Beloved folk/pop duo the Kennedys will be appearing at Guitar Bar Jr. on February 23. I’ve written a short preview for hMAG.
Aquarium Playlist, 2/5/19
EPISODE #318: ASK JACK, INSTALLMENT 12
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Question from Rich:
Hush puppies or conch fritters?
Post-answer song:
Herman’s Hermits — “There’s a Kind of Hush”
Question from Audrey:
I started getting my hair cut at a new place a few months ago. The guy at the front desk who makes the appointments, takes the payment, etc, is very friendly and we always chat, but I never asked his name. I’ve been there 4 times now and I don’t know his name. How do I ask what his name is the next time I’m there without it seeming awkward, since I’ve been there so many times already?
Post-answer song:
Morrissey — “Hairdresser on Fire”
Question from Michael:
Do you know where I left my iPod?
Post-answer song:
Neko Case — “Where Did I Leave That Fire”
Question from Lisa:
What do you do when you walk into the office one day, say hi to the work husband, and discover to your shock and dismay that the honeymoon is over (and a work divorce is not possible)?
Post-answer song:
Radiator Hospital — “Honeymoon Phase”
Question from Jim:
How can I get more people to listen to my podcast?
Post-answer song:
The Merry-Go-Round — “Listen, Listen”
Question from Maggie:
?I have a question about airplane etiquette. When the plane lands and people jump up and grab their things quickly, is it fair to block the aisle and allow everyone seated in front of them to get off the plane first, or should they be permitted to get off the plane first since they’ve been standing the longest?
Post-answer song:
James Brown — “Get Up Offa That Thing”
Question from James:
Why is there no “mouse flavored” cat food?
Post-answer song:
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion — “Flavor”
Question from Kate:
I am in the supermarket, idling around the onions. I see an acquaintance, or someone from work with whom I would normally exchange pleasantries and move on. We do indeed exchange a few words and go our separate ways, in opposite directions. However, in the next aisle we are coming towards each other again. I know from our speed and direction that we will continue to cross over in each subsequent aisle. What shall I do?
Post-answer song:
The Clash — “Lost in a Supermarket”
Question from Todd:
Should Hawaiian pizza be banned?
Post-answer song:
Bouncing Souls — “The Pizza Song”
Question from Allison:
Does it all really tie together?
Post-answer song:
Julian Cope — “An Elegant Chaos”
Aquarium Playlist, 1/29/19
EPISODE #317: BEATLESQUE
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
The Brian Jonestown Massacre — “All Around You [intro]”
The Spongetones — “She Goes Out With Everybody”
The Sneetches — “Love Comes My Way”
Robyn Hitchcock — “Flesh Number One (Beatle Dennis)”
Higgins — “Drop Off”
Cheap Trick — “World’s Greatest Lover”
Elliott Smith — “Little One”
Ron Sexsmith — “The Grim Trucker”
Liam Finn — “I’ll Be Lightning”
Dr. Dog — “We All Belong”
The Apples in Stereo — “Strawberryfire”
The Fut — “Have You Heard the Word”
The Rutles — “Cheese and Onions”
Jack’s Aquarium podcast is proudly recorded in Hoboken, NJ.
Aquarium Playlist, 1/22/19
EPISODE #316: BODY PARTS
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Pylon — “The Human Body”
Bob Neuwirth — “Sweet and Shiny Eyes”
Digital Underground — “No Nose Job”
Ron Sexsmith — “Music to my Ears”
Screaming Females — “Broken Neck”
The School — “Shoulder”
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart — “The Asp at my Chest”
Darren Hanlon — “Elbows”
The Replacements — “Staples in her Stomach”
The Yardbirds — “Honey in Your Hips”
Mississippi John Hurt — “Big Leg Blues”
Tom Petty — “Ankle Deep”
Life in a Blender — “Stranger’s Foot”
Hefner — “Your Head to Your Toes”
Jack’s Aquarium podcast is proudly recorded in Hoboken, NJ.
Aquarium Playlist, 1/15/19
EPISODE #315: OUT OF LEFT FIELD
Theme suggested by contest winner Max Rosenthal.
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Gregg Allman — “Out of Left Field”
Howe Gelb — “Left of Center”
Sloan — “Left of Centre”
Suzanne Vega — “Left of Center”
Skateboard Kyle — “Max”
Marc Ribot w/ Syd Straw — “Knock That Statue Down”
The Frogs — “Where’s Jerry Lewis?”
Ben Vaughn Combo — “Jerry Lewis in France”
Jerry Lewis — “Shine on Your Shoes”
Oh-OK — “Random”
Manhattan Love Suicides w/ Random Number — “Finding the End of the Line”
Wilco — “Random Name Generator”
The Baseball Project — “Ted Fucking Williams”
Louis Jordan & his Tympany Five — “Never Let Your Left Hand Know What the Right Hand Is Doin'”
Trøn & DVD — “We Are the Weirdos”
Jack’s Aquarium podcast is proudly recorded in Hoboken, NJ.
Aquarium Playlist, 1/8/19
EPISODE #314: FOREVER
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Johnny Ace — “Pledging My Love”
Yo La Tengo — “Forever”
Sam Cooke (as Dan Cook) — “Forever”
Roky Erickson w/ Okkervil River — “Forever”
Pinact — “Forever”
The Ballroom — “Forever”
Roy Wood — “Forever”
The Explorers Club — “Forever”
The Beach Boys — “Forever”
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers — “The Wild One, Forever”
Todd Rundgren — “A Dream Goes on Forever”
The Chemical Brothers featuring Noel Gallagher — “Let Forever Be”
Jack Frost — “Everything Takes Forever”
Queen — “Who Wants To Live Forever”
Jack’s Aquarium podcast is proudly recorded in Hoboken, NJ.
My Highly Subjective List of the Best Movies of 2018
We can perhaps track my physical recovery by my attendance at entertainment events: In 2017, I saw 172 musical performances, while in 2018 that total jumped to 444. And while I only saw 22 new-release films in the theater in 2017, in 2018 I was back in the high life again with 39. It was also the year of my crash-and-burn dalliance with MoviePass. Finally, I must pour one out (from a jumbo concession-stand Coke) for the Edgewater Multiplex, which closed in November. It was always a nice, mellow experience going there, driving along the Hudson, strolling through the massive lobby, checking out posters for upcoming films, pretzel bites heating up if it wasn’t too early in the day, down the long corridors to so many screens, outside afterwards, pulling around back to the exit, geese chilling in the far corner of the parking lot. I miss it. But now, my favorite flicks.
10) The Ballad of Buster Scruggs I’m counting this as a theatrical release but you Coen boys better watch it — we want a real movie pretty soon. Regardless, the anthology format seems to have energized the brothers, and they pack these stories with music, action, hilarity, gorgeous scenery, and a little food for thought. A streaming good time.
9) Ben Is Back With this and Boy Erased, young Lucas Hedges had a terrific end of year. But this effort, written and directed by his dad, Peter Hedges, had a consistently of tone and building tension that made it particularly good. We clearly saw the toll that addiction can take on a family and a community, even the “nice” ones.
8) The Favourite Not nearly as dark as director Yorgos Lanthimos’s previous two films, likely because he wasn’t involved in the writing. Nevertheless, excellent performances from Emma Stone and Olivia Colman (and to a slightly lesser extent, Rachel Weisz) dominate this comedy-of-manners which becomes a tale of rivalry. Add in a strong score and clever cinematography, and film stuck with me.
7) Black Panther Ah, remember our happy days on Wakanda? Director Ryan Coogler swung for the fences on this one and came through big time, creating an awe-inspiring world. Performances were strong throughout and the action was thrilling. But what took this well above the ranks of standard comic-book fare was a compelling, mature storyline with a topical, shifting moral center.
6) A Quiet Place This one scared the bejesus out of me! And was also scary good. Kudos to John Krasinski — no, really, that guy — for co-writing, directing, and co-starring. Of course, his “family in a post-apocalyptic land” script probably has a bunch of blank pages, because there is a whole lot of silence, very effectively used. No spoilers but, if they hear you, they hunt you! Scary!!
5) Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Strictly as biography, this was a bit lacking: I craved more background info and a clearer sense of chronology. But as a reminder of the amazing impact of Fred Rogers on generations of children, and the more-important-than-ever concepts of kindness, friendship, love, and community that he gently espoused — this is absolutely essential viewing.
4) Annihilation Natalie Portman leads a crew of smart, kick-ass female action heroes on a government exploratory mission into a bizarro zone that has randomly appeared… and now is growing. The deeper in they go, the weirder things get, with hints of Heart of Darkness/Apocalypse Now. The result is one of the best sci-fi films I’ve ever seen.
3) BlackkKlansman Spike Lee brought us this wild, mostly-true tale of a 1970s African-American police officer who infiltrates a Ku Klux Klan chapter in Colorado. Great casting top to bottom and the heavy topic is lightened with lots of laughs. The ending was unexpectedly powerful and really knocked me for a loop, as Lee transforms this compelling time piece into an absolutely crucial and urgent movie for today.
2) Ready Player One Maybe wait a decade or so for a revival, because this really deserves to be seen on the big screen — like, IMAX-big — in 3D. Steven Spielberg pulls out all the stops creating a virtual world jam-packed with ’80s pop culture references. Yes, there’s a story, and a fairly decent one at that, but watch this movie for the immersive fun. It’s like nothing I’d seen before, and I loved it.
1) Fahrenheit 11/9 That dangerous orange idiot is president, and Michael Moore wants to know “How the fuck did this happen?” In looking for answers, he refuses to place simple blame on the Russians or James Comey (Bill Clinton, the New York Times, the DNC, and even our hero Obama get their share of credit for the current shitstorm) or to put faith in easy fixes such as impeachment or Bobby Mueller. It’s a bleak picture, but Moore doesn’t leave us without hope. Quite the opposite. He introduces us to some of the brightest progressive lights out there, from candidates to activists to teachers. And while this film was released in time for the midterm elections, it’s just as important now as a call to action. Moore implores us to roll up our sleeves and get to work, to at last bring about a government that matches our ideals.
Honorable mentions: Disobedience, First Man, Isle of Dogs, Three Identical Strangers, One October
Worst movie: Holmes & Watson (runners-up: The Commuter and A Simple Favor)
New releases I saw in a theater this year: 40 (including 1 late-2017 release, not considered in these rankings)
My best-of lists from: 2017/16, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, and 2009
You can check out all my movie reviews by clicking here.
Movie Review: The Favourite
4 stars out of 5
As I’ve stated before, costume dramas aren’t really my thing. But in the past 2.5 years, Yorgos Lanthimos — with The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, and Dogtooth (which I saw on home video) — has quickly become one of my fave filmmakers. Plus, we all know my feelings about Emma Stone. So I set out to overcome my prejudice against pre-20th-century stories.
I didn’t know until after seeing this film that, unlike his previous efforts, Lanthimos did not write The Favourite. In retrospect it makes total sense, because this is not nearly as dark as his other films. Which should be a relief to those who were put off by the extreme twistedness of his work. Thankfully, there are still many, many laughs here, and a generous helping of absurdity, including a large collection of rabbits and frequent references to duck racing. (I laughed aloud more than anyone else in the theater.)
Another huge strength is Ms. Stone, firmly establishing herself as one of the greatest comic actors of our time. She’ll fall face down in the mud for a guffaw, and she has an endless supply of facial expressions. As Abigail, Stone pulls off the wildest filmic rags-to-riches tale since The Secret of My Success.
She is nearly matched comedically by the excellent Olivia Colman, so good in Peep Show and Broadchurch. Colman plays the Queen — which she also does in The Crown but I don’t watch that because I really don’t like period pieces, ok??? Though Claire Foy is in that, isn’t she? Hubba hubba — and she’s petulant and childish and slovenly and pouty and a joy to watch.
If Abigail is indeed to become the Queen’s favourite, she’ll have to get past Lady Sarah, her highness’s right-hand woman. Between Stone and Colman, Rachel Weisz as Sarah has the “straight” role here, but is deliciously manipulative. I haven’t seen Vice but I imagine a similar “power behind the throne” set-up. Colman and Weisz were both in The Lobster; I like the idea of Lanthimos having regular players even if there wasn’t room for Colin Farrell this time around.
The early going is carried by super sharp writing (courtesy of relative big-screen newcomers Tony McNamara and Deborah Davis), broad comic performances, and Lanthimos’s clever direction — including regular use of purposely curved wide-angle shots that lend a sense of loneliness at the top. At other times, strong, spare instrumentation — often bowed or plucked — and dark lighting add to a claustrophobic, tense feel. (There’s also very smart use of a vintage Elton John track over the end credits.)
As the competition between Abigail and her cousin Sarah ramps up — Sarah clearly threatened by this pretty young pretender to the side of the throne — the film’s wackiness subsides, and I found myself a bit less compelled. But when all was said and done, it is a very impressive piece of work, which stayed with me long after I left the theater, and if The Favourite brings more attention and acclaim to my boy Yorgos, all the better.
Aquarium Playlist, 1/1/19
EPISODE #313: NEW TO ME IN 2018, PT. 2
In 2018, I saw 444 musical performances by 372 different acts, 234 of which I was seeing for the first time, 221 of them brand-new to me. Of those, I was inspired to buy 64 records. (I also purchased debut records by acts I’d seen in previous years, indicated in last week’s playlist.)
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Hurry — “Waiting for You”
The Beths — “You Wouldn’t Like Me”
Little Junior — “Denial”
I Am the Polish Army — “David Bowie”
Cliff Westfall — “More and More”
Spit-take — “Postcard”
Secretary Legs — “Windblown and Well Versed”
Trim Tabs — “Another Limitation”
Dares — “Flying Colors”
Huffers — “Why”
Pheller — “Torn”
Lomelda — “Interstate Vision”
Common Holly — “New Bed”
Archie & the Bunkers — “You’re My Pacemaker”
Hatchie — “Sugar & Spice”
Jabber — “Breathless”
Crushed Up — “Always in Love”
Beach Bully — “Catherine Wheel”
stove — “Stiff Bones”
Big Bliss — “Visitant”
Holy Tunics — “Tell Me True”
Gobbin Jr. — “Politely”
Me in Capris — “Cookout”
Nanny — “Nowhere”
The Stewart Dolly — “Neon Sandwich With Lots of Pepper”
Nation of Language — “Reality”
Sharkmuffin — “Liz Taylor”
Pom Pom Squad — “Protection Spells”
Human People — “No Tides”
Notches — “Shades of You”
Thick — “Anymore”
Ramona — “Getting There”
Blockhouses — “You Always Say No”
Anna Burch — “2 Cool 2 Care”
For a limited time, you can stream or download the episode here. Jack’s Aquarium podcast is proudly recorded in Hoboken, NJ.
New Year’s Resolutions 2019
1. Partially shut down government until congressional Democrats give me $5 billion for a border collie.
2. Reveal to world that all this time, HTML has been shorthand for Hotmail.
3. Every time someone says 2019, mutter, “You know, Normie, 19 was the average age of soldiers killed in Vietnam.”
4. Research if Roy Rogers’ horse had a trigger warning.
5. Protect my personal data at all costs, hey cool, an ad for “personal data protection service” just popped up on my screen, what an awesome coincidence.
6. Stick to a gluten-free diet. Whoops, typo! Glue-free.
7. Make budget-conscious downgrade from Alexa to a refurbished Speak & Spell.
8 . Travel more, and then just stay in the hotel room binge-watching American Ninja Warrior.
9. Take charge of my life; take charger for my phone.
10. Accept the things I cannot change; change the things I can, except a twenty for singles, because what am I, a stripper?
• My resolutions for 2018
• My resolutions for 2017
• My resolutions for 2016
• My resolutions for 2015
• My resolutions for 2014
• My resolutions for 2013
• My resolutions for 2012
Jack Silbert, curator