New video from The National: "Think You Can Wait"

We already showed you the new wonderful song from The National, "Think You Can Wait", their contribution to the independent film "Win Win", directed by Tom McCarthy and with Paul Giamatti in the lead role. And now we announce you the song has an official video, where you can see them playing with guest collaborator Sharon Van Etten. And although the behind-the-scenes clips from the movie are always a bad idea, the cannot distract you enough from the greatness of the music.  The track is available now, but just as a digital download by now (damn it, I want the song and the album cover!!).

New music from Dum Dum Girls and Death Cab for Cutie

Two important bands have discovered new songs today. 

Death Cab For Cutie are back with their first new album in three years, named "Codes And Keys", that will be released on May 30th. And here's the first track we can hear from it, "You Are A Tourist". 

DEATH CAB for CUTIE - You Are A Tourist

Dum Dum Girls are presenting her latest video for 'He Gets Me High', the title track from the band's brand new EP, already released (and again highly recommendable, really looking forward to see them live soon). If you want to watch it, check this NME link.

"Collapse Into Now", R.E.M.'s past, present and future

Collapse Into Now- R.E.M.

This is not a normal review, but a very special one. Its about heroes.

I can only explain the kind of passion for music I have, and especially for a certain style and attitude, as something I started learning from my father, followed by the apparition, in my life, of the then four-pieced band from Athens. They sounded completely different. Abstraction, oblique lyrics, joy, melancholy, jangle, pop, rock, strange instruments, and a unique frontman, the most intriguing personality in music in my opinion. Their music has been always mysterious and compelling for me. I do believe that anyone that really hears "Automatic for the People" knows what I'm talking about. And I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who feels the same way about them. When I think about the things that people usually points as their "identity factors" (flags, languages, history) my head says: R.E.M.

So no doubt I was waiting for a new album to come, and that in this era of immediate listenings and downloadings I waited patiently for the release date without listening anything in advance. It would have been a tragedy to kill the romanticism with the love or your life, don't you think? So, when "Collapse Into Now" has arrived, I have been rewarded. Again.

The initial blatant riff of "Discoverer" and the stormy, newadveruntesque (it's my blog and I'm writing about R.E.M., so I can invent words) "All the Best" makes 70% of "Accelerate" pale by comparison, but they cannot prepare you for what's going next. The trio of "Überlin", "Oh My Heart" and "It Happened Today" are not just R.E.M. summoning the best of their past to show you how good they can be. No, the sounds (brass sections, horns, mandolins), the sincerity in the voice of Stipe simply singing "oh my heart", the vocal harmonies, the infinite sadness, the joy ("hooray") are back, adopting familiar but at the same time new forms... Its the return of our heroes.

And "Collapse Into Now" keeps surprising you as the record goes on. With the Eels-like lullaby of "Every Day is Yours to Win", not quite "Everybody Hurts 2", but a fine example why Stipe is a unique kind of hero. He can comfort you (I'm a grown adult and I still believe him) and be irresistibly fun, like on the knockout tunes "Mine Smells Like Honey" (what a superb chorus),"Alligator_Aviator_Autopilot_Antimatter" or the frustratingly short "That Someone is You".

But even heroes aren't flawless. "Walk it Back", with its crooning-style song proves how gentle and delicate the band can be, and how well our beloved Michael can sing, but it is balladry in the worst sense, and with a lyric that its opposite of what makes R.E.M. different. But there's no victory without defeat, no hero without purgatory. Rising from a fall to comeback stronger. That's how heroes are made.

And that's the case of R.E.M.. "Me and Marlon Brando..." restores the lyrical DNA of the band, cryptic, intriguing. Our heroes are revealing themselves, and they are fragile and disappointed, but they are brave enough to keep living and dreaming their future. That's "Blue", a mesmerizing closure with the help of one of the band heroes, Ms. Patti Smith, and future defined by the present, a present collapsed, ambiguous, and completely of their own. It's not an end, it's a beginning.   

Thank you Michael, Mike, Peter. Again

SCORE: 8/10

The link to my article (in Spanish) reviewing the record, from the website I collaborate with:

"Collapse Into Now", el regreso de los mejores R.E.M.

Discoverer 5: new indie findings

It's (a rainy) Sunday, so here's the new round of indie proposals!

Junip. This Swedish trio -from Gothenberg- of close friends began its career in 1999, but the success of one of its members, the worldwide renowned José González, with his producing duties and solo albums -particularly with "Veneer"- sidetracked the project until 2010. But finally, the friends committed to a first full length, released later on 2010. Reminiscent of González's solo works, "Fields" was worth the waiting: a modern pastoral contemplation, hazy, organic and really melodic. The perfect record for a grey day.


Happy Camper. Job Roggeveen is a Dutch musician that had the idea of an audiovisual project. He composed the album, a joyful collection of pop songs with a "folkie air" and requested the support of 11 Dutch singers (the rest of the happy campers) to perform his songs. Then, with the help of the studio animation group Job, Joris & Marieke (he is one third of the studio) he created a video and the star of the show. Let me introduce you the happy camper, the adorable and hairy Manfred. Don't miss it!

Happy Camper - Born With A Bothered Mind (featuring Bouke Zoete)

Carol Anne McGowan. And the third proposal is a singer-songwriter from Donegal, Ireland. "Songs from the Cellar", her debut album, was released in 2010 in a hand made edition of 50 copies. Now with a second edition of the record (also very limited) this seven songs reveal an artist with a gorgeous smoky-bluesy voice and a talent to capture the details and subtleties in her music. Pure folk, recorded in the small German town of Oestrich-Winkel, in the depths of a 500 year old wine cellar. So genuine that one wonders if it was rescued from some dark vault where it was forgotten for three or four decades. 

Carol Anne McGowan "So to the Sea"

Carol Anne McGowan "Carrigeen"

"Greenberg", the comedy inside a dramatic life

Greenberg

Noah Baumbach is a fiercely brave director. He risks everything in his films. rythm, tone, empathy with the characters, direction of the plots... sometimes to the point of missing cohesion or some coherency, because he has a greater purpose: portraying the most realistic study of how complicated, self-conscious and disappointed we are. And it that sense, Greenberg, the character, might be his best creation. You won't like him. As matter of fact, you'll probably hate his behaviour. But basically you will feel uncomfortable. And that's because there's a little bit of Greenberg in all of us.

And if we praise Baumbach's, we have to applause Stiller's performance, so real that makes the guy so human despite all his dysfunctions and neurosis, so heartfelt and desperate that when he contently explodes, you can just feel sorry for him, despite his selfishness. The same applies to Greta Gerwig's performance as Florence, perfect in her role as a young woman who is as caring and gentle as seriously damaged.

Sadly though, there are some questions to be raised. Do we need a mental illness/disorder? Seems a nice way to justify some behaviours. But more importantly, being the movie so painstakingly honest in what refers to the characters, the love story is not very credible in my opinion. And the friendship relation is even harder to believe. The ellipsis in what refers to the past and connections between the pals, and the former band (there was no need to make the past so exciting or promising by the way, why a music band?) is so brutal that is very hard to understand either the situations of irrepressible anger or the explosion of sincerity/revelation towards the end.

Overall, "Greenberg" has flaws, and it won't be a pleasant choice for many viewers. But the weigh of the balance clearly leans towards its achievements. A risky film that dissects a very complex character, surrounded by complex and real people, through a dark-comedy that reveals how difficult life can be.

SCORE: 6,5/10  

New songs from TV on the Radio and Fleet Foxes

Tomorrow is reserved for the recent indie discoveries, but today I bring you some new songs from two renown bands that will have new albums in the next months: TV on the Radio and Fleet Foxes.

"Nine Types of Light", the new record from the New Yorkers TV on the Radio, will be released on April 12th. "Will Do" is the first single, accompanied of a quite compelling, sad, video.


Want more? You can get "Caffeinated Consciousness" here, a very different kind of song.

Change of style. Fleet Foxes will be back on May 3rd with "Helplessness Blues". We already heard the title track before, but a couple of new tunes, "Bedouin Dress" and Battery Kinzie" are also ready to give you a better taste of the forthcoming album. By the way, the album reached the net yesterday, when the band's label Sub Pop accidentally sent out early streams to those who pre-ordered the album, and someone recorded the streams....
Bedouin Dress

Battery Kinzie  (its a ripped song)

"The Colour of the Earth", PJ Harvey a cappella

Ms Polly Jean Harvey keeps challenging us. Not only she has released the best album of her career, "Let England Shake", and delivered a powerful true statement about our world, even more poignant now that we are, involved in another war, but she continues to strike us with audacious videos. Directed by war photographer Seamus Murphy, "The Colour of the Earth" is a superb one. A compelling a cappella interpretation, leaving you no escape but to hear what they are singing. And it is definitely worth the hearing. The backbones of a mesmerizing song.



The colour of the earth that day/ It was dull and browny red/The colour of blood, I'd say

Please, no more awful album covers

I want to start my own crusade. A crusade against the incredible amount of awful music artwork we have nowadays in indie music. Please stop making these horrible covers!! There's people that still buy records and we love to have wonderful covers for our albums. They are important, and they serve the purpose of illustrating the contents, the atmosphere or the tone of a record. Otherwise what it shows is disdain or just a serious problem of bad taste. Please lets fight together to end with the bad, disgusting album sleeves!

SOME EXAMPLES OF ARTWORK ATROCITIES

Empire of the Sun: Walking on a Dream

Let's mix kitsch aesthetics with Star Wars saga. Bad idea, worst results

Coco Rosie: Grey Oceans

Easily, one of the ugliest covers in indie music history

Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium

The amazingness of Word-Art? None

The Strokes: Angles

All the tackiness of the 80's gathered on a painful sleeve

The Ting Tings: We Started Nothing

Couldn't agree more with the album title. Little work on the cover, indeed

Weezer: Hurley

Funny joke from Weezer? No, just a horrible cover

Santogold: Santogold

Do I really need to say this is a disgusting cover?

Neil Young: Fork in the Road

Neil, if you weren't in the mood for a picture, at least you could have done something better with the fonts...

NO MORE COVERS LIKE THESE!

                                                            

Over 1.000 visits!

Bloodbuzzed reaches its first milestone: more than 1.000 visits since the blog began! Thanks to everyone who has visited it. Hope you'll stay, and the most important, hope you'll enjoy the ride!


To celebrate, here's a very (very) special and happy song I like! I like! I like! ;)

And anyway, a pretty good excuse to post another great song from Mr. Hannon, don't you think?

Discoverer 4: new indie findings

Let's go with the round of indie suggestions!

The Primitives. Well, The Primitives are not the definition of a new band. Part of the "blonde indiepop" scene (Transvision Vamp, The Darlin Buds), they were formed in 1985, had a huge hit single in 1988 (remember "Crash"?) and split in 1992. But after nearly 18 years, the band reformed for a series of live shows, and went back into the studio, releasing a four track EP, "Never Kill a Secret" this February. Infectious and catchy indiepop.


Armistice. Discovered thanks to the excellent blog Let Me Like It, behind Armistice we have Jay Malinowski, Bedouin Soundclash's frontman, and Beatrice Martin, better known as the successful (600.000 albums sold worldwide) Coeur de Pirate. They first collaborated on Soundclash's latest album, then decided to embark on a special project, with the help of the mariachi band El Bronx, responsible of the unique backdrop for the alternative folk of the duo. The results are superb, like on this "Mission Bells", the first song from the "Armistice EP", out now.

Brown Recluse. Timothy Meskers and Mark Saddlemire formed Brown Recluse in 2006. They released a couple of EPs and had supporting slots for bands like The Pains of Being Pure at Heart or Dirty Projectors, they expanded to a six-piece group and keep writing tunes. So all this process has culminated in "Evening Tapestry" their debut album, a collection of charming pop tunes that recalls the psych pop of The Zombies, Belle and Sebastian and the sounds of the Elephant 6 collective. Complex and rich, subtle and harmonious, the album is full of pop gems, like this wonderful "Impressions of a City Morning".

Brown Recluse - Impressions of a City Morning by Slumberland Records

The Strokes, the "Angles" of disappointment

Angles- The Strokes

There were some warnings in advance. The ugly cover, to start with. And some revealing comments on the article by Jonathan Garret on Pitchfork:

"I won't do the next album we make like this. No way. It was awful...just awful".
"We're all learning to work on each other's songs and learning how to deal with emotional issues in relation to the songs..  I feel we have a better album in us, and it's going to come out soon". Guitarrist Nick Valensi.

"I mean...yes....It's a tough question because I think the whole point was that I was going to let things go so there's a bunch of stuff on the record I wouldn't have done". Singer Julian Casablancas, asked if he likes the finished album.

So what are we going to find in "Angles"? In my opinion, a band trying striving to find themselves, but without knowing if they are still a band, resulting on a pastiche of styles trying too hard to fit together in the mix. Sadly, it clearly shows the lack of direction on the recording. The start is strong, though. "Machu Picchu" is addictive with its peculiar groove, and "Under Cover of Darkness" is a fine single, despite the irony of Casablancas singing "Everybody singing the same song for 10 years" when the tune qualifies as a polished auto homage of their first album.

"Two Kind of Happiness" and "You're so Right" are so-so tunes, but the guitar work saves them. And "Taken for a Fool" is the other highlight from "Angles". But if  this was just an EP ending here, it would have been a fine comeback for The Strokes. Because there's little to be saved from the second half of the album.

The subdued electropop of "Games" is remarkable only if we compare it with the following song, "Call Me Back", a serious contender for The Strokes worst song. "Gratisfaction" is catchy and happier, but come on, that would have been discarded and used as b-side years ago. And "Metabolism" is The Strokes doing Muse. Hell no. At least the album ends on a positive note with the pleasant "Life is Simple in The Moonlight", but that's not enough to avoid the feeling of huge disappointment from the expectations created after so many years of hiatus.

 SCORE: 4/10

Playlisting: An indie Irish mixtape for St. Patrick's Day

As today is Saint Patrick's Day, here's a compilation of tunes (not the sort of Irish drunken pub songs everybody knows) from some of the best Irish indie bands, plus two music essentials act of music history. Enjoy!

1. Fragile- God is An Astronaut
2. No Line on the Horizon- U2
3. Pavement Tune- The Frames
4. Some Surprise- The Cake Sale
5. Big Sur- The Thrills
6. Back of My Hand- Gemma Hayes
7. Sweet Thing- Van Morrison
8. Have you ever been in Love- The Divine Comedy
9. Ruby Blue- Roisin Murphy
10. Girl From Mars- Ash
11. Secret- Delorentos
12. Becoming a Jackal- Villagers
13. Formulae- JJ72
14. Where You Belong- Language of Flowers
15. Be Good or Be Gone- Fionn Regan
16. Sing For Your Supper- Cathy Davey
17. Lille- Lisa Hannigan

Here's the SPOTIFY LINK

Beannachtai na Féile Pádrag oraibh!

"Last Night on Earth", first days of a new Noah and The Whale?

Last Night on Earth- Noah and The Whale
The first thing we heard from the new album was "Wild Thing", probably the only song that reminds us of the "First Days of Spring" band. Because on "Last Night on Earth" the folksy, sparse arrangements, are gone, replaced by an 80's flavoured synth pop. And this has pros and cons.

On the good side, we have some tunes, the majority concentrated on the first half of the record, that are refreshing. "Life is Life", "Tonight's the Kind of Night" and single "L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N" are enjoyable and charming pop gems. Even "Give it All Back", despite their many lyrics clichés and "American catch-all" (you know that Springsteen's "Glory Days" feeling) vibe is undoubtedly a strong and pleasant track.

But concerns are there too. The synths and lightweight drum machine beats that are replacing the acoustic sounds are not always that welcomed. I particularly believe that Charlie Fink's way of singing (these sort of crooning, storytelling) doesn't really fit with the new music direction sometimes.

But that's not the main issue. A pop record can be ok. A pop record can be, of course, excellent and delightful to hear. But this sort of pop approach  from Noah and The Whale seems a bit vacuous when the lyrics pretend to say so much. It's like eating candy: can be really enjoyable, but doesn't have enough substance to feed you. A nice pop collection, and a brave attempt to move on from a defined style, but something is missing to fully grab you here.

SCORE: 6/10

"Build a Rocket Boys!", Elbow keeps defying gravity

Build a Rocket Boys!- Elbow
If the music world/industry we have to suffer had to do something with talent, personality or composing skills, Elbow would be among the most famous bands. They deserve it. They have built a flawless career, and a very idiosyncratic one, having created a voice totally of their own. Success was neglected to them during years, while they we're realising better music than 95% of their music generation. And once they reach it, they decide to go for a "less is more" approach with their fifth album..

Having said that though, one has to admit that, although very far from being disappointed, I do feel "Build a Rocket Boys!" doesn't have the brilliance of the "The Seldom Seen Kid", or more specifically, it doesn't have the amount of superb tunes their previous effort had.

Is not something that has to do with the start of the album. "The Birds" has a roaring background, enchanting double voices, then it multiplies, becoming a cascade of sounds. Then we have the subtlety of "Lippy Kids", a song that easily stands upon the best of their catalogue. A composer's (and lyricist) dream, and with Guy Garvey at his best (terrific voice during all the record). And it is followed by the disarmingly lovely "With Love" (you can imagine how the crowds will eagerly await for their moment in that song) and the rockiest song of the pack, the space-sounding "Neat Little Rows".

Unfortunately, the rest of the record is not as exciting. Don't get me wrong, there's not a bad song in here, or a filler. "Open Arms" is gorgeous, with Elbow's trademark gift for soaring choruses intact, as well as the lyrics of "Jesus is a Rochdale Girl" or the touching end of "Dear Friends". No, the problem, if any, might be the sense that the album becomes, as a whole, a bit too "relaxed" or stripped back and more of an "intimate affair" (which makes sense considering the album goes back into memories, youth and friendship). But then again, Elbow's music is warm and enduring, beautifully crafted, and what it is even more impressive: is honest and genuine.

SCORE: 7/10

Indie music shopping

I still buy music (call me romantic if you wish). The difference now is that there are little surprises (I mean you hear the record in advance, so there are no disappointing albums anymore) and the prices are not ridiculously expensive. A practical example: today I received my latest acquisitions thanks to Amazon UK.

                                                      

A Coming of Age-Lucky Soul/ The Fool-Warpaint/ Exquisite Corpse- Warpaint/ Write About Love-Belle and Sebastian/ Union-The Boxer Rebellion/ Heart of My Own-Basia Bulat/ Teen Dream-Beach House/ Lisbon- The Walkmen

____________________

Total: 57 euros (postage included)

"Think You Can Wait", the amazing new song from The National

Ok, an unexpected gift for all of you, music lovers.

Following the post announced just a few days ago, now you can listen "Think You Can Wait", the new song The National has written for the movie "Win Win". What can I say. It's another gem, full of emotion (Matt's singing as his best again) and beautiful arrangements. Enjoy.
The National, "Think You Can Wait" by foxsearchlight

Update: Oops! Seems the song is not available on soundcloud anymore. Try this link instead: http://themusicninja.net/newsongs/Think-You-Can-Wait.mp3

"Recharge & Revolt", on the road with The Raveonettes

The week starts with the first complete listen of "Angles", The Strokes comeback (if you allow me the euphemism, not very impressed), having doubts about "Belong", the sophomore effort from The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and the confirmation The Vaccines deserved all the hype (their album is officially released today, don't miss it). But among them...."Recharge & Revolt", mesmerizing new tune (plus a beautiful and classy video) from The Raveonettes, included in the forthcoming "Raven in the Grave".

Several music reviews to come in the next days... so stay tuned!

Discoverer 3: new indie findings

Third round of indie proposals!!

The Middle East. Hailing from Townsville, Australia, and they sound a bit like mixing Great Lake Swimmers with Neutral Milk Hotel (yes, that means superb folk). An excellent homonymous EP, where you can find the gorgeous "Blood", precede their debut album, "I Want that you are Always Happy", that will released on April 8th. Check their facebook to hear two more tunes, including the amazing "Jesus Came to My Birthday Party".



Brave Irene. I've only heard two songs, so this is a bold statement. But there's no risk considering that Rose Melberg (Tiger Trap, The Softies, Go Sailor, Gaze, and solo) is in front of this project. The jangle-pop heroine is back, now with a 5 piece band format based in Vancouver, releasing their first EP next week. And its seems the magic is still intact. Catchy pop tunes, with a slightly psychedelic side thanks to the keyboards and unforgettable melodies, Rose's trademark for almost 20 years. 
Brave Irene - No Fun by Slumberland Records
Brave Irene - Longest Day by Slumberland Records

The Dodos. A new discovering for me despite being around since 2005, next week is a very important one for this San Francisco duo, as they will release their fourth album, "No Color". "Black Night", an amazing example of frenzied folk that turns into an epic cascade of drumming and riffs, is an excellent first taste on an album that promises a lot of emotions.

"The Switch", or the time wasted on a train (chapter 2)

The Switch
The worst problem of being incapable of sleeping on a early morning train is that you might have to waste your time with movies like this one. Generic and predictable rom-com to the maximum, I could easily end the review with that.

Jason Bateman (Wally) and Thomas Robinson (Sebastian), the kid, are the only remarkable here, the reasons that can justify you keep watching this. To the point of making you wonder if you are seeing a different film when the scene have just the two of them. But no, then Jennifer Aniston appears and you come back to the depressing "reality". My advice: try to sleep.

SCORE: 2,5/10

"Win Win"....with The National

You probably noticed before... but I love The National. And they are contributing with the main theme for the soundtrack of "Win Win", the new film from Tom McCarthy, the filmmaker responsible of the great "The Station Agent" and the excellent "The Visitor", and with Paul Giamatti on the starring role.

March 18th is the premiere day in theaters, so we'll have to wait until then to hear the song. But for the impatient fan, if you go to www.foxsearchlight.com/winwin/ and let the background music play...you'll be counting the days until Friday, like me.

Well, and now to compensate this freaky post, here's the new video for "Conversation 16", the latest single from "High Violet", their third consecutive masterpiece.

"Fish Tank", no way out

Fish Tank
Sharing the tradition of the hard-hitting realism of Ken Loach and Mike Leigh, Andrea Arnold shows in all its rawness the desolation of the British suburbs, through the life of Mia, a teenager with a straightforward mouth, a raging attitude, but also a girl with an amazing strength and braveness and a real hunger for life.

What we see is real desperation on the film. No support from a terrible familiar situation, no friends, a sense of real danger and isolation, captured by the director with some poignant and brilliant shooting. The future looks doomed for Mia, and her dancing abilities with the apparition of someone who really cares seem her only choice to escape from this world.

Arnold's script is content, all the scenes have a clear purpose and there are plenty that will stuck in your head. So when the twist in the plot appears, it compels the spectator. And when we reach the climax, we are deeply moved by it. One can say that it might be too dramatic for a 15 year old girl, but in what regards to the development of the film, there are no flaws. Also it is necessary to highlight the work of Katie Jarvis (Mia). It's so hard to believe it was her first experience acting, as she delivers a powerful, fierce and emotional character with an astounding conviction, something one can also apply to all the cast.

It is bleak, harsh and merciless. But there's also a lot to be praised in this excellent film.

SCORE: 7,75/10

Alex Turner (Arctic Monkeys) goes to the movies

While not very impressed by "Brick by Brick", the first song from the forthcoming "Suck it and See", the 4th album of the Arctic Monkeys, Alex Turner's music has been the soundtrack of the day. "Submarine EP" is a new proposal from the leader of the Monkeys, and his first attempt as a soundtrack composer. The music of the EP will be part of "Submarine", the filmmaking debut of Richard Ayoade, surely better known as Moss in the hilarious British sitcom "The IT Crowd" (don't miss it if you can). A very "laid back" affair, the five songs and a small intro shows another side of Alex Turner, using just an acoustic guitar and a piano. And the result is subtle yet charming.

New announcements for Benicassim (FIB Festival). Second disappointment

FIB Festival has announced today a few more names to add to their 2011 line-up. Only 7 new proposals, and sadly, not much to be excited about (Brandon Flowers, arrghh!). Sure, its not as disappointing as the previous announcements of February were, but this is, again, very far from my wishlist. Just my opinion of course. And well, at least there's a very promising act among today's confirmations, ms. Anna Calvi.

"Due Date", a comedy with hangover

Due Date
Todd Philips comeback after the "The Hangover" mega-hit was one to look knowing that the starring couple were Robert Downey Jr and Zach Galifaniakis. And the actors are the best of the film by far, saving it from being a huge flop. Not saying that you won't laugh. Just seeing the perennial "out of this world" face of Galifianiakis, or the rage explosions of Downey Jr. would guarantee you considerable doses of laughs. But the problem is that you get the fun in a really awkward film (meaning bizarre), with an anarchic script (meaning inconsistent)  that wants to compile the most unbelievable situations (meaning the plot cannot be believed) in order to create the "biggest" road-trip movie (and a return to "The Hangover" territory). But this time doesn't work as a whole. Don't get me wrong, you will find several funny scenes, and the chemistry of the "odd couple" will get you through the film easily. But don't expect "The Hangover 2". Sadly, it's not here.

SCORE: 5,5/10

"Love and Other Drugs". Mistakes, misshapes, mistakes

Love and Other Drugs
Still trying to figure out what was the point of the movie. Gyllenhaal's role (Jamie), very far from the romantic-comedy hero, had potential. And the same applies to the satirical tone of the movie at the beginning, being a curious insight to the pharmaceutical industry. So when the starring couple meet each other, the relationship between them is attractive and challenging (I don't see what's the issue about the nude/sex scenes by the way, there's nothing so remarkable on them) but sadly the feeling doesn't last long.

The chemistry between Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway (Maggie) is dubious, the sub-plot about the pharmacies is left aside with the exception of a couple of -gross- jokes (yes, about viagra), the supporting cast doesn't help because their roles are plain and silly (special mention to Jamie's brother, unnecessary and topical), and the love story suffers badly from the "Sweet November syndrome", but with an added handicap: "Love and Other Drugs" intends to be a comedy. But its not funny. The attempt of mixing drama with comedy and social analysis results in a movie with serious problems in what regards to tone, rhythm and coherency. It goes nowhere.

SCORE: 3/10

"New in Town", the time wasted on a train (chapter 1)

Back from a wonderful weekend, full, among other more important things, of films..

New in Town

There should be a category of "films watched on a train/plane to kill time". It deserves a genre of its own. "New In Town" wasn't particularly awful, which is something remarkable considering Renée Zellweger (Lucy Hill) is the star of film. The plot is formulaic to say the least, being built on the predictable contrasts of city (Miami) versus town (New Ulm, little town of Minnesota), cold versus warm weather, and the conservative/religious versus the open-mind of the civilization, with a pretty annoying "love story" in between. Yes, is that sort of silly movie about "discovering oneself" far from the fast-lives of the cities.

Far from being ground-breaking, the film has some moments that save it from the disaster it seemed to be, thanks of a couple of supporting roles: J.K. Simmons (the father of "Juno") as Stu, the plant foreman, and Siobhan Fallon playing Blanche, Lucy's assistant, with real charm (and a very funny accent). But please don't compare it with Frances McDormand and/or Fargo. Overall, not depressing, but mediocre.

SCORE: 3,5/10

Amazing month of indie music

Off for the weekend, so there won't be new posts until Tuesday...but once we're back, an amazing month of March, full of promising music is awaiting: R.E.M., Elbow, Noah and the Whale, The Vaccines, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart... Have a great weekend!














Noah and the Whale- 'L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N


The Vaccines- Post Break-Up Sex


The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - Belong

First impressions on R.E.M's "Collapse Into Now"

After hearing "Collapse Into Now" a couple of times all I can say is: EUPHORIA!!!
Yes, forgive me for not being impartial. R.E.M. means too much for me and I won't hide it, but the first impressions are amazing, like meeting and old friend and seeing that the "chemistry" is still intact. Hooray!

Here's the video for "Überlin", premiered today. Not very fond of it...but the song....the song is  R.E.M. at its best (and is not "alone" in the record). Michael, Peter and Mike (Bill you'll be forever missed) are back. Enjoy.

I am flying on a star into a meteor tonight