editor’s note: This story was going to print just as we received word about the untimely passing of Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins. His family, friends and bandmates are in our thoughts during this difficult time.
Let’s answer the two questions you are thinking right off the bat:
1) They still have the Oscars?
2) Why is Colin writing about the Oscars? That is why Pencilstorm has film critic extraordinaire Rob Brathwaite. He reviewed 365 movies…in one year!
Yes, the Oscars still exist and they are this Sunday. And as for me, this is a music blog by way of a film experience.
About a month ago I went to the fabulous Gateway Film Center to attend my first proper movie since this pesky pandemic broke out in whatever year that was. It just happened to be Licorice Pizza by you know the guy. I had seen all his previous movies and dug most of them. More importantly the showtime was in a time-frame in which I could attend, which was truly the deciding factor. It could have been Moonfall if it were screening in the same slot. I was just excited to get back into the theater. I’m one of those guys. Staying home doesn’t always do it for me no matter how big the T.V. is.
Anyway, I enjoyed the movie, though most of my smart friends were not impressed. Once again, I think I was so happy to be back at the Gateway (where we used to hold our Reelin’ and Rockin’ series) I would have given Moonfall five stars.
So the following week at the coffee shop I randomly googled the movie to see the reviews and was surprised to learn that the lead actress Alana Haim was making her acting debut (wow) and also played in some band with her sisters….
So I clicked on that….Ok, I’m an idiot. I had never even heard of Haim. Turns out they are a major act. I pop on their latest record Women in Music, Pt. III. The opening track “Los Angeles” grabs me right away but the second track blows my mind. It's so friggin’ good.
“The Steps” is damn near perfect in every way. Lyrics, execution, production… I bet I have played it one hundred times in the past month. I lay in bed and think about it. I fall asleep and dream about it. I’d like to think I’ve contributed to some good pop tunes through the years but “The Steps” is better than anything I have ever written or could ever write. It’s “Words We Say” on steroids. “Small Doses” x 10. Ugh, depressing.
The title alone is genius. It could mean so many different things. It was right there for any songwriter to grab. But we didn’t, and Haim did.
Dig this chorus:
Every time I think that I've been takin' the steps
You end up mad at me for makin' a mess
I can't understand, why you don't understand me
Baby
And every day I wake up and I make money for myself
And though we share a bed
You know that I don't need your help
Do you understand?
You don't understand me
Baby
See the way they tweak those two lines? They could have left them the same and it would have been great. But, no, they go full-on Ray Davies and wring them out for every possible bit of meaning. What’s the opposite of lazy? Is it not lazy? This is the opposite of lazy songwriting. And bonus points for multiple use of the word Baby. Very rock n roll.
So it’s all crushing, verse, chorus, verse, chorus yadda yadda….whoa…..the bridge takes a left turn and then they feature these lyrics:
If I go right And you go left Hey, I know we'll meet up again
And if you go left And I go right Hey, maybe that's just life sometimes.
The song was already brilliant but now they are just showing off. Running up the score on the rest of us lesser songwriters. If I want to make myself feel better I could suggest they edit out 2 bars at the 2:28 mark of the song to tighten things up but I’m sure someone already suggested that and someone else had good reasons that it was a bad idea.
I’ll share the proper video in a minute but this live performance is my go-to. They have some side players here but on the actual recording Danielle Haim is lead vox, plays drums and electric guitar. Alana sings those lovely harmonies and plays acoustic guitar and percussion while Este Haim plays bass and sings as well. I’m so excited to be able to share this with you.
Here is a bootleg live version featuring the sisters playing the song as a three piece. Mostly. Hearing the crowd sing along makes me happy. I wish I was there. Sure we have problems.Disease and Wars and Putins and Trumpers and injustice and poverty and so on & so forth....But we still have rock n roll. And movies. And books. And art.
Speaking of rock n roll…..Haim knows the room. Even if the room is a gigantic festival in England.
Here is the fancy official video.
Did I mention that Alana Haim had never acted before starring in the lead role of an Oscar-nominated feature film directed by Paul Thomas Anderson? Certainly this sort of thing doesn’t happen often. Or ever.
In related news, Paul Thomas Anderson directed the latest single from Haim.
Also in related news, about a week after seeing Licorice Pizza I went back to the Gateway to check out Drive My Car on the advice of Rob Braithwaite. It was excellent and is also nominated for best picture.
As long as we are talking Best Picture, can someone explain to me how Moonfall wasn’t nominated? I haven’t seen it yet but it doesn’t take Roger Ebert to figure out that a movie about THE MOON CRASHING INTO EARTH seems like a better plot than teenagers eating pizza or a Japanese dude driving around for three hours speaking in subtitles. Where is the justice?
Fun fact: Moonfall is actually the sequel to this movie…….
Colin Gawel really needs to quit screwing around and get back to work at Colin’s Coffee.
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