Also, when you can do small spends that offer meaningful support to outlets you wish to see in the world, its serves a double purpose and builds community in a valuable way for your work. 👏
oh and PS- BATTLE OF ALGIERS is a must watch.
often see that in sci-fi created by corporations which, at this point, who else can afford to make visually credible sci-fi? Anyway, I've gone on too long only to say HARD AGREE and also not just STAR WARS but maybe ANDOR is worth a look. /The end & apologies.
ANDOR, on the other hand, is much more influenced by social realism and has a lot to say. One of the reasons it stands out for people is that it mixes social realist politics and the formation of the rebellion to insert all of the meaning you're looking for (and is missing) from the films. You don't
and is the exemplar of what these films can and should be. It is not surprising to me that STAR WARS was influenced by Kurosawa's THE HIDDEN FORTRESS, which is character driven & told from the POV of peasants (or their equivalent robots in STAR WARS), and not by Pontecorvo's techniques. That said-
for the rise of the Empire, etc. An absolutely terrible film. But watch these or ARMY OF SHADOWS & then watch THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS, in which Pontecorvo uses social realism to capture the politics, tactics, and social meaning of rebellion, and it is like a light has been turned on. It's brilliant
then blowing it up. There is no sense of overall meaning of the Empire or Rebellion as political forces. Of course, Lucas went back & made the prequels, when he does engage in that, & you get something like ATTACK OF THE CLONES, which is mostly about the politics or trade & taxation as a pretext
implications of the occupation, really. It just shows the procedural ins & outs of running around trying to avoid the Nazis instead of engaging in the politics of the situation. There are many examples of this & STAR WARS is one. 90% of the plot is freeing Leia from confinement in the Death Star
Take a film like ARMY OF SHADOWS, which is about the French resistance to the Nazis. The whole film is cloistered inside the resistance trying to spring one another from jails, avoid capture, move things on the black market, find traitors, etc. It gives you zero sense of the overarching social
Interesting. I have a similar reaction to most movies about "resistance" movements, which is that they become representations of the mechanics of self-preservation of the "resistance" and not about the macro drama, meaning, and politics of the overall conflict, which is inherently more meaningful--
Must listen. I am sure opinions will differ, but this session sounds timeless to me. Again, give a listen. 🤯
You absolutely see why Albini's reputation has and should continue to grow in esteem as time goes by. He got at the heart of a "band", capturing their sonic essence in a way that few others did at the time. Anyway, I fucking love this version of the record, the sequencing is also different & great
because it is the definitive Fugazi studio sound that we all grew up with. But Steve Albini gets something else entirely out of the band, a lot more natural separation and clarity with less low end punch. But by 2026 standards? It sounds HUGE, organic, the sound of a band performing at its peak.
Some thoughts: 1993 was a time of peak Butch Vig-era grunge polish, and listening to the original IOTKT, produced by Ted Nicely and which is at or near the top of my Fugazi favorites list, you can understand why in 1993 the band preferred that session, which sounds like studio Fugazi
Times change, sonic trends change, but Fugazi have officially released an *INCREDIBLE* (and long bootlegged) version of IN ON THE KILL TAKER today. This session was produced by the great Steve Albini and proceeds benefits his commitment to Letters Charity. Grab it and give a little extra!
I have always dreamed of the riff and verse bass & drum section from I’M THE SLIME being used as a hip hop sample. It’s crying out for it. ZOMBIE WOOF would be great too. *sigh*
On Ruth!
For me, YOU JUST MAY BE THE ONE is the perfect pop song, tho. The way the verse plays against the time signature (4 then 6 then 4 but syncopated), the title is in the verse which is almost a chorus, and a "chorus" that is almost a bridge? He does more in 2 minutes than most songs ever get done. ♥️
Getting there... on Episode 171 & was listening to the Bonus in sequence, but since the Bonus for Episode 156 (LET THE HEARTACHES BEGIN by Long John Baldry) I have been taking more time as the main episodes get longer & (on the horizon) become multi-part, so am saving for the future.
2026 is giving 1989 vibes, and I am here for it!
Thrilled to join my friends in the Losers Lounge NYC for a weekend long tribute to REM & The Replacements. I am singing every night and am honored to be on stage with so many great artists. Join us at Joe's Pub in NYC! In the meantime, I am prepping by enjoying this absolute delight of an EP...
I personally voted for Handel.
All of it a direct line to narcissistic right-wing individualism
A QUICK ONE (WHILE HE'S AWAY) is, IMO, the apotheosis of this phenomenon, maybe minus the Top 10 part? 🤣
I feel like people continue to sleep on Lynne Ramsey's YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE, which uses the ubiquity & impunity of organized, elite sexual abuse as a traumatic trigger. It is one of the great films of this time, and Joaquin Phoenix is incredible as usual. Demands a (re)watch.
Remaining tickets are extremely limited but there are a few seats at the late shows, and good seats Thursday late... As always, it is going to be a great night of music and fun. Join us!
Get Your Tickets 👇
bit.ly/LosersREMvMats
As you may know, I sing in an R.E.M. project called Shaking Through that sometimes comes together to play the music of the band's IRS Records years, and so I hope I can measure up to the INCREDIBLE performers who will be gracing the stage for this run of shows.
Friends, I am very excited to share that I will be singing a song with NYC legends Joe McGinty & The Losers Lounge at all six of their upcoming shows, taking place February 19-21 at Joe's Pub, featuring the music of R.E.M. & The Replacements.
Get Your Tickets 👇
bit.ly/LosersREMvMats
