Sunday, December 27, 2009

Review Session: Avatar

Avatar

Budgeted at nearly $270 million, “Avatar” spends every cent to create a world so rich and lush, so textured, real and surreal, you give yourself over to it and then lose yourself in it. Computers long have driven films, but not at this high a level and not with Cameron’s legions of gifted artists working behind the screens. At nearly three hours, the movie is long, but the trick is that the storytelling is brisk, with Cameron focusing the bulk of his film on Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), a former marine paralyzed from the waist down and now confined to a wheelchair. How a team of scientists get him out of that chair and on his feet is unconventional, to say the least, but the year is 2154, after all, and apparently anything is possible. Besides, getting Jake mobile is critical to the movie. Doing so involves the use of a scientifically created, 10-foot-tall avatar modeled after the Na’vi, an alien race that lives on the planet Pandora, which has the misfortune of possessing a mineral called Unobtainium that could save Earth from its dwindling energy reserves if enough of it is mined. And so it will be mined--by force, if necessary, though the idea behind these manufactured Na’vi is to allow for assimilation in an effort to move this race to another part of Pandora, where the Unobtainium isn’t present.
Through sleep and science, Jake becomes his avatar--long and blue and lithe of limb, it’s a thrill to watch him run again--and soon he’s off to Pandora with Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver, nicely channeling Ripley from Cameron’s “Alien” franchise) and a handful of others. Once there, the beauty of Pandora shields a wealth of dangers. Anything can and does happen, with Jake eventually being separated from his crew and stumbling upon the cat-like Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), who mocks him, nearly kills him, and whose parents lead the Na’vi. Naturally, in spite of all her hissing, Jakes falls for her. Since the film’s pleasures go beyond the brilliance of its visuals--Cameron’s strength always has been his ability to mount one mother of a climax, which he does here--the final battle scene is pieced together like that of a cardiothoracic surgeon. Extravagant, yet not over the top, the film winds down to be one hulluva finale. Safe to say that the supporting cast (Stephen Lang, Giovani Ribisi, Michelle Rodriguez) is solid; but there really is no outstanding performance in the film by a supporting actor playing a human.
James Cameron has come back home ladies and gentlemen. Cameron is back, bigger, badder, and more mature in his crowning work of his career. Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Titanic do not even compare anymore. This is the film that can blend the fans of those two films together and lock Cameron into your heart. He's a definite spoiler for a directing bid for the Academy Awards. You have to admire the raw, natural talent the man has. How could you ever conceive such an experience and put that much effort and work into it and have it pay off? The box office success will surely keep him in the minds of voters for various critics' awards. His screenplay, leaps and bounds better than 1997's Best Picture Winner, is primed, developed and ripe for the taking. Though, you do acquire the tacky and atypical dialogue you expect from a science fiction director of this caliber, you can appreciate the effort and the honesty of it all. James Cameron is everything Michael Bay wishes he was, to put it bluntly. Avatar is one of the best films of the year. The most exciting, thrilling, and superb work you'll feast your eyes on in any theater this century. Cinema, forever, will remember the benchmark that James Cameron placed not only for himself, but for any man, daring to change the game, the way Cameron did. Avatar is a movie experience to be remembered, and please experience in a movie theater first.


Rating = 9.2

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Top 25 Albums of 2009

25. Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms
24. Yeah Yeah Yeah's - It's Blitz
23. Bibio - Ambivalence Avenue
22. Bear In Heaven - Beast Rest Forth Mouth
21. White Denim - Fits
20. Japandroids - Post-Nothing
19. Mos Def - The Ecstatic
18. Various Artists - Dark Was The Night
17. Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer
16. Real Estate - Real Estate
15. St. Vincent - Actor
14. Wild Beasts - Two Dancers
13. Florence + The Machine - Lungs
12. Passion Pit - Manners
11. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
10. The Antlers - Hospice
9. The Horrors - Primary Colours
8. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillon
7. Girls - Album
6. Bat For Lashes - Two Suns
5. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart -
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
4. The xx - xx
3. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
2. The Flaming Lips - Embryonic
1. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

Monday, December 14, 2009

Top 25 Songs of 2009

25. So Bored by Wavves
24. The Whale Song by Modest Mouse
23. Lust For Life by Girls
22. The Strangers by St. Vincent
21. French Navy by Camera Obscura
20. Daylight by Matt & Kim
19. Beach Comber by Real Estate
18. What Would I Want? Sky by Animal Collective
17. Island, IS by Volcano Choir
16. You Go On Ahead (Trumpet Trumpet II) by Sunset Rubdown
15. Cosmic Love by Florence + The Machine
14. Stillness Is The Move by The Dirty Projectors
13. Little Secrets by Passion Pit
12. Silver Trembling Hands by The Flaming Lips
11. Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) by Florence + The Machine
10. Crystalized by The xx
9. Daniel by Bat For Lashes
8. Young Hearts Spark Fire by Japandroids
7. 1901 by Phoenix
6. Young Adult Friction by The Pains of Being Pure At Heart
5. Two Weeks by Grizzly Bear
4. Anonanimal by Andrew Bird
3. Knotty Pine by The Dirty Projectors w/ David Byrne
2. My Girls by Animal Collective
1. While You Wait For The Others by Grizzly Bear

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Films of the Decade


25. Children of Men (2006)

24. 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days (2008)

23. Crash (2005)

22. The Lord of the Rings : The Two Towers (2002)

21. The Lives of Others (2006)

20. The Prestige (2006)

19. Inglorious Bastards (2009)

18. The Pianist (2002)

17. WALL-E (2008)

16. Gladiator (2000)

15. The Dark Knight (2008)

14. MILK (2008)

13. The Incredibles (2004)

12. The Royal Tenebaums (2001)

11. No Country For Old Men (2007)

10. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

9. The Departed (2006)

8. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

7. Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

6. Amelie (2001)

5. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

4. There Will Be Blood (2007)

3. Memento (2000)

2. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

1. City of God (2002)

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Featured Artist: Bear In Heaven


Bear In Heaven

What do you know? Another great band based in Brooklyn who plays psychedelic indie rock and experimental rock music. There's a catch with Bear In Heaven though. They create a sound that rivals that of extravagant film scores. They combine the genres of psych-rock, experimental rock and what's known as krautrock, which is a type of German experimental rock. Well, this krautrock genre must be the difference maker, because these guys are completely and totally organic. Their song structure is original and their music ranges from tightly knit electronica based tracks to long, sweeping prog-rock tunes. Pitchfork.com said that they seem to have made an album for an epic IMAX film. The band was formed in 2003 by Jon Philpot, who joined forces with Adam Wills, Sadek Bazarra, and Joe Stickney. Their first release was 2007's Red Bloom of the Boom which garnered little press. However, 2009's Beast Rest Fourth Mouth hit big in the US and UK. The album received a Best New Music label from Pitchfork.com and has gained a lot of attention out of the Brooklyn Indie scene. I really enjoy Bear in Heaven and I think they have created a sound that Pitchfork.com calls "music you will want to feel all around you."

Songs to Check Out:
- Beast In Peace
- You Do You
- Ultimate Satisfaction
- Fake Out

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Review Session: Real Estate's Real Estate

Real Estate by Real Estate

Usually, when someone says Jersey Shore I imagine over-tanned, under-mannered guidos dancing like fools and drinking wine coolers. And when someone says music from Jersey Shore, I think Springsteen or Bon Jovi. However, in the case of Real Estate its fuzzy beach bums playing psychedelic surfer rock. Real Estate started with covers of Weezer and The Strokes, but when it came to the task of creating their own original album they took a different direction. Their self-titled debut album is simply amazing. From the opening track Beach Comber to the closer Snow Days the album arches across emotions, situations, and musical qualities. Heavily influenced by other great Jersey Shore Indie rockers Yo La Tengo, they approached their first album with the idea of accumulating their own influences and putting together their own sound. When listening to the album you can hear elements of The Shins, Modest Mouse, The Beach Boys, Menomena, Bibio and Yo La Tengo themselves. Do not go into the album thinking they copied these bands, they don't at all. The merely use them as a guide to create a river-esque flow of great music. Real Estate uses crisp, intertwined guitars, a slow and steady bass, and drums to match throughout the album. The technical aspect of their music is exquisite, and their haunting lyrics are apparent in each and every track. The band's chemistry is obvious as they play very reliable and appropriate tunes for the album. Real Estate's Real Estate is another amazing debut album in the year of 2009, but these guys are standing up to the best albums I have come across this year.

Rating = 8.6

Monday, November 9, 2009

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Kyle's Korner: Fuck The Right Wing!

The time has come for me to put my political science studies into good use. I would say my political science degree but I can't say that til May. Anyways, in the past few weeks a lot of discussion has focused on the rate of change in a year after the election of Obama and also the "war" between the White House and Fox News. All of this got my mind aglow and my emotions stiring. After a few days of thought and reading and discussing these topics in class, I have come to some conclusions. All of them seem to deal with the right wing!
The first is that the conservatives in this country must have had a conference or something and decided they were going to rename themselves to the Grand Ol' Bullshit Party. The right wing didn't get mad when our President decided to fight an "illegal" war, when the government illegally wiretaped citizens, when congress passed the Patriots' Act (the worst bill ever), when we tortured prisoners of war, when the conditions at Walter Reed Veteren's Hospitial were exposed, when we let an entire city drown in the biggest governmental let down in the history of this country, or when our conservative supreme court intervened and decided an election which led to all of this. But they get mad at a President for trying to improve health care for Americans who cannot afford to have it. How Un-American of him!
The next is the "pace of change" issue Americans are having with the Obama administration. When you have an economy in the shitter, banks going under, and a floundering war in two countries on the other side of the world all because of George Walker "Texas Ranger" Bush and his trusty sidekick "Tricky" Dick, its difficult to change the things that you want to change. The fact that we aren't in a depression or that the Dow is over 10,000 is a bloody miracle if you look at what it was when Obama took office. We let a President make change quickly the last 8 years and look where it got us. Positive change takes time and ten months is not really much time. Let's talk about this after 2 years when we should be out of Iraq and have a thriving economy again. "Pace of change" my ass! Just another one of Fox News' conservative attempts to foster hatred towards Obama.
The last thing I would like to discuss is this "war" that Fox News is having with the White House because the White House said that Fox News is lying and making false statements about the Obama's reign. Well guess what Fox News? YOU ARE LYING! You make up these things about Death Panels and Illegal Immigrants getting benefits under the health care bill. Or how about Glenn Beck's comparison of Obama to Hitler. Or my favorite, that we are falling into a Socialist country. All completely false. By the way Socialism is amazing. Free college, free health care, lower crime rates, higher standards of living, and cleaner environments. That kind of sounds like what people really want in a country. Oh, so you have to pay higher taxes? That seems as if you want all those things without paying a price. That's freaking impossible! If you haven't seen Jon Stewart's attack on Fox News last week I recommend you check it out below.
It seems to me that the right wing wants Obama to fail. Actually thats exactly what they want. They want a divided country because they are miserable, self-loathing, biast assholes who have nothing better to do then pick apart a nation built on a foundation of unity amongst people with differing opinions. Thomas Jefferson may have disliked Federalists but he never made up bullshit about them. He simply did his best at convincing people he was right and they were wrong. Maybe if the right wing was right about anything they could do that too. With all this said I have only one last thing to say. Fuck the Right Wing!

Daily Show Video

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Artists for the Next Decade

These are some bands or artists that I expect a lot out of the next decade. I look forward to seeing how wrong I was about these bands.

Arcade Fire
Well, I guess this one kind of speaks for itself. I mean they released in my opinion the greatest album of all time in 2004, Funeral, they released another brilliant album in 2007, Neon Bible, and well they may be responsible for Obama in the White House and the creation of the film Where The Wild Things Are. These guys are like Radiohead in the fact that everything they do is looked at as amazing, which is true unless you ask Wayne Coyne. Arcade Fire is young, they are musically beyond their years, and well their fan base is world-wide. I don't know if I ever expect them to top Funeral, but God I hope they try!

Yeasayer
If you have listened to Yeasayer at all over the past few years you know how creative and talented the are. Well, what if I told you that I think they will get better and better. With the release of All Hours Cymbals in 2007 they more then got their foot in the door of the indie music scene. Yeasayer has built a solid fan base over the last few years despite only releasing the one album. Their funky psych-pop-rock style of music is conducive to an endless potential of creativity. I can honestly see these guys making an album for the ages, and they have a chance with their next album Odd Blood due out in February.

Frightened Rabbit
If you haven't heard of or haven't listened to Frightened Rabbit, I would compare them to an angry Scottish version of The National. Lyrically the band essentially uses drunken tirades of sexual and emotional lashes against themselves and former lovers that turn out to be quite interesting despite their filth. Musically Frightened Rabbit has yet to hit their stride. I believe the talent is there, but it has yet to be harnessed into an album that is complete. That is why I am certainly interested in seeing where they go over the next decade.

Vampire Weekend
This NYC quartet's self-titled debut album hit the ground running and made a memorable mark on Indie music in 2008. They will be releasing a sophomore album in early 2010 and I know it is being highly anticipated by everyone who heard the first album. Whether you like them or not you must admit the are musically gifted and quite original and daft lyrically. If the can keep up the pace with very good to solid albums, this could be a helluva decade for these Columbia-educated boys.

Beirut
This is a personal pick. Beirut is one of my favorite bands and I follow their every move. With their double EP that came out earlier this year I saw that there is more to them then meets the eye. The amazing Zach Condon is creative and refreshes his music with everything he does. He is still young and there is about 90% of the world he hasn't written music in. That's a lot of cultural influence to delve into.

Grizzly Bear
Some are labeling Grizzly Bear as the greatest band out there right now. They are well-known world wide and critically acclaimed everywhere. They have released at least two top-notch albums in the 2000's with Yellow House and the immortal Veckatimest. With their haunting indie folk take on music they are more than capable of creating something special. I mean more special then what they have already accomplished, and that is saying a lot. With the exception of Arcade Fire they are the most accomplished band on this list and I am incredibly excited to see what the future holds bright for them.

Japandroids
The second-coming of Sonic Youth is embodied in the duo of Japandroids. I know that is a lot to put on these Vancouver-based rockers but I truly love them and I truly think they have what it takes to live up to that billing. Post-Nothing is their 2009 dynamic debut album with the booming song Young Hearts Spark Fire sitting in the two slot. One of the best songs of the year to go along with one of the best albums of the year. In a very good year for Indie music they managed to make a lasting impression. Will they be able to stay creative enough in the next decade? I think (hope) so.

Bon Iver
Justin Vernon is the man behind the music here and he maybe one of the most talented musicians we've seen this decade. So with one album under Bon Iver and one under Volcano Choir I look forward to some damage done by Vernon. Most likely he will be doing this with Bon Iver as their debut album was one of the best seen in the 2000s. Bon Iver has a woodsy-folk style that stands alone in the genre of folk music. Its sweet, yet sad and emotional, yet soft. Its remarkable how good an album can be when the music is simple but sensational. If you haven't hit these guys up or checked out Volcano Choir, please do so, because there is something about Justin Vernon that is special.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Featured Artist: Yeasayer


Yeasayer

Yeasayer is yet another Brooklyn based band that hit the scene back in 2007 with their phenomenal debut album All Hours Cymbals. They describe their music as "Middle Eastern-psych-snap-gospel", which is an awesome genre if I must say. Of course they are the only band I know of that labels their music that way. This may be why they are so damn original. I mean, I cannot figure out another band that influenced them or even sounds like them. The band was originally formed of four Brooklynites - Anand Wilder, Chris Keating, Ira Wolf Tuton, and Luke Fasano. However, since their debut Fasano has left the band. The three Yeasayers continue to tour and the reason I am promoting them now is because they recently announced they will be releasing their sophomore album entitled Odd Blood in February. To be honest I am pumped because these guys are so creative and so talented I could see them blowing people out of the water with this album. I don't want to give it so much hype that it leads to disappointment, but I have to be honest, this could be a mind-blowing album based on the direction they are supposedly taking. Also, the boys contributed to this year's highly successful Dark Was The Night compilation album. Anyways, before February gets here I recommend you listen to All Hours Cymbals on loop a few times through to pre-blow your mind. Just one last thing, Yeasayer preformed a few songs acapella on the French Metro in February 2008 and was filmed by Vincent Moon, who has done take-away videos for Sigur Ros, R.E.M., and Arcade Fire. The link is below.

Yeasayer Acapella Show -
http://www.blogotheque.net/Yeasayer,3966

Songs to Check Out:
-Germs
-Wait For The Summer
-Sunrise
-2080



Friday, October 16, 2009

Review Session: Where The Wild Things Are


Where The Wild Things Are

This film came out today and I am already seeing tons of reviews that are as usual highly biased and mostly polarized. Some people are saying that WTWTA is masterpiece and others are saying how terrible and unrealistic it is. DON'T LISTEN TO ANY OF IT! Go see this film simply to make your own opinion and judge it on your experience not someone else's. With that said I am gonna tell you what my experience was like, but you don't have to listen to if you don't want to. The film is an adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic book in which Max is set to bed without dinner and in turn runs away and creates an imaginary land where Wild Things roam free and claim Max as their king.
The director and co-writer Spike Jonze recently told Time Out, “I didn’t set out to make a children’s film - I set out to make a film about childhood.” Honestly, that's how I've always felt about the book, because it shows children how they are similar to adults and it shows adults how they are similar to children. I mean that through out the film Max (Max Records) consistently runs into issues that adults face when he is his imaginary world and how he faces issues that children face while in the real world. Early in the film when Max is playing in his snow-covered yard and hanging around the house we see him exhibit manic changes in his emotions which children often do. He has trouble controlling his imagination as his protective "igloo" is destroyed by his sister's friend and he chases his dog around the house with, if I remember correctly, a fork. This are child like behaviors that adults don't have anymore, but we are reminded that kids are innocent and sensitive.
Once Max makes his journey across the sea to his make believe land he meets the Wild Things, and they crown him as their king after Max begs not to be eaten because he tells them he has many special powers. After meeting the Wild Things, Max takes on characteristics that usually an adult would exhibit. He must make rational choices to lead the Wild Things and to make sure that everyone is happy as he tells them he has a "sadness shield" that keeps sadness away. The Wild Things, both monstrous and human, take on the characteristics of a child, as they throw temper tantrums, express their neediness and physically rough-house each other. In his imaginary world Max now sees childhood instead of experiencing it . WTWTA is an escape from reality and in it Jonze may be saying that an adult's escape may lead them to find their childish roots, but a child escapes to a world they can only imagine - adulthood.
Where The Wild Things Are indeed lives up to its billing if and only if you accept it for what it really is, an innovative description of the inner workings of a child's mind as he figures out the turmoil of life through his imagination. The relationships between Max and Carol (James Gandolfini) and the other Wild Things so perfectly serves as a mirror for all the turbulation and doubt and longing Max feels. The journey into Max's psyche and his realization of how to handle things unfolds very delicately - so much that you almost don't realize it's happening. One moment, you're on a fun adventure to a land of freedom and fun; the next, you're processing all the symbolism that you've seen throughout the film.
The voices are selected and executed exquisitely by such actors as James Gandolfini, Paul Dano, Forest Whitaker, Catherine O'Hara, and Chis Cooper. The cinematography is superbly done as it adds rather than subtracts from the film. The Wild Thing costumes are truly perfection as the are dead on from the book. Spike Jonze's direction is purposeful, meaningful, and extracts from the story the raw emotion and true meaning that I believe Maurice Sendak does in the book. The lone issues I see with the film are its real lack of a substance-filled plot line, and a good portrayal of how truly wild the Wild Things are. In the book they are chaos-driven creatures searching for a leader, but I do not see this so much in the film. They seem to have asome order to them before Max arrives. However, Where The Wild Things is lovable, fantastical and a great experience for those with an open heart and a wild imagination.

Rating = 8.3

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Review Session: The Flaming Lips' Embryonic

Review Session is a new segment I am bringing to this critically acclaimed blog in which I will be reviewing albums and films that I deem worthy. I will also be scoring the review on a scale from 1 to 10.


Embryonic by The Flaming Lips

Wayne Coyne recently said on The Colbert Report, "I would accept weird as a compliment." Being a hug fan of him and his band I can truly believe that he does accept weird as a compliment. I bring this up because, well, Embryonic is straight up weird. Just look at the album cover pictured above. I mean weird to be a massive compliment in this situation. Their last two albums At War With the Mystics and Yoshmi Battles the Pink Robots, have been weird in there own little way, but not the usually Flaming Lips definition of "weird". Embryonic is dark, intense, and most definitely Flaming Lips "weird"! This album creates epic waves of sound that wash over the listener's brain leaving it highly stimulated and immensely satisfied. The album embarks on a journey based on the ebb and flow of intense psych-rock influenced songs and soft-natured whimsical tracks. The purpose of the album is direct. The Flaming Lips intend to once again re-direct their music into a different direction, which is back to their roots. Embryonic reminds me a little of their 1990 album In a Priest Driven Ambulance, which brings the same persona of damp freakiness. In Embryonic Wayne Coyne's voice has never been more soft, yet his words have never been more potent. In the opening track "Convinced of the Hex" Coyne sings in a monotone voice, "she said I like your theory, but it won't past no tests". In this line Coyne states the albums theme in that the world is full of ideas and theories, but do they make sense? Do they fit in our world? Coyne has never been one short of words, but in Embryonic he makes his lyrics count. The Flaming Lips have once again hit the nail on the head, but with Embryonic they have achieved a level of musical genius they haven't had in a decade.

Rating = 9.4




Thursday, October 8, 2009

Video: Modest Mouse:

Amazing video from Modest Mouse for "The Whale Song". One of the best music videos in years, but then again this could be said of all Modest Mouse videos.

Video: Modest Mouse: "Whale Song"

Shared via AddThis

Here's a Modest Mouse Video Playlist from Pitchfork

Friday, October 2, 2009

Featured Artist: The xx

The xx

The xx are an English indie-pop quartet from South London. The band is made up of four 20 year-old mates who met while in school. Romy Madley Croft is on guitar and vocals, Oliver Sim is on vocals and bass, Baria Qureshi on guitar, and Jamie Smith on drum machine. Yes, drum machine not a drum set. This band does things they way they want to do them. Like, they produced the whole album by themselves. Croft and Sim share the responsibility of lead singer as they twist and tie their words together. They look like a bunch of emo kids that you would see hanging out behind the Quickie Mart, smoking cigerettes instead of being in school. However, they are hugely influenced by R&B and do a great cover of Aalyiah's "Hot Like Fire". The most obvious and ever-present theme in their music is sex. Almost ever line on the album has something to do with sex, but in a pretty tasteful way. The xx are gaining so much respect overseas and their debut album, xx, arrives in the states soon. This album is amazing and is, at least to me, competing to for top album of 2009.

Songs to Check Out:
- Crystalized
- Islands
- Basic Space
- Heart Skips A Beat


Sunday, August 16, 2009

Featured Artist: White Denim


White Denim

White Denim is an Austin, Texas based trio that dabbles in just about every genre of music. This includes alt rock, post punk, garage rock, indie rock, psych-rock, blues, and even a little country. They use sophisticated song structure and exotic looping techniques to complete their ever-changing, completely unique sound. The band got its start playing in a trailer that belonged to the drummer Joshua Block. The group is rounded off by vocalist and bass player Steve Terebecki and vocalist and guitar player James Petralli. The band has released three EP records since 2007 and two LP records that were received with little valor from critics. However, earlier this year they released their third LP Fits (out only in the UK at the moment) which has been received to rave reviews from many outlets including me. The album is one of the best of 2009 in a completely stacked year. The fellows of White Denim admit they are not fans of the CD format so look for their stuff digitally and on vinyl.

Songs To Check Out:
- Mirrored and Reversed
- Regina Holding Hands
- Syncn
- Say What You Want

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Best Animated Films of All-Time

These are the top 20 animated films of all-tim. Remember that does not mean kid movies.

20. Monsters Inc. (2001)
19. Shrek (2001)
18. Ratatouille (2007)
17. Waltz With Bashir (2008)
16. Persepolis (2007)
15. The Little Mermaid (1989)
14. Toy Story (1995)
13. Vuk (1981)
12. Up (2009)
11. Aladdin (1992)
10. Beauty and the Beast (1991)
9. Toy Story 2 (1999)
8. Finding Nemo (2003)
7. Wall-E (2008)
6. South Park: Bigger, Stronger, Uncut (1999)
5. Spirited Away (2001)
4. The Lion King (1994)
3. The Incredibles (2004)
2. Akira (1988)
1. Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Featured Artist: St. Vincent


St. Vincent

Annie Clark is a Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter who preforms under the moniker of St. Vincent. Formally of The Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Steven's traveling band, Annie Clark has been in the music business for almost ten years even though she is only 26. She has worked as a tour manager, guitarist, back-up vocalist, opening act and now she has her own band. Dropping their first album, Marry Me, in 2007 St. Vincent arrived on the indie scene with originality and distinction. Annie Clark was nominated for the PLUG Award's New Artist of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, and Music Video of the Year following the release of Marry Me, and she won Female Artist of the Year. The great year continued as St. Vincent made its rounds opening for such bands as Arcade Fire, The National, Death Cab For Cutie, and this summer is opening for Andrew Bird. Also, this year St. Vincent released Actor which is already being considered one of the year's best albums, and I certainly agree. She displays all her tools in this album including guitar-play, unique vocals, and amazing songwriting. Her sound has elements of David Bowie, My Brightest Diamond, and John Vanderslice. Annie Clark is aimed for the top in my opinion and she definitely has what it takes. Check her out!

Songs to Check Out:
- The Neighbors
- Actor Out of Work
- Laughing With A Mouth Full of Blood
- Marrow

Monday, June 29, 2009

Top 25 Albums of the 70's

These are the top 25 albums of the 1970's.

25. Van Halen by Van Halen (1978)
24. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars by David Bowie (1972)
23. Raw Power by Iggy and The Stooges (1973)
22. The Clash by The Clash (1977)
21. Zuma by Neil Young and Crazy Horse (1975)
20. Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd (1975)
19. The Specials by The Specials (1979)
18. Ramones by The Ramones (1976)
17. Let It Be by The Beatles (1970)
16. The Wall by Pink Floyd (1979)
15. III by Led Zeppelin (1970)
14. Exile on Main Street by The Rolling Stones (1972)
13. Pink Moon by Nick Drake (1972)
12. On the Beach by Neil Young (1974)
11. Funhouse by The Stooges (1970)
10. Bitches' Brew by Miles Davis (1970)
9. Sticky Fingers by Rolling Stones (1971)
8. Low by David Bowie (1977)
7. Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd (1973)
6. London Calling by The Clash (1979)
5. Who's Next by The Who (1971)
4. Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division (1979)
3. Blood on the Tracks by Bob Dylan (1975)
2. Piano Man by Billy Joel (1973)
1. IV by Led Zeppelin (1971)