Hello virtual world! Long time no see! I had a flash of inspiration and nostalgia today as I was listening to my favorite podcast from IFC...I'm such a movie whore, I know....Here's the link, I'll explain the podcast momentarily, but I highly recommend this podcast to any and all movie lovers .
Anyways, they were talking about a semi famous video store in NYC getting shut down, and it dredged up memories from my own child hood and early teens.
The locally owned star video audio in wyoming was, in a word, the bomb. Of course, this is coming from a biased source, who used to spend every friday night there, arguing with her sisters over which movies to get. It had your classic elements of an indie store, run by koreans, an extensive VHS collection, and of course, the dumbest kids movies on the face of the planet. I remember renting garbage like the hugga bunch club and popples, god, looking back, we were idiots! It also had a GREAT classics section, it had basically everything the marx brothers had ever done (which, I've discovered, is not something most video stores carry) and all of those classics that a budding film buff needs to watch. Well, I'm kinda done talking about that for now, on to subject 2
I suppose before I go on, I'll offer a glossary of what the acronyms in the review mean...since not everybody speaks broadway chat board-ese
OBCR: Original Broadway Cast Recording
JRB: Jason Robert Brown
tL5Y: The Last 5 Years
I bought the 13 OBCR last week, and have taken some time to absorb it, so here are some of my reactions. I don't think yall know this, but I love Jason Robert Brown, he is second only to his amazingness Stephen Sondheim in my mind, and I've even fought people over this. But, anyways, my love for my boy JRB wasn't exactly strengthened or lessened by his newest musical "13"
My favorite thing about JRB's compositions is his use of instrumental accompaniment, and I'm slightly disappointed by the instrumentals in this newest CD. It feels less imaginative and interesting to me. On my first listen to tL5Y, the piano riffs in "Moving Too Fast" and " The Schmeul Song" grabbed me right away and refused to give me up, whereas, he went for a more traditional approach in 13, which, while still good, is not why I fell in love with him. The interesting instrumentals are there, but you really have to be listening for them, as they're much more subtle. Of course, we have to take into consideration that he was writing for child and young teen actors, which, lets face it, aren't Norbert Leo Butz. The instrumentals are definitely solid, which we should expect since JRB is such a phenomenal musician and pianist, and I'm probably just nitpicking, but it's my blog so I'll do whatever I want.
Now I'm going to write something positive, since I haven't exactly been supportive thus far. The songs are mostly upbeat and positive, even as they deal with the drama of being a teenager and etc. One of my favorite songs on the recording is "A Little More Homework" It's one of those songs that uplifts you, whether or not you want it to.
In other news, I went shopping for the Salvation Army Angel Tree today...I picked a 10 year old girl who wanted "Jewelry" and "CDs" So, I went out to Target and started wandering aimlessly. At first I was looking in the jewelry section that's more for the adult set, but then I found the little girls section with the sparkly stuff...and I got her one of those heart necklaces with the big ring and post clasp that are popular, and some cute bobby pins, since who doesn't love cute bobby pins? I was kinda going out on a limb here, since I wasn't big into jewelry back when I was that age, so I wasn't sure if it was too "young" for her, but I think I did ok.
Then I went to the music section, not entirely certain about what to get her. I ended up going for a Jonas Brothers CD, since that's what popular on the Disney Channel these days...hopefully that works. Then, I got a little bit daring. I bought her The Beatles #1 Hits CD. I think I was roughly in the 4th grade when I first heard The Beatles and fell in love. I'm fairly certain that most human beings are wired to like The Beatles at birth...and besides, if I had to buy her the Jonas Brothers garbage, I should atone for it with the best pop group in the history of the world. I also have this feeling that if she doesn't like it now it'll grow on her. I'm fairly certain that the Jonas Brothers will fade out in a few years, but The Beatles are timeless, and maybe this CD will become like my five iron frenzy cds have become, the go to music when you need a lift.
~sigh~ I love the Beatles!
I'm working at a coffee shop nowadays, having quit at the firehouse (hallelujah praise the lord!) It's hands down the best in-between-high-school-and-college job I could ever hope to find, it's so much fun and I love the people there! I'm now skilled in the fine art of making espresso and sandwiches and I get all the coffee and tea I want. Totally awesome. It's so sweet when I make people's day a little brighter with a cup of coffee or a pot of tea, and I love it when they compliment the decorations or garnishes I do. ~cough~shamelessplug~cough~ Yall should come in to Bully Blends, cuz we rock!
Well, that pretty much wraps it up for now...I know it's been forever and this was a really long post...but what I lack in regularity I make up for in sheer quantity, right?
Thespianically (although it's been a while)
Sarah
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