Additional Music for Download

Oh how your itunes loves you...

Oum Kaltsoum
Reggae Box: Routes of Jamaican Music (Disc 1)

Choubi Choubi: Folk and Pop Songs from Iraq

Evolution (2001)

Well, I'm running a little behind on posts, or maybe I'm just watching too many movies (nahhh), but either way, I've had to pick and choose what cinematic masterpieces/obscurities get first place on the list. And hell, this seemed like a good choice. First of all, it has Dan Aykroyd in it, so it's consistent. And it works off one of my favorite concepts (albeit mocked and degraded)! I saw it several times before I realized that is written (or re-written) by Ivan Reitman, the dude that did Ghostbusters. While suddenly about 50% more of the jokes instantaneously make sense, I have to knock myself on the noggin for not catching it sooner. I mean, really. It should have been pretty fucking obvious as soon as it becomes evident that the plot is going to focus on 3 disgruntled scientist/academic types teaming up with a fourth social derelict in order to combat the powers of the scary, yet amusing, supernatural. While it certainly doesn't bring the same spunk as Ivan's real masterpieces, it does bring about the realization that studio humor has been pathetically degraded over the years. Finally, a major sci-fi comedy that doesn't take itself seriously and yet also wasn't targeted for the 4-14 age bracket (not that everyone doesn't enjoy a good romp with Pluto Nash and Galaxy Quest every once in a while). Although, I guess "major" isn't really a great descriptive concept as I'm sure that not many of you out there in cyberspace have heard of, or at least seen, this movie within the last 5 years. And it's not bad. David Duchovny and Julianne Moore are hot. Orlando Jones and Seann William Scott certainly give it a low-brow feel, but as Spencer and I decided over an intense debate and a Mt. Dew, Ghostbusters probably seemed pretty low-brow at the time of its release as well (a comedy about science fiction reaching a mainstream audience? proposterous!). Combine in some CGI other-worldly monsters (blue apes and dragon types anyone?), Duchovny's ass, a couple of pretty sweet sets, a perceptible move from comedy to sci-fi/action, Orlando Jones' ass, a pair of shotguns, napalm and a really long firehose, and you've got yourself a sure-fire winner.

I deem it: "An enema worth every inch!"

And, just for fun...

Another day....

More free music:

Love, Peace and Poetry: Mexican Psychedelic Music
Love, Peace and Poetry: British Psychedelic Music
Love, Peace and Poetry: Latin American Psychedelic Music
Love, Peace and Poetry: Turkish Psychedelic Music

Turkish Delights
Tresors du Pakistan (I couldn't actually find an album cover for this...)
Musique Iranienne

Istanbul 1925

Masters of Turkish Music

Music of Iraq

ENJOY!

Better Off Dead (1985) and Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)

Another double feature here on This Mortal Coil. I figured that since both of these flicks are pretty well known and appreciated, I would split the screen time and post them both at once. Besides, they're almost the same movie, right? As Spencer pointed out (he gets tiffy when I don't cite him), John Cusack inevitably plays exactly the same character (himself) in every movie that he does, merely in different situations and at different stages of adolescence. Take Better Off Dead for example: we meet Cusack at a particularly angsty part of his life (quite superbly captured I might add) where everything seems absurd, even supernaturally animated, and the most ridiculous things happen (oh teenagers...blowing everything [out of proportion]!). What causes the grief and misery and irreconcilable losses for our young stud?: why a dudette of course! Even his little brother gets more tail than he does! In Grosse Pointe Blank we receive the same ridiculosity (John Cusack as a paid assassin who disappears from his hometown of Grosse Pointe on the night of prom only to return 10 years later for a high school reunion? Are you kidding me?: there's no way Cusack goes to reunions!), and, of course, the same central issue: a woman (this time it's Minnie Driver [a woman after my own heart: prepared {and unscared} for the apocalypse {what in the world is she storing in her cheeks?}]). Other points of absurdity include our little memphis Minnie as a round-the-clock radio DJ who consistently talks about her own life (like anybody cares; what is this, her personal therapy session [they should have totally pulled a Wet Hot]?), Dan Aykroyd as a rival hit-man, and the fact that four Cusack spawn are in the feature. Ahhh!!!(They're totally the gothic Baldwins!)!!! And where in Dead Johnnie proclaims his desperation by attempting to kill himself and his masculinity by skiing the deadliest slope, in Blank he threatens a shrink into seeing him and stabs a man in the jugular with a gifted pen. Ahh, maturity. Overall, I definitely prefer Better Off Dead over Grosse Pointe Blank: I'm sorry, but Aykroyd just can't tip the scale (and not because he's balding). And the guest appearances by Hank Azaria, Jeremy Piven and Jenna Elfman, while entertaining, mostly end up just being douchey (definitely Piven's fault). Also representing the extent of Cusack's ego-rific progress (and no, not the waffle) is a soundtrack clearly picked off his favorite mixed CD and a ton of inside jokes. On the other hand, Better Off Dead manages to retain its magic realism, classic jokes, "great" outfits, ridiculous stereotypes and basically everything that defined adolescent existence in the mid-80's. And, let's face it, no amount of Bond moves or deafened video-game playing shopkeeps and shattered glass can top that.

I deem these films: "Decadently angst-ridden and deliciously morbid!"

I'm sharing free music...

So you should download it!

Forgotten Guitars From Mozambique
The Rough Guide to the Music of Iran
Ho!#1: Roady Music From Vietnam
The Rough Guide to Bollywood Gold

The Rough Guide to Bollywood Legends: Asha Bhosle

Radio Morocco
The Rough Guide to Bollywood Legends: Mohd. Rafi


The Rough Guide to the Music of Balkan Gypsies

Wood that Sings


Swinging Mademoiselles

Radio Palestine

More as it comes....

Scooby Doo (2002) and Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004)

When I first saw Monsters Unleashed, which may or may not have been before I saw the 2002 release, I was mostly confused, and only slightly entertained. Granted, I saw it dubbed in Spanish in a little theater in Bolivia, primarily because we were in the city (as opposed to the orphanage where we were living/working), it was really hot, we had just bought delish hierba from some boy shoe-shiners in the park, and the only other goddamn movie playing in the whole city, for a least a month straight, was that fucking Passion of the Christ. Oh, the Catholics. Hence, Scooby Doo 2. I was lucky enough to understand most of the concepts and all of the CGI, but I missed the most absolutely essential, makes it all worth it, saving grace for these films: Matthew Lillard is a genius! In all fairness, I may have an unnecessarily special place in my heart for Señor Lillard, but I just can't help buying movies that he's been in. Mostly because he's so god-awfully ugly (I'm totally right, right?). SLC Punk was good, no es? And what about...Wing Commander, or Thir13een Ghosts, Hackers. Or what about Summer Catch and She's All That (damn, how many movies have Lillard and the Prinze been in together [according to imdb triva: 5]?)? But of all these movies, the Scooby Doo's are a whole new level of Lillard spectacularity. I don't know if he's acting, or if he could ever act in the first place, but there's no denying that he does the best Shaggy I have ever seen or heard in my life. It's uncanny! It's like the animated Shaggy just stepped into real life and started eating things! I mean, the other characters, played by Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr (They actually married in 2002, so I guess they met on the set of the first movie. Man, it's so iconically teen king and queen, all-american couple!), and some no-name, are just exaggerations of stereotypes encouraged by the audience (Fred is arrogant and doing Daphne, who's always getting captured, but simultaneously can kick ass [how could they not take advantage of those hard-earned Buffy skills?: besides, who wants to see Sarah Michelle when she's not fighting off monsters with battle axes?] and Velma's getting left-out, but works for NASA and has her own fan club [she also gets to do it with Seth Green in the second one {so many high school dreams coming true all at once!}.]). As for Shaggy: he's dead on. As I said, it's really uncanny (You know, Warner actually pushed for a Golden Globe: he def. should have won!). Check it out for yourself. You will have a new-found respect (or just some to begin with) for the Lillard and his Shagster. The rest of the movie is pretty predictable. In fact, I can encompass both live-action pieces with the same descriptive phrases: Color coordinated outfits, guest appearances (Mr. Bean, Sugar Ray, Seth Green, Isla Fischer, Alicia Silverstone, etc), tons o' CGI, bright colors, food and fart (and weed) jokes, monsters, lots of teenagers (or people who can't leave behind their glory years) and a ridiculously "hip" soundtrack. It's Scooby Doo for the new ADD generation! And I'm totally cool with it. I like ridiculosity and shiny objects and when the good-guys always win. I also love Sarah Michelle Gellar (you can track her post-Buffy aura with the Scooby Doo trivia: the first movie is all about her, but the second one has little to say [on anything for that matter; I guess people were just over it {her and the movies}]), and I really really like children's movies. So this one pretty much settles nicely. Ahh, the simplicity of romantic idealizations. And while it's definitely new and different from the original (beware all those hard-core 'stick to the classics' fans), it can definitely help you escape from reality on a Thursday night (or any other night for that matter).

Final Judgment: "How can you go wrong with CGI, a classic concept, and all that 90's star power?"

Africa: Witchcraft and Ritual Music

Recorded in Kenya and Tanzania by David Fanshawe, a prolific and exceedingly exceptional ethnomusicologist, this 12" was released in 1975 on Nonesuch Records. While it may be a little difficult to pick up such a prime piece as this vinyl LP that I have recently acquired, amazon.com does carry the cd, under a slightly different title, in mp3, downloadable, stock. The music itself is pretty fucking incredible, and includes, but is not limited to, the Mwari Initiation, the Pokot Witch Doctor and the Coconut Pickers Song. Fanshawe dilligently collected a series of pertinant information to accompany the tracks and his time and effort really contribute greatly to both the anthropological interest and overall enjoyment of the album. In addition to attempting to glean as much as is visually possible from the photo of the back cover, I strongly urge you to check out Africa: Ceremonial and Folk Music and Spirit of African Sanctus, also by Fanshawe.

Final Judgement: "So good, it must be magic!"

"In this recording, I have tried to capture the spirit of a musical heritage now nearly extinct. The music on this album comes from a part of East Africa whose musical traditions remain largely unknown to the rest of the world. Particularly fascinating is the manner in which music and medicine are combined in the indigenous practice of witchcraft; music takes on the power of medicine, and medicine becomes associated with the healing sound of drums, interwoven with beautiful threads of melody.....
I am deeply indebted to the Ralph Vaughan Williams Trust and The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust for sponsoring my research in Africa, and to all the Government departments concerned who assisted me in the field. I would also like to thank the missionaries (of all denominations), teachers, and guides - and, of course, the African musicians themselves who made it all so worthwhile. - D.F."

The Blues Brothers (1980)

I like to think that this classic isn't really obscure or underrated. But for those few of you out there that haven't seen it, or haven't watched it since adolescence, you better get on it: at least 78.5% of the jokes that you made in the past year are derivatives of this fantastic feature. Also, it has an awesome cast of musicians filling in for Aykroyd and Belushi's passable yet 'not quite enough to keep a major movie afloat' singing. The greats that appear are none other than: James Brown,
Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker, Cab Calloway, and the unforgetable Chaka Khan (who is she again?). Not to mention that the film boasts other "special" appearances by the likes of Carrie Fisher, Steven Spielberg, Twiggy, and the elusive John Candy. With all of those names, how could you go wrong?: The answer is, you can't. So iconic (and ideal for Halloween costumes)! And what cute faces they have!

I deem it: "Delicious gravy with a side of jive turkey."

Don't forget: They're on a mission from God.

Underworld: Evolution (2006)

Well, as I sit here, pondering what wondrous things I can say about movie involving vampires, werewolves, mutant crossbreeds of the two, and buckets and buckets of blood, I have come to realize exactly why I love Underworld and its evolved sequel so much: it's because even though I watch them over and over again, I never actually seem to remember what the fuck happened. I mean, I saw this movie, what, a week ago?, and yet it has already slipped away from my brain, hidden in glamorous and gory mystery, waiting to be plucked from the shelves again. Finally, a DVD that's worth it's price (oh wait, didn't I only pay $4 for this thing?: what, no vamp-dog audiences [you've dropped the ball Disney old friend]?). It's a movie miracle! No, this miraculous state-of-being is not a bad thing; it's quite a good thing, even a great thing! How many nights have I yearned for an emotionless blood-fest sci-fi/fantasy orgasm and yet turned away from my 600+ VHS collection unable to find even one blissful film that I can depend on without knowing the plot back to front before I can get past the FBI warning (I'm sorry Lethal Weapons and Die Hards...)? Too many is the answer: way too many. And here-in (Evolution that is...or is it just 'evolution?') lies the solution. I'm not sure if it's because the plot is so convoluted and poorly explained, or because absolutely everything (except the blood...so, actually about half of everything) is a blue-gray steel color, scene after scene, without fail. It could have something to do with the fact that the sequel depends on the first (which, of course, I can't remember the plot to) when it absolutely shouldn't, and then manages to succumb to its own twisted fate. Or maybe it's just the shininess of Kate Beckinsale's ass in vinyl (ahh, my two favorite things) that has blinded me into amnesia. Either way, I love vampires. I love lycans. I love mutants with slashing wings. I especially love Kate Beckinsale. Oh, and guns and high-powered cross bows and other means of destruction. For all of these things, I can (literally) watch Underworld: Evolution time after time and always leave feeling satisfied. Mmm tasty.

I deem it: "A salvation from, or tumble into, mind-consuming cinema."

A Little Piece of Bollywood

If you have 3 minutes and 45 seconds, and would like to taste a golden piece of awesomeness, check out this hipshakingly amazing video.
Mehbooba. Oh Mehbooba.