Where The Wild Things Are, a modern day adult fairy tale

You know the New England winter has fully kicked in when you get the first day of snow.  Winter, the uninvited guest, officially started today.  I know, in theory, it's still Fall, but it doesn't feel like it at all.  I feel the time has come where it is socially acceptable to be woeful.  Yes, everybody! May the Seasonal Affective Disorder [SAD] begin!


While it would be easy to fall into the stereotypical self-deprecating mood, I would very much rather make the best out of it, or at least I'll try; I mean, this is just the beginning of the eight wonderful, bitter-cold months to come.


I was gonna restrict myself from writing about Spike Jonze's Where The Wild Things Are, considering it has generated enough buzz on its own. But, it is definitely worth a word or two.  I realized that the adaptation of this children's book may have unexpected outcomes on the older ones: it succeeds at bringing out the wildest feelings within you, if you will excuse my redundancy.

At the risk of sounding tragic, it is not surprising to find yourself revolving in an emotional whirlwind - at least I found myself digging into my darker side and fully relating to the protagonist.  But it is also fair to say that Jonze' take on the story makes you realize there is still an insecure melodramatic nine-year old child within you.  So comforting! (no sarcasm).  Not all of us have been fully corrupted.


Of course, it was hard not to notice Karen O's participation in the movie.  The music has the YYY's written all over it.  And though the music is great, would anyone agree that Mew would have been a great addition to the soundtrack?  Think of their album No More Stories [...], especially tracks like New Terrain or Introducing Palace Players. *sigh


So, dear people, it is ok to feel lonesome, misunderstood, bitter and angry... sometimes!  Quoting the trailer:  "there's one in all of us".  And for you, dear winter: bring-it-on! I will not lay in fetal position.  Instead, I'll bundle up, have a daily chocolate fix, listen to desolate tunes and enjoy the muted colors - may they become your faithful friends, just as they'll surely become mine.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ the Orpheum

So who needs Red Bull when you can have a fix of Karen O?


O... O... Oh my god.
When I first listened to It's Blitz I couldn't stop.  It became an immediate fixation.  I had to listen to it all-the-time... while reading, when walking, during a bike ride, even before going to bed.  It was my little secret delight.  Now, after seeing the Yeah Yeah Yeahs live for the second time, I can't honestly say this will become a healthy addiction.


I'm almost certain the rest of the Orpheum can relate.  The YYY's played most of the new album and a few from their previous hits, including "Cheated Hearts", "Honey Bear" and "Gold Lions".  And... opened with my favorite: "Runaway".


Karen O was unstoppable, Nick Zinner kept moving from the guitar to the synth and Brian Chase, well... I think we all owe Chase a big one for making "Heads Will Roll" a great dance-until-you-can't-dance-no-more song.  There was nothing that could stop EVERYONE from shaking it "like a ladder to the sun", not even the Orpheum's awful seating arrangement, which, by-the-by, gives you less leg space than many airlines in this country.

One minor detail... After seeing their performance live at All Points West, I must admit that their stage design is made for bigger spaces.  Everything looked crowded and the Eye just wasn't the same.


Of course, "Maps" had to be in the track list... oh... yeah...