DVD

Holy Ground: NYC Live with The Wordless Music Orchestra

admin — Wed, 26 May 2010 09:32:00 +0000

MONO is a golden goose. Their live album, Holy Ground, is a golden egg. With three guitars, drums, and sans vocals, they are completely focused on the music at hand. Both their music and performance are intense and entrancing. MONO's sound is a mix of classical and rock, at times gliding with genres such as shoegaze and post-rock. For a better idea, imagine a movie score set to beautiful, dramatic visuals. At times, they remind me of bands such as Dead Can Dance.

On Holy Ground, band members Tamaki Kunishi, Takaakira Goto, Yoda, and Yasunori Takada are joined by The Wordless Music Orchestra. Here we have a literal celebration of strings. The band sets the mood while the orchestra really makes the music fly. Takaakira and Yoda have fun dueling with fingering, distortion, and effects; Tamaki sways with her guitar and ruminates at the piano; Yasunori forever fuels the beat. The Wordless Music Orchestra takes the drama of each song and blasts it into outer space, taking the listener along for the ride.

Each song delights the senses in a different way. My skin bristled with chill during "Ashes In The Snow." The solemn emptiness is felt in "Burial At Sea." "Where Am I" made me think of a lonely person roaming a rainy street at night.

The album also comes with a DVD of the concert, which is great. I think DVDs of live shows are a perfect backdrop while cleaning, crafting, or moving furniture in your apartment. While you're working, you receive the benefit of music and when you're sitting for a spell, there's something interesting to watch on TV. Though the film quality is a bit on the grainy side, it's still a treat to see how these musicians play live. It's easy to pretend that you were actually there.

Holy Ground: NYC Live With the Wordless Music Orchestra is a flawless collection from a skilled ensemble.

Written by: Jacquie Piasta, May 26th 2010

All I Want For Christmas is a Real Good Tan (Yule Log Edition)

admin — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 01:19:00 +0000

By Kenny Chesney

Sony Music Entertainment

The annual Yule Log special on PBS is tied to some of my fondest memories of Christmas as a child. I remember the glow of my parents' tree and the excitement on Christmas Eve, and I got my cookies ready for Santa. Through all of this, Yule Log would be playing in the background, with its cozy scene of a log burning away and a medley of magical Christmas tunes. Whenever I see Yule Log today, all those warm feelings and nostalgia come right back to me. It's one of those little things that makes it really feel like Christmas to me. In recent years, I keep missing it in the TV listings and forgetting to tune in—last year, I wished to myself that they would show it more often. Yes, I think I'm probably the only person in the world who cares this much about Yule Log.

Naturally, when I heard that there was a new line of Yule Log DVDs, I knew I had to get my hands on one. I received Kenny Chesney's All I Want For Christmas Is a Real Good Tan (The Yule Edition) to review, and it's crackling away as I write this. The disc contains eleven Christmas songs—some standards, and some originals, such as the title track, “All I Want For Christmas is a Real Good Tan.” There seems to be a sunny theme here—besides the tanning, Chesney is pictured on the front cover in a Santa hat sitting under a palm tree. Many of the songs have a tropical flair to them, which I found somewhat disconcerting, but I'm a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to Christmas carols. My favorites on here were “I'll Be Home For Christmas,” “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” and “Silent Night,” featuring The Grigsby Twins. There are two other guest stars on here as well—“Christmas in Dixie” features Randy Owen, while “Pretty Paper” features Willie Nelson.

You have the option to choose between three scenes on here—the classic yule log, the “Cozy Cottage”, and “The Snowy Cabin”. My DVD player is secondhand and doesn't have a remote, so I had no way of changing the scenes, but I already mentioned that I'm a Christmas traditionalist so the classic yule log was fine by me. You also have the option of playing the yule log without the soundtrack—it's just a soothing loop of the scene with the crackles and pops of the fire. This way, I can play other Christmas music on CDs alongside it—meaning yule log on demand! If you have the same fond PBS Christmas memories that I do, then yule love this.

Written by: Beeb Ashcroft, January 22nd 2010

Christmas Classics: The Yule Log Edition

admin — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 01:54:00 +0000

By Johnny Cash

Sony Music Entertainment

I never thought that Johnny Cash could ever become kitsch. After all, he is the Man in Black, the patron saint of the disenfranchised and hurting and the bad ass country boy jamming an angry middle finger at the camera. I grew up listening to Cash singing to cheering prisoners and sullen guards, and then later turning a classic industrial rock song on its head. How on earth could this icon of morality—this Original EMO master—possibly be turned into sweet fluff?

By having him sing Christmas songs on a video that loops Christmas imagery continuously. At first I was really excited to get the DVD Christmas Classics: The Yule Log Edition (featuring Johnny Cash). I know from years of watching and reading documentaries and interviews with Cash, he always loved gospel and church centered music, but not many people felt he had the quality voice to justify a full album of gospel. It was exciting to see that the man I have admired for so long actually did sing the songs he loved, even as nobody thought he could do it. I thought the DVD would be further evidence of his persistence and toughness.

But when I got the DVD, I was surprised to find out that the "video" is actually a series of twelve songs sung by Cash set to "scenes" of Christmas. That is, after you press play on your DVD player, you can hear all the songs—and then choose between three different "scenes" to set your television to while the songs play. The first scene is a picture of a burning yule log, the second is a picture of the interior of a dimmed cottage with a lit Christmas tree and the third is the cabin from the outside at night.

There are no clips of Cash singing or doing anything else on the video. I was expecting clips, so I admit to being disappointed when I first realized what the video was. This realization also left me vaguely insulted. My grandmother has video on loop of a fireplace burning (only hers had no music to go with it). How could they turn Johnny Cash—the Man in Black—into the kitsch my grandmother would find "cute?"

But as I listened to the songs and switched the scenes back and forth, I realized something. My grandmother grew up listening to Johnny Cash, just like I did. She is actually from Appalachia, a region not too far from where Cash grew up. And before Cash was a rebel wearing black, he was a country singer. A country singer with roots in the church and from a community that didn't have much and wouldn't trust something as shifty as a computer or DVD player. To my grandmother—this type of video isn't kitsch. It just is.

When I watched/listened to the video in that light, I was able to relax and really hear what was important; the music. The video box cover does not say what year these songs are from, but from the sounds of it, they are from Cash's early years, before booze and drugs took over his voice. His voice never sounded stronger, earthier or more sure of itself. He soars through long notes and is comfortably rich in quiet moments. There is perhaps a bit too much sing/talking (where there is music playing in the background as Cash talks through a part of the song); two of the songs have long sections of sing/talking that seem to act as a needless distraction to the music. The opening song ("I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day"), however, was particularly strong and made me really excited to listen to the rest of the video.

Lovers of the Man In Black may not be able to stomach this video. The songs are not rebellious, or even all that interesting in a certain sense. They are standard Christmas music you would hear in a church. I think that even as Cash's voice is glorious in its clarity, it also could be described as boring. He is singing because he loves the music and to prove he can sing. And although that's interesting for fans who know and care about his historical fights with the music industry, for more casual fans, they will probably want to stick to Cash's more traditional music. Older fans like my grandmother will definitely enjoy the connection of a country voice to Christmas church music—and those who like kitsch will get their socks knocked off.

For those Cash fans who are like me, who have missed Cash since he died in 2003, it was just really great to hear an old friend again.

Cross-posted at Vivir Latino

Written by: la Macha, January 6th 2010

Renaissance: Song of Scheherazade Live

admin — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:57:00 +0000

By Renaissance

Cherry Red Films

Renaissance is a notable 1970s folk rock band that developed a large fan base by having symphonic rock instrumentals contrasted by haunting female vocals and whimsical, intelligent lyrics. Renaissance: Song of Scheherazade Live includes video from the band’s performances at Capital Theatre in 1976 and their 1979 performance at Convention Hall. A great fuss was made when Cherry Red announced their release of Renaissance's concert footage. Between 1976 and 1983, Renaissance was in its prime output stage, so fans were excited by the idea of getting to experience the band’s concert during this pivotal point of development. However, it seems all of the enthusiasm was for naught.

The quality of the DVD itself is questionable and has received a great deal of well deserved criticism for the poor quality of the video. Though black and white footage has the potential to be beautiful in its own way, we get grainy, smoky, and at times completely indiscernible images of the concerts. (The menu is hideous, and is, ironically enough, created from a screen capture of the contained footage.) The camerawork is monotonous and rather random at times. Many of the shots were terribly framed. Random microphones and the movements of another band member obstruct the view of Annie Haslam when she sings or speaks. The majority of the shots consist of a rather unusual close up of the talented female lead, where she spends the great deal of time with her eyes closed.

The condition of the audio on this DVD also suffers. Haslma’s beautiful voice is lost within the background crackling, microphone interference, and temperamental volume. Rather than complement her voice, the audio makes the accompanying instruments sound like a swathe of annoying background noise.

The performance itself is passable if you concentrate on the insider dialogue between Haslam, other band members, and the audience. This is something that is truly priceless from the stance of a Renaissance fan, something you could not obtain anywhere else. However, these snippets of conversation between musical numbers were about the only thing I found even remotely entertaining on this DVD.

Unfortunately, the poor quality interferes with the ability to truly enjoy the works of what is arguably one of the most influential folk rock bands of the twentieth century. Though there must be some sort of legitimate reason why the film could not be better restored, I think it is a disappointment to say the least.

All and all, Renaissance: Song of Scheherazade Live is worth the money if you are an avid collector of the band’s works. If not, I suggest you stay away.

Written by: Jacquelyn White, September 24th 2009

TV is My Parent

admin — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0000

By Sia

Monkey Puzzle Records

Sia's latest release is a concert DVD called TV is My Parent, which includes a set from her concert at the Hiro Ballroom in New York, four music videos, and traditional "behind the scenes with the band" footage. While I'm a big fan of Sia's quirky avant-garde pop, a concert DVD isn't usually something I would pick up. If I already have the music on CD, why do I need lower quality versions punctuated with inaudible on-stage banter? However, I have to admit that once I started watching the DVD, I was really really enjoying myself.

What makes a project like this work is Sia's relationship with the audience. This isn't a spectacle like Gwen Stafani and her Harajuku Girls, or Britney Spears lip-syncing her way through a series of electronically-produced songs. Sia's playfulness and energy are infectious, and her vocals have an intensity that demands immersion.

The show opens with Sia and her bandmates dressed as day-glow children's drawing. Most of the concert set is from her latest album, Some People Have Real Problems. The songs chosen for the DVD showcase Sia's songwriting at its best, from the haunting "Breathe Me" (a song some of you might remember from HBO's Six Feet Under series finale) to the honest and flippant "The Girl You Lost to Cocaine" that features satisfying lines like: "'cause I'll never get laid while I'm running your life." Her radio-friendly "Little Black Sandals" opens the concert and also features an adorable young girl singing backup.

The concert is definitely the highlight of TV is My Parent. The "behind the scenes" filming is fun—particularly when she's scheduled to do a signing at Starbucks, but can't find the right one because there are four on the same street. The problem is it doesn't tell the audience much about her creative process or thoughts about her music.

Following the band around makes the viewer feel distinctly like being the only sober person at a party, seeing a drummer rub his nipples is only really amusing once.

The music videos are great, and (as any Sia fan would expect) they are weird. The line between creativity and hipster obscurity is finely tread here but she comes off more Bjork than Feist. "Soon We'll be Found" is the real gem, with Sia's signature child-like art being used as a metaphor for the innocence of new love.

While I've never considered Sia in the vein of feminist music, there is something distinctly refreshing about her approach to sexuality in her lyrics and her own aesthetic. While aloof and friendly on stage and when interacting with fans, Sia is clearly an artist first. Her songs are largely about connecting to other people and could be applied to the complexities of any relationship.

My feeling is that TV is My Parent is for Sia fans. If you're new to her music, a better introduction would be to buy her solo albums and prepare for the unexpected urge to do interpretive dance.

Written by: Jennifer Burgess, July 25th 2009

Impermanence: Embracing Change

admin — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 23:44:00 +0000

By David Hodge, Ha-Jin Kang Hodge

Snow Lion Publications

It's day five of my computer's meltdown. This morning the dishwasher broke. My husband has no job leads. My doctor emailed me this afternoon, and there are no new answers to my health issues. As my husband flew out the door to another networking event, I couldn’t help a somewhat desperate whimper, "Are we destined for instability?" If we are, we are in good company. In the company of the whole world, according to Impermanence: Embracing Change by married multimedia artists David Hodge and Hi-Jin Kang Hodge. Impermanence focuses on the Buddhist concept of change which teaches that instability, change, impermanence, call it what you will, is a fact of life. Accepting that sands inevitably shift is a necessary path to stability and peace of mind. Impermanence is a valuable way station on this rocky, cliff-hugging journey.

While Impermanence is packaged as a book and DVD set, it is so much more. It is an art exhibit you hold in your hand. And view on your DVD player. Its first incarnation was as part of the traveling art installation, The Missing Peace, a celebration of the Dalai Lama’s life and work. The Hodges filmed a diverse group of 108 women and men discussing impermanence. The interviews played on sixteen iPods arranged in a circle and set to play at both timed intervals and simultaneously.

Transferred to DVD, the exhibit feels like a friendly cocktail party where the host has banned superficial chitchat and commanded guests to talk only about life’s enduring matters. It starts as a mosaic of faces and a soft cacophony of voices. It is interactive. Let the film take control as it moves between mosaic and individual or click on arrows which arrange the interviews into themes such as "awareness," "message to the world," and "presence." Either way, just like that, you are launched into the exhibit as if you were there.

The interviewees each speak for several minutes about impermanence. Is it a source of dread? A harbinger of death and loss? The other shoe dropping?

Or is it proof that one is alive? Nature’s way of making us appreciate the here and now? Promise of a better tomorrow?

Yes.

Impermanence is all of this. Several interviewees also emphasize its potential to unite: we all have impermanence in common. In addition, letting go of our own little corner of status quo leaves us open to new connections.

The book adds even more depth. It is arranged into the same themes as the DVD, each introduced by an enlightening and thoughtful essay or poem. Photographs of the participants and snippets of their interviews follow.

Impermanence is uplifting and depressing, energizing and draining. In fact, it feels a lot like life. While I thought women might struggle more with change as we seem disproportionately affected by it during life events such as marriage, childbirth and divorce, this turned out not to be so. Women and men equally expressed hope and trepidation.

Impermanence would have been an even more absorbing experience had it included less philosophy and more anecdote. But its overall message of accepting impermanence without fighting it, of refusing to feel defeated by change even when it's in the wrong direction and of remembering that impermanence allows for the possibility of better times, not just worse, is invaluable. In the time since I began this review, the computer and dishwasher were fixed. And Impermanence has persuaded me to focus on what is, instead of lamenting what will surely be the continuing ebb and flow of life.

Written by: T. Tamara Weinstein, April 24th 2009