Fronting his genre-defying trio Morphine with a mellifluous voice and just two strings on his bass guitar, Mark Sandman cultivated a spare, atmospheric sound that was the musical equivalent of Raymond Chandler’s gritty urban milieu. The band’s songs wowed critics and fans by blending ethereal lyrics with sax, drums, and bass in ways that were bold yet vaguely nostalgic. Echoing the lonely noir sensibility of this music are the inescapable tragedies that accompanied Sandman’s artistic triumphs, culminating in the musician’s tragic death on stage at 46. This arresting biographical portrait features plenty of vibrant, raw concert footage to punctuate the details of Sandman’s story. The unsentimental approach plays in perfect synch with the band’s nocturnal sound, capturing the moody, lo-fi vibe Sandman projected.  TW