Ramblings on Music, Texas, Etc.

New Adventures in Hi-Fi

Well, I've been a pretty light blogger lately, and one of the main causes has been the fact that my wife and I finally bid farewell to our circa-1995 27" Magnavox and made the leap to a 46" hi-def.  Getting everything set up has been a bit of an ordeal since it necessitated a good deal of contractor work to get a suitable spot for it set up in our old house.  I've still got some work to do on speakers, but the basic setup is in place now, including my new Blu-ray player.

To say that this upgrade has been a long time coming is an understatement.  I guess I'm about as big a film buff as I know and certainly the biggest collector of movies.  I've already splurged on a few essential titles, but the real treat is getting set for some new releases.

Two big Criterion titles are out today, in fact.  The big one among fans is probably going to be Wim Wenders' masterwork Wings Of Desire.  I'll shamefully admit that I've never sat entirely through this film so I'm really looking forward to it.  As a side note, Wenders' Paris, Texas will be released on DVD and Blu-ray in January.

But my favorite upgrade so far will undoubtedly be the Blu-ray release of Merchant-Ivory's Howards End, previously released on DVD as part of Criterion's Merchant Ivory Collection.  This release was chosen by Amazon voters online and has been somewhat controversial among Criterion fans.  I've seen the words "dry" and "boring" in more than one spot.

I'll admit I have a tremendous soft spot for Howards End.  The book was no doubt the first E. M. Forster novel I read, and the film was released just around the time I realized there was more to movies than just Star Wars and Indiana Jones.  But even so, I think the film is tremendously underrated and misunderstood.

First, I take great exception to the idea that Howards End is an obvious "commercial" release in terms of Criterion releases.  True, it was a darling of the 1994 Academy Awards and was an art house hit at the time (relatively speaking), but to imply that this is a money grab for Criterion is pretty silly.  I think the film has aged quite well and is generally still well-regarded, but it's hardly a title that has penetrated our collective culture.

But more importantly, Howards End is not the snooty costume drama it is often dismissed to be.  Rather, it's a rather scathing indictment of class warfare at the turn of the 20th Century, a theme that still resonates today.  I don't really know the context of Forster's contemporary England, but the book and the film have always seemed to me to signify the inevitability of change in society.  I've always found the characters' capacities for change to be the heart of the film.  I would say that the performances of Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson are their career best, except for the fact that they would exceed them in the Merchant-Ivory production of The Remains Of The Day (admittedly, an even better film, probably Merchant-Ivory's best).

It's easy to forget that during the early-to-mid nineties, serious period dramas were all the rage.  I'm probably crosswise with a lot of other Martin Scorsese fans in calling The Age of Innocence one of my favorites of his (behind Goodfellas, of course).  It's a shame that the Merchant-Ivory moniker became an easy label for some film buffs to use in dismissing similar, but lesser, films.  I certainly get that their films aren't everyone's cup of tea (heh), but let me go on record as not just a defender, but a very serious fan of Howards End.

A few reviews of the Blu-ray...

• DVD Talk
• DVD Beaver
• Criterion Forum

UPDATE:  And here are some of Jeffrey Overstreet's thoughts on Wings Of Desire.

Chuck Prophet - 'Let Freedom Ring' (out now)

One of my favorite late releases of this year is Chuck Prophet's new album.

More later, but PopMatters definitely agrees:
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/114781-chuck-propet-let-freedom-ring/

New Allison Moorer album in February!

I'm on vacation this week, but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that Allison Moorer's new studio album 'Crows' will be out on Rykodisc in February. Already a reason to be pumped about '10!

David Rawlings Machine in November

For those of you keeping track, it's been 6+ years since the last Gillian Welch album.  Well, who knows what the future holds, but I've pretty much abandoned hope.

However, a tremendous consolation prize arrives on November 17 in the form of David Rawlings Machine's debut A Friend Of A Friend.  Gillian and members of Old Crow Medicine Show will be joining the Machine for a pretty good dose of tour dates in the late fall.

U2 @ Reliant Stadium (Houston, 10/14/09)

What could I possibly say about it that hasn't already been said by many (like Chris Gray of the Houston Press)?

I can't say I was really all that charged up about the show.  Babysitter fell through, and Mrs. K got last-minute-ditched for a good buddy (thanks, honey), and the throng of traffic was daunting to say the least.  But we were in our seats by the time U2 hit the stage, and oh-my-freaking-goodness what a stage!  Balk at the ticket prices if you like, but your money was pretty much accounted for up on that incredible stage, the biggest and most stupendous setup I've seen since, well, PopMart (my only other U2 show).

No band on the planet does the grand gesture as well as U2, who incidentally put on a helluva music show even without the larger than life production values.  And though I'm sure there were a few there would would've preferred more Unforgettable Fire than No Line On The Horizon, give the band credit: they build their shows around their latest material and make sure it gets a fair shake.  Will all of it survive the test of time?  Probably not, but U2 knows how to extend the vibe of a record to a massive stage show, with plenty of the hits mixed in.

I'm not the world's most hardcore U2 fan by any means, but I'll tell you this -- go see this show whenever you get the chance.

(Personal faves: "Sunday Bloody Sunday" - all raw power and simplicity against a backdrop of solidarity with Iran's revolutionaries; "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)" - perfect song made complete with Bono's laser jacket; "One", "Where The Streets Have No Name" - my favorite two U2 songs bridged by a 60,000-crowd singalong of "Amazing Grace."  Pretty amazing.)

Amy Farris passes away

Absolutely tragic news - singer/songwriter/violinist Amy Farris has passed away, apparently after a long battle with an illness.  This is terribly shocking in light of the fact that I saw Ms. Farris play with Dave Alvin & The Guilty Women only two weeks ago here in Houston.  Further compounding the sad irony is the fact that The Guilty Women were formed in the wake of Guilty Men member (and best friend) Chris Gaffney's death last year.

I first saw her play regularly with Kelly Willis in the mid-90's.  If you've never heard her Alvin-produced solo album Anyway, it's a real gem.  Alvin and The Guilty Women covered the title track for their latest record.

I have a photo of The Broken Spoke in Austin hanging on my wall at home, and the marquee has the name Amy Tivens on it, which I believe was the name she used to go by (though feel free to correct me if I'm confused).  Very strange, sad news.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Hungry For Music, an organization that supplies instruments to at-risk children.

UPDATE:  Much more complete coverage in the LA Times, possibly deepening the sadness of the situation.

Whose bright f'ing idea...

...was it to make "A Satisfied Mind" an iTunes bonus track on the new Rosanne Cash album?  If there is a more annoying music industry practice, I'll have to think of it (suing your own customers?).

Anyway, this bonus track is a duet with Neko Case (!!) and is really awesome.  You can hear it on NPR (last track).  The List is due Tuesday -- make sure to check that you can download the track separately before running out and getting the CD.

SAM PHILLIPS LAUNCHES THE LP (officially)

So a few weeks ago I mentioned that Sam Phillips was launching her new digital project called The LP.  The idea is to not only build a community of fans but to entice them into a yearlong subscription that gets the subscriber five digital EP's, plus a new full-length album (to be released roughly every other month).  Subscribers will also receive access to various Sam-related media, all for only $52.  Some of this material will ultimately end up on other digital outlets, but subscribers will get them early and with bonus tracks.

After an initial mid-September push, the site is now fully live, with the first EP available called Hypnotists In Paris, a collaboration with longtime cohorts The Section Quartet.  I won't reveal the full tracklist here, but included are a couple of new songs, plus a couple of re-workings of older tunes.

The zip file includes not only 320 kbps MP3 files but lyric sheets and credits (hand-edited by Sam).  It's really quite a cool little package, and this project promises to be something really special and a supreme treat for her fans.  Very few artists have truly embraced the potential of the digital music world like this.  Has Phillips hit on an innovative artistic and business model that can sustain a recording artist with her fanbase and sales?  Time will tell, but by my count there have been over 60 subscribers that have signed up today -- you do the math.

Miranda Lambert - 'Revolution' (out tomorrow)

At the ridiculously young age of 25, Miranda Lambert stands alone as the only successful mainstream country artist who holds credibility among the alt-country set.  Which in my book, roughly means that she's the only mainstream country artist worth a shit.

To say that Revolution, Lambert's follow-up to the sensational Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, arrives with elevated expectations is the understatement of the year.  Yet, despite such pressure - to be both excellent and successful, in equal measure - Lambert appears to have pulled it off. 

Jonathan Keefe, Slant magazine's resident country expert and writer of the definitive review of Ex-Girlfriend, gives it 4.5 stars.  PopMatters gives it similarly high praise.  I'll be rushing home tomorrow to hear it.

Congratulations to Tom & Lu!

Over the past few years, Tom Overby has become a well-known fixture in Lucinda Williams' life, both personally and professionally.  Not only has he been her boyfriend for a few years, but as her manager he has guided her career in wonderful directions.  Overby has been a constant, informative presence on her message boards, and at every turn he seems to have treated Lucinda's fans as key elements in her continued success.

So it was entirely appropriate that Tom and Lu tied the knot onstage in Minneapolis, his hometown.  The Houston Press's Chris Gray had a great writeup, and even better, they used the photos taken by Tom Tracy, a tremendous Lucinda fan who I had the pleasure of meeting in Nashville last year.  You can see more of his awesome photos of the event here.

And following a few days rest and honeymooning, Lu will be back on the road, including multi-night stands in NYC and Chicago.