This weekend comes the long Seattle tradition of SeaFair, with the Blue Angels and Hydroplane racing. I say why no spice it up a bit this year, and introduce a theme song to the event? Seattle legends Young Fresh Fellows already have one ready to go.
With the song "Go Blue Angels Go" (on their recently released album I Think This Is), the band has truly captured the quirky spirit of the event:
Fly Blue Angels fly Over the hydroplanes Dive Blue Angels, dive But don't go in the lanes It's full of hydroplanes
Singer/songwriter Scott McCaughey, drummer Tad Hutchison, guitarist Kurt Bloch and bassist Jim Sangster have been creating themes to things in Seattle for years now, so it's about time they applied their craft to Seafair. Of course, it begs two important questions:
1)Is it too late to start a campaign? 2)Will too many find the line "go until you die" too much, given the occasional fatality (26 in 60+ years)?
Narrative construct blah blah blah, mirrored storyline for corporation/foundation blah blah blah. Maybe my attention is lacking because it's so damn hot here, but it's not hard to see why NBC decided to bury the series at a 10PM time slot in the middle of summer.
Is it wrong of me to want so much more out of this Homicide: Life on the Streets/Marc Antony/Omar dream team? No exotic locale this time, unless you count the dance floor (Deadmau5 and Lady Gaga). Even the thoughtful montage at the end was backed by a club vet, Groove Armada, with their ballad with "Hands of Time," featuring folk legend Richie Havens on vocals.
Another Capitol Hill Block Party leftover... here's video of Japandroids great performance at CHBP day 2. Just a minute of the great song "Sovereignty," featuring the lyric in the headline. Note that I'm getting crushed against the barricade as I attempt to film... I put all cameras away immediately after this and concentrated on keeping my intestines from getting crushed.
After a string of intriguing episodes, this one left me flat, and perhaps the less that is said about this episode, the better. If there was a theme, it appeared to be entrapment. Sam, Sookie, Godrick, the 1920's couple... heck, even Bill is trapped.
If watching previous vampire series has taught us anything, it's that the flashback is inevitable. Sometimes it can turn out cool (last week's flashback of Eric being turned), sometimes it can be hokey -- this week's bloody speakeasy for example. Maybe I'm just paying less attention now, but it seems like a bit of the buzz and sheen has come off True Blood. None of the cool kids are tweeting about it now, anyway. Until next week...
The 25th anniversary party just rages on for This is Spinal Tap, and the fictional band at its core. First came the "Unwigged" tour and then, last month, came a new album, Back From the Dead. This week the film sees it's release on Blu-Ray, giving us a chance to see Nigel's skeleton t-shirt in in high definition. To quote Sir Denis Eton-Hogg: "and so say we all, Tap into the future!"
To help promote the release, Spinal Tap are appearing on both Jimmy Fallon (Monday) and The Daily Show (Tuesday), pulling double duty with a performance and interview.This is Spinal Tap on Blu-Ray is out tomorrow.
Working either as a counter or a compliment to This Is Spinal Tap (all depends on how you look at it), IFC is airing The Decline of Western Civilation, Part II: The Metal Years (1988), a striking documentary about the glam-rock scene in Los Angeles. The combination of both films and their depiction of excess have been credited with some in the fall of heavy metal and, similarly, the rise of grunge.
Other notable music appearances this week include Jarvis Cocker on Jimmy Fallon (Thursday), Passion Pit on both Jimmy Fallon (Wednesday) and Alexa Chung (Thursday); and the network television debut of Cage the Elephant on Letterman (Thursday). Now, go forth and DVR!
My second day of Capitol Hill Block Party is marked by a lack of Main Stage action, which was due to the sudden denial of a press pass. So instead, I faced my biggest fears and ventured into Neumo's to try and take some flashless photos in the hot, sweaty and (more importantly) dark venue. Since it was so hot, the stage lights were kept to a minimum, leaving a lot to be desired for photography. After Future of the Left's powerful set, I moved outside to Vera's stage and was rewarded with great stage lighting for Noisettes and Japandroids' (pictured) sets.
More photos to come later, as I wade through them.
That's Cole Alexander of Black Lips from the Main Stage @ Capitol Hill Block Party on July 24, 2009. Still wading through some of the photos I took of Jesus Lizard, Built to Spill, Deerhunter, Micachu & the Shapes, Black Lips and Spinnerette, but here's the best of each (over at Bumpershine).
But before I do that... it's time for day 2 to commence.
The Capitol Hill Block Party starts Friday, and this year's lineup is obviously a reaction to last year's frat-friendly line-up. The last couple years for CHBP have been trying. Not only has the fest been overcrowded and congested, but the audience themselves were problematic. I even swore I wouldn't come back, but three things have changed this year that has me thinking that it will work.
Related to #3, this year's lineup has some serious plums that I'm excited for. Also, for the first time in any festival going experience, I find myself parked at the main stage on my sked breakdown. There are a couple of notable exceptions, of course, namely THE BAND I MOST WANT TO SEE: The Future of the Left (playing at Neumo's, Saturday @9PM).
Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger's team up with Sebadoh's Jason Loewenstein is the most straightforward release the band has had since EP. While I'm sure the cult following are missing the crazy concepts and prog-rock noodling solos from Matthew, the Furnaces have always been better when they work off a simpler blueprint, like they do here. Songs like the title track, "Charmaine Champagne" and "Even in the Rain," beg to be hummed immediately/hours/days/weeks later ("Charmaine" so much, the song even reprises itself with "Cups & Punches" - "she could sing you the squarest thing on the jukebox").
Wye Oak's debut was a pop album at heart but deliciously heavy on the My Bloody Valentine, but you wouldn't know it from their second release. Nearly all MBV references have been scrubbed, and in their place is an Alt country foundation. There's still some sweet feedback and the first two songs are have some of the bands' best moments on record. The album, unfortunately, kind of falls flat after that, and I'm left wishing for some of the sweet 90's sound they pulled out for their debut.
"This isn't 'Nam, Smokey. This is bowling. There are rules." Walter from The Big Lebowski
At Lebowski Fest, the traveling convention-like party that celebrates the cult comedy, the rules seem to be as follows: 1. White Russians (aka "Caucasians") must be consumed. 2. Bowling balls must be licked. 3. The word 'Dude' must be interjected as often as possible into conversation.
The second night for Lebowski Fest in Seattle went off as planned, full of beards in bathrobes and nihilistic bowlers alike. Attendees not only bowled in costume, but also took part in trivia and spent a lot of time slapping each other on the back and calling each other 'Dude.'
Speaking of 'Dude,' the real Dude was there, man. Jeff "the Dude" Dowd, inspiration for our abiding Jeff Bridges-portrayed hero Lebowski, was on hand and spent a lot of time shooting the sh*t with folks as well as helping to MC the event at ACME Bowl. Dowd, a fellow Alumnus of the University of Washington, lived in Seattle for nearly the whole decade of the seventies, seeing the city at some of its lowest points ("Will the last one to leave Seattle please turn off the lights"), and gaveseveralinterviews reflecting on that time.
Naturually, sprinkled throughout the night were selections from the amazing soundtrack to the film. Dudes smiled and swaggered to Bob Dylan's "Man in Me,' Jesus Quintanas pointed suggestively to The Gipsy Kings' cover of "Hotel California," and there was even a taste of The Eagles before the voice of Jeff Bridges as The Dude ordered it to stop.
At the end of the evening, awards were given out for best costumes, and the winner was the man in the Iron Lung, easily the heaviest costume of the night. He even managed to bowl a few frames, for effect, of course.
Several White Russians into the night, I put the camera away and just enjoyed the company. As Dowd said earlier in the evening, while addressing the crowd, "Lebowski Acheivers aren't like William Shatner and the Trekkies. You guys are social creatures."
It's the 20th anniversary of De La Soul's hip-hop masterpiece 3 Feet High and Rising, and the trio is celebrating with a tour they're affectionately calling "20 Years and Rising." Backed by a 10-piece orchestra (LA's the Rhythm Roots All-Stars), the act is even reunited with producer Prince Paul for the dates, revisiting an album which just might be my favorite rap album of all time.
When Posdnuos, Trugoy and Maseo perform -- one would think it would be "Me, Myself & I" -- on Conan Friday, they'll not only be trying to recapture past magic, but also dealing with The Tonight Show's notorious sound problems. Hopefully with Prince Paul on board, they'll still be able to 'do as De La does.'
Speaking of revisiting the 1980's, Twisted Sister is celebrating their own anniversary - the 25th for the album Stay Hungry, which just received a special reissue treatment. While they recorded a new song for the release ("30"), it's a fair assumption that when they play Jimmy Fallon on Thursday, it will be the classic "We're Not Going to Take It." Because, we really are not going to take whatever that new song is supposed to be.
Finally, continuing nostalgia week for Music on TV This Week, The Flatlanders are together again and touring, playing Letterman on Monday. Comprised of three of Texas' greatest living songwriters, Jimmy Dale Gilmore, Joe Ely and Butch Hancock, the band had the briefest of runs (from 1972-1973), but the continued success of the members as solo artists made the act legendary. They've performed together as the Flatlanders many times over the past decade, even releasing a couple fine albums -- including the latest, Hills and Valleys.
Didn't get a screener this week, so we're going to be a bit more raw and loose with the analysis of "Let Me Go." The theme this week is about family, and because this is True Blood we're talking about, it's certainly non-traditional -- and mostly dysfunctional. Some are just discovering family (shapeshifters Sam & Daphne; telepathes Sookie & Barry the bellboy; even sheltered geek loves Jessica & Hoyt), while others have been around for centuries (vampires and their makers).
MaryAnn has her own family of sorts, and more than anyone, recognizes its importance. That's why she stirs the pot in the Merlotte's Roadhouse family, and then dresses up as Gran to pull Tara back into her circle. Of note was the dark twist on the Gran's theme music they played during the MaryAnn as Gran scene, which was nicely set up with an earlier reprise of the theme played while Tara was looking at the photo. Meanwhile, MaryAnn also must have something to do with Daphne and her convenient appearance in Bon Temps to ensnare Sam.
We'd already seen how Bill was brought into the vampire family last season -- turned by a bored evil vamp mostly interested in toying with a soldier -- so it was nice to see how Eric was turned nearly 1000 years prior. Most vampires are like family, born into a situation they did not have a choice in, but Eric got to choose, with Godrick seeking him out after seeing his action on the battlefield. Fitting then, in the midst of a search for Eric's maker, Bill's maker should show up at the end of the episode, seemingly part of the web to do with Eric's designs on Sookie.
Finally, the closing song was Katie Webster's cover of "Never Let Me Go", which was originally a hit for the late great Johnny Ace. The 1950's R&B singer works well with the theme of family, in that he was part of his own R&B family. He was 'made' by B.B. King (band member), eventually part of a bigger family that had its Mama - Big Mama Thornton. Speaking of Big Mama, the the late blues singer Katie Webster is a largely obscure New Orleans blues singer outside the record collecting public (and Germany -- she's like David Hasselhoff in that regard).
One last note: I already called the Newlins/Jason love triangle an oddity to behold last week, now I'm closer to being convinced that Sarah is merely a beard and Steve, like his beard, has eyes for Jason. Sarah can "wash my feet" anytime.
Same narrative construct this week, but at least the theme this time of fathers and sons tied Teddy's narration together with the story better. Was it just me, or did the first few minutes of the episode seem oddly cut? Maybe I missed the first minute in my taping, but it was a bit disorienting compared to previous episodes.
Meanwhile, having recently deceased Billy Mays as late night inspiration for Teddy also had me scratching my head. I guess it lead him to think of making the General a Billy Mays-like pitchman to the government, but seemed a bit of a stretch. Enjoyed the funeral scene at the end, though, using Ladysmith Black Mambazo's "How Long?" for the montage. That being said, one wonders if they (again) couldn't have found/utilized some music from Nigeria, considering it was the setting.
Paul McCartney returned to Ed Sullivan Theater, sitting down with Dave to answer some expected questions. Memories of the Beatles appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show ("I was nervous") and of Michael Jackson (was a pleasure, until it became business) were both on the docket, naturally.
Between his work with Loretta Lynn and The Raconteurs, I've found myself preferring Jack White's projects outside White Stripes, as it finds White working with other artists who push him a bit more and, more importantly, he's no longer working within the blues-rock box he and Meg built to work inside. With his latest project, The Dead Weather, White is straddling both the collaboration of his non-White Stripes work and that blasted aforementioned box. Even with White stepping out of the spotlight (instead playing his first instrument, the drums), his fingerprints are all over Horehound, sounding very much like the blues-rock w/ John Bonham-like drums that we've come to expect from the Stripes. This here is a much darker beast, though, with Alison Mosshart (The Kills) snarling out lyrics about a horse named Lucifer and selling "you off to the devil." I'm still more partial to The Raconteurs, as far as White projects go, but this album has been growing on me.
The singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Emitt Rhodes has operated on the margins of rock history, which is due his recordings being nearly impossible to find. Hopefully now, with this collection of his solo work (on Hip-o Records), more people will discover his genius, expanding his cult status. From 1969-1973, Rhodes released three albums for ABC/Dunhill Records, writing, singing, and playing every instrument, sounding every bit like the nickname he acquired during this time - "the one man Beatles." Soured on the music industry after a bad contract (one that dictated he release six albums in three years w/ ABC/Dunhill, a schedule impossible for him to meet), Rhodes called it quits and hasn't released an album since, even though he's continued to record. Part of the timing of this collection has to do with Rhodes returning to the studio with a new band and new material, which is good news indeed. Fitting also that it comes in conjunction with Paul McCartney popping his head up stateside this week as well, given Rhodes uncanny vocal resemblance (w/ a dash of Harry Nilsson for good measure). While the closest thing Rhodes go to a hit was "Fresh As a Daisy," there are plenty of tracks that 'woulda coulda shoulda,' including "Let's All Sing,""Pardon Me," or even "Live Till You Die." Those who love the film The Royal Tenanbaums are already familiar his song "Lullabye," which appeared on the soundtrack as well.
Wilco and Feist last night on Letterman performed a dreamy version of "You and I." If you're familiar with the recorded version, you might have picked up on how Jeff Tweedy and Feist are endearingly off-time singing the word 'misconstrued.' Here, they give each other a knowing smile and make sure they sing it in sync (at about 1:51 in):
In the wake of the recent (well watched) episode of True Blood ("Snap & Fingerpop"), there have been some scrambling about for the music featured. One artist striking while the coal is hot is funknasty rapper Cazwell, who's song "Watch My Mouth" had Lafayette hump-dancing furniture and the ground in the wake of getting some vintage v-juice from our favorite vampire Eric.
In advance of his major label debut, Watch My Mouth (coming August 4), Cazwell has a remixed version of the single "Tonight" available for free download.
Meanwhile, teh internets iz frothing for the song "Dig" by Headbone, which was featured both at Tara's crazy MaryAnn-ized birthday party and through the closing credits. The lead singer of Headbone just happens to be one Bruno Coon (who sort of twitters even), who a music editor for True Blood, so one would hope that he'd be quick to take advantage of this window of opportunity to make the song available for download somewhere. Anywhere. We'll keep our eyes (and ears) peeled for that, and update this page when it's inevitably made available is some form.
Six episodes in and Nurse Jackie finally strikes the perfect balance between drama and humor. The episode was as about as perfect as it could be in it's fat-free 25 minutes, fulfilling pretty much all the promise of the pilot. But has the series figured it out, or was it just saved by perfect guest star casting/performances and a well-written script?
When you think about it, having two different patients check come in bringing along history of primary characters, is almost cheating. First Judith Ivey steals scenes as Jackie's dying old colleague, while Blythe Danner arrives at the same time as one of Cooper's two moms (the other we get as well in Swoosie Kurtz). These guest stars give a bit more context to not only Jackie and Cooper (who, we find out, does indeed has a sort of tourrettes), but even Akalitis, who up to know has mostly seemed like a cartoon oscillating between Miss Piggy and Bugs Bunny.
I've just received the next six episodes and haven't cracked them yet to know if the episode is an anomaly, or they've really got it all figured out. Or if they're going to use popular music in a similarly stellar fashion going forward, as they did here with Patty Griffin's "When it Don't Come Easy", a song -- better yet, a hymn -- about companionship and loss.
When Sir Paul McCartney visits Letterman this Wednesday, it will be his first time back at Ed Sullivan Theater* since the Beatles' legendary appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. It was 45 years ago that the Fab Four was introduced to American audiences on that very stage (scroll down for video), and "the cute one" must have a few yarns to tell about that momentous occasion, so naturally he'll be sitting for an interview as well.
*The Beatles appeared nine times on the show over the years, but only set foot on stage at CBS-TV Studio 50 (as it was called at the time) just the one time, on February 9, 1964. The rest were either broadcast from another location or taped from the first appearance.
While in the chair, I'd be shocked if Letterman doesn't bring up the recent death of Michael Jackson, given their history, and hopefully Macca will tell some stories about their time together. Like the time Jackson outbid him for the publishing rights to The Beatles catalogue not long after Paul had told him how lucrative the publishing rights to songs could be. Ah, good times! Or the time that he got shaving cream on MJ's face (oh, wait, I guess that was just the video for "Say, Say, Say").
But Letterman isn't settling for just the Ed Sullivan Theater reunion this week, instead pulling a full-court press of musical guests. One night prior to Macca, for instance, is Wilco, who will be performing a duet of sorts, "You And I" from their latest album, Wilco (the Album), alongside Canadian singer/songwriter Feist. Then on Thursday, it's a makeup performance from Grizzly Bear, who were unceremoniously bumped when GM's Bob Lutz talked all the air out of Ed Sullivan Theater. Finally, on Friday, Canadian rockers Metric put an exclamation point on a tasty week for the Theater of Sullivan. Who needs The Beatles with acts like these?
Um ... we all do. Seriously, you can't top The Beatles. Their performance in 1964 was a monumental moment in rock history -- is it too soon to speculate on it being referenced in the upcoming third season of Mad Men? Here's the 'really big show'::
True Blood may have taken the 4th of July weekend off, but "Snap and Fingerpop" had plenty of fireworks to make up for it. This week's orgy was -- gulp -- orgy-er; Lafayette is back to his catty, furniture-humping self; and Jason's Light of Day storyline is finally crossing paths with the rest of the fun.
If there was a theme here, it was folks finding themselves in over their heads. Tara is watching a news piece on the Pamploma Running of the Bulls at one point, and it's the perfect analogy for her with MaryAnn's lot, Jason with the Light of Day wackos, and even Lafayette with Eric. The Eric/Lafayette linking, in particular, brought a smile to my face. In fact, there were three specific things that made me especially excited for upcoming episodes.
Right off the bat, Sookie and Bill decided to take Baby Vamp with them to Dallas, ensuring that scenes with only Bill and Sookie will be kept to a minimum. Deborah Ann Woll has been a revelation as Jessica, and even her off-screen dialogue stole scenes involving Bill and Sookie. Whether from inside the travel casket ("How do I get this thing open?!") or from the adjoining room ("I'm on the PHONE!" -- no doubt with Hoyt), having Baby Vamp as teenage daughter is perfect comic relief.
Jason became further entangled with Steve and Sarah, in what is surely the oddest threesome one could imagine. Jason is really running with the bulls here, falling hard for the Madonna/Whore thing that Sarah (played with campy sweetness by the aptly named Anna Camp) is orchestrating. That barbe-cutie even made me like country music (Sammy Kershaw's "Louisiana Hot Sauce") kind of, sort of.
The other thing that has me excited is the aforementioned Eric-Lafayette pairing. How can you not be pumped to have your favorite two characters be forever linked via Lafayette ingesting Eric's healing blood? Lafayette may be running now with his own bull, in the devilish Eric, but at least it will be incredibly entertaining. After Lafayette got his "taste," that furniture-humping dance to Cazwell's "Watch My Mouth" was sure hilarious, especially Alexander Skarsgard's dry reaction as Eric: "How nice for you ... I must fly".
I was tickled to see Lafayette watching the classic The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, as the Ray Harryhausen animated films were a staple in my household growing up. Harryhausen's breakthrough work with stop-motion model animation, in this and later films, was inspiration to special effects masters like Dennis Muren, multi-Oscar winner and long-time head of George Lucas' Industrial Light and Magic. Here's video of that scene (and if it weren't already enough, it's scored by legendary film composer Bernard Herrmann):
More notes and other thoughts:
• While I didn't find the previous orgies all that orgyish (like I'm some kind of expert), this week's took on a more "earthy" tone. I "dig" how MaryAnn is dirty, dirty, dirty.
• Jason's "dumbisms" can be tiring at times, but his answer to Luke's "God will make sure that evil gets punished" B.S. was pretty funny. "Oh yeah, then explain Europe to me?"
• Meanwhile, he also has a point about Jesus being a vampire. Just saying...
• Alexander Skarsgard was again delicious with his dry delivery in the Eric/Bill exchange. "How mature of you" and "That's Texas."
• If Godrick is twice as old as Eric, then he is older than dirt.
• Daphne says "I know what you are" to Sam, and then Sookie kind of does the same to the bellhop. If these exchanges are as parallel as I think they're meant to be, does that mean Daphne is a shapeshifter?
• For those who didn't catch it, here are the titles for the hotel pay-per-view bloodsucking Adult films: Intercourse with the Vampire, His First Fangbang, Co-Ed Chowdown.
In attempts to get True Blood posts up the night of airing, these playlists will appear a tad incomplete until updated on Monday.UPDATED!
This weekend comes the long Seattle tradition of SeaFair, with the Blue Angels and Hydroplane racing. I say why no spice it up a bit this year, and introduce a theme song to the event? Seattle legends Young Fresh Fellows already have one ready to go.
With the song "Go Blue Angels Go" (on their recently released album I Think This Is), the band has truly captured the quirky spirit of the event:
