Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields (2010)

Hey kiddos, I'm back with a short series on some documentaries I've seen recently that I enjoyed.
Simul-posted here: The Movie Advocate

Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields
I like the Magnetic Fields.  I've liked them for a good long while.  I wasn't "there" when they hit the scene or anything, but I am no neophyte.  Strange Powers is not really a documentary for me.  While it delved into Stephin Merritt's past, revealing things I myself would probably have never known had I not seen the movie, I didn't really feel the need any more depth to his story.  I enjoyed his rather anonymous presence in my world.

The movie also chronicles tMF's rise to less-obscurity, which I was sort of there for, so I didn't really need that either. Strange Powers is a documentary for people who haven't heard of the Magnetic Fields.  The only real problem is that I don't think people who don't know about Stephin Merritt are really going to be interested in seeing this doc.  Not that it's a bad documentary, but that, unless you already know about tMF, it just may not jump out at you.  And I don't think Stephin's story is so engaging that I would be able to recommend watching it unfold.  So, if you're a tMF fan, or would like to be, maybe check it out.  Otherwise, I think you can do without seeing it.

SLM Mixtape: #16: i almost can't believe it.

i almost can't believe it. from TuffLuke on 8tracks.

Tracklist:
Internet Warrior - Oh No Ono
Hello Sadness - Los Campesinos!
Charlyne - Mister Heavenly
Partyland - Detektivbyrån
Noche Nada - Givers
Benny And The Jetts - TV Girl
Fliers - Dada Trash Collage
Icicles - Oh No Ono

Chasing Ghosts: Beyond the Arcade (2007)

Hey kiddos, I'm back with a short series on some documentaries I've seen recently that I enjoyed.
Simul-posted here: The Movie Advocate

Chasing Ghosts
The King of Kong: Fistful of Quarters came out the same year as Chasing Ghosts (2007).  Both are preceded by High Score (2006).  High Score sets the stage for documentaries about people who are overly obsessed with retro videogames.  Chasing Ghosts gives the audience a fair amount of background in regards to the world of retro videogame players of yore.  And King of Kong tells a story within this world.  I'd seen both High Score and King of Kong years ago, so it was kind of interesting to fill in the gaps by watching Chasing Ghosts, but if I were to recommend a documentary about retro videogame players, it would hands down have to be King of Kong.  Chasing Ghosts feels like a sort of Silmarillion, or a prequel, giving back story and filing in action that isn't entirely necessary, but is still fairly interesting.  In the end, only for those interested in expanding the story of King of Kong.

SLM Mixtape #15: fine. let's dance.

fine. let's dance. from TuffLuke on 8tracks.

Tracklist:
I'm An Indian Too (12" Version) - Don Armando's Second Avenue Rhumba Band
Paradisco - Charlotte Gainsbourg
The Prescription - Edit
Numb - Oh Land
Wild Window - Fool's Gold
The Shots - Dance Disaster Movement
The Crises At Alpha Centauri level 1 - Producer Snafu
Silver Surfer - Silver Surfer

You're Gonna Miss Me (2005)

Hey kiddos, I'm back with a short series on some documentaries I've seen recently that I enjoyed.
Simul-posted here: The Movie Advocate

You're Gonna Miss Me
The 13th Floor Elevators/first psychedelic rock band's lead man Roky Erickson's documentary.  I can really only compare this documentary to The Devil and Daniel Johnston, if you took out the support system that Daniel Johnston has.  Everyone in Roky's life, at the beginning of the doc, either wants nothing to do with him (for various personal reasons), or wants to control him in the way they see fit.  And by the end of it, people's roles may change, but it's essentially the same situation.  This one is a downer.  It's a musician's window into mental illness. You're Gonna Miss Me is most terrifying when you realize that it's not a warning against drug use, or the dangers of Rock 'n' Roll, but a story about how some people are just born unlucky, and there's nothing you can do about it.

SLM Mixtape #14: ORLY?

ORLY? from TuffLuke on 8tracks.

Tracklist:
Shake Some Action - The Flamin' Groovies
Kids (Don't Know) - Orange Mothers
S.T.H.D. - Ladyhawk
Dum-Dum - The Vaselines
Failure - My Robot Friend
Cálculo Utilitarista - Guatafán
Fred Astaire - Lamps
A・N・A - ミドリ

The Big One (1997)

Hey kiddos, I'm back with a short series on some documentaries I've seen recently that I enjoyed.
Simul-posted here: The Movie Advocate

The Big One
I think Michael Moore is a great filmmaker.  The guy knows how to make an engaging documentary whose end message appears to have been reached by accident.  It's manipulative for sure, because he talks in this faux-ignorant tone, both as narrator and as interviewer, as though he thinks that he will find pure and good in the world, and then attempts to come off as surprised when the head of Nike doesn't want to go see the sweat shops they own.  Yes, his digging up painful histories and embarrassing current practices, he is doing one heck of a service for mankind, because these things do need to be talked about.  But ... I can't help be feel condescended upon, as though the only way he's going to get his message across is to say it slowly and in simple words, presenting the facts as though he himself just learned them 10 minutes ago and is telling about them at the dinner table.  I'm troubled by the possibility, however, that this presentation method really is the best way to present an idea so that it sticks and gets you as angry as he was when he decided to make the movie.  I'll probably continue to see his movies, because he knows how to present a frustrating world fact ... but I can't say I enjoy Michael Moore's "Michael" character he performs as in his movies. Anyway, about The Big One: See it if you enjoy his style, because it is signature MM, but the topic it's discussing feels dated (though, terrifyingly enough, it most likely is not a dated topic at all).

For the Bible Tells Me So (2007)

Hey kiddos.  As you're all well aware, my interests are varied, to say the least.  I also write for a movie blog, The Movie Advocate.  I recently kicked up my game with writing about movies, and now there will be a bit of a flood of reviews over there with my name on it.  I'll be simul-posting those short and sweet reviews here too, but I don't want anyone to think I'm going to stop writing about music, and posting mixtapes.  Those will, hopefully, also become more frequent.  So, here we go.  The first series is a collection of short write-ups (emphasis on short, we're all busy, right?) on documentaries I've seen recently.  Also, I get a lot of great music e-mailed to me, so keep it coming! 
Simul-posted here: The Movie Advocate

For the Bible Tells Me So 
A doc which focuses on Christianity's relative intolerance when it comes to the question of homosexuality.  There are touching interviews with Christian parents of gay children, and with the gay children in question.  I appreciated that they had a fairly diverse group, in that some parents still don't accept or even tolerate their child's homosexuality.  Obviously the families that completely cut out their child aren't represented in the movie, because the point of this movie isn't to bring you down, it's to serve as a beacon of hope for people who may be going through a similar struggle with their own families.

The stories range from uplifting to disturbing as we're guided through the daily lives of not only the parents of the gay children, but the children's lives as well.  The movie has a great message, but there is somewhat of a problem with it, in that the movie has no real distinct audience.  It seems evident to me that the people who need to be swayed to the opinion that homosexuality is not a choice wouldn't ever choose to watch it, and the people who already think gay people are actually people really won't get much out of it, because it's a message they already agree with.

That said, it is nice to have something on record. Something that boldly, if calmly, stands up for gay rights.  If anything, this movie is for the people who may be on the fence about homosexuality.  And while I can envision a scenario where a fence-sitter is swayed to believe that gay people are all right, I can also see a showing of this turn into an explosive situation, with that person falling to the hateful side of the fence, spouting off about the "gay agenda."  Even with that possibility, I'm proud of my fellow humans for putting their voice out there, and at least mentioning that the stories in this movie have happened.

Flashbulb Fires CD release show

Hey Kiddos,

A fellow Denver band, Flashbulb Fires, is releasing an album come mid-May. They let me listen to their album a few weeks ago, and I have to say it's rather good.  Even on the first listen, their integrity and professionalism shines through.  These guys really believe in what they're doing.  It was more relaxed than I had expected, but just as genuine as I'd hoped.   You can stream both their newest and what appears to be their first record over at their website, but here's a track I found rather enjoyable:


Flashbulb Fires - I Beat My Body Down

SLM Mixtape: #13: Peripatetic

Peripatetic from TuffLuke on 8tracks.

Tracklist:
1) Phoenix - Martina Topley Bird
2) Glory To The World - El Perro Del Mar
3) Fire - Sister Irene O'Connor
4) Hollow - Sonic Adventure Project
5) The Future - Austra
6) Day To Day - The Ting Tings
7) Mother - The Golden Filter
8) Playing House - Active Child


Also, I'm going to take a week off of work next week, and watch movies for 10 days straight.  So I decided to finally finish up my reviews of the movies I watch the last time I did that.  I'll update the new reviews for Tuff Fest II on both this blog and the movie blog I contribute to, but, for now, read the start of the last of my reviews of the movies I watched last time:

http://www.themovieadvocate.com/2012/04/tuff-fest-i-wrap-up-mega-post-2.html

The Case NOT Against Titanic 3D

 

simul-posted here: http://www.themovieadvocate.com/

I haven't seen Titanic since I was a teenager.  I watched it with my mother, which, if you remember a certain shirtless scene, was incredibly awkward and I mostly blocked it out.  So I have no idea if I thought it was a good movie.  I also have no strong inclination to see it again, 3D or not, so I may never know whether or not I would like it.  But whether or not I like it is irrelevant when discussing whether or not it should have been re-released with added bits that make it appear to pop from the screen, so you can really "sympathize" with the plummeting passengers...

SLM Mixtape: #12: the thing.

the thing. from TuffLuke on 8tracks.

Tracklist:
1) Post-War Blues - Dan Mangan
2) I Think I Might Have Built A Horse - The Beets
3) My Dream Girl Don't Exist (Live) - Neutral Milk Hotel
4) My God, My God - Micah P. Hinson
5) Electric - Deer Tick
6) Bad Ritual - Timber Timbre
7) Moving on - Sam Craig
8) Yellow Moon - The Knew

SLM Mixtape #11: Jump. Shake.

Jump. Shake. from TuffLuke on 8tracks.

Track List:
1) Sukkar, Sukkar, Sukkar - Ali Hassan Kuban
2) Kulukutu - L'Orchestre Kanga De Mopti
3) Cais - Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges
4) Ejim Nk'Onye - Celestine Ukwu and His Philosophers' National
5) Mi Kple Dobbekpo - Lokonon Andre & Les Volcans
6) Kalabuley Woman - Pierre Antonie
7) Lufuala Ndonga - Konono Nº1
8) Love Affair - SJOB Mobement

Wind Does - The Cranford Fire

Hey everyone.  I've just finished up my first solo album since '09, and it's up, running, and free to download here on bandcamp:
http://winddoes.bandcamp.com/

You can watch the corresponding video I've made here:
http://youtu.be/dcrwtkjsf4s
and here:
https://vimeo.com/37225048

You can "like" my page here if you'd like:
https://www.facebook.com/WindDoes

Now I can get back to talking about other people's music.  See ya next week with a new mix :)

Melon Ginsberg

Records are almost all sold. WOW.  So crazy.

On to new stuff.  New Mixes coming next week.  I've got a new solo album coming out next week too.

For now, here's a picture I made while on hold earlier today:

I'm selling all of my records.

So, I've clearly lost my mind.  That said, I'm still going to go forward with my plan to sell my entire record collection.  I've taken pictures of them all (well, I missed 1 or two, but I've uploaded images in their place), and uploaded them to the internet, and here they are.  If you see one you want, make me an offer in an e-mail, facebook message, tweet, text, or comment with your e-mail, and we'll work it out. Anything I don't sell is going to one of our many wonderful indie record stores.

Records that have been "HELD" are in negotiation, but not sold, so you can still let me know if you're interested.  Ones that are "SOLD" are gone, and will be removed from the list.
Update: updating this page with which albums are "held" has already become too much of a task, so if you're interested in which ones may already have a name attached, go here to the facebook page.
 
Here's the master list:

2Pac - All Eyes On Me

Click "Read More" to see the other ~400 records

SLM Mixtape #10: GetGetGet

GetGetGet from TuffLuke on 8tracks.

Tracklist:
Heart That's Pounding - Sally Seltmann
Bunny In A Bunny Suit - Simone White
Discothèque - Summer Cats
Don't You Be The Judge - Danielson Famile
Slow Down Joe - Karl Blau
Tintinnabulation - Kelley Stoltz
Twisted Thoughts - Kinetic Stereokids
Battles - Celebration

SLM Mixtape #9: Slaya

SLAYA from TuffLuke on 8tracks.

Tracklist:
You Don't Want A Boyfriend - Brian
Money for All - David Sylvian
Smoke Machine - The Welcome Strangers
Cheree (Remix) - Suicide
Please Turn Me Into the Snat - Connan Mockasin
Les Chemins De Verre - Karkwa
Ella Guru - Captain Beefheart
How Do I Get Over You? - Candi Staton
 

SLM Mixtape #8: Exactly

Tracklist:
All you are going to want to do is get back there - The Caretaker
Poison - Laurie Anderson
The Earlie King - Baby Dee
Shake That Devil - Antony and The Johnsons
Is That All There Is? - Cristina
Beg Your Pardon - Crass
cerebrus - John Zorn
Spoonful - Keiji Haino & Coil

SLM Mixtape #7: Parallels

Tracklist:
Morteza - Morteza
Yah Nasma Yah Halina - Ali Hassan Kuban
Catronuevo De Los Arcos - Gerineldo
Past Time Paradise - Martik
Free Me Now - Brigth Engelberts & the B.E. Movement
Inuit Wedding - Sainkho
Turkish Dance - Korla Pandit
Dreams Of A Dying City - Rabih Abou-Khalil