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CDs: More Songs of the Holidays

irom — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 21:12:41 +0000

By Don Heckman

Blackmore’s Night

“Winter Carols” (Minstrelhall Music)

Richie Blackmore of Deep Purple, along with his partner, singer Candice Night, have created a rich, colorful holiday portrait, using electric guitar, period instruments, soaring vocals and multi-layered instrumental textures. The songs range from classic carols to a new song, “Christmas Eve,” and the Rednex’ “Wish You Were Here.”

Carla Bley, Steve Swallow, The Partyka Brass Quintet

“Carla’s Christmas Carols” (WATT)

Leave it to Carla Bley to find an utterly unique way to blend jazz and Christmas. And before the first few bars of “O Tannenbaum” are finished, it is clear that her vision is both humorous and loving. Swallow’s mobile bass often takes the lead, and the Partyka Quintet find both the composed and the improvised aspects of Bley’s idiosyncratic arrangements. Among the many highlights in this memorable collection is a lovely rendering of Bley’s own, “Jesus Maria.”

The Glenn Mohr Chorale

“A Star Still Shines: The Christmas Album” (Spencertown Records)

The Mohr Chorale’s first Christmas album features the ensemble’s rich, often diverse, vocal sounds in atmospheric renderings of, among others, “Silent Night,” “The First Noel” and a lovely Christmas hymn medley reaching from “O Come All Ye Faithful” to “Angels We Have Heard On High.”

The Hot Club of San Francisco

“Hot Club Cool Yule” (Azica Records)

The San Francisco gypsy jazz ensemble apply the irresistible rhythms of Django Reinhardt-styled jazz to the sounds of Christmas. And the results, appropriately, are both cool and hot. Among the many immediately engaging items are a Latin jazz take on “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (re-titled “Don Rodolfo”) and the accurately re-named “Djingle Bells.”

Jerry Douglas

“Jerry Christmas” (E1 Entertainment)

Here’s one of the more unusual entries in this year’s list of Christmas songs. Dobro master Jerry Douglas applies his superb country/bluegrass technique to a collection of classics – “The First Noel,” “O Holy Night,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman” among them in a largely instrumental program. Aside, that is, from Maura O’Connell’s “New Year’s Eve” and Douglas’ whimsical “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.” Good stuff, all of it.

Various

“A Family Christmas” (Putumayo)

Putumayo never fails to assemble an engaging collection of material for their theme-oriented albums. And this entertaining Christmas line-up is no exception. The many stand-outs include Martin Sexton’s sleigh bell-accompanied “Holly Jolly Christmas,” Leon Redbone’s typically laconic “Let It Snow,” British folky Kate Rusby doing “Here We Come A-Wassailing” and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s “Is Zat You Santa Claus?”

Various

“Gift Wrapped” (Warner Bros.)

Another all-star Christmas collection, this time from the Warner Brothers stable – which is filled with musical thoroughbreds. There’s a lot from which to pick, but here are some of my highlights: Micheal Buble (“Let It Snow”), Randy Travis (“Winter Wonderland”), Regina Spektor (“My Dear Acquaintance”), The Brian Setzer Orchestra (“You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch”) and R.E.M. (“Deck the Halls”). But there’s a lot more.

Various

“Hope For the Holidays: Rockin’ Christmas For A Cure” (JDRF)

This impressive collection of Christmas songs is dedicated to spreading awareness and support for Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes via contributions to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). The long list of artists includes Weezer (“O Come All Ye Faithful”), Creedence Clearwater Revisited (“Run Rudolph Run”), Mike Love (“Santa’s Going To Kokomo”), Shanti Shanti (“Wassailing Rose”) and much more.

Orla Fallon

“Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”

It’s just a single, but it features the lusciously lovely voice of Fallon, a former star of the “Celtic Woman” show. Hearing her airy, effortless soprano voice, arching through this familiar Christmas melody is surely one of the blessings of the season.

To read about more Songs of the Holidays click here.

Here is a live concert review of the Brian Setzer Orchestra at the Dodge Theatre!

tfronky — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:08:16 +0000

Many thanks to my friend Chuck for the phone call about the extra ticket to this concert! What a night, holy cow! This really did come at a perfect time; with all that has happened lately the Christmas spirit was eluding me. This got me back on track in a hurry. Folks, if you have never seen the Brian Setzer Orchestra in concert, you are missing out. This was even better, the annual Christmas show from this band!

I can remember when I first started listening to the Stray Cats back in 1982. What a great band, and part of the original MTV explosion. I had one opportunity to see them play live, at the Arizona State Fair during their tour supporting Rant and Rave With the Stray Cats.

The Brian Setzer Orchestra is an amazing band. Take the rockabily roots and phenomenal guitar slinging of Brian Setzer, add in a full big band orchestra that knows how to rock, and you have one heck of a formula for some stellar music. Plain and simple, there were 15 phenomenal musicians on stage and two fabulous backing vocalists. Brian Setzer did well with the cast of horn players and woodwinds musicians he has assembled, and the rhythm section he has supporting him rival Lee Rocker and Slim Jim Phantom from the Stray Cats days extremely well.

Is Brian Setzer really 50 years old? I had to look that up before writing this, because I was absolutely blown away by how good his voice still sounds, how much energy he still possesses on stage, and most important, how exceptional of a guitarist he still is. Unbelievable are the riffs this guy can play, and he makes it look so easy. What an impressive artist!

The set was the perfect mix of holiday themes and Setzer’s classic mix of rockabilly and big band. Holiday rock and roll tunes such as “Jingle Bell Rock” and “Run Run Rudolph”, normally not favorites of mine, were given spectacular treatment by Setzer and Co. The selection of swing tunes they performed that did not fall into the holiday category kept the energy level at a peak. It is too bad there was not room for couples to get up and swing, I am sure it would have happened!

Three Stray Cats classics were performed this evening. She’s Sexy and 17 from Rant and Rave was brought out first, complete with Setzer’s two female backing vocalists joining him at the front of the stage. Stray Cat Strut from their 1982 U.S. breakout album Built for Speed was the second Stray Cats track played, complete with Brian Setzer’s sarcastic, but very true, commentary on the song being played on MTV “when they actually played music videos.” How pathetically true! Rock this Town was performed in classic Stray Cats style, as a trio, until the end of the song the full orchestra joined in to bring the song to a rousing conclusion.

A definite highlight of the evening was Setzer accompanying his four trombone players, the California Trombones, on a delightful rendition of Walk Don’t Run. The song could have brought a smile to a corpse, it was that entertaining!

Last, what a spectacular encore we were treated to, with the Brian Setzer Orchestra leading off this part of the set with an incredible rendition of the holiday classic, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. Unbelievable, the crowd went nuts, and I was completely blown away by the talent the full orchestra had to exhibit to pull off such a difficult piece. Jump, Jive and Wail from the band’s 1998 breakthrough album The Dirty Boogie closed the evening in an exuberant manner.

It feels like the holidays are finally here! Yea! Kudos to the Brian Setzer Orchestra for an outstanding performance, and thanks again to my friend Chuck for giving me the opportunity to experience this holiday extravaganza for myself. If anyone reads this that was there could tell me the name of that great opening band, I would highly appreciate it.

Cheers!
Frank

Santacular Christmas Countdown -#15 - Brian Setzer/Chuck Berry

rockrob — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 05:34:01 +0000

We’re going with two versions of “Run Rudolph Run” at the #15 spot. Brian Setzer’s take on the tune (a song that has been covered by many others, notably Dave Edmunds and a bit more sloppily by Keith Richards) is pretty true to the orginal, adding Setzers growl – both with guitar and vocals – to modernize the classic.

And Chuck Berry is the father of the sound. So we have both here. Just a freakin’ great blast of rock and roll everytime I hear it. Ain’t nothing polished about it – or at least there needn’t be. Just turn it up.

Brian Setzer: Briefly in hospital, back on tour

kwilder — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 03:22:26 +0000

Story about Brian Setzer passing out in New Mexico and recovering is: here. Thinking of Brian Setzer

Report: Brian Setzer hospitalized in New Mexico...

Kev Brock — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:29:35 +0000

Brian Setzer is currently on tour with the Brian Setzer orchestra playing Christmas music. He was briefly hospitalized in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was unable to finish his set ’cause he got sick. He will continue the rest of the tour as planned.

The Associated Press reports:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jFzORRVCsPJXYYsiYQaJRBuaK2RAD9CJUUV82

“Backstage Access” - From The Belly of The Beast Part 2

statetheatrenj — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:01:12 +0000

By Larry Dember, State Theatre Director of Production

Once upon a time a long long time ago, I lived in a town called Massapequa.

Many famous people have hailed from the land of the Pequas such as: Jerry Seinfeld (my sister was in Hebrew school car pool and graduated with him), Neil Diamond, the Baldwin’s (their Dad was my football coach/social studies teacher), Twisted Sister, Eliot Eastman (the Cars guitarist), the Baldinger Brothers (Pro football players) , Andre Eglevsky (ballet dancer), Carlo Gambino, John Gotti, Steve Guttenberg, Marvin Hamlisch, Ron Kovic (I played in a band with his brother Jack at the New York Times 4th of July release party for his brothers book, Born on the Fourth of July), Bob Nelson, Helen Slater (spent a couple of Thanksgivings with her at her cousin Hunt Bresky’s house), and of course, all three of the Stray Cats.

I was in a band with Lee (Leon Drucker) Rocker in high school but we kicked him out because he was not a great bass player and had a bad attitude (I hear things have not changed). James McDonnell, aka “Slim Jim Phantom” is the drummer for the Stray Cats and was in an original jazzy band that beat my band in the Nassau County finals of the battle of the bands. Great drummer. A founding member of that band was Brian Setzer. It was my pleasure to present him in concert last week here at the State Theatre in New Brunswick.

When Brian was a young teen he would take guitar lessons at my buddy Ralph Agresta’s (nationally accomplished guitarist/songwriter/teacher/vocalist) music store. We all knew Brian was different and very, very skilled, even at 16. I remember going over his house one day and he had just come back from Brooklyn shopping for guitars and he had bought a Dan-Electro double neck bass and six string. Another week, he came into school with his hair dyed bright orange. Back then he was playing the hell out of Zeppelin, Queen, Bowie, and Deep Purple. He was a rock god on guitar. One day in our senior year I was sitting in the little theater at school watching auditions for the Senior Variety show and Brian took the stage with his band and sang “Communication Breakdown” and “Ziggy Stardust”. I was so blown away from the energy and talent exhibited. It is a feeling that I get whenever I see a real virtuoso. His band played the show and dressed like Kiss and rocked the house. In the next years, I had the pleasure of jamming with him at a party and some late night basement jams. He was doing a lot of hard rock and was putting together a punk band called Bloodless Pharaohs. Not my taste at all and we went our separate ways. Mine was the business side of music, his was the UK and reinventing Rockabilly, playing with Robert Plant, touring the world, selling millions of records and winning three out of 7 Grammy nominations.

It must be about 15 years since I saw Brian out at a trade show in California. Last week when I sat with him in his dressing room and we talked about old friends, girlfriends, and jams I told him how proud all of us non-celebrities from Massapequa are of him. He was very humble and gracious as always. You can see in his face that he has led a fun packed life, playing thousands of shows all over the world. It took all my power and restraint not to remind him my band Starfire beat his band in the Massapequa High School Battle of The Bands in 1977. So what he sold millions of records and won 3 Grammys. I didn’t want to rub that old wound in his face, especially before he took the stage for an amazing night of music to a packed house.

Stray Cats Live on Poker Party

keithsonic — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:01:00 +0000

Some really great guitar by Brian Setzer.

Stray Cats w/ Brian Setzer & Slim Jim Phantomon Art Fein’s Poker Party — Mystery Train, Satin Doll
Another Fein Mess
Art Fein’s monthly R&R Rant: Another Fein Mess
http://www.sofein.com

Buy Art’s stuff: Poker Party Store:
http://www.hotplatters.com

Join Art on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/sofein

Brian Setzer Songs From Lonely Ave

musicworthbuying — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 08:06:49 +0000

Artist: Brian Setzer Orchestra Album: Songs From Lonely Ave Worth Buying: The whole album. You might

Puttin' My Cat Clothes On

BG — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 05:14:56 +0000

One of the things I enjoy about digging through old pictures is how I inevitably stumble onto surprises, in some cases jaw-dropping ones. That would be a good description of how I reacted when I recently found a picture of myself from the Fifties, when I was a teenager and obviously fashion-challenged.

I think I remember the gaudy striped shirt, but I cannot believe that I ever wore those pants in public. It seems to me that they were called clamdiggers, or beachcombers, or maybe pedal pushers. And girls sometimes called their version Capri’s — I think.

Like most teenagers — then and now — I was very insecure about things like that, so apparently I thought I was right in style or I would never have allowed that picture to be taken. And at least the pants were white, unlike those described in a song titled “Pink Pedal Pushers,” by rockabilly legend Carl Perkins.

In fact, I’d like to think that another of ol’ Carl’s songs might have come closer to how I was feeling when the picture was taken. If you read the lyrics of his 1956 hit, “Put Your Cat Clothes On,” his advice seems to be aimed at his girl, Kitty. (Get it?) But I think it was actually Carl’s advice for anyone planning to go out and raise a little hell. After all, he also mentions how he gets himself ‘slicked up to look like a dilly’.

It’s a good song and I’ve always been a fan of Perkins, but I also like a modern cover — a live performance by retro-rockabilly Brian Setzer. In the last couple of decades, Setzer has probably done as much as anyone to keep the sounds of rockabilly alive.

If you can stop snickering at my picture for a few minutes, listen to each version and see which you like best.

“Put Your Cat Clothes On” – Brian Setzer & The Nashvillains

Mid Week Music: Jingle Bells

tnemily — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:51:42 +0000

We are in full Christmas swing here, and emphasis on “swing” because we all – my boys particularly – are hooked on The Brian Setzer Orchestra’s Christmas Rocks! album. My kids request this daily, and it HAS to be the Brian Setzer version – mama (yours truly, that is) on piano just won’t do:

They’ll be in Tennessee next week – at the Ryman in Nashville, and in Knoxville at the Tennessee Theatre. I’d love to see them – we looked into getting tickets – but it’s a school night, and I know from experience that late-night fun means a terrible morning experience. We will be catching a matinee of the Nutcracker this year.

What’s your favorite Christmas song?

Brian Setzer: “Songs From Lonely Avenue”

anikarockola — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:57:22 +0000

Brian Setzer se pasa al cine negro de los años 40 y 50 en su nuevo álbum “Songs From Lonely Avenue”. Setzer quiere llevar el jazz hasta una época donde el cine de Estados Unidos era difícil de clasificar, con tintes expresionistas y claroscuros en la pantalla.

Además, está convencido de que su disco cuenta una historia que bien podría ser llevada al cine. Es más, le gustaría que esto ocurriera de la mano del director Quentin Tarantino, al que creo que no hace falta presentar a estas alturas.

Para que “Songs From Lonely Avenue” obtuviera la auténtica atmósfera cinematográfica del cine negro estadounidense, el cantante se alió con un profesional que si cuenta con algo es con experiencia en este género: Frank Comstock.

Comstock tiene ya 87 años. Como puedes imaginar fue un arreglista que trabajó con Judy Garland, Stan Kenton y Benny Carter. También compuso los temas principales de las series “Dragnet”, “Adam 12” y “Rocky & Bullwinkle”.

En realidad esta no es la primera vez en la que Setzer toma contacto con los años 40 y 50.

Setzer venía de los míticos Stray Cats, cuando en 1996 decidió embarcarse en un nuevo proyecto en solitario, Brian Setzer Orchestra, haciendo revivir el antiguo swing de los años 40 y 50; como siempre aportando su toque y el de su Gretsch Nashville, dándole un estilo más moderno y rockabilly.

Ahora continúa con esta línea y se sumerge cada vez más en una época que si algo hizo fue marcar tendencia.

El disco que ‘ilustra’ el post corresponde a una de las primeras canciones que conocimos sobre el disco, “Lonely Avenue”. Esta canción, junto a “Trouble Train”, ya puedes descargarlas desde su página web.

Movie Moment: Ghostbusters (1984) - Janine Melnitz edition

E. — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:10:33 +0000

I think about Ghostbusters a lot. Maybe more than anyone should. But I find it uplifting and comfortable, like slipping in to bed at the end of a long day: it’s just right. I also used to use Ghostbusters as an age gauge: since I was able to see this in theaters — albeit pretty young — then if you were not born when Ghostbusters came out, the cultural divide between us was insurmountable and it would be creepy to date you. For the record, I’ve lifted that. I’m well up to Mannequin (1987) now. Call me!

Anyway, Annie Potts portrayed Miz Janine Melnitz, the Ghostbusters’ secretary, and here is some of that.

Type something, will you? We’re paying for this stuff. And don’t stare at me, you got those bug-eyes.

[pause]

Janine? Sorry about the bug-eyes thing. I’ll be in my office.

Cue Brian Setzer and the Stray Cats. I have this soundtrack on LP and I’m not ashamed.

Volume 40: That RockabillySwingThing...

Michael Marzy — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:42:38 +0000

Well, it’s Friday… rockin’ into the weekend…

Brian Setzer – rock this town

Brian Setzer – Mystery Train

Joaquin Phoenix – Get Rythm (Original by Johnny Cash, very well done, Joaquin!)

Eddie Cochran – Twenty flight rock (sorry, no other video that really shows “him”)

Carl Perkins – Dixie Fried

Baby's gonna get a big bang outta that

isquee — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:57:07 +0000

Cool, swingin’, jazzy, bluesy, cute, sweet, sexy. The Nat King Cole Trio had a way of doing it all at once.

Nat King Cole

One, two, button up your shoe
Three, four, daddy’s at the door
Bringin’ gifts for baby
Bringin’ gifts for baby
Bringin’ gifts for baby
And baby’s gonna get a big bang outta that

Five, six, daddy’s fulla tricks
Eight, nine, seven’s outta line
Daddy counts in rhythm
Daddy counts in rhythm
Daddy counts in rhythm
And baby’s gonna get a big bang outta that

And has baby behaved
While daddy slaved the day away?
And has baby saved
The kisses daddy craved today?

One, two, kiss your daddy do
Nine, ten, daddy will say when
Daddy loves his baby
Daddy loves his baby
Daddy loves his baby
And baby’s gonna get a big bang outta that

Some might add “creepy” to the list of adjectives to describe “Bang Bang Boogie,” ’til you realize that in the late 40’s when the song was recorded, it wasn’t unusual to hear “Daddy” and “Baby” as terms of endearment between lovers. (Brian Setzer appears to be trying to revive the practice with Gimme Some Rhythm Daddy.) In the case of “Bang Bang Boogie” I wouldn’t argue with “chauvinistic,” but Cole even manages to make chauvinism charming. Both the jazzy December 21, 1948 version and the August 2, 1949 Latinized version – with Jack Costanzo on bongos – have been in permanent rotation on my iPod over the last couple days.

349 songs make up The Complete Capitol Recordings of the Nat King Cole Trio. This 1991 Mosaic set won a Grammy for Best Historical Compilation, and it’s not hard to see why, with Trio favorites like “(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66,” as well as many songs that were released for the first time ever on this set. One of my favorites is If I Were You Baby, I’d Love Me. The King Cole Trio at their coolest, swingingest, jazziest, bluesiest, cutest, sweetest, sexiest – not to mention cockiest!

136 of those 349 songs were new to me. It’s a veritable squee-fest!

Clássico de Sábado

kanafilmes — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 20:40:24 +0000

Stray Cats – Rock This Town (1981)

Veja todos os clássicos de sábado aqui.

post: Gustavo

Stray Cat Strut

msottovoce — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 10:12:17 +0000

Hello, lover. via Nasty Gal Vintage Leopard print creeper-heels! Heeeeeell yessss!! Lindsay tipped m

"Stray Cat Strut" by Stray Cats - 1981

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 22:03:23 +0000

Oooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh,
Oooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh,
Oooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh,

Black and orange stray cat sittin’ on a fence
Ain’t got enough dough to pay the rent
I’m flat broke but I don’t care
I strut right by with my tail in the air

Stray cat strut, I’m a ladies’ cat,
A feline Casanova, hey man, thats where its at
Get a shoe thrown at me from a mean old man
Get my dinner from a garbage can

Meow!
Yeah, don’t cross my path!

I don’t bother chasing mice around
I slink down the alley way looking for a fight
Howling to the moonlight on a hot summer night
Singin’ the blues while the lady cats cry,
“Wild stray cat, you’re a real gone guy.
I wish I could be as carefree and wild,
but I got cat class and I got cat style.”

SWING SWING SWING

southsidekustoms — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:09:36 +0000

Instead of a FEATURED band – I want to share with you one of my FAVORITE Genres of music “SWING” or what some may call “Jazz” but not any SWING or Jazz – Not Brian Setzer and his orchestra, though good. I want to take you back to the Original Swing Bands, the original “Devil’s Music” – The original Rock-n-Rolla!

An era of music that our grandparents and parents won WWII to the sounds of Benny Goodman – Tom Dorsey – Gene Kruppa – Glenn Miller and other greats. An era when people actually danced when they went out on a weekend night and not merely had sex with their clothes on. A better time – when a clarinet was kool.

Most rock-a-billy bands , modern swing bands or I’m sure great musicians take their inspiration from Big Bands - Swing Bands. From a time when they had a horn section and percussion section. You can here inspiration from swing bands in the modern “SKA” bands (Mighty Mighty Boss Tones)

So next time you’re in your music store or downloading on I-Tunes, try some Big Band Music, if you dig music – I am sure you will enjoy Swing music.

Under The Radar: Gas Money

drbristol — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 00:00:50 +0000

Aren't they all, usually?

Sometimes something I tout as out from under the radar accidentally slips back under again. A couple of years ago I had the pleasure of reviewing Gas Money’s excellent album Hopeless Love Affair but missed out when their new one was released…I am looking forward to catching up with them via 22 Dollars. But in case you haven’t heard either one, here’s some words about the former…

Imagine Brian Setzer and Johnny Cash met as kids and formed a garage band. Yeah, baby – that’s what Pennsylvania’s Gas Money is all about. Part Bakersfield country, part rockabilly twang, all honky-tonk wonder. Predominantly cover tunes, this is a Route 66 jukebox all the way, with Jimmy Reed, Ray Price, Carl Perkins and Fats Waller among the selections – even a hidden Bruce Springsteen track. Ronnie Allen’s “Juvenile Delinquent” smolders, as does their delightfully off-key swing at Whiskeytown’s “Too Drunk To Dream”.

There’s a touch of the Beat Farmers sound (but not the humor) lumbering under the surface; clearly this a band that feels no boundaries in its scope. The two originals fit well among the mix; one a lengthy country blues, the other a lower-volume guitar rumble. Go hunt this puppy down immediately. This is the kind of record that makes sailing under the radar such a rewarding occupation.

Gas Money website

Gas Money on MySpace

C'est bientôt Noël !

anseaulme — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 11:12:29 +0000

Rip It Up Party !

anseaulme — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 18:41:58 +0000

Spécial Brian "Alka" Setzer

anseaulme — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:32:40 +0000

So You Think You Can Dance 5.20: "Top 6 Perform"

marcusandstevi — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:44:41 +0000

The Wife:

Usually reality shows do not coincide with major events in my life, but it just struck me while watching the show last night that next week would be the finale of SYTYCD 5, and that also means that summer is over and my move to the Pacific Northwest is imminent. We bought tickets to the Everett show, one of the last on the tour, last Saturday. It’s all happening.

This week, we were treated not only to six routines from our remaining six dancers, plus solos, but also two routines from Sonya Tayeh for the Top three dancers of each gender. I’m actually going to take a minute to talk about Sonya’s pieces first because they were both so good that they deserve recognition. First of all, I want to retract what I said last week about how I’d never cast Evan in a Sonya Tayeh piece. I’m sorry, Mia Michaels, but you are wrong and I was wrong to agree with you. For as good as Brandon and Ade were in Sonya’s Willy Wonka-inspired jazz piece to “True Romance” by She Wants Revenge, the person I noticed the most was Evan. He danced just as strongly as his counterparts, and, I’d argue, with more character. That piece was a joy to watch, quirky and weird and interesting, and suited each of the guys’ strengths. As for the girls routine, Sonya prepared something that highlighted each of their strengths and turned them into superheroes (complete with belts bearing their initials) for a routine set to “Kick It (Superheroes Remix)” by Nina Martino. What I liked about both of these pieces was not simply the dancing, which was excellent from every performer, but Sonya’s use of levels in her work, as well as her commitment to using the entire stage. It made these pieces really powerful, and that made them great bookends for the beginning and end of the show.

The Excellent

Kayla and Brandon (Contemporary)
Choreography by Stacey Tookey
Song: “All I Want” by Ahn Trio

This was Uh. May. Zing. I seriously got chills watching this piece. It was a gorgeous story danced with sheer gorgeousness and gorgeousity all over. Highlights include Brandon lifting Kayla on her side, with her legs bowed together in a frog-like shape, the upside-down V-lift and anytime the two of them came together. Lil C said this was the first time Kayla had been paired with a partner of equal skill and the results were amazing, Mary put Brandon on the Hot Tamale Train beside Kayla and Nigel muttered something incomprehensible about how he thought they didn’t have enough chemistry together but the dancing was strong. To which I say: Nigel, this piece was about a man using and abusing his mistress. They don’t have to have romantic chemistry, they simply need to appear like they get together once a week to fuck. And they did that extremely well.

Another suitcase, another hall.

Kayla and Brandon (Disco)
Choreography by Doriana Sanchez
Song: “Dance (Disco Heat)” by Sylvester

Clearly, Kayla and Brandon are my couple of the night, and not only because they’re two of my favorite dancers. They were simply on fucking fire tonight. I thought disco might kill them, as it sometimes destroys people, but Doriana Sanchez gave us another really memorable, fun and awesome disco routine last night that was made all the better by the people performing it. I have no idea what the hell Lil C was talking about with his rambling about the darkness and seeing with your ears, but I’m going to guess that he meant that Brandon and Kayla demonstrated excellent musicality in this performance. They were, in fact, spot on in their double arm extensions when Brandon lifted Kayla with his shoulders. All of the judges loved this piece and the dance was hot enough to receive two Official Mary Murphy Screams, plus two first class tickets on the Hot Tamale Train for each of the dancers. If there’s one critique I can give the dance that went unsaid by the judging panel, it’s that while I liked the double death drop in theory, the reverse-gender half of it simply didn’t work for me as Brandon nearly took Kayla to the floor with him in his section. Great idea, but it didn’t quite work. Even so, this piece was excellent.

The Good to Very Good

Jeanine and Ade (Samba)
Choreography by Louis Van Amstel
Song: “LoveGame” by Lady Gaga

Dear Karla and Jonathan (and Tony Meredith): this is how a Latin ballroom number set to Lady Gaga should look and feel. Jeanine was in it to win it on this one from the moment she lowered her stunna shades and shook her feathered rump bustle like there was no fucking tomorrow. Also, I’m so glad I got my “LoveGame” wish and Jeanine sort of took a ride on her partner’s disco stick. At least, I’m pretty sure her ass feathers did. I would have put this in the “Excellent” section, but I have to agree with Mary that Ade’s samba rolls were a bit weak. Lil C, I believe, called this dance some sort of misfire in the Large Hadron Super Collider and Nigel reminded Ade that he has to change his style a bit to suit each dance. But even with Ade’s faults here, Jeanine was totally and completely amazing in this. She’s a spectacular performer, and any girl who can wear that many feathers on her ass is aces in my book. Totally my favorite outfit of the night.

Shake those tailfeathers, Jeanine!

Jeanine and Ade (Hip-Hop)
Choreography by TabNap
Song: “Move (If You Wanna)” by MIMS

After having Shane Sparks last week and being reminded how totally awesome hip-hop on this show can be when its hard-hitting and inspiring (which is not to say that I haven’t loved a few of TabNap’s lyrical hip-hops), I ready to roll my eyes at TabNap’s attempts to follow that zombie number. I saw moving boxes and thought, “Oh! Did TabNap just buy their first house? How sweet!” But what I thought would have been kind of stupid ended up being pretty damn fun. Jeanine and Ade were both fantastic in this number, although for a time I thought Ade was dancing too high until I realized that was just an optical illusion created by Jeanine’s smaller stature. The choreography here was fun and inventive, as well. The sad faces on the moving boxes at the end were a little too precious for me, but I loved the segment where the dancers had to move with boxes on their feet. That was inspired. The judges were way into this one as well, and Mary took the time to remind Jeanine how good she was in the samba. Nigel, instead, took the time to complain about his ex-wife. Nigel, fucking shut it. Half of everything you say makes you seem like a misogynistic asshat. I don’t care how much you hate your ex, just fucking let it go.

Melissa and Evan (Quickstep)
Choreography by Louis Van Amstel
Song: “As Long as I’m Singin’” by the Brian Setzer Orchestra

I heard that they drew the quickstep and announced, “You’re done” to my television. After five seasons of this show, I think we’re all aware that a quickstep is the kiss of death on SYTYCD. It’s an awful dance that almost no one does well. In fact, I can only think of two I’ve ever really liked. One was performed by Artem in season one, and the other performed by Sabra and Pasha in season three to Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. But Melissa and Evan broke my “Only Russians Can Quickstep” rule tonight by performing a number I actually liked. Louis Van Amstel’s choreography here was lively and fun to watch, and well-suited to the music. (Ill-chosen music, I think, kills many a quickstep instantly.) This style was far better suited to Evan’s talents than Tyce’s earlier Broadway routine was and I thought he looked really good here, as did Melissa. Lil C critiqued Evan’s retractions, which weren’t snappy enough for him, but admired how big he danced this number. Mary, who choreographed that great quickstep with Artem in season one, thought the dance started strong, but fell apart in the final grapevine section and noted that while the choreography was fun, it wasn’t a true quickstep. Frankly, I don’t care, because it was fun to watch. Nigel also pointed out Evan’s retraction problem in the lindy hop/Charleston segment (which, to my eye, contained zero lindy hopping).

Will I be proven wrong about Quicksteps? Doubtful.

The Mediocre

Melissa and Evan (Broadway)
Choreography by Tyce DiOrio
Song: “Get Me to the Church on Time” from My Fair Lady, only it was some bizarre swing version of it

I do not even have feelings about this routine.

Solos

1. Brandon: “O Fortuna” from Carmina Burana. Um, okay guys. I am now pretty sure that Brandon is not human. I think he was simultaneously part spider, part seal and part eagle in this solo. Like a Spiseagle. Spiseagle! Oh my god! That’s now my new nickname for him! Brandon the Spiseagle was totally freaking amazing in this, and I completely agree with Nigel that it may have been the best solo ever seen on SYTYCD. Even if Brandon’s personality isn’t quite your thing, you have to admit he’s the most fucking absurdly talented dancer on this show. I mean, seriously. Watch that solo again. You’ll see.

2. Jeanine: “Feedback” by Janet Jackson. This was not as strong as some of her past solos, but I think she toned down the technique here for the sake of personality. By which I mean she stole Melissa’s whole “naughty ballerina” thing from her. It was sexy, that’s for sure. But, dear Jeanine, please don’t rely too much on your sexiness. Remind us all that you’re also talented as all hell. We can tell you’re sexy just by looking at you.

3. Ade: “11th Floor Balcony” by Blue October. While this was his least impressive solo yet, for lack of near-death experiences, I am still continually impressed by the strength of Ade’s core and the way he sweeps his arms.

4. Kayla: “You Found Me” by The Fray. I think this solo was her attempt to dramatize the first season of Lost in under 30 seconds. Did you see her swim in this piece? I did. Again, not her strongest. I love her, but I’m still waiting for something as Radomkulous as her audition in Denver.

5. Evan: “Lady Is a Tramp” by Sammy Davis, Jr. What can I say? I love his solos. They’re so adorable. And he actually twinkled his toes in this one!

6. Melissa: “I Put a Spell on You” by Nina Simone. I like Melissa, but each time I see her solos, I am less and less impressed. I’d really rather she perform a classical ballet solo that shows her strengths, rather than these odd little improvs.

I’m really at a loss for who could be going home this week. I am pretty sure Melissa will be the girl to leave us, as both Jeanine and Kayla absolutely deserve to stay. Evan should leave us, in order to preserve my perfect final four dancers, but Ade kind of took a beating from the judges and there are as many Brandon detractors as there are Evan fans. But I’m going to vote with the Rule of the Quickstep and lock in Jeanine, Kayla, Brandon and Ade as my final four.

You're so money and you don't even know it.

Conrad Noir & Marco Sparks — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:42:42 +0000

It had been suggested to Conrad Noir and Marco Sparks that they were the last two people on the face of the planet who had not seen Swingers, the 1996 Doug Liman-directed film starring Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn, Heather Graham, and Ron Livingston, so… they watched it. This is the excerpts from their commentary while viewing…

Conrad Noir: Wow. Jon Favreau. Look how tiny he was way back when.

Marco Sparks: Yeah, he got really big since this, didn’t he?

Conrad: Yeah, really big. Like a combination of fat big and working out/compensating big.

Marco Sparks: Also, he looks like a child molester. Big or small, he looks like he shouldn’t be allowed near a daycare.

Conrad: I’m going to confess something to you here…

Marco: Oh, this is going to be juicy…

Conrad: I actually really, really, really, really like big band music.

Marco: …

Conrad: And stuff like… Frank Sinatra? I like Frank Sinatra.

Marco: That was not a juicy tidbit.

Conrad: What did they call him?

Marco: The Chairman.

Conrad: Not The Boss?

Marco: What? No. Springsteen is The Boss. Sinatra – Ol’ Blue Eyes – was The Chairman.

Conrad: The Chairman sounds cooler. Has more prestige.

Marco: Well, I think it all goes back to The Boss’ blue collar roots.

Conrad: Either way, I like that shit. Not Springsteen, but… The Chairman. And big band music. And like jazz, too.

Marco: What a sexy fact.

Conrad: “The guy behind the guy behind the guy.” Yeah, I like that.

Marco: Yeah, that’s good. I’m going to start referring to you as that.

Conrad: Nah.

Marco: No? Why not?

Conrad: Cause… Just nah.

Conrad: When you first mentioned that you wanted to watch Swingers today I forgot about this movie and thought you meant something else entirely.

Marco: Like what? Oh, like some movie about actual swingers? Like, at a swingers’ party?

Conrad: Yeah, something more polyamorous.

Marco: Sorry, this isn’t The Ice Storm.

Conrad and Marco: KEY PARTY!

Marco: Okay, we’re like 20 minutes into this thing so far. Vince Vaughn: Money or not?

Conrad: Ehhh. Are you asking if I actually think he or his style is cool?

Marco: Yeah, sure.

Conrad: Well, it doesn’t matter, does it? His style is all geared towards getting these “beautiful babies,” right?

Marco: “Beautiful babies.” How condescending.

Conrad: Yeah, How child molester-ish. But, anyway, it doesn’t matter… his style, or whatever. It’s all kind of shallow. All that matters is if it works, it seems.

Marco: True, true. Also, I would never use the “money” slang how they do.

Conrad: How do you mean?

Marco: For example, look at what you’re wearing there. Nice shirt. Nice pants. They look costly, but in a good way. To me, that’s money. Richhhhh.

Conrad: So, in other words, “blinging?”

Marco: Yes, right. Although the bling impies that you have the physical objects of wealth hanging upon thyself, like perhaps you just returned from Jacob The Jeweler.

Conrad: What a weird reference, but I get you.

Marco: I’m just saying here: A billionaire probably dresses a lot different from me or you, right?

Conrad: Sure, though if I was rich, I’d dress however the fuck I wanted. I wouldn’t care. I’d be Hugh Hefner if I had the cash to back up telling people to fuck off.

Marco: I’d dress like a cross between The Dude and a hobo and maybe a Scottish person.

Conrad: What?!

Marco: But I digress… If I tell you that you look “so money,” and even to the point that you don’t even realize it yourself, I’m saying, that you look bling-tastic, though not necessarily because of the chain around your neck or the ice on your grill or other places. But I wouldn’t use it in reference to how good I think your skeezy 90s greaser look is or anything like that.

Marco: Hey, that girl is cute.

Conrad: Yeah, she is. Good make up.

Marco: Yeah.

Conrad: She’s a Dorothy.

Marco: A what? Oh. I get it.

Marco: No, Favreau, you scum, shut up about your ex-girlfriend!

Conrad: This has happened to me before.

Marco: Going on about an ex in front of a new girl?

Conrad: No, no, no. But me and a buddy at two girls’ house. Only, the two girls were so ghetto. And the one that was designated “mine,” well, I had nothing to talk to this girl about.

Marco: Right. So what’d you do?

Conrad: I told her I was going to the bathroom.

Marco: Uh, okay.

Conrad: Yeah, then I snuck out the window and walked home.

Marco: Wow.

Conrad: Yeah, man, that was a long walk.

Marco: Watching this reminds me of how much I like Liman’s second film, Go.

Conrad: Yeah, it’s good… Wait, what did they say that guy’s name was?

Marco: A boy named Sue? Ha ha.

Conrad: What is that? Besides a stupid name, is that a Johnny Cash thing?

Marco: Yeah. The Man In Black.

Marco: Look at this fucking hair!

Conrad: Yeah, 90s styles were not great.

Marco: And bowling shirts! Bowling shirts! Arrrghhhh!

Conrad: Arrgghhh!

Marco: Aagggrrrghhh!

(Collective groaning and griping about 90s hip fashion continues for a moment or two.)

Conrad: They just look like stupid greasers.

Marco: Emphasis on the stupid, perhaps. To me, the only place – at least now – where you should see bowling shirts is maybe in a bowling alley or at, like, a Big Lebowski festival or something.

Conrad: Ron Livingston has had such a weird career.

Marco: Yeah, seriously. Him and Doug Liman both, though Liman got a little more of what he deserved. But Livingston doesn’t look like he belongs in this time period, you know?

Conrad: Then what time period does it look like he belongs in?

Marco: Better left unexplored. I like how he gives all the good advice in this film. But this goes back to what I’ve always been saying…

Conrad: Which is?

Marco: You shouldn’t trust a guy named Trent. A “Trent” is going to be an asshole. It’s guaranteed.

Conrad: Look at this shit. You people always have that one black guy you associate with, don’t you?

Marco: Wait, “you people?”

Conrad: And in this particular case, that one black guy just happens to be that dude from Becker.

Marco: Thanks to Tarantino, this is a scene you saw in every 90s independent movie: A bunch of characters sitting around a table, usually at a diner, talking about technical aspects of a 70s movie while the camera pans around them.

Conrad: Dick, dick, dick, dick, dick, dick, dick, dick, dick!

Marco: 37 dicks!

Conrad: The 90s auteurs had some penis issues, yo.

Marco: You said it, man.

Conrad: Who is this chick? She seems familiar.

Marco: I think it’s… Brooke Langton? From Melose Place? She looks kind of like Franka Potente, right?

Conrad: Melrose Place? Oh, yeah, yeah! I wonder if she’ll be in the new Melrose Place.

Marco: Okay, so this right here, this is the genesis of Vince Vaughn’s entire career…

Conrad: Oh? This is your exegesis on the protean career of Vince Vaughn?

Marco: Yes, but not so protean. In every film, he’s basically the kind of sleazy guy who is always giving you pep talks to do something fairly self destructive, not to much for his amusement, but just because he’s a bit off.

Conrad: Yeah, I can see that.

Marco: And the thing about Vince Vaughn is he’s a team player. He’s Magic Johnson. He’s only as good as what he gets. That’s why Vince Vaughn in Wedding Crashers works, but not so much in something like The Break Up.

Conrad: The Break Up was like watching a man trying to juggle some pianos while painting with his toes on a trampoline while his pants were around his ankles.

Marco: I fully support that analogy.

Conrad: So you’re from California. Did you ever hang with a crew that was packing heat?

Marco: No, well… yes, but Fav’s got a point here. People live in California because they don’t want to live and be carjacked in New York and also because they’re better than everyone else.

Conrad: Yeah, you’re from California. That’s for sure.

Marco: When one of your buddies whips out a gun that he has for no reason, it’s time to call it a night.

Conrad: I feel like white people in the 90s loved to reference Compton and Boyz In The Hood. Black gangster culture was such a weird museum peice for your kind back then.

Marco: “My kind?”

Conrad: Wow.

Marco: Oh no.

Conrad: This is perhaps one of the most humanly uncomfortable scenes I’ve ever seen in a movie.

Marco: I’ve spent a lot of time in the city of angels over all of my years, and maybe it’s because of the movies, but at the same time, I feel like the movies portray it very accurately: There’s something sleazy happening there. As much fun as you’re having, parts of it are always shallow and hollow and you always feel like you’ve just come back from doing something horrible.

Conrad: You’re talking like… Bret Easton Ellis mashed up with film noir?

Marco: Yeah. And you’re stuck in traffic the whole time.

Conrad: Right, right.

Marco: It’s like 100 miles of freeway connecting little cities together, but as a government cover to deconstruct part of human interaction or something.

Conrad: But the sun is always shining there. Ron Livingston just said that.

Marco: Yes, true, but it’s like too bright. It’s hangover sunshine. The kind where you feel like you’re too close to the sun.

Marco: Ugh.

Conrad: What?

Marco: Fuck.

Conrad: What?

Marco: Fucking… shit, man.

Conrad: What the fuck are going on about?

Marco: Fucking… Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

Conrad: Oh. Yeah?

Marco: Man, I thought I escaped this time in my life.

Conrad: Yeah.

Marco: I fucking hate swing music.

Conrad: Yeah, I don’t like it either.

Marco: No, no, no. I fucking hate it. I hate Brian Seltzer!

Conrad: Actually, it’s Brian Setzer.

Marco: Hate!

Conrad: Okay. I understand. I don’t like swing music either. Or rockabilly music.

Marco: Rockabilly! Hate!

Conrad: Though I do like psychobilly.

Marco: Yeah, punkabilly and psychobilly is okay.

Conrad: Like the Reverend Horton Heat.

Marco: Yeah, but… Oh, is that Heather Graham?

Conrad: Hell yeah, it is.

Marco: I feel like Heather Graham deserved such a better career than the one she got, you know?

Conrad: Goddamn, she’s hot.

Marco: Yeah, there’s definitely that.

Conrad: She just looks crazy. But in a hot way. Like something insane is about to happen when she walks into the room.

Marco: Like in Killing Me Softly?

Conrad: Is that movie good? I’ve seen the pictures online but never saw it.

Marco: Eh… Look, I’ll put it this way: It was erotic.

Conrad: Suck it, Lady MacBeth. That sounds like the Heather Graham I like.

Marco: She just has that light in her eyes. And yet, you get the feeling people want to cast her as a sexbot, like a living, excited sexbot.

Conrad: Stop right there before I get turned on.

Conrad: Oh man, this diner scene…

Marco: Yeah?

Conrad: Yeah, it just got real. There are too many people still like this.

Marco: And Vince Vaughn is one of them.

Conrad: Yeah, but it’s funny. It’s all good.

Conrad: This movie is very accurate in it’s depiction of a bunch of asshole guys just hanging out and bar hopping and trying to pick up “beautiful babies.”

Marco: I dislike that term. “Beautiful babies.” I mean, it’s all kind of demeaning, right? But “beautiful babies?” That’s no good.

Conrad: Uh… sure, but yeah. This movie feels authentic to me, to a degree.

Marco: I’m surprised that these guys aren’t trying to go home with any girls. I mean, this is still Los Angeles, right?

Conrad: Well, personally, I don’t want to fuck every girl I meet out at bars.

Marco: Really?

Conrad: (after an interestingly long pause) …No. Plus, it sets a bad precedent.

Marco: Sure, sure. Also, he’s getting home and it’s not even 3 in the morning. That’s a bit early, right?

Conrad: Well, yeah, I guess. I mean, if I have to work in the moning, I may get home around then, but typically, I’d keep vampire hours if I was out “partying” with the “boys.”

Marco: Let’s go party then.

Conrad: I’m not sure you’re money enough to handle the beautiful babies hunt.

Marco: I think the resolution to the girlfriend back home situation to be somewhat realistic/believable. Do you concur?

Conrad: Yeah, I guess.

Marco: I mean, I was actually siding with this unseen girlfriend back east for most of the film…

Conrad: You dislike Favreau that much?

Marco: Dislike? No, that’s too harsh. I dislike the situation in Iran or the recession, things like that. Favreau is just an ugly man, and I therefore think the girlfriend back east was just pityfucking him for those six years.

Conrad: Real talk.

Marco: And she “misses” him? Misses him? What, like the desert misses the rain? Please.

Conrad: Right.

Marco: But then she said she left him for a guy named Pierre. That’s cold blooded. That’s unforgivable. Am I wrong?

Conrad: You are not wrong. And Heather Graham.

Marco: And Heather Graham. Yes, sir.

Conrad: I think we’re in agreement there.

Marco: I think we are. I remember that this movie was always so talked about back in the 90s, like one of those big hyped things, you know the kind that supposedly contained the rules?

Conrad: The rules?

Marco: For like… “The Cool.” Like Dazed And Confused. Or Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind. Lost In Translation. These are the rules, for “the cool.” This is how things are. This movie is fine, not bad at all, but “the cool?” I just don’t know.

Conrad: Yeah, I get you. “The cool” is not always what it’s cracked up to be.

Marco: Uh huh.

Conrad: That Vince Vaughn is a funny, silly man. I feel like we should’ve gotten drunk before watching this.

Marco: Perhaps some of us already are.

http://www.posterbomb.com is up , active and better then EVER !!!

posterbomb — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 04:45:24 +0000

Here is the link to http://www.posterbomb.com for all of your Lowbrow art , books , rock posters , concert posters , pinstriping art , art prints & More!

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