Music Geek: Woody Allen’s Manhattan and Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” combine for engaging musical perspective
That famed, prolific director Woody Allen — the auteur behind greats like Annie Hall, Interiors, and, of course, the subject at hand, 1979’s Manhattan, the three of which were released over a three-year period from 1977 to 1979 — has always displayed a penchant for musical ingenuity.
So when the black-and-white, self-affirming Manhattan opens with George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” a musical masterpiece said by some to be a portrait or tribute to New York City, we aren’t really surprised. When Allen, with his wry wit and self-deprecating demeanor, juxtapositions his opening narration, a stop-start, neurotic monologue serving as the opening to the equally neurotic Isaac Davis, even obliquely mentioning Gershwin, we’re given a distinct image of the film to come.
By Matthew Montgomery 
Feb 19, 2010 
"Music Geek" by Matthew Montgomery, MovieGeek, Music and Film 
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Music Geek: The Arcade Fire’s “Rebellion”
See, I can look classy every now and again.
Whilst listening to the latest episode of All Songs Considered from NPR — it’s on the decade defined — The Arcade Fire’s “Rebellion,” from the group’s seminal 2004 full-length debut Funeral, imparted upon me a certain unusual zeal; it is a sort of zeal, I find, that is only imparted by the occasional realization of a song’s power and the inner workings behind such power. Radiohead’s “A Wolf at the Door,” most recently, hit me the same way; for weeks, I diagrammed the structural intricacies in an attempt to understand why, exactly, the song just… worked. (more…)
By Matthew Montgomery Nov 11, 2009 "Music Geek" by Matthew Montgomery, Track Reviews Comments (0)
Music Geek #17: Radiohead, Thom Yorke release strategy indicative of creative shift?
Radiohead, the album band — you know, the one that hit it big with a single, then turned around and crafted some of the greatest albums of the modern era? The range of responses to questions in the vein of, “Do you like… Radiohead?” comprise two distinct types of answer: “[Insert post-Pablo Honey-album-title here] was fucking great,” on one hand, and “I love Creep!” on the other. It happens.
But the album-oriented Radiohead may have gone by the wayside a bit, and it seems they’ve got Thom Yorke in tow. Here’s a quick timeline, if you’ve missed it somehow:
5 August 2009: Radiohead release “Harry Patch (In Memory Of)”
17 August 2009: Radiohead release “These Are My Twisted Words”
21 September 2009: Thom Yorke releases double A-side single, “Feeling Pulled Apart By Horses / The Hollow Earth” [Stereogum]
By Matthew Montgomery Sep 20, 2009 "Music Geek" by Matthew Montgomery Comments (0)
Music Geek #16: 10 years of Agaetis Byrjun
Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun
While I can’t say I’ve been listening to Sigur Ros for ten years (I’m only 23, after all,) the anniversary of Agaetis Byrjun still holds a notable impact in my development of musical tastes. When I first heard this album, I was an impressionable 15-years old and only beginning to realize the breadth and depth of music at my digital fingertips (ah, a pun!)
It introduced me to a world of post-rock and soaring, dynamic soundscapes — and though I wasn’t necessarily unfamiliar with the latter, the Icelandic outfit took it to a logical extreme I hadn’t yet witnessed. This, I thought, was music that made me feel emotional, excited, happy, sad; truthfully, the state of emotion didn’t much make a difference, but the magnitude. As a happy teen listening to Agaetis Byrjun, the album took on a bright, shimmery light; as an occasionally angst-ridden 16-year-old, the album came in a more sad, depressed form. As a teen who avoided some of the emotional highs and lows of his peers (though I wasn’t without fault, by any means) Sigur Ros gave me something to feel when I didn’t want to worry about feeling other things. (more…)
Tags: experimental, post-rock
By Matthew Montgomery Jun 13, 2009 "Music Geek" by Matthew Montgomery Comments (2)
Music Geek #15: Music as Emotional Memory
In dealings with my friends and colleagues, I have noticed, as have many, many others, an undeniable commonality. Of course, this is not to say this does not apply to all people, but I’ll qualify my statement, as I haven’t really done further research on the matter.
It seems the large majority of people with which I have regular conversation are inclined to form connections to music as a method of reliving emotion. I suppose I sympathise with the notion: Music, I’d argue, is a much more powerful creation than simple words. It resonates (quite literally) through us in ways undeniable, whether they are cultural, personal, or innately human. I’m inclined to think it may be the latter, but this is another topic for another day. (more…)
By Matthew Montgomery Jun 07, 2009 "Music Geek" by Matthew Montgomery Comments (0)
Music Geek #14: Success as Failure
In reading an interview with once-internet-sensation Tay Zonday by Broken Cool, it becomes evident the outlook “the ‘Chocolate Rain’ guy” has about popular music is by no means one major labels — nor the artists on them — want you to hear. He embodies an almost embroiled bitterness toward mainstream media (or, perhaps, media altogether) and the Western notion of success.
“Success Level” is a fairytale invented to give journalists something to print by each deadline. It allows readers to vicariously live a celebrity soap opera about who makes it and who doesn’t. It turns the world into comic fiction that has nothing to do with music or life.
By Matthew Montgomery Jun 06, 2009 "Music Geek" by Matthew Montgomery Comments (0)
MusicGeek #13: What I’ve Missed
Over the past year, music, while not having fallen to the wayside, has taken a bit of a backseat in my life for reasons I don’t quite comprehend yet. It’s not as if I’d really listened to less music, but my yearning and urge to discover new, interesting music dropped considerably, which, as a result, also saw fewer updates to this site I update only vaguely anyhow.
Perhaps it’s hearing a few new albums that get me excited about new music being released that’s done the trick. In the last week, I’ve made more of an effort to hear new music than in the past six months, which, I must say, is a bit of a shame. Here’s a short list of a few albums that I’ve been listening to recently — perhaps reviews will come soon.
Charles Spearin — Happiness
Phoenix — Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
The Mountain Goats and John Vanderslice — Moon Colony Bloodbath
Grizzly Bear — Veckatimest
The Rural Alberta Advantage — Hometowns
Leaves — We Are Shadows
Maybe all I needed was something to be excited about again, but after an unnecessary hiatus, I’m ready to write again.
By Matthew Montgomery Jun 06, 2009 "Music Geek" by Matthew Montgomery Comments (0)
Music Geek #12: Subscribe with Google Reader, please
Five of you subscribe to MusicGeek.org with Google Reader. One of you is me.
So, let me revise that: Four of you subscribe to MusicGeek.org with Google Reader. Thank you. More of you regular readers should subscribe to this site with some sort of RSS feed reader if you don’t already.
Now, I know you probably want to visit the site to view our lovely ads (which, by the way, make me little to no money — I’m quite certainly not profiting financially from running this site,) but I urge you to subscribe anyway. The formatting might not be quite as nice, but if you read through the brief bit of post and are interested in reading more, it’s a short process to click and read the rest. (more…)
Tags: google
By Matthew Montgomery Sep 10, 2008 "Music Geek" by Matthew Montgomery Comments (0)
