There were a couple of CD's I considered for this spot, including Toto's Isolation album and Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Those are both great albums but just fall short of making my favorite 100 CD list. The album that does make it at number 92 is:
Steve Howe - Not Necessarily Acoustic (1994)
Steve Howe has been one of my favorite guitar players ever since I heard him on the first Asia album. His playing is by turns intricate, distictive, delicate, powerful, technical and emotional. A guitarist who deliberately removed much of the blues from his rock guitar playing style, Howe pulls inspiration from classical, folk and spanish music. His lenghty career in successful bands such as Yes, Asia and GTR has earned him the nickname "Maestro".
On Not Necessarily Acoustic, Steve Howe plays many of the guitar solo pieces that have highlighted his work both with various bands and his solo albums. Some of my favorite guitar solos include renissance fair sounding "Sketches In The Sun", the spanish guitar styled "Mood For A Day" and the happy, bouncy "Clap" (early Yes album covers titled this "The Clap" to make it sound edgy, as if it was supposed to be about VD). However, my favorite Steve Howe song is "Masquerade". Originally released on the Yes - Union album (1991), this solo danced between the playful and pastoral. I recorded myself singing (badly) a song of made up lyrics to my wife to listen to while she and I were dating. I will always have happy memories of this song.
When Steve Howe is on top of his game live (as he was when I saw him with Yes in 1997), he is one of the best guitar players on the planet. His individual style becomes more pronounced and he plays his parts completely different from what he recorded on the albums. Steve Howe's guitar playing can be enjoyed on many levels and is my second favorite guitarist of all time.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Sunday, June 04, 2006
X Men 3 : The Last Stand
X Men 3: The Last Stand is a movie fans of the series has either been looking forward to or dreading for about a year. The reason for the mixed feelings? The change in directors from Bryan Singer (who directed the first two films) to Brett Ratner. While Singer was an unpopular choice for director at first, he emphasized characterization and emotion over spectacle which gave the movies heart. When Singer decided to leave X Men for Superman Returns, there was much speculation over who would replace him. To the dismay of many, including myself, the choice was Brett Ratner.
Brett Ratner? On the one hand, Ratner directed Rush Hour 1 & 2. On the other hand, Ratner DIRECTED RUSH HOUR 1 & 2! I mean, was it really hard to tell Jackie Chan to jump and Chris Tucker to talk fast? Don't they do those things wherever they go anyway?
So, going into X Men 3 today I had fairly low expectations of what I would see. The good news is the movie isn't the total train wreck I was expecting. It was actually better than that. But, one thing that was clear with this film in comparison to the previous two movies is a choice of quantity over quality. All of the heart from the previous two movies are sucked out and replaced with empty, yet glorious, spectacle.
Where the first two films focused on a limited number of characters and spent time developing their personalities, X3 plays out like a X Men checklist of names and superpowers. Juggernaught, Calisto, Arclight, Leech, and Angel are among the flood of characters brought in to be named, show off their power and then fade into the background. Some character's benefit from the new approach, as Storm is finally given her due as the leader / heavy hitter function she had in the comic series. Finally, Halle Berry seems comfortable in the role and is able to imbue some humanity in what was previously a sketchy role. New hire Kelsey Grammer also excels as the highly intelligent Beast. Ian McKellen continues to chew up scenery in his commanding performance as Magneto.
Most of the emotion of X3 comes from the associations I had with the characters from the comic or the other movies. Other than some exciting moments (Magneto's attack on a police caravan is awesome!), much of the movie left me cold. Unfortunately, the movie piles on too many storylines (cure for mutants, the rebirth of Jean Grey / Phoenix, death of key characters, rise of evil mutants, love triangle for minor characters, closure of the school) for anything to stick. It was like watching cliffnotes of what the real stories were. However, Ratner does have Singer beat in the ability to showcase outsized comic book action. Ratner's eye for framing set pieces like moving the Golden Gate Bridge or the final battle against Magneto's forces have the exaggerated size and thrilling impact used in comic books.
Much like when Joel Schumaker took over the Batman series, Ratner's X Men seems desperately corporate in its approach. While it is louder and bigger than the other two movies, it's made from cheaper material. Special effects seem to be used in just about every shot, but the effects look fake and cartoonish (on par with the cruddy Fantastic Four). The makeup is also unconvincing with the exception of the Beast character. Also, minor background characters are slightly builtup (Kitty Pride, Colossus and Iceman) to suggest they'll come to the foreground if there is an X4. Younger, cheaper talent is often the way to go with an established brandname.
It may seem like a negative review but I do feel this movie got it right more often than it didn't. The action was exciting and the actors gave credible performances. The draggy middle section is punched up with the eventful death of a major character. Fans will enjoy seeing the Fastball Special or hearing Beast say "Oh my Stars and Garters." Much like the overt symbolism used for Angel (look at him fly, he's freedom incarnate! You can't take away mutant / minorities freedoms!!) the movie tries really hard to beat you over the head with its kind message: Peace!!!
I give this movie a 6 out of 10.
Brett Ratner? On the one hand, Ratner directed Rush Hour 1 & 2. On the other hand, Ratner DIRECTED RUSH HOUR 1 & 2! I mean, was it really hard to tell Jackie Chan to jump and Chris Tucker to talk fast? Don't they do those things wherever they go anyway?
So, going into X Men 3 today I had fairly low expectations of what I would see. The good news is the movie isn't the total train wreck I was expecting. It was actually better than that. But, one thing that was clear with this film in comparison to the previous two movies is a choice of quantity over quality. All of the heart from the previous two movies are sucked out and replaced with empty, yet glorious, spectacle.
Where the first two films focused on a limited number of characters and spent time developing their personalities, X3 plays out like a X Men checklist of names and superpowers. Juggernaught, Calisto, Arclight, Leech, and Angel are among the flood of characters brought in to be named, show off their power and then fade into the background. Some character's benefit from the new approach, as Storm is finally given her due as the leader / heavy hitter function she had in the comic series. Finally, Halle Berry seems comfortable in the role and is able to imbue some humanity in what was previously a sketchy role. New hire Kelsey Grammer also excels as the highly intelligent Beast. Ian McKellen continues to chew up scenery in his commanding performance as Magneto.
Most of the emotion of X3 comes from the associations I had with the characters from the comic or the other movies. Other than some exciting moments (Magneto's attack on a police caravan is awesome!), much of the movie left me cold. Unfortunately, the movie piles on too many storylines (cure for mutants, the rebirth of Jean Grey / Phoenix, death of key characters, rise of evil mutants, love triangle for minor characters, closure of the school) for anything to stick. It was like watching cliffnotes of what the real stories were. However, Ratner does have Singer beat in the ability to showcase outsized comic book action. Ratner's eye for framing set pieces like moving the Golden Gate Bridge or the final battle against Magneto's forces have the exaggerated size and thrilling impact used in comic books.
Much like when Joel Schumaker took over the Batman series, Ratner's X Men seems desperately corporate in its approach. While it is louder and bigger than the other two movies, it's made from cheaper material. Special effects seem to be used in just about every shot, but the effects look fake and cartoonish (on par with the cruddy Fantastic Four). The makeup is also unconvincing with the exception of the Beast character. Also, minor background characters are slightly builtup (Kitty Pride, Colossus and Iceman) to suggest they'll come to the foreground if there is an X4. Younger, cheaper talent is often the way to go with an established brandname.
It may seem like a negative review but I do feel this movie got it right more often than it didn't. The action was exciting and the actors gave credible performances. The draggy middle section is punched up with the eventful death of a major character. Fans will enjoy seeing the Fastball Special or hearing Beast say "Oh my Stars and Garters." Much like the overt symbolism used for Angel (look at him fly, he's freedom incarnate! You can't take away mutant / minorities freedoms!!) the movie tries really hard to beat you over the head with its kind message: Peace!!!
I give this movie a 6 out of 10.
Benson and Number 93
This weekend TV Land has been playing the 70's TV show Benson nonstop. Seeing this show reminded me of how much I loved it when I saw it the first time and still found it funny after all this time. What's interesting though, is when I try to figure out what I like about Benson the answer isn't all that thrilling. What I like about the show, then and now, is that it is a predicatable show with appealing characters / actors with broad personality types mouthing off to each other in zippy one liners. That's it. Benson represents assembly line sitcom production at an acceptably effective level. It's not a knock against Robert Guillome (sp?) or anything, it's just simple laughs for the sake of humor. Not a bad thing, but it doesn't stick with you either.
Speaking of assembly line production appealing to the lowest common denominator, this brings us to Number 93:
REO Speedwagon - Hi Infidelity (1980)
REO, maybe even more than Journey, defined the "regular guy rock" aspect of AOR also known as bands tagged "corporate rock". REO had been around for years but found the more melodic and midtempo they made their songs, the more radio play they received. In 1980, REO decided to go all out in crafting music that fit that particular sound. The result made REO a hugely successful band and laid out the map of their career for the next decade.
My first memories of REO was hearing their tapes get played on the streetcorner across from my house by the local thugs. Hi Infidelity and Good Trouble seemed to be the only two tapes they owned. I hated those jerks on the corner but I loved the music they were playing. REO's Hi Infidelity was one of the first cassettes I ever bought.
The music was upbeat, catchy and fun. It was midwestern rock in the vein of Bob Seger or Bruce Springsteen, a mix of 50's rock and 60's soul pumped up to bar band volume. But, where Seger and Springsteen were introspective or political songwriters, REO wrote about melodrama. As a teenager, that was perfect for me as I didn't know much about life at that point anyway.
The two big hits from the album were the power ballads, "Keep On Loving You" and "Take It On The Run". Both songs followed the format of soft verses followed by a bracing anthemic chorus. "Keep On Loving You" became a classic soft rock prom night ballad. "Take It On The Run" was the better song of the two, taking an interesting approach to the you-cheated-on-me-girl theme ("Heard it from a friend who, heard it from a friend who, heard it from another you've been missing around") and a great two section guitar solo that still kills me to this day.
Other highlights include the jumpy Bo Diddleyish "Don't Let Him Go", the barroom boogie of "Shakin' It Loose" and the macho put down "Tough Guys" (first song I had with a swear word!). The real highlight was "In Your Letter", a doo wop throwback that must have been inspired because the band never did a song like this again. It's simple, fun and effective.
I remained a big REO fan throughout the 80's, I saw them in concert in 1985 and saw a tight, professional show. The album at the time, Wheels Are Turnin', was on my record player all the time. After the 80's I found I had played their records (as well as many of my other favorites) too much and moved on to listening to other bands. But REO Speedwagon will always bring back memories of hot summers and good times. Sometimes undemanding entertainment is just what you need.
Speaking of assembly line production appealing to the lowest common denominator, this brings us to Number 93:
REO Speedwagon - Hi Infidelity (1980)
REO, maybe even more than Journey, defined the "regular guy rock" aspect of AOR also known as bands tagged "corporate rock". REO had been around for years but found the more melodic and midtempo they made their songs, the more radio play they received. In 1980, REO decided to go all out in crafting music that fit that particular sound. The result made REO a hugely successful band and laid out the map of their career for the next decade.
My first memories of REO was hearing their tapes get played on the streetcorner across from my house by the local thugs. Hi Infidelity and Good Trouble seemed to be the only two tapes they owned. I hated those jerks on the corner but I loved the music they were playing. REO's Hi Infidelity was one of the first cassettes I ever bought.
The music was upbeat, catchy and fun. It was midwestern rock in the vein of Bob Seger or Bruce Springsteen, a mix of 50's rock and 60's soul pumped up to bar band volume. But, where Seger and Springsteen were introspective or political songwriters, REO wrote about melodrama. As a teenager, that was perfect for me as I didn't know much about life at that point anyway.
The two big hits from the album were the power ballads, "Keep On Loving You" and "Take It On The Run". Both songs followed the format of soft verses followed by a bracing anthemic chorus. "Keep On Loving You" became a classic soft rock prom night ballad. "Take It On The Run" was the better song of the two, taking an interesting approach to the you-cheated-on-me-girl theme ("Heard it from a friend who, heard it from a friend who, heard it from another you've been missing around") and a great two section guitar solo that still kills me to this day.
Other highlights include the jumpy Bo Diddleyish "Don't Let Him Go", the barroom boogie of "Shakin' It Loose" and the macho put down "Tough Guys" (first song I had with a swear word!). The real highlight was "In Your Letter", a doo wop throwback that must have been inspired because the band never did a song like this again. It's simple, fun and effective.
I remained a big REO fan throughout the 80's, I saw them in concert in 1985 and saw a tight, professional show. The album at the time, Wheels Are Turnin', was on my record player all the time. After the 80's I found I had played their records (as well as many of my other favorites) too much and moved on to listening to other bands. But REO Speedwagon will always bring back memories of hot summers and good times. Sometimes undemanding entertainment is just what you need.
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