Knowing The Score: Jack Frost

Note: portions of this entry first appeared on the Yesfans discussion forum in May 2009.  This post is image-heavy, as a warning to those utilizing older browsers.  Also contains SPOILERS! for Jack Frost

Here's a special holiday edition of Knowing The Score, featuring the only holiday film to date among Trevor's scoring oeuvre. I would like to extend many thanks to all my readers worldwide, I hope your holiday season - whatever tradition you celebrate - is filled with loved ones and festivity galore.

For your average moviegoer, Jack Frost is little more than an obscure holiday entry in Michael Keaton's resume.  But for Rabid Rabinites, it is very special indeed.  Not only was the film scored by Trevor, but he is in it!  Playing a version of himself, true, but it's a very cool detail that we certainly appreciate.  Sales of the DVD have likely benefited from an entirely separate demographic of Rabinites who have purchased it for just that reason (like me).  Lou Molino III, Trevor's long-time friend and drummer-of-choice is also in the film, also playing a version of himself (Talk about typecasting!).

The film opens on a winter evening scene in Denver (with the Lake Tahoe environs as the stand-in for the town of Medford where most of the film takes place) and we're outside a club where the Jack Frost Band is rockin' the house indeed with a down n'dirty version of "Frosty The Snowman" (which is actually foreshadowing of a sort).

Almost immediately we are introduced to Trevor Rabin, movie star.  It’s fitting that the first shot of the band is of their fabulous guitar player (sorry it’s blurry but it happens so fast)…

…but then we come to problem of the credits. When a certain credit appears – for six frames or so – we see Mark Addy (whom some of you may remember from The Full Monty among other films, an actor playing a musician):

…and then we see Michael Keaton and Scott Columby (actors playing musicians), and Lili Haydn (a actress/musician playing a musician):

…but do we see the man whose name is up on the screen? Of course not, that would just be silly!

Speaking of credits, every time there’s a nice shot of our movie star there are those pesky credits again (which make it difficult to appreciate his familiar and now immortalized for all time ensemble):

Lou gets a bit of screentime in this movie and he got to keep his line. Apparently Trevor’s speaking part didn’t make the cut (though he did tell me he believes he has no acting talent at all so it was just as well).

There’s something appropriately hilarious about Dweezil Zappa playing an A&R guy working for Asylum. His brother Ahmet also has a bit part as the Medford town snowplow driver.

After this sequence of the band's performance it shifts to the next day and we are introduced to Jack's son Charlie, who is referred to by his friends as "the brain" and they are beset by bullies during a schoolyard snowball fight   Charlie saves the day with his strategizing, but we understand that he and the head bully Rory will experience further fracas.  We also meet his dog Chester and his mom Gabby (played by the lovely Kelly Preston), who is doing her best to hold down the homestead while her husband pursues his rock n'roll dreams (and I'd like to say that their house is rather plush for the family of a struggling musician).  As the main theme "Frostbite" is introduced we learn that their relationship is loving despite Jack's long absences.  But Mrs. Frost has three boys in her household: it's after midnight and Jack and Charlie are building a snowman in the front yard (while the sprightly theme "It's Snowing" plays, featuring lovely dobro touches).  Before bedtime Jack passes down his treasured harmonica, also a bit of foreshadowing, in one of the least schmaltzy scenes, which also features "Frostbite" as a cue.

Jack and Gabby discuss the A&R rep (as the band has a recording date the next day) and then we learn why they can afford such a nice house, she's a banker.  It's such a typical musician move, he's just lucky he found such a hot banker! 

Here's a flyer for the band's Southwest tour from the Frost fridge (which notes in the fine print they are on Blind Marmot Records) and I think we can assume Trevor is on the end right, as the tallest shadow in the grouping.

The next day Jack and Mac (cute) go off to their Recording Date of Destiny, and the first signs of Charlie's disappointment with a dad who is as wedded to music as his family are seen in that Jack does not have time to show Charlie his signature hockey move "the J shot" before that afternoon's game.  Pre-game his team receives a pep talk from their coach, played hilariously by Henry Rollins who is wound just a little too tight for the elementary school set.  

Juxtaposed with the game is the band in an ancient studio to record a demo with apparently no money for a basic consideration like sound baffling.

Jack comes home to crushing censure, even Chester gives him a disapproving growl upon his late-evening return.  He gets a lecture on how much of Charlie's life he has missed from Gabby and chilly civility from Charlie, but five points to Jack for making a drummer joke.  Even though he knows he shouldn't be making foolish promises yet again, Jack promises Charlie a real family Christmas up at their cabin (Wait a minute, they have a cabin too?  He is so lucky he latched onto a businesswoman!).  As they're heading out the next day Jack gets a call from the A&R guy (okay his name is John Kaplan but I can't stop thinking of him as Dweezil). Because all of this is the set-up for the moment of truth: the head of Asylum demands the band play his Christmas party in Aspen on Christmas Eve. Jack is so close to his dream of getting a real record deal and potential success but he is reluctant to break yet another promise even as he and Gabby are trying to sort out the logistics.  Then we see the last of Charlie's patience drain away as he gives back his dad's magic harmonica.  This is truly the heartbreaking part because we later realize that the last time Charlie sees his father alive is in anger.

Cut to the band driving to the Western winter playground of the rich and famous, but Jack has a change of heart on the way there and decides with finality that family is more important than his rock n’roll ambition. Pull over!

Okay, clearly the balance of power in this band is all wrong if the guitar player has to ride in the back with the gear. If for no other reason than the guitar player is 6’3. And you never let the drummer drive, dude, everybody knows that! (OMG I’m just kidding!) It’s implied that Trevor is in this scene, but I think it’s safe to assume he’s not really there since we don’t actually see him.

Since none of the band wanted to play the gig they head for home...and then things go horribly wrong from there - and not just because that's the last time you see the band (save Mac, who becomes a sort of ersatz father figure) in the movie - as evening brings on heavy snowfall and Jack meets his mortal end driving off a bridge and then we cut to a shot of Charlie at the cabin, looking out the window, hoping against hope.  The story then moves forward one year and shifts its focus; as Charlie is now a very lonely boy in need of the kind of comfort he is too angry and heartbroken to accept.  The cue "Miss Him Too" emphasizes the deep sense of loss Gabby and Charlie experience in their grieving even a year later.  That night Charlie builds another snowman so the story can take on the timeworn Christmas trope we know (this scene is accompanied by a version of Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide" from their live album The Dance).  The cue "Magic Harmonica" is a lovely winter-minded composition, with delicate accents bringing snowfall to mind and a sprightly motif as the transformation occurs.  The magic of Winter finds a way to bring Jack and Charlie back together again, each to find their way towards redemption and closure.  The cue "Charlie Boy" has a lovely emotional resonance as Charlie realizes that yes, a snowman actually contains the spirit of his father.  And there's a whimsy to "Frost in Medford" which demonstrates the light touch Trevor can have with comedy.  The theme  "The J Shot" is the kind of "human highlight reel" music Trevor does so well, again with nice accents of dobro.  

Overall, it is a heartwarming story (albeit entirely formulaic), even if many viewers couldn't really get behind Michael Keaton as the nominal lead (as a rock n'roller turned literal snowman) in a family film.

Trevor's appearance in the film is related to his role as scorer, in that he was asked to coach Michael Keaton in the fine art of rock n'roll performing, and we see the result of his guidance in their scenes, with Keaton doing a decent job of portraying a veteran front man.  And we are treated to some of Trevor's guitar heroics in the songs "Frosty The Snowman" and "Don't Lose Your Faith" (which he and Michael Keaton co-wrote).

This is how the band appears in the credits of the film:

 Those songs performed by the Jack Frost Band were produced by Trevor for the soundtrack.  What disappoints me is Trevor and Michael Keaton wrote two songs but the second one, “Going Home” was apparently not used as it’s not listed in the credits; I'm assuming it was meant for the sequence where Jack changes his mind about going to Aspen.  And a tangential connection can be found in the Shiverfest sequence, as the band performing "Jingle Bell Rock" is Michael Sherwood's Tangletown, a project which included younger brother Billy.  Billy Sherwood is best-known for having been a member of Yes, beginning with his role as a sideman on the Talk tour in 1994.  I may be wrong but I'd swear that's Billy playing drums in this scene.

In regards to the family films which Trevor has scored, music-wise this is a solid offering even as he is underused in terms of cues and motifs (which are all very lovely, and I tend to think it is closest to the “light orchestral” score that he mentioned he wants to compose in the 2009 MGU interview) because there is so much licensed music in the film.  But my opinion that “Frostbite” is one of the most beautiful things Trevor has ever written – for any project – still stands; and therefore is the single redeeming factor despite the movie’s relative obscurity.  But if you can obtain a copy of the score promo CD via the gray market for such items I'd recommend it, it's part of my holiday listening favorites and brings a bit of Winter magic to a place which never gets any snow at all, much less enough to fashion a snowman.

Haul out thee olde plastic gramophone, it's Grammy time again...

The bad news was delivered a few days back: Yes is not going to be inducted into the Rock n'Roll Hall Of Fame this year.  And while some believe that they never will, that Jann Wenner and the organization have had it in for the band from the beginning...I tend to think it would be a fine occasion to bring together the principal members past and present just one more time; but the inclusion would certainly not be any true measure of the band's cultural and historical relevance, which has already been established.

Speaking of validation, as it is Grammy Season (the nominations having been announced on December 6th), I wanted to write about those coveted shiny objects again in regards to Trevor's career, as he is fortunate enough to be able to put "Grammy-winning musician" in front of his name if he so chooses.  When one considers how many works and the people associated with those recordings are eligible in any given year, to make that final field of five is a very special thing - although to win is even better - but there is definite cache in being able to cite the nomination, plus there's a nifty certificate!

To elucidate a somewhat obscure historical detail, 90125 was rather well-represented in the field at the 1985 awards.  We know "Cinema" won for Best Rock Instrumental Performance, but it hasn't been widely noted there were additional nominations: "Owner of a Lonely Heart" for Best Pop Vocal Group, 90125 for Best Rock Vocal Group, and one category they definitely should have also won: Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices, for "Leave It."

Technical nominations were also lacking but as those tend to follow trends, the nominations went to the works most represented in the overall field (i.e. total number of nominations).  But I will unequivocally state that Gary Langan absolutely deserved a Best Engineering nod for his work on 90125.

In 1987 the band received recognition for both documents of their globetrotting 9012Live tour which took place in 1984-85 with two nominations: Best Rock Instrumental Performance for "Amazing Grace" from 9012Live: The Solos (in a relational aside, Mr. Horn and his colleagues made off with that one, for The Art of Noise's version of "Peter Gunn") and Best Music Video Long-Form for 9012Live.  This might have been Steven Soderbergh's very first professional recognition; he would of course go on to win numerous awards including the Palme D'Or for Sex, Lies and Videotape and the Best Director Oscar for Traffic.

In 1988 Yes racked up another nomination in the Best Rock Vocal Group category for Big Generator, and I find it interesting that for as many people who believe the album was a drop-off in quality for the band, apparently the members of NARAS did not.

Trevor's only solo nomination to date is for Best Music Video Short-Form in 1990 for "Something To Hold On To."  This calls for more screencaps!

Sadly the rest of the YesWest catalog did not see any recognition in the years to come (but there are those who would say Union is a trainwreck of an album so it's just as well), but an examination of Trevor's overall history reveals so many awards he has probably run out of places to display them, and that is no surprise to those of us who believe there's still plenty for him to obtain.

Coming Soon!

In just nine days Christmas will be here...and so will Grudge Match, which opens on the holiday.  Here is the trailer along with the official synopsis and production details and the one sheet.  I hope to have a Knowing The Score entry for the film completed by year's end.

Warner Bros. Pictures' "Grudge Match" stars award-winning movie legends Oscar® winner Robert De Niro ("Raging Bull," "Silver Linings Playbook") and Oscar® nominee Sylvester Stallone (the "Rocky" films, "The Expendables") as old boxing rivals who come out of retirement for one final match. Peter Segal ("Get Smart") directs the comedy. 

In "Grudge Match," De Niro and Stallone play Billy "The Kid" McDonnen and Henry "Razor" Sharp, two local Pittsburgh fighters whose fierce rivalry put them in the national spotlight. Each had scored a victory against the other during their heyday, but in 1983, on the eve of their decisive third match, Razor suddenly announced his retirement, refusing to explain why but effectively delivering a knock-out punch to both their careers. Thirty years later, boxing promoter Dante Slate Jr., seeing big dollar signs, makes them an offer they can't refuse: to re-enter the ring and settle the score once and for all. 

But they may not have to wait that long: on their first encounter in decades, their long-festering feud erupts into an unintentionally hilarious melee that instantly goes viral. The sudden social media frenzy transforms their local grudge match into a must-see HBO event. Now, if they can just survive the training, they may actually live to fight again. 

The film also stars Kevin Hart ("Think Like a Man") as Dante Slate Jr.; Oscar® winner Alan Arkin as Razor's former trainer, Louis "Lightning" Conlon, who gets to put Razor through his paces again; and Oscar® winner Kim Basinger ("L.A. Confidential") as Sally Rose, who was once the love of Razor's life. 

Rounding out the cast are Jon Bernthal (upcoming "The Wolf of Wall Street," TV's "The Walking Dead") as BJ, who becomes The Kid's instinctive but untested trainer; and young film newcomer Camden Gray ("Californication"). 

Segal is directing from a screenplay by Tim Kelleher and Rodney Rothman, story by Tim Kelleher. The film is being produced by Bill Gerber ("Gran Torino"), Mark Steven Johnson ("Grumpy Old Men," "Grumpier Old Men"), Michael Ewing ("Get Smart"), Segal, and Ravi Mehta ("The Lucky One"). Jane Rosenthal and Kevin King-Templeton are serving as executive producers. 

Collaborating with Segal behind the scenes are: Academy Award®-winning cinematographer Dean Semler ("Dances With Wolves," "Apocalypto"); production designer Wynn Thomas ("Cinderella Man"); costume designer Mary Vogt ("Men in Black 3"); and editor William Kerr ("Bridesmaids"). Robert Sale, who was the technical advisor on "Rocky Balboa," is serving as the film's boxing consultant. The music is by Trevor Rabin. 

Media Watch: talking about Talk

An ongoing series wherein I comment on Trevor's recent publicity.

Yesterday, the In The Studio with Redbeard archives posted an interview from March 1994 with Trevor and Jon Anderson regarding the making of Talk; an interesting (and humorous) detail is that it was recorded the day after the listening party for the album, hosted by veteran DJ Bob Coburn (host of nationally syndicated radio interview program Rockline), held at the Hard Rock Cafe in Los Angeles, which can be heard here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNVXxbZBKMo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x71RMCkMSlc
...for those who have heard that broadcast, you can appreciate that Trevor was definitely hungover on the day after but he manages to sound fairly articulate even so; gotta love that rock n'roll stamina!  But it seems likely this interview hasn't been heard since it was first broadcast, so it's a nice rarity for Rabinites and YesWest fans to enjoy.  And there's much hilarity at Phil Carson's expense, which was par for the course in the Talk era.  It can be found (with accompanying article) here:
http://www.inthestudio.net/online-only-interviews/yes-talk-jon-anderson-trevor-rabin-march-1994/

As I've noted elsewhere, Talk was a groundbreaking achievement from a technical perspective, one of the first albums recorded directly to hard disk using Mark of the Unicorn's Digital Performer.  It was also the only Yes album to be recorded primarily at Trevor's studio The Jacaranda Room.  It's an album which I feel is criminally unappreciated in the YesWest discography (and I was happy to tell Trevor so when I met him last year) but that's an entry for another time...

PS: if you've never listened to the Talk debut listening party, please do, it is hilarious!

Fashion Watch: snazzy!

Last night Trevor and Shelley were attendees at the 27th annual American Cinematheque Awards, held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, this year to honor producer Jerry Bruckheimer, with whom Trevor has had a long working relationship.

Here are a couple shots - courtesy of Star Sightings - from the arrivals line at the "black-tie preferred" event, and this is rare because I honestly don't believe I've seen any photos of Trevor wearing a tie since...oh...1997!

Madiba

For until they've seen there is no other way...

I mourn the passing of a great man and celebrate his legacy: a man who endured many hardships and horrors to help his beautiful nation become a land of equals.  His indomitable spirit lives on in the people of South Africa, and may the world continue his loving example.

Here Trevor is pictured meeting Mandela in Johannesburg in 1997:

An absolute pearl of a record.

Today 90125 is thirty years old and sounds great for its age!

90125 remastered and expanded, released in 2004.

Granted it is an album which has garnered a fair amount of controversy in its lifespan as well as praise, it is - to invoke the title of an album which the producer was also involved with - an adventure in modern recording.  It has a crystalline shimmer, that metallic reverb echoing throughout the decades, the big sound which told you something unprecedented was about to be heard.

It closed the door fully and firmly on all which had come before.  And the surest sign of this lies in the album's cover: designed via computer, which remains iconic in its use of a simple yet eye-catching default printing color scheme.

Which is not to say that 90125's appearance is without precedent.  Said producer, one Trevor Horn, was also once a member of Yes, with his partner Geoff Downes and the remaining members of the band at that time recorded and released Drama, an album which tends to be somewhat more revered in the oeuvre.  But the success of the enterprise was rather lacking, and part of the drive behind the making of 90125 came from Horn's determination to get a hit.  And this was prior to his becoming a super producer and record company and studio owner mogul.  There was enthusiasm, focus, a willingness to take risks, and conflict.  Often the best works are born under such circumstances.

And it's varied in a way which prior Yes records never were.  Not to criticize the previous lineups, because the overall legacy of Yes was made in the years 1971-1978, and it is within that time which most fans dwell in their love for the band.  But this record moves across genres and subgenres and still manages to sound all of a piece, the sound of something new and exciting, something which leaps out of the speakers even now to demand your affection...or at the very least your attention.

But for those of us who do love YesWest, this album brought them to us, and there is a chemistry within which is primarily the cause of three forces of nature meeting and merging.

Chris Squire meeting Trevor Rabin and deciding he had found a new musical soulmate and close friend.

Trevor Rabin seeking an artistic destiny in the company of musicians he felt an immediate kinship with, and proving he was worthy of worldwide stardom.

Trevor Horn desiring to subject the songs and performances to the process which he knew best.  But his vision was still tempered in some ways by the other two, by their instincts and felicity, in a way which expanded to include everyone's vision for the band and the work they produced.

Because there's a lot of affection: some of Chris' greatest performing is in this record and it is equally a product of Trevor Horn's admiration - merely wanting to present his favorite bass player of all time in the best of all lights.  Full of harmony and hooks as well as meticulous arrangements and bravura playing. Beyond the intersection of Horn's vision with the push-and-pull of his clients, he was also very fortunate to have one of the best engineers in the business, Gary Langan, who most assuredly carried out the actual construction of this grand edifice from its gorgeous materials.

And the alchemy was completed with the addition of Jon Anderson - the literal magical fairydust sprinkles on top of it all.  Seriously, that's as perfect a description of his role within 90125 as I can come up with.

Rabinites are incredibly fortunate to have access to footage for every era of YesWest, both official and unofficial, and so the visual dimension of this era -1983-1985 - is a wonderful thing, as the tour kept a-pace with sales of the record and circled the globe, and then we received wonderful souvenirs in the video and record releases of 9012Live and 9012Live: The Solos as well as the promotional videos which are often derided, but I think they're a lot of fun.  It was a wild ride, and we can relive it any time we like.

90125: love it or hate it, its enormous success these past 30 years means it's here to stay.  And I'm here to tell you - not only as a Rabinite but also a longtime loyal Yesfan - it's a beautiful thing and I'm celebrating this treasure in the way which its creators meant it to be enjoyed...blasting out of my car, serenading the world with its timeless bright shiny glory.

Grudge Match update

Today vocalist Liz Constantine (who we know as the lovely voice on "Rescue" as well as its predecessor track "Rescuing Fischer," among other accomplishments), announced via Twitter that she will be featured as a vocalist on the score for Grudge Match, as well as her creative partner Dante Marchi.  Formerly of Dizzy X, their new ensemble is called The August Empire, and they released their debut album Before the Hereafter in August (clever!) of this year.

Media Watch: a nice find

An ongoing series wherein I comment on Trevor's recent publicity.

In my "Neato Stuff" listing on the front page there is a link to Trevor's page on the website for his film scoring representation, Kraft-Engel Management.  But the site also contains an interesting feature article, and the focus is on The Jacaranda Room, the studio located on his residential property which Trevor has utilized since the mid-80s for recording.
http://www.kraft-engel.com/creative-space/trevor-rabin/

The studio has gone through many renovations - including a revamp courtesy of Los Angeles-based studio technician wizard Charlie Bolois for the Talk recording sessions - and as Trevor states, it has evolved into an entirely professional space which has its own character and vibe apart from its convenient location.

There are some nice photos included, such as the shot which was first used in my interview "Trevor Rabin: the cultivation of Jacaranda" published last year on the Rocktopia website; picturing Trevor with his favorite Gibson.  As with his client page on the site, the article also contains the player which allows visitors to sample all of Trevor's scores from Con Air onwards.

Media Watch: In The Studio (90125 30th Anniversary)

An ongoing series wherein I comment on Trevor's recent publicity.

Famed syndicated radio interview program In The Studio with Redbeard has turned its gaze to the 30th Anniversary of 90125, featuring interview segments with Trevor as well as Jon Anderson, Alan White and Tony Kaye.
http://www.inthestudio.net/redbeards-blog/yes-90125-30th-anniversary-jon-andersontrevor-rabinalan-whitetony-kaye/

The actual anniversary of the album is next month, of course, but this is an interesting and informative program in regards to the making of the album and its impact upon Yes history and the cultural landscape of popular music.

The Secret Discography: Proto-"Owner"

One of a series which examines Trevor’s musical career in South Africa.

Recently an item was posted in the news section of Trevor's site to note that "Owner of a Lonely Heart" has passed the seven million mark in sales worldwide, and goes on to relate how the song came to be written.  A useful verification is found in the mention of the year of the song's composition, 1979.

The year is significant to me because of a theory I developed back in 2011 after hearing a song Trevor produced for Rene Arnell (nee Veldsman) from her album Call Me, which was also recorded and released in 1979.  It's called "Paying My Dues" and was written by Rene and Cynthia Schmacher.  Trevor produced Call Me during the same period of time he was working at RPM Studios in Johannesburg on sessions for Face To Face as well as the second release for the studio-based ensemble Disco Rock Machine.

Trevor and Rene were both session musician veterans of long acquaintance and Rene also contributed vocals to the song "Could There Be" which appeared on the original version of Beginnings, backing vocals over the whole of Face To Face (mostly notably on songs like "I'm Old Enough (To Make You A Woman)" and "Now") as well as lead vocals for Disco Rock Machine.  She went on to form Via Afrika, serving as their bassist and vocalist; the band was best-known for their single "Hey Boy."

Here is the song in question, which was the b-side for the single "Sooner Or Later."

As seen in the comments, I am not the only one who sees similarities between it and Trevor's best-selling song.  However, those observations arose because I had made a comment of my own in the Yesfans community.

This one made me giggle because the arrangement is a sort of proto-"Owner" in that it's got a simple driving riff and lots of little accents which do that same "Surprise!" kind of thing and then the big chorus. I wonder what he was listening to in London which eventually led him in that direction.

I'll leave it to each reader to judge, there may be those who don't hear a resemblance, and I acknowledge - with "Owner" a part of my fandom DNA (as with all the people who became fans of Trevor's via YesWest) - that anything even remotely like it will cause that association to emerge.  But I don't believe it's mere coincidence...though it is a "chicken-or-egg" question.  "Owner" was going to be written at that time - there was no stopping it - and perhaps the seeds of it emerged during those sessions or it so absorbed his imagination in the writing that it began suggesting itself in other situations as well.  Trevor is just as gifted an arranger as he is a musician, songwriter, engineer and producer - and much of his work during the South African years supports this assertion.

I made the following observance before I heard "Paying My Dues" when discussing the various melding of styles within "Owner":

So when you stop to think about it…the dance factor inherent in “Owner of a Lonely Heart” owes a lot to Trevor’s nascent experiences in disco as much as to the New Wave trend which had overtaken the market at the time he wrote the song. After spending a few years trapped in the pub rocker genre prison Chrysalis needed him to be in so they could market him, he once again began writing songs which reflected the true breadth of his musical history: rock, pop, and yes, even disco. The extent to which those influences were then absorbed and redefined adds yet another layer to a fascinating history…and lots of great music. 

But at that point I was not aware of the year Trevor first began writing the song.  So now I would posit that those same impulses were there as always, but just as a natural state rather than an expression of circumstances.  Trevor's musical imagination is inherently capable of dynamic audacity, and perhaps there is none so popular an example as that song which is both wholly of its time and completely outside of it as a modern classic.

Spreading Rumours review

I'm with them.

(L to R: Sean Gadd, Christian Zucconi, Hannah Hooper, Ryan Rabin, Andrew Wesson)

GROUPLOVE
Spreading Rumours
(Canvasback/Atlantic)

To provide this review a frame of reference I'd like to discuss how I first came to love the group (*rimshot*).  The band's debut EP was originally released in 2010 and the song "Gold Coast" was featured in the film The Sorcerer's Apprentice, which Trevor had scored.  As I always read the credits for films, but especially those which Trevor has worked on, I was able to figure out that Grouplove was Ryan's new band and thus I rushed off to alert fandom to this discovery and downloaded their EP, which I did enjoy, and not merely for its progeny (besides Ryan, bassist Sean Gadd is the son of British vocalist Steve Gadd).  I especially liked the production values of "Gold Coast," appreciating the choices Ryan made as an engineer and producer.

Success does not just happen to a band, they have to achieve it, and Grouplove was tireless in performing and managed to land a distributor in Atlantic and thus a contract.  The following year saw the release of Never Trust A Happy Song, which is a great album, with only one song I would consider filler ("Betty's A Bombshell" - I wish they would have included "Gold Coast" as they did with "Colours" and "Naked Kids").  With a variety of styles from indie rock to shiny pop to trip-hop to a sort of neo-glam and a few other genre nods, it sold well and "Tongue Tied" became one of the most-played and licensed songs of 2012.  I knew it was a hit single the very first time I heard it and if Ryan - much like Trevor with "Owner of a Lonely Heart" - becomes defined by that song...well, I can think of worse things.

So all of that goes to explain that I am and have been a fan of this band.  I have listened to the EP and Happy Song many times and the band's collective talent, energy and synergy with one another is the key to their success. Being attractive and personable certainly doesn't hurt either.  But what I liked about the album is that it seemed to present the band in their best light, how this was a once-in-a-lifetime pairing in all ways.  Instrumentally they blended together so well, and the call-and-response of Christian's and Hannah's vocals were as much a part of the sound as the perfect hooks and the manic energy of their playing.  I had no qualms in proclaiming this to be an excellent debut.

I appreciate and admire that the band is not merely reprising their formula with Spreading Rumours, that they are setting themselves new benchmarks and ambitions.  Production-wise this is a great work, and I'm betting other artists will hear it and find themselves thinking, "Wow, I want Ryan Rabin to produce my next record!"  The sum of his experience and education is brought to bear in the arrangements and elaborate layering evident in all the tracks.  This is a great-sounding record, and as he brought in a couple well-known engineers to assist with the mix, it's another example of how the band is focused on ensuring their own success, not content to leave it to others or even the popular zeitgeist while at the same time maintaining artistic integrity.

That said I'm not sure, song-wise, how well it all jells as an album.  I think it may have at least two songs too many.  Their are fewer stylistic shifts and even less of Andrew and Sean.  I know they're in there, amidst all that layering, but the character of their playing and songwriting seems less evident.  While Sean sings the verses on "Flowers" - one of the bonus tracks on the deluxe edition - there's nothing on the original tracklist, though Andrew sings co-lead on "Shark Attack."  And I miss them.  There's less of a rock focus, more EDM texturing (one notable moment comes in "Hippy Hill" with a out-of-left-field dubstep bridge in the middle of the song) and while that's not bad it seems to muddy the feel of the band.  There are hooks throughout, it's just that those songs more devoted to mood than melody seem to flounder a bit in my estimation.  When there is a good hook or a catchy melody with interesting sloganeering in the lyrics, then it works nicely.  But in a few places I did wish the band had made different choices, such as "Didn't Have To Go," which is an achingly heartbreaking meditation on young love from Hannah, but her vocal is a bit too shrill and forced in the chorus, it undermines the unvarnished longing of her voicings in the verses.  On the other hand, I did appreciate the decision to put a percussive coda on the end of "Sit Still," it's nice to have a reminder of what a great drummer Ryan is.

But the album begins and ends wonderfully: "I'm With You" is ambitious and intricate, an indie pop symphony of sorts, and "Save The Party For Me" is a sweet acoustic-based lullaby, again focusing on the chemistry of Christian and Hannah much as "Close Your Eyes and Count To Ten" did on the last album.

The deluxe edition of the release contains three extra tracks, and "Girl" is the best of the lot, featuring Hannah surrounded by shimmering layers of electronica heavy on the reverb.

I tend to believe this album is a grow-er rather than a show-er, it will take time for most of the tracks to worm their way into my heart, and the relationship between the listener and the work has at least a year of connection to occur, hopefully deepening over time.  The character of the band and their artistic aims has already taken hold and so any effort, especially that which is forward-thinking, deserves everyone's attention.

When you raise 'em right.

I'll have a review of Spreading Rumours up soon - still working on it since the release last week - but I thought I'd share a bit of an interview with Ryan posted today, here is the link to the entire text for any interested readers:
http://diffuser.fm/grouplove-interview-2013/

It's a question he's been asked before (in different iterations) but this time I think Ryan did a nice job of articulating how he was prepared to enter the family business (as a product of a sane and secure environment) and also the important role Trevor and Shelley played in supporting the band during their inception.

You’ve been in bands before, and your father was a member of Yes. Have you been able to bring that experience to the other members of Grouplove — particularly with your rigorous work schedule?
As far as the travel, it’s a little different, because when my dad started in Yes, he basically came in and the band was already somewhat established. And when [1983's 90125] came out, it was their biggest album, selling more than all their previous albums combined. So he really started with them at the top. At that point, the industry was different with money, so they were travelling in private jets to go to shows and playing in arenas, so it’s not really the same experience.

Growing up, though, I learned a lot from him in terms of work ethic and musical training and rehearsal and working with other people and what to remember and concentrate on when performing. So, I think that stuff is very valuable. They also are just generally very supportive of the fact that I’m playing music. The rest of the band basically lived at my parents’ house for our first two years of playing together. Everyone sort of dropped everything and moved to Los Angeles, and my parents house is where everyone stayed. So, they definitely are influential in us being a band and getting where we have.

Just from reading about you, it sounds like yours was far more stable than the typical rock ‘n’ roll family. Even the fact that your parents are still together is not necessarily the norm.
Definitely. Stable is not what someone would usually say about a rock ‘n’ roll family. At the same time, there was never any pressure to do anything musical, only support. Sometimes kids are pressured by their parents to do something that they did or they want them to do, and naturally you push back against it. But there was never anything like that.

Media Watch: new Q&A

An ongoing series wherein I comment on Trevor's recent publicity.


The blog Kickin' It Old School posted a new Q&A with Trevor a couple days ago which can be read here:
http://oldschool.tblog.com/post/1970860329

This is a nostalgia blog with a particular focus on 80s pop culture.  Unfortunately there's not much new content, given that most of the questions focus on Trevor's tenure in Yes and we are wholly familiar with all the stories.  But this line is clearly the most hilarious of the entire interview:

The clothes and hair of the 80s were awful, and the Yes videos were too. 

Oh c'mon, Trev, you had THE BEST HAIR in the 1980s!

And as a retort-of-sorts to those who felt he had sullied the reputation of the band...

I loved recording Jon's voice. I would sometimes get a call from an engineer on Jon's solo projects. Jon would instruct them to call me to tell them how to get his voice to sound. I was very flattered. 

However, there is an interesting tidbit at the end which gives me hope for the further adventures of the firm of Rabin & Rabin:

I would love to do an album with my son, Ryan, at some point.

And also:

 I am starting a new solo album as a follow up to Jacaranda,

Huzzah!  Clearly what is needed now is lots of pestering about this project rather than AWR; you all have your assignment. 

Just a friendly reminder.

I sincerely appreciate my readers from all over the world, and give many thanks for your time and interest in my blog.  But I would like to remind everyone that I am not officially affiliated with Trevor, as I have stated, from the outset, in the disclaimer as part of the "About Me" section which can be seen on the front page.  If anyone has even the slightest suspicion that I am, please allow me to dissuade you of that right now.  Such assumptions can only lead to misunderstandings and I desire to avoid those.  I am a fan, I'm wholly proud to state it, and I've never attempted to portray myself otherwise.

I bring this up because of late I have received email from people who seem to believe this blog is a part of Trevor's online presence on social media.  It is most definitely not.  If you are determined to attempt to contact Trevor directly, please utilize his official Facebook and/or Twitter pages to do so.  I cannot assist you in any way.

Thank you.

Knowing The Score: Zero Hour S1 E9: "Balance"

(Author's note: this essay contains spoilers for the ninth episode of Zero Hour, so don't say I didn't warn you!)

Further apologies, blah blah blah...but seriously, readers, I do apologize for having fallen behind in the recaps.   I'm trying to catch up as best I can now.  Part of my issue is with abc.com and their beta player, which is often non-cooperative at best.

Previously on: COUNTDOWN TO ARMAGEDDON, APPARENTLY.   Doppelgangers abound, faith is in short supply, and all Hank and Riley want out of this crazy world is some answers, y'all.

What I will stay about this episode is: it's a very transitional one, it's like you can hear the struts of the story's superstructure snapping into place in most of the scenes.  By this writing, having watched all the available episodes now, I believe Show definitely picks up momentum after this episode.

Eight is forever a line
without end
the worst sort of murder
is that of a friend.

So there are better murders, comparatively?  Okay...

In The Year of Der Fuehrer 1938, Sterm is holding a funeral for his friend on the not-yet-a-subsicle but puts a stop to the proceedings by reminding the crew they came to the Faroe Islands in the services of a Far HIgher Agenda, and yeah, he does talk in caps.  Fast forward and the Unholy Trinity of Hank, Laila and Riley are landing and discussing The Marble of Significance which of course assists them in their anvilicious dialog because everything has to do with belief, of course.

Flashback Time!  Riley and Molars are in the guise of their past selves: the happily married couple Theo and Becca, literally the night he is going to be extracted from his deep cover via plane explosion.   She's all girly and stuff and the entire scene is about reproduction, it's giving me a headache, that's how obvious it is.  Back to the present day, White Vincent is once more needling at his colleague: "Five years in the care of the Pyrates has done interesting stuff to you, Molars," and I gotta wonder just what the hell the two of them were doing before this whole ridiculous plot shifted into high gear and what event precipitated that and is WV just so angry that he can't deal with anyone, or is Molars a special case for his scorn?  WV gives hints that his beef with Hank is just part of a larger picture.

Hank's parents have a dither back at the homestead...and then when his dad rhetorically wonders where his lab rat offspring could possibly be, the scene shifts very convenient to the answer.  OH HAI FAROE ISLANDS! On the phone with Arron (who gets the best line of the ep: "You're not gonna believe this, but apparently we publish some sort of magazine?"  Oooh, snarky and meta, well-played Show!)  Hank wants to know the connection between his doppleganger and the Faroe Islands, so he asks them to get in touch with "your Nazi friend."  The Unholy Trinity splits up, and Hank and Laila take shelter.  Mommy Locust is in a clinic somewhere, receiving updates, and she is not pleased.  They give her a purposely hammy line which sort of ruins the progress made by the previous one: "Act like the end of the world is coming...because it just may be."

And...cue credit sequence!  That was nine minutes this time, a bit too long.

Meanwhile, Riley is thwarted again by the boss who hates her, and WV is attempting to ascertain where the ship needs to land in order to find their way to the burial site based on how the sub made its approach.

Flashback time!  The First Mate (I'm assuming) chronicles how Sterm deviated from the original plan, working out his penance, I guess.  Then we're back with Laila and her Catholic Valium: working the rosary.  She's freaked and has many FEELINGS!  Hank equivocates by saying there are "things beyond our comprehension" but admits he's smart enough to know he knows nothing, and just then his lab rat brother calls and bets him they'll end up at the burial site at the exact same time.  WV is the only one who knows how Sterm wronged Dietrich but he appears to be hell-bent (uh, sorry) on making Hank pay for it.  Apparently seeing Sterm frozen in the subsicle wasn't enough for him, WV assures Hank he will kill him this time.

Riley had ninja'ed her way onto the ship and finds Molars' security badge just hanging around (along with those of the rest of the crew).

Nazi Collector Extraordinaire drops by the Media Empire and there's a lot of blah blah blah is there something you're not telling me?  The main purpose of this scene - besides making him extremely creepy - is so the Cute Squad can discover there are two doppelgangers.

The boat is getting underway and Riley finds Molars, and he doesn't explain himself, just tells her he's not going with her.  Riley begins to possibly comprehend that she is closer to Hank than she'd like to be, and then Molars raises the alarm and it's been fun, baby, but you've got to go.  Gunfire, running, you know the drill.

Hank and Laila get their puzzle-fu on with the marble, and then race to the harbor to exposition with Riley: "The only thing I saw, was a different man where my husband used to be."  UH...YOU MEAN LIKE AN OPERATIVE?  LIKE, HANK ISN'T THE ONLY ONE WHOSE ENTIRE LIFE WAS A LIE?

Nazi Collector Extraordinaire is attempting to utilize the intimidation strategy of his forefathers, or whatever, but the Cute Squad just acts dumb, although Arron gets another good line: "Yeah you know as journalists, we're not so good with the showing."  They show him the door as he continues to prissily threaten them.  Like I said, dude is creepy.

While Riley cries in the shower, Hank and Laila have a numerology moment and she realizes that the design inside the marble is that of a Passion flower, the physical structure of which has been interpreted by Catholics to be wholly representative of their symbolism.  Arron informs him that history is literally repeating itself in that WV has a doppelganger as well.  While they're expositioning, Laila gets a call from Reggie (identified as "Omega" on her caller ID) and she sneaks out to call him back, thus giving him another chance to guilt her into carrying out the Shepherds' agenda.  Hank will receive the handy-dandy results of the Cute Squad's research, of course.  Laila fails to tell Hank about the call, but Riley emerges at a convenient point to deliver unto them some of Theo's plant-fu.  

And then it occurs to me: he's a geneticist!  I guess?  Probably?

Anyway, so she decides she's going to join their Rendezvous with Destiny and as she exits the room we can see Laila thinking, "Yeah thanks there, Third Wheel.  On the other hand you've got a gun, so..."

Meanwhile, Mommy Locust is in church with her pet Messenger Boy and one of her heavies comes to give her another status report.  After we endure her pious blathering for a couple minutes, she uses the Holy Water chalice like her personal fingerbowl and decides to pay a visit to the offices of Modern Skeptic.

Rachel gets a call from Hank's dad and she's being cagey, and he gets frustrated with her, leaving a cryptic message.  Back in the North Sea, WV and his crew figured out their anchorage as the Unholy Trinity make their way into the woods, and Riley conveniently informs her driver that the only Passion flower they're going to find is a chapel.  They have a guarded conversation about belief, and Riley gets in a good shot at Laila: "I know what I believe, I know my faith, I also know I have no business trying to sell it to anybody."  Just as she delivers this little salvo, a road sign comes loose in the wind and nearly decapitates Hank as it slices through the windshield.  Whoa. 

More Sign, Sign, Everywhere A Sign, as Arron just happens to pull up the latest weather radar which shows a perfect storm scenario happening in...you guessed it: the Faroe Islands.  Rachel is all, "Dude, let's bail," and Mommy Locust slithers in and begins acting all villian-y with her pious blatherings.  Hank's dad shows up and has a reunion with the boss' daughter and decides to offer his services once more.

In The Year of Der Fuehrer 1938, Sterm and his cannon fodder are on their crazy mission to bury the box as in the present day WV and Molars follow in their (muddy) footsteps.  WV is clearly being delusional, thinking Hank is Sterm.  Meanwhile the Unholy Trinity makes it to the deserted chapel and begins looking around as Laila suffers daddy issues looking at a stained glass image of Our Lord Jesus Christ (And he's got short hair?  Guess the Danes don't like a shaggy savior.).  She freaks out again, arguing with Hank, who has to state the obvious: "What happened out there on the road, that was a sign: a literal sign, made of metal, torn off by the wind."

WV and Molars find a rock in the ground at the coordinates inscribed C. Fidelis...uh, like Sterm would have time to carve something in the middle of that storm?  Clearly WV's research is lacking.  But they decide it is indeed The Place.  Back at the chapel, Hank and Riley are Multer-and-Scullying and Hank realizes that the same colors in the Marble of Significance are shining down upon a statue of Our Lord...who is missing an eye.

A storm is coming, birds are freaking, the Pyrates team finds a box in the ground.

So instead of taking the plank out of his own eye, Hank puts the Marble of Significance into Jesus' eye and answers that age-old question Do you see what I see?  The Marble of Significance is part of a kaleidoscope which when appropriately placed allows the one who looks through it to see the marker where the Holy Plot Device is buried.  Okay that was a cool puzzle, Show, I gotta tell ya.

People are digging...WV makes a comment about permafrost, Molars thinking that may be the reason why the Holy Plot Device was buried there...neither side has to dig for long...but we are shown the Pyrates discovery first, and it is not the True Cross, but the True Heart.  Sterm writes a touching eulogy for Dietrich, placing it in the pocket of the uniform clothing the perfectly preserved body.  WV is, understandably, freaking out at the sight of his doppelganger...that's gotta fuck with your head, am I right?  

Wind is whipping, birds are flocking, Hank and Riley open the box to find...frozen beetles!  And of course the Pyrates crash their party, so I guess WV wins the bet.  Hank declares Game Over and Molars is all, "Uh no, gimme the bugs."  He points a gun at them and Riley looks like someone kicked her puppy.

The good (scoring) stuff: there are some lovely cues in this episode, like the one used during Riley's shower scene.  I also liked the one during Laila's phone call, the way it built very gently to the dramatic swell before the cut to commercial.  Same with the scene where Dietrich's grave is discovered and the True Cross is uncovered.  There's something in the church scene which reminds me of another score, but I'm not sure which one.

More confirmation!

Courtesy of a tweet yesterday from Scoring Sessions - the site which has provided coverage of more than a few of Trevor's score recording sessions (and I have a link to their archive in the "Neato Stuff" section on the front page) - it appears Trevor has at least reached the spotting stage in this project.

Hopefully this means they'll post photos from the session at some point in the future, although it's been a while since we've been allowed to see the Maestro at work in this capacity.

Knowing The Score: Zero Hour S1 E8: "Winding"

(Author's note: this essay contains spoilers for the eighth episode of Zero Hour, so don't say I didn't warn you!)

My apologies to readers for the further delay; further work commitments for the month happened along (i.e. my gig writing descriptions for an artisan fragrance company) and I had to put off both the recap and the interview transcription, and then type my brains out to get both done within a tight deadline, but I digress, so let's get on it now...

Previously on: COUNTDOWN TO ARMAGEDDON, APPARENTLY.
Those crazy kids Hank and Laila are going off on a quixotic quest to destroy the True Cross so Hank doesn't to have don the sad wings of destiny as the human detonation device of the Apocalypse, or whatever.  Meanwhile, White Vincent is trying his best to be a good little errand boy for Mommy Locust and find it before his freaky-ass eyeball'ed lab rat brother does.  And other stuff.

Tick-tock...WV delivers what I consider the most anvilicious rhyme yet about how he and Hank really are lab-rat brothers because...well, we'll save it for the scenes in question.

We're back at the beginning, where the main theme and the hokey dialogue inform us this is Zero Hour! and the pesky Rosicrucians must save the world from the evil religious artifact-hoarding Nazis and one doppelganger with a bad accent is talking to another whose accent is not so bad...but, like, we can't figure out who that is?  Really?  I mean, you don't even really try to make it suspenseful, Show, and if you're not gonna even try to work with me in this relationship, I just don't know if we can move forward...

(Oh wait, that's right, ABC filed for divorce.  Moving on.)

To eternity...AND BEYOND!  (Whoops sorry.)

Hank and Laila arrive in Strasbourg and they argue epistemology at the airport, and agree to go off with the first random taxi driver they encounter (which violates a sacred tourist rule).

The Feds are chasing their tales and Riley's boss snarks, "Since you're not doing your job and all, maybe you'd like to explain how this chick has five thousand aliases?"

Reggie puts out an execution order on Hank and Laila: I WANT THEM DEAD, AND I WANT BODY PARTS TO BE DELIVERED UNTO ME ONCE THEY ARE DEAD as we see Assassin Guy in yet another invocation of Cape Fear (Show, what is up with that?).

The Cute Squad is worried and expositioning and of course The Feds bust in and make all the other employees (Really? You're still trying to convince us this magazine isn't just a front for, say, lab rats waiting for their progremming to kick in and end the world?) go home.

Somewhere in the North Sea, WV is briefing Mommy Locust on the status of the mission and she brings in a former colleague, Molars, WV looks like a cat which has been given a new mouse to gnaw on.  

It's always a map!

Hank and Laila come face-to-face with The Mother of All Clocks at the cathedral while Laila attempts to invoke a variant of Godwin's Law, apparently.

Assassin Guy rolls up on the taxi driver and when the guy demands payment for his surveillance, AG basically tells him, without a word, I will pay you...WITH DEATH!

And...cue title sequence!  That was about the same amount of time as last week but it felt longer, I think, because of all the cross-cutting.

Back at the media empire Arron and Paige are weirdly flirting in their geeky way while Riley leans on Rachel to give her the hookup, guilting her into assistance (since she can't shoot anybody with her boss in the next room and all).

Meanwhile at Clock Central, Hank and Laila exposition, random docent, exposition, and surprise!  Assassin Guy appears and Laila is all OMG OMG OMG FREEZE IT'S THE T2000.  As is his wont, he causes a bit of mayhem.

Apocalypse Tourism, yeah it could catch on.

Somewhere in the North Sea, WV and Molars are enacting the dance of long-standing frenemies.  WV speaks cryptically of tea, dreams and death...until Molars says "Remember the mission, dude?"  There's a weird sort of homoerotic tension between them...just sayin.'

Back in WWII, Dietrich writes long philosophical tracts in his journal, much like any pesky Rosicrucian.  Sterm then joins him and they blather for a while.  It's difficult to keep track from one flashback to another.

Laila gets exposition-y about Golem, who as I noted bears a certain resemblance to the T2000 in his robotic intensity, and yet somehow they escape because reasons.  They then argue about what do with the Holy Plot Device, and of course the Skeptical Schlub is all for Blinding It With Science.  He calls Riley who whines, "You ditched me!" and then Laila breaks in and is all, "Chill Fedster, let's work this shit out, aiight?!"

We are led to believe that Riley's boss may be the dirty one in the organization, and let's face it: the guy looks pretty shady either way, in that bureaucratic toad kind of way.

More philosophical meanderings with WV and Molars and...flashback! as the doppelgangers blah-blah-blah in the presence of the Holy Plot Device.  Sterm reassures Dietrich that The Plan will go on and that Jesus is in a piece of wood?  Yeah see, the memory of my catechism is not that strong, apparently.

Reggie is going on about how the Shepherds and their Terminator are BAMFs who will hunt those infidels down!

Somehow, Hank and Laila manage to stay alive long enough to have Riley, Agent Blonde, and the Cute Squad show up with the clocks, and then she gets all protective of the Skeptical Schlub and the Cute Squad, threatening to kill Laila if she lies again...yeah whatever.  Laila reveals what we already knew about Theo being aligned with the Pyrates.  Laila was meant to waylay Theo but Car Crash of Destiny and all.  More WHY?ing.

The Scoobies are puzzling out what to do next, and of course Arron has a pop culture geek plan which can't miss!  They go forth to their daring plan, the Feds keeping watch as Laila spy-fus her way into the catacombs, because obviously every major city has them.  As they're creeping through the tunnels, Laila is trying to build a contrite bridge and Arron's all, "Um sorry, you're a Lying Liar Who Lies."

Somewhere in the North Sea, WV is reading The Diary of a Doppelganger and...cue flashback!

Sterm and Dietrich have a pissing match and Dietrich wants to change course, and so okay, I'm assuming this is how subsicle, and Dietrich keeps harping on putting the Holy Plot Device in the mud, and I'm all, "Dude, it's in a box fer chrissakes!"  Sterm shoots Dietrich so that The Plan may prevail, which allows for Dietrich to have an epic death scene talking about the sweet fraternity in Heaven where I imagine there's beer and roofies and...oh wait, yeah not that kind of fraternity party, sorry.

The Brothers in Fate, whatever that means.

The Scoobies ninja their way into the cathedral and set about unlocking The Mother of All Clocks with Bible passages and Rachel and Arron have a tender moment and...er mah gah Show, can we please not have this unrequited romantic bullshit?  Please?!  Outside, Paige is not picking up because...Golem is unrelentlngly making his way to them.  Riley tries to get into the crime scene and even her multilingual rankpulling has no effect on the French, they're all vous parlez a la main; I mean really, she should have totally known that wasn't gonna work.

Laila, meanwhile, proclaims JESUS SAYS YOU SHOULD FORGIVE ME, HANK.  And what's Hank gonna do, she's a Hot Girl With Clock-fu, yanno?  So all the clues are entered and the Mother of All Clocks finally spits out the last piece of the puzzle and then...curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal, Agent Blonde!  She does this thing with her eyebrows like betcha didn't see that coming, didya?!  Show, dude, whatevs, I haz an underwhelmed.  I'd seriously think this was parody but there's no laugh track.

Riley sums up the next sequence by stating "And there's our mole," but only after Paige gets all fanatical-like.  Gunplay, running, and Golem cleans up the mess...Agent Blonde, we hardly knew ye.

More flirting between WV and Molars...I get that's there meant to be a creepy tension and all but these scenes just seem so painfully slow compared to the pacing of the rest of the ep.

Laila conveniently finds the map (because it's always a map), Riley has footage of WV, Hank sends the Cute Squad home, and Riley freaks out because...DUN DUN DUN, her martyr'ed husband is not so senselessly dead.

That's gotta fuck with your head, am I right?

The good (scoring) stuff: there are a lot of Action Movie! and Unbearable Tension! cues in this episode and that's not a bad thing, because that's why Trevor gets the big bucks to be the Go-To Action Guy.

(And if anyone can email me and tell me what the easter egg reference is in this recap I will praise you in the next recap as a person of cleverness and taste.  You're welcome.)