Filed under: Editor Picks | Tags: Bob Dylan, Cate Blanchett, Evan Rachel Wood, Keira Knightley, Lady GaGa, Marilyn Manson, Natalie Portman, Sienna Miller
Evan Rachel Wood (right) is the best candidate to play Lady Gaga in a movie
PREVIEW: Cate Blanchett’s Bob Dylan Performance in I’m Not There.
Let’s face it, it’s only a matter of time until there’s a Lady Gaga movie, seeing as she already owns the face of pop music. The dilemma however is finding an actress who could accurately portray the enigma that is Lady Gaga.
The actress needs to be young, sexy, strut with serious attitude, and has to be a little weird. It crossed my mind several times that maybe the only person who fits the role is herself, but ever since 50 Cent’s Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2005), I learned it’s not fun watching celebrities play themselves. Even some of the best actresses in the world would see the challenge of becoming Lady Gaga, and that’s why making a list of candidates was so damn hard.
Ever since her tour-de-force performance in Thirteen (2003), Wood has secretly solidified herself as one of the most talented young actresses out there today. Not only does Wood have the talent to pull off the role, she’s also pretty weird–she dated Marilyn Manson, for crying out loud! They also semi-look alike, and I’m not going to knock Wood or any other actress for not having Lady Gaga’s honker–that’s what good makeup is for. And sex appeal? Check.
Sienna Miller is another talented actress who too often doesn’t receive her due. Not only is Miller talented as hell, like when she played Edie Sedgewick in Factory Girl (2006), but she also evokes sex and attitude. Rachel McAdams is talented too, but she doesn’t have the personality to pull off Lady Gaga—that’s the difference.
Natalie Portman is probably too cute to play Lady Gaga but her body of work shows versatility, like Alice in Closer (2004) and Evey in V for Vendetta (2005). Also, if you ever saw her role in Hotel Chevalier (2007), Wes Anderson’s short film, you know how bold and sexy she can be.
Ever since the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, I’ve lost complete respect for this woman. However, she has similar facial features and best of all–she’s English. And we all know how much Lady Gaga likes pretending she’s English.
I know this is a stretch since Blanchett is a good 20 years older than Gaga, but in my mind, if you can play Bob Dylan like she did in I’m Not There (2007), you can play anyone. She got robbed at the Oscars, in my opinion, and with enough CGI, she could look like a 23-year old. She’s quite possibly one of the best actresses of our time, so it’s wrong to leave her out of the conversation.
What are your thoughts? DEBATE!
– Jett Wells, Assistant Multimedia Editor
Filed under: Editor Picks | Tags: Duran Duran, Bob Dylan, Buddy Guy, Cher, The Byrds, Everly Brothers, Magnet, Gemma Hayes
Magnet and Gemma Hayes Cover Dylan's Lay Lady Lay
PREVIEW: STREAM “Lay Lady Lay” by Magnet and Gemma Hayes
PREVIEW: STREAM “Lay Lady Lay” by Bob Dylan
We all know “Lay Lady Lay” is a classic, and you can never beat the original, however Magnet and Gemma Hayes did a pretty descent job covering one of Bob Dylan’s biggest US hits from way back in ‘69.
Lay Lady Lay has been covered in official album releases from 26 different artists. Basically everyone from The Byrds, Duran Duran, Everly Brothers and Buddy Guy to Cher. Yes, Cher has reinterpreted the release. Magnet and Hayes give an already melodic piece a lighter more appealing tonality. While in its first release by Dylan on Nashville Skyline, the song got the crowd’s attention because it was viewed to be so much smoother and softer in comparison to the rest of his work, Magnet and Hayes’s take on it sounds like pop lullaby.
A valiant attempt on the duo’s part, we dare call it the best cover of the Dylan classic to date. (And yes we listened to all 26 of them)
– Irina Dvalidze, Multimedia Editor
Filed under: Issue 19, Issue 19 Lofi | Tags: Jimi Hendrix, the Black Keys, Lil Wayne, Kanye West, The Beatles, Buddy Holly, Bruce Springsteen, Metallica, Bob Dylan, lo-fi, Syracuse University, Nebraska, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dinosaur Jr., Mouth's Cradle, Bears in America, beck, The Beach Boys, Pink Floyd, Modest Mouse, Maroon 5, GarageBand, Devon Stewart, Ween, John Frusciante, Tascam Portastudio, The Basement Tapes, The Band, Logic Pro Studio, Devon James Stewart, Aux Records, Rascal Flatts
Devon Stewart rocks the Shaefer studios while working on his self-titled solo project
Lil Wayne. Kanye West. Maroon 5. Rascal Flatts. Music purists loathe them for at least one reason — Auto-Tune, a downloadable audio processor that corrects vocal and instrumental blunders in order to attain perfect pitch. By using this program, a producer can fill in a recorded performance’s holes, smooth its edges and polish its smudges. Everyone must use this to attain musical nirvana, right? Negatory. In fact, musicians that admire large holes, adore peculiar edges, and worship pesky smudges are alive, well and plentiful. They are lo-fi artists.
Lo-fi is a shortened form of “low-fidelity,” fidelity meaning the extent to which an electronic device such as a radio or television can accurately reproduce a sound or an image. Taken literally, lo-fi can be defined as low-quality sound. (more…)
Filed under: News of Note | Tags: The Decemberists, Lil Wayne, Bonaroo, The Beastie Boys, Passion Pit, Bruce Springsteen, Santigold, Bob Dylan, The-Dream, Bella Union, Billy Corgan, The Black Eyed Peas, Midlake
Lil Wayne's No Ceilings mixtape leaked today
Lil’ Wayne’s No Ceilings has leaked four days prior to its scheduled debut of Halloween, reports RS. The mixtape is the most recent release after Weezy pleaded guilty to weapons charges, and includes hints at his pending incarceration like, “T.I., hold your head.” Carter rhymes over tracks like The-Dream’s “Fancy” and the Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling”. Check out the leak courtesy of our friends over at Nah Right.
Midlake has finally released the details regarding their third release, which is apparently set to be titled The Courage of Others, reports Stereogum. The record, which will come to us via Bella Union Records, will feature a sound more reminiscent of, “British folk scene of late 60’s stuff,” says the group. With three years having passed since their last release, we’re expecting quite the album. Stereogum has a look at the track list and a few of the first dates of their 2010 US tour.
Billy Corgan hasn’t released anything worth its salt from the past couple of years, but apparently he’s feeling confident enough to take on the Swine Flu in his blog. In an 800-word rant against the disease and the “propaganda machine” behind it, Corgan explains why he won’t be taking the vaccine, reports Pitchfork. Corgan claims that the disease is man-made, according to “people” whom he has spoken to “as doctors”. He further goes on to boldly proclaim that, “I am willing to question anything: the existence of God, the existence of me or you or Robert Zimmerman.” That’s right, folks, even Bob Dylan.
For those of you who couldn’t make it to this year’s Bonaroo, fear not. On December 15th, the powers behind one of the indie communities most massive festivals will be releasing a DVD of this past year’s show, the aptly named Live From Bonaroo 2009, reports Pitchfork. The DVD will include performances from The Beastie Boys, Bruce Springsteen, Santigold, Passion Pit, and the Decemberists, to name a few.
– John Luposello
Filed under: News of Note | Tags: sufjan stevens, Grizzly Bear, Bon Iver, Bob Dylan, Wings, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Volcano Choir, Collections of Colonies of Bees, Chris Taylor, Charlie Sexton, Vish Khanna, Acrylics, Terrible Records, Molly Shea, Jason Klauber, The Cars
Legendary guitarist Charlie Sexton reunites with Bob Dylan's live band
Bob Dylan fans recently got the long-awaited opportunity to celebrate the return of the Texas-native blues-rock guitarist Charlie Sexton to Dylan’s live band, reports RS. The return of Sexton means that the Tambourine Man can now play lead guitar and organ lines, which are an asset to his sets. Dylan celebrated Sexton’s first gig with the band since 2002 with a three-night stand in L.A. at the Hollywood Palladium, where Sexton reportedly held center stage for most of the night with a dominating stage presence. Dylan and Sexton apparently battled all night for stage superiority amidst a set dominated by Dylan’s well-known electric blues. The night was capped off with a forceful rendition of “All Along the Watchtower”, during which Dylan appeared all too pleased with his old friend’s return. [Previous 20 Watts Coverage: Music Biopics]
While making it clear that he won’t be retiring, Sufjan Stevens has recently bared his concerns and misgivings regarding the creative process, as reported by Stereogum. Stevens said in a recent interview with Vish Khanna that while he is famous for his epic endevours regarding the production of albums, they never really start out as the odysseys that they eventually turn into. Sufjan also put to bed the rumors that swirled regarding the possibility of his retirement, explaining that, “I would never explicitly say something like that. But I definitely feel like ‘What is the point? What’s the point of making music anymore?’” Excuse our skepticism, but you’re making us a little nervous, Sufjan. [Previous 20 Watts Coverage: Sufjan Announces an Intimate Tour]
Folk rock icon Bon Iver has recently come off of tour promoting his critically acclaimed LP For Emma, Forever Ago and sophomore effort, EP Blood Bank. According to leader Justin Vernon’s website, Bon Iver has played it’s “last show for the foreseeable future,” according to Pitchfork. The show went down at Milwaukee’s riverside Theater on October 11 and has been named as the band’s final show “before taking a well-deserved break from public performance. Although it’s a pretty major blow to folk rock fans, Vernon will most likely be taking the time to spend working on his side project, Volcano Choir, a collaboration between Vernon and Collections of Colonies of Bees. The group recently released their debut full length, Unmap, to plenty of critical acclaim. We’d say it’s enough to keep pining Bon Iver fans satisfied. The performance is available for streaming and download here. [Previous 20 Watts Coverage: 20 Watts Reviews Volcano Choir's Unmap]
Brooklyn-based AOR pop group Acrylics recently spoke with Pitchfork about some of their recent happenings. They’ve managed to distinguish themselves from the indistinguishable herds of patchy indie groups that have been pouring out of Brooklyn recently with their debut EP All of the Fire, which is scheduled to drop on October 28th on Chris Taylor’s (Grizzly Bear) label, Terrible Records. From their beginnings as a rock group called Standing Nudes to recording an EP in a church, the group’s leaders, Molly Shea and Jason Klauber, shed a bit of light on what it means to be a pop group from Brooklyn. They cite some of their influences as The Cars, Wings, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and plenty of other pristine pop groups from the 60’s and 70’s. Check out the record’s title track here.
– John Luposello
Filed under: XCLUS!VES | Tags: americana, Associated Press, Bob Dylan, Brewfest, Cayuga Lake, Dave Matthews Band, deer tick, festival, ithaca, Ithaca Beer Company, lo-fi, Neutral Milk Hotel, positive jam, Stewart Park, the felice brothers, The Hold Steady, The Rural Alberta Advantage, Ticketmaster
Positive Jam: a weekend of good beer and great music
Check out the rest of 20 Watts’ exclusive coverage of Positive Jam here!
PREVIEW: Get the 20 Watts Positive Jam Mix here!
Music festivals and beer go together like ice cream and Grey’s Anatomy.
That was presumably on Ithaca concert promoter Dan Smalls’ mind as he began to organize the first Positive Jam Festival, featuring The Hold Steady, in conjunction with Ithaca Beer’s annual Brewfest at Stewart Park.
On Saturday, Sept. 5, beer lovers in Ithaca’s Stewart Park will indulge in the Ithaca Beer Company’s brews (alongside those of other small breweries across New York State) while enjoying the scenery of Cayuga Lake. The next day is all about the music — but both days will involve plenty of beer, with little corporate intervention to spoil the mood.
“It’s not just a big corporate moneymaking event, it’s about the city [of Ithaca],” Smalls told 20 Watts in a telephone interview. “There’s so many beautiful parks here, and Ithaca is just such a great summer location that it would make sense to have a summer venue like this. I think two successful years of putting on the Brewfest allowed us the leeway with the city to take a chance on something like this.” (more…)
Filed under: Positive Jam Reviews | Tags: Bob Dylan, Conor Oberst, Killingsworth, Mark Twain, positive jam, Team Love Records, the felice brothers, The Minus 5, Yonder is the Clock
The Felice Brothers are playing at Positive Jam on Sept. 6 in Ithaca
PREVIEW: Download The Felice Brothers’ “Rise and Shine“ MP3
WE GIVE IT: 18/20 Watts
This review is part of 20 Watts’ exclusive Positive Jam coverage. Check out the rest here!
More than most bands out and about today, The Felice Brothers take part in an American tradition as old as Mark Twain, from whom they stole the title Yonder Is the Clock. With lead vocalist Ian Felice’s raspy voice, comparisons to Bob Dylan are inevitable. Rather than hurt them, though, using themes that may seem ancient to us today only enhances the music and sets the album apart.
Free-flowing rhymes like, “She’s the fairest of them all / She loves her adderall,” in “Run Chicken Run” provide a stark immediacy reminiscent of Dylan’s most acclaimed work. The lyrics, like those on The Minus 5’s recent release Killingsworth and like those of “Times They Are a-Changin’,” remind listeners of hardships and injustices. Whether fraught with political imagery or just a mad adderall addict, the two songs operate from a viewpoint of someone watching and commenting.
The Felice Brothers drench the record with imagery of past or impending doom — from a first-person narrative of dying in New York’s noted hub on “Penn Station,” to the effects of “Memphis Flu” on all the “pretty women, men dying” in 1929. The album would be a gloomy ordeal if the vocals weren’t so comfortably sung and the instrumentals so vibrant. Would anyone read Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn if it ran pedantic with message? The raucous vocals on “Memphis Flu” equate nicely to Finn’s Duke of Bilgewater — impersonator of the Duke of Bridgewater. It’s called satire — beautifully at work on both Yonder Is the Clock and in Huckleberry Finn. (more…)
Filed under: Releases of the Week | Tags: Bob Dylan, Invitation Songs, Pretty Girls Make Graves, The Cave Singers, Welcome Joy
The Cave Singers release their second album, Welcome Joy
PREVIEW: Download The Cave Singers’ “Beach House” MP3
WE GIVE IT: 16/20 Watts
For fans of art-punk outfit Pretty Girls Make Graves, I’m sure you’re already over the fact that The Cave Singers sound nothing like them. Gone are the quick hits and angsty vocals of the former. In their place, The Cave Singers are dominated by Pete Quirk’s Dylanesque stylings encased in the more subdued aesthetic they introduced on their previous effort, Invitation Songs, and have nearly perfected on Welcome Joy. Don’t mistake that for timidity though. Quirk’s voice soars over the strong, yet soft, instrumental pieces with a confidence only acquired with experience. (more…)
Filed under: Industry News | Tags: Blink 182, Bob Dylan, Chuck Berry, Franz Ferdinand, free music, Girl Talk, Kanye, Lil Wayne, maryland, merriweather post pavilion, Oasis, virgin mobile festibal, Weezer
FreeFest brings bands like St. Vincent and Girl Talk to Baltimore -- for free!
PREVIOUS FREE MUSIC COVERAGE: Free NYC shows this weekend, Free Dirty Projectors show July 19th
This year’s Virgin Mobile Festival– the yearly festival that brings acts like Bob Dylan, Kanye West, Chuck Berry, and Lil’ Wayne to the same venue– will be free of charge! Well, free, except for the recommended $5 donation towards youth homelessness, but I would say that’s a relatively fair trade-off (it’s actually a steal).
The concert will be on Sunday, August 30, 2009 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. I guess people acted fast because free tickets, as well as optional packages WERE available on Ticketmaster.com, but they’re now sold out. However, according to the website, if you sign up to volunteer with homeless youth agencies, you’ll be eligible to win tickets.
Though many of us will already be back at ‘Cuse, if you live somewhat close to the area, you should definitely consider going back a day late because like years past, this year’s lineup (below the jump) is awesome:
Filed under: Features | Tags: Beatles, Blind Melon, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Discovery, Elliot Smith, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Lykke Li, M83, MGMT, Passion Pit, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rolling Stones, The Wallflowers
Hate DJing for your parents?
I just got back from a two-day getaway trip to UpState New York with my parents. It sucked, but I’m not going to get into that. However, it reminded me of an annoying occurrence that happens every time I share a car with my parents for a prolonged period—choosing music.
Every time, my mom or my dad asks me to put in my iPod, which is filled with tons of music I love, cherish and worship. To them, a lot of my music is challenging, repetitive and just plain obnoxious. Music is one of the many generational divides we face with our parents, but there are ways to pick music that all sides can enjoy. Keep in mind, this method doesn’t last forever, and you’ll get tired of it, but it helps. All parents are different, but the following tips apply to even the most conservative music lovers.
1) Avoid songs/bands/genres that are repetitive
This means no house music, techno, or Top 40 music. My parents hate hearing the same notes repeated over and over again. It drives them crazy, which is understandable. It’s not like you’re parents want to pull the car over and have a full-out dance party.
