I kept hearing about these guys in press releases and watching them pop up on a variety of metal tours, including the current Road Rage tour. But for some reason I was having a hard time believing the comparisons with Metallica and describing their style as shredding metal. I say this because I look at their picture and it just doesn't appear as if that would be their style. They looked like they may be some type of Linkin Park style act or perhaps some new garage punk act. Then I put those preconceived notions aside and popped the disk in, and received a big surprise.
The sound that emanated from my car stereo, I do a lot of listening there, was heavy, driving, and subscribed to the old school sound of metal past in combination with a more modern approach to create a sound that you don't here on modern pop radio. That's a good thing too, well hopefully the radio landscape will change and we will get a better variety of metal, I'm rambling now. Back to Trivium, something else that surprised me was the youth, the lead singer is at the tender young age of 18!
The weakest point, at least at first listen, was the singer. It's not that it was bad, but the first thing I heard was what seemed be a rather generic screamer. I have found myself becoming less and less tolerant of these guys that just scream and don't offer anything else to the table. Screamers are becoming a dime a dozen, and this started out to be no different. That changed quickly enough as he mixed in some straight up signing which gave a different feel to the scream, bringing it up as a result. I still feel that is the weakest aspect of the music, but it is far from a deal breaker, this is a very impressive debut for such a young act.
Time passes. I have listened to the album many more times, and each time it gets a little bit better. This five piece are really coming into their own and gearing up for a long career. The style is at times reminiscent of Iron Maiden, Metallica, and Slayer yet as modern as Killswitch Engage, Machine Head, and Iced Earth. Featuring a two guitar attach, they have a large sound which gives their music a crunch that any metal fan is sure to love.
The primary songwriter is also the lead singer and guitar player Matthew Heafy, his guitar playing is exceptional, offering great interplay with fellow axe man Corey Beaulieu. They chug out the heavy riffs and progressions, trade solos, team up for breaks, great stuff. Drummer Travis Smith is quick, does some great double bass work and keeps the beat going. Finally there is bassist Paolo Gregoletto, getting a few lead breaks and filling out the low end. Together they combine to give us one of the better new voices on the metal landscape, and for me one of the better discoveries since I found Killswitch Engage.
The album starts with a short, light, acoustic guitar and piano based intro which leads us into the first opening chords of "Rain." And thus begins our journey, I would be hard pressed to really play the favorites card, all of the tracks have their strengths. Although I cannot claim favorites, there are a few that had something that jumped out at me. One of those tracks is "Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr," when the growl stops and he sings one of the lines, it really jumped out and made me realize there is more than a scream to his singing. There is also the first single, "Like Light to the Flies," is a great choice showcasing soloing and singing abilities and bringing it forth with relentless aggression. Not to be left behind is the track with the best title on the album "A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation," a tale dealing with abusive families, and also has one of the best metal headbanging moments of recent memory, which must be great to see live!
Overall, this is an excellent album and hopefully a sign of music yet to come. It alternately displays modern music aggression, respect for the old school of metal rather than bowing down at the altar of the current wave of corporate driven mediocrity, there is also a softer underside giving a well rounded collection of songs. Musically there are moments of technical expertise and just plan shredding, be it the crunchy riffs, speedy solos, or the relentless drum machine that is Travis Smith.
Bottomline. I suggest you all give this album a shot. An excellent new voice is rising on the horizon of metal, along with Killswitch Engage, they show there may be hope for the newer generation of metal. Matthew Heafy and crew are an act on the rise.
Highly Recommended.
The album, Ascendancy, hits stores on 3/15/05.
Visit their site to see their first two videos, HERE.
Visit Roadrunner Records HERE.
March 12, 2005
March 11, 2005
New Movie Releases
Four releases out this week, one is an oddity from the 1960's, other is an edited version of a religious film, plus two bug national releases.
Hostage. Bruce Willis is back on the big screen in what looks to be a generic actioner. One can hope that it will rise above the trappings of the genre and surprise us. Willis is generally a safe bet on the big screen, so I am willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. It was directed by Florent Emilio Siri in his first shot at a big budget film, his past work includes video for a pair of Splinter Cell games.
Robots. The next animated film to hit the screens is upon as, and it brings the voice talent of Robin Williams back to the big screen. I actually have no idea what tale it spins, but I am impressed by what I have seen in the commercials, and it has gotten good early word, which gives me hope of the quality of the film. Looking forward to it!
The Passion Re-Cut. Mel Gibson is attempting to broaden the audience base for his version of the Passion story. He edited about 5-6 minutes of the most extreme violence and blood in an attempt to garner a PG-13 rating, when it was still given an R, he has decided to release it unrated. Not sure how well this will do, could be interesting. The fact that he is releasing it without an MPAA stamp on it is limiting the release as many chains will not screen unrated material, which is ridiculous to me, a lot of good films are passed by due to this type of practice.
Masculine/Feminine. I saw the trailer for this last week when I saw Head On, and it looks completely bizarre. It is from French director Jean-Luc Godard and it is a comedy concerning attitudes towards love and relationships. It looks strange enough for me to like.
Enjoy your week at the cinema!
Hostage. Bruce Willis is back on the big screen in what looks to be a generic actioner. One can hope that it will rise above the trappings of the genre and surprise us. Willis is generally a safe bet on the big screen, so I am willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. It was directed by Florent Emilio Siri in his first shot at a big budget film, his past work includes video for a pair of Splinter Cell games.
Robots. The next animated film to hit the screens is upon as, and it brings the voice talent of Robin Williams back to the big screen. I actually have no idea what tale it spins, but I am impressed by what I have seen in the commercials, and it has gotten good early word, which gives me hope of the quality of the film. Looking forward to it!
The Passion Re-Cut. Mel Gibson is attempting to broaden the audience base for his version of the Passion story. He edited about 5-6 minutes of the most extreme violence and blood in an attempt to garner a PG-13 rating, when it was still given an R, he has decided to release it unrated. Not sure how well this will do, could be interesting. The fact that he is releasing it without an MPAA stamp on it is limiting the release as many chains will not screen unrated material, which is ridiculous to me, a lot of good films are passed by due to this type of practice.
Masculine/Feminine. I saw the trailer for this last week when I saw Head On, and it looks completely bizarre. It is from French director Jean-Luc Godard and it is a comedy concerning attitudes towards love and relationships. It looks strange enough for me to like.
Enjoy your week at the cinema!
March 10, 2005
CD Review: Cradle of Filth - Nymphetamine
Cradle of Filth is a band that I have been meaning to get into for quite some time. I think I was intrigued more by their name than anything else, it just struck me as something I'd like. So, I decided to give their latest album, "Nymphetamine," a spin. What I got was not quite what I was expecting, and that is sort of a good thing. What I was expecting was something in the hardcore or grindcore arena, what I got was black metal.
Black metal has always been an interesting genre. I take the occasional trip to the darker side of metal, I never stay to long, but each visit is always an experience. I think the thing that I like about black metal as opposed to many of the xcore type styles is the increased use of melody. There is a stronger sense of flow throughout the music it isn't quite has broken apart. There are more interesting and complex arrangements and an increased use of keyboards. Cradle of Filth has done a good job bringing these elements together to deliver a good album.
A friend has told me about how he thinks that there is a sense that Filth has sold out to the Hot Topic crowd of faux-goths. I cannot really comment on that as it is not a circle in which I travel, nor am I terribly familiar with the band's back catalog. What I hear, may not be quite as extreme as, say, Emperor, but it is still an edgy dark album. I cannot claim that it has turned me into a life long fan, but I can say that I enjoyed the trip that it took me on.
I have listened through the album a few times, and can honestly say that most of the time I have no idea what Dani is saying, not necessarily a bad thing as he does some interesting things with his voice, but the words escaped me. What I liked was that it was not as far to the black metal side as some I have heard, making this seem a bit more accessible to the non-black metal fan. There is an epic feel to the songs going through numerous tempo changes bringing the mood all over the map, at times somber and sad, at other times aggressive and biting, sometimes floating in between the two.
Dani Filth's voice is an interesting beast, always seeming layered with effects, playing in a grating upper register most of the time, occasionally dipping into the depths conjured by the back of his throat, at times acting more as another instrument then a conveyor of words. It creates its own rhythm on top of the instruments laying down a complex sound board for him to weave in and out of. The two guitar players, Paul Allender and Germs Warfare, have some interesting interplay, lead harmonies, screeching solos, hard clipped riffs, open chords, melody fills, they are a good duo giving a lot o the body of their sound. I must admit, that bassist Herr Pubis is not terribly evident, there is a definite low end, but he seems to be following the kick drum or rhythms and getting lost down there. Adrian Erlandsson has a good sound, mixing up straight speed with some good kick drum fills and keeping the rhythm going strong. Finally there is Martin Foul, who adds a lot of atmosphere to the chaos with his keyboard playing, it may not be as technically evident as some I have heard, but the atmosphere supplied is more than enough. I have always enjoyed the use of keyboards in the extreme metal styles, they often add a new dimension to the sound.
There are some songs that grabbed me right from the start. The first being the second third track, "Nemesis," a long grinding dirge, with a repeated line backed by a chunky chord progression that just begs for the slow head bang. Another is the title track, "Nymphetamine (Overdose)," which features a slower somber moment with a female singing lead, an interesting opposite to Dani's growl. Then there is "Filthy Little Secret," which features a more straight forward power metal styling. Throughout the album are keyboard intros to maybe half the songs which go a long way to setting the mood. I would be remiss if I failed to mention the bizarre "Mother of Abominations," it opens with a bizarre chant which grows in power and number of voices only to give way to some speedy guitar progressions leading into the song proper. There is also a bonus track, "Nymphetamine (Fix)," which is more mainstream sounding and featuring more interplay between Dani and the female singer, it plays out a bit slower, and has this eerie segment where Dani is whispering and it switches between the left and right channels (especially eerie when wearing headphones). An excellent alternate version.
Bottomline. It is an interesting album to say the least, one that would best not be recommended to the novice metal listener, but those with a bent towards the more extreme, this may be a good one to check out. As I said earlier, I may not be a completely converted fan, but I would not be adverse to delving into other releases.
Recommended.
Black metal has always been an interesting genre. I take the occasional trip to the darker side of metal, I never stay to long, but each visit is always an experience. I think the thing that I like about black metal as opposed to many of the xcore type styles is the increased use of melody. There is a stronger sense of flow throughout the music it isn't quite has broken apart. There are more interesting and complex arrangements and an increased use of keyboards. Cradle of Filth has done a good job bringing these elements together to deliver a good album.
A friend has told me about how he thinks that there is a sense that Filth has sold out to the Hot Topic crowd of faux-goths. I cannot really comment on that as it is not a circle in which I travel, nor am I terribly familiar with the band's back catalog. What I hear, may not be quite as extreme as, say, Emperor, but it is still an edgy dark album. I cannot claim that it has turned me into a life long fan, but I can say that I enjoyed the trip that it took me on.
I have listened through the album a few times, and can honestly say that most of the time I have no idea what Dani is saying, not necessarily a bad thing as he does some interesting things with his voice, but the words escaped me. What I liked was that it was not as far to the black metal side as some I have heard, making this seem a bit more accessible to the non-black metal fan. There is an epic feel to the songs going through numerous tempo changes bringing the mood all over the map, at times somber and sad, at other times aggressive and biting, sometimes floating in between the two.
Dani Filth's voice is an interesting beast, always seeming layered with effects, playing in a grating upper register most of the time, occasionally dipping into the depths conjured by the back of his throat, at times acting more as another instrument then a conveyor of words. It creates its own rhythm on top of the instruments laying down a complex sound board for him to weave in and out of. The two guitar players, Paul Allender and Germs Warfare, have some interesting interplay, lead harmonies, screeching solos, hard clipped riffs, open chords, melody fills, they are a good duo giving a lot o the body of their sound. I must admit, that bassist Herr Pubis is not terribly evident, there is a definite low end, but he seems to be following the kick drum or rhythms and getting lost down there. Adrian Erlandsson has a good sound, mixing up straight speed with some good kick drum fills and keeping the rhythm going strong. Finally there is Martin Foul, who adds a lot of atmosphere to the chaos with his keyboard playing, it may not be as technically evident as some I have heard, but the atmosphere supplied is more than enough. I have always enjoyed the use of keyboards in the extreme metal styles, they often add a new dimension to the sound.
There are some songs that grabbed me right from the start. The first being the second third track, "Nemesis," a long grinding dirge, with a repeated line backed by a chunky chord progression that just begs for the slow head bang. Another is the title track, "Nymphetamine (Overdose)," which features a slower somber moment with a female singing lead, an interesting opposite to Dani's growl. Then there is "Filthy Little Secret," which features a more straight forward power metal styling. Throughout the album are keyboard intros to maybe half the songs which go a long way to setting the mood. I would be remiss if I failed to mention the bizarre "Mother of Abominations," it opens with a bizarre chant which grows in power and number of voices only to give way to some speedy guitar progressions leading into the song proper. There is also a bonus track, "Nymphetamine (Fix)," which is more mainstream sounding and featuring more interplay between Dani and the female singer, it plays out a bit slower, and has this eerie segment where Dani is whispering and it switches between the left and right channels (especially eerie when wearing headphones). An excellent alternate version.
Bottomline. It is an interesting album to say the least, one that would best not be recommended to the novice metal listener, but those with a bent towards the more extreme, this may be a good one to check out. As I said earlier, I may not be a completely converted fan, but I would not be adverse to delving into other releases.
Recommended.
March 9, 2005
Concert Review: Sno-Core 2005 3/6/05
Before I get to the evening's show, please allow me some thoughts regarding the Sno-Core tours. This is the second incarnation of Sno-Core, the first was the original line-up back in 2000, and what a collection of acts it was! There was the experimental Mike Patton (Faith No More) with his new act Mr. Bungle, next up was Puerto Rican act Puya, then there was up and comer Incubus, and finally, as if that wasn't good enough, there was headliner System of a Down. That was a great lineup, and possibly one that will never be matched. Over the years the lineup seems to be becoming less adventurous and more radio driven. Don't get me wrong, this year's lineup put on a good show, but it just didn't have that diversity of talent that the first go around had.
One more note before getting to the show proper. I must mention that the band that I was most interested in, Helmet, dropped off the tour. I have no idea why, but I was very disappointed by this news. OK, now let's see just how good this show was.
I arrived about a half hour prior to the opening of the doors, and there was already a good sized crowd filling up the alley entrance to The Chance Theater. The line moved indoors pretty quickly, so we could hurry up and wait inside for the start of the show. About 15 minutes prior to the start of the show, Security guy Chuck took the mic and welcomed everyone to the show, and then asked for the crowd to cheer as he called each bands name, by far the biggest cheer was for up and comers Crossfade, which surprised me. By the time the lights dimmed the crowd was ready to let off some energy.
The theater went dark and Strata took the stage. I had heard of these guys, but can honestly say that I have never heard a single song from them, and first impressions are everything and this impression, wasn't all that good. First off they were not done any favors by the sound mix, the guitars were up way to high. The other instruments, not to mention the vocals, were drowned out. They played about 35 minutes. They were tight as a band, but the music was wholly unremarkable, they were just another emo-rock act. The majority of the set all sounded like one song. The crowd seemed to enjoy it enough, but I was hoping for something more. Maybe if the mix was better, I would have gotten more out of the music.
Next up was Future Leaders of the World, and the bad mix problems continued. Again the guitars were up way to high, virtually drowning out the rest of the band, which was probably for the best. This was another band that I knew nothing about, and the live performance did not do much to win me over as a fan. They came across as some sort of mainstreamed nu-metal, mixing pop rock and rap metal into what sounded like a mess. There were a couple of decent guitar riffs, but not much else. The drums and bass were rather generic, what I could hear anyway. The singer,had some sort of variation on the look of Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum, couldn't really sing or rap or scream, so that put a damper on things as well. The one thing that the music did do well was get the crowd going, lots of shoving and thrashing involved.
Now was the time for the crowd to really come alive, the band that received the biggest cheer was about to hit the stage. At 8:00 Crossfade stormed the stage to an absolute roar from the crowd. Finally, the mix was finally on a more even level, I could actually hear all of the instruments. They owned the stage for the forty minutes they played. The most impressive act so far. They had a very good live sound, playing their singles, plus the other tracks off of their debut CD. They do a good job integrating a DJ into their sound, not to mention trading off vocal parts between 3 of the 4 band members. They reached the pinnacle of their performance with the song "Colors," which I believe was their first single. The crowd may have gotten rowdy early, but now they were reacting to the band on stage, singing along and really getting into the music for the first time of the night. Excellent performance, I foresee good things for this band, they have nowhere to go but up.
Last, but not least, the stage was getting set up for Chevelle. One I noticed that seemed a bit odd, was that the drum kit was set up over to my left, stage right, and slightly angled back towards the center of the theater, not a setup I believe I have seen before. They also brought their own lights, there were a number of pillars with lighting fixtures on top. It's been awhile since I've seen a band put on any type of lights show for their set. At 9:00 Chevelle took to the stage, to possibly the single biggest cheer of the night. They proceeded to put on a high energy hour long set. I have one of their CD's, the one with "The Red" on it, so I have heard some of their material before, but could not claim to know a lot about them. What I can attest to is that they have grown a lot since I saw them open for Stone Sour a couple of years ago. They kept the momentum going, playing a great mix of music and just flat out playing their heart out, leaving it all on the stage. The light show was also great, adding another level to an already excellent show.
I must say that this in no way lives up to the first go around with System of a Down, and the acts started off rather dull, but it finished strong with Crossfade and Chevelle. Chevelle put on the best performance of the night, which is what I expected, but the real surprise was Crossfade. Crossfade has a lot of ability and a style which, while radio friendly, attempts to stand out on it's own, they are at a point where they could really break out.
To see photos from the show, click HERE.
One more note before getting to the show proper. I must mention that the band that I was most interested in, Helmet, dropped off the tour. I have no idea why, but I was very disappointed by this news. OK, now let's see just how good this show was.
I arrived about a half hour prior to the opening of the doors, and there was already a good sized crowd filling up the alley entrance to The Chance Theater. The line moved indoors pretty quickly, so we could hurry up and wait inside for the start of the show. About 15 minutes prior to the start of the show, Security guy Chuck took the mic and welcomed everyone to the show, and then asked for the crowd to cheer as he called each bands name, by far the biggest cheer was for up and comers Crossfade, which surprised me. By the time the lights dimmed the crowd was ready to let off some energy.
The theater went dark and Strata took the stage. I had heard of these guys, but can honestly say that I have never heard a single song from them, and first impressions are everything and this impression, wasn't all that good. First off they were not done any favors by the sound mix, the guitars were up way to high. The other instruments, not to mention the vocals, were drowned out. They played about 35 minutes. They were tight as a band, but the music was wholly unremarkable, they were just another emo-rock act. The majority of the set all sounded like one song. The crowd seemed to enjoy it enough, but I was hoping for something more. Maybe if the mix was better, I would have gotten more out of the music.Next up was Future Leaders of the World, and the bad mix problems continued. Again the guitars were up way to high, virtually drowning out the rest of the band, which was probably for the best. This was another band that I knew nothing about, and the live performance did not do much to win me over as a fan. They came across as some sort of mainstreamed nu-metal, mixing pop rock and rap metal into what sounded like a mess. There were a couple of decent guitar riffs, but not much else. The drums and bass were rather generic, what I could hear anyway. The singer,had some sort of variation on the look of Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum, couldn't really sing or rap or scream, so that put a damper on things as well. The one thing that the music did do well was get the crowd going, lots of shoving and thrashing involved.Now was the time for the crowd to really come alive, the band that received the biggest cheer was about to hit the stage. At 8:00 Crossfade stormed the stage to an absolute roar from the crowd. Finally, the mix was finally on a more even level, I could actually hear all of the instruments. They owned the stage for the forty minutes they played. The most impressive act so far. They had a very good live sound, playing their singles, plus the other tracks off of their debut CD. They do a good job integrating a DJ into their sound, not to mention trading off vocal parts between 3 of the 4 band members. They reached the pinnacle of their performance with the song "Colors," which I believe was their first single. The crowd may have gotten rowdy early, but now they were reacting to the band on stage, singing along and really getting into the music for the first time of the night. Excellent performance, I foresee good things for this band, they have nowhere to go but up.Last, but not least, the stage was getting set up for Chevelle. One I noticed that seemed a bit odd, was that the drum kit was set up over to my left, stage right, and slightly angled back towards the center of the theater, not a setup I believe I have seen before. They also brought their own lights, there were a number of pillars with lighting fixtures on top. It's been awhile since I've seen a band put on any type of lights show for their set. At 9:00 Chevelle took to the stage, to possibly the single biggest cheer of the night. They proceeded to put on a high energy hour long set. I have one of their CD's, the one with "The Red" on it, so I have heard some of their material before, but could not claim to know a lot about them. What I can attest to is that they have grown a lot since I saw them open for Stone Sour a couple of years ago. They kept the momentum going, playing a great mix of music and just flat out playing their heart out, leaving it all on the stage. The light show was also great, adding another level to an already excellent show.I must say that this in no way lives up to the first go around with System of a Down, and the acts started off rather dull, but it finished strong with Crossfade and Chevelle. Chevelle put on the best performance of the night, which is what I expected, but the real surprise was Crossfade. Crossfade has a lot of ability and a style which, while radio friendly, attempts to stand out on it's own, they are at a point where they could really break out.
To see photos from the show, click HERE.
Poll Results: 2/1/05
2/1/2005: What Movie Should Win Best Picture?
- The Aviator 10% 1
- Finding Neverland 20% 2
- Million Dollar Baby 0% 0
- Ray 0% 0
- Sideways 0% 0
- Other 70% 7
- No Opinion 0% 0
- total votes: 10
OK, the Oscars are behind us and this poll has outlasted its usefulness. It also appears that those who participated don't agree with the Academy's choices. I felt the need to choose one that was offered, and my choice had been for The Aviator.
Now I'm curious, what film would you have awarded Best Picture? It doesn't have to be one of the nominees, pick anyone.
March 8, 2005
DVD Pick of the Week.
There really isn't that much coming out this week to comment on, at least that I am interested in. So, I have decided to point out a box set that collects 7 previously released disks together. It is the Zatoichi Collector's Box. It collects 7 of the near 30 Zatoichi films together. I have not seen the vast majority of these films, but all that I have seen have been definitely worth the time. There was also the recent continuation of the series by director/star Takeshi Kitano, in what was a wonderful film worth checking out.
For those unfamiliar with Zatoichi, it chronicles the adventures of a blind masseuse who becomes embroiled in many different situations. Besides being a masseusse, he is also a master swordsman, and being blind just adds another level to it. If you like samurai films, or have an interest in them, this is definitely a series that is well worth looking into. Do yourself a favor, even if you don't spring for the box, most of the individual disks are available at reasonable prices, or even rent them.
There are a few others worth looking into this week:
For those unfamiliar with Zatoichi, it chronicles the adventures of a blind masseuse who becomes embroiled in many different situations. Besides being a masseusse, he is also a master swordsman, and being blind just adds another level to it. If you like samurai films, or have an interest in them, this is definitely a series that is well worth looking into. Do yourself a favor, even if you don't spring for the box, most of the individual disks are available at reasonable prices, or even rent them.
There are a few others worth looking into this week:
- Ladder 49. A very well made drama concerning the life and times of firefighters.
- The Ring Collector's Edition. A two disk re-release of the 2001 thriller, just in time for the sequel.
- Dolls. I know nothing about it, but it was made by Takeshi Kitano, which makes it worthwhile for me.
- Koma. Another Japanese thriller which looks promising.
- Friends Season 9. This series is nearing an end with this release.
- Paranoia Agent Vol 3. This surreal series continues its march.
- Gantz Vol 2. This anime series got off to a bizarre start, I am eagerly looking forward to this disk.
March 7, 2005
Music DVD Review: Tesla - Times Makin' Changes
I had the opportunity to see these guys perform a live acoustic set recently. It was a great show and it prompted me to finally pick up this disk. I've been meaning to for a long time. Every once in awhile I would actually pick it up, walk around, but then ultimately put it back on the shelf where I'd found it. Well, I got it, popped it in and watched 90 minutes of Tesla goodness.
The disk has all of their videos from "Modern Day Cowboy" through "Try So Hard," we get to watch as they developed and changed through the years. It was interesting to watch them go from the typical teased up hair band, to a grungier (NOT grunge) look. Their videos were a refreshing change from the usual dancing girls and high concept style videos. All of the videos center on the bands performance, usually the only change is location. And the performance is what counts. These guys stood apart from the other acts of the day as actually having musical ability behind them, putting it to good use in crafting some fine songs.
The videos are fun, but they have also not aged very well. They come across as very dated, but at the same time they do evoke a sense of nostalgia for when videos actually featured performing bands, and remind one of a time when music television actually aired music videos.
The videos which I liked the most were "Heaven's Trail (No Way Out)," "Edison's Medicine," "Need You're Lovin'," and the two cuts from the Acoustical Jam album, "Signs," and "Paradise." The first two are fun performance videos with the first taking place on what looks like a construction site and the second in a warehouse with a variety of effects. "Need You're Lovin'" is fun due to it's lampooning of 80's rock video cliche's, it showcases the humor of the band. Finally the acoustic videos are straight from the performance, and just looks like fun. It's a simple video, but shows a lot more. There is also a solo Frank Hannon guitar piece intro to "Love Song" which just sounds great, and appears to have been recorded live.
In addition to the videos there are interviews with Frank Hannon, Jeff Keith, Brian Wheat, and Troy Luccketta. Noticeably absent from the interviews is Tommy Skeoch, he appears in some of the studio and behind the scenes footage. Apparently the interviews were done during the time when the band was not together, as none of them are interviewed at the same time, I could be wrong. The interviews give a little insight into the album creation and band development. None of them are terribly lengthy, but it is nice to have them in addition to the videos.
Video. Presented in it's original 1.33:1 ratio, it looks decent. There is nothing spectacular about the transfer, but it looks good. These videos probably haven't looked like this since they were made.
Audio. Presented in Dolby Digital 2.0, the sound reproduction is good as well. No complaints to be made here.
Extras. We get a discography.
Bottomline. If you are a fan of Tesla, you should definitely pick up this disk, it is a great companion to the CD. It will stir up the nostalgia, and remind you just how good they were.
Recommended.
The disk has all of their videos from "Modern Day Cowboy" through "Try So Hard," we get to watch as they developed and changed through the years. It was interesting to watch them go from the typical teased up hair band, to a grungier (NOT grunge) look. Their videos were a refreshing change from the usual dancing girls and high concept style videos. All of the videos center on the bands performance, usually the only change is location. And the performance is what counts. These guys stood apart from the other acts of the day as actually having musical ability behind them, putting it to good use in crafting some fine songs.
The videos are fun, but they have also not aged very well. They come across as very dated, but at the same time they do evoke a sense of nostalgia for when videos actually featured performing bands, and remind one of a time when music television actually aired music videos.
The videos which I liked the most were "Heaven's Trail (No Way Out)," "Edison's Medicine," "Need You're Lovin'," and the two cuts from the Acoustical Jam album, "Signs," and "Paradise." The first two are fun performance videos with the first taking place on what looks like a construction site and the second in a warehouse with a variety of effects. "Need You're Lovin'" is fun due to it's lampooning of 80's rock video cliche's, it showcases the humor of the band. Finally the acoustic videos are straight from the performance, and just looks like fun. It's a simple video, but shows a lot more. There is also a solo Frank Hannon guitar piece intro to "Love Song" which just sounds great, and appears to have been recorded live.
In addition to the videos there are interviews with Frank Hannon, Jeff Keith, Brian Wheat, and Troy Luccketta. Noticeably absent from the interviews is Tommy Skeoch, he appears in some of the studio and behind the scenes footage. Apparently the interviews were done during the time when the band was not together, as none of them are interviewed at the same time, I could be wrong. The interviews give a little insight into the album creation and band development. None of them are terribly lengthy, but it is nice to have them in addition to the videos.
Video. Presented in it's original 1.33:1 ratio, it looks decent. There is nothing spectacular about the transfer, but it looks good. These videos probably haven't looked like this since they were made.
Audio. Presented in Dolby Digital 2.0, the sound reproduction is good as well. No complaints to be made here.
Extras. We get a discography.
Bottomline. If you are a fan of Tesla, you should definitely pick up this disk, it is a great companion to the CD. It will stir up the nostalgia, and remind you just how good they were.
Recommended.
March 6, 2005
Movie Reviews: 2 '04 Oscar Winners
Over the past couple of weeks I have gotten to see a pair of films which won Best Picture Oscars at 2004 ceremonies. One was the Best Documentary (Feature Length) winner, Born into Brothels, which I saw the night before the big show and the other was the Best Foreign Language film, The Sea Inside. I figured I would take a quick look at them, at least one of them.
I think I will get the bad out of the way first. The Sea Inside is not a bad movie, but I was unable to watch it objectively, and for that reason I won't be spending much time on it. For those who are not familiar with it, it is based on the true story of Ramon Sampedro. He was a Spaniard who suffered a tragic accident which left him a quadriplegic, he then spent the next nearly thirty years of his life attempting to get the legal ability to end his own life. I don't wish to get into the moral implications of such a story, and I tried to put them aside while viewing the film. The problem was that all I saw was the tale of a man who was selfish and gave up on life, he claimed that he had no dignity being in his condition, yet it doesn't appear as if he even tried to truly adapt to what happened to him. The film puts forth an agenda that assisted suicide is a good thing, and anyone who opposes that is a religious zealot, or has no idea what they're talking about. There was no true even handedness in the way it was told. Aside from that,the film looks great, director Alejandro Amenabar, who also directed The Others, gives the film a nice leisurely pace that works to the films advantage. Javier Bardem, who portrays the bedridden Ramon, does a fine job of giving us a character who does not move for the vast majority of the film. It is worth a rental for the curious. I would have given this award to House of Flying Daggers, Bad Education, or I'm No Scared over this one.
Born into Brothels would have been my number 2 pick behind the wonderful Super Size Me, but don't let my humble opinion have any effect to keep you away from this movie. This movie was both inspiring and depressing. Co-director Zara Briskie also plays a major onscreen role and is a catalyst for much of what happens. She had been living off and on in Calcutta for a number of years studying the woman who live and work in the Red Light district, and by doing so came to be very close with the children. It is rather depressing listening to these kids talk about what their life is like, especially for the girls who are just waiting to be put on "the line." The kids know that they have little chance to escape what they were born into and are mature and cynical well beyond their years. Zara Briskie started to teach the kids photography, the kids would take the cameras out into the streets and shoot whatever they wanted to and then go over the photos and give reasons why they were good or bad. We get to see many of these pictures, and I have to say, they have very good eyes, there are some wonderful pictures and compositions. Zara leverages these photos into attempts to help save these kids from a bleak future. The attempts work to varying degrees. It is definitely an interesting look into the lives of these kids, it makes one even more thankful for what we take for granted everyday. The film doesn't look like a Hollywood film, it was clearly a low budget production, but what counts here is the content. I urge all of you to check this film out.
I think I will get the bad out of the way first. The Sea Inside is not a bad movie, but I was unable to watch it objectively, and for that reason I won't be spending much time on it. For those who are not familiar with it, it is based on the true story of Ramon Sampedro. He was a Spaniard who suffered a tragic accident which left him a quadriplegic, he then spent the next nearly thirty years of his life attempting to get the legal ability to end his own life. I don't wish to get into the moral implications of such a story, and I tried to put them aside while viewing the film. The problem was that all I saw was the tale of a man who was selfish and gave up on life, he claimed that he had no dignity being in his condition, yet it doesn't appear as if he even tried to truly adapt to what happened to him. The film puts forth an agenda that assisted suicide is a good thing, and anyone who opposes that is a religious zealot, or has no idea what they're talking about. There was no true even handedness in the way it was told. Aside from that,the film looks great, director Alejandro Amenabar, who also directed The Others, gives the film a nice leisurely pace that works to the films advantage. Javier Bardem, who portrays the bedridden Ramon, does a fine job of giving us a character who does not move for the vast majority of the film. It is worth a rental for the curious. I would have given this award to House of Flying Daggers, Bad Education, or I'm No Scared over this one.
Born into Brothels would have been my number 2 pick behind the wonderful Super Size Me, but don't let my humble opinion have any effect to keep you away from this movie. This movie was both inspiring and depressing. Co-director Zara Briskie also plays a major onscreen role and is a catalyst for much of what happens. She had been living off and on in Calcutta for a number of years studying the woman who live and work in the Red Light district, and by doing so came to be very close with the children. It is rather depressing listening to these kids talk about what their life is like, especially for the girls who are just waiting to be put on "the line." The kids know that they have little chance to escape what they were born into and are mature and cynical well beyond their years. Zara Briskie started to teach the kids photography, the kids would take the cameras out into the streets and shoot whatever they wanted to and then go over the photos and give reasons why they were good or bad. We get to see many of these pictures, and I have to say, they have very good eyes, there are some wonderful pictures and compositions. Zara leverages these photos into attempts to help save these kids from a bleak future. The attempts work to varying degrees. It is definitely an interesting look into the lives of these kids, it makes one even more thankful for what we take for granted everyday. The film doesn't look like a Hollywood film, it was clearly a low budget production, but what counts here is the content. I urge all of you to check this film out.
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