Pearl Jam, SXSW, Airborne Toxic Event, Anna Faris
UNDERRATED
Pearl Jam’s ‘Ten’: It’s the album no hipper-than-thou music fan ever wants to admit owning, but now it’s back with a brand-new mix in a variety of special-edition re-releases (including an insane four-LP version for $200). Scoff if you will, but the freshened-up album sounds to us today even more like it did back in 1991: classic.
DirecTV’s TV101: We missed SXSW this year, but thankfully this satellite-provided network was showing interviews and live performances all weekend long. It didn’t always have the hot new buzz bands (Echo & the Bunnymen, anyone?), but it was still great to see Austin’s own March Madness without the maddening crowds.
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OVERRATED
The Airborne Toxic Event: Far be it from us to slag a rising local band, but after seeing its performance at SXSW (yes, on TV), we’re wondering what the fuss is about. Decent songs, but do we really need another Interpol? A hint: Covering “Goodbye Horses” from that creepy “Silence of the Lambs” scene doesn’t make you dark.
Anna Faris in ‘Smiley Face’: This googly-eyed blond recently became a comedy It Girl, but after watching this 90-minute goof from 2007 by Gregg Araki we’re left as bewildered as her drugged-out character. Between this and “House Bunny,” we’re wondering when playing dumb became the ticket to stardom? Wait, don’t answer that.
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