Telex & other

V Festival 2008: Amy Winehouse And The Verve Return

2008-08-17T18:11:00.001-07:00

Amy Winehouse will return to the V Festival later, a year subsequently cancelling her appearance at the case because of a suspected drugs overdose.

The singer joins a legion of acts, including The Verve and Kings of Leon,

Sixty Six

2008-08-07T20:12:00.001-07:00

Preteen years can be so

Terry and Pirates

2008-06-24T04:35:00.001-07:00

Artist: Terry and Pirates

   Genre(s):
Rock

Discography:

Doubtful Handshake

Year:
Tracks: 8

Roughcut

2008-06-24T01:16:00.001-07:00

Artist: Roughcut

   Genre(s):
Drum & Bass

Discography:


Wicked Sound

   Year: 2005
Tracks: 2


Flex (FLEX038)

   Year: 2005
Tracks: 2

'Get Smart': Maxed Out, By Kurt Loder

2008-06-24T00:06:00.001-07:00

Why do they keep doing this? Why do they keep brewing up movies from the soggy dregs of old '60s TV series? Like other such awkward projects ("Wild Wild West," "The Avengers"), the new "Get Smart" is uncertain exactly what it wants to be. The original show, created by gag maestros Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, began airing in 1965, in the midst of a spy-movie craze that had been launched by the first three Bond films. That very particular cultural context being long gone, this movie is left with a narrative premise — secret spy agency battles international bad guys with a barrage of shpritzy one-liners — that has no contemporary cognate. And so the filmmakers have striven mightily to refashion their antique material into something, anything, else. What they've come up with is an uneasy amalgam of slapstick comedy, half-hearted romance and, most desperately, rampaging action. The picture is funnier than you might expect, though, and if your expectations are bare-minimal, it might pass for hilarious.

Fans of the original TV show may be puzzled by this lackluster update (it's not worth getting angry about). But of course they aren't the film's target demo, which is a new audience that's too young to remember the old series and must therefore be courted with more up-to-date inducements. Fortunately, the movie has a sharp cast: Steve Carell as the bumbling spy Maxwell Smart, Anne Hathaway as the beautiful Agent 99, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (his old wrestling handle soon to be an entirely unnecessary credits appendage) as the stalwart Agent 23, and Alan Arkin as their flustered chief, Chief. A few tokens of the old series have been carried over: Maxwell's silly shoe phone, the malfunctioning Cone of Silence, the telephone-booth entrance to the headquarters of the underground agency, which is still called CONTROL (an acronym that still stands for nothing). But there's no attempt to simulate the '60s: the story has been updated to the age of the iPod — leaving it, alas, ankle-deep in a puddle of implausibility.

The gags that work, however, are almost worth sitting through the ones that don't. (Maxwell's acing of an agency test with an essay on existentialism — even though, as he says, "I left that section blank" — has the shape of a joke, but doesn't scan when you think about it.) There's plenty of vintage ba-da-bing ("Welcome back. How was the assassination?"), and Carell's gift for physical comedy puts across such slapstick set pieces as a one-man mini-crossbow struggle in an airplane lavatory (don't ask) and an elaborate and surprisingly sweet dance-off in which he partners with the very large and entirely lovable actress Lindsay Hollister. Johnson once again demonstrates a precise light-comic touch; and the veteran Arkin, now 74, has, of all things, a couple of funny fight scenes.

Unfortunately, Hathaway's character — here upgraded from the adoring sidekick of the TV show to a thoroughly modern butt-kicker — is written with blithe disregard for the need to make at least a little bit of sense. She spends most of the movie sneering at Maxwell, her unwanted new partner, and then, for no persuasive reason, suddenly falls in love with him. Since Hathaway and Carell have no particular romantic chemistry, this attempt at forcing a relationship is a watch-checking waste of time.

As is the plot — something about a terrorist scheme to nuke the president of the United States (James Caan, putting in a pointless appearance) during a symphony concert in Los Angeles. (Los Angeles?) The terrorists here are a vaguely constituted crew of goons bearing no resemblance to the terrorists we know so well today. These people, members of the rival spy agency KAOS, are Russians (I think), although they're led by a character named Siegfried (Terence Stamp, underutilized), who appears to be German. By about halfway through the movie, this strained scenario begins to drag woefully. And a sudden avalanche of road-chase action at the end, despite some really impressive stunt work, is a big-bucks climax that seems to come careening in from another movie. Not necessarily a better one, either.

"Get Smart" is a piffling summer diversion. Unsurprisingly, Steve Carell is the best reason to see it. But even his distinctive comic persona — the deeply deadpan puzzlement, the occasional, unexpected glow of human warmth — may not be reason enough.

Check out everything we've got on "Get Smart."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

See Also

Six Parts Seven

2008-06-24T00:04:00.001-07:00

Artist: Six Parts Seven

   Genre(s):
Rock
   Indie

Discography:


Casually Smashed to Pieces

   Year: 2007
Tracks: 8


Everywhere, and Right Now

   Year: 2004
Tracks: 8

The Six Parts Seven was founded by brothers Allen (guitar) and Jay Karpinski (drums) in 1995. Based in Kent, OH, the band's indie sway appeal stems from the influences of Brian Eno and John Fahey. They issued Quiet Magnifies Sound in 2000 with Tim Gerak (guitars, samples), Brad Visker (basso). Two years by and by, the Six Parts Seven expanded into a sestet, adding Matt Haas (lap brand, high-lonesome guitar), and Steven Clements (grand piano). Things Shaped in Passing followed on Suicide Squeeze that March. They toured in support of the album for the succeeding deuce age. During that meter, The Six Parts Seven issued a split EP with with The Black Keys while as well piece of writing and recording a third record album. Lost Notes From Forgotten Songs appeared in fall 2003.

Shadow

The Delta

2008-06-24T00:03:00.001-07:00

Artist: The Delta

   Genre(s):
Trance: Psychedelic

Discography:

As a Child I Could Walk On The Celling (X-Noize Rmx) (Proper)

Year: 2005
Tracks: 1

Britney Spears Becomes An Aunt After Sister Gives Birth

2008-06-23T23:53:00.001-07:00

Britney Spears sister Jamie Lynn has given birth to a baby girl in a hospital in Mississippi, it's been reported.

Actress Jamie Lynn, 17, checked into the hospital at 4am local time (June 19th), followed shortly by Spears, who flew in with family from her home in Los Angeles, reports the National Inquirer.

The baby is Jamie Lynn's and her finance Casey Alrigdge's first child.

As previously reported on Gigwise, Jamie Lynn stunned family members last year when she announced that she was pregnant at the age of 16.

See Also

Courtney Keeps Her Britney Covered ... Sorta

2008-06-23T23:52:00.001-07:00

Wearing Amelia Earhart's Easter hat, a support-free bra, Rosie O'Donnell's bloomers and her great-aunt Sheila's tablecloth, a bloodless Courtney Love modeled the latest from Victoria's Secret Great Gatsby Collection in Malibu on Thursday.

The 43-year-old rehabbed widow loon is a sheer mess.

See Also

Coolio arrested in Hollywood

2008-06-23T23:50:00.000-07:00

Rapper Coolio was arrested yesterday (June 10) in Hollywood, Los Angeles.

The hip-hop legend, otherwise known as Artis Ivery Jr, was pulled over by cops at 1am on Sunset Boulevard for a routine stop.

According to the LA Times, it was during the course of this stop that the police discovered Coolio had an outstanding misdemeanour for driving while his licence was suspended.

Police arrested the rapper and released him at 6.40am after he posted $10,000 bail.

Emery

2008-06-23T23:49:00.001-07:00

Artist: Emery

   Genre(s):
Rock
   Alternative

Discography:


I'm Only a Man

   Year: 2007
Tracks: 16


The Weak's End

   Year: 2004
Tracks: 10


The Question

   Year: 2002
Tracks: 12

Like From Autumn to Ashes, Nora, and Hopesfall (barely to turn over three examples), Emery is an alternative pop/rock outfit that has been described as "melodic hardcore." That means that they aren't providing pure, complete hardcore (let alone metalcore) in the traditional sense, simply instead ar melodic alternative pop/rockers world Health Organization contain hardcore elements. That approaching has too been called "screamo" -- in other words, worked up and melodic sensitivity contrastive with the sort of screaming vocals one associates with hardcore and metalcore. And Emery, like many other 2000s bands that have been described as "melodic hard-core," "post-hardcore" or "screamo," definitely thrives on heaven/hell and melody/brutality contrasts. One minute, they're providing lush melodies, introspective lyrics and conventional vocals -- the side by side minute, they'll detour into anguished, torturesome, death-all-over-your-face screaming.

For Emery, however, the formal vocals outnumber the screaming vocals, which is a major difference between their approach and the unrelenting violence of the more than extreme hard-core and metalcore bands of the 2000s -- Emery gives you tortured screaming some of the time, whereas hardcore and metalcore purists volition cave in you anguished screaming one C pct of the time. Without question, Emery's kindness/cruelty collocation is a long way from the unmitigated ferocity and stern barbarism of metalcore bands wish Brick Bath, Hatebreed, and Rotten Sound.

Emery was formed in South Carolina in 2001, when Toby Morrell (lead vocals, guitar), Matt Carter (guitar, keyboards, background vocals), and Joel Green (basso) got together with Devin Shelton (guitar, background vocals), Josh Head (keyboards), and Seth Studley (drums). All of the Southern musicians were recent college graduates, and when they formed Emery, they were determined to constitute music a calling instead of a mere sideline. After talking things over and weighing their options, Emery's members decided that Seattle would be a better environment for them than South Carolina and left hand for the West Coast at around 7:30 a.m. on September 11, 2001 -- the day Al Qaeda terrorists hijacked quaternion airplanes and brutally attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Emery's members didn't find forbidden nearly the attacks until they stopped-up in North Carolina to get something to eat; despite all the horror and chaos, they finally made it to the West Coast and made the Emerald City their new home. In 2002, Emery signed with the Seattle-based Tooth & Nail judge, which united them with producer/engineer Ed Rose (wHO has worked with the Get Up Kids, Todd Newman, the Beautiful Mistake, Shallow, and the Hillbilly Hellcats, among many others). The following twelvemonth, Rose produced Emery's debut album, The Weak's End, which Tooth & Nail released in January 2004. The Question then appeared in August 2005.

Los Straitjackets

Telex

2008-06-23T23:48:00.001-07:00

Artist: Telex

   Genre(s):
Pop
   Electronic
   Rock
   Techno
   Dance

Discography:


How Do You Dance

   Year: 2006
Tracks: 10


Looking for Saint Tropez

   Year: 2004
Tracks: 14


Neurovision

   Year: 2000
Tracks: 21


Wonderful World/Looney Tunes

   Year: 1998
Tracks: 20


Sex/Sex (Birds and Bees)

   Year: 1998
Tracks: 19


I Don't Like Remixes

   Year: 1998
Tracks: 20


The Best

   Year: 1994
Tracks: 20


Looking for St. Tropez

   Year: 1978
Tracks: 13


Moscow Diskow

   Year:
Tracks: 9


I Don't Like Remixes (Original Classics 78-86)

   Year:
Tracks: 21

Telex was a synth-disco trio formed in Brussels, Belgium, in 1978 by keyboardist Marc Moulin, world Health Organization had previously performed with Cos. He was coupled by vocalizer Michel Moers and composer/synthesist Dan Lacksman, and in concert, Telex crafted a slick, stylish brand of Europop/disco with relaxed tempos and often-processed vocals. Their debut album, Look for Saint-Tropez, was released in 1979, containing signature songs wish the deed track, "Moskow Diskow," and slowed-down covers of "Rock Around the Clock" and Plastic Bertrand's "Ca Plane Pour Moi." Neurovision (1980) and Sexual urge (1981) followed, with the latter employing lyricists Ron and Russell Mael. (A 1982 U.K.-only release, Birds and Bees, contains all just three of Sex's tracks, asset several singles.) Nothing much was heard from the group after 1984's Howling World until 1988, when Loony Tunes displayed an about turn toward goofy, effects-laden electronic music somewhat consanguineous to the Art of Noise or Yello. The banding skint up soon after, though all deuce-ace members likewise released material. Ten years subsequently, long after all Telex material had done for verboten of print, the band received the remix-album intervention on SSR's I Don't Like Music (Remixes), featuring a host of new-school electronic producers like Carl Craig, Buckfunk 3000, Patrick Pulsinger, and Glenn Underground. A secernate phonograph record, I Don't Like Remixes, presented the Telex originals. The set proved so democratic that a indorsement remix disc, I (Motionless) Don't Like Remixes, Vol. 2, was released the following year.

Behind the Big Voice: David Archuleta