I'm watching NBC's new shows right now. They're pretty good. Actually, Andy Barker P.I. was very good. I didn't see the entire thing - I was flipping over to watch a documentary on Hong Kong Kung Fu flicks, and also the 'Raisins' episode of South Park. Anyway, Andy Richter is perfect for the part of a C.P.A. fallen backwards into being a gumshoe. Honestly though, as expected, Arrested Development's Tony Hale pretty much makes the show. So yeah, I'd say it's a keeper.
Raines, starring Jeff Goldblum, has kind of turned into a pleasant surprise. First of all, it's this new...not Noir Redux, but like meta-Noir; it takes the structure of a detective story, the quirks of Chandler novels & Bogart films, and then slathers them with self-aware sarcasm (the victim has a Double Indemnity poster in her bedroom, Goldblum references Kathleen Turner in Body Heat). It worked spectacularly in Shane Black's Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and Raines is similar, only scaled down for the small screen. Jeff Goldblum is also well suited for this new formula like Robert Downey Jr was. I don't know, maybe it's me - I'm a sucker for Noir & detective stories, from The Big Sleep to Chinatown to Memento. Second, well, if I was NBC, I would've publicized the fact that the show is directed by Frank Darabont, director of one of our generation's most beloved films, The Shawshank Redemption. So, that's good too. Third, the show is packed with great players. Nicole Sullivan sticks out, finally finding life after Mad TV that isn't a soda commercial; her sarcasm reflects Goldblum's. Relative newcomer Linda Park is intriguing, so I'll be keeping an eye on her. And here, get out your trusty IMDB and check out these names of excellent character actors: Matt Craven, Malik Yoba, Paul Scheer, Tracey Walter, & Ryan Hurst. Oh, and the first episode's victim is played by the gorgeous Alexa Davalos, who is kind of like a sexy version of Felicity (she's got that mane of curls that is muy caliente), and who was the only reason to watch The Chronicles Of Riddick. She should be a star by now, but be patient - she's going to pop up this November in The Mist, Darabont's third Stephen King film adaptation (after Shawshank & The Green Mile).
Friday, March 16, 2007
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Please continue to look up
I just said it - it feels like 1990 again, that atmosphere that the great music of the underground is bubbling over into the mainstream. Well, add Arcade Fire to that list of bands I previously mentioned. Their new album, Neon Bible, debuted at #2 on both the US & UK charts last week. It sold 92,000 copies in the US, which isn't quite Shins numbers (I believe they debuted with 118k back in January), but I'm sure it's more than any 'industry experts' predicted... and also, Arcade Fire wasn't held up on the New Cusack Boombox like The Shins were.
Other upcoming volleys in Operation: Fuck Good Charlotte to look out for
The Special Forces...
LCD Soundsystem: Sound Of Silver (3/20)
Modest Mouse: We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank (3/20)
Fountains Of Wayne: Traffic & Weather (4/3)
Bright Eyes: Cassadega (4/10)
Wilco: Sky Blue Sky (5/15)
The Reinforcements...
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists: Living With The Living (3/20)
Kaiser Chiefs: Yours Truly, Angry Mob (3/27)
Kings Of Leon: Because Of The Times (4/3)
Jarvis Cocker: Jarvis (4/3)
Arctic Monkeys: Favourite Worst Nightmare (4/24)
B.R.M.C.: Baby 81 (5/1)
Maximo Park: Our Earthly Pleasures (5/8)
Ryan Adams: Easy Tiger (6/5)
Queens of the Stone Age: Era Vulgaris (June)
Interpol: Title TBA (June)
Other upcoming volleys in Operation: Fuck Good Charlotte to look out for
The Special Forces...
LCD Soundsystem: Sound Of Silver (3/20)
Modest Mouse: We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank (3/20)
Fountains Of Wayne: Traffic & Weather (4/3)
Bright Eyes: Cassadega (4/10)
Wilco: Sky Blue Sky (5/15)
The Reinforcements...
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists: Living With The Living (3/20)
Kaiser Chiefs: Yours Truly, Angry Mob (3/27)
Kings Of Leon: Because Of The Times (4/3)
Jarvis Cocker: Jarvis (4/3)
Arctic Monkeys: Favourite Worst Nightmare (4/24)
B.R.M.C.: Baby 81 (5/1)
Maximo Park: Our Earthly Pleasures (5/8)
Ryan Adams: Easy Tiger (6/5)
Queens of the Stone Age: Era Vulgaris (June)
Interpol: Title TBA (June)
Monday, March 12, 2007
Here's Our Future...I Hope
I have mentioned that I'm a **revisionist**, and I produce evidence of that nearly every conversation I have concerning music & movies. I have proclaimed many a band the next greatest thing ever, and am known to crown a new greatest song of all time every month or so. I'll get back to this.
On Sunday, March 4th, I went into NYC, to the Bowery Ballroom, to see The Thermals, a punkish trio (quartet, on stage) from the Pacific Northwest (Portland, I think). Now, unfortunately, I must say I went alone. This is very significant. I don't like going to shows alone, and almost never have, because my A#1 rule... not rule, um, kinda like a personal guideline in life is that music (or anything) is better when shared with friends (or at least vaguely interested acquaintances). I guess you could make the argument that being alone increases the likelihood of meeting new people, and that may be the point you'll get out of this post at the end, but whatever, I'll continue.
I went to the show because (a) The Thermals recently-released third album, The Body, The Blood, The Machine (on SubPop) had been on repeat on all my various media playing devices - enough to be one of my Top 5 Albums of 2006 (you know that list I STILL haven't posted, that you are dying to read, and that I probably won't post for another month or so just to seem insouciant & punk), (b) their single from said album, "A Pillar Of Salt" was my pick for Best Single of 2006 (ditto on the lateness for that list, too.); the song and video are brilliant, necessitating better words than I can muster off the top of my head right now, and without a doubt allowed me to utter such **revisionist-friendly** statements like "That song could be 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' for this new generation" or at the very least, "That video is everything that's good about Rock & Roll and being young". Oh, and (c) The Big Sleep were opening, and they kick ass live.
In case any super-Thermals fans are reading (probably by search-engine accident, because I'm pretty sure I haven't reached proper blog stardom yet), I will admit I entered the show under-informed. I really liked the record, but had only really obsessively memorized the lyrics to "Pillar" and "Here's Your Future", and I kinda knew "How We Know" from their last album cuz the video was played on Fuse like three times. Apparently, I missed a memo, because to the sell out crowd of 800 people, The Thermals are the **best band ever** of right now. The band came out with humble thank you's for the surprising sell out, and proceded to more than earn their money.
Frontman Hutch Harris appeared to already be sweating during the hellos, looking at once energized and majestically wrecked, almost the spitting image of Tom Verlaine, 30 years ago, on the cover of Television's masterpiece, Marquee Moon. He knew that he had penned an album's worth of lyrics probing the uncertainty and insecurity that comes with being spiritual and religious in a world where priests do wildly inappropriate things, and where the Christian Right looks bent on world domination - so he was going to make us all believers. Bassist Kathy Foster, as always, was ready to play Bonnie to Harris' Clyde, her head full of curls forever bouncing like a bunch of tiny bungy-jumpers; and whether she knew it or not, you could tell from the young girls in the crowd that she was their new role model.
Almost immediately, I knew I was seeing something special - this wasn't a show, it was an event, maybe even a coming out party. As the band tore through "Future", "I Might Need You To Kill" and "An Ear For Baby" (the opening salvo from the new album), the place lit up with excitement. The normally jaded NYC crowd had uncrossed their arms, and were moving to the music. There was jumping, pogoing, even a bit of moshing, but with absolutely no aggression. The entire ballroom was a steambath of boundless joy. The Thermals came to rock, and their fans came to love them for it. And it wasn't just for the songs from the new album (which, being Pitchfork-approved, accounted for the people at the back of the room, still waiting on that memo), the fans came to hear all the songs, from all three albums, and they came prepared, knowing all the words. For every line that Harris delivered with dignity, there was an anthemic chorus that was shouted back by tired lungs and serated vocal chords. **I thought, 'This must be what it felt like to see The Clash in 1977'.**
After blasting through all ten songs from the new album, and probably 13 or 14 more from the previous discs, all in an hour, The Thermals left the stage as grateful for the experience as they were thankful for the opportunity. And I didn't feel like I missed out on sharing the show with someone, because I shared it with everyone. I want to say to you now, hey, dig this band. Get to this now, because this band is very special, and I don't ever want to have to be revisionist about this. Look around and see The Strokes and Wilco and The White Stripes, and then Death Cab and The Shins, and it's kinda feeling like 1990 again...the year before 'the year that punk broke.' I have hope that way more than 800 people in a club are gonna know The Thermals soon enough.
And, just in case you think I'm exaggerating, here's a little clip of the show I was at, from the song "Back To The Sea". Note how loud the crowd is...
This is an iconic video that pretty much justifies 25 years of ADD-inducing MTV jump-cut editting. Here's the clip for the Raz-approved Best Single of 2006:
The Thermals' "A Pillar Of Salt"
- The Thermals on Myspace
- Buy The Thermals on Insound
- The Body, The Blood, The Machine review on Pitchforkmedia
Here's some extra stuff for your viewing pleasure
(this is what YouTube is good for)
"Here's Your Future"
"St. Rosa & The Swallows"
"How We Know" video
"A Stare Like Yours"
"No Culture Icons" video (lo-fi, so you have to turn it up)
On Sunday, March 4th, I went into NYC, to the Bowery Ballroom, to see The Thermals, a punkish trio (quartet, on stage) from the Pacific Northwest (Portland, I think). Now, unfortunately, I must say I went alone. This is very significant. I don't like going to shows alone, and almost never have, because my A#1 rule... not rule, um, kinda like a personal guideline in life is that music (or anything) is better when shared with friends (or at least vaguely interested acquaintances). I guess you could make the argument that being alone increases the likelihood of meeting new people, and that may be the point you'll get out of this post at the end, but whatever, I'll continue.
I went to the show because (a) The Thermals recently-released third album, The Body, The Blood, The Machine (on SubPop) had been on repeat on all my various media playing devices - enough to be one of my Top 5 Albums of 2006 (you know that list I STILL haven't posted, that you are dying to read, and that I probably won't post for another month or so just to seem insouciant & punk), (b) their single from said album, "A Pillar Of Salt" was my pick for Best Single of 2006 (ditto on the lateness for that list, too.); the song and video are brilliant, necessitating better words than I can muster off the top of my head right now, and without a doubt allowed me to utter such **revisionist-friendly** statements like "That song could be 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' for this new generation" or at the very least, "That video is everything that's good about Rock & Roll and being young". Oh, and (c) The Big Sleep were opening, and they kick ass live.
In case any super-Thermals fans are reading (probably by search-engine accident, because I'm pretty sure I haven't reached proper blog stardom yet), I will admit I entered the show under-informed. I really liked the record, but had only really obsessively memorized the lyrics to "Pillar" and "Here's Your Future", and I kinda knew "How We Know" from their last album cuz the video was played on Fuse like three times. Apparently, I missed a memo, because to the sell out crowd of 800 people, The Thermals are the **best band ever** of right now. The band came out with humble thank you's for the surprising sell out, and proceded to more than earn their money.
Frontman Hutch Harris appeared to already be sweating during the hellos, looking at once energized and majestically wrecked, almost the spitting image of Tom Verlaine, 30 years ago, on the cover of Television's masterpiece, Marquee Moon. He knew that he had penned an album's worth of lyrics probing the uncertainty and insecurity that comes with being spiritual and religious in a world where priests do wildly inappropriate things, and where the Christian Right looks bent on world domination - so he was going to make us all believers. Bassist Kathy Foster, as always, was ready to play Bonnie to Harris' Clyde, her head full of curls forever bouncing like a bunch of tiny bungy-jumpers; and whether she knew it or not, you could tell from the young girls in the crowd that she was their new role model.
Almost immediately, I knew I was seeing something special - this wasn't a show, it was an event, maybe even a coming out party. As the band tore through "Future", "I Might Need You To Kill" and "An Ear For Baby" (the opening salvo from the new album), the place lit up with excitement. The normally jaded NYC crowd had uncrossed their arms, and were moving to the music. There was jumping, pogoing, even a bit of moshing, but with absolutely no aggression. The entire ballroom was a steambath of boundless joy. The Thermals came to rock, and their fans came to love them for it. And it wasn't just for the songs from the new album (which, being Pitchfork-approved, accounted for the people at the back of the room, still waiting on that memo), the fans came to hear all the songs, from all three albums, and they came prepared, knowing all the words. For every line that Harris delivered with dignity, there was an anthemic chorus that was shouted back by tired lungs and serated vocal chords. **I thought, 'This must be what it felt like to see The Clash in 1977'.**
After blasting through all ten songs from the new album, and probably 13 or 14 more from the previous discs, all in an hour, The Thermals left the stage as grateful for the experience as they were thankful for the opportunity. And I didn't feel like I missed out on sharing the show with someone, because I shared it with everyone. I want to say to you now, hey, dig this band. Get to this now, because this band is very special, and I don't ever want to have to be revisionist about this. Look around and see The Strokes and Wilco and The White Stripes, and then Death Cab and The Shins, and it's kinda feeling like 1990 again...the year before 'the year that punk broke.' I have hope that way more than 800 people in a club are gonna know The Thermals soon enough.
And, just in case you think I'm exaggerating, here's a little clip of the show I was at, from the song "Back To The Sea". Note how loud the crowd is...
This is an iconic video that pretty much justifies 25 years of ADD-inducing MTV jump-cut editting. Here's the clip for the Raz-approved Best Single of 2006:
The Thermals' "A Pillar Of Salt"
- The Thermals on Myspace
- Buy The Thermals on Insound
- The Body, The Blood, The Machine review on Pitchforkmedia
Here's some extra stuff for your viewing pleasure
(this is what YouTube is good for)
"Here's Your Future"
"St. Rosa & The Swallows"
"How We Know" video
"A Stare Like Yours"
"No Culture Icons" video (lo-fi, so you have to turn it up)
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