The Skunkeye Consumer Guide

Nikki Sudden 1956 - 2006

 

Sad news… the brilliant Nikki Sudden joined his late brother Epic Soundtracks in Rock & Roll Heaven this weekend after a gig in NYC. 

The Swell Maps were one of my favorite bands of the punk era – I listened to “Read About Seymour” over and over as a teen - and I have tried to follow and collect Sudden’s amazingly prolific output since.  Not only an inspired musician, Sudden was a gifted and thoughtful writer as well – his site is well worth exploring. 

You can also find an array of Nikki Sudden downloads from his myriad projects there.

In a hollow age of Pete Doherty playing it up for the tabloids and various young bands cribbing the sounds of the late-seventies, it is especially poignant that we seem to be losing many of the true pioneers and iconoclasts recently – Joe Strummer and several Ramones come immediately to mind.

I’m at a loss for time right now, so check out the Pitchfork announcement after the jump.

I was fortunate to receive an advance copy of Jane Birkin’s latest effort, Fictions, and I must say after a few listens I’m more impressed than I thought I would be.  The legendary “Mother of all Babes” has been amazingly prolific recently and it seems just about every young artist is clamoring to work with her (who wouldn’t be?) and the results, as evidenced by the well-intentioned, but murky and disjointed recent French-language effort, Rendez-Vous, have been hit-or-miss.

Fictions is also a collection of collaborations (The Divine Comedy’s Neil Hannon, Feist cohort Gonzales, and Beth Gibbons of Portishead, among many) and indeed the majority of the album consists of cover versions (and I’m including the Rufus Wainwright contribution which owes its hook to the Kink’s “Waterloo Sunset”); the material, however, is well-chosen and fits in marvelously with the theme of the album.

Birkin receives no writing credit on Fictions but the smartly-curated material does a fine job of celebrating her life journey.  That the story is mostly spun in her native English and contains no Serge Gainsbourg compositions (which is quite liberating in the much celebrated anniversaire of his passing) and with well-placed musical and lyrical allusions to her upbringing across the Channel - before Blow-Up changed her life - signifies that Birkin, if not already, has well moved on from her seminal role as erotic ingénue and muse, making a hard-earned and respectable pilgrim's progress to emerge on her own as a vital artist and is acknowledging her roots.  It must be noted, however, that the inclusion of her interpretation of Ravel’s Image Fantôme (Pavane Pour Une Enfante Défunte) is quite telling.

Jane B’s idiosyncratic (and frankly an acquired taste) vocal chops are in fine firm – methinks the Arabesque tour gave her quite the workout – and she amazingly elevates tunes that would be cringe-worthy if handled with lesser taste and restraint, such as Kate Bush’s “Mother stands For Comfort.”  Her informed choice of Tom Waits’s “Alice” works well in context of the through the Looking Glass and Wonderland aspects of her experiences and she does manage to pull off a credible, if not as inspired as Cassandra Wilson’s reading, jazz version of  Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon.”  Of course the album veers on preciousness and self-indulgence – but the Grande Dame has earned it and can pull it off.

Fictions reminds me a bit of Nancy Sinatra’s star-studded gang bang latest a bit – that Johnny Marr’s jangling guitar makes its presence on Fictions echoes Morrissey’s association with Boots – but I think Jane Birkin’s album works better as a fully-realised project and a more cohesive exercise in story-telling.  Jane B. - model, actress, muse, mother, songbird, keeper of the flame, tireless humanitarian - sans-doubt a life worth celebrating and certainly an album worth bagging!

From Fictions:

Waterloo Station

(words and music by Rufus Wainwright except for the obvious Kinks homage)

Steal Me A Dream

(words and music by the Magic Numbers)

Home

(words and music by The Divine Comedy)

Being the quixotic Serge geek and completist that I am, my frustrations were somewhat assuaged when I finally got my hands on the just-released and highly sought-after album homage, Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited this week. (I was actually losing sleep over finding this which shows the fool that I am!) As with most tribute albums, the affair is somewhat spotty, hodge-podge and hit-or-miss, and could have benefited from the vision of a talented and focused curator like Hal Wilner or John Zorn (see number 13). The talent and collaborators are somewhat inspired but the results aren’t really. And, actually, this tribute is collection unique only in that it features exclusively English-language interpretations. Here is my appropriately self-indulgent track-by-track take:

01. « A Song For Sorry Angel » (Franz Ferdinand & Jane Birkin)

Sorry, this track is B-side at best! Jane B. is one of my patron saints but the upcoming English-language album, Fiction (which includes collaborations with youngsters Neil Hannon of Divine Comedy, Magic Numbers, Beth Gibbons, Rufus Wainwright, Arthur H, Dominique A, Cali and others) gives me pause. Her last effort, Rendez-Vous was a bit of a mess and these cross-generational and cultural unions, however well-intentioned and inspired, never seem to work so well – see recent history of Francoise Hardy and Marianne Faithful projects. Too many cooks in the kitchen or something like that they say… an element which is pervasive throughout this latest Serge tribute.

02. « I Love You (Me Either) » (Cat Power & Karen Elson)

This stand-out cut has been all over the internets over the last few weeks as another note in the perplexing cult of Cat Power and in anticipation of the release of Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisted and I must admit really is the highlight of this collection. Chan Marshall and Karen Elson-White (I want to hear more from her!) pull off the unthinkable, breathing fresh new life into an oft-covered and now terminally clichéd standard.   Muy chemistry!

03. « I Just Came To Tell You That I'm Going » (Jarvis Cocker & Kid Loco)

Nothing special or memorable really… just go now. Mick Harvey delivered a warmer and more lovingly-produced version on his fantastic English-language Gainsbourg project, Intoxicated Man, some ten years ago. Also see the follow-up, Pink Elephants. (Nick Cave muse Anita Lane channels a brilliant Birkin).

04. « Requiem For Anna » (Portishead)

Beth Gibbons and tireless keeper-of-the-Gainsbourg-flame Jane Birkin have been working together quite a bit recently. I expected more of this track, since it is lesser-known and off of one my most beloved soundtracks ever, Gainsbourg’s score for the Anna Karina vehicle, Anna, and also it is the first time we’ve heard Portishead play together as a group in a few years. The results are somewhat plodding and lack resonance….Beth, maybe you should stick with the Talk Talk guy.

05. « Requiem For A Jerk » (Faultine, Brian Molko & Françoise Hardy)

See #10. Françoise phones her bit in – at least, I hope that was the extent of her involvement.

06. « L'hôtel » (Michael Stipe)

I have a deep aversion to everything Michael Stipe so I’m prejudiced and it’s not fair for me even comment! The last thing I want to hear is Stipe indulging himself - get a hotel!

07. « Au Revoir Emmanuelle » (Tricky)

Never one of my favorite Gainsbourg numbers and this Tricky version isn’t working any magic on me.   Can I say in schocking deparrture from the beloved intial soft-core classic I enjoyed as a pre-pubescent, the Emmanuelle franchise has taken some alarming turns - cable-channel Cinemax runs the tragically diminished Emmanuelle in Outer Space and with Vampires seemingly non-stop during their after-hours programming - the harder they come, the harder they fall...

08. « Lola R. For Ever » (Marianne Faithfull & Sly And Robbie)

Surprisingly, I rather like this track – maybe Marianne Faithfull should follow the trend – Willie Nelson, Sinead O’Conner - and do a dub reggae album! Fear… Only if Sly & Robbie – Gainsbourg cohorts by the way - are behind the decks though. On second thought, maybe this one track will suffice.

09. « Boomerang 2005 » (Gonzales, Feist & Dani)

This is a spirited and fresh romp – the rap bit works well too (I discovered MC Solar the same year Serge expired)! I have a lot of respect for Gonzales as a composer, producer and arranger and the gang seems to be having fun! Let’s take this party back on the road – sorry Feist, I love ya but if I hear Mushaboom one more time I’m gonna puke!

10. « Boy Toy » (Marc Almond & Trash Palace)

A month or two ago, a dear friend, who was die-hard industrial in the day, dragged me to a Front 242 show up the street from Casa Skunkeye at the 930 club with comped tickets. I was indifferent to the scene then and have no tolerance whatsoever for that shit. Never cared for Depeche Mode either. (Surely Marc Almond could have conjured up his inner Brel and hashed up a tune from Gainbourg’s early career!)

11. « The Ballad Of Melody Nelson » (Placebo)

It’s awright… a bit meandering and no real departure from the original – stick to the original vice, no placebo necessary.

12. « Just A Man With A Job » (The Rakes)

Mildly charming and punchy update of Le Poinconneur de Lilas, the lament of the ticket-taker. Bet this is what Franz Ferdinand only wish they had contributed.

13. « I Call It Art » (The Kills)

J’adore Les Kills! This is the other standout track on the collection – the Kills’ version of Chanson du Slogan rivals Blonde Redhead’s mesmerizing interpretation on the far-superior tribute, John Zorn’s Great Jewish Music: Serge Gainsbourg. Yikes – was that ten years ago – that double-disc was the soundtrack for a certain doomy but romantic period for me as a struggling creative-type in NYC and featured the city's finest avant garde scensters. And if one is in the hankering for a truly inspired celebration of Serge Gainsbourg on the anniversaire of his passing, the collection I believe has just been re-released on the Tzadik label and is available in US stores again – highly recommended.

14. « Those Little Things » (Carla Bruni)

Ay, ce n’est pas mal… After the success of her French language debut, quelqu’un m’a dit, multi-lingual Bruni has been threatening an English-language album. I’ve been having nightmares of Keren Ann, but this track indicates the bluesier and earthier home-wrecking ex-model might be able to pull it off. At any rate, singing ex-models are a grand tradition in the Gainsbourg oevre and they certainly shine on this collection! Seriously, Bruni and Karen Elson might well be this generation's Mariane Faithfulls and Jane Birkins...

All in all, Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited, while vapid and barely coherent as a fully-realized “tribute” or album, is fairly enjoyable – perhaps noddingly tawdry and tacky (benefit of the doubt?) - and worth it for a few of the tracks – ce petits riens - but just don’t fork out import prices for this bastard baby! Then again, what does one do to when a musical master has passed and devotees are hungry for more? There’s always unearthing rarities and outtakes (the Gainsbourg estate has milked that one), remastering and repackaging the library (ditto), and remixing to contemporary tastes, i.e., dance and reggae (done.dun.dumb). If anything, the Gainsbourg catalogue is ripe for an endless variety of interpretation and The Man was hardly discriminating… so I’m all for bringing it on!

I’m feeling inspired so here are the choice cuts (available for a limited time only!):

The Kills « I Call It Art »

Gonzales, Feist & Dani - « Boomerang 2005 »

Carla Bruni -« Those Little Things »

Ay, I’ve really fallen into lazy habits… its not just this site and updating; hell, my gym is right around the corner but I keep on finding excuses not to go. 

I have a mini-break from classes so I’m going to make an effort to get up to speed here. So to start the trickle….

Its Academy Awards time again – it seems with each season I lose more interest – is it just me, or have the last few years been kind of unspectacular film-wise?

I’ve seen most of the nominated films, although I have yet to catch Good Night and Good Luck and Memoirs of Geisha (I had problems with the book – written by a white American male, the novel kind of had a neo-Orientalist vibe that turned me off). 

Over the last two weeks, I finally made it to screenings of Munich and Transamerica.

I expected to be absolutely depressed by Munich– and that’s why I put off seeing it.  Instead I enjoyed the film immensely, which is probably not the kind of reaction one should have to a story of terrorism and violence.  I’m afraid the deeper message was maybe a bit lost on me – Munich is one damn good and riveting and sexy road - heist movie – the art direction and locales, recreating the Europe, Israel, and Beirut of the mid-seventies are absolutely superb! 

And the fashion… longtime readers know I have a bit of a fetish for the style of the Europeof my early childhood!

Munich also stands out because it is an ensemble piece consisting of some of contemporary world cinema’s finest players – some just making cameos, like French-Canadian hotness Marie-Josée Croze (absolutely killer as a Dutch assassin) and the lovely and amazing Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, and others - Ciarán Hinds (late as Caesar in HBO’s Rome.  Season finale spoiler: Brutus got him.), and France’s Mathieu Kassovitz, and Yvan Attal, barely recognizable (a testament to their talent) in slightly more substantial roles.

I’m horrible, I know... kinda had to suppress a bit of laughter with the final digitally re-created image of the World Trade Center towers – um, more than a bit overwrought – but Munich is a Spielberg production after all. Seriously, though, the film worked on many different levels and is a bit of an overlooked masterpiece.

Speaking of overlooking stuff, today I finally made it to see Transamerica – everyone has gone all gaga over Felicity Huffman’s performance. I was getting a bit of cabin fever at home with all my applications, paperwork, and taxes and decisions - not to mention trying to pull together a business plan.

I swear it’s been a slow cinema period because Transamerica was the only somewhat appealing option and I kinda knew I would detest it. Although I think Desperate Housewives is the most disgustingly over-rated and gimmicky phenomena on non- reality television programming, I do appreciate Mrs. Wiliam H. Macy's work on Sports Night and Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia.

At any rate, I was squirming early on – the dialogue was painfully trite and I’m sure Felicity Huffman was turning in some sublime actorly-crafty work but yeeesh… the material. I’m sorry, I’m all for progressive themes in cinema but if the screenplay sucks why bother.

Well, I was saved by the bell so to speak – the fire alarm went off and the entire theater complex was evacuated after about a third of the film passed and right before I was going to beat the retreat and cut my losses. Fortunately I was able to get a free pass for another show at Landmark E Street.

Stoned, the Brian Jones biopic opening soon looks kinda hot and right down my alley – something to look forward to…

Back to the looming Academy Awards, methinks Brokeback Mountain will do well – best picture and director for Ang Lee definitely. Philip Seymour Hoffman will probably take home the Best Actor for Capote – and deservedly in my book. I’m rooting for Paul Giamatti for Best Supporting actor even though I didn’t see that boxer film (did anyone?) but over-exposed Clooney might well have the golden gloves this year. Reese Witherspoon is looking pretty strong as Best Actress for Walk the Line but Felicity Huffman, hot on the trail, may well walk away with the prize. Hollywood is a bit much with this liberal self-congratulatory schtick – if Oprah-sanctioned Crash takes over the show – talk about a contrived screenplay – I wouldn’t be surprised. Anyways, I just don’t care at this point and will probably just crash midway through the ceremonies like last year – I just hope we have a more vibrant 2006 in cinema!