Album Review: Papercuts- Can't Go Back

I have not made a sincere post on the Molly in quite a while and in doing so I wish I could take the time to do so by not producing some minutiae on some awesome book I read, or my trite review of the new Batman movie. Instead I would like to introduce you to a band I had somehow downloaded onto my itunes months ago but have yet to really give them a listen. Papercuts is Jason Robert Quever among other special guests. Quever hails from San Francisco and his 2007 album Can't Go Back delivers pop perfection. Can't Go Back, much like Quever's moniker creates tiny fragments of emotional scars into the listener. There is a certain formulaic matter of song writing going on here, three and a half minute pop/country songs with melodies that tend to stick with you hours after you're finished with the album.

Papercuts records for Gnomosong along with Jana Hunter, Feathers and Vetiver all sort of artists with a similar aesthetic. I'm only hyping this record a year after it came out because I was amazed that I hadn't paid attention to it despite Papercuts name. If you are interested or bored with your current music selection I suggest this beautiful yet simple pop record for what I deem intoxicating summertime listening.


Recommended tracks:
Dear Employee Free download
John Brown
Unavailable

No one belongs here more than you

So I am going to be in California for a little longer than expected and so I'm glad I picked up a few books. I am in the middle of reading a series of short stories by filmmaker, performance artist, and author Miranda July. This is her second published set of shorts and her debut solo authorship. The other book, Learning to Love You More was coauthored with Harrell Fletcher. July's stories are quirky to say the least and range in context from sexual encounters to the odd scenario of elderly women getting swimming lessons in a narrators kitchen. No One Belongs Here More Than You was the recipient of the 2007 Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award. Light in drama but extremely heavy in originality July's collection of short stories are really very beautiful and will leave you both semi-confused as well as laughing out loud. And, in quoting an Entertainment Weekly review of this collection: "Who will Miranda July's work appeal to? To borrow the name of her lovely first film, Me and You and Everyone We Know."

Here is a link to the website for this book, it's really kind of neat and wonderful: No one belongs here more than you. stories by Miranda July

Free Streaming Movie Review: I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With

Out of curiosity and a love (obsession perhaps?) for HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm I decided to watch Jeff Garlin's film I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With. Garlin writes, directs, stars and produces the 80 minute Weinstein Company release and he truly does a nice job. Jeff Garlin plays James Aaron a 39 year old, overweight, struggling actor who lives at home with his mother. The film takes place in Chicago and it lets you know this on many levels, Aaron parks his car near Wrigley Field so he can compulsively eat when something depresses him or sets him back, he's also a seasoned performer at the famed Second City Improv and alas there is no absence of Chicago taxi cabs.

The film is an homage to Paddy Chayefsky's 1955 film Marty (starring Ernest Borgnine). There are multiple references to the Oscar winning picture as there are many clear parallels between the character of Marty and that of Garlin's character. Also, James Aaron learns about halfway through the film that a local production company is producing a remake of Marty. To Aaron's demise he's not even allowed to audition for it and instead the casting people want to market the remake to a younger audience and to add insult to injury a boyish Aaron Carter is cast as the lead instead. As James Aaron's life is slowly going down the toilet he meets a semi-psychotic ice-cream parlor employee named Beth (Sarah Silverman) and is smitten by her charming yet quasi-frightening demeanor. The titular line arises as the two are strolling through a park watching a young couple and they both decide "they each want someone to eat cheese with". The cast is besieged with cameos by an array of actors (many recognizable from Curb Your Enthusiasm) like Dan Castalleneta, Bonnie Hunt, Richard Kind and Amy Sedaris. What Jeff Garlin did here was basically make a simple, sleek, intriguing art film that just makes you feel at ease. There are no big underlying themes to ponder, no real moral message, just an endearing film about a guy trying to better himself. If you have an hour and a half, give it a shot.

John Lennon: Walls and Bridges

I recently got my hands on a 2005 re-issue of John Lennon's 1974 album "Walls and Bridges". This particular album is important to the Lennon Discography for a couple of reasons. First of all it was recorded during Lennon's infamous "Lost Weekend". According to close sources this was a time in Lennon's career where he was estranged from wife, Yoko Ono for a period of 18 months. During this time Lennon reportedly lived a life of excess going on essentially an 18 month bender of alcohol, drugs and sex. The album itself is a gem. It was originally intended to be a stripped down acoustic album but with time it morphed into a rather overall bluesy yet upbeat feeling endeavor. Although the album is rather upbeat sonically there are obvious lyrical evidence of Lennon's emotional pain at the time of recording. For instance the song "Scared" produces the following lyrics: "Hatred and jealousy go the best of me; I guess I knew it right from the start". "Walls and Bridges" was produced by Lennon but he received a lot of creative input by friends and collaborators such as Harry Nilsson, Elton John, Jim Keltner, Ken Asher and even 11-year old Julian Lennon. This album is really quite amazing and even though it was #1 upon it's release in the States its status seems to have been overshadowed by other post-Beatle Lennon albums like "Mind Games" and "Plastic Ono Band". I recommend this album to anyone who likes life or doesn't. *****/5

Old Dirt Road mp3