The Layered Labryinth of Inception

It's been a long, long time since I've been to the movie theater. With all the 3D junk and over CGI'ed action films out, it's harder for me to be motivated to see anything this summer. Even Iron Man 2 was a bit of a bore with too much CGI action and not enough of the sleak and snark that Tony Stark brought to it's predecessor. But leave it to Christopher Nolan, our generations Stanley Kubrick, to bring something thought provoking as well as action packed to the summer movie screen. Inception, the highly anticipated and highly talked about psychological thrill ride, is the perfect summer movie. Just as he did with The Dark Knight, Nolan creates a chaotic world filled with gun fights, thrilling chase scenes through Mombasa and textured worlds within worlds that are all at once recognizable yet skewed. But what makes Inception more than a perfect summer movie is it's labyrinthine maze of a story. What lacks in most summer movies is plot and for those in need of a story that is less neanderthal and more stimulating to the mind, Inception is it.

The plot revolves around "extractors" who are hired to steal information from people via their subconscious. Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Arthur (Joseph Gorden Levitt) are two extractors who are trying to convince Mr. Saito (Ken Wantanabe) into using them for a job. One thing leads to another and instead of extracting information, Saito wants them to plant an idea. From here on out, a team of several different skilled professionals dive into the mind of a high profile banking executive (Cillian Murphy) into splitting up his giant corporation. Sounds pretty straightforward in the sense of a sci-fi heist of sorts, but the layered texture of the dream world is what comes into play here. Going much further into the plot would become tedious and probably be impossible to describe without ruining the movie, so I will stop there.

What makes Inception so great is it's master's voice. Christopher Nolan's screenplay is tight as is his direction. Clues are abounding all over the screen but they are never too heavy handed or in your face. Much like the extractor, the audience must glean evidence and clues within the layers of dreams to figure out what exactly is going down. In the long run, the real heart of the story is the emotional pull of Cobb's subconscious and his wife, Mal (played by the exquisite Marion Cotillard.) These heart wrenching scenes between lovers add an emotional splash to the otherwise somewhat conventional heist plot. Without this caveat, Inception would lack the kind of originality that it does indeed have.

Whether or not Inception is Christopher Nolan's finest film is definitely debatable, however, it is no denying that it is yet another grand achievement from a director who has yet to give us anything sub par (even if Insomnia is uneven and rife with casting errors, it's still a decent movie.)

VHS: The New Nostalgia

Nostalgia is something I obsess over. Be it the archives of junk I have collected from over the years or listening to vinyl, the experience is something I utterly love. It's not just the actually music or the pictures of yesteryear, it's the fact that it's all tangible. The digital age may have ushered in better quality home movies and cleaner sounding audio files, but owning an album on vinyl is just a more satisfying experience. Looking through photo albums is more enjoyable than perusing Facebook for pictures from that ridiculous party. The point of this post, however, isn't about vinyl or 35mm pictures but about another now well outdated medium of technology that I feel still has a gratifying experience attached to it: VHS.

Having worked at a video store for four years, the VHS/DVD transition was inevitable and I took advantage of that. Plucking up VHS as we sold them all off for $1 at the time seemed like a great idea. Sure, I'd have a VCR for years and probably could buy one for cheap. Now that DVD will soon see it's end to Blu Ray or even other formats, VHS is a new relic. DVD's made the cumbersome "be kind, rewind" a moot point and the quality is worlds better for sound and picture. But something about VHS is magical. Recently getting a VCR (or as I prefer to call it a VHS Player) from a friend, I opened my Rubbermaid filled with VHS tapes and it was a treasure trove of goodness. Be it out-of-print classics like Hal Hartley's Trust, which is only available on Netflix streaming, or old tapes of stuff taped from television, I really do miss the idea of VHS. The trailers, the classic commercials for Coke before 1988's Batman, having your high school prom video interrupted for 8 seconds for a brief glimpse at The John Larroquette Show... all of it made me miss VHS even more.

So I say Hooray to VHS. Keep purchasing them when you see them at the $1 bin at a yard sale. You never know what kind of hilarious trailers for forgotten movies you'll see or what commercials are packaged before the trailers. It's that kind of vintage nostalgia bomb that really makes the VHS experience something worth more than skipping the trailers before a DVD and getting straight to the movie. Maybe it's too soon after the death of VHS to call it too nostalgic, but I revel in the death of VHS and hope that someday it sees the same rebirth that Vinyl has.

Side Note: I pride myself in only owning a VHS copy of Videodrome.

Mid Year in Review: 2010

2010 has been a pretty solid year for music. A lot of great acts coming back to put new records out and a lot of great new music from bands just springing up at the turn of the decade. Usually I try to rank my favs but I think this time I'm just gonna chat about each record that I've enjoyed thus far.

Goldfrapp - Head First - The great thing about Head First is that it's the most accessible and closest to pop music Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory has gotten yet. This may seem like a detraction for those looking for the moody, synth noir of Felt Mountain or the Marc Bolan infused glam of Supernature. Quite the contrary. Even if Head First sounds like an unearthed album of Olivia Newton John from 1982, it's still a damn good record. It's a tad top heavy with the one-two-three punch of "Rocket", "Believer" and "Alive" soaring high above the rest, but it's still an album worthy to do aerobics to, even if you are a goth guy.

Gorillaz - Plastic Beach - Ok here's the thing...those looking for "Feel Good, Inc." or "19-2000".... don't bother. For those looking for a concept record on the excesses of humanity, the plasticine nature of our world culture and some killer hooks and countless guest spots, welcome to the world of the Plastic Beach. Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlitt get everyone from Mos Def to Bobby Womack to Little Dragon to add a little taste of brilliance to a record that some will hate and some will love. There is no in between with Plastic Beach. It comes off as an excessive mess on first glance with so many different sounds and shifting themes, but let it settle and you'll get the point. And if you are looking for good tracks to take away from it, look to "Stylo" it fill you future funk needs, "Empire Ants" for your space travels and "Sweepstakes" for your complex hip-hop infused with a brass section and a constantly building sound. It's a daunting listen, but it gets better every time.

Broken Bells - My initial review sounded a tad harsh. Danger Mouse and James Mercer's team up may not be anything transcendent but good pop music is good pop music. And what it boils down to is two great minds think alike and together they create some magical moments. "Vaporize" or "The High Road" provide plenty of high floating hooks to keep you company on a lazy day or on a drive to the shore. Tracks like "Mongrel Heart" and "The Ghost Inside" are groovy enough to dance to or trippy enough to zone out to. My only beef with the record is that it doesn't have a solid unique sound to its own rather than a back and forth between what The Shins or Gnarls Barkley sound like. But since when has sounding more like either of those bands been a bad thing?

Charlotte Gainsbourg - IRM - If there is one thing to know, it's that Charlotte Gainsbourg is one of the best muses around. Her airy voice and alluring coo were enough to call in the likes of Jarvis Cocker and Air to collaborate on her first record but this time, we get Beck. And can I say something being a huge Beck nerd.... this record is better than anything Beck has released since Sea Change. Seriously. It's that good. After being put through an MRI (in French it's IRM) due to blood in her brain, Charlotte's life flashed before her eyes and the fragility of existence is what IRM is all about. The titular track has all the clicking and clanking and other worldly sounds of an MRI as a back bone for the music. It's utterly captivating and rather transcendent live. "Time of the Assassins" is a beautiful, melancholy number filled with all the usual Beck arrangements. Every song is beautiful be it the catchier tunes like "Heaven Can Wait" or the brooding and slow moving tracks like "Vanities." Wonderful lyrics and arrangements with Charlotte carrying them to new heights. It doesn't get much better than this.

The Black Keys - Brothers - Muscle Shoals has done nothing but wonders for The Black Keys. Sure, Brothers is the most un-Black Keys album to date. Gone are the grimy blues riffs and lo-fi buzz and stomp and in it's stead is an R&B soul and multi-layered tracks with multiple guitar parts, harpsichords and synthesizers. To me, this is the Black Keys best effort yet. I may be alone in this camp, but the album is sumptuous and heartbreaking and catchy as hell. Whether it's the Gary Glitteresque stomp of "Howlin' For You" or the heartbreaking ballad of "Unknown Brother", Brothers is delightfully tight and varied in it's sound.

Tame Impala - Innerspeaker - Just when I thought my days of discovering more psych rock that fits the bill of what I love about music, Tame Impala had to come galloping up from nowhere (Australia to be exact) to create one of the best records I've heard all year. Lead singer Kevin Parker is going to get a lot of comparisons to John Lennon in the Revolver era and if you ask me, how the hell can that be bad? Opening stunner "It Is Not Meant To Be" is the perfect trance like psych garage rock that will immediately thrust you into Tame Impala's universe. "Lucidity" is the stand out here which is this years "Chemtrails" in it's perfect encapsulation of all things 60's psychedelia in a single track. Whatever your take is on bands taking older sounds and making them their own is, Tame Impala's Innerspeaker has the craftsmanship and the catchiness to keep you wanting more.

Surfer Blood - Astro Coast - When Weezer died after Matt Sharp left, there was a void in my life for good, catchy power pop. Sure, bands like Teenage Fanclub (whose album Shadows is a solid entry into the Power Pop catalog) are still around, but nothing stood out until this year. Surfer Blood comes out of nowhere and what do I get? What Weezer should be sounding like. Catchy riffs, interesting song structures and just damn good summertime music. From the initial guitar riff in "Floating Vibes" we know we're in store for some catchy rock tunes. One good thing is that the tracks are never formulaic. The single "Swim" is very intriguing with shifts in sound, tempo and all together catchiness. The vocals are supremely fun, if not a little hard to hear amidst the cacophony of reverb, but it enhances the experience. Overall, Astro Coast is the best pop rock record of the year.

Other notable albums that I have yet to fully soak in but like what I hear:

Teenage Fanclub - Shadows
Ratatat - LP4
Crystal Castles
School of Seven Bells - Disconnect From Desire

Albums I am feverishly anticipating:

Autolux - Transit Transit
Interpol
Black Mountain - Wilderness Heart
Panda Bear - Tomboy

And Im sure there is more. 2010 thus far has been really great.

Brothers Sticks Together

The Black Keys are a band that have eluded my musical grasp for a while. Not by any conscious choice, but just by random chance. Up until a few weeks ago, I was only privy to enjoying the track "Thickfreakness" as it was a selection in a group of friend's online music community known as Nighthawks. It was a rocking good track, but it never sparked the kind of "I NEED BUTTER ON EVERYTHING" approach to music that some bands are able to captivate me. What that last comment means is that I have become a rock completest (sp?) when it comes to the music I love. I want all of it. Every album possible, b-sides or covers. I want them. Some bands can do that to me instantaneously (Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, John Cale, Neil Young to name a few) but the Black Keys haven't grabbed me yet. Until now.

A friend of mine recommended Brothers to me and as I am in the mood for more new music lately, I picked up a copy. Upon first listen, the blues rock combo of Dan Aeurbach's gritty guitar and Patrick Carney's intense drumming backbone was all there. After a few more spins, the productions really popped and came together solidifying these songs, while classic in their blues format, had an extra lining of insane guitar tones, usage of various synthesizers and effects as well as a soulful approach to the Black Keys classic grittier sound. This may come to many fans as a turn off, but to me it's a triumph.

The album, which is more or less a break-up record, is chock full of songs about heartache and love. The songs never stray into the realm of melancholy and the album benefits from that. Rather than wallowing in it, The Black Keys create an album of beautiful R&B tracks infused with their own garage rock sensibilites. The first single, "Tighten Up" is chock full of guitar tones from another world but at it's core, it's a truly wonderful blues song. The bside, "Howlin' For You" is half Gary Glitter half Yardbirds. With a familiar drum beat and loads of overlapping guitars with all kinds of tones, it's one of the best tracks on the record. A fun romp of a blues song. "Too Afraid to Love You" is ripe for Amy Winehouse to cover. It's harpsichord laden melody and swooning good vocals make it a stand-out track not only for the album, but for the year. What makes this record great is that although at first it sounds like a standard blues album, the added flair of production that usually kills a band if its too much makes The Black Keys soar. It has many overdubs that add more bass, more ethereal reverb and with loads of organs and other instruments gives a great help to the otherwise straight forward blues rock of their other albums. Working with Danger Mouse on their previous record and their stint in Blakroc has definitely paid of and Brothers is the result.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNXwicxlsvI

You're Dead To Me

It's funny when things you may have at one time loved or at least enjoyed somehow enter the realm of "get this off of my stereo/tv" fodder. It can be caused by a break-up, commercial radio, growing up or just plain "what was I thinking!?" Anyway, as today is extremely slow at work, here's a quicky guide to the things that In The Wake of Poseidon no longer tolerates. This list is totally seperate but sometimes might overlap the list of things I just personally hate. But most of these artists are not on a Fleetwood Mac/Jimmy Buffet level of hatred. No many can come that close to pure revilement.

Billy Joel - The real catalyst for this entry is in fact a conversation with a friend. Recently I've become more and more completely against anything Billy Joel. I blame classic rock radio for this. Billy Joel is an artist whose hits are way better than his album material, but even then those hits have become increasingly less palatable as the years go by. I'll still enjoy a handful of his songs. There is no way that I won't ever enjoy the silliness of "Movin' Out" with it's heart attack-ack-ack-ack's and overly produced sound. I also extremely enjoy "Just The Way You Are" maybe because it's my parents wedding song. But if I have to hear "Scenes From an Italian Restaurant" in full ever again.... bad things may happen. His songs lost all luster to me. He tacks himself on tour with Elton John and comparing the two gets annoying. Elton's piano playing is far superior and lyrically (well for the most part) Bernie Taupin does a better job. EJ isn't without his blemishes, but Elton John's catalog at large has countless classics that go beyond the singles. I find this one half a shame and half a loss due to overexposure so maybe BJ is less "dead to me" and more "on notice." Regardless, I could care less what Brenda and Eddy are doing.



Donnie Darko - No real surprise here. Donnie Darko was introduced to me at a very transitional time in my life. I had yet to become the uber snob of movies that I can safely ay I have become (I can't stand to watch most movies and have found myself watching documentaries or Criterion Collection selections more than anything else.) I was still young and somewhat angsty, so the characters in Darko seemed pretty relatable. I also enjoyed pretty much anything as long as it had an intense world that sucks you into and that I've found is the only thing Donnie Darko has going for it. I haven't watched it in a very long time, but I can safely say that I have very little desire to do so. Richard Kelly has proven his hackery to us through the insanely horrible Southland Tales and looking back at Darko proves that only a few things good have come from it. A great scene put to Tears For Fears' "Head Over Heels" which is a fantastic song and a few lines of dialogue, specifically one that has become the moniker for our Fantasy Football League. "They need to go for a safety."



Pink Floyd's The Wall (Album) - Strangely enough, whenever I listen to The Wall, the only two things I think of are Hoskins and Geldoff. As I assume a lot of people realize, The Wall is an epicly overrated album. It's not bad. This is one of those things that I'm sure I will still enjoy from time to time, but in no way would The Wall be in my top 10 Pink Floyd albums. The overstuffed album is just too long to really enjoy anymore and it's story, although intriguing, is done better on albums like Wish You Were Here or Animals. It's also strange that I'd prefer to watch the film version rather than listen to the album. That's right. I said it. I enjoy the movie more so than the album. The movie is half really bizarre filled with amazing animations and half hilarious acting care of Geldoff and Hoskins (who is only in it for like once scene... but he steals the show!) I can't really explain it much further but everytime I hear "Comfortably Numb", all I picture is Geldoff's face during the "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" part and I just start laughing. That's not good, especially for a song that used to be easily my fav Floyd track.



Cable TV - I've never been a huge TV watcher, but I can safely say that I don't really need a television. Sure I'm missing Treme which poses to be the next best TV show since.... maybe since The Wire and Arrested Development ended? Not that I don't enjoy TV if it is on, but lately I can't really tell you any shows that I've been dying to watch. Most of what I want to see is BBC Comedy or is somehow available via Netflix streaming. Since four seasons of No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain is available at all times, why bother? I also have no capability of keeping up with most TV shows. Since TV has it's new golden age bubbling forth (suppsoedly), I get hooked on a show, forget what channel its on or just have something more pressing to do then watch a TV show on any given night off. I just don't have time for it! Since everything is put on DVD, I'd rather watch it all in one sitting or over the course of a few weeks. Gone are the TV shows that aren't interconnected by some story. The sitcom is basically dead and the best TV dramas are all on HBO or Showtime. Screw cable. I'll be behind the curve with TV then. I guess I'm cheap. The only thing I will miss are sporting events but I can always go to a friends place or to a bar to catch that.

That's all for now. I'm done complaining about things I used to enjoy.

Goldfrapp Taps Into 80's Gloss Perfectly

Somewhere in the beginning of 2009, I finally sat down and started my Goldfrapp research. I had loved a selection of songs that a friend of a friend turned me on to and this past year I finally put the effort into her catalog. One thing about Goldfrapp that makes me like her so much is that she has a sense of style but is constantly changing and trying something different within her sound. Alison Goldfrapp and William Gregory have their fingers on the pulse of intriguing pop music. The duo's latest record, Head First, is less like any of their previous offerings. In a certain sense, this is their most approachable record. Supernature is pretty poppy but there are still elements there that make it a little less open to mainstream success. This isn't to sound like a dig into the new Goldfrapp record. Head First has many excellent moments on the record and a handful of excellent pop songs that should make Goldfrapp a more commonly loved artist.

The first single, "Rocket" is a synthetic dance number that aims to please on so many levels. Sounding like it should be used in a montage scene from a mid 80's film, "Rocket" takes on a level of catchiness that is reminiscent to Hot Fuss era Killers meets Kenny Loggins knee deep in his soundtrack era. The hook is huge and the chorus is epic. I find it hard getting the track out of my head. It's a fantastic way to kick off the record. The next track, "Believer" sounds like a Kraftwerk song played at a slightly higher speed. It's synth beats and hooks are more pronounced and would go excellently with a work out, a run or any high octane experience. It's excellent driving pop music. "Alive", the second single to come in June, is the perfect anthem. Put this song into a time capsule, send it to the soundtrack creators of such films as One Crazy Summer or Better Off Dead. It's infectious with a hint of uplifting lyrics. The rest of the album kind of wanders within this territory. Unlike other Goldfrapp discs, this is very much a one trick pony. It's a damn catchy one, but there isn't as much variety as say Supernature did. A solid record overall, Head First is a nice edition to the ever changing synth pop sounds of Goldfrapp, one that any fan of good, fun pop music could and should embrace. There is no doubt I will have this record blasting on road trips to the shore or at parties. It's fun. Nothing super engaging, but incredibly fun, poppy music.

Congratulations, MGMT!

When I first heard MGMT back when Oracular Spectacular was released, I only ever connected with the big hooks on the big hits on the album. A track like "Electric Feel" is unnecessarily catchy. "Kids" is anthemic and has a pulse pounding riff that is inescapable. "Time to Pretend" is a dark yet funny take on fame and, as with the other tracks here listed, is addictive to a high degree. The rest of the disc in general is somewhat forgettable when stacked up with the kind of hooks that these three power players had. Flash-forward to this year. 2010 boasted a new MGMT album and all I could think of is "they are either going to have a sophomore slump or have more mega hits." Well, Congratulations has finally surfaced but a few weeks ago and it is something entirely different. As if evolving into a totally different band, MGMT have a new sound that is spectacular and works in complete opposite to their much loved debut.

Surprisingly, there are no songs like "Electric Feel" or "Kids." Not any sign of that catchy pop sensibility anywhere. Instead we get complex, sprawling tracks that are easily just as catchy, but with a less sunshiny feel. Something seriously sinister is lurking in the background somewhere. What is apparently obvious is that MGMT is not slumping but growing and becoming more than what the debut album would lead you to believe. One thing many reviews points out is that MGMT is "going to lose fans" due to the departure. Well, then screw them for not seeing the light. The album kicks off with a catchy enough tune in "It's Working." The track is a combination of 60's baroque pop with soaring harmonies and a little harpsichord splashed in the background as well as having all the trappings of a post punk band like XTC with it's fast paced guitars and overall spastic drone. Tracks like "Flash Delirium" and "Brian Eno" are two very strangely intriguing and beguiling tracks. "Flash Delirium" slowly morphs and evolves as the track goes on ending in a fast paced punk rock finale that ends abruptly. "Brian Eno" is a strange story about the titular artist/producer that reminds me a little of Oingo Boingo with its jumpy and jittery guitar passages. The grand "Siberian Breaks" is a brilliant epic. Over 12 minutes, the song shape shifts and is extremely progressive in sound. The only track remotely close to possibly being a single is the titular finale, but it's far from the best moment on the album.

MGMT set out to make an album experience as they have said in interviews. They've definitely succeed. Oracular Spectacular is a great collection of tracks with a few dull moments which is better than most bands could wish to do on a debut. Luckily, unlike most bands that start with a bang, Congratulations really blows away the first record. Even if it isn't singles friendly, it's an experience all to itself. It deserves full immersion and start to finish listening only that few artists can pull off without any lulls. This, my friends, may be the best record released this year thus far.

Broken Bells Underwhelms, But That's Not a Terrible Thing

This article was strange to write. After several spins of the James Mercer/Danger Mouse collaboration Broken Bells, I was left with a feeling of mild joy and felt a bit underwhelmed.. And I didn't feel bad about it. Joy only in the sense that certain tracks make me long for more of The Shins. The album as a whole is a collection of songs more than an album experience. You never feel fully immersed in any atmosphere from Danger Mouse. I must have a complex but I can't really pull myself away from the thoughts that certain songs would have sounded better in their respective groups. The only track that really takes on a wholly unique sound on the album is "Mongrel Heart." Easily the best track on the album, it takes on a swagger that is different from the overtly pop infused tracks of the rest of the album. "Vaporize" is the best of the two singles, but while listening the only thing that goes through my head is how this would have sounded great on a Shins record. Inversely, the track "The Ghost Inside" clearly would sound much better as a Gnarls Barkley single. These tracks are missing something extra to give it that extra punch that would make them Broken Bells. At the end of all of this, I still enjoy these songs. It's hard to put my head around it as more than a collection of tracks rather than an album. I can flip through and pick a few decent tracks to enjoy, but I will never really return to this record as a start to finish experience. As much as I don't think Broken Bells is a good album experience, it still has decent contents. "The High Road" is catchy and has some cool sounds floating through it, but I just can't really get into listening to the whole record in one sitting. What it boils down to is that I have a hard time detaching myself from James Mercer's The Shins and Danger Mouse's previous work especially Gnarls Barkley. I don't really see a band called Broken Bells. To me that's a bit disappointing, but only a little bit as when they go back to their respective bands, they may have learned something from each other.

Eno and Budd Create Magic

In a previous post, I ran through the albums of Brian Eno and his solo projects from the prog glam of Here Come the Warm Jets to the polar opposite space infused ambience of Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks. I strayed away from his collaborative albums due to my inability to find many of them and the fact that there are so many. I will probably do another Eno discography in the future as I have picked up a large amount of these collaborations lately, but I can't really wait any longer to share my love of Harold Budd and Brian Eno's fantastic Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirror. Some may say ambient music has the same utility as an oscillating fan or sounds nothing more than a bunch of avant garde musicians being snooty and lazy. To me, at least this album more than any other I've encountered, is an experience. It's an emotional experience filled with warmth and hope and completely compelling soundscapes. What The Plateaux of Mirror does better than any of the other countless Eno Ambient outings, especially of the 4 actually labeled in the Ambient series, is create the mood of ambient music with a little more warmth. This might be a distraction if you solely enjoy ambient music to just soak into the atmosphere like volcanic ash. To me, it's a huge plus. Much like most of Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks, there is more than just tape loops. Harold Budd's piano, either electronic or not, takes front and center. Eno will lob up some nice atmospheric tones or some tape looped vocal arrangements and Budd takes these elements and runs with them. A song like "Not Yet Remembered" is a beautifully devastating track. The back and forth sway of Budd's elegiac piano coupled with the synth vocal swells is moving to a huge effect. "The Plateaux of Mirror" is on an electric piano and it takes on another side of what Ambient 2 excels at. It sounds all at once classical and futuristic. It's all in all beautiful music and an album that shouldn't be forgotten.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVlnbMNFLN4

Diversion: Hop City DJ's

As I start to soak in the Broken Bells debut album and prepare a lil write up, I've decided to do a quick list again of a few unforgettable beers. I rarely talk food or drink on this blog, but beer is a huge part of my life as I love all things craft beer and would dream someday to brew my own beer (happening sooner than later.) This isn't a best of, it's more of a "Damn this is the stuff I need" at the moment kinda thang.

Flying Fish Exit 16 - The Flying Fish Exit Series has been excellent thus far. Exit 4 is now available in 6 packs and cases year round and Exit 11, the Hoppy American Wheat was one of the best beers I've ever tasted, but the latest series, the Wild Rice Double IPA is something to behold. It is easily the best IPA Flying Fish has released, far overshadowing there standard Hopfish IPA. Here's the description of this brew:

"Exit 16 Wild Rice Double IPA is named for the exit that leads travelers across the salt-marsh of the Meadowlands to the Sportsplex and Lincoln Tunnel. The beer was brewed with over 1,200 pounds of wild, organic brown and white rice, which helps the beer ferment dry to better showcase the five varieties of hops that are brewed in. It is later dry-hopped with generous additions of Chinook and Citra hops, creating a complex nose with hints of tangerine, mango, papaya and pine. The Exit 16 label includes a Web site, www.hackensackriverkeepers.org, with more information on preservation and restoration projects in the Meadowlands."

North Coast's Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout - Last night at The Pour House, a local South Jersey watering hole, I was inclined to get a Stout with my order of oysters and luckily Old Rasputin was in stock. This may be my favorite stout out there. It is complex and delicious with each sip. The brownish gold head of the beer showcases the brews beauty and the flavors of coffee and chocolate don't overwhelm but add to the darkness. It went rather well with the raw bar oysters and the cup of soup I rocked. I couldn't think of a better beer to pair with a warm cup of soup and tasty oysters now that I think of it. And all you need is one. Might just have to pick some Rasputin up and look into some possible recipes. Maybe slow cooked flank steak? Not sure. Regardless, Old Rasputin is fantastic.

Southern Tier's Unearthly - My world was rocked recently when the last batch of Nugget Nectar seemed to leave a different taste on my flavor pallet then what I remember. This is sad news as Nugget Nectar was easily my favorite beer. Luckily I did have some great draught Nectar's so it's not completely dead to me. However, when I first started to dabble in the Southern Tier catalog, I found what is easily my new favorite beer: Unearthly. This may be the best beer I've had. One bomber is all you need, so it's not a long player of sorts, but it's deliciousness is impossible to avoid. It's also a bit on the alcoholic side. Rocking in at 11% ABV, one bomber of Unearthly will fit all your needs for the night. Tonight I break out the Oak Aged Unearthly. Stay tuned on that one....

That's all for now. Every once in a while I'll post about some brews I think you should check out.

Desert Island Discs

Many people blog about what would be on their desert island list of albums to take. Making a limited supply of music is a challenge in and of itself but to think of what you would listen to alone, stranded and with nothing ever else to bring along is even harder. So here it is, a top ten if you will of Desert Island Discs, Cropulis style. No particular order....

1. The Who Live at Leeds - Why would I bring a live record over the various rock opera's and perfect albums The Who has had? Maybe for variety or maybe because Live at Leeds is the premiere live recording of all time. To me it's a combination of the two. One thing is for sure, listening to a live recording while you are alone might help you day-dream your lonely existence into soaking yourself into that crowd that you'll hear roar after songs like "Young Man Blues" or the insanely epic jam version of "My Generation." I know one thing for sure: I don't ever want to live without the live version of "A Quick One, While He's Away." It may be the pinnacle of their career in a way. It's an extensively long song and on original recording, it lacks a certain power. But this live rendition is anything but lacking in power. It seems strange but a band whose actual albums, from Sell Out to Quadrophenia at least, are so prolifically brilliant, but sometimes they aren't as good as their live counterparts. The Who was deemed the greatest live rock and roll band of all time at one point and I would be remiss to leave this at home.

Key Track - "Young Man Blues"

2. Nick Cave & Warren Ellis - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford OST - Another strange choice, but when it comes to contemplative recordings, there are two coming along for the ride. This being the first, the Jesse James soundtrack is one of the greatest recordings I have ever heard. It's a strange melange of folk sounds, with Ellis' fiddle taking center stage and Cave's broodingly sad piano behind it all. The album works as it's own piece of music outside of the film brilliantly and may be one of the only soundtrack albums that gets constant rotation. A song like "Rather Lovely Thing" is something I just can never do without. It helps ease a wounded mind or assists a contemplative moment and it stirs with beauty. As much as it's not straight classical music, it has the same effect on me and even more so than taking a classical piece with me on this desert island.

Key Track: "Rather Lovely Thing"

3. Stan Getz - Captain Marvel - As much as my list of Jazz albums is very limited, Stan Getz' ultra salsa-ey groove album Captain Marvel is a fantastic work of fun and challenging jazz. The album also will forever be associated with cooking. When I wanted to get amped up for working in the kitchen be it for myself or for friends or loved ones, Captain Marvel was my assistant keeping the groove upbeat allowing for me to be more in the zone. "La Fiesta" and "Times Lie" are two excellent tracks. It's an album that keeps you moving, keeps you motivated and is just intensely excellent music. Such an album would help mix things up a tad.

Key Track: "La Fiesta"

4. The Zombies - Odyessey and Oracle - With its baroque arrangements and pop music sensibility, The Zombies proper studio album is easily one of those can't live without listening experiences. The songs are all lush and flourish with life. No matter how sad a song like "A Rose For Emily" or "Brief Candles" might be, they are gorgeous. Whenever someone tries to tell me Pet Sounds is the lushest album of the late 60's, I much rather turn to Odyessey and Oracle. With everything from the Gothic World War I tale "Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)" to the fantastically harmonized minimalism of "Changes," this is the most fantastical album I could think to bring along.

Key Track: "Changes"

5. Beck - Midnite Vultures - I guess one would say that you probably don't want to bring a record that reminds you of better days if you were stranded on a desert island. But then again, won't you want to try to remember those times through the music that assisted them? In this case, the Beck album I mulled over bringing would have to go to Midnite Vultures. The nostalgia and tradition factor behind the intensely awesome grooves found on this record would be an excellent companion piece so one does not lose it completely. I'll just have to sing "Debra" by myself. Anyway, you'll need to dance and party and for my dime, Midnite Vultures is my favorite dance/party album of all time. Chock full of sexual hilarity and honest to goodness great musicianship, Vultures kills it from start to finish. I don't know how I'd feel living without songs like "Broken Train" or "Hollywood Freaks."

Key Track: "Hollywood Freaks"

6. Goldfrapp - Felt Mountain - Maybe it's because her music is on my mind now a lot or because I will be in need of a female voice, but Goldfrapp's Felt Mountain is a special record. After fully soaking it in, it's easily much higher on my favorite albums of the Aughts list where I believe it came in at #100 at the time of making the list. Anyway, the record is a space opera of sorts with Alison Goldfrapp's lonely and beautiful voice floating high above sparse electronic arrangements. A song like "Paper Bag" is an upliftingly strange tune. The notes seem to swirl in the air. "Pilots" is easily one of my new favorites of any song with it's fantastic vocal range and sweeping cinemascapes. I was between this and Charlotte Gainsbourg's 5:55, but Felt Mountain has a little more diversity. "Utopia" is a dancey track and "Felt Mountain" is a contemplative instrumental. A perfect disc to tag along with the others.

Key Track: "Pilots"

7. Van Morrison - Astral Weeks - There is no denying the sheer amazing nature of Astral Weeks. Van Morrison's epic tale of existence is nothing but a beautiful and unique experience. Musically it doesn't fit the mold with much else in Morrison's catalog. Not quite the jazzy pop of Moondance or the garage rock of Them, it's somewhere else high above in the stratosphere. "Astral Weeks" is a gorgeous song and one that I can't seem to ever forget since first hearing it. "Slim Slow Slider" and "Madame George" are great relaxation music and the album as a whole works as a way to forget what worries you and rises above it all to ease the mind.

Key Track: "Astral Weeks"

8. Pink Floyd - Meddle - I may think Dark Side of the Moon is the perfect Pink Floyd album, but something about Meddle makes me default to it to take it if I were to be stranded forever. The case being that Side A is a perfect blend of Floyd's best moments. "One of These Days" is a perfect stoner rock anthem, "A Pillow of Winds" is a contemplative and beautiful acoustic ballad and "Fearless" is a song I just can't live without. "San Tropez" will be for the fun times on the shore lines of my lonesome home. And then there's "Seamus." But Side B is "Echoes" and there isn't a better single side of a record in Floyd's catalog like "Echoes." Say I find some crazy frog in the forest that I can lick for hallucinogenic fun? You better believe I shouldn't be without Meddle.

Key Track: "Fearless"

9. The Beatles - Abbey Road - I had proposed this question to my girlfriend: if stuck with only one Beatles album to listen to for the rest of your life, what would you pick? It's a next to impossible question to ask. Most people would easily default to The Beatles (White Album) which is the most eclectic and offers the best array of songs and easily some of the bands best. But something about that answer just doesn't jive with me. To act like I could live without ever hearing Abbey Road again would be to fool myself. It's funny that this will be the only top 10 album from my favs list to make the desert island cut. It's just as eclectic as the White Album, but it has zero filler. It's like choosing your last meal to be at a buffet where not everything is to your liking. Abbey Road is like choosing one absolutely satisfying dish that is sure to never fail you.

10. Warren Zevon - Zevon's lyrics are some of the best ever. His songs are beautiful and his self titled album is beyond magnificent. Whether you go to it to wallow in cynicism along with Warren to songs like "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" or "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" or sing along to the stories of " Mama Couldn't Be Persuaded" or "Frank and Jesse James", this album has many options. The beauty of "Desperadoes Under the Eaves" to the brooding of "Join Me In L.A." this album has lasted with me for many years. As much as Excitable Boy has some amazing songs that I would dearly miss, Warren Zevon is next to irreplaceable. It's truly a magnificent masterpiece.

Key Track: "Mohammed's Radio"

As I look at this list I realize it probably can change from year to year, but for the most part this is a pretty solid smattering of great song collections. What are your desert island must haves?

Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach

I've been trying to figure out just how to approach the new Gorillaz album from a reviewing stand point. And after many many listens, it's clearly evident that Plastic Beach is the most intriguing record in their small catalog. It offers intense amounts of collaborations and many different sounds throughout while still holding onto themes of artifice, environmentalism and a false sense of utopia. And it's still damn catchy. I was asked recently by a friend, Adam McGrath, to write up something for his website, The Creation of Adam. Head on over there and check out my article on Plastic Beach.

Diversion: Drawn to the Places of the Dead

Okay so I have been kinda quiet for a few. Monday afternoon, while still recovering a hangover and an awful neck ache from too much thrashing with Noringo on Saturday, I watched this awesome History Channel show on Netflix about Egypt and the engineering feats of their culture. Insane stuff. Anyway, my diversion from my usual blog talk about music and movies, I want to talk to you about cool places in the world I'd love to see. Most of these will be ancient places or abandoned places as my attention has been drawn to them lately. What are some cool old places in the world you'd like to see?

The Necropolis of Dahshur, Egypt - Sure, I want to see Giza as well, but something about Dahshur has captured my attention. Mainly, the Bent Pyramid. It's pretty amazing to see the learning curve that the Egyptians went through in making these insanely dramatic dwellings for their deceased pharaohs. The Bent Pyramid was built for Sneferu around 2596 BC and shows how part way through the construction of the pyramid that they found it wouldn't work at the original angle they were building. So they changed the degree of the sides from 55 degrees to 43 degrees giving it the bent shape. Aside from this intriguing pyramid, The Red Pyramid also lies here, which was the first true smooth sided pyramid. Dahshur seems like a really intriguing place.

Uluru & Kata Tjuta, Australia - I have been obsessed with Uluru, more commonly known as Ayers Rock, for many years now. And after reading about it more and more, I would love to make a trip there. Australia is definitely high on my list of must see places in the world and I'm not talking Sydney and the other outlying major metropolii. I'm more interested in the Outback and the mystery behind it. Uluru is a spiritual place for the Anangu people who are indigenous to Australia. One thing I've constantly read is that people can climb Uluru, but to the Anangu it's against their laws to climb Uluru. It is in that case then that I will see this rock formation but respect their tribal laws and see it just from the ground. Also, I hear many people die on the walk up. Seems kinda scary. Kata Tjuta, the adjacent small range of mountains, also looks breathtaking and natural beauty is something I need to do more of in my travels around the globe.

Centralia, PA - Of all the places I will be talking about, Centralia is the only one I plan on doing this year. Back in the 60's, a giant mine fire was inadvertently started when nearby residents were burning trash near the entrance to many connecting coal mines that were abandoned underground. The result: massive amounts of fuel for a fire that has yet to stop burning. That's right.... it's still burning. And so is built the perfect precursor to what a post apocalyptic environment may look like. What makes this deserted burgh so enticing? Well it's just the fact that by human hands, a whole community has been slowly ravaged to it's end. It's the perfect place to see for anyone obsessed with apocalyptic scenarios and it's only a few hours away.

Machu Picchu & The Nazca Lines, Peru - Growing up their were a few things I was obsessed with. Australia, Dinosaurs, The Titanic, Mt. Vesuvius and the South America/Central American tribes of the Incas, the Mayans and the Aztecs. My favorite of these were the Incas. These Peruvian natives conquered land as far north as Ecuador and all the way down the spine of the Andes in Chile. Machu Picchu is their grandest site with an amazing complex of ruins. It was never found by the Spanish Conquistadors and it wasn't brought to international attention until 1911. It seems like a perfect place for a trek through the jungle. Amazing how people lived in ancient times. While Europe was beginning to flourish in the 1400's, the Inca's were coming near an end to their excellent empire. It's sad that these people were lost due to small pox and it may seem like sacrilege to walk on one of their most intensely famous landmarks, but I feel drawn to it.

Also nearby, The Nazca Lines. The Nazca's predate the Incas in their culture and their most insanely genius gift to the world comes in the form of geoglyphs that when seen from a plane create amazing portraits of animals and other great figures. It's incredible to see a picture of these lines, which were built well before anyone on Earth could ever see them. I can't even wrap my brain around these lines and just how amazing it is that they were constructed, if you want to call it that, between 200BC and 700 AD. Truly unbelievable.

Aokigahara Forest, Japan - Why would anyone want to visit the second most famous spot in the world where people go to commit suicide? Well, it's not because I feel as if this place is a fun place to visit as much as maybe it's a visit one should make to honor those who decided the ultimate fate. Aokigahara Forest is by Mount Fuji in Japan and has a strangeness to it. Aside from being second to the Golden Gate Bridge for suicides in the world, it's a forest that is devoid of wind due to it's density and mostly devoid of life. There is something captivating about this place. I'm no ghost hunter either, but apparently the amount of paranormal activity in the forest is unprecedented. It might just be worth the experience.

I guess I'm on a quest to discover some of the more eerie and almost spiritual places on earth. Am I obsessed with the dead and their tales? Do I enjoy the idea that all things move toward their end and the places on earth that outlast the lives that appreciate them? Maybe I am. But there is a beauty and tranquility to these places where people once tread and where death is a common thread to their very existence. And it's in abandoned places or remote locales that seem against the grain of humanity to exist regardless that maybe we can truly find the meaning of life. That's my diversion for the day.

In Memorium: Alex Chilton

Sadly as many already know, Alex Chilton of Big Star has passed on today. His death is sad news as his band was to reunite at SXSW this weekend for the first time in some time. Big Star has become a large part of my life. It marked an important time when I was fully delving into their albums. I was living in West Philadelphia at the time in a hole in the wall apartment and the bright sounds of Big Star's pop infused sounds really resonated for me. In honor of this great man and his excellent run in Big Star, here is my tribute. As I only have Big Star's three major albums, I will stick to those. I know them very well and the recordings mean a lot to me. Enjoy.

#1 Record (1972) Big Star's debut record, #1 Record, is a fantastic start to the power pop genre. After The Beatles break-up, the end of the flower generation and the sharpening of the teeth of bands like The Rolling Stones or the grandiosity of The Who, it seemed strange that Big Star would embrace a sound more akin to the late 60's then to the early 70's. Where some bands expanded and got bigger and the sound became huge, Big Star stripped it back down to the basics. A guitar jangle rocker like "Feel" would sound bloated in the hands of anyone else. Instead it's a luscious song filled with amazing harmonies, dazzling yet simple guitars and a falsetto cry of a lustful angel. "In The Street" is a stripped down arena rock track built for singing along. On the other hand, #1 Record has a lot of heart. "Thirteen" which was part of the Rock of Ages songs list, is a beautiful and timid infatuation song that is sweet and honest. Songs like "The India Song" with it's intricate flute sound could find itself on a Wes Anderson movie soundtrack. Other rockers like "When My Baby's Beside Me" and the rollicking "Don't Lie To Me" are just stellar classics that would herald the power pop movement and influence bands from The Cars to Weezer and solo artists like Beck, Jeff Buckley and Elliot Smith. There is no denying the impact of this record.

Radio City (1974) Very little changed from Big Star's debut and Radio City. Maybe a little reverb was added, but for the most part it's consistently good songwriting and great driving power pop. The opening track "O My Soul" is one of the more intricate Big Star songs for this time. It's structure is constantly changing, the reverb laden guitar parts are complex and the overall song structure is unique to most else in the Big Star catalog. The most famous song, "September Gurls" is a fantastic pop track that is a direct predecessor of much of the 90's alt rock movement, such as The Lemonheads or Teenage Fanclub. Heartfelt lyrics and simple guitar melodies make it a memorable track. "Life is White" and "Back of a Car" are stellar tracks as well with the former being one of my favorite. It has loads of harmonica and a great driving chorus. It's not a bad album by any stretch, but compared to the debut and their finale record, it lacks anything new to the table.

Third: Sister Lovers (1978) After another founding member left, Big Star took a long time in between albums here and Third: Sister Lovers. The result is a drastic departure in sound. Gone for the most part are the happy melodies and soaring harmonies and in their place is a dark and gloomy atmosphere. It's a beautiful record throughout but one rife with melancholy and darkness. A song like "Holocaust" is a raw odes with poetically dark lyrics about death and insignificance. Although there is an air of darkness, some beacons of hope come pouring through. A love song like "For You" filled with fantastic string arrangements and some great lyrics, care of drummer Jody Stephens, we see a little different side of where the band was at. "Kizza Me" is one of the most covered Big Star songs and one of Alex Chilton's finest songs. "Take Care" is a beautiful finale to the album and now with Alex's passing is a perfect track to say farewell to. The albums is haunting from start to finish but it is a must own record. Start to finish it's one of the most beautiful albums I've ever have listened to.

Here are the lyrics to "Take Care" and a video in honor of Alex Chilton. You will be missed dearly, but your music will live on.

Take care not to hurt yourself
Beware of the need for help
You might need too much
And people are such
Take care, please, take care
Some people read idea books
And some people have pretty looks
But if your eyes are wide
And all words aside
Take care, please, take care
This sounds a bit like goodbye
In a way it is I guess
As I leave your side
I've taken the air
Take care, please, take care
Take care, please, take care

What's the deal with Lady Gaga?

I have posted this query before, but as someone who loves music, I really am intrigued by the Lady Gaga phenomenon. Her name appears everywhere, but every time I hear one of her songs, I immediately have a stomach churning experience akin to that of watching the projectile vomiting scene from The Exorcist and then promptly reenacting it much to the chagrin of my friends. Now most of all pop music is garbage. Whether it' Katy Perry or the Jonas Brothers, it has a purpose somewhere in the world and obviously I'm no longer in the age bracket that this music is geared to. However, with Lady Gaga, there is a large population of adults that are into her. And don't get me wrong, her out of control sense of style and fashion is pretty out there and I'm sure the stage show is something worth seeing but for me all of that is lost when an integral part of a musical artist is missing: good music

You see, Lady Gaga's bombastic persona is all smoke and mirrors. Although akin to David Bowie, one of my favorite artists, she has all the flash and bang of a Ziggy Stardust or Aladdin Sane, but none of the musical ability or talented band to back her up. And I know taking a jab at a pop culture phenomenon makes me sound like an old man, but when someones music is just plain bad, the pomp and circumstance falls flat on it's face. At least it should.

The long and short of it is that this is nothing new. It's the same pop music that has been around since the dawn of time. I just really wanted to understand the phenomenon beyond the visual side of it. I figured maybe she was more than Britney Spears or Madonna. Maybe she was pop culture and somewhat cutting edge but that's just all false.

The real icing on the cake was being shown the full length video for her track "Telephone." It's.... bizarre. I mean, it makes little to no sense. It goes all over the place and blatantly rips off of Quentin Tarantino (although you could say he blatantly rips off from movies, but this is just ridiculous.) It's over-the-top for the sake of it. And if I'm missing the social commentary of it all, then please tell me. I know it can't be subtle because there is nothing subtle about that video. From the Virgin Mobile close-ups to the "Pussy Wagon". I don't think I've seen anything as strange as that video. The write up of the video premiere in the following link is proof that the music doesn't matter anymore. It's all superficial and it all has to be made into an event in order to make it a viable... I don't even know what to call it.

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1633772/20100311/lady_gaga.jhtml

Maybe I was bred to only like old music and maybe I'm just not hip enough to get it or this is the true sign of my aging process, but Lady Gaga as music is just something I don't get. If I'm at a club or a wedding, sure I'll dance to her music. But outside of that setting, is there really anything special about it? Shouldn't dance music be more versatile? Probably not, but I do enjoy my fair share of dancey music. An artist like Goldfrapp for example is equally as poppy and a little toned down but still flamboyant, but her music is far and away better. A song like "Oh La La" or "Strict Machine" is just as danceable as "Poker Face" or "Bad Romance." But since she's less of a persona, her music doesn't resonate on this side of the Atlantic. The other question at hand: Should I even try to understand Lady Gaga? No I shouldn't. My best advice was "Don't try to understand it" and although I tried to not get it, I still can't enjoy it. It just comes down to it being bad music with a flashy distraction.

What it boils down to is that maybe I am a craggy old bastard who just wants to know what youth, and more importantly my peers, are all going.... well... you can finish the pun.