WRITING DIRECTING AND ACTING AT TSI/PLAYTIME

The TSI / Playtime theater has on-going opportunities for writers and directors and actors.

They have a beautiful theater space in NYC with two theaters (99 & 44 seats) and rehearsal halls. In the smaller theater they present many programs of short plays each week.

They are constantly accepting participation from new actors, writers and directors.

Shows typically get two performances. The arrangement is: no pay, no fee. They expect each short piece to bring in some audience. With several pieces each evening, plus TSI's own list, shows are often sold out with standing room only and a few seats crammed in near the stage.

Shows are not reviewed -- it's technically a "workshop" where you are given a chance to experiment and develop a piece.

The theaters and rehearsal spaces are available for rental as well -- I've used them for several film projects.

Currently, they are developing a themed series: the TSI/PlayTime Classics Series with scenes and adaptations (15-30 minutes) from Shakespeare’s plays: Othello, Measure for Measure, MacBeth, Hamlet, The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing and The Rape of Lucrece.

Rehearsals begin as soon as possible, with performances scheduled the last week in April, thru mid May or June.

They have another Shakespeare project coming in the late summer and early fall: the TSI/PlayTime "Shakespeare as YOU like it’' Series.

They often have themed series going (usually related to classics, but not always -- the previous series was about sports -- and only occasionally WS), but you can bring in any kind of project you like. It does not have to be part of a series.

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Personal note: I have a short (about 2 min) video

On The Lot of Shakespeare's Sonnet 65, together with a short intro. I have a great writer (Shakespeare) and a beautiful actress, and I'd love to have you come visit and check it out!

Thanks,

Eric from QPORIT

FRAGILE (Sonnet 65) with Intro
http://films.thelot.com/films/25479

Jessica Chobot

IGN's Host, writer, and model.
Jessica Chobot is know in the gaming community as the Baroness
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Nanne - Pissenisse



"oi...oi...oi...oi!"

I've had Swedish singer Nanne's new album on repeat for the last week or so and have got to share something from it with you today. Nanne's a bit of an institution in Sweden... and a fair share older than most of the contemporary pop singers on the radio. She sings in Swedish and within a genre known as dansbander (think fluffy pop music who's entire goal is to be more infectious than herpes). Pissenisse (which I cannot find a translation for and my beginning Swedish language knowledge certainly doesn't cover... but it's fun to say) is the name of this track and, though I hated its saccharine-ness (new word?) the first time I heard it... it lingers like some crazy circus in my head and I can't stop singing along. Listen especially for the moments between 1:54-2:17, which really do speak for themselves I think. Pure fizzy brilliance! Nanne deserved to get further in Melodifestivalen with her brilliant entry, but luckily for us, she quickly released an album full of similar greatness. Plus, she's a bit insane (just check out Viskaren, where she literally turns into a witch... I swear).

Nanne - Pissenisse (mp3) (zshare)

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here)

Plemo - Flashlight



".....flashlight........"

I've got something kind of weird for you today. Flashlight, by German singer Plemo begins with a high pitched introduction that I have completely given up trying to decipher. Luckily, it very quickly jumps into an insanely catchy, energetic synth workout. It has the same wild, strange energy that the Scissor Sisters used to have in their demo days, but with more of a dance/club edge. I could see this track simply lighting up the dancefloor. Though it sounds like very little else you've heard, you'll be singing along with whatever they're saying before the first listen is even over.

Plemo - Flashlight (mp3) (zshare)

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the single here)

Video Premiere: Juvelen - Hanna

I must say, it's not what I expected. Synchronized swimmers and lots of diving board drama wrapped up with a stylish black and white presentation. I'm glad that they decided to put the budget behind this song rather than Watch Your Step (Juv's other single), though, because honestly Hanna is one of the best tracks released so far this year by any artist.

Andrew Benon - Rock And Roll Moves



“She lives and dies in the dancefloor lights"

Andrew Benon has crafted a pitch perfect recreation of great 80's pop with this track. From the Bowie-esque vocals to the screaming saxophone to the sparkling synths, Rock And Roll Moves deserves to be the summer anthem of convertible drivers everywhere. It almost sounds like it was written by Prince back in his eighties hey day, especially the flawless chorus. Best of all, Andrew Benon's debut effort is full of this kind of stuff. Many artists (especially on this blog) draw from the eighties for their sound, but few have been as believable as Benon is. Lyrically, Moves is very clever as well, which is always a pleasant surprise in pop music. Finally, on a related note: I need those sunglasses.

mp3: Andrew Benon - Rock And Roll Moves
zshare: Andrew Benon - Rock And Roll Moves

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here)

My Review of Life On Mars 2x08: "Episode 16"

Written by Matthew Graham
Directed by S.J. Clarkson

Annie: “Tell me what’s hurting you?”
Sam: “I can’t.”
Annie: “You’re gonna leave us, aren’t you?”
Sam: “I was always gonna leave you.”

And here it is the final episode in Sam’s two year (TV wise, not actual chronology) tenure in 1973. Frank Morgan set everything in motion last week and with Sam hearing voices that he could be coming outside of his coma very soon, he’s only too eager to do his part to get out of there.

There was no misunderstanding in Morgan’s need to nail Gene. Sam learns pretty quickly that Morgan wants Gene out of the police force and used as an example to usher in modern policing. Not only that but Sam is also a little too happy to help along which later adds some validity to Ray’s Judas comparison.

From the moment they clapped eyes on each other, Sam and Gene have tired of the other’s policing methods. With Sam it’s now gotten to the point where he can no longer tolerate it and Gene’s latest act of rash behaviour only has him too willing to spy on his colleagues for Morgan.

In some ways Gene did have this coming. Despite being repeatedly warned by Sam that his methods (in spite of their results) are too extreme, Gene has no qualms in using some torture along with Ray in order to get Sykes to spill a name on a planned train robbery. This is of course, after Gene’s previous act of recklessness caused the death of another informant.

Sam tries reasoning with Gene only for Gene to ignore him for the umpteenth time and with the likes of Ray always complaining about Sam, it does feel like Sam doesn’t have anyone to point out that he’s right. Chris never stands up to back Sam and even Annie doesn’t try and warn Gene off his plan to nail cop killer Leslie Johns.

Frank on the other hand seemingly represents everything Sam aspires in the police force. Sam wants to be a world where the police aren’t treated with contempt by the public and do genuinely help uphold the law instead of abusing it. It’s also not a shock that in 2006, the name Frank Morgan also means a surgeon who can operate on Sam’s tumour and bring him home.

In 1973 the Frank there is also promising to bring Sam home there as well and that’s enough to make Sam turn traitor. Watching the scenes where he’s uncovering information on Gene’s recklessness still cause a divide. By right, people like Gene shouldn’t be in the police force but at the same time, even I have to admit that Gene does want to do the right and get results regardless of the brutal approach he takes to accomplishing it.

Another thing on Sam’s mind is Annie. He’s been lusting for her for quite some time and they share enough intimate scenes to get tongues wagging. Annie’s clearly so in love with Sam that her refusal to spend one night with him must be her way of dealing with the idea that she could lose him forever.

Annie even begs Sam at different points in this episode not to leave. At first Sam is insistent that he can’t stay but the more the episode progresses, you can see that he’s wavering. He did tell her repeatedly that she was one of the few things about 1973 that he didn’t hate after all.

However the sting in the tail comes when Sam is confronted with some grim information from Morgan. With Sam’s work not being so complete, it’s then a shock to the system when Morgan tells Sam that his real name is Williams and that Ruth and Vic were never his parents.

John Simm was always gonna up his game in the last episode of the series but the series where Sam begins to realise that he really might in 1973 sees him pull in a tremendous performance. Sam’s total despair of thinking that he might have amnesia instead of being in a coma is riveting.

There’s even a wonderful scene where Nelson tells him the difference between knowing and feeling when a person is alive. Sam has acted like he’s been stuck in a dream world but it’s also one where he’s felt very alive in as well in spite of his protestations.

Of course knowing that he’s been betraying everyone all along makes for an awkward confrontation. Although it’s typical of Ray, who’s never accepted Sam anyway to lose his temper, both Chris and Annie had more powerful reactions. Both of them looked up to Sam in different ways and it’s easy to sympathise with them.

As for the train robbery itself, it’s amazing how quickly things can turn life threatening. Sam had a vision (thanks to the Test Card Girl) that Gene, Ray, Chris and Annie were going to be casualties and when it became apparent that Morgan had every intention to let them, Sam finally realised that he had been played big time.

The funny thing is that it was this moment when Sam finally woke up from his coma. Frank had just about managed to save him and Sam talked openly about what he was dreaming all that time. The scene with his mum was the most powerful. As soon as she told him that he always kept his promises, I knew exactly what Sam was going to do next.

Maybe it’s depression, post traumatic or even clarity but whatever the case may be, Sam thought that 1973 was a better time period to live in than 2006. As his colleagues droned on about improving the police force, Sam went to a roof and threw himself off and saved Chris, Annie, Gene and Ray from being murdered.

Would I have done the same thing if I had experienced what Sam did in that period of time? I don’t know if I can answer that question but I get the allure to a degree. By coming back, Sam redeemed himself in everyone eye’s (even Ray) and better still, after sixteen episodes of relentless teasing, Sam also finally got Annie.

Also in “Episode 16”

The Hyde that was alluded to so much in the series was the ward in which Sam was at while in hospital.

Frank (re Gene): “He’s out of control. He’s like a cancer. The sooner we cut him out.”
Sam: “The sooner I can go home.”

Gene’s comment about Sam wanting to read an article in Jugs reminded me of the fact that there are actually articles in straight men’s magazines.

Frank (to Ruth): “Let’s hope he’s strong enough.”
Sam: “I’m strong enough, Mr Morgan. You cut that cancer out.”

Sam: “It has to be done.”
Test Card Girl: “But it’s a very messy job, Sam. Are you strong enough?”

The actress Judi Jones who played the older Ruth Tyler has a very similar sounding voice to Joanne Froggatt who played the younger Ruth in Season One.

Ray: “Doddle, Guv. It’s not Hamlet.”
Sam: “It’s a good job because Hamlet is a tragedy.”
Ray: “Trust you to know that, poof.”

Frank: “You have amnesia, Sam.”
Sam: “I’m in a coma, Frank.”

M.A.R.S. in this episode stood for Metropolitan Accountability And Reconciliation Strategy.

Sam: “I need more time. I can’t think.”
Frank: “You can’t uphold the law by breaking it. It’s what you always said.”

Nelson: “I can see a darkness in you, Sam.”
Sam: “Oh you can see into me, Nelson? Well, go on then. Tell me, am I mad? Is this real, cause I want to know the truth?”

The Ruth and Vic that Sam saw gravestones died in 1862 and 1870 respectively whereas the “Sam Tyler” died in 1881.

Sam: “I’m trying to save your lives here. I am not your bloody enemy.”
Ray: “Cut the crap. You’ve been our enemy since day one.”

Annie (to Sam, after slapping him): “It hurts, doesn’t it? That’s because it’s real.”

There was a nice bit of continuity here with the roof. In Season One Sam threatened to jump to return home and now he actually jumped to return here.

Sam: “You can call me a traitor all you want, Guv but I’m the only one who can get us out of the shit you created. Morgan!”
Gene: “Looks like lover boy isn’t coming.”

Frank (to Sam in 2006): “It’s amazing I got you back at all. Quite an achievement.”

Okay to further prove that I watch way too much Doctor Who but I did keep thinking of John Simm as The Master when Sam was all suited up. Then again, he did take on that role not long after this episode actually aired.

Sam (to Ruth): “I went to some place, Mum and I woke up everyday in that place and I told myself I was alive and I was, in some ways more than I’ve ever been.”

Standout music: Well there was the repeated use of David Bowie’s “Life On Mars” and “Changes” but I also think “Decision/Indecision” by Atomic Rooster, “I Hope I Don’t Fall In Love With You” by Tom Waits and the score music were also noteworthy.

Sam: “Tell me.”
Annie: “Tell you what, Sam?”
Sam: “Tell me what I should do, Annie.”
Annie: “Stay. Here. Forever.”

Sam: “If you injured somebody in this car, it’s technically a criminal offence.”
Gene: “Oh shut up, you noncey arsed fairy boy.”

Chronology: It’s about August 1973/2006. Sam’s been in a coma for at least five to six months give or take.

As a series finale go, I was undecided about this episode. A lot of people voiced disappointment and I allowed that to cloud my judgement when I originally watched the episode but when I sat down reviewing this series, I found myself enjoying it more than when I originally watched the episodes. It was the same for this but as last ever episodes go, I found it satisfying. Also now that I’ve completed Life On Mars, that means I can get round to reviewing Ashes To Ashes now.

Rating: 10 out of 10.

A HEX ON SATURN

Looking at Saturn from above its north pole, with cameras that can record images from wavelengths larger than visible light and so can see through the night sky, reveals a hexagonal shape that is, according to NASA, "unlike" anything else seen in the solar system. (Note: with a little care, in a pot, you can generate a honeycomb of hexagonal convection cells, so there is some precedence for finding naturally occuring hexagonal shapes.)

This nighttime view of Saturn's north pole by the visual and infrared mapping spectrometer on NASA's Cassini orbiter reveals a dynamic, active planet at least 75 kilometers (47 miles) below the normal cloud tops seen in visible light. Clearly revealed is the bizarre six-sided hexagon feature present at the north pole.

The strong brightness of the hexagon feature indicates that it is primarily a clearing in the clouds, which extends deep into the atmosphere, at least down to the 3-bar (3-Earth atmospheres pressure) level, about 75 kilometers (47 miles) below the clouds and hazes seen in visible wavelengths.

A more detailed image of the hexagonal feature.

The shape seems to be stable over decades, since it was first noticed in pictures taken in 1980 by Voyager 1 and 2.

NASA's description is quite detailed and informative, so rather than copy more excerpts -- or everything -- from the NASA site, here are the references:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/media/cassini-20070327.html

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/multimedia/pia09186.html

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/multimedia/pia09185.html


NASA also made a time lapse movie, taking pictures through the atmosphere over a period of one hour:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/multimedia/pia09187.html

Here is a direct link to the time-lapse video showing the atmosphere circulating beneath the hexagon:
http://www.nasa.gov/mov/172386main_pia09187.mov

THE HOLIDAY

The Holiday is a romantic fantasy, with a great cast, including Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law in what may be his best romantic performance, Jack Black in his first romantic role, and Eli Wallach, still spry at 90.

WARNING -- This post contains SPOILERS.

OK... it's not like any great secrets are going to be revealed... but the film depends in part on little surprises, so any information about the film may be more than you want to know before you see this film.

If you don't read on, then you should just know that in addition to being a romantic fantasy with an attractive cast and a first rate romantic-fantasy writer-director, the disk contains a first rate commentary by the writer-director, Nancy Meyers, on both the writing and directing.

SPOILERS BELOW

The Holiday is a romantic fantasy, where the great men are loving single dads... or sensitive composers who write a theme just for you... or cute old men as helpless and adoring as puppies; and the not-so-great men look terrific and talk seductively, but sleep with or even marry other (younger!) women. As for the women, they work hard, live in the most beautiful houses in LA or country England (all alone after they are betrayed by their men), and are miserable, trapped, insecure, and confused; yet potentially, happy, free, independent, confident, loving and lovable.

The film contains laughs and chuckles. It has some little surprises. It is well acted, nicely directed and even believable (insofar as possible). And of course it ends well.

It does not have great laughs, biting wit, deep insights into the human condition, or brilliant intensity. It's not that kind of film.

What the DVD does have is an extremely good commentary by Nancy Meyers. (It also has a "making the film," film which has a very interesting description of the English locations, but suffers from too many "he's great", "she's great", "he's so funny", "she's so funny" "interviews.") Meyers discusses in great detail the decisions that went into writing and directing the film, including the casting process, the choice of music, costuming, sets, and so on. As with most commentaries, it is very interesting to observe what is talked about and what is not discussed. Here, it is the details that concern her, not a discussion of the whole concept of the film -- the fact that she is making a romantic fantasy about real people (something slightly different from a romantic comedy about real people -- eg Clueless or Sleepless in Seattle -- or a romantic fantasy about fabulous people-- eg Pretty Woman). The slender reality of the basic premise holds together, I suspect, because of the richness of detail described so well in the commentary. So many of the details she mentions are so subtle they are almost subliminal, and almost impossible to notice explicitly if you have not been clue'd into them, yet they do seem to really help ground the film.

A pleasant movie, probably best around a fireplace with popcorn during the winter holidays... Yes, it probably will make for seasonal repeat performances on television -- one of the perks of using "holiday" in the title. And it is not by accident that the movie ends with Kate Winslet, just barely audible as the camera pulls back from the cute country cottage where all the principal characters are having a party, saying, "Happy New Year!"

King Midas - West End Boys



“Come on, let's hit the blinding lights"

A few weeks ago Norway's King Midas quietly released Sorry, their latest album, and what could end up being one of the best records of the year. I've heard their sound on Sorry compared to such artists as Roxy Music and the Human League, but with a more contemporary edge. Today I'm posting West End Boys, the group's first single (released in late 2006) from the album. It amazes me that a band can release a pop song this perfect and go practically unnoticed outside of their homeland. Despite being lyrically quite dark (about Nazi Germany, or something like that... I haven't quite deciphered it), the pulsing beat, background chants and chiming bells add up to pure pop perfection. If you like any of the bands I champion on this blog, you'll love King Midas. And, if you like this track, the album is full of similar greatness.

mp3: King Midas - West End Boys
zshare: King Midas - West End Boys

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here)

Swedish Synthpop EP

In honor of my upcoming travels to Sweden, this week's EP features synth flavored pop from that very country. Scandinavia does this type of music better than anyone, as evidenced by the abundance of the high quality pop bands ruling their charts. All six of these tracks are flawless and, though none are singles, they could all easily rule the radio.

1. Bodies Without Organs - European Psycho (mp3) (zshare)
2. Bobby - End Of Story (mp3) (zshare)
3. Universal Poplab - Soma Generation (mp3) (zshare)
4. The Sounds - Hurt You (mp3) (zshare)
5. Lo-Fi-Fnk - A.D.T. (mp3) (zshare)
6. Le Sport - Your Brother Is My Only Hope (mp3) (zshare)

Jann Wilde & Rose Avenue - Tokio Okei
Release Date: February 21, 2007
Label: Hype Productions



Strutting around the stage, every inch of him adorned like an androgynous peacock, Jann Wilde looks like a man out of his era. His band’s debut, a reckless throwback to a time when male mingled with female and glitter was all the rage, sounds positively revolutionary, even if the ideas are decades old.

Purveyors of glam rock, whether they long for the snotty stomp of the music or the theatrical adornments of the players, will find much to love on Tokio Okei. Each track is a short punch of attitude, spiraling guitars and boisterous energy. Wilde has made public his influences, which are both vintage (think T.Rex and New York Dolls) and contemporary (Sweden’s The Ark, who might as well be the band’s spiritual compass), but Rose Avenue also incorporates elements of eighties pop and new wave into their style. Tracks like Boys Out Of New York, Lover Lover Lover and Every Heartbeat pulse with a frantic energy that would see them fit in well on the dance floor. The highlight, though, is the self-referential Mr. Wilde, which blasts out of the speakers as a giddy glam sing-along. Wilde has compared it to The Ark’s Father Of A Son in style, and although the lyrics are a bit sillier, the sentiment’s definitely there (not to mention the melody, which is flawless). In fact, the record only falters when it calms down a bit. Cinnamon is a lovely wisp of a ballad, but Metropolis is a bit lifeless. Suicide Radio is one of the noisier tracks, but not nearly as fun as the band’s best songs.

Taken as a whole, though, Tokio Okei is a whopper of a debut and heralds the arrival of a band with the confidence to spark a revolution (as one of their songs nonchalantly proclaims). If a bit overlong, it is still remarkably consistent, with at least seven songs that (if they’re not already) sound like singles. Best of all is the charisma that simply oozes from the album. It is clear even with a casual listen that Rose Avenue is a band not content simply to play their music, but to strut it. A-

Key Tracks: Mr. Wilde, Boys Out Of New York, Rock ‘n’ Roll Dreams

Dover - Follow The City Lights
Release Date: October 10, 2006
Label: Loli Jackson Records

Dover are from Spain, though you’d hardly know it after listening to their new album Follow The City Lights. What used to be a more traditional rock band has transformed into the sort of stylish, dance floor ready group that you’re more likely to find in Scandinavia or the United Kingdom nowadays. While this stylistic shift may ruffle some feathers with longtime fans of the band, those new to Dover will revel in the album’s giddy highs.

From start to finish, Follow The City Lights is a thrill ride of neon colors, sweeping synths, and chirpy singalongs. There isn’t a bad song to be found, though none attempt to break the pop boundaries that the band have set up for themselves. Still, leave the boundary breaking to more restless artists. Follow The City Lights is a nearly flawless pop album. Opening with the shrill yet rollicking Let Me Out, Dover catapults into their new sound immediately. Following closely behind are Do Ya and Keep On Moving, which easily continue the party. Other uptempo highlights are the frenetic Madrid and Tonight, which boasts the kind of instant pop melody that simply screams for radio. Just as successful are the more reflective tracks. Dear McCartney pulses with a gentle pop melody and You & Me forgoes the dance elements for an astonishingly catchy pop sound.

In a time where Americans need to go beyond their borders to find high quality pop music, Dover’s Follow The City Lights is a revelation. It concerns itself not with heavy issues like politics, war or identity, but instead focuses on time-honored radio traditions (i.e. love, sex, dancing). And, even though it doesn’t say much as a album, it speaks loudly and brightly, just like those city lights in the title. A-

Key Tracks: Tonight, Let Me Out, You & Me

CELL PHONE SOLUTION

It is illegal to hold a cell phone in one hand and talk while driving. The woman driving in the car next to me this afternoon found a solution for this problem.

She did not talk while holding the phone in one hand and driving with the other: she used both hands to text message.

Some Big Alienhits News for the Weekend!

Yes, folks... it is rather large, for me at least. In two weeks I will be relocating to the U.K. for three months and possibly longer if things pan out the way I want them to. I'll reassure you now that this won't affect the blog, except perhaps a little during the transition time. Unlike last time I went overseas, though, I plan to keep everything up and running and (hopefully) still be able to offer daily posts. In fact, if it's anything like my last trip, my music discoveries will absolutely explode. There's just so much over in Europe that trumps the American drivel we're fed from day-to-day.

One wonderful thing about the timing of this move is that I get to go back to Sweden for a few days and will be in Stockholm when The Ark's new cd is released! That's pretty much as close to heaven as I can imagine!

The Attic - Remember Tomorrow




“She makes me remember tomorrow"

Fresh off the heels of their Melodifestivalen entry, Swedish dance duo The Attic has rereleased their debut album with a different tracklisting (about half the album is new) and a different title. They've greatly improved upon the original (look for a review eventually), and part of the reason is a greater variety of tracks. There is at least one more massive hit in waiting (which, along with their current hit The Arrival, features Therese on vocals), but that's not what I'm posting today. Instead, I'm posting the title track. It is, despite the band's club background, a rock/pop song. There are several tracks on the new album that for all intents and purposes are rock/pop rather than dance, and it really improves the record as a whole. Remember Tomorrow is catchy as hell, even in its silliness, and is fittingly dramatic. More importantly, it marks a new direction I'm happy that the band is exploring a bit more of.

mp3: The Attic - Remember Tomorrow
zshare: The Attic - Remember Tomorrow

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here)

My Review of Life On Mars 2x07: "Episode 15"

Written by Mark Greig
Directed by S.J. Clarkson

Gene: “The last thing I remember is taking a swing for you in the pub. Look, I know it looks bad.”
Sam: “Well, that’s the understatement of the century. You may remember threatening the victim’s life … in front of a dozen or so witnesses … at the courthouse.”

Instead of a case of “who done it”, this episode is more a case of “how do we prove he didn’t do it” when it comes to Gene. For a man who loves enforcing the law, it’s gotta be tough for someone like Gene to be on the other side of it for once. Still, it always did seem inevitable.

Gene’s policing methods have always been questionable at best and this week during court, he decided to do the right thing by giving evidence against boxing manager Terry Haslam. Come on, it had to have been obvious at the start that him and Gene had some sort of an arrangement that Gene decided to back out of.

Even worse is that Terry gets away with beating the living daylights out of his prized boxer Davie Mackay and Gene doesn’t react to this well. Nope, he hurls abuse at Terry in court and then decides to hurl a brick through his window while completely. Then Sam makes the error of leaving Gene to go find his gun alone.

I know Gene can be extremely annoying at times but Sam really should’ve gone with him during that point. A dream then pointed out that Sam would be called and Gene is then found next to a dead Terry. That automatically makes him a murder suspect and even worse for him is the fact that he doesn’t remember anything.

I won’t pretend that I thought Gene killed Terry. It’s less of a belief in the character and more of a realisation of a plot but it just felt like Gene didn’t kill the man. Sam believed that as well due to the trust he has in Gene but bringing in Hyde man Frank Morgan meant that some doubt could be instilled.

While Ray, Chris and Annie all seemed to believe that Gene was innocent, Frank didn’t think he was. I quite like Frank as a character but as soon as Hyde was mentioned, I immediately assumed that we’d finally get some progress on that dangling little mystery. Sam must’ve too given that he tried his hand at file snooping.

Frank did make a good impression on Sam. He wanted a thorough investigation, actually took an interest in Sam’s belief in Gene’s innocence (despite thinking the contrary) and as far as I’m concerned if Ray takes an active dislike in someone, it’s usually a good sign of that person being reasonably alright in my book.

Of course Ray’s problem was the progressive thing and the fact that Frank had no problem for reprimanding him and Chris for being reckless. Ray also came across as a major dick with the aggressive manner he took with Sam in Railway Arms. Ray can hate Sam all he wants but acting like it was his fault for Gene’s predicament was pathetic.

Annie also had some issues with Frank but thankfully she was less petty and at least her issue was valid. Given how brilliant she’s been in solving cases, you can’t blame her for being slightly annoyed that she would then have to teach Road Safety to kids. Still there’s an amusing little scene between her and Sam.

As the episode progressed it did seem like evidence was stacking up against Gene. It wasn’t too shocking that he was taking more backhanders and the fact that he had a confrontation with Pete Wilkes also made him look bad. Then again trying to evade police custody also played its part but with Ray and Chris being exceptionally dense, more power to Gene for his escape methods.

There are some really defining moments in the episode. Ray and Chris were Gene’s biggest defenders and as much as Ray irritates the crap out of me, I have to respect his loyalty. I could also easily see how that even he and Chris would then begin to doubt Gene’s innocence, although Annie conveyed the doubt a lot more effectively.

The best part of this episode however was Gene’s need for Sam to bail him out. He wanted Sam to lead the investigation and acted hurt when it was his brief that got him bail. He also then turned to Sam to help prove his innocence and the two of them went to hilarious methods to snare crime scene photos.

Sam and Gene alone retracing the latter’s steps also made for some good moments. I knew when Gene started going on about TVs while in Haslam’s house; there’d be a point to. Sam also came up trumps by realising that Terry had been killed hours before the time Morgan believed him to be dead.

Another interesting note is how quietly this got resolved. Gene figured out that Davie had the motive to kill Terry and opportunity to frame him. Better still was Gene’s sympathetic reaction when Davie admitted the truth. A man frames Gene and not a mark, whereas Sam has been repeatedly punched, insulted and locked in the boot of a car for answering Gene back.

The best bit is that with Gene officially free from jail time, he gets his own back by giving all of his colleague one hell of a lecture. Of course while they might feel guilty with themselves, Gene then goes and throws a big party. As office parties, this one looked like a lot of fun, minus Chris making a bit of a tit out of himself.

As for Sam and Annie, I really thought they might have actually kissed in this episode. It looked so painfully near and then Frank interrupts them at exactly the wrong moment. I suppose with the next episode being the last, the writers will also resolve that dangling plot as well.

The Hyde stuff meanwhile comes back to Sam when Morgan reveals himself to be a spy for them. What exactly do Hyde want Sam in the position and why did Frank want to see Gene in prison? He sounded disappointed when Gene managed to prove his innocence and even more determined to nail him.

Also in “Episode 15”

The court had a “Without Justice, Courage Is Weak” sign outside. Gene got to find his own justice but once again alluded to backhanders being weak.

Terry (re Davie): “I made him, I broke him. He’s not the first and he won’t be the last.”
Gene: “I’m gonna bloody kill you.”

At one point in this episode, Gene had to dress up as the Road Safety squirrel. Sam didn’t waste a moment comparing him to a rat.

Sam: “You need my help?”
Gene: “Just be the picky pain in the arse you normally are and I shall be fine.”

Colin: “It’s a pleasure doing business with you. You know where to find me.”
Sam: “Yeah, the nearest sewer.”
Gene: “He got me out.”

I think stinky Colin might have had a little crush on Gene. His singing however was a monstrous moment in the episode.

Ray (re Gene):“That’s his wife.”
Chris: “She’s put weight on.”
Ray: “She carries it well though.”

Annie (to Sam, re Gene): “Then he did it. He crossed a line and he killed a man. You always said that Gene didn’t know when to stop.”

I noticed that both Sam and Frank were wearing purple, a regal colour and also something that identifies them as different from the other police in this episode.

Sam: “What made you change your mind?”
Gene: “A rare attack of doing the right thing.”

Gene: “You seriously think I’m capable of murder?”
Sam: “It doesn’t matter what I think.”

Standout music: “Virginia Plain” by Roxy Music and “Done Me Wrong Alright” by The Sweet.

Sam: “Could you?”
Annie: “Well if you haven’t got trust, what do you have?”

Chronology: July 17th 1973, specified by Frank in the episode.

An absolutely brilliant penultimate episode for the series, made more interesting with the appearance of Frank Morgan from Hyde. Gene’s story was predictable but it’s build up and resolution never slacked and it was nice to see the moments between him and Sam of friendship.

Rating: 9 out of 10.

I am absolutely OBSSESSED with this right now. Come on, how incredibly ballsy is this guy?

Hail Social - Heaven

“I bet every night I'm on your mind"

Dayve Hawk, the lead singer behind Philadelpia's Hail Social, has been gifted with a flawless pop voice. The band's smooth BeeGees meets Hall & Oates sound perfectly compliments it and is a welcome departure from most current bands. I think if you like Under The Influence Of Giants (another alienhits fav), you'll love this band. They are perhaps a little more downtempo, but all of the elements are there for a fantastic band in the making. Heaven is especially catchy, a perfect trifle for late nights under the stars or a disco shuffle on the dancefloor. Its building melody will sneak up on you.

mp3: Hail Social - Heaven

zshare: Hail Social - Heaven

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here)

La Concorde - Here Comes The Knight



“We've been here before, chasing down dreams"

File La Concorde under the growing list of bands that I need to hear more from. They teased us with the Surferosa-esque electro punk of Here Comes The Knight a year or so ago along with their pleasingly glamorous image, but have not done anything since. Their website has been under construction for what seems like forever, yet they do still log into myspace so they are alive and working on new material. That's a good thing, because their sound is excellent. Knight is propelled by a wicked synth riff (sounding quite like it was yanked right off of a Don Juan Dracula album) and choppy, energy fueled verses. More please.

mp3: La Concorde - Here Comes The Knight
zshare: La Concorde - Here Comes The Knight

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Visit the band's myspace here)

SHAKESPEARE TRAINING AT THE PUBLIC THEATER

For anyone interested in acting, directing or understanding Shakespeare... There is a terrific opportunity, this summer, to study at the Public Theater, one of the most important venues for continuing, modern, American productions of Shakespeare's plays. The Public (we're on a first name basis) has a program they call the Shakespeare Lab, and they are now accepting applications.

Here is a description, directly from The Public:


The highly acclaimed Shakespeare Lab actor training program is now accepting applications until April 9 for its 13-week acting intensive on May 29 - August 25, 2007.

Click here for application information.

The Application deadline has just been extended to MONDAY, APRIL 9. Scholarships are available to defray the cost of tuition.

Now entering its thirteenth year, The Public Theater Shakespeare Lab presents a unique opportunity for actors to develop their classical skills. The Lab immerses the actor in Shakespeare's plays and language under the instruction of some of the most respected teachers of classical theater in New York and the world. In previous years, faculty has included Christopher Bayes, Michael Cumpsty, John Dias, Kate Forbes, Orlando Patoboy, J. Steven White, and Janet Zarish. Guest Artists have included Liev Schreiber, Oskar Eustis, Roger Rees, Jordan Thaler, Mark Lamos, Dana Ivey, and George C. Wolfe.

During the 13-week Acting Conservatory, Lab Actors will enrich their understanding of Shakespeare and his plays through intensive study and performance; develop skills in clown, movement, voice and teaching; and forge significant relationships with fellow Lab members, teachers and members of The Public Theater's professional community of artists. Numerous graduates of the Shakespeare Lab have gone on to secure roles on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and in regional theaters, in addition to work in film and television.

The Lab provides a unique opportunity for actors to work on their craft during The Public Theater's world-renowned Shakespeare programming at The Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

For more information about the application process, click here to visit our webpage or call 212-539-8525.

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Personal note:

I have a short (about 2 min) video On The Lot of Shakespeare's Sonnet 65, together with a short intro all about me. I'd love to have you come visit and check it out!
Thanks,
Eric from QPORIT

FRAGILE (Sonnet 65) with Intro
http://films.thelot.com/films/25479

The Alpine - Adrian (Rocky Remix by jACK)



“So let me just hang with you"

Hopefully many of you took my advice and purchased my #3 album of 2006, On Feel Trips by Danish band The Alpine. It is amazing, and what's even more amazing is that the band, to mark the album's one year anniversary, has asked others to remix some of their tracks and post them on mymusic.dk to download for free! Personally, I'm all about bands that are willing to do things like this (i.e. ones who care about their fans). There are some great remixes up, but one of my favorite is this rocky remix of Adrian. Incorporating a VERY well known guitar riff right off the bat, if you've heard the original version of Adrian, you'll notice the many interesting changes and choices the remixer has made. If not, you've got to go listen to the original, as well as all of the other songs by this fantastic new band!!

mp3: The Alpine - Adrian (Rocky Remix by jACK)
zshare: The Alpine - Adrian (Rocky Remix by jACK)

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here)

Jann Wilde & Rose Avenue - Lover Lover Lover



“Lover, lover, lover, lover, lover... I want you!"

There are some bands where I can listen to maybe ten to twenty seconds of their stuff and I'm already an instant fan. I don't know how I didn't discover Jann Wilde & Rose Avenue sooner. Perhaps it's because they're from Finland, and I (quite unjustly) often forget about Finland because of all the snooze inducing "death" rock that they churn out. Mr. Wilde couldn't be further from that genre. Instead, he's inspired directly by the glam rock of my favorite band, The Ark. Strutting around the stage completely made up like a peacock, he's got charisma to spare and it shows in his songwriting. He's like Ola Salo's little brother or something (and check out this meeting [click on Jann Wilde tapasi suosikkinsa, The Ark-yhtyeen Ola Salon] of the two for a very father-son sort of vibe). The band competed in Finland's version of Melodifestivalen with the wonderful Rock'n'Roll Dreams, but ultimately didn't make it to the end. It's a shame. Lover Lover Lover is even better. Sure, it's only got a few lyrics, but it is so instant and catchy that you'll hardly notice. Expect an album review soon.

mp3: Jann Wilde & Rose Avenue - Lover Lover Lover
zshare: Jann Wilde & Rose Avenue - Lover Lover Lover

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here)

WAR / DANCE

This powerful, beautiful, violent, tender, important, inspiring, depressing, awkward, elegant film of horror and hope will be shown at the New Directors / New Films festival at Lincoln Center and The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).

War/Dance tells two stories, totally different in their nature. Both center around the same children.

One story has the children telling their horrific stories of atrocities in the Ugandan civil wars. It is truly wrenching what people do to each other. Here is a mini-primer of living in a war zone in Uganda.

The other shows their participation in a national music competition for all the elementary schools of Uganda. This provides a fascinating look at regional instruments and folk music and dancing.

The stories intersect over the difficulty the children -- from the war zone -- have in perfecting their performances and then traveling to the competition -- far to the south, in Kampala, the capital of Uganda.

The music story has the structure of every other competition film. For the war story, the children face and talk directly to the camera. Events from the past are reconstructed unconvincingly, and even events from the present seem to be at least partly staged. This is not a hidden camera, slice-of-actual-life documentary.

Each of the stories deserves its own audience. Each is extreme and exceptional in its own world.

However, it may be difficult for music lovers to bear the tragedy of the war story. Hopefully, students of African war politics will relax to enjoy the musical experience. For those with a deep interest in both, this is a film that tries to express the redemptive power of musical culture for the victims of the havoc of war.

The film is beautifully photographed, giving a stunning portrait of Uganda and Ugandans. The film makers' background is National Geographic documentary. This is the films greatest strength, greatest weakness, and the source of its greatest controversy. For they take it on faith that it is proper to tell the story of the children this way. Neutral. Just show the situation. Have the children do and show what happened. Given the violence that they have experienced, including the death of many parents, it is not necessarily clear that -- even if the children want to tell their story -- that it is good for them to do so, or that proper consent has been provided. Personally, I am always uncomfortable with films that put children -- even fictional characters -- in harm's way. (Of course, that was a major resason I could not enjoy, even if I could appreciate, Pan's Labyrinth.) I wonder what affect it may have on children: re-living real horrors -- especially since now the record is forever available, and could even be twisted to cause harm by some evil hand in a volatile area.

War/Dance won the directing prize at the Sundance Film Festival, has been picked up by ThinkFilm, and will be show at New Directors/New Films. For those who appreciate both sides of this story, it is an important and powerful film.

Sweden's Eurovision EP

Given my continued excitement about The Ark making it to Eurovision (and no, I won't be posting their winning song, but you can hear it here), I wanted to compile a short list of Sweden's Eurovision entries from the past six years. It's mostly cheesy euro-pop, my favorites being the Afro-Dite and Friends tracks, though you definitely have to be in the right mood! Carola, however, was a very dull choice last year in my opinion.

2001: Friends - Listen To Your Heartbeat
2002: Afro-Dite - Never Let It Go
2003: Fame - Give Me Your Love
2004: Lena Philipsson - It Hurts
2005: Martin Stenmarck - Las Vegas
2006: Carola - Invincible

Cowboy Bebop: The Music

I am not the most extremely knowledgeable person you'll find when it comes to Japanese Anime, but I know what I like. And, although I can take or leave the Cowboy Bebop series, the music on the soundtracks is another matter completely. Overseen by musical genius Yoko Kanno, who can compose in pretty much every genre possible, the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack cds offer an eccentric, enjoyable, and often-times pop centered selection of music. Most of the Cowboy Bebop music is instrumental and fits the show perfectly, but take all of the tracks with vocals from the series and compile them into a two cd set and you've got what I like to think of as one of the best soundtracks there is. Today I'm going to share with you a few of my favorite cuts from this spliced together soundtrack. (BTW, if you want my tracklist for the 2 cds, let me know...)

Ask DNA - Strange lyrics that don't really seem to fit the series, but all I know is that if someone would have flung this in the vicinity of Robbie Williams, he could have had the comeback he needed. Ask DNA has got a perfect, singalong pop/rock melody. It sounds like something that could have been in a hit in the 90's.

Gotta Knock A Little Harder - One of my favorite ballads ever. The lyrics, melody, and intensity of this song absolutely floor me everytime that I hear it. Sung by the utterly brilliant Mai Yamane, it may take awhile to get under your skin, but it'll stick with you.

Chicken Bone - To close, I've gotta post one of the strangest songs on the soundtrack. Even if you think you have no interest in this music, listen to this song and tell me that you're not completely weirded out. Here's a sample of some of the lyrics. Draw your own conclusions. By the way, it's got a bit of a hip-hop flavor... no joking.

"Roast it well with cajun sauce, together, together...Oohh...Long as they don't throw it away...Bake it with asian sauce, together, together...Oohh...It is good for your healthy life...Baby it's true...Coz when you love it to the bone, Woah...Bone..."

Now how can you argue with such brilliance?!?

Buy the Cowboy Bebop Soundtrack cds here

*mp3's back up... sorry about that - Cowboy Bebop is evidently quite popular

The Dykeenies - New Ideas



“I've got a wealth of new ideas"

Meet the UK's answer to Hellogoodbye. The Dykeenies hail from Scotland, but they have a bit of an indie (dare I say emo?) influence to them that makes them sound more like a Californian band than anything. The band has opened for such UK stars as Maximo Park, The Fratellis and Mystery Jets, yet they don't really sound like any of those bands. There is also a remix of this very song floating around that adds some oomph to the original, but I'm not sure exactly how to get ahold of that. Go to their myspace to hear it.

mp3: The Dykeenies - New Ideas
zshare: The Dykeenies - New Ideas

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Preorder the new EP here)

Somtime today #1 Hits From Another Planet will welcome its 100,000th reader! Will it be you??

Last Days Of April - Who's On The Phone



“Who are you speaking to when you're all alone?"

I love this new single from Swedish band Last Days Of April! The group's been around for ten years, but they've recently adopted a more power pop sound than they had before. Basically, that means their music sounds bigger and catchier... both great improvements. Who's On The Phone sounds a bit like Snow Patrol if they sped things up a bit and sugarcoated their melodies. The chorus is pure singalong brilliance, almost like an old Suede song or something

mp3: Last Days Of April - Who's On The Phone
zshare: Last Days Of April - Who's On The Phone

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here)

Lo-Fi-Fnk - Change Channel

“Change channel, reach out for..."

Sweden's Lo-Fi-Fnk have been successful as pop stars, remixers and trendsetters. Their new 2007 single, Change Channel, seems to be their bid for worldwide success and, although it's not my favorite track by the guys, it does have that undeniably strange Lo-Fi-Fnk sound. I would have picked a different single to represent them outside of Sweden (Wake Up would be good, since it was already a hit in Scandinavia), but luckily Change Channel improves with each listen. It's an interesting slice of dance pop and any new material from this band is always welcome.

mp3: Lo-Fi-Fnk - Change Channel

zshare: Lo-Fi-Fink - Change Channel

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the single here)

Dover - Tonight



“I've gotta give you something to remember me by"

I'm posting a picture from this Spanish group's newest album because it's what finally sold me on them. Robpop from don'tstopthepop first wrote about this band late last year and, while I downloaded the song, listened to it and liked what I heard, it ended there for me. Luckily, I was reminded about them again... and this time everything clicked. Sometimes with music it's just a case of being in the right mindframe and hearing exactly the right song that clinches the deal. The song in question is Tonight, and I'm so glad that it reintroduced me to Dover. With it's catchy-as-all-get-out verses and swirling synths, the song is an absolute pop smash. I've been spinning their new album, Follow The City Lights, like mad lately and they have quickly propelled themselves into the upper echelon of pop acts in my mind. Now, back to the album cover... it's brilliant, and completely brings me into the Dover world better than any of their promo pics. Amazing what a little space age pop art will do.

mp3: Dover - Tonight
zshare: Dover - Tonight

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here)

The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Label: Merge Records
Release Date: March 6, 2007



After near-universal praise of their breakthrough album, I still wasn't sold. Despite some magnificent high points, Funeral just didn't add up to much for me. Luckily, the band's new album, Neon Bible, strengthens their sound and ups the drama that was lying just below the surface for much of Funeral.

A concept album aligned directly to the post-Bush American landscape (i.e. the same territory that most concept albums of the past few years have been treading), Neon Bible evokes feelings of suffocation, fear, and even hope (just listen to the whizzing ebullience of No Cars Go). Not only that, but the record is also full of songs that are meatier and better constructed than those on Funeral. Nearly every track is a winner, and more importantly, they bleed into one another and form a cohesive statement. This is Arcade Fire with their guns blazing. From the stark desolation of the title track to the stomping giddiness of Keep The Car Running, the songs run the emotional (and sonic) gamut. Best of all, though, is Bible's final salvo. A trio of songs (the aforementioned No Cars Go, the gently striking Windowsill, and the epic My Body Is A Cage) display the band at their peak. My Body Is A Cage ("that keeps me dancing with the one I love"), in particular, is singer Win Butler at his most over-the-top, with organs, choirs of haunted souls and crashing drums echoing his frantic refrain.

With Neon Bible, The Arcade Fire have justified their place as the next big thing, and have managed to create a work that will no doubt transcend the age that it so cleverly depicts. With its string sections, glockenspiels, and accordions, it doesn't sound like many rock and roll albums out there. But, don't be fooled because the energy and the spirit is there… this is definitely rock and roll. B+

Key Tracks: No Cars Go, Keep The Car Running, Windowsill

My Review of Life On Mars 2x06: "Episode 14"

Written by Guy Jenkin
Directed by Andrew Gunn

Gene: “What the bloody hell are you playing at?”
Sam: “A bit of good cop, bad cop.”
Gene: “No, no, no, no, no, you’re more like absolutely gorgeous cop.”

Oh that while that exchange might be a delightful little bit of HoYay to satisfy the slash bunnies out there, this is another episode where Sam and Gene come into conflict with each other. It’s also one that adds a bit of race issues along with the rise in heroin to boot.

With Maya suddenly preying on Sam’s mind, this is something of a topical episode. Without sounding like a horrible person but I’ve almost forgotten Maya seeing as we’ve experienced Sam’s family issues, the Hyde conspiracy and his growing closeness towards Annie.

This episode somewhat brings Maya back like a thunderbolt. Prior to being stuck in 1973 it did look like working together was having a negative effect on their relationship as a whole. Sam going after Maya was part of the parcel that has his in his current predicament.

Readdressing their relationship is an interesting touch. Sam can hear her wanting to let him go and naturally enough he doesn’t react to such news well. Instead he freaks out during the airing of a Bollywood movie and even startles one of the main characters from her sleep at one point.

Still you could argue that even if Sam hadn’t gone back in time, he and Maya would’ve drifted away. Listening to Maya abandon Sam at his bedside in 2006 makes her come across as cold and while it’s not Sam’s fault for his current predicament, I can’t entirely find fault Maya’s decision to leave him. I’m saying she’s right either but I can understand where she’s coming from to an extent.

The interesting part of this episode is that Sam spends a good part of the episode determined to keep his 2006 girlfriend only to later accept that she needs to move on. In fact he even tries to move on himself by making it explicitly clear to Annie that he’s available. By letting Maya go, it’s becoming apparent that Sam is beginning to lose his desire to go back home as well.

I suppose this was inevitable. He spent so much time protesting and trying to wake himself up to the point where it got tedious. Even though his relationships with everyone else are stormy at best, I can see why the lure of Annie might enough to make him reconsider leaving so quickly. She is after all quite brilliant and has really come into her own over the last couple of episodes as a character.

The best part of the episode is Sam getting to meet Maya’s mother. In 2006 Layla isn’t the most approving of potential mother in laws but in 1973, not only is she a person Sam needs to care for but someone he can be a little more honest. She also brings up the issue of unconditional love following her interracial relationship with suspected drug dealer Deepak.

Layla doesn’t do herself favours by helping Deepak with his books and initially trying to protect his brother Ravi but she is a sympathetically written character and for once, Gene’s intolerant attitudes even made me want to beat the living daylights out of him. Unsurprisingly enough, Gene isn’t particularly receptive to the idea of interracial relationships.

Worse than that is that Gene’s intolerance even usurps the crap we’re used to coming from Ray’s mouth. Sam was a better man than me because I think I would’ve throttled Gene if he had made cracks about anyone I was seeing that he made about Maya. Still the fact that Sam admitted to dating an Asian woman gave him and Layla something bond over.

The part that wasn’t really shocking in all of it was the reveal of Layla being Maya’s mother. It didn’t feel contrived either and I did like that one point she told Sam to lay off the touchy feely stuff. However with the likes of the NF firebombing her house, the big fear Sam had was that she would abort Maya.

Luckily for Sam, Layla chose to keep her unborn daughter and the last scene between the two of them was just lovely. I had to laugh at Sam planning Maya’s future, mainly for the surprised reaction it generated from Layla. Even Sam can get a little carried away with himself from time to time.

As for the drug plot, really wasn’t the most interesting one of the bunch. Gene’s refusal to consider that it could’ve been racially motivated was annoying but hardly a shock. Sam was in the right to push but Layla’s comments about the police not caring were too true.

Toolbox turning out to be responsible wasn’t a big shock either. Both him and his wife Big Bird looked dodgy enough and they certainly know how to brandish their own torture techniques. At one point a bound and gagged Sam nearly got roasted with an iron save for a power cut and even Ravi was about to have a world of pain inflicted.

The usually idiotic Chris was the fella who saved the day by shooting Big Bird. Gene spent a good portion of this episode reminding Sam that Chris was gloriously thick yet it was Chris’ quick shooting that saved Gene from becoming a corpse. I think it’s safe to say there’s hope for Chris yet.

Another interesting aspect of the episode was Gene revealing more about his family. Although he tested my patience with this episode, I felt for him when he was explaining about his junkie brother. Would it take much of a shrink to realise that his less than warm childhood is part of the reason why he’s so inhuman at times. Even Gene realises that the man he used to be is long gone.

Also in “Episode 14”

It’s been a few episodes since we’ve had development on both the Test Card Girl and Hyde, though it looks something on the latter is finally coming up.

Sam: “You know Starsky And Hutch have a lot to answer for.”
Gene: “Who?”

Layla told Sam at one point in the episode that Deepak cherished the brilliance of British music.

Sam: “Whichever strange place you find yourself in make that your home.”
Layla: “Are you really a copper?”

Annie: “Why are you so angry?”
Sam (re Layla): “She lied.”
Annie: “That’s what we do to people, Sam. Haven’t you noticed?”

Ravi had business in places such as Kampala, Istanbul and Turkey.

Sam (re Maya): “We got a bit of that. Worst thing was her Mum. She wanted her to marry a doctor.”
Layla: “Don’t we all want that?”

Sam (to Gene, re Ravi): “Have you got any sense of humanity left because in spite of everything, no-one deserves to have their brother’s death rubbed in their faces?”

We also found out in this episode that Gene’s father was abusive and that his grandmother had a stroke.

Skinhead: “What are you doing? You’re one of us.”
Sam: “What, a dyslexic moron like you?”

Gene (to Sam): “You throw another hammer in my hand and I swear I’ll smash someone’s face and it might be yours, Tyler.”

Who were the people that knocked out Sam and Annie and why did they leave him behind? Wouldn’t it have been easier to stash him somewhere?

Layla: “Are you talking to my baby? Anyone would think she’s yours.”
Sam: “No.”

Standout music: It has to be Elton John’s “Rocket Man” given how brilliantly used it was here.

Definitely one of the series strongest episodes to boot, this polemic tale succeeded in showing that not everything is as it seems. Sam’s time is drawing to a close both for him and for viewers but at least we’re getting memorable moments as we approach it.

Rating: 9 out of 10.

The Vincent Black Shadow - Metro

“All I can say is that the drugs don't work no more"

Let's get it out of the way first: I hate this band's name. It has something to do with a motorcyle, I'm told. Whatever. What's important is that this Canadian band have produced a song that is the missing link between No Doubt's Tragic Kingdom and Return Of Saturn. It has such a great old school No Doubt feel to it and could have been a huge hit for that band. But, the year is now 2007 and, although singer Cassandra Ford's vocals bear a remarkable pre-lamb Stefani resemblance, VBS completely deserves huge success now. Buy their album and obsess yourself over this song, because if there's any justice in the world you'll be hearing it on the radio soon. It is simply the catchiest and most immediate thing I've heard all week.

mp3: The Vincent Black Shadow - Metro

zshare: The Vincent Black Shadow - Metro

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here)

Sebastian - The Vintage Virgin
Release Date: March 7, 2007
Label: RCA



Sebastian Karlsson was a contestant in Sweden's 2005 Idol show, and last year's self-titled debut showed little difference to any other Idol-related releases. Despite a few promising (and self-penned) tunes, a large chunk of space was devoted to tired covers and pedestrian pop songs. It's great news, then, that his new offering, the cover-free The Vintage Virgin, practically brims with accomplished pop/rock.

Troubled Skies opens the record with a great singalong chorus, and the rest of Virgin follows suit. This is music for fast consumption: one listen and you'll be humming along. Luckily, though, it does not become tiresome. The songs, even with their glossy finish, have an organic, lazy feeling to them. Jolts of piano and gospel influences help as well. Words And Violence, the lead single, is the strongest track. Beginning as a ballad, it quickly chugs along until it reaches almost rapturous highs. Similarly, Trigger, with its Razorlight-esque beat and subtle use of a backing choir may just be the album's most propulsive moment. The gentle Falling In Love With You Again and Karlsson's Melodifestivalen entry, When The Night Comes Falling, are also highlights.

Most notably (and unlike his debut), The Vintage Virgin is a perfectly paced pop record. It is not particularly revolutionary. There are the ballads, the rockers, the singalongs, etc. Standard fare for the teen crowd, yet I wouldn't be surprised if Virgin reaches beyond (and matures) Sebastian's core fan base. It is a record absolutely full of potential singles, and most certainly a step in the direction to give Sebastian a career past the initial Idol glow. A-

Key Tracks: Words & Violence, Falling In Love With You Again, Trigger

The Real Idols EP

In honor of American Idol's continued dominance over my work week (Blake and Melinda to the final, btw), today's EP is comprised of some great music from past Idol participants from around the world. Now, good music is by far the exception rather than the rule when it comes to Idol programs, but every once and awhile a true artist will emerge from the fold (or, if not... at least a singer who was smart enough to get a really good pop song). You'll know some of these folks (Kelly, Darin, Sebastian) and some may be new (Jenny Gear, Hedley), but they are all Alienhits approved.

1. Hedley - Villian
2. Sebastian - Falling In Love With You Again
3. Kalan Porter - She's So Dangerous
4. Kelly Clarkson - Just Missed The Train
5. Darius - Rushes
6. Jenny Gear - Tower Of Song
7. Darin - Who's That Girl (The Attic Remix)

DISCOUNTS ON REHEARSAL & THEATER RENTAL

TSI (Theatre Studio Inc) is offering discounts on rental of rehearsal spaces and theaters when you sign up during March.

They have an excellent 99 seat theater and a comfortable, flexible 40 seat theater, in an attractive space in a great neighborhood (123 East 24 Street at Park Ave -- in NYC).

The rehearsal spaces are large, comfortable and clean, and have a piano and a mirror. (I've used the theater and rehearsal spaces and they were outstanding.)

For more information check their website http://www.tsi123.org, or call 212 719-0500 ext 1.

The Ark are going to Eurovision!!!!

The guys won both the judge's and the popular vote, and I wish them nothing but the best in Helsinki. This has been my first Melodifestivalen, and it's been a ton of fun!

BORAT... WARNING!

Warning! Do not try to eat and watch Borat at the same time. It may result in rapid forward ejection of the food during an explosive laugh; or worse, sucking food into the lungs during the inhaling that precedes a guffaw.

I know. I watched the DVD of Borat while I tried to eat. Almost deadly, and very embarrassing.

Loved the fact that it started with the appearance of dust and hairs on the picture, like the old cameras and projectors. (Nostalgic, too. One early course I took actually started by taking black film and making a movie by scratching directly on the film itself!)

(Note: There is, I think, one inconsistency in the POV of the "documentary." There would seem to be a cameraman along on this trip taking the pictures. Borat could not be operating the camera himself. Neither can the "producer." He talks to the camera, so it's almost a character; it's not a ubiquitous, invisible observer. Yet the film is pretty explicit about Borat and the producer being the only people taking the trip.)

Here's some more information -- from Wikipedia -- about Borat.

I've always liked alien-reactions-to-our-land humor (remember Mork). Especially when it's mixed with sharp social and political satire as I think it is here. The gross-out parts I could do without.

Technically, this movie is called, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan."

And even though Kazakhstan has reportedly protested, given what Borat learnings in America, it may well indeed benefit Kazakhstan.

One funny movie!