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Adventureland

adventurelandHow the hell did this movie get past me when it was in theaters? Writer/director Greg Mottola, who directed (but didn’t write) Superbad, has delivered a funny poignant coming-of-age film that feels like a cross between Cameron Crowe and John Hughes. And somehow I was almost completely oblivious to this fact.

No matter, though. I’m thrilled to have discovered it on DVD, where I imagine I’ll return to it more than once in years to come.

Adventureland follows James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg), a recent college grad whose plans to tour Europe over the summer are derailed by financial complications. Instead he finds himself looking for a job to help pay his Fall tuition at the Columbia School of Journalism.

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Song of the Day #434: ‘Broken’ – Tift Merritt

merrittTift Merritt is the only artist in my collection who I’ve actually spoken to in person. At least I think so… and I guess if I met somebody famous and it made so little an impression on me that I can’t remember it anymore, it probably shouldn’t count anyway. But I certainly remember my encounter with Merritt, brief and innocuous as it was.

That momentary proximity to her is no doubt the biggest reason I find her so sexy. It makes her real in a way no other woman in my collection is real… and real is sexy. It also has a lot to do with the energy she brings to live performances and even more to do with her voice. She really is the total package in terms of songwriting chops, vocals and stage presence. I have no idea why she isn’t a big star.

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Song of the Day #433: ‘Take a Bow’ – Rihanna

rihanna4Rihanna’s presence on this list might seem obvious. She’s an artist who makes her living selling her appearance and sexuality as much as her music. But she’s pretty much the only singer of that sort I like who works for me in both areas. I listed Shakira and Christina Aguilera as two performers who shouldn’t have to sell sex to sell CDs, but that’s probably because I don’t find either of them all that sexy. Rihanna, on the other hand…

But it is still very much about the music. On the flip side you have Beyonce, somebody to whom Rihanna is often compared. I find Beyonce sexy as hell but her music doesn’t do much for me. I’ll never change the channel if I come across her on TV but I have no interest in listening to any of her albums. I discovered Rihanna through her music before knowing much about her appearance.

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Song of the Day #432: ‘Everything’s Just Wonderful’ – Lily Allen

lilyallen3Lily Allen makes my list of sexy performers for two reasons: attitude and accent. Yes, she’s a pretty woman, but in the way that somebody you work or go to school with is pretty… which is actually another part of her charm. There’s something very real about her brash no-bullshit style, a contrast to the pop princesses to whom she’d otherwise be compared.

And then there’s her voice, and particularly her accent. I’ve never considered myself a sucker for accents the way some people are. But in recent years I’ve noticed that some accents work a bit of magic on me. A slight southern accent can have that effect. Definitely a Scottish accent (as you’ll see later this week). And a working-class British accent… big winner. I could listen to Lily Allen sing all day just to hear her pronunciations.

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Song of the Day #431: ‘This Tornado Loves You (Live on Letterman)’ – Neko Case

nekocaseIn recent posts about Shakira and Christina Aguilera I decried the use of overt sexuality to sell the music of women whose talent stretches far beyond their looks.

I stand by those sentiments but I don’t want to give the impression that I’m generally prudish when it comes to things like this. I believe sexuality plays a big role in entertainment and particularly in music. The reason rock-and-roll was considered dangerous by older generations all those decades ago is because that music was about sex, maybe more than it was about anything else.

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