NEW YEAR, NEW OBSESSION



Hello, citizens of the blogosphere. How are you?  Are you getting along okay? I hope that, in spite of the difficulties of these times, you feel a sense of renewal and excitement for the year ahead.

I have been prevaricating on  what I would ideally like this space to be.  I am less cultural critic than I am cultural enthusiast and therefore, I thought I would mention a couple of things that have enlivened me this week, in the hope that  they, in turn, might make someone else out there happy.  I will endeavor to account for different tastes and inclinations. There will  be times when "the cheese stands alone", particularly as my tastes are eclectic and far-ranging, or, as some might say, schizophrenic. Given the prodigious emotional intelligence of my friends who, will probably be the only individuals who will read these missives, I hope you will look kindly on me for any oversights which are, assuredly, unintentional.

I would love, love, love to hear of your own discoveries in the arenas of film, television, visual art, music and literature. Please comment or message me, early and often!

 I will be post a list of favourite discoveries, new and old (in various creative disciplines) every Friday. Mid-week I will post an essay  accompanied by a recipe as, arguably, food is  nourishment also, albeit of a different sort.  I would be thrilled if you followed along but I am keeping in mind David McGimpsey's mordantly funny poem "Don't Make Me Read Your Blog".

Here is this week's list of reccos:

1. When I need ambient music to paint, read, or daydream along to, I gravitate to Pakistani singer Arooj Aftab'. Her delicate harmonies and caressing voice unfailingly soothe and transport me.  Her recent album, Vulture Prince, has landed on a lot of critic's best music lists.  

Here is a sampling, via NPR's Tiny Desk series, which deserves a shout out of its own:


2. When I need a more high energy auditory experience, I harken back to my punk rock roots with Turnstile. This band seem to not be trying to transcend punk, rather, they are elevating the genre to its highest, purest element. Their new album, Glow is full of ear wormy melodies and chunky power chords.  I  put this on album  in the morning and dance around my living room and I am energized for the day. There are exciting live performances of these guys on youtube (and may I have a female gaze moment and say the lead vocalist isn't hard on the eyes. I may be old, but I am not DEAD!). I am going to share the Tiny Desk, if only so you can gaze at the backdrop of  stuffed animals keeping silent vigil. 


3. We have begun  watching Yellowjackets (Showtime, Crave this week, and, while it is  probably too early on to weigh in on the quality of this series (we are just two episodes in), the Lord of the Flies premise is tantalizing. It is fun watching Juliette Lewis and Christina Ricci tear up the screen in parts that echo previous roles in previous movies. I have a feeling there will be horror and gore aplenty, but there is an abundance of mordant humour to keep things balanced. Check out the trailer here:


4. I thought a post pandemic series would be the last thing I would want to watch in 2022  but darn it if we (we being Steve. and I) have been absorbed by Station Eleven (HBO).  The first couple of episodes are plodding and the changing timeline is, initially, somewhat confusing  but, by episode 3, the show finds its groove.  Emily St. John Mandel's excellent novel, from which this series is adapted, is on my "need to re-read" list.


5. I have been exploring the world of podcasts. There are a lot that underwhelm (rambling, disorganized hosts, poor production values). Not so with Katrina Longworth's  riveting pod, "You Must Remember This".  I began listening to this podcast on a recommendation from journalist Linda Holmes. Holmes mentioned specific episodes within the series pertaining to Charles Manson, whose infamous crime spree signaled the end of the studio era and changed the way movies were made. While the Manson Family episodes are indeed fascinating, Longworth's entire series is will be of interest to anyone interested in old Hollywood There are gloriously salacious tales of stars and moguls  coupled with a comprehensive knowledge and respect of the artistry of Hollywood's legendary studio era. Check it out here.


6. The last movie I saw in 2021 was Licorice Pizza and, lucky for this viewer, it was a happy case of "saving the best for last". This movie has incited some controversy because of the ages of the protagonists (25 and 15), but, if you were around in the 1970s, you'd realize that things were different and, importantly, the relationship as depicted in the movie is, other than one kiss, entirely chaste. So don't let yourself be dissuaded from viewing this wonderful mess of a movie.  Meandering is not always a bad thing, certainly not in this case The movie's rhythms mimicked the rhythms of my own youth, as, in the feral childhoods in the seventies, (gen x'ers were functionally independent from a very young age) really did mean anything could happen at any time. Anderson's movie captures that feeling, that period in time, like no other.  While I am a longtime fan of P.T., Punch Drunk Love, Hard Eight, Magnolia and Boogie Nights are firm favourites, his last few films have  missed the mark.
Anderson is in great form here.  There are winning performances from the cast particularly the two principles, Cooper Hoffman (son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Alana Haim (of indie rock band Haim). Bradley Cooper is convincing playing real life lothario/coked up hothead/hairdresser to the stars, Jon Peters. Peters dated Barbra Steisand and, decades later, he married Pamela Anderson (the marriage lasted 12 days) Hal Ashby's film Shampoo, starring Warren Beatty is based on Peter's exploits. Streisand and Peter's tempestuous relationship is  covered on an episode of the aforementioned podcast, You Must Remember This (see 6. above)


7. Lastly, a tiny book - "World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments" by  Aimee Nezhukumatathil.  Aimee's essays, rife with fun factoids about our plant, insect, and animal brethren, are seamlessly interwoven with the author's life experiences, thereby reinforcing the connectivity of all human beings to the natural world. I found myself going back and re-reading these essays, something I rarely do, it is just that good. (Victoria residents, this book is available at the public library). This is a tiny tome and, therefore, a good go to if you want to get back into reading but you do not wish to feel overwhelmed. The crystalline prose is spare and exquisite and the accompanying illustrations by Fumi Mini Nakamara perfectly complement the text. I will be seeking out more books from this author.  

Okay everyone that is about it for now.  Thank you for taking the time to read this.  Until next time. Please take care. I Over and out. xoxo







 

Comments

  1. Steve Bailey (NEOS)8 January 2022 at 11:25

    I wasn't sure about Station Eleven to start with but as it's gone on I've been drawn in and I'm now excited to see how each episode plays out. To me this feels like one of the best imaginings of how people might react to a catastrophe of this magnitude, the good, the bad and the terrifying. It's pretty bleak at times (as I expect it would be) nothing approaching "The Road" territory.

    Absolutely love the music picks. The current "at home" Tiny Desk concerts do a great job of capturing the artists in their natural environments. (I can almost hear David Attenborough's voiceover, "The guitarist, in a common ritual performed by backing members of the pack uses his guitar pedals to emit a range of tones designed to draw attention away from the dominant male whose sculpted physique and self-assured mating calls generally attract the most attention by potential mates").

    ReplyDelete
  2. Troy8 January 2022 at 15:33

    if you like the stuffed animals in the background it was done by John who was vocalist in GIVE from Washington DC. they also had a similar at esthetic. Turnstile covered one of their songs on an earlier EP. Fav song of theirs is I Am Love i think (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5KF-OENCZE)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nadine15 January 2022 at 16:05

      Hi Troy. Golly! I did not know that re: the stuffed animals Thank you for filling me in! I like I Am Love too. It is hard to pick a favourite with these guys.

      Delete
  3. Marina4 February 2022 at 14:45

    I've always loved traditional Indian vocalization; the songs are so haunting (Deepa Mehta's 2005 film Water has an exquisite soundtrack). So I'm immediately drawn to Arooj Aftab! Must listen to her some more.

    I too had heard the latest Anderson film, Licorice Pizza, was very good, and I would love to see Cooper Hoffman. I still miss PSH so much. If he's anywhere near as brilliant as his father, it would be fascinating to watch him. The last recommendation sounds up my alley as well. Always interested in our fellow creatures on this planet we call home. Great recs, Nadine!

    ReplyDelete

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