Astral Headspace

The Story So Far: Grails #1

2012-02-18T07:34:00.000-06:00

At some point recently, I realized that my posts often do not provide much in-depth background on what the hell I'm on about. This is perhaps a failing on my part as a blogger, and maybe one that I can rectify.

Grails' latest album Deep Politics was my #1 of last year. They are from Portland, OR. I'd say their music is pretty diverse, but it's mostly guitar-based, instrumental, psychedelic post-rock, with some exotic-Eastern and/or ancient-Druidic influences thrown in.

"Space Prophet Dogon" by Grails, from The Burden of Hope (2003)

Depending on who you are, you might be thinking, "kinda like a 21st-century Sun City Girls?" To which I respond (telepathically), "okay." Now I'm no expert on early Grails, but I do know a couple of facts. First, they originally made a prominent place in the mix for a violin player, who apparently disappeared one day never to return. (This has always sounded to me more like a voluntary disappearance, rather than a criminal or mystical one.) Second, they covered Sun City Girls' tune "Space Prophet Dogon" on their debut album, The Burden of Hope (2003). Also when in doubt (or the dark), go with the opening title track, or maybe the climactic closer.

This post has taken longer than expected to wrap up, so I've had more of a chance to listen to my new Grails LP's. I can see why the first two albums are kind of set aside from the later ones. They are not as fully-formed as more mature Grails, and are definitely closer to a more trad post-rock sound. But for a true Grails fanatic and/or a fan of the post-rock genre, I'd say they're pretty essential. The Burden of Hope should be a natural starting point: debut album, and actually really good on its own terms.

Initial Impression: 6.5/10

"Fevers" from Redlight (2004)

Then there's the 2nd record, Redlight - I've only just recently gotten both these records... Never had before, but they've just been re-mastered (by Carl Saff) and re-released on vinyl LP. $29 for these 1st two, and they found some old Black Tar Prophecies, Vol. 1 split-LP's (2006)? Done!

Turns out that I did already have one song from this album: "Reprieve" off the budget CD/DVD label sampler Neurot Recordings I (2004). Although this product description asterisks it as "previously unreleased," so maybe a different version. "The Volunteer" also catches my attention more quickly.

With limited time and other musics all the time, I've found myself going back to Redlight less often. It gives the impression of a thinner, quieter record than the 1st one, with everything kind of on its way to something else. I'm hoping (and half-expecting) to discover this to be my fault, and that this album just requires much closer listening.

Initial Impression: 5/10

"Master Builder" by Grails, from Interpretations of Three Psychedelic Rock Songs from Around the World (2005)

The covers EP Interpretations of... wasn't where I discovered Grails, but it might have been when I went overboard. (It is where I discovered Southern Lord Records' Latitudes series, though...) My favorite Gong tune was already "Master Builder," and they (loosely) cover that! I got The Notorious Byrd Brothers (1968) entirely based on the Grails cover of The Byrds' "Space Odyssey", so that one worked in the opposite direction. And the final 3rd is Japanese, "Satori" by the Flower Travellin' Band, covered here. Great, great EP!

Buy vinyl or download from the label. Download .flac or .mp3 from Boomkat, or on iTunes (I guess).

Score! 9/10

"Black Tar Prophecy" from Black Tar Prophecies, Vol. 1 (2006)

Exit violin player around this time, enter the Black Tar Prophecies series (2006-). Grails have been kind of cagey with their 'title' tracks. "Burden of Hope" on The Burden of Hope, "Red Light" on Redlight, and the trend continues on... These EP's and split releases provide fertile ground for Grails to explore new approaches or possibly to clear outtake archives. Either way, weird stuff - such as... "Bad Bhang Recipe." Vol. 1 is a split-LP with a Red Sparrowes epic.

"Black Tar Frequencies" from Black Tar Prophecies, Vol. 2 (2006)

Then there came another EP, solo this time, 4 more songs. Greatest stuff, such as "Back to the Monastery" and "Stray Dog" and so on...

And semi-finally, the collection Black Tar Prophecies, Vol's 1, 2, & 3 (2006) added "Erosion Blues" and "More Erosion."

So, for 2006 Grails was explosively productive and experimenting with a new line-up, and really digging in. They've laid down the post-rock, and moved through the droney space-outs, and are heavying up their explorations with the occasional crunch. Start with the CD collection, because this material does hang together well as a single record. You can go looking for the individual volumes when you need more, or while supplies last!

My evaluation: 8/10

"Silk Rd" from Burning Off Impurities (2007)

Upon regrouping and prophecying, Grails came out with Burning Off Impurities (probably should've been #1, 2007), a whole new full-length album. Probably their most jammy & Krauty collection. All the way from awesome opener "Soft Temple", through the mysterious "Origin-ing", unto the official video for "More Extinction." Seriously, the whole damned thing is magnificent!

It's a 10/10.

Predestination Blues from The Fact Facer on Vimeo.

Then in 2008, a double dose: Doomsdayer's Holiday and Take Refuge in Clean Living (co-#6, 2008). And this where we begin the Astral record on Grails, since they were ranked in the inaugural list. Wow, that was some pretty decent early blogging - I think I got most of the stuff fairly spot-on.

Anyway, yes. Grails major strength at this point was mood-building and dream-transport, but I'll still give big nods to songwriting and technical musicianship. Their "style" on these 3 records becomes much more elusive: Mystical Jazzcore Krautrock? Indie Exotica Jamband? Heavy Psychedelic Post-rock? ... probably.

I often think of Doomsdayer's Holiday as being significantly longer than its partner, but it's not so much. Just more, and maybe more iconic, tunes. You've got both yer "Predestination..." and yer "Reincarnation Blues." Greatly named "X-Contaminations" and an actual, exact title track! Let's move on before I bump this one over Burning Off Impurities...

"Stoned at the Taj Again" from Take Refuge in Clean Living (2008)

Much the same can be said here. Look at that song title... opening cut! I really love "PTSD," but here's "11th Hour." All quality, all the time. And Grails is back with their 'title' track(s) games here. You've got both "Take Refuge" and a separate "Clean Living." Nothing wrong with this record that an extra song or two wouldn't fix.

Doomsdayer's: 9/10
Take Refuge: 8.5/10

Acid Rain DVD commercial (2009)

The Acid Rain dvd came out right as I was really getting what was happening about Grails. Emil Amos (drums) creates the b-movie roll, often-NSFW film collages that go really well with his band's music. The videos above for "X-Contaminations," "More Extinction," "Predestination Blues" and "Take Refuge" are all on there. The extras - quite a few live performances and some Interpretations-era in-studio footage - might be the best part. Hell, even the menu screens are awesome!

It's film + live: 9/10

"Self-Hypnosis" from Black Tar Prophecies, Vol. 4 (2010)

There's quite a bit to like on this return-to-Prophecies EP, and quite a bit that sounds like grasping around in the dark. I still put it at #19 of 2010 overall - and in hindsight, I see how some of the tentative experiments lead on to Deep Politics the following year. But, I mean, this is the opening track. The still-mellow "Up All Night" is more like it - definitely a departure from earlier Grails, but something that I'll listen to.

Not my favorite one: 6/10

But a good place to leave this cliffhanger... I was ready for Grails to veer off into unexplored territory, which they did. I figured they would move away from the guitar-based, rock-oriented jamming, which they did. And I kind of expected them to leave me behind stylistically - which they definitely did not.

Now where's my copy of Deep Politics?

Through Astral Projection

2012-02-17T20:25:00.000-06:00

A rare comment appeared on the most recent compilation post:

i found you did a very interesting research on this topic, which i do consider very important astral plane helps to infusionate (so to speak) your spells and magical objects, and more, more, more things to talk about astral

Good point, Astral!

So here's the opening track off the (most?) recent Expo '70 (#17, 2011) album, Journey through Astral Projection (2011).

"Trajectory Rhythms" by Expo '70, from Journey through Astral Projection (2011)

Huh, I thought it was already 2012... O well, add it to the #17 rank, maybe bump it up a notch. And flyyyyyy into (Astral) space!!

If only you could hear "Growing Mushrooms of Potency" or "Heartfelt Moon Tripper." Maybe you should buy the album, or at least read all about it. Features Umberto (#34, 2010) on synths, bass, etc., as so often happens.

"Moon Raga" by Expo '70, from Hovering Resonance 12" (2012)

Nope! There's some more recent, 2012 Expo '70 material there - and that's side B. Available on Bandcamp...

As always, tasty artwork too.

Patience (Azymuth Shangaan)

2012-02-16T18:47:00.000-06:00

The Caretaker (#10 of 2011, et cetera) finally went and did a soundtrack. Here's a trailer for the film - which came along with a grip of bonus tracks on the 2011 digital subscription!

Patience (After Sebald) trailer (2012)

And here's a (British) review of the film. And here's Sebald's (Wikipedia) page.

O hey, look - **Free Download** of bonus track set!! (Thanks to Pitchfork.)

"When will all vinyl start coming with immediately digestible MP3 downloads?", I sometimes wonder. Just got the new one from Demdike Stare and Andy Votel, familiarly self-titled Slant Azymuth (shades of #8, 2010?)...

"Intervision 1" by Slant Azymuth, from Slant Azymuth (2012)

Like the pre-record playing dribble of Demdike Elemental tracks, YouTube provides some dark ambient solace.

"Intervision 2" by Slant Azymuth, from Slant Azymuth (2012)

I also picked up the split 12" between Demdike Stare and Hype Williams doing remixes of Shangaan Electro stuff - you can stream some at Pitchfork.

This is, uhhh, contemporary hi-NRG South African dance music... listen to, and listen about.

Hubble Telescope Discovers Sphinx on Pluto's Moon (Vol. 8)

2012-02-10T09:43:00.000-06:00

Once again, I'm rushing to provide this for your weekend, and before mine. And as always, these are freely & legitimately available MP3's from all over the World Wide Web.

Because of the Megaupload shutdown, I have moved all the blog compilations over to RapidShare - where they are currently available.

Gongs to the Tempel - Astral Headspace, Vol. 7 (2012)

Foreverything II / Astral Headspace, Vol. 6 (2011)

Early through Everything... Astral Headspace, Vol. 5 (2011)

Decem per Decem ~ Astral Headspace, Vol. 4 (2010)

Cleansing the Headspace: Astral Headspace, Vol. 3 (2010)

Beyond the Astral Waves... Astral Headspace, Vol. 2 (2009)

Astralnauts Are Go!! Astral Headspace, Vol. 1 (2009)

Tracklists and posts can be accessed via the links for each comp over on the right-hand menu.

But here we are, the newest of the new... Split amongst the upcoming and previous Austin Psych Fests, and also a bunch of random other stuff - check it out!!

Hubble Telescope Discovers Sphinx on Pluto's Moon (Vol. 8) (2012)
[DOWNLOAD NOW!!]

Since I'm running out of time now, the tracklist details & comments will be even more spare than usual (for now). Subject to later updates...

01 "Black Smoke Rise" - Wooden Shjips (from APF5 mixtape)
02 "Adam Roberts" - Cave (from Brooklyn Vegan)
03 "Last Shuttle to the Red Planet" - Food Pyramid (from Altered Zones)
04 "Replicate" - Disappears (from Pitchfork)
05 "Off The Wall" - Lee Ranaldo (from Stereogum)
06 "Inside/Outside" - Woodsman (from Altered Zones)

07 "Black Pullet Blues" - The Cult of Dom Keller (follow on Facebook)

Gracias especial to The Cult of Dom Keller for providing this MP3 for inclusion!! As I've mentioned before, I got to meet these dudes (and see play) at the last Austin Psych Fest. This one's from their newest EP3 (#15, 2011), which you can - and should - buy from either The Committee to Keep Music Evil or their own Bandcamp. Along with other prime releases!

08 "Holdin' on to Black Metal" - My Morning Jacket (from KEXP)
09 "Druganaut" - Black Mountain (from Jagjaguwar Records)
10 "Tiger Eyes (Laid Back)" - Peaking Lights (from Brooklyn Vegan)
11 "Crete" - Sun Araw (from the late, lamented Altered Zones)
12 "In Our Way" - Starving Weirdos (from Archive.org)

13 "Overdrive" - Indian Jewelry (from Official.fm)
14 "Mantis" - Psychic Ills (from Stereogum)
15 "Transmission Six-Sunken Village" - Pye Corner Audio (from artist's Bandcamp)
16 "Rising Below" - Dirty Three (from Pitchfork)
17 "Sombre Reptiles" - My Education (from Official.fm)
18 "Low Earth Orbit" - Co-Pilot (from The Skyline.net)

19 "Fractured Skies" - Parts and Labor (from Jagjaguwar Records)
20 "Man Who Made Sauce" - Harold Borup (from artist's Bandcamp)
21 "Christopher" - Amen Dunes (from Altered Zones)
22 "Bleachy Head" - Veronica Falls (from KEXP)
23 "Modern Art" - Black Lips (Paste Magazine)
24 "Summer Bummer" - the band in Heaven (from artist's Bandcamp)
25 "Suzerain (A Letter to the Judge)" - Nightlands (from Brooklyn Vegan)

26 "Vomit" - Girls (from Stereogum)
27 "Paranoid Plant" - To Lost Sheep (from artist's Bandcamp)
28 "Penobska Oakwalk" - Quilt (from Brooklyn Vegan)
29 "Woolgathering" - MMOSS (from I Guess I'm Floating.net)
30 Elegy for Beach Friday promo - Bee Mask (from Altered Zones)

31 "Alien Observer" - Grouper (from Altered Zones)
32 "Fleeting Dreams" - The Caretaker (from Altered Zones)
33 "Dark into Light" - AM and Shawn Lee (from KEXP)
34 "Ecstatic Dancer" - Fujiya & Miyagi (from Brooklyn Vegan)
35 "Hot New Jam from '73" - Fresh Millions (from artist's Bandcamp)

36 "The Visitor" (Fennesz remix) - Miracle (from Pitchfork)
37 "Time Lapse" - Woodsman (from Altered Zones)
38 "Diaryland" - Hong Kong in the '60s (from KEXP)
39 "Interpol" - Pong (from band's official website)
40 "Unmarked Reel Two Track One" - Pye Corner Audio (from artist's Bandcamp)
41 "Thousand Square" - Mountains (from Thrill Jockey Records)
42 "Only Pharoah" - Jonas Reinhardt (from the artist's SoundCloud)

43 "Soaring Yellow / Glowing Net" - Mist (from Altered Zones)
44 "Synthesist" - Harald Grosskopf (from Altered Zones)
45 Live '72 mix - Conrad Schnitzler (from Altered Zones)
46 "Out of the Eye" - Woods (from APF5 mixtape)

The Food Pyramid, starring Kraut

2012-02-05T09:37:00.000-06:00

I almost missed Something Awful's 2-part year-end wrap-up, which would have been a shame. Then I would have delayed learning about Food Pyramid, a Minnesota crew of Krautrock jammers.

Food Pyramid - "Last Shuttle to the Red Planet" from moon glyph on Vimeo.

Hey, wow, that one's still available from Altered Zones. Or just wait for the Vol. 8 blog comp, right?!

You can check out recent release New Omni-Directional Healing Techniques (2011), over at Bandcamp. There's a handy compilation CD also available at Bandcamp, which does include the awesomely-titled song...

"Eulogy for Lee Marvin/Another Round on the Outer Rings" from Food Pyramid III (2011)

For influences and enjoyments, you can also check out a free Food Pyramid mix for Dissonanze (IT)! Cluster & Eno, Peaking Lights, the Thai Elephant Orchestra (exactly what you think)... hey, even Mort Garson!!

Those videos were both from cassette #III, here's one from II (2010).

"Underwater Temple Explorations #4" from Food Pyramid II (2010)

And based on Gödel's Dilemma of Recursive Fractality, a series of numbers beginning with 3, and also including 2 as well, must by necessity resolve to the Prime Numeral #1.

"Das Tier? Die Autobahn? Die Brunnen?" from Food Pyramid I (2010)

Again, I think the title is illustrative - or possibly illustrious. Time to start collecting everything I can get ahold of!!

I don't see the 3 physical cassettes for sale, but they are available as MP3 from Amazon. And Moon Glyph Records is selling a brand-new Food Pyramid split-7" with Deep Earth's "Kontraband." I hope you will enjoy some music.

Pill Party in Time & Space

2012-02-02T19:03:00.000-06:00

One of the highlights of the Astral Headspace is back. The Time & Space Machine! (#6, 2009)! 1/2 of Beyond the Wizards Sleeve!! (#1, 2008)!!

New 12" single is "Pill Party in India," with 2 remixes... It's a trip, and you can bug out to it. Now.

"Pill Party in India" by The Time & Space Machine (2012)

Original mix-wise in the TTASM style.

All versions are on the YouTube, the SoundCloud, and all over the InterNets. Physical release apparently on the 6ixth. Psychemagik remix has some hard stereo-panning and wavygravy-FX 4-on-the-floor. Plus la cowbell, plus c'est la même chose.

Mojo Filter remix might be a reference to The Beatles. Indirectly, I'm sure - but really it's this guy.

The only place I've seen it for sale is at Boomkat (digital soon). Maybe also soon at Tirk Recordings?

It's Elemental and Such

2012-02-01T20:40:00.000-06:00

For those of you put off by Demdike Stare's elaborate 4x12" EP-series/objet d'art, the 2xCD recollection is up for pre-sale. For the (non-importing) US, not yet up at Forced Exposure at this point...

"Violetta" [official] from Elemental #2: Violetta (2011)

I've finally unpacked and listened to Demdike Stare's (#8, 2010) first two installments of new LP-series Elemental. The third one's received, and the fourth ordered... But internet info is starting to come out, so I'm rounding it up!

"Kommunion" from Elemental #1: Crysanthe (2011)

This one's especially good cranked up high, rattling the windows, vaporizing the support beams with sympathetic vibrations, collapsing in waves of the primodrial Drone. "Kommunion" appears towards the end of a new podcast/mix (see below).

"Mnemosyne" from Elemental #2: Violetta (2011)

As always, there are new things for adjusting to and consideration, but a lot seems spare and minimalismic. Several of the early tracks work mostly around the rhythm(s), with lesser accompaniment.

"In The Wake Of Chronos" from Elemental #2: Violetta (2011)

Minimalindustrialisheadphoneskronkdrone... for your brain's ear.

"Unction" from Elemental #1: Crysanthe (2011)

Okay, I'm thinking: SONAR (artificial/mechanical, not dolphins and bats), and maybe some insider jokes about dubstep ("wub-wub", "where's the drop?"), the Hammond Organ of Doom - all mixed up.

"Mephisto's Lament" from Elemental #1: Crysanthe (2011)

The kick-off track for the whole deal. I always forget to check if bands I dig have the Facebook - Demdike Stare does.

That's how I learned about their recent free Modern Love mix/Elemental podcast, "Irrational Advice":

Heldon - excerpt from Heldon Third
Shiver - "Future World" intro
> Metro - "Angel Of Mercy" (Loop)
?? - "Private Life" remake
Ennio Morricone - "Prayer (Conroy)"
Dia Prometido - "Ruisenor Persa"
Random Library 1
Bernard Bonnier - "Vero La Toto"
Mal Waldron - "Thoughts"
Demdike Stare - Unreleased
Gherkin Jerks - from Stomp The Beat
Fabio Fabor - "Melos e Psiche"
> Julia Holter excerpt
Nate Young - "Regression"
Random Library 2
Random Library 3
Leila - "How do you want it?"
Atmo - "Subaquatic"
Julia Holter - "Goddess Eyes"
Demdike Stare - "Kommunion"
Ian Carr & Don Rendell Quintet - Dusk Fire (Excerpt and edit)

There's also an old mix, "MovingMetals," from awhile back. Still downloadable!

"Erosion of Mediocrity" from Elemental #3: Rose (2011)

Check it out - one day old! Lovely video...

Finally, Pitchfork somewhat recently gave Elemental Parts 1 & 2 a 7.9 review, which seems to be their default number for "pretty good actually." And I just found this this interview with the Demdikes!

The Naked Stash

2012-01-26T16:39:00.000-06:00

I went back out to see the Linus Pauling Quartet (#13, Live 2011) again. While hanging around, I met an associate of one of 3 Linus guitarist/vocalists Charlie Naked and former member of jazz-freaks The Defenestration Unit. Both Charlie and his buddy...

The Defenestration Unit, live at the Art Car Museum

Awhile ago, I had found a Live at Super Happy Fun Land recording by Defenestration (05/27/2005). They play out-there free-jazz improv, which you can stream or download from that link. But what this guy told me was that he'd also played with Charlie in another group: Bartiromo.

Bartiromo, Is This Seat Taken? (1998)

And I discovered all four of their albums also on Archive.org!! Like the Defenestration Unit (but maybe more like a well-'luded Hawkwind spacing out), Bartiromo plays apparently improvised jams and also included guitarist/trombonist Mike Switzer - made famous by the LP4 song and recent soundcheck "Bongfire," but not the dude I met. I'd never heard any of these, nor even heard about it... Four albums for ya here: Is This Seat Taken? (1998), Six Months of Silence (1998), Shitwah (1999), and Human Rinds (2000).

A little more digging unearthed Fist of Kong does stuff (2006), yet another psych-jazz-improv release by yet another combo by Naked. I haven't listened to this yet, but seems like it's gonna be kinda jazzy and occasionally noisy, and probably pretty cool. But maybe you see where this is going...

Even more digging recovered a major stash of Charlie Naked solo works, available on the Archive. Charlie Naked. Solo. According to his age-old website, this barely scratches the surface of solo releases.

Charlie Naked, Divine Homework (1995)

The homepage breaks down three phases of Charlie Naked... First phase: "the first nine cassettes... different from later efforts by its emphasis on the influences of Free Jazz and drone music." Looks like the only one from Archive.org that belongs here would be Divine Homework (1995), "a soundtrack to a movie never made, nor even conceived of..."

Second phase: "moved away from jazz and drone influences and began exploring more electronic experiments, including the use of radio static, television audio samples, and electric guitars more than saxophones or acoustic piano." Don't think this is represented in the Archive. You can sample and download selected tracks and excepts from the earlier days from the Albums page.

Charlie Naked, Expansion and Collapse (2010)

Third (and current) phase: "involved the processing, editing, and construction of sound pieces on the computer, rather than on the 4-track cassette recorder... sparser, more ambient soundscapes, with much less distinct instrumentation, and considerably longer running times." From what I've gotten to, this stuff is fantastic. Starting most recently and moving backwards, Expansion and Collapse (2010) - two-thousand and TEN!! Then Anthracite (2007), "the first of three all-guitar albums" - so there's one missing release already. Factory Drones (2006), which is "Minimalist minimalism." Back to Crinoline (2005), "a rare unreleased ambient album" (highly recommended)! And finally, The Countess (2004), "a collaboration between experimental music creator Charlie Naked and viola player Jo Bird, of Houston's Two Star Symphony." How did I miss that 1/5 of my favorite local Quartet had such an extensive catalogue?

And of course, while searching for images, I literally found a month-old Charlie Naked split-release with Trills, əˈnɛmənii (2011), over at Bandcamp:

əˈnɛmənii by Trills / Charlie Naked

Charlie Naked tracks are the two-parter "Abyssal Gigantism" at the very end. Two-thousand-ELEVEN!! A bit more info here. Enjoy the explore.

Oh, and brand news! Linus Pauling Quartet rocking out again on Sunday, Feb. 19th, with Jucifer and Omotai! Linus sure are playing with a lot of metal acts recently...

mr. Gnome

2012-01-25T19:56:00.000-06:00

Something I stumbled upon. Caught them live after the Scratch Acid show (I think)... pretty cool.

I think they acknowledge, but kinda deny, the Donnie Darko influence in the artwork. Saw their flyer after the Linus Pauling show (I think) and thought exactly that.

"Spain" (live) by mr. Gnome, from Heave Yer Skeleton (2009)

And here's a weird concept video. This guy said they'd just seen them recently, so I thought they were local. But no, it's Cleveland. Band ist website. They sounded good & full between the two of them, lots of effects & mood. Most recent release from Bandcamp:

Madness in Miniature by mr. Gnome

Anyway, I probably would've bought something from their plentiful merch table, but no-one was ever there (travelling light probably). So I went home.

There's also...

... the dreaded album teaser video! (2011)

"Sounds like ethereal icelandic fairies being pummeled by concrete guitars in a dirty Cleveland parking lot. AKA: awesome."

Weirdos Economique

2012-01-23T21:12:00.000-06:00

This past weekend, I told a couple of people that it's rare to find music that's too weird for me to like.

As if to prove a point, I'm kinda liking this new Starving Weirdos stuff.

"In Our Way" by Starving Weirdos, from Land Lines (2012)

Well at least that one video. I haven't delved into the many S.W. live vids, but might pick up the new record.

"Real Things" by Ensemble Economique, from Psychical (2010)

Starving Weirdos are at least a couple of guys, one of whom is the dude who is Ensemble Economique - who I've always kind of placed with the Pocahaunted/Sun Araw new-dub noise gang.

"Forever Eyes" by Ensemble Economique, from Psychical (2010)

Check out various newer stuff on the E.E. SoundCloud!

That is all. End transmission//

Honorable Mention 2011: Not so bad...

2012-01-21T14:41:00.000-06:00

This post ended up much, much more massive than I'd originally intended. Essentially it's all about the 2011 music that was not in the Top 20, but that I still wanted to talk about before I moved on.

21. Diotima - Krallice
Orphan of Sickness EP - Krallice

"The Clearing" from Diotima (2011)
"Litany of Regrets" from Diotima (2011)

Genre - Lovecraftian Urban-Decay Black Metal
Official/Myspace - myspace.com/krallice
Location - Brooklyn, NYC, NY

Review - NPR
Download - Bandcamp (both), Amazon, iTunes
Purchase - Profound Lore

Several of these competed valiantly for the 20th slot, and then again for the honorary 21st. But Krallice was the hardest one to drop in the first cut, so here we are. Diotima might well be Krallice's best album, and the previous one was #13 Metal division 2009. But for some reason, I just haven't (yet) gotten drawn into it like the other two. I'm sure I'll give it another try, and the error of my ranking ways will probably dawn on me eventually. But here we are. A raging beast that pummels and lacerates, at great length, it will wear you down unless you train as if for a marathon.

The Orphan of Sickness free-download EP consists of Orphan covers. Krallice played covers at a tribute show for the Brooklyn band's late bassist, then released the recorded versions online. It's available at Bandcamp or from this Brooklyn Vegan article, which explains further. Pretty damn rad for your 0¢!

And here's a nice Krallice overview from ((unartig)), whom I covered here.

alt.Indie-Major-Mainstream-Folky-Rock-Pop.country had a good year.

It feels weird to follow up Krallice with the dad-rock scene, but 2011 provided some high-grade maturity for your listening pleasure, and to ignore it would be just plain dishonest.

"The Art of Almost" by Wilco, from The Whole Love (2011)

As happens occasionally, Wilco injects their mid-tempo tunecraft with some weirdness - most recently with the out-there guitar spazz of Nels Cline. This year, there's the electro-shuffle beatz of the opener (above). The Attractions pump-it-ups with "I Might." And if you got the expanded limited 2-disc set, the Krauty exploration of "Speak into the Rose." And y'know, various other quality tunes in the Wilco mode.

"Monkeys Uptown" by Iron & Wine, from Kiss Each Other Clean

I've listened to most of Iron & Wine's records, and they're good indie folk songs. Sounds like he's moving more into band-mode, which makes this probably my favorite of his so far. More funky with the likes of "Big Burned Hand" or the monkeys song up there. But watch the language, Sam! There's also an official video for "Godless Brother in Love," but that's more typical of the old style...

"Circuital" by My Morning Jacket, from Circuital (2011)

MMJ have gone seriously into the maturation process, which I somewhat fault them with - but not too much. It's more about missed opportunities. They still know how to rock, and to have fun. Like with "Holdin Onto Black Metal" (not a Black Metal song).

"Coffee and Friends" by The Literary Greats, from Black Blizzard

This Houston band, which had been getting some national attention for awhile now, makes some pretty good albums - and still might make it to the big leagues.

And finally, The Decemberists put out The King is Dead, which was supposedly great. I'm actually just including for the "Row Jimmy" b-side to "January Hymn." That's all.

Learning to sing!!

Here are two releases that I liked overall, but were mainly notable for their not-really-singing vocalists trying to actually sing for real... with variable success.

"Benediction" by Thurston Moore, from Demolished Thoughts (2011)

Not a great year for Thurston, but he did release a nice album done with an acoustic & cello-based combo. Get a taste, with like "Mina Loy" or "In Silver Rain with a Paper Key." Oddly, I'm not entirely sure about my advice on the giving up of day-jobs.

"All the Heavy Lifting" by Mastodon, from The Hunter (2011)

Mastodon still bellows, but it has been increasingly tuneful over the last couple of albums. The full-on singing on The Hunter has caused some outrage amongst dedicated fans, but I've only kinda liked them for not that long. Plus I try never to fault bands for progressing, and Mastodon clearly wants to be progressive. Or as I've posed before, they "are currently going for the post-stoner-psych-metal Allman Bros." It's no Leviathan (2004) but seriously, come on. For examples, the singles "Black Tongue" and "Curl of the Burl"... plus "Stargasm" (just because of the 2001 video).

Recollections, reissues, regardless...

Extra-superb year for what this section covers! Especially the #1 of the reissue subset of honorable mentions!!

"Mushroom" by Can, from Tago Mago (1971, 40th anniversary)

Oh yeah. Can was #1 in 1973 and #4 in 1972, and will most likely prosper in a few more '70s Top 10 lists. I mean, from opener "Paperhouse" through closer "Bring Me Coffee or Tea." Absolutely especially "Halleluhwah," also "Peking O" and oh yeah, "Oh Yeah." Holy Krautrock, Batman!! (And this isn't nearly my favorite CAN...)

Also, there's a bonus disc with 3 jams from a 1972 concert, which I haven't yet given my undivided.

"Past is Past" by Demdike Stare, from Tryptych (2011)

Demdike Stare's 3xCD set Tryptych is mostly made up of their recent vinyl trilogy (a big chunk of #8, 2010), but included several all-new CD-only tunes. Among the new tracks are 2 parts of "Library of Solomon" ("Book 2") and the continuing saga of "Nothing but the Night." Here's an interesting YouTube mash-up with new track "Filtered through Predudice."

I've already done a series of FB posts on Demdike's mix-CD Make Do & Mend/02. Go there first, but I've also found some Fusioon, Philippe D'Aram's "Des ecuries," and Acanthus' "Violent Library."

"Ronettes" by The Black Angels, from Phosgene Nightmare EP (2011)

This Black Angels 10" bonus tracks compilation was released for Record Store Day 2011, and contains such elusive treasures as "Melanie's Melody," the "Entrance Song (Rain Dance version)," and the Rokyesque "Choose to Choose."

Honky - Just A Man (Live in Austin TX) by therockgarage

The Rock Garage: Texas Live Concert Series, Volume 1 - V/A

Pretty decent collection of good versions of several excellent songs. Label is supposed to release a Pong live album sometime, hopefully! (Maybe.) In order of appearance, live versions of:

Honky - see above...
Nashville Pussy "Good Night for a Heart Attack"
Pure Luck "Your Face or Mine"
The Hickoids "Stop It, You're Killing Me"
Texas Sapphires, with Rebecca from Sincola
Pong "Click OK" (from #1, 2005)
Ugly Beats "I'll Make You Happy"
Brutal Juice "Waxing Gibbous"
Churchwood "Vendide Fumar"
Hi-Watt Crucifixers "Concubine"
Lions "Screaming Out"
Pocket FishRmen "We Kill Evil"
Amplified Heat "Strong Arm"

Videogame soundtracks of the year?

Well, it's gotta be my autographed 4xCD with everything from the GOTY (including 42 minutes of "Skyrim Atmospherics"). Right?

"Dragonborn" by Jeremy Soule, from Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim OST

I've been getting these soundtracks since Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (2002). But not so fast! Check this out...

"The Cloud" by Jim Guthrie, from Sword & Sworcery LP: The Ballad of the Space Babies (2011)

The musical component was completely intergral to this awesome game, which was also one of my faves this year. Physical/vinyl edition is sold out, but you can still buy digital from Guthrie's Bandcamp.

"The Glasshouse with Butterfly" by Tomáš Dvořák, from Machinarium OST (2009, iOS release 2011)

Okay, maybe this doesn't totally exactly count, but I played this a lot on the iPad. Great game, great soundtrack! Physical/vinyl re-issue is still available, plus digital at Floex Bandcamp.

Online Mixes and releases:

Not always free, but definitely sometimes - these are things I got from the interwebs over the last year or so...

"From Now On Let's" by White Rainbow, from From Now On Let's: The Mixtape (2011)

I'm not entirely sure about White Rainbow's new direction, but I will admit that I have funked out to this release more than a couple of times. Check out what he's doing these days over at Bandcamp. Mostly at Name-Your-Price, which is not identical to Free (but can be).

Maximum Brain (Maximum Cherry + Brainworlds) >> October 8, 2011 by MAXIMUM CHERRY

Maximum Brain is Maximum Cherry (Matt Cherry from Maserati) and Brainworlds (Mason Brown, touring member of Maserati) together, free-download opening set for Hans-Joachim Roedelius (of Cluster/Harmonia) at The Earl (Atlanta, GA). Also check out various live and other Name-Your-Price stuff over at Brainworlds' Bandcamp.

"How New Jam from '73" by Fresh Millions (2011)

Download as FREE the single/EP (??) from their Bandcamp site. Not quite as good as the #38 Record of 2010, nor the live show we caught after Ween @ Stubb's - but still...

Asuuna - Adderall Canyonly (2011)
Moving along! Some free drones from the awesomely-named Adderall Canyonly - from Field Hymns' Bandcamp, via the band website.

XLR8R Podcast #196 - Demdike Stare
It's a tough call, but I'm pretty sure Demdike's MIXwork usually exceeds their own album releases. Get it here! Also, very late in the year: "Irrational Advice" mix via Modern Love Records. Can't go wrong, trust me.

BBC6 Mix - Forest Swords
Still waiting for info on new Forest Swords, but you can download this mix via Altered Zones. Includes Demdike Stare, Oneohtrix Point Never, oOoOO, Julian Lynch (above), King Tubby, and... Lil' Kim?

The Gateway of the Montster (Weird Tales for Winter) - The Advisory Circle w/ Moon Wiring Club
An audio-interpretation of the 1910 book by William Hope Hodgson. Download the whole thing in two parts: here. Then explore both the Weird Tales site and the related Exotic Pylon site. You can thank me later!

The return of Zeuhl!

Almost there...

"I of Infinite Forms, Part I" (Part II) by Ga'an, from Ga'an (2011)

More purely Zeuhl than the following.

"RW" by The Psychic Paramount, from II (2011)

Less purely Zeuhl than the preceding.

Austin Psych Fest 5

2012-01-19T23:36:00.000-06:00

The majority of the Austin Psych Fest 2012 line-up has been announced. Last year's fest was my #4 Live Show of 2011, and this one has the potential to be even better. Although we did get two all-new Top 20 artists from the experience: Woodsman (#2) and The Cult of Dom Keller (#15).

There's even an OFFICIAL mixtape for download on BandCamp!

A little more elaborate line-up run-down that the link-list I did for last year's, but still "in order of my psychedness or interest in exploring."

Brian Jonestown Massacre: "Vacuum Boots" (1996, live)

Woods: "Blood Dries Darker" (2010, live)

Wooden Shjips: "Black Smoke Rise" (2011, live)

Quest for Fire: "Set Out Alone" (2010, live)

Pink Mountaintops: "I (Fuck) Mountains" (2004, live)

Dissapears: "Superstition" (2011, live)

Peaking Lights: "Tiger Eyes (Laid Back)" (2011, live)

Moon Duo: "Mazes" (2011, live)

The Black Angels: "Science Killer" (2008, live)

The Black Lips: "New Direction" (2011, live)

Amen Dunes: "Christopher" (2011, live)

Sun Araw: "Deep Cover" (2010, live)

Bombino: "Adounia (Life)" from Agadez (2011)

High Wolf: "Free Your Energy Field" (2011, live with GNOD)

Night Beats: "Puppet on a String" (2011, live APF4)

Dead Meadow: "That Old Temple" (2010, live)

Indian Jewelry: "Temporary Famine Ship" from Free Gold (2008)

Cosmonauts: "Flower Bomb" (2011)
Sleep ∞ Over: "Casual Diamond" (2011)
Pure X: "Easy (2011)
Spindrift: "Red Reflection" (2011)
The Telescopes: "The Perfect Needle" (1989)
Prince Rama: "Om Namo Shivaya" (2010)
Psychic Ills: "Mantis" (2009)
Federale: "The Hanging" (2009)
Olivia Tremor Control: BBC sessions from 1997

MMOSS: "Woolgathering" (2010)
Quilt: "Penobska Oakwalk" (2011)
Lotus Plaza: "These Years" (2009)
The Intelligence: "Males" (2010)
Headdress: "The Lost White Brother" (2009)
Allah Las: "Catamaran" (2011)
Christian Bland and The Revelators: "I See You" (2010)

Smoke and Feathers: "Blue Skies" (2010)
The Orange Revival: "Tomorrow" (2010)
Acid Baby Jesus: "Fingerpainting" (2011)
The UFO Club: "Wolfman" (2011)
A Band In Heaven: "Sleazy Dreams" (2011)
The Cush: "Vigilant Ones" (2009)
Ringo Deathstarr: "So High" (2011)

Tickets go on sale this Saturday at Noon CST. Go get 'em!!

European '72

2012-01-16T10:27:00.000-06:00

So here I am, on vacation - doing what I always do: reading people's Top 10 lists. And I notice on Demdike Miles' list at Boomkat that he's included Conrad Schnitzler Live '72 in there. I remember getting a free .mp from this (Vol. 8 comp coming soon!) and was interested, but it might have been while my computer/internet was down last year. So I never did order it...

Schnitzler was undeniably a living legend, until he died recently in August 2011.

from Live '72 by Conrad Schnitzler (2011)

Boomkat's sold out of the 2xLP, no digital-dowload version there, and not among Con's records at Forced Exposure (but that Trigger Trilogy 3xCD does looks intriguing). Although the Boomkat product description sounds impressive, they pretty much always do. So I thought, just live to order another record.

But then I noticed: the record label. I've never heard of Further Records, but I figured an internet search couldn't hurt. Not only are they on the WWW, but they run it run it as Bandcamp, and you can stream Live '72 from there...

Live '72 by Conrad Schnitzler
And they still have "61 remaining" copies to sell as of this posting - for $20! (That's after I ordered my copy.)

Here's that glowing Boomkat entry:

**Edition of 500, housed in hand screen printed DIY black french paper jacket** Conrad Schnitzler is without a doubt one of the most important figures in 20th century electronic music. His CV includes a prominent role initiating the seminal Zodiak Free Arts Lab in Berlin circa 1967, essentially creating the nucleus of what would become known as the Kosmische movement. From this he became a founder member of Kluster and collaborated with the likes of Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream, laying the foundations for future generations of Techno and Ambient electronic musicians. It's not often that unreleased material of his comes to the surface, but Further Records have somehow gained access to this 1972 live session, salvaged from cheap old tapes. Considering the time frame, this stuff is just incredible, spanning twelve tracks of signature metallic pulses and starry synth plumes framing his beautifully restrained melodic arrangements. What separates Con from the rest of the crowd, and makes him so important to the development of electronic music and Techno in particular, is that intuitive and engrossing element of restraint and repetition, especially when coupled with his knack for darker, moodier melodies and that brooding sense of space. No hyperbole intended, this is a genuinely exceptional piece of work, easily one of the very best reissues we've encountered in the recent deluge. Mastered by CGB at D&M, Berlin

And the direct label link again: to stream or order.

Gongs to the Tempel - Astral Headspace, Vol. 7

2012-01-12T22:57:00.003-06:00

All the way to #7! If you've missed any, all our promotional .mp3 compilations can be found on the menu at right, under "Astral Headspace Comps." Maybe worth a look?

I tried to build this one mainly around the 2011 Year End lists (albums + live), with some other notables that may or may not fit it. You make the call!

A few quick notes, then we'll get into it real basic. You can hear the music by downloading...

Looking at the sources for various tunes, I think it's clear that Altered Zones will be missed. The site was truly a standby for this blog for AZ's entire, brief existence. They still have .mp3's available for now...

I was totally happy to find the Self-Titled Mag SoundCloud archives - whatta bonanza!

And finally, major thanks this time to NYC Taper for filling in the promo .mp3 gaps - and really for everything. Extra-great website for legit live recordings! You should be visiting there religiously.

So, here it is:

Gongs to the Tempel - Astral Headspace, Vol. 7
[DOWNLOAD]

I might fill in some more info after this weekend, but I wanted to rush this out while it's still hot!

1. "Pushing Onlys" (live) - Woods (#7 Album, 2011 & #4 Live, 2009)
from NYC Taper's 6/17/11 recording

2. "Lazy Bones" - Wooden Shjips
from Self-Titled Mag SoundCloud collection

3. "Baby Missiles" - The War on Drugs (potential misses 2011)
from the Pitchfork review

4. "Insects" - Woodsman (#2, 2011 & live at APF4: #4 Live)
from Altered Zones (w/ live version!)

5. "I Led Three Lives" - Grails (#1 Album, 2011)
from Temporary Residence Ltd label of quality

6. "Instant Light" (edit) - The Alps (#16 album, 2011)
from Root Strata records

7. "Acetone" - ST 37 (played at Austin Psych Fest: #4 Live)
from Emperor Jones records

8. "Black Grease" (live) - The Black Angels (Honorable Mention 2011, curated APF4, plus co-#4 Live)
another NYC Taper gig

9. "If Only" (live) - Queens of the Stone Age (co-#6, Live 2011)
more from NYC Taper

10. "Benediction" - Thurston Moore (2011 Honorable Mention)
from the Pitchfork review

11. "Abrus precatorius" - Botanist
Discovered via weird notables on Pitchfork 2011 Metal list, .mp3 off of the artist's website!

12. "Dream Tassels" (edit) - Æthenor (all En Form for Blå snippets here on #13 album, 2011)
always from VHF Records

13. "We Have Visitors" - Pye Corner Audio (co-#19, 2011 Albums)
again with the Altered Zones?

14. "World 13" - Jonas Reinhardt (something other than #9 of 2011)
Check it out at the artist's SoundCloud!

15. "Sunstar" - Miracle (co-#5, 2011)
on the Forkcast at Pitchfork

16. "Song for Reinier Lucassen's Sphinx" - Trouble Books & Mark McGuire (the latter made #18, 2011)
yes, it's Altered Zones.

17. "Goddess Eyes" - Julia Holter
in the Self-Titled Mag SoundCloud archives (Boomkat's #1 album of the year!)

18. "Almost Grew My Hair" (live) - Grails (reigning #1 Album)
You really should already have this NYC Taper show!

19. "We Got the System to Fight the System" (live) - Maserati (#3 Live, 2011 & #1 records, 2010)
This one too! (NYC Taper, I mean...)

20. "In Circles" - Woodsman (still #2, 2011 & co-#4, Live 2011)
a good place to look: was Altered Zones

21. "Turiya" - Barn Owl (#8 album, 2011)
Cool video here at Altered Zones

22. "Laudanum Tusk" (edit) - Æthenor
another snippet from VHF Records

23. "I Might" (live) - Wilco (#7, Live 2011 & Honorable Mention)
lotsa the Wilco at NYC Taper

24. "Chinatown" - Destroyer
all yer Lite Rock faves are at Pitchfork

25. "Last Night at the Jetty" - Panda Bear (#10, 2007)
Pitchfork covers Panda?!

26. "Tiny gradations of loss" - The Caretaker (#10 albums, 2011)
good coverage from Altered Zones (with bonus vid!)

27. "Remember Us" - Leyland Kirby (#10 albums, 2011)
back to Self-Titled Mag's SoundCloud with you!

28. "Night Gallery III" - Sun Araw and Eternal Tapestry
from Altered Zones

29. "Mind Fry" - Edibles (who are all these peoples?!)
from Altered Zones II

30. "Get Lost" - Mark McGuire (#18 album, 2011)
from Altered Zones o' course!

31. "Batteries May Drain" - Steve Hauschildt (probable oversights 2011)
one of many on Altered Zones

32. "Slow Oscillations" - Zombi (core-#5, 2011 album)
free remix EP at Amazon

33. "Neukoln" - Jonas Reinhardt (from #9 album, 2011)
another gem outta Self-Titled Mag's SoundCloud (Bowie cover!)

34. "Vivarium" (edit) - Æthenor
last one from VHF Records...

35. "Dust" - Evan Caminiti (part of #8 albums, 2011)
from Altered Zones article

36. "Before You Go" - Charalambides (leftover for next year)
last one from the Self-Titled Mag SoundCloud revue

37. "Solid State" (live) - Robedoor (#11 album, 2011)
this one's on the WFMU blog

38. "Where's Jasper?" & "Visions of Load" - Gnod (#3 of 2011)
unearthed from the artist's SoundCloud!

Let me know if you run into any issues or errors. Like that typo I made in the blog name in a previous comp title... heh heh heh.

Aanval van het kosmische Belgen

2012-01-11T17:35:00.000-06:00

Sure, there's plenty of bands from Belgium. Sylvester Anfang II (#22, 2010), Creature with the Atom Brain, Univers Zero (Zeuhl!), uhhh... Front 242. No longer playing Houston?!

So, anyway, check out some sweet Belgian pysch jams I found...

"Paranoid Plant" by To Lost Sheep (2011)

I really like the spare, trebly guitar tone, as well as the laconic pace - even when things get hairy.

Available for free download at their Bandcamp page, plus a couple more - like this one:

Opium Blues by To Lost Sheep

Tasty, right? A bit more shuffle-y and schizoid around the fringes... or maybe Jazz Odyssey. In addition to Bandcamp, they've got Facebook and MySpace (with 2 earlier-sounding tunes). So you can keep up with news, and music coming out, and language practice.

There's also live video of some cover tunes...

"Make It Wit' Chu" [QOTSA cover], live Sint-Lodewijkscollege Lokeren 2010

I think it's a different band altogether, definitely a different/earlier line-up... but related. Can't pass up a Queens cover!

My Favorite T-Shirt In College

2012-01-09T21:11:00.003-06:00

A recent Flaming Lips pic tweet reminded me of My Favorite T-Shirt In College, and I was able to find a really nice image from here... I still have the shirt, completely riddled with holes, thinner than Kleenex.

[click for full-size]
As I recall, the orange sections were really more pink... and all of the colors were more flourescent, rather than just bright (although not glow-in-the-dark).

"One Million Billionth of a Millisecond on a Sunday Morning" by The Flaming Lips (live 1988)

So, yeah. I bought the shirt at the 4/28/1988 Austin show (at The Ritz), opening for Butthole Surfers. Second time I ever saw them, and second night in a row - after the 4/27 Houston show (at Numbers). They were so ridiculously loud back then!

Another one I wore a bunch was my Butthole Surfers shirt, based around the 1st image in this collection of LSD sheet art. Definitely got that one at a later show - possibly The Ensemble on 12/9? The octopus was screened in thick black ink over an orange field, with BUTTHOLE above and SURFERS below.

"Jimi" by Butthole Surfers (live 1988, London)

I liked to wear it to Grateful Dead shows in the late-'80's/early-'90s. It was a big hit!

And just in case you doubted nary a word of what I've told, I now produce evidence!

There it is!! Funny, I don't remember ever noticing the right edge being so distorted. My perception during this era might not have been entirely reliable...

As advertised??

Bonus pix: This was my usual go-to Dead shirt around the same time period - fairly generic, but it got the job done.

One day I will tell the stories of Star Laser Force.

The Upcoming of Thunderbeam

2012-01-08T10:13:00.000-06:00

At the end of the year, supporters got a surprise from Team Thunderbeam: the soundtrack! And it's making its way out on the internet.

I'd written a little about this situation about a month ago. Then a few weeks ago, The Octopus Project put a couple of songs up on their SoundCloud page, both free for download (currently). Go there, or go to the bottom of this post.

In the meantime, someone's started putting certain songs up on YouTube - so let's check 'em out!

"Diamond Disc" from Thunderbeam! OST (2012)

I dig... a lot!

"The Unknown Worlds" from Thunderbeam! OST (2012)

Not that's some good videogame soundtrack material. I'd listen to that even outside of a video-blasty.

"Orgone Accumulator" from Thunderbeam! OST (2012)

I don't perceive any relation to the Hawkwind classic [mild toplessness]. Obviously, Hawkwind didn't invent the Orgone concept, but they may have perfected it. Also, literally just yesterday, I pulled up the video for "Cloudbusting," and I had never known what that song/vid were all about. Wild!

And here are the downloadable SoundCloud tunes...

C.L.O.V.I.S by The Octopus Project

Short & sweet, kinda mellow. But in a good, Tangerine Dream-transition style. (Download is the arrow-pointing-down button, center/far-right.)

The Enlightened Masters by The Octopus Project

Full title is apparently "The Enlightened Masters (Thunderbeam Finale)," if the YouTube version can be trusted. Now I want to finish the game, once it comes out, and also go see The Octopus Project live. Come back to Houston!

O yeah, in case you didn't go back, here's the "Theme Song" that I'd previously posted:

Thunderbeam Theme Song by The Octopus Project

I know, right?! As far as I can tell, the whole album is yet unavailable generally - but I'll provide updates as available.

Everything's Coming Up Lilacs

2012-01-06T21:20:00.001-06:00

Check it. per Stereogum...

Lilacs & Champagne - Everywhere, Everyone from stereogum on Vimeo.

Nice video, nice tune - VERY niceness.

It's like ½ Grails (literally), raised to the power of Demdike Stare, divided by Belbury Poly!

Along with a series of relevatory videos (beginning with Jandek 1987?!)... on their Facebook:

the LP package is gonna be delux-ed up with Gold Foil and 2 layers of UV gloss to make it bling off the store shelves,,

and

the LP version of our record is gong to feature a bonus track,, know this!,,

Pre-order now from Mexican Summer, son!

That CAN live at The Old Grey Whistle Stop 1975 video on FB is wicked cool too.

Best Live Music of 2011 (Top 10-ish)

2012-01-05T21:08:00.001-06:00

Damn. I saw some pretty sweet shows this year! Every time I thought I had my list down, another one would occur to me - then I'd have to review & reshuffle the whole list. Finally, I went ahead and expanded the official list to 15... was the best I could do. And even then, I was cutting off my own hand to keep it real!

1. Immortal / Absu
Feb. 26, Backstage Live - San Antonio, TX

"Solarfall" by Immortal, Backstage Live, 2/26/2011

There might have been some close calls on this or that ranking, but not so much with the #1 slot. I was already super-pumped by the time of my preliminary incantatory post. Awesome band, excellent sound (plus LOUD!!), terrific crowd, my first True Norwegian Black Metal show... We ended up with an Immortal setlist something exactly like this one. It was an outrageously fun and frostbitten time. C'mon, this entrance? "Sons of Northern Darkness?" "Blashyrkh (Mighty Ravendark)?!" Horgh was impressive, Apollyon was thundering, Abbath was hilarious!

"Night Fire Canonization" by Absu, Backstage Live, 2/26/2011

Seeing Absu (#6, 2011) for the first time as the opener was an amazing bonus. Proscriptor is the complete avatar of Animal, flailing wildly behind the drumset, and the two dudes upfront were thrashing it for all it's worth.

Absu's opening sets did vary quite a bit, but according to this series of videos, it went something like: Swords and Leather/Night Fire Canonization/Four Crossed Wands (Spell 181)/Never Blow Out The Eastern Candle. This set alone would be a contender on this list for any year - the whole thing just kicked ass.

2. Scratch Acid
Dec. 9, Fitzgerald's - Houston, TX

"Cannibal" by Scratch Acid, Fitzgerald's, 12/9/2011

It had been 5 years since I caught Scratch Acid at the Touch & Go Anniversary party in Chicago. They were impressive then, and that was more of a 1-off than a reunion tour deal. The band, most especially David Yow, gave their all for the whole performance here. Yow was regularly jumping out onto the audience, like a kid again. They sounded good and aggressive, slamming into most of their material with abandon. And I've long been a big fan of all that! We got to see "Albino Slug" (the memories!), "Mess", even Yow explaining the effects of aging, etc...

3. Maserati / My Education / Co-Pilot
Apr. 9, The Mink on Main - Houston, TX

"Pyramid of the Sun" by Maserati, The Mink on Main, 4/9/2011

Maserati (#2 Live Show of 2009, #1 Record of 2010) returned to Houston, having lost their drummer since the last show. A.E. Paterra of Zombi filled in for this tour. Very different kind of drummer, but he played the Maserati style extremely well - resulting in some high-octane propulsive disco-Kraut post-rock.

With the synth sequencing, Maserati played a pretty consistent set on this tour. Here's the closest (date-wise) version of the encore "Run Like Hell" I could find (Chicago on 4/25). Here's the opening segment of that show (7 vids in all). Bask in the performance, then grab some bootlegs!

4. Austin Psych Fest 4
Apr. 29-May 1, Seaholm Power Plant - Austin, TX
White Hills / The Diamond Center - Mar. 15, Continental Club - Houston, TX
Black Angels / Dead Meadow - Oct. 13, Fitzgerald's - Houston, TX

Austin Psych Fest 2011 Super-8 Reel

These are somewhat unrelated shows, although everyone did come together for APF4. The first two were previewed in this old post. The Psych Fest was a sprawling event, like a never-ending river of groove and noise. I unexpectedly ran into Stephen McBean of Black Mountain, and was totally star-struck! He'd apparently played with The Shine Brothers, who I'd just watched (but I didn't recognize him onstage).

"Sound Mass" by My Education & Theta Naught, Seaholm Power Plant (Austin Psych Fest 4), 5/1/2011

It was just that kinda time... Got to meet & see The Cult of Dom Keller (#15, 2011), Woodsman was on the main stage, White Hills blew out the joint! The only disappointment was probably Cloudland Canyon. Half the time was patching the main synths, then it didn't really move too much. O well.

White Hills went to Holland between the 2 times we saw them in Texas (first in Houston): "Ocean of Sound" and "Three Quarters". Before they played at the Continental, we hung out with openers The Diamond Center, who also played APF4. Really great people (and band) from Richmond, VA.

"Telephone" by The Black Angels, Fitzgerald's, 10/13/2011

Here's the FB-collection post about the 3 bands for the Fitz show. The Black Angels were the best I've ever heard them - performance and clarity of sound. (Sometimes they can get a bit murky with so many players.) One especially jammy song really knocked me out. I think it was "Science Killer"... Maybe I need to finally get Directions to See A Ghost (2008). I always forget to mention this, but the Austin Psych Fest is entirely the invention and project of The Black Angels people, which might not be common knowledge.

5. Free Press Summer Fest
June 4-June 5, Eleanor Tinsley Park - Houston, TX

"Buckingham Green" by Ween, Eleanor Tinsley Park (Free Press Summer Fest 3), 6/4/2011

Once again (#8 Live Show, 2010), I didn't see nearly as many shows as I'd liked to, at the Free Press Summer Fest this year. But I did see WEEN (#2 Live Show, 2010)! The greatest part was that Gene's guitar was really cranked up in the mix - like the most I'd ever heard. Another great part was the pretty sweet Ween setlist... "Birthday Boy" then "Awesome Sound?" That's an old-school 1-2 punch! O, and "Ice Castles > Final Alarm" too? Thanks, Claude! They also covered "Let's Dance" here, which is still fun.

One more thing! While searching for suitable FPSF Ween clips, I stumbled across two vids for (much) older Houston shows that I was there for: Emo's 11/29/1992 and Urban Art Bar 11/20/1994... wow.

"Night by Night" by Chromeo, Eleanor Tinsley Park (Free Press Summer Fest 3), 6/4/2011

Chromeo really got the crowd goin', probably the most of any group we saw. I'd only ever heard "Hot Mess," which was enough to check 'em out - for kicks! But it was the quality party jams... Dudes got charisma, and beats. Like "Fancy Footwork" or "Tenderoni." Good times.

6. Kyuss Lives! - Sep. 29, Warehouse Live - Houston, TX
QOTSA - Mar. 18, One-Eyed Jack's - New Orleans, LA

"Thumb" by Kyuss Lives!, Warehouse Live, 9/29/2011

I'm gonna have to start burning through these or I'll never get back to posting again. For some reason, I thought it'd be posse-in-effect for the Kyuss reunion tour, but I ended up solo for most of this one. Until later when I got deep into the front-stage mob and found the 1 person I expected there. Here's a pretty typical setlist. Sounded really good to me, although I've only ever owned Blues for the Red Sun (1992), so a bit of a disadvantage. They did played "Allen's Wrench" and this "Whitewater" jam. Missed both openers, which was actually okay...

"Regular John" and "Avon" by Queens of the Stone Age, One-Eyed Jack's, 3/18/2011

Not too surprising on the setlist front, given that the whole point was to play the debut album in full. Soon thereafter, I reported on the show in this round-up post. As this "Sick, Sick, Sick" video-poster accurately says, "Tiny club, fun show". Real tiny! I dig the self-titled debut, so I concur heartily. Also, "(I Wanna) Make It wit Chu." Plus, like, New Orleans?

7. Wilco
May 6, Verizon Wireless Theater - Houston, TX

"Impossible Germany" by Wilco, Verizon Wireless, 5/6/2011

We had awesome front-row corner balcony seats for this one. Couldn't get much better! And although Verizon is soulless and corporate, I am regularly impressed with the quality of sound - which is relatively important for live music. You can find all their show's setlists at WilcoBase along with other stats, which is real handy. Most of the other clips from this show are marred by crowd noise-talk-singin' along. O well - here's a live "Handshake Drugs," which they played - same song, same band, same venue, just 3 years earlier. (I was there too.)

8. Roky Erickson III
Oct. 1, Continental Club - Houston, TX

"Roller Coaster" by Roky Erickson, Continental Club-Houston, 10/1/2011

Another good show by Roky! This is becoming a very happy annual tradition (#5, 2010 and #1, 2009). It's a positive, life-affirming, rockin'-good time to see him up there playing those songs I've loved for so long. Especially this time - Roky was the loosest and happiest-looking of the 3 times he's played in town. Plus he added a third 13th Floor Elevators tune this time! (see above.)

9. Arcade Fire / Explosions in the Sky
May 4, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion - The Woodlands, TX

"Month of May" by Arcade Fire, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, 5/4/2011

Who'da thunk it? Well, me actually. I first saw Arcade Fire live before I'd ever heard their music, at Vegoose 2005 (kind of like Wilco at ACL 2002). And I was really impressed - still never listened to any of their records really, but terrific live band. As they were again in The Woodlands, which just happens to be "The Suburbs" the singer grew up in. Apparently, he used to also work at the venue as a kid (The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion), so he had some ex-employee stories. It was a nice homecoming kinda thing. Plus indie-rocking it up. Also: the actual full setlist.

Explosions in the Sky jammin' it up, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, 5/4/2011

EITS opened, and were good too. I dig the post-rock, but have never really clicked on this band - despite the Texas connection. A big suburban outdoor amphitheatre might not have been the right introduction...

10. Joe Boyd & Robyn Hitchcock
Oct. 8, McGonigel's Mucky Duck - Houston, TX

"River Man" (Nick Drake cover) by Robyn Hitchcock, San Francisco, 9/22/2011

Real interesting show. Joe Boyd ended up a better storyteller than I really expected. Hitchcock brought his eccentricities to bear, while maintaining some respect for the source. Ended up going alone, to a club that I don't frequent, got sat right up front, in some ways it was very quaint and British. Setlist pretty close to what's shown here.

10(a)? Speaking of British music from a bygone era... I forgot yet another notable show: The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, by "The Musical Box" at House of Blues, 10/24/2011 - Houston, TX

11. Butthole Surfers
Sep. 11, Emo's East opening - Austin, TX

"Pittsburgh to Lebanon" by Butthole Surfers, Emo's East, 9/11/2011

Gonna start blazing throught the rest. This was the grand opening party for Emo's East (east of I-35 in Austin, on Riverside). Here's the very retro-BHS setlist, who have swung focus back to their early catalogue for quite awhile (#3 last year). I was truly shocked by the awesome "Lady Sniff > Pepper" medley. With 400 Blows and Bodytronix opening... ha ha, ha?

12. Project Grimm / Dead Mineral
Dec. 29, Rudyard's - Houston, TX

"Melville" by Project Grimm, Rudyard's, 12/29/2011

Previous reunion show (#4 last year) was a one-off. This time it's for real. Grimm is back together again, writing new tunes, and apparently playing regularly (for oldsters)!

Setlist acquired: seven long years/deliveryman's threat/E pluribus merman/through the day/living without it/melville/clean/fish king/window ledge/lifetime of goodness/you bend, I'll slide. E: durian (plus, "missing" - not played?)

13. Linus Pauling Quartet / Dead Mineral / Defending the Kingdom
Dec. 3, Rudyard's - Houston, TX

"Waiting for the Axe to Fall" by LP4, from All Things Are Light (2007)

Looks like Bag of Hammers is expected around May... 2012, I believe. Awesome "Luis Black is California," without lead-in "ROTB" (Roll Out The Bong). "Waiting for the Axe" was majestic, o' course. The new songs sound like they're gonna rip it up and rain hell down on it. "La Tapatia" was performance art in extremis, invoking dark spirits and handing out McRibs. It was nuts!

Setlist acquired (covered in McRib blood): Crom / She Did Not Know / Luis Black / Saving Throw / Waiting for the Axe (to Fall) / Victory Gin / Star Chimp / La Tapatia

Ranking level reduced for being a self-imposed non-headlining, shorter set.

14. My Morning Jacket
Dec. 8, Verizon Wireless Theater - Houston, TX

"It Beats 4 U" by My Morning Jacket, Verizon Wireless Theater, 12/8/2011

Unlike LP4, MMJ have gone 'mature.' Still a good band, still good tunes, still good performers - could use a little more rock. Which they realized just in time for the encore finale of "One Big Holiday." Looks like someone wrote down the setlist.

15. Mastodon / Black Tusk
Oct. 27, Fitzgerald's - Houston, TX

"Dry Bone Valley," "Black Tongue" and "Crystal Skull" by Mastodon, Fitzgerald's, 10/27/2011

I never figured out my actual feelings about The Hunter (2011), Mastodon's significant change of pace. But they are a good live band, that plays metal like a non-metal (jam?) band. Definitely liked the show better than the album. Check out the actual physical setlist...

Black Tusk opening, Fitzgerald's, 10/27/2011

Caught about half of Black Tusk's set, and they were merciless. In a good way!

Top 10 Albums of 2011

2011-12-31T23:59:00.005-06:00

[posted 1/1/12, noon - backdating for clarity...]
Did you miss the previous post, with #'s 11-20 of 2011? Well, here are the top albums for the year we just concluded. Since I'll be doing individual write-ups (coming soon), commentary is kept to a minimum... I'll also link to full posts in the relevant sections below. Enjoy!!

#1 Deep Politics - Grails

"I Led Three Lives" from Deep Politics (2011)
"Daughters of Bilitis" from Deep Politics (2011)

Genre - Tibetan Crime Jazz
Official - grailsongs.com/
Myspace - myspace.com/grailsongs
Location - Portland, OR

Review - Pitchfork
Download - Amazon, iTunes
Purchase - Temporary Residence Ltd.

This album totally confirmed my initial impressions, because it's excellent. Grails manage to update their style(s), without losing the quality of material or depth of thought which have made them perennial favorites (#6, 2008 and #19, 2010).

And it looks like and sounds like Lilacs & Champagne (½ Grails) will be doing something similar in about a month.

#2 Rare Forms - Woodsman
Mystic Places EP - Woodsman

"Insects" from Rare Forms (2011)
"Parallel Minds" from Mystic Places EP (2011)

Genre - Psychedelia
Official/Tumblr - woodsmanman.tumblr.com/
Myspace - myspace.com/woodsmanman
Location - Denver, CO

Review - The Line of Best Fit
Download - Amazon, iTunes
Purchase - Lefse Records, Fire Talk Recs

Picked up Rare Forms at Austin Psych Fest, where they were one of the best I saw. Mystic Places came late this year, and I think I've decided Woodsman are more appropriate for the EP format. Both great releases, though, and I've also really gotten into the older ones too.

A little late, but there's also this Woodsman-curated Christmas comp, with them doing "Little Drummer Boy." Download available!

#3 INGNODWETRUST - Gnod
Chaudelande Volume 1 - Gnod
a split LP - Gnod/A Middle Sex

"Tron" from Chaudelande Volume 1 (2011)
"Vatican" from INGNODWETRUST (2011)

Genre - Rumbling Drone-Groove Psych
Official/Tumblr - ingnodwetrust.tumblr.com/
Myspace - myspace.com/gnodgnod
Location - Salford, England

Review - Head Heritage
Download - Amazon, iTunes
Purchase - GNOD

Despite being last year's co-#5, I really only became familiar with Gnod themselves during 2011. Specifically during a massive free-download CDr-discography dump in January (still there). Then 2011 brought 5 sides o' vinyl, which were all pretty much smoking hot!

Here's another holiday mix that I'd missed, from The Committee to Keep Music Evil - includes a sweet Gnod track from Chaudelande!

#4 777: Sect(s) - Blut Aus Nord
777: The Desanctification - Blut Aus Nord

"Epitome II" from 777: Sect(s) (2011)
"Epitome VIII" from 777: The Desanctification (2011)

Genre - Industrialized Black Metal
Official/Myspace - myspace.com/thehowlingofgod
Location - France

Review - Treble Zine
Download - Amazon, iTunes
Purchase - Eitrin Editions

I've covered these releases up through a very recent post, but I'll say it again: Blut Aus Nord is quite simply tearing it up. They've done great work recently (#1 of 2009 Metal Next 10, and #16 of 2010), and this series continues that trend - while calling back to previous styles & efforts.

According to the BAN Wikipedia page, part 3 will be called 777: Cosmosophy (2012?).

#5 Escape Velocity - Zombi
Slow Oscillations EP - Zombi
Ben Nevis 7" - Majeure
Synthesizer of the Gods - Majeure
Fluid Window - Miracle

"Shrunken Heads" from Escape Velocity (2011)
"Time of Troubles" from Escape Velocity (2011)

Genre - Neo-Italo disco / Electro-Prog
Official - zombi.us/
Myspace - myspace.com/zombi
Location - Chicago, IL? NYC, NY? Pittsburgh, PA?

Review - The Metal Minnute
Download - Amazon, iTunes
Purchase - Relapse Records

Zombi has been whole or in part: #1 of 2004, tops in 2006, co-#2, 2009, and contributors to last year's #23 Records.

The full album's Italo disco synth-prog builds on its immediate success, despite the nagging desire for some more blow-out drumming and rock instrumentation. The remix EP is free at Amazon. The Majeure releases were a nice complement, and I'm definitely looking forward to 2012's split LP.

#6 Abzu - Absu

"Abraxas Connexus" from Abzu (2011)
"Circles of the Oath" from Abzu (2011)

Genre - Mythological Occult Metal
Official - absu.us/
Myspace - myspace.com/absu
Location - Plano, TX

Review - Pitchfork
Download - Amazon, iTunes
Purchase - Candlelight [CD / LP]

Finally caught a live show by Absu, famed for the #2 of 2009 Metal Next 10 and the Black Metal Classic Tara (2001). The new album (2nd in a 3-part series) started out strong and just kept growing and growing on me, all the way through the final epic (6-part) tune. Lotsa fun on this one!

#7 Sun and Shade - Woods

"Pushing Onlys" from Sun and Shade (2011)
"Who Do I Think I Am?" from Sun and Shade (2011)

Genre - Folky Psych-Pop
Official - woodsist.com/
Myspace - myspace.com/woodsfamilyband
Location - Brooklyn, NYC

Review - Paste Magazine
Download - Amazon, iTunes
Purchase - Woods

Continuing in the tradition of At Echo Lake (#6, 2010), with a few stylistic tweaks and detours, Woods don't shake up the world. They just. win. games!! ... I mean, write good songs.

#8 Shadowland EP - Barn Owl
Lost in the Glare - Barn Owl

"Shadowland" from Shadowland EP (2011)
"Turiya" from Lost in the Glare (2011)

Genre - Open-Desert Mescalinesque Dream-Drone
Official - electrictotem.com/barnowl/
Myspace - myspace.com/barnowlband
Location - San Francisco, CA

Review - Dusted Magazine
Download - Amazon, iTunes
Purchase - Thrill Jockey Records

I definitely wanted Barn Owl in the Top 10 last year. #11 Record of 2010... so close! This year's double-whammy of shamanistic drone-doom is too much to deny. Deep, mang.

The title track from Shadowland was also featured on Vol. 6 of the blog compilation download series.

#9 Music for the Tactile Dome - Jonas Reinhardt
The Prime Revealer EP - Jonas Reinhardt

"Smokey Jotus" from Music for the Tactile Dome (2011)
"Only Pharaoh" from The Prime Revealer EP (2011)

Genre - Krautronics
Official - jonasreinhardt.com/
Myspace - myspace.com/jonasreinhardt
Location - San Francisco, CA

Review - Foxy Digitalis
Download - Amazon, iTunes
Purchase - The Great Pop Supplement [EP] / Forced Exposure [all others]

Two years ago, I titled a post about Jonas Reinhardt "Euphonious Kraut Metronomy." This was contrasted with the next post, called "Amorphous Synth Burble" - about Emeralds' What Happened (2009). With these new records, the Jonas has managed to bridge the divide between those two descriptions. Works pretty well, too...

#10 An empty bliss beyond this world - The Caretaker
Eager to tear apart the stars - Leyland Kirby
Intrigue & Stuff, Vol. 1 - Leyland Kirby
Intrigue & Stuff, Vol. 2 - Leyland Kirby
Intrigue & Stuff, Vol. 3 - Leyland Kirby

"All You Are Going to Want to Do is Get Back There" from An empty bliss beyond this world (2011)
"My Dream Contained a Star" from Eager to tear apart the stars
"Live for the Future, Long for the Past" from Intrigue & Stuff, Vol. 1
"Eventually It Eats Your Lungs" from Intrigue & Stuff, Vol. 2
"The watcher and the watched" from Intrigue & Stuff, Vol. 3

Genre - Modern Classical / Ambient Hauntology / Electro
Official - brainwashed.com/vvm/
Location - Berlin (still, I think) via UK

Review - Tiny Mix Tapes
Download - LK Bandcamp, CT Bandcamp
Purchase - Forced Exposure

Earlier on, I covered the return of The Caretaker (#3, Drone/Ambient 2009 and #1, Drone/Ambient 2005). At some point in 2011, I took Mr. Kirby up on his offer of an annual digital subscription - so I got all of these without even having to leave the sofa.

Lots and lots and lots of music, ranging from the early-20th ballroom loops (of Caretaker fame) to something approaching dance music (in some alternative dimension). Should be an interesting read...

Top 11-20 Albums of 2011

2011-12-31T21:54:00.001-06:00

... and Happy New Year!!

Here beginneth the 2nd half of the year-end Albums list(s). This was a weird year for me & music (& blogging), and I had a hard time deciding the last few ranks for this post. I might put together a thematic Honorable Mentions post, time permitting. And the actual Top 10 will come soon, hopefully in a day or two...

But for now, let's get to it!

#11 Too Down to Die - Robedoor

"(In the) Cybershade/Universal Migration" from Too Down to Die
"Dungeon Crossroads" from Too Down to Die (2011)

Genre - Psychedelic Noise-Drone
Official/Myspace - myspace.com/robedoor
Location - Los Angeles, CA

Review - Foxy Digitalis
Download - Amazon, iTunes
Purchase - Forced Exposure

Robedoor's Rancor Keeper (2007) is probably my favorite noise/drone album of all time. Love it! I started picking up their more recent 7"s, including last year's Pacific Drift (#18, 2010), but had missed out on a coupla records. I got this new one super-recently, but have been listening to it A LOT. Side-long opener "Parallel Wanderer" is massive, dense, shifting and well worth a 22-minute investment. This recent post includes a link to an in-studio live version, plus some more... Not sure how "Afterburners" might be related to the album Burners (2010). Lots going on with this one.

#12 Celestial Lineage - Wolves in the Throne Room

"Astral Blood" from Celestial Lineage (2011)
"Subterranean Initiation" from Celestial Lineage (2011)

Genre - Cascadian Eco-Black Metal
Official - wittr.com/
Myspace - myspace.com/wolvesinthethroneroom
Location - Olympia, WA

Review - Encyclopaedia Metallum user reviews
Download - Amazon, iTunes
Purchase - Southern Lord Records

Like many American dabblers in Black Metal, I've somewhat latched onto WITTR. Because the sounds incorporate haunting atmospherics and some mellower sounds, it can be a more inviting style of listen. Lots of attention was paid to the opening tune, "Thuja Magus Imperium," probably for this exact reason. Their last two releases a couple years ago (#14, 2009) weren't quite up to Two Hunters (#7, 2007). Now I'm not saying Celestial Lineage is either, but it's a step in the right direction. Outside of some minor interlude tracks, everything here sounds seriously serious. One more for ya: "Woodland Cathedral."

#13 En Form for Blå - Æthenor

"Jocasta" from En Form for Blå (2011)
"One Number of Destiny in Ninety Nine" from En Form for Blå (2011)

Genre - Experimental Dark Jazz
Official/Myspace - myspace.com/aethenor
Location - Out there!

Review - The Quietus
Download - Amazon, iTunes
Purchase - VHF Records

All the way back to first hearing their debut album (#7, 2006), Æthenor has seemed kinda special to me. A collection of talented artists, a super-group even, who get together to do what weirdo musicians should always do: make fantastic freak-outs that sound awesome! As detailed on the release date, these recordings come from a 3-night live stand in Oslo, Norway. Certainly do wish I'd been there! More songs from this one are hidden here behind MySpace. Other tunes I especially dig are: "Laudanum Tusk", "Vivarium", and "Dream Tassels."

#14 World of Funk - Shawn Lee

"Cairo Cairo" (with Natacha Atlas) from World of Funk (2011)
"Iceberg" (with Elliot Bergman) from World of Funk (2011)

Genre - Funk and/or World
Official - shawnlee.net/
Myspace - myspace.com/shawnleemusic
Location - London, England

Review - Fly Global Music
Download - Amazon, iTunes
Purchase - Ubiquity Records

A fomer year-end #1 (of 2009), Shawn Lee keeps 'em comin'. He's done soul, he's done covers, he's done videogame soundtracks! This one does a funky take on various World Music styles. I actually posted on this album very recently, so I won't go on and on (again). I will point out that the Nanny G who appears on "Nanny Jee" is supposedly Shawn Lee's mother-in-law, and that's pretty badass!

#15 EP3 - Cult of Dom Keller
"We Are Temples of Light and Dark" - Cult of Dom Keller

"This is How It Feels to Live Your Life Dead" from EP3 (2011)
"We Are Temples of Light and Dark," internet demo d/l (2011)

Genre - Dronish Psych-Rock
Official/Myspace - myspace.com/domkeller
Location - Nottingham, U.K.

Download - Bandcamp
Purchase - The Committee to Keep Music Evil

We caught these guys at this year's Austin Psych Fest, and got to meet them and everything. They were good blokes, from Britain and all... Their music is retro for everything droney and druggy all at once - from the Velvet Underground through '80s stuff like Echo and Julian Cope, to My Bloody shoegaze, up to around the Brian Jonestown Massacre. Picked up EP1 and EP2 at the fest, and the new EP will have to do until they release Swamp Heron Blues (????). You can also stream it at Bandcamp. And they're always posting up their videos on YouTube. Be forewarned: it is druggy & droney.

#16 Easy Action - The Alps

"For Isabel" from Easy Action (2011)
"Reflections for Peter Green" from Easy Action (2011)

Genre - Easy Noise
Official/Myspace - myspace.com/thealpssf
Location - San Francisco, CA

Review - The Agit Reader
Download - Amazon, iTunes
Purchase - Sold Out at source...

These guys had been climbing the Astral Headspace Top 10 mountain (such as it is), with III at #9 on the inaugural 2008 list, then up to #4 on last year's. Unfortunately, this new one doesn't click with me as regularly. I still enjoy the half with more song-like stuff (as above links), but there's a few too many noisescapes which are each a bit too long for me. So I think that "Spray" (not a Can cover) and the title track (where'd the video go at?!) are both really great. And even then, some of the experiments do pay off - the three movements of "Loves of a Blonde" all yield their own rewards. I mean, we're still talking #16 here...

Also, the pop-up album cover design is really excellent!

#17 Inaudible Bicoastal Trajectory - Expo '70
Blackout: Live Ithaca & Manhattan 2009 - Expo '70

"Hypnotic Brain Cloud Float" [edit] from Inaudible Bicoastal Trajectory (2011)
"Ithaca, NY 10/19/09" [edit] from Blackout: Live... (2011)

Genre - Guitar Space Drone
Official - exposeventy.com/
Location - Kansas City, MO

Review - Dumpster Diving blog
Download - Boomkat, Amazon
Purchase - Aguirre Records

This is weird. You know when I like to listen to Expo '70 (#7 Drone/Ambient 2009, and #29, 2010)? When I'm buying groceries. Not the only time, mind. But I find myself selecting them often as I push a cart up and down the aisles, zoned out a million miles away. I have no idea why, but there it is... These two LP's each consist of 2 side-long live explorations from the recent past. I prefer Inaudible Bicoastal Trajectory for both the space-outs and the titles ("Hypnotic Brain Cloud Float?" Check. "Mystical Bamboo Garden Cultivation?" O yes.) The NY jams on Blackout seem a bit more muscular, but still meandering into the firmament.

#18 A Young Person's Guide to Mark McGuire - Mark McGuire

"Stranger than Paradise" from A Young Person's Guide... (2011)
"The Invisible World" from A Young Person's Guide... (2011)

Genre - Delay-Action Guitar
Official/Blogspot - mcguiremusic.blogspot.com/
Location - Cleveland, OH

Review - Dusted Magazine
Download - iTunes, Bleep
Purchase - Forced Exposure, Amazon

One of those prolific Emeralds guys (co-#2, 2010), Mark McGuire is the guitarist. His solo stuff sounds good, and it's interesting to listen to. Picking out pretty much any of these tunes at random would give you something to chew on. (There's a few others in this recent post...) But here's the deal: a 2xCD retrospective chock full o' guitar repetition & delay just ends up a bit too much of a good thing. I often struggled to keep up with what's going on, or to keep going through enough of it. And I dig the music! I'm still going to pick up this year's album of all new material, Get Lost (2011), and I fully expect to get into it deep.

#19 - Ghost Box Study Series 05-07
The Open Songbook - Hintermass
Animation and Interpretation - Jonny Trunk
Autumnal Activities - Pye Corner Audio with The Advisory Circle

"Are You Watching" by Hintermass, from Study Series 05: The Open Songbook (2011)
"Cloud Control" by Pye Corner Audio and The Advisory Circle, plus
"November Sequence" by Pye Corner Audio, both from Study Series 07: Autumnal Activities (2011)

Genre - British Heritage Electronics
Official - ghostbox.co.uk/
Myspace - myspace.com/ghostboxrecords
Location - England, U.K.

Review - O(h)rtlos blog
Download - Ghost Box, Amazon, iTunes
Purchase - Ghost Box

Overall, not quite as engaging as previous installations (#9, 2010), but maybe heading into more varied territories. The Ghost Box Study Series of 7" releases continued with 3 more out this year. Hintermass (#05) is new, but made up of Tim Felton (from Broadcast) and Jon Brooks of The Advisory Circle (and label majordomo). Jonny Trunk (#06) runs his own label too, Trunk Records, which specializes in obscure film & library music and always seems to me really interesting and exotic - in a British manner. Here's 1-minute of A-side. The Advisory Circle work with Pye Corner Audio (#07) with best results. I've not been familiar with P.C.A., but will endeavor to investigate further. Et cetera and whatnot...

#20 Benefit for the Recovery in Japan - V/A comp

"Cassiopeia" by Grouper, from Benefit for the Recovery in Japan (2011)
"Anzac #3" by Keith Fullerton Whitman, from Benefit for... (2011)
"Fearless" by Fennesz, from ... the Recovery... (2011)
"Hatred of Music" by Tim Hecker, different version from ... in Japan (2011)
"Uncut Diamond" by Warm Ghost, from BFTRIJ (2011)
"In the Hollows" by Nat Baldwin, from Benefit for... Japan (2011)

Genre - mostly Drones of some sort
Official - Antiopic Records
Location - from All Over The World, to Japan

Review - Pitchfork
Download/Purchase/Stream - Fina

Here's my original post on this internet-download benefit-compilation from some of the leading lights of various dronologies. Really a who's who of a certain segment of out-music. I have gone back to it again and again, much more than I initially expected when I first bought it. Pitchfork says you can play the tracks at the Stream link above, but I couldn't make it work. Still, worth a try - or just buy it. Good stuff, good cause (even still)!!

Wha'd I Miss?

2011-12-27T18:41:00.000-06:00

I must admit to feeling a little ambivalent about this year's listification. As much good music as I did hear, it seems I missed twice as much "known unknowns." Stuff that I feel like would have been on the list somewhere, but I just never got around to it...

"Replica" by Oneohtrix Point Never, from Replica (2011)

Like the new material out from the Emeralds camp. I got the Mark McGuire retrospective, but not Get Lost, nor Steve Hauschildt's Tragedy & Geometry. Nor even this year's Oneohtrix Point Never...

"Firefly Constellations" by Mark McGuire, from Get Lost (2011)

I also fully intended to pick up the new one from Charalambides, Exile, but other stuff got in the way. Soon.

"Saturn Missile Battery" by Tia Carrera, from Cosmic Priestess (2011)

The Tia Carrera released Cosmic Priestess this year, and I only found out about it yesterday! Also, Tombs' Path of Totality sounds very intriguing, but mainly from it's omnipresence on this last months' worth of lists.

"Violetta" by Demdike Stare, from Elemental 2: Violetta (2011)

Although I've received the first two installments of Demdike Stare's Elemental series, they arrived too late for me to digest in time for the year-end festivities.

"Baby Missiles" by The War on Drugs, from Slave Ambient (2011)

I don't know what to think about a new Kate Bush album getting respect. And how's Slave Ambient supposed to be?

"Wild Man" by Kate Bush, from 50 Words for Snow (2011)

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T11:45:00.000-06:00

Like I say...

"Christmas Time is Here" by Woods, from internet release (2011)

Super-recently, downloadable from Pitchfork. Of course it's a cover of the Vince Guaraldi tune from A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965).

"This Christmas" by Donny Hathaway, from 7" vinyl 45rpm single (1970)

The oft-covered R&B holiday standard. I think my favorite one is a late-'80s Japanese new-age/jazz version by Yutaka. O, that Vollenweider harp!

"Black Xmas" by Venom, from Calm Before the Storm (1987)

Never forget ye olde Dark Lyrics site - METAL.

... and Happy New Year!!

Downloading Metal 2011

2011-12-21T19:51:00.000-06:00

Currently downloading: SPIN's Best of 2011 Metal Mixtape.

1. Liturgy - "Generation"
2. All Pigs Must Die - "God is War"
3. Tombs - "To Cross The Land"
4. Yob - "Prepare the Ground"
5. Battillus - "Deadweight"
6. Blood Ceremony - "My Demon Brother"
7. Ghost - "Ritual"
8. Bruce Lamont - "Disgruntled Employer"
9. Earth - "Old Black"
10. Hull - "Beyond The Lightless Sky"
11. Anthrax - "Fight 'Em Til You Can't"
12. Megadeth - "Public Enemy No. 1"
13. Korn ft. Skrillex - "Narcissistic Cannibal"
14. Rwake - "An Invisible Thread"
15. Autopsy - "Always About To Die"
16. Absu - "Abraxas Connexus"
17. Craft - "I Want To Commit Murder"
18. Wolves In The Throne Room - "Thuja Magus Imperium"
19. Krallice - "The Clearing"

Click that link to reach their year-end list and the download - you have to give your e-mail and... Holy crap! Absu is SPIN's #5?!

The midpoint of a career-resuscitating trilogy for long-standing Texas sophisticates Absu, Abzu continues what 2009's great Absu renewed: spiraling, sprawling sprints from metals death and black, thrash and tech — all united by the dense mythological exhortations of bandleader Proscriptor. Indeed, it might take two volumes to unwind all the threads of thought in these lyrics and to decode the interlocking structures in the music; but living on the surface, this 36-minute race just feels breathless, unapologetic. and fun. GRAYSON CURRIN

Now I'm in a list-making mood.

Your Mercury - Teeth of the Sea (#10, 2010)

2011-12-16T08:44:00.000-06:00

This is why you don't publish a Year-End list at the beginning of December! (Among other late releases...)
[which also applies to 2011.]

"A.C.R.O.N.Y.M." by Teeth of the Sea, from Your Mercury (2010)

On its own, Hypnoticon would have probably been in the 20's or 30's. But then I caught word of an all-new full-length album, and it had already been released! In the newest issue of Mojo (Freddie Mercury cover), they have an article on Teeth of the Sea (not the 4-star review of Your Mercury). Influences referred to are: Hawkwind's Space Ritual (#4, 1973), Sleep's Holy Mountain (1992), and Monster Magnet's Spine of God (also 1992)... "Krautrock, Kosmische music, spaghetti western soundtracks, pompous Euro-prog" (per Julian Cope), The Cramps, Steve Reich, Queen's soundtrack to Flash Gordon (!!!), "Iain Sinclair / Alan Moore psychogeography," Sunn O))), Heldon, Bongwater (#4, 1988). But then makes the important point that "their singular wisdom is never to copy their heroes." Right.

"Hypnoticon Viva" [live, 11/22/2010] by TOTS, from Hypnoticon EP (2010)

The Hypnoticon EP is good. You have one tune arising from their Flash Gordon (1980) OST concert, a somewhat non-descript TOTS jam-out, and "The Island Is" – a much longer psychedelic guitar ambient exploration. It kind of made me think TOTS was settling down a bit.

"The Ambassador" by Teeth of the Sea, from Your Mercury (2010)

Your Mercury totally reverses course. After an intro track, "The Ambassador" explodes in a guitar feedback noisefest – and from there, it's electronic drones, guitar freak-outs, the occasional trumpet, some interludes, some epics... basically, everything you (or maybe I) want in an album.

"You're Mercury" [live, 11/22/2010] by TOTS, from Your Mercury (2010)

I just recently made the Mercury/Freddie connection too...

O yeah! Check out the Rough Trade bonus disc (which I didn't know about) - and get it here for free!!

HOWARD SHORE - "Welcome To Videodrome"
SLAUGHTER - "Tales Of The Macabre"
EINSTURZENDE NEUBAUTEN - "Kalte Sterne"
MICHAEL MOORCOCK’S DEEP FIX - "Time Centre"
MICK FARREN - "Carnivorous Circus Part 1"
KEITH FULLERTON WHITMAN - "Generator 7B"
MOONDOG - "Bug On A Floating Leaf"
JOHN GIORNO - "Vajra Kisses"
NEON JUDGEMENT - "Fashion Party"
FANFARE CIOCARLIA - "Hora Cu Strigaturii"
PROSTHETIC CUNT - "Dog Got Knocked The Fuck Out"
THE MUMMIES - "You Must Fight To Live On The Planet Of The Apes"
BUTTHOLE SURFERS - "Something"
THE SCREAMERS - "122 Hours Of Fear"
UMBERTO - "Red Dawn"
XELA - "Halloween"
SUN RA - "Astro Black"
RZA - "Love Jones"
MICHAEL BUNDT - "Tropic Of Night Frost"
BROADCAST - "DDL"
ODYSSEY - "Who"
NICO - "Evening Of Light"

Good stuff.

On a related note, Can't let go without mentioning that Teeth of the Sea were responsible for the #4 Free Internet Mixes of 2010.

Genre - Soundtrack Jazz and Noise Ambience
Official/Myspace - myspace.com/thewrongjaws
Location - North London, England

Review - The BBC
Download - Amazon, iTunes
Purchase - All That Is Heavy

Master Deck: Saff

2011-12-15T19:05:00.000-06:00

Awhile back, I was looking at something (possibly Hookworms' S/T), and I noticed the name Carl Saff. I knew it from somewhere, but couldn't remember why it was familiar... So I checked around and found 15 PAGES at Discogs!! And that's where it all fell together.

There on the first page, a name from my long-ago past: Pencil.

According to last.fm:

A post-punk band with an ever-shifting lineup of late 80s-early 90s Indiana University students, Pencil originally consisted of high school friends Carl Saff (guitar) and Matt Wagner (drums) and fellow students Chris Morgan (vocals) and Karl Desch (bass). Pencil rapidly evolved over the course of numerous gigs in the Bloomington, IN basement show scene...

When singer Morgan and bass player Desch left the band post-graduation, singer Rob Davidson and bass player Tyler Tribby joined and the band recorded a self-released seven-inch EP in 1992 which garnered the attention of NYC-based Grass Records.

I have that 7"! (Apparently 2 copies...) And also their debut full length Skantron (1994) on CD.

According to this interwebs page, it was a ltd edition of 300 - and handnumbered. Okay, I had to pull this one out (took awhile to find)... As the internet and plastic sleeve both say, "Comic & Sticker Inside!" Also correct: "clear green vinyl." Comix by Dan Vebber (Two Felipes, The Onion, Futurama, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Daria), and I have numbered #'s 14 and 290 (of 300).

Pencil live, 1993 Bloomington Street Dance

Still with me? So yeah, Pencil was a local Bloomington post-punk/math-rock quartet while I was there. So massive in their impact that they have 1 total video on the entire web. But I liked them enough to buy multiple copies of their 7" EP, and even a CD of their album. (Here's a most idiosyncratic History of Bloomington Music video.)

Anyway, around this time I disappeared from Bloomington, IN. Pencil would soon break up, and Carl Saff would go on to play in the more successful but shorter-lived Neutrino...

"Back to the Map" by Neutrino, from Motion Picture Soundtrack (1999)

They continued in the same soon-to-be-post-rock vein, just a little bit tighter now. And in Chicago. Being back in Texas again, I was unaware of all this history being made. Right now, their second and final album is available at the recently-restored Indiana Musical Family Tree. Also check out the band page at the newly-resumed Epitonic:

Well, like the subatomic particle, the band is definitely hard to pin down. The Chicago trio makes predominately instrumental rock dominated by dark strange chord progressions and minor keys. It's kind of dark, like Slint, and kind of bizarre and mathy, like Sweep The Leg Johnny, but it possesses a language all of its own which you need to hear in order to remotely understand.

Next comes the surprise reveal, where I know this Carl Saff name from...

"E.D.G.A.R." by Emperor Penguin, from Mysterious Pony (2000)

That's right. Emperor Penguin (#4 of some year)! Emperor Penguin, with Bill Cameron!! If you read that Bloomingtonian history, you might see the parallels: the long-forgotten self-released non-cd EP, the later better-remembered releases, the move away from Bloomington to Chicago, ending up as bandmates in Emperor Penguin? And then the later switch to something completely different.

I really like this act a bunch. Since the Family Tree is back... just go to their Emperor Penguin page, for almost the entire discography. Now including Extreme Gaming (1999), which hadn't been there before. You can still get Emperor Penguin CD's on the internet, which wouldn't be a bad idea. (iTunes and Amazon downloads too.)

"Theme from Moon Base" by Emperor Penguin, from Shatter the Illusion of Integrity, Yeah (1999)

Just one more from E.P., before we move on. The most recent musical project from Mr. Saff appears to be The Warmth, which I have just now discovered.

Making albums through at least 2009. Streaming music and purchases at their website. You can also preview or download multiple albums for free at the Musical Family Tree, if you want to check them out.

But none of this is why Carl Saff has 15 pages of Discogs...

No, it's the Technical category, all because of Saff Mastering.

Just an endless stream of albums, really picking up in the mid '00s - around the time Saff mastered Grails' Black Tar Prophecies, Vol's 1, 2, & 3 (2006, and on reissue #19 of 2010). Lots of Grails and Starless & Bible Black, some stuff for Important Records and Temporary Residence Ltd., even some Houston releases. But the one that really freaked me out to see was Forest Swords' Dagger Paths EP (#21, 2010)... Unexpected!

Mastering, with Carl Saff!!

If you'd like to learn more about Audio Mastering, here's the relevant Wikipedia page. And be sure to buy every single album listed under "Clients" on the Saff Mastering website!

Jam for Jerry

2011-12-14T16:41:00.000-06:00

Looking at Pitchfork's Top 100 Tracks of 2011, I do believe I might be out of touch... with something. I haven't even heard of a bunch of these artists, much less their music.

"Jam for Jerry" by Holy Ghost!, from (2011)

But there at #70 is something about Jerry Fuchs, Maserati's late great drummer. From DFA band Holy Ghost! Fuchs was kind of a house drummer for the label, and was probably bros with these guys. I don't know nuthin'.

I was going to post some other stuff that I don't know - but I didn't find anything worth it fast enough. Sheesh... cranky old man!

Here's an XLR8R interview I found. Now get off my lawn!!

So, when you record live drums, are you good enough drummers to record it in or do you have to quantize the tracks?

Alex Frankel: [Nick's] a really good drummer. He has a great touch. But we also had the pleasure of working with Jerry Fuchs—who played with Juan Maclean and !!!—and is basically the best drummer on earth.

Nick Millhiser: Flawless timing.

AF: Yeah, like when you look at him on a grid, there's barely any quantization needed. It's scary.

Countdown for 2012 Already

2011-12-13T19:00:00.000-06:00

Already big news on the next-year horizon!

According to The Belbury Parish Magazine blog, a new full-length album The Belbury Tales in February from Belbury Poly (#4 of 2004, #17 of 2009, and a big part of last year's #9).

Along with this:

Programme 7: "Tall Tales" by Radio Belbury on Mixcloud

The 7th programme of Radio Belbury, with upcoming preview tracks starting at ~6m00s. And also a tune from Zombi's (co-#2, 2009) latest album Escape Velocity (2011), at ~22m00s.

More big news! Each member of Zombi, Steve Moore and Majeure (co-#23, 2010) will split an upcoming LP.

Word says January on Temporary Residence Ltd, per the Tumblr of Steve Moore 2600... (see Thom Yorke spinning SM2600!) Good news all the way around, says I.

Free download preview of Moore's "Enhanced Humanoid" from 20 Jazz Funk Greats, which is worth keeping up with.

You can check out the preview track here too:

Enhanced Humanoid by steve moore

Also really digging both album covers! Right??

Claw Tunnel Giant Mind

2011-12-12T17:14:00.001-06:00

The recent Blut Aus Nord post reminded me of the whole "great Cover Art" tag, and then the cover art for Tunnel Mind just recently caught my eye, over at Altered Zones. Serendipity!

Several Giant Claw albums available (name-yer-price) over at Bandcamp. I'd never even heard of them...

"Little Science" by Giant Claw, from Tunnel Mind (2011)

This song available as download at the Altered Zones link above, if you like it.

"Paper Moon no. 2" with music by Giant Claw

One of a few "Paper Moon" Giant Claw/Stan Brakhage combinations on YouTube. (Some are definitely ***NSFW***.)

Read more about Brakhage, "Unquestionably the most important living [in 2002] avant-garde filmmaker."

Ghost Box Study Series 01-04 (#9, 2010)

2011-12-11T08:56:00.005-06:00

This series of extra-hefty vinyl 7"s with really classy artwork reaches a new peak for Ghost Box. For most of its existence, the label was strictly CD's and downloads but just recently took the step into vinyl. In addition to some re-issues, these four singles mash-up two separate acts (British, electronic, hauntological) to either split sides or collaborate.

Ghost Box has delivered 3 more Study Series in 2011 - and they will end up as something for our astral year-end!

"The Young People" by Moon Wiring Club and Belbury Poly, from Study Series 01: Youth and Recreation (2010)

For #01 (my video of: both songs), Moon Wiring Club brings more of a big beat sound to Belbury Poly's synth miniatures.

Side A, "The Young People" by Moon Wiring Club and Belbury Poly: is the jam. The polyrhythms! The masterful command of shifting moods! The depth of the sound design! Hell, it's got riffs.

Side B, "Portals and Parallels": is too funky in its own right. These two fit together real nicely, and I could stand for more from the collaboration.

"Seasons Change" by The Advisory Circle with Hong Kong in the '60s, from Study Series 02: Cycles and Seasons (2010)

On #02 (both songs), The Advisory Circle plays a little background acoustic guitar on Side A, then collaborates with hazy popsters Hong Kong in the '60s.

Side A, "New Dimensions In" by The Advisory Circle: for some reason reminds me a lot of The Wicker Man film - the original one, from 1973. Something about the acoustic guitar (wood), the floutish sounds (pagan), the Britishness, and the pastoral menace... not sure what.

Side B, "Seasons Change" (with Hong Kong in the '60s): makes me think of one of those post-Dave Rick Bongwater '60s-girl pastische tunes, where Ann would do her own background vocals and everything.

"Swingalong" by Belbury Poly and Mordant Music, from Study Series 03: Welcome to Godalming (2010)

Belbury's back in #03 (both songs), this time working with Mordant Music – the wine is chilled, and so is the mood. Mordant takes Side B solo, and smudges up found-sound voices and dreamy sequencers.

Side A, "Swingalong" by Belbury Poly and Mordant Music: is a super-Space Age bachelor-about-Carnaby themesong, with maximum chimes and SFX ejaculations. (... or underwater diving soundtrack?)

Side B, "Inn Ohm the Lake" by Mordant Music: recalls a different side of Bongwater (by way of Shockabilly), with multiple extended-tape samples of people talking over a bed of musical interlude. Only more strictly synthesized...

"The Song Before" by Broadcast and The Focus Group, from Study Series 04: Familiar Shapes and Noises (2010)

By #04 (all three songs), Broadcast and The Focus Group are bringing back more of their mixed-up rituals, a great supplement to Investigate Witch Cults of The Radio Age (#6, Drone/Ambient 2009)!

The final installment is the one of these first 4 that seems most like a whole record (rather than just 2 songs on a single). This entire set reminds me of the Witch Cults album. And also definitely the fact that Trish Keenan of Broadcast succumbed to pneumonia at the beginning of this year. Although I really loved the collaboration LP, I wasn't a lifelong fan - so I didn't post anything at the time. But it's still really terrible.

[This is now old news and possibly out-of-date...] Belbury Poly recently put out the downloadable Radio Belbury: Programme No. 1. Moon Wiring Circle released a free EP and 3+ mixes summarized here. The Advisory Circle made the #6 Free Podcasts of 2010.

Genre - Electronic Hauntology
Official - ghostbox.co.uk/
Myspace - myspace.com/ghostboxrecords
Location - England, UK

Review - Other Music
Download - Ghost Box, Amazon, iTunes
Purchase - Ghost Box

The Lunacy Which I Will Purchase

2011-12-10T18:30:00.001-06:00

It's like some kind of Pavlovian response. Whenever I read at Boomkat, stuff like "lavish quad-gatefold book style cover," "Each part pressed up on different coloured vinyl," "limited to 1000 copies only," "the majority of the tracks... will not be available anywhere else," and "Brand new material from Demdike Stare" (#8, 2010),
I just cannot resist.

And O by the way, this release consists of Parts 1 & 2 of Elemental, a new 4-part series of LP's: Chrysanthe and Violetta. The quadruple-gatefold is designed to also house Parts 3 & 4, out next year: Rose and Iris. So what if it's over $50?!

Look for some streaming audio in this space sometime in the future.

Wow.

Don't bother buying me one for Christmas, though - it's already ordered! (But you can get one for yourself from here, while supplies last...)

Houston Press Top Ten Local Albums of 2011

2011-12-10T14:33:00.000-06:00

The Houston Press recently published a Top 10 Local Albums of 2011. (Houston, obviously.) Links to web exploration, and quotes from the article...

Other than a little recent sampling, I haven't really listened to any of these records this year. Seems I might be out of touch locally.

10. The Tontons: Golden (via Bandcamp)

"Golden," the title track from the Tontons' latest EP, wowed almost everyone in Houston ... with its pulsating hookiness and lead singer Asli Omar's fist-shaking, Debbie Harry-biting sensuality.

Golden by The Tontons

9. Cop Warmth: Die Slow (via Bandcamp)

Continuing in the proud tradition of Houston noise legends like Don Walsh and his Rusted Shut, Cop Warmth's newest ain't pretty, but it doesn't mean she isn't worth a good, lusty, long look.

DIE SLOW by COP WARMTH

8. Titan Blood: Titan Soul (a couple via Bandcamp)

"Weird Territory" and "I'm a Goon" sounded like the long-lost debut salvo from a speed-addled Detroit garage-rock band in the late '60s, just as the aural tides were changing.

Too Much Talk by Titan Blood

7. Sideshow Tramps: Revelator

The musical palette on the Sideshow Tramps' full-length Revelator ranged from Django Reinhardt gypsy to grease-stained and scuffed rock and roll, all while keeping two feet entrenched in a sound that can only come from the Bayou City.

"Tramps and Freaks" [in a backseat] from Revelator (2011)

Nothing streaming online. Check out the band's website or their MySpace.

6. Something Fierce: Don't Be So Cruel (via Bandcamp)

The tracks are equal parts slow and methodical — an adventuresome task for Fierce — while other entries echo what made you a Fierce fan in the first place five years ago.

DON'T BE SO CRUEL by Something Fierce

5. Poor Pilate: Poor Pilate (via Bandcamp)

What sucked us in about Poor Pilate on record was the loudness it possessed, perfectly cacophonous without being grating... [M]eet your backyard Leon Russell-lovin' heroes.

Poor Pilate by Poor Pilate

4. Ryan Scroggins & The Trenchtown Texans: Folk Devils and Move to the Country

One was geared towards Lee Perry freak-dub and an antique shop full of noise (Folk Devils) à la The Clash's Sandinista!, while Move to the Country was a more straightforward set from the Trenchtown Texans.

No streaming for either album, but some demo's up at MySpace.

3. Roky Moon & BOLT! American Honey (via Bandcamp)

Honey found the band coming ever closer to perfecting their now-signature, party-ready sound. There's Meat Loaf in "Hot Saturday Night," David Bowie in "Monster" and Andrew Lloyd Webber in "The Lioness."

American Honey by Roky Moon and BOLT!

2. Balaclavas: Snake People (a couple via Bandcamp)

On Snake People, the band front-loaded everything we loved about Holiday: bombed-out guitars, dubby electronics and a dash of trance... they are simply the most mature, fully realized band in town.

Snake People by Balaclavas

1. Robert Ellis: Photographs

The young Ellis is barely in his mid-twenties and already showing signs of being a lifer, getting compared to John Prine and George Jones.

Full album preview is still streaming at Paste Magazine.

Twice More through the Robedoor

2011-12-09T09:39:00.000-06:00

Ordered and awaiting the new LP from Robedoor (#18, 2010)!

"(In the) Cybershade/Universal Migration" by Robedoor, from Too Down to Die (2011)

As always, it's some kinda long-form, slow-burn drone-out. So far, so good on this one...

It's from a year ago, but you can still download a live version of "Parallel Wanderer" from WFMU. Part of a 3-song in-studio recording, so click to here: Robedoor Live at WFMU, 11/3/2010!

Then again, Robedoor's ability to touch on a hundred genres at one is probably because Robedoor members are so involved with underground noise culture. Britt Brown runs Not Not Fun records, which has released a ton of material from many perennial WFMU favorites. I'd explain more, but there really aren't words. I'd recommend blasting this live session over your best sound system while nerding out to lists of releases from Not Not Fun and Robedoor on discogs.

"Wake of the Mythmaker" by Robedoor, from Rock Bottom (2011)

And of course, I didn't even know they had another new cassette out this year as well. Robedoor in a grain silo? And there's another similar tune.

Now I gotta find a tape deck somehow!

Demdike Stare (#8, 2010)

2011-12-08T05:45:00.000-06:00

In some significant ways, 2010 was "The Year of Demdike Stare" for me. Very early on, I was hooked by a Hot Offer on a limited-edition CD called Osmosis (like £6 at Boomkat!). It turned out even better than the typically-glowing Boomkat description, and through the year, they just kept coming. Terrific free online mixes (#3), another excellent full-CD mix release (Industrial Desert), a year-long trilogy of vinyl records... and the pièce de résistance at the end - the best of the full-length 1-tracks: a collaboration with Anworth Kirk, Samhain Slant Azimuth!

After much searching, I found it on the internet - listen whilst you can. Samhain Slant Azimuth is the most horror movie soundtrack-styled one, with creepy terror moods... a "seasonal sound-collage mix," as Boomkat called it. That season is Hallowe'en! Or maybe Devil's Night. Here's some streaming/download video/audio of Anworth & Demdike live-DJ podcastin'.

"Caged in Stammheim" by Demdike Stare, from Liberation through Hearing (2010)

Each release and mix has its own character, although they're all made from a mix of similar elements - ambient electronics, Eastern musics, noir jazz, minimal rhythm music techniques, some drone-some noise-some psych, a haunting mood and a soundtrack approach, obscure source audio blended seamlessly with original material.

Osmosis is the most electronic dark ambient hauntology of the three, although with some soundtrack funkiness. Industrial Desert is the most (Middle) Eastern of the mixes, with some exotica-tinged jazziness.

"Hashshashin Chant" by Demdike Stare, from Voices of Dust (2010)

Honestly it shouldn't work so well, cooking up a stew of idiosyncratic interests and releasing most of it as hour-long tracks. Which is exactly why the success of the experiment - let alone the consistency - blows me away. The only exception being the confusing first chapter of the vinyl trilogy, Forest of Evil [full album on SoundCloud]. It's a 2-track EP, whereas the other two are multiple-tune LP's. It's significantly thinner-sounding and more rhythm-focused than the rest. I just haven't been able to figure out how it fits into the puzzle with the other two, but something weird's going on.

"Dawn" [NSFW!!] by Demdike Stare, from Forest of Evil (2010)

Something weird is definitely going on... Anyway, this series just kept getting better, with (like the mix CD's) the last one being the best. But you might want to just wait for the 3xCD Tryptych release in January 2011 - with bonus mats!! (Bonus tracks are real good.)

"Bardo Thodol" by Demdike Stare, from Liberation through Hearing (2010)

So part two really gets things going, Liberation through Hearing [full album on SoundCloud] brings in more tunes with more punch. Although still with the same vibe of dark forboding. A lot of the music could just be intro's, interludes, and codas for actual "songs," so the records ebb and flow and drift around. Trip out to stoormi kläuds and "Matilda's Dream," the closing epic of the second chapter.

"Rain and Shame" by Demdike Stare, from Voices of Dust (2010)

It's a tough call, but I'm giving the slight nod to Voices of Dust [full album on SoundCloud] over Liberation. The final chapter continues doing everything right, with just a few more tracks that I find myself going back to. Like the completely epic "Repository of Light" or this non-embeddable video for "A Tale of Sand."

The 3xCD set Tryptych was released on January 20th. While I'm glad I had the 3 LP's last year, I'm also very happy that I bought the collection. Six substantial new tracks are added to everything else, and it's a super-nice and handy package. You can even buy it domestically from Forced Exposure (or even Amazon USA, if you must) - which I strongly suggest for anyone interested in the dark arts of electronical music!

Genre - Dark Ambient
Official/Myspace - myspace.com/pookawig
Location - Lancashire, UK

Review - Resident Advisor
SoundCloud (stream) - on Modern Love
Download - Boomkat
Purchase - Forced Exposure (US), Boomkat (UK)

Shea Stadium, the radium...

2011-12-07T16:14:00.000-06:00

I put some of this stuff on a recent Facebook catch-up post: Barn Owl and Woodsman - so definitely check those out first. (Actually, I noticed they've just Saturday put up 4 parts of Woodsman from 11/19/2011!!)

But still no Fresh Millions (#38, 2010) show from 10/19...
[check again?]

But now we're going to talk about Live at Shea Stadium in general. Seems like it's a live club/recording studio (in Brooklyn, not Queens) - so they tape bands that play there. Not all of them make it to the internet, but lots do.

Steve Moore - Live @ Shea Stadium by LiveatSheaStadium

The page for Steve Moore (of Zombi) goes to the wrong Soundcloud set. So, listen to it out here. This kind of thing happens quite a bit, so if you can't immediately find something you want, just try a little harder!

From the Archives... (I think I'll just go alphabetically, and put some genre tag descriptions.) O yeah, and even though Altered Zones is defunct, I recognize a lot of these from there - so 1 extra link (each).

Amen Dunes: L@SS, x2 dates - reverberation songcraft:

More about Amen Dunes at Altered Zones.

======================================

Bass Drum of Death: L@SS, 4/23/2011 (full set) - nugget-y garage mess:

More on Bass Drum of Death at Altered Zones.

======================================

Burning Star Core: L@SS, 7/22/2011 - ambient fiddle loops:

More Burning Star Core at Altered Zones.

======================================

Co La: L@SS, 8/2/2011 (full set) - New-Anything Bass Music:

Mo' Co La at Altered Zones.

======================================

Ducktails: L@SS, x2 dates - guitar pop:

More on Ducktails at Altered Zones.

======================================

James Ferraro: L@SS, x2 dates (downloadable) - lo.fi NÜ-waves:

More about James Ferraro at Altered Zones.

======================================

Fresh & Onlys: L@SS, 11/3/2010 - the new, new jangle tunes:

More Fresh & more Onlys at Altered Zones.

======================================

Ga'an: L@SS, 5/20/2011 (1 song) - neo-Zeuhl:

More Ga'an at Altered Zones.

======================================

Hubble: L@SS, x2 dates - ambient guitar drone:

More about NASA vid project & about Hubble at Altered Zones.

======================================

Lichens: L@SS, 9/15/2010 (1 song) - electronics drone:

More at Altered Zones.

======================================

Liturgy: L@SS, 7/4/2011 - "Trancendental Black Metal":

More on Liturgy at Altered Zones.

======================================

MV+EE: L@SS, 7/24/2010 (full set) - acoustics drone:

More coverage of Matt Valentine & Erika Elder at Altered Zones.

======================================

Noveller: L@SS, 7/11/2011 (full set) - organics drone:
(5 new parts from 11/12 show added just Saturday!

More Noveller at Altered Zones.

======================================

Real Estate: L@SS, 8/14/2010 (1 song) - more guitar pop:

More on Real Estate at Altered Zones.

======================================

Suuns: L@SS, 1/26/2010 (1 full set) - Québécois post-punk:

More from Suuns at Altered Zones.

======================================

Woven Bones: L@SS, 10/21/2010 - Rock-n-Stooge:

More about Woven Bones at Altered Zones.

======================================

Young Prisms: L@SS, 10/21/2011 (full set) - shoegaze:

More Young Prisms stuff at Altered Zones.

======================================

Zs: L@SS, 10/1/2011
Zs (Black Crown Ceremony) L@SS, 6/15/11 - noise-jazz:

Zs reviews NOT at Altered Zones.

Shawn Lee Funk-in the World

2011-12-06T18:55:00.000-06:00

Next alphabetically - after World of Echo - would be World of Funk (2011), from former year-end winner Shawn Lee (#1, 2009) and his Ping Pong Orchestra. Given his productivity, Lee might have put out 2 or 3 records since I started this post.

World of Funk YouTube promo video

Wow, this album commercial on YouTube thing is blowin' up!

Shawn Lee always seems to work with an army of collaborators, so I'm just going to drop some biographical science for these tunes...

"Ethio" [feat. Michael Leonhart]

Michael Leonhart info from Wikipedia:

a noted trumpet player, producer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and singer-songwriter. He has performed with such diverse artists as Steely Dan, Yoko Ono, Bobby McFerrin, and Mos Def.

"Cairo Cairo" [feat. Natacha Atlas]

Natacha Atlas info from Wikipedia:

a Belgian singer known for her fusion of Arabic and Western electronic music, particularly hip-hop. She once termed her music "cha'abi moderne" (modern popular music). Her music has been influenced by many styles including Arabic, hip hop, drum 'n' bass and reggae.

"Iceberg" [feat. Elliot Bergman]

According to Wikipedia, Elliot Bergman:

[plays] saxophone, percussion, electric mbira, and electric sawblade gamelan [for] NOMO, a big melting pot of ideas and influences.

"Accelerate" by Shawn Lee, from World of Funk (2011)

The occasional non-collaborative track that dots every Shawn Lee album. Kinda reminds me of the Fascinating Fingers (2009) style - with Clutchy.

"Ghost in the Rain" [feat. Clutchy Hopkins & Chhom Nimol]

Clutchy Hopkins info from Wikipedia:

purportedly a multi-instrumentalist musician based out of California. His existence has not yet been fully verified, though he is widely believed to be a pseudonym for one of several popular DJs. The true identity of the person (or people) behind the music is not publicly known.

According to Wikipedia, Chhom Nimol is:

lead singer [for] Dengue Fever, a six-member band from Los Angeles who combine Cambodian pop music and lyrics with psychedelic rock.

Voice of the Seven Thunders (#7, 2010)

2011-12-05T11:00:00.000-06:00

I'm not entirely sure why I ordered this. I know very little about the previous incarnation as Voice of the Seven Woods, although I had an impression of it as Six Organs-type drone-folk (which might even be accurate). I want to say I was ordering Set Phazer to Stun (#15) to get the Rough Trade bonus disc, and just added this one on a whim. But it's awesome!

"The Burning Mountain" from Voice of the Seven Thunders (2010)

Dat bass!!

"Disappearances" from Voice of the Seven Thunders (2010)

Veering between hard-charging lead guitar rock-out and quiet finger-picked acoustic folk interludes, with very slight vocals, each song just keeps topping the one before - or at least throwing a loop or two. The drone roots lie deeply beneath everything, mainly in its instrumental raga-rock nature...

But to me this doesn't seem like outsider music for the most part. Just rock jams from a guitar band - somewhere between the epic heavy-psychedelia of Earthless (#3, 2008) and the feel-good hippie grooves of The Yellow Moon Band (#8, 2009).

"Out of the Smoke" from Voice of the Seven Thunders (2010)

At least someone did something, thank you! This record feels like a journey through many twists and turns, ups and downs. Heavy guitar work-outs will settle into some quiet moments, folky balladeering will ramp up into blistering rockitude. But always with something beckoning you onward, towards the next step.

"Dalälven" from Voice of the Seven Thunders (2010)

Since no-one else was going to do it, I had to learn some all-new free video software - so maybe not my best work. "Dalälven" is pretty much sui generis on the album, being more of an avant dronescape.

"Set Fire to the Forest" from Voice of the Seven Thunders (2010)

Outrageously rockin'... The whole way.

Genre - Jamming Guitar Rock
Official - tchantinler.com/
Myspace - myspace.com/voiceofthesevenwoods
Location - Bolton, UK

Review - Drowned In Sound
Download - Amazon, iTunes
Purchase - Amazon (US), Tchantinler (UK)

Arthur Russell's woe

2011-12-05T07:00:00.000-06:00

Earlier this year, I got the Record Store Day vinyl re-issue of Arthur Russell's World of Echo (1986). A "classic" that I knew very little about - ltd. ed. of 300 though, so I took a chance.

Given his influence on electronic and club music, I expected it to be more synthesized and beat-y. But in reality, it's more experimental and cello-based. I won't go over his whole biography, but he worked with Allen Ginsberg and other freaks in the early '70s, hit the disco clubs in the late '70s, and kept evolving through the '80s and on.

"Soon-to-be Innocent Fun / Let's See" [live] by Arthur Russell, from World of Echo (1986)

Pretty cool 1985 archival footage of Russell playing & singing this song.

"Lucky Cloud" by Arthur Russell, from World of Echo (1986)

This album is really more a collection of solo works and versions. One of his projects in the '80s was to work on a singing style that would obscure the actual lyrics. Also tripped-out gated textures for his cello, apparently.

"Place I Know / Kid Like You" by Arthur Russell, from World of Echo (1986)

Several of the tracks on the album are mashed up like that. I don't know why. Despite mostly using the same components, there's a surprising diversity across the 2xLP. But it's also pretty consistent quality for a patched-together collection of experimental workouts.

"All-Boy All-Girl" by Arthur Russell, from World of Echo (1986)

You get the idea... There are also a couple of other true compilations, since Russell didn't put out many real albums. But this is more than enough for me at this point.

I think I've counted 4 or 5 different cover versions for this album. I believe the one here at the bottom is the original / official cover. The one at the top is definitely the Record Store Day one. And there are a few more, fairly similar.

"Let's Go Swimming" by Arthur Russell, from World of Echo (1986)

The cover reminded me of something else. Some of these songs are different versions of more famous versions. Where it was an Arthur Russell song, and either it's a separate interpretation of a hit or an early demo of something re-done differently. Here's the more popular club mix of "Let's Go Swimming."

"Let's Go Swimming (Coastal Dub)" remixed by Walter Gibbons, from Logarhythm 12" (1986)

Young Persons

2011-12-04T16:09:00.001-06:00

[I was...] Very much enjoying the 2xCD early-solo retrospective, A Young Person's Guide to Mark McGuire (2011), of Emeralds (#2, 2010).

In addition to being Emeralds' guitarist, the guy puts out a ton of product - so there's plenty to collect here...

"Radio Flyer" from A Young Person's Guide to Mark McGuire (2011)

These first two examples are from Pocket Full of Rain (2009), a CDr or 2xCassette release. I believe YouTube user and video maker lifephaser is himself McGuire. If so, that film/music set-up was made by the artist - footage from the movie of the same name.

"The Marfa Lights" from A Young Person's Guide... (2011)

Named after the mysterious West Texas phenomenon, which is nice coming from a Cleveland boy!

"Explosion Alarm" from A Young Person's Guide... (2011)

Anything repetitive/looped, natural/organic, and/or skewed will make a perfect visual accompaniment.

There were a couple of more videos from that collection, but since then, McGuire's released another album of all new material... (What did I say about his output?) So let's switch streams to that.

"Get Lost" by Mark McGuire, from Get Lost (2011)

Official video filmed and edited by lifephaser (who now does appear to be McGuire himself).

"Alma" by Mark McGuire, from Get Lost (2011)

With vocals!!

Not only that, but another Emeralds member - synthesizer Steve Hauschildt - has released his own album, even more recently. As usual, Altered Zones is a good source of info. [And between writing that recently and posting today, Altered Zones has closed up shop.]

"Batteries May Drain" by Steve Hauschildt, from Tragedy & Geometry (2011)

These two are the teaser tracks, but there's a bunch of tunes from this album on YouTube, which can be a barometer of some kind - popularity, strong reactions, whatever.

"Already Replaced" by Steve Hauschildt, from Tragedy & Geometry (2011)

Mellowerer...

Which way to Gnod?

2011-12-03T17:41:00.000-06:00

At this point, with year-end approaching, I'm still trying to finish up and post my backlog of drafts - or scrap them and move on. (Minus the ongoing series stuff like countdown lists...)

"Tron" by Gnod, from Chaudelande, Volume 1 (2011)

So. Gnod (#5, 2010) has got a new record out. Hadn't heard it yet, but the whole thing's up on YouTube. So at least I can listen to it in the meantime... as can you! "Tron" has been featured in a few of the live recordings posted at Gnod's Soundcloud, which are announced on their Tumblr. Your new favorite(s)!

"Visions of Load" by Gnod, from Chaudelande, Volume 1 (2011)

Side A, Track 2 - because it's on vinyl.

"The Vertical Dead" by Gnod, from Chaudelande, Volume 1 (2011)

The entirely of the 2nd and final side! Epic.

For some reason, the original draft of this post ended up with Robedoor's "Solid State" and Linus Pauling Quartet's "Improvise Now" - odd... Both from the same YouTube user.

I took a couple of days and figured it out. Gnod's side of their split-LP with A Middle Sex (2011) is named like a mash-up of various Faust titles ("Why Don't You Laugh Like Other Children?" [search]), but it actually sounds like an epic old-school Robedoor jam. And that Robedoor jam is one side of a split-7" with Gnod ("A Very Special Request", 2010 [search]).

GNOD live, Hunters Moon Festival, Carrick-On-Shannon, Leitrim, October 2011

And there's the Gnod playing live!

Veni Vici Video(games)

2011-12-03T06:24:00.003-06:00

Been playing a lot of Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim recently, and it's got a soundtrack... by series veteran, Jeremy Soule. Makes me think of videogame music from my past - 21st century style!

Here's a taste:

"Skyrim Main Theme" by Jeremy Soule, from TES V: Skyrim (2011)

America. Art: butterfly collecting.

Nothing like Viking chants to get you going! To, uh... pick flowers, catch butterflies, mine some iron, cook some soup, and maybe fight some dragons and such.

"Propaganda" by Christophe Heral, from Beyond Good & Evil (2003)

France. Art: nature photography.

You play a photojournalist in a world secretly being overtaken by nefarious forces. Your uncle is a talking pig. This music plays in the seedy Akuda Bar.

"The Street Band" by Tomas Dvorak, from Machinarium (2009)

Czech. Art: puzzlery.

You play a robot on an adventure in a robot city, built out of puzzles. There's a street band jamming out in one location. They are involved in a puzzle. This is actually a more typical song from the soundtrack. [previous post]

"Bee'Jam Blues" by Mojo King Bee, from Gitaroo Man (2002)

Japan. Art: insanity.

A very weird game. You play a lovestruck young man who is secretly from a race with alien guitar-weaponry. Musical villains try to prevent you from realizing your destiny. One of them is a black trumpeter in a glam bee suit. Or maybe he's a trumpeting bee in a black glam costume...

"Reggae Aircheck" by K.K. Slider, from Animal Crossing (2002)

Japan. Art: interior design.

Super-relaxing. You play a person who moves to a pastoral small town, home to various animals who come and go. This music was playing on one of my favorite villager's jambox. It was T-Bone (a bull), and his house was filled with nothing but plants and an aquarium, and he was lazy, always hungry, with short-term memory problems... and he was always listening to reggae. He eventually moved out of town, and I was sad to see him go. K.K. Slider is a traveling musician (a dog) who sells you tapes, here's the original live version.

"Call of Magic / Nerevar Rising" by Jeremy Soule, from Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (2002)

And back to U.S.A. Art: fiction.

Uhhh, wow. You play the reincarnation of an ancient warrior-hero, who was secretly double-crossed by his allies, in an effort to stave off a greater evil, which has now returned. The betrayal of your pre-existence also lead to your 3 traitorous buddies being made into living gods who are now worshipped by the modern Temple of Vvardenfell. There are other godlike demon-spirit personalities roaming, the 'dwarves' have disappeared under unknown mystical circumstances, there's friction between the indiginous peoples and the Imperial occupation, and then there's your typical 'side quest' high-jinks and tomfoolery. O yeah, and lotsa books to read. It's a trip.