ARCHIVE 2021

2021 IN REVIEW

FAVORITE ALBUMS

The Weezer double feature of the orchestral, OK Human, and the 80's inspired rocker, Van Weezer

Liz Phair- Soberish- It has been 11 years since Liz Phair released an album (and her last album, Funstyle, I have tried really hard to forget).  Soberish was a great return for Liz Phair and was closer stylistically to her glory days of Exile in Guyville and Whip Smart.

Matt Nathanson- Achtung Matty- U2's masterpiece, Achtung Baby, turned 30 this year.  How cool is it when your favorite singer covers Achtung Baby in its entirety.  Nathanson's cover of "One" was especially beautiful.

Chris Cornell- No One Sings Like You Anymore- Technically this was released digitally in December 2020, but the physical release wasn't until 2021 so I am going to include it here.  I was never a grunge fan, so Soundgarden was not a huge favorite.  Chris Cornell could really cover a song and make it his own.  I love his cover of Guns N Roses' "Patience".  But it is his cover of Prince's "Nothing Compares to U" that is absolutely heartbreaking.

THE RETURN OF LIVE MUSIC

After over a year of only live stream shows, it was absolutely wonderful to be able to go to live music again.  My first post- COVID show and favorite show of the year was the Hella Mega tour show in Columbus, OH.  It was an amazing triple bill with Green Day, Weezer, and Fall Out Boy.  I thought that Weezer deserved better billing than Fall Out Boy but it was headliner, Green Day, who denominated the evening.  Honorable mention goes to Alanis Morissette (with Garbage).  I had been holding these tickets since January 2020 and the show finally came to fruition in September 2021.  Another honorable mention goes to the bands I saw at the Louder Than Life festival (except for Machine Gun Kelly), especially Disturbed for quickly filling the spot Nine Inch Nails vacated and rocking the house.

Which brings me to Nine Inch Nails' tour cancellation due to COVID.  I was extremely disappointed with this decision from Trent Reznor.  All of the cancelled shows, with the exception of one, were festival dates, usually as the headliner.  Because the festivals were not cancelled, fans were left with non-refundable tickets and festival organizers had to scramble at the last minute to find another headliner.  For the Louder Than Festival I attended, full vaccinations or a negative COVID test were required and checked and the event was outside.  I feel the organizers of the festival took adequate steps to keep fans safe and these did not turn into "super spreader events".  Over 100 bands played these festivals and did not share Reznor's concern over "keeping the fans safe".  

FAVORITE BOOK- ANDREW McCARTHY- BRAT: AN 80'S STORY:  I love 1980's pop culture.  I am the woman Bowling for Soup sang about in their song, "1985".  Andrew McCarthy was my first celebrity crush.  While I enjoyed his 2013 book, The Longest Road Home, this book was perfect for me because it focused on his Brat Pack time in the 1980's.  It has been a long time since I have enjoyed a book this much.  It was nostalgic but also showed how endearing and relatable McCarthy is whether he was discussing insecurities with fame, overcoming alcoholism, or his estrangement from his father.  It inspired to go back and watch some of his 80's movies again (2 were on VHS).  These were my observations.

Pretty In Pink- Blane Mc Donough still charms me.  I was always "Team Blane" because at the end of the day, we want the fairy tale ending not the realistic one with Duckie.  I still love Andie's style except for that awful homemade prom dress.

Less Than Zero- McCarthy is very hard on this film in his book.  I have always defended this film over the years over the book it was based on by Bret Easton Ellis.  I was apathic towards the characters in the book.  Growing up in the 1980's in the "Just Say No" and DARE era and both my parents were pharmacists, this film impacted me more because of its realistic portrayal of drug addiction.  While some aspects of the film have not aged well, such as  I found McCarthy and Jami Gertz to have no chemistry on screen, it is still a beautifully shot film and Robert Downey Jr's performance is still devastating.

Weekend at Bernies- The premise of this film is beyond silly but it is still stupidly, laugh out loud funny.

WORST FILM- SPENCER: Do not believe any hype from critics about this film.  Kristin Stewart is not a great actress and her portrayal of Princess Diana was not award winning.  Same vacant stares from her.  While Diana's mental health issues are documented, portraying her as off the rails crazy, is a disservice to her memory.  Having visions of Anne Boleyn's ghost, really?!   The over the top, depressing score.  If you have interest in Princess Diana and the royal family, watch season 4 of The Crown and skip this disaster.  

CANCEL CULTURE-  Especially in 2021, I have been disturbed by the growing "cancel culture", especially towards comedians like Dave Chappelle.  I hate censorship in all of its forms, from book banning to removing and silencing content one does agree with.  Comedians give a humorous lens to the crazy world we live in.  Sometimes comedy can be offensive or uncomfortable.  However, no group should be able to have someone's work banned or altered or have their "acceptable context' put on it.  When we stop being edgy, we stop being challenged and stop growing and learning.