Rrrecommendations

I watched The Punk Singer a couple of nights ago, which is very good. I watched it just because it sounded intriguing:

Her critics wished she would just shut-up, and her fans hoped she never would. So in 2005, when Hanna stopped shouting, many wondered why. 

What I didn't realize is that Kathleen Hanna, the subject of the film, was the lead singer in Le Tigre, a band I like a lot. This is what happens when you don't have album sleeves to read anymore. She was also a leader in the riot grrl movement. Who knew? Probably everybody except me.

Speaking of music, it had looked as though the soundtrack to this summer was going to be the new albums by The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and The Brian Jonestown Massacre, but now I'm not so sure. The Pains have meh-llowed a bit (the album is good but not as good as their earlier stuff, as we hipsters like to say) and the BJM album is far from being their best work despite claims to the contrary. But you can always turn to the artists your heroes recommend if those heroes themselves don't come through. Kip Berman (of The Pains) recommends Makthaverskan, and their latest album is dark (listen to it too much and you'll get depressed) but good, a bit like a more aggressive version of the Cure fronted by a sweary, younger version of Björk. 

And Anton Newcombe (of the BJM) recommends Les Big Byrd, another Swedish band. Droney but infectious.