By Jack Silbert on September 6, 2022
EPISODE #503: CREEPS ETC.
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
The Ramones — “Cretin Hop”
The Fall — “C.R.E.E.P.”
Wyldlife — “Deadbeat”
The Misfits — “Rat Fink”
The Beatles — “I’m a Loser”
Beck — “Loser”
Radiohead — “Creep”
Bush Tetras — “Too Many Creeps”
Teenage Halloween — “Jerk”
The Muffs — “Stupid Jerk”
The B-52’s — “Deadbeat Club”
Brian Eno — “Dead Finks Don’t Talk”
Jesus & Mary Chain — “Lowlife”
Mudhoney — “You Stupid Asshole”
LCD Soundsystem — “North American Scum”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged B-52's, Beatles, Beck, Brian Eno, Bush Tetras, LCD Soundsystem, Mudhoney, Radiohead, Ramones, Teenage Halloween, The Fall, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Misfits, The Muffs, Wyldlife
By Jack Silbert on August 30, 2022
4 stars out of 5
You have to hand it to Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates — they’ve churned out a couple of super-talented kids. Greta Kline has been a fave of mine for a while, via her band Frankie Cosmos. And now Owen Kline has written and directed a self-assured feature debut which is by turns funny, sad, disturbing, and offbeat. And very Jersey.
The Kline siblings impressively both seem devoted to all things indie. Greta began as a perfectly twee singer/songwriter and maintains that essence. Owen likely could’ve recruited some famous faces to round out his film, but he goes a steadfastly independent route. The most well-known name in the opening credits is Sean O’Hagan of the High Llamas who did the music, and if you’re a nerd like me you’ll recognize that Peter Bagge did the title design.
Our lead is Daniel Zolghadri as high school senior Robert. “He looks liked a young Wilmer Valderrama” are words I have never strung together before, but they apply here. Robert loves to draw underground-style comics. Inspired by a perhaps overly enthusiastic teacher, Robert decides he doesn’t need art school or even to finish high school. He’s ready to leave his comfortable home (Princeton) and pursue his gritty comic dreams (Trenton).
Zolghadri isn’t afraid to portray the character early on as a I-know-better-than-everybody-else jerk (not an uncommon high school trait), and his performance becomes more vulnerable and likable as things don’t go exactly as hoped.
And Kline isn’t afraid of populating his movie with, um, let’s say, “interesting” looking actors. Their hair alone should win an Independent Spirit Award. Roger’s suburban mom and dad are really the only conventially attractive people we see; his buddies and new Trenton pals might’ve come from a casting call for a show named Geeks and Geeks. Just one delightfully odd example is Michael Townsend Wright as Roger’s new landlord/roommate. Wright is an Uncle Floyd Show alum and (full disclosure) a pal of mine dating to our time together on an ultimately failed attempt to reboot Captain Kangaroo. (R.I.P. Pat Cashin) Wright is a rather dapper fellow but “Barry” certainly is not. He’s very, very sweaty and unkempt and weeeeeeiiiiiiird yet not unkind. And oh my his hair. Cheers for a tremendous, restrained performance by M.T. Wright!
I must also spotlight Matthew Maher as Roger’s very reluctant new friend/new mentor. Maher captures an extreme social awkwardness masked in unwarranted confidence. And there’s a little bit of humanity in there too.
Beyond the New Jersey settings (hooray for the Trenton Makes The World Takes sign) and the Vivino connection, we also hear WFMU’s Dave the Spazz show (very difficult to get on the car radio from central Jerz but I’ll let it slide) and Roger wears a Princeton Record Exchange t-shirt. Plus the film would fit easily in the Clerks Universe, with heaping tablespoons of American Splendor and Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle.
If I have a gripe, it’s that the story seemed to want to play out a little bit further than Owen Kline was willing or able to do. But I’m sure his storytelling will improve and mature with another movie or two under his belt. For the time being, this is a very promising debut from a clearly well-raised young man.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies, Dave the Spazz, Frankie Cosmos, Greta Kline, Kevin Kline, Owen Kline, Phoebe Cates, Princeton Record Exchange, WFMU
By Jack Silbert on August 30, 2022
EPISODE #502: SOMEONE
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
The Clean — “Someone”
Elk City — “That Someone”
R.E.M. — “That Someone Is You”
James Brown — “Lost Someone” [live]
Courtney Marie Andrews — “It Must Be Someone Else’s Fault”
Colleen Green — “Someone Else”
The Just Joans — “Someone Else That You Like More Than Me”
The Cure — “Jumping Someone Else’s Train”
The Modern Lovers — “Someone I Care About”
The Only Ones — “Someone Who Cares”
The Beatles — “If I Needed Someone”
The Field Mice — “If You Need Someone”
LCD Soundsystem — “Someone Great”
Frank Sinatra — “Someone To Watch Over Me”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Colleen Green, Courtney Marie Andrews, Elk City, Field Mice, Frank Sinatra, James Brown, LCD Soundsystem, Modern Lovers, R.E.M., The Clean, The Cure, The Just Joans, The Only Ones
By Jack Silbert on August 23, 2022
EPISODE #501: CATS VII
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Charlie Christian — “Wholly Cats”
Abbie From Mars — “Kittens Will Bite”
Tom Barrett — “…kitties…”
Miller Sisters — “Ten Cats Down”
The Lemonheads — “Year of the Cat”
Suzi Quatro — “Cat Size”
The Turtles — “Cat in the Window”
LAKE — “Don’t Pray for Me”
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young — “Our House”
Johnny Winter — “Black Cat Bone”
Ted Nugent — “Cat Scratch Fever”
Cab Calloway and his Orchestra — “We the Cats Shall Hep Ya”
Dr. John — “Cat and Mouse Game”
The Orange Peels — “Give My Regards to Rufus”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Abbie From Mars, Cab Calloway, Charlie Christian, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Dr. John, Johnny Winter, Lake, Lemonheads, Miller Sisters, Suzi Quatro, Ted Nugent, The Orange Peels, The Turtles, Tom Barrett
By Jack Silbert on August 17, 2022
EPISODE #500: ROCK & ROLL
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
The Len Price 3 — “Cold 500”
The Showmen — “It Will Stand”
Scott the Hoople — “Rock & Roll Party”
Chuck Berry — “Rock & Roll Music”
A Giant Dog — “& Rock & Roll”
King Missile — “Rock-n-Roll Will Never Die”
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts — “I Love Rock n’ Roll”
The Jesus & Mary Chain — “I Love Rock n Roll”
Lou Reed — “Rock and Roll Heart”
Huey Lewis & the News — “The Heart of Rock & Roll”
Nick Lowe & His Cowboy Outfit — “I Knew the Bride (When She Used To Rock & Roll)”
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band — “Rock and Roll Never Forgets”
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers — “So You Want To Be a Rock ’n’ Roll Star” [live]
The Rolling Stones — “It’s Only Rock n’ Roll (But I Like It)”
Unrest — “God Gave Rock n Roll to Us”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged A Giant Dog, Bob Seger, Chuck Berry, Joan Jett, King Missile, Len Price 3, Lou Reed, Nick Lowe, Rolling Stones, Scott McCaughey, Scott the Hoople, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Showmen, Tom Petty, Unrest
By Jack Silbert on August 11, 2022
2.5 stars out of 5
I should’ve trusted my gut. The trailer for this seemed pretty good, and yet, possibly not good. And I had the same reaction watching B.J. Novak’s Hulu anthology series The Premise. But I do have to move the car on Tuesdays, and it was 8,000 degrees outside, and I’m a member at the Clairidge theater so a matinee is only 5 bucks. So there I was, in air-conditioned splendor, watching Vengeance, enjoying it and then not really.
Novak can write jokes, that’s clear. His dad co-edited The Big Book of Jewish Humor and B.J. inherited that interest. (The movie’s title is even presented in Woody font.) As this flick began, I thought it might be that dying breed: a straight-up comedy. The characters aren’t believable but that’s fine, as long as it’s funny. And there are zingers a-plenty here, as perma-bachelor Ben learns that one of his many hookups has died, her family thinks they were truly in love, and her brother thinks she was murdered and wants Ben to help him track down the killers. Zany!
But with fish-out-of-water Jewish New Yorker podcast reporter Ben now in Texas, this eventually becomes the dreaded Comedy With Heart. Which is, you know, also fine. It was the sort of movie perfect to see with the folks over Thanksgiving weekend: not great but harmless, mildly funny, kind of sweet. Three stars out of five.
And then it gets worse. In sports speak, Novak “loses the handle.”
I get the feeling he wanted to make a really good movie — funny but also makes you THINK — but Novak just isn’t a talented enough writer/director to make it happen. And yet he’s very fond of himself. I’m reminded of Louis CK’s bit about Matt Damon writing Good Will Hunting: “The main character is a janitor but he’s really good-looking and also a mathematical genius.” Of course he is, you’re writing your own character! In Vengeance, Novak frequently cuts back to Issa Rae (wasted here), Ben’s podcast editor back in New York, smiling and nodding as she listens to his great wisdom. How smart he is! How insightful about the human condition! Wait, Novak WROTE HER REACTIONS!
Novak himself is likable in this movie, though probably a decade too old for the character. J. Smith-Cameron, who was so good on Rectify, is believable as a Texas mom. Unfortunately that’s not the case for the rest of the cast. And Ashton Kutcher shows up as a small-town record producer who’s really philosophical. Because screenwriter Novak has an awful lot of theories he wants to share.
I think the ideal way to watch this movie is on a plane (and it will be there soon), where you’re thinking, hmm, will I have time to see the whole thing before we land… because if you miss the ending, you’ll actually enjoy it more.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies, B.J. Novak
By Jack Silbert on August 9, 2022
EPISODE #499: DOG DAYS OF SUMMER VII
Lindsey Buckingham — “Holiday Road” [ALTERNATE THEME]
Colleen Green — “I Wanna Be a Dog”
Bee Bee Sea — “This Dog Is the King of the Losers”
Little Hag — “Leash”
Tindersticks — “Just a Dog”
Pet Shop Boys — “Suburbia”
The Go-Go’s — “Good Girl”
Trying — “Dog Videos”
Belle and Sebastian — “Dog on Wheels”
Terry Jacks — “Put the Bone In”
Long Neck — “Backseat”
Frankie Cosmos — “Sad 2”
Tom Waits — “Puttin’ on the Dog”
Ronnie Self — “Ain’t I’m a Dog”
Beach Boys — “Caroline No”
Olivia Newton-John w/ Electric Light Orchestra — “Xanadu” r.i.p.
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Beach Boys, Bee Bee Sea, Belle & Sebastian, Colleen Green, Electric Light Orchestra, Frankie Cosmos, Go-Go's, Lindsey Buckingham, Little Hag, Long Neck, Olivia Newton-John, Pet Shop Boys, Ronnie Self, Terry Jacks, Tindersticks, Tom Waits, Trying
By Jack Silbert on August 5, 2022
3.5 stars out of 5
Did I enjoy this movie as much as Get Out and Us? Nope. The good news is, Jordan Peele is becoming a more skilled filmmaker with each outing. The bad news being, artfulness does not always result in pure viewing satisfaction.
Opening segment: creepy, weird, and awesome; no spoilers. After that, I briefly thought I was watching Montana Story again, as brother O.J. (Daniel Kaluuya) and sister Em (Keke Palmer) reconnect at the rural family ranch, complete with horses, and try to carry on after the death of their father. (Wait… O.J.??) The Haywood family business is training horses for the movies, and this nicely ties to African-American history and the earliest days of cinema.
We meet their reliable client, former child star Ricky (Steven Yeun), who runs a nearby Wild West family attraction.
And, you guessed it, crazy shit starts happening. In a clever and very of-the-moment twist, instead of cowering in fear, Keke suggests monetizing the phenomenon.
So, all good so far. But Peele spends entirely too much of the film setting up the story, He did this in Us as well, but in that movie the first half was taut and tense (prior to the delightfully batshit payoff), while in this one it’s kind of slow… and meandering; there are frights and oddness but not enough to really pull me in.
The acting (and/or direction of the actors) is also at fault. Kaluuya was superb in Get Out but here the Brit plays an inland California cowpoke as taciturn and grumbly, and doesn’t exactly light up the screen. Yeun was really good in Minari but here he’s trying too hard to be a guy who, um, tries too hard to be fun and funny — but with buried childhood trauma — and Yeun just doesn’t nail it. Brandon Perea comes off real phony-baloney as a Geek Squad employee who helps the Haywoods with their security cameras and gets caught up in the spookiness. Only Keke Palmer — dancing, strutting, full of attitude in a Jesus Lizard t-shirt — really shines here.
The last section does deliver the wildness, terror, and laughs we now expect from Peele, and sure, a little bit of stupidity. The music is great, there are some very cool and clever visuals and sequences, and I did enjoy this movie. Just — after the very high bar set by Us — not as much as I hoped to.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies, Daniel Kaluuya, Jesus Lizard, Jordan Peele, Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun
By Jack Silbert on August 2, 2022
EPISODE #498: ROUGH
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Ron Gallo — “Rough Mix”
Lois w/ Elliott Smith — “Rougher”
Dany Laj & the Looks — “Diamond in the Rough”
Islands — “Rough Gem”
Don Covay — “Iron Out the Rough Spots”
Disturbios — “Rough Rider”
Paul McCartney — “Rough Ride”
ZZ Top — “Rough Boy”
Pete Townshend — “Rough Boys”
The Pastels — “Rough Riders”
Lefty Frizzell — “My Rough and Rowdy Ways”
The Connells — “Pretty Rough”
Smog — “It’s Rough”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Dany Laj & the Looks, Disturbios, Don Covay, Elliott Smith, Islands, Lefty Frizzell, Lois, Paul McCartney, Pete Townshend, Ron Gallo, Smog, The Connells, The Pastels, ZZ Top
By Jack Silbert on July 26, 2022
EPISODE #497: ALWAYS
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Young Guv — “Always”
Spiritualized — “Always Together With You”
Dum Dum Girls — “Always Looking”
The Impressions — “You Always Hurt Me”
Lefty Frizzell — “Forever (and Always)”
The Stranglers — “Always the Sun”
The Jesus & Mary Chain w/ Hope Sandoval — “Sometimes Always”
UV-TV — “Always Something”
Higgins — “She’s Always Out (Never Here)” [Marshmallow Coast remix]
Patsy Cline — “Always”
Deena — “Always Tomorrow”
Dream Syndicate — “That’s What You Always Say”
The Soul Stirrers feat. Sam Cooke — “I’m So Glad (Trouble Don’t Last Always)”
ballboy — “Above the Clouds the Sun Is Always Shining”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Ballboy, Deena Shoskes, Dream Syndicate, Dum Dum Girls, Higgins, Hope Sandoval, Lefty Frizzell, Patsy Cline, Sam Cooke, Soul Stirrers, Spiritualized, The Impressions, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Stranglers, UV-TV, Young Guv
Jack Silbert, curator