Stranger Than Fiction has got to be one of the best films I've seen all year long.  It tells the story of IRS agent Harold Crick (played by Will Ferrell).  He's lived a life made comfortable by creating a daily routine.  One day that shred of comfort got turned upside down as he came to the realization that he's only been a character in author Karen Eiffel's (Emma Thompson) fiction.  Getting into philosophical territory, aren't we?

Woody Allen-esque ironic twists come into play as the story progresses and we witness events unfolding in both Karen's and Harold's lives.  We also get to meet colorful characters like literary professor and lifeguard Jules Hibbert (Dustin Hoffman), plucky pastry chef Ana Pascal (Maggie Gyllenhaal), and Karen's personal assistant with a stiff upper lip Penny Escher (Queen Latifah). 

I enjoyed this movie so much.  The performances are top notch.  Ferrell gets to play down the wild man angle and shows his range as an actor.  Sorry to dissapoint if you're looking for Frank The Tank because you won't see any of that in this film.  I don't have to tell you about the other cast members since they've always turned in Oscar-worthy acting in the past.  This isn't an exception.  The camera-work and cinematography serves to tell part of the story with the way each shot is so angled with sharp corners and drab hues throughout most parts of the first act.  As the film progresses and Harold loosens up, we gradually see softer, curved shapes and brighter colors.  The last thing that gets me sold on the movie is the excellent work that Spoon's Britt Daniel did to score the film.  Instrumental versions of tracks from Kill The Moonlight and Gimme Fiction are littered throughout the picture in addition to some original music as well as songs by The Jam and the brilliant use of Wreckless Eric's Whole Wide World in one key scene.

I think what really got me about this movie is the reminder that we should all treasure each moment that we've got.  No matter how trivial one would think any event would be, it later fits into a grander scheme of things which makes up what we are irrevocably.

Here's that great Wreckless Eric song (c/o who killed the mixtape?)

Whole Wide World - Wreckless Eric

Steven Wilson is one of the busiest people in music.  Aside from working on the new Porcupine Tree album and hot on the heels of the DVD release of Arriving Somewhere, he's also got the Blackfield project with Avi Geffen going.  It's going to be an awesome 2007 when new albums from both outfits arrive in stores. 

I'm going to love my moody side when I kick back to this music in the next year.

Once - Blackfield

I'm a sucker for Joy Division sound-alikes if they're done well.  Interpol opened a can of worms that led to The Brits responding by bringing the world The Editors.

Well, here's a Phones remix of the single that came out earlier this year, Sparks.  Gone are the minor chord guitars and are replaced by stuttering blips that would make black-clad Germans like Dieter (remember that SNL sketch?  It's one of Mike Myers' best creations) miserably happy as I'd imagine his manic flailing.

Sparks (Phones Remix) - Editors

Aimee Marcos would rather talk about her band, The Dorques and her other art/outreach projects than her family.  Yup, drummer-girl and sister to Imee, Irene, and Bong-Bong is the youngest of the prominent presidential clan.  She tries much as possible not to bring it up whether it's in their Myspace site or The Manila Bulletin.  I think that's really cool of her to step out of all that and be low-key about her pedigree.

Let the music do the talking, sister!  The band plays Big Sky Mind on Friday, 12/15 and at Gweilos on Wednesday, 12/20.

Sun Just Feels - The Dorques

 

Dimebag Darrell Lance Abbott is the patron saint of the metal community.  Anyone who's known him that's been in a band would talk about how he was kind and down-to-earth.  He paid for drinks, hung out with, and even dispensed professional advice to any metal group that was just starting out in the game.  He also garnered the respect of his peers by taking Pantera to legendary status by performing blistering riffs and solos on record and onstage night after night.  It's unfortunate that the thread of life was cut two years ago by a crazed fan. 

We continue to remember your warmth and contribution to all of metaldom, Dime.  We're also glad that you're in a much better place in the great beyond.

Here's some Pantera from the Heavy Metal 2000 soundtrack:

Immortally Insane - Pantera



We also remember John Lennon's passing at the hands of another crazed fan as well.

Glam isn't about...
...Sebastian Bach
...Quiet Riot's Metal Health
...Ibanez guitars
...CC DeVille
...cocaine
...the 80's
...the LA Sunset Strip
...The Darkness (if you're talking about a revival)


Glam is about...
...David Bowie
...T Rex's Electric Warrior
...Gibson Les Pauls
...Mick Ronson
...heroin
...the 70's
...The UK
...Placebo (if you're talking about a revival)

Glam is also about Roxy Music.  So here's some.  Enjoy.

Virginia Plain - Roxy Music




Also if you're still interested, The Grammy Awards nominations list was publicised today.

Pearl Jam has been kind to their hardcore fans.  Each year, the band releases a single which could only be acquired by joining their fan club.  I Am Fuel, You Are Friends was awesome enough to collect and upload each track.

My favorite tracks have got to be their version of The Dead Boys' Sonic Reducer (which I've heard as part of their sets on various bootlegs) and their reading of Mother Love Bone's Crown of Thorns.

Sonic Reducer - Pearl Jam
Crown of Thorns (live) - Pearl Jam

It makes me wonder what the band has in store for their fans this year.








I'm sorry to end this entry on a more serious note, but I'd like to send my heartbreaking sympathies to the Kim family.  James Kim, his wife and children were stranded in the Oregon area over the past ten days, during the height of terrible snowy conditions in the northwest region.  His wife Kati and their two children were rescued last Monday as James left them to look for help.  His body was found earlier today, presumably giving in to hypothermia.

I remember James from the old Tech TV channel.  He had a section on one of the shows that focused on music technology.  He was one of the first people I've seen on TV talk about MP3 technology.  He guided viewers like me about the ins and outs of music audio CDRs versus ordinary CDRs, file-sharing programs, and even software sequencers. 

You will be missed, James.

This time around about a year ago, I had a punk phase.  I was looking for stuff that was past the elementary stuff like The Clash or The Buzzcocks. I think it was fueled a few months prior by Iggy, Elvis Costello, and The New York Dolls' appearance at Bumbershoot.  I wanted more.

I was particularly interested with Johnny Thunders' music.  I've always been a fan of Guns N Roses and The Replacements.  According to most music scribes, those two bands had been influenced Thunders' songs.  This is another case of a fan going back to the spring for water.  I didn't regret ever trying out his music.

With compositions like Jet Boy (w/the Dolls) and his stuff with The Heartbreakers, Johnny linked both the worlds of glam (Bowie, Roxy Music, T-Rex) with the proto-punk of that era (Iggy, The Ramones, Television).  I now realize that he's one of the most untalented guitar players ever.  This doesn't detract from him still being a guitar hero by way of making a Gibson Les Paul Jr cool to look at way before Slash did.

Here's some Born To Lose.

Born To Lose - Johnny Thunders

Here are the results of last Friday's NU 107 Rock Awards:

BEST NEW ARTIST
UPDHARMADOWN

VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
GABBY ALIPE
Urbandub

GUITARIST OF THE YEAR
MONG ALCARAZ
Sandwich & Chicosci

BASSIST OF THE YEAR
MYRENE ACADEMIA
Sandwich & Imago

DRUMMER OF THE YEAR
JAZZ NICOLAS
Itchyworms

BEST LIVE ACT
KAMIKAZEE

RISING SUN AWARD
THE ITCHYWORMS

IN THE RAW AWARDEE
SILENT SANCTUARY

SONG OF THE YEAR
"NARDA"
Kamikazee

ARTIST / BAND OF THE YEAR
KAMIKAZEE

BEST MALE AWARD
MONG ALCARAZ
Sandwich & Chicosci

BEST FEMALE AWARD
ARMI MILLARE
Updharmadown

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
"NOON TIME SHOW"
The Itchyworms

BEST ALBUM PACKAGING
INKSURGE.COM
"Five on the Floor" of Sandwich

BEST MUSIC VIDEO
"SUGOD" of Sandwich
(Directed by Marie Jamora)

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
RAIMUND MARASIGAN, BUDDY ZABALA, THE ITCHYWORMS
(Noon Time Show - The Itchyworms)

LISTENER'S CHOICE
KAMIKAZEE

HALL OF FAME
DJs of the Heart of Manila (DZRJ)


I'll have to concur that the Itchyworms album is damn good.  The songwriting is all-around solid with a lot of the pop songcraft that you'd hear from the likes of XTC or the Itchy's direct influence, The Eraserheads.  I'm still rather perplexed by the inclusion of Updharma Down as an award-winner though since they seem the farthest thing from rock that I could imagine.  But whatever floats your boat, I guess.

Here's a nifty tune to prime y'all for the holiday season from one of the evening's award winners, The Itchyworms.

Season of Smiles - Itchyworms

Here's a song that Urbandub collaborated with Dicta License, which is their contribution to today's World AIDS Awareness Day. 

I'll try and do a rundown on which Pinoy music personalities make cameo appearances in this music video:

Gabe (Urban Dub)
Pochoy (Dicta License)
Makoy & Clem (Orange & Lemons)
Tutti (6 cycle mind and Protein Shake)
Lou Gee (Mojofly)
Armi (Up Dharma Down)
Lourd (Radioactive Sago Project)
Aia (Imago)
Jugs (Itcyhyworms)
Rye (6 cycle mind)
Kat (Sino Sikat)
Lougee (Mojofly)
Armi (Updharma Down)
Marc Abaya (Kjwan)
Reg Rubio (Greyhoundz)
Lee (Mayonnaise)
Miggy (Chicosci)
Julianne (Drip)
Sitti (solo artist)
Jett Pangan (The Dawn)
Jeff (6 Cycle Mind)
May Chelle (Moonstar88)
Ria (Paramita)
Karylle
Christian Bautista (solo artist)
Ely Buendia (Eraserheads, Pupil)
Chito Miranda (Parokya Ni Edgar)

That's as much as I've cribbed from my sources.

Oh, wait...

Future - Urbandub and Dicta License

I hope everyone reading could do their part to be responsible and make sure to get tested and continue the habit of putting on that jimmy hat when needed.  Also wear red to show your support for AIDS awareness.



BTW, tonight's the NU 107 Rock Awards.  We may just get to see Urbandub win some awards as well.  I hope at least one of these members in the band would win the guitarist, drummer, or bassist categories.