The Black Power Mixtape 1967–1975 Dir. Göran Hugo Olsson

[Sundance Selects; 2011]
By

Styles: documentary
Others: Am I Black Enough for You, Salute, Eyes on the Prize (1987 TV series)

The Black Power Mixtape 1967–1975, a flawed but fascinating new documentary, uses a Swedish lens to examine the period of American history when black anger was channeled into a more confrontational mode of civil rights activism. The images are taken entirely from archival footage, most of it shot by a variety of Swedish film crews during the time span indicated in the title, and have been augmented with newly recorded voiceovers by participants in the events of that tumultuous era (Angela Davis, Harry Belafonte) and their cultural inheritors (Questlove, Erykah Badu).

Blood Orange Coastal Grooves

[Domino; 2011]

By

Rating: 3.5/5

Styles: 80s, post punk, synth pop, synth funk
Others: Cant, Inc., Scritti Politti, Tigercity

In recent times I seem to be putting Scritti Politti into Tiny Mix Tapes’ “Others” section with a fair amount of frequency, and this may suggest not only my music taste as manifest in review choices, but also the current trend toward 80s influences in terms of creamy falsetto, synth of both the pop and funk variety, and of course our old and influential friend post-punk.

More about: Blood Orange

Links: Blood Orange - Domino

AM & Shawn Lee Celestial Electric

[ESL; 2011]

By

Rating: 4/5

Styles: psychedelic funk, retro synth pop, throwback soul
Others: Shawn Lee’s Ping Pong Orchestra, Zero 7, The Quantic Soul Orchestra

In the opening monologue of The Big Lebowski, Sam Elliott says, “Sometimes, there’s a man — well, he’s the man for his time and place. He fits right in there.” Music is full of examples like this, songs and albums that capture the essence of an era, from classical and romantic composers to late-60s psychedelia, 77 punk, 80s hair metal, early-90s grunge, late-90s drum-and-bass, and so on.

More about: AM & Shawn Lee

Links: AM & Shawn Lee - ESL

Walker Percy Dir. Win Riley

[Winston Riley Productions; 2011]
By

Styles: documentary, biography
Others: William Faulkner’s Mississippi

One of Walker Percy’s recurring preoccupations in his novels was with the critical disconnect he saw between humankind’s “angelic” and “bestial” aspects, and how this disconnect always engendered despair (in the Kierkegaardian understanding of that word). Writing in the mid-to-late 20th century, and already established as a formidable American semiotician, Percy had an intuitive grasp of that despair, and through wit, humor, and above all compassion for his characters, he told interesting, thoughtful stories about sometimes very morbid situations.

The Debt Dir. John Madden

[Focus Features; 2011]
By

Styles: spy, revenge, thriller
Others: Munich, Walk on Water, Shakespeare in Love

The Debt: an excellent spy-thriller masking a story about Holocaust survivors out for revenge, or an excellent spy-thriller masking a story exploiting Holocaust survivors taking justified revenge? Now, I won’t lie. It can be tough to separate the quality filmmaking from the message behind this movie. That’s a testament to the skill of director John Madden and each of the seven leads, who direct and/or play to perfection.

Swinging with the Finkels Dir. Jonathan Newman

[Freestyle Releasing; 2011]
By

Styles: sex comedy
Others: Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, When Harry Met Sally, A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy

“How do you stay married to the same person and not get bored?” It’s an age-old question, asked by the titular Alvin Finkel (Martin Freeman) in Jonathan Newman’s Swinging with the Finkels. The question itself is rhetorical and not easily answered in the context of a light romp, especially because of the tendency to slide into formulaic arcs and wishful endings. That’s one of the great downfalls of popular cinema. When you try to appeal to a wide audience, there’s always a temptation to make the relationships work out in the end, to extol the triumphant power of love.

The Flaming Lips with Lightning Bolt The Flaming Lips with Lightning Bolt

[Warner Bros./Lovely Sorts of Death; 2011]

By

Rating: 3.5/5

Styles: psychedelic, noise, jam
Others: Laserbeasts, Jesus Egg

This next episode in a series of collaborations — following the reinterpretation of the seminal Dark Side of The Moon and this year’s releases with Prefuse 73 and Neon Indian — finds veterans The Flaming Lips teaming up with the electrifying duo (and also veterans) Lightning Bolt.

More about: The Flaming Lips with Lightning Bolt

Links: The Flaming Lips with Lightning Bolt - Warner Bros./Lovely Sorts of Death

Male Bonding Endless Now

[Sub Pop; 2011]

By

Rating: 2/5

Styles: 90s, alterna-rock, punk
Others: Hüsker Dü, Wavves, Yuck

Reader, the excitement of the wild osculations featured on Male Bonding’s Bruce LaBruce-lite clip for “Year’s Not Long” has yet to leave this jaded reviewer.

More about: Male Bonding

Links: Male Bonding - Sub Pop

Rat Catching Rat Catching

[Fedora Corpse; 2011]

By

Rating: 4/5

Styles: synths, effects, hand-dryers, a plane taking off: you get the drill
Others: any artist fighting in the fabled post-Casio Wars (also: Göte)

Everyone seems to want to get their KEY on these days, with anal(og) synth projects flowing off the underground lines like campfire-folk records did in 2004. Jennifer Melinn’s Rat Catching project, despite its familiar ingredients — human + synths + effects sprinkles = PURE PREDICTABLE MADNESS — tends to cut a little deeper than Ye Olde Solo-Keyboard album.

More about: Rat Catching

Links: Fedora Corpse

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