"Suor Sorriso (Sister Smile - The Tragic Tale Of The Singing Nun" DVD (director: Roger Deutsch)

A liberal retelling of the story of Belgian nun Jeanne Deckers (who, in the early 1960s, achieved a major international pop hit as "The Singing Nun"), "Suor Sorriso" succeeds on just about all levels. Despite penning this light, feel-good pop music sensation, Deckers' life was plagued by inner turmoil and personal demons. Deutsch examines her life after leaving the convent, as Deckers (played convincingly by Ginevra Colonna) becomes romantically entangled with another former nun, and delves into a world fraught with careless drugs, alcohol, and sex. Deckers' slow collapse is tragic and gradual, with Colonna more than proving her chops in this difficult and heavy-duty role. Visually superb, with some trippy hallucinogenic sequences, this 2001 Italian-language film (with English subtitles) is a curious, interesting, and engrossing watch. "Suor Sorriso" deserves much better than "B" status. There are a couple of short bonus films from the director, both of which are worthwhile slices of experimental cinema, with heart and soul. Superb set, and worth your attention! (MVD Visual)

The Ballad Of Genesis And Lady Jaye trailer

An interesting new film on the way, focusing on the infamous "cultural engineer" Genesis P-Orridge and his sadly-departd wife, Lady Jaye, and their unusual and creative life partnership. I will be anxious to see this one, as Gen is a seriously influential person, with both Throbbing Gristle as well as Psychic TV, and when I interviewed him for nearly 2 hours back in 1995, he was quite a chatty gentleman!

The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye // Trailer from Marie Losier on Vimeo.

Genesis Breyer P-Orridge website

The Low Anthem - "Ghost Woman Blues" on Letterman

Here's a new clip of one of my favorite "new" American acts, The Low Anthem, who Goatsden first encountered (and was mesmerised by) when they opened for Lisa Hannigan. Check this new song from their upcoming album, "Smart Flesh", then check their website and order their stuff! Cool people and amazing music.


The Low Anthem site

Atlantean Kodex - "The Golden Bough" CD

This German band's first studio full-length is a harkening back to the days of denim and leather, with the sound of classic melodic metal, and extravagant fantasy/sword & sorcery imagery. The music is pure, rooted-in-the-80s, and old-school, with superb production and Markus Becker's melodic vocals. Some call this 'epic metal', and I could agree with that description. There's nothing too harsh or ear-damaging on "The Golden Bough", just a series of galloping guitar rockers with complexity and Tolkien-esque imagery. The band is definitely tight and qualified, and fans of big stadium metal "like they used to play" will certainly enjoy Atlantean Kodex. (Cruz Del Sur Records)

Atlantean Kodexspace

Mogwai "Rano Pano" video!

The new video from Scotland's finest, Mogwai...for the single "Rano Pano". Good fun. The album, "Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will", is to be released on February 15 in the USA, on Sub Pop Records. This video is for the first single, issued on 7" vinyl and download from Sub Pop.

Floating Action - "Desert Etiquette" album

Hailing from Black Mountain, North Carolina, this solo project of multi-instrumentalist songwriter Seth Kauffman brings in Band Of Horses' Bill Reynolds to assist with the mix, and this partnership works well. Floating Action will appeal to BOH or Wilco fans, as this is similarly understated and classy roots-edged rock, dipping it's fingers into Brian Wilson-era Beach Boys stylings, moody psychedelia, classic rock, and proto-country. Kauffman's lazy summertime laments are instantly approachable, making "Desert Etiquette" listenable through multiple spins. With a slackerly vocal timbre akin to Thurston Moore at times, and recalling Jim James' echoey innocence at other times, Kauffman's timeless tunes are similarly warm, inviting, and charming.
"The Balance" is a memorably elegaic and graceful slice of swaying chamber pop, with a killer melody. "Please Reveal" is so sweet and innocent, it could be an Every Brothers song, if not for the more modern production. "Eye Of A Needle" is a laid-back pop song with a haunting undercurrent. "Ambientador" spaces out for a few minutes, and the closer, "10 Rogue River" is almost funky, closing out an enjoyable listening experience and bookending a fine album. (Park The Van Records)

Free MP3 courtesy of Park The Van

Floating Actionspace

"Black Metal - The Music Of Satan" DVD (director: Bill Zebub)

Having seen some of Zebub's past "works", this one wasn't exactly a shoe-in for greatness. However, "Black Metal - The Music Of Satan" takes a different tact from the many other black metal documentaries that focus on the same tired motifs and myths (Varg Vikernes, the church burnings, and murders). Zebub interviews a mass of early and present-day black metal (and related) artists, and presents an alternate personality, where the guys (and girls) aren't so serious. Beyond the poses and "evil" headlines are some rather regular people, with (gasp) senses of humor.
Basically, this is a jumbled (and formless) but fun collection of brief interviews where the artists are allowed to smile, make jokes, and have a beer (why do they all drink Heineken?).
Zebub's film dispels the notion that black metal is a humorless, dour, and po-faced assemblage of suicidal, homocidal, misanthropic misfits. Well, mostly. Included are chats with Attila Csihar of Mayhem & Sunn O))), Venom, Gorgoroth, Celtic Frost, King Diamond, Rotting Christ, Voivod, Ulver, and tons more. Good fun! (MVD Visual)