Every now and again a film comes along that is strikingly beautiful, informant, and artistic. For 180° South, Chris Malloy has outdone himself telling and retelling the story of mountain climbing, surfing, adventure, and conservation of Jeff Johnson (present day) and Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins (forty years ago). Jeff Johnson sought to reinvent, reinterpret, and relive the trip that Chouinard and Tompkins took to Patagonia after having viewed a VHS recording of their adventure. Yvon and Doug are now activists and entrepreneurs, as they are the founders of outdoor gear/clothing outfitters Patagonia and The North Face, respectively. Back then, they were just young men out for adventure as they drove down to South America, stopping along the way to surf, in search of some excellent and dangerous mountain climbing in the Patagonia region of Chile. Jeff Johnson, a surfer, climber, and photographer, decided to hitch a ride on a boat, instead of drive, and take a six month journey to Patagonia in search of the same adventure, stopping along the way at Easter Island after a major seafaring catastrophe. With friends from home and new friends picked up along the way Johnson made it to his final destination, and also to within 200 feet of the summit of Corcovado before having to call it quits because the climb became too dangerous. The filmmaking, cinematography, animations, direction, and production are all cutting edge in their simplicity and artistry. Malloy has outdone himself with this uncharacteristic tale of adventure. The music is excellent and stirring, featuring James Mercer (singer of The Shins and Broken Bells), Ugly Casanova (a side project of Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock), Mason Jennings, and Jack Johnson. In the end the message of conservation put a giant exclamation point on the adventure taken and the film that told its story. For a collective like Woodshed Films, known for their 16mm surf films, 180° South is truly a tangent worth taking and taken well. Maybe for Jeff Johnson's return trip, Malloy and his team of filmmaking storytellers will follow along for the ride. Again.
Jonathan Clay is an incredibly soulful singer/songwriter who's newest album showcases his musical maturity and bluesy guitar stylings. Not quite at the level of John Mayer, but certainly amazing with the axe, Clay's lyrics and guitar solos virtually do battle throughout the entire album as each try to be the anchor. Luckily both the lyrics and the musicianship play an equal role in the success of the album. The album is full of radio ready hits such as "Lucky To Be Loved By You," "Close To You," and "Gypsy Woman." The whole disc is full of songs that show off Clay's great lyrics and stellar guitar skills. Jonathan Clay is an incredible talent that may not be as widely known as he should, and despite the fact that he had a video in rotation on VH1, this album is the one that is going to put him permanently on the map.
Tony Lucca's newest album is by far is best ever. He has definitely outdone himself with the lyrical content, and love is an overall theme of the entire disc. The simplicity of the music is outstanding, laying the groundwork for some of Lucca's most heartfelt tunes. Friends Keaton Simons, Curtis Peoples, and Sara Bareilles all make vocal contributions to the album, adding another layer of awesomeness to Lucca's signature blues and soul influenced acoustic rock. "Long Love Letter" is sure to gain this album some major attention, with its catchy hook and singable lyrics. Lucca also includes his take on the classic Billy Joel song "Vienna." Tony Lucca is one of those musicians that has been around for a while but has not quite reached the level of recognition that he truly deserves. Lucca has proven that he is the real deal and can put together outstanding albums full of personal and soulful songs that any music lover can get into.
Griffin House has slowly become one of the greatest singer/songwriters making music over the last decade. His newest album shatters the mold that he has used to create excellent albums in the past, and takes a fresh approach at delivering fine music. Griffin House has managed to incorporate about a half a dozen of his best lyrical compositions on this album. The first single from the album is "She Likes Girls" and is a very tongue-in-cheek portrayal of what is is like to try to bring a girl back from the other side. "Let My People Go," "River City Lights," and "Just Another Guy" are all album standouts. Griffin has proven that the essence of a great album, at its very core, is the lyrics. He is a poet, he is a storyteller, and he is a human. These three characteristics together allow him to put down raw emotion on paper and then onto tape, and the listener benefits like never before. He could possibly be this generation's Dylan or Lennon or Simon, but he is not. He is his own entity and his music stands up on it's own. "The Learner" is a defining moment in Griffin House's career, and it is going to be hard to top. Fortunately Griffin House doesn't have to do better, he only needs to continue to create his music just as he has for the past decade or so.
Hip hop come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. But what makes hip hop interesting is when it doesn't sound like everyone else. For Somali born rapper K'naan, music is life and it is that music that helps him to convey where is comes from, where he is going, and everything he is passionate about. His lyricism is cutting edge and his delivery is unmatched in the hip hop world today. Mos Def, Metallica's Kirk Hammett, and Maroon 5's Adam Levine all lend their vocals talents to the album and make for some exciting and innovative tracks. "Bang Bang" is a pop/hip hop collaboration the boldly breaks down genre barriers. "ABC's" and "If Rap Gets Jealous" showcase some of the best and most personal lyrics that K'naan has written. With influences ranging from everyone from Jay-Z to Bob Marley, K'naan takes an unconventional approach to an artistic form of music that has lately become very predictable. K'naan is a bright talent in the hip hop world and has definitely set himself up for a successful career with his major label debut.
For up and coming singer/songwriters, it can be a rough world out there. For Tim Hanauer, it seems as though it's not going to be so bad. His newest album is a poignant collection of well written and performed songs. Although the music may not be what you might hear on popular radio, it's actually refreshing to get to listen to a full album of songs that does not follow along the same cookie cutter mold as typical pop music. The disc is full of magical music, the best of which include "Miss," "December Days," and "Dream A Better Way." Hanauer has a way with words and mixes them beautifully with his simple instrumentation. Any fan of independent songwriters will surely fall in love with Hanauer's latest.
