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movieswithkevin27 · 7 years

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Look Ahead: November 2017

Call Me By Your Name

Ever since Call Me By Your Name debuted back in January at the Sundance Film Festival, it has been one of the more anticipated releases of the year for film lovers. Directed by Luca Guadagnino, Call Me By Your Name is a continuation in the rise of films centered on gay romance. Telling the story of a young man, portrayed by newcomer Timothee Chalamet, and his father’s assistant, portrayed by Armie Hammer, Call Me By Your Name is an absolute certainty to make noise at this year’s Academy Awards. The follow-up to his critically acclaimed film A Bigger Splash, Call Me By Your Name promises to be Guadagnino’s most mainstream work to date, given the hype and acclaim surrounding the film. Together with A Bigger Splash and his 2009 film I Am Love, Call Me By Your Name makes up Guadagnino’s “Desire trilogy” and is likely his most personal work yet, considering it centers on a gay romance and Guadagnino himself is gay. However, in his own words, the film is hardly just a “gay movie”. Instead, it is a film with far greater pursuits and themes universal to all love and romance. To label it simply “this year’s gay film” would be painfully reductive, in the same vein that labeling last year’s Moonlight a “gay film” was reductive. Both are far more than that and deserve praise not just for being about gay characters, but in how they explore desire and romance. For its actors, Call Me By Your Name should be what catapults Timothee Chalamet into stardom with the young actor receiving significant praise. His co-star, Armie Hammer, is receiving similar praise and this could be the film that truly allows him to be recognized for the terrific actor he has demonstrated he can be in his career thus far.

Slated for a November 22 limited release by Sony Pictures Classics, Call Me By Your Name is likely to receive a slow roll-out to both build hype for its wide release and to bring it closer to Oscar nomination announcements (in order to capitalize on any nominations). The film also stars Michael Stuhlbarg, Amira Casar, and Esther Garrel, in addition to Chalamet and Hammer.

Darkest Hour

No awards season is truly complete without a high-profile biopic coming out. After the controversy surrounding The Weinstein Company and poor reviews in the festival circuit, The Current War was bumped to 2018, eliminating the direct biopic competition for Joe Wright’s Darkest Hour. Set during World War II, Darkest Hour is a semi-biopic of Winston Churchill as he grapples with decisions he must make in order to defeat Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. Starring Gary Oldman as Churchill, Darkest Hour could provide Oldman the role he has long needed in order to capture Oscar gold, with the noted actor now being seen as the favorite for Best Actor this year. Directed by Joe Wright, Darkest Hour has received some strong buzz on the festival circuit and should mark a return to form for the director after his 2015 film Pan was critically reviled and bombed at the box office. It is perhaps no surprise that Wright finds success once more with his strong-suit being period dramas, as demonstrated with Pride & Prejudice, Atonement, and Anna Karenina. Of his three other directorial efforts, only Hanna received strong reviews with both the aforementioned Pan and The Soloist being met with lukewarm or outright negative responses. How cliche and by-the-numbers Darkest Hour turns out could be a spot of concern, but with a talented director such as Wright and a captivating actor such as Oldman in control of this film, Darkest Hour should turn out to be a gripping exploration of one of history’s more compelling figures.

Focus Features will give the film a limited release on November 22. The stacked cast also includes Ben Mendelsohn, Kristin Scott Thomas, Lily James, Ronald Pickup, and Stephen Dillane.

Lady Bird

Though she previously co-directed a film with Joe Swanberg, Lady Bird feels like Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut. Considering it is her first solo directing effort, this feeling is not misplaced. However, Lady Bird certainly seems to be a film where Gerwig will really be able to put her voice at the very forefront of the picture. Starring Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird is a classic Gerwig film in that it centers on a lost 20-something year old girl seeking to find her way. Similar to films in which Gerwig has previously starred in or written, Lady Bird focuses in on this troubled girl as she traverses the tricky world of young adulthood. Examining her relationship her mother among other pursuits, Lady Bird is a film that, on the surface, is very personal to Gerwig. Her work always is, but this one especially so and it will be tough not imagine a lot of Gerwig’s own life and personality being found in the central character portrayed by Ronan. The first big film for Saoirse Ronan after netting an Oscar nomination for Brooklyn, Lady Bird is a vastly different role beyond the fact that she is playing a young woman in a coming-of-age film in both. In Brooklyn, she is a far more reserved and conservative Irish girl coming to America and falling in love. Here, she is a lost but intensely vibrant young girl just learning who she is and where she fits in with life and her parents.

Alongside Ronan, the film stars Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Timothee Chalamet, and Lucas Hedges. A24 has set the film for a limited release on November 3.

Last Flag Flying

A sequel to Hal Ashby’s 1973 film The Last Detail starring Jack Nicholson, Richard Linklater’s Last Flag Flying is a film that is right up his alley. Though not essential to watch the original film, Last Flag Flying is nonetheless the direct follow-up to that film with the events of the film centered around this old trio of friends from the military meeting up after one of them had his son die in the war. Starring Bryan Cranston, Steve Carell, and Laurence Fishburne, as this trio of friends, Last Flag Flying is a film that will certainly be part war critique, but should largely focused on its characters and their issues. Linklater, through his Before trilogy and Boyhood, has made a name for himself based largely upon the characters he explores in his films. Though his films are often funny, original, or just dramatic, Linklater’s ability to delve into the minds and inner workings of his characters is his best trait and has allowed him to become one of Hollywood’s most revered directors today. As a comedy-drama, Last Flag Flying will likely embody this with strong banter between its three central characters, but an equal amount of emotional exploration.

Amazon Studios and Lionsgate have set Last Flag Flying for a limited release on November 3.

LBJ

It is never a good sign when a film debuts at a film festival almost a year prior to its release, but it appears as though LBJ did not turn out too poorly. Debuting at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival, the political biopic about Lyndon B. Johnson directed by Rob Reiner is finally coming to theaters this month. Starring Woody Harrelson as the titular President, LBJ has received mixed-to-positive releases in the lead-up to its release and focuses on the period before and after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Thrust into a position where he had to unite the country after Kennedy’s death, LBJ explores these early days Johnson’s presidency and the efforts he took in order to establish himself as the new President of the United States. Though not likely to be an Oscar player itself, it is possible that Harrelson could sneak into some conversations for Best Actor should his performance receive enough buzz and praise upon the film’s release. As a fan of political and historical films, LBJ seems to be a must-watch for its exploration of a compelling former President and one of the most tumultuous times in American history. Together with Darkest Hour, it is clear that Hollywood will be a fun time for history buffs.

LBJ will receive a wide release on November 3. Beyond Harrelson, LBJ stars Bill Pullman, Richard Jenkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kim Allen, Michael Stahl-David, C. Thomas Howell, and Jeffrey Donovan.

Mudbound

One of the most acclaimed films to come out of this year’s Sundance Film Festival is Mudbound. Now, the film is finally set for release this month. Set in rural Mississippi, Mudbound explores the life of a family as they traverse the various issues in their life, whether it be racism or the return of a loved one from World War II. Directed by Dee Rees, Mudbound is certainly most high-profile work to date with an A-list cast to match, led by Carey Mulligan. Noted for her selectiveness in what she roles she accepts, Mulligan has not appeared in a film since 2015 when both Far from the Madding Crowd and Suffragette were released. Part of this is likely due to her giving birth in late 2015 and then again in 2017, but it is hardly out of character for her, considering she has made just 15 films since debuting in 2005 with Pride & Prejudice. Of those films, her worst films have received mixed reviews, while the rest are critically acclaimed. It is hard to develop this type of track record, but it is one that has made any film starring Mulligan a guaranteed must-watch, especially given her talent as a reserved but passionate actress.

Beyond Mulligan, Mudbound stars Jason Clarke, Garrett Hedlund, Mary J. Blige, Jason Mitchell, and Jonathan Banks. Netflix will release the film on November 17.

Murder on the Orient Express

Featuring what is possibly the most stacked cast of the year, the latest adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express has a lot to live up to, but director Kenneth Branagh is familiar with high expectations. Cutting his teeth in the late 1980s and early 1990s with adaptations of Shakespeare’s Henry V, Much Ado About Nothing, and Hamlet, Branagh drew early comparisons to Laurence Olivier. Since then, he has become far more mainstream through directing jobs on Thor and Cinderella, but has maintained much of the same quality and skill in those pictures. Thus, it is a welcome sight to see Branagh take on another piece of classic literature in Murder on the Orient Express, as well as being a pleasant sight to see him take on the lead role of famed international detective Hercule Poirot. A celebrated role in much the same vein as Olivier’s Shakespeare performances, Poirot is a character right in Branagh’s wheel-house. Even then, there are few actors around capable of handling the expectations of past takes on a role than Branagh, as it is something he became accustomed to right when he arrived in Hollywood. A gripping murder mystery, I admit to not really liking Sidney Lumet’s 1974 take due to the ending, but my hopes remain high for this one due to the presence of Branagh and such a talented cast around him.

Though led by Branagh, Murder on the Orient Express’ cast also includes Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley, Josh Gad, Leslie Odom Jr., Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Olivia Colman, Marwan Kenzari, Derek Jacobi, and Lucy Boynton. 20th Century Fox will give the film a wide release on November 10.

Roman J. Israel, Esq.

Bursting onto the scene in 2014 with the explosive thriller Nightcrawler, it would be incorrect to label Dan Gilroy’s follow-up as anything less than hotly anticipated. However, when Roman J. Israel, Esq. debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival back in September, it was met with a mixed reaction from critics. In the time since, Gilroy and star Denzel Washington took the film back to the editing room, cut out 12 minutes, a subplot, and reorganized a key scene that originally came later in the film. Thus, in spite of its lukewarm reception, Roman J. Israel, Esq. remains one of my own most anticipated films for the month of November. After being incredibly impressed by Nightcrawler and a lover of crime/courtroom films, it is tough to not be excited by a film that stars Washington as a lawyer thrust into the position of being the lead partner of his law firm only to discover the unsavory side of the business done by the firm. Whether this one lives up to expectations or not is certainly a mystery, as nobody has seen the latest cut of the film and given it a new review.

Columbia Pictures has set the film for a limited release on November 17. Beyond Washington, the film stars Colin Farrell and Carmen Ejogo.

Sweet Virginia

Likely the most low-profile release included in this list, Sweet Virginia tells the story of an ex-rodeo champion who befriends a dangerous man. At its debut in April at the Tribeca Film Festival, Sweet Virginia was met with universal acclaim. Solidifying itself as one of those greatly under-the-radar independent films that has a strong B/C-list cast but will remain overlooked by the mainstream and even those interested in independent cinema, Sweet Virginia is the second directorial effort by Jamie M. Dagg. His debut, River, won Best First Feature at the Canadian equivalent of the Academy Awards, cementing him as a filmmaker to keep an eye on. With a slightly higher profile being given to Sweet Virginia and a talented cast, it will hopefully be the film that allows him to break into the mainstream independent cinema arena.

Starring Jon Bernthal, Sweet Virginia’s cast also includes Imogen Poots, Rosemarie Dewitt, and Christopher Abbott. IFC Films will give the film a limited release on November 17.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Thus far in his career, Martin McDonagh has made a name for himself by directing films such as In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths. Deeply twisted and dark films, both nonetheless manage to be incredibly funny works. Finding the comedy in tragedy, sadness, and horrific acts of violence, McDonagh’s manage to strike the perfect balance between those comedic endeavors and the absolute seriousness of the situation. With smart writing from McDonagh himself, his works manage to be heavy and nuanced looks at the tragedies they portray, never cheapening those emotions in an attempt to be funny. Both have their place in the film, yet never infringe upon another. It is why a film such as Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri has so much promise. Starring Frances McDormand as a grieving mother who buys three billboards to call attention to the fact that the police have yet to come up with a lead in the murder of her daughter, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’s premise is right in McDonagh’s wheelhouse and, based on reviews, he knocks it out of the park. Exploring grief and loss while simultaneously doing so with whip smart comedy, the film stands a chance to compete for both Best Picture and be a film that goes down as one of the very best of 2017.

Alongside McDormand, the film also stars Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, John Hawkes, Peter Dinklage, Abbie Cornish, and Lucas Hedges. The film will receive a limited release through Fox Searchlight Pictures on November 10.

Others

Beyond this group of films, November is certainly quite stacked. From Pixar, Coco is set to be released over the Thanksgiving holiday and should draw direct comparisons with the animated film The Book of Life from a few years ago. Both are about the Mexican holiday, the Day of the Dead. The film is already getting rave reviews in Mexico and should be a smash hit with American audiences as well. One film certain to cause controversy is I Love You, Daddy from writer-director-comedian Louis C.K. Starring himself, Chloe Grace Moretz, and John Malkovich, the film is in black-and-white and has drawn comparisons to the work of Woody Allen in both style and subject matter. The film is about a man who tries to keep his 17-year-old daughter out of a relationship with a 68-year-old male director, which is certainly a hot-button issue now to the point that it is surprising the film will be given a limited release this month.

One of the more compelling releases of the month is My Friend Dahmer, based on a graphic novel released in 2012. Set in the 1970s, the novel was written by a man who was friends convicted serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. Starring Ross Lynch as Dahmer, the film promises to be a unique look at a killer before they killed, which may be far more revealing. Finally, director Joachim Trier is back with another film this month, Thelma. Chosen by Norway as their submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, Thelma is a supernatural horror film about a girl who falls in love with another girl, only to discover that her new love has ignited unknown powers within herself.

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juliayepes · 10 years

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Blood of a Poet

Through fleeting glimpses and a studio visit, a portrait of a singular songwriter and musician emerges.

On the song "Supreme Being," Will Roan, singer and keyboardist of the Brooklyn band Amazing Baby, experiences a transcendental moment. It's an everything's-okay, no-one-ever-really-dies moment, in which everyone and everything in creation is revealed as mysteriously connected. Steeped in mysticism, tracks like "Supreme Being" (a trance song composed on the xylophone and a highlight of the group's self-released 2008 EP, Infinite Fucking Cross) convey a sense of wonder and a longing to return to paradise. Lyrics about "digging up the pearls from years gone by," returning to "salt of the earth," and a "big, black phantom love [that] floats over it all" contribute to the impression of a universe governed by some kind of cyclical, eternal return.

The group’s first tracks sound as joyful and cohesive as Led Zeppelin songs, only half the length, and recent songs are awash in a sweeping but pleasingly off-kilter grandeur. Their potency boils down to an inspired pairing of Roan, a literate preacher’s son, and Simon O'Connor, a virtuoso hard rock guitarist. The bands they had been in before Amazing Baby were good, but very true to a genre. But the project the pair formed together was a hybrid of influences (mutual favorites that included T. Rex and Queen), resulting in soaring melodies and full-bodied, boundary-pushing art-rock. In August 2008, a writer for the popular British music magazine NME raved about their first batch of songs, “Truly great rock bands don’t usually just fall out of the sky — they evolve slowly, meticulously and sometimes downright painfully over time. But don’t expect Amazing Baby to be paying any such dues... These Brookynites have been together since Christmas..., but somehow, they already sound like they could take on the world.” With the release of their first album Rewild due in the first half of 2009, Amazing Baby seemed on the precipice of a breakthrough after a near overnight success story.

When I arrive at Electric Lady studios at 4pm on the first Sunday last February, the band is putting the finishing touches on their debut album. It's the second-to-last day of recording and a 15-piece orchestra is coming in today to record their parts individually. Bassist Don De Vore—pale blond, handsome, silent—sits in the recording booth nearly the whole afternoon, overseeing the recording of the string and brass parts. Matt Abeysekera, the drummer, pops into the booth and excitedly chats about the soundtrack to Polanski's horror movie The Fearless Vampire Killers. Shy, stringy-haired rhythm guitarist Rob Laasko hangs in the green room for a while, in between long spells in the recording booth. He seems like the mellowest member, but like De Vore, he has the air of a longtime studio musician, who is used to being ignored. Roan and his girlfriend arrive last, after a late night of DJing at a Greenpoint warehouse.

Confused, insulted, and dazzled by Will

With his self-assured manner and clean-cut features, Roan could easily pass for a cultured character in a Wes Anderson movie. Today, after weeks of nonstop recording for the band's debut album, the idiosyncratic singer-keyboardist seems to be running off of a streak of final-stretch adrenaline. In the green room, he drinks Sparks, a caffeinated alcoholic beverage, which keeps him on an even keel between seeming wiped out and alert, relaxed and lucid. He possesses a precise eye. During our interview, he’s polite but brisk, not finicky but quick to correct me when I’m wrong. When I ask him what the song "Headdress" is about, he tells me it’s about "holding onto somebody really tightly" and then tries to explain the title in visual terms. "It's supposed to evoke—I wish I could illustrate this better in words—a distraction, a trick of the eye, a false part of your body. A decoration."

While the teenage O’Connor was into hip-hop, graffiti, and punk music as a teenager, Roan immersed himself in art rock like David Bowie, John Cale, and T. Rex. He was born in Waterbury, Connecticut and his family moved four times before settling in Martha's Vineyard. Roan, who is also interested in design and visual art (he co-designed Rewild's cover art with a friend), majored in creative writing at Bard. After graduation, he moved to Brookyn, where he formed Lions & Tigers, a glam-rock/post-punk outfit that recorded arty, avant-garde songs, filled with images of oceans, fire, and blood. On the tracks, his characters are alienated and often remorseless, dwarfed by a surreal and desolate New York City. They're in precarious and desperate situations. But the songs have the surreal enchantment of a Cocteau movie. Singing about watching the green light die, his girl’s grey eyes, and how she’s “never gonna wake up,” Roan evokes an arresting vision of youth in limbo and casual peril.

He's a gracious host, happy to show me around, introduce me to his friends, and to answer questions. But as polite and friendly as he is, Roan remains inaccessible, even mysterious. Alone, he answers every question I ask. But if other bandmates are around, he lets them handle questions. He seems relieved when he’s surrounded by his friends, as if it’s only when he’s in their company that he can really be himself.

Most people can't be creative on command, but so far that hasn't been a problem for the scattershot singer or his songwriting partner. One reason the band has been so prolific is that they can be productive, and even thrive, in the midst of chaos. (One episode of the Village Voice’s Indie Cribz features a neatly dressed Roan giving viewers a tour of his horrifyingly messy apartment. In the video, he glances around his forsaken-looking bedroom. “I don’t spend a lot of time here,” he says mildly. “This is more like a storage space.”) If anything, he seems more comfortable in a hectic environment. As I interview Roan at Electric Lady studios, string players practice warm-up scales in the room next door. It nearly drives me out of my mind, but it doesn’t seem to distract Roan at all.

While O'Connor rallies me with his raucous energy, Roan is matter-of-fact, precise, guarded. He doesn't like to talk about his band, but he calls MGMT drummer Will Berman who helped write and produce Amazing Baby's first songs "one of the most talented people I've ever met" and predicts he'll put out "a brilliant solo album one day." He encourages me to check out his girlfriend's band (the spooky, shambolic Golden Triangle). And his face lights up with a quirky, genuine smile when he tells me that bassist Don De Vore was in Ink & Dagger "a really incredible, influential vampire-themed band from Philadelphia in the ‘90s." ("Don could do so much better," one diehard Ink & Dagger fan complained on Amazing Baby's Last.fm page.) I learn more about Roan when I'm not asking questions.

For one thing, he’s a good friend. A month earlier, when I run into him at Glasslands, a Brooklyn bar and performance space, I mention that I was surprised by the dizzying heights that MGMT-mania had reached. “Good for them, though,” Roan says pointedly. “Great for them,” I answer. Once he sees that I genuinely mean it, he lets down his guard. I’d seen Amazing Baby at the Mercury Lounge in November 2008 and had asked Roan if he could make me a CD of Lions & Tigers tracks, but he hadn’t had his phone on him. “I wanted to make you a CD, but I didn’t have your phone number,” he explains. He tells me Amazing Baby is recording the next week and that his old band, Lions & Tigers, is mixing an album. “Can I invite you to the studio? Can I invite you to a mixing session? How about if I e-mail you tomorrow?” he says, as he punches my contact info into his iPhone. I tell him that I thought the Lions & Tigers songs I'd heard were great. I love the post-punk sound, I say, and I love post-punk in general; Wire is my favorite band. He brightens. “I love Wire!" And then, in regard to Lions & Tigers, he laughs. "I thought we were good, but no one liked us!” he says.

The first time I saw Roan, he was wearing a shirt that declared “THIS SHIRT SAVES LIVES.” It was November 2008 and I was at the Mercury Lounge for my first Amazing Baby show. Onstage, an impish Roan pranced around the stage with the pomp and exuberance of Jarvis Cocker. After the show, I introduced myself and asked if he could make me a CD of his former band, Lions & Tigers. He cycled rapidly through an array of thoughts like only an overeducated man can. "Sure, I'd be happy to," he answered with a typically cheerful smile, but then he grilled me: “What do you want it for? You just want it? What’s the angle?” He asked me what I thought of the show, knowing it was imperfect. And before I left, he inquired whether this was my first time seeing Amazing Baby live. I told him it was. “You should have come last night!” he admonished me.

Needless to say, I left confused. I was taken aback, even offended, that he was dismissive of his older songs, which I adored. At the same time, I realized that if he didn’t want me to hear his old tracks, then that must mean his new songs sounded a lot different than Lions & Tigers—and that he thought they were really good. Later I realized that he wasn’t being combative because he was a control freak. He simply didn’t want Amazing Baby to be judged by his old band’s tracks. "That was more like a project than a band," he told me, gesticulating. "I was proud of it at the time, but I don't want that to represent me. I don’t want to make that kind of music anymore. That’s why—“ he smiled—“I’m not making it."

His fear of pretension, stutter, and religious connection

Roan cuts an imposing figure. I think twice before crossing a crowded room to talk to the singer—and even after being acquainted with him for months, I find it hard to know how to interpret his sunny, aristocratic charm. It's disconcerting to try to reconcile Roan's bold aura with what he actually says. He is rigorously style-oriented with keen, intelligent eyes that appraise everything. He cannot help but move with a flourish. But in conversation he never says anything remotely audacious or flamboyant. His speech is peppered with prefixes (They're "mega busy," Electric Lady is "super cool") and friendly surfer-stoner affirmations ("totally," "definitely," "rad").

But despite the swashbuckling aura, Roan also has a vulnerable quality. For one thing, his expressive face broadcasts his emotions. And for another thing, he stutters. Though his stutter seems mild (it doesn't surface til the third time I talk to him), one can imagine it’s a source of anxiety for the frontman, especially when he's expected to participate in video and radio interviews, which may catch him when he's tired or ill at ease. (Both states seem to exacerbate the speech disorder.) In one video interview, there's a moment when Roan realizes he's not going be able to get through his sentence without stuttering unless he skips some prepositions, so he starts stringing key words together. It's a heart-rending moment. His bandmates are silent, but it's clear they're in solidarity with the singer.

I would normally think it inappropriate or even disgraceful to ask a stranger personal questions, but Roan is so restrained that I am even less inclined to pry. When I mention that I've noticed a lot of images of eternity in his lyrics, the tone of his voice shifts slightly and there's a flicker in his eye like I'm on to something. "Yeah," he agrees. "Or infinity," I venture. "Yeah," he repeats, in the same tone. "There’s a lot of stony-baloney in there, too," he remarks. Then he lowers his voice and adds evenly, "They’re very personal, but they’re not super specific." I wonder if he means he'd rather not get super specific. (I'd speculate that he wrote "Supreme Being" for his first (or true) love—because on that song he sings "I would die for you,” but in other songs, it's "pump your brakes and leave me alone.") When I ask if Berman will be writing songs with Andrew and Ben in MGMT, he politely answers the question. Suddenly he looks weary. He sighs and shakes his head as if to rouse himself out of a daze. “What else is up?" he asks quickly. Then he corrects himself, as if that way of putting it sounded rude. "Anything else I can tell you?”

In conversation, Roan seems so afraid of coming off as pretentious, that, if anything, he overcompensates for his dandyish hauteur. The boldest statement I ever see him make is in a video interview from their tour of Japan, which took place shortly after Rewild’s release. He says he's proud of the album (though he looks disappointed)—it's been a learning experience (he looks very unhappy)—but it's definitely the best thing he's ever been involved in.

(In fact, I think his newer lyrics also reflect this desire not to seem pretentious. Rewild's new songs don't have big words, and in avoiding them, his lyrics turn absurd and playful. Roan's word play comes off like an inside joke with himself. The title of the album, for example, seems to be a composite of a line on "Kankra": "Turn off your mind/Relax a while." (Get it? Re-wild.))

Once you learn that Roan’s father was a preacher, suddenly everything about Amazing Baby makes sense: the singer's giddy stage persona (shades of a raving evangelical preacher), the Garden of Eden allusion, and the infinite cross imagery. But it also lends pathos to his story. Roan told FAQ Magazine that the first time he got high he had an internal dialogue with himself about how there was no going back, adding that he "continually thinks ... about things I told myself I'd never do." The debut album by San Francisco band Girls is touching because of its sincerity; when former Children of God member Christopher Owens sings that he doesn't want to cry for his whole life, it sounds genuine. There's a similar wistfulness about Roan's longing to return to innocence. Roan has characterized himself as "super emotional" and "messed up." But he seems like a conscientious guy who wants to believe in a higher power and tries to be a good person.

That’s the thing: He has a conscience. More than six months after sitting in with them at Electric Lady, I see Roan at a show at Webster Hall (his friend Max McDonald’s band, Psychic, is playing) and I tell him I'm sorry my story hasn't been published; I'm still going to do a story about the band. "It's okay, it's cool," he says, but he's a person who values honor, and as long as you try to do the right thing, he will be as personable as possible. Suddenly, he’s smiling.

—Julia Yepes

editor: Maura Whang

February 21, 2010

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