The Filtered Excellence: May 10, 2012
Bob Geldof once asked us, “Where is the filtered excellence!?” Its 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:
American Masters, Johnny Carson: King of Late Night. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Johnny Carson taking over The Tonight Show from Jack Paar as well as the 20th anniversary of his retirement. Emmy-winning filmmaker Peter Jones explores the life and career of the great Johnny Carson in this two-hour documentary which premieres nationally on Monday, May 14, 2012 at 9 pm (ET) on PBS.
READ THIS:
In One Person, by John Irving. If his past list of literary achievements isn’t enough of a reason to pick up a copy of In One Person, then not much else we say is going to change your mind. Irving is undoubtably one of our greatest living writers and some say he’s one of our last great novelists. It’s a terrifically complex work about unfulfilled love, sexual identity, relationships and growth, told from the standpoint of our bisexual narrator, Billy. Available now. (Released May 8, 2012)
LISTEN TO THIS:
OFF! Feeling pissed off? Have 15 minutes to spare? Here you go: 16 tracks in a little over 15 minutes of classic style LA Hardcore. Go slam out some aggravation, it’ll be fun. Keith Morris, formerly of Black Flag and front-man of The Circle Jerks heads up OFF, the punk quartet which also includes Dimitri Coats of Burning Brides, Mario Rubalcaba of Hot Snakes and Rocket from the Crypt, and Steven McDonald of Redd Kross. In true hardcore style the album is non-stop aggressive, driving music; straightforward and in your face. Listen to it twice through, even. You have time. Available now, released May 8, 2012
Death Dreams by PS I Love You. (Paper Bag Records site) Listen to the new album by PS I Love You, it’s so good. It’s the second for the noise-pop duo of Paul Saulnier and Benjamin Nelson out of Kingston, Ontario Canada and it’s a frenzied yet ethereal head trip. The sound is full and densely layered rock: buzzy guitar riffs, growling organ, battering drum beats, and hooks sang dripping with distortion… songs, by the way, which were inspired by the dreams Saulnier had while touring. Album available now, just released May 8, 2012
Blood Orange – Coastal Grooves. (Domino) Devonte Hynes is an acclaimed singer-songwriter-producer, best known for his work with Florence & The Machine and The Chemical Brothers and under the moniker Lightspeed Champion. Blood Orange is his latest project and quite possibly, his most commercially accessible work to date. Fusing D.I.Y production, electronica and soul, Coastal Grooves recalls Prince and Shuggie Otis at their most intimate. With an opening slot on the Florence & The Machine tour, a solid write up in The New York Times and a huge buzz on YouTube for his clip ‘Champagne Coast’, don’t be surprised if Blood Orange graduates from underground darling to the next big thing. Coastal Grooves in in stores now.
Aufheben, Brian Jonestown Massacre . BJM frontman and resident madman has released the bands latest bit of trippy, eastern influenced psychedelia. Founding member Matt Hollywood has returned to the fold as well, and the result is the Brian Jonestown Massacre’s best album in nearly a decade. Standout tarcks include the cleverly titled I wanna Hold Your Other Hand and Blue Order New Monday.
DO THIS:
Richard Avedon: Murals & Portraits. Do not miss this exhibition of the work of the incredibly influential Richard Avedon at The Gagosian Gallery NYC. This exhibit showcases the epic murals and portraits the legendary photographer shot during in the late 60s and early 70s. All of them offer larger than life snapshots of some of the most controversial figures of the art and political scene: The Chicago Seven, Allen Ginsburg, Andy Warhol and members of The Factory, and The Mission Council (who governed the U.S. role in the Vietnam War). It’s a wonderful opportunity to Avedon at his creative and commercial peak. ‘Murals & Portraits’ runs at The Gagosian through July 6th.
The IFC Center. Located in the heart of the West Village, The IFC Center is one of the few places left in New York City to see new left of center indie films, insightful documentaries and giving new life to lost, but important films. These are just some of the films happening this weekend: The premiere of Under African Skies, Joe Berlinger’s documentary on the making of Paul Simon’s landmark Graceland album; a restored 35mm print of The Connection, directed by independent film pioneer Shirley Clarke; and a screening of the 1982 cult classic Streets Of Fire, which is part of a two month retrospective on the films of Walter Hill. Film fans looking to escape from the oncoming crush of popcorn movies or for those looking for something different should head over to The IFC Center.
BROWSE THIS:
Rhino.com. Rhino specializes in reissues, repackages and live recordings by a variety of great artists covering a spectrum of styles and eras. The pinnacle of cool is their “Handmade” line – extremely limited editions of hard-to-find rarities, lost recordings and, above all else, “premium musical experiences including out of print or never-before-released exclusive products you won’t find from anyone else”. Recent releases include The Smiths, all 8 albums remastered in a deluxe box set; LA Woman: The Workshop Sessions by the Doors 2 LP set; Prince 80’s albums; Ramones catalog; Aretha Franklin Greatest Hits; – it goes on and on. The site has a section called “Boutiques” that sorts their offerings into styles or genres, like “Dynamic Duos”, “Safety Pins & Spikes”, or “California Canyonites”. They offer vinyl, CDs, digital downloads, and video. Too much to describe here – just go there and spend a few hours. Bet you buy something!
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Want more? Check out last week’s great stuff.
