Say it may be so

I’ve had a plethora of harsh feelings regarding Weezer over the past few years and it all began with the Green Album. More recently those feelings soured with my sudden distaste of Maladroit. Now, I languidly watch the band’s website every day as they chart their return to the studio in attempt to record their 5th studio album. Recording at a breakneck pace, Weezer plans to get as much work done as possible before the band’s diminutive leader Rivers Cuomo heads back to school. And as I type this I can’t help but think to myself, “If they pick up where Pinkerton left off, they could once again be my favorite band”.

On the way back from the second Braid show last month, Alex pulled out Pinkerton from the confines of Gabe’s CD jacket. Maybe it was the mood that passed between us that night and maybe it was the aftershock of seeing one of indie’s greats, but whatever it was, Weezer’s second album resonated in me like never before.
I’ve always liked Pinkerton. To many it was the stepson of Rivers Cuomo that won its way into the hearts of Weezer fan everywhere. But to me it will always be “the second best”. That night though it felt like something much more; for me it sounded like the continual spark of a movement that never really saw its fulfillment in my eyes. I didn’t say anything like that at the time, I simply sung along to the music with the rest of the car.
And then a few days ago I resurrected Pinkerton from my CD collection and gave it another spin…and then another...and then another. All in all, I must have listened to that album 20 times in the past few days. Why, I couldn’t possibly fathom. That is, I didn’t understand it until I began to grapple with the fact that Weezer used to be my favorite band. That’s right, used to be. Radiohead holds the mantle these days, but back when I was new to the world of music, before I even had a CD collection, Weezer stood as the undefeated champions of my youth. As sappy as this may sound, they were the musical icons I choose to represent “my voice” in the world. Rivers Cuomo and his band of geeks became my generational spokesmen. And then they wrote the Green Album. I can’t quite accept that straightforward, mechanical exertion of music, but Cuomo seems to be absolutely fond of it. Personally, I’ll take the unhinged, raw expression of feeling found within Pinkerton.
When I listened to Pinkerton the other day I felt like I came to a crossroads with my “former favorite band”. Knowing that a new album may be just around the corner, I can only hope that they pick up where Pinkerton left off. I just want Weezer to be a group of songwriters now, not rockers and most certainly not song technicians.

And so here it is: Let’s say their next album fulfills the promise set down by Pinkerton. Let’s say that Weezer’s 5th album disregards the poppy sound beloved by our current MTV viewers, and immerses itself in the dark innuendo and self-depreciation enjoyed by the band’s real fans. If such a thing were to happen, and I’d be completely surprised if it did, then I’d be willing to give the champions their crown back. That’s right. Weezer could be my spokesmen again. Their music could be the soundtrack to my life once more. Pinkerton proved that Cuomo had a songwriting talent that went unappreciated by a generation of teeny-boppers, and if Cuomo has any sense during these recording sessions, he’ll let that talent create a work that can once again reflect the thoughts of fans like me.

Afterwards

Thanks for enduring that casting call. A less self-indulgent post later. For now, what's up with The Wire? Maybe it's post tour let-down, but it's been a while since I've read anything from Nanna and his crew.

Casting Call

In the next screenwriting contest I plan to enter, one of the prizes for the top three winners is a possible meeting with a major motion picture studio. Not that my script could make it that far (although I’d certainly be pleased if it did), but still, it got me wondering who I’d suggest the studio cast for the film if I ever made it that far.
Yeah, I’m a looser. I’ll get to edit my short story today, I promise! But let’s just play “what-if” for a moment.

What if “Last Rights” got optioned to be made into a feature film? Who would play who?

Johnny Boscow – Johnny Depp

screenplay description of Boscow - "Across the nightstand, sitting cramped on the right side of the bed, is JOHNNY BOSCOW, 31, tall dark and contrite."

The story’s weird main character, despondent late night host Johnny Boscow, would be played by the weird actor Johnny Depp. (Similarities between the character and actor’s first names are unintended by the way; I wrote the part as a possible role for Gabe. But if you know your late night history then you probably understand why I chose to name my main character Johnny).
Depp’s frantic, more satirical and world weary persona would have to be shown in this film. Brock H. Brown would coach Depp to play the part like “a good boy scout who’s escorted an old lady and her very heavy packages for one block too many”.

Albert Reily – Philip Seymour Hoffman

Johnny’s spiteful and self-serving head writer (and later sidekick) would have to be played by a unique and organic character actor. He’d have to be able to be sweet as sugar one moment and then black and acidic as bile the next. Hoffman is the perfect build for Albert, and his skills would enable him to play the roll well.

Max Powers – Bruce Campbell

Who better to play late night’s b-list host then b-list actor Bruce Campbell? He’s got the goofy, overly heroic build and the charisma to face off against Depp in a TV “winner takes all”.

Robert Gleck - Dylan Baker

Baker is yet another fluid character actor who also has the right age and mettle to take on the considerable role of the plot’s secondary character, Johnny’s producer. Baker would have to wear a headpiece that would make him look like he’s balding, but other then a few light makeup changes, he’s primed to be the man behind the stage, freaking out at the loss of sponsors.

Shortie

Gabe, you should have my short story by tonight. I'm gonna run through it quick to clean it up and then you can read it and tell me what you think.
You readers out there who have been waiting for it, be patient. I figured, why post just snippets when I can clean it up and have the entire story online this week?

Check It Out

Brock and I have posted pieces of our scripts on The Study of Leonard Hughes. Brock, where's the short story?

You should do it now while its on your mind

So I just listened to that Owen song Gabe posted. I’m floored. It’s very mellow but very powerful sounding. I think I might have to devote more attention to those guys in my next few music purchases. In fact, I need to write a list of the albums I intend on purchasing.

Hey, check this out:

I didn’t know that Conan O’Brian was going to release some DVD’s. This is great. The first one is supposed to highlight his 10th Anniversary special (which I never saw) while the second is a much-needed Triumph the Insult Comic Dog DVD. I was just sitting around the other day thinking to myself “You know what? I have DVDs of the Simpsons, Futurama, and King of the Hill. But where’s my Conan O’Brian DVD’s?” I wasn’t sure what I wanted in a Conan O’Brian DVD, but I knew I wanted it.

Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk

Relatively stable, relatively able... Currently listening to American Football. Soothing. Mike Kinsella, from the aforementioned band, has an acoustical project by the name of Owen. Also available from Polyvinyl Records. Good stuff. In fact, have a taste.

I'm in very high anticipation for this Jeff Buckley release: Grace - Legacy Edition. Hauntingly beautiful.

The months give themselves to darkness against the light

Gabe clearly devalues himself as a writer; he's got an ability that oftentimes goes underappreciated. Still, he can’t deny his brilliance in using that old blog to post our literary creations. Now we can post our short stories without fear of cluttering up our main blog. What’s more, I’m eager to see Gabe’s work. Check the The Study of Leonard Hughes out later, because I’m going to post an excerpt from “Blood on the Golden Shores”

Do you ever have one of those days when the underlying cinematic inspiration behind the world unravels itself to you? I know that sounds odd, but stick with me here. I had such an experience last night and early this morning.
The first experience came last night when the skies darkened and the wind began to rustle. It’s this time of year when you can feel the air bulging with the humidity of Monsoon Season. In summers past the rains have been unforgiving in their downpour. But this year we’ve gotten scarcely more then a drizzle. That was until last night, when the skies seemed to utterly explode with water. It might have been dry around other parts of the valley, but nearby my house the rain was gushing down in sheets.
And it was nice. The rain cascading down my back porch like a waterfall, puddles turning into rivers in the street, it was cinematic. Being inside my house during the storm made it all the more surreal.
And then there was this morning. I had a dental appointment and I had to leave the house around 6:30. Sleep came fairly easily when I went to bed, but I woke up about an hour and a half earlier then I intended. And I couldn’t coax myself back to sleep. So I got up and decided to see what the world would be like at that hour.
At first I didn’t know what to do, so I put on my headphones and wandered around the house looking at the brightening sky outside. Appropriately, when the darkness began to recede I popped in Failure’s Fantastic Planet and listened to “Daylight”.
(I also listened to “The World At Large”. You can question the rest of Good News all you want, but the epic simplicity of that track marks it as a masterwork.) But the point I’m trying to make here is that I had no idea how amazingly visual these things could be. I knew they were, but for some reason it struck me as extra pertinent last night and today.

Anyway, enough sentimentality; I think its time we consider two albums I’m looking forward to:

The first is Ted Leo’s new album Shake the Sheets. Apparently, this album was leaked in its entirety last week, and people have been snapping up downloads like crazy. I’m going to wait for the mass release, but I did download one track from Shake the Sheets, The One Who Got Us Out. I think it sounds very good. Leo’s songs are always rock without apology, and I think this album is going to deliver on that reputation.
Of course, I am tempted to download the rest of the album. But I’ve managed to keep myself restrained so far.

The other album I wanted to look into was Chris Broach’s new Firebird Band release (which I think is entitled The City at Night). I really liked the last Firebird album. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I believe it may be one of my favorite albums of the past five years. Hence, I’m really excited about this next release. Check out the message board on their official site. They’ve asked fans to tell them where they should play in support of the new release. I’ve seen Broach with Braid, but I’d like to see one of his solo projects.

Let the short stories begin...

Once, a long time ago, I had an idea for Brock and I to collaborate on a story. We'd take turns writing, using each other's last post as the basis for the next. I basically let that die but the site never did.

Now, it will be the spot that Brock and I will post our short stories, or story ideas. It'll probably be mostly Brock, as my time is nearly non-existent. Plus my creative juices just don't flow as nicely as Brock's. We'll update you here on newly posted material.

The site is: The Study of Leonard Hughes.

For now

It's happened. The Pixies have stated their plans to record a new album. Amazing.

I'll post something more tomorrow, but I wanted to mention that tonight, cause its crazy.

Infinite Sadness

Man, I've been in a depressive rut at work for a week and half now. I can't seem to shake it. I get better once I leave work. Can I get worker's comp for work related depression? So, I fittingly listen to Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. The blog is now my couch.

The Ghost of Jimmy Stewart. Soon to be short story? Perhaps. I never finish writing anything I say I will, so don't count on it.

"The ghost of Jimmy Stewart walks into Fredrico's, a hip Hollywood night club..."

One word: Plastics

A remake of a film that should never, ever be remade.

Tequila shots/Bamboo shoots

Glug, glug, glug...

I mean, uh...

A sitcom eh? I dunno. I don't really like sitcoms. I think there's a few here and there that I've found to be inventive and funny, but the whole Darma & Greg/Will & Grace thing turns me off from wanting to write one. It's like that episode of the Family Guy:

Greg
Darma, you're standing on the couch.

Darma
I know silly!

Greg
You're such a free spirit!

Sitcom

Want to write the next hit sitcom? Bravo channel is doing a reality series for it. It's called Situation: Comedy. Brock, get on it!

Today Brock has reached the 21st year of his life. On to the 22nd.

Hail

15 years ago today the band that would become Radiohead played a gig in a small little Oxford Tavern.

Screenwriting

You probably won't hear too much from me today because I'm busy finishing the rewrite of my script. That's right, I'm almost done. Drinks on the house.

Beck Rides Again

Interesting stuff regarding Corgan. He was slamming former Pumpkin James Ihan on past posts. It would seem that the only former bandmate Corgan gets along with is Jimmy Chamberlin...

Moving away from the sometimes dark, sometimes unbearably sunny alt-rocker, I should note that there's a new album by folk-singer, groove master, country-boy extrordinare Beck on the horizon. This new album has been reported for some time as being much more in line with albums like Odelay and Midnight Vultures. You can read all about it on Pitchfork. They even have some songtitles from the new album and info on a surprise collaboration.

B.C. Rides Again

There's a new message from Billy Corgan at his site. He's currently working on a new album. He also has some "not so kind words" about former Zwan mates. Ouch.

Do any of you Pumpkinheads know what's up with Adore? I was listening to my copy the other day and it's scratched beyond repair. I need to replace it, but it appears to be out of print. Yes? I just looked online, though. I have yet to visit the local music shop.

Crossover

"Perhaps after Josh sees the movie, we can openly discuss the specifics of the “surprises.”"

Sweet, a Try Avoidance/Eyes Like Static crossover.

Su-plise!

(No spoilers)

Shyamalan has developed a well crafted ability to draw in his viewers. He does this with character development, music, tense drama and other methods. These methods are often compared to Hitchcock’s. He takes stories that could otherwise be deemed ridiculous if done by another director, and makes them engaging. I very much agree with Roger Ebert when he said:

“...the writer-director, has been successful in evoking horror from minimalist stories, as in ‘Signs,’ which if you think about it rationally is absurd -- but you get too involved to think rationally.”

I was only disappointed with the movie as it came to its near end. The first 90 minutes were just as engaging as his previous two works. Then, there were the two surprises. The first being too obvious, though, I had not guessed it. It was one of those surprises that makes you blurt out “that’s it?” It completely made sense but didn’t match the intensity of the build up.

The second twist, the one that was supposed to be “the big one” also did not trigger a climatic emotional response. In fact, it was one of my few guesses. Would I have thought different if it wasn’t one of my guesses? I sincerely doubt it. The major flaw was that the “shock” was more appropriate for the characters of the movie, the newest generation of the villagers. We as an audience simply cannot relate to the contrast. Did Shyamalan confuse the newest generation of villagers for the audience? It felt like it.

Perhaps after Josh sees the movie, we can openly discuss the specifics of the “surprises.”

A story more fragile then Mr. Glass himself

They say that this review has a surprise ending...

Yes, after months of heated anticipation I finally got a chance to see M. Night Shyamalan’s latest work The Village Saturday night. Shyamalan gained my admiration years ago with his dark portrayal of a hero’s ascension in Unbreakable. He cemented that admiration with Signs, a work that smacked of Hitchcock influences and techniques. With slow moving and methodical plots I saw a direction that gracefully revealed the cinematic landscape of his stories. His brilliant cinematography and visuals didn’t hurt either. Yes, until now the name M. Night Shyamalan was associated with the words “sublime cinema”. But with The Village the young filmmaker has produced a film of high expectations and mediocre achievements.
This new movie revolves around the story of a small isolated 19th century village and the fearsome race of malignant “creatures” that live in the surrounding woods. The villagers, holding themselves to a pact with the creatures, have agreed to never enter the woods. Likewise, the creatures have agreed to not disturb the peace of the quaint community. However, when the film begins, that pact between man and creature is wearing thin.
It’s around this basic premise that Shyamalan develops the film by focusing upon Joaquin Phoenix’s character Lucius and the relationship shared with romantic interest Ivy Walker, played by Bryce Dallas Howard. Despite Ivy’s blindness and Lucius’ introversion, the two develop a strong connection with one another. Shyamalan always created strong characters, and through this blossoming relationship the Village enjoys some of its strongest moments. The story is lean and fast; the cinematography is picturesque; but above all the story’s characters were nicely crafted and dimensional. Howard in particular lovingly plays Ivy as being colorful and emotive. Lucius is revealed by Phoenix as being quiet and contemplative. Even Adrien Brody, an actor I normally dislike, nicely pulls off the mental simplicity and thickness of his character Noah Percy. With masterful performances and well-written characterizations Shyamalan develops the first half of the film as being a fluid character drama. As I enjoyed this first half I couldn’t help but think to myself, “I can’t understand why this is getting mixed reviews”.
But then the film takes a turn for the worse. A sharp twist in the plot forces one of the film’s protagonists to make a harrowing journey into the forest inhabited by the violent creatures.
Sadly, too many new ideas and themes are expressed during this latter portion of the film. Many of these ideas have thin ties to the stronger plots introduced in the beginning of the story. Moreover, such new elements barely manage to germinate over the rough landscape of the second half and few feel truly connected with the strong characters and emotions of the first half. It’s as if Shyamalan mashed together enough ideas for two films, one being his usual suspense fair and the other a romantic character drama. Yet, while one would imagine his suspense roots taking over in the story, you can’t help but feel like he’s asleep at the wheel. The story construction throws out revelations and then backs up and tries to build suspense through plots that it previously dismantled. Motivations grow to be unclear and the delightful interplay between the film’s characters becomes muted.
And as for those who hope for salvation by his signature “twist” at the end of the film, don’t hope for too much. Yes, even the film’s ending, almost guaranteed to be a doozy, only ends up feeling like it was tacked on at the last minute. It’s abrasive and dull. By no means is this ending complementary of the film’s plot like so many of Shyamalan’s previous finales.
You want a real shocker of an ending? Here it is: after a string of masterworks M. Night has created what can be called his first real disappointment. Perhaps the real disappointment lies in the fact that this let down comes about due to his trademark suspense techniques. They were innovative and witty in Signs. Here they’re simply gimmicky and intrusive. The monsters, if they can be called monsters, are revealed with difficulty and awkwardness, completely unlike the amiable progression of the aliens in Signs. And by the time the “surprise” ending is over, the story wraps up leaving the viewer feeling no delight whatsoever in the story’s resolution. M. Night has failed with The Village. He made a film that was unique in its own right and then forced the atmosphere of his previous works upon it. You heard me; The Village was mediocre. You wanted a surprise ending and you got it.

XLent!

The new Canon XL2 mini-DV camcorder looks pretty sweet. Sorry for the long post, but I must list these. Here's the new major features:

16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratio shooting formats

With an increasing consumer shift towards widescreen TVs that deliver the full width of film-based theatrical movies, plus the resulting need for productions in the 16:9 aspect ratio, Canon's XL2 offers both the standard 4:3 aspect ratio and the 16:9 widescreen TV aspect ratio. Representing the ratio of the screen width to its height, the 4:3 aspect ratio is that of the common TV screen, and is the most commonly used aspect ratio in broadcasting today.

The 16:9 aspect ratio is the more common aspect ratio for film-based movies, and produces full screen playback on widescreen TVs. 16:9 also is the world standard aspect ratio for HDTV.

By offering a camcorder that is able to be switched between the two aspect ratios, Canon opens the door for multiple production options with the same camera -- the XL2.

Variable frame rates

60i / 30p / 24p (2:3 and 2:3:3:2 both with 1/48th second shutter speed) frame rates are available in the XL2.

The demands being made on the video production community to be able to provide solutions under a multitude of different scenarios have been met with the Canon XL2. It delivers 60i, 30p, 24p (2:3 and 2:3:3:2) frame rates. 60i (interlaced) is the standard video frame rate that has been in use for decades; it's what you see on your home TV, and is captured by handheld consumer camcorders. Progressive (non-interlaced) scanning mimics a film camera's frame-by-frame image capture. 30p, or 30-frame progressive, a non-interlaced format, produces video at the rate of 30 frames per second, delivering spectacular clarity for high speed subjects. Shooting in 30P mode offers video with no interlace artifacts.

The 24p frame rate, for example, is now widely adopted by those planning on transferring the video signal to film. But film/videomakers turn to 24p for the "cine" look even if their productions are not going to be transferred to film, simply because of the "look" of the frame rate. Also just as important as 24p, is the shutter speed of 1/48th per second. This is the standard shutter speed that movie cameras use. The combination of 24p frame rate and 1/48th perfectly mimic a motion film camera.

24p with 2:3 pulldown produces video with the look and motion of film. (24p, used in conjunction with a cine gamma curve on the XL2, produces images that have similar tonal characteristics as film. This mode is used when the finished video will be shown on television. 24p with 2:3:3:2 pulldown, is used when the video is going to be transferred to film. The 2:3:3:2 pulldown allows to editing software to extract true 24 frames a second.

SMPTE time code

The Canon XL2 offers many on-camera enhancements to help capture high-quality footage, including features commonly found on broadcast camcorders. Among these is the placement of a SMPTE time code on the tape. SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) time code is a digital signal that assigns a number to every frame of video, representing hours, minutes, seconds, frames, plus some additional information. The SMPTE time code is used to identify a precise location on a video tape, a mainstay of professional editing allowing all tape and equipment to work together for precise editing.

You can choose Drop, Non-Drop, Rec Run and Free Run modes. Also provided is User bit settings, allowing the inclusion of reel number or other user data.

The XL2 also generates SMPTE color bars with 1 KHz tone (-12dB and -20dB). SMPTE color bars with tone are the standard method of setting up video and audio monitors and edit suites. By using industry standard color bars and tone, the XL2 fits in with all production equipment.

Sweet Anticipation

Brock and I saw The Village over the weekend. I was disappointed. In summary, the setup was too big for the ending. The anticipation, sweeter than the result. More on this, later.

Review

Review of M. Night's latest film The Village later today. Keep a look out.

And the lesser known 451

A celebration indeed! We’ll have to plan something and think about what we want to say for the 500th post. I think we’re also about a year and a half old. We’ve definitely stayed committed to this blog, even when we thought that we had no readers.

To answer a question Gabe posted a few posts back, yes, I will be posting my short story here on the blog. I can’t be sure when I’ll do it, but it’ll be before the end if August. I finished writing it and now I’ve got to go through the tough work of rewriting and polishing it up.

I’m sorry to hear that Anchorman was less then great. You’ll have to post your thoughts on Damon and The Bourne Supremacy if you see it Gabe. I think you’ll agree with me on the camerawork, but we might be split on the criticism of Damon.

I need to get that Dear Your reissue. I purchased 24 Hour Revenge Therapy a while back and I’ve enjoyed it immensely since then. The song that this place is named after is “I Typed for Miles”, and I must say the song title alone denotes everything about a post on our blog.

450

This is post number four hundred fifty. Fifty more and we hit the big 500, Brock. We'll have to hold a large celebration. Especially since we have a reader now.

Dear You

For those of you who have been yearning for a copy of Jawbreaker's Dear You, you can get it as of February 23rd, thanks to Blackball Records. Somehow that passed me by, probably because I already own the album that went out-of-print and became hard to find.

Jawbreaker was a punk band in the early 90s that are now quite influential. I really like to rock the Jawbreaker. The singer, Blake Schwarzenbach, fronts Jets to Brazil and is one of my favorite lyricists. In fact, the title of our blog was lifted from one of his Jets to Brazil songs.

"Dreamed I was a fireman. I just smoked and watched you burn."
"Honey, it's depressing what depression does to some."
"It hasn't been my day for a couple years. What's a couple more? And if I go, don't forget the one good thing I almost did. I learned your name without words."

All from Dear You. He just kept getting better with Jets.

Revenge

Ladies and gents here it is, the next Batman film trailer.

Now

Now you can see comments at the end of our posts. I hope that works better then the timedate stamps. I also want to see some comments.

Cool Breeze, Hot Sun

Nice posts, broheimer! Can't wait to read your short story. Will it be posted?

Nice review of The Bourne Supremacy. Funny you should mention Damon's acting. I listened to Ebert and Roeper's review (Two Thumbs Up)and they thought his acting was great, even mentioning that he's underrated. I also think he's underrated but I'll have to see this movie to see how it was. Roeper thought this movie was one of the best of the year.

Was Brock's opinion of over used handheld camera work only noticeable to his "eyes in training?" Would the casual movie goer sit through and not pay notice? Coincidentally, right after reading Brock's review, a co-worker came in and was relating his experience of having seen this movie over the weekend. The chaotic camera shots was one of the first things he brought out, negatively. Too bad.

Over the weekend I saw Spider-Man 2 again, and Anchorman. The latter had it's hilarious moments, but failed to meet expectations over all. It's better as a renter.

This morning at work I sat outside and wasted about 20 minutes on an extended non-smoking smoke break. The breeze was quite pleasant, but the sun still hot.

The Bourne Normalcy

Just when you thought you’d gotten enough of covert operations films and spy movies, Paul Greengrass brings you the follow up to 2002’s secret agent flick The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy. Yeah, it was a big movie this weekend. I even heard that it raked in somewhere around 50 million dollars. I happened to see it over the weekend and I have to say however that the film, although a step up from other spy films, tended to suffer from numerous problems.
As I see it, this film’s key to success, aside from its status as a sequel to a highly popular film, lies in three specific areas. They are the film’s lead actor, Matt Damon, the film’s allegedly “smart” storyline (that’s minus the fluff of a Bond flick), and the film’s rugged, washed out cinematography. These three points, which could have served to make this a uniquely engaging film, instead served to crop up as its greatest mistakes.
Starting with Matt Damon, we come to the indispensable fact that he’s really nothing more then an emotionless robot. Many could argue that a covert operations specialist would be void of emotion, trained to be bland and tasteless. Others could just as easily argue that this is a movie. And if the character isn’t engaging or elicit empathy in some way with the audience, then there must be problems with the character and/or the actor. In this case I thought it was Damon who made the slip-up. No matter what happens in the film, his character Jason Bourne, accepts it with the quiet gravity and personality of a wooden marionette. When he does display some sense of emotion he falls pray to the cookie-cutter emotional responses common in 9 out of 10 actors.
Regarding the film’s plot however, I tend to be a bit more forgiving. True, it was a mess of espionage and double-crosses, but I think we’ve come to expect that from our spy films. Spy films offer a unique opportunity; when a plot hole exists in the story, simply cover it over with “missing files” or “information that’s encrypted”. The Bourne Supremacy, like any other spy film, builds for itself a history that’s muddled in secret missions and devious government programs. While its choking thickness is something I’d normally slander a film for, I feel I can let this issue off with a warning. The Bourne Supremacy you see is merely a cinematic manifestation of everything we’ve come to love in modern serial television. Shows like 24, Alias and a host of others coast by week after week on contorted plotlines like this. If the people love it why change it?
But the biggest and most unforgivable mistake of the film lies in the cinematography and camerawork. This is without a doubt some of the worst camerawork to be committed to film this year, and the most railing thing about it is that you just know it was done on purpose.
Most, if not all of the film seems to be shot on a very shaky handheld. Why? Probably because the director of photography and the director felt that it would give the movie a cool, edgy and independent look. It doesn’t, it just looks unprofessional. Shots fail to frame up; views seem to wander on and off the characters, and to worsen the matter the editing is sharp and fast. And the film’s strengths suffer because of it. There’s a car chase sequence in this film that’s just fantastic. It’s truly a contender for being as well done as the respective sequences in Ronin or the French Connection. But it’s all lost due to the shaky hand-held camera. There’s a reason why the steady cam was invented. And believe me, no matter how much of an aesthetic appeal some filmmakers think a handheld has, there are entire legions of independents that wish they had the budget to use a steady cam.

All in all? Fine, but just like the samurai genre, I’ve yet to see a good spy film that’s definitive of this generation. The Bourne Supremacy had what it took to become a noteworthy film, but it wasted its strengths because of a few misplaced weaknesses.

Time Stamps

To be honest, I have no idea why we get the time stamps and not the "comment links". I also went through the settings, trying to figure it out. It's crazy. I'll try and figure out what the dealio is...

My Trip Smoked

My Trip Smoked

What follows is an account of the blogger Brock H. Brown's travels...

Braid

In writing a detailing of my experiences at the Braid shows, I came to two conclusions: The first is that Gabe, being the bigger fan, wrote a much stronger summary. The second conclusion is that a justification of Braid's excellence is pointless. History has already written volumes on Braid's worth. Hence, instead of spending your precious time and emptying my vocabulary, I'd much rather expound upon the band's dynamic. Don't worry; you can rest assured that the shows killed. In my exploration of Braid's live inner-workings however, you will come to an understanding of that.
First and foremost, you need to take into account that Braid is a vastly different band then Hey Mercedes. I say this because in my observation of Hey Mercedes live I've noticed that Hey Mercedes is primarily a "frontman" band. Although influenced by its other members, it’s shaped by the stage presence of its frontman, Bob Nanna. But in order to see the difference between Hey Mercedes and Braid you must throw in Chris Broach. And the second you do that, the group ceases to be a "frontman" band and becomes a counter-balancing act. Broach is quite simply the frontman opposite Nanna. Nanna is poppy, thoughtful, whereas Broach is dark and emotive. In essence, Bob Nanna croons the audience with his feelings; Broach unloads them like caps from a semi-automatic. Nanna was always a performer of want, and Broach one of need. And this dynamic between the two, this contrast shows greatly in a live performance.
That isn't so say that Broach’s lack in Hey Mercedes makes that group worthless, just that his presence is part of what made Braid so worthwhile.
The truly haunting moment during the shows came however at the end of the night. Closing with the last song on Frame and Canvas, "I Keep a Diary", the boys who became Hey Mercedes gradually exited the stage, one by one, until the audience was left with the visual commentary of a solitaire Broach whom strummed the song's final chords.

Disneyland

Being able to see the Braid shows with Gabe, Rebeckah and Alex was a real treat. But the secondary purpose of my trip to California was a hook-up with my family at a two-day stint in Disneyland.
Aside from being able to enjoy the added presence of my aunt, uncle and young cousin (they all flew in front Salt Lake City just to be there) I got to enjoy some of the rides at the massive theme park.
Yeah, Mickey Mouse is a corporate bastard, and Eisner has enough money to mass-burn his greed in the world's most expensive bonfire, but the immense fun of the park quelled every anti-corporate slogan that normally emerges from my mouth. Besides, why should I let the brutal opinions of the anti-corporate cannibal within me interfere with family time? We all got to go on cool rides like Indiana Jones, and the brand new Tower of Terror. My Mom, a normally timid person, went for some of the most gut-wrenching rides at the park, like the Tower and even Disney California's loopy, vomit churning roller coaster.
While I have yet to fully get behind roller coasters, I did go on the Tower of Terror. And let me tell you, the free fall experience of you and 20 other people hurling down a metal shaft into absolute darkness is far worse then anything a mere roller coaster could throw at you. My Uncle tended to think so too: "The rush of speed on the coaster is completely different then the feeling of free fall. I just felt like my stomach was trying to force a way up my throat there."
Still, there were a few oppressions that befell us at "the happiest place on earth". Namely, the tormenting heat. "Hey! I thought Disneyland was in California," you say, "not Phoenix". I thought so too, but apparently, California is going through a patch of warm weather right now. And the combination of heat and being dropped down dark shafts serves to drain the stamina very quickly.
The other downside? This would be the un-ending vendetta between my family and "Splash Mountain" (or the 'log-raft' ride for you non-Disney folk). For years we've tried to ride that infernal attraction to no avail. Massive lines and time constraints always kept it out of our schedule. But this year would be different. This year we got "fast-passes" to the ride, allowing us to skip ahead of the throngs of people and experience the ride at our comfort. It was all coming together when, in my family's moment of triumph, the park shut Splash Mountain down due to "ride difficulties". What?! You mean the ride had won again? Next year...it’s end game for the log-rafts.

Coronado

After Disneyland we made the trek down to San Diego and stayed a few days on the beautiful Coronado Island. While I could let my volatile disposition pass subtly at Disneyland, I couldn't help but comment a few times on the snooty disposition of Coronado and Hotel Del. And a few others in my family couldn't either. You see, us Browns, we're not wealthy, but we do enjoy spending time in nice places. And Coronado, despite all of its catering to society's "upper-crust", is a relaxing and sociable place to visit. The Hotel Del is always nice to stay in, more for its architectural impression then its elitist tendencies. It was built about a hundred and sixteen years ago, and it still smacks of the rich Victorian era. The dark woodwork and shining handrails, they were a lone Bohemian’s entire dream in the 1800's. And they're still nice surroundings. Besides, spending time on Coronado, despite the riches, added much needed inspiration for my short story. It does reference the island's "golden beeches and shores" after all.

Super

Recently purchased DVDs:

X-Men 1.5
Superman: The Movie
2001: A Spacey Odyssey

Yup, trying to fill up on the older movies.

Yo, Brock, why is it we don't have a link for comments that actually says "comments" instead of the time stamp? I went through the comments settings and didn't see anything.

Oh, Mickey

Welcome back, Brock! Good to have you back. I can't wait to hear about your trip, like how you ran into Mickey Mouse's arms and he spinned you around, all the while you're peeing your pants! Or not. That's just kind of how I imagined it. My sick mind.

Some things of note

Before I start with a big post sometime tomorrow, I'll nip a few little things in the bud tonight.

-You can post comments now. Click the time links at the end of every post to see the comments for that post. (I.E. 10:46)

-I've tried several times to write a short story, but over my trip I got near to finishing one for the first time. And now that I'm back, I plan to do the deed. I began this short story when I was on the road with Gabe and his wife to see The Casket Lottery back in May, and I've nearly completed it with this trip. It's entitled Blood on the Golden Shores and once it's done I'll let you read it.

-Josh and his bro's blog is delicious. I loves me some "Try Avoidance".

-Star Wars, Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith. And yes, I'm a nerd.

-Brock

Interstellar blast

...I'm back to save the universe. As you've probably guessed, I couldn't access the net while I was over in California. I'm sorry about that. But I'm back now, and I promise to tell you plenty about the trip in the coming days. Good post Gabe! He hit the nail on the head; Braid was...surreal.

Surrealism

“Surreal.” It was uttered repeatedly over the weekend. How else would you describe seeing a favorite band for the first time, five years after their demise?

My wife, Rebekah, and I ventured on a six hour trip to California to see the temporarily reunited Braid. Brock and Alex accompanied us. We saw them perform at the Chain Reaction in Anaheim on Friday night, and at the El Rey (awesome place, converted from an old theater) in Los Angeles on Saturday night. Surreal.

The crew took the stage. Bob, Chris, Todd and Damon. The anticipation, culminated over a couple of months, plus the ocean salty air, created a dreamy atmosphere. Was it a dream? So real.

The four of us were quite familiar with Bob, Todd and Damon, having seen them several times as Hey Mercedes. But Chris Broach adds quite a dynamic with his playing and pained yells. If I had seen them before, I think I would’ve said “dang, it’s like they never broke up.” But I guess they were still working out some rough edges at the beginning of the tour. Therefore, I was happy to see them near the end of it.

Braid had become my life’s theme around late ’97. I had the chance to see them on two occasions. Couldn’t make either. They broke up. I was devastated. So, I’ve tried to make it up by seeing them three times on their reunion tour. I rocked out with my fellow Braid devotees, yelling every lyric at the top of my lungs at all three shows. My vocal cords took a beating too. All in good fun. Bob Nanna joked at the Phoenix show after having Jimmy Eat World open – “it’s good to support the local, struggling bands.”

They played all shows with equal intensity. I can’t begin to describe it. I don’t have the words. Perhaps Brock will do it.

Thank you, Braid.

Cali Post?

Monday I got back from a three day weekend in California. Braid was the reason. And it was good. More on that later.

Brock's family came through Sunday to begin their week long stint in the area. So, Brock's still over there. His hotel should have Internet access. Will we see a post from Brock in Cali? Post it up, Brock!

That's Not All...

Also, Cop 633 in Chunking Express, is Broken Sword in Hero! Didn't even recognize Tony Leung Chiu Wai.

Yes, I'm Not Crazy will be screened, along with about 48 others. They'll be shown at the Harkins Centerpoint in Tempe on Wednesday, July 21st. Tickets are $5 and can be obtained from the Phoenix Film Festival office (602-955-6444).

Comments

I'm trying to enable comments. Let's see if this works.

Edit Doh! I wonder why it's not working...

Foolproof

He's the same cinematographer? That's crazy!
Hey everyone, I'm Not Crazy will be screened on the 21st. I think I have the details in an e-mail Gabe sent me. I'll post them and if you're a Phoenix resident and you're not doing anything that night, maybe you can jaunt on over and see our flick on the big screen!!

Cinemaustralian

On another interesting note regarding Wong Kar Wai, is that he's used the cinematographer Christopher Doyle a few times. He's Australian but he's filmed quite a few Chinese movies, including a new favorite of ours, Hero starring Jet Li. He also filmed Rabbit Proof Fence, a very enjoyable movie.

Curse of La Mancha

Well, thanks for the words regarding our film man. Maybe I'm hard on myself, and yeah, I think you pretty much nailed our flick's flaws. Still, you can't help but ponder. Oh well.

One of the little niceties that I’ve grown used to over the past few months has been watching Cowboy Bebop on Cartoon Network’s adult swim. Admittedly, Cowboy Bebop comes on very late, but I suffer from insomnia. Watching it feels like winding the night down with a good prime time show.
However, they recently stopped playing it at 1:00 in the morning on Cartoon Network. Now they play it on Saturdays, I think. Still, it bothers me to no end. I enjoyed being able to watch it nearly every night of the week. It’s by far my favorite Japanese Anime and quite possibly one of my favorite shows of all time. Quite simply, I’m going through Cowboy Bebop withdraws. So I think I’m going to end up buying the series collection on DVD. Sequentially of course, but I’d like to have it because of a few episodes in particular.


Speaking of Asian entertainment, I also wanted to mention that I enjoyed the film by Wong Kar Wai. I’d love to see some more of his work, particularly Fallen Angels. With regard to his films it’s also interesting to consider his work methods. I’m probably going to explain this incorrectly, but I think what Josh told me about his method is that “he gives his actors an overview of the story and the situations and then lets them act it out as they may". Regarding that, the results he gets from his actors is extraordinary. His films, for lack of a better comparison, seem to be the cinematic counterparts of a J.D. Salinger story.


Moving on to a few tidbits of musical news, you might find it fitting to know that Modest Mouse is currently filming their next music video for the single “Ocean Breathes Salty”. While there’s no real information given regarding the video aside from the single itself, Modest Mouse do plan to appear on Late Night with Conan O’Brian on the 21st. It’s presumed they’ll play Ocean Breathes Salty, although the crowd might riot if they don’t play "Float On". Of course they could always end up playing a non-single, like they did on Letterman with “Satin in a Coffin”.

Modest mouse will also be playing at the Celebrity Theater here in Phoenix on the 23rd. Unfortunately I won’t be able to see them as I’ll be on vacation in San Diego. Before I head over to San Diego though I’ll be with Gabe, Rebeckah and Alex at the two Braid shows in L.A. With all the good reports of their tour so far, I expect this to be not only a fun trip but also a fun set of shows.

And as always I’ll take along reading material for the trip. At Coachella I had Moby Dick and for The Casket Lottery I brought Sherlock Holmes and Earnest Hemmingway. This time I’ll be bringing Don Quixote. We toss around jokes about the Curse of La Mancha often enough that I’ve unavoidably become interested in La Mancha itself and the character behind the story, Don Quixote. When I thought upon what I should bring to read for this trip I ultimately decided that I might as well read the book itself. Who knows? Maybe Gilliam will never finish it. Maybe years from now I’ll set out to complete Brock H. Brown’s version of Don Quixote. (not really)

Au Contraire

Yes, I still live. We're proud to have come across a sole reader, our friend, Josh Provost.

Ah, the artiste and his constant self-degredation. Brock, your performance is nary the cause of our failing to make the top 25. Besides, I had a visible laugh as well. Those could have been cut, but the real problem was in the focus of the film. The majority of that being a character that was insanely retarded doing crazy stuff (no offense to the mentally handicapped). As funny as it was, it took away from the theme of "escape." However, we definitely had a better film than some of those that made it. We can only blame that on the judges who have a affection for the mundane and ordinary.

Brock and I were able to enjoy a viewing of a Wong Kar Wai film (Chungking Express) at Josh's house. It was enjoyable and I would like to see more of his stuff.

Radiohead Album 7

According to At Ease, Radiohead will begin work on their 7th album in 2005. Check it out.

Future Brock also has a finished script

Right now I’m in the middle of rewriting my script. I had begun the rewriting process quite a while ago but neglected it until now. Rewriting is very difficult; it involves a lot of problem solving, plenty of thought and analysis and a little bit of self-meditation. And you never quite know if you’re fixing the problems with the script or simply creating more. I’m working on the rewrite now though because I want to finish the script and have it as polished as I can in time to send it into this contest. I’m going to see if Gabe, Alex and maybe Rebeckah can read it this time as well and offer insight.
Now, as you probably know, whenever I get involved in some writing endeavor, I tend to squelch on my posting duties here at Eyes Like Static. But I’m going to do my best not to let that happen this time. In fact, I’ve got some items in particular I want to mention later this week.

And guess what? This time next week I’ll have seen Braid, twice. Future Brock is such a fortunate dude…

With Great Power

When I last blogged nine days ago, I denoted that I had much to “talk about”. “Complain about” would be the better wordage, for I had just come from seeing the 25 films that won the Phoenix 48-Hour Film Challenge. Yes, Alex, Kevin, Gabe and his wife, and myself had gone to the screening of the top 25 films in order to see what beat us. As it turned out, it wasn’t much.
That’s not to take away the vision and finesse beheld by the sole “greatest film” of the night, Klac, but it is to say that aside from a few films, very little stood out as being great, or even better then our film. My reasoning behind that is this: One of the top ten films was nothing more then a taping of a bunch of guys sitting around and “discussing” what they should do for their project. Once you realize the laziness that must go into creating a project like that, you can’t help but feel the very fiber of your integrity being eaten away.
Yes, some of these films were bad.

In fact, they were bad enough that I couldn’t help but question “if these could make it then why couldn’t ours?” As I sat there and had to endure film after film, I remembered one of the sole criticisms that I heard time and again from people who viewed our film: You can see me laughing.
In more then one scene I can’t help but crack up from everything that’s going on around me. If you think it’s funny to watch Kevin Ross, the guy in the sports gear, prance around our washed out office screaming “superbowl”, then just imagine what it was like to physically be there and have him scream it into your face. I couldn’t help but smile every now and then. And wouldn’t you know it, the takes in which I’m smiling are the ones in which Kevin and Gabe give their starkest, most poignant representations of their caricatures. Still, the point hit home within me. I felt that I had costed us the screening. Deep down I believed, and still do believe that because of my numerous crack-ups, the judges decided to pass on us.
Yet that irks me to no end, because the rest of the film came together quite nicely. I have to say that even though my performance was bad, Gabe’s and Kevin’s were quite good. Moreover, the cinematography (I feel) was quite good for a short film that cost virtually nothing. And that’s not me tooting my own horn there; we all had our say in the visual look and feel of the film. Many of those angles are mine, yet I’d wager that Kevin and Alex have just as many. Gabe happened one of my favorite shots, the placid fish-eye shot that represented a security camera.
I guess what I’m getting at is that just because I screwed up my performance doesn’t mean that the other guys and the film itself deserve to be penalized. And that’s probably not what happened, but it’s certainly the theory that’s been running through my head.

After the screening I felt quite despondent. I couldn’t help but consider “if we got beat by stuff like that, what does that have to say about our dream of being filmmakers as a whole?” I was crestfallen. Thankfully, a midnight screening of Spider-Man 2 was the perfect remedy.
Yes, everything you’ve heard about Spider-Man 2 is true: It’s a great comic book film, a fun summer flick, and a touching character drama. But what impressed upon me, especially that night, was that no matter how hard Spider-Man tries, no matter how hard Peter Parker works to set his life aright, Sam Rami has no qualms about keeping things adrift. The first 20 minutes of the film are particularly harsh on the protagonist. We see him drift from job to job with nothing more then a few bucks and some invisible sense of purpose to keep him going. That unseen sense of purpose just might be drawn up from the charismatic Mary Jane, Peter Parker’s love interest from the first film. Yet, Rami and the story is particularly harsh here, using every disadvantage that could be taken from the Spider-Man persona, and directing it towards the dissolution of Peter’s relationship with Mary Jane. And it works. As the film goes on the characters’ ties to one another wilt. Equally as striking is the rift Spider-Man creates between Peter and his friend Harry Osborne. Osborne still remembers the death of his father, and he hasn’t forgotten his promise to get revenge upon Spider-Man. Naturally, he spends most of the film drilling Peter (Spider-Man’s “personal” photographer) on his own secret identity.
With all of these characters intertwining one another and being driven apart by Spider-Man, I felt that Rami had succeeded in recreating the very essence of the comics. That sole essence is this: Peter Parker doesn’t win. Even though he keeps Spider-Man a secret he still ends up paying merely because of his secret persona’s existence. It’s a catch 22; his friends and loved ones aren’t close to him because he keeps himself deliberately at a distance. Yet by revealing his identity, his friends would surely destroy him.
Also noteworthy about the film is Alfred Monilia’s performance as Doctor Otto Octavius, or as he’s later referred to as Doc Ock. The charisma and interplay between him and Peter Parker was nicely done. He’s certainly established as one of the better performances in this series.

At the request of a fan

Josh tells me to blog more. I will tomorrow. I'm just lazy.

More to come

Ohhh, have I got much to say. Much indeed.

We didn't make the cut

Sorry for the lack of updates, but I've sort of been a little weird the past few days. I haven't been unstable or anything, I simply mean that my desire to blog has been null. The first thing that comes to mind for mentioning is that our film didn't make the cut in the 48-Hour Film Challenge. It's no big deal, it was our first effort to submit a short to a contest after all. Moreover, we did it in less then 48 hours, which, for a group of relative beginners, is pretty damned good. And, we all love the short. Who cares if some film board doesn't? For a first effort I'll always cherish it.

Your lucky numbers

First one to e-mail Gabe and I with the correct guess as to who in the video is Gabe and I gets a prize.

Red Carpet

That's right, yo. Roll out the red carpet for Matter of Chance Productions! Ours, and 45 other short films, will be viewed and judged this Wednesday. The top 25 will be shown at a screening next week. I sure do hope we make it.

If you'd like to see this little film of ours, I'll have a link for it in our Links section shortly. It's around 20-something MB.

48-Hour Rush

The 48-Hour film challenge is over, and I gotta say it was a blast. I'm tired though. I need about 72-Hours to recover.

Return of the Beasties: The Brouhaha

To The 5 Boroughs - Review

When he released his much anticipated reunion album with the E-Street Band in 2003, multi-platinum artist Bruce Springsteen introduced his fans to a dark and somber work that characterized his feelings regarding the attacks on the Twin Towers. His album, The Rising distinguished the artist’s newly revealed opinions on the heated controversies and social issues that marked the day. But he wasn’t the first, and surely not the last to express such views. Since then everyone from Bono to Sparta, Radiohead and the Flaming Lips have taken the time to address their concerns both publicly and musically regarding the world’s current state of affairs. Their opinions are ardent and their views nothing short of strong.
Now flash back six years to 1998. The Beastie Boys have just unleashed their latest studio masterpiece, Hello Nasty, a wild, frenzied marriage of rock, hip hop and rap. The beats are bombastic, and the rhymes silly. With videos for their devastatingly popular singles, Body Movin’ and Intergalactic, the Beasties prove to fans everywhere that they’re just out to have a good time.
But after Hello Nasty nothing happened. Six years dwindled by. The world changed. The kids who had listened to the Beasties in high school grew up, possibly got married, moved on and got jobs. Divisive social elements struck hard worldwide and still the Beastie Boys remained silent. Bruce Springsteen and a plethora of other artists released their so-called defining works on the events surrounding September 11th, 2001. But on June 15th, 2004 the Beasties kept quiet no more.

There had been talk for months on end of a new Beasties album, but to actually hold it in your hands is nothing short of surreal. Also surreal is the very serious, social conscious views expressed on this album. As previously noted, the Beasties were known by their strictly party attitude. They often had smart, witty concepts and rhymes, but to see them throw their lot in with such artists as Springsteen and others by commenting upon the tragedies of September 11th is unexpected.
If that weren’t enough of a shock to the system, listeners will also be taken back by the album’s sparse, nearly void sonic landscape. Hello Nasty was vivid, lush. Its beats, samples and loops oftentimes borderline overcrowded. But on To The 5 Boroughs the Beasties have room to spare in their empty, almost hollow sounding hip-hop elegies. Surely, both the politicking and emptiness are intentional and reflective of the album’s subject matter: the ultimate dirge to New York and current events.
Yet, despite being expressed with deep conviction and feeling, the political opinions and social views become tiresome. While it’s certainly nice to hear the views of a group of artists you love and respect it’s a little bewildering to hear them express basically the same thing as everyone else.
True, their slanders of Bush and his companions are delivered in the typical Beasties fashion, “Is the U.S. gonna keep breaking necks? Maybe its time we impeach Tex. By the time Bush is done, what will be left?”. It’s just a bit surprising to find out that such views could be expressed in the typical Beasties fashion.
Take it as you receive it I suppose, there may be some who will find their political focused rapping conducive and enjoyable. Personally, I’d much rather hear rhymes more consistent with the theme developed in the lead single, Ch-Check It Out.

But how are the songs themselves you ask? Well, after waiting six years for new Beasties material, anxiously hoping that their next album would be as good as Hello Nasty, if not better, I can sum up the music itself in one all-encompassing word: Great.
The sparseness is bound to turn some people off to the record, but others will see it for what it truly is, the defining element. Check Your Head had its musical diversity, Ill Communication its groves, and Hello Nasty its sheer complexity. But To The 5 Boroughs will thoroughly be defined by its sparseness. And all for the better I say.
The loops and samples exude a vicious edginess and mood unlike any other Beasties effort. The beats, although simplistic, are genuinely catchy and even a bit clever. And although I haven’t gotten the chance to listen to the album on a true sound-system, I’m sure that these songs, when properly backed up by lots of base, will absolutely blaze.
One song of note I’d like to mention is “An Open Letter to New York” which is without a doubt, the masterpiece of this album. Other reviews (the Pitchfork one for example) criticize this song for its general word-pictures of New York City, contending that a more defined, abstract view of the city was called for to express its beauty. I’d stand to object, for in this song, the rapping draws the listener to appreciate New York even if he or she has never been to the metropolis. It develops a common appreciation and understanding with its listeners; in other words, by using easily understood themes in expressing the majesty of New York, no one gets left out in enjoying this track.

After six years of heated anticipation, it’s nice to see the Beastie Boys back in business. Fans have been longing to be reintroduced to their geeky hip-hop saviors for years. But the album’s failing rests in the trio’s inability to completely deliver upon that longing. With much of the rapping the Beasties decided to toss out most of their slap-dash comic references in favor of a political slant. While the music is darkly refreshing, the views aren’t. It’s all been said before, just not rapped. But it never had to be. That’s the album’s failing, and yet at the same time, it’s not a devastating one. It’s still a fine Beastie Boys record, full of hot beats and choice samples. And I should say, it is nice to have the Beasties back. I’d rather hear their opinions than Bono’s.

We Got The

New Beasties Album - Check Review soon.

And now begins Act II

I think that for a first video, our filming went generally smoothly. There were a few problems here and there and things that we had to figure out, but otherwise it was great. I also think it’s going to be a good video. Gabe showed me some of the footage he captured onto his PC earlier this week and it looks astoundingly better then when I first saw it on the camera’s playback screen.
It was merely a taste though for what’s to come. The Phoenix Film Challenge updated their time requirements for all entrees; all videos must be no longer then 5 minutes (or is it six?). I’m hoping that things work out for us and that we’re able to guide our project through the 48 hours. But there are a number of factors I’m going to be paying close attention to throughout the shoot. First and foremost, I want to make sure that if Alex and Kevin bring Canon XLS1 cameras to our team that Gabe and I are able to adequately use them without spending too much time learning how. Secondly, we won’t have a substantial amount of time to think up and create our video. Moreover, it isn’t just Gabe and I shooting the video, its Gabe, myself, plus Kevin and Alex. We all know one another very well, but I’m hoping that no differences in opinions or creative conflicts arise. With the time and the new members to the team, I don’t want to get forced into bypassing some important first stage of the film’s creation, like minor storyboards, a treatment or script.
Those are just some of the worries that have been filtering through my mind. I’m perfectly sure that nothing will go outlandishly bad, but still, it helps to expect everything to go bad. I think we’ll all have to just trust in one another and learn to interact and work accordingly.

I purchased some new (old) music earlier this week when I got The Pharcyde’s masterwork Bizarre Ride II. I’ve only known the Pharcyde briefly, but their music video and Fatlip’s documentary on the Spike Jonez DVD encouraged me to check them out. I was even more prompted into their music when Gabe related to me that he had seen them years back at Lollapalooza and that they were a good group. Thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed.
Bizarre Ride II is an amazing record. Despite being more then ten years old it still strikes me as a stunning accomplishment. The beats, grooves and overall atmosphere created by the group marks it as a nice companion piece to another defining record of that time: The Beastie Boys’ “Check Your Head”.
Speaking of the Beasties, their new album comes out next week!

Cut! Print!

Well, Brock and I finished up filming for our video. It went well and it was pretty fun. We got a taste of how much work can be involved with these things, and what can go wrong. On to editing.

Here are a few links to Salon's articles on "Pay for Play."

Pay for Play
Payola City
The Day the Music Died

Payola is a load of Crapola

Gabe sent me an article today about the current standard of “payola” in the record industry, and having just read it I can’t even begin to express my anger and distaste at all of the corruption going on in music. The sheer volume of bribery and shady tactics going down is boggling. Maybe Gabe will post the article, but rest assured, there’s a plethora of crap going on behind the scenes that listeners aren’t aware of.
And it makes me Mad. Mad enough that I remembered this crazy idea of mine to become a disc jockey, an idea that sprouted in my mind shortly before I entered college. I wanted to become a DJ primarily so I could play the music I wanted hear. I remember riding around with Alex during the summer, picking up lunch, or shopping for video games or whatever, and listening to the radio, only to be put off by all of the repetitive music we heard. Avril Lavigne, Britney Spears, Blink-182, they all sounded the same. I wanted to become a DJ so I could play stuff like Braid or Hum, or whatever it was I currently liked, stuff that didn’t get played.
But this seedy business going on in the music industry rekindled my desire, with a completely different objective: smite Clear Channel and all of the money-grubbing middle-men bastards who are bullying radio stations into playing the latest 3 minute teeny bopper ballad.
It’ll never happen. The most I could ever hope for would be to work at a campus radio station for a semester or two. Besides, I can infuse my anger and disgust into my films, and possibly reach a much wider audience.

Enough rating, sorry you had to endure that. I should focus on something positive now. For one, Gabe is going to pick me up in 20 minutes so we can go film. I think we mentioned a while back that we planned on doing some music videos for some of our favorite groups, and tonight we’re seeing that vision realized. Gabe’s got his camera, and some new equipment, and we’ve both got ideas for a video for The Casket Lottery’s song “Leaving Town”. I don’t think the band would mind. After all, it’s not like Clear Channel would allow the video to be played without a little payola.

Broach it!

Speaking of Chris Broach, I just received in the mail yesterday, the L'Spaerow CD. I started listening to it this morning and it sounds pretty good. A bit like The Firebird Band. I also got, Kill Bill vol. 1 - Soundtrack, Mogwai - Young Team and The Firebird Band - Archives.

Tonight: Rocky Votolato @ Modified.

Gimmie More

So I'm listening to Chris Broach's newest band (to my knowledge) Life at Sea, and they sound pretty damned good. I just might have to get their album.

First Day Back

Do you realize that tomorrow, Braid (one of the finest indie bands of the 90's for the uninformed) will play their first show since 1999? They broke the hearts of fans everywhere when they broke up in 99, but now they're back together, playing their reunion tour. Check out the link at the side, and be sure to see them.

Not to confuse children with angels

It’s funny; I was going to say, “Sidewalk Star” is actually kind of neat sounding (in a weird way). But now that I know where you lifted “Matter of Chance” from, I’m all the more enthused about the team name. Maybe years from now we’ll be the top Phoenix production studio, Matter of Chance productions. Heh heh… Yeah, I realized we should have a link since it is a Phoenix cultural event. Maybe some of you readers are planning on entering the event too!

Prepare the Sidewalk Star

Tomorrow I send off Brock and my team's registration form for the 48-Hour Film Challenge (thanks for the link at right, Brock). So far, the team consists of Brock, me, Alex Rotundo and Kevin Ross. We will be called "Matter of Chance" which was repeated several times in the beginning of Magnolia. So, I kind of lifted it from there, though it is a general phrase.

Brock, I'd imagine that someone, somewhere, would have used that split-screen or picture-in-picture technique, but I can't think of any off hand.

Stay outta town

It might be at a Greyhound bus station. Don't tell them either.

P.S. Gabe, has anyone ever used the mini screen (like on TV's when you're watching two shows at once) in a music video?

P.P.S. And yes! I want to see The Good, The Bad and The Ugly!

Good News for the Bad and the Ugly

I just picked up the two disk Collector's Edition of Sergio Leone's The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Can't wait to sit down and watch. I'll have to have you over to view it, Brock.

Brock and I plan on doing our first music video. Just one for fun, to get experience. It will be "Leaving Town" by The Casket Lottery. Shhh, don't tell them!

Just a Reminder

I have to admit, I’ve been a bit taken back recently by the tremendous surge of re-releases. Legendary groups from all eras of the sonic landscape like Jawbreaker, Weezer, Pavement and Modest Mouse have spent time releasing special editions of some of their most famous (or infamous) works to date. In fact, when I was at Coachella Gabe told me that Dinosaur Jr. would soon join the fray with reissued editions of their two masterworks, Bug and You’re Living All Over Me.
With that in mind consider this frail form limping among giants. Picture an album only a few years old getting a face-lift and being tossed into the fray with serious contenders like Mascis and Malkamus. I am of course talking about Reggie and the Full Effect and their re-released debut album, “Greatest Hits”.
Punctuating this revisiting of their old stomping grounds, The Full Effect has retouched the album with new artwork and 7 new songs not found on the original release. Those songs, aptly titled the Lord of the Blings saga, as well as other recordings, could have easily fit on an EP or some other Vagrant compilation. But here they are, along with the original Full Effect songs that gained the band infamy a short while ago. Don’t think for a second though that I’m reprimanding Reggie and the Full Effect for this re-release, don’t even consider it. You see, these songs, clever and so typically Reggie in their own unique styling, are far better then anything to be found in the Moon and Antarctica’s extra recordings. They’re fast, synthy, and in some cases absolutely ludicrous. In other words, they’re Reggie and the Full Effect at their best. Some of the song titles practically drip in overly enthralling dramatics (like “Raining Blood”). Meanwhile, the album itself is the same as always, if not a little better then the first time I heard it. Reggie and the Full Effect have never been better then on their first effort, and I’m beginning to think that no matter how great future releases are they never will be. That’s what makes this re-release so relevant.
Yet, with the lack of reason behind this re-release I fear I’ve found perhaps the biggest Reggie joke of all. The Greatest Hits re-release was never meant as a serious re-issuing of a classic album. You see it only serves to mock albums that consider themselves as such.

Year of the Rabbit: Failure

We never really talked about them (as they weren’t exactly one of our favorite bands), but just so you know, Year of the Rabbit recently broke up. Why, I have no idea. I didn’t expect them to last too long though. I guess that means that Failure remains the longest running project Ken Andrews has been involved in.

Arrest This!

Arrested Development coming back? That's hot! And I was getting ready to shiv that Rupert.

I'm Rupert Murdock, and this is my Bleuth Co.

I'll chat with you all later, but for now, rejoice; Arrested Development will be back for a second season.

Satin on a Beach

Aside from the Casket Lottery show, we had some memorable moments in California. The walk down Hollywood Boulevard was especially notable to me since I’d like to work there one day. I also liked the beach, and I found some time in between the show and sights to read a short collection of Earnest Hemmingway stories and even pen the beginnings of my own short story.
We stayed in some nice areas of California, areas I hadn’t seen before. Hollywood and the beach weren’t the only things we saw. We also saw some massive skyscrapers in L.A. and the Mid-Evil Times restaurant. (We didn’t eat there though…)

The downside to seeing the great performance by The Casket Lottery was missing Modest Mouse’s appearance on David Letterman. I’m sure I can find a video of it somewhere on the net though. Did anyone happen to see it on TV? If so, what did you think? It’s just insanely cool to me that a band like Modest Mouse can walk into a theater where the likes of Jessica Simpson and Avril Lavigne have stood, and turn out a great, yet terribly dark song to millions of viewers. Gabe and I complain about smaller artists like The Casket Lottery going unnoticed, but there are triumphs for underground music here and there. With The Casket Lottery’s show and Modest Mouse’s television appearance, I’d say Friday, as a whole, was a triumph.

On the Air

Am I on? Hello?

Yes, indeed. The Casket Lottery show @ The Che Cafe was stupendous! First of all, the setting was inspiring, a small artsy cafe surrounded by trees on the campus of UCSD (University of California San Diego). The weather was great and we were anxious to see them, after having missed them the night before in Hollywood.

I knew it was going to be awesome when Nathan asked me to help him do the set list. Holy crap, that's never happened to me! What an honor, I must say. It must've been in appreciation of my obsessive fanboyness of The Casket Lottery. When asked to come out to their van, I thought he might turn around, punch me in the stomach, and say "quit stalking us!" Fortunately that didn't happen.

Songs I requested were "One Trick Pony," one of my favorites, "Vista Point," one of the wife's favorites, "Heaven Help Me", knowing it was one of Brock's favorites from Survival is for Cowards, "The Bridge" and "On the Air," because he wanted to play at least one new song. They started out with a 12 song setlist, but because his voice was shot and they were driving to their next destination that night, they cut down to like 9 or 10. Despite that, however, it was the best show they put on that I've seen. And as Brock mentioned, possibly one of the best shows ever.

A major highlight was "Lost at Sea." They dressed it up a little and it sounded really good live. Thanks to their friend, Brent, for helping them out to make those songs possible.

I also videotaped the show on my brand new Panasonic mini-DV camcorder. Brock will pleased to know that it came out quite good for the circumstances. I'm working on editing it now.

More about the entire California trip later. Brock, feel free to expound on it.

The Production That Killed Don Quixote

I finally got around to renting Lost in La Mancha the other day (and watching it tonight), and I have to say it’s a tremendous documentary. The fact is that any film is subject to a number of difficulties at any time during its production and misfires litter the Hollywood landscape. This neat little documentary was utterly heartbreaking to watch because Gilliam’s other films tend to be unique, cerebral masterpieces. He’s a fantastic visionary, but I have to say that he came across as a real tight ass in this “un-making of” film.
Every little thing had to be absolutely perfect with him. Now, I know directors have a certain vision that they have to pursue…I’ve experienced that on a much smaller scale, but he was utterly tyrannical in my opinion. He was surrounded with all of these brilliant producers, crewmembers and actors, a true wealth of talent, and yet the second something went wrong he exploded in a blitz of four-letter expletives. He certainly didn’t seem to pose leadership and guidance to his film crew. I think he was, in essence, a mess.

I was disappointed that the film didn’t delve further into his ideas regarding the script though, which seemed to be a revisionist slant to the Don Quixote tale. I was also a little angry that the documentary chose not to delve into some of the conversations and ideas that Johnny Depp shared with Gilliam. There’s a part when Depp first arrives on location and he begins to discuss the script and his character with Gilliam, and then the documentary cuts away to a completely different aspect of the production. I would have really enjoyed seeing how Depp works with other directors (he’s allegedly very hands-on in the creation of his characters and their role in the film) and it was a shame Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe decided not to expand upon that. Or they just didn’t get that footage, whatever.


Gabe, his wife Beckah and I went to see the Casket Lottery in California last week. I won’t say much about it, because I think it’s better Gabe divulge the details (if he feels like it) but I will say Friday’s show at the Ché Café was the absolute best Casket Lottery set I have ever seen. Maybe one of the best gigs I’ve seen.

Good News (and bad news?)

Modest Mouse’s conquest of mainstream media will reach a high point tomorrow when the band will appear on the Late Show with David Letterman. On a show that’s viewed by millions of people worldwide the Mouse will play not Float On, nor Ocean Breaths Salty, but Satin in a Coffin. Yes, you heard me, Satin in a Coffin, one of the darker elegies on their newest album. I’m sure Letterman will like it.
But in addition to their late night appearances the Mouse also honored the online music store iTunes recently by creating their own “celebrity playlist”. If you’ve viewed the iTunes store you know that a “celebrity playlist” is basically a mix put together by some famous person, like Beyonce or Avril Lavigne. Modest Mouse’s playlist joins the ranks with some very weird dance hall tunes and jazz compilations. Check it out.

On another note, Gabe and I are a tad worried that this current Casket Lottery tour may be their last. No doubt some of you noticed the cryptic message the band’s frontman recently posted. Hopefully that isn’t the case, but either way, be sure to see one of their shows if they’re coming your way.

And yeah, the new blogger is funky. But hey, guess what Gabe? We’ve got 401 posts. Heh, or so it tells me.

Wall of Sound

Wow, the new Blogger is funky.

Ah, yes. The great heat spectacle that was Coachella. Brock summed up the experience nicely. I agree with him that The Pixies were the main highlight of the weekend, though, Mogwai was up there for me. They are an instrumental sonic-rock band that likes to layer the guitars. Some songs featured three guitars. Pretty awesome.

I would've like to have seen MF Doom more closely and for his whole set, but Marco was very, very hungry.

Acting class came to a close for me on Monday. I got an "A". Watch out, here I come...

Coachella Festival: Sunday May 2nd

The insurmountable heat that had pervaded the first day of the festival wasn’t forgotten when we woke up Sunday morning; we were all still a little drained from the previous experience. Yet as we got ready and planned to be at the festival around three we didn’t plan to encounter the bloated traffic leading up and into the festival. After more then two hours of “stop and go” traffic we parked in the dusty festival grounds and questioned once again why we were there. Somewhere around this point Gabe stated, “This was my first festival and it’ll probably be my last”. I think Alex, Marco and myself all agreed to that. It just wasn’t worth it to spend two hours packed in traffic waiting to go to a field jammed pack with 50’000 sweaty humans so we could watch music from a distance. We felt like freaking sardines.
Thankfully, by the time we got there the heat was subsiding. Moreover, we got to watch bands like Cursive, Belle and Sebastian and Air as we waited for Sunday’s headliners.

Speaking of those groups for a moment, I must say that I was extremely disappointed with Cursive’s performance. Gabe had mentioned it to me before we entered the festival, but I didn’t believe him until got to see for myself how sloppy and disjointed the band is live. It’s a humongous disappointment for me because they sound so very cool on their album. I guess they’re just a band that shapes up in the studio.
At the very least they weren’t annoying like Belle and Sebastian, who I wanted more then anything to strangle with a stray mike cord. They’re everything a popped up, substance drained version of the Beatles might be: catchy, cheery, pleasant, but utterly detestable.
It goes without saying that we left the main stage before Belle and Sebastian could finish so we could fork over some more cash to the festival’s overpriced food and drink vendors. After that we headed back to the main stage to stake out a spot for the Flaming Lips and watch Air.
I’ll be honest, I loved Air, but I’m positive that it wasn’t Gabe and Marco’s cup of tea. It was electronic music though, and that’s one of those things that you either love or hate.
After Air’s performance we all began to see some of the bands we were especially excited about, like The Flaming Lips, Mogwai, Basement Jaxx and the Cure.

The Flaming Lips
A fan on the official Coachella message board described the Lips’ performance at the festival by simply stating “over the top”, and I think I agree with him. It was loud, bombastic, and just a tad bit cheesy. But it worked in such a phenomenally energizing way that I’m almost positive they would have done better as headliners then the Cure. I can’t bad-mouth the Cure, but I can say that The Flaming Lips were ridiculously good despite the fact that they only played a 4-song set. Most of it was Wayne Coyne playing games with the audience, but they made the night memorable.

Basement Jaxx
After the Flaming Lips I departed for the outdoor theater to watch Basement Jaxx drop some beats on a very welcoming audience. In all truth, there wasn’t a single person who wasn’t hopping under that theater. People left and right were grooving to Jaxx’s piercing trip-hop grooves and thrashing electronic beats. I even wormed my way into the crowd and began to dance.
Around this time Gabe and Marco were watching Mogwai in one of the festival tents. I can’t say how that show was, but both attested that it was loud and enjoyable.

The Cure – Day 2 Headliners
The Cure wrapped up the second day at the Coachella festival, but I’m not a hundred percent sure they were the best way to end what was otherwise a brilliant weekend of musicians. My doubt stems from several different origins though: For one I’m not a big Cure fan. They’ve got some great songs, but I haven’t heard enough of them to get involved in a live performance.
Second, Robert Smith just didn’t seem to be into it. True enough, we were quite a ways away from the main stage, and Smith’s shtick has always been that of the moper. But there was nothing to identify with in his moping that night. His sullen resignation wasn’t that of the disappointed, but rather that of a man who had just wiped the bank clean and didn’t have to give much in return.
Third, we left early to beat the traffic, so we didn’t catch the entire show. Still, reviews have been disappointing. Most everyone crowned the Pixies as the champions of that weekend, not the Cure.

All in all it was a daunting experience. I think we were both overjoyed and disappointed by some of the things that occurred at Coachella. Marco was more then a little unhappy with the festival’s apprehension of nearly everything you brought onto the polo grounds, including bottles of water. The free water the festival provided was really nothing more then water out of a hose. The clots of t-shirt vendors and merchandizing didn’t help abolish the greedy image the festival projected either.
And while the heat was near unspeakable, we’re Phoenix residents. We’ve been through summers numbering in the hundred and twenty-degree range. It wasn’t until we maneuvered around the near endless seas of people that the worst of the weekend came out.
And on a slightly different note, wouldn’t it have made more sense for Modest Mouse to open up for the Flaming Lips on the second day of the festival?
Ah well…

Into the White

I hope you all enjoyed a good laugh at my “fesitval” miss spelling. I guess that one slipped by my sight. It stays up until tonight as a shame example for a vapid ass like myself.

Speaking of which…

I hope the first Coachella write up wasn’t too much. Believe me, there’s plenty more I could have told you about, but I stuck with the highlights in case there was something Gabe wanted to mention. I’d tell you when to expect the second day’s write up but I’ve been known to phase out due dates. Probably tomorrow, that’s all I’ll say.

These were the set lists for the respective key players on Saturday by the way:

Pixies Bone Machine/U-Mass/Isla De Encanta/Wave of Mutilation/Brocken Face/Cactus/Caribou/No. 13 Baby/Gouge Away/Tame/Monkey Gone To Heaven/Debaser/Velouria/Hey/Gigantic/Nimrod's Son/Here Comes Your Man/Vamos/In Heaven - Where Is My Mind/Into The White

Radiohead Intro - Where Bluebirds Fly/There There/2+2=5/Lucky/Myxomatosis/My Iron Lung/Exit Music (for a film)/The Gloaming/Karma Police/Sail to the Moon/I Might Be Wrong/Sit Down. Stand Up./No Surprises/The National Anthem/Paranoid Android/Idioteque/Street Spirit (fade out)

Encore: You and Whose Army?/Planet Telex/Creep/Everything in its Right Place

Coachella Fesitval: Saturday May 1st

It came as no small irony during Beck’s set list at Coachella when the folk singer hummed out the line “there’s too many people” before a group numbering in the hundreds. As he held on to that lyric, I glanced around to see the hundreds of bodies crowded around a tent that was probably only intended to hold 150 people. The Coachella festival was packed.
Reviews and articles that flooded the media after the festival have reported the attendance to be a record high nearing 50’000 people during both days of the festival. And if those numbers seem ludicrous to read, believe me, they didn’t seem ludicrous at all come Saturday afternoon when Gabe, myself and Marco arrived at the Empire Polo grounds.
Our first day at the festival started off a little shaky. Before Beck’s disappointing appearance we caught some of the “…Trail of the Dead” at the outdoor theater. In hindsight we probably should have stayed there and watched the whole damned thing, because right after Beck we came back to the theater to watch Death Cab for Cutie.
The languid Beck performance had seriously dampened my spirits, and even though the Death Cab and Trail of the Dead sets were both well played, they also put a dent in my personal armor. Groups like Trail of the Dead and Death Cab were great, but it wasn’t like they were bands I couldn’t normally see in Phoenix (at a better ticket price no less). We were baking in the sun and paying marked up prices for lukewarm bottles of water and frozen lemonade. People were lying all around us getting high and t-shirt vendors littered the field. It was at that moment that I considered that I had made a mistake in coming to the festival.

And then the Pixies played.

Pixies
Although I was fairly down on myself before their performance, the Pixies uplifted my spirits and made the entire weekend worthwhile. No band at that festival, save for the Cure has a reputation quite like the Pixies. The Pixies even has the better of the doubt in the case of the Cure, for while some fans either hate or like the Cure’s newer material, most every Pixies fan feels their newer and older works to be equally respectable. Simply put, they’re legends. I’ve seen hype before though, and more often then not the hype isn’t lived up to. But the Pixies lived up to their hype; they excelled to a plain beyond the hype. Their performance Saturday night was so good that every band I saw that day, including my favorite, Radiohead, all palled in comparison.
Tell your friends that the Pixies live and that they conquered that festival like no other.

Radiohead - Day 1 headliner
Radiohead’s performance was brilliant as well, but after such a tremendous showing it was hard to say that they were the best band there that day. Clearly the Pixies were victorious in that regard, but Radiohead’s set was worthy proof that they were the best choice for Saturday’s headliners. Thom Yorke’s voice was riddled with laryngitis, but he still jittered and convulsed across the stage to angular pieces like Myxamatosis and crooned during quieter moments like Exit Music.
The real highlight of the night came though with the band’s encore performance of Creep. In this entire tour I think they’ve played Creep once, maybe twice. But they broke it out Saturday night “for the Pixies”. “Back in college, Pixies and R.E.M. changed my life” Yorke earnestly stated to the multitudes.

We're going to Coachella, Coachella here we come...

Ah yes, Brock and I will be basking in the sound waves of the Coachella Music Festival. We'll tell you all about it when we get back and get done with school and projects. Yee haw.

Slammed

I know exactly what Brock means. I also haven't posted due to being very busy myself.

Brock beat me to Ted Leo, despite my championing of him. I do have him performing live on a couple DVDs and a handful of downloaded songs, just never picked up their material.

When I gather myself back up, I'll post more.

Brock's Segue, Pt. 1

Probably one of the most rewarding (or agonizing) things for a blog reader is to have a post of enormous proportions dropped upon him/her after a week without anything. Yet, you’ll have to forgive me, for I’m about to pull a Pitchfork.
Plainly said, I’ve led a very busy life lately. A brand new screenwriting contest is on the horizon and I’ve had to put in some personal time cleaning up my script and rewriting it in time for my next submission. This semester of school is also rapidly drawing to a close. All of these things, school, the script, and a gaggle of other tedious tasks call for my attention. And as much as I’d like to blog, I’m so worn out by the time I finish other matters that I simply cannot summon the energy to post something meaningful. Quality over quantity I suppose. Or, if you’d prefer, I’ll never fill up a week with meaningless “I’m still alive” posts when I could be giving you news, links or something worthwhile.

But that’s that, and this is this. Since I last spoke to you I’ve been heavily drawn into Modest Mouse’s new CD, which I’ll get to in my next post, and I’ve also discovered some albums that I had previously neglected.
Starting with those gems, a friend of mine sent me copies of Ted Leo’s Hearts of Oak and The Tyranny of Distance. He’s getting the entire Modest Mouse catalogue in return.
Now, I’ll briefly state that I’m strongly against burning music and trading it in most cases. But these were CD’s that I had always told myself I would get but always let fall by the wayside. When I was offered them for simply copying and mailing my Modest Mouse collection, I couldn’t resist. And I’m glad I didn’t.
Ted Leo is everything you want from rock and more. One of the biggest trends in recent years has been for guitar-slinging garage dwellers to pick up their instruments and crank out shabbily produced rock tunes. The White Stripes made it a statement and the Strokes made it a standard. But none of those guys come close to the rock of Ted Leo and his Pharmacists.
This is one of the times I’m inclined to agree with Pitchfork. Ted Leo has taken everything meaningful about this medium and discarded its meaningless fashion statements into a void. Where other guitarists emulate one another again and again, Leo’s guitar thrashes along harmoniously, a distinct extension of the group’s front man/literati. And his voice…it hoops and hollers.
I’m a little late to the Ted Leo craze, but I’m glad I finally listened to his work. He’s fantastic, and if you haven’t had a chance to check him out yet, I strongly urge you to.