Another Town, Another Name

Wes Anderson on music and film...Lana Del Rey's "National Anthem" video...Corin Tucker Band share new song...BANGA and Hola Ghost and more...

Wes Anderson was introduced to me by a good friend, and the first film I ever saw was the wonderful Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. However, I wasn't completely won over until I saw The Royal Tenenbaums, which is still my favorite Anderson flick, though I am particularly excited about seeing Moonrise Kingdom, which has been receiving rave reviews from critics. Aside from Anderson's unique visual aesthetics, he's also known for choosing great music to highlight the various themes of his films, making them more memorable and hard-hitting. Who can forget the famous Luke Wilson attempted-suicide scene in The Royal Tenenbaums to Elliott Smith's "Needle in the Hay"? You can read the interview at Pitchfork. And you can watch the aforementioned scene below:



Next up...Lana Del Rey's "National Anthem" video...it's so weird to think that just a year ago...maybe more...she was virtually unknown, and as quick as lightning, she is on SNL, American Idol, etc. etc. etc. And it just causes me to look at the machinery of fame and wonder how so many worthy struggling artists never reach a wide audience. I'm not saying this woman has no talent, but I think she takes herself way too seriously for the type of music she puts out. It's not like she's producing elaborate compositions that would require weeks of repeated listens to find hidden meanings. She's another pop-starlet who likens herself to a "gangsta Nancy Sinatra" to bring an old-Hollywood quality to the forefront, but it's a tired and contrived idea that I'm sure many unknowns would like to harness energy from. The video represents that particular aesthetic, yet Del Rey is incredibly stiff throughout the video, which makes it almost uncomfortable to watch. Also, it features rapper A$ap Rocky in the part of John F. Kennedy to Del Rey's Jackie O. She would go there... You can view the video below:



Lastly, Sleater-Kinney frontwoman, Corin Tucker, is gearing up to release a second album under this project's name, and she is currently streaming the upcoming album's opening track online...you can hear it at Stereogum.

LISTENING: I've spent my morning getting back into the Spotify groove. There had been a significant period where I didn't listen to it, mainly because I found it a little above my head. While it utilizes the same basic idea as Grooveshark, it just didn't catch on with me as quickly as I thought it would, and today, I've grown a little more aware of its appeal. I started my morning listening to Hola Ghost, which is a band that a friend recommended to me. This Danish duo takes inspiration from genres such as psychobilly, punk rock, traditional Mexican music, and many others. I like that the line-up consists of a guitarist/singer, a bassist, and a "ghost" drum machine. I listened to their second record, The Man They Couldn't Hang, and I like it. I like how they incorporate the use of the drum-machine, and I like the dark mysticism they play with in their songs. Tracks I liked were the title track, "Spanish Moon," "Dragon Balls," and "Marguerita." You can hear "Spanish Moon" below:



I also got a first glance at Banga by Patti Smith, and while I couldn't digest the whole thing (because I'm in the wrong setting), I like what I've heard. I didn't think about how complex Smith's records are, with a meticulous attention to detail in the lyrics, so listening to it on semi-audible volume at work just doesn't suffice. Definitely need to give it a closer listen, but I couldn't get the track "April Fool" out of my head all morning. You can hear that below:



Aside from that, I also listened to The Mamas and the Papas because it's good shit. Who can deny the magic of classics like "California Dreaming," "Dedicated To The One I Love," or Mama Cass's lovely rendition of "Dream A Little Dream"? That's right, you can't. And if it doesn't hit your spirit...something's definitely wrong with you.

That's all. PEACE.