+/- specializes in dynamic, loud, Radiohead-ish indie-rock & simultaneously laptop-pop. Experimentation with interesting time signatures & negative space within a hooky hard pop structure. Here, they take on three Bloodthirsty Butchers songs & make them their own. BB was formed in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan in 1987. With their ultra loud almost emo, heavy alterna-rock, transparent & melodious sounds, they are now one of the best band that Japan can boast to the world. The two bands became fast friends while touring Japan & decided to record this split EP. Each band covers three of the other’s songs. Artwork by famous Japanese illustrator Yoshitomo Nara. Enhanced with live video footage of both bands on stage in Japan.
They have taken all what they call their old gadgets out of their junk room. ‘70s and ‘80s synthesizers and analogue drum machines, old 12bit samplers, theremins and vocoders. Who was afraid of time tunnels? In these days of the Spanish hit “Amo a Laura”, Anorak have decided to look, or actually, hear back, further from Laura Palmer. Does anybody really know who killed her? This vintage junk room raid didn’t come about due to a night full of chemical abuse. It happened because this trio, made up of two Catalans and a Welsh, had a plan: recreating and emulating in a studio recording the sound of those names they considered the great giants of electronic music (Telex, The Normal, Kraftwerk, Fad Gadget, Gary Numan), or even the sound of an album like Depeche Mode’s debut “Speak & Spell”. Anorak decided that the best vehicle to carry out this adventure was to make a cover album in which the cover versions were surprising but keeping the spirit of the original songs. The easiest thing would have been to cover bands that sounded similar to them, such as Orchestral Maneuvres In The Dark, Human League, Heaven 17 or Ultravox. Making a safe bet and preaching to the converted. But that was a too foreseeable option. Weren’t we talking about surprising a few lines above? So Anorak doesn’t play with what is expected to happen because, for example, nobody expected they would introduce themselves as the Spanish The Postal Service with their debut album “A Limited Time Only” (Rhonda Records, 2005). And They did so without any fear or complex. Anorak’s idea is similar to other ideas which some outstanding people in electronic pop had some time ago, like Daniel Miller (Mute Records founder and Depeche Mode’s first works producer) and Soft Cell leader Marc Almond – just think of their eternal “Tainted Love”. Working with theoretically conflicting songs to oneself can end up being an artistic stimulant, as effective as Viagra. There are not many things that could motivate a restless spirit more than a struggle against adversity. Anorak have taken to their own ground bands such as The Clash, The Jam, Ramones and Los Bravos, among other names to which anybody would relate them. They put on a small quantity of modern make up to that ‘80s synthetic pop. Small, not pretentious or obvious. The main thing was: first to enjoy themselves while recording the album and then make us enjoy listening to it. That is to make us move our feet and backside, get rid of our poses and prejudices and shout: Yes, it’s only synth-pop, but I like it !! Listening to the twelve covers of the album makes very clear that they have found what they were looking for. “SYNTHETIC POP COVERS FROM THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY” Elephant Stone (Stone Roses) –Stone Roses made some of those kinds of hymns that mark the rhythm of a generation. If we had to choose three hits of their musical career this would be one of them. Neopsychedelia from 1989, before arrogance and self-pleasing caught them. Somebody Got Murdered (The Clash). It was included in that controversial three-record album called “Sandinista!”. It is neither the best nor the second best album by the British band and it has some of their less successful songs. But also some of their best ones, and this is one of them. No More Heroes (The Stranglers). It is taken from the 1977 second album by the Stranglers. That record has two outstanding songs and that is the case of “No More Heroes”. Time has turned it into an all-time song, but don’t get over-confident because it had never sounded the way it does in Anorak’s hands. That’s Entertainment (The Jam). Police cars, sirens, fringes and Margaret Thatcher. Paul Weller heading The Jam until he made it a symbol of a time. Some people say this song was their zenith while others push it into a second place, which is no mean feat. Outdoor Miner (Wire). There is even a record where different bands made really diverse cover versions of this song. It is a message about how things were going in 1979, a historic single, one of the few excursions/forays of Wire into (frenzied) pop. Black Is Black (Los Bravos)- That’s it, groovy rock hardly ever (or never) had sounded so international. Honey (Spacemen 3)- A key title of their discography, it announced that the most supersonic Spacemen 3, the ones of droning guitars had been left behind. It happened in 1989, and Jason Pierce’s band planted flowers where they used to bury mines. Pet Sematary (The Ramones)- Song from the last album they recorded with Dee Dee Ramone as the bassist, in 1989. Then the band was fragmented, their glory was gone and they only kept some energy for momentary flashes. This was one of the last ones. It appeared on the radio and cinema screens. Ever Fallen In Love (Buzzcocks)- It voices the frustration of falling in love with the wrong person without lapsing into the victim cliché. It dates from 1979 and remains as one of the mainstays of their musical golden age, one of those which made them to transcend punk-rock. Lady (Dennis Wilson) – Exquisite hidden gem of Brian Wilsons’s brother discography, but consigned to B-sides ostracism. Until now it hasn’t been frequently claimed, but one of the exceptions was that it was included in the record “Under The Influence” by Super Furry Animals. Transmission (Joy Division) – If Joy Division were Marving Gaye, their “What’s going on” would be “Love Will Tear Is Apart”, alright, but the throne of “Let’s Get In On” would be for “Transmission”. Anorak dare to take on one of the sacred cows of the post-punk catalogue. Generals And Majors (XTC) – It happened in 1980 and XTC had everyone’s respect, they were infiltrated into the death throes of the original new wave. This song put an end to their rockiest and harshest times, and went down in history as the peak of the first period of their career.
Restock. On his second LP and first for fledgling Wobblyhead label, Casino Versus Japan (aka Erik Kowalski) takes a more accessible approach than on his 1998 debut. While the result is hardly teen-pop--thank God!--it is a playful, tremendously pleasing listening experience, full of joy and sunshine. While Kowalski deals in the same sort of minimalist, entrancing electronic music as Boards of Canada and Autechre, his soundscapes sound relaxed and comfortable where his contemporaries cultivate claustrophobia and paranoia. If anything, Go Hawaii recalls the sublime instrumental work of early, experimental-period Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. "Theme" starts things off a frazzled and somewhat grating organ riff, but things quickly get much, much better as the track evaporates into a lazy, filtered pedal steel guitar sound. "It's Very Sunny," one of Go Hawaii's highlights, follows with a syncopated keyboard pattern, thick analog synth pads and some samples of a child's naive chatter. The rest of the album floats by in much the same fashion-- a vintage drum machine here, some blips there. But the thing that really makes you feel like you're lounging in the world's biggest hammock is those synths, wafting in, swelling, and fading back out from track to track. Go Hawaii is far from monotonous, though: "Dielectric Saints" and "Metrobolt" have a spooky quality to them, while "Over Island" is punchy and goofy. By the time you make it to the closing, title track and that pedal-steel again, you're miles away from home, if not in Hawaii then somewhere else where the sun shines brightly and palm trees sway in the breeze. Thanks to Kowalski's care and attention (not to mention talent), Go Hawaii is much more than "easy listening" - it's a genuine experience. - John Bergstrom, Milk Magazine 3/25/02
Daylight’s for the Birds debut release Trouble Everywhere delivers ten dazzlingly robust songs that evoke intense late nights at home, that burst with intense creative energy. The New York City band incorporates meandering shoegaze elements handed down from bands like Ride and Slowdive, but male and female harmonies paired with cohesive song structures will keep you entranced until morning. Featuring members of On! Air! Library!
After 25 releases on vinyl over the course of seven years (not counting the ones of his Outside Agency and Semiomime monikers), for such labels as Ruff Teck, Outbreak, Killing Sheep or Sub/Version, here comes finally the first full length album by DJ Hidden. "The Later After" presents a hour long of new material ranging from the hardest and most twisted drum'n'bass to more downtempo, atmospheric tracks. At the same time a long due crowning for this musician and a perfect introduction for people who have been missing out, "The Later After" is the most accomplished and unequalled achievement by this impudently skilful producer. Active since the mid-90s, Noel Wessels has over the years become an essential actor of the Dutch electronic music scene. Best known for his productions and shows under the DJ Hidden moniker as well as founding member of the gabber unit The Outside Agency, this untiring producer has been active in all genres of electronic musics, signing records and CDs of countless side-projects (along which the very remarked, laid back Semiomine one). Starting in 2000, Noel Wessels's DJ Hidden drum'n'bass-focused act has been taking this scene by storm. A pioneer of the current mixture of hard, dark drum'n'bass and sudden break(core), his records for Outbreak, Evol Intent, Ruff-Teck or Killing Sheep (among others) have quickly become classics for DJ and fans. And still, it is with “The Later After” than a DJ Hidden full length CD finally sees the light of the day. Intended as a lot more than a gathering of new club-oriented drum'n'bass tracks (which would still have been enough to satisfy DJ Hidden's fans), “The Later After” is a wide-ranging display of the various styles which this musician has touched over the years, combined in twelve tracks written specially for this release. Ranging from the percussive and driven “Straightjacket” to the down tempo “Here Lies The Confusion” and enriched by such cinematic tracks as “Unturned Stones”, this album is undoubtedly a mature and thought of work. More than a snapshot of this artist's current state, it is a crowning of sort for an unequalled achievement. “The Later After” could finally not be a DJ Hidden release if there wasn't anything hidden in it. From the complex artwork (designed by DJ Hidden himself) to the flawless and intricate audio productions, this album might turn into a treasure-hunt, are many details, messages and surprises lay there for the attentive listener to find.
The vinyl companion to the CD "The Later After" (adn73), DJ Hidden's "After Before" gathers on a 12" two of the most club-oriented tracks from the album. A deadly tool for any DJ and a sign of many packed dancefloors, these two loud, slowly building, insidious and agile tracks demonstrate DJ Hidden's ability at twisting the very roots of drum'n'bass and fusing them with his own high-fi production and melodic skills. Active since the mid-90s, Noel Wessels has over the years become an essential actor of the Dutch electronic music scene. Best known for his productions and shows under the DJ Hidden moniker as well as founding member of the gabber unit The Outside Agency, this untiring producer has been active in all genres of electronic musics, signing records and CDs of countless side-projects (along which the very remarked, laid back Semiomine one). Starting in 2000, Noel Wessels's DJ Hidden drum'n'bass-focused act has been taking this scene by storm. A pioneer of the current mixture of hard, dark drum'n'bass and sudden break(core), his records for Outbreak, Evol Intent, Ruff-Teck or Killing Sheep (among others) have quickly become classics for DJ and fans. “After Before” is the vinyl pendant to “The Later After”, the long awaited first full length album by DJ Hidden, coming out on Ad Noiseam at the same time as this records. It contains slightly reworked version of two of the album tracks, edited and mastered with DJ and clubs' PA in mind. The two tracks on this well cut, loud 12” are among both the most club-friendly and the hardest of the material written by DJ Hidden, and sees his productions and recording skills take yet one more step forward.
Fulton Lights' s/t debut is a product of Andrew Spencer Goldman's trademark quiet/lovely sensibility, built on beds of noise, boom bap beats, upright bass, vibraphone, piano and organ, guitars, and lush strings. Featuring musicians affiliated with Wilco, The Walkmen, Tony Conrad, Sisterhood of Convoluted Thinkers, Christmas Decorations, dalek, and others. RIYD: John Cale, Massive Attack, Grizzly Bear, Low. tracklist: 1)Intro 2)Thank God for the Evening News 3)1,000 Little Eyes 4)The Sound of the City 5)The Monkey On Our Backs 6)Fire in the Palm of My Hand 7)Autumn Anthem 8)Old Photographs 9)Breathe In, Breathe Out 10)The Sound of the City (Reprise)
Featuring collaborations & appearances from members of The Go-Betweens/Sonic Youth/Belle & Sebastion/Can /Stooges/Fire Engines/Concerto Caledonia/Unkle Bob/ Karine Polwart & Alasdair Gray. Some highlights – “TERY BINA (NOTHING WITHOUT YOU)” Kicking off with a cyclic rendition of the classic Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan track featuring vocals contributions from Pilot family members Vinita Dade and 4 year old Anurudh (pilot in training) singing over a shimmering dulcimer led track. “EYES OF LOVE” Recording very much with the spirit of Two-Tone in mind and the energy of early Kinks, this uplifting summer groover is sung by Belle & Sebastian’s Stuart Murdoch & Sarah Martin. “IT’S IN THE HEART OF EVERYONE” Simple mathematics with former Lydia Lunch /Swans/Current 93 collaborator Joe Budenholzer with harmonies from Karine Polwart -minus 4 equals 7 indeed. “BOOMERANG” Slight return-the second coming of our man Joseph Budenholzer. “THE CITY OF LIGHT” The Go-Betweens Robert Forster & Grant McLennan do a ‘reading’ of this miniscule pop gem, 58 seconds of undiluted Pop to spring clean your mind! “NUCLEAR WAR” Members of Sonic Youth (Thurston Moore/Kim Gordon), The Fire Engines (Davy Henderson) and Stooges/Minutemen bass legend (Mike Watt) pay homage to the spirit of jazz giant Sun Ra ,on this one of his minimalist compositions from the 70’s.This track also features a rare recording of the ‘fu-horn’ performed by iconic radio producer Stewart Cruickshank. “SHENANDOAH” This haunting folk song features chilling vocals and waterfall piano by Karine Polwart alongside young Glasgow improv percussionist Alex Neilson on loan from Scatter/Glasgow Improviser’s Orchestra. “FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS” This historic track documents a genuine piece of ‘instant composing’ featuring a live jam across the telephone exchange, Sushil K Dade performs on acoustic guitar in Glasgow whilst Damo Suzuki (Can) listens to the chords ‘down the line’ from his Cologne HQ and responds with his hauntingly poignant, crackly telephone vocals.
Darla is proud to offer an expanded reissue of an electro-pop classic by Toronto's I AM ROBOT AND PROUD aka Shaw-Han Liem. This reissue comprises The Catch, I AM ROBOT AND PROUD's debut full length CD, which was originally released in 2001 by Catmobile Records (UK), and Spring Summer Autumn Winter, an EP released in 2002 by Mira Records (Germany). Track list: 1. The Catch, 2. Read & Re-Read, 3. Saturday Afternoon Plans, 4. James's Equation, 5. Eyes Closed Hopefully, 6. The Heart of Things, 7. The Satellite Kids, 8. Julie's Equation, 9. Vendredi Le 30 Mars, 10. When We Were All Together, 11. September Argument, 12. Last Day of Winter “I Am Robot and Proud's debut record, The Catch, is 30 minutes of bubbling, melodic electronic pop that should have fans of Boards of Canada, Plone, or any electronic group that combines the low-key technological approach of Kraftwerk with the songwriting skills of first-rate pop musicians running to their local music stores with glee. It is the kind of record that will make you feel good, the kind of record that refutes the silly argument that electronic music has no soul. The Catch is the soul of Shaw-Han Liem, captured by machines and spooled out in sparkling glory. Do whatever it takes to track this disc down and file it next to Kraftwerk and Boards of Canada with pride.” --ALL MUSIC GUIDE
Limited CDR only release. Over the last four years, Make Mine Music – a collective of musicians and independent label – has established a name for itself for its catalogue of beguiling and varied music, from the wistful nostalgia of July Skies and Epic45 to the ambient dreamscapes of Yellow6 and Portal. The next release for the label is the debut album by Innerise, “Western Sky Music”. Innerise has been existence since the mid-1990s in various incarnations, based around composer and multi-instrumentalist Tarl Broad-Ashman. Debuting in 2002 on the split EP with Schengen and Portal, with later tracks appearing on the Make Mine Music compilation “Flow”, Innerise established themselves with a sound uniting elements of pop, ambient, electronica and dub. Recorded in 2004 and 2005, Innerise’s debut album is long awaited. “Western Sky Music” sees Tarl joined on several tracks by singer Katherine Cobley, who adds her beautiful vocals and honest, heart-on-sleeve lyrics. If you’re after reference points, imagine a cross between Saint Etienne, The Orb and the Cocteau Twins and you’d be somewhere close. The stunning artwork for this release was done by Ben Curzon, whose credits include Luke Vibert, Venetian Snares and Mu-ziq.In keeping with other recent Make Mine Music releases by the likes of August Stars, Millimetrik and All Sides (all now sold out), the Innerise album is being made available in limited quantities, so be quick.
Jatun is Alan Grosvenor (guitar, keys, bass, loops) and Scott Worley (vocals, keys, guitars, laptop). Alan and Scott met in Portland,OR circa '04, and started writing the songs that would slowly form into the mish-mash of cables, circuits, ivory and alcohol known as Jatun. They began recording their self-titled debut album in September 2005, and it’s been engineered/mixed by Scott & Alan and mastered by Carl Saff. The first recorded Jatun song was "Ion Crush," which was featured in a Nike SB promo video for the Zoom Tre shoe and is also featured on the Signal Snowboards webpage. The songs "Ghost and Grey" and "The Temptation of Joy" have been used by Norwegian company Helly Hansen, accompanying snowboard and ski team imagery on two videos. Additionaly the video clips are being used on the Helly Hansen website as a part of their HHTV program. Influenced by an expansive range of artists, genres and styles, Alan and Scotthave learned to interpret and appreciate sound from a broad perspective. Such open ears have facilitated an understanding of sonic interplay, and acute attention to arrangement and detail. Armed to the teeth with an arsenal of quality, vintage gear and a penchant for capturing the resultant noises, they craft music thoroughly and thoughtfully. Lush, enveloping and hyper-textured, Jatun’s songs blanket themselves around your ears and saturate your head with warm and intoxicating, Orange-tinged tones. For Fans Of: Morr Music, 4AD, Warp, Anticon, Temporary Residence Limited.
Excellent two tracker by this young dubstep wonder from Bristol, UK. Brought to you by Terminal Dusk, who had already released the amazing "Dirty Deeds" 12" by Mathhead.
Low Low formed in March 2004 when Kelly Dyson met Natalia Brightmore in the George over a pint, two days after he'd split from his long-time partner and moved from Carlisle to Buxton with a handful of songs. The pair clicked and work began on turning Kelly's rough acoustic songs into rough acoustic songs with a female harmony. The album was quite a sparse thing for the main part, though Ellis Dyson expanded a few tracks with drums and electric guitars. The process from there was pretty quick - the album was polished (to Low Low's standards) within a few months was released on the *Birds and the Rodents Label (UK)*. Through their earnest, stripped-down approach to song writing, Low Low taps into your head and heart before you've even noticed; and by then it's too late to turn back (not that you'd want to anyway). The vulnerability and undeniable necessity of love, loss, heartache and hopefulness abounds in each affected lyric, and is further evoked by every subtle bend and pull. "As acoustic documents of the breakdown of a long-term relationships go, this is up there. Recorded lo-fi style - in a bedroom apparently - this affecting release combines breathless harmonies and fragile tunes to achieve a strange warmth. Also makes Belle & Sebastian sound like Motorhead." - The Crack “Rooted firmly in the world of low/no-fi folk, this is a charming record that recalls the same juxtaposition of fragility and strength of character that suffused the early Elliott Smith albums.” - Tangents. For Fans Of: Devendra Banhart, Iron & Wine, Six Organs of Admittance, Songs of Green Pheasant, Nick Drake.
“Ears Like Golden Bats” is the third album by Brooklyn-based My Teenage Stride and the follow-up to 2005’s “Major Major” (Becalmed KLECD 103). The heart of My Teenage Stride is multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter Jedediah Smith. Jed grew up in Massachusetts and at age 14 started playing guitar, soon adding bass, piano and drums to the mix. As soon as he could steal his older brother’s Tascam 4-track, he was writing and recording songs as a one-man band, and by age 18 he had compiled several boxes of tapes and had already written 400 songs. Just over a decade later, he’s written hundreds more, with no signs of slowing down. Although previous releases were mainly the work of Jed alone in the studio, many tracks on “Ears Like Golden Bats” have been recorded with the help of a stable band. The current My Teenage Stride line-up is Jedediah Smith instruments, vocals), Jenny Logan (bass), Brett Whitmoyer (drums) and Dakkan Abbe (guitar). At just under 40 minutes, “Ears” gathers a collection of captivating guitar pop gems that manage to combine fatalism with not-yetdefeated hope, which seems to be an inherent quality of many of Smith’s compositions. The references to Phil Spector, the Jesus & Mary Chain and Television Personalities are still present in well-crafted and immediate tracks like ‘We’ll Meet At Emily’s’, ‘That Should Stand For Something’ and ‘Terror Bends’. They’re hookladen songs that will have you humming all day long - you might clap your hands or snap your fingers too. Titles such as ‘Reversal’ or ‘Genie Of New Jersey’ and ‘To Live And Die In The Airport Lounge’ expand on those influences, sounding more atmospheric, reminiscent of the Chills and the pop side of John Cale and Brian Eno. They are catchy in a non-obvious way, loose recordings that let space for moods and ideas to bleed through the album, like the apparent dark tone that seems to permeate ‘Reception’, the jangly ‘Heartless & Cruel’ or ‘Depression Kicks’.
Few artists have created such visionary and influential electronic music as Alex Paterson and his various incarnations of The Orb. The Orb's blissed-out music helped define the emerging ambient-techno/house genres blending natural sounds, spoken-word, dub bass lines and constantly shifting beats with a sense of humor, rolling rhythms and exhilarating samples to revolutionise UK dance clubs and '90s rave culture. Now after the resounding success of the earlier limited edition, Malicious Damage is proud to re-release this glorious first volume of Orb treasures from Alex Paterson's spherical archives. Covering fifteen years of conspiracy and collaboration with some of the biggest names in electronic music including Jimmy Cauty, Andy Hughes, Thomas Fehlmann, Nina Walsh, Fil le Gonidec, Vincent McDonald, Guy Pratt, Dom Beken and Aki Omori. Track Listing 1-Yungle 2-Sail 3-Chromatik [Orbzone] 4-Eurofen 5-Sun Of 6-73.5 feat. nitraM 7-Steel Horse 8-Something Like 9-Pluto Calling [Twinkle] 10-Angel 3 Dub . The track “Mummy Don't” has been replaced by “angel 3 dub”
The enigmatic five piece band formed in Glasgow have released some of the finest pop songs of their generation since humble beginnings in Penilee, a suburb of the city, where the three founder members grew up and started the band in 1986. Their first six singles and three albums were met with widespread critical acclaim, much of this from out-with the UK. They graduated from the gentle lo-fi craft of their first album, Lyceum, in 1989 (“A minor classic – don’t let is pass you by” said NME) through to the ground breaking and progressive sounds of their third, aptly titled, Striving For The Lazy Perfection (“lithe, evocative and memorable music” – M M) in 1994 with “sixth member” Ian Carmichael of One Dove at the studio controls. In the intervening years they released Unholy Soul in 1991 (“Sarah Records answer to the Beach Boys Pet Sounds”) and some truly original singles & EPs that, in keeping with a stance sometimes perceived as awkward and single minded, were always kept apart from album projects. The ethos was always more about value for money for their fans than genuine stubbornness, however. The singles included what many believe to be the high point of their career to date, Something For The Longing as well as final single Thaumaturgy in 1993. Reformed in 2004 after a break of Paddy McAloon proportions they are now ready to take another swipe at the tedious world of the music business with an album that takes them back to their musical roots. Recorded at Riverside Studios, home to other better known homegrown acts such as Travis, Teenage Fanclub and Trash Can Sinatras, their new record Good To Be A Stranger is a fabulous collection of new songs that will feed the hungry appetite of the fan base that has grown over the intervening years. Ahead of their time in the early 90’s, it is only now that many have realised how fascinating and mature those earlier releases were. Good To Be A Stranger is released on Madrid based label Siesta on --- March 2007 and the band will be heading out to play live gigs for the first time in twelve years to promote the new release – nothing like keeping your fans waiting! Offers of gigs in the UK, Sweden, Spain, France, Germany, Greece, Singapore and the USA illustrate how the World Wide Web has allowed their global reputation to grow. Later in 2007, a cover of The Go Betweens’ song Magic In Here will also appear on a Grant McLennan tribute album, Love Goes On, released on USA’s Rare Victory Records. You can also currently hear one of the new songs Down To The Ocean on Siesta Records compilation Erre Que Erre. “The best Scottish pop band since Orange Juice” – Melody Maker “A blissful mix of the best Scottish bands of the last few years” – NME” “Eclectic. Every single song is a gem” – Exclaim “Luxuriant textures, immaculate pop fizz with enviable purpose” – MM “Songs of emotional wit and sparkling indie pop” – All Music Guide “Languid and alluring” – Tangents “The tension between wanting to wig out and grow more evanescent is evident" - Uncut “They brought together all the best parts of the 80's Scottish music scene, while adding something that's hard to pin down, yet made them so very special" – Exclaim! Also available: Lyceum + Singles CD (LTM: LTM2442: 5024545347524), Striving for the Lazy Perfection + Singles CD (LTM: LTM2451: 5024545347722), Unholy Soul + Singles CD (LTM: LTM2445: 5024545347623).
This box set collection of live performances includes 1 DVD and 3 CD's. Disc 1 (DVD) features television and live performances from The Mole Show, The 13th Anniversary Show, Cube E: History Of American Music in 3 EZ Pieces, and Wormwood, spanning the years 1983-1999. Disc 2 (CD) includes portions of The Mole Show, The 13th Anniversary Show, and Cube E. Disc 3 (CD) includes live performances from Disfigured Night, Wormwood, and Icky Flix. The bonus CD (disc 4) entitled One Night Stands features miscellaneous live performances from one-off shows spanning from 1971 to 1998. Running Time: 242 mins.
Fred Thomas and Co. return with 2 brand new hits including the first single from their late 2007 full-length. The band is in their most rock and roll mode to date, with two raved up guitar based track, both of which feature our hero Fred on lead vocals. Limited to 1000.
Steve Wynn's (Dream Sydicate) new album! Do coincidences happen? If you think about the film “Los amantes del Círculo Polar”, you will possibly say yes. And if somebody tells you the story of Smack Dab you will never stop thinking about “Los amantes del Círculo Polar”. Perhaps Julio Medem should direct a video for this new band formed by Steve Wynn, Paco Loco and Linda Pitmon. The factual trio of 2006. 2004, a beach in Cadiz, a hot summer day. Out from the water comes Paco Loco, one of the icons of Spanish indie music in the nineties, musician and producer of Australian Blonde, Nacho Vegas, Cosmic Rough Riders and Josh Rouse, among many others. He sees a man sitting on the beach, all dressed in black, boots and coat included! A peculiar guy. Paco doesn’t care. He dries himself, puts his glasses on, gets the magazine he brought to the beach to read and… he’s amazed. On the cover of the magazine there is a photograph of the guy who sits next to him, the one who dresses in black and reads a novel by George Pelícanos. It’s Steve Wynn, the leader of The Dream Syndicate and Gütterball, the star of classic underground rock of the last twenty years! That very moment, a woman emerges from the water and lays on the towel beside Steve. It’s Linda Pitmon, his girlfriend, drummer of Golden Smog and of Wynn’s backing band (The Miracle 3). It’s a tiny world. Paco wants to say hello. But in 2004 he doesn’t speak English yet. Luckily, or coincidentally, Steve speaks some broken Spanish. They meet for lunch. A friendship is born and from that friendship comes the idea of recording an album between the three of them. It was the kind of recording session made for pleasure and fun. With no business yearning. Two weeks of experimenting and jamming in a relaxed mood. A year and a half passed, and Steve and Linda threw a party. Coincidentally they played these songs. It was a riot. Everybody danced, everybody congratulated them, it was clear to everybody that they had to release the album. They kept an ace up their sleeve and it had been accumulating dust for a year! Straight away, they rang John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., The Kills) for him to do the mixing. And he’s done an a-m-a-z-i-n-g job. Each song in the album works in an individual way. From one of them, California says hello with narcotic fuzz face, in another one it’s New York’s mirror ball and disco sound, before we get assaulted by an almost sweet soul music cover of Three Dog Nit’s “Never Been To Spain”. A song that climbed to number one in the US charts in the early seventies. Curiously enough (or should we say coincidentally?) the first record Steve Wynn bought in his life was “It Ain’t Easy”, by this Californian band. “Smack Dab” is a driving and emphatic album, one that connects with the spirit of comradeship that was unique of the Los Angeles scene in the early eighties. This comradeship allows the main characters to let themselves go, be it to twist their style guide or to do the same old thing. Whether they knock us out in a surprising way or with well-known weapons, you will always find them relaxed and daring. An example of the first would be “I’m Not Listening”: even though Wynn has always placed himself on the crossroads run by the feedback guitar flow of the Velvet Underground, it’s always regarding to see how he jumps into a new pool and puts Lou Reed on the dance floor. On the second, “My Cross To Bear”: you feel you’re back in 1993 again, in front of Gütterball, the super-group leaded by Steve that gave high-intensity garage rock a good name. In short: 1) Mr. Wynn shows, (again!) why The Strokes should hire him as their Classic Underground Rock instructor. He knows how to draw life from each record, there is life after that debut, boys! 2) Paco Loco has managed to rise to the occasion; 3) the sticks and percussion of Linda Pitmon make the guitars dance, shooting them with an intravenous rhythm in the hips. In short again: It wouldn’t be fair to say that this is just an attractive quirk record. Because it’s one of the best recordings in the careers of these three artists, and that is saying enough. Even though, like we said before, it all happened by coincidence, like so many of the great lovers’ stories.
Sneaky Thieves are a Seattle-based band that formed in 2003, comprised of two loving sets of brothers and a good friend; Robert Bale (bass/samples), Freddy Bale (vocals/acoustic guitar/keys), Darby McDevitt (electric guitar/keys), Brendan McDevitt (drums) and Bryant Moore (electric guitar/keys). Live, they juxtapose many sounds, flashing from abrasive and clashing, to mellow and heartfelt. Influenced by many of life's pretty things, they construct music incidentally and without undue stress. Their debut release, accident(s), was recorded after a car wreck settlement came many years too late to do any real good. So, a small, tidy amount of money was set aside and used to create an album with local producer Jeramy Koepping (founding member of Voyager One, producer for Asahi, Jen Wood, Kinski) in the lovely Park Place Studio. Many hours were spent and the end result was something unsettling, moody, and strange. This record is the essence of those sad, peculiar moments of a life disjointed. The tracks on accident(s) are based on recurring themes that appear very often in dreams and nightmares. Many refer to struggles with substance abuse, addiction, and vague recollections of difficult histories. Ultimately, this album is a musical response to the constant loose ends of life - trying to sonically replicate the "bellyache" in the middle of the night. Praise for accident(s): "A thoughtful and minimalist epic indie charmer…" - Treblezine "Think of the feeling you get when alone and awake late at night you start to ponder the inevitability of your own death and your helplessness to stop it. The fear. The chill. Moments on this album capture that feeling perfectly, especially with headphones. In fact, the Sneaky Thieves are extremely gifted at capturing and even more so at creating moods and emotion." - Spacelab. RIYL: Nick Cave, Will Oldham, Bedhead, Talk Talk. "Thumbs up" - CMJ New Music Monthly. "Great Depression" - Mish Mash. “The mood parameters of accident(s) are so strict that the listener has little choice but to dig in with singer Freddy Bale and his friends as they carve out their little trenches of despair” - Silent Uproar. "To say the bold & complex lyrical content is a hugely sinister & cinematic experience would be a huge understatement. Fans of Radiohead take note, this is surely one of the records of the year, just turn off the lights and enjoy…" - 75 or Less. "Sneaky Thieves slide from a Jeremy Enigk melancholy to a Jeff Buckley grace, sometimes with a Sparklehorse inventiveness, and still manage to keep a grasp on a consistent theme through to the end.” - The Big Takeover.
"64" is the fourth album by Spanish band Souvenir and it has already been described as their most adventurous yet. Nevertheless, their new record is coherent with their approach to music throughout their career. Again, Patricia de la Fuente and Jaime Cristóbal show their skill for adapting a variety of influences and creating something brilliant. This time, their surprising new stylistic twist has taken them straight onto the dancefloor. "64" is basically a dance music album. "64" integrates elements from the past 30 years of electronic and dance music (techno-pop, new wave, 80's dance music) and combines them with the band's very personal language. The result is a collection of dance hits packed with memorable melodies which are brilliantly guided by Patricia's beautiful vocals and Jaime's surf guitars. As usual, the record's basic premise is interspersed with eclectic elements from various sources. Souvenir are anything but purists, therefore their vision of dance music is an unorthodox one. For instance, it seems ironic that their most techno-pop record features so much guitar playing, ranging from crunchy rock to surf. The result of this combination (synths and drumboxes with 60's guitars) is an exciting and original collection of songs, and Souvenir's most passionate record so far, with echoes of the sound of classic synthesizer such as the Prophet 5, Moog, Korg Poly-Six. "64" is also Souvenir's return to pop, as it features their most catchy, immediate tunes in years, in the tradition of The Human League, Blondie, Etienne Daho, Visage, Pet Shop Boys or Mylène Farmer, but also with a more contemporary resonance that links the band to artists like Ladytron, The Raveonettes, Vive la Fête, or Saint Etienne. The aesthetics of the band and the record have changed accordingly, as can be appreciated in the stunning cover design of "64", created by the artist Iker Spozio. The record was made at the Iñaki de Lucas studio in San Sebastian, and features the contribution from Xavier Alarcón, who was in charge of the mastering. Thanks to them "64" sounds stronger than any other previous Souvenir record: a fat, yet crisp sound that will make you dance throughout the 43 minutes of this record. Souvenir discography: · "Souvenir" mini CD (Jab-014), february 2000 · "Points de suspensión" CD álbum (Jab-2015), february 2001 · "Premier essai" CD-EP (Jab-018), july 2001 · "Recto/Verso" CD álbum (Jab-2022), march 2003 · "Présage de l'hiver" CD-EP (Jab-027), january 2005 · "Des équilibres" CD álbum (Jab-2030), march 2005 · "64" CD álbum (Jab-2037), february 2007
Dark... that is the best way to describe Subtract By Two's Agoniser Ecrire. Meaning "close to death" Agoniser Ecrire features Kyle Bobby Dunn and James Hill creating vivid soundscapes complimeted by violin, piano, field recordings, and more. A must for fans of early Album Leaf, Stars of Lid, and Godspeed! You Black Emperor.
19 tracks. ISBN: 978-0-9554335-4-2. LTM are proud the present the first audiobook CD to explore the highly influential Bauhaus school of art and architecture, which operated in Germany between 1919 and 1933. The spoken word element centres on a revealing talk by Walter Gropius, the architect and theoretician who founded the Bauhaus in 1919. The CD also includes contributions from the school’s third and final director, architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and teacher Josef Albers. All interviews are in the English language. The music content of the CD features piano pieces written between 1919 and 1925 by six composers associated with the Bauhaus: Arnold Schoenberg, Josef Matthias Hauer, George Antheil, Stefan Wolpe and H.H. Stuckenschmidt. Several of these pieces reflect serialism and 12-tone technique; most are performed by Steffen Schleiermacher on piano. With a generous running time of 72 minutes, the CD also features a deluxe booklet featuring archive Bauhaus images and detailed historical notes by James Hayward.
I can hardly wipe the smile off my face as I listen to The Velcro Stars. Their mid-90’s Chapel Hill, NC-esque sound is enveloping my person as I type this. It’s certainly one of the most exciting things going on in the revitalized (and…pssssssst…..quite “hip”) Murfreesboro/Nashville, TN independent music scene along with How I Became The Bomb, Ghostfinger, and The Turncoats. Initially comprised of Shane Spresser (guitar/vocals) and Keith Pratt (guitar/vocals), they began writing songs together after high school. They were joined in 2001 by Rebekah Kidd (keyboards/vocals). Danial Norman was a high school acquaintance and joined them as their bassist in 2001. After going through several drummers, Andy Spore filled the position and began playing with them in 2005. “The Velcro Stars are one of the most interesting, original, and level-headed bands to come out of Murfreesboro in a long time. Their songs are simplistic and well arranged, and bring with them hints of Pavement, Blake Babies, and Superchunk.” (nashvillezine.com) Enter Grand Palace Records. Grand Palace is an independent record store in Murfreesboro, TN. It’s also a loft space that houses a recording studio and screen-printing shop. Owned and operated by Murfreesboro music scene luminaries, they decided to capitalize on the revitalized scene by recording some of their favorites (Velcros included). Thus, Grand Palace Records (the label) began. “Hiroshima’s Revenge” is the first full-length to be released on Grand Palace Records (a joint co-release with much help and support from Athens, GA’s Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records, who became smitten with the band after their show-stopping performance at the 2006 Athens Popfest). With the recording of “Hiroshima’s Revenge”, the Velcros finally make good on the promise of the “Heart Disease / Shock and Awe” Demo as well as their self-titled 7-track EP from 2005. This album is a pleasant reminder of the pure joy, immediacy, and lack of pretension that's at the heart of all great three-chord rock and roll. Songs such as “Brand New” and “B-Side of Love” will make you scream with pure delight as you dance around your living room to the pop-tastic codas contained within. “Ninety-nine percent of pop I hate”, says Shane Spresser, “but that one percent is my favorite music in the world”. Welcome to that one percent… RIYL: Pavement, Superchunk, Bunnygrunt.
ISBN: 978-0-9554335-5-9 LTM are proud to present the first CD audiobook of readings by Percy Wyndham Lewis (1882-1957), the influential British modernist writer, artist and self-styled ‘Enemy’ feted both by T.S. Eliot and Mark E. Smith. Lewis is best known as the founder in 1914 of the celebrated Vorticist art movement, an English variant of Italian Futurism. Publication of their journal Blast was interrupted by WW1, after which Lewis the artist pursued a parallel career as a writer of fiction, satire and criticism. Lewis spent the war years 1939-45 in penniless exile in America , yet carried on writing even after going blind in 1951. His many books include Tarr (1918), The Apes of God (1930), Blasting & Bombardiering (1937), The Revenge for Love (1937) and the trilogy The Human Age. His artworks include Workshop (1913), A Battery Shelled (1919), Tyro (1920) Red Portrait (1937), The Surrender of Barcelona (1937) and Portrait of T.S. Eliot (1938), and are regularly exhibited by galleries including the Tate, Hayward, Imperial War Museum and others. The Enemy Speaks gathers together rare broadcast recordings made by Lewis in 1938, 1947 and 1951 on various subjects in art and politics, as well as readings of three poems from One-Way Song, recorded at Harvard in 1940. The CD also features a dramatized extract from his Bloomsbury-baiting satire The Apes of God, recorded in 1951 with an introduction by the critic V.S. Pritchett. The CD closes with the recording of Sympathy that so vexed Lieutenant Lewis in his dug-out near Ypres in 1917. The CD features a deluxe booklet featuring archive Lewis images as well as historical notes by James Hayward. The CD has been prepared with the full co-operation of the Wyndham Lewis Memorial Trust. Also available on LTM: Futurism & Dada Reviewed (LTMCD 2301), Surrealism Reviewed (LTMCD 2343), Voices of Dada (LTMCD 2424), Bauhaus Reviewed (LTMCD 2472).
The opinions, information, and editorial content of this web page are not necessarily indicative of the opinions of JIVE Magazine or its publisher, nor may the information on this web page be verified as correct.
This page may contain pure editorial commentary, information or news not provided or verified by JIVE Magazine.
