Dragon's Lair Comes Home (Again)

The summer of 1983 was a bit of a turning point for me. It was my first year of junior high, that pivotal time when school and social circles become more cutthroat and you start to realize that you're not much of a kid anymore. Return Of The Jedi had just come out--concluding an obsession that lasted nearly half my life--and for the first time I was more aware of the zippers in the back of the Ewok costumes than the massive space battles I beheld. I was fat and nerdy, not sure how I fit into a world where everyone was suddenly trying to moonwalk. And unbeknownst to me, the final salvo of a childhood of quarter-filled pockets was unleashed.

One of my great pleasures was visiting the local roller rinks, pizza parlors, and bowling alleys, because that's where the video games were. We didn't have an Atari at home, so I would save up my change and wait for an invitation or a ride to anywhere a stray Battle Zone or Dig Dug machine was. I generally sucked at most of them (I particularly remember regularly embarrassing myself with Joust), but by 1983 I'd begun tiring of them. The old classics were still around--Frogger, Q*Bert, Donkey Kong Jr.--but it was harder and harder for them to compete with girls the other distractions of my 13-year old life.

Until, that is, I saw Dragon's Lair.

The More You Ferrigknow

Playing video games can help you "get some."

+

First Look: This Is 40

Guess what just went to #1 on my Holiday Movie Must See List?

Letterist, "100MPH"

From 2012, here's "100MPH" from Letterist.

Enjoy!

Hot Problems, "Party With My Friends"

Alcoholic Faith Mission, "Ask Me This"

Sleepy Turtles, "Nature's Hymn"

Brigg Fair, "Last Surrender"

Bryan Dunn, "New Mercedes"

Clare And The Reasons, "The Lake"

Of Montreal, "Spiteful Intervention"

School Of Seven Bells, "Kiss Them For Me"

Fiona Apple, "Every Single Night"

Men Without Hats, "Head Above Water"

New track from Men Without Hats!

Johnny Hickman, "Measure Of A Man"

From 2012, here's Johnny Hickman with "Measure Of A Man."

Enjoy!



Love it? Click download and it's yours to keep!

Top 20 Movies Of 1980 (Nos. 1-5)

For this week's Ranked!, we compiled the twenty greatest movies from 1980. Tell us what you think when you get down to #1. And let us know if you would've ordered them differently.

Here's the Top Five:

5. The Shining

This film gets some flack from purists for not sticking to the source material, Stephen King's excellent novel, but for my money the movie totally works, largely because Jack Nicholson is the creepiest thing on earth. That creepy grin, the "Heeere's Johnny!" with the axe, I swear Jack just freaked me the hell out in his descent to madness. Also creepy? That kid who played Danny. Creepy Jack + creepy kid + REDRUM = awesome little horror flick.--Archphoenix

Top 20 Movies Of 1980 (Nos. 6-10)

For this week's Ranked!, we compiled the twenty greatest movies from 1980. Tell us what you think when you get down to #1. And let us know if you would've ordered them differently.

Here are numbers 6-10:

10. Raging Bull

I was far too young to see, understand, or appreciate Raging Bull when it first hit theaters. But that's okay, because the movie is timeless. It's lived on because of the powerful performance from Robert De Niro and the flawless attention to detail by director Martin Scorsese. I didn't step into the ring with Raging Bull until my teenage years, when the movie geek in me went searching for films with meaning and substance. Its an unflinching character study It's a sports movie that is so much more than a sports movie. It's a work of art from people at the top of their craft.--Daddy Geek Boy

Top 20 Movies Of 1980 (Nos. 11-15)

For this week's Ranked!, we compiled the twenty greatest movies from 1980. Tell us what you think when you get down to #1. And let us know if you would've ordered them differently.

Here are numbers 11-15:

15. Private Benjamin

"Has anybody ever died from basic?"

The first half of this movie is classic: girl is a pampered princess, girl's husband dies on her wedding night, girl decides to enlist in the Army (WTF?), girl bumbles her way through basic training, girl graduates basic and the movie meanders aimlessly, bogs down, and becomes boring. But for that first half, the comic barbs traded between Goldie Hawn and Eileen Brennan make the movie worthwhile.--Chris

Top 20 Movies Of 1980 (Nos. 16-20)

For this week's Ranked!, we compiled the twenty greatest movies from 1980. Tell us what you think when you get down to #1. And let us know if you would've ordered them differently.

Here are numbers 16-20:

20. Ordinary People

For years I equated Mary Tyler Moore with city girl goodness. Every time I walked through a metropolitan area, I was gripped with the urge to toss my whimsical hat into the air while a smooth-voiced '70s guy sang "you're gonna make it after all." Well, that dream was crushed under the heavy boot of her cold and bitter portrayal of Beth Jarrett, a mother trying to negotiate the horrifying aftermath of a favored son's accidental death in Ordinary People. To be fair, the character is highly unlikable: a woman half-trying to help and understand the suicide attempt of the surviving son Conrad (played by Timothy Hutton) and not at all committed to holding her fraying family together like her far more likable husband Calvin (an awesome Donald Sutherland). This was the first character-driven drama that I remember being good enough to hold my still gnat-like attention span. Some surprising moments punctuated my viewing and I came away with an uncertain feelings. Were there families like this? Did people act like they didn't care about their kids? For a sheltered child who'd grown up in the embrace of a warm but crazy family this, movie was an eye opener to the real world where things didn't always turn out okay. Incidentally I'm still on the lookout for a therapist as good as Judd Hirsch's Dr. Tyrone Berger.--Dufmanno

Book People Unite

This cute "get your nose in a book, kids!" PSA features the talents of The Roots, Jack Black, Fun.'s Nate Ruess, Levar Burton, Jason Schwartzman, Regina Spektor, John Legend, Jim James, Melanie Fiona, Carrie Brownstein, Consequence, and Coldplay's Chris Martin. (Actually, this reads kind of like my Fantasy Dinner Guest List.)

The Avengers vs. Kiss

I would pay big money to see this.

First Look: Wallpaper, "Fucking Best Song Everrr"

Six months ago, Wallpaper released an animated video for "Fucking Best Song Everrr" for Liquid Television. Today, Wallpaper released the official video of the song. It kicks much ass, but I still have a fondness for the dancing lizards.

First Look: Ruby Sparks

This looks charming.

Justina, "Hip Hop Joan Jett"

From 2012, here's Justina with "Hip Hop Joan Jett."

Enjoy!

Concert Review: The Wombats, 9:30 Club (April 23, 2012)

I'm a big fan of both Wombats albums so I was curious how the new electronic beat-driven songs from The Wombats Proudly Present: This Modern Glitch would hold up against the sweeping guitar sounds of The Wombats Proudly Present: A Guide To Love, Loss & Desperation when they were performed together live. Turns out I had no reason to worry.

Playing to a packed house that at first glance seemed only to consist of young nubile females getting ready to shoot their underoos toward the stage, the newly minted alt-rock kings ripped through all the fan favorites with the unbridled swagger of a mid-sixties Rolling Stones. They glided seamlessly from synth-laden tunes straight into punk rock scorchers with the ease of old pros.

One of the most surprising and delightful aspects of the evening was the devoted fan base angling for a better view and singing every word while sandwiched like sardines in the sea of humanity.

Liverpool native Matthew Murphy's rapport with his front row admirers was only bested by bassist Overland-Knudsen's hamming it up and atomic bursts of energy. Seriously, it was like trying to catch a picture of the Tasmanian Devil on speed.

The trio looked great and sounded better, but in all fairnes the sound system at the legendary 9:30 has not failed a musician yet. Listen, do yourself a favor and get to whatever concert hall these three are playing next. You won't be sorry.

So Amped For Amy Heckerling's Vamps

More like
Dreamboat Abbey

Once in a while there comes a film that seems like it was made by picking out parts of my brains and putting it together to make a movie specifically for me. At least, that's how I think the movie Vamps came about.

After being shown at various festivals, Anchor Bay has picked up the film for distribution. The film surrounds two NYC vampire party girls who decide to take a break from their partying and killing ways to try to settle down in relationships.

I know, I know. The whole vampire thing is so over that it's now a cliche, and the last thing the world needs is another rom-com. But check this out: it's written and directed by Amy Heckerling, of Clueless and Fast Times At Ridgemont High fame. Still not excited? What if I told you it stars Dan Stevens, a.k.a. plays the DREAMY Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey?

Oh, and a little someone called Alicia Silverstone and "it girl of the moment," Krysten Ritter? Not to mention Sigourney Weaver and Justin Kirk (the only good thing to come out of the ashes of the mess of a show called Weeds). Not to mention that Silverstone and Heckerling are working together for the first time since Clueless.

In my mind, I'm somehow imagining it to be like Clueless meets Earth Girls Are Easy. Alas. we'll have to wait until October for the film's official theatrical release. Don't let me down, Heckerling!

[image 1 | image 2 | image 3]

First Listen: Sweet, "New York Groove"

This is awesome. It mixes "New York Groove" with "Empire State Of Mind."



[source]

Carrie Manolakos, "Creep"

From 2012, here's Carrie Manolakos covering Radiohead's "Creep."

Enjoy!

Seven Questions In Heaven With Level Up's Aimee Carrero

I can count on one hand the number of shows my daughter likes that I enjoy as well. One such show is Cartoon Network's Level Up, a tale of a group of gamers who accidentally open a portal and, along with the help of the game's creator, must send all the bosses and villains and monsters that escape from the game back home. Level Up's cast was nice enough to sit down and chat with us and we're going to feature a different actor each week.

Today we're spending Seven Questions In Heaven with Aimee Carrero, who plays Angie on Level Up.

Tell us about the character you play on Level Up.
Angie is a classic case of big dreamer in a small town. She knows there is more to the world than life in Daventry Hills. So she hangs around the guys because a) she needs the challenge and b) realizes that she can learn some valuable skills that will service her in the future. If someone ever tried to mug her or steal her purse on the subway, she's been through worse you know what I mean? She's very intentional.

Do you share any common traits with your character? Any noticeable differences?
If Angie had a favorite poem, it would be Dickinson's "I Dwell In Possibility." She is motivated by what can be and the experiences that await her in the future. In that sense, we are very alike. There is a restlessness in her that I definitely relate to. I think we are different in that she seems to be more self-assured than I was in high school. There is a confidence in her that I wish I'd had. She doesn't fidget.

Which has been your favorite episode so far and why?
I loved filming "Hampire Weeknight," but character-wise, "The Charm Bracelet" is up there. I love when writers take characters out of their comfort zones. There is nothing more terrifying to Angie than being ditsy, opinion-less, and unimportant. There is nothing more tragic than sacrificing intelligence and wit for popularity. She somehow manages to find herself in both scenarios in this episode. How does she deal with it? What are her conflicting emotions about it? She kind of likes the attention but she hates WHY she is getting it. How does she resolve that? It was all very fun to play!

Peter Gabriel Contest: Win A Live Blood CD

Peter Gabriel is releasing a two-CD concert disc, Live Blood, today and the fine folks at Eagle Rock Entertainment have given us a copy to give to one lucky Culture Brats reader!

First a bit about the CD: the show was recorded at London's Hammersmith Apollo on March 23, 2011 and featured Gabriel and a 46-piece orchestra. They perform the hits ("Biko," "In Your Eyes," "Solsbury Hill") and even a few covers, like Paul Simon's "The Boy In The Bubble."

Interested? We make it quite simple: if you're at least 18 years of age and a resident of the United States and you'd like to enter, just send us an email. We'll pick a winner at 10:02 PM on Thursday, May 3rd.

Good luck!

First Look: Mansome

Ooh! Another Morgan Spurlock doc!

Limahl, "The NeverEnding Story"

From 1984, here's Limahl with "The NeverEnding Story."

Enjoy!

Neon Trees Contest: Win An Autographed Poster And Heart-Shaped Sunglasses

Are you a fan of Neon Trees? Have you been digging the band's sophomore release, Picture Show, as much as we have? Then we have a special treat for you today!

Thanks to Neon Trees and the fine folks at Universal Music Group, we've got an autographed poster and a pair of heart-shaped sunglasses to give to one lucky Culture Brats reader. If you're at least 18 years of age and a resident of the United States and you'd like to enter, just send us an email. We'll pick a winner at 8:14 PM on Wednesday, May 2nd.

Good luck!

While you're waiting to see if you're our lucky winner, check out Neon Trees on Facebook, Twitter, and at their official site.

First Look: Cosmopolis (Full Trailer)

The full trailer for Cosmopolis hit the web over the weekend:

Monsters Of Rock

We all know Axl Rose turned down his induction to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, which is really about as rock 'n' roll as you can get.

But that hasn't stopped him from being turned into a work of art by Jason Edmiston.

Edmiston has an exhibit at Phone Booth Gallery. He's created acrylic masterpieces of monsterized versions of Joey Ramone, Billy Idol, Tommy Lee, Angus Young, and Rose.

And they look amazing.

So if you've got between $1,800 and $2,250, head on out to Long Beach, California. In the meantime, you can see the monsters of rock below:

First Listen: The Flaming Lips, "God Only Knows"

Yup, it's a cover of the classic Beach Boys tune.

Martin Briley, "The Salt In My Tears"

From 1983, here's Martin Briley with "The Salt In My Tears."

Enjoy!

Donora, "And Then The Girls"

Trentemøller, "My Dreams"

Mothlite, "Something In The Sky"

Bearcat, "Pumped Up Kicks"

Death Grips, "I've Seen Footage"

Scissors Sisters, "Only The Horses"

The Darlings, "Broken Heart Still Beating"

From 2012, here's The Darlings with "Broken Heart Still Beating."

Enjoy!

DVD Review: Neil Finn, The Sun Came Out

Five minutes into this amazing behind-the-scenes look at the 7 Worlds Collide project, the cameraman, while out on the golf course with producer Jim Scott, asks what he knew about Neil Finn prior to embarking on this epic endeavor. He answers that he knew exactly what everyone else did: that Crowded House should have been the most popular band in the entire world. While I agree with this sentiment, it did nothing to lessen my ability to be awestruck by the amazing group of musicians Finn assembled and brought together in his gorgeous west coast Piha studio to write and record a double album of new songs to benefit Oxfam.

With a lineup this impressive (Johnny Marr, Jeff Tweedy, KT Tunstall, Finn, etc.), you might think that the only thing colliding would be colossal egos and conflicting musical ideas, but you would be dead wrong. These are men and women who have played in some of the world's most popular and influential bands (The Smiths, Radiohead, Wilco, Crowded House, Split Enz, etc.) and yet everything is shed at the door as they write, record, and play these amazing songs with not a hint of haughty one-upmanship. Jesus, it's enough to make a woman almost hopeful.

The beautiful west coast of Auckland is the warm and wild backdrop for what turns out to be a three-week, full-on family experience. Neil invites not only the musicians but their entire extended broods. He then proceeds to find homes and creature comforts for each and every one of these people, their wives and children, all while offering them the kind of warm welcoming hospitality that nearly has me racing for the nearest airport after dropping him a note on Twitter to let him know where to pick me up. I honestly believe he'd at LEAST send a driver for me.

Magic Mike: Is There More To Channing Tatum Than His Abs?

The much-anticipated trailer for Magic Mike debuted yesterday. Let me be more specific: I was highly anticipating it. When I heard the pitch: "Steven Soderbergh directs a semi-autobiographical story of Channing Tatum's life as a stripper," I was sold. Not because of Tatum's abs, but because of a previous Soderburgh film, The Girlfriend Experience. an art house tale of a highly-paid escort. I thought it shed some light and created some perspective on the sex work industry.

I should have lowered my expectations. Magic Mike, from what I ascertained from the trailer, appears to be a comedy, perhaps even a bro-centric romantic comedy. Although Channing Tatum did surprise me with his comedy chops in 21 Jump Street, it looks like he's back to his Step Up 2 Tha Streets persona. His dream is to be a furniture designer? That seems more like the plot of a Duplass brothers Mumblecore flick than a mainstream release.

In movies and film, women who are strippers are often depicted as pathetic, weak, or damaged. And often their faces are not even shown. Heaven forbid any stripper is seen as enjoying her job; that would be incongruent with a likeable protagonist. Not only is Mike's stripping career somewhat comical, he enjoys it for "the women." In most scenarios, the male customers of a female stripper are lecherous and something to be feared, whereas Mike seems to hold the power among his adoring female fans.

First Look: Area 407

Dinos! Lots of blood! Shaky Blair Witch camera work! I'm in!

LAZYgunsBRISKY, "B.O.Y."

From 2012, here's LAZYgunsBRISKY with "B.O.Y."

Enjoy!

Weird Al Dropped The Ball

This would be a hell of a lot funnier if it wasn't so true...

First Look/Listen: The Primitives, "Turn Off The Moon"

Very cool.



[source]

The Modern Lovers, "Roadrunner"

From 1976, here's "Roadrunner" from The Modern Lovers.

Enjoy!

Seven Questions In Heaven With Level Up's Connor del Rio

I can count on one hand the number of shows my daughter likes that I enjoy as well. One such show is Cartoon Network's Level Up, a tale of a group of gamers who accidentally open a portal and, along with the help of the game's creator, must send all the bosses and villains and monsters that escape from the game back home. Level Up's cast was nice enough to sit down and chat with us and we're going to feature a different actor each week.

Today we're spending Seven Questions In Heaven with Connor del Rio, who plays Dante on Level Up.

Tell us about the character you play on Level Up.
Dante is impulsive, spontaneous, and intelligent in the weirdest of ways. Some people might think his decisions are foolish, but they make sense in his head. And for him, that's all that matters. He loves to skateboard, loves to draw, and listen to rock 'n' roll! Not to mention he loves, loves, playing COAW (Conqueror Of All Worlds) on his computer with his best friends Lyle and Wyatt.

Do you share any common traits with your character? Any noticeable differences?
Dante and I both love rock music. We both enjoy our share of video games. We share a very open mind about the world around us. And we don't judge a book by its cover! When it comes to differences, I am not as good of a skateboarder as Dante. And I don't wear as tight of pants as Dante. Ha ha.

Damn Yankees, "High Enough"

From 1990, here's Damn Yankees with "High Enough."

Enjoy!

Concert Review: Radiohead, HP Pavillion (April 11, 2012)

Watching Radiohead is as much a visual experience as it is an auditory one. I had the chance to see them in concert before they headed down for Coachella and I'm glad I caught them. I'm not a die hard fan, as many in the crowd were, but I like them and I was interested to hear some of their newer sounds (because I confess most of my familiarity was from their early period). Seeing Radiohead in concert certainly showcases the broad range of sound they've experimented with through their career.

Besides their music, it was their stage design that informed the show. Their set design was visually arresting, consisting of a number of video screens, including twelve hanging screens that could be raised or lowered into a variety of positions, one huge background screen behind the stage, with another screen half as high in front of that, and then another six video screens along the top.

It was impressive to say the least and the screens effectively provided a lightshow that almost overwhelmed the band members playing below. Though at times the band members were projected on the screens, the majority of the images shown were purposely static and pixallated, a digital distillation that was both soothing and seemed to imply the disconnection of technology. Watching the images was like watching a parade of colors and my friend and I made a game of calling out creative names for them: scarlet red, seagreen, muted violet, broken white and bleeding sepia. Each song had its own palette and I was impressed at how accurately the colors captured the mood of the song. Overall the effect was absolutely hypnotic and, given the amount of pot smoke drifting towards our booth, probably added quite a bit to the audience's entertainment.

But let's talk about the music! Seeing Radiohead is what I would call a thinking concert. The songs are intriguing, there are layers upon layers of sound and I found myself trying to identify each element, as well as their influences. At one point the band employed four drums going at once. Even unfamiliar as I was, the songs make you pay attention, and the visuals only enhanced that effect. It wasn't exactly the kind of music that made me jump and dance but I definitely swayed as I stared mesmerized at the visuals. My seat was quite a ways away so it was hard to gauge the charisma of the band members but they became noticeably more excited - lead Thom Yorke bouncing around the stage - whenever they played one of their new numbers.

All in all I enjoyed the whole experience. The crowd was energized but mellow. (Though I imagine the die-hards were more excited than that.) For the die-hards, I think seeing Radiohead is a must-go. For the rest of us, I'm still not a hard core fan but I think it was a pleasurable experience; the type of concert you can have a couple of drinks at, think about music, and relax. And that's a pretty good evening.

[image 1|image 2|image 3]

James Live From Coachella

Here's James performing "Laid" from Coachella:

Pulp Live From Coachella

Pulp had a phenomenal set at Coachella. Here's their entire show, which included mainstays like "Common People" and "Mis-Shapes:"

The Waitresses, "I Know What Boys Like"

From 1982, here's "I Know What Boys Like" from The Waitresses.

Enjoy!

Cloud Nothings, "Stay Useless"

Marissa Nadler, "The Wrecking Ball Company"

Crystal Fighters, "Earth Island"

Kick To Kill, "Avalanche"

Yellow Ostrich, "Marathon Runner"

Mummy Short Arms, "Silicone Dreams"

Reptile Youth, "Speeddance"

Kat Parsons, "Talk To Me"

The Wave Pictures, "Spaghetti"

Slow news day, so today we're going to highlight some music videos that have popped up in our inbox.

First off is The Wave Pictures with "Spaghetti." Yum!

E.U., "Da Butt"

From 1988, here's E.U. with "Da Butt."

Enjoy!

Seven Questions In Heaven With The Perez Brothers

Today we're spending Seven Questions In Heaven with Hart Perez, one half of the Perez Brothers, two very talented music video directors.

Tell us about your directing career for our readers who may not be familiar with you.
Hello to everyone out there in the Twittersphere. We're the Perez Brothers and we're music video directors based out of the San Francisco Bay Area. For those of you who are not familiar with our work, which we're guessing is everyone (insert lolz here), we have recently worked with such San Francisco indie rock bands as The French Cassettes, Kapowski, Ash Reiter, and My Second Surprise. We strive for the bizarre and unusual in our films, which have included such crazy things as mermaids, robot butlers, ice-cream genies, and gun-wielding grizzly bears. If we can entertain a YouTube viewer for three-and-a-half minutes, then we've done our job. One writer once described our style as "suburban surrealism," so we'll just go with that.

Who are your influences and idols?
Hmmm... We might sound like total snobs on this one, but we'd have say Wes Anderson, as cliché and hipster as it may sound. His visual aesthetic (the cinematography of Bob Yeoman), art direction, and use of pop music is unmatched. I also really enjoy the screwball wit found in the films of Preston Sturges (Sullivan's Travels) and the slapstick comedy in Stephen Chow's films (Shaolin Soccer, Kung Fu Hustle).

Devon's two favorite directors (he's right here making sure I don't slander him too much, is it slander or libel?) are Tim Burton and Ridley Scott. Burton's gothic style has always captured our imaginations and Scott's ability to seamlessly transport his viewers from the Roman Coliseum to outer space has really set the bar in terms of creating cinematic landscapes.

We also both love the Daniels, they've done some amazing videos for Chromeo and the Shins, so they're probably one of our favorite music video directing pairs right now, along with Terrie Timely, who we have been lucky enough to have worked with on a couple of occasions.

Hey Arnold!: The Movie

Oh, you crazy Internet kids!



[source]

Animal Kingdom, "Strange Attractor"

From 2012, here's Animal Kingdom with "Strange Attractor."

Enjoy!

Top 25 Albums Of 1980 (Nos. 1-5)

For this week's Ranked!, we compiled the twenty-five greatest albums from 1980. Tell us what you think of our list when you get down to #1. And let us know if you would've ordered them differently.

Here are Numbers 1-5:

5. John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Double Fantasy

What can I say? Mama raised a Beatles girl, tried and true, even through the rough solo albums. Best of 1980? Okay, I get how that's arguable. It did, however, win Best Album at the Grammys that year. Now, most memorable? Absolutely, but for the saddest reason a Beatles fan can remember: three weeks later, John Lennon was shot and killed. While Yoko's voice drives me absolutely up a wall, there's a nostalgic and heartstrings factor that I cannot get over in love for anything with the name Lennon, and the love that man could show. "For the other half of the sky..." Thanks for one more go-around, John.--J-Hawke

Top 25 Albums Of 1980 (Nos. 6-10)

For this week's Ranked!, we compiled the twenty-five greatest albums from 1980. Tell us what you think of our list when you get down to #1. And let us know if you would've ordered them differently.

Here are Numbers 6-10:

10. Hall & Oates, Voices

The early '80s for me were all about Hall & Oates. And I mean ALL about them. From my perspective they could do no wrong, and I certainly wasn't in the minority. They were all over the radio, hooking you with one of their songs, and just as you started to get tired of it a new one would be there to replace it, like crack. Town squares across America should have statues of Hall & Oates to commemorate the good they did for us in the 1980s, and even though it was their 9th album, Voices was the one that really kicked it off. "Kiss On My List" was #1 forever, and "You Make My Dreams" never stopped being a #1 in my heart. Their cover of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" is as good as the original, and Paul Young stole their glory by covering "Everytime You Go Away" for the MTV crowd. Voices is a masterpiece of blue-eyed soul, and if there's any justice in the world this paragraph will send it to the top of the iTunes download list by week's end.--CroutonBoy

Top 25 Albums Of 1980 (Nos. 11-15)

For this week's Ranked!, we compiled the twenty-five greatest albums from 1980. Tell us what you think of our list when you get down to #1. And let us know if you would've ordered them differently.

Here are Numbers 11-15:

15. Peter Gabriel, Peter Gabriel

Also sometimes known as Melt due to its trippy cover photo, Peter Gabriel's third and best solo album was deemed at one point by some moronic record executive as not commercial enough to sell. With the benefit of hindsight and what I'm sure was a big ass slice of humble pie, I'm sure that bigwig came to understand the error of his judgement. Featuring the mind-bending "Intruder," the Lord Of The Flies-tinted "Games Without Frontiers," and the moving tribute "Biko," this was one of those records you could spend hours listening to without fully hearing everything that Gabriel had laid out for you until months and months later. My original copy sustained water damage while in storage and I'm still not over it.--Dufmanno

Top 25 Albums Of 1980 (Nos. 16-20)

For this week's Ranked!, we compiled the twenty-five greatest albums from 1980. Tell us what you think of our list when you get down to #1. And let us know if you would've ordered them differently.

Here are Numbers 16-20:

20. Dire Straits, Making Movies

I love this album. Love love love love love this album. It's a pity that the voice and virtuosity of Mark Knopfler seems to forever be trapped in our collective memories straddling "Sultans Of Swing" and "Money For Nothing," because one listen to Making Movies will reveal that Dire Straits was once one of the World's Greatest Bands. I myself didn't discover it until I was in college, when "Romeo And Juliet" found its way onto every mixtape I made for a girl. It's such a mesmerizing album, sometimes a little jazzy, sometimes a little country, but always with a distinctive guitar sound and singer-songwriter sensibilities. I could listen to "Tunnel Of Love," "Skateaway," and "Espresso Love" on infinite loop and never get tired of them. (As proof, I offer my list of the top 100 albums of all time, still fundamentally the same, with stated revisions, as they were in 2007.) If you're a fan of good music, you owe it to yourself to own this album.--CroutonBoy

Top 25 Albums Of 1980 (Nos. 21-25)

For this week's Ranked!, we compiled the twenty-five greatest albums from 1980. Tell us what you think of our list when you get down to #1. And let us know if you would've ordered them differently.

Here are Numbers 21-25:

25. INXS, INXS

Truth be told, I came to like this album long after its release in 1980. There was some grumbling after the huge successes of Shabooh Shoobah, Listen Like Thieves, Kick, and X that their first record had just been exploration for feeling out what their sound might be, but I tend to disagree. I think it was raw but powerful in its own right with songs like "Just Keep Walking" and lots of foreshadowing of what makes INXS as foot tapping good as they are. I never bought another INXS release after Hutchence's untimely death but when I go back and listen to this early effort, it makes me smile with the knowledge that he had so much to give to a band that clearly made their own rules and rose to the top.--Dufmanno

Tatiana Kochkareva Does The Black Keys

Here's Tatiana Kochkareva covering The Black Keys' "Lonely Boy:"

Stepdad, "Must Land Running"

From 2012, here's Stepdad with "Must Land Running."

Enjoy!

Seven Questions In Heaven With Level Up's Jessie T. Usher

I can count on one hand the number of shows my daughter likes that I enjoy as well. One such show is Cartoon Network's Level Up, a tale of a group of gamers who accidentally open a portal and, along with the help of the game's creator, must send all the bosses and villains and monsters that escape from the game back home. Level Up's cast was nice enough to sit down and chat with us and we're going to feature a different actor each week.

This week we're spending Seven Questions In Heaven with Jessie T. Usher, who plays Lyle on Level Up.

Tell us about the character you play on Level Up.
My character, Lyle, is the coolest guy in Daventry Hills. He's "Mr. Popular." He's also the star quarterback of the DH football team. At night, his whole persona changes when he becomes a huge gaming geek. He and his avatar Wizza are one third of the elite clan Neverfail and Lyle is very proud of that.

Do you share any common traits with your character? Any noticeable differences?
Lyle and I are both very athletic. He plays football but has played many other sports in the past, which is much like my childhood. I never played football, but I played just about every other sport. We both enjoy gaming and jewelry.

Lyle's way too self-absorbed; I try to stay humble. Although it's kind of funny, no one needs to look in the mirror as much as Lyle does.

Documentary Review: The Hollywood Complex

I love documentaries, especially because so many are now available on Netflix Instant. It's like a snobby way of watching reality television. I especially love documentaries about serial killers, cults, internet sensations, and especially about Hollywood and the entertainment industry. Therefore, I was enraptured by The Hollywood Complex.

The complex refers both to some parents' obsessions to make their child into a star, as well as the apartment complex in LA called Oakwood, which offers children and their parents a place to live during pilot season (the four months that networks cast their pilots, for those of you not up with the Hollywood lingo).

The film chronicles several children and their parents, who have dropped everything to live in Hollywood and get their children to auditions. The Oakwood complex not only offers furnished apartments, but an in-house photographer and seminars for how to "make it" as a child star. Which costs the families six thousand dollars a month. And pilot season is four months. And what's more- some families have stayed at Oakwood for over three years. Do the math.

The documentary could read like an extended episode of Toddlers And Tiaras, but the compelling thing is that the children profiled are charming and likeable. They are talented, but you know they are just walking into a wall of rejection.

First Look/Listen: Elsie, "Time To Go"

This song kicks ass. But the video? It's a choose-your-own-adventure music video (the first?) and it's awesome:

First Listen: My Tiger My Timing, "Wasteland"

Cool! This is the first single from My Tiger My Timing's Celeste, which will be released on July 2nd:

Doctor And The Medics, "Spirit In The Sky"

From 1986, here's Doctor And The Medics with "Spirit In The Sky."

Enjoy!

High Hopes For Girls

Judd Apatow + funny women = success. Or does it? It worked for Bridesmaids, and I am really really hoping it works for the upcoming Apatow-produced HBO series, Girls. Girls is about four female friends trying to make it in New York City. Sound familiar? My worry is that it will become another Sex And The City.

I am somewhat reassured because the series is created by, written by, and stars Lena Dunham, who was also the creative mind behind 2010's indie sleeper hit, Tiny Furniture. On paper, the film seems obnoxious: Aura graduates from Oberlin College, moves back home to her mother's loft in Tribeca, and tries to figure out her life. Whereas this sounds like a big-screen adaptation of White Whines, Dunham was so charming and "real" in her role it was enjoyable. Aura is definitely considered "hip," but within her world she is still insecure and very akward. Another reason is that I couldn't take my eyes off Dunham; she is gorgeous in a "real person" kind of way: no movie star body or face, but in real life (whatever that is) she would be someone you can't take your eyes off of. (Okay so, I have a girl crush.)

According to the press, Girls is not only supposed to be good, but it's suppoosed to be an important show, a game-changer for both women and for comedy. According to this in-depth profile in New York Magazine, Emily Nussbaum gives it nothing but praise:

I laughed out loud; I "got" the characters—four friends, adrift in a modern New York of unpaid internships and bad sex on dirty sofas. But the show also spoke to me in another way. As a person who has followed, for more than twenty years, recurrent, maddening ­debates about the lives of young women, the series felt to me like a gift. Girls was a bold defense (and a searing critique) of the so-called Millennial Generation by a person still in her twenties.

This is good news, but again, leaves me a little nervous. On the one hand, I'm glad it won't be some glossy, superficial, materialistic, cartoon Lipstick Jungle-esque show. Here are my hopes for the show:

• It's great that it will show women who are not proper "ladies," that they can be gross and crass. But I hope it doesn't overdo it, like in, for example Are You There, Chelsea where the character is so crass that she's practically a sociopath.
• For once, I hope this show set in New York City will actually depict a realistic New York City. I want to see tiny, dingy apartments, I want to see the horrible stress of living in a city. I want to see some of the inevitable loneliness that comes from being among a sea of 8 million people who are strangers. (Can you tell I lived in New York for a while?)
• An obvious part of the women's lives is dating. Which, of course, is interesting. But I hope that the plot lines will revolve more around the growth of the relationship, and not ABOUT the relationship. I'd also like to see the "girls" talk to each other about things other than their dating life, and hopefully passing The Bechdel Test.
• Lena Dunham's character, Hannah, is supposedly awkward. Which is great- aren't most of us? But hopefully she's not a bumbling fool whose purpose is to be pathetic for comedy's sake. Since this is not an ABC sitcom, I'm confident this won't be the case. I hope that the characters are depicted with flaws yet are still worth rooting for (see: Carrie Matheson from Homeland).
• I'm about to get pretty hardore feminist: it bothers me that the show is called Girls. The term is infantilizing and diminutive, implying that these are not adults, and to me it has the implication that the show is meant to be a generalization of what "girls" are like. What if Entourage were called Boys? Actually, that may be accurate.

Some may think that being concerned about the quality of an upcoming premium cable series is a waste of energy, but this stuff means a lot to me. Women-centric shows have a long way to go, and I'm getting pretty impatient waiting for a good one.



Girls premieres Sunday, April 15 at 10:30pm on HBO.

[image 1 | image 2]

Calling Dr. Frasier Crane

Did you watch Frasier? Were you aware that a good number of the callers to The Dr. Frasier Crane Show were celebrites? Neither was I until I read it on BuzzFeed.

Here's a video montage of all the celebrity callers on Frasier. It's a pretty diverse group that includes John McEnroe, Eddie Van Halen, Jodie Foster, and John Cusack:

First Look: A Fantastic Fear Of Everything

If Simon Pegg's in it, I'm there.

The Monroes, "What Do All The People Know?"

From 1982, here's "What Do All The People Know?" from The Monroes.

Enjoy!

First Look: High School

Who doesn't love a stoner comedy?

Pac-Man: The Movie

This shouldn't be cool... but it is.



If it were real, I'd spend some money to see it.

The Man, The Myth: Dolph Lundgren

I was catching up on some old magazines lying around my house when I ran into something very interesting. Dolph Lundgren, who scared the crap out of me as Ivan Drago in Rocky IV when I was a kid, is actually a pretty complex guy. (Seriously, I had a nightmare about Ivan Drago as a kid. He and Brigitte creeped me OUT.)

I learned a few years ago that he's actually crazy intelligent: he has a master's degree in chemical engineering and was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to go to MIT to study. In case you don't know, Fulbrights are awarded to international students, scholars, teachers and the like to come to top US schools to study. A whole slew of Pulitzer prize winners and Nobel prize winners are former Fulbright scholars. So this is kind of a big deal. Dolph TURNED DOWN the Fulbright to get into acting. Wrap your brain around that.

Here's what I didn't know until I read this interview in Entertainment Weekly: he quit science because he hooked up with Grace Jones in New York. He was working as a bouncer and got assigned to her one evening and wham! they started dating.

She took him to her shoot on the James Bond film, A View To A Kill, and the director was so impressed that he cast Dolph as a KGB henchman. Dolph started taking acting lessons and started auditioning, got the call to meet with Stallone for Rocky IV, got the part, and voila! Huge movie star. I mean, after Rocky the man was He-Man, Master of the Universe. Does it really get any bigger than that in the '80s?

Incidentally, during one of the fight scenes, in one take he punched Stallone so hard he actually bruised Stallone's HEART MUSCLE. They had to stop filming for three weeks while Sly recovered.

Also? He has an IQ of 160 and he helped invent the water filtration system used by NASA on the space shuttles. Oh yeah, that's right Dolph Lundgren is an honest to God rocket scientist. Remember THAT the next time you watch Universal Solider.

And if you never heard the story about the attempted break-in at his home a few years ago, you should read the EW article. I remember when it happened and that it was awesome. So is the picture I found of him with Grace, you're welcome internets.

[image 1 | image 2 ]

Retro Angry Birds

Title says it all.



[source]

Lucy Michelle And The Velvet Lapelles, "Just A Kid"

From 2012, here's Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles with "Just A Kid."

Enjoy!



Love it? Download it for free!

Seven Questions In Heaven With Black Bird White Sky's Ronnie Shingelo

CREDIT: Courtney Collins Photography

Today, we're spending Seven Questions In Heaven with Ronnie Shingelo, frontman and creator of Black Bird White Sky.

Describe your music for our readers who may not be familiar with you.
We are a five-piece electro-rock band that combines driving dance beats and soaring melodies with catchy synth hooks and guitar riffs. Kind of like Radiohead meets The Cure with a bit of Phoenix thrown in.

Who are your musical influences and idols?
So many, but if I had to name a few: Radiohead, Thom Yorke, Blonde Redhead, Jimmy Gnecco, Jeff Buckley, Bjork, Sade, Sam Cooke, and Fredric Chopin.

What was the first album, cassette, or CD you bought with your own money?
KISS, Alive!, and yes it was a cassette. In fact I still have it! What an exciting moment that was, thank you for reminding me! I walked with my friend through the woods on one Saturday afternoon to the next town over where I found a really cool boutique record store. I'll never forget that day!

You've described your music as emotional. Are the subject matters of your songs written from personal experiences?
Yes, all of them are written from personal experiences, but I sometimes twisted them or created a story that was parallel to the actual experience I was referencing in order to make them more general. That way perhaps more people could identify with the songs based on their own experiences with lust, infatuation, struggle with addiction, pain of loss, excitement and infiniteness of love.

Vince Neil Opens Aptly Named Strip Club

Raise your hand if you're wondering why it's taken this long for Vince Neil to open Girls, Girls, Girls.

First Listen: dj BC, "Stop Me If You Think That I've Mashed This One Before"

Salt 'N' Pepa, The Smiths, Bob Marley, and Peter, Bjorn and John? dj BC hit another homerun!

Fleming, "Slip"

From 2012, here's Fleming with "Slip."

Enjoy!

Top 25 Movies Of 1987 (Nos. 1-5)

For this week's Ranked!, we compiled the twenty-five greatest movies from twenty-five years ago, 1987. Tell us what you think when you get down to #1. And let us know if you would've ordered them differently.

Here are numbers 1-5:

5. Planes, Trains And Automobiles

How appropriate that this hilarious film makes the Top 5 for 1987. You've got a formula for awesomeness here: two comedic geniuses in John Candy and Steve Martin, an Odyssey of an adventure, and John Hughes at the helm. Neal Page (Steve Martin) plays a straight-laced businessman trying to get from New York to Chicago, and get home for Thanksgiving dinner. Del Griffith (John Candy) is a goofy, accident prone screw-up who is also a bit of an innocent. It's a three day harrowing adventure filled with flight delays, muggings, and supernatural failures with every mode of transport these two guys use in their vain attempt to return to Chicago. At the center of this movie is lots of bro-bonding, and how Neal discovers a very sad truth about his "friend" Del. And in the end, he reaches out to the man he blames for his misfortunes, and becomes a member of his family for Thanksgiving and beyond.--Jay Noel

Top 25 Movies Of 1987 (Nos. 6-10)

For this week's Ranked!, we compiled the twenty-five greatest movies from twenty-five years ago, 1987. Tell us what you think when you get down to #1. And let us know if you would've ordered them differently.

Here are numbers 6-10:

10. The Untouchables

It seems like a travesty even to say this, but I think Sean Connery's greatest role was not, in fact, James Bond, but instead was Jim Malone. And if you've seen The Untouchables you have to at least pause to consider it. He makes you forget the block of wood cast as Elliott Ness and has you cheering for his unorthodox methods (he memorably interrogates a dead man) and adherence to "the Chicago way." ("Isn't that just like a wop. Bring a knife to a gunfight.") But as utterly transcendent as Connery is, The Untouchables is so much more: a tour de force of gangster-era action and larger-than-life set pieces. The thrilling menace of De Niro's baseball speech is iconic, and there's a scene in the train station with a mob informant and a baby carriage that is a masterpiece of pulse-pounding, slow-motion suspense. It's a master class on how to evoke an era and seamlessly meld hard-edged period realism with modern action storytelling. Thus endeth the lesson.--CroutonBoy
 

Top 25 Movies Of 1987 (Nos. 11-15)

For this week's Ranked!, we compiled the twenty-five greatest movies from twenty-five years ago, 1987. Tell us what you think when you get down to #1. And let us know if you would've ordered them differently.

Here are numbers 11-15:

15. Robocop

When I first saw the movie poster for Robocop I couldn't help but think, "Man, that looks cheesy." In an era where Schwarzenegger and Stallone were kicking serious ass with shear brawn and unlimited ammo, a dude in a metal suit looked like something that should be going straight-to-video. But part of what makes Robocop so awesome is that it doesn't rely on the charisma of a gun-toting meathead. It's a parable for man's struggle to maintain his humanity in the face of ever-growing technology. It's a social commentary on the rise of corporate power and the outsourcing of our responsibility for justice. And... oh, let's face it, it's an ultra-violent awesomefest where dudes are blown the hell up with giant guns and, in one memorable instance, a combination of radioactive waste and a high-speed impact. Robocop was responsible for more cheering from the basement couch at my best friend's house than any other movie, largely because it knew its audience (17 year-old boys) and what they wanted. They don't make 'em like they used to.--CroutonBoy