Don’t let their indie-rock posturing fool you, these two are nothing but pop music fun!

I first heard about Mates of State while listening to this All Songs Considered podcast. Guest reviewer Stephen Thompson summarizes his affection for the album thus: “I absolutely love this record. I think part of it for me is I have a seven year old and a four year old and they do not stop listening to this record, they love it so much. I think it’s the year’s most romantic record. It’s a song cycle about maintaining a loving relationship, and growing up as a couple, with kids. Re-Arranger has a chorus ‘love loud, don’t lose loud.’ And I just love that.”

That sounded great to me–I would love to listen to music I enjoy that my daughter will like, too! Well, then I heard the single “Re-Arranger” and WOW! It is fun, pop! music that just makes you feel all swelled up with happiness. Oh, but it gets better…

The band (made up of Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel) is a husband-and-wife team (so cute!). Oh yeah, and they take their two little girls (Magnolia & June) on tour with them (so inspiring!!).

This ABC interview is a great little insight into their life on the road: http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=6407198

The way they see it, making music and raising children are their jobs; they embrace them both, together. So (and here comes the soap box) as a mom who is frustrated by the separation of income-earning and caring for children, forcing children to see Mom during the week and Dad on the weekend, I am moved by their lifestyle (even as I doubt we could personally maintain it!).

For more on this fabulous band, check out their blog, Band on the Diaper Run, and listen to their music on MySpace.

Mates of State will be at the Varsity Theatre in Minneapolis on April 12 (Easter Sunday). Click here to get yourself some tickets!

Now that 2009 is in full swing, let us reflect on the year that just ended. I will start by first by mentioning music and television which made for a memorable 2008. Ranking and awarding art is a fun but ultimately silly exercise, but I will try hard to compile a few definitive top-ten lists (film for sure) soon. But first some quick reflections…..

The new music I listened to this year was overall much more subdued in tone. There were no album releases by big names like Radiohead, who blew everyone away in 2007 with In Rainbows. This year a rookie artist from western Wisconsin had a lot of play on my iPod. Justin Vernon and his bandmates call themselves Bon Iver and those who read this blog have seen their mention before. At risk of overkill, watch the sublime clip below of Bon Iver performing Skinny Love on Letterman from mid-December, wrapping up a big year of touring and increased exposure. They are releasing a EP called Blood Bank on January 20 with all new material.

As far as television, 30 Rock and The Office were excellent, but their seasons are only half-way done. So ranking TV shows is a bit goofy in light of that. But television in 2008 cannot be discussed without two words: Presidential Campaign. The onslaught of ads, verbal assaults, debates, punditry and network news rhetoric was tempered only by the comic stylings of two gentlemen: Stewart and Colbert. Sure there was a renewed interest in Saturday Night Live because of the election, but the opening sketch and Weekend Update have been the best part of that show for years. They capitalized on that fact by having those 4 Thursday shows toward the end of the campaign which were essentially only those segments. The Daily Show and The Colbert Report brought hilarity 4 days a week, month after month during the campaign and the writing staff and actors on both of those shows deserve lifetime achievement Emmy’s already because their work.  During a tense and tiring social and political climate such as the American Presidential Campaign, satire plays a critical and even healthy role. It not only dissects culture but painfully reflects it, exposing the hypocrisy of not only of our potential and current leaders, but the hypocrisy of our expectations of them and our system of government. I can’t figure out how to embed a clip from either of the shows, but I would have trouble picking just one anyway. I thank Hulu.com for giving the cable and satellite deficient masses the ability to watch these fine shows.

I  know this post is a bit redundant, reading much like a few of my past posts, but hey, I am reflecting on the past year, so redundancy is expected. I really just can’t wait for LOST to get back on the air. Only 17 days left!!!!

More reflections to come on the year in film and maybe even a list or two. As always, we would love to see your favorites and lists about 2008 anytime.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98634268

More Top 10 lists to come from us. And, of course, we’d love to hear your Top 10 for 2008 (or Top 3 or Top 20, whatever you have!) in any pop culture category you like!

Oh, and from our house to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas!

2006 brought the reboot of the James Bond franchise in Casino Royale, directed Martin Campbell. In it we got the first Bond played by an actual Englishman, Daniel Craig, and he brought an earthy believability to a franchise which had run its course over 20 films prior. Gone was the campy, cheeky and largely predictable tropes of the past films and in Casino Royale we not only got to see how Bond became a double O agent, we got to see him actually fall in love, not just fall in bed, with a woman. Well, that love ended tragically and thus gave Daniel Craig’s Bond a brooding ethos which carries on into the first actual sequel, as far as plot carryover, in franchise history. This was essentially Bond’s origin story and of course it had outrageous and inventive action sequences, but broke the mold enough to make things exciting again.

Quantum of Solace, directed by the versatile Marc Forster (Monsters Ball, Finding Neverland, and the underrated Stranger than Fiction) picks up immediately after the prior film, with Bond looking for answers concerning his deceased lover’s betrayal. Of course he uncovers a global conspiracy to exploit the planet’s natural resources, but that is all just a backdrop for him to carry out his personal agenda, and of course, a plot device for action sequences.

Action sequences are arguably the reason we go to see a Bond film in the first place, no matter how realistic and cerebral the latest incarnation is. But for some reason with this film, they chose to mimic, almost to the point of distraction, another secret agent franchise which as been successful this new millennium: The Jason Bourne series. Where in Casino Royale the hand-to-hand combat was raw in its choreography and staging, allowing Bond to finally get a bit bruised and battered, therefore humanizing him a bit, this new film continues that realism but adds an element which is distracting. The shaky, unfocused camera angle. Director Marc Forster even brought one of the film editors from the Bourne series into the editing room, so this was highly intentional. But does it work?

Not entirely. The Bourne series of films and books largely owes its existence to the James Bond films and books, not the other way around. Why then, in the name of seeming “relevant” would Bond have to blatantly mimic the jittery camera styling of the Bourne films? I mean even Paul Greengrass pulled the camera back a bit after the second Bourne film was criticized for being too jumpy and tight visually. Action choreography can be raw and realistic, but editing and filming it in such a way as to intensify this “raw-realism” can backfire, disengaging and alienating viewers. Of course this is just my subjective aesthetic preference, but I feel since there was no precedent set up for that visual style in Casino Royale, its use in Quantum of Solace was unneeded and distracting.

However, not all was bad about the latest bond film. Really only a couple of the six or so action sequences suffered from this Bourne gratuitousness, and all were well conceived as far as choreography. The emotional intrigue of Bond’s origins is gone, but it is fun to see him go all out for his Queen and Country. Daniel Craig continues to bring a rugged believability and physicality to both the action sequences and verbal interactions with other characters. Judi Dench is much more prominent in this film and she brings a class all her own to the iconic role of M, and the new “Bond girl” once again has a backstory and depth, not falling in bed with Bond, and she creates a nice counterpoint to his personal pursuits.

So, in the end, Quantum of Solace is a worthy sequel. Not as great or intriguing as Casino Royale, but a fun action film that has Bond still fairly grounded in a reality that makes him vulnerable and human. I hope this trend continues and not the blatant mimicry of the Bourne series in future installments.

Side note: DVD recommendation.

Bigger, Stronger, Faster is a documentary worth putting on the Netflix queue. Known as “the steroid” documentary, it really is a very personal yet wide exploration and meditation on the American obsession with image and success. It is insightful, funny and touching at the same time. Check it out and let me know what you think.

The title of this post is in itself an apology and a fairly cool name for a band. If you need a band name of course. We have been busy and therefore not consuming as much popular culture recently.  Aside from 30 Rock, The Office, and of course The Daily Show almost every night during the just ended election season, we have not watched much else. Van Morrison’s classic Moondance has been in heavy rotation around here and we have not watched a new movie, on DVD or in theater for a while. This new parent awesomeness just realigns things a bit, which is good. Also, I am applying to Graduate school, which takes quite a bit of time.

End of excuses.

We promise more posts soon. Oscar season is right around the corner folks! Check out the trailer for Slumdog Millionaire below. Directed by one of my contemporary favorites, Danny Boyle, (Trainspotting, Millions) this film took quite a few festivals by storm and is garnering early buzz. Synopsis below:

The story of how impoverished Indian teen Jamal Malik became a contestant on the Hindi version of “Who Wants to be A Millionaire?” — an endeavor made without prize money in mind, rather, an effort to prove his love for his friend Latika, who is an ardent fan of the show.

Sounds a bit cheesy I know, but it really surprised many a hard critic already and I know Danny Boyle’s visual acumen will do wonders. (Update) Looks like it is coming to the Landmark Theater in Edina on November 21.  I think it is being slowly released at first. Keep an eye out for it.

In the meantime, we’d love to hear from you, our understandably disbanded readership. What music, new fall TV shows, books, films etc, have been keeping you excited and engaged recently? We’d love to know about it.

Not much to say that hasn’t already been eloquently stated elsewhere about the passing of Paul Newman. He was a legend in cinema who decided to do something with his fame that impacted people positively beyond his excellent work on screen. Check out the touching tribute below by David Letterman in case you missed it. Apparently Paul Newman DVD’s have been flying off the shelves since his passing at a fantastic rate. Buy some Newman’s Own Salsa or Popcorn and enjoy Cool Hand Luke sometime soon.

Alright, Its not really “new” Bob Dylan music, but it is new to his fans. He is releasing Volume 8 of his alternate takes, rarities and bootlegs on October 7th. This 2-disc set is called “Tell Tale Signs” and consists of work spanning from the “Oh Mercy” sessions of 1989 up to his most recent work, “Modern Times.” NPR has access to both discs for a bit and is streaming them for free here. If you are familiar with his most recent 3 or 4 albums at all, it is really fun to hear the evolution of his songs before they make the cut, and the live and b-side tracks are pure gold. It’s probably sold-out already, but If you have some extra cash lying around, you could get tickets off a scalper or Craigslist to see him perform on election night at the Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis. I have seen him twice and he puts on a fantastic show. His touring band is always aces and he even smiles once in a while now.

Click here for a brief interview with the Repubilcan and Democratic candidates (remember, there are others!) regarding their favorite films. Does it help you make your decision? Thanks to Cathy for this link!

First music. I have been smitten by yet another band from Austin, TX by the name of Okkervil River. Their latest album is called The Stand Ins and is fantastic! Okkervil River along with Shearwater and Spoon make Austin a veritable indie music mecca. In an interesting promotional move for this album, Okkervil River asked friends of theirs to interpret each of the songs and be their “stand ins.” The results have been posted on YouTube for your enjoyment. Check out the one below by A. C. Newman of The New Pornographers along with Will Sheff of Okkervil River doing the killer pop gem “Lost Coastlines.” Others feature Bon Iver and many more.

Second is author Michael Chabon. He is one of my favorite contemporary writers and I just finished his latest work of fiction, The Yiddish Policeman’s Union. Set in an alternate history where a small section of Alaska, not Israel, becomes home to millions of displaced Jews after World War II, it essentially is a hard-boiled detective story told in a very unique setting. Reading Chabon is rewarding on many levels, with great characters, themes and bold command of language. I am very curious what the Coen brothers will do with this story, as I have heard they bought the rights to the book for adaptation on the big screen. I may do a more in-depth review/critique of the book soon. Chabon is also an eloquent apologist for ideas that this blog hold dear, namely embracing what others may call “low” culture and engaging it in a serious manner. This interview deals with this aspect primarily and is also one of the many subjects found in his latest work of non-fiction essays, Maps and Legends.

Happy watching, listening and reading!

Now I’ve finished the book (it took me a little longer, but hey, I’m a new mom, right!?) and I wanted to write a post about the experience because I can’t remember the last time I was so taken with a book; I’m considering reading it again, right away, I was so tremendously pleased with it!

On the one hand it is the lovingly-told account of an adventuresome girl growing up during the Great Depression. On the other hand it is the complex story of a black man on trial in the deep South and a nuanced telling of its repercussions on a small town. Harper Lee’s narration from the perspective of a six-year-old is captivating and the convention of placing multiple stories within a story is executed so cogently [thank you to Drew for the word-choice there].

Kerri Miller’s Midmorning Book Club read To Kill A Mockingbird back in March of this year. (To listen to that program click here.) Some listeners said this was the most influential book they’d ever read, after the Bible. At the time the show’s promos aired I thought that sounded completely over-the-top, but the craft and beauty of this book is, in my opinion, quite inspired indeed. Some may lament the fact that Lee never wrote another novel, but reading it I had the sense that this book was as much a gift to Lee as it was her gift to us…there is nothing else she needed to give us, Scout’s story is enough.

I hope to watch the fim version of To Kill A Mockingbird soon, and I’d like to invite each of you to pick up the book, or the movie, or both. If you do, as always, I’d love to hear what you think.

The Dark Knight (2008): the comic book film that the comic book dork [me] has been waiting for, supposedly. Director Christopher Nolan (Memento, The Prestige) extends the themes from the excellent franchise reboot Batman Begins, and deftly explores the nature of justice in a world in which all systems are corrupt. Is vigilante justice really the answer, or are heroes by nature prone to the same abuses of power from which they vow to protect the innocent? The production value, cinematography and acting are all superb, with a script and dialog that takes these cerebral themes seriously within the context of a big action blockbuster, which is no small thing.

Yes, Heath Ledger delivers an intriguingly creepy performance as Batman’s arch rival, Joker, and the character does well in exposing the hypocrisy of both villain and hero in a world which requires compromise. Yes, the film is in many ways a perfect example of how a popular genre, the superhero, can be artfully done. However, because there is so much going on in the film thematically and because the pacing cruises by at such a clip, there is almost a feeling of overload by the film’s end.

After watching it a second time I was able to digest much more but feel the film could have ended about a half hour earlier or used its length to add some scenes which allow for a bit of contemplation. There simply is no time taken in this film for such embellishments and while many are calling this the Godfather or Heat of comic book films, those crime epics allowed for such moments of deliberate pacing, which make them just a notch better than The Dark Knight.

Pixar is pretty much the most consistent modern film studio, they make excellent work feature after feature. This all boils down to one thing. Story. Since these animated films take so long to make from beginning to end, the filmmakers at Pixar make sure they have an intriguing story to tell before they commit one pixel to a hard-drive.

Wall-E (2008) is no exception to the aforementioned excellence. The attention to detail is breathtaking, be it the human like qualities of our hero robot, which the filmmakers borrow from Chaplin and Keaton with adroit affection, or the dystopic vision of a planet which is left for dead by a humanity that has consumed itself out of a home.

This film is both intelligent science fiction—in that it questions the nature of humanity—and a great romantic comedy rolled into one. And Wall-E is actually quite bold in the message it delivers to its viewers and it doesn’t have to resort to polarizing buzz words (“global warming,” “alternative fuels”) for the effect to be quite sobering. In the end that is what good storytelling does, reveal rather than malign.

At the prompting of a friend, The Diving Bell and The Butterfly (2007) was moved to the top of our Netflix queue and good grief was it worth it. This film, by director Julian Schnaebel, won the best director prize at the Cannes film festival and was nominated for four Academy Awards. It tells the true story of a paralyzed man and how he communicates with the only part of his body unaffected by the paralysis: his left eye.

The Diving Bell and The Butterfly is visually astounding and a perfect example of form fitting function. A good third of the film is told from the main character’s point of view, which is something that has to be seen for oneself in order to grasp the creative lengths this film goes to to communicate the story. A meditation on the transformative power of creativity, no matter one’s circumstances, this film shows us how creativity can liberate and teach one about others and oneself.

Schnaebel is most notably a painter and has only done four films, but with this film he has placed himself in the big leagues by creating such a beautiful and somber film which stays with the viewer long after the credits role.