CiTR -- Exploding Head Movies

We profile only some of the music associated with film composer Johnny Mandel (1925-2020), along with paying tribute to actor Chadwick Boseman, Silver Apples' Simeon Coxe, Kool & the Gang's Ronald Bell & jazz bassist Gary Peacock as autumn looms. 1. Ludwig Göransson: A King's Sunset [w. Baaba Maal] (Black Panther OST, 2018) Interscope 2. Ludwig Göransson: Wake Up T'Challa (Black Panther OS...

Part four of our all-ambient adventure seriess with recent quiet music along with a couple West Coast gems from 2011 in the lead-up to a strange school year. 1. Suzanne Ciani: Denali (Music for Denali EP, 2020) Finders Keepers 2. Joanna Brouk: Golden Cloud Layers (The Space Between, 1981) Hummingbird 3. Channelers: The Depth of Rest (The Depth of Rest, 2019) Inner Islands 4. Corey Fuller: Sanctuar...

We profile filmmaker Alan Parker (1944-2020) and music from his wide variety of song-centric films, including Midnight Express, Bugsy Malone, Fame, Birdy, The Commitments & Mississippi Burning. And with the end of summer looming, we also touch upon the 2020 edition of Vancouver's Victory Square Block Party, now a Watch Party in light of Covid-19. 1. Ghia: What's Your Voodoo (You Won't Sleep on My...

Actor Ian Holm (1931-2020) will be our throughline for this episode as we finally tackle The Lord of the Rings with cues from Howard Shore's score from the first film in the trilogy: 2001's The Fellowship of the Ring. We also continue with our Polaris Prize preview, eulogise American politician John Lewis (1940-2020) and look over the first part of the 2020 edition of Record Store Day with an Enni...

Part 3 of our all-ambient adventures here to help counter any anxiety with Covid-19 resurgence, election tampering, port explosions or threats to public & private figures. Let's all step into the forest of our mind and listen to nature anew. 1. Julianna Barwick: Healing is a Miracle (Healing is a Miracle, 2020) Ninja Tune 2. Museum of No Art: Three Years Later [The Formation of a New Animal] (Muse...

With summer in full heat, this episode acts as a reprieve of sorts from current events to include a good portion devoted to surf music! We'll profile The Sandal's score to the seminal 1966 film The Endless Summer, feature some Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet live tracks and covers and other reverb-heavy waveridin' tunes. The first half of the show feels more like the drive out of the city towards...

This encore presentation of what originally aired 2013 June 17 is devoted to two film scores by the now late great composer Ennio Morricone (1928-2020): 1966's The Battle of Algiers and 1967's Death Rides a Horse. Some edits made based on time and relevance but there are bonus 2020 elements bookending this repeat. Full details: https://www.citr.ca/radio/exploding-head-movies/episode/20130617/ 1. W...

It's Pride Week in Vancouver, so amongst other LGBTQ+ gems both new and old, we'll profile Owen Pallett's score to the recent Hulu documentary Spaceship Earth. Raise all the colours! 1. Kym Mazelle: Young Hearts Run Free (Romeo + Juliet OST, 1996) Capitol 2. Delia Gonzalez & Gavin Russom: Relevée [Carl Craig remix] (Relevée Remixes, 2006) DFA 3. Arca: Nonbinary (KiCK i, 2020) XL 4. Rae Spoon: Do W...

The vast array of films by the director Joel Schumacher (1939-2020) will be our profile for this colourful episode, primarily focusing on St Elmo's Fire & The Lost Boys but we'll touch upon early films he worked costumes on like Car Wash and then latter insanity like the 1990s Batman films. 1. Uilab: St Elmo's Fire [radio edit] (Fires EP, 1997) Duophonic Super 45s 2. Active Surplus: Yaye (Active S...

The moment I've dreaded for years has come to pass: Ennio Morricone è morte (1928-2020). In honour of this prolific composer, this episode revives a lost podcast segment about a concert review from Dublin circa 2017 and some of his famous pieces performed that wondrous night. We also dig into his non-film work involving il Gruppo di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza and strange little covers. Mourn...

In light of anxious times, we have another all-ambient episode to help ease your worried soul. I. Nine Inch Nails: Together (Ghosts V: Together, 2020) The Null Corporation II. Tim Hecker: In the Fog II (Ravedeath 1972, 2011) Kranky III. Loscil: Ryou-Un Maru (Adrift, 2020) self-released IV. Code Abi: Carry Effort [w. Light Blending In] (Desperate Cycle, 2018) Downpour Spirit V. Emissive: Ontario Sp...

With Canada Day approaching as British Columbia enters Phase 3 of the Covid-19 pandemic, the idea of a road trip seems more possible. Therefore, we profile the 1996 mockumentary Hard Core Logo and its wild roots tied to Vancouver punk and the Hard Rock Miners. 1. Cygnets: Run with Us (2014) self-released 2. Active Surplus: Ambrosia (Active Surplus 12", 2020) Pacific Rhythm 3. TOPS: Colder & Closer...

In honour of saxophonist, arranger and composer Lennie Niehaus (1929-2020), we'll profile some of his music associated with Clint Eastwood's films, such as City Heat, The Bridges of Madison County and Unforgiven. Plenty of new music abounds too in this summery episode. 1. Bruce Peninsula: Summertime (No Earthly Sound, 2020) self-released 2. Bloto: Mady (Erozje, 2020) Astigmatic 3. Wyatt Waddell: F...

Summer is soon upon us so let's finally listen to Colin Stetson's score to the recent HP Lovecraft adaptation Colour Out of Space as we get unsettled with unspeakable horrors amongst plenty of saxophones, pianos and other newish music. We also touch upon the virtual 2020 edition of the Vancouver DOXA Documentary Film Festival, running June 18-26 ( https://www.doxafestival.ca/) when not pretending...

As humanity's true face reveals itself anew, this riotous episode profiles El-P's score from the 2020 film Capone as we then dip back to 1987 with a classic companion: Ennio Morricone's soundtrack to The Untouchables. Support everyone's right to protest and rest in peace, Big Floyd. 1. The Dears: Summer of Protest (Protest EP, 2002) MapleMusic 2. AceMoMa: Start the Riot (A New Dawn, 2020) Haus of...

With the recent death of drummer Tony Allen (1940-2020), this episode will mostly focus on the genre closely associated with him and the legendary Fela Kuti: Afrobeat. We'll hop around parts of Africa for this pretty funky show, eulogizing also jazz drummer James Cobb & singer Betty Wright. 1. The Souljazz Orchestra: Serve & Protect (Solidarity, 2012) Strut 2. Patrick Holland: Simstim (Simstim EP,...

In honour of Kraftwerk's Florian Schneider (1947-2020), we'll provide a mostly German rock-inspired episode featuring more of their earlier psych-out jams before the robots took over. Call it krautrock, kosmische musik, what-you-will...this is the late-1960s/early-1970s sound from West Germany that had the driving motorik beat. 1. Joy Division: Isolation (Closer, 1980) Factory 2. Local Talent: Hig...

For an irregular Victoria Day long weekend in the midst of a pandemic, it's all ambient episode to help soothe your souls with an immersive impulse of long-form drones. Relax and let the gentle sounds wash all over you. 1. 1-CV Rhythms: Scanlon Frog (2020) self-released 2. Roger & Brian Eno: Rose Quartz (Mixing Colours, 2020) Deutsche Grammophon 3. Stars of the Lid: The Lonely People [are Getting...

With Mother's Day in mind, we profile music associated with the DC superhero Wonder Woman, including Rupert Gregson-Williams' score to the 2017 film adaptation. We also pay tribute to Kraftwerk's Florian Schneider, disco pioneer Hamilton Bohannon and actor Irrfan Khan. 1. Bon Iver: Hey, Ma (i,i, 2019) Jagjaguwar 2. Quiet Orchestra: The Pandemic Has a Woman's Face (Quiet Orchestra, 2007) Vosotros 3...

After some more high-concept episodes, this low-key affair features some of the music from the AMC horror series The Terror, primarily by Marcus Fjellström. We also touch upon Jedi Day, Nova Scotia and recently deceased musicians including Vaughan Mason, Mike Huckaby & Tony Allen as quarantine time continues. 1. John Williams & The London Symphony Orchestra: 20th Century Fox Fanfare (Star Wars OST...

In tribute to Krzysztof Penderecki (1933-2020), this episode is mostly classical as we profile some of the best known works the Polish composer wrote that also appeared in films like The Exorcist, The Shining & Twin Peaks to name only a few. We other eulogize actress Honor Blackman (1925-2020), actor Brian Denneny (1938-2020) and musician Ryo Kawasaki (1947-2020) with selections from Rachel Mahon'...

Though Adam Schlesinger (1967-2020) was best known as being a member of Fountains of Wayne, he parlayed his songwriting prowess into film & television routinely. In his honour, we'll profile his music from the TV series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and films like that Thing You Do and Music & Lyrics. It's also 420/2020 so we'll start under a green cloud. 1. Frank Ocean: Dear April [Justice remix] (Dear Apr...

With Eastern in the unorthodox tradition this weekend, this rogue gospel episode profiles music from the film adaptation of Jesus Christ Superstar along with excerpts from Monty Python's The Life of Brian. Now please rise for our opening hymn. 1:1 Yves Tumor: Gospel for a New Century (Heaven to a Tortured Mind, 2020) Warp 1:2 Joseph Shabason: West of Heaven (Anne EP, 2019) Western Vinyl 2:1 Priest...

Quarantine time continues as the pandemic persists, so this odd bifurcated episode goes acoustic at first with a profile on William Tyler's score to the 2020 film First Cow, then goes into the usual sprawl before settling on Blanck Mass' soundtrack to Calm with Horses. We also eulogize Kenny Rogers, Jan Howard, Cirstina, ManuDibango and Bill Withers. Stay safe & sane, y'all! 1. Constantines & Feis...

Self-isolation continues, so this prerecorded episode focuses on the late Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson with his score to the 2013 film Prisoners and then the posthumous score to his own directoral film Last and First Men with Yair Elazar Glatman. 1. Björk: Jóga (Homogenic, 1997) One Little Indian 2. Khotin: Piano Theme (Rhythms of the Pacific: Volume 4, 2020) Pacific Rhythm 3. Harley Small...