What are Christopher Walken's best films?

There is no doubt that Christopher Walken, rather than having a fundamental Carbon make up, is in fact made of pure cool. He has been seen to be a great actor. True. But I ask you, what are his best films?

He has a leading role which makes the 1990 gangster film King of New York great. Apart from the first hour, The Deer Hunter is excellent and Walken really deserves his praise. What else can I watch though? I saw The Prophesy recently. Walken is brilliant, but the film is rubbish. I fear there are too many great Walken performances in poor films.

Opinions?

Lawrence - The Night Will Last Forever (2005)

Lawrence is an Electronic Music artist from Germany. This 2005 release show’s off his post minimalist style ticking boxes in Deep House and Tech House. I came upon this expecting an album of minimal techno glistening with the marks of the Kompact World. Rather than another repetitively plodding piece of minimal work (which can of course be excellent), I was happily taken on a more diverse adventure which carried me through ambient patches of expectant floating layers, building tentatively to lush house beats, effortlessly pulling the listener out of the minimal hush into a dance floor heaven. Like a dreamy rollercoaster the music follows several paths always with a comfortable, smooth change.

The production uses a variety of familiar electronic sounds with the glitches and clicks holding on long enough without having to carry the full burden of the record. The synth layers come through strongly and there are several memorable baselines which lead the more up tempo parts.

This is a highly rewarding take on the home listening electronic music sound having appropriate parts for laying back to as well as some dance floor classic sounds.

Faustian Album of the week 5

In the Woods

Strange in Stereo

Drums… check. Guitar riffs… check. Over blown guitar solos… check. Self indulgent electronic tomfoolery… check. Desperately emotional vocal cries… check. But, bizarrely, the cheese seems to be missing. There’s not even a subtle whiff of economy cheddar! I’ve looked my boys; hunted for gorgonzola, nuzzled its crevices seeking a mozzarella surprise. Hell, I’ve even wrung its sodden body to dislodge any latent, spreadable, garlic roulade (yum tum). It’s just not fucking cheesy Grishnach!

If rock were likened to the pleasure of squashing worms between two plates of glass, this album would be like the juicy squelching of a worm farm massacre. It slips and slides past us like an enigmatic pied worm piper. It plays its epic chants in a seductive manner, leaving us lost in trance following its dizzying dance.

Believe me friends, I am all too aware of how ridiculous metal is. It’s embarrassing nonsense. But oh my boys… oh boys… there are so many marvellous droogs making perfectly crafted soundscapes buried within the beast. This is one of those albums to play when you want to shout “THERE ARE SOME FUCKING GREAT METAL ALBUMS, THEY’RE NOT ALL SHIT”.

Buck 65 - Secret House Against the World

This excellent album by Richard Terfry AKA Buck 65 was released back in 2005 as his 10th album. So it’s fair to say when an artist with this much material spreading over more than 10 years is probably going to show some diversity in his work, or at least you would hope?

So I have come to this album with no former experience of his work having no pre-judgment apart from those instilled by Dan. I was expecting a fairly straightforward Hip-Hop album with some cool maybe alternative beats. What I found was a joy that surprised and warmed my soul.

As soon as that funky country beat kicks in and that lyrical rhyme-phrasing magic gets delivered by his cool soothing voice I was blown away. Then the Hip-Hop glitch beat kicks in and I am in love. Could this be the start of perfection? It’s fair to say when the second track starts I get the sudden feeling that I am going to be very let down after all. What develops then is an amazing experience so different from the previous track I have to check the album has not changed. Now I wish all the tracks were of this high quality but sadly there are a few let downs but listen to the whole album and enjoy the highs and lows.

In summary it is a sandwich of outer amazing mind blowing music with a center of disappointment. It finishes well so bear with it.

So the highly anticipated first review by Matt Sim AKA Mega Matt Mega Matt Mega Mega Matt Matt is now published! I am off now to find some more Buck 65.

XX ENJOY XX

Album of the 00’s

May I remind you that January will herald a new decade which, amongst other things, signals a journalistic squabble to identify the album of the decade. Being a consummate planner, I am going to begin short listing asap in the hope of bringing you, my esteemed readers, the Faustian top 20 of the 00’s without any delays or influence from other lists doing the rounds in the new year. I hope very much that the pair of you will undertake a similar project.

I will not give away much over the next 9 months except for this: are we not all already destined to crown 2008’s masterful release from the Fleet Foxes as supreme ruler of the decade?