By Jack Silbert on October 25, 2022
EPISODE #509: HALLOWEEN 2022
The Frogs — “I’m Evil, Jack” [ALTERNATE THEME]
Zacherle — “Halloween Hootenanny” introduction
Grant Lee Buffalo — “Halloween”
The Who — “DIsguises”
The Swingin’ Neckbreakers — “No Costume, No Candy”
Fascinations Grand Chorus — “Camp Blood”
Pixies — “On Graveyard Hill”
Screaming Females — “Skeleton”
The Mostrosities — “Dance Along With Dracula”
Kay Bell & the Screamers — “Scream Along”
Daniel Johnston — “Casper the Friendly Ghost”
Nick Jorgensen — ”Headless Horseman”
Bad Moves — “Night Terrors”
Superchunk — “City of the Dead”
Robert Gordon — “Too Fast To Live, Too Young To Die” r.i.p.
Lou Reed — “Halloween Parade”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Bad Moves, Daniel Johnston, Fascinations Grand Chorus, Grant Lee Buffalo, Halloween, Kay Bell & the Screamers, Lou Reed, Nick Jorgensen, Robert Gordon, Screaming Females, Superchunk, Swingin' Neckbreakers, The Frogs, The Monstrosities, The Pixies, The Who, Zacherle
By Jack Silbert on October 18, 2022
EPISODE #508: FOR BETTER OR WORSE
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Manfred Mann — “No Better, No Worse”
The Beatles — “Getting Better”
Jennifer O’Connor — “It’s Gonna Get Worse”
Blushh — “Make It Better”
Big Troubles — “Make It Worse”
Divine Fits — “Baby Get Worse”
Don Covay — “It’s Better To Have (And Don’t Need)”
Gazebos — “There Are Worse Things I Could Do”
Pearl Jam — “Betterman”
Male Bonding (feat. Vivian Girls) — “Worse to Come”
The Muffs — ”Better Than Me”
Bruce Springsteen — “Better Days”
The Kinks — “Better Things”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Beatles, Big Troubles, Blushh, Bruce Springsteen, Divine Fits, Don Covay, Gazebos, Jennifer O'Connor, Kinks, Male Bonding, Manfred Mann, Pearl Jam, The Muffs, Vivian Girls
By Jack Silbert on October 11, 2022
EPISODE #507: THE BEST OF TIMES, THE WORST OF TIMES
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
The Exbats — “Best Most Least Worst”
Connie Francis — “My Best Friend Barbara”
Vic Chesnutt — “Worst Friend”
Christopher Cross — “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)”
Kyle Forester — “Worst Thing You Could Do”
The Magnetic Fields — “The Best Cup of Coffee in Tennessee”
Karl Hendricks Trio — “Worst Coffee I’ve Ever Had”
Kris Kristofferson — “Best of All Possible Worlds”
Joanna Gruesome — “Honestly Do Yr Worst”
Bruce Springsteen — “My Best Was Never Good Enough”
Beach Boys — ”Sloop John B.”
Beth Orton — “Best Bit”
Dr. Dog — “Worst Trip”
Loretta Lynn — “You Ain’t Woman Enough“ r.i.p.
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Beach Boys, Beth Orton, Bruce Springsteen, Christopher Cross, Connie Francis, Dr. Dog, Joanna Gruesome, Karl Hendricks Trio, Kris Kristofferson, Kyle Forester, Loretta Lynn, Magnetic Fields, The Exbats, Vic Chesnutt
By Jack Silbert on October 6, 2022
4 stars out of 5
I will readily admit: I walked out of the theater thinking, “That was a good movie, even though I’m not totally sure what happened.” Now, a day later, I think I have a better grasp on it, or at least want to watch the movie again when it comes to streaming and pay closer attention to certain scenes. Or, if you one of you theater types wants to put on a production of Claudine Galea’s play Je Reviens de Loin on which this film is based, I will gladly attend a performance. In English, s’il vous plait.
Here are the basics: A woman in France sneaks out of her home early one morning, leaving behind her husband and two children. She hits the road. Back at the house, her family tries to figure out why she left, and begins to carry on without her. Ah, but there is more than one layer here. Not a multiverse per se, but a blurring of the lines between reality and imagination, and between past, present, and future.
The mom, Camille, is portrayed by Vicky Krieps, who was superb as the female lead in Phantom Thread. She is equally good or even better here, believably taking us wherever Camille’s journey goes: through freedom, love, fear, loss and loss of control, despair, grief, reinvention, and every stop in-between. When Krieps occasionally smiles she looks a bit like Julianne Moore and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Of course, a ton of credit must go to writer/director Mathieu Amalric, who we best know as an actor — especially from The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and Quantum of Solace, and who I’ve also seen in Munich, The Forbidden Room, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and The French Dispatch, in which I think he played a French guy. But in France he’s actually written and directed a number of features and shorts. That experience shines through here in a story that could’ve been very disjointed, but instead Amalric gives it an artful flow, including some lovely camera and lighting work.
Music also plays a key role here, particularly in the daughter’s dutiful piano practice, which the film returns to again and again. In addition, Camille sings along to J.J. Cale’s “Cherry” in the car during her escape, and I think the Brian Jonestown Massacre sneaks in there somewhere too.
Would not be surprised to see Krieps, Amalric, or the film nominated as the year draws to a close. In the short term, maybe you want to check it out.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies, Mathieu Amalric, Vicky Krieps
By Jack Silbert on October 4, 2022
EPISODE #506: DARLING
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Brenton Wood — “Darlin’”
Freedy Johnston feat. Aimee Mann — “Darlin’”
Paul Kelly & the Messengers — “Darling It Hurts”
Martha Reeves & the Vandellas — “Darling, I Hum Our Song”
The Beatles — “Oh! Darling”
The Lovin’ Spoonful — “Darling Be Home Soon”
Math and Physics Club — “Darling, Please Come Home”
Maita — “Darling, Don’t Take Me When You’re Ready to Go”
Howlin’ Wolf — “Howlin’ for My Darling”
Bruce Springsteen — “Sherry Darling”
Beach Boys — ”Darlin’”
Carter Family — “Little Darling Pal of Mine”
Laura K — “Darlin’”
Cecil Gant — “It’s All Over Darlin’“
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Aimee Mann, Beach Boys, Beatles, Brenton Wood, Bruce Springsteen, Cecil Gant, Freedy Johnston, Howlin' Wolf, Laura K, Lovin' Spoonful, Maita, Martha Reeves, Math and Physics Club, Paul Kelly, The Carter Family
By Jack Silbert on September 30, 2022
3 stars out of 5
I had 2 hours to kill and it had just started raining; this is perhaps the perfect movie for that scenario. What we have here is a comedic whodunnit in the not-so-grand tradition of Murder by Death and Knives Out. We’re in London, where Adrien Brody is intent on turning the stage production of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap into a Hollywood movie. I was finding Brody’s character very annoying but then they tell us “the most annoying character in a whodunnit is murdered” and, voilà/whew, Brody is murdered. So now we have a real-life mystery within a staged mystery, poking fun at all the whodunnit tropes. It’s that kind of comedy.
Jaded detective Sam Rockwell (reliable as usual — wait, I guess that’s what “reliable” means) is paired with wide-eyed rookie cop Saoirse Ronan. I remain quite fond of Ms. Ronan who’s not first thought of as a comic actor, but let’s not forget I first saw her in Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel, and she also had a small part in The French Dispatch. And let us also recall that Adrien Brody is part of Anderson’s recurring troupe. These facts are important because early on, it seems like director Tom George and writer Mark Chappell are trying their darnedest to make a Wes Anderson film, they try too hard, and it basically falls flat.
Ah, but the movie eventually finds its own voice, a likable enough mid-tempo comic groove. Ronan charms us as always, and I was also quite amused by Harris Dickerson as a young Richard Attenborough, who did indded star in the original West End production of The Mousetrap. (There is some loose basis in fact here, if you like that sort of thing.)
As is often the case with mysteries, even farcical ones, things get a bit convoluted toward the end, and the story gets a little away from the filmmakers. But that doesn’t take away too much from a movie that’s great for an airplane, or ducking in out of the rain, or your next bout of Covid.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies, Sam Rockwell, Saoirse Ronan
By Jack Silbert on September 27, 2022
4.5 stars out of 5
The world didn’t necessarily need another David Bowie documentary. I mean, I’m a big fan, not a superfan or anything, and I’d already seen two different Bowie docs in the past several years. But director Brett Morgen, with full access to the Thin White Duke’s archives, delivers something very different, very accomplished, and very artful. And excuse me for being a little corny, but I left feeling like we’d been given one more gift from David Bowie.
I saw Moonage Daydream in IMAX, which I do think added another layer, wrapping the viewer in the sights and sounds. (I thank my friend Joe for the heads-up on a special Fandango/Record Store Day offer; total ticket cost, $8.59.)
The movie gives you just enough biography, and though it didn’t feel like it, remains mostly linear in its storytelling. But that’s not Morgen’s main drive here. He’s more interested in exploring identity — how Bowie thought of himself, and how he presented himself to the wider public. Bowie even seems to suffer from the “imposter syndrome” that often plagues the successful; maybe there was nothing behind all the clothes, hair, and makeup. He also seemed to identify (certainly lyrically) with gods and aliens — distant, strange, powerful. And of course was always impeccably dressed (even in his “casual Friday” Berlin period).
Morgen devotes a good chunk of screen time to the twin tentpoles of Bowie’s mainstream success: the Ziggy era and, a decade later, the Let’s Dance album/Serious Moonlight tour. In both instances, Bowie apparently craved and actively courted popularity, and then immediately recoiled from it, working on more challenging, less easily digestible projects. So again, that question: Who am I, really? The Artist or The Public Figure?
If I’m making this film sound like an intellectual exercise, don’t worry darling, it isn’t. There is so much incredible concert, interview, and news footage, that you can also just sit back and really bask in it. Be transported, and for 135 minutes, forget your own identity crisis.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies, Brett Morgen, David Bowie, IMAX
By Jack Silbert on September 20, 2022
EPISODE #505: TEETH
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Colleen Green — “Grind My Teeth”
Joy Cleaner — “Cut My Teeth”
Twig Palace — “Nautilus Teeth”
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah — “The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth”
La Luz — “Loose Teeth”
Tindersticks — “Milky Teeth”
Panic Pocket — “Front Teeth”
Bobby Bare Jr’s Young Criminals’ Starvation League — “Bullet Through My Teeth”
halfsour — “Big Teeth”
Mountain Goats — ”Lion’s Teeth”
Weeping Icon — “Teeth (& a Handbag)”
Sparklehorse — “Sea of Teeth”
Boyracer — “Serious Teeth”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Bobby Bare Jr., Boyracer, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Colleen Green, Halfsour, Joy Cleaner, La Luz, Mountain Goats, Panic Pocket, Sparklehorse, Tindersticks, Twig Palace, Weeping Icon
By Jack Silbert on September 16, 2022
4 stars out of 5
On September 10, 2001, my buddy Terry and I went to see the pretty decent horror flick Jeepers Creepers which starred Justin Long. (He’ll always be Ed’s Warren Cheswick to me.) A couple of things have happened personally and globally since back then, yet on September 13, 2021, I found myself seeing the very decent horror flick Barbarian co-starring Justin Long.
The lead actor is Georgina Campbell, but the true star here is writer/director Zach Creggers, who cut his teeth as a member of the Whitest Kids U’Know comedy troupe. I didn’t see his feature debut, 2009’s Miss March, but I’m intrigued that it only earned a score of 7 out of 100 on the review-aggregate site MetaCritic. He has clearly upped his game in the past 13 years. In Barbarian, Creggers takes reliable horror tropes and smartly shakes them up a bit. [No spoilers ahead.]
I don’t know if this is the first AirBnB horror, but I liked that modern touch: Tess (Campbell) shows up at the rental house but somebody else is already there. It’s seemingly nice guy Bill Scotchgard uh I mean Skarsgård. Bill and his bro Alexander are the actor sons of the great Stellan Skarsgård, but Bill is probably best known as PENNYWISE THE EVIL CLOWN!!!! So, as Keith here, is he actually a creep, and, uh, what’s going on in the basement?
Meanwhile, the character played by the aforementioned Justin Long is also dealing with current-day issues: He’s an actor who has just been #metoo’d and #canceled. On the brink of arrest, public shame, and bankruptcy, he flees L.A. to regroup back home in Michigan where he owns a few properties. Those include a certain overbooked AirBnB.
I am not going to say much more, except that this film is scary as shit, occasionally very funny, cleverly constructed, contains a milliliter of sweetness, it kept me guessing, and beyond the topics I’ve already mentioned, also exists in the worlds of police profiling, urban decay/renewal, women’s personal safety, and family dynamics. Basically, if you like this sort of movie, I think you’ll really enjoy Barbarian.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies, Bill Skarsgård, horror films, Justin Long, The Whitest Kids U'Know, Zach Creggers
By Jack Silbert on September 13, 2022
EPISODE #504: QUEEN ELIZABETH II TRIBUTE
London Army Band & Choir — “God Save the Queen” [ALTERNATE THEME]
The Smiths — “The Queen Is Dead (Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty)”
Half Japanese — “Too Bad About Elizabeth”
Queen — “Killer Queen”
The Stone Roses — “Elizabeth My Dear”
The Beatles — “Her Majesty”
Chuck Berry — “Little Queenie”
Big Fish Ensemble — “Queen”
Perfume Genius — “Queen”
Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians — “Veins of the Queen”
Suzanne Vega — “The Queen and the Soldier” [live]
Sex Pistols — God Save the Queen”
Art Brut — “Her Majesty”
The Good, The Bad & The Queen — “The Good, The Bad & The Queen”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Art Brut, Beatles, Big Fish Ensemble, Chuck Berry, Half Japanese, London Army Band & Choir, Perfume Genius, Queen, Robyn Hitchcock, Sex Pistols, Stone Roses, Suzanne Vega, The Good the Bad & the Queen, The Smiths
Jack Silbert, curator