Beer Wars

Just received this bit of info, and this trailer. It seems that I have some kindred spirits in my mission (life is far too short to drink crap mainstream/corporate beer)! This film is being shown in 440 theaters across the United States...I look forward to seeing it!


More clips can be found here.

various artists - "Made In Iceland" CD

Anyone who knows me, knows of my appreciation and support for Iceland's art and commerce (Skyr, anyone? Yum. Brennivin? Nah, thanks.). Anyhow, this sampler CD was a sort of promo to bring some of the small country's amazingly creative (and thriving) arts scene onto the international stage. I'm dissecting each track for you, dear reader. I hope you are encouraged to look into something here. This is a swell comp and you should give it a chance, boyeee (or grrl).

FM Belfast - "Lotus" - Quirky electro-funky song here, with slick falsetto vocals and a nice groove. Kind of like fellow Icelanders Gus Gus, perhaps?

Steed Lord - "Who U Wit?" - This trashy Euro-club banger will change the mind of anyone who stereotypes Icelandic music as 'fairy-pop' (due to Bjork and Sigur Ros' high profiles). This is a dual female-male vocal cut that smacks of parties and wild nights, with it's elements of r&b and techno. It's dirty and sexy, and oh-so late night. For fans of Peaches, electroclash, etc.

Seabear - "Libraries" - I've liked these guys/girls for a while. Love the name, pretty and soft-spoken ambient pop that should find favor with fans of Mum or maybe Sigur Ros' less expansive songs. This is a beautiful bit of mood-swirl, with simple and childlike melodies and sweet harmonies.

Emiliana Torrini - "Me And Armini" - Emiliana's pixie-ish folk-pop is pretty and mature, reminding me of a female version of Mugison. It rocks, but in a laid-back kinda way. Just gorgeous.

Bang Gang - "The World Is Gray" - Bardi Johansson's pop sounds are an Icelandic staple, it seems. This is pleasant but unremarkable.

Hjaltalin - "Traffic Music" - A new Reykjavik-born group whose debut release is being produced by members of Mum. 'Traffic Music' is sparkly and upbeat pop, with brass and a frenzied jazz/swingy sort of vibe. Definitely unique and harmonious.

Ólöf Arnalds - "Klara" - Not to be confused with the better known electronic musician Olafur Arnalds, Olof is a female multi-instrumentalist who creates sparse folk, with a tuneful but exotic voice. Think Joanna Newsom and you'll be in a similar place.

Borko - "Shoo Ba Ba" - Borko's been around for some time, and this avante-beatbox tune is melodic and ramshackle like some of Mum's toytown tunes. Little bits of voice samples, simple musicbox melodics, xylophone, etc. The guitar part brings almost a prog-rock element. Nice stuff.

Valgeir Sigurðsson - "Focal Point" - Valgeir's production has graced albums by both Bjork and Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, among many others. On this solo piece, he combines electronic rhythms and filmic strings - a perfect soundtrack to, well, something that's alive and full of wonder!

Ólafur Arnalds - "3055" - I'm already a fan of Olafur's perfectly-orchestrated electronic symphonies. This track, from 'Eulogy For Evolution', is a minimal piano and string composition - stunning and classy, with a sweetly sad disposition. My favorite new Icelandic discovery of recent times.

Benny Crespos Gang - "12223" - Here's some heavy, screaming rock wildness, not quite metal and not quite indie, but somewhere in-between. Thick riffs, glammy vocals, and ideal for packing a sweaty, drunken club in downtown Reykjavik or something.

Sigur Ros - "Inni Mer Syngur Vitleysingur" - No description necessary. One of the better songs on their recent album, and a triumphant song packed with joy, energy, and hope. And it's nicely bombastic. Gotta love this.

Reykjavik! - "Aeji, Plis" - Balls-out spiky garage punkiness from this acclaimed group - sung in English. Nicely tense guitars. If they were English, they'd be a media sensation.

Mugison - "Mugiboogie" - What's an Icelandic compilation without Mugison? He is an institution of sorts. An eclectic songwriter who has humor by the shovelful, can rock out as well as anyone in Iceland (or beyond), can do really good folk/acoustic music, has done instrumental soundtracks, and generally messes around with any sound he can. He can shake your ass or touch your heart. Don't believe me? Just ask Mike Patton, who signed him to Ipecac in the US.

Sign - "The Hope" - Epic, big-time sensitive-yet-heavy rockers, Sign have the commercial radio-rock sound down well enough. They add a different element to this set, though are far from interesting to these jaded ears.

(Iceland Music Export)

Tim Hecker - "An Imaginary Country" CD

Montreal-based electronic composer Hecker is a veteran sound artist who dabbles in a variety of styles and installation/commission pieces, but his recordings under his own name are his primary focus, and thankfully so. 'An Imaginary Country' is a lovely and ambient set of sounds that pulse and shift like ethereal spirits engaging in colorful flights around the Earth's polar regions. This is ambient, but it's not audio wallpaper in the least. Hecker's immersive atmospheres are warm and human, with little slivers of melody evident. 'Sea Of Pulses' brings in some dubby bass undercurrents to accent the shimmering drones, grounding the piece nicely, and bringing a warmer side to the fore. Very effective. 'The Inner Shore' follows seamlessly, functioning as a kind of cooldown/chillout point to it's predecessor. 'Pond Life' ushers in some more dissonant, static noise elements, whereas 'Borderlands' could almost be seen as deep-sea classical music, featuring some digitally effected piano sounds - all blurry and funhouse-like. 'Currents Of Electrostasy' is more placid and even contemplative. Overall, 'An Imaginary Country' paints a timeless and captivating picture of nature as seen through a cracked digital eye. (Kranky)

Tim Hecker's website

"Metal Machine Music - Nine Inch Nails And The Industrial Uprising" DVD

A curious account, this one. It's basically a NIN bio, completely unauthorized, but legitimized by the participation of former Nails Chris Vrenna and Rich Patrick, who have both gone on to successful careers in their own bands (Tweaker and Filter, respectively). Other writers and critics also have their say regarding Trent Reznor's rise, from his synthpop roots to his well-publicized battles with former record company TVT, to his recent experiments in alternative marketing and his successful back-to-DIY aesthetic. It's a solid and critical appraisal of NIN's albums. Clips from promo videos and live footage bolster the film well, as do some fine interviews with Jared Louche (of Chemlab) and Eric Powell (16 Volt) - both peers of Reznor. On the other hand, at least one writer featured here is purely sycophantic in his adulation/adoration for NIN...good for a chuckle at least.
What's most curious about this DVD is the first half-hour or so, which takes a whole different tact entirely. This is an examination, albeit a rather shallow one, of the beginnings of so-called 'industrial' music - highlighted (and indeed, made by) an extensive interview with Genesis Breyer P-Orridge. It's telling and fascinating, hearing it in her own words. Bits and pieces of live footage of Ministry, Skinny Puppy, Throbbing Gristle, Einsturzende Neubauten, Cabaret Voltaire, and Depeche Mode (??) litter this pre-NIN history. It's nice, though far from thorough. I'd really love to see this all expanded upon, with other important inspirations like Varese, Kraftwerk, Test Dept, Whitehouse, Boyd Rice, Front 242, and others included. But that's a whole different story altogether.
As it is, this 2+ hour documentary is an exceptional watch for NIN fans - offering some insight and rare footage. Maybe it is a bit surface, but this may be as close as we'll ever get to a true and definitive bio of Reznor and his NIN persona. (Chrome Dreams/Sexy Intellectual)

John Frusciante - "The Empyrian" CD

Frusciante's day job as guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers may be his best-known gig, but it's far from his finest work. When he's not touring or recording with mates Anthony, Flea, and Chad, John rounds up a few (other) friends and releases often wildly-disparate solo recordings. His latest, recorded from 2006 to 2008, combines his ever-growing sense of melody and pop songwriting finesse with his predilections for out-there sonic explorations. 'The Empyrian' is a modern-day psychedelic masterpiece, with narcotic, drifty textures and woozy, mellow arrangements. His lulling and starry cover of Tim Buckley's transcendent 'Song To The Siren' is apt and well-done, and 'Unreachable' is a trippy and floaty rock song packed with space and depth. 'Dark Light' begins introspective and ambient before transforming into an inspirational pop song (perhaps the closest to the RHCP he gets on this fine album). Other tunes are tuneful and flighty ('Heaven' is sweet and nicely orchestrated).
Frusciante's become a wholly confident and infinitely stronger songwriter since his rather embarrassing early albums (the result of a very horrific drug habit long since banished). 'The Empyrian' is the culmination of years of experience, and this is the sound of a man who's seen life from higher highs (and lower lows) than most of us rightfully should. He's a worldly-wise head with a need to move beyond mind and body, and this album is perfect for such space travels. (Record Collection)

John's personal site

"Wicked Lake" (director: Zach Passero)

Hmm. So I keep trying to think of something good to say about this no-budget sleaze/horror flick by Texan director Passero. It's made notable due to the inclusion of a 'score' arranged by Alien Jourgensen. And the man hisself appears in it, albeit briefly. But even THAT I can complain about. It's not so much a soundtrack as a sampler of Jourgensen's 13th Planet songs - album cuts from Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Prong, Ascension Of The Watchers, etc. Ah well. The film? Well, it's a tale centered around a quartet of lovely (and often naked) college girls who give a backward hick-town (and it's nasty, predatory men) more than they bargained for. It's bloody, mean, crude, and really pretty poorly scripted. The titillation is mild and pedestrian, even cold. The characters are unlikeable and undeveloped. The acting is often choppy and over the top, and the blood is, well, the strong point of 'Wicked Lake'. Not a film for discriminating horror fans, and probably only of interest due to the Ministry/Revco connection. Nah.

Wicked Lake flash site

Olafur Arnalds - "Variations Of Static" CDEP

With just his second release, Icelandic composer Arnalds creates a vibrant and intimately beautiful set of 5 instrumental tunes that combine the austere classical melancholy of Arvo Part with the modern sounds of glitchy electronica (think Autechre or Aphex Twin). It's an incredible (and all too-short) collection, embracing rich and sonorous strings, bittersweet piano, and, on occasion, looping yet subtle textural manipulations. The first track, "Fok", marries some minimal booms and skitters to the sensitive string/piano foundation, and "Lokaðu Augunum" is a stunning treat in the ambient tradition of Stars Of The Lid. As a complete work, this 21+ minute release flows effortlessly, ripe with emotion and delicacy. 'Variations Of Static' is a mature, thoughtful, rich, and stylish set of warmly evocative music that shows Olafur has quite a future if he can keep up this kind of quality. That's a full-on recommendation. (Erased Tapes)

Olafur's personal site