performance in Ernst Lubitsch's signature wit within a dream.
Continued from page 16
bass and drums of
"Due To You" and
Gary Modica and
"Throw Away,"
the
Patt Maxwell, delivopening salvos from L.
er the punch and
Ron Drunkard's EP The
muscle of dudes a
First 5, are aggressive
decade
younger.
hardrock tracks with
Standout tracks on
gruffly delivered nursSRV include "Face To
ery rhyme lyrics, with
Face," the impressive
the latter track declar"Licking Wounds,"
ing: "Two, four, six,
" C o n q u e r e d ,
eight, everyone just
Divided,"and
wants to get laid."
"Payment Due."
Scientology-endorsed it
is not, but it would be
(facebook.com/wrath)
by anyone who likes
– Tim Shockley
Wrath
pessimistic post-punk
from a power-chord driven three-piece.
As punk rock compilations go, you
"I Feel Great" attempts to put on a happy
could certainly do much worse than Eat
face, but "Everything Falls Apart" and
This Motherf*cker. It bills itself as a "Punk
"Tie Me Off," are full of heroin
Rock Roll Call," but that has more to do
metaphors, slowing the tempo and
with a prevailing attitude than it is a
allowing the near-west suburban band
hard, fast aesthetic. The bands representto probe more subtle arrangements.
ed here (Ruffin, 99ers, August Ruin and
(facebook.com/LRonDrunkardMusic)
SKUZZBALL amongst others) all main– Jason Scales
tain a punk rock vibe. The material
ranges from SKUZZBALL's one minute
Chicago's Wrath have been pummelscreeds and 99ers dip into the Dead
ing the Midwest (off and on) for over 30
Milkmen feel of "Godzilla's A Punk."
years. Constant touring and their latest
And huge props for the heavyweight,
release, Stark Raving Mad, finally might
purple splatter vinyl the collection
put them over the top to a larger audicomes housed on. www.houseofstjamesence, once and for all. The manic "Face
records.com
To Face" opens in a frenzy that continues
-Curt Baran
for the next 35 minutes. Early Exodus
springs to mind. Wrath knows two
Attention local bands and solo artists;
speeds: fast and faster. Scott Thomas
Looking to have your album reviewed in IE?
Matrise's guttural, yet dynamic vocals fit
Email a link to your music (3 song minithe band perfectly. No death metal gurmum) to [email protected] or
gle here. Wrath's twin guitar attack of
send your CD or Vinyl to: IE Around Hear,
Scott Nyquist and Robert Noon comple4223 W. Lake Street, Suite 420, Chicago, IL
ment each other in the same vein as
60624.
those in Judas Priest, among others. The
to enjoy on a snowy night.
First up:
The Shop Around the Corner (99 min)
Dir. Ernst Lubitsch, 1940
Availability: DVD, VOD
Based on an obscure Hungarian play
and serving as the basis for several other
romantic flicks (including Nora Ephron's
You've Got Mail), The Shop Around the
Next:
Fanny and Alexander (312 min)
Dir. Ingmar Bergman, 1982
Availability: DVD/Blu-ray
Originally, this was developed as a
Swedish miniseries, so, instead of being
five and a half hours, just think of this as
being nearly three hour shorter than True
Detective. Actually, for this Christmas
Double Feature, you only need to watch
James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan in The Shop Around The Corner (1940)
Corner feels incredibly individual, a
momentary inspiration, even with its
high concept logline: two people cannot
stand each other face to face, but
unknowingly fall in love with each other
through anonymous letters. But there is
more at stake here than that cute set-up,
including the urgency for money and
trinkets at Christmas time, and mistaking
people of all kinds for people of all other
kinds. James Stewart gives a lovely, quiet
the first hour, which is pretty much a
whole story unto itself, and a mesmerizingly sumptuous depiction of the candlelit, red-ribboned, horse carriage clomping, childlike, ghostlike, drunken, joyously gluttonous reverie of Christmas lovingly told by the legendary Swedish
director. Meant to be his swansong, it
became one o