Best of '06 Radio Show on WUAG 103.1 FM!

I'll be doing my radio thing this afternoon from 1 to 4 PM on WUAG 103.1 FM Greensboro. You can tune in online at wuag.net by clicking on the "Live Stream" button in the menu bar. It'll be called the "Best of 2006 Double Dose" as I play two tracks from each of my favorite albums of '06. Expect some Gnarls, Flaming Lips, Art Brut, Guster, Band of Horses, and who knows what else? Plus, if you call (336) 334-5450 and make a request, I might be so kind as to play it on the air!

Also, if you have no plans for New Year's Eve (like me), you can tune in to Turner Classic Movies' Marx Brothers Movie Marathon, which begins at 8:15 PM with Duck Soup and continues all night with selections like Horse Feathers, Monkey Business, A Night at the Opera, and A Day at the Races.

I'd like to wish a very happy New Year's to everyone out there in blogland! See you in '07!

Hall of Awesome 2006: Top 5 Music Videos

Music video pioneers Cunningham and Gondry were in fine form this year (Gondry even made the Movies of the Year list), but it was newcomers Kris Moyes, Jon Watts, and the always awesome OK Go that came out on top this year in the music video department. Also worthy of note are Daft Punk, who take home the Most Disturbing Video award for their seriously f*cked-up video for "The Prime Time of Your Life" (needless to say, not safe for work or children). Don't forget all those wonderful musicians with Hollywood connections, as Gnarls Barkley and The Raconteurs prove it helps to know crazies like Dennis Hopper and Pee-Wee Herman.

1. The SoftLightes, “Heart Made of Sound” (dir. Kris Moyes)
By the way, a better quality version of this video can be found at the director's homepage.

2. OK Go, “Here it Goes Again” (dir. Trish Sie and OK Go)

3. The Spinto Band, “Oh Mandy” (dir. Jon Watts)
Same goes for this guy, too.

4. The Horrors, “Sheena is a Parasite” (dir. Chris Cunningham)

5. Beck, “Cellphone’s Dead” (dir. Michel Gondry)


Most Disturbing Video:
Daft Punk, “The Prime Time of Your Life” (dir. Tony Gardner)

Best Use of Celebrities (tie):
Gnarls Barkley, “Smiley Faces” (dir. Robert Hales/feat. Dennis Hopper and Sam Rockwell)
The Raconteurs, “Steady, As She Goes” (dir. The Malloys/feat. Paul Reubens)

Hall of Awesome 2006: Top 10 Albums of the Year

10


GRIZZLY BEAR
Yellow House







9


MARITIME
We, the Vehicles







8


BAND OF HORSES
Everything All the Time







7


THE RACONTEURS
Broken Boy Soldiers







6


BELLE & SEBASTIAN
The Life Pursuit







5


GUSTER
Ganging Up on the Sun







4


CAMERA OBSCURA
Let's Get Out of This Country







3


THE DECEMBERISTS
The Crane Wife







2


GNARLS BARKLEY
St. Elsewhere







1


THE FLAMING LIPS
At War with the Mystics






For some reason, most critics were quick to dismiss The Flaming Lips' 2006 release, angry that they had seemingly abandoned the style they had set in stone on 1999's epic masterpiece The Soft Bulletin and its 2003 follow-up, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. If only these people had listened to the album a few more times, they would have heard the Lips' most psychedelic and surprisingly consistent album since Bulletin was released seven years ago (has it really been that long?) Of course, no Best Of list would be complete without mentioning Gnarls Barkley, who exploded onto the scene with that one song no one can seem to get out of his or her head (you know the one). The Decemberists had another excellent year, topping the success of 2005's Picaresque with their Atlantic Records debut, in addition to a well-publicized battle with Comedy Central news pundit Stephen Colbert. Camera Obscura was shamefully omitted from Stereogum's list, a glaring omission considering that they not only out-Belle-and-Sebastian'd Belle & Sebastian, they gave this shy person the strength to get up and do what needed to be done.

It was totally an impulse buy when I stumbled across the new album from Guster at a Borders bookstore, but it was a lucky find, as Ganging Up on the Sun contains some of the catchiest melodies ever set to disc, and Belle & Sebastian did an excellent job of breaking new ground on The Life Pursuit, an album that not only contained '60s throwback R&B and Japanese hyper-pop references, it (dare I say it?) rocked my f*ckin' socks off! Speaking of rock, why are so many bloggers turning a cold shoulder to The Raconteurs? Not only was it a great side project for all those involved, it spawned some infectious hit singles, and a couple awesome non-singles (fav track: "Yellow Sun"). I was already a fan of Band of Horses back when they were opening for Iron & Wine and only had a few demo tracks to their name. Now, their Sub Pop debut is out and everyone's finally caught up. And, finally, we have Maritime and Grizzly Bear, two bands that released solid debut albums, but now they're in the big leagues. Time to pull out all the stops and go for the gold with their sophomore releases...and Indeed They Did.

Here are all my Honorable Mentions of the year, too:






Congrats to those that made the list. You are now eligible for a roundtrip for two to Butte, Montana.

Also, even though I totally picked Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin as my fav new artist of '05, and although Broom "officially" came out that same year, it's still on my list. Deal with it.

P.S. This is prob'ly gonna be my last post before Christmas, so a very Merry Christmas to you and yours. Nustle up by the fire, pour yourself a cup of hot chocolate, and put some music on. I highly recommend Sufjan Stevens' Songs for Christmas EP box set, containing not only some of the best renditions of old holiday classics, but also some of the best original Christmas music ever written. I'm serious, folks. It's nog-tastic!

A new look for Blogger

You may notice some small changes on my blog. This is because I recently made the switch over to Blogger Beta, which takes advantage of various Web 2.0 devices like tags, labels, built-in drop down menus, and the like. So, from now on, all posts on this blog will include tags (usually no more than two or three per post). So, if you'd like to see what other posts I've written on the subject of Gnarls Barkley, click on the "Gnarls Barkley" tag at the bottom of one of those posts. Of course, all pre-Blogger Beta posts don't have tags and I probably won't be working to update them any time soon (I don't have that much free time!) Also, I've tried using the new drop-down Archive menu in the sidebar, and it works...up to a point. It seems that if you try to find back-posts before July of this year, you'll get a little "Loading..." notice, and then nothing. I assume they're working on it. Which brings me to another announcement. Since this new version of Blogger is in beta, it's important that my readers keep me informed if they start noticing any bugs on this website. If you see something that looks out of place, or if a feature suddenly doesn't work anymore, send me an e-mail to devin@dimattiafilms.com.

Thanks, gang!

Hall of Awesome 2006: Movies of the Year

Whoo. I think I went a little overboard on the Best Of lists last year, so this time, I'm gonna keep things simple. Best Movies...then Best Music. Let's begin, shall we?

Devin's Top 10 Films of 2006:

1. Children of Men
   
2. A Prairie Home Companion
   When Robert Altman passed on, he left behind a legacy of ridiculously innovative and astounding motion pictures, of which his most recent addition, A Prairie Home Companion, is no exception. Based on, written by, and starring NPR personality Garrison Keillor and his seminal, old-timey radio show, the film manages to capture the heartbreaking nostalgia of the early years of radio while conjuring up the inevitable wheels of progress that haunt the film’s stellar cast. Virginia Madsen gives an especially chilling role, not as a person, but more as an idea. The idea that all men and women will one day leave this earth, and that our life here is all too short. But if it never ended, what would be the point of it?
   
3. Little Miss Sunshine
   In your face, Napoleon Dynamite! Music video masters Dayton/Faris tackle the quirky absurdist comedy genre with hilarious results. Each one of these characters is fleshed out with some of the best story arcs ever put to film, and the script by Michael Arndt is so well-constructed that not a dull moment passes before your eyes. Please, somebody give Abigail Breslin an Oscar!
   
4. The Departed
   Departed editor Thelma Schoonmaker is either insane or a genius. Jump cuts fly past the screen like Jean-Luc Godard on speed. Scenes feel like they were cut with a meat cleaver and stuck together with duct tape. It fits the theme of the film perfectly, which is you can’t trust anyone, so you might as well just kill everyone. One of the joys of watching mob movies (and make no mistake, this is a mob movie) is that you can’t help feeling like both the organized crime ring and the staff of undercover cops are simply wasting both groups’ precious time, constantly reaching impasse after impasse, forever coming up even. It seems like, according to Scorsese, once you’ve reached the top, the only way to go is down.
   
5. Old Joy
   Basic plot structure for Old Joy: Man meets up with old college friend, both go to the mountains for a couple days, contemplate the state of their existence, and then go their separate ways. Old Joy joins the ranks of Lost in Translation and Mr. Hulot’s Holiday as one of the great “movies about nothin’,” but as always, there’s plenty more than meets the eye. Director Kelly Reichardt uses her sparse camerawork and minimalist plot to transform the film into an existential mood piece, a film where every facial expression and every sigh the actors emote has a purpose; where every action, no matter how insignificant, has a deeper meaning.
   
6. Borat
   When he’s not making fun of Kazakhstan’s backwards culture and surroundings, Sacha Baron Cohen’s undeniably adored Kazakhstani journalist is taking a hot skewer to American ideals, as well as our blatant ignorance of the world around us. What this movie lacks in authenticity, it more than makes up in laughs. An extended sequence in the middle of the film, featuring a nude Cohen and Ken Davitian wrestling in a hotel room, is as equally shocking and hilarious as most of the sex scenes featured in Shortbus (see below).
   
7. The Prestige
   Über-awesome director Christopher Nolan reunites with his Memento-penning brother Jonathan for this, his fifth feature film. Once again featuring an excellent ensemble cast, including Labryinth star David Bowie, both Nolans capture the spirit and mysticism of 18th century magic, mixed with a good ol’ fashioned Hitchcockian suspense story.
   
8. The Trials of Darryl Hunt
   The best film I saw at Cucalorus this year was also the film that made me the angriest. This documentary about one of the worst-handled homicide cases in North Carolina’s history just goes to show how damaging racism can be. It also profiles a man’s faith in God and how much courage he has to have in order to sustain that faith. The Trials of Darryl Hunt is the best documentary of 2006. Read my full review.
   
9. Thank You for Smoking
   Throughout the history of cinema, audiences’ love of heroes has only been exceeded by their love for villains, a fact that director Jason Reitman exploited by casting the undoubtedly charming Aaron Eckhart as the slimy, quick-witted tobacco lobbyist Nick Naylor. When we’re not laughing at his antics, as well as those of the M.O.D. Squad (Maria Bello and David Koechner), we find ourselves rooting for the very man we’re supposed to hate. Damn you, Eckhart!
   
10. The Fountain
    Darren Aronofsky has always walked a fine line between brilliance and frustration. His previous film, Requiem for a Dream, was a stupendous, postmodern, anti-drug movie, but while viewing it, you can’t help but think that maybe he was a little too hard on his star actress Ellen Burstyn. Unfortunately, her acting chops go largely unnoticed in this, his latest film, instead focusing on Hugh Jackman and his slowly wilting flower, Rachel Weisz. Though Aronofsky ultimately bites off more than he can chew thematically, the film is a refreshing burst of energy and optimism in an otherwise drab and unoriginal cinematic world. It’s 2001 for 2006.
    
11. The Science of Sleep
    What kind of year would it be without another brilliant movie from Michel Gondry? 2006 was a good year for him, with the release of this, as well as his docu-musical Dave Chappelle’s Block Party. And while The Science of Sleep oftentimes feels like a low budget Eternal Sunshine, the eccentricities certainly stand out more, and Gondry’s madcap directing style gives ample opportunity for some great performances by his equally eccentric cast.

Honorable Mention: Bubble (Steven Soderbergh’s Mini-DV masterpiece, complete with a stellar performance by a former Kentucky Fried Chicken manager), A Scanner Darkly (Richard Linklater's brilliant anti-drug "drug movie" ought to be considered for a Best Animated Feature Oscar, but it won't), Shortbus (John Cameron Mitchell’s sexual endeavors know no limits, but the joyous cacophony of this film simply cannot be denied).

Merry Christmas, Zach Braff!

I wish I knew more about Scrubs so that I would've laughed more at their send-up of A Charlie Brown Christmas. Still, any day I get to see Zach Braff provide the voice of Charlie Brown is a good day. Enjoy!

(Thanks, Drawn!)

Top 50 Music Videos of 2006

Now, with the whole YouTube craze upon us, it's time once again to revisit the always-awesome DoCopenhagen blog and their Top 50 Music Videos of the Year list. Last year, downloadable links were provided for all the videos, but now you can watch each and every one of them directly from the site. Cool deal!

Here are some of my picks from the list:

#1: OK Go, "Here it Goes Again"
No big surprise there.

#3: Gnarls Barkley, "Crazy"
While not their best video (that goes to the "Smiley Faces" video with Dennis Hopper and Dean Stockwell), the Rorshach test effect is trippy. Plus, it's "Crazy" so...yeah.

#30: The Horrors, "Sheena is a Parasite"
Chris Cunningham took the top spot last year with his creepy-as-f*ck "Rubber Johnny" video, and while this one can't compare, it is pretty awesome given its brief running time, and it's fun to see all the crazy stuff he does to 2-time Oscar-nominated actress Samantha Morton.

#34: Gnarls Barkley, "Gone Daddy Gone"
Certainly the band's creepiest video. If you ever wondered what Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse would look like in bug form, now's your chance.

That just scratches the surface of the wealth of awesome videos you'll find on his site. Go and see for yourself.

It's a Beautiful Day in the YouTube Neighborhood

Fresh from Yewknee is this quirky and unintentionally hilarious McDonald's commercial from the 1980s:



These are the kind of things YouTube was made for. I mean, it's got all the elements:

1. It's classic retro.
2. It prominently features a celebrity (Jason Alexander) while he was still in pre-celebrity status.
3. It's long. Over a minute, so there's plenty of ridiculousness to go around.
4. The product these whacked-out people (Alexander included) are selling is totally absurd. It seems so psuedo-futuristic to put the lettuce and tomato in its own, separate container!

Plus, now that the whole Michael Richards thing is behind us, it's nice to see another Seinfeld alumni back in the limelight. I'm sure Alexander doesn't care that this commercial's out. He did hawk Kentucky Fried Chicken shortly after Seinfeld!