The Filtered Excellence: August 1, 2020

Bob Geldof once asked us, “Where is the filtered excellence!?” It’s right here. Once a week we take a break from comedy to bring you this week’s picks of the best things to watch, the most interesting things to do, great things to try, the best picks to read, our favorite things to listen to and more.


WATCH THIS

Good Trouble. The passing of Congressman John Lewis reminds us one again that one person can leave a positive impact on the world. He did live long enough to see the release of Good Trouble, Dawn Porter’s beautiful profile of the civil rights activist. The film captures Lewis stumping for Democratic candidates during the 2018 midterms interspersed with key life moments such as speaking at the 1963 March On Washington, the Selma marches, (in which Lewis was beaten during ‘Bloody Sunday’ and his historic Congressional victories. It wonderfully shows how Lewis has never stopped advocating for equality and justice for all, and a chilling reminder of how the many gains made during the American Civil Rights movement can be taken away. With appearances by former First Lady and Senator Hillary Rodman Clinton, Senator Cory Booker, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the late Congressman Elijah Cummings (to whom the film is dedicated), Porter has crafted a fitting summation and epitaph to a true American patriot. Good Trouble is available now through Amazon Prime, and Apple TV.

The Go-Go’s. The Go-Go’s were the first all-woman, self-contained band to have a debut album hit #1 on the Billboard Album Chart. But when their edition of VH-1’s Behind The Music aired, it’s focus on the behind the scenes drama rather their influence infuriated the group. This new documentary from Allison Ellwood rectifies this, giving The Go-Go’s a more well-rounded, multi-dimensional look at their initial, historic, seven year run. Done with full cooperation with the group, Ellwood uses a wealth of archival footage and new interviews to show how The Go-Go’s – Belinda Carlisle, Jane Wiedlin, Charlotte Caffey, Gina Schock, and Kathy Valentine – managed in just over two years, went from barley knowing how to play L.A. punk band, to being a fully polished pop-rock unit that toured with The Specials, Madness and The Police. It was during their tour with The Police that their album, Beauty And The Beat, began a six week run at the top of the Billboard Album Chart. Making this even more amazing is that it was happening while Caffey was in the midst of a serious heroin addiction, and Schock was nursing an undiagnosed heart problem. What there’s plenty of stories surrounding sex and drugs, the film emphasizes rock n roll, showing how the ladies intense work ethic put a significant crack the musical glass ceiling. Told with candor, humor and brutal honesty, Ellwood has made the definitive look of a band that set the bar for legions of women seeking a career in music. The Go-Go’s is available now on Showtime.

LISTEN TO THIS

RoundAgain. In 1994, Joshua Redman – formally billed as The Joshua Redman Quartet – released Mood Swing, which solidified his status among the next generation of great jazz artists. But it was the lineup – pianist Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride on bass and drummer Brian Blade – that was just as astonishing. All of them would become notable band leaders in their own right and would be featured players on recordings in the worlds of jazz, blues, funk, and hip hop. Now 25 years, later this musical fearsome foursome have reunited for RoundAgain, this time with each member getting equal billing. The group hasn’t lost a step, effortlessly moving from hard bop, swing and splashes of Motown and 60s R&B. Each member has it’s moment to shine – pretty easy given the level of talent that’s in the group – but it never falls into showboating or grandstanding. It’s a band setting in every sense of the word, deftly balancing jazz traditions while pushing the music into new terrains. A much welcomed return. RoundAgain by Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride and Brian Blade is available now on Amazon, Apple Music and all major streaming services.

Welcome To Hard Times by Charley Crockett. Sounding like someone who got dropped in from another time, singer-songwriter Charley Crockett has packed in a lot of living despite only being 36 years old. The Texas native has made stops in New Orleans, Northern California, New York, Paris, Spain and Morocco, playing his brand of blues and country. In true outlaw country fashion, Crockett has also had run ins with the law and a brush with death, undergoing open heart surgery in 2019 to repair a congenital heart condition. Operating like a man on borrowed time, Crockett channels all of these experiences into his 5th album in 5 years, Welcome To Hard Times. It’s country music at its finest, with stories of fractured romances, condemned men, tripped out western dramas and tales of revenge. According to producer Mark Neill, the game plan was to make a ‘dark gothic country record’. It succeeds on all counts. One of the year’s best. Welcome To Hard Times by Charley Crockett is available now through Amazon, Apple Music and all major streaming services.

DO THIS

New York City: Socrates Sculpture Park. Located in the heart of Astoria, this former riverside landfill has been a beloved outdoor museum and public park for nearly 35 years. It has managed to remain open during the pandemic, providing comfort for those needing fresh air and exercise, along with a beautiful view of the city skyline. Also appearing is ‘Because Once You Enter My House It Becomes Our House’ which is Jeffrey Gibson’s contribution to the park’s Monuments Now exhibition. It honors the ingenuity and creativity of the Indigenous North American people and cultures. If you looking for a socially distant, informative day in the park with a killer backdrop, it doesn’t get any better than Socrates Sculpture Park. You can go to www.socratessculpturepark.org for more information.

Wear A Mask.

Practice Social Distancing.

Wash your hands.

Stay safe.

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Earl Douglas is a writer/photographer based in New York City. A frequent contributor to The Interrobang, Earl is also Executive Director for the New York chapter of The Black Rock Coalition. Earl worked in radio for nearly two decades at WNEW-FM and XM Satellite Radio, which included being the on-air producer for Carol Miller, Scott Muni and Ron & Fez, and a contributor to Opie & Anthony. Earl has also independently published a number of books including Black Rock Volume 1, Urban Abyss, Mobile Uploads, and For Shimmy. His latest project is the photojournalism magazine PRAXIS, which is available exclusively through Blurb.com.
Earl Douglas
Earl Douglas
Earl Douglas is a writer/photographer based in New York City. A frequent contributor to The Interrobang, Earl is also Executive Director for the New York chapter of The Black Rock Coalition. Earl worked in radio for nearly two decades at WNEW-FM and XM Satellite Radio, which included being the on-air producer for Carol Miller, Scott Muni and Ron & Fez, and a contributor to Opie & Anthony. Earl has also independently published a number of books including Black Rock Volume 1, Urban Abyss, Mobile Uploads, and For Shimmy. His latest project is the photojournalism magazine PRAXIS, which is available exclusively through Blurb.com.