We describe the optical, radiative, and laser-plasma physics of a new type of nanostructured surface especially promising as a very high absorption target for high-peak-power subpicosecond laser-matter interaction. This oriented-nanowire material, irradiated by 1 ps pulses at intensities up to 10(17) W cm(-2), produces picosecond soft x-ray pulses 50x more efficiently than do solid targets. We compare this to "smoke" or metallic clusters, and solid nanogroove-grating surfaces; the "metal-velvet" targets combine the high yield of smoke targets with the brief emission of grating surfaces.