The Indie Anthology 3: essential songs

A wonderful forgotten treasure for the third choice of our anthology...

Song: Leeds Station
Artist: The Parachute Men
Year: 1989

The Parachute Men was a wonderful British band with a pretty short history. They formed in 1985, released two albums, "The Innocents" and "Earth, Dogs, and Eggshells" (both highly recommended), and several singles, including this outstanding "Leeds Station", before splitting in 1990. You know when, in very rare, extraordinary occasions, since the very first second you are sure you will fall in love with a song? That was my case with "Leeds Station". Haunting melody, shimmering guitars and soulful vocals...all the elements to define the tune as pure jangle-pop at its best. Never been in Leeds, but after hearing this song seems a great place to call home...

"Some Kind of Monster", Metallica goes to therapy

Some Kind of Monster

I'm not into heavy metal/hard rock music, so is not surprise I have never liked Metallica. Well, it is much worse than that. I hate Metallica. They ever-present bombastic poses, combined with James Hetfield voice, particularly annoying to me (how he ends every phrase, damn it), and of course their brutal success when I was a teenager (I was such a "weirdo" cause I didn't get "Nothing Else Matters", I still can't) made my relation with the band an excruciating one (drummer Lars Ulrich didn't help a bit with his crusade against Napster either). But I guess time has relaxed my belligerency against the group, so I admit I was curious enough to watch this highly praised rockumentary.

It's pretty amazing that Metallica, as well as each one of its individuals, allowed the documentary crew to be ever-present during almost two years, from 2001 to 2003, in which they were supposed to record a new album. But the film quickly shows that this is not only about what would become "St. Anger", their eighth studio album, but an unexpectedly deep insight of very turbulent times. Don't expect much grandeur and enjoyment for making music. Metallica fans, don't expect a pretty, flattering portray of your heroes. Instead, you'll find some misery and fights against each other.

Because "Some Kind of Monster" (what a suitable name for the film)  is about the clash of the different personalities of the band members and the psychological dynamics of the band. And their exposure is, sometimes, brutal. For a while, a long while during the documentary, seems you are watching what should be the private breakdown of Metallica. Their members are evidently burnt-out, and is hard for the audience to see there's a real interest in creating new music. We see how they decide to hire a therapist to help them control an deal with the arising tensions, specially between Hetfield and Ulrich.

There's too much "shit" (sorry for that) floating around Metallica. How they fired former bassist, Jason Newsted, the ego clashes between the two leaders of the band, a producer that is incapable of mediating, the self-indulgence of a band that has become "too big", the conciliation with their new family lives with rock and roll lifestyle, Napster, addictions...  They all appear in the form of poignant scenes. The lack of enthusiasm for playing music or even practicing is obvious. But somehow, they are rebelling against giving up. "Some Kind of Monster" reveals itself as the documentary of a therapy. It looks like a torture many times (the scene with Dave Mustaine, leader of  Megadeth, is so disturbingly shocking), but they finally go somewhere (credit Robert Trujillo as an important factor too). Its a process of survival, self-knowledge and pain.

There a few but important concerns to be made. One is the excessive length of the film. Its understandable that with some many hours filmed, directors Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky had tones of material to work with. But considering most of the documentary takes place at the studio, the movie suffers from being too long (maybe fans won't say so). And directly linked with that amount of material, I have the feeling there are some very sharp transitions during the movie. My guess is the band, despite showing so much, exposing so much themselves, put some limits. Flashbacks into the past of the band are not really justified, the open fight between Hetfield and Ulrich, or with the therapist, are not resolved on screen. The Mustaine and Newsted's affairs as well remain there too. Many "situations" are presented but never fully developed.

Overall, "Some Kind of Monster" is a very powerful, at times absolutely striking, rockumentary about one of the biggest bands of the last thirty years, in their lowest moment. Fans absolutely HAVE to see it, but even people who doesn't care about music would find this film interesting. Rock stars are as petty, complex and vulnerable as everyone else. Praise the members of Metallica for being so brave to expose themselves as human beings.

SCORE: 6,75/10

The Cure at Primavera Sound 2012: wished playlist

As expected, The Cure have been confirmed as one of the Primavera Sound Festival headliners. Not really surprising, and not my first choice either, but I'm very happy I'll finally see Robert Smith and co. live. Let's celebrate with what would be my wished setlist!

1. Plainsong
2. Fascination Street
3. Maybe Someday
4. Charlotte Sometimes
5. In Between Days
6. Friday I'm In Love
7. Wrong Number
8. How Beautiful You Are
9. Pictures of You
10. The Hanging Garden
11. Disintegration
12. 39
13. Lullaby
14. Lovesong
15. Prayers for Rain
16. To Wish Impossible Things 
17. Where the Birds Always Sing 
18. Just Like Heaven
19. High
20. A Night Like This
21. Mint Car
22. A Forest
23. Cut Here
24. Play for Today
25. Boys Don't Cry

The Indie Anthology 2: essential songs

For my second choice of this peculiar and very personal anthology, a classic. And if you allow me, with a familiar note. A little homage after a tough day at the hospital.

Song: Something On Your Mind
Artist: Karen Dalton 
Year: 1971

Revivalist movements have something good. Sure, there's a lot of copy and "jumping on the bandwagon" of the successful trend, but aside the (very few) good new bands, it makes you recover a lost gem you hadn't heard in ages. That was the case with the neofolk revivalist movement, that brought us back the amazing Karen Dalton.
Well, honestly, Dalton was not really "recovered". It is fair to say she was mostly ignored in her own time. But on a personal level, my father (can't remember exactly where) had this incredible song. Thanks to a proper and deserved remaster of her work in 2006, the tune now has passed to the son.
In his wonderful memories "Chronicles", Bob Dylan referred to Dalton as her favourite singer in the early 60s among the folk troubadours of Greenwich Village, comparing her voice to Billie Holiday's and her guitar style to Jimmy Reed. Her destiny was tragic, releasing only two albums. The debut "It’s so Hard to Tell Who’s Gonna Love You Best”, thanks to Neil Young, in 1969, and, "In My Own Time", in 1971, after being completely forgotten, just to be found dead in the early 90s on the streets of NY, sick and addicted.
Yes, Dalton was a singer and not a composer. But what a singer she was. And yes, "In Your Own Time", the album that opens with "Something On Your Mind" is a collection of covers. But what an incredible collection of covers. What an interpretation. What a magnificent marriage between her vocal warmth with the eternal, extraordinary melody, folk with jazz echoes, sublime, ethereal, celestial. Seems suspended on air.

Dedicated to my father

"Martin Dressler", building the fake empire

Martin Dressler: The Tale of an American Dreamer 
Steven Millhauser

Very hard book to rate. It made think of many other references, in particular to movies like "There Will Be Blood" (the raise of America), "Synecdoche, New York" (these actors at the end), of books like "The Tenants of Moonbloom" and in a very particular note, on a very good friend of mine, and one of my all-time favourite songs, The National's "Fake Empire" (obvious reasons). The problem is that, while I enjoyed watching/reading/hearing these works, I cannot say the same about "Martin Dressler".

My biggest "issue" with the book is how it is written. Steven Millhauser prose (at least in this novel) is focused in descriptions, where his pen becomes exuberant and profuse. Something that very few exceptions aside, I find annoying. Worse, there's the feeling descriptions keep increasing while you read, there's a sense of accumulation, which exhausted me. I don't need that never-ending catalogue of objects.

Which in all honesty, is a quite unfair comment to the book, because that obsession for the details reflected in the exhaustive descriptions are quite in order to show us the nature of Martin Dressler, the main character of the novel. Martin is a very peculiar character. He is like a child that seems capable of succeeding in everything that he desires... to the point of being obsessed.. until he gets it... and then he needs a new obsession. I can see Millhauser sees Martin not only as a very interesting character, but also as a metaphor of the times he lived (the end of 19th-century and the start of the new one) and a prophetic voice of the capitalist self-made man in America. The one that was capable of creating and living the American Dream.

Millhauser writes about Martin's success in an almost magical way. He clearly has the intention of creating a fable, but the lack of realism in the "superficial story" to me was a bit tricky, or better said, discouraging. Is that ambition? Is he a pioneer? An enterpreneur? Or a silly kid that gets easily bored? While I don't think a clear answer is needed, as keeping the mistery could be even more interesting than resolving it, in my opinion "Martin Dressler" doesn't make the "trip" addictive for the reader, as I believe the book works better on a philosophical level.

Another clear example, at least to me, is the apparition of his "emotional live" while he keeps getting richer. On a symbolic level is a pretty suggesting combination, deconstruction of what can someone find attractive in a women (there's three of them here) with the addition of the typical sexual awakening (whorehouse classic scene) and being seduced while he is married. Sure, Caroline, Margaret and Emmeline all represent different sides of woman of that times. But again, on what regards to the development of the story, their role is very boring and poorly resolved (the "shooting" chapter in particular).

I don't want to be too hard with "Martin Dressler" as I can easily see the amount of incentives this book might have for many readers. Its stimulating, conceptually very rich and profuse in imagery (loved the dichotomy of going underground while at the same time aspiring to go higher with their hotels). Sure, Martin works great as a paradigm of capitalism, but sorry again, that interpretation also works for the book itself. Its a paradigm of ambition, in terms of structure, style and scope. Like capitalism, this book is a voracious monster that finally ends swallowing itself.

SCORE: 4,5/10

The Indie Anthology 1: essential songs

We start a new section of the blog today, with the only purpose of "rescuing" songs (one on each post) that no one should miss, and build a very special Indie Anthology while we rediscover or enjoy for the first time this not so well-known indie gems. 

Song: Revolutionary Spirit

Band: The Wild Swans

Year: 1982

Our first song is a wonder that celebrates its 30th Anniversary this year. The debut single (never to appear on a regularly released album) of The Wild Swans, the cult and damned band from Liverpool, who disbanded in 1990, but luckily returned to music in 2011. Leaded by the ridiculously talented Paul Simpson (former member of the also essential group The Teardrop Explodes). Post-romantic, epic lyrics, with one of the best melodies post-punk/new wave's style has given to music. Thanks to Pete de Freitas (Echo and The Bunnymen, Simpson's friend and flatmate) who funded, produced and played the drums on the single.

"Crazy, Stupid, Love.", one-night stand entertainment

Crazy, Stupid, Love.

Ok, "Crazy, Stupid, Love" is not going to shake the foundations of film industry, and won't (shouldn't) go down in history. But as a romantic comedy with a limited palette, it has an undeniable charm, thanks to the chemistry of their cast, and some very funny and rewarding moments, plus an engaging vibe that lasts almost the entire film.

As I just said, the plot of "Crazy, Stupid, Love" is pretty archetypical. Won't go into it because I would easily ruin it for you, but very briefly: is the sort of coral rom-com, with love affairs for every age group, from teenage years to a 40-some couple that breaks their marriage after 25 years, where no one is taking what he/she wants.

Despite the pivotal story of the film is the Weaver's breakup, soon one realise this is mainly the show of two characters/actors: the heartbroken Cal Weaver played by Steve Carell, and Jacob Palmer, the ladyslayer played by Ryan Gosling. They met in a pickup bar and build an awkwad, pygmalionesque, relationship, where the young one teaches the out-of-the-market, old-fashioned middle-aged one, how to pick up girls. Honestly, in the hands of many comedians this argument would have been annoying, but Carell and Gosling make it amusing. Praise Carell for being capable of showing so many different faces with that credibility on the same film.

The movie keeps going and the related stories start evolving, with some hilarious situations and a flowing pace. Also with some strange and anticlimactic moments, I guess the way directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa want to subvert the obvious and trite paths of romantic comedies. Unfortunately, the movie only "seems" original, but is far from being really brave or revolutionary. On the contrary, as we cross the halfway point, it becomes evident "Crazy, Stupid, Love." makes a conscious decision for a commercial, conservative ending. Not complaining, because I didn't think the movie had any other pretension than being a good entertainment.

Aside for its more foreseeable second half I have two other concerns too add to the film. One is typical of the coral movies. Stories tends to be unbalanced. In this case I would say the youngest "love affair" is a flimsy argument, and it gets a bit overexploited, despite babysitter's Jessica is a character fantastically played by Analeigh Tipton. Also, is a bit disappointing wasting such a great actress like Julianne Moore, or in a more secondary roles, Kevin Bacon and Marisa Tomei, for their limited (the latest two are pure caricatures) roles. And the second one is the end. We get almost 20 unnecessary (in my opinion) extra minutes from what could have been a much better scene (that fight is among the funniest of the film) to close the film on a high note. But instead we have a very typical, commercially safe one.

Overall, this is a quite pleasant movie, thanks to the great performance of Steve Carell, well backed by Ryan Gosling and the rest of the cast, with some memorable scenes (one involving "Dirty Dancing" which is remarkable) that makes it a nice entertainment. Following its argument, don't expect the "love of your life", but  will do for a one-night stand.

SCORE: 6/10