Saturday, April 17, 2010

Johann Johannsson w/ String Sextet & The Rafael Anton Irrisari
Trio at the Triple Door : May 12 / US Tour Apr 30 - May 15


Unquantifiably-amazing bill of the Rafael Anton Irisarri Trio (Rafael, Kelly Wyse of the Seattle Pianist Collective
& Phil Petrocelli on Percussion) opening for Icelandic composer Johann Johannsson who's touring with his most
recent album of grandly melancholy Neoclassical compositions. Which (to these ears) is proving to be his greatest
work to date. "In the Endless Pause There Came the Sound of Bees" finally officially released on Type Records in
April as a soundtrack to Marc Craste’s animated film "Varmints" highlighting his usual Chamber Symphonic work
for strings, piano and voice, but in a more sombre, subdued and crepuscular tone that the the last two consciously
grandiose, knowingly 'epic', (what I felt were a bit bloated), albums for 4AD. Highly anticipating the upcoming US
tour, especially considering that the Seattle show is with Miasmah/Immune recording artist Rafael Irisarri and his
new 'band' as a trio expending and interpreting both his, and Arvo Part's works as a minimalistic interplay of
Classical, Doom-Rock and Electronic refinement delivered with both great weight and subtlety. Check the Type
Records and Johannsson sites for tour dates throughout May.

Link to official Rafael Anton Irisarri site

Link to official Johann Johannsson site

Link to Studio AKA "Varmints" site

Link to Type Records "In the Endless Pause There Came the Sound of Bees" site

Link to Triple Door Calendar site

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Werner Herzog & Bela Tarr's new films "My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done"
& "Man From London" at NWFF : April 5 - 16


Two masters of the 'slow & difficult' are back with new ones this week at Northwest Film Forum!
Bela Tarr's most recent was released internationally a couple years ago, so it's been overlong to
appearing stateside. "Man from London"'s premise appears to have a good bit more 'going on' than
"Satantango" or some of his other recent work, being a noir murder witness/detective tale... but don't
expect action or suspense, Tarr's work is fundamentally about atmosphere and time. Slow, slow, slow
time... but often exceptionally shot in a manner that the weighty gloom of the works create an enveloping
'place' experienced. Werner Herzog is back with another drama! His recent run of documentaries have
been significantly more successful than his dramas, their absurdist take on truth/event/perspective/
subjectivity have revealed his own distinct perspective on society in ways his dramas have failed.
"My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done" looks to be working that very same absurdism, especially that
David Lynch is involved with the project, yet I remain uncertain going into this one. The cast also gives
me some hesitation, especially the combination of Dafoe & Sevigny, but curiosity is going to win-out!

Link to Northwest Film Forum 'Man from London' site

Link to Northwest Film Forum 'My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done' site