Movies of the Year 2016

It is that time of the year when Ooberus Oblivious, one of the greatest little known music blogs, becomes one of the greatest little known MOVIE blogs.  This also marks my final post for 2016, which has been a wild ride.  Here's to hoping 2017 is a better year all around for the world as a whole.  I love you all, thank you for listening/reading, and Happy New Year!!!

After seeing about 70 new films this year, I've chosen 20 to represent my favorite films of 2016:

1. Closet Monster
The struggle of finding oneself is something everyone must deal with during life.  Coping with personal demons is another.  Closet Monster gives us a beautiful look at these struggles through the life of a young, aspiring make-up artist whose sexuality is budding.  Add one of the greatest soundtracks (sounds like Ooberus Oblivious in movie form) and Isabella Rossellini as a talking guinea pig for comedic effect, and this movie encapsulates everything I love about cinema.  The film is full of so much heart & pain, with a dash of humor and amazing music set perfectly to every scene where it is utilized (the Halloween house party scenes are still ingrained on my brain).

2. A Monster Calls
The heart of a movie is always what pulls me in most and A Monster Calls is pretty much all heart.

3. Hunt for the Wilderpeople
More heart and hilarity.  See a theme?

4. Kubo and the Two Strings
By far the best animated film of the year that I've seen, which means it will surely go unnoticed in the grand scheme of things.  See it!

5. The Lobster
This movie is so bizarre and a superb take on modern love.

6. La La Land
I figured I would like this movie, but didn't realize how much it would make me love it by the end.  Catchy, vibrant and heart-warming to no end.

7. Miss Sloane
I am not a fan of political dramas, but Miss Sloane won me over, mainly thanks to Jessica Chastain's awesome performance.  In times of such political unrest, it's good to find hope in movies such as these.

8. Swiss Army Man
This films ride a fart gag from beginning to end and in doing so, shows a certain beauty & love.  I'm sure an off-putting movie for many, I actually loved it.

9. Paterson
A slow-moving poem of a movie that you have to just sink into and let the simplistic beauty carry you away.

10. The Greasy Strangler
All I'm gonna say is "HOOTIE TOOTIE DISCO CUTIE, HOOTIE TOOTIE DISCO CUTIE!!" and if you don't enjoy The Greasy Strangler you're a true BULLSHIT ARTIST!!

ADDENDUM:
10.1  Sing Street

11. Hidden Figures

12. 10 Cloverfield Lane

13. Midnight Special

14. Don't Breathe

15. Nocturnal Animals

16. Julieta

17. Bølgen (The Wave)

18. The Shallows

19. Eye in the Sky

20. Hell or High Water
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And and and, we cannot forget my LEAST FAVORITE MOVIES OF THE YEAR 2016 AWARDS which go to:

1.  Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
2.  Captain America: Civil War
3.  X-Men: Apocalypse

Kristin Kontrol - Baby Are You In?

Excellent digi-b-side from Kristin Kontrol, recorded during the "X-Communicate" sessions!  Yes!

Mai Lan - Haze

Mai Lan had one of my favorite tracks of the year in "Technique".  Her latest single "Haze" is a world apart from that track's catchy insanity and I love it!

Ice Choir - Designs in Rhythm

Great title track from Ice Choir's latest album!!

Albums of the Year 2016 - Top 17

I know I promised a Top 15 a couple days ago, but the list has magically evolved into a Top 17!
This year has sucked, both personally and globally, but there is always music to shed some much needed light & love.  My Top 2 albums of the year feature artists who have left us.  Depressing as it may be, it really encapsulates what this year has given us.  Just remember, no matter how shitty life may be, we here at Ooberus Oblivious promise to keep bringing you the POP! goods day in and day out!!
Now, I present, from 1-17, my favorite albums of the year!!! YESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!

1.  School of Seven Bells - "SVIIB"

2.  David Bowie - "Blackstar"

3.  Pet Shop Boys - "Super" 

4.  Get Well Soon - "Love"

5.  The Radio Dept. - "Running Out of Love"

6.  The Divine Comedy - "Foreverland"

7.  Suede - "Night Thoughts"

8.  Oscar - "Cut and Paste" 

9.  Coco Morier - "Dreamer" 

10.  Elysian Fields - "Ghosts of No"

11.  Baby Alpaca - "Underwater" 

12.  Kristin Kontrol - "X-Communicate"

13.  Ladyhawke - "Wild Things"

14.  IRAH - "Into Dimensions" 

15.  Wildhart - "Shine"

16.  Still Corners - "Dead Blue" 

17.  Cat's Eyes - "Treasure House" 

Grandaddy - Way We Won't

I didn't expect X-mas to get in the way of me completing my Albums of the Year list, but unfortunately it did, so please hang on in anticipation until tomorrow while I present you this for today:

Grandaddy have returned and with their first new album in 10 years called "Last Place"!!

Drag Queens United - Lipdub (Christmas Edition)

Happy Christmas from Ooberus Oblivious!!! 

Albums of the Year 2016 - Part 1

This is always the hardest list to compile come year end.  This year I haven't been able to focus as much on it, so Part 1 is going to be an easy list of 75 albums I loved this year.
On Monday, I will share my 15 favorite albums of the year.
(Note:  These are not in any definitive order, but of course, I had to post countdown style!)

75.  Benji Hughes - Songs in the Key of Animals
74.  T.O.L.D. - It's Not About the Witches
73.  Dinner! - Psychic Lovers
72.  Young Magic - Still Life
71.  Femme - Debutante
70.  Emma Pollock - In Search of Harperfield
69.  Sin Fang - Spaceland
68.  Róisín Murphy - Take Her Up to Monto!
67.  Lake Ruth - Actual Entity
66.  Anya Marina - Paper Plane
65.  Jessy Lanza - Oh No
64.  Soda Fountain Rag - Extra Life
63.  The Legendary Pink Dots - Pages of Aquarius
62.  Cellars - Phases
61.  Blood Orange - Freetown Sound
60.  Bloc Party - Hymns
59.  Yoko Ono - Yes, I'm a Witch Too
58.  Few Bits - Big Sparks
57.  Xeno & Oaklander - Topiary
56.  Ablebody - Adult Contemporaries
55.  NZCA Lines - Infinite Summer
54.  James Supercave - Better Strange
53.  Lust for Youth - Compassion
52.  Puro Instinct - Autodrama
51.  The Burning Hell - Public Library
50.  SPC ECO - Anomalies
49.  Chairlift - Moth
48.  Tindersticks - The Waiting Room
47.  Wild Nothing - Life of Pause
46.  Villa Nah - Ultima
45.  Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Familia
44.  Junior Boys - Big Black Cat
43.  Niki & the Dove - Everybody's Heart Is Broken Now
42.  Peter Bjorn and John - Breakin' Point
41.  El Perro del Mar - Kokoro
40.  Of Montreal - Innocence Reaches
39.  The Jezabels - Synthia
38.  Tegan and Sara - Love You to Death
37.  DIANA - Familiar Touch
36.  Chromatics - Cherry
35.  Poliça - United Crushers
34.  Mint Julep - Broken Devotion
33.  Lawrence Arabia - Absolute Truth
32.  Rainbow Chan - Spacings
31.  Fear of Men - Fall Forever
30.  Metronomy - Summer 08
29.  Ice Choir - Designs in Rhythm
28.  L.A. Girlfriend - Neon Grey
27.  Francis - Marathon
26.  Princess Chelsea - Aftertouch
25.  Bogan Via - Boganvialand
24.  The Yearning - Evening Souvenirs
23.  Roses - Camera Trouble
22.  Michelle Gurevich - New Decadence
21.  Battery Operated Orchestra - Radiation
20.  Baron Bane - III
19.  Anohni - Hopelessness
18.  Evripidis and His Tragedies - Futile Games in Space and Time
17.  Pillar Point - Marble Mouth
16.  James - Girl at the End of the World
15.  Charlie Hilton - Palana
14.  Memoryhouse - Soft Hate
13.  Nite Jewel - Liquid Cool
12.  Rebeka - Davos
11.  Marsheaux - Ath.Lon
10.  Tiga - No Fantasy Required
9.  Psychic Twin - Strange Diary
8.  Rainbow Arabia - L.A. Heartbreak
7.  Liste Noire - Brace
6.  Papa Topo - Ópalo negro
5.  Shura - Nothing's Real
4.  Eliot Sumner - Information
3.  Red Sleeping Beauty - Kristina
2.  Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker
1.  Yumi Zouma - Yoncalla

EPs of the Year 2016

Here are my favorite EPs of 2016!!

1+1.  Get Well Soon - "Born With Too Much Love (The Collected Confessions of Zoltán D.)" +

Lush - "Blind Spot"

I couldn't choose between these two pieces of brilliance for an ultimate favorite of the year, so they get to share TOP BILLING!!  Get Well Soon continues to add "bonus" EPs that rival the greatness of their albums.  Lush returned after however long with their first new music in years and it is just what I wanted.

2.  Silver Swans - "Illusions"

They haven't given us a new album in a few years and this EP hit me by surprise a few short weeks ago.  It is exactly what we want from Silver Swans.  Chilly, gorgeous synth pop.

3.  Braids - "Companion"

This EP is art pop at its finest.  The title track is minimalist beauty.  The EP delivers four tracks that just give me the feels.  

4.  Fujiya & Miyagi - "EP1"

F&M never disappoint but something about these two EPs they've given us this year is just a step above!  I cannot wait for part 3!!!

5.  Fujiya & Miyagi - "EP2"

More greatness from these calculated popsters!

6. Wildhart - "EP1"

  Wildhart delivers pop greatness out of Sweden.  I'm enjoying this trend of simple record names.

7.  Invader Girl - "Dark Light"

Last minute entry on the list.  Invader Girl is POP!!  So Good!!!

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8.  Holy Ghost! - "Crime Cutz"

POP!  DANCE! 

9.  Computer Magic - "Obscure but Visible"

Just more awesome synth pop stylings from CM.  Love her!!

10.  Massive Attack - "Ritual Spirit"

DARK POP with some of the year's best videos!! 

11.  Deerful - "Staying Still"

One of the cutest sounding records made during a depression.  I love that counterbalance.  

12.  VÉRITÉ - "Living EP"

Sexy POP! 

13.  Mt. Si - "Limits"

Cascine always gives us exciting new acts and Mt. Si released this beauty early in the year and I knew it would be somewhere on this list the moment I heard it.

 

14.  Chrysta Bell - "Somewhere in the Nowhere"

The sexiest EP of the year!!

15.  Paperwhite - "Escape"

Great pop here!!  "Unstoppable" is a bad-ass jam!!

Few Bits - Summer Sun

Still having trouble functioning, so I'm posting something I had queued up for next week.

I just discovered Few Bits a few weeks ago!  Their latest album "Big Sparks" is a lovely dream pop treasure!

Venus

Losing a loved one is the hardest thing in life.  Today, Rockyboo and I will set our beloved baby Venus free.  I will never forget the day we met.  My ex and I went looking to adopt a kitten and once I passed her cage, her little paw extended out as if to stop me and choose me.  Once out of her cage, she immediately proceeded to crawl atop my head and it was instant love.  We fortunately ended up with two kittens that day as tucked way behind her in the back of the cage (much the same as they always are now) was fluff-ball Friday.  We can all thank her Auntie Crystal for suggesting her amazing name, inspired by the greatest female tennis player EVER, Venus Williams.

Loved by all, and a lover to all, Venus has lit up my life for nearly 12 years.  The sweetest cat I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, words can barely express how much she will be missed.  Today, I'll share a song I've often sung to my baby girl when I get home and no one else is around but us and her brother Friday.  I'd like to think it's her favorite song.
Venus, we LOVE you and will miss you forever.

VENUS

The baddest synth-pop loving, keyboard kitty ever.

April 2005 - December 2016

Invader Girl - Underdog

Invader Girl released her debut EP "Dark Light" last week and has thrown my Year End EPs of the Year list up in the air!!  While I work on that list for tomorrow, enjoy hot fresh Invader Girl today!!

Concerts of the Year 2016

The concert train surely slowed down for me this year but I haven't compiled this list in a few years and I am feeling the need to give thanks to some very special performances I enjoyed this year.

1. Saint Etienne - OnBlackheath  - London - September 11
    Quite possibly one of the most perfect setlists ever, Saint Etienne played with a full band, strings, flute, guitar, it was perfection.  The POP never ended and I moved the entire time.  The giant balloons did get annoying but added to the overall fun of the set.  Amazing!

2.  Junior Boys - FYF - LA - August 27
    The energy of this seemingly short set was intense.  I could NOT stop dancing and they sounded perfect.  Being in that dark tent with all the lasers & lights & disco balls just made it all the more perfect.

3.  The Cure - The Chelsea + Sleep Train Amphitheatre - Las Vegas + Chula Vista - May 20 + 21
    I would have liked to mush these two shows together and sprinkle in a little "Killing an Arab" to make my life more complete but it's okay.  The Cure was on point every night I saw them but these two were the better of the four shows I attended!

4.  Twin Shadow - Performing the Entire "Purple Rain" Album - Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever - LA - September 23
  Another intense show saw Twin Shadow playing a fitting tribute to the great Prince.  The crowd was overwhelmingly into the show and we were right in front to enjoy all the magic.

5.  Róisín Murphy - El Rey Theatre - LA - November 9
   There is nothing you can compare Roisin Murphy to, and definitely nothing to which you can compare seeing her live.  Non-stop costume changes and seeing her transform her art pop into the live setting is pure greatness.  I truly was overpowered!

Honorable Mentions:
Grace Jones (FYF)
Lush x3 (Terminal 5 / The Fonda Theatre)
Peaches / Christeene (The Wiltern)
Still Corners (The Roxy)