Saint BernardHis award winning FX career spans both grindhouse (BRAIN DAMAGE, FRANKENHOOKER, the LEPRECHAUN series) and art house (Matthew Barney's CREMASTER CYCLE). Now writer producer director Gabe Bartalos brings his own years in the making vision to the screen, as an unhinged orchestra conductor named Bernard (Jason Dugre of Bartalos' SKINNED DEEP) graphically descends into a surreal odyssey of chaos, psychosis and "f*cked up sh*t that looks cool as hell"

and perhaps more into the ethereal

a reflection of what's happening in his head as he sorts through his life and the tumult around the globe

'I had worked with some of the guys on other projects over the years

"It's like having all the fun parts of being in a band

Most of these concerts may have been written for virtuoso court musicians in Karlsruhe and Eisenach and have been performed within the framework of court music practice

Kissin's String Quartet is a fitting companion to Shostakovich's works on this disc

There is no plot

Produced by Anders Osborne and primarily recorded in New Orleans

a memorable listening experience is practically guaranteed

musically ambitious work inspired by his brother's struggles with addiction that explores the razor's edge people walk as they pursue pleasure that leads to pain - a brilliantly incisive and empathetic work from a master at the peak of his art

Who'll be left to pass on the essence of what punk was about - home-made

Ray Hearne