Music and Movie Talk #6
Happy weekend. I hope you’re enjoying this fine Saturday at the end of the month. There’s not much going on in my world. Kinda just waiting around for something to happen; suppose we’ll see where the day takes me. Figured I’d talk about some records and movies I’ve enjoyed recently.
In this Music and Movie Talk—a segment where I talk about a few records and movies I’ve recently enjoyed—I have a ridiculously long compilation, a classic post-punk/avant-funk record, and a fascinating French film from the 1970s. Hope you enjoy, and as always, I appreciate you reading!
Music
The only way to really analyze the internet and its impact is from a contemporary lens, particularly comparing it to life prior to it. In this case, the amount of music I’ve discovered from Reddit, YouTube, and RateYourMusic is life-changing. I can’t imagine life without this music discovery mechanism.
Mac DeMarco - One Wayne G
Genre - Indie Rock
Release Date - 2023
Listen Here
If you have any interest in the indie singer-songwriter space, you probably know who Mac DeMarco is. Mac released a number of great records over the years, even this past year releasing a completely instrumental record Five Easy Hot Dogs.
While many and myself included, thought Mac would be done for the year releasing music, he randomly dropped a compilation record the other day, containing 199 tracks! It may seem a bit ridiculous, but there’s a lot to enjoy, and it’s labeled well enough (with the date in each song name) so you can get a sense of DeMarco’s songwriting process over a period of five years.
I personally made a playlist of all the tracks with lyrics, and that more-or-less makes up a full-length record that’s quite good. I love stuff like this, even if many of these tracks are just rough ideas. If you’re a fan of Mac or love low-key indie singer-songwriter stuff, definitely check it out.
The Pop Group - Y
Genre - Post-Punk
Release Date - 1979
Listen Here
I opened RateYourMusic to find something new to listen to and came across The Pop Group. Upon reading about the band, the group is a post-punk band formed in Bristol in 1977. Much of their music is characterized by its eclectic and experimental sound, drawing from a variety of genres, including punk, funk, dub, and free jazz.
Lyrically, the group is known for its political and social commentary, often addressing issues such as war, racism, and consumerism. The group’s debut album Y received critical acclaim and established the band as one of the post-punk era's most innovative and influential groups.
I haven’t gotten a chance to dive into their follow-up For How Much Longer Do We Tolerate Mass Murder? but am looking forward to it. As for Y, it’s an intense and, at times, challenging listening experience that pushes the boundaries of punk and post-punk music. I’ve been really digging it lately, so definitely give it a listen.
Movies
I talked at length about movies I’ve recently seen in What I Watched Recently #6, but there’s one movie I’ve watched since posting that I really enjoyed. Also, I have a bunch of other movies to watch this week, so definitely be on the lookout for a new Movies Worth Watching.
Mr. Klein (1976)
Genre - Crime/Drama
Director - Joseph Losey
Writers - Franco Solinas, Fernando Morandi, Costa-Gavras
Starring - Alain Delon, Jeanne Moreau, Francine Bergé
About - In Nazi-occupied Paris, the immoral art dealer, Robert Klein, leads a life of luxury until a copy of a Jewish newspaper brings him to the attention of the police, linking him with a mysterious doppelgänger. Will Mr. Klein clear his name?
Why You Should Watch
I recently watched Ari Aster's Closet Picks on the Criterion Collection, and pretty much all the films interested me, and Mr. Klein is one of those films. Directed by Joseph Losey and released in 1976, Mr. Klein stars Alain Delon in the titular role, with Jeanne Moreau and Francine Bergé in supporting roles. The film is set in Paris in 1942, amidst the Second World War.
The story revolves around Robert Klein, a French art dealer who profits from the sale of works of art confiscated from Jewish people. One day, Robert receives a Jewish newspaper addressed to a person with the same name as him, causing him to suspect that he’s being mistaken for a Jewish person, and sets out to uncover the truth.
It’s a very subdued yet surreal film that’s grounded as a psychological thriller that explores themes of identity, guilt, and complicity during the Nazi occupation of France. Much of the film ignores the basis of what we expect from a plot but rather uses the characters for a larger discussion on the moral ambiguity of life under Nazi occupation.
At the time, collaboration and profiteering were prevalent—as is the case in any exploitative framework—with many French people willing to betray their fellow citizens in exchange for personal gain. It’s a fascinating film and one of the bests on fascism.