Always looking for a smooth way to kick off your Friday night? Well then, you are going to LOVE this! Kaleidoscope Honey and Behind the Hype are bringing MOTM to DMS to nice and early on Friday, June 8th. Doors at 7:30, Show starts at 8:00. Don’t be late.
Nite Jewel’s gradual rise from local Los Angeles band to a grand success beyond California state lines is an indication of Ramona Gonzalez’s talent. As the lead vocalist of Nite Jewel, her lyrical and musical direction continue to represent an homage to the best elements of 80s electropop and that rare genre, Italodisco. With one full-length album under their belt, Good Evening, Nite Jewel has upped the ante on One Second of Love, a sophomore effort that clearly has more production value than the lo-fi nature of Good Evening.
“This Story” is a brief opening track with the levity of Gonzalez’s voice to sustain the apology, “I’m a broken record, you have heard this before.” In a way, it is Gonzalez’s subconscious acknowledgment of her commitment to the style she has perfected over the course of the four years she has been making music under the Nite Jewel moniker. The following track and first single, “One Second of Love,” is electropop at its finest and frothiest. The title alone is indicative of the type of romance that occurs when two people’s eyes meet across the dance floor during a song like this, and for that brief second, you really are in love–until someone else catches your eye.
Keeping it real.
The third track on the album, “She’s Always Watching You,” is an emphatic, subtly funk-like concoction that echoes the intense yearnings of a Shangri-Las song as Gonzalez admits, “Whether I’m calling, I’m always thinking of you.” Next up is “Mind & Eyes,” a song with vague ties to the sound of Phil Collins that explores the topic of an erratic individual who can’t seem to deliver on a promise as she recounts, “You talk the talk and then you just… you walk the walk and then you just stop.” She later discourages, “Don’t try to fan the fire.”
This is what success looks like.
“In The Dark” is slow European electro beats at their finest, with surprisingly pithy lyrics to contradict the light and airy vibe of the music: “I’m a shell of a man, but don’t try to understand.” As a faster continuation of “In the Dark,” “Memory, Man” is an up-tempo track that Washed Out would be proud of. In many ways, “Memory, Man” is like a biography of living in Los Angeles as Gonzalez laments, “Could it be I’m losing touch again? I’m left out” and “It’s been done, we’re all down for the count.”
As the album gets past the halfway mark, we are given the gift of “Unearthly Delights,” a celestial, Enya-esque track that would fit in quite nicely at a trancier version of the Lilith Fair–and yet another title that could easily describe the sinful temptations of living in L.A. “No I Don’t” perpetuates Nite Jewel’s modern take on empowered female artists of the ’90s (Sophie B. Hawkins comes to mind), while the subsequent track, “Autograph,” returns to the more jubilant themes and sounds of the first part of One Second of Love. And, once again, the lyrics recall something out of a Shangri-Las song: “I’m so made up, but I got nowhere to go/I’ve still got your autograph, it is on my heart.”
Natural yo.
The concluding song, “Clive,” is an appropriately ambient cap on an album ideal for taking ecstasy or laying poolside (or both at the same time). It reveals that even though Nite Jewel’s tone has remained largely intact, it is also changing and expanding into avenues that are sure to spell international success for a band that has been bursting at the seams to be heard out of the bounds of L.A. County for some time now.
I was told months ago about The Rebel Bingo Club for the first time by BTH’s Flak after I saw the disco ball addition to his home. When I was invited to come shoot the hilarity, I jumped at the chance for the possibility of a disco ball of my very own or at least to get the photos of someone else winning something as random and fantastic.
I finally made it out this time to the rebel bingo where people dance, draw on each other, dress like Alex DeLarge of The Clockwork Orange and party in what can only be described as the love child of the electric daisy carnival and a strangely sexy bingo club.
Walking around the two rooms and outdoor area of the venue, I was greeted by people painted in marker and by then end my arms were covered and for about a day and a half, still said “HI!” in bright purple marker. Thank you Rebel Bingo! I may have my newest tattoo design in the works.
When asked how many people came to her last party, the grand prize winner shyly answered “just six”. Moments later she was given the grand prize, a old school boom box, and a room filled with about six hundred new friends. I hope, and am sure, that her next party will be a much greater success!
Started in the basement of a church in London by a couple of event promoters, the party has come to Los Angeles and has gained a well deserved following. Why wouldn’t it? Basically it’s dressing up to play an innocent game your grandmother plays, but with sexy hosts, while drinking, dancing, and finding yourself surrounded by the fantastic characters I captured in the photos below. (of course with a big smile and a double thumbs up by our very own Flak) I think nights like these are what we all meant when we said we never wanted to grow up.
The leetUP. The next level in the geek takeover maneuver by Attack of the Show co-host, Kevin Pereira, was one of the most badass geek gathering since the IAM8BIT gallery opened on the East side. As fate would have it, they’re in cahoots!
Club Nokia was host to the first ever night of true geek\comedy love that I hope makes swift return to our coast. Guest included Kevin Smith, Chris Hardwick, Greg Fitzsimmons, Doug Benson, Harley Morenstein, Candace Bailey, Felicia Day and plethora of badass celebrity guests.
Met up with the Sauce Boss himself.
Ambient music was kicked all night by DJ R-Rated, and there was a special performance of the legendary VJ, and my friend, Mike Relm. You mix that with gadgets, free swag, booze, and those gorgeous Nerdy Girlz, and baby, you got a stew goin!
The basic idea of the event was to bring to the stage a slew of geek entertainment, and none were left wanting from the technology conference.
Mike Relm deep in the mix.
Together we caught flying bacon, held an eating contest, marveled at mashups, got our cosplay on, and even spent a little a little close up time with some amazing people. The Ask a Ninja…..ninja killed Justin Bieber, and answered what he thought leet meant. Doug Benson even got a little party happy with his ganja babe. Clearly a night for responsible adults right?
Candace Bailey, Flak (yours truely), and EDOS hangin out!
The one thing to take away from this is that this was pulled off by a guy who went from an IT geek, to a show host, and I am very impressed. I didn’t get to meet Kevin (either Smith or Pereira), but I think I can settle for Harley and Candace for the time being, innit?
Check the website to make sure you’re in the know for the next leetUP in your city for a helping of awesomesauce!
Reptar is a very unusual band, with a very familiar name. Familiar at least to anyone who grew up watching Rugrats.
This past week, I was invited to check out this insanely energetic band from Athens, GA at The Echo. Reptar of course, is the cartoon dinosaur that the kids of Rugrats idolized, and as music goes, Mark Mothersbaugh (of Devo fame) did the music for it. Come to think about it, he’s quite prolific.
Anyway, Reptar has a dance vibe to them, but with the unpredictable love that I’ve been shown by bands like Cage the Elephant, The Hives or even The Talking Heads. The band is talented, no doubt, but what really had me at hello was the palpable energy coupled with the stage presence of front man Graham Ulicny.
I loved the varied bass stylings of Ryan Engelberger, as the weird treble-heavy effects pierce the madness while also keeping the bass well rounded. Shout out to the whole band of course, but the bass has been my instrument of choice forever!
The bands’ debut album, Body Faucet, drops on May 1st, so check out their old skool Windows 3.1 website out and get crazy!
Electric guest just finished their residency at The Echo, playing every Monday in February. I went to the first and last shows to get a grip on what this hip cadre of musicians was all about.
A friend told me about how their song This Head I Hold, and from there, the chase began. I’ve learned in the past few months just how beautiful a gem The Echo is for amazing music, and true-fan crowd. Shows here normally include some sort of screaming female fan, or breakdancing showgoer, starving for the adrenaline.
Electric Guest whets the appetite of both, with their front man Asa pulling dance moves with enough soul to remind me of the late great James Brown. The feeling of their music makes me think fans of funk or R&B would see the most gain from their live show, but their music remains accessible to everyone from the jump off.
I’m looking forward to hearing their debut album, Mondo, out on April 24th. In the meantime, check out their website for upcoming shows, and a free download of another favorite of mine, American Daydream. That chorus will hook you, just wait.
Word on the street is that production legend Dangermouse has his hands on this project, and after listening to Troubleman on their Facebook, I can see where this thought spawned. We shall see!
With over two dozen playthroughs over the past couple weeks, my first album submission of the year puts me on a good note. Big Sir’s latest album, Before Gardens After Gardens, is their first LP in many a year. Comprised of the beautiful East Coast songstress Lisa Papineau (known for her work with Air and M83) and legendary Mars Volta bassist Juan Alderete, Big Sir is a staple of the Sargent House family.
Returning to this album is Juan’s signature high treble Fender bass sound that made me fall in love with Non-Stop Drummer from their self-titled album. Also returning is the lovely layering of Lisa’s voice throughout the album. It always made me wonder what would happen if she had backup singers in tow at the live show. But I digress, on to the favorites of the album.
The second track, Ready on the Line is catchy as all hell, with a high tempo drum machine and heavy voice layering. As one of the singles from the album, I’m sure Lisa will break out her next level dance moves at their upcoming Los Angles shows.
This album and tour is pulling great features in for the ride. The sixth track, The Kindest Hour, features RX Bandits front man Matthew Embree with echoing vocals. The bass and strings are almost much to be admired, and had me wonder if it was in fact stand-up bass in this track.
My favorite track is Be Brave Go On. With accordions, Juan’s hypnotizing bass line, and odd timing, it was a no brainer. The lyrics are very relevant to this particular moment in my life, so those are automatic points in the book. The breakdown toward the end of the song carries the powerful mantra “Be brave and thankful all the way on, all the way, all the brave go on”, coupled with sharp synth to close out the song.
Big Sir has the ability to demand attention, while also being ambient and warming the mind from behind the eyes. The album releases on February 7th, and the small Los Angles tour before their European tour starts soon, so check out the dates, and join us.
Last time, Matt Embree and Cedric Bixler-Zavala came through, and Chris Tsagakis is a for sure guest this time around, so who knows what may happen.
Sometimes, it seems like the most you can ask of Hollywood is to not make you feel like you’ve actually lost brain cells after seeing a movie. But, surprisingly enough, 2011 had quite a few worthwhile offerings that not only didn’t turn audiences suicidal or homicidal, but provoked more than one-half to a single thought. Here’s Behind the Hype’s alphabetized list of the best the film industry had to show for itself in 2011.
50/50: This film, directed by Jonathan Levine (of The Wackness fame), brings Will Reiser’s biting, yet heartrending script to life with a combination of a pristine ensemble cast (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anna Kendrick, Seth Rogen, and Anjelica Huston) and a non-sentimentalist approach to the depiction of cancer. Read BtH’s original review here.
Beginners: Mike Mills’ sophomore feature more than usurps his debut, Thumbsucker. Detailing the emotional woes of a middle-aged man named Oliver Fields (Ewan McGregor) as he comes to grips with the death of his father, Hal (Christopher Plummer), who recently came out in the twilight of his life, Oliver meets a semi-successful actress named Anna (Mélanie Laurent). The unlikeliness of finding love throws both of them for a loop that makes for an engaging and memorable series of obstacles. Read BtH’s original review here.
Bridesmaids: Kristen Wiig’s moment to truly outshine the rest of her Saturday Night Live brethren came in May when Bridesmaids, one of the most cogent comedies written by a female since Clueless, paraded the reason why every woman dreads being a bridesmaid (minus the high-strung antagonist that is Helen [Rose Byrne]). Read BtH’s original review here.
A Dangerous Method: Apart from the acting of Keira Knightley in this historical biopic, the story told in David Cronenberg’s A Dangerous Method is a significant elucidation of both sex as the undoing of one’s mental stability and the birth of modern psychology. Read BtH’s original review here.
Drive: This film in particular was the one that stood out in 2011. Although highly divisive in terms of what an audience will tell you about it, Nicholas Winding Refn distinguishes his directorial abilities with a combined use of Los Angeles’ seductive backdrop paired with an appropriately nihilistic leading character (Ryan Gosling). Read BtH’s original review here.
Hugo: Martin Scorsese rarely disappoints, and Hugo is no exception to the rule. Read BtH’s original review here.
Jane Eyre: Another indication of Michael Fassbender’s prominence in 2011, Jane Eyre is a classical take on Charlotte Brontë’s seminal 1847 novel; the dark undertones of the story are given equally dark overtones via the cinematography of Adriano Goldman.
Like Crazy: Even if it is a bit on the cheesy side, Like Crazy does cheesy right by candidly revealing the gradual decline of the relationship between Anna (Felicity Jones) and Jacob (Anton Yelchin) once they are separated due to the restrictions of her visa. Read BtH’s original review here.
Martha Marcy May Marlene: Ashley and Mary Kate Olsen were undoubtedly shaking in their stilettos this year after Elizabeth Olsen’s stark and intense performance as an escapee of a cult in the Catskill Mountains. Read BtH’s original review here.
Shame: Very few mainstream actors would appear to have the courage for the explicit and intransigent plot of Shame, but Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan rise to the challenge of being unmerciful in their portrayal of a brother and sister with few sexual boundaries. Read BtH’s original review here.
The Skin I Live In: Pedro Almodovar + gender reassignment as vengeance = Perfection. Read BtH’s original review here.
Sucker Punch: This might be a source of contention for some. Zack Snyder, renowned for his direction of 300, takes a more, shall we say, feministic angle in Sucker Punch, starring Emily Browning as a mental patient awaiting a lobotomy. Read BtH’s original review here.
Super 8: What could be better than peanut butter and jelly? J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg. Plus, it also makes up for Elle Fanning agreeing to be in Sofia Coppola’s Somewhere. Read BtH’s original review here.
We Need To Talk About Kevin: We’ve all seen school shootings unfold on the news over the past decade, but with Lynne Ramsey’s razor sharp adaptation of the award-winning novel, We Need To Talk About Kevin, the perspective shifts entirely. Read BtH’s original review here.
Young Adult: Ennui never seemed so palpable in Diablo Cody’s third writing effort, Young Adult (excluding her revision of the oh so panned Cher/Christina Aguilera movie, Burlesque), in which the anti-heroine, Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron), explicates all of the reasons why you can never go home again. Read BtH’s original review here.
Honorable mention: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (because of Gary Oldman), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (because it’s the end of an era), The Iron Lady (because of Meryl Streep), The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (because of David Fincher), The Descendants (because Alexander Payne is the shit), and Midnight in Paris (because it’s Woody Allen).
Unlike most famous people, Mindy Kaling is quite alright with being known for one thing, and one thing only: Writing for and acting as Kelly Kapoor on The Office. But, with the release of her memoir Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns), Kaling has shown that her talent is too great to be relegated to just one sitcom. Her life experience coming up in the world of comedy rivals, yes, that of Tina Fey’s (who also has a similar comedic memoir, Bossypants, addressed by Kaling in the introduction when she notes that people will invariably ask, “This sounds okay, but not as good as Tina Fey’s book. Why isn’t this more like Tina Fey’s book?”). The difference is, Kaling is actually a bit more cutting edge because 1) She doesn’t talk about “being a woman” in the world of comedy and 2) She wants a family, but she doesn’t prattle on about “balancing it all.”
Yes, I maintain that Mindy Kaling is cutting edge.
Like any denizen of the east coast/comedy writer aspirant, Kaling headed for New York City after attending Dartmouth. The chapter in which she discusses the highs and lows of this particular period is entitled “I Love New York and It Likes Me Okay.” Like all fresh-faced inhabitants of the city, Kaling had grand dreams of instant success, but, ultimately, after long stretches of doing nothing, babysitting, and botching a few interviews (chiefly, working as a page at NBC, or TBN, as she refers to it), ended up as a production assistant for the show Crossing Over with John Edward, though, in the book, she politely refers to the show as Bridging the Underworld with Mac Teegarden.
Celebrating the release of her book at Tory Burch's boutique on Madison Avenue.
Kaling is both vivid and humorous in rehashing her New York struggles. Describing the apartment she lived in with her friends from college, Kaling delineates,
In the summer, feral cats in heat clung onto the screens of our living room, meowing mournfully until we threw a glass of water at them. When it got cold, the roaches migrated in and set up homes in every drain. Sometimes, when I got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, I would feel a disgusting crackly squelch under my foot, and I’d know I’d have to rinse off a roach from my heel. That was our apartment. We took the bad with the pretty good. Plus, we could afford it, Prospect Park wasn’t too far, and people already assumed we were lesbians, so we fit into the neighborhood right away. It was all good. Until we tried to pursue our dreams.
Inhabiting the world of The Office
The candor of her endeavors to succeed in the entertainment business are among the best anecdotes in the book, second only to her assertion of how easy it is to be a dude in the chapter appropriately titled, “Guys Need to Do Almost Nothing to Be Great.” Kaling, who admits to her share of unpleasant dates/relationships, proffers, “Forgive me, but being a guy is so easy. A little Kiehl’s, a little Bumble and Bumble, a peacoat, and Chuck Taylors, and you’re hot.” The truth has been spoken. But Kaling also addresses more important, less shallow truths throughout the book. Like “Types of Women in Romantic Comedies Who Are Not Real,” a probing account of all the nonsensical, impossible characters in rom-coms that could not exist in real life.
Looking pointedly modest.
While at times roaming and random, essentially all of Kaling’s observations about life are either accurate (“Why Do Men Put On Their Shoes So Slowly?”) or at least infused with hilarity (“Revenge Fantasies While Jogging”). The collection of reminiscences detailing the various lives Kaling has led is a strong and determined step in the direction toward life after The Office.
So I know Like Crazy is supposed to be one of those guilty pleasure movies you shouldn’t really seek out unless it falls at your feet via cable or Netflix. But who am I kidding? I’m a sucker for stories about two college kids in a monogamous relationship. That being said, the film, written and directed by Drake Doremus, defies the expectation of being completely maudlin and is, instead, a more than faintly harsh account of how love can wane and fade as a result of too much time spent apart.
Promotional poster for Like Crazy
Doremus, allegedly influenced by his own marital issues (his Austrian born ex-wife, Desiree Pappenscheller, endured the same immigration issues as the heroine of Like Crazy), depicts the joys and subtleties of first love in an almost entirely visual manner.
Chemistry yo
Of course, with so much riding heavily on the abilities of his actors, it makes sense that Doremus would cast semi-unknowns (or at least not box office draw types) in the roles of Jacob (Anton Yelchin) and Anna (Felicity Jones). So much of Doremus’ script requires Yelchin and Jones to discreetly communicate a nuanced expression that conveys what they are feeling.
Alternate promotional poster for Like Crazy
An outspoken, self-assured English girl, Anna has no trouble being the first one to make her affections toward Jacob known. After writing him an elaborate note (wherein she puts the disclaimer “I hope you don’t think I’m a nutcase”) and placing it on the windshield of his car (what’s nutcase-y about that?), Jacob calls her and asks her out.
True romance don't happen too often in L.A.
The way that Doremus chooses to film Jacob and Anna’s first date is almost overly contrived, though extremely prophetic, as neither is framed in the shot together for the whole of the lunch–divergence being the point that Doremus wishes to drive home. From the moment they part ways after that day, they find it impossible to stay away from each other for very long.
The look of love
With Anna’s student visa about to expire at the end of her last semester, both parties feel their depression looming at the prospect of being separated for the summer. In order to say a proper goodbye, Jacob and Anna go to Catalina Island for a few days, exchanging gifts and vows of unwavering devotion. The morning that Anna is supposed to go back to L.A. to catch her flight, she informs Jacob that she cannot bring herself to leave him. And so, for the rest of the summer, they barely leave their bed–only doing so when Anna finally has to return to England in August for a wedding.
Jennifer Lawrence plays Samantha, Anna's competition.
The consequences of Anna overstaying her welcome in Los Angeles are felt tenfold when she attempts to re-enter the country as a tourist. Immediately, Anna and Jacob seem to realize that their summer together was a moment’s worth of pleasure for a lifetime’s worth of pain. Exiled back to London, Anna tries to “make it work” with Jacob for a time, but they soon agree that it would be best for their mental health if they simply severed all communication with each other.
Much of Jacob and Anna's relationship becomes riding to the airport together.
This decision results in complete and utter misery on both sides and Jacob quickly grabs a flight to London to visit her. This conundrum of how to spend as much time together as possible while still maintaining stable career paths plagues them for the entirety of their temporally fragmented relationship.
The final throes
Even when it does ultimately “work out” in the end, it’s conveyed in this incredibly bittersweet manner, as each of them knows that their hearts are no longer in it. But, when you’ve fought for something for so long, it’s hard to admit that it wasn’t what you thought it was going to be when you finally get it. So, in many respects, Like Crazy reiterates one of Oscar Wilde’s most infamous quotes, “There are only two tragedies in life: One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it.”
