Looper

Rian Johnson's new film, Looper, tells a story that you've never heard before. In the near future, time-travel becomes crudely possible - and highly illegal. Mobs use time-travel to send their victims into the past to be executed and disposed of. Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception) plays one of these mob hit-men known as "loopers." When he fails to kill the future version of himself (played by Bruce Willis) they're both wanted for dead.

If that first paragraph was a little confusing, don't worry: the film explains it much better than I do, though time-travel stories can give some viewers headaches. The plot is filled with interesting and well-developed characters. Johnson's vision of the future seems very plausible which helps keep the movie relatable. The special effects were used intelligently, the most notable of which was making Joseph Gordon-Levitt look like a young Bruce Willis.

The acting from both leads is great, but the most stunning performance comes from Pierce Gagnon, a child actor with surprisingly impressive skills. He was able to flawlessly go from innocent and cute to dark and mature.

Writer/director Rian Johnson used this film to combine mob and sci-fi genres, taking the best from both styles. This film asks the question, "What means the most to you and what would you do for it?" The characters all have their own answers which are often passionate, unexpected, and explosive. Looper is one of the most original films I've seen in awhile and definitely one of my favorites so far this year.

Grouplove @ The Pageant

Photo courtesy of Adrienne Franke.

English band Alt-J opened up the evening of 10/7. The group had a unique sound that blended genres. It felt like the singer/guitarist was in a folk band while the other three members were in more of a dance and electronica mood. Surprisingly, this fused naturally into something that was equally beautiful and danceable. Their drummer had a very tight, precise style that made him a human drum machine. "Tessellate" sounded particularly great.

Grouplove started with "Itchin' on a Photograph." With only an album and an EP to their name, the American band played through almost all of their recorded material throughout the set. Although they're by no means the most ground-breaking band, their simple pop-rock songs were catchy, blissful, and even uplifting. I would argue that everyone in the room was having a good time. How can you not smile when you hear songs like "Naked Kids" or "Lovely Cup"? Their lyrics aren't political or angry, they're about youth and having a good time. Sometimes that's all we need to hear about.

About halfway through the show, bass player Sean Gadd interrupted the song "Chloe" after a few chords. It was drummer Ryan Rabin's birthday. The audience sang "Happy Birthday" to him and Alt-J came out holding a cake with lit candles. Audience participation can sometimes be obnoxious, but this was cool and it made the show a little more special.

This concert was not a life-changing experience, but it was a genuine evening of entertainment with great friends. Never Trust A Happy Song is out now on Atlantic Records.

Hobo with a Shotgun

Remember when Tarantino and Rodriguez made the Grindhouse double-feature? Death Proof (favorite car movie ever) and Planet Terror (her leg is a gun)? Leading up to the release of those two amazingly gritty action movies, a contest was held to make the best fake trailer in the spirit of Grindhouse. The winner was Hobo with a Shotgun, directed by Jason Eisener. In 2011, it was released as a full-length movie. It's technically the fourth film in the Grindhouse series (the third being Machete).

The plot is gloriously simple. Hope Town has been over run by The Drake and his two sons. Criminals run everything, the police force is completely corrupted, and public executions are a regular event. One traveling homeless man can't stand it.

Great cinematography is used throughout the film and the color palette is beautiful. The villains are completely evil, but they have great style. You might catch yourself thinking "I should dress like that... but then I'd look like a bad guy." It makes me despise them even more.

The best thing about this movie is how easily the audience can relate. Have you ever been in a room full of people that are completely wrong while you're right? Have you ever lost your temper? Wanted to be a vigilante? Wanted to kick a bully's ass? This film evokes all of those feelings and satisfies them.

Despite the garden sprinkler blood spurts and a gratuitous amount of crude sexual slurs, this film has a great message: you can't wait for someone else to fix a problem; you must fix it yourself. If you are a fan of hardcore justice, epic action, snapping bones, homeless people, or any of the above, Hobo with a Shotgun is worth a shot.

Cat Power - Sun

The Queen of Indie Rock returns with her ninth album, Sun. A slightly different direction, more independence, and years of work make this one of her best releases thus far.

The album's opener, "Cherokee," is bitter-sweet. It's a reminder of Chan Marshall's uniquely beautiful voice and her remarkable skill of providing her own backing vocals. "Ruin," the lead-single, has a catchy piano riff and poetic lyrics about wealthy countries complaining. My favorite song, "3, 6, 9," is, frankly, badass. Its based on a stomp beat and Marshall's pretty vocals are as pissed as they can be. The finely written lyrics point out that the freedom to use drugs can, in some cases, ultimately take away more freedom than it gives.

One of the amazing things about this album is that Marshall recorded it almost entirely by herself. There are a few exceptions, however, including Iggy Pop's guest vocals on the 11-minute epic "Nothin But Time." This album also features more synths and drum machines than previous Cat Power albums. This is managed in a way that still feels natural and nothing like traditional electronica music. Even though drum machines are used occasionally, the beats are always inventive and even syncopated on a few songs.

Cat Power has never been associated with electronic music and this album still doesn't feel very electronic. Her beautiful song-writing, voice, and true style stay powerful with every release. This is easily one of my favorite Cat Power albums and also a great introduction for new fans. Sun is out now on Matador Records.

Sunday - LouFest 2012

The Flaming Lips. Photo courtesy of Nicole Pruess.

Unfortunately, I missed the first two acts of sunday. I got there just as Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin was starting. This band was originally from Springfield, Missouri and their catchy pop rock was irresistible. The songs were well-written and sounded great outside.

Wild Nothing, who just released a new album this week, was a last-minute replacement. They had a very Cure-inspired sound. Surprisingly, they were one of the best bands to dance to.

Imagine a pop band from the fifties and sixties. Imagine they have all of today's pedals and effects. That band is Cults, one of the groups I was most excited for this weekend. Originally a two-piece, they bring in several extra members for live shows. Singer Madeline Follin delivered an impressive vocal performance and the rest of the band was spot on.

Dawes brought kinda-folky-alterna-rock to a whole new level this weekend. These truly gifted songwriters quickly became many people's new favorite band. Unfortunately, they were cut about ten minutes short due to the rain. Uh oh.

It began to really pour. I mean, seriously pour. Lightning taunted us in the distance. A large group of us were waiting to see Dr. Dog. After twenty minutes of horror, the rain stopped. Fifteen minutes after that, the band started. "The rain is falling / It's after dark," begin the lyrics to "Shadow People." It was perfect. Their groovy, strange rock was everything I had dreamed it would be. It made me forget I was dripping wet.

"Fuck the rain," shouted Wayne Coyne, the charismatic frontman of the Flaming Lips. If you don't know anything about the Flaming Lips' live performances, let me say this: it will blow your mind. You will see things that you didn't think were possible. Magic stardust shot out of a dragon's ass will rain on you from above. It's a bit of a religious experience. Needless to say, they didn't disappoint me. They never have. Although their set could have been longer had it not been for that treacherous rain, I'm not complaining. There is no happier way to end a weekend of great music than with the Flaming Lips.

Saturday - LouFest 2012

Sleepy Kitty. Courtesy of Nicole Pruess.

For the third year in a row, LouFest has been the end of summer highlight for many St. Louis music fans. The well-organized festival presented one of their best lineups yet. Unfortunately, I missed several bands (sorry Little Barrie, Pernikoff Brothers, and THEEsatisfaction), so I'll just talk about what I personally saw.

The festival was kicked off by local favorite Sleepy Kitty. Since this band has only two members, they needed a little help from their friends. Several guests appeared throughout the set. Their fun, energetic music was a great way to start the weekend. At a Sleepy Kitty show, anything can happen. They may play songs from a seven-inch released that very day. They might play a song about the Batman ride at Six Flags. They could throw handmade shakers at the audience. Anything can happen.

King Tuff played most of the tracks from their 2012 debut during their set. The garage-punk band made up for their lack of songwriting prowess with high-energy rock. This made for some fantastic head-banging that my neck complained about the next day. Totally worth it.

Cotton Mather was definitely the wild card at this year's LouFest. In the late nineties, this powerpop band was on everybody's list to be the next big thing. In 2003, the band broke up and pretty much disappeared. Now, they're back together, re-releasing their 1997 hit album, Kon Tiki, and possibly recording new material. Their smooth melodies brightened the day a little, despite the gray clouds.

The hometown heroes, Son Volt, played a beautiful country set. Although they really sounded quite perfect, they were a down-tempo break in a series of rocking sets. My adrenaline was going a little too fast to really focus on their entire set.

It's hard to describe Phantogram to someone that's never heard them. They combine rock, electronica, and R&B in a seamless fusion. The combination of man and machine on drums made their strange beats come alive. The slight drizzle of rain during their set only added to the mood.

Dinosaur Jr. is the loudest band I've ever seen in concert. This is the second time I've seen them, and they're still loud. A little too loud, in my opinion. Their songs sound quite different live than on the album. The verse of "Feel The Pain" sounds just like the album, but the chorus is played as fast as they can possibly play. It's an experience, though not always a pleasant one.

What's a DJ to do in concert? If you ask Girl Talk, the answer is "mix as much as you can live and throw the biggest party you can." The LCD screens on stage showed strange combinations of graphics that felt like subliminal messaging. People danced on stage, shirts came off, and toilet paper filled the air. This was the birthday party you've always wanted.

The Dirty Pigeons - The Dirty Pigeons EP

After playing in and around Chicago for about a year, The Dirty Pigeons have finished their first record, an eponymous EP. This four-piece band creates a natural feel that rocks hard with minimal use of effects.

The seven-track release weaves it's way between up-tempo rockers and beautiful songs with a hint of classic country. "The Valley" is serene and pairs well with the soft vocals. It provides contrast to the EP's opening track, "Idle Dollars," a catchy, sort of romping song. The standout track for me is "What's the Point in Changing?" It's dark theme and distorted vocals are emphasized with the surprisingly heavy, epic guitar solo.

The band showcases their versatility with "Sundays Golden Wishes," a beautifully sorrowful country song reminiscing about better times. Although this EP is entirely original material, The Dirty Pigeons pay tribute to their influences on the closing track, "Stills, Young." The obvious Young-ness of the strong, lengthy solo is still genuinely Dirty Pigeons.

On their first official release (out in September), The Dirty Pigeons show that they are a talented band with a strong sound. I hope to hear more from them in the future. Although they're based in Chicago, St. Louis can get a little piece of the action too. The Dirty Pigeons will be playing at the Heavy Anchor on September 8th.