By Jack Silbert on September 7, 2021
EPISODE #451: 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11 (NEW YORK II)
Cat Power — “New York” [ALTERNATE THEME]
Richard Hell & the Voidoids — “Downtown at Dawn” [Destiny Street Repaired version]
The Drifters — “On Broadway”
John Lennon — “New York City”
Amy Allison & the Maudlins — “I Was Born in NYC”
Laura Cantrell — “14th Street”
Rufus Wainwright — “14th Street”
Leonard Cohen — “Chelsea Hotel #2”
Marshall Crenshaw — “Rockin’ Around in N.Y.C.”
The Rolling Stones — “Harlem Shuffle”
The dB’s — “I Read New York Rocker”
Joey Ramone — “New York City”
Steve Earle — “N.Y.C.”
Dion — “King of the New York Streets”
Spit-take — “Memorial”
They Might Be Giants — “New York City”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Amy Allison, Cat Power, dB's, Dion, Joey Ramone, John Lennon, Laura Cantrell, Leonard Cohen, Marshall Crenshaw, Richard Hell, Rolling Stones, Rufus Wainwright, Spit-take, Steve Earle, The Drifters, They Might Be Giants
By Jack Silbert on September 3, 2021
4 stars out of 5
I was looking forward to the Sean Penn movie Flag Day, and it was certainly promoted, and yet, now three weekends in, it’s not really playing anywhere! (OK, OK, it’s playing in Manhattan, which is very close to me, but, I save the city for special occasions.) And then a headline infuriated me: “Sean Penn’s Flag Day Fails To Fly As Older Arthouse Crowd Shuns Cinema.” Hey, I’m the Older Arthouse Crowd and I haven’t shunned a goddamn thing! Did they consider that my local “arthouse” in Montclair closed, eventually changed hands, but still hasn’t reopened? Or that the same happened with the arthouse in Asbury Park, where I would schedule in a movie whenever I’d drive down for a concert? And, come on, this isn’t some obscure indie flick. But the surviving multiplexes would rather fill up multiscreens with limp would-be summer blockbusters than something with a little more thought behind it.
So I took a long drive — I’m not going to get into details, but it involved a bridge and downloading yet another parking app — to a theater that was showing Flag Day. I’m very glad I did.
Penn directed the film, based on a true story, and co-stars with his daughter Dylan. I imagine her being Oscar-nominated and not winning. The movie is a bit of a family saga — a tragedy, really — so there are three actresses playing Jennifer Vogel over the span of time. Three actors also play brother Nick, including real-life bro Hopper Jack Penn.
Now, as Penn showed us as the world-wise dad in The First series, even decorated astronauts can have a hard time holding a family together. So if you’re a total fuck-up like Penn’s John Vogel, you can just imagine how difficult it would be. Which is not to say John doesn’t have good qualities. He loves his kids. Pretty good at drawing. A dreamer who likes to roam and have fun. But because of John’s not-so-good traits — including but not limited to thievery, rage, and compulsive lying — Jennifer and Nick bounce between dad and mom. She’s no great shakes neither, what with the alcoholism and dangerously lousy taste in men.
Overall, it’s Jennifer’s story. As a kid, she roots for her dad, overlooking the flaws, and it’s heartbreaking watching her try to keep disillusionment at bay. As Jennifer ages (and is portrayed subtly and realistically by Dylan Penn), she indulges her own vices, and wonders how much of her parents her psyche is saddled with. Is she genetically doomed to fail or can she reinvent herself? And at what point do you — or can you — draw a boundary with a beloved parent who has let you down over and over again?
Heavy stuff, beautifully and delicately directed by Penn. He’s helped by a very strong soundtrack which includes Eddie Vedder, Cat Power, and a song by Glen Hansard (of Once semi-fame) that just perfectly matches and enhances the action on-screen.
This Labor Day weekend, consider tracking down Flag Day. Or maybe it’ll be streaming by Yom Kippur.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies, Dylan Penn, Sean Penn
By Jack Silbert on August 31, 2021
EPISODE #450: DIAMONDS
The Rolling Stones — “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” [ALTERNATE THEME] r.i.p. Charlie Watts
Dan Penn — “Diamonds”
Son Volt — “Diamonds and Cigarettes”
Dany Laj & the Looks — “Diamond in the Rough”
Shirley Bassey, Kanye West, Jay-Z — “Diamonds Are Forever”
Willie Nelson — “Ocean of Diamonds”
Sharon Van Etten w/ Glass Ghost — “Like a Diamond”
Them — “I Gave My Love a Diamond”
Opal — “She’s a Diamond”
The Clean — “Diamond Mine”
Gene Turonis a.k.a. Gene D. Plumber — “Diamonds as Big as Potatoes”
Mary Lou Lord — “He’d Be a Diamond”
Bob Dylan — “Diamond Joe”
Neko Case — “Dirty Diamond”
The Exbats — “I Got the Hots for Charlie Watts”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Bob Dylan, Dan Penn, Dany Laj & the Looks, Gene D. Plumber, Gene Turonis, Glass Ghost, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Mary Lou Lord, Neko Case, Opal, Rolling Stones, Sharon Van Etten, Shirley Bassey, Son Volt, The Clean, The Exbats, Them, Willie Nelson
By Jack Silbert on August 24, 2021
EPISODE #449: CATS VI
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Dave “Baby” Cortez — “Catnip”
The Lucksmiths — “Cat in Sunshine”
The Wailers — “What’s New Pussycat”
Peach Kelli Pop — “Hello Kitty Knife”
Naked City — “Snagglepuss”
John Wesley Harding — “Monkey and his Cat”
Luna — “The Owl and the Pussycat”
The Carter Family — “Kitty Waltz”
Thee Speaking Canaries — “When Cats Fight/Let Loose of Me”
R.E.M. — “Swan Swan H”
U2 — “An Cat Dubh”
Sherman Hemsley — “Skinnin’ a Cat”
Matthew Sweet — “Girl With Cat”
Nick Jorgensen — “Black Cat”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Dave “Baby” Cortez, John Wesley Harding, John Zorn, Luna, Matthew Sweet, Naked City, Nick Jorgensen, Peach Kelli Pop, R.E.M., Sherman Hemsley, The Carter Family, The Lucksmiths, Thee Speaking Canaries, U2, Wailers
By Jack Silbert on August 18, 2021
3.5 stars out of 5
My thought process on deciding to see this movie, which from the trailer looked, you know, dusty and not that interesting: 1) I’m a fan of Matt Damon and he usually chooses quality projects. 2) Oh, it was directed by Tom McCarthy, who I love: The Station Agent, The Visitor, Win Win, Spotlight. 3) There are apparently some similarities to the Amanda Knox story. Foxy Knoxy — count me in!
The “purely coincidental” backstory that kicks off the plot: An American student overseas is accused of murdering her roommate, claims innocence, is jailed, and the case garners media attention. But that’s where fiction takes over. Damon plays her widowed dad, a good ol’ boy (good oil boy?) from Oklahoma, bit of a fuck up, who regularly travels to France to visit his daughter and try to get her sprung. Damon wears a baseball cap, plaid shirt, and jeans, sports a goatee, and prays before every Subway takeout meal at Le Best Western. Yes, he utters the words “fake news” and sidesteps a question about voting for Trump — he couldn’t vote because he has a criminal record. It’s quite a stretch for our man Damon but he pulls it off realistically, adding — if not his trademark likability — a lonely, understandable quality to the character.
The movie also attempts to stay within the bounds of believability and so, despite Damon losing faith with the authorities and taking on the investigation himself, and just a little bit of punching and kicking, he never goes full Jason Bourne.
However, it’s also not what I’d describe as an enjoyable movie. The film is character- and relationship-driven: The tension between Damon and his daughter, a convincingly trashy, angry, hopeless Abigail Breslin. The warm “family” dynamic Damon forms with the single mom and young daughter who he crashes with. The friendship that develops between Damon and the little girl is really sweet, and of course sadly reflects the bond he never created with his own daughter.
This is not Tom McCarthy’s best film, but also not his worst (I have never seen The Cobbler). If you like low-key, slow-paced whodunnits, there aren’t many ripples in this Stillwater. But Damon more than keeps it afloat.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies, Matt Damon, Tom McCarthy
By Jack Silbert on August 10, 2021
EPISODE #447: MAGIC
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Queen — “A Kind of Magic”
Jack Skuller — “My Disappearing Act”
Sidney Gish — “Good Magicians”
M. Ward — “Magic Trick”
Winter — “Pure Magician”
The Beatles — “Magical Mystery Tour”
The Ballroom — “Magic Time”
Cody Chesnutt — “Magic in a Mortal Minute”
King Tuff — “Magic Mirror”
The Anderson Council — “Magical”
Flying Fish Cove — “Sleight of Hand”
Grass Jaw — “Magic Is Bullshit”
Cub — “Magic 8 Ball”
Bruce Springsteen — “Magic”
Warren Zevon — “For My Next Trick I’ll Need a Volunteer”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Anderson Council, Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, Cody Chesnutt, Cub, Flying Fish Cove, Grass Jaw, Jack Skuller, King Tuff, M. Ward, Queen, Sidney Gish, The Ballroom, Warren Zevon, winter
By Jack Silbert on August 3, 2021
EPISODE #446: 2020 SUMMER OLYMPICS, WEEK 2 (GOLD)
delayed until 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic
John Williams — “Olympic Fanfare” [partial; ALTERNATE THEME]
UV-TV — “Gold”
Simple Minds — “New Gold Dream (81–82–83–84)”
Syd Straw — “Golden Dreams”
Health & Happiness Show — “Woman of Gold”
The Natvral — “Tears of Gold”
Daft Punk — “Harder Better Faster Stronger”
Bouncing Souls — “The Gold Song”
Jonny — “Goldmine”
Twinkle — “Golden Lights”
Stevie Wonder — “Stay Gold”
John Prine — “You Got Gold”
The Garment District — “Goldvein”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged 2020 Summer Olympics, Bouncing Souls, Daft Punk, Health & Happiness Show, John Prine, John Williams, Jonny, Simple Minds, Stevie Wonder, Syd Straw, The Garment District, The Natvral, Twinkle, UV-TV
By Jack Silbert on July 27, 2021
EPISODE #445: 2020 SUMMER OLYMPICS (JAPAN)
delayed until 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic
Leo Arnaud — “Bugler’s Dream” [ALTERNATE THEME]
Tom Waits — “Big in Japan”
Green — “Big in Japan”
All About Chad — “Japanese Couple in Reverse”
Ween — “Japanese Cowboy”
Maita — “Japanese Waitress”
Elvis Costello & the Attractions — “Tokyo Storm Warning”
Graham Parker — “Discovering Japan”
The Spinto Band — “Japan Is an Island”
Spoon — “My Little Japanese Cigarette Case”
Pere Ubu — “30 Seconds Over Tokyo”
Royal Arctic Institute — “Japanese Viperina”
Future Bible Heroes — “How To Get Laid in Japanese”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged 2020 Summer Olympics, All About Chad, Elvis Costello, Future Bible Heroes, Graham Parker, Green, Leo Arnaud, Maita, Pere Ubu, Royal Arctic Institute, Spinto Band, Spoon, Tom Waits, Ween, Wilco
By Jack Silbert on July 20, 2021
EPISODE #444: FOURS
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Daryl Hall — “Something in 4/4 Time”
Lloyd Cole — “Four Flights Up”
Howlin’ Wolf — “Forty-Four”
Drunken Prayer — “Four-Leaf Clover”
Glenn Morrow’s Cry for Help — “44”
Volcano Suns — “Four Letters”
Butterglory — “Forty-Four”
Dirty Fences — “Four-Leaf Clover”
The Zombies — “Care of Cell 44”
Fats Domino — “Let the Four Winds Blow”
Bright Eyes — “Four Winds”
The Clash — “Four Horsemen”
Low — “Four Score”
King Missile — “Fourthly”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Bright Eyes, Butterglory, Daryl Hall, Dirty Fences, Drunken Prayer, Fats Domino, Glenn Morrow's Cry For Help, Howlin' Wolf, King Missile, Lloyd Cole, Low, The Clash, The Zombies, Volcano Suns
Jack Silbert, curator