Movie Review: Red State

Of all the directors in America, none have ever been as personal as Kevin Smith. He does things the way he wants it done for the people that want to see it. And now in this day and age, he's decided to walk away from directing altogether. And while those of use who love him may not want him to depart from this medium, Red State shows us why he should stay.
This movie is probably more well known for all the buzz it picked up before it's release. It was independently distributed by Kevin Smith himself, promoted by many Q & A sessions that he has become famous for doing. The movie itself, all things considered, is one of his best. Myself included, Kevin Smith has been hit and miss with me, with Clerks, Chasing Amy, Clerks 2 and Zack and Miri being my favorites while Mallrats, Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back being just okay for me(I didn't see Jersey Girl/Cop Out) and it goes without saying I was worried this would be a miss.
But it isn't, and I think this has to do for a few reasons:

1. The actors are all good in this film, from John Goodman to that guy who played Kurt Russels son in Sky High.
2. This isn't like any other film that Kevin Smith has ever done before i.e its not a straight up comedy.
3. The fact that anything reminiscent of Fred Phelps could be as good as this is a testament to how insane this world really is.
4. It's the first film where he's worked with a Oscar winning actress(not Oscar winning writer, before you get on my case).
5. Kevin Smith appears on film for the first time in 5 years(abit just a vocal cameo)
6. The run time is short enough that even if you can't stand this film, it won't waste too much of your time, much like Haywire.

Kevin Smith claims this to be the greatest film that he's ever created and I can see where he's coming from with this: it's unlike anything he ever has done before. It's more action packed and shot differently from all his other films, a point that I applaud him for. Not enough directors try new things nowadays, often staying the course until they are either acknowledged for their achievements or stop making movies altogether. The movie may not be for everyone however, as the same humour that has been present in all of Kevin Smith's work is also here as well. 

Overall, Red State may be the last great film that this man ever makes(well, second last at least according to him). It's by far one of his best, one that fans and abnormal people alike should enjoy. If you aren't a stick in the mud. Fuck Pete Campbell. 

Rating: 4/5

Cover of a Rolled Up Stone: Top 10 Cover Songs

Unlike some deodorants, many cover songs that are actually recorded and released are unnecessary and mostly lead to to listen to the greater original version. Sometimes however, you hear a cover that just hits the marks all wrong and sends your mind back 3 years and makes you lose all respect for that artist although. For your viewing pleasure however, that list is not the one you will be reading about today*.

No today, I remember the covers that I loved the most, the ones that hit that mark in all the right places. This is once again my personal list, so many songs that you may see here will either

a) not be on anyone else's list and

b) make you lose what little respect you may have left for me may evaporate in the ensuing minutes(but once again I digress).

So why not just skip to the end of this list like I know you will, here I go down the slope with my top 10 favorite covers (as of 2012).

10.How Soon Is Now by The Smiths as covered by T.A.T.U

While some may say it is sacrilegious to cover the Smiths(especially anyone who still calls themselves a emo in 2012), I find this cover by t.A.T.u to be quite good in my opinion. It still has the guitar riff at the beginning, they don't change the lyrics and while they may not be the best singers, they do a decent job with the vocals. In fact, this may be one of the more interesting foreign pop groups ever. Yes, they were marketed as lesbians when they really weren't and this overshadows the rather good music that people never seem to listen to. For the pop hipster, I'd recommend a listen of them again. In any case, while some think to be a joke(including Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr), this has gotten a pretty decent following and people seem to like it more now, of all people the original singer Morrissary(to the astute hipster who reads this blog, if you can tell me which episode this appears in in Gossip Girl, well good job to you in advance).

9. Just Like Honey by The Jesus and Mary Chain as covered by the Submarines

A bonus track on the end of their last album, I didn't even know this was a cover until I heard the original at the end of Lost in Translation. That being said, I still haven't listened to the original(which makes me a lazy reviewer) and I think this song is perfect for the Submarines. The guitars, and the way that their voices both come in one after the other harmonizing with each other at the end, it's just a great cover to me. If you still haven't listened to the Submarines, the two singers are a couple so this song goes well with their dynamic and other songs. Like I said, I thought this was one of their own songs and stood out as my favorite song on the album. It being a cover doesn't diminish this distinction and my affection for one of my favorite bands of all time, The Submarines. Who knows, maybe now that I put it on the list I'll actually go and listen to the original(he says doubtfully, mind you).

8. Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin as covered by Karen O/Trent Reznor

I was aware of these two artists before I heard this song, but it wasn't until I heard this in the trailer for "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" that I began to take a interest in their music. But even then this song didn't have a huge impact on me, it just sounded kind of cool to me...that is until I saw how it was used in the movie itself. The opening credits for the movie use this song perfectly, using the music as a canvas to paint one of the most awesome title sequences EVER!!! Let's face it, after you heard this, you knew that you were going to see a dark but awesome movie. It's even greater when you consider that the original is so well known by one of the greatest bands ever(it's also their shortest song) and Trent Reznor and Karen O were able to improve on it, both with the crazy effects in the background and with Karen O's amazing vocal performance hitting all the high notes that Robert Plant made so many people strive to reach. You may thing this is a desecration of the song and it's just a marketing ploy to get people into the theatre, but then you probably didn't get the movie.

7. All Along the Watchtower by Bob Dylan as covered by Jimi Hendrix

This song is almost a standard on cover lists simply for how smooth it is. Jimi Hendrix did many covers in his somewhat short time on this planet, including many Dylan song but this is the one he mastered, the one where everything clicked. Nothing was too excessive, he sounded great singing, Mitch Mitchell pounds away in the background, Noel Redding is slappin' the bass(points for the reference) and of course Jimi's guitar work on the four part solo is nothing short of legendary. It akins back to his days as a blues guitarist, while adding a bit of jazz into the mix and transformed it into a new form of rock n roll simply titled rock. Many, many, many people have tried hard to imitate what he was able to do with seemed to be considerable ease for a genius. It's almost standard for everyone to play this song live once and when they do it they do it this way, including the creator himself, Bob Dylan(when, of course he actually decides to play this live). Many would have this at the top of their lists, but this is my favorite, so here it lies.

6. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells as covered by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

I had this a bit higher before, but I moved it down the list for one reason: the usage of it in the Runaways movie. Yes, we've heard my rant about it before, but the idea that this song and everything else was because Joan Jett was heartbroken by Cherie Currie is one of the dumbest, stupidest ideas anyone could put in a biopic. Now onto the song itself. Joan Jett has never been one to shy away from covering songs for albums. Her first Number One song was a cover song itself, originally written by the Arrows. Another reason I put this on my list and not I Love Rock N Roll is that that song is so overplayed and overdone that I've lost a care for it(not that it isn't a bad song mind you). This song is beautiful, a ballad as sung by a supposed bad ass, the queen to rock n roll makes her sound almost venerable and sad, which is not the image that she tries to portray herself as. The music video is a bit chezzy(though she looks very pretty in it), but you'll never find a better mix for a love song/rock song as you may find in this cover.

5. Jesus Don't Want Me For a Sunbeam/The Man Who Sold the World/Where Did You Sleep Last Night? by The Vaselines, David Bowie and Leadbelly as covered by Nirvana(that's a mouthful)

I know that there are 3 more covers off this album that could've been included as well, but they were performed with the original artist so I don't consider them to be true covers. That being said, these 3 covers that Nirvana do when they did Unplugged are nothing short of legendary for Nirvana. The cover of The Vaselines song, a group whom Kurt Cobain really liked, has a accordion in it. An accordion!! When was the last time you ever heard a good song with an accordion in it. Of course the lyrics of the song with lines like "Don't expect me to die for thee" are all the more chilling considering what happened to Cobain 5 months later.

It's reported by David Bowie that many of his fans thought him cool when he did a cover of Nirvana in concert. Understandably, Bowie doesn't like his music to be regarded this way. What may be the only non-unplugged song that Nirvana did this night, it still is really cool to me has more depth then the original song. Krist Novoselic also dos a great job on the bass here, which is very noticeable here, something unusual for Nirvana songs that were mostly guitar or vocal driven(yes, there are songs where the bass is prominent that Nirvana did, I'm not saying there weren't, just that they were few and far between).

But in the end, it all comes down to the final song. It's interesting that when you watch the DVD, before he sings this, he allows the audience to call out requests, while playfully acknowledging some and all around ignoring others. This was the point my dad came in one day and said he though Kurt was a decent guy and he couldn't believe that he was the screaming man that he heard in my room all the time. Well, when he sat down to watch the last song, he was in for a surprise. It's a bit of a odd choice to do as a finale, but when he puts his trademark vocals in, it becomes almost a epitaph for what Nirvana was and what it had become. It may be the last great song that was ever recorded by them and it was completely different from where they were when they began only 7 years ago. The vocal performance he gives still gives me chills to hear, even more so to watch. Very few music moments are this good. After this song, he was asked to do a encore, but even the man himself knew he couldn't top that performance. And other then maybe one more concert, he never would again(please MTV, release Live & Loud on DVD!!!!).

4. Into The Groove by Madonna as covered by Sonic Youth(retitled Into the Groove[y])

Of all the covers on this list, this is most likely the one you've both never heard of, and by far the strangest. I mean, if you know the Madonna version, it's this sweet 80's pop/dance song that is typical Madonna, good pop music. Sonic Youth manage to turn this into a slow, almost undesirable song(which is of course the reason why I put it on this list to begin with). With this new change, hipsters who are too embarrassed to dance to Madonna(even though she was admired by Sonic Youth and vise versa) can finally have their 80's dance track. The bass, unlike some Youth songs, is more upfront along with the weird guitar sounds in the background and Thurston Moores deadpan vocal, intermixed with Madonna's. It's a very strange track to listen to, but by Sonic Youth standards it could almost be called commercial. They did many other covers ranging from folk to classic punk songs, but this is far and away a unique song. Think of all those shitty Youtube videos of people trying to do guitar covers of current pop songs. Yeah, I know they suck and that also makes this song special: the first pop cover done rock style that sounds good. Well done Sonic Youth, may you one day sort yourselves out and reunite(Thurston and Kim 4Ever!!!)

3. Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen as covered by Jeff Buckley

How I can't stand all the covers I've heard of this song, on YouTube, American Idol, at funerals, weddings, Shrek, acting auditions, Twitter tweets, inspirational quotes everywhere!! I'm sure most people have forgotten the original version which wasn't all that popular until many years later. Was it because of this version? I think in part, though if you ask 10 people who Jeff Buckley is, all you get are dirty/confused stares from passers -by, wondering why you are walking around in winter asking people who Jeff Buckley is(not saying I've ever done this of course. No really I haven't....Seriously). This is a very emotional cover done by an emotional singer who died far too soon, never achieving the success that he deserved in life. This is the best song that he ever did and while I'm sure still many people would not like to be remembered for a cover song, this one is a proud and sad exception. The guitar work is stunning and the way it mixes in with his voice is great.The guitar break in the middle could've been cut if he wanted to so for those who love this part of the song, like myself, be glad that it was left in. The way he holds the last note at the end for what seems like forever is unreal. It's a song that makes you reflect on all that you've done wrong, a song to play when you feel down. It builds up to a powerful climax that when you listen to another song afterwards, it just seems pointless after listening to greatness created by greatness.

2. Twist and Shout by the Isley Brothers as covered by The Beatles

This may be the first great rock cover ever released by any band. The Beatles were well known for being lovers of rock n roll back when they were just starting out, covering everything from Gene Vincent to Little Richard, Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly. If you listen to any of the cover albums that they have done over the years, you can find some, shall we say, interesting versions of them. But while they may be great, none of them are anything more then a tribute to the original. This cover may be the only one they ever did that superceeded the original, so much so that most people don't even know that this is a cover. It's infamous that it was recorded in one take at the end of a long recording session, and that John Lennon blew his vocal chords at the end of the take(you can sorta hear him cough at the end, apparently coughing up blood afterward), but what is incredible is that how well the song as aged over time. It charted again in 1982 with the release of Ferris Buellers Day Off, making it their longest charting single ever in the United States. But that's not all, when The Beatles finally got onto iTunes, this song charted yet again in the United Kingdom 48 years after it was released!! While that is a startling achievement for a band that has everything, it's easy to see why this song is as popular as it have been. If you haven't heard this, then what the fuck have you been doing with your life? What are you doing reading this blog for that matter? Get the fuck outta here and go listen. Please.

1. Real Love by John Lennon as covered by Regina Spektor

Now like most people, I'm not in the giving nature quite often, especially for charity albums that help some great cause that seems to be the flavor of the month with a lot of people. They get some well know artists to cover a bunch of really good songs, they sound like shit but you feel good on the inside because you gave to charity and that makes you a good person. Well, you'd be surprised that my number one pick not only comes from one such album, but initially I didn't care too much for it. It took me quite a few listens of the song before I really started to love it. It should be mentioned that this is not the fault of the artist herself. Regina Spektor, for those who don't know, is this really awesome singer/songwriter from New York, she's released a bunch of albums over the last decade, all with very strange lyrics but with a pop melody. She's probably one of the greatest songwriters of the last few years, and it all culminated with the release of her latest album and my personal favorite Far(an album I recommend as a starting point if you want to listen to her). But anyway, the main reason that I had such a hard time with this song is that it goes without saying that 'Real Love' is probably my favorite song of all time. I should know, I've loved it since I heard it 5 years ago at the end of the documentary The Beatles Anthology. Yes, technically that's the Beatles version, but there exist version with only John Lennon on it, so I call it a John Lennon song, that the Beatles didn't cover, but reworked into their own(just to give you an idea how much I've listened to this song, with the 3 versions on my iTunes, I've heard this song a total of 1547 times!). But why this is my top song. Because, while many artists try to turn this song into their own, be it adding new music or lyrics, Regina doesn't stray down this path. It's just a piano, the lyrics and her, exactly the way John Lennon originally recorded it. Her voice is pitch perfect, the piano is beautifully done and it she puts more effort into it then she ever had to for a charity single. It's buried right at the very end of the John Lennon tribute album Instant Karma! and really makes the album for me(The Black Eyed Peas do a cover of Give Peace a Chance on this, just to give you a idea of how terrible this album really is). In any case, one of my favorite artist, doing my favorite song by one of my favorite artists, it seems almost a no brainer for it to be Number One.

And before I go, some notable cover songs that didn't quite make the top 10 that deserve mention:

Wearing and Tearing by Led Zeppelin as covered by Zebonka

He claims that it turned out really bad. Also claims he's not a drummer/bass player/singer. Bollocks to that, this is just as awesome as the original. many have tried with more people and failed, and this guy does all himself. Bravo Scotty!

All Apoligies by Nirvana as covered by Cobaingel

Proof that YouTube when used right can produce covers that warrant listening to. Congrats to this channel for doing more on YouTube then I ever was able to.

Rock the Casbah by the Clash as covered by Rachid Taha

This is just cool to here this song completely done differently, while still rocking. In Turkish(I think)

Strawberry Fields Forever/Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles as covered by The Runaways

While I could've put Beatles covers up all day, this one reinstates Cherie Currie as more then just pretty face in the band(in fact Flaming Schoolgirls album is very good for Cherie Currie fans). Lita Ford must've been sick these days

Angel Baby by Rosie & the Originals as covered by John Lennon

I din't put this only because I didn't want the list to be cluttered with John Lennon songs. It's too bad, cause this doesn't even sound like something that he'd cover. Never included on the Rock N Roll album until 2004. What a shame.

In a Little While by U2 as covered by William Shatner

Most of you probably did a double take with this one, but with the music and the guest vocals, this may very well be the best song that he's ever covered(it helps that it's one of my favorite U2 songs as well).

Well, so ends probably the longest article I've done for this blog in many years. Hope you liked it, hopefully many more will be on the way, as some might say(hint, hint).

Album Review: Animals

(Wow I've reviews alot of Pink Floyd shit. My my.)

Pink Floyd's Animals is a album of turning points. It's either a album that turns the way you like, or don't simple as that. This starts what I call the 'Roger Waters Trilogy', with both The Wall and The Final Cut fitting in as well. If you preferred the loose, 60's vibe of Floyd, then these albums may be a mixed bag for you(fear not, there was a 'David Reclaims Duo' released afterwards in the late 80's). In any case, this was a new beginning for Floyd, and for many of the members, a happy album to make.

The album itself is another concept album for Floyd, using this time the metaphor of animals to people(not a new idea, mind you). The lyrics are more thoughtful then they were on the predecessor, despite both being the same length. On this album, neither Waters nor Gilmour have full vocal responsibility, with both sharing the duties this album. One song, 'Dogs', just seems to repeat it self twice to get more...whatever it could get. The intro to 'Sheep' may be one of the poppiest, prettiest that Pink Floyd ever created. Though, on the last song, what was with the weird MCP vocal?

The album itself it a bit awkward, due to at the time of the release it was in the middle of the Punk revolution and bands like Pink Floyd were being called dinosaurs and old. In contrast to these remarks, Roger Waters lyrics are closer to the punk ethos then the capitalist way that many though Floyd was. So Animals may be the closest punk record recorded by Pink Floyd, tough I don't think this was the intention of the band, so no points for the band.

There are a surprising amount of Beatles references on the album. The power plant on the album cover appeared in the Beatles movie Help!('A Well Known Power Plant'). As well, the usage of barking dogs and sheep was also used by the Beatles on 'Good Morning Good Morning'. Also...actually that's it I guess. So maybe there aren't as many as I thought. Oh well, I'm sure any comparison Pink Floyd gets to the Beatles warms their hearts(like they really need it of course).

Overall, this album is somewhat of a sister to the previous album and a distant cousin to the follow up. It's hardly a bad Floyd album, and if you like Roger Waters, then you probably will enjoy this. However, it may be a mixed bag to others. Though the key Pink Floyd elements are on this album, it is far different from their previous work.

Rating: 3.5/5

Movie Review: The Hunger Games

I made up for not seeing this sooner by seeing it twice in one day, pretty much. And I have to say, this is a pretty damn good movie considering all the marketing that they did for this. I've never seen such a push for items since the Harry Potter movies. But anyone onto the movie itself. From what I saw, since I've read the books, this movie is a pretty close adaptation to the book. There are a few plot points missing, but nothing added for substance, to which I applaud Hollywood for. What I cannot applaud is the pacing however. This movie is only 2 hours, but it feels longer, more like 3. I mean, the first hour, we all saw in the trailer, so we didn't really need to drag it out so long. However, once the games begin, it picks up and keeps you interested for the rest of the film. The actors are all good. Jennifer Lawrence thankfully didn't go to the Kristen Stewart Academy of Acting, and pulls off many scenes with realism conviction, many times without a word of speech. Josh Hutchinson has improved his acting since Bridge to Teribethia, and while his character may not be the most interesting, he does a good job with it. Woody Harrelson is funny, probably more then the character needed, but I'll pass judgement on him. He probably did this for the fee of a Twinkie. There are scenes that are shocking, sad and frightening, and all work well, though the climax of the movie did feel a bit rushed to me. Also, I didn't like the design of the finale, they reminded me too much of the creatures at the end of Ghostbusters. Still, the final scene with Donald Sutherland is by far the best in the film, with facial actions and expression that speak louder then any words could. It leaves you wanting more.

Overall, this movie is far and away a great film(cause it was filmed carefully this way). It will most likely replace the Harry Potter series, and do it quite well. I look forward to seeing sequels to this series in the not-to distant future.

Rating: 4.5/5