James Taylor still alive; Lester Bangs distraught in Hell
April 30, 2011
While it’s not my habit to clue in people who probably have no need of a clue, the non-S.E.O. headline above is an allusion to Lester Bangs’ seminal essay on the Trogg’s “Wild Thing” and the nascent punk aesthetic (and …
Free track from Okkervil River, “Wake and Be Fine” (free track)
April 28, 2011
Okkervil River’s “Wake And Be Fine,” off their forthcoming album I Am Very Far, may be the heaviest-sounding track the band has yet produced. Piano keys sound like they are being punched, guitars like they are being beaten rather than …
Fan Modine’s “Julu Road” (free track)
April 28, 2011
Do you like pop music? You’ll love this: Julu Road Since the release of Slow Road to Tiny Empire, Minneapolis-based Fan Modine’s first album, in 1998, Gordon Zacharias has been known as an artist who mixes buoyant orchestral pop music …
The Ernie Kovacs Collection is our DVD of the week
April 28, 2011
You probably have to be even older than me to genuinely appreciate the influence of Ernie Kovacs; I knew all the boilerplate stuff about him being one television’s first geniuses and mentally binned him as a sub-Groucho early TV pioneer. …
Jody Foster talks about The Beaver
April 27, 2011
Hold off the rude jokes for now. I’m actually looking forward to seeing this, which opens in Arkansas in May. Here’s an audio file of an interview recorded yesterday: Jody Foster talks about The Beaver
God Bless Ozzy Osbourne
April 26, 2011
I missed this one at Tribeca, but I’m hoping to get a review screener. Anyway, it’s one I had circled. And there are two TFF screenings remaining. Go here for details.
Your monkey begs your indulgence … Giant Sand (free track)
April 26, 2011
I’m a little behind after spending a couple of days at the Tribeca Film Festival but there’s lot of good stuff coming … I promise, including the harrowing tale of the Newark Airport and cowboy pilotry. But today I have …
Recovering from Tribeca
April 25, 2011
Frankly gang, I am wiped. Got in at 4 a.m. (thanks Continental) and that was only after dealing with some duplicitous airline types. More on that later. But Tribeca was wonderful, our last day there was great and I still …