I don't normally listen to radio-plays, but this caught me. It's funny as heck, but it's also a novel way of approaching story-telling for radio. It approaches art, in fact, as in the work of certain mid-century Jewish storytellers who reveal truth in the mundane.
The dialogue is mostly faultless. I love the way it shows how parents forget the way youth is lived, and that kids are capable of working independently.
The girl's writing is indeed good, some notches better than that earnest-teenager kind of introspection, and the last fifteen or so seconds are just perfect. I can see the dad staring at his thumbs, half-joking that they're getting all tangled. Good work, Mr. Reiss!
Comment for
"The Transformation of a Neighborhood on Decline" (deleted)
Review of The Transformation of a Neighborhood on Decline (deleted)
It's amazing to me that three houses could instigate such an inspiring rebirth--which is why this piece is right to open with them. The piece gives a good idea of local color, with an opening character's thick New York accent, and notes how when gay folks move in, things are bound to change, in this case, as in most, for the better. The speaker calls it "good gentrification," and the program then points out, interestingly, that the term is not necessarily oxymoronic. (I wasn't totally convinced, but it's got me thinking.) I really got a good feel for the neighborhood, even with a few visual images stuck in my head.
This piece fills a good niche in discussing issues facing contemporary urbanism, as seen through this single case study. I wish it could have been longer, to delve into the seamier side--the old Hawley-Green, with sounds and interviews of same.
In a side note, public radio, for all its vaunted liberalism, maybe doesn't represent the gay population as avidly as the gay population tunes in, so it's good to hear the lead speaker here.
I'd like to hear this one on the air more than "very much." I want to hear that one high-voiced guy say most of it, then Michele Norris say the rest. This would blow America's mind. America needs its mind blown. That said, the piece has an element of navel-gazing. But what awkwardly realistic navels!
Ever since I first heard Eno's Music for Airports, which opens this piece, I was hooked. I like that this piece opens with that music and with Eno talking, as if to put the great man and his music entirely, peacefully at the fore. (Eno basically invented the idea of ambient music, with that work, in fact.)
Producer Diliberto's voice is smooth and professional, matched by his production techniques. The man, like his subject, is a classy engineer. I love how Diliberto's tastes run to the accessible side of edgy, or maybe the edgy side of accessible.
This isn't the piece to listen to if you're looking for an extended rumination on why Eno's (formidable) musical philosophy remains perennial. Others here surely do that. But as of May 15, there's no better way to celebrate, and quickly, Eno's sumptuous career. Snatches of Eno's recognizable pop hits as a producer, from Bowie to U2 to Coldplay, should perk up ears too.
Awesome. Japancakes' name had been familiar to me, but the band's music was not. As of now, count me a fan. The tone of the piece is informed but not esoteric, taking what could be a little alienating (country-shoegazer rock music) and making it sound palatable, and mostly, beautiful. I was especially excited to hear that the band has made an exacting rendition of the album Loveless, by My Bloody Valentine--one of my all-time favorites. The group's monumental song "Only Shallow" is here presented in an intimate version, on what sounds like a slide guitar. That's why covers exist: to show new depth in old favorites. Good stuff!
If you're one of the people who thinks they don't know anything about dance, this is a great place to start. Radio can be surprisingly effective at capturing so physical a form, and this piece satisfyingly details the reasoning behind the movement and topic choices of several major modern-dance choreographers. Mostly, it tries to clarify what can be, to dance audiences old and new, some pretty confusing stuff.
The story starts out with a funny rundown of what "regular folks" think about modern dance, and then tries to educate a similar listenership. Solid, earnest interviews--with blue-chip modern choreographers such as Liz Lerman, David Dorfman, and Rennie Harris, as well as with the leading scholar Suzanne Carbonneau--put words to a form that is often silent, and too often unheard in the mass media.
Just a few quibbles: I was surprised to hear the narrator mention that American Dance Festival is in its 80th year and thus older than Jacob's Pillow. In fact, the Pillow's 75th anniversary was last year, and ADF's 75th anniversary is this year.
Also, although I happen to be an avid dancegoer, the writing at times felt a little simplistic. Metaphors such as "spring like a cat," used twice, can be replaced in favor of meatier phrasing, I'm sure. Still, the chief message comes through clearly--to paraphrase Carbonneau, humans are physical creatures, so dance doesn't have to feel so foreign to the wider population. With more pieces being done like this, we're on the way!
Comments by French Clements
Comment for "11 Central Ave #83. Plagiarism, written by James Reiss."
French Clements
Posted on May 07, 2008 at 03:32 PM | Permalink
Review of 11 Central Ave #83. Plagiarism, written by James Reiss.
I don't normally listen to radio-plays, but this caught me. It's funny as heck, but it's also a novel way of approaching story-telling for radio. It approaches art, in fact, as in the work of certain mid-century Jewish storytellers who reveal truth in the mundane.
The dialogue is mostly faultless. I love the way it shows how parents forget the way youth is lived, and that kids are capable of working independently.
The girl's writing is indeed good, some notches better than that earnest-teenager kind of introspection, and the last fifteen or so seconds are just perfect. I can see the dad staring at his thumbs, half-joking that they're getting all tangled. Good work, Mr. Reiss!
Comment for "The Transformation of a Neighborhood on Decline" (deleted)
French Clements
Posted on May 07, 2008 at 03:04 PM
Review of The Transformation of a Neighborhood on Decline (deleted)
It's amazing to me that three houses could instigate such an inspiring rebirth--which is why this piece is right to open with them. The piece gives a good idea of local color, with an opening character's thick New York accent, and notes how when gay folks move in, things are bound to change, in this case, as in most, for the better. The speaker calls it "good gentrification," and the program then points out, interestingly, that the term is not necessarily oxymoronic. (I wasn't totally convinced, but it's got me thinking.) I really got a good feel for the neighborhood, even with a few visual images stuck in my head.
This piece fills a good niche in discussing issues facing contemporary urbanism, as seen through this single case study. I wish it could have been longer, to delve into the seamier side--the old Hawley-Green, with sounds and interviews of same.
In a side note, public radio, for all its vaunted liberalism, maybe doesn't represent the gay population as avidly as the gay population tunes in, so it's good to hear the lead speaker here.
Comment for "Mock Funding Credits"
French Clements
Posted on May 07, 2008 at 02:51 PM | Permalink
Review of Mock Funding Credits
I'd like to hear this one on the air more than "very much." I want to hear that one high-voiced guy say most of it, then Michele Norris say the rest. This would blow America's mind. America needs its mind blown. That said, the piece has an element of navel-gazing. But what awkwardly realistic navels!
Comment for "Brian Eno 60th birthday profile"
French Clements
Posted on May 07, 2008 at 02:37 PM | Permalink
Review of Brian Eno 60th birthday profile
Ever since I first heard Eno's Music for Airports, which opens this piece, I was hooked. I like that this piece opens with that music and with Eno talking, as if to put the great man and his music entirely, peacefully at the fore. (Eno basically invented the idea of ambient music, with that work, in fact.)
Producer Diliberto's voice is smooth and professional, matched by his production techniques. The man, like his subject, is a classy engineer. I love how Diliberto's tastes run to the accessible side of edgy, or maybe the edgy side of accessible.
This isn't the piece to listen to if you're looking for an extended rumination on why Eno's (formidable) musical philosophy remains perennial. Others here surely do that. But as of May 15, there's no better way to celebrate, and quickly, Eno's sumptuous career. Snatches of Eno's recognizable pop hits as a producer, from Bowie to U2 to Coldplay, should perk up ears too.
Comment for "Japancakes: Ambient Chamber Country"
French Clements
Posted on May 07, 2008 at 02:14 PM | Permalink
Review of Japancakes: Ambient Chamber Country
Awesome. Japancakes' name had been familiar to me, but the band's music was not. As of now, count me a fan. The tone of the piece is informed but not esoteric, taking what could be a little alienating (country-shoegazer rock music) and making it sound palatable, and mostly, beautiful. I was especially excited to hear that the band has made an exacting rendition of the album Loveless, by My Bloody Valentine--one of my all-time favorites. The group's monumental song "Only Shallow" is here presented in an intimate version, on what sounds like a slide guitar. That's why covers exist: to show new depth in old favorites. Good stuff!
Comment for "Designing Dance" (deleted)
French Clements
Posted on April 29, 2008 at 10:04 AM
Review of Designing Dance (deleted)
If you're one of the people who thinks they don't know anything about dance, this is a great place to start. Radio can be surprisingly effective at capturing so physical a form, and this piece satisfyingly details the reasoning behind the movement and topic choices of several major modern-dance choreographers. Mostly, it tries to clarify what can be, to dance audiences old and new, some pretty confusing stuff.
The story starts out with a funny rundown of what "regular folks" think about modern dance, and then tries to educate a similar listenership. Solid, earnest interviews--with blue-chip modern choreographers such as Liz Lerman, David Dorfman, and Rennie Harris, as well as with the leading scholar Suzanne Carbonneau--put words to a form that is often silent, and too often unheard in the mass media.
Just a few quibbles: I was surprised to hear the narrator mention that American Dance Festival is in its 80th year and thus older than Jacob's Pillow. In fact, the Pillow's 75th anniversary was last year, and ADF's 75th anniversary is this year.
Also, although I happen to be an avid dancegoer, the writing at times felt a little simplistic. Metaphors such as "spring like a cat," used twice, can be replaced in favor of meatier phrasing, I'm sure. Still, the chief message comes through clearly--to paraphrase Carbonneau, humans are physical creatures, so dance doesn't have to feel so foreign to the wider population. With more pieces being done like this, we're on the way!