The C of 2008 tastes like more Glaswegian chamber pop. Camera Obscura have been signed by 4AD and, judging by the heralding title track of their fourth album, “My Maudlin Career”, it could be one of the pop sensations of they year.
Month: February 2009
Ultimas predicciones para los Oscars.
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN-El Luchador (Canción de la B.S.O., ignorada en las nominaciones)
A un dia vista de la ceremonia de los Oscars, una mirada a la cosecha que Hollywood quiere vender al mundo se presenta como una de las mas anodinas en bastante tiempo. Todo parece indicar que “Slumdog Millionaire” arrasará, la mediocre “Benjamín Button” sera relegada si acaso a un par de estatuillas técnicas. Y “Milk” se quedará con el galardon que se da a las películas raritas “el de guión original”. Los notables cambios anunciados para el trascurso de la ceremonia, dirigida por Bill Condon (Dreamgirls) y presentada por Hugo Jackman, prometen ser mas interesantes que los premios en si, si se cumplen los pronosticos. Aunque muchas categorías aún dejan lugar para posibles sorpresas y el consenso general es que los ganadores, lo haran por corto margen. A continuación nuestras previsiones.
Oscars Special: Our Predictions
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Just one day before the Oscars ceremony takes place, a look at this year’s Hollywood picks shows one of the dullest havest in a long time. Everything points at a “Slumdog Millionaire” sweep, with the mediocre “Benjamin Button’s” hopes being relegated to a couple of technical statuettes. “Milk” will probably get the award reserved to the “rare and critical acclaimed” slot, the Best original script one. If the forecast is accurate, the significant changes announced for the show, masterminded by Bill Condon (Dreamgirls) and presented by Hugh Jackman, promise to be more interested than the awards themselves. Even when many categories still have room for surprise and general consensus is that whoever wins, will do it by a narrow margin. After the jump our predictions.
Oscars Special (II): Best Animated Short Films
“La Maison en Petits Cubes” (CLIP)
A Robot Communications Production Kunio Kato
Oscars Special: Documentary Categories
ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD (Werner Herzog)- Documentary in Full.
Todos los fans de la noche de los Oscars, que siguen la ceremonia en su mini fiesta casera, sufren cada año el mismo destino: se estudian todas las posibilidades, combinaciones y permutaciones; las apuestas y los pronósticos al dedillo para ganar con orgullo su quiniela personal y asombrar a propios y extraños con su imbatible conocimiento cinematográfico. Todo suele funcionar como un reloj, hasta que las temidas categorías de documentales y cortos, por falta de información y por su naturaleza impredecible, se cruzan en nuestro camino miserablemente para otorgar la victoria a cualquier vecino lejano, que esta de paso y no tiene mucha idea de cine, ha copiado las respuestas de la mayoría y eligiendo estas categorías a dedo, se alza con el mayor numero de aciertos.
Para evitar que esta frustrante situación se repita un año más, hemos buscado trailers y sinopsis de los Documentales nominados, para que al menos, nuestras decisiones sean bien informadas. Entre nuestros hallazgos, el último documental al completo del controvertido Werner Herzog, quien tras “Grizzly Man” ha encontrado una nueva veta creativa en este formato.
Every fan of the Oscars night following the ceremony at a home party, year after year runs the same fate: after carefully studying the possible combinations and permutations, the bets and the forecasts by heart in order to amaze everyone with his unbeatable cinematographic knowledge; everything goes as planned until the moment the frightening documentary and short categories invariably get in our way, due to lack of information and their unpredictable nature, resulting in some distant neighbor claiming victory. Normally is someone who doesn’t know anything about movies, came just for the free food and booze and, copying other people’s opinions for the bulk of the categories plus choosing at random these ones, gets the maximum number of correct guesses.
To prevent that frustrating situation from happening once again, we have search for the trailers and synopsis of all the nominated Documentaries, to provide ourselves with at least an educated guess. Among our findings, the complete latest opus by controversial director Werner Herzog, who after “Grizzy Man” has found a new creative path in this format.
FINANCIAL MELTDOWN SPECIAL: Animated Story/A Marxist View and Farewell to Touch ‘N Go
CALEXICO-The Ballad Of Cable Hogue
We wouldn’t normally post financial info, but these days no one can avoid being dragged down by the landslide of bad financial news about what’s arguably the worst crisis since The Great Depression of 1930.
The Music Industry, already in tatters, looks set for many casualties. The latest of its victims is Touch and Go, one of the biggest indie labels in North America, fresh from its 25th Anniversary celebration, that has just announced it will stop releasing music shortly. The home of such great talents as Shellac, Dirty Three, Calexico, Jesus Lizard, TV on The Radio, Slint, Butthole Surfers and distributor of other indie favourite labels such as Merge, Drag City or Kill Rock Stars will say (hopefully temporarily) goodbye with the release in April of promising new act Crystal Antlers hotly anticipated debut “Tentacles” and a 7″ Jesus Lizard box set. Thanks for all the great music, guys!! You’ll be sorely missed.
After the jump, a very clear animated story of how the current economic situation was originated, followed by a very interest Socialist/Marxist vision of it and its potential outcomes.
Pedro Almodovar presenta “La Concejala Antropófaga”
LA CONCEJALA ANTROPOFAGA (2009)
Meses después de que su blog multilingüe nos fuera desvelando el rodaje de su inminente película “Los Abrazos Rotos”, para la que ha vuelto a contar con un plantel de sus actores favoritos (Penélope Cruz, Lluis Homar, Blanca Portillo), Pedro Almodovar nos sorprende con su primer corto en más de dos décadas. “La Concejala Antropófaga”, un monologo independiente de la película, aunque con guiños a su trama (la breve aparición de Penélope al comienzo es una de ellas) fue inspirado por la breve actuación de Carmen Machi, para quien ha ideado este papel de concejala adicta a la coca y al sexo, deliberando sobre la democratización del placer, a modo de vuelta a sus comienzos más pop, divertidos, soeces y menos convencionales. Para celebrarlo, repasamos la lista de los cortos que el Manchego universal realizase a sus comienzos, con el material audiovisual que pudimos rescatar.
Months after his multilingual blog stopped unveiling the shooting of his imminent film “Broken Embraces”, for which he’s worked again surrounded by a selection of his usual suspects (Penelope Cruz, LLuis Homar, Blanca Portillo), Pedro Almodovar surprises us with his first short film for over two decades. “The Anthropophagous Councillor” (roughly translated) is a monologue, independent of the main movie, but with some teases linked to its plot (Penelope Cruz’s brief appearance is one of them); inspired by Carmen Machi’s –a newcomer on his filmography- had on it, he conceived the role of a politician addicted to coke and sex, deliberating about the democratization of pleasure. A return to Almodovar’s dirtier, funnier and pop culture infused less conventional beginnings. To celebrate it, we have a look back at the list of the early works by the universally acclaimed director from La Mancha , compiling as much early audiovisual material as we could find.
Primavera Sound Festival 2009: Artist List Announcement
Ya sabíamos que Pitchfork estaba encargada de uno de los escenarios, y llenaría la edición del Primavera Sound de este año con los mejores sonidos del indie norteamericano; pero el reciente anuncio de la primera lista de bandas participantes ha multiplicado nuestras expectativas hasta el infinito. A las esperadas actuaciones de My Bloody Valentine; los reunidos Throwing Music y Vaselines; Alela Diane …se unen los pesos pesados Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo Jarvis, Aphex Twin, A-Trak, Shellac, Sunn o)) y un largo etcétera. Aun quedan nombres por confirmar (PJ Harvey & John Parish; Beirut and Brian Eno & David Byrne todos están de gira por Europa en fechas adyacente. Pudiera ser que…). La lista completa tras el salto.
We already knew Pitchfork was curating one of the stages, filling this year’s edition of the Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona with the best of north America’s current indie crop. However, today’s announcement of the first list of participating band has multiplied our expectations towards the infinite. Next to the already announced highlights of My Bloody Valentine, the reunions of Throwing Music andTthe Vaselines; Alela Diane…heavyweights such as Sonic youth, Yo La Tengo, Jarvis, Aphex Twin, A-Trak, Shellac, Sunn o))) and a long etcetera. There are still names to be confirmed (We could dream or bet on people like PJ Harvey & John Parish; Beirut or Brian Eno & David Byrne all with European live dates not too distant from the Festival). The full list of participating artists after the jump…
The Official Music Rober Awards 2008: Complete List of Winners
PORTISHEAD-The Rip (Live on Later..with Jools Holland)
The Academy has spoken, after the results of our annual music poll were unveiled, now it’s the turn for the official Rober Awards. There are few surprises and many similarities with the people’s choices. As predicted 2008 got a name standing above the rest: Portishead. The complete list of winners after the jump.
La Academia se ha pronunciado, tras desvelar los resultados de nuestra encuesta anual, llega el turno para los Premios Rober oficiales. Hay pocas sorpresas y muchos de los galardones coinciden con los elegidos en la votación. Como ya se preveía en 2008 un nombre destacó muy por encima del resto: Portishead. La lista de ganadores al completo, tras el salto.
Listen to TV On The Radio; Hot Chip; Franz Ferdinand; etc. in new War Child benefit compilation “Heroes”
War Child, the charity organization that provides opportunities and long-time solutions for war affected children all over the world, once responsible for the Rober winner compilation “Help”, has prepared a new star studded album to be released shortly.
2009 MUSIC A-Z: B for Belle & Sebastian vs. Beirut
BEIRUT-La Llorona
It looks like the B of 2009 is going to be quite disputed, with two of our favourite chamber pop bands returning. The first of them, Beirut, is meant to release a new album in the autumn, but before that there’s a new record compiling two EPs that showcase Zach Condon’s two different musical directions: His usual, gypsy-flavoured, itinerant orchestra has carried on travelling the world, moving from turn of the century Paris to the Latin American latitudes of Oaxaca, Mexico in “March Of The Zapotec”; back to back with a return to the laptop electronica of his origins, under the moniker of Realpeople, in “Holland EP” .
The second, Glasgow Finest, Belle & Sebastian, will be following the steps of many of their heroes from the sixties and fulfilling another of their pop dreams with the release of their first musical movie, for which they have been auditioning in search of two new female vocalists. “God Help The Girl’s” soundtrack, scheduled to see the light by the end of the year, will include brand new versions of popular classics next to a whole lot of new tracks and could become one of the year’s most pleasant highlights.
Other noteworthy contenders for the B:
2009 MUSIC A-Z: A for Animal Collective
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE-My Girls
After our contribution to the Awards Season is on track, we begin 2009 having a look at the crystal ball to see what can be expected in the music world through the next twelve months. The last year didn’t leave a good vibe in our ears, so we hope this one will make a better impression. The first month has already generated enough good releases, promising news and album tasters to believe so. We are tidying it all alphabetically, so we can condensate everything in a few posts.
The A of 2009 already belongs to Baltimore’s favourite experimentalists Animal Collective, whom have reached a fine balance between avant-garde antics and more mainstream appeal with their eighth studio album “Merriweather Post Pavillion”, and have started collecting the fruits by breaking into the Top 20 in charts around the globe, being unanimously hailed as the strong contender for album of the year. “My girls” with its underlying house beats is the album’s first classic (a mash-up with Frankie Knuckles classic “My love” can be found online, as well as many other promotional goodies, including a full stream of their recent gig in NYC, etc.)
But there are other A artists that may attempt to challenge the Animals’ supremacy
2008 Film Review: Top 40 Best Movies (20-1)
20-VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA-Woody Allen
Woody Allen visitaba España para dilucidar sobre amor pasional versus relación convencional, siendo saludado por su trabajo más apreciable en una década, después de que su trilogía británica dejase mal sabor de boca. El excelente cast en el que Rebecca Hall y Penélope Cruz brillaban con luz propia y un guión espolvoreado de sus geniales ocurrencias conseguían devolverle, al menos en parte, a su buena forma habitual.
Woody Allen visited Spain to showcase his thoughts about passion and love versus conventional relationships, being hailed as his most likeable work for a decade, after the British trilogy left a bad taste in everybody’s mouth. An excellent cast in which Rebeca Hall and Penelope Cruz shone and a screenplay sprinkled with his genial wit and wisdom brought him back, at least partially, to his usual good form.