Rob Braithwaite At the Movies.
Read Morefrankblackfrancis :: aboxset :: byrobbraithwaite
Pixies formed in 1986. David Lovering, Kim Deal, Joey Santiago and Charles Thompson IV, under the alias Black Francis, created music that influenced bands for years to come. Tensions within the group, largely between Thompson and Deal, strained and broke up the band in 1993.
Pixies reformed in 2004. A reunion tour was launched and new music was everyone’s hope. Pixies recorded “Bam Thwok!” for submission to the Shrek 2 soundtrack. It was rejected, and they continued to tour. Pixies wouldn’t go into the studio unless all members agreed. Kim Deal left the band in early 2013. A new EP was released later that year.
Pixies released three EPs over 2013 and 2014. They would later be collected as Indie Cindy. Simon Archer (The Fall) played bass in the studio. Kim Shattuck (The Muffs) managed bass duties live for a couple months before Paz Lenchantin (A Perfect Circle) got the job permanently. Beneath the Eyrie, the new Pixies album, is out September 13th.
The making of Beneath the Eyrie was made into the award-worthy documentary podcast, It’s a Pixies Podcast.
Pixies were slowly making their way into my music world just as they were breaking up. From the Pump Up the Volume soundtrack to a 120 Minutes VJ crying, “That was the world premiere video of ‘Velouria’ and the last time we will ever show it,” I was aware of Pixies but I didn’t pay much attention to the albums until I got hooked on Frank Black’s solo albums, specifically Teenager of the Year.
Here Comes Your Man — 01
Bam Thwok! — 02
On Graveyard Hill — 03
Letter to Memphis — 04
No. 13 Baby — 05
Gigantic — 06
The Happening — 07
Planet of Sound — 08
Bel Esprit — 09
Something Against You — 10
Debaser — 11
Allison — 12
The Holiday Song — 13
Greens and Blues — 14
PIXIES :: 1986-1993, 2004-2019
13 — Come On Pilgrim (1987)
06, 10 — Surfer Rosa (1988)
01, 05, 11 — Doolittle (1989)
07, 12 — Bossanova (1990)
04, 08 — Trompe le Monde (1991)
02 — single (2004)
14 — Indie Cindy (2014)
09 — Head Carrier (2016)
03 — Beneath the Eyrie (2019)
Post-Pixies, Black Francis became Frank Black. He produced The Cult of Ray himself. The third solo album was recorded live with very few overdubs, a departure from his usual studio recording process. He liked the result so much that it became a blueprint for the next eight or nine years.
I saw Frank Black during the Teenager of the Year tour. The still underknown Jonny Polonsky opened. Throughout the entire show people screamed for Pixies songs. They never got them.
Headache — 01
Adda Lee — 02
Men in Black — 03
Superabound — 04
Old Black Dawning — 05
Pure Citizen of the Citizens Band — 06
You Ain’t Me — 07
Speedy Marie — 08
The Creature Crawling — 09
Czar — 10
The Man Who Was Too Loud — 11
The Cult of Ray — 12
Space Is Gonna Do Me Good — 13
Don’t Ya Rile ‘em — 14
FRANK BLACK :: 1993-1996
02, 05, 10, 14 — Frank Black (1993)
01, 04, 06, 08, 13 — Teenager of the Year (1994)
11 — The John Peel Session :: w/Teenage Fanclub (1995)
03, 07, 09, 12 — The Cult of Ray (1996)
Frank Black and the Catholics was made up of the backing band on The Cult of Ray. The process of recording “live-to-tape” was passed into law. There were no overdubs and virtually all of the songs during this time had no edits.
In 2004, Frank Black left the Catholics behind. He recorded two albums in Nashville with heavy-hitting session musicians that included Steve Cropper and Spooner Oldham, among many others.
I saw Frank Black and the Catholics during The Dog in the Sand tour. It was this tour that, for the first time, Pixies songs appeared on a Frank Black set list. Pixies reunited three years later.
Bullet — 01
Modern Age — 02
Do You Feel Bad About It? — 03
Smoke Up — 04
Go Find Your Saint — 05
21 Reasons — 06
If It Takes All Night — 07
I Switched You — 08
Solid Gold — 09
Nadine — 10
If Your Poison Gets You — 11
I Burn Today (live) — 12
Wave of Mutilation (live) — 13
FRANK BLACK AND THE CATHOLICS :: 1997-2006
03, 09 — Frank Black and the Catholics (1998)
04, 08 — Pistolero (1999)
01, 07 — Dog in the Sand (2001)
06 — Black Letter Days (2002)
02 — Devil’s Workshop (2002)
10 — Show Me Your Tears (2003)
05 — Honeycomb (2005) as Frank Black
11 — Fast Man Raider Man (2006) as Frank Black
12, 13 — Christmass (2006) as Frank Black
By 2007 the Pixies reunion tour looked like it was here to stay. There were rumors of new songs being worked on, though no new Pixies album appeared. Charles Thompson reverted to his Pixies alias, Black Francis, when he released Bluefinger. Both it and the EP svn fngrs made me wonder if some these songs had seeds of the rumored session. The rest of this section of frankblackfrancis is filled with a grab bag of projects: he wrote songs and a score for the silent movie The Golem (1920), he partnered with Reid Paley, a contributor on Fast Man Raider Man, for a one-off album, and he recorded a couple albums with Violet Clark, his wife, under the name Grand Duchy.
Threshold Apprehension — 01
Six Legged Man — 02
Half Man — 03
Bad News — 04
Curse — 05
Dead Man’s Curve — 06
The Flower Song — 07
Ugly Life — 08
Tight Black Rubber — 09
When They Come to Murder Me — 10
Lolita — 11
Stars — 12
BLACK FRANCIS :: 2007-2011
01, 09, 11 — Bluefinger (2007)
03, 10 — svn fngrs (2008)
02, 06 — NonStopErotik (2010)
04, 07, 12 — The Golem (2010)
05, 08 — Paley & Francis (2011) :: as Paley & Francis
If you haven’t noticed yet, Frank Black records a lot. Since Pixies formed in 1986 his yearly album average is nearly one and a quarter. And that’s not counting the songs he didn’t put on his records.
There was so much b-side material that collections were released. Oddballs compiled some of the excess from 1994-1997. Like material from the Catholics years were spread over two titles: Snake Oil (covers) and Another Road for the Hit (originals). Abbabubba and Christmass were mixes of original songs, live recordings and alternate versions of album tracks. Pixies even released a collection of b-sides. And with the arrival of Beneath the Eyrie, there are six more songs for the pile.
History Song (live) — 01
Somethings — 02
Don’t Clip Your Wings — 03
Re-Make/Re-Model — 04
Oddball — 05
Amnesia — 06
Old John Amos — 07
Sugar Daddy — 08
This Is Where I Belong — 09
Preacher’s Daughter — 10
That Burnt Out Rock ‘n’ Roll (live) — 11
Do Nothing — 12
You Never Heard About Me — 13
Rabbit Hole — 14
Tossed (vocal version) (live) — 15
SCRAPS
01 — FB&theC covering The Good, The Bad and The Queen
02, 12 — FB&theC - Snake Oil. 02 covering Angst. 12 covering The Specials
03, 10 — FB&theC: One More Road for the Hit
04, 05, 13 — FB: Oddballs
06, 09 — FB: “Headache” CD single. 09 covering The Kinks
07 — covering Arthur Alexander
08 — FB: Wig in a Box: Songs from and Inspired by Hedwig and the Angry Inch
11 — FB: 93-03. covering Gary Green
14 — BF demo
15 — FB bootleg
Below are Spotify versions of the playlists above. A few songs aren’t available, so some of the playlists vary slightly. There are a very small number copies of the above set, plus two episodes of It’s a Pixies Podcast, burned to CD at Colin’s Coffee, if you are so inclined…
“On Graveyard Hill” video co-directed by Kii Arens (Flipp, PPL MVR and LA-LA Land Gallery)
*phew*
Rob Braithwaite's 2018 Music Compilation
Here are the songs I’ve chosen to represent how I spent my 2018 music fund.
“Music Box Theme”
Howard Blake
The Changeling (soundtrack)
The Changeling is my favorite horror movie. It got the blu-ray treatment this year, and with it came the soundtrack. It’s pretty great, too.
“Hate and Control”
Bully
Losing
I’m a big fan of the extended opening.
“Death Camp Fantasy”
Hot Snakes
Jericho Sirens
Person: What’s your favorite band?
Me: uh, which band is John Reis in now?
Person: Hot Snakes.
Me: Hot Snakes.
“You Can Have Alonetime When You’re Dead”
Remember Sports
Slow Buzz
If it pops and it rocks, it works for me.
Remember Sports plays an all-ages show at Ace of Cups January 3rd.
“Oyahytt (featuring Lakeith Stanfield)”
The Coup
Sorry to Bother You: The Soundtrack
A great lead track for a soundtrack of one of the most nuts movies I’ve seen in a while.
“Apostrophe’”
Frank Zappa
Apostrophe (‘)
Having seen Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words two years ago and read The Real Frank Zappa Book this year, I was ready for a serious sampling of his massive catalog. I asked the friend who saw the movie with me and gave the book for a starter compilation and an album suggestion. Knowing me, he suggested listening to Apostrophe (‘) and/or Over-Nite Sensation while he thought about how to tackle my cuts request. The title track of Apostrophe (‘) was an instant favorite. I imagine it as the soundtrack for a very extended opening credit sequence for Barney Miller.
Spang’s Frank Zappa Starter Kit (runtime: 32 minutes):
01 “My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama” - The Mothers of Invention - Weasels Ripped My Flesh
02 “Peaches en Regalia” - Frank Zappa - Hot Rats
03 “Village of the Sun” - Frank Zappa & The Mothers - Roxy & Elsewhere
04 “G-Spot” Tornado” - Frank Zappa - The Yellow Shark
05 “Watermelon in Easter Hay” - Frank Zappa - Joe’s Garage: Acts I, II & III
06 “Any Way the Wind Blows” - The Mothers of Invention - Freak Out!
07 “Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance” - The Mothers of Invention - We’re Only in It for the Money
08 “Electric Aunt Jemima” - The Mothers of Invention- Uncle Meat
“Boys in a Better Land”
Fontaines D.C.
single
IDLES will tour the U.S. again in 2019 and Fontaines D.C. will open. Do not miss this show. Fontaines D.C. are fine. They will make a good addition to the best concert of the year.
“You Only Live Twice”
Beulahbelle
Tully (soundtrack)
A pretty cover of one of the best James Bond songs. It’s a prefect selection for Tully.
“Birthday Cake”
Slothrust
The Pact
TV introduced me to Slothrust. Their song “7:30 A.M.” is used for the opening credits of You’re the Worst (final season start January 9th). I love Slothrust so much that I saw them at The Basement, Columbus’ worst music venue. There were several songs from the album I could have put on this compilation, but I liked how this one sounds after “You Only Live Twice.”
“Talk of the Town”
Elle King
Shake the Spirit
An album with so many styles shouldn’t work. This is the second time Elle King proved that it can.
“I’m Scum”
IDLES
Joy as an Act of Resistance
The albums are great. The live show is amazing. Seriously. They will be on tour in 2019. GO. SEE. THEM.
“Beating My Head Against a Wall”
Jeff Rosenstock
POST-
It pops. It rocks.
“Bang Someone Out”
Sleaford Mods
EP
So I was hanging in Oslo and my Norwegian cousin says to me, “Vil du se Sleaford Mods i Göteborg?” Then I said, “What?” Soon we were on our way to see Sleaford Mods in Göteborg, Sweden.
Two guys, a laptop and a microphone. It’s not quite hip hop. It’s not exactly punk. It was fascinating to watch and one of the best concerts I’ve seen.
If you can, get your eyes on the band’s documentary, Bunch of Kunst. It captured the band at a perfect moment and the last fifteen minutes or so is Rock Doc Hall of Fame material.
“Tester”
Hinds
I Don’t Run
The English-as-a-second-language vocals give the super catchy songs a added flavor.
“Cut Stranger”
J Mascis
Elastic Days
Unlike a box of chocolates, I always know what I’m going to get with a J Mascis/Dinosaur Jr album. Few artists can get away with such a thing for so long (see also: AC/DC).
“Our Work Is Done”
Superchunk
single
Not only was it a surprise Superchunk came to town this year but they go and drop a single before the year is through. [happy monkey emoji]
Happy Listening in 2019,
- rob.
Rob watches movies and listens to music and writes stuff. He once watched 365 movies in one year and wrote about each one. Click here to check it out.
In Conclusion: The Movies of 2017 - by Rob Braithwaite
Watching 366 movies last year kind of broke me. I only watched 104 movies this year. Here are some highlights. [Law and Order noise]
OPERATION: DYNAMO
I don’t know how or why but there were three movies this year that featured the rescue from Dunkirk in some fashion, and they fit together so well that I suspect Kevin Feige orchestrated it all.
Darkest Hour
World War II is in its dawn when the unpopular English Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain is replaced by the not-as unpopular Winston Churchill. Churchill is almost immediately pressured to reach out to the Germans to ask for mercy. It is a concept so foreign to him that even his body rejects the notion of nothing short of victory in the face of the rising fascist force.
The movie has a few classic biopic trips when information and backstory need known. But there are stunning scenes and sequences. The makeup work on Gary Oldman is nothing but award winning, as is his performance.
The drama of Darkest Hour is political and personal. The rescue at Dunkirk is an element of the story, however it isn’t seen. Thankfully, there’s…
Dunkirk
I expected this to be a three hour movie in which the first hour was filled with clunky get-to-know-them-so-you-care setups. Nope. Just two hours of action and tension. It’s amazing. The dogfights especially.
Some didn’t like Dunkirk because there is too little context or they didn’t care enough about the people. I disagree. But, for context there’s Darkest Hour. For the personal touch, there’s…
Their Finest
England is very much the WWII mix now. Their troops are back on the front lines, and their citizens are adapting to routine air raids. Morale is low. Here come the movies to make everyone feel better!
The Ministry of Information decides to make a film about the heroic deed of two sisters who stole their father’s boat to rescue soldiers from the Dunkirk shore. Problem is, their boat never made it to Dunkirk. Catrin Cole, still seeing their heroism, fights to tell the sister’s story as it happened. And yet, the propaganda machine continues to distort the truth.
Maybe the most interesting thing about Their Finest is that as myth takes over the sister’s truth, the myth of the romantic comedy genre is exposed as propaganda itself.
Ignore the forgettable title. Ignore the terrible trailer. Ignore the awful poster. See this little gem.
THIS SEASON ON SUPERHERO SHOWDOWN
Franchise moviemaking has got me down more than ever. It all feels like TV programming now, especially superhero movies. I don't get event anticipation anymore. Still, because I do like them, I see them.
Never mind the comic book source, Logan is a great movie. I got a little misty at the end.
Wonder Woman proves DC can make a great superhero movie. After seeing Justice League, I’m convinced they can’t. I’m sure Wonder Woman succeeded because no one at the studio thought much about it (“Oh, let them have their Wondering Woman.”), and Patty Jenkins & company went largely unchecked.
I’m not going to shit on Justice League. The movie does a great job of that on its own. But I would like to laugh at some horrible and frustrating product placement in it.
Bruce Wayne has successfully recruited Barry Allen. They both get into Bruce’s expensive car. Bruce says the “because I’m rich” line from the trailer and then the movie cuts to his hands gripping the steering wheel. The fingers of his right hand stretch out to pull up on a small lever. The car starts up, and the movie cuts to his expensive car driving toward the camera for all to see which brand had this ingenious feat of engineering.
I wasn’t expecting anything to happen -- they weren’t in costume or in any danger -- but it seemed like something was about to happen. Turns out they were just going… Where were they going? Jesus! They weren't going anywhere!
Spider-Man: Homecoming is fun. I like Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 more than the first one. I’m in the minority opinion of Thor: Ragnarok. It is mostly pointless and too jokey, I say. It would have been an amazing surprise had no one known Hulk was in it.
IN OTHER FRANCHISE NEWS
There are parts of The Last Jedi that I love. And there are parts of The Last Jedi that I ignore. If you’ve seen it once, you could miss the first 45-60 minutes forever and enjoy it even more.
War for the Planet of the Apes closes out the rebooted property. Easily one of the best series of the 21st century.
Transspotting 2 and Blade Runner 2049 prove a quality sequel can be made decades after the original. My fingers are crossed for Remo Williams: The Adventure Continues.
John Wick: Chapter 2 raises the stakes on the hitman world built in the first one. I couldn’t be looking forward to Chapter 3 more.
Alien: Covenant balances its philosophical and action elements better than Prometheus did. There’s a great middle sequence and final moment.
REST MY WEARY EYES
Enough blockbusters. Give me a movie set in a natural and practical environment where people interact with each other.
Lady Bird is a wonderful movie. I’m afraid it’s going to take away some attention from The Big Stick in the mind of people who give awards to things. Both are worth anyone’s time. The Big Sick does not let itself off the hook with an easy ending. Lady Bird will go down as one of the best director debuts, as will Jordan Peele’s debut, Get Out. He set the bar incredibly high for himself and his next movie.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri takes a brutal look at festering rage.
Marjorie Prime should probably be avoided if a loved one recently died or is suffering from dementia. Even without the recent experience of those things, this examination of memory and legacy is like a mule kick.
It Comes at Night and mother! both have trailers that misrepresent what really happens. I wouldn’t recommend mother! to many people, even though I do like it. It Comes at Night is an excellent story of how isolation can breed mistrust and paranoia.
The pace of Logan Lucky is unlike usual heist movies. It’s a little slower and not as flashy but no less engaging. The wealth of the community of characters reminds me of the comic Southern Bastards.
I’m a sucker for movies set in a single location. Ben Wheatley double downs on that idea with Free Fire by making a movie-length shoot out.
THE LESS YOU KNOW THE BETTER
Movie trailers don't respect you. You should pay them little mind. This year I tried not to watch trailers online. Very rarely has a trailer completely ruined a movie for me, but wouldn’t it be nice to see something in a movie you aren't expecting? If you trust me, watch these five movies without watching the trailers or reading more about them:
Brigsby Bear. A 20-something guy is obsessed with a children's program. Co-written by and starring Kyle Mooney and directed by someone else from Saturday Night Live.
Better Watch Out. Christmas horror/comedy.
Colossal. A woman returns to her home town to get her life in order.
Good Time. Robert Pattinson received rave reviews in this crime drama.
The Girl with All the Gifts. Horror/thriller. I wish I could have seen it with that much information.
SOME OTHERS I LIKED A LOT
Split, Raw, Life, It, Murder of the Orient Express, The Disaster Artist, The Shape of Water.
THE OVERLAP
There are a few movies that open in select cities at the end of the year to be eligible for award season. They will receive a wider release in January. I, Tonya and Phantom Thread are the two I’m most interested in.
Here’s to movies in 2018!
Daisychain of Horror - by Rob Braithwaite
It's October. Boo!
31 days, 31 links in a chain of terror and horror and a few laughs. Watch them all ...if you dare.
Boo!
The Changeling (1980)
Grieving the loss of his wife and daughter, a composer moves into a house that is obviously haunted.
George C. Scott also starred in...
Exorcist III (1990)
It's a better sequel to The Exorcist than Exorcist II: The Heretic.
Brad Dourif was also in...
Child's Play (1988)
The spirit of a killer possesses the coveted doll of a little boy.
Chris Sarandon showed up in...
Fright Night (2011)
A teenager grows suspicious of his new neighbor's behavior.
Anton Yelchin also starred in...
Green Room (2015)
A punk band is trapped by murderous neo-nazis.
Patrick Stewart was also in...
Lifeforce (1985)
Space vampires? It's a weird one.
Tobe Hooper also directed...
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
The title is self-explanatory.
John Larroquette was present in...
Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
It's like the TV show but a movie!
Joe Dante also directed...
The Howling (1981)
Things that howl: dogs and werewolves. This isn't Cujo.
Dee Wallace was featured in...
The Frighteners (1996)
A medium and two lingering ghosts are the only ones who can save the town they have been conning.
Jim Fyfe took up space in...
In the Mouth of Madness (1994)
A investigator is hired to find a missing horror author whose books are driving people insane.
John Carpenter also directed...
The Fog (1980)
Arrrrr, there be danger in that fog.
Janet Leigh kicked things off in...
Psycho (1960)
On the run after stealing from her boss, a woman spends a night in a roadside motel.
Incidentally, Gateway Film Center will be showing Alfred Hitchcock movies throughout October. Check out the schedule here.
Bernard Herrmann also scored...
Sisters (1972)
A woman witnesses a murder from her apartment. No, this isn't Rear Window.
Margot Kidder was also in...
Black Christmas (1974)
A killer finds plenty of victims in a sorority house during Christmas break.
Leslie Carson was also in...
The Fly (1986)
A daring scientist fucks it all up in a horrific way.
David Cronenberg also directed...
The Dead Zone (1983)
If you could see the future would you change it?
Michael Kramer also scored...
Event Horizon (1997)
It's a ghost (space)ship. But where has it been?
Sam Neill also starred in...
Dead Calm (1989)
A couple's solitary voyage is disrupted when they take on the sole survivor of a sunken ship.
Nicole Kidman also starred in...
The Others (2001)
A woman is haunted by ghosts while she awaits her husband's return from WWI.
Christopher Ecceleston also eventually showed up in...
28 Days Later (2002)
It's not a zombie movie.
Brendan Gleeson was also in...
Lake Placid (1999)
A peaceful lake community is upended by attacks from the deep. ...however deep lakes go.
blink and you'll miss Bridget Fonda in...
Army of Darkness (1992)
Time travel, demons and a boomstick. Oh my.
Sam Raimi also directed...
Drag Me to Hell (2009)
I hope to never find myself on the business end of a curse.
Cinematographer Peter Deming also shot...
The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
Strange things are afoot at the cabin in the woods.
Sigourney Weaver was on the screen a lot more in...
Alien (1979)
It's the first Alien movie, dummy.
Jerry Goldsmith also scored...
Magic (1978)
Speaking of dummy, a ventriloquist's doll infects a man's mind.
Anthony Hopkins also starred in...
The Wolfman (2010)
Gothic aesthetic is on glorious overdrive in this vintage tale. (seek out the director's cut)
Emily Blunt also starred in...
Wind Chill (2007)
During a snow storm is a terrible time to break down on an isolated road.
Cinematographer Dan Lausten also shot...
Silent Hill (2006)
A mother searches for her daughter on an alternate plain full of dark corners and jump scares.
Alice Krige was also featured in...
Ghost Story (1981)
Every year four old men tell each other scary stories. This year they will be in their own.
Boo!
Hot Sun, Cool Theater: Summer’s Movie Series - by Rob Braithewaite
That big ball of fire in the sky can get pretty hot this time of year. If you are looking to beat the heat, or just want to see an older movie on the big screen, the way you might never have before, the Gateway Film Center, CAPA, the Wexner Center for the Arts and Studio 35 have you covered.
GATEWAY FILM CENTER
Summer of Bond. July 1st - September 10th.
All twenty-six James Bond movies will be shown, in order, including the non-canon Casino Royale, starring Peter Sellers, and Never Say Never Again.
series information and tickets
CAPA
Summer Movie Series. June 23rd - August 6th.
If you’ve got an ol’-timey “classics” itch, this series is your scratching post. Hitchcock, Bogey & Bacall, Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera! Fritz the Night Owl hosts a few of the new blood titles.
series information and tickets
WEXNER CENTER FOR THE ARTS
The New Hollywood: Deep Cuts 1967-1978. July 6th - August 24th.
Deep Cuts is right. Ain’t no radio hits on this list. See something you’ve never heard of before! The double feature of Juggernaut and The Driver is inspired. Inserts… well, that’s a Richard Dreyfuss movie no one mentions. It could be good.
series information and tickets
Free Tuesday Matinees. July 11th - August 8th.
Free movies. On Tuesday. In the afternoon.
Wex Drive-In.
When the ball of fire goes down, the projector lights up.
July 20th: Wattstax
August 17th: Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.
Free screenings.
STUDIO 35
The New Hollywood: Classic Hits. July 3rd - September 3rd.
The Wex has partnered with Studio 35 to complement its Deep Cuts series with more familiar titles from that era.