A brand-new Radiohead song played by a solo Thom Yorke at the Latitude Festival, literally hours ago. OK, computers — you win this round. “The Present Tense” is predictably great, looking forward to the band’s in-progress LPVIII.
Previously: Bootleg: Radiohead’s Thom Yorke – 4.15.05, Methodist Central Hall, Westminster
Courtesy of Fox Searchlight
There are so many things right about (500) Days Of Summer that I barely know where to begin praising it. I suppose we can start with it not being Garden State. Or Juno. Or Away We Go. Instead, the film, which stars Joseph Gorden-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel as an on-again, off-again semi-couple, flushes every bad cliche and infuriating quirk of recent vintage indie romantic journeys (the film itself warns the audience that it’s “not a love story” in its opening minutes) down the toilet in favor of a bittersweet movie about disarmingly real people. The script is alternately breathtakingly sad and laugh-out-loud funny, but it’s full of lines people would actually say; the stars are warm and lovable, except when they fuck up — at times, you want to hate them, or yell them into action. There are a few breaks from “reality,” the occasional dream sequence or High Fidelity-esque direct address (and an excellent soundtrack fills the film), but these are all just clever devices sprinkled like Funfetti and chocolate chips over the movie’s hearty flour-and-eggs center. It’s the best movie I’ve seen all year and the best movie about the twists and turns of modern relationships since at least the much, much sillier Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and even that can’t help but pale in comparison. Go see Summer. Go fall in love.
Tortoise perform at the Pitchfork Music Festival
My feelings about the ‘Fork as a critical entity aside, dudes know how to throw a festival. Watch the Pitchfork Music Festival all weekend right here. Tortoise is on now, with Yo La Tengo, the Jesus Lizard and Built To Spill — playing all requests — up next. Can every festival do this from now on?
Harvey Danger announces farewell tour: The severely underrated late ’90s alt-rockers are playing Largo at the Coronet on August 22. More LA dates on the tour calendar.
With strings! Finally. Song of the year? (Yes.)
Bros, it’s like a million degrees out and I need a nap and time to work on my slasher screenplay (spoiler: it’s gory!). I’m going to take a week off. We’ll be back next Wednesday, July 21. Hugs! (Update: I’m still a-Twitter, if you’re into that.)
All photos by David Greenwald
Best of ’09 so far later this week. Any non-obvious picks? Anything I haven’t blogged about? Post ‘em in the comments.
Previously: Camera Obscurist: A French Bulldog’s 4th of July
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Andrew Bird / photo by David Greenwald
I’ll be out of town for this, unfortunately, but here are my recs for yr weekend show-going:
7/10 Friday – Andrew Bird @ Greek Theatre
7/12 Sunday – Ray LaMontagne w/ Jenny Lewis & Blitzen Trapper @ Hollywood Bowl
7/12 Sunday – Oneida @ The Echo
In related news, tour hermit Sufjan Stevens just announced he’s playing ATP New York in September — his first big-time show in the U.S. in two years. Coupled with his Pop Montreal date, does this mean dude’s finally got some new material to test-drive? Or does he just need lunch money? Let’s cook up some Fleetwood Macaroni and Cheese and let the rumours begin.
See more shows at the ongoing LA Tour Dates calendar page.
