JIM CARROLLon music
Like the best music, the best music documentaries are often the ones you have to go searching for.
Cheap technology means any doofus with a video camera can put together a documentary featuring a band talking blandly about their music. But it’s the film-makers who are prepared to go beyond the cliches and platitudes who usually produce the most abiding images.
Often it's a case that the film-maker finds a story he or she didn't foresee when they switched their camera on. Sam Jones's excellent I Am Trying to Break Your Heart, about Wilco's trials and tribulations during the making of their Yankee Hotel Foxtrot album, is a fine example of this kind of lucky break.
Then there are documentaries on lesser-known or overlooked acts that come up trumps. Millions have heard Motown house band The Funk Brothers doing their thing on dozens of hit singles, but few knew their story until Paul Justman put the band on tape in Standing in the Shadows of Motown.
New Irish enterprise Fresh and Noble will be screening a slew of lesser-known music documentaries in the next few weeks in Dublin and Cork. They’re showing Still Bill, Damani Baker and Alex Vlack’s documentary on soulman Bill Withers, at Dublin’s Sugar Club on Thursday.
Then, it’s Nina Simone: La Légende at Cork’s Pavilion on October 25th, during the city’s jazz festival.
Other documentaries to be screened in the series at future dates include Favela on Blast, Diplo’s film about his Brazilian musical adventures; and Dub Echoes, about Bruno Natal and his crew tracing the bass lines from Jamaica to all points on the globe. freshandnoble.com
New music
COPACABANA CLUB
Curibita in southern Brazil is where to go to find Copacabana Club and their sunny-side-up tropical indie grooves. Just Do It is the tune causing most of the fuss. They are not – repeat not – the new CSS.
myspace.com/ copacabanaclubmusic
THE CASANOVA WAVE
Waterford lad Brian McCartan’s one-man band is all about enticing, playful and bright sounds and tunes. His five-track debut EP, available via thecasanovawave. bandcamp.com, will have you humming and wanting more. myspace.com/ thecasanovawave
TEETH OF THE SEA
Menacing, mesmerising, fuzzy space-rock from a band who spent last New Year’s Eve performing the soundtrack to Flash Gordon in full costume. Their Hypnoticon EP provides a taste of their wares. myspace.com/ thewrongjaws
For more, see: irishtimes.com/blogs/ ontherecord
Halves It Goes, It Goes (Forever Ever) (Hateistheenemy) This long-overdue debut album is every bit as impressive, spectral, bold and audacious as their live shows can be.
Mor Thiam Dini Safarrar (Rite) Hypnotic, compulsive Afrojazz grooves recorded in 1973 in St Louis by the Senegalese drummer.
DJ Shadow Def Surrounds Us (Island/The New Futility) New adventures in stereophonic sound from the forthcoming album from Josh Davis, with snare drums to hook you up to the moon.
Mayer Hawthorne No Strings (Stones Throw) More glorious retro-soul from the Michigan doo-wop throwback for those already digging the A Strange Arrangement album.
Rolling Stones I Just Want To See His Face (Rolling Stones Records) Time once more to hit Exile on Main Street – and don't forget about this fascinating sliver of swamp blues and gospel mysticism.
