News
New Ugly Casanova Songs + More in Environmental Documentary
Amy Dupcak :: Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010 5:45 pm
Modest Mouse frontman Isaac Brock’s stripped-down side project, Ugly Casanova, released one astounding album, Sharpen Your Teeth, in 2002. Eight years later, he’s teamed up with filmmaker Emmett Malloy to record 8 brand new Ugly Casanova songs. Along with “Hotcha Girls” from Sharpen Your Teeth, these 8 songs are featured in 180° South, Malloy’s environmental documentary for Woodshed Films, and appear on the soundtrack, which is available today on Brushfire Records. James Mercer (the Shins, Broken Bells) and Mason Jennings also appear on the soundtrack. Along with Brock, they were all flown to to the Patagonia region of South America by Malloy to inspire them for the soundtrack.
The doc follows an American adventure-seeker named Jeff Johnson who happened upon 1968 footage of an epic 5,000- mile expedition from California to Patagonia, undertaken by legendary environmentalist Yvon Chouinard and his friend Doug Tompkins. Their goal was to explore untouched mountains and un-surfed coastline and, in 2007, Jeff Johnson set out to follow their classic route. His documented journey between North and South America took six months and, as he climbed boulders, hiked snowy mountains and surfed waves, he came into contact with environmental disasters that are still threatening these places. It’ll make you think about the Gulf oil spill and probably bum you out, but at least there are some Ugly Casanova tunes to keep you company.
