March 18 2009
Thoughts

‘Where The Wild Things Are’ is so close I can see it!

Besides loving the Internet and music, I also love movies. And one movie I’ve been patiently awaiting for is Spike Jonzes’ adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are. Not only was that one of my favorite children’s books, but I also love Jonzes’ ability to make surreal, yet mostly mainstream films.

Judging from the one clip that was leaked about 6 months ago, it looks good. There was also some controversy regarding the film being too strange and not for children, but it is still going to be released and a trailer is expected to drop in the next two weeks or so.

As you can see, the poster is brilliant. That’s the latest update on the film, as far as I know. For more info, check their IMDB entry, and my BODB post.

Image source: /film, via Geeks of Doom

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March 18 2009
Album Reviews / Music / Review

Swan Lake – Enemy Mine

Swan Lake – Enemy Mine (Jagjaguwar)

Swan Lake’s back with their unique vocal styles and almost abstract use of beats and instrumentation. The vocals remind me of Band of Horses while the music remains more experimental.

There is some humor in the album that makes it more captivating beyond just their sound. In “Spanish Gold 2044”, the music becomes almost like a dark electronic gothic number. “Paper Lace” is more pop that the previous song. The lyrics are also more pop with the abstractions in both “harmonies” and instruments. It makes the track unique and impossible to simply classify and move on.

“Heartwarm” I believe is making reference to The Producers with the line “is it spring time in Paris for that piece of shit?” But it turns out he’s not talking about Hitler, but rather a relationship and/or life gone awry. With piano playing, heartfelt singing matched with crescendos, the song becomes almost epic.

In “Settle on my Skin”, the tempo picks up, along with an addition of electro distortion. There is a huge and wonderful juxtaposition between the almost classical piano playing and the electronic noise that really makes the song, and album, something to revere. There are also parts of the album that become too theatrical as in the track titled “Peace.”

No matter how you look at it, the album offers a uniqueness that is often attempted in this saturated market; however Swan Lake maintains a balance of successful sincerity and entertainment album after album.

Track Listing:
1. Spanish Gold, 2044
2. Paper Lace
3. Heartswarm
4. Settle On Your Skin
5. Ballad Of A Swan Lake, Or, Daniel’s Song
6. Peace
7. Spider
8. A Hand At Dusk
9. Warlock Psychologist

B+

Image Source: Amazon

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March 16 2009
PR / Thoughts

Where Does Internet Lingo Go To Die?

I was talking to a friend of mine and he mentioned how he was still friends with his ex but “she’s not in my top 8 or anything.” Top 8? That sounds familiar.  Top Chef? No. Top Model? No, it’s not a TV show. It’s a pop culture reference, an ironic pop culture reference. “Top 8.” Hmmm. Oh that’s right… being in some one’s top 8. It’s old Myspace lingo. Remember Myspace, that ancient social network monster?

For those who were never “cool” enough to be a part of the optional site (unlike the socially mandatory Facebook), or you who skipped the heavily spammed and widegitized mess all together; “Top 8″ were the profiles that were linked directly from your site to a chosen 8 friends. (There were originally 8 spaces, which switched to other larger amounts.)

Top 8 was something that made or broke friendships. There were countless parodies on the gravity of putting someone in or taking someone out of a Top 8 slot. It was the equivalent of earning street cred, digitally. In fact, who and what was in your top 8 defined who you were.

But now “Top 8″ and “Myspace Me” are things of the past. They’ve been put in a metaphorical shoe box and filled away into a dark closet. We’ve traded “Top 8″ for links on LinkedIn, or  a more strange notion of digital “friending” on Facebook or a even more disturbing term of “following” someone (via Twitter). At least Top 8 was something unique to the site, not adding a new meaning to an existing word.

But only 4 years ago, Top 8 slots were a prize to win on celebrity myspace pages. Top 8 slots were something to fight, bite, cry and vie for. Now, it’s an ironic term to refer to an ancient notion only left for the digital savvy to say, to be, well, savvy.

And while everything has a shelf-life, some catch phrases make a reappearance. And when they do, it says something great and nostalgic about their birth place. But how exactly do they die? Born online, die online and buried in an ironic cemetery, then?

Could the “ironic” and “vintage” usage of a site’s lingo mean it’s old and buried and no longer relevant and current? And in this day, age and digital space, once you lose current status, what’s left?

Image sources: Mtoz’s Flickr, Mynicespace.com, Photobucket,

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March 16 2009
Music

Quick Pick: Kutiman’s YouTube Funk Mashup

And let’s face it, this video couldn’t have happened without the Internet. Not to mention, when people discuss that musicianship is dead, you have to reevaluate what musicianship is.  (Afterall, what would you call this?)

I love the Internet and I love good music. This is just a jam-fest and a half presented in an interesting manner. This video harnesses the power of the Internet for good! The creator goes by the name of Kutiman and he is all about funk and YouTube visuals. (There is a whole slew of Kutiman’s Youtube Mashups on Thru You.

via Gizmodo via Thru-You

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March 16 2009
Album Reviews

Chatham Singers Make Classic and Sexy Blues

The Chatham Singers – Juju Claudius (Damaged Goods)

With a classic blues (slightly rock) style including a harmonica on some tracks, this 4 piece UK band mixes the Raveonettes male/femae vocals with the grit and grime of The Black Keys’ inspired blues rock. The collection of power grooves and slightly distorted vocals can transport a listener to a different time and place from present day England, from which The Chatham Singers were born. I am transported into Black Snake Moan except Christina Ricci is dancing to this.

It has a sex appeal either from the “moaning”-like vocals or the sultry groove of the drums and harmonica (as in the track “Son Of Art”). The lyrics even are suggestive by saying “I’m gonna paint you, every little part of you.” With a range of moody blues to country fried blues with “The True Story of…” to a more uptempo beat that reflects a similar mood and feel as “A Man of Constant Sorrow” (from the film, O Brother Where Art Thou).

“Queen Bee” is a total chick song, which is rare to hear in today’s blues-inspired indie genre. Another favorite is “The Right Mistake”. The chorus is “I made the right mistake by not marrying you.” It’s both sexy and powerful. It’s an anti-romance song but still embodies classic blues. I guess that’s’ what I like about them. They really stay true to the blues, but they still make each track modern without becoming gimmicky.

What’s going on in the UK? Is there something in their water that is bringing out the music in a true and homage respectifully way? (See: Heavy – Great Vengeance and Furious Fire)

C+

Track Listing:

  1. All Who Cheated and Lied
  2. Juju Claudius
  3. An Image of You
  4. Upside Mine
  5. The Son Of Art
  6. The True Story of Elizabeth Sargent
  7. Queen Bee
  8. Evil Thing
  9. Angel Of Death
  10. Demolition Man
  11. The Right Mistake
  12. The Good Times
  13. Bring Me Water
  14. Baby What’s Wrong

Image source: Raucousshop.co.uk

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