Eponymous - My Debut Album

This is a thing.

Seven tracks. One mediocre musician. And a leaky, phallic tap. Turns out that if you can somehow throw together enough pieces of music, you've got an album -- no matter how odd, dissonant or confusing those pieces are. So as with 90% of the things I do, what started out as a joke has flourished into a reality, as I bring you the audaciously titled 'Eponymous', available to download for FREE right now. That's likely a blessing, as when you hear a couple of these, I reckon "Let's give this guy money!" will be the last thing on your mind.

Take it seriously and you're wasting your time.  But allow yourself to laugh at the dodgy vocals, painful melodies and idiosyncratic lyrics, and maybe you'll have some fun. The official description reads:

"A collection of odd pieces I've managed to collate over the last few years, ranging from the bizarre to the eloquent, from the witty to the shitty, from the hippy to the hoppy. Enjoy and/or hate it."

Tracks include:

1. Nothing But The Sky (feat Tobias) -- A tour de force of electro sampling, greatly aided by the freestyle lyrics and screams of DJ Arnie and Tobias, aged 12. 
2. Through The Gentle Black -- A relaxed journey along the black keys of my USB keyboard. Such a sophisticated instrument...
3. Writer's Block -- My first foray into actual song writing, with this musical-inspired piece about the notorious process of writer's block (part of previous GCSE coursework). 
4. 8-Bits of You -- The other GCSE piece of work, commonly referred to as 'Digitised Nonsense'.
5. Mama Do'a What'a She Like Today -- This is what happens when you learn very basic mixing and have a very boring afternoon. 
6. Ode to The Credits -- Everyone's favourite ditty from the YouTube smash hit dramedy, 'Don't Shoot!'.
7. Super Secret Bonus Track! -- Only available by downloading (it's a tense one). 

Direct link to the BandCamp page for downloading, listening, ignoring, etc.

Now go ahead and dance away to my irritatingly limited vocal range while riding bum notes across the vast, vast ocean of generic chord sequences. For a split second amongst it all you may experience something good, and for me, that's enough. It is merely a joke album, after all.

Thanks to Nick Townsend for allowing me to use his brilliantly absurd photograph as the poignantly irrelevant cover art. PLUG!

ATR

RE:View: Risk - The Script

Through an unlikely set of circumstances, I seem to have found myself in possession of a 3 page comedy sketch entitled Risk, with no clue as to who wrote it or how it ended up in a partly torn, partly burnt mess on my front door. With the possibility of this being a leak of a first class comedy writer's highly confidential new project, I had no other journalistic option but to provide an honest and objective review of the mysterious text...

At its core, Risk is based around the classic board/strategy game of the same name, employing tedious sketch tropes into two characters, who very much exist within a one dimensional range of personality. Whilst 'Josh' takes the game way too seriously (cliché war movie dialogue galore), 'Charlie' undermines his silliness with a dry and generally puzzled disposition.

Although peppered with a heavy handed slab of nauseating post-modernism, the actual pacing of Risk isn't too bad, and manages to weave from mediocre joke to mediocre joke with a decent control over escalation: a common sketch convention, which in this case sees us go from Josh walkie-talking with his troops on the board to him spouting lines from Apocalypse Now while being tied to a chair, prisoner-of-war style. From a writer's point of view, it demonstrates at the very least a potential of sustained humour, but from a production perspective, it's hardly a surprise that this script has yet to have been made. Sudden costume changes? Alternating lighting patterns? Precise dice throws? Whatever comedic credit it had built up is squandered by this frankly amateur approach to practicality.

As for the characters, Risk's anonymous writer chose not to stray far from the norm. The 'Sane Guy/Insane Guy' setup is undoubtedly a favourite among troupe legends such as Monty Python and The Kids in the Hall, and is used here in a predictable but no less humorous manner. The problem comes in trying to picture actual actors to bring the schizophrenic dialogue (i.e. sometimes zippy, other times clunky) to life. It's no mean feat, with lines like " I've lost too many damn men to give up now!" and "Dude! You just SPAT on my carpet!" requiring a certain tongue-in-cheek seriousness that only the likes of BriTANick are capable of delivering convincingly. And based on the inexperienced vibe of the writer, it's likely the actual sketch would have relied on hokey performances from disinterested friends.

It's a shame, because when I first read the script I'd thought it to be a quite decent first attempt from a budding writer who was destined for greatness. But upon reflection, it's no wonder I'd found it in the state of tear-stained ruins that it was -- an over eagerness for production and characters had obviously meant that no self-respecting human being in their right mind would want to be immortalised in such a mess, therefore causing the unknown writer to cry themselves into a beautiful metaphor of first-world depression.

1.5/5 Stars

ATR

Trailer Tuesday: Liberal Arts

This week sees the trailer for Liberal Arts, a film written, directed and starring Josh Radnor (perhaps better known as Ted Mosby from How I Met Your Mother). This indie-drama-romance has a unique take on the difference in perception of life between a 35 year old and a university student, and how love brings them together.  Radnor's firm optimism and drive to make feel-good things is blatantly present, with a charming style and sense of humour to match, making this a front runner on the indie circuit. Here's what it's all about:

"When 30-something Jesse returns to his alma mater for a professor's retirement party, he falls for Zibby, a college student, and is faced with a powerful attraction that springs up between them." - IMDb

• Performances look great from the two leads, Radnor and Elizabeth Olsen, which is good considering that most of the screen time will likely be solely them. 
• Radnor seems to be tackling the issues/joys of Uni life and the scary world that comes after it, with a head on approach -- something which has earned it the right to be called "The best movie about college since I don't know when.".
• Although absent from this trailer, Zac Efron also stars, albeit in a small, student role (I presume). 
• Desperately holding back the How I Met Your Mother references here (Break-up beard, Classic Schmosby, etc)...
• Not quite sure of the specifics of the distribution, but here's hoping for a wide release range. I believe Radnor's a true up-and-coming talent that needs some more recognition to be put beside the likes of Zach Braff.

You can catch Liberal Arts out now in the US or October 5th in the UK. 

That's all for today's rather brief post, see ya next time.  

ATR

More Trailers

Zach Braff's All New People

Zach Braff (or Dr John "JD" Dorian as some of us know him better in comedy-phenomenon Scrubs), has been touring his play, All New People, around the UK this year, starting in Manchester, then up to Glasgow, before finishing with a ten week run on the West End. Unlike the NY production that was put on Broadway last year, Zach is actually performing as the lead, giving theatre-goers the Brafftacular evening of both his sharp writing, and acting talents. And, being the sophisticated, play-watching, arts-appreciator that I am, (as well as a huge Scrubs fan), I was lucky enough to go see it... and more.

  The premise is a simple one: Four strangers (well, sort of) meet by chance at a desolate beach house in Long Island, NY, in the middle of Winter. What comes next is a display of the hardships of being young, the regret of the past, and the human curse of belonging vs loneliness. Braff is the bittered and cold Charlie, a guarded and sarcastic guy who we find in a pretty dark place at the start of the play. But he's not alone for long before Welsh actress and star of Torchwood, Eve Myles shows up as kooky-but-with-a-mysterious-past Emma, in a state of desperation to stay in work as to not get sent back to her native Britain. Soon what began as a peaceful "getaway" for Charlie turns into a madhouse as Byron the fire-chief/drug-dealer and Kim the prosti-- "Escort", round out this unlikely quad of varied, humourous and realistic (if a little quirky) characters.

 At its core, All New People is a Dramedy, mixing potent and contemporary themes with an edgy comedic balance slickly interwoven throughout. At various points we are treated to visual, pre-filmed back stories of the characters, which set in stone the freshness and post-modernity of the play, and allow a number of laughs to be had that stretches outside the limits of a one set piece, as well as connecting plot points and providing an emotional connection that the audience has with the characters, which they themselves may lack between each other.

Not surprisingly, Zach was great as down-in-the-dumps Charlie, teasing us only slightly with his morbid prologue, and pulling off a pained and tortured soul pushed to the edge. It's certainly a way off from the optimistic, goof-ball tones of JD, and I found it very weird to hear him drop numerous f-bombs throughout from his usually cheery voice. And then there's Eve Myles, who also shines outside of the badass Gwen Cooper of Torchwood, and gives a stand-out portrayal of a woman who's "Damaged goods", yet devotes her life trying to hide that fact.

And once the curtain's fallen and the terrific actors take their bow, letting the depth of the play sink in to the viewers mind, Zach just carries on giving. There was a quite a crowd to greet him outside by the stage door, all gratefully gathered to get a glimpse of the talented 37 year old. Like a true pro, he willingly signed programmes and tickets, and posed for photos with those camera-ready.

Thankfully, I'd picked up the show's script earlier, and so am now in possession of a signed copy from the writer/actor, as well as this very exciting picture:

Guy love?

The conversation between us went a little like this:

Zach: Hey thanks for coming.
Me: Yeah, it was really, really good.
Zach: Thank you so much.
Me: I'd ask you to Eagle with me, but it seems a little inappropriate here...
Zach: (Laughs) I get that request a lot, as you could imagine.
Me: Ha, yeah. Okay, thanks man.
Zach: No problem, thanks, take care buddy.

And yes, I totally had a fantasy where he said "There's no such thing as inappropriate!" and gracefully lifted me onto his back while we screamed "EAGLE!" to our hearts' content...

So in summary, this was an incredible night. Not only did I see an amazing new play, but got a picture with one of my favourite actors, as well as a signed script, which will all add to my collection of awesome, famous-people-related things. If you can get down to the Duke of York's Theatre in London before the end of April, and if there are any tickets left, then you really should consider going, even if it's just for a glimpse of the man himself.

ATR

Twitter Q&A With Writer, Jane Espenson

The writer and executive producer of the hit new web series, Husbands (along with numerous other TV credits spanning from Torchwood: Miracle Day to Firefly), Jane Espenson, recently held a Twitter Q&A to discuss Husbands and anything else from her successful career. I took the opportunity to get a few questions in, and to my delight they were swiftly replied. Here's what went down, with a few interjections from Husbands star, Cheeks:

Me: Who came up with the theme music for Husbands?
JE: A composer named Stephen Main composed the music. Great, isn't it? Swingy!

Me: Any future plans to work within the Whedonverse, or with the man himself in the near future?

Espenson

JE: Yes. I'll be doing something for the season 9 Buffy comic books!
(Jane was a producer and writer for dozens of Buffy episodes)

Me: Can we expect any more special guest like [Nathan Fillion] in the upcoming [Husbands] eps?
JE: I want you to keep watching, so I don't think I'll say. But if we do more seasons, then expect big names!
(So was that a no?)

Me: Could there be the slightest possibility of a Husbands and The Guild crossover? Web-series gotta stick together you know!
JE: We would totally be open to a crossover with The Guild! Love them! Love [Felicia Day]! 
Cheeks: Ha! Those worlds colliding would be hilarious! :D

Me: I can totally imagine John Barrowman appearing in a future season of Husbands! Causing trouble perhaps? Make it happen!
JE: We'd love to have John on Husbands! That would be amazing!
Cheeks: Omg, he endlessly flirts with both of them and causes drama! (Comedic drama, obvi)
(This got a lot of RT's and replies in agreement, so if it happens, I'm claiming it!)

Me: Which Firefly character did you enjoy writing for the most?
JE: Kaylee, I think. Kaylee or Mal. Or Janye. I can't decide!

Me: If I were to feature Husbands on my blog (and I will), any chance of an RT for it? Sorry, I'm a pretty shameless plugger.;)

Cheeks: That ain't shameless, that's quid pro quo! I like yer style! :D I'll plug it!
And he did:
Cheeks: The amazing reviews just keep rolling in![http://dudemeisterblogs.blogspot.com/2011/09/recommend-husbands.html] "Some of the internet's finest serial content." :D Thank you!!


Me: Been great chatting to you guys in this Q&A session, can we expect more?
JE: Sure! I'm not always avail on weekdays, b.c of Once Upon A Time, but I'd love to do more!
Me: Awesome, thanks! This evening (UK Time) has been delightfully informative and fun. Can't wait for more Husbands! 


I was pretty happy with how that turned out, and if the suggestions I threw into the mix turn into reality, I'd like to think I had a part in that. Also, my RE:Commend of Husbands got a lot of views from the plugs, and wound up on the official Husbands Press page! Looks like I'm going up in the world!

ATR

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