NO. 2 What Does Good Luck Bring? (In Music We Trust) cd 13.98
Neil Gust and co. return with their second full length. While their debut No Memory from 2000 was an impressive collection of lovely, emotive, pop songs that got the thumbs up around AQ, this album falls a little short of that mark. Not a bad album by any means, but pales in comparison to its predecessor. It's alternately more rocked-up and more twangy, and a bit less infectious. Full of crunchy guitars and those classic college radio, sensitive male vocals. Check out their song "Traveling" and see if you agree... Bob Mould crossed with Elliott Smith? Yeah, I know it's easy to compare Gust with his former Heatmiser bandmate, but the similarities do exist. Heck, that group boasted a triad of amazingly talented songwriters (Quasi's Sam Coomes being the third point in the triumvirate). So it is a bit surprising and equally disappointing that this sophomore release for No.2 is less than stellar.
RealAudio clip: "For The Last Time"
RealAudio clip: "Traveling"
RealAudio clip: "Is It True"

NOBLE, LEE / ENSEMBLE ECONOMIQUE Motion Forever (Hands In The Dark) lp 19.98
Up until now, we'd managed to hear very little from electronic soundscaper / audio experimentalist Lee Noble, but we definitely liked everything we heard, but this will be the first LN release to make it on the aQ list, which in some ways is perfect, as it's not a split, but instead a collaboration with aQ faves Ensemble Economique, aka Brian Pyle, from another aQ fave The Starving Weirdos. It's a perfect collaboration, in that it's impossible to tell exactly who is contributing what, and while the lush, organic, near cinematic sounds here do display shades of EE, Motion Forever expands on those sounds with Noble and Pyle crafting swoonsome swirls of Caretaker-esque shimmer, and Jeck like turntable ministrations, everything woozy and warbly, a nocturnal drift that gives way to some creepy skeletal lo-fi pop, laced with plaintive vox and detuned strum, all atop a layer of electronic buzz. A mysterious strain of slowcore that gradually disappears in a cloud of warm thrum, draped in tinkling chime like melodies, before returning to the Jeck / Caretaker like skeletal balladry of the opening few minutes.
The flipside introduces muted rhythms, beneath softly swirling synths, and over distant soft focus drones, all laid back and dreamily druggy. Strange samples surface throughout, the sound shifting into something much more dirgey and almost new wave sounding, haunting and otherworldly, with processed vox and distorted piano pound, a ghostly, spectral electronic dirgepop finale that is as good as anything we've heard from either participants!
LIMITED TO 300 COPIES!!

NOBUNNY First Blood (Goner) cd 13.98
If you've dug the songs of Hunx & His Punx, chances are you are a Nobunny fan even if you didn't know it, as he's the masked man responsible for writing most of the music for Hunx over the last few years. Besides giving musical inspiration to his friend Hunx, Nobunny has been a busy dirty garage pop peddler of his own. His raw and feisty live shows have become legendary, and with First Blood he's crafted his most immediate and catchy offering yet, with his trademark mixture of Cramps like grit, Ramones like bounce and Hasil Adkins outlaw garage prowess. We hope he's playing on Halloween as it would be so fun to all dress up like drunken bunnies and hop up and down to these songs in wasted and haunted delight.
MPEG Stream: "Ain't It A Shame"
MPEG Stream: "(Do The) Fuck Yourself"
MPEG Stream: "Motorhead With Me"

NOCTURNAL PROJECTIONS Nerve Ends in Power Lines (Raffmond) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
New Zealanders Peter and Graeme Jefferies (Cake Kitchen, 2 Foot Flame, etc etc etc) circa 1981-83.

NODZZZ Innings (Woodsist) cd 13.98
Another fun outing of scrappy Jonathan Richman inspired stripped down garage pop from these local boys.
MPEG Stream: "Always Make Your Bed"
MPEG Stream: "True to Life"
MPEG Stream: "Primitive"

NODZZZ Innings (Woodsist) lp 14.98
Another fun outing of scrappy Jonathan Richman inspired stripped down garage pop from these local boys.
MPEG Stream: "Always Make Your Bed"
MPEG Stream: "True to Life"
MPEG Stream: "Primitive"

NODZZZ s/t (What's Your Rupture?) 12" 14.98
Man we wanted to rave on and on about Nodzzz's amazing single "I Don't Wanna Smoke (Marijuana)" possibly the catchiest song of 2008 but sadly the 7" went out of print before we could ever get our hands on it. But luckily these San Francisco garage popsters have this great new 12" out to fulfill our Nodzzz fix. Refreshingly energetic and punk in spirit, Nodzzz craft super catchy rudimentary garage pop that's equal parts sassy and bratty. With hints of Jonathan Richman's bravado and charisma along with shots of inspiration from the smarter side of garage rock as well as obscure new wave bands who we imagine the band collects tons of rare vinyl from. We're excited to see what the future holds for Nodzzz.

NOEL, LEYNA From The Mouth Of The Jar (self-released) cd-r 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
We've seen some pretty elaborate and unique packaging come through the store over the years, but this delicate and exquisitely hand made affair by local songstress Leyna Noel is really in a league of its own. She hand made each sleeve which comes in antique linen that she sewed individually and stitched shut, inside the lyrics and liner notes are printed on ledger paper from 1945. So much love and work went into making these lovely looking cd's that we almost didn't want to have to cut one open to listen to it. But luckily this is one of those great cases where the labor and visual aesthetic perfectly captures the warm and intimate songs contained inside.
From The Mouth of The Jar opens with the richest sounding Hammond organ and then Leyna takes the mic and matches that wave of warmth with her strong and gorgeous voice. With rich instrumentation throughout provided by Leyna and a cast of her comrades including members of Viking Moses, this is music that really is a step above most of the recent singer songwriter/folk sounds, never forgetting that it takes spirit and passion to make a song soar, and Leyna's songs ooze with so much genuine soul. Her delivery and arrangements conjure images of kindred spirits like Joanna Newsom, Edith Frost, Mira Billote (White Magic) and Cat Power. A record that really is like someone sharing with you an honest and thoughtful part of themselves, a feeling for you to cherish as you walk by their side, your spirit warmed by the true comfort they exude. The amount of time and work it took to construct these is baffling and needless to say there is a very small run of them so grab one while you can!
MPEG Stream: "Yellow Eyes"
MPEG Stream: "Speedboat Wake"
MPEG Stream: "Make Bright"

NOH MERCY s/t (Superior Viaduct ) cd 12.98
Our pal Weasel Walter (of tUMULt recording artists Hatewave, also the Flying Luttenbachers, as well as a million other noisy projects) recently wrote about this Noh Mercy reissue on his ugEXPLODE blog (weaselwalter.blogspot.com). We knew we couldn't really do a better job reviewing it, so we just asked Weasel if we could use his write up, and he was nice enough to say yes. So, take it away, Weasel:
Archival releases springing forth headily from bygone eras somehow make me infinitely more excited than anything being released from the present morass of overkill we currently endure. At the risk of sounding like a moldy fig, there are many elements missing from much of today's music in terms of what I want to hear. Punk came during the Seventies and said "Everyone can do it!" Unfortunately, everyone did it and now one has to dig even harder and longer to find contemporary jewels in this all-encompassing, instantly accessible, post-categorized modern mess.
Noh Mercy were a female duo based in San Francisco during the late Seventies. Their music is powerfully minimal, most often stripped-down to the barest elements of voice and drums, sometimes peppered with raw keyboards or guitar. Anyone familiar with this obscure group probably knew them from a pair of iconoclastic tracks appearing on the murky, elusive Earcom 3 double seven inch compilation on UK post-punk imprint Fast Product Records. The brazenly succinct assault entitled "Caucasian Guilt" from that record featured a panache and solidity which set it apart from the more atavistic musical standard of their New York No Wave counterparts; vocalist Esmerelda's vitriol showed impressive subtlety and range matching the kinetic, precise drum tattoos of co-conspirator Tony Hotel. This was a band as truly talented as they were weird.
The 2012 archival Noh Mercy release on Superior Viaduct begins with "Caucasian Guilt" and includes the other Earcom comp track ("Revolutionary Spy"), eight never-before-heard tracks from the same July 1979 session as well as four stunning live cuts from an August 1979 concert. The studio tracks were recorded in a basement, but they are appealingly transparent and unadorned, revealing the naked focus of the duo's performances. These ten tracks are based on raw invention, not production. Modern bands should take heed of this: ideas before technology. This is why the old shit sounds so good, folks.
After four tracks of the expected drum/vocal duets (including an amusing deconstruction of the Lennon/McCartney chestnut "Girl"), the throbbing "Lines" arrives as a refreshing contrast with Esmerelda essaying coldly over outbursts of percussive slide guitar racket and sour synthesizer. The following "Bloodhound Blues" is built on a foundation of jazzy tom-tom drum figures and squishy, phased keyboard chords. It is formally traditional in many ways, allowing the passionate vocals to run rampant. Unlike many New Wave poseurs of the time, Esmerelda could really belt out a tune with serious confidence. The melodramatic vocals are impossible to miss and her performances here are intense and colorful. "Cross The Line" and "The Meek Shall Inherit The Mess" continue in the fuller sounding, keyboard drenched mode, while "The Meek . . ." incorporates odd rhythmic meters and tempo changes that reveal musical ambition pushing beyond the other tracks in the "studio" set.
Anyone buying the vinyl version will miss out hard by not getting the four killer live tracks included only on the cd version. The other day I heard a clerk at a record store tell somebody wryly that "vinyl is back." Really? What I see is mindless clones paying 30 bucks for lame back-catalog bullshit that used to be in the dollar bin for decades before this dubious "revival" began. I can't believe how much money people are paying for this shit because they've been told "vinyl is back." Whatever. Congratulations, record industry. You have found a new wave of materialistic lemmings to wallet-rape. I guess, you know, records are, uh, "bigger" or whatever, so, go for it. All I know is I get to savor the frigidly perfect cd audio with the bonus tracks in my lonely little dungeon, sans all the pops and clicks and "warmth" some of you will inflict on yourselves in the dubious name of analog purity.
"Furious" kicks off the quartet of live tracks in a deranged, stop-start construction of barely-contained lyrical outrage and keyboard noise. The oddly idealistic anti-bouncer screed "Storm The Stage" ("...And those dudes with the flashlights/Yelling 'Stay in your seat'/Knock 'em out of your way/Kick 'em with your feet/'Cuz you'll be on that stage!") bubbles along amusingly without drums, Hotel manning an aquatically phased guitar in addition to vocals and keyboards. "Wicked Sister" and "Ode To Frances Farmer" operate vaguely within the same repetitive/motorik realm as beloved period LA synth-punks The Screamers, but once again Esmerelda's impressive pipes outclass the competition on the former while the vividly catchy dissonance of the latter instrumental is compositionally distinctive on its own terms.
Noh Mercy hit the skids and went their separate ways by 1980 without releasing a proper album. This great release expands the group's reputation quite ably with careful audio mastering/restoration of the old master tapes and a beautiful layout featuring great photos, liner notes and lyrics. Anyone interested in the top tier of so-called "post-punk" bands needs to run to this release post-haste.
MPEG Stream: "Girl"
MPEG Stream: "Lines"
MPEG Stream: "The Meek Shall Inherit The Mess"

NOH MERCY s/t (Superior Viaduct ) lp 14.98
Our pal Weasel Walter (of tUMULt recording artists Hatewave, also the Flying Luttenbachers, as well as a million other noisy projects) recently wrote about this Noh Mercy reissue on his ugEXPLODE blog (weaselwalter.blogspot.com). We knew we couldn't really do a better job reviewing it, so we just asked Weasel if we could use his write up, and he was nice enough to say yes. So, take it away, Weasel:
Archival releases springing forth headily from bygone eras somehow make me infinitely more excited than anything being released from the present morass of overkill we currently endure. At the risk of sounding like a moldy fig, there are many elements missing from much of today's music in terms of what I want to hear. Punk came during the Seventies and said "Everyone can do it!" Unfortunately, everyone did it and now one has to dig even harder and longer to find contemporary jewels in this all-encompassing, instantly accessible, post-categorized modern mess.
Noh Mercy were a female duo based in San Francisco during the late Seventies. Their music is powerfully minimal, most often stripped-down to the barest elements of voice and drums, sometimes peppered with raw keyboards or guitar. Anyone familiar with this obscure group probably knew them from a pair of iconoclastic tracks appearing on the murky, elusive Earcom 3 double seven inch compilation on UK post-punk imprint Fast Product Records. The brazenly succinct assault entitled "Caucasian Guilt" from that record featured a panache and solidity which set it apart from the more atavistic musical standard of their New York No Wave counterparts; vocalist Esmerelda's vitriol showed impressive subtlety and range matching the kinetic, precise drum tattoos of co-conspirator Tony Hotel. This was a band as truly talented as they were weird.
The 2012 archival Noh Mercy release on Superior Viaduct begins with "Caucasian Guilt" and includes the other Earcom comp track ("Revolutionary Spy"), eight never-before-heard tracks from the same July 1979 session as well as four stunning live cuts from an August 1979 concert. The studio tracks were recorded in a basement, but they are appealingly transparent and unadorned, revealing the naked focus of the duo's performances. These ten tracks are based on raw invention, not production. Modern bands should take heed of this: ideas before technology. This is why the old shit sounds so good, folks.
After four tracks of the expected drum/vocal duets (including an amusing deconstruction of the Lennon/McCartney chestnut "Girl"), the throbbing "Lines" arrives as a refreshing contrast with Esmerelda essaying coldly over outbursts of percussive slide guitar racket and sour synthesizer. The following "Bloodhound Blues" is built on a foundation of jazzy tom-tom drum figures and squishy, phased keyboard chords. It is formally traditional in many ways, allowing the passionate vocals to run rampant. Unlike many New Wave poseurs of the time, Esmerelda could really belt out a tune with serious confidence. The melodramatic vocals are impossible to miss and her performances here are intense and colorful. "Cross The Line" and "The Meek Shall Inherit The Mess" continue in the fuller sounding, keyboard drenched mode, while "The Meek . . ." incorporates odd rhythmic meters and tempo changes that reveal musical ambition pushing beyond the other tracks in the "studio" set.
Anyone buying the vinyl version will miss out hard by not getting the four killer live tracks included only on the cd version. The other day I heard a clerk at a record store tell somebody wryly that "vinyl is back." Really? What I see is mindless clones paying 30 bucks for lame back-catalog bullshit that used to be in the dollar bin for decades before this dubious "revival" began. I can't believe how much money people are paying for this shit because they've been told "vinyl is back." Whatever. Congratulations, record industry. You have found a new wave of materialistic lemmings to wallet-rape. I guess, you know, records are, uh, "bigger" or whatever, so, go for it. All I know is I get to savor the frigidly perfect cd audio with the bonus tracks in my lonely little dungeon, sans all the pops and clicks and "warmth" some of you will inflict on yourselves in the dubious name of analog purity.
"Furious" kicks off the quartet of live tracks in a deranged, stop-start construction of barely-contained lyrical outrage and keyboard noise. The oddly idealistic anti-bouncer screed "Storm The Stage" ("...And those dudes with the flashlights/Yelling 'Stay in your seat'/Knock 'em out of your way/Kick 'em with your feet/'Cuz you'll be on that stage!") bubbles along amusingly without drums, Hotel manning an aquatically phased guitar in addition to vocals and keyboards. "Wicked Sister" and "Ode To Frances Farmer" operate vaguely within the same repetitive/motorik realm as beloved period LA synth-punks The Screamers, but once again Esmerelda's impressive pipes outclass the competition on the former while the vividly catchy dissonance of the latter instrumental is compositionally distinctive on its own terms.
Noh Mercy hit the skids and went their separate ways by 1980 without releasing a proper album. This great release expands the group's reputation quite ably with careful audio mastering/restoration of the old master tapes and a beautiful layout featuring great photos, liner notes and lyrics. Anyone interested in the top tier of so-called "post-punk" bands needs to run to this release post-haste.
MPEG Stream: "Girl"
MPEG Stream: "Lines"
MPEG Stream: "The Meek Shall Inherit The Mess"

NOIR, JIM Tower Of Love (Barsuk) cd 13.98
Is a fresh wave cresting of bands heavily inspired by Brian Wilson and The Beatles and maybe some E.L.O. too (who themselves were obviously very influenced likewise)? Yup, sure seems so. Picking up the psych-tinged pop baton from the likes of Olivia Tremor Control, Flaming Lips and Apples In Stereo is one particular young Mancunian named Jim Noir. As yummy as this Tower Of Love is -- utterly dreamy and creamy with sparkly bits -- it's hard to ignore the fact that many guitar licks, vocal harmonies and melodic passages are outright pickpocketed from the abovementioned bands. But you know what? Who cares? Noir manages to take the borrowed bits and whip them into something if not new, at least really catchy and fun to listen to. There is also a weird murky production element at play, that when listening to this at home, had us occasionally feeling like we were hearing music seeping through the floor from the apartment downstairs. Which gives Noir's pop goodness a distinctly droney (and to us quite pleasing) aftertaste.
For fans of all of the above as well as Kings Of Convenience and The Shins too.
MPEG Stream: "Eanie Meeny"
MPEG Stream: "Turbulent Weather"

NOISE ADDICT Meet the Real You (Grand Royal) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Teenager Ben Lee from Australia.

NOISE ADDICT Meet the Real You (Grand Royal) lp 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Teenager Ben Lee from Australia.

NOISEGATE As We Were Walking (Manufracture) cd 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
It's a little difficult to consider Noisegate a metal band. Although their live persona, which features lots of slow motion headbanging while they hold down various keys on their samplers, clearly gives reason to peg them as metallers, a careful examination of their music (at home, on one's stereo) is finds a subtley that betrays their evil grimaces. As We Were Walking is the third CD release from Noisegate, and consists of bleak isolationist material from their 2nd tUMULt release, Suspended Animation, Vol. 1, performed live on tour in Europe. Opening with two very cold tonal synth modulations, Noisegate sets out on a dark ambient trek that builds up to deep windswept blasts and various tinklings from wind chimes. Think Lull, Main, Final, or Lustmord.

NOISETTES What's The Time Mr. Wolf? (Universal / Motown) cd 10.98
First, a short-hand point of ponder: What if the Squirrel Nut Zippers were reincarnated as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs? Hmmm. Hot stuff? Actually, yes!
Allow us to elaborate...
Characterized by the come hither / cold shoulder / scarlet clawed vocals of singer/bass player Shingai Shoniwa, the Noisettes' tightly wound, fiery music stirs up visions of times long past of unsavory characters inhabiting dark lit speakeasys. Lots of smoke and steaminess. Really, where was this London trio when the movie makers were putting together the soundtrack for Frank Miller's Sin City? Their tempestuous noirish rock keeps the joint jumping with plenty of plot and tempo twists of its own. Can you smell the burnt rubber as the hip kids get all hot under the collar for this mighty band? Oooh, just watch the sparks fly.
MPEG Stream: "Don't Give Up"
MPEG Stream: "Nothing To Dread"

NOIZE CREATOR Deferred Media (Ambush) cd 14.98
Stefan Senf, founder of Suburban Trash Industries and longtime veteran producer of many, many fucked up hardcore d'n'b/gabba/fuckstep singles on labels like Zod, Appareil, SixSixtySix, Brutal Chud, etc., has been picked up for a long overdue full length by London's king of brutal hardcore mashup DJ Scud and his Ambush imprint. Clocking in at just under a half hour, "Deferred Media" is a unrelenting onslaught of distorted beats, ripping shards of harsh noise and bass -- tons of bass! Certainly for fans of Ambush, DHR, Praxis, Brooklyn Beats, et al.
RealAudio clip: "Per Thousand"

NOMEANSNO 0 + 2 = 1 (Alternative Tentacles) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

NOMEANSNO Mama (Wrong Records) cd 13.98
Elsewhere on our site you'll find our two favorite Nomeansno records, Wrong and The Day Everything Became Isolated And Destroyed, both Records Of The Week, as they were destined to be, considering lots of us here consider those to be ALL time favorites, which makes it even weirder that some of those very same people had never even HEARD of Mama, also recently reissued.
Mama turns out to be the very first recordings from the brothers Wright, before they added a guitar player, total proggy mathy poppy rhythm section genius, even back then, in 1982! If you think Nomeansno sound weird by early nineties punk rock standards, imagine a band like that in Canada in the early eighties, playing local clubs or bars, people must have been very very confused. Cuz even in these early recordings, the band is pretty much fully formed, pulsing sinewy basslines, mathy complex drumming, and the same sort of strange sung spoken vocals, the same snarky vocals, but back then there was also a bunch of keyboards, which added another strange vibe to their sound. And the funk element was way more in play, a few tracks are definitely flat out funky, but even then, the band twist it all up into something unique, although nothing here is really punk rock exactly. It's a cool glimpse into the sounds and songs that would eventually get transformed into the post punk math prog juggernaut that NMN would eventually become.
We weren't sure what to think at first, but the more we listen to this, the more we're digging it. Tripped out, stripped down, sort of new wave. At least one of the tracks does get pretty fierce, and sounds like it could maybe be a demo for a track from the first record, "No Rest For The Wicked", fast and furious, buzzy, a little bit heavy, the bass already a force to be reckoned with, but then the track after sounds like some twisted cruise ship lounge band whatthefuck. Definitely confusing, but that's part of their charm.
The four bonus tracks are from a 7" that preceded the release of Mama, and feature guitar finally, as well as sax on one song, and an early version of "Forget Your Life" which would later show up in a different version on The Day Everything Became Nothing, but this is the raw, original lo-fi version, and again, it sounds surprisingly true to the final version, except for some wonky keyboards, that we almost wish they had included in the new version.
Cool stuff for sure, but definitely only for fans, mere dabblers should first pick up Wrong and The Day Everything Became Isolated And Destroyed, but trust us, you shan't remain dabblers for long.
MPEG Stream: "Living Is Free"
MPEG Stream: "Rich Guns"
MPEG Stream: "My Roommate Is Turning Into A Monster"
MPEG Stream: "No Sex"

NOMEANSNO One (Alternative Tentacles) cd 12.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Definitely the days of 'Wrong' or 'The Day Everything Became Nothing' are long past, but the Brothers Wright and co. can still pummel any of today's sorry excuses for punk into submission and admiration. Still maintaining the awesomely thunderous bass presence and sharp wit they're known and respected for. All hail the raging greatness of NoMeansNo. This is album #12. Still going strong and showing no signs of stopping. Includes covers of songs by the Ramones (heavy and sludge-y) and Miles Davis (long and strange).

NOMEANSNO One (Alternative Tentacles) cd 12.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Definitely the days of 'Wrong' or 'The Day Everything Became Nothing' are long past, but the Brothers Wright and co. can still pummel any of today's sorry excuses for punk into submission and admiration. Still maintaining the awesomely thunderous bass presence and sharp wit they're known and respected for. All hail the raging greatness of NoMeansNo. This is album #12. Still going strong and showing no signs of stopping. Includes covers of songs by the Ramones (heavy and sludge-y) and Miles Davis (long and strange).

NOMEANSNO The Day Everything Became Isolated And Destroyed (Wrong Records) cd 13.98
When reviewing a record you've had and treasured and loved for years, or decades, the pressure to do it justice is immense, so much so, that it seems almost impossible. But once in a while you gotta try. So here we go. Two of the MOST essential punk rock / post punk records ever, recently remastered and reissued, which gives us the opportunity to not only gush about records that have been on constant rotation since we were in our early twenties, records that totally changed the way we listened to music, but to also hopefully turn on the few folks who may have missed out, or who may not have even been alive when these records came out.
Nomeansno, from Canada, most folks know the name, but not everyone has actually heard these guys, but almost every single person we know who has, was never the same. The sound is super rhythmic and mathy, punk rock, but totally proggy as well, the focal point is on the bass and drums, manned by two brothers, Rob and John Wright, one of, if not THEE, tightest rhythm sections ever, the bass lines thick and throbbing and distorted, the drums chaotic but so tight and precise, the guitar, handled by a member who always remained unnamed - "Someone (but we're not sure who)" credited with "other things" on one record, or "none of your fucking business" on another - which is ironic cuz the guitar playing besides being BAD ASS was also so integral to the sound, they were a punk rock band after all. And the vocals, super high in the mix, dramatic, howled, crooned and yelped, melodic but raw and rough, sometimes sort of spoken, but always sharp tongued, spewing some of the best and funniest and intense lyrics. And as always, none of that would mean shit if the songs weren't great, and these songs are GREAT, so hooky and heavy and weird, a testament to these guys is that even the most obtuse tangled whatthefuck jam will stay lodged in your head forever.
Then there's the funky aspect, which we had planned to discuss at length, but listening to this again, the funkiness is implied, subtle, based entirely on the fact that almost all the songs are bass driven, and some are weirdly stripped down to just bass and drums and vocals, but this is not bullshit funky, this is elements of funk used the way they were meant to be, mixed into a churning, super complex, angular, jagged set of songs that manage to be both heavy and crushing and confusionally complex while still being poppy and hook filled and so goddamn catchy.
We tried to pick just one of these reissues to focus on, but eventually could only get it down to two, so both seemed like ideal candidates for Record Of The Week, especially considering that at least half of the folks here freaked the fuck out when we got these back in. We'll talk about each separately, but we have to suggest just buying both, you won't regret it, they're equally classic and timeless and heavy and catchy and far out and freaking awesome!
The Day Everything Became Isolated And Destroyed is a compilation of sorts, collecting the album Small Parts Isolated And Destroyed from 1988 and The Day Everything Became Nothing 12" from that same year, but for most of us, these two have always been bundled together so The Day Everything Became Isolated And Destroyed plays like one long, surprisingly cohesive record. And right out of the gate it's a killer, with the manic bass heavy groove of "The Day Everything Became Nothing", with crunchy guitar and over the top vocals, and a dense super tangled arrangement, and seconds after hearing it for the first time, we knew these guys were gonna be our new favorite band, and other punk rock bands were gonna have to step it up a notch. We could seriously go track by track, it's been long enough now that every single track here is seared into our brains, the kind of record where even the spaces between songs are part of the flow of the album, but we can definitely pick out a few highlights.
"Dark Ages" might just be one of our favorite songs ever, from its super mathy freaked out intro, to the loping hooky bass groove, the minimal guitar flourishes, the killer chorus, the super weird drum part, it's like some insane progged out punk rock opera crammed down into 5 minutes, just listen to the sound sample, if you're not smitten after this one, we might just have to give up on you! "And That's Sad" is a looping super complex rhythmic workout, with some cool, moody minor key breaks, that all gradually build right back up to the frenetic freakout that opened the track. If you slowed down "Small Parts Isolated And Destroyed", it would probably sound like Harvey Milk, a super spare, sludge-y stop start work out, that sounds like no other band at the time, or hell even now. "Victory" is a brooding drift of low slung bass, and muted tribal drumming, but as with all NMN, these long passages are separated by unbearably catchy choruses and here too, some tangled mathiness, that never seems showy or flashy or unreasonably complex, it's how these songs needed to sound, every part, no matter how weird or superfluous seeming, is perfectly places, and a few listens in no one could disagree. "Teresa, Give Me That Knife" is about as punk as these guys get, furious, frenetic, blasting drums, frantic guitars, with an insanely technical chorus, and a haunting creeped out prechorus, that is just as catchy as any other part of the track. And then there's "Real Love", most folks' favorite, a weird sort of heavy punk rock doom ballad, big crunchy guitars, long sprawling breakdowns, some crushing drumming, the chorus a lumbering almost waltz, with dramatic howled vox, which switch to a spoken croon in the 'verses', finishing off with a massive blown out super heavy sprawling outro, and again, the song, as unlikely as it maybe sounds on the surface, or with a glancing listen, is impossibly catchy, and somehow having heard it maybe hundreds of times, we're still not anywhere close to being sick of it.
Easily an all time, lifetime, desert island top 10 favorite for sure. And thus, just about as recommended as a record can be!
MPEG Stream: "Dark Ages"
MPEG Stream: "Dead Souls"
MPEG Stream: "Forget Your Life"
MPEG Stream: "Teresa, Give Me That Knife"
MPEG Stream: "Small Parts Isolated And Destroyed"

NOMEANSNO The Day Everything Became Nothing / Small Parts Isolated And Destroyed (Alternative Tentacles) cd 12.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

NOMEANSNO Wrong (Alternative Tentacles) cd 14.98
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NOMEANSNO Wrong (Wrong Records) cd 13.98
When reviewing a record you've had and treasured and loved for years, or decades, the pressure to do it justice is immense, so much so, that it seems almost impossible. But once in a while you gotta try. So here we go. Two of the MOST essential punk rock / post punk records ever, recently remastered and reissued, which gives us the opportunity to not only gush about records that have been on constant rotation since we were in our early twenties, records that totally changed the way we listened to music, but to also hopefully turn on the few folks who may have missed out, or who may not have even been alive when these records came out.
Nomeansno, from Canada, most folks know the name, but not everyone has actually heard these guys, but almost every single person we know who has, was never the same. The sound is super rhythmic and mathy, punk rock, but totally proggy as well, the focal point is on the bass and drums, manned by two brothers, Rob and John Wright, one of, if not THEE, tightest rhythm sections ever, the bass lines thick and throbbing and distorted, the drums chaotic but so tight and precise, the guitar, handled by a member who always remained unnamed - "Someone (but we're not sure who)" credited with "other things" on one record, or "none of your fucking business" on another - which is ironic cuz the guitar playing besides being BAD ASS was also so integral to the sound, they were a punk rock band after all. And the vocals, super high in the mix, dramatic, howled, crooned and yelped, melodic but raw and rough, sometimes sort of spoken, but always sharp tongued, spewing some of the best and funniest and intense lyrics. And as always, none of that would mean shit if the songs weren't great, and these songs are GREAT, so hooky and heavy and weird, a testament to these guys is that even the most obtuse tangled whatthefuck jam will stay lodged in your head forever.
Then there's the funky aspect, which we had planned to discuss at length, but listening to this again, the funkiness is implied, subtle, based entirely on the fact that almost all the songs are bass driven, and some are weirdly stripped down to just bass and drums and vocals, but this is not bullshit funky, this is elements of funk used the way they were meant to be, mixed into a churning, super complex, angular, jagged set of songs that manage to be both heavy and crushing and confusionally complex while still being poppy and hook filled and so goddamn catchy.
We tried to pick just one of these reissues to focus on, but eventually could only get it down to two, so both seemed like ideal candidates for Record Of The Week, especially considering that at least half of the folks here freaked the fuck out when we got these back in. We'll talk about each separately, but we have to suggest just buying both, you won't regret it, they're equally classic and timeless and heavy and catchy and far out and freaking awesome!
Wrong, from 1989, was the follow up to the life changing Small Parts album and The Day Everything 12" from the year before, and guess what, it too was life changing, managing to take the sounds and songs from the records before and make them heavier, more complex, more intense. The opener "It's Catching Up" is just so heavy and intense and brutal, the bass about as thick and distorted as it can get and still nail the flurry of rapid fire notes, the drums are devastating, not sure why this guy wasn't a drum god to all the aspiring drummers out there (although he was to Andee, who did get his autograph way back in the day), the guitars sharp and jagged, all wrapped around an insanely catchy hook, and somehow they manage to make it sound punk as fuck at the same time. "The Tower" might be our favorite here (amongst a record full of favorites), with its dirgey Black Flag vibe, more impossibly thick and distorted bass, and a weird staccato chorus, with one of the strangest and most anguished vocal parts ever, but so hooky, which leads right into a killer tangle of head spinning mathiness. Another favorite (like we said, they ALL rule), is "Rags And Bones", with easily one of the best bass lines ever, and some tangled complex drumming to go with it, some bizarre lyrics and a total pure pop chorus, of course doused in distortion and punked up a bit. "Brainless Wonder" is impossibly dense and heavy, like a skipping Black Flag record, before it slips into something a bit more groovy. "Two Lips, Two Lungs And One Tongue" is a short sharp blast of weird vocal / instrumental tangle, with the band locked into the repeated titular phrase. And then there's "All Lies" which is sort of the "Real Love" of Wrong, an epic punk rock prog rock sort-of-ballad, long sprawling moody breakdowns set between dense tribal math rock workouts, moving and emotional and dramatic, all building slowly to a killer super catchy stop start chorus.
Phew, we're just about gushed out. If you can't tell, we love this record A LOT, and The Day Everything Became Isolated And Destroyed, both are easily all time favorites, desert island discs for you list making nerds, essential listening for anyone into punk rock, post punk, pop punk, heaviness, hookiness, great music... as we were listening to this again, Allan asked me why bands weren't good anymore, and I couldn't really think of an answer. Absolutely and totally and utterly recommended.
This remastered reissued has two bonus tracks from a 7" released by Mr Wrong, aka NMN bassist Rob Wright, which sound a whole lot like the record proper!
MPEG Stream: "It's Catching Up"
MPEG Stream: "The Tower"
MPEG Stream: "All Lies"
MPEG Stream: "Rags And Bones"
MPEG Stream: "Two Lips, Two Lungs And One Tongue"

NOMEANSNO You Kill Me (Alternative Tentacles) cd 14.98
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NOMI, KLAUS Eclipsed: The Best Of Klaus Nomi (Razor & Tie) cd 15.98
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Operatic, plastic, geometric. Absolutely astounding. The pinnacle of the wonderfully strange. Klaus Nomi (1944-1983) was all this and so much more. Prior to his solo career, he performed with David Bowie on Saturday Night Live. Watching his striking performance on the 'Urgh! A Music War' video (which is very recommended), you get the sense that he's at once both fearless and terrified. Although this compilation features some eyebrow-raising cover choices --- "Ding Dong" (yes, from the 'Wizard of Oz"), "You Don't Own Me" and "Just One Look". the highlights ("Total Eclipse" and "Simple Man" to name but two) far out shine these very odd numbers. Simply amazing.

NOMI, KLAUS / ANDREW HORN The Nomi Song (Palm Picture) dvd 22.00
Ms Cup has long been a Klaus Nomi devotee, but -- save for his one song appearance in the Urgh! A Music War film and the now out-of-print Eclipsed: Best Of Klaus Nomi compilation -- there's never been enough documentation from back in the day to satiate any craving for this ultra stylized, provocative and enigmatic figure. So she was thrilled and a bit trepidatious to hear that a documentary was being made. After many failed attempts to go see the film in the theater, she was then delighted to hear that it was coming out on dvd. Her verdict? Superlatives galore. This fantastic documentary was made with absolute loving care and imaginative attention to detail. One of the most obvious (and unique) examples of this comes in the segments featuring the voice of Nomi's aunt. "Why just her voice?" you might ask. Well, apparently she's really camera shy, and the filmmakers came up with a novel way to present her likeness in the film. They crafted accurately detailed miniature dioramas of various locations (such as her living room with a mini slide projector and backyard with shrubbery and garden hose) in which they sat a paper doll with a picture of her face. The interview clips (each filmed in front of a very thought out, appropriate backdrop), audio and video footage sheds much light on his life and music career (including more background info about the abovementioned Urgh! appearance), totally capturing the vitality, tragedy and defiance of Nomi the individual as well as of the underground New York New Wave scene as a whole during those years. He cut such a striking, unmistakable, indelible silhouette. Unforgettable.
The dvd includes a bunch of exclusive remixes by Scissor Sisters' Ana Matronic, Richard Barone, The Moog Cookbook and Man Parrish (formerly of The Fast, Man2Man and more!)

NOMO Ghost Rock (Ubiquity) cd 16.98

NONDOR NEVAI The A Capella Cantata (Flemish Masters) cd 12.98
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This record sucks. But goddamn it's SO good. Released on the truly cult Flemish Masters label, this has to be one of the most fucked cds ever. So much so that Andee really wanted to make it record of the week. But when you listen to the sound sample you'll understand why we didn't. Maybe. Basically what this is, is some guy, talking, singing and sort-of-testifying over scratchy records ranging from Saturday Night Fever to Stryper. The vocals are heavily reverbed and way higher in the mix (if you can call it 'a mix') than the 'backing tracks.' The subject matter ranges from himself, to pseudo-apocalyptic prophecies, to monsters (sort of), to all kinds of other stuff, but most of it is almost-incomprehensible, rambling, possibly drug-induced ravings. Surreal and amazing and completely stupid. In other words, COMPLETELY ESSENTIAL. (!)
RealAudio clip: "Breach Of Contract"
RealAudio clip: "Weirdo On Disco Mountain"
RealAudio clip: "Is This Good For Vulva?"

NOONDAY UNDERGROUND Self-Assembly (M21) cd 15.98
New project from Simon Dine of Adventures in Stereo. With swingin', throaty female vocals and a nonstop rollicking tone to it, this is like sixties psychedelic rock with a very millenial "shagadelic" flavor to it. Breakbeats accompanied with farfisa organ, twangy Duane Eddy guitar with shimmering cymbals, Association-style vocals with unison handclaps... Not very thrilling, but the combination isn't terrible either -- it just sounds like something that would be playing in the London branch of Urban Outiftters. Pick up the first two Os Mutantes records instead (it's obvious Dine's been listening to them.)
RealAudio clip: "When You Leave Me"

NORA Loser's Intuition (Trustkill) cd 13.98
This is easily one of the best new metal-core bands we've heard. We had a split cd of theirs a while back, but three songs wasn't nearly enough to realise what these guys were truly capable of. Certainly worthy heirs to the Coalesce/Converge/Deadguy throne. Super heavy and well produced. They actually kind of sound like a heavy metal Jesus Lizard. Distorted bass with lots of bass-and-drums breakdowns. Completely catchy and melodic rock n' roll parts nestled between bellowing, half-time chugging METAL. So good.
RealAudio clip: "My Bloody Clownsuit"
RealAudio clip: "Wave Goodbye"

NORDENSTAM, STINA People Are Strange (EastWest) cd 23.00
More lovely breathy, sighing vocals from Swedish chanteuse Ms Nordenstam. This time she's transformed a number of songs originally performed by such artists as Tim Hardin, The Doors (see the title of this collection), Prince ('Purple Rain'!), Leonard Cohen (a particularly pretty, moody rendition of 'Bird On A Wire') as well as some traditional folk songs. Recorded in what seems to be a when-the-impulse hits-kind of spirit -- performance locales include the Sweet Silence studios, an attic, her apartment and a variety of other venues. Dark, haunting and at times yes, quite strange. Recommended. While this is not new (it came out in 1998), her records have been so difficult to get that we figured we ought to list it, since it's basically new to us, and probably you.

NORDENSTAM, STINA The World Is Saved (V2) cd 14.98
The elusive Swedish songstress Stina Nordenstam is back with a new album. Fans will rejoice to hear that The World Is Saved has been released on the readily available V2 label, as opposed to most of her past recordings which have been next to impossible to get! For those of you as yet unacquainted with the loveliness of Ms Nordenstam, now's as good a time as any to indulge yourself a lingering gaze at her sweet wispy childlike vocals as they perch gracefully atop hazy, frosty evening peaks. Enchanting!
MPEG Stream: "Get On With Your Life"
MPEG Stream: "The End Of A Love Affair"

NORDIC NOMADIC Worldwide Skyline (Tee Pee) cd 14.98

MPEG Stream: "Worldwide Skyline"
MPEG Stream: "The Future's Fear"
MPEG Stream: "Growin Horns"

NORMA JEAN O God, The Aftermath (Solid State) cd 14.98

NORTH SEA, THE Bloodlines (Type) cd 15.98
It's hard to believe that at one time The North Sea, the solo guitar project of Digitalis head honcho Brad Rose, was more of a shimmery minimal folk thing, cuz at some point, the sound changed, and the North Sea became more about blackened heaviness, dense drones, thick layered wall of sound, still evocative and atmospheric, but way darker, and way more intense.
Based on the opening track of Bloodlines, things seem to have remained dark, and we're digging it, this time around especially as there seems to be more of a focus on electronics and synths, the opening track features a motorik pulse, a tolling bell, all beneath a squelchy synth drone, and little streaks of spaced out effects, ominous and creepy and a little bit alien, eventually exploding into a gristly crush of crumbling buzz and processed synth. Which leads directly into a sprawling dronescape, that begins where the first track left off, a cloud of synthdrone psychedelia, only to unwind into something much more minimal and dark, a creeping sort of bassline drifting along beneath a cloud of hiss and static, which smoothes out into a grinding stretch of muted heaviness, a bit like SUNNO))) but not distorted and downtuned as much as thick and dense and dark. It's not until a few more tracks in, that the clouds finally part, and let a little melody shine through, and even then, those melodies are still being pelted with synth buzz, and wreathed in blackened whirrs.
"Save Yourselves" might be our favorite track here, with its deep sinewy swells, that blossom into lush chordal drifts, the vibe growing ever more menacing, the soft sounds soon surrounded on all sides by intense, not-so-soft sounds, a swirling soft cacophony, the whole track seems to moan and groan, exploding into a frenzied climax, a soaring sonic ritual, where drums come in for the first time, abstract and spaced out, but it gives the track a really intense, propulsive feel.
The final two tracks continue on, the whirling roiling buzz, the sporadic drumming, the wild squalls of psychedelic noise, it's like a sort of free jazz / free noise / free drone hybrid, finally collapsing into the final track, a sea of soft tones, ominous synth pulses, distorted bass buzz, and clouds of cymbal shimmer, what began as tranquil and dreamlike becomes a sort of Carpenter style synth dirge, before transforming into a psych drone blowout and finally grinding to a halt. Epic. And awesome.
MPEG Stream: "Bloodlines"
MPEG Stream: "Missed Court Dates"
MPEG Stream: "Reunion"

NORTH SEA, THE Bloodlines (Type) lp 19.98
It's hard to believe that at one time The North Sea, the solo guitar project of Digitalis head honcho Brad Rose, was more of a shimmery minimal folk thing, cuz at some point, the sound changed, and the North Sea became more about blackened heaviness, dense drones, thick layered wall of sound, still evocative and atmospheric, but way darker, and way more intense.
Based on the opening track of Bloodlines, things seem to have remained dark, and we're digging it, this time around especially as there seems to be more of a focus on electronics and synths, the opening track features a motorik pulse, a tolling bell, all beneath a squelchy synth drone, and little streaks of spaced out effects, ominous and creepy and a little bit alien, eventually exploding into a gristly crush of crumbling buzz and processed synth. Which leads directly into a sprawling dronescape, that begins where the first track left off, a cloud of synthdrone psychedelia, only to unwind into something much more minimal and dark, a creeping sort of bassline drifting along beneath a cloud of hiss and static, which smoothes out into a grinding stretch of muted heaviness, a bit like SUNNO))) but not distorted and downtuned as much as thick and dense and dark. It's not until a few more tracks in, that the clouds finally part, and let a little melody shine through, and even then, those melodies are still being pelted with synth buzz, and wreathed in blackened whirrs.
"Save Yourselves" might be our favorite track here, with its deep sinewy swells, that blossom into lush chordal drifts, the vibe growing ever more menacing, the soft sounds soon surrounded on all sides by intense, not-so-soft sounds, a swirling soft cacophony, the whole track seems to moan and groan, exploding into a frenzied climax, a soaring sonic ritual, where drums come in for the first time, abstract and spaced out, but it gives the track a really intense, propulsive feel.
The final two tracks continue on, the whirling roiling buzz, the sporadic drumming, the wild squalls of psychedelic noise, it's like a sort of free jazz / free noise / free drone hybrid, finally collapsing into the final track, a sea of soft tones, ominous synth pulses, distorted bass buzz, and clouds of cymbal shimmer, what began as tranquil and dreamlike becomes a sort of Carpenter style synth dirge, before transforming into a psych drone blowout and finally grinding to a halt. Epic. And awesome.
MPEG Stream: "Bloodlines"
MPEG Stream: "Missed Court Dates"
MPEG Stream: "Reunion"

NORTH SEA, THE Exquisite Idols (Type) cd 15.98

MPEG Stream: "Eternal Birds"
MPEG Stream: "Guiwenneth Of The Green Grass"

NORTH SEA, THE Gated Community (Root Strata) cd-r 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Digitalis label boss Brad Rose returns with yet another release as The North Sea. If you've heard any previous releases, well, it may not matter. For this release, Rose crafts an almost entirely different experience. In the past, tracks were more of the field recording meets post-Fahey variety. Here, there are two long form drone tracks, much darker and more bleak than before. Hardly an instrument can be discerned within this gorgeous, blackened trancescape. This might be what it would sound like if Throbbing Gristle teamed up with Windy & Carl. We love coming up with ridiculous genre titles, so let's just call this post-industrial folk drone. And to be honest, there's even a good amount of ambient blackness here. As the effects pull the listener to and fro, you can never tell if you're somewhere in space or lost in an isolated peyote forest. Tense, heavy, paranoid, recommended.
LIMITED TO 100 COPIES!!!!
MPEG Stream: "Glowering"

NORTH SEA, THE & RAMESES III Night Of The Ankou (Type) cd 15.98
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Oh boy, is this one absolutely beautiful record. The UK's Rameses III, who we've raved about in the past (and whose previous releases are now all sadly unavailable) team up with Digitalis head honcho Brad Rose aka The North Sea, for a total dream drenched blissout. There's nothing really ominous or dark or creepy about this at all. Instead this is warm and thick and so so pretty. Long lazy drifts of muted melody float weightless beneath soft cotton candy clouds of gauzy ambience, fingerpicked guitars surface here and there, just long enough to release a few notes, melodic fragments that just hover in the air before gently settling and drifting away, floating lazily like leaves in a mountain stream. Elsewhere, slow swells of chordal shimmer are woven into fuzzy soundscapes, while strings swoon over the top of everything, just another subtly sweet layer in a truly divine sonic tapestry.
So totally gorgeous.
Packaged in a beautiful Touch-like digipak, a single flowered field on one side, a lone dandelion clock, most of it's puffy white seeds lost to the wind.
MPEG Stream: "Death Of The Ankou"
MPEG Stream: "Return Of The Ankou (Xela Remix)"

NORTHERN KEY, THE Wedgewood (Tricycle) lp 9.98

NORTHWINDS Great God Pan (Black Widow) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Back in stock!
Doom/psych fans: a few of you might remember this eccentric, underground French band from their second album entitled Masters of Magic that we reviewed a few years back. And anyone intrigued by the rather weird and melodic psychedelic-doom-metal-folk hybrid crafted by 'em on that disc ought to be interested in hearing their out-of-print first album Great God Pan from 1998, which we intimated was the superior record. Well, maybe it got repressed or someone found a stash of 'em in a closet or crypt or somewhere, but lo and behold, we've managed to get our hands on, like, ten copies of Northwinds' debut! So, if you're both a fan of Sabbathy doom metal and '60s/'70s styled heavy progressive psychedelia, you might want to grab this now. Assuredly not to everyone's taste, as Allan (who loves 'em) will freely admit and Andee (who can't deal with the French accented vocals) will attest...as we've said previously, Northwinds might be one of the most "twee" heavy bands ever what with the folky flutes, acoustic guitars, and those French vocals...yet the unique blend of proggy Paganism, soft '60s sike-pop balladry, and of course massive Iommi-worthy doom metal guitar riffage that intermix in these looong songs could also really make this a favorite find for a freaky few of you out there! With so much feeling, solid songwriting, and unexpected elements (wiggy studio effects and tape manipulations) they truly capture the spirit of pre-metal, pro-prog Black Sabbath (in fact, they cover the Sabs "A National Acrobat" on here) and others in that vein, not far from a warped version of early Cathedral, obsessed with Sabbath *and* Comus... If you dug the two other Sabbathy bands we reviewed recently, Witchcraft and Dragonauta, there's definitely a chance you could be a Northwinds fan too!
MPEG Stream: "Great God Pan"
MPEG Stream: "The Pain"

NORTHWINDS Masters of Magic (Black Widow) cd 14.98
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Northwinds did a record a few years ago called "Great God Pan" that came out of nowhere (well, France, actually!) to become one of Allan's all-time favorite heavy-psych-doom-metal discs. It might be out of print now but the band is back with a new, not quite as good but still cool effort entitled "Masters of Magic". Again they blend doom metal (Black Sabbath, Pentagram, Cathedral) with '60s heavy psych and '70s prog-folk, for a unique sound truly all their own. It's almost pop in places, with majestic refrains. The metal content is definitely only one element here (maybe 40 percent?). Northwinds are probably the most "twee" heavy band ever...so beware if your tolerance for flutes, French vocals/people, and trippy psych/prog is low. I guess you could say that they're one of the few modern "doom" bands whose Sabbath influence goes beyond the vocals of Ozzy and the riffs of Tony to include all the tripped-out pretty parts found on Sabbath LPs like "Sabotage" and "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath", the ones where Rick Wakeman of Yes was playing keyboards.
For some reason, cult Italian metallers Death SS provide the intro and outro tracks.
RealAudio clip: "Lost Paradise"
RealAudio clip: "Entre Chien et Loup"

NORTON, DORIS Nortoncomputerforpeace (Durium) lp 21.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Aside from its awesome cover photo (love the red leather gloves!), most folks are probably most excited about this reissue because of its status as a legendary collection of early '80s synthesizer / computer music, which of course we find exciting as well, but truth be told, we were even more intrigued by the fact that Doris Norton was a member of mysterious Italian prog-psych-proto-metal doomlords Jacula, whose In Cauda Semper Stat Venenum record from supposedly the late '60s, we once made a Record Of The Week, a disc that still confounds and fascinates. She also was apparently sponsored by Apple during the '80s!
But regardless of the Jacula connection, or the Apple one too, Norton's 1983 Nortoncomputerforpeace lp is in fact a fantastic chunk of vintage new wavy electronic music, and it's easy to see why folks have been freaking out over it, cuz it's exactly what all the kids are trying to pull off these days, to varying degrees of success. Pulsing synths, cascading melodies, simple robotic programmed drums, vocoder-ed machine like vocals, but even amongst similar sounding records, Norton lets her psychedelic prog flag fly, peppering her compositions with occasional wild squalls of shredding synths solos, especially on the first few tracks, which really gives the sound a serious PROG vibe. Much of the record finds itself in that eighties VHS synthscape sci-fi soundtrack territory, all pulsing and motorik, minor key and hauntingly cinematic, seriously retro soundtracky, but again, Norton laces her compositions with dense melodic squiggles, or almost disco-y breakdowns, check out the end of "Don't Shoot The Animals", crazy funky! The rest of the record slips easily from 8 bit sounding video game music, to synthprog freakouts, to creepy droned out ambience, to full on Carpenter / Goblin style synth workouts, to rad cheesy lo-fi disco synth pop jams. Fans of Umberto, Zombi, Gatekeeper, Majeure, Innercity, Axxess, Roll The Dice, Dylan Ettinger and all the rest, grab one of these before they're gone!!
MPEG Stream: "Norton Computer For Peace"
MPEG Stream: "The Hunger Problem In The World"
MPEG Stream: "Don't Shoot The Animals"

NOSTRADAMOS s/t (World Psychedelia) cd 17.98
While we wish we could boast about having a large section of Greek '70s psychedelia, this one and only full length by Nostradamos, recorded in 1972, will now be the very high standard by which we will judge any other Greek acid-folk-psych-pop we are lucky enough to get our ears on. And that's kind of unfair for any of those records because this is truly an amazing and unique record.
As intricate and eclectic as they were poppy and infectious, Nostradamos utilized the regular rock band instrumentation but added elements like violin, flute, horns and harp which gave their songs a rich and colorful luster. Hints of more traditional Greek folk are infused into their psychedelic pop, giving an incredible range to the album and even within the songs themselves, thus making for an incredibly exciting and pleasurable listening experience. We definitely hear a kinship between this and some of the more earthy Tropicalia happening at the same time in a totally different place on the globe. Nostradamos still sounds so alive and relevant today. So many moments on this record would be at home on something by an Elephant 6 band, and we could see lots of today's indie folk stars like Beirut, Coco Rosie, Rio En Medio and even Dungen totally digging on this, we sure are!
MPEG Stream: "Track 1"
MPEG Stream: "Track 11"

NOTARO, MARCONI No Sub Reino Dos Metazoarios (Time-Lag) cd 21.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
We are big fans of the Brazilian pastoral psych of Lula Cortes, whether it be the phenomenal Satwa record or his later legendary mid-'70s masterpiece with Ze Ramalho, Paebiru, So you can imagine how our hearts went all aflutter when we got this latest Time-Lag reissue of the sole release by Marconi Notaro, a revolutionary Brazilian poet who recorded this album with both Cortes and Ramalho in 1973, the same year the Satwa record was released. Almost reading like a second Satwa album while at the same time predicting the later ecstatic fuzz experimental rock of Paebiru, the sunbaked exuberance and joy of these recordings belie their political spirit. Miraculously recorded and independently released amongst the harsh authority of the 1970's Brazilian government, Notaro, Cortes and Ramalho and others in the small and previously little-known Recife music scene were somehow able to bypass restrictions on music that was viewed as vehemently anti-state. Using acidy tape loop effects, electric and acoustic guitars, trancy folk percussion and the tricordio, a sitar/dulcimer hybrid that Cortes built himself, the songs here are mind-meltingly beautiful. Sadly Notaro passed away in 2000 of Hepatitis C leaving behind this record and seven published books of poetry. But with the authorization of Notaro's daughter and Lula Cortes himself, this classic masterpiece of protest is finally unearthed for us all. Totally Recommended!!
MPEG Stream: "Ah Vida Avida"
MPEG Stream: "Made in PB"
MPEG Stream: "Simphonia em Re"

NOTARO, MARCONI No Sub Reino Dos Metazoarios (Time-Lag) lp 29.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
We are big fans of the Brazilian pastoral psych of Lula Cortes, whether it be the phenomenal Satwa record or his later legendary mid-'70s masterpiece with Ze Ramalho, Paebiru, So you can imagine how our hearts went all aflutter when we got this latest Time-Lag reissue of the sole release by Marconi Notaro, a revolutionary Brazilian poet who recorded this album with both Cortes and Ramalho in 1973, the same year the Satwa record was released. Almost reading like a second Satwa album while at the same time predicting the later ecstatic fuzz experimental rock of Paebiru, the sunbaked exuberance and joy of these recordings belie their political spirit. Miraculously recorded and independently released amongst the harsh authority of the 1970's Brazilian government, Notaro, Cortes and Ramalho and others in the small and previously little-known Recife music scene were somehow able to bypass restrictions on music that was viewed as vehemently anti-state. Using acidy tape loop effects, electric and acoustic guitars, trancy folk percussion and the tricordio, a sitar/dulcimer hybrid that Cortes built himself, the songs here are mind-meltingly beautiful. Sadly Notaro passed away in 2000 of Hepatitis C leaving behind this record and seven published books of poetry. But with the authorization of Notaro's daughter and Lula Cortes himself, this classic masterpiece of protest is finally unearthed for us all. Totally Recommended!!
MPEG Stream: "Ah Vida Avida"
MPEG Stream: "Made in PB"
MPEG Stream: "Simphonia em Re"

NOTEKILLERS (1977-1981) (Ecstatic Peace) cd 14.98
Thank you, Thurston! This cd of material by an obscure late '70s no-wave instrumental punk ouftit from Philly called the Notekillers comes to us via Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace label, and it was Thurston's enthusiasm for the lone 1978 7" single by the band, specifically its A-side, "The Zipper", that eventually resulted in this compact disc release, and now that we've heard it too we can understand why he's such a fan! You'll find the "The Zipper" and its B-side "Clock Wise" and 13 more unreleased tracks from the band's reel-to-reel and cassette archives here, two of 'em studio tracks intended for their aborted second 7" release and the rest live/rehearsal/demo material. All of them have an aggro, alienated, avant-punk energy that reminds us of elements of a host of different bands from Pavement to Polvo to Stinking Lizaveta to Simply Saucer... The Notekillers were definitely forging their own sonic path and it's cool that finally the world gets to hear some of what they put down on tape. The liner notes from guitarist David First/Hirsch talk about how the band was all about pushing the limits -- *their* limits anyways -- and as difficult as that may have been for them back then, that struggle is what kept a bunch of musical weirdos in a Philadelphia basement going. Yet "only if we failed would we succeed" he thought. Well, now they've sort of done both and I hope they feel good about it, 'cause they should. This Notekillers record is one of those lost, buried "historical" releases that has been disinterred with a still-beating heart.
MPEG Stream: "The Zipper"
MPEG Stream: "Ricochet"

NOTHING PAINTED BLUE The Future of Communications (Scat) lp 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Down south in LA, this band makes some of the most elegant, challenging, and pretty pop music we have ever heard. Franklin Bruno's got the cheek to rhyme "cherubic" with "seraphic;" he can turn a phrase like no other.

NOTHING PAINTED BLUE The Monte Carlo Method (Scat) cd 10.98
This is Franklin Bruno and co.'s super smart power pop.