The Beijinger Blog - Jessica Pan

Eternal (Sonic) Youth & Skepta Stays Grimy - more music reviews

thebeijinger — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 10:00:00 +0800

The Eternal
by Sonic Youth

It’s easy to criticize bands like Sonic Youth when they start doing things like teaming up with Starbucks and making radio-friendly music. But now, the coolest rock band since The Velvet Underground are back in the zone with this indie release off Matador Records.

Apart from a few lukewarm tracks like “Antenna” and “Walkin Blue,” that trademark guitar and tribal drumbeats will call back fans of Confusion Is Sex and Daydream Nation for a new revolution. The disaffected adolescent spirit nearly lost since Murray Street is once again reincarnated on The Eternal – otherwise, why else would Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon be howling “anti-war is anti-orgasm”? WG

TSOOL: A Soundtrack For Your Summer

thebeijinger — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 14:00:00 +0800

When you can’t swing your arm without hitting another bubble gum pop music act, it’s refreshing to turn to The Soundtrack of Our Lives, a Swedish band of six males that’s been around the block – their psychedelic rock is influenced by the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Swedish folk, punk and everything in between.

The 12-year-old band gained an international cult following in 2003 with a Best Alternative Album Grammy nomination and their latest album, Communion, is a creative retro-rock 24 track work (each track represents the hour of one day). Before TSOOL head our way to headline the InMusic Festival on Aug 9, lead singer Ebbot Lundberg spoke to tbj by phone from Sweden to illuminate more about the band’s spiritual sound, what it’s like to fight with psychedelic rockers and who’s the greatest rock band alive ...

Music Reviews – International: July 2009

thebeijinger — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 10:00:00 +0800

21st Century Breakdown
Green Day
Ever since Dookie, Green Day has garnished their three-chord punk records with the odd polka, raga, rockabilly, acoustic or vaudeville experiment. Each one was a good track, though jarring in the context of their albums. Now those genre-bending investigations finally pay off. 21st Century Breakdown is a flood of influences that swashes and purls through hoarse guitars, sweet ballads and hollered punk anthems. Whereas American Idiot gorged on indulgent ten-minute symphonies, 21st Century presents taut overtures fastened by lyrical and musical buckles. Take it as a treasure chest and not a scattering of doubloons – a triumphant addition to Green Day’s already sparkling catalogue. MJ

Music Reviews – International: June 2009

thebeijinger — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:00:00 +0800

Middle Cyclone by Neko Case

Neko Case has a voice made of dirt and wind. The earthy indie girl’s latest album of hard melodies laced with smooth country-girl vocals is yet another exhibition of her distinct bluegrass style. Teaming up with members of Los Lobos as well as several New Pornographers bandmates, Middle Cyclone is heavy on the love songs, as well as just plain heavy (“They’ve traded more for cigarettes than I’ve managed to express,” she croons on “Prison Girls”). Still, the album brims with an energy belonging only to a girl that is part sweetheart and part wild animal – a set of human tunes for howling at the moon. MD

Music Reviews – International: May 2009

thebeijinger — Thu, 14 May 2009 09:00:00 +0800

It's Blitz! by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Their signature alt rock/art punk sound has been a blueprint for successful previous offerings; Nick Zinner’s unmistakable, wailing riffs – coupled with Karen O’s sassy, seductive tones – have so far been a triumphant formula. All the more surprising, then, that It’s Blitz! forays further than before onto the dance floor (note the liberal use of synths and looping electronica hooks) while simultaneously making a jaunt into sparse melancholy. Particular highlights are the effervescent “Zero” and the dulcet harmony of “Soft Shock.” Most notable, however, is that It’s Blitz! confirms O as being equally capable of tender and wilting as she is strutting and kick-ass. Paul Ryding

Music Reviews – International: April 2009

thebeijinger — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:00:07 +0800

Hungry Bird by Clem Snide

The album that Clem Snide broke up over when it was recorded in 2006 is finally out. Needless to say, the band is also back together. Straddling the alt-country and indie rock genre, they return with darker, more foreboding lyrics. Frontman Eef Barzelay maintains his soft, twangy wailings but lacks in the whimsical memorability found on previous albums. With verses like “Not everyone will die/ but no one is promised they’ll live” propped up against melodic guitars, banjos and trombones, the songs are resigned and wounded. The esoteric lyrics still cut deep, but these ten tracks will take a few listens to stick. JP

Play It, Don‘t Say It - A Lesson in Music Appreciation with Battles

thebeijinger — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 11:00:27 +0800

It’s probably safe to say that American experimental rock band Battles make music unlike anything you’ve ever heard. The four New York-based members, all of whom are active in other bands, work double or triple duty on each song. John Stanier (of Helmet and Tomahawk) sparks beats with the kick-drum, tom tom, snare and cymbals, while the other members play guitars, keyboards, bass, add digital loops and other electronics (from Echoplexes to Moogerfoogers) simultaneously. Throw in Tyondai Braxton’s vocals, distorted with computers beyond comprehension, and the technically challenging pieces create a surprising result: music that is utterly listenable, full of energy and spontaneous. (A perfect example: “Atlas,” their celebrated single from Mirrored.)

Before arriving in Beijing for their March 27 show at MAO Livehouse, band member Ian Williams (who is known to play keyboard with his left hand and guitar with his right simultaneously) took some time to illuminate the mysteries of their music, explain why lyrics are overrated, and expose some karaoke favorites:

Opening Today: Wanted

thebeijinger — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:00:36 +0800

Wanted marks James McAvoy's third appearance on the Chinese big screen this year. Unlike his earlier roles in Atonement and The Chronicles of Narnia, McAvoy plays the stereotypical apathetic young man who's stuck in a dead-end job but is offered an escape when he's introduced into the exciting world of assassins by a beautiful and dangerous woman called Fox (Angelina Jolie). The film received positive reviews when it was released in the States back in July, you can view some here and take a look at the trailer here.

Keep reading below for Jessica Pan's review of the film which first appeared in the October issue of the Beijinger magazine. Below the review, we've included screening times for the film at a selection of cinemas throughout Beijing.