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(09/22/10 10:20pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Of Montreal’s new album finds singer/guitarist Kevin Barnes exploring new territory and expanding his sound palette. However, the melodic gold that Barnes has so successfully mined on previous albums is somewhat lacking on “False Priest.”“Priest” was produced by Jon Brion, best known for his film scores. Brion redid the bass parts to give the album some real low end, something that has been missing on previous albums.Barnes uses the newfound bass to great effect on the opener, “I Feel Ya’ Strutter,” which sounds a bit like a tribute to Motown. Elsewhere, he does duets with Janelle Monae and Solange Knowles, both of which work surprisingly well considering Of Montreal is basically a one-man outfit.Although “False Priest” has augmented its sound a bit, it loses some of the impact of the last album. “Skeletal Lamping” was bursting with beautiful melodies and crazy lyrical allusions. Those melodies are absent on this album, as are the dense lyrics.“False Priest” fails to live up to expectations but still finds Of Montreal in fine form.
(09/22/10 9:45pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“Devil” is relatively successful at creating a sense of dread in its first few minutes. Unfortunately, that only includes the opening credits.The credits in question feature an upside down aerial sequence over Toronto. It’s such a simple effect, and yet it’s nearly impossible not to feel squeamish. In a regularly oriented aerial shot, there’s not much fear of a fall, but I couldn’t help imagining falling off the world into nothingness.Everything else is disappointing compared to that clever sequence. Five people get stuck in an elevator while police detectives and unfortunate do-gooders do their best to free them. Oh, and the Devil is there too. Apparently it doesn’t have anything better to do.The problem is that the people stuck in the elevator have no redeeming qualities whatsoever, so it’s a bit difficult to feel any sympathy for them. Chris Messina, who plays the detective in charge of trying to save these people, could be forgiven for calling it a day and just going home. I wish I had done the same.
(09/16/10 12:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>You’ve probably noticed that 3-D movies are a big deal right now. After a short-lived stint in the 1950s, the technology has been revived and cleaned up. Pass by any multiplex, and chances are a 3-D film will be listed on the marquee. Although 3-D might just seem like the next logical technological advance in film, it could potentially change the kind of movies we are able to see and not necessarily in a good way. Past advances in film, such as the move to sound films and then to color film stocks, have forever changed the way we view movies. They opened up previously inaccessible doors. Defenders of 3-D films often use the same argument, but it’s a false one.Other than the occasional student film and some magnificent stragglers from Charlie Chaplin, sound was here to stay after first being introduced in the 1920s. Commercial films benefited from the new dimension in entertainment, while art films were also afforded new opportunities. The same was true of color photography in films. Most filmmakers can suit their creations to color, but the option of black and white still exists when necessary.Now 3-D is back after that first hiccup, but it’s not poised to be transformative like those previous advances. Although sound and color might have been developed for financial gains, they were adopted by all artistic persuasions; so far, 3-D has been used almost exclusively for big budget blockbusters (plus the occasional nature documentary). The argument that 3-D is new and hasn’t caught on yet is disingenuous; we’ve known about it for decades.A. O. Scott of the New York Times pointed out in a piece begrudgingly accepting the current 3-D frenzy that no serious dramas have been released in 3-D. Its gimmicky nature isn’t predisposed to anything serious. Most 3-D films throw in obligatory and cheesy effects. Roger Ebert, an outspoken critic of 3-D, has pointed out one of its major technical flaws. Due to the dark glasses, 3-D films lose the brightness and striking colors of their 2-D brethren. But who cares about colors when you can have stuff that looks like it’s flying right at you!Perhaps 3-D can be confined to horrible blockbusters, never to impinge on good films. But somewhere, a film executive smells money. Like blood in the water, sharks will flock. Coming soon: “Casablanca” in 3-D.
(09/15/10 11:26pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The idea behind Robyn’s “Body Talk” series might have seemed overly grand: three albums released in the span of a year. So far, the series has been a startling success, and “Body Talk Pt. 2” is even better than the first installment.The secret to the success of the second volume is consistency. “Body Talk Pt. 1” was an extreme example of front loading, where each song wasn’t quite as good as the one that preceded it. By the final song, a piece sung in Swedish, I was done. But “Body Talk Pt. 2” sustains its quality all the way through.The opening track, “In My Eyes,” has a synthesizer line that alternates from light to dark moods while building up an emotional reaction. “U Should Know Better” is a collaboration with Snoop Dogg that finds him surprisingly aggressive after selling his soul to Katy Perry this summer.Somehow Robyn just isn’t as popular as other artists who use synthesizers and dance beats to obtain a similar effect. “Body Talk Pt. 2” might just even things out.
(09/15/10 11:16pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The end is nigh. Steve Carell will not be returning after the seventh season of “The Office,” and unless something drastically changes, there won’t be anything worth watching once he’s gone. So it’s time to consider the second-to-last season.Many people considered Season 6 the weakest of the batch (other than possibly the shortened Season 4). But after examining the episodes and having them all conveniently grouped, it’s harder to blindly accept that.Season 6 contains important (and excellent) episodes in Jim and Pam’s wedding, the subsequent baby, a crazed Michael playing a murder-mystery game and plenty of other things there isn’t time to list. Unfortunately, lesser episodes like “Mafia” followed the excellent wedding episode. Better timing might have made a less negative impression.Even widely reviled episodes like “Scott’s Tots” never really hit bottom. The episode is painfully awkward, not of low quality, something with which the show is willing to experiment.Season 6 of “The Office” might still be a weaker season, but hindsight can only help it.
(09/08/10 10:58pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>We Americans like our thrillers to be loud, fast and violent. “The American” is rarely any of these things, and yet, it is one of the best made thrillers of recent years.George Clooney has made a name for himself playing variations of the same character. Although usually intense, his characters are softened by a humor and charm that instantly attract audiences. We wish we could be Clooney, who can glide through any situation imaginable unscathed.His character in “The American” is different. Gone is the charisma, gone is the humor. The man, sometimes known as Jack, other times Edward, is focused and severe. His life is devoted to his profession with his few bits of free time devoted to dispensable prostitutes.The profession in question is assassin and weapon supplier. After a vacation tragically cut short, Jack/Edward flees to Italy where he has been given a new job: to make a rifle for an assassination.While hiding out in a remote village to craft the rifle, the man of no name starts a relationship with a prostitute. In time, she seems to truly care about him. As is always the case, things are complicated by relationships, and this one puts Clooney in danger.The film, directed by Anton Corbijn, is never lacking in dazzling visuals. Throwaway shots are nonexistent, and even the most mundane locations are treated as if they contain a hidden majesty.Some have criticized Clooney’s character as being too cold and distanced, and therefore hard to identify with. However, this is not a man to identify with, and a warmer person would be out of place as the solitary weapon maker.Although it eschews cheap thrills, “The American” is expert at crafting an all-encompassing feeling of suspense.
(09/01/10 10:30pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>While watching “The Last Exorcism,” I felt something rarely observed during horror films: relief. Relief that I wasn’t being exploited and relief that at least a tiny bit of style was evidenced by this movie. It was a pleasant feeling.The movie isn’t particularly original. All films in the exorcism sub-genre owe a debt to “The Exorcist.” The film’s documentary feel is lifted from “The Blair Witch Project,” yet somehow the movie isn’t bogged down by comparisons to those.The exorcist in question is an evangelical preacher who wants to do one final exorcism. He doesn’t actually believe in exorcisms, despite years of performing them, so he plans to document all his tricks to prove it’s a fake.Of course, this time it’s actually real. (Shouldn’t someone acquainted with exorcism movies expect that?) As the climax approaches, things start to get a bit silly, but the careful build-up mostly makes up for it. Few current horror films bother with development, and it’s nice to be surprised for once.
(09/01/10 10:20pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>While soaking up the last bits of summer at home before returning to Bloomington for the fall semester, I had the opportunity to see Luca Guadagnino’s “I Am Love” at the local art theater. The film was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen, and it got me thinking about beauty in films. More specifically, where did it go?Every frame of “I Am Love” is meant to be studied and admired. The camera coddles and caresses the Italian landscape, evoking the memory of civilizations long gone. Simple shots of branches and leaves blowing in the wind elicit deep sorrow or uplifting joy, even though they should be inherently emotionless.Tilda Swinton, who plays a member of a wealthy Italian family which struggling in a changing society, is more than a simple human being; she is an epic, romantic figure torn apart and driven to extremes by a love for her son’s best friend.The film constantly reminded me of another beautiful Italian film, Luchino Visconti’s “The Leopard.” The 1963 film is similar in its adoration of the Italian countryside. Now available in a Blu-ray edition that preserves the vibrant colors, the film has never looked so good.It features similarly grand, romantic characters. They are Italian aristocrats, struggling to adapt as Italy displaces them and moves toward its current incarnation.But back to that question: Where has beauty in films gone? As something nuanced and deeply personal, it can’t be wedged into the lowest common denominator of actions films — beauty doesn’t pay the bills. And current trends in art cinema favor realism over the very unrealistic splendor of “I Am Love” and “The Leopard.”A balanced cinematic diet can include all of these diverse strains. Unlike cookies, beauty need not be a sometimes food.
(09/01/10 10:15pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“The Simpsons” is getting old. The show has been on for 21 seasons, although they’re just getting around to releasing number 13 on DVD. Unfortunately, this is one of the most uneven seasons in the show’s long run.Things get off to a poor start with the twelfth installment of the annual Halloween episode. The episode is rarely funny, a serious problem for the one episode of the series that is allowed to jettison all connections to reality.After a few episodes, things even out, but something important is still missing. Seldom are there emotional moments, and the previously developed characters begin to seem flat and empty.The decline is mirrored in the commentaries. Creator Matt Groening is no longer an important force — he stops in on multiple commentaries yet never says a word the entire episode. Apparently, he doesn’t see anything worth commenting about.“The Simpsons” has improved in the last eight seasons, but if there’s one season worth skipping, it might be number 13.
(08/26/10 12:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>This album shouldn’t work. History teaches us that a previously important rock musician must be completely washed up by the time he decides to record an album of standards. Yet somehow Brian Wilson’s album of reworked George Gershwin songs isn’t a sad grasp for easy money, but actually includes some interesting versions of classic songs.The album originated with a request from the Gershwin estate that Wilson complete two unfinished George Gershwin songs and record an album of cover songs. “Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin” was the result.The album is bookended with two a cappella versions of “Rhapsody In Blue,” which show off Wilson’s vocal talents. Of the two newly finished songs, “The Like In I Love You” sounds like “Pet Sounds,” while “Nothing But Love” sounds like earlier surf-obsessed Beach Boys songs.Wilson was the appropriate person for this project, but some songs, like “’S Wonderful,” lose their original charm.Wilson might not have many original songs left, but his version of Gershwin is still worth celebration.
(08/25/10 11:50pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>John Mellencamp will never have another hit on the radio — partly because he doesn’t write super-commercial songs anymore and partly because the radio sucks. It’s a real shame, as his newest album, “No Better Than This,”is one of his best efforts.The album finds Mellencamp’s sound stripped down to its basics. The songs sound dusty and rugged, as if someone rubbed the recording equipment in dirt. Mellencamp’s voice is rougher than in his heyday, almost approaching Tom Waits’ territory. It’s fitting that Waits’ guitar virtuoso, Marc Ribot, is one of the players.After the crispness of his 1980s recordings, it’s shocking to see in the liner notes that the album was recorded in mono! (Somewhere, alarm sirens are going off.) Producer T-Bone Burnett used only one microphone most of the time.Despite the trappings, the title track and “Coming Down the Road” help keep the album light and full of life. Although “No Better Than This” is Mellencamp’s most folksy album, it’s also one of his strongest.
(08/05/10 6:50pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>If you’re a fan of anything that is remotely indie music, chances are you’ve heard of Best Coast.Interestingly, all of the buzz was based only on a handful of singles. After a year of waiting, Best Coast has released its first album — and it’s worth all of the sometimes frustrating hype.“Crazy for You” is an appropriate title for an album that concerns itself with simple boy-girl relationship songs. Singer Bethany Cosentino lays down reverb-soaked vocals, all about longing, summer and sunshine. Oh, and the beach.The lyrics aren’t particularly deep, but the warm production and shimmering melodies take you into a blissful daydreams. “Boyfriend” and “When I’m With You” are the standouts and successfully bookend the album.Few of the songs are longer than three minutes, but each one is distilled into its purest form.
(07/29/10 11:39pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon
Papers” attempts to paint a picture of the man who would first work
toward the escalation of the Vietnam War, then ultimately to expose the
lies of the whole affair.
Although Ellsberg’s story is often fascinating and dramatic, this documentary’s style fails to live up to its subject.“The
Most Dangerous Man” is laced with interviews of Ellsberg and various
thinkers involved in the planning of the escalation in Vietnam.
Unfortunately, Ellsberg also contributes narration to the film, which
often sounds stilted and overly dramatic.
The film’s directors also take too many steps to make their documentary
seem hip and exciting, instead condemning it to a life of History
Channel airings. Rather
than sticking to archival footage and interviews, they constantly use
silly recreations and show film clips on vintage televisions.
Ellsberg stands as an important and flawed figure, one who first
supported the war, then tried to expose its lies. Unfortunately, this
documentary does not give the subject the respect it deserves.
(07/29/10 3:38pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Department of Eagles is the side project of Daniel Rossen,
co-songwriter of Grizzly Bear, and Fred Nicolaus, with some members of
Grizzly Bear thrown into the mix.
Although essentially a compilation of unused tracks, “Archives 2003-2006” is often beautiful and engrossing.It’s
impossible to talk about this band without mentioning Rossen’s other
band, but Department of Eagles never really feels derivative. Although
the songs are in a similar style to Grizzly Bear (particularly Rossen’s
work on “Yellow House”), they all have a life that could exist without
any mention of the other band.
Though a recurring series of sketches on the album are ghostly and
unfinished, most of the album is surprisingly complete for unused
material.Beautiful
harmonies, twinkling guitars and occasional banjo fill up most of the
tracks. The album starts off with the dark and mysterious “Deadly
Disclosure,” but the mood lifts as the album progresses, climaxing with
the majestic “Golden Apple.”
Department of Eagles must be doing pretty well if even their leftovers sound this great.
(07/23/10 8:39am)
I was pretty excited during the lead up to this concert. I've wanted to see Lightning Bolt ever since I learned about the wonders of noise bands, and these guys seemed to find a golden mean of listenability and pure energy. I got to Rhino's right at 9 (a rarity), but it was another half an hour before I got in due to some misunderstandings about credentials. I arrived near the end of an opener's set. The Lafayette Bird consisted of a guy and girl armed with guitars, some assorted drums and an amplified harmonica. The last song they played featured the girl on ghostly vocals while her bandmate played some dissonante guitar lines. It reminded me a bit of various Jandek albums, mainly the sparseness and vaguely creepy vocals.
(07/19/10 6:29am)
Lightning Bolt w/Prizzy Prizzy Please and JEFF The Brotherhood*
(07/18/10 4:33pm)
This past Thursday was the Real Estate and Kurt Vile show at The Bishop. Both bands were relatively unfamiliar to me. I'd gotten a chance to listen to Real Estate's self-titled album, and briefly sampled Kurt Vile's last album and ep. I knew from the start that I would probably like Real Estate's set, considering how blissful their album sounded. Kurt Vile's set was more up for grabs. The first band to go on was Throwing Stars, who I'm not familiar with at all. They were relatively fun and reminded me of some '90s alternative band (not in a bad way). Their singer had a strong voice, and the instrumentalists were all pretty solid. Then it was Real Estate's turn.
(07/15/10 2:55am)
Real Estate & Kurt Vile w/ Throwing Stars @ The Bishop
(07/15/10 12:11am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“Mad Men,” AMC’s flagship show, has always excelled at giving viewers a glimpse into the demanding, misogynistic and sometimes soulless world of advertising. Don Draper represents male fantasy at its most extreme: He is attractive and successful, with mistresses at every turn, yet is able to return to his beautiful wife and children each night. However, the end of season three brought Draper’s world crashing down, and now he must piece together a new one.The main story line that dominated the end of the third season was the sale of Sterling Cooper. The British agency that had only recently purchased the Sterling Cooper just as quickly decided to ditch it after cleaning up affairs. Not ready to give up on everything they have worked for, Don, Roger Sterling and Burt Cooper clandestinely steal their client files and start a new agency in a hotel suite. Now that Draper and co. have started a new agency, who will be hired for the new group is up for grabs. This will surely be the focus of much of season four.As Don’s business has collapsed, so has his family. After Betty found out about Don’s true identity, her affair with Henry only intensified, culminating in her leaving for Nevada to arrange a divorce. January Jones, who plays Betty, is featured throughout season four, so it probably won’t be a simple divorce.Season three was in many ways a creative high for the “Mad Men” makers. The show had never been better at dealing with burgeoning social issues, like Sal’s homosexuality or President Kennedy’s assassination. The writing remained at its usual level of excellence, but the visuals surpassed their normal high. The Italian vacation echoes Antonioni at his most beautiful.Undoubtedly full of intrigue, season four is sure to hook viewers.
(07/14/10 10:10pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It used to be that Trent Reznor took years between Nine Inch Nails albums to craft them to his exact specifications. That has changed in the last few years with a slew of new discs, of which this self-titled release from How to Destroy Angels is one.The new band is much more stripped down than NIN, with only four members. Reznor’s wife Mariqueen Maandig replaces him on vocals for most of the EP. At first this seems like an interesting idea, since Reznor’s vocal stylings are so essential to NIN records, but there isn’t much of a change in How to Destroy Angels. Maandig’s vocals are essentially the female version of his normal style, and when Reznor doubles her the similarity is quite obvious.Although the new EP sounds very much like past NIN efforts, it benefits from a dark groove that really hasn’t existed since “The Downward Spiral.” It’s just too bad there isn’t more to distinguish this release from other Nine Inch Nails recordings.