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John Entwistle’s Rolls-Royce Up for Auction

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John Entwistle Car

It’s been a big week for dead rock legend memorabilia: We already learned that John Lennon’s tooth is being sent to scientists for DNA sequencing, and now a car once owned by late Who bassist John Entwistle is headed for auction.

Yes, according to Ultimate Classic Rock (via UK paper The Daily Mail), you’ll have a chance to buy the bass virtuoso’s 1980 Silver Shadow Rolls-Royce next month at auction, where the vehicle is expected to go for around 12,000 pounds (or roughly $25,000).

After Entwistle died in 2002, his family sold the Rolls-Royce (which he used to transport his massive Irish wolfhounds around his estate in Gloucestershire) to a Scottish owner, who is now unloading the sweet ride. (I don’t know engines, but “6,750cc V8″ sounds pretty impressive, and there’s no denying the thrill of “cream leather upholstery.”)

“The car has been kept at an estate in Perthshire, Scotland, where it was mainly used for grouse shooting,” said an auction house official. “(It) has been garage stored in a ‘bubble’ to maintain ideal air temperature.”

What do you think, Who nuts? Want to “Fiddle About” with The Ox’s wheels?

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posted in News by Ryan Reed


The Chop House: Check Out a Steve Hackett Show from 1979

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With “The Chop House,” we explore classic performances from bands with — you know — “chops.” Genres like progressive rock, art-rock, jazz-fusion — they’re nearly extinct in our current music culture. These days, we live (and consume art) impatiently, favoring a quick fix over a challenge. But here at Hidden Track, we refuse to let the dazzling, confrontational spirit of these wonderful bands die.

Steve Hackett Pic

When guitarist Steve Hackett left Genesis in October 1977, it wasn’t due to inner band turmoil or a decline in quality. One of the flagships of ’70s progressive rock, Genesis had already weathered the departure of founding frontman Peter Gabriel, and they’d carried on splendidly, releasing two excellent albums in 1976 (A Trick of the Tail and Wind & Wuthering) as a four-piece. No, when Hackett left Genesis (unexpectedly and rather unceremoniously) in ’77, it was because he had too many ideas to submit to a band democracy.

Though Hackett would never achieve the same level of commercial success as Genesis — or earn such an iconic spot in the annals of prog — his decision to fly solo proved more than fruitful: As of 2013, he’s released well over 20 studio and live albums, exploring a much more diverse range of styles (blues, flamenco, arena-rock) than the Genesis ranks would allow. He’s one of progressive rock’s most enduring and vibrant figures — and one of the few who’s consistently released high-quality work throughout the changes in sonic trends. His music has always existed in a world unto itself: never bowing to a commercial goal, never drawing a straight stylistic line. His discography is a giant fucking mess, and that’s its most beautiful quality.

Hackett’s currently on tour behind his latest album, Genesis Revisited II, which features striking new interpretations of classic Genesis material. But in this week’s “Chop House,” we’re honoring the man’s much-overlooked solo repertoire: This excellent 1979 concert features tracks from Hackett’s first three solo albums (which happen to be his best). The set features the stellar prog epics “Ace of Wands” and “Shadow of the Hierophant,” among more atmospheric cuts like “Racing in A.”

What’s your favorite Hackett solo song? Sound off in the comments section.

Full Setlist

00:36 Please Don’t Touch 08:23 Racing In A / Ace of Wands (outro) 16:02 Ace of Wands 21:47 Narnia 26:20 Acoustic section (incl. Horizons) 29:39 Shadow of the Hierophant 38:59 Clocks/The Angel of Mons

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posted in Features by Ryan Reed

Cruise to the Edge 2014: Yes, Another Prog-Rock Cruise

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Cruise to the Edge 2014

Nothing says “ocean breeze” and “beach holiday” quite like a seven-minute guitar solo or a 9/8 drum-fill. Yes, it seems like the hottest new trend in progressive rock is piling a bunch of veteran bands on a cruise ship and sailing the high seas.  We’ve already told you about Sweden’s Silja Festival and the return of Progressive Nation, but the most star-studded upcoming prog cruise (I just giggled whilst typing that) is most definitely Cruise to the Edge 2014, curated by Yes.

Floating aboard the MSC Divina (from April 7th to 12th), fans will journey from Miami, Florida to Isla de Roatan, Honduras and Cozumel, Mexico. But the real treat is the line-up, which (as of recent line-up additions) is arguably a Prog Rock Hall of Fame. The roster now features Yes, Marillion, Steve Hackett (with his Genesis Revisited set), UK, Queensryche, Tangerine Dream, Renaissance, Strawbs, PFM, Three Friends (featuring members of Gentle Giant), Stickmen (featuring bass god Tony Levin), The Soft Machine, Patrick Moraz (formerly of Yes), and more.

That’s pretty amazing. It’s honestly hard to think of anybody they left out.

For pricing information and the full band roster, check out the Cruise to the Edge website.

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posted in Festivals by Ryan Reed

‘Breaking Bad’ Breakdown: ‘Confessions’

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Breaking Bad Confessions

(SPOILERS AHEAD, so “tread lightly,” ye Breaking Bad fanatics!)

Season Five, Episode 11: “Confessions”

Written by: Gennifer Hutchinson, Directed by: Michael Slovis

So far, this has been the Season of Punches, Hugs, and Awkward Meals.

We’ve seen Skyler and Hank lock in a staggering, emotionally charged half-hug, as Hank welcomed his sister-in-law in the diner, both knowing the Dirty Truth and hiding behind a familial familiarity. We’ve also seen Jesse sitting in with Walt and Skyler for a hilarious TV sitcom-styled anti-dinner, and two weeks ago, we saw Hank punch the daylights out of Walt — in what has to be the most highly anticipated kisser-popper in the history of TV drama.

Fittingly, “Confessions” revolves around both a hug, punch, and awkward meal — just with different characters trading blows, embraces, and guacamole.

First, The Hug.

Aaron Paul — in his still, pained helplessness — has dominated this second-half run. And one of his finest moments  came during a scene with Saul and Walt, The Three Meth-keteers figuring out logistics in the desert. (Quick recap: Hank tried to lay on his scratchy, deep interrogator voice on Jesse, but Saul showed up and burst his bubble. Neither Saul, nor Walt, are particularly pleased.) Back to the action: Walt, in an attempt to get Jesse as far from the action as humanly possible, suggests that perhaps Jesse should hook up with Saul’s Hoover guy and buy himself a shiny new identity. (“Jesse, will you let me help you? I don’t like to see you hurting like this. Maybe it’s time for a change.”)

At first, Jesse isn’t buying it — he finally calls Walt out on his manipulative headgames, but just as he’s about to break away for good, Walt pulls him in for a slow, aching hug. There’s pain in Jesse’s voice when he asks Walt to stop playing the whole “concerned dad” thing. The level of depth in this scene is simply breathtaking: How much of that hug was out of love and how much was out of desperation?

Next, The Punch.

Back in his office, Hank is confronted by Gomey, who tells him to stop trailing Jesse and Saul. “Pinkman is APD’s problem, not ours,” he says, and Hank seems defeated as he relents. Jesse decides to pull the trigger on that new Hoover, so Saul makes his patented phone call and hands him some fat stacks from his “benefactor” (“provided, of course, you don’t toss it out the window on the way.” BA-ZING).

Another great Aaron Paul moment comes when Jesse realizes he — really, truly, honestly — can move anywhere he wants and start a brand new life. (Maybe, as Walt suggests, he can meet a new girl and start a family…) There’s, briefly, a sense of childlike wonder on his face as he realizes he can move off to Alaska. But just as he’s getting ready to step in the Hoover dude’s van, he realizes Huell stole his dope — and, more importantly, his cigarettes. Using some impressive dot-connecting skills, he realizes it was in fact Huell (on behalf of Saul, on behalf of Walt) who stole the ricin cigarette. He flashes back to Brock’s near-death poisoning, hauls ass back to Saul’s office, and proceeds to beat the ever-living shit out of him. He even pulls out a gun from Saul’s desk and wields it around like a psychopath (even though Saul was clearly never in any real danger, what with his forthcoming spin-off and all). It’s an unbelievably thrilling scene: Seeing Jesse finally unleash some of that hostility is both terrifying and strangely satisfying.

(Seeing him douse Walt’s house in gasoline, though?…I have no words.)

Poor, poor Jesse. If he’d just gotten on the van, he’d be battling the elements and building a fort in the Alaskan wilderness right now. (So much for the Survivor Man-styled Jesse spin-off I planned on pitching AMC.)

Finally, The Awkward Meal.

While Aaron Paul clearly dominated the episode, the most chilling scene involved the White/Schrader clan, as the two sides met (almost in Godfather-esque fashion) in public, at a Mexican restaurant, to discuss their next moves. (Walt is to chimichangas as Don Corleone is to a spicy meatball.)

The dynamic tension in this scene is marvelous. One second, we’re laughing over the absurdity of the situation (as a dorky waiter strolls by and asks “How about that guacamole?”), and the next, we’re riveted by the unexpected. Will Hank break out the fisticuffs (or the regular cuffs)? Will Hank manage to manipulate the situation? Turns out the latter. Walt tries to plead that the Schraders leave Walt. Jr out of the situation (Marie attempted to lure the youngster over to their home by lying about a malfunctioning computer; Walt talked his way out of it by admitting the return of his cancer). The peak comes when Marie proposes a heavy (and kinda brilliant) solution to their mutual problem: “Why don’t you kill yourself, Walt?” (Looks like they’re splitting the check this time.)

When Hank suggests that Walt “isn’t getting off that easy,” Walt slides over his home-movie DVD. It’s a “confession” video — but not the one we all expect. Walt crafts a brilliantly manipulative tale, twisting the Heisenberg story on its head by painting Hank as the Meth Mastermind. It makes perfect sense, too: Hank could have easily made drug connections with the DEA, and that sudden increase in meth wealth would explain away his $177,000 hospital bills that Walt secretly paid. (It’s twisted and brilliant to think Walt may have paid that money with this plan in mind all along.)

The other notable scene from “Confessions” is the cold open, in which Todd meets with his creepy uncle Jack and his partner Kenny. Todd leaves Walt a voicemail, telling him about the whole wiping-out-Declan-and-the-meth-guys thing. (Something tells me he and Walt aren’t exactly on good terms.) Todd tells his friends about The Great Train Methylamine Robbery, and the proud look on his face is quite telling: Todd idolizes criminals, and he desperately wants to continue this outlaw lifestyle. And he’ll do whatever it takes.

Rating: A

Now for some random thoughts and my favorite moments of the night…

“If you’re watching this tape, I’m probably dead — murdered by my brother, Hank Schrader.”

Seriously, what an incredible soliloquy from Bryan Cranston in the confessional tape.

“That’s the last nail in the coffin,” says Hank, about Marie using Walt’s “gambling money” to pay for his medical bills.

Shot of spider crawling–callback to the spider-in-the-jar?

“You got a beggars/choosers situation here, so quit bustin’ my balls.” — Saul

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posted in Breaking Bad by Ryan Reed

Cover Alert: Ben Sollee Re-Imagines Daft Punk’s ‘Lose Yourself to Dance’

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Ben Solle

Cello master/songwriter Ben Sollee is a wildly eclectic songwriter, combining elements of folk, bluegrass, R&B, and art-rock into a totally unique sonic stew. But this is still pretty shocking: Teaming with the 18-piece Austin orchestra Mother Falcon, Sollee has re-interpreted Daft Punk’s electro-disco stunner “Lose Yourself to Dance.”

The two parties collaborated after having shared the stage on a recent tour; they recorded this raw, organic version of the track in Providence, Rhode Island with The Low Anthem’s Ben Knox-Miller and Jeff Prystowsky.

“Most folks know I like to collaborate with lots of different musicians. But this was different,” Sollee says in a press release. “This was more like going sky diving with some folks you don’t know all that well on the ground, and falling in love with them mid-air…I think it’s fitting that we were all in what amounted to a fugue state by the end…lost in the music and the movement.”

Download the track for free over at Sollee’s website.

Also, while you’re at it, check out an intimate take on his funky track, “Electrified.”

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posted in Cover Alert by Ryan Reed

Steve Hackett to Release CD/DVD Box Set ‘Genesis Revisited – Live at Hammersmith’

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Steve Hackett Pic

While many of his former Genesis bandmates have clearly moved on from their classic prog-rock era, Steve Hackett clearly hasn’t. And that’s a good thing: By re-interpreting old Genesis material in the studio (and playing those songs on-stage), he’s keeping this music alive. Hackett has toured — quite successfully — behind his latest project, Genesis Revisited II, and now he’s releasing recorded proof with Genesis Revisited – Live at Hammersmith, a 3CD/2DVD package (with 5.1) box set to be released on October 29th.

The sold-out London show featured the excellent line-up of Nik Kershaw, John Wetton, Jakko Jakszyk, and Steve Rothery.

In a press release, Hackett states, “The 5.1 DVD with stereo CD (…) is a feast for all the senses. I was blown away by the fantastic response to those May UK gigs.”

Details of the set are below:

CD1
1. Watcher of the Skies
2. The Chamber of 32 Doors
3. Dancing with the Moonlit Knight
4. Fly on a Windshield
5. Broadway Melody of 1974
6. The Lamia
7. The Musical Box
8. Shadow of the Hierophant
9. Blood on the Rooftops

CD2
1. Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers
2. In That Quiet Earth
3. Afterglow
4. I Know What I Like
5. Dance on a Volcano
6. Entangled
7. Eleventh Earl of Mar
8. Supper’s Ready

CD3
1. Firth of Fifth
2. Los Endos

DVD1
Full live show

DVD2
Behind the scenes featurette

Hackett’s upcoming tour dates are below:

US 2013
Friday 20 September – Arcada Theatre, St. Charles, IL
Saturday 21 September – Arcada Theatre, St. Charles, IL
Sunday 22 September – Pabst Theater, Milwaukee, WI
Monday 23 September – Royal Oak Music Theatre, Royal Oak, Michigan
Wednesday 25 September – Best buy Theatre, New York, NY
Thursday 26 September – Strand Theater, Lakewood, NJ
Friday 27 September – NYCB Theatre at Westbury, Westbury, NY
Saturday 28 September – Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield, CT * SOLD OUT *
Sunday 29 September – Center for the Performing Arts, Albany, NY
Thursday 3 October – Place des Arts (Wilfred-Pelletier), Montreal, QC
Friday 4 October – Grand Theatre De Quebec, Quebec, QC
Saturday 5 October – Le Casino du Lac Leamy, Gatineau, QC
Sunday 6 October – Empire Theatre, Belleville, Ontario
Tuesday 8 October – Oakville Centre, Oakville, ON * SOLD OUT *
Wednesday 9 October – Oakville Centre, Oakville, ON * SOLD OUT *
Thursday 10 October – Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead, Homestead, PA
Friday 11 October – Keswick Theatre, Glenside, PA
Saturday 12 October – Keswick Theatre, Glenside, PA
Sunday 13 October – Scottish Rite Auditorium, Collingswood, NJ

UK 2013
Tuesday 22 October – Symphony Hall, Birmingham, UK
Wednesday 23 October – Colston Hall, Bristol, UK
Thursday 24 October – Royal Albert Hall, London, UK
Saturday 26 October – 02 Apollo, Manchester, UK
Sunday 27 October – City Hall, Newcastle, UK
Tuesday 29 October – Philharmonic, Liverpool, UK
Wednesday 30 October – City Hall, Sheffield, UK
Friday 1 November – Corn Exchange, Cambridge, UK

2014
Thursday 3 April – Capitol Theatre, Clearwater, FL, US
Friday 4 April – Plaza Live, Orlando, FL, US
Saturday 5 April – Parker Playhouse, Fort Lauderdale, FL, US
Monday 7 April – Saturday 12 April 2014 – Cruise to the Edge, Isla de Roatan, Honduras & Cozumel, Mexico

 

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posted in News by Ryan Reed

Checkin’ ‘Em Twice: 10 Great Acoustic Re-Imaginings

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Photo Credit: Diana Nitschke, 2009

Photo Credit: Diana Nitschke, 2009

A mark of a great artist is the ability to transform something already crafted into something more. Studio versions of songs represent a culmination of one realization of the music — they need not be definitive statements about the way they always need to be played. When an artist strips down an initial arrangement of a song, it can be elevated to a level even higher than the polished work done in the recording studio. A decision of this type may be motivated out of the specific desire to change the music up  — recall the MTV Unplugged craze of the mid-nineties — or out of necessity. In the case of the latter, the steep costs of touring often prove prohibitive for some musicians, leaving them to hit the road by their lonesome (Sondre Lerche would be a good example of this; up until the release of his self-titled LP in 2011, his shows were almost always solo). Regardless of the motive, the transformative ability remains the same; even if a sparse lineup isn’t intended to change anything about the song, changing arrangements almost always provides new insight into a song, either good or bad.

The ten tracks below are a few examples of when this change works remarkably well. Spanning several genres and styles, these songs in their “completed” studio renditions do represent a particular intentionality on the part of their respective artists, but even in these often rough recordings, an unshakeable magic remains present. When I asked some fellow music writers about this subject, I got answers including Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, Basement Jaxx, and Screaming Trees — evidence enough of the ability for the acoustic version to span all different walks of art. Leave your choices in the comment section below!

Warren Zevon—“Piano Fighter” (from Learning to Flinch, 1993)

Mutineer, the second of Warren Zevon’s two studio LPs in the 1990s, is the only outright misfire of his otherwise tumultuous-yet-successful career. It displays the man’s sardonic lyricism quite well — that talent of his is hard to mask, regardless of the music that backs him — but the cluttered, lo-fi synths that occupy a majority of the record drown out what could have been otherwise quality melodies. In the case of “Piano Fighter,” one of Mutineer’s better moments, the issue is that Zevon didn’t stick to what the name of the song suggests: play it on piano! This is exactly why the version of the song captured on Learning to Flinch, Zevon’s rough-around-the-edges 1993 live album (You can even hear a soda can opening before this song starts), is so definitive. As he runs his fingers up and down the keyboard in the style of an ace blues musician, he shows both his prodigious talent with the piano and captures the spirit of the lyrics. “Someone called Piano Fighter/I’m a holy roller,” he sings. “I’m a real low rider.”

Porcupine Tree—“Nine Cats” (from Insignificance, 1997)

Porcupine Tree’s earliest material is quite laughable. From the chipmunked vocals of “Linton Samuel Dawson” (L.S.D…. get it?) to samples from B-movies about penis transplantation, band mastermind Steven Wilson was both lovingly and free-spiritedly offering up his own take on psychedelia. Because the earliest years of the band were essentially Wilson working by himself, there’s an inescapable element of self-indulgence to records like 1991’s On the Sunday of Life… and earlier, now highly desired demos like Love, Death, and Mussolini. Silliness, however, is not an absolutely defining factor of this music; in many ways, Wilson truly did fit into the psychedelic underground that Porcupine Tree sprang from. Case in point is Sunday of Life highlight “Nine Cats,” which, in its album version, is backed by a curiously placed beat, with a bouncy bass drum amping up the otherwise tranquil music. For Insignificance, a B-side cassette released in 1997 (now included as a bonus disc to the reissue of Signify), Wilson performed a solo acoustic version of the track, revealing its purest form: a wistful, charming psychedelic ballad, where toads, kangaroos, and golden dragons occupy a delirious world of barbed-wire trees and butterfly-lined breezes.

Coldplay—“The Hardest Part” (from LeftRightLeftRightLeft, 2009)

Coldplay are at the stage in their popularity where, to high-minded critics, the title persona non grata is the most apt descriptor. There are undoubtedly more than a few people who count them as a guilty pleasure, only willing to listen to them alone with all the windows and doors shut. Truth be told, Coldplay might have fared better in a world where the desire to be “ambitious” for its own good — which began with Viva la Vida’s Brian Eno producer credit — was abandoned in favor of the honest-straightforward piano balladry of records like their finest hour, A Rush of Blood to the Head. In a live setting, “The Hardest Part,” a standout moment from the lamentable X&Y, proves just how apt Chris Martin is at the piano confessional. The soft-rock of the studio version is foregone, leaving Martin out on the stage by himself with just the piano to sell the song’s bittersweet musings. To put it mildly, the audience eats it up; he even gets a woman to sing herself hoarse toward the end of the song. Moreso than any other live LP, LeftRightLeftRightLeft really brings in the crowd cheering and chanting; being that it was released as a free download, the band clearly meant it as a sort of tribute to their fans. As an added bonus, when Martin hits the last note of “The Hardest Part,” he segues seamlessly into the brief instrumental interlude “Postcards from Far Away,” giving once again the impression that the Eno-led version of Coldplay, while perhaps more risk-taking, doesn’t hold a candle to the sappy piano balladeers of A Rush of Blood to the Head.

Anathema—“They Die” (from Falling Deeper, 2011)

Falling Deeper technically qualifies as an acoustic album in that the instrumentation is almost entirely organic, but it’s far from “stripped-down.” After making a huge splash in the metal world of the early ‘90s as one of the so-called “Peaceville Three,” Anathema progressed into something similar on the emotive spectrum but shockingly different in sound. With records like 2010’s We’re Here Because We’re Here and 2012’s massive breakthrough Weather Systems, this British group wholeheartedly embraced the sonic mores of emotive stadium rock. Falling Deeper fits within this genre’s confines, but like 2008’s Hindsight before it, instead of offering new material, re-interprets the band’s older work using new instrumentation — in this instance, orchestral. In a wise move, Anathema skip going just for the hits, taking the time to resurrect some older, more obscure B-sides. One such song is “They Die,” a track off the Cresftallen EP, which, at 2:11, is the shortest thing on this LP. But what a beauty it is: The original studio cut of the song is one of the band’s earliest, unpolished stabs at doom, but here it’s given a breathtakingly gorgeous life, due in large part to a meticulously arranged string section.

Earth—“Coda Maestoso in F (Flat) Minor” (from Hibernaculum, 2007)

Like Anathema, Earth has a musical journey that’s been stunning to watch unfold. The Dylan Carlson-fronted project pioneered the drone-doom genre in the early ‘90s with slabs of distortion worship like Earth 2. Then, in a tragic turn of events, Carlson’s life spiraled downward after he purchased the shotgun used by Kurt Cobain used in his suicide — a goal which, of course, Carlson had never hoped for the weapon. The remainder of the ‘90s saw a couple of haphazard releases like 1996’s Pentastar — In the Style of Demons, and Carlson eventually just dropped off the map altogether. Years later, in the mid ‘00s, Earth arrived back with a vengeance — though the music was much less heavy this time around. Records like 2005’s Hex; Or, Printing in the Infernal Method and the 2008 masterpiece The Bees Made Honey in the Lion’s Skull took to the Americana-styled desert Western stylings of compositional greats like Ennio Morricone, with the repetitious, hypnotic quality of Earth’s original sound still present. On the 2007 CD/DVD release Hibernaculum, the band even took this new style to old recordings, offering up new versions of overlooked older tracks. “Coda Maestoso in F (Flat) Minor,” an unimpressive track off Pentastar, is given a dirge-y new life on Hibernaculum, anchored by Adrienne Davies’ nuanced, jazzy drum patterns. Though not strictly acoustic — Carlson’s guitars are electric — this rendition nonetheless has the effect of any of the great “stripped-down” versions.

John Mayer—“Neon” (from Where the Light Is, 2008)

John Mayer gets a bad rap. A good deal of it is his fault; one can’t unabashedly maintain a kiss-and-tell-all attitude — punctuated with bizarre, racially-charged sexual comments — and expect to make a lot of friends. Some of the disdain, however, comes from faulty perceptions of the man’s excellent career; a good swath of people just can’t get past “Your Body is a Wonderland” or “Why Georgia,” despite the inspired take on the blues that informs Continuum and the live album Where the Light Is. The latter, the best thing Mayer has done, is a document not of a would-be pop sensation but of an expert guitar player and bandleader. Of the Los Angeles show’s many highlights, one in particular rises above the rest of the lengthy, two-disc setlist: the solo acoustic version of “Neon,” a memorable cut off of his debut, Room for Squares. Here, Mayer’s dexterous fingers marathon-run up and down his fretboard, turning a lament about a woman lost to the allures of night life into a showcase for his skill as a guitar player. That the song requires a drop-C tuning even adds a nice heaviness to the track, proving that this guy has more than a few tricks up his sleeves.

My Dying Bride—“The Distance, Busy with Shadows” (from Evinta, 2011)

My Dying Bride were once part of the same doom-metal trirumvate as Anathema, the Peaceville Three. Also like Anathema, in 2011, they took to re-interpreting their back catalogue, the document of which can be found on the three-disc opus Evinta, a haunting collection of orchestral and operatic takes on old themes and motifs. Unlike a regular re-interpretive LP, the songs here usually do not directly draw from one song in a discography; these are entirely new compositions using bits and pieces of previously recorded material, the one exception being “You are Not the One Who Loves Me.” Incorporating elements of opera, spoken word, and Romantic piano figures, Evinta is a darkly entrancing listen from start to finish. It’s difficult to isolate a stand-out track on an album as expansive. But for the sake of this list, take the ambient “The Distance, Busy with Shadows,” punctuated by harpsichord, woodwinds, and nocturne-like piano lines. The power of bands like My Dying Bride and Anathema is that they demonstrate doom’s ability to transform into something grandiose, orchestral, and truly beautiful.

Swans—“A Piece of the Sky (Demo)” (from We Rose from Your Bed with the Sun in Our Head, 2012)

“A Piece of the Sky,” the 19-minute cut off of Swans’ mammoth 2012 outing The Seer, is an ever-changing beast. It begins with actual fire sounds. Then it segues into a windy section. Then a loud, mesmerizing percussion section kicks in, followed by a good five minutes of jangly post-rock. What then concludes the track comes so out of left-field one has to wonder if it was lazily tacked on; but since this is Swans, left-field turns, are ironically enough, to be expected, and the final minutes of “A Piece of the Sky” mark some of frontman Michael Gira’s finest work as a songwriter. Similar to My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky’s highlight “Reeling the Liars In,” this home stretch of “A Piece of the Sky,” captured in a wonderful, intimate version on the live album We Rose from Your Bed with the Sun in Our Head, draws heavily from Gira’s folk songwriting in the Angels of Light project. The full-bodied instrumentation of the LP version amps up the music considerably, yet Gira could have easily released this in this way — just him and a guitar — and it would have been just as excellent. The music has a joyful, almost waltz-like lilt to it, a strange thing considering the muck-and-grime imagery of The Seer (take the consonance of “The Seer Returns”: “he’s a greasy, heaving beast in a field of sticky black mud”). Gira describes the song as “a prayer to our Creator,” which elicits a curious reaction given the scattered images he evokes: “unforgiving jaw,” “petroleum plumes,” and “mountains stripped bare” all make an appearance. (Best of them all? “In the blood of the Swans/As the sun fucks the dawn.”) Since it’s Gira’s powerful voice delivering all these lines, one has to wonder why prayer can’t sound like this more often.

Mary Chapin Carpenter—“I Take My Chances (Live in Madison, WI)” (from Party Doll and Other Favorites, 1999)

Mary Chapin Carpenter is an A-list songwriter whose best material is often dragged down by the soft-rock, adult contemporary take on country that defines a lot of her ‘90s hits. Such is especially the issue for “I Take My Chances,” a track with killer lyrics and a great vocal by Carpenter. Unfortunately, the studio edition of this cut is marred by a flat, radio-friendly approach that doesn’t do service to its most quality components. Its live take on Party Doll and Other Favorites, Carpenter’s all-aces greatest hits collection released in 1999, remedies this problem. Just by playing “I Take My Chances” solely on acoustic guitar and piano, Carpenter elevates its status, transforming it into the intimate confessional it truly is. (It helps that her keyboard player gives a stupendous performance, with a bluesy inflection not heard enough in her music.) As a result, Carpenter’s winningest lyrics — “Forgiveness doesn’t come with a debt,” “I found a preacher/He spoke of the light/But there was brimstone in his throat” — feel all the more authentic.

Stream the song via Spotify here.

Pain of Salvation—“Chain Sling” (from 12:5, 2004)

Remedy Lane standout “Chain Sling” is the ultimate showcase for Daniel Gildenlöw’s commanding voice. The Pain of Salvation frontman has a reputation in the progressive rock community for his vocals, which are impressive not only for their range but for their tonal versatility. He can switch between sweet falsetto and operatic bellows with effortless ease, a fact that remains constant regardless of live or studio setting. The lyrical matter of “Chain Sling,” then, is a perfect fit for his pipes, as it documents the push-and-pull of a disintegrating relationship plagued with unrequited love. The verses are pleading and high on the register: “Please let me be yours/Please never leave,” while the pre-chorus takes on a harsher, almost growled menace: “If you love me you must let go!” The studio recording is top-notch, but on the acoustic live LP 12:5, the band does a good job of enhancing the Eastern European-inspired folk melodies out of the music, at the same time maintaining its pain-laced ferocity.

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posted in Checkin' 'Em Twice by Brice Ezell

TV on the Radio Share New Track, ‘Million Miles’

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TV on the Radio

Photo Credit: Dave Sitek

TV on the Radio have been teasing their new album all year. They split from their label, Interscope, back in April, and they’ve since released a new single, “Mercy.” Now, in participation with MySpace, the art-rockers have premiered a new video for another new track, “Million Miles.”

It’s a spacey, dreamy ballad, built on Kyp Malone’s impossibly high falsetto. The video is also…well, pretty interesting. Check it out below:

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posted in News by Ryan Reed


New Beatles Set, ‘Live at the BBC, Vol. 2′ to Arrive in October

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The Beatles - B&W - Abbey Road - Twickenham 69 - C Apple Corps Ltd

Fab Four fanatics, better start clearing off some more shelf space: According to Ultimate Classic Rock (via various Beatles fan sites), Apple will release Live at the BBC, Vol. 2 on October 3rd. This new BBC set follows the 1994 original and includes unreleased tracks recorded by The Beatles at the legendary U.K. studio.

Details about the set are still scarce, so it’s unclear if this release will prove as expansive as the original, which featured 69 tracks across two CDs. UCR theorizes that the set could feature B-sides from the “Baby It’s You” single (“I’ll Follow the Sun,” “Boys,” and “Devil in Her Heart”), among other tracks that were previously assumed to be destroyed.

The timing does seem appropriate for the new release: Beatles historian/author Kevin Howlett’s new book, The Beatles: The BBC Archives: 1962-1970, is dropping on October 10th.

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posted in News by Ryan Reed

John Lees’ Barclay James Harvest to Release ‘North’ in October

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Barclay James Harvest

Oft-overlooked English prog band Barclay James Harvest (now operating as John Lees’ Barclay James Harvest) will release a new LP, North, on October 7th. This is the band’s first studio album in over a decade.

Though the album is led by Lees, the band’s frontman and founding member, it’s described as a “true group effort” between Lees, bassist Craig Fletcher, keyboardist Jez Smith, and drummer Kevin Whitehead. A limited-edition double-disc version will include a live recording from 2011 at the Buxton Opera House.

The band (featuring guest players keyboardist Oliver Wakeman and guitarist Gordon Giltrap) will be touring the UK in November.

Disc One (Standard Edition) Tracklist

1. If You Were Here Now
2. Ancient Waves
3. In Wonderland
4. On Leave
5. The Real Deal
6. On Top of the World
7. Unreservedly Yours
8. North
9. The End of the Day

Disc Two – “The Opera House, Buxton – 19th February 2011″

1. Ursula (The Swansea Song)
2. Galadriel
3. Mockingbird
4. Ball and Chain
5. Summer Soldier
6. Medicine Man
7. Song for Dying
8. The Poet / After the Day

UK Tour Dates
Nov 7: Bath Komedia
Nov 8: London Islington Assembly
Nov 9: Milton Keynes Stables
Nov 10: Bilston Robin 2
Nov 15: Edinburgh Liquid Room (guest Anne-Marie Helder instead of Giltrap & Wakeman)
Nov 16: Holmfirth Picturedrome
Nov 21: Cambridge The Junction
Nov 22: Southampton Brook
Nov 23: Tavistock Wharf

You can pre-order the album at the band’s website.

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posted in News by Ryan Reed

Scraping the Barrel: #98, ‘Plump Fiction’

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Thousands and thousands of films are made every year. And while some of them are destined for Oscar glory and widespread Metacritic acclaim, others wind up scraping the barrel on the IMDB Bottom 100. What makes these films so universally despised? Are they all really that bad? And, seriously, what’s the deal with From Justin to Kelly? We’ll answer all these questions (and hopefully more) with “Scraping the Barrel,” in which we review the ENTIRETY of the bottom 100, in order.

In today’s installment, Ryan Reed takes a closer look (when he’s able to uncover his eyes) at #98, 1997′s Plump Fiction.

Editor Note: We realize the Bottom 100 has changed slightly since we began this series. Our master list was frozen on July 17th.)

Plump Fiction

The Gist: Stolen briefcases, strippers disguised as nuns, obesity humor, a gimp, a pair of tag-team wrestlers, a lot of decent actors slumming for the worst role of their lives.

Those Who Shall Be Held Responsible: Written and directed by Bob Koherr

IMDB Stats: #98, 2.5 rating

The Straight Dirt:

“The person who’s writing — you have to see some of the absurdity of this thing that you’re satirizing (…) I think Bob Koherr, the director, had a lot to say.” — Julie Brown, in the bonus feature interview

“Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody’s face but their own.” — Jonathan Swift

__________________________________________________________________________________

Unlike the previous two films (Meatballs 4 and Troll 2) we’ve covered for the Scraping the Barrel series, there’s genuinely nothing enjoyable about Plump Fiction. It’s mean-spirited, sophomoric, and all-around stupid in ways that are genuinely inexcusable and incomprehensible. Does this truly pass for “satire” (as Julie Brown claims in a bonus feature interview)? If so, what the hell is writer/director Bob Koherr satirizing?

As the title makes glaringly obvious, Koherr is attempting to spoof Quentin Tarantino’s loopy, masterful crime-drama Pulp Fiction. But it’s unclear how that goal has been achieved — or why it was attempted in the first place.

The intro narration sets up some kind of attempt at a mission statement, as a gruff-voiced narrator reads a tiring back-story of Tarantino’s smash film:

“In 1994, an irreverent young filmmaker shocked audiences at the Cannes Film Festival with a violent, out-of-sequence new movie that changed the style of motion picture storytelling forever. That film won the coveted Palme D’or, resurrected the career of a former Sweathog, made its director a star, and a handful of people made a (shitload) of money. The success of the movie spawned a new wave of bloody cinema that is currently sweeping the globe. We feel this type of filmmaking is barbaric and irresponsible. We fear these films will trigger more violence in an already brutal society. Now is the time for Hollywood to supply mankind with a more wholesome, nonviolent, life-affirming motion picture.”

Then the narrator is shot and killed. Good one. The “point,” I guess, is that Plump Fiction doesn’t have a purpose. It’s a parody made for no other reason than to capitalize on a popular trend and milk it for a few bucks. The intro also flashes a definition of the term “plump” (as ripped from Roger Ebert’s Thesaurus of Movie Terms): “a fleshy send-up of a lurid original overflowing with shameless imitation and characteristically shot on a rough budget.” There’s nothing wrong with shamelessness, as long as that shamelessness happens to be funny. But Plump Fiction isn’t funny — not for a single second of its soul-sucking run-time.

Plump Fiction

Like Pulp Fiction, Plump boasts a dense, time-jumping narrative — which is a recipe for disaster in a parody film: Ironically, the film is painful to watch (because of its atrocious acting and writing and directing), but also painful to understand. Pulp Fiction‘s time-elastic sequencing was earned by the intoxicating grandeur of its plot; Plump Fiction is both terrible and convoluted — not only do you hate it, you can’t remember it. (Perhaps its shit-amnesia is a blessing in disguise.) At least the Epic Movie guys understand the intellectual aspirations of their target audience.

The film juggles a handful of plot-lines, all of which parody elements of Pulp Fiction (along with bits of Natural Born Killers and Reservoir Dogs). The dim-witted Jimmy Nova (Paul Dinello) is assigned to watch over the randomly obese Mimi Hungry (Julie Brown) while her husband, crime boss Montello Hungry (Robert Costanzo) is out of town. They eat a lot of food, get into an abduction scrape, etc. There’s randomly a shot of rhinos humping and a stomach-ache-inducing rip on Clerks. Elsewhere, tag-team wrestlers Natural Blonde Killers (I’m not even going to keep listing names out of embarrassment for the actors) steal Montello’s suitcase of valuables and, um, make out a lot. There’s also a plot about a group of strippers trying to steal from Montello by posing as nuns. And Oh-my-God-I-can’t-keep-going.

But I digress. After the mind-numbing nonsense subsides, as Mimi and Jimmy make their climactic getaway, I’ve never been happier to see two dimwits drive off into the sunset (along with their nauseating film).

Consensus:

This isn’t so bad it’s good or even so bad it’s watchable. It’s just so, so, so bad.

Should-Be IMDB Score: 0.0

Random Quotes/Thoughts:

Poor, poor Dan Castellaneta (most famous as the voice of Homer on The Simpsons) plays Bumpkin, a highly offensive send-up of Forrest Gump who bumbles around and generally insults the mentally challenged. Classy work, team!

What’s crazy is that Koherr managed to keep working after Plump Fiction, most notably on the Disney Channel (which seems slightly disturbing): Hannah Montana, A.N.T. Farm, The Suite Life on Deck, Wizards of Waverly Place.

“Keep it in your pants, Sundance!”

“If it’s any consolation to you, I just took it up the butt myself.”

“I’ll just have the Woody Allen with an extra pickle.” “I’m sorry, sir — that’s our children’s menu. You have to be under-age to get The Woody.”

“I put on the dresser under your copy of Extra Chromosome Magazine.”

Check out the film’s trailer below (if you can stomach it):

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posted in Features by Ryan Reed

Breathe Owl Breathe to Release New LP, ‘Passage of Pegasus,’ in October

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Breathe Owl Breathe

Breathe Owl Breathe blew me away with 2010′s Magic Central, their amazing fifth LP, which blended artful orchestrations and alt-rock experimentation with the quirky vocal rumble of frontman Micah Middaugh. Now they’re back with a sequel, Passage of Pegasus, which is set to drop on October 15th.

The trio (Middaugh, Andréa Moreno-Beals, and Trevor Hobbs) recorded their new album over two years in homes and studios scattered across the west coast and midwest. Passage was produced by Eric D. Johnson (of The Shins, Fruit Bats) and also featured contributions from Jim Becker (Califone, Iron & Wine), Michael Hurley, and others.

Tracklist

1. Vision Quest
2. Silent Movie Reel
3. Hologram
4. Ferns Move
5. Cliff Ledge
6. Explorer
7. Sandstone
8. Wave Face
9. Followin’ Ya
10. Two Moths

Check out the haunting album track “Silent Movie Reel” below.

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posted in News by Ryan Reed

Paul McCartney Returns with Brand ‘New’ Album, ‘New’ Single

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 Paul McCartney

Sir Paul McCartney released a new single — appropriately titled, um, “New” — late last night, following a day spent tweeting random nonsense. He also made the official announcement of his new album, also titled New, which is set for release on October 15th in the U.S.

The hugely anticipated album finds McCartney working with a host of new collaborators, including producers Ethan Johns and Mark Ronson. Meanwhile, “New” (the song) is one of his most immediately arresting singles in years, harkening back to the sweet, horn-laced psychedelia of “Penny Lane.”

Check out the track below. What do you think — how does this new track stack up to Sir Paul’s recent solo work?

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posted in News by Ryan Reed

The Who to Release Remastered ‘Tommy’ Box Set with Unheard Extras

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The Kids Are Alright

Tommy, The Who’s 1969 rock-opera masterpiece, will be reissued in multiple versions on November 11th.

Besides a standard single-disc remastered edition, the album will also be released as a double-disc CD (with live and studio tracks), a two-LP vinyl version, and a “Super Deluxe” box set, which includes a poster and an 80-page hardcover book.

A press release notes that both editions feature “a wealth of previously unheard material,” boasting 20 Pete Townshend demos, a 1969 live performance of Tommy, and tracks recorded at the Capital Theatre in Ottawa, Canada on October 15th of that year. The box set also features a 5.1 surround sound remix of the original Tommy album on Hi Fidelity Pure Audio Blu-ray.

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posted in News by Ryan Reed

Signed Copy of John Lennon’s ‘In His Own Write’ Sells for $5,600

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Anything attached (even literally) to John Lennon is valuable. And one lucky book owner just cashed in for just over $5,600 by selling a signed first-edition of Lennon’s quirky 1964 book, In His Own Write, on eBay, as Ultimate Classic Rock points out.

Forty-seven bidders battled for the beloved book, which (for the unacquainted) is an absolutely delightful glimpse into Lennon’s wacky imagination, blending childlike drawings with wacky short stories and poetry. The seller stated that the signed copy was a rare first-edition, while most signed copies floating around (stemming from a book signing back in April of 1964) are third pressings.

(It’s all pretty, pretty cool, but who in the world has that kind of spare cash sitting around?)

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posted in News by Ryan Reed


Check Out the Video for Anna Calvi’s Stunning ‘Eliza’

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anna-calvi-1-credit-maisie-cousins

Photo Credit: Maisie Cousins

British art-rocker Anna Calvi has unveiled a music video for her electrifying new single, “Eliza.” The clip, debuted by Pitchfork and directed by Emma Nathan, features Calvi running in slow-motion through a spooky forest.

The “Eliza” single will be officially released on September 30th (with the b-side “A Kiss to Your Twin”), and her sophomore album, One Breath, comes out October 8th on Domino.

I love, love, love everything about this track. It’s a shape-shifting, emotive tour de force, and that guitar break is nuts. What do you think of the track?

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posted in News by Ryan Reed

The Chop House: Weather Report Dazzle at 1976 Montreux Jazz Festival

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With “The Chop House,” we explore classic performances from bands with — you know — “chops.” Genres like progressive rock, art-rock, jazz-fusion — they’re nearly extinct in our current music culture. These days, we live (and consume art) impatiently, favoring a quick fix over a challenge. But here at Hidden Track, we refuse to let the dazzling, confrontational spirit of these wonderful bands die.

Weather Report

Weather Report is the definitive jazz-fusion band, and this incredible 1976 concert (recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival) is proof.

The band were arguably at their creative peak in ’76, riding high after the recently released Black Market, their first LP to feature bass virtuoso Jaco Pastorius. Weather Report’s classic line-up was officially cemented, with percussionist Alex Acuña moving over to drums (to replace the departing Chester Thompson) and new recruit Manola Badrena stepping into Acuna’s old spot. Of course, the band’s core duo (keyboardist Joe Zawinul and saxophonist Wayne Shorter) remained in tow, rounding out a line-up capable of conjuring elegant atmosphere, feisty experimentation, and blunt force.

The concert is heavy on Black Market tracks (the funky title-track is propulsive highlight), but the set is quite eclectic, featuring a smoothly elegant take on “Scarlet Woman,” a lengthy drum/percussion duet between Acuña and Badrena (later showing up in abbreviated form as “Rumba Mama” on their 1977 masterpiece, Heavy Weather), and a lovely improvised piano/saxophone duet between Zawinul and Shorter.

Full Line-Up: Joe Zawinul (Fender Rhodes, keyboards, synthesizers, piano), Wayne Shorter (tenor and soprano saxophones), Jaco Pastorius (bass), Alex Acuña (drums), Manolo Badrena (percussion)

Setlist

00:00 Elegant People
07:00 Scarlet Woman
15:30 Barbary Coast
25:10 Portrait of Tracy
30:00 Cannon Ball
36:40 Black Market
47:00 Rumba Mama (Drum and Percussion Duet)
53:30 Piano and Saxophone Duet
58:00 Dr. Honoris Causa/Directions
1:06:00 Badia
1:12:25 Gibraltar

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posted in The Chop House by Ryan Reed

‘Breaking Bad’ Breakdown: ‘Rabid Dog’

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Breaking Bad Rabid Dog

(SPOILERS AHEAD, so “tread lightly,” ye Breaking Bad fanatics!)

Season Five, Episode 12: “Rabid Dog”

Written and Directed by Sam Catlin

Following the trio of volatile, plot-packed episodes that kick-started this season’s final sprint, “Rabid Dog” — despite its menacing title — eased on the dramatic brakes a bit. Longtime writer Sam Catlin made a breathtaking debut as director, drawing out tension and creeping dread, but he also penned the smartest, most subtly intricate script of the season thus far. Some critics are singling out “Rabid Dog” as a “moving-chess-pieces-into-position” episode — one based more on spinning wheels than actual forward motion — but I couldn’t disagree more with that take. While the episode wasn’t as cathartic or surprising or darkly funny (Guacamole, anyone?) as what we’ve season so far in Season Five, it was just as rich thematically and emotionally, setting up the series endgame in bold, painful brushstrokes.

Quick Breakdown

Picking up where “Confessions” left off, we open with Walt parked at a distance from his house. Noticing Saul’s car (driven by Jesse) in his driveway, he traverses the bushes (like a freaking ninja) and sneaks in, demanding that Jesse “show (him)self right now!” This scene is especially tense, building masterfully through Catlin’s extended zoom-outs and a rippling electronic score. It’s a miniature horror vignette of sorts, as we wait for Jesse to pop out of every closet door.

Jesse’s nowhere in sight, but by dousing the house in gasoline, he’s left Walt with quite a literal mess on his hands. The Mighty Heisenberg concocts a bogus story to Skyler and Walt Jr. about a malfunctioning gas pump, but they’re immediately unconvinced, demanding the truth. Walt chalks up his gas mishap to a dizzy spell (Ya know, from the cancer), which Skyler pretends to accept only for Jr.’s sake. With the impending Jesse danger, Walt suggests the trio head to a fancy hotel (Free Showtime! Room service!) and lay low for a bit.

There, Walt meets up with Saul and Kuby to talk shop. Saul suggests they should give the loyal puppy (Jesse) the ol’ Old Yeller treatment, but Walt is rattled deeply by even the thought of putting Jesse down. “Do not float that idea again,” he warns, in what could be his most menacing tone since “You’re goddamn right.” Skyler, of course, has overlooked her fair share of murder-mysteries at this point — it’s the entire reason she’s able to sleep at night. But she knows Walt is hiding something major: Why else move the family out of their home? She, too, feels this rabid dog deserves some form of euthanasia, for the sake of the family’s safety. Of course, the beauty of this scene is what’s unspoken: Even hearing Skyler imply that idea is painful, and he can’t bear repeat the words back to her: (“You want me to…?”)

One of the reasons many fans (like myself) refuse to leave Walt’s corner is that he ultimately still values his family. Sure, he’s made some despicable choices in his run as Meth Kingpin Supreme, but when it comes to the safety and prosperity of his family, he’s brazenly loyal. That makes the pool-side scene between Walt and Jr. all the more painful: It’s difficult to watch as Walt lies to Jr. about the severity of his cancer, but it’s even sadder to think of what other secrets he’s hiding. (In many ways, this scene beautifully mirrors Jesse’s desert breakdown from “Confessions”: Two lost, weeping children begging their father — or, in Jesse’s case, surrogate father — for the truth, as he hugs them and feeds them half-lies through his teeth.) As Jr. heads back to his pay-per-view and room service, Walt now appears strangely empowered. He has to protect his family — his blood family – at all costs, so he picks up his cell and makes the dreaded call to Todd.

Meanwhile, as Walt plots his next move, we’re left wondering exactly what happened to Jesse. The answer? Hank. Hank happened to crash the White residence just as Jesse started to set a magazine ablaze, and he snatches up the highly vulnerable (and coke-snorting) Jesse, asking him to team up with the DEA in order to bring down Heinsenberg’s charade. (I’m starting to sound like a broken record here, but Aaron Paul’s delirious delivery remains a thing of acting bliss — his anguished delivery of “He can’t keep getting away with it” alone is Emmy-worthy.)

Jesse moves into Casa de Schrader and videotapes a confession for the DEA (with help from Gomey). After Walt leaves a voicemail for Jesse, asking to meet in public to clear the air, Hank pounces on the opportunity, outfitting Jesse with a wire and sending him out to trap Walt into a confession. But Jesse — deeply disturbed and paranoid that Walt is setting him up to be sniped — flees the scene, threatens Walt from a nearby payphone, and promises to Hank that he’s formulated an even better plan to catch Walt with his pants down. (We may often see Heisenberg in his tightie whities, but his metaphorical pants have always remained tightly secured. Perhaps Jesse’s finally unlocked the code.)

Rating: A

Things are going to get bloody from here on out. “Rabid Dog” was a moment of reflection before the avalanche.

Now for some random thoughts and my favorite moments of the night…

#TIGHTIEWHITIES (Also, maybe this has been said before, but AMC should totally sell their own underwear brand called “Mr. White’s Tightie White-ies.”)

“His buddies–Beaver and what’s his name?” — Walt

“A nuanced discussion on the nuances of child poisoning…” — Saul

I didn’t mention Marie’s therapy scene in the recap, but it’s worth touching on since this show never wastes any piece of dialogue. The fact that Marie’s been fantasizing about poisoning Walt doesn’t seem like a random placement; will Marie try her own ricin cigarette?

As Schrader family photos can attest, Walt makes a surprisingly solid Santa.

During Jesse’s confession video, there’s a wonderful moment when Jesse switches gears from “Mr. White” to “Walter White.” This kind of attention-to-detail is what makes the writing staff so special.

“Mr. White, he’s the devil. He’s smarter than you; he’s luckier than you.” — Jesse

“Todd, I think I might have another job for your uncle.” — Walt, sending a copious amount of chills up my spine

 

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posted in Breaking Bad by Ryan Reed

Back Off, Jerk: In Defense of ‘Paul Blart: Mall Cop’

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There’s a fine line between camp and class, between low-brow and high-brow. Have you ever been that person who’s constantly defending a movie or TV show or album that everybody else seems to despise? With “Back Off, Jerk,” Hidden Track writers tell the rest of the universe to wake up and stop hatin’.

This week, Charles J. Moss defends Kevin James’ family friendly film comedy Paul Blart: Mall Cop, reviews be damned.

Paul Blart Mall Cop Cover

I’ve had this weird obsession with the movie Paul Blart: Mall Cop for some time now.

The movie mysteriously appeared on my Netflix queue about a year ago. I had no idea how it gotten there, and neither had my wife. We accused each other of adding it, each making fun of the other for not admitting to the act. The conflict lasted for months, neither one of us admitting defeat.

Later on, as I was flipping channels one day, I stumbled upon the movie and started watching it out of boredom. I was enthralled, much to the amusement of my wife. Had I, inadvertently, added it to our Netflix queue? Could I have subconsciously added it, realizing that something appealed to me about this movie?

I did. And now I take responsibility for it.

When it hit theaters back in 2009, Paul Blart: Mall Cop was the first movie ever released in the month of January to gross more than $100 million at the box office. Now, it’s important to put this kind of achievement in perspective — despite its record-breaking numbers, this Kevin James-starring movie about an obsessive, hypoglycemic mall cop isn’t exactly a great moment in cinema. But it’s surprisingly funny, especially for a PG-rated film, which isn’t always the case with Adam Sandler’s production company, Happy Madison.

Don’t get me wrong. In many ways, this movie is cheesy and predictable. And it scored 33 percent on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer, which, to look on the positive side, is higher than Grown Ups, Kevin James’ 2010 release with Adam Sandler, which scored an abominable 10 percent. But, for me, James’ performance helps carries Paul Blart. As a fan of his TV show The King of Queens, I know James is funny. And in this film, he gets to show off his comedic talents even more, not just through his line delivery but also with physical comedy. Like his predecessors Chris Farley and John Belushi, James is fat — but he’s also in shape. As an amateur fighter, he was very much qualified to do his own stunts. And that he did. Physical comedy doesn’t always do it for me — but in this instance, it did. Just watch this and this.

And James is an expert at making fun of himself, which comes out both in his performance and in the script he co-wrote with Nick Bakay. I’m assuming here, but I’m sure James has had insecurities due to his largeness, and that comes out in the movie’s more emotional parts. Again, it’s a bit cheesy but also relatable.

But it’s not just James that provides the humor in this movie. His real-life brother, comedian Gary Valentine, offers some laughs as the guy we’ve all seen while drinking at a Karaoke bar, singing as seriously as he can to a cheesy rock song, as if he’s the lead singer in the imaginary rock band he’s always dreamed of leading.

The movie’s central plot — James’ underdog mall cop becoming a hero by single-handedly taking care of the bad guys and rescuing the hostages — has been done and done again. But as a pop culture nerd, it’s funny to pick up on the film’s nods to both Die Hard and Home Alone in the action sequences.

And I don’t care what you say. I don’t think it will ever get old to see a fat man ride on a Segway…ever; or anyone, for that matter. So forget everything you think you know about Paul Blart: Mall Cop and take another look.

And if you don’t want to take my word on for it, here’s more proof that I’m not crazy:

  • It won the ASCAP award in Top Box Office Films.
  • It was nominated for Best Comedy in the 2009 Teen Choice Awards (On second thought, maybe this is more of a negative rather than a positive.)

And if those points don’t convince you, then read what the late Roger Ebert had to say about it in his positive review:

“Paul Blart emerges as a hero, and something else: Kevin James illustrates how lighting and camera angles can affect our perception of an actor. In the early scenes, he’s a fat schlub, but after he goes into action, the camera lowers subtly, the lighting changes, and suddenly he’s a good-looking action hero, ready for business. He demonstrates what fat men have been secretly believed for a long time. Should Daniel Craig someday retire, I am supporting Kevin James for the next James Bond.”

Ebert gave it four out of five stars. Boom!

And if that wasn’t convincing enough, the film is also educational:

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posted in Back Off Jerk by Charles J. Moss

Pixies Release New Four-Song EP

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Pixies EP Cover

The Pixies have already announced a reunion this year, with Kim Shattuck replacing former bassist Kim Deal. They also released a new single, “Bagboy,” which left longtime fans divided. But now they’re back in even bigger fashion with EP1, a new four-track release.

The Gil Norton-produced EP, which is currently available on the band’s website, comes as a limited-edition (5,000 total copies worldwide), 10-inch exclusive vinyl, as well as a digital download. (There’s also a T-shirt bundle, if one were so inclined.)

The full tracklist for the EP is below:

1. Andro Queen
2. Another Toe in the Ocean
3. Indie Cindy
4. What Goes Boom

Check out a music video for “Indie Cindy.” What do you think of the track?

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posted in News by Ryan Reed

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