// Category Archive for: Movies

Best Of 2016: Stewart Eastham

I’m a rabid collector of soundtracks on vinyl, so I decided to break out my Favorite Ten Soundtracks separate from my Favorite Ten Albums, in general. For both lists, I’m only picking albums released in 2016 (whether a first release or re-release). I’m also only picking albums that had a physical vinyl release. The lists themselves are in no particular order.

Top Ten Soundtracks of 2016

The Neon Demon, Cliff Martinez
I’m a big fan of Cliff Martinez. The work he’s done recently for Nicolas Winding Refn’s films has been especially outstanding. (In addition to The Neon Demon, he did Drive and Only God Forgives.) This record has been in constant rotation at the house. (We had it cranked on set while shooting the music video for my song “Leavin’ By Sundown.”)

Biutiful, Gustavo Santaolalla
This is an older soundtrack, but Silva Screen did a special limited run vinyl release this year as part of the British website Zavvi’s “Secret Soundtrack” series. They put out some amazing soundtracks this year, but, sadly, the “Secret Soundtrack” series has been discontinued. This particular one really turned me onto the work of Gustavo Santaolalla. (I’m particularly fond of the soundtrack he did for the videogame The Last of Us which was originally released on vinyl by Mondo in 2015.

Luke Cage, Adrian Younge
I found out about Adrian Younge’s work early this year and became an instant fan. I love his melding of hip hop beats with Morricone-esque grandeur. I have yet to see this Netflix show, but the soundtrack is phenomenal. Serious head bobbin’ vibe.

Stranger Things, Vol 1 & 2; Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein
It feels redundant to point out the awesomeness of this soundtrack since it’s become so mainstream. But it’s just so good! Even beyond John Carpenter pastiche, it has a groovy synth vibe that is undeniable. (I did see this Netflix show and I did enjoy every minute of it.)

The Fountain, Clint Mansell
Mondo’s release of The Fountain soundtrack on vinyl is fantastic! Mansell had another great vinyl release this year with High-Rise, but I’m going with The Fountain as my pick. Beautiful, epic, and inspiring.

Taxi Driver, Bernard Herrmann
Waxwork did a fantastic re-release of this soundtrack in 2016. Though they are mostly known for horror soundtracks, they did a killer job on this album. From the artwork to the sound quality, it can’t be beat. I have a soft spot for this soundtrack as it takes me back to a time in my life when I used to watch this movie all the time.

Twin Peaks, Angelo Badalamenti
This is one of my favorite soundtracks of all time, so to finally see it released on vinyl this year was quite exciting. As per usual, Death Waltz did a top notch job with both the art and the sound quality. Even though I listened to this soundtrack hundreds of times in my younger days, it really did feel like hearing it for the first time on vinyl.

Fight Club, The Dust Brothers
The packaging alone qualifies this album for my list. Mondo went all out, forcing you to actually rip open the cover to get to the vinyl inside. I’ve always wondered why the Dust Brothers haven’t done more work in recent times, but this album is a great reminder of the top-notch work they did in their prime. Electronic beats dripping with exhilaration and nostalgia.

The Revenant, Ryuichi Sakamoto
I have yet to see this film, but the soundtrack is magical: a great mix of different sounds which create vast, evocative soundscapes. I’ve grown so fond of the soundtrack, I almost don’t want to see how it’s used in the film since the music contains such vivid imagery on its own.

Rome Armed To The Teeth / The Cynic The Rat And The Fist, Franco Micalizzi
This Death Waltz release early in the year really took me by surprise. I was expecting the typical run-of-the-mill 1970s Italian “waka-waka” soundtrack. Instead I got one of my favorite records of the year. The first disc actually reminds me of Adrian Younge’s vibe a bit. If this album hasn’t been sampled by a hip-hop producer yet, it’s just a matter of time. The beats are large and the horns are super fly.

Top Ten Albums of 2016

Take Me To The Alley, Gregory Porter
I absolutely love Gregory’s 2013 record Liquid Spirit and his new release does not disappoint. The songwriting, vocals, and musical arrangements are impeccable. The title track “Take Me To The Alley” is beautiful. My girlfriend and I had front row seats to see him perform here in Nashville in June (our second time seeing him perform). He takes the songs to a whole new level in a live setting and his band is truly amazing. (His drummer Emanuel Harrold is especially stunning!)

Hopelessness, Anohni
This is Anohni’s first solo release. She was previously known for her work in Antony and the Johnsons. I’m a huge fan of their records. She changes up her style a bit on this new project, but it’s just as awesome. (It’s less “chamber pop” and more electronic.) Dark lyricism and haunting vocals. Killer lines like: “Explode my crystal guts / Lay my purple on the grass.”

We got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your service, A Tribe Called Quest
I’m an old school Tribe fan. There was a time in my life when The Low End Theory was constantly playing. Even though it’s been 16 years, the new album in no way feels like a cheesy “we’re obligated to like it since they got back together” album. There have been some amazingly creative hip hop albums these last few years and I think this album stands up there with the best of them.

A Seat at the Table, Solange
I’m always a fan of mixing up genres, which Solange does wonderfully on this album. I’m also digging this new “minimalist R&B” vibe that’s been cropping up lately. (Sadly Frank Ocean’s Blond/e was ineligible for this list since it didn’t come out on vinyl in 2016.) The music itself has a soundtrack vibe that I dig. Don’t touch my hair!

A Sailor’s Guide To Earth, Sturgill Simpson
Although my own music is typically classified as Americana, I don’t listen to a whole lot of Americana in general. That being said, this album knocked me out the first time I heard it. With Sturgill’s Grammy nomination, it’s great to see him getting so much mainstream recognition. This album is an “art” album in the best sense of the word.

22, A Million, Bon Iver
The first time I heard this album, I didn’t know what to think other than, “I need to hear that again!” I’ve been a Bon Iver fan after seeing them perform at the Ryman touring for their previous album. The music and performance that night was beautiful. (And they had two drummers!) This new album sounds like it’s from another place that exists out of time. Modern, but ancient. I’m normally not a big fan of over-the-top vocal effects, but everything just meshes perfectly on this record making for a moving listening experience. (And I’m a sucker for the mysterious song titles and symbols in the album art.)

Sign “O” The Times, Prince
Of all the great musicians we lost this year, Prince probably hit me the hardest. Through all his eras, he’s been there right with me through all my own. It was a treat to get this new 2016 vinyl re-release to replace the scratched up original copy I had. What is there really to say about this album that hasn’t already been said. It’s probably my favorite Prince album… which is saying a lot considering how many incredible albums he put out.

Sorceress, Opeth
I’m a longtime Opeth fan, so it’s always fun seeing what new directions they explore with each album. I liked their last couple albums quite a bit, but I think this one tops them both. The songs are melodic, yet still heavy and chaotic at times. Lyrically I feel like Åkerfeldt has opened up a new door. I’ve always appreciated his lyrics in the atmospheric sense, but the lyrics on this album feel more personal. Ironically, my favorite track on the album might be the instrumental “The Seventh Sojourn.” It’s epic and powerful… especially at loud volume!

The Complete Cathedral Oceans, John Foxx
John Foxx was another new discovery for me this year. Once I delved into this gorgeous five-LP collection I was immediately hooked. Trippy, ambient soundscapes that will transport you to an alternate universe.

Exodus Of Venus, Elizabeth Cook
I really dig the latest release from fellow East Nashville resident Elizabeth Cook. This is one of the freshest Americana records I’ve heard in some time. Each song has its own sonic personality so the record is exciting to listen to. There are shades of country, blues, and psychedelica with some Stevie Nicks vibes sprinkled in. The lyrics are dark and original. Most importantly the songs just groove. (Can’t help but bob your head to “Evacuation.”)

We reviewed Stewart Eastham’s Dancers In The Mansion on August 12.

Best Of 2016: Your Friend

Photo © Crystal Lee Farris

In absolutely no particular order…

Things that I saw:

Tim Hecker’s live set at RBMA MTL
The grace of Moses Sumney
The Lobster (if the US release date counts)
Moonlight

Things that I listened to:

Yves Tumor, Serpent Music
Kanye West, TLOP
Beyoncé, Lemonade
Rihanna, Anti
Blood Orange, Freetown Sound
ANOHNI, Hopelessness
Solange, A Seat at the Table
Kaytranada, 99.9%
Frank Ocean, Blond/e
Marie Davidson, Adieux Au Dancefloor
River Tiber, Indigo
Klara Lewis, Too
Nicolas Jaar, Sirens
Dave Harrington Group, Become Alive
Autolux, Pussy’s Dead
Suuns, Hold/Still
James Blake, The Colour in Anything
Caretaker, Everywhere at the End of Time
Mica Levi and Oliver Coates, Remain Calm
Mica Levi, Jackie OST
Julius Eastman, Feminine
Beatrice Dillon, Can I Change My Mind?
Demdike Stare, Wonderland

(It should be noted that I haven’t had the chance to listen to Childish Gambino or Tribe Called Quest’s new records yet.)

We reviewed Your Friend’s Gumption on January 28.

Best Of 2016: Kadhja Bonet

2016 sucked!! Honestly I think it was a shit year for everyone, especially on a global/political level. And still going… yay! It was very successful at driving me further into my fear of humans.

That being said, humans keep creating good art. Somewhere, right now, a masterpiece is being made.

Being more than slightly agoraphobic I can’t recommend any particular live/concert experiences, but I would recommend not being agoraphobic if you can help it. I’m starting to consider YouTube vloggers as legit friends.

Memorable Films

Divines: A French-Qatari project from director Uda Benyamina. I don’t remember the last time I had an art-induced cry quite like that. Super solid. The acting was maybe the freshest and realest I’ve ever seen. It’s that good.

Moonlight: Directed by Barry Jenkins. Tense, heavy, sincere, deserving of all its praise. Elegantly crafted, with awesome details in the cinematography as well as editing. It’s hard to watch films where the characters age and look like new people sometimes, but it’s worth it for the perfect meeting of content and style.

Under the Sun: Russian made, Directed by Vitaliy Mansky. This faux documentary (?) filmed in North Korea is technically from 2015, but I’m including it because it only reached US theaters in July of 2016 (I don’t know about everywhere else). This film will blow your brain open and give you some terrifying perspective about real-life social/political shit. You will understand the question mark once you are immersed in the film.

13th: A documentary by the scholar Ava DuVernay. Good reminders for those lucky enough to be in the know; good first exposure for those who accidentally ingested a full dose of US propaganda.

Requiem for the American Dream: Noam Chomsky laying it all out. (I think this is also from 2015 but I don’t care.) I had to watch it a couple of times to catch everything.

Memorable Albums:

I stay on Rihanna’s Anti. So much fire. I always wash dishes to it. I usually listen up to “Yeah I Said It” and then start it over, if the kitchen’s not clean yet.

Anderson Paak’s Malibu definitely felt like a musical revival, rebirth, and new birth, feeling fresh and familiar in all the good ways.

Kaytranada’s .0001 mixtape was super dope and I strongly prefer it over his more official album release of the year, 99.9%. It’s great for solo dance parties.

We reviewed Kadhja Bonet’s The Visitor on October 21.

Movie Review: Delusion

By Jeffery X Martin

Horror is usually a young person’s genre, with films filled with pretty people, adorable meatsacks who exist only for the slaughter. Casting a film with ordinary middle-aged folks should lend more credence to a scary movie. If terrible things can happen to your uncle, they can happen to you. It brings the terror home.
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Five Ways to Get Hyped for “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”

By Tyler Hodg

With the release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story approaching quicker than Poe Dameron’s X-Wing, it’s easy to forget the film will hit theatres in less than two weeks.

That’s why I have compiled simple and entertaining ways to get well-versed on the film, all while saving the full experience for the big screen.
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Let Us Now Praise Noise: December 2, 2016

By Tim Murr

This week’s rundown of my favorite listening includes a new album, a music video, and a documentary.
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Movie Review: Innsmouth

By Tim Murr

Ten minutes is barely enough time for some films’ opening credits to run, much less properly set up the first act. Writer/director Izzy Lee deftly creates a three-act story in just minutes that feels every bit as complete and satisfying as a full-length feature. Her new film Innsmouth takes a police procedural and drops it into Lovecraftian horror. The result is truly something to behold.
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Knoxville Horror Film Fest 2016: Review Roundup

By Jeffery X Martin

The Knoxville Horror Film Fest wrapped up its eighth year with a fascinating and diverse lineup, happily anchored by the invigorating re-examination of the Phantasm franchise. Some of the movies were overly dependent on politics or allegory to make their points, but overall, the Fest was well-programmed and a lot of fun.
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Blu-Ray Review: New Orleans Music In Exile

By Melissa Bratcher

Though it was made in 2006, New Orleans Music In Exile, is finally getting a Blu-ray release. The film, made by famed music documentarian Robert Mugge (Last Of The Mississippi Jukes, Gospel According To Al Green, The Kingdom Of Zydeco, among a great many), was shot in the rather immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina: two months later. Mugge and his crew had open access to a who’s who of New Orleans musicians and luminaries as they try to pick of the pieces of their lives and careers.
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Movie Review: Observance

By Sachin Hingoo

Do you ever feel like you’re about to get sick, but the actual sickness takes days or even weeks to manifest itself? Observance, a new film by Australian director Joseph Sims-Dennett, made on a microbudget and which received acclaim at Montreal’s Fantasia Festival, taps into that unsettlingly suffocating feeling of disease in a major way.
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