Above you see a digital painting over a digitally-assaulted photograph that I took about five years ago out of the Union Building, looking East over the Kanawha River.That's pretty much all you need to know about it. Click to see it bigger.
Sunday, August 07, 2011
Monday Morning Art: Sunny Day On The River
Above you see a digital painting over a digitally-assaulted photograph that I took about five years ago out of the Union Building, looking East over the Kanawha River.That's pretty much all you need to know about it. Click to see it bigger.
Sunday Evening Videos: Weird, Funny Shorts
I'm not talking about pants here. This week we're bringing you some short, weird little films, designed to amuse and astound you. Well, amuse, at least.
First up, courtesy of Mark Evanier and his NewsFromME blog, here's a Diabnetes Awareness clip starring Bill Kirchenbauer...
[HTML1]
More mind-hurting weirdness after the jump...
First up, courtesy of Mark Evanier and his NewsFromME blog, here's a Diabnetes Awareness clip starring Bill Kirchenbauer...
[HTML1]
More mind-hurting weirdness after the jump...
Friday, August 05, 2011
John Waters At The Clay Center (sort of)
The PopCulteerAugust 5, 2011
Once again, Charleston's theatre scene is blessed with two high-quality shows running at the same time. You can see a video clip of CYAC's production of Dan Kehde's "Cupid Falling/Cupid Rising" right here. That original comedy is running at The WVSU Capitol Center Theater. Meanwhile, across tiown at The Clay Center, Charleston Light Opera Guild, in conjunction with the Clay Center, will bring you "Hairspray," the broadway musical based on the 1988 John Waters movie.
Big Hair = Big Fun
[caption id="attachment_6309" align="alignleft" width="275" caption="Tracy and Amber, photo by Chip Ellis"]
[/caption]"Hairspray" opens tonight at 7:30 PM at The Clay Center, and it's a fun musical set in Baltimore in 1962. While it tells the story of how young Tracy Turnblad helped break down the walls of racial integration on a local "American Bandstand" style dance show, the deeper message is how Tracy stands up against the rampant sizism, which is still a problem today.
This is a fun production. Nina Denton Pasinetti has mastered the science of distilling hit Broadway productions into the perfect works for the local stage, and the young cast shines brightly as they rip into a score that is a pure valentine to the pre-Beatles era of American music. You'll hear echoes of Motown, Phil Spector's "Wall Of Sound" and classic girl groups, all performed with gusto by the cast and recreated faithfully by the orchestra, under the direction of Bobby Hodges.
Jessica Cooper captures the spirit of Rikki Lake, who made her mark as Tracy in the original movie, and Alan Pennington is overwhelming as her mother, Edna, a role created by the late iconic transvestie star, Divine.
Check out the video preview below...
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Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
CD Review: Marcie “Spent”
The debut CD by Huntington singer Marcie Bullock is a powerful collection of original songs anchored by her dynamic vocals and arrangements that defy simple labels. "Spent" straddles the worlds of blues, jazz, and rock, with a hint of country in the mix. Bullock's versatility as a singer is on full display, as she alternately belts out blues/rock jams and tenderly delivers jazzy ballads."Spent" is nearly a concept album, with many of the tunes chronicalling a relationship from its beginning to its decay. The songs are striking, with sharp lyrics and killer musical backing.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Colan
Word came over the weekend that Gene Colan, the artist most associated with the Howard The Duck comic book, is hospitalized with liver failure. This is just a couple of months after the death of Howard's creator and writer, Steve Gerber (a major influence on your humble PopCult blogger).
While Colan made a huge mark with Howard, he had a long career in comics before and after. Most notably a lenghty run on Marvel Comic's "Tomb Of Dracula" in the 1970s. Colan also served stints as the main artist on Daredevil, Iron Man, and Dr. Strange, among many other Marvel stalwarts. Jumping to DC Comics in the 1980s, Colan lent his talents to Batman and Wonder Woman. It was around this time that he crafted two creator-owned series with writer Don McGregor: Nathaniel Dusk, a Private Eye comic, and Ragamuffins, about a group of children. These series were reproduced directly from Colan's pencilled pages, skipping the industry standard of employing other artists to "finish" the artwork in ink. Colan was legendary for the quality of his pencilled pages, which often were obliterated by less talented inkers.
For more information on Gene Colan and his current health crisis, check out Mark Evanier's blog. He reports that a benefit project is in the works. PopCult sends best wishes to Gene and his family.
Monday, March 03, 2008
Akon wasn't there.
Monday Morning Art will go up Tuesday Afternoon this week. I’m working on a project related to the Emily Gunter-Haynes benefit from yesterday, but the details won’t be finalized until tomorrow, so to tide you over, here’s a photo essay featuring some of the sights from yesterday’s show at the Blue Parrot. The show was rousing success and the vibes were amazing and positive all day long. We got to see friends like Sean Richardson and Karen Allen and local bloggers Jackie Lantern and Scarlett Tanager. Filmmaker Eamon Hardiman was there, and promised to contribute a short film to a future RFC. We even saw a few members of the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, and “Symphony Idol” winner Ryan Hardiman.
Above you see The Spurgie Hankins Band. We recorded a few tunes by Spurgie that you’ll get to see on future episodes of Radio Free Charleston. Below is a shot of The Synergy Collective, who you can see on the most recent RFC.
More pics following the jump: Here's some of the artwork and other cool things that were up for auction.
The VooDoo Katz turned in a great set, as usual.
Kai Haynes, from the Katz, delivered an astounding vocal during their finale.
The Tom Batchelor Band, from Morgantown, laid down a wonderful Reggae vibe, complete with steel drum.
Past RFC guest Mark Bates peformed with his band, The Vacancies.
Here’s another shot of Spurgie and the boys.
And we’ll leave you with another photo of The Synergy Collective, who used electric guitars for the first time that we heard them, and sounded great. Check PopCult tomorrow for art and more info on how to help Emily.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Monday, October 15, 2007
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Marshall Rogers Passes Away
Details are still sketchy, but comic book artist Marshall Rogers died Sunday at the relatively young age of 57. Heidi MacDonald has the press statement from DC Comics here. Newsarama broke the story here. A website dedicated to Rogers has temporarily suspended operation. One of the most exciting artists of his generation, Rogers was an innovator who brought new life to characters such as Batman, Dr. Strange, The Silver Surfer, and Mr. Miracle.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Monday Morning Art: Self Portrait
I decided to let the ego run wild this week. Our Monday Morning Art is a digitally-assaulted frame grab from episode fifteen of Radio Free Charleston, with me standing in front of a line of buildings on Quarrier Street. I played with the contrast and colors, and now it looks like the cover to my long-lost New Wave solo album that never happened.
As always, click the photo for a larger view. And go here for the Monday Morning Art Store, and here for the PopCult store. Yes, I'm selling crap with my own picture on it. Sorta sad, eh?
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Larry “Bud,” We Hardly Knew Ye…
Mark Evanier reports on the passing of character actor Calvert DeForest, who was better known as Larry "Bud" Melman on "Late Night With David Letterman" and then appeared on Letterman's show on CBS. Evanier also tells us about a planned tribute by Letterman and a vintage clip.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Monday Morning Art: More Pop Art Charleston
Today's art is a view of the building at the Southwest corner of Capitol and Lee Streets downtown. It's another "Pop Art Charleston" digitally-assaulted photograph, color attacked, smooshed, and squooshed for your amusement.
Once again, click the photo for a larger view. And go here for the Monday Morning Art Store, and here for the PopCult store. Vote with your dollars! Is “Pop Art Charleston” a bold new direction, a cheesy way to recycle old works into T-Shirts, or am I just in a rut?
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Cool Thing Of The Week: ROME
In honor of the Ides Of March, our cool thing this week is the HBO series ROME, which has only two episodes remaining in what is expected to be its final season. I can only hope that HBO decides to continue this excellent drama, which is the best show on television. With The Sopranos ending soon, and Deadwood foolishly cancelled, HBO shouldn't be dumping their other "event" series, ROME.
Of course, the fabelled Ides Of March incident took place in the first season's finale, but the second season, focusing on the aftermath of Julius Ceasar's death and rise of Octavian, who will become Augustus, the first Emperor of Rome, has been just as good as the first. More people ought to be watching this show, and complaining to HBO if they decide not to produce any further seasons. For more infomation on ROME, read the article I wrote gushing about it a year-and-a-half ago. Meanwhile, there are still two episodes left. This Sunday at 9 PM you can catch "Deus Impeditio Esuritori Nullus (No God Can Stop A Hungry Man)."
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Sweet Sixteen Production Notes
The latest episode of Radio Free Charleston is online now for your viewing pleasure. This episode is called "A Place Of Solace Shirt" in honor of the Huntington band who put on a killer show at the Sound Factory back on March 6. We will be featuring the band, and not just the shirt, on a future episode of RFC. Follow that link to find out how you can get your own shirt and sample their music. Our musical guests on this episode are John Radcliff and Al Carey. Radcliff is an old buddy from way back in my radio days, and Al is a new friend with a striking political commentary.
Longtime followers of the local music scene may remember John from his days as the ace guitar god for such bands as The Swivel Rockers, Feast Of Stephen, and The Mad Scientist Club. John's relocated to Parkersburg, and has recently shifted his musical focus from just playing guitar to writing and singing his own songs. And they are great songs. Rad drove down from Parkersburg and graced the LiveMix Studio with seven great original tunes. You can see and hear "Writing's Hard" here. On RFC we are treated to the Andy Partridge-esque "Rainbows." Radcliff will be the first person to appear on consecutive episodes of RFC, as he's back next time with another killer song.
Monday, March 12, 2007
INCOMING!
With any luck, the next episode of Radio Free Charleston, featuring music from John Radcliff and Al Carey and animation from Stephen Beckner, along with our usual mind-hurting weirdness, will be online tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed. Until then, watch this trailer:
[youtube]Oz8pU4yiG0s[/youtube]
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Monday Morning Art: That Bank Building Again
This week's Monday Morning bit of self-indulgence is a different shot of the Huntington Bank Building in downtown Charleston. It's digitally-assaulted, but not too much so. The lens flare is real. For some reason, my photos of this building come out looking pretty cool.
As always, click the photo for a larger view. And go here for the Monday Morning Art Store, and here for the PopCult store. You still have time to be the first customer!
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Cool Toy Of The Week: Arctic Adventurer
One year ago I wrote about how the Official GI Joe Collector's Club was giving out a cool free figure to anyone who was a member in good standing on March 15. That was the "Foreign Adventurer" a 12" GI Joe with fuzzy hair on the GI Joe "foreign" headsculpt, which had never been made with flocked hair before. You can see the Foreign Adventurer being arrested by Captain Action in episode fourteen of Radio Free Charleston. This year, the club is at it again. If you are a member of the Official GI Joe Club by the March 15 deadline, you will receive an Arctic Adventurer, a version of the Foreign Adventurer with red hair and beard and cool Adventure Team boxer shorts. You have about a week left to join. If you would prefer one of those little 3 3/4" GI Joes, you can choose to receive an exclusive version of Copperhead. Full details on how to join and the neat Arctic Uniform set (available separately) can be found here. Or you can call the G.I. Joe Collectors' Club at 817-448-9863 to join.
Now you know, and knowing is half the battle. Full disclosure: I am a member of the club, and contribute to their newsletter.
Cool Video Of The Week: DEVO Does Jimi
It's a cool week here at PopCult. We're looking forward to the opening Friday of "300" in theaters. You can read my article about the career of Frank Miller, upon whose graphic novel the movie is based, right here. But that's not the only cool thing going. We have a triumverat of "Cool Things" this week. Our cool video, a cool toy, and a cool concert.
First up, the cool video...this is a rare video by DEVO. It's a cover of the Jimi Hendrix classic "Are You Experienced." Because of the Hendrix estate withholding permission, this video has not yet been released on DVD. You can see it right here.
[youtube]qonTIZGu27w[/youtube]
First up, the cool video...this is a rare video by DEVO. It's a cover of the Jimi Hendrix classic "Are You Experienced." Because of the Hendrix estate withholding permission, this video has not yet been released on DVD. You can see it right here.
[youtube]qonTIZGu27w[/youtube]
Cool Concert Of Next Month: Katrina Benefit
Tonight a bevy of local rock and hip-hop artists will take the stage at Holderby's Landing on the Riverfront (1360 Harris Park Drive) in Huntington for a benefit concert to raise money for the continuing effort to rebuild the areas ravaged by Hurricane Katrina a year-and-a-half ago. It's a good cause and there will be some great music, including RFC mainstay, The Concept. Doors open at 8 PM tonight, and the promoters have not informed me of the cost to attend, but at least you know it's going to people who need the money.
The show has been postponed until April 5. We'll have more details as that date approaches.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Last Day For HYAMP
Huntington's all-ages venue closes after tonight. Hopefully they'll be up and running soon in a new location. Time to head out and show your support.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Monday Morning Art: The River
Our Monday Morning Art this week is another "Pop Art Charleston" digitally-assaulted photograph taken from high up in the Union Building. This time we're looking West, over the Haddad Riverfront Park and out towards the wilds of The West Side and points beyond.
Once again, click the photo for a larger view. And go here for the Monday Morning Art Store, and here for the PopCult store. Vote with your dollars! Is "Pop Art Charleston" a bold new direction, a cheesy way to recycle old works into T-Shirts, or am I just in a rut?
Sunday, March 04, 2007
A Music-filled Weekend
Friday and Saturday were chock-full of great music for me. 
Friday night I attended two great rock shows and saw six spectacular bands, and then Saturday I was privileged to witness an amazing concert by The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra. The weekend ran the musical gamut from punk to 
metal to classical. Once again I'm reminded that people who say there's nothing to do in Charleston are borderline delusional. 
Any time you can watch people who are passionate about music practice their art, that's something to do. The real problem in this town is apathetic people who refuse to go out to shows, then complain that "Charleston doesn't have anything." Guess what folks, Charleston does have great stuff going on, and if you stayed at home, you missed it!
Friday night I attended two great rock shows and saw six spectacular bands, and then Saturday I was privileged to witness an amazing concert by The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra. The weekend ran the musical gamut from punk to metal to classical. Once again I'm reminded that people who say there's nothing to do in Charleston are borderline delusional. Any time you can watch people who are passionate about music practice their art, that's something to do. The real problem in this town is apathetic people who refuse to go out to shows, then complain that "Charleston doesn't have anything." Guess what folks, Charleston does have great stuff going on, and if you stayed at home, you missed it! music draft
Friday and Saturday were chock-full of great music for me. Friday night I attended two great rock shows and saw six spectacular bands, and then Saturday I was privileged to witness an amazing concert by The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra. The weekend ran the musical gamut from punk to metal to classical. Once again I'm reminded that people who say there's nothing to do in Charleston are borderline delusional. Any time you can watch people who are passionate about music practice their art, that's something to do. The real problem in this town is apathetic people who refuse to go out to shows, then complain that "Charleston doesn't have anything." Guess what folks, Charleston does have great stuff going on, and if you stayed at home, you missed it!
First on Friday was the all-ages show at the Labelle Theater in South Charleston. Punchline was the headline act, and local favorites Holden Caulfield and The Concept provided strong support. A crowd of about a hundred kids showered the bands with enthusiasm throughout the night.
This was my first time seeing local hardcore legends seven and thirteen of Radio Free Charleston. Mike, Dave and Ross are one of the hottest power-punk trios in town. They did not disappoint. The crowd went wild when Steve from Punchline joined the guys for a cover of the NOFX classic,"Linoluem."
Punchline were real pros, with tight arrangements, great vocals and a true rapport with the crowd. I wasn't familiar with them before the show, but I left as a fan. This Pittsburgh four-piece tore through a set that could have been a "greatest hits" for any other band. Don't be shocked if these guys break out big soon, like their labelmates Fall Out Boy.
After a dinner break (Hardings Family Restaurant), I made my way to The Sound Factory, where, along with a criminally-sparse crowd, I caught three great heavy-sounding bands. Despite the small audience, each band gave their all and put on amazing peformances.
Greyface from Parkersburg had a unique sound, with a female vocalist fronting this hard-hitting band. I caught the last half of their set, and was impressed enough to invite them to appear on Radio Free Charleston in the future. It was a good night for recruiting bands for RFC. I'd be proud to have any of the bands that I saw Friday on the show.
That also includes Huntington's Earth To Eros, who put on a stunning show, that showed off some amazing progressive-metal chops and incredible vocals. This three-piece outfit sounded at times like Morphine, Queens of the Stone Age, and even Pink Floyd. They closed their set with an astounding cover of Billy Joel's "Pressure" that has to be heard to be believed.
The headliners were A Place Of Solace, who will be on a future episode of Radio Free Charleston. We planned to have them on the very next episode, but they have a line-up change coming soon, and want the newest version of the band to be on RFC. This band puts on an incredible show. Tommy, the lead singer, is a hyperactive ball of energy on stage. I can't wait to get them on video tape for the show. I also can't recall hearing a local band that's able to shift gears so effectively from loud, pounding songs that almost liquify your internal organs to melodic art-rock.
Friday was my rock 'n' roll night. I listened to kick-ass music from 7 PM to just after 2 AM. It was a real rush, but Saturday was a whole different kind of kick-ass experience. It's too easily overlooked, but Charleston is the home of a world-class symphony orchestra.
First on Friday was the all-ages show at the Labelle Theater in South Charleston. Punchline was the headline act, and local favorites Holden Caulfield and The Concept provided strong support. A crowd of about a hundred kids showered the bands with enthusiasm throughout the night.
This was my first time seeing local hardcore legends seven and thirteen of Radio Free Charleston. Mike, Dave and Ross are one of the hottest power-punk trios in town. They did not disappoint. The crowd went wild when Steve from Punchline joined the guys for a cover of the NOFX classic,"Linoluem."
Punchline were real pros, with tight arrangements, great vocals and a true rapport with the crowd. I wasn't familiar with them before the show, but I left as a fan. This Pittsburgh four-piece tore through a set that could have been a "greatest hits" for any other band. Don't be shocked if these guys break out big soon, like their labelmates Fall Out Boy.
After a dinner break (Hardings Family Restaurant), I made my way to The Sound Factory, where, along with a criminally-sparse crowd, I caught three great heavy-sounding bands. Despite the small audience, each band gave their all and put on amazing peformances.
Greyface from Parkersburg had a unique sound, with a female vocalist fronting this hard-hitting band. I caught the last half of their set, and was impressed enough to invite them to appear on Radio Free Charleston in the future. It was a good night for recruiting bands for RFC. I'd be proud to have any of the bands that I saw Friday on the show.
That also includes Huntington's Earth To Eros, who put on a stunning show, that showed off some amazing progressive-metal chops and incredible vocals. This three-piece outfit sounded at times like Morphine, Queens of the Stone Age, and even Pink Floyd. They closed their set with an astounding cover of Billy Joel's "Pressure" that has to be heard to be believed.
The headliners were A Place Of Solace, who will be on a future episode of Radio Free Charleston. We planned to have them on the very next episode, but they have a line-up change coming soon, and want the newest version of the band to be on RFC. This band puts on an incredible show. Tommy, the lead singer, is a hyperactive ball of energy on stage. I can't wait to get them on video tape for the show. I also can't recall hearing a local band that's able to shift gears so effectively from loud, pounding songs that almost liquify your internal organs to melodic art-rock.
Friday was my rock 'n' roll night. I listened to kick-ass music from 7 PM to just after 2 AM. It was a real rush, but Saturday was a whole different kind of kick-ass experience. It's too easily overlooked, but Charleston is the home of a world-class symphony orchestra.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
RFC Correction
As pointed out in the comments about the latest Radio Free Charleston, I screwed up. I spelled Allen Ginsberg's name "Alan" instead of "Allen." I shall go and listen to the recording of "Howl" as read by the guy who did the voice for Donald Duck as my penance. Meanwhile, go watch the show.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
spThe artist: Lily Allen
The CD: "Alright Still"
Recommended if you like: Madness, Nellie Mckay, Gorillaz
Lily Allen is one of the first artists to successfully launch a career using MySpace. Under the guidance of her father, Keith Allen, a comedian, actor and musician in the UK (He appeared on "The Young Ones," acted in "Trainspotting," and co-wrote songs with New Order), Allen posted many of the songs that make up her first album on
The CD: "Alright Still"
Recommended if you like: Madness, Nellie Mckay, Gorillaz
Lily Allen is one of the first artists to successfully launch a career using MySpace. Under the guidance of her father, Keith Allen, a comedian, actor and musician in the UK (He appeared on "The Young Ones," acted in "Trainspotting," and co-wrote songs with New Order), Allen posted many of the songs that make up her first album on
Despite the lightweight pop musicality, the lyrics are remarkably dark for someone so young (Allen is only 21). F-bombs fly left and right, and among the topics in the songs are all sorts of Urban crime, drug use and torturing ex-boyfriends in a variety of ways, from having them beaten by thugs to publicly belittling their sexual abilities. This is not a work-safe album. As mean-spirited as many of the songs are, they're so good that they're destined to become guilty pleasures for men, and this may be the album of the year for women scorned.
Standout tracks are "Smile," "LDN," and "Alfie." "Smile" is one of the songs about having an ex beaten by thugs, and it's a pure pop masterpiece. "When I see you cry, it makes me smile." The video is getting heavy rotation on those music channels that still show music videos. "LDN" is a warts-and-all valentine to London that proclaims "I don't wanna be anywhere else" while talking about pimps and muggings that she sees while riding around town on her bike. The satire is brilliant. Throughout the album, the interplay between the dark subject matter and the happy, upbeat music is masterful. I can't remember doing so many double takes before while listening to an album.
"Alfie" is a song Lily Allen wrote for her brother. It starts out "Oh deary me, my little brother's in his bedroom smoking weed." The song seems to be built on a Bonzo Dog Band sample, with tuba, spoons and a bouncy melody that is simply hysterical in juxtaposition to the lyrics.
There are many other great tracks on this CD. "Nan, You're A Window Shopper" is a parody of 50 Cent's "Window Shopper." "Friday Night" sounds a lot like The Specials "Ghost Town," only it's told from the perspective of a girl getting into a fight.
"Alright Still" is a strong debut with a diverse range of musical influences and Allen's wicked sense of humor carrying the day. Lily Allen is certainly going to be a talent to watch.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Mellencamp
I'm a little surprised. I did not expect to like this CD much. I'm not a huge fan of John Mellencamp. I remember back when he was "Johnny Cougar" and wrote catchy pop tunes. The problem was that they were so catchy that they were promptly overexposed to the point where they could induce nausea. Mellencamp always came across as a hybrid wannabe who couldn't decide if he wanted to be Bruce Springsteen or Lynyrd Skynard. It turned out that he was able to out-sell both of them by cranking out what seemed like an endless supply of bland hit singles.
We're qute a few years removed from those days, and this new CD is a solid, well-crafted example of mature Americana. There are equal parts of country and blue-eyed soul on display here. The musicianship is top-notch. Lyrically it's a bit stuck in the crusading Midwestern social commentator mold, but it's just predicitable not offensive.
Unless you're already sick of that damned truck commercial song, that is. Even with the ubiquity of "Our Country" draining that song of any possible entertainment value, at least it displaced Bob Segar's "Like A Rock," a feat for which I will forever be grateful. At first listen "Our Country" is borderline jingoism that doesn't much appear to be grounded in reality. Further examination reveals a deeper mentality at work, but on the surface, the song comes across as a GOP sing-along campfire tune.
"The American's" is fantastical idealism at work, too, with the line "I'm an American from South of the Mason-Dixon line....I respect you and your point of view." Sort of makes you wonder which Mason-Dixon line Mellencamp's been hanging out South of. That particular song sounds more like a brilliant parody of Mellencamp than an actual song by him. Luckily, the rest of the CD is not so divorced from reality. "The American's" is a stand-out as the album's howler, a song so bad you have hear it to believe it.
On the other hand, "Jim Crow" is a sharp, well-written tune about the South, with chilling guest vocals by Joan Baez. This harsh look at the state of race relations makes up for the more commercial flag-waving in evidence elsewhere on the CD. The song has great guitar work by Mike Vanchic and Andy York. Just when you think that he's going to be content to dole out a standard helping of cheap patriotism and "look how danged rural I am" tunes, Mellencamp shows that he can give us an intelligent observation.
Even "Our Country" which on the surface seems like a simple truck commercial song, is instead a rewrite of Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Our Land." There is some irony and progressive politics at work there. Unfortunately, like Guthrie's song, "Our Country" seems destined to be beloved by people who would be horrified by the song's true intent.
"Rural Route" is a decent little story song about an abducted girl. It sounds more like early Steve Earle than Mellencamp, which is a good thing. It's a rewarding artistic direction, should Mellencamp pursue it further in the future. I could deal with a concept album that tells a story in this form. Even his vocals take on a new light, more journalistic than anthemic.
The nominal album closer "Heaven Is A Lonely Place" is a good backwoods rave-up with some great roots-rock moments. Also on the plus side are the cutting lyrics and a killer arrangement. This doesn't sound anything like a hit single, which is a high compliment. Mellencamp is at his best when he's not swinging for the fence in terms of chart position.
A hidden track at the end of the CD is a either a searing politcal analogy about abortion or the war in Iraq, or a song about Rodeo clowns. The problem with hidden tracks is that it's hard to tell. In the days of vinyl, this would have been a throw-away B-side to a 45. Now it's a bonus track.
So I'm shocked. I survived a John Mellencamp CD. There are a few good songs, a couple of great songs, and a couple of remarkable stinkers, but for the most part, this is a pretty good CD. Even on the less-than-stellar songs, the musicianship is tight. Mellencamp has a hell of a band behind him. If you like Mellencamp in his heyday, you'll be pleased with a new collection of songs. If you didn't care for him you may still be surprised.
We're qute a few years removed from those days, and this new CD is a solid, well-crafted example of mature Americana. There are equal parts of country and blue-eyed soul on display here. The musicianship is top-notch. Lyrically it's a bit stuck in the crusading Midwestern social commentator mold, but it's just predicitable not offensive.
Unless you're already sick of that damned truck commercial song, that is. Even with the ubiquity of "Our Country" draining that song of any possible entertainment value, at least it displaced Bob Segar's "Like A Rock," a feat for which I will forever be grateful. At first listen "Our Country" is borderline jingoism that doesn't much appear to be grounded in reality. Further examination reveals a deeper mentality at work, but on the surface, the song comes across as a GOP sing-along campfire tune.
"The American's" is fantastical idealism at work, too, with the line "I'm an American from South of the Mason-Dixon line....I respect you and your point of view." Sort of makes you wonder which Mason-Dixon line Mellencamp's been hanging out South of. That particular song sounds more like a brilliant parody of Mellencamp than an actual song by him. Luckily, the rest of the CD is not so divorced from reality. "The American's" is a stand-out as the album's howler, a song so bad you have hear it to believe it.
On the other hand, "Jim Crow" is a sharp, well-written tune about the South, with chilling guest vocals by Joan Baez. This harsh look at the state of race relations makes up for the more commercial flag-waving in evidence elsewhere on the CD. The song has great guitar work by Mike Vanchic and Andy York. Just when you think that he's going to be content to dole out a standard helping of cheap patriotism and "look how danged rural I am" tunes, Mellencamp shows that he can give us an intelligent observation.
Even "Our Country" which on the surface seems like a simple truck commercial song, is instead a rewrite of Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Our Land." There is some irony and progressive politics at work there. Unfortunately, like Guthrie's song, "Our Country" seems destined to be beloved by people who would be horrified by the song's true intent.
"Rural Route" is a decent little story song about an abducted girl. It sounds more like early Steve Earle than Mellencamp, which is a good thing. It's a rewarding artistic direction, should Mellencamp pursue it further in the future. I could deal with a concept album that tells a story in this form. Even his vocals take on a new light, more journalistic than anthemic.
The nominal album closer "Heaven Is A Lonely Place" is a good backwoods rave-up with some great roots-rock moments. Also on the plus side are the cutting lyrics and a killer arrangement. This doesn't sound anything like a hit single, which is a high compliment. Mellencamp is at his best when he's not swinging for the fence in terms of chart position.
A hidden track at the end of the CD is a either a searing politcal analogy about abortion or the war in Iraq, or a song about Rodeo clowns. The problem with hidden tracks is that it's hard to tell. In the days of vinyl, this would have been a throw-away B-side to a 45. Now it's a bonus track.
So I'm shocked. I survived a John Mellencamp CD. There are a few good songs, a couple of great songs, and a couple of remarkable stinkers, but for the most part, this is a pretty good CD. Even on the less-than-stellar songs, the musicianship is tight. Mellencamp has a hell of a band behind him. If you like Mellencamp in his heyday, you'll be pleased with a new collection of songs. If you didn't care for him you may still be surprised.
Monday, February 26, 2007
RFC pdouction notes
Episode 15 of Radio Free Charleston, "Black and White," is online now! This episode features an epic-length Pentagram Flowerbox, plus music from The Appalachian Celtic Consort and The Heydays. Both our musical guests return with original compositions after performing traditional songs on their first RFC appearance. This episode has a nice acoustic feel, except for the satanic rituals, explosions and drug use. Both performances were recorded at LiveMix Studio. I host the show from Downtown Charleston.
"Timmy's Problem" is a very special episode of Pentagram Flowerbox. We gave you a teaser in episode 14 of RFC, but now you get the full story! 
Little Timmy has started sneaking into Satan's camper to smoke drugs! This is causing all sorts of headaches for the Lord of Darkness, who really doesn't want to attract the attention of the police. If you want sneak peeks of what's coming from Pentagram Flowerbox and want to see their material before we get our hands on it, check out their website.
The Appalachian Celtic Consort appeared on episode five of Radio Free Charleston when they performed "Johnny Jump Up and Monaghan Jig. They came into the studio last summer and recorded a few songs for us. We feared that we had lost their additional performances in a catastrophic hard-drive crash in September, but months of effort allowed us to recover their performance of "Dear Lady," which tells the tale of a vampire. In the crash, we lost two of the four camera angles, but we persevered with two cameras and some extra video FX love, creating what we hope looks like a living painting of this talented band of musicians. Be sure to check out the ACC website for more information on how to buy their CDs and a list of their upcoming shows.
The Heydays were on episode ten of Radio Free Charleston when Douglas Imbrogno and Paul Calicoat treated us to a rendition of "Shady Grove." This time around they bring us Doug's original song "I Never Slept With Alan Ginsberg." The video for this song is an experimental clip that layers on video effects in an attempt to emulate animation. Astute readers will note that Douglas Imbrogno is also the editor of TheGazz.com.
Production Notes for Episode 15 of RFC
Episode 15 of Radio Free Charleston, "Black and White," is online now! This episode features an epic-length Pentagram Flowerbox, plus music from The Appalachian Celtic Consort and The Heydays. Both our musical guests return with original compositions after performing traditional songs on their first RFC appearance. This episode has a nice acoustic feel, except for the satanic rituals, explosions and drug use. Both performances were recorded at LiveMix Studio. I host the show from Downtown Charleston.Monday Morning Art: The Ramp
This week's art, another in my pretentious "Pop Art Charleston" series, is a view of the South Side Bridge ramp over Kanawha Boulevard.
As always, click the photo for a larger view. And go here for the Monday Morning Art Store, and here for the PopCult store. You still have time to be the first customer!
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Song and Video of the Week: “Writing’s Hard”
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Here's a special bonus RFC song. Just about 27 hours before this message is being posted, we recorded Parkersburg singer/songwriter John Radcliff at LiveMix Studio for episode 16 of Radio Free Charleston. Some of you old-timers may remember John's amazing guitar work with The Swivel Rockers, Feast of Stephen and The Mad Scientist Club. About six years ago, he started writing and singing his own material, and I was blown away by the quality of his tunesmithery.
Here's a special bonus RFC song. Just about 27 hours before this message is being posted, we recorded Parkersburg singer/songwriter John Radcliff at LiveMix Studio for episode 16 of Radio Free Charleston. Some of you old-timers may remember John's amazing guitar work with The Swivel Rockers, Feast of Stephen and The Mad Scientist Club. About six years ago, he started writing and singing his own material, and I was blown away by the quality of his tunesmithery.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Coming Attractions
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Look for the full episode at Gazztv Monday, and detailed production notes right here in PopCult.
Look for the full episode at Gazztv Monday, and detailed production notes right here in PopCult.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
If you're a fan of the Original Captain Marvel, known by his magic word "Shazam" to most folks, then this is the best of times and the worst of times. We will ignore the god-awful "grim and gritty" re-imagining of the Shazam family of characters currently being inflicted by my least-favorite comic book writer, Judd Winnick (of MTV's "The Real World." He was the guy that made you like Puck in season three). Aside from that abomination, there are very cool things afoot with my favorite super-hero, The Big Red Cheese.Jeff Smith, the cartoonist behind the amazing "Bone" comic books, is producing a four-issue mini-series that takes the Shazam characters back to their roots and re-tells a classic adventure in "Shazam: The Monster Society Of Evil." This series restores the sense of wonder and light-hearted adventure that was the hallmark of the Captain Marvel stories of the 1940s, when he starred in the best-selling comic book of all time, with sales of six million copies every three weeks. The series even has a secret message in each issue that has to be decoded at the DC Comics Website.
Smith is updating the Captain Marvel story, with Billy Batson, the child who utters the magic word "Shazam" in order to become Captain Marvel, aged at about eight years old. We get to see the beginnings of the character, and his "Marvel Family" sidekicks, and we get a fresh take on the Monster Society Of Evil, which was an epic serial that ran for 25 chapters over two years from 1942 to 1944. This is good stuff. Smith's style is cartoony, but serves the story well, much like the
artwork of Captain Marvel's main artist, C.C. Beck.The first issue of "Shazam: The Monster Society Of Evil" went on sale a few weeks ago. Issue two is due out next week.
Aside from this very cool mini-series, DC Direct has announced that they will be releasing a collection of Shazam action figures this fall, with 3-D depictions not only of Captain Marvel, but also of Captain Marvel Jr., Mary Marvel, Billy Batson, his enemy Dr. Sivana, and even Hoppy The Marvel Bunny. Yes, "Hoppy The Marvel Bunny." I said the original series was light-hearted, remember?
If you are an obsessive fan of the Original Marvel Family and the entire Shazam mythos, then you need to zip on over to the Marvel Family Web, which is where I swiped the images for this post. Bookmark that site, and you'll keep up to date with all the info on Captain Marvel. Plus you can poke around the site for tons of great historical data on the days when comic books were fun.
If you're a fan of the Original Captain Marvel, known by his magic word "Shazam" to most folks, then this is the best of times and the worst of times. We will ignore the god-awful "grim and gritty" re-imagining of the Shazam family of characters currently being inflicted by my least-favorite comic book writer, Judd Winnick (of MTV's "The Real World." He was the guy that made you like Puck in season three). Aside from that abomination, there are very cool things afoot with my favorite super-hero, The Big Red Cheese.Jeff Smith, the cartoonist behind the amazing "Bone" comic books, is producing a four-issue mini-series that takes the Shazam characters back to their roots and re-tells a classic adventure in "Shazam: The Monster Society Of Evil." This series restores the sense of wonder and light-hearted adventure that was the hallmark of the Captain Marvel stories of the 1940s, when he starred in the best-selling comic book of all time, with sales of six million copies every three weeks. The series even has a secret message in each issue that has to be decoded at the DC Comics Website.
Smith is updating the Captain Marvel story, with Billy Batson, the child who utters the magic word "Shazam" in order to become Captain Marvel, aged at about eight years old. We get to see the beginnings of the character, and his "Marvel Family" sidekicks, and we get a fresh take on the Monster Society Of Evil, which was an epic serial that ran for 25 chapters over two years from 1942 to 1944. This is good stuff. Smith's style is cartoony, but serves the story well, much like the
artwork of Captain Marvel's main artist, C.C. Beck.The first issue of "Shazam: The Monster Society Of Evil" went on sale a few weeks ago. Issue two is due out next week.
Aside from this very cool mini-series, DC Direct has announced that they will be releasing a collection of Shazam action figures this fall, with 3-D depictions not only of Captain Marvel, but also of Captain Marvel Jr., Mary Marvel, Billy Batson, his enemy Dr. Sivana, and even Hoppy The Marvel Bunny. Yes, "Hoppy The Marvel Bunny." I said the original series was light-hearted, remember?
If you are an obsessive fan of the Original Marvel Family and the entire Shazam mythos, then you need to zip on over to the Marvel Family Web, which is where I swiped the images for this post. Bookmark that site, and you'll keep up to date with all the info on Captain Marvel. Plus you can poke around the site for tons of great historical data on the days when comic books were fun.
Cool Thing Of The Week: SHAZAM!
If you're a fan of the Original Captain Marvel, known by his magic word "Shazam" to most folks, then this is the best of times and the worst of times. We will ignore the god-awful "grim and gritty" re-imagining of the Shazam family of characters currently being inflicted by my least-favorite comic book writer, Judd Winnick (of MTV's "The Real World." He was the guy that made you like Puck in season three). Aside from that abomination, there are very cool things afoot with my favorite super-hero, The Big Red Cheese.Jeff Smith, the cartoonist behind the amazing "Bone" comic books, is producing a four-issue mini-series that takes the Shazam characters back to their roots and re-tells a classic adventure in "Shazam: The Monster Society Of Evil." This series restores the sense of wonder and light-hearted adventure that was the hallmark of the Captain Marvel stories of the 1940s, when he starred in the best-selling comic book of all time, with sales of six million copies every three weeks. The series even has a secret message in each issue that has to be decoded at the DC Comics Website.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Counting The Days….
...until the first opera/musical based on the life of Anna Nicole Smith is announced. You know there's got to be a dozen or so ironic pop culture mavens out there cranking out a quickie cash-in job, disguised as a hip, irreverent social commentary.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Monday Morning Art: The Building Looks Back
Last week our Monday Morning Art was a digitally-assaulted photograph of The Union Building, taken from Capitol Street. This week we turn the tables with a digitally-assaulted photograph of Capitol Street, taken from The Union Building. If you look about a fourth of the way up from the bottom, just left of center, that's where I was standing when I took last week's photo. It was not the only time I've been just left of center.
As always, click the photo for a larger view. And go here for the Monday Morning Art Store, and here for the PopCult store. You still have time to be the first customer!
Thursday, February 15, 2007
When I was a kid, my favorite action figure was Captain Action. He was a GI Joe-sized toy figure that could be dressed as other superheroes like Superman, Spider-man, Batman, Green Hornet, Captain America, and many others. Our cool thing of the week this week is an upcoming reproduction of the hard-to-find Aurora Model Kit of the Captain, which you can read about here.
Captain Action left a huge impression on me when he debuted forty years ago. I've written about him here, here, and here, and he's popped up on episodes seven and fourteen of Radio Free Charleston, and episode ten was called "Captain Action Shirt." So you can see, I'm a big fan. Joe Ahearn is the current keeper of the Captain's flame, and you can check out the Captain Action Enterprises website to see what other cool Cap products are on the way. You can get your own Captain Action Shirt here.
This model kit is being released to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the original release of the kit. It's an accurate reproduction, but it also comes with an alternate head and base, which are improvements over the original. Kit-builders will have a choice. They can make the kit exactly as it was in 1967, or they can build an improved version. Or they can buy two and make one of each. The model kits will retail for $30 to $35 each, which is quite reasonable for a limited edition of 1,000 kits. Comparable "garage kits" often sell for more than a hundred dollars, due to the high costs associated with a short production run.
This project is a joint effort between Captain Action Enterprises, and Moebius Models, a new company dedicated to preserving the legacy of the orginal, legendary Aurora Model company, which made the coolest model kits of the 1960s and 70s. Other cool upcoming releases from Moebius include Dr. Jeckyl as Mr. Hyde and the legendary Tom Daniel car, Rommel's Rod. This is a cool mission that will shine the warm sunlamp of nostalgia on the arthritic joints of many of us children of the 1960s.
Cool Thing Of The Week: Captain Action Model
When I was a kid, my favorite action figure was Captain Action. He was a GI Joe-sized toy figure that could be dressed as other superheroes like Superman, Spider-man, Batman, Green Hornet, Captain America, and many others. Our cool thing of the week this week is an upcoming reproduction of the hard-to-find Aurora Model Kit of the Captain, which you can read about here.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Pre-Valentine’s Day Massacre
It was one week before Valentine's Day, and I have to say, no matter how many strange things you've lived through, nothing can quite prepare you for the sight of your girlfriend being handcuffed to a professional wrestler.
That's my Valentine, Melanie Larch on the right, handcuffed to IWA East Coast Mega-star, Crowza at last week's "A Need To Bleed" event in South Charleston. Mel's a noted area singer (She'll be featured in the West Virginia Symphony Orhcestra's production of "Carmen" in May, and you can see her singing "Ave Maria" on episode 11 of Radio Free Charleston, and at this link). She has no previous professional wrestling experience, at least not as a participant. One of the things I enjoy most about IWA East Coast shows is the surreal nature that they tend to take on. Thanks to IWA East Coast and Nick Gatens for the photos.
That's my Valentine, Melanie Larch on the right, handcuffed to IWA East Coast Mega-star, Crowza at last week's "A Need To Bleed" event in South Charleston. Mel's a noted area singer (She'll be featured in the West Virginia Symphony Orhcestra's production of "Carmen" in May, and you can see her singing "Ave Maria" on episode 11 of Radio Free Charleston, and at this link). She has no previous professional wrestling experience, at least not as a participant. One of the things I enjoy most about IWA East Coast shows is the surreal nature that they tend to take on. Thanks to IWA East Coast and Nick Gatens for the photos. Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Monday, February 12, 2007
Saturday, January 06, 2007
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