So who has been watching ‘Mad Men’ this season? The last 4/5 episodes (ever since the reign of Fat Betty) have made it become absolute must watch TV.
When it first started ‘Mad Men’ was full of “oh look at the 60s, haha, we were so different” type moments; parents smoking in front of their kids, Bobby running around with a dry cleaning bag over his head with no one caring and so on. Yes it was enjoyable, but it was always much more style over substance. One thing it did do very well (albeit sometimes a tad cheesily) was deal with historical moments – JFK, Ali, even the move to spray on deodorant.
This season however it has taken that to a whole new level and each episode is jam packed with references and homages to 60’s counter-culture sometimes so obscure it takes multiple viewings (and a lot of help from the internet) to decipher them.
As we have entered the late 60’s (aka the 60’s we think about when we think about the 60’s) the show has become as experimental as the era it is depicting. Fellaini-esque non-linear narrative, Syliva Plath references, slasher film scenes mirroring the horrors of Speck and Manson and most obviously Don listening to ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ by the new psychedelic version of the Beatles – a band he failed to ‘get’ in an earlier season, let alone now.
Like all great modern dramas, ‘The Wire’, ‘The Sopranos’ etc ‘Mad Men’ was originally supposed to be watched like you would read a novel. Building over time, a narrative arc stretching over a whole season (if not series). This is what made those programs great – they were in stark opposition to the tired, formulaic network dramas and their episodic format. But now, buoyed by his three-season contract guarantee, Weiner has turned the new format on it’s head. It no longer reads like a novel rather a collection of short stories. An overall connection for sure, but every story/episode could be viewed as stand-alone. Is there a plot running through this season? Vaguely. But each episode sits in it’s own world, with it’s own style and it has its own end game.
It is amazing how much this season has made us re-evaulate what we thought we were watching like in ‘Breaking Bad’ where we supported Walter White for a good three years until we realized he was pure evil. This has now happened to our beloved Don Draper. He is no longer Don (or Dick) he is now out of touch and desperate. It is amazing how quickly he has gone from being the coolest man on TV to the squarest. Has that honour now been passed to hip Michael Ginsberg?
It may be an obvious point but in ’The Sopranos’ Tony was the main character where in ‘The Wire’ Baltimore was. But in ‘Mad Men’ it is not Don we are following but rather the society. This is what makes Matt Weiner special – he wasn’t content with taking on a character study he wanted to study all of us.
There are already dozens of MCA tributes around the web all touching on the same points so you don’t need another. But I just wanted to say although I never regularly listened to their albums (well maybe Hello Nasty) they were always one of my favourite bands.
They had the most amazing aesthetic and I loved them for their humour, their forward thinking, their comradery and their amazing live show – one of the best I have ever seen. If you haven’t seen ‘Awesome: I Fucking Shot’ Then I urge you to check it out. It sums up all those points perfectly in 90 minutes - culminating in possibly the greatest encore ever recorded (seriously).
As always happens when an artist dies album sales rocket, tributes flow in and everyone starts listening to them again. S0 if you are jonsing for some ‘Boys this is the best mix I have heard so far – put together by Rough Trade.
Oh and for the record my top 5 Beastie’s songs in no particular order: An Open Letter to NYC, Paul Revere, Get it Together, Sure Shot and Sabrosa
Field Day festival in Victoria Park, London is just under a month away so I thought I would put together a little mix.
It’s one of my most attended festivals as it is easy, cheap and always has some very cool acts. I will be missing it this year and gutted to be missing the likes of Grimes, Peaking Lights, Liars and more.
For those in London tickets are still on sale here.
I haven’t really liked too much of Azealia Banks other than ’212′ though that was such a tune I will give anything of hers a go now. Including a remix of Lana Del Rey’s terrible ‘Blue Jeans’ by Smims&Belle – which is actually pretty sweet.
Portishead have long been one of my favourite bands and I am all over Geoff Barrow’s jock – I even loved the Beak> record. Well somehow he started a new group called Quakers and put out a record on seminal hip hop label Stones Throw and it slipped me by. Well better a month late than never!
The album was put together by Barrow plus producers Katalyst and 7-Stu-7 alongside 35 rappers – some names but mostly discovered through myspace of all places. Rappers include Dead Prez, Prince Po and Aloe Blacc and would appeal to fans of Doom, Madlib etc.
Read a Quietus interview with Barrow here or check out the first single below which samples a marching band’s cover of Radiohead’s ‘National Anthem’.
A great short film about a 9 year old boy who built an elaborate cardboard arcade inside his dad’s used auto part store – and how it became the best day of his life.
Best in the sun: Metronomy really are the perfect summer band. How on earth are they from Britain?
Best to dance to: I found the overalls crowds in America very, very tame. Only during a few shows over the whole weekend did people dance and/or mosh – The Rapture easily being the best for it.
Refused also get an honourable mention in the latter camp.
Biggest Miss: Azealia Banks. Too early in the day so I missed it by 15 mins. I have no doubt ‘212’ would’ve been one of the bigger tunes of the festival. Lucky you can catch you the whole set below.
Honourable mentions: Araabmuzik, Death Grips, Andrew Bird, Beirut.
The ‘how are they still playing main stage in a decent timeslot’ award: A tie between Kaiser Chiefs and The Hives. It’s 2012 not 2006.
Most iconic site: The Ferris Wheel. It really does look amazing both during the day and during the night and it is the first thing I think of when I think Coachella.
Honourable mention: The Palm Trees – nothing screams Cali more.
Worst time slot (for the crowd): The Black Keys as a headliner. Does anyone love them or does everyone just kinda like them? I am not sold on them in a primetime slot.
Honourable mention: Bon Iver, I might be in the minority but I would’ve much preferred a late afternoon/early evening slot from them.
Worst time slot (for an artist): Avichii. Mega guts at having to go head-to-head with Dre + Snoop on the Sunday night.
Honourable mention: Anything on pre 2:30 (an impossible slot for the non-campers)
Favourite Accident: On Sunday I was well excited to see Araabmuzik and trotted off solo to his tent as I couldn’t by a friend to accompany me. After about 15 mins though I realised I was in the wrong one (all 3 are next door and look identical) and I was actually watching The Gaslamp Killer. But it was incredible so I ended up staying. He mixes hip hop/dubstep including his own remixes of ‘Niggas in Paris’, ‘I Wanna Be your Dog’ and the Star Wars ‘Imperial March’. Boss.
Biggest praise: To the shuttle drivers. Comfy buses, never a wait, great music AND they let you drink on them. Very tidy operation.
Biggest gripe: It has definitely fallen into Glastonbury zone of being a festival for people who aren’t really into music but just want to ‘tick it off’. So many Frat boys it may as well have been called Bro-chella.
Dishonourable mention: Only being able to drink in designated areas and not by the stages.
Most enjoyable person I danced 2 metres away from: Usher during Dre + Snoop. Yeah, yeah.
Top Song: Extremely tough category but I will have to go with Radiohead ‘After the Goldrush/Everything in its Right Place’. Thom Yorke covered Neil Young exceptionally well and then blended it into the ‘Kid A’ highlight (though I basically could’ve included their whole 6 song, 40min encore).
Honourable mention: SBTRKT’s ‘Wildfire’ remix of the Drake remix. Big tune gets even bigger.
Best Act: Dre + Snoop, obviously. It is the act that has been most talked about and quite rightly so. Just an amazing set featuring cameos from Eminem, 50 Cent, Wiz Kalifa, Warren G, Kurupt, Kendrick Lamar and of course ‘2Pac’. It was a barrage of surprises each topping the last and the set list was incredible. The hologram performance definitely raises some ethical questions but to see that live was an experience I will never forget – and it will go down not only as an iconic Coachella moment but a global musical milestone. (PS set list after the jump)
Most jacked rapper: For the first 4 or 5 songs of Dre + Snoop I just couldn’t stop staring at how ripped Dre has got. I wasn’t sure if I have should be amazed or grossed out but which ever way it screams mid life crisis.
Honourable mention to MC Ride form Death Grips – that guy is a beast.
Best Sing-along: Nothing tops a festival crowd sing-along and when the instrumental for Snoop’s ‘Ain’t No Fun’ came on the whole crowd immediately knew what was required of them. And we obliged by rapping every bar of Nate Dogg’s (revolting but hilarious) verse. Incredible moment.
Weekend Winners/Losers
Winners: Holograms, Del Taco, Red Cups, Walmart, Matt + Matt, Shuttles, ESPN Deportes, Motel pools, Relative lack of lines once inside, Guest appearance, Streaming on Youtube, David Guetta jokes,
Losers: Work today, Fruit + Veg, Security searches (“this is not your package”), Walmart, Midriff (is it coming back? I hope not), $9 beers, $7 pizza slices, Being dark at 6pm, 2nd weekend now that the surprises are spoiled, David Guetta,
Bands Seen:
Friday: Girls, Wu Lyf, The Rapture, The Black Keys, Explosions in the Sky, Refused
The Next Episode
Kush
Gin And Juice
Deep Cover
Nuthin’ But A “G” Thang
Ain’t No Fun(with Kurupt + Warren G)
I Wanna Rock
Jump Around (House of Pain cover)
Drop It Like It’s Hot
Young Wild And Free (with Wiz Khalifa)
The Recipe (with Kendrick Lamar)
What Up Gangsta (50 Cent)
P.I.M.P Remix(with 50 Cent)
In The Club (50 Cent)
Xxplosive (Snippet)
California Love
Hail Mary(2pac)
2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted (with 2pac)
Gangsta Party
I Need a Doctor (with Eminem)
Forgot About Dre (with Eminem)
‘Till I Collapse (with Eminem)
Who Am I?
Still D.R.E.
