In the Frame Film Reviews

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Building nothing out of something - Songs 95 to 91

I was driving home yesterday listening to Dirty Fingernails, and it was so good that I had to play it twice. There's something so sinister about that sound. I mention it because it was the last song cut before I decided on the final 100. That's how good this music is. Even songs that didn't make this list would blow most other bands out of the water.

Let's get back to the Top 100:

95. Strangers to Ourselves (Strangers to Ourselves)

We're lucky that
We're lucky that we slept
Didn't seem like we realized we'd be stuck in traffic
We're lucky that we slept
Not to be confused the points from the purpose
We're lucky that we're so capable to forget
How lucky we are, that we are, so easy to forget
How often we become susceptible to regret
I do regret

How often we are confused
How honestly we have tried
But we'll forget
We have designed more unusual things as yet
How often we are confused
How honestly we have tried
But will forget
We'll forget

The opening song from the long awaited latest album does a great job of setting a mood. It was the perfect choice to open the album. Brock's vocals are subdued and calm, and it feels like the beginning of a journey. It was the last song played in London two weeks ago, ending a wonderful show. The violin creates a mood totally different from the usual guitar. I've noticed that a lot of Brock's lyrics are introspective and often insightful. Add this song to that list.

94. Of Course We Know (Strangers to Ourselves)

The streets are just blankets and we sleep on their silky corpse
Covered up by them, why would we ever want to wake up?
Oh, no

Well, of course, of course, of course, of course
Of course we just do not know

What in hell are we here for?
We just do not know

Lord lay down, Lord lay down, Lord lay down your own damn soul
Lord lay down, Lord lay down, Lord lay down your own damn soul
Lord lay down, Lord lay down, Lord lay down your own damn soul

The end is like cotton that we wear wherever we go
Covered up by this, why would we ever want to try on your clothes?

Well of course, of course, of course, of course
Of course we just do not know

Well, Lord lay down, Lord lay down, Lord lay down
(Let down your guard)
Lord lay down, Lord lay down, Lord lay down your own damn soul
Lord lay down, Lord lay down, Lord lay down your only son

Of course we know

Strangers to Ourselves shows a different side of Modest Mouse. One of my friends thinks it's easily the best album the band has ever done. I obviously think it's fantastic, but my absolute favorites tend to be raw and filled with squealing guitars. Of Course We Know is the perfect bookend to the opening track, and continues that mood. It feels somewhat epic and suggests that it is searching for something just out of reach. It always leaves me wanting more. Luckily, there is more than 10 hours of music across the band's discography, so always plenty of choice.

93. Space Travel Is Boring (This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About)

Won herself a pass to some far off moon
It was second class but what's to lose?
And looking out her window she could more than assume
That you can't see air or time

She's the only rocketeer in the whole damn place
They gave her a mirror so she could talk to a face
She still got plenty lonely but that's just the case
With time, time, time

Started hearing voices sometime in June
She knew she could go crazy but didn't think that soon
Now she doesn't feel lonely but she'd just as soon
Try, try, try, try

Man shot to the moon
I read a paperback and want to go real soon
I'm shot to the moon
Been there a half an hour, I want to come home soon

Talking of raw, welcome to the final track from the first album (on the CD version at least). I like the contrast in tempo between the first two verses and the remainder of the song. I love Brock's vocals on this. It's strange to use a short song that begins so urgently as the closing track on an album, but the slower second half of the song makes it work.

92. Styrofoam Boots/It's All Nice on Ice, Alright (The Lonesome Crowded West)

Well, all's not well
But I'm told that it'll all be quite nice
You'll be drowned in boots like Mafia
But your feet will still float like Christ's
Well I'll be damned
They were right

I'm drowning upside down
My feet afloat like Christ's

I'm in heaven
Trying to figure out which stack
They're going to stuff us atheists into
When Peter and his monkey laugh
And I laugh with them
I'm not sure what at

They point and say
"We'll keep you in the back
Polishing halos, baking manna and gas"

Well, some guy comes in looking a bit
Like everyone I ever seen
He moves just like Crisco disco
Breath 100% Listerine
He says looking at something else
But directing everything to me
"Every time anyone gets on their knees to pray
Well, it makes my telephone ring
And I'll be damned"

He said, "You were right
No one's running this whole thing"

He had a theory, too
He said that God takes care of himself,
God takes care of himself
And you of you

He said that God takes care of himself
God takes care of himself,
And you of you

He said that God takes care of himself
God takes care of himself,
And you of you

It's all nice on ice, all right!
And it's not day!
And it's not night!
But it's all nice on ice, all right!

Another closing song from an album. That seems to be happening a lot today. The contrast between the first and second part of the song is significant. I could easily imagine the first half being performed solo. The lyrics make me think, and that's always welcome. If a supreme being exists, I doubt very much it would watch our every step. If you continue this journey with me to the end, you'll realize that God is mentioned often. This song was played live at the last concert I attended two weeks ago, and it's become something more because of that. The frenzied drumming at the end works brilliantly live. I didn't want it to end.

91. Dance Hall (Good News for People Who Love Bad News)

I'm going to dance all Dance Hall everyday
I'm going to dance all Dance Hall everyday
I'm going to dance all Dance Hall everyday

Well, I'm giving myself another one
I have too much to say

Dance all Dance Hall everyday
I'm going to dance all Dance Hall everyday
I'm going to dance all Dance Hall everyday

I'm going to angle or telepathy
Because I don't have the words to say
Well, I'm going to act up, but not in your fucking play
I'll let you win the argument if things still go my way
I'm going to dance all Dance Hall everyday

I'm going to dance all Dance Hall everyday
I'm going to dance all Dance Hall everyday
I'm going to dance all Dance Hall everyday

I'm going to dance all Dance Hall everyday
I'm going to dance all Dance Hall everyday
I'm going to dance all Dance Hall everyday
I'm going to dance all Dance Hall everyday

Well, I haven't had enough and I said I had my fill
The past does not exist and I'm told it never will
I guess that I'm stuck here like a plant on a windowsill

I'm going to dance all Dance Hall everyday
I'm going to dance all Dance Hall everyday
I'm going to dance all Dance Hall everyday
I'm going to tell you what you want to hear anyways

I could give myself a shot
I could give myself a pill
I'm going to go and try to buy a little more time to kill
I need a can opener cause I got some beans to spill

I'm going to dance all Dance Hall everyday
I'm going to dance all Dance Hall everyday
I'm going to dance all Dance Hall everyday
I'm going to dance all Dance Hall everyday

Well somehow or another I fell for every scam
But I was dancing on the tin roof, cat be damned
Committing crimes, running down the alley
I am the captain and you are in the galley!

I'm going to dance all Dance Hall everyday
I'm going to dance all Dance Hall everyday
I'm going to dance all Dance Hall everyday
I'm going to Dance Hall dance all night long right now!

Ah, I like hearing Brock's vocals when he's flirting with chaos. The delivery is manic and full of emotion. As Jonathan Richman once sang, "if the music's gonna move me, it's gotta be action packed." Dance Hall is a rant, but there's so much going on in this song. Are there really 90 better songs than this? Apparently.

Well, that's all for this installment. I hope that Modest Mouse fans will find this interesting and that people new to the band will somehow get into the music because of this massive series. If I seem to be keeping my comments short, you can be sure that the posts will get longer as we move up the list. This is a labor of love and I hope that my passion for this incredible music is reflected in my commentary.

The next installment will cover songs 90 to 86.

Here's the story so far:

100. Birds Vs Worms
99. Fire It Up
98. We've Got Everything
97. Dukes Up
96. Out of Gas
95. Strangers to Ourselves
94. Of Course We Know
93. Space Travel Is Boring
92. Styrofoam Boots/It's All Nice on Ice, Alright
91. Dance Hall

Building nothing out of something (overview)

Building nothing out of something - songs 100 to 96
Building nothing out of something - songs 95 to 91

Building nothing out of something - songs 90 to 86

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Building nothing out of something - Songs 100 to 96

Let's get this started by eliminating songs 96 to 100. Before I offer my comments and critique the songs, I want to make it clear that I love every song on the list. In fact, I had a particularly hard time cutting the last 23 songs just to get to 100 remaining.

100. Birds Vs Worms (Sad Sappy Sucker)

Self pity, me so pitiful,
You can see that birds and worms don't get along.

Self righteous, me so wrong
You can see that we don't have to get along.

Self pity, me so pitiful
You can see that birds and worms do not agree.

And we will crawl.

The opener from Sad Sappy Sucker is a simple song, but it shows how the band's sound was beginning to evolve. It would have been their debut album, but it was shelved until 2001. The song was actually recorded in 1994. I like the quiet guitar and Isaac Brock's laid back vocals. He sings the lyrics as though they are indisputable facts.

99. Fire It Up (We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank)

Etceteranough
Etceteranough
Etceteranough
Etceteranough
Etceteranough
Etceteranough
Etceteranough

Fire it up
Fire it up

When we finally turn it over
Make a beeline towards the border
Have a drink
You've had enough

Fire it up
Fire it up

If you need some conversation
Bring a magazine to read around
Our broke-down transportation

Fire it up

Etceteranough
Etceteranough
Etceteranough

Fire it up
Fire it up

When we find the perfect water
We'll hang out on the shore
Just long enough to leave our clothes there

Fine enough
Fine enough

Oh we ate all of the oranges
Off the navels of our lovers
Grabbed a book and read the cover

It honestly was beautifully done
We'd tried to hide the daylight from the sun
Even if we had been sure enough
It's true we really didn't know
Even if we knew which way to head
But still we probably wouldn't go

Fire it up
Fire it up

We push off we are rolling borders
Crashing down the mirrored stairways
Two of life's best mine canaries

Fire it up
Fire it up

When we fix the carburetor
Then we'll push off once again
In an hour or so later

It honestly was beautifully bold
Like trying to save an ice cube from the cold
Even if we had been sure enough
It's true we really didn't know
Even if we knew which way to head
But still we probably wouldn't go

Well we always
Well we always
Had it all
Had it all

Well we always
Well we always
Had it all
Had it all

Well we always
Well we always
Had it all

Fire It Up is such a polished song. It's easy to see the huge difference in the band's sound 13 years after Birds Vs Worms. Some of the sequences in this song flow wonderfully, while others stutter a little. I might choose this type of sound for someone exploring alternative rock for the first time, but I obviously have 98 songs ranked higher. It works especially well live and I highly recommend seeing Modest Mouse in concert any chance you get.

98. We've Got Everything (We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank)

We've got everything
We've got everything
We've got everything down to a science
So I guess we know everything
We know everything (We know, we know)
We know everything (We know)
We know everything was built to expire
So I guess we've done everything

If we carried it out to sea
Pushed it over the edge
We'd of all been through

Well first off Garry got drunk
Fell asleep in his car till about noon
Flattop Tony got all messed up
Split his lip chasing cheap perfume
Well look at our boat in the bay
It looks like some sad ass little canoe

We've done everything (We've done, we've done, we've done)
We've done everything
We've done everything like trial by fire
So I guess we've stopped trying now

We've tried everything
We've tried everything (We've tried)
We've tried everything half assed and as liars
And that's how we got everything

If we carried it out to sea
Pushed it over the edge
We could of all been through

Well no one even bothered showing up
But we still did what
We should have thought through

We crashed in like waves up to the store
Didn't want it, didn't need it
But we knew that we could see it
So we opened up the door

We receded like waves out of the store
Didn't want it, didn't need
But we knew we that we could steal
Left it dying on the floor

We were there...

We've got, we've got, we've got, we've got, we've got
We've got, we've got, we've got, we've got, we've got

We've got

We've got everything (We've got, we've got, we've got)
We've got everything (We've got)
We've got everything down to a science
So I guess we know everything

We've got everything (We've got everything)
We've done everything (We've done everything)
We've tried everything (We've done everything
We've got everything (We've got everything)
We've got everything

Here's a song that I think would be better without the backing vocals. The chorus doesn't match the quality of the verses. I still like Brock's vocals, and it loses nothing when he rants. If I had any criticism of We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, it's that the production is a little too slick.

97. Dukes Up (Sad Sappy Sucker)

So you wonder how
Get them up, put them up
Get your dukes up now!

Got no time, no money, that's why
Get them up, put em up
Get your dukes up now!

Soda fountain crowd
Button up, shut em up
Getting fed up now!

Got no time, no money, goddamn
Get them up, put them up
Get your dukes up now!

So you wonder how
Get them up, put them up
Get your dukes up now!

Got no time, no money, that's why
Get them up, put em up
Get your dukes up now!

Soda fountain crowd
Button up, shut em up
Getting fed up now!

Got no time, no money, goddamn
Get them up, put them up
Get your dukes up now!

The intricate guitar provides the structure for another song from 1994. One thing that I notice on this track is Jeremiah Green's drumming. On a lot of the early releases, the drums are very prominent in the mix. It's almost as if the microphone is inside the drum at times. I'm not sure that I have ever appreciated another drummer more than Green.

96. Out of Gas (The Lonesome Crowded West)

Out of gas
Out of road
Out of car
I don't know how I'm going to go and
I had a drink the other day
Opinions were like kittens
I was giving them away
I had a drink the other day
I had a lot to say
And I said:

You will come down soon, too
You will come down too soon
You will come down soon, too
You will come down
You'll come down, come down
You will come down soon, too
You will come down too soon
You will come down soon, too
Soon enough you will come down, come down

Out of gas
Out of road
Out of car
I don't know how I'm going to go and
I had a drink the other day
Opinions were like kittens
I was giving them away
I had a drink the other day
I had a lot to say
And I said:

You will come down soon, too
You will come down too soon
You will come down soon, too
Soon enough you will come down, come down
You will come down soon, too
You will come down too soon
You'll come down, come down
You'll come down, come down

It irks me to put a song from my favorite album this low on the list. In fairness, it works a lot better in the context of the album. The lyrics fit the meandering mood of the song. It's on my list of favorite driving songs. It's hypnotic and strangely compelling.

Thanks for reading. The next installment includes songs ranked 91 to 95.

Here are the other parts of this series:

Building nothing out of something (overview)

Building nothing out of something - songs 100 to 96
Building nothing out of something - songs 95 to 91

Building nothing out of something - songs 90 to 86

Saturday, September 19, 2015

Building nothing out of something - a Modest Mouse Top 100

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you may remember that I attempted to rank the songs of Modest Mouse in August 2014. It turned out to be a sprawling 8-part series. Well, now that I am familiar with Strangers to Ourselves, I thought it was time to compile a new ranking.

Here's my original attempt if you are curious.

I would love to automatically know my rankings for music and movies, but doing it the hard way is a great opportunity to dig deeper into the things that I love. I bought my first vinyl 45 around 43 years ago. Although my tastes have evolved and my enthusiasm for music deepened after attending approximately 500 live shows, music was important to me as a child.

Over the course of my life, my favorites have changed from glam, to David Bowie, Pink Floyd, The Fall, Pixies, Throwing Muses and Sonic Youth. I discovered Modest Mouse later than most, first paying close attention about 10 years ago. For the last 15 months, it's hard for me to listen to anything else.

There are so many things to love about Modest Mouse. The music itself ranges from driving alternative rock, to funk, ballads, dance, and even rap. Isaac Brock's vocals can be delicate and heartfelt, or outright screaming rants. The sheer variety of styles and songs is incredible. Most bands tend to find a sound they like and stick to it, but you never know what to expect from Modest Mouse. The latest tour has seen the band play 69 different songs. Most bands hardly ever vary from their core setlists, maybe playing two or three different songs each show. Many of the lyrics are clever and insightful.

One of things I am curious to discover as I work my way through this ranking, is how it has changed from last August. Strangers to Ourselves gives me 15 new songs to discover, but I will do this exercise without referring to my previous rankings. I want to find out how my appreciation for the songs has evolved.

I'm sure that many of you are wondering how to tackle such a daunting task. My method is to list every song, cut the list down to 100, then rank each album or EP individually. Then I'll compare the weakest remaining song on each release to determine its ranking. I can't think of a more accurate way, although I am aware of the sheer futility of such an exercise.

The list will be updated as time allows, and I will comment on each song, provide the lyrics, along with a video if one is available.

This initial post is just about done. Here's my alphabetical list of the songs that made the Top 100. The next installment will begin to rank them, in reverse order. I hope that you will follow along and perhaps discover a song you may have overlooked or even never heard.

Thanks for reading so far.

Alphabetical Top 100

3rd Planet

A Different City

A Life of Arctic Sounds

A Manic Depressive Named Laughing Boy

All Night Diner

Alone Down There

Ansel

Bankrupt on Selling

Be Brave

Beach Side Property

Birds Vs Worms

Black Cadillacs

Blame It on the Tetons

Breakthrough

Broke

Bukowski

Bury Me with It

Convenient Parking

Cowboy Dan

Coyotes

Custom Concern

Dance Hall

Dark Center of the Universe

Dashboard

Doin' the Cockroach

Dramamine

Dukes Up

Edit the Sad Parts

Education

Exit Does Not Exist

Fire It Up

Float On

Florida

Fly Trapped in a Jar

Gravity Rides Everything

Grey Ice Water

Guilty Cocker Spaniels

Head South

Heart Cooks Brain

I Came as a Rat

Interstate 8

Invisible

King Rat

Lampshades On Fire

Life Like Weeds

Little Motel

Lives

Lounge (Closing Time)

March into the Sea

Might

Missed the Boat

Never Ending Math Equation

Night on the Sun

Novacain Stain

Ocean Breathes Salty

Of Course We Know

Ohio

One Chance

Other People's Lives

Out of Gas

Paper Thin Walls

Parting of the Sensory

People as Places as People

Perfect Disguise

Polar Opposites

Pups To Dust

Satellite Skin

Satin in a Coffin

She Ionizes & Atomizes

Shit In Your Cut

Shit Luck

Space Travel Is Boring

Spitting Venom

Steam Engenius

Strangers to Ourselves

Styrofoam Boots/It's All Nice on Ice Alright

Sugar Boats

Sunspots in the House of the Late Scapegoat

Talking Shit About a Pretty Sunset

Teeth Like God's Shoeshine

The Best Room

The Cold Part

The Good Times Are Killing Me

The Ground Walks, With Time in a Box

The Stars Are Projectors

The Tortoise and the Tourist

The View

The Waydown

The Whale Song

The World at Large

Tiny Cities Made of Ashes

Trailer Trash

Truckers Atlas

Tundra/Desert

We've Got Everything

What People Are Made Of

Whenever You Breathe Out, I Breathe in (Positive Negative)

Whenever You See Fit

White Lies, Yellow Teeth

Wicked Campaign

Building nothing out of something (overview)

Building nothing out of something - songs 100 to 96
Building nothing out of something - songs 95 to 91

Building nothing out of something - songs 90 to 86

Monday, March 30, 2015

The Boy from the Crowd

Music is a very personal thing for me. In many ways, it helps define who I am. So when I get asked to say what I think about a song or an album, I take it seriously. I'm also petrified that I will hate the sound, because I am an honest person and wouldn't want to crush anyone's dream. A couple of days ago, I was approached by Vinny from The Boy from the Crowd, offering me a download of Revelator.

Here's what I am talking about:

If it had sucked, I probably would have politely said that it wasn't my kind of thing. After all, I can't possibly give an opinion if I hate the genre. But this song is actually pretty good.

It's not punk, or pop, but the spiky guitar and high energy borrows from both of those genres. But what bands sound similar to this? Well, the vocals at times seem like a more forceful version of Pete Shelley, so I definitely thought of post-Devoto Buzzcocks. I also thought of Jet's Are You Gonna Be My Girl.

The two have a pretty full sound for a duo. Don't get me wrong, this is not the White Stripes (I thought of them immediately on hearing the word revelator). That said, the guitar does some interesting things, and everything sounds tight.

As a fan of Kristin Hersh, I'm fascinated by the success of CASH music and the way that social media can be such an important tool. I'm happy to help an aspiring band get heard by a few more people. There's definitely a market for this kind of sound. The uplifting delivery could even make it a hit on sports shows, the way Blur's Song 2 did.

If you have three minutes to spare, click the video above and see what you think.

Return to index of every review on the site.

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Modest Mouse - Strangers to Ourselves (First Impressions)

Modest Mouse - Strangers to Ourselves

Tracks 15, Duration 57 minutes

1. Strangers to Ourselves
2. Lampshades On Fire
3. Shit in Your Cut
4. Pistol (A. Cunanan, Miami, FL. 1996)
5. Ansel
6. The Ground Walks, with Time in a Box
7. Coyotes
8. Pups to Dust
9. Sugar Boats
10. Wicked Campaign
11. Be Brave
12. God is an Indian and You're an Asshole
13. The Tortoise and the Tourist
14. The Best Room
15. Of Course We Know

I love music. Really love it. Some of the best moments of my life have taken place at concerts. I grew up liking glam rock, before graduating to artists with more depth. My favorite bands have changed over the years, although many of my absolute favorites have been in my collection for as long as 40 years.

David Bowie was my favorite artist from 1974 to 1978, before Pink Floyd took over. Then I discovered alternative music and The Fall took over the top spot in 1980. I've seen them live more than 30 times. Their 14-year reign was finally broken when I discovered Throwing Muses (years after I should have). The first five Pixies albums eventually captured my attention and they usurped the Muses, before Sonic Youth rose to the top in 2000. Modest Mouse graduated from a place in the middle of my Top 10 to my favorite band in the summer of 2014. I played their albums to death for about three months in preparation for Toronto's August 1 concert and I'm having trouble playing anything else at the moment.

I didn't discover Modest Mouse until around 2005, when I moved to North America. Although I was able to anticipate the release of We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank, this is the first time I have looked forward to a Modest Mouse album while they were my Number 1 band. I've been listening to whatever live versions of the songs I could, as well as the few official tracks which were made available early. Now I actually have my hands on all 15 tracks and I feel compelled to share my thoughts.

Bear in mind though that I think it's impossible to fully appreciate any album on one or two listens. Until you know a song well enough to know what's coming from beginning to end, any initial impression is something that can easily and will most likely change.

That said, what do I think of Strangers to Ourselves?

The title track was completely new to me as of this morning. It eases in slowly, with Brock's vocals thoughtful and subdued. It's a reflective song which introduces us to the album. Unlike Brock's more abrasive vocals, Strangers to Ourselves isn't a song that a non-fan might hate. More than anything, it leaves me anticipating the inevitable explosion of energy that is surely present on the album as a whole.

Lampshades On Fire has been on my playlist since it surfaced late last year. I love the rhythm and the way that the seemingly chaotic structure seems to flow together. It's actually quite catchy! I could imagine casual listeners wanting to hear more from the band after being exposed to it.

"We'll kill you off and then make a clone
Yeah, we got spines, yeah, we have bones
This is how it's always gone
And this is how it's going to go"

Shit in Your Cut contains a lot of heavy bass. I'm extremely familiar with the song after seeing it performed at Echo Beach at the concert and hearing various live versions on YouTube. Brock's vocals are measured, but forceful. Unlike the live renditions, the album version reveals more layers of sound. The drums in particular are more prominent, and the swirling guitar fits perfectly. The backing vocals work well, and are less jarring than on songs like Florida from the last album. I could imagine this song becoming a favorite of mine.

"I guess we'll ride this winter out"

I'm really loving the extra depth on the studio versions so far.

Pistol (A. Cunanan, Miami, FL. 1996) begins with a disco drum intro (gulp) and it makes me think of Blondie's Tide is High. But Brock's vocals are more of a growl on this track and it carries plenty of weight. That said, this is easily the weakest track so far.

Ansel begins with Brock saying "Here we go" and it feels like the beginning of a musical journey. That matches the theme of the song, which is about a trip to New Mexico during which a brother is lost. I hope it wasn't a real event. The structure feels like vintage Modest Mouse.

Edit: Thanks to @ravenval for doing my research for me via genius.com
The song is inspired by the death of Isaac Brock’s brother, who died in an accident on a mountain in the early 2000s. While Isaac’s brother was not actually named Ansel, the track still marks a rare, personal moment from the songwriter, who typically obscures his feelings with copious amounts of metaphor.

"The last time that you ever see another soul
No, you never get to know
No, you don't know"

The Ground Walks, with Time in a Box is a sprawling jumble of layers with a funky beat reminiscent of Talking Heads. The songs are more polished than on early Modest Mouse albums, but Brock's vocals still have that unmistakable feel. I can see how fans might be divided by this album if they are hoping for another Lonesome Crowded West. Make no mistake, this is a BIG sound. The track is dense with all kinds of percussion, but it holds together well.

"Our predecessor left this box
and something's crawling around
I think it really wants out"

Coyotes is raw and beautiful, with Brock in reflective mode again. The song features layers of backing vocals and stark acoustic guitar. There's a lot to like about this structure, but it isn't typical Modest Mouse. I must have heard it a hundred times over the past few weeks and it's still growing on me.

Pups to Dust begins like a trail song, but then emerges as the Modest Mouse sound that we know and love. More backing vocals on this one. There's a lot going on, so it's hard to take in everything on just a couple of listens. It's a pretty slow song, and quite accessible for the casual listener.

Sugar Boats has been available on YouTube as a live song for a long time, but none of those versions sound like this one. There's more depth, keyboards, and Brock's vocals are much clearer in the mix. I've noticed that a few songs on the album have a carnival quality to them, but with guitars rather than a fairground organ. The driving guitar is hypnotic and it's a strong track.

Wicked Campaign is a synthesizer-laden track which ebbs and flows. It ranges from tribal drums to stark vocals. It sounds...strange. The more I listen, the more I get a feel for the structure. The last minute is blatant Modest Mouse with Brock in full flow. Yeah, I like it.

Be Brave has been around a while as a live track. Brock spits out the lyrics and it sounds better on the album than any version I have heard before. The fairground quality is there again, but the vocals are forceful and dominate the song. There's so much depth here. It's definitely one of the highlights from the album. It's amazing how the staccato vocals can still flow so well.

God is an Indian and You're an Asshole is the shortest song on the album at just over a minute. It wouldn't work well on its own, but it serves well as a link between the other songs, repeating a single idea.

The Tortoise and the Tourist starts off with discordant guitar, before bursting into action when the full band kicks in. It's a towering wall of sound, with Brock's vocals at their shouty best. I'm probably going to love this track after a few more listens.

The Best Room is probably my favorite song from those released early, and I have played it dozens of times. It has multiple phases, ranging from driving vocals to a more laid back sound. There's a great sequence in the middle with Brock's unaccompanied vocals. The abrupt ending always leaves me wanting more.

We all signed the card:
"Get well, but don't you try too hard"

Of Course We Know ends the album as it began, with a multilayered and epic sound. The keyboards and backing vocals don't sound like you would expect Modest Mouse to sound, but Brock's scratchy vocal removes any doubt.

So where does the new album rank when compared to other releases from my favorite band? Well, it's somewhere in the middle. My top three are The Lonesome Crowded West, The Moon & Antarctica, and This is a Long Drive. I would put Strangers to Ourselves in the same tier as Good News for People Who Love Bad News and We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. As my disclaimer mentioned, that could change drastically when the songs are more familiar to me. I'm encouraged by my first impression.

Overall rating: 3.5/5 for Modest Mouse albums, 5/5 when compared to other bands.

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Birdman: Or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance

Birdman: Or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance (2014)

Comedy, Drama, 119 minutes
Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu
Starring Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Naomi Watts and Zach Galifianakis

Birdman won four Oscars from its nine nominations; best picture, director, original screenplay and cinematography. It also more than doubled its budget at the box office, so it's fair to say that Birdman was a success. That said, I don't think it will have massive appeal.

Why do I say that?

The film does not follow a conventional structure. I would imagine that most people will sit down to watch Birdman expecting to laugh every couple of minutes; after all, it is described as both a comedy and a drama, and Michael Keaton and Zach Galifianakis are involved. What we actually get is something quite unexpected. It feels like we are part of a play.

Iñárritu caught my attention with the way that he weaved together four threads in the excellent Babel, and used a similar structure in 21 Grams. Birdman is nothing like either of those films. Instead, it's shot like a documentary. He uses extreme closeups and we experience just about everything from the perspective of Riggan Thompson (Keaton). He plays an actor who was once famous for playing a superhero. That seems fitting considering Keaton's turn as Batman. Iñárritu is aware that superhero movies are popular, and that most people crave action and special effects over true art. Riggan expands on that idea by pouring everything he has (physically, mentally and financially) into a broadway play that writes, directs and stars in.

Emma Stone plays Riggan's daughter, Sam. She's a bit of a problem child, and that seems to fit Riggan's lifestyle, which is anything but trouble-free. The other actors in the play are Mike (Edward Norton) and Lesley (Naomi Watts), and they provide plenty of conflict both on and off the stage. To add to the overall feel that we are part of a play, Iñárritu uses a series of long takes. The result is almost a superior version of reality TV.

I often use the word 'interesting' as a throwaway word, but Birdman is genuinely interesting. It held my attention throughout and I wanted to know what would happen next. Keaton and Norton deserved their nominations, but there were definitely better performances in 2014. I like Keaton, and am glad that he got so much recognition, but in all honesty, I don't understand why Birdman won best picture. I enjoyed it, and I'll revisit it from time to time, but in my opinion it's not even Iñárritu's best film.

Overall score 3.75/5

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Sunday, March 1, 2015

Whiplash

Whiplash (2014)

Drama, Music, 107 minutes
Directed by Damien Chazelle
Starring Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons and Paul Reiser

I've never been a fan of jazz, so why would I want to watch Whiplash? The movie deals with a young man's passion for drumming and his ambition is to be the next Buddy Rich. To answer my own question, I wanted to see J.K. Simmons in his Oscar-winning role.

I've been a fan of Simmons since I saw his humorous cameo in Burn After Reading. He has the ability to make us forget that he's acting. Do you remember him as Juno's father, or as a fired worker in Up in the Air? I once decided that if I ever became an established writer of screenplays, I would write something that featured Simmons so that he could showcase all of his talent. Damien Chazelle has beaten me to it.

It's common to idolize people in our lives, whether it's in the sporting world, music, or whatever your individual interests happen to be. But Peyton Manning didn't just become great; he dedicated himself to the game and worked to connect with his teammates. While Jimi Hendrix had perhaps the most instinctive musical talent, he probably worked like crazy to develop his ability.

Whiplash is essentially about the struggle for greatness.

Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) doesn't seem to care about making friends or maintaining social relationships of any kind. He believes that they are merely distractions which take him away from time he could spend perfecting his drum playing. We see Neiman at Shaffer, which has the reputation of being the best music school in the US.

Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons) teaches at Shaffer, and seems to spend most of his time terrorizing his students. His style is reminiscent of a Sergeant Major, making most students afraid of him and unable to look him in the eye. But it would be a mistake to pigeon hole Fletcher because his character is multifaceted and impossible to consistently predict. One minute he's shouting into someone's face, and then he'll shed a tear or say something surprisingly encouraging. His motivation is to discover the next great jazz musician, but his methods are unorthodox and extreme.

As the story unfolds, we watch Neiman try to impress Fletcher. His drumming is just a small part of the equation; Fletcher wants to see Neiman stand up to him and overcome adversity, believing that such qualities are a vital part of the mix in any truly great musician.

I won't give away any more of the story, but I should say that Neiman's journey isn't the smoothest. We are left guessing right up until the final scene (and perhaps beyond) about Fletcher's true motivations and whether Neiman will succeed. I would have to say that it's one of the best movie-endings I have ever witnessed.

I watched Whiplash for the first time just 20 hours ago with two friends who had no interest in the subject matter. We all loved the story. I'm struggling to stop myself from seeing it again tonight. Be prepared for a lot of foul language and an intense experience. It's a unique movie with excellent performances. I hope that you give it a chance.

Overall score 5/5

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In the Frame Film Reviews

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Building nothing out of something - Songs 95 to 91

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Building nothing out of something - Songs 100 to 96

Saturday, September 19, 2015

Building nothing out of something - a Modest Mouse Top 100

Monday, March 30, 2015

The Boy from the Crowd

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Modest Mouse - Strangers to Ourselves (First Impressions)

Birdman: Or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Whiplash

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