The Jeu de Paume is currently hosting a Fellini retrospective here in Paris and I was lucky enough to go the other night. Now, I admit to not being someone who loves his films and I actually found La Dolce Vita a bit sad when I watched it again recently. The sense that all of the people were trying to be a bit outrageous, a constant search for the most daring thing, was lost on me the second time around.
But this installation was well put together and focused on his broader influence, culturally, including the use of music in his films. While he "rejects" music, it is clear that his choices were deliberate and strongly contributed to the overall narrative and mood of his films. It is also evident that his use of music has influenced all of the generations of film makers, ever since.
I have been thinking about music, a lot, here in Paris as I've found myself listening to more of my iTunes catalog than ever before. With more than 4,000 songs loaded onto the thing (and, yes, I know that M, B and others have twice that), I have been taking the time to really get to know the music I own and start to sort out what I really like, versus what I've been given by friends, or thought I liked because all of my friends liked it.
I've come to some pretty interesting conclusions. Many are not surprising. Yes, I still love jazz music, beyond all others. I am eagerly awaiting the full release of the Newport Jazz Festival recordings. Though, I realize with the exception of a few works by Wynton Marsalis, contemporary jazz isn't all that interesting to me. Give me the extended jam sessions by Dizzy Gillespie, any day or night.
Random Top 40 has a place in my heart. I run the risk of being very uncool here but there are times in this world for a well-crafted pop song. Whether it's a syrupy anthem by Miley Cyrus or a fun dance track by Kylie. There is space in my brain to appreciate these things and they can bring a smile to the most stoic of faces.
Boy Bands. No, not the Backstreet Boys or N'Sync but the bands 'boys/men' love. Over the years I have dated a steady stream of music lovers. Like a bad scene out of a Nick Hornby novel or an updated cut from Diner, I have been grilled on which Replacements albums do I own; Bob Mould or Husker Du (or both); which Jack White side project is better? Those are the easy questions. And while I've mostly passed the tests, I often wondered if I really liked this type of music or if I had just grown to like it over the years. The answer is, well, probably both. I made a play list the other day of random songs, many from this genre, and found that I listened to for more than three hours as I wandered Paris. It held up nicely whether in the 6th, walking thru the Marais, standing outside the Pompidou, or roaming the Bastille.
What don't I like? Surprisingly, there is little on my iPod that I don't really like or want to delete. Things that have been "unchecked" so they don't load? ABBA. I know, I know, but I don't really like them. The Hold Steady. What was I thinking? I started worrying about liking this band when I saw the bunch of misogynistic a-holes at one of their shows, but the more I listen, the less I like. And, now this really, surprised me, with the exception of about five songs I can't listen to the Beatles. They were geniuses and the music is timeless, but I don't really want to listen to it. It's not part of the soundtrack of my life. John Lennon, yes. Beatles, no.
The following songs are currently on a play list entitled, Random Smiles in Paris:
O...Saya, A.R. Rahman & MIA
You Oughta Know, Alanis Morissette
Always a Friend, Alejandro Escovedo
America, Alex Lloyd
The Old Apartment, Bare Naked Ladies
See a Little Light, Bob Mould
Oh My God, Whatever, Ryan Adams
Tuesday Morning, The Pogues
God Don't Make Lonely Girls, The Wallflowers
The Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes, Elvis Costello
Sons & Daughters, The Decemberists
The Magic Hour, Wynton Marsalis
Wide Open Spaces, Dixie Chicks
I Lost It, Lucinda Williams
A Song for You, Whiskeytown
Tears Dry On Their Own, Amy Winehose
Tangled Up in Blue, Bob Dylan
Don't Go Back to Rockville, REM
Jesus Walks, Kayne West
Old Enough, The Raconteurs
Don't Stop Believin', The Glee Cast
Unsatisfied, The Replacements
Seven Nation Army, The White Stripes
Trying to Throw Your Arms Around the World, U2
