The Filtered Excellence: August 15, 2013

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Bob Geldof once asked us, “Where is the filtered excellence!?” It’s right here. Here are this weeks picks of what to WATCH, what to DO what to TRY what to READ what to LISTEN TO and more:

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WATCH THIS:

Yankees – Red Sox @ Fenway Park.  8/16 – 8/18. One of, if not, the greatest rivalry in sports resumes this weekend in Boston. After struggling for most of the season, the Yankees come into the weekend , with a revitalized offense courtesy of Alphonso Soriano, Curtis Granderson and some guy named Alex. The Red Sox have been one of the league’s surprises, leading the division by 3 games and owning one of the AL’s best overall season record when most experts picked them to finish last in the division. The Yankees need to have a strong weekend at Fenway to keep their playoff chances alive. The Sox are looking to crush any of the Bronx Bombers hopes. Two of the three games will be nationally televised so fans of both teams who are outside of the respective areas will have a chance to most of the games.

Cutie and The Boxer (August 16th Limited). Directed by Zachary Heinzerling, Cutie and The Boxer is a documentary that was five years in the making. It captures the story of the tumultuous and tender 40 year partnership of painter Ushio Shinohara and artist Noriko Shinohara. Ushio saw a rise to fame in the 70’s New York art scene. Now the documentary finds the 80-year-old “boxing” painter in the midst of creating work for his next show. Noriko is his wife of 40 years and his enduring aide, though she claims that she is not his assistant. An artist in her own right, Noriko illustrates the tale of, “Cutie,” which in many ways reflects the couple’s complex relationship. Cutie and The Boxer is a candid and profound picture of love, struggle, surrender, and the creative spirit of two artists in it together. “We are like two flowers in one pot. It’s difficult. Sometimes we don’t get enough nutrients for both of us. But when everything goes well, we become two beautiful flowers.”

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LISTEN TO THIS:

Paradise Valley by John Mayer. John Mayer is making up for lost time. After throat problems nearly ended his singer career, the singer-songwriter will be releasing his 2nd album in just over a year, Paradise Valley. It continues on the Laurel Canyon vibe that was first established on Born & Raised, but leaning more in a relaxed, polished setting. Mayer also continues to develop his country chops: ‘Dear Marie’, ‘Waitin’ On The Day’, ‘You’re No One ‘Til Someone Lets You Down’ sound more Nashville than California. The spirit of J.J. Cale – who passed away last month – casts a large shadow throughout the album. Mayer’s cover of Cale’s ‘Call Me The Breeze’ would’ve made the late Tulsa singer-songwriter proud. Bits of Mayer’s personal life also come into play on Paradise Valley. ‘Paper Doll’ is rumored to be Mayer’s equally biting response to former girlfriend Taylor Swift’s ‘Dear John’. ‘Who You Love, a duet with on-again, off-again girlfriend Katy Perry, captures them during good times. With skillfully production from Don Was, Paradise Valley captures Mayer at his most assured and mature phase of his career. Paradise Valley will be available on Tuesday via Itunes, Amazon and all digital media outlets. It will also be streaming for free on Itunes for a limited time.

Pushin’ Against A Stone by Valerie June.    The major label debut of singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist Valerie June has already made considerable noise and for good reason.  Pushin’ Against A Stone beautifully blends folk, blues, gospel, soul, country, and bluegrass.  With an angelic voice sounding like a cross of Billie Holliday by way of Emmylou Harris, June finds a way to take us back to the future on such tracks like ‘Wanna Be On Your Mind’ ‘Workin’ Woman Blues’ and ‘Tennessee Time’.  Dan Auerbach’s production is understated but atmospheric, allowing the songs to breathe and June’s vocals to shine.  Whereas a lot of Americana/roots artists are content to stay with the tried and true, Valerie June manages to take the genre to new sonic heights.  One of the year’s best albums.  Pushin’ Against A Stone is available now through Amazon, Itunes and all major digital music retailers.

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DO THIS:

NEW YORK CITY: The Jazz Lawn Party @ Governor’s Island 8/17-18. The Roarin’ 20’s is the theme for the 8th Annual Jazz Lawn Party. Expect vintage cars, era-appropriate performances by Michael Arnella And His Dreamland Orchestra, ‘A Taste Of The 20’s’ menu, classic radio broadcasts from antique gramophones and much more. For those who loved the film The Great Gasby, here’s a chance to live it for the night. The Jazz Lawn Party at Governor’s Island takes place this weekend from 11a-5p.

 

FREDERICK, MARYLAND: The Tim Conway Show. The legendary comic talent Tim Conway is bringing his show to the Weinberg Center in Frederick, Maryland on Thursday, August 22nd. Tim will be performing his classic characters and famous sketches from “The Carol Burnett Show”, plus some new ones as well. It’s a chance to see a sketch comic genius in action. The show starts at 7:30pm. Tickets are still available.

LOS ANGELES: Los Angeles, Never Built. This exhibit looks at the city of Los Angeles that could have been. The Architecture and Design Museum on Wilshire Boulevard, hosts “Los Angeles, Never Built” which includes a series of civic projects proposed for the city that never got off the drawing the board. Designs from architects like Frank Lloyd Wright, Paul Williams, Jean Nouvel, Steven Holl, Rem Koolhaas and Frank Gehry are all on display. In the early part of the 20th century, there were proposals for a extensive subway and elevated train system, grand fountains along Wilshire and plenty of park spaces that never saw the light of day. The exhibit is open now through October 13th.

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Interrobang Staff

Interrobang Staff