The Wandelweiser collective is a group of composers who produce scores of minimalist writing that is often based on signs or texts within the context of a leading silence. Wandelweiser was founded in 1992 by Dutch-born flautist Antoine Beuger and German violinist Burkhard Schlothauer. Since its beginnings others have since joined, but s’approacher s’eloigner s’absenter […]
Author Archives: lisathatcher
January
22
Antoine Beuger – s’approcher s’éloigner s’absenter – The acceptance and awareness of silence. (music review)
posted by lisathatcher
January
21
Hitchcock – A Wikipedia guide to Psycho from Sasha Gervasi. (Film Review)
posted by lisathatcher
What an odd film! I’m not sure which side of the fence to fall on after watching Hitchcock. For a film I thought would be terrible, I had a rather good time. I was compelled to go home directly and watch Psycho, currently shown for free all over the net – something I think is […]
January
19
Ono – Ennui: A really good reason to love the 80’s (Music Review)
posted by lisathatcher
Ok, so here is a better reason to love the 80’s than even the Eurythmics. The impossible to underestimate importance of Ono and particularly the powerhouse front man Travis P. (or simply Travis – check his website here) who adds the spiritual angst to the bands tempered electronics, is evident in their influence (I discovered […]
January
18
Time of the Wolf – Haneke and the start of all things at the end of the World. (Film Review)
posted by lisathatcher
If you ever catch yourself wondering how the first full realized (as we know it today) human creatures “decided” to bring religion and politics into their lives, Time of the Wolf is the film for you. A truly underrated Haneke masterpiece, Time of the Wolf is a typically complicated tale of desperation in human beings […]
January
17
Private Fears in Public Places – Alain Resnais shows us our naked human heart. (film review)
posted by lisathatcher
The man who made Last Year at Marienbad (one of the greatest films of all time – no argument) was eighty-four years old when he made “Coeurs” (“Hearts” is the French Title), an adaptation from Alan Ayckbourn’s play Private Fears in Public Places. The film won several awards, including a Silver Lion at the Venice […]
January
16
Four New Messages – Joshua Cohen tells tall tales but true about the internet. (book review)
posted by lisathatcher
Joshua Cohen is in serious danger of becoming one of my favorite contemporary writers. Are you allowed to say that about someone so rarely read? The answer is yes, because fortunately, there are people out there smart enough to publish him, and my current reading has led me to Graywolf Press‘ publication of his book […]
January
16
The Soft Skin – Truffaut recommends fidelity in marraige – or else. (film review)
posted by lisathatcher
In a rather lovely interview with Francoise Truffaut about The Soft Skin, he speaks of the creation of several of the scenes. The elevator scene, when a bourgeois male and female flirt, he describes as the most important scene in the film. Immediately following the elevator flirt scene, Pierre goes to his room. As he […]
January
15
Hampton Grease Band – Music to Eat: Insanity as music. (Music Review)
posted by lisathatcher
Music to Eat is the only ever band produced by the great avant rock band, Hampton Grease Band. Released in 1971, this double album is said to the the second lowest selling album in Columbia’s history, only outdone for lowest place by a Maharishi Mahesh Yogi yoga instructional record. Shocking I know, but the band […]
January
15
Django Unchained – Tarantino and the Spaghetti Western (film review)
posted by lisathatcher
“Ever with grief and all too long Are men and women born in the world; But yet we shall live our lives together, Sigurth and I. Sink down, Giantess!” Helreið Brynhildar (Broom-Hilda’s ride to Hell) Exploitation films have this wonderful retro look now that we’re all PC’d-past and grown our brains to incorporate awareness. In […]
January
14
Keep one eye out for Kail Baxley – Heatstroke / The Wind and the War – (Music Review)
posted by lisathatcher
KaiL Baxley grew up in the small backwater town of Williston, South Carolina, the birthplace and stomping grounds of the late great soul legend James Brown, with whom Kail shared an unlikely friendship as a child. “Yeah, James used to say, ‘Boy you bein’ good?’ I’d say, ‘Yes sir.’ He’d say, ‘You know you doin’ […]
Lisa Thatcher 