the adventures of picklebilly
kerceblogfilm recommendation of the week
Police Beat is a 2005 Sundance sleeper that flew way under the radar. beautifully shot, including a series of vignettes of increasingly bizarre crimes being investigated by a West African Seattle bike cop, all apparently, wildly taken from Seattle police logs, within a framework of Z (the bike cop’s) jealousy and wonderment over his doubts about his girlfriend. it’s a film wholly original both in concept and in execution. low-key, humorous, sweet and hinging on the bizarre.
hecker/nadler/collective
big thanks to the fantastic blog raven sings the blues for posting up a couple of new Tim Hecker tracks off the upcoming “an imaginary country” album. i’ve been eagerly awaiting this album and the tracks are a strong start. for those uninitiated, hecker is my personal favorite purveyor of ambient music, and for a reference point i’d highly suggest his album “harmony in ultraviolet”…also, for any folks like-minded with me musically, you should really peruse around RSTB and make them a favorite because they’re always well ahead of the game on good tunes.
i also had the pleasure to get an early listen to folk songstress Marissa Nadler’s album “little hells.” though i must say i’m not intially as enthralled with it as i was her previous recordings, it seems every Nadler album has one track that i just play incessantly, and it appears the track below may be the one off little hells. enjoy!
also, this is from a couple of days ago – but for anyone that missed it, hop over to i guess i’m floating for tracks from Animal Collective’s BBC Session including an unreleased track they’ve been playing on tour.
Film Recommendation of the Week
an expertly crafted work from a French master who’s tales often unfold like novels on the big screen. the characters exude the vapidity and cruelty that only the French seem capable of delving out and still remaining nonchalant. the sexuality and it’s underlying tensions and psychological effects are palpable, and Haydee Politoff is truly a sight to behold. it’s ultimately a tale of intellect versus instinct and the bittersweet disharmony between the chase and the catch. part of Rohmer’s “Six Moral Tales” cycle.
locals
Jax psychsters guardians of the thickets have posted up a free download for their Blue Lodge Prom EP (artwork above)…it’s hard to pin down to a genre or description, which is probably the point, but it’s great stuff from the psych, drone, experimental realm. give it a listen for yourself:
also wanted to acknowledge a couple other local-esque bands that are putting together great stuff out in picklebilly’s official sister city, Portland, Oregon…
DudeLord – righteous bass and drum heavy stoner doom dudeness…members of The Yusge and Civilization, two long time picklebilly local favorites
To Get Her Together – psych folk that literally could be lost tapes from the Syd Barrett catalog. featuring certified “friend of picklebilly” Alexa Marmon (do this link to hear her also stellar solo stuff.)
:::Guitars from Agadez:::
we’re back folks! welcome us!
i was inspired to post by the always righteous Sublime Frequencies label’s new release, Guitars from Agadez, Vol. 2, featuring the Taureg band Group Bombino. I’ll let the label’s press clipping speak for itself, but let me just say this is amazing stuff. if you’re not up on the Western Saharan guitar “scene” (if you will), and you’re into African music or just want to hear something completely new, original, psychadelic and full of life, do yourself a favor and check this release out. in fact, if you’re into “world” music at all, check out Sublime Frequencies to really find a goldmine of really fantastic stuff from all over Asia, Northern Africa and the Middle East (the label was started by Alan Bishop of Sun City Girls to give you a reference point.) they also have a couple of pretty amazing, extremely lo-fi dvds documenting some of the stuff they’ve released.
here’s the description from SF:::
“Group Bombino is the latest salvo from the Agadez music scene. Led by the guitar virtuoso Omara Mochtar (Bombino), the group’s debut LP– Volume two in the Guitars from Agadez series, represents the latest chapter in the modern sound of the Tuareg revolution. As of 2008, the Tuareg rebellion is in full force again, and Bombino is in exile to parts unknown. Agadez has been cut off from the rest of Niger. The only road that connects this legendary city with the rest of the country is littered with land mines and the only escorts are the military. This music and its messages of hope, justice, and desire for validation of the Kel Tamachek way of life ring louder than ever. Group Bombino are gaining mythic status in and around the Tuareg community for their incendiary live performances. Coming from the same scene as Group Inerane and sharing some of the same musicians, Group Bombino showcase both sides of the Tuareg Guitar style. Side one features the “Dry Guitar” sound, an unplugged selection of songs sung among the dunes and stars of the Tenere desert. Side two showcases the electric fury of the full band, a melding of heavy, psychedelic guitar heroics with a raw garage sound, back beat percussion, all swirling in extended trance rock moves. Recorded live and unfiltered in Agadez and the surrounding desert in early 2007, with the band’s equipment powered by generators and an unflinching dedication to the rebellion, Group Bombino’s music transcends any influence and ignites the raw passion of its message to the outside world. This is a one-time pressing of 1,500 copies. Pressed on 180 gram vinyl and comes in a gatefold full color jacket stocked with great photos of the musicians and liner notes by Hisham Mayet.”
here’s a track to get you started from Group Bombino:
Boghassa
and a video from another picklebilly favorite, the band from Guitars from Agadez Vol. 1, Group Inerane:
klaus dinger, r.i.p.
dinger pictured here in 1971 with Neu! mate Michael Rother
in the how did i find out so late about this column goes the untimely passing of the great krautrock drummer Klaus Dinger, who passed away on March 21nd as a result of heart failure at age 61. founding member of one of the essential krautrock bands, Neu!, early member of Kraftwerk and later member of La Dusseldorf and the combo band La! Neu?, Dinger was (at least to me) instantly recognizable for his self-described “apache beat”, the quintessential definition of “motorik.” r.i.p. klaus
tonight at the UNF University Gallery
“First Thursday Series” Event : Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 7pm
St. Elmo at Night – Sea, Swells, and Light
A 60-Minute Performance with Intermission by Amy Moore,
Brian McKinnon and Brian Guiry
St. Elmo’s Fire is a natural electrical phenomenon which causes swells of light
and sound that can disappear as quickly as they have arrived. Most often observed on tall ship masts in the wasteland of a vast ocean, this luminous event was named after St. Elmo, the patron saint of sailors. Fitting then, that a night of sailor’s travelogue, music, and light-play evokes this “charged” name.
To prevent interruption of light and sound conditions, performers request
no entry or exit during the performance.
I will be playing this instrument which i just played for the first time this very week. it’s a lovely instrument though, and i’m looking forward to the performance. come out and take a look see if you like…and give big props to Amy Moore and Brian McKinnon as the is the brainchild fruit of their imaginative loins.
i want to kiss you all over
and over and again…til the night closes in
thanks to everyone who came out last night for yacht rock 2 and scottish sailing. also thanks to brian for ably manning the helm and to lisa and eclipse for allowing us to crash for a while. it was a blast and i hope you all had a great time. if any babies were made, don’t blame me, blame the smooth music and the motion of the ocean.
your captain,
spinbad
Local Hero Competes in Gluttonfest ‘07
congrats to our good friend Mike Romero for finishing last place in the non-drunken, non-2:00am krystal eating contest at the Landing this weekend. it was an awe inspiring display of mediocrity that will not soon be forgotten. the Good Times Society were out in full force of support of this Jacksonville hero and former Avondale mayoral candidate.
do the link for video documentation of this momentous occasion:
Eat It
