Caress Of My Fist - "Etudes In Violence" CDR

First off, the presentation here is impeccable - the professionally-produced CDR is housed in a stylish origami-style textured red paperboard, with informational insert. That said, the more important component here is the sound within, and it's fortunately as interesting as the packaging.

CoMF is basically a duo consisting of violinist Mike Khoury and sax/flutist Fred Bergman - both veterans of the free music and avante scenes. Here, they collaborate with drummer Curtis Glatter and guitarist Chris Riggs on a series of improvisational vignettes that hint at both out-jazz and noir-ish soundtracks - all based around a fist-fight theme.

Songs like 'Fat Lip' seem to allude to a dramatic sort of beat poetry (but minus the poetry) - evocative and haunting work. 'Knuckle Sandwich' is a brash and disorienting cut, with wild violin swipes and crazy sax bleating - a collision of chaos and invigorating unpredictability. 'Knocked The Wind Out Of Me' picks up the pieces - exactly as the title describes. 'Punched In The Stomach' (staying on topic, of course) feels the brunt of it (I can almost feel my ribs throbbing with pain), whereas tracks like 'Black Eye' seem to question what just happened - a state where the endorphins have kicked in. A superb, clever, and amusing musical approximation of a basic, old-school brawl! Nice work, and definitely a lot of fun to listen to - and certainly much better than the violent confrontation that it depicts. (Cohort Records)

"Nat Pwe - Burma's Carnival Of Spirit Soul" DVD

I don't pretend to understand Burmese culture, but this audio-visual travelogue, filmed and created by Richard and Alan Bishop (of Sun City Girls, and past collaborators with Arizona experimental groups Maybe Mental and Life Garden) is a surreal and respectful look at a society that holds its' ideals and traditions alive, despite growing influence from Westernism. There's no commentary here, no judging, no supposition. Just raw, fly-on-the-wall sights and sounds.

Recorded in Burma in 2002, the brothers captured a wild festival celebrating ghost spirits (NATs) that have the power to assist or destroy mortal lives. This huge celebration (a PWE) plays out like a wild Mardi Gras, with festive street performers, ecstatic dancing, singing, improvised ritual musics, and Kadaws, or spirit mediums (often cross dressers) who invoke the spirits and appease them with their garb and graceful movements.

The revelry is frantic, with some people becoming religiously possessed. Others simply observe passively, drinking and smoking and sometimes dancing along or placing money on the performers' costumes (for good luck?). It must be a (literally and figuratively) intoxicating place to be, and kudos to Sublime Frequencies for bringing this slice of distant culture to our sheltered world. Their work is an essential documentation and celebration of our world's distinctive and often-forgotten music, culture, and history, and wholeheartedly deserves your attention.

Check their site for more info:
Sublime Frequencies

BeeReviews for the All Hallows Harvesting!

Ah, nothing like a warm drink on a chilly evening...cool breeze wafting though your toes. Or is it just me? Hmm. Anyway, a longtime favorite, Dogfish Head, has a superb new one out this season. Get it before it's gone!

Dogfish Head - Punkin Ale (Milton, DE)
One of America's more creatively-inclined craft brewers, Dogfish's success rate has been pretty remarkable. This, their Fall seasonal style, is a distinctively rich brown ale accented with real pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice. Punkin ale is an ideal complement to a lazy Fall afternoon. The strong, spiced taste doesn't make it a quick downer, but this sipping beer has character - rich, sturdy, and unusual. Me likes.

Clipper City - MarzHon Oktoberfest Style Lager (Baltimore, MD)
This pale and translucent amber lager has a weak and faint appearance, and makes even less of an impression with its scent and taste. Kind of overly sweet and flimsy, this Oktoberfest is not among the better ones of this style. Pass, please.

Budweiser - American Ale (St. Louis, MO)
Boasting of all-American-originated ingredients, this patriotic ale is another example of a corporate beer going for a 'craft' appearance and appeal. The frothy head is a bright beginning, but tastewise, it's hoppy but oddly mild and perhaps even a bit acidic. Maybe they're trying to appeal to everyone here? I dunno, but it definitely looks better than it tastes. Nay.

Michelob - DunkelWeisse Dark Wheat Ale (St. Louis, MO)
A nice fruity aroma permeates the air around this one's initial pouring. But what about the taste? It's a rich and flavorful coriander/clove spice sorta vibe - malty and robust. This DunkelWeisse is surprisingly heavy and bodes well for the season. Tasty.

Meatmen - "The Devil's In The Details Vol.1" DVD

Offensive, crude, politically incorrect, juvenile, and devoted to offending just about everyone, legendary zinester-gone-punk rock star Tesco Vee isn't afraid to brandish a massive fake phallus onstage or curse public authority figures (namely religious/political leaders and, umm, Abba?). This extensive 3-hour DVD includes a treasure trove of bootleg live footage, TV clips, home movies (including some excellent looks at Tesco's collection of vintage toys - amazing stuff!), and skits.

Covering the entire 1979-to-2007 history of punk/metal offenders the Meatmen (and Tesco's post-Meatmen venture, the Hate Police), this smattering of visual debris is hosted by Satan himself, who, unsurprisingly, is a big fan and collaborator with Mr. Vee. Tesco has a special place in his hall of ridicule for you and those you love. His systematic tearing down of all that is sacred reflects a need to 'shake the chains' of our ramshackle culture. He is a punk rock icon, and a (well-educated) nihilist who's all for bringing more evil and mayhem to the world through music and mean-spirited (good) humor. Take it with a grain of salt, though. He's no illiterate slob like G.G. or Il Duce.

Included here, as well, is an ill-fated TV show of Tesco's creation called 'Way USA', which featured John Waters and seemed to be a kind of surreal travelogue and variety/comedy show. Quite entertaining. And the addition of a pseudo-'Behind The Music' program that chronicles the history and upbringing of Tesco and the Meatmen makes for a fine primer for Meatmen novices. Interspersed are some really classic old TV commercials (dating back to the 50's) that are wonderfully goofy and naive. All in good fun.

Superb release, and a real value for the money. And remember, in the words of Mr. Vee himself, 'Jesus Hates You'. (Meat King Records / MVD Visual)

Iggy & The Stooges - "Escaped Maniacs" 2xDVD

Iggy Pop is a super-human. He is a rock god. If you have any doubts to that kind of lofty praise, a quick browse at the first disc of this set will confirm it. Recorded live in Belgium in 2005 during the Stooges historic reformation tour, this DVD set captures the ferocity and fearlessness of Iggy the entertainer. At 61-years young, the former Jim Osterberg is primal, relentlessly energetic, provocative, and a stage-driven wild animal who puts to shame rock stars half his age. The man oozes attitude and snarl. Here, joined by Stooges Ron and Scott Asheton and former Minutemen/firehose bassist Mike Watt, he takes control of the stage and never gives it up. The show, naturally, highlights plenty of the Stooges classic pre-punk rock, and great songs like 'I Wanna Be Your Dog' and '1969' are amped-up and still great after 30 years. He even ushers a bunch of fans onstage to dance (and even sing along with) a few songs - much to the chagrin of security! Hah!

The second disc is full of bonus materials, including a documentary '30 Years In 60 Minutes', which is very unsatisfying and scattered. Somewhere out there is a thorough and exhaustive history of Iggy Pop on video - but it's not here. Hell, a feature-length film would be barely touching the surface and stories that surround Iggy and his years in the 'business'.

Anyway, in-depth interviews with the surviving Stooges (and one of Pop's longtime girlfriends, even) are entertaining and informative, with Iggy himself, of course, being the highlight. The man is full of a wealth of knowledge and experience, and his animated and well-spoken demeanor makes for a fun and honest interview.

Overall? Great live DVD, superb interviews, lackluster documentary. And at around 5 hours in total, 'Escaped Maniacs' is easily a must-have for fans. (Charly Films/MVD Visual)

Iggy Pop website

Just Say No To Veep Palin!

It should be known that this is the senator who supports the decimation of native wildlife for profit and personal gain. She has sued to keep the polar bear off the Endangered Species list, and, most telling of all, her husband is reportedly employed by British Petroleum (BP) - a major oil company, so the 'need' to drill in remote, unspoiled landscapes is of course, a business decision for the Palins...and furthermore...

Chesterfield - "Death Grip" CD

This Wyoming/Oregon trio's been around for years, but release-wise, this appears to be their full-length debut. Corralling the energy and snarl of classic punk, and fusing it with a pop sensibility isn't a new idea, but Chesterfield do it with fervor and more aggression than most. It's as if their brand of pop-punk was performed by mean hardcore dudes who've spent a lot of time playing in some pretty rough places. Forget the wussy pop-punk on the radio - Chesterfield bring it loud and punchy, and it's about time. 'Fireflies' is almost proto-metal in execution, but keeps itself free of such excesses. In fact, these guys have a rare gift of melody, while remaining powerful. The raw, un-glossified production (by the band and Doug Hill) works well, and is likely a faithful reproduction of the group's live show. If you like your punk-edged tunes hard and heavy, yet tuneful, Chesterfield have produced a fine record that's right up your alley. (Mental Records)

Chesterfield's site