END, THE Introspection (Decca) cd 21.00
Pre-Tucky Buzzard Swinging '60s psych-pop band, pretty great!

ENDLESS BOOGIE Focus Level (No Quarter) cd 14.98
Kinda too bad this didn't make it onto our list last week with the other Endlessess (Dismal Moan, Blizzard) found therein, woulda been funny, but this is a whole different thing anyhow as you can tell from the second half of their name. Endless Boogie (now that's a handle that will make 'em or break 'em!) are a NYC band featuring two dudes who work at Matador records (we think). Real famous record collector types or so we're told. Now doing their own brand of dumbo psych rock blurt, indeed boogying (they wasn't kiddin'!) and probably all too endlessly for some, in the spirit of their evident sixties/seventies heroes. They got de mojo too, it seems, rubbin' off all those elpees they been collectin'. Cool enuff stuff (though they ain't no Vermonster).
"Smoking Figs In The Yard", the first track, starts off with a spoken "get down have a real good time" intro done in a hokey, jokey (we hope) Beefheart/Billy Gibbons/Edgar Broughton sorta grunt. Ouch. Then they git to rockin'. It's sorta Monster Magnet, sorta Rolling Stones (well, the vocals are kinda Jagger). Meh. But then track two's hypnotic throb, and beerbellycrawlingkingsnake scat singing moves, make it more akin to a redneck version of Circle, or Pharaoh Overlord. Starting to like this better... Endless Boogie coming on like a wanky hybrid of somethin' Circular, with the likes of Drunk Horse or maybe Howlin' Rain.
When track 4, "Executive Focus" rolls around, it's guitar solo wah wah time (moreso even than earlier), stuff that any Comets On Fire, Wooden Shjips or Julian Cope fan can flash on and dig... Acid Mothers too. By the time this song was over, eleven heavy and a half minutes later, we'd been swayed. Endless Boogie is all right with us. And we think we've got the idea. Yep, soon enough, sure enough, track six "Steak Rock" is another repetitive throbber with weird caveman mumblin' Tourette's babble o'er top. Circle's Mika Ratto could speak in tongues with this guy, and they'd understand one another we're certain.
A little later, the album's eighth cut "Jammin' With Top Dollar" sounds like "Mississippi Queen" Mountain with more of that tweaked out-of-the-side-of-the-mouth bugeyed blues holler...
That's followed by the over sixteen glorious guitar-centric minutes of "Low Lifes", a moody, mesmerizing epic of stretched out six string psych action. And then, they rock out the 2:38 duration of the disc's final number "Move Back!". As for the tracks we didn't touch on, "Bad River", "Gimme The Awesome", "Coming Down The Stairs", you can more or less guess at descriptions from the above.
So, the verdict - this gets better n' better as it goes along, though we still find it tough to tolerate the vocals, which are a tongue in cheek tribute to ZZ Top we guess. Struth, if we didn't think the Endless Boogie guys were NYC hipsters taking the piss, we might cut 'em more slack on that. Like, if they were Finnish... but that's hardly fair. Still, the guitars are way cool (if'n you like geeetar), but vocals sorta sound like it's a joke. Yr mileage may vary. You do pretty much get what you'd expect from a band called Endless Boogie! Fans of Wooden Shjips, Itavayla, and of course ZZ Top should check it out.
MPEG Stream: "The Manly Vibe"
MPEG Stream: "Executive Focus"
MPEG Stream: "Jammin' With Top Dollar"

ENDLESS BOOGIE Focus Level (No Quarter) 2lp 17.98
Kinda too bad this didn't make it onto our list last week with the other Endlessess (Dismal Moan, Blizzard) found therein, woulda been funny, but this is a whole different thing anyhow as you can tell from the second half of their name. Endless Boogie (now that's a handle that will make 'em or break 'em!) are a NYC band featuring two dudes who work at Matador records (we think). Real famous record collector types or so we're told. Now doing their own brand of dumbo psych rock blurt, indeed boogying (they wasn't kiddin'!) and probably all too endlessly for some, in the spirit of their evident sixties/seventies heroes. They got de mojo too, it seems, rubbin' off all those elpees they been collectin'. Cool enuff stuff (though they ain't no Vermonster).
"Smoking Figs In The Yard", the first track, starts off with a spoken "get down have a real good time" intro done in a hokey, jokey (we hope) Beefheart/Billy Gibbons/Edgar Broughton sorta grunt. Ouch. Then they git to rockin'. It's sorta Monster Magnet, sorta Rolling Stones (well, the vocals are kinda Jagger). Meh. But then track two's hypnotic throb, and beerbellycrawlingkingsnake scat singing moves, make it more akin to a redneck version of Circle, or Pharaoh Overlord. Starting to like this better... Endless Boogie coming on like a wanky hybrid of somethin' Circular, with the likes of Drunk Horse or maybe Howlin' Rain.
When track 4, "Executive Focus" rolls around, it's guitar solo wah wah time (moreso even than earlier), stuff that any Comets On Fire, Wooden Shjips or Julian Cope fan can flash on and dig... Acid Mothers too. By the time this song was over, eleven heavy and a half minutes later, we'd been swayed. Endless Boogie is all right with us. And we think we've got the idea. Yep, soon enough, sure enough, track six "Steak Rock" is another repetitive throbber with weird caveman mumblin' Tourette's babble o'er top. Circle's Mika Ratto could speak in tongues with this guy, and they'd understand one another we're certain.
A little later, the album's eighth cut "Jammin' With Top Dollar" sounds like "Mississippi Queen" Mountain with more of that tweaked out-of-the-side-of-the-mouth bugeyed blues holler...
That's followed by the over sixteen glorious guitar-centric minutes of "Low Lifes", a moody, mesmerizing epic of stretched out six string psych action. And then, they rock out the 2:38 duration of the disc's final number "Move Back!". As for the tracks we didn't touch on, "Bad River", "Gimme The Awesome", "Coming Down The Stairs", you can more or less guess at descriptions from the above.
So, the verdict - this gets better n' better as it goes along, though we still find it tough to tolerate the vocals, which are a tongue in cheek tribute to ZZ Top we guess. Struth, if we didn't think the Endless Boogie guys were NYC hipsters taking the piss, we might cut 'em more slack on that. Like, if they were Finnish... but that's hardly fair. Still, the guitars are way cool (if'n you like geeetar), but vocals sorta sound like it's a joke. Yr mileage may vary. You do pretty much get what you'd expect from a band called Endless Boogie! Fans of Wooden Shjips, Itavayla, and of course ZZ Top should check it out.
NB. vinyl format has extra track, and is sequenced differently than the cd.
MPEG Stream: "The Manly Vibe"
MPEG Stream: "Executive Focus"
MPEG Stream: "Jammin' With Top Dollar"

ENDO, NIC Cold Metal Perfection (Geist) cd 15.98
Very impressive. Much less randomly aurally assaultive than her previous works. Atari Teenage Riot's Ms Endo has steadied her aim, and carefully selected her angles of attack. Not a constant barrage of pummelling abrasiveness, but instead more of a nightmarishly twisted soundscape. Feelings of suffocation by sound. As if some very malevolent, hostile forces are at work, whispering their plans to only you. At times, approaching a somewhat industrialized, sinister (Morton) Subotnick-ness. Recommended for adventurous ATR fans.
RealAudio clip: "One Night Domination"
RealAudio clip: "The Program And The Brides"
RealAudio clip: "Mask Identity"
RealAudio clip: "Neon Sunrise"

ENEMA SYRINGE Bogens Massage Institut (Ultra Eczema) lp 25.00
As always, these Ultra Eczema lps are amazingly packaged, in gorgeously designed sleeves, pressed on nice thick vinyl, and limited to 400 copies, most of which are sold before we even realize they're out. So we only got a tiny handful of these (5-10 copies) so don't get your hopes up.
A selection of rare and unreleased tracks from these infamous Swedes. Recorded in the mid to late eighties, these tracks mix electronic experimentation with industrial pummel, abstract noise, sound collage, processed vocals, all tangled up into drummachined blasts of grinding squealing, squeaking, pounding fuzz drenched, super distorted freak out. Think a more newwaved Throbbing Gristle. Dance music for the one legged. A musical metal helmet strapped on and set to stun, ears bleeding and toes tapping. Bogens Massage Institut is a gloriously dense assemblage of thick and corrosive, but sort of surprisingly playful, alien sounds and noises.
Includes an insert with extensive liner notes and discography.

ENEMYMINE EP (k) cd 9.98
EnemyMine is one guy from LOW and one guy from godheadSilo doing pretty much what you'd expect.

ENEMYMINE The Ice In Me (Up) cd 12.98

ENIGK, JEREMY The Missing Link (567) cd 14.98
Many moons ago Jeremy Enigk was the singer for the beloved epic emo band Sunny Day Real Estate.
Man, that band had some great songs... nailed you right in the heart. Enigk's songwriting flame still burns brightly, but these days it comes in the form akin to a lone candle or hearth. His songs are filled with a lush earthiness, warming the traditional rock instrumentation of guitar, bass and drums with piano, strings and such. The beautiful setting embraces his unrelentingly desolate, emotionally charged lyrics. Pretty darn great!
A side note: You know when you hear someone's voice and it reminds you of someone else, but you just can't quite put your finger on it? Drives you crazy, and then hours or days later it dawns on you. That was the case with this album. Apologies to Mr. Enigk if he doesn't find this to be a flattering comment, but he really really sounds like Chris De Burgh. So is this The Missing Link... to the "Lady In Red"? Hmmmm.
MPEG Stream: "Oh John"
MPEG Stream: "Been Here Before"

ENO / MOEBIUS / ROEDELIUS / PLANK Begegnungen (Water) cd 15.98

ENO MOEBIUS ROEDELIUS After The Heat (Water) cd 15.98
The combination of Brian Eno and Cluster proved to be a golden match. The sounds they delicately created together have been echoed again and again in the three decades since their collaborations. A feeling of both effortlessness and a total awareness of the space and sounds they were building radiates throughout the recording. You can hear the tinkering hands of Moebius and Roedelius giving elements of warped spaced out bliss. Eno approaching the songs in a magic space somewhere between Before & After Science and Another Green World. When his vocals appear they just begin to melt and dissolve into your ears. For sure the best backwards vocal delivery we've ever heard can be found on the track "Tzima N'arki". There is such a sublime feeling of melting on this record. These three knew how to meld warmth with an motherly feeling that takes you into golden horizons, mesmerizing twilight and an afterglow that you just want to surrender yourself to. Originally released in '78, once again Water has done the fine service of bringing it back to a world that's more ready for these sounds then ever.
MPEG Stream: "Tzima N'arki"
MPEG Stream: "Foreign Affairs"

ENO, BRIAN Ambient 1: Music For Airports (Virgin / Astralwerks) cd 16.98
Perhaps the most renowned of Eno's ambient albums, Music For Airports, originally released in 1978, is a (or we should say *the*) seminal -ambient- work. The proof is over a quarter decade's worth of other artists (and some downright imitators) who've amassed an enormous collective body of work directly inspired by this one album. This is the O.G. of gorgeous shimmering atmospheric soundscapes. Truly sublime. While Eno's conceptual "hands off" compositional style is certainly one of the larger factors in his influencing other future ambient artists, the striking thing about this work that makes it so compelling is the way in which the pieces manage to impart a feeling of warmth despite the clinically mechanical way in which the pieces are played. And while the performance here is not executed by machines the impact of it carries on down, all the way to the Aphex Twin's zenith of robotic beauty, The Richard D. James album. The four pieces here (programmatically named "1/1", "2/1", "1/2" & "2/2" for their sequencing on the original LP) build one upon the next. The first is arranged entirely with electric and acoustic pianos (with some help from Robert Wyatt for this), the second a chorus of voices and the third and fourth pieces combination of those elements with additional synth help. The drifting and staggered arpeggios cascade in slow motion giving the pieces a shapeless consistency, somehow always moving forward while remaining frozen. A suitable antidote to muzak if there ever was one. If anything dates, or holds back the three latter pieces on this disc it's the now archaic synth patches. They can be charming, but I've never been able to listen to "2/2" without thinking immediately of Steve Winwood's "While You See A Chance". Needless to say, this small downside can't spoil as great an album as this.
MPEG Stream: "1/1"
MPEG Stream: "2/2"

ENO, BRIAN Ambient 4: On Land (Virgin / Astralwerks) cd 16.98
While Plateaux of Mirror could be seen as the inspiration for a generation of new age musicians, On Land (released in 1982) is arguably a place card for a wellspring of darker ambient musicians forging soundtracks for non-existant films. Some, like the now obscure J. Grienke made careers out of this single album. Others, like Richard James on the Aphex Twin's excellent double cd Selected Ambient Works Volume 2, pay homage and move on. But hints of this dark collection of audio soundscapes can be heard from the likes of Biosphere, Deathprod, Andrew Chalk, Troum and even Village of Savoonga. The key elements involved are an elimination of melody and rhythm. As Eno puts it, quite well in fact, in the liner notes: "the landscape has ceased to be a backdrop for something else to happen in front of: instead everything that happens is part of the landscape. There is no longer a sharp distinction between foreground and background". A seminal work and a must have.
MPEG Stream: "The Lost Day"
MPEG Stream: "Unfamiliar Wind (Leeks Hills)"

ENO, BRIAN Another Day On Earth (Opal / Hannibal) cd 16.98
A new rock record from Brian Eno in 2005. After beginning with the uptempo "This", a tune surprizingly similar to the Cale duet "One Word" from the pair's 1990 album Wrong Way Up, the album is primarily filled with slow tempo songs of a pensive temperment and reminiscent of Eno's collaborations with guitar tech wiz and fellow producer Daniel Lanois. Not a bad return to rock for Mr. Eno, but there's something very Rip Van Winkle in the overall production of the album, like Brian's still hammering through the eighties and has just recently discovered Tears For Fears and Simple Minds.
MPEG Stream: "This"
MPEG Stream: "How Many Worlds"

ENO, BRIAN Another Green World (EG) cd 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY. Now reissued on EMI!

ENO, BRIAN Another Green World (EMI) cd 16.98
We didn't review Another Green World with the other Eno reissues featured a couple weeks back 'cuz they turned out to have some weird defect, but that's been fixed now and so here you go: Unlike most of the recent reissues of classic albums, Brian Eno's aren't graced / padded with extra bells'n'whistles (outtakes, demo versions and the like) nor are there swollen booklets of liner notes, photos, glowing praise, etc. No, you get the albums as they were originally released -- albeit remastered and packaged in simple digipaks with plain clear plastic slipcovers -- and frankly, with albums as timeless and remarkable as these, that's enough! Each is an inspired and inspiring work, remaining vital and compelling even thirty years later. Needless to say, each is fully deserving of an honored place in any record collection.
What remains to be said about one of the all-time classic art-rock records? Here we find Brian Peter George St. John Le Baptiste De La Salle Eno (yes, that's his full name!) leaving behind the song structures of the preceding albums, and jumping straight into inventing the mood-driven, almost-snippits-but-too-composed-to-be-just-parts style of atmospheric 'songs'. A melding of his ambient sides with occasional vocals. "Sombre Reptiles", "I'll Come Running", "St. Elmo's Fire"... MAN, JUST TOO GOOD. If you've never heard this record, buy it and live with it for a few years. It'll getcha eventually... Really, just a flat-out model and inspiration for everything synthetic / experimental / art / punk / pop from Bowie's Low album to Talking Heads to I Am Spoonbender (Cup admits that IAS often uses a set of Eno's 'Oblique Strategies' cards during sessions, just like those mentioned in the liner notes to this essential release. FYI: they were a small black box containing a deck of cards imprinted with an assortment of open-to-interpretation statements... an oracle of sorts that you could refer to in times of creative blocks).
MPEG Stream: "St. Elmo's Fire"
MPEG Stream: "I'll Come Running"

ENO, BRIAN Apollo: Atmospheres & Soundtracks (Virgin) cd 16.98
The opportunity of a lifetime film score for Brian Eno: providing a soundtrack to the most, quite literally, other-worldy film footage ever shot. Eno was approached by ex-astronaut Al Reinert in the early eighties to put his ambient touch on a project that Reinert was working on documenting the apollo missions. Reinhert had sorted through 6,000,000 feet of NASA film footage shot by astronauts on those missions, picking out what he considered to be the best clips. To this he intended to add only the voices of the astronauts themselves -- both from interviews after the missions and from their transmissions to Houston during them -- and Eno's music. Though Eno's score was released in 1983, Reinert's film -- For All Mankind -- wasn't completed until 1989. Recorded just a year after his Ambient 4: On Land, the material here is quite similar. The compositions are far less conceptual than his earlier ambient works, yet the pieces here have an intuitive, textural and emotional feel without relying on -- for the most part -- melody. All but four tracks on this album use that same Eno M.O. of blurring the idea of "foreground and background", much like his previous release On Land. The guitar and bass, when the appear, are subverted from their original roles -- melodic lead, rhythm and harmony -- and instead are used for texture and atmosphere as much as the synths and electronics. The ambient tracks on Apollo have a foreboding and sublime quality -- appropriate enough for the vast eternity of space and the dessicated & bleak terrain of the moon. The four non-ambient tracks on this disc, all nestled together towards its end, are a bit of a departure from the rest of the album. "Always Returning" is probably the weakest link on the album, with its sentimental guitar part played by Daniel Lanois. Lanois however redeems himself with his pedal steel guitar playing on "Deep Blue Day", like a Sons Of The Pioneers tune, shot full of heroin and launched into the vacuum of space.
MPEG Stream: "Matta"
MPEG Stream: "An Ending (Ascent)"
MPEG Stream: "Deep Blue Day"

ENO, BRIAN Before And After Science (EMI) cd 16.98
Unlike most of the recent reissues of classic albums, Brian Eno's aren't graced / padded with extra bells'n'whistles (outtakes, demo versions and the like) nor are there swollen booklets of liner notes, photos, glowing praise, etc. No, you get the albums as they were originally released -- albeit remastered and packaged in simple digipaks with plain clear plastic slipcovers -- and frankly, with albums as timeless and remarkable as these, that's enough! Each is an inspired and inspiring work, remaining vital and compelling even thirty years later. Needless to say, each is fully deserving of an honored place in any record collection.
The last of Eno's 'song' records before he drifted off into wind-blown dronespace for good (or bad?). In many ways, this album could be thought of as a more pastoral and less baroque Another Green World, with plenty of experiments near the framework of rock music. It could be that this is exactly what is meant by 'experimental pop music' -- avant garde ideas reworked so as to appear as being something like 'regular music'. As usual, this release features appearances by interesting guests: Can's Jaki Liebezeit and German electronic pioneers Cluster.
MPEG Stream: "Energy Fools The Magician"
MPEG Stream: "Here He Comes"

ENO, BRIAN Discreet Music (Virgin) cd 16.98
The second wave of Brian Eno reissues is of his genre creating and defining ambient music albums from 1975 through 1982. The first in the series is Discreet Music and it's in the liner notes here that Eno describes the genesis for his ambient music. The story goes that while he was recouperating in a hospital after having been struck by a car he found himself inspired through another sort of accident. Eno had been brought a record of 18th century harp music to listen to but, after having struggled to put the record on in his weakened state, found the amplifier levels way too low and one channel of the recording completely missing. Thus he was forced to strain to hear nothing but the loudest of notes above the ambient din in the room. Add to this Eno's admission that he considers himself a much better conceiver of plans than executor of them and you have the foundations for Discreet Music. Eno's goal was to set up a system which would generate music with as little input from him as possible. To this end Eno created a feedback loop into which he could insert pairs of notes and let the ensuing echo box and delay line do the rest. The flipside of this coin, included on this album, is a suite in three parts entitled "Three Variations On the Canon In D Major By Johann Pachelbel". For this piece Eno took sections of the Canon and, on each of the sections, gives the players different instructions for the treatment of those parts. In each case the directives result in different but beautiful deconstructions of the all too familiar Canon.
MPEG Stream: "Discreet Music"
MPEG Stream: "Fullness of Wind"

ENO, BRIAN Here Come The Warm Jets (EG) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY. Now reissued on EMI!

ENO, BRIAN Here Come The Warm Jets (EMI) cd 16.98
Unlike most of the recent reissues of classic albums, Brian Eno's aren't graced / padded with extra bells'n'whistles (outtakes, demo versions and the like) nor are there swollen booklets of liner notes, photos, glowing praise, etc. No, you get the albums as they were originally released -- albeit remastered and packaged in simple digipaks with plain clear plastic slipcovers -- and frankly, with albums as timeless and remarkable as these, that's enough! Each is an inspired and inspiring work, remaining vital and compelling even thirty years later. Needless to say, each is fully deserving of an honored place in any record collection.
"My baby's on fiyaaaaaaa!"... so good. Eno's first solo album after leaving Roxy Music finds him in 'proto-everything' territory, pre-dating art-pop, punk and indie rock with his Dada-esque lyrics and a fresh 'non-musician' approach (those are his words, although a bit misleading -- it's not like he was a gardener before he walked into the studio!) to avant garde songs. Glammy, brooding, and exploratory. This, along with his mood-masterpiece Another Green World, comprise the essential bits of pre-ambient Eno.
MPEG Stream: "Needles In The Camel's Eye"
MPEG Stream: "Baby's On Fire"

ENO, BRIAN More Music For Films (Virgin) cd 16.98
Here's a straggler that was meant to come out with the last batch of Eno reissues, but was pulled due to a manufacturing defect (is there some rule that at least one Eno disc in each series must have a defect?). More Music For Films stands out amongst the other Eno reissues in that, as an album, it's a previously unreleased one. Let's qualify that statement: More Music For Films contains two albums, one rare and the other rarer, from the early eighties. 11 of the tracks come from Music For Films 2 which was included as a bonus LP to the Working Backwards box set that was released in 1983. The other tracks are culled from a promo-only sampler (only 500 copies printed) which had been sent to a "select group of film directors". Much of the material on More Music For Films comes from the same recording sessions as Music For Films and the album as a whole fits neatly at its side as a companion record. The songs contained herein are all instrumentals, with a variety of moods suitable for use in just about any film.
MPEG Stream: "Untitled"
MPEG Stream: "The Secret"

ENO, BRIAN Music For Films (Virgin) cd 16.98
"This album is a compilation of fragments from my recorded work over the last two or three years. Some of it was made specifically for use as soundtrack material, some of it was made for other reasons but found its way into films; most of it is previously unissued in any form." So says Brian Eno in the liner notes. And people continue to milk this album for their films -- as anyone who's taken a film class in college can attest to. Well, at least fifteen or twenty years ago it was still being used to the point of excess. Extreme over use by film students and budding documentarians aside, Music For Films still holds together rather well... okay, maybe it dates itself a little here and there with the occasional synth patch, or bass line. You can hear a lot of the ideas for what went into Another Green World and Before And After Science on here, which makes one wonder how much of this may have been recorded during those sessions and culled from the album. In fact the track "M386" here is a dead ringer for a half-speed dub mix of Eno's "No One Receiving" off of the latter. While not immediately rock in nature -- the songs lack any verse/chorus/verse structure and seem to be devoid of any beginning, middle or end -- they aren't all as flattened out to be merely texture as his other ambient works. The cast of heavy hitter musicians here include many from Another Green World, such as Phil Collins, Fred Frith, Dave Mattacks, John Cale and Robert Fripp.
MPEG Stream: "From The Same Hill"
MPEG Stream: "Alternative 3"
MPEG Stream: "'There Is Nobody'"

ENO, BRIAN Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) (EG) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY. Now reissued on EMI!

ENO, BRIAN Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) (EMI) cd 16.98
Unlike most of the recent reissues of classic albums, Brian Eno's aren't graced / padded with extra bells'n'whistles (outtakes, demo versions and the like) nor are there swollen booklets of liner notes, photos, glowing praise, etc. No, you get the albums as they were originally released -- albeit remastered and packaged in simple digipaks with plain clear plastic slipcovers -- and frankly, with albums as timeless and remarkable as these, that's enough! Each is an inspired and inspiring work, remaining vital and compelling even thirty years later. Needless to say, each is fully deserving of an honored place in any record collection.
One of Eno's best songs kicks off TTM(BS), the ubiquitous and lovely "Burning Airlines Gives You So Much More", with a gorgeous post-Beatles melody and snaky harmonized guitar (an Eno trademark, often played by Robert Fripp on these releases). From there on out, TTM(BS) expands upon -- but doesn't often better -- the ideas that began with Here Come The Warm Jets. Slightly more introspective. It's also less sneering. Of course, Bauhaus resonated with Eno's idea of absurdist / glam / experimental pop, later covering this album's sixth song "Third Uncle". Really, this often sounds like Chairs Missing era Wire in spots, and we all know that's a good thing!
MPEG Stream: "Burning Airlines Give You So Much More"
MPEG Stream: "Third Uncle"

ENO, BRIAN Thursday Afternoon (Virgin) cd 16.98
In a lecture given by Brian Eno for the Long Now Foundation last year he explained the genesis of his ideas on ambient music, which was in itself inspired by the music of Terry Riley, Fela Kuti and the Velvet Underground -- music that he felt "flattened" the "hierarchical structure" of its components. He went on to say that "In my own work this manifested in an emphasis on making what would have been called the background more interesting, and what would have been called the foreground, less and less central, thus sinking foreground elements into the background." The results of these musings culminated in, amongst others, the now highly regarded Discreet Music and Music For Airports. Discreet Music was composed of individual elements, each of differing lengths, such that the sonic soundscape would sound similar from moment to moment, but never exactly the same either. Thursday Afternoon takes a similar road map to Discreet Music, but is executed on a much larger scale. Originally recorded for a VHS tape released by Sony Japan of 7 "video-paintings" of Christine Alicino. The advent of the compact disc allowed Eno to greatly increase the length of time under which his compositions could unfold, which is exactly what Eno was able to accomplish with the audio only release of Thursday Afternoon. Thursday Afternoon is like a macro focused version of Discreet Music with every element further stretched, every minutia of hierarchy further flattened and every element of the medium -- compact disc -- exploited. Not only is the scale of the work greater, but utilizing the dynamic range of the CD Eno is able to make greater use of quieter passages with sound that previously would have been lost below the area of surface noise -- towards the end of the pieces as the individual elements drift away, you can hear the faint sounds of birds outside of Eno's studio. The increased time available on a CD, as opposed to the LP, makes for a better execution of his idea of ambient music. No more flipping the vinyl every twenty minutes, just program your CD player to repeat. Like Music For Airports, Thursday Afternoon's most distinctive element is that of a Rhodes -- or similar electric piano -- keyboard playing languid broken arpeggios, underneath which is a glistening mirage of ever shifting drones. The combination of these ever fluxuating elements creates the auditory illusion of movement and stasis.
MPEG Stream: "Thursday Afternoon"

ENO, BRIAN / DAVID BYRNE My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts (Nonesuch) cd 17.98
Mixing elements of world, funk, dub, and electronic music has for the most part turned out to be a recipe for disaster. All too many have attempted this mix with a glossy shine and a clumsy hand and without fail have produced pretty tepid attempts at cross cultural imagination. From 1979-1980 Brian Eno and David Byrne recorded -their- take on this fusion years before it became chic and of course with just the right kind of careful and talented hands, and were actually able to make those elements come together and create a brand new language. What's so nice about hearing this reissue is how it's both ahead of its time but also so OF it's time as well. With moments that bring you back to the bits on early Talking Heads records that you could listen to over and over, and with a recording quality so refreshingly raw and primitive. This record was recorded by a large ensemble cast including Bill Laswell who was just then starting his band Material with lots of the same ideas and elements. While not totally related in exact sound we can totally see how many of today's cross cultural sonic explorers were influenced by this record. There's no doubt these were sounds soaked up by the best hip-hop & electronic producers of the '80s and '90s as well as folks like Animal Collective, Excepter and even Glissandro 70, whose record we review elsewhere on this list. This reissue adds a handful of bonus tracks not on the original version and unlike most extras these are in fact all essential.
MPEG Stream: "Very Very Hungry"
MPEG Stream: "Mea Culpa"
MPEG Stream: "Solo Guitar With Tin Foil"

ENO, BRIAN / HAROLD BUDD Ambient 2: The Plateaux Of Mirror (Virgin / Astralwerks) cd 16.98
Recorded in 1980, The Plateaux of Mirror is the least successful of Eno's ambient works, with the exception of its success in being the blueprint for the myriad new age records that would soon follow in its footsteps. Budd's meandering legato piano lines sound so maudlin in comparison to the austere rigidity of Wyatt's playing on Music For Airports. There are less syrupy moments here that make for fine soundtracks. In fact, I think I've seen no less than a dozen student and/or low budget documentaries in my day that have used these tracks in their scores.
MPEG Stream: "First Light"
MPEG Stream: "An Arc of Doves"

ENO, MOEBIUS, ROEDELIUS, PLANK Begegenungen II (Sky / Gyroscope) cd 15.98

ENOCKSSON, ERIK Farval Falkenberg (Kning Disk) cd 15.98
Another disc we knew nothing about and just luckily stumbled across (with our interest whetted due to its label affiliation, Kning usually being quite interest-ing). We were initially struck by the gorgeous cover, an embroidered landscape, all oranges and blacks, the texture of the background fabric adding grit to the already dark and mysterious shapes and hues in the foreground. The words Farval Falkenberg printed in huge gold metallic letters, strangely poetic song titles.
We later discovered that this is in fact the soundtrack to a Swedish film, a coming of age story, sad and bittersweet, and the music couldn't be more perfect. The opening track had us completely smitten within seconds. A gorgeously melancholy acoustic guitar, spinning a soft sad melody, mournful and moody, the main melody is whistled, giving the track a certain childlike vibe, a bit of a Morricone / Bjorn Olsson feel too, it seriously gives us shivers just writing about it. Then the 'chorus' kicks in, and adds soft focus piano plinking in the background, another guitar higher up in the mix, simple tambourine percussion. It's so evocative, you can't help but let your mind start making up different scenes from this movie you've never seen. Lonely walks, sitting by the window, rain pouring down, wandering along railroad tracks, laying in bed staring at the cracks in the ceiling. Wow.
And the rest of the record is just as compelling. Every song a mini super emotional epic. Organs wheeze ominously, acoustic guitars flutter and flit, chimes drift and shimmer, the piano returns in dense swells, bits of static and glitchy hiss intrude like someone changing stations on the radio, there are creaks and groans, distant rumbles, bits of electronic skitter, subtle drones, chimes, bells, even the occasional vocals, but it's always about the guitar, it's delicate dreamlike melodies, and how it's so perfectly intertwined with the piano and the organ. So moving and intense. Think Rachel's, Dirty Three, Pinetop Seven, Japancakes, Godspeed, but somehow much less arty, and more genuine, subtly experimental, but practically perfect, dark, emotional, so incredibly moving. Makes us want to see the film so bad, but in the meantime, it's the ideal music for whatever film you have running through your head. And of course the absolutely perfect soundtrack for lonely walks, staring at the ceiling, staring out the windows in the rain, wandering along railroad tracks, etc...
MPEG Stream: "The Joy Of D.H. Lawrence"
MPEG Stream: "Dusk Settles In"
MPEG Stream: "The Breaking Of Waves"

ENON Grass Geysers... Carbon Clouds (Touch And Go) cd 14.98
All right, admittedly the "_______ meets _______" is an easy/lazy reviewer's tactic, but sometimes we've gotta use it. In Enon's case, it is Deerhoof meets Blonde Redhead, and no, it's not just because all three have Japanese chanteuses whose voices flitter up high into the rafters. We must stress that this is not a bad thing by any means. We love the tweaked lush stylings of all three bands! Where Enon stands apart from those two though is in their penchant for veering into more rugged, raucous terrain. John Schmersal hollers and snarls vocals along with the buzzing angular guitars (except for the song "Mr. Ratatatat" when he sounds a lot like Steve Bays of Hot Hot Heat!), but this grit and aggression is nicely tempered by the cooing high female voice of Ms Toko Yasuda who sounds more confident and downright sultry on Grass geysers... Carbon Clouds than on previous recordings. This is Enon at their most straightforwardly poppy, their punchiest and catchiest, but it's not without a trademark stormy, strange twist or two. Listening to this is like speeding along a winding road at midnight in the pitch black. As your headlights catch fleeting glimpses of mysterious structures and figures in the darkness, your mind juggles between the benevolent and malevolent. Enon's new album is a wild pop ride are just as likely to menace broodingly in the dark as burst out in a flurry of sparkling fireworks. Recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Colette"
MPEG Stream: "Law Of John Dolittle"
MPEG Stream: "Pigeneration"

ENON Grass Geysers... Carbon Clouds (Touch And Go) lp 14.98
All right, admittedly the "_______ meets _______" is an easy/lazy reviewer's tactic, but sometimes we've gotta use it. In Enon's case, it is Deerhoof meets Blonde Redhead, and no, it's not just because all three have Japanese chanteuses whose voices flitter up high into the rafters. We must stress that this is not a bad thing by any means. We love the tweaked lush stylings of all three bands! Where Enon stands apart from those two though is in their penchant for veering into more rugged, raucous terrain. John Schmersal hollers and snarls vocals along with the buzzing angular guitars (except for the song "Mr. Ratatatat" when he sounds a lot like Steve Bays of Hot Hot Heat!), but this grit and aggression is nicely tempered by the cooing high female voice of Ms Toko Yasuda who sounds more confident and downright sultry on Grass geysers... Carbon Clouds than on previous recordings. This is Enon at their most straightforwardly poppy, their punchiest and catchiest, but it's not without a trademark stormy, strange twist or two. Listening to this is like speeding along a winding road at midnight in the pitch black. As your headlights catch fleeting glimpses of mysterious structures and figures in the darkness, your mind juggles between the benevolent and malevolent. Enon's new album is a wild pop ride are just as likely to menace broodingly in the dark as burst out in a flurry of sparkling fireworks. Recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Colette"
MPEG Stream: "Law Of John Dolittle"
MPEG Stream: "Pigeneration"

ENON High Society (Touch & Go) cd 14.98
Been wonderin' what ever became of Enon after their debut album (released in 2000) sorta fell through the cracks following the dissolution of their label See-Thru? Fret no longer, they are back with their sophomore effort on the much more sturdy label Touch & Go. High Society is another mishmash of styles (just as Believo was, but perhaps a bit more poppy and upbeat, and less eccentric and angular). Sometimes they quite adeptly meld the disparate elements into a sound of their own, other times less so. The third song "In This City" is quite Blonde Redhead-esque, but imagine Kazu Makino's expressive off-kilter vocals replaced by a more cloying baby doll delivery of -surprise!- former Blonde Redhead member Toko Yasuda (also of The Lapse). Despite this aspect, it unfortunately falls short of BR's art rock greatness in other ways as well. Somewhat lacking in dynamics, its single synth melodies take turns over a basic hi-hat/snare beat and sparsely funky bass line. Seemed like it was going somewhere, but didn't. When combined, Yasuda and John Schmersal's vocals - hers the soft kittenish coo, his a hoarse, Girls Against Boys / Jon Spencer sexed-up growl - often make for an interesting mix especially on tracks like "Natural Disasters" on which they come across as a sort of emo-new-wave girl/boy call and response. "Leave It To Rust" is a strangely intrusive mildly darkwave-ish number resembling something off of the recent Deadsy album. What other styles does Enon throw into the mix? Indie/college radio rock, trashy garage, and various shades of pop, but as mentioned earlier with varying degrees of success. Engineered by Girls Against Boys' Eli Janney and produced by Dave Sardy (alt-metal producer/engineer for the likes of Marilyn Manson and System Of A Down, formerly of Barkmarket and See-Thru label boss).
RealAudio clip: "In This City"
RealAudio clip: "Natural Disasters"
RealAudio clip: "Leave It To Rust"

ENON Lost Marbles And Exploded Evidence (Touch & Go) cd 15.98
With no full length of brand new sparkling songs on the horizon from our beloved indie-power-pop superstars, Enon, this will have to do for now for all us fans. This collection of rarities and singles (mixed by Eli Janney -- formally of Girls vs. Boys) shows off John (Brainiac) and Toko (Blonde Redhead)'s looser, more experimental side of songwriting. Our favorite track here would have to be their super catchy, oompah noise-pop track, "Marbles Explode", a track that was cut from a previous album for some unexplained reason. Glad they finally put that out! This cd/dvd also exhibits their penchant for uber talented friends in the video and motion graphics industry, as an enclosed region-free dvd is devoted to an impressive collection of music videos. Long live ENON.
MPEG Stream: "The Nightmare Of Atomic Men"
MPEG Stream: "Marbles Explode"

ENSLAVED Monumension (Osmose) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Ivar Bjornson, Grutle Kjellson, Dirge Rep and Richard Kronheim are Enslaved. We mention them individually because they and their band deserve to be household names, at least among Aquarius customers. Enslaved are definitely one of our absolute favorite Norwegian black metal acts. Indeed, I (Allan) would go so far as to say, forget Norwegian black metal -- Enslaved are one of the best rock bands in the world today, period! And "Monumension" is their new album, one so highly anticipated here at Aquarius that it's hard to write about. First, the fear: was it even possible? Was it realistic to expect that this band could possibly top their previous album, the Aquarius Record of the Week honoree (list #101) "Mardraum"? Is disappointment inevitable when hopes are so high? We were a-tremble upon first listen, let me tell you. Well, many listens later I'm glad to report that this new Enslaved effort lives up to its mighty predecessor(s). This release marks the 10th anniversary of Enslaved's unique brand of "Viking metal". But it seems like they're travelling not across the waves in longboats, but through the stars in astral bodies. That is, when they're not simply thrashing like more down-to-earth rock n' roll demons. What an amazing band. Spacey, intense, complex, primal, chaotic, beautiful...
Ok, enough hyperbole (for the moment). What's "Monumension" really like, and how *does* it compare exactly to "Mardraum"? Well, somebody had told us to expect that the new Enslaved would sound like Genesis, but that's definitely not the case. True, '70s prog rock a la Genesis (or, maybe more accurately, King Crimson and Van Der Graaf Generator) certainly flows in the blood of Grutle, Ivar and Co., along with the more ancient blood of their Norse ancestors. Opeth fans will hear the parallels. But are they truly warriors of modern prog? Not quite, as they are so much more. The first thing an Enslaved fan will notice is the surprising prevalence of death metal style vocals alongside the black metal rasps and Viking chants. Vocally, lyrically and musically, this is some seriously heavy stuff, and violent. But it all flows, sometimes into realms so tripped-out and Floyd-ishly psychedelic that you'll forget you're listening to "metal" at all. But then, the next song will start with a blood-quickening, bone-jarring riff to remind you. Like on "Mardraum", the band brilliantly weaves various metal/rock styles into pure Enslaved music, perhaps upping the "folk" aspect a bit (which balances those death metal elements nicely). There's even a bonus track by a related band called HOV (Trygve Mathiesen and a "tribal choir" which includes all the members of Enslaved) that's meant to evoke traditional Viking music -- although the band stresses that "Enslaved has never been about reproduction or literal interpretations. It is more of a quest for creating our own musical traditions and dimensions. The band is built upon the philosophy, magick and myths of the Vikings, not a desire to dress like they did during a historical period or to talk exactly like them. It is something deeper than a mere roleplay to please the outer eyes and ears." These efforts by Enslaved certainly have resulted in surreal, epic, timeless metal for the mind, body and soul.
So yes, these rune-obsessed geniuses, mere youngsters wise beyond their years, have created another utter masterpiece. And it's not just me -- everyone I've discussed this record with agrees that it's amazing. Arrrgh -- my fanboy ramblings can't even begin to do it justice. Emperor, Satyricon, Ulver are all great Norwegian black metal bands that in various ways and to various degress have also branched out into the beyond, but Enslaved are something else again.
RealAudio clip: "The Voices"
RealAudio clip: "Vision: Sphere of the Elements - A Monument Part II"
RealAudio clip: "The Cromlech Gate"
RealAudio clip: "Convoys To Nothingness"

ENSLAVED Monumension (Osmose) lp 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
This gift from the gods is now available on vinyl, just as the ancient Vikings liked it. Here's Allan's fannish ravings again:
Ivar Bjornson, Grutle Kjellson, Dirge Rep and Richard Kronheim are Enslaved. We mention them individually because they and their band deserve to be household names, at least among Aquarius customers. Enslaved are definitely one of our absolute favorite Norwegian black metal acts. Indeed, I (Allan) would go so far as to say, forget Norwegian black metal -- Enslaved are one of the best rock bands in the world today, period! And "Monumension" is their new album, one so highly anticipated here at Aquarius that it's hard to write about. First, the fear: was it even possible? Was it realistic to expect that this band could possibly top their previous album, the Aquarius Record of the Week honoree (list #101) "Mardraum"? Is disappointment inevitable when hopes are so high? We were a-tremble upon first listen, let me tell you. Well, many listens later I'm glad to report that this new Enslaved effort lives up to its mighty predecessor(s). This release marks the 10th anniversary of Enslaved's unique brand of "Viking metal". But it seems like they're travelling not across the waves in longboats, but through the stars in astral bodies. That is, when they're not simply thrashing like more down-to-earth rock n' roll demons. What an amazing band. Spacey, intense, complex, primal, chaotic, beautiful...
Ok, enough hyperbole (for the moment). What's "Monumension" really like, and how *does* it compare exactly to "Mardraum"? Well, somebody had told us to expect that the new Enslaved would sound like Genesis, but that's definitely not the case. True, '70s prog rock a la Genesis (or, maybe more accurately, King Crimson and Van Der Graaf Generator) certainly flows in the blood of Grutle, Ivar and Co., along with the more ancient blood of their Norse ancestors. Opeth fans will hear the parallels. But are they truly warriors of modern prog? Not quite, as they are so much more. The first thing an Enslaved fan will notice is the surprising prevalence of death metal style vocals alongside the black metal rasps and Viking chants. Vocally, lyrically and musically, this is some seriously heavy stuff, and violent. But it all flows, sometimes into realms so tripped-out and Floyd-ishly psychedelic that you'll forget you're listening to "metal" at all. But then, the next song will start with a blood-quickening, bone-jarring riff to remind you. Like on "Mardraum", the band brilliantly weaves various metal/rock styles into pure Enslaved music, perhaps upping the "folk" aspect a bit (which balances those death metal elements nicely). There's even a bonus track by a related band called HOV (Trygve Mathiesen and a "tribal choir" which includes all the members of Enslaved) that's meant to evoke traditional Viking music -- although the band stresses that "Enslaved has never been about reproduction or literal interpretations. It is more of a quest for creating our own musical traditions and dimensions. The band is built upon the philosophy, magick and myths of the Vikings, not a desire to dress like they did during a historical period or to talk exactly like them. It is something deeper than a mere roleplay to please the outer eyes and ears." These efforts by Enslaved certainly have resulted in surreal, epic, timeless metal for the mind, body and soul.
So yes, these rune-obsessed geniuses, mere youngsters wise beyond their years, have created another utter masterpiece. And it's not just me -- everyone I've discussed this record with agrees that it's amazing. Arrrgh -- my fanboy ramblings can't even begin to do it justice. Emperor, Satyricon, Ulver also are all great Norwegian black metal bands that in various ways and to various degress have also branched out into the beyond, but Enslaved are something else again.
RealAudio clip: "The Voices"
RealAudio clip: "Vision: Sphere of the Elements - A Monument Part II"
RealAudio clip: "The Cromlech Gate"
RealAudio clip: "Convoys To Nothingness"

ENTRANCE Prayer Of Death (Tee Pee) cd 16.98
We've always wondered why Entrance never got the appreciation they seemed to so fully deserve. But we're thinking might just get set straight with Prayer of Death. Where past releases displayed totally gifted guitar player Guy Blakeslee in a fucked up drugged out modern blues context, Prayer Of Death demonstrates a new urgency and pretty much an entirely new sound. With an over the top (in a great way!) delivery, including an amplified electric orchestra, a paranoid disposition, and death on his mind, Blakeslee has made his most intense and rocking record to date. Maybe it was his move from Baltimore to LA but his flamboyant nature has totally come to the surface and we couldn't be happier. He still plays amazing raga-like guitar, and his sound is still a wander in haunted woods but now he's got ROCK on his radar, all throughout Prayer Of Death. Imagine Sandy Bull joining Queen and you start to get an idea of the fucked up beauty that is this record. You get the feeling something really monumental must have occurred in Blakeslee's life, because these are the sounds of someone with a newfound spirit, not taking anything for granted, making the most out of every note and channeling all the energy, emotion and life into every song he can. We've ALL been digging this record like crazy. So fucking good!
MPEG Stream: "Grim Reaper Blues"
MPEG Stream: "Lost In The Dark"
MPEG Stream: "Requiem for Sandy Bull (R.I.P)"

ENTRANCE The Kingdom of Heaven Must Be Taken By Storm! (Tiger Style) cd 14.98
Entrance is the solo project of 21 year old Guy Blakeslee, who has also played bass for Baltimore's Convocation Of... Though this stuff is not much like that band's proggy post-punk, that's presumably why he landed on the same record label as that band. Also maybe 'cause he's performed with Will Oldham and Cat Power, and done a split 7" with Papa M... Anyway, Entrance could be better compared to Guy's friend and touring partner, the wonderful Devendra Banhart (you've all got his album, we know!). Playing solo with just an acoustic guitar and his voice, and maybe a tambourine or somesuch, Guy sounds a bit like Syd Barrett and looks a bit like Marc Bolan. As he proved here not long ago when he played an instore with Devendra, Guy can project his music quite well with no help from amplifiers or microphones! This disc is much in the same spirit as that instore. Rambling lovely string tangle, dramatic late-night laments, violent strumming, and vocal outpourings building on the folk-rock vibes of mystic fellows of decades past. The disc features mostly originals (apparently never played the same way twice, thanks to Entrance's loose, in-the-moment aesthetic and reliance on enthusiasm rather than training technique-wise) but also some suitable covers by blues/folk forebears Skip James ("I'm So Glad") and Bob Dylan ("Tommy Thumb's Summertime Blues"). Basically, Entrance is somewhere between the eccentric folk troubadour vibe of pal Devendra Banhart and the more aggro attitude of the White Stripes' damaged, stomping garage rock n' roll... if you can imagine them in the person of one fuzzy haired guy with an acoustic guitar, which is a stretch. At any rate both are historically minded and inspired, if you know what I mean, making for some timeless music that's immediately understandable.
RealAudio clip: "Valium Blues"
RealAudio clip: "The Night Was Dark"

ENVELOPES Demon (Brille) cd 9.98
Envelopes are a Swedish band who take a stab at quirky indie-pop. Much like fellow indie popsters Architecture In Helsinki, they mix and match styles and incorporate all sorts of different influences. We hear some Young Marble Giants, Mates of State, The Pastels, etc. Sometimes they seem to have trouble rising above their influences but there are moments where their own endearing spirit really seems to shine. It will be interesting to see how this group evolves. And for those with a sweet tooth for quirky sugary pop you might wanna give this a listen.
MPEG Stream: "Audrey In The Country"

ENVY Insomniac Doze (Temporary Residence) cd 14.98
Apparently the trend of post rock and metal cross pollination is not exclusive to North America. Enter Japanese band Envy with their latest album titled Insomniac Doze just released on Temporary Residence. It's sort of a shift in direction for this veteran hardcore band not to mention something of an incongruous, abrasive presence among the label's soundscapers and more traditional post-rockers. As we've witnessed before Japanese bands have a tendency of one-bettering the Westerners' execution of any given musical style. Nay, they frequently blow the top off of a particular genre's conventions. Delivering solid muscular grit instead of flash and incorporating newfound depth and detail, Envy do the deed in a much more controlled yet no less concentrated fashion than many of their wildly untethered Japanese brethren.
MPEG Stream: "Further Ahead Of Warp"
MPEG Stream: "Shield Of Selflessness"

ENVY Insomniac Doze (Temporary Residence) lp 15.98
Also on vinyl!
Apparently the trend of post rock and metal cross pollination is not exclusive to North America. Enter Japanese band Envy with their latest album titled Insomniac Doze just released on Temporary Residence. it's sort of a shift in direction for this veteran hardcore band not to mention something of an incongruous, abrasive presence among the label's soundscapers and more traditional post-rockers. As we've witnessed before Japanese bands have a tendency of one-bettering the Westerners' execution of any given musical style. Nay, they frequently blow the top off of a particular genre's conventions. Delivering solid muscular grit instead of flash and encorporating newfound depth and detail, Envy do the deed in a much more controlled yet no less concentrated fashion than many of their wildly untethered Japanese brethren.
MPEG Stream: "Further Ahead Of Warp"
MPEG Stream: "Shield Of Selflessness"

ENVY / JESU s/t (Conspiracy) lp 15.98
Finally available on vinyl!!
We've long been fans of Japanese rockers Envy, since they were furious hardcore thrashers, but over the last few records, they have been going through a pretty serious transformation, trading in much of their fury and aggression for deep introspection, their punk rock for post rock, and it definitely suits them. This latest ep, a split with the mighty Jesu, finds the band taking their sound even farther out, almost as if the songs were written specifically for Jesu. The first track is the perfect example, we actually weren't paying attention, and almost assumed it was in fact a Jesu track, the spoken Japanese vocals being the only giveaway. Beginning as a slow drift, the drums programmed, a nervous electronic skitter, before the band explode into some sort of droneblissdirge, distorted guitars, a thick wall of sound, laced with dreamy melancholy strings, Jesu fans who have been hankering for something else similar to get into might have just found their match!
The second song starts out all moody and meandering and post rocky, spidery guitar melodies, simple jangle, a bit maudlin and melancholy, the vocals breathless and buried, all very Slinty, a little Mogwai, well, actually a lot of Mogwai, some Explosions In The Sky, until with about a minute left the band explode in a frenzy of heaviness, a nearly hardcore blow out, but strangely, still cozied up to the drifty dreaminess of the first half of the song, like someone snuck in and added strings to some Converge jam, the results are truly unique and pretty kick ass.
The third song is almost the biggest surprise of the bunch, a big crunchy guitar super catchy indie rock jam. The only thing keeping it from being all over the credits of every teen movie is the growling monstrous barking vocals, but beyond that, the song is glistening and soaring, hooky with a total old school pop punk chorus, albeit dowsed in crunch distorted guitars. A bit schizophrenic perhaps, but has us dying to hear the next Envy full length. Lookout Explosions, these guys are definitely about to steal your post rock thunder, and in the process get it all tangled up with some indie rock and dronemetal to boot!
Jesu fans are a pretty loyal bunch, so most of you don't even need to know what this sounds like, and probably could care less about the band sharing this split, but what the heck, for those of you who are interested or are new to the slowly expanding Jesu universe, these two tracks, are a bit of a departure, but enough like 'classic' Jesu to hit the spot. The first track begins with a skittery lo-fi breakbeat, super old school, takes a few minutes but eventually crumbling distorted guitars tumble into the picture, and soaring fuzzy dirgepop melodies, the vocals breathy and eighties, a lot New Order, and barring the super obtuse song structure, this first track wouldn't sound at all out of place on the most recent M83 record. Very new wave-y, dreamy and melancholy, but with some definitely strange sonic shit going on, soaring high end streaks, the rhythms getting all chopped up and stuttery, some pulsing buzzing synths. It's not until halfway through that the guitars kick in, and they don't soar majestically, instead they're sort of simple and repetitive, and they're soon pushed to the background by the various other sounds, layer after layer of warm fuzzy swirls, until the end, when the drums drop out and the guitar unfurls lazily in a sea of static and crumbling sonic grit, a warm sun baked lo-fi fade out. Cool stuff. Definitely not the same old Jesu which is precisely what keeps it interesting, and makes every record a bit of a surprise.
The second track, and the record closer, begins with deep synthy bass, and glistening sonic twinkles, another slowed down stripped down breakbeat, skittering along beneath drone-y synthesizers, and softly effected vocals, once again channeling classic eighties dream pop. Until once again the track explodes into a murky blow out, the drums now a furious blast, the guitars woozy and super distorted, almost like Jesu speed metal, but never losing it's prismatic dreamlike bliss.
Great stuff from both bands. And while we're dying for more Envy, the more Jesu's sound slips ever closer to the eighties, the more we want the next split to be with sonic brethren M83. Or heck, at the very least Jesu should cover some New Order or Smiths...
MPEG Stream: ENVY "Conclusion Of Existence"
MPEG Stream: JESU "Hard To Reach"

ENVY / JESU split (Daymare) cd 21.00
We've long been fans of Japanese rockers Envy, since they were furious hardcore thrashers, but over the last few records, they have been going through a pretty serious transformation, trading in much of their fury and aggression for deep introspection, their punk rock for post rock, and it definitely suits them. This latest ep, a split with the mighty Jesu, finds the band taking their sound even farther out, almost as if the songs were written specifically for Jesu. The first track is the perfect example, we actually weren't paying attention, and almost assumed it was in fact a Jesu track, the spoken Japanese vocals being the only giveaway. Beginning as a slow drift, the drums programmed, a nervous electronic skitter, before the band explode into some sort of droneblissdirge, distorted guitars, a thick wall of sound, laced with dreamy melancholy strings, Jesu fans who have been hankering for something else similar to get into might have just found their match!
The second song starts out all moody and meandering and post rocky, spidery guitar melodies, simple jangle, a bit maudlin and melancholy, the vocals breathless and buried, all very Slinty, a little Mogwai, well, actually a lot of Mogwai, some Explosions In The Sky, until with about a minute left the band explode in a frenzy of heaviness, a nearly hardcore blow out, but strangely, still cozied up to the drifty dreaminess of the first half of the song, like someone snuck in and added strings to some Converge jam, the results are truly unique and pretty kick ass.
The third song is almost the biggest surprise of the bunch, a big crunchy guitar super catchy indie rock jam. The only thing keeping it from being all over the credits of every teen movie is the growling monstrous barking vocals, but beyond that, the song is glistening and soaring, hooky with a total old school pop punk chorus, albeit dowsed in crunch distorted guitars. A bit schizophrenic perhaps, but has us dying to hear the next Envy full length. Lookout Explosions, these guys are definitely about to steal your post rock thunder, and in the process get it all tangled up with some indie rock and dronemetal to boot!
Jesu fans are a pretty loyal bunch, so most of you don't even need to know what this sounds like, and probably could care less about the band sharing this split, but what the heck, for those of you who are interested or are new to the slowly expanding Jesu universe, these two tracks, are a bit of a departure, but enough like 'classic' Jesu to hit the spot. The first track begins with a skittery lo-fi breakbeat, super old school, takes a few minutes but eventually crumbling distorted guitars tumble into the picture, and soaring fuzzy dirgepop melodies, the vocals breathy and eighties, a lot New Order, and barring the super obtuse song structure, this first track wouldn't sound at all out of place on the most recent M83 record. Very new wave-y, dreamy and melancholy, but with some definitely strange sonic shit going on, soaring high end streaks, the rhythms getting all chopped up and stuttery, some pulsing buzzing synths. It's not until halfway through that the guitars kick in, and they don't soar majestically, instead they're sort of simple and repetitive, and they're soon pushed to the background by the various other sounds, layer after layer of warm fuzzy swirls, until the end, when the drums drop out and the guitar unfurls lazily in a sea of static and crumbling sonic grit, a warm sun baked lo-fi fade out. Cool stuff. Definitely not the same old Jesu which is precisely what keeps it interesting, and makes every record a bit of a surprise.
The second track, and the record closer, begins with deep synthy bass, and glistening sonic twinkles, another slowed down stripped down breakbeat, skittering along beneath drone-y synthesizers, and softly effected vocals, once again channeling classic eighties dream pop. Until once again the track explodes into a murky blow out, the drums now a furious blast, the guitars woozy and super distorted, almost like Jesu speed metal, but never losing it's prismatic dreamlike bliss.
Great stuff from both bands. And while we're dying for more Envy, the more Jesu's sound slips ever closer to the eighties, the more we want the next split to be with sonic brethren M83. Or heck, at the very least Jesu should cover some New Order or Smiths...
MPEG Stream: ENVY "Conclusion Of Existence"
MPEG Stream: JESU "Hard To Reach"

EPILEPTICS & FLUX OF PINK INDIANS Fits and Starts (Doctor Strange) cd 14.98

EPOXIES (We're All) Synthesized / Clones (We're All) (Dirt Nap) 7" 4.50
Continuing their campaign to recreate the hi-energy fun of the '80s, The Epoxies follow their energetic self-titled album with this equally feisty single. Two songs to keep the party goin' a little while longer: one original and one suitably likeminded cover of Alice Cooper's ultra catchy, yet considerably darker lyric-wise "Clones". Uncomplicated, short and to the point, Roxy Epoxy sings her heart out over a slew of straight-ahead, snappy keyboards and punchy pop guitars.

EPOXIES s/t (Dirtnap) cd 12.98
If you've still got a lil' soft spot in your heart for the energetic, bubblegum-snappin' new wave sparkplugs like Josie Cotton or Kim Wilde, you don't wanna miss the Epoxies from Portland, OR. They are a bazooka blast of '80s good times. Brightly hued, skinny-tied, stripe-y legged, duct-tape accessorized and kooky pseudonymed. So very John Hughes teen movie soundtrack perfect, you can almost imagine them rockin' out a version of Karla DeVito's Breakfast Club hit "We Are Not Alone". No, they're not bringing anything new to the table, but they certainly write ultra-catchy, snappy tunes. Super earnest, enthusiastic and a bit geeky, it's as if a time machine plucked them right out of '85. Full of punchy-crunchy guitar, squidgy-weeny keyboards and sorta-yodelled oh-eee-oh-eee-oh backing vocals. Lead singer Roxy Epoxy possesses such the perfect pipes to capture the poppy, punky spirit - running from Dale Bozzio's hiccup-squeak to Ms Wilde's more throaty delivery - that we can forgive the somewhat off-kilter boy vocals of keyboardist Fritz M. Static. Heck, if the Muffs hadn't already beat them to it, they'd probably do a bang-up job covering "Kids In America". C'mon, can't ya feel that ol' herky jerk pogo dance a-twitchin' in your bones? Don't deny it. Join me on this one!
RealAudio clip: "Need More Time"
RealAudio clip: "Please Please"

EPOXIES Stop The Future (Fat Wreck Chords) cd 13.98
Yup, the '80s have been 'back' for a while, haven't they? Each day an old new wave-y trend rears its head, but you might question if some of 'em should've been left alone and undisturbed. While many elements of the Epoxies' aesthetic might fall in that category -- theirs is an almost cartoonish rendering of '80s schtick, decked out in plastic sci-fi goggles, duct tape, blinding neon hues, quirky pseudonyms (Shock Diode, Ray Cathode, FM Static and Doctor Grip... ahh, there was always, inexplicably a token doctor in '80s band lineups, wasn't there? but he was always the keyboard player... this guy's the drummer! wtf?) and a key-tar (y'know the keyboard that you wear like a guitar) -- it's hard to resist their sincere, high spirited, retro-futuristic romp... and why should you anyways?! Their effervescent self-titled debut a couple of years ago kept spirits high around these parts for quite a while. Very inspired by the likes of Blondie, Kim Wilde, Josie Cotton. Now, it might be just our imagination but it sounds as though the band have 'Fat'tened (haha!) and punked up their sound even more for their debut on Fat Wreck Chords. Fat Mike even produced it! So they're not as alien a presence among the rest of that label's roster as we'd anticipated, and actually pulls them more in line with the likes of the Muffs. Stop The Future oozes with suburban-teens-hangin'-out-at-the-mall nostalgia. With lead singer Roxy singing about radiation, TV sets, living on video, and dreaming of microwaves, it's ripe for a new John Hughes movie soundtrack. One thing that's particularly noticeable is that she's singing in a broader range, taking a deeper tone on a few songs, providing a darker counterpart to the boys' still peppy as fuck backing vocals, crunchy guitar, bass, bubblegum synths and drums. Gotta give 'em props too for covering the Scorpions' cool tune "Robot Man" so thoroughly that Roxy even sings the word "vision" as Klaus Meine does... "wishun"! Yay! The album's final song takes a turn into an unexpected different but no less '80s-y zone -- very Erasure style synth pop! We'll leave it up to you to decide if that's a good or bad thing. They're certainly a band you've gotta see live to experience their totally rad fun energy, but this album does come very close. A great summer album!
MPEG Stream: "Robot Man"
MPEG Stream: "Toys"

ERASE ERRATA Alphabet Series U (Tomlab) 7" 6.98
Hot on the heels of the great new Jenny Hoyston record that we're in love with comes a little 7" from her main act, Erase Errata. We're so happy that Tomlab is on a mission to save the seven inch, as it will always be one of our favorite music listenin' formats. Nothing better then a little slab o wax from one of your favorite bands. Erase Errata are in top form here as we know they love 45's as much as we do, so they wouldn't dare just put some throwaway tracks on one. These two exclusive tracks explode with the passion and late night urgency that have become trademarks of their sound. Tapping into the early spirit of P.I.L in a way that sounds so fresh and gripping. Songs that you will want to listen to over and over and no better way to do that then by laying down the needle to the wax again and again. Seven inch perfection!

ERASE ERRATA At Crystal Palace (Troubleman Unlimited) cd 12.98
We sung the praises of Erase Errata's previous album Other Animals 'cause of their jagged guitar attacks and high-strung, bratty vocals fronting no-wave / post-punk / post-disco grooves, and those of you who wanted more more more will be thrilled with their sophomore effort At Crystal Palace. It's not a whole lot different than the debut, and this isn't going to be a problem for the majority of EE's fans who will enjoy hearing the same piercing guitar riffs, elliptical basslines, and ass-shaking rhythms over and over again. Perhaps the vocals are less paranoiac and the overall intensity of the album is toned down just a enough to be noticable. Yet the differences are slight. For those hoping Erase Errata would take off on a new tangent, well, maybe next time. Hopefully, unlike their historical precedents -- bands like Pere Ubu, The Slits, and The Pop Group (all of which hold incredible influence over Erase Errata) -- who eventually devolved into lame imitations of themselves, Erase Errata when they decide to do something new, will really surprise us. But as second records go, At Crystal Palace is pretty great.
MPEG Stream: "Let's Be Active"
MPEG Stream: "Ca. Viewing"

ERASE ERRATA At Crystal Palace (Troubleman Unlimited) lp 12.98
We sung the praises of Erase Errata's previous album Other Animals 'cause of their jagged guitar attacks and high-strung, bratty vocals fronting no-wave / post-punk / post-disco grooves, and those of you who wanted more more more will be thrilled with their sophomore effort At Crystal Palace. It's not a whole lot different than the debut, and this isn't going to be a problem for the majority of EE's fans who will enjoy hearing the same piercing guitar riffs, elliptical basslines, and ass-shaking rhythms over and over again. Perhaps the vocals are less paranoiac and the overall intensity of the album is toned down just a enough to be noticable. Yet the differences are slight. For those hoping Erase Errata would take off on a new tangent, well, maybe next time. Hopefully, unlike their historical precedents -- bands like Pere Ubu, The Slits, and The Pop Group (all of which hold incredible influence over Erase Errata) -- who eventually devolved into lame imitations of themselves, Erase Errata when they decide to do something new, will really surprise us. But as second records go, At Crystal Palace is pretty great.

ERASE ERRATA Dancing Machine: Erase Errata Remix Record (Troubleman Unlimited) cd ep 12.98
As Erase Errata is another awesome Bay Area band whose tight, jagged sound defies you not to shake your bee-hind, what we said about the Numbers remix album a few lists back also applies--(Erase Errata), all by themselves, have a firm handle on taking the tools of punk rock and using them as instruments of total dancefloor destruction, making them prime candidates for re-interpretions of their songs that highlight, rather than obliterate, their inherent status as dance tunes-- although it ends up that most of the songs on this disc were actually more danceable *before* being put through the remix grinder. Coming in at opposite ends of the "dance" remix spectrum on this release are Adult and Kevin Blechdom. Adult's fairly subtle remix is the track most deserving the title "Dancing Machine," taking Erase Errata's angular, funky bassline and urgent vocals and coating the whole thing in a crisp synth veneer. Robotic boogie mania ensues. The Blechdom track, on the other hand, is a backwards tape scrubbin' hyper sped-up electronic noise fest, with out-of-control video game bursts, soprano ooh-ing, and a snippet of the song in its original form alluded to in the mix here and there, all topped off with some nice country fiddle (crossed over from Wobbly et al's Wide Open Spaces?). Thoroughly deconstructed and rearranged according to her unique sonic worldview, Blechdom makes the Erase Errata material entirely her own. "Dancing Machine" also includes mixes by Matmos and Kid 606.
MPEG Stream: "Marathon (Adult Remix)"
MPEG Stream: "Rat Race (Kevin Blechdom Remix)"