I highly recommend the film The Proposition, written by Nick Cave--yes, the baddest seed of them all--and directed by John Hillcoat. It's the best flick I've seen this Summer, touching on Joseph Conrad, Samuel Beckett, John Ford, Peckinpah (mainly Pat Garret and Billy the Kid) and Tarantino (at his gritty realistic best--not Kill Bill) through soul cleansing biblical allegory with Guy Pearce's Charlie Burns as the Abel dispatched to kill Danny Huston's Cain. At once shamanistic, transcendental and deeply misanthropic, Huston's Arthur is one of the great villains in film history. His crimes are only whispered of, yet he's never too busy stabbing/raping to appreciate a brief poetic moment or wax philosophical before a glorious sunset. Excellent cinematography and droning film score (by Cave and Warren Ellis). This one DEMANDS big screen viewing and is as gory and grimy as the hellish "uncivilized" landscape its set in. Highly, highly, highly recommended. Got it?

Also just received a big package of releases on the New American Folk Hero label, including droned out raga greatness from Mike Tamburo, Keenan Lawler, Matt McDowell, Meisha, Fathmount, Tusk Lord, Nüx, Bradam Streiple (who?) and even more. Looking forward to digging into this stuff in the coming weeks. So far (having dipped into Tusk Lord, Nüx, Tambura/McDowell and Bradam Streiple disks) so very, very sweet. Thanks so much, Mr. Folk Hero!

And Echo and the Bunnymen were INCREDIBLE the other night. No lie. The set focused heavily on the first three albums and they closed with "Ocean Rain" in all its swarthy epic noise rocking glory. Not a show to be missed, postpunkers.

Also, go see Six Organs of Admittance touring with Hush Arbors if they come near you. Both have released some truly mind-blowing works of late.
(from Drag City)
Thu July 6 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Fri July 7 Cambridge, MA Middle East Upstairs
Sat July 8 Philadelphia, PA Khyber
Sun July 9 Arlington, VA Iota
Tue July 11 Chapel Hill, NC Cat's Cradle
Wed July 12 Atlanta, GA The Earl
Thu July 13 Lexington, KY The Dame
Fri July 14 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle
Sat July 15 Detroit, MI Magic Stick
Mon July 17 Cleveland, OH Beachland Tavern
Wed July 19 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall
Sat, July 29 Seattle, WA Neumo's
Sun July 30 Vancouver, BC Canada Media Club
Fri Aug 4 Santa Cruz, CA The Attic

That's all for now, brothers and sisters. Go Mavs. Fuck this Heat!