In 1945, Czech writer Vitezslav Nezval penned the book Valerie and Her Week of Wonders, a gothic, surreal coming-of-age tale about a young girl who experiences a series of dreams and hallucinations upon menstruating for the first time.
The story pits her against predatory priests, vampires, and an evil grandmother. In 1970, director Jaromil Jires directed a film of the same name, considered to be the last film of the Czech New Wave, an impressionistic, unconventional movement that came to an untimely end following a crack-down on the Prague arts community by the Soviet government in the late ‘60s.
Inspired by the grotesque, dreamy narrative, a group of Philadelphia musicians, including Greg Weeks and Brooke Sietensons from psych folk band Espers and Margaret Wienk from goth folk act Fern Knight, formed The Valerie Project in 2005, and set to composing an alternate score for the film.
Forerunners in the Philadelphia freak-folk scene, Weeks and his bandmates are a natural fit to interpret the illusory story for the third time. The final result is ominous, fairylike, and enchanting.
A pleasurable listen by itself, The Valerie Project should make a stronger impact by experiencing it with the film. Meandering psychedelic guitars, a variety of percussive instruments, electronics, and orchestral instruments — topped with ethereal vocals by Tara Burke, also known as free-folk performer Fursaxa — paint colorful imagery to match each scene.
Soft and alluring, The Valerie Project is tempting bedtime material.
– Jamie Ludwig
The Valerie Project: www.thevalerieproject.org
Drag City: www.dragcity.com