Speaking of sunshine, Titiyo’s voice is kinda like light rays from a star. From Kleerup’s self-titled debut listed on the chart below:
And I’ll throw in that Stanton Warriors/Bass Kleph jam that was listed at #4:
This is a superb community drama in the vein of the similar The Twilight Samurai, but has alot more laughs and even less action. The story revolves around a man who is reluctant to avenge his father’s death and become a full-fledged samurai. The acting is excellent across the board, and this includes a cast of dozens. The director’s previous movie, Nobody Knows, shows his skill with actors, but also shoes how his pacing can wander a bit. This really shouldn’t be filed under the action or martial arts genres as it has none of either. It does have the laughs, warmth, and depth you might find in a Criterion movie however. Rating: 8/10
Don’t worry; there are no spoilers here, but Will Smith continues his trend of entertaining summer blockbusters that will please most of his fans. (The damn preview ruins alot of moments however.) Jason Bateman keeps displaying his great comedic timing. Early on I was surprised how emotional and metaphoric Smith’s character was. It felt like it was leading up to a great message. Then, there is a MAJOR plot twist in the film that I’ll argue was the wrong direction for the movie. Then the ENDING, wow, is first manipulative, and then just completely ridiculous, ending on a sour note. Overall, pretty entertaining though…
Rating: 6/10
Here are fifteen tunes to enjoy some fireworks to. Breaking the trend this month is some electronic music from the heart of the so-called axis of evil, mash-ups, and some very good breaks.
1. Steinski - Nothing to Fear
This is a masterpiece mix of cut-and-paste hip-hop by a DJ legend that has been influential to artists like DJ Food, DJ Shadow, and Coldcut. While not being new, it has resurfaced on CD recently in a retrospective of Steinski’s work. So if you haven’t come across it yet, it is essential, hilarious, and has more ideas in 60 minutes than three Jay-Z or Kanye West albums.
2. Shout Out Loud - Impossible (Studio mix)
It is hard to top the balearic sunshine of this mix. This is culled from Studio’s Yearbook 2 remix album, which also features a nice, dubby, and Spanish guitar-infused remix of Kylie’s “2 Hearts”.
3. English Electric - Monarch + Giorgio et Jim
“Monarch” channels Blade Runner-era Vangelis (which is no small feat). “Giorgio et Jim” is equally brilliant 70’s italo-electronica.
4. Stanton Warriors - Who are the Warriors (Bass Kleph mix)
These two longtime breaks producers nail perfection this time. Just try not to bounce to this.
5. Danny Byrd - Weird Science + Red Mist
The Byrd is back with some energetic and slamming drum and bass.
6. Girl Talk - Feed the Animals
No artist is safe in this glorious mash-up party album. When your mixing Lil Mama into Metallica into Earth, Wind, & Fire into Fergie into Lil Wayne (etc., etc.), good times are sure to follow.
7. Kleerup - Kleerup
On his debut album, Kleerup proves his production on Robyn’s “With Every Heartbeat” is no fluke.
8. Ladyhawke - Back of the Van original + (Fred Falke mix)
The Modular label continues to give us more glittering Australian electro gems.
9. Ata Ebtekar - Saint Homayun + Nashid + Miniature Tone
Gorgeously hypnotic electro-acoustic music from Tehran, Iran. Fans of Autechre should love this.
10. Fake Blood - Mars
Breaks, electro, and nu-rave are mixed to create a bangin number.
11. Sebastian Teller - Divine (Danger mix)
Danger takes equal part Justice and the 8-bit sound to create maybe the highlight of your electro mix.
12. Midnight Juggernauts - Shadows - (David Rubato mix)
More Antipodean robotic electro alchemy.
13. Drumsound and Simon Bassline Smith - Body Pump
This drum and bass track starts with a beautiful string section that dives right into a devastatingly sick break and wobbly bass. The first time you hear this you might feel dizzy.
14. Shy Child - Astronaut + Good & Evil
The two best tracks off Shy Child’s new album Drop the Phone. Is it me or do these guys sound like Supersystem? File under rock n’ rave.
15. Walter Meego - Voyager
On the new album, Meego dips into Daft Punk pop, and the results have landed two songs on the TV show Ugly Betty. I prefer the less cheesy “Lost” and “Keyhole”.
Ricky Williams new favorite movie, this is a take-off of Super Size Me, but insert marijuana for McDonalds and add alot of comedy. Standup comedian Doug Benson, a self-proclaimed stoner, undergoes a 30-on/30-off campaign with a group of doctors, therapists, and psychics trying to gauge the effects. He goes on tour about the same time and needless to say he’s a very funny showman. When he’s back home you get a feel of what its like inside the elite LA comedy circle. The legal issues were interesting and especially revelatory were connections to the AIDS epidemic. The movie feels too long in places, and it does seem to popularize weed, which I feel at times is a gateway to more life-destructive “highs”, but this was funny and enlightening. Rating: 7/10
Finally, a great video to a great dubstep track… It seems to start a bit simple or minimal, but by the time it ends you should emerge from its hypnotic spell. Don’t miss Peverelist’s other mini-journeys if you like this.
You wouldn’t know it by the modest trailer, but this is the action movie of the summer. This will inevitably be called the crossing of Fight Club and The Matrix, so at least I’ll say it first. The director Timur Bekmambetov honed his chops in Russia on the Nightwatch and Daywatch movies, so you know you’re at least getting a visual treat. With this movie he might become one of the most wanted directors in Hollywood. Jolie plays perhaps her sexiest bad-ass yet. And McAvoy can officially carry an action film. Like the movies I mentioned above, movie audiences don’t know what is about to hit them, so let the hype begin.
Rating: 9/10
Japanese grindhouse film is a quasi-success that fulfills it’s popular trailer. Action, laughs, and lots of blood are served up in an entertaining spectacle. And when the special effects are a letdown, that’s funny too. This movie’s goal is to desensitize you to violence via arterial spray and severed limbs. And something’s wrong when you start to get bored with all that towards the end of the movie. It took a drill bra to wake me up again. Need to watch a family drama now. Rating: 6.5/10
Well it is that time of year in Austin that you get so hot you swear your skin will slide off like cheese on pizza, but back on track, Shy Child just dropped their first full length this month,The Noise Won’t Stop, and this is my favorite by them.
This English language remake is an improvement over the 1998 German original due to the cast and performances, but I could be biased since I speak this tongue. It makes it even better that Michael Haneke had the audacity to remake his original film shot-for-shot (which in my memory the shots seem different–which plays perfectly into the film’s message). Naomi Watts is stunning as usual and Michael Pitt couldn’t be more perfectly cast. Avoid this if you can’t stand pretension. Love it or hate it, one man’s trash is another’s treasure.
Rating: 9.5/10
The flood gates are beginning to open.
Anybody who wasn’t a Miami Heat fan in the 2006 NBA finals saw the officious officiating in Game 5 (where Wade got to the foul line to tie the game without getting touched) and thought deep inside that David Stern would choke on his own vomit before handing a Championship trophy to Mark Cuban, who interestingly enough was recorded screaming on the court to Stern’s face that his NBA was rigged. Well now that disgruntled ex-ref Donaghy is coming forward with information that the refs are fixing games by trying to elongate the series to therefore make the NBA more money, that Game 5 of the Finals is beginning to look more suspect.
How about weeks earlier of the Finals when coach Jeff van Gundy of the Houston Rockets was fined $100,000 for simply telling the truth about how a NBA official contacted him about the “plan” to target Yao Ming? Even when he was reporting facts the league was obviously trying to hush and censor him while scaring other liberal minded coaches from their rights of speech. Enter recent statements from Donaghy which may substantiate Gundy’s claim.
Everything about officiating fouls is too subjective. Look at this playoff season: The obvious foul that would have won the game for the Spurs against the Lakers that wasn’t called simply because it was in the last seconds of the game. Officials deciding when hand-checking is and isn’t ok. One team getting to catch-up at the foulline because they fouled the heck out of the other team, and the foul stats look unfair. Van Gundy himself stating that star players (like Kobe) shouldn’t be called for fouls in the playoffs because they deserved to not foul out.
The solution? How about letting coaches “challenge” 2-3 ref calls a game? And this includes the NFL, where coaches should be able to challenge shady holding and pass interference calls that obviously affect game outcomes.
The NBA is going to try to smash Donaghy’s credibility to pieces, but Kings fans deserve to get to the bottom of this. I have a feeling that other officials will eventually come forth, and obviously if there is fixing going on it will be put on hold until the storm clears or Stern leaves as commissioner, which should create a fair Championship series.
One of the top tunes of the year. This is an unofficial video (that isn’t Mgmt), but this video did get them the job for the next Mgmt video. Proves to be danceable, end-of-set material.
It is a bit curious when Stephen King uses his old alter-ego and asks readers in his foreward to not be too harsh due to this being a trunk novel. But alas this audiobook experience doesn’t work. Ron McLarty does a fine job reading, especially with all the characters, so I can’t put the blame there. The story was mildly interesting and I stayed just to see how it would turn out. The humor was mostly too crude, and it was hard to identify with these characters. Not having any fantastic elements also cut into my interest. I love the King but this wasn’t my cup of tea. Rating: 4/10
See chart below. Playing chicks off a fat man’s belly is quite hilarious.
This month continues the trend of the French and Aussies blowing up the scene. There is also alot of artists taking over musical vacancies that other artists have moved on from. Also, electro-trance has arrived.
1. Pendulum - In Silico
Well it’s here and it’s an overwhelming success. Pendulum have fused stadium rock with electronic dance in a fresh and uniquely singular sound. They still have alot of room for improvement (make the rock parts more Tool than Silverchair), but this is a fantastic first step. Fans of NIN, Vast, or Prodigy should check this out immediately.
2. The Presets - Apocalypto
Another Aussie outfit, these guys have aimed more for the clubs with this album, and it is their best yet. “If I Know You” could be a club smash in the vein of “Blue Monday”. Fans of Underworld, Depeche Mode, or EBM should also check this out immediately.
3. Apparat - Things to Be Freckled
This is a double CD set of Apparat remixes and others remixing them. When their name is involved you can expect state-of-the-art and next level production that goes for the jugular.
4. Padded Cell - Night Must Fall
These guys have plumbed the best sounds from the 70’s and early 80’s to create a gothic-funk throwback album.
5. Bumblebeez - “Dr. Love”, “Spaceships”, and “Rio”
More Aussies who throw rock’n'rave, grime, electro, and punk together for a decadent party. From the album Prince Umberto & the Sister of Ill
6. The Black Ghosts mixtape
Electro that hits all the right buttons at the right times. Fil OK’s “Wink Wink (touche mix)” is one great electro track.
7. Cut Copy - “Hearts on Fire (Midnight Juggernauts mix)”
I’m astonished at the quality that Midnight Juggernauts continue to shell out.
8. Sebastian - “Momy”, “Army”, and “Dog”
Sebastian is working hard to combine rock and electro with mostly successful results. “Dog” actually tries to incorporate hardcore and electro while remaining club playable.
9. Jdsy - “Else”, “Saboteur”, and “The Beetle”
Imagine Aphex Twin with vocals. Fans of Matthew Dear step right up.
10. Little Boots - “Stuck on Repeat”
Here’s a perfect slice of vocal electro-house that takes the spot Goldfrapp used to inhabit before she went folk.
11. Noze - Songs on The Rocks
Filthy French electro-lounge album that gets jazzy and never bores.
12. Snoop Dogg - “Cool”
Yes, this new Snoop track is THE jam. You’ll hear this out for the rest of summer.
13. Rafael Frost - “Minimum”
Electro and trance are expertly mixed here to produce a slammin number.
14. Kraak & Smaak - “Squeeze Me” original & A Skillz remix
The video for the original is below and the A Skillz remix adds a nasty, grimy bass that should also kill it on the dancefloor.
15. Concord Dawn - “Fly Away Home”
Takes the spot that Pendulum left, which is drum n’ bass with a rock edge.
I had no idea the Dutch were this funky. Try listening to this with good speakers and not nodding or dancing. This will be on June’s chart, and check out this sweet video.
Seriously mental party material; this aims to be one of the most bizarre, funny, and random movies you’ve seen and succeeds. Imagine Kentucky Fried Movie, but Japanese and more artistic, and with influences that include Monty Python, Lynch, and Cronenburg. The movie runs a little long at 2.5 hours though, and the anime sequences were pretty weak. Make sure you clear some room in front of your TV to dance along on the dance numbers! Rating: 8/10
Who knew there were so many dance moves in Predator? From Ratatat’s forthcoming LP3.
This Alaskan eco-horror film hardly made a whimper at the box office, but it’s better than The Mist and Diary of the Dead combined. It actually succeeds where Shyamalan’s The Happening is going to fall flat on its face. Ron Perlman and the cast, the score, and cinematography are all perfect. Probably has the best jump scare I’ve seen this year. The director Fessenden has made which seems like a tribute to The Shining, and it is his best yet. Rating: 8/10
I had these guys up on last months chart. Behold the devastation of the a-bomb around the 2:50 mark. These heart swells, these wasps nests in your head…
If you haven’t seen these, check ‘em out. Cloverfield and I am Legend are not included because you should have heard about those two…
1. Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead-
3 words: Philip Seymour Hoffman. The man rocks. But also great ensemble cast works too.
2. I’m Not There
Todd Haynes adds another dimension to the music biopic, but just go with it. Blanchett is truly great here too.
3. Teeth
If you know what this movie is about, well let’s just say it hits all the right buttons…
Pretty cool viddie for this Goblin-sampled track. Kinda disappointed that the jello cubes weren’t used as magical weapons though.
There is certainly no shortage of powertools, bloodbaths, or primal screams in this frenetic and entertaining horror flick. Apparently it is very popular right now to use the Texas Chainsaw Massacre formula in various locales in Europe. This one adds a neo-nazi twist. The movie is so chock full of gross-out moments you can never really catch your breath. I’m not sure if this pacing or similarities to at least 5 other movies (Is the director Xavier Gens a homie of Alexandre Aja?) lessened my experience, or perhaps it was my lack of empathy for any character including the main one. But there are plenty of chilling moments here to give this a recommendation. Rating: 7/10
This guy HAS to be the new Rick Rolling. He’s even got aliens partying in a cave-ala Star Wars Cantina.
This video goes out to the 10 lb (whew) healthy boy just delivered to my good friends Matt and Laura. His name is Cameron Bertoli Cunningham. Congrats, guys!
You won’t hear these at a concert, and I actually prefer these over the hits/singles.
1. Ruiner - from The Downward Spiral
2. Burn - from the Natural Born Killers soundtrack
3. The Becoming - from The Downward Spiral
4. The Great Below - from The Fragile
5. Closer to God - from the Closer EP; awesome remix
Do you have these in the same order?
1. The Downward Spiral - that was easy
2. Broken - Reznor’s self-claimed “blast of destruction”.
3. The Fragile - More hits than misses on this sprawling double-CD album.
4. Closer - One of the best remix EPs ever. (halo 9)
5. Pretty hate machine - Can’t beat this debut.
Hon. mention: Further down the Spiral - Music as art, and Aphex Twin on 2 tracks.
NIN have exceeded all of my expectations by putting this proper album up for free download with a Creative Commons license. Not only that, but all the tracks are available for remixing, and unlike the last “album” Ghosts, this is some wicked remix material that might get me on board. So far I’m eating all of my words that NIN wouldn’t put out a real album the same way as Ghosts. You’ve really got to applaud Reznor and NIN for shaking things up in the music industry and internet, and making a great album while their at it.
Rating: 9/10
Get it here: http://theslip.nin.com/
Get the tracks for remixing: http://remix.nin.com/
Despite my disappointment for the new Portishead and Santogold albums they still managed to find their way on this chart. You won’t find Madonna however, even if I do like that new Timberlake-Timbaland jam.
1. Telemetrik - My Lightyear Act Two EP
This drum and bass producer isn’t waiting around for the future; he’s bringing it to ya. “Exit Civilization” is the choice here, but “Evil Exists” boasts a well-chosen Smashing Pumkins sample.
2. Ludovic Vendi - Limbo
This blurpy and wonky techno goes epic midway through and doesn’t look back.
3. Datassette - Datassette LP
Almost perfect electronic-tech album that was made for your inner robot.
4. The Roots - Rising Down
This is one of the better Roots albums(and they have 9 other albums), and it might make some Best of 2008 lists.
5. Benga - Diary of an Afro Warrior
This album could do for dubstep what Roni Size’s New Forms did for drum n’ bass.
6. Leila - Mettle
Warp artist Leila shows Portishead how trip-hop works now.
7. Foals - Antidotes
One of the better indie rock albums I’ve heard this year.
8. Christopher D. Ashley - We are Shining
Electro-pop for the new generation.
9. Justice - dance (Alan Braxe and Fred Falke mix)
I’m almost sick of these vocals, but this mix is like classy, neon lip gloss.
10. Santogold - You’ll Find a Way (Switch and Sinden mix)
The one saving grace from a disappointing debut album.
11. Logistics - Reality Checkpoint
This sophomore album for the drum n’ bass producer has plenty of quality tracks to put in your crate.
12. Cut Copy- In Ghost Colours
Charming if not predictable album of Australian sunshine.
13. Testament - Killing Season + More than Meets the Eye
Please put these songs on Rock Band so I can seriously thrash… Thanks Jason for the tip on these guys.
14. Sander van Doorn - Grasshopper
This tech/trance cut sounds incredible in the club; take my word for it-.
15. Portishead - Plastic + Hunter
The two salvageable songs off the otherwise forgetful new Portishead album.
Digging these vocals and this mix. The video is kind of interesting too.
With a cast of dozens, including the likes of Alan Alda, Mark Hamill, and Henry Rollins, I had high hopes for this. The sections that dealt with America and Canada, and had those actors, certainly met those expectations, but this is only a third of the book. Do I really need to know how a zombie world war affected countries like Cuba, Egypt, Israel, and countless others? Do I want to hear how each country reacted politically, and used their military power? I found out that I didn’t. One MAJOR reason why is that the thick accents of these foreign personalities are hard to understand. Also, Brooks doesn’t pull off the believability of these characters as well as the English speaking ones. Brooks imagination went into overdrive regarding every single facet of a zombie problem, and if we ever have this problem, this book will be priceless. Recommended to only die-hard zombie fans, of which the domestic episodes are particularly memorable. Rating: 5/10
The Aussie drum and bass rockers are back, and this time they will settle for nothing less than world domination. The beats drop around the 1:15 mark, and the album goes worldwide on May 12.
I haven’t praised any trance tracks yet, mainly because I think 90% of it is cheesy. But here are a few recent ones that have fallen between the cracks and range from excellent to pretty good, and I would gladly spin these if asked.
1. Ronski Speed vs. Rex Mundi -The Perspective Space (Markus Schulz mash-up)
The trance bassline to end all basslines. This is a festival killer.
2. Sia - The Girl You Lost to Cocaine - (Stonebridge club mix)
These vocals sound better tranced, and chicks love Sia.
3. Lemon and Einar K - Anticipation (Original mix)
Great synths and pure euphoria.
4. Sander van Doorn - 15
One of the best trance DJs delivers some gentle and understated tech-trance.
5. Rex Mundi - Sunrise in Ibiza
Beautiful piano and more of his killer basslines.
This indie dance troupe delivers my favorite single of the month. It kind of has this “Human Behavior” Bjork feel to it. Enjoy.
If there were a few dodgy selections in last months chart, this month should set the record straight, because the top five could easily contend for record of the year. Rock n’ rave continues to grow, drum n’ trance makes its debut, and Moby can only get honorable mention.
1. M83 - Saturday = Youth (album)
The album isn’t flawless, but the tracks that work here are monumental. “Kim & Jessie” sounds like the rediscovery of a great, lost 80’s song. It’s all about emotion.
2. Paul Woolford presents Bobby Peru - The Truth (album)
For an original techno album this just might be a masterpiece, and I don’t use that word lightly.
3. Hercules and the Love Affair - (self-titled album)
Wait, Antony (of Antony and the Johnsons) singing over craftily produced disco? I’m beside myself-. “Blind” is classic.
4. Crystal Castles - (self-titled album)
Your Atari grows up, goes hardcore, and dates a synth-pop star. Incendiary debut.
5. The Kills - Midnight Boom (album)
How did this drop this far? Creative rock, drop, n’ roll that you can’t get out of your head.
6. Does it Offend You, Yeah? - You Have No Idea What Your… (album)
Solid rock n’ rave debut from these electro pranksters.
7. V.A. - Kitsune Maison vol. 5
This is literally a party-in-a-box and might be the best Kitsune compilation yet, and if you’ve heard the other 4 you know that’s saying something.
8. Neon Neon - Stainless Style (album)
Electropop and rap are thrown into a blender for a concept album about John DeLorian. I swear this was my idea first, oh well-.
9. Late of the Pier - “The Bears are Coming”
Whew, we’re through with albums. Classic electro-rock track.
10. Siriusmo - “All the Girls (Yuksek mix)”, Boyz Noize - “& Down (Siriusmo mix)”
Nobody can touch Siriusmo right now, seriously.
11. Martyn - “Twenty-four”
Progressive house that has an electronica or intelligent side.
12. John B - “Red Sky” + “Mr. Freud”
Leave it up to John B to perfect d n’ t, thats drum and trance, and no I’m not kidding.
13. Sam Sparro - “Black and Gold”
Incredible talent on the vocals, and I’m supporting him now before he goes all Justin Timberlake.
14. Bag Raiders - “Nil By Mouth (Knightlife mix)”
Aussies got some kaleidoscopic tricks up their wizard sleeve.
15. Commix - “Faceless (Marcus Intalex)”
Solid d n’ b roller.
The 2008 After Dark Horrorfest’s 8 Films to Die For recently showed up on DVD shelves, and they need to go ahead and reconsider calling this 2 Films to Live For, because only two are worth your time on a dark evening.
1st place: Borderlands Rating: 7/10
When you look at this movie as a true crime story about a serial-killing cult that lured Spring Breakers into their doom, then this takes the cake for producing the most heebie-jeebies. But I might be biased since I’m a Texan who’s heard of this case and been to these areas.
2nd place: Mulberry St. Rating: 6/10
There needs to be more horror movies set in NYC! This captures the grit and character of New York while making a good zombie movie along the way. But the problem is that rat-people make me laugh. I just expect them to start singing and dancing (Rats). This could have been a smash had the zombies been a little more normal.
Only watch if your a devoted horror completist:
The Deaths of Ian Stone (creature effects were better in the 60’s)
Tooth and Nail (kinda ridiculous, but what gives?)
In anticipation of April’s music chart, here is a preview of what you’ll find. This new album from The Kills is too much fun.
Wow, what a ride. Imagine American Psycho and Kids at a crosspoint, and you have this movie. First of all, the soundtrack was perfection, just a phenomenal selection of tunes. Marc Senter delivers a star-making performance, and should only have to wait for word of this movie to get around. The other actors are also up-and-coming, or welcome veterans like Ed Lauter. The end is certainly not for the squeamish, so don’t miss it. Rating: 9/10
