A Masterpiece?

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is not the movie the trailers would have you believe. Described by some marketing department somewhere as a cowboy tale of obsession, revenge and betrayal, this film has those elements of course, but is so much more beautiful and poetic and deeply serious and thoughtful than any trailer could possibly try to encapsulate.

The cinematography is unbelievable (the bizzare lensing that gives the distorted depth of field and rainbow-like visual artifacts is a beautiful, artistic sight to behold) the acting pitch perfect, the narration intelligent and thoughtful as it is sparse and poetic, the score (by Nick Cave!) haunting, piercing and deeply resonant, I simply could not look away from this movie. It is LONG. It is ponderous. it is morally ambiguous. It is documentary. It is drama. It is the movie I would like to think I would make if I made a movie on my own.*

Every year I keep my eyes peeled for one film that defies my preconcieved expectations... I think Mel Gibson's "Apocalypto" was the last time I have been so wrong about a film before actually seeing it. No Country For Old Men (although I had issues with it immediately after my first viewing) haunted my thoughts and dreams obsessively for the 3 months following. And I think I have this year's winner (although the year isn't over yet!).

This movie is definitely NOT for everyone. Hell, it's probably not even for MOST people. (Alicia fell asleep before the opening title sequence, and didn't even blink her eyes open until the closing credits) but my imagination was completely absorbed.

I cannot possibly reccomend this movie more for those cinefiles out there (you know who you are!) It's NOT Deadwood. It's NOT the Unforgiven. It's NOT Tombstone. It MIGHT be a masterpiece.





* (funny enough, it was given to me by a client/friend who is starting work on a new doc about Wyatt Earp, and wants to involve me not only in the design of the doc, but on visual/art direction for principal photography as well, and she told me to check this out and we'll have lots to talk about... fingers crossed if they want to go down such a creative route as this for OUR doc! talk about an opportunity!)

Like Reviewing a Unicorn...

Chuck Klosterman Reviews "Chinese Democracy"

An amazingly good read for such a monumentously long-awaited album opus 15 years in the making.

It's an intelligent and thoughtful review that is blisteringly funny and smart and empathetic and told from a true rock fan (and GnR fan's) point of view...

some particulary good lines:

"A song like "Shackler's Revenge" is initially average, until you get to the solo—then it becomes the sonic equivalent of a Russian robot wrestling a reticulating python. "

"What finally made him decide, "You know, I've weighed all my options and all their potential consequences, and I'm going with the Mexican vampire accent. This is the vision I will embrace. But only on that one line! The rest of it will just be sung like a non-dead human." Often, I don't even care if his choices work or if they fail. I just want to know what Rose hoped they would do."

"Sometimes listening to this album feels like watching the final five minutes of the Sopranos finale. There's no acceptable answer to these types of hypotheticals."

read his whole review, and see what he gave it (I completely agree, by the way!)

Cooper (re)Union

This Saturday was my 10 year college reunion of the little school in the Village nobody's heard of. All in all it was a good time. Turnout was just about as low as I expected it to be (after all, Cooper Students are not really known for their common courtesies, much less actual friendship or bonding.) It was a solitary school experience, so having maybe 5 of the art students show up is I guess par for the course.

Any chance to see Theo is always fun (although I see him all the time... no need for a reunion) and of course I was excited to see Heather and Catherine and Eric and Shaun, as well as some engineer friends (Felicia, Sanjeevanee) and was disappointed that Grace (whom I spoke to last year) and Rob and Mark were MIA. Oh well, I guess I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up.

First there was a non-tour of the new academic building being erected in the footprint of the old Hewitt Building. I say non-tour because it was ludicrously uneventful. We walked inside the construction about 10 feet... stood there while the guy told us nothing, then asked if we had any QUESTIONS about the nothing he just told us, then we walked outside to the street and around the building... I could have just done that on my own (as a matter of fact, I DID do that entirely on my own a few months ago!!!)

Then we stood around (outside in the frigid element, no less) for about 2.5 hours while we waited for the actual reunion to sart, down the street at a little bar called Sophe's. Most people who WERE there just grumbled and left.

Once we hit Sophe's the atmospphere picked up alot. More people showed up for the evening event, and once the beer was flowing it all loosened up alot. Most people didn't recognize me at first (a fact I braced myself for a few moths ago) but Catherine didn't reconize me at ALL, actually ignoring me a bit while I tried to say "hi" to her 3 times, then doing a double take, freaked out and laughed and jumped on me with a giant hug (nearly knocked me over) when she realized who I was!!!

Heather walking in, and across the room, didn't recognize me, but saw me standing at the bar rapidly shaking my leg in the nervous way I always have, and she came over cautiously until she saw it was in fact me, then just lit up like a Christmas Tree with smiles and hugs.

We all mingled for a while, then as the evening wore on we broke out for dinner with Theo, Heather and Patrick, and Alicia. It was nice to actually sit and talk and catch up (although I feel like I drank too much to actually talk clearly)...

After dinner, it was back to Upstate NY for Heather and Patrick, back to Park Slope for Theo, and back home for Alicia and I. I regret not keeping more in touch over the past 10 years, but it sure was nice to actually see these folks and I am glad to hear how well most of them are doing in their respective careers and lives.

And to all of those who DIDN'T show? That's ok... we just talked shit about you anyway...

Well, see you in 10 more years I guess!

Download: Beach Boys: Be True To Your School

Download: Foo Fighters: (How good it is to) See You

Download: The Hold Steady: Certain Songs

Download: John Mellencamp: Jack and Diane

Download: Hole: Rock Star

Download: Mike Ness: Don't Think Twice (Dylan)

enjoy.

Spiders! Spiders!

Download: Wilco: TheSpiders (Kidsmoke)

This Wilco song has one of my favorite guitars of all time, bar none. It's a long one, and takes some time to build, but once it does, it sure does burn! I hope you enjoy!

Analog to Digital Television Conversion PSA

As you all may (or may not) know, come Feb. 2009, all older, analog televisions need to be upgraded to digital in order to continue to receive picture. Here is a video guide to help you with the transition.

Enjoy. (I just about cried!)

We went to bed early last night... what did we miss?

We went to bed early last night... what did we miss?


(joke courtesy of 23/6)

a righteous wind

Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you
Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin
And there's no tellin' who
That it's namin'
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside
And it is ragin'
It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin'
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'.

The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is
Rapidly fadin'
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin'.


Download: Eddie Vedder: The Times (They are A Changin')(B.Dylan)

Download: Edddie Vedder: I Am A Patriot (Little Steven)

Download: Edddie Vedder: I Won't back Down (T.Petty)

enough said.

Under The Covers With Wilco

Not a long post tonight, I am too fried. But I have been waiting for a WHILE to post this, so hold on to your hats.

I have (thanks to Heather at Fuel/Friends) a fantastic career-spannning collection of rare live cover songs from Wilco. It is a 2 Zip set, and it is fantastic. Audio quality ranges from song to song because of the different sources (and age of some of the recordings) but has a great overall feeling. A MUST for any Wilco fan, and a real treasure-trove for those who love a good cover!

here's the tracklisting (as best I have, anyway):

##################################
WILCO: SOMEONE ELSE'S SONGS - DISC ONE
##################################

Listen to Her Heart (9/10/95): Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Peace, Love and Understanding (4/17/96): Nick Lowe - (Golden Smog)

Love & Mercy (4/17/96): Brian Wilson - (Golden Smog)

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (1/11/97): Jane Taylor

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (2/15/97): Carole King

Color Me Impressed (5/10/97): The Replacements

I Wanna Be Sedated (5/10/97): The Ramones

Drown (5/23/97): Son Volt

True Love Will Find You in the End (9/4/97): Daniel Johnston

Ever Fallen in Love (10/30/97): The Buzzcocks

Sunday Bloody Sunday (11/4/97): U2

Sugar Baby (11/7/97): Doc Boggs

Tear Stained Eye (11/7/97): Son Volt

If It Makes You Happy (11/7/97): Sheryl Crow

Won't Get Fooled Again (11/7/97): The Who

Ingrid Bergman (3/26/98 ): Woody Guthrie/Billy Bragg

John Wesley Harding (3/26/98): Bob Dylan

100 Years from Now (6/12/98): Gram Parsons

James Alley Blues (8/30/98): Richard "Rabbit" Brown

A Fool Such As I (10/19/98): Elvis Presley

I'm Only Sleeping (11/12/98): The Beatles

Yesterday (11/15/98): The Beatles

Rainbow Connection (12/30/98): Kermit The Frog

She's a Jar, hip-hop version (6/15/99): Wilco

Oklahoma USA (10/20/99): The Kinks

Thirteen (10/20/99): Big Star

Dreaming (10/21/99): Blondie

Any Major Dude (11/5/99): Steely Dan

Cock in My Pocket (11/5/99): The Stooges



#################################
WILCO: SOMEONE ELSE'S SONGS - DISC 2
#################################

Give Back the Key to My Heart (11/22/99): Doug Sahm

Kingsport Town (1/4/00): Bob Dylan

Lookin' for a Love (1/4/00): Neil Young

King of Carrot Flowers, Part 1 (1/9/00): Neutral Milk Hotel

Rock Salt and Nails (5/14/00): Bob Dylan

Organ Blues (5/14/00): T. Rex

Reflections in a Crystal Wind (9/12/00): Richard & Mimi Farina

I'm Into Something Good (9/13/00): Herman's Hermits

Colon song (11/16/00)

Stairway to Heaven (12/20/00): Led Zeppelin - (Golden Smog)

Ripple (2/25/01): Grateful Dead

I Wish I Was Your Mother (9/15/01): Mott The Hoople

No Depression (11/18/01): The Carter Family

It's Alright to Cry (2/17/02): Rosie Grier

Three Is a Magic Number (2/17/02): Schoolhouse Rock

Yellow Submarine (2/17/02): The Beatles

We Will Rock You (2/17/02): Queen

Be Not So Fearful (4/6/02): Bill Fay

TV Eye (5/26/02): The Stooges

Henry & the H-Bombs (6/10/02): Mott The Hoople

Here are the zips

Download: WILCO: Other People's Songs Disc 01 (zipped)

Download: WILCO: Other People's Songs Disc 02 (zipped)


Download and Enjoy.

A Moral Defense, Not a Legal One

My lawyer just informed me that North Fork Bank is coming on strong right now, ratcheting up the attacks and pushing for some sort of immediate judgement of "No Contest" saying that my defense, while a strong moral one, has no legal strength.

I am sorry, call me naive, but I somehow still thought the 2 of those were sometimes the same thing. Stupid me.

Stupid me for believing that this system wouldn't screw an innocent person. The lawyer is going over the paperwork today/tonight with fresh eyes (it HAS been a year, after all!) and we'll try to get a plan tomorrow. His questions to ME were:

"Is your business still financially in peril like it was when we last spoke?"
(translation: you are in jeopardy.)

"Do you want to continue to fight?"
(translation: probably going to lose)

"How about Settlement?"
(translation: Banks are so desperate, they need to get SOMETHING")

My answer to all the above is an exasperated "Who the F*CK KNOWS???"

I feel like if we just plain out lose, I should have just skipped on the whole lawyer thing. Could have saved countless thousands of dollars.

Also, I figure if I AM being held liable, at least give me the freaking EQUIPTMENT/FURNITURE in that place!!! I KNOW it's still there, because I pass the old space once a week and look up into the big window and can see it all sitting right there!

I could sell it and get 30-40k I'm sure. Of course, had we all sold it over a YEAR ago like I TOLD them to, the bank would have gotten every red cent I'm sure. No harm, no foul.

If I SETTLE, then for how much? what is the rule of thumb for something like that? I have no frame of reference because I never saw DIME-ONE of that money to begin with... how can IIIII say how much imaginary loan I should have to pay back?? It might as well be a Quadrillion dollars. It might as well be McDonalds Monopoly coupons. Or Marlboro Bucks.

Stay tuned I guess. As It develops I'll post here.

What a joke.

In honor of the moment, here is a short but sweet Bootleg I have of Rage Against The Machine reunited in 2007 for the Coachella Festival.

The show is short and blistering. Sound quality's not very good, but hey, these songs aren't really about clear crisp audio and harmony. It's pretty much just about Rage. Against machines. Or something.


Rage Against The Machine: Live @ Coachella 2007
01. Testify
02. Bulls On Parade
03. People Of The Sun
04. Bombtrack
05. Bullet In The Head
06. Know Your Enemy
07. Down Rodeo

Here's the Zip!

Download: RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE: Live @ Coachella 2007 (zipped)


Download and enjoy!

Some Folks Inherit Star Spangled Eyes

This blog has been posting a lot of youtube political clips lately, so I thought it was time to steer it back (momentarily) to it's more musical pursuits. I swear, I don't think I am going to MAKE IT 12 more days... my tension/anxiety level is through the roof...

Shuffling the iPod during my nighttime walk saved the day again, when REM's cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Have You Ever Seen The Rain?" came up. I then remembered some great OTHER covers and collaborations I had of CCR and John Fogerty, so I thought that this election season would be a timely time to post them!

Culled here are 6 x tracks, R.E.M. (1985), Pearl Jam (Rock for Choice 2004), Foo Fighters (Hurricane Katrina Benefit), and Bruce Springsteen with John Fogerty (Rock for Choice 2004).

Download: R.E.M: Have You Ever Seen The Rain? (CCR)

Download: Pearl Jam: Fortunate Son (CCR)

Download: Foo Fighters: Born On The Bayou (CCR)

Download: Bruce Springsteen w John Fogerty (1993): Who'll Stop The Rain?

Download: Bruce Springsteen w John Fogerty (2004): Proud Mary

Download: Bruce Springsteen w John Fogerty (2004): Bad Moon Rising

And, as an added bonus for all you John Fogerty/CCR lovers out there, I have a big ol' ZIP file of a bootleg of John Fogerty "Swampfox." Unfortunately I don't have a lot of notation on it (Where? When? Setlist?) But the sound quality is A+ and the setlist is fantastic.

Here's the Zip!

Download: John Fogerty: Live "Swampfox" (zipped)

Download and enjoy!

P.S. I have a metric TON of the concerts, collabortations and rarities from the 2004 Rock For Change Tour (Bruce, PJ, REM, John Fogerty, Bonnie Raitt, the list goes on and on) so if this post proves to be a hit, let me know, and I'll dig out some other stuff and post it! Feedback is the only way I can tell who's liking what, and what more I should post!

Republicans Voting For Obama: In Their Own Words

This brought a completely non-sarcastic tear to my eye. Bringing people together is the only way this country is going to heal. Enjoy.

Like Fleas Jumping Off A Dead Dog

This website just made my day. I bookmarked it. I can't WAIT to see this list grow!!!! It made me smile all day reading it.

The Jed Report: Ship Jumpers

McTitanic is about to hit the Obamaberg.

Thanks To Phil Roc for sending it my way. Enjoy.

Best Shot Ever?

pickle back:
noun
—a shot of Jameson with a shot of pickle-juice brine

Sounds terrible, I know... but if you love pickles (and I certainly do) then it's out of this world.

Ok here goes:


How do you say Pickle in French?
Pickle in French.


Should you ever eat a pickle on an empty stomach?
No! You should always use a plate.


What's the phrase most commonly heard at pickle card games?
Dill me in!


What's the difference between a ten cent pickle and a quarter pickle?
Fifteen cents!


Why did the pickle wear red suspenders?
The blue ones broke!


How do you make a pickle sour?
The same way you make a whiskey sour only use a pickle.


Why did the pickle take a ladder to school?
It was going to High School.


IQ test: A pickle worker was five feet tall and wore a size eight shoe. What did he weigh?
Pickles, of course!


How do you make a green pickle?
Cross a blue pickle with yellow one!


What business does a smart pickle go in to?
He opens a dilly-catessen!


Hoo boy. It's going to be a long day.

This last debate already happened!

This last debate has a lot of similarities to this clip. check it out, see if you agree. Enjoy!

Letterman Rips McMaverick A New One

With hundreds of press, pundits, experts, interviewers, etc all covering this campaign, I can't believe it took a Late Night Talk Show Host / Comedian to give the candidate an actual intense interview proper. Go Dave. I won't blather on about it at all, it's an over 20 minute clip (with commercials and all) but it is worth the watch. Probably the best interview I've seen YET of the candidate. It makes my heart fill with glee to wonder just how MANY people watched this last night. Enjoy!

McMaverick: My Fellow Prisoners

Wow. He didn't even NOTICE.

Thanks to Mike E. for this awesome clip!

No School Like The Old School

Alicia and I went to see Guy Ritchie's new movie "RocknRolla" last night, and boy was it awesome. With so many terrible copycat movies out there, aping his style (Smoking Aces and Shoot 'Em Up are two god-awful ones that come to mind) it is great to see Ritchie back in his natural habitat, with smart characters, triple crosses, thick accents and a healthy dose of just plain terrible luck. Far superior in every way to the clones and knock offs, as good or better than his other ("Snatch" and "Lock, Stock"...) and it downright demolishes the waste of film that was the Cohen Brothers latest opus, "Burn After Reading."

If "Snatch" wasn't your thing, then skip the movie alltogether. But if it was, don't hesitate to see this one on the big screen! Great performances by all. Great looking. Fast moving. and smarter than the average shooter. The soundtrack was a blast too, with The Clash, Lou Reed, The English Beat, The Sonics, Black Strobe, The Subways, and lots more.

A real treat for true RocknRollas.

* EDIT: Alicia reminded me to mention... it was a great HBO cast, with Stringer Bell, Benjamin Franklin, and Ari Gold!!! All were fantastic. It's good to see the beloved characters from HBO do well on the big screen!

The Hand That Feeds

One of the shows of the latest "2008 Lights In The Sky" Tour. Lots of new songs from his latest (free) album "The Slip," released online as much as a thank you to fans as a fuck you to the industry.

The sound quality is excellent (it was broadcast over the radio in South America) unfortunately, it's just audio, because the visuals of these shows are a graphic designer's absolute dream.

I was so blown away when I saw him at the Garden that when the (smashed) guitar from that show came up on auction to benefit Hurricane Katrina victims, I dug deep and won the auction. It now hangs in our home studio office, in all it's smashed glory.

I have a ton of rare NIN stuff, but this boot is so new I haven't even listened to the entire thing yet. I was so excited about finding it, I just wanted to share it immediately!

I Figure it's the perfect soundtrack for the (soon to be) end of the world.

Here's the Tracklist:

Nine Inch Nails
Movistar Arena
Santiago, 2008

01. 999999
02. 1000000
03. Letting You
04. Discipline
05. March of the Pigs
06. Piggy
07. The Frail
08. The Wretched
09. Head Down
10. Closer
11. Gave Up
12. Corona Radiata
13. The Warning
14. Vessel
15. Pinion
16. Wish
17. Terrible Lie
18. Survivalism
19. The Big Comedown
20. 31 Ghost
21. Only
22. The Hand That Feeds
23. Head Like A Hole
24. Encore Break
25. Echoplex
26. Reptile
27. God Given
28. Hurt
29. In This Twilight
30. Zero Sum


Here's the Zip!

Download: Nine Inch Nails: Live in Santiago, 2008 (zipped)


enjoy!

Acoustic Submarine

I have no topical reason for posting this, other than I just came across it the other day, and have been listening to it non-stop, and just had to share it. What we have here is an AMAZING bootleg of The Beatles, culled from several (unfortunately unlisted) sources, but this 39 track collection is excellent in sound quality, song selection, and really, just rarity. I'm sure this boot is "old hat" to serious Beatles traders out there, but for the casual (or younger) music fan out there, this is the best place I can imagine to start. I simply LOVE this setlist. There are even a few instrumental versions of great songs, as well as completely reworked versions too. If you have a passing interest in the Beatles, or are a lifelong fan but don't have access to deep rarities, then this boot is for you! Not to mention, how fresh and modern these tracks sound still today. Do yourself a favor. Download this set, and begin enjoying it immediately! Also, forgot to mention: there is even artwork and CD inlay graphics in the download too! Perfect Audio and Creativity Bliss. I am at work right now (as I have been all weekend) and this is just the perfect setlist to while away a working weekend.

Here's the Tracklisting:

1. Do You Want To Know A Secret?
2. And I Love Her
3. I'm A Loser
4. Help!
5. Yesterday
6. Yes It Is
7. Norwegian Wood (The Bird Has Flown)
8. I'm Looking Through You
9. We Can Work It Out
10. I'm Only Sleeping
11. Yellow Submarine
12. A Day In The Life
13. The Fool On The Hill
14. Christmas Time Is Here Again
15. The Happy Kishikesh Song
16. Jubilee
17. Child Of Nature
18. Goodbye
19. What's The New Mary Jane

1. Heather
2. Back In The USSR
3. Dear Prudence
4. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
5. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
6. Blackbird
7. Rocky Raccoon
8. Julia
9. Mother's Nature Sun
10. Hey, Jude
11. Because
12. I Lost My Little Girl
13. Teddy Boy
14. Mama You've Been On My Mind
15. For You BLue
16. Two Of Us
17. Across The Universe
18. I Me Mine
19. Maggie Mae

here's the Zip!

Download: The Beatles: Acoustic Sumbarine (2 Discs, Zipped)

Enjoy!

Democrats can wear red white + blue too...

Alicia and I went to see Lucinda Williams play at the Theater at Madison Square Garden last night, and boy was it a great show. By my count there were at least 3 new songs from her forthcoming new album, not to mention a huge back catalog of fantastic tracks, topped of with a smattering of great (and unexpected) covers. A recipe for fun if there ever was one.

The opening act, Buick 6, was a 4-some who played a FANTASTIC (and actually pretty experimental and exciting) set of instrumentals, ranging from rockabilly and blues to straight rock and some Wilco-esque alt country jamming. I was thrilled with their musicianship, and was dying to see more by the time they wrapped their last song (Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl," the only track that had vocals)... Boy was I thrilled when they came back out and were Lucinda's band! Ha!

Lucinda came out decked out in punk-style black (a surprise) and just jumped into a few songs, singing only. By about the third song in, she had donned her acoustic guitar and began to make some noise along with the band. She kept marveling at the excellent sound quality at the Theater space (I agree) and how big it was. She was all smiles, and very conversational and joking around.

For her encore, she and the band came back out, and broke into a Fats Domino song, then Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth." She lamented the need these days for a "protest song, and said this song was still (unfortunately) as true today as it was 30 years ago. She avoided getting too "high-horse preachy" (since it was pretty obvious that her crowd there that night did not particularly lean very "left" - Alicia and I being the youngest person in the crowd by a margin of, say, 50 years!) but said emphatically that "Democrats can wear Red, White and Blue TOO!" Ballsy. Funny. A bit Bawdy. And a completely honest and engaging performance. I can't wait to see her again!

Here are a few great tracks of hers, in no particular order. If you aren't familiar with her, run, do not walk, to get her back catalogue (especially "Car Wheels On A Gravel Road," one of my Desert Island Albums!) These are my 4 favorite songs from her, and strangely enough, she played none of them... oh well.. better luck next time! Ha!

Download: Lucinda Williams: Meal Firecracker

Download: Lucinda Williams: 2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten

Download: Lucinda Williams: Greenville

Download: Lucinda Williams: Passionate Kisses

Enjoy!