Danny Boyle's (28 Days Later) new movie is a metaphysical and visual scorcher. Literally. Beautifully conceived, with an interesting assorted cast, the film centers on the crew of the Icarus II. They are the last hope for humanity, the sun's rays no longer strong enough to warm the Earth as the crew move ever closer to it. And a darkness lurks in the light...
One thing: the spacesuits of the future are made of gold.
While Mississippi is not always the best state to party in, it rose up a few notches for at least one night while hosting the White Stripes at Snowden Grove Amphitheater Tuesday. Walking in to the concert area was like passing a Saturday football tailgate into a state fair, but sitting on the lawn elevated above the stage was all style. When the White Stripes pushed on stage, dressed in red jumpsuits and backed by a two-tier red background, complete with three staircases and a giant disco ball glittering overhead, it kept getting better.
The encore of the show completely blew me away. As Jack White finished a slow solo guitar piece, three sets of lights, of course red and white, smashed the disco ball hanging over the keys, and the entire stage turned into a 70s red-white disco aquarium. My one mark against them was they forgot to play "Fell in Love With A Girl." But I liked most of what I heard. Highlights included "Hotel Yorba," "I'm Slowly Turning Into You," and an offstage guitar performance by Jack with Meg on vocals.
Recently, the quasi-fem-bot bands who attempt the sexy-with-feminine-attitude style that works, at times, have dropped an LP or two for the listening public this summer. This music seems reserved for the overly-fashionable, the nose-upturned types who live this music in familiar social settings and scoff when you don't know (oh God!) the very *new* and *of course obscure* and *unheard-of except to them* indie-label band. What the fuck? That being said, I shouldn't be so angry because its just not true.
The Brazilian group is captained by a half-Japanese (anyone?) singer under the sexy and devious moniker, Lovefoxx. Translatable to "we're tired of being sexy," CSS has remixed the likes of The Cribs, The Wombats, Lily Allen, and Bonde de Role. In reverse, Spank Rock and Simian Mobile Disco place their own styling to remixes of Let's Make Love and Listen to Death From Above. Yes, very sexy. Panties thrown and received. Micro shorts and dirty legs. All-out and unadulterated dance music. Dirty moustache from the bassist. Thank you, Subpop Records.
5. Justice - New Jack
8. datA - J'aime pas l'art remix
12. Les Petite Pilous - Joile Fille (The Bloody Beetroots Remix)
15. Yelle - ACDG (TEPR Remix)
While engaged in a philosophical discussion about the nature of science, armed with a pipet in my left hand and an eager desire to run, I stay in the lab for the paycheck, like the guy on the right stuck in the giant cube of death. But then I could be like this guy from the Klaxons...
I discovered Armand Van Helden for myself by complete accident a few months ago, a fortuitous download from a compilation list of influences to a certain DJ Sta, (if you don't know him meet him here). Since 1988 Armand Van Helden has been making great, face-melting music for club rats and dance freaks all over the world.
