MORRICONE, ENNIO Forza G (Cinevox) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The soundtrack to a 1971 Duccio Tessari film about from what I can gather competitive airplanery and romance. The synopsis: "A Young Guy Fascinated by life in the clouds becomes a pilot in the Italian flying team, the Frecce Tricolori. His Dream to become a successful pilot leads him to experiment hightly dangerous feats, which enable him and the rest of the team to beat the English team in an international flying competition." Hmmmmm, looking past that moronic plot, I listened to the music with an open mind cuz I love love love Ennio Morricone. The music is very light and whimsical in a '70s optimistic sort of way. Plucking string sound, tinkling bells. He does a version of the theme music in his signature western style, with the horns and all. Happy and light, appropriate for an ironic tea party or listening with your mom. Certainly for the Morricone completist, but not by any stretch of the imagination his best.
RealAudio clip: "Sospesi Fra Le Nuvole"
RealAudio clip: "Forza G"

MORRICONE, ENNIO Four Velvet Flies / Quattro Mosche di Velluto Grigio (Cinevox) cd 16.98
Was this film a comedy or a thriller? It's hard to tell from the soundtrack, which was composed by our favorite score maestro Ennio Morricone. (Did anyone else see him at the Academy Awards? He's such a legend that I was kind of surprised he's still alive.) This half hour slip of a score for "Quattro Mosche di Velluto Grigio" ("The Four Velvet Flies" or "Four Flies On Grey Velvet" depending on who's doing the translating) starts out all pop-like with psychedelic piano, wailing guitar, and wordless vocalizations, all bespeaking some sort of '60s madcap caper film, then these quickly devolve into sinister rumblings and tense atmospheres.
RealAudio clip: "4 Mosche Di Velluto Grigio"

MORRICONE, ENNIO Giornata Nera Per L'ariete (Dagored) cd 14.98

MORRICONE, ENNIO Gli Intoccabili (Dagored) cd 14.98
Although "Gli Intoccabili" ("The Untouchables") is the soundtrack to a 1968 gangster thriller starring John Cassavetes, Peter Falk, and Britt Ekland, this is not the most exciting of Ennio Morricone's soundtracks. In fact, the main theme "La Ballata Di Hank McCain" is a mellow pop song straining towards epic portents of doom for the main character, apparently. It's a dark thrill of a song, like Scott Walker if produced by Burt Bacharach. The rest of the album, however, is merely quiet and nice, slightly melancholy, slightly sweet -- tasteful E-Z listening.
RealAudio clip: "La Ballata Di Hank McCain"
RealAudio clip: "Defilee"

MORRICONE, ENNIO Gli Occhi Freddi Della Paura (Dagored) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
At long last, this rather legendary soundtrack album shows up on cd in our racks. Morricone appreciators, "kosmigroov" junkies, and experimental improv fans have all been salivating over rumors of this re-issue, and all that eager anticipation is quite justified. Genius Italian soundtrack composer Ennio Morricone is best known for both his lounge-style pop music for Italian sex kitten comedies and other flicks, and also of course for his stunning, atmospheric (and archetypal) soundtracks to Westerns such as For a Few Dollars More. Here at AQ, we worship Morricone.
So what a pleasant thrill discover that this soundtrack to a 1971 erotic thriller called The Cold Eyes of Fear does indeed live up to its reputation, and instead of those usual expected Morricone sounds, we're treated to complex, sinister jazz strikingly similar to '70s electric-era Miles Davis circa "Live/Evil" and "Get Up With It". We can't imagine what must be going on in the film while this deliciously avant garde material is playing. There's simmering trumpet (blown by Morricone himself!), catwalking bass, pell mell drumming and other weird atmospheric percussive effects. It makes sense that the soundtrack was performed by Morricone's own outfit of musical innovators, the Gruppo di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza who've themselves been the subject of two recent and highly-regarded reissues. This soundtrack takes the Gruppo's 20th century chamber-improv and adds some definite grooves, although there's plenty of totally free sounding moments as well. Highly recommended!
RealAudio clip: "Seguita"
RealAudio clip: "Evaporazione"

MORRICONE, ENNIO Gli Occhi Freddi Della Paura (Dagored) lp 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
At long last, this rather legendary soundtrack album shows up on cd in our racks. Morricone appreciators, "kosmigroov" junkies, and experimental improv fans have all been salivating over rumors of this re-issue, and all that eager anticipation is quite justified. Genius Italian soundtrack composer Ennio Morricone is best known for both his lounge-style pop music for Italian sex kitten comedies and other flicks, and also of course for his stunning, atmospheric (and archetypal) soundtracks to Westerns such as For a Few Dollars More. Here at AQ, we worship Morricone.
So what a pleasant thrill discover that this soundtrack to a 1971 erotic thriller called The Cold Eyes of Fear does indeed live up to its reputation, and instead of those usual expected Morricone sounds, we're treated to complex, sinister jazz strikingly similar to '70s electric-era Miles Davis circa "Live/Evil" and "Get Up With It". We can't imagine what must be going on in the film while this deliciously avant garde material is playing. There's simmering trumpet (blown by Morricone himself!), catwalking bass, pell mell drumming and other weird atmospheric percussive effects. It makes sense that the soundtrack was performed by Morricone's own outfit of musical innovators, the Gruppo di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza who've themselves been the subject of two recent and highly-regarded reissues. This soundtrack takes the Gruppo's 20th century chamber-improv and adds some definite grooves, although there's plenty of totally free sounding moments as well. Highly recommended!

MORRICONE, ENNIO Holocaust 2000/Sesso In Confessionale (Spalax) cd 14.98
Soundtracks to two Morricone-scored films, on cd for the first time.

MORRICONE, ENNIO Il Buono, Il Brutto, Il Cattivo (OST) (EMI / Edel) cd 17.98
The Good, The Bad, The Ugly! An amazing classic. It took a little while for us to list this baby since it was rereleased last year, but that doesn't mean we don't absolutely adore it!!! The film features incredible scenic shots and notable performances by Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef and Mario Brega, and was directed by Sergio Leone. Il Buono, Il Brutto, Il Cattivo could be the one film that really transcended the spaghetti western. You can aaaaaalmost forget while watching that it was made by Italians in Spain.
A brilliant and epic soundtrack utilized that whistle of "doo-da-doo-da-doo" that came to iconify the mood of the film for generations of movie-watchers. Used over and over again throughout the soundtrack in intricate ways over a variety of instruments, it is never cheesy or lack-luster. Some great tension building moments here with an impressive orchestration that maintains that sort of Italian sexiness. Incredible!
This version is the 2004 Italian rerelease with some engineering and musicians notes as well as some pretty awful photoshop butchery from video stills. We love it! If you don't already have a copy, definitely pick this one up.
MPEG Stream: "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly"
MPEG Stream: "Il Triello"

MORRICONE, ENNIO Il Mercenario (Gianni Dell'Orso) cd 16.98
This is the Ennio Morricone soundtrack to the 1968 film "Il Mercenario', a story about a Mexican General of the Revolution and his corrupt hired mercenary. Stereotypically spaghetti western stuff (lots of whoops and yee haws). Creepy whistling amidst dramatic reverb percussion and western acoustic guitar, interspersed with drunken rowdy songs sung in Spanish. There are some extremely beautiful and lonely guitar n' organ moments on this soundtrack, and it is at these times you can tell there is some sort of love story amidst all the fighting. The chorus with trumpet in the finale places this in ranks of other Morricone western greats like A Fistful of Dollars and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly!
RealAudio clip: "Bamba Vivace"
RealAudio clip: "Il Mercenario"

MORRICONE, ENNIO Il Poliziotto Della Brigata Criminale (Dagored) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
One of Morricone's FINEST soundtracks, this is from an obscure 1975 French crime thriller starring Jean-Paul Belmondo. Dreamy, almost unearthly female vocals, clear and high remind us that Morricone not only did spaghetti westerns, but made space age pop as well. Intense arpeggiated piano accented with wailing sax, and some of the creepiest swirling swarms of violins I have ever heard (think Gorecki). This will definitely appeal to fans of another bestselling soundtrack here at Aquarius: "The Taking of Pelham 123". Very, very cool.

MORRICONE, ENNIO Il Prefetto Di Ferro/Il Mostro (Spalax) cd 14.98
Soundtracks to two Morricone-scored films, on cd for the first time.

MORRICONE, ENNIO Il Serpente (Dagored) cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
In terms of listenability on its own, without filmic images, Il Serpente is one of Morricone's better soundtracks, and thus it's a nice surprise, as it's been hard to keep track of all the reissues. Although the 1972 Italian / French production (released in the USA as "Night Flight from Moscow") is a cold war spy thriller starring Yul Brynner, Henry Fonda, and Dirk Bogarde, the theme song nevertheless sounds like a love theme -- and one of the most moving love themes Morricone ever composed, with alternately plucked 'n soaring strings and a woman's wordless siren song. Fucking gorgeous! (It's the first sample below.) Several of the following tracks echo that theme in melody and tone, yet there are also healthy doses of wah-wah guitar and pychedelic organ (no doubt for a chase scene), funereal organs, a martial parade interlude, avant percussive playfulness (let's see, I'm thinking empty warehouse filled with life size statues of Stalin), and lots more. The contrast between the theme song and the other more sprightly touches make this an interesting, winning listen all on its own. Really well done. A Windy fave.
RealAudio clip: "Canzone Lontana"
RealAudio clip: "Nadine"

MORRICONE, ENNIO Il Serpente (Dagored) lp 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
In terms of listenability on its own, without filmic images, Il Serpente is one of Morricone's better soundtracks, and thus it's a nice surprise, as it's been hard to keep track of all the reissues. Although the 1972 Italian / French production (released in the USA as "Night Flight from Moscow") is a cold war spy thriller starring Yul Brynner, Henry Fonda, and Dirk Bogarde, the theme song nevertheless sounds like a love theme -- and one of the most moving love themes Morricone ever composed, with alternately plucked 'n soaring strings and a woman's wordless siren song. Fucking gorgeous! (It's the first sample below.) Several of the following tracks echo that theme in melody and tone, yet there are also healthy doses of wah-wah guitar and pychedelic organ (no doubt for a chase scene), funereal organs, a martial parade interlude, avant percussive playfulness (let's see, I'm thinking empty warehouse filled with life size statues of Stalin), and lots more. The contrast between the theme song and the other more sprightly touches make this an interesting, winning listen all on its own. Really well done. A Windy fave.

MORRICONE, ENNIO Indagine Su Di Un Cittadino Al Di Sopra (Dagored) lp 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

MORRICONE, ENNIO Indagine Su Un Cittadino Al Di Sopra De Ochi Sospetto (Cinevox) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

MORRICONE, ENNIO L'Antichristo / Sepolta Viva (Spalax) cd 17.98
Soundtracks to two Morricone-scored films, on cd for the first time.

MORRICONE, ENNIO L'Assoluto Naturale (Cinevox) cd 16.98
The plot, as best I can tell, of the 1969 Mauro Bolognini film "She and He" involves a man who's looking for true love but chooses a woman who just wants sex, when it doesn't work out, he plots to have her kill him with a car. The warped sex and frustration is evident in this soundtrack. The music is beautiful, classy and sooooo '60s.
RealAudio clip: "L'Assoluto Naturale"
RealAudio clip: "E' facile"

MORRICONE, ENNIO L'Attentato (Dagored) cd 14.98
Il Maestro Morricone's score to a 1972 French/Italian political thriller movie starring Roy Scheider and Jean Seberg, although not having seen the film I would have thought it was some sort of Dario Argento horror/occult flick, based on the music. True, there's some typically cinematic/romantic interludes between the "suspense" parts, but many of the tracks employ a scary Tony Conrad-worthy string drone, which on track five ("Sinfonia Per L'Attentato") acts as a backdrop to ominous, syncopated Goblin-style minimal "funk" vamping, resulting in something that sounds almost like AQ-fave post/krautrockers Kammerflimmer Kollektief playing music from "Psycho".... Dramatic and intense, indeed. LP is 180 gram vinyl, gatefold cover.
RealAudio clip: "Sinfonia Per L'Attentato"

MORRICONE, ENNIO L'Attentato (Dagored) lp 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Il Maestro Morricone's score to a 1972 French/Italian political thriller movie starring Roy Scheider and Jean Seberg, although not having seen the film I would have thought it was some sort of Dario Aregento horror/occult flick, based on the music. True, there's some typically cinematic/romantic interludes between the "suspense" parts, but many of the tracks employ a scary Tony Conrad-worthy string drone, which on track five ("Sinfonia Per L'Attentato") acts as a backdrop to ominous, syncopated Goblin-style minimal "funk" vamping, resulting in something that sounds almost like AQ-fave post/krautrockers Kammerflimmer Kollektief playing music from "Psycho".... Dramatic and intense, indeed. LP is 180 gram vinyl, gatefold cover.

MORRICONE, ENNIO L'Istruttoria E'Chiusa: Dimentichi (Dagored) cd 16.98

MORRICONE, ENNIO L'Uccello Dalle Piume Di Christallo (Cinevox) cd 16.98
Originally released in 1969, this is the soundrack for Dario Argento's "The Bird with the Crystal Plumage", which is rumoured to be an amazing movie. The soundtrack starts with a creepy Rosemary's Baby feel -- tinkling bells and reverby girl vocals. The soundtrack has a light 'n' soft 'n' romantic feel, eerie yet poppy overall with some goofy songs strewn about. A few sexy noisy songs with hectic drums. Crazy and often beautiful.
RealAudio clip: "Piume di Cristallo"
RealAudio clip: "L' uccello dalle Piume di Cristallo"

MORRICONE, ENNIO La Califfa (OST) (Dagored) cd 15.98

MORRICONE, ENNIO La Corta Notte Delle Bambole Di Vetro (Dagored) cd 15.98
Another moody, beautiful film score by Morricone for this 1971 thriller by Aldo Lado, also known as Short Night of the Glass Dolls. It's about a guy who's girlfriend (a young Barbara Bach) disappears, he finds himself "awake" in a comatose state trying to figure out what happened, and tries to come out of it before they autopsy him. The score, as you can imagine, is a little spooky of course though it also features lots of moaning. Profondo Italiano.
MPEG Stream: "Valzer"
MPEG Stream: "Notte E Bambole"

MORRICONE, ENNIO La Donna Invisible (Dagored) cd 14.98

MORRICONE, ENNIO Metti Una Sera A Cena (Cinevox) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

MORRICONE, ENNIO Morricone 2000 (Dagored) cd 15.98

MORRICONE, ENNIO Morricone 2001 (Dagored) cd 14.98
The second Morricone collection to be compiled by Alan Bishop (of Sun City Girls). The Italian soundtrack composer's immense boundless talent is such that it can be distilled into sharper focus -- his Western stuff, or the lounge/exotica, or the suspense film work. While this collection focuses on (sometimes schmaltzy) orchestrated themes, it will certainly be of interest to the folks who liked Morricone 2000.

MORRICONE, ENNIO Morricone Giallo (Bella Casa / Cherry Red) cd 17.98

MORRICONE, ENNIO Morricone In The Brain (Blowing Your Mind With The Maestro) (Bella Casa) cd 15.98
It seems one can never have enough of Ennio Morricone's sublime cinematic orchestrations. Here's a new compilation of scores from a variety of films spanning the years 1965-1981, that's heavy on the ear candy and less concerned with the actual films that spawned them. As far as we can tell, none of the iconic spaghetti western themes are here, but there is a bit of overlap from other compilations, most notably the Alan Bishop compiled Crime and Dissonance comp from a couple of years ago. But while that compilation celebrated the darker and more trepidatious side of Morricone's oeuvre , this compilation is all about a sparkling joie de vive, taking the listener through a wide variety of styles, from wistful melancholy to goof-ball reverie and everywhere in between. And we mean everywhere! Some tracks are like a summer scooter ride through Rome, while others feel like tropical danger in Namibia. There's madcap Moog, poly-rhythmic madness, on-the-move organ psych, heart-wrenching vocalizing, and so much more. While that Crime and Dissonance comp did not make for pleasant road trip music, this new comp more than makes up for it. And it's a wonderful starting place for those who are new to Morricone's world of sound or for those who are looking to explore beyond his more well-known themes.
MPEG Stream: "Ninna Per Adulteri"
MPEG Stream: "Rag Nuziale"
MPEG Stream: "Anghingo"
MPEG Stream: "Bianco Rosso & Verdone"

MORRICONE, ENNIO Morricone Kill: Spaghetti Western Magic From The Maestro (Cherry Red) cd 16.98

MORRICONE, ENNIO Psichedelico Jazzistico (Cherry Red / El) cd 16.98

MORRICONE, ENNIO Psycho Morricone (GDM) cd 16.98
Ah, Morricone compilations. So many to choose from, so little time (and money). Being an avowed Morricone fan-atic, I (Windy) have had to be very very picky with all these records suddenly appearing out of the woodwork. I mean, we want quality, right. Some bang for our buck. It's quite nice that Dagored has taken to releasing worthy, whole soundtracks to single films that Morricone scored (altho please put out Come Maddalena!), and yes, it's also nice when a variety of labels collect the best tracks for those of you who only want one or two Morricone cds. But the *point* of the collections is to represent his best work, and to dispense with the filler tracks, or the ones that just obviously don't work when there's no images to accompany them. Unfortunately it would appear that Psycho Morricone, which claims to feature tracks from twelve Morricone-scored films such as Copkiller, Il Serpente, L'Attentato, Revolver, etc, is comprised of just that: filler! It's decent music of course, but Morricone fans will not find any unearthed gems, or even any memorable melodies or effects. It's basically lot of scary high-pitched violins, and some rackety percussion, and it's only slightly scary or 'psycho'. I'm looking forward to hearing the other attempts by GDM to collect Morricone stuff, namely the Bizarre Morricone and the Chase Morricone titles, but this one is, sadly, a disappointment.
RealAudio clip: "Rapimento"
RealAudio clip: "Paura e aggressione"

MORRICONE, ENNIO Revolver (Dagored) cd 14.98

MORRICONE, ENNIO Slalom (Dagored) cd 14.98
As we have said, genius Italian soundtrack composer Ennio Morricone is best known for both his lounge-style pop music for Italian sex kitten comedies and other flicks, and also the stunning, atmospheric (and archetypal) soundtracks to Westerns such as For a Few Dollars More. The soundtrack to Slalom falls into the former category, the bouncy "space age bachelor pad" stuff, and if you're a fan of the Dagored label that's been responsible for so many recent excellent reissues, you'll probably like this one too.

MORRICONE, ENNIO Tepepa (Dagored) cd 15.98
A classic Spaghetti Western soundtrack from 1969. This film, Tepepa (also known as Blood And Guns or Long Live The Revolution), features Orson Welles as the evil Colonel Cascorro. Sounds of the film, such as desert noises or gunshots, punctuate the orchestral swells of the music. A stunning and beautiful classic.
MPEG Stream: "Viva La Revolucion (Tepepa)"
MPEG Stream: "Tradimento Primo"

MORRICONE, ENNIO The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (Capitol) cd 5.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
**SALE **SALE* *SALE**
If you're gonna own any Morricone soundtracks, or Spaghetti Western ones, or heck soundtracks in general, you gotta have this one - and it's now only five bucks! With its famous whistling theme, a motif which recurs throughout, Morricone's bombastic, evocative music for Sergio Leone's 1966 epic Western is what helped make it a classic - along with the performances of Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach as the titular characters, of course. Morricone's soundtrack too is a classic, and a good example of many aspects of the maestro's music that have had a big influence in various ways on such disparate artists as Sun City Girls, Grails, Barn Owl, John Zorn, and Bjorn Olsson.
Also, it's awesome that the interior of the cd booklet consists solely of stills from the movie, specifically close ups of just the eyes of the three main characters in 3 two-page photo spreads, presumably staring each other down at the climax of the film.
21 track expanded edition.
MPEG Stream: "The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly (Main Title)"
MPEG Stream: "Marcia"
MPEG Stream: "The Ecstasy Of Gold"

MORRICONE, ENNIO The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (Dagored) lp 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Also known as "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly", this is Ennio Morricone's most famous movie theme. Contains ten tracks *not* on the 1966 original soundtrack. We have this on cd (Italian title) and also on LP -- 180 gm virgin vinyl gatefold double LP with poster.

MORRICONE, ENNIO Ultimate Morricone (DagoRed) 24 cd box 194.00

MORRICONE, ENNIO White Dog OST (Film Score Monthly) cd 17.98
Samuel Fuller's dynamic and gritty film career often courted controversy but it was this last film he made in the US in 1982 that was perhaps his most controversial of all. White Dog, based on the Romain Gary book of the same name and starring Kristy McNichol, Paul Winfield and Burl Ives, is a social thriller about a stray dog found and taken in by McNichol and the harrowing discovery that her new pet was trained by previous owners to attack and kill black people. After several attacks and one brutal killing, desperate attempts are made to try and cure the dog of his trained behaviors, the most radical and questionably successful method by a trainer played by Paul Winfield, a black man. The overarching themes and hard questions raised by the movie whether racism can be unlearned or is indeed incurable were too controversial for the time and Paramount pictures suppressed the film after receiving negative press attention accusing the film of being racist before its release. It didn't even get a proper dvd release until 2008, by the Criterion Collection. Originally slated to be Tony Scott's directorial debut, his lack of a coherent script forced producers to turn to Sam Fuller and screenwriter Curtis Hanson (LA Confidential, 8 Mile). Fuller douses the film with a B-movie grittiness, and it's his hard line look at racism dead on that makes this film so dramatically compelling. The movie never had a trailer, but one YouTube user made one and it's pretty damn great and shows how the amazing score by the one and only Ennio Morricone is used to full dramatic effect (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhkrvBNnAcw). Morricone utilizes a dreamy but pensive title theme with piano, reeds, and strings that is pastorally lilting, but tinged with an undefined creepiness. Like David Shire's score for The Conversation, Morricone's score lingers lovingly on the surface, but is all paranoid foreboding underneath, and like The Conversation, beautiful to listen to on its own. We highly recommend watching this film though as well as pretty much anything else by Sam Fuller!
MPEG Stream: "Main Title"
MPEG Stream: "Dog's Return"
MPEG Stream: "Sweeper Attack"
MPEG Stream: "Cage Escape"
MPEG Stream: "Absentmindedly From A Radio Far Away"

MORRICONE, ENNIO / DARIO ARGENTO An Ennio Morricone - Dario Argento Trilogy (DRG Movies) cd 15.98
Includes The Bird With The Crystal Plumage, The Cat O' Nine Tails, and Four Flies On Grey Velvet.

MORRICONE, ENNIO, & BRUNO NICOLAI Dalle Ardenne.../Il Sorriso... (Spalax) cd 14.98
Soundtracks to two Morricone-scored films, on cd for the first time.

MORRIS, CHRIS Blue Jam (Warp) cd 17.98
I have become completely obsessed with Chris Morris. He makes me sad. Sad that we don't have anyone nearly as funny in the United States.
He's been a staple of British radio / television for years now. And it seems like since day one, he's been trying to get himself blackballed. Or killed. His BBC program The Day Today, was a Today Show parody. Complete with a washed up, neurotic weatherman (the also amazing Steve Coogan), a narcissistic and completely cruel host (Morris), and a gorgeous and ice cold business reporting babe that spoke in complete gibberish. After The Day Today was cancelled, came Brass Eye, one of the funniest shows I have ever seen. This time a parody of evening news programs like 48 Hours or 60 Minutes, taking things even further. The goal of this show seemed to be to publically humiliate trusted government officials and public figures (quite successfully we should add) and contributed to Brass Eye's rather brief run. Then came Blue Jam, a totally surreal and unstructured radio show. featuring bizarre (and often offensive) free association / high (low) concept skits over music from a who's who of modern electronica / trip hop (Later turned into an even more unstructured television program called Jam. loosely adapted from the radio show). The Blue Jam cd is basically the best bits from the Blue Jam radio show, featuring Chris Morris and a few other folks, eating and killing and arguing and shitting off their limbs (?) over music from Labradford, Propellerheads, Amon Tobin, Funki Porcini, Herbaliser, Brian Eno, Aphex Twin, Fila Brazillia, 9lazy9, Clifford Gilberto, Jimi Tenor, and more. Until we can get Brass Eye over here, Chris Morris comes to you only via Blue Jam, quite possibly the funniest headphone mindfuck ever.
RealAudio clip: "Blue Jam 05"
RealAudio clip: "Blue Jam 07"
RealAudio clip: "Blue Jam 12"
RealAudio clip: "Blue Jam 16"
RealAudio clip: "Blue Jam 20"

MORRIS, JOE Singularity (AUM Fidelity) cd 14.98
Boston-based guitar improviser Joe Morris busts out the steel-string acoustic for this solo set, which doesn't really sound too far removed from his electric excursions, since he's known for his clean, bright, effects-less sound. In fact, the twang and resonance of the steel-string seems *more* distorted than other stuff of his we've heard. Anyway, this is a nice, mesmerizing, restrained workout.
RealAudio clip: "Shape"

MORRIS, LAWRENCE D. "BUTCH" Conduction 23 (New World Records) cd 15.98

MORRISON, BILL Decasia: The State Of Decay (Plexifilm) dvd 22.00
This is the most beautiful movie we have ever seen. EVER. And it is so appropriately Aquarius. Similar to how we love records buried in shortwave interference and vinyl hiss, and embrace all the crackle and pops and skips that add such depth and color to otherwise sterile recordings, Decasia takes that same tack with the visual. Compiled entirely from found film stock that had been archived and for the most part improperly stored, this is a gorgeous and meditative collage of stirring images, made even more so by the chemical reactions that threaten to overtake the images on screen, like some sort of plague or demon. Grainy and rich, the films have been affected in all sorts of beautiful ways by the elements: changing colors, stuttering frames, amorphous shapes, rotting filmstock with pure light shining through and every permutation in between. Obviously visually stunning, but equally thrilling is the score performed by the Bang On A Can Ensemble who in composing and performing this, simulated sonic decay by detuning their instruments and using prepared pianos. The result is totally haunting and absolutely mesmerising. My girlfriend's uncle showed me a film once called Alexander Nevsky by the late great Soviet director Sergei Eisenstein, an epic tale of Russian resiliance. He had gone to great lengths to find a restored copy, where both the picture and the score had been repaired and now looked and sounded as close to flawless as was possible. I finally discovered a copy for myself, but it was an early version, not restored, with all sorts of visual detritus, and the sound was really scratchy and fuzzy and often indistinct. But it was so much better than the restored version, like a lost artifact (which it sort of was) finally unearthed, a mysterious glimpse into another time, the years and years imprinted on the film like the lines on an aging face, or the green cast of tarnished copper. Decasia celebrates deterioration and disintegration in very much the same way, letting time and nature run its course and simply observing the natural beauty inherent in decay.

MORRISON, BILL The Balloon Man (Sharpeworld) cd 23.00
Whoa, this is really... something! This cd is subtitled "40 one minute BIO-VIGNETTES by BILL MORRISON Recorded in 1971". And yes, it certainly is.
So, who the heck is The Balloon Man? Well, we're certain that he's not Bill Morrison the filmmaker who made Decasia, nor is he Bill Morrison the videographer/musician who plays with Skinny Puppy. Nope, they're different fellows altogether. This Bill Morrison was a real 'one-of-a-kind' -- a peculiar nightclub performer who back in '71 concocted the idea of pre-taped one minute long radio shows. He believed they would make for a lucrative career move. Problem was, no one else at the time agreed. And it's not really all that hard to see why. But we know as well as you, that there's just not enough stuff like this in the world. If only we were around (well AQ was, but WE weren't) to stand up and proudly proclaim the... um... brilliance of this wacked and damaged disc.
A Morrison minute can range from a totally focussed yet still absurd commentary to a completely oblique bizarre tangent. Along the way he touches on subject matter such as cars, brain tumors, coats, rectal disease, Leonardo DaVinci, wanting to stay in the womb when he was being born, and yes balloons. Hear him chuckling to himself about the how-to's of balloon blowing, getting himself riled up about blowing up balloons in different social situations, hollering a short phrase like "I sometimes think I should be! Y'know!" or "Oh oh oh oh oooh oooooooooh!" repeatedly until he's filled up the 60 seconds, and assorted other funny voices, noises and yuks. Sometimes he even continues to rant right over the cheery banjo'n'horn theme music that ends each vignette. Be sure to read the segments' titles, they're a hoot all by themselves! "Leftover Turkey", "Simple Balloon Animals: a Sequence", "Sex Between The Big Toe", "Make A Balloonskin Coat", "Bleeding Salmon", "In The Water But There's Something But You"!
So yeah, you might've guessed the shows never aired. A year later along came Mal Sharpe (of the inimitable, 1960's absurdist men-on-the-street Coyle & Sharpe -- if you haven't done so yet, please do yourself a favor and familiarize yourself with this duo... seriously!) who decided to make a short film about this Balloon Man. Now jump ahead over thirty years, and Sharpe's daughter Jennifer has just released those long-unheard recordings on cd. Whew! These forty unrelenting minutes could almost be a fairground attraction. How much can you take? Last 'til "Leftover Turkey" win a pencil! Last 'til "Go Climb A Rock" win a pair of socks! Last 'til "Balloon Man Take Me To Wherever You Are Going" win a date with Balloon Man! Okay, not quite. One thing though, be sure to listen to it in a relatively quiet setting 'cause if your space is even remotely noisy you'll probably only be able to hear random mumbles, hoots and guffaws between the much more, ahem, stable crystal clear theme music.
Very limited edition of 300 packaged in very sharp lookin' (oops, no pun intended) letterpress printed covers.
MPEG Stream: "Sex Between The Big Toe"
MPEG Stream: "Balloon Person's Birth"

MORRISON, VAN Celebrities At Their Worst 3.1: Van Morrison's Contract Breaking Sessions (M.D.W.C.G.C.G.) cd-r 11.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Having been released both in excerpt and complete form at various times in the past, the Mad God... label has decided to take a stab as well as part of their Celebrities At Their Worst series. The story goes that Bert Berns, who ran the label "Bang" on which Morrison released his first album, proceeded to release an album from a later session of recordings against Morrison's will. After Bern's passed away from a heart attack in 1967 his widow offered to release Morrison from his contractual obligations providing he record one more album for the label and give Bang Records the publishing rights. Rather than give them Astral Weeks, he slapped together 31 tracks of tomfoolery, many of which poke fun at Berns and his musical tastes.
RealAudio clip: "The Big Royalty Check"
RealAudio clip: "Want A Danish"
RealAudio clip: "Dumb Dumb George"

MORRISSEY Morrissey, You Are The Quarry (Attack) cd + dvd 22.00
Four years have passed since his last album Maladjusted, and it's comforting to know that Morrissey still sounds like Morrissey. Ever passionate, slightly poncy and petulant, he's always been the man with a brimming breast pocket full of wry metaphors and razor-sharp insult /compliments both self-deprecatory and directed at other. Grand orchestrations of stormy guitars, strings, flute (!) and keyboards provide the lush backdrop for the unmistakable soar and swoop of his voice. Be forewarned though that hearing the lead-off song might leave you wincing and worrying (as we were) that his bitter-bittersweet heartbreak poetry might be in short supply. Granted when you have a history of writing such stunning clever treasures as "The Boy With A Thorn In His Side" and "Girlfriend In A Coma", you've set the bar to a lofty height. Yet on this first song, Morrissey chose to set aside matters of the heart in favor of very pointed socio-political commentary. Suitably jarring, the very first words uttered are "America, your head's too big" (he also sings "America, they brought you the hamburger"!). The directness of his lyric writing is admirable, when it works it's like a graceful arrow piercing your heart, but what it doesn't, it's like a royal pain in the gullet. That said, fret not! Once he gets "America Is Not The World" off his chest it's back to his trademark imploring melancholia and cheeky cynicisms.
MPEG Stream: "America Is Not The World"
MPEG Stream: "How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel?"

MORRISSEY Ringleaders Of The Tormentors (Attack / Sanctuary) cd 17.98
The follow up to You Are The Quarry, a record that many of us felt was probably the best and most charged album Morrissey had made since The Smiths were still around. At this point you either love the man or loath him, but we all lean way more towards the love. He continues to write such great songs, the perfect phrase, wit intact, heart on sleeve - connecting with that outsider inside all of us. While this isn't quite as great as You Are The Quarry this is still a good record for sure. The strong songs are amongst some of the best in his catalog. His dramatic flare on full flame, he even enlisted Ennio Morricone for arrangements on one track. Recently it was reported he turned down five million dollars to reunite The Smiths. Under his larger than life and iconic persona, Morrissey has proven that he does represent integrity, smart songwriting, and being a ringleader for all of us outcasts and underdogs.
MPEG Stream: "The Youngest Was The Most Loved"
MPEG Stream: "The Father Who Must Be Killed"

MORRISSEY Swords (Polydor) cd 13.98
Something happened to Morrissey when he moved to Los Angeles. It allowed him a new beginning of sorts. For the first time in his career he had dropped out of the limelight, he went almost seven years without releasing a record and for the first time since the beginning of The Smiths he really became a true underdog, and cult figure, gaining a revival of fans who maybe weren't around for the first, Smiths wave of Morrissey mania. When he finally returned with a new record, 2004's You Are The Quarry it really did feel like the triumphant second act to an already dramatic and amazing career. His two records since then have maintained that momentum and Swords collects many of the B-sides and non-album tracks from this era.
Many of us who are Morrissey fanatics had grabbed some of the import 7"s that some of these songs come from, which are arguably as strong as any of his album tracks. There's also tons on tracks, not even the most tenacious fans around here were ever able to get their hands on, and all of it has the urgent punch and full sound that his defined his music over the last few albums, which rank up there with some of his best stuff. So many others who once possessed such golden voices really lose it as they grow older, but it's remarkable how intact and spot on Morrissey's vocal delivery has remained. And his songwriting remains utterly clever, strong minded, emotional, political, self deprecating and moving. We really can't think of any of his peers from those early '80s days who have remained so vital in creating great music all these years later.
MPEG Stream: "It's Hard To Walk Tall When You're Small"
MPEG Stream: "If You Dont Like Me, Dont Look At Me"
MPEG Stream: "Shame Is The Name"