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MUSIC REVIEWS
Smith Westerns:
Smith Westerns
While the recordings are firmly in the red, the Smith Westerns haven't really done much to hide the hedonistic thick guitar pop they're crafting, making the production all the weirder. [Nick Hanover]
Goldmund:
Famous Places
The slow, nearly-ambient piano of Famous Places is so solitary and stark that each song seems to bleed into the next without significant change in pace or mood. [Nathan Kamal]
Matthew Dear:
Black City
Matthew Dear's Black City slowly and strangely reveals itself, layer by layer, as a representation of a city, one that is not unlike many other major metropolises. [Kyle Wall]
MUSIC FEATURES
Interview: Johnny Hickman of Cracker
"A lot of bands break up over bullshit. At that time, Camper Van Beethoven had broken up over bullshit. I was not there but basically, they broke up over things that probably would have resolved themselves but they were young." [David Harris]
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FILM REVIEWS
Last Train Home
In a way, this movie is entirely about the problem of finding a spot, of the impossible situations that a vast number of people have found themselves in due to a lack of opportunities and resources. [Andrei Alupului]
The American
The American runs aground with two similar tropes that constantly dog recent cinema: the anti-hero who redeems himself and the hooker who is actually a nice girl wanting to go straight. [David Harris]
The Milk of Sorrow
Swirling anxieties, miscommunications and discomfort create cycling environments of futility, and this film captures the nonverbal way that they perpetuate themselves. [Andrei Alupului]
FILM FEATURES
Film Dunce: The Exorcist
"My idea of Heaven is a solid white nightclub with me as a headliner for all eternity, and they *love* me." [Andrei Alupului]
Revisit: Crumb
The notoriously shy artist's star has never been as visible as it was in 1995 when Zwigoff's documentary took home the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. [David Harris]
Oeuvre: Almodóvar:
Broken Embraces
There are times when the brashness of the cinematography seems at odds with the bleakness of the narrative, but this conflict serves to amplify Almodóvar's message about the ephemeral nature of beautiful things. [Jesse Cataldo]
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FOOD
The Cool Mint Café:
San Marcos, TX
The Cool Mint is a café housed in a fantastic early century cottage. While respecting the integrity of the structure, the interior and porch still managed to feel clean, bright and contemporary. [Phyllis Anastasia Gasper]
Cocktail Recipe: Mule
As the seasons change, so should your drinks. Summer gives you a good excuse to quaff fruity, brightly colored cocktails that would be normally unacceptable. [Lukas Sherman]
Inca Heritage:
Madison, WI
Inca Heritage stays true to its title with stellar Peruvian classics both tame and adventurous, and is worth a stop if only for an appetizer. But don't leave without trying a Pisco Sour. [Michael Merline]
PRINT
Zeitoun
by Dave Eggers
Pushing narrative non-fiction to its most compelling and investigative limits, Eggers invokes the spirit of Truman Capote in not only capturing an ugly chapter in American history, but also perhaps in distilling the Bush years zeitgeist. [David Harris]
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