1. “Any extended period of city living results in the accumulation of things that wear one’s spirit down, little by little, leaving emotions raw and nerves frayed. This can happen as easily in Paris as it does in New York or London or São Paulo. Certainly, it pushes away some of the very same people who arrived in these places with stars in their eyes a year or five or a decade before. However, in Baldwin’s case, his love for Paris does not become noticeably tarnished over time. Right up until his last moments in the city of lights, he writes, ‘There should be a name for the syndrome that occurs when you’re in Paris and you already miss it.’” Anna Kushner reviews Rosencrans Baldwin’s Paris I Love You, But You’re Bringing Me Down.

    “Any extended period of city living results in the accumulation of things that wear one’s spirit down, little by little, leaving emotions raw and nerves frayed. This can happen as easily in Paris as it does in New York or London or São Paulo. Certainly, it pushes away some of the very same people who arrived in these places with stars in their eyes a year or five or a decade before. However, in Baldwin’s case, his love for Paris does not become noticeably tarnished over time. Right up until his last moments in the city of lights, he writes, ‘There should be a name for the syndrome that occurs when you’re in Paris and you already miss it.’”

    Anna Kushner reviews Rosencrans Baldwin’s Paris I Love You, But You’re Bringing Me Down.

  2. “The oddest thing about Savages, the new Oliver Stone movie, is the central love triangle. Ophelia (Blake Lively) lives and sleeps with two men: the war veteran Choan (Taylor Kitsch) and Ben the Buddhist botanist (Aaron Johnson). In the film’s first 10 minutes, she has steamy sex with both guys –and nobody minds. The trio’s laissez faire attitude reminded me of an Amy Bloom short story, in which a mother confesses to her daughter that she has a lover whom her husband accepts, saying “Love is not a pie.” In other words, love is not a zero sum game, with a finite number of slices to eat.” Keith Meatto reviews the savage Savages.

    “The oddest thing about Savages, the new Oliver Stone movie, is the central love triangle. Ophelia (Blake Lively) lives and sleeps with two men: the war veteran Choan (Taylor Kitsch) and Ben the Buddhist botanist (Aaron Johnson). In the film’s first 10 minutes, she has steamy sex with both guys –and nobody minds. The trio’s laissez faire attitude reminded me of an Amy Bloom short story, in which a mother confesses to her daughter that she has a lover whom her husband accepts, saying “Love is not a pie.” In other words, love is not a zero sum game, with a finite number of slices to eat.”

    Keith Meatto reviews the savage Savages.

  3. On Saturday, Keith Meatto saw Moonrise Kingdom and Ted in a high-low double feature.  Shockingly, there are 10 commonalities between the two strikingly different comedies. Read his exposition here.

    On Saturday, Keith Meatto saw Moonrise Kingdom and Ted in a high-low double feature.  Shockingly, there are 10 commonalities between the two strikingly different comedies. Read his exposition here.

  4. Next in our 60-Second reviews is Screaming Females’ excellentnew record Ugly. “If you had fallen into a coma in 1992, only to awake 20 years later to the sound of the new Screaming Females record, you would think you were listening to the work of superstars. That they are just another mildly successful indie band is a testament to how popular music has changed in the last two decades. On Ugly, you’ll find no electronics, no loops, no vocal manipulations. What you will find is a trio of musicians delivering punishing riffs, searing guitar solos, and the kind of unabashedly primal vocals that announce to the world ‘We’re here to rock.’” Read more.

    Next in our 60-Second reviews is Screaming Females’ excellentnew record Ugly.

    “If you had fallen into a coma in 1992, only to awake 20 years later to the sound of the new Screaming Females record, you would think you were listening to the work of superstars. That they are just another mildly successful indie band is a testament to how popular music has changed in the last two decades. On Ugly, you’ll find no electronics, no loops, no vocal manipulations. What you will find is a trio of musicians delivering punishing riffs, searing guitar solos, and the kind of unabashedly primal vocals that announce to the world ‘We’re here to rock.’” Read more.

  5. Today we debut our 60-Second reviews. If you love our long-form reviews, but don’t have the time to devote to reading them or the brain space to comprehend, these shortened babies are for you. Kicking it off is our shortened review of THEESatisfaction.

    “There are two ways to review THEESatisfaction’s debut LP: the easy way, and the hard way.  The easy way involves using terms like “avant-rap” and “jazz-soul fusion,” making some references to outer space, and calling it a day.  The  hard way involves acknowledging that this is a record penned by a pair of romantically involved black lesbians and discussing this fact openly as it relates to the music.   I have seen precisely none of the second type, a stunning fact considering that the record includes lines like ‘My melanin is relevant/it’s something to be had’ and ‘The black Jesus/which means of course he’s white.’” Read more.

  6. “The success of Zoo is not grounded in artistic ambition, but in wild, contagious energy and a reckless spirit, two attributes that you can credit to the band as much as you can credit producer John Goodmanson.” Today, we review Ceremony’s Zoo, a ferocious mix of community and anarchy. Click the photo to read.

    “The success of Zoo is not grounded in artistic ambition, but in wild, contagious energy and a reckless spirit, two attributes that you can credit to the band as much as you can credit producer John Goodmanson.”

    Today, we review Ceremony’s Zoo, a ferocious mix of community and anarchy. Click the photo to read.

  7. Last Thursday, the famed Brooklyn Bowl opened its doors to none other than Less Than Jake. Celebrating 20 years of “fucking up”, the Gainesville ska-punks had the Williamsburg venue reeling. 

    The Third Wave veterans brought smiles across every skankin’ face as they treated us to a night of oldies but goodies. Energy soared as they tackled classics off Pezcore and got the crowd circling with some horn heavy numbers from Losing Streak. Never a dull moment was spent with these guys- fake money grabs, quick-witted crowd interaction and booty dancing included!

    -Photos and words by Nicole Pettigrew

  8. Today we review Sharon Van Etten’s fabulous performance at Lincoln Hall in Chicago. Click the photo to enjoy.

    Today we review Sharon Van Etten’s fabulous performance at Lincoln Hall in Chicago. Click the photo to enjoy.

  9. In anticipation of next week’s Academy Awards, FP film critic Franklin Laviola discusses his top 10 least favorite films of 2011. Come back Monday to read about his picks for the best films of 2011.

    In anticipation of next week’s Academy Awards, FP film critic Franklin Laviola discusses his top 10 least favorite films of 2011. Come back Monday to read about his picks for the best films of 2011.

  10. I think I’m really falling for Sharon Van Etten. She has a New Years resolution to wear more pajamas? Swoon. Click the photo to read a discussion on Henry Miller, The Simpsons and New Jersey record stores with Pitchfork. Click here to read our glowing review of her fantastic new record, Tramp.

    I think I’m really falling for Sharon Van Etten. She has a New Years resolution to wear more pajamas? Swoon.

    Click the photo to read a discussion on Henry Miller, The Simpsons and New Jersey record stores with Pitchfork. Click here to read our glowing review of her fantastic new record, Tramp.

  11. Today we continue our new monthly column, Dialogue, where our editors discuss an ongoing controversy in pop music. Today, editor Keith Meatto responds to L.V. Lopez’s impressions of Lana Del Rey’s Born To Die and the critical struggles surrounding the album. Click photo to read the second installment.

    Today we continue our new monthly column, Dialogue, where our editors discuss an ongoing controversy in pop music. Today, editor Keith Meatto responds to L.V. Lopez’s impressions of Lana Del Rey’s Born To Die and the critical struggles surrounding the album. Click photo to read the second installment.