Category: Music

The invisible hand has a cramp

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Good news: a new Arcade Fire album doesn’t seem too far off.

Bad news: Sleater-Kinney has broken up. One of the best — if not the best — rock band in North America has called it quits, and were on the upswing when they did it; their last album was their best (and the best album to be released in all of 2005, in my opinion). I will miss their music a great deal.

.:.

When a guy who obviously understands the free market system as well as Warren Buffett says “A market system has not worked in terms of poor people,” you know there’s something wrong. No wonder he’s donating $31 billion to charity.

[tags]arcade fire, sleater-kinney, warren buffett[/tags]

"I am not a piece of hash!"

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I’m just the tiniest bit sunburned today (due to a less-than-expert application of SPF goodness) after watching the Pride Parade yesterday. CBGB came over and Nellie made us some brunch while we watched England cling to a 1-goal lead to reach the quarter-finals. Afterwards we skipped out to Bloor street to watch the Parade. It was much the same as the other parade we watched: lots of dancing trannies, supersoakers and corporate sponsorship. Nellie’s favourite moment was the Geeks Are Gay Too section, one of whom carried a “Willow & Tara forever” sign. Actually, truth be told her favourite moment was the half-naked firemen, but she totally geeked out when she saw the Buffy reference.

.:.

We also watched two more movies over the weekend, both of which were very good and happened to star Paddy Considine. That was a coincidence though.

In America (imdb | rotten tomatoes) was excellent, a well-worn story (grieving family, new environment, cute kids) that was done so expertly that it felt new. And when I say cute kids, I mean cahyyyyooooote…but not all treacly and showy. Their cuteness actually had something to do with the film, so it worked out. Great acting, uplifting (without being cheesy) story, and well written. Definitely recommended.

Also recommended: 24 Hour Party People (imdb | rotten tomatoes), the story about the rise of the Manchester music scene in the late 70s and early 80s, told from the point of view of Tony Wilson (played by Steve Coogan). I don’t particularly care for music by Joy Division / New Order or the Happy Mondays, but the story’s a great one nonetheless. Just the early scene of the Sex Pistols playing to a crowd of 42, but the impact of that show, and what the attendees would go on to do…it was mildly depressing, since you realize that kind of grassroots music scene just doesn’t happen anymore. These days record executives are waiting in crouch positions with plane tickets and contracts in hand, ready to catch the first flight to whatever city breaks out next, and they own the scene before fans even get into it. Wilson said himself that the only reason the Manchester scene started is because the established radio & TV owners hated punk and new wave, so it grew on its own with a little help from a local TV personality.

I guess we may never see that again. Pity. Then again, if it prevents us from having to listen to anything like “Kinky Afro” ever again, maybe that’s not such a terrible thing.

[tags]pride parade, willow, tara, in america, 24 hour party people, joy division, new order, happy mondays, sex pistols, manchester[/tags]

Awoogula

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I must be in a quirky mood. Both the new Regina Spektor disc and Hidden Cameras disc are really good. Metacritic generally agrees about the former, as does Pitchfork. The AV Club really digs it. Awoo, the Cameras disc, isn’t officially out yet, but eMusic seems to carry their catalogue so I’ll happily download it in the fall when it’s released.

.:.

I have never seen an episode of Leave It To Beaver. I have never seen an episode of The Brady Bunch either (that I recall; I think my brothers watched it when I was a kid), nor have I ever watched an episode of Gilligan’s Island.

I don’t think this is particularly odd; these shows all aired before I was even born. However, mentioning to people that I haven’t seen these shows usually sends them reeling in disbelief.

[tags]regina spektor, hidden cameras, leave it to beaver, brady bunch, gilligan’s island[/tags]

Wayward and parliament

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Two trailers: Pulse, which I really only want to see ’cause it has Kristen Bell in it, and the remake of The Wicker Man, which I really only want to see because it gives me an excuse to yell “Oh God! Oh Jesus Christ!” every few minutes.

.:.

Speaking of movies, we watched Match Point (imdb | rotten tomatoes) yesterday. I have to say: not at all like the Woody Allen fare I’m accustomed to. And thank god for that. I liked it a great deal; I’m a fan of movies that just launch you into a story. Don’t try to beat me over the head with character development, just show me the characters and let me fit them to the film.

Anyway, I suppose it’s a bit obvious now since he makes a point of showing the main character reading Crime And Punishment at the beginning of the movie, but it did feel like a Dostoevsky story. If that was Allen’s intention, then he added a self-effacing nod to it: the character was also reading a Cambridge Companion To Dostoevsky.

.:.

Amy Millan‘s solo disc Honey From The Tombs (from which I lifted this post’s title) is excellent. Find yourself a copy.

[tags]pulse, wicker man, kristen bell, woody allen, match point, amy millan[/tags]

1:02

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It’s barely a minute long, but “The Last Days Of Tecumseh” by Grant Lee Buffalo is one of the prettiest songs you’ll ever hear.

[tags]grant lee buffalo, last days of tecumseh, short songs[/tags]

77.21%

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Catching up…

Torontoist spots an asshat parking his H2 in a handicapped parking spot. The Star says Bob Cole needs to retire from calling hockey, and I agree. He should take Harry Neale with him. Still with The Star, Ben Rayner asks if Radiohead is overrated. Not a chance, sez I. Finally, two links from Yes But No But Yes: super cuteness and super ugliness.

.:.

Last day of the class (save tomorrow’s exam). I’m a little tired, but it’s par for the course on the Thursdays. We’re in good shape, project-wise; a few things to tie up and put together and we’re home free.

[tags]h2, asshat, bob cole, harry neale, ben rayner, radiohead, kittens+puppies, inhofe, mba[/tags]

"I think we can conclude that the Muslim lobby in the U.S. is not as effective as they would like it to be."

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How blindingly stupid would you have to be to think that only 1,000 people died in World War II? Jesus.

Anyway, Scott Adams suggests that it would be interesting to make people take a general knowledge test when voting. Nellie’s of the same opinion, but thinks people below a certain score shouldn’t be given a ballot.

.:.

West 8 was announced as the winner of the waterfront redesign contest, so it looks like Toronto’ll be getting a great big maple leaf in our harbour. Nooooooot sure I like that, but any progress is welcome. [from Spacing]

.:.

The Polaris prize: Canada’s answer to the Mercury Prize.

.:.

Asshat see, asshat do. Sorta.

[tags]wwii, west 8, toronto harbourfront, polaris prize, mercury prize, same-sex marriage[/tags]

If I had a band I'd call them The Supercells. Except that name's already kinda taken.

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I have an unhealthy fascination with tornadoes. Actually, I’m interested in any disaster, but especially natural disasters, and especially especially tornadoes & thunderstorms. One of my favourite things as a kid was to watch storms roll off the bay and up the flats toward our farm…and that smell that would be in the air right before the rain started…man. Good times.

Anyway, that’s why I can tolerate shit movies like Twister and why I can spend hours watching cheesy TV shows like Stormchasers if I come across them on a Sunday afternoon. And it’s why pictures like these and these (found at c|net) make me drool.

Anybody for a trip to Kansas?

.:.

$5,000 is too much to pay for a personal scooter, even something as bitchin’ as a Segway, but with financing available…hmm…

.:.

The new Walkmen disc, “A Hundred Miles Off”, isn’t bad, but not great either. It’s certainly no Bows + Arrows, which was the second best album released in 2004. So sez I.

[tags]tornadoes, stormchasers, segway, walkmen, hundred miles off[/tags]

Baura? Len?

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It’s been a big day for TimmyD. His application for British citizenship has been approved. Now, let’s hope he hasn’t bollocksed it up by not checking the post often enough.

Geez, scolding just sounds so much better when you’re British…

.:.

TimmyD was also so kind as to pass on a rumour about Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant wanting to do more episodes of The Office. They’re right about the NBC version of The Office though; it’s gotten better and better as it’s gone along. I think they’ve actually done an even better job with the whole Tim-Dawn / Jim-Pam (or “Jam”, if you’re a TV nerd) thing than the British version…of course, they’ve had many more episodes to build the tension.

.:.

Ben Harper is lost to me. His last…well, several albums (including his newest, Both Sides Of The Gun) haven’t done anything for me. I remember standing in my living room in my first apartment at Yonge & Sheppard, setting up my new stereo, when this song called “Faded” came on MuchMusic; I snappedlostit and ran out to find the disc. But since that disc…nuthin’. However, more people seem to dig him now than back then, so he’s doing something right for the masses (including Laura Dern, so you can’t blame him too much). Just not for me.

[tags]british citizenship, the office, ricky gervais, stephen merchant, nbc, ben harper[/tags]