New music: Jeff Tweedy, Wild Rivers, Lights & Motion

In this week's column, I feature a trio of outstanding under-the-radar titles that have landed in early 2022.

Artist: Jeff Tweedy

Title: Chelsea Walls (Omnivore Recordings)

You might like if you enjoy: Jeff Tweedy, Jim O'Rourke, Wilco, Neil Young

Tell me more: Fans of Jeff Tweedy, Wilco and indie music will want to get the reissued and expanded soundtrack for director Ethan Hawke's 2001 film "Chelsea Walls" available now via audio CD, digital and 2-LP vinyl. The music blends edgy electronic moodscapes with a rootsy Americana vibe that challenges and rewards the listener across 14 tracks. Tweedy and Glenn Kotche improvise the eight instrumental selections, with contributions by the likes of Wilco ("Promising"), Billy Bragg & Wilco ("When the Roses Bloom Again"), jazz legend Jimmy Scott (a cover of John Lennon's "Jealous Guy") and Robert Sean Leonard ("Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling") adding depth to the soundtrack. A 16-page booklet features new photos, along with new and original liner notes from Hawke, a remembrance from Kotche, as well as an interview between Tweedy and Grammy-winning set producer Cheryl Pawelski. Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com.  

Artist: Wild Rivers

Title: Sidelines (Nettwerk Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Kathleen Edwards, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Fleetwood Mac

Tell me more: Beautiful and introspective, Wild Rivers' sophomore album Sidelines allows the Canadian trio to explore the coming-of-age truths that come in the years immediately after college. Khalid Yassein (guitars, keyboards, vocals), Devan Glover (vocals) and Andrew Oliver (lead guitar, synths) have teamed up with producer Peter Katis (The National, Interpol, Sharon van Etten) to create a disc that is as sonically lush as it is lyrically rich. Armed with a mix of rock, pop, indie, Americana and folk stylings, the trio's palette couldn't be stronger. The harmonies-drenched "More or Less," pop-mining "Bedrock," R&B ballad "Long Time" (showcasing Glover's winning soprano vocals), tuneful "Stubborn Heart," sparse "Untouchable," scintillating "Weatherman" and soaring "Safe Flight" are among the strong originals on Sidelines. Information: WildRiversMusic.com.

Artist: Lights & Motion

Title: The World I Remember (Deep Elm Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Sigur Rós, Autumn Leaf, Explosions In The Sky

Tell me more: The compositions across the new Lights & Motion album The World I Remember are truly expansive and cinematic, showcasing the artistry of Swedish-born composer/multi-instrumentalist Christoffer Franzer. "From Dust" starts out gently, the ethereal guitar textures eventually building as drums, piano, synthesizers and more instrumentation cascade toward a powerful finish. The aptly-titled "Touching Sky" is just as sonically vivid, but more nuanced in its triumphant finale. The dreamy title track is bolstered by some especially atmospheric guitar work. The lovely "Wilderness" is embellished by ethereal vocals that blend with the stirring musical current. "Year Zero" is a haunting track in both its quiet and explosive moments; the Neo-classical "Sleeping Giant" starts with evocative guitar textures before a massive musical wave sweeps the listener away. Information: lightsandmotion.com.

Robert Kinsler

'The Velvet Underground: A Documentary Film by Todd Haynes - Music From the Motion Picture Soundtrack' coming Oct. 15

Mondays aren't all bad. A media release of special interest to fans of The Velvet Underground...Robert Kinsler

‘THE VELVET UNDERGROUND: A Documentary Film By Todd Haynes – Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack’

To Be Released October 15

 

The Critically Acclaimed Apple Original Todd Haynes Documentary ‘The Velvet Underground’ 

Premieres October 15 In Theaters and on Apple TV+

 

 

 

Los Angeles, CA – August 30, 2021 – The Velvet Underground: A Documentary Film By Todd Haynes – Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack, a 2CD and digital soundtrack that features both well-known and rare Velvet Underground tracks, will be released on October 15, 2021 via Republic Records/UMe. Curated by the documentary’s director, Todd Haynes, and music supervisor Randall Poster, the album is the official soundtrack for the critically acclaimed Apple Original documentary, The Velvet Underground, which will be released in theaters and premiere globally Friday, October 15 on Apple TV+. To pre-order/pre-save Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack go, HERE.

 

Featuring some of The Velvet Underground’s most well-known tracks, rarities and songs that influenced them, The Velvet Underground: A Documentary Film By Todd Haynes – Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack serves as the perfect introduction to the band and companion piece to the film. The soundtrack features such Velvet Underground favorites as “Sunday Morning,” “All Tomorrow’s Parties,” “Pale Blue Eyes,” “I’m Waiting for The Man” and “Sweet Jane,” as well as the mono version of “Heroin” and the rare cut “Foggy Notion.” Also featured are live versions of “After Hours” and “Sister Ray,” Nico’s “Chelsea Girls,” and the tongue-in-cheek novelty song “The Ostrich” by The Primitives, an early band formed by Lou Reed and John Cale.

 

Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack also features tracks by artists who influenced The Velvet Underground including a live version of “Road Runner” by Bo Diddley; “The Wind,” a doo-wop classic by The Diablos featuring Nolan Strong; and the previously unpublished La Monte Young composition, “17 XII 63 NYC The Fire Is A Mirror (excerpt),” performed by The Theatre of Eternal Music.

 

Today, The Velvet Underground's own immense influence is universally acknowledged. 

Apple Original Films and Polygram Entertainment present
in association with Federal Films a Motto Pictures and Killer Films production
“THE VELVET UNDERGROUND” a documentary film by Todd Haynes
Associate Producer J. Daniel Torres Line Producer Marissa Torres Ericson Co-Producers Josh Braun Dan Braun Esther Robinson Music Supervision by Randall Poster Archival Producers Wyatt Stone Bryan O’keefe Cinematography by Edward Lachman, asc Edited by Affonso Gonçalves, ace Adam Kurnitz Executive Producers Danny Bennett Pamela Koffler John Sloss Produced by David Blackman Produced by Julie Goldman Christopher Clements Carolyn Hepburn Produced by Christine Vachon
Directed and Produced by Todd Haynes

 

The Velvet Underground: A Documentary Film By Todd Haynes – Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack

 

Track List

 

Disc 1

 

1          Venus In Furs - The Velvet Underground  5:12

2          The Wind - The Diablos  3:05

3          17 XII 63  NYC  The Fire Is A Mirror (excerpt) - The Theatre of Eternal Music  6:21

4          Heroin [mono] - The Velvet Underground  7:14

5          Road Runner (Live) - Bo Diddley  4:14

6          The Ostrich - The Primitives  2:25

7          I'm Waiting For The Man - The Velvet Underground  4:40

8          Chelsea Girls - Nico  7:27

9          Sunday Morning - The Velvet Underground  2:56

                                    

 

Disc 2              

 

1          Sister Ray (Live) - The Velvet Underground  19:03

2          Pale Blue Eyes - The Velvet Underground  5:40

3          Foggy Notion - The Velvet Underground  6:59

4          After Hours (Live) Version 1 - The Velvet Underground  2:56

5          Sweet Jane - The Velvet Underground  4:09

6          Ocean - The Velvet Underground  5:14

7          All Tomorrow’s Parties - The Velvet Underground  5:53