11.30.09 My Top Ten RIGHT NOW
1. EVENT Thanksgiving Holidays about food are always a great concept. Skirting around the more thorny issues of the day, such as Native American relations, it really has become a day and weekend of giving thanks for the things we all too often don’t stop and think about. Primary among that would be family, for all the insanity that they provide, there’s an undeniable joy in finally sitting down at the table, warmly lit by candles, and remembering... Read More
11.23.09 My Top Ten RIGHT NOW
1. ALBUM Songs from the Bromley House Lucius Sometimes live performances are so much more exciting and capture the talent of true artists better than any recording can… in the case of Lucius, the recording is completely on par with the thrill and delight of their live performances. Starting strong with the melodic “Dear Tom,” Holly and Jess harmonize gorgeously throughout this album. I have a soft spot for “Shenandoah,” with its sweet... Read More
11.16.09 My Top Ten RIGHT NOW
1. CONCERT Lucius at Joe’s Pub I’ve talked about them before and I will most certainly talk about them again (probably next week when I write about their awesome new album). But live, this band is absolutely killer. The songwriting talent exhibited here is undeniable, with its mix of clever lyrics and addictive melodies reminiscent of the best of Ingrid Michaelson and Brandi Carlile. But to compare this group to these other more established... Read More
11.09.09 My Top Ten RIGHT NOW
1. ACTING in the film Precious I think I laughed too much during this on-the-nose depiction of horrifying abuse. Director Lee Daniels seems completely unaware how to emotionally tell a story with any sense of depth or true purpose. Luckily, the source material was incredible to cover much of his flaws and even more so, he had an amazing unexpected cast of actors. Mariah Carey is passable, showing so much more range than Glitter. Mo’Nique... Read More
A Mix of Word Art
I recently stumbled across a Flickr photoset entitled “I Like Your Face” and spent over an hour of my life looking at all 274 items. Mostly, I think I just enjoyed getting lost in the simplicity of presentation of such bold and beautiful statements. I tend to associate everything in my life with music in some way, that’s just how my brain works, I guess, and so as I mentally bookmarked my favorites, I also assigned them a song in... Read More
11.02.09 My Top Ten RIGHT NOW
1. MUSICAL Fela! The first act of this too long musical is beyond splendid, a spectacle of African dance and the overblown personality that is Fela Kuti as his alter-ego on stage, channeled brilliantly by Sahr Ngaujah, walks you through the evolution of the Afro-pop sound that became synonymous with Fela. The choreography by Bill T. Jones, accompanied by intelligent and engaging staging, pulls you right into the heat and sensuality of the Nigerian... Read More
Review: The Guild
I just had the pleasure of watching The Guild seasons 1 and 2 on a sweet two-disc set. I remember watching season 1 on the internet when it came out a couple of years ago. But I must say this show is definitely best when packaged together on one DVD. While each season is broken up into many episodes, the over-arching storyline takes a full season to play out. So watching a season all together is a lot more like watching a movie than... Read More
10.26.09 My Top Ten RIGHT NOW
1. MOVIE Where the Wild Things Are (2009) This is a visual feast that, while lacking a story of any sort, captivated me for ninety minutes. As the sole human in the land of the beasts, Max Records proves to be an incredible child actor, bringing out authentic emotion and the beautiful hurt of a tyke so isolated from the real world that he needs to escape to this fantasy. The vocal performances from Chris Cooper, Catherine O’Hara, Paul Dano,... Read More
Top Ten Balloon Boy Songs
I took what Hawkes wrote last week to heart, and I took time to let the balloon boy hullabaloo set in. (Full Confession: It doesn’t hurt that I am in England and had minimal internet connectivity until now.) And what this time off helped me to see is what balloon boy really needed: a mix to chronicle his journey, I mean, should he ever actually take that journey for real. So here are my top ten songs (plus one spoken word)… from launch... Read More
10.19.09 My Top Ten RIGHT NOW
1. FILM Bright Star I felt like I watched the sumptuous evolution of a lifetime of romance all encapsulated in two hours of screen time and in reality only two short years that comprised the doomed love affair of John Keats and Fanny Brawne. Jane Campion has done quite a number, casting the beguiling Abbie Cornish and Ben Whishaw who both command the screen with subtlety and an honesty so rarely found in the confines of costume drama. Freeing... Read More