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02-26-10 Footnotes
Show 222: AO Scott & Michael Phillips of "At The Movies", reviews of Johnny Cash & Gil-Scot Heron, Jim's DIJ
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1 Just when you thought Ticketmaster could stay out of the news, the ticketing giant just agreed to give a refund to a number of fans who purchased Bruce Springsteen tickets last year. The refunds are part of a settlement between Ticketmaster and the FTC over complaints that Ticketmaster used deceptive tactics to steer Springsteen fans toward expensive scalped tickets on TicketsNow.com. In addition, TicketsNow must now disclose when they are listing tickets they do not have in hand.
2 As Hollywood gears up for its biggest night, The Oscars, it’s important not to forget about the music. The Academy Award producers have announced that for the first time, Best Song Nominees won’t be invited to perform their pieces during the broadcast. So, Jim and Greg wanted to turn to their critical counterparts in the film world to make sure that music in film gets its due. At the Movies hosts Michael Phillips, film critic at the Chicago Tribune, and A.O. Scott, film critic at the New York Times, believe music is one of the most important elements of a movie. Michael likens it to editing—something you may not notice while you are watching, but that affects your experience. Both critics agree that Michael Giacchino and Alexandre Desplat are the strongest of the Best Score nominees.
3 During the second half of their conversation, Jim and Greg talk to Michael Phillips and Tony Scott about their favorite rock movies and rock directors. Everyone seems to agree that Jonathan Demme is one of the directors who most successfully uses music. Tony also appreciates Robert Altman and Martin Scorsese. And when it comes to great rock movies, Tony wonders if a tour movie is always better than a biopic. Some rock flicks all four critics recommend: Anvil! The Story of Anvil, Ladies and Gentlemen: the Fabulous Stains and Some Kind of Monster.
4 Despite having passed away in 2003, Johnny Cash is still releasing new albums. Case in point: American VI: Ain't No Grave, the latest in Rick Rubin’s American Recordings series. Rubin and Cash seemed like an unlikely pairing, but the partnership has resulted in some of Cash’s most memorable performances. Greg finds the 6th album somewhat disturbing to hear; you can tell he was deteriorating. The songs have a psychedelic quality, nodding at the world Cash would soon be moving on to. Greg gives Aint No Grave a Buy It rating. Jim heard three excellent tracks, but found the remaining either embarrassing or painful. He feels this material should’ve stayed private or been released as outtakes and gives the record a Burn It.
5 Gil Scott-Heron also has a new album out—his first in 16 years. The poet and protest singer helped to define hip hop today with his politically charged examinations of our culture. He’s had a lot of trouble with drugs and the law in recent years, and these experiences have informed the new record, I’m New Here. Jim wishes Scott-Heron had looked out more than in. Not commenting on some of the changes in the world in the past decade seems like a missed opportunity. He also wishes the tracks hadn’t been so overproduced. Jim gives I’m New Here a Trash It. Greg agrees that Scott-Heron’s comments on recent events would’ve been a welcome addition, but he gets the sense that the singer wasn’t present much in the last few years. It’s sad for him to hear the patchwork songs, and he gives it a Burn It at best.
6 For Jim’s Desert Island Jukebox selection this week, he looked to one of his favorite rock-infused films, The Royal Tenenbaums. He describes his favorite scene between Gwyneth Paltrow and Luke Wilson that ends with the Nico track “These Days.” With her perfect “oval” voice, Nico put a spell on everyone from Jackson Browne to Andy Warhol, and Jim is not immune.
Songs Featured in Show #222
The White Stripes, "Jolene," Hello Operator, 2000
Bruce Springsteen, "How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live," We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions, 2006
Steely Dan, "Everyone's Gone to the Movies,” Katy Lied, 1975
Michael Giacchino, “Up End With Credits,” Up (Original Score), 2009
Alexandre Desplat, “Bean’s Secret Cider Cellar,” Fantastic Mr. Fox (Original Soundtrack), 2009 Marco Beltrami / Buck Sanders, “The Hurt Locker,” The Hurt Locker (Original Soundtrack), 2009 James Horner, “The Destruction,” Avatar [Music from the Motion Picture], 2009
James Horner, “War,” Avatar [Music from the Motion Picture], 2009
Ryan Bingham, The Weary Kind,” Crazy Heart, 2010
Kate Hudson, “Cinema Italiano,” Nine [Original Soundtrack], 2009
Dr. John, “Down in New Orleans,” The Princess and the Frog, 2009
Bernard Herrmann, “Prelude,” Psycho, 1960
Ennio Morricone, “The Surrender” Inglourious Basterds [Warner Bros. Soundtrack], 2009
Shelley Duvall, “He Needs Me,” Punch-Drunk Love [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack], 2002
The Talking Heads, “Life During Wartime,” Stop Making Sense, 1984
Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin, “My Minnesota Home (The Old Folks at Home),” A Prairie Home Companion, 2006
John Cale, “Hallelujah,” Fragments of a Rainy Season, 1992
Dick Dale & His Del-Tones, “Miserlu,” Pulp Fiction, 1994
Johnny Cash, “I Corinthians 15:55,” American VI: Ain't No Grave, 2010
Johnny Cash, Ain’t No Grave,” American VI: Ain't No Grave, 2010
Johnny Cash, Redemption Day,” American VI: Ain't No Grave, 2010
Johnny Cash, “Cool Water,” American VI: Ain't No Grave, 2010
Johnny Cash, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, American IV: The Man Comes Around, 2002 Gil Scott-Heron, “Me and the Devil” I’m New Here, 2010
Gil Scott-Heron, “I’m New Here” I’m New Here, 2010
Nico, “These Days,” The Royal Tenenbaums, 2001
Chromeo, "Call Me Up," Fancy Footwork, 2007
Operator Please, "Just A Song About Ping Pong," Just A Song About Ping Pong, 2007
Taylor Swift, "You Belong With Me," Fearless, 2008
Weezer, "Hash Pipe," Weezer (Green Album), 2001
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