New
Releases
Ambarchi, Oren
A Final Kiss on Poisoned Cheeks
PS, US There is a vivid breadth to the guitar deconstructions of Australian
OREN AMBARCHI. Sometimes his work takes a delicate lilt; it can also
dive into dark and deep pools of sound when he joins cowl-core ensembles
Sunn O))) (with Stephen O'Malley) and Burial Chamber Trio (with Greg
Anderson). Whether with those bands, solo, or in collaboration with
luminaries ranging from Mike Patton and John Zorn to Christian Fennesz,
he consistently reroutes his instrument into zones of arch, alien
abstraction. "A Final Kiss on Poisoned Cheeks" offers a
dizzying gaze straight into a chasm of extreme frequencies - paint-peelingly
high and bowel-churningly low - all set atop a sub-strata of menace,
angst, and contemplative beauty.
TableOfTheElements-95
LP
$14.25
Arbouretum/Pontiak
Split
PS, US A special LP-only split release by Arbouretum & their Baltimore
friends Pontiak, Thrill Jockey's new signees making their label debut.
Feat. new songs from each band as well as a handful of John Cale covers,
w/ Arbouretum offering their rendition of "Buffalo Ballet,"
& Pontiak delivering a potent "The Endless Plain of Fortune"
& a great new interpretation of "Mr. Wilson". The album
was recorded at Pontiak's home studio in Warrenton, VA.
ThrillJockey
LP
$11.50
Armour, Douglas
The Light Of The Golden Day, The Arms Of The Night
PS, US And now for something different... Fulfilling the promise of
his impeccable entry in our 7-inch series, THE SOCIAL CLUB, THE SOCIAL
REGISTRY is proud to announce "The Light Of A Golden Day, The
Arms Of The Night" -- the debut LP from Los Angeles located DOUGLAS
ARMOUR. This album finds the artist expertly blending tons of our
favorite poptones from days past to create a hyper-literate pastiche
that's equal parts nostalgia and forward thinking. Echoing its title,
the LP has a structure that plays off binary oppositions to create
one of the most varied pop albums we've heard in a long time.
TheSocialRegistry-051
LP
$10.25
Astro/Hiroshi Hasegawa
The Echo From The Purple Dawn
PS, US The Echo From The Purple Dawn is a brand new full length from
C.C.C.C. member Hiroshi Hasegawa's solo project Astro. Using a battery
of oscillators, ring modulators and field recordings Hasegawa has
created an engaging and versitile album that masterfully drifts between
spaced out analog dream drone and a more extreme form of harsher droning.
As Astro Hasegawa is able to combine some of the harsher influence
of C.C.C.C. into the world of analog space music to create the signature
sounds of Astro. Included is a live track recorded at a festival at
the Tokyo Keizai niversity organized by Tetsuo Kogawa. Cover art designed
by Important. ASTRO is Hiroshi Hasegawa's solo project. He is a founding
member of the Japanese noise group C.C.C.C. Born in 1963, Hasegawa
began his improvisation with his voice and drums. In 1990, he made
the group C.C.C.C. around the concept of improvised mass-noise with
a very loud sound. Members included Mayuko Hino, Ryuichi Nagakubo,
Fumio Kosakai. Hasegawa began his solo unit ASTRO with analog synthesizers
in 1993 and continued playing in C.C.C.C. Though C.C.C.C. is no more,
Hasegawa has continued with Astro and his numerous collaborations
drifting between dreamy spaced out bliss and full on waterfalls of
beautiful noise.
Important-197
CD
$12.25
Astro/Hiroshi Hasegawa
Live At Muryoku Muzen Temple
PS, US Live At Muryoku Muzen Temple is limited to 500 copies with
the first 100 on color vinyl. This is the companion release to the
Astro CD titled The Echo At The Purple Dawn being released at the
same time on Important Records. Astro, of course, is the analog/space
project of Hiroshi Hasegawa of the legendary Japanese group C.C.C.C.
This limited vinyl only release was created using ring modulator and
vocals which are rare these days in Astro recordings. Cover art designed
by Important. ASTRO is Hiroshi Hasegawa's solo project. He is a founding
member of the Japanese noise group C.C.C. Born in 1963, Hasegawa began
his improvisation with his voice and drums. In 1990, he made the group
C.C.C.C. around the concept of improvised mass-noise with a very loud
sound. Members included Mayuko Hino, Ryuichi Nagakubo, Fumio Kosakai.
Hasegawa began his solo unit ASTRO with analog synthesizers in 1993
and continued playing in C.C.C.C. Though C.C.C.C. is no more, Hasegawa
has continued with Astro and his numerous collaborations drifting
between dreamy spaced out bliss and full on waterfalls of beautiful
noise.
Important-198
LP
$17.75
Bass Communion
Molotov & Haze
PS, US Molotov And Haze is packaged in a deluxe tip-on style heavy-duty
gatefold jacket with the cd slipped into a Japanese inner bag. Design
by Carl Glover. Bass Communion is a project dedicated to Steven Wilson's
recordings in an ambient, drone, and/or electronic vein. Most of the
pieces are experiments in texture made from processing recordings
of real instruments and field recordings. The atmosphere of the music
has tended towards the dark and melancholic, but expressed with an
almost Zen like beauty. More recently Wilson has also started working
with a guitar and laptop configuration - the first material in this
style is contained on this album.
Important-193
CD
$12.25
Bass Communion & Pig
Live In Mexico City
PS, US Limited edition of 500 copies and packaged in a deluxe screen
printed jacket with a clear spot gloss print. There are 5 different
cover color variations each limited to 100 copies and containing a
different color of vinyl. Packaged, like all Important releases, in
a handy resealable Japanese poly-bag. Printed by Neil Burke at Monoroid.
Steven Wilson - guitar / laptop, andres solis - turntables, rogelio
sosa - voice, daniel goldaracena - devices. Recorded live at laboratorio
de arte alameda in mexico city on 27th feb 2008. Collaboration with
the live action / improv group from Mexico City PIG. This will only
be available on vinyl and is the companion release to the Bass Communion
record Moltov And Haze being issued on Important Records simultaneously.
Important-194
LP
$22.75
Beck
Modern Guilt
PS, US At first glance, it seems like the teaming of Beck and Danger
Mouse is a perfect pairing of postmodern pranksters, as neither musician
has shaken the first impression he's made: for most, Beck is still
seen as that ironic Loser, trawling through pop culture's junk heap,
while Danger Mouse is the maverick of The Grey Album, the mash-up
of the Beatles and Jay-Z that reads like a joke but doesn't play like
one. Close listening to either man's body of work easily dispels these
notions, as Beck has spent as much time mining the murky melancholia
of Mutations as he has crafting neon freakouts like Midnite Vultures.
He's made a career bouncing from one extreme to the other, occasionally
revisiting the cut 'n' paste collage that would have seemed like a
natural fit for the sample-centric Danger Mouse, but when he partnered
with Danger Mouse in 2008, Beck's pendulum was swinging away from
the Odelay aesthetic, as he spent two records on the lighter side,
thereby dictating a turn toward the dark. As it happens, this is Danger
Mouse's true forte, as his productions have almost uniformly been
dark, impressionistic pop-noir, whether he's working with Damon Albarn
on the Gorillaz or the Good, the Bad & the Queen, or collaborating
with Cee-Lo as Gnarls Barkley (whose fluke hit "Crazy" had
nasty rumbling undercurrents) or even blues-rockers the Black Keys.
So, he turns out to be a perfect fit for Beck, just perhaps not in
the way that many might expect, although the title of their album
Modern Guilt should be a big tip-off that these ten tracks are hardly
all sunshine and roses. Compared to the waves of grief on Sea Change,
Modern Guilt trips easily, as this is a deft tapestry of drum loops,
tape splices, and chugging guitars pitched halfway between new wave
and Sonic Youth. This may not brood but it's impossible to deny its
heaviness, either in its tone or its lyrics. Beck peppers Modern Guilt
with allusions to jets, warheads, suicide, all manners of modern maladies,
and if the words don't form coherent pictures, the lines that catch
the ear create a vivid portrait of unease, a vibe that Danger Mouse
mirrors with his densely wound yet spare production. As on his work
with Albarn and the Black Keys, Danger Mouse doesn't impose his own
aesthetic as much as he finds a way to make it fit with Beck's, so
everything here feels familiar, whether it's the swinging '60s spy
riff on "Gamma Ray," the rangy blues on "Soul of Man,"
the stiff shuffle of the title track, or the thick and gauzy "Chemtrails,"
which harks back to the sluggish, narcotic psychedelia of Mutations.
Danger Mouse assists not only with execution but with focus, pulling
in Modern Guilt at just over half an hour, which is frankly a relief
after the unending sprawl of The Information and Guero. Its leanness
is one of the greatest attributes of Modern Guilt, as every song stays
as long as it needs to, then lingers behind in memory, leaving behind
a collection of echoes and impressions. If anything, Modern Guilt
may be just a little bit too transient, as it doesn't dig quite as
deep as its subjects might suggest, but that's also par for the course
for both Beck and Danger Mouse: they tend to prefer feel to form.
Here, they deliver enough substance and style to make Modern Guilt
an effective dosage of 21st century paranoia. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine,
All Music Guide
DGC
LP
$13.99
Big China & Little Trouble
Black Blood
PS, US Intended to get all material back in print & away from
collector prices, this compiles these original recordings w/ last
year's "Fur & Teeth" sessions, which were issued as
a limited 3" CD in a jewel case that contained ancient shark
teeth & bear fur. All selections have been remixed & mastered
for maximum effect.
MagicBullet
CD5
$10.25
Big China & Little Trouble
Black Blood
PS, US VINYL VERSION!!!
MagicBullet
LP
$15.75
Black Kids
Partie Traumatic
PS, US Debut album produced by Bernard Butler (Suede. PITCHFORK: "Black
Kids make catchy, tightly executed songs that put a memorable stamp
on pop's classic themes."
AlmostGold
CD
$13.25
Blectum, Blevin
Gular Flutter
PS, US Breaking a 4 year silence w/ her strongest album yet, Blectum
confirms her gift for making electronic music that is allergic to
cliche. Threading field recordings & conversation across a lattice
of tightly edited rhythm, this tricksy, elastic assemblage demonstrates
just how personal, brave, & autonomous electronic music can still
be. Some things are worth waiting for.
Aagoo
CD
$8.75
Bodies Of Water
A Certain Feeling
PS, US One year after the self-release of the acclaimed "Ears
Will Pop & Eyes Will Blink," BODIES OF WATER have created
another full-length offering. "A Certain Feeling," their
first record for SECRETLY CANADIAN, was written, arranged and recorded
in David & Meredith Metcalf's house in the Northeast L.A. neighborhood
of Highland Park. The strains that one can hear running through all
of Bodies of Water's music are fully exhibited here; instantly familiar
melodies, rich harmonic color, expansively deft arrangements, and
compositions that ebb, flow, and double back on themselves in cathartic
synchronicity. Though no two songs sound entirely similar, it's a
cohesive that comes out feeling like the anthemic prog/gospel/psychedelic/kraut-tribal
movie score that Ennio Morricone and Phil Spector never got around
to collaborating on. The choral hugeness that typified "Ears
Will Pop" still rears its emphatic head, only here it is more
often held in reserve while we marinate in each movement before being
pulled along into the next passage of the narrative. "A Certain
Feeling" is the sound of a group carving out an ever-evolving,
but distinct aesthetic niche for themselves The singing, playing,
compositions, lyrical themes (obsessive meta-physicality/spiritual
surrender/human frailty) are unmistakably theirs. "A Certain
Feeling" is a step forward, but assuredly filled with the same
beautiful urgency that we have come to expect from them.
SecretlyCanadian-177
LP
$11.50
Bodies Of Water
A Certain Feeling
PS, US One year after the self-release of the acclaimed "Ears
Will Pop & Eyes Will Blink," BODIES OF WATER have created
another full-length offering. "A Certain Feeling," their
first record for SECRETLY CANADIAN, was written, arranged and recorded
in David & Meredith Metcalf's house in the Northeast L.A. neighborhood
of Highland Park. The strains that one can hear running through all
of Bodies of Water's music are fully exhibited here; instantly familiar
melodies, rich harmonic color, expansively deft arrangements, and
compositions that ebb, flow, and double back on themselves in cathartic
synchronicity. Though no two songs sound entirely similar, it's a
cohesive that comes out feeling like the anthemic prog/gospel/psychedelic/kraut-tribal
movie score that Ennio Morricone and Phil Spector never got around
to collaborating on. The choral hugeness that typified "Ears
Will Pop" still rears its emphatic head, only here it is more
often held in reserve while we marinate in each movement before being
pulled along into the next passage of the narrative. "A Certain
Feeling" is the sound of a group carving out an ever-evolving,
but distinct aesthetic niche for themselves The singing, playing,
compositions, lyrical themes (obsessive meta-physicality/spiritual
surrender/human frailty) are unmistakably theirs. "A Certain
Feeling" is a step forward, but assuredly filled with the same
beautiful urgency that we have come to expect from them.
SecretlyCanadian-177
CD
$11.50
Boris
Smile
PS, US NOW ON DOUBLE VINYL! LIMITED!!! One of the most representative
themes of this album hails from a distortion-drenched, psychedelic
rhythmic barnburner. A distinctly characteristic transformation noted
w/ this is the vocal styling, which is more melodic & captivating
than ever before. His seamless delivery, knack for harmonies &
consonance drive it into innovative horizons w/in the already-extensive
Boris catalog.
SouthernLord
DLP
$20.75
Bragg, Billy
Mr. Love & Justice
PS, US VINYL VERSION!!!
Anti
LP
$15.50
Brian Jonestown Massacre
Just Like Kicking Jesus
PS, US New mini album that showcases 5 songs (4 never released before).
The first track of this release, "Amazing Electric Cave (Learn
To Speak Icelandic You Smug Shit Version)" features the vocals
of Icelandic artist & film maker UNNUR ANDREA EINARSDOTTIR.
ARecords/12Tonar
CD5
$9.25
Broken Social Scene/Brendan Canning
Presents: Something For All Of Us
PS, US VINYL VERSION!!!
Arts&Crafts
LP
$17.00
Broken Social Scene/Brendan Canning
Presents: Something For All Of Us
PS, US This is a truly genre-ambitious, progressive work. Broken Social
Scene's Brendan Canning finds himself free to experiment w/ a variety
of sounds from hushed lo-fi acoustics, to blazing rock n roll, to
psychedelic groove. Features his BSS band mates as well as Kevin Hearn,
Liz Powell and Liam O'Neil. PITCHFORK: "Chock full of woozy sing-alongs
and pulsing ballads, Brendan Canning's debut solo album suggests he's
just as responsible for Broken Social Scene's life-affirming guitar
pop as Kevin Drew."
Arts&Crafts
CD
$16.00
Broken Strings
S-T
PS, US One man and a cassette 4-track records an incredible collection
of burnt-out power pop. Like Daniel Johnston fronting Times New Viking
w/Greg Sage on guitar. Only 300 copies made in silver foil stamped
jackets about to disappear back into the ether!
TruePantherSounds
LP
$14.25
Bud Shank Quartet
The Pacific Jazz Years
PS, UK The Original Bud Shank Quartet : The Pacific Jazz Years Alto
sax star Bud Shank is one of the few surviving modern jazz musicians
who truly justifies legendary status. One of the pioneers of 50s West
Coast Jazz, California based Shanks career trajectory had him initially
winning his spurs within the ranks of the big bands of Charlie Barnet
and Stan Kentons historic Innovations Orchestra. With his buzz cut
coiffeur, Hawaiian shirts, chinos and open top sports car, the ubiquitous
Bud Shank epitomized West Coast cool. Aware of Charlie Parker, it
was Lee Konitz, Paul Desmond, and to a lesser extent Benny Carter
who caught Buds ear, and his tenure as lead alto sax in Stan Kenton
s Orchestra, with Art Pepper on his left, kept Shanks permanently
sharp.
GiantStepsRecordings-028
CD
$15.50
Buffalo Killers
Let It Ride
PS, US Drawing comparisons in sound to Blue Cheer, Cream, Neil Young
& Crazy Horse, Mountain & the Allman Brothers Band, the trio
released their self-titled debut in 2007 to critical raves. "Let
it Ride" is an album deeply rooted in their signature 60s psychedelic
& 70s blues rock inspired sound.
Alive
CD
$13.50
Burke, Dan/Thomas Dimuzio
Upcoming Events
PS, US Further exploring the collaborative powers of Illusion Of Safety
mastermind Dan Burke and prolific sound crafter Thomas Dimuzio, Upcoming
Events is an unending spur of equal parts gorgeous and uncomfortably
perplexing sound spread of 15 tracks. Crackles of electronic fire,
tremolo-infused waves of sustained guitar, broken music boxes and
found sounds among all other sorts of unfounded wails of gargantuan
melancholy drone, Burke and Dimuzio's collaboration is a forceful
collection of early industrial sound ruination combined with classic
Krautrock ambiance of the Tangerine Dream/Cluster ilk reassuringly
composed into something wholly modern and powerful.
NoFunProductions-32
CD
$12.25
Business Lady
Torture Footage
PS, US Wound up & looped guitar, bass, drums actionz from these
Southern California warriors of silliness. Definitely melodic with
a dark anthemic quality not seen since Mid- West pioneers MX-80 SOUND
or somesuch. This is a limited release for Load Records but exists
to erect a fitting Easter Island-stlyed " head" on your
island. Definitly sharing certain kinship with the Silver Daggers
blast of junk punk, but existing more as an island in the room temperature
weirdness that is San Diego. Tune in to this fascinating document
of a band with zonked songs & fabulous costumes. Or sleep through
it & miss the 21st century. LIMITED TO 500
Load
CD
$12.50
California Oranges
Imperial Hearts
PS, US Our Sacramento, CA indie-pop all stars return with a gem of
a pop/rock album full of hooky choruses, call and response guitars
and a super tight power-pop rhythm section. A pow-pow-powerful good
good feeling! Just as you'd expect from this seasoned music family.
Bask in the summer sun with the fourth album from the golden state's
California Oranges and a healthy dose of the sunshine power pop they're
known for. Underlying the power is a healthy dose of pop: Delicately
concocted, contemplative songs exploring life's ups and downs. The
quintet has hit their stride on Imperial Hearts. The record features
the same line up as their 2005 release Souvenirs: John Conley (Holiday
Flyer), Verna Brock (Rocketship, Beanpole, Holiday Flyer, Sinking
Ships), Ross Levine (Sinking Ships), Katie Haley (Holiday Flyer, Sinking
Ships), and Matt Levine (Sinking Ships). The album was jointly produced
by the California Oranges and Dana Gumbiner (Night Night, Deathray).
Imperial Hearts was mixed by long time friend of the band, producer/engineer,
Eric Stenman (Saves the Day, The Comas, The Cab). The California Oranges
construct songs filled with, "soaring boy/girl harmonies, rapid-fire
licks of squeaky clean and buzz saw dirty guitar work, consistently
up-tempo beats, and melodies that would make tone deaf kitten haters
want to sing along" --Popmatters. "Power pop has rarely
sounded as sweet." --Treblezine. TRACK LIST: 1. Brand New Spine,
2. We've Got Time, 3. Travel Writer, 4. Anywhere USA, 5. I Still Hold
On, 6. Silver Shoes, 7. Feel Better, 8. Waiting Is Slow, 9. I Told
Grace, 10. Matter Of Consequence, 11. I Won't Let You Back In, 12.
When I Sleep.
Darla-193
CD
$12.25
Canadians
A Sky With No Stars
PS, US Canadians' debut album A Sky With No Stars showcases this band's
great ability to play catchy indie-pop anthems that are unforgettable
& timeless.
Ghost
CD
$16.00
Capstan Shafts, The
Fixation Protocols
PS, US One-man-band masterminded by Dean Wells. An album that has
grown from its lo-fi roots to a more maturely-crafted sound. His inclination
towards brevity persists, w/nearly all the 22 lo-fi songs getting
to the point in less than 2 minutes. The appealing homemade indie
fuzz-rock is still replete w/ catchy melodies, perfect playful pop
hooks, & classic rock guitar riffs. This album conjures early
R.E.M. through a lysergic prism, Guided By Voices & Wire.
RainbowQuartz
CD
$13.50
Cluster
Sowiesoso
PS, US Moebius & Roedelius, released this, their fourth album
in '76. Electronic rhythms combine w/ bubbling synths, piano &
guitar to create sonic landscapes of pure bliss. Some of the greatest
ambient electronic music ever, they were on the cutting edge of German
space-rock, & pioneers whose influence can
still be felt today.
4MenwithBeards
LP
$16.75
Cryptacize/Why?
Unusual Animals Vol. 4
PS, US This is the fourth in a series of vinyl-only releases. The
series, entitled UNUSUAL ANIMALS, pairs ASTHMATIC KITTY roster artists
with friends and sometimes-unlikely bedfellows. Each record includes
a beautiful rendering of one of Mother Nature's stranger inhabitants
by illustrator Jared Chapman. This limited-edition series expands
the Asthmatic Kitty family to include some unexpected folks.
AsthmaticKitty-406
45
$3.75
CSS
Donkey
PS, US Brazil's CSS release their follow-up to 2006's "Cansei
de Ser Sexy" ("I got tired of being sexy"). They've
toured worldwide a number of times with the likes of Gwen Stefani,
Ladytron, Klaxons, and Diplo, and played festivals from Coachella,
Pitchfork, and Virgin to Reading, Benicassim, Roskilde, and beyond.
"Donkey" is tough, street-ready, and recreates the frenetic
energy of their live shows. Equal parts dance party, urban circus,
and out-and-out chaos.
Subpop
CD
$12.50
CSS
Donkey
PS, US VINYL VERSION!!!
Subpop
LP
$12.50
Dalton, Karen
Green Rocky Road: The Loop Tapes, Pine Street Recordings (ON SALE)
PS, US Never-released 1963 home recordings packaged in a CD gatefold
Japanese mini-LP jacket. Discovered on the same reel-to-reel tapes
that housed the Cotton Eyed Joe release. Remastered at Abbey Road
Studios by Peter Mew. With 8-page booklet with beautiful, newly-unearthed
photos of Karen Dalton from 1962-1963. Liner notes by Dick Weissman.
The release of Green Rocky Road fills in the lacunae in the rightly
romanticized mythos of the late folk music legend Karen Dalton and
goes a long way in clarifying her crucial role in the evolution of
modern acoustic music from 'folk' source materials. Includes a lengthy
interview with Joe Loop who was Karen's friend and patron in the early
60's when he'd often book her into the coffee house he ran in Boulder
CO. The new album features private recordings she made at his home
while visiting (last year saw the release of live recordings from
said coffee house). The only formal studio recordings made during
Karen's lifetime -- released in 1969 and 1971 respectively -- were
thoroughly dissected upon their recent re-release. As wonderful as
these albums were, they captured Karen in relatively awkward circumstances.
Green Rocky Road, along with last year's Cotton Eyed Joe, provide
a rare glimpse of Karen Dalton circa 1962 and 1963 at her most pure,
most powerful, and at ease. These recordings, released by Delmore
Recordings (in association with the Megaphone label), document her
unique artistry at the time she was profoundly influencing the likes
of Fred Neil, Tim Hardin and Bob Dylan.
Delmore
CD
$16.25
Dark Meat/Diplo
Split
PS, US LIMITED TO 500!! On one side, Dark Meat cover Iggy Pop's classic
jam "Success" & on the other side Diplo deconstructs
it on a track entitled "Unsuccessful Space Jam."
Whirlychunk
45
$6.00
Dawn Chorus
Florida St. Serenade
PS, US 10 songs that crackle & sparkle with elements of indie
pop, southern jangle pop, rock, & subtle hints of shoegaze. Recorded
by Brian Paulson (Beck, Wilco, Superchunk)
FracturedDiscs
CD
$10.50
Dead Can Dance
Aion (Remastered | Super Audio CD)
PS, US This 1990 release contains twelve songs recorded in Brendan
Perry and Lisa Gerrard's own studio in southern Ireland.
4AD
CD
$17.50
Dead Can Dance
S-T (Remastered | Super Audio CD)
PS, US On their eponymous debut, released in 1982, they successfully
harnessed a bewitching barrage of sounds, layering grinding guitars
and even a dulcimer-like yang chin over a taut wash of percussion.
Their range is staggering, as is their disciplined economy, with no
song lasting more than four minutes or degenerating into formless
cacophony.
4AD
CD
$17.50
Dead Can Dance
Within The Realm Of A Dying Sun (Remastered | Super Audio CD)
PS, US Their third album, originally released in 1987. With record
sales worldwide increasing, the band was reaching a wider audience
than ever before.
4AD
CD
$17.50
Dead Can Dance
The Serpent s Egg (Remastered | Super Audio CD)
PS, US Their fourth album, originally released in 1988. At the time
of its release, Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard were in Spain writing
and recording music for "El Nino De La Luna", a film in
which Lisa also made her acting debut.
4AD
CD
$17.50
Dead Can Dance
Toward The Within (Remastered | Super Audio CD)
PS, US Originally released in 1994, this record was an audio document
of the band's 1993 sell-out world tour. Recorded at the Mayfair Theater
in Santa Monica, CA, in front of an invited audience at the conclusion
of the tour, the shows were also filmed with the intent of releasing
a long form concert film. Includes twelve previously unrecorded Dead
Can Dance tracks as well as material from their six previous studio
albums.
4AD
CD
$17.50
Dead Can Dance
Into The Labyrinth (Remastered | Super Audio CD)
PS, US This 1993 release saw Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard embark
on individual paths. While this record of all new material was considered
a commercial breakthrough (it was 4AD's best-seller at a million copies
worldwide and counting), it was also their most divided. They both
wrote songs independent of one another, on separate continents.
4AD
CD
$17.50
Dead Can Dance
Spleen And Ideal (Remastered | Super Audio CD)
PS, US The primarily experimental structure of their second album,
released in 1986, dispelled any notion that the band deserved the
post-Gothic label slapped on them by the music press. "Spleen
And Ideal" defined a new richness of unification between voice
and music, lyrics and structure.
4AD
CD
$17.50
Dead Can Dance
Garden Of The Arcane Delights (Remastered | Super Audio CD)
PS, US This four-track EP is packaged separately in a replica of its
original sleeve with the SACD edition.
4AD
CD
$14.75
Dead Can Dance
Spiritchaser (Remastered | Super Audio CD)
PS, US Their seventh studio album was released in 1996, and focused
on the more percussive, tribal side of the group's music. It was their
first studio album since 1993's "Into The Labyrinth".
4AD
CD
$17.50
Dead Dog
S-T
PS, US Dead Dog are young, punk and on Mauled By Tigers( they are
the folks who put out the Vivian Girls full length that everyone wants.)
MauledByTigers
LP
$11.50
Difford, Chris
Last Temptation of Chris
PS, US Squeeze dude's latest solo outing.
Airline
CD
$15.75
Diplomats of Solid Sound
S-T
PS, US Featuring The Diplomettes! You can hear the band growing stronger
in sophistication & depth as they further ingest the sounds of
60s soul, R&B & deep funk. In 2006 they asked 3 gifted soul
sirens (SARAH CRAM, KATHERINE RUESTOW & ABIGAIL SAWYER) to join
the group & the rest as they say is 'soul' history. This album
is chocked full of irresistible funk & soul bombs ready to melt
your heart or make you shake it on the dance-floor.
Pravda
CD
$12.75
DJ Donna Summer
Panther Tracks vol. 2
PS, UK 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.
CockRockDisco-16
12
$14.50
Doiron, Julie
Loneliest In The Morning
PS, US Originally released in 1997 by SUB POP, "Loneliest In
The Morning" was Doiron's second solo release and her first release
as JULIE DOIRON (having dropped the moniker Broken Girl). This re-issue
comes complete with three bonus tracks: "Second Time" from
split 7" with Snailhouse and the tracks "Who Will Be The
One" and "Too Much" from the 7" release Doiron
recorded with the Wooden Stars. "Loneliest In The Morning"
- an album Pitchfork described as "catchy enough to knock Liz
Phair upside the head" - is a critical piece to the Doiron catalog
and given the wonderful relationship Doiron and JAGJAGUWAR have forged
over the last decade, this re-issue is particularly significant.
Jagjaguwar-061
CD
$11.50
Dr. Dog
Fate
PS, US VINYL VERSION!!!
ParkTheVan
LP
$15.50
Dr. Dog
Fate
PS, US Fate" sees the Philadelphia-based quintet filtering the
gamut of American popular music into its own idiosyncratic brand of
blue-eyed, dilated-pupil soul. As ever, Dr. Dog makes magic from an
enduring pop palette of intricate harmonies, shape-shifting melodies,
and ramshackle audio ingenuity - all presented through the band's
slightly skewed and utterly individualistic outlook. Dr. Dog have
toured with Wilco, Strokes, Raconteurs, Black Keys, Clap Your Hands
Say Yeah, Magic Numbers, Cold War Kids, and more.
ParkTheVan
CD
$14.00
Dr. Dog
Easy Beat
PS, US VINYL VERSION!!!
ParkTheVan
LP
$12.50
Drakkar Sauna
Wars and Tornadoes
PS, US A disc of Louvin Brothers covers. Gleefully dark with olden-time
harmonies & musical arrangements.
Marriage
CD
$15.25
Dredd Foole
Kissing the Contemporary Bliss
PS, US For over 30 years troubadour wailer Dan Ireton, aka DREDD FOOLE,
has called upon the spirit of 78 shellac blues n' psychedelic Stooges
n' Velvets to fuel his guttural, pure soul ethos of the song. Whether
solo or leading mass, Foole hints at the classic forms of Dylan's
"Blood On The Tracks", Buckley's "Starsailor"
and the celestial fug of Sun Ra's third-eye vision to create an approach
untraveled yet increasingly influential (see: Six Organs of Admittance,
Sunburned Hand of the Man). Produced in multi-dimensional spectrasound
by Matt "MV" Valentine (Bummer Road, Tower Recordings),
"Kissing The Contemporary Bliss" spans 50 miles of elbow
room (it's a double CD) and kicks up the most outward bound and staggering
approaches to Gus Cannon's "Walk Right In" and Robert Johnson's
"Stones In My Passway" while offering ear-popping originals
colored by Erika Elder's jug blowin' and Coot Moon's ecstatic, reverb
dosed banjo. You'll hear nothing like this in 2008 or beyond. Packaged
in a mini-LP-styled gatefold book with full color photos of The Foole
in action.
FamilyVineyard-56
DCD
$14.25
Drive-By Truckers
Brighter Than Creation's Dark
PS, US Drive-By Truckers leader Patterson Hood wrote in a post on
the band's website that 2007 "was supposed to be our year of
taking it easy," but it doesn't seem to have worked out that
way, and that's a good thing for everyone concerned. The songwriting
bug seems to have bit the Drive-By Truckers sometime after the release
of 2006's A Blessing and a Curse, and while that album was a bit short
on top-shelf material (at least compared to the band's work since
Southern Rock Opera), Brighter Than Creation's Dark is a dazzling
return to form, delivering some of their finest, most eclectic, and
most mature music to date. The album's strength is a pleasant surprise
given the departure of guitarist and tunesmith Jason Isbell, who had
become one of the group's most interesting writers, but founding members
Hood and Mike Cooley have risen to the occasion with some excellent
new songs, and bassist Shonna Tucker (who's also Isbell's ex-wife)
steps forward as a composer and lead vocalist on this set with three
great songs about broken hearts and the stuff that follows in their
wake. Opening with "Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife,"
a song by Hood sung from the perspective of a man who has just died
and wonders what will become of his family, Brighter Than Creation's
Dark presents 19 portraits of folks struggling to make sense of an
increasingly chaotic world, ranging from an alcoholic father ("Daddy
Needs a Drink") and a family man struggling to hold onto a little
piece of the American dream ("The Righteous Path") to a
middle-aged guy whose gotten a little too used to being lonely ("Bob")
and an illegal gun dealer running short on options ("Checkout
Time in Vegas"). While the Truckers are still a great full-tilt
hard rock band, Brighter Than Creation's Dark finds them slowing down
and turning down a bit more than usual, and in this case it works
well for them -- the homey twang of "Lisa's Birthday" and
"I'm Sorry Huston" gives new guitarist and pedal steel player
John Neff a chance to shine, and the light acoustic arrangement of
"Perfect Timing" fits the lyrical portrait of a cheerfully
flawed man just fine. And "That Man I Shot" is a blazing,
troubling masterpiece in which a soldier home from Iraq can't tear
away the memory of a man he killed in combat ("That man I shot,
I didn't know him/I was just doing my job, maybe so was he").
It's a tale of the most human consequences of war that's built from
equal portions of anger, confusion, and compassion, and it's hard
to imagine any other band pulling off its fusion of Southern-fried
street smarts and guitar-fueled thunder. It's one of several brilliant
moments on Brighter Than Creation's Dark, and less than three weeks
into 2008 it's hard not to escape the feeling that with this disc
we may already have the best album of the year. ~ Mark Deming, All
Music Guide
New West
DLP
$27.05
Electro Group
Historical Contest
PS, US Rewind to the early 90s - the heyday of the shoegaze scene.
A little-known band from Sacramento called Graham Cracker Cyclone
was all the hometown rage -- they were opening up for bands like Chapterhouse
and Blur at the legendary Cattle Club. GCC featured Verna Brock (of
California Oranges and Holiday Flyer Fame) along with Tim Jacobson
and Ian Hernandez who went on to form Electro Group with Matt Hull.
(Incidentally, Tim and Verna also played stints in Rocketship as well).
Sometime toward the end of Graham Cracker Cyclone's days (1992-94),
Electro Group was formed and the six songs featured here were written
during that beautiful period. Four of these songs were released on
hyper-limited demo cassettes from that period. The other two have
never been released. After GCC split, they tried to find a new sound
away from their Cure-influenced pop to a more distorted and dreamy
sound. As with all Claire's Echo releases, this release is LIMITED
to just 300 copies worldwide -- 200 copies on 180-gram black vinyl.
Claire'sEcho-004
12
$12.25
Eleh
Homage to the Square Wave
PS, US
Taiga-4
LP
$16.25
Elias and the Wizzkids
A Little Mess
PS, SWEDEN "A Little Mess is a jangly, bouncy celebration of
the auditorily absurd. Harmonica, flute, howled lyrics and harmonized
choruses crowd the album, which bears more in common with the lovelorn
1950s boy-girl group movement than their less accessible, cool as
ice Svenska indie pop counterparts1. Indirectly addressing this disparity,
their myspace banner announces, "We're though being cool."
Lyrically, Elias and his beloved Wizzkids skew darker. When you're
not on stage hosting a geek-filled love fest...well, sometimes life
kinda sucks. The album tracks the slow, determined progression into
adulthood and everything that makes you lose sleep along the way.
You turn 24, and wonder where your job, house, wife and kids are.
Naturally, steps are taken to rectify the situation. "The job"
finds Elias forced to answer the eternal burning question: What the
hell are you supposed to say/when they ask you to describe yourself
in just three words? In "The Mermaid," Elias works on the
lack of wife problem. However, things don't go as swimmingly as he'd
hoped2. Despite being told there are many other fish in the sea, Elias
moans, You were never a fish/no, you were a mermaid to me. Yeah, can't
help you there dude, I'm still wearing waterwings. The album ends,
if not with the answers on how to avoid this inevitable angst-filled
rite of passage (although "The Dance" does make a good case
for frolicking away the blues), then at least a temporary respite
from that whole growing up thing. Elias tucks himself in at night,
Wizzkids accompaniment slowly fading into the distance, and sighs,
When you're lying in bed and not sleeping yet
and you can still feel the fresh taste of toothpaste, isn't it nice
to turn out the lights and say goodnight? Yes. Yes it is. Just don't
grow up too much before your next album, okay?" - Would-be-hipsters.com
Hybris-056
CD
$17.75
Elias and the Wizzkids
The Dance
PS, SWEDEN 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
Hybris-052
CD5
$8.25
Escovedo, Alejandro
Real Animal
PS, US It may be simplistic to describe Alejandro Escovedo's 2006
album The Boxing Mirror as a record inspired by the artist's brush
with death, but given the record's back story -- it was recorded as
Escovedo was recovering from a near-fatal bout with Hepatitis C --
it's hard not to imagine its brave and often dazzling creative ambition
was fueled by Escovedo's knowledge that these could be his last words
as a musician. Two years later, a healthier and stronger Escovedo
returned to the studio to record his ninth studio album, Real Animal,
and by comparison this is a leaner, more tightly focused session;
in fact, this is the strongest rock album Escovedo has made since
his 1997 album with Buick MacKane, The Pawn Shop Years. It's easy
to tag Real Animal as a less ambitious and artful collection than
The Boxing Mirror, but viewed on its own merits this ranks with the
best and most powerful music of Escovedo's career. Like The Boxing
Mirror, which was produced by John Cale, Real Animal was recorded
with a producer who worked with some of Escovedo's primal influences,
Tony Visconti, and his recordings with David Bowie and T. Rex doubtless
helped him connect with Escovedo the smart but swaggering rocker in
a way Cale did not; this set of songs is every bit as intelligent
and emotionally resonant as Escovedo's best work, but it moves with
a taut energy and insistent force that informs even the quieter, acoustic
oriented numbers, such as the bluesy "People (We're Only Gonna
Live So Long)," and the plaintive "Hollywood Hills."
While Escovedo wrote the tunes on Real Animal with Chuck Prophet,
the songs bear his stylistic hallmarks and melodic sensibilities throughout,
and these stories are dotted with places and events from Escovedo's
past -- discovering music as a kid ("Golden Bear"), his
days as a San Francisco punk rocker ("Nun's Song"), flirting
with the New York bohemian scene ("Chelsea Hotel '78"),
and barnstorming with a rock & roll band ("Chip 'N' Tony").
Even when the cues to Escovedo's past aren't obvious, there's too
much heart, soul, and blood in this music to not to have come directly
from his heart, and he's seemingly incapable of singing from any other
place, giving this music an emotional power that reaches down to the
soul. If The Boxing Mirror was a work influenced by the shadow of
mortality, Real Animal is an album about life -- both as survival
and as the faces and moments that fill our days on this Earth. How
many artists could make two masterpieces in a row that are so different?
And how much do you want to bet that Escovedo still has one or two
more records this good in him? ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
Blue Note
DLP
$18.40
Espvall, Helena & Masaki Batoh
S-T
PS, US They are known to open-eared music listeners for their collaborations
w/ artists like Ghost, Espers, Damon & Naomi, Fursaxa, Bert Jansch
among others. This recording session was held in Tokyo in Dec. 2007.
For instruments fans, this session might be a treasure. So many strings
were used. 6 Swedish traditional tunes were reconstructed along w/
a classic Son House song.
DragCity
CD
$13.25
Espvall, Helena & Masaki Batoh
S-T
PS, US VINYL VERSION!!!
DragCity
LP
$14.75
Fairport Convention
Liege & Lief
PS, US Originally released in '70, this is considered by many to be
the paramount of British folk-rock. They roll through no less than
4 traditional British folk songs incl. an incredible reading of "Tam
Lin" along w/ quality originals that pay tribute to & expand
on their rich tradition.
4MenWithBeards
LP
$16.75
Familjen
Huvudet I Sanden
PS, SWEDEN Filled with playfulness, without rose-eyed 80s nostalgia,
Familjen feels very modern. He blends naive 80's melodies, 90's beats
and 00's glitches into a cohesive whole. That combined with his squealing
303's 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.
Hybris-061
CD
$17.75
Faun Fables
Table Forgotten
PS, US This is the first taste in an ongoing series of projects by
Dawn McCarthy on a theme that's been largely unexplored in recent
times: the ageold practices of tending a home & its immediate
impact upon our day to day lives. It is an invitation to return to
our kitchens & homes w/ reverence, to enjoy a largely overlooked
sanctuary in the modern age.
DragCity
CD
$11.00
Felix
La Vida Secreta
PS, CHILE Author pop, with simple and refined musical arrangements;
convert this debut from the Argentinian songwriter Felix, "La
Vida Secreta", in an absolute discovery. Felix recovers the capacity
to compose intimates lyrics that are perfect partners for affable
melodies that convert this debut in an essential work. His lyrics
seems chronicles about a generation personal worries, and locate this
songwriter in the first line of highlights musicians from his country
like Coiffeur or Diosque, that update the face of the indie song in
that latitudes.
Quemasucabeza-018
CD
$13.50
Forward, Russia!
Life Processes
PS, US A weighty prog-rock album this certainly is not, though; this
is tumultuous modern rock, infused w/ the sort of spirit that some
made At The Drive-In such a must-see live attraction, & likewise
Les Savy Fav today.
Mute
CD
$15.25
Fucked Up
Year Of The Pig
PS, US Last year's limited edition 12-inch "Year Of The Pig",
released on the Brooklyn label What's Your Rupture? is now available
through Matador in three formats: 12-inch EP with download coupon
and the two original tracks ("Year Of The Pig" and "Black
Hats"); 7-inch single with "Year Of The Pig" edit and
"Mustaa Lunta" with a special sleeve; CD EP with eight tracks
- all the above songs plus two edits and B-sides of UK and Japanese
7-inches. This is not comforting music, but it's utterly engrossing
and honest. Fucked Up have broken out of the hardcore ghetto and have
rewritten the rules of the game.
Matador
CD
$7.00
Fucked Up
Year Of The Pig
PS, US VINYL VERSION!!!
Matador
LP
$8.75
Girls
Lust For Life b/w Morninglight
PS, US Ex-member of Holy Shit (the Ariel Pink one) goes out on his
own and records a couple of mini masterpieces. The first single is
two sides, two insanely compelling, righteously and messed up pop
songs. Sounds range from Vaselines/Jesus and Mary Chain wall of noise
to Elvis Costello-voiced revelations.
TruePantherSounds
45
$4.75
Hair Police
The Certainty of Swarms
PS, US First Full length release from hair police since 2005, and
their most masterful yet, combining signature piercing vocals with
walls of guitars, precise heavy electronics and thundering drums.
The fusion of metal, noise rock, free jazz, industrial, and harsh
electronics that makes up The Certainty of Swarms is the rare kind
of heterogeneous concoction that is carefully matured, but never lost
in pedestrian calculation. A blistering onslaught of metallic-fused
noise-murk, Swarms is considered by the band to be one of their most
complete statements to date, an aptly blindsiding and developed work
drawing from all quarters of their craft.
NoFunProductions-39
CD
$12.25
Harvey, PJ
Rid of Me
PS, US 1993's Rid Of Me, is an art-punk classic that pushes the genre,
& w/ it the listener, to extremes. Alternating between searing
noise/feedback & sparse open spaces, this is truly an emotional
experience. As usual, legendary producer Steve Albini maximizes every
sound & space, working w/ that exacting, mechanical precision
that he has come to be known for, the perfect complement to her harsh,
stark, disturbed songwriting.
Plain
LP
$16.75
Havana 3 A.M.
Havana 3 a.m.
PS, UK Reissue. A first time CD release for Havana 3a.m.'s self-titled
1991 album. The band formed by ex Clash bass player Paul Simonon,
described as 'the coolest man ever to strap on a bass guitar ' conjures
up a blend of Latino flavoring built on the solid base of Rockabilly.
Their sound evokes images of Spaghetti Westerns, 1950's America and
the heyday of Cuba's capital Havana all with a contemporary twist.
The CD features the 12 original tracks from the album including the
single "Reach The Rock" and other band favorites "Joyride",
"Hey Amigo", "The Hardest Game" and "Blue
Gene Vincent".
CherryRed-201
CD
$15.50
Hiawata!
Blacks On Blondes EP
PS, NORWAY Norwegian act Hiawata! is often compared to bands like
Lemonheads, Belle & Sebastian, Television Personalities and other
such greats. Blacks on Blondes is a fivetrack EP produced by Kenneth
Ishak (Beezewax). Kenneth has brought the band closer to their heroes
in Dinosaur Jr. and the Lemonheads, but not without letting go of
their fetish for the Smiths and other UK acts. 75 OR LESS: "I
welcome the '90s revival Hiawata! and a few other bands (Times New
Viking, Wet Paint) are ushering in with their imperfect musicianship,
bent vocals and inexhaustible energy. The five little songs on Blacks
on Blondes remind me of the years before the internet made finding
good music so easy, when the only real option was scouring mailorder
catalogs and taking inexpensive risks. Their melody-rich guitar-heavy
music would have fit nicely between Sebadoh and Built to Spill on
mixtapes."
SellOut!Music
CD5
$0.25
High Places
03/07-09/07
PS, US This began as an experiment in collaboration: 2 people w/ diverse
artistic backgrounds coming together to merge their skills, aesthetic
tastes, & music-making approaches. The songs contain a fascinating
range of aural layers: bells & bird calls over a wash of ocean
waves; mallets hitting mixing bowls over treated guitar & glockenspiel;
Mary's reflective vocals over Rob's inventive & infectious beats.
This is a collection of tracks previously only available on 7'' vinyl
& compilations. This is the first time these songs are all available
on CD.
ThrillJockey
CD
$11.50
Hotpants Romance
It's a Heatwave
PS, US Three girls! Three years! Three chords! Hotpants Romance debut
album 'It's a Heatwave' is shouty, shambolic, garage pop that wears
its heart on its sleeve. On the 14th February 2005 Hotpants Romance
formed two hours before their first gig, with a vow to play once a
year on Valentines Day, after a storming two and a half song set the
audience wanted more. The original plan was dropped in favour of playing
anywhere and everywhere that Anyone would have them. The rest of 2005
had their first tape 'The Greatest Hits' was released on Manchester
DIY label Soft Presents and the 50 copies quickly sold out. Gigs were
played all around the UK with many amazing bands, winning over audiences
with energetic and shambolic live shows. 2006 had Hotpants Romance
playing more shows and releasing their demo EP titled "Lucky
6". In 2007 things started to really come together when the girls
were able to tour with their post punk heroes the Nightingales, only
to be followed by a support slot for the Ting Tings UK tour. In 2008
after a win on a horse called Purple Moon, Nightingale Robert Lloyd
is able to release the first Hotpants Romance album on his Big Print
label. 'It's a Heatwave' crashed into the world, catching the attention
of music press and radio stations to great critical acclaim. The girls
booked a short US East Coast tour with Christie and Emily. They are
currently working on songs for a 7" on Cherryade Records in the
UK, and getting ready for a performance at this years' Athens PopFest
in Athens, Georgia, having their "It's a Heatwave" released
on Happy Happy Birthday to Me Records in the states, and a 2 week
South East US tour with new label-mates Cars Can Be Blue.
HHBTM-103
CD
$12.25
Juvelen
1
PS, SWEDEN 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 could-and should-elevate 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.
Hybris-066
CD
$17.75
Kid, The
Transient Blood
PS, SWEDEN "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
Hybris-067
CD
$17.75
Loved, The
Everything, Anything, Nothing
PS, US Formed in 1996 and disbanded less than two years later, THE
LOVED were an accidentally mysterious pop trio from the unlikely locale
of Louisville, KY. In truth, they were just three ordinary guys making
Beatles-inspired pop with a few nods to some 70s and 80s guitar gods.
Their shows became notorious in Louisville; loud, sweaty affairs where
the crowd knew all the words to songs that weren't yet recorded, much
less released (a remarkable feat in the age before downloading or
record leaks). Available here for the first time, "Everything,
Anything, Nothing" collects the entire recorded history of The
Loved, culled from the only two recording sessions during their brief
existence. Recorded on 8-track analog tape by Kevin Coultas (Rodan),
and remastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music (Yes, Sufjan
Stevens), this is the way The Loved were always meant to be heard,
and truly the way they should be remembered: three ordinary guys that
just happened to make ten great songs.
TemporaryResidenceLtd.-141
CD
$9.00
Lucky Dragons
Dream Island Laughing Language
PS, US 18th release by this LA based band details the continuning
pursuit of humble, ecstatic, drippy, explosive, smoldering & upsetting
music . For fans of Bonnie Prince Billy, Six Organs of Admittance,
Dirty Projectors.
Marriage
CD
$14.25
Lustmord
Other
PS, US Lustmord has been creeping out the music world since 1980,
prior to joining industrial forefathers SPK. By the time he started
scoring films like 1994's "The Crow", he'd already worked
with English experimental luminaries Nurse With Wound, Current 93,
and members of Coil. His latest collection of night terrors and Lynch-ian
atmospherics features guest shots from Adam Jones (Tool), Aaron Turner
(Isis), and Buzz Osborne (Melvins). "...heavily treated, producing
thick drone textures that alternate between beautiful and scary"
- All Music Guide.
HydraHead
CD
$12.50
Mansfields
Cramp Your Style
PS, US VINYL VERSION!!!
Gearhead
LP
$8.75
Mansfields
Cramp Your Style
PS, US Equal parts Cramps, New York Dolls & 50's Sun-era Rockabilly.
Gearhead
CD
$12.00
Mate
Ventajas De Ser Optimista
PS, SPAIN 'Ventajas de ser optimista' (Advantages of being an optimist),
is a collection of singable stories crafted by Alberto Matesanz (aka
Mate) singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, who has created
a lot of excitement in the indie pop community. Personal and unpretentious,
Mate generate luminous pop songs with a deep sense of longing and
nostalgia. This is a mature, intelligent pop record that proofs that
there's life in the pop underground yet, a cause for serious celebration.
Recorded mostly at Calle Mayor studio, Alberto has received the remarkable
support of Ramón Leal in the recording of percussions and drums.
Again Mr Mate has traveled to the Alex the Great Studio in Nashville,
Tennessee (USA) to gather the magic touch of Brad Jones who has added
subtleties to the songs creating absolute pop splendor. The final
touch has the mastering signature of another renowned prodigy Mr.
Jim DeMain's who resides in his spaceship (YesMaster studio/Nashville).
The purity of the harmonies, the very preciousness and melancholy
of Matesanz's songwriting will attract fans of French sounds (Delerm,
Biolay, Marchet, Dominique A, Daho...), Sarah records, Beatles, Belle
and Sebastian, Kings of Convenience...
Siesta-238
CD
$19.50
McFarland, Gary & Gabor Szabo
Sketch For Summer
PS, UK Though they came from radically different cultures and found
their way into jazz via widely divergent routes, Gabor Szabo and Gary
McFarland formed an all-too brief working relationship that produced
a spectacular range of solo and collaborative works spanning jazz,
bossa nova, psychedelia, Indian raga, Hungarian folk, orchestral and
film music. Focusing on the mid-sixties years with Prestige, Verve
and Impulse, this edition comprises highlights from Gypsy 66, Spellbinder,
Jazz Raga, The Sorcerer, Simpatico, The In Sound, Scorpio and Other
Signs and McFarland's score for Eye of the Devil and includes such
impossible rarities as Gary's characteristically serene performances
of Margo Guryan's Rivergirl and The Dreamer by Antonio Carlos Jobim.
El-148
CD
$15.50
Mouse Rocket
Pretty Loud (LP/CD)
PS, US Mouserocket is back with their sophomore album after two years
in the making and four years apart from their 2004 debut on Empty.
Worth the wait? YES! This LP has been as carefully injected with deliciously
sweet rock n roll razorblades as a half-opened Halloween treat. The
no nonsense, semi-sweet / creeped-out pop of Mouserocket is back!
Back with a southern-tinged delivery that conjures the charm of Roky
Erickson and the clean tastes and mighty grandeur of Television.
TicTacTotally
LP
$12.00
Mouth Of The Architect
Quietly
PS, US VINYL VERSION!!!
TranslationLoss
DLP
$20.25
Mouth of the Architect
Quietly
PS, US The group's new opus sees a true return to form & a conscious
reconfiguring of modern experimental music as a whole. ALEX VERNON
returns on guitars & vocals. Vocal guest appearance from JULIE
CHRISTMAS (MADE OUT OF BABIES).
TranslationLoss
CD
$14.50
One Day As A Lion
S-T EP
PS, US ALL MUSIC GUIDE: "Here it is...finally. One Day as a Lion
are Zack de la Rocha, lead vocalist for Rage Against the Machine,
and Jon Theodore, former drummer with the Mars Volta. De la Rocha
and Theodore have been reportedly working on this project since 2006.
The end result is a volatile mix of rhythm, noise, and radical poetry."
Anti
CD5
$8.50
Parsons, Gram
GP
PS, US
Rhino/Scorpio
LP
$13.00
Pas/Cal
I Was Raised On Matthew, Mark, Luke & Laura
PS, UK Seven years in the making, and just as many members in the
band. Le Grand Magistery is proud to present Pas/Cal's debut album,
"I Was Raised on Matthew, Mark, Luke & Laura." Twelve
songs so intricate, so catchy, so filled with bubblegum, glitter,
and wit that you'll spend the next seven years singing along. If you
like music like this, you'll love this music! So sit down, get down,
and boogie down. Prepare to laugh ("Oh Honey We're Ridiculous",
"Little Red Radio"), cry ("You Were Too Old For Me",
"Glorious Ballad of The Ignored"), get seasonal ("Summer
Is Almost Here", "Little Red Radio"), quizzical ("The
Truth Behind All The Vogues She Sold"), reflective ("Dearest
Bernard Living"), playful (We Made Out Way, We Amtrakked"),
and enjoy the soothing sounds of the Suite Cherry suite of cherry-themed
numbers ("Cherry Needs A Name", "Cherry Tree",
"O My Cherry"). Oh yes, you're not going to want to miss
this one folks. It's a doozy!
LeGrandMagistery-043
CD
$12.25
Polvo
Shapes
PS, US This was their final album, released in 1997. It continues
in the vein of "Exploded Drawing", weaving plaintive vibes,
eastern passages, and rip roarin' freakouts in a pastiche eluding
basic classification.
Touch&Go
LP
$12.00
Polvo
Exploded Drawing
PS, US Originally released in April 1996, this was generally received
as Polvo's "White Album", the moment when the band finally
kicked off its shoes, cracked the studio windows, and unleashed a
long suite of songs showcasing their true range. This double LP gives
it all up: paranoid blues rants, Delhi-via-the Ozarks hoedowns, spaghetti
western lopers, carnivalesque boogie, a blazing, frustrated finale,
and as always, that guitar sound.
Touch&Go
DLP
$15.00
Ranaldo, Lee
Countless Centuries Fled into the Distance Like So Many Storms
PS, US SONIC YOUTH'S LEE RANALDO was part of the original TABLE OF
THE ELEMENTS "Guitar Series" in 1993; now he returns with
"Countless Centuries Fled into the Distance Like So Many Storms".
It's an epic earful, replete with shimmering textures and an inimitable
charging clangor. With ecstatic, rocking squalor, he summons some
dazzling shronk, reminiscent of early SY, the soaring drone of John
Cale, and even the looping orientalia of Dream Syndicate-era La Monte
Young. So duck and cover, as Lee fires an impeccably aimed fusillade
across the screaming fields of sonic love.
Tableoftheelements-97
LP
$14.25
Red Krayola
Fingerpointing
PS, US Free form freak out is dead! Long live free form freak out!
This follows their ur-formula, designed to immerse & entertain
the listener & confound the FM DJ's & anyone else's quest
for the perfect seque in a narrative of counter-cultural meaningfulness.
Feat. DAVID GRUBBS, GEORGE HURLEY, STEPHEN PRINA, MAYO THOMPSON, TOM
WATSON, SANDY YANG, ALBERT OEHLEN & ELISA RANDAZZO. Mixed by JIM
O'ROURKE
DragCity
CD
$13.25
Rumble Strips
Girls and Weather
PS, US W/ their somewhat eccentric origins in Devon, the 4 men from
Tavistock have fashioned a set of songs steeped w/ huge, life-affirming
choruses all awash w/ the optimism of youth.
GiganticMusic
CD
$12.75
Sabicas
Flamencan Guitar Solos
PS, UK Virtuoso guitarist Sabicas exported flamenco in its most thrilling
and uncompromising form. What the public heard and responded to was
his astonishing artistry - the rhythmic drive, the dizzying speed
of his runs, the sheer ferocity of his attack coupled with the sensitivity
and poise of his touch. Sabicas's dedication and perfectionism established
the yardstick against which both his contemporaries and the next generation
of guitarists were obliged to measure themselves. He almost single
- handedly established the right of flamenco to stand among the world's
greatest musical traditions. Made four Albums for Elektra and rock
collaboration with Joe Beck.
El-149
CD
$15.50
Schmidt, Irwin & Kumo
Axolotl Eyes
PS, US Irwin Schmidt (CAN) & the Professor Of Popular Music (Kumo)
release this for your listening enjoyment. Feat. shimmering grooves,
subterranean bass, theremin & violin providing the perfect foil
for Schmidt's peerless & enduringly adventurous playing.
Mute
DCD
$18.25
Shining Path
Chocolate Gasoline
PS, US While their eponymous album exists in the world of post-SST
black-clad psychedelia & noise, the group decided that they had
gone far enough in said direction & realigned themselves. Influences
ranging from hard dub, early PiL, no wave, block-banging hip hop,
& kraut-dance/industrial, if one could imagine a version of Viva
more about bikinis than white overalls.
HolyMountain
12
$14.25
Sinthetix
Gateway
PS, US SINTHETIX launched the American invasion of drum n bass and
reinvented the neurofunk sound - becoming the first to cross the Atlantic
in the primarily UK dominated Drum N Bass world. Impulse, Rob F, and
MC Mecha collide with stalwart artists Black Sun Empire, UFO!, and
others in this compilation of their biggest singles, including 7 unreleased
tunes not available elsewhere! The resurgence of step beats and modern
club neurofunk started here, and it's development thoroughly chronicled
on this double CD set.
OhmResistance-2M
DCD
$13.25
Skyscraper
#28
PS, US Features on Total Abuse, Night Wounds, Au, Bowerbirds, Genghis
Tron, Crystal Castles, Man Man, King Khan, Jay Reatard, Mick Barr,
Russian Circles, Modey Lemon, The Black Angels, Wolf Parade, Islands,
Melvins, & Six Finger Satellite plus the usual plethora of articles,
& reviews.
ZINE
$5.50
Smile Down Upon Us
Smile Down Upon Us
PS, UK Smile Down Upon Us is a very modern kind of band. Comprising
Phelan Sheppard, the duo behind celebrated album Harps Old Master,
and Japanese artist moomLooo, it's a project that crosses cultural
and musical boundaries. And, for the duration of recording their self-titled
debut album, it existed solely on the Internet, as the three have
never met. The band came about when Keiron Phelan, a prodigious MySpace
trawler, came across moomLooo's page and her enchanting recordings
for Japan's Clay label. He sent a message introducing himself, and
she responded saying she admired his work too. "None of us had
any reservations about working together from the word go," says
Phelan. "It just seemed natural - a touch of kismet." Soon,
they began sending ideas back and forth on the Internet, sound files
whizzing between Tokyo and London. Though initially a project to occupy
Phelan whilst David Sheppard was writing his much-anticipated Brian
Eno biography, On Some Faraway Beach, Phelan's long-time fellow group
member soon came into the fold. The pair set up in East London's Soup
Studio, in the basement of ukulele shop Duke Of Uke. There, they purloined
parlour guitars, banjos and ukes from the shop and recorded them into
ProTools, blending old and new, as well as east and west. Over in
Japan, at home and at Tokyo's Naturebliss studio, moomLooo recorded
her largely electronic parts and field recordings, adding delicately
captivating vocals and spoken word, half in English, half in Japanese.
Soon, they were writing parts for each other, playing to each other's
strengths. "I don't speak any Japanese and moom's English is
so-so," says Phelan. "In order to understand each other,
we had to use simple language, and our emails began to look like a
dialogue between two hyper-enthusiastic nine year-olds. We could only
discuss things in a very 'primary colour' way and the music seemed
to become extremely vivid too. Dave and I had the idea that this was
sounding like a Chagall painting looks. That seemed a really strong
and suitable feeling for the band, so we pushed it along that road."
Between the language barriers, time differences and hours downloading
files, the process of creating the album took almost 14 months. When
moomLooo emailed the last part over, it came with a recorded message
introducing herself to the pair. "It's been a very mysterious
process," says Phelan. "I email moom all the time, but I
know very little about her. I've never met her, never spoken to her.
I don't know how old she is or what she does for a living. None of
the usual things. And I think we all found this an intriguing situation."
The resulting album has a strange kind of magic, an essence running
through it. Blending warm wooden instruments with moomLooo's icy vocal,
it sounds modern at the same time as aged, distinctly Japanese but
rooted in the conventions of modern, electronic folk music. More structured
than Phelan Sheppard's usually instrumental music, it reveals a new,
accessible side to their work, one that's sure to appeal to fans of
Bjork, Deerhoof and lovers of beautiful, beguiling music everywhere.
The next step in the evolution of Smile Down Upon Us is to turn it
into a functioning live band. In Japan, moomLooo has assembled a couple
of musicians to recreate the songs until she finally meets with Phelan
and Sheppard this summer, when they intend to stage what's bound to
be some very special live shows indeed. "It would be quite something
to have a Smile Down Upon Us (East) and a Smile Down Upon Us (West),"
says Phelan. "Dave and I have never met or spoken to these musicians,
don't even know their names. But soon we'll be able to look on YouTube
and see them playing our songs! It's a weird but pleasant feeling."
StaticCaravan-161
CD
$17.75
Son Ambulance
Someone Else's Deja Vu
PS, US They emerge from hibernation deep in a realm of exotic 60s
& 70s LPs for their 3rd full-length- a bold leap back into the
music world & their most challenging work yet. Tracks make use
of rich analog synths, double bass, saxophone & vibraphone, played
by various Omaha musicians incl. members of TILLY & THE WALL &
THE FAINT.
SaddleCreek
CD
$12.50
Son Ambulance
Someone Else's Deja Vu
PS, US VINYL VERSION!!!
SaddleCreek
DLP
$16.50
Speck Mountain
Summer Above
PS, US VINYL VERSION!!!
BurntBrown
LP
$17.00
Stone Harbour
Emerges
PS, US A trip into the true dark heart of psychedelia. Songs fade
in & out; finger-picking blurs into screaming squelching synths;
guitars melt in the mid-summer heat. Shimmers like stars in the 2
am fog & haze, & bleeds lost & lonely & bruised into
the heat-warped dawn. Includes a handful of previously unreleased
tracks from 1975.
LionProductions
CD
$15.00
Strange Boys
Woe Is You And Me
PS, US Fronted by brothers Ryan and Philip Sambol, the Strange Boys
are a quartet who brilliantly plow through 60's garage riffs overlayed
with Ryan's lazily whined vocals. Not since the Black Lips has a band
come down the pike who have managed to take basic garage-beat-rock
n' roll and twist it in such a unique way that they come off totally
fresh young and original. And, with band members barely in their 20's,
The Strange Boys are one of the few bands around who make the Black
Lips look old.
InTheRed
45
$4.25
Sunforest
The Sound of Sunforest [re-issue]
PS, UK Steeped in medieval and Renaissance sounds as well as pop,
this U.S. female trio epitomized their generation's gleeful experimentalism.
Recorded in London's Olympic studios in two weeks in the autumn of
1969, their wonderful album encompasses acid-tinged folk, riotous
country, faux 1930s balladry and psychedelic pop with strong melodies,
striking vocal harmonies, and immaculate arrangements. One fan was
film director Stanley Kubrick -- he included "I Want To Marry
A Lighthouse Keeper" and "Overture To The Sun" on his
famous Clockwork Orange soundtrack. The album has gone on to become
one of the most sought-after releases of its time, and is presented
here in a numbered, strictly-limited card-wallet format.
Phoenix
CD
$16.25
Tan Or Boil
Seamstress in a Suitcase
PS, US A pun from those 1970s Bad News Bears films, TOB is the alias
of Pittsburgh-born JASON BACASA. A CD-R of songs handed out to around
60 lucky souls witnessing his support slot for Joanna Newsom (he has
also played with Cat Power & Devendra Banhart) led to this fully
realized record. His songs hold onto a fragmented, on the fly style
with a surreal fervour often running through his lyrics & the
hushed intimacy that inevitably comes from late-night recording in
apartment buildings. Raw and strange beauty exists at the core, though
its imaginative, gentle kaleidoscopic spin enhances that feeling &
takes it somewhere else
entirely
Preservation
CD
$15.50
Tape Op
#66
PS, US New issue of the #1 recording magazine! This Issue features
Adam Fuest, Steve Rosenthal, SLOAN + Nick Detoro, Adam Franklin (SWERVEDRIVER),
& all the gearhead goodness you can handle.
ZINE
$4.00
Teenage Film Stars
Star
PS, UK Musical alchemist - where other people struggle Ed Ball plays
what we re thinking. --KEVIN SHIELDS, MY BLOODY VALENTINE. November
1991. Creation Records release Loveless by My Bloody Valentine. Three
months later Creation Records release Star by Teenage Filmstars. Rumored
to have been recorded by an aggregation of various Teenage Fanclubbers
and Bloody Valentiners, this mysterious album had journalists and
pop stars from Britain and America fascinated by its sound. Wherever
My Bloody Valentine have roared throughout the universe the Teenage
Filmstars echo has followed, but not blindly. Where the MBV sound
is the well-controlled experiment from the lab, the Teenage Filmstars
set their rocket to unknown planets - what is Star? An alchemist s
philosophy stone thrown surreptitiously into space? It was in fact,
the work of one Edward Ball, in between label duties for Creation
Records and recording for the label. The Master Of Brinkmanship, as
one taste maker of the time described him. This reissue features four
previously unreleased extra tracks, including an early version of
Edward Ball's hit single "Love Is Blue"(!). The 16-page
booklet contains a dissertation of Creation period Edward Ball '88
to '91 by Edward Ball 2008, with full production notes and anecdotes
about the label. Lavishly illustrated throughout.
Artpop!-13
CD
$15.50
Teenage Filmstars
Star
PS, UK "...Musical alchemist - where other people struggle Ed
Ball plays what we're thinking." --KEVIN SHIELDS, MY BLOODY VALENTINE.
November 1991. Creation Records release Loveless by My Bloody Valentine.
Three months later Creation Records release Star by Teenage Filmstars.
Rumoured to have been recorded by an aggregation of various Teenage
Fan-clubbers and Bloody Valentiners, this mysterious album had journalists
and pop stars from Britain and America fascinated by its sound. Wherever
My Bloody Valentine have roared throughout the universe the Teenage
Filmstars echo has followed, but not blindly. Where the MBV sound
is the well-controlled experiment from the lab, the Teenage Filmstars
set their rocket to unknown planets - what is Star? An alchemist's
philosophy stone thrown surreptitiously into space? It was in fact,
the work of one Edward Ball, in between label duties for Creation
Records and recording for the label. The Master Of Brinkmanship, as
one tastemaker of the time described him. This reissue features four
previously unreleased extra tracks, including an early version of
Edward Ball's hit single "Love Is Blue"(!). The 16-page
booklet contains a dissertation of Creation period Edward Ball '88
to '91 by Edward Ball 2008, with full production notes and anecdotes
about the label. Lavishly illustrated throughout.
Artpop!-13
CD
$15.50
Teenage Jesus & The Jerks
Shut Up And Bleed
PS, UK The seminal No - Wave band Teenage Jesus and The Jerks were
lead by primal screamer and guitarist Lydia Lunch, an individual who
has fought her artistic way through the decades, always true to her
own vision and always brutally honest. In early 1978, artist and producer
Brian Eno attended a series of shows put on to benefit the Artist's
Space in Soho and influenced Island Records to finance an anthology
LP featuring the four strongest bands - Teenage Jesus and the Jerks,
The Contortions, Mars and DNA. The resulting recording, entitled No
New York and produced by Eno, remains as one of the most impressive
and extraordinarily bold debuts of the time. Here we compiled all
Teenage Jesus and The Jerks recordings, alongside some never previously
released live material.
CherryRed-367
CD
$15.50
Tenniscoats & Secai
Tenniscoats & Secai
PS, JAPAN Almost 6 years since the mini-album The Ending Theme, Tenniscoats
are introducing their work once again through noble label. Tenniscoats
is the Tokyo duo of Saya and Ueno Takashi and friends. The open stance
of this duo as seen through their emajikick label and their rainbow
of collaborations with artists has won the hearts of passionate fans
the worldwide. Last year saw sequential release of Tenniscoats music,
Totemo Aimasho from Australia's Room40 and Tan-Tan Therapy from Sweden's
Hapna. Now, they have welcomed Secai, a duo formed by friends of majikick,
Daisuke Namiki a.k.a. NSD and Takeshi Hiruma a.k.a. DASMAN. Together
with their partners of creation, the artists have completed Tenniscoats
& Secai a collaboration album finished after nearly 2 years of
patient brewing. Most of the pieces for this album were created through
sessions with the recording, composition, and songwriting added along
the way. In addition to the abstract track making which is a signature
of Secai work, NSD works together with Saya to create almost half
of the lyrics, and DASMAN sings in the chorus and plays bass for an
album that unleashes the creative energy of both artists. Combined
with Saya's mixing and song writing and Ueno Takashi's poetic playing
and inspirations, this album is an original piece of work that highlights
the talents of each artist in an organic mixture of sound. Though
covered with a fluffy and obscure sound image, the album gives an
impression of a crystal world with unlimited clarity. This world is
filled with Saya_fs innocent voice, magical melody, and deep lyrics.
The visionary music which portrays the fine line between dream and
reality will lure listeners into another world. Here, you will find
music of freedom and beauty that is sure to bring tears to your eyes.
Noble-1232
CD
$17.00
Terrill, John
Frowny Frown
PS, US Between 1988 and 1998, JOHN TERRILL (co-founder of the late
'70s new/no wave DANCING CIGARETTES) recorded this album and made
a few copies for close friends and for mailing to musical heroes.
In another era, it could have stood next to Scott Walker or Michael
Hurley's early albums or even Randy Burns' LPs on ESP Disk. It's an
out-of-time classic that mixes honey baked orchestration, acoustic
soul, and pop-psychedelia into cracked and spellbinding songs. Now
reissued for all and remastered with a bonus track from 1984. "I
feel this album is a little gem. Lyrically-a man up against it ("Frowny
Frown") as opposed to (Smiley Smile), but still leaning towards
humor, kindheartedness, and no bitterness within the adversity. A
very feeling album and all kinds of sonically interesting things.
The kind of direction Brian Wilson might even have taken himself if
his own circumstances had been different. Beach Boys meet Mothers
of Invention." - Bill Fay.
FamilyVineyard-60
CD
$11.50
Thee Oh Sees
Sucks Blood
PS, US Prior to entering The Master's Bedroom earlier this year, San
Francisco's THEE OH SEES originally self-released the more subdued
"Sucks Blood" in early 2007 to fund the latter's recording.
Steeped in the natural hues of analog and reverb, "Sucks Blood"
is a subtle gem of irresistible pop and basement psychedelia. Immediate
classics include the ghostly saw-tinged title track and the charming
lumber of the harmonious "Ship". "Sucks Blood"
is quite simply yet another testament to the total genius of JOHN
DWYER for those who have yet to heed.
Tomlab-118
CD
$12.25
TIAC
Overstaying The Welcome
PS, SWEDEN Overstaying the welcome is TIACs sophomore album. "TIAC
sounds sort of like old Magnetic Fields on a very happy day with an
