Category Archives: Music
A scene from “Gloria”
0I really like this musical scene from the Chilean film, Gloria, by Director Sebastian Lelio, even though I can’t understand the words…
Inside Llewyn Davis
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Is it possible to like a movie even if virtually all of the characters are unlikeable? Yes, and the movie is Inside Llewyn Davis. The main character, Llewyn, although callous most of the time, does show a glimmer of emotion mainly when it comes to one thing – the cat for which he unwillingly becomes responsible. Even when it comes to his music, which is his great passion and the focus of the film, he does not seem as moved by it as he does by the cat. There are many unlikeable characters in the film: Jean, the girl who Llewyn perhaps impregnated and perhaps not, whose character seems underdeveloped and repetitively irritating with her criticisms of Llewyn, Roland, the grossly overweight pimp-like character with whom Llewyn rides across the country in a car, Mel Novikoff, his agent who doesn’t even believe in him, and Pappi, the owner of the bar where Llewyn often plays. There are, however, some likable characters too but they have less significant roles and therefore don’t have much of an impact on the film – Jim, Jean’s husband, who is innocent and sympathetic, Al Cody, who is also sympathetic as he takes Llewyn in for a night or two, and Mr. and Mrs. Gorfein, the parents of his deceased music partner who own the cat that Llewyn inadvertently becomes in charge of. The film definitely has a sombre tone to it, and if you’re a cat lover, the cats’ fate is very sad. Llewyn’s quest for success in his music career doesn’t go too well for him and his desperate way of life is appropriate for a struggling artist or musician’s way of life. The soundtrack is excellent and completely captures the 60’s folk music scene. Despite the film’s mournful resonance, Llewyn’s apathetic character really works and it is Coen brothers classic.
Life is absurd
0When you think about it, life is completely absurd. There is so much sadness in the world, but also so much joy, and the clash between the two is a difficult thing to come to terms with sometimes. I get sad around the holidays when I think about people who spend them alone because they have no one to spend them with. I also get sad during the winter when I think about homeless people that have to stay outside in the unbearable, freezing weather. I am sad for animals in shelters who have no home, and I am sad for families who do not have money to buy Christmas presents for their children. Amidst all this sadness, we sometimes catch a glimpse of something so extraordinary and pure that brings us joy and happiness practically to the point of tears. Such events occur to me when I visit my grandfather in the nursing home and see his face light up when I walk into the room. Or when I’m at the symphony and I hear a beautiful, perfect melody. This happened to me recently, at the nursing home actually. I was visiting my grandpa and they had a concert for the residents. The concert was put on by a group of children, and although they were still learning and not fantastic, their harmony and unity was so beautiful I had tears in my eyes. It was also nice to share that moment with my grandpa. Moments like these overwhelm us with joy and beauty, while others overwhelm us with sadness. Although this clash seems absurd and is difficult to understand, we get through life experiencing a combination of both.
“Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
0http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHEOF_rcND8&ob=av2n
This is one of those songs that makes me feel really at home. I travel back and forth a lot between two places, Indiana and Massachusetts, and when I’m away in MA, this song brings me back home. Upon hearing this song for the first time I immediately fell in love with it and had to further inquire. It’s something about the raw authenticity about the song and sincerity that makes me feel so connected to it. Isn’t that what music is supposed to do…? Elicit a connection between the music and the listener? I think so, and this song is so endearing, it’s really worth a listen or two. I love the idea of feeling at home wherever the one you love is, because I think it is so true and so telling of real love. So whether I am in Indiana or Massachusetts, I always listen to this song and it reminds me of where home is – with the one I love.
MOVITS! – Fel Del Av Gården (Officiell) – YouTube
0MOVITS! – Fel Del Av Gården (Officiell) – YouTube.
Super cool Swedish hip hop/swing music! I just saw them at Lotus Fest in Bloomington, IN & they were amazing!
Lotus Festival, Bloomington
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I always feel more alive after I’ve visited Bloomington, IN. This past weekend I went there to share in the experience of Lotus Fest, and it was no exception. Lotus is an international music festival which brings exuberant live to Bloomington. Not that Bloomington isn’t always bursting with energy and culture, but Lotus brings in many out-of-towners that add to the mix. Lotus is an annual festival, but this is the first year I have gone, much to my dismay. I should have been going for years! This year’s festival featured musical groups such as Movits!, a Swedish hip hop/swing band, Bomba Estereo, from Colombia, Frigg, a group of Norwegian fiddlers, Strange Fruit, a performance art group from Australia, and many others. My favorite by a significant margin was Movits! They were pretty much the coolest thing I have ever seen, and I am so inspired to learn Swedish and go to Sweden because of them. So I definitely recommend checking them out!
If you have not been to Bloomington, IN, it really is a cool place. It’s so beautiful, nestled in the few and far between rolling hills of Indiana. A small town, which basically revolves around Indiana University, a very fine university by the way, and is filled with many cute boutiques, coffee shops, bookstores, and ethnic restaurants. The main square is beautiful, with a classic courthouse and one of my favorite coffee shops, Scholar’s Bakehouse. Kirkwood, the main street that leads to Sample Gates which open to the campus, is where all the cute boutiques are. 4th street is home to the ethnic restaurants, which range from Ethiopian to Tibetan, and Turkish to Thai. One can’t miss the cycling culture in Bloomington, as it is the host of the Little Five competition for cyclists. Road bikes are everywhere in Bloomington and they’re so pretty!
Lotus Fest is just another wonderful thing I enjoy about Bloomington, and I certainly recommend going, not only to experience Lotus but also to visit Bloomington.
gooollysandra 