Phonographic

On this blog, I attempt to merge two of my most passionate interests: music and comics. Often, this “blending” occurs with huge, jagged edges. Not today.

In the first few pages of Phonogram we get references to The Buzzcocks, Le Tigre, and Kula Shaker, and explanation of “what early 90s riot-grrrl grew up into,” and the breakdown of our young male hipster’s wardrobe, down to his (non)ironic Superman T.

Writer Kieron Gillen is a fellow music journalist, although of the more professional and active sort. And like all good prosaic purveyors of pop, Gillen does more than tell the story and sell the scene, he turns it into poetry. Jamie McKelvie, who handled artistic duties on the competent-but-soulless mod love story Long Hot Summer (also from Image), provides the gray-scaled characters and settings with a sharp wit and unique personality.

But Phonogram is not just another static hipster foray into sequential storytelling. In the world of Phonogram, music is magic, and I don’t mean metaphorically. I don’t know all the details so far, but from what I can figure Gillen has crafted a reality in which phonomancer’s alter physics or the other sciences using pop music. In the tradition of Hellblazer, our protagonist/narrator David Kohl is one of the magicians, although apparently not a great one.

But you don’t have to take any of my word on any of this. You can hop on over to the site and read a ten-page preview. I promise you won’t be disappointed. If you are, then you just suck.

The Best of 2001 - 2005

The other day, I realized that the decade is half over, that the first five years of the millennium had past us by, barely leaving a scent of knock-off Tommy Girl in the bathroom. Poor 2001-5, she was a manic girl, and I’ll always have these albums to remember her by

1. The Shins Oh, Inverted World


2. Spoon Girls Can Tell


3. Sufjan Stevens Illinois


4. Ted Leo & The Pharmacists Hearts of Oak


5. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Howl


6. Neko Case Blacklisted


7. The Decemberists Picaresque


8. The Liars They Threw Us in a Trench and Stuck a Monument on Top


9. Joanna Newsom The Milk-Eyed Mender


10. TV on the Radio Young Liars


11. Low Things We Lost in the Fire


12. . . . And You Will You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead Source Tags & Codes


13. Radiohead Amnesiac


14. The Aracde Fire Funeral


15. Regina Spektor Soviet Kitsch


16. Party of Helicopters Please Believe It


17. Whiskeytown Pneumonia


18. Mogwai Rock Action


19. Broken Social Scene You Forgot It In People


20. Interpol Antics


21. Yeah Yeah Yeahs Yeah Yeah Yeahs [Master EP]


22. The Unicorns Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone


23. Notwist Neon Golden


24. Xiu Xiu Fabulous Muscles


25. Fugazi The Argument


26. The Faint Danse Macabre


27. Anti-Pop Consortium Arrhymthmia


28. Death Cab for Cutie The Photo Album


29. Idlewild 100 Broken Windows


30. Mos Def & Talib Kweli Black Star


31. Elliott Smith From a Basement on the Hill


32. Ghostface The Pretty Toney Album


33. Antony & The Johnsons I Am a Bird Now


34. Björk Vespertine


35. Ugly Cassanova Sharpen Your Teeth


36. Clinic Internal Wrangler


37. Forget Cassettes Instruments of Action


38. The Raveonettes Whip It On


39. Le Tigre Feminist Sweepstakes


40. Danger Doom The Mouse & the Mask


41. Sonic Youth Murray Street


42. Dresden Dolls Dresden Dolls


43. cLOUDDEAD Ten


44. Kanye West The College Dropout


45. The Blood Brothers March On Electric Children


46. The White Stripes White Blood Cells


47. The Velvet Teen Out of the Fierce Parade


48. Saul Williams Saul Williams


49. The Kills No Wow Now


50. Q & Not U No Kill No Beep Beep


51. Cat Power You Are Free


52. The Fiery Furnaces Blueberry Boat


53. Hot Cross Cryonics


54. Jose Gonzalez Veneer


55. Cursive Burst & Bloom


56. Red Sparowes At the Soundless Dawn


57. Desparasidos Read Music Speak Spanish


58. Koufax Social Life


59. The Paper Chase God Bless Your Black Heart


60. The Constantines Shine A Light

There you have it: one album for each month. I never used an artist more than once and did not include compilations, soundtracks, etc. These are mostly my personal favs, along with some I think deserve recognition. I may annotate this list later on.

Please leave your comments about your own favs, what I forgot, or suggestions for artists you’d like to know more about.

Coming Soon: Batman takes on the Man of Steel

I turn the radio off. World, I've had enough.

“The distribution system in this country is designed to turn every multiplex into an idiot convention.”

During this week’s Ebert & Roeper, Roger Ebert made this statement in reference to the unfortunate circumstances regarding many of the movies they recommend. They simply don’t get the wide releases they deserve.

I remember driving 2.5 hours to see City of God shortly after its original American release. It was originally re-released nationwide, but how was I to predict this? So in honor of this sad state of affairs, I’d like to discuss a couple bands you’re unlikely to hear on your local FM radio, unless your one of those lucky people close to a quality radio station.

Blonde Redhead

Has been recording quality records since 1993. Their debut, self-titled release was appropriately produced by Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley. Blonde Redhead owe a lot of their sound to Sonic Youth, but also other No Wave acts (Their name is a reference to a DNA song.), Brit Pop (such as Pulp), and various alternative acts.

The band has released six full-lengths, including their most recent, Misery is a Butterfly (2004, 4AD). BR are somewhat theatrical, and many of their albums follow themes. Misery focuses much attention on founding member Kazu Makino’s accident involving a horse. The band’s previous album, Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons, like Misery, was produced by Fugazi/Rites of Spring juggernaut Guy Picciotto. I consider Melody (2000, Touch & Go) to be one of the greatest indie rock albums ever.

If you ever have to escape a serial killer or monster in a black-and-white horror film, “A Cure” from Melody will be your soundtrack as you sprint down the spiraling stairs of your dingy fifth-floor apartment.

Download “A Cure”

cLOUDDEAD

Hipsters who say, “I like everything except country and rap,” are idiots. First of all, if you don’t like Johnny Cash, you’re a soulless Philistine. Secondly, if you don’t like Wu-Tang, you’re a sucka. Thirdly, this imaginary person has obviously never heard the lo-fi, quirky goodness that is cLOUDDEAD.

Take “Bike, Pt. 2” the closing track from the group’s 2001 eponymous album (a collection of their singles, etc.). The “song” appears as a collection of freestyles over DJ Shadow-worthy samples between various found sounds and noise, culminating in a rap over a digital metronome, a simple drumbeat, and the guitar track from Townes Van Zant’s cover of “Dead Flowers.” (I’m guessing here.)

cLOUDDEAD is comprised of Doseone (Themselves, 13 and God), why?, and odd nosdam. This all-star collection of West Coast lap-hop artists from anticon. and Mush Records have a worthy back catalogue of solo material and other group projects, but together they’ve produced some of the most interesting and dynamic work indie rap has seen.

Download “Bike, Pt. 2”



So let me know: What do you think about your radio?

Blonde Redhead on Insound
cLOUDDEAD on Insound

Best Week Evva

Tues.Apr.18

The Dresden Dolls release their second studio album, which contains some songs from their first album, the live A is for Accident. Despite the fallen heart "Sing" gave me when I heard the acoustic-guitar intro, Yes, Virginia... is full of dramatic piano banging, sexual lyrics, and more of what made their self-titled album so great. The verdict's still out, but this one may actually be better.

Wed. Apr.19

Along with Blood on the Wall, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs rocked the Pageant in St. Louis. It was a full house and they did not disappoint.

Thur.Apr.20

Since it's related to comics, I can mention The O.C. Samerie Armstrong revived her roll as Anna, Seth (Adam Brody) Cohen's ex. I rejoiced.

Fri.Apr.21

The film version of my favorite video games, Silent Hill, was released. The franchise, which has also appeared as a comic, received a cold reception from critics due to horrible dialogue and apparent confusion. It's hard for me to understand the latter complaint. But I'm a fanboy. Still, it's the clearest plotline I've ever seen from a French director. It's not quite on the same level, but Jacob's Ladder, which greatly influenced the series, didn't do well at first either.


One of the best parts of any Silent Hill game is the music. I enjoyed that the movie mostly recycled music from the games, although I'm disappointed we didn't get to hear anything new from Akira Yamaoka this time around. Even if you're not into the games, you should check out the soundtracks.

Download "The of Laura (Reprise)" from Silent Hill 2
Download "Rain of Brass Petals" from Silent Hill 3
Download "Melancholy Requiem" from Silent Hill 4
all tracks by Akira Yamaoka

Your Door Mouse is a Wonderland

Thanks to my friends over at Comic Geek speak, I've come across a new comic worth talking about. When I first read about Hatter M in Previews, I made a mental note of the comic, but the cover image didn't grab me as something I had to read. The guys at CGS interviewed writer/creator Frank Beddor (a movie producer and ex-pro skier) about his first attempt at graphic fiction, and I discovered that he had crafted a thoughtful and interesting world that deserved more attention.

Hatter M is an extention of the Beddor's novel series The Looking Glass War, which depicts an alternative-reality Wonderland where Alyss is a princess who escapes to London during the late 1800s. Hatter Madigan is Alyss's bodyguard. The comic depicts his journey, beginning in Paris, to find Alyss. I believe the book, which isn't available stateside till this fall, ends with a 20-year-old Alyss returning to Wonderland to regain the crown from her evil Aunt Red.

Ben Templesmith handles the artwork for the Image-published serial, which seems to be on a bimonthly schedule, often ending up slightly delayed, probably due to the amount of work that Templesmith is currently involved with. Those familiar with his style shouldn't expect much new here. Foggy, watercolored atmospheres replace recognizable backgrounds in most cells. His hazy style makes more sense on 30 Days, Fell, and Silent Hill. While his character work is a strong as ever, I can't help wanting more for Beddor's detailed world.

The first issue of Hatter M is rather airy, sometimes going almost whole pages without text. This may seem appropriate, but the technique rarely seems to work right with comics, especially when executed by such a stylized artist. Unlike the dark realities that Templesmith often depicts, Hatter M has a sense of humor and wonder, featuring "a battle to the death" with kites and an strangely enthusiastic and open-minded Jules Verne, who seems a little odd at first, but makes sense as a sort of aloof "superhero." I look forward to seeing more of him in the series.

As for Hatter Madigan himself, he's basically the typical strong-minded, short-on-words action hero. Only this action hero has a magic hat and lots of blades. The reader immediately gets the sense of a shiny knight questing for his endangered princess. I can hardly imagine any Alice/Alyss as weak, with the exception of the wide-eyed Disney version. As a side note, Beddor's Alyss eventually inspires Louis Carrol's original books.

Let your head spin.

Read Hatter M #1 at IGN

I didn't forget the music. Download "Alice" by Tom Waits from insound, and/or buy the album.