04.12.10 My Top Ten RIGHT NOW

1. EVENT An Engagement

The pain comes later: the organizing of the wedding, the epic battle known as an invite list, the joy of two families figuring out how to combine for at least one day and hopefully the rest of life.  But first there’s the engagement, a moment of pure bliss for the couple and everyone around them, where people you love wish you love and people you forgot you knew wish you love too (thank you facebook for sending out information farther and wider than any gossip could have dreamed).  So with all that said, a huge congratulations to my brother and soon to be sister (I’m dropping the in-law, that’s just unnecessary), may this be the first of many amazing moments in the years to come… A+

2. MUSICAL Anyone Can Whistle

This insanity courtesy of Sondheim, a madcap encapsulation of the turmoil of the ‘60s which is seemingly more applicable to today’s world, is musical bliss.  With false miracles, a corrupt mayor-ess (portrayed to pure perfection by the incomparable Donna Murphy) and a stage filled with people who may or may not be insane, this show tackles too much in three hours, but does so with such delight and pluck that you simply can’t complain.  Especially when you have the likes of Raul Esparza and Sutton Foster tackling such greats as “Everybody Says Don’t,” “With So Little to Be Sure Of,” “Anyone Can Whistle” and the all time great, “There Wont Be Trumpets”… A

3. MUSICAL Sondheim on Sondheim

Another show derived from the world of Sondheim is gracing the stage.  Going down a similar path as Putting It Together and Side By Side By Sondheim, this multimedia heavy night of classic Sondheim and little heard cut songs is a lovely history lesson of the genius that is.  Unfortunately, it smacks of similarity to the more intimate British Sondheim history lesson Opening Doors.  Vanessa Williams is a treat in this show, Tom Wopat and Barbara Cook less so, the latter being carted on and off the stage haphazardly as the show pushes forward.  It’s the last thirty minutes of this work that really clicked, as an emotional turn is taken to examine the origins of the sadder themes that are apparent in all great Sondheim works.  If only the show could have mined similar emotional resonance throughout… B

4. ALBUM El Turista Josh Rouse

There’s no doubt that he’s a talented singer/songwriter, but his foray into Latin music has always left me a little less than thrilled.  Finding joy in the bossa nova tinged jazz that backs his sweet voice is actually quite easy here.  What’s hard is how the Spanish doesn’t sit comfortably within the lovely voice, especially on the Brazilian influenced “Mesie Julien.”  Thankfully he quickly transitions out and finds sumptuousness on tracks like “Sweet Elaine” and the awesome “I Will Live on Islands” which sounds like Vampire Weekend without the pretension.  An uneven entry into the catalog, but by no means unlistenable… B

5. MOVIE Ponyo

There is no doubt Miyazaki is a visual genius, from his captivating work, Spirited Away, to the zany delight of Howl’s Moving Castle.  There is much to be enjoyed in this quasi-Little Mermaid, but somehow I couldn’t quite enter this world as easily as I had with his previous work.  The themes seemed so childish that at times I felt like I was watching a blaring Saturday morning cartoon.  As usual, the visuals are stunning, especially the massive stormy waves that overtake the little town.  But I was waiting for the layered storytelling and more poetic visuals that make his films for kids equally as delightful for adults… B-

6. ALBUM To Wit To Woo Jason Collett

A clear bid to the Dylan pantheon, this EP, like most others that attempt such a lofty goal, fails.  Unlike Josh Ritter, who channels the sprawling songwriting beautifully without being a carbon copy, this one is more a vocal mimic, and thus often unintelligible with music production that seems to only aspire to mimic as well.  All that said, it’s actually pretty decent music.  Getting past the nostalgia aspect, the song writing is solid, especially on “Rainy Day Rain” and “Livin’ the Dream.”  Once this guy finds his own voice, he’ll certainly join the rest of my singer/songwriter collection… B

7. TV Dexter – Season 1

This show is deliciously twisted, I can’t believe how long it has taken me to experience it.  Following the forensics detective by day, serial killer by night proves to be endlessly fascinating in a way anti-heros rarely are.  The back-story that slowly spills out gets more intriguing with each new development, making the end of every episode the perfect reason to start up a fresh one.  Anchored by Michael C. Hall’s intense thrilling detached acting, this is a show that shouldn’t work, but works all too well.  For anyone that enjoys a bit of the dark side, this is a must… A

8. FOOD Ki Sushi

For the life of me, I can’t understand why good sushi is so hard to find in NYC, there’s just a ton of less than stellar Japanese restaurants out there.  Thankfully, this Carroll Gardens restaurant serves up fantastically fresh sushi each and every day (maybe not Sunday or Monday, but I can never remember the rules).  Sample any of their rolls or get the sushi/sashimi combo platter to be shared, you’ll be pleased with it all.  But it’s the luxurious lobster roll, topped with caviar and shavings of gold in a fantastic green sauce, that will haunt your dreams.  This place is seriously worth the trip to Brooklyn… A

9. MOVIE Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

This movie is so completely not the book that I loved as a child.  But moving past that disappointment, it’s another delightful entry in the world of computer generated animation from places other than Pixar.  The romance of geeks that’s central to the story is winning if predictable, although how many films involve a love scene in the middle of a giant jello mold.  The monkey sidekick voiced by the great Neal Patrick Harris is hilarious.  And the humor of the sardine run small town is an enjoyable take on how the world’s cottage industries are dying.  It’s too bad there wasn’t more heart behind this film to bring all these elements to satisfying heights, but it was a pleasurable 90 minutes gone by nonetheless… B

10. ALBUM Sisterworld The Liars

Floating somewhere between the worlds of Midlake and Elbow, this band creates a much more deep sound than previous outings; creating odd soundscapes that lyrics seem to just drift into.  Take a listen to “Here Comes All the People” with its circuitous chords and trippy guitars.  The song floats from being awesome Jefferson Airplane to cacophony, which pretty much expresses this entire album.  Even on the obnoxious screaming chorus of “Scarecrows on a Killer Slant,” they playfully bring in hints of The Who.  I want to love it for its inventiveness, but I just can’t because it lacks even the subtlest of hooks to keep me happy while listening… B-