Daily Archives: October 18, 2009

Best of June

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The best movie I saw in June was probably “Moon” but my favorite movie in June was “Away We Go”.

The best book I read in June was “Motherless Brooklyn” by Jonathan Lethem. Fantastic! I also really liked the short story collection “Emerald City” by Jennifer Egan.

The best gig I went to in June had to be a tie between Metric and Telekinesis!!! Being that I haven’t been going to shows much at all this year, I wish I could remember more about those evenings! But hello June was a long time ago. I know we were standing at the back of the Metro for Metric and it was hot and sweaty but the sounds were great. Oddly I can’t even remember who I went to Telekinesis with. Maybe I was drunk.

My favorite tunes in June were from “Back & Fourth” Pete Yorn‘s awesome, outstanding, lovely latest album. Gee, I guess I liked it.

June Album Reviews

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Another month where I only bought two albums!! Kudos to me on not spending money but dang I’m sure there’s lots of awesome stuff out there I missed this year!!

Absolutely Love & Adore:

Pete Yorn “Back & Fourth” – Wow, I am just completely gaga for this album. Completely. Definitely my most-listened tunes for the second half of the year. It’s the usual melancholy swell of emotion from Yorn, soft and gentle and sad and rambling on. Which just makes it even odder that his concerts are so “all at the same volume level, arena anthem rock” sounding. Faves include “Dont’ Wanna Cry” and “Social Development Dance” but honestly I love this entire album front to back.

Favorite Singles (not on any of the above albums):

  • “Swim Until You Can’t See Land” Frightened Rabbit – really the only thing I regret about canceling my trip to Monolith is not getting to see these guys.
  • “H.O.T.T. (Half of the Time)” Wheat

Other Albums I Liked:

  • Dent May & His Magnificent Ukelele “The Good Feeling Music of Dent May and His Magnificent Ukelele” – Totally goofy. Kinda reminds me of Matt Costa. Unusual instrumentation, styles all over the map.

Big Screen: Hump Day

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A “straight and narrow” dude and his wife are paid a visit by his wildchild former college roommate. Of course Mr. S&N finds himself seduced by the wild side (again, presumably) and the weekend turns into a crazy dare situation based on a festival of amateur porn films that others plan to enter: “we should make a gay porno together. and the reason it’ll be awesome…is because we’re not gay!”

Some of it was funny and some of it was sad; some of it felt true and some of it felt fake. Overall, I’d say there were too many disconnects that weren’t solved.

The director was there for Q&A after the flick. It was interesting to here how little scripted the movie was / sounds like her process if mostly giving the actors free rein “here is what your character is about, now what do you think he would say in this situation?”. Of course, the fact that the director referred to “Zach & Miri Make a Porno” sarcastically pissed me off (she obviously did not “get” Zach & Miri”). I guess she was reacting to being compared to Z&M and not enjoying that fact.

Z&M is a better flick in my opinion.

May Album Reviews

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I know – who cares at this point. I just need to get myself up to date here.

Absolutely Love & Adore:

Telekinesis (self-titled) – Poppy and Fun. Fave tunes are “Rust”, “Coast of Carolina” and “I Saw Lightning” .

Favorite Singles (not on any of the above albums):

  • “Tear You Apart” She Wants Revenge (by far my favorite song of the month! and maybe the summer!)
  • “How Your Heart Is Wired” Bell X1
  • “Hypermode” A Shoreline Dream
  • “The Last of the Melting Snow” The Leisure Society
  • “We’ll See the Sun” Houses
  • “More Time” Needtobreathe
  • “Crazy Bitch” Buckcherry
  • “Magic Show” Electric Owls
  • “Percussion Gun” White Rabbits

Other Albums I Liked but Frankly Have Barely Listened to AT ALL:

I don’t know what was up with me in May, over the summer, or really this year, but all the below albums are 1) by artists I like and 2) decent albums and 3) I have barely listened to them at all. WTF? I guess it just wasn’t the right time for me with them.

  • Eminem “Relapse” – Especially love “Bagpipes from Baghdad” “Deja Vu” and “Careful What You Wish For”. “We Made You” has a total Dick Tracy feel. And I’m pretty sure that is (actor) Dominic West on the “Dr. West” skit (I hate the skits on rap albums. My most unfavorite thing about them!).

  • Green Day “21st Century Breakdown” – Not the tour de force their last album was but still really good. Fave songs are “Last of the American Girls” and bonus track “A Quick One While He’s Away”.

  • Phoenix “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix” – oh so cheeky that title. I usually listen to this one straight through (the few times I have actually listened to it!); it’s so (consistently) upbeat and fun. But I guess “1901” and “Lasso” do stand out to me.

  • Red House Painters “Songs for a Blue Guitar” – an oldie I bought after my friend Craig tweeted about it a zillion times in one week.