Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Taking Woodstock
Taking Woodstock is Ang Lee's loving portrait of the 1969 music festival in Bethel, NY. Based on Elliot Tiber's memoir of the same name, the film follows Elliot over the summer preceding the "3 days of peace and music."
I can only describe Taking Woodstock as a docudrama on ecstasy. There is such love and affection for the subject. Lee loves the music (though there should be more of it); he loves the sex and the lack of inhibition (and there's a good amount of it. He even loves the drugs (except for the brown acid, of course). The result is a film that is completely seductive, as long as you go along for the trip and let yourself be seduced.
The film is populated with dozens of people, as you might expect, and it's amazing to see such a strong impact from actors in the tiniest of roles (many uncredited). Demitri Martin is excellent as Tiber. Ultimately, it's his journey we're following, and his transformation over the summer of 1969 is beautiful and oh so subtle. Martin gives a nuanced performance that is both quirky and deep.
Imelda Staunton and Henry Goodman are breathtaking as Elliot's parents, Jake and Sonia. While nothing about these characters would scream "subtle," the performances are incredibly nuances. These three get the bulk of the screen time, but it's not that the myriad of other characters simply provide a context. The large cast is critical to the feelings that wash over you throughout the film. They are all Elliot's spirit guides.
Jonathan Groff is so seductive as promoter Michael Lane, his sensuality alone seems to bring the concert off (and kept my heart beating faster for the entire film). Nothing rattles. Emile Hirsch plays Viet Nam veteran Billy. Half crazed and half transformed, when Billy yells, "I love this hill!" tears welled up in my eyes. And it's the tiniest of moments, easy to miss. Liev Schreiber, Paul Dano and Kelli Garner all make indelible impressions in brief moments.
The film is a powerful and emotional journey, but not a perfect one. The massive undertaking means that characters disappear. Groff disappears for far too long. His sensuality is needed in the final acts. Conversely, Mamie Gummer takes far too long to register, though her final scene is wonderful. And the journey is a personal one. The film won't resonate strongly with everyone.
The biggest problem with the film is that it contains no concert material. The music from the concert is always heard in the distance, and Elliot never quite makes it. This is a problem because it's so obviously missing.
Certain events can change the trajectory of our lives. The lasting interest in Woodstock 40 years out is that it changed the trajectory of so many lives. It's quite intimate and beautiful to see Elliot become comfortable in his own skin, to come to peace with who he is during this summer of love.
It's also relevant today. There's something going on in our culture now that makes Hair the most successful revival of the Broadway season and Taking Woodstock so powerful. Maybe the age of peace and love is returning in some trippy form. At Woodstock, half a million people came to share, care for and love one another. The myth may have overpowered the fact even before the concert ever took place, but it showed us that we're all connected and that's a lesson really worth remembering.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
The Presets
I've been learning about The Presets over the last year. "This Boy's in Love" is a fine song. But even more, The Presets are doing some fine work with video, and "If I Know You" is quite extraordinary.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Best of the Year: Music
Boy oh boy, I am definitely going to use up my street cred here, and my homies are gonna be none to happy. My top pick for album of the year in 2008 is:
Yep, that's right. In the old days I would have said that Panic at the Disco's Pretty.Odd. was in my cd changer all year long. Let's just say that in 2008 it had the heaviest rotation on my various music devices. This was the year that I discovered The Ting Tings and Vampire Weekend (more on them in a moment), both with great debut albums. Architecture in Helsinki and Of Montreal were also new discoveries for me, and new albums from Tracy Chapman, David Byrne and Brian Eno, and the ever-fabulous Grace Jones also rocked my world.
But Panic was there all along as new albums came and went during the year. Pretty.Odd. is a mature second album. It's not cutesy like their debut effort. In all honesty, I thought of Panic as a group with music potential that made interesting videos. The new album confirms that. The album incorporates a huge range of musical influences in very creative and meaningful ways. It's engaging from start to finish, with the first two singles actually among the weaker contributions.
"When the Day Met the Night" was easily the most played song on my iPod. "Northern Downpour" is also terrific. I liked it over the summer. Pretty.Odd. was, indeed, the soundtrack to my summer. But by fall, I was loving it.
And so, my friends, think of this as a questionable choice, but appreciate my integrity. And most of all, give Pretty.Odd. an openminded listen. It's a great album.
And now back to Vampire Weekend. Their album was the first one I purchased in 2008, and it was a stunning debut. The group was all over the place in their debut year. A Saturday Night Live appearance was terrific and later efforts "Ottoman" and "Everywhere" (yes, that Everywhere) were also fine.
The album is well-written, well-produced, engaging, intriguing, witty and good good fun. And if that's not enough, I'm guessing this is the first group to ever sing about the Oxford comma. Vampire Weekend is another album well worth your time and worthy of that slot right up there with Panic at the Disco.
Yep, that's right. In the old days I would have said that Panic at the Disco's Pretty.Odd. was in my cd changer all year long. Let's just say that in 2008 it had the heaviest rotation on my various music devices. This was the year that I discovered The Ting Tings and Vampire Weekend (more on them in a moment), both with great debut albums. Architecture in Helsinki and Of Montreal were also new discoveries for me, and new albums from Tracy Chapman, David Byrne and Brian Eno, and the ever-fabulous Grace Jones also rocked my world.
But Panic was there all along as new albums came and went during the year. Pretty.Odd. is a mature second album. It's not cutesy like their debut effort. In all honesty, I thought of Panic as a group with music potential that made interesting videos. The new album confirms that. The album incorporates a huge range of musical influences in very creative and meaningful ways. It's engaging from start to finish, with the first two singles actually among the weaker contributions.
"When the Day Met the Night" was easily the most played song on my iPod. "Northern Downpour" is also terrific. I liked it over the summer. Pretty.Odd. was, indeed, the soundtrack to my summer. But by fall, I was loving it.
And so, my friends, think of this as a questionable choice, but appreciate my integrity. And most of all, give Pretty.Odd. an openminded listen. It's a great album.
And now back to Vampire Weekend. Their album was the first one I purchased in 2008, and it was a stunning debut. The group was all over the place in their debut year. A Saturday Night Live appearance was terrific and later efforts "Ottoman" and "Everywhere" (yes, that Everywhere) were also fine.
The album is well-written, well-produced, engaging, intriguing, witty and good good fun. And if that's not enough, I'm guessing this is the first group to ever sing about the Oxford comma. Vampire Weekend is another album well worth your time and worthy of that slot right up there with Panic at the Disco.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Album Quick Takes
I've been listening to a bunch of new music and one new-to-me album:
Sigur Ros: Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust does nothing to quell my love and lust for Sigur Ros. The album is more percussive and, dare I say bouncier, than earlier outings, but they're fifth studio album is great. This Med was recorded around the world and includes the first SR song recorded in English. The album is a mix of uptempo and traditional tempo songs. While the uptempo songs feel fresh and give new life to the band, the quieter, slower-paced songs also stir.
Hercules and Love Affair: I'd read a number of reviews that praised the self-titled debut from Hercules and Love Affair. The album has an 80's retro feel that works with Andrew Butler's Boy George smokes-too-much vocal stylings. It's dancefloor pop that feels fun and dark at the same time.
Madonna: Don't hate me because I like "4 minutes," the first single off of Hard Candy, the new Madonna effort. It's a strong entry in the Madonna canon. Though some have called it a throw-back, I find it to be compelling and contemporary.
Kiley Minogue: Kylie's back with X, and she, too, is in fine form. It's taken a little longer to grow on me than the other albums in the list here, but X has fought its way into heavy rotation on my ipod.
Freezepop: I've come a little later to the table for freezepop, and the name is right on. futurefuturefutureperfect is a chilly little pop confection with a few standout tracks that get the body moving and are guaranteed to get you singing along. While it's not a stellar effort, there's enough of interest to keep me following this group.
Sigur Ros: Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust does nothing to quell my love and lust for Sigur Ros. The album is more percussive and, dare I say bouncier, than earlier outings, but they're fifth studio album is great. This Med was recorded around the world and includes the first SR song recorded in English. The album is a mix of uptempo and traditional tempo songs. While the uptempo songs feel fresh and give new life to the band, the quieter, slower-paced songs also stir.
Hercules and Love Affair: I'd read a number of reviews that praised the self-titled debut from Hercules and Love Affair. The album has an 80's retro feel that works with Andrew Butler's Boy George smokes-too-much vocal stylings. It's dancefloor pop that feels fun and dark at the same time.
Madonna: Don't hate me because I like "4 minutes," the first single off of Hard Candy, the new Madonna effort. It's a strong entry in the Madonna canon. Though some have called it a throw-back, I find it to be compelling and contemporary.
Kiley Minogue: Kylie's back with X, and she, too, is in fine form. It's taken a little longer to grow on me than the other albums in the list here, but X has fought its way into heavy rotation on my ipod.
Freezepop: I've come a little later to the table for freezepop, and the name is right on. futurefuturefutureperfect is a chilly little pop confection with a few standout tracks that get the body moving and are guaranteed to get you singing along. While it's not a stellar effort, there's enough of interest to keep me following this group.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Passing Strange: The Original Cast Recording
How do you sell a Broadway show that is so infinitely greater than the sum of its parts? I watched Passing Strange, one of my top-five theater experiences, on The View and thought it came off horribly. I've seen the commercial. Doesn't make me want to see the show. The web site? Well it's a little better, but nothing that makes the show a must-see. So, I had some hope that the original cast recording would capture at least some of the extraordinariness of Passing Strange.
Passing Strange is now available on iTunes and will be available on CD next month. In all honesty, the show doesn't translate all that well to cast album either. It brings back great memories of the experience of seeing the show live, but hasn't been all that impressive to the uninitiated.
The album is a live recording, a great idea given the way the audience's energy informs the show. On the recording, however, the audience seems distant and appreciative rather than enthusiastic. The recording never approaches the level of energy the show itself reaches.
The songs also seem truncated. The endings often seem abrupt. One- or two-minute songs that work seamlessly at the Belasco come across as excerpts on the cast album. So, ultimately don't think the album will sell anyone on the show.
There are some great things about the show and the recording. The performances are excellent. Stew comes off great, as do most of the supporting cast. Daniel Breaker is very good, though he seems less of a presence than on stage. The music is also excellent and the great songs from the show give me memory chills every time I give it a listen.
Passing Strange is now available on iTunes and will be available on CD next month. In all honesty, the show doesn't translate all that well to cast album either. It brings back great memories of the experience of seeing the show live, but hasn't been all that impressive to the uninitiated.
The album is a live recording, a great idea given the way the audience's energy informs the show. On the recording, however, the audience seems distant and appreciative rather than enthusiastic. The recording never approaches the level of energy the show itself reaches.
The songs also seem truncated. The endings often seem abrupt. One- or two-minute songs that work seamlessly at the Belasco come across as excerpts on the cast album. So, ultimately don't think the album will sell anyone on the show.
There are some great things about the show and the recording. The performances are excellent. Stew comes off great, as do most of the supporting cast. Daniel Breaker is very good, though he seems less of a presence than on stage. The music is also excellent and the great songs from the show give me memory chills every time I give it a listen.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Quick Takes: Three New Albums
I've been waiting for months since I heard in October that the B-52's were releasing their first album of new material in 16 years. Funplex is the result of that effort, and it doesn't disappoint. Funplex is reminiscent of the B's of old--pre Cosmic Thing. It's sexy and bouncy and makes you want to get your groove on. The harmonies are still fierce and the lyrics witty and fun. Does the album break new ground? Not especially, though the synth influence might be a little heavier. But the number one party band moniker is still safe.
I'm still taking in the new Moby disk, Last Night. I've played it several times now, and every time it feels like a new discovery. I think that's good. It's a fresh album and contains the great hooks and solid dance beats I love to hear from Moby.
The new album that's getting the most play at the moment: Pretty.Odd. from Panic at the Disco. At first listen Pretty.Odd. seems ready made for the adult contemporary circuit. When Brendan Urie sings on "We're So Starving": You don't have to worry cuz we're still the same band, it really isn't clear that's true. The music feels a little lighter, a little poppier, but the lyrics are still the fascinating tongue twisters we expect from Panic. Take the songs out of the context of the album, and it becomes a little clearer that this is, in fact, the same band. And Pretty.Odd. is a worthy follow-up to a fine debut album.
I'm still taking in the new Moby disk, Last Night. I've played it several times now, and every time it feels like a new discovery. I think that's good. It's a fresh album and contains the great hooks and solid dance beats I love to hear from Moby.
The new album that's getting the most play at the moment: Pretty.Odd. from Panic at the Disco. At first listen Pretty.Odd. seems ready made for the adult contemporary circuit. When Brendan Urie sings on "We're So Starving": You don't have to worry cuz we're still the same band, it really isn't clear that's true. The music feels a little lighter, a little poppier, but the lyrics are still the fascinating tongue twisters we expect from Panic. Take the songs out of the context of the album, and it becomes a little clearer that this is, in fact, the same band. And Pretty.Odd. is a worthy follow-up to a fine debut album.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Three Albums I'm Listening To
I have three albums in heavy rotation at the moment. That doesn't mean they're all great, but they are all interesting. What links the three releases is an affection by the artists for a variety of musical genres. These are three adventurous albums. In no particular order:
Vampire Weekend
One of the strongest releases of the year thus far. Preppy pop and Indie College Radio meet World Music. The sound is bright, the lyrics are the most creative and inventive in months, supported by hot afro-influenced rhythms. I really like this album.
Vampire Weekend definitely have a college sensibility. The four lads from Columbia incorporate campus experience across their songs. Instrumentally, they enhance traditional indie guitar riffs and percussion with strings, African percussion and a world sensibility that rocks.
The Shanghai Restoration Project
SRP promotes the marriage of traditional chinese sounds and instrumentation with dance, hip hop and, unfortunately, adult contemporary (producer Dave Liang says it's jazz, but I'm not there). Musically the album is strong, though there are many points where mundane lyrics overpower excellent instrumental. This is definitely an East meets West album and the results are often wonderful. The album, Story of a City, brings together a diverse array of artists. "Preface" is getting a fair amount of airplay, and deserves it! There is much to recommend about the album, but banal lyrics and perhaps too wide a range of musical sounds hold it back from greatness.
MGMT
Oracular Spectacular is the appropriately named first outing from MGMT, the Brooklyn-based duo hitting the charts with "Time to Pretend" and "Electric Feel." MGMT mixes dance with a rock inflection and a 60's psychedelic groove. Of the three albums discussed here, it's taken the longest to grow on me as a package. The lyrics are trippy and engaging, but the music impressed me a little as just grand enough for weddings. If you get passed the "Where have I heard this before" impact of "Electric Feel," there really is an excellent, diverse and compelling album.
Vampire Weekend
One of the strongest releases of the year thus far. Preppy pop and Indie College Radio meet World Music. The sound is bright, the lyrics are the most creative and inventive in months, supported by hot afro-influenced rhythms. I really like this album.
Vampire Weekend definitely have a college sensibility. The four lads from Columbia incorporate campus experience across their songs. Instrumentally, they enhance traditional indie guitar riffs and percussion with strings, African percussion and a world sensibility that rocks.
The Shanghai Restoration Project
SRP promotes the marriage of traditional chinese sounds and instrumentation with dance, hip hop and, unfortunately, adult contemporary (producer Dave Liang says it's jazz, but I'm not there). Musically the album is strong, though there are many points where mundane lyrics overpower excellent instrumental. This is definitely an East meets West album and the results are often wonderful. The album, Story of a City, brings together a diverse array of artists. "Preface" is getting a fair amount of airplay, and deserves it! There is much to recommend about the album, but banal lyrics and perhaps too wide a range of musical sounds hold it back from greatness.
MGMT
Oracular Spectacular is the appropriately named first outing from MGMT, the Brooklyn-based duo hitting the charts with "Time to Pretend" and "Electric Feel." MGMT mixes dance with a rock inflection and a 60's psychedelic groove. Of the three albums discussed here, it's taken the longest to grow on me as a package. The lyrics are trippy and engaging, but the music impressed me a little as just grand enough for weddings. If you get passed the "Where have I heard this before" impact of "Electric Feel," there really is an excellent, diverse and compelling album.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Best of the Year: Music
So there's still one week left in the year, but no album has come close to The New Pornographer's Challengers as my choice for the best album of the year. Not a single track on the album misses, and the cumulative effect is an album of great wit, great insight and just plain great music. Carl Newman and company have released their best album to date. Nico Case shines as usual.
It's been years since I've given a specific album to people as a holiday gift. This year, quite a few people on my list got Challengers in their stockings. Four months after its release, the album still has a prized spot in my iPod. It should on yours, too.
Honorable mentions for the year go to Annie Lennox's Songs of Mass Destruction, Mika's Life in Cartoon Motion, Rufus Wainwright's Release the Stars, and the studio cast recording of Bare.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Bare...the album
I've lived with Bare for a few days now. If you don't know the story behind the album release, Bare is a small show that played way-off broadway (in L.A. and New York) in 2004. It was announced for a commercial run that never materialized. A free highlights disk was released in anticipation of the commercial run. As the regional rights became available the creative team decided to do a full studio cast recording. They expected to sell a few disks, but were deluged with orders that delayed its arrival on my doorstep by almost a month.
I had the opportunity to see the New York production of Bare. While I thought it was tragically flawed, I also developed a great affection for the show. The original CD is one of the few recordings to have permanent space on my iPod. Having the complete recording has only increased my affection for the show. I think it's still flawed, but there are truly extraordinary moments throughout.
Since it's not a well-known show, a word about the plot. Bare is set in a Catholic boarding school, spanning the feast of the epiphany to high school graduation. Peter and Jason have been lovers throughout high school. Peter is ready to bust out of the closet; Jason isn't. The terrified Jason has a one-night stand with Ivy. She gets pregnant; Jason has even more to deal with...and he doesn't deal well.
What's to love? The recording has been beautifully assembled. The cast has not a single weak link. Matt Doyle (standing by over at Spring Awakening) is an amazing Peter. I thought Michael Arden offered the definitive Peter, but Matt does fantastic. James Snyder is fine as Jason. Jenna Leigh Green is also fine as Ivy. I think her performance on stage surpasses her album performance, but this is a quibble. She's also faced with a character I still find poorly drawn. (More on that in a moment.) All 12 actors who make up the student cast are great, and the adults are, too. A particular shout out to Kaitlin Hopkins who also repeats from the New York cast with great emotion.
The music is also great. Moving, memorable. People have said the music is a mashup of Rent and Spring Awakening, but it has great originality and beauty. The style is appropriate to the show. The lyrics, too, support the show well. There are certainly clunkers among the lyrics, but many more moments are inspired.
Bare particularly feels fresh and real--maybe even raw--in its representation of boarding school teens. Over the years, friends have recounted Catholic boarding school experiences, and their stories would fit right in with those in Bare. The cliques, drugs, relationships all ring true.
Most of the changes are for the good. The new lyrics for "Epiphany" give the opening a better vibe and cleaner start. Tweaks throughout add some nice humor (though there was always humor). Sister Chantelle gets a bluesier "911 Emergency," which is the only jarring change from the past recording.
So, why do I still hesitate? The cliche. For so much of the album I have the feeling that it ranks with the best I've heard. Nonetheless, I still struggle to get past Jason and Ivy's relationship. It's to cliche to have everyone consider her a slut, when we know she's a virgin. Really, her chastity serves only one function: to make it clear that Jason is the father when we realize she's pregnant in Act II. And Jason's struggle throughout often seems stuck firmly in the 80's. (SPOILER ALERT) The album allows for the possibility that Jason's death is an accidental overdose rather than a suicide, but his struggle with coming out feels so dated. That's in stark contrast to the rest of the story, which feels fresh and current.
And if that's my only complaint, it keeps Bare from being very great theater. Flaws and all, though, Bare is special. It's special for me personally, but it's also special because of the love and care that has gone into assembling the recording.
In addition to the video above, check out the website.
And check out these scenes from the NY production:
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Suzanne Vega in Brattleboro
Touring in support of her new release, Crime and Beauty, Suzanne Vega stopped in Brattleboro, Vermont at the Latchis Theater. It was the perfect set. Vega looked almost exactly the same as she did 20 years ago when I saw her at Symphony Hall in Salt Lake City. She's become only slightly more animated in the last two decades, but much more charmingly self-deprecating about it.
Vega's set was a perfect blend of songs from the new album, traditional versions of older songs and updated versions of classic tunes. A bass only version of "Left of Center" and a traditional rendering of "In Liverpool" were amazing. The concluding number, "The Queen and the Soldier," was the song that seduced me more than two decades ago resonates with greater intensity today.
Perfect!
Vega's set was a perfect blend of songs from the new album, traditional versions of older songs and updated versions of classic tunes. A bass only version of "Left of Center" and a traditional rendering of "In Liverpool" were amazing. The concluding number, "The Queen and the Soldier," was the song that seduced me more than two decades ago resonates with greater intensity today.
Perfect!
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Three Albums to Recommend
I've been rotating almost non-stop among three albums that I want to write about today. Starting off with the album that is, without a doubt, my favorite of the year, so far. The New Pornographers released Challengers last month, and it's great. A.C. Newman, the primary creative force behind The New P's, has assembled a series of tracks that engage the ear and the brain from its opening notes. Neko Case provides great vocal support. I loved Twin Cinema, the last drop from the band, but Challengers is more impressive. The lyrics employ wonderful turns of phrase and the music is intellectual and visceral.
Also, if you haven't checked out The New Pornographers and the Case of Neko, take a look. It's a little dated, but an interesting look at band relations.
Some critics have talked about Challengers as the soundtrack for the summer, and A.C. has talked about Brian Wilson as an influence. I find The New P's music to be a little too fabulous to think of them as my beach music. More Bowie than Brian.
So what was my soundtrack to the summer? Easy! Junior Senior has released the bounciest, can't-get-it-out-of-my-head album I've heard in a long time. I can't can't get the t-t-title out of my head--Hey Hey My My Yo Yo. Every song is rather infectious, but getting Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson to provide vocals on "Take My Time" is so totally cool that any missteps can be totally forgiven. (And by the way, the supplemental disc in the States, Say Hello Wave Goodbye is kind of a misstep.) Add to the guest lineup Le Tigre and The Velvelettes and you've got a roaring good time. This is very bright music. You'll need sunglasses. But, hey, isn't that what the soundtrack to the summer is all about.
And when it's time to mellow out after hours of driving rhythms, check out Goodbye from Ulrich Schnauss. It got into Schnauss after reading a review of A Strangely Isolated Place, and that disc remains one of my desert island discs. Schnauss is like a found-objects artist, only he's working with sounds. Whether it's samples or industrial sounds or vocals, Schnauss pieces together music that is so much more than the sum of its parts. His music is sweeping and evokes very visual imagery with it. Goodbye creates a beautiful landscape, one that's easy to get lost in.
Also, if you haven't checked out The New Pornographers and the Case of Neko, take a look. It's a little dated, but an interesting look at band relations.
Some critics have talked about Challengers as the soundtrack for the summer, and A.C. has talked about Brian Wilson as an influence. I find The New P's music to be a little too fabulous to think of them as my beach music. More Bowie than Brian.
So what was my soundtrack to the summer? Easy! Junior Senior has released the bounciest, can't-get-it-out-of-my-head album I've heard in a long time. I can't can't get the t-t-title out of my head--Hey Hey My My Yo Yo. Every song is rather infectious, but getting Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson to provide vocals on "Take My Time" is so totally cool that any missteps can be totally forgiven. (And by the way, the supplemental disc in the States, Say Hello Wave Goodbye is kind of a misstep.) Add to the guest lineup Le Tigre and The Velvelettes and you've got a roaring good time. This is very bright music. You'll need sunglasses. But, hey, isn't that what the soundtrack to the summer is all about.
And when it's time to mellow out after hours of driving rhythms, check out Goodbye from Ulrich Schnauss. It got into Schnauss after reading a review of A Strangely Isolated Place, and that disc remains one of my desert island discs. Schnauss is like a found-objects artist, only he's working with sounds. Whether it's samples or industrial sounds or vocals, Schnauss pieces together music that is so much more than the sum of its parts. His music is sweeping and evokes very visual imagery with it. Goodbye creates a beautiful landscape, one that's easy to get lost in.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Annie Lennox on Modern Fabulousity
Another quick post. Modern Fabulousity has a stream of the new Annie Lennox single, "Dark Road." I can't wait for the disk to drop, and thanks to ModFab, I don't have to. The song is powerful and etherial...Annie at her best. I had a friend in college who wanted to be Annie Lennox. I wonder if he is.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Dresden Dolls--Live at the Roundhouse
A quick post to recommend the new Dresden Dolls DVD release Live at the Roundhouse. It captures the fun and intensity of a Dresden Dolls concert. It includes their best music and some very interesting covers. The special guests also make for a fun couple of hours. Check out the special features, too.
Music Update
It takes me a little while longer to feel like I'm in a position to respond to an album. My guess is that I don't often sit down and listen to a full album undistracted. Instead, I keep it with me--on my iPod, in the car, on the stereo at home--and digest it over a period of days. Then, it usually takes multiple listenings for me to want to write about it.
Today, I'm writing about three albums I've acquired in the last month. Each has its merits, but I start with the lesser of them, the Hairspray soundtrack.
The best thing I can say is that the soundtrack to Hairspray makes me yearn to play the original cast recording. The soundtrack reinforces what I felt about the film. The new orchestrations reduce the power, poignancy and fun of the orginal. The new songs aren't of the same caliber as the ones they replace, and Edna continues to feel like less of a presence.
It's not bad. If it were my only copy of the score, I'd be playing it nonstop. But its not my only copy of the score, and this week I'll be replacing it on my iPod with the original cast.
My interest in Interpol goes back to 2004. Lee asked a friend of ours (a shout-out to Vince) to recommend music that I might like. Lee put Antics in my stocking. Contrary to what I said above, I was so taken with the first track that I listened to the album start to finish, several times. It affected me immediately.
There is something about an artist or band that can create a wall of sound that gets me in my core and connects me to the music immediately, instantaneously. Think Sigur Ros or Ulrich Schnauss. Interpol falls into this category and, as a result, Antics and Turn on the Bright Lights remain in heavy rotation on my iPod.
Our Love to Admire the latest drop from Interpol (a three-year wait) reinforces the bands place among my favorite and important artists. The music is not a great departure from the Interpol sound, but it is fresh and always engaging. Track for track it is as good or better than its predecessors. The lyrics are as obscure and challenging as one would expect and want. Our Love to Admire is definitely on track to be my favorite album of the year.
I first saw Suzanne Vega in the mid-1980s, when she was traveling in support of her first, eponymous album. To this day, Marlene on the Wall and The Queen and the Soldier remain among my favorites. Though I've never had an opportunity to see her in concert again, I've remained loyal.
I was thrilled to get Beauty and Crime, Vega's first album of new material since 2001. The album is a love letter to New York City and a beautiful one at that. The dude at the record store said, "It's great, but it's so different than her earlier work." It is great, but, like Our Love to Admire, it never becomes derivative or less than what makes Suzanne Vega important and inspiring.
Today, I'm writing about three albums I've acquired in the last month. Each has its merits, but I start with the lesser of them, the Hairspray soundtrack.
The best thing I can say is that the soundtrack to Hairspray makes me yearn to play the original cast recording. The soundtrack reinforces what I felt about the film. The new orchestrations reduce the power, poignancy and fun of the orginal. The new songs aren't of the same caliber as the ones they replace, and Edna continues to feel like less of a presence.
It's not bad. If it were my only copy of the score, I'd be playing it nonstop. But its not my only copy of the score, and this week I'll be replacing it on my iPod with the original cast.
My interest in Interpol goes back to 2004. Lee asked a friend of ours (a shout-out to Vince) to recommend music that I might like. Lee put Antics in my stocking. Contrary to what I said above, I was so taken with the first track that I listened to the album start to finish, several times. It affected me immediately.
There is something about an artist or band that can create a wall of sound that gets me in my core and connects me to the music immediately, instantaneously. Think Sigur Ros or Ulrich Schnauss. Interpol falls into this category and, as a result, Antics and Turn on the Bright Lights remain in heavy rotation on my iPod.
Our Love to Admire the latest drop from Interpol (a three-year wait) reinforces the bands place among my favorite and important artists. The music is not a great departure from the Interpol sound, but it is fresh and always engaging. Track for track it is as good or better than its predecessors. The lyrics are as obscure and challenging as one would expect and want. Our Love to Admire is definitely on track to be my favorite album of the year.
I first saw Suzanne Vega in the mid-1980s, when she was traveling in support of her first, eponymous album. To this day, Marlene on the Wall and The Queen and the Soldier remain among my favorites. Though I've never had an opportunity to see her in concert again, I've remained loyal.
I was thrilled to get Beauty and Crime, Vega's first album of new material since 2001. The album is a love letter to New York City and a beautiful one at that. The dude at the record store said, "It's great, but it's so different than her earlier work." It is great, but, like Our Love to Admire, it never becomes derivative or less than what makes Suzanne Vega important and inspiring.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
True Colors Tour--Boston Show
Spent the weekend in Boston. It was a great weekend. My first visit to the ICA. But the main reason for the visit was the Boston leg of the True Colors Tour at the Bank of America Pavilion. Overall it was a great, empowering event with some unfortunate technical difficulties and mediocre sound. But the performances were uniformly excellent and added up to an amazing show.
The line-up:
The Gossip provided a strong start to the evening. I think the Cyndi Lauper crowd didn't quite know what to make of The Gossip, but Beth and company put on a rocking first set. This was the first indication that the acoustics were not going to be great.
Dresden Dolls followed with an amazing and engaging set for the hometown crowd. They engaged the crowd, perhaps better than any of the other performers. They did an audience friendly set that included songs from familiar albums and a few new ones. The new single, Shores of California, is great. Check out the video. They also did a groovy version of Coin-Operated Boy that was one of the highlights of the show.
A word about Margaret Cho: It was highly effective to bridge the sets with Margaret rather than intermissions. She was fierce as always ("I'm glad that Jerry Falwell died"). But from Section 6, Row 11, it was often difficult to make out what she was saying. There was no picking up on the nuance of a Margaret Cho performance. The lesbian take on Mickey Avalon was fun, but Mickey really deserved a shout-out.
Rufus Wainwright was up third. The audience members who chatted their way through the performance were annoying (you know who you are, Section 6, Row M). Apparently Rufus was, too. The last time I saw Rufus, he was totally engaging onstage. At True Colors he wasn't. He said nary a word to the audience. The set was mostly from Release the Stars, but I was disappointed that he chose not to do the concert-friendly tracks, like "Rules and Regulations" or "Between My Legs". It was great to see Rufus with his band, but I'd hoped for a stronger set.
Deborah Harry was the first performer to get the audience to its feet. After an amazing "French Kissing in the U.S.A.," she launched into some new material that had me a little nervous about the set. But the second half of the set was rousing and kept the audience moving--even if there was some hope in the air for "Rapture" or "Tide is High."
Erasure took the stage and the audience lept up and stayed up. It was the perfect mix of classic Erasure ("A Little Respect," "I Love to Hate You," "Oh, L'Amour" were standouts) and tracks from the new album. For the, um, newer gays, this was all a revelation. And really, really empowering.
Cyndi Lauper was without a doubt the headliner. This was the third time I've seen her, and she's a master of the stage. Her set seemed to be plagued by technical difficulties, but she managed them with grace. Her duet with Beth on "Time After Time" was another highlight of the event. The choral finale of "True Colors" was also quite moving.
A word about guitars: Cyndi, Rufus and Vince all played guitar at one point in their sets. They seemed self-conscious. Perhaps a little out of their elements.
What a great night, and what a great way to spend time across the generations. Technical difficulties aside, this was special.
ERASE HATE!
The line-up:
The Gossip provided a strong start to the evening. I think the Cyndi Lauper crowd didn't quite know what to make of The Gossip, but Beth and company put on a rocking first set. This was the first indication that the acoustics were not going to be great.
Dresden Dolls followed with an amazing and engaging set for the hometown crowd. They engaged the crowd, perhaps better than any of the other performers. They did an audience friendly set that included songs from familiar albums and a few new ones. The new single, Shores of California, is great. Check out the video. They also did a groovy version of Coin-Operated Boy that was one of the highlights of the show.
A word about Margaret Cho: It was highly effective to bridge the sets with Margaret rather than intermissions. She was fierce as always ("I'm glad that Jerry Falwell died"). But from Section 6, Row 11, it was often difficult to make out what she was saying. There was no picking up on the nuance of a Margaret Cho performance. The lesbian take on Mickey Avalon was fun, but Mickey really deserved a shout-out.
Rufus Wainwright was up third. The audience members who chatted their way through the performance were annoying (you know who you are, Section 6, Row M). Apparently Rufus was, too. The last time I saw Rufus, he was totally engaging onstage. At True Colors he wasn't. He said nary a word to the audience. The set was mostly from Release the Stars, but I was disappointed that he chose not to do the concert-friendly tracks, like "Rules and Regulations" or "Between My Legs". It was great to see Rufus with his band, but I'd hoped for a stronger set.
Deborah Harry was the first performer to get the audience to its feet. After an amazing "French Kissing in the U.S.A.," she launched into some new material that had me a little nervous about the set. But the second half of the set was rousing and kept the audience moving--even if there was some hope in the air for "Rapture" or "Tide is High."
Erasure took the stage and the audience lept up and stayed up. It was the perfect mix of classic Erasure ("A Little Respect," "I Love to Hate You," "Oh, L'Amour" were standouts) and tracks from the new album. For the, um, newer gays, this was all a revelation. And really, really empowering.
Cyndi Lauper was without a doubt the headliner. This was the third time I've seen her, and she's a master of the stage. Her set seemed to be plagued by technical difficulties, but she managed them with grace. Her duet with Beth on "Time After Time" was another highlight of the event. The choral finale of "True Colors" was also quite moving.
A word about guitars: Cyndi, Rufus and Vince all played guitar at one point in their sets. They seemed self-conscious. Perhaps a little out of their elements.
What a great night, and what a great way to spend time across the generations. Technical difficulties aside, this was special.
ERASE HATE!
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