1996
Noah’s Barks pages relating to the year 1996.
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OutKast – “ATLiens” (1996)
Didn’t expect this to be such a big step back from ’Aquemini.’ There’s little on ‘ATLiens’ to anticipate that genre-splitting landmark. (read more)
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Burzum – “Filosofem”
Starts off pretty decent. The gleaming fuzz of the guitar tone reminds me of Blood Fire Death by Bathory, but that album had a lot more going on in it. Even when it comes to atmospheric focus, I prefer more density. The appropriately titled “Rundgang um die transzendentale Säule der Singularität” sounds like the dark… (read more)
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The Brian Jonestown Massacre – “Take It From the Man!”
Were The Brian Jonestown Massacre the kind of band to take risks? With a terrible name like that, I’d assume so. They began their career as promising shoegaze tag-alongs. When it was evident shoegaze had no immediate future, they coincidentally reinvented themselves with the sound of ’60s British garage rock in Take it From the… (read more)
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Rurouni Kenshin
A classic shonen anime adaptation that takes place in the Meiji Era of Japan, mixing historical events with hyperbolic fiction. (Includes "Rurouni Kenshin Special") (read more)
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Crash
Those who champion Crash as another David Cronenberg cult classic at least have an understandable reason: it’s arguably the last of his original format. Sexual psychology abounds, draped in darkness and colored with Cronenberg’s body horror tastes in a mangled orgasmic car Crash. What’s missing is his ability to contextualize this psychology through human beings… (read more)
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Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
The developers of the ‘Final Fantasy’ franchise give Mario his first RPG. As an adult playing for the first time, will the reputation of ‘Super Mario RPG’ hold up? (read more)
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Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team
The 08th MS Team grounds the Gundam franchise in guerilla warfare, with relatable characters and focused, tight storytelling. (Includes "A Battle with the Third Dimension," "Miller’s Report") (read more)
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Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem
This dead-end pilot for a cancelled ‘Fire Emblem’ anime series was better than I expected, and it does about as good a job of adapting its source material as one could hope for. (read more)
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Trainspotting
Comes a little too close to glorifying drug-induced hedonism, but Trainspotting saves itself eventually when it reveals its true, satirical nature. Leans a bit too much on playful comedy and not enough on drama for me, but anyone who knows or has known people in real life that are like the characters in this movie… (read more)
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Guided by Voices – “Tonics & Twisted Chasers”
Tonics & Twisted Chasers is an oft-forgotten Guided by Voices album, but it isn’t due to its quality. The album was originally a fan club-exclusive release and although it’s been reissued since, finding a copy is still difficult. It’s natural to assume that this is a collection of bland, “throwaway” songs for hardcore fans, but… (read more)