By Jack Silbert on March 12, 2024
EPISODE #581: ST. PATRICK’S DAY 2024
tribute to Joe Hurley’s All-Star Irish Rock Revue
Rogue’s March — “I’m in Love — But Not With You” [ALTERNATE THEME]
Carlton Smith — “We’re All We Got”
Lianne Smith — “The Gift”
King Missile (Dog Fly Religion) — “When She Closed Her Eyes”
Faith NYC — “Shadowman”
Bruce Springsteen — “My Oklahoma Home”
Cracker — “Something You Ain’t Got”
The Cure — “Let’s Go to Bed”
Mary Lee’s Corvette — “The Sound of the Sea”
Ivan Julian — ”Can’t Help Myself”
Deni Bonet — “Light This Candle”
Slyboots — “Blindsided”
World Party — “Way Down Now” r.i.p. Karl Wallinger
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Bruce Springsteen, Carlton Jumel Smith, Cracker, Deni Bonet, Faith, Ivan Julian, Joe Hurley's All-Star Irish Rock Revue, King Missile, Lianne Smith, Mary Lee's Corvette, Rogue's March, Slyboots, The Cure, World Party
By Jack Silbert on March 5, 2024
EPISODE #580: RIGHT AND WRONG
Joe Jackson — “Right and Wrong” [ALTERNATE THEME]
James Mastro — “Right Words, Wrong Song”
Travis Ramin — “Right Hot Dog, Wrong Bun”
Dr. John — “Right Place, Wrong Time”
Dum Dum Girls — “Wrong Feels Right”
Dolly Parton — “It’s All Wrong, But It’s All Right”
Percy Sledge — “It’s All Wrong, But It’s Alright”
The Rubs — “Wrong/Right Girl”
Mary Wells — “Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right”
Homer Banks — ”(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want To Be Right”
Long Ryders — “You Don’t Know What’s Right, You Don’t Know What’s Wrong”
Sarah Shook & the Disarmers — “Nothin’ Feels Right But Doin’ Wrong”
Peter Holsapple & Chris Stamey — “Haven’t Got the Right (To Treat Me Wrong)”
Sloan — “Right or Wrong”
The Sweet — “Done Me Wrong All Right”
Son House — “Am I Right or Wrong”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Chris Stamey, Dolly Parton, Dr. John, Dum Dum Girls, Homer Banks, James Mastro, Joe Jackson, Long Ryders, Mary Wells, Percy Sledge, Peter Holsapple, Sarah Shook, Sloan, Son House, Sweet, The Rubs, Travis Ramin
By Jack Silbert on March 1, 2024
3.5 stars out of 5
“Does anybody remember laughter?” as Mr. Plant once asked. The comedy film, once a reliable staple of the multiplex, has become nearly extinct. Sure, there are humorous elements in the increasingly crummy Marvel movies, and there are rom-coms but they more rom than com. For those of us who truly crave the funny, it’s become slim pickings.
So sure, one Coen brother is better than none.
And that’s what we get in Drive-Away Dolls, written by Ethan Coen and his spouse Tricia Cooke, and directed by Ethan. While brother Joel and his wife Frances McDormand went the high-brow route with the superb Tragedy of MacBeth, Ethan sets his sights on goofy fun… and succeeds.
The plot is (blood) simple: Jamie (the ever delightful Margaret Qualley) and her uptight pal Marian (a very good Geraldine Viswanathan) take a drive-away car (one-way free rental) from Philly to Tallahassee, just for a head-clearing road trip. Trouble is, two goons were supposed to take that same car to Tallahassee, due to an initially-MacGuffin suitcase in the trunk. So the goons set off in hot pursuit, meanwhile Jamie and Marian discover the shocking contents of their trunk, and zany hijinks ensue.
There is not much more to this movie and that is OK — because it’s a comedy! And there are some very big laughs along the way. It’s a lesbian story (title was intended to be Drive-Away Dykes) but not for any heavy political reasons; it just helps along the liberals-in-a-conservative-setting scenario. Joey Slotnick is especially funny as the more sensitive of the two goons. Beanie Feldstein gets some solid scenes as Jamie’s resentful ex. Bill Camp, owner of the drive-away business, is a classic Coen character. And you can’t go wrong with a Matt Damon cameo.
Word on the street is that the Coen brothers are working together again soon, and of course I look forward to that. In the meantime, Drive-Away Dolls is a fun, funny, sexy road movie that will keep you smiling for an hour and a half.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies, Coen Bros., Ethan Coen, Margaret Qualley, Matt Damon, Tricia Cooke
By Jack Silbert on February 27, 2024
EPISODE #579: LEAP YEAR 2024
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Cecil Gant — “Jump Jack Jump”
Sebadoh — “Leap Year”
Torres — “Big Leap”
Clive Gregson — “February 29th”
Johnny Paycheck — “11 Months and 29 Days”
Chuck Willis — “Let’s Jump Tonight”
Good Grief — “Dimension Jump”
Grass Jaw — “Jump”
David Bowie — ”Jump They Say”
Ben Vaughn Combo — “Grasshopper”
Collins Kids — “Hop, Skip, and Jump”
Logan Ledger — “Skip a Rope”
Bruce Springsteen — “Highway 29”
The Magnificent Seven — “The Leap Frog”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Ben Vaughn, Bruce Springsteen, Cecil Gant, Chuck Willis, Clive Gregson, Collins Kids, David Bowie, Good Grief, Grass Jaw, Johnny Paycheck, Logan Ledger, Sebadoh, Torres
By Jack Silbert on February 20, 2024
EPISODE #578: RETURN TO ARIZONA
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Ennio Morricone — “Once Upon a Time in the West”
Cub — “Vacation”
Howe Gelb — “Vex (Tucson)”
Sarah Dougher — “Everywhere West”
Peter Perrett — “How the West Was Won”
No Man — “How the West Was Won”
R.E.M. — “How the West Was Won and Where It Got Us”
Vehicle Flips — “Trouble on the Western Survey”
Bruce Springsteen — ”Tucson Train”
Screaming Females — “Desert Train”
Paper Bee — “Tucson”
Dear Nora — “I Was Born in Arizona”
Freezing Hands — “Wax Cups”
Melted Wires — “Ballad of the Tucson 2”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Bruce Springsteen, Cub, Dear Nora, Ennio Morricone, Freezing Hands, Howe Gelb, Melted Wires, No Man, Paper Bee, Peter Perrett, R.E.M., Sarah Dougher, Screaming Females, Vehicle Flips
By Jack Silbert on February 16, 2024
3.5 stars out of 5
In late December, I saw a confusing trailer for Madame Web starring Dakota Johnson. No interest whatsoever. In late January, however, when Ms. Johnson hosted Saturday Night Live, I learned that her Madame Web character mentors Sydney Sweeney’s character. Total interest; saw the film on opening day.
This is one of those not-quite Marvel movies put out by Sony where I think they’re not allowed to say “Spider-Man”? Except the bad guy’s costume looks like a moldy Spidey suit, later they have some fun basically saying “with great responsibility comes great power,” and reading the character list at the end, I went “ohhhhhhhh.”
Being outside the MCU actually benefits this movie quite a bit. They don’t have to shoehorn in 18 cameos by other heroes, nor do you have needed to watch 15 streaming series to have any ideas what’s going on. Also, the script is bereft of groan-inducing wisecracks.
Early on, we meet paramedics Dakota Johnson and Adam Scott. It would be hard to cast two more likable actors. Johnson begins seeing snippets of the future, and doesn’t know if she has a concussion or is going nuts, etc. But soon enough she crosses path with three teenage girls, one of whom is “nerdy” Sydney Sweeney. Johnson figures out that she’s somehow connected with these young women, and also that she needs to protect them from the aforementioned Spider-Guy.
Now, this is not a great movie. Far from it. Many parts are flat-out stupid. Zosia Mamet, as the bad guy’s IT assistant, turns in one of the all-time laziest check-cashing performances; I don’t think she ever gets out of a chair. Tone-wise and production-value-wise, I was reminded of the late-90s USA Network series NightMan, which was done on the cheap likely on a Toronto soundstage. But compared to the high gloss of the true Marvel films, this was refreshing and there is decidedly less pandering to the audience. (OK, there is a little Pepsi product placement.) Compared with the somewhat similarly structured The Marvels, this is a much superior movie with a good, basic message: girls can get it done, especially when they look after each other.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies, Adam Scott, Dakota Johnson, NightMan, Sydney Sweeney
By Jack Silbert on February 13, 2024
EPISODE #577: BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2024
Tampa Red — “Happy Jack” [ALTERNATE THEME]
The Commodores — “Nightshift”
Chuck Jackson — “I Keep Forgettin’ (Everytime You’re Near)”
The Dells — “Time Makes You Change”
The 5th Dimension — “Another Day, Another Heartache”
Huey “Piano” Smith & His Clowns — “Don’t You Just Know It”
The Crows — “Gee”
The Wrens — “Come Back My Love”
The Harptones — “So Good, So Fine, You’re Mine”
Barbara Lynn — ”You’ll Lose a Good Thing”
The Ravens — “Gotta Find My Baby”
The Checkers — “Night’s Curtains”
The Turbans — “When You Dance”
Ruth Brown — “Shine On”
Chubby Checker — “The Fly”
Major Lance — “It’s the Beat”
La La Brooks — “I Broke That Promise”
Count Basie & his Orchestra feat. Joe Williams — “The Late Late Show”
Mojo Nixon — “You Can’t Kill Me” r.i.p.
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged 5th Dimension, Barbara Lynn, Black History Month, Chubby Checker, Chuck Jackson, Count Basie, Huey “Piano” Smith, Joe Williams, La La Brooks, Major Lance, Mojo Nixon, Ruth Brown, Tampa Red, The Commodores, The Crows, The Harptones, The Ravens, The Turbans, The Wrens (vocal)
By Jack Silbert on February 6, 2024
EPISODE #576: INSANE
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Young Guv — “Song About Feeling Insane”
Titus Andronicus — “Going Insane (Finish Him)”
Pale Angels — “Secretly Insane”
The Buzzcocks — “Driving You Insane”
Dinosaur Jr. — “I’m Insane”
Hallelujah the Hills — “Folk Music Is Insane”
Alicia Keys — “Is It Insane”
Sufjan Stevens — “A Short Reprise for Mary Todd, Who Went Insane, But for Very Good Reasons”
The Soft Boys — ”Insanely Jealous”
Kimberley Rew — “Tourists of Insanity”
Oingo Boingo — “Insanity”
Lindsey Buckingham — “Go Insane”
The MC5 — “Poison” r.i.p. Wayne Kramer
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Alicia Keys, Buzzcocks, Dinosaur Jr., Hallelujah the Hills, Kimberley Rew, Lindsey Buckingham, MC5, Oingo Boingo, Pale Angels, Soft Boys, Sufjan Stevens, Titus Andronicus, Young Guv
By Jack Silbert on January 30, 2024
EPISODE #575: WINTER II
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Jeanines — “Winter in the Dark”
Jennifer O’Connor — “Winter Song”
Edward Rogers — “Building Winter”
Amor de Días — “In the Winter Sun”
Elva — “Winter Sun”
The Rolling Stones — “Winter”
Sean Kiely — “Winter Is Here”
Teen Idle — “Winter”
Cadallaca — ”Winter Storm ’98”
Mikey Erg — “Waiting Out the Winter”
Overlake — “Winter Is Why”
Broadcast — “Winter Now”
The Ladybug Transistor — “Fjords of Winter”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Amor de Días, Broadcast, Cadallaca, Edward Rogers, Elva, Jeanines, Jennifer O'Connor, Ladybug Transistor, Mikey Erg, Overlake, Rolling Stones, Sean Kiely, Teen Idle
By Jack Silbert on January 23, 2024
EPISODE #574: THINKING ABOUT
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
David Bowie with the Lower Third — “Can’t Help Thinking About Me”
Juniper — “I Was Thinking About You”
Darren Hayman — “I Was Thinking About You”
Special Moves — “I Think About U + It Makes Me Smile”
Marvin Gaye — “Too Busy Thinking About My Baby”
Laura Cantrell — “Do You Ever Think of Me”
Waco Brothers — “Do You Think About Me?”
Incredible Casuals — “Think About Me”
Fleetwood Mac — ”Think About Me”
They Might Be Giants — “I’m All You Can Think About”
Sam Pocker — “Can’t Stop Thinking About Me”
Sunshine & The Rain — “Can’t Stop Thinking About You”
The Pastels — “Sometimes I Think About You”
Bruce Springsteen — “All I’m Thinkin’ About”
Mary Weiss — Radio Spot: Dating Courtesy Tip r.i.p.
The Shangri-Las — “Never Again”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Bruce Springsteen, Darren Hayman, David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, Incredible Casuals, Juniper, Laura Cantrell, Marvin Gaye, Mary Weiss, Sam Pocker, Special Moves, Sunshine & the Rain, The Pastels, The Shangri-Las, They Might Be Giants, Waco Brothers
Jack Silbert, curator