4B - Thursday, September 13, 2007 AU A SCOR ESE and the master By MITCHELL AKSELRAD Daily Arts Writer Morrie walks back into the bar, having pissed off gangster Jimmy Conway one too many times. Jimmy coolly watches him and starts to consider murder. The camera dollies in slow and Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love" begins, its opening riff corrupted by the possibility of violence.- It's one of a hundred different sequences employing a song with lyrics of dual meaning in Martin Scorsese's saga "Goodfellas." The filmmaker has been lauded for decades for his contributions to the film industry - he's given us hard, rich storytelling and created iconic characters. His oft-imitated four-minute track- ing shots have become a key tool in the modern auteur's kit. But Scorsese's impact on modern entertain- ment extends beyond his use of the lens - he has perfected the inclusion of popular music in crime films. Whether it's the aforementioned "Goodfellas," "Casino" or "The Departed," Scorsese's brand of soundtrack compilation is significant in every detail. There are certain tendencies you can count on in a Scorfese soundtrack, and one is the tongue-in-cheek match-up of lyrics to narra- tive situations. Recall Robert DeNiro's "Ace Rothstein," expertly inspecting two men he believes are trying to cheat at poker in "Casi- no" (1995). Rothstein, a former bookie, doesn't need much notice to know something smells rotten in Nevada. Jeff Beck's "I Ain't Supersti- tious" begins to play, vindicating the cautious Rothstein. His hunch is proven correct and the cheats are appropriately "dealt with." Or con- sider "The Departed" (2006), when Jack Nich- olson's Frank Costello walks out from the back of a bar covered in blood, having obviously just perpetrated immeasurable violence. We hear The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 4 ORTESY OF WARNER BROS. Fingers being broken to "Happy birthday." Jack is singing along. "Tweedle Dee"inthe background, as if nothing unusual has just taken place. This, of course, is how Frank sees it. Scorsese refined the juxtaposition of descrip- tive lyrics and ironic music with violent and foreboding scenes in "Goodfellas" (1991). In the first act, Henry Hill introduces each figure of the criminal underworld and Mina's "This World We Live In" knowingly plays in the back- ground. This is the world in which Henry lives. When Hill explains the ritual practice of tak- ing the wives out on Saturday and the Gumars (mistresses) out on Friday, the crew listens to the singer on stage sing a beautiful ballad. For a moment it seems to take you out of the ugliness that is their world. But listen carefully to the chorus: "Pretend you don't see her at all." That's exactly what these "good fellas" are doing with their wives - ignoring their needs, their pres- ence. The most ingenious use of music in "Good- fellas" comes when Henry, Pauly and other Mafioso are sent to prison. Henry describes in detail how "it's different for wise guys" and how they "own the joint." They bring in lobsters and prosciutto and their biggest concern is that someone puts too many onions in the tomato sauce. Bobby Darin's "Beyond the Sea" plays in the background, emphasizing the fact that this is a magical place, a magical life ledby wise guys who live in a distant fantasy world. This would justbe a history lesson if this was a practice reserved only for Scorsese's crime films, but his clever practice has carried over to a new generation of filmmakers. Quentin Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs" (1992) features a scene where a criminal dances around a beaten, tied-up policeman. "Mr. Blonde" is ready to cut the cop's ear off, but he's listening to Stealer's Wheel's "Stuck in the Middle with You!" Playing ironic or self-aware songs over the closing credits of any HBO show has become standard. Episodes of "The Sopranos" always end and often feature a song that comments directly on the plot of the program. In the epi- sode "Amour Fou," after Tony, Christopher and Patsy have violently threatened and killed a host of characters, Bob Dylan's rendition of Dean Martin's "Return to Me" innocently finishes the episode. All the members of the Sopranos crime syndicate return home to "the family." A soundtrack accentuates the emotion of a scene. It can also set the tone for a sequence, then ask the'audience to understand its corre- lation to a seemingly opposite piece of music. Scorsese always made sure the addition of pop music is meaningful. Why is the killer murder- ing an innocent victim to the tune of a lullaby? Are the lyrics of a song coincidentally accurate, or were they purposely layered in at the exact moment to comment on the action of the scene? Maybe next time "Goodfellas" is on TBS and you watch it for the 67th time, there'll be some- thing else to look for or, rather, listen to. SOUL From page 1B and '70s which saw mods, skin- heads, DJs and collectors getting hip to popular and obscure Ameri- can soul. "They began to put on what came to be known as 'allnighters' and 'weekenders,' " Wells said, "allnight/weekend long dance parties fueled by pills and booze where multiple DJs spun and attempted to show off the rarest, most obscure and danciest singles from their collection to all those in attendance." Northern soul fans would travel stateside and scour cities, espe- cially Detroit and Chicago, for all the vinyl they could take through customs, thinking they'd collect it all. Thankfully they didn't. "They contributed to the cul- ture of dancing all night to soul music, tapping into that energy," Wells said. And that's exactly what Wells and Hales tap into when they begin their Blind Pig sets. "We always want to mix it up, but we know what works, what gets people dancing," Wells said. "We usually stay with soul from the '60s, but since we're playing till 2 a.m., we'll start with some heavier tunes. We'll go into 'cross- over soul' from the '70s and '80s but always bring it back to the '60s at the end." Wells put down the notion that he and Hales are rejuvenating a genre. "We're not reclaiming our music," he said. "It's just great music." Integral to these singles is their length. "These sophisticated soul records are tryingto make the big- gest pop hit possible," Wells said. "And they're doing it in two and a half minutes." This soulful exuberance under- lies the soul and vinyl communi- ties. Wells and Hales consistently bringinguestDJs from aroundthe United States and across the pond. "Through Hales and (other DJs and collectors), you find all of a sudden you're one person removed from Cut Chemist or DJ Shad- ow," Wells said. Indeed, both Cut Chemist (formerly in Jurassic 5) and Nu Mark (currently in Jurassic 5) hung out with Hales and bought enough vinyl from him to help him establish his People's Records. Both men live music and vinyl. Wells DJs for WCBN's The Hop, an eclectic show of Latin, soul and funk that airs from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Wednesdays. Hales is perhaps even more immersed. Keeping his record store humming is one thing. Being the other half of the Soul Club, running a Funk Night in Detroit and preparing to tour Europe with a performance punk act called "HUMAN EYE" for a month and a half is another. A serious addition to his to-do list is compiling a Michigan soul mix for the magazine Wax Poetics. . "Brad is one of the most genu- inely humble, open guys I know," said Wells, who became friendly with Hales through frequent visits to People's Records.' "Brad really directed me toward soul." That's something that seems to happen often enough with soul music: a fellow DJ or close friend pointing another toward revela- tion. A friend putting on "Who's Loving You," the b-side to the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" a few years ago facilitated my own infatuation. I've never been the same since, collecting soul and R&B vinyl from People's Records when I have the time and from Wazoo and Encore when I don't. It's a transformative experience, listening to soul on vinyl - either by yourself, on a dance floor with temporary kindred spirits or in a bedroom with close friends. "Soul is about intimacy," said Wells, "and so is dropping a record." 4 0 Fox bears witness to cultural milestone By CHRIS GAERIG Daily Music Editor Maybe it was the three hours I spent gyrating with my three best friends and a mass of 5,000 other people. Maybe it was the soft M.IA. and ringing that lin- gered in my ears. Bjork But seeing Bjork Tuesday and M.I.A. play At the FOX Theater the same ornate stage at the FOX Theater in Detroit on Tuesday did something to me. Whether they knew it or not, everyone in the the- ater witnessed something of legend. The Fox's not-to-capacity crowd once again proved Detroit tobe the worst city to see a concert in, as it's filled with sports fans, but those present were able to experience one of the most powerful duos of their generation. This is the sort of concert your children will talk about. How many times have you wished you were at the original Woodstock?How many times did you want to see Dylan touring in support of Highway 61 (Revisited)? How many times did you wish you had seen Nirvana play a dank club with 30 people in the crowd? Even though it's not readily recognized now, Bjbrk will prove to be the most important female artist of our generation, boasting a near- flawless catalog, while M.I.A. has released two immediately impor- tant albums in the last two years. All historical and musical quali- fiers as M.I.A.I her DJ Ciara's ner's " NoC c ide, it was one hell of a show. tion is up in the air but certainly not bouncing around the stage as out of the picture. If Bjork can work interchanged samples from with pop super-producer Timbal- "Goodies" and David Ban- and to create the gorgeously dancey Play" prompted Bjork fans to "Innocence," anything is possible. What remains to be seen is where M.I.A. will fall in the spectrum of t W oodstock, musical scripture as Bjork contin- ues to solidify her place. But even if but pretty the former fizzles into irrelevancy, this show will have been at the peak dam n close. of her career. Regardless of whether you care about either of these artists or Who's that?" Bjork delivered not, what happened Tuesday will ter song of crowd favorites to prove to be historical. It wasn't the tatic audience. This concert Beatles on the "Ed Sullivan Show" p to the hype - or the hype it but there's a good chance they'll have had. be talking about this tour on VH1's ether or not this tour will "20 Greatest Tours" when it airs in y heed any future collabora- 2030. 4 ask, "V song af an ecst lived ul should Whe actuall 0 LE ARN An exciting 6 week seminar TO READ FREE! THE BIBLE EFFECTIVELY Ann Arbor Comfort Inn 2455 Carpenter Rd. Monday evenings-7:30 to 9:00 pm., September 17 to October 22 . the happy couple. Attend this seminar and learn to read the Bible effectively! If you find reading the Bible difficult or frustrating at times, then this seminar is for you. Six concise and informative sessions are delivered in a friendly, comfortable environment. They are aimed at equipping you with the skills and determination to understand scriptural doctrines for yourself and benefit from a new appreciation of the Bible. Whether you are familiar with the Bible or not, you will walk away with loads of information and new energy to begin reading more effectively. Register early Enrollment limited For more information or to register call (734) 844-2426 seminar@tidings.org BRITNEY From page lB "I'm a Slave 4 U," 2001 The only way to top the previ- ous year's performance? Include live animals. Exotification of indigenous cultures was appar- ently the rage in 2001, perhaps ironically as Spears chose to per- form her single "I'm a Slave 4 U." Mid-performance, she accepts a sunshine-colored boa constric- tor from a dancer and continues to stalk the stage, gyrating occa- sionally, while holding the snake. Still sensational. "Like a Virgin"/"Hollywood," 2003 This Madonnatribute remains most famous for Brit and Madge's Kiss (Christina Aguilera is usu- ally left out in media mentions, more or less). And the kiss is rightfully the most memorable thing about it: By this point, Britney VMA appearances have directed their focus to spectacle, not substance. (Although the presence of any substance, how- ever little of it, can be argued from the beginning.) Madon- na's voice is famously thin; so is Britney's. They're known as per- formers foremost, not singers, and the 2003 performance can be interpreted as a very showy passing of the torch. "Gimme More," 2007 Leadingup tothe awards show, MTV spent a lot of airtime adver- tisingfor"the greatestpop star"to return and unleash her rebellion. But those who tuned in - includ- ing the crying fan immortalized in the days after on YouTube - could not have expected much more than the Ms. Spears's slow- moving, stumbling show. Based on her photo-documented behav- ior, the tabloids could have pre- dicted as much. The lipsynching was obvious; the dancers seemed to be trying to make up for her lethargy; the overall effect was of an artist caught at a very, very low point. 4 I Here's what you will learn..... " Who wrote the Bible - where did it come from? *How to get past the sometimes difficult language used in the Bible. " How to learn more in less time with effective study tools. *How to use cross references and a centre margin. " An overview of each book of the Bible in a concise easy-to-understand manner. " History and chronology (the order of events) in the Bible. *How, science is reconciled with the scriptures. " Prove to yourself the Bible is not a work of fiction. eHow to read carefully (e.g. Adam and Eve didn't eat an apple). * Why quoting a single scripture is dangerous (how to keep passages in context).. " Who are the Jews? Why are they so important in the Bible? " Why parts of the Bible are so difficult to understand and how they can be simplified. " How did so many interpretations of the Bible develop? *When and how to understand the book of Revelation. " Why does God allow so much suffering and wickedness? *What are the differences between Bible versions? " Why is there an Old Testament and a New Testament? 9 How to use a concordance and a lexicon. The "Gimme More" perfor- mance should be Spears's last at the VMAs - at least for a very long time. It won't be, and it shouldn't be, as long as and only if Spears takes the route of so many other artists who have tried to stage a comeback too soon: take some time off. Not as in ending a tour only to go right into the stu- dio, or going (and immediately leaving) rehab, both of which she has done. Spears needs to take a break from her career. "Gimme More" at the VMAs showed that she wasn't ready as a performer to come back to the industry, and the necessary demographic to ensure her success has either grown up or hasn't discovered her yet. ,. .