Welcome to my first TV series review! I don't plan to do these nearly as often as music related articles, but figured I'd give it a shot today.
For the past few months I've been watching the show Freaks and Geeks (yes I know, it came out ten years ago). I'd heard for a while it was good, so I finally caved and watched. The show ebbs and flows, but by the end of the first season, I was hooked. Of course, the show only aired for one season, so that sucks.
Freaks and Geeks is a high school drama/comedy, done from the perspective of teenagers on the outside of the popular crowd. The main character is Lindsay Weir, a brainiac who begins hanging out with a "bad" crowd (the "freaks" of the high school) after her grandmothers' death. Her brother Sam is a freshman, and for a number of reasons (a few easy ones being that he's about 4 feet tall, weighs 80 pounds, and loves sci-fi) is considered a "geek". The show centers around how the Weir's and their friends fit into the high school dynamic as members of two vastly different alternative crowds (although Lindsay's membership is by choice while Sam's geekhood is unwilling and based on the reality of his social situation). The supporting characters are highly significant and played very well. In many episodes, one or more story arc will revolve around a character besides Lindsay or Sam, and each supporting character spends some time as the focus of an episode.
The first two thirds of the season are largely episodic. Rarely does a plot line carry over from the previous episode beyond the general themes of the show. While nearly all of the episodes are enjoyable, the lack of continuity limits character development and depth. However, towards the end of the season past plot lines are brought back into the picture, and new ones are created and developed. The show really takes off at this point, and I inevitably began feeling empathy, humor, joy, sadness... the whole range of emotions that only the best artistic mediums can bring out of a person.
A major part of what makes Freaks and Geeks so likeable is its relatablity. Nearly everybody in the United States experiences high school and is acutely aware of all of its' groups and cliques. The show finds a way to portray typical high school issues without appearing cliche. Overbearing parents, to have/not have sex, academics vs. peer pressure, the social currency gained by partaking in illegal activities and much more are portrayed in both funny and moving ways. Unlike many TV dramas, the issues are presented in "real life" terms, where difficult decisions are made in an arena of ambiguity beyond right or wrong. The show does a fantastic job creating situations that accurately portray the plethora of pressures all teenagers are burdened with.
Overall, I would say Freaks and Geeks is a very good show with moments of greatness. It really comes into its own towards the end of the season, and it's a shame the show didn't get a longer run. If like me you're also ten years behind in your high school TV viewing, check it out. You won't regret it, and you'll probably even enjoy it.
A few weeks ago I went to 169 Bar in the Lower East Side for a friend's birthday. I was pleasantly surprised to have live jazz hit my ears as soon as I walked in. The music was fun and upbeat, with lots of instrumental jazz covers of classic rock and soul tunes. This was not a bar full of jazz listeners (more drunk hipsters), but the bars' inebriated inhabitants danced throughout the entirety of the set. This horn driven group entranced the crowd with intoxicating solos and irresistible rhythms. While in my drunken state I couldn't give the show a proper review, I did manage to get the contact information of the band leader and saxophone player, Nick Myers. I interviewed him this Monday, and he had some interesting things to say. Here is the transcript of our discussion:
(D: Me, N: Nick)
D: My first question: Is Nickhead your primary group.
N: Yes.
D: What's the background of the group?
N: Well the name "Nickhead" is an umbrella that I use for a number of groups. The group was first created in Italy as a quartet, where I recorded my original compositions. Then when I came to NY, when I was here working, I decided I wanted to expand on the repertoire of the group and the name. So I started doing this weekly gig that you heard at 169 bar. I still advertise under the name Nickhead, but I guess it's a little bit different from the original group.
D: Are you originally from Italy?
N: No, no, no. I'm from Washington state. But I lived there for a little bit, and I recorded an album over there. I go back once or twice a year to perform.
D: Oh, awesome. Tell me a bit about your personal history in music.
N: Well, I started playing piano when I was five years old. Then I switched to saxophone in middle school; my grandpa played piano as well, but he played all by ear. He kinda taught me a lot of old standard material, a lot of old songs. So I picked up the saxophone and started playing with him, and a little bit later I started my own group. I think when I started a group in my hometown and started playing gigs around town, I realized I really enjoyed playing music and wanted to play music for a living.
D: Cool. When I saw you perform at 169 Bar, the music was upbeat, fun, horn driven jazz. I thought it was accessible to everybody, not just jazz lovers. Listening to some of your recordings, it sounds like you also play quite a bit of straight ahead jazz music. Tell me a bit about the different styles you play and what you prefer.
N: I actually enjoy both. I don't enjoy playing strictly one type, I like having a diversity of styles in music. I want to create an environment... I feel like a lot of times when you do a straight ahead jazz gig in New York people don't particularly enjoy the atmosphere. So I wanted to create a vibe where people would feel like they could come out, and didn't feel the music was overly intellectual. I wanted to make the music appear to be very accessible to everyone, but still be able to expand and improvise on the forms. Some of the songs we do we change them every week, it's still very improvised and very jazz based. Sometimes we even make up forms... actually all the times we make up forms; we don't ever play any of those songs the same way twice. It's just a different way to do the same things we enjoy doing. It's definitely more accessible.
D: I agree. I saw on your website that you just came off a tour in Italy and you said earlier that you've recorded with guys in Italy. How did you end up with this Italian connection, and what's it like when you tour over there?
N: Well, I actually did this thing through my college, NYU. I did a study abroad thing, and I hooked up with all these musicians in Italy. I got a record out over there, which allowed me to tour. They really enjoy jazz in Italy, I feel like it's a very different scene. The music is more well attended generally. Not just jazz, they really have an appreciation for all types of music. Not to say here people don't have the same appreciation, you just have to draw it out of them.
D: Interesting. When and why did you move to New York?
N: Well I moved to New York for college, but I just said yes to the first New York college that accepted me. I didn't really care which college I went to, I just wanted to come to New York. That's where jazz and music that I liked was started, and I wanted to go there and see why it was started there.
D: Are you a full time musician?
N: I am. I teach and I play gigs. I also have a little thing that I do where I make videos for other jazz musicians, like promotional videos and that sort of thing. That makes a little extra income but for the most part I am a full time musician.
D: What are some bands you enjoy listening to?
N: Hmmm... Well since I've been doing this gig at 169 Bar, I've been checking out a lot of James Brown. I've always liked James Brown, but I never sat down and transcribed it, and I've been transcribing it. Not so that I can play exactly what James Brown played, just because I want to understand what he played and use that as vehicle for a different sound, different compilation. I always liked... well obviously there's a few inescapable influences on the saxophone that I like; John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Joe Henderson, all those guys. I studied a lot of saxophone players and a lot of trumpet players too... like Chet Baker. I enjoy listening to it as well as studying it. I also listen to some modern music... I don't really like much modern rap, but I like a lot of early 90's rap music like Wu Tang, Tribe Called Quest. I really like that stuff.
D: Lastly, is there anything else you want people to know about yourself and Nickhead?
N: Well, I want them to know that if they come out to 169 Bar on a Saturday they can boogie down and have a good time. That's what we're trying to do is bring an environment where people can check out live music, and not feel like it's being shoved down their throat.
There you have it. Nickhead is currently playing a Saturday residency at 169 Bar. If this sounds good to you, go check them out!
I've been cautiously pessimistic about April Uprising for a while now. With a new lineup (besides Butler of course) and the bands' obvious attempts to appeal to a more mainstream audience, I feared this album would be poppy, cliché, and disappointing. I was right... and wrong. The album is much more pop oriented than his past work, and the lyrics are cringe-worthy. However, once you get past that, it's a pretty strong album.
Let's go over the bad before we get to the good. Lyrics have never been Butler's strength. He has always fashioned himself as a sort of hippie/revolutionary, but in the past there was a refreshing originality to how he communicated this ideology. Now he presents his principles in the most obvious ways possible; writing cheery songs about love, sad songs about struggle, and "uplifting" songs about redemption. Predictably, the first song on the album is called "Revolution". I don't think any social rebellion inspired by a pop song called "Revolution" will be terribly meaningful. The lyrics do not improve throughout the album. One particularly embarrassing song called "To Look Like You" is written from the perspective of a celebrity-idolizing teenage girl. If Butler's trying to begin a transformation to the "deep" side of Brittany Spears mind, he's off to a good start. Otherwise, this song made me nauseous.
Fortunately for the future of the band and the enjoyment of their fans, the musicianship is superb. Beyond Butler's always fantastic guitar work, the songs have a highly collaborative sound and are well crafted musically. If anything, the music could have highlighted Butler's guitar abilities a bit more, as I found myself pining for more of his searing solos. I loved the rhythm sections' work, as a variety of percussive instruments were constantly at play and the drummer/bassist alternated very well between playful, dramatic and visceral moods.
Outside of the lyrics, the vocals are very good, with well-timed tone and volume changes adding value to the complexion of the music. In comparison to the bands' past albums, the sound is a bit of old and a bit of new. The distinct combination of rock, folk, roots and blues remains, but the album contains a much stronger pop sound than any of the bands' previous work. The songs are very catchy while remaining musically appealing; a surprisingly well done combination. Some tracks I particularly enjoyed were C’mon Now, I'd Do Anything, Close to You, and Take Me. The album fades towards the end, as none of the last five songs are particularly noteworthy.
Overall, the album is pretty good. While it has some glaring weaknesses, there is more good than bad on the record. Thanks to a change in the groups' philosophy and direction, I doubt the band will ever reach the heights it did on Sunrise Over Sea (the bands' second album, and best in my opinion). However, the success of this record leaves me optimistic that the John Butler Trio will remain an enjoyable band in the future.
Today I'll be reviewing the album Attention Deficit by rapper Wale. My relationship with rap is an interesting one. It was all I listened to in high school, before I really gave much thought to music. I was drawn to the beats, the raw force of the lyrics, and it was easily accessible on the radio. Once I graduated from high school and started playing guitar, I basically stopped listening to rap cold turkey for a few years and replaced it with rock. Finally, the light bulb went on in my head that I could be discerning in my musical taste and still enjoy plenty of rap and hip hop. Thus, this arduous journey has led me to... my first review of a rap album.
Attention Deficit is a good, not great album. The beats are very original, fusing a distinct old school rap influence and a more modern complexity, with a variety of horns and electronic sounds filling the songs. Wale's flow is very strong, while his lyrics are clever, funny, and on occasion very perceptive. A number of different artists cameo on the record, and fit well into the complexion of each song. The songs are a mix of upbeat dance tracks, introspective slower songs, and even Wale waxing poetic about personal and social issues. Many of the individual songs are excellent, with some of my favorites being Mirrors, 90210, Chillin, and TV in the Radio.
However, the songs stand better on their own then in the context of the album. The album starts off fast and upbeat for the first five or so songs. The songs themselves are all very good, but the tone and pace is too similar from track to track. At this point the songs slow down, with only a few more upbeat tracks, and the album hits a lull at the end. The sequence of the songs is a major concern, and the tempo of the album is choppy. After finishing the record I felt it was about three songs too long.
Overall, I enjoyed the album but did not love it. I was drawn more to the specific songs I liked then the record as a whole. This was Wale's first real album (he's released several mixtapes in the past), so his subsequent recordings could be a lot better without him tweaking his style much. In my opinion, he needs to be more conscientious of pace and song order if he wants to make a truly complete album.
A brilliant, entirely unoriginal idea came upon me the other day. I decided I wanted to do a straight album review, but instead of critiquing just one album, I'll do several shorter reviews in one post. Crazy right?! So anyway, here are my thoughts on some albums I've been listening to recently. I hope you all feel way smarter after reading these reviews:
Arctic Monkeys- Humbug: Prior to listening to the Arctic Monkeys, I assumed the group was another stereotypical Brit-Rock band attempting to become the next Oasis. I was very wrong. Humbug is packed with great rock songs, an enjoyable ride that hits you in the face right off the bat. The songs are catchy in an alternative vein, great instrumentally and vocally, and have a strong psychedelic backdrop. The band adeptly uses effects to create a captivating dark undertone without the music reeking of despair. A great album from a group definitely worth keeping an eye on in the future.
Charlotte Gainsbourg- IRM: IRM, Gainsbourg's third album, was written and produced by Beck (with the exception of one song, Le Chat Du Café Des Artistes), and his influence on the album is obvious. Each song is interesting in a completely different way, as Beck/Gainsbourg use a variety of different percussive sounds to create new, distinct beats. Many of the songs contain harrowing string arrangements, adding a unique touch to the albums already atypical sound. Gainsbourg's beautiful, versatile voice is a fantastic constant in each song. I don't know what I'd call this genre of music (electronica? R&B? rock? folk?) but I do know I like it, and really enjoyed this album.
Future of the Left- Travels With Myself and Another: As a general rule, I'm not a huge fan of punk music. However, I loved Travels with Myself and Another, a record with a pretty obvious punk influence.The album is hard, loud, and laughs in the face of subtlety. Lead singer Andy Falkous' voice is unlike any I've heard, alternating between yelling and singing in a voice similar to what Robert Smith's (from The Cure) would sound like if he was angry and rebellious. Booming drums and catchy, distorted guitar riffs compliment Falkous on an album bursting with swagger. Give it a listen, punk fan or not.
Twilight Singers- Powder Burns: Whatever drew me to listen to this album, it did not include Gred Dulli's singing "prowess" on Powder Burns. His voice sounds like a combination of Chad Kroeger's (from Nickelback) and a generic emo singer's whine, while his lyrics are so bland and cliche they make Green Day's words seem well thought out. This is a shame because the music has a ton of potential, with some really intriguing instrumentation, that used more effectively could be great. However, behind the predictable format of the The Twilight Singers' songs, the musical talent is wasted. After this album was put out Dulli released a fantastic record with Mark Lanegan (Saturnalia by the Gutter Twins), so perhaps not all hope is lost for this group. Until then don't waste your time, the only thing Powder Burns brought to my ears was pain.
If you've found this blog you either already know me or were incredibly lucky to have stumbled upon this incredible piece of literature. For those of you who don't know me, I'm a 25 year old living in the Lower East Side/Chinatown with an unhealthy obsession for music, good tv, and other semi-artistic endeavors. I plan to write a ton about music, the occasional tv review, and whatever else I think might make an interesting read. If you don't enjoy this blog, you probably just have really, really bad taste and should get that looked at. Otherwise, enjoy the musings spurting from my hopefully interesting mind.
