A decade that began with George Clooney regnant, nominated for the fourth time in an odd-numbered year and this time earning praise from A.O. Scott for wearing convincing sockless boat shoes ended with the sixth win for an actor playing a biographical entry in Wikipedia. Continue reading
Among contemporaries no other band released so many non-album songs that conjured a world within a world: exploding boys, feet thrown, upstaris rooms, exploding boys. Perhaps Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe came closest. Until 2004’s Join the Dots compilation, I depended on the Standing on the Beach cassette and the assorted cassingles and CD singles for this list (“Lovesong,” “Never Enough,” and “High,” I’m looking at you). Dip in — this is a daffy world.
1. Throw Your Foot (The Caterpillar 12″)
2. This Twilight Garden (High)
3. Snow in Summer (Just Like Heaven)
4. The Exploding Boy (In Between Days)
5. Mr. Pink Eyes (The Love Cats)
6. Halo (Friday I’m in Love)
7. Harold and Joe (Never Enough)
8. 2 Late (Lovesong)
9. 10:15 Saturday Night (Boys Don’t Cry)
10. Just One Kiss (Smith, Tolhurst) –
11. The Upstairs Room (The Walk)
12. The Dream (The Walk)
13. Happy the Man (The Caterpillar)
14. Burn (The Crow soundtrack)
15. A Chain of Flowers (Catch)
16. A Man Inside My Mouth (Close to Me)
17. Speak My Language (The Love Cats)
18. Lament (The Walk)
19. Ocean (The 13th)
20. A Foolish Arrangement (A Letter to Elise)
At last the seams start to show. As much shit as 1985 gets for reified pop hits, it was better for R&B than 1984, often considered a peak pop year. Compare below the solid/sound and good/great list. Continue reading
Not a great decade, and it’s not over yet. Thus far young Saoirse Ronan has given two of its most indelible performances while Meryl Streep, a star instead of an actress at last, gave three of her most insufferable star turns, and I don’t include the worst performance and least deserving (not often the same thing!) by a Best Actress winner since Hilary Swank in 2004, awarded to her because apparently she needed a third Oscar. Continue reading
This list boasted a couple unfamiliar tracks: Gladys Knight and the Pips’ ebullient thick-bottomed “Save the Overtime (For Me),” their biggest hit since the Ford years; and Deniece Williams’ Marvelettes cover, an effort I’d expect from a hard-working student for whom inspiration comes in fits. Continue reading
Kehlani – While We Wait
After collaborating with Cardi B and appearing on Hayley Kiyoko’s major label debut, Kehlani releases an album that’s not a follow-up to 2017’s excellent SweetSexySavage. But this mix tape has the shape and clarity of a major release anyway. Continue reading
In which Marlon Brando, with help from Montgomery Clift, Paul Newman, and James Dean, began the decade revolutionizing screen acting, only to watch Charleton Heston win his only competitive Oscar in the kind of historical role for which the Academy has always been a sucker (Brando tried it to uneven results in Julius Caesar). Continue reading
