This week's CD update contains releases by:
Alter Ego * Ancestors * Ando * Arca * Arcana * Attrition * Awesome Color * Balaam & The Angel * Beehatch * Ben Reynolds * BJ Nilsen & Stilluppsteypa * Brendan Murray * Brian Jonestown Massacre * Chop Shop * Clive Bell and Bechir Saade * Colin Meloy * Dan Dediu * Daturah * Dead Child * Deep Schulzz * Deepchord * Deutsch Nepal * DJ Hide/Dupuy & Bererian * DJ Krush/Killoffer * Drift * Elliott Sharp * Envy * Epsilons * Erik Urisch * Fire Room * Fireroom * Foot Village * Foundation Hope * Free Kitten * Frustration * Gal Costa * Harris Eisenstadt * I&Fused * Igor Krutogolov * Igor Stravinsky * Jake Holmes * Jessica Bailiff & Annelies MonserÉ * Jianhong * John Cage * John Wiese & C. Spencer Yeh * Kid Loco/jean-Christophe Menu * La Monja Enana * Liverpool Five, The * Lurker Of Chalice * M.O. * Mae Shi * Marek Bois * Married Monk, The * Matt Elliott * Microphones * Narcophony * New * New Bloods * Old Haunts * Omega * Osone * Pagans * Pete Molinari * Pete Namlook * Pete Namlook/Klaus Schulze * Peter Moren * Peter Wright * Philip Glass * Pluxus * Portico * Robin Saville * Rollins Band * Roommate * Runemagick * Seelenlicht * Sissy Spacek * Skitliv * Spiral Ascension * Stefan Wolpe * Teachers Pet * Ted Daniel Quintet * The Byard Lancaster Unit * Thee Oh Sees * Thomas Belhom * Titus Andronicus * Tony Allen * Tzoziles * William S. Burroughs * Young Republic * Zero
[ F E A T U R E D R E L E A S E S ]
Clive Bell and Bechir Saade - An Account of My Hut CD (Another
Timbre) [at08] $19.93
7 beautiful pieces for an unprecedented combination of instruments. The
Japanese shakuhachi and the Arabic ney are both flute-like instruments
which in the hands of 2 expert improvisers create an astonishing array of
sound.
Deep Schulzz - Kurs CD (Discos Veveos) [DV2800] $16.00
Hartwig Schultz aka DEEP SCHULZZ, resides in Berlin and there he lets
his
phat bass have an absolutely inspiring symbiosis with impellent and nervous
House-Music, the result of which sometimes is downright inflaming. At the
same time a solid elegance pervades the whole thing delivering often enough
cinematic moments. DEEP SCHULZZ performs on the acoustic bass, the
materialization of analog sound, and in his cosmos of color and rhythm he
lets it chase the digital scallywags down the alley. System and virtuosity
however are immanent, the consequence of which are an immense tightness and
the aforementioned inflaming effect. Cranking and majestic sometimes the
bass plays a rhythmical melody like in the album's title-track KURS or in
the jazzy URBANILAICUM, then it may come sequenced and staccato- wise like
in GOLD CONTAINER... the grand omnipresence of this extremely likable
instrument leaves your ears stimulated the whole album through. KURS is the
departure to new territories in 21st century Housemusic; quite some
boundaries are left behind and if you allow it you will be taken on a
journey that entertains as well as it feeds the brain.
Pete Namlook - 4Voice II CD (Ambient World/Fax) [AW049]
$16.50
RELEASE DATE: 04-15-2008
After extensivejourneys through the incredible worlds of futuristic and
ancient sounds, Pete Namlook rediscovered the BASS DRUM. Now reintegrated
into the most successful Trance-Product on FAX it is being taken to an area
wheremelodic Dance, Electronic Listening Music and Ambient have their home.
Check out the integration of monumental Hip Hop sounds on “New
York, 25th
of November 2089”, travel to the Cavesof Ancient dreams with
Ambient, dance
with Old Loves Dies Hard, go on a ride with The Driver and fall in Love
with Anemra.
Pete Namlook/Klaus Schulze - The Dark Side of the Moog XI 2CD
(Fax) [PK08/182] $25.00
RELEASE DATE: 04-15-2008
This CD is a further step in the collaboration of Klaus and Pete. The
“old”
collaboration parameters are expanded with very intense and emotional
moments that take the listener on a journey of a new quality. Monumental,
spacy, environmental and beat-oriented. The “new” way
removes limitations.
The Dark Side of the Moog up to “X” was a nice
journey through the history
of “Space- Music” in combination with the innovative
music of today. “XI”
is clearly a step further. Using alot of analog, digital and futuristic
virtual equipment combined with vast computer power to generate a sound
that goes beyond its predecessors. For the first time “The Dark
Side of the
Moog” comes in DTS 5.1 Surround. The monumental power of
“The Heart of Our
Nearest Star” and it’s imaginary scenery is clearly
made for big sound
systems.
[ . . . ]
Alter Ego - What's Next?! CD (Klang Elektronik) [KLANG017CD]
$14.75
RELEASE DATE: 05-27-2008
2007's Why Not?! saw Alter Ego sky-rocket and chart into the
stratosphere,
and now Why Next?! features some of the most prominent names in techno
tackling some of their favorite songs off the album. On Why Not?!,
Jörn-Elling Wuttke and Roman Flügel confronted the nervous
turmoil of the
dancefloor in this era of NuRave and squiggly sounds with a treatment of
techno that is humorous and extreme, with rave-reeling, sound exploration
and roaring laughter. On this remix album, we see Why Not?! through the
eyes of outstanding producers, ranging from Joakim to Deepgroove & Jamie
Anderson, from Carl Craig to Supermayer.
Ancestors - Neptune With Fire CD (North Atlantic Sound)
[NAS002] $13.75
ANCESTORS is a five-piece doom metal ensemble hailing from Los Angeles.
Ancestors transmogrifies the epic nature of '70s psychedelic and
progressive music into a form that also incorporates vintage, doom and
drone metal. Their debut LP, Neptune With Fire-a conceptual, two-track
record with a title track that tells of a metaphorical character and his
cosmic, psychological ordeal through war, celebration, remorse and
revelation. Packaged with artwork by psychedelic visionary ARIK ROPER, the
artist behind such record covers as Sleep's Dopesmoker, and the new Earth
LP: The Bee Made Honey in the Lion's Skull. UK import.
Ando - Habitat CD (Binemusic) [BINE017CD] $14.00
"Using the artist pseudonym of Ando for his outstanding project to
separate
it from his previous works, Taylor Deupree started working on this release
in 2004 but had to interrupt every now and then since time wasn't right."
Arca - On Ne Distinguait Plus Les Têtes CD (Ici
d'Ailleurs) [IDA038] $16.50
RELEASE DATE: 04-28-2008
Arca is a french project initiated by Joan Cambon and Sylvain Chauveau
at
the beginning of the year 2000. Arca is inspired by music, cinema,
literature, photographs, every day life sounds. Arca uses "warm" electronic
sounds, mixed with organic instruments, rainy guitars and Sylvain's voice
(since the third album) to draw melancholic landscapes not so far from
David Sylvian masterpieces. Most of the songs are recorded and mixed at
home by Joan Cambon. Sylvain Chauveau made five solo albums : instrumental
music based on sweet harmonies of piano and strings. The latest one is
"Down to the bone", a record of Depeche Mode covers. He was also part of
the former projects Micro:mega and Watermelon Club.
Arcana - Raspail CD (Projekt) [09428] $13.50
Arcana's approach to neo-classical and symphonic-ambient could well be
defined in the meaning of the word "Arcana" itself: specialized knowledge
of something generally considered a mystery or a secret. On their sixth
album, Raspail, the powerfully moving music of this Swedish quintet creates
an atmosphere which weaves together lush elements familiar to Arcana fans
old and new. Mystery, silence and revealed secrets are interconnected
within the 10 new songs.
Comparisons to Dead Can Dance will be made,
but it must be said that Arcana's approach picks up the tangent that DCD
left behind and brings it to a new and fully realized place. Lush
electronics mix with acoustic guitar, serene piano and intricate oriental
percussions. Warm vocals return to the focus: a heavenly blend of baritone
and soprano courtesy of Peter Bjärgö and Ann-Mari Thim. In
fact, never
before has an Arcana album contained so many vocals giving Raspail an
emotional touch, a deeper thoughtfulness, a profound feeling of mysterious
vision and a sense of secrets.
Attrition - All Mine Enemys Whispers (The Story pf Mary Ann
Cotton) CD (Cold Meat Industry) [09426] $13.50
A surreal nightmareish journey into the mind of a Victorian serial
killer
from this darkAmbient pioneer. Mary Ann Cotton was Britain's greatest
female mass murderer. Poisoning upwards of 20 of her own children and
partenrs with arsenic. She was arrested, tried and hanged in 1873.
Attrition's Martin Bowes is a descendant of the arresting officer, Police
Sergeant Tom McCutcheon.
Completed on Oct. 31, 2007, this is no ordinary Halloween album; Mary Ann Cotton's story (augmented by the real-life connection between the album's composer and the killer herself) will do a much better job keeping you up at night than any slasher film killer or long-haired Japanese ghost child. The music is a haunting brew of electronic soundscapes, neo-classical strings, and eerie children's voices. Shuffling sounds, anxiously scraped strings and electronic drones create the mood, while ex-Courtney Love band violinist Emilie Autumn conjures up a momentary sense of pity for the condemned killer with her sorrowful vocal rendition on the album's climax, a submersive darkAmbient gem which incorporates the hymn "Rock of Ages."
All mine enemys whispers features
Ned Kirby of Stromkern, Erica Mulkey of Unwoman and Rasputina, and Laurie
Reade of High Blue Star and Pigface.
Awesome Color - Electric Aborigines CD (Ecstatic Peace)
[E#104C] $10.25
No description available at this time.
Balaam & The Angel - The Greatest Story Ever Told CD (Anagram)
[CDMGOTH33] $15.00
Staffordshire's Balaam & The Angel were at the forefront of the 80s
Goth
movement, playing alongside some of the biggest bands of the day, and
releasing a succession of acclaimed records through both their own Chapter
22 independent label and the major, Virgin Records. This, their debut
album, has been beautifully re-mastered and includes several of the band's
most memorable singles; 'She Knows', 'Slow Down', 'Light Of The World' ~V
as well as the spectacular 12-inch version of the latter song. In addition,
the release includes bonus tracks selected from the accompanying single
releases. Sleeve-notes have been written in collaboration with Des Morris
of the band, who provides insight into the album and the times. Balaam &
The Angel are now reforming and expecting to play a series of high-profile
gigs at the turn of 2008. New Kind Of Love / Don't Look Down / She Knows /
Burn Me Down / Light Of The World / Slow Down / The Wave / Warm Again /
Never End / Nothing There At All / Walk Away / Day & Night / Bonus Tracks -
Dreams Wide Awake / Travel On / In The Morning / Light Of The World
(12-Inch Version).
Beehatch - Beehatch CD (Lens) [09433] $12.00
BEEHATCH is the new project from Phil Western and Mark Spybey, who met
in
Vancouver, whilst playing together in Download. Ten years have elapsed
since they last worked together. During that time, Phil has released a
number of solo and collaborative albums and has continued to work as part
of both Download and platEAU (w/ cEvin Key of Skinny Puppy fame). He is
also a producer and DJ. Mark has continued to release albums as Dead Voices
on Air, Reformed Faction (a band formed with fellow Zoviet*France members)
and has collaborated with many musicians, including members of Can and
Faust.
BEEHATCH was initiated as the result of a "shall we make an album together" chat on the telephone. The album was recorded in Los Angeles and England via internet file sharing Far from being an impersonal way of making music, this technique has liberated the approach to the making of this album. Gone are the days of being locked in an expensive and often creatively dead studio-space. The musicians were able to make music at leisure, in familiar environments. Phil and Mark have developed similarities in an approach to music making but in essence, Phil emerged smiling from the generation electronic and Mark slowly crept out of the distant days of four tracks and homemade instruments. Both are seasoned improvisers who started life as drummers and tend to ignore as many of the so-called 'rules of music making' as possible.
Nothing is clear. Everything is possible. Accidents are encouraged.
This CD is packaged
in a 6-panel digipak with original artwork by Mark Spybey. Audio mastering
courtesy of Frankie Pett.
Ben
Reynolds - Two Wings CD (Strange Attractors Audio House) [SAAH054CD]
$13.50
No description available at this time.
BJ
Nilsen & Stilluppsteypa - Passing Out CD (Helen Scarsdale Agency)
[HMS013CD] $13.50
No description available at this time.
Brendan Murray - Commonwealth CD (23FIVE) [23FIVE013CD]
$13.50
No description available at this time.
Brian Jonestown Massacre - My Bloody Underground CD (A Records)
[AUK011] $14.50
RELEASE DATE: 04-15-2008
***The first new BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE album in over 4 years-the
band's
13th overall-recorded with select members from the band, some Icelandic
musicians and MARK GARDENER (RIDE). Thirteen tracks recorded in Liverpool
and Reykjavik in August and October, 2007, that mix the band's traditional
psychedelic rock sound with a more experimental and avant-garde approach.
Chop Shop - Oxide CD (23FIVE) [23FIVE012CD] $13.50
No description available at this time.
Colin Meloy - Colin Meloy Sings Live CD (Kill Rock Stars)
[KRS468] $13.25
A fourteen-song set documenting THE DECEMBERIST's lead
singer/songwriter's
2006 solo tour. The debut album from COLIN MELOY has been greatly
anticipated by fans, and will be the first of it's kind available in retail
stores. The live solo album presents him in a stripped-down, acoustic
setting leading his audience on a spellbinding walk through his oeuvre thus
far and providing a glimpse of some new material.
Dan
Dediu - Piano Pieces CD (Neos) [NEOS10713CD] $19.75
No description available at this time.
Daturah - Reverie CD (Graveface) [GRAVE025] $11.00
RELEASE DATE: 04-15-2008
***Take the vaporous fumes from the heavy lilting post-rock likes of
Isis,
Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Explosions in the Sky, splash in a little
bit of the goose bump inducing cinematic vibes of Entroducing-era DJ
Shadow, add a post-modern foray into the psyche a la the Blade Runner
soundtrack, and you're still only touching the surface of DATURAH's
creative impetus. Daturah cannot be merely explained or pigeonholed but,
instead, felt by the listener. Hailing from Frankfurt, Germany, this
instrumental combo stretch their riffs through audible taffy pulls and seep
in crisp and thinly layered synths, along with half buried samples to
create a listening experience that jolts the senses. While staying true to
the Krautrock glide of Can and Tangerine Dream, Reverie is intricately
woven headphone music for those who like their loudness plunging to the
depths of the ocean trench, while treading upon a moody middle ground of
pure resonance and dulcet friction. They may rock a bit heavy at times, but
it's all woven into a trance-inducing and ambient sojourn of love, fear and
anger, exhibiting how instrumental music can be sufficiently explanatory.
Dead Child - Attack CD (Quarterstick) [QS666] $13.25
Upon first glance at its gruesome exterior, DEAD CHILD appears to be a
new
creation. However, its jagged roots extend deep into the past, with a
history that holds almost a century of collective experience. It all began
when, as youngsters growing up in Louisville, KY during the '70s and '80s,
the evil riffs of the heaviest bands were like voices beckoning them to a
darker side. Attack, grew out of pure frustration-the band was sick of the
vulnerable, pompous music of recent years, instead jonesing for the pure
and simple chops-oriented music of their formative days. It's all serious.
No cookie monster vox, and full of thundering drums and anthemic riffs.
It's epic and it's real.
Deepchord - Vantage Isle Sessions CD (Echospace)
[ECHOSPACE001CD] $14.75
RELEASE DATE: 05-27-2008
Echospace [Detroit] is the label launched by Rod Modell (Deepchord) and
Soultek's Steven Hitchell, two leading lights of the minimal dub techno
scene. And as with anything Deepchord, the entire release has an air of
mystery to it. Previously, as a near-mythical vinyl pressing with minimal
packaging and restricted pressings, everything about Vantage Isle was
geared toward the underground, or "those who know." However, there's
nothing but love of craft driving these grooves, and now a lot more people
will finally be able to hear this absolutely brilliant collection of
spacial dub wonder on CD. Vantage Isle Sessions consists of a whopping 13
takes of the title track, reworked by Modell and Hitchell in various guises
(cv313, Deepchord, Echospace, Spacecho), as well as a guest spot (and first
ever remix) from Gerard Hanson (Convextion). Vantage Isle Sessions is for
anyone looking for the logical successors to the Basic Channel throne, or
just looking for something mellow for those steamy late summer nights. A
stone-cold classic of the genre. Don't miss it.
Deutsch Nepal - Dystopian Partycollection CD (Cold Meat
Industry) [09424] $15.50
Dystopian Partycollection contains previously released material from
compilations and limited edited vinyls. It is not to be seen as a major
release from Deutsch Nepal but a small shop of horrors where everyone could
shoplift whenever in the spirit. Quality and atmosphere is different from
track to track as there is no theme or secret path to follow on this album
- It's plain Deutsch Nepal - Just as we love it! So just C'mon get naked...
remember nude improvised dancing is not only for fun it's also for free!
This is Deutsch Nepals Dystopian Partycollection to be followed by many
more sad experiences in your poor and empty lives...
DJ
Hide/Dupuy & Bererian - Oumupo 5 CD (Ici d'Ailleurs collection Oumupo)
[oumupo5] $14.75
RELEASE DATE: 04-28-2008
Charles Berberian has already proved his love for music in the recent
"Playlist" (Naive) and "Night Buzz" (Nocturne). The duo he's been making
with Philippe Dupuy since the mid-80s (they gather their talents for
drawings and scenarios, an uncommon distribution of tasks) has become a
must in the world of illustration, cartoons and comics, with the "Monsieur
Jean" series (Dupuis) but also with odder projects like "Le journal d'un
album" (L'association). They took on the Japanese DJ Hide as a partner on
this volume. As the "protege" of his fellow countryman DJ Krush (to be
heard on OuMuPo 6 !), he only has a single solo album to his name ; and yet
in this mix based on short samples he offers a splendid
deconstruction/reconstruction of the numerous tracks he completely
appropriates... to eventually create a very personal work.
DJ
Krush/Killoffer - Oumupo 6 CD (Ici d'Ailleurs collection Oumupo) [oumupo6]
$14.75
RELEASE DATE: 04-28-2008
Abtract hip hop japanese master DJ Krush offers a wonderfull opus.
Using
almost only instrumental parts, progressively introduces his so
characteristic own beats, and slowly makes us forget the rules and original
songs. He uses the most exotic sounds from the label catalogue (E. Aldea,
Narcophony, T. Belhom, Bästard, D Petitgand) and manages to develop
his
proper language to offer a record which sounds like his own ones. Freedom
by the constraints for our great lessoning pleasure ! The booklet is signed
by Killoffer, one of the creators of the independant publisher
l'Association and of the OuBaPo. He retranscribes in 64 squares, and the
same number of oubapian collages, the chess game between the surrealist
Marcel Duchamp and the promoter of the Belgian chess association during the
first Belgian championship in 1923.
Drift - Memory Drawings CD (Temporary Residence Ltd) [TRR134]
$13.25
In the nearly three-year gap between their debut album, Noumena, and
this
follow-up, THE DRIFT have toured extensively throughout North America and
Japan. All that tripping did wonders for their songwriting process,
inspiring efficiency with their structures while maintaining the
intoxicating song lengths they are known for. Though the music on Memory
Drawings is familiar, there is a depth to both the performance and
production that feels new all over again. With Memory Drawings, they have
truly found their groove-and the deeper they dig, the more curious we
become.
Elliott Sharp - Rheo~Umbra CD (Neos) [NEOS40706CD] $19.75
No description available at this time.
Elliott Sharp - Spring & Neap CD (Neos) [NEOS40708CD]
$19.75
No description available at this time.
Epsilons - Kill'em Deader CD (Retard Disco) [RDZ15] $11.25
EPSILONS return with their stellar second album, recorded at The
Distillery
by MIKE McHUGH (Le Shok, John Spencer Blues Explosion, Rocket From The
Crypt, Lightning Bolt, The Melvins, The Starvations, etc). Featuring
fourteen all new songs.
Erik Urisch - Electronic Diffraction Patterns CD (Punch)
[09434] $19.00
Ladies and Gentlemen, Erik Ursich is back! And 'back' is what his
record is
all about!!! With the use of his beloved and inseparable vintage analog
machines, Erik gives us a ticket for a voyage to the past...to visit the
spirit of the first electronic music pioneers of the 50s and 60s! Like the
times in which electronic music was born, his record shows total
disinterest in any commercial aspect..."distracting" elements like rhythm
and melody are absent, pure electronic sound is the only thing that
matters, with no compromises or winks! 5 long tracks of hypnotic, droney,
dark, heavy, psychedelic, minimalist and wild outbursts of roaring vintage
synths! A descent into the pits of Erik's most intimate electronic soul!
And just in case this didn't do enough to punch you in the third eye, slip
the cd in your computer and enjoy the sick, choking and hallucinatory video
made for one of the songs...that should complete the service!!! In short,
file this record under "UNEASY LISTENING"! Enhanced CD in Jewel-box with 6
page booklet.
Fire Room - Broken Music CD (Atavistic) [ALP183] $13.75
A tempest of e-jazz-noise erupts on the Atavistic debut from FIREROOM,
a
new project between longtime collaborators KEN VANDERMARK, LASSE MARHAUG &
PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE. As core members of the initial lineup of (((POWERHOUSE
SOUND)))-as well as an array of other adventurous small & large
groups-these cats know each other well. The telepathic vibe necessary to
make free music really work is tested and expanded upon throughout Broken
Music-amplified literally and figuratively by Marhaug's penchant for darker
forays on an gamut of of electronic gear.
Fireroom - Broken Music CD (Atavistic) [ALP183CD] $13.75
No description available at this time.
Foot Village - Friendship Nation CD (Tome) [TOME004] $13.75
NOW AVAILABLE ON CD!!! "As fad diets and food pyramids come and go,
'you
are what you eat' still sounds like a pretty decent ground rule. After
nearly three minutes of tribal percussion smackdowns, jungle growls, and
cuckoo-house ululations, FOOT VILLAGE's 'Protective Nourishment' lets us
know what recipes the no-electricity Los Angeles drum freaks love most: 'I
like pee pee in my coke,' the band's GRACE LEE yowls, to which a robot
voice supplements, 'I'm not afraid to eat my greens.' Lee and another Foot
Village member, BRIAN MILLER, are also bandmates in Load/Ecstatic Peace
noise act GANG WIZARD, and Miller's huge role in the local underground
scene includes helping run art-punk hangout the Smell, organizing music
festivals called Neon Hates You, and putting out music on his own Deathbomb
Arc label. Along with Load band FRIENDS FOREVER's JOSH TAYLOR, Lee and
Miller raise a controlled, communal racket on 'Protective Nourishment,'
from forthcoming full-length Friendship Nation. 'There lies the low-hanging
fruit,' Lee shouts later. That doesn't exactly describe Foot Village's
music, but even if it turns out there's a snake involved, I'll
bite."-Pitchfork. UK import.
Foundation Hope - Tunes For the Wounded CD (Cold Meat Industry)
[09425] $15.50
'Tunes for the wounded' can be considered a lament. It is a defamatory
accusation to the world and it's suffering. Foundation hope lodges
complaints through gritty ambient-industrial structures, broken sounds and
despairing moods. Always without losing touch with the beautiful and
melodic. Always with that tiny bright spark of hope, overshadowed by doubt
and cynicism.
This successor to 'The faded reveries' is a little more
harsh. Incorporated are distorted guitar drones, tape-decks, broken strings
and noisy outbursts. Firmly rooted in reality, this is tears dropping
slowly, a herd crawling through mud and blood, and a call to a redeemer who
isn't there.
Free Kitten - Inherit CD (Ecstatic Peace) [E#22C] $10.25
No description available at this time.
Frustration - Frustration CD (Mad At The World) [M007]
$9.25
NOW AVAILABLE!!! Originally formed in Paris in September 2002,
FRUSTRATION
quickly gained the attention of folks across the ocean by virtue of their
7-inch on SS Records and their association with the French "weird-wave"
scene-Cheveu, Volt, and Ultra Eczema, etc. Frustration have decided to
explore the dark, cold, sad but tense side of rock'n'roll and come from a
scene very well versed in the traditions of darker side of punk. Influenced
by post-punk and coldwave bands such as Crisis, Warsaw/Joy Division,
Killing Joke, The Fall, etc., they easily rose to prominence in their
hometown and have opened for the likes of 999, Ausgang, Volt, Adult.,
Charles de Goal, and Section 25. This is actually the CD pressing of their
very hard to find first EP, with two bonus tracks not included on their
self-released 12-inch.
Harris Eisenstadt - The All Seeing Eye + Octets CD (Poobah
Records) [PBS007CD] $12.00
No description available at this time.
I&Fused - Slow Eater CD (0101) [0101.15] $16.50
RELEASE DATE: 04-28-2008
Autodidact, I&Fused is a genuine of sound machine. As a musician
multi-instrumentalist, singer, author, compositor and producer, David
Lavaysse seems not to want to stay or put himself on a particular
classification but he keeps on touching all kind of styles with a sure
ease. Like in his preceding albums, we finds in slow eater a lot of
instruments (clarinet, piano, machines, guitars, percussions...) and
compositions alternating between pop and electro, passing by the folk music
with some winks to the hip hop... Each title is definitely produced with a
smoothness and a rare elegance. I&Fused is a typical example of what the
alternative music is still able to offer to us in France... I&Fused reveals
us a personal and talented vision of a universal sound, with his thousand
and one facets, subtle, light and fine.
Igor Krutogolov - Muzika Elektronica CD-R (Operator Produkzion)
[09429] $16.75
Absolutely new view on the experimental music. 9 plays of those created
with the aid of the rhythm- boxing, the washing machine, basses of guitar
with the bow and voices demonstrate strong stylistic spread
Igor Stravinsky - Music for Four Hands 2CD (Arbiter) [ARB155CD]
$31.50
No description available at this time.
Jessica Bailiff & Annelies MonserÉ - Untitled CDEP
(Morc) [morc48] $10.50
RELEASE DATE: 04-14-2008
Numbered limited edition of 310 in an LP like sleeve. Annelies Monsere
(Belgium/Bluesanct records) and Jessica Bailiff (US/Kranky) met back in
2002, during Jessica's first European tour. They've been frequently doing
shows together since 2005. They've often joined each other on stage, but
recording together didn't happen until they did a duo-tour in October 2007.
On this occasion, they've totally reworked two rare tracks of Jessica, and
two yet unreleased songs by Annelies. Although it's just the two of them,
this ep has a very built-up sound, which is reminiscent of Jessica's
earliest output and Annelies' most recent live shows. Vocals, guitars and
cello- and keyboard drones get a very prominent role on these recordings,
which were made entirely in the analog domain. The ep is limited to 310,
and comes in a mini-lp jacket. All copies are hand-numbered and have
hand-written liner notes by Annelies.
Jianhong - San Sheng Shi CD (Archive) [ARCHIVE41] $13.75
An incredible focused and formidable fifty something min. single track
solo
electric guitar wall of noise work from new face from the Chinese music
scene. A release that will be sure to make more then a few people scramble
to dig up LI JIANHONG's back catalog of work on his own 2pi imprint. Comes
packed in a double sleeve with the outer sleeve being a semi transparent
vellum fold around. Graphic work by CHASE MIDDAUGH. Single pressing of 500
copies.
John Wiese & C. Spencer Yeh - New York/Atlanta CD (Helicopter)
[H049CD] $10.25
No description available at this time.
Kid
Loco/Jean-Christophe Menu - Oumupo 4 CD (!K7) [oumupo4] $14.75
RELEASE DATE: 04-28-2008
It was inevitable (and to be hoped) that Jean-Christophe Menu, already
responsible for the collection's packaging, participates to one of the
volumes as the author. Along with the self-taught Menu - the unforgettabe
"Meder" (Futuropolis), the series "Muno Comix" (Cornelius) or
autobiographic work like "Livret de Phamille" (L'association), but also the
recent lampoon "Plates-Bandes" (L'association) - who would better match as
a partner than the former punk-activist Jean-Yves Prieur a.k.a. Kid Loco,
who let himself be tempted by hip-hop, reggae and eventually downtempo ?
Master of rythm and melody, he affords a great fade-in fade-out overview of
almost the entire catalog of Ici d'Ailleurs.
La
Monja Enana - Humo y Espejos CD (Elefant) [ER-1135] $16.00
RELEASE DATE: 04-14-2008
LA MONJA ENANA is not your typical group with a defined path.
Throughout
their long, and at times, slower than usual career, they have played in
Sweden, Russia, Paris and they put out a compilation in France and Mexico.
The band has also been Single of the Week in Melody Maker. All of this
happened without much effort from the group. LA MONJA ENANA is relaxed
because they know that every once in awhile, without having to move a
finger, something un-heard of happens and changes their career. Perhaps its
largely due to their scientific-literary-paranormal theme in their music or
it could simply be that when you listen to their music without preconceived
notions, you appreciate all of the wonderful tunes with a catchy melody, a
crystal and natural voice, together with surprising sounds. The fact is, LA
MONJA ENANA has numerous fans in Spain anxiously awaiting for the release
of their album, "Humo y Espejo." We are folks who sell out their concerts,
sing along to their songs and know the perfect gestures which go along with
each line. We understand the references of Philip K. Dick and Jack Clayton
in their older songs and with their brand new songs, we'll catch on to the
references of Lemony Snicket in "Cafe Kafka" and of Jorgen Leth in "Humano
Perfecto." We are people who admire how all of this may convert into a song
and sound so great, catchy and melancholic at the same time. We are people
who are elated that a group like LA MONJA ENANA exists, because, someone
finally has written a song like "Heróes del Pasado" about the
glorious
oldies and because they dare with one of the most unusual songs by Jonathan
Richman, "I'm a Little Dinosaur," offered as a bonus track on the album. I
have the amazing luck to have heard and learned all of the new songs and
that's why I must recommend, a part from the previous new songs mentioned,
the catchy "Canción de Amor nº 3"- a musical story about the
things a
technopop musician would do for love, with Battiato style guitars. The song
"Ciencia Cotidiana" is about all of the scientific phenomena produced in
our daily lives and is also another fine choice. Don't miss out on "Trucos
de Salón," "Raccord," "Nomeolvides" or "Veinte Preguntas" all of
these are
fantastic songs about love, science and strange phenomena. This is one of
the amazing things about LA MONJA ENANA: their terrific ability to speak
about the rare stuff in life in a very simple and down-to-earth way.
Lurker Of Chalice - Lurker Of Chalice CD (Southern Lord)
[SUNN45] $14.00
RELEASE DATE: 04-15-2008
***LEVIATHAN creator WREST returns with an entirely different
incarnate
LURKER OF CHALICE. Taking a nearly gothic approach to his vocals, Wrest
incorporates melodies and harmonies that although are just as bleak as his
previous works, create a uniquely grim atmosphere that explores the subtle
dynamics of darkness. Limited edition of 777 hand-numbered copies.
M.O. - Where Are We Going? CD (Bloodlust) [B091] $11.75
The first full-length release in over ten years by PIERPAOLO ZOPPO (aka
MAUTHAUSEN ORCHESTRA). Perfectly cold, austere, and dark analog synth
material, yet carrying enough weight behind it to please all but the fans
of his early, violent, primitive, and raw Mauthausen Orchestra recordings
(recently revisited for the lavish Broken Flag box set released by
Vinyl-On-Demand in 2007). Handsome digipak, designed by MEGAN EMISH
(ex-BLOODYMINDED). 46 minutes.
Mae
Shi - Hllyh CD (Team Shi) [TMH01D] $12.75
THE MAE SHI returns with fourteen tracks and 46 minutes of frantic
no-wave
electro pop bliss. This LA band brings on the swirling synthesizers and
heavy party jams leaving crowds smiling, sweaty and ready for more.
Marek Bois - Boissche Untiefen 2CD (Rrygular) [RRY022CD]
$17.25
RELEASE DATE: 05-13-2008
This is the debut full-length release by Marek Bois. Niklas Worgt is a
man
of multiple identities. Most commonly known as Dapayk, he has been
releasing techno under the moniker Marek Bois since 2006, and it is under
this guise that he presents to us the irrepressible Boissche Untiefen.
Released (with differing track lists) on double CD, double vinyl and also
two 12"s, this is a comprehensive package to follow up on 2007's
critically-acclaimed Black Beauty - a culmination of Niklas' works as one
half of Dapayk & Padberg.
Married Monk, The - Elephant People CD (Ici d'Ailleurs)
[IDA045] $19.75
RELEASE DATE: 04-28-2008
"Never being where they are expected: this is what seems to be the
artistic
catch phrase of The Married Monk. Unexpected successor of The Belgian Kick,
this fifth album is the music of Elephant People, a pop opera which brings
together emblematic figures of monstrosity. For this occasion, the
guitarist and singer Christian Quermalet, the bass player Philippe
Lebruman, the saxophonist Etienne Jaumet and the new drummer Nicolas
Courret (Bed, Headphone), who are playing during representations, have
prepared a soundtrack which is alternating exhilarating songs and
transitions spoken by the show's actors. Incomparable french band pop
singing in English, they have a strong fan base in Europe.
Matt Elliott - Drinking Songs CD (Ici d'Ailleurs) [ida027]
$16.50
RELEASE DATE: 04-28-2008
Matt Elliott has rather an atypical course... He used to work under the
pseudo third eye foundation - emblematic figure of the English electronic
scene recognized for his atypical electro tinted by drum' N bass. Since his
first albums: "the mess we made" (domino records) and "drinking song" (Ici
d'ailleurs--), Matt Elliott turns to compositions much more folk, forsaking
the laptop and the machines - which go until disappearing on "failing
songs", to return to more traditional instruments (guitar, piano,
violin...). To succeed to "drinking songs", because it's really about
songs, "failing songs" turns Matt Elliott into a true songwriter. He
assumes completely his voice and sings very personal and dark texts.Songs
whose subtle melodies contrast with the hardness of the words because
"Failing songs" is a hard failure report. Between despair and cold anger,
the texts talk about the liberal military evolution of the world that the
author rejects. The Titles are as sublime as melancholic, bitter and sad,
impressed by Slavic music, Greek, and besides, sometimes punctuated of
Spanish guitars, sometimes close to Dimitri Chostakovitch or Pascal
Comelade's sonorities at his beginnings an artist that Matt however reveals
not to know).
Matt Elliott - Failing songs CD (Ici d'Ailleurs) [IDA037]
$16.00
RELEASE DATE: 04-28-2008
Matt Elliott has rather an atypical course... He used to work under the
pseudo third eye foundation - emblematic figure of the English electronic
scene recognized for his atypical electro tinted by drum' N bass. Since his
first albums: "the mess we made" (domino records) and "drinking song" (Ici
d'ailleurs--), Matt Elliott turns to compositions much more folk, forsaking
the laptop and the machines - which go until disappearing on "failing
songs", to return to more traditional instruments (guitar, piano,
violin...). To succeed to "drinking songs", because it's really about
songs, "failing songs" turns Matt Elliott into a true songwriter. He
assumes completely his voice and sings very personal and dark texts.Songs
whose subtle melodies contrast with the hardness of the words because
"Failing songs" is a hard failure report. Between despair and cold anger,
the texts talk about the liberal military evolution of the world that the
author rejects. The Titles are as sublime as melancholic, bitter and sad,
impressed by Slavic music, Greek, and besides, sometimes punctuated of
Spanish guitars, sometimes close to Dimitri Chostakovitch or Pascal
Comelade's sonorities at his beginnings an artist that Matt however reveals
not to know).
Microphones - Glow Pt. 2 2CD (K Records) [KLP190] $14.50
An expanded remastered re-release of the fifth full-length album from
experimental pop wizard PHIL ELVRUM. A twenty-track explosion of delicate
pop songcraft, emo-blown yearning, and white-hot rockers, loaded with
hooks, harmonies, well thought (and placed) lyrics, varied instrumentation,
and imagination galore. Includes a bonus disc of demos and "destroyed"
versions, as well as new packaging.
Narcophony - Play the Residents CD (0101) [0101.13] $16.50
RELEASE DATE: 04-28-2008
Narcophony is not done with visiting houses, haunted by the memories of
these last thirty years most frantic musicians. After Nurse With Wound,
they are getting down to the mind-expanding work of the most phenomenal San
Francisco pop combo: The Residents. Armed with a number of musicians
balanced around the duet made by Eric Aldea and Ivan Chiossone, with
Christine Ott (collaborations with Radiohead, Yann Tiersen... - Martenot's
waves) , François Cuilleron (ex-Bästard- guitars and violin)
and Hasmig Fau
(cello), Narcophony recycles 13 tracks chosen among the very first works of
The Residents (from 1974 to 1985) with the same characteristic unrestrained
energy of the avant-garde band. Reached by the playfulness of contemporary
Kraftwerk, the band turns on an amazing switch from analogical to acoustic.
Keeping most of the patterns for the timeless Ondes Martenot (father of
electronic music), the band takes up the mischievous orchestrations with
impulsive strings and other intrusions of rare instruments. A weird
masterstroke that intensifies the most resourceful period of The Residents.
New
- Deadeye Tricksters CD (Bo Weavil Recordings) [WEAVIL030CD] $15.25
"Noble (drums/percussion), Edwards (bass) and Ward (electric guitar)
play
together on this CD. Simple statement, but playing is a serious business.
Play incorporates language, ritual, myth, laughter."
New
Bloods - Secret Life CD (Kill Rock Stars) [KRS488] $13.25
The first thing you notice is the violin. It saws out high and lonesome
and
earthy above the rumble of bass and drums. And then you'll realize this is
more fiddle than violin; it's American-sounding, raw and sonorous,
resonating deep into the ground, past the roots of trees, sighing up to
shoot holes in the clouds and drifting back behind mountains. It's the
sound of train-tracks, of boots caked with mud and farmhouses and factories
and hard life in big cities. But this isn't country or Americana; it's
punk-lean, engaging, minimalist punk songs topping out before the three
minute mark with triple female vocals.
Old
Haunts - Poisonous Times CD (Kill Rock Stars) [KRS492] $13.25
Hailing from Olympia, WA, THE OLD HAUNTS find themselves nestled deep
in
the roots of the Pacific Northwest punk scene with predecessors such as the
Wipers, Sonics and Dead Moon. Currently the band is a solid trio with CRAIG
EXTINE (vocals and guitar), SCOTT SECKINGTON (bass) and former BIKINI KILL
drummer TOBI VAIL. Keeping the torch lit on the vibe and sound coming from
the scene that they are so deeply a part of, the Old Haunts add their own
personal touch to the garagey punk they forcefully spit out. They layer
wirey guitars over a pounding backbeat and the quirky vocals are delivered
with urgency. Comparisons to Television and the Gun Club are not far from
the mark although their spooky and razor sharp riffs are all their own.
Omega - Trombitas Fredi Es A Retienetes Emberek CD (Hungaroton)
[HUNG17390CD] $16.50
No description available at this time.
Omega - 10000 Lepes CD (Hungaroton) [HUNG17400CD] $16.50
No description available at this time.
Osone - Passerelle CD (And/oar) [AND029CD] $12.00
No description available at this time.
Pete Molinari - A Virtual Landslide CD (Damaged Goods)
[DAMGOOD297] $13.75
PETE MOLINARI is a young blues genius from the Medway Delta. His second
album, A Virtual Landslide, was recorded by LIAM WATSON at Toe Rag Studios,
and showcases Molinari's remarkable falsetto-you'll here shades of Woody
Guthrie, Jimmy Scott, Bob Dylan and Patsy Cline in a voice and a poetry
that is entirely Molinari's own. UK import.
Peter Moren - Last Tycoon CD (Quarterstick) [QS109] $13.75
The highly anticipated solo album from PETER MOREN, the lead singer of
Swedish indie megastars PETER BJORN AND JOHN. The Last Tycoon may be
Peter's first solo album, but it has been several years in the making.
Throughout the hectic years of songwriting, recording and touring with
Peter Bjorn and John in support of their infectious breakout album Writer's
Block, Peter's pen never rested. Out of that prolific pen emerged an
intimate collection of songs that see their writer pondering the
difficulties and resolutions of everyday life and the ever-present
confusion of approaching late adulthood. The Last Tycoon features a
decidedly more acoustic, low-key side of Peter than fans of 2007's
ubiquitous indie anthem Young Folks are used to hearing. Built around the
basic foundation of Peter and his guitar, the album has a distinctly
homemade feel that feeds from the folk singer-songwriter tradition but
still incorporates strings, synthesizers, vibraphones, percussion, a
musical saw, and even a drum machine or two.
Peter Wright - Mushroom Cloud CD (Archive) [ARCHIVE42]
$13.75
A five-track droner from this New Zealander via London. A mix of
ambient
guitar work, field recordings, and soundscapes recorded between 2005-2006.
Housed in a double sleeve with outer sleeve being semi transparent LI
Pluxus - Solid State CD (Kompakt) [KOMP065CD] $14.00
RELEASE DATE: 05-27-2008
Sweden's Pluxus originally self-released Solid State in 2006. Upon
first
hearing it, DJ and co-owner of the Kompakt label, Michael Mayer, was
immediately captivated by their inventive ways of veering away from the
systematic approach typically taken with techno music. Sebastian Tesch,
Adam Kammerland and Anders Ekert formed Pluxus back in 1998, when the
Swedish electronic scene was comprised of dull, uniform club music or
introverted art music. Influenced by Devo, Jean Jacques Perrey and
Kraftwerk through Aphex Twin and Matmos, they set out to tell a very
different tale by trading in their traditional instruments for vintage
synths, computers and a sampler: thus, Pluxus began to emit a blend of
cuddly instrumental electro-pop.
Portico - Progeny Blues CD (Copperspine) [CPS780] $13.50
Progeny Blues was recorded in the fall of 2006 at Vancouver's Mushroom
Studios and co-produced with Shawn Penner and Aaron Nordean (Hot Hot Heat)
and mastered by Alan Douches (Sufjan Stevens, Mastadon, Ben Folds Five) of
WestWestSide Music NYC. "Portico are simply one of the best Canadian bands
working today. Even if lead singer Lyn Heinemann wasn't a husky sweet
powerhouse vocalist, the rest of the band have mastered the art of mixing
delicate musical phrasing with mid-tempo urgency. Whether they function as
a standard four-piece or flesh out the material with epic gang vocals, or a
surprisingly effective horn section, there isn't one note out of place on
Progeny Blues." FFWD "This release is a rock solid recording of a
band
that just has it. The songs are big and modest at the same time, and the
vocals and lyrics are engaging and mysterious. This album has everything I
love about top shelf independent music." Zunior's Top Picks 2007
"This is
a confident-sounding sophomore release that is quite the thing of beauty
when it connects. Although there is energy, it crackles just under the
surface, only making overt appearances on some occasions. The band are
going for atmosphere and they succeed quite nicely, as this album has a
great consistent feel that makes it one of those listens that actually gets
better if experienced as an album. Something great is indeed brewing."
-!Exclaim "In a week with a plethora of record releases, Vancouver-based
pop band Portico will have a tough time getting noticed. And that will be a
shame, since the group's second full-length is definitely worth a trip to
the record store. Standouts include All You Daughters and the relatively
upbeat Stand Down, but all the songs, despite being mostly dark and
serious, definitely deserve your attention." NOW Toronto (NNNN
Critic's
Pick) "This Vancouver band's sophomore album boasts some of the most
understated, husky and unique female vocals I've heard-add to that some
captivating melodies and just enough lyrical feistiness to lend some edge
(take the previously featured scorcher, "Sincerely," for instance), and
you've got the recipe for an enticing and highly recommendable album."
Wolves, Hawks, and Kites' Top Unsung Albums of 2007 From winters of
horribly cold snow and small-town grumpy relatives to boarded up downtowns
and decaying infrastructure, Portico's sound and lyrics are a living
soundtrack. The combination of Greg Murray (drums), Mimi Mahovlich (bass),
Trent Hopton (guitar and keys) and Lyn Heinemann (guitar and vocals)
creates "a blend of spectral melodies, tricky time signatures, and expertly
intertwined guitar lines which is entirely it's own"(The Georgia Straight).
Robin Saville - Peasgood Nonsuch CD (Static Caravan) [VAN160CD]
$17.25
RELEASE DATE: 05-05-2008
Lugubrious and minimal. Melodic and otherworldly. Hot on the blistering
heels of his debut solo single (VAN 145) comes this full-length outing from
the social worker turned gardener. Double digging over unlikely boundaries
is something of a habit for Robin, and this record characteristically
lurches between moods; from elegiac to wistful, and from meditative to
bouncy, this record runs the full gamut. Creaking synths, loping bass and a
succession of chimes seep from the nimble textures pressed tightly
together. Lush and filmic, the nine tracks here cultivate and harvest a
twinkling yet intense arc, with strange and alien sounds nestling snugly
next to crumpled rhythms and gurgles, all peppered with tinges of acoustic
guitar and eerie tones. 'Peasgood Nonsuch' works over nutrient-rich
electronica soil, germinating an earthy hybrid of intricately woven
melodies and pulses, stewed and heated to perfection. An organic journey
from the pesticide-free plot to the kitchen table, it's a recipe full of
beat-tastic ingredients ripe for picking from the orchard. As one of half
of the duo which comprises isan, Robin Saville has long been part of that
seminal act - masters of slow flow electronica, bridging the gap between
different boundaries and atmospheres, not to mention untangling messy knots
of wires and cables all around the world. With its roots closer in feel to
isan's earlier, more sprightly offerings, 'Peasgood Nonsuch' is light and
warm but with an underlying dark centre, so the audible tranquillity is
imbued with an altogether tougher edge. Next to using a digital pipette to
suck up the leaked new Portishead album this gunk of electronic DNA is ripe
for unspooling and analysing in the Petri dish of your own home
laboratories. A must for fans of isan, Inch-Time, Harold Budd, and all
things Type Records ; Morr Music and Eno's Obscure label. Edition of 1000
copies in card gatefold.
Roommate - We Were Enchanted CD (Plug Research) [PLG85]
$10.00
RELEASE DATE: 04-15-2008
***The full-length follow-up to ROOMMATE's critically acclaimed debut
Songs the Animals Taught Us. Much like a dream, the album does not follow a
purely linear structure; instead, it is formed from a series of startling
images, both gorgeous and grotesque, from which a series of themes emerges:
The escapism and anonymity of digital life; the endless, vacuous cycle of
modern news; the struggle to connect meaningfully with the earth and other
humans in a wasteful and destructive society; the seductive appeal of
fantasy and nostalgia in a landscape defined by American Idolatry and Wars
of Terror. Avoiding easy cynicism, Roommate examines these and other themes
with earnest idealism and self-observant irony, finding hope, beauty and
humor where little seems possible. While there are moments here and there
that may spark a memory of '60s & '70s psychedelic rock or '80s synth-pop,
a hint of Nilsson-esque bar-room piano, Faust-ian analog synths or delicate
strings a la Talk Talk, this is music with eyes gazing into the future,
seeking out new ways of expressing a poetic, ecstatic truth.
Runemagick - Voyage To Desolation / Dawn Of The Dead CD
(Enucleation) [SOCKET07] $11.00
Hailing from the darkest depths of Surte, Sweden, RUNEMAGICK evoke
feelings
of utter desolation and despair with their new album, Voyage to
Desolation/Dawn of the End. Started in late 1990 and focused on playing a
mid-tempo death/doom style of metal, they took inspiration from the classic
death/black metal bands: Celtic Frost, Bathory, Autopsy, and Hellhammer.
Chock full of heavier-than-thou-riffage cohered with haunting leads and
blackened undertones, this album brings to mind the darkness and despair of
a plodding funeral procession. Crushing and deliberate at one point, moody
and distant in the next, Runemagick aurally depicts the dreary murk and fog
that embodies the coldest, most dismal graveyard Sweden has to offer.
Seelenlicht - Gods and Devils CD (Cold Spring) [09432]
$15.50
This stunning debut release from Troy Southgate (H.E.R.R. / Horologium)
and
Butow Maler (Kammer Sieben) contains 14 darkly satirical compositions that
strip bare the mechanism of human nature and the madness of the
contemporary world. There are bittersweet excursions into social
conformity, mass apathy and mindless consumerism, as well as Gothic murder
ballads, an ode to nature in the raw and a devastatingly powerful tribute
to Hermann Hesse's landmark novel, Demian. Comprised of electronic, folk
and neoclassical elements, this album is brimming with originality,
enthusiasm and creativity. Features guest appearances from Herr Twiggs
(Kammer Sieben), Maria Southgate (H.E.R.R.) and Eustacia Vye (Horologium).
Digipak.
Sissy Spacek - California Ax CD Box (Helicopter) [H050CD]
$32.00
No description available at this time.
Skitliv - Amfetamin CD (Cold Spring) [09431] $15.50
Exclusive release from the Doom / Noise project of Maniac (ex-MAYHEM),
featuring Kvarforth (SHINING), and with special guest vocals by Attila
(SUNN O))), MAYHEM). From Black Metal through Funeral Doom and Demonic
Noise, Skitliv cover all the bases in modern extreme sonics. The CD /
download version includes bonus tracks from Skitliv's live performance at
the Camden Underworld, London, 13th December 2007, with a special intro
from CURRENT 93 (David Tibet & Andrew Liles). Forthcoming limited 12"
etched edition (CSR90EP) on Cold Spring.
Spiral Ascension - Land, Sea & Sky CD (Desert Sky Music)
[DSR006] $12.25
RELEASE DATE: 06-10-2008
Tribal virtuoso musician extraordinaire, Carl Roessler, and master
Guitarist Clive Wright are Spiral Ascension. Clive has recorded a record
with Harold Budd, which will be out on Darla in Fall 2008. Their wonderful
debut recording is a refreshing addition to recent releases hearkening to
the birth of a new, alternative world genre. It is fitting that the Image
on the CD was captured during a recent lunar eclipse as it cast their
shadows on the desert floor. Spiral Ascension is a fusion of sweeping,
synthesizer-driven soundscape beds, overlaid with digitally delayed guitar,
richly textured native wind instruments and breezy percussion. Wright is a
master of the ebow which he used to effect the disc's distinctive guitar
sound. With elements drawn from the Brian Eno/Harold Budd ambient sector,
Spiral Ascension mix of modern and indigenous instrumentation also speaks
to a kind of future/primitive fusion. As such, the CD runs the gamut from
the sweeping atmospherics of "Northern Lights" (complete with chorus of
dolphins) and the ethereal "Awesome Day", to the didjeridoo-infused, eerie
suspense of "Spiral Ascension" and otherworldly, glissandi clockwork of
"Nightime" --each piece on the record is the sonic equivalent of taking a
deep, shamanic journey. The final track, "Land, Sea and Sky" is a
transcendent, heart song of flute and guitar soaring somewhere close to
Paradise. It's not really surprising that some of the music was recorded in
the amazing Integratron space out in the California desert. Whether the
Space Brothers have actually visited the place is anyone's guess, but there
is no doubt that there were spirits in attendance when this talented duo
created what promises to be the first of many future incredible
collaborations. Carl Roessler is an esteemed member of the Raven Drum
Artists Collective and Worked for 5 years at the Living Desert Museum in
Palm Desert, California. He has also been involved in doing healing
workshops in the Coachella Valley, including performing like a desert
dervish in drum circles with swarms of children (and their transfixed
parents) at the Museum's Village Watutu. Clive Wright is a record producer
and composer of music for commercials and films. He has worked in the Hip
Hop and R&B field collaborating with No 1 Billboard artist Montel Jordan
and is currently working with Harold Budd. He is also lead guitarist for
the newly reformed platinum selling band Cock Robin. "The vision of a peace
bomb exploding in the hearts of the humane.. A Unity of people that want to
find peace for real.. Kindness, compassion and a fearlessness to take a
stand. To heal the injured souls and praise the warriors of light.. For
together we have strength.. With a Spiral Ascension Towards a higher
love.." The duo is now starting to present the Spiral Ascension experience
in live performance. To stay/get in touch www.myspace.com/sprialascention
Stefan Wolpe - Lieder - Battle Piece CD (Neos) [NEOS10719CD]
$19.75
No description available at this time.
Ted
Daniel Quintet - Tapestry CD (Porter Records) [PRCD1503CD] $16.00
No description available at this time.
The
Byard Lancaster Unit - Live at Macalester College CD (Porter Records)
[PRCD1502CD] $16.00
No description available at this time.
Thee Oh Sees - Master's Bedroom Is Worth Spending A Night In CD
(Tomlab) [TOM117] $14.00
Somewhere beyond nostalgia, beyond the garage, somewhere beyond the
fireside song and supposed goo-rock, you will find the latest incarnation
of THEE OH SEES, now a quartet composed of JOHN DWYER (OCS, COACHWHIPS,
PINK & BROWN), BRIGID DAWSON, PETEY DAMMIT! and MIKE SHOUN. The prolific
Dwyer contends again for best album of his career with his signature AM
radio howl coupled with the catchiest of driving tunes, Dawson's gorgeous
harmonies, heightened fidelity, thick spring-reverbed bombast, mighty
drums, and an undeniable pull.
Thomas Belhom - No Border CD (Ici d'Ailleurs) [IDA036-2]
$15.50
RELEASE DATE: 04-28-2008
Today, whereas some dream of always more hermetic borders, Thomas
Belhom
asserts his musician and world citizen's freedom on a second album recorded
between Munich, London, Nashville and Paris. "No border" is the travelogue
of a musician who loves encounters and who cannot bear all that prevent
them from happening. Thus his tightrope walker's melodies have been
enriched with trips and the recordings of numerous musicians and friends'
participation. Stuart Stapples (Tinkersticks) - accompanied by Thomas on
stage, after he took part to the recording of his second album "Leaving
songs" - sings on the magnificent "South over the seven hills". You can
also hear Volker Zander (Calexico), who accompanied Amor Belhom Duo on the
double bass at the occasion of their last tour and Kim Ohio (Mad River) -
met at the time of Witches Valley, who sings along with Thomas Belhom on
three titles. One of the two instrumental tracks of the album is even
composed and interpreted by Viva Yazon, who is also painter and from now on
Thomas Belhom's wife, accompanied by Paul Nihaus (Lambchop) and his so
characteristic steel guitar.
Titus Andronicus - Airing Of Grievances CD (Troubleman
Unlimited) [TMU] $12.00
RELEASE DATE: 04-15-2008
***The debut from New Jersey quintet TITUS ANDRONICUS-three guitars,
frantic drums, keyboards, vocals. "They hit every mark, nailing noise and
debris against shake-and-sing anthems. That's Titus Andronicus'
ploy-aggressing and endearing audiences as a completely ramshackle crew of
Jersey drunks, while somehow triumphing through perfectly clangorous pop
songs. If this band can convince itself not to fall apart at the
well-lubed, beer-soaked seams, watch out."-Pitchfork. ONLY AVAILABLE
THROUGH REVOLVER USA.
Tony Allen - Lagos Shake CD (Honest Jon's Records) [HJR034CD]
$16.00
Two years ago, Honest Jon's travelled to Lagos with the great drummer
Tony
Allen, to make his first recordings there since his time with Fela Kuti -
an album entitled Lagos No Shaking, a classic of contemporary Afrobeat.
Since then, the label has widely commissioned numerous responses to those
new sides: from legends of dance music culture like Basic Channel in
Berlin, for example, and founding father of Detroit techno, Carl Craig; and
young tigers like Dizzee Rascal's Newham Generals, MIA producer Diplo in
Baltimore, and carioca sensations Bonde Do Role from Rio De Janeiro. There
are also new recordings from Cairo, Saturn, Bogota and Kingston, Jamaica -
fresh interpretations or complete reworkings by the space jazz pioneer
Salah Ragab, a street brass band descended from Sun Ra's Arkestra,
highlife-inspired Afro-Colombian drummers from the village of San Palenque
De Basilio, and a veteran of Count Ossie's Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari.
Afrobeat, dub, jazz, chalupa, electro, highlife, techno, grime, carioca,
champeta and funk from all corners, fizzing away together here...
Tzoziles - Psalms, Stories and Music CD (Sub Rosa) [SR017CD]
$14.00
RELEASE DATE: 05-13-2008
2008 reissue of these field recordings made by Thierry Zeno in the
Tzotzile
community in Chiapas, Mexico, originally released by Sub Rosa in 1999. This
is a unique document that includes rare ritual music, psalms, dialogue and
stories of revolt from the last descendents of the Mayan culture. For the
past 20 years, Belgian author and filmmaker Thierry Zeno has regularly
visited the Tzotzile community that can be heard on this record, archiving
and filming. Because he is accepted as "the man who makes pictures," and
has made a point of showing the preceding year's film on each of his
visits, he has compiled a survey of prime importance. A few of the most
important rituals in the life of this community are offered here -
including the music for the Day of the Dead, the music heralding All
Saints' Day, The Transfer of Power (chant of authority changing hands),
sanctifying rituals, some dialogue in the language of the Maya, field
recordings of Christmas night and Carnival and a fragment of speech of the
Zapatista Army of National Liberation.
Various Artists - The Projekt Sampler 2008 CD (Projekt) [09427]
$5.75
This week's VINYL update contains releases by:
Airbus Modular * Andy Stott * Audision * Black Monk * Brendon Moeller *
Bukaddor & Fishbeck * Bulbs/Wobbly * Bunnybrains 88 * Conrad Schnitzler *
Dirk Leyers * Donk Boys * Exploding Star Orchestra * Goon Moon * Guaranteed
Katch * Henryk Debich * John Starlight * Junior Boys * Juno6 * JW Farquhar
* Kaito * Kawabata * Landing * Lucio Aquilina * Marek Bois * Mark Broom *
Meneguar * Michael Viner's Incredible Bongo Band * Mincemeat or Tenspeed *
Morning After * New Blockaders & Das Synthetische Mischgewebe, The * No
Means No * Pluxus * Protest the Hero * Raglani * Russian Tsarlag/blue Shift
* Sacros * Saves the Day * School, The * Sebastian Russell * Shit and Shine
* Shonky * Snow Patrol * Speedmarket Avenue * Steel An' Skin * Swat Squad *
Thank You * Thanksgiving * Thomas Belhom * Thomas Muller * Titus Andronicus
* Tommy Jay * Tony Allen * Wareika Hill Sounds
Airbus Modular - Destinations 12 inch (Traum) [TRAUM098EP]
$9.75
Greek duo Airbus Modular release this 3-tracker in anticipation of
their
debut full-length. "Destinations" is a brainy, melodic avalanche with
sequences wandering up and down, randomly creating a Latin-like flavor.
"Poise" is technical and energetic, with lots of different parameters and
small details that develop into a dubby, relaxed, techno-house track.
"Manoeuvres Time Seconds" is more experimental and occasionally hits with
organ stabs and cool breaks.
Andy Stott - Bad Landing 12 inch (Modern Love) [LOVE043EP]
$12.25
Bad Landing finds Andy Stott delivering arguably his most evolved,
developed material to date. The title track is a throbbing mass of dub
reduction fuelled by deft space and compression. A towering valve organ
presents a looped refrain slowly opening up to reveal a catchy hook. "Fine
Metallic Dollar" constructs itself out of sparse percussion and an
elongated bass line. The chords here are gnarly and disfigured, slowly
disintegrating into an oscillating wave of late night wonkiness.
Audision - Red Sky 12 inch (Mule Electronic) [MULE043EP]
$9.75
No description available at this time.
Black Monk - Black Monk 7 inch (Poobah Records) [P7003EP]
$8.75
No description available at this time.
Brendon Moeller - Elixir 12 inch (Echocord) [ECHO029EP]
$9.75
No description available at this time.
Bukaddor & Fishbeck - Live Is Life 12 inch (My Best Friend)
[MBF12042EP] $9.75
No description available at this time.
Bulbs/Wobbly - Div/orce Series #7 split 7 inch (Ache) [ACHE035]
$7.75
The seventh installment of our DIV/ORCE series, a split 7" series
devoted
to transcending the trivial boundaries of genre, pairs up two Bay Area
acts. Wobbly, a San Franciscan with a vigorous back catalog, including
releases on Tigerbeat6, and collaborations with MATMOS. His track, Tiny
Tongue, features guest vocals by Kevy B (AKA Kevin Blechdom) and, as a
first in the series, guest instrumentation by his 7" partners, BULBS. It's
a wiggly road, teeming with wet noodle guitar waver, elastic drums, and the
type of vocal manipulation that evokes DAT POLITICS references; a
beautifully dizzy track. Bulbs, a two piece of live-processed guitar and
drums (although you'd never guess it), assemble a marvelously composed
melange of harmonious static. The track lazily transitions from various
degrees of dynamics, eventually locking into a rhythm led by ghost drums.
Best listened to at loud volume. Another delightfully clumsy addition to
the DIV/ORCE SERIES.
Bunnybrains 88 - Squirrel Attack EP LP (Equation Records)
[E=MC006LP] $16.50
2005 release. "333 copies only. 21 min long 10" EP pressed on split
red-clear vinyl. Over 21 minutes of hard-hitting studio and live tracks
that defy simple categorization."
Conrad Schnitzler - 00/360 + 00/380 Mixes 1 12 inch (Orac)
[ORAC029EP] $9.75
No description available at this time.
Dirk Leyers - Alma 12 inch (Klang Elektronik) [KLANG131EP]
$9.75
Dirk Leyers presents his first record for Klang Elektronik. "Azul" is
an
impulsive track, with an anxious, meandering bass line and bright
synthesizer sounds, while the beat unerringly gallops directly towards
dancer's heaven. On the B-side, Dirk calms down a little bit and begrudges
us with a conveniently laid-back, almost ambient piece of music called
"Azur" before he relieves us with the spheric, whispering "Alma."
Donk Boys - Jambalaya 12 inch (Trapez) [TRAPEZ086EP] $9.75
No description available at this time.
Exploding Star Orchestra - We Are All From Somewhere Else 2xLP
(Shortwave) [SHORTWAVE003] $29.50
RELEASE DATE: 04-15-2008
***NOW AVAILABLE ON VINYL!!! A brand new release from this all-star
group
of Chicago avant-garde improvisers led by ROB MAZUREK (CHICAGO UNDERGROUND,
ISOTOPE 217), along with NICOLE MITCHELL (FREQUENCY, BLACK EARTH ENSEMBLE),
TORTOISE members JOHN McENTIRE, JOHN HERNDON, and JEFF PARKER, and a ton of
other prominent Chicago players. Ten tracks delivered in three distinct
sections that correspond with a story involving an exploding star, cosmic
transformation, a sting ray, and the destructive power of humans among
others ideas and subjects.
Goon Moon - Licker's Last Leg LP (Black Diamond) [BDX03]
$16.25
GOON MOON is the spooky and dirgey alignment of a sorted and celebrated
bunch. The band features JEORDIE WHITE, who is better known as TWIGGY
RAMIREZ from MARILYN MANSON and current bassist for NINE INCH NAILS and
CHRIS GOSS, record producer for the likes of Kyuss and Queens Of The Stone
Age, while also being the frontman of desert rock band MASTERS OF REALITY.
Musically, the album is a true musical potpourri, which reflects the
group's across-the-boards influences. No denying the recognizable sounds of
both NIN and Queens Of The Stone Age, but also the influences of the new
folk scene such as Devendra Banhart, Joanna Newsom and Deerhoof. Also,
included on the sessions are ZACH HILL (HELLA), JOSH FREESE (VANDALS, A
PERFECT CIRCLE, NIN), JOSH HOMME (QOTSA), DAVE CATCHING (EAGLES OF DEATH
METAL, MONDO GENERATOR), WHITEY KIRST (IGGY POP) and PETER PERDICHIZZI (THE
FLYS).
Guaranteed Katch - In A Sumptuous Brown Gravy LP (Equation
Records) [E=MC010LP] $12.00
"333 copies only. Brown vinyl full-length LP. Born from the ashes of
bands
Post Mortem, Siege and Colon On The Cob, Guaranteed Katch carves a unique,
indescribable niche in a world of copy cats and wannabes, providing the
adventurous listener with a true alternative to the alternative. This LP is
loaded with an unforgettable roster of action-packed songs, whirling the
listener into a state of inexplicable dementia and psychiatric ineptitude.
Described as 'jazz-core,' 'powdered-wig punk' or 'experimental noise-rock,'
this recording provides a host of musically disorienting songs from
who-knows-where through a combination of many different music styles played
with irreverence and abandon: be it Killdozer-esque 'Baron Of Beef' to the
haughty posturing of 'Trash-Knight.'"
John Starlight - Road Rage 12 inch (Ukw Records) [UKW009EP]
$9.75
One-sided 12". John Starlight is ridin' dirty and kickin' up some dust
with
this one-sided bass-o-mator. Forward, reverse, bump, bump, reverse... "Road
Rage" is a fine example of electronic music that isn't afraid of
experimentation. That's the distinctive John Starlight sound which he
defined in 2003 with the milestone Blood Angels: organic, bass-grinding and
massive! That beer must be chilled, the engine must be thrilled, lame
pling-plongs get out of the way.
Junior Boys - No Kinda Man 12 inch (Get Physical Music)
[GPM087EP] $10.75
No description available at this time.
Juno6 - Salamis 12 inch (Broque) [BROQUE011EP] $11.00
No description available at this time.
Kaito - Alive/Everlasting Dub 12 inch (Kompakt) [KOM173EP]
$9.75
No description available at this time.
Kawabata - Persuasion 12 inch (Drumpoet Community)
[DRUMPOET013EP] $11.50
No description available at this time.
Landing - Gravitational IV LP (Equation Records) [E=MC012LP]
$17.75
"450 copies only.180 gram virgin vinyl LP in a heavy 350 gram gatefold
sleeve. Up until now, Gravitational IV has been known as Landing's 'lost'
album. Mostly recorded during the sessions that led to 2004's Sphere (K
Records), Gravitational IV is a varied and multi-textured album. Sound
experiments, free flowing drone freakouts, and softly lilting lullabies
make up what may be the most accomplished and interesting release of
Landing's 8-year career. This is music to stay indoors with. This is vessyl
music."
Lucio Aquilina - Squared Circle & Disco Bus Rmxs 12 inch
(Trapez) [TRAPEZLTD063] $9.75
Italian DJ and producer Lucio Aquilina has already released two records
with Trapez. In anticipation of his upcoming remix record, one track from
each of his previous recordings are remixed here. "Squared Circle" was
remixed by Red Robin & Jakob Hilden, and has a playful, quirky, massive
bass line. On the flipside, Roland M. Dill remixes "Disco Bus." He has
created a peak-time rocker, cutting up the vocal and other parts to make it
a funky and mixable techno tool.
Marek Bois - Boissche Untiefen Part 1 12 inch (Rrygular)
[RRY022A-EP] $9.75
No description available at this time.
Marek Bois - Boissche Untiefen 2xLP (Rrygular) [RRY022LP]
$17.25
RELEASE DATE: 05-13-2008
This is the debut full-length release by Marek Bois. Niklas Worgt is a
man
of multiple identities. Most commonly known as Dapayk, he has been
releasing techno under the moniker Marek Bois since 2006, and it is under
this guise that he presents to us the irrepressible Boissche Untiefen.
Released (with differing track lists) on double CD, double vinyl and also
two 12"s, this is a comprehensive package to follow up on 2007's
critically-acclaimed Black Beauty - a culmination of Niklas' works as one
half of Dapayk & Padberg.
Mark Broom - Grab Pasta 12 inch (Platzhirsch Schallplatten)
[PLATZLTD007EP] $10.25
No description available at this time.
Meneguar - The In Hour LP (Woodsist) [WOODSIST013LP] $13.50
No description available at this time.
Mincemeat or Tenspeed - All Critters 12 inch (Deathbomb Arc)
[DBA083] $11.75
One day, young DAVEY HARMS wanted to make some techno music. But unlike
every other red-blooded American boy, he had no drum machine, no sampler,
no sequencer, and not even a computer. Despite being such a deprived little
punk, Davey was resourceful and so he looked around his room for something
else that he could make some beats out of. Gathering up all his guitar
pedals and a mixer, he made the cyberpunk dream come true. In a recent
Pitchfork poll, friend Dan Deacon named MINCEMEAT OR TENSPEED one of the
best acts of 2007. This is magic on a plate. The feel good hit of 2008!
New
Blockaders & Das Synthetische Mischgewebe, The - The Monosyllabic Bicycles
Tri-Coloured Quadruples LP (Equation Records) [E=MC018LP] $32.00
Immaculate package and great concrete-influenced sound on this new
ultra-limited release. "All-new full-length LP + 7" set pressed on the
highest-quality 180g virgin vinyl with the 7" coming in its own picture
sleeve. The LP coming in a super-heavy casebound sleeve (like those old
1970s US LP sleeves - very heavy, sturdy and lovely!). We offer here nearly
an hour of new sound collages and spheres by the long-established and
influential & infamous nihilists The New Blockaders working in close
collaboration with the hugely acclaimed and long-running sound artists Das
Synthetische Mischgewebe. It is a little surprising that these artists have
not collaborated before. This is both a challenging and important
anti-work that demands close listening as it took ages to craft the sonic
textures contained in these spinning circular vinyl grooves." 305 numbered
copies.
Pluxus - Solid State 12 inch (Kompakt) [KOM174EP] $9.75
No description available at this time.
Protest the Hero - Fortress LP (Cobraside/Vagrant) [CSDLP1121]
$13.25
The vinyl version of this Whitby, Ontario band's latest studio album.
The
band's sound combines elements of Coheed & Cambria, At The Drive-In, and
Everytime I Die, merging technical metal and post-hardcore instincts.
Raglani - Web Of Light Part 1 LP (Kvist) [KVIST002LP]
$16.50
No description available at this time.
Russian Tsarlag/blue Shift - Thank You For The Plastic Surgery
You've Given Me/The Burrow LP (Rare Youth) [RY011LP] $13.50
No description available at this time.
Saves the Day - Under The Boards LP (Cobraside/Vagrant)
[CSDLP1118] $12.25
Cobraside vinyl for the band's latest studio album, second in a trilogy
that began with 2005's Sound The Alarm and will be completed with yet
another new studio album in spring of 2008. Hard to believe, but the Chico,
California-based band will celebrate their tenth anniversary next year!
School, The - All I Wanna Do 7 inch (Elefant) [ER-259]
$7.25
RELEASE DATE: 04-14-2008
Limited edition - Pink colour vinyl. It may be possible that you may
have
never heard of them, but this is totally understandable- they have only
played four different concerts since signing to Elefant at the beginning of
the summer of 2007. Since then, their live shows have increased in number
and the group toured throughout the United Kingdom in October and November
with THE LOVES. Skipping about on stages throughout Great Britain, from
Scotland to the south of England and of course, London, this group has
played on numerous occasions to their fans who come out in the plenty.
Before the extensive tour, in September, they entered the studios with
producer Ian Catt (SAINT ETIENNE, TREMBLING BLUE STARS, SHAMPOO, THE BOO
RADLEYS, Kahimi Karie, THE FIELD MICE) to record two songs which will be a
part of their debut single, "All I Wanna Do," among other songs. This
special edition pink vinyl single will be the waiting room for the second
single and their posterior LP debut, which will be out at the end of 2008.
The fact is that this group of seven, led by the peppy Liz offers a
well-rounded presentation (Amen to the delicious "Kiss You in the Snow"
which came out on our holiday single!), where their handwriting marks are
above and beyond excellent. More importantly, the pop tunes are filled with
emotion. "All I Wanna Do" reminds us of CAMERA OBSCURA and embraces passion
with the legacy of Phil Spector, with a chorus filled with moving
romanticism and a song that grows with the intensity as each compass is
played, embellishing the melancholy until it stops and it leaves you
shivering. "Valentine" has something else in store for the listener, as it
is on the other side of the single, with a tight chorus (a must to dance
to!), an agile rhythm and Diana Ross thinking that THE SUPREMES never
ended. An amazing B side! Pitchfork, Plan B and Under the Radar have all
spoken highly of them, comparing them to classic bands such as THE BEATLES,
ELO and THE BEACH BOYS and more modern groups like SATURDAY LOOKS GOOD TO
ME, BELLE & SEBASTIAN and LUCKY SOUL, among others.
Sebastian Russell - Sexus 12 inch (Adjunct) [ADJUNTILL011]
$10.25
"London resident, French-born Sebastian Russell has credits to his name
on
labels like Milnor Modern, Telegraph and Safari Electronique. A producer
with a distinct sonic signature and a talent for creating infectious jacky
grooves, Sebastian is now a proud new member of the Adjunct faculty. Acid
shower drizzle kicks 'Sexus' off, melts down the tile floor and drops all
the way down to the eternal basement of Seb's studio. The party is joined
by squealing inorganic beings, ferocious drum computer and turns into a
micro-fireworks-tech-house celebration. [a]pendics.shuffle effectively
neutralizes the acid with bubbly alkaline, mischievous beats and a
syncopated re-sequence of the original's acid stream. 'The Wing Chun Punch'
and 'British Fart' continue the journey beneath the city streets. Swung and
extra-tight beat programming, FX knobs on max, diabolical vocal warnings
and other unexpected occurrences lead the way through the abstract realm of
Sebastian's land of wonders."
Shit and Shine - Cigarette Sequence 7 inch (Skulltones)
[SKT005] $6.25
Sewer hiss lullabies from beyond (read ENGLAND) for heavy kitchen
appliances and foolish acid children. Recorded at Todd Ranch by CAKE.
Pressed in a numbered edition of 300 copies.
Shonky - Time Zero Remixes 12 inch (Freak N' Chic) [FNC027EP]
$10.75
No description available at this time.
Snow Patrol - Shut Your Eyes 12 inch (Endless Flight) [EF005EP]
$9.75
Presenting a heartfelt remix of "Shut Your Eyes" by Naum Gabo.
Speedmarket Avenue - Way Better Now 7 inch (Elefant) [ER-260]
$7.25
RELEASE DATE: 04-14-2008
Limited edition - white colour vinyl. SPEEDMARKET AVENUE, a Swedish
group
with a refined atmosphere, will prove to be, without a doubt, one of the
most talked about musical references in 2008 for all POP lovers in capital
letters. In "Way Better Now" they leave a good mark of their roots, as an
advance to their second album, titled "Way Better Now" as well. On one
hand, the title song is electric and fast-paced, finished off with a
glorious chorus, in a more distorted THE ESSEX GREEN kind of sound, while
"The New Idea" emanates a certain air of the songs that Nancy Sinatra and
Lee Hazlewood played, offering a more innocent facet of the group, yet
elegant at the same time. Two songs produced by Jari Haapalainen (producer
of ED HARCOURT, INTERNATIONAL NOISE CONSPIRACY, THE CONCRETES and CAMERA
OBSCURA, among others) which gives us one of the best virtues of the group;
their all-terrain inspiration covers multiple styles and sounds, but has
always embraced the pop and melody flag. Groups such as THE AISLERS SET,
THE LUCKSMITHS, LADYBUG TRANSISTOR guide us to their sound but SLOWDIVE,
THE CURE and TREMBLING BLUE STARS do as well.
Swat Squad - Sleep Traveller 12 inch (Galaktika Records)
[GLK015EP] $11.50
No description available at this time.
Thank You - Terrible Two LP (Thrill Jockey) [THR198LP]
$12.00
No description available at this time.
Thanksgiving - Welcome To Nowhere 2xLP (PWE and Sun) [ELV011]
$18.25
RELEASE DATE: 04-15-2008
***Welcome Nowhere by THANKSGIVING was PW ELVRUM & SUN first release,
(ELV000), way back in 2004. It was poorly mastered, pressed on flimsy thin
vinyl, made on rough torn up covers, came with a weird CDR with pops and
hiss and shit, the silkscreening had chunks of wood and stone in it, etc.
Still, it sold out and ended up on eBay for some reason so the label
figured they might as well rerelease it and might as well include all the
other amazing songs from the sessions that didn't fit onto the first
version. So here it is! Two records and a real CD (of the records), in a
beautifully printed full-color glossy gatefold sleeve. Side 3 is the famous
rare Pregnancy Series EP released by States Rights Records, now on vinyl
for the first time. Side 4 is unheard songs of the era, including
"Waterfalls." Everything was remastered by the excellent John Golden.
Thomas Belhom - No Border LP (Ici d'Ailleurs) [IDA036-1]
$16.25
RELEASE DATE: 04-28-2008
Today, whereas some dream of always more hermetic borders, Thomas
Belhom
asserts his musician and world citizen's freedom on a second album recorded
between Munich, London, Nashville and Paris. "No border" is the travelogue
of a musician who loves encounters and who cannot bear all that prevent
them from happening. Thus his tightrope walker's melodies have been
enriched with trips and the recordings of numerous musicians and friends'
participation. Stuart Stapples (Tinkersticks) - accompanied by Thomas on
stage, after he took part to the recording of his second album "Leaving
songs" - sings on the magnificent "South over the seven hills". You can
also hear Volker Zander (Calexico), who accompanied Amor Belhom Duo on the
double bass at the occasion of their last tour and Kim Ohio (Mad River) -
met at the time of Witches Valley, who sings along with Thomas Belhom on
three titles. One of the two instrumental tracks of the album is even
composed and interpreted by Viva Yazon, who is also painter and from now on
Thomas Belhom's wife, accompanied by Paul Nihaus (Lambchop) and his so
characteristic steel guitar.
Thomas Muller - Ride On 12 inch (Zero G Sounds) [BPC168EP]
$9.75
A French transplant to Berlin, Thomas Muller presents Ride On, his
impressions of Parisian nightlife and a voyage though Europe's
metropolises. "Ride On" slowly forms a hypnotic atmosphere until a long,
deep break brings us back to earth. "X Nights" invades the ears with an
awesome and dark bass line with small details that create a new space
within the track. "Puppet's Dream" is Thomas' homage to Berlin's Bar 25,
bringing back the spirit of summer onto the turntable.
Titus Andronicus - Albert Camus 7 inch (Troubleman Unlimited)
[TMU195] $5.75
No description available at this time.
Tony Allen - Lagos Shake 2xLP (Honest Jon's Records) [HJR034LP]
$19.00
Two years ago, Honest Jon's travelled to Lagos with the great drummer
Tony
Allen, to make his first recordings there since his time with Fela Kuti -
an album entitled Lagos No Shaking, a classic of contemporary Afrobeat.
Since then, the label has widely commissioned numerous responses to those
new sides: from legends of dance music culture like Basic Channel in
Berlin, for example, and founding father of Detroit techno, Carl Craig; and
young tigers like Dizzee Rascal's Newham Generals, MIA producer Diplo in
Baltimore, and carioca sensations Bonde Do Role from Rio De Janeiro. There
are also new recordings from Cairo, Saturn, Bogota and Kingston, Jamaica -
fresh interpretations or complete reworkings by the space jazz pioneer
Salah Ragab, a street brass band descended from Sun Ra's Arkestra,
highlife-inspired Afro-Colombian drummers from the village of San Palenque
De Basilio, and a veteran of Count Ossie's Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari.
Afrobeat, dub, jazz, chalupa, electro, highlife, techno, grime, carioca,
champeta and funk from all corners, fizzing away together here...
Various Artists - Drumpoems Verse 1 12 inch (Drumpoet
Community) [DRUMPOET012EP] $11.50
No description available at this time.
Wareika Hill Sounds - Proverbs of Proverbs 7 inch (Honest Jon's
Records) [HJP044EP] $7.25
RELEASE DATE: 05-13-2008
Unexpectedly uplifting, shuffling, percussive rug-cutter, with the
Light Of
Saba veteran bringing a little go-go to the grounation, and a lovely dub
mixed by Moritz von Oswald.
[ H I S T O R I C A L ]
Henryk Debich - String Beat LP (Bureau B) [BB011LP] $16.00
RELEASE DATE: 05-27-2008
LP-only release. One of the most legendary and eagerly sought-after
treasures of Polish jazz funk is about to see the light of day again.
First issued in 1975, Henryk Debich's String Beat is now released on vinyl
by Bureau B, thanks to a friendly tip-off by Roskow Kretschmann of
Jazzanova, an expert on jazz and groove obscurities.
JW
Farquhar - The Formal Female LP (Shadoks Music) [SHAD099LP] $41.25
"All tracks where recorded by JW Jarquhar in 1972. The songs on The
Formal
Female were written as an outcry against the materialistic nature of the
woman during that time period in 1972. It is amazing electric fuzz album
full of effects and it's a masterpiece such as D.R. Hooker. Extra heavy
psychedelic."
Michael Viner's Incredible Bongo Band - Bongo Rock 2xLP (Mr.
Bongo Recordings) [MRB043LP] $19.25
Double LP version, as originally reissued in 2006. "Bongo Rock or The
Story
Of The Incredible Bongo Band features the two original Bongo Band albums in
their entirety (Bongo Rock and The Return of the Incredible Bongo Band) The
Incredible Bongo Band's cover of track 'Apache' originally made famous by
The Shadows is simply legendary in the world of dance music. Not only
arguably one of the most sampled tracks of all time and a staple for Kool
Herc and Grandmaster Flash as they invented the art of DJing at the Bronx
block parties of the '70s, it has become an all-time hip hop and breakers'
anthem and is revered as the original break of all original breaks with the
rhythms of this LP coining the term Breakbeat. Formed by MGM A&R Michael
Viner in 1972 to supplement the soundtrack to the virtually anonymous B
film The Thing With Two Heads. The IBB went from loose studio collective to
an instrumental pop covers consortium, interpreting classics of the day in
their own inimitable percussive fashion. B-Movie soundtracks, The Beatles,
drummers gone bad, Frank Zappa, Kool Herc... The album has a remarkable
story behind it, detailed in Angus Batey's extensive sleeve notes. 'Apache'
has been sampled by: Missy Elliot, Coldcut, Will Smith, Goldie, Jurassic 5,
Moby, Run DMC, Sugarhill Gang, Beastie Boys and Massive Attack and many
many more. A must in every record collection."
Michael Viner's Incredible Bongo Band - Apache 12 inch (Mr.
Bongo Recordings) [MRB12035EP] $10.25
@ cuts from the album, with loud 12" pressing. Plus 2 remixes, not on
the
2LP version; the extended Flash remix is pretty cool. A1. Apache
(Grandmaster Flash mix) A2. Apache (Original) B1. Last Bongo In Belgium
(Breakers mix) B2. Bongolia (Original).
Michael Viner's Incredible Bongo Band - Bongo Rock/Apache 7
inch (Mr. Bongo Recordings) [MRB7043EP] $7.75
Limited 7" featuring "Apache" and "Bongo Rock."
Morning After - Blue Blood LP (Shadoks Music) [SHAD103LP]
$41.25
"Here we have a completely unknown album from England from 1971.
Morning
After recorded this LP as a demo only to acquire a record deal (as so many
bands did in the late '60s early '70s). So the album was pressed only in
tiny amounts. The music on this album is pure British Underground,
electrifying, pure and raw, no Sgt. Pepper sing along tunes. Just superb!"
No
Means No - Day Everything Became Isolated And Destroyed LP (Wrong)
[WRONG34V] $16.25
A ressue of NO MEANS NO's first release with the legendary Alternative
Tentacles label. Small Parts Isolated And Destroyed was their third
full-length first released in 1988 compiled together with the EP The Day
Everything Became Nothing, aptly titled The Day Everything Became Isolated
And Destroyed. These recordings show NMN at the height of their creativity
and their early obsession with social order in its many strands. The band's
trademark genre-defiance is in full effect, with blistering punk/hardcore
tracks like "Dead Souls" and "Teresa Give Me That Knife" to the long, noisy
jazzcore of "Small Parts Isolated And Destroyed" and the amazing "Brother
Rat/What Slayde Says", the latter functioning almost like a spoken word
piece.
No
Means No - 0 + 2 = 1 LP (Wrong) [WRONG35V] $16.25
"0+2=1, that strange equation that never seems to add up, unlike those
units flying out the door back in the day! Oh those rosy days in mid July,
1991. The last hurrah for guitarist ANDY KERR, etching the schecter into
what would be his final NO MEANS NO release. What would be a turning point
is punctuated here with an unconcluded vision of a world not understood. A
rockin' vision that is, balls to the walls baby! OWWW!!! Remastered and
'edgy,' this blast from our past couldn't have come at a more convenient
time...for us."-John Wright, NMN
Sacros - Sacros LP (Shadoks Music) [SHAD098LP] $41.25
"Sacros ('The Sacred') was a Chilean rock band... The music goes in the
same direction as Los Jaivas, Los Blops and El Congreso (all from Chile)
and Lula Cortez from Brazil. It has a great 12 string Rickenbacker sounds,
effects, great vocals and rhythms with an experimental touch. You can call
this easy one of the rarest albums from Latin America since only a handful
of copies survived. The band recorded only this one album in 1973."
Steel An' Skin - Afro Punk Reggae (Dub) 12 inch (Honest Jon's
Records) [HJP045EP] $10.75
RELEASE DATE: 05-13-2008
From the Honest Jon's 'hood - Ladbroke Grove, late 1970s - stomping
disco,
dubwise reggae and regal steel-band.
Tommy Jay - Tall Tales Of Trauma LP (Columbus Discount)
[CDR020] $12.50
The long-awaited reissue of the 1986 Old Age/No Age cassette, Tall
Tales of
Trauma. A collection of DIY barn and basement-recorded classic from 10
years (out of 30) worth of recording by TOMMY JAY-member/songwriter and
co-producer of EGO SUMMIT, MIKE REP & THE QUOTAS, and the (Ohio) TRUE
BELIEVERS. The tracks are of a musical dark matter, an unseen cosmic force
connecting 1970s Ohio punk/folk 4-track experiments to the Cowtown lo-fi
explosion of the early-'90s and beyond. Limited edition of 500 copies on
both formats. CD includes eight bonus tracks.
Various Artists - Melenudos! LP (Gorilla Records)
[GORILLA001LP] $22.25
"15 floor-filler tracks taken from rare Spanish 45s and LPs, 1967-1974:
a
fantastic journey through Spanish freakbeat, soul, beat and garage-psych
scene, featuring killer tracks"