of AM Gold songcraft. This is the wrong way to listen to these songs, as well.

Instead, Pernice's body of song is something best experienced in a way not unlike his spiritual forebears in The Smiths- The jaunty, smartly composed "pocket symphonies" underline the dark humor in the lyrics even as said lyrics add a facet to the hooky, sunny melodies that permeate each release. It's an impressive trick, really: melodies Mom will hum along with all day long and lyrics Junior might try to lift in order to seem "deep"in his freshman comp class often spell disaster for lesser talents; for Pernice, achieving balance comes as as naturally as breathing and, over five previous studio albums under the Pernice Brothers banner, a handful of Scud Mountain Boys releases, and numerous side projects, he's created an alternate universe where Morrissey and Elvis Costello wrote fan letters to Jeff Lynne and David Gates instead of the New York Dolls. (Only Pernice could pull off a near-perfect Bread homage called "Grudge Fuck," complete with a chorus of "I'd give anything just to make it with you one more time.")

For those looking for a very adult (in the "grown up" sense), masterful set of "bummer in the summer" jams, Goodbye, Killer (Ashmont) ought to knock you dead.

More after the jump.

The latest release, is a little "rockier" as a whole than its predecessor, 2004's Live a Little. The production is, if anything, a little more stripped down than the previous releases, leaning predominantly on the guitar/bass/drums formula. Small flourishes- a little piano here, a touch of brass there- pop up, but there's nothing like the full-on ELO string attacks that have turned up on other albums or the synths that populated Discover a Lovelier You (2005). If anything, the sound is most comparable to Matthew Sweet's early 90s output (which often featured current PB drummer Ric Menck, a power pop staple since his days in Velvet Crush.)

The stripped-down sound is a little reminiscent of Nobody's Watching/Nobody's Listening, the very good live album produced earlier in the band's run (and a stunning document of just how pretty Pernice's voice can be, even in a live setting), which gives the impression that audiences in any market that lucks into a live date are in for a treat.

The songs are as good as ever, continuing Pernice's track record- a favorite line comes early in "Newport News," as he wakes up in Connecticut, "in some nightingale's Art Deco Murphy bed" and takes note of the "wall-to-wall shag loneliness." The protagonists are beautiful losers, but not the sort that lose big- they're the sort who struggle just to matter in their own lives, let alone in the rest of the world (a theme that turns up across the catalog.) In less capable hands, ending a song by repeating "I never want to die"might seem clumsy; here, it fits perfectly. The handclaps make it that much better.

It's reassuring that the quality has remained as high as it has, considering that, in the time since the last Pernice Brothers album, Joe Pernice has authored a novella for Continuum's "33 1/3" series (about- what else?- Meat Is Murder) and a novel, It Feels So Good When I Stop. It speaks to the great talent present that these outlets haven't diluted the subsequent Pernice releases.

In a perfect world, Joe Pernice would have been hoisted upon the shoulders of a grateful throng of fans night after night in city after city. Instead, he's plugging away, crafting hooky, smart music for those of us willing to listen. If it's death or glory, this latest release is more ammo for those making the case for the latter.

If your local record store isn't stocking Goodbye, Killer, it is available via the band's website, eMusic, or Amazon.

BONUS: Joe Pernice makes an appearance in the Gilmore Girls episode "Partings," along with a few other familiar faces/voices.

It's Entirely Possible That, 20 Years Later, Mom Knows the Babysitter Is Dead.

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

We're reaching a weird point in the current wave of nostalgia cash-ins. As of Monday, the top box office draws in America are both reboots of 80s hits- The Karate Kid, starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith (and featuring kung fu, rather than actual karate), and The A-Team, which seems to be everything its small-screen predecessor was (and critics expected anything else?), were both white-hot in 1984; meanwhile, I frequently check Ghostbusters fansites searching for info on the long-gestating third sequel (rumor is that it's now due in 2012.)

There's a scarier spook on the horizon, though: the 1990s remakes are coming, beginning with one you never thought you'd see brought back from the dead. Get ready to get right on top of it, Rose.

More after the jump.

Yesterday, SlashFilm picked up on the news that Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead is slated for a remake.

Christina Applegate, via Twitter, expressed high hopes for improved fashion and eyebrow grooming. (Is she worried about the nurse's outfit being accessorized with just the right stethoscope necklace? What about the wedge cap on the Clown Dog delivery boy?)

Though he hasn't provided comment, Keith Coogan- Babysitter's half-baked headbanger Kenny (excuse me... Kenneth), has noted via his Twitter that he is aware of the project.

One only hopes that, in this outing, Walter remembers to spring for cable when he swipes petty cash for the home entertainment system.

Video: The National, 5/27/10

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

They're a favorite around the headquarters and, judging by the stories that seem to get the most hits, they're a favorite of yours, too: The National are on an extensive tour at the moment and, thanks to a multimedia researcher from Vancouver, we get to enjoy the band at the peak of their powers. Thanks to Brendan Hilliard for the heads-up.

As the teaser shows, the concert is in glorious black and white and captures the band in fine form. One wouldn't be too out of line for wanting this film to see a professional release (along with the Brooklyn show back in May.)

TEASER/TRAILER: The National, Oakland Fox Theater, 2010/05/27 from karmafia on Vimeo.

The full show after the jump.

NOTE: Parts IV and V could not be embedded at this time.

Part I

The National - Fox Theater, Part 1 - Oakland CA, 2010/05/27 from karmafia on Vimeo.

Part II

The National - Fox Theater, Part 2 - Oakland CA, 2010/05/27 from karmafia on Vimeo.

Part III

The National - Fox Theater, Part 3 - Oakland CA, 2010/05/27 from karmafia on Vimeo.
Part IV can be viewed here.
Part V can be viewed here.
The National tour dates here.

'Breaking Bad' Closes Season with Bangs, Whimpers

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:59:00 +0000

This entry is largely spoiler-free regarding last night's finale; however, this is not the case for many of the links. Be advised.

(An admission: this is a bit of a rave.)

As AMC's grimly funny, increasingly bleak, and often harrowing Breaking Bad closed out its third season last night, a shocking sense of just how the chess game between Bryan Cranston's Walt and his employer has evolved began to set in. the gloriously ambiguous season finale saw the "Heisenberg" persona flipped on its ear, with a shrewd bit of gamesmanship coupled with a moment of excruciating weakness on Walt's part. Time has posted a solid review of the episode, though it's quite spoiler-ridden.

It occurred to me that, in this season more than its predecessor, we've finally reached the "Michael Corleone in the restaurant" moment for both of the series' protagonists. The once-meek chemistry teacher has embraced the transition from "Mr. Chips to Scarface," as we've seen noted elsewhere; the tragically soft-hearted tweaker has been pushed to become the meth-fueled Darth Vader he thought that he already was. Vince Gilligan, the show's creator, has managed to redefine the crime drama for the post-Sopranos era. In a day and age where organized crime stories are largely period pieces, part of what makes Breaking Bad so excellent is the creeping sense that the "big bad" isn't going to be Don Vito Corleone or Tony's New Jersey crew; it's the sketchy kid on the corner and the stressed-out, middle-aged guy driving a Pontiac Aztek.

More after the jump.

The show, which will return with its fourth season in the next year, has developed a gift for effortlessly transitioning from satire to tragedy often within a single breath; often, the horror of what is happening is offset with a blackly funny coda. The truth of Walt's fall from grace isn't made any less powerful- it's underlined and heightened by some of the series' nuttier touches. When Walt's alter ego, the "man in the black hat" he calls Heisenberg, becomes a player in the drug scene, the series brilliantly opens an episode with a narcocorrido about his exploits. When a professional, mild-mannered supporting character is unveiled as a figure more menacing than the previously-encountered thugs, we get a funny (and entirely believable) commercial for his public face, juxtaposed against the true source of his wealth. We get a kick out of these segments as they play out, often in the show's cold opening, but they begin creeping into the edges of our thoughts as the episode plays out.

Los Pollos Hermanos (mild spoiler)

Much of what made The Sopranos, Bad's only competition for best hour-long of the past ten years, so watchable was the strength of its supporting players; Gilligan's crew have developed that same depth. The third season especially has generously given the supporting cast room to breathe and develop.While there has been much talk of series co-star Aaron Paul's Emmy prospects for this season (and rightly so), the performances turned in by Dean Norris (as a PTSD-suffering DEA agent), Bob Odenkirk (as the awesomely slimy lawyer Saul Goodman), and especially Jonathan Banks (the hardboiled "Mike the Cleaner") have all handed in work that should provide good healthy competition for the Best Supporting Actor statuette.

This speaks to the show's greatest, quietest strength: within the confines of an hour-long program set almost entirely in Albuquerque, NM, the producers have managed to create an entire universe. The aforementioned characters, the way the sun-bleached imagery burns out any preconceived thought of how the American southwest should look, the bland suburban sprawl and malaise that contrasts with the vibrant, explosive underworld Walt and Jesse submerge themselves in: there's not a single detail that feels wasted, let alone "throwaway." Nothing seems to depend on any awareness of anything beyond the confines of its universe; everything you need to enjoy Breaking Bad is present and accounted for.

It's been suggested by both Gilligan and Cranston that the show will last for at least four seasons, if not more. If they can keep up this level of quality, our cultural landscape will be the richer for it.

The AV Club has an excellent interview with Gilligan. An excellent, though less in-depth, interview is up at The Hollywood Reporter. Also: HitFix has an interview with Cranston.

BONUS: Check out last night's showcase for supporting player Mike the Cleaner (mostly spoiler-free regarding the main plot; still a spoiler if you want the whole thing to be a surprise.)

The music is "Shambala" by The Beastie Boys (from Ill Communication).

Saddle Up: "Pony" Rides Again!

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Internet memes are curious things by their very nature. We get things that are cute (see: "David After the Dentist"), things that are geeky and retro (see: virtually anything at YTMND- a favorite is Chunk is Indestructible), and often disturbing.

Then, there's "Pony" and its growing legion of dancers.

History lesson: "Pony" was the debut single from Ginuwine (nee' Elgin Lumpkin), whose website makes interesting use of quotation marks. It's an entry into the mid-90s post-New Jack, pre-AutoTune R&B field, at one point usurping the top spot (from Blackstreet's "No Diggity," no less) and helping to establish Timbaland as a producer to watch in coming years. Certainly, the use of what is either a talkbox, Vocoder, or bass synthesizer to utter those low "YEAH"s throughout the song gives it a bit of novelty, but it's largely an artifact of a bygone time.

And now: it's a web sensation thanks to the Dancing Alone to "Pony" Tumblr. One mainstream site- that of the DC-area FOX affiliate- has picked up on the story, which means we could see further coverage in coming (slow news) days.

More after the jump. (It gets weirder.)

So, this curiosity is amusing in its own right- as a general rule of thumb, there is nothing sexy about dancing by yourself on YouTube, and, yet, here these people are, bumping and grinding like the invisible man was waving singles at them. Things get weirder, though.

Somewhere, a brilliant idea was hatched: combine the possibly-cresting "Icing" trend (which was covered in the New York Times and counts Modern Suburbanite favorites The National as its victims/participants/"bros") with this emerging "Pony" roundup, producing "Bros Ponying Bros," which may be critical mass on the phenomenon.

I'm loading "Pony" on my phone, just to be safe.

If it's Friday, it's Mix Day! (Number 3)

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Click the pants to get this one started.

Tracks after the jump.

"Save It For Later," The English Beat
"Roadrunner," The Modern Lovers
"Hummingbird," Wilco
"Space Manatee," Heavenly
"Fashion Coat," The National
"I Summon You," Spoon
"Makes No Sense At All," Hüsker Dü
"Freakin' Out," Graham Coxon
"Glad Girls," Guided by Voices
"Freedom of '76,"Ween

REVIEW: For NJ's Gaslight Anthem, Summer's Right for' American Slang'

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Album: American Slang
Artist: The Gaslight Anthem
Release Date: June 15 (US)
Hear the whole album at NPR's First Listen

"Look what you've started," Brian Fallon calls out over the pounding drums and kerrrrraang of guitars in the opening moments of his band's new album. "I seem to be coming out of my skin."

That song, the galloping title track from The Gaslight Anthem's American Slang, would lead you to believe otherwise: Brian Fallon sounds like a man in command of his voice, less likely to fall apart at the seams than to bind himself up in an armor stitched together from the best parts of his heroes. In this album, as with the previous release (2008's excellent The '59 Sound), there's enough of a punk energy to validate the sleeves of tattoos. One of the band's godfathers, Joe Strummer, can be heard from time to time; Strummer's finest eulogy may have been the band's "I'da Called You Woody, Joe." However, the whiff of the class of '77 fades after a few listens, revealing the classic rock heart beating at the core of this band. Previous tracks made mention of Tom Petty, Otis Redding, and Bob Seger, and you get the impression that those artists do share shelf space with Give 'Em Enough Rope and Singles Going Steady. One suspects Live Bullets probably gets as much play as either of those punk classics.

It's no surprise that The Gaslight Anthem is a member of the ranks waving Bruce Springsteen's denim E Street flag; that they're from his neck of the woods is icing on the cake (The Gaslight Anthem hails from New Brunswick, NJ.) But while bands like The Hold Steady seem to stand on the bridge between The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle and Born to Run, Drive-By Truckers have an ear for the personal and political commentary of albums like Darkness on the Edge of Town, and The National embraces the moody, darkly romantic of Springsteen's legacy, The Gaslight Anthem's newest release plays like the full-on rave-ups on The River in the best way possible. If you wondered about Bruuuuuuce's legacy, you can stop wondering.

The verdict and videos after the jump.

"The '59 Sound" (with Bruce Springsteen)

Thirty years ago, Springsteen wrote of how "[he] got Mary pregnant... and for [his] nineteenth birthday he got a union card and a wedding coat." Did Mary's little boy grow up to become the hero of Fallon's New Jersey narratives? Could "The Queen of Lower Chelsea" have been the abandoned offspring of the man with the hungry heart? One listen to this record, with its callbacks to the roots of rock and roll even as Fallon confidently sings in terms of a contemporary "you and I," and it's not much of a stretch.

"Backstreets" (Springsteen cover)

American Slang, with a little luck, will be the record that "breaks" The Gaslight Anthem beyond the Alternative Press circuit, and that seems fitting. It's not really a leap forward in style or content from The '59 Sound, which isn't a condemnation- it's a wee bit smoother at times (though not "slick"), but it sounds like it's definitely drawn from the same well. Like its predecessor, it's going to sound fantastic blasting out of car stereos with the windows down, and that's an accomplishment in itself. American Slang is the sort of record that is made for summer, and God bless The Gaslight Anthem for not being ashamed to make such a thing.

"American Slang" (acoustic)

Jeri Ryan Clears Up the 'Mortal Kombat' Thing

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:31:00 +0000

It looks like I was right and wrong on the Mortal Kombat thing. Jeri Ryan debunks the whole thing on her Twitter (found via Bit Tech):

Okay, so... Mortal Kombat.

It's not a game trailer. Actually was made for the director to sell WB on his vision for a reimagined MK film.

More MK FAQs: I did it as a favor to a friend. No idea yet what WB's reaction to it was. And I'm not sure how you can contact WB...

...(cont.) to push them to make it. But you guys are resourceful...! ;-)

So, it's a big-budget trailer for... nothing. This explains the lack of logos for studios or game publishers, I suppose.

Calling It: The New 'Mortal Kombat' Trailer Isn't a Movie. UPDATE: I Might Be Wrong.

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 22:32:00 +0000

UPDATE: CHUD claims this is, in fact, for a movie. From their report:

Cat's out of the bag. This is for the movie, and it comes from the mind of genius fight choreographer Larnell Stovall. He's the guy who did the fights for the excellent Undisputed 3: Redemption, on DVD and Blu-Ray right now. I hope that this movie gets made with Larnell plotting the punches, because this guy isn't just a geek like us, he's also got an incredible skill and ambition to create the next generation of fight choreography.

Even with the pedigree, I'm still skeptical. Let's see what happens.

My original post:
I hate to be the one to break it to the world, but the video that appears to be of a "gritty, dark" reboot of the cheeseball Mortal Kombat movies (yes, the ones based on the video game) featuring Michael Jai White and Jeri Ryan (as Jax and Sonya Blade, respectively) is for... a video game.

This turned up on Buzzfeed, via The High Definite:

(WARNING: this video is a little grisly and features, err, a "harlequin baby.")

Debunking and a brief history lesson after the jump.

In checking IMDB, one finds but a single upcoming entry for the franchise: Mortal Kombat 9, slated for release in 2010.

This looks to be a teaser timed to premiere just before the E3 conference, as reported elsewhere. (WARNING: The link has the "harlequin baby" in its embedded video- be prepared.)While this may disappoint some who are excited for a film that calls back to the game's ultra-violent, ultra-controversial roots, it does do a fine job of attracting a tremendous attention to the upcoming release.

For those of you who don't recall the '90s, the Mortal Kombat, a brief (though outdated) recap can be found at G4's website, the most historically significant portion being this:

In 1993, Senators Joe Lieberman and Herb Kohl publicly denounce Mortal Kombat for its use of gore and violence; the Electronics Software Ratings Board is formed as a result.

Intel, Vice Team Up for Creators Project, DJing

noreply@blogger.com (MR) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

UPDATE: Creators Project co-creator Spike Jonze will be attending Oklahoma City's deadCenter film festival kickoff tomorrow. (Thanks to Oklahoma Rock's Twitter feed for the tip.)

Wired has a pretty nice feature on Intel/Vice's joint venture, The Creators Project.

Wired's Eliot Van Buskirk sums up the origins of this partnership as such:

The core idea sprang from a dinner conversation between Vice’s Shane Smith and... film and video director Spike Jonze. Jonze asked Smith what he would do if he could do anything he wanted, with no financial constraints. Smith said his dream was to launch something along the lines of 1920s salons in Paris, where writers, artists, musicians and playwrights gathered to exchange ideas, resulting in a rich cultural cross-pollination.

More after the jump.

Participants who've already posted videos include Phoenix, Diplo, Peaches, and N.A.S.A. (not the space agency, mind you); upcoming posts include offerings featuring Spike Jonze, Mark Ronson, CSS, and Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, among others.

Some of the clips are quite interesting, especially ones providing snippets of inspiration for visual presentations- the lighting schemes are pretty interesting. However, as Vice's core audience seems to be quite okay with the idea of the "star DJ," I'm a little less enthused about some of the ratio of laptop DJs to actual musicians. Of course, this is my own little bias and, by and large, the concept here is a neat one. Kudos to Jonze and Smith for the concept.

The Creators Project launches its first live event this month (6/26) in New York City.