LIFE BEFORE THE ROAD: Ricky Gervais' "The Office" and the art of the mockumentary...

Hugely successful and brutally deadpan, "The Office" when it was first released made its mark, commenting on the often awkward nature of social interactions between employees in what can only be described as a dreary workplace, shifting paper to the highest bidder in Wernham Hogg.

Now before everyone's favourite David Brent moves onto life on the road, it's a good time to take a look back at the show that collectively launched the careers of both Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant as well as being regarded as one of the best British sitcoms of all time. The latter of which I'd be inclined to agree with. It begins as something unassuming but by the time I hit the third episode and Tim is given a certain inflatable birthday present I honestly couldn't stop laughing, bizarrely what could be considered the most immature joke of the series is what made it click.

You start by squirming in your seat as you're presented by these clumsy social scenarios but as you become accustomed to the humour on offer, it's the gift that keeps on giving, it's short length allowing it to maintain its freshness and never loses steam which is ultimately funny in itself given the situation that these characters find themselves placed in. A dead-end job in the paper industry with a desire for something more, ranging from psychology and illustration to the certainly more ambitious reunion of Foregone Conclusion. The mockumentary style that it is presented in works not only in the manner that it certainly saves a few quid but also in accentuating what it strives to be. The people who you see are their characters and this is just their way of life, showing further insight into what they're thinking with a straightforward interview format to justify their actions and make it so a certain Brent isn't completely detestable.

Whilst there's no question as to whether or not you should give this a watch, you'll certainly find out quickly if it is indeed your thing, "The Office" is not the first of its kind, at least in style. Ranging all the way back into the '60s with the Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" to the modern vampire undertaking seen in "What We Do in the Shadows" the mockumentary has been staple in both film and television for decades with its often absurd nature, especially in the latter film. It's potential for parody is immense and can often be used to shine a light on certain issues or topics that it may feel relevant to discuss from the perspective of characters who may unwittingly be apart of the issue present. A prominent example of this would be in "The Office", whilst the show does not center around this, the character of Gareth is hardly a gentleman, let's say.

A short and unsuspecting series about office workers proves to be a hilarious romp with an interesting angle to back it up, leaving me waiting for the return of Brent, coming sooner rather than later thankfully. As the former Wernham Hogg boss rather optimistically posed: "Live fast, die old."

(JOSH LISTENS TO) CAR SEAT HEADREST (BUT SAYS THIS ISN'T A PROBLEM): "Teens of Denial" album review and sampling discussion...

The albums that you weren't anticipating are always what end up being your favourites. This is the case with the new album from Will Toledo's project Car Seat Headrest, as it caught me off-guard with its release back in May and I have been steadily listening to it ever since. It simply has me coming back with its lo-fi charm, incredibly catchy guitar hooks and meaningful lyrics.

Once you get the past the absurd name and get onto the first track, (eventually coming to understand that his vocals were recorded in Mr. Toledo's car with his earlier releases) it just reels you in. "Fill in the Blank" is a perfect starter, giving you a taste of what is to come with its quirky opening vocal snippet, punchy guitars and angsty-ridden vocals. This is beyond cemented with the line; "If I were split in two I would just take my fists, so I could beat up the rest of me." No further explanation needed. It's a quick and dirty opener featuring a riff so upbeat and attention-grabbing that it initially distracts you from the darker side the lyrics present. It brings up a comparison to the garage rock tinge of The Strokes, but given their material post-"Is This It" that would be more of an insult than anything anywhere near positive. Its ultimately irrelevant, but the music video has to get bonus points for its clever premise:

What follows next is the album's lead single "Vincent", throwing a curve ball with a slow and gradually building twang before delivering an almost funky flavour, utilising saxophones and trombones for certain sections, serving as a memorable counter to the more straightforward tone that just preceded it. The trend continues throughout the rest of the album, delivering familiar yet inventive lo-fi thrills that the project has become known for since their most notable release "Twin Fantasy" back in 2012. The delightfully titled "(Joes Gets Kicked Out of School for Using) Drugs With Friends (But Says This Isn't a Problem)" is a psychedelic comedown that climaxes with a meaningful and catchy refrain that nods to conformity and the repetitive alienation that drug use eventually entails, cycling between whether drugs or friends are better than one another. 

The discussion of sampling comes into play with the following track, formerly known as "Just What I Wanted/Not Just What I Needed" and now known as "Not What I Needed" after a sample failed to clear in the previous variant. As the title alludes, it utilised an unauthorised sample from one of The Cars' most famous hits "Just What I Needed", leading to a recall of all copies of the original as the sample was thought to have cleared but bounced due to their front man Ric Ocasek disagreeing with the usage of samples. Whilst it is certainly within his rights to do so, as it is his own original material, to not even consider the context of its use is certainly debatable as Toledo states: "I don’t think that Ric ever listened to the album or the song, which is the only part that really bothers me." The lack of an open mind in the homage that only ever had good intentions is boggling, with the entire conversation that this issue sparked revolved around the legalities and not the artistic merit that the sample entailed. Naivety aside, that is obviously not the case when it comes to an individual's copyright ownership. A great shame nonetheless, as having heard both versions, it continued the theme of familiarity but with a twist before the song subverts your expectation and does its own thing. A tribute put to bed by a last minute technicality. What we ended up with is of equal strength however, with Toledo's desperate squeal: "I know when I'm being catered to!" ingrained into my brain for many days even after hearing it initially.

Yet another notable moment on this album comes with the track "Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales", an anthem for all the drunk drivers out there. Don't. "It doesn't have to be like this," heard prominently on its way out, lending itself both to its obvious message against drunk driving but to life as a whole. Shed the self-loathing and get on with it, not in captivity, much a reference to its alternate title. As the line is proclaimed, it ties it all together, delivering a satisfying climax that is riveting.

What is ultimately my favourite track is the epic 11-minute behemoth that is "The Ballad of the Costa Concordia", posing life as if it were, as optimistically as ever, a sinking ship, it's disastrous namesake. A slow build that comes to an intense spoken-word breakdown that shows its just sometimes too much to handle. It in the case of its thematic and its real life basis, it certainly was an expensive mistake. How the hell was he supposed to steer his ship? The dour tone in his voice as the guitar heightens and the tempo builds accelerates the feeling of helplessness whilst still remaining accessible and simply a joy to listen to. That's all only by the time the track reaches its mid-point, the track that keeps on giving, throwing so many ideas at you with its lyrics it almost becomes overwhelming, much like the scenario that the song places itself in. This track alone feels like a long journey that's come to a bittersweet end, the pressure gradually builds, you breakdown, and then you give up.

The album as a whole is what it is: it's guitar-driven indie rock with an incredibly sharp wit and ambition that backs it up, it's personal in nature, proving to you and me that this could only have come from Will Toledo, it's unique to him. It just so happens that what he has to say is enthralling. It's lengthy and is borderline indulgent, but stick with it. Humour it. It pulls you in with catchy hooks and keeps you coming back with its vulnerable insight into the man himself, with so many memorable lyrics and quirks to pick from. How was I supposed to know how great this album truly is?

THANK GOD FOR FREE TRIALS: Kanye West's "The Life of Pablo" and the TIDAL paywall...

The self-proclaimed "god" of rap Kanye West is back with his seventh studio album which finally dropped on Valentine's Day, strings attached, those strings firmly tied to the premium streaming service TIDAL...

Leading up to the eventually titled "The Life of Pablo"'s release, one thing was certainly well-established: Kanye knows exactly how to build up overwhelming amounts of hype and saturated expectations with the several name changes and constant track list restructures that were scattered across social media. From "So Help Me God", to "Swish", to "Waves" before finally settling with what we have now, it gave numerous outlets and subsequently people reason to keep talking about this new release; word-of-mouth being one of the most powerful tools to generate interest.

Then the bombshell drops, Mr. West, supposedly in a whole $53 million in "debt" decides to make Pablo exclusive to TIDAL, the aforementioned premium music streaming service that promises to provide high-fidelity music in an age where most listen to their music for free on YouTube before taking your money without actually providing the album in return. But even past the technical issues that can come from any service such as TIDAL, it only just narrows down the audience that could potentially purchase and listen to Pablo, with two options being present to those who aren't: abuse the option for a free trial by signing up, listening to the album and cancelling said trial, or if you don't have or don't want to use your credit card, resort to piracy. In that case, it's a lose/lose scenario as either way, no one gets paid. It's baffling to me personally as to why you would deliberately restrict the target audience of a product that was clearly intended for the masses to something that is nothing more than an a niche, unless you're the Wu-Tang Clan of course.

Bizarre release and marketing choices aside, is the album worth it? Yes and no. It's honestly a mixed bag - with more meaningful or at least intriguing tracks such as "Ultralight Beams", "30 Hours" or my own favourite, "Real Friends", as well as a couple other exceptions, everything else in between feels out-of-place or simply just filler. While its all well-produced as you'd come to expect from Kanye (well, for the most part, here's looking at you, "Father Stretch My Hands"), the lyrics are just weak - providing no insight or themes, it's literally just Kanye talking about getting bleach from a bleached asshole on his t-shirt (no joke) or him spinning yet another verse about how Nike should feel sorry that they didn't make a deal to sell some ridiculously overpriced trainers.

It really makes you think, this album could benefit so greatly by simply just focusing the track list instead of just throwing it around incoherently just so it can be posted on Twitter every other week. The one track that stands out sorely amongst its following tracks is the opener, the previously mentioned "Ultralight Beam", which would have worked perfectly as an outro to reflect on the song's major theme of religion and eventual closure. But as it stands, the song that comes straight after is just about how Kanye wants to fuck a model, the consequence seen in the previous paragraph. Just to clarify - I have no qualms about the content, I honestly don't care about being "offended" by explicit lyrics, but when you have such a mindless song stand straight after what is one of the highlights of the album, it just diminishes the effect that the first track had.

That is just one example of how the track list just feels like a tug-of-war between two differing themes of vanity and introspection, it doesn't transition from one to the other, it just juxtaposes between the two from track to track and it is honestly frustrating. There is a good album in here, it just desperately needs to be rearranged in a manner that actually makes sense instead of the mess that its currently sold as.

The connection is clearly there; tracks like "30 Hours" make direct references in title to "Ultralight Beam" but they're both split by what is a full album's length apart. What happened? Instead of doing a logical transition from basking in the self-indulgent fame-driven lifestyle heard in tracks like "Famous" or "Father Stretch My Hands", then tiring of said lifestyle referenced in the notable "No More Parties in L.A." before reflecting on his own thoughts and feelings in "Real Friends", "30 Hours" and "Ultralight Beam", they're just scatter shot - it's almost as if this was how they were arranged but at the last minute Kanye just decided to pick the order out of a hat. But who knows, it's honest speculation, but speculation that needs to be made when its the difference between what makes a missed opportunity what could have been one of the best releases in 2016 so far.

I'M THE MAN WHO LOVES YOU: Wilco's "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" and it's troubled release...

There's no question that "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" is a god's honest classic, remaining the stand out album from Wilco's long and established discography. What is often not known however to most passive listeners is the trouble behind this album in its production and delayed release and how the military-lingo filled title came to be.

The advent of Yankee comes shortly after the second Billy Bragg collaboration "Mermaid Avenue Vol. II", which was not to be the last of their collaborations. While touring to promote the album, Wilco's main man - the wry humoured Jeff Tweedy was offered the opportunity of a further collaboration with other musicians which eventually stemmed into the relatively short-lived side project Loose Fur. It was because of this association that drummer Glenn Kotche became what is still a key piece of Wilco, after his predecessor was dismissed due to significant differences in what the next step should be, a recurring theme in this album's production, with a similar fate happening to former guitarist the late Jay Bennett. However, this still wasn't the end their troubles.

After recording finished in what was early 2001, the deal was struck for a September 11, 2001 release. This was until the major merger between AOL and Time Warner was made, causing the loss of several hundred jobs, such as those of the Time Warner-owned Reprise Records - including the band's main seconder, the president of the company. His replacement tasked with the choice as whether or not to release the completed project, which was stemming to one option as a result of merged business' subsequent financial woes: unlikely. A buyout was made shortly after by the band, which ended up being a penniless departure with Reprise being admirably accommodating. That is, before a certain article came along and stirred up some unnecessary controversy, with the new-found president of Reprise alleged to have stated that "the record was so bad it would kill Wilco's career," oh, the irony. Even if the album was to go ahead with its intended release, the significance of their chosen date wouldn't exactly have been too kind to the album in more ways than one.

To spite what would be a heavy delay to its physical release, the band decided to stream the full album only a week after its intended release, opting to tour afterwards which was successful and even regardless of its limited release, fans still knew the words to their what were officially unreleased tracks.

In the mean time, the big release was still almost a whole year away, with Wilco opening bids for rights to distribute their album, two of which were the now-defunct Artemis Records and the long-standing Nonesuch Records. There were numerous other record labels teething for the album, their bids all dismissed by the spearhead: if the label did not have a roster of artists that matched his taste, they were put by the way side. Pushing November 2001, Wilco collectively signed with Nonesuch Records. Funny thing about that, scratching past the surface reveals that Nonesuch is owned by AOL Time Warner. The irony continues. Thus, in a twist of fate that not even a Wikipedia article could present without cracking a cynical grin, Wilco recorded and produced an album with a company that thought of their work as a career-killer, before reverting their rights and continuing to sell said rights to the same affiliate.

But, it finally came out, and to great fanfare: widespread commercial and critical success.

And all it took was 2 band members, 2 record labels and a self-titled documentary for it to reach that point. A small price to pay for what is, in my opinion, one of the greatest albums of all time. From the moment you hear those introductory piercing notes that will indeed break your heart to the reflective ambience in reservations, it will keep you in it's lo-fi, almost psychedelic trance. There aren't really any words to describe it further than that, it can be a slow grower, but once it's there it never lets go. Something you do truly have to experience for yourself.

I STILL WANT TO BELIEVE: The promising return of The X-Files...

The spoilers are out there...

After it's two night, two episode "event" comes to a close, what is left until the rest of the season unfolds is only promising.

This of course comes as no surprise to myself at the very least, as I was one to enjoy The X-Files when it was arguably at its worst, in the depths of its ninth season. However, what makes this stand out from that past series is the modernisation to the characters and the world surrounding: Mulder and Scully left in a state of disdain for one another as their relationship crumbled from their past appearance in the 2008 mixed bag "I Want to Believe", in addition to the leaps and bounds technology has made and its impact on society since then. In the realm of technology, eight years might as well be a life time.

That's what upheld my interest through the struggle that is "My Struggle", the pilot episode for the new miniseries. Whilst still enjoyable and not devoid of merit by any means, certainly better than what The X-Files can present at its worst, it suffered from its own breakneck pace. There is no brakes on this train, you're moving from plot point to plot point with almost no time to take it all in, and there's a lot to take in considering this new-found mythology has essentially scrapped everything that was established by the entire franchise thus far. Yes, it does retain some elements from the past, but it ultimately starts anew with a new mythology arc to entice a new audience that simply does not and even if they did, would not catch up on 201 episodes of TV. 

The on-off now former FBI agents are called upon when a hotshot host Tad O'Malley calls upon Mulder to investigate the government conspiracy once more with the revelation of the character Sveta, a woman who, just like Scully contains elements of alien DNA, orchestrated by who else but said government. And, just when it kicks off and Mulder makes his leap to break through and expose the truth via Mr. O'Malley, the forces that be stop them before they get the chance and Mulder goes back to square one, O'Malley nowhere to be seen and Sveta presumed abducted... again.

When I put it like that, it makes it seem like I really didn't enjoy it, but the thing is - I did. It might just be that burst of nostalgia seeing these characters interact once more, but that can't be the case for someone, such as myself, who has only just watched the series and films prior. The conspiracy, whilst at a rushed pace to compensate for less episodes and somewhat frustratingly yet understandably working from a now blank slate, is intriguing. The thing is... the next episode "Founder's Mutation" really blows it out the water. Sorry, Chris. You'll have your next shot soon.

The meat of where The X-Files has arguably always lied is in the standalone "Monster of the Week" formula episodes, but this does something clever to maintain interest in the show's overall arc: interweaving the related mythology into the case at hand. Visions of Mulder and Scully together with their estranged son William is almost heartbreaking, a bizarre contrast from the unexpected amounts of gore placed on screen throughout this episode. It also has a comedic element, whilst not the focus of the episode, is much more present than that of the past episode, with some of the aspects of the humour surprisingly below the belt. It just is a strong, solid entry from a writer/film maker that has always provided great material for the show alongside his other regulars Glen and Darin Morgan.

With the immediate correction of its course before stumbling over a still noteworthy episode, I don't see why I wouldn't continue watching the show as it airs, and so should you. X-Files fan or not, it's still worth a try.

MORE THAN JUST A COMPILATION: A look at Elbow's "dead in the boot"...

It's been too long since I last wrote a post for this dark corner of the web, and its a good time to experiment with something just a little bit different...

Esteemed British alternative rock band Elbow have had a long string of successes from their début, the equally stylised "asleep in the back", and in 2012 before their sprawling and more theatrical release with "The Take Off and Landing of Everything" that was first kicked into gear with "The Seldom Seen Kid", the group had one last look back at their roots with what is seen here: "dead in the boot". A hearty reference to the previously mentioned début, this compilation is most definitely a callback to its reference not only in title but in its tone - an obvious occurrence due to these songs' original release window, released alongside their bigger counterparts to be mostly overlooked as b-sides.

Introduction aside, what is it that makes this compilation so special? To be known as a compilation often indicates that its a throwaway to pass the time for the next big thing or to reflect on a band's former glory, the effect doubled when its associated as a b-side, the "b" not being the best that a band can indeed be. The answer is, listening through the tracks, taking them down one by one, its overarching downtrodden feeling that follows through from start to finish makes it feel like more than just some b-sides. It's not thrown together in chronological order of release, but in a manner that works from track to track, the songs are ordered in such a way that when you've heard what seems to be repetitious, a sudden jolt of life comes along in the form of a track with such urgency as the late bloomer "mcgreggor", featuring [the lead vocalist] Guy Garvey at his most potent and striking in both lyrics and vocal range. It comes as a great surprise after the soothing tenderness of the one-word verses and reflective piano melody in "lullaby", crashing down with the tale of a recently deceased lonely landlord, his "father figures and mother fuckers", before harshly asking: "who knew the man?" A prime example of the album's strength in the element of surprise.

The greatest charm that this album possesses is not only in its actual content but in its presentation, its cover, its choice to ignore any form of grammar in both song and album title, it should come off as a silly gimmick but it feels like something more. A case in particular, listening to the track immediately following "mcgreggor", "buffalo ghosts": sitting there, staring at the album cover and feeling a deep sense of nostalgia for the most inexplicable of reasons, its lyrics and tone matching perfectly with the imagery of silhouettes scattered across a sunset. In addition to this, it feels like one last hurrah to Elbow's past musical era as they move onto their now mastered craft which as previously mentioned was created in "The Seldom Seen Kid" and cemented with their most recent album, "The Take Off and Landing of Everything". A more theatrical and almost orchestral feel is prominent in their most recent work, which is just one more reason to admire Elbow - but you've got to pay respect to your roots, and this is that respect. To those like me, this is more of what you asked for and an opportunity to witness some of their more overlooked tracks in their illustrious back catalogue. For those who have came upon Elbow anew, its a great stepping stone before moving onto what's next in their discography. But then again, what isn't?

127 HOURS (2010) review, "Every second counts..."

Whilst previously admirable of Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire but ultimately failing to connect with it on the level that several audiences and critics alike did, 127 Hours comes as an honest and brutal surprise, chronicling the true story that most everyone knows in some capacity, of which is a thing that a person should never have to endure.

When I first heard of this film upon its initial release, I, probably like some others, dismissed it before seeing it in an appallingly closed-minded fashion. The story is fascinating to be told within a 5 minute window, but how could someone take it and stretch it into a feature length film? After dismissing it all that time ago, a friend recently urged me to watch it... and if I could eat my own hat, I would. There are so many things that this film got right, but in the end, the film hinged on the incredible performance from James Franco.

He genuinely is the glue that holds this film together, as without a naturalistic performance like his, a disconnect with the story on offer would be immense. You spend the whole film looking at his face, often within intimate distance, contemplating his thoughts as he does. The aspect of hallucination and imagination play quite heavily into the runtime, and they serve as some of my favourite parts of the film, giving that glimmer of hope for his character that the ideal can happen, but pulling all sense of comfort away from beneath your feet just as you come to realise that what is being seen could be farce.

Video logs from his character as occurred in the real life scenario really help to detail the struggles of the character directly to the audience, as if the story could be taught in retrospect, if only seen from the view of the camcorder which could have been a potentially interesting angle, albeit clichéd. However, whatever creative liberties are taken with the true tale, they are concurred with the actual subject of the story and the flow of it instead of just dramatic effect for the sake of it, a majority of the events are factual, but streamlined to fit into the brisk 90 minute run time.

A notable moment towards the end of the film relating to a certain amputation is exhilarating, the nerve endings being represented with static and the screen filling with red, helping you to comprehend the immense pain involved in doing such an act. It's a certain type of phantom pain that not many films can achieve myself as an audience member to react to. You imagine the pain to the point that you can almost feel it. It can only be described as exceptional film making in terms of conveying such a painful experience to an audience without being overly brutal or exaggerating it to an aforementioned dramatic effect.

127 Hours is certainly something special, giving a true to life account of one Aron Ralston whilst not straying too far from the picture when it comes to turning it into a largely entertaining story of why you should never be alone while being in the middle of a desert. Perhaps its worth to travel backwards in time to see Danny Boyle's past filmography...