Fifty-Two Tuesdays

Just got back from seeing Control at the Magic Lantern Theater with Becky. Great movie, though watching two hours of Ian Curtis’ slow self-destruction got a bit painful at times. The film avoided portraying the “real” Ian Curtis, mostly eschewing attempts to vindicate him and instead simply portraying him as he most likely was: every bit as brilliant and as messed up as he seemed.

Joy Division fans should see it. I imagine most people would like the film, though, if the spectacle of a brilliant musician burning himself out and taking the people around him with him doesn’t put you off.

Here’s Joy Division performing “Transmission” in their breakthrough TV performance, which the movie did an amazing job of recreating.

(Major tip of the hat to Becky for taking me to see the film.)

P.S: Definitely catch a show at The Magic Lantern Theater if you’re ever in Spokane. Great, funky little art-house theater.

Well, I know I’ve posted a few Oasis videos here in the past month or so, but here’s one more for you: Oasis performing “Gas Panic” live in 2000 on the BBC.

In other news, sorry about the impromptu Christmas break I took. Things will be back on schedule Tuesday. Promise.

Well, as usual I’ve been neglecting my duties to you, oh gentle readers, for which I apologize. And, as usual, I have a full quiver of a excuses with which to fend off your glares of disapproval. But instead of loosing any of my accounts of my negligence, I shall simply attempt to bribe your good graces with this video, which the wonderful Ann passed along to me.

The Servant, “Liquefy”:

Strange? Yes. Sweet? I think so. Fantastically catchy? Most definitely.

And as for the video, the singer’s spastic dance moves totally make it.

Hey folks, I’m off to Kentucky for a few days on business. Review and voting when I return.

In the meantime, here’s a little adorable weirdness for you. Kompressor performing “The Girl From Ipanema”, originally by Antonio Carlos Jobim.

Various sources are reporting that Dan Fogelberg has passed away. Can’t say I was ever a huge fan of his music, but that’s mainly because I never really did the soft rock thing. Still, a talented singer, songwriter, and musician.

And on a sad note for Rock and Roll: Ike Turner has passed away.

The seminal “Rocket 88″, courtesy of Helpless Dancer.

Q: How does one NOT make good on their purchase of a massive chain of healthy media retail outlets? A: Half-assed corporate rebrand.

The normally noisy, shrill Popjustice does, on occasion, throw up some good articles. They’ve got a fairly straight-forward demonstration as to why the whole zavvi thing is, as it stands, a crashing failure. (As an aside: it’s a bad sign when your company just bought all the Virgin Megastore retail outlets and yet your corporate website a.) is not the first result when someone googles your corporate name and b.) still redirects to VirginMegastores.co.uk.)

Dooce is a little more right in this post than I think I’m comfortable with.

Doubly so, since I really like the phrase “pop sensibility”.

Well, looks like Phillip Glass has taken the vote for this past week, and, as such, a review of it will be up Tuesday (or there abouts, I leave Tuesday morning for a business trip for the Day Job, so we’ll see how well that meshes with the reviewing).

In the meantime, since there was no review for this week, there’s just more voting. Yay democracy!

Mary J Blige, Growing Pains
Rivers Cuomo, Alone
G-Unit, Shoot to Kill
Lupe Fiasco, The Cool
Tool, Vicarious
Various Artists, Sweeney Todd OST

Working late tonight and this Winamp’s shuffle turned up Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues” (originally off of Bringing it All Back Home) and, as is often the case, I had an urge to watch the video again:

Simple, brilliant, and featuring a cameo by Allen Ginsberg.