We like the guys at Corleone! They sent us this great DVD which is a strange collection of videos, ranging from MTV friendly to prime Youtube material or even down to pirated VHS. This is the 10 years celebration of their record label Corleone from Providence, Rhode Island. A rather epic DVD clocking in 21 band's videos, and another couple of hours worth of special features including short films, live sets, posters, commentary and of course MORE.
In the "Band" video section you should expect to find vast varying degrees of techniques in video production. From pencil and paper to Powerpoint to iSight and DV. The techniques always somehow relate to the music though, in correlation or cross correlation, i'm not quite sure. A simple video with a simple song or a simple video with a more euphoric, psychedelic sound, or completely the opposite. One key theme throughout is the honesty one gets from most of the videos . A general relaxed attitude, not wanting to create something for someone, or a cause but just creation for creations sake?
My personal highlights were seeing the path being dug in the snow in UKe of Space Corners' video, somehow normal but enchantingly surreal. The kindergarten gig in Fang Island's video was pretty cool too, kids will dance to anything and look so happy. Even the ones who weren't sure to start with soon got going when the esoteric solos came in. Also of course Mindflayer and Black Pus pleased me very, very much, I love that kind of heavy heavy drumming, it stands alone. I could watch good drummers as long as they can keep playing, and with some that's a long time.
From the extras stuff for me the stand out was the Lazy Magnet's "Rabbit Magician's Creation Fable", the cat and the rabbit taking mushrooms and the getting picked up by a eagle and dropped in the sea. It looks beautiful, in a 70's Magic Roundabout style or the show with the donkey in from around the same period, i forget its name. The music is also schön, with great tension as the mushroom is revealed. The drumming cable show is nicely edited but if I'm honest I was disappointed with the drumming, I was expecting at least a few real pros in there.
Standing alone as epic is the commentaries, most commentaries can be a little bit boring in places but if 
corelone 3you stick with them than you can usually learn a few things. In this case it's the same, I learnt quite a bit about the videos and artists, especially the techniques in creation and artist history and how some of them relate very closely to each other, but, i don't know if it was me coming from England or I don't know the Providence scene but a lot of their "jokes" went over my head. Another extras highlight is "North Route 1" by Jason Farrell, great shot video, although looks slightly uni project in places. But an interesting concept of a story and decent characters and casting/acting.
So, if you're into the Providence and Corelone scene i would suggest that this is essential for you to own, knowing not too much about the whole scene (just previously hearing 3 Corleone bands) after digesting this mammoth I feel I could write a test comfortably and leave early knowing I'll get that mark that will make my mum happy.
:: Corleone 10 Yrs: Everything I Own Is Broken Or Bent DVD (All images: © Corleone).
