ph: Carter Smith
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Friday, October 31, 2014
Rarely Heard: Neil Young - Borrowed Tune
I guess hardly anything by Neil Young is rarely heard, but according to the book The Rough Guide to The Best Music You've Never Heard his album Tonight's the Night is "ripe for rediscovery". It was recorded in 1973, but his horrified record company refused to release it considering the music to be commercial suicide (it was eventually marketed in 1975). It may a dark and very personal album, but in hindsight it's hard to imagine the fuss, since Neil Young has surprised his audience quite regularly ever since. Borrowed Tune is interesting, because it's a open-hearted cover of the Rolling Stones' Lady Jane: "I'm singin' this borrowed tune I took from the Rolling Stones, Alone in this empty room Too wasted to write my own."
First Lines: D. H. Lawrence - The Virgin and the Gypsy
When the vicar's wife went off with a young and penniless man the scandal knew no bounds.
Rarely Heard: X-Mal Deutschland - Incubus Succubus
X-Mal Deutschland ("x times Germany") were an all-female doom rock band from Hamburg that lasted from 1980-1989. According to Allmusic.com they did have some success in the UK (but not that much in their home country) and actually competed with Siouxsie & the Banshess for goth royalty. Their song Incubus Succubus is considered a goth rock anthem. Unfortunately, the band let their sound drift away from doom to more pop-oriented material and switching the language from German to English seems to have been the death knell to their demise.
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Passengers (2008)
A grief counselor working with a group of plane-crash survivors finds herself at the root of a mystery when her clients begin to disappear.
Atmospheric mystery, slow-paced and well staged, but the twist ending is quite disappointing.
Maltin**: "Scareless, suspenseless, only mildly intriguing romantic thriller is a middling muddle of conspirancy paranoia, otherworldliness, and kissing. Not recommended for those with fear of flying."
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
First Lines: Ennio Flaiano - Time to Kill
I surprised that I was still alive, but I was tired of waiting for help.
Rarely Heard: Burt Ward - Boy Wonder, I Love You
Yes, Burt Ward is known as Robin from the Batman series. And the composer and producer of this single is none other than Frank Zappa. You defintely can hear the Zappa touch, but I'm not sure, if they really expected this to become a hit single. It didn't make, but the single is probably worth a bit among collectors.
Leap Year (2010)
A young American woman plans to travel to Dublin, Ireland to propose marriage to her boyfriend on Leap Day, because, according to Irish tradition, a man who receives a marriage proposal on a leap day must accept it.
Surprisingly entertaining and likeable romantic comedy (remake of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's 1945 "I Know Where I'm Going") effectively set in the Irish landscape and the two leads do a good job.
Maltin*1/2: "Charm-free romantic comedy brings out the worst in everyone involved. Even the usually appealing Amy Adams is off-putting...Try to imagine what IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT might have been like if Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert had little charisma and no chemistry."
New Stuff: His Name Is Alive
I recently noticed this album missing in my His Name Is Alive collection.
John Carter (2012)
Transplanted to Mars, a Civil War vet discovers a lush planet inhabited by 12-foot tall barbarians.
Silly pulp sci-fi fantasy with a touch of steampunk, only the creatures, ships and Mars landscapes are worth the show.
Maltin**1/2: "Elaborate adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' "A Princess of Mars," from his John Carter of Mars series, benefits from a strong leading performance but is difficult to follow if you're not already familiar with the material."
Maltin**1/2: "Elaborate adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' "A Princess of Mars," from his John Carter of Mars series, benefits from a strong leading performance but is difficult to follow if you're not already familiar with the material."
