Listening To: Around the World Playlist

Alright, so this (small) project has been on the back-burner for many weeks now... or months, I suppose, since I started it before I left for Europe.  Ideally I would have been able to collect more songs and give it better flow, but I've been so short on time lately that it just wasn't happening.

Basically I wanted to gather a collection of music relating to travel, distance, or European cities.  I kicked things off with an upbeat Euro-club vibe, but after a few tracks things mellow out into a more relaxed vacation feel before taking a slight rise in tempo so as to bring things full circle (the first and last tracks are both called Around the World).

Hopefully one day I'll be able to come back and streamline this, but for the time being, enjoy!

Listening To:

Much like my manicure posts and fashion posts I've been neglecting music as well (though not as badly as the others).  Anyway, in a gesture of reparation I thought I'd pass along a decently-hefty collection of everything I've been listening to for the past little while.

Big Jet Plane (Stern* Disco Edit) - Angus and Julia Stone.  This one was sitting at the top of HypeM's most popular list, which was how I found it.  Sometimes the masses are wrong, but this isn't one of those times.  It's chill and funky, something you won't be able to resist nodding your head to.
http://hypem.com/item/1ensa/Angus+and+Julia+Stone+-+Big+Jet+Plane+%28Stern*+disco+edit%29

Don't Lick the Rainbow (Mike Posner/Daft Punk/Mord Fustang) - Basic Physics.  Mike Posner can be reasonably be depended on for catchy stuff, but what I really loved was how Daft Punk was worked into this - I only wish there were more of the Harder Better Faster Stronger sample.  This is another good one to have on hand for your Friday nights.
http://hypem.com/item/1c5sm/Basic+Physics+-+Don%27t+Lick+the+Rainbow+%28Mike+Posner+%2F%2F+Mord+Fustang+%2F%2F+Daft+Punk%29


Flying Overseas (Soul Clap Efunk Mix) - Theophilus London.  Loved the original, love the remix.  This manages to retain the tropical bliss of its parent track while adding an intriguing beat to keep your attention.
http://hypem.com/item/1cfsx/Theophilus+London+-+Flying+Overseas+%28Soul+Clap+Efunk+Mix%29

I Stand Alone (Ocelot Remix) - Theophilus London.  While the original was pretty good I think I prefer this remix.  Usually I'm not a dubstep fan but this is a definite exception - while it adds the trademark beat it doesn't sacrifice melody like most dubstep does.
http://hypem.com/artist/I%20Stand%20Alone%20%28Ocelot%20Remix%29

After Party - The Lonely Island feat. Santigold.  Okay, so I won't lie, I love pretty much everything The Lonely Island comes out with.  Motherlover? Yep.  3 Way (The Golden Rule)? It was practically on repeat.  Jack Sparrow? It's on my iPod.  After Party, much like the others, is ridiculous and humorous but also super catchy, which is a pretty rad combination (pardon the '90s slang).  Enjoy!
http://hypem.com/artist/The%20Lonely%20Island%20ft.%20Santigold


Midnight Life - The White Panda.  I won't shy away from saying that The White Panda's most recent album disappointed me.  I reminisce about the days when they released infectious hits like Golden Encore, What Lonely Girls Do, and Hold On to My Momma.  However, Midnight Life hearkens back to the days of their more brilliant combos, when they somehow made awesome music even more awesome by mixing it with other awesome music.  Excuse the over-sell.
http://hypem.com/item/1ea7n/The+White+Panda+-+Midnight+Life

Club Paradise - Drake.  Ahhhh Canadian Pride!  Good ol' Wheelchair Jimmy has done it again and come out with an intelligent piece of work that you'll want to keep close.  The background melody is chill, the harmonies are slightly intoxicating, and his singing in the chorus is the perfect way to tie it all together.  Drake, you rep Canada well!
http://hypem.com/item/1e9e8/Drake+-+Club+Paradise

Slow John (Lil Wayne & Com Truise) - The Hood Internet.  Quite frankly 99% of Lil John's lyrics offend me, but occasionally I'll overlook that.  The Hood Internet put out a few new tracks a few weeks back, all of which I enjoyed.
http://hypem.com/item/1br61/The+Hood+Internet+-+Slow+John+%28Lil+Wayne+x+Com+Truise%29

Bass Like TV (Dev & The So So Glos) - The Hood Internet.  This one's a bit of an unapologetic party-girl anthem.  The more power to ya.
http://hypem.com/item/1dz4s/The+Hood+Internet+-+Bass+Like+TV+%28Dev+x+The+So+So+Glos%29


World of Swimsuits (The Cool Kids & Ford & Lopatin) - The Hood Internet.  Maybe it's because of the oh-so-subtle '80s vibe this track has going, but of the three from The Hood Internet it's my favourite.  Try not to dance along, I challenge you.
http://hypem.com/item/1dz4v/The+Hood+Internet+-+World+Of+Swimsuits+%28The+Cool+Kids+x+Ford+&+Lopatin%29

Australia (Peter Bjorn and John Remix) - The Shins.  So I gather that The Shins were real big back in '07 around when I was graduating from high school, but apparently I totally missed that boat.  Regardless, this remix is a major improvement on the original.  It is catchier than herpes, and waaaay more fun.
http://hypem.com/item/1140v/The+Shins+-+Australia+%28Peter+Bjorn+&+John+Remix%29

Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO.  Okay, so this is yet another track that I'm waaaay behind the bandwagon on, but on the off chance you haven't jammed to this already I hope you enjoy it now:
http://hypem.com/item/1cs5h/LMFAO+-+Party+Rock+Anthem

Drive Motion Picture Soundtrack - Cliff Martinez.  I haven't had a chance to see Drive yet as it won't even be released here until early 2012, but I've heard very positive things.  I have, however, checked out its soundtrack, which is a work of brilliance.  I've already posted on Kavinsky & Lovefoxxx's Nightcall, which kicks off Drive's soundtrack in excellent style.  The sampled music is expertly selected, and followed by a score which leaves absolutely nothing to be desired.  If you're at all a fan of film scores this is a keeper.  You can buy it off Amazon or iTunes, or if you're cheap you can find the tracks on Grooveshark.

I wish Daft Punk was playing at my house

If you've been paying attention by now you will know that I am a dedicated Daft Punk fan.  So, I just wanted to share the news that while working on Tron: Legacy they also had a new as-yet-unheard-of album in the works.  It's going to be coming out toward the end of this year, and I'm sure I'm not alone in being supremely excited for it.  I'm hoping they're going to revisit their sound circa Discovery, but we'll have to wait and see.  This blog covers their return and includes a sample of what's to come.  Until then relive the glory with this awesome remix of Something About Us.

Tron: Legacy

Seeing as in my infinite laziness I have yet to peruse the Spring Runway shows (so behind, I know), I'll kick things off with a film review.  Also thanks to that same laziness, it's going to be the last film I bothered to watch, Tron: Legacy.

When I first saw the trailer for Tron: Legacy (hereafter Tron) I had something of geek-out.  I mean you can't help but be excited for a film scored entirely by Daft Punk, whose completely obscure Interstella 5555 I have owned and loved for years.  For those of you who are too lazy to look it up, Interstella 5555 was an animated musical film Daft Punk made to accompany their album Discovery.  Their first four singles - One More Time, Aerodynamic, Digital Love, and Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger - were released with the corresponding sections of the film.  You might remember it as those music videos with the blue anime people.  Daft Punk have dependably released fantastic music over the years, and I was excited to see what they would do with Tron.

Besides the soundtrack's potential, the actors who had signed-on for the film each had promise.  Jeff Bridges won an Academy Award shortly after the trailer was released, and Olivia Wilde has been an installment on the popular House for at least a couple of years now.  The star, Garrett Hedlund, you might recognize from Troy (he played Patroclus), or, less likely, you might remember him from Georgia Rule (TERRIBLE MOVIE).  He also is in the recently released Country Strong with that entitled crack-job Gwyneth Paltrow (who names one child after fruit and another after a prophet? Really?  Really??).  Other cast members included Cillian Murphy (Inception, Batman Begins, and many many others) and Michael Sheen (The Twilight Saga: New Moon, The Queen).  Not exactly small potatoes.

On top of all this, the trailers showcased a mesmerizing visual landscape that incorporated the best CGI available and showings in 3D.

So, how did it turn out?  Well, I'll have to admit I built up some big expectations, and so the film came as a bit of a disappointment.  Its strengths were in the soundtrack and the visuals.  Daft Punk came through spectacularly with a soundtrack which perfectly balanced their signature electronic style with the film's need for emotive music to support dialogue and plot developments.  The CD jacket explains they studied soundtrack composers and their music intensely to prepare for composing Tron's score, and that comes through in Tron: Legacy's soundtrack.

Similarly, the visuals were quite the work of art.  The only CGI I found distracting was the young version of Jeff Bridges, and only during close-ups.  The rest of the imagery blended smoothly.  Interestingly, some filming was apparently done in Vancouver, as there is an extremely recognizable shot of the Lions Gate Bridge at the end of the film - locals will enjoy the view of West and North Van, although it certainly does shatter the illusion somewhat.  The only real complaint I have about the visuals is that it at times feels as though scenes have been added simply because someone said "Hey, you know what would look really cool?".  Unlike Avatar, not all of Tron was filmed in 3D - only some sequences.  However, I didn't find the switching back and forth detracted from the film - rather I can appreciate the director's insights that certain scenes simply are better when kept 2D.  As an added bonus the audience didn't even need to put their 3D glasses on and off - they got to stay on the whole time.

As for the weaknesses...  Well, the dialogue, quite honestly, was seriously lacking.  It felt formulaic and forced, which no talent (or lack thereof) on the part of the actors could really help.  Besides that, the plot seemed to have significant holes in it, even though I took the extra effort to watch the original Tron before seeing Tron: Legacy.  I'll add that the original Tron is quite entertaining, although more because the state-of-the-art graphics in the original are reminiscent of that first ping-pong video game from the early 80s.  I found Jeff Bridges' character's manner of speaking a little bizarre, although in the bigger picture, appropriate.  I'll say no more in the interest of not ruining the movie.

Overall, Tron: Legacy was worth seeing.  Tron: Legacy for the most part retained the stand-out idea that Tron presented back in the 80s: the concept of the internet as "a digital frontier".  The Tron films dedicate themselves to the view of the internet as a mysterious thing with infinite possibilities, capable of solving all the world's problems and doing just about anything, but also retaining a vague threat, similar to that of AI.  The stories are filled with a sense of wonder that more recent generations (including my own) don't have, since we've grown up and therefore taken for granted the internet and its (limited) capabilities.

If you're going to go see Tron, prepare yourself for a mildly nostalgic, audio-and-visually focused film that's a little lacking in the backbone department.  I'll add that watching Garrett Hedlund strut around in a black spandex bodysuit for most of the movie made it especially worth seeing.

Not complaining.