Archive
Past articles about television, music and film
Music
The Kooks
Last year the band released the great album Konk with the hit single See The Sun. Typically british and upbeat music with a lot of details.
The group toured the European concert halls. Almost two years ago they played at the Paradiso.
Recently they release their next single Shine On.
Drive-By Truckers
Country rock group with great album Brighter Than Creation's Dark.
Rough music good from the CD, but better live in concert. Tough guitars rocking loud.
Eilen Jewell & Kris Delmhorst
I visited the concert of Eilen Jewell and Kris Delmhorst last night at the Paradiso, Amsterdam (Friday March 21st). Some may have seen Kris Delmhorst at the Blue Highway Festival in Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Eilen Jewell started the concert with guitarist Jerry Miller and drummer Jason Beek. She plays in the tradition of the bluegrass bands. Scenic country ballads and classic country with jazz scents. You can imagine sitting in the little house on the prairie with crackling radio. Endless farmland scenery and time passing slowly. She played a lot of songs like Back To Dallas, but also a lot of items from the album LETTERS FROM SINNERS & STRANGERS. Try the music in case you already like Jolie Holland with Spooky Little Pony and others songs e.g. from Escondida or Springtime Will Kill You.
I liked Eilen a lot, but I have to be honest. Kris Delmhorst was more of a discovery for me. I know she has been around for some time, but as they say better late than never.
Kris obviously very pregnant was in a great mood and enjoying herself. Together with Dennis Crommett she performed the songs from her upcoming new album and the previous album CONVERSATIONS.
I particularly liked the Juice & June song, there were more great ones like The Windy City, Water Water, etc.
Next month the album will be on sale, but we were lucky and were offered the opportunity to buy the CD SHOTGUN SNGER. I got one with her signature and personal message...
TIP: Nice to know, for more information about the singers and similar artists cn be found on the Signature Sounds website. On their homepage you will find the possibility of streaming audio. You will redirected to LIVE365 radio broadcasting songs from the Signature Sounds artists. Nice to get familiar with them and good background music at work...
Steve Earle - Paradiso, Amsterdam
On January 31st Steve Earle held a concert promoting his latest CD called "Washington Square Serenade" in Paradiso, Amsterdam. I have seen previous performances and each time I had a great evening.
Steve played a large selection of the last CD and his greatest songs. He took the time and played for almost 3 hours. At times nervous rushing to the next song. He used guitar, dobro, banjo and mandoline. He reminded us of Bob Dylan with his songs and harmonica.
Obviously in love with Alison Moorer singing "their" song and giving her a bit clumpsy kiss afterwards. It sounded good.
Not everybody in the crowd was as excited. In particular the support of producer John King as DJ to replace the band lead to discussions. Personally I found it fun and more than acceptable as it added some power and wasn't too dominant. Some preferred the easy listing and only wanted the quiet ballads. Others missed the upbeat of the previous concert with band.
Professional reviews in the Dutch newspapers were mixed ranging from "terrible" (NRC Handelsblad) to "a fun evening with good music" (Volkskrant). Contrary to some critics comments, the crowd was enthusiastic and overall left Paradiso feeling satisfied.
Arcade Fire
On November 13th I went to the concert of Arcade Fire in the Heineken Music Hall, Amsterdam.
A great concert of the Canadian band. Not perfect, but playing with fire and a spectacle.
I love the Wall Of Sound effect and the diversity of instruments the band uses. Especially the strings and the organ in "Intervention". They played most of the Neon Bible album. Unfortunately they forgot the beautiful "Ocean Of Noise".
Television
Heroes
A few weeks ago the first episodes of the second season of Heroes were broadcasted in The Netherlands.
Worth watching as it stands-out against other TV series. Even though the series got mixed reviews after the great first season and had to ride a bumpy road with the writers strike in the USA.
Planet Earth, Discovery Channel
Planet Earth
In the 11 episodes we travel from pole to pole, from the peaks of mountains to underwater caverns to capture nature as rarely seen by humans.
The Daily Show - John Steward
The Daily Show
For American standards the show is satirical and critical. Covering politics, social issues and social events.
Some episodes can be viewed in Europe. Once a week Comedy Central airs a single episode. For other episodes you need check other sources. You can buy some episodes from the iTunes store for $1,99 per episode or $9,99 for 16 episodes (Season Pass)
Men In Trees
The television show can be considered the successor of the classic Northern Exposure television series broadcasted some years ago.
Any story of a small town with the rural environment of Alaska as decor cannot go wrong. Beautiful scenery combined with strange characters, good dialogs, humor and romance. New York fashion and style against rugged lumberjacks and small town gossip.
The first season has come to a close. W are waiting impatiently for the new adventures to come.
P.s. the Northern Exposure episodes are available on DVD.
House MD
The television show follows the unconventional physican House played by the British actor Hugh Laurie and his team. Each episode handles a medical puzzle, the patient is forwarded to the clinic as a last resort as others cannot find the cause of the illness.
House handles exceptionally complex and subtle. Only interesting cases get his attention guiding the deliberations with the team members. House often discounts the information and opinions from his underlings, pointing out that their contributions have missed various relevant factors. The patient is usually misdiagnosed over the course of each episode and treated with medications appropriate to the misdiagnoses.
Often the problem cannot be easily deduced because the patient has lied about symptoms and circumstances. As a result House frequently mutters "Everybody lies" or "The symptoms never lie".
Throughout House shows particular bluntness. He doesn't recognize any authority and disobeys instructions of superiors. The British comedy background of Hugh Laurie shows constantly making sarcastic remarks and in the dialogs with both colleagues and patients.
P.s. Stephen Fry the former partner of Hugh Laurie appears in Bones, another American television series.