Don't worry about the world ending today; it's already next year in New Zealand
I'm always down for a lousy excuse to party (like, "They had a sale at the beer store so we got a keg!" Or the ol "I don't know anyone who's birthday is today, but SOMEONE is celebrating a birthday today, so drag out the kazoos and fireworks fellas and party!" Or the always entertaining, the economy sucks, let's wear bandannas, stay in and get blitzed and play Guitar Hero!" party, those are a blast), but I have the worst time getting into celebrating New Year's Eve. It's like going to a World Series baseball game for a $10 hot dog that tastes like gym shoes instead of going to the grocery store, buying a dozen dogs and firing them up on the grill at home with some friends.
Although it's not the drunken bafooning, girls in obnoxiously stupid boots, awful music, and balls with blinking lights that necessarily scrooge me out. It's all the careful planning, and money, and worry about cops and/or drunk drivers. And the resolutions, oh, the resolutions! Seriously. Don't ask me what my resolutions for next year are, because I will throw my beer on you and tell you that my first resolution is to not get you a towel to clean up the mess I just made. Resolute THAT, Charlie Brown.
But I'm not bitter. You say "Party with us, Chris!" and I'll show up with a paper hat on. I just find more enjoyment in celebrating real stupid things...a reason to go out and buy a new calendar is not something I'm willing to party over. Unless, we're talking about a REALLY cool calendar.
But if you're with me and dread celebrating anything on New Years, think about this. The world isn't ending this New Year's because it's already next year in Australia. Now, there's a reason to toss back some pints and make bear noises with your friends. W00t!
Some people look back on past years with newspapers, photographs, Super Bowls, trophies, and bank statements. But songs are my memories; and this best-of playlist is how I will refer to 2008 (minus all those Katy Perry hits...). It was a dreadful time to make money off selling music, but a profoundly exciting time to be a fan of music. Look around, there are lots of lights shining if you look down the right alleyways. Here are 100 signs of proof, all of which I am particularly sure will glow on in my head for years more to come. If these songs are any indication, the future is a bright one. Hope you got sunglasses for it.
1. The Gaslight Anthem - '59 Sound 2. Ben Sollee - A Change Is Gonna Come (Sam Cooke cover) 3. The Fireman - Sing The Changes 4. Bon Iver - Flume (Daytrotter Sessions version) 5. Radiohead - Reckoner 6. AC/DC - Runaway Train 7. Death Cab For Cutie - Grapevine Fires 8. Coldplay - Lost! 9. Bob Dylan - Someday Baby (Alt version from Bootleg Series Vol. 8) 10. M83 - Kim & Jessie 11. JJ Grey & Mofro - Everything Good Is Bad 12. Glassjaw - You Think You're F!cking John Lennon 13. Sam Sparro - Black & Gold 14. Republic Tigers - Buildings & Mountains 15. My Morning Jacket - Touch Me Or I'm Going To Scream Part II 16. Oasis - Shock of the Lightning 17. Kings of Leon - Sex On Fire 18. Dustin Kensrue - Fairytale of New York (The Pogues cover) 19. Wilco & Fleet Foxes - I Shall Be Released (The Band cover, live performance) 20. John Mayer - Freefallin' (Tom Petty cover, live acoustic performance) 21. Bon Iver - Re: Stacks 22. Weezer - Pork & Beans 23. Conor Oberst - Moab 24. Guns 'N Roses - If The World 25. Fleet Foxes - Oliver James 26. Kanye West - Love Lockdown 27. Ryan Adams - Times Like These (Foo Fighters cover, live acoustic performance) 28. Thrice - Come All You Weary 29. The Heavy - Dignity 30. Kaiser Chiefs - Never Miss A Beat 31. The Roots feat. Wale & Chrisette Michele - Rising Up 32. Rise Against - Hero Of War 33. Good Old War - Tell Me 34. Pop Levi - Dita Dimone 35. Northstar - Chesterfield King (Jawbreaker cover) 36. One Day As A Lion - One Day As A Lion 37. Colour Revolt - What Will Come Of Us 38. Ben Sollee & Jim James - Only A Song 39. Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue 40. Beyonce - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) 41. Cold War Kids - Something Is Not Right With Me 42. David Byrne & Brian Eno - I Feel My Stuff 43. The Decemberists - Raincoat Song 44. Dead Confederates - The Rat 45. Sun Kil Moon - Lost Verses 46. Nada Surf - Beautiful Beat 47. Butch Walker - Going Back/Going Home 48. Blitzen Trapper - Furr 49. Cat Power - It Ain't Fair (Aretha Franklin cover) 50. The Airbourne Toxic Event - Sometime Around Midnight 51. The Killers - This Is Your Life 52. She & Him - You Really Got A Hold On Me (The Miracles cover) 53. Kings Of Leon - Cold Desert 54. The Raconteurs - Salute Your Salution 55. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Cobwebs 56. LCD Soundsystem - Big Ideas 57. Busta Rhymes - Don't Touch Me (Throw Da Water On 'Em) 58. Magnetic Fields - Drive On, Driver 59. Mugison - Jesus Is A Good Name To Moan 60. War On Drugs - Arms Like Boulders 61. Coldplay - Death Will Never Conquer (Live from Brixton Academy) 62. The Academy Is... - About A Girl 63. Miniature Tigers - Cannibal Queen 64. Mobius Band - I'll Keep It With Mine (Bob Dylan cover) 65. Monahans - I Run To You 66. Fratellis - A Heady Tale 67. Vampire Weekend - A-Punk 68. Santogold - L.E.S. Artist 69. Otis Redding - I've Been Loving You Too Long (Live in Paris) 70. The Black Keys - Lies 71. The Postelles - Stella 72. Santogold & Diplo - Icarus 73. Colour Revolt - Moses of the South (Daytrotter Session) 74. Cat Power - New York (cover) 75. John Mayer - Gravity (Live from Where The Light Is) 76. Rihanna - Disturbia 77. The Raveonettes - Aly, Walk With Me 78. Mercury Rev - Senses On Fire 79. The Rapture - No Sex For Ben 80. Twin Cats - The River 81. Tom Gabel - Random Hearts 82. Ben Folds - The Bitch Went Nuts (fake leak version) 83. Black Diamond Heavies - Smoothe It Out 84. Elliott Brood - Miss You Now 85. Fall Out Boy - What A Catch, Donnie 86. United Nations - Say Goodbye To General Figment Of The USS Imagination 87. Jenny Lewis - The Next Messiah 88. Estelle feat. Kanye West - American Boy 89. Jakob Dylan - Evil Is Alive And Well 90. Panic At The Disco - Nine In The Afternoon 91. Air Traffic - Come On 92. REM - Living Well Is The Best Revenge 93. Murder By Death - Fuego! 94. The Subways - Alright 95. The Ting Tings - Shut Up And Let Me Go 96. Story Of The Year - Welcome to Our New War 97. The Kooks - One Last Time 98. Minus The Bear - Ice Monster (acoustic) 99. InnerPartySystem - Last Night In Brooklyn 100. Shiny Toy Guns - Richochet
You know how you can't sit in a packed movie theater without some chucklehead blabbing through the feature in the seat next to you? Well, you may not have to worry about that anymore thanks to this "enraged" Philly movie goer who took this matter into his own hands, flinging popcorn at a noisy kid and shooting noisy kid's dad right in the middle of the theater (might I add that this story is soooo Philly).
You know what the best part about this is? He sits back down to watch the movie after shooting the guy. Let me type that again. He shoots a man in the arm... everyone runs out of the theater screaming for dear life... our hero sits back down in his seat, shovels some more popcorn into his mouth, and enjoys the remainder of the movie in peace and quiet... until the police show up to apply some cuffs.
I'd say this guy was either ENTHRALLED in the plot of The Curious Case of Benny Button, OR this was just his misplaced way of giving the flick a thumbs down. As for theater talkers of the world, let this be your reminder to shut up.
Remember the days when video killed the radio star? Well 2008 was the year that Real World killed the video star. The last place to catch music videos on MTV was TRL, which, oops got canceled this year. And then earlier this month, the music video grave was further cemented (lol! i love the headline of the link's story) over when MTV announced that it would adding even MORE reality television programming to it's already unwatchable listings. Time's is tough!
However, music videos are fighting to live long and prosper via YouTube and quite a few slick ones turned up this year. (MTV, you are the weakest link...goodbye!) So here's some of the best music videos from 2008. But first, let's bow our heads in remembrance for MTV and all the great years of music television it gave us, because that MTV is long since dead (tho, I am a regular frequenter and enjoyer of MTV.com and it's blogs for entertainment blabble). Fire up some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy.
Radiohead - House of Cards Last year, Radiohead released a record called "In Rainbows" without rules or a record label. This year, they made a music video without using video cameras for one of the most haunting, tormented love songs from that album. I love this band.
A music video for the YouTubers? One of 2008's more brilliant shimmers of light.
Arcade Fire - Black Mirror These guys & gals gave up on MTV a good while ago (oddly enough, I didn't discover this band until I caught a video of their's on MTV2 a few years back when I was in college), and did something totally nuts for their Black Mirror video. They made it a hypnotic and interactive flash website where you are in charge of how the song sounds while the video plays. Your move, Radiohead.
This is another one of those fun single shot camera timing-trick flicks that are always, ALWAYS a blast to watch. Especially with the Vamps spinning around, moving like robots, changing their bright wardrobes over and over, and all kinds of other fun little tricks. Dig when the guy on the keys spins around in the fake snow round the one minute mark! Electrifying!
Sure, I was obviously won over by that steamy, sultry half minute mark. But it helps that the rest of the video is ridiculously playful, and the song itself is one of the greatest things 2008 is responsible for.
All American Rejects - Gives You Hell I grew tired of the 'Jects 3 minutes into what I thought was their 5 minutes of fame (I gotta hand it to them for still ticking on after all this time), and this song hasn't changed my opinion. BUT! This video rules! I can't wait for summer to roll around again so that I can get up on the lawn tractor and rock out like that. Simply brilliant.
This is like the Vampire Weekend video, but with a cinematic story going on too! In which a dude cuts off his limbs to make a lover out of scratch who then cheats on him with a guy who looks like Jesse Ventura that she meets on the internet. Lost? Who cares? It's sick! And speaking of sick, dig the Jesse Ventura dude shredding up the barb-wire on that guitar solo! Nasty! And what's a miniature tiger anyway? A kitten???
All in all, not a bad year for movies, was it? Whether you were digging for some monster summer blockbusters, some fresh comedy, some surprising (and incredible) acting performances, or even some snappy underground art-house flicks no one else heard of, you were bound to find something to fall in love with this year. Of course, there were reel (sic!) duds too (COUGH! crystal skulls COUGH! speed racer COUGH! day the earth stood still COUGH! prince caspian COUGH!), which provided just as much film-going fodder for us all to gather round and snark about.
So what was the best of the best of it all? You've come to the right place, because we don't discriminate here at S&H. We like pulpy underground noir. We like theater-packing, block- busting, money-raking franchise sequels (that measure up anyway). We like explosions, we like monsters, we like laughing so hard we barf our Snocaps into our popcorn. It doesn't matter what kind of movie or what kind of reviews it's getting, as long as it's a film with real, undiscriminating soul. Here at S&H, a good movie is a good movie.
And so, to join me for Scene & Heard's Best of 2008 in Film is the Ebert to my Roeper; The Mercury's own Kim Toth, who is renowned 'round these parts for her TV blog, On The Set, where she rakes her claws through the world of television, movies, and everything in between.
When I first saw the preview for this one, I thought it looked like all those cute, animated kids’ movies and immediately put it in the "rental" category. It wasn’t until it started making all the critics end-of-year lists that I finally sat down, watched it, and totally loved it! The story of a lonely Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class (WALL-E), who’s only friend is a cockroach, left behind to clean up the Earth after the humans packed up and left their wasted planet, is compelling and very well done. Appealing to both children and adults alike.
4. Cloverfield:
Yes, I’m prepared to take the heat for this choice. You either love or hate this monster flick from last January. And I loved it! I loved it so much that after watching it for free on the Internet, I actually paid with a bunch of coworkers to see it in the theater. Shot with a hand-held camera, a la Blair Witch Project, this film followed four friends trying to escape New York City after some sort of monster attack. Think 2000’s Godzilla, only much, much better! It was edge-of-your-seat entertainment from beginning to end.
3. Tropic Thunder:
In a word, Hilarious! I saw the preview ahead of Iron Man back in May and couldn’t wait for August to arrive so I could see the rest of the film. And it didn’t disappoint. Depicting the behind-the-scenes making of a "true story" of Vietnam soldiers, Tropic Thunder was by far the funniest flick of the year. Any film that puts Robert Downey Jr. in black-face and Tom Cruise in a skull cap and fat suit is OK with me. Not to mention the hilarious fake movie trailers at the beginning … I’m still hoping they make full versions of Satan’s Alley, The Fatties: Fart 2, Scorcher I-VI and, of course, Simple Jack!
2. Iron Man:
I had never heard of Tony Stark before seeing this fine flick, but the trailer was enough to hook me. The first bonafide hit of the summer, Iron Man brought back to life the career on one of my all-time fave actors. Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Tony Stark/Iron Man along with Jon Favreau’s directing was enough to rocket this film to the top of the box office in early May. Needlesstosay I was very impressed. I highly recommend it!
1. The Dark Knight:
While this film has made just about every critic’s Best Of list, none of them have the nerve to make it No. 1, opting instead for the obligatory serious films, i.e. Slumdog Millionaire, Gran Torino or The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (all of which, to be fair, I haven’t seen yet). But in the words of this flick’s villain The Joker, I ask, "Why So Serious?" The second of director Chris Nolan’s Batman movies, The Dark Knight was more than just a comic book film. It was easily the most anticipated movie of the year and featured a great story, spot on special effects and some of the best performances of the year. It’s made nearly a billion dollars worldwide and tops the Box Office for 2008, with barely any competition. And, of course, it features what is possibly the best performance of the late Heath Ledger’s career. I would never have thought that anyone could best Jack Nicholson’s Joker in Tim Burton’s Batman, but he more than managed. If you see one film this year, make it The Dark Knight.
And the Best of the Worst: Speed Racer! I was sooo looking forward to this film, being a huge fan of the popular TV cartoon. And I was sooooo disappointed!! Wachowski Bros, what happened? How could you take such a great premise and turn it into an explosion of purple and pink computer generated effects, ruining my cherished memories of Speed, Trixie, Spridle, Chim Chim and Pops. Not to mention giving Sparky the Queer Eye! Awful, just awful! Be warned …
Chris March's Top 5 Films of 2008
5. Wall-E
I have to echo Kim's sentiments on this Disney/Pixar number. Could I be as so bold as to say this movie is the greatest love story of the 21st century? It is. Not only does our little metal trash compacting hero win over the heart of fellow robot EVE, but also the hearts of the humans he encounters stranded in space, and the hearts of us watching at home, in a truly captivating way. This little lovable pixelated robot is undoubtedly the most inspiring character of 2008, urging everyone to get back to where they once belonged. It's as political as it is comedic as it entertaining as it is brilliant as it is original.
4. Iron Man
Funny how we can sit here in this decrepit state of American economy and say that 2008 was the year for billionaire superheros, and that we spent a lot of cash on films about them. The Dark Knight's Bruce Wayne easily took the upper hand at the box office, but Downey Jr.'s entertaining turn as Tony Stark instantly made him one of our favorite new characters to cheer on in one of the year's funnest films to watch. Batman may have won this round, but if the end of Iron Man is any indication, Stark hasn't even rolled his sleeves up yet, and the future of Marvel films (Iron Man 2, Captain America, Thor, The Avengers) is brighter than it is 'dark'.
3. Be Kind, Rewind
I'll admit, it was a little weird to watch a movie about a VHS tape rental store in 2008. But this cute little Michel Gondry comedy is more than just an ode to analog culture (and some great films from the 80s and 90s like Ghostbusters, Back To The Future, etc); it's a reminder that any ol' body can do any ol' thing. It's also a sharp thumbing of the nose to the many people out there who are full of crap, armed with contracts, guidelines, and laws who will tell you that you can't do something. My kind of movie.
2. Zack & Miri Make A Porno
The reason Kevin Smith movies (particularly ones that include a word like "porno" in the title) get a bad rep, is because people generally have trouble looking past the skin and bones (pun soooo intended here) of what he's doing. On the surface, this romantic comedy is a romping raunch-fest of smut that reaaaaaally pushes the bounds of what a "R" rating stands for these days. While I haven't laughed so hard (or seen THAT many naughty parts) in a movie in a long time, it's also the sweetest movie I may have ever seen. And this is very typical of Smith's direction with his movies, not all that far from the George Carlin vein. He envelopes the greatest love stories this side of The Notebook with guys and gals who talk dirtier than your drunk uncle on Christmas. It is the perfect balance of OMGZROFLWTF! and awwwww! While Smith ditches his regular Jay & Silent Bob franchise characters, a handful of his regular actors and actresses are still here (including our fav Jason Mewes) to trade the same blend of dirty small-talk banter we're used to. Kevin Smith fans will feel right at home, and everyone else will be absolutely appalled that someone could think of crap this sick and twisted. But if you look around, the real world and it's love stories are hardly ever pretty. And with the way the economy is these days, maybe you should start thinking about making your own porno to make ends meet too. Kevin Smith's best yet, and the romantic comedy of the year (in the worst way).
1. The Dark Knight
You're fooling yourself if you think this movie is the number 2 grossing film of all time for just a reason or two. It's not just a movie, it's a symphony. There is so much meat packed into this thing, that there is just too much for anyone to devour in one sitting. You can read into the philosophy and real-world political undertones of terrorism, corruption, and politics; you can ogle at some of the slickest and sickest action sequences ever shot; or you can sit back and watch the unfolding of some of this year's most mesmerizing performances. The late Ledger's Joker is the obvious heavy-weight, but Aaron Eckhart's maddening descent from Harvey Dent into Two-Face is the central lynch pin that holds this entire movie together, in plot and performance. And thanks to the sharp writing and execution of these performances, realism in a fantasy movie doesn't get more menacing than this. A movie this intricate and bloated could EASILY go completely down the toilet. But in the visionary hands of director Christopher Nolan, it is undoubtedly the definitive movie, not just of 2008, but of the times we live in. Watch Dent's press conference when he promises "the dawn is coming." In these somewhat dark times where we all have something negative to say about the world around us, Dent's words are more than the promise of hope that we need, but the hope we deserve.
Honorable Mention: Cloverfield, The Incredible Hulk, In Bruges, Tropic Thunder.
The Movies That Look Like They Could Stand A Shot At This List If I Had Seen Them, But I Didn't That title should be explanatory enough.
Choke--The gloriously twisted novel by Chuck Palahniuk was fantastic, so why wouldn't a movie adaption starring Sam Rockwell be awesome? The Wrestler--Mickey Rourke as a washed up wrestler still holding onto his lifelong dream of becoming a star? I am SO sold. I was close to putting it on the best of list without even seeing it. Cadillac Records--Well, you know me and music movies. Plus Mos Def as Chuck Berry? Oh, that's glorious. Gran Torino--When Clint Eastwood plays a car-loving badass, it usually makes for an instant classic. So really, it's just simple math. When he says "Get off my lawn" holding a shotgun in the trailer, a chill shoots right up my little ol' spine. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button--Well the premise is pretty sweet. David Fincher directs a Forest Gump-like film about a man who ages backwards. Actually, I was supposed to see this last night, but our car sprung a flat on the way, so fate kept this from making or not making the best of 2008 list.
It's just about here! This is my favorite Christmas Eve song. Every time I hear it, I feel like I'm in church, it's dark, I'm holding a candle, and we're all swaying back and forth singing this classic, wistful carol in unison. When it's performed right--as Scene & Heard favs As Tall As Lions do here--the melody and mood bares this heavy, ancient feel to it that just sails through you. It's chilling, and like sitting by a fireplace, all at the same time. A magnificent feat for any piece of music. Merry Christmas, everyone.
Top 5 Lists That List The Best Music Albums 0f 2008 (wait, what?)
Tis' the season. And I ain't talking bout yuletides and elves. I'm talking about all those end of year lists that anyone with a "professional" opinion feels is necessary to cough up come December, year after year after year. Truth be told, we even feel entitled to get on this great golden soapbox ourselves here at Scene & Heard HQ, and we will soon enough before the year expires on us. But before we get to the top batch of records and movies that 2008 gave birth to, I thought it'd be fun--perhaps even, educational--to give you our TOP 5 BEST OF LISTS that we've seen so far on this year in music. What a concept, huh? And believe me, I went through quite a gamut of lists to come up with this list of lists, so do trust that this is the best of what 2008's 'best of' was.
The comforting thing is that no list really resembles what my list is shaping up like. Most rock music magazines tend to have the same a-la-cart lists, most indie blogs tend to have the same top 5, but this was an interesting year in which lots of lists seemed to veer off after newer artists and some daring, brilliant records. My list will probably be something of a conglomerate of all these lists here, although I don't really get this critical salivating for Fleet Foxes. Decent record, but it's like the number one album to make Number One on these year-end lists? No way, they're just doing what My Morning Jacket did 6 or 7 years ago. Anyway, here's the lists!
Scene & Heard's Top 5 Lists That List The Best Music Albums 0f 2008
5. NME Top 50 Albums of 2008 This British rock magazine gets a spot just because their list, expectedly, has a lot more lively records ripe with trumpets, grooves, and angular guitars than all the lo-fi and northwest folk that swept the American music underground this year (COUGH! Fleet Foxes... COUGH!). The whole of these records, from Santogold (one of Philly's own!) to Kings of Leon to TV On The Radio to number one MGMT, are all about making sound statements and living through these disastrous economic times. Although they scored The Verve's and Oasis' letdowns higher than Coldplay? Ugh...
4. Stereogum's Best Albums of 2008 Honestly, could have made the number 2 spot of this list if they DIDN'T GIVE FLEET FOXES THE NUMBER ONE SPOT! It's a great and expansive list that gives lots of proper tips of the hat to a lot of the right artists--big and small--who deserve the name check. Also, Stereogum just posts artwork and links to purchase the music...no blurbs about why they chose what they chose. Though it's cool to 'let the music do the talking,' I like to read about why something deserves more props than another on these year end lists. So, foul on the ol' Gum there too. But still, a pretty tight list.
3. Paste Magazine's Signs of Life: Best of 2008 I like Paste Magazine, and I really like their theme for this year's best of list: "Signs of Life." Kinda poetic and something to think about as the CD industry continues to die the ugliest death in the history of long, painful, squirming, gasping, economic deaths. But I dig this list for other reasons too. Like TV On The Radio gets their due, but at a much more reasonable #50, instead of #1 (see Rolling Stone, see Spin, see countless other etcs). But they also give due to Colour Revolt (#35), the brilliant Death Cab record (#18) which lots of lists seemed to develop amnesia for, Mugison, and a huge surprise of a number 1--She & Him. Not exactly something I would put at Number 1, but a pleasant surprise nonetheless.
2. Can You See The Sunset's 50 Favorite Albums of 2008 I look to a crap ton of music blogs for all the latest songs and artists circulating the ol' net, but Can You See The Sunset is the only music blog I read on a regular basis. Mainly because his taste in music is the closest I've found to mine in that he is a lover of most all music, but has the biggest weak spot for a good, jolting dose of punk rock. As long as the music has soul and/or an unwavering lifeforce, he unearths it, loves it, and shares it on his blog, and that's a kind of person that I can undeniably get behind and respect. So don't look to his year end list if you're looking for the stuff you'd expect to find on Spin or Rolling Stone, or Pitchfork for that matter. But his list is right on the money, and runs the gamut from grindstone folk (a surprising number one pick) to soul to punk to some decent mainstream indie. It's probably one of the least predictable and yet, most honest lists you will find this end of the year. Not to mention, he takes year ends lists really seriously. He even re-did his best of 2007 after spending an extra year with all those records, after those songs revealed their true colors.
1. eMusic's 88 Best Albums of 2008 Well, for starters, they give The Gaslight Anthem's "59 Sound" the Number One badge of approval, and that's awesome in my book. But also, the write up for the list riffs off the idea that this was the year of discovery--and I couldn't say it any better myself. And if that sentiment rings true, there is no better place to discover new music than eMusic. Their finely crafted list is limited in what it can list because there is a majority of recording artists signed to major labels who don't distribute downloads on eMusic--but eMusic gives you miracles with what they do have to work with. Paul McCartney's new Fireman record gets due. A live (and phenomenal) Otis Redding gem released this year gets due. Bon Iver, Raveonettes, and She & Him all get big props here, as well as a whole treasure trove of other surprises you never ever heard of before.
In short, 2008 was the sound of us all looking for something new. A new chord to ride, a new melody to hum, a new horizon to walk off towards.
Well, the ground is frozen, the wind is chilled, the stockings are hung, the presents are wrapped, the cocoa is steaming, the logs are stacked by the fireplace, the tree lots are emptying out, and the procrastinators are out there whipping around for last minute gifts. Christmastime, is inevitably here, once again. But what is Christmastime without this classic, stirring staple? Vince Guaraldi's soft, steamy soundtrack to the Peanuts gang's holiday masterfully wraps up all the joy, zaniness, romance, frustration, and goodwill of the season under one big gleaming red bow. And this classic song in particular, isn't just a song for the season. It's what Christmas sounds like. Merry Christmas Eve Eve, from me and my favorite Christmas songs to you. Only two more days, and two more songs left!
It's hard to find a more definitive Christmas song of modern times than John Lennon's "Happy Christmas (War is Over)." It's even harder to find an artist who can take the song on and do something special with it. Believe me, I have heard barrels and barrels of covers of this song, but only one has impressed me, and it's this cut from the Irish soul-wrenching songwriter, Damien Rice. I'm not saying he one-ups Lennon, but he does something sort of lonely and soulful with it, kicking it into a whole other range of emotion. Rice gets the spirit out of this song, just as Lennon did, and that is no easy task. And if you really spend some time with this song this holiday season, you'll find Rice's version has a lot of potency for the times we're living in and immersed in. A fantastic holiday listen for 2009.
The Eighth Song Of Christmas (Not to be confused with Flava Flav's New York)
Not only is this one of my favorite Christmas songs, I also feel it's one of the greatest love songs ever written. The Pogues masterfully wove a gigantic love story into a sweet, snarling Irish romp of a four-and-a-half-minute song. It's framed by old men sitting around the fire, looking back on life at Christmas time and then it dives into a sweeping tale of young love's fire and brimstone in the middle of New York City. On this cut from Dustin Kensrue (frontman for heavy art rockers Thrice), he rips the classic up from it's roots and turns it into his own animal. He drains the Irish snot from the verses as well as the call the response male/female dynamic, but he carries the weight of the song's sweeter side.
Some of the best Christmas music is soul music. And this little gemstone by gospel soulsters The Staple Singers (song was originally performed by Deanie Parker, but whatevs) will melt any icicles you got hanging off your heart this holiday. Of course, if you listen to the lyrics, it's about putting the MARY back in Christmas, which in turn, brings the "merry." Great soulful gospel number for your Christmas tunes. You might also know one of the Staples from cranking out that awesome theme song from the movie Christmas Vacation--Mavis Staples.
Clark: Tis the season to be Merry. Mary: "Well, that's my name!"
The Pretenders wrote a great Christmas song when they wrote "2000 Miles." But Coldplay's wistful version on the piano takes it to a whole other level that really opens up the emotion of Chrissie Hynde's original. One of the best Christmas love songs I've ever heard. Because of how many people come together and get close with one another, Christmas is a time of the year when people really think about the distance between themselves and their loved ones. That's what makes the imagery and soul of this Christmas song so pertinent, and special.
Just cause you're on Santa's naughty list doesn't mean you can't have a Christmas song. And this one is it, where Swedish rockers The Hives square off with Cyndi Lauper for a Christmas duel! In it, singer Pelle Almqvist and Lauper are married and confess all the awful things they did to each other this year, like getting married, sleeping with each other's family members, and burning each other's record collections (oh so, so low). But amidst it all, they realize all the filth and fury and naughty they wrought this year means nothing, because it's Christmas and it's time to love and share and be merry. A brilliant Christmas song if you ask me. It'll shoot your eye out!
Some gifts take a bit more time to bear their fruit. Wham's "Last Christmas," for instance. When Jimmy Eat World polished this tune off with a more jarring and heartfelt (and danceable!) delivery a few years back, it became an instant favorite for anyone who wanted to hear something new for the holidays besides the same ol' Bing, Mathis, Frank, and The King. But it also reached out to those of us reeling from a bad breakup at the time of year when everyone is together and giving and loving and caroling, which is typically where scrooges and grinches come from. While most Christmas songs say "give, give, give, be merry, and love," this one says "take back what's yours." Then wrap it up for someone else. That's pretty much what Jimmy Eat World did with this song. And just think--eco friendly fanatics will dig your recycling habits too! Everyone wins.
There's lots of fantastic versions of this gem in circulation, but I think Charles Brown and Bonnie Raitt are the ones who got it right--bluesy and mellow. I particularly dig this track for the "I got good music on my radioooO" line, which is usually the case when I'm picking the Christmas tunes. And besides, what simpler holiday sentiment can you express than "Merry Christmas, baby." That's all anyone needs to hear this time of year.
What I really want for Christmas is the voice of Jim James, but I'll settle for this My Morning Jacket cover of The King's "Santa Claus Is Back In Town." It's my favorite "Christmas is coming boys and girls" song of the season. And like I said, there ain't no voice with more gift than Mr. James', so download it and revel in it.
Keeping in theme with geeking out over all the sweet trailers popping up on the net for some of next year's mostanticipated movies, here's the first trailer for the first X-Men spinoff movie--X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Between brief glimpses of Gambit, Deadpool, The Blob, a whole lot of adamantium claws, crying babies, explosions, seemingly more wild mutant madness than in the original X-Men trilogy and Wolvie threatening to cut off Sabretooth's head, this movie is looking pretty darn excellent.
Hold up. Did you hear that? Sounded like Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins just cried "rip off!" Weird. (And let's face it, that last X-Men movie wasn't THAT far off from the bat-nippled Batman & Robin. So, what's next? The Dark Logan?) But we're not complaining, because it looks like we're getting all the best stuff that the first 3 X-Men movies were too shy to include. 2009 is gonna be the year of getting what we deserve.
Step aside, Bat bub. It's my turn to begin. (photo from Memories Documented)
And is it just me, or did I see a lil' Storm still in diapers somewhere in there?
I know I posted this last Christmas, but Santa is coming to town, and The Killers want to remind you that your life is on the line. Our fav jolly ol' elf isn't afraid to lay the smack down on all the bad boys and girls. I fancy this video so much, that watching it has become like listening to Bing Crosby by the fireplace on Christmas Eve.
And keep checking back for more songs of Christmas, because I got another Christmas dual to share with you. Song 2 will be posted later today.
I don't want to be visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future this holiday, so for the next 12 days (ending on good ol' December 25), I'll post one holiday mp3 for your downloading pleasure to make up Scene & Heard's 12 songs of Christmas mix. The holidays and music are my 2 favorite things in the world, so Christmas music is where I truly get to shine. I hope you enjoy and share some of these songs with your friends and family this holiday season. Stay tuned for more merry tunes each day.
Let's kick it off right with Daniel Johnson's "Christmas Music" -- a song about why Christmas music has it's own special little corner in the musical galaxy. Beautiful song, and highly recommended. MP3: Daniel Johnson - Christmas Music
And now that we're talking about it, what are some of your fav. Christmas songs? Chat it up in the replies enough and it might make the 12 songs of Christmas.
Ok, ok, so the look is the same. But we got a fancy new header to top Scene & Heard off every single day! W00t! And yeah, I know... there aren't any subways in Pottstown, Phoenixville, Royersford, Reading, or anywhere around here. But I'm the blog from the underground in these parts, so it fits. Right? Plus, it looks too cool to not argue for the strong case it makes.
And stay tuned, that's not all that's been under construction here. Starting this Sunday, I'll post one Christmas song a day until Dec. 25 in a little something I'd like to call the 12 Songs of Christmas mix.
PLUS! With the 2008's curtain coming to a close, I'm getting help from some fellow Mercury staff for our favorite movies and music of the year to share with you. Expect lots of mp3s and YouTube clips to come.
It's been a busy few days here at Scene & Heard HQ where we've been going back and thinking about what the year's brightest moments on the big screen and in our stereos were. We're also culling some excellent Christmas songs to share with you for the 12 days of Christmas. But in the mean time, I ask you to look to the future.
I'm, of course, talking about the new Terminator flick, Terminator Salvation, which now has a full trailer that's hit the web.
Holy metal heads! Not bad, huh? I mean, I'm more of a Johnny Five guy when it comes to war machines ("Hey laser lips! Your momma was a snowblower!"), but we'll take an Ahnuld-less Terminator with a po-ed John Conner anyday. And this is probably the coolest poster I've ever seen for a movie.
There is a lot I could blog right now. I could write about the Golden Globe nominations announced this morning (go Heath!), or start recapping the year with all those 'best of' lists, or I could share some Christmas music with ya...
...but I'd really rather just watch this animation over and over and over.
Talk about a victory lap! And WHY must Hillary ALWAYS have her mouth open? Always!
Local guitar wizard, Trevor Gordon Hall, is wheeling out wheelbarrows of rad news about his new record label, his upcoming album, and his Christmas show this Saturday at Chaplins. How could he not be the most stoked person in the area right now? Check the comments for a letter from the guitar hero himself. And don't miss the show either!
So, in retrospect, last week's Xmas Wishlist was kinda crummy. Or lazy might be a more appropriate word. But I'm better prepared this week. What say we give this another shot? If you have friends or family like me (God help you if you do) here's some ideas of what to wrap up and slap a bow on for them this holiday season.
5. The Steel City Coffee House VIP card This is a must-give to anyone who is a regular frequenter of Phoenixville's sweetest spot for music and caffeine. And rare, so hurry! As of yesterday, there was only 5 still available. This gets you reserved seating, advanced ticket prices on all shows, 10% off all food and drink, $25 extra on the card, AND 2 free tickets good for any show. Plus no BYO fees for VIP members and guests (when tickets purchased using the VIP Card. VIP CARD is initiated with a one time purchase of $500.00 and are reloadable in any amount. More information on the VIP card at http://steelcitycoffee.stores.yahoo.net/vipgica5.html.
4. Steel City Coffee House Gift Card And for all those cheap skates out there not willing to shell out the $500 for that golden ticket, you could just give out a borin' ol' Steel City gift card. They are good for show tickets and can be bought at www.steelcitycoffeehouse.com and will be delivered with free shipping. Just don't tell the person you're giving this to about the VIP card. They will hate you.
3. Guitar Hero World Tour. "A guy can dream right?" That's why they made Guitar Hero--so everyone can rock out. This is where the party is at.
2. www.urbanoutfitters.com Go there and go crazy. I promise, you'll find something, because if it's cool, they make it.
1. DO NOT GIVE iTUNES GIFT CARDS! I mean it! Sure, they are good for office friends or stocking stuffers, but if you're REALLY shopping for a music head, you get yourself in a record store, buster. A REAL record store--I'm not talking FYE here. Or you can browse online too. But the gift of vinyl is the way to go. The artwork is large and beautiful and a record has more thought and care wrapped up in it. It makes a much sweeter gift than a plastic card with numbers on it.
As with any viral clip that the former Doogie Howser can weasel himself into, the Prop 8 musical (featuring an awesome Jack Black Jesus, mind you) has been all the rage on the nets lately. So it certainly has a home here on Youtube (even though it's from FunnyOrDie) Mondays.
Don't know what to get your entertainment junky (see also: nerd) for Christmas? Well, take a load off pal, you've come to the right place. I present to you the 2008 Scene & Heard Wish List. Although, keep checking back here this month for our year end lists of music, movies, and etc, which will all make great stocking stuffers too.
5. Death Cab For Cutie Holiday Package If your little music fan (or big music fan, we don't discriminate) just got into Death Cab after this year's brilliant "Narrow Stairs," they're missing out on a whole lotta good warm-hearted indie rock. This package includes all 7 releases the band put out on Barsuk, before stepping up to a major label. Does not include "Plans" or "Narrow Stairs," but is a golden deal for Death Cab beginners.
4. The Limited Edition Beatles iPod Box Set Want to go overboard? Sure you do. I see that look in your eyes. Show the economy that you don't need to cut back! Nothing says overboard like this baby, which you can only get from Bloomingdales for the special low price of $795 (or on eBay for a lot lot more). It's all here, the treasure trove. You get all the apples--Apple's classic iPod with a Beatles logo and 120gb of storage, and all the CD's from the Apple label's discography (including "Love"). And you get a guitar pick too, for some reason. All tidied up in a sleek wooden box. Plus, there is only 2500 copies in existence. Owning one makes you super special! In all seriousness, it's the coolest box set and iPod you'll find, but only for the biggest Beatlemaniacs. Now's also a good time to mention that The Beatles remain one of the last remaining bands not available on iTunes, though it's apparently going to happen some day. But not bad, right?
3.Of course, you could just shell out for a regular ol' iPod or iPhone, which I promise won't upset any person willing to live amongst the technology of the 21st century. Always a safe bet.
2. The Dark Knight on Blu-Ray The biggest, boldest, movie of the year that crossed over from comic books into the mainstream this year in a huge way. And yes, it MUST be on Blu-Ray, not DVD, because it's the best looking movie ever, and the action scenes are all shot in hi-def. Since it hits stores on Dec 9, there are going to be a lot of Bat fans looking for this under the tree. Do. Not. Disappoint. Them. (Yes, that is a threat.) There's also a special edition available that comes with a statuette Batpod, but...that could be a bit overboard.
1. DIY mix That's right, the way to really impress them is to do it yourself. And you know what? You spend a nickel on a CD-R (or cassette if you really want to impress them). That's it! Just put some excellent music together and they'll love you forever. Because they'll know you care, and that you put the time in. Of course, mixmaking is quite an artform, so be careful of what you're getting yourself into and be wise and selective in your song choices. Don't think you got what it takes? That's ok, you can bake them some warm cookies. That works too.
And just for fun... Let's go old school and bring back the full-on pajamas look. www.thecatspjs.com. May I recommend the crossword puzzle pjs?
Well, the new Star Trek trailer hit the web last week... and while I've never been any kind of Trekkie, this new trailer has me as nerded up for the new movie the way The Dark Knight trailers geeked me out a year ago.
But what's even better than a new Star Trek movie with Spocks and Kirks and Scottys?
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I'm always down for a lousy excuse to party (like, "They had a sale at the beer store so we got a keg!" Or the ol "I don't know anyone who's birthday is today, but SOMEONE is celebrating a birthday today, so drag out the kazoos and fireworks fellas and party!" Or the always entertaining, the economy sucks, let's wear bandannas, stay in and get blitzed and play Guitar Hero!" party, those are a blast), but I have the worst time getting into celebrating New Year's Eve. It's like going to a World Series baseball game for a $10 hot dog that tastes like gym shoes instead of going to the grocery store, buying a dozen dogs and firing them up on the grill at home with some friends.
