Free tomorrow night? Why not check out an outdoor screening of Purple Rain, the iconic Prince movie as apart of the EatSeeHear series. Opening the movie is Chicano Batman. Picnic or try the numerously delicious food trucks at Griffith Park's Autry National Center. Tickets are here. $10 for general admission and $20 for reserved seating.
For the first time on vinyl, the 2004 album that brought the Shins into the mainstream. Zach Braff handed picked all the songs on here creating almost a personal mix tape to share with the world. Garden State has been called the Graduate of our generation. Included on here are Nick Drake, Thievery Cooperation, Iron & Wine's cover of The Postal Service, and many more. This album helped tons of people dive into the indie music scene and music discovery. The price is around $30 on Amazon and probably the same in the stores.
I would love to say that discovering Pulp's Different Class in high school help pinpoint my budding sexuality, but that would be all too perfect. No, instead I just shook my butt and weirded my friends out. There is a lot of fun history with the album cover as well. You can check out the Buzzfeed that is all about the wedding the album cover was taken.
This is probably Pulp's biggest and best album. Opening is Mis-Shapes, a toe tapping with a simple start that builds up to it's climatic chorus. The taboo Pencil Skirt is full of an overly sexual aggressive Jarvis Cocker in all the right ways. The huge hit off this album and maybe out of all of Pulp's work is Common People, a hit you can shake your bum and scream the lyrics too. The french noir themed I Spy is very Serge Gainsbourg meets Dr. No. Throw Disco 2000 on at any high school reunion and dance the night away with the one who got away. Live Bed Show is the sad point of view of a bed and the lonely women, who at one point got a lot of action, but now occupies it alone. Taking things to the B-Side starts things off with the dreamy Something Changed. Then the Sorted For E's & Wizz gives off the vibe that it could have inspired The Flaming Lips. F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E gives you a feeling of being on a dark street corner until it explodes into cascade of synth and guitar. You won't forget how to spell this song after you listen to it (much how I still have to think of Gwen Stefani when I want to spell bananas). Underwear is a sad song that some girls can really relate too unfortunately. The epiphany brought on by Monday Morning is not a great one, but it does perfectly describes the mundane feeling of finally hitting adulthood. Ending the album is the sensual and sweet Bar Italia, which is about getting up after a night out with the worst hangover ever, a great way to end this album.
I was lucky enough to see Pulp reunite a few years back, it what was an amazingly fun show. If you like britpop the Stone Roses or just great sexually charged dance music that isn't full of the word "bootie" and over driving bass, then you should give Pulp a try. Amazon has it for $32 since it is an import from the UK, but you can search eBay in hopes of finding a cheap use copy.
Happy hunting!
PAIR WITH:
If you were lucky enough to get tickets then you probably don't need this suggestion, but the perfect pair would be going to the Ace Theater to see Pulp: A Film About Life, Death & Supermarkets with a bonus QnA with both the director and Jarvis Cocker. But if you can't make it, be sure to check out the trailer and hopefully it will be released theatrically or streaming:
The film premiered at SXSW and has been making the rounds, but you can check to see if there is a screening in your area.
UPDATE!
I just read on Oscilloscope's Facebook that the movie will be released nationwide in the US Nov 19th!
Although I like to shy away from classic albums, I made an exception in honor of the release of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. If I had the time I would do it on the 7" of Blue Swede's Hooked On A Feeling, which is available on Amazon for only $2. Instead I am doing it on David Bowie's alien rock star Ziggy Stardust and whose song is on Peter Quill's Mixtape in the Movie.
With so much history with this album, it's really hard to cover it all with just a post, so for more info check out it's wikipedia page for the Production, Back Story, and Reception of it all. But what's there to really say about this album. It opens with the solemn Five Years which tells the tale of the destruction of the Earth. Moonage Daydream can be found on Peter Quill's Mixtape, and maybe heard in the Guardians of the Galaxy movie, a true glam rock song. The classic Bowie pop sound comes out with Starman. On the B-Side, you open with the beautiful piano playing of Lady Stardust. The rockabilly-esque sounds that drive Hang On to Yourself give the album a nice change of pace. Then your hit the big ones, Ziggy Stardust and Suffragette City, which you'll probably recognize right off the bat if you never listened to this album before. Ending the album is the what as known as the final collapse of Ziggy, Rock 'N' Roll Suicide, a perfect ending in his saga.
There's no need to convince you on why this is a great album since it's pretty much a classic. This album will probably set you back though, Amazon has it at $40.00 new, while most record shops have it for around $30. If you can swing it, it's well worth owning for your collection. And remember the back, it's "to be played at maximum volume."
This is an obvious choice, but you can check out the midnight showing of Guardians of the Galaxy. The movie stars Parks and Rec's Chris Pratt as Peter Quill, Sci-Fi Princess Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Ex-Wrestler Dave Bautista as Drax, and Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper as the voices of Groot and Rocket Raccoon respectively. The movie is directed by James Gunn whose also done Silther and Super. It's easy to get lost in all the super hero movies, but if there's one thing Whedon's Avengers taught us is that, they make great summer movies. And be sure to check out Peter Quill's Awesome Mix Tape for more rock hits! Unavailable on vinyl (and more likely coming out on cassette), you can buy the mix cd on Amazon.
Check Fandango for movie showtimes and midnight showings in your area.
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