More than just about any other art form, music
suffers from obsessive labeling. A song or an artist has to fit into a category
-- rap, pop, country, classical – to be sold as a product to a specific
audience. Few record labels – or artists -- have the courage to refuse to be
put into a slot. Thanks goodness NASA is one of them, as you come to understand
watching this delightful documentary of their latest CD, The Spirit of Apollo. The
film follows Sam Spiegel and DJ Zegon (Ze Gonzales), the duo behind NASA (which
stands for North America South America since Spiegel is American and Gonzales
is Brazilian) as the literally travel the globe to make music. The key to
their sound is the way they mix and match musicians and artists for each song
on the LP in weird and wonderful ways. Who else by NASA would have imagined
(dared) to put David Byrne with Chuck D or Tom Waits with Kool Keith? The film
combines footage of the songs being made with animated interpretations from
artists and filmmakers that NASA combines the same way they put musical
possibilities together. The result is the perfect blend of sights and sounds.
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