I feel like I’ve been away from KLYAM for a while 5-6 days, too long. I’m back and ready to ROCK AND ROLL!… or something similar.
Initial Reaction To Trash Humpers
IMDB reviewer OChrist’s feelings on this piece of work are pretty much mine exactly:
(LINK) So Harmony Korine (a great name for a gangster’s moll) was able to replicate the look of a crappy 8th generation VHS videotape? That’s some feat. So he got a bunch of irritating exhibitionists to unconvincingly disguise themselves as old people and then set them loose to hump trashcans and break old TV sets? Bravo. The only true accomplishment here is getting intelligent people to A) masochistically sit through this non-movie and then B) actually try to critique and interpret it like it’s something more than the pathetic indulgence of someone who has so much contempt for his audience that he makes Marguerite Duras look like Nora Ephron.
So when Chris ends up doing his review for this, he’ll be attempting B).
Nobunny Movie!!!
Exciting news from Nobunny <3s u:
“Nobunny/Cramps DVD is SOLD OUT! Stay tuned for blood, bunnies,beer, and things getting weird in the NOBUNNY movie! Out Easter 2011!”
Black Lips – “Christmas In Baghdad”
Christmas in Baghdad, it can be such a drag
Don’t wanna come home in a body bag
No candles, no cheer, just all violence here
Well I hope I can see you this year
Not a reindeer in sight; this ain’t no holy night
They’re putting up a hell of a fight
Guess there’s nothing we can do about it
Learn jingle bells in arabic
Hope I can make it home alive
‘Cause I’m sure missing Christmas time
Not a chance of snow
Pretty sure my heart beat will go
But please don’t let that bullet go
Face down in the sand
Fighting strangers in a foreign land
Well I hope that you can understand
Who Did it Better: ‘Shadowplay’
Back with another edition of Who did it better? They were not around a while but Joy Division was and remains one of the most influential and sometimes copied bands of all times. This time we are looking at the first track off their debut album “Unknown Pleasures” (sadly they only have two albums due to the suicide of lead singer Ian Curtis, the rest band would later reform under the name New Order)
Here is Joy Division’s ‘Shadowplay’:
Next is the Killers:
Lastly here is a Silversun Pickups version:
For me nothing comes close to the original Joy Division version, but the two covers aren’t without their own certain charm. Of the two though I like the Killers version a bit better though.
CD Review: The Liminanas [2010]
Band: The Liminanas
Release: 2010
Label: Trouble In Mind
1. “Darkside” – B-
2. “Down Underground” – B
3. “Je ne suis pas tres drogue – B-
4. “Funeral Baby” – A-
5. “Chocolate in my Milk” – B
6. “Tigre du Bengale” – C+
7. “Mountain” – B-
8. “Je suis une go-go girl” – A-
9. “Berceuse pour Clive” – B
10. “Tears” – B-
11. “Tigre du Bengale” – B-
12. “Got Nothing to Say” – A
Comments: To quote insound.com’s description of this album: “This LP has a very cinematic feel.” As a result, a lot of the songs feel pretty orchestrated and calculated. Don’t let some of the English titles fool you — this is mainly a French affair. Like I’ve mentioned in previous posts, my knowledge of French is very minimal. I don’t know what they are talking about, but that’s okay…I’ve never been all that good at/interested in interpreting lyrics anyway. “Funeral Baby” is the band’s first attempt at no frills garage-pop and the result is an awesome song. It reminds me of Davila 666, but from the South of France. As far as the rest of the record is concerned, it’s an all-together different approach to music making. There are some semi-instrumental tracks and other consistently weird rockers. Album closer “Got Nothing to Say” is a favorite from this. “Tu m’a dit que tu t’es “okay” — “You told me that you are okay” — is what I think is repeated, BUT this does not matter!
Grade: B (84)
Best Coast/Wavves – “Something For You”
*KLYAM isn’t endorsing Target!!!***
P.S. A joyful Thanksgiving is wished to all KLYAM readers.
Glen’s Best of 2010: Concerts
It looks like another year in concerts has concluded for me. I got to see 22 shows (25 in 2009) at quite a few different venues and three happened to have taken place in New York City (reppin’ Queens). While I’m not so sure 2010 can top 2009 in terms of overall favorite shows, I think it’s safe to say I had a great time concert-going. Looking back, I’m going to rate shows based on three factors: opening bands, headlining band, and experience. A great experience for me is a combination of a great venue, a great crowd, and second-by-second fun. I tend to be pretty analytical about this kind of stuff, so for math people the weighting is as follows: 20% opening bands, 20% experience, and 60% headlining band. Also, I’m usually stricter when it comes to these end of the year tallies.
A
1. Black Lips – Temptress, NYC [95]
2. No Age – Middle East Downstairs [95]
A-
3. Black Lips – Middle East Downstairs [93]
4. King Khan & The Shrines – Royale [92]
5. Wavves – Great Scott [90]
6. Nobunny – PA’s Lounge [90]
B+
7. The Walkmen – Royale [89]
8. Editors – House of Blues [89]
9. Spoon – House of Blues [87]
B
10. Paul Weller – Apollo Theater, NYC [86]
11. Girls – Paradise Rock Club [86]
12. Beach House – Paradise Rock Club [86]
13. Harlem – Great Scott [85]
14. Deerhunter (AUG) – Royale [85]
15. Those Darlins – TT The Bears [84]
16. The Growlers – TT The Bears [84]
B-
17. Deerhunter (OCT) – Royale – [83]
18. Uninhabitable Mansions – Middle East Upstairs [82]
19. Mission of Burma – Paradise Rock Club [81]
C+
20. Vivian Girls – Great Scott [79]
21. Black Lips – The Shank, NYC [78]
22. Kurt Vile – Harper’s Ferry [77]
Concert Expectations: Brandon Flowers
So the day after Thanksgiving, some friends and I are taking a little trip to see Brandon Flowers at the House Of Blues. As a giant Killers fan, I am expecting an amazing show. The Killers are amazing in a giant venue, I can only imagine what its like in a more intimate venue like the House Of Blues. I’m expecting Brandon to play most of, if not all of the songs, off Flamingo. I also hope he plays some Killers stuff. I am insanely excited to see one of my favorite performers going today and will probably not sleep tomorrow night. A full review will follow the show after I recover from my (hopefully) blown mind.
Queen- Somebody to Love
Today marks the 19th anniversary of the death of one of the greatest frontman in Rock and Roll, Freddie Mercury (he’s gotta be in at least the top ten). He died one day after announcing he had Aids. Granted not everyone is a Queen fan, but Mercury’s voice and charisma was one of a kind, so in tribute here is my favorite Queen song ‘Somebody to Love’
