Review added to Cinema by Magic Marmalade
Split (2016)Rated 8/10

For anyone who hasn't seen this, and knows nothing about it, it's difficult to talk about without offering a spoiler...

(Probably pointless not to mention the twist, as the follow up film to this kind of unequivocally spoils it itself by virtue of it's very existence!)

...But at a time when some felt M. Night Shyamalan's powers were ebbing (I may be alone in loving everything he does!), this had no real expectation around it, but is an absolute return to form, and in territory fans of his movies will love.

It is his inimitable take on the origins of a super-villain... maybe (?)

For the story centres around a man apparently suffering from a pronounced multiple-personality disorder... but the question lingers throughout he film, is it just that, or is there something more... supernatural about it?

(Sound familiar... ? :)

He abducts three teenage schoolgirls, for creepy reasons that leave you fearing the worst for what you are maybe about to watch... but needless to say, it gets stranger as it goes than that, as the story moves into bizarre territory.

James McAvoy gives a career best performance(s) in a film that most actors might have failed to be convincing in, and ruined the whole premise, and Anya Taylor Joy is very strong as the hero / heroine of the film.

The soundtrack is the last element which pushes the whole film up a notch or five... it is phenomenal!

Overall, it's a great addition to a... larger picture, which meant it has a lot to live up to... and does, but by being entirely it's own brand of brilliant.

Review added to Cinema by Magic Marmalade
Knives Out (2019)Rated 7/10

Great fun.

A satire of / homage to the Poirot / Sherlock Holmes / Clue (Cluedo) gentleman sleuth in manor house stories.

(It even makes very self aware jokes about itself)

As such, it's a chance for the assembled cast to have fun hamming it up to the max as the usual cartoon-ish characters you find in this kind of movie... But that is cleverly balanced and contrasted against characters that are more real, and themselves find this mob perplexing, like the police detective, who is very straight-laced and competent, but who is accompanied by a goofy state trooper and Daniel Craig's extraordinary Deep South Gentleman Sleuth.

And for all it's stock zaniness and cliches, these are wrapped around a central, realistic (ish) human story and believable character played by Ana De Armas.

I'm not sure it quite hits the heights it was hoping to, or if these contrasts gel entirely, but it is very enjoyable, convoluted, with ridiculous plot devices and a fair few good moments of comedy...

And at the very least, it has James Bond, Captain America, and General Zod all in one movie, and you can't say that about many other films! :)

Review added to Classical Item by Gill Sans
Attacca Quartet - Orange (2019)

Spirited playing of several pieces composed for the quartet by Caroline Shaw. The harmonies are conventional and accessible, very much in a style of a century earlier. This 2nd movement of Plan And Elevation even quotes from the Ravel Quartet in F

(YouTube Video)

Review added to 78 RPM by Lex Leander
Cynthia Lanigan - Jamie Boy / Silent Lips (1957)

My copy of this disc is a one-sided demo , just " Silent Lips " . This song was a minor U.S. hit ( no. 68 ) for Georgia Gibbs in 1957 , and Lanigan's take on it is similar. It is a catchy and tuneful up-tempo number , and she delivers it with gusto to a slick arrangement by Ron Goodwin.

I know little about this English singer Cynthia Lanigan ( a.k.a. Lanagan ), apart from the fact that she performed occasionally on the radio. On the evidence of " Silent Lips " , she is clearly an accomplished singer with a clear voice and excellent phrasing , but unfortunately neither this nor her previous record also on Parlophone entered the charts , and she subsequently disappeared off the radar.

Review added to Vinyl Album by OrionsRecordCollection1998
The Big Town Boys - The Big Town Boys (1966)

Behold, quite possibly one of the rarest Canadian pop rock records known to exist. For those who don't have the album and never had a chance to listen to it, this album is very different from their other tracks like August 32nd, Do It To 'Em and Jack Rabbit. If you've heard those tracks before, I hate to tell you but this album is way too soft to be on par like those ones.
Anyway, the album itself is decent for a pop rock record. It has some surprising hints of northern soul (the songs Eternally and Put You Down come to mind) and has a nice Beach Boys' cover of Little Honda. However, being able to find a copy is extremely scarce and can fetch a pretty penny. Nothing in absurd amounts of money compared to say an original pressing of The Haunted's debut album. Unfortunately, I'm unaware of any reissues of The Big Town Boys' only album known to exist, which makes it even more difficult. If you're on the lookout for this album, I wish you luck... If you happen to have it or somehow managed to get this for a decent price consider yourself lucky. (I obtained my copy awhile back for $40 in a pretty well worn condition. Luckily it still plays from start to finish without any hassle.)
Overall, if you're into Candian pop rock music (or just pop in general) consider giving it a listen sometime. Also a nice addition to your Capitol 6000 Series collection, especially since this is one of the rarest ones out there.

Review added to Cinema by Magic Marmalade
Bad Times At The El Royale (2018)Rated 8/10

Tarantino-esque, mystery thriller / whodunnit kinda thing.

Not met with great enthusiasm on release it seems, rather a general indifference... but I thought this was thoroughly enjoyable and engrossing, as several characters converge in a motel around a central mystery, no-one seems to be who they say they are... or are they?

... and how does each relate to the central plot?

So it kind of unfolds as it goes, very well done, dramatic, surprising, violent on occasions, but all the cast is excellent, especially Cynthia Orivo, who is outstanding in this.

(Chris Hemsworth plays a real nut job in it too :)

Review added to CD Album by Phantom Gtowner
Michael Nesmith - Rays (2006)

“Rays” is the first release from Michael Nesmith in a dozen years. It becomes very apparent on listening he put a lot of time and passion into it and it’s great to hear something new from this most underrated and ignored singer/songwriter. Many tunes are instrumental and on first listen sound like T.V. documentary themes and some of the vocal tracks suffer from heavy handed arrangements. By that I mean the vocals tend to be partially drowned out by the instruments. This is not some sort of oversight by Nesmith, he worked on this project for roughly five years, maybe more. I’m sure he designed it that way. I know it’s just me, but I find this frustrating and impedes my listening enjoyment. One thing that really impressed me was the percussion throughout this recording. Nesmith nearly always uses interesting percussionists. It’s a good piece of work but a little disappointing for me. I would have wanted far less instrumentals and more vocals. Stand out tracks are the title track and “Follows the Heart”, proof that he can still write great tunes. Maybe next time…let’s see, at this rate, what will that be, 2018 maybe? (review written in 2007)

Review added to 78 RPM by Alan Pasqua
Richard Hayes - Once / Out In The Cold Again (1951)

The "A" side of this disc is a big ballad, with a robust vocal by the American baritone singer Richard Hayes and a sumptuous orchestration by Joe Reisman. The only problem is, the song isn't good enough to warrant all this effort, and unsurprisingly it failed to chart in America.

The flip side is much better. "Out In The Cold Again" dates back to 1934, and since then it has been recorded by many artists including Dean Martin, Johnnie Ray, Ferlin Husky, Brenda Lee, Kay Starr, and Dinah Washington. It is a superb song with a striking melody and smart lyrics. Richard Hayes is accompanied on the track by a doo-wop style male vocal group; something of a departure in musical style for the balladeer, and it was a no. 9 U.S. hit in late 1951.

Review added to Cinema by Magic Marmalade
John Wick (2014)Rated 9/10

Never kill a man's dog!

This is one of those movies you feel is a game changer in the same way that arrival of Die Hard meant that nobody could make the kind of over produced drivel / superstar vehicle movie they had been making until then... or even the arrival of The Bourne Identity meant that Bond films before this instantly seemed ridiculous and extremely dated... in what people aspire to, or norms by which they this kind of revenge movie.

The thing that this does is simply jettison unnecessary flabby plot, or any attempt to justify itself or what it is doing... it just provides a simple motivation for John wick's actions, which is a basic pretext for the most fantastically violent - yet beautifully choreographed death fest ever put on screen.

However, there are constant, yet so very subtle subtexts and messages throughout that hint at something deeper, but most of this will go over people's heads... and frankly, that doesn't matter... it's brave in what it does, and honest about it too... but if you like an honest to badness action over-packed gory storm of extreme violence revenge flick, this is the best there is.

(The others aren't bad either!)

You just can't try and tack Shakespeare story lines and dialogue onto revenge movies after this.

Review added to 78 RPM by Alan Pasqua
Eve Young - Sentimental Music / I Still Feel The Same About You (1951)

" Sentimental Music " was considered good enough to be recorded by a host of American stars , including Bing Crosby , Patti Page , Rosemary Clooney , and Tex Beneke. Yet , in my opinion , it is a slow nondescript ballad with a melody which is average at best and very trite lyrics. Significantly , none of those who bothered to record " Sentimental Music " had any chart success with it.

The flip side , " I Still Feel The Same About You " , is better but not outstanding. It is a kind of rock-a-ballad with a pleasing melody and reflective lyrics about a broken romance. Georgia Gibbs , accompanied by the Owen Bradley Sextet , had a no. 18 U.S. hit at the start of 1951 , while Eve Young's equally-good version bombed.

Review added to 78 RPM by Alan Pasqua
Snooky Lanson And Eve Young - Beloved, Be Faithful / I'm In The Middle Of A Riddle (1950)

" Beloved , Be Faithful " is an outstanding ballad , with a terrific melody which is quite similar to a song entitled " Forever And Ever ". Eve Young and Snooky Lanson duet commendably on it , to an appealing arrangement by Eve Young's then husband Jack Pleis.

Unfortunately , the flip side " In The Middle Of A Riddle " is a truly dreadful song , just as bad as its title. The pair do their best with it , but it's a lost cause.

Around the end of 1952 Eve Young changed her name to Karen Chandler , who is probably best-remembered for her American hit " Hold Me , Thrill Me , Kiss Me " which climbed to no. 5 in early 1953.

Review added to Cinema by Magic Marmalade
Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)Rated 7/10

Not as bad as you might imagine.

(Given the awfullness that was Terminator: Genysis)

Somewhat a return to form in terms of the quality of the film, largely, I suspect, due to James Cameron coming back as producer / writer...

...but for me, the whole franchise was ruined when hey deployed the now Hollywood formula of "alternate timeframes /Universes " blah blah blah... basically, when you do that, you say that nothing you have previously seen matters, as you get a "do over" whenever you want one - kills the sense of jeopardy - and since this whole franchise is based on the concept of fate, it pretty much shoots the poodle right then and there.

But this fairly rolls along, and is fairly entertaining, mostly due to a more up to mustard new Terminator, and Mackenzie Davis, who is excellent, as is Linda Hamilton, who although a little older, plays to this, and gives a great performance as a bitter, older Sarah Connor.

The only thing they really ought to have given the heave ho though, and which is really clunky and odd, is Arnie and his character (I know, blasphemy!) but it's true, it just gets more depressing as time goes on, watching him trying to justify this role again and again when he isn't getting any younger.

But they should leave this franchise alone now I think, call this a moderate high to go out on, then leave it be... That'll do pig... that'll do.

For this is a dead franchise now, nothing new to offer we have not already seen.

Review added to CD Album by Magic Marmalade
Suzanne Vega - Solitude Standing (1987)

A genuine classic.

...But firstly, you must consider the two songs on this that you know...

Or, in the case of one them... think you know.

...For the version (of which there are two on here!) of Tom's Diner that you will be familiar with from the radio is not on here. That one is a remix (music added) of the "spoken word" version which opens the show here.

(That popular version can be found on the cd single: DNA Featuring Suzanne Vega - Tom's Diner )

And then there's the immensely hummable Luka, which you probably also know anyway...

...But it's the rest of the album that you should be buying this for, which is a collection of superbly crafted, melodic and lyrically brilliant folk- rock-ish tunes with a lovely open, warm and expansive sound typical of the best kind of production of that time... and all adding up to a more contemplative listen, with Suzanne Vega's more "introverted" lyrics and style of singing.

Vinyl and cds of this are cheap, and very easy to find, not to mention highly recommended.

(YouTube Video)

Review added to 78 RPM by suncat
Randolph Sutton - Is Izzy Azzy Woz? / Mademoiselle Pomme-De-Terre (1929)

This is a clever and very catchy novelty song. Izzy is ill in bed and verses end with:-

" I am Izzy's lawyer and I called around because
I want to know is Izzy worse or Izzy azzy woz"

Great stuff!