CiTR -- Exploding Head Movies

Award season is done for another year so it's back to semi-regular anticking as we get into some more Ennio Morricone. gak ages audibly during this episode; not sure how but Grandpa G forecasts the future whilst mourning the past and remaining scared of the present. 1. CITR: Ugly Week (S.U.B. Pop, 1962) CITR 2. Doomeastvan: Happy Birthday (Songs in the Key of Death, 2011) self-released 3. Junior B...

The 89th Academy Awards definitely ended memorably, so as I sort out the envelopes given to me, we'll hear selections from winners Moonlight and La La Land along with Lesley Barber's choral-inspired score to Manchester by the Sea. 1. Boris Gardiner: Every N***** is a Star (Moonlight OST, 2016) Lakeshore 2. Justin Hurwitz: Epilogue (La La Land OST, 2016) Interscope 3. Justin Hurwitz: Herman's Habit...

Fortuitiously timed for America's Presidents' Day, the final of our Oscar nominee profiles conclused with selections from Mica Levi's score to the biopic Jackie, along with a Sting & J Ralph duet from Jim: The James Foley Story. 1. Scott Garbe & Doug Tefler: 26 Seconds (The Kennedy Suite, 2013) Latent 2. The London Philharmonic Orchestra: Carl Orff's O Fortuna from Carmina Burana [w.the London Phi...

Happy family day, at least here in British Columbia. This episode is stacked with material, ranging from 2 Oscar-nominated scores - Thomas Newman's Passengers then Dustin O'Halloran & Hauschka's Lion - 1 nominated song from Moana and a tribute to composer/producer David Axelrod (1933-2017). Let's cart ourselves along the indigo pathways... 1. David Axelrod: Loved Boy [w. Lou Rawls] (David Axelrod,...

Our annual Oscar profile continues, leading up to the 89th Academy Awards at the end of February 2017. As Black History Month kicks off, we look at Nicholas Britell's score to Barry Jenkins' Moonlight, nominated in 8 categories total. Amongst other soulful & weird sounds, gak talks about Utah and somehow getting back in time for air. 1. Utah Saints: Something Good (Utah Saints, 1992) FFRR/London 2...

The countdown to the 89th Academy Awards starts, so to kick off our annual profile on nominated scores & songs, we focus on Justin Hurwitz's music from the musical La La Land. It's also the start to the year of the rooster and the CITR Shindig finalists are given their props before one of them wins the grand prize. Kung Hei Fat Choy! 1. Gorillaz: Dirty Harry [Schtung Chinese New Year remix] (D-Sid...

Welcome to the occupation. Our primary profile will be on Jóhann Jóhannsson's score to the 2016 science fiction film Arrival, though we also wrap our heads around the recent inauguration of the 45th President of the United States. Stay engaged. 1. The Honey Drippers: Impeach the President (Impeach the President 7", 1973) Alaga 2. Badbadnotgood: Confessions, Pt II [w. Colin Stetson] (IV, 2016) Inno...

It's been a little over a year since David Bowie (1947-2016) left us but the soundtrack to his 1976 Hollywood debut, The Man Who Fell to Earth, only came out a few months ago, so we'll listen to sections of John Phillips' and Stomu Yamash'ta's music from it. gak also notes 9 years on the air at CITR, sounding just as lost as his debut. 1. Van Dyke Parks: Number NINE (Number NINE 7", 1965) MGM 2. [...

Expanding upon a score that appeared several years ago as part of a composer profile, we've got David Shire's music from 2007's Zodiac. Along with some of the songs from the actual soundtrack, we'll also touch upon the astrological zodiac and then tip our hat to George Michael and Debbie Reynolds. File under "crunchy". 1. The Johnny Mann Singers: The Sound of the City (Zodiac: Songs from the Motio...

2016 was a dark time for the listening republic. As we look back at the force spirits created in the final weeks of that year, we primarily profile two Star Wars-related scores: the recent independent story Rogue One with music by Michael Giacchino and the final part of the original trilogy, 1983's Return of the Jedi with its score by John Williams. I. John Williams & the London Symphony Orchestra...

Hineni, hineni. For the final episode of 2016, we look back at the year in music with some of the representative songs. Fitting for the weird year, we also profile scores from 3 of this year's Black Mirror TV/Netflix series. 1. David Bowie: Lazarus [radio edit] (Blackstar, 2016) ISO/Columbia 2. Elka: Luxere (Chants, 2016) 1080p 3. Diana Boss & Elle Wolf: West Coast (West Coast EP, 2016) Ground...

Our annual counter-carol episode, devoted to (mostly) lesser known holiday music to yuletide your way through the very overplayed tunes you hear elsewhere. Most of the focus at the end is tied to soul through the Chess and Daptone labels but there's a folky melancholy air to this year's proceedings. 1. LCD Soundsystem: Christmas Will Break Your Heart (2015) DFA 2. Venetian Snares: Decembers (Tradi...

Delayed three days and filling in for Thunderbird Radio Hell, this episode profiles Clint Mansell's score to the 2015 film adaptation of JG Ballard's High-Rise and pauses to remember a few acts associated with the LA label 100% Silk who died in the Oakland warehouse fire. 1. Golden Donna: Secrets (Seedy Approach EP, 2015) CGI 2. Cherushii: No Doubt in My Mind (2014) 100% Silk 3. Cherushii: Sunburs...

2016 has kept busy as we commemorate the profound influences of Leonard Cohen (1938-2016) and Sharon Jones (1956-2016). We also touch upon some upcoming events, like the Vancouver Big Joy Music Festival and some film screenings. 1. Leonard Cohen: Everybody Knows (I'm Your Man, 1988) Columbia 2. Gran Am: Anima (2016) self-released 3. Gran Am: Exercise H8 (2016) self-released 4. Kensington Gore: De...

gak spent 10 days in Maui as the world changed substantially. He couldn't predict the future so bear with some Hawaiian influences as travel themes abound. Alfred Newman's score to 1970's Airport & Elmer Bernstein's silly music from 1980's Airport! 1. Cartoon Planet Band: Brak's Hawaiian Vacation (Space Ghost's Surf & Turf, 1998) Rhino 2. Anthony Child: The Chief (Electronic Recordings from Maui J...

With the new world order underway, somehow turning Monday into Thursday, gak takes a little vacation, leaving a Boogie Nights profile for you, prerecorded before the earth died screaming. Disco on! 1. Lovage: Ladies Love Chest Rockwell (Lovage: Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By, 2001) 75 Ark 2. Count Floyd: Treat Her Like a Lady (Count Floyd, 1982) RCA 3. Sound Experience: JP Walk (Boogie Nig...

October's over, so we break from horror mayhem to the minimal menacing sounds of Nick Cave & Warren Ellis. Those bad seeds get a double dip profile: 2014's Far From Men and 2016's Hell or High Water. 1. Tanya Tagaq: Aorta (Retribution, 2016) Six Shooter 2. Gaps & Spaces: Oration (Synoptic Optiks, 2015) self-released 3. Charles Bradley: Ain't It a Sin (Changes, 2016) Dunham/Daptone 4. Sturgill Simp...

WOLFMAN GAK guesthosts this All Hallowed Eve episode as regular host gak is asleep somewhere. All manners of spooky sounds from this raspy-voiced legend of radio as he overpowers all procedures, though he ran low on whiskey and throat lozenges. Boo! 1. Howard Hallis: Haunted Bela (2007) self-released 2. Secret Pyramid: Move Through Night (Movements of Night, 2013) Students Of Decay 3. L'Anthologie...

Our annual Hallowe'en theme for the month of October continues with one of the creepiest films of all time: 1982's The Thing, directed by John Carpenter and scored by Ennio Morricone. This episode features all instrumental tracks to be that much more unnerving, so beware of your neighbhours as the temperature plunges. 1. Pan Sonic: -25 (Kulma, 1996) Mute/Blast First 2. Pan Sonic: Mutaattori/Mutato...

Hallowe'en month continues as we get gothic with the songs and score from 1994's The Crow. We remain both arch and subliminal. 1. Chromatics: Ceremony [w. Ida No] (Cherry, 2016) Italians Do It Better 2. Connect_icut: Fading Twice (Crows & Kittiwakes Wheel & Come Again, 2013) Aagoo/REV. Labs 3. The Gothic Archies: Crows (The Tragic Treasury: Songs from A Series of Unfortunate Events, 2006) Nonesuch...

As the Vancouver International Film Festival winds down on this Thanksgiving day, October continues with our horror theme by focusing on the ever creepy atonal sounds from the 1974 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Perfect music for carving your harvest meal. 1. John Larroquette: Opening Narration (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre OST, 1974) Assaultmyears 2. Buffalo Daughter: What's the Trouble with My Silv...

Our annual month of Hallowe'en-inspired music starts up with the black comic musical Little Shop of Horrors, primarily from its 1986 film adaptation. We also continue talking about the Vancouver International Film Festival along with touching upon the return of New Forms Festival. 1. Dead Ghosts: Girl Across the Street (Dead Ghosts, 2010) Burger 2. V Vecker Ensemble: In the Tower [Side A] (In the...

The 2016 Vancouver International Film Festival starts this Thursday so along with some descriptors of the films in the 35th edition, we profile Jerry Goldsmith's score to the 1997 film LA Confidential, directed and co-written by Curtis Hanson (1945-2016). Let's see what you got, boyo. 1. Dean Martin: Powder Your Face with Sunshine (Powder Your Face With Sunshine 10", 1948) Capitol 2. Force Fields:...

Along with the recent Mercury and Polaris Prize winners, there's news of Wawa Ontario, inventor Don Buchla (1937-2016) and the comic actor Gene Wilder (1933-2016). For the latter, we profile music from two of the films he appeared in: 1971's Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and 1974's Young Frankenstein. gak also hopes for fencing carnage but is sorely disappointed (but not sore). 1. John Morri...

The story of a grieving couple retreating into a forest to mourn a loss and being consumed by nature. 2015's Couple in a Hole is profiled, featuring a score by Bristol's BEAK>. We also talk Victoria's Rifflandia Festival this weekend, the end of summer and plenty of new(ish) music. 1. Prince Buster: One Step Beyond (Al Capone 7", 1964) Blue Beat 2. Donato Dozzy: Techtresor (That Fab, 2016) Spazio...