Thoughts on Where The Wild Things Are

I've been listening to the Where The Wild Things Are soundtrack pretty much nonstop since streaming it yesterday and then buying it I kinda have some thoughts rolling around my head about it, the book, the movie, my childhood, my children's childhood, etc.

This movie is for the Gen X-ers, filmed by a Gen X-er who fed us some of the most amazing visual images while we were young (Sabotage, that Fatboy Slim video with Chritopher Walken flying, pretty much any ), written by a Gen X-er who set the bar, for good or bad, on our 90s satire, schmaltz and cynicism meter (you like the Daily Show and Conan because you like A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius). And the music is by a girl with so much indie catchet it's got to be good (fortunately it is).

It plays to our stupid sense of nostalgia, pining for a time that's kind of stuck in place.

Where am I going here?

I'm not quite sure. I think the movie will be awesome, and the soundtrack without a doubt is (fuck this is good). I just don't want to feel played.I loved Away We Go, but in the end, I felt like I had been handed something purposefully crafted to make me feel a certain way.

Maybe that's what all art is.

To our friend Shelby on his birthday

We wanted to take a moment and wish Shelby Miller, the host of Shifted Sound, a warm and happy birthday.

Normally we don't do stuff like this (isn't that what Facebook walls are reserved for) but Shelby has been an inspiration and driving force behind The Shimmy Shake. He has turned me on to some wonderful music over the past two years, and the least I could do for the man is thank him on my blog, and wish him a happy birthday.

Shelby, you're one of a kind good sir. Thanks for all the recs (even the bad ones).

Cymbals Eat Your Face

So, I talked to Zak C. yesterday, just a usual check in, and he starts raving about this band Cymbals Eat Guitars, which I had seen on Pitchfork a while back (to rave reviews, which is never a good sign).

I kind of remembered hearing them on their MyFace page and had been momentarily intrigued.

They're good. I'm getting the album today, we'll report out later. it's a lot of that loud/soft/loud crash guitar stuff that was popular way back when. For all you suckas praying for Pavement to get back together, this band kinda fills that bill.

Everyone wants to be fucking Nirvana.

No in all seriousness, the stuff I've heard on their page is pretty solid. So I'm going to pick this up. They have it at Amazon. Or Insound. or itunes. or wherever music is sold.

Randomness

Some random thoughts:

• How did I miss The Hold Steady last year?


• Related: Yeah Sapphire is my favorite song of 2008 that I didn't hear until 2009.


• Does one need to own a full Stevie Wonder album? Aside from Songs in the Key of Life (and maybe Innervisions) Stevie put out a lot of crap. And not just during the 80s. The 70's had some clunkers too (see: Signed Sealed Delivered).


• If I go out and buy an iPhone this evening, it's all Shelby's fault for playing That iPhone song on his damn podcast last week.


• Holy crap, I'm going to be a second time daddy in less than two weeks.


• Cos I'm lazy, Feed the Animals has become my default workout music instead of a proper playlist.

That's really all I got right now.