"Síðasti Bærinn (The Last Farm)" (director: Runar Runarsson)

This short film was nominated for an Academy Award, and won several other less-newsworthy awards, after it's initial release in 2004. Filmed entirely in the pristine and majestic isolationist landscapes of Iceland, the 16-minute film documents an elderly farmer's reaction to his beloved wife's passing. It's a gentle reflection on the transience and inevitable change that comes with time. The score is a lovely instrumental set by Sigur Ros' Kjartan Sveinsson, which can be found (along with the film itself) here.

The Oratory Of Divine Love - "Meditatio" CD

An alias of prolific sound-architect John D. Gore, this new project is a single 51-minute track of subtle, reverberated sound. It all begins as a dark and spacious machine drone (or is it a collage of natural environmental recordings?), echoing infinitely in all directions. 'Meditatio', from the onset, seems almost too dark to be meditational music, as the sound-leviathan here is massive and all-encompassing, leaving little room for any light to shine through. However, over the course of this long piece, the sound manages to open itself up to a more open, and dare I say, even spiritual vibe. Here, the piece evolves into a chorus of what seems to be effected voice-sounds and crystalline tones -- a transformational journey, unquestionably. As the oppression is lifted, an almost joyous feeling permeates the recording. Whether or not this is the intended outlook, I don't know, but it works. Kudos to Gore, as this is a straight DAT recording with no overdubs -- he successfully creates a journey that, with some patience, is handsomely rewarded. (Diophantine Discs)

Flipper - "Love" CD + "Fight (Live)" CD

You just can't keep a good Flipper down. Most bands, when losing their charismatic lead singer (as Flipper did when Will Shatter passed away back in 1987), simply wither away. Not so here. After some kinda 'meh' releases in the 90's, this set of new releases (one studio, one live) from all the surviving original members show a feisty and faithful continuation of the group's legendary noise-dirge-punk spirit. With bassist Krist Novoselic in tow (on both releases), Flipper's skronky, atonal riff-o-ramas are spot-on, sloppy, and messy as ever. This is thick, sludgy, and greasy nihilist rock that just simply smokes. 'Love' is co-produced by Seattle scenemaker Jack Endino, and he captures the group's raw proto-grunge faithfully -- slow, insistent, and relentless riff-driving madness. Bruce Loose's vocals are just on this side of sanity, and the band's legendary and trademark wallop is still there. The live album, 'Fight', brings a mix of classic tunes and new ones, and is every bit as intense and unhinged as ever. Flipper may have been through some tough times, but they are back and firing on all cylinders. Make no mistake, 'Love' and 'Fight' are huge, mean, and well worth a listen. (MVD Audio)

Flipper site
Another Flipper site

Mugison! Is This Monkeymusic?

One of Iceland's favorite musicians/madmen (and award-winning songwriters), Mugison (his parents know him as Örn Elías Guðmundsson) has revamped his website, and he's even made some of his fine recordings available for free download...you just have to join his mailing list. Fair enough. Get a sample here.

He's been called Iceland's Beck, but that's just not fair. I like Mugison much better. He was featured performing the memorable 'Murr Murr' in the Icelandic music documentary 'Screaming Masterpiece'. He's toured the states opening for Queens Of The Stone Age, and he's had his recordings released over here through Mike Patton's Ipecac Recordings, so you know not to expect sappy radio music. Mugison's the real thing, and you should check out his work. It's nothing like Bjork or Sigur Ros -- there's no pixie voices here, just a man, his guitar, and maybe some other noises, too. Bottom line, you can trust Mugi for some verily fine songs.

By the way, the title of this post is in reference to his 2005 album, the fine 'Mugimama! Is this Monkeymusic?', which includes the aforementioned 'Murr Murr'. So, while you consider your free downloads, check out his latest video, the sexually-charged 'Jesus Is A Good Name To Moan', whereas Mugison finds his 'rawk' muse!

Mugison.com

Craft beer and indie brewmaking is alive and bright!

So it's spring at last, birds are twittering, trees are budding, grass is mowing, and beers are brewing! This month, I have a nice selection of beers (and, uh, one 'malt beverage') to drink and think about. Remember, the scale runs from 1 to 5, 1 being worthless pisswater, 2 being fair enough (but i wouldn't buy), 3 is average and drinkable, 4 is excellent, and 5 is amazing enough that i will seek it out in the future. Remember, do your part and support craft and indie beer - don't do the corporate thing (Anheuser-Busch, Coor's, Miller). They are inherently evil and will take your soul and your money.
Enough of my sermon, it's time to imbibe!

KASTEEL - Rouge (Belgium) - 4
An aroma of rich cherries and maybe some woodiness, very reminiscent of a fine wine, but minus the sulfites. With almost no head upon first pour, this Belgian kriek is sweet and strong (8% ABV), but not at all overbearing. Very nice for a fruit-infused brew. Kasteel's Rouge is well-balanced, and a fine beer to sip and enjoy. Tasty and unique!

GOOSE ISLAND - Summertime (Chicago, IL) - 4

Nice. This one's a golden kolsch (German lager) with a smooth and malty taste at first, and a pleasantly hoppy follow-through. One of the better Goose Islands I've had. A smooth and refreshing beer with a complex flavor profile. Quite a treat!

SCHLAFLY - Helles Style Summer Lager (St. Louis, MO) - 3.5

A light, pale lager, this toasty-flavored beer has a nicely-balanced malt/hops combination. I sense a slight citrus zing almost. A good and mellow German-style lager that should please just about anyone, from mainstream consumers to craft beer afficionados. Absolutely no problem here.

BACARDI SILVER SIGNATURE - Mango Guava Lemonade (St. Louis, MO) - 1

Okay, Must keep an open mind here, right? Sweet frou-frou drinks can't all be despicable and stomach-churning, can they? This fizzy soft-drinklike "malt beverage" has a lemonade-meets-artificial corn syrup taste that feels heavy and weird. Nice for a sip, but over the course of a whole bottle, it's overbearingly sweet and manages to completely obliterate all my taste buds. No, thanks.

FLYING DOG - Kerberos Tripel (Frederick, MD) - 4

Flying Dog seldom disappoints. This Belgian-style Tripel Ale is a murky gold/amber with a bold and zesty citrus/coriander/spice taste and a dry finish. It's 8.5%, so expect a kick. Kerberos Tripel is full of rich, full-bodied taste, and is certainly not for beginners. Solid any way you look at it.

Depeche Mode - "The Dark Progression" DVD

Reviewing these unauthorized documentaries is kinda tough. After all, they themselves are critical reviews. This particular one examines the origins and rise of England's masters of dark electronic pop/rock, from their days as the teeny new wavers of 'Speak & Spell' to the international rock superstardom of 'Violator' and 'Songs Of Faith And Devotion'. This one's nice in that it features interviews with peers like Gary Numan, OMD, and Thomas Dolby, as well as producers Gareth Jones, Dave Bascombe, and the usual critics and biographers. There's plenty of clips from Depeche's classic videos, and brief interviews with the band to round things off. Quite enjoyable for fans, as there's some nice little trivia included here. My only real gripe? The fact that the assessments only go on through 'Faith & Devotion' (that was 16 years ago, folks!) with no time given to the band's later years. So this one's probably a rehash/re-edit of an earlier release. Ah well. It's still a worthy addition to any serious fan's collection. Newbies? Head towards one of the group's fine 'best of' collections first. This is one strictly for the hardcore. (Chrome Dreams/Sexy Intellectual via MVD Visual)

SPC ECO - "3-D" CD

The first non-Collide release from American indie label Noiseplus, this cryptically-named release is, in fact, an alias of Dean Garcia of Curve. With vocalist (and daughter) Rose Berlin in tow, he's tapped into the heart of swirly, epic shoegaze with this splendid 13-song album. Relying less on electronic rhythms than his other recent works, SPC ECO (pronounced 'Space Echo') is by far his most pleasing release in years. 'Shine On Down' takes the template set by My Bloody Valentine and the Cocteau Twins and brings that noise-melody sound screaming/murmuring into the new century. Berlin's lost little girl vox are often obscured in the dense din of Garcia's programming and textured, layered guitars, but they add an ethereal feel to the songs, as in 'Telling You', which begins with a driving bassline and leaves just enough breathing space for her vocals to shine. In fact, SPC ECO is the closest Garcia's been to Curve in some time, and in some aspects, this is the culmination of his various projects. The production is superb -- deep, dense, and thumping in all the right places. Berlin's voice 'oohs and aahs' in a most sensuous way, and the songs flow beautifully. Sure, it's nothing to expand the shoegaze sound (it's pretty well peaked), but '3-D' is a seriously gorgeous listen for anyone who longs for the days of Slowdive or MBV (or Curve). 'You're Alright' is a more driving, rock-angled track, with Garcia's big guitars and stronger, more forward vocals from Rose. Two remixes close out this fine disc, one by Tim Holmes and another by Alan Moulder, which add a more clubby aspect to the tracks. Holmes' mix of 'Telling You' echoes Curve more than anything else here, in fact, and Moulder (who's known for his work with bands like The Jesus And Mary Chain) keeps a more swirly, droney vibe on his mix. A superlative release for those with an inkling for pretty noise. (Noiseplus)

Dean Garcia's social networking site