Slacker is a film I tried to hunt down for years. Ever since seeing Waking Life and falling in love with Richard Linklater's films in my first year out of high school, Slacker was the one film I desperately wanted to see but could never find. But thanks to my friend Patrick all that changed and I was able to watch the film last night.
With no main character, no overarching narrative and loads and loads of people just talking about stuff, Slacker definitely isn't everyone's cup of tea. For me personally I loved (almost) every minute. Shot in 1989 (2 years before Nirvana's Nevermind sparked the fire that turned "alternative" into the mainstream over the course of the 90ies) with a cast that I'm assuming was comprised mostly of Linklater's friends just being themselves, the film captures a really unique glimse of the pre-grunge era. Add to this the fact that the film was shot in the artistic hotbed of Austin Texas, a city that since spawaned two of my very favourite bands (Trail of Dead and Explosions in the Sky) and you've got a really great setting. Multiply this by Slacker's fantastic filmaking and you've got an instant new Ben favourite.
On the music front I've been listening to a bunch of really cool new (or rather; new to me) stuff. Besides the new LCD Soundsyem, most of my soundtrack for the past two weeks has been a bunch of really great math rock and post rock I got from Shannon Mirror. Of all the stuff Shannon gave me there's been one band I've been total obsessed with this past week, the horribly named, wonderful sounding El Ten Eleven.
El Ten Eleven are a 2 piece that, with the help of loads of loops and effects, create some of the most fun, exciting rock and roll I've heard in years. Just listen to this:
El Ten Eleven - Hot Cakes
El Ten Eleven - Keep
...and then watch this:
Neat huh?
p.s. If you land up watching Slacker and hating it - please don't punch me in the face. If you watch it and enjoy it as much as I did you're welcome to say thanks with a hug.
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