EAR/Rational Update Week 29, 2008

Click here to jump to VINYL udpate.

This week's CD update contains releases by:

500mg * 5th Dimension, The * Adam Cornelius * Admiral Angry * Alexander Tucker * Azeda Booth * Beaujolais * Benoit Pioulard * Bodies of Water * Brazzaville * Cold Sun * Creation, The * Curlew * Deadbird * Dino Valente * Drakkar Sauna * Dredd Foole * Dry Rib * Elias And The Wizzkids * Embryo * Fabulous Counts * Familjen * Five Man Electrical Band * Fun Years, The * Greater Than One * Gunslingers * Gynecologists * Iggy and the Stooges * Igor Stravinsky /george Crumb * Ishq * Jacopo Carreras * Jean Cocteau & Les Six * John Terrill * Juvelen * Kid, The * Like A Kind Of Matador * Little Wings * Love Sculpture * Lucky Dragons * Matias Aguayo * Ministry Of Sound, The * Mirah * Model 500 * Moondog * Nick Grey & The Random Orchestra * Nico Muhly * Oddfellows Casino * Orange Wedge * Paul Metzger * Performing Ferrets * PW Long * Pyha * Raoul Bjorkenheim/William Parker/Hamid Drake * Richard Morton Jack * Ronnie Von * Shed * Sonny Hopson * Susan Carter * Thee Oh Sees * TIAC * Tokens, The * Truckasauras * Vapnet * Varghkogarghasmal * Vinegar Joe * Watching The Moon * Windy & Carl

[ F E A T U R E D   R E L E A S E S ]

Greater Than One - All The Masters Licked Me 2CD (Brainwashed Archives) [BARK001] $13.75
RELEASE DATE: 09-01-2008
This was Greater Than One's first "proper" LP, issued originally in 1987 by Graeme Revell (SPK) and Brian (Lustmord) Williams on their Side Effects Records label. Here it is paired with Trust, their first attempt at the album's recording but released in 1990 on We Never Sleep (LP) and in 1991 by ROIR (CS). While the popular world knows more about Lee Newman and Michael Wells as Technohead, GTO, or Tricky Disco, All The Masters Licked Me is their first fully realized concept of weaving samples into a vivid aural tapestry. From the original press release: "The music is devised from sampling sounds which are programmed via a computer system to form strong and powerful pieces of aural art: mixing noises from the underground system with ethnic chanting, heavy metal & hip hop beats with military drumming and classical orchestration. The album contains 9 tracks on each side, with pieces referring to rioting 'The Sweet Smell of a Supermarket On Fire' to ' The Rape of Sam the Fox,' a track that evokes gallery slaves, masturbation and physical brutality. Each track is carefully constructed to convey the intentions and meaning contained within the titles." The album was recorded and digitally mastered by Greater Than One. To make the CD the original betamax studio master tape was baked for 72 hours at a special audio house in the UK. The DAT for Trust was generously donated by Lucas Cooper of ROIR. Enhanced CD content includes MP3s of the entire album, unbroken, photos, cover images, an art book, and an extensive book with articles and press clippings and words from Michael Wells and others.

Greater Than One - G-Force 3CD (Brainwashed Archives) [BARK003] $13.75
RELEASE DATE: 09-01-2008
G-Force marks a clear transitionary period from the post-industrial sounds of London to the techno sounds of Tricky Disco and GTO. The package includes all the music from both singles "I Don't Need God" and "Utopia" plus the Index EP, various compilation tracks, and music from the Japanese-only VHS tape Video Drug 1, available on CD for the first time ever.

Ishq - Timelapse in Mercury CD (Virtual World) [VS01] $16.91
No description available at this time.

Model 500 - Starlight CD (Echospace) [ECHOSPACE313CD] $14.75
RELEASE DATE: 08-19-2008
This is the remastered original "Starlight" from the Godfather of Techno, Juan Atkins aka Model 500, originally released on 12" by Metroplex in 1995. Includes 9 new remixes specially commissioned by Echospace. This classic masterpiece was originally engineered by Basic Channel's Moritz von Oswald and recorded at the Basic Channel studio in Berlin sometime in 1993-1994. Upon release, this track quickly became a cult favorite from Derrick May to Derrick Carter, and infected house, techno, ambient and even dub DJs alike. A song so powerful, it led to a change in techno music forever and was a shining example of what Detroit was all about: innovation. Juan Atkins was the first person to apply the word "techno" to music. He found new ways of making sound, and in so doing, he influenced nearly every genre of music in the 1980s and beyond. Yet his name is not well- known beyond the world of electronic dance music. He might, in fact, be one of the most obscure of modern music's true pioneers. This CD has been mixed together seamlessly for an uninterrupted listening excursion through the many shapes and forms of this song's incarnations.

Moondog - Viking Of Sixth Avenue CD (Honest Jon's Records) [HJR018] $17.50
Previously licensed to Astralwerks in the US, now re-released on its original label, Honest Jon's, with new and improved gatefold card wallet sleeve packaging. Poet, composer, street musician and cosmologist MOONDOG (LOUIS THOMAS HARDIN, 1916-1999) learned rhythm from American Indians and counterpoint from J.S. Bach. Many of his recordings feature instruments he built himself: trimba, yukh, tuji, oo. Sometimes you can hear in the background the streets of New York, where Moondog often slept. In addition, he was blind, due to an accident when he was 15. Sometime in the 1950s, fed up with being mistaken on the street for Christ (his regular busking spot was uptown on Sixth) Moondog put on a Viking costume, with spear and horned helmet; and he dressed like this until the late 1970s (by which time he was working with orchestras in Germany). Moondog's renown was extensive: Igor Stravinsky lobbied a judge on Moondog's behalf. Charlie Parker wanted to play with him, Julie Andrews DID play with him, and he was feted by the likes of Bob Dylan, Marlon Brando, and Steve Reich. Andy Warhol's mother designed one of his covers, and Weegee took photographs of him (included in the booklet). Janis Joplin covered him, Mr. Scruff owes him badly, and Antony and the Johnsons cover his songs. This is the first retrospective of Moondog's music-thirty-six tracks from 1949-1995, most of them exceptionally rare, all of them miraculous.

[ . . . ]

500mg - Another Order Of Existence CD (Archive) [ARCHIVE45] $14.75
A two part experimental acoustic guitar offering funneled through a train load of pedals and effect and then ejected from a Marshall stack performed by MICHAEL GIBBONS of BARDO POND (and all things Philadelphia and psychedelic). Recorded in 2007 at the world's nosiest book store BigJar in Philly. The CD edition comes housed in a slightly taller sleeve with two color silkscreen work by ALAN SHERRY of SIWA on a heavyweight 140 lb. paper. The front cover is die-cut with an inserted picture from the performance printed on vellum, all hand glued and assembled. Graphic work by DEMIAN JOHNSTON. Edition of 500 copies.

Admiral Angry - Admiral Angry CD (Sentient) [SR02] $12.00
Massive is an understatement. Absolutely monolithic down-tuned guitar assaults twist through almost mechanized, mind-bending rhythms while tortured vocals narrate how wretched life actually is, like a monstrous cyborg in the process of human extermination, all too aware of the atrocities it commits.

Alexander Tucker - Portal CD (ATP Recordings) [ATPR030CD] $14.00
RELEASE DATE: 09-16-2008
This is UK-based Alexander Tucker's third release for ATP Recordings. "Portal is a work of such unparalleled bewitching splendor, that any rote comparisons would read like hyperbole, thus doing it a great disservice. Even Tucker's previous albums Old Fog (2005) and Furrowed Brow (2006) seem like stepping stones in the wake of Portal. But if we must draw comparisons, then let's say Chicago musician/composer/innovator Jim O' Rourke; both are unparalleled in their pairing of the 20th century avant-garde techniques of composers like Stockhausen and Steve Reich with the archaic sounding free-folk of John Fahey, Robbie Basho and Loren Connors.

Azeda Booth - In Flesh Tones CD (Absolutely Kosher) [AK084] $12.00
RELEASE DATE: 07-22-2008
***There are no women in AZEDA BOOTH. If you're reading this before you've played their debut album In Flesh Tones, you're probably puzzled. Press play and come back. The band shares the same sublime androgynously-voiced space as Antony and the Johnstons, jazz great Little Jimmy Scott and Philly-soul angels the Stylistics. Musically, there are only sightlines, no touchstones. They twist and flutter, too skittish for space rock, too hot for IDM, too concise and charming for glitch-core. In Flesh Tones, Azeda Booth's debut full length is a benchmark album, a thing of dazzling beauty and fragile inspiration. It's not so much a bomb in the mine shaft as it is an incandescent dove illuminating the way out.

Beaujolais - Love At Thirty CD (Parasol) [PARCD109] $13.00
RELEASE DATE: 09-30-2008
Beaujolais is Chicagoan Joe Ziemba, former frontman for Wolfie, Busytoby and The Like Young. Love At Thirty is the debut album from Beaujolais. Conceptual. Personal. Monumental. On Friday, July 13, J.A. Ziemba found out about what went on at The Loft. That night, he picked up a guitar again. Six months later, Love At Thirty was completed. Written and recorded chronologically at home, Love At Thirty documents the events surrounding Friday, July 13. As it were, that's when one life ended and another began. Previously, J.A. spent the better part of a decade making music and traveling with The Like Young and Wolfie. He was born in Chicago Heights, IL (1977) and was kicked out of his junior high school jazz band. Mr. Ziemba knows a bit of French, but not nearly as much as he'd like. He deeply admires Françoise Hardy, Brian Wilson, and all types of vintage cinema. Finally, he reads "The Groucho Letters" at least once a year.

Benoit Pioulard - Temper CD (Kranky) [KRANK123CD] $12.75
No description available at this time.

Bodies of Water - A Certain Feeling CD (Secretly Canadian) [SC177CD] $13.50
No description available at this time.

Brazzaville - 21st Century Girl CD (Bus Stop) [BUS-1037] $13.00
RELEASE DATE: 09-30-2008
DAVID ARTHUR BROWN was a runaway on the streets of Los Angeles at the age of 15. It was during this period that he began keeping a journal and writing poetry. At the age of 18 he wound up living in San Francisco, washing dishes at a local punk rock/gay restaurant to save up money to buy a saxophone. Through much effort and low budget travel (India, South America, Europe and the Far East) he was able to hone his skills to a level that landed him gigs with the likes of Beck, Siouxie Sioux , Ben Lee and Jude. In 1997 while on tour with Beck, David got the idea to form Brazzaville. He bought a little guitar on a trip through Barcelona and in the wee hours of touring began writing the songs that would become the first Brazzaville record. In 2008, Brazzaville has tours planned in Europe, Russia, China, Turkey and the USA to promote "21st Century Girl", their seventh full length release, available this summer on The Bus Stop Label. NEW YORK TIMES: "Think of Brazzaville as vagabond pop for fans of Morphine, Tom Waits, Spain, Leonard Cohen and Tindersticks." THE NEW YORKER: "Brazzaville crafts sophisticated pop where languid bossa-nova-influenced rhythms and gritty lyrics conjure dark deeds on steamy dead-end streets."

Deadbird - Twilight Ritual CD (At A Loss) [AAL024] $13.50
Brothers CHUCK and PHIL SCHAAF formed DEADBIRD in 2002. Chuck was playing in Little Rock's own RWAKE, at the time but decided to head back to Fayetteville, so he could start a new band with his brother. Deadbird released their debut The Head and the Heart in 2005 on Codebreaker / Earache. Many tours and personal changes later finds Deadbird releasing their second full length Twilight Ritual. Firmly rooted in the underground heavy sound of present day Deadbird's strong metallic riff-centric edge manages to sneak hardcore, punk, Southern rock melody and even vocal harmonies into their music.

Drakkar Sauna - Wars And Tornadoes CD (Marriage) [MAR049] $14.50
RELEASE DATE: 07-22-2008
***The fourth release from Lawrence, Kansas heroes DRAKKAR SAUNA. On previous albums the band has demonstrated a close singing debt to the Louvin Brothers, performing with the same intensity of expression. Here the band pays true homage covering a set of Louvin Brothers songs. The band sings more than on previous recordings and is joined with the incredible musicianship of Kansas' finest players.

Dredd Foole - Kissing The Contemporary Bliss 2CD (Family Vineyard) [FV056CD] $16.50
No description available at this time.

Dry Rib - Whose Last Trickle CD (Messthetics) [MSS213CD] $10.25
"D.I.Y. with a guitar-genius/nonsense poet only begins to explain Dry Rib and the projects that followed, but they were one of a tiny handful of D.I.Y./post-punk-era groups who'd probably have sounded the same whether Punk had happened or not."

Elias And The Wizzkids - The Dance CDEP (Hybris) [HYBR052] $8.50
RELEASE DATE: 07-21-2008
The Dance EP includes the single "The dance" and three exclusive tracks. "Elias & the Wizzkids' single "The Dance" starts out with Elias Åkesson singing about how much coffee and tea he's had to drink, which is pretty obvious from the song's jittery tempo, rushing strums, and caffeine-high piano. Only Maria Formgren's flute sounds like it's calm and collected, as if trying to keep this rowdy lot in line. "The Dance" might be called twee if it slowed down long enough; even the song's Decemberistic video features a footrace... that breaks into a soccer tournament... that breaks into a midfield dance party. Elias sings about trying to outrun some unnamed restlessness: he goes to a coffeehouse, he goes to a movie, he wanders around, he finally goes home and starts dancing his heart out. Even his neighbor's threats to call the police can't bring him down. Here's hoping he doesn't switch to decaf anytime soon." - Stephen M. Deusner, Pitchfork. "The best music for me supersedes genre and classification: anything that'll evoke good memories and hope and truth in me is worth my time, no matter what the setting or backdrop. Elias & the Wizzkids (MySpace) is one such band. I don't even want to describe these Swedish chaps with constraining words like swing and folk and soul (all of which would be accurate though, I guess). They're just special and precious, and that should be enough. Hold on to Elias & the Wizzkids. The four-piece sings charming songs about charming things with charming similes and metaphors with charming harmonies and harmonicas and driving bass lines to accompany the whole production. An utterly charming and endearing band, to say the least. This stuff sounds like it's decades old, maybe a lost artifact from the singin' folksy 60s or something. The cover of Oasis' "Wonderwall" is spectacular. It's a refreshing update -- in a very old way -- of the rather bland song (sorry Gallagher fans). I can't get enough of "The Dance," and "Autumn Leaves" is just so, so sweet ... I just want to lay on my bed and curl up, listening to it for the whole day. Coming from me, such complimentary words are rare: I'm not one to be taken in by something as soft and pretty as Elias & the Wizzkids' music, but I've become a sucker for these guys." - Nik Mercer, Bibabidi.com

Embryo - Live At Burg Herzberg Festival 2007 CD (World In Sound/Trip In Time) [WIS-T2504CD] $0.00
No description available at this time.

Familjen - Huvudet I Sanden CD (Hybris) [hybr061] $17.25
RELEASE DATE: 07-21-2008
Filled with playfulness, without rose-eyed 80s nostalgia, Familjen feels very modern. He blends naive 80s melodies, 90s beats and 00s glitches into a cohesive whole. That combined with his squealing 303s and subtle guitars makes it all sound like it was recorded tomorrow. Huvudet i sanden is a remix album with remixes of various Familjen songs by 11 different dance floor geniuses including: 1. Familjen - Huvudet i sanden, 2. Kasper Bjørke - The danish super star!, 3. Krazy Fiesta - Party crew responsible for the amazing "Lip Gloss" remix, 4. Adam Tensta - The savior for Swedish Hip Hop!, 5. Mike Downey - This American prodigy living in Stockholm puts a German beat to it. So international., 6. Perfume Uniform - Acoustic guitars in electronic music? But of course! Excellent dreamy version., 7. The Field - Best selling debut album on Kompakt says it all. 2007 was The Fields year all over., 8. Pluxus - Familjen says this sounds like if you have smoked too much weed and just lie there vomiting your guts out. Nice one!, 9. Boeoes Kaelstigen - Already a legendary remix on the dance floors. Straight from STHLM subway. More than one have pointed out these guys as the future of techno., 10. Tomi Kiiosk - Hässleholm - Finland. Well yeah? Why not!, 11. DJ Wool - One half of NYC party machine The Glass. Glen Brady - king of the skate board, booze and hustle., 12. Kid in the Air - Admit you love euro dance.

Five Man Electrical Band - Half Past Midnight: The Staccatos and Beyond CD (Now Sounds) [CRNOW004CD] $16.50
No description available at this time.

Fun Years, The - Baby, It's Cold Inside CD (Barge Recordings) [BRG005CD] $11.25
No description available at this time.

Gunslingers - No More Invention CD (World In Sound) [WIS3006CD] $19.75
No description available at this time.

Jacopo Carreras - From Bed To Couch CD (Lan Muzic) [LAN016CD] $14.75
RELEASE DATE: 09-16-2008
This is the debut full-length release by Berlin transplant via Rome, Jacopo Carreras. Despite the title, From Bed To Couch is no chill-out fodder: it's an arresting, invigorating, sprawling piece of work that dares to challenge the status quo of contemporary dance music - not as negation, but as a kind of radically inclusive embrace of all kinds of electronically manipulated sound.

John Terrill - Frowny Frown CD (Family Vineyard) [FV060CD] $13.50
No description available at this time.

Juvelen - 1 CD (Hybris) [HYBR066] $17.25
RELEASE DATE: 07-21-2008
Pitchfork 10/10. "More than a year after issuing his debut EP, the mighty (and yes he's mighty already) Jonas Pettersson has finally released his debut full-length under the Juvelen moniker. Entitled "1", it is so, as his debut album, and also, one of the best flat-out pop albums I have heard in years. The strange thing about this album though, is that each of it's ten songs could be a hit single, yet it retains a cohesive feel that a singles collection does not. Every track is a stand-out, however, for the skeptic I'd recommend "Money don't talk", "Don't mess" and "Everytime" to win you over. His seductive, synthesizer heavy pop/r&b hybrid could­and should­elevate Juvelen to being a global household name. It's pure pop perfection will make you smile, and dance, and smile and dance." - Matt Giordano, It's a trap.com. "Sweden is starting to frighten me. It wasn't enough for the Scandinavian nation to catch the garage-rock wave or usurp Glasgow's rightful place as a wellspring for wimpy indie-pop. No, the Swedes also had to show off their prowess at electro-pop, dreamy epic disco, and, with lesser success (so far), hip-hop. Stockholm's Juvelen plants the blue and yellow flag firmly in the terrain of funky, r&b-informed synth-pop. (His name is Swedish for "jewel," so just be thankful he didn't choose to annex 1990s folk-pop.) "Hanna", from Juvelen's recently released debut album, 1, is a good preview of Juvelen's Prince-ly falsetto and twitchy dancefloor hooks. Produced by Patrik Berger, who worked on Robyn's self-titled album, "Hanna" sounds a note of regret to one of Juvelen's own Billie Jeans, with an arrangement of taut guitars, smooth synths, and propulsive bass that keeps the track always moving-- just like the insatiable Swedish pop scene." - Marc Hogan, Pitchfork.

Kid, The - Transient Blood CD (Hybris) [hybr067] $17.25
RELEASE DATE: 07-21-2008
"The Kid aren't concerned with petty meanings, they want the consequences, the mixed emotions and the ultra-highs. They pin down that word by its strictest definition and force it to perform, reward and pay out. They make it dance until it smiles, spin until it laughs and I find myself selfishly joining in; foot-tapping, hands beating and body twitching all over. They make me crave multi-coloured lights, speakers as large as houses, and a chance to hold hands with that girl from a John Hughes movie. No problems, no worries; everything is magically washed away, except that moment between you and her and an empty dance floor." - Souls on tape.net "The Kid's sophomore album, Transient Blood. This is BBBD's first time listening to the Gothenburg quartet, but boy are they good. Imagine Sambassadeur merged with New Order circa 1987. The Swedes have a penchant for churning out tracks with heavy, super-catchy bass lines, playful synth riffs, and rhythm guitar parts that sound so in motion, so fresh and not boring like rhythm guitar tends to be. And the Kid does it best. The first single off the record, "Transient Dance," is a stunning jam that's reminiscent of cutesy European exports like Bonnie & Clyde and more recent New Order cuts like "Krafty." It's charming beyond belief, and the rest of the release holds muster well. Transient Blood is out now,, and you must purchase it if you hope to have an enjoyable summer ... or if you're looking for that perfect soundtrack for a house party, BBQ, whatever. It'll work." - Nik Mercer, Bibabidi.com

Like A Kind Of Matador - Halfway To Dangerous CD (Tumult) [TM84] $12.25
The first and only record from this UK trio. A mysterious doom prog juggernaut. Epic, crushing ambience, flutes and gongs and sleigh bells and of course massive downtuned riffs. Think Sunn O))), Boris, Monarch etc., but more blissed out and trancelike.

Little Wings - Soft Pow'r CD (Rad) [RAD01] $14.50
RELEASE DATE: 07-22-2008
***KYLE FIELD's latest as LITTLE WINGS is a completely self-contained and accessible work that's more austere than many of his recordings but no less affecting. The quiet acoustic opener "Scuby" sets the tone for the rest of the brief and understated record, just Field's voice and guitar with subtle additions like muffled drum loops and a few scattered, idle notes of piano.

Lucky Dragons - Dream Island Laughing Language CD (Marriage) [MAR051] $13.75
RELEASE DATE: 07-22-2008
***The eighteenth release by Los Angeles-based LUCKY DRAGONS details the continuing pursuit of a humble and ecstatic, drippy and explosive, smoldering and upset music four their experience in America right now. Ninteen tracks that challenge stereotypes and genres for fans of Bonnie Prince Billy, Six Organs Of Admittance, Dirty Projectors and OOIOO.

Matias Aguayo - Minimal CDEP (Kompakt) [KOMMAXI001CD] $11.50
No description available at this time.

Ministry Of Sound, The - Men From The Ministry/Midsummer Nights Dreaming 2CD (RPM) [RPM297CD] $17.75
No description available at this time.

Mirah - Old Days Of Feeling CD (Modern Radio) [MRRL031] $10.25
A collection of out-of-print, reissued or previously unreleased material from MIRAH's early years. Tracks originated from a variety of cassette, 7-inch or foreign compilations, including the out-of-print Small Sale 7-inch, released on Modern Radio in 2001.

Nick Grey & The Random Orchestra - Spin Vows Under Arch CD (Beta-Lactam Ring) [MT184] $16.25
The opening growl is so like a stomach churn that an immediate restart was needed to ensure that the noise was not physiological. And thus unfolds the bizarre tonal kerchief of NICK GREY. A great host of talent was enlisted to complete this project including CHARLEMAGNE PALESTINE, JEAN MARIE MATHOUL, MARTYN BATES, JESSICA CONSTABLE, and others. Fortunately, Nick sidesteps the pitfalls of a multi-vocalist endeavor by sewing the various excursions together to form a united whole. There is also a playful Derek Jarman-ness when the recordings intentionally seem a little raw (and with the slight tug at the curtain offered by some well placed drops of studio banter). Sometimes voices really do carry.

Nico Muhly - Mothertongue CD (Brassland) [BND18] $12.00
RELEASE DATE: 07-22-2008
***Classical music can be a daunting exercise for those unfamiliar with the genre. Luckily, the composer NICO MUHLY (long time assistant of PHILIP GLASS) prizes communication-both in day-to-day life (note his frequently updated blog at nicomuhly.com) and in his music. It's this sensibility which has inspired the titles of both his records, Speaks Volumes and Mothertongue. Mothertongue, in particular, sounds like the product of someone in love with language. Voices are treated as exquisite instruments. (The click of the teeth, the tap of the tongue, the smack of the lips, et. cetera.) The music itself speaks to deeper meanings and specific ideas and emotions, like words on a page.

Oddfellows Casino - The Absence of Birds CDEP (Pickled Egg) [EGG66CD] $14.75
CDEP & Film. Pickled Egg Records are pleased to announce the release of 'The Absence of Birds', a four song EP by Oddfellows Casino, combined with a short film by Brighton-based film maker Toby Amies, which features an original soundtrack by Oddfellows Casino. 'The Absence of Birds' showcases four new David Bramwell compositions, exhibiting lush orchestral arrangements with a nod towards late-period Talk Talk, and featuring Oddfellows' usual eclectic array of guests, including Stereolab's Simon Johns on bass, Giant Leap guitarist and composer Andrew Philips on guitar and percussion, Clearlake's Jason Pegg on organ, and Bevis Frond guitarist Paul Simmons on bass and guitar. The CD comes complete with a twenty minute film 'The Ballad of Oddfellow', which stars Drako Oho Zarhazar - former Salvador Dali model, actor in films by Andy Warhol and Derek Jarman, and the recent subject of a Radio 4 documentary, 'The Man Whose Mind Exploded.' This sepia-tinted curio follows the demise of legendary Victorian freakshow host, Ambrose Oddfellow, as drink, tragedy and the advent of picture-houses force him to host phoney seances for the gullible aristocracy of Brighton. But who knows what can happen when dabbling with the forces of darkness... The cast also includes Michael Attree (former world moustache championship holder), Dave Mounfield (portly comedian and nice chap) and the legendary Heidi Heels. The film features an original soundtrack of Oddfellows Casino songs, and was directed by filmmaker and MTV/ Lonely Planet host Toby Amies. Oddfellows are currently working on their third album, 'The Haunting of Ladybower and Other Tales' - a collection of new songs with a supernatural theme. In May 2008, the group performed their biggest gig to date, at St George's Church in Brighton.

Paul Metzger - Canticle Of Ignat / All Glass CD (Archive) [ARCHIVE46] $14.75
One track played on modified acoustic guitar and one track played on modified banjo. For those unfamiliar with Saint Paul's PAUL METZGER, his works offer and amazing mix of Indian ragas crossed with a junk yard band feel, highly evolved and incredible unique. Recorded by in 2007 at BigJar in Philly a fantastic piece of documentation offered in unaltered form. The CD edition comes housed in a slightly taller sleeve with two color silkscreen work by ALAN SHERRY of SIWA on a heavyweight 140 lb. paper. The front cover is die-cut with an inserted picture from the performance printed on vellum, all hand glued and assembled. Graphic work by DEMIAN JOHNSTON. Edition of 500 copies.

Performing Ferrets - No One Told Us CD (Messthetics) [MSS216CD] $10.25
"Twenty-eight songs from one of D.I.Y.'s iconic bands, including most of their astonishingly scarce LP, which music-historian / journo / D.I.Y.- enthusiast Johan Kugelberg described as `the most seminal LP to come out of DIY ... Fantastic over enthusiastic juvenilia of an almost supernatural beauty.' "

PW Long - God Bless The Drunkard's Dog CD (Southern) [281252] $15.50
RELEASE DATE: 07-22-2008
***God Bless The Drunkard's Dog is finally available on CD. Previously released on vinyl by Black Diamond, it is an album of great stories, some secrets, a little insight and some damn fine playing, all from a guy who knows what he's talking about. The album lasts for thirty minutes and contains thirteen songs of the highest pedigree which give the listener a range of emotive feedback and diverse subject matter. The rough edge of bluegrass meets the cocksure swagger of southern rock, measured wryly by a dark heart and delivered with a sharp tongue and vicious right hook. It's a totally celebratory listen, a headrush, a lover's polemic... in other words, a masterpiece.

Pyha - Haunted House CD (Tumult) [TM712] $12.25
Intense droning buzzing black metal from a Korean 8th grader. Like Burzum meets Abruptum, but way more blown out and ultra distorted. Anti military, anarchist, pacifist, ultra-personal one-man black metal weirdness that's almost shoegazey at times. Recorded when he was 14 years old!

Raoul Bjorkenheim/William Parker/Hamid Drake - The Stone Volume 2: December 26, 2006 CD (DMG Arc) [DMGARC722CD] $13.50
No description available at this time.

Ronnie Von - A Misteriosa Luta do Reino de Parassempre CD (Discos Mariposa) [MCDS0411] $16.00
No description available at this time.

Ronnie Von - A Máquina Voadora CD (Discos Mariposa) [MCDS0412] $16.00
No description available at this time.

Shed - Shedding The Past CD (Ostgut) [OSTGUT006CD] $14.75
RELEASE DATE: 09-02-2008
This is the first full-length release for Berlin-based DJ/producer, Shed. The work at hand presents yet another stunning Ostgut Ton acquisition, revealing Shed's irresistible, intense techno sound. Shedding The Past is the culmination of years of continuous Soloaction research, Shed's very own imprint. The recordings fully unfold the total variety in his outstanding crafts of sound. Lineage can be drawn to the Saunderson Detroit sound, Aphex Twin rave and Manix hardcore, sounding like an archive document - an archaeological history of electronic dance music.

Thee Oh Sees - Sucks Blood CD (Table Of The Elements) [TOM118CD] $14.50
No description available at this time.

TIAC - Overstaying The Welcome CD (Hybris) [HYBR062] $17.25
RELEASE DATE: 07-21-2008
Overstaying the welcome is TIACs sophomore album. "TIAC sounds sort of like old Magnetic Fields on a very happy day with an extra big dose of guitar pop, synth love, and more forward vocals. So maybe it's not all that Magnetic Fields-ish. There's a little bit of the Cure in there, but there's too much gloss and shine and production to justify a true comparison to the original mopers. How about this one: Orange Juice plus the Cure plus Altered Images. Yeah, maybe that's a good way to put it. Light on the Orange Juice, heavy on the Altered Images. Regardless, the band's a tremendous amount of fun. An endearing sound that's filled with sexy hooks, excited bass riffs, and a bombastic wall of sound that washes over you like a pleasant summer breeze." - Nik Mercer, Bibabidi.com

Truckasauras - Tea Parties, Guns And Valor Magazine (Fourthcity) [CDTRUCKTEA] $10.00
A 12-page book of artwork with a code to download the full album from the band's website. Fueled by an inhuman amount of Maker's Mark and whatever kind of beer they can get their hands on, a bunch of self-proclaimed gear nerds have accumulated more firepower than Donald Trump. Armed with an arsenal of vintage Roland drum machines and synths, all sequenced by a modded first-gen Gameboy, TRUCKASAURAS create analog electro loops that skitter over starkly minimal drums; a sound (is it techno? is it hip-hop?) that straddles the chasm between goofiness and sincerity, and does so with aplomb. Citing influences ranging from Aphex Twin to 2 Live Crew, it's next to impossible to pigeonhole the group into any one genre. The Truck's debut album, Tea Parties, Guns and Valor boasts nine original tracks, a cover of the theme from Airwolf, and an array of remixes by some of the Northwest's biggest names in electronic music: COPY, DJ COLLAGE, and JERRY ABSTRACT all try a hand at reworking the group's signature sound.

Vapnet - Döda Fallet CD (Hybris) [HYBR064] $17.00
RELEASE DATE: 07-17-2008
Pitchfork 8.2/10. "According to songwriter and guitarist Martin Abrahamsson, Döda Fallet is Vapnet's first traditional popskiva-- its first true pop album. He created the bulk of the band's excellent full-length debut, Jag Vet Hur Man Väntar, and the follow-up, Något Dåligt Nytt Har Hänt, on his home computer, but with the addition of the band's first full-time drummer, Vapnet decided to record its third album in a proper studio, hiring Mattias Glavå to produce. However, Döda Fallet (which translates to "the dead fall") represents no dramatic musical sidestep. Instead, it continues in roughly the same headphones-pop vein as their previous efforts: The band still draws from the formalism of Swedish pop and the florid movement of Swedish dance to locate all sorts of musical possibilities in its intricate arrangements. Glavå, who worked on recent albums by Sambassadeur and Jens Lekman, adds just a touch of reverb to the instruments, giving the songs an added depth of sound that reinforces both their exuberance and their melancholy. A lone tambourine launches opener "Stockholm, Sett Snett Uppifrån" and is eventually joined by Abrahamsson's piano and Philip Gates' drums, which sound new in this context. Then the song flies away with Anna Modin's flute, carrying it to its swirling chorus. Modin's vibes illuminate first single "Plötsligt händer det inte", racing against the strings on the chorus and chased by Gates' manic bongo rhythm. That song, incidentally, includes the band's first English lyrics-- the short line "Keep up the good work"-- which, for an American listener at least, is startling. In the past Abrahamsson has either set Vapnet's songs to programmed beats or shared percussion duty with singer Martin Hanberg, so the presence of a live drummer makes a big difference on Döda Fallet, investing "Nyår" and closer "Det Rör Inter Hjärtat" with a sense of danceable motion. The former in particular trips along on Gates' disco-inspired, heavy-on-the-high-hat drumbeats, summoning sleigh bells and strings to push Hanberg's tricky vocal hook and Abrahamsson's typically elegant guitar theme. As if to compensate for their headlong pace, Vapnet sequence these two songs alongside slower numbers-- respectively, the halting acoustic ballad "Jag Lät Bara Sanningen Gå" and "Skorpan", which sets Hanberg's precise vocals against a simple, lonely piano melody and a muted trumpet solo. Vapnet's songs move mercurially, seemingly changing form with every measure. Stand-out "Snart Går du Inte Själv" begins with what sounds like a harpsichord, then transforms into a folk-pop strummer, then into something new and unqualifiable when Per-Olaf Stjernered's saxophone enters from the dark end of the street, layered and placed somewhere near the center of the song's three-dimensional mix, right behind Hanberg's pop-soulful vocals. Stjernered plays a short, simple ascending melody, as if walking over to shake your hand, and as far pure musical pleasure-- divorced from the concerns of geography, language, scene, or genre-- that sax is profound, and its appeal lies not so much in the way the band use it in the song, but in the mere fact that it exists. That sense of pop purity is essential to the band's appeal, at least to non-Swedish-speakers. At its best, Döda Fallet sounds like pop in its ideal form." - Stephen M. Deusner, July 8, 2008, Pitchfork

Vapnet - Plötsligt häder det inte CDS (Hybris) [Hybr060] $4.75
RELEASE DATE: 07-14-2008
"Not only does Vapnet create some great tunes, but they've become somewhat prolific, offering up new music every year since their inception. It's all been quality, and it's all had that nice spring/summer vibe emanating throughout the music even if the lyrics did not. Two years ago "Thomegränd" was my song of the summer, and if this new single is reflective of their highly anticipated new album Döda Fallet, then I wouldn't be surprised if a track would end up taking the prize again. This track is the proper single, which is out now on the ever stellar Hybris, and is f***ing brilliant. Enjoy." - Matt Giordiano, It' a trap/Fuck yeah! go team!

Varghkogarghasmal - Drowned In Lakes CD (Tumult) [CDVARGHDROW] $12.25
Stumbling foresty black metal flecked krautrock. Surf guitars, haunting ambience, incredibly damaged drumming, super evocative and a bit droney and folky. Like black metal meets krautrock meets surfrock meets the Shaggs? Weird and so beautiful.

Various Artists - AI0222 LP (A.I.) [AI022LP] $17.75
"This release brings to a close a series of EPs from the three artists featured on this picture disc. The disc itself is something you will have never seen before and should amaze and surprise. This final release in the dot series EPs brings Ai's color series to a close and serves up two tracks from each of the three artists behind the solo EPs. Influences: Drexciya, ERP/Convextion, Juan Atkins, Underground Resistance, and Kraftwerk." 400 only, pressed on clear, polka-dotted vinyl.

Various Artists - Poplife Presents: Poplife Sucks CD (541) [541502368CD] $16.00
Belgium's highly-acclaimed Poplife party celebrates its 10th anniversary with the mix compilation, Poplife Sucks. The Poplife party started off in 1998 as a reaction to the sterile house and techno beats at parties during those times. It became a chaotic mix of presumably un-mixable styles; rock, pop, disco, new wave, electro, and far more. The sound was completely refreshing and the crowd immediately loved it. The DJs back then were Mo & Benoeli (later The Glimmers) and Stephen De Waele (later 2 Many DJs). Saying that the mash-up phenomenon started off at Poplife is maybe overstated; on the other hand, the English music Bible The Face described Poplife as "a hysteric superjam of unreconcilable styles mashed-up into a relentless groove." Aha. Whatever you call it, Poplife Sucks is an all-inclusive party celebrating dance music across all genres that doesn't discriminate. This mix includes big, classic tracks next to hot and fresh new burners that will become future-classics.

Various Artists - Gnawa Home Songs CD (Accords Croises) [AC117CD] $21.00
No description available at this time.

Various Artists - Kompakt Total 9 2CD (Kompakt) [KOMP067CD] $16.50
RELEASE DATE: 08-19-2008
Summer is here again, and that means another shining Total compilation from Kompakt. Spread over two CDs, this is the ninth Total, and it marks 15 years of enduring music from Cologne's hardest-working label.

Watching The Moon - Perceptions CD (Universal Warning) [UWR-23] $11.00
Remember what the early to mid-'90s North West underground was doing? Unpredictable sound, with simple yet complex song structure, shards of bloody vocals at times, yet all tied together with haunting melodies, that fall somewhere between psychedelic and punk rock. WATCHING THE MOON developed over the course of the past three years in the Austin, Texas hot bed of independent music. Featuring ex members of the GORILLA BISCUITS, instead of "trying" to play the part like so many bands out there, Watching The Moon is just that. Watching The Moon. For Fans of early works of Modest Mouse, Nirvana, Sonic Youth and Unwound.

Windy & Carl - Songs For The Broken Hearted CD (Kranky) [KRANK125CD] $12.75
No description available at this time.

[ D V D ]

Adam Cornelius - People Who Do Noise DVD (Cold Hands) [COLD001DVD] $13.50
"A stark portrayal of a musical underground at its most genuine and vital, this is the Portland noise documentary.

Iggy and the Stooges - Escapedmania 2xDVD (Charly) [MVDV4757] $17.75
This double DVD package features a spectacular performance filmed at the 2005 Lokerse Festival. It includes blistering versions of most of the tracks from the first two STOOGES albums in addition to two newer songs, "Skull Ring" and "Dead Rock Star." It's clear from the opening bass riff of "Loose" that the Stooges' raw power has not waned. It all kicks off with the pounding primitive thud of SCOTT ASHETON's drums. Ex-MINUTEMEN MIKE WATT (standing in for the dearly departed DAVE ALEXANDER) lets rip with a powerful bass wobble guaranteed to let loose the most uptight caboose. Scott's brother RON grinds in on guitar to create a filthy groove, over which he adds the mind-melting wail of distorted wah. On top of this sea of sound floats the one and only IGGY, whose grunting, gurgling, let-it-all-hang-out vocal style and on-stage gyrations epitomize the art of singing as the raw expression of the soul.Bonus Materials: two versions of the concert, original and director's cut. Interviews with Iggy and ESTHER FRIEDMAN. DVD Rom with extended tales and stories. Documentary-Iggy Retrospective.

Various Artists - Punk's Not Dead DVD (Punk) [MVDV4764] $15.25
Punk's Not Dead is more than just a tribute documentary. It takes you on an era-by-era journey that puts punk rock's non-conformist reputation under the knife. Officially sanctioned by the bands in the film who donated personal photos, fliers and home videos, Punk's Not Dead follows the evolution of punk music from its anarchic roots, to its use as a corporate marketing tool and acceptance into popular culture, to its reinvention in today's underground scene. It features such bands as THE ADICTS, BAD RELIGION, BLACK FLAG, THE DAMNED, THE GOD AWFULS, GOOD CHARLOTTE, GREEN DAY, MINOR THREAT, NOFX, THE OFFSPRING, PENNYWISE, THE RAMONES, RANCID, SOCIAL DISTORTION, STIFF LITTLE FINGERS, THE SUBHUMANS, SUM 41, UK SUBS, THE USED, and many, many more. Director SUSAN DYNNER's first-hand experience of Washington DC's punk scene in the '80s and her continued love of punk music spurred the making of this self-financed, independent documentary true to the D.I.Y. spirit of punk culture. Punk's Not Dead combines intelligent, insightful commentary with live performances, behind-the-scenes anecdotes and a killer soundtrack.

[ H I S T O R I C A L ]

5th Dimension, The - The Magic Garden CD (Rev-Ola) [CRREV259CD] $15.00
No description available at this time.

Cold Sun - Dark Shadows CD (World In Sound) [WIS1038CD] $21.00
"First time available on CD, Cold Sun from Austin, Texas was recorded in 1970 in the legendary Sonobeat studios, where the Mariani and Johnny Winter first LPs were produced. The Cold Sun band are considered contemporaries of Velvet Underground and The Fugs, often listed as being in a similar vein but inspirations for this unique piece actually go back to the desperate, haunted Joe Meek. All songs lyrically express dark, mystic poetry with the true `60s psychedelic floating/distorted fuzz spirit presented in short compact mini-epics along with several mind blowing long tunes, such as `Ra-Ma' (11 min.), `Here In The Year' (9 min.) and `Fall' (7 min.) Enjoy this ONE-HOUR psychedelic Happening, a `must-have' `60s/'70s heavy uber-psych masterpiece!"

Creation, The - Psychedelic Rose CD (Cherry Red) [CDMRED256CD] $15.00
No description available at this time.

Curlew - Curlew/Live at CBGB 1980 2CD (Dmg Arc) [DMGARC704CD] $22.75
No description available at this time.

Dino Valente - Dino Valente CD (RPM) [RPM289CD] $16.50
No description available at this time.

Fabulous Counts - Jan Jan CD (DBK Works) [DBK544] $17.00
Formed in 1968 THE FABULOUS COUNTS were a scorching Detroit funk and R&B outfit that recorded singles on local labels Moira and Westbound before releasing this, their debut, on Cotillion in 1969. The title track is a funk classic that spent 5 weeks on the R&B charts in early '69 and the rest of the album is equally strong, matching instrumental covers of contemporary hits from James Brown, Sly & The Family Stone, The Beatles, and others with original material. The band later dropped the "Fabulous" and recorded several albums for Westbound. A funk classic back in print on CD.

Gynecologists - Hoosier Psychopaths 1981-1994: The Official Recordings CD (Gulcher) [GULCHER432] $10.25
A discography of sorts from Indianapolis miscreants THE GYNECOLOGISTS circa 1981-1984. Of all the sick and sordid sagas to come floating out of the punk rock scene in isolated Indiana, none are more twisted than the ravings of TOMMY AFTERBIRTH and the band he founded in the late 1970s, the legendary GYNECOLOGISTS. Includes tracks from group's Feces & Psycopaths EP, the Kinder Gentler Nation EP, and the A Goat... You Geek and Auto-Erotica Asphyxia & Various Moldy Turds cassettes.

Igor Stravinsky/George Crumb - Mythical Dances CD (Wergo) [WER6807] $22.75
No description available at this time.

Jean Cocteau & Les Six - Once Upon a Time CD (El Records) [ACMEM152CD] $15.00
No description available at this time.

Love Sculpture - Blues Helping CD (Esoteric Recordings) [ECLEC2015CD] $18.50
"Dave Edmunds' importance in the history of Welsh rock music cannot be understated. In the `70s, he became an icon recording for Led Zeppelin's Swan Song label and working with George Harrison. Edmunds' recording career began with the trio Love Sculpture, revealing Edmunds to be a guitar hero of extreme prowess. After a first single released under the name The Human Beans, the band became Love Sculpture and recorded Blues Helping, released in 1968, a classic album of blues rock for EMI's Parlophone label. Featuring such stunning tracks as `Summertime' and the title track, the album launched the band on both sides of the Atlantic. Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce the reissuing of both Love Sculpture albums, including all the singles recorded for EMI Records in the late `60s." New remastered release for this classic album, including 4 bonus tracks and booklet with new essay and previously-unseen photographs.

Love Sculpture - Forms and Feelings CD (Esoteric Recordings) [ECLEC2016CD] $18.50
"Love Sculpture's classic psychedelic album - now remastered from the original tapes & expanded to include original singles & `Mars,' removed from the UK edition of the original album in 1969. In 1969, the band veered to a more underground direction to record their classic top ten hit `Sabre Dance,' championed by DJ John Peel. The ensuing album (engineered by future Yes producer Eddie Offord) was equally stunning. Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce the expanded reissue of Forms and Feelings." New remastered release for this classic album with 6 bonus tracks plus booklet with a new essay and previously-unseen photographs.

Orange Wedge - Wedge CD (Long Hair) [LHC067CD] $22.75
No description available at this time.

Orange Wedge - No One Left But Me CD (Long Hair) [LHC068CD] $22.75
No description available at this time.

Richard Morton Jack - The Sunbeam Guide To Led Zeppelin Book (Foxcote Books) [FOXCOTE880065] $25.50
RELEASE DATE: 08-05-2008
Led Zeppelin were not only the most successful British hard rock act of the 1970s, they were also the most influential. Their constantly-evolving music and wild exploits have guaranteed that interest in them is as huge today as in their heyday, as demonstrated by the response to their December 2007 reunion concert. With a world tour rumored for later in 2008, this book could not be more timely. Covering their entire existence - from their beginnings as The New Yardbirds in 1968 to the tragic death of drummer John Bonham in 1980 - The Sunbeam Guide To Led Zeppelin is the first comprehensive A-Z reference source to the band ever published. The author Richard Morton Jack is the co-founder of Sunbeam Records, one of the world's leading specialist reissue labels.

Sonny Hopson - The Mighty Burner CD (Philly Soul) [PH001CD] $11.25
"1969 Philadelphia AM Radio Broadcast. Contains funk and soul music of the day, cool commercials and wild chatter from legendary Philly soul DJ The Mighty Burner. This original radio show will take you back to a precious time in Philadelphia history when black AM radio ruled the airwaves."

Susan Carter - Wonderful Dreams and Adventures CD (Rev-Ola) [CRREV260CD] $15.00
No description available at this time.

Tokens, The - Both Sides Now CD (Rev-Ola) [CRREV261CD] $15.00
No description available at this time.

Various Artists - The Best of Melron Records: The Early Philly Sound Philly R&B Vol. 1. CD (Philly Soul) [PH002CD] $11.25
"This CD contains some of the rarest r&b and soul from essential Melron label which was based out of a cellar on F street and Roosevelt Blvd. Has such notable North Philly artist like Essau, Rocky Brown, Bobby Eli, Pheasants, Colly Williams, Sweethearts and others from `61-'69."

Vinegar Joe - Vinegar Joe CD (Lemon Recordings) [CDLEM108CD] $16.50
No description available at this time.

This week's VINYL update contains releases by:

Acre * Alexander Tucker * Benny Page * Benoit Pioulard * Blue Phantom * Bodies of Water * Boris * C. Spencer Yeh/Lasse Marhaug * C. Spencer Yeh/Sick Llama * Carlos Giffoni * Chaim * Christoph/Ludovic Vendi * Cold Sun * Dayton Sidewinders * Dimi Angelis & Jeroen Search * DJ Donna Summer * Ellen Allien * Emperors, The * Eskmo * Extra Produktionen * Golden Bears * Goldwill * Gummihz * Infinite Body * Intrusion * Je Davu * Kaitaro * Karl Hector & The Malcouns * Key and Cleary feat. The Chosen Few Band * Kirsch & Dubnitzky * La Ira de Dios * Lee Ranaldo * Machine Girl (a.k.a. Enduser And Line 47) * Maniac's Dream * Martin Brothers, The * Matias Aguayo * Mika Vainio * Miss Fitz * Model 500 * Monochrome * Motorcitysoul * Oren Ambarchi * Pacou * Pantha Du Prince * Patrice Baumel * Pikaya * Pink Reason * Portable * Prosumer & Murat Tepeli * Ricardo Villalobos * Robedoor * Rodriguez Jr. * Rubber Room * Rustie * Scorces * Seconds * Shadow Dancer * Shed * Siena Root * Skoal Kodiak * Sky Juice * Social Junk * Solomun * Space Cactus * Stanton Davis Ghetto Mysticism * Theodor Zox * Treetops * Vivian Girls * Windy & Carl * Zaimph

Acre - Monolith LP (Arbor) [ARBOR072LP] $12.00
"Heavy feedback drones from Portland, OR."

Alexander Tucker - Portal LP (ATP Recordings) [ATPR030LP] $16.00
RELEASE DATE: 09-16-2008
This is UK-based Alexander Tucker's third release for ATP Recordings. "Portal is a work of such unparalleled bewitching splendor, that any rote comparisons would read like hyperbole, thus doing it a great disservice. Even Tucker's previous albums Old Fog (2005) and Furrowed Brow (2006) seem like stepping stones in the wake of Portal. But if we must draw comparisons, then let's say Chicago musician/composer/innovator Jim O' Rourke; both are unparalleled in their pairing of the 20th century avant-garde techniques of composers like Stockhausen and Steve Reich with the archaic sounding free-folk of John Fahey, Robbie Basho and Loren Connors.

Benny Page - Step Out 12 inch (Digital Soundboy Records) [SBOY012EP] $10.25
"Shy FX's Digital Soundboy continues its adventure in cutting edge urban sounds with this new 12" by Benny Page. Since signing to the label, Benny Page has been tipped as one of the most promising producers of his generation, and recently won best breakthrough at the drum and bass awards. His production style draws heavily from the rough and catchy vibes of early jungle, and his inspiration knows no boundaries. Having experimented with dubstep like his label mate Breakage, Benny Page is already championed by the likes of Youngsta, Benga, Skream, Fabio & Mistajam with his music gracing the dancefloor of cutting edge nights such as RWD and DMZ well before this first release. `Step Out' is a potent concoction of shuffling beats, dirty cascading bass, spooky samples and gigantic atmospheres, while `Swagger' is all sharp beats, menacing b-line, chilling strings and militant vocal samples."

Benoit Pioulard - Temper 2xLP (Kranky) [KRANK123LP] $15.25
No description available at this time.

Blue Phantom - Distortions LP (Vinyl Magic) [AMS005LP] $31.50
"First legitimate reissue with its original artwork for what is mostly considered the best instrumental psych record coming out of Italy.

Bodies of Water - A Certain Feeling LP (Secretly Canadian) [SC177LP] $13.50
No description available at this time.

Boris - Smile 2xLP (Southern Lord) [SUL92] $19.75
RELEASE DATE: 07-22-2008
***NOW AVAILABLE ON VINYL!!! Upon reflection of the aftermath of releasing their most successful album to date-Pink-BORIS has found the desire to create sounds that are a wider extension of just simply music. They are searching for sounds that are also an extension of life and the many experiences they've had since Pink's release two years ago. Drawing on hair metal, Japanese cartoon songs, and 1980s Japanese pop singers to help shape their new direction, the band delivers another evolutionary step in their broad based sound. Blistering psychedelia, mammoth hooks, innovative songwriting and a reinvention of dark heaviness all get their due. Features guest appearances from STEPHEN O'MALLEY and MICHIO KURIHARA. Vinyl version features two bonus track, plus extended versions and different mixes of songs than were on the CD. Packaged in gatefold jackets with metallic, matte silver foil.

C. Spencer Yeh/Lasse Marhaug - The Elementary Particles 7 inch (Arbor) [ARBOR088EP] $6.25
No description available at this time.

C. Spencer Yeh/Sick Llama - Split 7 inch (Arbor) [ARBOR052EP] $6.75
No description available at this time.

Carlos Giffoni - The Absence of Essence 2x7 inch (Arbor) [ARBOR099EP] $12.00
No description available at this time.

Chaim - Africomania 12 inch (Bpitch Control) [BPC179EP] $11.50
No description available at this time.

Christoph/Ludovic Vendi - Limbo RMX 12 inch (Paradigma Musik) [PARAD009EP] $10.25
No description available at this time.

Cold Sun - Dark Shadows LP (World In Sound) [RFR030LP] $49.75
Vinyl version. Packaged in a luxury foldout cardboard cover as Dragonwyck, Phantasia or Mystic Siva and contains an extra 10" bonus record and an extended booklet/insert with liner notes by Jello Biafra plus rare photos and other surprises.

Dimi Angelis & Jeroen Search - Our Minds 12 inch (Outland) [TRIP045EP] $11.50
No description available at this time.

DJ Donna Summer - Panther Tracks vol. 2 12 inch (Cock Rock Disco) [vrock16] $14.25
RELEASE DATE: 07-21-2008
About this release: He's back! It's been 2 years since Jason Forrest released his last full-length album, and 5 years since he's released as Donna Summer. So now he's back, this time with the slightly different moniker (DJ Donna Summer) and his first release for his own Cock Rock Disco label. Just as "Shamelessly Exciting" was a record that mixed different genres into a new mash of sampled sounds, "Panther Tracks" is a record comprised of different styles of dance music made solely with the intention to get people moving! From Booty to Breakcore, Happy Hardcore to Hardstyle, Techno to B'more Club Music, Forrest has it in there! Initially begun as a sort of remix record, "Panther Tracks" builds heavily on a variety of sampled heroes. One can hear Dj Chip and Dj Technics form the skeleton of more booty oriented tracks like "Peepers" and "Boomshakalaka". While some live recordings (on cassette) of old-school Uk Breakbeat Rave festivals by DJ Slipmat, Ratpack, and Ellis D are reconstructed to make new Breakcore styled dance tracks. Traces of Hardstyle, Techno and a whole lot of Breakcore yield such gems as "Party People", "Get Down" and "Rock Rock Rock". No style too hard or too cheesy to learn from, "Panther Tracks" is like the ultimate Rave; it's fun, slightly crazy, and will keep you dancing all night long.

Ellen Allien - Out Remixes 12 inch (Bpitch Control) [BPC178EP] $11.50
No description available at this time.

Eskmo - Willow Grail/Process/Trudge 12 inch (Studio Rockers) [STUDR003EP] $10.25
"For our next musical outing we've packed up the bags and headed stateside (San Francisco to be precise) enlisting the services of frequency welder Eskmo. No stranger to the inner workings of a mixing desk, Eskmo has been crafting individually stamped music for many a year as a sound engineer. Taking the lead on this 12" first up we have `Willow Grail,' laced up with scattering snares, haunting vocals and rib tickling low end bass making for an infectious journey into the sound, blurring the worlds of techno and dub with ease."

Extra Produktionen - Feuerwehrhaus 12 inch (Brontosaurus) [BS008EP] $11.50
"Brontosaurus was digging deep to present you some more old beauties from the most handsome Extra Produktionen camp. Consisting of Sebastian Maschat, Daniel Nentwig & Thomas Sabrowsky, the Berlin-based live project/house band released one genre-defining 12" on Freizeitglauben and a superb remix on Italic. People like Morgan Geist, Ata, Move D or Michael Mayer wrote love letters, then the guys split up. Sebastian & Daniel joined Whitest Boy Alive alongside Erlend Øye and DJ Highfish, while Thomas left Berlin for some serious business. But the story is not over: the incredible Brontosaurus Management put them on the map again by releasing the excellent Subgreen 12" in late 2006, and now it's time for the next episode: Feuerwehrhaus."

Golden Bears - Wall To Wall LP (Golden Bears) [LPGOLDEWALL] $19.25
Born from a noble lineage of such obscure bands as CIRCUS LUPUS and THE QUAILS, THE GOLDEN BEARS enfold all of JULIANNA BRIGHT and SETH LORINCZI's varied musical loves: psychedelic rock, '60s garage, '70s pop and folk, and more extemporaneous styles. Live, the pair leap from quiet acoustic duo to raging band in full psychedelic meltdown, sometimes within one performance. They've had the good fortune to be joined live by such accomplished musicians as Kevin Robinson (Viva Voce), Steven Perrone (Dirty Power, Enorchestra), Ralf Youtz (Built to Spill, Ape Shape) and James Canty (Ted Leo/Pharmacists, Make-Up, Nation of Ulysses). On Wall to Wall, Bright and Lorinczi have crafted an intricate patchwork from scratch: writing the music, building a studio, and recording the album in and around their home. On a technical note, no digital effects or virtual instruments were used, and all the reverb came either from guitar amplifiers or the ambient sound of their living room.

Goldwill - Wold In Motion 12 inch (Musik Gewinnt Freunde) [MGF005EP] $10.25
No description available at this time.

Gummihz - Under The Sun 12 inch (Mobilee) [MOBILEE039EP] $11.50
This is GummiHz's fifth EP for Mobilee. Under The Sun rapidly draws you in with ceremonial beats and hidden hypnotic layers that slowly rise to the surface. Innocent, yet quite provocative, "Under The Sun" will bring audiences to an emotional peak on the dancefloor. "You And Me" (feat. Ruxsandra) features a more rhythmic composition. A female presence impels the audience to the dancefloor with swaying hips. A sensual, slightly dark and minimal arrangement with a dynamic organ thrust.

Infinite Body - A Series of False Awakenings LP (Arbor) [ARBOR090LP] $12.00
No description available at this time.

Intrusion - Tswana Dub 12 inch (Echospace) [INTRUSION001EP] $10.75
No description available at this time.

Je Davu - I Zebra 12 inch (Platzhirsch Schallplatten) [PLATZLTD009EP] $10.25
No description available at this time.

Kaitaro - Minority 12 inch (Level Records) [LEVEL012EP] $11.50
No description available at this time.

Karl Hector & The Malcouns - Sahara Swing 2xLP (Now Again) [NA5035] $15.25
Now-Again Records follows up The Heliocentrics' percussive excursions into the astral realms of psychedelia with an album of Afro-tinged funk music originating from the Southern Sahara and recorded in Germany. KARL HECTOR has, to date, only appeared on one 7-inch, from 1996, as the leader of the FUNK PILOTS. For this album, he has teamed up with JAY WHITEFIELD (producer and guitarist for the POETS OF RHYTHM and THE WHITEFIELD BROTHERS, and founder of the now defunct Hotpie & Candy Records), and THOMAS MYLAND & ZDENKO CURLIJA, founders of THE MALCOUNS. This is an album of the world. Not "world music"-but an album that will appeal to any culture ever transfixed by rhythm on "the one."

Kirsch & Dubnitzky - I'm Fine 12 inch (Gluckskind Schallpl.) [GLK008EP] $11.50
No description available at this time.

La Ira de Dios - Cosmos, Kaos, Destruccion LP (World In Sound) [WIS3501LP] $22.75
No description available at this time.

Lee Ranaldo - Countless Centuries Fled into the ... LP (Table Of The Elements) [TOE097LP] $16.50
No description available at this time.

Machine Girl (a.k.a. Enduser And Line 47) - Machine Girl 12 inch (Ad Noiseam) [adn97] $11.50
RELEASE DATE: 07-28-2008
Re-mastered, re-cut and given a whole record on their own, the four tracks written by Enduser and Line 47 back in 2007 get a second life on Ad Noiseam. Ranging from the most aggressive and noisy breakcore to melodic, syncopated material, the material on this record shows both producers at the top of their form and still is, 5 years after their original release on Sonicterror, a pearl of the breakcore scene.

Maniac's Dream - Zanzibar LP (Arbor) [ARBOR082LP] $12.75
No description available at this time.

Martin Brothers, The - Rocket Surgery 12 inch (Dirtybird) [DBIRD018EP] $11.50
"At a time when hundreds of cookie cutter tracks get released every week, the Martin Brothers are taking a stand. Justin and Christian Martin team up again on Dirtybird perfecting the style they created back in 2006 - hyphy house. Anchored by greasy, dirty bass lines and swirling, heady synths, hyphy house is the bastard child of Bay Area hip-hop and dirty house. It's a cross between 20 inch rims and rocket boosters that could only come from the freaks in Oakland and San Francisco. On the Rocket Surgery EP, The Martin Brothers draw inspiration from werewolf flicks, rapper E-40, `50s sci-fi radio and Bobby McFerrin."

Matias Aguayo - Minimal 12 inch (Kompakt) [KOM177EP] $11.50
No description available at this time.

Mika Vainio - Behind The Radiators 7 inch (Touch) [TS006EP] $7.25
Finland's Mika Vainio continues the Touch Sevens 7" vinyl-only limited edition series with an absolute stunner. The crackle and fire of raw analog used as a voice. This series is a non-digital statement that cannot be applied to digital formats - the sonic texture, the use of a locked groove, the A & the B. The label chose not to specify the RPM, encouraging listeners to experiment with playback options and personal preferences. Artwork and photography by Jon Wozencroft.

Miss Fitz - We Got Time 12 inch (Raum Musik) [RAUM066EP] $10.25
No description available at this time.

Model 500 - Starlight 12 inch (Echospace) [ECHOSPACE313EP] $10.75
No description available at this time.

Monochrome - Monkey Business 12 inch (Suchtreflex) [SRX004EP] $11.50
No description available at this time.

Motorcitysoul - Phantasy 12 inch (Tsuba) [TSUBA024EP] $11.50
No description available at this time.

Oren Ambarchi - A Final Kiss On Poisoned LP (Table Of The Elements) [TOE095LP] $16.50
No description available at this time.

Pacou - The Detroit Remixes 12 inch (Cache Records) [CACHE009EP] $11.50
"Cache 009 holds two remixes of classic Pacou tracks, reshaped and re-modelled by two of the hottest producers from Detroit: Mike Huckaby (known from his Synth label and earlier release on Cache) and Rod Modell, the man behind Deepchord, that blueprint dub techno sound. This release follows a previous collaborative release of Deepchord on Pacou's earlier LL label, which turned out to be a classic as many of Deepchord's own (now very rare) vinyl releases, from around 8 years ago. Like good wine, they aged with grace and led to a great comeback for Modell recently. He finally fulfills the high demand for new output with stunning cuts on Modern Love, Echospace and other highly-rated labels. Huckaby now needs no further introduction as the man behind scenes in Detroit, steadily building his position as producer of Detroit's very own definition of house sound."

Pacou - Tangent 12 inch (Cache Records) [CACHE010EP] $11.50
"The single starts with with a slow dubby number on A1, followed by a dark, driving electro track. The B-side opens with percussive tech-house and main synth sounds taken from Mike Huckaby's recent `Waldorf Wave' sample project, complimented with a nice amount of acid bass line. B2 is a dark, futuristic soundscape and finally, B3 is a Detroit techno number. Cache Records celebrates its 2-year anniversary with this release. Quality cut mastered by Dubplates & Mastering Berlin Germany."

Pantha Du Prince - Diamond Daze 2xLP (Dial) [DIAL005LP] $17.25
No description available at this time.

Patrice Baumel - Flow 12 inch (Trapez) [TRAPEZ089EP] $11.50
No description available at this time.

Pikaya - Jive 12 inch (Meander Music) [MEANDER003EP] $11.50
"Here we are fully back with a new signing on Meander. It was a long way to present you the new record from the acclaiming boys of Pikaya (Daniel Ramm and Frank Greiner). You possibly know these guys from your last weekend all around Europe. After their last wonderful release Kambrium on the great Cadenza imprint, we bring you a very special record from this guys called Jive. Inspired by its form of dance style in 4/4 time, a lively and uninhibited variation of the jitterbug, yes, a part of swing dance."

Pink Reason - Winona 7 inch (Woodsist) [WOODSIST014EP] $5.75
No description available at this time.

Portable - Knowone Can Take Away 12 inch (Perlon) [PERL070EP] $12.75
No description available at this time.

Prosumer & Murat Tepeli - Serenity (Soundstream Remix) 12 inch (Ostgut) [OSTGUT018EP] $11.50
No description available at this time.

Ricardo Villalobos - Enfants 12 inch (Sed) [SED001EP] $16.00
Second pressing of the second release on Richardo Villalobos's "private expression vehicle" SED (what do you call a record label that is not a record label, anyway?). Yes, this is the Villalobos record w/ the Christian Vander (Magma) reconstruction and it's great mix of a riveting minimalist piano pulse and children singing. As they said at Phonica: "`Enfants' is for minimal techno what Mr Levan's `Stand On The Word' is for disco and what Theo Parrish's `Friendly Children' is for house! A future classic." "

Robedoor - Shapeshifter Slave LP (Olde English Spelling Bee) [OESB013LP] $16.50
No description available at this time.

Rodriguez Jr. - Lila's 12 inch (Boxer Recordings) [BOXER061EP] $11.50
Rodriguez Jr. is just perfect for a small and sweaty club - it is full of pop, enormously rocking, with rich and varied hooks and melodies. With Lila's EP, Olivier Mateu, member of the French formation The Youngsters, has managed to find a way into the record cases of our heroes, and into your alcohol-dazed minds and your pulsating hearts, too. It is music that cannot decide whether it is pop or techno, and that's perfectly okay.

Rubber Room - Rubber Room Rerubs 12 inch (Disco Devil) [DD003EP] $11.50
"Two cosmic tracks, this time on the Disco Devil label, done by Rubber Room. Runner-up is a Baldelli favorite, great space rock for the dancefloor. Flip to the other side for a more gentle feel, great summer vibes. Killer!"

Rustie - Zig Zag 12 inch (Wireblock) [WB003EP] $11.00
No description available at this time.

Scorces - I Turn Into You 2xLP (Not Not Fun) [NNF125] $23.75
Very few fringe duos of the 2000s have succeeded in so fully utilizing the witchy, wordless, and wondrous bond of the twosome formation as SCORCES' twin figureheads CHRISTINA CARTER (CHARALAMBIDES, BASTARD WING) and HEATHER LEIGH MURRAY (TAURPIS TULA). Their early incarnation as East Texas fried-folk loners instantly struck a chord in clued-in heads for both its bold formless experimental moods as well its instantly gripping emotional power. I Turn Into You features nearly 70 minutes of pedal-steel guitar tendrils, basement dust, whispered melodies, enchanted strings thrummed against the quiet, and possibly the planet's single most intense dual free-crooning chemistry sprawled across four spectral sides of black vinyl. All tracks were recorded several years ago back at Charalambides HQ in Houston, TX by psych-guitar journeyman TOM CARTER, and they've aged like oil paintings (cracking, majestic, immense). Housed in embossed, metallic ink jackets designed by MARCIA BASSETT (with a racy poem by the Scorces' ladies on the back), plus an 11"x11" insert with info and a live shot. Edition of 500.

Seconds - Kratitude LP (Dress Up!) [DU01] $15.50
NOW AVAILABLE ON LIMITED EDITION VINYL!!! The second album from underground New York trance-spazz punk combo THE SECONDS-JEANNIE KWON, ZACHARY MAX and BRIAN CHASE (YEAH YEAH YEAHS). Eleven tracks of spastic dance action, rocked with deranged guitars, dirty melodies, overlapping and crashing vocals, and pounding rhythms. Raw, yelping, and highly charged primeval punk. "It is reactionary and explorative and awkward. Not unconsidered, just direct-and overflowing with sounds that itch and split, like hundreds of nails bouncing over sheets of broken glass."-Pitchfork. CD originally released by 5RC.

Shadow Dancer - Cowbois 12 inch (Boys Noize) [BNR023EP] $11.50
"Shadow Dancer is Paul Farrier from Manchester. In 2007, he produced his first release on Boys Noize Records. Four quality electronica tracks that were found in the DJ bags of Mr. Oizo, Erol Alkan, Feadz or 2ManyDJs. Today he's back with a new smart track called `Cowbois' which is a cut-up disco hammer with great breaks and an EBM bass line to drive people wild. Forget about any styles that are hot or not, because Shadow Dancer's music is timeless, a dancefloor friendlier version of electronica music. Great remixes come from Das Glow (Institubes) who twisted the original completely into a 4/4 techno machine and that is exactly what we need! Young wizard Strip Steve (BNR) takes out the disco elements of the original and turns it into house music!"

Shed - Shedding The Past 2xLP (Ostgut) [OSTGUT002LP] $17.25
RELEASE DATE: 09-02-2008
This is the first full-length release for Berlin-based DJ/producer, Shed. The work at hand presents yet another stunning Ostgut Ton acquisition, revealing Shed's irresistible, intense techno sound. Shedding The Past is the culmination of years of continuous Soloaction research, Shed's very own imprint. The recordings fully unfold the total variety in his outstanding crafts of sound. Lineage can be drawn to the Saunderson Detroit sound, Aphex Twin rave and Manix hardcore, sounding like an archive document - an archaeological history of electronic dance music.

Siena Root - Far From The Sun LP (Headspin) [HS312LP] $24.25
No description available at this time.

Skoal Kodiak - Three People Keep Having Grape Emergencys LP (Modern Radio) [SKOAL01] $12.00
SKOAL KODIAK features members of THE COWS, SEAWHORES and QUAD MUTH and are from Minneapolis. They are an amazing band and the ex-members should be of interest. Quad Muth is known in a lot of circles because the other guy in Quad Muth is a well accomplished artist. Skoal Kodiak is a hard band to describe but they have a mix of noise, dub, and rhythmic rock. The LP covers were hand screened by the band and they did them in a number of different colors.

Sky Juice - Hard To Kill LP (Olde English Spelling Bee) [OESB017LP] $16.50
No description available at this time.

Social Junk - Concussion Summer LP (Not Not Fun) [NNF130] $14.75
Ashland, Kentucky's SOCIAL JUNK are champs of the direct, red-blooded approach to music. Somewhere between the Bible Belt brutality of Sword Heaven and Tusco Terror and the sticky southern electronics of Pax Titania or even recent Wet Hair, SJ navigate an interesting interzone, boiling together ominous loops, mangled sax, heavy riffs, various vocal moods (pissed, lost, aggro, angelic), militant tribal drumming, and a mess of electric atmospheres into something genuinely gripping and wholly their own. Concussion Summer rumbles through noisy drum circles, hypnotic thrash, and even a couple creepy ballads, with NOAH ANTHONY and HEATHER YOUNG's co-dependent chemistry channeled into eight concise hybrid pieces of perfect/classic JUNK. High-time, and fully worth the wait. Black vinyl LPs in jackets with artwork by HAIR POLICE's ROBERT BEATTY. Edition of 435.

Solomun - International Hustle 12 inch (Four: Twenty) [FOUR041EP] $11.50
No description available at this time.

Space Cactus - 2001, A Space Cactus LP (Ultra Eczema) [UE056LP] $35.75
This LP is limited to 150 copies and comes in a fold open double sided silkscreened cover design by Dennis Tyfus."

Stanton Davis Ghetto Mysticism - Things Cannot Stop Forever 12 inch (Soul Cal) [SCR110] $8.25
A couple years ago, Carl Atkins of the Stark Reality called Egon and said, "I know you're into the regional, rare Funk thing and I was just talking to a friend of mine who has some master tapes for an album you might want to check out." That man turned out to be STANTON DAVIS, whose original album Brighter Days, recorded with his band GHETTO MYSTICISM, saw regional release in Boston, in the mid '70s. An awesome mix of styles that runs the gamut from jazz, funk, soul and beyond, the high point of the Brighter Days is arguably the epic "Things Cannot Stop Forever." A jazz-funk number that defies categorization. Perfect for the Soul-Cal line, this 12-inch contains two new, Davis-approved mixes of "Things Cannot Stop Forever," a knocking, beefed up version of Davis's original mix; and an instrumental remix by EGON and KELLDADA on the flip.

Theodor Zox - Moodswinger 12 inch (Trenton) [TREN026EP] $11.50
"A third EP on Trenton from Theodor Zox and his Copenhagen grooves! Moodswinger is a bit of a more housey record but still with Theodor's recognizable touch, short sounds and shuffled beats. Still, Theodor explores new corners of funkiness while making sure he gives you that bounce."

Treetops - Permission/When I Was Younger LP (Arbor) [ARBOR100LP] $11.25
No description available at this time.

Various Artists - The Kraut Invasion: Reworks of German Funk History 12 inch (Broken Bootlegs) [BBKI004EP] $11.50
Warehouse find of the last copies of this 2006 release. Strictly limited edition of classic Kraut tuneage for all you record collectors and disc jocks out there who love weird, obscure and wild German disco edits. Su Kramer gets the rework done by Berlin turntable hero, Marc Hype and Jim Dunloop. MC Kosma & Defcon does Kraftwerk. The Veronika Fischer Band is edited by Hans Nieswandt, and Roberto Blanco follows with a Prime Time Brothers rework - a funky hip-hop monster stomper with a huge and massive break part in the end.

Various Artists - Fuse Ten Years Techno Music 04-94 5/8 12 inch (541) [541501195EP] $12.25
Volume 5 of 8, including these classics: P.A. Presents "Entangled"; The Subjective: "Tremmer"; Sugar Experiment Station: "Influence Technology".

Various Artists - AI0222 LP (A.I.) [AI022LP] $17.75
"This release brings to a close a series of EPs from the three artists featured on this picture disc. The disc itself is something you will have never seen before and should amaze and surprise. This final release in the dot series EPs brings Ai's color series to a close and serves up two tracks from each of the three artists behind the solo EPs. Influences: Drexciya, ERP/Convextion, Juan Atkins, Underground Resistance, and Kraftwerk." 400 only, pressed on clear, polka-dotted vinyl.

Various Artists - Kompakt Total 9 3xLP (Kompakt) [KOM180LP] $20.50
RELEASE DATE: 08-19-2008
Summer is here again, and that means another shining Total compilation from Kompakt. Spread over two CDs, this is the ninth Total, and it marks 15 years of enduring music from Cologne's hardest-working label.

Various Artists - Light On Dark 12 inch (Schatten Records) [STT001EP] $11.50
No description available at this time.

Various Artists - Supplement Facts Goes To Paris 12 inch (Supplement Facts) [SFR009EP] $11.50
No description available at this time.

Vivian Girls - Tell The World 7 inch (Woodsist) [WOODSIST016EP] $5.75
No description available at this time.

Windy & Carl - Songs For The Broken Hearted 2xLP (Kranky) [KRANK125LP] $15.25
No description available at this time.

Zaimph - Zaimph 7 inch (Arbor) [ARBOR028EP] $6.25
"Marcia Bassett of Double Leopards/GHQ's solo work."

[ H I S T O R I C A L ]

Dayton Sidewinders - Let's Go Down to Funksville LP (Funkadelphia) [FUNK1002LP] $12.00
"Seven-song LP on 180 gram heavy funk vinyl for maximum LOUD funkness! Includes their rare `60s & `70s hard to find singles."

Emperors, The - Karate LP (Funkadelphia) [FUNK1001LP] $12.00
"1966-1967 Harrisburg, PA funky boogaloo, Latin shing-a-ling Hammond B-3 garage soul raunch MADNESS! The Emperors' Karate was a top ten hit in Philadelphia in 1966, later to be re-recorded with different lyrics by Santana as Everybody's Everything. Contains all their singles, unreleased material, and instrumentals."

Key and Cleary feat. The Chosen Few Band - What It Takes To Live 12 inch (Soul Cal) [SCR111] $8.25
Recorded in 1976, "What It Takes To Live" speaks to the center of KEY AND CLEARY's mission: charging individuals to reach out beyond familiar faces and work to create positive change in one's broader community. Music was just one of the countless modes through which Key And Cleary pushed their creative agenda. Meeting each other in Buffalo, NY in the early '70s, JESSIE and SYL developed a close friendship. Idealists both, distressed by the problems in their town, the two set out as a creative team intent to change their city for the better. During their course together, they produced many recordings including hundreds of cassette tapes of day to day conversations, varied commercial advertising spots, and a handful of 7-inch singles of both conservative and avant-garde music. In recent years the record was re-introduced to new listeners ears by the one and only DJ Keb Darge, fitting as a crossover sound for the Deep Funk and Modern Soul scenes. While "What It Takes To Live" was first played on the UK's Northern Soul scene in the early '80s shortly after the records' limited release in and around Buffalo, it has taken nearly thirty years for this record to get its due respect. Soul-Cal, in association with New York Funk and Soul collector/historian David Griffiths, is proud to re-release this anthem in both original versions: vocal on the A-side, stripped down "instrumental" on the flip.