Boys...Yum: Jennifer's Body

Jennifer's Body is about Megan Fox and how she gains demonic powers and eats teenage boys to stay strong. Sounds rad, right? It is. It's very funny, somewhat scary, and (!) heartbreaking. The MVP is writer Diablo Cody, whose wittiness is all over the movie from start to finish, and many of the lines ("Do you want to be famous like those Maroon 5 guys?") had me LOLing. This could have been another boring slasher movie, but the writing adds a self-awareness to it that made me chuckle. When Megan Fox levitates, it's not "OHMIGOD SHE'S IN THE AIR!!" Instead, it's something like "Oh God, she's levitating. Is there anything she can't do? Yawn." The creators know that this type of movie is absurd, and they're admitting it, and I'm totally buying it. The filmmaking was pretty sleek as well, and there's one scene involving Fox swimming nude in a lake that comes to mind as being, uh, really well done. Did I mention Megan Fox yet? She pretty much owns her role as a super bitch and probably should've been in Mean Girls.
In terms of the deeper stuff, Jennifer's Body has some of that as well. It's a movie about the power of influence, about how girlfriends influence each other and how girls influence boys. I think it's important for young guys to see that while the girl you're fooling around with probably won't eat your flesh, she might give you an STD or she might get preggers.
Jennifer's Body is wildly entertaining, and will be enjoyed best at the theater with a large tub of popcorn on your lap.

Kid Cudi: Man on the Moon

Maybe it's because "Day N Nite" is a pretty rad song or that Kanye West had a hand in its production or that the respectable groups Ratatat and MGMT guest on it or that Kid Cudi is being portrayed as a "sensitive" hip-hop artist by the media. Even after all of that, it was probably the cover art. At any rate, I bought Man on the Moon: The End of the Day, the debut album from Cleveland's Kid Cudi. While it's certainly not game-changing, it does offer some very unique sounds, and many of the tracks sound like denser, spacier verisions of songs on Kanye's 808s and Heartbreak. I would like this album even more if Cudi was a more literate rapper. Allow me to list some choice lyrical samples:
1. From "Soundtrack 2 My Life"-as i grew to be a teen/i disguised myself had the lowest self esteem/especially with the girls/tried every sport just to impress the girls

Is he serious? The world only needs one Rivers Cuomo, and he wore out his welcome like ten years ago.

2. From "Enter Galactic"-i want to kiss you on your space below your navel-ette/the place that you keep neat/so moist like/a towelette

My word that is horrendous.

3. "Make Her Say," which features Common and Kanye, is about a blowjob and samples Lady Gaga's "Poker Face." Poke her face. Get it? Like a blowjob. And is it Kosher to sample a song that's still on the charts? I feel as though current songs shouldn't be sampled.

There's still enough good tracks to make this worth listening to, though. "Cudi Zone" is my favorite because it's about feeling euphoria and has strings. Can't really beat that. "Day N Nite" is obviously pretty good, and the two tracks with Ratatat are good because they have that signature Nintendo-guitar sound that's on all Ratatat songs. I love that sound.

If you like both the poppier side of hip-hop and futurisic beats and don't mind average lyrics, you'll enjoy this album. I'm interested to see what he puts out next, because apparently this is the first in a trilogy or something.

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.