Regina Spektor --- The Genius Next Door (Random I-pod song)

At first, I was quite resistent to Ms. Spektor, thinking...just another singing/songwriting woman with a piano. But, after some time, she has grown on me. She seems to have a genuine combination of talent and truly unique song-writing sense. Many dismiss her as self-consciously quirky. I say...give me more quirkly and less normal....any day.



The Genius Next Door is a song off of her most recent album FAR. This song is quite mysterious...even strange, but still wonderful. Far is a bit quieter than her previous release...a bit more introspective. Many of the songs are about fairly heady issues...God...etc. But, the details she can include in a song are both specific and evocative. And, ultimately, just beautiful.

Deathray -- Deathray (2000)

Sacramento's Deathray's debut album is one of those albums I kept seeing over and over at the used record stores. I always just passed it by, thinking it was just another nondescript late-90's indie album. Come to my surprise, this is a solid, fuzzed out, and quite quirky pop album. Think Squeeze meets XTC meets Badfinger meets Big Star. Okay, enough of the crazy comparisons. Just check out a few songs here and see what you think.

Roky Erickson and the Aliens -- The Evil One (1980)

Roky, like Syd Barrett, is one of those musicians who came out of the 60's full of potential, drug-addled, and eventually institutionalized as virtually insane.



His original band, Thirteenth Floor Elevators, were noted as contemporaries to Janis Joplin and rival Texas band, The Moving Sidewalks (later ZZ top). Roky also boasts Willie Nelson as a long-time friend. So why is it that no one knows who he is? Becuase he's pretty much nuts.



Nevertheless, he has produced some truly original music that should be experienced by anyone who has a taste for something off the beaten path.

Verbena -- Into the Pink (1999)

This is one of those albums that I picked up almost totally on a whim. I was wandering through Sonic Boom records near Freemont, sampling various cd's, and for some reason this one really caught my attention. It's also one of those albums that I will forget about for a year or two, then a song will pop up on my I-pod, and I'm listening to it all over again.



Verbena is probably best described as Nirvana/Sonic Youth influenced rock by way of the deep South. Many of the songs are hooky enough to sing along with, yet heavy enough to rock your head. I also quite like the way the snotty male vocals of Scott Bondy are counter-balanced by the somewhat sweeter vocals of Anne Marie Griffin.



I've never felt a dying need to go out and find their other releases, but, after listening back to this album....I might just have to.

Gooby Dooby Doo...

I know everyone claims to be afraid of clowns and annoyed by mimes, but this trailer will make you hate and fear teddy bears. Behold....Gooby!

Most anticipated movie of 2009 -- Where The Wild Things Are (Spike Jonze)

This live-action version of Maurice Sendak's beloved children's book has been in limbo for most of the last year. It looked like it would either never be released or possibly go directly to dvd. But, it has been revived. This week, the first official trailer for the movie was released and...it looks very cool.

Jonze seems to have achieved the perfect balance of nostalgia and wonder, with mostly non-CGI effects. Sure, this is only a trailer and could be much better than the film itself, but for now, I choose to hope the film will be great. >

View the trailer here:
http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/wherethewildthingsare/

Killing Joke -- Killing Joke (1980)

Many remember Killing Joke for their one semi-hit, "The 80's," from their second album. By then they were well on their way to 80's synth-pop obscurity. Unlike their later output, this first Killing Joke album stands as music way ahead of its time. The music here is both post-punk, goth, and pre-industrial. It is not hard to envision Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, Big Black, and Skinny Puppy all listening and taking notes to this album. Killing Joke combines tribal beats, punk guitars, and metallic/robotic vocal effects for a strangely danceable, yet apocalyptic album. This is one bit of music that has gone nearly forgotten in the last 15 years. Check out a couple of songs and see what you are missing.

Requium
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENiZLWuDjAo

The Wait
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f42MLoLbnnQ&feature=PlayList&p=91BBBA0422524F3D&index=14

Movies I Love -- Cure -- Kiyoshi Kurosawa

Kurosawa's other famous film, Pulse, seems to get lots more love, as well as the ubiquitous crappy American remake. Cure, in my opinion, is a Kurosawa's true masterpiece, up to now. Cure is a serial killer procedural that, at first, seems to hold lots of similarities to American movies like Se7en and Silence of the Lambs. We are introduced to inspector Kenichi Takabe (played by Koji Yakusho of Tampopo) as he investigates a series of baffling murders characterized by victims who have large "x's" carved into their flesh. The twist is that the murder of each victim is quickly found and seems to have no memory of the crime and also seems to be genuinely remorseful of the act. In addition, each murder is evidently carried out by a different person.

We are introduced to a strange and unemotional amnesiac played by Masato Hagiwara. As the film slowly unfolds, we see the troubled relationship between the inspector and his wife also unravel. We find that strange relationships develop between each killer and the drifter. We find that hypnotism and evil both have some sort of bearing on the matters at-hand. Kurosawa lets all of the strange event reveal themselves in a very deliberate, hypnotic pace that pulls the viewer into a creepy, dream-like world. It's as if Kurosawa wanted to direct Silence of the Lambs through the lens of David Lynch. The finale of this movie is subtle and ultimately devistating. This is one that certainly deserves more than one viewing in order to fully absorb all of the levels at work here.

Albums I Love -- Wire -- Pink Flag (1977)

One of the unsung influences of the American Hardcore music scene. Unlike the Ramones, The Clash, and The Sex Pistols --- who had become either parodies of themselves or largely irrelevent to the American youth underground... Wire forged a streamlined and intelligent path. Wire actually sets the sort of blueprint for American Hardcore Punk.... intelligent, short songs, streamlined, more interested in message than fashion. It is no wonder that Minor Threat famously covered Wire's song 12XU on the D.C. compilation Flex Your Head. There is a mix of artiness here as well, that would not be foreign in say... a Franz Ferdinand record. For many, Wire's Pink Flag has faded into oblivion. For many more, Pink Flag is something they've never even heard of. Below are a few tracks to acquaint you with Wire.

Mr. Suit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCoBkv6AzUY&feature=related

Ex Lion Tamer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eZZbOLthfE&feature=related

Movies I Love -- An American Werewolf in London (John Landis)

It's hard to imagine these days that once John Landis was both an A-list director and one of the most entertaining storytellers of his generation. Like The Blues Brothers, Animal House, and Trading Places, An American Werewolf In London acts as a great genre movie as well as a nostalgic movie full of pop-culture in-jokes. Most people remember the fantasic werewolf transformation effects by makeup artist Rick Baker. Fewer people remember the movie itself. I let this movie fade in my memory until a few years ago. When I rewatched it I was pleasently surprised by its energy and creativity.

An American Werewolf in London starts in about the most stereotypical way possible.... two naive Americans don't heed the warnings of local townfolk and blithely walk across the British moores at night. Side note: if a crazy "local" ever tells you to stay away from an abandoned summer camp or creepy old castle.... listen to him/her. Our heroes, played by David Naughton and Griffin Dunne, are attacked by a local werewolf. Dunne's character dies, while Naughton's character is merely bitten. The remainder of the movie revolves around Naughtons increasing torment over his growing werewolf-ness. We are shown the aforementioned transformation, several werewolf attacks (including a chaotic finale in Picadilly Circus), a doomed romance with Jenny Agutter, and finally an awesome continuing relationship with his dead friend.

This final feature is one of the shining elements of this flick. Throughout the film, Naughton is visited by his increasingly rotting friend. His friend pleads with Naughton to kill himself before he murders more innocent people. It also appears that these poor souls are also doomed to an undead existence until the attacking werewolf dies.

One last note: this movie features several nightmare sequences as he is slowly becoming more werewolf than man. One dream sequence stands as one of the freakiest I've ever seen. Naughton's whole family is murdered by Nazi werewolves while he is forced to watch. Pretty sick stuff right there.

Great Punk Albums -- Circle Jerks -- Group Sex (1980)

This first and finest release by L.A.'s Circle Jerks is the epitome of American Hardcore...fast and infectious. This album has fourteen songs that only take about fourteen minutes to listen to. Fronted by Keith Morris (original Black Flag singer), Group Sex is just about the perfect punk party album. Put it on and watch everyone start jumping around. Such fun and energy in one short record. Pretty much every song on this album is great, but a few standouts are...

Back Against The Wall

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXVnWNPwgKs

World Up My A@#

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YNfvl_qhVE

Live Fast, Die Young

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmSs_rMjJLg

Movies I Love -- The Wicker Man (1973) Dir. Robin Hardy

Even before the horrendous Nic Cage remake, The Wicker Man was a love-it or hate-it movie for many genre fans. If you've seen the remake, you know the basic twist ending of this movie, but you don't have any idea how the original film plays out.

The Wicker Man starts as a traditional mystery. a straight-arrow constable, played beautifully by Edward Woodward, is sent to a remote British island community of Summerisle to find a missing schoolgirl. Once there, sergeant Howie, a devout Christian, finds an island full of secretive townfolk. Now, if you've been paying attention, you know that I enjoy movies with creepy, secretive towns.

As a Christian, Howie finds himself assaulted on all sides by rampant Pagan practices. There is Lord Summerisle, played by Christopher Lee, that seems to hold sway over the island's residents. There is a local beauty played by Britt Ekland who seems intent to tempt Howie with carnal desires. The entire village is preparing for a harvest festival that may or may not include a human sacrifice of the missing young girl.

A few warnings, this movie is quite strange, and not for everyone. It includes several traditional folk songs, almost turning the movie into a musical. But, if you can get past the overall wierd tone of this movie and go with the flow there is much awesomeness to be had. The details of ancient paganism are many and seemingly very acurate. This, in many ways, is a great companion piece to The Exorcist. Both films are studies of the meaning of faith and religious belief. But, where The Exorcist may be about the final sacrifice and redemption of the young priest, the unbending, almost blind faith of The Wicker Man's sergeant Howie is the path of his eventual downfall.

Albums I Love -- Bad Religion -- How Could Hell Be Any Worse? (1983)

Bad Religion became a household name in modern alternative rock in the mid-90's, but nearly 10 years earlier they produced one of the seminal Southern Californa hardcore punk albums. "How Could Hell..." is a lean, mean album full of sound and fury and...hooks. This album boasts a young (16) Greg Graffin yelling about everything he hated in 80's suburban culture. Even then, he displayed a surprisingly keen eye and razor-sharp use of the English language. I think he might have a PHD these days. Anyway, they still rock pretty hard, but nothing quite matches the raw energy of this first full-length album by Bad Religion. Standout tracks.... Pity, F*&K Armageddon This is Hell, The Voice of God is Government.

F*&K Armageddon, This is Hell

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ONlH9ieqgc

Pity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHBvDoj1k38

Movies I Love -- Phase IV (Saul Bass)

This 1974 sci fi oddity has not been available in the DVD format until this year. Phase IV was directed by Saul Bass, best known as Academy Award winning title creator for such famous movies as Psycho, North By Northwest, and The Man With the Golden Arm. Unlike the big-budget movies he did titles for, Saul Bass' Phase IV is a small-budget, high-minded story of super-intelligent ants. Think 2001 meets Them.

Phase IV features lots of excellent micro-cinematography of actual ants as well as some impressively trippy set designs. The threat of ants in Phase IV concerns an unusual cosmic event that results in ants forming a sort of collective that is a threat to man. Ants begin to build monolithic nests that exhibit obvious signs of intelligence.

Much of the movie involves two scientists studying the strange ant goings-on from their properly futuristic study facility. Events quickly get out of control as the ants adapt to any and all threats, eventually turning the scientists into the subjects of THEIR study. (cue dramatic music). Anyway, by this movie's end, things become as trippy as only an early 70's movie can get. For anyone who likes their sci-fi full of scientific double-speak, cool photography, and crazy scientists.... this one's for you.

Albums I Love -- Dag Nasty -- Can I Say? (1986)

Dag Nasty was a bit of a mid-80's D.C. Hardcore supergroup. The band consisted of singer Dave Smalley (ex singer of Boston's DYS), guitarist Brian Baker (ex Minor Threat), and others. The album was also produced by Ian MacKay (Minor Threat founder and hardcore giant). The music is clear, punchy, powerful, with the hints of emo to come. Surprisingly catchy songs with fairly complex harmonies just added to the overall appeal of Dag Nasty. Like many bands in the mid-80's they found themselves in that middle ground between pure hardcore and pre-grunge.

I've Heard/What Now?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5_qGuUobf4&feature=related

Movies I Love -- Starship Troopers

Starship Troopers (Paul Verhoeven)

This is one of those rare action/sci-fi movies that actually is more intelligent than it appears. At first blush, Starship Troopers seems like a combo of 90210 and Aliens. Sure, it does offer not-so-bright, eye-candy heroes and heroines, but it offers them with a purpose. Verhoeven slyly presents a story with all the trappings of a slick actioner in order to comment and subvert all the usual expectations. It's as if he wanted to make the ultimate fascist propaganda film, then comment on the film he's making. If you walk away from the film thinking...that was a dumb pro-war film glorifying violence, then you totally missed the point.

He takes those standard themes and pushes them so far/so ridiculously over-the-top that it actually becomes an indictment. The heroes are so jingoistic as to become idiots. The monsters are so inhuman that they become actual bugs. The violence is so violent that it goes from shocking to hilarious. For those who loved Verhoeven's other forays into sci-fi (Robocop and Total Recall), Starship Troopers stands as his last great film.

Albums I love -- Feederz --Ever Feel Like Killing Your Boss?

Feederz -- Ever Feel Like Killing Your Boss? (1984)

San Francisco's Feederz made the Dead Kennedys look politically tame. Lead singer, Frank Discussion, and the rest of the band made you believe they were out to offend everyone and tear down the system in every way possible. The surprising thing is that with all these anarchistic leanings, Feederz still found a way to make music that was surprisingly catchy. They even had time to cover Olivia Newton John's Have You Never Been Mellow? Go figure. Other than the great songs, there is one other thing about this record that makes it great. The original vinyl version of Ever Feel Like Killing Your Boss had to be the most punk rock packaging ever. A simple black album with sandpaper on both sides....so as to destroy the rest of your record collection. Truly fantastic.

1984 (clip)

http://play.napster.com/track/19839933

Have You Never Been Mellow? (clip)

http://play.napster.com/track/19839928

My Favorite Movies -- John Carpenter's The Thing

This movie almost single-handedly made me a special-effects groupie during most of the 80's. Rob Bottin (along with Stan Winston) put more creative creature design on-screen in this flick than the last three Star Wars movies combined. Even more amazing is that it's all done with puppetry, animatronics, and just a bit of stop-motion. Anyone who has watched the dog transformation, the spider-head, or the jumping blood test scene can attest to the lasting power of these magical effects.

John Carpenter, rightfully acknowledged for his work on Halloween, could've just kept making slasher knock-offs, instead, he remakes a beloved sci-fi b-movie from the 50's. Surprisingly, The Thing was a box-office bomb. It was one of the few 80's horror/sci-fi flicks I didn't see in the theater. But, even when I saw it on horrible quality beta video tape... I knew I had found true greatness.

If for any reason you still haven't seen this movie... see it now! If you love it as much as I do... see it again. Such a great time. One of my top 20 favorite movies of all time.

My Favorite Movies -- Blade Runner

Blade Runner -- Ridley Scott

No matter which version you prefer (Ridley has famously tinkered with this movie at least 3 times), Blade Runner usually sits on most sci-fi fans top 10 list. The main Blade Runner,Deckard, played by Harrison Ford, is out to kill a band of rogue replicants. Replicants are genetically engineered "humans" that have a limited life-span and extraordinary strength. The lead Replicant, Roy Batty, played by Rutger Hauer, is out to find his creator and try to find a cure to his time-bomb life cycle.

Everything about this production is top-notch.

The cast is fantastic. Along with Ford and Hauer is Sean Young, Daryl Hannah, Edward James Olmos, M. Emmet Walsh...etc.

The visual effects are spectacular and bar-setting for all future-visions to come. Douglas Trumbull's visual effects work is really the un-sung star of this movie. Trumbull, who was also responsible for 2001 and Close Encounters, creates a future city-scape that is constantly dark and rainy. The enormous skyscrapers rise like pyramids, only seen by the rich or blade runners with flying cars. Most of the people live in perpetual night surrounded by a cultural hodge-podge of neon signs, abandoned buildings, and road-side vendors.
The story is complex and intriguing. Based on the Philip K. Dick story, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, Blade Runner considers love, creation, and the nature of humanity itself. But, even in the shadow of these heavy themes, Blade runner also works as both a love story and a futuristic Film Noir.

The soundtrack by Vangelis is also perfect and helps set the mood... both dreamy and mysterious.

clips from the film set to Vangelis music...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=uJrOVLEUBgw

There is so much goodness packed into Blade Runner that it's no wonder it was considered a moderate flop at the time of its release. After all, it was competing with popcorn movies like Star Wars for the American audience. But, time was kind to Blade Runner.