Inflatable Ferret - Volume II, Issue 8 by Inflatable Ferret

vol. 2 september 2010

no.8 anniversary issue Inside » » » »

IF's Top 25 Songs Since its Inception Plus: An interview with bluesman Andre Ethier Reviews: Superchunk, Machete, and more 80 Minutes of Fruit Music

IF STAFF Editor-in-Chief James Passarelli Layout Kathryn Freund Featured Writers Conor Berigan Taylor Catalana James Passarelli Quintin Slovek Matt Sueper Ryan Waring Web Design Greg Ervanian Rob Schellenberg Contributions Ainsley Thedinger ÂŠ Copyright 2010 Inflatable Ferret

contact us Tom Kutilek: tom@inflatableferret.com Hans Larsen: hans@inflatableferret.com James Passarelli: james@inflatableferret.com Ryan Waring: ryan@inflatableferret.com General Inquiries: info@inflatableferret.com Check us out online at: inflatableferret.com. Become a fan on Facebook or follow us on twitter at: twitter.com/inflatablef. We gladly welcome any criticism or suggestions. If you have any ideas for the magazine, or if you would like to be a part of it, please contact us at: info@inflatableferret.com. Keep your eyes peeled for daily news/updates on the website!

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contents

VOLUME 2

no. 8

e u s s i y r a s r e anniv

Âť pg. 15

pg. 3Âť

IF Anniversary The IF staff picks the top 25 songs since its birth a year ago.

Reviews Read reviews for Superchunk, Machete, and more.

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Interview James Passarelli talks Torontoan musician/painter Andre Ethier.

Playlist 80 Minutes of Fruit Music to keep you healthy, wealthy, and wise.

THEY SAY IT'S YOUR

BIRTHDAY IF's Top 25 Songs Since its Inception

We probably would be lying if we told you that when we awe never imagined we would have lasted this long. We never would have started had we expected it to be a short stint. Still, we’re quite excited to be able to celebrate our first anniversary. And in honor of an excellent year passed, we decided to come up with our favorite twenty-five songs that have been released since the day we first published (September 9th, 2009 for those of you keeping track, which means “Empire State of Mind” is one day too early). It was tough to whittle it down to twenty-five, and we’re proud of all the artists out there who continue to disprove proclamations that music is dead. Because when music dies, we die. And we don’t expect that to happen anytime soon.

words by james passarelli ryan waring & taylor catalana

anniversary top 25

the Books

Cold and Freezin Night One can only describe this mangled, hyperactive, far-flung toe-tapper as the successful fusion of the discomforting hilarity of Wondershowzen meeting the swaggering bass of Yello’s “Oh Yeah.” “A Cold Freezin’ Night” is truly a head scratching, yet undeniably infectious track. RW

Spoon

The Mystery Zone The bass-led track always seems to be each Spoon release’s best. Transference sticks with the trend. Rob Pope’s groovy, snaking, unpredictable bass line really dictates an aptly-titled spookfest. That ending isn’t so much abrupt because it cuts Britt Daniel off midsentence, it’s because it stops you mid-step. RW

22 Laura Marling 21 Devil's Spoke

In a world of Ke$has, Mileys, and Gagas, British chanteuse Laura Marling operates like an old school oracle. “Devil’s Spoke”, off of her second album, is part primal chant, part epic anthem. Every beat offers sex, sin, and the sultry enchantment of her voice. TC

Alberta Cross Rise from the Shadows It’s been almost a year since the Brooklyn newcomers released their neo-classic debut album Broken Side of Time. Regardless, none of the ten songs has lost its luster. Petter Ericson Stakee’s undulating “ooh”s and Terry Wolfers’ sludgy bass line immortalize this one in particular. “Rise from the Shadows” is soul personified. JP

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23 The New Pornographers Crash Years

Brilliantly synchronized bass drum and violin, a steady strumming acoustic guitar, and Neko Case’s transcendental voice make “Crash Years” exceptional. Add some dreadfully catchy end-of-the-chorus whistling, and you’ve got the best pure indie pop song of the year. JP

20 Beach House Zebra

The staccato guitar intro evokes the prance of that “black and white horse arching among us.” I can close my eyes and see a zebra strutting so regally across rolling fields. It seems out of place now, but when Victoria Legrand hits that chorus, that dreamy gloss makes it feel so proper. RW

anniversary top 25

Dawes

When My Time Comes It didn’t take long for the LA newcomers to find out their signature song, and it’s easy to see why Dawes fans go wild for it. The guitar hook is simple but exhilarating, smooth but inspiring. And after the drum roll, we’re left to hold our breath until the band kicks in with the anthemic, “When my time comes…oooooh!” If you close your eyes you can see a sold-out stadium uttering every word with them. JP

17 Memory Tapes Green Knight

Listening to - nay, experiencing Dayve Hawk’s chef-d’oeuvre, I constantly question where I am as the protean beat-maker inundates us with the product of his most devious undertaking. The spacey synth, not fully intelligible lyrics, spunky guitar licks, and the surprisingly musical sample of a gymnasium floor that create a world both familiar and extraterrestrial. JP

16 Bear in Heaven 15

Janelle Monae If one woman can single-handedly save pop music from the deplorable state in which it now rests, it has to be Janelle Monáe. If there’s one song, it’s “Tightrope.” If you can make it past her outlandish ensembles, petrifying dance moves, and those spectacular oceans she calls her eyeballs, you’ll find R&B’s most refreshing and innovative mind, with a hell of a voice to boot. JP

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The Kings of Crazy made sure no one forgot about them with epic efforts like this one. That slow, pulsating Lips guitar splatters over you with all the force and stickiness of the amniotic fluid its album title calls to mind. Then comes the climactic assault, bludgeoning the ears with sounds they were surely not meant to hear, before Wayne Coyne softly sings you to sleep. JP

Lust for Life

Tightrope

The Ego's Last Stand

14 girls

You Do You

“Lovesick Teenagers” might be the fan favorite amongst a fine ten-song collection of John Philpot’s high vocals and oceans of synth. But turn back one track, and you’ll hear Bear in Heaven’s heaviest, most lusciously intense composition to date. JP

Flaming Lips

From a man searching for his comfort zone to another man desperately willing to latch onto anything that provides comfort, Christopher Owens’ catalogue of wishes underscores the regret that’s defined his life. Its simple hook and vintage sound further that longing to go back to a simpler time and fix a few mistakes. RW

anniversary top 25

13 LCD soundsystem

11 Mountain Goats Psalms 40:2

Pow Pow

While most Best Songs lists are more likely to select “Drunk Girls,” and deservedly so, we at the Ferret preferred James Murphy’s tribally-rhythmic 8:25 sprawl of self-consciousness on “Pow Pow.” Murphy is nothing short of brilliant as he futilely searches for a comfort zone amid a whirlpool of funkdriven sound. RW

Delorean Grow

It begins with an auspicious “maybe” from some distorted sample of a woman’s voice. As the airy synth and Balaeric beats kick in and our narrator reflects back on love lost, his laundry list of questions heightens the doubt. But as “Grow” does exactly as its title suggests, it climaxes gloriously and with unwavering confidence. RW

10 Local Natives

Sun Hands

It’d be unfair to the eleven other songs on Local Natives’ debut album Gorilla Manor to dub “Sun Hands” the standout track, but it certainly contains all the elements that make the album such a success. Rich, soaring harmonies, supple lead guitar, vigorous percussion, and explosive volatility combine here to comprise the backbone of Local Natives’ unique sound. RW

09 the Dead Weather

I Can't Hear You

Viscid bass and harsh tambourine fight for attention, before the menacing rhythym guitar puts the question to rest. Next up, Alison Mosshart’s seductive, nicotinic voice, and, most notably, the razor-sharp, metallic lead guitar riffs. It’s hard to tell which band member is at work on which instrument, but that only adds to the fun of the wonderfully layered blues symphony. JP

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One of the few Mountain Goats songs that gives way to Jon Wurster’s drums and Peter Hughes’ bass, “Psalms 40:2” might be the Mountain Goats’ most powerful track since Tallahassee’s “See America Right.” The furiously imaginative John Darnielle is always serious, but never too serious for a clever quip, like “feel bad about the things we do along the way, but not really that bad.” JP

Titus Andronicus A More Perfect Union

If you live in the non-New Jersey United States, you probably have a negative disposition towards the Garden State. Allow me to play you this song and hear your thoughts afterwards. Like it or not, Titus Andronicus have been thrust into the position of modern day New Jersey spokesmen. They do a fine job with this stirring punk anthem, filled with both state and national patriotism. If these guys (and gal) had a little less integrity, I might urge them to run for office. JP

anniversary top 25

07 Freddie Gibbs

National Anthem (Fuck the World)

A couple weeks before Cee-lo’s virally released his hit single, “Fuck You!”, the Gary native Gibbs dropped the Str8 Killa EP. On it was this bold track that makes “Fuck You!” sound like it came off a Raffi record. But like Cee-lo’s feel-good single, it’s not the presence of F-bombs that makes “National Anthem” gratifying. It’s the song’s sheer quality, both musically and lyrically. The intelligent Gibbs flows effortlessly, telling the moving story of his life in the ghetto and a newfound confidence as he ventures into the independent rap game. JP

The Tallest Man on Earth Love is All

When Kristian Mattson came out with 2008’s Shallow Grave, it seemed unlikely that any future songs would live up to that precedent. Alas, life is just full of surprises. “Love is All” is bursting with imagery that makes us wish we could enter Mattson’s mind, if just for a moment; our only access, however, is through his grainy trill. Songwriting, it seems here, is a river that the Tallest Man “walks upon, like it’s easier than land.” Mattson could not have created a more lovely and understated ballad. But just watch him prove me wrong. JP

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Wolf Parade

What Did My Lover Say? There are plenty of bands that emulate Wolf Parade, and there are plenty of bands that share their indie glam-rock genre. But Wolf Parade’s style belongs to only one band, and that’s possibly more evident on this track than any other. Spencer Krug’s unmistakable breathy vocals shine, as fuzzy guitars, soaring backup synthesizers, and consistent offbeat high-hats make up a superbly danceable landscape that reminds us why everyone is naming his band after animals these days. JP

Big Boi Shutterbugg

It ain’t bragging if it’s true. Luscious Left Foot’s truly got his best foot forward here. Big Boi’s 2010 dance party staple contains more bravado than a Ford F-150 commercial. When a man has the audacity to inform you he’s “shittin’ on niggas and pee-ing on the seat” you obey when he tells you to cut that rug. As if Daddy Fat Sax’s lyrical prowess weren’t enough convincing, the shimmering keys, thumping bass, and earthshaking voice box can turn any wallflower into a budding dance floor sensation. This song just screams charisma. RW

anniversary top 25

Caribou Odessa

Too reserved for a discothèque dance floor, but way too intricate for a single serving, “Odessa” is in a league of its own. No song of the past year wallops you as quickly AND maintains that overwhelming force for its entirety. From the first second of the first listen to the closing seconds of your 100th, your head will spin searching for the answer to the question that you’ll never satisfy. “What are these sounds I hear?” The belches and clangs of that rhythm section, the Amazonian squawks. Is it wrong that I prefer my imagination’s wildest explanations to learning Daniel Snaith’s actual method of production? Maybe ignorance is bliss. RW

02 the Arcade Fire The Suburbs

The title track kicks off Arcade Fire’s 2010 release with a crash of the cymbals that sounds more like a splash into a pool. As you immerse yourself in the loping piano melody that follows you can almost feel any and all tension ease as you sink down to the bottom. And it’s a fitting sensation for this song. Butler’s lyrics evoke the carefree release of childhood memories, times with little responsibility, and few burdens. There’s an intense longing for those days. No song on this list carries the weight that this track does when the piano freezes and the bass plucks seize the melody as Butler pines for a daughter. Hell, it almost makes me feel the same way, and I’m only 20! RW

Ariel Pink

Round and Round It’s nearly impossible to describe the 2010 indie music scene without referring the genre that must not be named. Indeed too many up and coming artists in this calendrical year have been shoehorned into that ambiguous “chillwave” subcategory. I shudder at its mention. The blogosphere largely accredits the swell of lo-fi and sampling to Ariel Pink, and if that’s the case, I have serious qualms with this selection. But whereas other acts seem to resort to these tactics to compensate for something lacking in their repertoire, Ariel Pink’s production creates an authentically vintage sound unlike any of his contemporaries. Before Today is the perfect soundtrack for a Mystery Machine dance party. It screams hey-day Hanna-Barbera and late 70s Hollywood. “Round and Round” is the zenith of the album, both musically and as a zeitgeist. That groovy base line, the dreamy keys, and above all, the breathtaking harmony of its chorus, make “Round and Round” the only candidate for this spot. RW

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music reviews

Megafaun Heretofore (Hometapes)

For a folk band, Megafaun’s sound is hard to pin down. Its shape-shifting, progressive qualities combine with traditional instruments and folk values for a peculiar and tasteful slurry. It can be traced back to the band’s days playing with Justin Vernon in the band DeYarmond Edison. Both Vernon and Megafaun have amassed a hefty share of critical acclaim since parting ways, Vernon namely for his album and change as Bon Iver (not to mention his recent collaboration with Kanye West) and Megafaun for their spectacular second album, Gather, Form & Fly. After positive reviews for the album across the board, one might expect Megafaun’s third album build off their strange sounds and create something even farther outside of the folk realm (think Flaming Lips meet outer space). The band instead

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took the safer route. Heretofore is not unlike Gather, Form & Fly; one might even think of the new album as six B-side tracks strewn together. Perhaps Megafaun went with the good ol’ fashioned “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” mentality in creating their third album. A more likely theory is that Megafaun is toning down their sound or at least making it sound more orthodox (there are significantly less weather sound effects in this album). The key tracks on Heretofore are the title track and single “Volunteers”, reminiscent of two key tracks, “Kauffman’s Ballad” and “The Fade”, from Gather, Form & Fly. Don’t get the wrong idea, though. “Heretofore” is spellbinding, and a fair warning: “Volunteers” will induce swooning. “Heretofore,” the leadoff track, begins with expected slow guitar picking and vocal harmonies. It goes on overlaying oddly appeasing electronic beeps, and in the middle of the song all structure crashes down (classic Megafaun), and white noise and other audio samples are inserted only to have Brad and Phil Cook’s sweet voices rescue us to send us on to the second track. “Volunteers” is a much more traditional folk song. This song is just a plain and simple single: simple chord progressions, accent banjo picking, and one damn catchy chorus. It’s the type of song that’ll have you singing the chorus randomly

for a week afterwards. “Carolina Days” is another strong track on this mini-album, though it’s nothing to put on repeat. The experimental sound for which Megafaun is known shines through on the danceable track, “Eagle”, and it radiates from the instrumental track, “Comprovisation for Connor Pass.” The twelve and a half minute marathon of a song takes some patient ears or a clear intent to nap. The album ends on “Bonnie’s Song”, a pleasant track featuring bongo drums and ghostly violins. It shows Megafaun’s full repertoire with traditional banjo picking and beautiful harmonies, oddball instruments and pacing violins. All six songs are good, but perhaps “album” (or even “mini-album”) is the wrong label. I can’t help but feel a little unsatisfied with a sixsong album; without any groundbreaking improvement, it’s hard not to think of Heretofore as an EP, but a good one at that. - Matt Sueper

music reviews

Chromeo Business Casual (Atlantic)

The Age of Folk is over. That doesn’t mean new and exciting folk music isn’t sprouting up – just not as much of it. The synthesizer is coming up on its 135th birthday, but evolving music technology has made sounds and techniques available that would have been impossible to achieve a decade ago (or at least not nearly as easy to implement). As a musical purist and a skeptic of the unending sub-genres of electronic music, it has taken me a while to accept their prevalence and prominence. Why, then, is one of the bands I have found most refreshing in the last few years the same band that has broken just about every imaginable tie with the stripped-down and the unplugged? Critics have classified Chromeo as “plastic funk,” and it’s the most satisfying band categorization I’ve ever heard. Employing small armies of whizzing synthesizers and using guitar for just about everything it was not originally intended to do, the Canadian duo oozes artificiality. And that’s precisely what I love about them. They take that nauseating electronic sound to such an extreme that the nausea ceases.

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continued The only way I can begin to make sense of it – and I don’t mean to get philosophical on you – is that Chromeo’s music is so intentionally inorganic that it itself becomes a new kind of organic. But before you write me off as some stoned imbecile, just let me get into the specifics (or at least listen to a song or two). Chromeo’s third full-length album, Business Casual, is smooth and crisp (as its title implies), and most importantly balanced. Though Dave 1 (David Macklovitch) assumes the lead role and the exclusively talk-boxing P-Thugg (Patrick Gemayel) in a sense, the sidekick, neither personality dominates. They have a flair for placement and a keen understanding of musical volume (in the spatial, not the sonic sense). It would be ludicrous to describe Chromeo as subtle, but it’s the backseat instrumentals that make their music so engaging. Take, for instance, the creeping rise of the keys in “Night by Night” or the spiraling synth in “The Right Type.” But most of what Chromeo has to offer is too gaudy to miss. Beeps and clashes find unlikely common ground on “I’m Not Contagious.” The swirling string-filled “Don’t Walk Away” is pure disco, featuring a classic funk guitar riff and those standard delayed, offbeat keys. Conspicuous and steady 80’s drums on the lesson-teaching “Grow Up” revive the spirit of 80’s greats like Queen and Michael Jackson as much as the group’s known role models Hall and Oates. And while these may seem like towering comparisons, they might be the only suitable ones, given Chromeo’s boldness. Each song is designed as a singalong (case in point: I knew the chorus to half the songs before even listening to the album, after seeing a live set a month ago). “Don’t turn

the lights on,” sings Macklovitch on “Don’t Turn the Lights On” (go figure). “’Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark.” “Night by Night” takes the chorus cake, though: “She says I’m not romantic/I say she’s too dramatic/I tell her while we’re at it, we can work it night by night.” They’re simple-minded choruses, but surely not crafted by simple minds. The only song that it might be tough to remember the lyrics to is the heartfelt French-sung “J’ai Claqué la Porte” (“I Slammed the Doot”), and they almost always have a charming playful sexuality. Though none of its songs can compete with “Bonafied Lovin’” from 2007’s Fancy Footwork, Business Casual is more consistent and has far more depth, and it keeps the same ebullient spirit throughout. Chromeo is not my favorite band, and they’re not making the greatest music of the decade, or even the year. Still, it’s hard to find flaws in an album that accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do. Critics always presume they know “what the artist is trying to do”, but Chromeo makes it painfully obvious, at least in some respects. They don’t hide their main objective – to make incredible dance songs. The mystery lies in the question to what extent Chromeo’s music reflects parody, and to what extent it reflects obsession of a music era in which ties to actual instruments are growing thinner. Either way, Business Casual is refreshing in that it is an album you can judge purely on the way it makes you feel. If you can’t stand dancing and you’re not into having fun, perhaps business formal is more your taste. Otherwise, I can’t see how you couldn’t fall in love with Chromeo and their latest product. - James Passarelli

music reviews

Superchunk Majesty Shredding (Merge)

On first hearing Superchunk, a brief glimpse from the movie The Goonies came to mind. Chunk doing the truffle shuffle, alongside a clothed superman named Sloth, knife sliding down a hundred-foot mast in pure triumph and exuberance, exemplifying all meaningful memories that I hold dear. Taking that image and comparing it to the DIY attitude and true indie rock spirit of Superchunk still maintains an uncanny parallel. After a nineyear unofficial hiatus, the group have a rejuvenated sound with new textures and layers not seen in past Superchunk albums, but they still remarkably maintain their emblematic persona that made them one of the best bands of the 90’s. Can we all take a minute to mount Falcor, the luckdragon, and strap in with the warm feeling of apple pie settling in our tummies and love that only a bedtime story from Jerry Garcia can provide? Here we stand, about to embark on an epic saga of nostalgia, anxiety, and

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continued heartaches. In Majesty Shredding one can feel the authenticity of the music, and honesty in the words that can only be mustered from genuine experience. The album starts with “Digging for Something” booming with pop power chords, walloping drums from Jon Wurster, John Darnielle’s backing vocals on the chorus, and a wailing guitar solo as forceful as a mother bear protecting her cubs. Coupled with the instrumentalism are the impassioned vocals of Mac McCaughan pining for lost simplicity and digging for the essence of life shrouded in mystery. “My Gap feels Weird” bursts out of the gates gaping, with steady double guitar-enlaced pop brilliance that won’t only make your head bob, but your spine tingle. A song revealing a prideful abstractness and a side to life that is judged but unique, “a song for the kids down on the corner/with a look that tells you/ time and transition is a wave that will put you over.” A change of pace brings us to “Rosemarie,” which is reminiscent of Santo and Johnny’s “Sleepwalk” but blossoms into its own punker version. With a heart-on-sleeve chorus of “good and the bad/ all that we had/take it from me/ take it now, Rosemarie” we find a prodding at the past and a reconciliatory acceptance. As “Slow Drip” comes along we step inside the ashram of face melters that guitar yogis J Mascis and Marc Bolan would gladly pay homage. If McCaughn and Jim Wilbur are not playing this dual guitar solo back to back in triumphant glory, then

the Grinch reigns supreme, and children everywhere will think of Santa as a pedophilic toy dispenser. As Mac McCaughn sings in “Fractures in Plaster”, “as the Past proves tough to resist/and people lose grip on my wrist/won’t you?” Imagery of rolling hills coated in symphonic ecstasy, crescendoing and then fading until there is nothing left but dust and sky, resembles the amalgamate of past and present shaping the unknowing future. Majesty Shredding shines most brightly in “Learned to Surf” with riffs and hooks catchier than FLW fishing champion “River Rat.” This song is a movement, a call to humanity to drop all un-necessities and accessories. With the sweet honeysuckle opening guitar riffs, that speak much louder than words, we’re forced to raise our fists with emphatic passion as brothers and sisters united under the anthem of pure unadulterated freedom. We truly know Ernest Hemingway is smiling somewhere as we try to stop swimming and learn to surf. In the restless search for fulfillment in a fast-paced life of overabundance and complexity, we find solace in the Superchunk’s eleven new tracks. As we deal with the ebb and flow of constant transience where it’s sometimes difficult to connect with others, we find a common thread and connectivity between Superchunk and ourselves, the listeners: a sound transcending form and expectation, helping us to recall the true human spirit. - Conor Berigan

Film reviews

Robert Rodriguez Machete

(Overnight Films / Troublemaker Studios)

For those who caught the 2007 Robert Rodriguez/ Quentin Tarantino double-feature Grindhouse in theaters, it’s hard to ignore Rodriguez’ “fake” trailer Machete as one of the great redeeming factors in what was otherwise a somewhat lifeless experiment in genre homage. The original trailer-form Machete gave viewers terse glimpses of a fake exploitation film filled with explosions, zany political satire and, most memorably, a shotgun-wielding Cheech Marin in a priest’s garb. It was about as over-the-top as a two-minute clip can get, sketching out the story of a Mexican day laborer (and

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secret ex-federale) hired by corrupt political schemers to assassinate a Senator who transforms into a vengeful blade-wielding assassin after being “set up, double-crossed, and left for dead,” by the powers that hired him. For many, this short version of Machete (along with similar trailers by Eli Roth, Rob Zombie, and Edgar Wright) stole the Grindhouse show from the main features Planet Terror and Death Proof, neither of which was Rodriguez’s or Tarantino’s best. It seems only natural that fans would eventually demand a full-length version of Rodriguez’s “Mexploitation” concept, and of course, more of the vengeful Machete slicing and dicing fools like a sushi chef. Lovers of the Rodriguez/Tarantino brand of blood and camp are getting exactly what they asked for – crazy cameos, a plethora of inventive kills, plenty of one-liners, and oodles of nudity thrown in as a gift to his pimply demographic. Most people, though, will be slightly shocked, mildly entertained, and more than a little bored with Machete. It’s an incoherent guilty pleasure at the end of a summer full of duds and disappointments. With his enthusiasm for inventive gore delivery and remarkable ability to cast apparently whomever he wants in whatever role he wants, Robert Rodriguez makes the new, 105-minute Machete hold up to his fans expecta-

tions. For the rest of us, the film may seem more than a bit contrived. The stunt casting (such as Stephen Segal as a villainous Cartel leader) is certainly a foil to distract from the paper-thin plot, but who can help but enjoy seeing the venerable Robert DeNiro in such out-and-out camp, chewing up scenes as a right-wing Texas caricature? The problem is that such an array of cardboard characters (including such flagrant eye-candy casting as Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez and Lindsey Lohan) distracts from an already distracted film. It’s a sprawling mess of character sketches tied together with atrocious dialogue. At least it has a little more wit than The Expendables. What made the trailer so memorable (and what makes the feature tolerable) is seeing Rodriguez finally find good use for his muse, the former San Quentininmate-turned-actor Danny Trejo (Desperado, Spy Kids). Usually typecast in minor roles as some kind of Cartel henchman, here the stoic Trejo shows that he can carry a whole film. Though he does a minimal amount of actual speaking, Trejo’s presence is the apex of badass, captivating enough to make the new fulllength Machete more enthralling than it should be as he slices down henchmen like a hybrid of Charles Bronson and an Apache warrior. continued on pg. 13

Film reviews

continued

With Trejo at the center of the madness, Machete manages to work on a premise that would otherwise coast on fumes. Nevertheless, it overstays its welcome fairly quickly and seems to loose focus as the kills pile up. Watching this much pseudosatirical schlock is distinctly better in small doses, as are Rodriguez’s incredibly obvious political messages. Try as he might, Rodriguez cannot make a gun-slinging Michelle Rodriguez in an eye patch and what is apparently bondage gear an effective standin for Che Guevera. Anyone look-

Mark Romanek Never Let Me Go (Fox Searchlight) Troublemaker Studios)

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ing for smart commentary on immigration issues should certainly look elsewhere. In stretching the film, the premise has somehow lost its irony to the point where it becomes entertainingly (but not entirely purposefully) insipid. Machete does indeed feel like a Grindhouse spin-off in style, but in substance it’s more of an extension of his El Mariachi Trilogy. Take Once Upon a Time in Mexico, season it in 1970s exploitation, give it Planet Terror’s erratic plot and pacing, add a sexed-up Lindsey Lohan (for a few winking

minutes) and mix in some hammer-over-the-head political commentary on immigration issues and voila, you have Machete. Machete fills a very specific, silly niche, and plays to a specific, easily titillated demographic. It is just original enough and viscerally satisfying enough to be something like a Death Wish or Dirty Harry. Awesome to some, and overall fun enough, but a film doomed to the obscurity of latenight reruns on Spike TV.

It’s a bit aggravating when you can’t fully disclose a film’s fairly simple premise without ruining the “twist,” even if it’s the sort of thing that’s revealed well within the first hour. The new drama Never Let Me Go by director Mark Romanek (One Hour Photo) – and based on the acclaimed Kazuo Ishiguro novel of the same name – certainly fits this bill. Though the secret should be familiar enough to fans of contemporary social commentary-type science fiction, and the love triangle aspect is a well-worn plot device, Romanek’s expressive directorial efforts at least make the film seem unique. This may be the first time in recent memory that this kind of dystopia drama has been done so well. Never Let Me Go may be –

for lack of a better term – Sci-Fi Light. Yet this term might be misleading, for the film’s plot causes the audience to feel a constant heaviness. It does have some of the trappings of a seriously good film (and maybe Oscar contender), but it’s somewhat of a joyless experience that may be trying too hard to stick to its source material (in which it is unsuccessful). This film somehow manages to have the atmosphere of both a soap opera and Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery. However, perhaps Romanek should have made more of his material’s mysterious potential and less of its melodrama. As a result, Never Let Me Go is doomed to be one of those “I should have read the book” movies. It’s a gorgeously shot but hard-to-love film. continued on pg. 14

- Quintin Slovek

Film reviews

continued

Only the first half-hour really plays with the sci-fi mystery, otherwise Never Let Me Go consists of a love-triangle wrapped in a fairly simple, but tragic conceit. Three people find themselves fumbling around in love, but there isn’t much time left, due to forces frustratingly beyond their control. I may not be able to give you all the details, but trust me, by the halfway point, Never Let Me Go gets sappy, and in the process it looses its nuance and eeriness. It begins within the secretive English boarding school of Hailsham, a virtual prison filled with exceedingly well-behaved children. From the beginning it’s clear that everything is not as it seems. The kids go about their business – developing crushes and whatnot – amid a lot of understated medical overtones and a few peculiar lectures about fitness from their totalitarian principal. This is the movie at its best; supported by child actors so well cast and expressive it’s almost disappointing when we meet the stars. Romanek manages to wind the story quite tightly immediately before and as the childhood friends Kathy (Carey Mulligan) and Ruth (Keira Knightly) both fall for Tommy, their cute-weirdo classmate played by Andrew Garfield (Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, Red Riding). When Never Let Me Go falls into the more familiar ground of unrequited yearnings and romantic double-crosses, the science fiction element, which is

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otherwise remarkably engaging (even after it’s revealed), becomes a forgotten background to their gushy angst. This is really not a film about opposing or even outwitting the powersthat-be. Instead it’s about having meaningful, emotional moments before the powers-that-be crush you. Audiences will undoubtedly get Romanek/Ishiguro’s flatlystated point – life is beautiful and too short – but the film falters just when you realize that these otherwise sympathetic characters share more in common with sheep than the average viewer. Nevertheless, Romanek, in his sophomore directorial attempt, proves why he was trusted with such an esteemed novel. Though it certainly helps to have an adapted screenplay by Alex Garland (Sunshine, 28 Days Later), it’s Romanek’s visual palate; his patient camerawork and nuanced details in particular make the film work. Give Mark Romanek a camera he’ll give you some memorable images, maybe too many of them. He also has a truly remarkable ability to capture subtle character details from his actors. Carey Mulligan, the frazzled but endearing protagonist, also seems to be two for two after her Oscar nomination for 2009’s An Education. Visually rewarding but thematically tiring, this is certainly not the best showcase of speculative fiction’s dramatic potential. The problem with the film is that

as a novel adaptation, every moment is forced to be important. If Never Let Me Go were five hours long, then it might justify touching on so many major themes. Romaneck does the best that he can, but sometimes time constraints make him confuse subtlety for SUBTLETY. Certainly this film is ambitious, as often novel-adaptations have to be, but Never Let Me Go is just plain exhausting—something the film cannot compensate for by being beautiful. - Quintin Slovek

ANDRE ETHIER

the knitting factory Brooklyn, New York

INTERVIEW: JAMES PASSARELLI IN AN AGE OF COUNTLESS iNDiE SCENES AND CLiQUES and in a city in which it’s virtually impossible to keep anything a secret, the intimate concert experience seems confined (often condemned) to basement shows and house parties. But Scion Audio Visual’s free Garage Shows at Brooklyn’s Knitting Factory give reassurance that such concerts still exist in New York. What interested me most about this particular Scion show was the second name on the bill, Andre Ethier. I stumbled upon Ethier’s myspace by chance a few years ago while searching the Los Angeles Dodger of the same name. It turned out to be one of my greatest musical discoveries of

the year. He spent the late nineties and early thousands as the frontman of the raucous garage band The Deadly Snakes before forming a mellower, folk blues complexion that has defined his solo career. Though his first love has been and always will be painting, Ethier’s deft songwriting and soulfully archaic voice make the Toronto native one of the most underappreciated gems in all of North America. I spoke with Ethier about his family, his work ethic, and his two greatest passions: art and music.

ANDRE ETHIER

Inflatable Ferret: Were you born and raised in Canada? Andre Ethier: I was born and raised in Toronto. I lived in Montreal for a while, but mostly Toronto. And I live in Toronto now with my wife and child. IF: How old is the child? AE: He is 20 months, so he’ll be two in September. IF: If I had to label your music I guess I would call it folk. AE: Yeah, it’s like…singer-songwriter? (laughs) Yeah, and I love folk, mainly British folk. So, yes. IF: It also seems like there’s some jazz and classical influence. Is there any? AE: Maybe. IF: Or am I just saying that because of the sax. AE: Yeah, there is a sax on the most recent – well, there’s only sax on, like, two songs. But it’s so sax-heavy in those songs that it seems like the whole record has it. And also, when I toured that record we had a sax-player with us. Actually, a few of the records have sax on them. I don’t know—like sax. But I don’t listen to a lot of jazz— just a little bit. Not so much classical though. Maybe in the other musicians. The people I play with, they can do almost whatever they want, and they bring a lot of stuff to the table. IF: What is your musical background then? Did it run in the family at all? AE: Not really. Uh, my dad could play a little bit of guitar. There was a guitar in the house, but I only really started to learn the guitar around grade seven,

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Paintings by Andre Ethier

when I started listening to Pink Floyd and started a band and everything. It’s funny though, my dad is kind of older— he’s almost 77 now. But in the past five or six years, he started playing guitar again. And he has a band, and I’m in his band, and also Andrew, the drummer from the Deadly Snakes, and a guy who runs a music shop named Paul plays bass. And we’re called The Grateful Dad. We made a record, and Chris Sanz plays on the record too. It’s pretty solid—has a Crazy Horse/Hank Williams kind of feel. So, yeah, my dad’s a music fan, but there wasn’t all that much music around the house. IF: And do you keep up with the music scene at all? Are there any newer artists you enjoy? AE: What, in Toronto? IF: Just anywhere. AE: It’s kind of lame, but I don’t keep up with newer stuff. Some stuff kind of filters through. There are a few contemporary artists that I really like. I listen to a lot of records, and I buy a lot of records, but it’s more focused

backwards then forwards, which is not something I’m proud of or anything. IF: Well, I was checking out some of your paintings. Again, I don’t know what you’ll think of this classification, but the only thing I’ve heard is “grotesque realism.” But it’s not really realism at all. AE: It’s not. I don’t know, for a long time they were kind of heading into a humorous version of grotesque. What I enjoy as grotesque in paintings is more like a Garbage Pale Kids version of grotesque, like not actually grotesque, but, like, vomit that has bones and a mushroom in it, or something like that. You know what I mean? That kind of codified grotesque. I’m much more interested in that than—I’m not trying to provoke. It’s more that that kind of stuff seems to flow nicely with a paintbrush. You’re working with oil and paint—it’s just pigment and oil and brushes, and there’s kind of a grotesque quality to what you’re actually doing. So, I think it just blends nicely as subject matter, rather than, like, painting a car or a building with hard lines—that seems to be unnatural with the medium. I

ANDRE ETHIER

Andre Ethier performing at The Knitting Factory.

Music is a passion. I think about it constantly, and Ill continue making records, but Im not prepared to do the legwork that is necessary these days to be a working musician."

mean, I don’t revel in the grotesque or anything in my day-to-day life. IF: Besides the music and the art, do you have a day job? AE: No, art is…it’s not my day job – well I do kind of treat it like a day job. I paint five days a week, Monday to Friday, from around 10:30 or 11:00 to about 4:30 at my studio. It doesn’t feel like a job necessarily. I mean, I love it. But that’s how I make money. IF: Is your studio in your house? AE: No, I have a separate studio. I would

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never have a studio in my house—it doesn’t feel right. It also stinks. The fumes are horrible, and even where I paint now it’s not well ventilated. I’m sure I’m losing my mind because of it, but I think it’s worth it now. But ask me again, and I don’t know, I won’t remember. IF: (laughs) So, music is pretty much just your side gig. AE: Well, music doesn’t pay. A gig like this will pay—well, this doesn’t even really pay all that well, but we’re getting flown down here, and they flew my wife and my child down too. Music is a

passion. I think about it constantly, and I’ll continue making records, but I’m not prepared to do the legwork that is necessary these days to be a working musician. Like, all the touring and accepting gigs that you don’t want to do, or signing to a label that…it used to be that you didn’t want to sign to a label because they would tell you what to do musically. But now all the labels I’ve ever been associated with have been like, “Can you please play this university show?” And then you do it and it sucks. I just don’t want to do any of that. This is playing with The Oblivians in New York, and it’ll be fun, so I say yes to that. I’d be happy to play about four gigs a year. I like playing live, but I like writing songs and making records more. IF: This may be completely inaccurate speculation, but you kind of seem like a back-to-the-basics kind of guy. I’m just interested in what you think of the whole music technology burst in the digital age. AE: This might be my misinterpretation or misconception of what’s going on, but all the technology that killed the CD has actually brought back records. Now it seems like the people buying music are either buying it from a computer -and that’s maybe not my audience— but people that are into music are buying records, which is a much better medium to hear it on. So, in a sense, it was better now than when people were buying CDs. I don’t know, it’s good. I have no problem with it. It also seems like it’s also a lot easier to be a band and to start a band and have someone hear your band than it was when I was starting. It was so daunting. It was so hard to just break out of Toronto. I mean, I’d rather record to tape than

digital, but I’m fine with digital. I actually try not to get so hung up on it.

AE: Well, contemporary, I toured with Destroyer. You know Destroyer?

IF: You don’t seem to promote yourself a lot, and I guess a big part of that is that music isn’t your main thing.

IF: Yeah.

AE: Well, yeah, I don’t have to promote myself because I don’t care if anyone— but it’s kind of selfish. In reality, I want people to hear the records. I want people to like my music. But I just don’t care to do the stuff that you need to do to promote it. I don’t even know what that would be. I don’t know how to promote myself anymore—I’ve forgotten about that whole side of it. I mean, playing a show like this—that’s promotion. I just like when it coincides with doing something I want to do. But I would like people to hear my records. It’s not like I don’t want that. IF: You’re one of those people who I think not a lot of people have heard about that I wish a lot more people enjoyed. Who are some artists, contemporary or otherwise, that you wish more people knew about.

I kind of make a record that I think belongs on the label that Im on."

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AE: He and I are kind of friends now. We toured together, and I like him. I like Bill Callahan—I think he’s a really good songwriter. I like Cass McCombs. But that’s kind of it. IF: Any older guys that not enough people know about? AE: That not enough people know about? It’s funny—I kind of listen to what everyone listens to probably. Like, right now I’ve been listening to a lot of Neil Young. Someone burned that live record that he never put out— it’s called Time Fades Away. That’s an amazing record that I hadn’t heard…I listen to Bob Dylan. I’m sure there’s some stuff that’s obscure that maybe people should know about, but not that I can think of off the top of my head. IF: You’re doing a split 7-inch with The Oblivians. And before that the last

ANDRE ETHIER record you did was Born of Blue Fog, right? AE: It was Born on Blue Fog, then Born of Blue Fog. I’m planning to record in September—I have all the songs written. And we’re going to do a third Blue Fog record. The plan is to release those three as a three-record set. After that I don’t know what I’m going to do. This band that I’m playing from tonight is the bass player and drummer from The [Deadly] Snakes and Chris, whom I’ve been playing with since The Snakes. And we did this one song here in New York, and it sounds great. I would love to make a record with this configuration, maybe on a different label. I know you’re not asking this, but I feel like the music that I play changes with what label I’m on. I kind of make a record that I think belongs on the label that I’m on. So, if I can find a label that I think needs a certain kind of record, then I’ll make that. IF

80 minutes of

fruit music

2:16 The Monkees “Apples, Peaches, Bananas, and Pears”

The Monkees made it extremely hard to take them seriously. Take this meaningless ditty in which the gang lists fruit – perfect for our list though, and always a fun listen.

In honor of IF writer Ryan Waring’s

revival of his Cream of the Crap Café blog, we decided to make this playlist about food (shh – don’t tell him, but it actually had nothing to do with his blog – either way, we’re proud of him). But food just seemed too easy, so we decided to make it tougher on ourselves and come up with some of the fruitiest tunes south of the border. Always remember to get your 2-4 servings in (WARNING: this was taken from the 1992 Food Pyramid-- see left).

nostalgic masterpiece, and what is definitely one of their top five songs.

Hancock never fails to impress, but his lengthy compositions always end about five minutes sooner than we would have liked. The sedate “Watermelon Man” features all-stars Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and Dexter Gordon on tenor sax.

02 1:44 Little Richard “Tutti Frutti”

Little Richard is the scariest human being alive. But that doesn’t change his contribution of one of the most important lines in all of music: “A-wop-bopa-loo-bop-a-lop-bop-bop!”

03 3:10 Led Zeppelin “Tangerine”

Led Zeppelin somehow always weasel their way onto these lists. How can you ignore their

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7:09 Herbie Hancock “Watermelon Man”

2:12 Bob Dylan and The Band “Yea! Heavy and a Bottle of Bread”

The number of fruit references on The Basement Tapes is really quite striking, but few of them taste as sweet as Dylan’s declaration, “We’re headin’ out of Wichita in a pile of fruit.”

06 4:43 Bone Crusher

“Peaches & Cream”

Between 112, Beck, and fiddler Mark O’Connor, there were plenty of “Peaches & Cream”s from which to choose. I mainly chose Bone Crusher’s because of the album name: AttenCHUN! But I have to give it to the Crush – it’s a smooth beat.

07 4:12 Blitzen Trapper “Appletrees”

A bubbly track from Blitzen’s debut self-titled album that is well worth checking out. There’s a lot to be said about the band’s first few albums, and “wow” is one of them.

80 minutes of music

continued

you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.” “The song is available on 7-inch from Jack White’s Third Man Records.

11 2:02 Al Stewart “A Small Fruit Song”

Stewart’s modest 1970 gem has just a few lines, but it’s the most brilliant fruit anthropomorphism that comes to mind.

3:28 Common “Orange Pineapple Juice”

4:14 Cake “Rock ‘N’ Roll Lifestyle”

This choice might puzzle you, unless you’ve seen the music video, in which John McCrea and company do many things, including dressing up as Romans and smashing fruit.

Not sure if he mentions any fruit or juice after the first line, but Common does let “Mister Pussy MC” that “my rhyme is better than yours.” Duly noted, sir.

14 2:04

Neil Diamond "Porcupine Pie”

The Man, the Myth, the Legend’s nonsensical recipe song doubles as a harmless children’s educational song and the perfect song to trip acid to. Just try not to make it both.

15 4:10 The Beatles

“Strawberry Fields Forever”

It wasn’t until sometime around the winter of last year that I finally learned to appreciate this lovely lyrical ramble. And we would probably lose our entire readership if I failed to include it.

09 3:47 Pavement

“Cream of Gold”

Stephen Malkmus: “Skirt the gaunt street hawkers/with the black lemonade/keep an arrow trained on their/conflicted minds ‘cause they stutter.” I’m not going to ask what’s in that lemonade.

10 3:30 John Boswell (feat. Carl Sagan and Stephen Hawking) “A Glorious Dawn”

Boswell’s epic auto-tune tribute to Sagan and Hawking reminds us of the great bond between science and music. Sagan warns fruit-lovers, “If

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2:18 Bob Marley “Guava Jelly”

I’ve never tasted guava jelly, but this beat sure makes me wish I had.

16 1:34 Elvis Presley “Queenie Wahine’s Papaya”

Written for the 1966 m o v i e Paradise, Hawaiian Style, starring Presley himself, the song pays tribute to a fruit that I must say I absolutely despise.

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5:14 Camper Van Beethoven "All Her Favorite Fruit”

A strange semi-love song from one of California’s cleverest bands. Funny enough, this one comes from their 1989 album titled…you guessed it: Key Lime Pie.

continued

3:51 Harry Nilsson – “Coconut”

Has anyone else noticed that a serious song about fruit simply does not exist? This one is the epitome of silly. Don’t worry – we’ll put the 1994 Dannii Minogue version in our next Fruit Playlist.

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213:30 Billie Holliday – “Strange Fruit”

Scratch the part about all fruit songs being funny – this one will bring down the mood. A chilling song about the lynching of blacks gives the gruesome but spectacular imagery of “Black body swinging in Southern breeze/Strange fruit hangin’ from the poplar trees.”

6:26 Fruit Bats – “The Little Acorn”

I think scientists are having a conference in a few weeks to decide whether an acorn is a fruit or not, but in the meantime, let’s sit back and listen to the Fruit Bats’ 2003 laidback, folk goodness.

20 3:11 The Presidents

of the United States “Peaches”

Peaches seem to be a favorite among musicians writing about fruit. And who can forget this 1996 hit from the same band that brought you the My Date with the President’s Daughter t h e m e song.

22 5:15 The White Stripes “Screwdriver”

Sure, Vodka gets all the credit when it comes to screwdrivers, but let us not forget the pivotal part Mr. Orange plays. - James Passarelli