Dive

Reel Deal Blog: "When You're Strange: A Film About the Doors"

Rocco Giamatteo

03/19/2010

If you love The Doors as much as I do, then you’ve probably seen Oliver Stone’s 1991 catastrophe “The Doors,” which depicted the band as bunch of drunkards engaging in a half-assed self-fulfilling prophecy whose theatrics outshine the poignancy of their work. Replete with historical inaccuracies and blatant instances of Stone’s signature over-dramatization of true events, the film took the legacy of one of the most influential rock bands to ever enter the national consciousness and, as Jim Morrison would say, “ravaged and plundered and ripped her and bit her, stuck her with knives in the side of the dawn, and tied her with fences and dragged her down.”

But here to finally salvage the band from a tainted public perception is Tom DiCillo, writer and director of the soon-to-be-released rockumentary, “When You’re Strange: A Film About The Doors.” As the title suggests, the movie chronicles the revolutionary and controversial lifespan of The Doors, exploring both the chemistry between the band members and the historic death of lead singer Jim Morrison. The film was a major crowd-pleaser during its run in the film festival circuit, and has generated strong critical reception within the past several months.

Two main reasons for the hype: First, it’s narrated by Johnny Depp (yes, the Johnny Depp), who, in the trailer, delivers Morrison’s poetry in a hypnotic, Doorsy whimsy which enchants you to see this movie. Secondly, the film’s 90 minutes are almost entirely comprised of never-before-seen footage of the musicians, allowing for a more intimate and candid look into a band which many people saw as a group of buffoons.

Jordan Lawrence

03/18/2010

About halfway through The White Stripes' 2004 concert film "Under Blackpool Lights," Jack White remembers hearing George Harrison talk of The Beatles' reverence for those titular London bulbs.

In his own appearance on the stage, he quips that he's in "the right place, the wrong time." "That's how I feel everyday," he jokes with a laugh that's half amused, half bitter.

Jack White is as close as modern music comes to a true rock star. He's an immensely popular musician with the power to bestow hit records on three different bands while also getting raves from music critics all over the map. But he's still not The Beatles. He's still not Bob Dylan. The time he lives in just won't allow for it, yet "Under Great White Northern Lights" displays a rocker who yearns for that kind of renown.

In every shot, every performance, every brooding rock 'n' roll facial expression, this film and the 2007 Canadian tour it documents strive for the electric music environment of the '60s. It's so precise, so fully fleshed out that it strains the boundary between homage and posturing.

The tour itself is what allows the film to paint the Stripes as classic rock greats. On a tour that goes through each and every territory and provence in the country, Jack and Meg White perform in small towns where a moose being spotted on Main Street would make the front page of the newspaper. In this environment their stunts are met as amazing events. When they perform "Wheels on the Bus" on an actual city bus and play a short set in a harbor floating on a boat, the crowds go bananas, shocked that such things are happening where they live.

5 Questions: Lost In The Trees

Linnie Greene

03/18/2010

For this week's 5 Questions, Assistant Diversions Editor Linnie Greene chatted with Ari Picker, Lost In The Trees frontman and classically trained musician. Before the group headed down to South by Southwest where they're playing today in Trekky Records' Carolina Jubilee, a showcase of local musicians, Dive got Picker's thoughts on playing in a SXSW showcase of his home scene.

Diversions: What made you decide to participate in a Carolina Jubilee?

Ari Picker: Well, Trekky records is putting it on and we’re a Trekky
records artist, so it was just kind of like the band was going down to South by Southwest and so many other North Carolina bands were, and Trekky Records was going to be there supporting us, so we were just like why don’t we do a show together.

Dive: Is this your first trip to the festival?

AP: I’ve been there before when I was like ten years old, but I just looked down 6th Street and was pretty amazed. This is the first time I’ve ever gotten to attend the festival.

Mixtape Round-UP: March 12-18

Benn Wineka

03/18/2010

Another week, another batch of mixtapes. Jam out to some of these with the windows down in your car over the lovely weekend.

This was a lovely birthday present for moi. Consequence, who has been hot since back in his ATCQ cameo days, dropped a tape off before the release of his next album. Smooth flows and witty lines abound with guests Asher Roth, Q-Tip, Kanye West, Common, John Legend, KiD CuDi, Talib Kweli, I could keep going. This is star-studded.

What's Good?: "Childish Games" Co-Starring Asher Roth, "It's G.O.O.D. Music"

Tracklist and Download link for Movies on Demand

I did a post about Frank Ramz a couple weeks back as he often collabs with UNC student B. Logik. This is his first official mixtape although it is his 7th project.

Apparently it was all done in one session as well. That's pretty cool.

So is the tape. Worthy of hard drive space.

Tracklist and Download link for Frankenstein

Honestly, I hadn't even listened to this one yet. But Terry Urban is one of my favorite mixtape DJs.

Dudeman Celeb Famous has a terrible name but I always like finding new music. Good production is also supposed to be on here.

Don't let me down Terry.

Tracklist and Download link for The Situation Room

Local Song of the Week: "Feel Better"

Jordan Lawrence

03/17/2010

Schooner lead-singer Reid Johnson says that the Chapel Hill band's new Duck Key Sessions EP is a result of trying to achieve a brighter, cleaner pop style. "Feel Better," the opener from that album, lives up to that idea — well, it does sonically anyway. Light and frothy, it transitions from a washboard intro into a sunny melody and "Wooo-Oooo" backing vocals. In sound it's as bubbly as anything Schooner has created so far. But the lyrics reveal nervous uncertainty. Addressing a love interest, Johnson shyly wraps his luxurious croon around worries that she might not stick around. "If they sent you away, would you write home everyday with your list of complaints and the ghost that still remains? If they locked you up and threw away the key, would you be happy?" he queries with a jollity that gives way to passionate concern. With its catchy sound and poignant words, it hits at the heart of the unpredictable up and downs of a relationship.

Schooner has a busy week lined up. Tomorrow the band plays Trekky Records' Carolina Jubilee at Austin's South by Southwest Festival, and on Sunday it's slated to open for Deerhunter at Cat's Cradle. So download the song, and get excited for Sunday. If you like what you hear, the whole EP is available at CyTunes.org.

Download "Feel Better" here.

Music Review: The White Stripes

Jordan Lawrence

03/17/2010

In honor of the fact that "Under Great White Northern Lights," the new documentary chronicling The White Stripes epic 2007 trek through Canada, is showing at the Varsity tonight (9 p.m., $3), Dive is giving you some special coverage on the band's new CD/DVD. Today we review the live album. Tomorrow we'll take a look at the movie. The two are now available together at most any record store you can think of.

The White Stripes

Under Great White Northern Lights

(Warner Bros.)

Listening to The White Stripes' Under Great White Northern Lights there is one phrase that keeps leaping into my mind: "not for the faint of heart."

Though it's tracklist, a well-sequenced journey through the major highlights of the duo's career, might make it seem useful as an unofficial "Greatest Hits," the reality is far different. These 16 cuts, culled from various dates on the band's 2007 Canadian tour, are riled-up, raucous and blisteringly raw. Jack White's riffs are like exploding bombs, distorted into flaring sonic napalm, with Meg White's simple drumming keeping time amongst the melee.

The incendiary intensity of the Stripes' famous live show is there from the start. The opening version of "Let's Shake Hands" is about as frenetic as the band gets. Between solos that mimic the high-pitched wail of machine work, Jack screams out his come on with a nervously creepy passion. "Say my name! Baby, say my name!" he roars with a fury that suggests violent consequences should he not get his way. It's a charismatic, yet terrifying romp, and it sets the tone for an album that joyfully flaunts the Stripes' most unhinged side.

Caterwaul in the dark

Joseph Chapman

03/16/2010

I Was Totally Destroying It - Local 506 - Mar. 15