This is Ron Burgundy Signing Off...You Stay Classy San Diego

Dear loyal readers (of which I know there are thousands), it is with a heavy heart that I am relinquishing the reigns of Dive Deep Into Music and Movies.  I will be leaving the DFL and moving on to the Hingham Public Library as their Local History librarian.  Writing this blog has been an absolute treat and I will miss it dearly.  I hope that those of you who read it will continue to do so as our fabulous YA librarian Larissa takes over and brings her unique opinions to the ever growing collection of AV materials we have here at the DFL and beyond! Thank you to anyone who has ever read anything I've written.  I hope it inspired you to watch or listen to something new!  For now, I'll leave you with a final playlist...



1. Pill Popper - White Pages
2. Youth Decay - Sleater Kinney
3. Gloria - The Monsieurs
4. Cat and Mouse - Radkey
5. Good Times, Bad Times - Led Zeppelin
6. Dammit - Blink 182
7. Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) - Green Day 
8. Goodbye Cruel World - Pink Floyd
9. Come Sail Away - Rush
10.Leaving on a Jet Plane - Me First and the Gimme Gimmes

Song's from this Morning

1. Life on Mars? - David Bowie
2. Caring is Creepy - The Shins
3. Teenage Superstars - The Vaselines
4. Porcelain - Moby
5. King of Kings - The Evens
6. Rats - Black Beach
7. Going Down - The Germs
8. Validation - Minutemen
9. Burnin' for You - Blue Oyster Cult
10. Keep on Knocking - Death

I Should Have Paid More Attention to METZ

When Canadian noise punk trio METZ released their eponymous debut in 2012 I was indifferent.  I thought it was good, but never thought it was anything revolutionary or radical.  The albums 10 songs were straightforward grungy noise rock with a hardcore twist.  An amalgam of other Sub Pop releases from the last 20 years.  However, I recently gave their new LP simply called "II" a listen and I was floored.  The power and sincerity I never noticed on their first album was readily apparent on their sophomore effort.  Sharp, jagged opener "Acetate" sets the tone for the rest of the album with it's shaky vocals, whiny guitar strings, and a bass line that feels more like a kick to the face as it drives the music forward.  Other stand out moments include the adrenaline fueled "I.O.U" and the sporadic tempo shifts of "Spit You Out".  METZ finishes strong with "Kicking a Can of Worms"; a song that builds and builds before erupting like the violent volcano it is.  You're hypnotized by the repetitive droning noise as the band leaves you with a farewell letter that shows they are more than just your average rock band.  It ends up representing what makes METZ great.  Using a variety of musical building blocks, the band incorporates the influences of 90's Seattle in a way that doesn't sound forced or overexposed.  Their live show is supposed to be a smorgasbord of whipping hair, metal riffs, and a sludgy rhythm section which lets be real, is the perfect cocktail for mind altering rock and roll.  A recent stop in Boston at the Sinclair saw the band playing with 2015 breakout band Bully and up and coming Seattle rockers So Pitted.  Really wish I had been paying more attention to this band but they've certainly hooked me now.  It's what rock is supposed to sound like in 2015.

Today's Playlist

1. Psycho Killer - Talking Heads
2. Lazarus - David Bowie
3. Oh, Me - Nirvana
4. Sleep Talk - Diet Cig
5. Too Tough - Bully
6. I Hate the Weekend - Tacocat
7. Look Alive - Titus Andronicus
8. Paperback Writer - The Beatles
9. Carry On My Wayward Son - Kansas
10. Rock and Roll Forever With the Customer in Mind - Pile

Today's Playlist

1. Womb Gold - Stickers
2. Born Good - IAN
3. It's Nice - Screaming Females
4. Don't Lose Touch - Against Me!
5. Before Your Time - INFJ
6. Uncast Shadow of a Southern Myth - Teenage Cool Kids
7. Tech Bro - Childbirth
8. Rain - Ava Luna
9. The Funeral - Band of Horses
10. Ride Your Heart - Bleached

Hoopla Highlights - Music

Hoopla is only 5 days away from launching here at the DFL and I’m already planning my first checkouts.  Last week I highlighted some of the great films Hoopla has in their ever expanding catalog and today, I’ll pick out five albums currently available in their massive music library.  While the albums I’ve chosen today are all new, one of the best aspects of Hoopla is their back catalog.  There are some truly unique, bizarre, and hard to find albums available on the streaming service and while the albums below are fantastic, definitely take advantage of the long list of older albums as they would be hard to find anywhere else.

Honeymoon – Lana Del Rey (2015)

The latest from moody, ethereal alterna-pop star Lana Del Rey, Honeymoon is a tad more uplifting than here previous efforts drawing influences from an eclectic range of genres including jazz and hip hop.  While coming under fire for some controversial comments about suicide earlier this year, the singer is no doubt a talented force in the diluted pop landscape of the 2010’s.

Dodge and Burn – The Dead Weather (2015)

Everyone has heard of Jack White, and the majority are familiar with his most successful foray into the world of rock music as half of the powerful duo The White Stipes in the early aughts.  Fewer people are familiar with some of his side projects, including the roots rock fueled Dead Weather whose third album Dodge and Burn was finally released this year.  White takes a back seat to the other three members and takes on multiple duties playing both guitar and drums as well as providing vocals on some tracks.  If you’ve ever questioned White’s musical flexibility and prowess, look no further than The Dead Weather.

23 Live Sex Acts – Against Me! (2015)

Against Me! is no doubt one of my favorite “modern” punk bands.  They’ve never sacrificed their genuine love and appreciation for the genre while still taking classic sounds and transforming them for a new generation of punks.  This album which compiles live tracks that span the bands career and were recorded at a variety of venues is a MUST LISTEN for fans of the band, or punk music in general.    After coming out as transgender, singer Laura Jane Grace (formerly Tom Gable) defied the musical landscape of which she was a part and became a beacon of hope for women and LGBTQ supporters in a scene which has been largely unaccepting in the past.  In that way, she reminded us all of what the genre is really about.

1989 – Ryan Adams (2015)

Ryan Adams is certainly an anomaly.  Having performed songs which span a wide array of genres, the singer songwriter decided to descend into the world of pop music for his latest release.  The album is a track by track cover of Taylor Swifts critically acclaimed album “1989”, albeit with a much harsher tone.  The country fueled alternative rock interpretations of Swifts songs highlight almost every genre Adam’s has been associated with in the past and in that sense, covering Swifts songs seems almost too easy for the 40 year old rocker.  Released to widely positive reviews, this is an album for fans of so many kinds of music and may be just what Swift haters need to acknowledge the young songwriters talents.

Beyond the Pale – Jim Gaffigan (2006)

While not a music album, I felt it important to highlight Hoopla’s variety of comedy albums which are interfiled with their music selection.  Nearly a decade old, Jim Gaffigan’s Beyond the Pale was the comedians sixth to date and certainly one of his funniest.  In the dry, soft, often sarcastic tone which has come to define the comedian’s sets, Gaffigan offers insights into a wide array of topics including hot pockets, vegetarians, and heaven.  If you’re not familiar with him, this is a fantastic intro to his catalog.

Today's Playlist

1. My Mother Tells Me - Haybaby
2. Skin - Pinkwash
3. Rocket Man - Elton John
4. I Don't Care - Grave Ideas
5. Parenthetical Press Kit - ESH the Monolith
6. Rudderless - The Lemonheads
7. Green Eyes - Coldplay
8. Pop Punk Mutiny - Arm Candy
9. Better Bet - Gravel
10. Perfect Love - Radio Control

Song's From This Morning

1. I Was a Teenage Anarchist - Against Me!
2. I Can't Keep the Tears from Falling - Nude Beach
3. Get Over It - OK Go
4. Creep - Radiohead
5. Mad World - Tears for Fears
6. If You Could Only See - Tonic
7. Pizza Day - Aquabats
8. Adam's Song - Blink 182
9. Nu Punk - Ovlov
10. Casper (1995) - Speedy Ortiz

Songs From This Morning

1. TV - Colleen Green
2. Listed MIA - Rancid
3. Over the Hills and Far Away - Led Zeppelin
4. Hey Baby - No Doubt
5. M&M's - Blink 182
6. Running with the Devil - Van Halen
7. Rock and Roll Community College - Ben Katzman's Degreaser
8. Who's Gonna Be My Babe? - Free Pizza
9. Jungle Love - Ex Breathers
10. Sangwich - Gnarwhal

Colleen Green Just Get's It...And You Should Listen

Some people may say my tastes are limited; that I only review rock and alternative bands (and the like).  However, in today’s music landscape it’s near impossible to find decent rock and roll and thus I feel it is my responsibility to share my findings.  Namely, bands and artists writing and performing KILLER rock music and not getting the attention they deserve.  This is a perfect way to describe Boston ex-pat Colleen Green who now calls sunny LA home.  Green’s 2015 LP I Want To Grow Up perfectly captures the anxiety, fear, and excitement everyone in their 20’s goes through as they leave college and school behind and realize that it is time to get serious (just not too serious). 

The record, which is out on Hardly Art and is the third full length for Green shows tremendous artistic and lyrical growth as she explores a multitude of millennial themes and feelings.  The album opens with the titular track “I Want to Grow Up” in which Green sings “sick of being young, sick of being dumb” over a fuzzy, distorted alt riff and her simple drum machine back beat.  Colleen’s drum machine is a staple of her sound and though she has graduated to bringing a drummer on tour with her, the drum machine on her records contributes heavily to her lo-fi aesthetic.  “Wild One” brings her vocals to the forefront and makes you realize, this girl can sing!  Poppier than the first track, “Wild One” gives way to “TV” one of my favorites on the album.  A chunky riff and faster tempo give the song a pop punk feel a la Blink 182 and you suddenly realize why she covered the bands classic hit “M&M’s” years ago.  She sings “TV is my friend, and it has been, with me every day…from an early age” something millennials who grew up with Nickelodeon feel all too well.  “Pay Attention” brings things back to a pop leaning sound with a dance beat that gets your feet moving and smoothly transitions into the darker, 80’s tinged “Deeper than Love” as Green leaves behind the 90’s for the sounds of her birth decade. 

A highlight of the album is back to back tracks “Things That Are Bad for Me” part I and II.  The first sees Green happily singing “I’ve gotta stop doing things that are bad for me” as she adopts the mentality we all have as we try to grow up and be more mature.  No more late nights, no more partying every weekend, eating healthier, all things everyone must come face to face with.  However, part two is the contradiction.  Adopting a significantly heavier sound (the heaviest on the album) Green employs a driving, tonal riff and steady beat as she talks about how anxiety and a little voice inside her head make her keep doing things that she KNOWS are bad for her and yet she can’t seem to stop.  Something everyone in their 20’s can relate to. 

The following track “Some People” brings love back as the central theme as Green sings of envying those around her who find love so easily while she sits in a loveless, relationship void.  Here we see the themes from “TV” showing up again towards the end of the album.  The idea of loneliness, lack of a love life, and all this depressing negativity while still feeling like it’s time to be an adult and be mature is ever present throughout each song.  The album closes with a bang and a breeze.  “Grind My Teeth” is the punkiest on the album and brings to mind Southern California punk gods The Descendents.  The album then finishes calmly with the positive, uplifting indie pop of “Whatever I Want” which sees Green realizing that despite all the negativity and contradictions associated with growing up, the best part of being an adult is the freedom of being able to do whatever you want. 

Colleen Green has hit the nail on the head when it comes to getting older.  Often times you’re caught up in a whirlwind of confusion and mostly feel like you’re just faking your way through each day/month/year.  Luckily for the rest of us, Green is here to put our minds at ease and let us know we’re not alone.

Today's Playlist

1. Chips in the Moonlight - NICE GUYS
2. Polyamory - Slothrust
3. Who's Gonna Be My Babe? - Free Pizza
4. Hanging by a Moment - Lifehouse
5. Came as a Glow - Pile
6. Taboo Tattoo - Midriffs
7. Right Home - The Julie Ruin
8. Adderall Nighter - Tacocat
9. Over My Head (Cable Car) - The Frey
10. Saturday Morning - The Eels

Songs from this Morning

1. Just a Girl - No Doubt
2. Grip - Jawbox
3. Misery Over Dispute - Waxahatchee
4. White Fire - Angel Olsen
5. Froot - Marina and the Diamonds
6. The Graduates - Speedy Ortiz
7. Nadine - DENT
8. Just My Luck - Laughing Stock
9. Targets Of Men - G.L.O.S.S.
10. Mulch - Gnards

Ex Hex's Debut Rips in Title and Sound

I haven’t reviewed an album in a while and that is mostly because I haven’t heard one in full which was worth talking about.  However, I recently went and saw Ex Hex at the Sinclair and boy was it a show to remember.  I originally went to see two local openers the first of which absolutely killed.  But Ex Hex was a band that had been on my radar for some time after lead singer/guitarist Mary Timony formed the band Wild Flag alongside Sleater Kinney's Carrie Brownstein.  After an incredible set I picked up their debut record and after several times through, it only keeps getting better.  Entitled “Rips” the album contains twelve nearly perfect tracks of 80’s infused, guitar driver pop rock.  Album opener “Don’t Wanna Lose” establishes the "love theme" which is present in most songs on the album and starts things off with a whiny guitar sound which is ever present throughout the record.  “New Kid” calls to mind early Joan Jett and maintains a steady baseline with layers of lead and rhythm guitar which play off each other superbly.  Betsy Wright’s bass and Timony’s guitar work bounce back and forth like a perfectly timed ping pong match. “How You Got That Girl” is one of the two tracks written by Wright and hearkens back to 80’s giants like Pat Benatar with a chunkier rhythm and the snappy guitar squeals which define Ex Hex’s sound.  Heavy track “Beast” is a slap in the face before the haunting, muted “Everywhere” takes things in a different direction.  Later on “You Fell Apart” is right on track with other 80’s revivalists of today sounding like a cross between the Dum Dum Girls and L.A. garage pop vixens Bleached.  The album closes just as strongly as it begins with the upbeat “Radio On” bringing more sing along choruses and bubbly new wave a la The Go Go’s.  Closing track “War Paint” has one of the best lines of the album as Timony sings “Put your war paint on and dance alone in the crowd”.  This sums up Ex Hex. They are who they are and they do what they do and you'll just have to deal with it.  A band which clearly comes out of the marginalized, loner portion of society and provides the world with the kind of catchy radio rock which is friendly enough for your grandma and rough enough for your cousin going through his punk phase.  Although still relatively fresh having just released their debut back in October of 2014, the band is incredibly tight live and is destined for a phenomenal follow up in my opinion.  Keep your eyes peeled and catch them if you can because I’m sure they won’t be playing such small venues for much longer.

Today's Playlist

1. Kari Ann - The Monsieurs
2. Waste Your Time - Ex Hex
3. Waterfalls - TLC
4. Walkin on the Sun - Smash Mouth
5. Cumbersome - Seven Mary Three
6. Molly's Lips - Nirvana (Vaselines cover)
7. Nu Punk - Ovlov
8. Bed for the Scraping - Fugazi
9. Peggy Sue - Blink 182
10. English Country Garden - The Darkness

This Morning's Music

1. Linger - The Cranberries
2. Wedding - Funeral Advantage
3. Green Eyes - Coldplay
4. It's Nice - Screaming Females
5. Roll Over - The Spirit of the Beehive

Another Playlist!!

1. Life - Modern Hut
2. Black Books - Salem Wolves
3. Circle One - The Germs
4. Giant Steps - John Coltrane
5. Green Eyes - Coldplay
6. Tiny Dancer - Elton John
7. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1 - The Flaming Lips
8. Waiting for a Girl Like You - Foreigner
9. Region of Fire - JEFF the Brotherhood
10. Carnival - Bikini Kill

Montage of Heck Lives Up to the Hype

                The day finally arrived.  Monday May 4^th, the much anticipated and widely acclaimed Kurt Cobain documentary Montage of Heck premiered on HBO.  Named for a violently sporadic and twisted mixtape recorded by Cobain in 1988, the film garnered intensely positive reviews and as such, I was looking for a game changer.  A documentary which not only captured the man’s genius but also depicted the human element so often left out of Cobain and Nirvana documentaries in the past.  The film did not disappoint. 

               Consisting of hidden archival materials brought to the table for the first time by Cobain’s wife Courtney Love and daughter Francis Bean who was an executive producer, the film showed a side of Kurt which is often forgotten.  One that the history books gloss over with demented tales of drug abuse and emotional instability.  Segments of Cobain’s diaries juxtaposed over early demos of songs and haunting audio recorded by Cobain himself piece together a collage which showcases a man determined to be taken seriously, committed to feeling accepted, and above all else resolute in his need avoid humiliation. 

                Starting with home movies of the Cobain family in the early years, we see Kurt as a young and happy child sharing Christmas with family and always smiling.  Interviews with Cobain’s mother and father indicate a loving household, albeit one with a darker underside.  Kurt’s father Don wasn’t supportive of Kurt’s creativity and the verbal abuse he received from the man was something that stayed with him throughout his formative years.  After his parents’ divorce, Cobain spent much of his early adolescence moving around between homes of relatives and friends.  It wasn’t until Kurt found the Underground that he felt truly accepted and from there on out, he was in the fast lane. 

                The early Nirvana footage is top notch and high quality showcasing favorites like “Dive”, “School”, and “Floyd the Barber” performed in houses or small basement venues to crowds of people varying in size from two middle aged workers from down the street to 15 disillusioned punks.  The footage when interspersed with portions of Cobain’s notes and journals help provide detailed background into the enigmatic front man’s thought process and offer unique insight into the development of Nirvana.  From a montage of handwritten band names to scribbled lyrics, the viewer see’s the other side of the famed rock band.  It was something that grew organically over time, not a sudden outburst.  Kurt didn’t have a grand idea beyond playing music he found to be meaningful and trying to get famous.  Although as the world now knows, fame had a much darker side which only made itself clear to Kurt once it was too late, fueling his drug abuse and emotional insecurity. 

                The latter half of the film, besides dealing with the obvious fame of Nirvana through interview snippets and stadium concert footage shows Cobain in the privacy of his home.  Between arguments with Courtney half naked in the bathroom, discussions in bed, and playing with young Francis; each show a man who cared deeply for his family.  A man that was proud of his accomplishments and guilt stricken over his failures. 

                In the end, Cobain was exactly what he claimed to be, a loving father and husband who despite his vices wanted nothing more than to sacrifice his own happiness for theirs.  This is a film that any Cobain, Nirvana, or music enthusiast MUST see.  It toppled all that came before it and all that will come after through its genuine honesty and forthrightness.  It doesn’t attempt to gloss over the dark spots.  Rather, it highlights them in a way that depicts Cobain as a product of his environment, family, politics, sexuality, and mental state which when combined birthed the kind of authentic creativity that comes along only once in a generation.

Some Songs from Today's Playlist

1. Net Babes - Free Pizza
2. Hollow Bedroom - Waxahatchee
3. Gone Daddy Gone - Violent Femmes
4. Schism - Tool
5. Look What Happened - Less Than Jake

Waxahatchee Continues with Sincere Acoustic Alt Rock

Back in 2010, singer guitarist Katie Crutchfield then a member of indie rock outfit P.S. Eliot recorded a few dreamy acoustic pop songs in her bedroom.  The songs were deeply personal and would eventually lead to a debut album under the name Waxahatchee, named for a creek in Alabama where Katie grew up with twin sister and P.S. Eliot bandmate Alison Crutchfield.  The songs made up American Weekend released in 2012 on Don Giovanni Records.  The album was tight, definitively lo-fi and resonated with listeners.  As such, her follow up in 2013 was a highly anticipated record.  That follow up, titled Cerulean Salt was everything Waxahatchee fans hoped for and more.  Recorded in her basement this time, the songs retain their personal simplicity while adding layers of simple alt rock to push the tunes into new territory.  Recorded alongside her sisters band Sweain’ minus drummer Jeff Bolt, the tracks keep Katie’s voice and lyrics as the centerpiece with backing drums and haunting riffs supporting her ethereal, deeply intimate vibe.  Tracks like “Dixie Cups and Jars” are heavy in their own right with Swearin’ guitarist Kyle Gilbride’s succinct solos breaking up Crutchfield’s poetic ranting.  The light, happy “Lips and Limbs” gives off a campfire sing along vibe before the childlike “Blue Pt. II” which has the Crutchfield sisters singing in perfect unison.  While most songs keep things more low key fueling the feeling that you’re sitting in a living room watching her perform, some push things into static rock territory like the short “Misery Over Dispute” which gives way to one of the softer tracks “Lively”.  Closing track “You’re Damaged” give you goosebumps as Katie returns to the roots of American Weekend with a beautifully constructed acoustic gem.   Each and every track is better than the last and mixes up the sound of the album while maintaining a cohesive and understandable aesthetic.  Waxahatchee’s latest album Ivy Trip released earlier this month is her first away from Don Giovanni and also marks the first time she’s recorded in a studio instead of her own home causing many longtime fans to question her motives and sincerity.  However, the songs are all a product from a reclusive year spent with boyfriend and Swearin’ bassist Keith Spencer holed up in a house in Long Island.  As such, fans can expect the same 90’s infused poppy alt rock which Crutchfield has been known for since her days in P.S. Eliot.  The heartfelt lyrics, and profound sense of understanding which radiates from her songs is still present.  The studio space allows her to grow as an artist and while I appreciate the suspiciousness of leaving the lo-fi game behind for more polished compositions, I think it is something which Waxahatchee will only use to their advantage.  So much more than the solo project it began as, this is a musical endeavor which is quickly becoming one of the best acts of the 2010’s and is certainly cementing Katie Crutchfield as one of the preeminent songwriters of her generation.

Some Songs from this Morning

1. Life is a Chore - Yeehaw!
2. Just Perfect - Laika's Orbit
3. Hallway - Bugs and Rats
4. Three Ducks - Dinoczar
5. No Wind - Funeral Advantage