Toronto, ON
October 15, 2014
Two of my favorite albums of this year are Merchandises’s After The End and Lower’s Seek Warmer Climes, so my attendance at this concert was guaranteed. Not only did both bands exceed my expectations, I discovered two more bands that are also compelling.
Continue reading ‘Concert Review: Lower and Merchandise at Wrongbar’
I don’t care whose house is on fire
As long as I can warm myself at the blaze.
—Iceage, “On My Fingers”
Anyone who is surprised by the evolution of Iceage on their new album Plowing Into The Field Of Love hasn’t been paying attention. The seeds of the band’s sound were sowed early on, in songs like “New Brigade” and “You’re Blessed,” a seemingly haphazard collision of styles and sounds hinting that something far greater was in their future. That something has arrived and it’s one of the best things you’ll hear this year, if not for a long while, or at least until Iceage makes another album.
Continue reading ‘Music Review: Iceage, Plowing Into The Field Of Love‘
The first Electric Six album I heard was I Shall Exterminate Everything Around Me That Restricts Me From Being The Master. As if that title wasn’t strange and unwieldy enough, I literally could not process what I was hearing. What the fuck was I listening to exactly?
After seven years and several albums, I’ve figured out more about Electric Six. But it doesn’t mean that every new album from the band doesn’t make me ask that same question again. Human Zoo, their tenth (!!), is perhaps weirder than most E6 albums, but is also possibly their most cohesive since Heartbeats and Brainwaves, which was itself a bit of an anomaly in the canon.
By Tyler Hodg
This past August, Brooklyn’s Bear in Heaven released their fourth album, Time Is Over One Day Old. Their signature electro-pop sound is prevalent, but it’s clear a natural growth has occurred since their last record. Although Bear in Heaven’s sound might be “in” right now, their creative songwriting has placed them in a genre of their own.
Continue reading ‘Music Review: Bear In Heaven, Time Is Over One Day Old‘
I have long contended that one of the greatest singers in pop history is The Monkees’ Micky Dolenz. He’s not only amazingly versatile, with a distinctive voice that is equally at home singing rock, jazz (the man can scat like he was born to it), or ballads, but even when singing backup, he rises above, imbuing each note with personality. His harmonies are tight. Always.
Continue reading ‘Music Review: Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart, Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart‘
Man, I hope I’m not getting burnt out on found footage films. I can’t seem to find any that are halfway decent these days. Every week I’m faced with one and I just sit there wondering why the hell it feels like I’m watching the same thing over and over again. It seems out of 20 films I see I might find one that’s decent but those aren’t good odds. I’m actually not kidding when I say 20; I’ve watched about 20 found footage films this past month and only found one that I actually liked. The Paranormal Diaries: Clophill is not one of those films.
Continue reading ‘DVD Review: The Paranormal Diaries: Clophill‘
Whenever I hear a film is based on a graphic novel I get a little excited. I love graphic novels and I have enjoyed the majority that have been turned into movies. When The Scribbler came to me I was pumped to watch it because it seemed like a weird and ambitious story.
Before I get into the film I will say this: Filmmakers, stop trying to copy Sin City, Watchmen, and 300.
I could go on and on again about how important Vinegar Syndrome is to cinema but I’ll refrain . . . for now. Instead, I’m going to attempt to explain the awesome and completely nutty Raw Force. I first saw this film about a year and a half ago and didn’t know what to say. It has everything that I want in old cheesy B-movies: comedy, action, boobs, karate, rocket launchers, zombies, weird parties, horrendous acting, people breaking ice with their faces. (Seriously, a dude breaks a block of ice with his face, but it isn’t for show; it is actually to get ice for a drink he is making for someone. I shit you not on this.)
Today I watched John Holmes’s penis get bitten by a vampire. What did you do today?
In the ‘70s and ‘80s many pornographic filmmakers made pornos with stories. Whether it was action, horror, or comedy, there was usually a genre represented by more story and less sexy time. As a horror enthusiast, I get excited more ways than one when the porno has horror elements and Dracula Sucks has more horror than porno. . . and it is freaking weird.
Earlier this year, we interviewed Steven DeGennaro, the director of an upcoming indie movie called Found Footage 3D. It was a ridiculous concept, and I actually called him out on it on Twitter. He responded, which led to the interview, and I’ve been keeping tabs on the project ever since.
The film is in post-production now, and they’ve run into a snag.
Crowdfunding is still a controversial practice. I approve of it, by and large, especially if the cause is good enough. Participating in a worthwhile crowdfunding campaign makes me feel magnanimous, like a DeMedici, a patron of the arts.
Check out the Found Footage 3D Indiegogo page, where they are raising money for one specific important element of their film. They have one of the smartest, funniest pitch videos I’ve seen in a while, and it explains precisely what they need the money for. There’s nothing vague to it, no nebulous goal in carefully couched language.
Even if you can’t give, or choose not to, the pitch video itself is a great watch. If you’re a horror fan, though, consider throwing a couple bucks their way. As major studios continue to botch a majority of the horror movies they put out, the best hope for the genre seems to be independent films with small budgets and great creativity. Crowdfunding allows unparalleled contact between filmmakers and their audience, and it looks like DeGennaro has a good idea of what his demographic is after.
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