blazing headlights shine through the snow
frozen trees under a full moon
a broken down car lies on the side of the road
from up here the sea looks calm
another hour ‘til the light disappears
your right foot feels heavier by the minute
the water on these windows will freeze
choose a different road this time
over the mountain and across the river
on the other side you will still shine brightly
clean sheets still wrapped in plastic
the color of the ceiling will have changed since last
it is less dramatic with the door open
if this isn’t home tell me what it is
the power is out in this cold house
drive away again tonight
there is an empty building in every city
there is a drifter walking on every road
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Essential 2009
Time now for the second annual look at the best things to come out of the ending year. So here, in my opinion, the best of 2009:
Viewing:
1. Moon, directed by Duncan Jones.
An amazingly impressive achievement with a cracking performance from the brilliant Sam Rockwell. This is delicious brain food and a joy to watch. Wonderful cinematography and one of the years best musical scores from Clint Mansell. A massive triumph for everyone involved. The best picture of the year.
2. Slumdog Millionaire, directed by Danny Boyle.
May seem like a ghost from last year, but it didn't actually come out until January. A blast of a movie, both exciting and moving with some of the best camerawork I've ever seen. Wonderfully put together and endlessly watchable. For once, Oscar got it right.
3. Synecdoche, New York, directed by Charlie Kaufman.
The directorial debut of Kaufman is a true delight. Both challenging and extremely funny it simply grows with every viewing. Featuring a stellar performance from the always wonderul Philip Seymour Hoffman, it is one of the most original and fascinating films in years.
4. The Hangover, directed by Todd Phillips.
The best comedy of the decade? It is certainly a strong contender. A wild and enormously entertaining ride, the real brilliance here lies in the casting. With a terrific ensemble and a nonstop riot of laughs it is hands down the best comedy of the year. And Tiger Snooze wins Best Song at the Oscars. Wanna bet?
5. (500) Days of Summer, directed by Marc Webb.
This is a wonderful picture with one of the finest couples in the terrific Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. Accompanied by the best soundtrack of the year and a great sense of informal style, the feature debut by Webb deserves to find a large audience.
Top three runners up: The Wrestler - Che: Part II - I Love You, Man.
Listening:
1. Soulsavers - Broken.
The most beautiful record of the year with vocal contributions from Mark Lanegan and several others. This album is a brilliant collection of both rock, country and Americana with great poetic lyrics. A complete record that is guaranteed to have an impact on you.
2. The Airborne Toxic Event - The Airborne Toxic Event.
The debut album of a great New York rock band. Filled with catchy tunes and wonderful arrangements it is a brilliant first effort. It will be very exciting to see what they can do with their next one. And the single Sometime Around Midnight has a strong claim to the finest pop song of the year.
3. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart.
Another New York band, another debut. This is the coolest pop song album in a long time. A great sound and extremely addictive tracks make this one of the most pleasant surprises of the year. It manages to remain fresh after endless plays and after their brilliant EP Higher Than The Stars I have a feeling that their follow up album could prove even better.
4. Bruce Springsteen - Working On A Dream.
It is incredibly satisfying that after forty years in the business this legend is still able to produce strong albums. Practically a sequel to his previous album Magic there is much in here to enjoy. The title track itself is not one of the strongest on the album but there is more quality and heart on this record than almost anything else that comes out these days. A solid and impressive production.
5. Brendan Benson - My Old, Familliar Friend.
After a spell with Jack White in The Raconteurs it is good to have Benson back out on his own. This album is a wonderful surprise after the slightly disappointing previous The Alternative To Love. Great arrangements, lyrics and riffs and a firm confirmation of Bensons abilities as a songwriter. Still pisses me off that he cancelled his November gig in Oslo though.
Top three runners up: Arctic Monkeys - Florence & The Machine - Washington.
Bring it, 2010.
Viewing:
1. Moon, directed by Duncan Jones.
An amazingly impressive achievement with a cracking performance from the brilliant Sam Rockwell. This is delicious brain food and a joy to watch. Wonderful cinematography and one of the years best musical scores from Clint Mansell. A massive triumph for everyone involved. The best picture of the year.
2. Slumdog Millionaire, directed by Danny Boyle.
May seem like a ghost from last year, but it didn't actually come out until January. A blast of a movie, both exciting and moving with some of the best camerawork I've ever seen. Wonderfully put together and endlessly watchable. For once, Oscar got it right.
3. Synecdoche, New York, directed by Charlie Kaufman.
The directorial debut of Kaufman is a true delight. Both challenging and extremely funny it simply grows with every viewing. Featuring a stellar performance from the always wonderul Philip Seymour Hoffman, it is one of the most original and fascinating films in years.
4. The Hangover, directed by Todd Phillips.
The best comedy of the decade? It is certainly a strong contender. A wild and enormously entertaining ride, the real brilliance here lies in the casting. With a terrific ensemble and a nonstop riot of laughs it is hands down the best comedy of the year. And Tiger Snooze wins Best Song at the Oscars. Wanna bet?
5. (500) Days of Summer, directed by Marc Webb.
This is a wonderful picture with one of the finest couples in the terrific Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. Accompanied by the best soundtrack of the year and a great sense of informal style, the feature debut by Webb deserves to find a large audience.
Top three runners up: The Wrestler - Che: Part II - I Love You, Man.
Listening:
1. Soulsavers - Broken.
The most beautiful record of the year with vocal contributions from Mark Lanegan and several others. This album is a brilliant collection of both rock, country and Americana with great poetic lyrics. A complete record that is guaranteed to have an impact on you.
2. The Airborne Toxic Event - The Airborne Toxic Event.
The debut album of a great New York rock band. Filled with catchy tunes and wonderful arrangements it is a brilliant first effort. It will be very exciting to see what they can do with their next one. And the single Sometime Around Midnight has a strong claim to the finest pop song of the year.
3. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart.
Another New York band, another debut. This is the coolest pop song album in a long time. A great sound and extremely addictive tracks make this one of the most pleasant surprises of the year. It manages to remain fresh after endless plays and after their brilliant EP Higher Than The Stars I have a feeling that their follow up album could prove even better.
4. Bruce Springsteen - Working On A Dream.
It is incredibly satisfying that after forty years in the business this legend is still able to produce strong albums. Practically a sequel to his previous album Magic there is much in here to enjoy. The title track itself is not one of the strongest on the album but there is more quality and heart on this record than almost anything else that comes out these days. A solid and impressive production.
5. Brendan Benson - My Old, Familliar Friend.
After a spell with Jack White in The Raconteurs it is good to have Benson back out on his own. This album is a wonderful surprise after the slightly disappointing previous The Alternative To Love. Great arrangements, lyrics and riffs and a firm confirmation of Bensons abilities as a songwriter. Still pisses me off that he cancelled his November gig in Oslo though.
Top three runners up: Arctic Monkeys - Florence & The Machine - Washington.
Bring it, 2010.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Happy X-mas
Merry christmas everyone!
A time to eat, drink and sleep. In no particular order.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEZWtohobaE
Classic.
A time to eat, drink and sleep. In no particular order.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEZWtohobaE
Classic.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Essential December '09
Essential viewing this December:
- No Country For Old Men (2007) turned out to be the Coen brothers’ biggest success, both with critics and audiences. And it was clear that after such a serious affair they wanted to turn things around a bit and return to their more off-beat comedy roots. And where last years flawed but entertaining Burn After Reading didn’t quite live up to our expectations, their latest effort A Serious Man most certainly does. Set in the 60’s Midwest, with not a single A-list star in sight, they are definitely returning home with this truly wonderful picture. Their dark humour, which has now become impossible to compare to anything other than their own, shines through in an otherwise sad story. A terrific turn from the unknown Michael Stuhlbarg leads the way through their delicious movie universe, resulting in a both moving and highly watchable fable. Always original, always enjoyable and with a final shot that will leave you gasping - who needs stars in front of the camera?
- Twelve years have passed since director James Cameron had his previous film in the theatres. All those years, and probably many more, have gone into preparing for this months Avatar. A film he himself says "would be impossible to make until now" and that certainly is worth the hype. The effects are of course state of the art and it is impressive to see how photo realistic nearly everything in here seems. The problem with CGI characters have always been the lack of emotion, but here all the great acting on display is shining well on through. It is not without flaws; the running time could certainly be pulled back, the second act moves a bit slow and in parts looses the story in order to show off the groundbreaking effects. Which is a shame because the story is both thrilling and at times very engaging. A feast for the eyes and there is definitely more to come now that the technical stage has been set. In fact, you have never seen anything like this before.
- I’ve already decided that one of my new year resolutions will be to watch more documentaries in 2010. I haven’t seen enough this year, but the finest one so far is easily The Cove, by Louie Psihoyos. Even though nothing comes easily when watching this gutwrenching movie about the illegal slaughter of dolphins in Japan. The message is clear and the film itself is an impressive piece of work. With an even mix of interviews, facts, set ups and amazing footage it is simply brilliantly put together. A must see for docu fans and also recommended for those who like to put their hearts and minds through something harder than just another night at the movies.
Essential listening this December:
- Thirty Seconds To Mars return with This Is War, their third album in seven years. In other words, they are not generous with material but they have managed to put out yet another impressive record. Keeping in style with their sophmore album A Beautiful Lie, they have simply grown bigger and smoother over the years, but not necessarily in a bad way. The arrangments lie thicker and the scale of each single song is bigger than ever, but it suits the band well. And despite being a great actor, lead singer Jared Leto should simply quit Hollywood all together. That way maybe we could get a Thirty Seconds album every year, wouldn’t that be something!
- One of the finest indie albums of the year so far might prove to be Lungs, the debut of british Florence & The Machine. Lead singer and writer Florence Welch provides a great voice to a wonderful mix of tracks, from upbeat pop to somber folk tunes. It is both original and interesting and is one of those records that sort of fit every occasion. Sounding like the love child of P.J. Harvey and Nick Cave it will be very exciting to see what Welch does next.
- In the spirit of the season, why not throw in a christmas album. An absolute favorite of mine has always been Aimee Mann, and her first and only christmas record One More Drifter In The Snow from last year is great. A few classics but also some of her own original music make a nice compilation that manages to move away from the traditional christmas album format, and even though you will hear both sleighbells and christmas harmonicas this is easily an album that could be enjoyed all year round. But to make the most of it, be sure to listen to it now! So baste the turkey, put another log on the fire, and come and be merry with Aimee.
- No Country For Old Men (2007) turned out to be the Coen brothers’ biggest success, both with critics and audiences. And it was clear that after such a serious affair they wanted to turn things around a bit and return to their more off-beat comedy roots. And where last years flawed but entertaining Burn After Reading didn’t quite live up to our expectations, their latest effort A Serious Man most certainly does. Set in the 60’s Midwest, with not a single A-list star in sight, they are definitely returning home with this truly wonderful picture. Their dark humour, which has now become impossible to compare to anything other than their own, shines through in an otherwise sad story. A terrific turn from the unknown Michael Stuhlbarg leads the way through their delicious movie universe, resulting in a both moving and highly watchable fable. Always original, always enjoyable and with a final shot that will leave you gasping - who needs stars in front of the camera?
- Twelve years have passed since director James Cameron had his previous film in the theatres. All those years, and probably many more, have gone into preparing for this months Avatar. A film he himself says "would be impossible to make until now" and that certainly is worth the hype. The effects are of course state of the art and it is impressive to see how photo realistic nearly everything in here seems. The problem with CGI characters have always been the lack of emotion, but here all the great acting on display is shining well on through. It is not without flaws; the running time could certainly be pulled back, the second act moves a bit slow and in parts looses the story in order to show off the groundbreaking effects. Which is a shame because the story is both thrilling and at times very engaging. A feast for the eyes and there is definitely more to come now that the technical stage has been set. In fact, you have never seen anything like this before.
- I’ve already decided that one of my new year resolutions will be to watch more documentaries in 2010. I haven’t seen enough this year, but the finest one so far is easily The Cove, by Louie Psihoyos. Even though nothing comes easily when watching this gutwrenching movie about the illegal slaughter of dolphins in Japan. The message is clear and the film itself is an impressive piece of work. With an even mix of interviews, facts, set ups and amazing footage it is simply brilliantly put together. A must see for docu fans and also recommended for those who like to put their hearts and minds through something harder than just another night at the movies.
Essential listening this December:
- Thirty Seconds To Mars return with This Is War, their third album in seven years. In other words, they are not generous with material but they have managed to put out yet another impressive record. Keeping in style with their sophmore album A Beautiful Lie, they have simply grown bigger and smoother over the years, but not necessarily in a bad way. The arrangments lie thicker and the scale of each single song is bigger than ever, but it suits the band well. And despite being a great actor, lead singer Jared Leto should simply quit Hollywood all together. That way maybe we could get a Thirty Seconds album every year, wouldn’t that be something!
- One of the finest indie albums of the year so far might prove to be Lungs, the debut of british Florence & The Machine. Lead singer and writer Florence Welch provides a great voice to a wonderful mix of tracks, from upbeat pop to somber folk tunes. It is both original and interesting and is one of those records that sort of fit every occasion. Sounding like the love child of P.J. Harvey and Nick Cave it will be very exciting to see what Welch does next.
- In the spirit of the season, why not throw in a christmas album. An absolute favorite of mine has always been Aimee Mann, and her first and only christmas record One More Drifter In The Snow from last year is great. A few classics but also some of her own original music make a nice compilation that manages to move away from the traditional christmas album format, and even though you will hear both sleighbells and christmas harmonicas this is easily an album that could be enjoyed all year round. But to make the most of it, be sure to listen to it now! So baste the turkey, put another log on the fire, and come and be merry with Aimee.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
"Rails"
a line of treason in the dirty snow
hear the train with no final destination
a church on a railroad in the darkest night
nothing to hide but still no windows
make an offer for these old stories
useless wheels and broken down engines
familiar music from the next room
a trophy for your troubles tonight
there's no shine without me
there's no noise without me
stripped down to the bone
these crimes outside the city
change it for better or worse
the last page is always torn out
can you tell the difference
can you tell us apart
hear the train with no final destination
a church on a railroad in the darkest night
nothing to hide but still no windows
make an offer for these old stories
useless wheels and broken down engines
familiar music from the next room
a trophy for your troubles tonight
there's no shine without me
there's no noise without me
stripped down to the bone
these crimes outside the city
change it for better or worse
the last page is always torn out
can you tell the difference
can you tell us apart
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