What is Good Recently
The Intima: Band from Portland, Oregon who've done stuff on K Records. They make the violin sound sexy and dangerous by realising that you don't have to sound like Godspeed or Rachel's if you use one. Stuff not really available here (try
www.zumonline.com) but worth checking as they have potential to rule.
David Grubbs: Newie has more song based stuff from Dave or
Grubbsy as us shopheads have taken to calling him. Good wistful melodies and sweet sounding jangly guitar. A summer album so you won't be playing it much then.
Anticon:: Music for the Advancement of Hip Hop: Great first compilation from label that can't stop putting things out. This is a must if you like their brand of quirky, intellectual beats and raps. Cuts to the chase with some dark shit from Slug rapping about family suicide then brightening up with 'nothing but sunshine'. Buck 65, Alias, Sole and Dose also pop up. Keep it trucker cap.
Read Yellow: Couldn't decide about this band at first, then realised its because they seem to write two different types of song. One is snarling emo-punk with interesting breakdowns a la Trail of Dead. The other is garage-tinged with histrionic vocals. I know which I prefer.
Chromatics: Unconventional band who like to play around with styles. Namely p**t punk, goth, lo fi, punk, jazz, electro, often at the same time. They're on Gold Standard Laboratories so they're a bit arty. Interesting if not amazing.
Betty Davis: Only heard bits but the impression I got is of a sassy lady who'd have most of those other funk/soul singers for breakfast. Stuff on vinyl in the shop.
Party of Helicopters: These guys manage to make poppy punk really endearing. They blend driving rythmns with effortless stream of conscious vocals and I especially like the guitatrist's fast finger picking style. Latest album
Please Beleive It has a more mature sound.
Good Music Themed Films
1. Twenty Four Party People
Still not convinced about Steve Coogan playing Factory Records Label owner Tony Wilson, but as he says in the film 'its not about me, its about Manchester and the music'. Besides Michael Winterbottom is directing and he knows how to tell a story.
The locations are extremely convincing with the late 70s/early 80s North-West looking as grim as ever. The events are just as unsavoury, particulary Ian Curtis having a backstage fit while bassist Peter Hook rummages through his pockets for a fag. The actor, much to my suprise, plays Curtis to perfection, mimicking the singer's legendary wide eyed, convulsed stage dancing that raises the hairs on the back of your head. Off stage he's just one of the lads.
There's a lot of frank Northern wit that drives the film at a good pace through the years and two funerals. Incidentally, it appears as if nearly every British TV comedy performer has signed up for this from Peter Kaye to Dave Gorman.
Even though I don't rate the Happy Mondays much the japes continue as Factory struggles to support the band's recording vacation to the Bahamas and the loss making Hacienda. The film even informs us the historical context, with economic instability and drug gang warfare weilding influence.
However whether certain events in the film actually took place is debatable, most of the people portrayed in the film were on drugs or at least drunk half the time. But at least their presence lends creedence. It's good film that could have been really bad, and it's got Sex, Drugs and Rock'n'Roll in it. Michael Winterbottom does it again.
Go see.
2. High Fidelity
A great adaptation of the book even if they did Americanise it (They pronounce Beta Band,
Bay-ta Band) Everyone involved seems to know and care about the subject matter. John Cusack is likeable as ever. Jack Black and the other Moby look-a-like record shop worker steal nearly every scene. The music is good. Especially because of the scene where Moby explains the value of owning
Inflammable Material by Stiff Little Fingers It's got Tim Robbins playing some kind of New Age yuppie love rival called Ian, amusing in itself.
Second film in a row which has great locations. They filmed some of it in the West Side of Chicago, where I once visited, and it definitely does the film justice for bohemian, low-rent artiness. Details are good too with casual placement of stickers and posters from bands including Pavement and plucked from obscurity
US Maple!
The only flaw is Catherine Zeta-Jones as Cusack's old flame wearing that irritating smug, aren't-I-great expression throughout each scene. She
doesn't need to act.
3. Spinal Tap
err, this list
doesn't go up to 11
4. Fear of a Black Hat
Wasn't as funny the second time I saw it but if you're feeling particulary immature then this is a good satire. Its basically a Hip Hop Spinal Tap, with caricatures aplenty although the acting is not as good. We follow ghetto outfit Niggaz With Hatz through tours, recording, downtime and video
shoots. There are great moments as rap star gets pulled over by the fuzz for having a flash car then ex-member goes all PM Dawn hippy robes solo.
Its silly fun but if you like unsubtle spoofs know a bit about Hip Hop and its cliches then this will tickle you, can't remember if its better than the very similar
CB4 though.
5. Wayne's World
Before Michael Myers got shit (that Cat in the Hat film looked rubbish) he did this and made us all laugh with its savy look at the distinctly unsavy world of hair rock. Complete with riffing soundtrack and star turns (Al Bundy from Married With Children!) this film worms its way into even the most cynical heart. The sequel was good too (Ralph out of Withnail and I!)
6. School of Rock
Jack Black takes his character from
High Fidelity and goes to town, or should I say school. Struggling musician blags his way into a teaching job and promptly sets about teaching his class to win an upcoming battle of the bands. Its very unbelievable but Mr. Black's unabashed ethusiasm wins you over just as it does in the movie. The children are entertaining as they're not stereotypically cutesy and are endearingly bemused as their 'teacher' plays the fool. Joan Cusack gives a good performance as the oblivious, gawky headmistress with a Stevie Nicks fixation.
For fans of the feelgood power of
Rock!
J G Ballard's Cocaine Nights
Read this nearly a year ago but has definitely stuck with me. The title is kind of misleading as clandestine, profuse narcotic consumption is only part of the web of intrigue that this writer is spinning.
The story has the feel of a crime thriller with reporter Charles Prentice arriving at a Spanish resort for ex-pats in order to unravel the events of his brother's incaceration for a fatal housefire. Ballard's resort provides a seductive backdrop as Charles gets drawn into its idiosynchratic world, flirting with danger and liasing with the locals who never give much away, not least his club owner brother.
The usual Ballard themes arise, the quest for utopia and the trappings which follow but there are poignant touches that merely add to the tension as we reach the terrifying conclusion.
