A beefy stack of new DVDs is my recommendation for wide-eyed fall cocooning, remote and pumpkin pie in hand. I'm mesmerized by the kaleidoscope wallpaper of home movies dipped, crinkled, and dragged through an ocean of colors in Takagi Masakatsu's World Is So Beautiful DVD. The Japanese multimedia artist originally created the 10 pieces for installation in fashion designer Agnes b.'s shops in France, with later presentations at the Museum of Modern Art. Mixing fractured breaths, strolling beats, flittering piano wanderings, and found source material such as laughing children, the effect is simply soul-inspiring. Look for it on the laptop-folk-friendly Carpark Records.
When you've got Paul McCartney's euros, things naturally get done on a large scale. A&E television's new DVD division has just released Paul McCartney: The Space with Us, a souped-up presentation of the concert film recently aired on the cable network, beamed skyward for the entertainment of astronauts aboard the Mir space station. Utilizing 25 high-definition cameras and 5.1 surround sound, more than 30 pop masterpieces are captured live, with special guests Eddie Vedder, Herbie Hancock, Tony Bennett, and Bill Clinton. The DVD adds interviews, sound checks, and liner notes by Cameron Crowe.
Two high-profile rockers show off their acting chops with an evil Ed Asner in a low-budget film that made the festival rounds in 2005 and 2006, now available on DVD with bonus goodies. Brad Wilk of Audioslave and Rage Against the Machine stars in Sleeping Dogs Lie as a stranger with a confession, alongside Tool's Maynard James Keenan, as an armadillo-sniffing small-town cop. The Avatar release includes a making-of documentary, interviews, outtakes, and exclusive music from Keenan's A Perfect Circle.
Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes Damien Rice on Thursday and Army of Anyone on Friday; The Late Show with David Letterman hosts Elvis Costello on Friday and Tenacious D on Monday; Jimmy Kimmel Live bows down to Lady Sovereign on Thursday overnight; Late Night with Conan O'Brien boasts Death Cab for Cutie this evening overnight, Los Lobos on Monday overnight, and Panic at the Disco on Tuesday overnight; Last Call with Carson Daly howls at the moon with Wolfmother on Thursday overnight and G. Love on Friday overnight; and Austin City Limits' musical guest this weekend is Van Morrison.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, November 14:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change.
+44 - When Your Heart Stops Beating (Interscope) new from Travis Barker and Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 with members of the Transplants and The Nervous Return
... And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead - So Divided (Interscope) featuring a cover of Guided by Voices' "Gold Mountain Top Queen Directory"
Ampline - Rosary (Shake It) primarily instrumental, these sweaty, cavernous, driving jams lull, attack, and charge over the wall with spasmodic frenzy
The Arkansas Traveler - Music from Little House on the Prairie (Pa's Fiddle) with John Cowan, Allison Brown, Riders in the Sky, and the Pa's Fiddle Band
Army of One - Army of One (EMI) Bob Ezrin-produced debut from Dean and Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots and Richard Patrick of Filter
Bug - original motion picture soundtrack (Lionsgate) with music from Scott Weiland, Chainsaw Kittens, and Serj Tankian
The Clash - The Singles (Epic Legacy) perfectly timed for their special exhibit at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, this fantastic box set re-creates all 19 of their British seven-inch singles as individual CDs, packed with rare B sides and 12-inch mixes, and includes a 44-page booklet with love and commentary flowing from original manager Bernie Rhodes, Pete Townshend, Steve Jones, Nick Hornby, Ian Brown, and many more
Christine Fellows - Paper Anniversary (Six Shooter) fresh, powerfully poetic collection of eclectic, pensive pop, peering into the windows and lives of the faithful, walking wounded
Further Seems Forever - The Final Curtain (Razor & Tie) featuring live tracks, acoustic versions, and the rare "27th Street sessions" with original vocalist Chris Carraba
Gob Iron - Death Songs for the Living (Transmit Sound/Legacy) folk standards re-crafted by Varnaline's Anders Parker and Son Volt's Jay Farrar
Nanci Griffith - Ruby's Torch (Rounder) featuring new originals, covers of three songs by Tom Waits, and the Frank Sinatra hit "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning"
Hot Chip - Over & Over Remixes 2 (Astralwerks) 12-inch single with new dub noodlings
I Killed the Prom Queen - Music for the Recently Deceased (Metal Blade) on tour now with Silverstein
Laibach - Divided States of America (Mute) DVD of live footage from Paris and a documentary of the making of the group's Wat album
Jim Leverton & Geoffrey Richardson - The End of the Pier Show (Eclectic) new from the Caravan founders, featuring a sweet cover of Christy Moore's "Ordinary Man"
Malajube - Trompe-Loeil (Dare To Care) spinning, punchy, Montreal power pop beautifully packaged in a gatefold CD sleeve
Paul Michel - Quiet State of Panic (Stunning Models on Display) terrific solo project from Washington, D.C., featuring the haunting acoustic track "The Fire Theft"
My Morning Jacket - Okonokos (Badman) special four-LP edition on audiophile vinyl, featuring exclusive material
Joanna Newsom - Ys (Drag City) five orchestrated songs over 55 minutes
Joan Osborne - Pretty Little Stranger (Vanguard) new originals and covers of songs by Patti Griffin, Kris Kristofferson, and Jerry Garcia & Robert Hunter
Primordial Undermind - Loss of Affect (Strange Attractors Audio House) Terrastock favorites tripping in the basement with the lights out
Thaddeus Rex - We Wanna Rock (Thaddeus Rex) acoustic rockin' for tots featuring "You Can Tell a Boy by the Smell" and "I Stepped in Dog Doo"
The Rocket Summer - The Early Years (Militia Group) reissue from 2002
Tralala - Is That the Tralala (Audika) beat-crazy, girly-fun, perky punk pop putting their herky-jerk to The Wipers' "Mystery"
Shortstack - The History of Cut Nails in America (Gypsy Eyes) bug-peppy, twang-sleepy, cough-syrup rockabilly fermented from demo sessions recorded in a West Virginia barn; featuring a cover of Charlie Feathers' "Man in Love"
Emilie Simon - The Flower Book (Milan) shimmering electronic vogue from this hot French songstress weaves crisp melody with icy experimental palettes; featuring a must-hear cover of The Stooges' classic "I Wanna Be Your Dog"
Staind - The Singles: 1996-2006 (Flip/Atlantic) featuring a live acoustic cover of Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb"
Sublime - Everything Under the Sun (Geffen) three-CD and bonus-DVD box set
Tahiti 80 - Fosbury (Militia Group) Justin Timberlake wishes he possessed a tenth of the old-school Michael Jackson/Curtis Mayfield/Sade soul magic that this French quartet delivers in this sexy stateside issue, featuring an exclusive bonus CD EP of covers of songs by The Turtles, the Chi-Lites, and Epic Soundtracks
Tenacious D - Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny (Epic) with guests Ronnie James Dio and Meat Loaf
White Magic - Dat Rosa Mel Apibus (Drag City) featuring Jim White, Sleepy Doug Shaw, and Mira Billoutte
Widespread Panic - Earth to Atlanta: Live at the Fox Theatre 2006 (Sanctuary) two-DVD set filmed this past May
The Wrens - Silver & Secaucus (Commander Venus) their 1994 and 1996 albums on Grass Records, lovingly reissued on Conor Oberst's boutique label
Yusuf - An Other Cup (Ya/Atlantic) formerly known as hit-maker Cat Stevens, his first new "pop" album in 28 years features guest Youssou N'Dour and a appropriate cover of The Animals' classic "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood"
