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Welcome to the Exploding Garrmondo Weiner Interactive Swiss Army Penis. |
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Comus - First Utterance
Year: 1971 Label: Dawn Genre: PsychFolk Comus' first album contains an imaginative if elusive brand of experimental folk-rock, with a tense and sometimes distressed vibe. Although there are elements of traditional British folk music, there's an edginess to the songwriting and arrangements that would be entirely alien in a Fairport Convention or Pentangle disc. At times, this straddles the border between folk-rock and the kind of songs you'd expect to be sung at a witches' brew fest, the haunting supernatural atmosphere enhanced by bursts of what sound like a theramin-like violin, hand drums, flute, oboe, ghostly female backup vocals, and detours into almost tribal rhythms. All of this might be making the album sound more attractive than it is; the songs are extremely elongated and fragmented, and the male vocals often have a grating munchkin-like quality, sometimes sounding like a wizened Marc Bolan. The lyrics are impenetrable musings, mixing pastoral scenes of nature with images of gore, torture, madness, and even rape, like particularly disturbing myths being set to music. 1. Diana 2. The Herald 3. Drip Drip 4. Song To Comus 5. The Bite 6. Bitten 7. The Prisoner Get It Von Südenfed - Tromatic Reflexxions Year: 2007 Label: Domino Genre: An old Cockney man shouts angrily over Manchester IDM Mouse on Mars and Mark E. Smith enjoyed working together on the 12" version of "Wipe That Sound" so much that they decided to give their collaboration its own full-fledged identity, Von Südenfed (a witty mash-up of Germany's süden -- that is, southern -- region and the decongestant Sudafed). Though much has been made of how strange this pairing of artists is, it's really not that unpredictable: Smith, Andi Toma, and Jan St. Werner all like to defy expectations. More to the point, Smith has made a career of breaking and re-forming language in his own image, and in much the same way, Toma and St. Werner keep reconfiguring their music. Besides, getting hung up on the "quirkiness" of Von Südenfed's origins overlooks just how enjoyable Tromatic Reflexxions really is. It's clear that the trio shares a playful, fruitful creative spark -- even "That Sound Wiped," which uses leftover pieces from the initial "Wipe That Sound" collaboration, barely resembles its source materials. Sonically speaking, Tromatic Reflexxions is aggressively accessible, combining the tussling beats and splattered synths of Varcharz with the poppy, structured approach of Radical Connector, as well as elements of electro, dub, shortwave, hip-hop, and much more. The album leads off with three of its strongest tracks: "Fledermaus Can't Get Enough"'s irascible beats and vocals sound like LCD Soundsystem's "Losing My Edge" went over the edge, while "The Rhinohead" brandishes a stomping beat and some of Smith's most melodic vocals in a long time. "Flooded," which is based on a dream St. Werner had of showing up to a gig only to find another DJ there, is a surreal, subterreanean dancefloor emergency, complete with synths that sound like sirens and sonar-like echoes on Smith's vocals. Speaking of Smith, he is as cerebral and caustic as ever; when you can make out what he's ranting about, it usually sounds like an internal conversation or argument, as on "Family Feud," a domestic dispute with Smith voicing all the relatives. "Speech Contamination/German Fear of Osterreich" blurs his versions of English and German together into a third, irresistibly rhythmic tongue. With tracks like "The Young the Faceless and the Codes," you can listen closely for the cheeky wordplay, or just appreciate how perfectly Smith fits into the mix, as on "Serious Brainskin." Tromatic Reflexxions leaves some of its most surprising songs for last, like the cranky, acoustic driven hoe-down "Chicken Yiamas" or the lilting, Afro-pop-tinged "Dearest Friends," which closes out the album. Brimming with gleeful collisions of sounds and words and puzzles you can dance to, this is an immensely fun working holiday. 1. Fledermaus Can't Get It 2. The Rhinohead 3. Flooded 4. Family Feud 5. Serious Brainskin 6. Speech Contamination/ German Fear Of Osterre 7. The Young The Faceless And The Codes 8. Duckrog 9. Chicken Yiamas 10. That Sound Wiped 11. Jback Lois Lane 12. Dear Dead Friends Get It The Book Of Knots - Traineater Year: 2007 Label: ANTI- Genre: Experimental Rock On Anti- for their second album, Traineater, the avant-rock collective Book of Knots gets even wilder and more ambitious than they were on their uncompromising self-titled debut. Where The Book of Knots was inspired by the seaside towns in which members Joel Hamilton and Matthias Bossi grew up, Traineater explores the corroded chassis of the American rust belt, possibly because Tony Maimone of Pere Ubu (the definitive Midwestern experimental punk band) is also a member. Traineater's portrait of the rust belt is not at all sentimental; instead, it crafts a landscape of hulking metal skeletons, buildings that are purely functional, and humble, largely hidden tools of industry and transport. This time the group's sound is more eclectic, welding together elements of free jazz, noise, metal, and Americana to complete their vignettes, and the cast of collaborators is just as wide-ranging. Some blend into Traineater's sonics seamlessly: Zeena Parkins' electric harp adds a subtle, prickly intensity to several songs, while Doug Henderson's aural manipulation piece "Walker Percy Evans High School" ties into the more abstract feel of the interlude by the Book of Knots' core members, "Hands of Production." Other collaborators are unmistakable: Carla Bozlulich's unmistakable rasp holds its own among the caustic noise/metal/jazz of "View of the Water Tower," which opens Traineater with one of the album's most overtly challenging moments. Likewise, the rusted industrial spiritual "Pray" is indelibly a Tom Waits track -- gruff vocals, junkyard percussion, and all -- and David Thomas' creaky voice makes the spooky fable "Red Apple Boy" even spookier. Even more so than The Book of Knots, Traineater is highly theatrical. Jon Langford, who contributed the brilliant "Back on Dry Land" to the Book of Knots' debut, takes the lead on "Boomtown," a much more elaborate and conceptual piece. Mike Watt's largely spoken word "Pedro to Cleveland" and Rick Moody's "Hewitt-Smithson," a spiraling study of self-loathing in a glass-making plant, also make Traineater feel as much like performance art as an album. Many of the album's most musical songs feature core BOK member Carla Kihlstedt at the helm. "Traineater" itself is a standout: an elegy for a furnace on its final train ride, Kihlstedt's empathetic vocals make it subtly, hypnotically beautiful. She lets it rip on "Salina," a plea for escape driven by her keening singing and violin. Though Traineater's second half isn't quite as strong as its first, the album is powerful, telling stories of strength and despair against a rusted backdrop. Like Skeleton Key, Tin Hat Trio, Pere Ubu, and the other projects the Book of Knots' members are involved with, this album is equal measures challenging and listenable, and entirely fascinating. 1. View From The Watertower 2. Hands Of Production 3. Traineater 4. Pray 5. Pedro To Cleveland 6. Red Apple Boy 7. Where'd Mom Go? 8. The Ballad Of John Henry 9. Midnight 10. Boomtown 11. Salina 12. Third Generation Pink Slip 13. Hewitt-Smithson 14. Walker Percy Evans High School Get It Doug & The Slugs - Cognac and Bolagna/Wrap It! Year: 1982 Label: Ritdong Genre: Extremely well written and witty pop music I had several of the Slugs' albums on vinyl back in a previous century, but I lost track of them for many years and only rediscovered them on CD a year or so before Doug Bennett's untimely death. I was delighted with how well this music had aged, if anything I appreciated the mix between energetic pop songs and more thoughtful numbers with insightful and often bittersweet lyrics more than ever. And it's hard not to like a band that sounds as if the members are having fun, it's a refreshing contrast with the brooding self-pity that so many rock musicians indulge in. Like some other Canadian Bands (Rough Trade or The Tragically Hip come to mind) the Slugs deserved more commercial success than they achieved, the name of the band probably didn't help much there, and maybe they were laughing too much for the music industry to take them seriously. But if you haven't heard this music then this collection is the best place to start, some of their later recordings maybe are not up to this standard, but Cognac and Bologna in particular is outstanding with razor-sharp songwriting that will have you hitting "repeat" to savor to savor the lyrics over and over again. 1. To Be Laughing 2. Just Another Case 3. Soldier Of Fortune 4. Too Bad 5. Advice To A Friend 6. Stay With Me 7. Chinatown Calculation 8. Thunder Makes The Noise 9. Drifting Away 10. If I Fall 11. Tropical Rainstorm 12. Dangerous? 13. Real Enough 14. Not On The Corner 15. Wrong Kind Of Right 16. Partly From Pressure 17. Alibi 18. Infrared 19. Forget About Me 20. Frankie 21. (Just A Little Bit) Embarrassed 22. River Get It Jam it back in, in the dark. |
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Bluejeans & Moonbeams
Year: 1974 Label: Blue Plate Genre: Blues-Rock A lot of people judge this record against the Captain's other material, which really isn't fair at all, because that always leads to bad reviews for this simply because it's not off the wall and shit-crazy. The truth, though, is that it's really a great, laid back record that always gets overlooked in Beefheart's catalog. If you've tried listening to Beefheart before and couldn't handle the strangeness, you'll probably really enjoy this record anyway. Tracks: 1. Party Of Special Things To Do 2. Same Old Blues 3. Observatory Crest 4. Pompadour Swamp 5. Captain's Holiday 6. Rock 'N Roll's Evil Doll 7. Further Than We've Gone 8. Twist Ah Luck 9. Bluejeans & Moonbeams Get It Corrosion Of Conformity - In The Arms Of God... Year: 2005 Label: Sanctuary Genre: Metal Prior to Corrosion of Conformity's 2005 release, In the Arms of God, many fans wondered if the group was over. After all, it had been a long time since the band had issued a studio set (2000's America's Volume Dealer). During this extended break, singer/guitarist Pepper Keenan did double duty in Down (2002's Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow), and of course, had a much publicized tryout for the vacated bass position in Metallica (as seen in the indulgent Some Kind of Monster docu-film). But now COC is ready to roar once more, and the group does so on their eighth studio album overall. Joining Keenan once more are other mainstays Woody Weatherman (guitar) and Mike Dean (bass), as well as a big surprise on drums -- Galactic timekeeper Stanton Moore. To prime themselves for the sessions, the group immersed themselves in old hardcore and metal albums they hadn't listened to in years, and the approach worked, as In the Arms of God is a straight-ahead and raw set. The beginning of the album opener "Stone Breakers" closely resembles a Tony Iommi-led Sabbath jam, while such other ragers as "Paranoid Opioid" and "Never Turns to More" are classic COC. The intro on the first track alone makes it one of my favorite records. Tracks: 1. Stone Breaker 2. Paranoid Opioid 3. It Is That Way 4. Dirty Hands Empty Pockets/(Already Gone) 5. Rise River Rise 6. Never Turns To More 7. Infinite War 8. So Much Left Behind 9. The Backslider 10. World On Fire 11. Crown Of Thorns 12. In The Arms Of God Get It Greg Brown - One Night Year: 1982 Label: Red House Records Genre: Folk Actually, two nights in October 1982, a time when Greg Brown was a dark horse still building a following and discovering his lyrical genius. In those lean years, Brown worked as a regular on Prarie Home Companion and gigged at coffeehouses more accustomed to hosting open mics than one of the finest singer/songwriters of the time. This long-out-of-print recording provides a window into a lovely, intimate solo show that's full of Brown's folksy wit and touching, previously unavailable ballads. "Banjo Moon" and "Ships" combine sly humor and melancholy, but the satirical set pieces are the most prescient and charming. In "Dream On," Brown raps, "We're not going to drop a bunch of bombs on everybody, blow up the whole world over some little political difficulty or border dispute / Dream on, little dreamers." On "Waiting" he offers a friendly parody of Tom Waits pilfering lines from a wino. Perhaps even more than 1995's The Live One, One Night provides perspective on just what distinguishes Brown from his contemporaries. Even at this early stage, his pacing and delivery are deft, his voice is flexible and visceral, and his songs are keen, openhearted marvels. Tracks: 1. Dream On 2. Canned Goods 3. Every Street In Town 4. Flat Stuff 5. Introduction To "Downtown" 6. Downtown 7. Heart Of My Country 8. Butane Lighter Blues 9. Banjo Moon 10. Waiting 11. Ships 12. You Don't Really Get Me 13. Introduction To "On Records ..." 14. On Records, The Sound Just Fades Away 15. Love Is A Chain 16. Ella Mae 17. All The Little Places Around The Town 18. Never Shine Sun Get It John Coltrane - My Favorite Things Year: 1960 Label: Atlantic Genre: Jazz Although seemingly impossible to comprehend, this landmark jazz recording was made in less than three days. All the more remarkable is that the same sessions which yielded My Favorite Things would also inform a majority of the albums Coltrane Plays the Blues, Coltrane's Sound, and Coltrane Legacy. It is easy to understand the appeal that these sides continue to hold. The unforced, practically casual soloing styles of the assembled quartet -- which includes Coltrane (soprano/tenor sax), McCoy Tyner (piano), Steve Davis (bass), and Elvin Jones (drums) -- allow for tastefully executed passages à la the Miles Davis Quintet, a trait Coltrane no doubt honed during his tenure in that band. Each track of this album is a joy to revisit. The ultimate listenability may reside in this quartet's capacity to not be overwhelmed by the soloist. Likewise, they are able to push the grooves along surreptitiously and unfettered. For instance, the support that the trio -- most notably Tyner -- gives to Coltrane on the title track winds the melody in and around itself. However, instead of becoming entangled and directionless, these musical sidebars simultaneously define the direction the song is taking. As a soloist, the definitive soprano sax runs during the Cole Porter standard "Everytime We Say Goodbye" and tenor solos on "But Not for Me" easily establish Coltrane as a pioneer of both instruments. It's not often that you can say Julie Andrews butchered something beautiful, but such is the case. Tracks: 1. My Favorite Things 2. Everytime We Say Goodbye 3. Summertime 4. But Not For Me Get It Sparks - Kimono My House Year: 1974 Label: Island Genre: pop music Arguably one of Sparks' best albums, 1974's Kimono My House finds the brothers Mael (Ron wrote most the songs and played keyboards, while Russell was the singing frontman) ingeniously playing their guitar- and keyboard-heavy pop mix on 12 consistently fine tracks. Adding a touch of bubblegum, and even some of Zappa's own song-centric experimentalism to the menu, the Maels spruce up a sleazy Sunset Strip with a bevy of Broadway-worthy performances here: as the band expertly revs up the glam rock-meets-Andrew Lloyd Webber backdrops, Russell sends things into space with his operatic vocals and ever-clever lyrics. And besides two of their breakthrough hits (the English chart-toppers "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us" and "Amateur Hour"), the album features one of their often-overlooked stunners, "Here in Heaven." Essential. Tracks: 1. This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us 2. Amateur Hour 3. Falling In Love With Myself Again 4. Here In Heaven 5. Thank God It's Not Christmas 6. Hasta Manana, Monsieur 7. Talent Is An Asset 8. Complaints 9. In My Family 10. Equator 11. Barbecutie 12. Lost And Found Get It There's nowhere I can't reach. |
For Ence, finally.
Miriam Makeba - Pata Pata Year: 1967 Label: Sonodisc Genre: African pop music Spoiler:
Tracks: 1. Pata Pata 2. Ha Po Zamani 3. What Is Love 4. Maria Fulo 5. Yetentu Tizaleny 6. Click Song Number 1 7. Ring Bell, Ring Bell 8. Jol'inkomo 9. West Wind 10. Saduva 11. A Piece Of Ground 12. Malayisha Get It This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it. |
It's been quite some time since I've uploaded any music. Here I am again, though.
Moondog - Moondog Year: 1969 Label: Columbia Genre: Modern Classical Spoiler:
Tracks: 1. Theme 2. Stamping Ground 3. Symphonique No. 3 (Ode to Venus) 4. Symphonique No. 6 (Good for Goodie) 5. Cuplet 6. Minisym No. 1 7. Lament, No. 1 8. Witch of Endor 9. Symphonique No. 1 (Portrait of a Monarch) Get It Ken Vandermark and Tim Daisy - August Music Year: 2007 Label: self-released, no label Genre: Jazz You know this is serious stuff because I never write my own reviews. This is the best new jazz record I've heard in quite some time. The whole record is duets featuring percussionist Tim Daisy and tenor saxophonist Ken Vandermark, recorded live. I uploaded an album in the last thread by Vandermark's group the Vandermark 5 in the last MEC thread, which seemed to get a good response. Anyway, Ken Vandermark gets an amazing tone out of his instruments (he plays most woodwinds), and the combination his playing and Daisy's intricate rhythms are absolutely spectacular. If you like jazz at all, you need to get into Ken Vandermark in a big way. Tracks: 1. Study for Mural 2. Half the Population 3. Hover 4. Red Box 5. Boiled and Fumed 6. 2000 Hours Get It Eric B. & Rakim - Paid In Full Year: 1987 Label: 4th And Broadway Genre: Rap One of the most influential rap albums of all time, Eric B. & Rakim's Paid in Full only continues to grow in stature as the record that ushered in hip-hop's modern era. The stripped-down production might seem a little bare to modern ears, but Rakim's technique on the mic still sounds utterly contemporary, even state-of-the-art -- and that from a record released in 1987, just one year after Run-D.M.C. hit the mainstream. Rakim basically invents modern lyrical technique over the course of Paid in Full, with his complex internal rhymes, literate imagery, velvet-smooth flow, and unpredictable, off-the-beat rhythms. The key cuts here are some of the most legendary rap singles ever released, starting with the duo's debut sides, "Eric B. Is President" and "My Melody." "I Know You Got Soul" single-handedly kicked off hip-hop's infatuation with James Brown samples, and Eric B. & Rakim topped it with the similarly inclined "I Ain't No Joke," a stunning display of lyrical virtuosity. The title cut, meanwhile, planted the seeds of hip-hop's material obsessions over a monumental beat. There are also three DJ showcases for Eric B., who like Rakim was among the technical leaders in his field. If sampling is the sincerest form of admiration in hip-hop, Paid in Full is positively worshipped. Just to name a few: Rakim's tossed-off "pump up the volume," from "I Know You Got Soul," became the basis for M/A/R/R/S' groundbreaking dance track; Eminem, a devoted Rakim student, lifted lines from "As the Rhyme Goes On" for the chorus of his own "The Way I Am"; and the percussion track of "Paid in Full" has been sampled so many times it's almost impossible to believe it had a point of origin. Paid in Full is essential listening for anyone even remotely interested in the basic musical foundations of hip-hop -- this is the form in its purest essence. Tracks: 1. I Ain't No Joke 2. Eric B. Is on the Cut 3. My Melody - Eric B. & Rakim, Rakim 4. I Know You Got Soul 5. Move the Crowd 6. Paid in Full 7. As the Rhyme Goes On 8. Chinese Arithmetic 9. Eric B. Is President 10. Extended Beat 11. As the Rhyme Goes On [Radio Mix] 12. Paid in Full [Mini Madness- The Coldcut Remix] Get It Charles Gayle - Repent Year: 1992 Label: Knitting Factory Genre: Jazz There is absolutely no one playing tenor (or any other saxophone) coming close to making the kind of music created by Charles Gayle. While it's reminiscent of Albert Ayler's energetic, twisting 1960s free dates, Gayle's saxophone acrobatics and stamina are astonishing. This two-song CD was recorded live and features one number that runs 23 minutes; it's the short tune. "Jesus Christ and Scripture," the second piece, proceeds for over 50 minutes, much of that featuring Gayle's honks, bleats, turnarounds, moans, and anguished cries on tenor. After listening closely to this disc, its lack of repetition and gimmickry is commendable. It's certainly not for all (or even most tastes), but those who listen fairly and intently to Charles Gayle will be rewarded. 1. Repent 2. Jesus Christ And Scripture Get It C.O.B. - Moyshe McStiff And The Tartan Lancers Of The Sacred Heart Year: 1972 Label: Polydor Genre: British Folk C.O.B.'s second album was, like its first, a mighty rare and little-heard item, though its rep has risen slightly since then due to its reissue on CD (though that itself is hard to find). It's not much different than the debut, either, and can't fail to remind seasoned British folk-rock listeners of a more normal Incredible String Band, though the connection's legitimate since C.O.B.'s Clive Palmer was a founding member of the ISB. There's a plaintive, almost hymn-like feel to this muted British folk-rock, which is much folkier than rocky. There's also a tinge of acid-folk in the use of some relatively exotic instrumentation for a folk-rock record, including balalaika, dulcitar, tabla, banjo, and harmonium-like organ. "Eleven Willows" gets a little closer to Pentangle-Bert Jansch territory, and Genevieve Baker's nicely haunting background singing on that track makes one wish she'd been given a more prominent role in the band's vocals. Tracks: 1. Sheba's Return/Lion of Judah 2. Let It Be You 3. Solomon's Song 4. Eleven Willows 5. I Told Her 6. Oh Bright Eyed One 7. Chain of Love 8. Pretty Kerry 9. Martha and Mary 10. Heart Dancer Get It The Shapes - Songs For Sensible People Year: 1998 Label: Overground Genre: Punk Spoiler:
Tracks: 1. Interview 2. Kids' Stuff 3. Wot's For Lunch Mum? (Not Beans Again!) (Demo) 4. Leamington (Demo) 5. College Girls (Demo) 6. Wot's For Lunch Mum? (Not Beans Again!) 7. College Girls 8. (I Saw) Batman (In The Launderette) 9. Chatterbox 10. Bedtime Stories 11. Alien Love 12. Airline Disaster 13. Business Calls 14. Leamington 15. Let's Go To Planet Skaro 16. My House Is A Satellite 17. Jennifer The Conifer 18. Blast Off! 19. Interview Get It The Sadies - New Seasons Year: 2007 Label: Yep Rock Genre: Psychedelic Country Rock It's almost disorienting to imagine that a band as good as the Sadies can still find room to improve each time they go into the studio, but Canada's greatest contribution to Americana since Blue Rodeo have been consistently topping themselves with each new album, and their sixth, New Seasons, is another triumph. It should come as no surprise that the Sadies are in superb instrumental form here and demonstrating an effortless mastery of a range of different sounds and styles; "What's Left Behind" is a superb evocation of the late-period Byrds with guitar work that would make Clarence White envious, "The Trial" is a deeply atmospheric Southern gothic tale with just the right degree of ominous atmosphere, "A Simple Aspiration" could pass for a lost Paisley Underground classic with its subtly psychedelic guitar figures, "The Land Between" is simply gorgeous folk-rock, and the opening bluegrass breakdown makes you wish these guys had let listeners hear more than 48 seconds of it. But for a band that used to prefer playing instrumentals over approaching the vocal mike, brothers Dallas Good and Travis Good have learned to sing nearly as well as they play guitar, and their harmonies add another layer of beauty and mystery to their music. The group's songwriting continues to impress, with the heartbroken "Sunset to Dawn" and "The Trial" sounding uncannily like lost country classics and the two-part "The Last Inquisition" showing they know how to write a good scary guitar figure for themselves. While ex-Jayhawk Gary Louris helped produce New Seasons, precious little of his influence is audible here; the Sadies have created a powerful and evocative sound on their previous albums, and with New Seasons they've given that sound its ideal definition. This record reminds me a lot of Workingman's Dead era Grateful Dead. Tracks: 1. Introduction 2. First Inquisition, Pt. 4 3. What's Left Behind 4. Sunset to Dawn 5. Yours to Discover 6. Anna Leigh 7. Trial 8. My Heart of Wood 9. Simple Aspiration 10. Wolf Tones 11. Never Again 12. Land Between 13. Last Inquisition, Pt. 5 Get It The Cravats - The Land Of The Giants Year: 2006 (Recorded 1979-1982) Label: Overground Genre: Jazz/Punk I cannot find a review for this, and I really do not trust myself to do a proper review. One thing I can say for sure though, this is absolutely wild stuff. The Cravats are the favorite band of Steve Albini, Jello Biafra, Henry Rollins, and John Peel. That says a lot. Give this a listen or miss out on great art. Tracks: Disc: 1 1. Off the Beach 2. Terminus 3. There Is No International Rescue 4. I Am the Dreg 5. Daddy's Shoes 6. Working Down Underground 7. Ice-Cubists 8. Rub Me Out 9. Who's in Here with Me 10. Land of the Giants 11. Shroud of New York (Chapter 1) 12. Station 13. Execute His Will Disc: 2 1. Still 2. Triplex Zone 3. You're Driving Me 4. XMP 5. Fireman 6. All on Standby 7. In Your Eyes 8. And the Sun Shone 9. Precinct 10. Shroud of New York (Chapter 2) 11. Hole 12. When Will We Fall 13. Ceasing to Be 14. End 15. Seance 16. Still [Live] 17. In Your Eyes [Live] 18. Tears on My Machine [Live] 19. I Hate the Universe [Live] Get It Swans - Cop + Young God Year: 1984 Label: K.422 Genre: No Wave If there's music in hell, this is what it sounds like. It's conceivable that some band, somewhere, is making music heavier, darker and just generally less fun than this, but if you find one, ask who one of their greatest influences is and they'll probably refer you to the Swans. Consisting of a four-piece lineup -- Mosimann on drums, Westberg on guitar, Harry Crosby on bass, and naturally Gira on vocals -- on their second full album Swans add even more vicious crunch to their basic approach, resulting in quite possibly one of the darkest recordings ever done. Gira's words come across a little more forcefully and cleanly than before, and the existential horror shows that he details, almost always phrased in confessional/accusatory "I - you" terms, make up in sheer power what they lack in any kind of subtlety. For example, typical lyrics, from the snarling "Your Property" state: "I give you money -- you're superior. I don't exist. You control me." Matching his at-times unearthly moans and cries perfectly, the pounding music mostly consists of one slow, descending chord progression or a repetitive series of one or two notes after another, extending the power of loud feedback and amped drums to indescribably forceful effect. The opening grind alone on "Why Hide," as Westberg stretches out his strings behind Mosimann and Crosby's pummeling, is crushing enough before Gira delivers a harrowing vocal. The most legendary track from the album is the title cut; as a vicious anti-boys-in-blue rant finds its equal only in N.W.A.'s "Fuck Da Police." With such thoroughly bilious Gira lines as "Nobody rapes you like a cop in jail" providing the mental pictures, a slow, steady punch of music gets slowly but surely more aggressive and destructive as the song unfolds to its raging conclusion. Jim Thirlwell, aka Foetus, helps contribute to the apocalyptic noise on the release, but you somehow figure that Swans would have reached this state quite well on their own regardless. Ugly, compelling, and overpowering, Cop remains the pinnacle of Swans' brutal early days. Tracks: 1. Half Life 2. Job 3. Why Hide 4. Clay Man 5. Your Property 6. Cop 7. Butcher 8. Thug 9. I Crawled 10. Raping A Slave 11. Young God 12. This Is Mine Get It Putrescence - Fatal White Pustules Upon Septic Organs Year: 2007 Label: No Escape Records Genre: Death Metal This is a local metal band who just finished their first European tour. This is their third full-length album, and I have to say, it's my favorite metal album of 2007. It rips your spine out. On one of the live tracks on this, the lead singer jokes about shitting himself. One time when I saw these guys live, he actually did shit himself about halfway through the set, and he finished the show. Their music is fucking brutal. Tracks: 1. Stench Of Vomit Vomit Of Stench 1:29 2. Kill Yourself Shit Your Pants 1:45 3. Face Unfastened And Rendered Into Emulsion By Claw Hammer 3:39 4. Faster Blunt Trauma Kill Kill 5. Blowtorched To Conceal Identity 6. Compulsive Defecation Into The Larynxes Of The Recently Mutilated 7. Head Crushed By Partially Severed Extremities Seeping With Viral Infection 8. Grotesque Instance Of Obscene Protoplasmic Devastation 9. Total Fucking Absence Of Brain Matter 10. The Black Out Drunk Psychotic Voices Inside My Head 11. Green Hell 12. Drilling Through Timpanic Membrane With A Corkskrew (Live) 13. 245 Trioxin (Live) 14. Dawn Of The Necrofecalizer (Live) 15. Self Strangulation In A Locked Refrigerator (Live) Get It I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body? |
This might be an early shoe-in for my favorite album of 2008.
Jeffrey Lewis - 12 Crass Songs Label: Rough Trade Year: Officially released last year in October, but only actually saw distribution about a month ago. Genre: Lots of critics call this "anti-folk", but I think that's a bullshit term. It's acoustic pop music. While in the minds of many punk rock was supposed to be about upending the rules and assumptions that had come to govern rock & roll in the mid-'70s, punk also helped revive the ranting spirit that had informed the best political music and art through the 20th century, from the Situationalists to the Fugs. Among the first wave of British punks, none ranted with greater ferocity and sense of purpose than Crass, who actually were the anarchist firebrands the Sex Pistols pretended to be, though the brutal report of their music was rarely as impressive or as intelligent as their lyrics. Crass were massively influential during their 1977-1984 lifespan and beyond, both as musicians and as activists, and Jeffrey Lewis' 12 Crass Songs is a surprising example of just how far their ideas have reached. Best known for his witty anti-folk tunes, musician and cartoonist Lewis first heard Crass while he was a college freshman in 1993, and the blunt wit and angry idealism of their songs made a powerful impression on him. As he began performing, Lewis began looking for ways to merge the fury of Crass' broadsides with his acoustic-based music and he recorded some lo-fi interpretations of some of their tunes in his bedroom. A few years later, Lewis' efforts have grown into 12 Crass Songs, in which Lewis and a handful of friends (most notably vocalist Helen Schreiner) have taken a dozen tunes by Crass and married them to arrangements that give them a far more melodic spin than they revealed in their original form. While electric guitars pop up here and there (and take center stage on "Big A, Little A"), most of 12 Crass Songs is dominated by acoustic guitar and Lewis' sweet, slightly nasal vocals, but while he has succeeded in making these songs sound pretty and playful in a way they never were before, he's also managed to carry forth their message with a surprising accuracy. It was often difficult to understand what Crass were bellowing about on The Feeding of the 5000 or Stations of the Crass, but Lewis' performances are clear and carefully enunciated, and the backing tracks add a simple but eager tunefulness that amplifies the all-together-now power of the lyrics. Lewis' interpretations are a 180 degree turn from the originals, but they ring forth with honest belief and passion, and the occasional shifts from the original lyrics don't betray the original intent of the songs. 12 Crass Songs may turn these anarchist hymns into campfire singalongs, but at heart that isn't terribly far from their original intent, and "I Ain't Thick, It's Just a Trick" and "Do They Owe Us a Living" remain anthems of empowerment and righteous rage in Lewis' hands. Lewis' 12 Crass Songs shines the work of a legendary punk band into a fun house mirror, but their message and philosophy is still remarkably coherent for being twisted about, and this album is fun, bracing, and thought-provoking stuff. Tracks: 1. End Result 2. I Ain't Thick, It's Just A Trick 3. Systematic Death 4. The Gasman Cometh 5. Banned From The Roxy 6. Where Next Columbus? 7. Do They Owe Us A Living? 8. Securicor 9. Demoncrats 10. Big A, Little A 11. Punk Is Dead 12. Walls (Fun In The Oven) Get It I was speaking idiomatically. |
Amoebic Ensemble - Limbic Rage
Year: 1995 Label: Stupeur Et Trompette Genre: accordion based experimental rock Tracks: 1. Chapter 11 2. Birdfight 3. Limbic Rage 4. The Circus Has Been Cancelled 5. Tango 6. Gimme ABuck Or I'll Touch You 7. Boilermaker 8. Repetitive Motion Sickness 9. Three-Ring Bathtub 10. What I Did Last Summer 11. Scratch 12. Owls Are Actually Very Stupid 13. Tertullian Dance 14. Mayday In The Tunnel 15. Waxing Neuralgic Review:
Get It Ewan MacColl & A.L. Lloyd - Blow Boys, Blow Year: 1960 Label: Tradition Genre: Folk Tracks: 1. Row Bullies Row 2. Paddy Doyle 3. Wild Goose Shanty 4. While Cruising Around Yarmouth 5. Old Billy Riley Listen 6. Handsome Cabin Boy 7. South Australia 8. Blow Boys Blow 9. Whup! Jamboree 10. Banks of Newfoundland 11. Whiskey Johnny 12. Do Me Ama 13. Jack Tar 14. Paddy West 15. Haul on the Bowline 16. Hundred Years Ago Review:
Captain Beefheart said this was his favorite album of all time. That warrants it an initial listen in my mind. Get It Mississippi Fred McDowell - I Do Not Play No Rock 'N' Roll Year: 1969 Label: Capitol Genre: Blues Tracks: 1. Baby Please Don't Go 2. Good Morning Little School Girl 3. Kokomo Me Baby 4. That's All Right Baby 5. Red Cross Store 6. Everybody's Down On Me 7. 61 Highway 8. Glory Hallelujah 9. Jesus Is On The Mainline 10. My Baby She Gonna Jump And Shout 11. Long Line Skinner 12. You Got To Move 13. The Train I Ride 14. You Ain't Gonna Worry My Life Anymore Review:
tl;dr version: The tone McDowell pulls out of his guitar on this record is amazing. It's the best blues-guitar I've ever heard. Get It Natural Snow Buildings - Slayer Of The King Of Hell Year: 2008 Label: Digitalis Ltd. Genre: Folk/Drone/Experimental Tracks: 1. Four Armed Protector 2. I, Slayer Of The King Of Hell 3. Broken Sword Record Label Press Release:
Get It Farmers Market - Surfin' USSR Year: 2008 Label: Ipecac Genre: bizarre bulgarian folk music Tracks: 1 Surfin' USSR 2 Surfin' USSR Part 2 (Top Marx From the Serf Board) 3 Lodtschitze Mini Maritza (Ferry Cross the Mersey) 4 Anyone Who Remembers Vladiwoodstock Wasn't There 5 Dissident Harmony Sisters Camel Call 6 To Hell and Baku 7 Traktor Tracks Across the Tundra 8 From Prussia With Love 9 Red Square Dance 10 The Dismantling of the Soviet Onion Made Us Cry... 11 Kalashnikov Wedding 12 Steroid Train 13 Meanwhile Back at the Agricultural Workers Collective 14 Ladyboy's Night At The Cultural Relativism Saloon 15 One Day, Son, All I Own Will Still Belong to the State 16 Yagoda Review:
Get It Groundhogs - Thank Christ For The Bomb Year: 1970 Label: BGO Genre: Rock Tracks: 1. Strange Town 2. Darkness Is No Friend 3. Soldier 4. Thank Christ for the Bomb 5. Ship on the Ocean 6. Garden 7. Status People 8. Rich Man, Poor Man 9. Eccentric Man 10. Garden [BBC Radio I Session] 11. Eccentric Man [BBC Radio I Session] 12. Soldier [BBC in Concert] Review:
Get It What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now? |
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