Recent vinyl listens - May 2020

It's May 2020, we are in mid quarantine (sort of). Business are opening, and the future is super weird looking. I have actually been super busy with my other hustles, so apologies for not getting an update sooner.

• I made a large scale 8 ft. x 10 ft. art commission for a local Dallas law firm. That was super fun and rewarding, and came at a perfect time!
• I recently interviewed for a new job. I'm not 100% finished with this process but I am really close to the final lap. 

In any case, I wanted to take some time to write about some recent vinyl I've been digging on. I'll discuss why I love these albums and whether the vinyl experience is different from any other format. It usually is, but quality seems to vary depending on the artist. 

• Ramones - Ramones (1976) - This album is a ton of fun. It's super straight forward, jangly and simple, and full of energy. Aside from the bass being more prominent and the mix being a bit less muddy than it tends to be in other formats, it's not a lot different from what you've heard before. That being said, if you want a go-to at a party this album is always a reliable one to put on. I am a little disappointed that Joey's voice is a little grainy sounding, but that's kind of how it was from the start. This album does highlight the sheer level of physicality it probably took Marky Ramone to pull off the constant churn and burn of the power chords that made this album so memorable. The band's interest in power pop and jangle pop also lend a sense of fun that's often not present on other Punk albums of the era. 
• Queen - Queen II (1974) - Like a lot of Queen albums, this sounds absolutely pristine, and the vinyl format really elevates the music above and beyond. This is probably one of Queen's more nerdy/fantasy-driven albums. However, the music just flows so well from one track to another. This is probably one of Freddie's singing moment's vocally in their catalog. If you are looking for a more personal introspective look at Queen, this probably is not your album, but it's still a gem. I could see the band having a lot of fun making this album though. 
• Stone Roses - Second Coming (1994) - Ian Brown and Co.'s second and final album is a really great dive into funk, rock, and psychedelia. It doesn't quite have the mass appeal or pop sensibility of their debut, but that's kind of not the point here. I would say that the vinyl experience is definitely immersive, and worth the listen. It is a bit on the long side, so it's a great album to listen to while doing chores or staying busy. If you want to get lost in the details it's not a bad listen either. It's a shame this band had so many troubles business-wise because they could have had a much longer and more fruitful career. There's always Brown's solo work. 
• Depeche Mode - Songs of Faith, Love, and Devotion (1993) - This was my first foray into Depeche Mode's music. It was released on the heels of their most popular album 'Violator'. This album doesn't quite have the pop sensibility of that album, but it shows a ton of growth and musical/lyrical maturity. Apparently, the process of making this album came with a lot of tension and growing pains. The fruits of that struggle are definitely worth hearing. Normally, I don't bother with groups that use electronics on vinyl, because frankly, you don't get much of anything different that wasn't organically sourced from a human being banging on an instrument. Thankfully that is not the case with this album. They dive headfirst into gospel, industrial, and rock on a lot of these songs, and it gives this album a real sense of warmth. There are dark and lush tones throughout the album. This was always a band of really talented musicians, and they decided to let their musicianship shine on this record. That's what really drew me to this album and it makes for a really joyful listen. 
• Mono Mono - Give the Beggar a Chance (1971) - When trying to choose between a first entry into the wonderful world of Afrobeat, you usually start with Fela Kuti. I do really enjoy his music quite a lot. However, I wanted to see what else was being produced in this genre. A video from the youtube channel Deep Cuts highlighted this album as essential listening. I got curious and gave this one a listen. Jazz, psychedelic rock, and African folk are a common thread that makes this album stand out from Kuti's more big band inspired songs. That's not to say there isn't a lot in common with the Afrobeat pioneer. This album is a bit more laid back if I am going to pinpoint a difference. Much like the stone roses, this is a great album to keep your mind busy while working or cleaning the house, etc. One thing I noticed is that one half of the record plays at a different speed than the other, so changing disks is a bit disorienting at first. It's an easy fix but can throw you off if you don't know at first. Otherwise, it's a great listen. 

Pearl Jam - best to least good

With the release of the band's new album "Gigaton" imminent, I felt it would be a good time to discuss the wide, and very varied discograph of Pearl Jam. This band is very near and dear to my heart. I'm kind of an outlier in the sense that I prefer their weirder and more experimental moments. I feel the band is mostly at it's best when they are at their most esoteric and thoughtful.
The band started out in a fairly turbulent time in the history of the United States. Our country was in the middle of the gulf war, and heading towards the waning days of George Bush Sr.' s presidency. Generation X was at their peak, and it showed through Pearl Jam's music. In the preceeding years the band did mature and grow out of that angsty phase. To me, this set them aside from a lot of (awful) bands that would go on to ape their "style." I say that because the general public usually listens to their first album and kinda stops at that. You are really doing youself a disservice by only sticking to Ten. I personally don't hate that album, but I find it largely very orver rated in the grand scheme of their output. In any case I preface this list by saying I don't outright hate any of their albums, but I do tend to prefer the band when they were a bit less overly self serious. A lot of people dislike the band for that reason, and I get some people's dislike of Eddie's "yarl" mostly because we had to endure a decade of shitty Creed music. But with Ed I have never really minded that much, and his vocals tend to get a lot less operatic once you venture past the first album. I would even say VS. is a better starting point. In any case, here's a rough estimate of my "list."

1. No Code (1996) - Yeah, I get it. A lot of people don't like this record. It definitely doesn't have the energy of their previous album, but what this album lacks in punch it makes up for in spades in substance. It definitely takes many listens to get into this one, but I found this album to be an extremely enriching experience. This came at a weird time for the band, and it's understandable that this one comes off as a bit odd. However, Ed was really digging into lyrical content that no rock band had, and really has ever covered since. This was the first step the band took into philosophy, self-care, and maturity. They had spent some time off to tour with Neil Young, and you really feel his influence, especially on songs like "Smile" and "Off he goes." This album has been a real guiding light in my life. The band made this transition from a brooding self-destructive "grunge" band to a band that had some really meaningful things to say. As much as I enjoy VS. and Vitalogy for their energy, they are really albums that cover a laundry list of things for Ed to complain about. and that's not to say some of that isn't present here. Lukin and Habit are definitely reflective of what was going on with the guys. Ed had a realy stalker problem, and had to go through years of therapy to overcome depression and anxiety he developed due to not being able to really handle his fame in a healthy manner. Songs like "Red Mosquito" and "I'm Open" show the band exploring a trippy and experimental side that they don't always explore. Also, Smile still slaps.
It's worth noting that former Red Hot Chilli Peppers drummer Jack Irons joined the band for this album and Yield. His influence really shows an interesting shift in the bands style.
But songs like "Who You Are", "In My Tree", and "Present Tense" represent the band leading themselves and the listener to a healthier outlook on life, and that really is why this album earns my top spot. Even "Hail, Hail" has a really deep and meaningful message about relationships, even if it's not the most interesting song they have ever written. Also, I really love the way this album begins with a prayer ("Sometimes") and ends with a lullaby ("Around the Bend"). If you think this album is "boring" that's your loss I guess. It's got a ton to offer. To each their own.

2. Binaural (2000) - Another album that's often unfairly maligned in their catalog. One common criticism is that the production is farily murky in a sense. This could be attributed to the Binarual recording techniques the album got it's name from. and yes, this album is generally on the more mellow side. However, to me, that's not a bad thing. This album represents some of the best songs this band has ever written. Is the execution always on par with the writing? That depends on who you ask. This album was my introduction to this band. My step brother had me listen to the song "Light years" as I was kind of a hater of the band at this point. I had only heard "Ten", and even to this day I have mixed feelings about their debut. There are a few songs that were cut from this album that made their way onto their rarities album "Lost Dogs." "Fatal" really should have made the cut as it's probably one of the best slow songs the band has ever written. but Rival is probably the best song the band has ever written about the topic of school violence (I hate "Jeremy" by the way). "Of the girl", "Thin Air", "Grievance", "Breakerfall", "Insignificance", "Parting Ways", and "Slight of Hand" are probably up there as my favorite songs by the band. "Soon Forget" Is a nice little ukelele tun that was directly inspired by Pete Townshend of the Who. To me this album also represents the band kind of having more fun, and this is the point where they entered into their phase as a classic rock band. I know Ed had bad writer's block, and Mike had some health issues, but despite that this is a very exceptional album.

3. Vs. (1993) - If anyone wants to dive into this band I would say start here. Pearl Jam really explore their punkier side on this album. This record is just pure fury and energy. Ed did away with a lot of the operatic tendencies of Ten and focused more on being visceral. This album is also one of their most finely tuned political statements. Subjects ranging from police brutality ("W.M.A") to gun violence ("Glorified G") to corrupt politics ("Rats") to anti-domestic abuse ("Go", "Animal", "Daughter") are explored here in very metaphorical but blunt ways. Also, "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town" is probably the best ballad the band ever wrote, and displays their strengths as storytellers. Also, if you ever get a chance to hear the band duet "Indifference" with Ben Harper, it's totally worth it. Only semi negative thing I would say is this album really deals a fair amount with Eds' conflicting relationship with his fame. While "Blood" absolutely slaps, it's definitely just him complaining a bunch. That being said this subject isn't dealt with quite as much as it is on Vitalogy.

4. Yield (1998) - Another one of their "Weird" albums. Though to be honest I don't find Yield all that odd for the most part. It's definitely one of the bands more mellow albums, but it's a breath of fresh air if you listen to their albums chronologically. This album is really interesting in that it contains a weird deceptive calm to it. There are a lot of philosophical and political undertones going on. Sometimes they aren't that subtle: "Do the Evolution", and the fantastic "Brain of J". "Faithful" is also drenched in a lot of meanings that can be interpreted in a lot of different ways. However I would say this album can also be the band at their happiest and calmest. "In Hiding", "Wishlist", "Pilate", and "Low Light" show a side of this band that didn't really come through up to this point. Gone is the incessant bitching about fame that was present on Vitalogy and Vs. Also "MFC' is a great live staple to this day. I can't talk about this album without mentioning "Given to Fly." Yes, it's a pretty blatant copy of the basic structure of "Going to California" by Led Zeppelin, but it's a very loving one at that. Also, "Push me, Pull me" is a well put together and weird-ass experiment.

5. Vitalogy (1994) - While I've spent a fair amount of time making jabs at this record, It's actually quite good. Yes, this album reads like a lot of the band venting and lamenting their lot in the world. However, the album makes up for a lack in some lyrical substance with a ton of energy and weird creative mucking about. This album shows Ed's Fugazi influence in full force. Ed's writing had gotten a bit more cryptic and less personal on this album in some ways. But that's one of the album's strengths, and honestly, it leads to the band writing much more interesting music in the long run. This album is kind of desolate and bleak though, maybe even more than Ten. If it weren't for the punk tendencies on the harder tracks, I wouldn't enjoy this as much. Some of the weirder tracks get a lot of hate, but I feel like it gives the album a sort of semi concept in a sense. I don't love this album as much as some other people do due to the often dour and negative tone of the album but that doesn't mean I don't like it quite a lot. Also, I really relate to the song "Betterman" a lot as a result of the experiences I had with my family growing up.

6. Lightning Bolt (2013) - This album can be a slightly mixed bag, but overall I feel it's aged decently well. Tracks like "Getaway", "Mind Your Manners", and "Lightning Bolt" show the band still have a ton of energy and bite. "Pendulum" revisits some of the Pink Floyd Esque moodiness of Binaural to great effect. "Infallible" and "Swallowed Whole" are great tracks as well. "Yellow Moon" is a perfectly enjoyable track, but does feel like a leftover from Ed's "Into the Wild" soundtrack. "Sirens" took me a long time to get into. I do like the track, but it's not their strongest ball and or single. It's heck of a lot better than the tepid "Just Breathe" off of Backspacer. Also while I don't love the closing track "Future Days" it's also much better than the cringe-inducing "The end" From the previous album as well. "My Father's Son" is also a great punk rock stomper.

7. Ten (1991) - I "get" why this album is so popular. and I don't completely hate every song on this album. "Oceans", "Porch" and "Garden" are definitely up there as songs I love. I really love the early live versions of "Alive" but I don't like the studio version as much. "Even flow" is an ok song that has a great message, but let's be honest, even the band has to be sick of playing that song by now. Heck they even speed through it now like they don't really give a shit. "Black" is a song I am not crazy about on the album, but you can tell the band loves playing it live, and Eddie sings it with a fondness now that really makes it endering.... years and years later. "Once" is a solid opener, though takes a whole weird messed up meaning if you read it in it's intended pairing with "Alive", and the b-side "Footsteps." What I absolutely HATE about this album is it's overly dramatic and cringe-inducing self-serious sense of drama. A lot of people hate on this band because of this reason, and on this album alone I kind of get it to a degree.
Fun factoid, I have been working right by the school that was the basis of the story for the song "Jeremy." I definitely get why Ed Wrote this song. He's really well-meaning and an empathetic guy to an extent. I just feel like he learned to dial back his drama on subsequent records, much to my relief and the betterment of the band.
What I do dig about this album is it's Stevie Ray Vaughan influence. I'm glad they only contained that influence to this one album, but it's really an endearing quality that highlights Mike's skill as a guitarist.

8. Gigaton (2020) - I know it's kind of early to rank this album as I've only heard it maybe once at this point, but it's got the best of many facets of this band. It's got some of the weirder tendencies of their 1996-1998 output but with more energy. It feeds off of the strengths of their last two albums while culling the stuff that didn't work well at all. This is all a pleasant surprise as I fully expected to hate the album based on the first two singles. However, the No Code fan in me knew that the weird nature of this album's first single was probably a good sign. What did surprise me is the range of tones and emotions going on in this album. I would say that there are a couple semi-weak songs (here's looking at you "Alright") but the extremely long time the songs had to really age and come out light a fine wine really are to the betterment of this album. As much as I like Lightning Bolt, there are a few songs on that album that feel a little rushed. I think the band knew that and took their time with this release. I think this album will age very well overall. My only inital thought is that there's a bit of inconsistency in the quality of the album as the songs seem to be all written at different points over the last few years.

9. Riot Act (2001) - My opinion of this album has changed drastically over the years. Initially, I found it a little on the boring side... and to some degree there's some truth to that statement. There are a ton of great songs on this album though. "Can't Keep" is one of my favorite openers. "Cropduster" is a really interesting song that shows off Eds' penchant for philosophy really well. "I Am Mine" is a great song about finding strength in one's self. "Half Full" is a decent jam that was tailor-made for the purpose of adding a little spice to the bands live set. I would say similar things about "Green Disease" and "Get Right." "All or None" and "Thumbing My Way" are heartbreaking and beautiful songs. There is definitely something to be said for this album feeling... sluggish. The band had been dealt a blow when a number of their fans had been crushed to death at a concert that went horribly wrong prior to making this album. Add to that the looming presence of 9/11 and it's easy to understand why this band would be a bit beleaguered. Speaking of beleaguered there's the song "Bushleager." I personally appreciate what the band was going for in writing this song. It's kind of an odd spoken word track in the vein of "Push me, Pull me" but it definitely shows off Ed's wit as a songwriter.
Overall this album has generally aged well for me, even if I didn't like it at first. I would say the opposite about the next entry.

10. Pearl Jam (2006) - This album was billed as the kick in the groin that listeners needed after the sluggish Riot Act. I would argue about half of that album lives up to that title. The other half, not as much. This was an album I played to death when I was in college and the country was in the middle of two wars. It's got spunk, anger, and an axe to grind. However, I don't feel this album has aged particularly well. Sure, "Severed Hand", "Marker in the Sand", "Comatose" and "Worldwide Suicide" are still hard-hitting songs that hold up extremely well. The other songs mostly just don't. "Army Reserve" being a slight exception, though it's a song that was partially written by someone that's not even in the band. However, this album is fairly dark and represented the time it was made in very aptly. I fear we will soon be going through even tougher times than what this album represented fairly soon.

"Come Back" is a decent update on a "Black-esque" ballad, but doesn't quite have the same charm, and is a bit on the depressing side once you get into the lyrical content. "Big wave" is a fun little punk song that doesn't quite feel like it fits on the record. While I will defend "Parachutes" as a decent update to "Oceans" it's a bit awkward and doesn't quite work overall. Same goes for "Unemployable". A lot of these latter side tunes just suffer from being kind of awkward ideas that could have been executed a little better. A lot of people really like "Inside Job" but I'm kind of mixed on the song. I do think it's a fitting way to end a dark album on a hopeful note, but it's a bit too dramatic at some points. I also just feel like this song doesn't quite live up to it's potential. I have similar feelings about the opener. While "Life Wasted" isn't a terrible song, it just is so self-serious.

11. Backspacer (2009) - I'm probably ranking this album lower than I should but to me, this album falls under the category of being too safe. Don't get me wrong, "Force of Nature" is probably one of the best latter-day Pearl Jam Songs ever written, but many songs feel very underdeveloped and even forced. This does have one of my favorite album openers in the fun "Gonna See My Friend". "Johnny Guitar" is a fun if not oddball tune. "Unthought Known", "The Fixer", and "Amongst the Waves" are some of the most hopeful and uplifting tunes the band has ever written.  However, this album really stinks of commercial pandering. Around this time the band got a new manager, and their professional decisions started to get kind of weird. They made a video for the Fixer that's essentially an ad for a big box store. I'm sure Target paid the band very well for that, but this is a decision the band would have scoffed at, even in their Yield days. This album is also way too short. Songs like "Got Some" and "Supersonic" are fun, but kind of forgettable. This album also contains the worst closer in the bands catalog. "Just Breathe" and "The End" are sugar coated eye rolling cheese that this band can do way better than forcing on the public. If it weren't for a few strong tracks I would say you can skip this one mostly.

Honorable Mention - Lost Dogs (2003) - This isn't technically an official album, but it's worth mentioning because it features some of the best songs the band has ever written. For some unfathomable reason, the band cut some great songs from their albums and they made their way onto this release. The songs from Binaural ("Sad", "In the Moonlight", and "Fatal" are especially great) and Riot Act ("Down", "Other Side") really shines here. There are some songs that were re-recorded for this release. Specifically "Alone", "Hold On", "Dead Man", "Wash", "You", and "Hard to Imagine" have versions that are completely different from their initial b-side releases. While these versions are mostly not bad, it's an odd choice in an album where most of the songs are pretty true to the original versions. If it weren't for the fact this technically isn't an official release per se, I would rank this above Lightning Bolt on this list. It's that good of a collection of songs.

Top artistic works of the 2010's

I originally was going to break this down to different articles. But it's already 2020 so better late than never I guess.

When this decade began I kinda didn't expect much. There's a lot to be said for the lack of cultural innovation in our world at the moment. A few (marvel) films dominate the film houses (much to the chagrin of film snobs everywhere). Music is almost NEVER performed or recorded with actual instruments anymore. Actual substantial social discourse is suppressed by a culture increasingly incapable of taking critical feedback. But the list of works below are definite exceptions to the rule.

However, the idea of meshing visual art, music, and film is just too interesting to not explore given the subtly and vastly different landscapes that define where we started in the 2010's and where we ended up. Some of these works are majorly important, some are just relevant to me personally, some both. This is in no particular order, So I'll keep the intro short and sweet and jump right in:

Dustin Yellin - "Tryptich"

I encountered this mammoth piece of artwork around 2015 when I went to Savannah and I visited the SCAD museum of Art. He painstakingly builds these lush worlds using hand cut and painted materials sealed within panes of glass, thus building truly immersive environments. He takes painting to a completely new level, and I really wish I had the time and resources to do anything half this good.

Swervedriver - "I wasn't Born to Loose You" (2015)

There's a sun soaked optimism that permeates this record that you rarely find in rock music. The sonic landscape on this record is filled with atmosphere and an appropriate amount of musical tension. The band put out another album later in the decade, "Future Ruins" that's similarly great. However, this album gets the top spot for it's high quality song writing, focused performance, and writing. Adam Franklin made a huge comeback and a delightfully joyful listen with this album.

Kehinde Wiley - Portrait of Barrack Obama 

Kehinde Wiley has done a fantastic job of melding classical art with contemporary subject matter. He manages to portray African American culture in the dignified, heightened and, elevated status it deserves, without sacrificing the identities of the subject matter themselves. Subjects are presented as they are without fear or compromise. He also has a fantastic sense of pattern and color. His presidential portrait is easily the most contemporary (outside of the JFK portrait) but portrays the strong and humble nature of the president. You also get a glimpse of the subject in his native home of Hawaii. It's a beautiful statement on nature and man's relationship as well. 

Tool - Fear Inoculum (2019)

This album couldn't be more timely. Released after a 13 year absence. This album is a very long winded meditation on removing fear from the psyche of the listener. It's a reaction against the environment of fear that has permeated the last two decades. Over 13 incredibly dense songs, you get a very cathartic progression. I would like the band to operate within some level of restraint on their next album (if there is one). 

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

This was an idea that basically no one was behind when it was announced. Denis Vigilante made such a beautiful piece of art and surpassed everyone's expectations with this film. The movie is meditative, sprawling, and very personal at the same time. It flows extremely well with the original film and builds upon the mythos remarkably. There are tons of nods and subversion to the original story. This film also painted a very stark and bleak vision of the future of our planet. The performances are especially emotionally resonant and even grow the depth of what had already inhabited this world. 

David Bowie - Black Star (2017)

Released just a few days before Bowie's passing, Black Star is arguably his most experimental in years. There are a lot of lyrical themes of mortality running throughout. The thing is no one knew David was even ill. A mix of Jazz and experimental rock permeate this album. It's visceral and uncompromising, and one heck of a way to cap out an amazing life and career. So long Starman. 

Marina Ambomovich - The Artist is Present

There's a moment in the documentary of this performance that I was actually unintentionally present for. This performance piece marked the culmination of years of intense, energetic, and expressive performance art. Whereas the work she did as a younger artist was much louder and in you face, this was days of quiet contemplation. She shared quiet moments with hundreds of people over the course of this installation. The movie on Netflix is definitely worth the watch for context. To be honest, when I saw this I had no idea it would be so important or what the context of her past work was. My first impression was "what is the pretentiousness?" I was proven way wrong. 

My Bloody Valentine - MBV (2013)

This album literally broke the internet when it came out of nowhere. This album had a longer production time and is arguably better than Fear Inoculum (but a pretty different musical genre). This album followed up 1991's iconic "Loveless." This album was a bit pieced together over a number of years over two decades. However, one day it just appeared out of nowhere. Some songs have hints of Loveless, but there's a progression as you get through the album. It just gets more chaotic and experimental. Let's hope we don't have to wait another couple decades for a follow up from Kevin Shields and co. 

Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World (2010)

This movie came out right around the turn of the decade. I wasn't entirely sold on it at first... but over time It's really grown on me. The mixture of comic, video game, and film is really interesting. Also, Scott as a character (as well as with the women in the story) doesn't really fit a traditional character archetype. He's a guy who's utterly clueless about his impact on the people around him. The movie is a pretty deep meditation on relationships (yes even for a movie about a guy going on a date with a younger woman while playing dance, dance, revolution). Also, this was my first introduction to Aubrey Plaza, who is still a major celebrity crush of mine. 

Courtney  Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel (2019)

I got to the point just before this album came out that I was ready to pack it in and give up on contemporary music. I was trudging through a maze of awful synth pop and psuedo hip hop infused "indie" bands. Here comes this spunky, tiny, and shy looking Australian woman with loads of piss, vegemite, and vinegar. I respect the hell out of this album. She sings about things women normally don't actively vocalize, but need to say more often. That and this album rocks. I haven't heard anything by a female lead band this engaging since Sleater-Kinney's "The Woods". I really want to hear more music from this artist!

Michelle Wolf's Press Correspondence dinner speech (2018)

Not exactly a movie, song, or visual art per se, but comedy and social commentary play a huge role in creativity. For all intents and purposes this was a performance of sorts. She broke right through the social barrier bs that was going on at the time, and with tons of wit and charm. She called out the current POTUS and the press out on their faults rightly and viciously. It was damn funny too. She refused to be silent or be a victim, and I have to respect the hell out of her for that. and unlike Ricky Gervais, she didn't come off as bitter or spiteful in the process. 

Danny Boyle's "Trance" (2013)

This movie is a total mind f***. I know it got kind of critically panned, but I really loved what this movie was aiming for. It's total cinematic candy for an artist like myself. What I really liked was the shifting perspectives of the characters in the movie. If you watch it multiple times, you begin to notice the narrative changes in some odd ways, but it's indicated by fractured reflections. That was really clever film making. The movie is jarring and intense towards the end. It's easily Boyle's most underrated films ever.

Meow Wolf

This Artist collective out of Santa Fe, NM is really making a splash and really turned whole idea of a museum in on their head. It's bright, visually loud, but substantial. I haven't been here yet (I haven't had a desire to travel to Santa Fe in years because I used to get deathly Ill when I visited in high school). but I admire the hell out of what this group accomplished. 

Brian K Vaughan's "Saga" and "Paper Girls" 

Vaughan has been one of my favorite if not my favorite comic writer since the late 2000's. His work is really deep in terms of character development. These books lean a little more into the humor than his previous works, which can be a bit on the heavier side (like Pride of Baghdad, omg).

Saga melds a lot of pretty risky and risque subjects pretty effortlessly with really fun and relatable characters. He takes contemporary culture, politics, and humor and implements them into these fun, weirdly kinky at times, and vibrants alien worlds. It's definitely not a book for children. but if you stripped all the weirder adult stuff away, it could totally work as a new take on star wars. We were left on a pretty cliff hangy moment before the end of the decade, so we shall see where it goes. 

Paper girls is (probably) Brians answer to the backlash he probably got for writing some aspects of arguably his best work, Y: The Last Man. In this book he takes the perspective of four young girls who are friends that ride a morning paper route together. They suddenly get sucked into a time vortex, and a lot of weird, weird stuff happens. One of his best assets though, is the artists he works with. Three out of the four of his best originals series' have all been female artists. I am just about to get to the end of this book. It's still relevant, but in more subtle ways. He really addresses  the age old conflict between generations in strange and wonderful ways. The end of this story, as usual, poses some really interesting philosophical questions. 

Speaking of Brian's work...

Brian K Vaughan's "Y: The Last Man" and "Ex-Machina" have bold fascinating conclusions. 

These are two of the boldest, smartest, funniest, interesting stories to every be put into a graphic comic series. "Y" follows a young, out of work magician and his pet monkey as they travel around the world to find his girlfriend and solve the mystery of how almost the entire male population of the planet just dropped dead from a plague one day. The way this book concluded was equal parts frustrating, but equal parts satisfying in It's ambiguity. Almost NO writers have the guts to end a story this well, and in a reasonable amount of time. You are NEVER going to get this kind of result with the Walking Dead, though they should take a cue from this book.

"Ex-Machina" or soon to be a film titled "The Great Machine" with Oscaar Isaac, follows the heroic exploits and of "Mitchell Hundred." He begins the story with an accident that gives him a mysterious ability to communicate with complex machines. Then he decides to make "real tangible" change and runs for Mayor of New York after subverting the second plain on 9/11. This book was a hard hitting product of it's time. It has everything. and this story does a really smart job of subverting the tropes of it's genre without falling into comparisons with Watchmen. More than anything this treats it's characters like real living human beings with flaws and intelligence in equal measure. When something bad happens to them, you really feel it (especially in book 4, dear lord). 

The more interesting portions of the book delve into political intruige. Then just when you think you are reading the west wing, weird ass science fiction stuff starts to happen. By the end of the book your opinion of Hundred changes vastly, and he becomes a very different person. Again, very satisfying writing to round out a fantastic series. 

Let's hope the 20's have work that's half as interesting and compelling. Let's get back to taking more risks!

January Art in Dallas part 1 - Kettle and 500x

So this was the first big to do in Dallas for the new decade. 

I got to see the current show at Kettle Art and 500X. I have also visited Conduit and Talley Dunn Gallery. I'll discuss those shows in a follow up.

The main show at Kettle (and oh boy it was a show) was a Japanese Artist by the name of Peelander Yellow as well as some other Japanese Artists. He did a fun bit of performance-ish art. I also found out that a friend of mine from college that lives all the way in Baltimore knows the artist in question.

This show was very expressive and had a lot of fun energy. Other Artists such as Sonomi Kobayashi and Yusuki Okada also exhibited their work. It looks as if Kettle's show will be pretty short term, so check it out while you can.

 

500X had a ton of really interesting art in their current group show, including three dimensional light work and experimental collage work and some mechanically operated found object artwork.

The best work was the paintings exhibited upstairs. As much as I like how adventurous as 500x can be, I often see the best work last. The artist below was my favorite of the show. Unfortunately the specific works in question are not listed on the site. Important lesson learned... write down the names. Stay tuned!

The Clash - London Calling (Retrospective)

 I'll start my venture into music related commentary with an album that was a bit of a paradigm shift for me. London calling introduced three things for me in terms of music. Satire, ska, and world music were now part of my lexicon. But the idea of a rock band allowing themselves to show that music could be fun and have a message made a huge impression on me.

 This album came out about 5 years before I was born (it was released in 1979). Though it's a world away from my life, there are themes explored on this album that still resonate with me. The Clash had released their first two albums and made their mark with two scorching and passionate, but extremely articulate punk records. They were rallying against the thatcher era Neo-liberal and at times downright nazi social climate of a U.K. deep in the midst of recession.  The first wave of British punk bands were starting to either die off or where morphing into new sounds. Now without manager Bernie Rhodes guiding their music making process, the band were free to do as they wanted.

Enter John Graham Mellor, AKA Joe Strummer, the bands de facto leader. Born in India to a British diplomat father and a Scottish mother, Joe spent his youth in many areas of the globe. It was from this album forward that a more eclectic approach entered into his musical lexicon. Though to be fair it's been suggested that even as far back as the Clash's first record, there were a fair amount of influences from Jamaican and Turkish music. The band famously tricked their label into allowing this album to be a double album. They believed in giving their fans as much output as they could, and anything less was the work of a culture of "lazy hippies." The Punk movement had a weird relationship with the hippy rock culture of the previous decades. What made the Clash different is that they sought to make themselves better for the sake of their art and for their fans, whereas (some of) their contemporaries got caught up in nihilism and self destruction. That's an important distinction from a band like the Sex Pistols.

This album was also a reaction to the heavy doom of metal that began to gain popularity of the time. The Clash saw that people were loosing a sense of having fun int popular music. As a result this album sort of evolves from a post apocalyptic moment to what could almost be called a party record. I think it even has a loose concept. It's the band escaping the gloom and doom of England and getting out to the rest of the world (probably Jamaica). There are a lot of influences of the Perry Henzell film "The Harder They Come." In fact characters like "Ivan" are referenced a lot, and there is a running narrative that parallels the story of that film.

The effort this band put into learning their instruments and developing their songs really showed on this album. Not to say their last album, "Give Em' Enough Rope" and their self titled debut didn't display impressive musicianship for their genre. This band had a pretty intense work ethic, and considering they only lasted from maybe 1976-1985 (the collective music memory basically continues to disavow knowledge of their final album "Cut the Crap" due to it being horrible, and only consisting of two original members.). Anyway there was a lot of effort put into making strong songs here, and the band would continue to delve fairly strongly into new genres on their subsequent records.

This album has influenced a lot of musicians from bands like Rancid to the Red Hot Chili Peppers to countless Ska and punk bands. It's strummers wit, charm, and Mic Jone's sense of musical arrangement that really made this album a long lasting hit amongst music fans. This band earned an admittedly pretentious (in hindsight) moniker "the only band that matters." I've probably annoyed countless numbers of friends talking about this album at length. but it's an important piece of musical history nonetheless.

Below is a track by track breakdown, if you are interested in learning a bit more.  This is a very long album, so buckle up.

London Calling

The first track on this album paints a fairly bleak picture of life in Thatcher era Britain. It encapsulates cold war era propaganda and is one of the best openers a band can have for a record. There's not much I can say that hasn't been said beyond the fact that the mood captured in this song will evolve into something completely different by the end of the record.

Brand New Cadillac

Brand New Cadillac sees the band revisiting their American rockabilly roots. Pretty sharp performance, but overall a fairly straight forward song for an album with a ton of commentary.

Jimmy Jazz

Jimmy Jazz sees Joe going into some free form folk jazz fusion work, taking on the narrative character of someone that might be a Jamaican gangster or something like that. The U.K. having taken on a fair amount of citizens from Jamaica and other parts of the world, was extremely multi cultural at the time. So that makes its way into this song, with some fairly odd lyrics that paint a vivid picture.

Hateful

The song "Hateful" is another odd musical experiment. It's a scathing satire of drug culture over a Bo Diddly like rythm. This is where the satire of the album starts to creep in to the lyrics. Though less extreme, the Clash had similarly negative opinions as a band like Fugazi in regards to people who used drugs.  That or they were looking to fight the often glamorized view of drugs that rock music perpetuated in the 70's and 80's. The tone of the singing and music is playful, but the lyrics are told from the perspective of someone knee deep in drug addiction. It's a cautionary tale if nothing else.

Rudy Can't Fail

"Rudy Can't Fail" again explores the bands fascination with Jamaican culture. This may be one of the bands most optimistic songs. It's also a song about youth rebelling while being criticized by their elders for not walking a straight and narrow path. The line "I know that my life makes you nervous but I tell you I can't live in service, like a doctor born for a purpose" resonated with me on a big level. At the time I was studying in Art school. I was often criticized by family for taking this path. There was an implicit expectation of me seeking a life of chasing a traditional income producing career that I felt (and still feel) a need to rebel against. To me, this song (and much of this album) was like someone telling me for the first time "it's ok not to take life so damn seriously all the time." Whereas a lot of music I heard between the 90's and 00's was extremely self serious, this was a band just having some fun and telling a story about a culture that was kind of foreign to me.

Spanish Bombs

About a year or two before I first listened to this album, I made my first expedition as a young adult away from the United States on my own. I was about 18 and I traveled to Spain with a group of students. Listening to a song like Spanish Bombs really reminded me of what I saw first hand in terms of a culture and a daily life. I studied a bit of Spanish History, and this song in particular is a bit of an oddly psuedo-romanticized take on life in Franco lead Spain. Franco rescinded power over Spain and passed away in 1975. I'm curious as to how this impacted the writing of this song.

The Right Profile

I first heard "The Right Profile" in my freshman dorm. This is where the band starts to get real deep into their Ska influences. Joe ironically sounds pretty drunk singing on this track. As with "Guns of Brixton" this is another song about Jamaican culture. I remember this song annoyed the hell out of my first college roommate. I however love it.

Lost in the Supermarket

"Lost in the Supermarket" is Mick Jone's first fronted track. He really shines as song writer on this album, and this is a hint of his pop influence. Which is saying a lot since it's a song critiquing people's relationship with capitalism. This song is still very collaborative in nature.

The Clampdown

"The Clampdown" is probably one of my favorite songs on the album. It's an anti nazi song told from the point of view of fascists labor enforcers. It's extremely sarcastic in nature.  The song is basically pointing out how screwed the average person was in England at the time. However, rather than wallow in this moment, the song basically demands the listener acknowledge and move past the problem. This album basically told me as a spectator it was possible to make things better in my life even if it didn't seem that way. Having a song that's both anti nazi and pro self empowerment in the same song is a lot to unload, and it's extremely powerful.

Guns of Brixton

"Guns of Brixton" continues the albums fascination with Jamaican culture and music. The move "The Harder They Come" is references heavily. Paul Siminon did a great job singing, though he never could quite capture the same performance quality live. That being said it was extremely cool this band allowed more than one voice in the songs.

Wrong Em' Boyo

"Wrong Em' Boyo" starts one way and gives a quick fakeout to a much better song. This song seems to be about not holding people down who are just trying to make their livers better. It's most likely a statement on the Neo Liberal thatcher conservative attitude of standing on the necks of working class individuals for the sake of profit.

Death or Glory

"Death or Glory" has some really great lyrics, some critcism of the music business. There's a lot of wit and humor in this tune just beneath the surface. This song and Coka-Cola are about as close to "punk" as this album gets, but it's nonetheless satisfying. This song also parodies the image of the rock star who says they won't sell out, but the singer has seen this situation play out before. They know that "he who f***s nuns, will later join the church." Harsh.

Koka Kola

A real quick pop punk tune. A critique of drug and consumerist culture. This one has always been a lot of fun to me. It's also the band sort of romanticizing and lampooning American culture sort of. Ultimately this song is making drug addicts out to be foolish.

The Card Cheat

This is where the band starts to get into interesting territory. They weren't the type of band that wrote ballads. My guess is Mick Jones watched a lot of western films. This really seems to tell a story of a wayward gambler. It's not overtly political or anything (that I know of). It's probably Jone's Strongest performance.

Lovers Rock

What? The Clash writing a love song? What is this? Where is the marxist anti fascist shouting? All kidding aside this is probably the beginning of the most fun end of the album. The band really just let loose. Mick's guitar playing is especially great. Oh wait, there is one line that rings kind of familiar for Strummer "Throw away all your he-man theories." That line could have any number of connotations.

Four Horseman

This song is a ton of fun. Oddly enough it's about the literal apocalypse(?). I guess there's an anti greed message? I dunno. At this point in the record it's kind of ok to just not get to analytical and just have fun. That's kind of the point of the album to me, and this is one of the strongest tunes on the album.

I'm Not Down

Not Mick's best tune, but I really like it anyway. The song is a bit awkward in spots but at this point that's ok. This is a song about someone overcoming depression and growing out of their youth to be a better person. An anti depression song on a rock album? Fantastic!

Revolution Rock

This is the Clash's Reggae influences shining really well. This is the main character(s) of this album finally escaping to a better life, somewhere. This song is a ton of fun. Honestly this album could end out the album out perfectly. Not to say the next song isn't great, but this is really the crescendo of the whole album.

Train in Vain

Probably the second most recognizable song on London Calling. It kind of feels out of place. It's a sugar coated pop tune. It's a song about Jone's girlfriend leaving him. This song has been covered by a fair amount of people. This band was a partnership, so I'm sure the band saw the potential for this song, and allowed it in the track list. This song is also a testament to what a weird hodge podge of different tones and textures exist on this record, but it all feels very cohesive. It's certainly not a bad way toe end the record, but it could have ended one track earlier just as well.

Dr. Sleep - Quickie film review

Saw the latest adaptation of Stephen King's work last night. Apparently this movie is not doing well in terms of ticket sales. This is kind of surprising. I really enjoyed the film. It's a worthy successor to the Stanley Kubrick film, and presumably the book version (I haven't read any of his books)
"The Shining." Given that is a monumental task to undertake, it ended up quite well.

While Dr. Sleep definitely ties into the source material (again, presumably) and the larger mythos of this world, this film is definitely it's own thing. The acting, plot, tone, and everything in between are executed impeccably. I also really like how this film utilized the inevitable nostalgia trip of the famous Overlook Hotel from the original film.

Much like the use of the plot device of this location, the characters actions and motivations are all mostly very intentional. Even if some things don't make sense in this film (like going back to the Overlook Hotel) the characters bring it into question. The protagonists make sensible decisions for the most part, and the antagonists are extremely well developed and interesting.

Ewin McGreggor's older version of Danny Torrance is a character that goes through a ton of growth and development in the film. He's extremely troubled, but goes through a very organic process to get better and be a better individual.

Kyliegh Curran plays a young woman with extremely powerful shine powers. Her character is really compelling. The lack of development of her and her family is a bit of a weak point in the movie. I get the impression a lot of that was cut from the film for the sake of run time. It's a pretty long movie.

Rebecca Ferguson's Rose the Hat is a really compelling villain. You really get a feel for the reasons she and her group do some really horrible things to young people for the sake of avoiding death.

The general themes of this movie revolve around people's relationship with mortality and how we cope with fear and trauma. There's an argument to be made for whether this film qualifies as a horror film or a psychological thriller. What makes this movie scary is how it deals with real life pain. Much like the original, much emphasis is put on alcoholism being a bigger monster than any ghost or super natural event. Like his father, Danny really struggles with addiction. Where this differs from the original is the outcome of that struggle. I would argue it's much more positive in the end than the original movie. The film treats it's subjects with a bit more humanity and tenderness without loosing any edge. In that way, this makes for a satisfying conclusion. This movie shows the other side of the coin of recovering from alcoholism and fear.

Seeing some of the super natural characters from the original return is pretty satisfying. While I'm not a big horror film buff, this is a movie I'll definitely return to later on in my life.

JoJo Rabbit vs. Joker - Review

When I was studying in art college, I got in to a debate with an art history professor I had in a class called "Digital Art and Culture." When an individual from the fashion department was presenting a report on an artwork titled "Project Aphrodite". The professor was incensed by her  choice to present something that made light of such a serious subject as sex work or sex trafficking. To sum it up he said he didn't think art should be "fun" when dealing with such a concept. I was the only student to raise my hand as say "why?" Needless to say I am pretty sure that dropped my grade from a B to a C. I was happy to challenge his inane pretentious posturing all day.

Last night I saw JoJo Rabbit. Without getting into spoiler territory, I would go as far as to describe this as such: Imagine Wes Anderson made a movie satirizing the Hitler Youth and the last days of the Third Reich.

The Wes Anderson influence clearly shows, but I don't want to speak in a reductive tone to Taika Waititi's vision. It was clearly his idea and his movie. His sharp wit and dark sense of humor really permeate throughout the film. He clearly saw Terantino's "Inglorious Basterds" and saw that you can add levity to a movie that covers a really dark and serious period in history. The humor in the film is utilized as a sharp weapon against hateful ideology. The other weapons in this film's arsenal are love and compassion. All these things don't make light of ignorance and bigotry for any kind of trivial means. No, the goal here is to show how misguided and fatal going through the world with a bigoted mindset really can be.

When I was in my late teens and twenties, my mother was married to a Jewish man who made a really signifiant impact on my life. His son and I were friends as far back as childhood. I haven't seen them in quite a while. I can't imagine how they would react to this movie. Save for the fact that director Watiti is Jewish, I don't think it would be fair to assume how comfortable (or not comfortable) any Jewish person would feel watching this movie. Some of the dialog is shockingly racist. However, how would you honestly get through a movie like this sugar coating the horrible attitudes that resulted in this period of history. There's one scene involving a book reading by a gestapo agent that just makes you want to take a shower after the film is over.

That being said, this movie has some of the most well-fleshed out and human characters you will ever see in a film. Scarlett Johansson's character Rosie is the emotional core of this film. Like a lot of people in this movie, she puts on a subtle front to keep anyone from noticing she's harboring a young Jewish refugee in her home. She is a really wonderful mother with a great sense of humility. She constantly seeks to break down the walls her son JoJo has built with his social indoctrination.  She teaches young JoJo about the strength of empathy and love. In the current ultra right wing social climate that exists today, this film is a reminder that we are all better off learning to seek love before hate.

Contrast this with a film I saw a few weeks back. A lot of people loved Todd Phillips "Joker." I'm still not one of those people. Don't get me wrong I appreciate the effort that went into the script, the acting, the sets, the costumes, etc. Aside from some obvious ideas lifted from much more notable films, this is really the best possible outcome that could have come from a Joker origin story. The plot is solid, and Joaquin Phoenix delivers a solid performance. The cinematography is also really lush and moody.

My issues with the movie lie in the films soul (or honestly, a lack of one). The film demands empathy from the viewer, but then turns around and alienates those viewers. It's incredibly esoteric and nihilistic in tone. I'm well aware that that may be the point. The Joker is a dark and twisted character, but this movie could have killed to be at least a little lighter in tone in parts. This movie basically asserts that people are garbage, and that any faith put in them is pointless and futile. The run time of this film gets really depressing and overbearingly grim. This movie felt like it had too many motivations to juggle, and that lead to pure insanity. Again given the subject that was probably what they were going for in the end.

The problem to me is that this really negates any valid points the movie could (and does attempt) to make about class warfare and addressing the needs of the mentally ill. The whole movie is presented in a way that feels cruel and dark somewhat for the sake of purely being "edgy." Empathy is just wasted on most people in this film. It all feels kind of pointless by the time you've reached the movie's conclusion.

JoJo Rabbit on the other hand seems to say that some people can change and become empathetic individuals with the right guidance. and this is a movie that features a victim of the holocaust being constantly berated by most people she comes across. While this young girl hiding in the child's attic definitely doesn't worry about showing her strength, she makes very different choices about the movie's main character. Elsa Korr doesn't go on a murder spree like the Joker, despite arguably experiencing way more horrific circumstances. The end of JoJo Rabbit really seems to say that the choices you ultimately make in the face of painful situations are your choices to make, and that you can always change your outlook in a more positive directions. Joker's ultimate message seems to be "everything is messed up  and there's no point in putting your faith in people.

Both directors clearly had their own convictions and vision in mind. Both films seem to cover different points in history. To me it's a question of which message left me feeling like I could be a better person by absorbing the films lesson.