Long Way Down

This past month, Fox Reality Channel aired Long Way Down, a reality show following actors Ewan MacGregor and Charley Boorman on a motorcycle trip from Scotland to South Africa. Hate reality shows? You might actually like this one. Read my review here.

What the fuck happened to Kings of Leon?

I, for one, would love to know. Since their debut, Youth and Young Manhood, and especially on their second album, Aha Shake Heartbreak, I championed these Southern-rock-via-post-punk good ol’ boys. But their new album, Only By the Night, is inexcusably bad. Find out why here. Let’s remember the good old days.

Kiss of the Spider Woman

Kiss of the Spider Woman, the 1985 film from director Hector Bebanco, was released on DVD and Blu-Ray this week. The nuance of the story and the impressive acting of stars William Hurt and Raul Julia made me sorry I had waited almost 25 years to finally see this movie. Read my review here and watch the trailer below.

Deerhoof Offends Maggie

Deerhoof’s new album, Offend Maggie (Kill Rock Stars), takes off where The Runner’s Four left off, as I explain in my review for Blurt Magazine. I would call this record one of their best, perfectly melding their classic rock and pop sensibilities with their most art-damaged rock.

Dallas Observer Reprint

It just came to my attention that my War on Drugs review was recently reprinted in the Dallas Observer. This album is definitely in my top five of the year. If you haven’t checked them out yet, please do so immediately, and read my review here.

Karl Blau

Karl Blau‘s latest, Nature’s Got Away (Kelp Monthly), came out a few weeks ago, but my review is running today. Blau makes charming twee-influenced indie pop that is as intelligent as it is playful. This is normally not my bread and butter, but this album hits me in all the right spots.

Parts & Labor

Brooklyn’s Parts & Labor have a new album out called Receivers (Jagjaguwar). It’s noisy, it’s tuneful, it’s epic, it’s concise, and it’s interesting all the way though. Read my review here.

“Nowheres Nigh”

Stuck

Last week, Stuart Gordon‘s Stuck was released on DVD. If you missed this one in the theater, you’re probably not alone, but if you can stomach a little gore and a disturbing story, rent it now. Starring Mena Suvari, the film is a fictional retelling of a horrible crime committed in Texas a few years ago -a woman ran into a homeless man with her car, he became stuck in her windshield, and she drove home and left him there to die. Read my review here.

Blurt Reviews

I have two reviews running in Blurt Magazine today – Gang Gang Dance and Of Montreal. Both new albums are excellent, innovative, weird, and lots of fun. Read them here and here.

Chaplin 15th Anniversary Edition

This week, Chaplin was released on DVD as a special 15th Anniversary Edition. Robert Downey Jr. plays the title character here, pre-drug problems and pre-Ironman fame. His performance is spectacular, but the film is a biopic made by rote (directed by Richard Attenborough). Read my review here.

All Girl… Fall? Fun Band

Kathy from The Thermals other band, All Girl Summer Fun Band, put out a record last month. And if you’re gonna lump girl groups together, which I would never do, you could say that they give Vivian Girls a run for their money in terms of pop-punk, indie rock, Ramones-style garage rock. Read my review for Blurt here.

Mother of Tears

Italian horror master Dario Argento’s latest film, Mother of Tears, was released on DVD last week. This schlocky supernatural horror film is good for a couple of laughs, but it’s not gonna change your life or anything. Read my review here, and watch the trailer below:

Glaciers of Ice – October Edition

It’s that time of month… you know, time for Glaciers of Ice, my monthly hip-hop roundup for Lostatsea.net. Check out my melody.