Among many, many other notables, 2011 was the year that saw Wall Street — and cities across the country — occupied, a royal wedding, the passing of Steve Jobs, arguably the Thomas Edison of our time, the end of NASA’s space-shuttle program, terrible natural disasters both near and far and the end of the Iraq War.
Some of us here at the Weekender will never forget the day we stood in our offices on a bright and sunny August day looking at each other in wonder as an earthquake shook our building, and then, just a few weeks later, being evacuated from downtown Wilkes-Barre as the September flooding loomed — the same flooding that devastated the lives of so many people here in NEPA.
We’re ready to send 2011 on its way, as we’re sure many people are, but first, let’s take a look back at some of the great things that came out of MMXI, as we present our Staff Picks in music, concerts, fashion, books and movies.
best albums
1. “Wasting Light,” Foo Fighters
In some ways, the Foo Fighters are the rarest of the rare: A band with universal popularity that still has its integrity, pleasing everyone and catering to no one. “Wasting Light” had a perfect mix of energy and emotion, was loud and angry when it needed to be (“Bridge Burning” or “White Limo”) and was quiet and peaceful when it didn’t (“Dear Rosemary” or “These Days”). The entire album is made up of music that either seems plucked out of the sky note-by-note or torn from the ground by its roots, and listening to it makes for one amazing ride.
2. “Worship Music,” Anthrax
Metal bands are remarkable for a longevity which seems unexpected given the nature of the music they make, and Anthrax is no exception. The release of “Worship Music” was cause for celebration, but this album was remarkable in its own right and not just due to the reunion with Joey Belladonna. While plenty of bands like to say “We’re back,” Anthrax used heavy-hitting tracks like “Earth on Hell” and “The Devil You Know” to also say “... and we’re as good as we ever have been.”
3. “Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds,” Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
After finally breaking away from Oasis (and younger brother Liam’s antics), Noel Gallagher uses this debut album to stand on his own and write the kind of music that most fans only occasionally caught a glimpse of. While the album is a little light on the tempo and loud guitars, tracks like “If I Had a Gun” or “(I Wanna Live in a Dream in My) Record Machine” really are high flying and showcase Noel’s talents as one of the best songwriters of the last 20 years.
4. “Complete Control Sessions,” Scream
Hardcore punk personified the “Live Fast, Die Young” mantra, including Washington, D.C.’s Scream. After disappearing for nearly 20 years, the band broke the mold with the release of this EP. Songs like “Stopwatch,” “Get Free” and “The Year Bald Headed Singers Were In” blend teen angst with adult retrospection and have a perfect balance of fury and emotion, leaving the listener begging for more.
5. “Angles,” The Strokes
In a very short time, The Strokes cemented itself as beloved indie-rock icons and its music became embedded in pop culture. The downside of that, however, is that the band would start to be compared to itself (and usually fall short). “Angles” is the album that puts the band back on track after a long hiatus. A mix of pop, synth and rock sounds on tracks such as “Games,” “Metabolism” and “Gratisfaction” is hardly groundbreaking, but shows that the Strokes are no flash in the pan either.
-- Michael Irwin, Weekender Correspondent
best albums
1. “Wasting Light,” Foo Fighters
As a longtime casual listener of the Foo Fighters, this Grammy-nominated album made me a fan. From “Bridge Burning’s” crunchy guitar, pounding drums and Dave Grohl’s in-your-face singing to the last note of “Walk,” “Wasting Light” is utterly phenomenal in every way. “Arlandria” arguably is the best damn song of 2011, hands down.
2. “The Barr Brothers,” The Barr Brothers
This Montreal-based quartet, which I’ve never heard before until it recently played here in NEPA, put out one of the most refined, haunting albums I’ve ever heard. From the intimate and lush “Beggar in the Morning” and somber “The Devil’s Harp” to the soulful “Let There Be Horses” and the searing blues of “Lord, I Just Can’t Keep From Crying,” this is truly an ensemble to keep your eyes — and ears — on.
3. “The Whole Love,” Wilco
It may be safe to say that I’ll love pretty much anything these Chicagoans put out, but their Grammy-nominated eighth outing is truly full of greatness. All 12 songs reiterate not only that frontman Jeff Tweedy is a prolific songwriter, but that every member is an amazing musician, especially lead guitarist Nels Cline, whose sometimes subtle, sometimes riotous nuances always add that extra something to leave a lasting impression.
4. “El Camino,” The Black Keys
Slightly more polished than its predecessor, “Brothers,” but still capturing the Keys’ basement-recording vibe, “El Camino” is another dynamite ride from this Ohio duo. With highlights including fantastic first single, “Lonely Boy,” the fuzzy, rollicking “Gold On The Ceiling” and ’70s-sounding “Stop Stop,” Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney prove yet again that they’re in a genre all their own.
5. “Th1rt3en,” Megadeth
Dave Mustaine and company’s aptly named 13th assault proves that the band is still worthy of being one of thrash metal’s “Big Four.” The album ranges from violent (standout “Sudden Death”) and swift and dirty (Grammy-nominated “Public Enemy No. 1”) to epic (“Millennium Of The Blind”) and noisy (“Wrecker”). Megadeth hasn’t mellowed with age, it’s remained as metal as it was in 1983.
-- Nikki M. Mascali, Weekender Editor
best movies
1. “We Need to Talk About Kevin”
An enjoyably bleak exercise that lacks any trace of warmth and doesn’t offer any easy answers. Plus, it’s hard to hate any film that points out that maybe your shitty little kid was just born shitty.
2. “Young Adult”
It kills me deep inside to write this, but I loved this Diablo Cody movie. However, its success mostly lies with Charlize Theron, who seems to have a knack for playing thoroughly vile yet sympathetic figures.
3. “Carnage”
Although it eventually becomes almost unbearably shrill in its final act, this pitch-black comedy earns points for its hopelessly bleak view of humanity. Basically “Carnage” is the sitcom adaptation of “We Need to Talk About Kevin,” and I mean that in the best way possible.
4. “Hobo With A Shotgun”
To make a good exploitation movie you have to find a balance between gritty thrills and tongue-in-cheek silliness. Most films never really find that balance. Thankfully this film does.
5. “Rango”
Weird, surprisingly smart and probably still serves up a potent dose of nightmare fuel to most of the children that saw it back in March. “Rango” has all the makings of a future cult hit. Enjoy it now before it’s co-opted by the Hot Topic crowd.
--- Mike Sullivan, Weekender Correspondent
best movies
1. “Super”
Rainn Wilson’s lifelong sad sack unexpectedly finds redemption as a homemade superhero in this very dark, very violent comedy. James Gunn’s masterful heartbreak of a film is about discovering who we are — for better or for worse. Original and daring, of course it barely played in theaters.
2. “Hugo”
Director Martin Scorsese, that insatiable film buff, enchants us with an unforgettable lesson: No matter how big the special effects get, regardless of whose name is above the title, what entertains us and romances us at the movies is timeless. Don’t believe me? Watch it without the 3-D glasses.
3. “The Descendants”
Alexander Payne’s drama centering on a beleaguered father (George Clooney) living in Hawaii uses tiny strokes to paint a grand portrait of a man burdened by the past and the expectations of others.
4. “Super 8”
J.J. Abrams, in his wonderful, Steven Spielberg-influenced follow up to “Star Trek,” goes beyond tickling the imagination. Taking place in the late 1970s in a small Ohio town, “Super 8” captures that sliver of childhood when the real world starts to reveal itself, whether we’re ready for it or not.
5. “Bridesmaids”
Enough with the women-are-crass-too praise or how refreshing it is to see ladies bringing the funny. That’s a slap in the face to Amy Sedaris, Madeline Kahn and even Katharine Hepburn. Strip away the hype, and you’ll find a very funny, very honest movie about the tenuous nature of friendships. That’s why it should be lauded.
-- Pete Croatto, Weekender Correspondent
worst movies
1. “Kaboom”
I’ve complained enough about Gregg Araki’s rudderless piece of sci-fi college-themed apocalyptic insultingly ironic camp. I’ll just add this: I was so mournful about the time I lost watching “Kaboom” that I considered holding a memorial service.
2. “Larry Crowne”
This brainless effort about a downsized dope (played by Tom Hanks, who also directed and served as a co-writer) who finds redemption at a community college failed resoundingly. It wasn’t funny. It was devoid of conflict. Worst of all, Hanks’ vision of how regular people cope with adversity was pathetic in its lack of awareness. In reaching out to the common man, Hanks ends up slapping him in the face.
3. “War Horse”
Send it to the glue factory. Steven Spielberg’s ode to a brave, vaguely human equine is the worst kind of feel-good movie, where non-stop gooey sentiment is passed off as credible, wholesome entertainment.
4. “The Art of Getting By”
Here’s the teenage version of “Larry Crowne,” a movie with absolutely no clue as to how the real world works. Director/writer Gavin Wiesen’s complete contempt for his characters — Freddie Highmore’s lead ranks as among the most obnoxious in recent memory — and the young audience — who won’t relate to the world-weary moping of trust-fund babies — turned it into a feature-length insult.
5. “Crazy, Stupid, Love.”
Audiences flocked to this disingenuous, shallow romantic comedy (improbably starring Steve Carell, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling). Why? Because it packaged the rough side of romance for those who adored the sanitized antics of “Valentine’s Day.” To see divorce, adultery and intimacy issues get the same treatment, especially with such a talented cast available, was jarring. What’s next? A musical version of “Shame”? “Kinsey” remade as a screwball comedy?
-- P.C.
worst movies
1. “Cars 2”
It could be argued that “The Smurfs” and “Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked” were worse, but everybody expected those movies to be terrible. Granted, “Cars 2” wasn’t the first Pixar cash-in, but it was the first Pixar cash-in to feel more calculated and cynical than a late-period “Shrek” sequel.
2. “Sucker Punch”
So who was this for exactly? Self-loathing nerds who wanted to watch “Inception” but also wanted to masturbate?
3. “The Help”
Even if you could overlook its severe historical inaccuracy or the fact that all of the characters are reductive stereotypes, you’re still left with an insulting film that repeatedly insists the civil rights movement would be lost without the efforts of a spunky, white do-gooder and her magical book.
4. “Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star”
The most depressing aspect behind this movie is that it just may be the best film Christina Ricci has appeared in within the past 12 years.
5. “Apollo 18”
M. Night Shyamalan can finally breathe a little easier knowing that “Apollo 18’s” sentient moon rocks have replaced “The Happening’s” killer wind as cinema’s least threatening, most unintentionally hilarious monster.
-- M.S.
best books
1. “Rules of Civility” by Amor Towles
A love affair with vintage Manhattan. If one were to sum up Towles’ rapturous debut in a single sentence, this would be it. The bookish Katey Kontent is marvelously flawed and perversely intelligent, and Towles’ voice is one of thoughtfulness that translates to the female perspective without a hint of condescension. “Rules of Civility” is as much about the city that never sleeps as it is about its protagonists, and its quiet disentanglement promises to make it more than a one-time read.
2. “The Weird Sisters” by Eleanor Brown
An ode to the Bard and sisterly provocation, Brown’s first novel is warm, funny and full of literature. Though the nature of the plot has schmaltzy potential, Brown dodges cliches and creates a world the reader wants to be a part of, problems and all. The tale weaves in and out of each sister’s story, connecting them seamlessly and with great affection.
3. “Ordinary Beauty” by Laura Wiess
Wiess crafts a repentant tale of self-exploration and abuse with this gem. Sayre Bellavia is a heroine with whom the reader earnestly and immediately feels a kinship, and Wiess’ sharp writing pulls one in instantly — I recently opened it to a random page, started reading and couldn’t put it down. Wiess isn’t afraid to ask the tough questions, and the book is a young-adult piece that is easily poignant and enjoyable to a reader of any generation.
4. “Hard Spell” by Justin Gustainis
“Law & Order” meets “True Blood” in the familiar streets of Scranton in “Hard Spell.” Detective Stan Markowski is up against vampires who do anything but sparkle and other supernatural beings with dark secrets. Gustainis creates his own version of a world where these beings coexist with humans, and he does it without mirroring too closely his contemporaries in the genre. Ultimately, what he does is create a page-turner that leaves the reader hungry for more (which it seems we may get early next year).
5. “The Sixes” by Kate White
Even as an avid reader, I rarely begin and finish an entire 400-page book in one day. With “The Sixes,” though, I had no choice. From beginning to end, White eloquently spins a web of mystification, casting doubt on almost every character in such a way that the resolution is about as clear as the murky river water that’s front and center in her plot. Her writing is familiar, yet glamorous, and has an ineffable quality that keeps the reader hanging on her every word.
-- Stephanie DeBalko, Weekender Staff Writer
best books
1. “Blue Nights” by Joan Didion
After reading her 1979 book of essays, “The White Album,” I immediately fell in love with Didion and her writing. Similarly, that love has grown into respect for her courage to write and publish her most recent account following the death of her only child. Lines such as: “I no longer want reminders of what was, what got broken, what got lost, what got wasted,” run through readers’ minds like ghosts of the written word. Even through catastrophe and mourning, this book is confirmation that Didion remains one of the best nonfiction authors for her ability to survive loss through writing.
2. “The Sisters Brothers” by Patrick DeWitt
DeWitt shocked the world into awe with this revisionist western that has a little bit of everything for everyone. His division between good and evil is an ever-present theme that readers cannot help but pursue — especially when the bad guys are just as alluring as the good. With flawless dialogue and a well-researched historical backdrop, DeWitt takes readers on a path of vengeance with two brothers against the world.
3. “Pulphead: Essays” by John Jeremiah Sullivan
In this tenacious book of literary nonfiction essays, Sullivan takes readers through his understanding of pop culture intertwined with his personal life. The book is a non-stop ride full of candid and witty monologues that is sure to leave the reader going back for seconds.
4. “The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern
Morgenstern enraptures readers through the world of magic, mystery and unforgettable imagery. One of the best aspects about the novel is her ability to write fiction that adults and young adults could equally enjoy. All the while, she creates a striking work built on a multidimensional plot chockfull of well-developed characters.
5. “Someday This Will Be Funny” by Lynne Tillman
This collection of short fiction stories was memorable and quirky. While I enjoyed the first read, after a second observation, I have come to appreciate Tillman’s writing even more. Her tangential but poignant thoughts, dark humor and unapologetic attitude may not be for everyone, but her unfiltered imagination is why she made the list.
-- Kacy Muir, Weekender Correspondent
best fashion trends
1. Studs
This trend was my personal favorite because it was completely D-I-Y. Once I realized how easy it was to glue studs on an old bag or pair of shoes, I went stud crazy and tried to stud everything in my closet to give it a new, edgy look. It didn’t matter if it was pyramid studs on a vintage band T-shirt or spiked studs on a beat-up leather jacket, whatever you had studded would look rebellious and chic at the same time.
2. Animal print
Whether it was leopard, giraffe or tiger, animal print was a strong pattern for 2011. Usually you’d find this trend on party dresses as a great way to show off your wild side, but I also liked using an animal-print accessory to complement a plain outfit. While animal print is nothing new in the trend department, this year it was at its best with flowing fabrics and in all sorts of colors and shades. It likely isn’t going to go away any time soon either.
3. Platform heels
Wearing heels is not always a comfortable experience, and this year it seemed like the more uncomfortable and harder to walk in, the better. In particular, celebrities like Lady Gaga had brought back the Spice-Girl platform-heel trend. Designer Jeffrey Campbell was the ruler of this trend; he takes a seemingly outlandish heel and somehow makes it practical for everyday. Once you got used to being a whole new height, not to mention the stares from the less fashion savvy, they were a fun fad.
4. Oversized jewelry
Just like with shoes, the philosophy this year was the bigger the better in jewelry as well. Designers focused on keeping things minimalistic and letting the accessories take center stage. In particular, feather earrings that almost touched the shoulders and bold layered necklaces were favorites of mine. The best part of the trend was it broke up an outfit, since your jewelry didn’t have to perfectly match everything you had on. In fact, it worked better if it didn’t.
5. Color blocking
A fashion not for the wallflowers, color blocking incorporates obnoxious loud shades and tones and pairs them in an unexpected but yet still chic way. Edgy celebrities like Rihanna started this trend in the summer with a flashing combination of pinks and oranges. The easiest way to color block is by pairing colorful tights with a skirt in a contrasting and still complementary color.
-- Janelle Engle, Weekender Correspondent
best concerts
1. Paul McCartney, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, N.Y., July 15
My first Sir Paul show was the best concert I have ever seen. It wasn’t just because I was seeing a Beatle in the flesh or because I was so moved during the show that I cried five times or that I got to hear 35 fantastic songs — including an explosive “Live and Let Die,” a hard-and-heavy “Helter Skelter,” a powerful “Let It Be” and a tender “Maybe I’m Amazed.” It was the whole under-the-summer-stars shebang.
2. Bob Dylan, Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain, Scranton, Aug. 10
He can be as elusive as he wants to be, but Dylan will always be pure magic live. He delivered a bluegrass-y “Things Have Changed,” a rockabilly “Summer Days” and a magnificent — and devilish — “Ballad Of A Thin Man.” Encoring with “Like A Rolling Stone” and a searing “All Along The Watchtower,” Dylan once again proved why he’s “The Poet Laureate of Rock ’n’ Roll.”
3. Weezer/Flaming Lips, PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, N.J., July 28
My first Weezer show was also my first Flaming Lips show. While Weezer gave fun milk-and-honey, with great versions of “Buddy Holly” and Radiohead’s “Paranoid Android,” the co-headlining Flaming Lips stole the show. Frontman Wayne Coyne is unforgettable, as were “What is the Light?,” “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1” and the encore with Weezer of “She Don’t Use Jelly” and “Undone — The Sweater Song.”
4. Matt & Kim, Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, May 25.
This is the second year in a row the Brooklyn-based drummer/keyboardist made my list and with good reason: They give one hell of a show. The energy of the duo and the crowd is incomparable, and you have to move and bounce and dance or else you could very well get yourself trampled. As always, set-closer “Daylight” was a blast.
5. George Thorogood and The Destroyers, F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre, Oct. 4
Blasting into his hour and a half set with Chuck Berry’s “Sweet Little Rock ’n Roller,” Thorogood and company gave the receptive audience a stellar night of rock ’n’ roll. The show included standout versions of “I Drink Alone,” “Bad to the Bone” and “Tail Dragger,” and saxophonist Buddy Leach was excellent. w
-- N.M.M.
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