Patricia Anselma Review

Chris Albrecht, HBO’s former head, may be gone but his legacy of adventurous-often-to-the-point-of-crazy programming endures: In September, “Tell Me You Love Me” will premiere. “Tell Me You Love Me” concerns three troubled couples and their oft-aggressive (or, by contrast, non-existent) sex lives, and their therapist, played by former National Endowment for the Arts head Jane Alexander.

It’s an instant provocateur thanks to its extremely frank depiction of sex and lack of timidity when it comes to displaying its characters’ naughty bits (or, at least, nominally convincing prostheses). Sex, here, however, isn’t intended to be titillating, at least not completely; it comes from a place that seems borne more of desperation to connect to something, someone, than out of good, old-fashioned porn-level lust. (Alexander’s character, with her husband, has the show’s most satisfying trysts.) The show offers HBO’s best, most obvious transition from its smart, primetime programming to its late-night, “Cathouse”/“Real Sex”-style shows.

Think Ingmar Bergman’s devastatingly bleak “Scenes from a Marriage” meets the short-lived but hilarious Bravo couples-therapy comedy “Significant Others,” and you’ve got “Tell Me You Love Me.” Albeit with precious few, if any, laughs – hell, my life is far grimmer than these characters’, and I can still manage a few jokes a day. Still, viewers should find it an evocative, provocative show.

But here’s the rub (using the term ill-advisedly, given that several characters engage in auto-eroticism): Watching this show can be hazardous to your reputation. A friend told me of his wife (an entertainment journalist) watching episodes of the show at their home; since they don’t have central air, she left windows open. The frequent lurid auditory emanations from the show’s soundtrack actually forced her to explain to her neighbors that she’s not a pervert. He also said he watched a women’s match from Wimbledon while she watched an episode and the orgiastic grunts from both shows seemed to echo/comment upon one another.

Worse, consider my situation: I share a duplex with my landladies. Imagine my having to explain to them that what I was up to was actually professional, not prurient, lest I flirt with eviction (hey, we run a clean ship in Echo Park).
(I’m watching a scene in which they’re banging headboards, gnawing G-spots and smacking backsides as I type, but I’m also considering the sage works of Noam Chomsky’s “Hegemony or Survival” to maintain my level of intellectual respect as all this is going on.) (I’ve loaned my landladies screeners in the past (they’ve enjoyed upcoming shows like “Mad Men” and “Damages;” imagine my surprise when they didn’t request this one.))

So, today at TV Press Tour, the cast and creator of “Tell Me You Love Me” will discuss their show. Here’s the over/under (again, bad choice of words, but there you go) on how many questions will be of the moralistic “Do viewers really need to see this?”/prurient “Is the sex real?”/wacky “How is your onscreen partner in the sack?” variety: 1:1.

There has been an uproar in the media lately over Imus. The 66 year old ’shock jock radio host’ recently refered to the Rutger’s women basketball team as “nappy headed hos”. Despicable but not surprising to any one who has heard this man speak. His sense of humor (since that is what Bill Mahr calls it) is appalling. He definetly stirred the hive when he said that - until then, his victims had been public figures.

His remarks have been bandied as both anti- women or anti- black or both - to me they are just plain indecent. The media made it into a old, white man saying derogatory words to a team that is mainly African American. To me, it does not matter what the race of a person who said it was or the race to whom it was said. The uttered words were wrong. Imus crossed the line when he said that, heck, he left the line way behind in China when he used those words.

NBC/CBS did what any network that loves the tring of cash register does. Both decided, after sufficient hue and cry had been made ( with Sharpton and Jackson in the lead), to take Imus off the air for two weeks. When that did not seem punishment enough to the masses, they sacked him yesterday.

I am against his firing for two reasons.
The first and the foremost being that it smacks of double standards. I don’t hear Sharpton and Jackson leading marches to stop all the rap singers from singing about what they are going to do to a ‘ho’. I just hear occasional media outcry and then it all dies down. The language in a rap song is even more intensely derogatory towards women, black women, at that. Yet, I don’t see the protests asking the records company to drop these artists. Why?
The second is freedom of speech. We are allowed to speak what we want in this country. I agree that with this freedom comes a responsibility to speak inoffensively. Some get it. Some don’t. But there is always the free will to change the channel.

I am particularly skeptical of the NBC/CBS response. They did not issue an apology immediately, no prior warnings had been given to Imus then this errupts and suddenly the network is responding to the voices of the people?? Give me a break. If you heard our voices, you would indulge in REAL reporting

Don’t get me wrong. I find what Imus did was wrong. I had not heard his TV shows before but I would have made sure I would never. Just like I ask Stern haters to change the channel, Imus haters would have done it, too. Firing him solves nothing. Offensive language and derogatory slangs towards women still flood our air. Imus controversy burnt out so quick that nothing will be done about what is blatantly present.

What Imus got may have been punishment long overdue. But who else will also pay the price? In my opinion, life will get back to normal and another rapper will sing about humping another girl and blowing her head off and it will be aired on all radio channels. Or Mel Gibson will go on an anti-Semitic rant, go and get clean and the movie magnets will welcome him with open arms. Or Limbaugh et. all will make fun of illegal immigrants and get away with it. This firing really does not address the roots of this problem. And no one wants to really dwell on it.

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Last night I mourned the poor selection of films in the last week of the BBC’s Summer of British Film. To some extent Channel 4 has come to the rescue.

Cottage to Let, a World War II espionage thriller, is great fun and has a wonderful cast: Alistair Sim, Leslie Banks, a very young George Cole and John bloody Mills again.

I have not seen The Guinea Pig, but it will undoubtedly tell us something about attitudes to class. Made in 1948, it tells the story of a 14-year-old working class lad sent to a public school. That 14-year-old was played by a 26-year-old Richard Attenborough, which may or may not look ridiculous.

But no film which also features Sheila Sim (who was already married to Attenborough when the film was made), Bernard Miles, Joan Hickson, Anthony Newley and Hay Petrie can be all bad. Can it?

Cottage to Let is on Tuesday 11 September at 1.45 p.m. The Guinea Pig is on Wednesday 12 September at 1.35 p.m.

Ski season is almost here!
Checkout the best ski lodges in the Northern Hemesphere.

Badrutt’s Palace Hotel - Ski Lodge
St. Moritz, Switzerland

Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, situated amidst breathtakingly beautiful and unspoiled scenery, has long been hailed as a landmark in the center of St. Moritz and is the ultimate expression of the Swiss Alps region. A favorite of celebrities and royalty alike since its opening in 1896, The Palace Hotel offers 165 guestrooms and suites with stunning views of the Swiss Alps. Badrutt’s Palace is a celebration of style, sports, cuisine and fashion, with discreet service and traditional elegance evoking an atmosphere of pampered luxury for all. An ideal destination in both winter and summer, the hotel is located in one of the most challenging ski areas in the world and offers a host of summer alpine activities. Guests find the ultimate in relaxation at the spa, exciting nightlife at the Kings Club, and world-renown cuisine in the hotel’s restaurants and nearby Chesa Veglia.

Cristallo Palace Hotel & Spa - Ski Lodge
Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy

Situated in the heart of Cortina d’Ampezzo, the most exclusive Alpine resort, the Cristallo Palace Hotel & SPA provides dream-like settings caught between the past and present, surrounded by the suggestive and exciting Dolomites. Inaugurated in 1901, the historical five-star luxury Hotel Cristallo belongs to that elite class of hotels that has accommodated the most famous personalities of the 20th century. Choosing Cristallo means entering a world of privileges in a fin de siecle atmosphere. The perfect combination of luxury and comfort has honoured the Cristallo with the prestigious international World Travel Award 2005, declaring it Italy’s best Ski Resort. Guests enjoy panoramic valley and mountain views, fine dining, the Transvital Swiss Beauty Center, and a variety of summer and winter activities.

Kristiania Lech Ski Lodge
Lech, Austria

Kristiania Lech in Austria is a unique luxury hotel in one of the world’s most renowned ski resorts. In keeping pace with the growing demands of its regular guests, Lech has never compromised the charms that make it authentic and managed to protect its natural landscape and village atmosphere, aspects which distinguish it from most of other winter resorts. The rooms at Kristiania Lech are seriously luxurious if simple in style. But that’s its charm. There’s a comfortable warmth about the hotel bar where it’s easy to make friends especially with one of the many malts on offer. The restaurant will take you to new heights: superb cuisine and a great choice of wines with impeccable service. The Health Club will reinvigorate you after skiing or hiking. Or, you can relax on the sun deck and simply enjoy the view.

Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole - Ski Lodge
Teton Village, Wyoming, United States

Welcome to Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole. Enjoy Four Seasons luxury with ski-in/ski-out access in Wyoming’s spectacular Teton Mountains. During warmer months, play golf, fish or hike in unspoiled natural wilderness. Breathe in the fresh clean air. Marvel at a sky full of stars. And enjoy exquisite dining wrapped in panoramic mountain views. The 144 guest rooms, including 38 suites, are generously sized and capture the spirit of a mountain hideaway, with natural wood and stone finishes. Fireplaces and private terraces in each guestroom guarantee full enjoyment of the destination, indoors and out. Also enjoy our 11,685 square-foot spa, the fully heated, 75-foot outdoor pool and the full-service health and fitness facility.

The Lodge at Vail, Ski Lodge
Vail, Colorado, United States

A scenic two-hour drive from Denver, Vail reigns as chief among Colorado’s ski kingdoms. Downhill, off-piste and cross-country skiing; snowmobiling; ice skating; bobsledding; and year-round swimming are big attractions. In warmer months, golf, tennis, horseback riding, fishing, hiking, white- water rafting, mountain biking and Jeep rides keep Vail’s popularity high. In the midst of it all, the famous Lodge at Vail, A RockResort, offers all chalet-style rooms, private underground parking and the Mobil Four-Star Wildflower restaurant. The Lodge recently completed a new luxury wing, featuring 18 guestrooms and suites, 6,000 square feet of meeting space and a 3,800-square-foot penthouse suite.

Inn at Lost Creek - Ski Lodge
Telluride, Colorado, United States

Uncrowded and unspoiled, Telluride offers the ultimate escape from busy schedules and hectic lives in Colorado’s most stunningly beautiful resort. Inn at Lost Creek is that welcome rarity—a charming, unpretentious, upscale hotel where warm hospitality is as refreshing as a cool summer evening. Our premier location at the center of Telluride Ski Resort offers you ski-in, ski-out convenience and our acclaimed ski valet service. Whether you’re vacationing with family, enjoying a romantic celebration or simply getting away from it all, you’ll find true relaxation and a renewed sense of discovery to take back home with you. Your escape from the world can be found at the Inn at Lost Creek.

Four Seasons Resort Whistler - Ski Lodge
Whistler, Canada

Welcome to Four Seasons Resort Whistler. Enjoy the scenic splendour of one of North America’s top mountain resorts, wrapped in Four Seasons comfort and intuitive personal care. With easy access to the awe-inspiring slopes of Whistler Blackcomb, site of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, plus a superb spa, mountainside dining and wilderness adventures year-round. The 273 guest rooms, suites and townhouses are spacious with cosy wood interiors and gas-burning fireplaces. Rooms offer superb views of the mountains, forest, valley, pool or courtyard from private or step-out balconies.

The Fairmont Banff Springs - Ski Lodge
Banff, Canada

Few hotels in the world can rival the majesty, hospitality and scenery of The Fairmont Banff Springs. Its unique blend of opulence and seclusion has been a symbol of Rocky Mountain magnificence for more than a century. Styled after a Scottish baronial castle, The Fairmont Banff Springs offers stunning vistas, championship golf courses, unparalleled skiing, classic cuisine and Willow Stream, a world class European-style spa. Experience timeless beauty and luxurious comfort in a pristine wilderness.

Click here for reservations or call TravelWizard.com at 1-800-330-8820 to speak to a Ski Lodge Vacation Specialist now!TravelWizard.com: Specialists in the Art of Travel: Call 1-800-330-8820

Australia’s Got Gum Leaves hasn’t been enough to land her a spot in the Top Ten of the ARIA Charts. Or the Top Twenty. Or, erm, the Top Thirty.

Kylie’s little sister seems to be the exception to the “television appearances sell records” rule.

The popular judge on Seven’s Australia’s Got Talent failed to set the charts alight with her latest cover, He’s The Greatest Dancer. It debuted at No.37 this week.

And that was days after her star turn on Dancing With The Stars last week, which usually gives the guest performer a chart spike.

There is no shame in rounding out the Top Thirty Seven, Danielle! Don’t go beating yourself up about it!

Instead, direct your fiery plastic fury towards the folks at the record company. You never had much of a chance of a chart-topper when you consider the appallingly low budget they gave you for the music video.

Disappointing! Especially in the age of MTV and YouTube!

PS: We have it on good authority that Dannii is “impenetrable”. Hopefully our mole means this in the emotional sense, although if not - and if it’s some sort of genetic condition affecting her and Kyles - it could explain why they’re both so unlucky in love.

I was going to just relax and stay in this weekend, but a sneak preview of Ratatouille lured me out of my lair. Set in Paris, it’s the story of a talented rat with great ambitions. Because he appreciates fine food, he wants to leave the nest and become a chef. Remy the rat is guided by his visions of a famous chef and recipes he’s read in a cookbook. As to be expected from a Pixar film, the animation is amazing and the level of detail will blow you away, but it was the culinary detail that won me over.

It will come as no surprise that Thomas Keller and Anthony Bourdain both acted as consultants on the film. The details of the kitchen brigade, the kitchen personalities and even the cooking itself is a joy to watch. Check out the enamel stoves, the use of rasp style graters and the walk in fridge! Overblown celebrity chefs, kitchen sexism, food critics and even health inspectors are all skewered. This is the least “kid-oriented” of the Pixar films, and if the sneak preview was any indication, it will have a large adult audience.

The idea that a rat doesn’t want to eat garbage and has great taste is a brilliant premise. The message behind the film, if there is any, is that credit should be given to those do the real work and not to underestimate the lowly ones in our midst. The catch phrase “anyone can cook” sounds like it came from the Food Network, but the film is way more entertaining than anything on TV. Hands down, this is my new favorite Pixar film. By the way, don’t miss the short in the beginning or the terrific animation in the credits. Ratatouille opens on June 29th.

FOOD

Morning Child
4hero
Play With The Changes
Raw Canvas : 2007
[Listen] [Buy] [Site]

Bad As They Come [remix]
3582 [Fat Jon & J. Rawls]
Situational Ethics
3d : 2003
[Listen] [Buy]

Mer Du Japon
Air
Pocket Symphony
Astralwerks : 2007
[Listen] [Buy] [Site]

Always
Amon Tobin
Foley Room
Ninja Tune : 2007
[Listen] [Buy] [Site]

Vigor
The Gasman
Love Collection
Planet Mu : 2007
[Listen] [Buy] [Site]

Get It
RJD2
The Third Hand
Xl Recordings : 2007
[Listen] [Buy] [Site]

It sure has been a while since I’ve shared any new gems. I’ve been elsewhere and I’m not sure if I’m even back from wherever the hell that is that I went/am. I’m still working on the Yoshida Brother’s post. But seeing as that’s not complete yet, I’ve figured that the time is nigh for some new cuts from my angle [obtuse] of the FmGT spectrum.

I found 4hero with their 1998 release of 2 Pages. Fans of Broken-beat, Down tempo & Acid Jazz really loved this one, and if you haven’t heard it yet I urge you to do so now. It would be an understatement to say that I had a relationship with the tracks ‘Escape That’ and ‘Spirits in Transit’ - dang that’s a good album. So, 2007 has brought 4hero’s fifth album: Play With The Changes. We get that signature chill beat, smooth string, the occasional sitar, and those effervescent downbeat-electronic undertones - this is surely a 4hero album. It’s very groovy and very sexy. ‘Morning Child’ starts the album on a very upbeat makin’-you-feel-proud note with blasting strings and horns. There are some 4hero tracks from previous albums that I would prefer as instrumentals - but ‘Morning Child’s vocals are just right on the money - so much that I’ve been starting my day with this track for the last month straight - I’m not kidding. Other notables on the album are the seducing ‘Take my Time’; The almost-like-a-Ridge-Racer track ‘Look Inside’; The better-than-a-Jamiroquai instrumental ‘Sophia’ and the whiskey-sippin’-cool ‘Why Don’t You Talk. The production duo of Dego & Mark Mac have pulled up the aces yet again.

We’ve posted quite a bit from Fat Jon in the past, so much that long-time FmGTenizens no doubt have a fine collection of his brand of slick-ass instrumental hip-hop beats [and for that you’re welcome - especially the Champloo soundtrack and not to mention everything under the name of Five Deez]. Here though we’ve got Fat Jon paired up with independent producer J. Rawls churning out beats that’ll penetrate your mind and your feet to get you thinking and tapping up a storm on both fronts. ‘Bad As They Come’ plays the double agent as solo-listening-bliss and as party track for fine tune booty bouncing - sometimes I don’t know which one I like more [I lie, yes I do.]

I was very surprised and excited to hear that a new Air album came out just a few days ago. I’ve always been a fan of their subtle sound, but at the same time I have wanted them to push it a little bit more than they do. On some listening sessions I think “these guys are brilliant” but at other times I have found myself thinking, “Ugh, this is the same old Air” - there’s really nothing wrong with that though. As their albums on the whole go - they are best listened to as full entities and not as single track platters - so it’s rare for me to suggest an individual Air track over simply suggesting a full album. Air has always been conducive to a cohesive hour-long listening journey, best served with some booze and a leather couch. From prior albums, ‘Kelly Watch The Stars’ & ‘Radian’ always stood out for me though, as anomalies that I could listen to on single repeat - just as ‘Mer Du Japon’ does from Air’s most recent effort: Pocket Symphony. The piano leads the way and I’m helpless to do anything but follow as I’m dropped into the oceanic false ending. Godin & Dunckel still have it - if you’re a fan of Air already, then you’ll surely dig this.

Hip-hop/Electronic/Jazz-beat fusion artist Amon Tobin never fails to impress. I can’t say that I can listen to every single one of his tracks without punching the ‘next track’ button - but his technical proficiency is solid, solid, solid and impressive to the point of mouth drop. Regardless of if he’s wearing the Cujo mask or not - he takes elements of styles that I love and turns them into melodic abstractions that deserve multiple listening sessions. Tobin’s recently released album, The Foley Room [named for the studios used in recording film soundtrack sound effects] is above par for the course. Those not versed in Tobin might find this a little too abstract - if so I suggest pulling up ‘Always’ (featured today) as well as ‘At the End of the Day.’ These gems are melodic and beautiful - ‘Always’ is bright and bouncy where as ‘At the End of the Day’ is dark and brooding. I’m NOT simply discarding the remainder of the album, but the afformentioned tracks so rightly deserve call out. Like the Air album above, if you’re a fan of Tobin, then you’re in for a helping of oishii ongaku [tasty music].

I’ve recently become obsessed with The Gasman. And really, I don’t know how to better articulate his style than this: take 1 part Luke Vibert [slightly leaning toward the Wagon Christ side] and mix with 3 parts Orbital and a small side of steamed Aphex Twin and you’ll get something very close to The Gasman. With the release of his 8th album Love Collection - I find myself really surprised that I’ve never heard of him before. The Gasman’s minimal Techno is erratic, progressive and smooth all at once. Check out today’s featured track,’Vigor’ and you’ll see what I mean.

RJD2, the underground NYC Hip-hop producer that seemed to come out of no where and grab hip-hop & electronic fans with full force in 2002 with his proper debut album ‘Dead Ringer.’ His solo material is incredible and his collaborations are equally impressive - bringing beats like no other to the hip-hop scene and - in my honest opinion - completely trumping what DJ Shadow tried on his most recent album [don’t get me wrong, I love Shadow - and that’s a whole other post in itself]. I did feel like there was some sort of connection however when Shadow stated that his then upcoming album ‘The Outsider’ was going to be a drastic change and that his current fans would probably not like it - this for the most part came to fruition - but bless Josh for following his path. And so as the Shadow deviated, I read an article about how RJ had stated that his then upcoming album - the recently released The Third Hand - was going to be a deviation from what fans had come to expect. As Shadow went hip-hop, RJ stated that in 2007 he would go [albeit relatively] Hip-Hop-Free *gasp, gulp…smile.* A Pop record from RJD2? But believe it or not, it’s solid. I heard a lot of people giving RJ shit for the tracks on which he sang from his second album Since We Last Spoke. But, I found myself digging those tracks the most. Those in that boat will absolutely love The Third Hand - it’s really great to see an artist make pop and not make it annoying as fuck - And it’s equally cool to see someone move from behind the decks to in front of the microphone. But as I speak about his talent as a great singer, I’ve ended up choosing an instrumental track to share with you today. ‘Get It’ is definitely a track for skeptical RJ fans - it’s the taste test. But really, his style has only changed slightly - if you dug him before then you will dig him even more now, and unlike the Amon Tobin or Air records, this new RJ album surely has the potential to convert previous non-believers.

You’ll have to excuse me now - JT, Codec and I are about to grab some all-you-can-eat Sushi. I’m sure we’ll make some Sapporo induced drunk phone calls to The Roy in between sessions of unagi and toro.

Kam Pei! [Stay Tuned]
– Silent K

Hah… So, I came across the Goo Goo Dolls tour while getting my Incubus tickets at the Greek Theater and I was like “Wow! No one wants to go to The Warfield anymore, I suppose…” Which is great for me, because I love Berkeley, anyhow. It's been 2.8 years since I've last seen Goo Goo Dolls in concert and that was about a 7 hour drive away. The people there were legegeddon, delsorin, my mother, my two aunts, and in spirit brit_brat100. Since then, they've released another album “Let Love In”, whose title track was featured for The Office promos of “The Negotiation”.I'm really excited as their latest album is probably, in my opinion, better than Gutterflower, but hey, I'm not trying to alienate myself.When I was about 9 years old, I was helping my mother sell crafts, and pokémon trading cards, so that I could raise money for two things (remember this is like 1998): Dizzy Up The Girl, and the self-titled Third Eye Blind album. They were my first music purchases. While other girls were listening to Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears, I was listening to Adult Contemporary Rock. I wouldn't understand the San Francisco underground drug references in “Losing A Whole Year” or the pain of abortions from “Slide” but I would memorize the lyrics and think that Stephan and Johnny were singing to me.See you there brit_brat100?