From The Archives
Note: A couple more entries from the archives. One, a review of Casino Royale, from my Movie Mania Blog, and the other a review of a 2006 Daniel Lanois gig, that first appeared on my Singing Muses blog.
Caught In The Act: Daniel Lanois
Back in April (Saturday, April 8, 2006 - to be precise), I, and a full house of other curious punters, packed into the Governor Hindmarsh Hotel to see the award winning record producer, Daniel Lanois, strut his stuff.
Daniel did not perform solo. He had other musicians backing him up, and they did a very fine job of it too. Unfortunately, I did not get their names, so I can't tell you who they were. Nor can I give you a list of the songs Lanois performed. My overall impression of the show is very favourable. While I did not think Lanois was a technically brilliant guitarist, everything he did seemed right in the context of the song he was singing. He was no Hendrix or Clapton, but Lanois clearly knew his way around a guitar, and was not afraid to attack it with a considerable degree of enthusiasm.
Writing this entry, a full three months after the gig, only allows me to draw on some general impressions regarding the show, and I couldn't tell you what the standout songs were. What I do remember is the passion with which he performed, and the obvious pleasure he got from being on stage.
I can only assume that he brings this same passion and enthusiasm to his role as a producer, which is why so many singers and musicians, have asked him to produce their albums for them. After all, Lanois has been the 'go to' man for many of contemporary music's finest performers, including Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel, Willie Nelson, Marianne Faithfull, Emmylou Harris, U2, and of course, Bob Dylan.
Apart from his work as a producer of other people's material, I was totally unfamiliar with Daniel Lanois's own body of music - which in some resects was a real blessing. It was a blessing because I had no expectations, no baggage, and no preconceived ideas about what to expect.
Every song had to be taken on its own merits. I had no idea whether I was listening to him sing a song for the first time, or whether the song he was performing was a 'big hit' for him. Nor did I spend the night waiting in anticipation for the one big song, that other's may have been hanging out for. In my eyes, all songs were equal; I found myself giving each song the same amount of respect and attention as each of the others.
I realise now, as I'm writing this, that this is quite a liberating concept, and it's something that I can, and will make use of in the future. .
Visit the Daniel Lanois website here...
Check out the video below to see Daniel Lanois performing with U2 on the RTE Studios "Late Late Show" out of Dublin, Ireland. First broadcast on October 31, 2003.
At The Movies: Casino Royale
Caught the new James Bond movie last night. Casino Royale is a blast. Much darker, and more realistic than many of its predessors, the film dispenses with many of the well worn Bond cliches we've come to expect from the franchise. No fancy gadgets, no "Q", fewer quips, and all in all a much more serious tone to the whole story.
Daniel Craig is excellent as Bond. He has a face and demeanor (and body), that suits the new harder edged James Bond. He even bleeds! Not only that, but he actually carries the scars of his fights for more than 30 seconds of screen time.
While some scenes drag a bit (the love scenes), the action sequences are incredibly well staged and very fast paced. Even the extended poker playing sequences hold their tension throughout. The fact that they are intercut with action sequences helps break up the card table scenes, but overall they don't seem to drag anyway. Talking of action sequences, the CGI destruction of a building in Venice, Italy is superbly created and very realistic. It won't be long before virtually anything the human mind can imagine, can be realistically created on screen. Come to think of it, we've probably aready reached that point.
I thought the film ended in a very strange way, but I've learnt today (via the internet), that the next Bond film will be a sequel of sorts to Casino Royale, so the abrupt ending now makes more sense.
I tend to have a love/hate relationship with these types of big budget action films. Nine times out of ten, they are seen, and quickly forgotten, but I'm finding that Casino Royale is lingering on in my memory much more than I thought it would. I may even go and see it a second time, just so I can 'see' the bits I missed the first time around.
Best lines...
James Bond: Vodka-martini.
Bartender: Shaken or stirred?
James Bond: Does it look like I give a damn?
You can see the trailer for the movie here...
My Rating: 4 stars
Casino Royale on the Internet Movie Database...
Casino Royale Official Site...
Caught the new James Bond movie last night. Casino Royale is a blast. Much darker, and more realistic than many of its predessors, the film dispenses with many of the well worn Bond cliches we've come to expect from the franchise. No fancy gadgets, no "Q", fewer quips, and all in all a much more serious tone to the whole story.
Daniel Craig is excellent as Bond. He has a face and demeanor (and body), that suits the new harder edged James Bond. He even bleeds! Not only that, but he actually carries the scars of his fights for more than 30 seconds of screen time.
While some scenes drag a bit (the love scenes), the action sequences are incredibly well staged and very fast paced. Even the extended poker playing sequences hold their tension throughout. The fact that they are intercut with action sequences helps break up the card table scenes, but overall they don't seem to drag anyway. Talking of action sequences, the CGI destruction of a building in Venice, Italy is superbly created and very realistic. It won't be long before virtually anything the human mind can imagine, can be realistically created on screen. Come to think of it, we've probably aready reached that point.
I thought the film ended in a very strange way, but I've learnt today (via the internet), that the next Bond film will be a sequel of sorts to Casino Royale, so the abrupt ending now makes more sense.
I tend to have a love/hate relationship with these types of big budget action films. Nine times out of ten, they are seen, and quickly forgotten, but I'm finding that Casino Royale is lingering on in my memory much more than I thought it would. I may even go and see it a second time, just so I can 'see' the bits I missed the first time around.
Best lines...
James Bond: Vodka-martini.
Bartender: Shaken or stirred?
James Bond: Does it look like I give a damn?
You can see the trailer for the movie here...
My Rating: 4 stars
Casino Royale on the Internet Movie Database...
Casino Royale Official Site...
--o0o--
| Back to Jim's Website... |
Caught In The Act: Daniel Lanois
Back in April (Saturday, April 8, 2006 - to be precise), I, and a full house of other curious punters, packed into the Governor Hindmarsh Hotel to see the award winning record producer, Daniel Lanois, strut his stuff.
Daniel did not perform solo. He had other musicians backing him up, and they did a very fine job of it too. Unfortunately, I did not get their names, so I can't tell you who they were. Nor can I give you a list of the songs Lanois performed. My overall impression of the show is very favourable. While I did not think Lanois was a technically brilliant guitarist, everything he did seemed right in the context of the song he was singing. He was no Hendrix or Clapton, but Lanois clearly knew his way around a guitar, and was not afraid to attack it with a considerable degree of enthusiasm.
Writing this entry, a full three months after the gig, only allows me to draw on some general impressions regarding the show, and I couldn't tell you what the standout songs were. What I do remember is the passion with which he performed, and the obvious pleasure he got from being on stage.
I can only assume that he brings this same passion and enthusiasm to his role as a producer, which is why so many singers and musicians, have asked him to produce their albums for them. After all, Lanois has been the 'go to' man for many of contemporary music's finest performers, including Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel, Willie Nelson, Marianne Faithfull, Emmylou Harris, U2, and of course, Bob Dylan.
Apart from his work as a producer of other people's material, I was totally unfamiliar with Daniel Lanois's own body of music - which in some resects was a real blessing. It was a blessing because I had no expectations, no baggage, and no preconceived ideas about what to expect.
Every song had to be taken on its own merits. I had no idea whether I was listening to him sing a song for the first time, or whether the song he was performing was a 'big hit' for him. Nor did I spend the night waiting in anticipation for the one big song, that other's may have been hanging out for. In my eyes, all songs were equal; I found myself giving each song the same amount of respect and attention as each of the others.
I realise now, as I'm writing this, that this is quite a liberating concept, and it's something that I can, and will make use of in the future. .
Visit the Daniel Lanois website here...
Check out the video below to see Daniel Lanois performing with U2 on the RTE Studios "Late Late Show" out of Dublin, Ireland. First broadcast on October 31, 2003.
--o0o--
| Back to Jim's Website... |
posted by Jim Lesses at
10:03 PM
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