Fuck this decade, man. I read awhile back that this might be considered the worst decade since the 20's. That's fucked up man. Bush. 9/11. Katrina. Two wars that still aren't over. Stock market crash. Record job loses. I mean we kept setting records for that. Movies and music took a nose dive. This country is a sinking ship. I would go to Scotland but I watched that video that Bada posted and now I dunno. Plus I watched a tv show about prisons in Scotland and they said you're three times as likely to be violently attacked over there than you are over here. Sars. Anthrax. Bird flu. Swine flu.
On the other hand, we got Lost this decade. And Samurai Jack. But we also got those things. Snuggies. Those things are hideous. I almost bought my mom one. But I didn't.
-M
Showing posts with label Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reviews. Show all posts
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
REVIEW: Slumdog Millionaire
It's hard not to start this review off by citing the overwhelming love this movie is feeling. It's the front runner to win the Oscar for Best Picture and Director. It's on every major critics top ten list for best films of 2008 (and in many, many cases, it's actually their number one film of the year)
Frankly- I don't get it.
I won't get into the plot much, because there's really not much there to begin with. Jamal is a poor kid from the slums of Mumbai India. He's currently a national phenom because of his performance on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Jamal is one question away from winning the ultimate prize. How'd he do it? He cheated. Not really. But everyone seems to think he did, so the story is told in flashback, revealing how he came to simply know the answers.
And it's bullshit. The coincidences get bigger and more absurd as the story progresses. Jamal knows who invented the revolver because he saw some dude get shot by one? Bullshit.
I'm not a cynic. I loved Forrest Gump, and the coincidences in Gump are at least as absurd as those in Slumdog, but the difference here is the writing. Gump was funny. Gump gave us characters we cared about. When something completely unbelievable happened in Gump, at least they made it funny and charming. Slumdog has no charm. Slumdog has some of the flattest, least lively characters you'll see in a film this year. Dev Patel's portrayal of Jamal is so dull and lifeless one can't help but wonder either A) Why was this kid chosen for this movie? or B) Why was an entire movie based on this character? I don't know who's the blame- the actor or the writer? The answer is probably both.
The worst part of the movie is by far the love story. You see, the whole reason Jamal is even on the show is so the love of his life, Latika, will see him. He's trying to find her, blah blah blah. Won't get into it. But basically, these two have zero spark. They seem more like a brother and sister than two star crossed lovers. And you can't help but wonder what Jamal sees in her anyways. It's not like they know each other all that well. They knew each other when they were kids, but after that they barely ever see each other. I can understand him wanting to save her from her horrible situations, but love her? He doesn't know her anymore. And she knows even less about him.
But none of that matters, cause Love Conquers All. They love each other because they love each other. That might be good enough for some people, but after they get together at the end (and I don't think that counts as a spoiler, since everyone knows how it's going to end anyways... did I mention how utterly predictable this movie is?) I couldn't help wondering, "Now what? After a month these two people are going to be sick of each other. But Latika will stick around for the money."
So the acting and writing sucks. But there are a few good points. Nice cinematography (despite the fact that anytime it shows them in the slums they completely rip off City of God), some fancy editing (which also looks a lot like City of God's editing... this movie is City of God-lite), etc. But techs can only take a movie so far. At the end of the film you're forced to face the facts- this is just an unbelievable fairytale with boring characters and a paper thin love story.
5/10.
-M
Frankly- I don't get it.
I won't get into the plot much, because there's really not much there to begin with. Jamal is a poor kid from the slums of Mumbai India. He's currently a national phenom because of his performance on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Jamal is one question away from winning the ultimate prize. How'd he do it? He cheated. Not really. But everyone seems to think he did, so the story is told in flashback, revealing how he came to simply know the answers.
And it's bullshit. The coincidences get bigger and more absurd as the story progresses. Jamal knows who invented the revolver because he saw some dude get shot by one? Bullshit.
I'm not a cynic. I loved Forrest Gump, and the coincidences in Gump are at least as absurd as those in Slumdog, but the difference here is the writing. Gump was funny. Gump gave us characters we cared about. When something completely unbelievable happened in Gump, at least they made it funny and charming. Slumdog has no charm. Slumdog has some of the flattest, least lively characters you'll see in a film this year. Dev Patel's portrayal of Jamal is so dull and lifeless one can't help but wonder either A) Why was this kid chosen for this movie? or B) Why was an entire movie based on this character? I don't know who's the blame- the actor or the writer? The answer is probably both.
The worst part of the movie is by far the love story. You see, the whole reason Jamal is even on the show is so the love of his life, Latika, will see him. He's trying to find her, blah blah blah. Won't get into it. But basically, these two have zero spark. They seem more like a brother and sister than two star crossed lovers. And you can't help but wonder what Jamal sees in her anyways. It's not like they know each other all that well. They knew each other when they were kids, but after that they barely ever see each other. I can understand him wanting to save her from her horrible situations, but love her? He doesn't know her anymore. And she knows even less about him.
But none of that matters, cause Love Conquers All. They love each other because they love each other. That might be good enough for some people, but after they get together at the end (and I don't think that counts as a spoiler, since everyone knows how it's going to end anyways... did I mention how utterly predictable this movie is?) I couldn't help wondering, "Now what? After a month these two people are going to be sick of each other. But Latika will stick around for the money."
So the acting and writing sucks. But there are a few good points. Nice cinematography (despite the fact that anytime it shows them in the slums they completely rip off City of God), some fancy editing (which also looks a lot like City of God's editing... this movie is City of God-lite), etc. But techs can only take a movie so far. At the end of the film you're forced to face the facts- this is just an unbelievable fairytale with boring characters and a paper thin love story.
5/10.
-M
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
REVIEW- "Dear Science"
TV on the Radio has pretty much established themselves as the best new band of this decade. Whereas other bands that started out at the same place and time as TVOTR have mostly faded away (The Strokes) or simply have not been able to top their first outings (Interpol, Yeah Yeah Yeahs), TVOTR have become living legends.
Okay, not really. But they're getting there. The first album, Desperate Youths, Blood Thirsty Babes had a ton of promise. But it was their second album which put them in the Radiohead league. Return to Cookie Mountain is a monster album, so chock full of jaw dropping sounds and lyrics, it's already considered a classic by everyone who's heard it.
Their third LP, Dear Science, decides to scale back a little. The sheer bigness of Return to Cookie Mountain is all but gone, replaced with smaller, more user friendly songs. But where the production is smaller, the lyrics are better and overall more consistent. Return to Cookie Mountain sometimes went a little scatterbrain, but Dear Science is pretty consistent throughout.
For the most part, the songs are much dance-ier than ever before. Listening to this album reminds me of 70's era Bowie. Especially the first single "Golden Age". Perhaps it's just the name, but it sounds a lot like Bowie's Golden Years.
TVOTR's biggest strength has always been it's two singers- Tunde Adebimpe and Ky Malone. Like everyone else, Adebimpe is my favorite of the two. But this album in particular seems to be a huge leap forward for him. His voice does things it's never done and his writing is the best it's ever been. Songs like Halfway Home, Shout Me Out and Stork and Owl have some of his best lyrics ever.
Malone does his own thing as well. His songs for the most part seems to be more focused on the personal- love, loss, etc., whereas Adebimpe deals with the quote unquote "Big Issues" of life, death, war, etc.
Overall, it's a very good album. It never takes the risks that Return to Cookie Mountain took, and therefore it's rewards aren't quite as rich. But it doesn't have as high a risk factor of crashing and burning either. There are some surprises along the way though- like Dancing Choose, which is really just a straight up rap song. The second verse is actually the best rap verse I've heard all year. Family Tree manages to out Coldplay Coldpay. The band as a whole sounds tighter than they ever have.
Seriously, it's just a damn good album.
I'll give it a 9.0/10.
Best songs- Crying, Halway Home, Dancing Choose
Worst Song- Red Dress
Okay, not really. But they're getting there. The first album, Desperate Youths, Blood Thirsty Babes had a ton of promise. But it was their second album which put them in the Radiohead league. Return to Cookie Mountain is a monster album, so chock full of jaw dropping sounds and lyrics, it's already considered a classic by everyone who's heard it.
Their third LP, Dear Science, decides to scale back a little. The sheer bigness of Return to Cookie Mountain is all but gone, replaced with smaller, more user friendly songs. But where the production is smaller, the lyrics are better and overall more consistent. Return to Cookie Mountain sometimes went a little scatterbrain, but Dear Science is pretty consistent throughout.
For the most part, the songs are much dance-ier than ever before. Listening to this album reminds me of 70's era Bowie. Especially the first single "Golden Age". Perhaps it's just the name, but it sounds a lot like Bowie's Golden Years.
TVOTR's biggest strength has always been it's two singers- Tunde Adebimpe and Ky Malone. Like everyone else, Adebimpe is my favorite of the two. But this album in particular seems to be a huge leap forward for him. His voice does things it's never done and his writing is the best it's ever been. Songs like Halfway Home, Shout Me Out and Stork and Owl have some of his best lyrics ever.
Malone does his own thing as well. His songs for the most part seems to be more focused on the personal- love, loss, etc., whereas Adebimpe deals with the quote unquote "Big Issues" of life, death, war, etc.
Overall, it's a very good album. It never takes the risks that Return to Cookie Mountain took, and therefore it's rewards aren't quite as rich. But it doesn't have as high a risk factor of crashing and burning either. There are some surprises along the way though- like Dancing Choose, which is really just a straight up rap song. The second verse is actually the best rap verse I've heard all year. Family Tree manages to out Coldplay Coldpay. The band as a whole sounds tighter than they ever have.
Seriously, it's just a damn good album.
I'll give it a 9.0/10.
Best songs- Crying, Halway Home, Dancing Choose
Worst Song- Red Dress
Monday, June 23, 2008
Saturday, June 7, 2008
REVIEW- My Morning Jacket- Evil Urges
Is it just me or does that look like John McCain from behind in that picture?
Alright, a little bit of history here- I didn't get into My Morning Jacket until Z came out in 2005. I, like everyone else, thought it was pretty great. Then I went back into their older albums and found that Z was actually just a little disappointing. It Still Moves was a masterpiece. At Dawn and The Tennessee Fire were both as good if not better than Z. So I wasn't sure what to expect from Evil Urges. I absolutely love their old hillbilly ways, but I hate it when a band doesn't try to change. But after hearing what came before it, Z seemed like a bad decision as far as experimenting goes. The best songs from that album, Lay Low and Knot Comes Loose, sounded like they could have been on their older albums.
So I've been listening to Evil Urges for a few days now and I'm finally starting to figure out what I want to say about it. It, like Z, is kind of a disappointment. In a way.
It's not a bad album at all, it's just sort of boring. It starts off pretty good with the title track. Jim James does his best Prince impersonation. The whole track sounds more like Z than anything else from this album. Lots of atmosphere. But in a good way. It changes it's sound three or four times throughout. It's basically MMJ saying "Look what we can do!!" Well, everything except the stupid deep voice that says "I'm ready for it nowwww" near the end. This song would have been close to a 10/10 without that shit.
"Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Part 1" is next and it sounds like straight up Roxy Music. It's the most interesting song on the album. It's hard to explain how it sounds. Just think MMJ doing Roxy Music with a nice portion of The Flaming Lips and you'll pretty much get it.
Then comes Highly Suspicious. The worst song they've ever done. It's pure garbage and they never should have fucking made it, let alone put it on the most important album of their career. It sounds like that awful song "Word Up"
After that things change. Their first three songs sounded like a continuation of Z. But then they go backwards. After that we get lots of songs that could have been on any of their first three albums, expect they also sound like old 70's soul songs. It's like, the songs are good but really mellow. After the twists and turns of the first three songs, why get so mellow?? It's kind of boring. One of my biggest, and shallowest, problems with this album is that there's nothing that kicks as much ass as Lay Low. Mostly it's just Jim James sounding like he's half asleep. The songs are nice, like I said, but what the hell are they doing here?
It's here that I start to think MMJ doesn't have a clue what they're doing. This album sounds like a 15 year olds first 4 track recording. They just write a bunch of songs, some go together, some don't, and they just throw them all together on the same record. Some bands can handle doing lots of different styles on a single album, but with Evil Urges it just ends up seeming disjointed. The first part, the middle and that last section all sound like they belong on different albums.
The last two songs on the album, Smokin' from Shootin' and Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Part 2 are a great one two punch to end this album, but after everything that comes before it you get the sense they were written for something completely different.
Remember how I said I like when a band expands it's sound? MMJ have always had a problem doing this. They can't seem to figure out how to expand their OWN sound. When they try to be different they just copy other peoples sounds. Z, their "breakthrough", sounded like Coldplay at times. On this record they sound like everyone from Prince (Evil Urges) to James Taylor (Sec Walkin, which is probably the best song on the whole album), to Jack White (Librarian). When Radiohead and Wilco changed directions with their sound, it sounded right. It sounded like the next logical step they'd take. With My Morning Jacket, it sounds like they're just taking influences and just jamming them on their records. I still love this band and I know I've spent a lot of time complaining about this album but it really isn't bad. Hell, a lot of it sounds like it would be pretty good music for a small road trip at least. It's just not the huge step we all have been hoping they'd take. These are mostly good songs but next time, please MMJ, be yourselves. You guys were best when you weren't trying to be other people.
7.0/10. Best songs- "Sec Walkin", "Smokin' from Shootin'", "Thank You Too"
Worst songs- "Highly Suspicious", Remnants"
-M
Friday, May 30, 2008
Review: Lost- season 4
Well, there it was. No more Lost until January of next year. Damn, that's too long to wait. So until then I guess we'll just have to find some new things to get obsessed with. The Venture Bros. is finally coming back this Sunday, but that'll only be a Summer long obsession. Then what? I just don't know...
So, to start off, this won't be a real review. Well, it kind of will. I don't know. Fuck it. Let's just see where this goes.
So.. uh... season four. What to say about it? It was... different. To say the least. Flash forwards, flashbacks, lots of action, some twists and turns. I don't know how to explain it really... it was fantastic but it left me feeling hollow somehow. I was very disappointed by many aspects of this season to be honest. But a lot of it was better than I ever expected. Let's start with the bad.
Character development. There were three episodes this season where they really fleshed out the characters and all their feelings. Meet Kevin Johnson, The Shape of Things to Come and Something Nice Back Home. I guess The Constant sort of did too, but not the same way. Either way, it's because of the character development that those three episodes I mentioned are among my favorites of this season. I guess since we're in season four and they've only got so many episodes left to tell the story that they figured, "Hell, they know the characters by now, let's just get this shit over with."
That leads me to the other complaint. It was so rushed, wasn't it? But this I can't blame on the writers. Well, yeah I can, cause they're the ones that went on strike. But at least when they came back from the very long hiatus they were great. But because of it we always learned almost nothing of people like Faraday, Miles and (especially) Charlotte. At least they have given her a sort of interesting character arc for season five (She was apparently born on the island... or some shit... that's why she decided to stay on the island).
Miles, on the other hand, I have no idea why he stayed behind. I guess he still wants that fucking money. He will, hopefully, have a shitload to do next year. Talking to ghosts, going on adventures, talking shit. Miles is going to be awesome.
Faraday will be too once we learn more about him, I'm sure. Although there's no telling where he is. Last we saw he was heading back towards the island on his little boat, and then it disappeared. Then he was nowhere to be seen. My guess- hell, he just disappeared with it. Wherever (or whenever) it went, he went with it. I think. Either way let's just say the new characters seemed interesting but weren't given much of a chance this year so we can only hope for the best next year.
The thing about this season is, it was kind of like The Empire Strikes Back. It's an incredibly pivotal season but at the same time it was sort of like nothing began and nothing ended. This was a set up season for next year. Not that it didn't have plenty of great moments, but it didn't feel like a stand alone season the way the others have. It feels more like the first chapter of a new story. Which I'm almost sure was the plan the whole time.
Sawyer. Sucked. For the whole season. Next year, please let him be awesome and cool again. No more straight up hero shit. Sawyer is at his most interesting when he's helping the team while still serving his own purpose. Or at least still kicking ass.
Locke was made to look like a fool the entire season. Every step of the way, Ben was making him look stupid. Not cool. And then it ends with him DYING?! I have to admit I didn't see that one coming. I was sure it would be Michael for the longest time. I guess Michael probably wouldn't have any remains though. Dude got blown up. Either way, Locke needs a lot more to do next year and he needs to blow some more shit up.
Okay, one more thing I hated and then we'll turn to the stuff that pleased me.
Michael. Wow. That was it? He was gone for a whole season and when he comes back, that's all you give him to do? Like I said earlier, I know a lot of this had to do with the writers strike, but still... he showed up and had a great episode, then what? He got beat up a lot and then he tried and failed to stop a bomb. The end. Fuck it. Harold has already complained about that. I agree with him. They botched it.
The good.
Okay, now I know I just complained about him but I'll have to say Michael again. I know they fucked up with him in the long run, but Meet Kevin Johnson was amazing. I'd go so far as to say his (Harold Perreinus) acting in that episode was the best the show has ever seen. Really, who else tops his performance? I can't think of anyone. Except maybe Michael Emerson in The Shape of Things to Come, but really, it's no match. Harold did great and that dude deserves an Emmy or something for that episode.
I also loved that we finally got some answers this year. And lots of action. Even if it did mean we had to let the characters fall to the wayside for most of the time. Like I said, this was a transition season and I think next year it'll be back to normal. Although I hope they still give us some answers.
Sayid had his best season ever. I never cared much for the character the way some people have but this season he really was great.
I loved that they at least mentioned Mr. Eko. Now I can die happily.
Loved that Walt looked like a 25 year old gang member (because he's black. Get it?) I really hope he becomes a series regular next year. I know that kid was annoying but come on, they made Walt seem way too important not to use him again. He's gotta go back. HE'S GOTTA GO BACK!!
Alright, I'm already bored with this. Let's get down to business. The best episodes in ranked order are-
1. Meet Kevin Johnson
2. The Shape of Things to Come
3. Something Nice Back Home
4. The Economist
5. The Constant
6. There's No Place Like Home (parts 1, 2 and 3. I count them as a whole)
7. Ji Yeon
8. Confirmed Dead
9. The Beginning of the End
10. Cabin Fever
11. The Other Woman
12. Eggtown
I'd rank the season-
1. Season 1
2. Season 3 (it started off slow but once it got to the middle of the season it kicked ass like never before)
3. Season 4
4. Season 2
This season gets an 8.5/10 from me. Great action and all that but next time, please focus on the characters a little more. As much as I love that we're getting answers finally I don't want it to ruin the greatest characters on t.v.
Ben is the seasons MVP. Sayid comes in second place. Michael could have been the MVP had they kept it up after Meet Kevin Johnson but it all went downhill for him after that.
Locke was MVP of season 1, Mr. Eko MVP of season 2 and Sawyer MVP of season 3 (although Locke and Ben were close behind).
And finally, I hope in season five they have more comedy. A suggestion- Jack and Ben gets into crazy hijinks trying to get Locke's dead body back to the island. Weekend at Bernie's style. Carrying his body out of the funeral parlor, a young police man walks up. "What are you guys doing??", he asks. Jack and Ben exchange looks of terror. "Uh, nothin', man.", says Jack. "He's just real drunk... he's a fuckin' retard, man."
Stuff like that.
-Maynard
P.S. Claire looked fat as shit in the last episode.
So, to start off, this won't be a real review. Well, it kind of will. I don't know. Fuck it. Let's just see where this goes.
So.. uh... season four. What to say about it? It was... different. To say the least. Flash forwards, flashbacks, lots of action, some twists and turns. I don't know how to explain it really... it was fantastic but it left me feeling hollow somehow. I was very disappointed by many aspects of this season to be honest. But a lot of it was better than I ever expected. Let's start with the bad.
Character development. There were three episodes this season where they really fleshed out the characters and all their feelings. Meet Kevin Johnson, The Shape of Things to Come and Something Nice Back Home. I guess The Constant sort of did too, but not the same way. Either way, it's because of the character development that those three episodes I mentioned are among my favorites of this season. I guess since we're in season four and they've only got so many episodes left to tell the story that they figured, "Hell, they know the characters by now, let's just get this shit over with."
That leads me to the other complaint. It was so rushed, wasn't it? But this I can't blame on the writers. Well, yeah I can, cause they're the ones that went on strike. But at least when they came back from the very long hiatus they were great. But because of it we always learned almost nothing of people like Faraday, Miles and (especially) Charlotte. At least they have given her a sort of interesting character arc for season five (She was apparently born on the island... or some shit... that's why she decided to stay on the island).
Miles, on the other hand, I have no idea why he stayed behind. I guess he still wants that fucking money. He will, hopefully, have a shitload to do next year. Talking to ghosts, going on adventures, talking shit. Miles is going to be awesome.
Faraday will be too once we learn more about him, I'm sure. Although there's no telling where he is. Last we saw he was heading back towards the island on his little boat, and then it disappeared. Then he was nowhere to be seen. My guess- hell, he just disappeared with it. Wherever (or whenever) it went, he went with it. I think. Either way let's just say the new characters seemed interesting but weren't given much of a chance this year so we can only hope for the best next year.
The thing about this season is, it was kind of like The Empire Strikes Back. It's an incredibly pivotal season but at the same time it was sort of like nothing began and nothing ended. This was a set up season for next year. Not that it didn't have plenty of great moments, but it didn't feel like a stand alone season the way the others have. It feels more like the first chapter of a new story. Which I'm almost sure was the plan the whole time.
Sawyer. Sucked. For the whole season. Next year, please let him be awesome and cool again. No more straight up hero shit. Sawyer is at his most interesting when he's helping the team while still serving his own purpose. Or at least still kicking ass.
Locke was made to look like a fool the entire season. Every step of the way, Ben was making him look stupid. Not cool. And then it ends with him DYING?! I have to admit I didn't see that one coming. I was sure it would be Michael for the longest time. I guess Michael probably wouldn't have any remains though. Dude got blown up. Either way, Locke needs a lot more to do next year and he needs to blow some more shit up.
Okay, one more thing I hated and then we'll turn to the stuff that pleased me.
Michael. Wow. That was it? He was gone for a whole season and when he comes back, that's all you give him to do? Like I said earlier, I know a lot of this had to do with the writers strike, but still... he showed up and had a great episode, then what? He got beat up a lot and then he tried and failed to stop a bomb. The end. Fuck it. Harold has already complained about that. I agree with him. They botched it.
The good.
Okay, now I know I just complained about him but I'll have to say Michael again. I know they fucked up with him in the long run, but Meet Kevin Johnson was amazing. I'd go so far as to say his (Harold Perreinus) acting in that episode was the best the show has ever seen. Really, who else tops his performance? I can't think of anyone. Except maybe Michael Emerson in The Shape of Things to Come, but really, it's no match. Harold did great and that dude deserves an Emmy or something for that episode.
I also loved that we finally got some answers this year. And lots of action. Even if it did mean we had to let the characters fall to the wayside for most of the time. Like I said, this was a transition season and I think next year it'll be back to normal. Although I hope they still give us some answers.
Sayid had his best season ever. I never cared much for the character the way some people have but this season he really was great.
I loved that they at least mentioned Mr. Eko. Now I can die happily.
Loved that Walt looked like a 25 year old gang member (because he's black. Get it?) I really hope he becomes a series regular next year. I know that kid was annoying but come on, they made Walt seem way too important not to use him again. He's gotta go back. HE'S GOTTA GO BACK!!
Alright, I'm already bored with this. Let's get down to business. The best episodes in ranked order are-
1. Meet Kevin Johnson
2. The Shape of Things to Come
3. Something Nice Back Home
4. The Economist
5. The Constant
6. There's No Place Like Home (parts 1, 2 and 3. I count them as a whole)
7. Ji Yeon
8. Confirmed Dead
9. The Beginning of the End
10. Cabin Fever
11. The Other Woman
12. Eggtown
I'd rank the season-
1. Season 1
2. Season 3 (it started off slow but once it got to the middle of the season it kicked ass like never before)
3. Season 4
4. Season 2
This season gets an 8.5/10 from me. Great action and all that but next time, please focus on the characters a little more. As much as I love that we're getting answers finally I don't want it to ruin the greatest characters on t.v.
Ben is the seasons MVP. Sayid comes in second place. Michael could have been the MVP had they kept it up after Meet Kevin Johnson but it all went downhill for him after that.
Locke was MVP of season 1, Mr. Eko MVP of season 2 and Sawyer MVP of season 3 (although Locke and Ben were close behind).
And finally, I hope in season five they have more comedy. A suggestion- Jack and Ben gets into crazy hijinks trying to get Locke's dead body back to the island. Weekend at Bernie's style. Carrying his body out of the funeral parlor, a young police man walks up. "What are you guys doing??", he asks. Jack and Ben exchange looks of terror. "Uh, nothin', man.", says Jack. "He's just real drunk... he's a fuckin' retard, man."
Stuff like that.
-Maynard
P.S. Claire looked fat as shit in the last episode.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
TOP TEN: Favorite albums
I haven't done a top ten in a little while, so here's a new one. Again, if you don't agree with this list, maybe you should go listen to your brand new Kid Rock CD, FAG!!
1. OK Computer by Radiohead. Basically the best album ever made. It's hard for me to put into words exactly what it is. I look at this album as the beginning of an entirely new era in music. It changed everything. It's as close to perfect as you can get.
2. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco. The American version of OK Computer. Or at least that's what they say. I think it's similar (especially in sound), but different in many other ways. OK Computer can at times seem distant and cold, but YHF always seems so personal and, even though the songs sound sad, there's a bit a hope in nearly every tune.
3. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel. I can't think of a single album that I connect more to my childhood. It's funny though, because I didn't hear this album until I was, like, 21. But I'm not the only person who connects with it this way. Read any (possitive) review and you'll hear the same thing. Jeff Mangum's songs are very personal, but they're a type of personal everyone, especially young men I think, can relate to.
4. Loveless by My Bloody Valentine. Out of all the albums I've ever heard, this is the one that I simply cannot figure out how it was made. It seems impossible that anyone could get those instruments to make those sounds, no matter how much they're played with in the studio. It's the most dense album I've ever heard. But none of that would matter if the songs sucked. Thankfully, they don't. Far from it.
5. You Forget It In People by Broken Social Scene. It kind of reminded me of Loveless for this decade when I first heard it. This one is the hardest to pin down. It sounds like My Bloody Valentine having rough sex with Sonic Youth. That's as close as I can get to decribing it to someone who's never heard it.
6. Kid A by Radiohead. Radiohead's big "Fuck You" to everyone. So many people wanted them, NEEDED them to be the new U2 after OK Computer. Radiohead had other ideas. Devoid of guitars for much of the album, Radiohead instead decided to make a pop version of an electronic album. Some people say Radiohead shouldn't be hailed for this album because it sounds like other artists albums, namely Aphex Twin, but those people couldn't be more wrong. Aphex Twin could never make this album. There's too much humanity in Radiohead's electronica.
7. Anodyne by Uncle Tupelo. Before Wilco, Jeff Tweedy was the jr. partner of Uncle Tupelo, along with future Son Volt frontman Jay Farar (and some other guy no one cares about anymore). Listening to this album though, you'd have no idea the big ideas these guys would eventually be throwing around in their music. That's not a complaint though. This album sounds like three guys sitting around, singing sad songs about love and death, ect. But the songs are among the best either man ever wrote, and put them together and you've got perhaps the greatest alt country album ever. I love Wilco to death and I think they're the best band in American history, but if Uncle Tupelo could have gave us another couple of these albums, I wouldn't have complaned.
8. Highway 61 Revisted by Bob Dylan. A legend's very best album. Simple as that. Why are The Beatles considered to be the best of the 60's? They never made anything that could touch this album.
9. The Bends by Radiohead. Radiohead at their most British. For once, that's not a bad thing. Although the lyrics are downbeat and depressing (one reviewer suggested that Thom Yorke would be the next rock star to kill himself after listening to this album), the music is anything but. It is the guitar album of the 90's.
10. Doolittle by The Pixies. To put it simply, music today would be very different without this album. You can hear The Pixies influence literally everywhere you go. This is their most mature, and their most fun and funny album ever.
-M
1. OK Computer by Radiohead. Basically the best album ever made. It's hard for me to put into words exactly what it is. I look at this album as the beginning of an entirely new era in music. It changed everything. It's as close to perfect as you can get.
2. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco. The American version of OK Computer. Or at least that's what they say. I think it's similar (especially in sound), but different in many other ways. OK Computer can at times seem distant and cold, but YHF always seems so personal and, even though the songs sound sad, there's a bit a hope in nearly every tune.
3. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel. I can't think of a single album that I connect more to my childhood. It's funny though, because I didn't hear this album until I was, like, 21. But I'm not the only person who connects with it this way. Read any (possitive) review and you'll hear the same thing. Jeff Mangum's songs are very personal, but they're a type of personal everyone, especially young men I think, can relate to.
4. Loveless by My Bloody Valentine. Out of all the albums I've ever heard, this is the one that I simply cannot figure out how it was made. It seems impossible that anyone could get those instruments to make those sounds, no matter how much they're played with in the studio. It's the most dense album I've ever heard. But none of that would matter if the songs sucked. Thankfully, they don't. Far from it.
5. You Forget It In People by Broken Social Scene. It kind of reminded me of Loveless for this decade when I first heard it. This one is the hardest to pin down. It sounds like My Bloody Valentine having rough sex with Sonic Youth. That's as close as I can get to decribing it to someone who's never heard it.
6. Kid A by Radiohead. Radiohead's big "Fuck You" to everyone. So many people wanted them, NEEDED them to be the new U2 after OK Computer. Radiohead had other ideas. Devoid of guitars for much of the album, Radiohead instead decided to make a pop version of an electronic album. Some people say Radiohead shouldn't be hailed for this album because it sounds like other artists albums, namely Aphex Twin, but those people couldn't be more wrong. Aphex Twin could never make this album. There's too much humanity in Radiohead's electronica.
7. Anodyne by Uncle Tupelo. Before Wilco, Jeff Tweedy was the jr. partner of Uncle Tupelo, along with future Son Volt frontman Jay Farar (and some other guy no one cares about anymore). Listening to this album though, you'd have no idea the big ideas these guys would eventually be throwing around in their music. That's not a complaint though. This album sounds like three guys sitting around, singing sad songs about love and death, ect. But the songs are among the best either man ever wrote, and put them together and you've got perhaps the greatest alt country album ever. I love Wilco to death and I think they're the best band in American history, but if Uncle Tupelo could have gave us another couple of these albums, I wouldn't have complaned.
8. Highway 61 Revisted by Bob Dylan. A legend's very best album. Simple as that. Why are The Beatles considered to be the best of the 60's? They never made anything that could touch this album.
9. The Bends by Radiohead. Radiohead at their most British. For once, that's not a bad thing. Although the lyrics are downbeat and depressing (one reviewer suggested that Thom Yorke would be the next rock star to kill himself after listening to this album), the music is anything but. It is the guitar album of the 90's.
10. Doolittle by The Pixies. To put it simply, music today would be very different without this album. You can hear The Pixies influence literally everywhere you go. This is their most mature, and their most fun and funny album ever.
-M
Friday, February 1, 2008
Lost: The Beginning of the End
Yeee hawwwwww!! Lost is back!! I've waited so long and it didn't disappoint. Exactly. I mean, there were some things I wasn't thrilled about. Like, how was Hurley able to find Jacob's cabin so easily? That seemed cheap. But I liked it.
Now, time for my sort of review/questions that must be asked.
Hurley- It was a Hurley episode so most of the questions will be about him. Why was he able to see Jacob? Locke only caught a small glimpse of him. Locke was only able to see him because he was "special." Does this mean Hurley is special too? Even more special than Locke? The only real mystery he's had until now was the numbers. The numbers= special? The numbers = JACOB?! Probably not.Why was Hurley able to see Charlie off the island? Cause he's really crazy or... what? Wait a sec, I just remembered something. Remember when Ben told Locke that "Jacob is not a person you go see, he's a person who summons you"? It was something like that. So... Jacob wanted to see Hurley? As Hurley tried to run away, the cabin appeared in front of him once again and the door opened slowly... Jacob inviting Hurley inside for a little chat? Why is Hurley important to Jacob? The mystery deepens...
Jack- Not a lot going on on the Jack front in this episode. He was pissed at Locke. Tried to murder him. Thought about growing a beard in the future. Other than that... he was boring.
Kate- Kate is always boring, this episode was no exception.
Locke- Locke is in an odd situation. Locke knows the people coming are no good, but, well, no one is going to listen to him. He killed Naomi (sooner or later). He blew up the submarine. He blew up the hatch. History is not on his side. And neither is the future, apparently. Hurley said he should have gone with Jack, so that leads one to believe things don't turn out so great for Team Locke. I hope they don't screw Locke over. He's my favorite character but they seem to love having him fuck up.
Sawyer- What's going on here? He seems to be pretty much back to normal. Last season, near the end, he kept getting darker and darker after killing Cooper. What happened to that? Charlie's death shook him back to his senses? Lame. I want dark Sawyer back!! He was way more interesting. He did end up leaving with Locke, and thus leaving Kate behind. Good for him. He can do better.
Desmond- Not much going on with him. He told everyone about Not Penny's Boat and then kind of looked upset when Hurley told Claire about Charlie's death. I'm thinking this season will be a lot about him feeling bad about Charlie. I wonder what they're going to do about his future sight?
Sayid- Boring, as usual. Although I hear he's got some very interesting stuff coming up soon ;)
Ben- Got beat up by a woman. I can't wait til the ball's back in his court. He's one of the best villians ever, but he can't be bad ass if he's tied up and getting beaten up by women. Although he doesn't seem too worried really. Perhaps because he's... ALREADY LIVED THROUGH THIS ONCE BEFORE?!
Claire- Boring. Was it just me or did she seem only kind of upset about Charlie? I mean, she was upset, but... it seemed fake. Bad acting, perhaps?
Alright, that's it for now. It was a good first episode back and it's to my understanding that it only gets better from here. It just sucks there's only going to be 7 more episodes and then it's going off air again. Ah well, better enjoy it while we have it.
-M
Now, time for my sort of review/questions that must be asked.
Hurley- It was a Hurley episode so most of the questions will be about him. Why was he able to see Jacob? Locke only caught a small glimpse of him. Locke was only able to see him because he was "special." Does this mean Hurley is special too? Even more special than Locke? The only real mystery he's had until now was the numbers. The numbers= special? The numbers = JACOB?! Probably not.Why was Hurley able to see Charlie off the island? Cause he's really crazy or... what? Wait a sec, I just remembered something. Remember when Ben told Locke that "Jacob is not a person you go see, he's a person who summons you"? It was something like that. So... Jacob wanted to see Hurley? As Hurley tried to run away, the cabin appeared in front of him once again and the door opened slowly... Jacob inviting Hurley inside for a little chat? Why is Hurley important to Jacob? The mystery deepens...
Jack- Not a lot going on on the Jack front in this episode. He was pissed at Locke. Tried to murder him. Thought about growing a beard in the future. Other than that... he was boring.
Kate- Kate is always boring, this episode was no exception.
Locke- Locke is in an odd situation. Locke knows the people coming are no good, but, well, no one is going to listen to him. He killed Naomi (sooner or later). He blew up the submarine. He blew up the hatch. History is not on his side. And neither is the future, apparently. Hurley said he should have gone with Jack, so that leads one to believe things don't turn out so great for Team Locke. I hope they don't screw Locke over. He's my favorite character but they seem to love having him fuck up.
Sawyer- What's going on here? He seems to be pretty much back to normal. Last season, near the end, he kept getting darker and darker after killing Cooper. What happened to that? Charlie's death shook him back to his senses? Lame. I want dark Sawyer back!! He was way more interesting. He did end up leaving with Locke, and thus leaving Kate behind. Good for him. He can do better.
Desmond- Not much going on with him. He told everyone about Not Penny's Boat and then kind of looked upset when Hurley told Claire about Charlie's death. I'm thinking this season will be a lot about him feeling bad about Charlie. I wonder what they're going to do about his future sight?
Sayid- Boring, as usual. Although I hear he's got some very interesting stuff coming up soon ;)
Ben- Got beat up by a woman. I can't wait til the ball's back in his court. He's one of the best villians ever, but he can't be bad ass if he's tied up and getting beaten up by women. Although he doesn't seem too worried really. Perhaps because he's... ALREADY LIVED THROUGH THIS ONCE BEFORE?!
Claire- Boring. Was it just me or did she seem only kind of upset about Charlie? I mean, she was upset, but... it seemed fake. Bad acting, perhaps?
Alright, that's it for now. It was a good first episode back and it's to my understanding that it only gets better from here. It just sucks there's only going to be 7 more episodes and then it's going off air again. Ah well, better enjoy it while we have it.
-M
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
REVIEW: Juno by Maynard
Ok, first thing's first: I know I'm way late with this. It feels like the movie has been out for a year now already. But I didn't see it until recently and then I had to work out exactly what it was that I thought about this film and I think I've got it, although I probably won't be able to explain it how I want to.
Juno was nominated for 4 Academy Awards recently and that's probably what makes me feel the way I do about it. I'll just get it out of the way and say that it is very overrated. This is not one of the 5 best movies of the year, or even of the season. Now, if Juno had grossed 10 million dollars and got snubbed by the Oscars I really think I'd feel differently. But when it grosses 100 million (so far) and starts winning awards and getting all sorts of nominations and things, it starts getting certain expectations attatchd to it. And this movie just doesn't live up to them.
My main complaints with this movie are the same ones you've all heard already. The characters are fake and unrealistic. The dialouge is fake and unrealistic. None of the actors give anything above a good performance. Juno is supposed to be quirky and a rebel but listening to punk rock from 1977 doesn't make you quirky and what exactly is she supposed to be a rebel against? She seems exactly like every single girl with a myspace page, ever. Of course the girls aren't like that in real life, just on myspace. Again, this movie just isn't true to life.
I guess the thing that bothers me the most is the fact that it got so big. I can admit that. But what makes this film such a huge hit when better, funnier, more original comedies like Rushmore or The Royal Tenenbaums or Punch-Drunk Love or The Squid and the Whale get left behind? I asked myself the same question last year when Little Miss Sunshine started cleaning up. It's like people are finally starting to love the quirky comedies, but they're loving the wrong ones. Juno won't be nearly as remembered as those films have become in 5 years.
I gotta give this a 6/10. But like I said, if no one had ever really heard of this movie, it probably would be a 7/10. Over hyped.
Juno was nominated for 4 Academy Awards recently and that's probably what makes me feel the way I do about it. I'll just get it out of the way and say that it is very overrated. This is not one of the 5 best movies of the year, or even of the season. Now, if Juno had grossed 10 million dollars and got snubbed by the Oscars I really think I'd feel differently. But when it grosses 100 million (so far) and starts winning awards and getting all sorts of nominations and things, it starts getting certain expectations attatchd to it. And this movie just doesn't live up to them.
My main complaints with this movie are the same ones you've all heard already. The characters are fake and unrealistic. The dialouge is fake and unrealistic. None of the actors give anything above a good performance. Juno is supposed to be quirky and a rebel but listening to punk rock from 1977 doesn't make you quirky and what exactly is she supposed to be a rebel against? She seems exactly like every single girl with a myspace page, ever. Of course the girls aren't like that in real life, just on myspace. Again, this movie just isn't true to life.
I guess the thing that bothers me the most is the fact that it got so big. I can admit that. But what makes this film such a huge hit when better, funnier, more original comedies like Rushmore or The Royal Tenenbaums or Punch-Drunk Love or The Squid and the Whale get left behind? I asked myself the same question last year when Little Miss Sunshine started cleaning up. It's like people are finally starting to love the quirky comedies, but they're loving the wrong ones. Juno won't be nearly as remembered as those films have become in 5 years.
I gotta give this a 6/10. But like I said, if no one had ever really heard of this movie, it probably would be a 7/10. Over hyped.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
REVIEW: 2007 by Maynard
2007. Wow, what a year. Right? Right. When I cared about Myspace, I wrote one of these for 2006. 2004 and 2005 were terrible years for me, and 2006 was one of the best. 2007 was distinctly average. Things started off pretty great for me, with the Colts going on their run that eventually lead to their Superbowl win. The Colts came to Indianapolis, the city I was born in, the same year I was born, so I feel like their "my" team. So them winning was pretty much like I won. I still feel like a winner by proxy.
Then The Departed won a bunch of Oscars, including Picture and Director. This isn't exactly a big deal, except that I proved to myself and others how awesome I am at predicting the Oscars, cause I knew it would win all that shit back in December 2004. So I won there.
So far, so awesome. Then from March to June it was just a blur. Nothing really special. June I got a job at a factory, which did not end well. In late July, I moved into these apartments, started being a life guard or whatever, ect. Lando was there the whole time, making my life hell. He never stops complaining. Wait, that was winter. September came and we started this blog. Then Bada joined in November or December, I can't remember. Patrick joined today. But that's 2008. So we'll talk about him next year.
Music, it was the year of the Stripped Down sound. Wilco, Kevin Drew, Radiohead, ect. all had new albums and they were all different from their last albums, just because they sounded so small. I think that was a trend this year. Small and intimate.
Movies on the other hand, were big and bold, with There Will Be Blood, Sweeney Todd and No Country for Old Men, ect. I think NCFOM is probably the best movie I've seen this year.
In just regular entertainment... a lot of women got really annoying really quickly. And that's all that happened, apparently.
I dunno how I feel about this year. I'm not sad to see it go, I guess. I've got big plans for this year. None will come to fruition. But whatever. Hope you all have a great 2008, but I hope my 2008 is better.
-M
Then The Departed won a bunch of Oscars, including Picture and Director. This isn't exactly a big deal, except that I proved to myself and others how awesome I am at predicting the Oscars, cause I knew it would win all that shit back in December 2004. So I won there.
So far, so awesome. Then from March to June it was just a blur. Nothing really special. June I got a job at a factory, which did not end well. In late July, I moved into these apartments, started being a life guard or whatever, ect. Lando was there the whole time, making my life hell. He never stops complaining. Wait, that was winter. September came and we started this blog. Then Bada joined in November or December, I can't remember. Patrick joined today. But that's 2008. So we'll talk about him next year.
Music, it was the year of the Stripped Down sound. Wilco, Kevin Drew, Radiohead, ect. all had new albums and they were all different from their last albums, just because they sounded so small. I think that was a trend this year. Small and intimate.
Movies on the other hand, were big and bold, with There Will Be Blood, Sweeney Todd and No Country for Old Men, ect. I think NCFOM is probably the best movie I've seen this year.
In just regular entertainment... a lot of women got really annoying really quickly. And that's all that happened, apparently.
I dunno how I feel about this year. I'm not sad to see it go, I guess. I've got big plans for this year. None will come to fruition. But whatever. Hope you all have a great 2008, but I hope my 2008 is better.
-M
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
REVIEW- No Country for Old Men by Maynard
Everybody loves the Coens, right? After Fargo, The Big Lebowski and O Brother, Where Art Thou?, they've earned their place in American cinema history. But after O Brother, they kind of just lost it. Their movies were still enjoyable on a certain level, but you couldn't compare them to the classics. They were just pale imitations. I had written them off. I'd heard about No Country for Old Men early last year, but I wasn't excited about it. They took this new movie to Cannes, where it was raved, and I still didn't care. I figured they were just "blowing smoke", as the young people say.
But the good reviews kept coming, so I finally decided to get a little interested. One problem- It wasn't going to be playing at my local theater. Or anywhere else near me. So... well, I saw it, ok? That's all that matters.
Now for the actual review. No Country for Old Men is the best Coen brothers movie since Fargo. It might be better than Fargo, I can't tell yet. I wasn't a huge fan of Fargo when it first came out and now I love it. I already love No Country for Old Men, so who knows how I might feel in a year? Hard to tell, I've only seen it once, but everyone tells me it gets better with a second viewing. Only time will tell whether or not they're lying dogs.
Jeez, this is a bad review so far. Time to get super serious. NCFOM is about this man, Llewelyn Moss, who stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong. Dead bodies everywhere (even a dead dog, wink wink). He also finds a shit-load of money. He takes the money, which is the worst possible thing he could do. It sets off a chain of events that the movie follows with close attention to detail.
Moss is being chased by Anton Chigurh, played by Javier Bardem. Bardem deserved an Oscar back in 2000 for Before Night Falls, and odds are that he'll win Supporting Actor this year. Bardem is good, but not Oscar worthy. He's entertaining, but don't listen to the people who are telling you this is the best performance of the year. Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin are better, even if their parts aren't as flashy.
That being said, Chigurh is a lot of fun to watch. He's given the best scenes and the funniest lines, ect. I haven't mentioned it yet, but NCFOM is a funny movie. But you already knew that, cause it's a Coens movie. They can't help themselves.
But it isn't a comedy movie. It deals with some serious issues, like .. you know, Americans and violence and everything. It's got some incredibly violent scenes, and they're incredibly entertaining. The scene where Moss and Chigurh go at it in the streets is probably the best scene I've seen this year. This movie has two or three Scene of the Year contenders.
Jones and Brolin are terrific, but I can't see them getting much awards attention. I think Moss is the most relateable character. I could see myself doing the same things he does, even though I kept thinking "DON'T DO IT!!" But it's too late, he does it. Maybe we should take this as a warning or something. Sometimes it's best not to get what you think you want.
Jones is great. He's funny and he plays the moral center of the film just right. I'm one of the few who's never really liked Jones much at all, but he's great here. He plays a guy we all strive to be like, yet when you think about it, it's clear he's something of a failure. You could make the argument that things turn out the way they do because of his failure to act. He's clearly the Old Man who just doesn't understand this world anymore. This dark, ugly world, embodied by Bardem.
This review has been pretty terrible. I've waited a few days to wrap my mind around this movie, but it's not working. It seems so simple when you're watching it, but once it's over all these big ideas just start flowing that you didn't pick up on while watching it. I'm gonna give this a 9.0. It might even go up with repeated viewings. I've predicted this as my Best Picture winner, but I'm not so sure. It's very violent and might even scare some people. The movie is probably the best of the year and the Coens are overdue, so I'm not changing my predictions just yet, but it's not a lock by any means.
If you can find it, see it. Any way you can.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
REVIEW- Radiohead "In Rainbows" by Maynard
NOTE: There has been no album art revealed yet for this album, so I'm using this. It's Funny. LOL!! >:~D
So...alright. After over 4 years, Radiohead (AKA The Greatest Band of All Time) have released a new album. They've been working on it for over 2 years and many people (myself included) thought it wouldn't see the light of day until next spring. But Radiohead has always been full of surprises, and not even 2 weeks ago, Jonny Greenwood let the world know that the album would actually be released independently on Oct. 10 through their InRainbows website. Of course, fans went apeshit (in a good way). But that wasn't the big news. The big news was that fans could pay whatever they wanted. I chose to pay nothing, because I know I'm going to buy it once it's released in stores anyways.
Of course, "The Man" has been freaking out since the news. And that's what makes Radiohead so cool (high five)
So anyways, in all the hubbub, people seem to forget the most importnat thing- Radiohead is releasing their first new album in over 4 years. So, the only real question is- how is it? I'll tell you...
It's good. It's really good. I hate to jump the gun, because I haven't heard this one nearly as much as I have the others, but I'm gonna say it's the best since OK Computer. Months before it was released, the band had somewhat compared the two albums. I thought this was a bit of a cop out. OK Computer is considered by more than a few people to be the best album ever made, and comparing their new one to their best one seemed like they were trying to make it sound better than it actually is. And they were, a bit. In Rainbows isn't as good as OK Computer, let's get that straight right now. But it is better than Hail to the Thief and possibly better than Kid A and Amnesiac. I'm going to give it a few more listens to really let it sink in before I go and say something like it's better than either of those 2 albums. Even though I just did a second ago.
But I can understand why they compared it to OK Computer now. It has actual songs, for one thing. With melodies and guitars and strings and stuff. These guys have toned down the experimentations a lot. Some people will love that. I liked the experimentations myself. But whatever.
One thing is for sure- this is the most relaxed and self-assured the band has ever sounded. "House of Cards" is by far the most mellow song these guys have ever done. It's like, easy listening. It's incredible to think this is the same band that once wrote songs like "Paranoid Android" listening to that song. It's the same guy, but he sounds like a whole new person. He almost sounds romantic in songs like "All I Need" and "House of Cards", and Thom Yorke is no fucking romantic. Like I said, he almost sounds like a whole new person.
Speaking of whole new, check out "Nude". It's a song that dates back to the mid 90's, for fuck's sake. I've heard a few different versions of it, and I was terrified they'd fuck it up when they finally decided to record it. I was wrong. It turned out better than we had any right to expect. But really, the whole album did. "Reckoner" is completely different, but I like this version better. Same with "Jigsaw Falling Into Place", which has been slowed down so much I wasn't sure if I had got the right song or not. "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi" is a song I never wanted messed with, and when I heard this version I wasn't sure if I liked it. But I have to admit now, this new version is better. And like most of the songs, it sounds much more upbeat then previous versions. There isn't a bad song on here and it's been years since you could say that about a Radiohead record. And for the record, "All I Need" is the song of the year. I'll pay the 15 bucks just for this song alone. And as we all know, Radiohead usually saves the best (or the near-best) for last, and "Videotape" is no execption. It kinds of reminds me of "Motion Picture Soundtrack", and if you don't know that song then you need to get the fuck off my site. Yorke finishes the album by singing "Today has been the most perfect day I've ever seen", and I think that sums up the New Radiohead. I don't want to sound gay or stupid or whatever, but I've been following this band for my entire adult life and through most of my teen years, and it's just really nice to hear these guys sound cheerful for once.
I'm gonna give this a 9.5 for now. It may go up, it may go down. And if I may be so bold, I'm gonna call this one of the top 3 Radiohead records so far. Buy it when you get the chance.
Best songs- All I Need, Videotape, House of Cards
Oh, and get this- In Rainbows sold 1.2 million copies in one day. All off of one website. Who says they need a record contract? (But of course, I bet most of those people didn't pay a dime...wink wink)
Sunday, September 23, 2007
REVIEW- "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" by Maynard
Hmmm... It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Curious, curious. There was a time when I considered it one of the funniest t.v. shows ever. And it's still funnier than almost everything on t.v. it's just... different now. And not in a good way.
But let's start with the good stuff. A few weeks ago the first and second season were released on DVD and everyone was happy. The first season is a complete good. Not a bad episode on the list. It's my favorite season because it was when they held back the most. At the time it seemed way too bizarre to be true, and it was. But when the second season came along, things changed ever so slightly. Danny DeVito was added to the cast for one thing. A lot of people didn't like this. I was fine with it, because he was a funny character. Some of the funniest moments of season two were because of him. My main problem is that things got a little too "wacky". Now, there's nothing wrong with being wacky every now and then. And that's what the second season did. It was over the top, but not too often. Season two has my all time favorite episode "The Gang Gives Back", but it also had one or two that were just mediocre. It was a small decline, but it was one I could live with.
Now, after like a year of waiting, season three has arrived. And it's a pretty harsh disappointment. It's just too different for me. During the first two seasons, they used a handheld camera and it had a dark, grimy look to it. Now it's a steady-cam and it's all bright. I don't like that. They've recycled jokes they used every now and then in the first season so that now I can't even enjoy the jokes anymore. How many times do we have to be reminded that Charlie can't read or spell? How many times in an episode does the gang need to break down into bitter fighting? The character growth has stopped 100%. This is kind of tricky. I like the way the characters were in the first two seasons, and there was no growth there either. But these characters almost seem like parody's of themselves. It's painful, my friends.
I'm not saying these episodes completely suck. I can find at least one thing to laugh at in every episode so far. But it used to be much more than one laugh per episode. It's like when a musician suddenly becomes famous. He thinks to himself "ok, people liked my last album, so how am I going to follow it up? I got it!! I'll do the same thing, except bigger and louder!!" That's what seems to have become of this show. But we're only four episodes in. Things can turn around really quickly. And if they don't, at least we have the first two seasons.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
REVIEW- Kevin Drew Spirit If... by Maynard
Broken Social Scene presents "Kevin Drew- Spirit If..." sucks. No, it doesn't. It actually rules. It's the best album I've heard all year. Not that that's saying much. This year has been one big disappointment after another.
But "Spirit If..." isn't a disappointment. Part of the reason it isn't a huge disappointment is because it's very good, but the other, bigger reason is because I had very low expectations going in.
I thought BBS's last album, "Broken Social Scene" was kind of a let down. It had some really great songs, but they fell into the trap of thinking "Bigger means Better." Rarely do things actually turn out that way. They had way too many loud horns, huge choruses, ect. You could tell they were just grasping at straws, trying to find a way to top their magnificent "You Forget It In People", which is one of the few true classics released this decade.
Kevin Drew has always been the mastermind behind BBS, so the "failure" (for lack of a better term) of "Broken Social Scene" I laid squarely on his shoulders. So I thought his first solo album (even though all the music is played by the members of BBS) would be more of the same. Big, huge numbers when he should stick to the small and simple.
The result is a nice mix of both, actually. Drew has plenty of the small, understated songs I like so much (Gang Bang Suicide, Safety Bricks) but he also has the big, loud, sing-along songs he's grown to love (Farewell to the Pressure Kids, Lucky Ones). I was surprised by how good this album is.
Drew has seemingly gone the way of Arcade Fire, bringing a Bruce Springsteen feel to the album. I thought it was a good move for Arcade Fire (a pretty overrated band, if you ask me) and it works for Kevin Drew. You can really hear it on Lucky Ones, which is one of the best songs on the album. A pure straight ahead rocker, which back in 2003 would have meant it was just a Dinosuar Jr. sound alike.
All in all, it's a good album and gives me hope for the next Broken Social Scene presents album (Brendan Canning's album is coming next year)
Rating- 9.3 Best Songs- Farewell to the Pressure Kids, Lucky Ones, Gang Bang Suicide
P.S. And no one drops the word "fuck" quite as well as Drew.
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