Welcome Fat Tire and New Belgium!

It's a great time to be alive...one of the craft beers that first moved me to drinking independent brews has finally made it's way East with distribution in Indiana! Woohoo! No need to road-trip to Schnuck's groceries in St. Louis to fill up the ol' car's trunk!!!

Yes, Fat Tire (from the wonderful "wind-powered and employee-owned" New Belgium Brewery in Colorado) is now here. Weirdly enough, it's being sold in 12pks of cans...and larger-sized bottles, but not the regular 12oz. bottles (at least yet). Ah well, it's all good (beer).

Looks like there's a special 'Hoosier' bottle for us Hoosiers, and I've seen the 1554 Black Ale here now, too. Yum.

New Belgium Brewing website

And a brief promo for New Belgium's 'Follow Your Folly' theme, featuring the inimitable Devendra Banhart...

May I get you another fine handcrafted brew?

Ah, the chill of Winter is passing, at last, and some lighter, lagery types of beers are officially 'in', so here we go. Remember that ratings are from 1 to 5, with 1 being terrible dishwater shite, and 5 being the nectar of the gods.

MODELO ESPECIAL (Mexico) - 3.0

This clean, golden lager is a standby in Mexican restaurants, and for good reason. It's got a steady, malty taste that's consistent and not too light. An ideal lager that isn't too wimpy or watery. Refreshing!

MINHAS CRAFT BREWERY - MOUNTAIN CREST - CLASSIC LAGER BEER (Monroe, WI) - 3.0

Well, a craft beer in an aluminum can -- rare indeed! I had to double-check to make sure it wasn't a macro in disguise. Anyhow, this one pours a frothy and clear gold, with a fresh malty scent -- not at all skunky or funky like so many canned lagers. It's mild, easygoing, and, truth be told, a wise choice if lighter brews are your game.

MICHELOB ULTRA AMBER (St. Louis, MO) - 1.5

This clear, foamy lager pours an attractive amber, but tastes like your usual 'light' beer, meaning it's flat with no depth or complexity whatsoever. Sure, this may be a satisfying little brew for those sunny Summertime days in the backyard, but if you're into beers with actual flavor, kindly and wisely look elsewhere.

BUD LIGHT LIME (St. Louis, MO) - 2.5

Expected this one to suck, to be blunt, but damned if it wasn't all that bad. Pours an ultra-pale upon initial dispensation, with a decent head and a citrus bouquet. Tastes pretty smooth, with little to no aftertaste or followthrough. Maybe it's not very satisfying, but it doesn't outright offend, either.

STONE IMPERIAL RUSSIAN STOUT (Escondido, CA) - 3.5

This one's a whopper! Opaque, deep black, and strong as an ox. As with the best of the Imperial Russian Stouts, this one's got a burnt taste, less coffee or chocolate here, which gives way to a jagged alcoholic aftertaste/followthrough (it is 10.8%, after all). Not one for the timid (or light beer fans), this is definitely one to sip slowly and savor.

DUCHESSE DE BOURGOGNE (Belgium) - 4.0

This Flanders red ale pours a deep amber, and the aroma is sweet and fruity, like a fine wine almost. First taste? Still fruity and wine-like, with a pronounced sweetness that's followed by a little hint of dryness. Good stuff, and quite a pleasant surprise, even for a Belgian beer. Very enjoyable and complex taste, thus this one's well-recommended.

Kate Mann - "Things Look Different When The Sun Goes Down" CD

Hailing from the faraway Southwest (New Mexico, specifically), folksy singer/songwriter Mann has a profound connection to Native American culture and the dusty American landscapes of her upbringing. Her songs are often lonely, introspective and personal looks at life, relationships, and spirituality, as seen through the eyes of an old soul who's experienced both highs and lows (or so it seems). 'Things Look Different' is a lovely set of brisk Americana sounds that range from flamenco ('La Llorona') to plaintive ballads ('Here Again'); from alt.country shuffles ('Funny Thing') to songs for her beloved dog (the sweet 'Loki's Lullaby'). Her voice is as gentle or commanding as it needs to be, and her band's instrumentation (with cello, fiddle, and saw, as well as piano, accordion, and more) are like swathes of color amidst Kate's acoustic guitar and charmingly warm vocals. Kate Mann is the real thing, and here's to hoping she gets some notice with this fine CD of earthy, free-thinking independent music. (Orange Dress Records)

"Christmas On Mars" (director: Wayne Coyne with Bradley Beesley and George Salisbury)

Ah, at long last, Flaming Lips' enigmatic frontman Wayne Coyne's much-discussed feature-length directorial debut, and it's as odd and surreal as one would imagine. Nabbing elements from 'Eraserhead', as well as slices of Tarkovsky's 'Solaris', '2001', and (maybe) Walt Disney, Coyne's self-described 'Fantastical Film Freakout' doesn't disappoint. Coyne himself stars as a silent alien being who seems to bring with him a spirit that (perhaps) allows an uptight and troubled Mars mission to enjoy the positive energy of human kindness. But before you're turned off by the 'feely-goodness' this implies, you get bizarre and dreamlike imagery of dead babies, creepy celestial vagina-creatures, and some moments of tension that are well-done, especially as most of the actors here are either members of the Flaming Lips or their relatives. In fact, Coyne's brothers and wife star here! Fans of campy B-movies can likely appreciate something of 'Christmas On Mars', though folks who are bewildered and turned off by surreal and often provocative imagery should be cautionary. Me? I liked it. Also of note, most copies of this include the Lips' audio soundtrack CD, as well, but be advised: if you're looking for the pop-oriented side of the Lips, with vocals and melodies and such, this will surely disappoint. It's more a series of creepy sound elements and abrasive noises.

Flaming Lips website

And here's a trailer, but note that this was from 2003(!!) so some of the scenes here were edited out in the final, finished product...

Craig Padilla / Zero Ohms / Skip Murphy - "Beyond The Portal" CD

A pair of skilled analogue synthesists (Padilla and Murphy) here team up with cosmic flutist/ethno-woodwind expert Zero Ohms (aka Richard Roberts), and the result is, not shockingly, a spacy ambient electronic album. Sans any kind of substantial beats, 'Beyond The Portal' is an expansive, drifty collection of sterile synth washes that unfortunately plays it rather safe. Percolating sequencers, lilting almost-melody, and blippy analogue effects make up the whole of the album, but it doesn't seem to really go anywhere, atmospherically or melodically. The title track, which concludes the album, reminds me of the myriad forgettable ambient releases of the 90's, which just isn't a good thing. Don't get me wrong, I adore well-constructed atmospheric ambient sounds, but 'Beyond The Portal' just seems to have no teeth whatsoever -- it's fluffy and lightweight, and I'm left a bit under-whelmed. (Lotuspike)

"Fitzcarraldo" (director: Werner Herzog)

Among Herzog's many masterpieces lies this 1982 film, starring Herzog mainstay Klaus Kinski as Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald -- a financially-troubled railroad man/opera lover who finds himself in colonial Peru, contracted to helm a steamship deep into the Amazon rainforest in search of a lucrative rubber tree forest situated in a dangerous and inaccessable location. Well, after most of his nervous and grumbly crew leaves him, the few remaining steamshipmen manage to tenuously befriend (and enlist the help of) the native Peruvian Indians, and defying all logic and odds, they manage to create a true engineering marvel and drag their steamship over a mountain in order to reach the remote rubber forest. Fitzgerald (aka 'Fitzcarraldo' to his friends) does all this in order to fund his dream of opening the first opera house in Peru. This, his true passion for the world of music and art, is what drives him to these lengths (well, this and his love interest, the beautiful and remarkably understanding Claudia Cardinale as Molly, who helps fund his seemingly mad quest).
Like most of Herzog's films, the cinematography is stunning, as he captures the grand and epic scale of remote locales (and creates amazingly dreamlike images) like few directors can. His characters are memorable and well-cast, and the scale and scope of his stories are far-ranging, unique, and very human. 'Fitzcarraldo' is a masterpiece of cinema, and here's to it getting it's due one day.

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy with White Magic, The Pageant, St. Louis 04.10.09

A (mostly) pleasant 3+ hour drive to St. Looie with longtime friend/fellow road-dog Will D. was basically only impeded on by some rather heavy rain (and some shady tire traction scares), but even the downtown St. Louis I64 woes (a series of detours and illogical signs) went quite smoothly. We hadn't seen the Pageant since last year's mighty fine Explosions In The Sky show (when c and i misbehaved and thoroughly enjoyed our Fat Tire beers and L.I. Ice Teas), but it remains much the same. The same wonderful little Thai restaurant (I think it's called simply 'Thai Cafe') across the street satisfied our post-drive, pre-show hunger, and we were able to get a small table at the Pageant's in-house Halo Bar. A really overpriced draft Fat Tire ale ($5.25!! Preposterous!) was my ticket. Before long, we were able to enter the club early, and with that, good seats were easy to stake claim to. The balcony we usually snag was closed this show, sadly, but our near-center table was just fine, thanks.

The opening act was White Magic, who I hadn't really explored very well, though I did recognize a song or two, perhaps from compilations. The dual male-female vocals were interesting, and the sparse instrumentation was at times spooky, other times whimsical, and often very folk-oriented, albeit with a pleasantly dark, swampy vibe, and a hint of a kinda Irish folk. They played a fine 45-minute set and seemed to win over the still-thin audience more and more.

Running just about perfectly on schedule, Will Oldham and his Bonnie 'Prince' Billy band entered the stage, including the lovely, talented, and charismatic Cheyenne Mize (violin, vocals, guitar), the immensely-talented longtime Oldham sideman Emmett Kelly (guitar), Dirty Three drummer Jim White (who seemingly effortlessly was all over the place, never missing a beat), and Town & Country's stand-up bassist Josh Abrams. All contributed vocals and their own unique personalities to Bonnie's music, which ran all over the spectrum, from older Palace/Bonnie songs (transformed into richer, fuller country-stomps or stirring rootsy ballads). The first few tracks seemed to be a medley of tunes (could anyone clarify?). Particular highlights for me were 'Strange Form Of Life', in which Mize's sweet Patsy Cline/bluegrassy vocals were a perfect substitute for Dawn McCarthy's, and the closing tune, the iconic 'I See A Darkness', which, though re-tooled for his new band, was simply harrowing and managed to inspire a respectfully near-silence from the sometimes-rowdy St. Louis crowd.

The onstage chemistry between Will Oldham and Cheyenne Mize made for some stunning call-and-response vocals, and their duets ('The Girl In Me' is brilliant and sweetly-freaky, and thus far only available on the 'Louisville Is For Lovers Vol. 9 CD, which I need to pick up) were spot-on, with Mize's exuberance and instrumental virtuosity the perfect foil for Oldham's worldly and wise earnestness. Everyone on stage seemed to be having a blast, and it translated to a better-than-expected show, with the audience becoming rather riled-up especially when the band really kicked it in. Oldham even hammed it up with the audience at times, referencing TV show 'Lost' and a hilarious remark about cocaine, which was his tongue-in-cheek explanation for his dapper all-white outfit.

A superb concert, and easily better than the last Bonnie show I saw (his Wild & Woolly anniversary celebration in Louisville in 2007).