2009 was a disastrous year for me and music. I was really turned off to the possibility that I might like anything. I reverted to old habits, listening to a disproportionate amount of metal, without really exploring further. For someone who in the past prided himself on catholic taste, it was something of a disappointment. Worse, I’ve not felt a part of the music scene for a while now and that really troubles me. I mean, my title is music editor, right?
Without getting bogged down in all the hows and whys, I’m really excited for 2010 already. Two of my favorite bands, Spoon and Liars, have albums out this January and it’s the time of year where I obsess over these releases, often at the expense of ignoring worthy albums that come along later in the year’s promotional cycle.
I used to think it was stupid for bands to release albums this time of year. Boy, was I wrong! When LCD Soundsystem releases albums in the dead of winter, they capture more attention than they would if they tried to shoehorn their stuff into the March and October gluts. It’s the perfect time of year to really get familiar with a record. You’re trapped in the house or car anyway, so you might as well crank up the stereo.
I celebrate the new year in music by deleting everything in iTunes and starting over fresh. Right now I’m listening to Spoon, but I’ll be checking out new music from Yeasayer, Ted Leo, Liars, Blood Feathers, Vampire Weekend and Gil-Scott Heron (!) soon enough. What a great way to start 2010!
It’s been almost two years since I went up to New York for Mariah’s Comcast commercial shoot. Back then I was pretty optimistic about the direction her career was headed. It’s been pretty amazing to watch the balloon deflate.
I managed to get tickets to her recent Atlantic City show at the Borgata. The seats were amazing. The performance? Not so much. I think Helen summed it up best when she said her performance was more Atlantic City than it was Vegas, that it was more kitschy than cool. I’d say that was spot on.
After I read Jon Caramanica’s terrific review, I was looking forward to finally seeing her perform. Man, was I ever disappointed. It was a brutal combination of bad sound, bad dancers, and an overall lack of enthusiasm from Mariah, who seemed to just go through the motions. The backup singers (and backing track) were so loud I often couldn’t tell when she was singing and I feared that might have been done intentionally. Overall, it was just a lackluster performance by one of the few remaining superstars in music.
I know I’m late to the party, but what a fun documentary! I wish I could catch their show at the TLA next weekend.
Anvil! The Story of Anvil reminded me a bit of American Splendor, except Harvey Pekar’s tendency to accentuate the negative aspects of publicity are 180 degrees out of phase with Lips’ outlook. Who knows how far they’ll take it, but it’s great to see that they’re capitalizing on the film’s success and getting out on the road. It should be a great show!
I think I speak for everyone when I say that Geeta’s take on Brian Eno’s Another Green World for the 33 1/3 series was hotly anticipated. I can think of few titles in the series that generated as much excitement from the time her pitch was accepted to publication. Those who waited will be richly rewarded by her insightful look into Eno and his approach to recording his landmark album, Another Green World.
Geeta avoids the landmines that surround a work like this. She brought her A game when it came to researching this book, digging up cool quotes and getting great input from the people who helped Eno make this record. She doesn’t fetishize Eno’s genius; rather, she investigates his methods to demystify the way in which Eno made the album. For anyone who’s been intimidated by Brian Eno as a monolith, this is a great way to get into his work, and the book offers a glimpse into his approach to his later ambient works that makes them much more accessible.
For a book series that can be pretty hit or miss, Geeta’s take on Another Green World sets the bar high for other authors who want to dissect an album they love. Congratulations, Geeta! It was well worth the wait.
Kent MacKenzie’s film The Exiles is like watching Germany Year Zero set in L.A. The film tells the story of a handful of Native Americans who’ve moved to Los Angeles. Like Charles Burnett’s Killer of Sheep, also released by Milestone Films, it shows another Los Angeles, stripped of the glitz and glamor.
Think Cassavetes’ Shadows starring a cast of Native Americans who are struggling to find a way to fit into a society that’s locked them out. This isn’t a bunch of beatniks who feel themselves apart from the mainstream; this is a film about people who live parallel lives.
It’s amazing to see movies from this period shot in a neorealist style. Not only do you get a great sense of the characters in context, you get to see the city as it is. The streetscapes are as gritty as anything in a Hollywood noir. It’s an amazing glimpse into a world almost completely ignored in film. Definitely worth checking out.
