Season 2, Episode 5: UNWANTED ENDINGS

We have a new episode: the fifth one to our second season available HERE! I don't know how consistent THIS will be but since I mention on the pod that episodes are "fleshed out" on here I'm gonna share the music tracks to the tribute that is UNWANTED ENDINGS.

Broadcast - I Found the F
Silk Sonic (Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars) - Leave the Door Open
Drakeo the Ruler & JoogSZN - GTA VI
Drakeo the Ruler - Long Live the Greatest
Broadcast - Tears in the Typing Pool
Broadcast - Goodbye Girls
Stevie Ray Vaughan - Tin Pan Alley
Cloud Nothings - The Spirit Of
Ducksauce - Ask Me
NBA on NBC Theme
NBA on TNT Theme
NBA Draft Sound
Final Jeopardy Theme
 

FINAL SCORE: NICK WINS 120-79

Selena - I Could Fall in Love
Duffy - Warwick Avenue
Selena and David Byrne - God's Child (Baila Conmigo)
Dustin Conrad - In the Air
Payroll Giovanni & Cardo - Pay and Cardo featuring Tamara Jewel
Britney Spears - Toxic (String Quartet Version) by Quartetto d'Archi

Drinking...Sunglasses..Big Bad Want

I guess i need to find a way to drink less, or maybe if my weak ass could, at least not daily. Maybe i wouldnt turn on the fucking vent all night and use too much electricity. what an asshole.

Apparently "Sunglasses" was Black Country, New Road's first song way back in 2019. That seems really, really far away. If you read genius or even their youtube for the song, many of the diehards are dissatisfied with the album version. Kudos first of all to the band for being able to have people debating and arguing over the final version of your first single that doesnt appear on your debut until almost 2 years later. And its the kind of song - much like the album - that rewards with repeated listens.

 

I like to think it's split into two parts. the first phase where he is sort of lost in old man ways, annoyed by the world around him and how it doesnt understand him. Frustrated with how out of touch everyone sounds and how judgmental and inept everyone is. Drinking bourbon on ice (he likes single malt whiskey) and reflecting on how "things just aren't built like they used to be." Eventually switching to beer (he doesnt mention this in the song) but really feeling the enlightenment: "And I am ignorant now, with all that I have learnt."

The second phase he's wearing sunglasses and feeling invisible but aware that he's just as vulnerable as ever. He feels confident walking down the street even if he knows he's scared about what's ahead. Just trying to remain positive. thats supposed to be easy. When everything crashes during the second refrain - still ignorant - those dissonant horns and saxes are too much.

Finally, the bridge/outro is a deliberate fuckfest. "I'm more than adequate." I went back and heard the original(s) from '19 and they sound good too. Album version is just as good. Either way, i know its SO MUCH asking anyone to listen to a 9+ minutes song but im not gonna apologize for having heard it at least 6 times today because isn't that what music is about??

And have you heard ALL of "Big Bad Want" by Palberta? I mean the whole song. DAMN. Then listen to the whole album. By the way, SEVEN members (4 men, 3 ladies) in Black County, New Road, and in Palberta? THREE ladies. MUSIC> MUSIC> MUSIC

Weezer - Pinkerton

  

Weezer released a new album this year. They've been consistently releasing new music since the early 90s. The new album was a blend of strings and cheesy weezer sentimental longing. It felt forced and although i've seen a few positive reviews, i wouldn't recommend it. It made me want to listen to their seminal 1996 album, Pinkerton.

My introduction to Rivers Cuomo and co. was through their self-titled Green Album. "Hashpipe" was a huge hit during the second half of my high school life. I still remember winning a marching band competition during my first year in the drum line to the grinding guitars of Cuomo singing, "come on and kick me....whoa-whooooa." I liked the Green Album all right but i didn't really love it. Yes, if you can believe it, even 16 year old Bryan was already a discerning music listener. Anyway....i delved back a few years to see what else Weezer offered.

There were two albums that most music minds pointed to. Their self-titled Blue Album and it's follow-up Pinkerton. I know it's dismissive because i enjoy both more than the former green one but honestly the blue one is more pop-focused Weezer cashing in on a style that was mostly ignored - good yes, but still not reaaaallly great (Damn what an asshole right?) whereas Pinkerton is their magnum opus. An album that is definitely a crowning jewel for the late 90s and a reminder that we need to listen to these bands past efforts! Their symphony no 41 so to say and even if they try to release albums with strings in 2021, the dissonant loudness of their 96 album is still supreme.

 

Cuomo is ever direct but never looking for pity. Partly inspired by Madame Butterfly and the Japanese art and culture he loved, Cuomo weaves stories about the unusual, or not often discussed topics of love: finding out his girlfriend is a lesbian to the common story of staying with someone simply because it's better than being alone. All the while, the music is what propels everything forward. The guitars are direct and driven by chords that are meant to clash against each other in dramatic fashion; all the while everything is balanced by a band that was really in their prime. Here's a couple of tracks to enjoy off one of my favorite albums of the 90s. 

Remembering Kobe

When speaking about Kobe this past year, I've always felt the need to mention that I was far from being a fan most of his career. But I'd also have to mention that I've never cried more about someone's passing of whom I did not personally know. And for me, thats what makes the life and times of Kobe Bean Bryant such an amazing story. He came into the league as a brash young player straight outta high school, only the fourth player to ever do so. He was arrogant and a ball hog to say the least. I don't think there was any other player I could stand less than the lil fro Kobe of the early 2000s. He was just so damn cocky in those days, but you couldn't deny that he was hands down one of the most dynamic players at the time. Then there was the sexual assault case, and it felt like it might be the downfall of a great athlete due to scandal. I vividly remember his press conferences during those times and the way he would repeatedly lick his lips when answering questions. He was 24 at the time, a very young man, going thru unimaginable turmoil right when his career was truly taking off. But he faced the music like a man and admitted his infidelity publicly, and even acknowledged the difficult reality of the encounter between him and the woman in Colorado, saying, "I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter". Looking back at his statement, it feels so ahead of its time now living in the post "Me Too" reckoning. It might have been at this moment, things changed for Kobe. Slowly, he became more thoughtful, a better teammate, and became a father for the 2nd time. The years to fallow, Kobe became one of the hardest working players. His grit, perseverance and clutch performances made him the NBA icon of the era. For so many, he is the greatest to ever play the game. And as much as I hate having the argument, sports fans will always love debate, and Kobe has so many that will fight for his honor forever. His last game, will always be a memory I treasure. It was the end of the 15-16 season, and the Golden State Warriors were on the cusp of making NBA history by surpassing The Chicago Bulls with the most wins in an NBA regular season. I was at a bar looking forward to watch this momentous occasion while simultaneously watching Kobes last game. As it became clear down the stretch that Kobe was having a hell of a game, it almost started to feel as if time stood still. The entire bar was absolutely glued to the Kobe game, and hung on every shot he took. All of a sudden, The Warriors game was thoroughly irrelevant as everyone watched the NBA veteran showed tf out! 60 points later, a totally in awe crowd got to hear a beautiful farewell speech, and the unforgettable mic drop moment that is, "MAMBA OUT"! As he left basketball in the capacity of player, he became one of the sports greatest ambassadors. Having 4 daughters, he was especially outspoken about gender equity in sports and the importance of the WNBA. Then, he began to coach his daughter Giana, and the next chapter of his life was truly starting to begin. Unfortunately for so many, that chapter didn't get a chance to be fully written, and lived, by both him and his beautiful daughter, Giana. He was so well spoke, he literally was trilingual (english, spanish, italian), so thoughtful and funny. He wanted to teach the game to anyone that wanted to listen, he was passionate about pursuing other endeavors, including writing. He would’ve been great at that too. Actually he already was, he won an Oscar for, "Dear Basketball”, the best animated short film featuring the poem he wrote to announce his retirement from basketball. He was such a larger than life figure, there was no doubt that the greatness he showed on the court would translate even further off. As a father myself, the thing i like to take away the most from his life; the fierceness he showed as a girl dad. Our legacies as parents is truly with the children we raise. The love he showed for his 4 daughters was so apart of who he was as human being, and that will always transcend the heartbreak of loosing him, his beautiful daughter Giana, and the 7 other beautiful souls we lost a year ago today. I’ll always miss you Kobe.

Bryan's top albums of 2020

 Welcome to 2021 everyone. A new pod is recorded and will be uploaded soon! In the meantime here are my personal top albums of the last year. 

2020 was a crap year for everyone that really tried. But somehow, music was a thriving, beautiful escape that continued to churn out gem, after gem. Some artists even put out several albums of quality music (Born Ruffians, Bad Bunny, Drive-By Truckers, SAULT to name a few) in the last year alone. Anyway, good music is out there. We might have to work extra hard to find it but it is out there. 2021 is already off to a good start, or so i heard....let me know what you like or hate and PLEASE let me know what i missed. I promise we will have more than a handful of posts this year.

Jeff Tweedy - Love is the King

Moses Sumney - Græ

Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist - Alfredo

Destroyer - Have We Met

Caribou - Suddenly

Microphones - Microphones in 2020

Run the Jewels - RTJ4

Jessie Ware - What's Your Pleasure?  

Westside Gunn - Pray for Paris

Soccer Mommy  - Color Theory

Tennis - Swimmer

Yelle - L'Ère du Verseau

Thundercat - It Is What It Is

Chloe x Halle - Ungodly Hour

Kelly Lee Owens - Inner Song

Fleet Foxes - Shore

Protomartyr - Ultimate Success Today

Drive-By Truckers - The New OK

KeiyaA - Forever, Ya Girl

Andy Shauf - The Neon Skyline

 

Don Bryant - You Make Me Feel  

Hum - Inlet

Steve Arrington - Down to the Lowest Terms: The Soul Sessions

Little Dragon - New Me, Same Us

Lianne La Havas - Lianne La Havas

Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela - Rejoice

Pa Salieu - Send Them to Coventry 

Widowspeak - Plum

Waxahatchee - Saint Cloud

Perfume Genius - Set My Heart on Fire Immediately

 

Mint Field - Sentimiento Mundial 
Born Ruffians - SQUEEZE 
Drakeo the Ruler and Joogszn - Thank You for Using GTL 
Disq - Collector
Childish Gambino - 3.15.20
Roisin Murphy - Róisín Machine
Sault - Untitled (Rise)
Burna Boy - Twice as Tall
Bad Bunny - Las Que no Iban a Salir 
Laura Marling - Song for Our Daughter  

 
Alina Baraz - It Was Divine

Kate NV - Room for the Moon 

Born Ruffians - JUICE 

Armani Caesar - The Liz 

The Avalanches - We Will Always Love You 

Austra - Hirudin

Paul McCartney - McCartney 3

Deerhoof - Future Teenage Cave Artists  

Jaga Jazzist - Pyramid 

Stephen Malkmus - Traditional Techniques

Want a 6-pack??

Welcome to episode 6 of the midnight genius hour! Your resident homies dissect a sextet of books and a sixer of albums for all the geniusheads out there. Let us know what you think and leave us some hate mail.

Will Nick keep his MGH scout promise!!??

Episode 5

We are back genius heads!! Episode 5 is now up and available for listening. "The intersection of running and music."

Reckoning by R.E.M.

I really love strong bookends on albums. Any of the classics are further solidified - strengthened by a gilded bond to its shielded core - whenever they possess a KILLER starter and closer. Off the top of my head: Vespertine, Swordfishtrombones, To Pimp a Butterfly, Z, Kid A, The Low End Theory, Funeral are vastly sublime because of the way they open and close. (more on a few of those sprinkled around somewhere on this blog I'm sure).

Reckoning is like that to me. The songs sound like they recorded them in one or two takes and they bleed with raw intensity. The way Michael Stipe and Mike Mills blend their voices is superb because they sound equal but entirely different. And Mills' bass is a captivating force - there have been plenty of times I've heard this song only just to follow the bass line. The middle section cacophony, the way the music shakes and rattles throughout - and the way i can't stay still while it's playing - all very special to me.


On "Little America" the frenetic energy is still on full display with Stipe's menacing lyrics. He spits out verse after verse, diving even into some colloquial dialogue at times. The music is unapologetic and this theme of seeking comfort, or trying to be comfortable in a shifting land, or trying to be comfortable at being uncomfortable, or just what exactly is comfort? is a continuous theme. Whereas on "Harborcoat" they're needing their favorite coat to brave the cruel outside world, on the closer they're trying to run away from the massive and ever-changing world around them. And the music is equally brimming with that same kind of fervor; asking questions that sometimes will never be answered. One's thing for sure, these are the original freaking geniuses in my book.

Episode 004

Welcome to episode 004 of the MIDNIGHT GENIUS HOUR!! We've moved on from soundcloud (16 bucks a month to have unlimited uploads) onto Anchor! Soon you will find our podcast on Spotify, Apple Music, Stitcher and more!!

On this episode we dive into Nick's illness, the note department's lack of drive, our best films of the year, the late great KOBE BRYANT and as always, new musical gems. Let us know what you think and see you next week with another pod.

CHECK US OUT.

Daniel Johnston

"Don't be sad/I know you will"

Even though my general disdain for social media is constantly focused, it shouldn't deter me from keeping up with musical news. Too often I'm buried under my rock - alone in my little corner of the world - that I lose sight of so much. A couple of Sundays ago seeing bits and pieces of the grammys despicable show, their "in memoriam" feature slapped me with the realization that Daniel Johnston passed away last September. He, too, loved to live beneath his shell, burrowed in the hallows of his spiraling thoughts. At least he crafted honest gripping music with all of that desolate time.

I think they called his brand outsider music but I first heard of Johnston while attending ACL in 2008. The festival's official poster was created by Johnston and I was intrigued to listen to more from this curious artist. He was even there for a brief period signing posters but ignorant on his music and mired in a high frenzy of festival hysteria (read: weak excuses) I didnt get his signature on it.

For me, I really enjoy the innocent rawlike qualities to his music. I gravitate towards that type of pensive, longing style and Johnston's lyrics were beyond poignant -- his recordings always had the ability to have me shedding tears. His world was broken but he was sincerely yearning to spread peace and love through his humble soul. Outsider for life.

Mingus Ah Um

Charles Mingus never wanted his music to be classified as jazz or classical music. To him it wasn't a fusion either; rather, Mingus believed an organic, kinetic way of creating music was the only way for him. Mingus would offer rough sketches of what a piece's mood was, and the vibe, but he purposely worked with musicians that could both breathe in his world/vision and add special enhancements to the atmosphere/overall product.

The saxophone on this piece is evocative and chilling; it's fitting that Mingus allows it to be the centerpiece of the composition. Reflecting on a friend who passed away before he could record it, the mood is definitely forlorn. The way the tenors contrast and compliment each other is beautifully deliberate; I love how they sort of melt into each other for the last couple of minutes until the bellowing last note: gorgeous dissonance.

That same kind of dissonance is all over the place on "Fables of Faubus." This would later feature lyrics and be one of Mingus' most political songs but on this album it's entirely instrumental. The call and response is between the sax and the horn section and Mingus allows the improvisation (sax to piano back to sax then to bass) to be elaborated. This is still one of my favorite albums just because of how heady and moody all of it plays out in my brain. It came out in 1959 too, its damn old and still sounds vibrant as ever.

Episode 003

Welcome GENIUS HEADS to episode 003 of the Midnight Genius Hour! We delve into fresh new music, a special shout out to a classic, talk about blog and go hard into current events, sports and as usual, life-affirming conversation!

Leave us a note, shout-out, follow, love, hate, whatever you feel.

Lastly, if you dont know me dont ask me

Mwandishi was where Herbie Hancock was starting to really gather steam as a prominent figure in the world of jazz. Released in the early 1970s the 3-piece album is 44 minutes of superb free jazz. But it's also noteworthy for me because Hancock got to really explore his depths as a composer within the album's 3 songs. Opening with "Ostinato (Suite for Angela)" the music gradually builds into a freeform improv and Hancock doesn't shy away with a 15/8 meter that is simply all over the place. The song sounds like a pot of hot water that is tipping over every five seconds, while the lid skips and shake as it tries to hold the contents from spilling over. A sax bookends the track and I really love the way each instrument is allowed to convey the melody around scaling improvisation.



The second side of this record features the entire closing song, "Wandering Spirit Song." For 20 minutes Hancock gets to explore tension and release. He starts it with what sounds like flickering lights and he adds layers of instruments and sounds so that the music can build and build. Here Hancock is delving into more avant-garde classical music than jazz but for me, thats the beauty of jazz. Hancock needed talented jazz musicians to flesh out his music and the sounds crescendo, the winds release the tension with beautiful long, swelling notes. He got his chance to play with the meter earlier and now he's perfected the wanderer in all of us.



It's what jazz is all about: taking it all in for the experience. And being mind-blown afterwards because of how ahead of its time it really was/still is. If you're still wondering what the title of this post means then you need to hear episode two of THE MIDNIGHT GENIUS HOUR asap. Episode 3 is on the way...

PODCAST 2 - The teens and beyond

The second podcast is up and ready to listen!! Thank you for your patience :)

The Midnight Genius Hour

Misunderstood Dreamers

Thank you for your patience, we got it from here...

Radiohead - Kid A (Ballads)

It’s been too long. Maybe certain things had to end. I like to think that it means other things could begin. I remember the days when writing used to be my near driving force on a day-to-day basis. Now I feel I’ve been looking for other things and yet, I still come back to it. But maybe it has to feel like a real investment of time, rather than a laboring task. I wrote a poem almost a month ago but it wasn’t anything legit: raw, unfiltered, jagged, jaded. And actually, it (writing) is about the music and having fun with it. Still, I don’t feel like I need to burden any more heady writing about it all here; if you stay past this paragraph then here’s to more posts, soon.

I remember being home, after school, in my room blasting this entire album. I vividly remember the moment when “How to Disappear Completely” moved me and how I felt so immediately entrenched in the moment. There I was, standing in the middle of the room with the speakers directly in front of me – singing along, as loud as I could (people may or may not have been home i.e. it didn’t matter) – and how amazing that felt. Music nerd in all of us, it’s one of those musical moments that will always be locked in. After the first three songs of this intense (yesterday I woke up sucking a lemon) album, the entire band decides to hop into the backseat for a drifting, string-laden, epic ride. There are still explosions, they just build, they stir and they grow before unloading. Throw in the blistering vocals, sweetly solemn at the beginning and grippingly forceful as it all develops – perfection in song crafting if there ever was such a thing.


I’ve been running a lot the past two months. I was fortunate enough to go to ACL in October (made in more ways than one possible by my sweet love) and after recovering from it I took to the new routes near our place. Kid A deserves its own post so this is just about the two killer ballads. Two stellar songs that are rightly in my top TEN songs by Radiohead (which I imagine would be some kind of monster list) and they are also not the most likely options. The last one, “Motion Picture Soundtrack” is what sounds most to me like vintage Radiohead but sparkling and utterly devastating. I love the bareness of the beginning and the vast hugeness of the ending and how it’s contrasting against Thom Yorke’s bitter, unapologetic lyrics about fake love in the movies. It isn’t a moment to be celebrating but the stark sadness that prevails is some kind of magic. Obviously for most diehards, it’s the pouring music and how it reigns over everything when suddenly, it just all goes away. The extreme emotion is beautiful – and now, once again, enclosed in a new room I can enjoy the music all over. Same as it ever was. - Bryan

D’Angelo – Brown Sugar

Long before he made noise as an R&B swooner with Voodoo, D’Angelo created his debut album, Brown Sugar, with the intention of truly enveloping himself into every single sound. Inspired by artists like Prince, D’Angelo was involved in everything from production to songwriting and even played a lot of the instruments, including sax, piano and drums. It was an album that gained attention upon its release but has since then and justifiable so, become an album that paved the way for other artists like Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill to take hold of the scene. Taking a workmanlike approach, the result was what is still one of the finest jazz/blues/soul inspired neo-soul albums of the 90s.

The first song and title track was co-produced by A Tribe Called Quest’s Ali Shaheed Muhammad but the rest of the album is a testament to D’Angelo’s tremendous skill. Immediately after, “Alright” stands out with a grooving bass line and impressive drums that features D’Angelo sounding a lot like Prince. Growing up a gospel listener, the smooth melodies and sultry vocals are what make Brown Sugar such a hit. This song showcases the keyboard skills that D’Angelo possesses and it makes you wonder why he has, to this date, only recorded two albums. (Although there are rumors that a new one is on the way soon.)

After the brilliant rendition of “Cruisin’” comes the jazzy, blues vibe of “When We Get By” that comes equipped with piano and a featured look into the multi-faceted skills D’Angelo holds. His voice here is again in the falsetto range but it’s even more present with the use of what sounds like a Fender Rhodes electric piano. The music itself is supported by the tender jazz motif that D’Angelo employs and still, it pays homage to the soul movement of Al Green, Sam Cooke and even Miles Davis with the trumpet at the end. Albums like this only come once in a while and as impressive as they are, artists like John Legend (who are obviously very indebted to D’Angelo), have never made an album close to Brown Sugar, or its follower for that matter. – Bryan

Fuck Buttons – Tarot Sport

I was watching Top Chef: Masters tonight and one of the contestants commented on how “food should be like an Arcade Fire song…layers and layers…it should be like an orchestra” and it sounded pretty well-versed to me. It’s always good to see that music can reach a wide range, even if it is or isn’t because of The Suburbs surprising execution at The Grammys. Either way, it got me to thinking about music and layers; we’ve talked about Arcade Fire many times before but one distinction that some of the best music does have is layers and lots of them.

The style of layering and depiction of it is definitely present in the entire music electronic duo Fuck Buttons put out. Their first album got them an opening slot for Caribou during his 2008 tour and together they stopped at the old/old Club 101 where I first heard their music. Their newest album just came out and is receiving smashing talk as it is definitely one of the best of the year. But many would say it was their 2009 album, Tarot Sport, that truly shined the light on finely composed electronic music, with a pulse.

Bookended by two amazing songs, each of Fuck Buttons albums only have less than seven songs each but most span the ten minute mark as everything is about tension, release and attack. The closing “Flight of the Feathered Serpent” features a tribal-like, trance-like drum beating that is relentless in force. There’s a soaring melody that signifies the feathered serpent in flight as it battles through what sounds like a tumultuous ride. It has heavy doses of drums that are minimal in presentation but indicative of what Fuck Buttons are about: a full-blown assault on the senses. It’s layered within the walls of what is a powerful sound and although the synths and keyboards may not be as important as the actual drums here, it’s very much spectacular.

The opening song, “Surf Solar,” is definitely a piece that is tinged with the spectral touch of space and the atmosphere. It begins with a keyboard that is out of this world and that is both bemoaning an ominous style but mostly, delivering mood. The simple beat comes in before the synthesizer delivers the melody. Before you know it, you’re inside of this thick, densely layered world of bliss: it’s the perfect way to start Tarot Sport. These kinds of ‘orchestrations’ continue throughout the album, for it is what us snobs like to call – in a drastically different shade to something like Mount Kimbie, Bonobo or even, The Avalanches – real electronic music. And it was only a year removed from their first album but in many ways, worlds apart and most of all, a world that is easy to get lost in. (Also, FYI, this song was used as part of the montage for the London Olympics opening ceremony, hell yeah). – Bryan

Deerhunter - Cryptograms

The first time I heard Deerhunter was back during the old days The Wax Museum was around. Cleverly titled, it was a tiny store on Montana near downtown that prevailed amongst true vinyl heads. The owner ran a modest shop that catered to funk, old soul and jazz, some electronic and some indie music. He had a few books, a few cassettes and a few CDs to sell as well and he’d always be willing to let you play the record first and hear it before purchasing. I had heard this band from Georgia was coming to El Paso but I just sort of shelved it and never gave it much thought. The concert came and went and I went a week later to find copies of Cryptograms at the Wax Museum and I promptly bought one.

I bought the CD and immediately realized how foolish I was for not going to see them in concert. Half of the album is these ambient pieces that sort of melt into the linings of the music and act as breathers in between the intensity of the other half. The rest is a noisy and poppy but still rocking set of songs that showcase Deerhunter in full-on assault mode. “Octet” is a song that combines both of these styles onto one song that shines on the album. The beginning sounds like tranquil vibes of water glistening in the night and then a bass dives in. The music swells and grows from here with hi-hat, Bradford Cox’s growling vocals and the surrounding noise coming to a head.

What’s probably most amazing about a band like Deerhunter is how their albums really do change in terms of sound. They’re the kind of young band that has already mastered the ability of being able to drastically try out new mediums and new modes and they never, ever sound the same. Nothing from Cryptograms will be seen on Halcyon Digest, nothing from Microcastle was relatively close to Monomania. A truly remarkable band, “Lake Somerset” is simply the highlight of this album for me. It has the menacing guitar throughout and the drums come in dashes of light and heavy and Cox’s voice again takes over with even more snarling. But the magic of this song is the way it just massively roars and my goodness, it needs to be played as loud as possible every single time to be able to take in its entire glory. It has two separate instances where it just grows into explosions and the pay-off is everything. They came around to El Paso one more time and with my arm branded and all (BRADFORD WAS HERE), they played this song. Front row with my ears begging for it to stop, I didn’t care, it was pure bliss and that’s what Deerhunter is about – Bryan

Classic Film Music

It’s the opening weekend of the Plaza Classic Film Festival and this year the world’s largest classic film festival looks to feature another outstanding amount of awesome films for all movie-lovers to enjoy. I am glad I got a few kicks in the butt by a great friend that showed me this festival where I’ve been able to see classic films I love and also find new, breathtaking films I never knew about. I was on my way to write about Radiohead when their lyric about how “it’s not like the movies, they fed us all little white lies” stirred me up to write about some classic films that have some awesome music I absolutely love.

I had first heard Adagio for Strings back when I was in high school and my old band director showed it to me. A slow-moving and equally slow-burning song, it was made even more famous when Platoon used it as the centerpiece to its darkest, most horrific moments. A certain conviction and deep and profound movement, it’s a flawless classical piece. This version is even more fitting because it’s a symphony that is conducted by Leonard Bernstein who happened to write the music for West Side Story, which played at the festival today (Thursday Aug 1) but we didn’t attend (it was $20!)

 
One of the best touches to any of Quentin Tarantino’s films is his way of combining music with a scene for absolute perfection. One of those scenes is the one in Reservoir Dogswhere Mr. Blonde takes out his anger and anguish on an ill-advised cop in stunningly memorable fashion. Easily regarded a classic film now, it took some time for people to catch on and come to think about it, the film has at least a handful of other significant songs but “Stuck in the Middle With You” by Stealer’s Wheel is probably the best.

  
I’m not sure if Mo’ Better Blues is considered a classic but I definitely like the film a lot. And even more because Spike Lee wanted to name it A Love Supreme after John Coltrane’s brilliant four-piece suite. Coltrane’s widow asked Lee to change the name of the film but luckily she let him use the first movement, Acknowledgement, on the film for what is a moment of beautiful music magic.

 
The film Donnie Darko is one of those cult films that you either love or don’t really care for. Personally, I feel like it deserves a lot of credit for presenting a story about adolescence in an understanding and moving fashion, while still using a lot of fantastic music throughout. The scene where they use Tears for Fears’ “Head Over Heels” is really special and the song itself, well, it’s really quite awesome.

 
Martin Scorsese, like Tarantino, has always been able to combine music into his films: with a deft touch. It’s fitting that tomorrow (Friday Aug 2) we get to kick off the festival with his stone-cold classic Goodfellas and while there are many songs from that film that could go here, I will go with an even older classic of his, Mean Streets, and its use of The Ronettes’ “Be My Baby.” Mostly because it inspired Brian Wilson to write “Don’t Worry Baby,” (I’ll include that classic song by The Beach Boys, too, just because I love it, although it’s entirely irrelevant to this post – well not entirely since there is this song) but also because the scene he uses it in is a chilling take of poignant humanity. And with that, to the festival we come! – Bryan