Not Wack: The Wackness

I realize that I'm a little late to the game with this (it came out last summer), but The Wackness really blew me away and I feel like writing about it. It stars Josh Peck (yes, the once chubby kid from Nickelodeon's Drake and Josh) as a loner/pot dealer with a bleak outlook on life. Ben Kingsley plays the shrink who listens to his problems in exchange for the green stuff. The movie evolves into this wonderful coming of age story and makes some nice observations about love and happiness. It also features some great writing and a top-shelf soundtrack, full of early 90s hip-hop gems by the likes of Nas and B.I.G., among others. If you aren't completely grown up and have a pulse, you'll probably enjoy The Wackness.

The Summer of Lizzy: Tippy Top Albums

So this summer, music is basically what saved me from wrist slitting boredom. So here is a list of my fav five (well plus one because it needed to be mentioned...) albums that were in rotation this summa. I've also included the best tracksfrom each according to moi... here goes!
p.s. order does matter in this case. They go in descending order from least to most rockin.

*BONUS* - A list of summer albums would not be complete without bringing up Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest. This was more of an early summer obsession; the harmonies and do-woop make your heart melt.
track to check = While You Wait For the Others

Alrighty, now for the start of my listomania!

5. Marry Me - St. Vincent
Although this is not her newest work, Annie Clark really brings the funk on this album. Actor Out of Work is def worthwhile too, but lyrically and vocally, I think this is better. The subtleties of the music are surprising as well. I think my fav line is probably, "Let's do what Mary and Joseph did... without the kid." Damn straight gurl.
tracks to check = Marry Me & The Party

4. Middle Cyclone and Fox Confessor Brings the Flood - Neko Case
So once again, Johnny gave me the gift of both a newer and older album from an artist. Most known for her days as a pornographer (in The New Pornographers) - btw I did not think of this wit on my own, I read that somewhere... Neko Case is obvi an amazing solo artist as well. Her vocals will send chills down your spine and she's quite hmm.. what's the word, rustic? Both albums (but Middle Cyc esp) make you feel like you're walking through a forest somewhere among furry animals and woodsiness or that you should be. Nature has a presence in each and every song. Also, I have this theory that there is a select red-headed population of women who were created for no other purpose but to grace us all non-ginger people with their voices....but that's a diff post for a diff day...
tracks to check = I'm An Animal & That Teenage Feeling

3. God Help the Girl - God Help the Girl
I really thought Stuart Murdoch could not get anymore awesome until I listened to this. Stu and the Girls (who are singin' about my life), warm it up real nice with this musical film soundtrack. In case you didn't know, Stuart Murdoch is the lead dude in the Scottish indie pop band Belle and Sebastian. The girls that sing on this album, however, are not part of B&S. I'm pretty anxious to see how all of these characters fit together into an actual movie. But of course, like anything Murder Murdoch produces, the music is enough. It contains infectious melodies and harmonies will that make you ear-gasm all over the place (eww that sounds gwwwoss!). But fo real, the best part of all is the lyricos. I could go on forever picking out fav lines, but I'll spare you. I would like to point out a very special song called "Pretty Eve in the Tub" which Johnny and I agree only good ole Stuart could get away with without being dubbed a fag by the general populous. Rhyming tub with scrub and rub is not really acceptable, but I'll allow it this once. The main character (Eve) whose part is sung by Catherine Ireton is delightfully soulful, esp on her new and improved version of "Funny Little Frog." Too bad production on the film doesn't start til 2010... why oh why Stewey must you torture me so??

tracks to check = God Help the Girl & Funny Little Frog

2. Bitte Orca - Dirty Projectors

Okay, okay. I may be jumping and barely hanging on to the Dirty Projector's band wagon, but I can't help it. Admittedly, I have never listened to any of their other albums, but these damn harmonies just get to me. This is the latest project of Dave Longstreth who bleh bleh bleh went to some Ivy League bleh bleh. He paired up, or I guess more tripled up, or should I say sexteted?? up with some other people to make this band... but the important point is that the female vocalists are the shit! Amber Coffman, Angel Deradoorian, and some other fille will make your heart effing bleed. You think you've heard harmony before, but you've never heard it like this. The album was consciously based on the harmonies of the three female voices for God's sake. Some things I dislike about it... 1. The title is gibberish. It has no real meaning, Longfellow (or whatev) just thought the words Bitte(German word) and Orca(like the whale) sounded cool together. Kinda hokey and pointless if you ask me. But you didn't ask me. But I'm tell you anywayz. Actually, number 1 is the only reason I don't like it. Because there's not much to hate on. You have to be slightly open to strange sounds and instruments, but I think this is pretty accessible. Catchy and angelic (not a common combo), but give it a spin!

tracks to check = Two Doves and Stillness is the Move

1. Manners - Passion Pit

The great French musician M83(who's not really great at all) once said Saturdays=Youth. Well, if we're getting mathematical about it, then I say Passion Pit = Summer. This LP and their Chunk of Change EP(which was orig created as a V-day present for a GF) made my life complete this summer. I have a list (which I'm starting right now) of people who "just fucking get it." You know those friends or musicians or whoever you come across on Earth who truly comprehend the human condition and what life's all about, they just fucking get it. I believe that Michael Angelakos, the lead singer/songwriter of PP, just fucking gets it. His lyrics ooze youthfulness and a great understanding what young people need to hear. He knows his audience of sweaty adolescents dancing around in a church basement(aka me and Johnny on August 15, 2009) to his falsetto and sweet beatz. Besides being super catchy, every song brings a new message of growing up and the pains involved. Their live show was truly the best I have ever attended. So congratulations Mr. Angelakos & company, you have won Elizabeth's award for best album of Summer 2009. Feel special. Okay, now for some of my favorite lyrics in now particular order... "I hope that I'll fall asleep knowing that you'll always be the story with no ending..."(ellipses obvi necessary) "I believe in believing the things that we don't see." "Oh have you ever felt so goddamn strong? How come it takes some people so damn long?" alright 3 is the magic number. I'm sure you'll pick your own favs.

tracks to check = Little Secrets & Sleepyhead

Super Cool Pre-Passion Pit Photo Shoot

Although summer is quickly slipping through our finger tips, it is not too late to harvest healthy harmonies with any of the previously mentioned artistes this autumn. Also, it is not to late to go see (500) Days of Summer :o) (smileys with noses are the best of the emoticons) kbye.

About to Blow Up: The Soft Pack

The Soft Pack are a band from San Diego. They used to be called The Muslims, but, well, obviously they had to change that. They play really catchy, raw rock songs. When I listen to them, I think of The Walkmen, The Modern Lovers, and The Velvet Underground all at the same time. Nuff said. Their Muslims EP is real good, and I'm sure once they release a full-length album they'll gain lots of fans.

A Rave Without the Ecstasy: Passion Pit at the FUC

So me and Lizzy saw Passion Pit at the First Unitarian Church Saturday night and it was pretty much the most fun show either of us had ever been to. The notoriously cramped and steamy basement of the FUC was the perfect place to see an upbeat, dancy band like Passion Pit play live, and it was great to see them here before they move on to a place like the Electric Factory. Every song was a communal singalong, and, for an hour or so, humans as a whole were pretty alright. "Sleepyhead" was undoubtedly the highlight of their set. People jumped up and down, water flew everywhere, people made out, and everyone experienced the elusive "eargasm." Well, at least I did. They mercifully ended the set after playing 13 songs or so, at which time everyone stormed the exit to get some much needed fresh air. I emerged from the furnace with a fogged up pair of glasses, my favorite shirt supersaturated with sweat (some of my own and some from other people) and a great story to tell the grandkids.

About to Blow Up: BLK JKS

In case you haven't heard, BLK JKS (pronounced "Black Jacks") are a band from South Africa. They've gotten more than a few plays on WXPN and are even featured in the latest Rolling Stone. Their EP Mystery, released earlier this year, is tremendous. I can't even begin to describe their music, except to say that it's really beautiful and it sounds like they've harnessed the heavens. They have a full-length coming out next month, and I'll be first in line to buy it.

See It: (500) Days of Summer

(500) Days of Summer is undeniably good. As much as I wanted to hate it for its cuteness, it really is a great movie, full of great dialogue, acting, and filmmaking. Nearly every scene was memorable, from the one pictured above where Tom and Summer have an endearingly awkward convo about the Smiths to the Hall & Oates song and dance number. Zooey Deschanel made me swoon, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt made me, well, can't just about every melancholy-ish guy out there relate to his character?
The thing about this movie that really got me though was how realistic it was. You see the little idiosyncracies that every couple has. Summer and Tom play the penis game and pretend that a kitchen in a department store is their own. This is the kind of stuff that really gets an audience to pay attention and develop a profound connection with the characters. It ended brilliantly as well, sort of the same way Adaptation ended if I remember correctly.
I really hope this movie becomes the next Juno or Little Miss Sunshine. It's certainly the best thing I've seen this year.

Album of the Year?: Bitte Orca

I'm totally jumping on the bandwagon with this one, but Dirty Projectors' Bitte Orca is the best album I've heard in a really long time. That's saying a lot, because some really great albums (Merriweather Post Pavillion, Veckatimest, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, et al.) have been released this year. Pretty indicative of just how good this one is.
Seriously, this album has everything. It takes unexpected twists and turns, has interesting songwriting, some stellar guitar playing, and some of the prettiest vocal harmonies you'll ever hear. They even threw in "Stillness is the Move," a track (this might be a stretch) that wouldn't be out of place on pop radio. With uplifting vocals and accessible lyrics, ya never know.
There's so much to hear on Bitte Orca. In fact, in terms of complexity, I'd put it right up there with Radiohead's OK Computer or Bjork's Homogenic, two of my favorite records ever. It's hard to listen to "Useful Chamber" and not think that it was inspired by "Paranoid Android." And the intertwining of electronic elements and soothing strings, well, that's Homogenic for ya.
On Bitte Orca, Dirty Projectors have created a work of art. It's more than just a bunch of songs-it's words and sounds thrown on a canvas. They deserve lots of love and recognition for creating something so wonderful.