"Old Brown Shoe" v. "Dear Prudence" v. "Rocky Raccoon" v. "The End"
"Dear Prudence" is among the most gorgeous songs ever written. It begins nearly funereal before working up too a fever about the sky being blue. Truly an amazing song. This was written for Mia Farrow's sister, if memory serves, as an attempt to get her to quit being a prude and have a good time with everyone else. I can't imagine it not working.
"Rocky Raccoon" is an amazing track as well, though. Paul decided to write this for the album after having heard Bob Dylan's John Wesley Harding, along with other country-tinged tracks like "Mother Nature's Son." The characters from Wind In the Willows walk into a Dodge City saloon. Beautiful. The nonsensical scatting over the ragtime piano is even a revelation.
Overall, "The End" is a better song than "Old Brown Shoe," but if I have to limit it to Ringo's contributions, even if it is one of his best the prize goes to "Old Brown Shoe."
This round:
John: 4
Paul: 3
George: 2
Ringo: 1
Totals thus far:
John: 30
Paul: 28
George: 24
Ringo: 18
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Wizard Rock
I recently attended my first mini Wizard-Rock festival. Wizard Rock is a new genre of rock where all of the acts are supposed to dress like Harry Potter characters and sing songs about the franchise. I went to see all the freaks in costume. Unfortunately, only a few band members dressed up, along with maybe one or two of the general public. One guy dressed up as Voldemort and danced onstage incessantly. In reality, he was just an annoyance in white face. It remained a mystery whether the bands brought him with them as part of the show or if he was just a nutty local. Personally, I suspect that he was an undergrad who felt thrilled at the idea of sleeping with a Hermione impersonator. Overall, I was a little less than impressed. Here was the lineup:
Ginny & the Heartbreakers
Ministry of Magic
Parselmouths
The Moaning Myrtles
The Mudbloods
The Remus Lupins
To be fair, I missed the Mudbloods and the Remus Lupins. Here are my thoughts on the others:
Ginny & the Heartbreakers were totally diappointing. I listened to their MySpace and thought they were okay. They performed "Harry Potter Gets Naked" at K-State and I assumed that since they supported reading, they were against censorship. The song is actually about Daniel Radcliffee getting naked on stage in London. Their message, though, is that he should "get his pants back on," and that doens't sit too well with me. I had hoped that as warriors for literacy they would be a bit more open-minded. Also, with the name Ginny and the Heartbreakers, I had expected at minimum a red-headed lead singer. The band consisted of two brunettes and a redhead.
The Ministry of Magic took the stage like they owned the place. They didn't. At first, I thought they sounded like early Beastie Boys (pre- Paul's Botique), but I was wrong. As their set progressed, it became clear that they were very repetitive. This trio in sweater vests bounced around stage, jumping over each others backs and simulating a microscopic mosh pit. They were three guys rapping over sampled beats; unfortumately, they had trouble rapping more than their own name. "We're the ministry of magic, yo" seemed to be about all they could muster.
The Parselmouth, two slytherin girls, had the most promising samples on their myspace page, which is why I bought their CD. In concert, they weren't as impressive. I know one of them plays piano, but in concert one barely played guitar. I would have liked a little more musical variety, though they were better than the ministry. As far as theatrics go, I had expected more green. They were both rather tall and as I remember wore mostly grey, but the shorter one had on hot pink, high-heeled Chuck Taylor's (which we used to call All-Stars), and that was by far the most memorable feature visually. During "What Kind of Name is Hermoine?," the girls brought out a third girl to play the part of Hermoine. She should have switched out with one of the brunettes in Ginny and the Weasleys because, unlike Hermoine, she was a redhead.
The Moaning Myrtles featured some of the simplest yet most effective costuming. The pianist had on navy blue knee-high stockings along with a gray skirt, which seemed both in keeping with the theme and also as though it was a conscious effort to be attractive. This would seem to me t be what you'd want to do if you were to mix Harry Potter and rock; keep rock's sex element while bringing in the wizardry. Their songs were all about one subject -- namely being a bathroom ghost -- but they brought some wicked piano riffs reminiscent of Nellie McKay and Fiona Apple. If they ever broaden their horizons, they have some real potential.
Like I said, I missed the last two acts. The others were ok, but I can only hope they improved. If my ticket sales hadn't have gone to help kids read I'd have been miffed. I had heard the music would be really good, just with limited lyrical content. I found limits in both. Still, I hope wizard rock expands and continues as a genre of its own in the years to come.
All that being said, I did buy a Parselmouths CD, appropriately titled Sssssss. Standout songtitles include "Let's Get Hagrid Fired," "What Kind of Name Is Hermione?" and "Kicking House Elves." Musically, they aren't half bad. Their songs usually are based on a few simple chords which make up a very basic riff, which they occaisionally supplement with drum machines.
The album opens with a spoken track called "Hey Guys," which consists of the girls thanking you for buying their cd. They break up laughing about halfway through, but its so geeky its almost cute.
"Eating Slugs" is perhaps the most melodic Parselmouths' offering while "Being in Slytherin Is Not Half Bad" is their funniest. The latter chronicles how the girls are slackers yet still make good grades in potions because Prof. Snape is too busy busting Potter's ass to care about them. "Daddy's Tattoo," about the mark of the Death Eaters, is both humorous and Potteresque.
Other humorous titles include "Life's Unfair," about a crush on an older professor. Another is "Two Classes," whose melody sounds lifted off a dozen 90s female singer-songwriters. Ultimately, the song is an open letter to their academic advisor about how they shouldn't be required to take "Muggle Studies" nor "Defense Against the Dark Arts."
The album isn't all great though. "Parselmouths Say Hello" is way too techno-y while "When You're A Parselmouth" walks the same line. When it comes to getting to teched out, I can only hope Hufflepuff and Gryffindor have some more musical authenticity.
Ginny & the Heartbreakers
Ministry of Magic
Parselmouths
The Moaning Myrtles
The Mudbloods
The Remus Lupins
To be fair, I missed the Mudbloods and the Remus Lupins. Here are my thoughts on the others:
Ginny & the Heartbreakers were totally diappointing. I listened to their MySpace and thought they were okay. They performed "Harry Potter Gets Naked" at K-State and I assumed that since they supported reading, they were against censorship. The song is actually about Daniel Radcliffee getting naked on stage in London. Their message, though, is that he should "get his pants back on," and that doens't sit too well with me. I had hoped that as warriors for literacy they would be a bit more open-minded. Also, with the name Ginny and the Heartbreakers, I had expected at minimum a red-headed lead singer. The band consisted of two brunettes and a redhead.
The Ministry of Magic took the stage like they owned the place. They didn't. At first, I thought they sounded like early Beastie Boys (pre- Paul's Botique), but I was wrong. As their set progressed, it became clear that they were very repetitive. This trio in sweater vests bounced around stage, jumping over each others backs and simulating a microscopic mosh pit. They were three guys rapping over sampled beats; unfortumately, they had trouble rapping more than their own name. "We're the ministry of magic, yo" seemed to be about all they could muster.
The Parselmouth, two slytherin girls, had the most promising samples on their myspace page, which is why I bought their CD. In concert, they weren't as impressive. I know one of them plays piano, but in concert one barely played guitar. I would have liked a little more musical variety, though they were better than the ministry. As far as theatrics go, I had expected more green. They were both rather tall and as I remember wore mostly grey, but the shorter one had on hot pink, high-heeled Chuck Taylor's (which we used to call All-Stars), and that was by far the most memorable feature visually. During "What Kind of Name is Hermoine?," the girls brought out a third girl to play the part of Hermoine. She should have switched out with one of the brunettes in Ginny and the Weasleys because, unlike Hermoine, she was a redhead.
The Moaning Myrtles featured some of the simplest yet most effective costuming. The pianist had on navy blue knee-high stockings along with a gray skirt, which seemed both in keeping with the theme and also as though it was a conscious effort to be attractive. This would seem to me t be what you'd want to do if you were to mix Harry Potter and rock; keep rock's sex element while bringing in the wizardry. Their songs were all about one subject -- namely being a bathroom ghost -- but they brought some wicked piano riffs reminiscent of Nellie McKay and Fiona Apple. If they ever broaden their horizons, they have some real potential.
Like I said, I missed the last two acts. The others were ok, but I can only hope they improved. If my ticket sales hadn't have gone to help kids read I'd have been miffed. I had heard the music would be really good, just with limited lyrical content. I found limits in both. Still, I hope wizard rock expands and continues as a genre of its own in the years to come.
All that being said, I did buy a Parselmouths CD, appropriately titled Sssssss. Standout songtitles include "Let's Get Hagrid Fired," "What Kind of Name Is Hermione?" and "Kicking House Elves." Musically, they aren't half bad. Their songs usually are based on a few simple chords which make up a very basic riff, which they occaisionally supplement with drum machines.
The album opens with a spoken track called "Hey Guys," which consists of the girls thanking you for buying their cd. They break up laughing about halfway through, but its so geeky its almost cute.
"Eating Slugs" is perhaps the most melodic Parselmouths' offering while "Being in Slytherin Is Not Half Bad" is their funniest. The latter chronicles how the girls are slackers yet still make good grades in potions because Prof. Snape is too busy busting Potter's ass to care about them. "Daddy's Tattoo," about the mark of the Death Eaters, is both humorous and Potteresque.
Other humorous titles include "Life's Unfair," about a crush on an older professor. Another is "Two Classes," whose melody sounds lifted off a dozen 90s female singer-songwriters. Ultimately, the song is an open letter to their academic advisor about how they shouldn't be required to take "Muggle Studies" nor "Defense Against the Dark Arts."
The album isn't all great though. "Parselmouths Say Hello" is way too techno-y while "When You're A Parselmouth" walks the same line. When it comes to getting to teched out, I can only hope Hufflepuff and Gryffindor have some more musical authenticity.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Shameless Self-Promotion
Time for a little shameless self-promotion. Kansas State University released its intersession class list today, so I thought I'd post the description for the one I'm teaching.
It's a deal too. Only 612.50 for residents and 1,586 for non- residents. Sign up today! ;)
Bob Dylan's Literary Contexts
Engl 295
05/19/2008 to 06/06/2008
9 am to 12 pm MTWUF
3 Undergraduate Credit Hours
Recent years have seen an increasingly high level of academic interst in the work of Bob Dylan. As Dylan's oeuvre continues to grow it is important to consider his place in the American arts, and his contributions to language are just as important as his contributions to music. The main focus of the class would be on the text of Dylan's songs. Close readings of the lyrics would be supplemented with readings from critical articles, chapters from book-length studies of Dylan, and Dylan's own commentary, through both interviews and prose.
A course pack will be used.
Class #94511
It's a deal too. Only 612.50 for residents and 1,586 for non- residents. Sign up today! ;)
Bob Dylan's Literary Contexts
Engl 295
05/19/2008 to 06/06/2008
9 am to 12 pm MTWUF
3 Undergraduate Credit Hours
Recent years have seen an increasingly high level of academic interst in the work of Bob Dylan. As Dylan's oeuvre continues to grow it is important to consider his place in the American arts, and his contributions to language are just as important as his contributions to music. The main focus of the class would be on the text of Dylan's songs. Close readings of the lyrics would be supplemented with readings from critical articles, chapters from book-length studies of Dylan, and Dylan's own commentary, through both interviews and prose.
A course pack will be used.
Class #94511
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Why Mr. Magorium Couldn't Work his Magic for Ebert
When Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium was released, critics scathed it, and unnecessarily so. I saw it recently, and while it was no Neverending Story, it wasn't the worst children's film I've seen either. Here's my theory on why:
Critics have an imbedded loathing of kids films that aren't computer animated. The critics, jumped all over Ratatouille. I remember reading early reviews which suggested that it might be nominated for best picture, and, while I certainly enjoyed Ratatouille, it wasn't as interesting of a film as other Pixar-fare such as Meet the Robinsons or The Incredibles.
In the seventies and eighties there were loads of mystical, incredible live action and puppet films: Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, The Muppet Movie, Neverending Story, The Peanut Butter Solution, Willow, Labyrinth. Not all of those got great reviews either. Sure, the effects may come off as more hokey than inspired and realistic, but that just means these films require a little more of what makes them magical -- imagination. If people just came Mr. Magorium a chance, they'd find in it some of the same magic that makes these films so inspiring.
Critics have an imbedded loathing of kids films that aren't computer animated. The critics, jumped all over Ratatouille. I remember reading early reviews which suggested that it might be nominated for best picture, and, while I certainly enjoyed Ratatouille, it wasn't as interesting of a film as other Pixar-fare such as Meet the Robinsons or The Incredibles.
In the seventies and eighties there were loads of mystical, incredible live action and puppet films: Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, The Muppet Movie, Neverending Story, The Peanut Butter Solution, Willow, Labyrinth. Not all of those got great reviews either. Sure, the effects may come off as more hokey than inspired and realistic, but that just means these films require a little more of what makes them magical -- imagination. If people just came Mr. Magorium a chance, they'd find in it some of the same magic that makes these films so inspiring.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Jill Sobule Charity
Jill Sobule is an indie icon. Her music is smart; she's among the most affecting lyricsits I know and her words are carried along on gorgeous melodies.
I came to Jill Sobule's music relatively late, around the realease of her most recent album, Underdog Victorious. I saw the video for "Cinnamon Park," an early seventies power-pop throwback (it samples Chicago, but has the spirit of the Raspberries with Melanie sitting in). The song was wicked catchy and the video was wild, so I ordered the album immediately. It quickly became one of my two most-played albums of 2004 (along with Nellie McKay's Get Away From
Me). "Cinnamon Park" also soon became my least favorite song on the album. I didn't enjoy it any less; the rest of the album was just that tremendous. "Jetpack" is the best love song cum social-class awareness ever. It far surpasses runner-up "Workingman's Blues #2" (sorry, Bob), and that's saying something. Her musical range is astonishing too. The lounge-dance vibe of "Joey"is as accomplished as the rockabilly rave up of "I Saw A Cop." Now I have all of her studio albums and am a fan of every one.
The problem is, Sobule is in danger of not having another album. She has it written, but needs the money to properly record and promote it. Instead of trying to broker a deal with a label, she is taking matters into her own hands. Sobule is asking fans to sponsor her album, and is offering various prizes depending on their level of sponsorship. Check it out and lend her a few bucks:
http://www.jillsnextrecord.com/
http://www.jillsobule.com/
***NEWS ALERT***
By the time I posted this, Jill had exceeded her goal and is no longer accepting donations - go Jill! Hopefully, she will stop somewhere near Kansas (or wherever I might be living at the time) on tour. In the meantime, while we are all feening for her next disc, go out and buy whatever you don't have and give it a spin. You are bound to be impressed!
I came to Jill Sobule's music relatively late, around the realease of her most recent album, Underdog Victorious. I saw the video for "Cinnamon Park," an early seventies power-pop throwback (it samples Chicago, but has the spirit of the Raspberries with Melanie sitting in). The song was wicked catchy and the video was wild, so I ordered the album immediately. It quickly became one of my two most-played albums of 2004 (along with Nellie McKay's Get Away From
Me). "Cinnamon Park" also soon became my least favorite song on the album. I didn't enjoy it any less; the rest of the album was just that tremendous. "Jetpack" is the best love song cum social-class awareness ever. It far surpasses runner-up "Workingman's Blues #2" (sorry, Bob), and that's saying something. Her musical range is astonishing too. The lounge-dance vibe of "Joey"is as accomplished as the rockabilly rave up of "I Saw A Cop." Now I have all of her studio albums and am a fan of every one.
The problem is, Sobule is in danger of not having another album. She has it written, but needs the money to properly record and promote it. Instead of trying to broker a deal with a label, she is taking matters into her own hands. Sobule is asking fans to sponsor her album, and is offering various prizes depending on their level of sponsorship. Check it out and lend her a few bucks:
http://www.jillsnextrecord.com/
http://www.jillsobule.com/
***NEWS ALERT***
By the time I posted this, Jill had exceeded her goal and is no longer accepting donations - go Jill! Hopefully, she will stop somewhere near Kansas (or wherever I might be living at the time) on tour. In the meantime, while we are all feening for her next disc, go out and buy whatever you don't have and give it a spin. You are bound to be impressed!
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Irish Jam
If you have ever wondered what kind of movie place traditional Celtic folk music alongside some bouncin' hip-hop, wonder no more. Irish Jam, which I picked up from the St. Patrick's Day dispaly at the local store Digital Shelf, has both. Eddie Griffin sends in an entry to a Irish poetry contest, the prize of which is ownership of a pub. Once there, he falls in love with an Irish lass who is promised to the local racist. Conflict ensues, but everyone ends happy. Is this a good movie? No. Is it the worst movie I've seen? Maybe. Still, I don't want those 88 minutes of my life back. The theme song, "Irish Jam," sounds like a 2006 update of "Men In Black," except instead of Will Smith rapping about aliens you have Eddie Griffin rapping about leprechauns decked out in bling. The melody of the chorus is the same, but "Jam" has a better backbeat which makes the movie bearable.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Flowers Forever -- The Next Big Thing?
I saw these guys a few weeks ago when they opened for Daniel Johnston in Omaha, NE. Frankly, I wasn't that impressed. They had a bass player who was obviously copying his every move off of the Who's John Entwhistle and their lead singer kept attempting making love to his guitar. He hopped around the stage like a kid too happy to be on exctacy and basically annoyed me. There were a few moments though where I took notice. One song, "Jealous Motherfucker" (these guys are semi-big on profanity) features a catchy chorus that goes "Are you high? Nooo. Are you loooooow?" My friend Tony aptly pointed out that it was the kind of thing I'd pick out at karaoke. Another strong point of their set was a tremendous revisioning of "Strange Fruit," the Lewis Allen-penned Billie Holiday classic. Truly amazing.
Still, I wasn't that impressed, but my friend Will was. He bought their album and begged to listen to it on the drive home. When we finally put it on, it was like the blinders were lifted. This band was amazing in the studio. They were like a garage raga version of the Arcade Fire. Unique and strangely powerful. Unfortunately, I thought I'd never get a chance to own their album. The next day I went by the local indie record store (Sister of Sound -- dig it!) and told the younger sister about the album. Went I went back today to investigate an order I'd made, they had it among the new releases with a note about them having opened for Daniel Johnston. I gushed with excitement and bought it immediately.
Listening to it anew, it still sounds as good as I had hoped it would. I got four cds today, and against heavy competition (Bob Dylan's Artist's Choice for Starbucks and Good For What Ails You: Music of the Medicine Shows, 1926-1937), I listened to this one first. The liner notes are among the most elaborate I've seen -- a fold out, diamond-shaped mosaic of drug-addled dementia. The lyrics are included, but its the weirdness of the photos that brands the brain with searing sensation.
Don't get me wrong; some of their stuff is the overblown suckage one might expect from arthouse rock. "Golden Shackles" is an overly didactic political song that ends with the chant "Some change better come! We ain't fuckin' around no more!" Sorry to tell you this, but what do you think you're gonna do if change doesn't come? It's not like you are Neil Young, and its not like he can do anything but make another album. Sorry, but your either fucking around or your whining; which do you prefer?
Still, despite the wining, I suggest anyone who finds this album to pick it up. It is a true gem to hear.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)