How retire in 5 years

Akron/Family are a four-man band based in Brooklyn, of assorted rural origins (in Pennsylvania, California and upstate New York) and now roaming all over a wide, open space where antique folk balladry, primal drone and explosive improvisation meet and melt in a woodland psychedelia that answers an age-old musical question: What if Pink Floyd gave birth to Ummagumma in the Band’s basement at Big Pink? There is nothing retiring about the first nine minutes of Meek Warrior — “Blessing Force” is practically an album in itself, a mounting-hysteria suite of Hawkwind-like overdrive, healing-ritual chant and free-jazz blowing. The middle of the record (Akron/Family’s third, counting their 2003 split disc with Michael Gira’s Angels of Light ) is softer communion — pagan sing-along and log-cabin jamming — that turns wild and electric again in the ecstatic, tumbling rock of “The Rider (Dolphin Song).” Joining singer-instrumentalists Ryan Vanderhoof, Seth Olinsky, Miles Seaton and Dana Janssen … [Read more...] about Fricke’s Picks: What If Pink Floyd Gave Birth to Ummagumma in the Band’s Basement?

EXCLUSIVE : Naomi Scott ( Aladdin ), Olivia Cooke ( Ready Player One ), and Bel Powley ( T he Diary Of A Teenage Girl ) are starring in and executive-producing dark-comedy thriller podcast series Soft Voice . The story follows a young woman (Scott) with a voice in her head that tells her what to do, leading to her extraordinary success. One day, the voice disappears — and a new one takes over. Heralding from LA-based audio studio QCode , the 10-episode series is created by James Bloor. The drama will launch from March 17 on most major pod platforms. Also exec-producing are Jordan Spence, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Fred Berger, Rob Herting, and David Henning. Scott and Jordan Spence are producing the project under their New Name banner. QCode was recently nominated for nine Ambie Awards including Podcast of the Year for drama Dirty Diana with Demi Moore. The company is also starting to turn a number of its audio series into TV and films. Olivia Cooke … [Read more...] about Naomi Scott, Olivia Cooke & Bel Powley Lead ‘Soft Voice’ Podcast From QCode

EXCLUSIVE: The largest genre film festival in South America, Fantaspoa , has unveiled the first half of its program for its seventeenth edition, running April 9-18. Scroll down for the full list. Like last year, the fest has been forced to run online due to the ongoing pandemic. It will be held completely free of charge with films available to stream in Brazil via a renewed partnership with Brazilian horror streaming service Darkflix. Last year’s event attracted more than 67,000 viewers. While the films are geo-locked, and limited to 3,000 viewers per screening, Q&As and workshops will be available to view anywhere in the world. There are 25 feature films confirmed to date, including three world premieres, five international premieres, and 10 Latin American premieres. Titles arrive from previous fests including San Sebastian, Rotterdam and Toronto. Related Story South America's Largest Genre Film Festival Fantaspoa Sets 2020 Digital Edition With Streamer … [Read more...] about Brazil’s Fantaspoa, South America’s Largest Genre Festival, Unveils First Half Of 2021 Program

The nightmarish cruelty of the Bosnian Serbs’ genocidal assault on the Bosnian Muslim town of Srebrenica in July, 1995 is vividly and nightmarishly rendered in the curiously titled Quo Vadis, Aida? Ferocious and lucid, director Jasmila Zbanic ’s film relentlessly pushes to the heart of the matter while accompanying a local UN translator who does everything she can to help while also trying to arrange for the safety of her husband and two sons. It’s a despairing, nay, devastating piece of work that leaves one drained, exhausted, appalled and admiring, which is the desired and only plausible reaction to Bosnia’s International Feature Oscar hopeful . It debuted last fall at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals. Zbannic’s previous feature, Grbavica: The Land Of My Dreams , won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival in 2006. Related Story Neon's Oscar-Shortlisted 'Gunda' And 'Quo Vadis, Aida?' To Premiere On Letterboxd In Rare Deal Be that as it may, … [Read more...] about Int’l Critics Line: Todd McCarthy On Bosnia’s Oscar-Shortlisted ‘Quo Vadis, Aida?’

Women’s rights activist Malala Yousafzai , the youngest ever Nobel laureate, has entered a multi-year programming partnership with Apple TV+. Under the multi-year pact, The I Am Malala author will work with the streaming platform on a slate of original programming spanning dramas, documentaries, children’s’ series and more that draw on her ability to inspire people around the world. “I believe in the power of stories to bring families together, forge friendships, build movements, and inspire children to dream,” said Yousafzai. “And I couldn’t ask for a better partner than Apple to help bring these stories to life. I’m grateful for the opportunity to support women, young people, writers, and artists in reflecting the world as they see it.” Related Story Leonine Appoints Former Hulu & Google Exec Heather Moosnick To Advisory Board In 2013, Yousafzai published her best-selling memoir I Am Malala, which documented her journey from education activist to … [Read more...] about Malala Yousafzai Inks Programming Deal With Apple TV+