Notebook Letters 13.

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Rayanne Graff

| 75,337 posts


9th Jul 2014 at 4:08 pm

Rayanne Graff - River Phoenix

River Phoenix

 
New singles, by John Earls

SNOW PATROL Just Say Yes

A new single trailing their Best Of, its big drums and electronica touch merges both their recent balladry with a more polished take on their early work. Not as classic as their best, but an intriguing pointer to what to do next.

BLITZ KIDS Decisions 4/10

Ludicrously trying to claim they're as much New Romantic as emo, fashion aside this is bog ordinary emo posturing. Nice drums, tedious otherwise.

1/6.

LOS CAMPESINOS These Are Listed Buildings 5/10

One of the few bands who can make a "Ba-ba-ba" sound po-faced, it stutters and flails listlessly in search of a good chorus. Their timid use of brass sounds like Get Cape Wear Cape Fly on an off day.

FINDLAY BROWN Versus 7/10

Brendan Lynch produces Brown's warm, eccentric Afrobeat return that sounds like Rei Momo-era David Byrne. Twinkly, generally shuffling and rather cute.

2/6.

JAMIE CULLUM I'm All Over It 2/10

The "it" is silent. Sounding as if he's playing piano in mittens and singing weirdly like the tenor off the Go Compare ads, it's so smug he could win a swarm-off with Simon Cowell.

COLOURMUSIC Yes 8/10

Set to rival The Black Angels as rock's finest, the Oklahoma nutjobs start with an intense jam that slowly turns into the kind of funk that Primal Scream manage on every other album.

3/6.

MIDDLE CLASS RUT All Walks of Life 7/10

Already available on their 25 Years EP, it's a thunderous blast that shows garage rock can still be menacing. But they're taking an inordinately long time to make an album and need to stop marking time so blatantly.

MIDIMIDIS Ambulance Café 5/10

Two brothers in law who hark back to early computer game music. It sounds cheap 30 years later, though detached Neil Tennant-style vocals suit it.

4/6.

SOUND OF GUNS Elementary of Youth 6/10

Starting to pick up a few Faces of 2010 tips after Latitude and Zane Lowe slots, the Scousers do tuneful classic rock reasonably well. Harking back to The Alarm, they don't have a song to match their ambition.

BOY OF GIRL Hot Chocolate Boy 5/10

A puzzling mix of sub-La Roux backing fronted by Rosie Blair, who sings in the over-arch Toyah Willcox shrill way of a whole other '80s vibe.

5/6.

BANG BANG ECHE Sonic Death 6/10

A support to Enter Shikari and The Faint, the New Zealanders are better than most at ripping off early Prodigy. There's a simple, unpretentious, brutal thump and Zach Doney's megaphone vocals at least sound like he's loving life.

FRENCH HORN REBELLION Up All Night 3/10

Don't be fooled by the name: the New York duo make height of fashionista un-musical bleeps with ironic falsetto vocals: the worst music can offer.

6/6.

Teletext page 822; 2nd of November, 2009.

*[http://www.vegetablerevolution.co.uk/uploads/549604.jpg]*

Rayanne Graff

| 75,337 posts


9th Jul 2014 at 4:14 pm

Rayanne Graff - River Phoenix

River Phoenix

 
My good deed

I did a good deed today. It makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Time to go chav-hunting methinks. Wait, that's a good deed, too. Emo hunting? No... any ideas, anyone?
PS: I drafted this on a phone. Do you know how hard it is to write "deed" on one of those things?
Souroff, Dark Lord of Dormor

Dead hard by the sounds of it.

Zine; 8th of August, 2007; 2/5.
*[http://www.vegetablerevolution.co.uk/uploads/549604.jpg]*

Rayanne Graff

| 75,337 posts


9th Jul 2014 at 7:45 pm

Rayanne Graff - River Phoenix

River Phoenix

 
Flight of The Conchords/ I Told You I Was Freaky

Whereas series one had scripts written around the duo's songs, series two saw the scripts come first.

Thus the songs often feel shoehorned, and make less sense in their own terms than their debut's glorious paradies.

There are a couple of beauties: Fashion Is Danger does Visage as touchingly as Inner City does Pet Shop Boys; Sugalumps is gleeful filth. But a lot is rushed- neither musical nor funny. 5/10

1/8.

Julian Casablancas/ Phrazes For The Young

When he's not writing for The Strokes, their singer digs '80s overblown synth rock. Praise be for his bandmates.

This isn't the cool Human League/ Soft Cell '80s that Casablancas apes, but the fag end pomposity. He's on the form of Is This It, snarling great one-liners with casual brilliance.

Ludlow Street's jerky country is superb. Most of the rest is both listless and pompous. 5/10

2/8.

Brett Anderson/ Slow Attack

After the wintry asceticism of Wilderness, Anderson finds a great new partner in Leo Abrahams.

It keeps Anderson's recent skill at sparse ballads, but Abrahams' relaxed production means he's never sounded more at ease or, whisper it, happy.

Hints of pastoral folk and West Coast pop filter in, as Anderson drops his usual lyrical concerns to sound intimate. Gorgeous, all in all. 8/10

3/8.

Luke Haines/ 21st Century Man

At his most in vogue since The Auteurs thanks to his wonderful memoirs, Haines fails to capitalise musically.

Even when he's trying to be affecting, as on Peter Hammill, Haines can't help but sound sardonic and his lofty vocals are often on the verge of self-parody.

Away from the ballads, there are a few fine moments of menacing glam rock- notably the scabrous WotA Rotter- but it's largely on autopilot. 6/10

4/8.

Michael Nyman And David McAlmont/ The Glare

A charming curio, McAlmont writes songs based on news stories, set to pieces from Nyman's past film scores.

The premise means it may well be written off as eccentric irrelevance, but McAlmont's sympathy for the music makes it a modern Gilbert And Sullivan.

Nyman's music is full of light flourish and McAlmont's voice drops his usual high range to focus on making his point crisply and sweetly. Great fun. 7/10

5/8.

Hello Fire/ Hello Fire

QOTSA/ Dead Weather guitarist Dean Fertita ropes in Brendan Benson as his writing partner for his solo debut.

These aren't Benson's finest songs, and Fertita's affably gruff vocals lack the charisma to carry off the stodgy mix of blue-collar rock and fairground pop.

It's far from terrible, but it just sits in the background, the occasional nice melody failing to stick in the head as it's sung so blandly. 5/10

6/8.

Army Navy/ Army Navy

A pre-Death Cab bandmate of Ben Gibbard, singer Justin Kennedy finally finds a band to get into the spotlight.

They're as traditional as can be, jangly pop with no pretension at anything other than catchy melodies.

Yet Kennedy's melancholic vocals and the disappointment it carries means it's not just a retro exercise. It's a little samey, sure, but taken at their own terms, it's bittersweet manna. 7/10

7/8.

Das Pop/ Das Pop

Long championed by Soulwax, their fellow Belgians' debut finally arruves three years after it was first mooted.

Having the Dewaele brothers produce them helps, but it's the simplicity of their garage rock that bolsters them.

Rather than rip off The Stooges, they're happy to make as muck of a racket as they can to get the loudest, daftest melodies possible. Gauche at times, but easy to party to. 7/10

8/8.

Teletext page 824; 2nd of November, 2009.
*[http://www.vegetablerevolution.co.uk/uploads/549604.jpg]*

Rayanne Graff

| 75,337 posts


9th Jul 2014 at 7:52 pm

Rayanne Graff - River Phoenix

River Phoenix

 
Copy, all right?

What do you think of my new top with a giraffe motif, WLW? * Gives a twirl * (not easy when you have roots) I've already got one with a tree pattern; I call it my tree top. The new one I shall name after you.
The Barking Tree

I look forward to the licensing royalties. Should keep the ouzo flowing on my jolly.

Zine; 8th of August, 2007; 3/5.
*[http://www.vegetablerevolution.co.uk/uploads/549604.jpg]*

Rayanne Graff

| 75,337 posts


9th Jul 2014 at 7:55 pm

Rayanne Graff - River Phoenix

River Phoenix

 
Weird and wonderful

My weirdest (but enjoyed) films are Brazil, Time Bandits and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. There seems to be a pattern there. Rosie, Andover

Best death- Joel McCrea at the end of Ride The High Country. Ger, Omagh

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 3rd of November, 2009; 1/6.
*[http://www.vegetablerevolution.co.uk/uploads/549604.jpg]*

Rayanne Graff

| 75,337 posts


9th Jul 2014 at 7:58 pm

Rayanne Graff - River Phoenix

River Phoenix

 
Mondo love

If Mondo Ray can love a giraffe (and he does) then I can love my new Panda. Because he's a Cornwall-based heathen Geordie and not as American or Jewish as me, he has pointed out that he has not had the "personal snippet" to which you keep referring. He also said "What's a tea bag?". He doesn't watch Prison Break.
Almost Famous

If I could blush via the medium of Teletext, I would.

Zine; 8th of August, 2007; 4/5.
*[http://www.vegetablerevolution.co.uk/uploads/549604.jpg]*

Rayanne Graff

| 75,337 posts


9th Jul 2014 at 8:01 pm

Rayanne Graff - River Phoenix

River Phoenix

 
Carry On Dying

My favourite death scene is Kenneth Williams in Carry On Screaming. 'Frying tonight'- famous last words. And This Is It for an Oscar? It's not a movie, it's just patched together rehearsal footage, no script, no actors. Be realistic, it's a shame Michael Jackson died but let sense prevail. Lee, Barnsley

One of my favourite foreign films is The Lives of Others. A wonderful movie. Jim, Halesowen

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 3rd of November, 2009; 2/6.
*[http://www.vegetablerevolution.co.uk/uploads/549604.jpg]*

Rayanne Graff

| 75,337 posts


9th Jul 2014 at 8:04 pm

Rayanne Graff - River Phoenix

River Phoenix

 
Are you nuts?

With the way the world is going, it won't be long before scientists create an uber-tree that knows kung-fu and shoots lasers. But what will happen to all those poor squirrels who live in the uber-trees? They'll be shot and turned into Kentucky fried squirrel. As much as I like my Kentucky fried foods, squirrel sounds rather, to use a Scotch word, rank. Is Britain doomed to be drowned in a plethora of squirrels?
One Winged Angel

Wasn't that a Daily Mail headline once?

Zine; 8th of August, 2007; 5/5.
*[http://www.vegetablerevolution.co.uk/uploads/549604.jpg]*

Rayanne Graff

| 75,337 posts


9th Jul 2014 at 8:35 pm

Rayanne Graff - River Phoenix

River Phoenix

 
Where to begin

Best film debut: Ricardo Montalban at the end of The Naked Gun. Hidden gems: The Magnetic Monster, an off-puttingly trashy title for a corking thriller. Weird film: Nothing Lasts Forever (Zach Galligan, Bill Murray, 1984). Completely bonkers, I can't even begin to describe it. Tim,County Durham

Who's the actress who plays the opera singer in The Fifth Element, and is it her singing? Graeme, Swindon

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 3rd of November, 2009; 3/6.
*[http://www.vegetablerevolution.co.uk/uploads/549604.jpg]*

Rayanne Graff

| 75,337 posts


9th Jul 2014 at 8:37 pm

Rayanne Graff - River Phoenix

River Phoenix

 
VampireEmo Emo hunting? Did you know what you've just done, Souroff? You've signed your will. Watch your back, I've just had my fangs sharpened.

Sounds like you're about to get it in the neck...

Matth Stil RIP Yangtze River dolphin. What, sadly, is next on mankind's hit list?

Not, I hope, the humble giraffe.

Zine; 9th of August, 2007; 1/5.
*[http://www.vegetablerevolution.co.uk/uploads/549604.jpg]*

Rayanne Graff

| 75,337 posts


9th Jul 2014 at 9:30 pm

Rayanne Graff - River Phoenix

River Phoenix

 
A silent death

I like the quiet deaths, Steve Buscemi in Fargo, the Irish guy in Titanic, but the best death ever is Dennis Hopper in Speed (think about it). Pete, Aston

The best movie death has to be James Coburn's character Mallory in Fistful of Dynamite. One of the best films I have ever seen. Dan, Norfolk

First film I rented was Spaceballs. One of the funniest films ever and one of John Candy's best too. Sam, Barnsley

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 3rd of November, 2009; 4/6.
*[http://www.vegetablerevolution.co.uk/uploads/549604.jpg]*

Rayanne Graff

| 75,337 posts


9th Jul 2014 at 9:34 pm

Rayanne Graff - River Phoenix

River Phoenix

 
Catching Some Ray

I've just read the Zine and decided to activate the child lock on the 'phones before the (Mad About The) boy, Almost Famous, returns from filming in Cardiff. He said to ask if he could swap info with, er, "The Enemy" (his phrase), where you tell us what you know about Primeval and reciprocate with info on the forthcoming Sarah Jane adventures.

Mondo Ray

I'm becoming more enchanted by you two fellows by the day... but all I know about Primeval is that it was rubbish.

Zine; 9th of August, 2007; 2/5.
*[http://www.vegetablerevolution.co.uk/uploads/549604.jpg]*

Rayanne Graff

| 75,337 posts


9th Jul 2014 at 9:43 pm

Rayanne Graff - River Phoenix

River Phoenix

 
New remakes

On the subject of odd films, Cool World (1992) by Ralph Bakshi is a long forgotten curio. Intended as a 'Roger Rabbit' for adults, it was made with a reasonable budget, starred Gabriel Byrne, Brad Pitt and Kim Basinger, and had a theme song by David Bowie. Does anyone else remember it? As for starting a new thread, how about films you'd like to remake? I'd remake Star Wars Episodes 1-3. I'd start by firing George Lucas and make them good this time. Paul, Plymouth

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 3rd of November, 2009; 5/6.
*[http://www.vegetablerevolution.co.uk/uploads/549604.jpg]*

Rayanne Graff

| 75,337 posts


9th Jul 2014 at 9:47 pm

Rayanne Graff - River Phoenix

River Phoenix

 
It's A Jolly Holiday

Jolly is a giraffe from the Old Bear Stories! Is that who you're going away with? You did name drop him.
I'm off on a seafaring adventure for a month with my father. I'm talking little bear with me as I want to tie his trousers to the mast and catch flying fish with them.
I go away next week so I will bombard you with mail so you can print me while I'm away, in case it gets quiet.

Lord Sebastian Flyte (In Theatres 2008)

Ssh- he's not out of the toy box yet.

Zine; 9th of August, 2007; 3/5.
*[http://www.vegetablerevolution.co.uk/uploads/549604.jpg]*

Rayanne Graff

| 75,337 posts


9th Jul 2014 at 9:51 pm

Rayanne Graff - River Phoenix

River Phoenix

 
A foreign affair

Richard- check out The Good, The Bad, Tthe Wird; Inside Martyrs, Black Book, and Das Experiment. All excellent foreign films. Barrie, Edinburgh

I would recommend the Vengeance trilogy, Ghost School Quartet, R-Point, Martyrs, Infernal Affairs trilogy, District 13, Battle Royale, Dead Or Alive, Run Lola Run, Kontroll, 9th Company, Night/ Day Watch, Beaufort, Ichi The Killer, Volver, Lilya 4-Ever, and Real Fiction. Matthew, Sheffield

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 3rd of November, 2009; 6/6.
*[http://www.vegetablerevolution.co.uk/uploads/549604.jpg]*


 
 
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