Seeing Double

A few weeks ago, the Missus and I were talking about Richard Ayoade and his wonderful movie Submarine and during that discussion, discovered that seven years ago he had made another more called The Double and staring Jesse Eisenberg. Of course, we immediately put it on our watchlist.

This is one of those delightfully and brilliantly odd movies. It's part Michel Gondry, part Jean-Pierre Jeunet. It has that feel like it's set in an alternate reality, a bleak one where dark things happen. But these dark, bleak things are told in such a way that you find the humor buried within them. 

Simon James is a person who barely exists. He works at soul sucking data company where nobody seems to remember him though he's been there seven years. Then James Simon, an exact look-alike starts working there. This double is the mirror image of Simon. Think an angel and a devil sitting on the shoulder of someone. 

This devil character ends up destroying Simon's life, however miserable it may have been. However, it also awakens real passion and real life within him. 

Certainly not a film for everyone, but for people who like these types of movies, it's basically a masterpiece.

Weekend Music Roundup

It's that time again, weekend time. I've been spending most of this week listening to Liam's new album, but have found time for a few other things. However, most of this week is stuff that I've been grooving to over the past few months, with the exception of the first album on the list, which is was new this week, and captivating. There's a broad range on here, with a lot less "rock" than usual. Hopefully there's something here you want to take a closer listen to. Enjoy.

Lana Del Rey - Best American Record: CORRECTION: I had originally posted a review of Lana's new album, but realized I was actually reviewing this newly released bootleg. So my review as false. These are a lot demos, and I really enjoyed it. I'm yet to listen to her new record, so I will have hold my thoughts.

(ORIGINALLY POSTED THIS REVIEW: The fifth solo album since reinventing herself as Lana, this is my favorite of the NYC native, L.A. transplant, artist since 2014's Ultraviolence.  To be clear, I enjoyed both her albums that followed, but couldn't connect to them in the same way as I did to her first two. No such problem with this one. I can see maybe why her "heartbreak" aurora might wear on people a bit, and by all means, this is another story of a heartbroken girl, but she does it so well and more importantly, still makes you believe it and feel it)

The Bluebells - Cath: This is an early EP from the UK jangle pop band, released in 1983, a year before their debut, which would feature this single. This is a preview of bands that would emerge from the UK in second half of the 80's. It's the beginnings of indie rock over there, moving away from new wave, punk, goth, hard blues, and other dominant rock styles of the time. This is four really good songs by a band that never really found stardom. 

Eddie Money - Life For the Taking: Released in '78, one year after his break-out debut, this the second album from the NYC rocker. His sound was always very solidly FM rock radio, but he was a master of the genre. I was a fan of his during childhood and rediscovered his music about ten years ago. With his passing fresh on my mind, I picked up this album recently. It was missing from my collection and is another solid rock record. He's one of those artists who know what he was and didn't try to be anything other than that, and that's where his true cool comes from.

blur - live at the bbc: Recorded in '94, this four song archival EP was just released and of course I had to by it for the Missus whose favorite band is blur. As with all Live at the BBC albums, the quality is amazing. Bands really seem to bring their best when recording live there, especially British bands who know the importance. Includes the mega-hit "Boys and Girls" and three other lesser known, but no lesser brilliant songs.

Pat Metheny Group - Pat Metheny Group: Released in 1978, this is the first Pat album to be released under the Group moniker. Metheny is one of the pioneers of the ECM jazz movement, which emerged in the late 70's from jazz fusion, and is seen as a split from the free jazz of the era. Contemporary jazz has never really been my thing, as it often veers into easy listening, but as with any genre, when a great musician takes it on, it's worth hearing. This is the kind of super mellow album that is great for an early morning listen. It has a warm, peaceful 70's sound and just feels...right. 

Talking Heads - Little Creatures: This is the sixth album from the iconic post-punk new wave icons. Released at the height of their mainstream popularity, this album still holds true to their early sound, and features some of their biggest hits, such as "She Was" and "Stay Up Late." I've recently been into this band, so it was good fortune that this album came to me through the generosity of a friend recently. David Byrne's gift has always been being able to make the bizarre incredibly appealing to the masses. In addition to the hits, other great tunes on here are "Give Me Back My Name," "The Lady Don't Mind," and "Television Man." 

Fiction Friday (90)

Well, now I'm half way through my required YA reading and each book keeps getting better. I can only hope the next three books I need to read are as enjoyable as the first three. This review is of the second book in the "Who Can You Trust" theme and it was a great one. I love discovering books that I probably would never have picked up on my own.

The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge
(MacMillan, 2015)

Faith's world has always been a rather limited one. The adolescent daughter of a Reverend in Victorian England, the world does not contain many open doors for her. But all of that changes when her family moves to a small island in the English Channel under the pretense of her father, a respected natural scientist, joining a fossil expedition.

On the journey to the island, Faith discovers the first of many secrets that will soon be revealed to her. Desperate to know the truth, to not be shut out from the world simply because she's a girl, Faith resorts to stealth and prying. It isn't long before she finds herself in the middle of events far more complicated than she could've imagined.

This is a very well written piece of literature. On the surface, it's a murder mystery involving religious and scientific intrigue. Under the surface, it's a compelling story about a young girl who refuses to accept the place of women in her society, and a revelation that there were many women working very hard within those rigid rules to circumvent them. In many ways, it's a feminist text, turning ancient religious stories condemning female curiosity (Pandora's box, Eve and the Tree of Knowledge) while turning them on their head.

Absolutely engrossing and clever.

The Emptiness of Space

It probably shouldn't come to a surprise for anyone who has followed this blog for a period of time that I'm a sucker for space flicks. Ever since I was four years old and saw Star Wars for the first time, I've been a sucker for space flicks. My childhood was consumed with space fiction, and I still find it captivating to the imagination. Also being a Brad Pitt fan, it seemed to make sense to go see Ad Astra in the theater.

The overwhelming feeling that this movie left me with was coldness. It's not an uplifting film about the achievements of humankind. It's an exploration into the heart of darkness and the emptiness of space. 

It reminded me of Apocalypse Now set in outer space. The film is told mostly in voice over narrative as Brad Pitt's character ends up retracing his father's footsteps. He is on a mission to end the destruction that his father's madness has created. It basically follows the same trajectory as Apocalypse Now and does it well.

The movie is about isolation, both physically and psychologically. It deals with this theme on the personal level and on the species level. A refusal to connect with others leads one to dangerous places in their minds. Likewise, the inability for the human species to connect with other life is preventing us from moving away from the destructive behavior that has always plagued us. 

This movie was visually stunning and definitely explored these themes in depth and compellingly. The one place it was lacking was in giving the viewer any sense of emotion. The viewer is just as disconnected and closed off watching the movie as the characters are. To some extent, I think was intentional. However, at places where Brad Pitt's character shows emotion, it didn't seem to earn that emotion. But is sure was pretty to look at....

Weekend Music Roundup

The first official weekend of Fall is upon us, and with it comes one of the most anticipated releases of the year in my world. This has traditionally been a time when a lot of big albums come out. It used to be timed with back to school and aimed at kids who were looking for a distraction, though I'm sure a bit of that history has been lost with the changes to the music industry of the years. However, it's still an important time for releases, gearing up for the holidays and making a mark in the world before the year changes. This list features a few new releases and some old albums of recent discovery. Enjoy.

Liam Gallagher - Why Me? Why Not: The second solo album from the rock icon is his follow-up to 2017's surprise hit debut. Like that record, this is another full-on album of belters that fans of Oasis want to hear. Liam has never tried to reinvent himself, he is who is, a rock 'n roll star. There is no letdown with this record. It's another full length of genuine Liam sound that will most certainly please his fan base, myself included. 

Stuff Smith - Black Violin: Released in '65, shortly before his death two years later, this is a fantastic record by one of the few jazz violinists of the hard-bop era. I picked this up on a whim, mostly because jazz violin is rare and I wanted to hear what it sounded like. Peter Witte on bass and Otto Weiss on piano complete the sound. Both are German musicians, as this was recorded in Munich, and they give it a different feel than American hard bop, but the violin is really what establishes this record and creates a sound that feels entirely new to me. Absolutely love this album.

Thoughts - The Last Summer: This is the second album from the psychedelic pop band out of Florida. It's a bit too much of the current indie pop sound for me to really love, but I'm aware that people do love that sound. I actually love the 80s influences on this and is what it made it stand out to me over a bunch of other indie pop. "Next to You," and "Listen to Me" were standouts.  

The Third Bardo - I'm Five Years Ahead of My Time: This archival EP from Sundazed Records, the leader in unearthing lost material from the '60s, came in in 2000 and contains the entire output from the NYC psychedelic garage band. Originally recorded in '67, the band, despite the clever title track, was not five years ahead of their time. They were very much a part of their time, albeit a part of very underground form of psychedelic rock. Clearly inspired by Syd Barrett era Floyd, but with New York brashness, this is definitely a band that deserved to be uncovered, though now that uncovering is 20 years ago and they've already been forgotten once again. 

Mountain - Flowers of Evil: Released in '71, ten months after Nantucket Sleighride, the third proper album from the New York proto-metal band features one side of new studio material, while the flip side is a live recording. It was clearly an attempt by the label to really build the band off the moderate success of Sleighride, but failed to reach the same level. The band would release another album in '74 before Leslie West would try a solo career. For a band that played a prime slot in the original Woodstock concert, this band never achieved the success they should have. They were the American Led Zeppelin, one of the founders of the heavy sound that would lead to the birth of metal. "One Last Cold Kiss" and "Crossroader" are killer tracks from the studio side. The live side is typical Mountain...blistering guitar and heavy blues.  

The Warlocks - Mean Machine Music: I've been following this L.A. based Neo-psychedelic band for well over a decade and have all eight of their albums, including this one, their new album. What's impressive is that they've never made a bad album, and never made an album that wasn't true to what they are. Of course, with that comes a little lack of improvisation, but that's okay. They make psych rock that isn't too heavy and not too sunny. It's dark and moody, and pretty great. "You Destroy," "It's Hopeless," and the title track are standouts. Oddly, the second side of this album is instrumental versions of the first side, so it's more of an EP, but still a must for fans.

Wilfred

A reboot of an imported comedy from Australia about a guy who sees his neighbor's dog as a man in a cheap dog costume, starring Elijah Wood? Um, yes please! Those were my thoughts when this FX show first aired eight years ago. I watched the first two seasons in real time, and for reasons, some beyond my control involving the cutting of cable cords and umbilical cords, it has taken me until recently to finally conclude the entire series.

To be clear, this is not a show for everyone. Its quirky humor eventually turns darker and darker as the show goes on, and what started out as a comedy with a slight mystery, turns into more of a thrilling mystery with slight comedy. The transition between these two is carefully orchestrated over the four seasons that document Ryan's (Elijah Wood's character) tormented life and struggle with sanity.

The mystery, as one might expect, surrounds exactly who or what Wilfred is and why Ryan is the only one who can see him. The unfolding of this mystery is fraught with the kind of false leads, dead ends, and crazy theories of a stoner with a fragile grip on the workings of personal interactions.

It is also delightfully absurd and funny.

This is certainly a show that never truly made its mark on mainstream pop culture, but is certainly one that should acquire a cult following as the years pass by since it ended five years ago. A rare breed of show that is satisfying from beginning to end. 

Weekend Music Roundup

The weekend has arrived and it's really beginning to feel like Fall. It's probably no coincidence then this week's selections seem to match the weather. The tunes tend to get darker for me in the fall as I turn more inward. There's a nice mix here of wonderful surprises, featuring mostly bands that I hadn't encountered before. Definitely some that you should check out if you're feeling in the mood to explore. Enjoy.

Brika - Every Third Thought: This is the new EP from the singer songwriter and came out back in May. I can't find much information on her, but it looks like she had an album out five years ago, but it's hard to say if that is the same artist or not. Either way, I thoroughly enjoyed this psychedelic soul album that has a bit of a trip-hop feel to it. "Blinded," "Distracted," and "Karma" are my personal favorites.

Doctors of Madness - Doctors of Madness: This compilation, released in '78, compiles the London bands first two albums (both from '76) on one double record. This is the sound of where glam and prog begin to merge with the birth of punk. This is one of those lost bands that should be discovered by more. Anyone who likes Bowie from this era is sure to enjoy this album. It's dark, moody, and beautiful. "Suicide City," "Perfect Past," "Out," "Afterglow," "Mitzie's Cure," and "The Noises of the Evening" are fantastic songs on this incredible album.  

Band of Holy Joy - Neon Primitives: Somehow this London band has been around and released material for 35 years and this new album is the first I'm hearing of them. In a way, they remind me of Legendary Pink Dots with their minimal psychedelic sound, but they are angrier band. Certainly a solid album that makes me want to check out more of their work. "Lost in The Night," "The Devil Has a Hold on the Land," "Ecstasy Snowbirds," and "Urban Pagans" are standouts on this dark album.

Grand Funk Railroad - On Time: The 1969 debut from the heavy flint rock band, and the only one released with the "Railroad" on their name, though it's what they are still better known by. This set off a string of fantastic records in a prolific period of five years. On this album you can the band splitting away from the rock of the time and creating something heavier, paving the way for their self-titled masterpiece that would be released later the same year. "Anybody's Answer," "Time Machine," "Into the Sun," and "Call Yourself a Man" are my personal favorites. 

Sandstorm - Time to Strike: The debut album from the Vancouver metal band was released early this year. It's kind of by-the-book power metal, but it does incorporate enough stoner psychedelic elements to keep it from sounding out-dated. That said, it's not really anything I've never heard before, but that's not always the point with metal. As long as it sound good and loud, it's worthwhile. "Witchman, Sorcerer of Satan," "Denizen of Hell," and "Death is Near" are standouts for me.

Fiction Friday (89)

The YA binge continues as I'm now two thirds done my required reading for the October conference that I'm attending. This book belonged in the grouping about trust and is a book that has been hugely successful the past few years. Very much a page-turner that I breezed through.

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus
(Delacorte Press, 2017)

Everyone has secrets, but are their secrets worth killing for? When Simon, the self-proclaimed King of Gossip at Bayview High School is murdered, everyone in the room with him becomes a suspect.

As Simon was on the verge of posting their deepest hidden secrets, all four kids have motive: Bronwyn, the brain; Nate, the drug dealer; Addy, the homecoming queen; and Cooper, the All-American baseball star. At first, all are unlikely suspects, but as their secrets are slowly and carefully revealed to both the reader and the other characters, each becomes more suspicious.

It's no wonder this exceptionally well-crafted mystery has been so popular since it was published. It's also no wonder that it's currently in development for a TV series on Netflix. It's a gripping, page-turning story that is fairly irresistible. All of the characters are compelling, show growth, and feel very real. To make it all better, there's a surprise twist at the end, the kind of surprise twist that is believable (mostly).

* Spoiler Alert: Stop reading below if you haven't read the book and are planning to do so:

So, I liked the ending, but I have to say, I'm not sure I'm convinced Jake would be able to fake his relationship with Addy while he and Simon planned this. I mean, he must have known for weeks. AND, if he was able to fake it, he never would have then been able to express the level of anger when he supposedly found out from Addy. And then to keep all of this going for so long...I mean, sure, it's possible someone could be so possessive, but if that's Jake, I just think there needed to be more shown than simply asking her to change her clothes for a party.

Weekend Music Roundup

The has arrived and so I bring you more ramblings about my adventures in the world of music listening. I've been still enjoying a long list of new releases and share some of those with you as well. I've also has some vinyl shopping days of late and found many great things. Those I'm sharing as well. This is a pretty broad mix of rock so hopefully something interests you. Enjoy.

Clinic - Wheeltappers and Shunters: The eighth album from the Liverpool psychedelic dance punk outfit is their best since 2008's Do It! There are few bands that do this genre well, and they are one of them. They came around when there were other bands doing this, The Rapture, Cooper Temple Clause, and Death from Above and this album sees them return to the chaos that defined their best work. "Rubber Bullets," "Laughing Cavalier," "Ferryboat of the Mind," "D.I.S.C.I.P.L.E.," "Flying Fish," and "Rejoice" are standouts on a wonderful record. 

The Nice - Ars Longa Vita Brevis: The second album from the London psych band released in '68, a few months after their debut. The band would release one more album the next year before disbanding. My copy is the Columbia extended version that features a few bonus tracks, released in '73. Definitely inspired by Syd era Pink Floyd, this is that early psych sound that mixes pop with the bizarre. "Daddy Where Did I Come From," "Happy Freuds," are standouts on the first side, while the entire second side of the album contains the epic title track with is a wonderful freak-out in five movements. 

Summer Cannibals - Can't Tell me No: This is the fourth full length album from the Portland band, and their first in three years. This is my first encounter the band. This is straight up indie rock with strong female vocals. There's some link to 90s Rrriot Grrl bands, but that sound is mixed with the current indie pop sound to create something both nostalgic and contemporary. "Behave," "One of Many," "Start Breaking," "Spin," and "Into Gold" are my personal favorites. 

Slade - Slade Alive!: Released in '72, nine months before their breakout second LP, this stellar live record captures the glam band right as they were poised for takeoff. They are raw and determined and it shows. They were a band that knew where they were going, and in that sense they remind me of Oasis, who always knew they were going to be huge simply because they believed they were the best. I'd been on the hunt for some Slade vinyl and was shocking having a hard time finding any, then I did. "In Like a Shot From My Gun," "Know Who You Are," "Keep on Rockin" and the Loving Spoonful cover "Darling Be Home Soon" are standouts. 

Foreigner - Foreigner: The 1977 debut from the NYC hard rock band blends pop rock with the remains of space rock and prog elements which were already on the decline at the time. The combination is what made this album click with many listeners at the time and is also what makes still interesting to listen to now. "Starrider," "Cold as Ice," "The Damage is Done," "Long, Long Way From Home," and "At War with the World" are my personal favorites on this great rock record.

Fiction Friday (88)

As I mentioned in my last Fiction Friday, I'm taking part in an all day conference this October related entirely to YA books. As a result, I have six books to read before that conference and am finally getting started on that. Here are my thoughts on the first one, a book that after the first 50 pages, I was sure I was going to hate, but ended up really enjoying.

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi
(S&S 2018)

Alternating between two main characters, this novel is essentially a story about how two people can fall in love. It is as much about the way they fall in love as it is about being in love. 

Penny is an Asian American girl starting her freshman year at University of Texas when she meets her new roommate's "uncle", twenty-one year old Sam who is an Austin native from a time before Austin was hipster central. The two quickly become secret texting buddies, sharing deeply personal thoughts, opinions, and feelings that neither is really adept at sharing in real life. Over the course of Penny's first semester, this friendship evolves into a romantic relationship.

One of the most fascinating aspects of this book is the way it develops a relationship through a series of text conversations. When there is so much focus on the negative aspects of texting and social media, and basically any form of "virtual" relationships, this book shows the other side. It examines that core power of these type of relationships, that it can be far easier to be honest in the virtual world, which can be a bad thing, but can also be a beautiful thing. 

I found this book to be a little bit of a slow starter, and admit to not really liking either character all that much in the beginning. However, as they got to know each other, the reader gets to know them better and discovers there are real reasons for some of their unlikable characteristics. Very entertaining, and a nice change of pace from all the negative conversations about this aspect of the world we live in.

Weekend Music Roundup

Well it's here...the unofficial last weekend of summer! I thought I'd feature mostly new releases on this list, a sort of catching up on summer albums before summer passes. This is a completely rock based list, including new artists, indie rock, new wave icons, metal monsters, and classic rock superstars. Lots of great stuff on here, and another spectacular summer of listening. Hopefully you all found some great music this summer as well. Enjoy.

Briston Maroney - Indiana: The second EP from Nashville based the singer songwriter was released earlier this year. Only 21 years old, his work shows a lot of promise. He reminds a bit of Eliot Smith, with a much brighter outlook, but not all that much brighter. Only four songs long, but the sparseness definitely adds to the appeal. "Caroline" is my favorite, but all four songs are excellent. Definitely one to check out.

Interpol - A Fine Mess: A year after Marauder, their comeback album of sorts, the NYC band has released this five song EP. Cut from the same cloth as that album, this is another fine release that sees a band that has re-found themselves. The title track is one of their finest songs since the early days, and the next four keep the feel going. This probably won't win them any new fans, but old fans will be pleased, and fans who haven't listened to them in a decade might want to return. 

Graham Parker and the Rumour - Stick to Me: After listening to and loving the '79 Squeezing Out the Sparks record, I snatched up this one from '77 from the "4 for $10" bin at the local shop. This one is just as good, and just as much a clone of Elvis Costello. By clone, I don't mean rip-off, I mean sounds similar and equally as great. "Problem Child," "I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down," "Watch the Moon Come Down," and "Thunder and Rain" are my personal favorites on this great record.  

Liam Gallagher - MTV Unplugged (Preview): In spectacular fashion, the once influential channel announced the return of the once iconic Unplugged program to the UK featuring Liam. Recorded in Hull, this is a career spanning set as the Oasis singer prepares for the release of his second solo album and will air on Sept. 27th. In preparation, this bootleg collection of live acoustic performances hit the internet. An amazing collection of tunes from one of the best voices in rock. 

The Mystery Lights - Too Much Tension!: This is the third album from the L.A. formed, Brooklyn based psychedelic garage rock band. Right from the opening, it digs deep into the early '70s psychedelic garage sound of The Stooges and feels interesting and dangerous. The first three tracks are fantastic, but this aura fades on some tracks, but never vanishes, making this a record worth listening to.

Grand Funk - Survival: The band's fourth album in two years, was released in 1971. This is a band that I wasn't turned on to until the last couple of years, but have grown to love. Their brand of hard rock is totally pure, as it should be as one of the pioneer's of the genre. The band was shit hot at this point in their career, and perhaps overextended, but somehow they manage to keep up the quality on this record. "Comfort Me," and the covers of Joe Cocker's "Feelin' Alright" and The Rolling Stones "Gimme Shelter" are my personal favorites. 

Krokus - The Blitz: Released in 1984, this is the eighth album from Swiss hard rock band. This is very representative of hard rock from the era, borrowing heavily from bands like AC/DC. It features blistering guitars, pounding drums, and hair raising screeching vocals...a good formula in my mind. "Out of Control," "Our Love," and "Rock the Nation" are my personal favorites. Just plain old good hard rock.