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GO Play Extra: The Revivalists performing Friday @ The Alley Bar

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:47:00 -0600

Call it indie-rock. Call it Cajun soul. Call it steroid-induced country.

Or just call it good music.

That was the vibe I got with the debut album Vital Signs from New Orleans-based The Revivalists. The band will be playing Friday night at the Alley Bar.

I was notified early this week about The Revivalists coming to Montgomery and something told me to check them out. After going to their site and looking up the audio section, I was pleasantly surprised to see that their entire album was streaming. Even more good news? I enjoyed it from the moment I hit play.

The strings are the first thing you notice on “Not Turn Away” before realizing the band goes into full-on jam mode. That vibe continues into “Shot of Tears” that comes complete with a horn-themed solo.

Lead singer Dave Shaw struts a strong southern drawl throughout the album, rising with the sound and crooning when the band decides to slow it down. “Souls Too Loud” is a prime example of the combination.

For some good ol guitar picking and voice showcasing, check out “Strawman.” And for a great example of songwriting and album structure, listen to the 1-2 punch of “Appreciate Me I” and “Appreciate Me II.”

The whole time I was listening to Vital Signs (and also the band’s self titled EP, located at the bottom of the page) I just keep thinking how great these songs would sound live. I expect nothing short of a good time with these guys Friday at the Alley Bar.

Show time starts at 9 p.m. and comes with a cover charge of $10.

— Matt Okarmus

Below is a glimpse of what you could see Friday, a 2008 performance from the New Orleans Indie Rock Fest.

*photo taken from therevivalists.com

GO Play Extra: "The League" returns for a third season

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 08:08:06 -0500

THE LEAGUE: L-R: Mark Duplass, Stephen Rannazzisi, Nick Kroll, Jon Lajoie, Jason Mantzoukas and Seth Rogen in THE LEAGUE airing Thursday, Oct. 6 on FX. CR: Patrick McElhenney / FX

If you caught my fantasy football column from about a month ago, then it may come as no surprise that I am a fan of FX’s “The League.” However, it wasn’t love at first sight.

Let’s just say that “The League” earns its spot on FX, a channel that also features such TV-MA rating earnings like “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and “Archer.” So it took me a while to get used to, but now I am stuck in the story of four friends (and one’s wife) who take the fantasy football battle to a whole nother level.

Gearing up for its third season, “The League” picks up right where they left off with defending Shiva bowl champion Ruxin proudly rubbing it in his friends faces - with some superstar help. It puts us right on pace and lets us know the show hasn’t lost a step.

The thing with this adult comedy is that you don’t really have to know the ins and outs of fantasy football, but it does help. At its core, the show is about a group of friends who have terrible values but the competition of the game keep them together.

My only disappointment with the season opener, airing tonight at 9:30, is that the episode is called “The Lockout” but it barely mentions the fact that if the NFL lockout had stayed in place there would be no fantasy season.

Seth Rogen also makes an appearance in the series premiere as a librarian/porn director. And if that combination of job titles doesn’t push you away, then you just might be able to enjoy “The League.”

Photo

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:48:17 -0500

GO Play Extra: Fall TV highlighted by "The New Girl"

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 10:05:00 -0500

Before I go in to a post concerning the new and returning shows coming this fall there is a bit of information I must indulge: I don’t watch much TV. Now, before you say “then what are you doing writing about it?” allow me to explain.

I don’t watch much TV - when it originally comes on. Because of that wonderful thing called the Internet I usually watch the shows I like a day or two after they come on (if they happen to be on a network gracious enough to provide such a service). Netflix has only fueled that fire to where I am almost spoiled by having complete seasons of shows at my disposal. Case in point: knocking out the fourth season of Friday Night Lights in one weekend.

And don’t get me started on DVR. That’s a luxury I no longer have, but along with Netflix helped me get impatient to wait weeks to catch new episodes.

So while I’m unqualified to talk about ALL the new and returning shows coming, I can highlight a couple. (Sidenote: a staff writer at the Montgomery Advertiser would be much better at this topic so check out the “TV Geek” blog for better insights).

If you’re like me and enjoy your comedies that are tied to Thursdays, then you have to be happy like me to have Community, Parks and Recreation and The Office all return. Admittedly, I fell off of the last episodes of Community and The Office (not my fault - I watch with a friend and we haven’t had a chance to coordinate) but I am ready for new Parks and Rec. While that show didn’t grab me at first, my only struggle now is to choose who is my favorite character. It’s currently a three-way tie between Ron Swanson, Tom Haverford and Andy Dwyer.

And while there are plenty of others returning/have returned (Glee) or debuted/will debut (new Charlies Angels anyone) that I haven’t/won’t watch, there is one show out there that I will make sure to make time for.

The New Girl

Like most of the males that tuned in to this show, I am in love with Zooey Deschanel. I can’t speak for the ladies, but all of my female friends have jumped on this show as well so I’m assuming it’s a win for both genders. And if the formula for the pilot/series premiere is any indication, it’s a win for all viewers.

Zooey plays Jess, a teacher who gets dumped by her boyfriend in the opening scene. Because they were a couple that lived together, Jess now needs a place to stay. Those gentlemen in the picture above needed a roommate. Simple formula, right?

While it’s not anything innovative, this show could have tanked by putting too much focus on the “adorkable” Jess. But the roommate dynamic held its own and I found myself laughing at the guys as much as I was smiling at Jess.

It’s good because I was hesitant going in to the show. It was hard for me to suspend belief and think that someone like Zooey Deschanel would have a hard time getting a date, or that any guy would be dumb enough to cheat on her in the first place. Luckily, the show relies on jokes - thankfully not gags - to pull it through so I’m laughing before I’m putting too much thought into that scenario.

“The New Girl” is a show I will definitely be keeping my eye on throughout the season as it will serve as a Netflix break after finally getting into Mad Men.

— Matt Okarmus

*image source: Fox.com

GO Play extra: "X-Men: First Class" thoughts

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 12:40:00 -0500

“X-Men: First Class” is set to release on DVD and Blu-ray on Friday as part of “First Class Friday.” The film stars James McAvoy (“Wanted”) as Charles Xavier and Michael Fassbender (“Inglourious Basterds”) as Erik Lehnsherr in a precursor of events before the two become Professor X and Magneto respectively.

Also featuring a handful of other mutants from the comic book series, (some familiar and some not) as well as a strong supporting role from Kevin Bacon, “First Class” became one of the more well-reviewed movies of the summer. What’s GOing On columnists Sean Gourley and Matt Okarmus break down their thoughts of the film below.

Sean

As an avid comic book reader, I often have those worries about the geek aspects of superhero movies. Will the costumes look stupid? Will they get the back story right? What about the powers? The answer is almost always “no” to at least one of those.

“First Class” made me not care if something was off. It was just a solid movie.

My biggest question about the film was how well McAvoy and Fassbender would hold up in the roles established by Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan, two acting heavyweights. I was pleasantly surprised how well they did, especially Fassbender, who I had not seen in much before.

I really enjoyed the story. It was an interesting spin on the mutant-paranoia angle of many “X-Men” stories to tie it in with the nuclear-paranoia of the 1960s.

I enjoyed getting to see more of the back stories for Professor X and Magneto. That was well done without taking up too much time. I enjoyed the Magneto story the most, since it did more show you the groundwork of how the man became the villain.

The “X-Men” movie universe is still full of unused stories and characters. I’m hoping we see more of the franchise done as well as “First Class.”

Matt

I remember when I first read that they were going to take a new direction with the X-Men characters on the big screen and introduce them as basically kids, I was skeptical. Then I saw the first trailer for the movie and became intrigued.

What I didn’t anticipate was a movie that was only sort of on my radar would go on to become one of my favorites and one of the best I’ve seen all year.

And would also make me appreciate convincing my dad to see it instead of “Green Lantern” (Thanks Dad).

In my opinion, there’s usually no middle ground with comic book movies – they are either going to be done really well or they will look really bad. It’s usually the latter, but for every “The Spirit” there is at least a “Sin City” and movies like “The Dark Knight” can help us forget about the chaotic (though guilty pleasure) mess of “Batman Forever.”

The same thing happened with the X-Men franchise as the third movie and the Wolverine spin-off both left a little to be desired. But something felt different going into “First Class.”

It was fresh, inspired and delivered on every level. The acting was on point, the visual effects weren’t over the top and I wasn’t confused by the story (always a plus).

Maybe it’s just me, but I’m a sucker for the story of the “villains.” And this movie was just as much about the rise of Magneto as it was about the first class of mutants.

And something happened after that movie – I cared about the story of Magneto. In the past, I enjoyed characters like Wolverine and Gambit but now I’m curious about the backstories for other characters.

One thing is for sure – I am eagerly anticipating any news on a possible sequel.

*image source - Fox Home Entertainment

GO Play extra: Red Hot Chili Peppers and Lil Wayne album reviews

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:31:00 -0500

This week saw the release of two well established names in their respective genres, both choosing to take a unique approach in getting their music into the world. The Red Hot Chili Peppers released their tenth studio album, I’m With You, on Monday after streaming the contents on iTunes in the previous week. Lil Wayne also had a Monday release date for his latest, Tha Carter IV, after a digital release that followed his VMA-closing performance. How did both shake up? Read on to find out.

Red Hot Chili Peppers - I’m With You

Talk about expectations. When you are ten albums in, it proves you have been successful. And in a career that spans nearly three decades, you couldn’t have faulted the Red Hot Chili Peppers for placing a bit of pressure on themselves. After all, they were coming of a five-year hiatus following Stadium Arcadium and were moving on following the departure of legendary guitarist John Frusciante. The remaining members - Anthony Kiedis, Michael “Flea” Balzary and Chad Smith - still had their sights set on making new music and did so by making touring guitarist Josh Klinghoffer the permanent new member.

Everyone can rest easy - the new lineup works.

I’m With You shows the band can still jam with the best of them and are good at slowing it down if they need to. It can be argued that Flea is one of the best bassists of all time and his presence is overpowering here - in a good way. Smith’s drumming is also admired and Kiedis keeps the songs rolling along. But the question going is how would Klinghoffer do in filling in for someone else’s shoes. The lead-single “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie” showed that he would do just fine, giving a performance that shows off when it needs to without hogging the spotlight.

Another aspect to a tenth studio album is how much had the band changed? And while they do stretch out the creative process and show growth on songs such as “Did I Let You Know” and “Even You, Brutus?” certain tracks have a similar presence to the band’s most previous albums. “Annie Wants a Baby” calls back to the By The Way release, “Look Around” shows similarities to songs found on Californication and “Brendan’s Death Song” even has sounds that go all the way back to Blood Sugar Sex Magik.

The good thing about this release is that there are no bad tracks contained. You pay for 14 songs and you get a solid amount of material with the already mentioned highlights as well as picks like “Factory of Faith.”

Bottom line: I’m With You is a nice progression for any RHCP fan. While it won’t win over any critics of the group, it should put a smile on the face of longtime followers.

Lil Wayne - Tha Carter IV

Lil Wayne has got to be one of the most captivating artists out there today. Some love him. Some hate him. But there is no denying his place in today’s music culture. And there is no denying that Tha Carter IV is going to stand out as a hip-hop highlight of the year.

The most notable fact, however, is that not all the credit can go to Weezy. He had help.

For an artist who releases free mixtapes pretty regularly, he needed something to differentiate an album that people are going to (hopefully) put down money for vs. freestyles over familiar beats that they are used to hearing for free. And that is where he stumbles. While some tracks feel thought out (“How to Love”) some just feel thrown together.

“It’s Good” has gotten a lot of attention recently for it’s apparent jab at Jay Z (supposedly in retaliation for a line heard on “H.A.M.” from this year’s Watch the Throne). But it’s a wasted track, with a wasted appearance from Drake, where it seems like Wayne just went in the studio and recorded whatever came to his mind. The same could also be said for tracks like “Megaman” and “Abortion,” yet somehow “6 foot 7 foot” (which is basically “A Milli” part 2) succeeds even though it follows the same path.

But while Drake was wasted on “It’s Good”, his contribution helped elevate “She Will.” It’s a trend found throughout the release as John Legend, T-Pain and Rick Ross all help bring their respective tracks from decent to great. (sidenote: how does one take a track featured on a different album, “Not a Star,” and use the same exact beat and style for their album on “John.” I guess it helps to use the guy whose album it appeared on in the first place).

Wayne can get it done by himself though. “How to Love” is an unexpected, yet surprisingly successful track and the approach he takes on “President Carter” is noteworthy. But a glaring fact is that while “Intro,” “Interlude” and “Outro” all contain the same beat, only the first features Lil Wayne. He is absent on the other two, giving a chance for Andre 3000, Busta Rhymes and Nas to steal the spotlight.

Bottom line: If Tha Carter IV was a Wayne-only album, it would be considered decent at best. Throw in the special guests and it’s safe to call it good and depending on your taste could be upgraded to great. Still, it will be considered one of the biggest releases of the year and it holds its own entertainment wise.

Also, the deluxe version features three bonus tracks with, once again, the strongest being a song where Lil Wayne has a partner. “Mirror” features Bruno Mars and it is mind-boggling that it wasn’t featured on the regular track listing as it one of the better songs and could easily be a single at one point.

— Matt Okarmus

*images source - Associated Press.

"Hymns of Mare Nostrum" by Hail the Titans

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 15:38:00 -0500

In last week’s GO Play section, my “What’s GOing On” column partner Sean Gourley wrote a review of Hymns of Mare Nostrum, the latest release from Montgomery-based instrumental band Hail the Titans.

In the review, which can be read here Sean said: “It’s one thing to blur the lines between genres; it’s another to crank up the sound and blow them apart.”

I myself finally got a chance to listen to the record this past weekend and I have to say - I really liked it. As Sean alluded to, the sounds come crashing together to create music that you don’t even realize is making its way through your ears and into your brain.

I listened to it while doing some work and the production of the various instruments kept me going the whole time, reminding me of my all-nighters in college where Explosions in the Sky or God is an Astronaut provided my studying soundtrack. Though this time, in the case of Hail the Titans, there was a bit more attitude.

My only complaint would be that the intro track goes on a little bit too long. However, that may have been done by design as right when I was beginning to question it, the second track, “The Surface,” came in and captured my attention.

Take another look at Sean’s review for a deeper look as it’s not easy to write a review for an album that doesn’t contain any lyrics, but I have to say he pulled it off.

Hymns of Mare Nostrum is officially released today on digital outlets such as iTunes and Amazon. The physical copy can be purchased tonight at Head on the Door where the band will be performing with openers Hellakopta of Love, who reporter Teri Greene profiled here back in June. The show starts at 10 p.m.

Below is the album’s first single, “Cesium”

Hail the Titans - Cesium by Hail the Titans

Also just released this week by the band was “I Am Become Death,” which can be heard here:

Hail the Titans - I Am Become Death by Hail the Titans

— Matt Okarmus

*image source: contributed

MTV Video Music Awards: Links and Predictions

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 18:05:00 -0500

This Sunday marks the return of an event that usually gets everyone talking and will probably be the reason for a few “trending topics.” The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be taking place from Los Angeles and is sure to bring some new memories with a guest list that is used to making headlines.

Scheduled to perform are Beyonce, Pitbull & Jessie J, Adele, Bruno Mars, Chris Brown, Lady Gaga, Lil Wayne and Young the Giant. Also scheduled to appear include names such as Nicki Minaj, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Will Ferrell.

But if Kanye West proved anything when he interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech a few years ago, the night is all about who has the best video (or, in his mind when thinking about Beyonce, the “best video of all time). With that in mind, here are the nominees for a few categories along with some thoughts and predictions.

Best New Artist:

Big Sean f/ Chris Brown - “My Last”

Foster the People - “Pumped Up Kicks”

Kreayshawn - “Gucci Gucci”

Tyler, The Creator - Yonkers

Wiz Khalifa - “Black and Yellow”

While a big argument I will make concerning this particular award show is that it should be about the video and not the song or the artist, I think the “Best New Artist” category is one which can be excused. It is usually a debut so they don’t have much to work with like other established acts. With that said, I would personally vote for Foster the People (my favorite new band of 2011) but I feel the award will go to either Tyler, The Creator or Kreayshawn.

Best Rock Video:

Cage the Elephant - “Shake Me Down”

Foo Fighters - “Walk”

Foster the People - “Pumped Up Kicks”

Mumford and Sons - The Cave

The Black Keys - “Howlin’ For You”

All of these songs are excellent and have been my favorites throughout 2010 and 2011. But if you look strictly at the video, you have to take Foster the People and Mumford and Sons out of contention as their visuals don’t really add anything to the song. Cage the Elephant has a strong showing, but I personally think their video for “Around My Head” was much more unique and if that would have been nominated I would have felt more compelled to go with them. That leaves Foo Fighters and The Black Keys, two videos that I would be happy with winning. Though I will predict the “Falling Down”-inspired “Walk” takes home the moon man, I really feel “Howlin’ For You” should have been nominated for video of the year with it’s movie-trailer style.

Best Hip-Hop Video:

Chris Brown f/ Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes - “Look at Me Now”

Kanye West f/ Rihanna and Kid Cudi - “All of the Lights”

Lil Wayne - “6 foot, 7 foot”

Lupe Fiasco - The Show Goes On

Nicki Minaj - Super Bass

Hip-Hop videos always take a bad rap for being uncreative and usually featuring a group of people with expensive things and attractive women. So I have to give credit to this crop of videos for pushing the mold and trying something different. I honestly don’t know why “All of the Lights” wasn’t nominated for Video of the Year, but I can see Mr. West taking home the trophy here. A close runner-up would have to go to Lil Wayne for his “Inception”-inspired video, which very cleverly brings to life some of his rhymes.

Video of the Year:

Adele - “Rolling in the Deep”

Beastie Boys - Make Some Noise

Bruno Mars - Grenade

Katy Perry - “Firework”

Tyler, The Creator - Yonkers

If this was a nomination for song of the year, “Rolling in the Deep” should win hands down. I know plenty of people who have enjoyed it and it is sure to be a karaoke classic in the future. But as far as video goes, there was more deserving talent out there. Honestly, I feel the previously mentioned “All of the Lights” by Kanye West and “Howlin’ For You” by The Black Keys should have replaced Bruno Mars and Tyler, The Creator in this category. I would want to drop Katy Perry as well but at least her video had some meaning behind it, though it was in her “unique” way (again, I think another video of hers, “E.T.” was much more “of the year” worthy). Although, I kind of lost respect for the message contained in “Firework” when there were fireworks coming out of the singers chest.

So that leaves one video to stand tall and that is “Make Some Noise” by the Beastie Boys. I will honestly be shocked if this one doesn’t win. It features cameos by so many comedians and celebrities that I lost count. The video was done in an engaging way where for a second I almost thought Seth Rogen, Danny McBride and Elijah Wood actually were the rapping trio. However, if this really is a voter-based awards show, I expect nothing less than to have Katy Perry walk away with the win.

These were just some of the categories available for Sunday’s show. Head on over to MTV.com to read more about the event and look at other categories such as Best Male and Female Video, Best Pop Video and Best Collaboration.

— Matt Okarmus