Various Artists
Encyclopedia Asthmatica, Vol. I
The Asthmatic Kitty record label boasts a lineup that’s as impressive as it is slightly weird. And as of Tuesday, March 4, all the creativeness is out there for the world to see, thanks to one nicely packaged DVD, Encyclopedia Asthmatica, Vol. 1. Nearly the entire roster is represented on the disk, including the label’s founder and undisputed shining star, Sufjan Stevens, along with artists like Half-Handed Cloud and bands like My Brightest Diamond. The DVD, which features somewhere between two and six videos per artist, goes beyond standard music videos and live performances-it has both, to be sure-with many of the songs accompanied visually by artistic animations, both of the cartoon and computerized varieties.