D é N O U E M E N T S

June 29, 2011 • 10:59 pm 0

Why Filipinos walk out of “The Tree of Life” screening?

Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life had its showing last week in Philippine shore. The hullabaloo about the film was built by its Palme d’ Or snatch at the Cannes Film Festival plus Brad Pitt’s enduring allure among the Filipino audience. Terrence Malick is mainly known to some by the credit of The Thin Red Line, the film that went head-to-head with Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan in 1998, or possibly the Captain John-Pocahontas inspired The New World. People who have seen The Tree of Life would agree both hands raised that it is easier to write about the demerits of the film more than the reasons why the film captures so much “grace and nature” of the human condition. Philippine screenings of the film revealed so much of our heritage, our ballsiness and our influences that dictate our taste even in art. During the screenings, people walked out of the cinema- in two’s or at times in several groups, though the bowing out did not come as a surprise.
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Filed under: Wonderlings,

June 29, 2011 • 4:48 am 0

M83 Tease Fans with “Echoes”

Anthony Gonzales had tried so hard to be unnoticed with his moniker as M83. But with the release of his Saturdays=Youth in 2008, it was doomed to fail. The frenchman electrogod made some serious work with Daft Punk, Deftones, White Lies and a Brian Reitzell collaboration for Red Riding Hood before this new album teaser is released this week. Promise of Beck and Zola Jesus heightens the anticipation for the his latest release. Meanwhile, the teaser shows a different theme for Echoes, more expansive yet still has that 80′s vibe going.

Filed under: Musicians: Profiles & Interviews,

June 29, 2011 • 3:47 am 0

Gem Club’s Breakers (Review)


“Quiet is the new loud” would be a total understatement in describing Gem Club’s music. Christopher Barnes (piano/vocals) once quoted someone that their music is soft-music pop and he agreed about the question mark at the end of the operative pop. Christopher and Krysten Drymala’s astonishing Acid and Everything does not really harbor on the territory where most acts now are busily paddling on. The possible leitmotif that Gem Club sails on, evident on the group’s EP, is the one where listeners go to when they seek refuge, when they cannot attune their feelings on what is currently happening. If our emotions are like hidden cave signs ruffled in confusion, Gem Club’s music acts as ciphers to this human experience solely experienced by each of us on our own. How many times have you gone through your record collection to look for a song that best fits what you are feeling at that time? How many times have you failed at it? Gem Club’s pastoral beauty lies in its ambiguous lyrics that can be relative or completely alienated from a singular theme yet too affecting, too exact through Drymala’s gentle, hypnotic work underpinning Barne’s words.

The group recently announced that they have joined Hardly Art for their debut album and alongside this feat is the release of the title track “Breakers.” In this track, the group still employs their style of layering soft, whispering vocals over full length, flowing piano while drifting with cello touches spurned in the background. With only eight lines over the 2:50 track, Gem Club paints a hymn about departure, of “the graceless years are gone.” Persevering with their enigmatic style of writing, the track still opens itself to more interpretation, maintaining that gleaming quality where you can own the song, place your feelings on it and take mold of it on your own call. This quality, this power is where Gem Club remains too hushed compare to a roar but too honest it cuts so deep.

Listen to/ Download “Breakers” here. (Updated)

Visit their Facebook page, too. Tell them this blog sent you.

Breakers is out this September 27 via Hardly Art.

Filed under: Song/MP3 Parade, , ,

June 25, 2011 • 2:46 am 0

Explosion in the Sky’s Last Known Surroundings (Review)

It is inevitable to make an introduction about Explosions in the Sky without dropping the band’s work in Peter Berg’s football drama Friday Night Lights. The group dominantly provided the soundtrack for both its film and TV adaptation which could be the closest exposure the band got for mainstream audience. After five formal albums, the band returns with Take Care, Take Care, Take Care a six-track collection of post-rock gems that cements the band’s reputation as one of the genre’s forerunners rubbing elbows with Mogwai, Sigur Ros, Mono, This Will Destroy You, If These Trees Could Talk and others.

From Take Care is the band first real music video “Last Known Surroundings” made by Austin-based design group Ptarmak. The video features glowing hexagons (and not to forget other gons) rolling out on what seems to be a planet of geometric planes before bursting out to the universe and finally birthing the earth. Roots to plants, rocks that led to streams, all doomed to Ice Age then the gons appeared again showing first forms of life warping into galaxy again. Really visually enjoyable stuff that show superb production and mindful editing throughout.

The track in itself is celestial in scope, gradually building up believed to be cut in two parts in its 8:22 running time. The first half is Chris Hrasky’s drumming creating the foundation for the second half to thrive upon, then growing with Munaf Rayani and Mark Smith’s sparse guitars before it reaches its stunning crescendos deepened by Michael James’ bass work. Though its takes that much of time, the abrupt end is a bit of a let down for the cinematic effects are not met as much as it has promised at the first half. The kind of ending where you shake your head thinking the curtain could have rolled down differently than the way it did, ”more of that, please” you say.

Treat your visual palate with its space-tripping music video below.

Explosion in the Sky’s Last Known Surroundings

Filed under: Not Your MTV, Song/MP3 Parade, ,

June 24, 2011 • 6:52 pm 0

Bon Iver’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me” (Video)

Caught Live! is making the best out of available video services that get to tape our favorite bands doing what they do best- rock their songs. Since nothing beats the real thing, we Google our way for those special live embellishments not available on MP3s, and MTV. 

George Michael nailed it.
Peter Andre bombed and Nina failed.
Even Adam Lambert failed so much he made Peter Andre’s cover sound decent.

Covered so many times, Bonnie Raitt’s disparate love song is a tale of an off-centered relationship coming to its conclusive moments, the time when the one doing the heavylifting comes full circle and giving it all up, “don’t patronize me,” she whines down. In “Calgary” 7″ Single, Bon Iver lends his falsetoo-power to this track. A video shows the singer in a very intimate performance: archaic orchestral piano, loomy atmosphere, Bon Iver, you get the picture.
The drizzle plus this song, get some warm coffee.

Filed under: Caught Live!, ,

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