1. Forbidden City - Episode 1 (1:05:39)
2. Theory for Turntables - The Quietest Moment of the Softest Rock  (1:19:03)
3. Dreadful Thoughts - Frankenstein Book Club Parts 1 (1:12:47), 2 (1:03:59), 3 (59.31)
4. The Nerdist - Paul McCartney (1:24:51)

Between slices of a cheap frozen Mexican pizza, homemade chocolate chip cookies and a big bottle of Lipton tea limeade while simultaneously watching the Marvelverse and creating essays in my mind on what drives me stupid crazy about it, I give you the things that have filled up my "vspot" bookmark folder for the past few weeks.

Penny Dreadful Season 2 Trailer

... and it's absolutely beautiful! John Logan's love letter to the depths and dark places of the human condition and the struggle to be authentic is just as Gothic and beautiful as ever! Maybe even more so as Eva Green goes deeper into herself with those stunning Bitsie Tulloch-like cheekbones. But after season 1 being so spottish I am both excited (mostly the gift of visual editing does that to this girl) and worried that Logan's strange plot devices might blow up like it had prior. But this immersing show for the senses does not disappoint with Helen McCrory's "An Unquiet Grave" playing in the background until you realize... holy shit! ... it's Madame Kali having an Elizabeth Bathory-esque bath. 

In Season 2, at least from first glance, Logan's "League of Literary Gentlemen" seem to break up, Ethan Chandler starts to realize the repercussions and comes to grips with his blublad -- sorry, wrong show -- werewolf ways, Dorian Gray (Reeves) pines for Eva Green who seems to go on sabbatical to a more colorful but equally desolate landscape. Caliban feels human touch, Chandler cleanses the "LLG" headquarters, and the Bride of Caliban experiment works (of course). 

Season 2 looks like it will be shaping up to be a wonderful feast for Victorian old souls of this world. But it's my hope as both a serious writer and obviously a little of a Victorian old soul in myself hopes for an overall arc that will not stop dead in its tracks like season one. Plus, the use of Danny Sampani (Sembene) as Murray's faithful servant in the trailer gives me hope that maybe it won't entirely be the "Eva Green Show" but "Penny Dreadful" can go so many different directions. I only ask, Logan, bring me on as a script writer!! Pretty please?

It May Not Be Christmas Anymore, but  This Live Version of Hey Rosetta's  "Carry Me Home" is Absolutely Beautiful!...

... and They Also Have a New Video!

Here on muchmusic.com
Because a "Backstreet's Back" Reference is Just too Easy... 

I am so excited for this, you have no idea! Basically documenting the time five best friends and brothers (oh, how many times have we read that in the thank you notes!) moved into a house in London, where they composed and recorded their newest album "In a World Like This." Like all reality shows that show multiple personalities living under one roof without their families or wives, magic happens, music is made, friendships solidify harder but not without a little drama. This is where I cue the trailer where Nick blows up, "I'm not afraid of you anymore." Online commenters speculate that might be directed towards my Backstreet Boy, the strong and silent Kevin Richardson.   STWYMO will be full of the Backstreet history of boy band-dom (whether or not it will be intertwined with the modern day is anyone's guess), the fantastic songs that came off the latest album, including "In a World Like This," "Madeline" and the title song, and basically exhibiting the question asked in the trailer, "What do you do when you're a full grown man in a boy band?" If anyone needs me January 30th, you can find me at one of the local movie theaters.  Hey Geronimo's Lazer Gun Show LIVE 

Although this video is a few months old my favorite Australian band Hey Geronimo literally JUST put this video up on YouTube. Promoting 2 songs on Australia's The Children's Hospital Telethon, this is one of the rarest moments to see the band in live form with less crappy audio. I so approve this it hurts! You can also find all of the lyrics to their songs on their website, finally! Linnea Olsson Fleeting Performance on P3 Guild

I had a conversation with a friend a few weeks ago that while she seemed to be more of a violin personality, I seem to be more of the cello although I do love the violin. As the list of my favorite cellists grows, Linnea Olsson is my current cello-girl-crush at the moment. Literally just today, this quirky performer posted a fleeting but beautiful performance on Sweden's Top of the Pops-esque "P3 Guild." The performance only runs until 2:15. 

Between coffee-tasting and tea-tasting days (there's a difference!), I have been putting my creative writing on a higher priority so between the new playlist and that Hocus Pocus piece, the blog juices are a-flowing and the V-Spot folder in my bookmarks is full of things that are pretty amazing. I repeat, amazing.

"Penny Dreadful" is Bleeding 

to Come Back!

And honestly, I can't wait! "Penny Dreadful" is a feast for the Victorian-loving senses (and you can quote me on that!). While I can honestly say that the first season's storyline being all knitted and tied up too quickly is the possible downfall of John Logan's series despite the amazing acting from Eva Green, Harry Treadway and Josh Hartnett. But one season is one season, a way for Showtime to know what they have. But let's just hope that Logan will be able to embellish and, like a good Victorian novel, spend pages and pages describing this beautiful sense of longing with these Gothic characters. For now, let's enjoy a promo because "the past [might] return." Bring it! I'm ready!

(Josh Hartnett making out with Reeve Carney again! Josh Hartnett making out with Reeve Carney again! I mean, ahem....)

Penny Dreadful Season 1 is AVAILABLE NOW ON DVD! So you know what to get me for my birthday or Christmas, right? Right???


Say Goodbye to Mr. Mickey Rooney  in the latest adaptation of "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"

With two well accolighted veteran actors in Margaret O'Brien and the late Mickey Rooney, B. Luciano Barsuglia's adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson story looks pretty good to me. Add the 12th Doctor's distant cousin, actor Gianni Capaldi playing Mr. Hyde and we certainly have a strange production coming our way. Toss into the weird salad two actors playing the normally dual role, Mickey Rooney not dressed in Victorian attire, and the trailer still feeling somewhat ambiguous, damn it, I NEED TO KNOW WHAT THIS IS! Tell me what magical insanity this is! Please? Let's Take a Moment to Remind Ourselves Sean Lennon is Awesome-r Than the Rest of Us I literally have no words to explain how awesome this is. So let us take these magical four minutes to take in this man's brilliant words. Amen. Blessed Be. And Another Reason Why Donkeyboy  is My "Hero" ... and not in a Bette Midler Kind of Way ...

There is absolutely no lie when I say that Donkeyboy is amazing and have the inability to suck, because Cato Sundberg is amazing with everything he composes. While he can't take the whole credit for this new song "Hero" as this was the first 100 % Donkeyboy-produced and written song with the exception of a few lyrics thrown in by Canadian songstress Kiesza (who also helped out on "Triggerfinger"). But damn it, this is just good and Scandipop is right that you start singing along midway through. I'm starting to lose the words of how good these guys are. Just, damn it! Check out the boys performing the new hit on NRK TV!
Ages and Ages NEW VIDEO!

Remember that band that I mentioned once that their music could help change the world? Yeah, they took that opening song from the album and made it into a beautiful video. Despite the fact they dumped the driving introduction that absolutely rocks my socks off, the video is full of the intricate work of instruments and voices shot-by-shot. And that's amazing. So I must share this because every time someone plays Ages and Ages, humanity receives more hope. I really hope I'm right about that. Oh, and Tim Perry talks to his cat.

Conan O'Brien Holds George Harrison Week and It Was...

...Lukewarm. I'm sorry, it was totally lukewarm with some pretty dynamic moments. I have always loved Mr. O'Brien and everything he associates himself with (that epic throw-down three-way between him, John Stewart and Stephen Colbert? Uh, yeah.). With the advent of Harrison's reissued "The Apple Years: 1968-1975," the O'Brien bandwagon leapt to showcase many artists throughout the week playing in the former Beatle's honor. And it was... yeah, it was very lukewarm. Beck kicked off the week with a classic from "All Things Must Pass" which came across well-played but with not much vocal strength. Tuesday was blessed by Paul Simon covering "Here Comes the Sun" and once more, there was something lacking I just wasn't feeling. The Bob Dylan-esque vocals, perhaps? Harrison's own son came on Wednesday night to serve the world the best night covering not only a rocking yet simultaneously soulful "Let it Down" but also a web exclusive featuring Jon Bates of Big Black Delta giving a folky rendition of "Ballad of Frankie Crisp (Let it Roll)." Norah Jones finished off the week with a pretty not incredibly exciting "Behind the Locked Door".  But that was only the tip of a very cool iceberg as Sunday night was George Fest at the Los Angeles' Fonda Theater, which was just a huge explosion of music, including Brian Wilson, "Weird Al" Yankovic, The Killers, Dhani Harrison, Spoon, Velvet Revolver, "that guy" from The Eurythmics Dave Stewart, Ringo Starr, Kara DioGuardi, Ann Wilson, The Flaming Lips, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club among many others. This magical night was not only a George Harrison "church service," so to speak, but also a benefit for the Jameson Neighborhood Fund which 100 percent of the tickets went to. You can watch a lot of the magic here. But Mr. O'Brien proved his Beatle nerdiness as he covered "Old Black Shoe" both vocally and on guitar. I immediately gave infinity points to Gryffindor. 
And the Honorary V-Spot Award of Life  Goes to... ME GETTING A PICTURE WITH SHARON VAN ETTEN LAST MONDAY! You can see it all on my face, "Dear Goddess, her arm is around me and WHAT THE HELL her head is on my cheek. Keep it together B! *internally screaming*"

Truthfully, the one thing that got me through my week was when Josh Hartnett won his guy-on-guy stripes on my new favorite TV show, Penny Dreadful. This show seriously engulfs my past life DNA senses, at least the ones that belongs in Gothic literature/the Victorian era.

 

"But B, you fan-girl hard over any two guys that make out!"

 

That may be very true, but, contextually this is (as I mentioned on the Penny Dreadful facebook page TWICE!) "the reason that I write." After Brona (Doctor Who's Billie Piper) breaks up with our wolf man, American gunslinger Ethan Chandler (Hartnett) who else is to pick up the pieces than the Dorian Gray (Reeve Carney). It seems Gray didn't feel like flirting with Chandler's employer (Eva Green's Vanessa Ives) as he has been but it has been mostly out of fascination of her other worldly powers. He takes the brokenhearted American to an underground gambling club where Ethan is only triggered by the sight of rat blood and animal/human love of carnage. Within the trigger and getting into a brawl, Gray takes him to his home.

 

 

Now see, a lot of people would think that Carney's Gray would be literally trying and eager to hard to get a guy into his bed but strangely, this portrayal of Dorian is probably more bored than Ben Barnes or Hurd Hatfield put together. But this Dorian feels nothing but empathy for Chandler and tries to console this the only way men can -- drinking. But not just drinking anything, we count Chandler having least three glasses of absinthe and under the influence of Wagner's "Liebestod," I like to believe he becomes triggered by the murders he possibly has committed yet is soothed by Dorian's empathy which results in a wonderful confrontation. "It's the Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde. Literally translated it means love-death. It's the very end of the opera; Isolde's lover is dead in front of her. They're on a beach, the waves are rolling in and out. You can hear that in the music, can't you? And her heartbreak, you can hear that."

 

I like to think that Hartnett's Chandler is trapped between hating and feeling humbled that Dorian strangely gets it, hence initially choking him and willingly kissing him either taking a little of  Dorian's immortal bored confidence  or simply being magnetized by the immortal. Chandler begins to cry and you can see the tears under his eyes whether it is alcohol-induced after he shakes his head, giving into either Dorian's "spell" or his own inabilities to accept the killer or Wolf Man (which fans are speculating) within him. But then again, there is no indication of Gray's powers as he looks at Chandler solemnly as if saying with his eyes, "You and I both know what death and heartbreak means." Even Gray seems amazed and humbled when they talk about art and Chandler's love for primitive etchings in a mountain. "They're honest" Hartnett's character says and I think that is what hooked Gray that for once, he doesn't want this guy -- he has possibly seen more in his short life than what Dorian has seen in his longer youthful immortality.  

 

 

Even after I got over the initial lady wood of the scene, Hartnett is a little surprised at himself for kissing him -- but how else does one person try to retrieve something they want out of another? In Michael Cunningham's masterpiece "The Hours" (the book, not the movie!), Mrs. Brown and Kitty share a kiss together because "They are both afflicted and blessed, full of shared secrets, striving every moment. They are each impersonating someone. They are weary and beleaguered; they have taken on such enormous work." So we can say that both of these instances are the same; even before this climatic scene, Gray talks about all of his colognes. "Each produces a different sensation, a different you I could carry away." So there is no doubt that he wants to be a different person and finds something humbling about Chandler's love for the honest. 

 

The sad thing is, is once the episode is out there and for everyone to see, no one is going to analyze this down to it's bare bones as something sad yet empathetic. The LGB community will hoorah Hartnett and Carney for being better actors to flex a sexual ambiguity into their repertoire and bringing LGB characters to the forefront and those who are homophobic or deny the male species of affection towards another with sexual intention or not, will keep doing what they're doing and add this as fuel to their bonfires of dislike. Because, damn it, gayness matters! And this scene is nothing more but two guys kissing with no literary device behind it, right? *sarcasm*