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Thursday, September 29, 2011

Movie Review: 50/50



Earlier this week, Andrew and I had the fortunate opportunity to attend an advanced screening of 50/50, the new comedy/drama, starring Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, that examines the toll a terminal illness takes on a person and their relationships. I had high hopes going in...all the press reviews had been positive and I'm a big fan of both Rogen and JGL. Here's what I have to say:

Throwback Thursdays


After quite a hiatus, I'm back with new ideas aplenty. I'm a huge fan of the music of yesteryear and a firm believer in "you can't know where you're going unless you know where you've been." With that said, here is the first track for the newest column Throwback Thursdays:

Monday, September 26, 2011

Kevin Devine Smells Teen Spirit, 20 Years Later

In honor of the 20th anniversary of Nevermind, the quintessential album from Nirvana that brought Grunge to the mainstream, Kevin Devine has covered the entire album. Because he is one of the coolest people in the music industry, the album is also free to download. Head to the link below to check it out.

Kevin Devine covers Nevermind

Thursday, September 22, 2011

New Music: The Tallest Man on Earth - "Weather Of A Killing Kind"

Okay,so this isn't exactly brand spanking new, as the track was released by Adult Swim (what?) a few months ago. Regardless, The Tallest Man on Earth is currently my favorite folk artist. This track is more of the same from the Swede, but in this case, that's a phenomenal thing.



Head over the rcrdlbl.com for a free download.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

EMPAC Happenings: Phantom Limb: 69˚S.

This coming weekend, EMPAC has another killer event. I'm really stoked for this one, and you should be too. Here's the release:


Phantom Limb: 69ºS.
Friday + Saturday, September 23 + 24, 2011, 8 PM
Theater
EMPAC
Troy, NY
$18 general admission / $13 students + seniors

A stunning vision of Antarctica’s past, present, and future—uniting puppetry, junk-rock, dance, film, history, and photography with contemporary music.


Tuesday, September 20, 2011

New Music: La Dispute - "Edward Benz, 27 Times"

I will never forget listening to La Dispute's debut full-length, Somewhere at the Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair, for the first time. The album re-ignited my passion for music, and brought me back to how I felt the first time I heard Thursday's Full Collapse. Needless to say, when I read they were releasing a new album, Wildlife (October 4th), I was excited. Then they gifted "Edward Benz, 27 Times" to the public, and I have to say, my expectations for the new disc are now truly massive. Bettering their first full-length would be a grand achievement. See what all the fuss is about for yourself:




PS - Below the cut are the lyrics to the song. I recommend reading them as you listen. It gets intense at the end.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Four Tet and Jon Hopkins @ EMPAC

Probably the most "mainstream" event you'll see at EMPAC this Fall is Four Tet and Jon Hopkins, treating us to a night electronic music this Thursday, the 14th. If you can make it to this show, be advised that tickets are going FAST, like Usain Bolt fast. So don't wait and try to get them at the door. Here's the release from EMPAC:

PERFORMANCE
Four Tet + Jon Hopkins
Thursday, September 15, 2011, 8 PM
Goodman Studio 1
EMPAC, Troy, NY
$18/13/6

A stellar double bill featuring two of Britain’s hottest musicians, producers, and composers of electronic music performing their trademark energetic knob-twisting beats intertwined with live video and a unique instrumental piano set.

With several Four Tet studio albums, remixes, and outstanding live shows to his credit, Kieran Hebden remains rooted in many musical camps.

His work with legendary jazz drummer Steve Reid was a significant milestone in Hebden’s career—what began as a handful of live collaborations soon developed into something on a far grander scale. The fruits of this artistic connection have produced critically acclaimed albums for Domino records. Four Tet has produced a number of remixes for artists such as Explosions in the Sky, Thom Yorke, and Steve Reich; worked with directors and artists such as Woof Wan Bau and Jason Evans; and extensively toured the UK, Europe, the US, and Japan.

Jon Hopkins is a London-based electronic composer, producer, and remixer who makes powerfully emotive, instrumental music that consistently crosses genres. He is a long-term collaborator of Brian Eno. He has also collaborated with Wayne McGregor, King Creosote, and David Holmes; made remixes for artists such as Wild Beasts, Nosaj Thing, James Yorkston, and Four Tet; and created film scores for directors such as Peter Jackson and Gareth Edwards. His hyper-energetic live show has been seen at some of the world’s most iconic venues, including the Sydney Opera House and Madison Square Garden, and at numerous clubs and concert halls around the world.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

EMPAC Happenings: EARBRAINS

Only two weeks into the season, and EMPAC is bringing us another killer event. Electronic music is all the rage today, and EMPAC knows it (this show, then Four Tet next week...yeah, Four Tet). Check out the release on EARBRAINS below.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Exciting new albums are streaming!


The great year in music continues in September with a lot of great releases coming up. Many of these albums have been made available for streaming so that you can preview them before you buy. Get the list of albums and links after the jump. Enjoy!

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Review: Tales from the Gimli Hospital: Reframed

Though I consider myself a pseudo-Cinephile, and spent several years seeking out the most obscure films I could find, I had never heard of Tales from the Gimli Hospital, or Guy Maddin for that matter, until this event popped up on EMPAC's calendar (hence "pseudo"). Mainly intrigued that the film's narration, score and sound effects were going to be created live, I decided I had to check it out.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

A Bit of Film and Music

If any of you like foreign films, here is a look at the Mexican crime thriller from Gerardo Naranjo called Miss Bala. It's centered around the drug cartel. It gained praise at Cannes and is due to hit sometime in October. Check it out!





Additionally, if you watched this trailer and noticed the awesome song it features, I went a step further to let you check out the full version as well. Saint Saviour has an EP available that was released earlier this year and it's worth a listen. Enjoy!