Brian James's Blog, page 12

True Detective

As my schedule continues the seemingly unending disruption of COVID, my available television streaming series continue to dwindle. Having nearly exhausted Netflix, me and the Missus moved over to HBO and found that we missed the new season of True Detective. I admit to being a little tentative, because I loved the first season, but found the second season lacking. I'm glad to report that the third season is fantastic.
Mahershala Ali is brilliant in the lead role, and Stephen Dorff is awesome as his partner, as they work together on a case over the course of decades. On two separate occasions, the powers that be tried to make the case of a missing child go away. But new details continue to emerge, and the original detectives keep getting pulled into a mystery that has defined their entire lives.
A remarkably acted and scripted drama that cleverly reveals justified surprises.

Weekend Music Roundup

The weekend is here, and thanks to several days on the Cape with little work, I'm feeling pretty relaxed. I also had a long road trip and a digital input for listening to some new downloaded albums. Some of those are included here, and others will come soon. I've also included some recent vinyl purchases, and as usual, it's a splattering of different genres. All in all, I really enjoyed all of these records and think they are all worth checking out. Enjoy!

HUM - Inlet: The first album in 22 years from the post-hardcore, heavy shoegaze band is their fifth album. In the mid-90s, there was a time when I was really into their '95 record You'd Prefer an Astronaut. Listening to this album reminds me of why I was so into it. On the surface, this is a sludgy kind of shoegazer record, but underneath there are currents of a 90s indie sound that has disappeared. It's always nice when a band's comeback results in a stellar record that picks up right where they left off.

Chicano Batman - Invisible People: The new album from the psychedelic soul outfit out of L.A. is the band's fourth. While I've been aware of this band since their debut a decade ago, and have heard some of their stuff (and enjoyed it), this is the first album I plunged into. Psychedelic soul is hard genre, and because of it, there isn't a whole ton of it. It's even rarer when it's done right, and this one is definitely done right. This is one of those great west coast sunshine soul rock that is perfect for summer.

Vivian Girls - Vivian Girls: The lo-fi L.A. via Brooklyn female indie band's debut was released in 2008. I'd always meant to check it out, simply because their name is taken from Henry Darger's In the Realms of the Unreal. When the local record shops re-opened last week, I had $10 credit at the one and found a nice original vinyl copy of it, which was essentially free. It's a 20 minute record of lo-fi noise pop with fuzzy vocals and punk tempo. It's one of those light airy summer rock kind of records and I can see why it got a lot of buzz back in the day. Some solid tunes, but the album is the kind of album that just washes over you in a enjoyable haze.

Abner Jay - Man Walked on the Moon: Abner was one of those artists who remained unknown in their lifetime. He was a country folk artist from Georgia and in the last decade, Mississippi Records has been re-issuing his work and this is the newest one, which came out back in January. I've had the first compilation they did since it came out back in 2009 and absolutely love it. While very classic blues in a lot of ways, it's also very unique in an old timey way. "My Middle Name is the Blues," "I'm so Depressed," "Cocaine Blues," and "Love Wheel" are personal favorites of mine.

Groundhogs - Thank Christ for the Bomb: Released in 1970, this is the third album from the British Blues band fronted by T.S. McPhee. I bought this album when I was a sophomore in college, 25 years ago, and it has been a favorite of mine ever since the first listen. With the 50th anniversary, the album was re-released on vinyl and I picked up a copy. This album pushes the British Blues genre into a more psychedelic hard rock, as the previous year's Blues Obituary had done. This album is their most unique, most political, and downright burns from start to finish.

Charlie Parker - Volume III: This series of live recordings was released on the Everest label's Archive of Folk and Jazz series in the '70s. A few years ago, I found Volume IV and recently came across this volume, which may be a little better. Not recorded for an album, these performances capture Charlie's genius. It's a brief album, but doesn't lack substance. Usually albums in this series (of which there are other artists) aren't priced very high, so definitely grab them if you see them. Well worth the few dollars.

Fiction Friday (108)

After finishing the last book I was reading, and with the library still closed, I went into my "Unread" shelves in my office. I came across this book, which I've had for almost twenty-five years. In collage, I kept this face out on a shelf of treasured things, because of obvious reasons. I figured it was about time to read it.
The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet  
by Eleanor Cameron
(Little Brown, 1954)

David and Chuck's adventure all begins with a mysterious ad printed in green that appeared in the newspaper. "WANTED: A small spaceship about two and half metres built by a boy, or by two boys, between the ages of eight and eleven...". The continues, asking the boys to bring the ship as soon as possible to an address that doesn't seem to exist.
Being a grown-up, David's father is convinced it is a joke, but being a boy of the ages described in the paper, and being completely interested in space, David is convinced it's real. 
Enlisting the help of his best friend Chuck, the two boys gather scraps and proceed to build a spaceship with remarkable ease, almost as if something is guiding them.
And that address that doesn't exist...turns it does, and when the two boys deliver their ship to the strange little man who lives there, they discover that their adventure is just beginning. 
Though very much a story of it's time, this piece of 50s nostalgia holds up as a well structured story about the power of childhood belief.

Weekend Music Roundup

It's still the weekend...even if the sun is currently setting over the Cape as I sit by the window enjoying the breeze. It's Father's Day and I spent a wonderful day on the beach with my two favorite ladies, my wife and daughter. I had the kind of the father's day that the day is all about...spending with your child and having fun, teaching them, and playing. It's fitting for a Roundup on this day, because music is definitively one of things my daughter will always remember about me. This list is an odd collection of music, the only thing they have in common is that they're all pretty cool in their own way. Enjoy.  


Junk Machine - Inner Child Labour: The debut album, and only album, from the Norwegian noise rock band was released in 2016. I checked these guys out after seeing a sealed vinyl copy for cheap and the clip I heard was enough to sell me on it. This is the kind of fuzzed out vocals rock with garage glam tinges that always appeals to me. I don't know so much if it's fantastic so much as it's fantastically in my comfort zone. Reminds me of Death From Above meets later Shudder to Think, with a bit of Cooper Temple Clause thrown in for good measure. That's a solid recipe for my ears!

Blood Witch - I Am Not Okay With This: The fictitious band featured in Netflix's great teen series is a project created by Graham Coxon (Blur).  This is collection of songs that range from psychedelic garage rock to shoegaze gloom and mixes it all up to create a sound that of course the kids in the show are crazy for. Graham's talent has never been in question, and this showcases just how far it reaches, delving into almost every indie genre. "Hey Little Girl," "Bloody Witch," "Skipping Stones," and "Gotta Have Soul" are standouts on this fantastic little album.
Art Pepper Quintet - "Smack Up": Recorded in 1960 in the midst of Art's heroin issues, this is another super example of Art's ultra cool be-bop jazz stylings. I've been really into the cool jazz era of late and had been meaning to check this one out for some time. It's a magical record, one of those albums that feels like the soundtrack to my thoughts. I'm still to find a copy on vinyl, but for now, a digital copy is still dynamite. 
Luke Haines and Peter Buck - Beat Poetry for Survivalists: I've long been a fan of Luke Haines and his work with The Auteurs, Black Box Recorder, and Baader Meinhof, but his solo work of the last two decades has been hit or miss for me. But I'm loyal to a fault and am always still willing to check out work by artists who have done things I admire. I'm glad I took the chance on this one. It has the same dangerous edge of his Baader Meinhoff work. Definitely one of his better albums of recent years.
Hollow Ship - Future Remains: Released in April, this is the debut album from the Swedish psychedelic indie band. This is an interesting sound that uses pop elements in their style of psych. I like the new wave feel that it creates. It's very up-tempo. "We Came too Late" and "Chasing Shadows" were personal favorites on a decent album with varying influences. 
Pearl Jam - MTV Unplugged: Recorded in 1992, at the height of the show and the height of the Seattle music scene. For whatever reason, this release didn't see the light of day until last November. This builds almost entirely on their breakthrough debut album Ten and doesn't stray far from the original versions. This band's strength has always been their passion, and that shows through on this recording.

Fiction Friday (107)

A few weeks ago, I found myself having finished all the library books I'd checked out before the doors shuttered back in March. So I went to my shelf of unread books and figured it was time to continue a book in a series I hadn't visited in some years. It was nice to switch back to Middle Grade after a long spell in YA.
The Mysterious Benedict Society and The Prisoner's Dilemma 
by Trenton Lee Stewart
(Little Brown, 2009)

The clever kids that make up "The Society" have returned from defeating Mr. Curtain's dastardly scheme in the last book, but things are not as peaceful as they should be.  Mr. Curtain is still on the loose, still controls his evil Ten Men, and is desperate to recover his Whisperer...which just happens to be located in the same place as Kate, Constance, Reynie, and Sticky.
Being the third book in the series, (a series or rather thick books), readers are well aware of the gifted children and their peculiar talents. They are also aware of the adventure quest structure that all three books follow; a sinister plan shrouded in secrecy, a plan revealed thought riddles, and a maze of twists and turns to navigate in order to the mystery.
It's been years since I read the first two books, but picking this up a few weeks ago was like putting on a pair of comfortable socks. I've always enjoyed the company of these kids, even though I must admit I have never really LOVED any of the books. What I love is the characters, enough that I'm able to look past the things in the stories always seem to make me cringe. (Buckets and Briefcases, anyone?). 
 This book was tighter than the previous two and therefore a bit easier to get through. The plot twists were, as with previous books, slightly less clever than I believe the author felt they were. But all in all, it was another fun adventure.

Weekend Music Roundup

The weekend has arrived and as I mentioned the other week, I've finally had some time to catch up on a bunch of new releases and will continue to bring them here. But I've also taken this time to explore older stuff, as I always do and found on absolute gem to share for this week. This week it's all indie rock that is on the mellow side, which is always great for sunny summer days. Hopefully there's something here the interests you. Enjoy.
Lonker See - Hamza: The third full length album from Polish psychedelic space rock band is a jazzy interpretation of the genre. This album reminds me of Broadcast but with jazz trance elements instead of electronic. It's ethereal and beautiful and a great record of soundcapes. The title track, "Open and Close," "Infinite Garden," and "Put me Out" are my personal favorites. If you're into this kind of sound, this certainly an album worth checking out. 
Bob Brown - Willoughby's Lament: Released in '71, this is the second and last album from the young progressive folk singer/songwriter. This is beautiful lost example of the genre that reminds me of other visionary artists such as Nick Drake, Dory Previn, and Marc Johnson. There's an honest purity to the music that makes it a spiritual experience to listen to. Absolutely beautiful, absolutely brilliant!

The Fratellis - Half Drunk Under a Full Moon: It's hard to believe that it's been albums 15 years since this Glasgow garage rock revival band burst onto the scene with a song featured in one of the earliest iPod commercials, and later a Heineken ad. As with any band that has a debut album that I love, I follow them through thick and thin. While the Fratellis have had some ups and downs, their ups far outnumber their downs, so I was excited for this, their sixth album and first in two years. The thing about them is that there's no surprises, you know what they sound like and you either dig it or don't. Sometimes they put their catchy garage style indie rock together just so that it's fist raising spectacular and beautiful love songs. This album has some of those tracks, such as "Lay Your Body Down," "The Last Songbird," "Action Replay," and "Strangers in the Street." A solid effort by a solid band. 
Built to Spill - Ancient Melodies of the Future: By 2001, the indie band from Boise had paid their dues and this, their fifth record, saw them at their peak, both creatively and commercially (if you can call indie success commercial success). I had gotten into them during their previous album, '99's Keep It Like a Secret and was pretty excited for this one. Both of those albums are defining records of the end of the 90s indie alternative era. I picked a copy of the Music on Vinyl re-issue on gold wax, limited to 750 copies. It sounds as unnerving and commanding as ever. 
Morrissey - I Am Not a Dog on a Chain: As Mozz enters his 60's, he continues to play his role as the grandfather of gloom. His 14th solo effort is about what you might expect. He's included more electronic elements to his style, giving this album a slight synthpop feel that suits him. There's no surprises on here. It's a decent record as his last few have been. "Knockabout World" revives a Smiths feel, or a Smiths with electro orchestration rather than Johnny Marr on jangle guitar.

Weekend Music Roundup

The weekend is here and it's hot as summer around these parts. With that in mind, I tried to put together a list of cool sounds for warm weather. I got some new releases on here and some unearthed old recordings. I tend to enjoy psychedelia, hip-hop, power metal and of course jazz in the summer and all of those are represented here. Hopefully there's something here you'll want to check out. Enjoy.
The Sonic Dawn - Enter the Mirage: One of the albums I was most looking forward to this year is this, the fourth album from the neo-psych Danish band, especially after last year's triumphant Eclipse record. I'm happy to say this one doesn't disappoint. They have that kind of sound that I've always been into. "Loose Ends," "Young Love, Old Hate," and "Shape Shifter" are standouts on this fantastic record.
Starbenders - Love Potions: The second album from the Atlanta rock band is blend of glam, noise rock, and power metal. It has a definite throwback sound to the '80s, though there is a fair amount of Riot Grrl style here. It reminds me a bit of early 00's band named Scarling meets Babes in Toyland. A very solid uptempo rock album that doesn't pretend to be anything other than it is. "Holy Mother," "Bitches be Witches," and "Never Gonna Die" were my personal favorites. 

Chet Baker - Il Grande Chet Baker: Recorded in '59, this album was originally released in '62 as Chet is Back and under this title in '65. Recently I've been really into the cool jazz, an offshoot of hard bob, and Chet is one of the icons of the movement. Having played with all the greats, he had the street cred to be the coolest white guy in jazz. He suffered addiction problems throughout his career, and this was during an "on" period. I've never been one of those people who believe drugs make you more creative, but at times, they can break you out of a groove and get you into a new one. This record is pure gold from start to finish, with personal favorites being "Star Eyes" and "Over the Rainbow." 
The Kooks - Unshelved Part 1 and Part 2: Recently "unshelved" and released in a two part EP are some tracks that didn't make it on to their recent albums. They have always been one of the more intriguing Britpop revival bands of the 00's and '10s but never got a whole lot of attention on this side of the pond. These songs are fantastic, and actually better than some of the songs on their last record. They always manage to add a sense of fun to a sound that reminds me of a more upbeat Suede or slightly more sinister Charlatans. "Femme Fatale," "All Through Your Life" and "Something to Say" are standouts.

The Senders - Seven Song Super Single: The debut EP from the NYC glam punk band came out in 1980 and features seven songs. This short lived band incorporated rockabilly with punk, which was a bit common at the time. I was just recently introduced this band and decided to check it out. Like all punk, it's appeal is it's rawness and attitude over any type of musicianship or songwriting. An interesting relic of the time and worth a listen. "6th Street," "Don't Make Me Mad," and "I Feel So Bad" are my personal favorites. 


Czarface - The Odd Czar Against Us: The new album from the Inspectah Deck project was released on Black Friday RSD this year. I recently picked up a lime-green vinyl copy on sale. In keeping with Wu tradition, they use a comic book esthetic and theme which besides being cool, it makes for great packaging. This is kind of what fans of NYC hardcore would expect, and more importantly, what they want.

The Times They Are a Changin'...Hopefully

(photo from: https://hudsonvalleyone.com/2020/06/0...)
To say it's been an interesting week, is an understatement. Hell, it's been a turbulent year, with no end in sight. A year that threatens the complete uprooting of our society. For the first time since 9/11, we are living in a powder keg world...whether it explodes or defuses is yet to be seen.
Yesterday, over 1,500 people marched past my house in the biggest coming together moment this town has seen in generations. They marched peacefully, but we should not mistake peace for complacency. There is outrage out there, outrage on so many fronts. Outrage that has been boiling over for years. Outrage that may finally lead to change...real change.
I've seen and read on Social Media the usual responses from those who don't even realize the extent of systemic racism. They criticize the looting, they 'stand with police' because they think this is all about hating the police, they think people want handouts when they should work....all the same retreaded nonsense. To those people I say this:
This is about police tactics and policing policies that discriminate based on color...of course it is. But it's about so much more. 
It's about schools that are unequal based on where you live and your income.It's about poisoned drinking water.It's about job opportunities and why people of color have lost their jobs at a higher rate.It's about health care and why people of color are dying at a higher rate from this pandemic.It's about housing conditions.It's about decency, and respect, and equality.It's about America and the short-comings of our ideal.
And it's about the fact that we have a blatantly racist president who seeks to divide us. A president who gassed peaceful citizens so that he could take a photo in front of a church he doesn't even attend. A president who threatens Americans with vicious dogs for exercising their right to protest. A president who would use the military against his own people.
People are angry. People have been angry. A president who fans those flames is not helping anything. People are going to get angrier. They are going to continue to gather and change will come...one way or another, change is going to come.

Weekend Music Roundup

The unofficial start of summer has arrived with this most unusual of Memorial Day weekends. I've had a little more time recently to catch up on some new releases and have included a few of them here, including a great one from a favorite band of mine. We got some jazz, rock, psych, and new wave here to keep you interested. Take some time to explore new music now before the world gets suddenly busy again. Enjoy.
Le Butcherettes - Don't Bleed: I was introduced to this L.A. noise rock band last year and fell instantly in love. They've been around for nearly a decade and recently released this EP, which is another fantastic effort, if a little quieter than usual. I was supposed to see this band in my town last month, but then, as my 5 year old would say...Poof! Coronavirus! One day I hope they come back around because this band is dynamite, and reminds me of Queenadreena and Emma Ruth Rundle. 
Twink and the Technicolour Dream - Sympathy for the Beast: Released on Sunbeam Records for Record Store Day last year, this sees the legendary Pink Fairies frontman paired with the Italian neo-psych band as they interpret Aleister Crowley words into songs. This is top notch musicianship, similar to Hawkwind or even Pink Fairies, and feels straight out of the '70s. It mixes spoken word with Floydian vocal tracks and the end product is something fans of this genre will totally dig...at least I do. 
Earl Hines - Earl Hines Plays Duke Ellington: Recorded between '71 and '75, this four album set was released as a special compilation from Book of the Month Club in 1982, one year before the legendary jazz pianist's death. Though only six years younger, Hines always considered Ellington his role model, and the admiration shows in the delicate beauty with which he plays these pieces. More so than rock, jazz is often the meeting of talent and from that comes creativity and legendary performances. This is an amazing set which is also available as individual albums.
Beach Slang - The Deadbeat Bang of Heartbreak City: Five years after their debut comes the Philly band's fourth album, released back in January. I hadn't heard this band before but I'm usually willing to check out a band from the hometown. This is energetic rock, if not all that passionate. Something about it just didn't grab me and therefore it felt like hundreds of other bands that I've forgotten about through the years. There's nothing overtly bad or offensive about it, it's just kind of boring.

DMA's - DMA's: The second EP from the Sydney band was released in 2015 and featured the singles "Laced" and "Delete". While this band has gained a following in their home country of Australia and in the UK, they are still relatively unknown here in the states. They are often compared to Oasis and the songs do have a Noel kind of structure, but they actually remind me more of The View and the other second/ third wave Britpop bands that came around in the early 00's, bands that added a garage rock element to their sound. "Feels like 37" and "So We Know" (along with the two singles) are all fantastic tracks.

A Flock of Seagulls - The Story of a Young Heart: The Liverpool synth-pop new wave band burst into stardom in '82 with their debut that featured the smash hit "I Ran." Two years later, the music landscape was changing quickly, but the sound was still viable as this, their third album, came out. The thing about new wave is that it is so rooted in a very specific time and I wonder if it would mean anything to people who weren't around then. For me, this album brings back all those elementary school years, Brat Pack movies, summer at the pool club, and childhood crushes at roller skating parties. "Remember David," "Heart of Steal," and the title track are my personal favorites.

What a Wreck...

I've been watching a decent amount of children's movies lately as my daughter is trapped home with me. Recently we watched both Wreck-It Ralph movies and they were quite awesome.

 Disney has learned from Pixar that making kids movies that appeal to parents is pretty essential, and these do that. Including references to 80s and 90s video games to hilarious affects was what really hooked me on this.
On top of that, the overall premise of the first movie, the loneliness of a game villain, is wonderfully done. The mismatched friendship of two misfits is perfect. Ralph and Vanellope are team you really root for, and what could have been a sappy lesson on friendship is handled gently and engagingly.



The second movie is glitzier, as squeals tend to be. But it still keeps the spirit of the first. This one's about how friends can grow apart and developing diverging interests...and how that's just fine. It's a lesson that Ralph needs to learn, and hopefully not destroy the entire internet in the process. 
Disney does a great job incorporating their most popular franchises like Disney Princesses and Star Wars. They also do a wonderful job imagining the internet as an actual place. 
Two great movies that are fun, sweet, and entertaining for a wide audience.