Flogging Molly: Speed of Darkness (2011)

After 4 studio albums and building up a rabid fanbase through their undeniably awesome live shows, Flogging Molly find themselves in a slightly precarious position with Speed of Darkness. The band has thus far stayed true to their celtic folk-punk sound with only minor variations but at some point as artists they're bound to want to change it up a little. That's a tough thing for some longtime fans to accept and it's safe to assume that some people will cry foul that this isn't the Flogging Molly they fell in love with. Realistically, any band with a vocalist as distinctive as Dave King is probably going to sound like themselves no matter what but songs like the lead single "Don't Shut 'Em Down," "The Power's Off" and "Oliver Boy (All of our Boys)" owe as much to 90's alternative rock as the bands traditional influences. There are also some genuinely beautiful ballads in the acoustic "So Sail On" and the somber piano based "The Cradle of Humankind." The band hasn't totally abandoned full blown celtic punk either as the title track and "Saints and Sinners" both fly by with energy to spare. Flogging Molly also manage to fit in a sea shanty ("The Heart of the Sea") and a slew of mid tempo folk sing-a-long's ("This Present State of Grace," So Sail On," "Rise Up") in for good measure. Lyrically King is inspired by the economic meltdown and specifically the situation in Detroit along with his usual ruminations of love, life and religion. Speed of Darkness is a solid transitional album for Flogging Molly and even more importantly a reason to tour. A few more rockers would have been welcome there's little to fault here except for the most hardcore of close minded fans.

Rating: 3.5

Track Listing:

1. "Speed of Darkness" (4:08)
2. "Revolution" (3:08)
3. "The Heart of the Sea" (3:42)
4. "Don't Shut 'Em Down" (3:40)
5. "The Power's Out" (4:39)
6. "So Sail On" (2:47)
7. "Saint's and Sinners" (3:32)
8. "This Present State of Grace" (2:47)
9. "The Cradle of Humankind" (5:11)
10. "Oliver Boy (All Of Our Boys)" (4:06)
11. "A Prayer For Me In Silence" (1:54)
12. "Rise Up" (3:32)

Eddie Vedder: Ukulele Songs (2011)

Eddie Vedder's first proper solo album (the Into the Wild Soundtrack doesn't technically count) is basically a homemade demo type recording of the Pearl Jam frontman singing short songs accompanied only by his Ukulele. It's a worthy addition to any Pearl Jam fans collection but isn't the type of album that is going to blow anyone away. This is an intimate look at another side of a guy known for his bombastic voice and left wing politically charged lyrics and stances. Vedder's voice has always had a vulnerable edge to go along with his passioned screams and wailing tenor and that vulnerability is on full display throughout Ukulele Songs. The songs are largely about love lost and relationships but avoid being sappy or draining due to Vedder's trembling voice and the undeniable energy he puts into singing them. On the downside, the Ukulele is far from a versatile instrument so the songs tend to run together and aren't overly distinguishable from one another (this becomes less of a problem after multiple listens but it's still an issue). Ultimately Ukulele Songs isn't an album for everyone but hardcore Pearl Jam fans will surely want to pick it up and it's worth a listen for anyone who's ever sang along to "Better Man." Oh yeah, any album that includes Vedder and Cat Power singing "Tonight You Belong To Me" (which I'm mostly familiar with from from The Jerk but it's been around forever) is all right in my book.

Rating: 3.5

Track Listing:

1. "Can't Keep" (2:35)
2. "Sleeping By Myself" (1:54)
3. "Without You" (3:18)
4. "More Than You Know" (2:25)
5. "Goodbye" (2:28)
6. "Broken Heart" (2:36)
7. "Satellite" (2:19)
8. "Longing To Belong" (2:48)
9. "Hey Fahkah" (0:08)
10. "You're True" (3:23)
11. "Light Today" (2:41)
12. "Sleepless Nights" (2:39)
13. "Once In A While" (1:45)
14. "Waving Palms" (0:37)
15. "Tonight You Belong To Me" (1:41)
16. "Dream a Little Dream" (1:28)

Hobo With a Shotgun (2011)

I'm guessing that each individual will know right off the bat if Hobo With a Shotgun is a movie they will enjoy or not. I am the sort of person that would and I did. Discussing the inner workings of a grindhouse homage full of over the top violence, gore, ridiculous dialog, and only the slightest hint of a plot is a bit worthless so I'm not going to waste anyone's time. Rutger Hauer is a hobo, he goes to a town overrun with crime and cleans things up with the use of said shotgun alongside the requisite hooker with a heart of gold. Everything is done at such exaggerated levels that attempting to take the movie seriously is futile. If you need your cinema to be serious fare, stay far away from Hobo With a Shotgun. If you're up for a good time and some mindless fun, there are far worse ways to spend an hour and a half.

Rating: 4

Thursday Video: Ben Harper: "Rock 'N' Roll Is Free" - Live on Letterman

Ben Harper was on Letterman last night promoting his excellent new album, Give Till It's Gone. I can't help but think he looks a bit distracted and that the CBS orchestra really didn't need to be involved but it's still a really good song. Thanks to the Audio Perv for the video.

Casino Jack (2010)

There was a time when I would have considered any movie with Kevin Spacey in the lead role to be a great movie even without seeing it. Those days are gone and now he's just another talented actor who can't transform a decent movie into anything more than decent. Casino Jack is exactly that, decent. This fictionalized account of "super lobbyist" Jack Abramoff, who did a lot of illegal things while making a lot of money for himself and a lot of government officials, never figures out if it wants to be a sharp political satire, a character piece or an straight biography and in trying to balance all three, it ends up only slightly delivering on all three. The satire never goes far enough, Abramoff is never built up enough to be a overly compelling figure and the story never feels fully formed. Casino Jack is a fun movie to watch solely for Spacey's scene chewing (and any film with Jon Lovitz is worth checking out) but it should be so much more. Instead it's just decent.

Rating: 2.5

Wednesday Video: The Joy Formidable - "Whirring" on Conan

I had never heard of this Welsh band before their appearance on Conan last night. I wasn't overly impressed until they got pretty raw at the end and it turned my whole first impression around. Enjoy and thanks to the Audio Perv for the video.

Night and the City (1950)

Jules Dassin's first European film after being blacklisted by Hollywood, Night and the City is a bleak affair that has to be one of the darker film noir's to come from the genre's classic period. Lead character Harry Fabian (Richard Widmark) is a small time hustler who thinks he can take over London's lucrative wrestling scene by becoming it's top promoter. He's a largely unsympathetic character who's willing to hustle and steal from anyone to get ahead. It's to Widmark's credit that he manages to make the viewer care about the character at all. The rest of the characters are a collection of underworld types who -- with a couple exceptions -- are just as unlikeable as Fabian. Dassin was obviously angry about what happened to him in America and it comes through in the film clear as day. The result is a solid noir that is just a step below classic status.

Rating: 4

Ben Harper: Give Till It's Gone (2011)

The best and worse thing about Ben Harper's career has been his willingness and need to be stylistically eclectic. Everything from acoustic folk to heavy guitar rock (with stops into pure pop, soul, gospel, reggae and pretty much any other genre you could think of) has been well represented and while it's certainly a great display of his talents, it hasn't always added up to fully cohesive albums. That has changed with Give Till It's Gone, the most fully formed album of Harper's career.

The main reason the album holds together so well is a lyrical focus on heartbreak and the dissolution of a long term relationship. The natural aching in Harper's voice is perfect for lighter songs like ""Don't Give Up On Me Now, "Feel Love" and "Pray That Our Love Sees the Dawn." It also gives an emotional attachment to the loud rockers ""Waiting on a Sign" and "Dirty Little Lover". When he lets loose on the closing "Do It For You, Do It For Us" the pain in his screams seems very well deserved. Give Till It's Gone is not all heartbreak and depression, the joyous rocking lead single "Rock 'N' Roll Is Free" (which may or may not be about music piracy) is a nice detour into pure rock and lyrical hopefulness.

Give Till It's Gone may not have been born under the greatest personal circumstances for Ben Harper but we all know heartbreak is great inspiration and the results here are a fantastic album. It may not be the most purely enjoyable of Harper's career but it is the most personal and holds together as a work of art than anything else he's previosly done.

Rating: 4.5

Track Listing:

1. "Don't Give Up On Me Now" (3:32)
2. "I Will Not Be Broken" (5:04)
3. "Rock 'N' Roll Is Free" (4:21)
4. "Feel Love" (3:46)
5. "Clearly Severely" (4:52)
6. "Spilling Faith" (3:31)
7. "Get There From Here" (5:54)
8. "Pray That Our Love Sees the Dawn" (4:41)
9. "Waiting on a Sign" (5:00)
10. "Dirty Little Lover" (4:46)
11. "Do It For You, Do It For Us" (4:27)

The Big Heat (1953)

Glen Ford has to be one of the most underrated actors of all time. The Big Heat is only the fourth of his film's I've seen (after Glilda and the original 3:10 To Yuma and Superman) but I'll be looking into more shortly. He wasn't a flashy actor by any means but his rock solid performances were always reliable. The Big Heat is another in a long line of old noirs I've been watching and while it took a little while to hit it's stride, when it did, it did so in a major way. Ford plays a hard nosed police detective who get's mixed up in a suicide and sub-sequentially murder scheme involving the city's mob boss (who happens to have the police commissioner in his pocket) and his right hand man (Lee Marvin). It's a pretty brutal film at times and director Fritz Lang (M, Metropolis) shows as much as film standards would allow at the time. While the supporting performances are all very good (and Marvin is excellent as a jealous and unwavering tough guy in one of his earliest films) it's Ford who holds the film together. The Big Heat isn't a perfect film but it sure does have a lot going for it.

Rating: 4.5

Blow Out: Blu-ray (1981)

Brian DePalma's career has been filled with movies that often have met criticism for containing more style than substance as well as too much in the way of homage. While both of these things are true, when a man as talented as DePalma makes a film as good as Blow Out, it really doesn't matter.

Low budget movie soundman, Jack Terry (John Travolta), just wants to record some new natural sound affects when his night is interrupted by a tragic car accident. While the driver is beyond rescue, he does manage to save the woman passenger (Nancy Allen). Little does he realize the dead man is the current Governor of Pennsylvania and a front-runner for the upcoming presidential election. What follows is part conspiracy movie, part inside look at filmmaking and one of the finest thrillers of the 80's.

DePalma's visual flourishes are in full force in large a number of scenes throughout Blow Out. His ability to use the camera as a free flowing device capable of showing both beautiful and horrific images simultaneously is matched by only a few other directors in history and in Blow Out he has characters that make it mean all that much more. I don;t think Travolta has ever been considered a remarkably skilled thespian, but his performance here is a good argument against that theory. Jack Terry is a man of great conviction and Travolta caries that through to the very end but also shows off the characters soft side as well. Allen's character seems to be just a old fashioned damsel in distress at first but her ability to transcend that is a key to her and Travolta's on screen relationship and ultimately the film itself. Add in a couple fine supporting turns from John Lithgow and Dennis Franz and you have a film that works on a personal level as well as a visual one.

No one is ever going to confuse the blu-ray transfer of Blow Out with a new release blockbuster but as usual the folks at Criterion have done an outstanding job with this release. Colors are very well represented, there are no issues of dirt or specking and the films grain structure is full intact. Detail is generally excellent but Blow Out was filmed to be a little soft and that comes through on the transfer. The audio is nothing fancy as the only options is a 2.0 uncompressed mono track but dialog is always clear, Pino Donaggio's score is full and there are no issues of cracking or popping. The blu-ray isn't going to blow anyone away but it's a very good representation of the film.

Blow Out just might be the finest film Brian DePalma has ever made. It's certainly one of his better ones and well worth picking up on Blu-ray without hesitation. I was a big fan of this film the first time I saw it years ago and seeing it again has been a revelation. It's a fantastic film.

Ratings:

Movie: 5
Blu-ray: 4.5

The Cars: Move Like This (2011)

It's been over 20 years since the original Cars released an album but after years of flat out refusing to get the band back together, head driver Ric Ocasek finally reconsidered and Move Like This is the result of the bands reformation. By retaining the mix of hard rock guitars and new wave synthesizers, the Cars manage to pull off the trick of sounding exactly like the band did when they broke up but also not sounding like a dated relic. The upbeat songs like "Blue Tip," "Sad Song" "Keep on Knocking" and "Free" are all good tracks and will add to the bands legacy but they all lack the giant hooks and charm that defined much of the Cars best music. Because bassist and co-lead singer Benjamin Orr passed away from cancer in 2000, Ocasek was forced to sing every song himself and the slower songs "Soon" and "Take Another Look" are just not suited to his jagged vocal style. They would have greatly benefited from Orr's smoother voice. While it's certainly nice to have one of the better new wave bands together and making new music again and Move Like This is far from a bad album, it's not on the level of the bands best work.

Rating: 3

Track Listing:

1. "Blue Tip" (3:13)
2. "Too Late" (4:01)
3. "Keep on Knocking (3:52)
4. "Soon" (4:23)
5. "Sad Song" (3:38)
6. "Free" (3:17)
7. "Drag On Forever" (3:37)
8. "Take Another Look" (4:47)
9. "It's Only" (3:01)
10. "Hits Me" (3:51)

Warren Haynes: Man in Motion (2011)

Warren Haynes hos got to be one of the busiest men in music today. Between fronting Gov't Mule, playing in the Allman Brothers and the Dead and touring constantly with at least one of the three, there can't be too much spare time to create a solo album but here we are. It would be one thing for Haynes just to release a solo album at all but to release perhaps the best album of his career is a whole different beast. Man in Motion is that beast.

Toning down (but never abandoning) the heavy blues guitar he's best known for to focus on old school soul may seem like an odd move on the surface but it's impossible to argue against the results. With a crack backup band in place -- George Porter Jr. (bass), Ivan Nevelle (organ), Ian McClagan (piano), Raymond Weber (drums), Ron Holloway (saxophone) and Ruthie Foster (backup vocals) -- Man in Motion is full of funky rhythms, tight musicianship that also manages to stretch out to epic proportions and Haynes soulful vocals. Warren's first love was singing not the guitar and his vocals on Man in Motion are his best ever. His voice is filled with passion, soul and aching throughout Man in Motion and when he sings about lost love on the ballads "Your Wildest Dreams" and the piano driven "Save Me" you really feel the pain. Fans of Warren's guitar should not be worried about a lack of blazing solo's either. While the sound of his guitar is much cleaner than his work in Gov't Mule and the Allman's, "Man in Motion," "River's Gonna Rise," "Sick of My Shadow" and "Take a Bullet" all feature extended guitar workouts that are simply beautiful. "On a Real Lonely Night" features a fantastic instrumental call and response between Haynes and Holloway, and "A Friend to You" opens with a great Holloway solo before shifting to a perfect mid-tempo groove.

Man in Motion is not only a fine addition to Warren Haynes' catalog, it just may be the best thing he's ever put down on record. It's still got enough of what fans of Gov't Mule love but is a different feel all together. This is quite simply a beautiful album full of great songs, amazing musicianship and a ton of passion. It's one of the best albums of the year so far.

Rating: 4.5

Track Listing:

1. "Man in Motion" (7:54)
2. "River's Gonna Rise (6:53)
3. "Everyday Will Be Like a Holiday" (5:31)
4. "Sick of My Shadow" (6:59)
5. "Your Wildest Dreams" (7:20)
6. "On a Real Lonely Night" (7:40)
7. "Hattiesburg Hustle" (6:35)
8. "A Friend To You" (5:46)
9. "Take a Bullet" (5:27)
10. "Save Me" (6:16)

Playing Catch Up on Music Reviews

Every year there are lots of albums I listen to once or twice and never do again (thanks streaming Napster!). Usually it's not because I think they're bad albums but they just don't appeal to me or aren't overly memorable. Here's a bunch that fall into that category and my quick thoughts on them. These are not fully formed opinions and should be taken as such.

The Aggrolites: Rugged Road

One of the finer reggae bands working today delivers a pretty minor album here. There are a lot of instrumentals and it feels rushed. Not bad but they have released much better stuff in the past.

Atmosphere: The Family Sign

I have no idea how popular Atmosphere is outside the Twin Cities are but they're pretty freaking huge in their hometown(s). I've always enjoyed their music but never to the fanatical degree of a lot of people I know. The Family Sign is another fine release featuring a mix of old school samples, live instrumentation and Slug's heartfelt tales of life.  I see no reason why fans wouldn't rave ecstatic over this album.

Bright Eyes: The People's Key

I hated Bright Eyes before listening to this but decided to give it a chance. I still hate Bright Eyes. 

Cold War Kids: Mine Is Yours

Overproduced, slick and designed for maximum exposure and airplay. It's also a really boring record from a band that has never been a boring band.

The Get Up Kids: There Are Rules

I've really liked the Get Up Kids in the past but their reunion album did absolutely nothing for me. Too much electronic music and a severe lack of hooks.

Iron and Wine: Kiss Each Other Clean

I've never been a fan of Iron and Wine due to Samuel Beam's soft whisper singing voice. He's much more full throated here and the album has the fullest (and strangest) arrangements of any Iron and Wine album so far. I could probably get into this given some time.

Lupe Fiasco: Lasers

I don't listen to enough modern hip-hop to feel comfortable writing about the genre in general so take this with a grain of salt. I've liked Lupe in the past but every song on Lasers sounds almost the same. Decent but far from his best work

The Low Anthem: Smart Flesh

Atmospheric indie rock that I will probably really like if I listen to it enough but there are just too many slow songs for me to love it immediately. I will say "Hey, All You Hippies" is an awesome song.

Lykke Li: Wounded Rhymes

I saw her play "Get Some" on Conan and thought it was awesome. The full album didn't blow me away like that performance did but I can see why some people would be really into her music.

Panic! at the Disco  Vices & Virtues

I really liked the last Panic! album and this one is good in doses. Their theatrical pop works well for me as singles but it's just too much for me as an album.

Paul Simon: So Beautiful or So What

A solid album of pretty pop music from Paul Simon. I'll probably never listen to it again.

Raekwon: Shaolin Vs Wu-Tang

Again, I'm far from a knowledgeable hip-hop mind but this is a pretty sweet album. I don't know why I've only listened to it a couple times. Raekwon is one of my favorite Wu-Tang Clan members and this is another fine solo album from him.

Rival Schools: Pedals

Rival Schools are a band I feel like I should like a lot more than I actually do. Pedals is a good album but it's just not overly memorable to me.

Sum 41: Screaming Bloody Murder

I don't know if it's a good thing but this is Sum 41's most "mature" album. It's got a bunch of strings and ballads along with their normal metal influenced pop-punk. Even though it's a bit different it's still pretty much the same. If you liked them before you still will, if not you still won't.

Teddy Thompson:  Bella

A nice album of pretty adult pop. It's got one fantastic song ("Looking for a Girl") and a bunch of good ones. I like it but I can't see anything besides the aforementioned song getting played often.

Thursday: No Devolución

This has the same problem that every other Thursday album ever made has; I really enjoy it when it's playing but I can't remember a damn thing about it once it's done. They're real good at creating atmosphere but real bad at creating songs that stick.

TV on the Radio: Nine Types of Light

I've always liked this band and their way of mixing Prince, Indie rock and a bit of electronica. This album is no exception. Probably my favorite on this list.

Wire: Red Barked Tree

Wire is much more normal sounding these days than they were in the 70's. For this band that's not a great thing. Another one to add to the "like but don't love" list.

Wye Oak: Civilian

More atmospheric Indie rock that I think I would really like if I gave it a few more listens. a good band that just doesn't appeal to me all that much on a casual basis.

The Dilemma (2011)

Wow, The Dilemma is a mess. In trying to mix a wacky buddy comedy with dark undercurrents as well a serious look at friendship and relationships, director Ron Howard has given us a film that doesn't do any of those things very well. Vince Vaughn and Kevin James do their best with what they're given but there's really no way to salvage a movie that is so tonally all over the map for more than a moment here or there. The biggest crime is that The Dilemma is just never very funny. Aside from a few chuckles, it's a joyless and dark affair. This could work if it was played as a straight drama with some humor sprinkled in but it's obviously trying to make people laugh as much as possible. The movie just doesn't work on any level. Skip it.

Rating: 1.5

Kiss of Death (1947)

There aren't too many old film noirs that have as sadistic and insane a villain as Richard Widmark's Tommy Udo. A man so evil, he's willing to do physical harm to handicapped elderly women if they happen to cross him. While he's not the main character in Kiss of Death -- that honor goes to Victor Mature who's solid performance as a crook turned snitch is the films anchor -- he steals every scene he's in and makes the film work as well as it does. With shades of the Joker running through his giant grin and maniacal laugh, Widmark earned a well deserved academy award nomination (in his debut nonetheless). While the ending of the film is a little anti-climactic, the ride to get there is well worth the time.

Rating: 4.5