LANSING-DREIDEN The Dividing Island (Kemado) cd 14.98
At first we weren't sure what to make of this band, with their awkward name, their super spare black and white artwork, their well crafted mystery, a seemingly complete lack of any sort of pertinent information, no photos, no real liner notes, no mention of individual band members. All very alluring most certainly. We had heard them described as "dreamy space rock... with a psychedelic metal twist" which definitely sounds good. And as some sort of heavy metal / new wave hybrid, which as good as -that- sounds, it most definitely seems like something that would work better in theory than in practice. In actuality, Lansing-Dreiden are neither of those, and end up being way more interesting than any of that would have led us to believe.
Lansing-Dreiden are not just a band either, no, they're a sort of arts collective: musicians, sculptors, artists, writers, film makers, replete with the requisite gallery showings, Artforum writeups, film premiers and rock shows. The lines between each of these disciplines are so blurry they might as well not exist. Their vibe, both visually and sonically is warm and washed out, a gauzy soft focus shapshot of pop culture past, the sound on The Dividing Island is both dizzyingly bizarre and dreamily overwhelming, a pastiche of all sorts of disparate pop elements, loads of instantly recognizable hooks, sweet harmony vocals, squiggly synths, horns, soft whispery crooning, bi arena rock drums, jangling guitars, huge sheets of fuzzy reverb, hand claps, cheesy electronic drums, It's almost like it's 1985 and we're watching MTV in some alternate universe. This is definitely some sort of (old) new wave, no trace of metal to be found (well mostly, more on that in a minute), no space rock really either, although there is plenty of spaced out trippiness. But even with bits of spaciness, and some space rock swirl here and there, that stuff is just window dressing for L-D's passion, which seems to be cracked eighties pop. Lansing-Dreiden is some sort of weird musical time machine, skipping lazily from 1982 to 1985 to 1989 and back again. Where Ariel Pink took seventies AM radio, and turned it into his own disheveled, cracked demented pop vision, Lansing-Dreiden instead take eighties FM radio and classic eighties MTV and gives them their own warm and warped, precious and polished spin. Imagine a hip NY art rock band channeling everything you loved and loathed about ABC, Style Council, Talk Talk, Spandau Ballet, the Fixx, Kajagoogoo, Thompson Twins, Culture Club, Fun Boy Three, Naked Eyes, Psychedelic Furs, The Call, Modern English, etc. There are some moments where the band dips its toes into the more rollicking contemporary NY new wave redux sound of bands like Interpol and the Strokes, and there are stretches of moody near ambient post rock, but for the most part this is a dead ringer for some lost eighties 'classic'. Mix tapes, John Cusack, Say Anything, Breakfast Club, it's like our teenage years revisited, albeit with a slightly more twisted and sinister bent.
There may seemingly be nary a trace of any metal on The Dividing Island, but best stick around for the final track, metallically titled "Dethroning The Optimyth", quite possibly the greatest (only) song ever to mix eighties MTV pop and crushing death metal! As much as we dig the rest of the record, we almost wish the whole record sounded like "Dethroning The Optimyth", although to be totally honest, the thought of a whole album of eighties pop death metal is almost too much to bear! Pounding double bass drumming, and chugging downtuned riffs collide with soft sweetly swoony pop, soaring synthesizers, airy breathless vocals, like laying on your bed, beneath your Kiss and Slayer posters, listening to your favorite metal record while your sister is in the next room BLASTING the soundtrack to the Breakfast Club through your thin walls. SO weird but SO COOL!
Comes in a gorgeously designed black and white cardboard sleeve that opens like a gatefold, the inside a series of alternating black and white triangles, and then the gatefold opens again with two more triangular panels, one black and and one white, all very austere and mysterious looking.
MPEG Stream: "Dividing Island"
MPEG Stream: "Cement To Stone"
MPEG Stream: "A Line You Can Cross"
MPEG Stream: "Dethroning The Optimyth"

STROTTER INST. Monstranz (Everest) cd 15.98
The turntable has to be the greatest instrument ever invented. At least the greatest instrument that was never actually intended to -be- an instrument, or to be -played- at all. What was a revolutionary breakthrough in the playback of popular music, eventually became the ultimate plunderphonic device, with a sonic palette only as limited as your record collection, and then not even limited by that. Broken records, shards of different records glued together, discs made out of wax, or sand paper, or stone, or plastic, or even no records at all, just the sounds of the turntable and the needle. We're not talking DJ's playing records either. Sure we dig that stuff too, but we're talking about people MAKING music out of bits and pieces, scraps and shards, creating whole new worlds of sound. Hard to say what it is exactly about the sound of a needle on vinyl that moves us so, it's warm, and fuzzy, and imperfect, maybe it's the sound of our childhoods, our early musical discoveries, but whatever it is, we love that sound, the whir and hiss, the pop and crackle, for all the striving for pristine perfect digital sound, we can't help but lean in the exact opposite direction, loving our music to be rough and murky, thick with warm warble and rain like static, a hiss that is all age and character and texture.
A small group of like minded artists have been exploring the possibilities of the turntable for years, the early experiments of Milan Knizak and his broken music, the grand and gorgeous soundscapes of Phillip Jeck, the vinyl sculptures of Christian Marclay and Martin Tetreault, the rhythmic playfulness of Pierre Bastien, Otomo Yoshihide's turntable explorations in Ground Zero, the minimal compositions of Institut Fuer Feinmotorik, utilizing the runoff grooves, and between song ambience to construct their pieces, and on and on.
For over a decade Swiss sound artist Christoph Hess had been experimenting with turntables, tape loops, skipping records, before deciding to jettison any and all music made by other musicians, and instead using just the turntable itself to create sound. Thus was born Strotter Inst. Five customized turntables, each rigged up with pieces of metal, strings and wires, elastic bands, allowed to spin at different RPMs, each turntable contributing a subtle element, creating dense tangled soundscapes of rhythm and texture. Loping and hypnotic, repetitive and mesmerizing. Low rumbling reverberations, slow stuttering twangs, these modified turntables sound remarkably like some sort of long stringed instrument with strings tightened just enough to stay on, but loose enough that they sort of buzz and rumble, pulse and throb. The framework for each track is a sort of lowend turntable riff, the wires and bands and cords are struck and plucked by the revolving turntable, creating slow slithery rhythms, within each a very subtle muted melody, everything slowly morphs and shifts as the various turntables sync up and then drift apart. Imagine the sound of five bass players, all playing simple slow melodies on primitive one string basses, and imagine them playing similar parts, but at slightly different tempos. A slow moving, motorik soundscape of thump and thrum. And around these loping rhythms are soft fuzzy clouds of crackle and hiss, the sound of the needles scraping the surface of the turntables, or skidding across pieces of metal, these contrasting sounds are dense and rich, sounding almost like super distorted vocals at one moment, thick washes of feedback the next. The sound may be simple and subtle, but it's also intense and overwhelming, like Jeck spinning Skullflower, or Marclay armed with only some Mingus bass solo dubplates, or a Tiermes / Bastien soundclash. So dark and mysterious and totally pure and primal sounding. This is SOUND as much as it is music. This is the turntable as musical instrument. This is rhythm and rhythms, this is machine music, but a machine freed from it's shackles, a new instrument, born, loosed, unleashed. Amazing.
Amazingly packaged in a die cut cardstock digipak, a large circular hole cut in the front, a smaller hole in the back, so you can see straight through. The front cover has imbedded in it an actual piece of plastic with record grooves etched into it, playable on your turntable! In fact when you listen to the cd you'll notice the first track is all silence, that's because the first track is actually on the sleeve, while the final track is only downloadable from the Strotter website, managing to subtly connect our history of recorded music, a release that is only complete as a record, a cd and an mp3.
MPEG Stream: "#2"
MPEG Stream: "#3"

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1900S, THE Plume Delivery (Parasol) cd 10.98
Wonderful breezy pop very much in the vein of Belle And Sebastian that also reveals a moodier side. Dare we say that this 6-song ep by Chicago sextet The 1900s almost makes for a better B&S follow-up to Dear Catastrophe Waitress than The Life Pursuit! Yes, we do. Much like those Scots' last few lush albums, The 1900s' Plume Delivery comes fully decked out with organs, harpsichord, violin, keyboards, horns. Of course, that alone wouldn't mean much if the bountiful instrumental palette wasn't put to good use, but it certainly is. The 1900s incorporate it all seamlessly into such lovely melodies and glorious arrangements. But the super dreaminess comes from the vocal department, Caroline Donovan and Jeanine O'Toole's voices alternately remind us of Isobel Campbell and Laetitia Sadier, while mainman Edward Anderson's voice can easily be compared to Belle And Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch. If you dig the sounds of the abovementioned bands as well as The Delgados, Call And Response, Young & Sexy and Mates Of State, you might also take a shine to The 1900s. A super delight from start to finish!
MPEG Stream: "Bring The Good Boys Home"
MPEG Stream: "Whole Of The Law"

AVARUS Vesikansi (Secret Eye) cd 14.98
Once again these wide eyed Finnish forest freaks crawl out from under their mossy stones, from inside their firelit caves, out of their huts made of pine needles and sticks and twigs, set up around a campfire, under a full moon, dressed only in fur and animal bones, and conjure up the woodland spirits with their tribal free folk juju. Okay, so maybe it's actually just a bunch of music nerds like you or me with killer record collections and a bunch of old amps and guitars, but to us, it sure sounds like the glorious din these folks whip up could only be the product of some drug fueled ancient forest ritual. Which is precisely why we love Avarus and their Finnish underground rock brethren (and sistren!). The music they make sound not of this world. And we don't mean "Oh Finland's like a whole other world!" we mean, space, or an alternate dimension or even that huge hollow area at the center of the earth. The music of Avarus is that unique and that strange, exactly what we picture one might hear, stepping off of an interstellar transport, realizing for the first time that the atmosphere is breathable, and the vegetation is strangely lush and very Earth-like, that sound, "like music?" that lures us and our team deep into the alien forest. Or in the heart of South America, at an archaeological dig, strange markings on the rocks we've been unearthing from the very lowest levels of the lost temple, finally there's some sort of portal, a huge iron door, and... wait, is that... music? But what is it? It's like nothing we've ever heard, those sound like guitars, and voices, but so... strange....
For those of you who need more musical references, imagine a little Dead C, a little No Neck Blues Band, some Sunburned Hand Of The Man, Faust, Can, The Wickerman, all sorts of tribal musics, Parson Sound, Tower Recordings, Taj Mahal Travellers, even fellow countrymen Circle, Keukhot, Uton, Tivol and of course lots of drugs and lots and lots of space. This newest Avarus is a bit heavier on the guitar than previous outings, almost like they dug up a couple ancient fuzzboxes and ran their dang whole freaked out jam through 'em. There are lots of creepy krautrock bits, some blown out near noise parts, and lots of fuzzy disembodied psych, gurgling synths, splattery percussion, thick washes of feedback, primitive electronics, and loads of grungey guitar grit, it's all woven together into a crazy perfect psychedelic patchwork.
More crazy random collage artwork, this time no Garfield, but plenty of walruses, a map and an octopus. Half the record was recorded live in Dublin with Tara Burke of Fursaxa as a special guest!Ô
MPEG Stream: "Lapsivesi"
MPEG Stream: "Loylyvesi"

BLACK HEART PROCESSION The Spell (Touch And Go) cd 14.98
Oddly enough, we were just musing aloud about the whereabouts of these ol' AQ faves, and -Poof!- like magic, The Spell appeared before us.
The last album by this San Diego band saw them taking a few detours from their trademark velvet-tapestried funereal march. The aptly titled Amor Del Tropico toyed with cocktail 'n' bossanova themes to good effect, but on The Spell they've found their way back into the shadowy folds. And we welcome them back with open arms 'cause while we certainly enjoyed Amor, it's been far too long without a full dose of the somber beauty that Pall Jenkins and Tobias Nathaniel do best. Once you've been bitten by that intoxicating old BHP (if you haven't already!) you'll know what we mean. Their bleakly despairing yet utterly beautiful second album, released in 1999 and simply titled 2, still succeeds in captivating virtually everyone within earshot. From the opening track "The Spell" offers a more straightforward rock feel with more prominent muscular electric guitars and hence a bit more momentum, but still maintains their trademark sense of utter desolation. Thumbs up on this downer!
MPEG Stream: "Tangled"
MPEG Stream: "The Letter"

BLACK HEART PROCESSION The Spell (Touch and Go) lp 16.98
Oddly enough, we were just musing aloud about the whereabouts of these ol' AQ faves, and -Poof!- like magic, The Spell appeared before us.
The last album by this San Diego band saw them taking a few detours from their trademark velvet-tapestried funereal march. The aptly titled Amor Del Tropico toyed with cocktail 'n' bossanova themes to good effect, but on The Spell they've found their way back into the shadowy folds. And we welcome them back with open arms 'cause while we certainly enjoyed Amor, it's been far too long without a full dose of the somber beauty that Pall Jenkins and Tobias Nathaniel do best. Once you've been bitten by that intoxicating old BHP (if you haven't already!) you'll know what we mean. Their bleakly despairing yet utterly beautiful second album, released in 1999 and simply titled 2, still succeeds in captivating virtually everyone within earshot. From the opening track "The Spell" offers a more straightforward rock feel with more prominent muscular electric guitars and hence a bit more momentum, but still maintains their trademark sense of utter desolation. Thumbs up on this downer!
MPEG Stream: "Tangled"
MPEG Stream: "The Letter"

COURT AND SPARK, THE Hearts (Absolutely Kosher) cd 13.98
This week marks the welcome release of a few new albums by a few old AQ faves including this fine Bay Area combo Court & Spark (others include Matmos, Black Heart Procession, Jolie Holland, Enslaved and Longmont Potion Castle!). Hearts finds the band taking even more of a '70s classic country rock direction than on their 2004 album Witch Season (which was already knee deep in that vibe and sound). That said, somehow they've struck what in our opinion is a better balance between their earlier roughhewn selves and their more recent luminously polish recordings.
There are two types of songs on Hearts, although the differences are subtle shades of grey. There are the dark brooding soulful introspective numbers, with glistening guitars, lush instrumentation, and MC Taylor's velvety croon, much more polished now than whiskey soaked, but it definitely suits their constantly maturing sound. Then there are the slightly more rocking tracks, channeling the Eagles and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, with foot stomping rhythms and wah guitar. But even when the band is kicking up a rocking fuss, this is still more of a late night early afternoon stroll, definitely on the dark introspective side, all warm breezes and rustling leaves, looking inward with eyes cast earthward, hearts on sleeves, lumps in throats. So nice.
And if you're looking for a listening companion, this fits quite nicely alongside Calexico's most recent album Garden Ruin.
MPEG Stream: "Let's Get High"
MPEG Stream: "Your Mother Was Lightning"
MPEG Stream: "We Were All Uptown Rulers"

DEAD REPTILE SHRINE A Journey Through The Darkest Of Forrests (Werewolf) cd 14.98
When it comes to black metal, our tastes most definitely runÔ toward the damaged, the demented, the fried and freaked out, the totally baffing, the weirder the better. And there's no shortage of black metal misanthropes, holed up in their caves, or their cabins, or their flats, or their grandfathers' basements, meticulously crefting, ultra personal, maddeningly idiosyncratic outsider black metal. And we are constantly digging for more. The bar has been set pretty high, Benighted Leams obviously, the reigning champions of damaged outsider black metal, then there's Furze and hisÔ'cogent black metal necrosis', let's not forget Emit, Rehtaf Ruo, Necrofrost, Hidden, Vorak, Contra Ignem Fatuum and the elusive Striborg, whose releases have been so difficult to track down we have yet to list a single one. Phew. That's a pretty heady constellation of bizarre black metal royalty, the bar has been set pretty high. So you know, that it is not without some serious soul searching that we would dare declare a record quite possibly the weirdest black metal record ever. But we have searched, and it is thus. Dead Reptile Shrine, from Finland, the record is A Journey Through Darkened Forests and it does indeed sound just like that.
We had practically given up on getting these for the store, Andee had even contacted the band about re-issuing the disc in the states, but luckily we discovered a distributor in Australia who had 30 copies and we took all of them. Hmmm. Finland to Australia to the United States, a long journey but it was well worth it we think. Everything about this band is bizarre, the name obviously, the song titles: "A Cave Full Of Corpse Lanterns", "The Snakes Of The Earth Pt. II", "Exekutioner Of The Final Solution", "Above The Ziggurat They Dance", "Clouds Of Doom Gather..." and of course "A Beastcults Procession", the artwork, an appropriately illegible band logo and album title, both peppered with eagles and stars and scorpions as well as loads of squiggles, the band photo of DRC, in a an army jacket, head hung low, hair obscuring his face, in front of what appears to be a huge mound of mud and sticks, with a waving hand emerging from a tiny hole in the mound, and the music, oh the music, so warped and lo-fi, buzzy and doomy and just plain freaky and far fucking out. Wrest from Leviathan bought a copy, and even he could barely handle the Dead Reptile Shrine, which speaks volumes!Ô
A stumbling, staggering black metal buzz, struggling through walls of haze and fuzz, sounds a bit like a Burzum record with someone constantly fiddling with the pitch control, a warbly seasick black droning whir, with splattery drums, clanging super loud cymbals, and some of the weirdest vocals ever, going from the evil black metal rasp, to an atonal Jandekian croon, to a strange falsetto, to a warm whiskey soaked growl, often within the same song, sometimes within the same line! The entire record is murky and thick with oozing black atmosphere, some songs are loping doom dirges, others race along at breakneck (for DRS at least) speeds, threatening to fall apart completely, riffs sometimes stumble to a halt, before lurching back into action, rhythms, stutter, pause, leap forward, the vocals a chaotic swirl around the rickety song structures, minor key melodies and woozy guitars tangle and untangle as the songs slither and slide, leap and careen wildly, there are warbly mumbly soundscapes of droning rumble and otherworldly creaks and groans, tracks of spoken word over chanting monks, an electronic beatscape with garbled growls and haunting clean vocals, even a coupleÔbizarre acoustic tracks, one with throaty crooned vocals and deliberately stummed steel string guitar, some sort of Jandekian forest folk, with a riff that almost sounds like Nirvana. In fact the forest folk tag is not that far off really. Must be something in the Finnish atmosphere, but without the vocals, huge swaths of Dead Reptile Shrine could be some lost Uton or Avarus recording, or a furtively captured Tivol live session, and yet even with the vocals it still retains some haunting wild woods feral feeling. A Journey Through The Darkest Of Forests is indeed a fearful traipse through a black forest, the overhanging trees blotting out the moonlight, the sounds of the forest a murky buzz, insects and demons, wild beasts and lost souls. A baffling and frightening sonic world that should appeal to metalhead and free folkie alike.Ô
This was super limited (500 copies, each disc is hand numbered) and seems to be out of print. We have a whole bunch, but we're not sure we'll ever be able to get more.Ô
MPEG Stream: "Bones In The Dungeon"
MPEG Stream: "A Cave Full Of Corpse Lanterns"
MPEG Stream: "Fire And Flame"

DUNCAN, JOHN & CARL MICHAEL VON HAUSSWOLFF Our Telluric Conversation (23five, Inc.) cd 21.00
Before we get into the amazing sounds that John Duncan and C.M. von Hausswolff have created for this album (which we have to say is pretty fucking incredible), we have to drool over the artwork. Sure, it's always nice to get one of those hand-made packages, loving assembled by the musician from scraps of wallpaper or gesso smeared across heavy card stock; where the investment is paid through blood and sweat. But at the same time, it can sometimes be pretty fascinating to go all the way to the other end of the spectrum, to see what happens when money is no object, and thus nearly any vision can be realised. The recent Tool record is one example (reviewed elsewhere on this list) with its incredible built in lenses and stereoscopic booklet. And then there's Our Telluric Conversation, which employs a seriously and gloriously reckless design sensibility. Unfotunately, jpeg reproductions of this cd's cover will never translate how amazingly cool the packaging is. The white O-card / slipcover which wraps around the CD and the accompanying 40-page booklet is printed on a rubberized paper dotted with braille, making it strangely tactile, and thus not a little unsettling just to touch the album! Which is appropriate considering the musical content...
John Duncan and Carl Michael von Hausswolff have made an dark and unsettling album in Our Telluric Conversation, the second collaboration between these two AQ-favorite sound artists, opening with ominous bleeping, sort of sounding like sonar or a life support system barely keeping someone alive. An electronic turbulance gradually swarms around these mechanized pulses and explodes in a torrent of furious magneto noise, sounding very similar to the recent Duncan collaboration with Mika Vainio and Ilpo Vaisainen. Abruptly, the track comes to a halt as the whispering voice of Hausswolff begins reciting a presumably fictional tale in which the protagonist has been infected with maggots and tries to rid his body of the parasites by communing with lizards and snakes through a combination of occult rituals. Hausswolff's whisper is all that one hears, with his lips closely pressed up to the microphone making saliva, lips smacking, and teeth gnashing all audible. Upon the conclusion of Hausswolff's spoken excerpt, the two proceed with a long-form construction for brilliantly shimmered drones and flickering sinewaves that's as good as anything by Phill Niblock, Mirror, or The Hafler Trio. Our Telluric Conversation concludes with another extended composition that bridges the signature aesthetics of the two artists, with a deadened monotone of processed 60-cycle hums (that's Hausswolff) and a seductive processing of shortwave static (that's Duncan). By themselves, Duncan and Hausswolff have crafted amazing records; but together, these two have really tapped into something eerie, psychologically instable, and sublimely beautiful. Highly recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Like A Lizard"
MPEG Stream: "Entry (Enhanced)"
MPEG Stream: "Yet Another (Very) Abridged And Linear Interpretation"

FASSETT, JIM Symphony Of The Birds (EM Records) cd 25.00
We recently discovered a completely amazing Japanese label called EM Records. Pretty hard to pin down what exactly it is that they specialize in but that's precisely why we're so smitten. From not one, but -several- singing saw records, to acid psych reissues, long lost singer songwriters, early experimental tape music, bizarre robot disco, fifties rock and roll, Australian dub, Isophonic boogie woogie (?) and tons more. We've only begun to dip into the wonderful world of EM, but we're going to start listing them one at a time. This record was initially the release that convinced us to get in touch with EM. Jim Fassett's Symphony Of The Birds is bizarre and beautiful and had AQ written all over it. The liner notes are mostly in Japanese so it's hard to know too many of the details, but Symphony Of The Birds is an amazing example of early tape music, it just so happens that all the tapes used were recordings of songbirds, which Fassett chopped, and cut, spliced and sequenced into a totally unique symphony of bird calls.
The record opens with Fassett's explanatory comments featuring our favorite line: "But keep in mind, as you listen, that nothing has been added. If you think you hear something that sounds like a particular musical instrument, or a human voice, or anything else other than birdcalls, YOU'RE WRONG." The first movement is definitely the best, whistles and chirps, chopped and stretched into dense swirls of psychedelic sound, if you weren't paying close attention, you'd be hard pressed to hear that it was birds making these sounds. Very trippy and spacey and alien sounding, like some crazy analog synthesizer freakout. The second movement involves a lot more itch shifting and changes in tape speed, resulting in sort of clunky purposeful melodies, the same bird call in different pitches to assemble very simple sing songy melodies. The third movement gets back on track, with some of the bird call slowed WAY down so they becomes rumbling drones, while others are sped up and repeated rapidly making impossible trills that almost sound like some blast of Sunroof!-y skree.
The last three tracks feature Fassett narrating an imaginary trip through a meadow, allowing us to study closely the bird song of each different bird isolated from the others, with some deft mixing and stereo panning, and the affect is actually quite stunning, with each bird getting 30 seconds to a minute right up on the mic! Cool!
The whole thing comes packaged in a super tough oversized (to accommodate the massive booklet) jewel case. The booklet contains lots of great photos, liner notes in Japanese, transcriptions of Fassett's spoken word segments on the disc, the album's original liner notes, and strangest of all, a pictorial guide to various and random birdcall records, separated by theme it seems: whistling accompaniment of instruments or big band, field recordings, canary training, instrumental, experimental happening (?) etc. Weird!
MPEG Stream: "Explanatory Comments"
MPEG Stream: "First Movement"
MPEG Stream: "Second Movement"

HEADS, THE Under The Stress Of A Headlong Dive (Invada) cd 15.98
Hailing from Bristol, England, the ultra-powerful power trio known so appropriately as The Heads are here to freak you out again. We've been waiting for, like, three years for a new full-length album from these guys, who are just about our favorite heavy-psych-stoner-garage-rawk band currently existing in this blessed world. Under The Stress Of A Headlong Dive is finally here and we are NOT disappointed. Totally chuffed is more like it.
This, their seventh album, contains 19 new tracks, some of them weird under-a-minute droning FX interludes, others fuzz-fueled manic marathons lasting upwards of a quarter hour. Oh god the fuzz! This is some heavy, heavily distorted wailing swirling insanity indeed. Comets On Fire can't even compare. You have to go to Japan, maybe, and stick your head right next to the amps of a band like High Rise or Mainliner to approximate The Heads' in-the-red, pedals-to-the-metal, flyin' high, inner eye stare down acid energy sound. But we also have to imagine that they think of themselves as a pop band of sorts. The Fall would be one reference (the vocals do remind us of Mark E. Smith). And the Stooges were a pop band too, let's remember, and along with Hawkwind must be one of The Heads biggest sources of inspiration. But The Heads ain't a retro act, this is future/now rock action we're glad to be around to witness (on disc, that is, never seen 'em live but would love to!!).
Punkishly menacing and kind of metallic (with bongos, though!), or spacey and mantric, this never lets up and never gets dull. Over the course of this 72 minute platter they always seem to have a new trick up their sleeves, or a new pedal to step on... all heads should agree that The Heads have outdone themselves with this one!!
MPEG Stream: "Earth / Sun"
MPEG Stream: ""Pass, The Void""
MPEG Stream: "Return Of The Bemmie"

HOLLAND, JOLIE Springtime Can Kill You (Anti) cd 14.98
Yes, along with the first blossoms of May the highly anticipated new Jolie Holland album has arrived! Definitely less mysterious than her previous two albums, but no less magical. There's not so much of the 'from where did this antique gramophone recording get unearthed?' kind of feel that characterized both Catalpa and Escondida. While Springtime Can Kill You still maintains a foundation of old country petticoats, the recordings sound quite contemporary. Very full, fleshed out and crisp... so much so in fact that the brushes played on the snare drum effectively conjure the crunch of frost beneath your boots or the first bite into a freshly picked apple. It might be a bit of an overstatement, but it seems Holland's evolved from porchswing peasant gal into more of a composed chanteuse. No complaints here tho'. This is a beautiful album with captivating songs and fine performances by all involved. Guest players include multi-instrumentalist Ara Anderson of Iron And The Albatross, and singer/songwriter David Dondero. Sure to cause extensive bouts of swooning.
MPEG Stream: "You're Not Satisfied"
MPEG Stream: "Ghostly Girl"

ITAVAYLA s/t (Rikos Records) cd 13.98
Last list we highlighted a newer album, entitled Itavalta, by this Finnish band, and now we've got their equally recommended debut, available on either cd or LP (with the vinyl lacking the bonus remix track found on the cd, though). This four-song (+ remix) debut of theirs is the real reason that Circle guitarist Janne Westerlund told us that Itavayla is the "boogie rock band" he plays in. On their second disc, they took off on some other tangents beyond the barroom boogie blues. But here, that's what it's all about, sort of. Not what you'd think, though, or maybe it is. Remember, these guys are from Finland (land of weirdness) and feature a member of Circle. And sound a lot like Circle as a result, although Janne joined Itavayla -after- this recording, so they didn't get the idea from him. Circle channeling ZZ Top, that is. And we're talking ZZ Top from the '80s on, after they embraced technology and got all computerized and robotic. Thus the progged up arsenal of Roland and Yamaha synthesizers listed here, the synth-drum sounds, and even the robot voices (on "Future Boogie"). And, the minimalist, cyclic structure of these loooong hypnotic tracks (in the Circle style that we love) of repetitive slide guitar riffs, shuffling drums and honking keys.
The first track, "Black Diamond Express" appears to be built around a sampled voice (that guy can't be Finnish!) from an old time blues recording or something. Itavayla provide the backing, blending past and future both, which leads to the organ-riffed, electro-boogie overload of the next track, "Tesco". And on it goes, mesmerizing sci-fi, space age boogie blues from Finland, reaching a tranced-out peak with the 13+ minute "Jesus Kristus". So, crack open a cold Miller beer (or the Finnish equivalent, whatever that is) and kick back to these Circular, futuristic gutbucket grooves!! Seriously, Allan can't stop listening to it. Recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Tesco"
MPEG Stream: "Black Diamond Express"

ITAVAYLA s/t (Rikos Records) lp 13.98
Last list we highlighted a newer album, entitled Itavalta, by this Finnish band, and now we've got their equally recommended debut, available on either cd or LP (with the vinyl lacking the bonus remix track found on the cd, though). This four-song (+ remix) debut of theirs is the real reason that Circle guitarist Janne Westerlund told us that Itavayla is the "boogie rock band" he plays in. On their second disc, they took off on some other tangents beyond the barroom boogie blues. But here, that's what it's all about, sort of. Not what you'd think, though, or maybe it is. Remember, these guys are from Finland (land of weirdness) and feature a member of Circle. And sound a lot like Circle as a result, although Janne joined Itavayla -after- this recording, so they didn't get the idea from him. Circle channeling ZZ Top, that is. And we're talking ZZ Top from the '80s on, after they embraced technology and got all computerized and robotic. Thus the progged up arsenal of Roland and Yamaha synthesizers listed here, the synth-drum sounds, and even the robot voices (on "Future Boogie"). And, the minimalist, cyclic structure of these loooong hypnotic tracks (in the Circle style that we love) of repetitive slide guitar riffs, shuffling drums and honking keys.
The first track, "Black Diamond Express" appears to be built around a sampled voice (that guy can't be Finnish!) from an old time blues recording or something. Itavayla provide the backing, blending past and future both, which leads to the organ-riffed, electro-boogie overload of the next track, "Tesco". And on it goes, mesmerizing sci-fi, space age boogie blues from Finland, reaching a tranced-out peak with the 13+ minute "Jesus Kristus". So, crack open a cold Miller beer (or the Finnish equivalent, whatever that is) and kick back to these Circular, futuristic gutbucket grooves!! Seriously, Allan can't stop listening to it. Recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Tesco"
MPEG Stream: "Black Diamond Express"

LONGMONT POTION CASTLE Longbox Option Package (D.U.) 4 x cd-r, 3 x cd, 1 x DVD-r (7 discs!) 60.00
Holy shit! This is the crank call mother lode. By now if you don't immediately start to giggle at the mere mention of Longmont Potion Castle, you are truly missing out. This one man prank call juggernaut has spent almost the last 20 years torturing unsuspecting folks, shop keepers, Radio Shack employees, old ladies, testosterone fueled jerks and pretty much everybody else with his totally surreal, unbelievably hilarious phone calls. This box set collects EVERY Longmont recording ever, including a whole disc of unreleased stuff, as well as the long out of print and barely available VHS tape on DVD for the first time! You think the calls are crazy, you should see the havoc this man can wreak on a call in talk show. This is absolutely essential for any one onto bizarre recordings, found sounds, prank calls, all around weirdness.
Included in this box set is LONGMONT POTION CASTLE (originally released in 1988), LONGMONT POTION CASTLE II (originally released in 1992), LONGMONT POTION CASTLE III (originally released in 1995), LONGMONT POTION CASTLE 4 (originally released in 2002), LATE EIGHTIES-VEIN (originally released in 2003), LONGMONT POTION CASTLE 5 (originally released in 2005), a bonus disc that includes a lot of the metal interludes that were cut when the original cassettes were transferred to cd, and the original LONGMONT POTION CASTLE VHS tape, now on DVD(-r) for the first time with tons of extra footage. Also includes a massive set of liner notes, with detailed track listings and the story behind each disc, as well as a custom LPC magnet. Each one personally signed by Mr. LPC himself!
Here's some of our past raves about all things LPC:
How can you not love a guy who gets off on torturing the clerks at radio shack and is obsessed with Tandy products?! A guy who spits out the most retarded and baffling products/names/etc: gugliata, voltor, leprechanjulius!! And on one disc, he continually harasses a foul mouthed cantakerous old man, but by the end of the disc, they become buddies, with the old man asking how the tape was going and LPC promising to send him a copy. FUCKING HEARTWARMING! How often do you get that on a crank call record?!!? Stupid and silly and once in a while totally inspired. This is still to this day constantly in the stereo on all of our road trips and so much Longmmont verbiage has become vernacular for us and all of our friends.
Longmont Potion Castle is the master of deadpan confusional telephone terror. Mr. Longmont no longer practices his art, having hung up his phone (hee hee... sorry) several years ago. But we can still listen and laugh. This stuff never stops being funny. The cool thing about LPC, is he's not an asshole, and he doesn't necessarily set out to piss people off, even though it's obviously inevitable. And when he does get in a tough guy "I'll kick your ass" sort of verbal sparring match, his choice of threats are so ridiculous and nonsensical, you find yourself almost embarassed for him, like the little tiny kid who is oblivious to his mortality and insists on standing up to the bully and always gets his ass whupped. Then add in his obsession with squid meat and an amazing litany of bizarre items / objects / names / services he invokes or offers or pretends to be looking for: Spencer Zebra, Aqualamb, Chowder Julius, Wovenloaf, Frickey Weaver, Chimp Giraffe Loop (making us laugh just typing those!). Wow! It really is amazingly funny. And bizarre. I
Easily the best, funniest, most bizarre series of crank calls ever. There's the always popular picking fights with strangers, but Mr. LPC does it so much better than most with his Steven Wright deadpan and his ridiculous non-sequiters. Constant references to deliveries of peacocks from Lithuania, offers of free manure, and an endless litany of nonsensical recommendations, bizarre suggestions, and problematic overtures, all delivered in that likeable guy-next-door deadpan. Always does raise the question WHY DON'T PEOPLE JUST HANG UP?!?! Lucky for us they don't. We also get a dose of Longmont's metal obsession with the occasional freaked out death metal interludes. So dumb and funny and brilliant. Be sure and keep your ears peeled for a truly distrubing call, that goes from funny to really fucking sad in a matter of minutes, between LPC, a depressed suicidal goth teen and his overbearing fucked up dad. Wow. these discs are full of magic moments like that, a few sad, lots of them just plain demented, but most of them so completely bust a gut hilarious!!
So buy this or we'll start talkin' whip, and may even bring a tennis racket toyaleyup!!!
MPEG Stream: "Syop Playing Harmonica"
MPEG Stream: "Goat"
MPEG Stream: "Levi"
MPEG Stream: "Peacock"
MPEG Stream: "UPS Freakout 1"
MPEG Stream: "Spencer Zebra"
MPEG Stream: "Aqualamb"
MPEG Stream: "Loud Tones"

LYE, LEN Composing Motion (Atoll) cd 17.98
Len Lye was a staple of the 50's and 60's art scene in Greenwich Village and a leading figure in the burgeoning field of kinetic art. He designed and built a series of large scale metal sculptures that not only moved, but also created sound. Just to look at, the sculptures are breathtaking, very sleek and modern, simple and stunning, large sheets of steel, strange little metallic antennae, long twisted metal strips, all hanging or spinning or vibrating. Like some alien machines, whose function can not be discerned. So mysterious and lovely. This disc is the first time the sounds of Lye's sculptures have been recorded and released commercially. And they are just as haunting and beautiful as the strange pieces of metal that produced them. The sounds are quite varied, depending on the piece, from reverberating pulses, like a struck spring, whirring metallic drones, the overtones shifting in pitch as the metal bends and twists, warm subterranean whirs, musicbox like melodies, simple subtle chimes, clattery clang and crash, subtle almost industrial rhythms, like a sprinkler or the blades on a helicopter, scraping metallic soundscapes, like a million little metal bugs rustling alongside one another, and then there's some full on spaced out swirl and hiss and shimmer like wires whipping in the wind, which sounds like Merzbow or Total, way too dense and weird to be the work of nothing but a big piece of metal, but it is. Magical, mysterious and pretty darn amazing.Ô
Comes with a big book of linernotes, text about the performances / recordings as well as lovely photos of each of Lye's sculptures.
MPEG Stream: "Blade"
MPEG Stream: "Universe"
MPEG Stream: "Roundhead"

MATMOS The Rose Has Teeth In The Mouth Of A Beast (Matador) cd 15.98
San Francisco's darling electronic conceptualists Matmos have crafted an ambitious collection of audio portraits for their 6th full album, allowing their baroque sampling tricknology to articulate the metaphors in mapping out the complexities of each of the portraits. The collection of audio portraits represents the inspiration pantheon for Matmos, ranging from the ivory tower of academia to far reaches of underground culture. Hence, there's analytical philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, the scabrous feminist Valarie Solanas, New York house legend Larry Levan, Germs' frontman Darby Crash, homoerotic photographer James Bidgood, eccentric producer Joe Meek, gay chronicler Boyd McDonald, countercultural godfather William S. Burroughs, and noir-thriller novelist Patricia Highsmith. Matmos' work has always been a cavalcade of electro-acoustic stunts directed within a studied and adventurous reading of contemporary electronica tinged with comedic overtones, ranging from black humour to slapstick antics. The Rose Has Teeth In The Mouth Of A Beast is no different, romping through wah-wah splattered porno funk, mutant disco beats clipped with diva-house vocals, noirish concrete-collages, and tracks literally wrapped in semen stained sheets. As Matmos deconstructs and compresses the dense histories of each of their portrait subjects into the context of a six to ten minute electronica tracks, it's the details that Matmos amass that give each of their portraits such charm and pleasure. Very well done, indeed!
MPEG Stream: "Steam And Sequins For Larry Levan"
MPEG Stream: "Semen Song For James Bidgood"
MPEG Stream: "Solo Buttons For Joe Meek"

MATMOS The Rose Has Teeth In The Mouth Of A Beast (Matador) 2lp 16.98
San Francisco's darling electronic conceptualists Matmos have crafted an ambitious collection of audio portraits for their 6th full album, allowing their baroque sampling tricknology to articulate the metaphors in mapping out the complexities of each of the portraits. The collection of audio portraits represents the inspiration pantheon for Matmos, ranging from the ivory tower of academia to far reaches of underground culture. Hence, there's analytical philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, the scabrous feminist Valarie Solanas, New York house legend Larry Levan, Germs' frontman Darby Crash, homoerotic photographer James Bidgood, eccentric producer Joe Meek, gay chronicler Boyd McDonald, countercultural godfather William S. Burroughs, and noir-thriller novelist Patricia Highsmith. Matmos' work has always been a cavalcade of electro-acoustic stunts directed within a studied and adventurous reading of contemporary electronica tinged with comedic overtones, ranging from black humour to slapstick antics. The Rose Has Teeth In The Mouth Of A Beast is no different, romping through wah-wah splattered porno funk, mutant disco beats clipped with diva-house vocals, noirish concrete-collages, and tracks literally wrapped in semen stained sheets. As Matmos deconstructs and compresses the dense histories of each of their portrait subjects into the context of a six to ten minute electronica tracks, it's the details that Matmos amass that give each of their portraits such charm and pleasure. Very well done, indeed!
MPEG Stream: "Steam And Sequins For Larry Levan"
MPEG Stream: "Semen Song For James Bidgood"
MPEG Stream: "Solo Buttons For Joe Meek"

MOOLAH Woe Ye Demons Possessed (EM Records) cd 23.00
YESS!!! Ohmigod, ohmigod, ohmigod! Those are direct quotes from Allan the day he discovered, totally out of the blue, that this album had been reissued on cd by the Japanese label EM Records (same folks who put out the Symphony of the Birds reish reviewed elsewhere this list). Kerry and Andee were both in the office that day and can attest that Allan just about jumped out of his skin, his voice positively yelping with excitement. And now we're ALL going ohmigod, ohmigod too since the box from Japan that Allan ordered arrived and Moolah is among us.
Ok, so what the heck is Moolah?? Well we're talking a super-obscure psychedelic/experimental Holy Grail album here. Allan only knew about it 'cause he'd heard some of it on a cd-r burn that our pal Loren Chasse had gotten from Jan Anderzen of Finland's Kemialliset Ystavat. Totally weird, damaged, krautrocky cosmic psych with electronic drones, haunting classical piano, and fucked up rhythms! According to Anderzen, it was an ultra rare LP from the '70s by a band called Moolah, entitled Woe Ye Demons Possessed. Wow. Allan found it hard to believe that was really true, and that it wasn't just something recorded by some genius Finnish forest freak friend of Anderzen's directly for the cd-r. But some diligent research revealed that the mysterious Moolah was indeed a band from New York who released an album on what was probably their own label, Druidstone (!), in 1974. But it was still pretty much unknown and almost utterly unobtainable. It didn't seem to have ever been reissued. And even our most '70s knowledgable psych-rock reissue supplier in Sweden hadn't heard of it at all. But we never lost hope. And now, thanks to the extremely strange and cool Japanese label EM Records, here at last we present to you Moolah on cd! We're still left in the dark about a lot of the details of this mysterious record's history (EM's sales info is mostly in Japanese) but from the album cover notes reproduced in the cd package we can tell you that the men behind Moolah were a duo named Walter Burns and Maurice Roberson, who recorded this, "their paranormal concertwork ...a cosmic rock relaxation creation" at a "secret studio in New York's Greenwich Village". There's also some amazing pagan poetry on the sleeve, here's a few lines: "Licking BLOOD Drinking TEARS Sacrificing LOVE on the Altar of Tomorrow Eating FRUITS of Stolen Vineyards With Withered Young Mouthes That Sing The OLD SONGS WHICH WERE FORBID".
And the music is as amazing as what Allan remembered. Dreamy, beautiful ambience -and- disturbingly chaotic, claustrophobic sounds. Shimmery, murky, distorted, primitive... is it even rock music? For the day, about as far out as you could get. Indeed, ahead of its time. Such tracks as "Crystal Waters", "Terror Is Real" and "The Hatd Hit" are lo-fi jams full of dubby echo effects, indistinct voices intoning New Age ideas, crazy backwards percussion, and insectoid squiggles of electronics. And we think we heard a purring cat in there too. The question is: did the Moolah duo simply inhabit their own, messed-up, mystical little world (which seems likely, judging by those sleeve notes of theirs), or had these guys heard records by early Kraftwerk, Amon Duul, Kluster, and Neu!? We wonder. But either way, the krautrock scene's freakiest had nothing on Moolah. File with such rare, eccentric, outsider psych artifacts as the Cromagnon's Orgasm, Yahowha 13's Penetration, and Comus' First Utterance. What a find. If you like weird, lost, lovely, maybe a bit frightening music THIS IS FOR YOU.
MPEG Stream: "Crystal Waters"
MPEG Stream: "Courage"
MPEG Stream: "Mirror's"

MOUNTAIN GOATS, THE Babylon Springs (4AD) cdep 7.98
Babylon Springs is a short five song follow-up to John Darnielle's achingly beautiful Mountain Goats album The Sunset Tree. From the sounds of this EP Darnielle's on a roll, continuing his trademark deeply personal storytelling that lays bare his heart and his scars in an increasingly polished and produced setting. A definite highlight is the fourth song "Sometimes I Still Feel The Bruise" which could easily appeal to a much broader audience. Really really good!
MPEG Stream: "Ox Baker Triumphant"
MPEG Stream: "Sometimes I Still Feel The Bruise"

REICHEL, ACHIM & MACHINES Echo / A.R. IV (New Amos Records) 2cd 31.00
Oh boy. A red-letter day at AQ when we got this in. You see, several years ago, we'd stocked an amazing "best of" collection called Echoes Aus Zeiten Der Grunen Reise by this krautrock artist, A.R. & Machines (turns out the A.R. stands for Achim Reichel) that in itself was a far out minimalist psychedelic electronic masterpiece years ahead of its time -- and it was just a "best of"! Everybody here loved it. It's been out of print for years, though, and we'd never come across any other reissues, until now! Hence our excitement about this, a double cd containing TWO of Reichel's albums in their entirety, Echo and A.R. IV.
If you're familiar with that "best of" cd, you'll recognize a few of the songs, but transformed, extended and built upon -- like you're finally experiencing the entire complex film, not just the titillating preview. If you're not familiar with that "best of," then expect a hypnotic, meandering cream dream that any lover of Eno, Cluster, Can, Neu, Bo Hansson, Kraftwerk, and even Wendy Carlos Williams shouldn't miss. Completely groovy.
1972's Echo, which takes up the largest portion of the two cds, is the highlight here. Long before the re-issue, Julian Cope made it a record of the month on his website and it's not hard to see why. It's a meandering four part -- well, we wouldn't even say "piece," it's more like a realized world -- made up of journeying guitars and plodding percussion with the occasional wailing vocals in English that take it well into the stratosphere. At times low-key, at other times frenzied, but always with an intensity that moves it along steadily. By the time you get to the freakout vocal jam of that acts as the come down of Echo, you've been led through so many emotions and states of mind, that you're spent.
Take a break between the two albums since A.R. IV (1973) is another, separate adventure -- still groovy and rhythmic, but a little funkier, a little louder and more focused -- like he's revisiting the territory he covered in Echo but he's more familiar with the place & can take you directly to all the cool places.
Actually, this re-issue would have been a shoo-in for Record Of The Week if only we thought we could get more. But according to our supplier, the forty or so copies we have now might be the last we'll get, as this is apparently an all-too-limited reissue. Ah well. Get it while you can!
MPEG Stream: "Das Echo Der Gegenwart"
MPEG Stream: "Vita"

REIGNS We Lowered A Microphone Into The Ground (Jonson Family Records) cd 14.98
From the same UK label that brought us that great Hey Colossus album listed recently, here's something also really cool but VERY very different.... where Hey Colossus was brutally heavy and rhythmic, this band, Reigns, is so pleasantly pretty and placid. Utterly gorgeous, really, and mysterious. We're reminded of such artists as Stafraenn Hakon, Eluvium, Sonna, and Sigur Ros. It's that sort of gauzy, mellow, melodic post-rock, with songs constructed from gentle guitar and piano figures, operating in a zone of beautiful ambience, infused with indistinct electronic detritus. Swells of live percussion or electronic beats sometimes appear, too, but the mood remains blissful, if almost somber. But not really somber since there's a strange, very subtle sense of humor afoot, part of the weird conceptual framework that Reigns have invented for this album. Yes, it's a concept album! And a mostly-instrumental one at that, with no real singing to speak of, though you will occasionally hear voices drifting in the mix, including a computer voice (a la Radiohead) on the fourth track, "Translating".
The concept? It's intentionally vague and sort of surreal, but first off we're told that this was supposedly "recorded on location by Reigns operatives A & B". The title We Lowered A Microphone Into The Ground, taken literally, provides an imaginary scheme for the album. Each track is assigned a depth, ranging from 23 meters to 1 mile. Thus, track 2: "Corners & The Straights (102 metres)". Or track 9: "The Fattest Goose Shall Be The Soonest To The Spit (1460 metres)". Inside the handsome digipack you'll find the "Original Site Transcript" giving notes on what was encountered at each depth by the two Reigns operatives. Some examples:
"(102 metres) First subterranean voice. Operative B suffers small breakout of hives on ungloved hand."
"(416 metres) Foul smelling miasma rises from hole. Surrounding grass visibly pales."
"(1001 metres) Sudden rise in static. Recording levels unchanged. Operative B demands that A stop pinching at nape of B's neck. A denies any such activity."
More events and phenomena, both mundane and peculiar, are documented. But this is all in the liner notes -- you'll hear the voices mentioned but otherwise this isn't at all meant to -sound- like any sort of static-y, subterranean field recording...it's just very lovely music. Pretty nifty, as most more ordinary post-rock efforts don't exhibit such imagination! We like.
MPEG Stream: "Buried Chandelier (416 metres)"
MPEG Stream: "Pentecost (1001 metres)"

RIGOR SARDONICOUS Risus Ex Mortus (Endless Desperation) cd-r 10.98
Ah, nothing like a glacially slooooooooow blast of ultra mega doooooooooooooom to calm the nerves, at least that's the way it seems to work around the mail order department for the boys (and girls!) who work back in "the Tombs" of AQ. Rigor Sardonicous - one of our all-time favorite "apocalyptic doom" bands - sent a package recently containing their latest CD, "Risus Ex Mortuus" along with some stickers and a hat...we all fought over the hat a bit, but Andee doesn't like to mess up his "drummer hair" and Jason already sports a bitchin' Rigor Sardonicous glow-in-the-dark print T-shirt, so Allan scored the new lid. Besides, we see him wearing that hunter's orange/camo cap a bit too often lately and - where were we - oh yeah - Risus Ex Mortuus!!!
Once again, Rigor Sardonicous is back, and on this CD we get a bunch of re-recorded versions of early tracks from long out-of-print releases, an unreleased track, and even a Kiss cover! You haven't heard "God Of Thunder" until you've heard it Rigor-ized, a thick syrupy sludge-y Sunn-y crawl, with the vocals belched out in impossible guttural grunts. The CD even somehow sports some beautiful "Rigor Sardonicous" Old English script printed on the UNDERSIDE of the CD - SICK !!!
Also back again is the signature drum machine (who has occupied the throne since 1991) and the return of 'the most evil cymbal in the world', tha clanged-out trash can lid of a cymbal that we have been totally obsessed with and completely transfixed by since we first heard RS. It's like nothing you've ever heard in the realms of dark murky doomy sludge-pyre music (except on the other RS records obviously). It is back and better (and louder) than ever - way out in front where it constantly rears its ugly head again and again, crashing forth with a clanging clattery crash, before quickly fading back into the sludge. Sounds like Sunn 0))) playing Moss covers at the bottom of a giant sewer pipe while someone drops metal garbage cans from above... a strange kind of beautiful.
Mr. drum machine also seems to be taking it up a notch rhythmically with more blast beats, faster and louder, while somehow not actually making the music sound any faster, just weirder and heavier. And there's no mistaking the downtuned, strings-so-slack-they-touch-the-floor, buzzed-out slow sludge rumbling roar coming from the guitar. Like the sound of low-flying aircraft "strumming" overhead power lines... And again those vocals, spread all over the proceedings like some viscous black paste, a subsonic curdle / gurgle that is hardly human. If you close your eyes, you can't help but picture some goo spewing giant lizard ready to consume you whole, or some creepy Hellraiser / Pinhead style hellbeast declaring your doooom. WE LOVE IT.
The AQ dark lords, sit upon their throne of skulls, surrounded by fire and burning flesh, demons swooping through the murky skies, the earth trembling, the ground littered with the dead, gazing cooly at the scorched landscape that stretches forever in all directions, before looking to the sky and letting out a blood curdling cry of "MORE EVIL CYMBAL !!!"
(The band claim that these are indeed actual cd's, although, we're pretty sure they're cd-r's, but who the hell cares, you can't go wrong for $10.98, and you can't print bitchin' olde English band logos on the playing side of a real cd... or can you?)
MPEG Stream: "Prooemium"
MPEG Stream: "Rigor Sardonicous"
MPEG Stream: "God Of Thunder"

SHORA Malval (Conspiracy) cd 16.98
It's been a struggle to figure out what to write about this record. It's a gorgeous moody slab of blissed out mathy post rock. We love that stuff. A lot. But it's really difficult to explain exactly why this record is somehow WAY more than just a post-rock record. It's maybe MORE, more moody, more mathy, more blissed out, but there's still some ineffable thing that turns Shora into a whole other proposition. Similar to the way that Fuehler and Turing Machine in the past took the sound of their post rock forefathers to whole new realms, Shora, breathe new life, breathe fire even, into what has become the sound du riguer of the indie underground. How exactly is a bit tougher to pin down. It's very repetitive, some riffs practically become loops, repeating over and over, inducing some serious mesmeric listening, each looped post-rock-scape is underpinned by dense but complex krautrocky rhythms, that occasionally explode into spikey tangles of free jazz mathrock octopoidal polyrhythms before settling back into dreamy head nodding grooves. The guitars are like chameleons, snakey smokey tendrils one second, huge jagged metallic shards the next, turning from bell like chimes into slinky slippery smears of sound all within a matter of seconds. Majestic, haunting, repetitive and completely fascinating. That's just the first three tracks too, 24 minutes of dense, layered, experimental instrumental rock music perfection. Then there's the very strange final track, which starts out as a soft focused dreamscape, all gauzy and shimmery, before out of the blue, down comees a blast of bizarre pounding Gary Glitter sounding glam rock stomp, right there in the middle of the song! The stomp quickly gives way to some organ drenched Goblin worship before slipping softly back into dark droney ambience. But that's not all, suddenly there are female vocals, and not wispy soft ones, no we're talking a throaty belt, more PJ Harvey than Grouper or Paavoharju, at first it's a little bit jarring, but after a few moments it makes perfect sense. But it only lasts a few moments. Which is maybe indicative of why this band is so great. Putting that much thought into a tiny part, and finding a vocalist, coming up with melodies, lyrics, all for the last minute or two of the last song on your record. Few bands would bother. Which is precisely the point wethinks. It's easy to tell that the same sort of meticulous preparation and deep thought went into every part of this record. But without sacrificing any of the passion or immediacy that makes music so vital. Which is a rare thing indeed.
MPEG Stream: "Parhelion"
MPEG Stream: "Arch & Hum"

URFAUST / CIRCLE OF OUROBORUS Auerauege Raa Verduistering (Target:Earth) cd 14.98
In our neverending quest to unearth the weirdest and wildest, most evil and grim, most damaged and baffling black metal there is, we not too long ago stumbled upon Urfaust. And we were immediately smitten, as were all of you judging from how difficult it was to keep those discs in stock. Well, all bow down and thank the dark lord, for now we have the latest offering from the strange hunting world of Urfaust! And if that wasn't enough, on this split they're teamed up with an outfit called Circle Of Ouroborous, who are even stranger than Urfaust, if that's even possible.
What is it about Urfaust that has us so in a tizzy. Well, imagine a loping buzzing midtempo black metal, raw, and thick and fuzzed out, but then add in a vocalist that croons and wails and sounds quite a bit like Ethel Merman, his vocals drenched in reverb, a huge thick cloud of croon, so weird but so goddamn amazing! These new tracks find Urfaust getting... you guessed it, even stranger. The first track is a whirl of huge blown out synths or guitars, big swells, distorted and warm and fuzzy, with a strange almost bouncy drum beat. By track two, the old Urfaust is back in effect, a huge wall of Burzumic guitar, a galloping midtempo drum beat, and those ridiculously remarkable vocals. We get so used to shrieking and howling vocals, that we were completely taken aback byt Urfaust's vocals, so much more emotional and passionate, strange indeed, but strange and mysterious and absolutely unlike anything you've heard in black metal. The third track is a creaking industrial soundscape, footsteps, breathing, clattering metal, atonal strings, very 20th century music concret. Really cool. The final ten minutes is a fuzzed out seasick waltz, huge guitars, super dramatic vocals, the guitars a thick whirring drone, the melody so melancholy and intense. Awesome. Definitely still one of our favorite metal bands for sure.
But wait. We've also got the mysterious Circle Of Ouroborus to contend with, and wooh boy, is this one cracked outfit. Half of CoO's six tracks are murky almost punky black metal blasts, super lo-fi, practice space production, the guitar a mumbly warble, the drums tinny and buried in the mix, and as you might expect for a band paired up with Urfaust, the vocalist is totally demented, a growling cracked croon, WAY up in the mix, shouting and howling, almost talking sometimes, making CoO sound a bit like a black metal Fall. The rest of the tracks are even more unlikely, all acoustic, with atonally strummed acoustic guitars and menacing sung / spoke vocals, even some harmonica! Some hellish campfire sing along, Bob Dylan channelled through some musical demon. It sounds a bit like a blackened Jandek, or the black metal folk of Dead Raven Choir, and actually quite a bit like AQ faves Kiss The Anus Of A Black Cat (albeit much more low fidelity) or even a little like a more garage-y Current 93. But WOW! Not at all what we were expecting at all. This is something that could definitely pass for some freaky outsider folk record with passages of black buzz instead of the other way around. We never though any band could hold their own agains the mighty Urfaust, but Circle Of Ouroborus pull it off big time. Another damaged and demented black metal (sort of) band to keep an eye on for sure!
MPEG Stream: URFAUST "Der Halbtoten Dichters Schein-Existenz"
MPEG Stream: URFAUST "Zur Winter-Wanderschaft Verflucht"
MPEG Stream: CIRCLE OF OUROBORUS "Dream Of Death"
MPEG Stream: CIRCLE OF OUROBORUS "Mouldering Leaves"

V/A Ho!: Roady Music from Vietnam (Trikont) cd 16.98
We can not tell you how psyched we are to have this back in stock. We've been listening to this like crazy. We had almost forgotten how totally far out and mind blowing this collection was. Since we first carried this years ago, there have been tons of diverse and eclectic collections of musics from all over the world, psych rock compilations (Love, Peace & Poetry, Thai Beat A Go Go, etc.), the Sublime Frequencies series, and loads more, but as good as those are, they can't hold a candle to Ho!: Roady Music From Vietnam! So completely fascinating and fun, wild and so so weird! Everytime this gets played in the store, customers and employees alike have to check to see what the heck it is we're listening to!
Ho! is an amazing collection of pieces from Vietnamese street musicians. The folks that travelled to Vietnam and recorded these pieces gave themselves the tongue-in-cheek name Nuoc Mam Dirndl'n, evidence of their humor in the light of collecting the sort of music they suspect the Vietnamese government would perhaps NOT appreciate as a representation of Vietnam. Ho! ranges from raucous, percussion-heavy funeral songs played at midnight by 'young people provided with drugs' to traditional material played on the one-stringed dan bau to melodramatic love songs favored by the son of the owner of the hotel the folks stayed at. There's even a 'tasteful schmaltzy song' which is what the Vietnamese record-store saleswoman played for them when they asked for some traditional Vietnamese music! Check out the following excerpt from the fascinating liner notes, and, like us, marvel at the freshness inherent in the refusal to adopt the omniscient voice-of-authority tone taken by so many ethno-compilers: "We are stunned by the Vietnamese 'Lebensgefuhl' actually corresponding to our western idea of 'subculture': lively, anarchic, loud, dense, hearty; the people are living working, eating, sleeping, and holding their funeral ceremonies between house and street. We don't know yet if there is any subculture in Vietnam; if there is e.g. (organized) political counterforces to the one-party regime -- nobody talks about politics (with us) -- maybe there is no need for it, because everybody can do whatever he/she wants: though street trading is prohibited everybody does it -- under the hardly vigilant eyes of the law -- raids are very rare, then the stands are carried away quickly and when the mischief is gone it goes on... What matters is that people LOVE TO SING which, like in our part of the world, hide in gloomy basements and play till the ears/souls are ringing: every band in Vietnam needs a license for its existence, for every gig, every song. And because there is no basements in Vietnam, people like to use the karaoke machines in their homes, bars and special karaoke houses. Saigon's street musicians are rather despised by the yuppies of Vietnam: 'shit music.' The yuppies prefer Sting and western style in general." Highly highly highly recommended!
MPEG Stream: DAN BAU VIETNAM "Rider In The Sky"
MPEG Stream: DEAD MEN'S ORCHESTRA "Totencombo"
MPEG Stream: EO SINH + NAMH HAO "VC Love Song"
MPEG Stream: THU HIEN "Hoa Cau Vuon Trau"

V/A Trap Door (Dis-Joint) cd 11.98
Latest in the recent spate of killer international funk / soul / psych reissue collections. The trick here being that these tracks are SO obscure (and so densely mixed together), that the folks at Dis-Joint are counting on most folks not knowing ANY of these. SO much so that there is no track listing on the disc at all, and they are having a contest on their website, the first one who can name all the tracks will get a nice cash prize!!! We've got to admit it, we're stumped for the most part (although we did recognize part of one track, it's San Ul Lim from Korea!). But that doesn't mean we aren't loving all this fun and funky and bizarre music. A chaotic blend of sixties and seventies psych rock, funky soul, soulful psych, and funky rock from all over the world, Turkey, Korea, Italy, Israel, China, Spain and loads more. Any one who has been loving the Love Peace & Poetry comps, the Steam Kodok collection, the In-Kraut compilation or, especially, any of the Andy Votel mixes definitely NEED this. From groovy laid back porno movie / action adventure funk, with lots of bolero guitars, and sound effects, like a Morricone Western mixed with some Euro sleaze flick soundtrack, to fluttering folk with super distorted psych rock guitar and everything in between, with plenty of borrowed hooks from popular songs, fuzzy organs, lots of James Brown style yelping and whooping, squiggly little guitar licks, funky drumming, carnivalesque analog synthesizers, tons of breaks hip hop headz would kill for, a bunch of bizarre movie snippets pertaining to hippies, wiggly wavy spaced out ambient warble, jazzy horns, skronky and otherwise, wheezing harmonicas, tablas and sitars, wild Santana-like leads, cocktail pianos and tons and tons of very strange sound effects. A wickedly wild, mind blowing, head spinning party record if there ever was one!
MPEG Stream: "Two"
MPEG Stream: "Three"
MPEG Stream: "Four"

V/A Trap Door (Dis-Joint) lp 11.98
Latest in the recent spate of killer international funk / soul / psych reissue collections. The trick here being that these tracks are SO obscure (and so densely mixed together), that the folks at Dis-Joint are counting on most folks not knowing ANY of these. SO much so that there is no track listing on the disc at all, and they are having a contest on their website, the first one who can name all the tracks will get a nice cash prize!!! We've got to admit it, we're stumped for the most part (although we did recognize part of one track, it's San Ul Lim from Korea!). But that doesn't mean we aren't loving all this fun and funky and bizarre music. A chaotic blend of sixties and seventies psych rock, funky soul, soulful psych, and funky rock from all over the world, Turkey, Korea, Italy, Israel, China, Spain and loads more. Any one who has been loving the Love Peace & Poetry comps, the Steam Kodok collection, the In-Kraut compilation or, especially, any of the Andy Votel mixes definitely NEED this. From groovy laid back porno movie / action adventure funk, with lots of bolero guitars, and sound effects, like a Morricone Western mixed with some Euro sleaze flick soundtrack, to fluttering folk with super distorted psych rock guitar and everything in between, with plenty of borrowed hooks from popular songs, fuzzy organs, lots of James Brown style yelping and whooping, squiggly little guitar licks, funky drumming, carnivalesque analog synthesizers, tons of breaks hip hop headz would kill for, a bunch of bizarre movie snippets pertaining to hippies, wiggly wavy spaced out ambient warble, jazzy horns, skronky and otherwise, wheezing harmonicas, tablas and sitars, wild Santana-like leads, cocktail pianos and tons and tons of very strange sound effects. A wickedly wild, mind blowing, head spinning party record if there ever was one!
MPEG Stream: "Two"
MPEG Stream: "Three"
MPEG Stream: "Four"

VALENCA, ALCEU & GERALDO AZEVEDO s/t (Discos Mariposa) cd 17.98
One of the best reissues we've stumbled across recently, of a record we haad never heard of. Alceu Valenca & Geraldo Azevedo were Brazilian musicians and composers from the Pernambuco region of Brazil who created a distinct style that mixed elements of psychedelic folk/rock with native northeast rhythms of freco, maracatu, xote, etc. There is something so totally sensual and sexy about this record. It's in their voices and playing and the glimmering recording. With mixing and arrangements in the talented hands of Rogerio Duprat (Gal Costa, Gilberto Gil, Os Mutantes) this has some trademark elements of some of the best and most creative elements of Tropicalia but for sure with their own unique and varied stylings. Totally not a one trick pony at all. What we love so much about this record is that it takes lots of twists and turns but everywhere it goes we more than willingly go right along with it. When it's sweet and sultry it succeeds by not being too polished and by subtly seducing you into its sounds. Almost like what Serge Gainsbourg would sound like at his prime if he was living in Brazil. We also can't stop thinking about how the folks in Blonde Redhead may borrowed a bit from this record as their sensual and compelling melodies seem to have their roots in this recording. Maybe. Just in time for summer, this has proven to be the perfect soundtrack for days filled with sun, romance and adventure. Highly recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Planetario"
MPEG Stream: "Ciranda De Mae Nina"

WALDRON, M.S., STEVEN STAPLETON, SIGTRYGGUR BERG SIGMARSSON, JIM HAYNES, & R.K. FAULHABER The Sleeping Moustache (The Helen Scarsdale Agency) cd 15.98
You know it's gotta be an amazing record when we start a review by stating "we don't know where to begin with this record" and then we blather on and on for another 500 words pretty much demonstrating that while we may not where to begin, we certainly have a lot to say. And that totally applies to The Sleeping Moustache, the latest release from the enigmatic Helen Scarsdale Agency. The most well known of these five audio contortionists is Steven Stapleton who is the brains behind Nurse With Wound, who convolutedly reconstitute Surrealism, avant-garde aesthetics, and krautrock expressivity, resulting in some of the most profoundly brilliant and disturbing records we've ever heard. Sigtryggur Berg Sigmarsson is one of the drunken pilots of Stilluppsteypa, an Icelandic project of electro-absurdity capable of magnificent minimalism. M.S. Waldron is responsible for irr. app. (ext.), (an unwieldy moniker for sure) which has produced an amazing body of post-Surrealist expressivity in recent years. When he's not manning the fron counter here at Aquarius, Jim Haynes has developed a peculiar knack for rust-inflected dronescaping. and finally R.K. Faulhaber, who is the mystery man amongst the bunch, although we've been told his unpublished works offer a byzantine array of mutilated sonic collages. The album that these five produced is a weighty proposition to say the least, with detours a plenty within this mangled concoction of delirious dronescaping punctuated with glossalaic vocalizations. Delicate plinks and plonks sprinkled across sublime, gaping tones which transition to a convulsive beauty with mechanical spasms and nightmarish creakings. Throughout The Sleeping Moustache, ghostly reminders of each of the contributors' refined aesthetics emerge as a Gordon knot of convoluted logic, unsettling shifts between horror and comedy, psychological instability, and disquieting soundscapes. If you're even remotely a fan of Nurse With Wound or irr. app. (ext.) or Stilluppsteypa, this album is not just recommended... it's absolutely required.
MPEG Stream: "Sprawled Naked Across A Piano"
MPEG Stream: "A Few Items Known As Children"
MPEG Stream: "Oh Sir, I'm Scared"

ZOMBI Surface To Air (Relapse) cd 14.98
For those of you who already know and like Zombi, the appearance of this, their second proper full-length album, is pretty much a no-brainer purchase-wise, we can assure you. You've already had a pleasant taster for it in the form of the Digitalis cdep released earlier this year. But if you've never checked out Zombi before, an introduction is in order (and this album will do nicely...but we'll also write something here). You might assume from their name, and presence on mostly metal label Relapse, that they're some sort of metal band, into zombie movies. Well the later part is true. They love their horror flicks -- they're from Pittsburgh, home of George Romero after all. But they're not really a metal band. More of a post-rock or math-rock outfit, Zombi is an all-instrumental duo on drums and synth (and bass), heavily influenced by Goblin, the legendary Italian prog band responsible for scoring all those Dario Argento films back in the '70s and '80s -- including the Italian cut of Romero's Dawn Of The Dead, aka Zombi. Other film soundtrackers from that era are also inspirations for Zombi the band as well, in particular John Carpenter. Then there's all the cosmic electronic space music of the '70s too, like that of Klaus Schulze. And Magma, the bass player has got to be into Magma. All that gets stirred into Zombi's witch's cauldron (oops, is that a mixed metaphor?) and the resulting potent concoction could serve as the soundtrack to the most schlocky, suspenseful, arty horror film of your imagination... It's an elixir that exudes subtle menace without, for the most part, being overtly "scary music", much like those Goblin soundtracks. Really it's kind of New Agey... New Agey with tension!! MASSIVE tension on Surface To Air's spookiest track, the album-closing 18 and a half minute "Night Rhythms", filled with ominous drones that eventually give way to powerful bass-heavy grooves... it's an epic tour-de-force of tension and release and very very cinematic. But all the tracks here pulsate mesmerizingly and moodily, with bright n' airy synth tones, dominating bass, and repetitive Circle-like hypno-rock rhythms. If that sounds good, check it out. And if you're already a fan, like we said, you'll be well pleased with Surface To Air!!
MPEG Stream: "Challenger"
MPEG Stream: "Surface To Air"
MPEG Stream: "Night Rhythms"

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BORIS The Thing Which Solomon Overlooked Vol. 2 (Conspiracy) 12" 23.00
Feels like only yesterday, that we reviewed Volume One, with this same proviso, but here we go AGAIN.... ULTRA LIMITED, VINYL ONLY RELEASE FROM THE MIGHTY BORIS. WE HAVE ABOUT 50 COPIES. GORGEOUS PACKAGING, SAME AS THE FIRST VOLUME. THICK ORANGE VINYL! ONCE THESE ARE GONE WE WON'T BE ABLE TO GET MORE!
Okay, now that we got that out of the way, we can describe the actual record, although by the time most of you read this far, it could very well be sold out.
Much like the first volume, Volume 2 of Boris' 3 part epic vinyl trilogy The Thing Which Solomon Overlooked somehow manages to sound totally new, and like classic Boris at the same time. Three massive tracks of freaked out droney psychedelic nirvana! The lp starts off with some of that glorious ultra distorted guitar crumble, which soon explodes into some insane Hendrixian / Santanian space psych freakout, all soaring leads and swirling reverbed ambience. Really noisy, but in a warm, soft, head in the clouds sort of way. The second track starts with some chugging Stooges-y sludge, that slowly loses momentum and trances out into some super druggy Hawkwinderful space bliss! Side two is a single twenty minute long track and sounds like the heaviest, noisiest most epic Boris track ever, but with all the structure melted away, leaving just a huge mind melting smear of growling glacial Merzbow / Skullflower style black hole wall of guitars. Awesome!

BORIS The Thing Which Solomon Overlooked Vol. 3 (Conspiracy) 12" 23.00
Feels like only yesterday, that we reviewed Volume One, with this same proviso, but here we go AGAIN.... ULTRA LIMITED, VINYL ONLY RELEASE FROM THE MIGHTY BORIS. WE HAVE ABOUT 50 COPIES. GORGEOUS PACKAGING, SAME AS THE FIRST VOLUME. THICK ORANGE VINYL! ONCE THESE ARE GONE WE WON'T BE ABLE TO GET MORE!
Okay, now that we got that out of the way, we can describe the actual record, although by the time most of you read this far, it could very well be sold out.
Much like the first and more recent second volume, this third volume of Boris' 3 part epic vinyl trilogy The Thing Which Solomon Overlooked somehow manages to sound totally new, and like classic Boris at the same time. Four lengthy tracks of freaked out droney psychedelic nirvana!Ô
The proceedings begin with a barely there microscopic drone, with soft Pink Floyd guitar swells, a washed out, staring at the night sky sort of ambient post rock dreaminess. Beneath, there is a slow bass throb, like a beating heart, while above a soft see through gauze of whispered high end guitar and gentle folky strum. The next track immediately tramples all over what ever dreaminess was still lingering with a pounding slow motion trudge slowly morphing into a torrent of high end feedback fallout and rumbling guitar grrr, with soaring guitar leads, drenched in reverb and bursting like fireworks in the sky, the framework provided by a simple clanging cymbal rhythm. Side two begins with a wallop, a face melting wall of guitar-against-the-amps dronedirge stun, a slow shuffling glacial grind of guitar crumble and amp growl, like SUNNO))) or Earth with even less riffery, very reminiscent of the Boris of old. Then, almost imperceptably, we've segued into the final track, that dronedirge gets more and more blown out, with the guitars getting hotter and hotter until they're absolutely blinding like sonic solar flares, white hot sheets of feeding back guitars, a churning, roiling, blinding, deafening swirl of glorious sludgey psychedelia! Wow.

BORIS Pink (Southern Lord) cd 14.98
Alright!! Finally, the most recent release from Japan's mighty masters of Orange Amped sludge groove drone rawk 'n' roll gets a more affordable, domestic release, but don't fret Boris nerds! There are plenty of reasons to hang on to your Japanese version, or heck, even own both. The new version does NOT replicate the mindblowing pink-plastic-see-through artwork of the import version, but the -new- design, courtesy of the ubiquitous Stephen O'Malley, ain't so shabby either, with some washed out pink and white imagery, some of his distinctive repeating shapes collages and a cool art deco font. The nicest part, is probably the sheets of 'acid tabs' inside, three of 'em, each printed on one side with that same pink and white geometric motif, the other sides with cool old fashioned woodcuts and oil paintings. Wow.
The one big difference (why must they always do this?!?!) is that -this- version, is about 8 or 9 minutes LONGER than the import version -- one track's got some extra drone tacked on. The music is the exact same as the super limited and now out of print double lp version. Hard to keep track of Boris sometimes, what with all their different releases and versions and limited editions, but we have to say, Boris are so good it just might be worth it.
Here's what we had to say about Pink first time we laid ears on it:
Some of us are still reeling from the mighty ass kicking delivered by Boris on their recent US tour. And before our ears have even stopped ringing, it's time for yet another new blast of ultra hyper space psych sludge rock n' roll in the form of Pink. Continuing to hone their rock chops, having shed their doom sludge past for the most part now, Boris continue to sound like some MC5 / Hendrix hybrid, albeit supercharged and drenched in LSD and lit on fire and launched into space. Big old fuzzy riffs, churning basslines, and wild spastic drumming underneath Wata's wailing sixties styled leads. You can almost imagine these strange Japanese rockers wandering into the Fillmore in the sixties, like some bell bottomed aliens and proceeding to melt the minds and ear drums of everyone in attendance. Pink starts off with some fuzzed out ultra distorted post rock (reminiscent of some of the stuff on Mabuta No Ura) wrapped in a spacy psychedelic haze, but then it's immediately back to the full on, overblown distorto RAWK that has become THE SOUND of Boris. This is easily their most lo-fi, most blown out recording yet, almost like Boris is channelling Guitar Wolf or something. The drums and cymbals sizzle as the needle goes into the red on almost every track, and the guitars are so drenched in distortion they become huge squirming smears of fuzz. A couple tracks harken back to the slow motion sludge of Flood or Amplifier Worship, and there is the dreamy ambient drift of the second to last track "My Machine", but those are just brief respites, time to catch your breath before hurling yourself back into the fray, an endless maelstrom of head banging, fist pumping, guitar smashing, drumset destroying, hair swirling, sweating, bouncing, pounding pummeling ROCK AND ROLL.
MPEG Stream: "Song One"
MPEG Stream: "Pink"
MPEG Stream: "Song Two"

BORIS Mabuta No Ura (Brazilian Version) (Essence) cd 18.98
We figured that since this list was so chock full of new Boris releases we oughta let folks know that we also got back in the Brazilian version of Boris' Mabuta No Ura soundtrack, so for those of you who somehow missed it last time around, check it out:
Finally! The Brazilian version of the Boris soundtrack Mabuta No Ura. And why is another version of a record you may already own so essential? Well, for the precise reason we all find Boris so enticing and simultaneously frustrating. This new version is SIMILAR, but NOT identical to the Japanese version. Obviously the packaging is completely different. But the music is too, which means all you Boris obsessives will need this as well as the Japanese version if you want all the Mabuta No Ura music there is. Some of the tracks here are -not- on the Japanese version, however, there are a few tracks on the Japanese version that are not found here. ARGHHHH. But thankfully Boris are so good, and Mabuta is so completely amazing, that it makes all this multiple version craziness go down just a little bit easier. But as we said before:
Boris fans are definitely obsessive, most wanting to collect anything and everything the band puts out, whether it's the same record with different artwork, or a limited single, or the same record with 9 minutes of extra music or a different record with the same cover or whatever. The band don't really help matters much, wholeheartedly playing into this, releasing records in ridiculously limited versions and multiple versions, with different artwork or bonus tracks or both. But this new record Mabuta No Ura has definitely pushed all this multiple version collecting about as far as it can go. But hey, let's talk about the record. A soundtrack to a film entitled Mabuta No Ura, this is Boris at their most abstract, maybe even at their least heavy, but Boris has yet to disappoint, and they don't here. Although depending on your personal favorite style of Boris, whether it be the slow sludgy dirges, the minimal drones or the all out super distorted RAWK, you might have to readjust your thinking to get into Mabuta No Ura. There's only one actually 'heavy track', and some of you may already have it, or at least a version of it, as the track in question, "A Bao A Qu" was released as a super limited picture disc 7" not too long ago. "A Bao A Qu" finds Boris churning through a sludgy slab of crushing psych rock, the way only they seem to do it. The rest of Mabuta No Ura finds the band exploring much more contemplative moods, constructing simple, dreamy passages of finger picked guitar, and warm swells of moody ambience. Sometimes sounding a bit like Low, sometimes a little like Slint, the theme here overall does seem to be a brooding slow building post rock. There are variations of course, Eastern sounding melodies, hazy chanted vocals, shimmering washes of cymbal sizzle, tribal rhythms, hand claps, plaintive vocalising, stretches of Sunroof!-like free-noise ambience, blown out krautrock rhythms, but it all sort of hovers around that post rock sound we love so much, dark and moody and smoldering, occasionally bursting with dynamics, but more often than not chugging along all melancholy and contemplatively propulsive. Hard to imagine what sort of film Mabuta No Ura must be, but the songs and sounds here are quite evocative, and let our imaginations conjure up the appropriate images to go with these sumptuous sounds.
The Brazilian version comes in a nice thick oversized mini lp gateflod sleeve, housed in a deluxe die cut slip case. Inside are mini reproductions of the inserts that came with the original lp. So nice.
MPEG Stream: "A Bao A Qu"
MPEG Stream: "The Slow Ripple Of A Puddle"
MPEG Stream: "It Touches"

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ABRUPTUM Casus Luciferi (Picture Disc) (Regain) picture disc 14.98
Now available as a super limited picture disc!
Four tracks 39 minutes 21 seconds of EVIL. That's what this so-long-awaited-it's-unexpected cd from Swedish black metal improvisors Abruptum provides. And if Abrupt aren't already your favorite black metal band they sure should be. One member is a dwarf (or so we thought, he may just be really REALLY short). And past releases have included a whole record made up entirely of field recordings of band members whipping themselves and howling in agony! When they do get down to actual metal, it's of the grimmest, vilest variety. And since we were kind of under the assumption that Abrupt were no more, this sudden return is pretty darn exciting. So in keeping with Abruptum's confounding and perplexing history, this new release is definitely not "metal". Still evil of course, but sonically it's much more of an experimental dark ambient drone record. And a great one at that! Press play...a distant, martial drum cadence underpins dark droning feedback, grinding tortured low end, haunting minor key chords and distant melodies buried under slabs of distorted crunch. It's like a blackened mix of Total, Der Blutharsch, Lustmord and Corrupted, perhaps. Sweet female vocals soon (barely) emerge from the murk...a heavily reverbed chorale, chanting, with tolling bells, all buried under a thick grimy layer of grinding grit. Like a Merzbow / Dead Can Dance mashup. Soon the vocals fade into the mist as the grinding throbbing low end begins to pulse and loop and shimmer, distant explosions crack through the darkened skies, the echoes spreading out like ripples in a pond, creating hypnotic almost-rhythms, while underneath it all weird little looped melodies scurry about looking for shelter from the throbbing malevolence. Imagine Philip Jeck, in spikes and full corpse paint, set up in the middle of the forest beneath a full moon, with a hundred turntables, all black and moss covered, playing the warped and slowed down records of Troum, Dead Can Dance, William Basinski, Skullflower and all manner of rumbling drones...
MPEG Stream: "Casus Luciferi"
MPEG Stream: "Ex Inferno Inferiori"

ANAAL NATHRAKH The Codex Necro (Earache) cd 12.98
Available again! And now with 4 bonus tracks from Anaal Nathrakh's Peel Sessions, recorded on John Peel's show in December of 2003, with members of Napalm Death in the band!
Thank God (or Satan) that this record is as good as it is, because of all the trouble we had to go through to get it (this was several years ago mind you, when this disc first came out way back near the millennium)! We became aware of British black metal act Anaal Nathrakh from first seeing ads for this album in Terrorizer magazine (the UK's metal version of The Wire), then Terrorizer named it record of the month, and then one of the top 40 records of 2001! Yet no metal distributors in the United States had ever even heard of Anaal Nathrakh. Not even the band themselves could help us out, and the one distributor that did offer the album only had TEN COPIES. Our tiny little store wanted at least twice that many.
But, many frustrating conversations and unproductive emails later, we finally got The Codex Necro in stock and are happy to report that it is as heavy, as weird and as completely cool as we had hoped. And now several years later, the world is finally hip to Anaal Nathrakh, enough that this here disc finally got a deluxe reissue with bonus tracks. The formula is blasting black metal mayhem of course, but A.N. up the intensity a notch as well as mixing in all sorts of fucked weirdness: bizarre ambient electronic soundscapes, creepy cloying melodies buried in the mix, strangely hypnotic vocal chants, light speed fuzzed out blast beats, found sound interludes, and totally processed and INSANE vocals, from growling guttural bowel-shaking grunts to maniacal high pitched, electronically fucked-with shrieks. Plus the riffs are ultra catchy, and the guitars are so distorted and recorded so hot, it feels like demonic claws are being scraped across your ear drums. Take the raw, "necro" sounds of Nordic black metal pioneers Darkthrone and give them the bombastic force of the best-produced, over-the-top Cradle of Filth stuff, and you're thinking Anaal Nathrakh. When they say necro, they mean it. And they say it a lot. Like in the liner notes: "Anaal Nathrakh plays Fucking Necro Exclusively!...Fuck Everything".
MPEG Stream: "The Supreme Necrotic Audnance"
MPEG Stream: "When Humanity Is Cancer"
MPEG Stream: "Submission Is For The Weak"

ANAAL NATHRAKH When Fire Rains Down From the Sky, Mankind Will Reap As It Has Sown (Earache) cd ep 12.98
Available again! And now with 3 bonus tracks from AN's BBC Rock Show Session, recorded in March 2005!
A new half hour, six-song blast of total fucking necro mayhem from these UK metal maniacs. A blast it is, a worthy follow up to their godlike The Codex Necro album that was one of our favorite records from way back in 2002. On this ep, the duo of VITRIOL and Irrumator seem to have shed the overtly weird bits that made The Codex Necro so instantly distinctive, production-wise. No studio fuckery, no space-y ambience, no found sounds, no samples. Just 100%, furious, lightspeed, grim black metal. Which is just fine -- the songs and performances speak for themselves in sinister tongues, without the need for sound fx to tweak things further. This is simply some seriously sick, blazing fast, dark and damaged black metal indeed, with insane blast beats, all sorts of off-kilter stops and starts, maniacal leads, and last but not least, a litany of ghostly howls, anguished screams and cries of utter and abject fury -- some of which are provided by guest cult black metal vocalist Attila Csihar (of Mayhem, Aboyrm, and Tormentor infamy)! We also like the fact that there are photos of the band members on the inside and they look like librarians! Necro librarians that is.
MPEG Stream: "Cataclysmic Nihilism"
MPEG Stream: "Never Fucking Again"

ANIMALS & MEN Revel In The Static (Hyped To Death) cd 13.98
Here's one of the full-lengths mentioned in our review of the Messthetics Greatest Hits compilation last list, and it's also quite recommended. We first heard Animals & Men (named for an early Adam & The Ants Song) on one of the old Messthetics cd-r comps. Later Hyped To Death released a 21-song cd-r collection of pretty much everything that this band ever recorded both under the name Animals & Men and in their later incarnation Terraplanes. That disc has now been revamped, retitled, and reissued on cd, with four extra tracks tacked on! Plus a mpeg video clip of a live performance of "Evil Going On" as a bonus.
What're they all about? Female-fronted DIY art/blues/punk from rural England, totally charming and catchy and homemade, comparable to Kleenex/LiLiPUT, Delta 5 and the Vaselines. And that's right, their wide array of influences included black American blues...and the novels of J.G. Ballard, which would explain "Car Crash Blues".
The cd booklet features in-depth liner notes detailing the band's saga as New Wave coulda-woulda beens, with patrons like John Peel and their long-time pal Adam Ant. Obscure though they remained, that should definitely not inhibit but rather enhance your enjoyment of this collection, for lack of commercial success allowed wonderful idiosyncrasies to flourish in their songwriting.
PS. what's a Terraplane you might be wondering? It's an American automobile from the '30s, immortalized in Robert Johnson's "Terraplane Blues". And Animals & Men's "Terraplane Fixation".
MPEG Stream: "Terraplane Fixation"
MPEG Stream: "Evil Going On"

AREA C Traffics + Discoveries (Last Visible Dog) cd 11.98
Another one we first heard on that massive Invisible Pyramid: Elegy box set that Last Visible Dog put out a few months ago (Mudboy was the other Providence, RI drone artist that we discovered via the IP box). And now, like Mudboy, Area C has their own cd release on LVD. Actually a one-man guitar loops and effects (and other things besides, like farfisa organ) effort, Traffics + Discoveries starts out very blissful and calm, ambient like Eno perhaps...and as the disc goes along it stays quite beautiful but gets edgier and darker and more nervous-making. We like it quite a bit. Chalk another one up for both Providence and LVD, in the everybody-wins competition for who's got the best drones around!
MPEG Stream: "Squall (2)"

ART BRUT Bang Bang Rock & Roll (Downtown) cd 13.98
Now available domestically!
When you first put this on your stereo, it might almost have you convinced that it's some lost '80s British post-punk band, that is, until you zero in on the lyrics. Majorly hipster, irony-laden, clever-clever phrases spoken-sung in such an over the top British accent that it nears jokeish Mark E. Smith impersonations. In the first song "Formed A Band" there's even a reference to it -- "And yes, this is my singing voice, it's not irony, it's not Rock'n'Roll, we're just talking, to the Kids." Pretty silly stuff playing dress-up in The Fall's closet. But still pretty darn cool. Funny rock anecdote / rumor: Art Brut's first single was on Rough Trade, who were also planning on releasing their full length, that is until supposedly one of the Rough Trade head honchos went and saw them play, decided they were the worst, most amateur rock band he had ever seen and had them promptly dropped from Rough Trade!
MPEG Stream: "Formed A Band"
MPEG Stream: "Moving To L.A."

AUER, JON Songs From The Year Of Our Demise (Pattern 25) cd 14.98
Together or apart those Posies' gents Ken Stringfellow and Jon Auer never fail to do a number on your pop-loving heartstrings. Wonder if it irks them that seldom is one mentioned without reference to the other or to their band for that matter (if so, we apologize for adding one more to the stack), but geez, it's pretty difficult not to do! They're all so deeply interwoven. While other bands' members usually strike out on his or her own to follow a muse that doesn't mesh with their main band, these guys' solo endeavors all inevitably end up sounding like The Posies whether or not they intended it to be so. Auer's vocals have always been the aural equivalent of a big ol' ice cream sundae. Ever so slightly smoother and fuller than Stringfellow's, but no less sweet and irresistible. That was fine and dandy when they (and we) were young pups, but how do they fare today as veteran songsmiths? Well, if Songs From The Year Of Our Demise is any indication, very very good, thank you! Auer has taken his sweet time issuing forth a solo album meticulously refining each and very facet himself (Stringfellow's been much more prolific on that side of things), but it's so worth the wait! This man is downright wizardly at composing counter melodies and vocal harmonies and they're everywhere on this labor of love. And yes, it does sound incredibly like a Posies album albeit a bit darker and more introspective, but are we complaining? Hell no! Those guys have brought us so much pop joy over the years in all of their incarnations, and we're pleased as punch that their fountain is showing no signs of stopping.
MPEG Stream: "Six Feet Under"
MPEG Stream: "Bottom Of The Bottle"

BATTIATO, FRANCO Fetus (Water) cd 15.98
Strange and introspective Italian prog-rock ballads from the one and only Franco Battiato. Based on themes of creation and rebirth, this first release from 1972 in his eccentric experimental mode is more song-oriented than later synth-prog efforts Sulle Corde Di Aries or Clic, but no less exceptional. A student of Stockhausen with a singing-style reminiscent of Pugh Rogefeldt or Tom Ze, Battiato combines the synthy arpeggios of Tangerine Dream with musique concrete-like manipulations of found recordings and ecstatic bursts of orchestrated pop. Awesome! New reissue includes liner notes from Jim O'Rourke.
MPEG Stream: "Energia"
MPEG Stream: "Mutazione"

BEHOLD THE ARCTOPUS / ORTHRELM Paincave / Pithot 1 (Crucial Blast) cd ep 7.98
Wherein these two bands try to outdo each other (and everyone else in the world) at being absolutely the most INSANE, frenzied, complex, technical-prog-metallic-masturbatory band ever. Good thing it's so short (two tracks, a little under nine minutes total for the disc) 'cause both bands (and listeners!) would be utterly exhausted if they went on any longer.
In one corner, you've got Behold The Arctopus from New York, who have wanky prog gizmo the Chapman Stick in their instrumental arsenal. In the other, from right here in San Francisco, guitarist Mick Barr's Orthrelm, and Mick don't need no stinkin' Stick. Well, get this and you can judge who is the winner.
Pretty clearly, fans of either or both bands need this for sure, and will additionally be tickled pink by the cool cover artwork, by none other than Voivod drummer Away (who's got an art book coming out on Troubleman sometime soon, we hear).
MPEG Stream: ORTHRELM "Pithot 1"

BELIEVER Thirty-Fourth Issue:Junk Of Pork (May 06) magazine 8.00
Yet another awesome issue of our favorite new magazine. Politics, music, science, lifestyle. Brilliantly researched and written, with plenty of humor to boot. And as always killer cover art by one of our favorite artists Charles Burns! (Andee even has a Charles Burns tattoo!) This month:
'80s Teen Sex Comedies, REPO MAN: Reliving Alex Cox's punk-rock-sci-fi-action-comedy in an L.A. scavenget hunt, Queer Punk Taxidermy: Undercover In Sioux Falls, South Dakota, The Great Wrong Place: Los Angeles' Reputation For Filthy Sprawl Makes It The Ideal Place To Write About Nature as well as a cavalcade of cookbook-blurb puns and hyperbole, Amy Sedaris' advice column, this week taken care of by former Trenchmouth punk rocker, current Saturday Night Live superstar Fred Armisen, totally incompetent cartoons, Stuff I've Been Reading by Nick Hornby and more more more!

BLACK ANGELS, THE Passover (Light In The Attic) 2lp 16.98
Now on vinyl...
Man is has this band been hyped to death. There are plenty of next big things, a new one very week, but we have been hearing about this band for ages without actually hearing them until now. And you know what? They're pretty good. Not sure if we'd necessarily include them in our personal list of 'next big things' but hell if this is the band with the golden ticket, the one that's getting the push and will end up all over MTV we could sure as hell do a whole lot worse. The Black Angels' very retro vibe definitely reminds us of the Raveonettes. But where the Raveonettes channeled that whole Spector girl group vibe, the 'Angels lean more toward a druggy shoegaze thing, taking much influence from Loop, Spacemen 3 and of course the Velvet Underground. Along with lyrical themes of '60s radical Vietnam-era politics, death and darkness, the Black Angels also do some musical time traveling with plenty of super sixties fuzz guitar, and that sort of jangly snare like it's attached to a tamborine, and some truly druggy tranced out vocals (that remind us quite a bit of Georgian garage rockers the Rock*A*Teens). At their most rocking there's even a hint of UK psych rockers the Heads, but for the most part this is warm and reverby, laid back and blissfully drugged out. We would be remiss if we didn't mention the fact that there are some moments when the vocals are wailing and dramatic and the sound veers dangerously close to U2 territory, but that's really a small complaint considering how gloriously druggy and droney the rest of the record is.
We may not have been as gaga over the record as 99 percent of the music press, but we sure as hell are blown the fuck away by the packaging!! This disc comes in the most amazing digipack, an op-art pattern of black and white spirals, but all of the spirals are embossed, raised up, so it's nice to touch and the added third dimension makes the lines swirl and shimmer. It's like some crazy textured sixties mod popart carpet shrunk down and wrapped around a cd. WOW!
MPEG Stream: "The First Vietnamese War"
MPEG Stream: "Black Grease"

BLACK COBRA Bestial (At A Loss) cd 13.98
What might one expect from a Black Cobra, one part sludge metal crushers Cavity and one part doom sludge slayers 16? How about two parts massive fucking metallic destruction. A pummeling two man chain gang, pounding sonic boom drumming and rumbling low slung dowtuned guitar chug and churn and a whole lot of yelling, Black Cobra are like a WAY more metal Karp, and hell, Karp were pretty dang metal to begin with. A thick gooey paste of noise and sludge as heavy as, if not heavier than, these two guy's former groops combined, but there's ONLY TWO OF 'EM!!! How in the hell do two guys make such an unholy racket??! Who cares! This is some glorious heaviness. 16, Cavity, Dove, Torche, Floor, you get the drift. Heavy and drone-y and groovy and sludgy and so goddamn heavy. We often wonder why heavy two piece bands always choose to ditch the bass player when it's ALL about the low end, but fear not, there is no lack of bass here, hell, the guitar is tuned low enough that it might as well be a bass!!
This is the shit we love. Massive feedback and utter heaviness. Big fat riffs. Lots of "chunka chunka" "chug chug". Huge ride cymbal smashing caveman-behind-the-kit power drumming. DOOM! NOISE! DIRGE! SLUDGE! HELL YEAH!!
MPEG Stream: "One Nine"
MPEG Stream: "Thrown From Great Heights"

BLOOD CULT We Who Walk Behind The Rows (Rusty Axe) cd 9.98
This grim slab of 'redneck black metal' finally back in stock!
Blood Cult are as far as we know, the only purveyors of Redneck Black Metal around, or maybe more accurately the only ones who admit to it. And Blood Cult are damn proud of being BM rednecks, as their apparent theme song "Redneck Black Metal" proves (oh, and it's printed in huge letters along the spine of the cd!). This is the first proper release from this Illinois horde after a slew of cd-r, cassettes and demos. Definitely their best -sounding- record by a long shot, equal parts splatter rock, crossover, early black metal, NWOBHM, and thrash. Think Venom, D.R.I., the Accused -- primitive and thrashy, noisy and chaotic, with some killer riffs n' some splattery chaotic drumming. They're definitely a little tongue in cheek for sure with some of the lyrics and song titles ("The Moweaqua Coal Mine Disaster", "Cheap Guitars", "Illinoisan Thunder", etc.). This boasts some killer catoony artwork too, from the same label that brought us Enbilulugugal!!
MPEG Stream: "The Moweaqua Coal Mine Disaster"
MPEG Stream: "Redneck Black Metal"

CASEWORKER, [THE] When I Was A Young King (Pehr) cd 11.98
No sharp edges here, everything is smooth and rounded and soothing. [The] Caseworker have pop smarts that set them in league with bands like Pinback and Death Cab For Cutie. It's no wonder though considering the band members' impressive pedigree -- Conor Jonathan and Eimer Devlin were formerly in Half Film and Monte Vallier is from Swell. To boot, AQ pal Will Waghorn provides the solid, steady but slightly unpredictable drumming which helps to keeps things interesting. The warm muted male vocals recall Pink Floyd's David Gilmore or Alan Parsons Project's "Eye In The Sky". The slink of the sliding guitar lines make for a wonderful counterpart to the hazy vocals -- cutting through like headlights in the dark. Soooo good!
MPEG Stream: "When I Was A Young King"
MPEG Stream: "The Kick"

COLOSSAL YES Acapulco Roughs (Ba Da Bing) cd 13.98
We love when folks usually associated with a certain sound and style step out and show off a different part of their make-up. Best known as the drummer for the mighty Comets On Fire, Utrillo Kushner lets his breezy sunny side shine through with his new project Colossal Yes. Perfect for those lazy days when all you wanna do is lay in the grass and stare into the rays of the sun. With really well crafted songs that incorporate lush piano into a more traditional folk/rock mix, this has made us think of the prime pop of Elephant Six related bands, early Mercury Rev, a dash of Beachwood Sparks' relaxed twang, a hint of Vetiver, the blissed out mellow hooks of Mojave 3 and the warmth of early 70's Beach Boys. There is a level of confidence in the playing that helps make this record flow so seemlessly and rise above so many others outfits going for this same sound and style with less satisfying results. Nice stuff!
MPEG Stream: "Just Like A Mademoiselle"
MPEG Stream: "A Titan's Buffet"

COUNTRY TEASERS The Empire Strikes Back (In The Red) cd 13.98
Country Teasers always sound as though someone roused them from a snoresome liquored slumber, thrust some instruments and a microphone in their hands and hollered "Play!" Seriously we'd bet they could drink The Pogues under the table. Their music never fails to be incoherent (yet somehow clearly foul mouthed) and rambling, with parts that don't quite fit together. The drum beats stumble along. The electric guitars strain against the urge to fall horribly out of tune. The ridiculously distorted speak-sing-yer-heart-right-outta-pitch style vocals will have you jumping from bummer to bellylaugh and back again (much like those of Shane MacGowan of the abovementioned Pogues). They even provide an occasional play-by-play commentary. At one point in the seventh tune you can hear "bring the drums in again". As this album progresses though it's like the booze wears off a bit and a sober gloom emerges around the fourth tune. Then it's like they consumed some other chemical along with a revitalizing shot of whisky that sends them shambling into some other strange carnival tent. For folks who like their garage music to be extra loosey goosey.
MPEG Stream: "Mos E17ley"
MPEG Stream: "Good Looking Boys Or Women"

COUP, THE Pick A Bigger Weapon (Epitaph) cd 13.98
While this great Bay Area hip-hop outfit already titled their last full length Party Music, we can't think of a term that better suits what they've come up with on Pick A Bigger Weapon, their fifth full length. The Coup have perfected the mix of smart outspoken leftist politics with full servings of carefree melodies and feel good beats to help make their message go down smoother. They just want to "laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor to help the revolution come quicker." And the way they phrase their sentiments they've found a way to neither compromise their message or their sound. With tasteful elements of funk incorporated into their feel good hip-hop it's pretty impossible not to start moving and singing along. Like if Funkadelic met up with a young Prince in the heydey of hip-hop with lyrics contributed by Jello Biafra (who makes another cameo on this record). Most definitely innovative and so immediately familiar sounding at the same time.
MPEG Stream: "We Are The Ones"
MPEG Stream: "Head (of state)"

DANIELSON Ships (Secretly Canadian) cd 14.98
Conceived as a giant group hug with everyone Daniel Smith (aka Danielson Family, Tri-Danielson and Br. Danielson) has collaborated with or has wanted to collaborate with, this Moby Dick of a record cannot be completely contained on just one cd, so a series of 7 inches will follow with different collaborators, producers and labels. While the cd features appearances from Deerhoof, Sufjan Stevens, Serena Maneesh and Why?, among others, these sunny and ecstatic pop exuberances have become so embedded in the Danielson mythos, that it is sometimes hard to tell where the collaboration lies. But that's no matter, if you love the uplifting and heartfelt indie-pop of Polyphonic Spree, Flaming Lips or the Elephant 6 collective, you will definitely want to book a spot on this cruise.
MPEG Stream: "Bloodbook on the Half Shell"
MPEG Stream: "Did I Step On Your Trumpet"

DANIELSON Ships (Secretly Canadian) lp 13.98
Conceived as a giant group hug with everyone Daniel Smith (aka Danielson Family, Tri-Danielson and Br. Danielson) has collaborated with or has wanted to collaborate with, this Moby Dick of a record cannot be completely contained on just one cd, so a series of 7 inches will follow with different collaborators, producers and labels. While the cd features appearances from Deerhoof, Sufjan Stevens, Serena Maneesh and Why?, among others, these sunny and ecstatic pop exuberances have become so embedded in the Danielson mythos, that it is sometimes hard to tell where the collaboration lies. But that's no matter, if you love the uplifting and heartfelt indie-pop of Polyphonic Spree, Flaming Lips or the Elephant 6 collective, you will definitely want to book a spot on this cruise.
MPEG Stream: "Bloodbook on the Half Shell"
MPEG Stream: "Did I Step On Your Trumpet"

DAWNFALL Drei Raume (Supernal) cd 15.98
BACK IN STOCK!!
This is not really new, but we've never been able to get enough of these to list until now. From the label that brought us Benighted Leams, Contra Ignem Fatuum, Dark Ages and Meads Of Asphodel comes another confounding blast of black metal, this time from a mysterious group called Dawnfall. The first three tracks are 11+ minutes each, every one a convoluted, twisted swirl of stumbling midtempo black metal weirdness and swooshing keyboardy ambience, with some of the most tortured vocals we've ever heard. Somewhere between the anguished shriek of Weakling and the inhuman howl of Rehtaf Ruo. Each prickly spikey tangle of blackness is peppered with squirrelly Greg Ginn like guitar freakouts, random tinkling chimes and warm wooshes of synthesizer. Dizzying and totally brilliantly confusional. Warm fuzzed out guitars wrapped loosely over a framework of thudding pounding drums, while maddeningly slippery guitar squiggles slip and slide in and around the blackness colliding with the harsh vocal wails. Amazing. But that's just three tracks in. Track four is some sort of faux harpsichord driven electronic ambient soundscape, like Benighted Leams playing Dead Can Dance covering Autchre or something? Skittery beats and a dense wash of thick metallic string strum. As if it couldn't get weirder, the next track is mostly sped up and slowed down vocals, mixed with strange spacey effects, swooshes, and beeps and a hiccupping dsrum machine. Weird! But it's not over yet, the second to last track is a ten minute soundscape of skittery synthesizers, warbly keyboard squiggles, all smothered in reverb and other space-y ambience. A creepy, splattery minimal crawl through some outer space fun house. Finally, the record finishes with a weird one minute blast of synthesized circus music, maybe like a lite Killing Joke, with wooshy synth stabs and casio style drum beats. Woah, not sure what to make of this. We love it. For sure. Just not sure why. Definitely too weird for most metalheads, you all can quit after the first three tracks, that is if -those- aren't already too weird for you. But folks who have been digging all the crazy shit Supernal puts out, and anyone up to trying to wrap their brains around something amazingly weird and wonderfully obtuse, definitely check this out!
MPEG Stream: "Drei RaumeI"
MPEG Stream: "Drei Raume II"

DREYBLATT, ARNOLD Live At The Federal Hall (Table Of The Elements) cd 16.98
Arthur Dreyblatt may not be as familiar a name as Tony Conrad, Steve Reich, Terry Riley or Phillip Glass, but lets hope this latest Table of the Elements release changes that. This release marks the 25th anniversary of an historic 1981 live performance at the Federal Hall in New York (where Washington was inaugurated). Dreyblatt accompanied by The Orchestra of Excited Strings put the natural resonances of the architectural dome to good use as his modified instruments such as the pipe organ, hurdy gurdy, just-intoned double bass and piano work through seven pieces of textured rhythmic precision that create gorgeous and dynamic harmonic overtones. Stunning!
MPEG Stream: "Untitled 1"
MPEG Stream: "Untitled 2 "

DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS A Blessing And A Curse (New West) cd 16.98
As the new Drive-By Truckers album kicks off, we were struck by what a transformation we thought the band has gone through since their 2004's The Dirty South. Today's DBT bear an uncanny resemblance to Buffalo Tom and old Wilco... or at least on the opening song which is loaded with poppiness. From there the now ten year old band get back into their more familiar lanky Southern bluesy rock a la Rolling Stones' "Honky Tonk Woman" or Skynyrd's "Gimme Three Steps". Still, the vocals continue to sound a whole lot like those of Wilco's Jeff Tweedy back in his Uncle Tupelo days... many of whose fans have surely found a new fave in DBT... or soon will! So, don't let their jokey name dissuade or mislead you, these guys are serious about their country rock, and they do it up rreeeaaall good on this their seventh full length!
MPEG Stream: "Feb. 14"
MPEG Stream: "Gravity's Gone"

EHLERS, EKKEHARD A Life Without Fear (Staubgold) cd 15.98
What the fuck? We shouldn't be the only people baffled by this record; and A Life Without Fear was probably engineered with that confusion in mind. A few years back, Ekkehard Ehlers was the darling of the Max / MSP faction of electronic artists, recontextualizing any number of artists into a delirious pixel-pointed fizz of digitized sound fragments, following in the foot steps of Christian Fennesz and Stefan Mathieu. As great as Ehlers recontextualizations of Cornelius Cardew, John Cassavettes, and Albert Ayler were, this micro-genre of soundsculpting seemed a bit faddish and a slave to technology. Needless to say, Mathieu has shifted his focus to more organic materials and instrumentation, and Ehlers has followed suit by dropping his Max / MSP patches in favor a gritty blues minimalism. With the press release making comparisons to Jim O'Rourke's emulation of John Fahey, Ehlers' recapitulation of turn of the 20th century blues has a studied hollowness about it. While sonically, these rough-hewn guitar chords and back-porch stomps have all of the trappings of any old archival recording (i.e. scratchy sound, tinny production, etc), they nevertheless lack any real soul (unlike O'Rourke's jubliant finger-picking and carnavelesque arrangements on Bad Timing.) There's also an ill-conceived bout of West-African / Congolese thumb-piano playing to futher complicate the matters at hand. The avant-garde meets the assimilatory attributes of imperialism? A curious application of 'authentic' patinas? A miscalculated attempt of cross-cultural communication? How about a faux-Jandek outsider thing? Who knows? Again we return to the ultimate question about this record: what the fuck?
MPEG Stream: "Ain't No Grave"
MPEG Stream: "Maria & Martha"

ENSLAVED Ruun (Candlelight) cd 14.98
Some years back, a new album from Norway's Enslaved was an occasion for pagan celebration only among those few who honestly appreciated "Viking" black metal of EPIC quality... people like AQ's Allan for whom a band in tunics and tights was indeed "cool". But more and more folks came around to this band's undeniable if eccentric brilliance (and their stage clothes have become less archaic). Now they're one of the biggest acts in the world of "extreme metal" and the release of a new album like this one (Ruun being their ninth full-length in a 13 year career) is a big deal. As it should be. We've always made a big deal about Enslaved's albums here at AQ, as you may know, going so far as to make 2000's Mardraum a Record Of The Week. So as always, excitement ran high here for this new disc. And our reaction to it is similar to how we felt about their last one, Isa -- it's obvious immediately that Ruun is another proud entry in the Enslaved discography, and one that promises to be a grower too. The carefully crafted, complex collision of aggro black metal and '70s inspired prog rock (a la Rush, Genesis, King Crimson) that Enslaved have been perfecting (or, at this point, could be said to have perfected!) is in full effect, each composition holding hidden secrets to be revealed only on repeat listens, while not for a second stinting on the venemous METAL that you want right of the gate. Already there's certain tracks that we just want to keep hitting "repeat" on.
Grutle's vocals still alternate between vicious rasping growls and "clean" Viking vox, the music similarly incorporating both jagged metallic riffing (stormwracked seas, longboats tossing) and spacier, more melodic symphonic passages (astral travels to ancestral lands beyond the stars)... the classic Enslaved dynamic at work! Though maybe there's something smoother about such transistions nowadays as Enslaved have matured (if not mellowed). Or maybe we're just used to it now. What we do know for sure is that Ruun's technical, emotional, majestic music for the discerning headbanger will earn Enslaved even more plaudits, not to mention the usual well warranted comparisons to Sweden's Opeth, who have been travelling a similarly progressive path from black metal roots. But we also hear traces of such Nordic BM bands as Emperor and Satyricon -- and of course Voivod, and psychedelic grandaddies Pink Floyd, on the album's dreamier moments.
MPEG Stream: "Path To Vanir"
MPEG Stream: "Heir To The Cosmic Seed"

ETTRICK Infinite Horned Abomination (Heule) cd-r 9.98
On the same label as the more spaced out free-form black jazz ambience of Hodag (reviewed elsewhere on this list), Ettrick on the surface seems like they must be a way more metal proposition, the record's called Infinite Horned Abomination for chrissakes! And their logo is of the spiky illegible classic metal style, but in fact, this is way more of a sputtery skronky free jazz, with wild horns and chaotic bursts of sputtering drum splatter. Each half of this duo handles both sax and drums, each player safely ensconced in their own channel, sometimes it's two horns, sometimes it's horn and drums, sometimes all drums, a dizzying barrage coming scattershot from both the left and right channels, as if there were some sort of free jazz monkeys screaming and beating their chests wildly in each channel, pelting the listener with sonic stones and hurling great handfuls of free jazz dung! Intense and aggressive and furiously freaked out. You might think you're tough, jazz sissy, and we're happy to let you have a go, but this stuff is dangerous, and sharp, and sort of scary, so stand back and let the more highly decorated free jazz warriors step forward, unless you're feeling particularly brave today...
LIMITED TO 100 COPIES!!! Each disc packaged in a cool hand screened cardboard sleeve.
MPEG Stream: "Before The Semantic"
MPEG Stream: "Village Of Necromposition"

FAR BLACK FURLONG HAIDD (Barl Fire) cd-r 11.98
From the same label that brought us discs by James Blackshaw, the Floating World, Robert Horton, Lamp Of The Universe and Rameses III comes this limited cd-r from Far Black Furlong. Recorded live, outdoors, in the barley fields on the Welsh / English border, Haidd is a half hour of moon lit free folk drones. The sound of pale moonlight washing over the landscape like a soft grey coat of paint. A squirming shuffling, scritchy scratchy crosshatched backdrop, over which slow foghorn like drones drift and hover, horns wheeze out long mournful melodies that float just above the whirling background ambience. Like floating on the ink black sea, slowly drifting, little swells lifting you up and letting you back down, gently and so barely rhythmically. It's the sea, or the forest, or the desert, the sound of space and sky and dark nighttime colors that go on forever and ever.
LIMITED TO 100 COPIES!!! Already sold out at the label. We got about 30 copies. Once those are gone, we won't be able to get more.
MPEG Stream: "HAIDD"

FINAL 3 (Neurot) 2cd 16.98
BACK IN STOCK!
As much as we always loved Godflesh and Techno Animal and most everything else Justin Broadrick was involved in, by the end there, a few years back, a lot of that stuff began to sound just a little bit tired and dated and sometimes even just plain not good. But now! Holy shit! Not sure what it was, but -something- happened during those few years in between. First there was Jesu, a total revelation, everything we loved about Godflesh, but swathed in thick swirls of My Bloody Valentine guitars and warm fuzzy M83-isms. A gloriously blissed out, but still impossibly heavy, sunkissed drone drenched chunk of dreamlike heaviness. And now we have the long overdue resurrection of Broadrick's ambient project Final. And something strange has happened to the music of Final as well. What was once bleak, dark, barren and clinical isolationism, has grown into something warm and alive, a series of blurry and buzzy and blissy miniature soundscapes. Warm and warped and warbly, very much like the sonic worlds created by Tim Hecker. Final now explore a musical world gauzy and sepia toned, dreamlike melodies obfuscated by warm rich layers of crackle and hum, chimes ring out, drifting delicately on a sea of sonic swirl, bits of glitch and grit surface occasionally, as does the occasional almost-rhythms, the whole record like a dusty old scrapbook of small faded snaphots capturing some lost time or some forgotten place. An abstruse drone music, viewed through a window dense with rain coursing down it's surface, giving everything a soft focus, a warped otherworldliness. The mood can occasionally still be ominous and creepy, even sort of menacing at times, but even then, it's diffused, washed out and grey, or blown out and dappled with winter sunlight, or smeared into an indistinct blur of pale moonlight, dreamy and droney and so beautiful.
MPEG Stream: "The Light Orchestra"
MPEG Stream: "Seasick"
MPEG Stream: "Negative Youth"

FITS Near Fits (UFI) cd-r 9.98
These debut cd-r recordings from Bay Area band Fits sound like some long lost rural cousin of The Elephant 6 Collective (Olivia Tremor Control, Apples In Stereo, The Minders, et al). The seven members put their plethora of instruments to good use (in addition to the basic guitar-bass-drums, there's also various keyboards, pedal steel, synths, dobro, saw and lots of horns and strings). Each of the dozen tunes is an endearing folksy pop gem with vocals that reminded us of J Mascis.
MPEG Stream: "Boots To The Sky"
MPEG Stream: "Ball Of Twine"

FORMATT Re:Take_Repeat (Audiobot) cd-r 13.98
Newest release from Belgian sound manipulator Peter Smeekins aka Formatt. A dense mix of soft droney shimmer and all manner of glitch and crunch. Imagine hearing Low or some other slow motion band through a concrete wall so thick that just the bare essence makes it through, a sort of ghostly outline, a dreamy, barely audible hum, then stretch it into a gauzy soft sound blanket and spread it out over the whole record. This soft, shimmery bed is the foundation for all of Re:Take_Repeat. Over the top of this Formatt fiddles and fidgets, like some tinkering mad scientist, glitches and crackle, bursts of shortwave interference, white noise, industrial machinery, haunting EVP like transmissions, pops and creaks, amp buzz and distant feedback, it's like some giant mysterious soundmaker upended his rusty old tool box full of sounds and dumped all of those strange sharp metallic shapes, all over the thick velvety background, like stars sparkling chaotically in the black night sky.
LIMITED TO 100 COPIES. We managed to get the last 20 so once these are gone they are gone for good!
MPEG Stream: "Keramiek"
MPEG Stream: "Kristal"

GAUHAERT Ygwaet Gwyr Gwynn Novi (Goatowarex) cd 14.98
Sure, we've all heard plenty of viking metal. Every black metal dude somehow miraculously has that Norse warrior blood flowing hot through their veins. "Sure, we're from Idaho, but OUR ANCESTORS WERE MIGHTY VIKINGS!!" Blah blah blah, longboats, funeral pyres, horned helmets, whatever, now it's time for some RAW CELTIC FOLK METAL!! And not just any sort of raw Celtic folk metal, no this is totally deranged and demented and damaged folky buzzy Celtic black metal. Think Benighted Leams, Urfaust and the like, but flavored with a heap of Celtic fiddles and jaunty folk rhythms.
The riffs and melodies are distinctly Celtic for sure, but they are drenched in tinny buzz, wrapped in a warm cloak of blackness, a folky black blast, not all that strange on their own, but then the vocals come in and all bets are off. The vocals are of course of the chanting, sing songy, sea shanty, steins hoisted variety, but the way they're recorded transforms them, and this whole record into something completely different. A soaring dramatic croon, a cross between Urfaust's over the top Ethel Merman-ish warble (Gauhaert does indeed include at least one member of Urfaust!), Circle's Mika Ratto and an anguished black metal moan, but they sound like they were recorded at the bottom of a 10 million gallon iron cistern, a dense cloud of reverb and overtones, the vocals soar and reverberate, until they are a huge swirl that overtakes the music completely, when the vocals stop briefly, the music re-emerges as if stepping out of a fog bank, before the vocals kick back in and the song becomes a dense grey hued swirling smear of sound. There are also a couple of ambient tracks, dark dreamy rumbles, with strange chordal swells and wheezing organs, mournful horns, mysterious and elegiac in its sorrowful trudge. But those are brief respites amidst the dizzying flurries of wild and bizarre Celtic blackness. So weird, but really fucking cool.
MPEG Stream: "Blaasbalg Der Zwijnen"
MPEG Stream: "Bealach Na' Marbh"

GNARLS BARKLEY St. Elsewhere (Downtown) cd 13.98
When we first heard of the strangely monikered Gnarls Barkley, they already had a number one hit in the UK and had the biggest downloaded single ever with the track "Crazy". Normally, we don't always pay much attention to popular hit singles, but something about the name made us curious. So we checked it out and need we say it, our minds were blown!! A stab of cool, infectious, minor key, soul-pop groove that conks you over the head with an anvil or a piano until you're seeing stars and little birdies, just like in the cartoons! Of course, when we found out Gnarls Barkley was in fact Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo (ex-Goodie Mob), it all made a bit more sense. But even with such talent, we assumed the single would be a one-off and heck, we'd be fine with that, cuz that track was just so perfect. Then, lo and behold, a full length CD shows up on our counter. Would it be just as exciting and mind blowing as the single? Hells Yes!!! St. Elsewhere is a strange and often silly pastiche of soul, pop, funk, hip hop, and gospel with nods to Wilson Pickett, Undisputed Truth, Marvin Gaye, and crazily enough Violent Femmes (they cover "Gone Daddy Gone"). But even with their influences showing bright and clear, they put it all together in their own unique crazy fun and groovy way. Less sleazy than Andre 3000's Love Below, but sipping from the same funky bottle. Expect to hear this one all summer long.
MPEG Stream: "Crazy"
MPEG Stream: "Smiley Faces"

GREEN MILK FROM THE PLANET ORANGE City Calls Revolution (Beta-Lactam Ring) 2lp 24.00
NOW ON VINYL!
This second full-length album from Japan's Green Milk From The Planet Orange proclaims boldly on its sleeve that "Progressive Rock Is Not Dead"! Well, WE never thought it was anyhow, but if you yourself have doubts, a loud dose of this should correct your thinking. Though, while quite lively (and rather live-sounding too, on this recording), GMFTPO's brand of prog rock definitely does look to the past for inspiration, from cosmic psych-scapes of krautrock to the precision epics of Yes. And we're also hearing some not-entirely-welcome No Wave-ish yelping dissonance on one track here as well. But when song-lengths can hit the double digits as they do here (there's four tracks, the shortest clocking in an prog-respectable seven minutes and the longest stretching out to over 38!!) and you've got musicians capable of turning on a dime like these guys, something ELSE is gonna happen before the song's over for sure. So you get tripped out atmospheres AND fully cranked acid-rock electric guitar mayhem, prog-complex song constructs and punk raucousness. Some will find this eclecticism exhilirating (and of course somewhat typical of the genre-bending Japanese underground that we've been fans ever since the Boredoms first freaked us out years ago) while others might wish that they'd stick to one thing -- taking the Yessism all the way, or the psych guitar skree. But check 'em out (live too if possible -- they've toured the US a couple times already, and knocked out a great instore performance here at AQ last year, with the drummer playing a 'kit' jerry-rigged from empty soda cans, a tamborine, and duct tape) and see what you think... fans of AMT and DMBQ both might quite like.
MPEG Stream: "Concrete City Breakdown"
MPEG Stream: "Demagog"

GROUPER Way They Crept (Free Porcupine Society) cd 14.98
FINALLY REPRESSED and BACK IN STOCK! And now this former AQ Record Of The Week comes in a sturdier sleeve with a little book of drawings too, value added for those who missed it before... hardly fair for those who picked it up back when but nice if you're just getting it now.
Imagine Arvo Part if he was a punk rock woman from Oakland. Or imagine an ultra lo-fi Morton Feldman jamming with Matthew Bower of Skullflower, backed up by a ghostly choir. This is one of those records that is so perfectly aQuarius it sounds like it was composed and recorded just for us. And you. A perfect blend of warm textured ambience and thick corrosive drones, delicate melodies wrapped in a gorgeously crunchy gritty hissy production. The whole record is a ghostly shimmer, warm washes of otherworldly vibrations swirling in a thick morass of processed vocals, murky keyboards and guitars rendered so unguitarlike they more resemble warm wiggles of sound, like slinky's stretched as far as they will go, slightly vibrating, barely disturbing the air around them, small waves of sound like ripples in a pond building and building and piled atop one another until it's a massive, thick blanket of sound. Imagine the saddest slowest band you've ever heard playing at absolutely deafening volume, then imagine stuffing your ears full of cotton, and listening from behind a closed door, through a wall of mud and straw, warm wispy tendrils of sound creeping and crawling through the cracks, wrapping themselves in thick coils around your arms and legs, the whole room slowly filling with sound, until soon you're totally ensconced, submerged, surrounded by thick billows of slow shifting sound. Melodies become indistinct whispers stretched across minutes instead of seconds, guitars and keyboards become blissed out blurs, like floating weightless in a warm dark mysterious place made entirely of soft sound. Wow. Totally haunting and captivating.
MPEG Stream: "Way Their Crept"
MPEG Stream: "Hold A Desert, Feel Its Hand"
MPEG Stream: "Sang Their Way"

HAFLER TRIO Seven Hours Sleep (Korm Plastics) cd 23.00
Originally released in 1985 as a set of 2 EPs on LAYLAH and re-issued "wrongly" by Mute / Grey Area in 1992, Seven Hours Sleep marks yet another in the ongoing reissue campaign by Korm Plastics of work by The Hafler Trio. Seven Hours Sleep also happens to mark the last contributions from former Cabaret Voltaire member Chris Watson, although Andrew MacKenzie (the other founder of the 'trio') was still claiming that The Hafler Trio involved such fictional characters as Dr. Edward Moolenbeek and Robert Spridgeon. In recent years, MacKenzie has focused his activities upon the essentialization of the power of the human voice, as he has extracted intensely brilliant tonal fragments from the voices of Jonsi Birgisson, David Tibet, and Blixa Bargeld, stretching them into some of the most deliriously beautiful and acoustically powerful minimalism the world has ever witnessed. Well over two decades ago, the human voice was still central to MacKenzie's work in The Hafler Trio although in a slightly different context. Instead of focusing upon the essence of the human voice as a gnostic spark for enlightenment through sound, MacKenzie was far more interested in how perception and communication were intertwined, and how it was possible to create paranoiac atmospheres through the obfuscation of language's syntax. Within Seven Hours Sleep, MacKenzie rewires utterances, screams and megaphone broadcasts into a decentered collage of mediated fragments, rupturing flickering drones and unsettling field recordings. MacKenzie has demonstrated his power to confuse and delight through his complex laboratory of sound, mythology, and context; Seven Hours Sleep is no different. Sorry, no mp3 samples can be made available of the Hafler Trio's work.

HANS GRUSEL'S KRANKENKABINET Happy As Pitch (C.I.P.) cd 11.98
More bizarre, musical macrame from the peculiar German gent known as Hansel Urnst Grusel! Happy As Pitch could easily be retitled When Wind-Up Toys Go 'Wrong'. While there's probably not any actual toys involved in Hans Grusel's Krankenkabinet, the assortment of drunken plinkety plonks, itchy clickety clacks, disgruntled grindings and dizzying whooshes sure bring them to mind. Played out on such instruments as a Resonator Neuronium and a Steim Crackelbox as well as more conventional horns, strings 'n' woodwinds and a battalion of analog synthesizers, The Krankenkabinet's compositions are mostly kookily tweaked roamings, punctuated by an occasional more menacing moment. Guest players include Liz Allbee on trumpet and Graham Connah on Moog Source Solo.
MPEG Stream: "Comb Parade"
MPEG Stream: "Tea For Two"

HILL, ZACH & MICK BARR Shred Earthship (5RC) cd 14.98
Zach Hill is one busy man. Besides constantly touring and releasing records with his duo Hella he also somehow found time to make records with Greg from Deerhoof (Nervous Cop), Rob Crow (The Ladies) and now he's teamed up with the relentless guitar outbursts of Mick Barr (Orthrelm, Octis, Quixotic) for an album that never lets up, brutal intensity from start to finish. Hill's frantic drumming is the perfect backdrop for Barr's impossibly over the top guitar freakouts. Barr has become one of our favorite guitar players in recent years. His ability to full on rip and never let up has held us in thrall with a iron gloved grip. This is the kind of record that makes you want to drink 8000 cups of coffee and finish your life's to-do list in one fell swoop, no rest, no sleep, no mercy!!!! This is the sound of relentless spirit at its most triumphant. Like Glen Branca on a dirty diet of speed, teamed up with a scrappy drummer making the sort of sounds that put most math rock to shame. This is advanced calculus metal for unrelenting students. One of our customers said it best while listening to this "Whoa the Voltron of shredders!" We couldn't have said it better ourselves.
MPEG Stream: "Floats"
MPEG Stream: "Lakes In Space"

HODAG s/t (Heule) cd-r 9.98
We haven't managed to catch Hodag live yet, but it sounds like it must be a bit like having someone fire ice picks right into your ear canal from a high powered rifle. Or imagine being stripped naked and rubbed raw with some free jazz sand paper. CMJ wrote that Hodag'sÔdebut "doodles corpsepaint on Albert Ayler,Ôsounding like jazz-spazzes trying to claw their way out of Xasthur's murky coffin." Hard to come up with anything better than that. This is definitely some sort of free jazz, or some sort of ambient noise, there is no black metal per se, but it does sound very black, with swirls of damaged synth, sputtering drum kit spazzouts, lots of space, but lots just as many bursts of ultra dense brutality. For the pure souled and strong eared amongst you!
LIMITED TO 100 COPIES!!! Each disc packaged in a cool hand screened cardboard sleeve.
MPEG Stream: "Elcho"
MPEG Stream: "Flylknegl"

HOT CHIP Over And Over (Astralwerks) cd 8.98
Hot off the heels of the recent domestic release of their smart fun & dorky in a good way debut, Coming On Strong, here are 3 new songs and the obligatory remixes of the title track. Over and Over is a really good catchy blast of electronic pop that recalls the early era of Depeche Mode, the full on dance mode of New Order and the seductive hooks of Goldfrapp. Fun stuff.
MPEG Stream: "Over and Over"
MPEG Stream: "Plastic"

IBEX THRONE Total Inversion (Goatowarex) cd 14.98
The second full-length from Utah's blackened beast known collectively as Ibex Throne. The Zodiac, Lord Dying, Mictlan, Desecrator and Judas Drexor Arawn have reassembled as the blasting buzzing black metal juggernaut that is Ibex Throne. A musical blast of pestilence and pure hatred for all things. An utter loathing for all belief systems as well as a constant striving for the absolute eradication of all humanity. A furious blasting burst of black buzz, with occasional stretches of Xasthur-ish moodiness, minor key chords fingerpicked over sheets of white hot black brutality. For the most part this is blown out blackness, a furious fast fist full of metal, blast beats and guitar buzz, demonic shrieks and screaming feedback all twisted into big metal nails that will seal the coffin that keeps the corpse of humanity below ground. Ibex Throne offers no sympathy, just hateful, blasphemous, nihilistic anti-trend Black hatred Metal!
Amazing cover art, full on high school binder rendering of winged demons eviscerating a naked woman on an upside down cross!
MPEG Stream: "Humanity Is Worthless"
MPEG Stream: "Insidious Wrath"

IMMORTAL Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism (Osmose) cd 13.98
The return of Immortal!!! These frosty warriors may have hung up their spiked gauntlets, but their legacy still looms large. Easily one of our favorite black metal hordes EVER, these records have been frustratingly tough to keep in stock over the years. Thankfully, they've all been reissued, in all their frostbitten black blurred glory!
The legendary debut from Norway's masters of black winter darkness, lords of their mysterious frostbitten kingdom, originally released way back in 1992 (hard to believe it's been 15 years!) Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism is one of the essential cornerstones of Norwegian black metal. A buzzing snarling blur of forsty buzz guitars, galloping ice cold blast beats and winter wind banshee howls, this is Immortal at their most primitive, taking their love of Bathory and upping the intensity, the complexity and the overall blackness. Evoking the heart of the forest, pale faced demons riding black fiery-hooved horses up from the pits of hell to lay waste to all in their path. The sound is thick and viscoous, raw and blown out, a swirling dizzying blast of black metal brilliance, that over the course of their career, Immortal would sharpen and hone, but never was it more primal and more perfect than on their debut.
MPEG Stream: "The Call Of The Wintermoon"
MPEG Stream: "Cryptic Winterstorms"

IMMORTAL Pure Holocaust (Osmose) cd 13.98
The return of Immortal!!! These frosty warriors may have hung up their spiked gauntlets, but their legacy still looms large. Easily one of our favorite black metal hordes EVER, these records have been frustratingly tough to keep in stock over the years. Thankfully, they've all been reissued, in all their frostbitten black blurred glory!
Pure Holocaust was Immortal's second album (from 1993) and is classic old school Norwegian black metal all the way. Grim and frosty, buzzy and blurry. A furious black juggernaut, equal parts Bathory, Darkthrone, Mayhem, Emperor, Burzum, but with their own uniquely wintery spin on that blackened fury, growled demonic old man vocals (hinting at the Immortal Popeye growl that would feature heavily on future releases), buzzing riffs, with hauntinly majestic melodies, furious pummeling drums, everything wrapped in a thick blanket of winter chill, not sure how they did it, but the record is just so evocative of the frozen north, midnights in the forest, wolves baying at the moon.
We used to not be so into the early Immortal records, but going back we're reminded just how massive and intense and evil and amazing these records really are!
MPEG Stream: "Unsilent Storms In The North Abyss"
MPEG Stream: "Frozen By Icewinds"

IMMORTAL Blizzard Beasts (Osmose) cd 13.98
The return of Immortal!!! These frosty warriors may have hung up their spiked gauntlets, but their legacy still looms large. Easily one of our favorite black metal hordes EVER, these records have been frustratingly tough to keep in stock over the years. Thankfully, they've all been reissued, in all their frostbitten black blurred glory!
This is absolutely the best Immortal record (sez Andee!) and easily one of the most important and most essential black metal releases ever. Released in 1997, Blizzard Beasts find Immortal hovering between the total grim primitive chaos of their earlier records and the sharp tight black metal majesty of their later releases, which kind of makes sense when you realize this is their final record as Blizzard Beasts, after this they would proceed to slow down, write longer songs, massive midtempo epics filled with classic metal riffing as well as more traditional metal song structures. It's almost as if they knew this was their last hurrah, so they went all out, made the tempos faster, the arrangements more complex, the guitars that much more buzzy and blown out, the vocals as inhuman as humanly possible, without losing their uncanny knack for hiding hooks amidst all that black buzz, or their distinctly classic Norwegian sound. The ultimate blast of forsty, wintery black metal, a furiously frigid barrage, an amazingly trance-inducing, complex blur of drums, rasping howls and icicle guitars, stopping and starting but at never less than 100mph! So totally amazing. Up there for sure with Burzum's Filosefem and Darkthrone's Transylvanian Hunger as far as absolutely essential black metal is concerned.
MPEG Stream: "Blizzard Beast"
MPEG Stream: "Nebular Ravens Winter"
MPEG Stream: "Frostdemonstorm"

IMMORTAL At The Heart Of The Winter (Osmose) cd 13.98
The return of Immortal!!! These frosty warriors may have hung up their spiked gauntlets, but their legacy still looms large. Easily one of our favorite black metal hordes EVER, these records have been frustratingly tough to keep in stock over the years. Thankfully, they've all been reissued, in all their frostbitten black blurred glory!
At The Heart Of Winter is from way back in 1999, but is one of the later albums by these blizzard beasts. You might be disappointed by the lack of blurred blast beats and blazing Arctic riffs but you certainly won't be disappointed with the results of these corpsepainted Norwegians' last photo shoot! A newfound obsession with pro wrestling and a new, very large and perpetually shirtless drummer (sporting a black metal belly girdle!) make this cd great to look at, but it's actually a great listen as well. As mentioned, gone is the speed of their previous effort Blizzard Beasts --in it's place is a stripped-down, more midtempo, straight-ahead heavy metal sound. Better, more professional production than in the past, plus catchier riffs combined with stumbling, propulsive drumming make this a record that Andee and Allan both love (while big Immortal fan Josh from The Champs votes this as the *worst* metal album of the year--go figure).
Note: in the years since this album came out (1999) ol' Josh has had a change of heart and now admits that it's a pretty good record! And Allan rates it as his favorite Immortal opus ever. Andee places it at number two, right behind the classic Blizzard Beasts!
MPEG Stream: "Withstand The Fall Of Time"
MPEG Stream: "Tragedies Blows At Horizon"

IMMORTAL Damned In Black (Osmose) cd 13.98
The return of Immortal!!! These frosty warriors may have hung up their spiked gauntlets, but their legacy still looms large. Easily one of our favorite black metal hordes EVER, these records have been frustratingly tough to keep in stock over the years. Thankfully, they've all been reissued, in all their frostbitten black blurred glory!
Damned In Black was originally released in 2000, and was the second to last release before the band called it quits. Immortal, by the time Damned In Black was released, were THE elder black metal statesmen, true members of the Norwegian black metal elite, Abbath (not as in "please take..."!) on guitars and Popeye vox, big ol' drummer Horgh, and new guy Iscariah on bass, (with the sidelined Demonaz still writing lyrics) return after their groundbreaking "At The Heart of Winter", the disc that slowed down (a bit) the previously way FAAASSSTTT tempos characteristic of their speedy-demon classics "Battles In The North" and "Blizzard Beasts" and added more melody, more trad metal riffing, and mo' better production courtesy of Peter Tagtgren & his Abyss studio. "Damned In Black" follows the "Winter" blueprint, being kind of like a "At The Heart of Winter Part II" but without the amusing wanna-be WWF wrestler band photos that garnered so much attention/ridicule last time around. And while the title might suggest some sort of Satanic theme, the Immortal boys stick with their personal mythology of a frosty Northern dimension full of ice, wind, and cold. Immortal fans everywhere (even the ones here in San Francisco who got dissed by the band when they didn't show up to play and went to Mexico instead) should put on some mittens and enjoy this evil icecapade. AGAIN!
MPEG Stream: "Triumph"
MPEG Stream: "Damned In Black"

IMMORTAL Sons Of Northern Darkness - Deluxe Edition (Nuclear Blast) cd + dvd 14.98
The return of Immortal!!! These frosty warriors may have hung up their spiked gauntlets, but their legacy still looms large. Easily one of our favorite black metal hordes EVER, these records have been frustratingly tough to keep in stock over the years. Thankfully, they've all been reissued, in all their frostbitten black blurred glory!
Finally, this, the final Immortal album, from 2002, gets the deluxe reissue treatment, now with a bonus DVD!
From the cold frozen north (Norway) comes this, the very last (R.I.P.) cd from one of our favorite corpse-painted bands ever, Immortal. It's their seventh album but their first (and sadly last) for new, big-time label Nuclear Blast, so expectations were indeed high. And Sons Of Northern Darkness delivers, in fine Immortal fashion. It's got the unmistakable Popeye-gone-metal vocal stylings of guitarist Abbath, who rasps out the frostbitten fantasy lyrics penned by their former guitarist, the crippled Demonaz, all backed by a blizzard of drums from hefty skinbeater Horgh.
Followers of Immortal's career know that they began as your basic, howling at the moon, primitive blasting black metal outfit. They quickly developed a reputation as the fastest band out there, reaching a peak of pure speed with the classic Battles In The North. Unable to top that, they did an album of Morbid Angel worship, the hectic Blizzard Beasts...and then Demonaz left the band, unable to play guitar due to "arm disease". Regrouping, Immortal shifted in a newly melodic, heavy-metal-riff oriented direction, releasing the brilliant At The Heart of Winter. Some old fans (Josh from The Fucking Champs, you know who you are) were disappointed that the songs wasn't as fast, and the production not as "necro" as before, but the drums still blazed and the better production (courtesy of Peter Tagtgren's Abyss Studio) combined with their improved song-craft made for a true masterpiece. They followed that up with At The Heart of Winter Part II (actual title: Damned In Black), and now here we are with what is essentially part three, Sons Of Northern Darkness. No, it doesn't top At The Heart of Winter but it's indeed more of the same quality Immortal, totally satisfying! While their blasting abilities are still incredible, this disc is perhaps at its best on the slower songs, like "Tyrants". Cold, cold stuff. There's even a song about Antarctica! The DVD captures an entire live show recorded in 2003 live at BB Kings Club in New York, filmed with a camcorder, this is raw and fuzzy footage, but the sound is good and there's plenty of corpepaint and windmilling hair, and that unmistakable Immortal frostbitten black metal blur. Immortal. Sometimes, there's nothing better.
MPEG Stream: "Sons Of Northern Darkness"
MPEG Stream: "Tyrants"

ISLANDS Return To The Sea (Equator) cd 14.98
Montreal's The Unicorns return from the dead as Islands, a little sadder, and perhaps a little wiser. Their sound is more grown up and less lo-fi than the quirky rambunctious pop of The Unicorns, but just as eccentric and humorous as witnessed on such songs as "Don't call me Whitney, Bobby", and the bizarre indie hip-hop of "Where There's a Will, There's a Whalebone" featuring rhymes by Subtitle and Busdriver. More obsessed now with rebirth than death, the songs are longer, tighter and complex, full of hooks, melodies, and weird and innocent charm.
MPEG Stream: "Swans (Life After Death)"
MPEG Stream: "Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby"

ISLANDS Return To The Sea (Equator) lp 17.98
Montreal's The Unicorns return from the dead as Islands, a little sadder, and perhaps a little wiser. Their sound is more grown up and less lo-fi than the quirky rambunctious pop of The Unicorns, but just as eccentric and humorous as witnessed on such songs as "Don't call me Whitney, Bobby", and the bizarre indie hip-hop of "Where There's a Will, There's a Whalebone" featuring rhymes by Subtitle and Busdriver. More obsessed now with rebirth than death, the songs are longer, tighter and complex, full of hooks, melodies, and weird and innocent charm.
MPEG Stream: "Swans (Life After Death)"
MPEG Stream: "Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby"

JANDEK What Else Does The Time Mean (Corwood) cd 8.98
Jandek's always been a difficult proposition, with his atonal deconstructed blues, drastically out of tune guitars, howled and groaned harrowingly emotional vocals, definitely an acquired taste. So to imagine Jandek sounding EVEN MORE atonal, and off key, and detuned, and damaged, seem pretty much impossible. But that's precisely what has happened on What Else Does The Time Mean, the 46th Jandek, release and the 3rd of 2006! We were worried that Jandek's mystery would have faded with his recent shuffle into the spotlight (including several live shows), but if anything it's only made him more of an enigma. A handful of live performances and a higher profile than he's ever had in his entire career have done absolutely nothing to change his totally unique, totally fried haunting abstract blues stumble. If anything it's pushed it even further OUT. This record is totally damaged and incredibly difficult to listen to even by Jandek standards. The opening track is a 16 minute stoned stagger, a lugubrious drift through prickly steel string strum, accopanied by a slurred, sleepy sounding, stream of conciousness tone deaf mumble. The rest of the record follow essentially the same sonic blueprint, each tune a tiny tragedy, each one a creepy out of tune crawl through a drunken drowsy abstract blues-scape. This is definitely dark and emotional stuff, practically dripping with pathos, a seriously intense soul laid bare for sure, but the sound of pain and anguish is meant to be sharp, and jagged, sounds that help the listener feel that pain as if it was being inflicted upon them, which in a way it kind of is. What Else Does The Time Mean is a gloriously and fantastically uneasy listen, the sort of musical discomfort we've come to expect, and anticipate from quite possibly the saddest sounding man in the world!
MPEG Stream: "My Own Way"
MPEG Stream: "Walk Over"

KANE, JONATHAN I Looked At The Sun (Table Of The Elements) cd ep 11.98
Picking up where his last record left off, Swans founding member Jonathan Kane returns with two more foot stomping blues sizzling instrumentals which use a pedigreed technique of building repetition that makes these tracks sound somewhere between excellent bar rock/blues with a hint of his more intense past and works with Rhys Chatham. Much like recent instrumental outings by Tom Verlaine (not that this sounds like that at all) it's actually sometimes nice to hear someone who seems to have aged gracefully and is playing what they want, with nothing to prove, and with a new found ease and confidence that seems appropriate with their moment in time.
MPEG Stream: "BQE"
MPEG Stream: "I Looked At The Sun"

KORT, ALEXANDER Friend OR... (self-released) cd 9.98
Friend OR... compiles the incidental music Alexander Kort composed and performed for a three act play titled FOE which was presented by the University of California - Berkeley's department of theater, dance and performance studies. Kort, who also performs with Bay Area groups such as Subtle and Themselves, loosely entwines multiple glacial string movements with the sounds of waves, sputtering rainfall and other mysterious effects and sources. The somber moan and creak of Kort's compositions on this cd bring to mind an antiquated ocean liner listing sleepily on a calm eve. Actually come to think of it this makes for a more spartan companion to Nurse With Wound's very nautical Salt Marie Celeste album. Hauntingly beautiful.
MPEG Stream: "The Dead Captain"
MPEG Stream: "Dream Of The Two Islands"

LEAF HOUND Freelance Fiend (Rise Above) 7" 9.98
Last year we listed the cd reissue of an album called Growers Of Mushroom by England's Leaf Hound. Their Zeppish moves and overt druggy allusions have made that sole record of theirs from 1971 a sought-after classic for those into the stonery proto-metal of the era. The album's big hit (among connoisseurs of '70s heavy rock, if not in the singles charts of the day) was a hard-riffing song called "Freelance Fiend". So, here it is on vinyl, as re-recorded live in 2005 by the band's new lineup! That's right, and if you saw our review of that Growers Of Mushroom reissue, you'll remember that it included a brand new bonus track, meaning they were back in business. Original Leaf Hound vocalist Pete French, still in possession of wailin' pipes, hooked up with some youngsters to continue Leaf Hound's legacy in the present day. And as wary as we are of "reunions" (can you even call this that?), there's really no reason why Pete and the 'new' Leaf Hound shouldn't make music again, particularily with current '70s-sounding bands like Witchcraft to encourage them.
"Freelance Fiend" remains a killer track, and on the flip there's that new song from the cd reish, "Too Many Rock 'n Roll Times", also recorded live and now pressed to wax. And it's a pretty decent addition to the Leaf Hound songbook, we have to say... now we're wondering if there's more to come? Maybe even a -second- Leaf Hound album? Apparently so. We can only imagine how excited Rise Above would be to get to release that, as doing this 7" was probably already a big thrill for them. Limited to 500 copies.

LUGUBRUM Heilige Dwazen (Old Grey Hair / Blood Fire Death) lp 14.98
Finally available on VINYL!!
So fucked. Of course it is. It's freakin' LUGUBRUM. Allan and Andee's favorite black metal band ever, pretty much, almost. Well, at least when we're in the mood for REALLY WEIRD black metal from a bunch of Belgians who dress like farmers and eat carrots with their beloved beer. Weirdos these guys are for sure, but unlike some of the more "avant-garde" black metal acts such as Arcturus, Sigh, and Ulver (amazing as those acts are/have been) there's nothing so overtly, obviously calculated to be weird for weirdness sake from these guys. Lugubrum's insanity is more organic, but not inadvertent either like the maybe idiot savant status of Rethaf Ruo or Striborg. No, these geniuses strike a balance, and do utterly their own thing, norms and abnorms be damned. On this latest album (their sixth full-length cd), saxophones and clanking chains and droning loops of organ grinder music aren't merely eccentric elements added to a formula black metal base, but are fully integrated into the band's unique musical vision. Is it even black metal? What does that mean? What does it matter?
Their seemingly scatological, "brown metal" lyrics are cryptic, beyond easy comprehension, and that might be just as well. "The Kiss On The Anus"? "At The Base Of Their Tail"? "We Slying Sucked Stolen Bread"? Don't ask. Submit instead to the music, rumbling along, vocals growling howling mad, Funhouse saxophone blowing crazily over and under the scuzzy, sloppy, necro riffery. Somehow they're THIS weird and outside of genre boundaries (employing banjos along with blastbeats) yet are accepted as being among the grimmest of the grim by the true, cult, elite, black metal diehards. They've got 'em scared. Even though they sound like Abruptum playing jazz, or Celtic Frost jamming with Residual Echoes, or Brainbombs covering Venom... They walk the fine, wavering line between intentional absurdity and deeply, confusingly meaningful art and we love 'em for it.
MPEG Stream: "Holy Fools Embodied"
MPEG Stream: "Though Chained"

MANES [View] Extended Play (Aural Music) cd 13.98
For some reason, when we first threw this on, we had completely forgotten about the last Manes record we reviewed a while back, about which we wrote: "How did this exemplar of raw, primitive, droney black metal end up making melodic trip hop? And how did they get Ozzy Osbourne (or, in truth, his close sonic approximation) to handle the vocals??" I guess we had maybe blocked that record out, and were still expecting, apparently against all odds, a batch of raw buzzy grim primitive black metal. But now upon reflection, this new Manes doesn't seem quite as ridiculous. At least within the realms of Manes' strange sonic world. Following a similar metalhead-alienating career path as Ulver and Solefald, this Norwegain outfit has basically shrugged off any and all vestiges of their metal past (minus the occasional 'heavy' guitar).
At first, having forgotten completely about Manes' stylistic shift, we were annoyed, and a bit bummed, but approaching this without any metallic expectations yields some strange pleasures, and we of all people certainly can't begrudge a band who wants to try some crazy fucked up shit, even if it's not exactly what we were hoping for.
The first track, is oddly enough a 16 Horsepower cover! Manes converts the swampy revivalist blues of 16HP into some sort of dark cabaret, with wailing crooning, clean vocals, almost MTV style, over chiming U2 like guitars, it does get a little bit heavier, but not THAT heavy, very glossy like later Solefald. The rest of the record veers from glossy metallic sort-of-pop to techno remixes, the songs are loaded with lots of synths, a little like a lighter version of Marilyn Manson or Orgy with processed distorted guitars and industrial drum machine rhythms and those very Ozzy-like vocals. A few tracks sound like Blur (!) and one sounds distinctly like Erasure, or maybe Duran Duran with its cheesy eighties hard pop sound, affected vocals and drum machines, which makes sense when you check the liner notes, which mention the fact that the song in question is somewhat inspired by Duran Duran" which explains why it features little bits of DD songs sort of morphed into slightly more metallic industrial shapes. The three remixes range from blissy, glitchy trip hop groove, to a sort of blown out techno soundscape, like an instrumental Front 242, to the final track which is a slow shifting blast of white noise weirdness. A big ol' crazy mess of very un-metal weirdness, but it's got some strange appeal for sure. Fans of recent Ulver should definitely check this out...
MPEG Stream: "Cinder Alley"
MPEG Stream: "Title"

MAXIMUM ROCK'N'ROLL MAGAZINE Issue #277 magazine 4.00
Another blast of punk as fuck-ness from this Bay Area bastion of punk and DIY. This month, part two of the article Business And Punk Rock with contributions from the folks who run Fat Wreck Chords, Ebullition, Sound Idea, Razorcake, Give Praise and a bunch more, scene report: Poland with a list of loads of Polish bands, interviews with and articles about The Lawrence Arms, Imperial Leather, Magrudergrind, Boom Boom Kid (don't worry, we haven't heard of most of the bands featured in MRR either!), part two of the Vitamin X tour diary. tons and tons of columns, including one by former mailorder master Elliott, lots of letters, news, politics, book reviews, record reviews and MORE!

MOGWAI Young Team (Chemikal Underground) cd 16.98
This is it! The one. The record that launched a MILLION other records. Half the bands we love and freak out about wouldn't even exist if it weren't for THIS RECORD. Or if they did, they sure as heck wouldn't sound the way they do. Sure there was Spiderland. And the theory that everyone who heard Spiderland started a band. And the Pixies. Same thing. And let's not forget Nirvana. Between Slint, Nirvana and the Pixies, the template for angsty loud/soft indie rock was pretty much defined FOREVER. Until Young Team that is. Mogwai most definitely owed a huge debt to the above mentioned big three, but there was just something special about Young Team. The ultimate brooding post rock stumble into massive epic metallic crush record we had ever heard. This is heavy, but oh so pretty, dark and romantic, but also creepy and seriously ominous sounding. SoftÔsuper blissed-out meandering almost-ambient soundscapes, dark brooding passages of near silence, eventually shattered into a million pieces by bursts of frenzied, rhythmic noise a la Godflesh, crushing and metallic and machinelike, but always ready to drift and fade back into soft swooning tranquility. But even the loud heavy parts areÔstrangely melodic and ridiculously catchy. This record is so fucking great. Even now, a decade after it was first released, and after we've heard about a million bands do their own versions of Young Team. Maybe the best way to really drive home how massive and amazing and incredibly influential this record is, would be to list a handful of bands who would probably not exist, at least not in their present forms, if it weren't for this record. No disrespect to any of these groups AT ALL (we love them every single one of them) but you gotta give credit where credit is due... the sons of Mogwai include Godspeed! You Black Emperor, Isis, Timeout Drawer, Snowblood, the Ocean, Magyar Posse, Gregor Samsa, Aereogramme, This Is Your Captain Speaking, Explosions In The Sky, Sigur Ros, Pelican, Mono, Grails, Tarentel, Jimmy Cake, Switchblade, Minsk, Conifer, Tides, Eden Maine, Rosetta, Red Sparrowes, Indian, Baroness, Cult Of Luna, Mouth Of The Architect and we could go on and on. So if you love any or all of the above mentioned bands, and how could you not, and you've somehow never heard Young Team, you are in for it in a big beautiful way! Now's your chance. Don't blow it. You will not be sorry. As for the rest of you, who for one reason or another just haven't listened to Young Team in years, lent it lost it or whatever, now is the time to revisit one of indie rock's most epochal releases, you just may very well have forgotten how devastatingly fantastic this record is! Finally available again (as an import), after being out of print in the State for years and years!!!
MPEG Stream: "Yes! I Am A Long Way From Home"
MPEG Stream: "Like Herod"
MPEG Stream: "Mogwai Fear Satan"

MONSTER MAGNET 25 Tab (SPV) cd 14.98
Hard to believe that there was a time when Monster Magnet were not goofy cartoon parodies of metallic space rock (and we mean that in a good way). We love their ridiculous lyrics, overblown I AM GOD themes, their obsession with hotrods and honies and loads and loads of drugs, and of course their sound, that Hawkwind on steroids super RAWK. But there was a time, when Monster Magnet were fucking scary. A drug drenched musical outerspace acid trip, a BAD trip, all blown out guitars, every pedal turned all the way up, amps to infinity, face behind a greasy mop of hair, house lights off, black lights on, one riff beaten to death and launched heavenward. This was that time. It was a satanic drug thing they used to say. And it sounds like it. Originally released in 1991, "Tab" is arguably the band's finest moment, 30 minutes of outerspace drug rock divinity. The ultimate slab of psychedelic downer drug rock. The first 6 or 7 minutes are a primitive Krautrocky jam, simple propulsive drum beat, wordless vocals, sparse instrumentation, before the drugs really kick in, then "Tab" becomes a supecharged Loop or Spacemen 3, all fuzzy guitars, and swirls of reverb and delay and every other effect under the sun. Over the course of the next 20 minutes the guitars get more freaked out, the vocals get distorted and delayed and shot into space, the effects take over completely until the band is barely audible under the dizzying sonic chaos. So blissfully divine. "25" is way more rocking, a pounding drum beat, and a ripping garage rock riff, vocals a super distorted smear of sound, again the whole thing drenched in space rock goo and blown out rawk madness. "Longhair" is a lazy laidback psychdrone groove, stoned and staggering, giving Kyuss a style and sound to rip off for sure. And the final track "Lord 13" is a shuffling spacerock raga, with shuffling percussion, hand drums, strummed acoustic guitar, all under that ubiquitous druggy haze.
For this new reissue, they've tacked on a 7 minute live version of "Spine Of God". Murky and lo-fi, but appropriately druggy and spacey, with plenty of hilarious crowd conversations between folks who were oblivious to the fact that they were standing RIGHT next to the guy taping the show, but the mighty power of "Spine Of God" is untouchable, a slowly uncoiling dirge, that is somehow only enhanced by the dipshit telling his friend about some new tape he got.
It's a satanic drug thing. You wouldn't understand.
MPEG Stream: "Tab"
MPEG Stream: "25/Longhair"

MR. NOGATCO (A.K.A. KOOL KEITH) Nogatco Rd. (Insomniac Music) cd 13.98
It's been so long since we could whole heartedly rave about a Kool Keith record. A LONG time. Since Dr. Octagon maybe? Yeah, okay, we sorta dug Sex Style, but we much prefer the sci fi alien what-the-fuck KK to the kinky pervert KK for sure. And while Mr. Nogatco is no Dr. Octagon, it's as close as we've gotten in a long long time, so we'll take what we can get. This is some more of that Kool Keith freaky conspiracy theory shit, something about aliens, secret autopsies, you know the sort of thing. There's even a live alien dissection at the end of the disc, after a blissed out ambient skitterscape, with Keith nimbly leaping lyrically all over the fucking place, there's a strange microcassette recording of Keith talking all sorts of weirdness about some alien bodies they found in the desert, talking about their gel-type blood and stuff. What a nut. And so good to have him back in full freaked out space cadet mode. And while the music isn't quite as dense and deliriously wacked as the Automator's Octagonal beatscapes, producer IZ Real does all right, managing some pretty ominous X-FIles worthy sonic swells, plenty of haunting creep and cinematic crawl, moaning horns, rumbling drones, heavy metal guitars, a dark and doomy late night, rain soaked, blood drenched, government conspiracy, invaders from Mars series of freaky sci fi hip hop instrumentals for Keith as Mr. Nogatco to freak out over, and freak out he does, a flurry of surreal non sequiturs delivered in a lazy stoned drawl, an outerspace pod people mad as fuck flow, tales of dark space, bionic fuses, space men, eBay, elevation power, kinetics, mass gasses, credit cards, galaxy waxers, astronauts, dictators, force fields, green hands, slushies, rocketships and bikinis, laser corps, sneakers, lightning bugs, bubblegum, galactic foes, Jolly Ranchers, black hearts, hot milk, laser beams and all the other things Mr. Nogatco is fighting for, or battling against, or using to create a subatomic lightspeed jetliner, or just plain making up, in order to get in the pants of some three legged two headed space princess that he's supposed to be rescuing. Phew. Or maybe he's just plain nuts...
MPEG Stream: "Bionic Fuse"
MPEG Stream: "Night Flyer (Force Field)"

MURRAY, BRENDAN Everybody Wants The Tide (Audiobot) cd-r 13.98
This one is for the drone obsesses among you. Not the soft shimmery dronesters, although you softies might take a shine to this, no, this is a deeeeeeeeeeep dark doooomy drone, a massive 40+ minute single stretch of undulating organic rumble. Broken old Casio keyboards, found sounds, field recordings all woven into a huge rafter rattling, bass bin blowing, bone shaking, cranium cracking lowercase minimal dirge. Pulses and whirs, rumbles and growls, all rendered indistinct, painted black and folded in on themselves, a black hole, a thousand helicopters hovering in place, a hundred meters below the sea, two planets colliding, the shockwave traveling through the universe setting up sympathetic vibrations in every inanimate object in existence, until the whole galaxy is bombinating like a struck tuning fork. So awesome.
LIMITED TO 110 COPIES. We managed to get the last 20 so once these are gone they are gone for good!
MPEG Stream: "Everybody Wants The Tide (excerpt)"

OM Conference Of The Birds (Holy Mountain) lp 15.98
NOW ON VINYL!
OM....OM... OM . . . O M . . . .
Their debut last year, Variations On A Theme, was heralded by many as the second coming of Sabbathy stoner/doom legends Sleep. No surprise, considering that Om consists of two thirds of Sleep, and pretty much sounds like two thirds of Sleep too. Same low-end bass (Al Cisneros), thundering drums (Chris Hakius), and druggy, chant-like vocals (Al again, stepping up to the mic). All that's missing is the guitar (Sleep guitarist Matt Pike is busy with High On Fire right now). We gave that album the thumbs up, won over by the psychedelic trance-like heaviness of their jams and their mantrically soothing yet (to us) unintentionally amusing singing, which made us giggle 'cause it just never let up, delivering endless deadpan lyrics of cosmic hippy nonsense in a zoned-out monotone. We don't want to say it was so bad it was good, 'cause it really wasn't bad, but there was some of that kind of bad/good alchemy going on. And we ended up lovin' it.
And of course, the resemblance to old faves Sleep helped too.
Now Al and Chris are back with the second Om opus. It's simultaneously a heckuva lot like their debut but even better somehow. Productionwise, yes. And also perhaps 'cause while the two-piece line-up on Variations sounded like Sleep without the guitar, and maybe (heck, definitely) would have been even better with a guitarist, now they've made that lack of guitar seem more the ways things should be, by getting more and more hushed and spacious and mimimal here, thereby making it seem like just bass and drums is enough, not like something's missing. They've made a virtue out of a necessity, realizing that by really adopting a "less is more" aesthetic they'd be playing to their strength. And it works. Listen to it straight through (you'll want to... it's two tracks, about 33 minutes) and you'll find it quite floatational, even without chemical assistance. This riff-repetitive spaceout drone dirge drug is all you need. And Al's lyrics remain occultic, obtuse and slightly absurd, giving this the effect of a hypnosis tape meant to help build your vocabulary (along with heightening your conciousness). He uses such everyday words as "clesiast", "epison", "aurican", "tunnement", and "agurate". It's heavy rock that requires a heavy dictionary to decipher!
So if you liked the first OM, you'll love this. And if you weren't sure before, definitely check this one out. As with their first album, file with Sleep's Jerusalem, Electric Wizard's Supercoven, and UFOmammut's Godlike Snake.
OM....OM... OM . . . O M . . . .
MPEG Stream: "At Giza"
MPEG Stream: "Flight Of The Eagle"

ORTHODOX Gran Poder (Alone Records) cd 14.98
THE DOOM RETURNS. BACK IN STOCK!!
DOOM. As per AQ tradition, we should throw some extra 'O's in there just to indicate just how doomy this is -- DOOOOOOooooooooOOOM! Not to get sidetracked, but Doom might be the only musical genre that you can deliberately misspell to indicate extra enthusiasm for whatever example of said genre you're describing. RRRRap doesn't work. Nor would you say Woooorld Music. And adding extra 'o's to Pop is a just bad idea, unless you're talking about pop you don't like. But doom, being all about being slow and low, just gets doomier when you exaggerate the spelling into doooooooooooom. The point of all this? That the debut disc from Spanish doom band Orthodox, needs, like, exponential 'o's to really get at its doominess.
Recently and rightly hailed as an Album Of The Month on Julian Cope's psychedelic drone/doom/druid rock lovin' website Head Heritage, Orthodox's Gran Poder ("Great Power") consists of three looong tracks of gloomy, glacial heaviness mixed with more chaotically rockin' parts, with one brief piano-laced interlude seperating tracks two and three. These crushing compositions are almost symphonically grand, an often exceedingly slow grind of eternally doomed drone like Earth or SUNNO))), sometimes speeding up to rock out psychedelically in the style of Argentina's Los Natas, graced with heavily tremelo-laden vocals or utterly spaced out ambience that make us think of Thrones and Yob.
Throughout this sludgey stoner soundscape, you'll hear feedback wailing like lamenting lost souls, the rumbling drum battery either nervously dodging the lugubrous riffs as they fall from the sky, or pounding in unison with the guitar and bass, sounding like the gates of an abandoned ancient cavernous cathedral slamming shut... over and over again.
We imported a whole bunch of these direct from the label in Spain because we're pretty sure that fans of the likes of Corrupted (who also sing in Spanish, after all) and Yob and Sleep and UFOmammut and all the other extra-o's deservin' dooooooOOOOoom bands that we love would want this! And if for some reason you need further convincing, please look up Julian Cope's review on his site, where he references Flower Travellin' Band's Satori and the Mediterranean paganistic roots of Catholic ritual and "Rumble" by Link Wray and much much more, his incredibly enthusiastic review almost a call to arms for doom fanatics... and he also includes cool pictures of the black-robed band members he took on a trip to their land!
MPEG Stream: "Geryon's Throne [excerpt 1]"
MPEG Stream: "Geryon's Throne [excerpt 2]"
MPEG Stream: "El Lamento Del Cabron"

PAIK Monster Of The Absolute (Strange Attractors Audio House) cd 14.98
This instrumental space rock trio from Michigan has been smoking heaping bowlfuls of the same stuff Hawkwind used to burn up and is thus churning out some serious space rock with mighty results. Spacious and sweeping, chugging with propulsive groove, but without the quiet-loud dynamics of post-rock bands like Mogwai, nor the shoe-gazing drone burners of bands like Growing and Belong. More like a 120 mph road-trip through Death Valley at sunset and the acid just kicked in.
MPEG Stream: "SnakeFace"
MPEG Stream: "October"

PELT Skullfuck / Bestio Tergum Degero (VHF) cd 13.98
Jack Rose may be the new John Fahey, the modern master of neo-Appalachia, his steel string skills unsurpassed,Ôbut he still calls Pelt home. Rose, lets his bandmates in Pelt, Patrick Best, Mikel Dimmick and Mike Gangloff take him away from his pick and twang and together they explore a slow motion soundscape of ghostlike ragas and endless drones. Dark dense landscapes of chiming bells, buzzing strings, and warm whispery whirs.ÔThe first track here is actually a Jack Rose song, and it sounds like it. Lilting mournful steel string guitar, with the other guys in Pelt swirling and swooshing, in, under, around and over Rose's guitar with an assortment of exotic instruments, harmonium, sruti box and singing bowls as well as gongs and flutes and fiddles. The rest of the disc is made up of the lengthy 3 part "Bestio Tergum Degero", a cavernous wash of rich overtones and metallic reverberations, huge swells of sound like metal waves on an iron sea, microscopic vibrations traveling lazily the length of a soft metal soundscape. Lush and hauntingly alien, a dark dreamy, slightly ominous drone drenched drift. As always, so nice!
MPEG Stream: "Calais To Dover"
MPEG Stream: "Bestio Tergum Degero Pt. 1"

POSIES Every Kind Of Light (Ryko) cd 15.98
We've been sitting on this one for a while, not sure why really 'cause we're some of the biggest Posies fans around! Well, co-Posie Jon Auer's solo album reminded us of just how much we love them, and gave a us a kick in the pants to show it. Apologies for our tardiness, fellas. Every Kind Of Light is a total return to stellar form for this Seattle pop duo. The combined forces of Auer and Ken Stringfellow are pretty damn hard to beat. Heart-melting vocal harmonies? You betcha. Sweetheart sentimental lyrics? Uh huh. Utterly infectious hooks? Hell yeah. So damn deliriously good! We could gush on, but why? Just get these songs into your ears, and hear for yourself. We command you... please.
Psst, there's an even newer album on the horizon slated for the end of June. Can't wait!
MPEG Stream: "It's Great To Be Here Again!"
MPEG Stream: "Conversations"
MPEG Stream: "All In A Day's Work"

PRINCE 3121 (Universal) cd 15.98
OK no matter how indie, underground, death metal, experimental, minimal techno you are you can't deny that at one point in time you dug Prince at at least one of his songs kicked your ass and made you shake it like crazy. Prince's 1999 was actually the very first record Andee bought with his own money! Some of us here are still darn proud of our pure love of Prince. An amazing musician and songwriter whose eccentric persona is what usually gets him attention these days insted of his music, but we still think he's got some juice left in his songwriting. 3121 is one of his stronger albums in recent years with definite nods to his prime past. Of course like most of his recent outings it's not great from start to finish but when he's "workin' up a black sweat" he's still pretty irresistible.
MPEG Stream: "3121"
MPEG Stream: "Black Sweat"

RANDOM s/t (Kyouei Ltd.) cd 22.00
Managed to get a handful more of these weird and wonderful records...
It had to happen. It probably already has happened actually, but we love the weird, and the random, and we figured you probably would too. This is a Japanese import, not sure exactly who the artist is, but it's 99 tracks, each a rich lustrous tone, some deep and bell like, some soft and sonorous, some high pitched like a sine wave. All you have to do is set your cd player on random and away we go. A soft, subtle ambient journey, that ends up sounding a bit like Morton Feldman's Rothko Chapel, only a bit though. It also sort of sounds like Tibetan bowls, or chiming bells, or soft ambient Japanese music (which I guess it is). Soft and lovely, and most importantly RANDOM. 99 seperate tones means the number of possible songs is an astronomical 9.33262154 x 10 to the 155th! And that's if you only let each tone play once... So even though the disc is actually only about 8 minutes long, set to shuffle it turns into 8 million billion trillion minutes! Or more!
Anyway, this seems to work best if you import the disc to iTunes, set to shuffle and with a decent crossfade, then just sit back and drift off, let the gorgeously soft and shimmery, sweet and serene ambience wash over you.
MPEG Stream: "One"

ROSE, JACK Raag Manifestos (VHF) cd 13.98
BACK IN PRINT! Hard to know what to write about this record. It's just so personal and lovely, dark and mysterious, and darn near perfect. Appalachian guitar stretched into droning, dense ragas, steel strings that go from delicate melody to prickly nests of intertangled notes and buzzing overtones. Always completely hypnotic even at its most fierce, and always intense and compelling, even at its most ethereal. Rose (also a member of drone rockers Pelt) has definitely become one of our favorite guitarists and record after record he never fails to blow us away.
MPEG Stream: "Black Pearls From The River"
MPEG Stream: "Tower Of Babel"

SALT Issue 7 magazine 4.00
Finally, after more than a year, Salt #7 sees the light of day!!! What's the big deal you ask? Well, if you'd been paying attention to the AQ list, you'd know that Salt and its one man staff Kevin somehow manages to kick the asses of all other alternative music mags around with just a beat up old borrowed PC and a photo copier. There's a serious dearth of killer underground music zines, especially ones that cover the sort of music we love, and especially ones that does it with such passion and humor, AND especially ones that are also obsessed with pro wrestling and are not afraid to stick a review of some big match right there between an article about Xasthur and an interview with Boris! As far as we know, there's only one magazine that fits the bill... SALT! So there, music snobs. This is easily our favorite magazine going now, and we still wish someone would just give Kevin a big ol' stack of money so he could start a real glossy magazine, it would totally destroy, equal parts Terrorizer, the Wire, Option, Buttrag, and whatever other weirdness he'd see fit to pack in there. This time around we've got an interview with Swedish metallic grind outfit Burst, unknown to us Ohio three piece rocking juggernaut Driver, an interview with Andy who runs the Riot Season label, a brief history of "Descent", a night of alternative metallic music and art in Leeds, that sounds so cool it makes us wish San Francisco was just a -little- bit closer to the UK, also a bunch of fliers from Descent, one man's alcohol fueled quest to travel across Europe to see SUNNO))), Boris, Circle and more, an interview with Bay Area black metal horde Draugar, an interview with the mighty Malefic of Xasthur, tons of record reviews, and of course a lengthy wrestling review of recent IWA events (as well as an interview with IWA rising star Josh Abercrombie) and finally an interview with Brody's Militia, a wicked thrashcore outfit from Ohio named for legendary wrestler Bruiser Brody. Phew. All hand assembled and photocopied. Lots of photos, and lots of illustrations courtesy of Kevin Salt himself. Here's hoping we don't have to wait a whole year for #8!!

SEND FOR HELP s/t (Right Arm Rekords) cd 5.98
Here's a lilting fuzzy pop debut from the young SF band who go by the moniker Send For Help. Despite their name, none is really needed here. They're doin' just dandy on their own. The foursome's crunch 'n' jangle guitars and soft emotive male vocals suggest that they're drawing ample influences from the likes of Pinback, Modest Mouse Built To Spill and Sonic Youth. Fits right in with the recent No Midnight album from another Bay Area band Birdmonster. Indie rock lives on right here in SF!
MPEG Stream: "Long Distance Goodbye"
MPEG Stream: "Living In The Past"

SHANKAR, ANANDA A Life In Music (Times Square) 2cd 16.98
At last, a readily available cd collection of ultra kitschy, exotic grooviness from the late great Ananda Shankar, nephew of '60s counter-cultural phenom, sitar master Ravi Shankar. Ananda Shankar, a sitar player himself (he gave lessons to Jimi Hendrix, in fact) had his own, rather more cult recording career, beginning with a self-titled album released in the USA in 1970 that featured sitar and Moog laden instrumental versions of such contemporary rock n' roll tunes as "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "Light My Fire". He went on to record many more albums in India, all of 'em featuring the funky, futuristic East-meets-West fusion of which he was a pioneer. Such tracks as "Dancing Drums" and "Streets Of Calcutta" (both included here) eventually became DJ staples with the rise of the "Asian Underground" club scene in the '90s (Talvin Singh, et. al.).
Subtitled "the best of the EMI years", this 22-track, double cd anthology draws from seven different albums by Shankar, recorded for the EMI-owned Gramaphone Company Of India between 1975 and 1999, when Shankar unfortunately died of a heart attack at the age of 53. There's many gems here to tickle the fancy of anyone into Bollywood-style music. (And if you want to hear that 1970 debut album, it's at last been reissued domestically on cd by Collector's Choice, and is also in stock here at AQ.)
MPEG Stream: "Dancing Drums"
MPEG Stream: "The Alien"

SHOLI s/t ep (self-released) cd-r 3.98
Here's a short lil' three song introduction to this new Bay Area trio. This self-titled EP features gentle slouchy, slightly retro-pop sounding indie rock played out on the basics -- jangly electric guitar, solid bass and tumbling drums. Warm summery shades of Olympia, WA / K Records days past, old Sebadoh, or maybe imagine a lower-fi Sloan? Like what you hear? There'll be a full length comin' out soon, and rumor has it that it's gonna be produced by Mr. Greg 'Deerhoof' Saunier!
MPEG Stream: "Aimless"

SKEPTICISM Ethere (Red Stream) cd 8.98
BACK IN PRINT, and re-listed for those whose funereal doom collections are lacking this crucial entry. Twenty-seven minutes of pure depression from the cold dark woods of Finland.Ô
Skepticism are the masters of ultra doom. Their sound we once described as sitting in a stone church, surrounded by the warm sounds of an old pipe organ, while a doom metal band practices in the basement, their funereal crawl barely audible through the floor, the two sounds mixed into a slow slthery doomish creep. Here on theÔsequel to Skepticism's brilliant, black-metal-meets-Labradford "Stormcrowfleet" album, these doomic depressives up the production values without losing that distinctive sound. The 12 minute first track starts off with nothing but big booming drums, or actually drum singular, pounding out a simple funereal beat, something like 16 bpm, with chiming church bells and a thick organ drone threatening to drown the listener in a thick black pitch of misery and horror, with the occasional burst of downtuned guitar, only to have it quickly subside and slip back beneath the black drones. This is exactly what you would expect to hear in the underworld, a death march stretchingÔ off into infinity, fire pits on every side, demons wielding big drums stretched tight with human skin. So creepy and hauntingly beautiful. There's even some piano, adding an emotional depth not found in most ultra doom. Like a way heavier Low or a doom metal Codeine. The second track is more guitar heavy, with chords unfurled and allowed to slowly dissipate before the next one drops, there are vocals here too, monstrous chest rattling growls, that almost sound like another guitar, swirling keyboards, faux strings, very dramatic and cinematic. The final track, "Chorale" is epic and infused with a sort of pomp. Huge pipe organs unleash thick vibrant chords that whir and drone, the melodies are sort of festive, or at least as festive as doom can get, it's almost like one would expect to hear in the court of some king of the underworld, sitting at huge tables, watching a procession of doomed souls trudge wearily by. So totally intense. It's been a while since we revisited Skepticism, but we're reminded why there's not a doom band alive (or dead) who can touch the doomic might and glory of Skepticism!
MPEG Stream: "The March And The Stream"
MPEG Stream: "Aether"

SLOUGH FEG, THE LORD WEIRD / BIBLE OF THE DEVIL split (Threat Records) 7" 4.50
Here's one epick, metallic seven-inch piece of plastic indeed, released by brothers-in-metal The Lord Weird Slough Feg and Bible Of The Devil, to commemorate their several tours together (including one upcoming this summer... as part of which both bands will be appearing together at the first annual "Alehorn Of Power" festival in BOTD's hometown of Chicago, IL, alongside Manilla Road and Gates Of Slumber, among others!).
From San Francisco's Slough Feg, you get two songs on their side, a new one called "Poisoned Treasures" and a killer cover of "Shalala" by their Irish ancestors Thin Lizzy! Extremely rockin'. It's their first recording with new guitarist Angelo Tringali (of cult doom act Cold Mourning), who takes over from Hammers Of Misfortune's John Cobbett in Slough Feg's dual axe onslaught alongside Mike Scalzi. Meanwhile, on the flip, Bible Of The Devil take their twin flying V's into outer space with a tune called "Galactic Violator". Packaged with cool Masters of the Universe comic-booky cover art to boot, with a Galactus-dude on the BOTD's side of the split, mirrored by a horned barbarian guy on the Slough Feg side.

SNOW PATROL Eyes Open (A & M) cd 14.98
On their follow-up to 2004's Final Straw, these Scots do a remarkable job not only of distinguishing themselves from the rest of their Scottish brethren buddies (Belle & Sebastian, Arab Strap et al), but also of replicating the good ol' American college / alternative rock sound of the '90s a la Gin Blossoms, Goo Goo Dolls, etc. Seriously, it's uncanny. But this isn't necessarily a bad thing, is it? Many of you are well aware that a few of us here at AQ harbor a soft spot for this musical style -- which is also inextricably bound to a crush-like attachment to John Hughes teen movies -- and that soft spot has gradually transferred itself to this band. There's even a duet with Martha Wainwright ("Set The Fire To The Third Bar") which sounds eerily like one of the duets that Kate Bush did back then with Midge Ure or Peter Gabriel! Aw geez.
MPEG Stream: "Open Your Eyes"
MPEG Stream: "Set The Fire To The Third Bar "

SONIC YOUTH Helen Lundeburg / Eyeliner (Sonic Youth) 7" 4.50
Hot off the heels of their most recent reissue campaign come 2 brand new songs from Sonic Youth. These were two of the last recordings made in the band's Murray Street studio. Two Thurston sung tracks that recall the darker and angrier side of SY. These won't be on the new album Rather Ripped coming out this summer, so SY enthusiasts you know you gotta get this.

STARS Set Yourself On Fire (Arts & Crafts / City Slang) lp 11.98
NOW ON VINYL!
Aaah, first things first! Please note: DO NOT confuse this band with Andee's '70s pop-metal faves Starz. This is a situation where one letter can denote such a difference! I mean, heck, you only need to hear the first few strains of Set Yourself On Fire to realize this is a whole 'nother monster... a nice big fuzzy one carrying a giant bouquet of flowers rather than a spandex'n'denim-clad, axe-wieldin' one!
If you like your pop music to be on the lush and pretty side but with a little bit of an edge to it, this new Stars album might be your new favorite... really! More often than not on their third full length, this Canadian band have captured that perfect balance of the bittersweet heartache, the chamber pop elegance, the infectious hook and the energetic punch. Their swirling orchestral arrangements and dreamy soft sensitive boy/girl vocals are fully entwined with the crunchy electric guitars, woozy keyboards and solid rhythm section. Now we're not trying to just lump all the smartie-pop Canadians together, but Stars do seem like the gentler, prettier cousin of the more obtuse and swaggering Arcade Fire (Young & Sexy and Metric also come to mind as like-minded Canucks). One marked detour is the tenth song "He Lied About Death" which -- with its effected spoken-sung male vocals, stuttery beats, swells of distortion and piano key strikes -- is oddly reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails' '90s hit "Closer". Nonetheless (that song included), we can say Set Yourself On Fire is comprised of a baker's dozen pop treasures that'll surely sweep fans of the Delgados, more recent Belle & Sebastian, and maybe Postal Service too right off their feet. Cup sez "HOORAY FOR STARS!"
MPEG Stream: "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead"
MPEG Stream: "Calendar Girl"

STILLS, THE Without Feathers (Vice) cd 12.98
While The Stills' debut album Logic Will Break Your Heart fell in mighty chummy with the Echo & The Joy Division post-punk-loving likes of Interpol, The Rapture and Yeah Yeah Yeahs back in 2003, we all know that times and bands change swiftly these days. The band's new full length sounds much more like The Strokes but maybe more charming and... well, Canadian. Which you know we definitely dig! Brighter, poppier and far less brooding.
BONUS: With purchase of this cd you'll also receive a limited edition screenprinted poster!
MPEG Stream: "In The Beginning"
MPEG Stream: "She's Walking Out"

STORM, THE s/t (Wah Wah) cd 21.00
If you picked up the Spanish Trip compilation we reviewed a few months back, you might recall a song by this band from Seville, that we described as an example of "off-the-rails Deep Purplish bludgeon". And by "off-the-rails" we meant that their track, "I Don't Know", was played with a sloppy, wild abandon that made sound almost punk. Pretty cool! Well that song was from this, their only full-length album, originally released in 1974, and finally now reissued on cd in a fairly deluxe package (slipcover, bonus video clip), which features another seven tracks of hard rockin' proto-metal psych with gobs of heavy organ and acid blues guitar soloing...there's even a drum solo on here too. More aggressive than progressive, The Storm did their best to live up to their name, kicking out the jams more energetically than any other band from Spain up to that point in Spanish rock history except maybe Tapiman (whose excellent album with the pink skull on the cover was also recently reviewed by us, you may recall). Yet despite all their "storminess", though, these guys seem to have a sunny side too. Not downer rock by any means. You can kinda hear their '60s Beatles-lovin' pop roots.
Now, we've gotta say, on our last list we reviewed the comparably hard rockin', equally vintage Pax album from Peru, and it didn't get quite the response we were hoping for... we thought there were more of you proto-metal fans out there reading this stuff! Hmm. But if you're there, this is one you might dig (and that Pax too, go back and read about it).
MPEG Stream: "I Am Busy"
MPEG Stream: "I Don't Know"

SUISHOU NO FUNE Where The Spirits Are (Holy Mountain) cd 13.98
A while back we had this band's self-titled debut (remember the nice pink cover?). Unfortunately we can't seem to get that one anymore, but we do now have this, Suishou No Fune's latest, Where The Spirits Are, released on the Holy Mountain label (home to Six Organs Of Admittance, Davis Redford Triad, Om, Mammatus, etc.). If you've heard that previous album of theirs you'll have an idea what this is about... Or also if you just peep the cover photo: three Japanese guys in shades and Keiji Haino haircuts. Yes you're guessed it, Tokyo Flashback style downer drone psych. Quietly drifting, distorted, dark sheets of guitar accompanied by abyssal cries, not altogether unmelodic however. They can rev it up cacophonously when they want, but for the most part they hold back the heaviness in order to generate a more gentle sort of atmospheric gloom, on such appropriately named tracks as "Apparition On A Moonless Night" and "Black Phantom". Again, murky majesty for fans of Up-Tight, LSD-march, Shizuka, and the like.
MPEG Stream: "Vale Of Spirits"
MPEG Stream: "A Rose Bloomed"

SUNSET RUBDOWN Shut Up I Am Dreaming (Absolutely Kosher) cd 13.98
If the immediate recognition that many customers have voiced the first few times we've played this disc is any indication, this is a band that needs no introduction. This is Spencer Krug of Wolf Parade's other band. The music of Sunset Rubdown is a bit different from W.P. but the voice is apparently pretty unmistakable. Imagine if more characters from the circus tent were allowed into the W.P. recording sessions. Or envision a more tweaked and twee incarnation of Arcade Fire. Or what if Xiu Xiu or Frog Eyes decided to cover those bands' tunes... A musing listen. Fans of all of the above bands might want to lend an ear to Krug and co.
MPEG Stream: "They Took A Vote And Said No"
MPEG Stream: "Snakes Got A Leg III"

THEE MORE SHALLOWS Monkey Vs. Shark (Turn) cd ep 8.98
Not sure about the significance of this 7-song EP's title, but we are sure that Thee More Shallows can deliver the dreaminess. 'Tis all soft pop grandeur like a not so distant cousin of Mercury Rev and Flaming Lips. The third song "Phineas Bogg" is particularly gorgeous, whisking you off into the heavens. The EP includes a remix of their song "Freshman" by Odd Nosdam and Why? which takes them into the neighborhood of the Postal Service (the band not the, um... service). Ultra pretty!
MPEG Stream: "Phineas Bogg"
MPEG Stream: "Freshman Remix"

THRALLDOM A Shaman Steering The Vessel Of Vastness (Profound Lore) cd 13.98
The third album (though the first we've listed -- we've wanted to review their others but they went out of print too quickly for us, slowpokes that we are) from New York's Thralldom, a very advanced, intelligent, and cult black metal outfit who just happen to be the alter-ego of equally amazing blackened doommongers Unearthly Trance! If you thought Unearthly Trance was a trip straight to the bowels of hell, well, Thralldom is the guided tour once you get there. What we've always liked about Thralldom is their lack of adherance to any generic black metal template. They're -definitely- black metal, but do things their own way, for their own reasons. One who dares to listen to A Shaman Steering The Vessel Of Vastness must navigate through dense, claustrophobic soundscapes, and struggle to decipher transmissions from some sinister inner realm, before more recognizably metal guitar/bass/drums structures become evident, almost beacons of normality, albeit swamped in filthy distortion. It can be a disturbing, punishing experience, but also almost trance-like, and difficult to escape willingly. With each track a nest of blackened riffs, field recordings, unknown samples, and ambient murk, not to mention various cosmic, anti-life lyrical concepts, Thralldom have created their own original, experimental variant of the black metal aesthetic.
Released by Profound Lore, who previously brought us the likes of WOLD and Portal, not to mention several Leviathan vinyls... and yes, the esoteric noise and subliminal insanity of Thralldom as displayed here certainly proves them to be a USBM horde as weird and arty and intense as the likes of Leviathan, Draugar or Xasthur.
MPEG Stream: "Only The Dead Speak The Truth"
MPEG Stream: "Ultra-Extinction"

TOOL 10,000 Days (Volcano / Zomba / Sony BMG) cd 16.98
We just looked back on past Tool reviews, and it seems like we're always defending them, or defending ourselves for loving them so much, but the more we've thought about it, the more it's become obvious that there's no need. Not at all. Not only does Tool not need us to defend them, they have tons of fans, sell millions of records, but they hardly qualify as a guilty pleasure at this point, other than for the fact that a bunch of dicks with backwards baseball caps and jacked up trucks love them. But those same dicks love Slayer too, but you don't see people embarrassed to love Slayer. And what's not to love here, lengthy epics, sludgy crunchy guitars, impossibly complex drumming, lurching and grooving, moody and so intense, creepy crawly vocals, this is some seriously dark and heavy shit. Maybe more so than a lot of 'heavy underground' bands. Plus Tool just seem super cool. They refuse to sell their tracks on iTunes, they spend years crafting epic sort-of-concept records, totally elaborate and complex, right down to the packaging. And holy shit, the packaging this time around is mind blowing. And mind you Tool have long championed the ultra deluxe packaging for their records, but this one is definitely the most outrageous. In fact it just might be the most amazing packaging we've ever see. When we cracked open the box we all gathered around and ooh'ed and aah'ed like kids on Christmas. What it is, is a super thick black plastic folder type sleeve, with two lenses embedded in the flap. When you open the sleeve, and check out the full color booklet each photo is split in two, two images side by side, and then you realize that it's a stereoscope and as you look through the lenses at the photos, they become strange 3-D tableau's, band photos are rife with tiny little details, ghosts in the background, strange items on the desk in the foreground, fire and smoke, other images are strange surreal juxtapositions and creepy Eastern psychedelic images, even the song titles are in 3-D!Ô
It's funny, but Tool are one of the few bands that almost everyone we know loves, customers, band members, folks who run labels, over the last week or two, lots of our 'underground music' pals have emailed or called to opine on the new Tool, as if that made perfect sense, and it kind of does. it's a little bit like somehow one of our own managed to crack the code and miraculously made it to the big time, and in their own way are subverting from within. When Opiate came out years back, we never would have thought that a band that dark and that weird would one day be mentioned in the same breath as Coldplay or U2. But it's gotta happen once in a while. And it's pretty great that if anything, Tool have not softened or mainstreamed at all, but maybe gotten more strange and more obstinate with age. Just like us.Ô
MPEG Stream: "Vicarious"
MPEG Stream: "Jambi"
MPEG Stream: "Wings For Marie (Part 1)"

TUSK Get Ready (He Who Corrupts Inc.) cd 14.98
What were the guys in Pelican doing before they started crafting epic metallic post-rock soundscapes, touring with Opeth and posing topless in metal mags? Well most of them were kicking up a furious din in the awesomely named Tusk.
It's a bit strange to hear Pelican, with their brooding, dark post rock grooves, their droney and pummeling, arty and intellectual "smart man's metal", and then hear Tusk, the gnarled roots of Pelican's mighty metal oak (as Tusk was home to 3 future members of Pelican). Tusk is much more 'punk', a way more immediate metallic grind gut punch, like being pelted with burning hot shrapnel or being deafened by having hot wax and roofing nails stuffed into your ears. Sounds painful, but it's the good sort of painful. You can definitely hear glimmers of Pelican, but this is much more for the kids! A super explosive blast of metallic grindcore, a little chaotic, a lot grindy, dense and complex and fast and furious. The riffs might be metal, but they're sped up and splattered wildly while the vocalist howls and screeches over the musical melee. This reissue also includes a cd-rom portion watchable on your computer, featuring a whole live on the radio set, and an interview. The live set sounds awesome, but is filmed really strangely. Makes it almost surreal, with nothing but EXTREME closeups of the Tusk guys' faces, heads, eyes, sideburns, stubble, pores even, sort of NYPD Blue style, with a bit of blurriness and then a quick zoom and then a little wobble. Sort of suits the chaotic nature of the music. The star of the live set has to be the Quasi poster in the background, featuring Sam and Janet covered in sharpie corpsepaint, front and center in almost every shot! Then there's the interview portion, which starts off with a serious dose of full on male nudity, but quickly turns into a semi-serious discussion of metal and prog (these guys are experts), E.L.P, the godlike Carl Palmer (who Tusk claim was playing blast beats WAY back in the E.L.P. days), Atomic Rooster, and all sort of other cool, funny, esoteric stuff. Super fun and funny, loud and heavy, and awesomely spastic! And we're not just talking about the music!
Amazing design and illustration from Hydra Head mainman Aaron Turner, who also did the super cool cd-rom DVD-style menu.
MPEG Stream: "Dracula Dragon Trick"
MPEG Stream: "Uptwon Nights"
MPEG Stream: "Make A Mess"

UFOMAMMUT Godlike Snake (Beard of Stars) lp 25.00
AT LONG LAST, NOW AVAILABLE ON VINYL!! Doom/sludge/psych lovers and collectors, rejoice! Here's what we had to say about this album when we made the reissue of the cd version an AQ Record Of The Week last year:
Having your head dipped in some sort of molten hallucinogenic liquid...or steamrollered by a flying saucer.... or headbanging with Lovecraftian gods somewhere far out in the ocean of space... that's our meagre attempt to colorfully describe the experience of enjoying this slab of psychedelic stoner doom rock, the 1999 debut disc from Italy's UFOmammut! Chances are, though, that you have some idea already about this might sound like, 'cause UFOmammut's other album, the mighty Snailking, was immediately crowned as an Aquarius Record of the Week when it came out last year, and is still a steady seller hereabouts. Hopefully you already got one of those. This too, we've had before, but it's been out of print for quite a long time and only just got reissued. We figured that since folks liked Snailking so much, and Godlike Snake was just as good, and could easily have been missed out upon the first time around, we shouldn't pass up the opportunity to relist this and make it a Record of the Week as well now that it's back in print. After all, the whole reason we were so instantly amped on Snailking when it came out was in part 'cause we'd been waiting for it for, literally, years, after being blown away by the band's first album, this one. Our review of Godlike Snake ran something like this: "...this stoner rock band is a good 'un, taking a way spacier route to the Dopethrone than most. Wonderfully heavy and mesmerizing, with loads of effects, Moog, and (pardon the expression) "fat" churning drone-grind-groove... A new fave for us in the stoner/doom realm... Especially recommended for those that miss the old Monster Magnet sound, or relish the idea of a heavier Hawkwind." Listening to it now (which a bunch of us have been doing *every day* in the store), we're if anything EVEN MORE into it. Something we hadn't noticed before was how some tracks come across like Godflesh or early Killing Joke melded to Hawkwind. Crushing and enveloping and sooooooo good. It's like Electric Wizard gone spacerock, or an industrialized Dead Meadow.
Italian import and limited.
MPEG Stream: "Satan"
MPEG Stream: "Snake"

URDOG Garden Of Bones (Secret Eye) cd 14.98
Finally one of our favorite slabs of spaced out primitve psych folk is back in print, and now with a bonus track recorded live in Switzerland.
Urdog. With a name like that it's gotta be good. And it is. The sort of swirling hypnotic heavy rock-folk-tribal weirdness we love so much. This is definitely prog, as the whole record is framed and driven by a big fuzzy organ spewing mesmerising prog riffs. Imagine a less heavy Tarantula Hawk, channelling E.L.P. with a healthy dose of Acid Mothers Temple style swirly space-y freakout throughout. A throbbing, urgent, mesmerising otherworldy drone rock. The other side of Urdog's personality is much more hippy, dabbling in the sixties-style avant folk of Devandra, Incredible String Band, Espers, etc. with gently acoustic guitar warbly keyboard ambience, dreamy distant vocals and sweet but haunting harmonies. But these moments of tranquility only exist as small clearings in a dense forest of thick slithering keyboards, druggy fuzzy riffs and fiercely propulsive rhythms. URDOG!
MPEG Stream: "Ice On Water"
MPEG Stream: "Long Shadows"
MPEG Stream: "Garden Of Bones"

WAXFIRE, THE Blueprints (self-released) cd 14.98
This young band from Olympia craft some fine chamber pop and they suit it up in suitably lovely'n'artful homespun packaging. The disc comes enclosed in a fabric bound fold-out case encased in a fabric pouch. Their music is very floral with the arrangements driven by piano leads and ultra pretty female vocals. Imagine the doe-eyed sweetness of The Sundays and Madder Rose crossed with the more womanly worldliness of Tori Amos. Emotions and drama build gradually over the course of the album's ten songs from the near-lullaby nature of "Never" to the climactic "Annabelleigh". Quite gorgeous.
MPEG Stream: "Never"
MPEG Stream: "Annabelleigh"

XASTHUR / LEVIATHAN split (Battle Kommand) cd 11.98
This kick ass record of the week from a few months ago is again back in stock:
We normally don't make "now available on cd" releases Record Of The Week. But there are plenty of reasons to do just that with this one! First off, C'MON! It's LEVIATHAN and XASTHUR! On the same disc! Two of the most important, and musically creative black metal one-man-hordes in the new wave of west coast black metal (NWOWCBM?) teamed up for the ultimate NWOWCBM one two punch. Singlehandedly (doublehandedly?) putting USBM back on the black metal map, and completely redefining the genre, grim and brutal and black for sure, but also totally bizarre and avant and experimental. Plus even you folks who picked up the vinyl versions will need this, as there are 4 bonus tracks, three of them are from Xasthur, a brand new unreleased track, a rehearsal track from 2004, and a Katatonia cover! The other bonus track is Leviathan's amazing version of Judas Iscariot's "Where The Winter Beals Incessant"! But even without the bonus tracks, this clash of the black titans is totally essential, some of the most beautifully blackened and furiously fucked up black metal you are ever likely to hear. Xasthur from Southern California and Leviathan from right here in SF are blackened brothers, both exploring similar themes of hate and misery, darkness and death, but coming at 'em from completely different sonic angles. Xasthur is more about mood and atmosphere, with thick swaths of fuzzy riffery, galloping drums, rumbling bass and agonised howls of despair, all dense and dark and claustrophobic. Leviathan is much more technical and a lot weirder, but no less moody, with ultra complex and bizarrely arranged parts, insane drumming, buzzing riffery, and hints of doom and progrock mixed into his bleak and blackened metalscapes. ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL!!
MPEG Stream: XASTHUR "The Eerie Bliss And Torture (Of Solitude)"
MPEG Stream: XASTHUR "Palace Of Frost (Katatonia cover)"
MPEG Stream: LEVIATHAN "Unfailing Fall Into Naught"

ZECHARIA, ZADIK Kurdish Melodies Played On Zorna (Something On The Road) cd-r 10.98
This cd-r fast became an all time AQ favorite, and we've been blowing through them like crazy. Finally got a handful more back in stock!
Ever thought of what it would be like to be in the middle east on a hot sweltering day with the dust, scorching sun, and history all around you while the intensity of the surroundings blasted in your ears? Well here it is! Recorded in Jerusalem in 1980 and only released as an independent cassette until now, the sounds of the zorna are rocked so furiously by Zadik Zecharia on this cd filled to overflowing with the relentless sounds of the zorna. Born in a small village in Kurdistan before moving to Israel in 1950, Zecharia has dedicated his life to playing the zorna (a traditional Kurdish instrument somewhat similar to a longer more narrow trumpet or Scottish bagpipe). This record doesn't let up for a single second. The moment it starts Zecharia is taken over by the power of the zorna and the demands that it puts on the player. You get the feeling that there is no time to pause, no time to think, no time to even take a breath. When I (Irwin) had the amazing opportunity to be in the Middle East at the turn of the millennium I remember walking through street markets, standing on the border of Syria and Israel, feeling my feet walk on so much high charged history, pain, and passion. Taking off my headphones to get overtaken by the myriad of sounds baking in the desert heat. Those moments where it all would come together and for just a moment you could be in that place and forget about hate, war, religion and politics. This record takes me back to the place more then anything I've ever heard. Like the best of snake charmer records that have grabbed you by the ankles and swept you off your feet this has that same hard hitting intensity with an undying energy that sounds as if it will never ever let up. If you have been to the store recently you have noticed that right outside there has been some nonstop construction going on in the streets and on the sidewalks. So for hours at a time we are hearing drilling and pounding and the sounds of asphalt being torn apart. When this has been playing in the store the combination of all that commotion has made for one of the most amazing high voltage drone pounding creations we have ever heard. And even on its own, this record has the ability to take you body hostage, as there is no way to listen without various parts of your body breaking out in uncontrollable movement. The dola drum which accompanies the zorna helps give a backbeat which keeps the frenzy of a fire that you never want to be extinguished. Recommended with thousands of exclamation points!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!etc.
MPEG Stream: "One"
MPEG Stream: "Two"

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MALCOLM, GREG Hung (Celebrate Psi Phenomenon) cd 16.98
We raved about Malcolm's most recent lp not too long ago, Swimming In It, a lovely disc of neo-Appalachian Fahey worship. More of that steel string swoon and twang we love so much. But it seems like Malcolm realized that maybe this whole modern Appalachia movement was getting a bit crowded, especially for someone with Malcolm's experimental tendencies, so he took his guitar, actually his guitars plural, and struck out on his own to make the singularly strange and absolutely lovely Hung. Released on fellow New Zealander Campbell Kneale's Celebrate Psi Phenomenon label, Hung is a series of solo simultaneously played multiple guitar performances. Did you get that? Multiple guitars, all played at once by the same player. No processing or effects, just a bunch of guitars. Some contact mic-ed, some with extra strings and springs and things, one at his side, one at his feet, one in his lap. And wow is this strange and beautiful. From the opening track of chiming twinkling melodies with the guitars somehow sounding just like bells, to the percussive pluck of "Drops" with the guitar sounding like a marimba, a spare and spacious slow motion meander, to the raga-like "The Bells" with one guitar offering up a sitar like buzz, one acting as a sort of scraping percussion, while the other shimmers and glistens. Other tracks sound like clangy and clanky mechanical music, others like washed out indie jangle and strum, while others are almost doomlike in their acoustic dirginess. There's even a Steve Lacy cover, totally and wonderfully transformed. Absolutely amazing, must be a wonder to see these pieces performed live too...
MPEG Stream: "Ghost From The Past"
MPEG Stream: "Hung"

ON s/t (Celebrate Psi Phenomenon) cd 16.98
This one is a total mystery. Not sure where they're from (New Zealand we guess) or what their story is, other than the fact that it was released on Campbell Kneale's (Birchville Cat Motel) Celebrate Psi Phenomenon label, and that it is one seriously blown out punked up slab of garage-y scuzz and roll. Heavy and noisy, spastic and sludgy, when this was playing in the front of the store, Allan went up to see what black metal record was playing if that tells you anything. Filthy and crumbling ultra distorted guitars, boy girl vocals WAY down in the mix, riffs that go from paint peeling shred to gut churning rumble. Some ungodly hybrid of vintage Dead C, the Butthole Surfers, The Germs, Flipper, recent AQ faves the Violent Students, and recent Siltbreeze noisemakers Times New Viking. This is definitely punk as fuck, but wrapped in layer after layer of guitar grit and broken amp splatter, classic punk rock swallowed whole, chewed up and spit out in huge sludgy gobs of grrrrr and rrrroooaaar. Epic sludgescapes of pound and churn, showered with wild lightning bolts of squealing feedback. There seem to be pop songs in there somewhere, but don't even try to dig that deep, you'll just end up bruised and bloodied, or you'll lose a hand or an arm. Best to just lay back, close your eyes real tight, clamp your hands tight over your ears, let these noise rockers just back their ten ton punksludge steamroller right over you and pray you survive.
MPEG Stream: "We've Got TV"
MPEG Stream: "Fire Down Below"
MPEG Stream: "My Head"

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V/A Basic Channel (Basic Channel) cd 15.98
Finally re-pressed and back in stock!
Basic Channel had a short existence, but was incredibly influential on the future of techno. Between 1993 and 1995, Basic Channel released nine singles that infused the jack hammering acid tracks of Detroit Techno with the ghostly hiss that accumulated on Lee Perry's dub productions in the '70s. However, this was not the electronic dub of Pole or Kit Clayton, although both were obviously huge fans of Basic Channel. Rather, Basic Channel offered a hyper-abstract vision of techno that never sacrificed the integrity of the rhythm. Amidst the aerosolized sounds, gray modulations, and purposefully murky timbres, the Basic Channel producers Moritz von Oswald and Mark Ernestus (who would later go on to form Rhythm And Sound) always centered their work along the skeleton of a propulsive techno beat.
This Basic Channel compilation is now in its FOURTH pressing; the original came out in 1995 in a fittingly non-descript cardboard sleeve and later in the metal tin designs that were used for their later Chain Reaction series. This compiled the more ambient and abstract and blissed out cuts on those singles while some of the heavier Chain Reaction tracks were compiled on the "Scion Arrange and Process Basic Channel Tracks" cd (now unfortunately out of print).
But if you just want to bliss out and drift off and be narcoticized by throbbing pulses and fuzzy grit, you can't do much better than this.
MPEG Stream: "G Loop"
MPEG Stream: "E2E4 Basic (Reshape)"
MPEG Stream: "Mutism"

V/A Funky Funky New Orleans 4 (Funky Delicious) cd 15.98
We wouldn't really consider ourselves experts on the early 70's funk scene in New Orleans but after getting schooled by this comp we can say we like how it sounds a whole lot! With a collection of soul/funk pleasers from 1969-1973 this is the kind of comp that once you press play all of a sudden your body start swaying and your head starts boppin. With not a stinker in the bunch you get a great glimpse of what it might have been like to be hunkered down in a dark seedy New Orleans nightclub in 1971 while groups with names like Brotherhood, Trick Bag and The Brothers Two, offered up some nice down home, funky funky stuff.
MPEG Stream: BROTHERHOOD "The Monkey That Became President"
MPEG Stream: FANTOMS "Turn me On"
MPEG Stream: LARRY JONES "Funky Jaws (instrumental)"

V/A Kekkonen - Anarchy In The UKK (267 Lattajjaa) cd-r 10.98
A while back we reviewed an amazing collection of politically charged sound art from Finnish artist/musician J.O. Mallander. An amazing selection of Phillip Jeck style, turntable manipulations and weird warbly sonic cut-ups. Two of the most effective and creepy pieces in that collection were "1962" and "1968" which featured the reading of the votes in the very controversial Finnish presidential election, won by Urho Kalevo Kekkonen, who would remain president for 25 years! The tracks themselves were a creepy montone reading of "Kekkonen.....Kekkonen....Kekkonen....Kekkonen.....Kekkonen...." on and on and on, until it becomes some strange word-drone. So this here comp features a bunch of Finnish underground musicians and artists doing their own versions / remixes of that infamous "Kekkonen" recording. We don't really recognize ANY of the bands (except Robert Horton, who is NOT Finnish), but we're led to believe it's a who's who of AQ faves under different names. What does it sound like? Somehow, each track retains the spirit, if not the sound of the original, some, take the repeated "Kekkonen" and chop it up rearranging it into drone-y smears, hiccupping rhtyhms or hissy fuzzy soundscapes. Or offer there own strange spoken versons of the name Kekkonen. Others whip out wild punk rock jams with shouted 'Kekkonen's over the top. Still others craft weird vocal based techno, haunting ambient soundscapes, with the Kekkonen stretched into wooshy whirring warbles, bizarre robot funk, far out vocal collages, murky abstract drones. Amazing what can be done with just a Kekkonen and some delay pedals. Really cool stuff. Not just sonically either. It's pretty cool to observe a whole other generation embracing and exploring their nation's history, and in their own way making just as stron a statement as Mallander did over 30 years ago.
Limited to 120 copies, we only got a handful (pretty sure they are already out of print) so as always act fast. Each one in an individually painted sleeve!
MPEG Stream: LORSSON "19??"
MPEG Stream: ! AND THE HYSTERIAANS "Kekkone"
MPEG Stream: MIXER "Kekkonen"
MPEG Stream: MUSTI LAITON "Kekkone"

V/A Six Doors - A Housepig Compilation (Housepig) cd 7.98
From the label that brought us the amazing Unicorn cd-r we reviewed a while back and the WAY too limited Lhasa Shore Leave (don't ask, long gone!) comes this compilation of 'ambient music' or 'drone music', various artists exploring ambience in their own unique way, giving that glorious drift and drone we love so much subtly different spins. And the results are pretty darn amazing.
First up is Unicorn, who unleash a totally creepy and gorgeous funereal trudge through warms swells of sound and huge reverberating low end pulses, like standing on the side of a black river beneath a sky of ash, as a barge piled high with bodies drifts by. Tendrils of backward guitar drift by like smoke from funeral pyres, everything speckled with little glitchy sparkles like sun refelecting off the water.
Then comes Japanese sound technician Aube, whose modus operandi is the use of a single item or element for all the sounds on a track. This one is called "Shackle" but it's hard to imagine any sort of shackle or chain being used to produce these sounds, but Aube routinely baffles us with is deft sonic manipulation. "Shackle" is a long drawn out chorus of electronic cricket chirps floating above a dense tapestry of glistening dog whistle high end, all warped and warbly like listening through a cracked kaleidoscope.
Bastard Noise show their softer side, a surprisingly restrained (for these guys at least) rumbling swirl of hissing black metal voices, creaking, keening feedback, thick warm drones, and soft shimmering whir, definitely intense and threatening, but simultaneously gorgeous and dreamy.
Next up, Luasa Raelon, who we've never heard of, but we definitely need to hear more. A thick slab of slow swelling ambience, grand and ominous, soft distant distorted guitar shimmer drifts beside jagged slabs of muted white noise and smeared percussion. Lovely!
The next track features one man noise outift Guilty Connector teamed up with Zeni Geva guitarist Tabata for an intense and cinematic dronescape, guitars and synths and electronics, all tangled and twisted, into a long slow, low expanse of moody sonic exploration.
Finally, finishing things up is Oblong Box, who unfurl a soft subtle cavernous rumble, like feeling your way through the pitch black, whirls and whorls of dark sound and low end vibrations shimmer and spread out like ripples in a tarpit.
An essential batch of ambient drone for sure!
MPEG Stream: UNICORN "Sleeper Wave"
MPEG Stream: AUBE "Shackle"

V/A The Stuff that Dreams Are Made of (Yazoo Records) 2cd 29.00
It's hard to complain about another killer collection of super rare, crackly old blues, country and bluegrass 78's. Especially when the theme of the collection is the ridiculous obsessive behavior of record collectors. We're not saying that we can relate, but heck, we can -totally- relate, as we bet most of you can too. There's a huge booklet, tons of liner notes as well as photos and assorted newspaper stories about, you guessed it, crazy collectors, but before we get to that...
First the collection, an amazing array of SUPER rare tracks from an amazing array of musical legends as well as tons of folks we'd never heard of, from wild and jaunty campfire hoedowns, all sawing fiddles and knee slapping and hand clapping, to dark and soulful blues: check out one of the greatest blues tracks EVER, Son House's "Mississippi County Farm Blues", a dark minor key vamp, amazing guitar playing, and those vocals, so intense and haunting, the whole thing thick with crackle and fuzz, definitely up there with Leadbelly's "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?" And then there's Dock Boggs' "Old Rub Alcohol Blues", another crackly gem, with Boggs' weird whiny vocals, sad and strained, and some beautiful banjo. There's Jaybird Coleman, just singing and playing harmonica, so lonely and bittersweet, he's got the most amazing croon, slipping almost to a falsetto, with that perfect crack that great singers master without even trying, and an incredible vibrato. We could go on and on, needless to say, out of 64 tracks spread out over two discs, there ain't nary a clunker!
But back to the record nerd angle, these discs come packaged in an oversized book style double digipak, with really funny, perfect R. Crumb cover art, as well as a comic strip inside the booklet, appropriately titled "Why I'm Neurotic About My Record Collection." The liner notes are by Richard Nevins, who over the course of a few thousand words, definitely demonstrates his collector mettle, with tales of his own cringeworthy exploits and obsessions as well as tons of amazing anecdotes about other collectors. There are a bunch of old newspaper clippings detailing the lives of folks who collect stuff like wishbones, hairs from the tails of elephants, 4 leaf clovers and even water from all over the world! There's also the sad tale of perhaps the most (in)famous collectors of all time, the Collyer Brothers. The two never left their building for over 40 years (except late at night to collect junk), filling it with tons and tons of random stuff, rusted bicycles, doors, kerosene stoves, old Christmas trees, 12 grand pianos and 30 years of EVERY daily newspaper! One brother was blind, and the other brother was attempting to cure him by feeding him 100 oranges a week, and figured that once he could see he would need to catch up on all that had happened. Woah! In 1942 the brothers were almost evicted for not paying rent for 11 years (one brother claimed it had slipped their minds). 5 years later the police were called after it was reported that there was a dead man in the house. Unfortunately the police could not get into the house there was so much junk, so they went up ladders and chopped a hole in the side of the building. They did find one brother who had apparently died of starvation. It took another whole week before they found the other brother who had been crushed by collapsing piles of junk. It turns out the other brother was paralyzed as well as blind, and died of starvation not long after his brother was killed and was unable to bring him food. Lordy! Let that be a word of warning for all you obsessive record collectors out there! Such great reading for liner notes, and such great listening too. A completely essential compilation for sure!
Word of warning: be very careful removing the discs, they are incredibly difficult to get off the spindles, it requires some very careful, but very firm pulling, to get it out without damaging the discs!
MPEG Stream: SON HOUSE "Mississippi County Farm Blues"
MPEG Stream: GEORGIA POT LICKERS "Up Jumped The Rabbit"
MPEG Stream: MEMPHIS MINNIE & JOE MCCOY "I'm Going Back Home"
MPEG Stream: WILMER WATTS AND THE LONELY EAGLES "Fightin' In The War With Spain"

V/A Zum Audio Volume Three (Zum) cd 11.98
The latest cd release from this stalwart Bay Area indie label and webzine features much more blistering and caustic music than their last compilation did back in 1998. The focus in the first half is squarely on noisy dissonance. Lots of experimental blasts and occasional propulsive no wave-iness from the likes of Channel 3 And 4, Beak Full Of Rubies, Coughs, Child Abuse, John Weise, Silver Daggers and Lakes. Then at the eighth track the sonic storm suddenly eases to a considerably more subdued drizzle with TG's gently plucked "La Nuit Version" and Hut's droney pulse and percussion track "Camp Along Young Oxen". Antifamily brings the energy level back up with their angular "Rome Is Not A City", and from there the comp is mixed (albeit like-minded) bag that includes more familiar faces Deerhoof, KIT, Stefan Udell, Yellow Swans and Axolotl. 23 track total.
MPEG Stream: HUTS "Camp Along Young Oxen"
MPEG Stream: WE QUIT "Bones"
MPEG Stream: AXOLOTL "Legs, Shouts"

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HIROSHIGE, JOJO Kokoro No Uta, Saigo No Uta (Alchemy) dvd 21.00
BACK IN STOCK. Japan's Jojo Hiroshige, self proclaimed King Of Noise (noise fans commence argument now), has been abusing guitars for years as the leader of seminal 'Japanoise' outfit Hijokaidan. He's also responsible for many solo recordings and collaborations, many of them tempering the pure noise aesthetic of Hijokaidan with more rock, psych, or folk elements... likewise with the label he runs, the eclectic and extreme Alchemy, which delves into noise, psych, punk, improv, and heavy rock. In the Japanese noisy underground music scene, Jojo's the man. And he's also quite the performer, as this dvd will prove. He very definitely has a stage presence -- and knows how to make a racket!
One track will feature Jojo solo, shirtless, dramatically lit, with a mirrored stage backdrop, Gibson SG and microphone his weapons for unleashing relentless drone and cathartic screams... or, you'll find him in another segment wearing a leather jacket, wielding a baseball bat and a boombox, on stage with Masonna... or, in a more sedate setting, seated, jamming with the girls in Doodles, or members of Angel In'Heavy Syrup... there's even an MTV style promo video for a track from Jojo's Boku Wa Mo Utawanai Daro album (which also appeared on the Alchemism 2dvd collection). All in all, in addition to that promo clip, you'll find 15 different performances from the past few years documented here, including the bonus track that finds Jojo kicking out the jams with free folk legend Kan Mikami! It's a really nice package of music and visuals for the Jojo fan.

THORNS, LTD Banks Violette : Untitled (The Whitney Museum of Modern Art) dvd 14.98
BACK IN STOCK!
We had been hearing rumors about an art installation at the Whitney Museum in New York that featured original music from cult Norwegian black metallers Thorns. So as you might imagine we were pretty excited and intrigued, and went on a little quest to find out if it was indeed true. So it was indeed true, the installation featured artwork is by a guy named Banks Violette, and the music was indeed by Thorns Ltd. (Snorre Ruch of the original Thorns plus two other folks). The exciting part was that there just so happened to be a recording of the Thorns material for sale!! So we ordered a bunch direct from the museum and they just finally showed up.
So this isn't actually a cd, but a dvd, and it's more of a dvd-audio disc, just with still images accompanying the music. Each image displays for about 5 or 10 minutes, which means just a handful to go along with the 80 plus minutes of music. It's a little hard to get a feeling for Violette's art, as it's presented here in a series of blurred stills, but it seems to be mysteriously abstract, blurry images of lights and wires, faces and latex clad bodies, cords and strange machine shapes, over exposed faces, fuzzy close ups, the back of the cd case is a decaying wooden framework that looks decidedly like the remnants of a burned church, not sure if that has anything to do with Violette's choice of musical accompaniment or not...
Thorns Ltd. seems to be a whole 'nother beast, no buzzing black riffs or pounding drums here, instead Snorre and his musical partners explore a series of abstract soundscapes, sometimes noisy and chaotic, but more often than not dark and droney.
Slow drifting minimalist smears of sound, extended tonal rumbles, thick washes of gauzy high end, layers upon layers, slowly shifting revealing different overtones and strange reverberations with creepy almost inaudible melodies buried within. Machinelike whir, smeared into a pulsating blur, a wash of descending drones, like a series of turbines slowly losing steam, before more start up, only to rumble to a halt moments later. Crackling electronic splutter, keening feedback, piercing sinewaves, ambient clatter, tape hiss and crackly staticky noise, all woven into haunting dronescapes of distorted melody and abstract sound. Metalheads might not dig this (although they should, it's plenty dark and creepy enough) but it will definitely please fans of the dirge and the drone and the drift and the clatter, as well as the whir and the rumble and the creak and the creep (ie: folks who dig Coleclough, Mirror, Ora, Birchvile Cat Motel, Avarus, Axolotl, Skaters, Yellow Swans, Double Leopards, Hototogisu, Jazzfinger, Pelt Total, etc.)
ULTRA LIMITED!!!

V/A Acquired Taste (Sub Pop) dvd 9.98
Remember a long time ago, when only ROCKSTARS made videos? Aerosmith, U2, Yes, remember how you'd wait anxiously for so and so's new video to debut on MTV? A lot has changed since then. First and foremost, MTV doesn't actually show videos anymore. Second, almost all bands make a video at some point. And with the advent of digital video and cheaper production techniques, bands are finally able to make the kind of videos they could only dream about before. And now some of the most truly bizarre and amazing videos are being made by the same folks who are making truly bizarre and amazing music. If you have cable, you might have seen some of these videos on MTV2 or Fuse or Much Music, but for those of you without cable (like us) of those of you who just want to see these videos whenever you want, well, the fine folks at Sub Pop have offered up this super cheap, super deluxe video collection gathering up some of their best and brightest, and some of the coolest videos we've seen in ages. Just listing the bands should have indie rockers all in a tizzy: Shins, Ugly Cassanova, Iron And Wine, The Postal Service, Hot Hot Heat, Constantines, The Thermals, The Album Leaf, Low, Jennifer Gentle, The Helio Sequence, Kinski, Sleater Kinney, Rosie Thomas, Chad Vangaalen, Love As Laughter, Fruit Bats, Wolf Parade, The Elected, Rogue Wave and Mudhoney. Phew! Some of the highlights include the Ugly Cassanova video which has to be the most insane, most ridiculous, and somehow both the grossest and the cutest videos ever. Seriously. Every time we watch it, we're dying, it's so weird and funny and sick! Imagine a video very bright and primary colored, filled with infants, toddlers, insects and all sorts of anuses and intestines and shitting and farting. Woah! But even the gross stuff is kinda cute.
The there's a Shins video where the band members reproduce various indie record covers: Slint, Squirel Bait, Minutemen, Cat Power, see if you can name them all. The other Shins video is great too, an awesome construction paper animated sequence with white paper cows so cute. And then the two Postal Service videos are awesome too: one is a gorgeous sleek futuristic machinescape, all sterile and very white and shiny, the other is a cheesy eighties karaoke scene intercut with a far out futuristic space subplot, featuring Jenny Lewis! The Iron And Wine videos are beautiful and heartbreaking, just like the songs, sun dappled summerscapes, glistening water, green lush grass, sumptuous foods, each video dense and colorful, somehow perfectly conveying the love and hope and sorrow in the songs. WOW.
Pretty much all the videos here are well worth watching, some over and over and over, lots of cool animation, lots of high concept, plenty of cool production and bizarre imagery, very few by the numbers performance videos, plenty of innovation and creativity, which is just what we expect from these bands anyway!


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If you want to order one of these, just do a search, and when the record you're looking for comes up, just click on the buy button and it will be added to your cart!

16 HORSEPOWER "Live" (Alternative Tentacles) dvd 17.98
7 YEAR RABBIT CYCLE "Ache Horns" (Free Porcupine Society) cd 14.98
ABOMINABLE IRON SLOTH, THE "s/t" (Goodfellow) cd 15.98
AGENTS DEL FUTURO "Mydrone" (Dielectric) cd-r 11.98
ALOG "Catch That Totem" (Melektronik) cd 16.98
ASTERIADI, POPI WITH LAKIS PAPPAS "Another Sunday Gone" (World Psychedelic Ltd.) cd 17.98
ATAVIST "s/t" (Invada) cd 15.98
ATOMIZER "Songs of Slaughter, Songs of Sacrifice" (Hells Headbangers) cd 9.98
AUTO DA FE "The Spectre" (Secret Eye) cd 14.98
BAGUNCA, PAULO "E A Tropa Maldita" (Discos Mariposa) cd 17.98
BAL-SAGOTH "The Chthonic Chronicles" (Candlelight) cd 14.98
BARR "Beyond Reinforced Jewel Case" (5 Rue Christine) cd 14.98
BATTISTI, LUCIO "Amore E Non Amore" (Water) cd 14.98
B.B. BLUNDER "Workers' Playtime" (Long Hair) cd 23.00
BEHERIT "Drawing Down The Moon" (Candlelight) cd 13.98
BLACK FUNERAL "Ordog" (Behemoth) cd 14.98
BLACK MOUNTAIN "Stormy High" (Suicide Squeeze) 7" 4.98
BLACK OX ORCHESTAR "Nisht Azoy" (Constellation) cd/lp 14.98/16.98
BLACKOUT "s/t" (World Psychedelic Ltd.) cd 17.98
BULLWACKIES ALL STARS "Dub Unlimited" (Wackies) cd 15.98
BURNT HILLS "To Your Head" (Flipped Out) cd 9.98
CAPRICORNS "Ruder Forms Survive" (Rise Above / Candlelight USA) cd 15.98
CAPTAIN BEEFHEART "Captain's Last Live Concert" (Oz It / Morpheus) 2cd 26.00
CAPTAIN BEEFHEART "Under Review" (Sexy Intellectual) dvd 21.00
CAPTAIN FATASS "s/t" (Pipe City Nights) cd 11.98
CAVALAR "As A Metal Of Fact" (self released) cd 14.98
CELESTIIAL "Desolate North" (BindRune) cd 12.98
CITIES "s/t" (Yep Roc) cd 14.98
CONGOS, THE & FRIENDS "Fisherman Style" (Blood And Fire) 2cd 17.98
COURTIS, ALAN "Antiguos Dolmenes Del Paleolitico" (Sedimental) cd 14.98
COUSIN SILAS "Necropolis Line" (Earthrid) cd-r 11.98
CRESHEVSKY, NOAH "The Tape Music Of... 1971-1992" (EM Records) cd 23.00
CRETIN "Freakery" (Relapse) cd 12.98
DARKTHRONE "The Cult Is Alive" (Peaceville) cd/lp 17.98/21.00
DATURAH "s/t" (Graveface) cd 9.98
DAVIES, RAY "Other People's Lives" (V2) cd 16.98
DEAD RABBITS "Sin-Eater" (Over It Media) cd 14.98
DEATH IN JUNE "The Guilty Have No Pride" (NER / Tesco) cd/dvd 23.00
DEUPREE, TAYLOR "Northern" (12K) cd 14.98
DIRECTING HAND "Bells For Augustin Le Sage" (Secret Eye) cd 14.98
DYSRHYTHMIA "Barriers and Passages" (Relapse) cd 12.98
EDISON WOODS "Nest Of Machines" (Habit Of Creation) cd 13.98
EXCEPTER / LEB-LAZE "split" (Hoss) lp 11.98
FALL OF THE GREY WINGED ONE "Aeons Of Dreams" (Supernal) cd 15.98
FATHER YOD AND THE SPIRIT OF '76 "Contraction" (Swordfish) cd 17.98
FLAT EARTH SOCIETY / THE LOST "Waleeco / Space Kids" (Arf! Arf!) cd 16.98
GADGET "The Funeral March" (Relapse) cd 12.98
GAMELAN SON OF LION "Metal Notes" (Locust) cd 14.98
GARRIE, NICK "Nightmare of J.B. Stanislaus" (Rev-ola) cd 16.98
GULTSKRA ARTIKLER "Pofigistka" (Lampse) cd 15.98
HASKELL, JIMMY AND HIS ORCHESTRA "Count Down!" (EM Records) cd 23.00
IASOS "Inter-Dimensional Music" (EM Records) cd 23.00
ID, THE "The Inner Sounds Of The Id" (World Of Sound) cd 21.00
IHSAHN "The Adversary" (Candlelight) cd 14.98
ILITCH "Rainy House" (Sparkling Spare Wheel) LP + CD 39.00
INSTANT AUTOMATONS "Another Wasted Sunday Afternoon" (Hyped2Death) cd 13.98
KAITO "Hundred Million Light Years" (Kompakt) cd 15.98
KALAS "s/t" (Tee Pee) cd 15.98
KALEVALA "People No Names/Boogie Jungle" (Walhalla) cd 21.00
KATATONIA "The Great Cold Distance" (Peaceville) cd 16.98
KAWABATA MAKOTO "Inui 1" (VHF) cd 13.98
KEEP OF KALESSIN "Armada" (Candlelight) cd 14.98
KHAN, USTAD HAFIZULLAH "Khalifa Kirana Gharana" (Just Dreams) cd 17.98
KUUPUU "Kulta Sulka" (self released) cd-r 8.98
KYLER "Pur Cosy Tales" (Planet Mu) cd 14.98
LARKIN GRIMM "Harpoon" (Secret Eye) cd 14.98
LAVETTE, BETTY "I've Got My Own Hell To Raise" cd
LAZY FARMER "s/t" (Sunbeam Records) cd 16.98
LEVIATHAN "The Speed of Darkness" (Viva Hate) lp 16.98
MACHINEFABRIEK "Marjin" (Lampse) cd 16.98
MAHER SHALAL HASH BAZ "Live 1984-85" (P.S.F.) cd 21.00
MAJOR STARS "Synoptikon" (Important) cd/lp 14.98/14.98
MAPSTATION "Distance Told Me Things To Be Said" (Scape) cd 16.98
MATADORS, THE "s/t" (World Psychedelia Ltd.) cd 17.98
MCBAIN, JOHN "The In-Flight Feature" (Duna) cd 16.98
MERCA "Chup Amela" (psycheDOOMelic) cd 14.98
MERZBOW "Blackbone Part.5" (Blossoming Noise) cd 11.98
MERZBOW "Tumeric" (Blossoming Noise) 4-cd 36.00
MGR "Nova Lux" (Neurot) cd 14.98
MONSTER MAGNET "Spine Of God" (SPV) cd 13.98
MOONKYTE "Count Me Out" (Sunbeam Records) cd 16.98
MOORE, SAM "MOOOHIEEE!" (EM Records) cd 23.00
MORD "Christendom Perished" (Southern Lord) cd 14.98
MOULTON, TOM "A Tom Moulton Mix" (Soul Jazz) cd 23.00
MY CAT IS AN ALIEN "Cosmic Light of the Third Millennium" (Important) cd 14.98
OBSESSED, THE "Lunar Womb" (Meteor City) cd 14.98
ORIENTAL SUNSHINE "Dedicated To The Bird We Love" (Sunbeam) cd 16.98
OS BRAZOES "s/t" (RGE) cd 17.98
OS MUTANTES "Jardim Eletrico (#4)" (Universal / Polydor Brazil) cd 19.98
OS MUTANTES "Mutantes E Seus Cometas No Pais Do Baurets (#5)" (Universal / Polydor Brazil) cd 19.98
OTOMO YOSHIHIDE / BILL LASWELL / YOSHIDA TATSUYA "Episome" (Tzadik) cd 16.98
OUTSIDERS, THE "Strange Things Are Happening: The Complete Singles 1965 - 1969" (RPM) cd 16.98
OVO "Miastenia" (Load) cd/lp 14.98/11.98
PINK MOUNTAINTOPS "Axis Of Evol" (Jagjaguwar) cd 14.98
PLACE OF SKULLS "The Black Is Never Far" (Exile On) cd 14.98
PUMICE "Yeahnahvienna" (Soft Abuse) cd 13.98
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS "Stadium Arcadium" (Warner) 2cd 19.98
ROSENBOOM, DAVID "Brainwave Music" (EM Records) cd 23.00
RUBINHO E MAURO ASSUMPCAO "Perfeitamente, Justamente Quando Cheguei" (Discos Mariposa) cd 17.98
SALA-ARHIMO "s/t" (Last Visible Dog) cd 12.98
SEIKAZOKU "Live In Japan" (Vivo) cd 15.98
SERENA-MANEESH "s/t" (Honeymilk) cd 13.98
SHERRIFF LINDO AND THE HAMMER "Ten Dubs That Shook The World" (EM Records) cd 23.00
SIC ALPS "The Soft Tour In Rough Form" (Mt. St. Mtn.) lp 11.98
SICKOAKES "Seawards" (Type Records) cd 15.98
SMITH, BARTON "Reelizations One & Two: The Sound Of Barton Smith" (EM Records) 2cd 29.00
SNOWBLOOD "The Human Tragedy" (SuperFi / Lawgiver) cd 13.98
SPECTRE FOLK "s/t" (3 Lobed) cd 14.98
STACK WADDY "Stack Waddy / Bugger Off!" (World's Best In Progressive Music) cd 21.00
STARKWEATHER "Croatoan" (Candlelight) cd 13.98
STORY, THE "Tale Spin" (Sunbeam Records) cd 16.98
STROTTER INST. "Live Act At Oblo" (self-released) cd 12.98
STROTTER INST. "Schlepper" (self-released) lp 14.98
SUBTLE "Wishingbone" (Lex) 2cd 11.98
SUN DIAL "Other Way Out / Other Way In" (Relapse) 2cd 14.98
SUN DIAL "Return Journey" (Relapse) cd 12.98
TAINT "The Ruin Of Nova Roma" (Candlelight) cd 13.98
TANGO SALOON "s/t" (Ipecac) cd 14.98
TEMPLETON TWINS, THE WITH TEDDY TURNER'S BUNSEN BURNERS "Trill It Like It Was" (EM Records) cd 23.00
TJOLGTJAR "The Tjolgtarian Mass" (Baphomet) cd 11.98
TONE "Solidarity" (Neurot) cd 14.98
TUCKY BUZZARD "Time Will Be Your Doctor" (Castle / Sanctuary) 2cd 21.00
V/A "John Peel And Sheila: The Pig's Big 78s - Beginner's Guide" (Trikont) cd 16.98
V/A "Lagos All Routes: Juju & Highlife, Apala & Fuji" (Honest Jon's) cd 16.98
V/A "Lagos Chop Up: Fuji & Afrobeat, Highlife & Juju" (Honest Jon's) cd 16.98
V/A "Never The Same: Leave-Taking From The British Folk Revival 1970-1977" (Honest Jons) cd 16.98
V/A "Panama!" (Sound Way) cd/2lp 16.98/21.00
V/A "Queer Noises 1961-1978" (Trikont) cd 21.00
V/A "The Sound the Hare Heard" (KRS) cd 14.98
V/A "The Tomorrow Show w/ Tom Snyder: Punk / New Wave" (Shout Factory) dvd 33.00
V/A "Triad" (Neurot) cd 12.98
V/A "Zanzibara 2: L'Age D'Or Du Taarab De Mombasa - 1965-1975 / Golden Years Of Mombasa Taarab" (Buda Musique) cd 15.98
VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR "Godbluff" (Virgin / EMI) cd 16.98
VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR "Still Life" (Virgin / EMI) cd 16.98
VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR "The Quiet Zone / The Pleasure Dome" (Virgin / EMI) cd 16.98
VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR "Vital" (Virgin / EMI) cd 16.98
VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR "World Record" (Virgin / EMI) cd 16.98
VAN ZANDT, TOWNES "Be Here To Love Me" (Palm) dvd 29.00
VARRICCHIO, DANIEL "Live @ Exeter Hotel Dining Room 17th May, 2005" (Rhizome) cd-r 12.98
VELVET UNDERGROUND "Under Review" (Sexy Intellectual) dvd 21.00
VERLAINE, TOM "Songs And Other Things" (Thrill Jockey) cd 15.98
VOLCANO THE BEAR "Classic Erasmus Fusion" (Beta-Lactam Ring) 2cd 15.98
VREID "Pitch Black Brigade" (Candlelight) cd 13.98
VROLOK / EMIT "Pestilence 1440 / Musikalisches Opfer" (Goatowarex) cd 14.98
WALL OF SLEEP "Sun Faced Apostles" (psycheDOOMelic) cd 14.98
WARA "El Inca" (Revista) cd 17.98
WEISS, DAVID "Virtuoso Saw" (EM Records) cd 19.98
WERREN, PHILLIP "Electronic Music" (Cast Exotic) 2cd 21.00
WHITMAN, KEITH FULLERTON "Recorded In Lisbon" (Kranky) cd 10.98
WITCHERY "Don't Fear The Reaper" (Century Media) cd 12.98
WOE COLOSSUS "First: In A Silent Way, Second: Vanilla" lp 14.98
WOLFMOTHER "s/t" (Modular) cd 12.98
WORLD OF OZ, THE "s/t" (Repertoire) cd 24.00
WORMS OF SABNOCK "Dark Harmonies" (Firestorm) cd 14.98
YOUNG, NEIL "Living With War" (Reprise) cd 16.98
YOUNG, ROLAND P. "Isophonic Boogie Woogie" (EM Records) cd 23.00
ZYKLON "Disintegrate" (Candlelight) cd 14.98
ZYKLON "Storm Detonation Live" (Candlelight) dvd 14.98

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ABOUT MAILORDER


Please place your order via our website.

[1] We will contact you to verify your order and let you know when it will be shipped. Please note that occasionally it may take a day or two for us to reply. We are not a faceless bunch of computers replying to your order -- we are human beings!

[2] If we are out of some of your items and we think we will get them within the same week, we can wait to ship. Or... If it's going to be more than a few days to complete your order, we will ship what we have and then will contact you as the remainders arrive.

[ note ] Due to the everchanging nature of the independent record business, we are not responsible for listed price changes (due to supplier price changes) and often cannot update our site fast enough to reflect these changes, but we will always try to let you know of any differences.


DOMESTIC SHIPPING :
--------------------------------
1-2 items $4.50 USPS Priority Mail
3+ items $6.50 UPS Ground

Further Explanation (Please Read!):
Within the USA, an order of 3 or more items will be shipped via UPS ground for a flat fee of $6.50. These packages are automatically insured and trackable.

However, if your package contains just 1 or 2 items, we will ship your order via USPS Priority Mail, and charge you $4.50 for shipping. These packages are NOT insured or trackable, sorry. So if you desire those safeguards, please request UPS delivery at the $6.50 rate. You must mention this in the comments field of our online order form.

Also, please note that UPS will not ship to PO Boxes. If you only have a PO Box, we can ship packages of 3+ items via US Postal Service and charge you by weight according to their rates. Special shipping needs (e.g. UPS Next Day) are also do-able, just ask.

Another important note: box sets DON'T (usually) count as one item. Sorry. A box set will generally bump you up into the "three or more items" category. Y'know, they're big. Boxes.


INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING :
-------------------------------- For foreign customers we ship via US AIRMAIL ("Letterpost"). Your price is based on the actual cost of shipping plus $1. You can check the US Postal Service international rate calculator: http://ircalc.usps.gov/. (Use the "Package, No Correspondence" category and see the price for "Letterpost". 1-3 cds is usually 1 pound.)


We highly recommend insurance for your international package, but it is very expensive! You can check the US Postal Service international rate calculator: http://ircalc.usps.gov/. (Use the "Package, No Correspondence" category and see the price for "Parcel Post". 1-3 cds is usually 1 pound.)


INTERNATIONAL INSURANCE :
-------------------------------- You are hereby forewarned that Aquarius is not responsible if your international package gets lost in the mail. Insurance is your only recourse if your records never show up. Since the terrible events of 9/11, mail service has been slow and undependable... and while we haven't experienced any *confirmed* permanently lost mail, insurance might provide some additional piece of mind in this time of upheaval. We strongly recommend it. But yes, it is very expensive. It's your choice. Again: Aquarius is not responsible for lost mail, so if you aren't willing to take a (slight but real) risk, please buy the insurance.

International insurance is very expensive! In fact often the insurance costs more than the value of your package, in which case it obviously does not make sense to insure it. You can check the US Postal Service international rate calculator: http://ircalc.usps.gov/. (Use the "Package, No Correspondence" category and see the price for "Parcel Post", which is the way insured packages are sent. 1-3 cds is usually 1 pound.)

For example: for a one-pound package worth $18 going to England, shipping without insurance is about $8. But with insurance, the shipping / insurance total is over $16!

It is your reponsibility to check the international rate calculator in order to determine whether or not you want international insurance. If you tell us you want international insurance, we will add it to your order no matter how much it costs!


PAYMENT :
-------------------------------- Payment is via credit card: Visa, MC, Discover, and Amex. Money orders are accepted only from customers within the USA. If you must pay by money order, you have to confirm the order with us through email or phone BEFORE you send any payment. We cannot take personal checks for mailorder, sorry!


QUESTION?
-------------------------------- Email the mailorder department: mailorder@aquariusrecords.org

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SOME SELECTED UPCOMING RELEASES

----} May 16th or sooner
Espers "II" cd/lp on Drag City
Faun Fables "The Transit Rider" cd on Drag City
Howlin Rain "s/t" cd on Birdman (members of Comets On Fire + SBHOTM)
Dissection "Reinkaos" cd on The End
Deathprod "6-track" 10" on Rune Grammofon
Tied & Tickled Trio "A.R.C." dvd+cd on Morr
Year Of "Slow Days" cd/lp on Morr
Don Caballero "World Class Listening Problem" cd on Relapse
Melvins "Houdini Live 2005" cd on Ipecac
Sinister "Afterburner" cd on Candlelight

----} May 23rd or before
Vetiver "To Find Me Gone" cd/2lp on DiChristina
The Goslings "Spaceheater/Perfect Interior" cd on Crucial Blast
Red Sparowes / Gregor Samsa split cd on Robotic Empire
Scott Walker "The Drift" cd/2lp on 4AD
Knut "Alter" remix cd on Hydra Head (w/ mixes by Francisco Lopez, Asmus Tietchens, Oren Ambarchi, Dalek, Spectre, and others!)
The Walkmen "A Hundred Miles Off" cd/lp on Record Collection
Mission Of Burma "The Obliterati" cd on Matador
Ocrilim "Anoint" cd on I And Ear
Earth "Phase 3: Thrones and Dominons" reissue on Sub Pop in May along with vinyl reissues of all the Sub Pop Earth albums!
Bloodhaag "Hell Bent For Letters" cd/lp on Alternative Tentacles
Kayo Dot "Dowsing Anemone With Copper Tongue" 2lp on Robotic Empire
Pestrepeller "Isle of Dark Magick" cd on Important
Anoice "Remmings" cd on Important
Charalambides "Vintage Burden" cd on Kranky
Ditty Bops "Moon Over The Freeway" cd on Warner Bros
Loscil "Plume" cd on Kranky
Sebadoh "III" cd reissue on Domino

----} May 30th
Celtic Frost "Monotheist" cd on Century Media
Boards Of Canada "Trans Canada Highway" remix cdep on Warp
Nachtmystium "Instinct: Decay" cd on Southern Lord

----} also in May
Current 93 / Om split 10 (4 different colors of vinyl) on Neurot, cd on Durtro
Magyar Posse "Bloody Avenger" cd on Verdura

----} June 6th
Bardo Pond "Ticket Crystals" cd on ATP
Phonophani "s/t" cd on Rune Gramafon
v/a "Imaginational Anthem Volume Two" cd on Tompkins Square
Harry Taussig "Fate Is Only Once" cd on Tompkins Square

----} June 13th
Sonic Youth "Rather Ripped" cd on Geffen
OCS "Cool Death Of The Island" cd/lp on Narnack
ESG "Keep On Moving" cd/2lp on Soul Jazz
Spektr "Near Death Experience" cd on Appease Me / Candlelight
Smog "Rock Bottom Riser" cdep on Drag City
Six Organs Of Admittance "The Sun Awakens" cd/lp on Drag City

----} June 20th
Alvarius B "s/t" cd on Abduction
Herb Diamante "May I Light Your Cigarette?" cd on Abduction
Phi Ta Khon "Ghosts of ISAN" DVD on Sublime Frequencies
v/a "Ethnic Minority Music of Northeast Cambodia cd on Sublime Frequencies
v/a "Radio Thailand: Transmissions from the Tropical Kingdom" 2cd on Sublime Frequencies
v/a "Radio Algeria" cd on Sublime Frequencies

----} also in June
Solar Anus "Skull Alcoholic" 2cd on tUMULt
Boris "Droneevil" 2cd version on Inoxia
5 more Last Visible Dog releases, god knows what they are

----} July 7th
Striborg "Embittered Darkness /Isles de Morts" cd domestic release on Southern Lord

----} July 25th
Gorgoroth "Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam" cd on Candlelight


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hey... good grief, it's two of Allan's very favorite bands, playing together tomorrow (Saturday) night!! not to be missed if you like rippin' Gibson guitarwork!!


Stinking Lizaveta (amazing heavy instrumental outfit from Philadelphia, PA)
The Lord Weird Slough Feg (San Francisco old school epic metal masters)

Saturday, May 13th

doors at 8
show at 9
over by 12!

Onsix Gallery at Club 6
60 6th Street near Market
San Francisco, CA

----

But first on Friday:

THE SERENADE IS DEAD
May 12th, 2006
Art Opening from 7pm - 9pm
Afterparty from 9pm - 2am

SOLO ART SHOW BY
DERRICK SNODGRASS

GROUP ART SHOW BY
AUSTIN BARBER
VICTOR J. BLUE
FREDDY CORBIN
DAVID V. D'ANDREA
DRU DONOVAN
CHRIS DUNCAN
CHRIS FITZPATRICK
KYLE GARNER
CLAUDINE GOSSETT
MARY HOWE
BESSIE KUNATH
TIM LEHI
SHAWNA MCAFEE
KEEGAN MCHARGUE
RANDY MORDECAI
JOE O'NEIL
MICHAEL PAGE
JUAN PUENTE
JEFF RASSIER
ALBERT REYES
JASON ROBERTS-DOBRIN
MOSES SAARNI
SHAM
BETTY SHORT
CHARLIE SKINNER
GAVIN STEVENS
MOLLY STREET
SCOTT SYLVIA
ALISON THARP
AMY THOMPSON
ZEFREY THROWELL
JESSE TUESDAY
JEF WHITEHEAD
KATY ZAUGG

GUEST CURATED BY
JASON MCAFEE

LIVE PERFORMANCES
SAROS (record release party)
ASUNDER
TOTIMOSHI
DJ TINY BABY CIMS (gun club)
DJ BERTIE P. (paradise boys)

ONSIX GALLERY
60 6th Street
San Francisco, CA
21+ with ID
free before 9pm, $5

*Ticket holders for The Treasures of Long Gone John at SF DocFest
admitted free! See sfindie.com for info

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THE HUSBANDS!!!!!!

AQ pals the Husbands will be playing all over the place over the next few months, so those of you in the Bay Area do not want to miss


Sat. April 22nd
"THE PRICE OF YOUR SOUL"
The Husbands
DJ HardCore Danceable soul
At The Cassanova Bar at
16th and Valencia. Bar Time (21 and Up).
Bring your rug tearin slippers!- The price of your soul is...
FREE

Fri 5/5
The Husbands
Dream Date
The Makes Nice
At The Ivy Room
858 San Pablo Ave, Albany, 94706 - (510) 524-9220

Sat 5/13
The Husbands
Jeffrey Novak-1-man-band
The Ratraps
The Demolition Doll Rods
At The Knockout
3223 Mission St San Francisco, CA 94110 (415) 550-6994
$8 9pm

Sat. 5/27
The Husbands
Watusi Zombie from Japan
At The Knockout
3223 Mission St San Francisco, CA 94110 (415) 550-6994

Wed 5/31
The Husbands
Heavenly States
The Citizens Here and Abroad
At The Cafe Dunord
2170 Market St San Francisco,
CA 94114 (415) 861-5016
$8 advance $10 at door 9pm

Fri 6/9
The Husbands
(Release party for The Husbands 2nd Record "There's Nothing I'd Like More
Than To See You Dead")
The Makes Nice
The Losin' Streaks
At Annies Social Club
917 Folsom St. @ 5th.St. San Francisco, CA. 94107
This is gonna be a great party-Don't miss it!!!!

Sat 7/1
The Husbands
The Struts
DJ Tina Luchesi
(for Lauren's B-day)
At Benders Bar and Grill
806 S Van Ness Ave
San Francisco (415) 824-1800 Cross Street:19th St.

For those of you who have yet to check out the Husbands, here's what we had to say about their kick ass first record released last year (new one on the way!):

Finally! The debut album from local garage rock trio The Husbands -- a band that just happens to feature ex-AQ staffer, our beloved Sadie Shaw on guitar, maracas and backup vocals. In fact it's all girls on this record, though they've got a boy playing added percussion on stage with 'em once in a while. In addition to Sadie's fabulousness there's the authentic, so-appropriate voice of Sarah Reed -- sexily raspy from whiskey and cigarettes, but she still hits the notes, the girl can sing; and then there's the rhythmic pound of drummer Nikki Sloate. This fierce, all-attitude band is really into rockin', with a deep love for and knowledge of their '60s inspirations / source material. Half the songs are well chosen covers that get the rough 'n raw Husbands treatment -- tunes by Half Pint and the Fifths, The Barbarians, Carole King, even a punk-energized version of Bo Diddley's "Cadillac". Definitely a super-fun live band (go see 'em if you get the chance, which you probably will 'cause they're so hard workin') who've managed to capture their energy and attitude on this lil' round disc.

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OXBOW

CONIFER

MAUSOLEA

Live!!! Sunday June 6th

at the Hemlock Tavern
1131 Polk Street @ Post

Most of you should already know all about Oxbow, but if not, here's what we had to say about their most recent cd/DVD:

Rock and roll as a raw nerve art form, that's the intense Oxbow aethetic... a band that dares you to listen, much less attend one of their shows. Avant garde yet drawn to swampy roots, Oxbow's approach is both intellectual and primal at the same time, these men channeling psychic and physical distress into their music, so much tension and release it's disturbing to behold... This brilliant and unique Bay Area outfit has been going strong against all odds for almost two decades now (!) and with each passing year seem to gain a wider audience, despite never ever being a part of any scene or trend. Not one that would help them, anyway. Except maybe now, that they've seemingly been accepted into the Neurosis/Isis axis of arty post-metal noisecore, releasing their last full-length An Evil Heat 4 or 5 years ago on the Neurot label and now (finally!) reappearing on Hydra Head with this cd+dvd package. Love That's Last isn't exactly the new Oxbow opus we've being waiting for, since it's not an all-new album but rather a collection, complete with commentary and lyrics in the booklet, of unreleased live cuts, improv tracks, compilation rarities, and a few "greatest hits" from their hard to find early albums. You'll certainly get a representative serving of their cathartic ugly/pretty rock action here, with all of Oxbow's characteristic Bonham beats, slide guitar skronk, droning ambience, and of course the distinctive mewling/screaming baby monster vocalizations of scary front man/fighting man Eugene Robinson. Highlights (and that's what all this is, really) range from their infamous "Insylum" duet with Marianne Faithful from 1996's Serenade In Red to the 1998 live recording "Glimmer Bird" to the prototypical expression of Oxbow anguish that is "Yoke" from their 1989 Fuckfest debut. Ten tracks in all... you too might be crying like a baby when it's over. Oxbow would be happy about that.
The DVD portion includes 5.1 mixes of a handful of Oxbow classics, plus filmmaker Christian Anthony's Oxbow documentary Music For Adults (previously available here at AQ when it was a dvd-r release) with outtakes too, AND a bunch of additional live footage of the band in Belgium and San Francisco. Here's what we said about Music For Adults before: "Now you can vicariously join Oxbow for their summer 2002 European tour. Even better than actually being there, you can enjoy their shows and tour hijinx without running any risk of Oxbow singer Eugene getting you in a headlock (and pulling down your pants, as happens to at least one unhappy Scotsman in this film). The live footage captures the Oxbow rock machine in all their twisted, bawling glory, while the 'behind-the-scenes' stuff will show you that they're actually all really nice guys!"
So, Oxbow fans NEED this. And it's obviously the first thing the prospective Oxbow fan needs to pick up as well. Hopefully that's just what's gonna happen. Recommended as always with all Oxbow product!

And of course we've also LOVE Conifer. How much? This much:

Bands have been naming themselves after all manner of objects and creatures since the beginning of rock and roll. Heavy bands tending toward the mighty, the fierce or at least the very large. All manner of monsters and demons, various tigers and lions and even some sea creatures have been represented. But the largest, most imposing objects in nature have been sadly neglected as a source for inspiration and band-naming. TREES. So we have Conifer to right that wrong. And in doing so, judging from this ferocious slab of indie rock / metal sludge hypno-pummel, you'd certainly be forgiven for thinking this particular tree could take on any of the rock demons and metallic beasties that came before.
Conifer sleepily trawl through the dark recesses of post rock, taking the languorous slow burning churn of bands like Slint or Seam Or Bastro, all dark and brooding, simple and insistent, and stretching the riffs and melodies into expansive stretches of moody melancholy, swathed in Pink Floydian swoosh and whirl, before dropping the bomb. Massive downtuned guitars explode, splitting post rock atoms into clumps of corrosive riffage, peppered with raspy howls and screeching banshee melodies, sometimes gaining momentum and becoming unstoppable exercises in epic doomy drone-metal ala Neurosis or Isis, sometimes becoming glacial explorations into slow motion doom a la Khanate, and other times employing distorted ghostly computer vocals and buzzing psychedelia into Butthole Surfers-like sonic freakouts. A lot of this does definitely sound like Isis, Neurosis, Pelican or Buried At Sea, which is obviously a good thing, but more often it sounds like a doom-sludge A Minor Forest or a post rock Boris or a very metal Slint. Which is an even better thing!

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PRESENT PERFECT

works by
NAOMI MILLER
IRWIN SWIRNOFF
CHRIS THORSON

Exhibition runs May 9 ­ June 3, 2006
Opening Reception: Friday, May 12, 6-9 PM.
Films screen at 8.

we are staring at what's in front of us and it's not out of boredom or an exercise in the mundane. it's out of awe and appreciation. what we see and feel everyday doesn't get the consideration it deserves. but when you blow it up and allow yourself to wander and get lost with it, it's the pillow on your bed. it's the sun in the east bay at 5:45. it's people trying to share time with each other even when it's awkward. it's the camping trip you won't forget. it's little kids and dogs playing in the sun at dolores park. it reminds you to get back into your body. it's the only thing we really have.

WORKS / SAN JOSE
30 north third street
San Jose, CA

DRIVING DIRECTIONS to WORKS:
*take 101 south to san jose, about 42 miles
*take 87 south, stay on it for 2.6 miles
*exit at 6b julian street
*left on julian street, which becomes st. james street
*after 3 blocks, turn right onto terraine street,
which becomes north
alameda avenue
*after 3 blocks, turn left on west santa clara street,
which becomes
east
santa clara street, after 5 blocks, turn left on north
third street
*after 196 feet, works/san jose is on the left


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Lots of love from your devoted AQ staff

Andee Cup Jim AllanLaurenAshleyPamJasonChristineKerryIrwin and Scott