Music Review: The Dudley Moore Trio, From Beyond The Fringe

By Cait Brennan

Dud, we hardly knew ye.

To Americans of a certain age, Dudley Moore was that loveable, “cuddly” Englishman of a certain height who improbably got the girl in several huge blockbusters of the ’70s and ’80s—notably Foul Play, 10, and Arthur (for which he received a well-deserved Oscar nomination). Even his less-successful films kept him firmly in the pop-culture consciousness throughout the ’80s—Wholly Moses, Micki and Maude, Best Defense, the Preston Sturges remake Unfaithfully Yours, Arthur 2: On The Rocks, Santa Claus: The Movie, the delightfully crass advertising send-up Crazy People.

Hits or flops, there’s something to love in all those films, and more importantly in his absolutely magnificent work in films like Stanley Donen’s Bedazzled; Bryan Forbes’s The Wrong Box; 30 Is A Dangerous Age, Cynthia; The Bed Sitting-Room; and so many others. But many of his film fans are only vaguely aware of Moore’s career as a highly regarded jazz composer and pianist, whose albums and film scores are every bit the equal of his comedy talent.

Continue reading ‘Music Review: The Dudley Moore Trio, From Beyond The Fringe ‘

Music Review: Pokey LaFarge, Pokey LaFarge

By Melissa Bratcher

Pokey LaFarge is a great addition to Jack White’s Third Man Records roster. His debut album for the label, Pokey LaFarge, is a rootsy, charming collection of tidy songs (only one is over four minutes long) that is terrifically listenable.

Continue reading ‘Music Review: Pokey LaFarge, Pokey LaFarge‘

Music Review: Doris, Did You Give The World Some Love Today, Baby (Expanded Edition)

By Melissa Bratcher

Issued only in Sweden in 1970, Doris’s second album Did You Give The World Some Love Today, Baby is an overlooked gem. It’s a mix of jazz, pop, country, and psychedelia, all percolated together and topped with a singer who has great range and charm. I had put this album on my iPod when it arrived, and when a song would pop up on random play, I’d think, “Oooh, this is interesting,” but it has to be listened to as a whole. Did You Give The World Some Love Today, Baby is mind-blowing and brilliant. It was intended to introduce Doris to English speaking audiences, but it tanked, which is a terrible shame. Newly remastered here, it is absolutely worth listening to.

Continue reading ‘Music Review: Doris, Did You Give The World Some Love Today, Baby (Expanded Edition)’

Assemblog: May 31, 2013 – Critiquing The Role Of Women in Hollywood

Lynn Ramsay on the set of We Need To Talk About Kevin

New this week on Popshifter: Jeff presents the last days of Metal Mayhem with Iron Maiden and Spinal Tap; Chelsea describes the “smart, talented trio” known as Hot Club of Cowtown in her review of their new Rendezvous in Rhythm album; Lisa praises Elementary as “the abomination that wasn’t”; I share 15 hilarious minutes with Doc Hammer and Jackson Publick of The Venture Bros., have a dance party with King Tuff’s reissued Was Dead album, and fall in love with Charles Bradley: Soul of America.

Continue reading ‘Assemblog: May 31, 2013 – Critiquing The Role Of Women in Hollywood’

Movie Review: Charles Bradley: Soul Of America

By Less Lee Moore

To Charles Bradley, the American dream felt particularly elusive. “I’ve been struggling for 42 years to make it in the [music] industry,” he states at the beginning of the new documentary bearing his name. It’s difficult to believe that someone could keep the faith for so long without becoming bitter or angry, or just giving up. Yet as Soul of America reveals, this is exactly what has happened to Charles Bradley.

Continue reading ‘Movie Review: Charles Bradley: Soul Of America‘

Music Review: King Tuff, Was Dead

By Less Lee Moore

Burger Records is synonymous with fun. The last two releases from the label I reviewed were incredibly fun and their reissue of King Tuff’s Was Dead is no exception.

Originally released in 2008 on Tee Pee Records as a limited edition on vinyl only, Was Dead was out of print for several years before this reissue. Fans who missed out will be overjoyed while those who haven’t yet dipped their toes into King Tuff’s pool party are in for a treat.

Continue reading ‘Music Review: King Tuff, Was Dead‘

The Abomination That Wasn’t: CBS’s Elementary

By Lisa Anderson

When CBS announced that it would be doing Elementary, a contemporary take on Sherlock Holmes like the BBC’s Sherlock, the loudest reactions were one of horror. Some of the misgivings were understandable: after all, it was an American attempt to emulate something that had already been done, on a major network and in prime time. It wasn’t even going to be set in London—a first for any interpretation of the source novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Most controversial of all was the casting of Lucy Liu as Holmes’s sidekick, now named Joan Watson. A lot of racist and sexist things were said about that, under the guise of preferring “authenticity.” In the end, though, Elementary, which had its season finale on May 17, turned out to be a highly entertaining and solidly made show.

Continue reading ‘The Abomination That Wasn’t: CBS’s Elementary‘

Waxing Nostalgic: METAL MAYHEM! with Spinal Tap, This Is Spinal Tap

By Jeffery X Martin

I’m prepared to catch hell for this, but I believe that no band, and no album, captured the true spirit of the Hair Band era than Spinal Tap. All the excesses, all the tropes, and all the energy and exuberance are captured on their first album, This is Spinal Tap. I also believe they are often overlooked when discussing Eighties Metal when, really, they should be hailed as one of the best examples of the genre.

“But, X . . . ” people say, ” . . . they’re a joke band. It was supposed to be funny.”

Oh, they’re extremely funny. That’s undeniable. But I can’t consider them a “joke” band. All three main members (actors/comedians Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer) played their own instruments. I don’t think anyone would have complained if these funny guys had pulled in session players, but they didn’t. They played live. They toured. They showed a genuine appreciation for the genre. Who loves rock and roll more: Guns ‘n’ Roses, with their 20 years between albums and absolute disdain for their audience, or Spinal Tap?

Your heart knows the answer.

Continue reading ‘Waxing Nostalgic: METAL MAYHEM! with Spinal Tap, This Is Spinal Tap‘

Music Review: Hot Club Of Cowton, Rendezvous In Rhythm

By Chelsea Spear

The cover drew me in.

The playful sleeve art for Rendezvous in Rhythm spoke to the part of me that loves flappers and circuses. I loved the hand painted, Belle Epoque-esque lettering, the trompe l’oeil circus tents, and the doleful corgi. The men and woman of Hot Club of Cowtown looked as though they’d stepped out of a 1930s musical, the gentlemen in natty suits and ties and the lady clad in a silver dress worthy of Clara Bow. Reading the description of the Hot Club’s sound put me in mind of my beloved Pink Martini, who has likewise reinvented early 20th century music for a contemporary audience, and I anticipated discovering a new band with a classic sound.

Continue reading ‘Music Review: Hot Club Of Cowton, Rendezvous In Rhythm’

Fifteen Minutes With: Doc Hammer & Jackson Publick of The Venture Bros.

Interviewed by Less Lee Moore

When you’re a Venture Bros. fan, you see things through Venture-colored glasses and everything looks so much better. There is nothing not to love about this show: incredible characters, an overabundance of wit, numerous pop culture references, clever visuals, and a narrative arc that puts most live action TV shows to shame. In anticipation of the show’s Season 5 premiere on June 2, I chatted with Doc Hammer and Jackson Publick, the show’s creators, writers, voice actors, and just about everything else. We started discussing how they work and what drives them and eventually got into the important stuff: Kajagoogoo concerts, whether or not Trent Reznor is a poseur, and Gary Numan. When I got on the phone, Doc and Jackson were already there, chatting with each other.

Jackson: Yesterday there was fake harpsichord hold music.
Doc: I think it was fake guitar.
Jackson: I think it was trying to be fake harspsichord.
Doc: Really?!

Continue reading ‘Fifteen Minutes With: Doc Hammer & Jackson Publick of The Venture Bros.’