Monthly Archives: December 2012

Best albums 2012

In a year during which my consumption of live music declined considerably I found myself more attuned to the peculiar decisions that musicians make on their recordings. Logistics were the main reason for my not attending as many shows as … Continue reading

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Best movies 2012

These are my favorite movies that were released in Japan in 2012. Of them, only one was produced here and that one wasn’t even directed by a Japanese person, thus demonstrating my continuing resistance to post-bubble Japanese cinema, which isn’t … Continue reading

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January 2013 albums

Here are the album reviews I wrote for the Jan. issue of EL Magazine, which was distributed in Tokyo on Christmas Day. Koi No Yokan -Deftones (Reprise/Warner) King Animal -Soundgarden (Vertigo/Universal) Sacramento’s Deftones occupy an interesting position in the hard … Continue reading

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January 2013 movies

Here are the movie reviews I wrote for the January issue of EL Magazine, which was distributed in Tokyo on Christmas Day. Albert Nobbs The title character of this modest period piece is a waiter in a Dublin hotel at … Continue reading

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Media Mix, Dec. 23, 2012

Here’s this week’s Media Mix, which is about the Liberal Democratic Party’s pledge to boost economic activity with more public works projects. Because returning prime minister Shinzo Abe is qualifying this regressive strategy in terms that most people will sympathize … Continue reading

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