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The National Puts "Collective Implosion of Personality" to Tape for New DVD

Maybe we're just on a kick about melodramatic, self-serious bands (even the good ones), but getaload of this writeup for A Skin, A Night, Vincent Moon's upcoming (5.20) documentary on The National:

"A Skin, A Night is less a movie about The National than a movie about how music is made today — not with classic rock bravado, or debauched indulgence, but through novelistic attention to detail, a collective implosion of personality, and worried worried nights."

Boxer is surely a great album (and the DVD will be packaged with The Virginia EP, which contains 12 tracks of demos, live versions, radio sessions and b-sides), but reading the full release made us immediately throw on our copy of Girls, Girls, Girls and toss a TV out the office window.  Check out equally silly trailer after the jump.

Black Lips to Star in 'Mats-Inspired Movie

The tragi-comic story of The Replacements' drunken rise and fall through the Minneapolis music scene certainly has the makings of a great flick, and we've always held a place in our heart for another film sporting a Weste' tune in the title (Can't Hardly Wait), but the trailer for Let it Be (starring The Black Lips) looks like poop.  Actually, I think we can wait.
 

Madonna Shocks Critics with Only Mostly Terrible Film

Maybe since Madonna goes out of her way to pretend she's British, the Times of London avoiding shredding Filth and Wisdom, her directorial debut.  They call it a "frothy, life-affirming comedy"  thanks to "sheer exuberance... celebrating London's ethnic stew," which sounds like their way of saying "But she tried ever so hard!" 

Other reviews are mixed, and faint praise like "The movie is -- disappointingly, perhaps -- not an outright embarrassment" recalls how SS felt about Paris Hilton's debut CD.  Lesson learned filmmakers - Wan to avoid a critical thrashing?  Set the bar extra low.

Tween Concert Flick Sets Box Office Record

Since every dude in the country was watching what should be the highest rated Super Bowl in history, a $29 million debut for Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: The Best of Both Worlds isn't TERRIBLY shocking, but that doesn't make it any less unsettling. Yikes.

The Simpsons Honor Pink Floyd to Promote DVD Release

Despite years of fanatical viewing, something about The Simpsons feature film didn't feel right, so we passed during its theater run.  But today's promotional stunt marking Tuesday's DVD release might have finally won us over.

A giant inflatable “Spider-Pig,” Homer Simpson’s adopted pet from the film, hovered over London’s Battersea Power Station in a tribute to the artwork for Pink Floyd’s 1977 disc Animals.

Check out the clip after the jump.

Lost in Translation Ending Revealed?

OK so this isn't technically music news, but being that it has one of the more awesome soundtracks you're likely to find, we thought we'd post.  Apparently this has been around for a while, but the blogosphere just caught wind of it this week.  Ever wonder what Bill Murray whispers at the end of Lost in Translation?  Well find out after the jump.

Sigur Ros Tour Doc to Drop This November

Found this via Pitchfork this morning, and although tour documentaries aren't something we normally get giddy over at SS, but if any band has the capacity to blow us away with a deeply-moving, and stunningly gorgeous landscapes from gig stops, it's Sigur Ros. 

Hemia is directed by Dean DeBlois and based on this preview, it combines exotic Icelandic beauty with the already soul-stirring power of Sigur Ros at its celestial best.  As if the band didn't already seem somehow other-worldy, this clip might as well be the trailer for the next Narnia flick.

Heima will be released in the States on 11.6 via XL.

The Hold Steady Goes Hollywood

OK - We're all about The Hold Steady getting as much press as possible, but how the HELL did these guys end up on the soundtrack to uber chick flick The Nanny Diaries, alongside the likes of Simply Red and Lisa Stansfield???  Check out the estrogen-laden tracklist below, and try to imagine a scene where "Stuck Between Stations" would fit into a movie about snobby, upper crust Manhattanite women.  Maybe it's just a ploy to get the blogger contingent in the door...

The Nanny Diaries soundtrack tracklist:

01 Marvin Gaye: "Got to Give It Up"
02 War: "Why Can't We Be Friends"
03 Lily Allen: "LDN"
04 Fatal Mambo: "Magot Tcheri (In the Summertime)"
05 Lisa Stansfield: "All Around the World"
06 Odyssey: "Native New Yorker"
07 Urban Delights: "Won't Let You Down"
08 The Hold Steady: "Stuck Between Stations"
09 Simply Red: "Stay"
10 Jill Scott: "The Fact Is (I Need You)"
11 The Main Ingredient: "Just Don't Want to Be Lonely"
12 Tommy James & The Shondells: "Crystal Blue Persuasion"
13 Joshua Radin: "Closer"
14 Tarika: "Raitra (Big Island Radio Mix)"
15 Mark Suozzo: "Museum Visit"

The Simpsons Tops Box Office Charts

The Simpsons Movie, riding a wave of positive buzz, genius marketing and a 20-year following, decimated the competition this weekend on route to an even higher than expected $72 million take.  Congrats to Groening and company, but one quibble:  Green Day's take on the classic Simpsons theme. Considering that the remaining hard-core fans of the show are typically in their late 20's to early 30's, a mostly bland pop-punk cover was a bit of a letdown.  Billy Joe could have done better, and truth be told, a few others already have. 

Chromewaves posted versions from both Sonic Youth and Yo la Tengo.  Although they might not be accessible enough to re-energize the franchise for today's youth (do you really know anyone under 18 who still watches this show?), they would have certainly had the blogosphere ready to proclaim "Best Theme Song Ever."  And let's face it Matt, it's the real-life Comic Book Guys out there that keep you in business.

Doh!

Sorry for the lack of posts lately kids - SS is in the process changing jobs (what, you think we survived just on banners ads?), but we'll be back to full steam shortly.  No new tunes today, but if you are between the ages of 25-35, you might be curious about the new Simpsons website, just launched in anticipation of the July 27 movie. 

We've been on the fence about the whole deal since day one, but this trailer is actually sorta cool.  At least they got Bumblebee Man in there...

Control Takes Top Prize at Cannes

We've been hedging our bets on Control, the much-talked-about Ian Curtis biopic, but the folks at Cannes seemed fairly impressed.  The flick, which delves into the life and times of the late Joy Division lead singer, took home the prize for Best European Film and was called by one juror, "a very impressive and assured debut from a renowned photographer."

Control was directed by famed music video photographer Anton Corbijn.  Though no release date has been set, it is expected that the film will see a limited release later this year.