The Orwells Take On Disgraceland

With a couple more years under their belts and a bigger label, The Orwells find being outcasts is easier as teens than young adults. When you've finally signed on to being one of the popular kids, everything produced begins to feel like an apology as opposed to the authenticity that gets you there.

The result is kind of a crazy paradox where everything sounds better but that doesn't necessarily mean that everything is better. Disgraceland is about being inadequate and left on the sidelines because it isn't always easy to enter society when you start out as a reject from high school. Except, they really aren't.

Two years ago, they sounded like older souls projecting what it might be like right around the corner. And now that they are, it doesn't have the same harsh wisdom. It's just sad, even if it sounds all right.

The Orwells started out as an alternative to sports.

When The Orwells debuted two years ago, they already had three years under their belts as a backyard band started in middle school as a means to get girls. Nowadays, the passion has fizzled out for purposeful punk-induced vintage rock. It's bigger, bolder, but maybe not as honest. It's hard to say.

The Righteous One is less about anything than the experience of being there. The track itself comes across like overly polished garage rock backing the carefree lines of being somewhere but too messed up to really care where. It's a big contrast to some of the headier writing on their debut.


Dirty Sheets covers much the same ground. It's a song about touring, being a mess, and putting women on a pedestal until the sun comes up. When it does come up, it's time to slink out before someone wants you to play the name game. It's pretty clear that would be too much for this crew.

Patriotism is too much too. As part of the stay-on-the-fringe persona, The Orwells belt out Who Needs You, a sixties-inspired anti-draft ditty that sounds good but feels out of place in an era where the armed services turn more people away than they recruit. The expectation is a bit overblown.

It's all right to some degree. Disgraceland is a party album, with the better songs feeling a bit more authentic like Southern Comfort, which touches on what it feels like when you become one of the older people at the party. It becomes a bit more uncomfortable when you don't know the newcomers.

It also becomes a bit more uncomfortable with the singularity of tracks like Bathroom Tile Blues, Gotta Get Down, and Blood Bubbles. The tracks all sound different but they mostly recast the same theme. It essentially becomes a bit tired. Thank goodness for Norman and North Ave., which aren't necessarily as good musically but do allow the band to stretch their legs a bit more.

North Ave. is a nostalgic teen wisdom track that feels like the last few empty pages of a high school yearbook. Norman, in contrast, is a sentimental party song gone bad and pleading for forgiveness, especially from whatever women he wants to be accepted by while nursing that hangover.

All in all, Disgraceland is decent album that takes the band in the wrong direction. It can be simultaneously appreciated in small doses and loathed for abandoning what could have been a better progression from the DIY vibe of their introduction tracks like Mallrats and All The Cool Kids.

Disgraceland By The Orwells Lays Down 4.1 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale. 

The band still benefits from Mario Cuomo's vocals and the continually improving talents of a five piece with all their original members. They're not nearly as sloppy as they used to be (even if you wish they were), but most people agree that their stage presence is intact (no matter what happened on Letterman). Fans will love it for awhile even while critics give it a lukewarm reception.

Disgraceland by The Orwells can be found on Amazon. You can also download the sophomore album from iTunes. Barnes & Noble carries Disgraceland by The Orwells on vinyl. For tour information, visit Facebook.

Skaters Have A Stake In Manhattan

On any given week, a band like the Skaters may or may not be covered. The decision doesn't have much to do about the band. It has to do with everyone else and what they might being putting out.

Skaters new album, Manhattan, caught a good bounce this week. They are a solid band with considerable talent (and have even been known to shred now and again). And they are also part of a struggling sub-genre of holdouts who produce proficient noise pop but without the usual urgency.

There is some good and bad to this approach. It catches your attention with the space they fill for a few minutes. And after that? It's easy to forgetaboutit. Maybe too easy.

Skaters make Manhattan to establish home.

If Manhattan does anything, what it does best is give the band a chance to plant its flag firmly in New York. That wasn't always the case for these guys. Technically, the band came together in Los Angeles when singer/songwriter Michael Ian Cummings met English guitarist Josh Hubbard.

One year later, they split the distance difference and landed in New York. There they added drummer Noah Rubin and bassist Dan Burke. And then, shortly after signing with Warner Bros., the band laid down some songs about people they met in Manhattan when they all worked as bartenders.

That gives Miss Teen Massachusetts about as much roots as the band. Somebody inspired it.


The video came together with the help of Chilean-American director Danilo Parra, who came up with the video direction after the band expressed a desire to steer clear of a young love story. The inclusion of a psych ward clearly breaks that, creating a story based much more on disconnection and isolation.

Miss Teen Massachusetts is one of a handful of brilliant tracks on album. The video just adds to the allure, making it more than an unrequited love song. It also makes the much more direct track — Deadbolt — all the more of a contrast. Deadbolt is a cop paranoia pop song with a catchy chorus.

The whole of it is probably too subdued and confused, which fits with the hit and miss of this album. The opener One Of Us might have made a better album promoter. While there isn't much to the two-plus minute track, the builds give it a more convincing lift off.

Other standouts on the album include the slow motion Austin favorite I Wanna Dance (But I Don't Know How), half-hearted hardcore experimental Nice Hat, and the closer This Much I Care. Skip the square-peg Band Breaker, boring To Be Young In NYC, and low energy Fear Of The Knife. While some might appreciate the diversity, it sometimes feels like everyone is trying to figure out where Skaters fits.

Nobody needs to figure it out. It's painfully obvious that Miss Teen Massachusetts is the hero on this album, along with four or five support songs (if you include Schemers, which left me on the fence). What else does anybody need to know? Nobody needs to see diversity when there is already the making of a smart and sometimes unsettling alternative pop-rock band.

Manhattan By Skaters Sparks 3.8 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale. 

Keeping in mind that 3.8 here lands somewhere around 6.5 elsewhere, it seems clear that Skaters have a good thing going if they can figure out where exactly they are going. For a band that got its start with a handful of experimental songs and covers from the Pixies, playing a little looser could help fire the band up to stay above neutral.

You can find Manhattan by Skaters on Amazon. You can also order Manhattan from Barnes & Noble or download it from iTunes. Skaters are currently on tour. Catch their schedule on Facebook,

Two Takes For The Classic Great Gatsby

Sometimes the best way to measure a movie is by what you can remember — not in those fleeting few minutes after the reel runs out but in the months that follow. Baz Luhrman made such a film, one that can easily draw someone into the exuberance and excesses of the Roaring Twenties.

It captures the raw emotion if the not the reality of the era. The reality of it is more likely akin to the quieter, more contemplative counterpart directed by Jack Clayton. But which might be better, excluding the earlier renditions such as the lost film by Herbert Brenon (1926) or Elliott Nugent (1949)? It depends almost entirely by which point of view you prefer.

You can either slip inside the head of Nick Carraway or ride along as an observer. The former is significantly stylized, with an emphasis on passion from his persecutive. The other invites you to think about the substance of the novel, a straightforward retelling that concentrates on composition.

The earlier adaptation fills in blanks, but it's all matter of fact. 

If there is an irony about the "style-over-substance" slug that critics forced upon the 2013 adaption, it is that different critics admonished the 1974 adaptation for not having enough of it. And without the fairytale landscape or lavish and over-the-top parties that oversell the superfluous, the chemistry between Daisy Buchanan and Jay Gatsby never gets off the ground.

The result is a tiredness that takes place in the 1974 film, one that can be tied to Clayton for being too hung up on class and status in some instances but not enough in others. The party crowds, for example, seem too silly to contrast a world of pretenders against what Carraway sees as love.

Even with the help of the Rosecliff and Marble House mansions in Newport, Rhode Island, as stand-ins for Long Island estates, the film doesn't deliver the grandeur of a common walking tour. The shots are mostly too tight and the color too muted to make it magnificent.

Between these challenges and perhaps the limitations of Mia Farrow, who was pregnant during the shoot; Robert Redford, Bruce Dern and Sam Waterston only manage to deliver a few scenes with enough conviction to salvage it. The film was still a success, with Dern's performance the best.

There is a magic in the modern remake in its passion and urgency. 

Where Luhrman does a better job with the story is in never losing sight of the story belonging to Carraway. As much as critics have called the film too stylized, it plays well to how Carraway might see it — and possibly closer to the middle ground than Clayton did. The Roaring Twenties roared.

While Tobey Maguire may make Nick Carraway a little too rural and Joel Edgerton plays Tom Buchanan more snobbish than callous, Leonardo DeCaprio delivers the most underrated performance. In playing Jay Gatsby, he finds the perfect balance between being convincing and uncomfortable. Likewise, Carey Mulligan presents Daisy Buchanan in exactly the way Carraway might see her.



He idealizes his cousin from the start, believing her to be above the rottenness of the rest of them. But as the movie progresses, she begins her transformation from a fragile victim and into a passive villain, no better than those she chooses in the end. The most authentic person in the story may be a pretender like everyone else, but only with the purest intent.

This isn't to say that the film didn't falter at times. The infusion of rap and hip hop was questionable. While it's clear that Luhrman wanted to bridge a century-old gap with the music, the decision might ultimately date his work. Jazz can be roaring enough in its own right.

The Great Gatsby Roars Along At 8.1 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale. 

The rating belongs to the 2013 adaption. The 1974 adaptation, despite telling a bit more about the story, tends to plod along as a backgrounder in comparison despite several sharp performances (and some that aren't so sharp). Luhrman hits the high water mark in making a film that can haunt someone's memory as much as the novel because he sticks with the story inside Carraway's head.

The Great Gatsby (2013) and The Great Gatsby (1974) are both available on Amazon. The 2013 and 1974 adaptations can also be rented or purchased from iTunes. Barnes & Noble carries the special edition DVD (2013) and widescreen version (1974) as well. Walmart also has an exclusive (2013). The novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, will be reviewed another time.

Avenged Sevenfold Hails To The King

The last three years have been nothing short of a roller coaster ride for Avenged Sevenfold. In simultaneously achieving their greatest success while experiencing their greatest loss, they've held on to their sense of family to see it through. You can't help but to pull for them.

Even so, and despite adding the talented Arin IIejay to their roster, the band has remained haunted right into recording their newest album, Hail To The King. As a much more blues-infused classic metal sound, expect to hear fewer experimental tricks as the band mostly turned out to write good music. And yet, in doing so, Hail To The King cuts both ways as a deep departure from their previous albums.

In short, for every highlight, hidden gem, and great moment found on Hail To The King, there is always an ever-present and overwhelming sense of tiredness and mourning that has latched itself onto the music. Aside from simpler song structures and slower tempos, it's especially obvious in M. Shadows's vocals.

Hail To The King is a richly crafted departure, enjoyable but suffered. 

Don't misunderstand me. Shadows can deliver the goods for an overall groovier metal sound, but it sometimes feels like he is holding everything back. Meanwhile, the abundant solos from Synyster Gates always feel like he wants to barrel ahead, leaving Zacky Vengeance and Johnny Christ somewhere in between.

The lead title track is one example. The best parts of the track are inside the song, well after the methodic introduction and verse. The best of it picks up after the catchy chorus and includes a guitar solo that becomes the heroic moment in the song. Without the solo, it might even be forgettable.



Several of the songs feel that way on Hail To The King. Despite landing a number one position on the United Kingdom album chart, where a throwback metal movement has been maturing for years, there just isn't the same experimental bite that emerged on the last album.

Still, there are some songs worth talking about. Namely, This Means War captures equal parts menace and regret as Shadows attempts to reconcile the wrongness of war and weakness of cowardice. The regret of it leaves nothing more than a husk of a man after his service, with his true spirit neither known nor missed by anybody.

Following This Means Wars is the darkest track and one of the most enjoyable on the album. Requiem opens with Latin chants: Prodigia comploratus. Silens oro. Regnet exitium. After the chants,  Shadows loosely covers its meaning in the next verse. But more exactly, it coveys mourning and praying as something great has been destroyed.

And despite the ominous tone, the lyrics hint at being given the strength to rise again after loss. That alone sets up the another standout. Crimson Day resurrects the band's ability to bring sadness into a metal confessional, with Shadows sharing how someone impacted his life albeit, perhaps, too late.

Other tracks like Coming Home, Planets, and Shepherd Fire all have some impact, but perhaps none come close to the bonus track St. James. St. James, which is an homage to Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan, sounds much more aligned with the last album than this one. It's my personal favorite.

Some might even find it ironic that the most upbeat track on the album is the homage whereas so much of the album is slow and sorrowful throughout, making you wonder if many of the songs could have easily been written to erase the mourning that the members have felt for the better part of four years.

Hail To The King Rises To 6.2 On The Liquid Hp Richter Scale. 

The review might be tempered as a standalone album, but anyone who loves Avenged Sevenfold won't necessarily be disappointed. The odd thing about the album is that there is nothing wrong with it. It just doesn't resonate with the same strength as their previous work. It's easy to get that it is not supposed to but that doesn't dull the feeling that you want something more (perhaps a few older tracks) tossed in to feel fulfilled.

You can find Hail to the King on Amazon. You can also download the album from iTunes or purchase a disc from Barnes & Noble. Regardless how you feel about the album, there is no doubt that Avenged Sevenfold is still on top of their live performances. The tour starts now.

The Wild Feathers Lift With The Ceiling

Four of the members who make up the Wild Feathers had made small marks in music as lead singers, songwriters, and frontmen for years. Each of them had their own local bands, booked solo gigs, and worked for various venues. All of them still do, of course, with the exception of doing it together.

It's a great that they did. Their five-piece band, the Wild Feathers, has a promising start with their signature blend of Southern rock and Americana that they prefer to call rock and roll. And maybe they are right to do it. Rock music used to be diverse before it was broken up into sub-genres.

The Wild Feathers lift off with The Ceiling. 

While the band already has a solid start, their release of The Ceiling on YouTube caught more attention than any other video produced by the band. There's a reason it stands out. The single immediately stood out from the other clips and vids as the band finally found a deeper passion.

Lyrically, the song has plenty going for it. With songwriters willing to share material and shape ideas into something better, many songs by the Wild Feathers create vivid landscapes where varied experiences, sometimes painful, play out against soaring instrumentals and vocals.

The majority of the song is driven by its lamenting and urgent lyrics. Here's a sampling of it.

"Well I did what I did and I didn't mean anything. The sunrise, the drive, the morning. The smoke stacks, the bold hats, still learning. And I don't know how I got this far down with the ceiling."

But what makes the song even more memorable is that after it explodes at the midpoint and then falls silent, the band slowly brings up a stirring melody of hope, creating the illusion that this really is two songs in one. It's brilliant in that it shows two sides of circumstances. It's the ease of being together that matters.

The video was released while the band was on a six-week tour, picking up short-run residencies at various Southern clubs and expanding their circle out from Nashville. It's accompanied by a B-side, Backwoods Company, which was released through an exclusive channel a month before The Ceiling.

The backstory, B-side and upcoming self-titled album.

Backwoods Company is a big and blaring romp focused on a dangerous liaison. If some of it sounds immediately familiar, it's because a tiny slice of it comes from a timeless lullaby. It's from that slice they build layer after layer, transforming it into a rocker.

The track will also open the upcoming self-titled album (August 2013). Like the rest of the album, it was produced the multi-talented Jay Joyce (Cage The Elephant, The Wallflowers), who seems to have helped the band not only find its passion, but also somehow corral it into a warmer, more cosmic place.

This is a signifiant transformation, one that was as important for the band as when Ricky Young and Joel King first came together in 2010. With Young from Texas and King from Oklahoma, it really was their collaboration that sparked the second part of their journey, picking up a drummer .

"We always wanted to do something with a bunch of singers, not just one lead," King said of their early collaborations. They finally had their chance as growly Taylor Burns and brightly appointed Preston Wimberly signed on as equal complements. The first time they played together was in Austin.

“We make songs that I could never write on my own, even if I worked from now until I die,” says Young. “But with these guys and what they bring, it’s easy.”

The Ceiling By The Wild Feathers Knocks 7.8 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale. 

When some reviewers note the instruments (including a mandolin), there is an immediate assumption that the band is mostly into folk rock. It's a bit different in that their first love is clearly rock. On one occasion, they even asked to be defined as American rock, not Americana. Fair enough.

With the exception of sometimes feeling overly polished, the Wild Feathers clearly have something happening with 14 tracks (two are bonus tracks) listed on the upcoming deluxe edition. You can find the single The Ceiling by the Wild Feathers on iTunes or the self-titled album due out in August. The Ceiling/Backwoods Company is also on Amazon. For upcoming tour information, you can find the band on Facebook. The band will be joining Willie Nelson in August and ZZ Ward in September.

Wavves Aren't Too Afraid Of Heights

The new 14-track album from the Wavves might be called Afraid Of Heights, but the surf rock/pop punk band led by Nathan Williams really isn't. This is the album that will take the Wavves higher still.

The fourth studio album, which was released last month, is filled with self-loathing and an ambitious mix of minimalism and expressive experimentation. The bigger sound is attributed in part to producer John Hill, who has worked with M.I.A., Santigold and Rihanna, but there is something more too.

"The realness of life starts to hit you later on." — Nathan Williams to Pitchfork

As Williams has matured so has his writing. In youth, he says, having your parents home makes being moneyless and careless a little more bearable. Not having a home or knowing where your next meal is coming from, on the other hand, is a hard luck life.

Every track on Afraid Of Heights makes it unmistakably clear that Williams is coming down to earth. He is well past the meltdown that almost ended the career he recaptured with King Of The Beach. As much as that album re-established him as a serious artist, Afraid Of Heights reaches higher.

The lineup feels right too. Although Billy Hayes is missing, Jacob Cooper (drums) has played with Williams long enough to stick. So has Stephen Pope, who came aboard to make King Of The Beach.


What's most surprising about the sound, especially on tracks like Sail To The Sun, is that no one really knows where the band might take something after the opening. The same can be said about the spirit of the song too. Nobody wants to be left behind, except when everybody seems to be racing for a grave.

Following Sail To The Sun is Demon To Leave On, which could boast the best lyrics ever laid down by Williams. The track might be a knock against the ambivalence of youth, wasted years that no one can get back after they've been wasted, but it's also a confessional that is authentic from start to finish.

Afraid Of Heights is all about looking at life through a retrospective lens.

Some people size up these songs as all pointing to the same fleeting feeling that everything we have that's fun eventually leads to failure, death and loneliness. Maybe so, but Williams also makes it clear enough that much of these feelings come along with choices. As much as he is wise enough to see the bleakness of eventuality, he also seems to hit a raw nerve in that he wishes he caught on sooner.

These two tracks are followed by Mystic, an overtly distorted atmospheric trip; Lunge Forward, which brings in some classic surf jangles; and Dong, the mellow cello-enhanced love ballad. And then there is Afraid Of Heights, a title track that creates a roughly composed but enjoyable nod to early Weezer, which Williams said he was listening to incessantly.

Ironically, even Paranoid catches Williams reflecting on his reflection. The track rightly reminds everybody that Williams is done maturing as an artist. There is plenty for him to learn and more wisdom to grab and hold onto for however long he's got. Just listen to the must-have track Cop for a little evidence.

The balance of the album continues on with a stack of mid-tempo songs, except the tempo killer Everything Is My Fault. The song itself is fine but its placement is questionable. Still, it doesn't matter. You'll want the album, along with the bonus track Hippies Is Punks.

Afraid Of Heights By Wavves Creates White Caps At 8.1 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale.

While a few people have suggested the length of the album makes it drag, I don't hear it. Afraid Of Heights is smartly written, relevantly dark, and meticulously produced. It's easily Williams' finest album, catching him perfectly between being a reckless kid and maturing, and an increasingly serious artist. Anybody listening won't be able to help but wonder what's next.

Afraid of Heights by the Wavves is available on Amazon. You can also download the album from iTunes. Check out Barnes & Noble for the vinyl or Facebook for upcoming tour dates. Right now, the band is working its way across the Midwest, playing with plenty of bands we like (including FIDLAR).

Deftones Drift Into A Fiery Tempest

In advance of their upcoming Koi No Yokan album this November, the Deftones released the Tempest as an introduction to what promises to be a more dynamic sound. The single is a near prefect progression for the Sacramento-based alternative metal band, which continues to fine tune its experimental leanings.

There are dozens of the subtle change ups to expect this time out too. Most notably, guitarist Stephen Carpenter has changed from a 7-string to an 8-string guitar. Chris Moreno had previously noted that it would carry the heaviness of their more-than-decade-old album White Pony, but with the songs moving in several directions — sometimes at once with its riffs, interplay, and tonal qualities.

The Tempest is forebodingly beautiful, a frightening surrender.  

The Tempest rolls in with a soft, atmospheric instrumental at the open, broken only by singer Chino Moreno's soothing tenor in a whisper. It serves as both a hook to catch attention as well as a foreshadow that the dreamy and almost ethereal qualities of the song are headed somewhere big.

"Take out the stories they've put into your mind. And brace for the glory as you stare into the sky," he sings. "The sky beneath I know you can be tied."

On the last lyric of the first verse, the Tempest begins its ascent into a bigger sound, an impending avalanche driven forward by pulsing bass, keys, and drums. When Moreno re-enters with the second verse, he moves up the ends of days storyline another notch for maximum effect.

All in all, the Tempest is a journey, complete with a liftoff and destination. The foreboding qualities of the song are both cathartic and caustic. There is nothing left to do except enjoy the ride to its eventual climatic fury. And once they reach it, there is nothing left but an echoing memory.



The Tempest also represents the starting concept for Koi No Yokan, which originally began with studio conversations about the end of days. Of all the songs on the album, Moreno has said it best represents the album concept as a starting point, driven by Carpenter, whom he calls their biggest conspiracy theorist.

The band themselves don't necessarily subscribe to the notion that this will be their last album when the Mayan calendar runs out. But as a band that has largely avoided political and societal statements, the concept was an interesting place to start in capturing a sound and giving it technical perfection.

Leathers accompanies the single as a powerful B-side.

Originally offered up as an early street release, Leathers also begins with an atmospheric charge. It only takes the slightest spark to ignite into a furious wall of sound. Like Tempest, it flirts with the end of days concept but also helps the band break away from a singular concept album.

The lyrics suggest the the song may have started out with all the intensity of a judgement day, but then moved into the broader theme. It's mostly about letting go of the past, layers of labels that people hide behind. It's thick enough to be a second skin, albeit a fake one, and won't be very useful or protective.

The Deftones reset their direction, dynamic and heavy.

Both songs represent a heavier direction for the band compared to Diamond Eyes, which had been greatly influenced by the car accident that put bassist Chi Cheng in a coma. The Deftones had scrapped the album they were working on, Eros, in favor of starting over with Sergio Vega, former bassist of post-hardcore band Quicksand.

While Diamond Eyes was largely well received, it was a more optimistic album than anything they had produced before and a departure from what was meant to be a significantly darker and angrier album. Based on the first two glimmers from Koi No Yokan, it seems like the Deftones are moving back in the direction they originally intended before the tragedy.

The band still holds out hope that one day Cheng will return to tour with them. It is equally great to see the band continuing to evolve along its original course again with the release of Koi No Yokan.

The Tempest By The Deftones Dazzles At 9.5 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale.

Both songs, Tempest and Leathers, are well worth the download. There has always been a synergy between members Carpenter, Moreno snf Cheng as well as Abe Cunningham (drums) and Frank Delgado (keys). Its also good to see Sergio Vega step up as a member and contributor, well earned after years of support.

Tempest and Leathers were originally offered as a single for download on iTunes, but now Tempest can be ordered off the Koi No Yokan preorder. You can also find the Tempest and preorder available on Amazon. While you can preorder the CD from Barnes & Noble, consider the limited edition bundle on their site, with 100 people who preorder the bundle receiving a signed lithograph by the band. For tour information, visit the band on Facebook.

Blade Runner Hits The 30 Year Mark

Even after 30 years, Blade Runner easily finds its place as one of the best science fiction movies ever made. Set in Los Angeles in the year 2019, director Ridley Scott found the perfect follow up to his equally classic science fiction horror film, Alien.

The film, known for being extremely dark, literally and metaphorically, paints a corporate-driven dystopian society where technological advancements come with the consequence of urban blight and decay. Los Angeles is cast in a chronically dark, hazy and rainy shroud with towering structures that blot out the sun and give the streets an ominous subterranean atmosphere.

Blade Runner questions the morality of sentient human-like bio-engineered androids.

The primary plot thread revolves around the four replicants, bio-engineered beings that are virtually identical to humans but with superior strength, agility, and variable intelligence. Among the best made are the Nexus series developed by the Tyrell Corporation, which are used for off-world physical, menial, and leisure jobs.

The most advanced models, Nexus-6, were designed well enough that the replicants began to develop their own identities and emotional responses, including the human longing for independence. It was a desire for independence that eventually led to an off-world android mutiny, which prompted replicants to be banned on Earth, The Tyrell Corporation also included a fail-safe that limits life spans to four years.

While the film never recounts the mutiny in detail, it does follow the story of six replicants who escape from their off-world jobs and return to Earth with the hope that their fail-safe can be turned off, along with the detective Rick Deckard (played by Harrison Ford), called a Blade Runner, who is assigned to find and "retire" them. Here is the oddly constructed 1982 theatrical trailer.



In the the Final Cut edition, six replicants escape but two are killed in an electrical field (which was never filmed). The ones who make it to Earth include combat model Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer), pleasure model Pris Stratton (Darryl Hannah), pleasure model (retrained as an assassin) Zhora Salome a.k.a. Luba Luft (Joanna Cassidy), and combat model/nuclear fission loader Leon Kowalski, a.k.a. Max Polokov (Brion James).

The script originally includes for only one replicant to be killed in an electrical field. And had the film not been plagued by budget constraints, the sixth would have been played by Stacey Nelkin.

Much like Philip K. Dick, Ridley Scott asks what it means to be human. 

As an important subplot that lends to the film's paranoid and claustrophobic feeling, a seventh replicant, Rachel (Sean Young), who Deckard meets at the Tyrell Corporation, is a prototype Nexus-6 model without the fail-safe (or perhaps a Nexus-7 model without a preset lifespan). Initially, she doesn't know that she is a replicant because Eldon Tyrell implanted her with real memories from his niece.

Even more striking is the possibility that Deckard, despite being played as a human by Ford, is also a replicant. Much like the engineers tell Deckard about Rachel's unshared memories (Deckard recounts these memories to Rachel as evidence she is a replicant), police officer Gaff (Edward James Olmos) leaves an origami unicorn that alludes to a connection between what Gaff knows and Deckard's dreams. A unicorn is also seen in the toy-filled apartment of brain designer J.F. Sebastian.

What makes this especially compelling is that Scott has said he wanted to imply that Deckard was a Nexus-7 replicant, without giving audiences a definitive answer. But Ford never played him as a replicant, which makes it all the more convincing that he does not know. In the book, even more emphasis is also placed on Deckard's somewhat limited capacity for empathy.

In the original story the film is loosely based on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick, Deckard encounters bounty hunters and police officers who are replicants. The question becomes, especially for replicants who do not know they are replicants, whether or not being human matters.

The legacy of Scott as the definitive master of science fiction film. 

Although Scott has directed and produced scores of great films, it was his decision to follow his underrated film The Duellists (1977) with Alien after seeing Star Wars that made his career. Ironically, although he saw real potential in large-scale effects-driven films, he always avoided animation and other CGI effects — shooting everything real when it could be shot real.

The result of this on his best work has always ensured a timeless quality. Nothing ever feels dated in Blade Runner with the one exception of its stated 2019 date. Recast today, it could easily fit a possible future for 2039. His original science fiction film, Alien (and the only one he directed), felt the same way.

His newest original film (as an indirect prequel/sequel to Alien and the only other Alien film directed by him), Prometheus, promises to deliver an equally compelling glimpse into the future. It will be released in June 2012, which is the same month that the retrofitted Blade Runner film was released 30 years ago.

Blade Runner By Ridley Scott Scores 9.9 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale. 

Blade Runner was a remarkable film in that it brought together the emerging talents of Scott, Ford (who was looking for a dramatic follow up to Star Wars), and Dick. Although Dick would never see the final work, he did work with David Peoples to rewrite Hampton Fancher's script until everyone was satisfied with it. He also saw some of the preliminary special effects that would help immortalize it.

Blade Runner (The Final Cut) is available on iTunes as is the hastily-made and misrepresented Blade Runner (The Director's Cut). Beyond these, Barnes & Noble has the 4-Disc Special Edition, which includes the Final Cut along with complete archival editions of 1982 U.S. and international versions (and the director's cut). Amazon carries these editions, and a special release Blade Runner (Five-Disc Complete Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray].

There is some confusion about which Blade Runner version is the best, especially because the film itself had seven installments. In our opinion, the Final Cut, which is the only version Scott had complete control over in the final product, is the best. Like the director's cut (which also removes Deckard's narration and a more hopeful epilogue), a few people prefer the theatrical cut, because it lends to the detective noir quality. Neither Ford nor Scott wanted narration in the film.

The original source material, Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?, can be found on iBooks. The book is also available on Amazon and it can be found at Barnes & Noble. It's not Blade Runner, but a different and more complex story (that presents an inversion of Blade Runner) in that Dick adds programable moods that humans can buy, which further blurs the lines between human and android.

Gary Clark Jr. Shines Bright In Austin

At 27, one might think guitarist Gary Clark Jr. is an upstart, another young and promising entrant into the blues scene. But Clark has been quietly paying his dues at home in Austin for more than a decade.

He was just 17 when Austin Mayor Kirk Watson declared May 3, 2001, Gary Clark Jr. Day for his role in helping to make Austin the live music capital of the world. The mayor isn't his only admirer; so are Jimmie Vaughan, Ron Wood and Eric Clapton.

The latter even helped put his career in the spotlight. Clapton gave Clark the opportunity of a lifetime to play at the Crossroads Festival. And his performance prompted Warner Brothers to sign him.

The Bright Lights, his 4-track EP, is only a taste of things to come. The full length is slated for spring.

While working on his major label debut, due out this spring, Clark cut four tracks as an introduction. The Bright Lights EP is a lively blend of old fashioned blues, soul, and classic rock. It includes two studio cuts, Bright Lights and Don’t Owe You A Thang; and two live solo acoustic tracks, Things Are Changin’ and When My Train Pulls In.

Clark's work on these tracks is cause to mention him in the same sentence as Jimi Hendrix, Richard Thompson, and Jack White. Clark is intense and captivating to watch. Oh, and he can sing too.

Don’t Owe You A Thang is an up tempo slice of Southern blues boogie. Things Are Changin’ is surprisingly delicate and soulful, punctuated with snazzy, jazzy fretwork. Bright Lights, from which the EP takes its name, blends cool vocals with hot guitar. And when My Train Pulls in is eight minutes of unadulterated virtuosity. Hear it for yourself, one of the few clips stripped down to nothing but Clark.




It’s odd that a blues artist, especially one who until late had been relatively unknown, would attract the interest of the mainstream music media. But this time out, it was Rolling Stone’s feature review that propelled the EP to the top of the blues chart. It also landed on the top 200 pop chart.

The earliest beginnings of Gary Clark Jr., a name you'll get to know.

Clark took an interest in music at the age of 12 when he received a guitar for Christmas. Determined to learn how to play, he borrowed instructional books from the library and augmented this with clips from Austin City Limits that he recorded on VHS tapes.

Eventually, Clark played clubs throughout Austin and met Clifford Antone, owner of the music club staple Antone’s, who gave him the opportunity to perform. He didn't perform with just anyone, but with some of the most influential names in the city's music scene.

Locally, Clark is household name. He received the Austin Music Award for Best Blues and Electric Guitarist three times, and also managed to self-produce two albums and score the film Full Count. Go and rent the 2007 film Honeydripper, and you’ll even see Clark playing (no surprise) a bluesman, along with Danny Glover and Stacy Keach.

Pretty cool, especially because Clark has retained his personality. He's laid back, even understated, as if he doesn't know how great he is. Maybe he doesn't. Even on Late Night with David Letterman, he rules.




The song is perfect, especially the lyrics. There is little doubt we will know his name.

The Bright Lights EP by Gary Clark Jr. Smolders At 9.4 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale.


If the EP is any indication of what is on the full length, then Clark and his Epiphone Casino guitar have a real shot at legendary status. While he continues work on the album, Clark is still playing a few dates here and there. He’ll be in Seattle, Portland and San Francisco Feb. 13-15 and is slated to appear at the much-anticipated New Orleans Jazz Festival in April. You might save the date.

You can find the 4-track Bright Lights on iTunes. Barnes & Noble has the CD for $1 more. The Bright Lights EP is slightly more on Amazon, unless you download the tracks.

Metallica Goes Beyond Death Magnetic

As the preeminent heavy metal band on the planet with only a handful of challengers, not much can be added to the 30-year legacy of Metallica. But this year is different.

While some people are still divided over the well-conceived but  ill-executed Lulu album with Lou Reed, there is no division over the never-before-heard outtakes from Death Magnetic. The four songs that make up the new 29-minute Beyond Magnetic EP drown out months of ardent defensiveness and lighthearted aloofness over Lulu.

Instead, all anyone can hear now is the unrelenting rolling buzz of four rough mixes originally produced for Death Magnetic. They were introduced at a pace of one song per day over four days at the San Francisco Fillmore as Metallica celebrated their continuing epic run with their most ardent fans. And those who did not attend found the EP in their e-mail. Happy holidays. 

Beyond Magnetic is a reminder why metal means Metallica. 

The EP soared to number one on the same day of its release for a reason. The opener, Hate Train, bulldozes into aggressive old school trash metal that makes everyone wonder why they locked it up in the vault. Much like the lyrics tell it, the song thunders aimlessly through your head with great riffs and mind-bending solos that aren't as fast as speed metal but still separate the wheat from the chaff. 

Originally called Shine, Just A Bullet Away conjures memories of And Justice For All as a mid-tempo thrasher with a clean bridge. The brilliance is in the melodic solo in the middle of the song. Most fans are saying that they wished it was on Death Magnetic, even though the song was likely cut because it sounded too much like a throwback to earlier times.

The lyrics in Just A Bullet Away are well thought out and timed perfectly. The instrumentals are sold, with subtleties throughout. If any of the four songs on the EP can be called full-package Metallica, it's this one with James Hetfield picking up lead guitar.

"We're pretty excited to be bringing these songs back to life after nearly four years after they were recorded. Once again, this is the unpolished version of the song ... the original rough mix from March of 2008 in its rawest, untouched form." 

The third song, Hell And Back, originally called To Hell And Back, was one the hardest tracks to find anywhere on the Internet. Expect a clean riff at the open before the song tumbles along, with some beautiful accents brought in by Lars Ulrich and Robert Trujillo. And after a cue from Hetfield, Kirk Hammett brings in a barrage of notes to help finish it.

The last track, Rebel of Babylon, opens like it might be a swooning metal ballad. The opening is only a warmup as it breaks back into thrash. The song has plenty packed into it: builds, duels, and breakdowns. It's one of my favorites on the EP, proving that Metallica is more than ready to climb back into the trenches of the recording studio and write something without being confined to Reed's backup band.

Although the tracks are rough and raw (which means better Metallica by my standards) and nearly four year old, the EP helps remind people why Hatfield responding to Ulrich's newspaper advertisement was a historic moment in music history. Of course, I'm biased having listened to their music since the beginning and through all the changes (including the Dave Mustaine shakeup). Beyond Magnetic is a classic mesh of both old tricks and evolution.

Metallica's Beyond Magnetic Points North At 7.2 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale. 

Metallica generally has three kinds of fans. Those that like to pretend they "liked them back when...", those that only turned out for the Black Album, and those that have been with them from day one. I'm happy to be part of the latter crowd (just not so smitten to sing the praises of Lulu, which is why we skipped it for review).

That said, if what the band has been working on since earlier this year comes close to the material released on this EP, then their next album will ensure they will continue to play out with a bang and not a whimper. All four tracks are well worth the download. It's 30 minutes of Metallica.

Beyond Magnetic was released on iTunes. If you missed Death Magnetic when it was released in 2008, you can find the album on Amazon, the vinyl at Barnes & Noble, and download on iTunes. 

Supernatural All Set For Lucky Seven

Last year, there was plenty of talk that the Season Six of the television series Supernatural would be the last. The speculation was spurred by the departure of creator Eric Kripke, who regulated himself to the role of a hands-on executive producer.

He dropped off as the principal show runner after five seasons where he'd created a uniquely detailed three-season plan (expanded to five). Once the extended story was over, he felt it was over.

In his place, executive producer and screenwriter Sera Gamble took the helm. Although known as a hardworking writer who worked her way up from a Season One story editor, some people had doubts. It wasn't because of Gamble per se (once best known as a screenwriter finalist on HBO's Project Greenlight). Fans were concerned with the loss of Kripke.

Why the sixth season almost didn't have the spark.

Questioning the fate of Supernatural didn't end with the opening of Season Six. It only began, with some fans convinced that everyone was just going through the motions of a final season.

Specifically, many complained Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) and his brother Sam (Jared Padalecki) lacked the usual character depth and the strained camaraderie between the two brothers was inexplicably lost. The team behind the scenes took the comments seriously, even though all of them hoped that their impassioned viewership would remain patient.


Those who stuck it out for Season Six eventually felt redeemed. The flatness from Padalecki was nothing more than a plot mechanism. The reason he seemed soulless in the first few episodes was only because Sam Winchester lacked a soul.

The story of two reluctant heroes for all humankind.

Although some people have successfully jumped into the series to become hooked midstream, Supernatural is best watched from Season One forward. The first season sets significant groundwork between Dean, the brother who followed in his father's footsteps as a monster hunter, and Sam, the younger brother who tried to escape from it all.

At its core, Supernatural is a buddy series, driven by Ackles as an adventurous family honor-bound, leather jacket-clad loner who appreciates vintage rock and classic cars, notably his 1967 Chevy Impala. And along with him is Padalecki, providing a contrast as Sam, whose naivety and conscience makes him lean more geek cool than classic. He's the nice guy (mostly).

The early years before the never-ending epic arcs.

Most of the early shows are standalone hunts, with one just-below-the-surface story arc: The boys are looking for their father who has gone missing after Sam's girlfriend suffers the same fate as the brothers' mother some years ago.

Other than that, most of the early work is clear cut supernatural fun — introduce a monster and then take it down — presented in a format not all that different than early X-Files. However, the meat and potatoes problem-solution storyline isn't the only reason to start with Season One.

With each successive season, story arcs become increasingly dominant until the show turns into a full-fledged epic struggle between evil and good, with the omnipotent good often cast as corrupt righteousness. It's standard fare for fans, but hardly digestible as an introduction, even if there are some standalone stories dropped in from time to time.

Suffice to say it takes some time to appreciate the story arcs and later gag episodes that gave the producers, creators, writers, and actors an opportunity to flex their comedic muscle. In this case, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, which even includes sites like Hell Hound's Lair and Ghost Facers for starters. (The latter even became its own 10-episode series.)

Besides, the storytelling as Kripke intended it leaves plenty to look forward to. Later seasons incorporate two accidental regulars. The first was originally created out of a one-time gig for Jim Beaver to play Robert "Bobby" Singer, a rough but warmhearted working class man who assumes a father figure role for the brothers.

The second is the angel Castiel played by Misha Collins as an ultimate fish out of water force, figuratively and literally. Although rumors insist Castiel will not be a regular in Season Seven, it's hard to imagine given his recent acquisition of power. Season Six closed with the age old question: if power corrupts, does absolute power corrupt absolutely? Maybe so.

Supernatural Spooks Up An 8.9 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale.

Although a flagship series on The CW, Supernatural remains largely underrated against the backdrop of network series. The binds that keep it firmly in place are passionate fans and an army of digital viewers. While the show occasionally overdoes it on cliches and typecasts, most people appreciate the campy meanderings aren't self-indulgent cleverness as much as poking fun at its own genre.

Overall, Supernatural really is the best sustainable series with a supernatural twist to come along since the X-Files, even when it occasionally gets bogged down by big stories and navel gazing. The best time to give it a try is this summer, with Supernatural, Season One on iTunes. You can also find Supernatural: The Complete First Season on Amazon, and Barnes & Noble has a special Season 1 and 2 set in a widescreen format.

Especially for Supernatural fans, the Supernatural: The Anime Series produced in Japan will be out in July. Padalecki voices Sam but Andrew Farrar takes over for Dean. And if you cannot get enough of Supernatural, there are always comics to explore.

Time For Lykke Li's Wounded Rhymes

In November, it was hard not to give a nod to Li Lykke Timotej Zachrisson a.k.a. Lykke Li with what appeared to be a shift from pop and electronic to a smokier alternative sound. The snarling and exciting single Get Some hinted as much.

But this isn't always the case with her new album, Wounded Rhymes. It has its moments across the 10-track album (and bonus track), some of them better than others. Yet, in between the hits there are misses for her evolving fan base.

The very best of the album showcases those occasions when Lykke Li finds her passion inside every note. When that happens, you immediately become lost in her voice and everything that surrounds it.

The addictive quality comes across at its peak in two variable speeds — broodingly thoughtful isolation and aggressively unrestrained firestorms.

Wounded Rhymes works best at its extremes.

Wounded Rhymes is still a significant departure from Youth Novels, with her voice significantly more mature than four years ago. Comparing the two albums side by side, she could be a different singer outside of the backing arrangements.

While dramatically fuller than some of the minimalist cuts in her debut, I Follow Rivers, Rich Kids Blues, and Jerome still provide a bit of a bridge between the two. Yet, it's these songs that do not fully represent where Lykke Li sounds her best. Six songs do.

Youth Knows No Pain and Get Some are the brilliant up tempo tracks while Love Out Of Lust, Unrequited Love, I Know Places, and the bonus track Made You Move carry riveting down tempo broodiness much like the B-side Paris Blue did off the single. All four of these emotional songs are different, but each captures the same rawness we heard last year in Stockholm with the performance of her song Possibly. Did you miss it? Here it is.


I was hoping Possibility would make the cut as another bonus track for Wounded Rhymes. Instead, and in addition to Made You Move, the deluxe version includes a tribalized video of Get Some, which rocks, and an untitled art video with an extended opening of Lykke Li chained to a small patch of a duo-tone island and there is not a stitch of singing.

Don't purchase the video on its own. It mostly defines the contrast between abandonment and anger elsewhere in the album. If you do want to purchase a video, Get Some (with knives) is the right choice. It literally makes her a native. Of course, purchase the album and you get it all anyway. This one rides the fence between individual tracks and a total ticket.

Lykke Li's Get Some And Paris Blue Rip An 7.8 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale.

While the single slightly scored higher on its own last November and there is no denying many songs are timeless, there are a few tracks that skirt that middle ground. Along with that, Sadness Is Blessing is a throwaway from the opening note. It has the right lyrics and wrong presentation, with her voice surprisingly strained at times. I had to delete it.

The rest I'll keep, especially those that are remarkable and will give anyone more than enough cause to look up Wounded Rhymes by Lykke Li on iTunes. You can also find Wounded Rhymes on Amazon or Barnes & Noble, where there will be a vinyl edition for the album. The added warmth will be worthwhile.

It Happened Today With R.E.M.

Formed in 1980, R.E.M. has always been considered one of the first and most formidable alternative rock bands. They've produced just more than three decades of music together, with their newest album, Collapse Into Now, due out in March.

R.E.M. kicked off the new album with a title track single featuring Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder. It's not the first time Vedder has joined the three remaining members of R.E.M. Vedder has joined them on stage during live performances several times over the years.

It Happened Today strikes the right chords for 2011.

The opening of the song is defeatist, with Michael Stipe (vocals) singing "this is not a parable, this is a terrible" against the backdrop of an acoustic guitar and restrained percussion. Vedder also lends a vocal contribution toward the conclusion.

The song, however, is not defeatist as sone early reviews suggested after latching on to the first three lines. R.E.M. turns the tables on the defeat by declaring such happenings as those moments when we can stand up and make the choice to make things better.

With the worst already behind us, it makes any future accomplishments all the more remarkable and memorable. Stipe is right. We earn something after tragedies, setbacks, and terrible things. R.E.M. would know. The band and its members are no strangers to personal trials.

Triumph after tragedy sets the tone for right now.

The accidental meeting of Stipe and Peter Buck (guitar) while working in a record store, and their subsequent pairing with Mike Mills (bass) and Bill Berry (drums) led to a redefinition of post-punk into alternative rock. Together, they toured in an old blue blue van, living on nothing more than a food allowance of $2 per day until finally producing the independent Radio Free Europe.

They did everything no one expected, turning down RCA in favor of I.R.S. in 1982. But any of those tests were nothing compared to losing Berry, who was forced to retire after the stress of touring began to wear on him, which became apparent after he suffered a brain aneurysm and collapsed on stage.

While Berry has made special appearances and recordings with R.E.M. on occasion, he remains steadfast to his decision to retire. Although the band was admittedly lost without him for nearly a decade, they eventually recovered and toured (for the first time since Monster) in 2005. In 2007, they were nominated for inclusion into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, with the induction by Vedder.

For the upcoming album on March 8, R.E.M. has tapped many talents. Along with Vedder, guests include Joel Gibb, Lenny Kaye, Peaches, and Patti Smith. The band released a teaser compilation on YouTube in anticipation of their first album since Accelerate.


The album is produced by Jacknife Lee, who also produced Accelerate, under the Warner Bros. label. R.E.M. originally invited Lee to work with them after being urged by The Edge (U2). His influences have been felt, especially in preventing Stipe from over thinking the work.

It Happened Today by R.E.M. Hits With A 9.2 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale.

The single fits easily among their best work since Monster. Stipe's underscoring vocals, Buck's arpeggiated guitar, and multi-talented composer Mills' bass will likely reintroduce another generation to a genre that remains untapped.

In March, the album to look for is the Deluxe version, which also includes three live studio sessions of Discoverer, Oh My Heart, and Alligator Aviator Autopilot along with twelve songs that range from laments to epics. Collapse Into Now will be released on iTunes, and you can purchase It Happened Today as an independent track off the album. You can also visit their website and download Discoverer for free.

Avenged Sevenfold Adds 4:00 AM As A Final Nightmare

Anyone looking for an epilogue in the brilliant Avenged Sevenfold (A7X) Nightmare saga, look no further than the single 4:00 AM that was released as part of a deluxe three-song digital single on iTunes.

The previously unreleased b-side, recorded with drummer Mike Portnoy, is as compelling as anything recorded on Nightmare. Warner Brothers bills it as the last Nightmare song.

The name of the new, previously unreleased single, 4:00 AM, likely alludes to the hour that the band finished the Nightmare album. Shortly after finishing, Vengeance had posted: "Tracking is complete. There are no words that will ever describe the feeling of listening to this album while driving home alone at 4:00 AM." The lyrics express how once we finally find the words, there's no one left to tell.

4:00 AM Is A Song That Reflects On Those We Leave Behind.

The song provides another nod to the late James "The Rev" Sullivan and a fitting way to conclude the relationship forged with the masterful Portnoy. Sullivan had credited Portnoy as an influence.

"For the past few months, we've been blessed with Mike Portnoy's talent and humanity. When Mike agreed to tour with us, it was only through the end of 2010," reads the A7X Dec. 17 message. "We always knew we'd need to find another solution for 2011 and beyond. And it's time for us to take that next step."

Beginning with the Nightmare After Christmas tour, A7X will introduce a new drummer to A7X fans without calling him a member until the family and fans feel it to be a fit. If it is a fit, he will be added to the roster that currently includes Matt "M. Shadows" Sanders (vocals), Zacky Vengeance (rhythm guitar), Synyster Gates (lead guitar), and Johnny Christ (bass).

The Rest Of The A7X Deluxe Offering On iTunes.

The deluxe Welcome To The Family single also includes Welcome To The Family (a song originated by Sullivan) from the Nightmare album and a live cut of Seize The Day, recorded in Seattle. It is from their third album, City of Evil. Here's the long version of the song, live, from the LBC archives. The Seattle version is equally strong, if not stronger.


"It's about taking the people you love and holding them close," Shadows said about the song then. "You make some mistakes in life and that can all be taken away from you in two minutes, so you have to think twice about your actions."

4:00 AM By Avenged Sevenfold 9.8 Completes On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale.

Purchasing the complete single comes with 30 photos of the band shot by photographer Greg Watermann during their 2010 co-headlining stint at the UPROAR Festival. The photos are highly stylized, with heavy graphic borders, most set two to a page. Curiously, while Portnoy's drums can be seen in some backgrounds, there are no clear shots of him.

The Welcome To The Family - Deluxe Single is only available on iTunes. For Nightmare After Christmas tour dates, visit Avenged Sevenfold. The first concert is scheduled for Jan. 20 in Reading, Pa.