Kill the Irishman

Kill the Irishman

Review: This movie is based on the true story about Danny Greene, the Irish American mobster. It's an ok movie. Good actors and nice settings. But it never really moves me in any way, and in a day or two I will probably have forgotten about it more or less.

13 & God - Own Your Ghost

Some records are more difficult than others to review. The kind of records where you can't really find the words to explain why you feel the way you do about it. Own Your Ghost is one of those. It's the follow up to 13 & God that came out 6 years ago. 13 & God is for you who don't know, the collaboration between the groups subtle, Themselves and The Notwist. It's atmospheric, twisted, low key and simply beautiful music all at the same time. doseone is always a pleasure to listen to, and the mix between his and Marcus Acher's vocals are just right. And the productions and instrumentation by jel, Dax Pierson and the others are a real treat for my ears. I know I'm mostly mumbling out phrases right now, but I told you that this is the kind of album that I find difficult to review. All I really need to say though is that you really should buy this album when it's released on May 17th. It's one of the best albums of 2011.

Rating:  4.5/5

Bored to Death

Totally missed out on the show Bored to Death, but this weekend I will give it a go.

Reggie Perrin

Just finished the first season of Reggie Perrin. Perfect for when you're feeling a bit low.

Soundtrack of Week 16

Beastie Boys - Fight For Your Right Revisited

Finally here! Talk about all star cast! Beastie Boys are always ahead of the game!

DJ Shadow @ Göta Källare, June 16th

I can't wait!

RJD2 - Might As Well Step Forward

Can't think of a better way to start the weekend than with the latest video from RJD2 featuring the acrobatics of Quest Crew.

R.I.P. Gerard Smith

Gerard Smith, the bass player of the band TV on the Radio, passed away yesterday after losing his battle against cancer.

Speed Dial 7 - 11

You've read the review and you've read the interview. Now the new Speed Dial 7 album is out and features great artists like Pip Skid, Mike Ladd, Nomad, Yy, Birdapres, Anna Barie from These Are Powers, M Sayyid from Anti-Pop Consortium, Elissa P & Zucchini Drive.

There are 2 ways of gettin this album FOR FREE:

1/ Go to http://www.facebook.com/speeddial7 and “like” the page. That way you obtain the link.

2/ No Facebook? No problem. Fill your email adress in here.

___________________________

Speed Dial 7 – 11 (MOD017)

It’s been said time and time again that an artist really only learns the true essence of a record once it’s been taken on tour. In the case of Speed Dial 7’s latest full-length release 11, the record was almost entirely conceived and constructed on the road. While touring for his October release Short Rich Apocalypse, frontman, Tom De Geeter drew inspiration from the places he played, artists he met, and floors he slept on to cook up the spontaneous and energetic 11. Influenced greatly by an extensive 70s record collection he raided after a show in Innsbruck, the record has a mix of nostalgic samples, and Speed Dial 7’s signature throwback percussion.

Guest artists are many and varied on 11. De Geeter calls upon old favorites like Mike Ladd, Pip Skid, Passage, Nomad and Elissa P., and also extends his song to new artists including These Are Powers frontwoman, Anna Barie, three-time Scribble Jam winner, Skratch Bastid. Despite the patchwork of vocal contributions, 11 is threaded together with a spread of driving rhythm, eerie melodies, and Speed Dial 7’s iconic dark humor.

Soundtrack of Week 15

Gränsen

Gränsen

Review: I'm not a big fan of Swedish movies, far from it. But from time to time, I sit down to watch one. Sometimes I get pleasantly surprised. Sometimes I just get tired of the poor standard of them. Like when I watched Gränsen. I like the idea behind the movie, but it fell flat real quick. Will stay away from my fellow Swedes a while longer now when it comes to movies.

Paul

Paul

Review: I've been looking forward to this movie. I mean, the idea of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and geekiness got my attention at once. And it was an entertaining movie. Not as good as I hoped though. Too many lame drug and sex jokes. Typical Seth Rogen stuff. Yeah, he's doing the voice of Paul. I mean, don't get me wrong. I think he's talented, only a bit limited. Perfect movie for a lazy Friday night though.

I Am Number Four

I Am Number Four

Review: Boy! This one was crappy! Hadn't really expected anything else either.

Dennis Lyxzén - The Author

Yes, it's true. Dennis Lyxzén is about to release a book about his time as the lead singer for Refused. I can't wait to read this one!!!

Henry Bowers vs. Stowaway

I've been waiting for this video to get released. It's Henry Bowers battle against Stowaway in Don't Flop's  Blood in the Water 4. Henry killed him!

Ceschi - Cold Sores

Here comes the video to Ceschi's Cold Sores. The beat by my friend dynamo414!

Cold Sores (Ceschi) from Nicolas Heller on Vimeo.

Kingdom

I recently got around to watching the show Kingdom in its entirety. A bit of a feelgood show with Stephen Fry in the lead role. Sad that it only lasted for 3 seasons, but that's better than nothing.

5 Years Anniversary

Five years ago today the blog Queen Elisabeth saw the light of day for the first time. It started out as mostly a personal blog where I could post my views and opinions of the life around me. Quite soon though it was more and more a place to post about music, movies and literature in different ways. In the beginning of 2007 Queen Elisabeth became beats, breaks & big smiles. The next big change was in the end of 2009 when I switched from writing in Swedish to English. The content however stayed the same. A lot of namedropping records and things I wanted you to check out. Along these 5 years I've made new friends, moved a few times, released a series of compilations, been on the verge of putting an end to the page and here I am today. No big celebration. Just a heads up that I'm still around and probably will for quite a while. The promised compilation 5 Years and Runnin' will happen though, it will just take a bit longer. That's all for now. Thank you for your support. Peace

Still Pee & Ru - Black Shadow

It feels really good to see the return of the veterans Rusiak and PeeWee. I think the upcoming album is worth checking out when it arrives. Nice video too.


Black Shadow from Judit Bertil Produktion on Vimeo.

Soundtrack of Week 14

The Kennedys

I just watched the first episode of the Canadian mini-series The Kennedys, and I must say that I liked it. Looking forward to the following episodes.

Interview #10 - Speed Dial 7

CREATES A THERAPEUTIC ATMOSPHERE

There are artists who do not only do their best to promote their own music, but who also work hard to let other people get heard. Speed Dial 7 from Belgium is one of them. In 2 weeks time he's about to release his second solo album. He also happens to be a really nice guy.

Tell us who Speed Dial 7 is?

You know it, I know it, it’s me, Tom De Geeter. It’s the alias I hide under for my solo efforts. It’s my attempt of making what I’ve been making for the last 12 years but then by myself with no compromise and lots of energy…. I like to call it Rap Music.

What is your intension with the music and lyrics?

Atmosphere and therapy. Those are the 2 keywords for my music. I started solo as some sort of therapy. The message in my music is just shit that’s on my mind... That’s all it is... and sometimes what’s on my mind can be so absurd that you probably can’t make anything out of it. Doesn’t matter because in the end of the day people listen to the package: energy, vibe and what you personally make of it. Also sex.

How did you come up with the idea behind Marathon of Dope, and would you mind telling us the history of the label.

I didn’t come up with it; Pat/Pip Skid did... It made a lot of sense to me because the whole physical industry was/is collapsing and the climate for change was/is there. That was 2008, when we first meet here in Belgium. We build and build over the last years, went on tours in Europe and Canada and meet other interesting artists who felt the same. Better come out as a strong collective with an idea, then all work separate… That’s my view on it.

You’re from Belgium. What is the scene like there?

There’s hardly a rap scene but we do have a strong alternative scene. We benefit from that. I got a lot of support from friends and family over the years and that’s most important. A small, strong fan base can get you far.

I’ve heard that we can expect a new album with Zucchini Drive this year ending a 4 year long silence. Any particular reason behind the delay, and what can we expect of the album?

Holy! Man, that album will blow your mind. It’s amazing. We have been working so long and hard on it. 4 years seems a bit exaggerated... We been to Japan, the states and toured Europe and actually released Shotgun Rules in 2009 if I recall right. We also work with Dirty Pete and DJ Mich now... The whole process seems so much more natural because we create the music and do vocals nowadays... Marcus and I are in touch on a daily basis and for sure we are talking about the right move at the right time.

You’re also a part of the groups Gunporn, Cavemen Speak and Nuccini. What’s the status of these groups today?

Who knows...? I know as much as you know. I talk to bleubird every few months and I still see the homies Nomad and Danzil a lot but we don’t have plans right now... The future is open.

You’re about to release your new album 11. That’s your second album in a year. Can you tell us what you think sets them apart?

My first album Short Rich Apocalypse was created over a 2 year span. It’s an album I thought about long and hard. It’s a lot more experimental then 11, the album dropping now... 11 was 70% created on the road and sounds more impulsive, energetic and definitely more rap-minded. I really like both in different ways.

What inspires you in your creative process?

For 11 my inspiration came from 90’s rap bass lines, touring Europe and Canada with Pip Skid (who is featured on 5 songs), a crazy psychedelic record collection from my friend Albi, hang-outs, road trips, Brugal, Grey Goose and a daily dosis of Prozac.

Any last thoughts? 

I’m gonna have to go out and buy toilet paper... very necessary. Also some drinks because Belgium is playing Azerbeidzjan tonight. Good stuff. Yo! Check my free music out at www.marathonofdope.com! Oh and check my new video Run for Cover: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ba2c6AECNNo&feature=channel_video_title

http://www.speeddial7.com/
http://www.marathonofdope.com/
http://www.twitter.com/marathonofdope

Into Eternity

Into Eternity

Review: Into Eternity is a documentary about the question of storage for nuclear waste. Onkalo (Finnish for "hiding place") is under construction: it's a cavernous world of tunnels and corridors, a permanent storage facility for nuclear waste, meant to last 100,000 years (that's 20 times as long as the pyramids have so far). It's a very interesting subject matter, and more so after what just happened in Japan. I'm quite surprised that we haven't more movies about this before. I think it's a movie worth seeing, even though there is something that gets on my nerves about it. And that has to to with the director Michael Madsen (no, not the cool one from Reservoir Dogs). I get annoyed that he puts too much effort in making this movie arty, futuristic and retro at the same time. Playing Radioactivity by Kraftwerk while we're watching people in white coats handling the nuclear waste for example is taking the focus away too much from the very important subject and makes it more of a art installation than an urgent, interesting documentary. The biggest flaw of the movie is the part about the future. Where we get the image that people in the future might dig up this site because they don't understand the language and the signs that warns them. But if the problem in the future is that the knowledge is less than now, that this movie for future civilations for sure won't be seen. I don't think dvd's exist then... A bit sad to be honest. But still, it's very much worth watching.

Soundtrack of Week 13

Interview #9 - Ira Lee

Ouvre son coeur

Few artists feels more genuine in their creativity than Ira Lee. An emcee with his heart on his sleeve. He has these last few years produced some, in my ears, truly amazing music. So it is with great pleasure that I give you the man himself. And if you stick around to the end of the interview, you will get a previously unreleased song to dance the night away to.

                                                           photo: Linakim Champagne

 Who is Ira Lee?

My life and times are best explained as a portrait of a small child that drops his ice cream in the dirt and starts to cry.

You are living in France at the moment. Why is that and for how long?

Honestly, I couldn’t get booked on a decent particle of super space in the shattered remnants of my hometown if the entire mega sphere imploded. No matter how adamant my self proclamations of ground broken are on the international scale. It is as impossible to live as an original artist in Canada, as it is everywhere. Signing a deal in France was the last straw for me. I had resigned myself to the solitary life of cultivating the necessary delusions I need to survive independently, and was destined to be artistically and emotionally decimated by the crushing meaningless of simply being. Luckily, I woke the fuck up when the shampoo commercial ended. The only festivals I have ever played in Canada are with my good friends, Pop Montreal in Quebec, 3 times consecutively. I headlined over 6 festivals in France alone, and played almost 30 shows in Europe, in addition to; six albums in the 8 months since moving to the South of France. I have been on tour for the last six months. North American media, industry and culture notoriously refuse to recognize the independent innovator’s on the frontline. I refuse to be punished for making music that is beyond my time. In Europe, I found artists that simply decimated my level of performance, artistry, and song writing ability. The fact they all have nasally, shiftily distinctive voices and sing songs in a language they can’t speak is advantageous on this side of the pond. Imagine that. Ultimately, I will look back and know my time in Europe was the catalyst of my ’asshole’ to ’super talented asshole’ transition.

We’re moving back to Montreal in June because I got a bunch of money from the Canadian government to write and produce an Opera and my wife is managing an art gallery while completing her doctorate. I’m mid way through developing a unique new ’live set’, a one man band approach to dysfunctional pop / rap music that will melt your eyeballs and dick holes shut.

You’re being incredibly productive at the moment. Can you tell us about your current and upcoming projects?

Rubin Steiner and I are releasing the We are the Future LP on Platinum Records in April, a tour (you know the kind that actually happens) of Germany, Canada, and the U.S. is to be expected this summer and fall. Ridd Lore from C.V.E. and I have an EP in its final stages, and Ridd Lore and Gel Roc and I have an LP about 80 percent done, dropping this summer. The Fox Heads (Funken and Ira Lee) We Want to be Numb LP is ready, perfect, and dropping late this summer. K-the-I??? (Mush/Fake Four) and I have an LP 60 percent done, dropping late this fall (Big announcement coming up for this one). I’m heading back to Switzerland next week to finish recording LEJ 2 with mattr. and the album is a truly brilliant achievement in experimental music. I have three different instrumental albums ready to be released when the time is right. The whole ‘free download’ dilemma is a bit depressing.

Can you tell us about your creative process when it comes to making songs?

I want to tell you how to write a song, I really do. So here’s the only ’real’ way to do it. Smoke a lot of drugs and think about some crazy ass shit. Like calculators or dinosaurs using them. Or a dinosaur with a dinosaur calculator mad out of human bones. Or a tribe of wandering skeletons that sell dinosaur bones to street jewelers. Or a robot, that swallows a dinosaur full of diamonds on the run from a gang of street wise skeletons. Think about this kind of shit. Silently. At length and in excruciating detail. Until one single train of thought makes you react almost instinctively. Feel it out. The shape, weight, relationship and environment of this ‘seed’ idea. Let the idea stew and marinate naturally, allow its curse to be uninterrupted, unaffected. Grow this solitary kernel of divine minimalism into the root of everything you have ever felt or believed in. Die in the moment. Give of it, for it. Become the essence of that idea’s irrational struggle into life. Nurture it like a mother scorpion. Gently caress this shapeless, formless newborn until you have gained it‘s absolute trust Then rape it. Hopelessly, brutally, mercilessly. Exploit every conceivable angle and scheme, rob every corner, steal every story, instigate every interpretation, prod every shadow, stalk every nook, cram every cranny. When you have completely, and I mean totally destroyed every fiber of this bottomless, soulless, formless intangible; get high again. On life, dreams, pussy, pills, sweat, lies, whisky, fire, blood, sleep. Hope. Then wash the dishes. Clean the house. Look at things. Feel guilty. Overeat. Over analyze. Under appreciate. Let your raw nature drift though the virtual plains of subconscious infinity and wallow fully and completely in naked, psychic ecstasy. Mother your mercy. Until another innocent, miniscule, fleeting, passing instant sprouts like ragweed on the coconut branch of your soul. Experience, dissect, chronicle, and combine these always dissimilar, vaguely metaphorical, randomly coincidental experiences into a handsome, dysfunctional lazer beam of unrestricted epiphany and intergalactic insight. Push this loaded and flaming punisher to the side of your delicate sensibilities, your deepest beliefs, and pull the trigger. On a never ending loop. Over and over again, describing, realizing, fantasizing. Repetitively, never endlessly. This disjointed voodoo limbo, invariably leads to a decent line or two every now and again. Wash, rinse, and repeat about 60,000 times for ten years and you just might, maybe, write a decent song or two by the time you’re 250 million. Or, if all else fails, pay two bums to fight naked and write down what they scream at each other.

What is your purpose with your music?

To live forever while pushing death back a little bit.

What are you doing when you’re not making music?

The only thing I do in and with my life is make music. When I make a beat or write a song, nothing hurts more, so naturally. Nothing matters as much. I was hospitalized in 2002 -2003 because I would not, and could not stop making music to eat, or sleep, or shit, or fuck. I had my monitors in the bathroom beside the toaster so I could make beats while I took a bath. When I’m not making music, I don’t exist.

I’ve been a huge fan of Canadian hip hop for many years now. What is your opinion of the Canadian scene?

Yikes… L

You seem like a guy who’s not afraid to work with a range of different artists. Do you have a dream collaboration?

Meat Loaf. Dolly Parton. Socalled. Joanna Newsom. Al B. Sure. Boyz II Men. Moxy Früvous.

Final words?

‘Sometimes when I’m reading a book, I’m just passing my eyes over the letters and thinking about boobs.’



Download Ira Lee - A Good Person (prod. by Eric Crusher)

http://iraleeiswack.com/
Platinum Records
Little Eskimo Jesus
The Fox Heads