Thursday, July 14, 2005

For the ladies



Fatigo - Menso Review

Let’s face it; there really aren’t a whole lot of Arizona bands that distinctively sound like Arizona bands. Recall the most infamous, Jimmy Eat World and I’d bet that most would be prone to believe they hail from just about any other major state in the USA. The same could be said about a great number of other Arizona bands; very few are so distinctively rooted in the local culture. In that sense, Fatigo stands as one of the first bands I’ve been able to distinguish as an Arizona band…sort of.
Now, don’t assume I say that because of the whole Spanish-speaking, Mariachi thing. That isn’t what makes them an Arizona band (although it certainly helps perpetuate the image). No, it is the themes, word pictures and overall attitude that formulate them as an Arizona band.
Their second album (and debut on 727 records), Menso, embodies everything about Arizona that makes it a unique place to live, and yet it also charts everything that makes it uniquely unbearable. Foremost among such things are the heat, which if viewed from this album’s perspective, might lean us towards the "Arizona is unbearable" argument. “Dormido” (which translates as “slept” from Spanish to English), narrates a favorable pastime during the summer-months – an all day sleeping binge. That’s not exactly as direct as the rest of the album; many other songs outright lament the wicked cruelty of the summer months. It is in this sense that Fatigo defines itself as an Arizona band. (No, they are not an Arizona band in the tacky cactus tea gulping “Arizona” sense)
And in all actuality, Fatigo has a much stronger reach because of such themes. With songs that cover everything from an aversion to heat, ill advised magic shows, outright hatred and delusional apocalyptic imagery, Menso doesn’t deserve to be pegged as the ultimate Arizona album, it earns the right to be the ultimate summer album. And for those of us who live in eternal summer, that's good entertainment to have.
But that’s only one side of the coin: Along with such gems as "Menso" and "Television", the album carries with it the epic of White Bear, a grumpy Artic bear who longs for the icy galciers of his homeland, but sadly remains marroned in the desert.
Goofy? A little, yet it adds a kind of running premise to the entire set. Actually, while there are plenty of great songs on the entire album, the White Bear songs are probably my favorites out of the whole collection. These songs most distinctively define Fatigo.
The very imagery of a polar bear roaming among the Southwest desert invokes thoughts of isolation and remoteness.
The most refreshing thing about the album however, is the band's cornball antics: Instead of letting their commentary about life and longing sit nakedly out in the open, Fatigo takes precious time to craft humorous musical shells to hide away what others would treat as “weepy”. That makes Menso all the more endearing.
The same could be said for Fatigo, who never plays themselves up as a pretentious group of remorseful, twenty-something “poets”. They’re really just goofballs at heart. This playfulness helps them to be quite accessible to just about any listener. True, some will latch onto this style of music more readily then others, but just about everyone will be able to agree that songs like “Mother Nature’s Son” and “The Golf Cart Preacher” are extremely catchy.
This is a grand accomplishment for a second LP, and for a band that really has no visible public history. Usually, it takes several albums and EP’s before a band can sound this polished. Impressively, Fatigo nails it right off the bat.
By the time the opening track kicks the whole ordeal off, the album manages to play itself out really well. A very possible gripe is that there simply aren’t enough songs like “White Bear III”, which benefits greatly from its somberness. Nevertheless, Menso remains a grand accomplishment. And after more then one listen, Menso might be stronger then an amusing ride from start to finish…it might be definitive.

24 minutes of dissolves and wipes

I feel like I've created an uneditable film. Josh has been kind enough to help me edit The Subject, but even with his mad editing skills, it hasn't been easy. I don't feel especially bright when I look at some of the footage we shot...I guess I decided it would cut together just fine back when I was filming this thing. But it'll work out, if not because of the film then because of Josh's help. Anyway, this post is an outright appreciation of his efforts.

-Brock

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Lame On!

Before I begin this review, I’d like to dispel any previous assumptions you might have had about me. First and foremost, I do enjoy artistic and experimental films. A good film, like a good book, has the power to make one think, to arouse deeply set emotions, and to bring important social dilemmas into the limelight. And since film is the opiate of the masses, it has a far stronger impact these days then a book. In that sense, film has an extraordinary power.
However, I also enjoy fun, entertaining films. Every now and then, like anyone else, I enjoy watching films that might have no apparent thematic or social relevance. Oftentimes, it is these films that have the tightest structure or the most linear character development. And it goes without saying that they offer the greatest suspension of disbelief. That being said, when a film like The Fantastic Four comes along, it can be extremely entertaining and cathartic. And I’d be wrong if I didn’t admit that the Fantastic Four has its fun moments.
Actually, all of the basics are in place for a great superhero flick; a powerful villain with a personal connection to the hero(s), a team with a wide spectrum of conflicting personalities and quarks, and a somewhat linear discovery of powers and abilities. Indeed, the Fantastic Four does exactly what a film of its nature should do; have fun. The problem is that there are several other films in the same genera that do the exact same thing…several times better.
First and foremost, consider the heroes’ discovery of their powers. For some characters like the Invisible Woman (who must take her clothes off to be truly invisible) and the Thing (who is now a sheer monstrosity to loved ones), this discovery is painful and awkward. For others, like the Human Torch, it is exhilarating. In performance and direction this is all portrayed appropriately, but I could name several films to come out in the last few years that accomplish this same thing on a much stronger level. Consider Spider-Man. After Peter Parker’s geeky introduction, we truly shared in his jubilation at the discovery of his powers. It was liberating. On the other hand, the character development in Fantastic Four can’t hold a candle to films like Spider-Man.
How about the villain? Doctor Doom is considered one of the most infamous comic book villains of all time, but herein, he’s actually kind of pedestrian. I did admit to enjoying him after I saw the movie. But after comparing him to previous cinematic villains, I found several things to be rather dull about his interpretation. For a comparison, consider Ian McKellen as Magneto in the X-Men films. Probably the main reason why that character worked so well is because he had a strong motivation. Heck, even someone who only saw bits and pieces of an X-Men film can name Magneto’s motivation: he wants mutants to be the dominant race over humans. Doom has no such motivation.
Yes, the story does try desperately to pin a motivation on him at the beginning of the film: First, it gives us his connection to Sue Storm, which half-handedly forms a kind of love triangle to Reed Richards, Doom’s rival. But it abandons that concept when it throws a gang of displeased investors into the mix, giving Doom something entirely new to worry about (a blatant rip-off of Norman Osborn’s motivation in Spider-Man). Then, when these two motivations fall flat, Doom spends the rest of the film using his powers here and there to remind the audience that there is still a threat that the heroes will eventually have to take down. Sadly, no amount of motivation, stolen or poorly conceived, manages to stick. In the end we’re left with a villain that isn’t really a villain at all, but a collection of motivations taken from better villains.
When watching The Fantastic Four, you do get little snippets of ideas that seem to be genuine attempts at an original flick. There are sparks of originality. Like, instead of being feared and hunted down ala the X-Men or Spider-Man, The Fantastic Four is revered and hounded like modern-day celebrities. The Thing’s self depreciation, instead of being dark and gothic, is colored by his “Brooklyn” accent. Even the cartoony effects, showy compositions and obnoxious colors throwback to the visuals of a comic book. Those are nice touches.
Unfortunately, there just isn’t enough originality in the film to separate it from the pack. If asked on cue, I could recall a specific tone and feeling about Spider-Man, Batman or The Hulk. But if asked about the Fantastic Four, I would only be able to recall it as a dim reflection of everything that made those other superhero films great. In that sense, The Fantastic Four truly feels like a cookie-cutter experience. Instead of slaving over the story and characters like Sam Rami or Bryan Singer, director Tim Story compiles a “sampler platter” of everything they did and just assumes it’ll make itself into a meal.

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Set The Alarm To Self Destruct

I didn't even know what Kill Haole Day was until now. Anyway, the Dambuilders were a great band. Josh probably has all their stuff, since they were from Boston and all. They did the indie rock w/violin thing the best.

This week's song is from their first of three albums.

Download mp3: Dambuilders - Kill Haole Day.

Kill Haole Day

this is not my scene
and i'm not sure what they mean
just wish i skipped
no way to worm out of your grip
my moke i'm choked up to let you bend my head
my crime is trust
white trashes to ashes dust to dust
are we pau?
can i ride? decide?
maybe there's no place left to hide
i thrive on rage
dare you to kick my rib-cage in
all lights go dim
happy to be your insect pinned
i guess i'm stuck
set the alarm to self-destruct
do it...pow
starless kalihi side haole boy must die
would you crush the life out of me
nice to know you're thinking of me
check this out
my doubt is that your afraid to take me out
my crime is lip
am i on the suicide tip
disinfect my head
check to see that i'm not dead
i guess i'm stuck
set the alarm to self-destruct
are we pau?
starless kalihi-cide haole boy good-bye
would you crush the life out of me
nice to know you're thinking of me
do i sense you really love me
auwe
good-bye

Monday, July 11, 2005

Back from telecine

The Subject has arrived. Now the editing begins.