jedmatthew

The Beatles – how they ended up on the rooftop

1968. The White Album: the album design became important – the music was all over the map – would it cohere as an album? At the very least, The Beatles needed to create a visual theme where a musical one may or may not exist. Paul McCartney spent a week going to the artist RichardContinue reading “The Beatles – how they ended up on the rooftop”

French Power Pop – What is the magic?

The first French band that grabbed my attention was Les Rita Mitsouko in the ’80s. Upon listening to my random YouTube mix today, a French band that I had never heard before called Manceau popped up in the mix and I was instantly transported away: This reminded me and sounded like another unheralded and brilliantContinue reading “French Power Pop – What is the magic?”

Lawrence of Belgravia

Question: How can a musician so disciplined that he releases 10 classic albums in 10 years in the 1980s (with the band Felt) produce minimal output in the years that followed? Short answer: By being true to himself. Long answer: See below. Lawrence get things done, but in his own way and on his ownContinue reading “Lawrence of Belgravia”

Russian Ark – a film review

Russian Ark is a stunning film released in 2002 and directed by Alexander Sokurov. The film was shot is one continuous 96-minute Steadicam camera shot in the Winter Palace of the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. Russian Ark is meticulous in its details, taking us on a two-kilometer trek over three centuries of Russian history. TheContinue reading “Russian Ark – a film review”

Berlin – The Wings of Desire Effect

I recently visited the Victory Column in Berlin’s Tiergarten. The column inspired Wim Wenders to make Wings of Desire, a film about angels who listen in on the thoughts of humans. Wim Wenders was a fan and friend of U2, and U2 was inspired by Wings of Desire and the city of Berlin, which extended toContinue reading “Berlin – The Wings of Desire Effect”

Experiencing the Cure – 30 years later

The last time I saw The Cure at Northrup Auditorium at the University of Minnesota in 1986, Robert Smith had just cut his hair short, confounding all the spiky long-haired goths who showed up to pay homage. 30 years later…. The Cure, June 7, 2016, St. Paul, MN More than three hours of Cure, fourContinue reading “Experiencing the Cure – 30 years later”

the big short

Maybe like you, I always thought finance was boring. After seeing this film, I see it differently. It’s like a enigmatic zen riddle wrapped in a shifting sand oracle of inscrutable change – or is it? Ultimately its answers reveal themselves – to those who want to Really See – the markets revealContinue reading “the big short”

Waiting for Altima

Sitting here Waiting for Altima 30,000-mile $€£¥ tune up you started as a bluebird/leopard chrysalis expanding into altimaness via Wi-fi TV, snacks, coffee, a showroom showdown of Altimas The polite formal discourse of commerce Black leather chairs A kid singing to herself In her own universe Leafing through tomes on Common Wood Nymphs. Walking downContinue reading “Waiting for Altima”

Zen

the solar constant is a measure of. . . . this story is almost over before it’s begun those warriors went to China came back to the samurais boiled it for centuries put their packs on brought it to san francisco minneapolis and paris where it’s needed or where water flowsContinue reading “Zen”

mr tony law doesn’t know how to end his show

What do you get when you send an 18-year-old Canadian to England, leave him there to raise a family, find a career, and see if he sinks or swims? There is nothing else like this – comedy that is made up on the spot – with a running internal commentary. This is comedy that is actually funny because itContinue reading “mr tony law doesn’t know how to end his show”