By Jack Silbert on November 7, 2023
EPISODE #563: ANGER
Public Image Ltd. — “Rise” [ALTERNATE THEME]
Rolling Stones — “Angry”
Noun — “Just How Angry I Am”
Marvin Gaye — “Anger”
Nice Try — “Angry”
George Usher — “The Angry Smile of a Lonely Man”
Ex Void — “Angry at You Baby”
Sleater-Kinney & Fred Schneider — “Angry Inch”
Neil Young — “Angry World”
White Fence — “Anger! Who Keeps You Under?”
For Against — ”Why Are You So Angry?”
Everly Brothers — “I’m Not Angry”
Elvis Costello — “I’m Not Angry”
Thee AHs — “I’m Not Angry Anymore”
David Bowie — “Look Back in Anger”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged David Bowie, Elvis Costello, Everly Brothers, Ex Void, For Against, Fred Schneider, George Usher, Marvin Gaye, Neil Young, Nice Try, Noun, Public Image Ltd., Rolling Stones, Sleater-Kinney, Thee AHs, White Fence
By Jack Silbert on November 3, 2023
3.5 stars out of 5
This is like a jumbo episode of La Loi et L’Ordre. And perhaps they purposely used a title similar to the legendary courtroom drama Anatomy of a Murder. Our story begins in the French Alps. German actress Sandra Hüller plays German author Sandra Voyter, being interviewed in her family’s chalet by a young journalist. Both the two women and we the audience feel tension right away, as someone is rudely playing very loud music upstairs at their home. Turns out it is Sandra’s French husband. Their mostly blind son Daniel takes Snoop the dog for a walk, perhaps to avoid a harried situation at home. When he and Snoop return, Daddy is lying dead on the ground outside the chalet! Did he jump… or was he pushed?
Sandra’s old lawyer pal Vincent shows up to calm her down, and represent her as evidence against her begins to pile up. Swann Arlaud, who plays Vincent, looks like an anime version of Martin Short.
Thus the procedural aspects of the story go into high gear. And the movie is quite compelling as we see the role of police, attorneys, investigators (looking at, yes, the actual anatomy of a fall), the media, and soon enough, the French court system — with a vision-impaired child “witness” in the mix. Sandra’s “outsider” status — she never wanted to leave London and move to her husband’s hometown — is further amplified by the request that she speak French when testifying (and when talking with her son in the presence of a court-appointed guardian), a language she clearly struggles with. Though not exactly cinéma vérité, director/co-writer Justine Triet keeps things realistic; when there’s a surprise in the courtroom, even the camera appears to be caught off-guard.
As details unfold, we learn of a variety of strife in the marriage. And thus the relationship is seemingly on trial as much as the possible murder is. To me, that was less interesting than all the legal wrangling, and I found that the later part of the film dragged a bit (unfortunate with a total running time of 2.5 hours). To top it off, late-surfacing details in the case were convoluted and that left me frustrated. For someone raised on judge-and-jury stories, bring in that just-discovered piece of evidence and/or a surprise witness, give me an unassailable verdict, and let’s clear the courtroom!
Nevertheless, Anatomy of a Fall is a well-performed, nice piece of filmmaking, and if you have greater tolerance for squabbling couples (Marriage Story, anyone?), you’ll likely enjoy this even more than I did.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies
By Jack Silbert on October 31, 2023
4.5 stars out of 5
I know, you’re waiting to watch this at home on Apple TV+, a half hour here, 42 minutes there, between football games and driving the kids wherever. But if you really love movies — and I know you do — plan a day around seeing Killers of the Flower Moon in the theater, no distractions, no glancing at your phone. Pee first because it’s 3 hours 26 minutes and you don’t want to get all squirrelly.
Martin Scorsese recruited his most trusted associates — Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert DeNiro — to help shine a spotlight on a shameful moment in American history. (The older I get, the more of those I find out about.) I’ll admit this was all unknown to me: The Osage tribe of Oklahoma greatly prospered when oil was discovered on their land. Not at all shockingly, white industrialists and opportunists moved in, trying to cash in and ultimately take control. Systematic murder of Osage citizens was seen as a convenient path to grabbing their extremely valuable land rights.
This particular true story from the 1920s focuses on the long-time powerful “friend” of the Osage, William Hale (DeNiro), and his back-from-the-war nephew Ernest Burkhart (DiCaprio, who is now 49 but is still able to pull off playing younger). When Ernest becomes sweet on full-blooded Osage Mollie (Lily Gladstone, so good as Daniel’s imprisoned mom on Reservation Dogs), Hale sees a golden chance to sweep up not just her land rights, but those of her sisters and their mother as well.
I imagine all three leads will be Oscar-nominated. Leo turns in a compelling character study. His Ernest is… earnest, but also greedy and not too bright, not a winning combination. We want to root for him, we want him to do the right thing, but Hale easily and routinely manipulates Ernest to do his bidding. As his character’s actions and inactions weigh down on him, Leo’s face tires, his mouth drooping to a frown. At this point his voice takes on a slight Sling Blade quality that I found mildly distracting.
DeNiro has a blast as Hale, falsely pious and magnanimous, always with bravado and self-preservation, and quickly given to — when frustrated — to rage. Scorsese knows how to bring out Bobby’s best, never in a cartoonish way. When he clashes with Ernest we see flashes of previous iconic DeNiro performances (including Cop Land and The Untouchables), and it is a thrill to behold.
Lily Gladstone as Mollie is the movie’s heart and soul. Having witnessed the deception and damage to her people, Mollie is cynical and guarded. Gladstone carries herself with reserve and dignity, ever aware of the potential wrongdoing around Mollie. There are subtle shifts in Gladstone’s face and body language as Mollie slowly opens herself to love and vulnerability.
Kudos also to the ever-reliable Jesse Plemons as an injection of decency and light when things are seeming awfully dim.
Super music fan Scorsese employs Jack White, Jason Isbell, Pete Yorn, Sturgill Simpson, and Charlie Musselwhite as actors here. The film is dedicated to Marty’s great friend the late Robbie Robertson, who composed the original music and plays guitar. Of Indian background himself, Robertson smartly uses traditional rhythms and percussion to underscore rising tension. One minor musical gripe: A repeated theme late in the movie sounds a lot like the Sopranos opening, and it took me out of the story for a moment or two.
Overall, though, I was engrossed in this tale. I can’t say 3.5 hours flew by, but the plot was straightforward and easy to follow, the story never drags (there is some Law and Order late in the game that creates a tone shift), and I never lost interest. With references to the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and a couple of anti-semitic slurs, Martin Scorsese places the Osage tragedy in a greater context that sadly still resonates. Then the ending is unexpectedly brilliant and left me applauding. Let the prestige film season begin, but this one will be hard to beat.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies, Leonardo DiCaprio, Lilly Gladstone, Martin Scorsese, Robbie Robertson, Robert DeNiro
By Jack Silbert on October 31, 2023
EPISODE #562: HALLOWEEN 2023
The Frogs — “I’m Evil, Jack” [ALTERNATE THEME]
Zacherle — “Happy Halloween”
Eyelids — “Halloween”
CR & the Nones — “The Ghosts Are Coming Home”
Velvet Monkeys — “Spooky”
Pussy Gillette — “Jane Pettibon”
Squalls — “Bride of Frankenstein”
Love, Burns — “Gate and the Ghost”
The Dungeons of Horrors — “My Halloween Suit”
Psych-O-Positive — “Naked or Dead”
Fred Schneider — ”Monster”
The Human Hearts — “Believe in Ghosts”
The Bee Gees — “Some Christmas Eve or Halloween”
Jupiter Jones — “The Spook Spoke”
Vince Guaraldi Trio — “Great Pumpkin Waltz”
Lou Reed — “Halloween Parade”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Bee Gees, CR & the Nones, Dungeons of Horrors, Eyelids, Fred Schneider, Jupiter Jones, Lou Reed, Love Burns, psych-O-positive, Pussy Gillette, Squalls, The Frogs, The Human Hearts, Velvet Monkeys, Vince Guaraldi, Zacherle
By Jack Silbert on October 24, 2023
EPISODE #561: SAY IT
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Arthur Russell — “I Couldn’t Say It to Your Face”
Teenage Halloween — “Say It”
Hello Mary — “Say It”
The ”5” Royales — “Say It”
Heavenly — “Stop Before You Say It”
El Vez — “Say It Loud! I’m Brown and I’m Proud!”
Eyelids — “Say It’s Alright”
Glen Hansard — “Say It to Me Now”
The Maddox Brothers & Rose — “Mama Says It’s Naughty”
Soul Walkers — ”Can I Say It Again”
Hall & Oates — “Say It Isn’t So”
The Outfield — “Say It Isn’t So”
Eels — “There I Said It”
Dwight Twilley — “I’m on Fire” r.i.p.
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Arthur Russell, Dwight Twilley, Eels, El Vez, Eyelids, Glen Hansard, Hall & Oates, Heavenly, Hello Mary, Maddox Brothers & Rose, Soul Walkers, Teenage Halloween, The Outfield, The “5” Royales
By Jack Silbert on October 17, 2023
EPISODE #560: NONSENSE II
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
The Ramones — “Pinhead”
Al Green — “Sha-La-La”
The Shirelles — “Sha-La-La”
The Last — “Be Bop a Lula”
The Bandana Splits — “Baby Talkin’ (The Shoo Wop Song)”
Jesse Hill — “Ooh Poo Pah Doo” [part 1]
Roy Orbison — “Ooby Dooby”
Eugenius — “Oomalama”
Brenton Wood — “The Oogum Boogum Song”
Don Covay — ”Bip Bop Bip”
Paul and Linda McCartney — “Bip Bop/Hey Diddle”
Austin Roberts — “Ricky Ticky Ta Ta Ta”
Ernie K-Doe — “Te-Ta-Te-Ta-Ta”
The Echoes — “Ding Dong”
Kasenetz-Katz Super Cirkus — “Dong-Dong-Diki-Di-Ki-Dong”
The Tricks — “Wham! Bam! Ala Cazam!”
Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band — “Diddy Wah Diddy”
Jack White featuing Q-Tip — “Hi-De-Ho”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Al Green, Austin Roberts, Bandana Splits, Brenton Wood, Captain Beefheart, Don Covay, Ernie K-Doe, Eugenius, Jack White, Jesse Hill, Kasenetz-Katz Super Cirkus, Paul McCartney, Q-Tip, Ramones, Roy Orbision, Shirelles, The Echoes, The Last, The Tricks
By Jack Silbert on October 10, 2023
EPISODE #559: ISRAEL
In solidarity with the people of Israel during the war sparked by Hamas terrorist attacks and kidnappings.
Michael Jackson — “Blood on the Dance Floor” [ALTERNATE THEME]
Morrissey — “Israel”
Desmond Dekker & the Aces — “Israelites”
Built to Spill — “Israel’s Song”
Ya’akov Silbert — “Peace”
Antietam — “War Is (The Health of the State)”
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band — “War” [live]
Warren Zevon — “The Envoy”
Neil Finn — “Terrorise Me”
Desmond Dekker & the Aces — “Mount Zion”
Morrissey — ”The Girl From Tel Aviv Who Wouldn’t Kneel”
Ballboy — “Pray for Murderers”
Nick Lowe — “What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love, and Understanding?” [acoustic]
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged 20s movies, Antietam, Ballboy, Bruce Springsteen, Built to Spill, Desmond Dekker, Michael Jackson, Morrissey, Neil Finn, Nick Lowe, Warren Zevon, Ya'akov Silbert
By Jack Silbert on October 10, 2023
3 stars out of 5
Twenty years ago, David Gordon Green co-wrote and directed a terrific, thoughtful film called All the Real Girls. Since then, he’s formed a productive comedic HBO partnership with Danny McBride. And their recent big-screen, “you know what would be fun?” venture — rebooting horror franchises — got off to a decent start with 2018’s Halloween. But after that one, the law of diminishing returns has definitely applied.
I had seen the 2000 theatrical re-release of the original Exorcist, and it is a stone-cold classic. (I was 4 when the original came out, and 7 when The Omen was released, so had to play catch-up as an adult with these scary flicks that had been continually mentioned throughout my childhood.) I went into Exorcist: Believer with high hopes. I wanted to believe.
Early on, I was indeed impressed. Green wasn’t resorting to cheap jump scares; he starts off building a nice, low-key tension. Leslie Odom Jr., who I enjoyed in The Many Saints of Newark even if I couldn’t remember his name, is solid as a single dad trying to keep things together. Young Lidya Jewett (who I had previously seen in another “meh it’s OK” fright flick, Annabelle Comes Home) is very good as the daughter who we have to imagine will soon be projectile vomiting from her spinning head. As a twist this time, we get two possessed girls for the price of one! Lidya’s buddy Olivia O’Neill is particularly skilled at the demon-within thing. Her parents are played by Norbert Leo “Beverly Hills” Butz and Jennifer “Say What You Will About David Gordon Green, But He’s Loyal: I Play John Goodman’s Late Wife on The Righteous Gemstones, and Co-Screenwriter Scott Teems Was the Freaking On-Set Dresser for All the Real Girls” Nettles. But they basically just get to look worried and/or upset.
Shamefully wasted: the great Ellen Burstyn, who was the mom in the original, and is still going strong at age 90. Give her more to do!! Her involvement was one of the main reasons I paid full price to see this!
When the movie shifts to the exorcism section, it really goes downhill. Instead of capturing and building on the genuinely terrifying essence of the true Exorcist, this really feels by-the-book and, also stupid, with a tacked-on, “if we work together, we can win” message that is just as quickly abandoned.
Unfortunately this film had a better box-office opening weekend than it deserved, so it likely won’t be streaming by Halloween, as that would be a less disappointing way to watch this. As for Green and McBride (co-screen story credit here), stick with comedy, fellas. The Exorcist: Bieber — you can have that idea on the house!
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies, David Gordon Green, Ellen Burstyn, His name is Danny McBride
By Jack Silbert on October 3, 2023
EPISODE #558: TRUCKS
Daniel Johnston — “Almost Got Hit by a Truck” [ALTERNATE THEME]
Sun Kil Moon — “Truck Driver”
The Byrds — “Drug Store Truck Drivin’ Man”
Dave & Phil Alvin — “Truckin’ Little Woman”
Beck — “Truckdrivin’ Neighbors Downstairs (Yellow Sweat)”
Ron Sexsmith — “The Grim Trucker”
Franklin Bruno — “Bulk Removal Truck”
Peter Holsapple — “Big Black Truck”
King Missile — “Cheesecake Truck”
Ballboy — “Dumpster Truck Racing”
Sonny Boy Williamson — ”I’m Tired of Truckin’ my Blues Away”
Wild Man Fischer — “I’m a Truck”
T.Rex — “Truck On (Tyke)”
Pavement — “Heaven Is a Truck”
Laura Cantrell — “Roll Truck Roll”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Ballboy, Beck, Daniel Johnston, Dave Alvin, Franklin Bruno, King Missile, Laura Cantrell, Pavement, Peter Holsapple, Phil Alvin, Ron Sexsmith, Sonny Boy Williamson I, Sun Kil Moon, T. Rex, The Byrds, Wild Man Fischer
By Jack Silbert on September 26, 2023
4 stars out of 5
Regional music scenes are a weird and special thing that perhaps don’t exist anymore. But they usually blossomed around a club or recording studio or like-minded musicians. If a scene was really good and really lucky, the music could seep through to the wider public and then someday end up as a box set and, just maybe, a documentary. Athens, Georgia has been fortunate enough to spawn two such scenes: the late 70s/early 80s birth of The B-52s, Pylon, R.E.M., etc. (chronicled in the cool 1986 doc Athens, GA: Inside/Out), and then the psych-pop wonder of the 90s Elephant 6 collective. Though E6 never reached the commercial heights of their Athens predecessors, the music and ethos made a lasting impression on the fanbase. If you knew, you knew.
I was certainly a target demographic for the Elephant 6 bands. As an early-90s college and college-radio graduate, I continued to seek out the left-of-center pop music I had grown to love. By the mid-90s the Apples in Stereo had become one of my favorite groups. In the handful of years that followed, Elf Power and Neutral Milk Hotel joined the ranks of my faves. (My friend Nancy gave me her copy of In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, unsure what all the hubbub was about. Jeez, I loved it — and a lot more than ISIS did.) Now indoctrinated, I’d pick up anything E6-associated (Olivia Tremor Control, The Sunshine Fix, Beulah, Of Montreal, etc.). As an obsessive liner note reader, I’d see the overlapping names on releases — especially big Apple Robert Schneider, seemingly involved in every record — and also wondered why he was in Denver while the others were in Athens.
This documentary sorts out the stories via fun first-person interviews plus a lot of great archival footage. We learn the history of E6 friendships, bands, and the scene, get a little into the nuts-and-bolts of their 4-track recordings, and see the development from merely wanting to do something special to actually making it happen. We also witness Elephant 6 crossing over into the lower rungs of popular culture, via Rolling Stone, the Powerpuff Girls, The Colbert Report, etc.
For a little while, the doc threatens to become just a patting-ourselves-on-the-back celebration (which they are certainly deserving of). But, as it has a way of doing, life gets in the way. So we see the impact of mental health issues, interpersonal squabbles, and even death, while the scene slowly outgrew itself. (Drug use is often referred to, though we never hear any tales of addiction. I also might’ve expected to learn about Hilarie Sidney leaving the Apples in Stereo — she is one of the interviewees — but that isn’t covered.)
Robert Schneider comes across very well throughout — the mad musical genius who never actually went mad. His enthusiasm, dedication, ultra-melodic sense, and leadership with a seeming lack of ego powered the Elephant 6 world as well as putting a positive, joyful stamp on this film. For a look back on Schneider and pals’ wild, gentle, innocent days — or if you just dig catchy songs — check out this doc.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies, Apples in Stereo, B-52's, Beulah, Elephant 6, Elf Power, Neutral Milk Hotel, Of Montreal, Olivia Tremor Control, Pylon, R.E.M., Robert Schneider, Sunshine Fix
Jack Silbert, curator