Beyond Jane Austen: Period British Mini-Series & Movies

For fans of period British movies or mini-series, here's some titles beyond the Jane Austen fare. Hopefully some will be new to you. These are my title/version preferences; please share your favorites in the comments below! 

Jane Eyre – 2007 version staring Ruth Wilson and Toby Stephens. In high school I read Jane Eyre (by Charlotte Brontë) and wasn't enamored. Once I watched this version I finally understood the hype. Mark my words, Ruth Wilson will win many, many awards in her career.

North & South – starring Daniela Denby-Ashe and Richard Armitage. Based on the book by Elizabeth Gaskell, this is a bit of a cult-classic (no, this is not the Civil War TV mini-series from the 80s...). The north and south in the title refers to the lifestyle of the more gentile south and the industrial north, which is of course, a metaphor for our main characters. The chemistry between the two is perfection.

The Buccaneers – starring Carla Gugino and Mira Sorvino. New-money American young ladies are brought to England to make matches with the cash-strapped ton. Carla Gugino shines in this early role where her character turns from a naive young lady to a morose married woman.

Little Dorritt – starring Claire Foy and Mathew Macfayden. Based on Charles Dickens' novel, Amy Dorritt (Foy) is one of the more sympathetic female characters in  Dickens' oeuvre. She braves the challenges of living in debtor's prison with her father, who is a bit of a high-maintenance diva really. Great ensemble work here. 

Wives and Daughters – starring Justine Waddell and Anthony Howell. Another story by Elizabeth Gaskell about the rocky relationship between a step-daughter and step-mother. The romance aspect is well-played.

Twelfth Night, Or What You Will - starring Imogen Stubbs and Toby Stephens. This is probably my favorite piece by Shakespeare (what can I say, I like farces). Also, Toby Stephens is really dreamy in this.

Recommended Listen: In Colour by Jamie xx

I was excited for this album to be released in June, if only to tide me over to the next release from The xx-- the group Jamie xx is a member-- but I've come to love it on it's own merit. While this CD isn't nearly as stark or moody as The xx albums, this should still please existing fans and perhaps gain some new ones due to his expanding repertoire. Three tracks feature vocalist Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim, both members of the xx. So, even though this is a solo album, he's still got one foot planted in the group. The track that diverts the most is the hip-hop and dance-hall inspired I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times), featuring Popcaan and Young Thug.

What makes this album different from previous efforts is that it's not as cohesive from track to track. It's more diverse: this disc oscillates between house and more-laid back compositions and the aforementioned hip hop/dancehall track. You can dance, or just plain relax to this disc, which isn't true of all electronic albums. My standouts include Sleep Sound, Obvs, Hold Tight, The Rest is Noise, and Girls, which is my favorite of the pack. This is a definite step forward for Jamie.

In Colour by Jamie xx
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Recommended TV: Hannibal

News came out this week that this is the last season of Hannibal (at least on NBC). It's cancellation should not be seen as failure though, and I recommend it wholeheartedly. Hannibal is the most beautiful and stunning television show airing right now, if not ever. This is a bold statement and it seems impossible if you are familiar with the books or previous movies. Beauty is not a word one would associate with a show about a cannibalistic serial killer. But, even at its most gruesome, it is so artful. Bryan Fuller, the show-runner, created the other shows Pushing Daisies, Dead Like Me, and Wonderfalls.

Season one has a crime-of-the-week plot structure. Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) helps the FBI catch killers because he can "see" inside their minds based on the crime scenes. This ability disrupts his own mental state to the point that he needs help. Enter Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen). Season two has a different structure, which is driven more by Will's narrative and his changing relationship with Hannibal and the rest of his colleagues at the FBI. Season three began earlier this month and you're able to watch the aired episodes online. So far, this season is following Hannibal's narrative-- he's calling the shots. 

 

So, on to why this show is special: it's a feast for the senses. The dialogue is not wasted and often carries a double meaning; the imagery is significant and dream-like (or hallucinogenic); the sets and color palette are lovely and intentional; the lighting moody; and the food styling is so exquisite its enough to make you want to join in on the meals, even though you know you don't really want to. The cinematography is so perfect, its a wonder that you're only watching a network TV show and not a feature film. Now the disclaimer: this show is not for everyone. It is intense, disturbing, and shocking at times-- the crime scenes can be a lot to take. I would also recommend refraining from snacking while watching.

Audio Obsession: The xx

British band, the xx, have two beautiful albums to their name. At the Library we have their debut album, titled the xx. They exemplify indie-rock with an atmospheric, dance beat bent - there are no extraneous notes to be found on the albums. The beauty of the xx is that you can listen to them repeatedly and find different songs to like each time, and you can play them as background music or listen attentively. Basically, they're all-purpose listening.

One quality that sets the xx apart are the vocals. The vocal duties alternate between two members, Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim. Sometimes the two alternate on the same track with clever calls and answers. Neither is a perfect singer, but both have a haunting quality to their voice.

The xx are also masters of the electronic crescendo (listen to Reunion, from Coexist). I can't think of another band of the top of my head that is this skillful at creating tension in songs that are so stark (if you can think of another band, let me know in the comments).

I would encourage you to listen to either disc, and eagerly await their next.

Don't Miss ... Begin Again

Begin Again was a bit of a sleeper last summer. It's not a super-hero or action franchise flick with lots of money behind it, but it did star Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo. Catherine Keener, Hailee Steinfeld, Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def) and Adam Levin (from Maroon 5 fame) round out the supporting cast.

Knightley plays a songwriter who moves to New York with her rock-star boyfriend (Levine). She isn't interested in the limelight, just the art. He is interested in the limelight and their relationship suffers. One evening she's performing one of her songs at a club and Ruffalo's character, a down-and-out music executive, likes what he hears. They embark on creating an album on their terms as outcasts of the music industry machine. Knightley performs the songs herself - and she does an excellent job. I appreciated that the movie didn't go for the obvious here - I don't want to spoil the film by explaining this further, but let me just say it was refreshing to see a friendship blossom. Begin Again is a light film, but it still has something to say.

It's from the director of Once, John Carney, so if you enjoyed that, you'll probably appreciate this one too. If you're a music fan in general you'll find something to appreciate here as well. There's a scene where Knightley and Ruffalo share an iPod and listen to music together while roaming New York City. Perfection.

Recommended Watch: Locke

Locke, starring Tom Hardy, is not blockbuster material. Hardy is the sole actor on screen the entire movie as we ride along his drive from work to London, not home to where he would normally be headed. I won't reveal the exact reason he's not going home, but he makes a life altering decision and now must deal with the fallout. He has a series of phone calls to make and receive as the drive unfolds. We hear his boss, co-worker, wife, boys, and the instigator to is decision. (Love Ruth Wilson, who plays his wife to perfection.)

Given the fact that Locke was filmed in several single takes, Hardy's performance is even more impressive. After a summer of big movies based on previously published materials, it was refreshing to see something original and human. It is small in place and time, but not impact.

Find it in the catalog!

Recommended Film: Violet & Daisy

The plot is intriguing: two teenage girl assassins (Alexis Bledel and Saoirse Ronan) have trouble killing a mark (James Gandolfini). However, this recommendation is all about the performances, not plot. All three are initially playing against type. Bledel and Ronan, despite their beautiful faces, are obviously up to no good and Gandolfini is quite sympathetic, even pathetic.


Bledel does well playing really against type (those who know her from Gilmore Girls will understand) because she's the more aggressive of the two girls. But Ronan is the one to keep an eye on. She's already given some standout performances in her short career, and I would add this to the list even though this film didn't get much attention (if any) when it was released. There is a Tatiana Maslany cameo too, but if you blink, you'll miss her.

Violet & Daisy
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Listen up: Voices by Phantogram

Big beats and big guitars. You can't get much better than that. Phantogram is an electro-rock duo from New York state, and they produce a big sound for only two people. Sarah Barthel handles the vocals, and she does so with power. While two other tracks initially caught my attention (Howling at the Moon and Bad Dreams), their single Fall In Love is catchy and completely exemplary of the band's sound, so if you like this single, you'll enjoy the entire album. Phantogram remind me of M83, with their fairly seamless integration of electronic elements. Also one of their tracks is titled Bill Murray - so there's that in their favor. It's a good one for listening to in the car, loudly.

Voices by Phantogram
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Guitly Pleasure Pick: Sixteen Candles

Sixteen Candles is celebrating it's 30th anniversary this week (eh, that makes me old ...) and it's another one that basically* holds up after all this time. It masquerades as a romance, but at the heart it's a coming of age story set in high school (this is a John Hughes movie after all).

Sam (Molly Ringwald) is soon to turn sixteen, but that milestone is overshadowed by her older sister's impending wedding, the arrival of extended family, and the arrival of a foreign exchange student. While all of these external forces are swirling, Sam is faced with the usual high school social pressures, and, of course, her first major crush Jake (Michael Schoeffling) - who's a popular Senior. Oh, and she's got a nerd (played by a baby-faced Anthony Michael Hall) that has a crush on her. Bonus: John Cusak has bit part as a nerd friend of Anthony Michael Hall. 

Sixteen Candles is lighter and funnier than the other main Molly Ringwald/John Hughes movies such as Pretty in Pink and Breakfast Club. I find Ringwald to be her most likeable in this film. There are many quotable lines and situational humor - the bantering between Sam and her siblings is quite realistic from my experience. I also enjoy Paul Dooley who plays Sam's father - their close relationship is a nice detail.

*The main problem it faces is the characterization of the foreign exchange student Long Duk Dong (played by Gedde Watanabe). At least the Asian character is played by an Asian-American actor (unlike Breakfast at Tiffany's).

Sixteen Candles
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My Favorite Things 2013

This year, more so than any other in recent memory, I found myself playing catch-up with last year's "best-of" that I didn't take in much from this calendar year. Basically, I haven't read, listened to or watched enough of anything to make separate lists for each ... so, here's my Top Ten Favorite Things from 2013.

1 & 2. While everyone is talking about AMC, HBO and Showtime and their popular programming, I'm interested in BBC America, which produced two of my favorite television shows this year: Orphan Black and the third season of Luther. One could not find better acting, nor more complicated and well-drawn characters. Bonus: the female characters are strong. Tatiana Maslany (playing 7 characters on Orphan Black) should have been nominated and won an Emmy, and Ruth Wilson (from Luther) is so on point as psychopath Alice Morgan, it actually makes me giddy when she shows up on screen.

3 & 4. The Death of Bees by Lisa O'Donnell and Wave by Sonali Deraniyagala. I wrote reviews of both a while back, so I won't get into it again. Simply, both are books that stay with you.

5 & 6. I have slacked the most this year in the movie department. I have seen only one movie in the theater and about a handful on DVD. My two favorite films of the year are The Way Way Back and the German film Lore. It was theatrically released in 2012, but out on DVD in 2013, so I'm counting it. Lore takes place at the end of World War II and focuses on siblings who've been abandoned by their Nazi-sympathizing parents and now must confront the harsh reality of losing a war and the propaganda they've been fed. Superb performances from a very young cast and a WWII perspective not often told. The Way Way Back also features a younger actor with potential: Liam James (in the role of Duncan). His interactions with Sam Rockwell made this movie.

7. The album that sticks out to me this year is Tomorrow's Harvest by Boards of Canada. I enjoyed many others (from artists Daft Punk, Phoenix, Local Natives, The National, Quadron, Thundercat, and Cut Copy), but this one I enjoyed the whole way through. And I got sucked in. It's ambient, but not boring.

8-11. Even though I enjoyed the above album as a whole, my favorite songs of the year were Trying to Be Cool by Phoenix, Holy by Frightened Rabbit, Diane Young by Vampire Weekend (love, love, love the ending), and Heartbreaks + Setbacks by Thundercat.

Creepy Movies for the Season

Some straight-up horror films can come off as ridiculous, so here's some suggestions for films that are just disturbing for one reason or another. Not an exhaustive list, so feel free to add to it in the comments section. What creeps you out?

Cape Fear - Depending on which version you watch, Robert Mitchum or Robert DeNiro terrorize a family. Find it in the catalog

Fight Club - The first rule of Fight Club is to not talk about Fight Club ... Find it in the catalog

Full Metal Jacket - The disturbing effects of boot camp and war on soldiers. Find it in the catalog

Lawless - A family of bootleggers defy the law during prohibition in the South. This one is probably the least creepy on the list, however there is one particular scene that I find completely disturbing - someone's throat is cut. Plus the creep factor is heightened by Guy Pearce's performance. Find it in the catalog

Murder By Numbers - Two teenage boys (a young Ryan Gosling and Michael Pitt) are suspected of murder by a cop with her own demons (Sandra Bullock). Find it in the catalog

No Country For Old Men - Hit-man Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) uses an unusual weapon of choice to dispatch his victims. The tension in this film is palpable. Find it in the catalog

Oldboy - This Korean cult classic has a twist like no other twist. (It's been remade by Hollywood and soon to be released in theaters, starring Josh Brolin.) Find it in the catalog

Se7en (Seven) - Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman investigate a serial killer working through the seven deadly sins. The final scene is one that lives in infamy. Find it in the catalog

The Silence of the Lambs - Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) gets help in hunting down a serial killer from another serial killer (Anthony Hopkins). Find it in the catalog

Art of the Con

The soon to be released movie Now You See Me, got me thinking about my favorite heist movies. I'm a huge fan of the genre in general because both action and cleverness are used to satisfy the plot. Not only are they a ride for the emotions, but also the mind.

My most beloved of all in this genre is The Sting. A classic con movie set in 1930s Chicago with Paul Newman (sigh...) and Robert Redford. Some other favorites include Ocean's Eleven (2001 version), Confidence, Matchstick Men and The Italian Job. I would also add the films The Prestige, The Lookout, The Brothers Bloom and Bottle Rocket to this list even though they're not straightforward con films. The Brothers Bloom and Bottle Rocket are definitely more quirky and comedic than the other two dramas.

I have yet to see Stanley Kubrick's The Killing and John Huston's The Asphalt Jungle (they're on my ever-growing list), but all I've ever read about them points to a superior heist film experience.

Am I missing any? Do you have any favorites? Let me know in the comments.

Classic Cinema: Badlands

Badlands recently got the Criterion Collection treatment, and I cannot recommend this film enough. Terrence Malik's first major movie, made in 1973, is a masterpiece that still holds up.

Our introduction to main characters Kit (Martin Sheen) and Holly (Sissy Spacek) are telling. Kit is collecting garbage and hovers over a dead dog without a hint of emotion, and Holly is in her front lawn twirling a baton-- how much more innocent can you get? This couple embarks on a killing spree road trip which is loosely based on the real-life late 1950s Starkweather-Fugate killing spree.

It's not a particularly gory-violent film, but it's impact lies in the bursts of violence set against a quiet background. It's actually a quiet movie in many respects. Viewers are lulled into the story by the use of beautiful scenery (more on that later), some subtle humor peppered throughout, and a main theme song, Carl Orff's Schulwerk-Grassenhauer, that is playful and childlike, which is perfectly deceiving and strangely perfect. Kit and Holly build this detached world around themselves and when someone threatens it, Kit attacks. They are not socially awkward loners, though. Kit is adept at cultivating a James Dean persona, thinking that his charm will keep him afloat, which it does to a degree. Eventually, Holly just becomes bored, as a fifteen-year-old girl would.

The performances by Sheen and Spacek may very well be the best of their respective careers and is not to be overlooked, but, what I truly love about the movie is the visuals. I could not write up Badlands without mentioning Art Director Jack Fisk. I believe that he's as much responsible for the greatness of this film as Malik. Fisk is a master as conveying the simple beauty and struggle of landscape. Check out There Will Be Blood for further confirmation of this man's genius. (Also, Fisk met his future wife, Sissy Spacek, on this film.)

If you're already a fan of the film, be sure to checkout the 40 minute making-of documentary on this disc, which includes present day interviews with Sheen, Spacek, and Fisk.
Find it in the catalog!

Return of the Mars

Calling all Veronica Mars fans! By the time you read this the goal may have been reached, but creator Rob Thomas (with support from star Kristen Bell) has started a Kickstarter campaign to raise money in order to make a VM movie. Yes, you read right: A Veronica Mars Movie! And, it's looking good because the $2 million goal has almost been reached in one day.

Shooting is set to begin in the summer, with a release sometime in early 2014. Now, we just have to see if LoVe becomes a reality again ...

What we're listening to: Master of My Make-Believe by Santigold

I'm still catching up on music from last year, so I'm just now listening to Santigold's album Master of My Make-Believe, which was released last spring.

Drawing obvious comparisons to M.I.A., Santigold is less aggressive in her style and delivery, but still has something to say. Her influences are abundant and eclectic. Karen O. and Nick Zinner of the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs, were quite involved in this record, from Karen O.'s vocal and writing contributions to Nick's handling of guitar work on several tracks. Diplo, Switch, Q-Tip, and Dave Sitek from TV on the Radio, among others, all produced at least one track. She also mentioned in an interview that she gains visual inspiration for her live shows from artists such as David Byrne and Bjork, but I would go as far to say that she is influenced by them musically because those two artists come to mind when I hear Santigold's record-- it has that worldly and genre-bending vibe to it.

Two tracks in particular stand out to me: "Disparate Youth" and "This Isn't Our Parade." They're nothing alike. The former is more straightforward and perhaps her more representative sound, the latter is laid-back and as close to a ballad as she gets. Track 9, "The Keepers," has a bouncy beat, but damning lyrics. It's all about the contrast. A great record for repeated listens because different elements come forward each time. This disc would be perfect for parties.

Side note: "Disparate Youth" is featured in the current Honda commercial.

Guilty pleasure pick: Ferris Bueller's Day Off

As a child of the 80s, I can do two things: spot a shoulder pad and quote John Hughes' movies. (I could also tell you where I was the first time I got my first Cabbage Patch Doll, but I digress ...) A classic Hughes movie, and I would argue his most funny, Ferris Bueller's Day Off still holds up 26 years later. And if you haven't seen it, or might want to revisit, I would recommend this oldie but goodie.

Do you that have a person in your life that seems to have everything work out for them? Well, Ferris is one of those people. The premise is simple: high-schooler Ferris wants to ditch school because it's too nice outside to sit in class all day. Of course, shenanigans and comedy ensue, though not without the dramatic moment in the best friend's garage after one of the shenanigans goes awry. All the other schemes, of course, work out because this is a Hollywood movie. But the fun is in the vicarious feelings, that, yeah, I wish I could play hooky too just once and have it be as great as Ferris' day off.

The performances are well done by all, but Matthew Broderick as the titular character, is golden. He carries the film with charm. The opening sequence alone is genius and a precursor to the use of the quick-cut-with-a-jumping-topic/situation-soliloquy, which is nowadays ubiquitous in many comedies. Alan Ruck (Cameron) and Mia Sara (Sloane, an appropriately North Shore name) are Ferris' best friend and girlfriend respectively. They are his sidekicks for the day, and each have their own moments. I particularly like Ruck's scene early on when Broderick is trying to convince him to play hooky too. Jennifer Grey, pre-Dirty Dancing days, excels as Ferris' jealous sister, Jeanie and even Charlie Sheen has a cameo that fits: bad boy.

FBDO may not compete with comedy classics such as Blazing Saddles or Caddyshack, but it's still a gem of a movie and good for a night in from the cold weather.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Find it in the catalog!

Being Human, UK v. US

Smackdown: UK Being Human season 1 v. US Being Human season 1

Basic premise of both: a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost co-habitate in order to appear and try to live as humans.

In the original UK version we begin when vampire Mitchell (Adian Turner) and werewolf George (Russell Tovey) rent a place together and find ghost Annie (Lenora Crichlow) haunting it. She died in the house and can't cross-over; Mitchell and George are the first beings to actually be able to see her since she died 6 months prior. They form a tight trio and help each other out with their supernatural issues, which of course keep getting in the way of "begin human."

In the US version we follow vampire Aidan (Sam Witwer) and werewolf Josh (Sam Huntington) as they rent a house and find ghost Sally (Meaghan Rath). The beginning and basic plotlines follow those of the UK version, but there are some variations as the season progresses. One plotline in the US version doesn't even happen until the second series of the UK version, so the US makers seem eager to begin the separation fairly quickly from the original material.

Recent release: Jeff, Who Lives At Home

I recently checked out the Jason Segel vehicle Jeff, Who Lives At Home by brothers Jay and Mark Duplass (Mark being the summer's indie darling). It has a noteworthy supporting cast including Ed Helms, Susan Sarandon and Judy Greer. From the outset, its a quiet movie about a slacker still living in his mother's basement. A comedy and borderline farce at times, the last third becomes suspenseful and dramatic.

Segel plays the titular character who is metaphorically lost, and uses what he deems as signs, or connections, to guide his life (Jeff loves the M. Night Shyamalan movie Signs and the movie opens with him watching the flick). Jeff is given a simple task by his mother (Sarandon) and he is quickly sidetracked from the errand by one of his signs and follows it. Thus the story begins to unfold as Jeff, by seeming chance, runs into his brother Pat (Helms), and they in turn end up spying on Pat's wife Linda (Greer) and so on ... Sarandon has a workplace sub-plot about realizing your life again, later in life. It is nowhere near as satisfying as Jeff's storyline, but it still shows Sarandon in a another light-- a less confident character than she often plays.

The final third of the movie addresses Jeff's unrealized life in a big way, changing your view of the character and the movie itself. Maybe Jeff's philosophy on life and decision-making processes weren't so crazy after all? It might make you to look at your own life differently. And I love that, because that is not at all what I expected from this unassuming film.

Jeff, Who Lives At Home
Find it in the catalog!

Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Greatest Hits

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (JGL) has been a favorite of mine for several years now and he just keeps getting better. He varies his parts, but always turns in a noteworthy performance. Besides being easy on the eyes, he exudes easiness and charm in spades.

Joseph was most famous for his teenage role on the CBS sitcom 3rd Rock From the Sun in the late nineties to early aughts. He has since made a name for himself in the film industry. These are some of his greatest hits:

1. 10 Things I Hate About You: Yes, it's a high school movie. But, it also has JGL, Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles as relative youngsters. Based on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, it's one of the better teenage movies. Find it in the catalog!

2. Manic: The first pairing of JGL with Zooey Deschanel, although this one lacks the cuteness of (500) Days of Summer (see below). Manic is more dark and moody and shows JGL in a much different light than his previous work on 3rd Rock or 10 Things. I'm sure that that was a conscious choice on his part to avoid being type-cast. JGL plays Lyle, who is placed in a mental institution with other teens after some violent incidents. He is a somewhat sympathetic character plopped into the chaos of real teenage angst. Find it in the catalog!

3. Brick: A more cerebral turn for JGL. He plays Brendan, a high-schooler on the hunt for his ex-girlfriend's murderer, and to do so must access the sinister crowd, including the local drug dealer.  The tone is noir, the dialogue Shakespearean, but shot in color with more modern circumstances. It's an odd contrast and I guarantee you won't have seen a similar movie. (This is from director/writer Rian Johnson who subsequently wrote and directed The Brothers Bloom and the upcoming Looper also starring JGL.) Find it in the catalog!

4. The Lookout: A caper with excellent tension and performances all around (especially Matthew Goode with a role against type here). JGL plays Chris, a bank janitor with short-term memory issues as a result of a car accident in high school-- which makes him the perfect patsy. This just might be my favorite JGL film. Maybe. Find it in the catalog!

5. (500) Days of Summer: The second pairing of JGL and Zooey Deschanel. This flick is quirky, but still meaningful and one of the better rom-coms in recent years. This film definitely showcases JGL's lighter side. Great soundtrack. Find it in the catalog!

6. Inception: JGL is one of many, but still manages to make an impression. Check out the Media Corner synopsis. Find it in the catalog!

7. 50/50: As I stated earlier this year, I think this movie was robbed at Oscar nomination time. JGL leads as a twenty-something diagnosed with cancer. Joseph was able to run the gammit of emotions: confusion, anger, frustration, humor and thinking it might help you get the ladies (which I was unaware was one of the stages of dealing with cancer ...). Find it in the catalog!

Lastly, I would be remiss if I did not mention his excellent and grounding performance in The Dark Knight Rises. His character's place and purpose was unclear in pre-production, but he becomes the one to watch in the last installment of Nolan's grand trilogy. Joseph also has three more movies in the can: soon to be released Premium Rush, the aforementioned Looper, and Lincoln where he plays Robert Todd to Daniel Day-Lewis' Abraham (now that will be one to watch!). Oh, and did I mention he's currently writing and directing his first movie, Don Jon's Addiction? What a renaissance man.

What we're listening to: Blood Pressures by The Kills

Released just over a year ago, Blood Pressures by The Kills is a pretty rockin' record. As a group and overall sound, the Kills remind me of the Ravonettes and the Black Keys (2 person outfit managing to produce some full and heavy sounds). The Kills are comprised of Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince.

The disc opens with an excellent, almost tribal-like drum beat, on Future Starts Slow. It's basically a sonic foreshadow of the great beats throughout the record. The third track, Heart is a Beating Drum, features accompaniment by, of all things, a ping pong ball. Track two, Satellite, grabs you right away and doesn't let go. It starts out with a machine-sounding intro and a heavy beat (sense a theme here?) with some prominent, syncopated guitar-- almost ska like. The vocals are slightly sultry and the lyrics clever. It has all the elements for an excellent song; it's my favorite from the record. The barest of the tracks is The Last Goodbye, which features a mournful Mosshart singing about lost love, as you can imagine from the title.

I listened to this disc everyday for six weeks (I renewed it)-- and it never got old.

Blood Pressures by The Kills
Find it in the catalog!