Stu’s Reviews – Page 72

Music Review- John Nemeth

Genre: Album

Grade: A+
Notable People: John Nemeth
Title: Name the day

Review –This guy was on several must listen lists in last year so I ordered one of his albums. WOW>>>>>this is blue eyed R&B at its finest. Hall and Oates, Steve Winwood, Van the Man, James Hunter…all have nothing on this guy. White man from Montana gets the itch and starts belting Stax Volt type numbers- sounds like he is in the studio with Booker T and stave Cropper and sounds not a little like Otis Redding. This guy is really, really good. You WILL be moving your feet.

Music Review- Arthur Alexander- Lonely Just Like Me

Genre: Album

Grade: A++++
Notable People: Arthur Alexander
Title: Lonely Just Like Me

Review –I recently went out to find a few albums on CD that I only had on record and this gem was one of them. Had not listened to him in years and was stuck by what a masterpiece this was then and is now. At the time Arthur recorded this in 1993 he had been out of music business for over 20 years and was a holy roller preacher in Chicago. He had been a favorite of the Beatles and the Stones (opened for Beatles on early tour) but had fell on hard times. He came back , made this incredible album and died shortly after. There is a voluminous back catalog of his albums from the early 60s. He was a really amazing songwriter in addition to being a sterling singer and guitar player. This IS R&B as it should be…the songs of longing, despair and renewed hope reverberate through the years. If you have never heard him- shame on you- go out and get this album.

Music Review- T- Bone Burnett

Genre: Album

Grade: A
Notable People: T-Bone Burnett
Title: T- Bone Burnett

Review –The legendary music producer, who has been the favorite of every acoustic and country- rock musician for 20 years once made his own albums. Since then he has gone on to fame with both recordings and movies (he recently did the music for True Detective). But this album (his first and self-titled)from the early 90s was quite a gem. Drop dead beautiful arrangements, flawless musicianship, great harmonies and wonderful song choices. This album was on my constant playlist then and has returned now after I recently got it on CD because I missed it.

Music Review- Lake Street Dive- The Bad Self Portrait

Genre: Album

Grade: B+
Notable People: Lake Street Dive
Title: Bad Self Portrait

Review –This band has been one of the darlings of Rolling Stone for last year. Kind of a throwback group- with nice blend of pop and acoustic music. Good arrangements and musicianship and the lead singer is a Bobbie Raitt meets Linda Ronstadt sound alike. Very nice music- though I did not find myself moved by it.

Film Review- Nymphomaniac- Volume 2

Genre: Film

Grade: B to A minus- depending on your mood
Notable People: Directed by Lars von Trier, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Stellan Skarsgard, Willem Defoe, Shia Labeouf
Title: Nymphomaniac- Volume TWO!!!!-film

Review –well, I’m sure the title has gotten your attention and made you have a number of questions about this one- all of which probably have merit. So last Friday Jenn was out for the night and I was thinking about heading out to see a movie- but the theaters were filed with a bunch of teen crap. Then I checked the alt theater at OSU and they had this film. The reviews were pretty good (not as good as volume one- but who knew where one could see that) and the director rather distinguished- with a notable supporting cast. I thought I’d go- but it was an late afternoon show and I could imagine the lolls single guys get in such a venue- and also maybe did not want to be joining the other single guys who might be patronizing the movie. Instead I waited for Jenn to go the next night and made it a “date movie” (interesting logic there). Well…it’s mostly a bizarre tale of alienation, sexual frustration and being a social misfit. Sort of hard to watch due to its brutal honesty, masochism, sadism and just pathetic characters- it was still quite heady; Charlotte Gainsbourg, Skarsgard is brilliant, is quite q piece of work and great small parts for Shia Labeouf and Willem Defoe. The Swedes seem to have a knack for making movies about sex neither sensuous or erotic. You have to be in a certain mood for tis one…but line an quality reviewer I am now looking for Volume One.

Novel Review- A Permanent Member of the Family

Genre: Fiction

Grade: A-
Notable People: Russell Banks
Title: Stories- a Permanent Member of the Family

Review –Banks periodically publishes books of short stores-which I find to be a relatively lost art that few do well. Banks does it well. His stories move back and forth from his small hamlet in the northern Adirondacks to Miami Beach-two places that he actually lives. They are very dark. Mostly about sad and lonely people who find themselves at a crossroads- and more than not make the wrong decision. Not uplifting and somewhat depressing but the quality of his writing and the richness of his beat down characters make the read worthwhile. He is one of our gems of living writers and still going very strong.

Novel Review- The Confessions of Al Capone

Genre: Novel

Grade: B+
Notable People: Loren Estleman
Title: The Confessions of Al Capone

Review –Surprisingly well written and good light read. It’s a long one- that can be read in small increments. Estleman departs from his usual mystery genre to tackle the story of an FBI clerk handpicked by J. Edgar to infiltrate the Florida estate of a dying Al Capone. I won’t tell you why he is chosen since that is part of the premise- but he is quite ill suited. The narrative vacillates between wartime Miami where the story is being recorded and 1920’s Brooklyn and Chicago as Capone tells his story to the man he be lives is there to be his confessor. Vivid portraits, very well researched- a compiling portrait of both men(Capone and Hoover) and the times. I have a weakness for gangster stuff- but this is a good one.

Film Review- The Grand Budapest Hotel

Genre: Film

Grade: A-
Notable People: Directed by Wes Anderson, Ralph Fiennes and a cast of thousands
Title: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Review –Wes Anderson is the King of WHIMSY and FABLES……..no one does it better. A delightful movie. No real substance (although I wondered about how much allegory was going on here)- but a very fun ride. Fiennes is great. The movie is a who’s who of comic genius. Willem Dafoe dos great turn. I want to go there…

Film Review- Her

Genre: Film

Grade: B+
Notable People: Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlet Johansen, A very nice I-Phone, Directed by Spike Jonze
Title: Her

Review –Both a very sweet and disturbing movie about love in the age of technology. Jonze is an out there filmmaker and his commentaries about modern life are usually quite thought provoking. You probably all know this is the story of a lonely guy who writes love cards for other people for a living. He falls in love with his operating system. Amazingly, this is not all that unbelievable as portrayed here- thanks in large part to the incredible (voice only) role played by Scarlet. Phoenix is great, as usual. Can’t really decide if I loved or hated tis movie; thought it was slow in places, but also hard to put away. It made me sad

Film Review- Philomena

Genre: Film

Grade: A-
Notable People: Judi Dench, Steve Coogan, Directed by Stephen Frears
Title: Philomena

Review –From a autobiographical book, this is true story of British woman trying to find the son that was taken away from her fifty years earlier by devil-nuns. Judi, Judi, Judi…she is too much and hearing her curse like a sailor is worth the price of admission by itself. This is a touching movie of loss and resolution beautifully played by two very fine actors. Loved it.