10" 78 RPM Vinyl. Two newly recorded, previously unreleased songs from folk legend Michael Hurley.
It is a 10", and it does look like an old-timey 78rpm record. But I suspect the A-side has been released before. At the moment, my turntable's got some left-channel issues of the technical variety.
"Peace Sword" by The Flaming Lips, from Peace Sword EP (2013)
I just got the much cheaper non-RSD exclusive CD, rather than the fantastically over-priced vinyl EP. Also postponed due to price-gouging was the vinyl edition of the recently-unearthed Grateful Dead 1970 acoustic/Pigpen set.
"Linus and Lucy" by the Vince Guaraldi Trio, from A Charlie Brown Christmas OST (1965)
Haha, that's from the Vince Guaraldi VEVO. HA!! Listen to this NPR story about the fight over using the jazz soundtrack... on television! (I think I was looking for a different story, but that should do.)
A faithful recreation of the 1964 Fantasy Records single also includes a new picture sleeve featuring many of the Peanuts characters. Gold vinyl, small hole 7" that includes music from the famed "A Charlie Brown Christmas" soundtrack.
And you can still get Woods' cover of "Christmas Time Is Here" for your upcoming indie-rock holiday party.
If you like a certain type of garage-drone-psych rock that I will sometimes post about, get yerself ready...
This one's from Mexico!
"Sky is Hell Black" from Sky Is Hell Black (2013)
That's the title track from the new LP from Guadalajara's Has A Shadow. Order it on ltd-ed clear vinyl "with Hell Black Haze." And/or follow them on Facebook.
What else we got here?
"Drive" from Sky Is Hell Black (2013)
I was expecting clips from the film Drive, but I've never seen that one.
"May Never" from Sky Is Hell Black (2013)
Same YT user, different movie. Plus here's a live version of that same tune.
I'd actually say 2012 was kind of a mess for Gnod overall. But it was an interesting year, though maybe the last that I'm fully into... But no tellin' for sure!
"Genocider" from Chaudelande, Vol. 2 (2012)
If you've been following Gnod closely, you've probably heard this old-school tune quite a few times. Maybe even have a few live recordings of it. Volume II eases in spare & slow with "Man on the Wire," switches up to a Buttholesque double-drum tribal segment, then cools out smooth for the drone-disco final third. And the party ends with another live staple "Entrance" (last 10 minutes of silence optional). Most of it's comprised of jammed-out berserkr drones and anguished howls. Typical.
Check out the combined V.1/V.2 CD-edition over at Bandcamp. Also includes a different-version bonus track of...
"5th Sun" from 7" single (2012)
Then there was the ltd-ed ["very"], now-OOP surprise single from Ireland's Trensmat Records. A label worth closely watching... Plus I think I like the trippy b-side version even better!
Innerspace Broadcasts, Vol. 3 by Black Gnod [Gnod + Black Bombain] (2012)
Further, there was a super-ltd-ed [of 160], now-OOP surprise livejam collaboration with Portugal's Black Bombain on Leeds' Cardinal Fuzz. That's the whole CD right there!
Wow. I'm a little surprised to find it, but there's Rocket Recordings' own ltd-ed [of 1,000], now-OOP split-EP with $hit + $hine. Just don't find myself listening to this one all that often.
"Visions of Load" from Chaudelande, Vol. 1 (2011)
O yeah, and there's a 2013 official video for "Visions of Load" off Chaudelande, Vol. 1 (part of #3, 2011). That tune appears on the only live Gnod tape currently downloadable from their SoundCloud.
Long way to go & a short time to get there. Both of the two guys from Zombi (#5, 2011) were super-busy last year, and there's a ton of fun out there. Let's start with their side-splitting LP project, Brainstorm. I guess the single was Steve Moore's "Enhanced Humanoid," but here's a cool fan-vid to scope...
"Dawn of Primordial Life" by Steve Moore, from Brainstorm (2012)
Majeure's album side is the 20-minute "Atlantis Purge." Haha, epic.
"Tyken's Rift" by Steve Moore, from Light Echoes (2012)
Course that's not sufficient for either of these dudes - solo releases! Moore had this one, with the massive Part II of the title track, not surprisingly a ST:NG reference.
[Edit, 11/21: Wow, I botched that pretty good - bad "Light Echoes II" link, unclear that "Tyken's Rift" was the Star Trek reference... Fixed.]
"Extreme Northern Lights" by Majeure, from Solar Maximum (2012)
But don't forget about A.E. Paterra... he's gotta have his own (OOP) record too. And with its own catchy title track as well.
Zombi will be hitting the road again for December, opening for the fantastic Goblin reunion. Do try to catch them if you can!
Not only that, but these guys (bandmates in Zombi) have also started up a limited-edition cassette-tape label - VCO Recordings. You want some weird? Try the sold-out Rusting Cyphers of a Forgotten Sky from Jonas Reinhardt & Abyss of Fathomless Light.
On the lighter side, Abul Mogard's 2012 s/t debut tape (ed./100) is still available!
"Post-Crisis Remembrance" by Abul Mogard, from Drifted Heaven (2013)
And they're taking pre-orders for the follow-up right now... with a super-new official video preview. Each cassette order comes with full & free digital download.
I've done RSD round-ups last year and in 2010. Might as well do some catching up on recent events before rollin' on...
First up: an old-school reproduction of the Pink Floyd "See Emily Play" single...
"See Emily Play" by Pink Floyd, from 1967 single
With "The Scarecrow" as the b-side. I used to love my Relics (1971) cassette when I was a young man. Who doesn't like the Syd Floyd? Probably plenty of people, I suppose... GEAR!
"Kings of Speed" by Hawkwind, from 1975 single
Another reproduction - the a-side with lyrics by Michael Moorcock. The b-side is "Motorhead," from Lemmy before he left Hawkwind to form his new band, named after this tune.
"Amusement" by Hüsker Dü, from 1981 single
This one's kind of a repro-plus... "Amusement" / "Statues" was the first thing out by Hüsker Dü, but this is a 2x7" with bonus early outtakes, like the punky "Writer's Cramp" and classic "Let's Go Die." The post-hardcore power-pop Hüsker was one of my top faves in high school, but the pre-hardcore post-punk Hüsker was also quite intriguing (though very short-lived). Ahhh, just check out the whole thing together.
Yeah, we're still only on the 7"s - uhhh, also got the Cheech & Chong "Earache My Eye" single!
"No Fun" by The Black Keys, from Side-by-Side single
Continuing RSD series from Warner Bros. of an original classic & someone new covering the same song. This one is originally a Stooges tune, obviously from their debut (#4, 1969).
There was also a Mystery 7", which was Side-by-Side-by-Side. The Grateful Dead doing possibly this version of "Aiko Aiko" (as the kids used to spell it). On the b-side, Dr. John breaks it down with his own style of "Iko Iko" - which was way-back-when a Dixie Cups song (also on the 7").
"Drive-In Saturday" by David Bowie, from Aladdin Sane (1973)
Yep, got some Bowie. A "Drive-In Saturday" picture-disc 7", and also something from the new record: "The Stars (Are Out Tonight)" b/w "Where Are We Now?" (double official videos!).
"Promised Land" by Grateful Dead, from Rare Cuts & Oddities 1966 (2013)
In addition to the Mystery 7", the Dead dropped a 2xLP of primordial jams from the golden year of '66. By the way, that's a Chuck Berry cover - and apparently the only known recording of Garcia singing it. (Bobby Weir sang it through almost the entire history of the band.)
Death Waltz Records had a few nice things out. Got the Steve Moore "Horror Business" 12" EP-single-whatever. Check out this link for the entire soundtrack. They had another 12" from Antoni Maiovvi like this. And some TV themesong 7"s, of which I only saw one: with "Star Trek" / "Lost In Space."
"One More Night" by Stephen Malmus, from Ege Bamyasi cover
How could I forget? SM with a full-album cover of Can's Ege Bamyasi (#4, 1972)! Here's live video of "Pinch/Soup" as well. Okay, and also audio-only "Vitamin C."
"Run To Your Mama" by Goat, remixed by Tom Furse & Teeth Of The Sea, from Run To Your Mama Remixes: Volume 1, Side B (2013)
Got Volume 1 (side A) at old reliable Sound Exchange on RSD. And finally got Volume 2 at the Goat merch table at Austin Psych Fest!
"Jacknuggeted" by Caribou, from Up in Flames (2003)
And finally, Sound Exchange also had a late addition: ltd-ed (600), color-vinyl pressings of the first three Caribou albums - of which I got the last two: Up in Flames (#1, 2003, "red-flamed") and The Milk of Human Kindness (2005, orange). So that was a nice surprise - and well worth owning on wax.
Black vinyl editions out today, and all of them include a CD as well. Guess I need to start tracking down all of those exclusive non-album b-sides sometime.
I saw the Space City Rock review of the most recent release from My Education (opener, #3 Live Show 2011) sometime last month, and I'm clearing out my backlog of blog-post-drafts!
Not sure why the player wants to start with Track #5, but you can play it & buy it over at Bandcamp too. They're instrumental post-rock from Austin, TX - also mostly pretty good.
"A Drink For All My Friends" live May 21, 2011
I'm not sure exactly what the Violinist Sessions are, except for: live music + Denton, TX. Looks worth exploring though - here's the page for the My Education sesh (w/ free D/L too).
Ok, here's the band's official website. And I think I might jump on one of the remaining 50 copies of the vinyl Sound Mass LP (2011).
Rifts (2009) was already a collection of sci-fi electronic material from earlier Oneohtrix Point Never records, so this will be / was an expanded vinyl re-release of a 2xCD set that was a pared-down edition of 3 LP's. Seems sold out everywhere by now... (And as mentioned, I've already covered it extensively once before.)
Check out & download an exclusive track from the box-set, but not from any of the pre-Rifts LP's, but rather a split-cassette. I mean, I don't even know anymore...
"Blue Drive" from KGB Nights / Blue Drive (2009)
Ltd-ed of 125 tapes! I'm guessing you didn't pick that one up either. And something else... why not? Here's the other track from the OPN side of the tape - not sure if it's also on the new box-set.
"Gray-Level Objects Describing Bio Layers" from KGB Nights / Blue Drive (2009)
That is a very fitting video for that song title. Actually, it looks like "KGB Nights" appears on the new vinyl, but not the "GLODBL" one. Which means a track from KGB Man (another Daniel Lopatin group), rather than OPN? Huh.
The Linus Pauling is selling Assault on The Vault of The Ancient Bonglords 3xCD + the titular Druids & Demons module (#3 Archival, 2012) on the internet. Limited Edition of 100, expanded by popular demand from the original 55.
Head on over to ***CD Baby*** as fast as you possibly can!
Rock: Psychedelic
Moods: Featuring Guitar
Metal/Punk: Stoner Metal
Recommended if You Like
Black Sabbath
Monster Magnet
The Butthole Surfers
Here's what I said about it before:
3xCD career retrospective from "probably my favorite active hometown heroes." Some super-fan might quibble (more rarities! less debut!)... To which others might argue, "Shut up, their debut was your #9 album of 1995... Idiot!"
Oh and while I was on Soundcloud, I found this super-recent live recording from Charlie Naked, 12/22/2012 with OlympusMONS: Winter Solstice live. Downloadable as 3 parts (_1_/_2_/_3_)...
Two of my Top 10 of 2012 are already on-the-go for the New Year.
First off, a Ltd. Ed. of 300 LP+CD+MP3 from Tape Loop Orchestra (#10, 2012): In A Lonely Place. I found it here on Boomkat. Although a bit expensive, unlikely to last long... Looks real nice & real limited. Tiny Mix Tapes has a CD(?) (p)review(?) from last year, and here's one of the tracks:
Gnod (#8, 2012) has their new LP up for pre-order on Trensmat Records: GNOD Presents..Dwellings & Druss. Not sure if it's super-limited like the regular Trensmat 7"s or what. But might as well too early rather than too late.
This list was a little difficult, but necessary - a very strong year in this consolidated pseudo-category. I couldn't quite get to 10 runner-up's like in the Main 10, but some real decent stuff didn't make the cut.
Review - Too exclusive...
Download/Purchase - I think Kickstarter has ended...
I think our first Octopus Project in the lists. This will supposedly be the soundtrack to a Wiley Wiggins-related old-school sci-fi adventure game for iPad. And the music was one of the Kickstarter rewards... Well worth the donation, and the game looks like it should be cool too.
#915 Mai 2011: Live at Golden Pudel Club - Demdike Stare
Demdike Stare have been doing quite a few live shows over the last couple of years. This one seems fairly typical for that, and I'm little surprised it's still available for Purchase. Definitely more of one for the super-fan. If you're just starting your explorations, I'd begin with either Tryptych (#8, 2010) or Elemental (#4, 2012).
#8 "Dark Star" RSD 12" (Paris '72) - Grateful Dead
I dunno... I consider this a pretty cool idea, not so sure about a large swath of the guests, and a lot of the songs don't really jump out at me. But I'm glad they made it, I'm glad I got it, and sometimes I'll put it on & try to figure out what the hell is going on. I do wonder if the Lips have completely moved on from making any future normal-style records, though.
I knew very few of these bands before pre-ordering it, based purely on the Austin Psych Fest / Reverberation Appreciation Society role. Not all are my absolute favorites, but I really go for the focused-exploration comps (even if the scene is, like, "Europe"). I can definitely see myself picking out a few of the bands & digging deeper at some point.
#5Live at The Continental Club - Pong
"Interpol" from Live at The Continental Club (2012)
I do like Pong (#3, 2010 and #1, 2005)!! This is the best (official) live bootleg that I have of them, sound quality-wise. Setlist-wise, it missed by a couple of years that sweet spot where all of the albums contributed to the mix. Why, I've got a 2004 set with "Neil," "Blues Underground" and "Bubble Jungle!" Just kidding... this is awesome.
So great & so diverse that I'm doing a track-by-track series of artist overview posts. Many luminaries of the psych-folk-noise-pop axis contribute exclusive (and good) tracks for the comp, which benefits Texas ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). 94 tracks, 11½ hours, check it out!
#3Assault on The Vault of The Ancient Bonglords - The Linüs Pauling Quartet
3xCD career retrospective from "probably my favorite active hometown heroes." Some super-fan might quibble (more rarities! less debut!)... To which others might argue, "Shut up, their debut was your #9 album of 1995... Idiot!"
Let's see... Can? The #4 of 1972, #1 of 1973 and #2 of 1974 Can? O yeah, a 3xCD collection of unreleased outtakes, alternates, and demo's might rank among the best repertoire releases of the year. Probably... What an awesome band!
#1The Disintegration Loops box set - William Basinski
Trailer for TRLDisintegration Loops box set (2012)
"d|p 3" from The Disintegration Loops II (2003)
"d|p 1.3" from The Disintegration Loops IV (2003)
I'm VERY glad I went ahead and ordered this. Although expensive, I'm also surprised that this one is still up for grabs. Extra-deluxe package, with a book, DVD, unreleased live versions of some loops, first & only ever vinyl edition (with CD's). And the music really is everything you could want from this kind of thing. Really top-notch all the way around. Take the plunge!
The old previous free stuff from GNOD (#3, 2011) was taken down awhile back. But now there's new options for old-school rarities from these psyched-electro-drone-rock-party-noise-all-stars!
Per their INGNODWETRUST Tumblr: "Three of our early albums are now available to download for free from Bandcamp - Enjoy!"
And that includes the Science & Industry cassette (2010), not among the previous offerings:
I must admit, I was kind of fretting about not being able to find the most recent Collisions 03 split between Gnod and $hit & $hine. What would I do? Somehow my searches actually lead me over to iTunes... who have it up! (???) I was so excited, I just bought it straight up without checking on Amazon - which I normally prefer (for true MP3). Anyway, if you were stressed about this like me, check those links.
Those stories might contradict what I'm about to say... but I've been thinking about taking it easy in the new year, new music-wise. I feel like I might need to regroup, explore back a bit more, rather than trying to keep up, take some time to digest what I've been gathering around me. Sometimes there's just too much of everything...
As I mentioned in the history of Jonas... at first I liked them (2008), then I forgot them (2010), but they came back strong again (2011)! With one EP & one full-length album - both terrific.
Let's start with the Music for the Tactile Dome LP - the cover of which is far below, along with the assorted information links at the bottom of this post.
For some reason, internet evidence of "Eos the Dawn" (download / stream @MySpace) is disappearing... That was how I learned about the impending return of Jonas Reinhardt - and now it's reduced to appearing only on a discontinued website & MySpace. O yeah, and on Astral MP3 comp Volume 6 (***current download link***)!
That is quite a trip. Start over at the beginning & see if you can figure out how you got there. It begins with four distinct synths, but I still can't tell whether they drop out to be replaced or if it juggles 4 mutating lines throughout.
About a month later, "Smokey Jotus" (video & D/L) showed up, also at Altered Zones. This was getting interesting... So interesting I put it on the next blog comp, Vol. 5 (***new download link***). Those drums are addictive, and you kinda have to squint to parse all of the synth strains freaking out - especially with the dazzling video rolled out. Visuals done by the album cover artist!
I had missed it at the time, but somewhere in there Self-Titled Mag posted an interview, along which they had included a preview of "Neuköln" (mit D/L) - a wild David Bowie cover? And come to think of it, that one appeared on Volume 7 (***download link***), an instant classic. Also, many of those Prins Thomas collaboration tracks are available for download and streaming at the Jonas SoundCloud, although they are mostly quite different from the works under discussion here.
"The Tactile Dome" from Music for the Tactile Dome (2011)
Whoa, I did everything all out of order... Felt good. But honestly, the opening salvo on the LP itself also satisfies. Kind of a semi-titular track. Kind of ring-modulator cycle. On Side A, we also get the burble & drift of the eventually Floydian "To Lord Eminence" and the harsh & elliptical meander of "Hander Zander."
Seven months after all the previous AZ entries, they posted up that video from the new etched-out The Prime Revealer EP (with free download). Which I dutifully included on the blog comp Volume 8 (***download link***).
Yet another side of Reinhardt, that one (and the video) bring to mind the British hauntology of the Ghost Box label. Although with some familiarity, you can hear the Jonas sound asserting itself gradually with progression.
I should pay more attention to video & cover artists, which again in this case are the same person: Isabel Salvado. The EP cover is confusingly the image above the LP discussion above. At the moment, her website discusses the artwork...
Design intent: The LP album design ... While the sum of the artwork's objects relate to the pluridimensionality of Jonas Reinhardt's music, it is centered in this project... Jonas Reinhardt engage listeners by bringing forth the concepts of their albums. Hence, I attempted to make my complements agree with all parts.
The top opening of the jacket extends the volumetric distortion of the images when it's widened to pull the record. The side openings of the structure show the sahara desert' sand which is continuous from front to back, adding to the three-dimensionality of the package. Moreover, the labels of the vinyl display inner aspects of the correspondent front and back images of the jacket. Having little idea of how the vinyl etching was going to look like, the labels were made not to go against the etches. Some of the ways the objects interact with each other and with the holder are exemplified below.
Yeah, each vinyl side has a wide swath of etchings outside of the music bands. It's very cool! I didn't know the video & cover were done by the same person, nor any of those details, until I was writing this post. Good stuff... I'll try to do better next time.
Electro-kraut-pulse to the Gates of Heaven!! (and/or hell...)
Despite the ability to download both (title track via down-arrow there), you should consider grabbing this fantastic EP. Limited edition of 500 from The Great Pop Supplement. Website indicates they might still have some in stock maybe - e-mail label with inquiries & orders. Or maybe try Phonica Records in England?
Tony Paterra is another ½ Zombi (some recent news on the other dude here), and works solo as Majeure (co-#5, 2011 and co-#2, 2009). Modern analogue synth exporations a specialty - despite being the drummer!
He's got a new album out on Temporary Residence Ltd. (hopefully my LP is on its way!), but also continues to release the small-scale stuff too.
Then there's VCO Recordings, not coincidentally, the audio-cassette micro-label being run by part of or more than Zombi.
They're running out of Trancer cassettes (with immediate digital download)!
Only 5 copies of the 50 non-tour cassettes left for sale here. Grab yers quickly! (Another 100 copies were taken out opening for Maserati, whom Paterra drummed with last tour...)
The one preview track on the VCO Bandcamp is the opening tune on live recording of his opening set for this 2012 Maserati show (in Athens, GA).
I can't find any video of this current tour, so here's a German one from last year...
Yeah! That's the way to intro your synth-show. Here's part 2 and part 3 from that one.
I must admit that I was a little disappointed in Cloudland Canyon's last album, Fin Eaves (still #30, 2010), after very much enjoying previous efforts. Also, I was sadly not blown away by their 2011 Austin Psych Fest gig, but I might have somewhat deflated during the extended synthesizer set-up delays.
First up... act fast!! Out today: post-pre-order's up for the Born Blonde single-plus at Trensmat - a "VERY limited edition pink-splatter vinyl 12" in silk-screened sleeve (+ 4 downloads)." Like this:
I might have to revisit Fin Eaves again when I get a chance, but for now, I've already received my 4-song MP3 download - and I like it so much more at this point.
But wait, there's more!!
"Aureliua" from Aureliua 12" single (2012)
You can pick up yet another recent Cloudland Canyon 12" from the Great Pop Supplement label. I found it at Aquarius Records. Okay, this isn't the same Cloudland Canyon as from 2008 or in 2007. But I am definitely on board. Looks like you can download the A-side title track from the band's SoundCloud. The physical object is "pressed in an edition of 500 copies, all on 'Sea Foam Green' vinyl no less..."
But wait, there's more of more!!
Yes. There's also a 3rd 12" out this year from Monofonus Press! (Stream the A-side at link...) So it's a trilogy of back-to-Kosmische, while retaining a dash of Italo? ¡Oye! In this last installment, we're talking "a milky white 45 rpm 12", and it’s one of three of this format that will be released by the band before the year is out. It’s a nice collection of 12" singles out on The Great Pop Supplement, Trensmat, and Monofonus. All three records were mastered by Sonic Boom" of Spacemen 3 (#5, 1987)!
How about a downloadable 12-minute live jam with Woodsman (#2, 2011) on probably my favorite CC tune, from a July 2011 Daytrotter session (and/or this one)? I have literally no idea why there might be "Flaming Lips" tags on the Soundcloud there... but download it, live it, love it!
