Archive for the 'Headlines' Category

Spider Eyes by amit

Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst & Black Unitard-wearing, evil Tobey Maguire

posted on 9:46 pm 05/27/2007
Celebrity Look Alikes, Headlines | Comments (3) | Permalink |

Album of the Month: Cigarettes and Gasoline by dan

New segment. Back in the day we’d have a “Song of the week.” But sometimes, choosing a single song from an album just isn’t right. Some works are best viewed as a whole. For said occasions we’ve started a new category, “Album of the Month.” - C&V

It’s so easy to be derivative. Especially once you’re successful. You make a million bucks. You stick to the formula. And in rolls a million more. I mean, look at Coldplay. Jesus God, look at Coldplay. Celine Dion woulda been proud of their 3rd album… It’s exceptionally rare nowadays that someone, once established, chooses to take the risk of progressing in their art. So I’ve got to give props to anyone in music willing to take a chance and follow their gut. Led Zeppelin 3, Dylan going electric, And then there’s now… who comes to mind? If it was a rare event for an artist to take risks before, in the commerciality of the now it’s a near impossibility. The only modern example that really comes to mind is something like the shift from “Midnite Vultures” to “Sea Change”…. but, as later albums would prove, that was less an evolution so much as a one off shot at gaining some cred.

So there you have it. The prelude. Now, based off of the above prelude, what artist would you guess I’m about to talk about?… Odds are you’re looking at the title, “Cigarettes and Gasoline” and coming up empty. The album’s “Cigarettes and Gasoline.” The artist is Emerson Hart. You know him as the head singer-songwriter-brainchild of Tonic, the band that gave us “If You Could Only See” and “Open Up Your Eyes.” I realize that a lot of you out there right now are saying, “What the hell, Tonic? I thought I was reading C&V!” Bear with me, it’s worth it. We pride ourselves on being taste makers. And would never waste your time.

“Cigarettes and Gasoline” represents the maturation of an artist who went multi-platinum at age 27. Think of that. Age 27 and multi-platinum. I’ll be happy if I can keep myself a steady girlfriend by 27, but multi-platinum? Jesus. Well, it’s 2007, Emerson’s older. Tonic’s done. And he’s free to make whatever kind of music he wants. Enter “Cigarettes and Gasoline,” at once a progression and a departure from what Hart began with Tonic. On the single, “If You’re Gonna Leave,” you get something that sounds pretty close to some of those Tonic ballads, but the overall feel is of something quite different. I guess that’s the logic in releasing this as the single. It’s just familiar enough. For me, however, The meat of “Cigarettes and Gasoline,” the part that makes me want to post this as the “Album of the month,” is to be found elsewhere on the album’s dozen or so tracks. “Friend to a Stranger,” a song you might have heard on Grey’s Anatomy, is a damn good song. And that’s not just a phrase I throw around. Give it a listen on Emerson’s Myspace. When those drums kick in, or when he takes it to the bridge, I dare you to not like the song. It’s wholly different, yet just familiar enough. It’s an artist moving foward. And the rest of the album is just as good.

“Cigarettes and Gasoline” is not derivative. It’s not the easy path. It’s an artist taking risks in a world where no one does. It’s someone following their gut and being truly creative AND for that reason, it deserves your attention and a spot on your shelf. “Cigarettes and Gasoline” is a damn good album. And we don’t just throw that phrase around. Pick it up in stores this June.

Half in the light. Half in the darkness. The duality of the soul.

Buy the Single at and get a free acoustic “If You Could Only See.”
Emerson on Myspace.

posted on 3:47 pm 04/24/2007
Headlines, Music, Reviews, Songs of the Week | Comments (4) | Permalink |

For Your Verification by amit

We have a mission for our thousands of readers, subscribers, and naysayers out there: go see For Your Consideration. According to a fan, this very website, Celluloid and Vinyl, is mentioned among other internet movie rumor sites during an exchange between two characters in Christopher Guest’s (Best in Show, Spinal Tap) newest film. We hope someone out there can confirm the C&V shout out since Warner Brothers has yet to send a DVD review copy to consider ourselves. The surprising part though is why Guest and co-writer Eugene Levy (Jim’s dad) thought to include this outfit among an elite list of hearsay sites. Hopefully, it’s because we exposed CNN’s shoddy journalism after the smoke and mirrors news agency fabricated the death of Dakota Fanning. We’re still waiting for our Pulizter and Peabody award for our efforts on that one. Regardless, go check out For Your Consideration and comment below on how much truth lies to what’s probably yet another rumor we’ve started.

posted on 3:59 pm 11/25/2006
Headlines, Movies | Comments (1) | Permalink |

Two Spidey 3 Posters by amit

Now that Sony’s done sweating over the release of their unimpressive, third-generation console, they decided to email us some very nifty posters for another franchise that’s in its third run, Spider-man. Check out two posters of the same shot, just in different colors. Spider-man 3 opens up next year.

posted on 2:15 am 11/22/2006
Headlines, Movies, News | Comments (2) | Permalink |

Sosohuman’s “Twenty-six” 26/100 by chad popular

I’ll say this for the band Sosohuman’s debut album, “Twenty-Six”: If it were 10 years ago, and I was in Junior High, and I still sat in my room after school and listened to Candlebox and Soul Asylum while writing notes to pass to some field hockey player I had special feelings for, this stuff would be cool.

Now, flash foward 10 years, and not only is Sosohuman stuck in a time warp made of shit walls, but it’s a time when there is no remaining audience for this generic 90s alternative crap, aside from some confused Nickelback fans. It blows my mind that this is a new band from the year 2006. Lead singer, Earl, tries a bit too hard to sound like Brandon Boyd of Incubus and doesn’t pull it off. Monotonous guitar riffs and repetitive chords that speed up, slow down, speed up, slow down, 15 times in each song, with our only respite being guitar feedback. It gets really, really old after just the first song. Don’t get me started on the atrocious lyrics- “frenchy, frenchy, oh french vanilla! ohhhh salad, salad, salad barrrr!”(These may or may not be the correct lyrics but they’re pretty close)………….What?

Drummer Rob Oswald, their latest in a long line of drummers (70 to be exact), from the band Karma to Burn, who also namedrops Queens of the Stone Age as one of his contributions for some reason, is pretty decent. He needs to leave this band pronto.

The only songs that are in any way worth paying attention to purely for the “takes-you-back” nostalgia of 90s alternative bliss are “Homeless” and “All The Same”, but they’re still difficult to bare. The simple album cover art involving the silhouette of the three members rocking out together tricks you in to thinking they are some fun, party, pop-punk band. Far from it. It amazes me that there are still bands this oblivious to their own sound. On track number six, “Punisher”, the singer begins: “I like to punish myself, I’d like to bang my head against a brick wall, and I’d like to stick my hand in a fire, and I’d like to jump from the top of my roof.” My advice for Earl as to how to ease the pain: don’t quit your day job, unless your day job involves writing songs.

posted on 10:20 pm 11/21/2006
Headlines, Music, Reviews | Comments (5) | Permalink |