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             ddI8         New Arrivals #113   

             88I(        May 18, 2001

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ADULT. Resuscitation (Ersatz Audio) cd 12.98
Strap on your electro pants, baby. 'Cause Adult. (don't forget that punctuation) are here. Witness the awesome android power of this Detroit duo - one half of which is Mr. Adam Miller, formerly of the mighty electro-kings known as LeCar. If you were a fan of said group or fellow Motor City techno duo Drexciya, what are you waiting for? Get on this now! Imagine a hard electro hybrid of Berlin, Add N to (X) and Miami booty bass beats - and although they utilize plenty of super '80s retro sounds, Adult. never get stuck in the past. Instead, they forge ahead cutting a very new and now path of fresh 'n' groovy tracks complete with a battery of wonderfully tweaked, effected vocals (as performed by Ms Nicola Kuperus - the other half of Adult. not to mention uber-cool photographer to boot). Check out the anxious twitch and sputter of "Minors at Night" and "Nausea". On their own Ersatz Audio label. Yes, quite recommended.
RealAudio clip: "Contagious"
RealAudio clip: "Nausea (Restructured)"
RealAudio clip: "Lost Love"
RealAudio clip: "Pressure Suit"

TOOL Lateralus (Tool Dissectional / Volcano) cd 17.98
Unfortunately, we can't really discuss how fucking unbelievable this record is (and it is!) without first addressing the skeptics and the naysayers. I have long been a champion of Tool and urged people to check them out, regardless of their preconceived notions of them and the scene that for some reason (which we'll address in a second) embraces them and in doing so, does them a huge disservice (I mean a disservice as far as them being taken seriously by people other than nu-metal fans, 'cause let's be honest, that scene did make them rich and famous and free to make music as fucked up as this). But much like the Deftones, even more so, Tool have used their popularity to exist in relative freedom, with each record getting weirder and weirder, but somehow selling more and more copies. C'mon! This shit is far out! It seems inconceivable to me that this is one of the most popular bands in the U.S. and popular with a lot of people, who if they really did like this record, should also be digging Joy Division and Neurosis and Ash Ra Tempel and Voi Vod and death metal but they're not. YOU are though. And therefore YOU should check this out.
Lateralus is dark and brooding, rhythmic and atonal. Beautifully complex, with insane time signatures, bizarre tunings and huge riffs. A doom rock epic, skillfully forced into some completely alien prog/metal/ambient shape. Tense and droning tribal workouts, pummelling double bass, chugging power chords, whispered feathery stretches of ambience, and great fucking songs. Misanthropic lyrics and amazing (sometimes shrieked, but more often sung) vocals. Ultra dynamic and staggeringly technical. Great parts are stretched to their breaking point, where they cease to be just great parts, and instead become torturously tense. And so satisfying.
Obviously, you already know whether you -think- you like or dislike Tool. But if you think you dislike Tool, maybe it's time to think again.
RealAudio clip: "The Grudge"
RealAudio clip: "Eon Blue Apocalypse / The Patient"

YOSHIHIDE, OTOMO Flutter (Tzadik) cd 16.98
Imagine some gorgeous, high energy free jazz (including compositions by Eric Dolphy and Gerry Mulligan) melded with electronic drones, sine wave tones, and some Merzbow-style noise. That's what our favorite Japanese new music guru (turntablist/experimentalist/jazzbo Otomo Yoshihide) delivers with this new album on John Zorn's Tzadik label. Otomo and four other stellar players from the venerable Japanese free jazz scene are joined by none other than Merbow's Masami Akita and frequent Otomo collaborator Sachiko M (she's the one playing the "empty sampler w/ sine wave"). Fans who're already into his work with Ground Zero, ISO, Filament, and all the rest will have an idea of what this sounds like if we say it's a cross between the amazing Ground Zero "Plays Standards" disc and the minimalist clicks & drones of his more recent ISO project. Also it follows on nicely from his previous Tzadik release "Cathode", mixing the acoustic and electronic elements as on that disc. In other words, Otomo fans, it's essential! For those who have yet to explore the man's work (and who like jazz!) this would be a great starting place.
There's moody parts with record crackle and smokey sax soloing, and then there's full-on intense combustions of improv interplay, total electronics/jazz freakouts. Here's a more detailed rundown: the opening title track is a ten and a half minute exercise in tension: skittering drums, suspenseful noir film bass lines, slowly ascending distorted guitar feedback, topped with badass horn interplay straight outta "The Shape of Jazz to Come", and layered with ear piercing high frequency sine wave tones, courtesy of Sachiko M. "Spin" is a delirious hyperfrenetic bebop jam with subtle blasts of noise and space age guitar jabs that whirlpools into an ending that has to be heard to be believed! The two Dolphy numbers covered are "Les" and "Serene". Then the album concludes with an epic twenty two minute track that begins with the sweet sound of Gerry Mulligan's "Night Lights" and transforms into the beautifully abstract, Otomo-composed "Density". The whole disc is fantastic, beautiful stuff, something we're sure was conceived partly in tribute to a young Otomo's 1970s Japanese free jazz heroes, who no doubt would approve. Brilliant and highly recommended.
RealAudio clip: "Spin"
RealAudio clip: "Night Lights / Density"

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PHARAOH OVERLORD #1 (Ektro) cd 14.98
The other day a mail order customer called up and ordered Finnish post-rockers Circle's tUMULt release "Andexelt", and also "Ciudad de Brahman" by Argentinian stoner-rock outfit Natas. I immediately suggested that he also get a copy of this debut cd by Pharoah Overlord, which, being the "stoner rock" project of Circle's Jussi Lehtisalo, is pretty much a perfect cross between the hypnotic riff-repetition and rhythmic pulse of Circle and the super heavy stoner vibe of Kyuss-worshippers Natas! Jussi describes this project (which also includes the guitarist from Bad Vugum band Sweetheart) as being "Hypno-improv-stoner-rock from Finland (file under Psychedelic)" and we'd have to agree, that's the honest truth. It's VERY psychedelic in the most head-noddinest of ways, really not that far removed from the heavier Circle output, but with more of a stoner sensiblity that should definitely appeal to fans of Kyuss and the like. The jams on here also hark back to '70s greats like Pink Floyd and Ash Ra Tempel. It's all instrumental, all mesmerizing, totally great. Everytime we play it in the store people ask what it is, it's that good. Definitely if you're already a sucker for anything Circle (like us!) you'll want it, and stoner/space rock fans should also be very very happy with this disc. Oh, and yes, it's called Pharaoh Overlord, how cool is that? Released in the US via Andee's tUMULt label.
RealAudio clip: "Mystery Shopper"
RealAudio clip: "Landslide Non Stop"

GUAPO Great Sage, Equal Of Heaven (tUMULt (Pandemonium in Europe)) cd 13.98
Wow! UK noise-skree-experimental rock duo Guapo really take their prog-rock obessions to the limit on this new album, a joint release between France's Pandemonium label (home to AQ-faves Hint as well) and our own Andee's tUMULt label. Guapo have always littered their heavy hardcore avant-pummel with prog-rock references, specifically of the "zeuhl" variety -- they even had a 7" single entitled "Guapo vs. Magma". And their previous release was a live improv collaboration with Japanese beyond-prog madmen the Ruins. Now, with "Great Sage...", Guapo have made an intense, over-the-top all-instrumental prog masterpiece for the 21st century. From the truly bizarre cover and interior paintings to the mindboggling and completely fucked song structures to the sax blowouts of ex-Honkie Caroline Krabel to the lengthy DRUM SOLO that pops up in "Zero For Conduct" to the album-closing 16 minute epic "El Topo" whose heavosity rivals that of AQ-faves Tarantula Hawk, this disc is a must for all adventurous rock listeners ready for something that tops the progressive freakouts of the 1970s. Especially if you like the Ruins (their heavier, less spastic stuff especially) or Ruins' Magmoid side-project Koenjihyyakei, you should check this out!!
RealAudio clip: "Five Cornered Square"
RealAudio clip: "Sakura"

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----* Harvey Sid Fisher Returns! :
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If you were lucky enough to get turned on to Harvey Sid Fisher back when his "Astrology Songs" got its first nationwide release in the mid-'90s, you already know what a cheeky gem this guy is. You will die of laughter and delight upon hearing Harvey Sid's suave chops. Not only is the gray-haired distinguished-looking Harvey Sid "one of LA's top ten million photographic models" and actors (wasn't he in a Lincoln Continental commercial?), but he's a hilarious songwriter whose sound is somewhere between the tense nasal delivery of Bob Dylan and the manliness of Lee Hazelwood. And he has this totally singular ability to take the most obvious pop psychology (about astrological signs and the war between men and women) and turn them into songs that when you hear them on WFMU or something, you'll be like "Oh my god WHO IS THIS GUY?"

Well, although Amarillo Records (home of Neil Hamburger) isn't around anymore to release Harvey Sid's records, at least we can still get them straight from the man himself. Sure they're cd-Rs and the cover art is just xeroxes, but hey... each one is autographed!

FISHER, HARVEY SID Astrology Songs cd-r 8.98
Barrelhouse piano, some delightfully cheesy drum machines and uptempo rhythms highlight the truly amazing Astrology Songs album. (For those who bought it when it was on Amarillo Records, note that this version has added back up vocals). There's one song for each sign, and I'll bet a dollar you will find yourself skipping ahead to your own sign within a minute of putting the record on... only to find that Harvey Sid has got you totally pegged. Each song is sung in the first person, and are as varied as moody lovesongs (like "Moonchild" -- so titled because Harvey Sid didn't want to use the word Cancer), and playful uptempo show tunes ("Talkin' 'bout the Taurus / talking 'bout the bully-bull-bull! / wooly bully / You be good I'll love you till the end / and you will have a lover you can count on as a friend / I like being rich and I like being well fed / I'm good in the kitchen and I'm good in bed"), and western-style epic ("Lib-Lib-a-Libra Lib-Lib-a-Libra / I'll flirt and conquer then withdraw / Lib-Lib-a-Libra Lib-Lib-a-Libra / then maybe might come back for more / In love with all of my heart / the act of love is more of an art / Irrational passion some will say / But uh-uh I'm no glutton more a love gourmet"). Listen to the soundclips below for the full Harvey Sid experience!
Local customers might want your first Harvey Sid Fisher experience to be with the Astrology Songs *video*, which simply has to be seen to be believed. A tuxedoed Harvey sings while a modern dancer in leotards acts out the lyrics of each song. Un-fucking-believable. We have this video available for rent. Mailorder customers -- we can order this for you ($17.98).
RealAudio clip: "Taurus"
RealAudio clip: "Libra"
RealAudio clip: "Scorpio"

FISHER, HARVEY SID Battle of the Sexes cd-r 8.98
The Battle of the Sexes disc reminds us of the 60s-style folk-rock duets Lee Hazelwood performed with Ann Margaret, Suzy Jane Hokum, etc. Subtitled "Duets with couples fighting -- Putting the 'fun' back into dysfunctional". With subjects like money, communication, affairs, and sex, they are so so so funny. Here's some lyrics from "I Want Sex":
Man: "I want sex / I want sex / You got me climbing up the wall"
Woman: "You talk like I'm not giving you enough"
M: "You ain't giving me any at all"
W: "You know I've been busy / lots of work to do"
M: "Oh please please please I work as hard as you"
W: "You know I would if I could"
M: "But you don't when you should!"
W: "Well the fact of the matter is you're not that good!"
RealAudio clip: "I Want Sex"
RealAudio clip: "Money"
RealAudio clip: "Control"

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----* Selected New Arrivals :
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AKIYAMA / SUGIMOTO / WIGET Hokou (Corpus Hermeticum) cd 19.98
Wow! A new release on Bruce Russell's Corpus Hermeticum label! But just who the hell are these folks? Taku Sugimoto (electric guitar) is the most well known artist in this collaboration; we've heard his beautiful mimimal guitar playing previously on records with Kevin Drumm, Gunter Muller, and Otomo Yoshihide, as well as his performances both solo and collaboratively on the wonderful compilation "The Improvisation Meeting at Bar Aoyama". Tetuzi Akiyama (acoustic and electric guitars) records with a Brazilian group called Amephone, and Bo Wiget (cello and electronics) is a Swiss sound artist.
Recorded in Tokyo in 1999, "Hokou" ("Spazieren" in Swiss or "Periodic Drift" in English) is an exercise in minimalist improvisation, full of abstract tones, deep droning cello swells and restrained guitar plucks. Really nice.

AMP Saint Cecilia Sinsemilla (Space Age) cd 16.98
Amp's Richard Walker and Karine Charff were once members of a loose Bristol collective of "rural psychedelic" outfits featuring bands like Flying Saucer Attack, Movietone, Crescent, and Third Eye Foundation, all having sort of interchangeable members. Over time, each of those individual groups took on more distinct aesthetics and lost their member swappin' interconnectivity. While Third Eye Foundation pushed further towards electronica and Crescent took on a gritty, abject temperament, Amp's sound became more oceanic and romantic. "Saint Cecilia Sinsemilla" was recorded during their 1999 European tour (in support of their third proper album "Stenorette") and features additional recordings from their VPRO sessions. Like all of the Bristol bands, Amp's sound began as a lo-fi extension of My Bloody Valentine's lumenescent guitar distortion. But as can be heard on "Saint Cecilia Sinsemilla," Amp now relies less and less on the big MBV guitar sound, instead crafting a dense electronic psychedelia (duh, it's on Space Age -- home of Spacemen 3 and Spectrum) around Karine's haunting vocals.
RealAudio clip: "Get There"

APHEX TWIN 51/13 Aphex Singles Collection (Warp / WEA Australia) cd 21.00
Since Richard D. James has recently been hiding from the public with no indications as to when or if another Aphex Twin album will be happening, this rare Australian import collection of Aphex Twin's mid '90s singles is certainly a welcome arrival! "51/13" compiles the "On","Ventolin", and "Donkey Rhubarb" EPs which are still available individually through Warp in the UK. Even at this import price, it's cheaper than buying all of the singles individually.
During this period of Aphex Twin's sound, he was continuing his mutations of hardcore techno breakbeats, which had been popularized by the likes of The Prodigy, Meat Beat Manifesto, and XL Records. For those who care about such things, this breakbeat sound was instrumental in the birth of drum 'n' bass, yet is drastically different in that the hardcore breakbeats are internally constructed by a drum machine (usually a Roland 909), whereas drum 'n' bass actively sampled its breakbeats from the history of soul, funk, and jazz. As a result of the technological process of the creation of the breakbeat, these three Aphex Twin singles have a particularly cybernetic feel to them. However, Aphex Twin uses this sound as a counterpoint to the oddly whimsical melodies from his re-wired and re-programmed MIDI patches for piano, harp, calliope, and bells. These are the same sounds that the Aphex Twin droned out on his beautiful "Selected Ambient Works Volume 2." "51/13" also features the seemingly incongruous collaboration between Aphex Twin and Philip Glass! For this piece called "Icct Hedral," Glass scored a dramatic orchestral piece around the repetition of a distinctly Aphex Twin melodic phrase. It's surprising how well this particular piece works.
For a lot of electronica, history tends to date and make obsolete certain sounds and artists... But this has never been the case with Aphex Twin.
RealAudio clip: "Donkey Rhubarb"
RealAudio clip: "Icct Hendral"
RealAudio clip: "On"

ARCANO, ANTONIO Y SUS MARAVILLAS Danzon Mambo (Tumbao) cd 13.98
While it remains undisputed that Perez Prado introduced what is now known as the "mambo" to the world with his fast, punchy arrangements, it is with flautist Antonio Arcano and his orchestra that the syncopated rhythm originates. To give credit where credit is due however, it was Arcano's pianist and arranger Orestes Lopez (brother of the famous bassist Cachao, who also played with Arcano) who was its creator. Lopez developed the rhythm as a backdrop for Arcano's soloing (there is only one vocal track included in this collection.) The sound of Arcano's mambo is unmistakeable to that of Prado and other later orchestras; there is a much milder temperment here, due to Arcano's predeliction towards strings (5 violins, 1 viola and 1 cello as well as bass), absolutely no brass to compete with his flute and the use of snatches of classical melodies. The tracks on this collection were recorded in Cuba up til 1951.
RealAudio clip: "Rapsodia En Azul"

AUTECHRE Confield (Warp) cd 14.98
During the past few years, Autechre's work has come to mean much more than a personal aesthetic expression for Autechre themselves, as members of electronica's ivory tower (the IDM list in particular) have placed Autechre's work within a universally accepted canon of specific rhythms, melodies, and structures. Funkstorung, Richard Devine, Cex, Bannlust, Markant, Crunch, and Arovane are just a few of the artists whose work is based solely upon the worship of that Autechrist aesthetic canon. It may be up for debate if these deliberate imitations are earnest homages or hollow rip-offs. In anycase, the fact remains that a number of Autechre's albums stand amongst electronica's best. What separates Autechre from their imitators is the understanding that experimentation is a neccessary but risky procedure. Not every attempt at a complex algorithmic sequence is going to result in breathtaking rhythm, not every melody is going to be memorable. But from the anxiety of experimentation, Autechre has succeeded more often than not, and should be commended for upholding their experimental ideals.
However, "Confield" is a drastically different record for Autechre, as they have become too self-involved in making experimental art for the sake of experimentation. All of their previous records have a trace element of hip hop, as if Autechre has taken the futurism of Afrika Bambaata and Grandmaster Flash to a logical extreme of dense cybernetic spaces and whirring binary clatter. Autechre may have been predicting that hip hop wouldn't catch on to this (if at all) for quite a long time; however, the angular hip hop productions of Destiny's Child or Ludacris have indeed developed similarities to Autechre's sound. I would postulate that these similarities rather than the imitators from their own camp are what pushed Autechre towards the more experimental / less accessible forms on "Confield."
This album has almost completely done away with the bass heavy hip hop breakbeats. Instead, Autechre sublimates the rhythms to seasick fluctuations of timestretched glitches and phasing sequences. Similarly, the big romantic melodies which Autechre pioneered on their first album ("Incunabula") and revitalized on their last ("AE5") have gone missing. While the individual sounds are interesting, well-groomed pieces of digital errata, Autechre's micromanagement of the sound has made them lose sight of the bigger picture: making a good record, not just a good sound.
RealAudio clip: "Lentic Cathachresis"
RealAudio clip: "Sim Ajshel"
RealAudio clip: "VI Scose Poise"

BEAVER Mobile (Man's Ruin / Clearspot) cd 13.98
Latest from these Dutch stoner rock stalwarts. Sure, we like it 'cause our pal Guy Pinhas used to be in the band and co-wrote some of the stuff on this album, but even if Guy wasn't involved we'd still think this was pretty darn good, really. Heavy, rockin, and kinda weird and arty in spots. Modern psychedelia that's sorta like a cross between Wino's Spirit Caravan and something a little more 'post-rocky' (Engine Kid maybe?).
RealAudio clip: "Liberator"
RealAudio clip: "Hour Glass"

BOTTOM Feels So Good When You're Gone... (Man's Ruin / Clearspot) cd 13.98
The hard-rocking midwestern all-female, uh, hard rock outfit Bottom steps up with debut cd release on Man's Ruin. Heavy, with elements of '90s noise/grunge rock and '70s style swagger. Kinda aggro.

BOXHARP The Tailored Soldier (Glitterhouse) cd 13.98
Boxharp is the solo (with plenty of help) project of the Court And Spark's MC Taylor. So as you might expect, it shares a lot soundwise with the C+S. However, it's a bit more experimental, with much more emphasis on texture and ambience. Boxharp's muted twang and loping, droning country are flecked with tinkling piano and soaring lap steel, otherworldly harmonies and a huge room sound, with plenty of extraneous noise, creaking doors, footsteps, wind, and instrument hum. Dark and achingly beautiful. Essential for fans of The Court and Spark, Uncle Tupelo, Calexico and the like. Definitely worth checking out even if you're not.
RealAudio clip: "Filming Th Desert"
RealAudio clip: "Old Wood In The Waterwheel"
RealAudio clip: "Church In Calhoun"

BRAN FLAKES I Don't Have A Friend (Lomo ) cd 14.98
Aaah, the fountain overflows with a facetious flood of tweaked tunes from Mr. Mildred Pit and Mr. Otis F. Odder. Together they are the Bran Flakes from Seattle, WA. Giving a tip of the hat to Irwin Chusid (radio host and champion of musical eccentrics everywhere ---Raymond Scott to name but one), they plunder and paste melodic incongruities (what was that?! a tv show theme? and that?! a Nancy Sinatra song? Lawrence Welk? Mickey Mouse?), children's voices, broadcast announcements, frantic beats, and exotica flourishes together like a giant demented pinata. At once, fluffily silly, yet strangely menacing. Features a collaboration with our pal Wobbly. Fabulous fans of Bruce Haack, People Like Us, Quintron, and Negativland, take note.

BYRNE, DAVID Look Into The Eyeball (Luaka Bop) cd 17.98
Brand new album from ex-Talking Head David Byrne. Big production with lots of guest musicians. Almost sounds like it was produced by Tchad Blake, but it isn't. The coolest thing about the album is the cover art and moiree effect slip cover. You can pass each panel of the fold out booklet through the slip cover and see: David Byrne blink, scream, a cup break, a hand pass through fire, a bug take to flight and a chair disintegrate.

CANNIBAL OX The Cold Vein (Def Jux) cd 16.98
Seems like the future of hip hop belongs to either Company Flow and their progeny or cLOUDEAD and the Anticon crew. Both seem to be the only crews really pushing the boundaries of hip hop. Cannibal Ox is a duo from Harlem, and for 'The Cold Vein', they hooked up with producer El-P of Company Flow and it shows. Cannibal Ox have their delivery down, futuristic but not stupid (Kool Keith?), hard but not gangsta, and just generally pretty unique. But it's the somehow simultaneously stark / lush production that pushes it over the top. Raw rough beats and fucked up rhythms, unlikely samples and lots of bizarre ambience. Hip hop record of the year anyone?
RealAudio clip: "Iron Galaxy"
RealAudio clip: "Raspberry Fields"

CANNIBAL OX The Cold Vein (Def Jux) lp 16.98
Seems like the future of hip hop belongs to either Company Flow and their progeny or cLOUDEAD and the Anticon crew. Both seem to be the only crews really pushing the boundaries of hip hop. Cannibal Ox is a duo from Harlem, and for 'the Cold Vein', they hooked up with producer El-P of Company Flow and it shows. Cannibal Ox have their delivery down, futuristic but not stupid (Kool Keith?), hard but not gangsta, and just generally pretty unique. But it's the somehow simultaneously stark / lush production that pushes it over the top. Raw rough beats and fucked up rhythms, unlikely samples and lots of bizarre ambience. Hip hop record of the year anyone?

CHARM OST (5 Rue Christine) cd 13.98
Soundtrack to the long awaited feature film by Sadie Shaw (infamous SF/Olympia underground filmmaker extraordinaire, responsible for numerous music videos and photography, mostly for the Kill Rock Stars label, guitarist in SF outfit The Lies) and Sarah Reed (also of The Lies). Features (mostly) exclusive tracks by Aisler's Set, Deerhoof, Thrones, The Need, The Lies, Concentrick, Replikants, Sarah Lund (Unwound) and Aaron Beam plus wonderful scoring by Tim Green and many more! What's most interesting about this soundtrack is most of the better-known bands' contributions are quite unindicative of their "normal" output (specifically Thrones, Replikants, Deerhoof and the exclusive Aislers Set track), but they fit the overall tone of the film and are quite beautiful on their own. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that these artists had the film in mind when composing their contributions to Charm. Quite nice!

CLARK, CHRIS Clarence Park (Warp) cd 13.98
New on Warp, and fuck if this isn't the only glimmer of hope in the overcrowded and under-inspired world of electronica. The glitches and pops and Pole fallout are kept to a minimum here and instead, Clark uses actual sounds, unrecognizable as they may be, and makes beautiful, funky, funny, catchy and almost organic sounding electronica. Think Matmos with a less 'intellectual' bent, think Lesser with a less 'I-wanna-destroy-you' bent. Think Aphex Twin with a distinctly new coat of paint. This record, from the second I put it on, was so new and fresh sounding. Sure the new Autechre is 'different', but be honest, no huge leap was made. And I'm sure the new Boards of Canada will be great, but it probably won't be a big surprise either. 'Clarence Park' is easily the freshest sounding electronic record of the last year. Huge old school breakbeats are chopped up and scattered throughout a mine field of subsonic synth rumbles and bleeping Aphex Twin-like melodies, with occasional minor key melancholy flourishes. Crazy cut-ups and masteful editing collide with creative drum programming and skittery soundscapes. Playful, but not fey, pounding and relentless, but not mindlessly 'hardcore'. Really really great.
RealAudio clip: "Dogs"
RealAudio clip: "Bricks"

CONTINUOUS MODE Disinformation Design (Klang Electroniks) cd 14.98
Continuous Mode is the name of the real-time software that Andy Mellwig first developed when he started collaborating with Thomas Koner in the quintessential Chain Reaction post-techno / heroin-house outfit Porter Ricks. For this solo project, Mellwig has taken up the name of his software in an attempt to create the sound of the "discless DJ" (try saying that five times fast!). His idea is to subtly reference the continuum of music history withoit directly quoting it. Mellwig himself claims to make references to the Beatles, Miles Davis, and Yes, but I think he's talking out of his ass. "Disinformation Design" refers specifically to the history of electronic music recalling the likes of Georgio Moroder, Conrad Schnitzler, the early '90s Detroit techno of Plus 8 Records, and of course the Chain Reaction / Basic Channel axis. Definitely cool stuff if you've thought the Chain Reaction sound needed more of a kick in the pants.
RealAudio clip: "Aurora"
RealAudio clip: "Disinformation Design"

COUNTRY GENTLEMEN On The Road And More (Smithsonian Folkways) cd 15.98
The Country Gentlemen were one of the great bluegrass bands to come out of the Washington DC area folk revival in the late fifties. The diverse backgrounds of core members Charlie Waller (guitar), John Duffey (mandolin), Eddie Adcock (banjo) and Tom Gray (bass) gave the band a sound that fit the traditional bluegrass mold and an urbane quality that was fresh without being so slick and smarmy as the later "newgrass" bands that would follow in the years to come. "On the Road" was originally released in 1963 and features recordings of two live performances by the Country Gentlemen, one recorded at Antioch College in 1962 and the other at The Sacred Mushroom, a coffee house in Columbus, Ohio in 1963. As a bonus to this reissue are six tracks recently uncovered in the Folkways' archives from the Country Gentlemen's appearance at Carnegie Hall in 1961 as part of Pete Seeger's "Hootenanny" folk concert to introduce urbanites to the world of folk. An added benefit to hearing live recordings of the Country Gentlemen is that they were quite the jokesters on stage -- just shy of the Smothers Brothers at times -- and many of their antics are included here. Also included is a 29 page booklet with a detailed bio of the band and notes on all the songs.
RealAudio clip: "Long Black Veil"
RealAudio clip: "John Henry"

COWBOY JUNKIES Open (Latent / Zoe) cd 16.98
Alt-country long before the term ever existed, these kings and queen of dreamy slower than slow, more bitter than sweet music have rarely strayed from the mellow path they've tread for over fifteen years. However, on 'Open' they venture into brief moments of almost psych/space-y territory and more upbeat tempos. Not sure if this is a good thing 'cause the Cowboy Junkies are at their best when main songwriter Michael Timmins keeps the pace slow ---weaving, drifting and richly enveloping with his sister Margot's voice, so languid and velvety it rivals that of Hope Sandoval.

CREATION IS CRUCIFIXION / CRITICAL ART ENSEMBLE / CARBON DEFENSE LEAGUE Child As Audience ((R)TMark) cd/book 16.98
Awesome co-operative release between southwestern political grindsters Creation is Crucifixion, Critical Art Foundation and the Carbon Defnese League. Beautiful box with a cd/cd-rom and a huge perfect bound book. The book examines the 'reverse engineering of the Nintendo Gameboy' and the concept of child as consumer. Translated into French, Dutch and German, as well as English. The cd contains 3 new tracks from Creation Is Crucifixion, blazing super technical metal grind a la Discordance Axis, as well as 4 ambient tracks with voiceovers relating to the 'child as audience' concept by the Critical Art Ensemble. The cd-rom portion contains development software by the Carbon Defense League. Cool.

CREST OF DARKNESS Project Regeneration (Listenable Records) cd 14.98
This is probably one of my (Andee's) favorite new metal records. Imagine some sort of weird mix between Cradle of Filth and Voivod. Technical and blazing fast, but instead of that sing-songy black metal melody that seems to make it into every black metal track, this one is all riffs, and the riffs are angular and obtuse and impossibly fast (seeing as they're not single notes), reminding us a lot of Canadian scifi thrashers Voivod, but more like a hyperspeed Voivod! Shrieking Cradle of Filth style vocals and a sort-of-cyber death/black metal sound with super tight and clinical production and the occasional creepy ambient bits with strings and Bjork/Lamb style vocals! Weird and completely great.
RealAudio clip: "Computerized / Luciferian Light"
RealAudio clip: "Project Regeneration"

CUARTETO MACHIN The Original Cuarteto Machin (Tumbao) cd 13.98
Early recordings of mostly Cuban sones by singer Antonio Machin and his quartet, recorded in New York City between 1930 and 1931. Machin is credited with introducing the popular Cuban song El Manisero (The Peanut Vendor) to American audiences during a visit in 1930. Vocals accompanied by guitar, tres guitar and trumpet and featuring renown Cuban trumpet player Mario Bauza in some of his earliest work on the instrument (according to the liner notes it was on Machin's request that Bauza, a clarinetist at the time, learn trumpet to play with his group -- a feat he accomplished in two weeks.)
RealAudio clip: "Oprobio"

DESTINY'S CHILD Survivor (Columbia) cd 17.98
No doubt you've at least heard 'Survivor', and you've most definitely heard the Charlie's Angels song. And unfortunately, outside of a track or two, those happen to be the best songs on the record. So while it is a good record, it maybe doesn't measure up to the last one. Windy loves it, and thinks it actually might be better than the last one. But Allan and Andee are yet to be convinced. Heads up for the Stevie Nicks sample on one of the other great tracks 'Booty-licious'.

DILUTE The Gypsy Valentine Curve cd 11.98
Man oh man, with bands like The Church Steps, For Stars, Erase Errata, and Dilute (and many others), the Bay Area scene is getting to be so interesting and original again. None of this spacerock bulls---; people are writing songs again. There's real stark emotion nakedly playing across the music of local quartet Dilute, whose totally epic tone recalls Flaming Lips, and vocalist Marty Anderson sounds just like a cross between Neil Young and the Lips' Wayne Coyne. Yet Dilute strips out all the bombastic orchestration of, say, the Lips and instead leaves in just the lurching exclamation points, millisecond shards of noise, and fills in the rest of the music with serene fingerpicked arpeggios and sad romantic melodies. The songs remind me of Fuck's (in fact, fans of Fuck will love this) -- deconstructed and barely there; multisectioned with lots of hinted-at yet unstated segues and harmonies that your brain automatically fills in without the band having to. That takes smarts and a lot of musicianly restraint. This is a wonderful record!
RealAudio clip: "Bea"
RealAudio clip: "Freedumb"

EITZEL, MARK It Is Important Throughout Your Life to Proclaim Your Joy (Matador) cd ep 8.98
Long awaited new single from local troubadour of the downtrodden, Mark Eitzel. The title track is certainly Eitzel's most upbeat song EVER, with barely a hint of the abject depression that marked his solo work and long tenure with American Music Club. It features a rapidfire monologue delivery sort of like Bob Dylan, and has a neo-folk-pop vibe to it, like John Wesley Harding or Billy Bragg. Comes with 2 non-album tracks, one a downer that old fans of Eitzel will like, and one "swing" version of the title track. Also has some backward-masking embellishments that hint at the electronics he's decided to experiment with on his upcoming new record. We wait in fear.
RealAudio clip: "It Is Important Throughout Your Life to Proclaim Your Joy"

ELLIOT, MISSY Lick Shots (Elektra) 12"
The a capella version of Miss E's new single "Lick Shots" is so so so so good. That single track, certainly not the bad house remixes also included here, is the reason to buy this 12". Andee's going to try mixing this vocal track with, like, Circle underneath it. Adventurous DJs should really do something cool with this. And then burn a copy and send it to us.

EPOCH OF UNLIGHT Caught In The Unlight (The End) cd 11.98
Tight, technical black metal from this American band. I think they hail from the not-so-frosty forests of Alabama or some such unlikely place. This is the second album for The End and it successfully earns them a place at the head of the US of A's black metal battalions, being as it's so dark, fast, chunky, chaotic, majestic, brutal and very very metal.
RealAudio clip: "Crimson and Steel"
RealAudio clip: "The Last To Fall"

ESCOVEDO, ALEJANDRO A Man Under The Influence (Bloodshot) cd 15.98
The fifth collection of songs from this amazing songwriter. In recent years, his music has been labelled Americana, roots rock, alt-country, but call it what you will -- this is simply a wonderfully earthy and lush album. A long long way from his punk rock beginnings in The Nuns, and later in Rank And File, this is perhaps his most fully realized album to date. Bittersweet. His supporting cast here includes such notables as Ryan Adams, Chris Robinson, Mitch Easter, and Chris Stamey. In case you're unfamiliar with the Escovedo family, well, you should know their musical roots are deep, diverse and astoundingly expansive boasting such talents as Santana percussionist Pete Escovedo, Sheila E, The Zeros, and Elvez.

EX-GIRL Back To The Mono Kero! (Ipecac) cd 15.98
Yet one more time, let's hear it for Japan! Always pushing things (anything! everything!) to the next level of absurdity and wonder. The highly animated, outstandingly costumed Chihiro, Fuzuki and Kirilo return to take us on another bizarre musical journey to their secret magicland of Kero (that's "ribbit" in Japanese). Definitely a group to be seen live in concert --- it's a spectacle!--- but if you're not one of the lucky ones who've had this joyful experience, their recordings will just have to do. Imagine incredibly organized, playful and strange sonic chaos. A capella vocal acrobatics, punky/prog-y guitars, raw tribal beats. This time they're accompanied by one Mr. Robin Scott. Name sound familiar? Think M. Think "Pop Muzik". Uh huh, he's the voice behind that great, truly new wave tune from 1979 which Ex-Girl cover quite splendidly. Once again produced by Hoppy Kamiyama.
RealAudio clip: "Wipe Out 3"
RealAudio clip: "Frog King"

EXTREME NOISE TERROR Being and Nothing (Candlelight) cd 15.98
Crushing and totally heavy new record from these good-old-days pioneers of grind. I mean these guys have been around as long as Napalm Death and Carcass and have never gotten nearly the recognition think they deserve. They were definitly more on the crusty punk side of things than say, Carcass, but they have always been solid purveyors of grindcore/metal. This new record finds them with a bit of a new line up (including an ex-member of Cradle of Filth) and it is fantastic. Totally pummelling and ultra heavy grind, with definite death metal moments. With crushing high-end ear shredding production and a surprising amount of super catchy riffs (especially for a grind band).
RealAudio clip: "Being And Nothing"
RealAudio clip: "Man Made Hell"

FALL, THE Liverpool 78 (Cog Sinister) cd 15.98
As the title implies, this is a recording of The Fall made in Liverpool in 1978. That was easy. 12 tracks of a very oddly recorded set. Not exactly just lo-fi, because you can distinctly hear Mark E Smith's moaning on each track. And the bass is fairly loud just under him, but the guitars sound like their down the hall, just outside the bathroom door. And the drums? Well, sometimes you can hear them, sometimes you can't... At all. Pretty darn punk rock and historical.
RealAudio clip: "Two Steps Back"

FRANTI, MICHAEL & SPEARHEAD Stay Human (Six Degrees) cd 16.98
Brand new album from Michael Franti -- ex-Beat Nigs, ex-Disposable Heroes of the Hiphoprisy -- and Spearhead.

GO-GO'S God Bless The Go-Go's (Universal) cd 16.98
Looking so fresh and bright, Jane, Charlotte, Kathy, Gina and Belinda return with a full new album after a series of peeks and teasers. Their wonderful go-girl harmonies and super hook pop melodies are all splendidly intact. Billie Joe from Green Day guests on a song.

GONZALES, CHILLY Entertainist (Kitty Yo) cd 15.98
God, this sucks ass. Only if you really liked him at the recent Peaches live show will you probably want this. With names like Patric Catani (EC8OR), Bomb 20 and even Peaches given production credits (and even a L'Trimm sample!), you'd hope for a decent record, but the godawful lyrics are just so damn bad.

GRAVITAR Freedom's Just Another Word For Never Getting Paid (Enterruption) cd 8.98
Instrumental ferocity from this Michigan-based trio of feedbacking guitar, wild drums, and heavily processed brass that sound like a full on army of horns dumped underwater, struggling chaotically and desperately to get to the surface. Intense. Amusingly yet unsmilingly, the album and all the songs sport the same title: "Freedom's Just Another Word for Never Getting Paid".
RealAudio clip: "Freedom's Just Another Word for Never Getting Paid"

GRAY, DARIN & LOREN MAZZACANE CONNORS This Past Spring (Family Vineyard) cd 13.98
The second collaborative effort from this guitar/bass duo. Loren Mazzacane Connors is of course known as a unique guitar improviser with a hauntingly beautiful style of "Venusian blues". Darin Gray you may know as the bassist from Chicago avant-noise-rock outfits Dazzlingkillmen, Brise-Glace, and You Fantastic! Together they explore lonely realms, both noisy and serene.
RealAudio clip: "Part 1"
RealAudio clip: "Part 5"

HAINO, KEIJI Abandon All Words At A Stroke, So That Prayer Can Come Spilling Out (Alien 8) cd 17.98
Two new recordings from the very prolific Keiji Haino, although there's no indication as to when or where. Disc one is a single piece for hurdy-gurdy and voice titled "Whereto can I cast away this fragment echo called The End, so that I may summon an awakening from the other side?". Much like Haino's previous excursions with said instrument, the piece is a lulling drone not unlike Tony Conrad's compositions for violin, only it is unmistakably Haino with his distinctive anguished vocal howl. (Maybe he got his hair caught in the crank of his hurdy-gurdy? We've heard a possibly apocryphal story about that happening during one of his live performances!). Not as rich in tone as his other works for hurdy-gurdy, this piece is more grating (he achieves a tone that resembles scraping metal), but quite beautiful, nonetheless. On disc two, "I have decided to tear you to pieces / Whether you become darkness or light depends on you I wonder, which shall you choose?", Haino breaks new ground in that he utilizes new technology in his instrumentation (sound processing effects for guitar notwithstanding): an electronic percussion device cited as a "wave drum". Reminiscent of 1995's "Tenshi no Gijinka" (Tzadik) in that the instumentation consists of percussion instuments. Here, Haino manipulates the electronic drum sound to extend the wave cutoff, creating a haunting organ-like drone which is unfortunately cut short with a primitive tribal fit of sharp blasts of drums and demonlike vocal shrieks. This piece features some of the most feral and aggressive vocal work from Haino in a long while. Nice packaging, metallic purple and silver ink on black gatefold slipcase.
RealAudio clip: "I Have Decided to Tear You Apart..."
RealAudio clip: "Whereto Can I Cast Away..."

HAINO, KEIJI & COA You Should Draw Out the Billion and First Prayer (Hören) cd 15.98
The dark elf of the current Japanese noise/psych scene, Mr. Keiji Haino (from Fushitsusha, and many other projects) teams up with Eddie and Bill (they're girls, really!) from the heavy Japanese bass/drums combo COA. Previously Haino has collaborated in a similar fashion with Tokyo heavies Boris, so he's obviously into rockin' with some younger musicians outside of the typical PSF psych/folk axis. That's not to say this isn't folky and psychedelic, as parts of it surely are. Together, Bill and Eddie and Keiji produce a varied disc of skronky guitar storms, ritual drum pound & string strum, yelping vocal duets, and other outsider-y avant rock weirdness.

HASWELL, RUSSELL Live Salvage 1997 - 2000 (Mego) cd 18.98
Collected works (live, as the title states) from the man behind OR Records (responsible for a slew of excellent experimental / electronic discs from artists like Zbigniew Karkowski, Francisco Lopez, Farmer's Manual, CD_Slopper, etc.). You might recognize Haswell's name as he's remixed Merzbow (Scumtron) and Thurston Moore (Root) as well as collaborated with the former on a 12" put out a few years ago on Mego (now out-of-print, soon to be reissued by Meme on CD). The Akita connection alone should give you an indication of what Haswell has in store on this album: brutally aggressive laptop harshtronics, huge slabs of noise of the non-digital persuasion with a knowing nod toward Akita-san himself. Nice. Cover photo by Wolfgang Tillmans to go along with an acknowledgment list that's hip as fuck.

HI-TEK Hi-Teknology (Rawkus) 2lp 15.98
Light and funky hip hop from Reflection Eternal producer Hi Tek. You might remeber the Taleb Kweli /Hi Tek record from a while back. Well, the sound is similar, but this time around he's got a bunch of guests on board: Common, Taleb Kweli, Mos Def, Jonell, Buckshot, Slum Village and more.

HI-TEK Hi-Teknology (Rawkus) cd 15.98
Light and funky hip hop from Reflection Eternal producer Hi Tek. You might remeber the Taleb Kweli /Hi Tek record from a while back. Well, the sound is similar, but this time around he's got a bunch of guests on board: Common, Taleb Kweli, Mos Def, Jonell, Buckshot, Slum Village and more.
RealAudio clip: "Get Back Part 2"
RealAudio clip: "The Sun God"

HIROSHIGE, JOJO Konomama Shinde Shimaitai (Alchemy) cd 19.98
Jojo Hiroshige is the founding member of the Osaka-based noise unit Hijokaidan. Along with Merzbow, Hiijokaidan is one of the oldest post-Masayuki Takayanagi noise artists in Japan, with recordings that date back to the late seventies. In addition, Jojo runs the Alchemy label, known for their consistent output of quality noise (and occasional punk / avant rock) records. "Konomama Shinde Shimaitai" is his third solo record. Songs here range from harsh guitar feedback outbursts accompanied by painful vocals (think Keiji Haino, only more vulnerable and revealing), to cold hushed vocals over eerie synth drones, to drums/noise freakouts scarier than anything on a black metal record, to the pulsing krautrock-inspired "Black Night, White Snow". Not strictly a "noise" record, recommended for the more adventurous noise-freak!

JOAN OF ARC How Can Any Thing So Little Be Any More? (Jade Tree) cd 10.98
Well, once we got past the first few tracks (that included a mildly annoying song about fucking strangers and a recording of a child singing some '70s ballad) things settled into quite a nice spartan mellowness for this posthumous Joan of Arc EP. Seemingly randomly scattered acoustic guitar and piano melodies make friends with spacy drones and distortion. And throughout, the plaintive voice of Tim Kinsella meanders. Culled from tracks recorded during sessions for (but not included on) their final album The Gap.

KHAN No Comprendo (Matador) cd 14.98
Heavy on the quirk and camp in a StereoTotal sort of way, but somewhat more sexed up and raucous. Some French girl vocals, some very Euro, Fred Schneider meets Jon Spencer vocals. Well actually, maybe that *is* Jon Spencer, 'cause he does sing on here, along with Diamanda Galas (!), Julee Cruise, Kid Congo Powers, Andre Williams, Hanin Elias (ATR), and Francoise Cactus of StereoTotal. Wow, what a crazy bunch of guests. So imagine the mixture of all those folks with a funked up spy movie soundtrack strutting along underneath.

KRISTIAN, SHALABI, ST-ONGE s/t (Alien 8) cd 14.98
Noted electronica minimalist David Kristian here collaborates with the Shalabi Effect's Alexander St-Onge and Sam Shalabi for this interesting improvised album of quiet acoustic drones and accompanying electronics. Thankfully not a laptop ensemble featuring Jim O'Rourke or Christian Fennesz, this trio resists the temptation to lapse into dense free jazz phrasings, and instead focuses on the subtleties that can take place between electronics and stringed instruments (in this case bass, guitar, and oud). The resulting album is a much quieter version of AMM or Taj Mahal Travellers.
RealAudio clip: "Dirt Well"
RealAudio clip: "The Heart Of The Mouse"

LABELLE, BRANDON / CHRISTOF MIGONE Writing Aloud: The Sonics of Language (Errant Bodies) book+cd 20.00
"Writing Aloud" is the second massive publication from experimental musician Brandon LaBelle's Errant Bodies Press, and is a collection of writings about the semiotic slippages between sound and language. His introduction states: "in speaking about language, grammatical codes undermine syntactical rules, vocalizing speaks through the sonicity of utterance, all extending and contracting against individual desire, memory and the urgencies of speaking, writing and hearing. Yet it is precisely this circling, this reflexivity that 'Writing Aloud' aims to enter, not with the intention of repeating indefinitely, but rather to locate the tension and volition inherent to language. 'Writing Aloud' as a project aims to 'enact' language -- and by extention the form of the book -- by scratching away at its surface, reflecting on histories of its usage, and by turning up the linguistic volume." Contributors for the written portion include Achim Wollscheid, Vito Acconci, Robert Ashley, Alvin Lucier, David Dunn, Gregory Whitehead, Jocelyn Robert, and many others. The CD features some great work from Michel Chion, John Duncan, and Randy Yau, as well as contributions from Yasunao Tone, Gregory Whitehead, Achim Wollscheid, and many more. This is required reading for those who understand (or pretend to understand) why Semiotext(e) has a parenthetical clause within its name! In other words, not light reading, but if you're interested in the experimental musics and philosophies of any of the abovementioned contributors, you'll relish wrapping your brain around this.

LANEGAN, MARK Field Songs (Sub Pop) cd 15.98
Fifth solo album from Ex-Screaming Trees vocalist Mark Lanegan and he just keeps geting better. Dark and smoky, evocative and atmospheric. Slow, whiskey soaked ballads with a country tinge. With a beautifully dreamy and washed out (but still crystal clear) production, melancholy and so beautiful. With a handful of guests: Mike johnson (longtime Lanegan collaborator), Ben Shepherd (Soundgarden), Brett Netson (Built To Spill), and Duff McKagan (Guns and Roses!?).
RealAudio clip: "Fix"
RealAudio clip: "One Way Street"
RealAudio clip: "Resurrection Song"

LICHT, ALAN Plays Well (Crank Automotive) cd 14.98
Guitarist Licht (ex-Love Child, Run On, etc) indeed plays well (and then weirdly) on this new solo effort. Two long, half-hour-plus tracks, the first, "Remington Khan", is a dexterous display of hypnotic note-pickin' (and building backing drone) that Licht intends as a tribute to both Fluxus hillbilly drone violinist Henry Flynt and Licht's old pal and fellow guitar-meister Jim O'Rourke, and it is certainly evocative of both. The second track, "The Old Victrola" is quite different, taking Captain Beefheart's "Wel" as a starting point and subjecting it to layers of distorted guitar skree, before (bizarrely) a lengthy sampled disco-diva segment begins. That then mutates into fucked up organ-drone. Shades of Terry Riley's "You're No Good"? Anway, it's a pretty weird track. No wonder Licht suggests that the two pieces on "Plays Well" need not be listened to consecutively. All in all, pretty great stuff from Mr. Licht, probably one of his best releases to date.
RealAudio clip: "Remington Khan"
RealAudio clip: "The Old Victrola"

MANNING, BARBARA & THE GO-LUCKYS You Should Know By Now (Innerstate) cd 14.98
The prolific pop mistress Barbara Manning is back for another go-round with the Go-Luckys. Ten tunes of jangling guitars, her ever-young and sprightly voice and a ghostly flight here and there of musical saw. All the low-key prettiness we've come to expect from Ms Manning but with a bit more bounce this time out. Very much along the lines of fellow wonderful singer/songwriters Lida Husik, Rose Melberg, and Lois.

MIDISPORT 14 Footballers In Milkchocolate (Rather Interesting) cd 16.98
GGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!! The ever charming German electronica maven Atom Heart (to some still better known as Senor Coconut, and to others, like his mom, as Uwe Schmidt -- his real name) retains his infatuation with the music of South America (where he now lives) for his latest project, this time using the moniker Midisport. Similar to his Los Samplers disc, which subjected the likes of Perez Prado and other Latin Mambo kings to his lap top tomfoolery, Midisport geographically pegs Brazil by appropriating the infectious rhythms of Samba music, the mellow jazz stylings of Antonio Carlos Jobim, and a few nods to Caetano Veloso for good measure.
RealAudio clip: "Midi A Go Go"
RealAudio clip: "Florianopoly"

MIKROKNYTES s/t (Crank Automotive) cd 12.98
Analog synths galore! This Washington DC duo mix electronics and violin to make some kraut-friendly (Conrad Schnitzler comes to mind) electro drones, with moments of melody and beats...very nice!
RealAudio clip: "Sonerone"
RealAudio clip: "Sawg Warz"

MONTANER, RITA Rita De Cuba (Tumbao) cd 13.98
Born in 1900, Rita Montaner was enrolled in a conservatory of music in Cuba and studied voice and piano at the age of ten and received her diploma at sixteen. By the age of 19 she was giving recitals throughout Cuba, at 22 she was one of the first voices to be heard over Cuban national radio and at 27 flew to New York -- beginning her career as an international artist. But despite her extensive performances abroad and her knowledge of the European classical repertoire, it was to Cuba that she always returned and it was the music of Cuba that she performed the most. On this collection of recordings, mostly made in 1928 & 1929 in Cuba (there are six tracks recorded in 1940 & 1941), Rita sings the songs of her countrymen, including Moises Simons, Ernesto Lecuona, Juan Bruno Tarraza and many others. Her operatic singing style stands out on these recordings and some here even remark that she sounds a bit like Minnie Mouse. On most of the tracks she is accompanied by Orquesta Hermanos Palau, but there are a few duets of Rita with piano on here as well.
RealAudio clip: "El Manisero"
RealAudio clip: "Alla En El Batey"

MORRICONE, ENNIO L'attentato OST (Dagored) cd 14.98
Il Maestro Morricone's score to a 1972 French/Italian political thriller movie starring Roy Scheider and Jean Seberg, although not having seen the film I would have thought it was some sort of Dario Argento horror/occult flick, based on the music. True, there's some typically cinematic/romantic interludes between the "suspense" parts, but many of the tracks employ a scary Tony Conrad-worthy string drone, which on track five ("Sinfonia Per L'Attentato") acts as a backdrop to ominous, syncopated Goblin-style minimal "funk" vamping, resulting in something that sounds almost like AQ-fave post/krautrockers Kammerflimmer Kollektief playing music from "Psycho".... Dramatic and intense, indeed. LP is 180 gram vinyl, gatefold cover.
RealAudio clip: "Sinfonia Per L'Attentato"

MORRICONE, ENNIO L'attentato OST (Dagored) lp 14.98
Il Maestro Morricone's score to a 1972 French/Italian political thriller movie starring Roy Scheider and Jean Seberg, although not having seen the film I would have thought it was some sort of Dario Aregento horror/occult flick, based on the music. True, there's some typically cinematic/romantic interludes between the "suspense" parts, but many of the tracks employ a scary Tony Conrad-worthy string drone, which on track five ("Sinfonia Per L'Attentato") acts as a backdrop to ominous, syncopated Goblin-style minimal "funk" vamping, resulting in something that sounds almost like AQ-fave post/krautrockers Kammerflimmer Kollektief playing music from "Psycho".... Dramatic and intense, indeed. LP is 180 gram vinyl, gatefold cover.

NISHINIHON s/t (Gyuune ) cd 21.00
Freaked out Japanese hard rock supergroup, a '70s inspired power trio featuring the talents of million-notes-per-second, whammy-bar-crazy guitarist Kawabata Makoto (of Acid Mothers Temple, Musica Transonic, Mainliner, Toho Sara, etc. etc.), bassist/vocalist Tsuyama Atsushi (AMT, Omoide Hatoba, Akaten, etc. etc.) and drummer Ichiraku Yoshimitsu (known for his work in the more experimental/electronic realm, with Otomo Yoshihide's I.S.O., and I'm sure much else). Although they want to sound like Cream or Blue Cheer or Led Zeppelin (track 5 is titled "Let's Zepplin'") they're way more silly and noisy and spastic and insane-on-drugs sounding than those bands. They're less song-based, although they do run the whole spectrum of psychedelic improv rock from wild, wooly distortion fests to some mellower melodic jams. They just played a not-so-well publicized show here in San Francisco (last night, as I write this, and I'm still a little deaf) and they were impressive: by the end of the set I don't think Kawabata had more than one string left on his guitar, and drummer Yoshimitsu was entirely sweat-soaked. Along with the energy/volume level, the humor/weirdness quotient was high, with Atsushi's always weird vocal stylings (throat warbles, falsetto highs, not your typical '70s rock delivery). Also, they apparently have a strange obession with pro wrestling (they a song about The Undertaker, and Makoto was clad in a Stone Cold Steve Austin t-shirt)! As the dozens of projects that have been spawned by the Acid Mothers Temple camp go, this is a good dumb fun one, to play loud.
RealAudio clip: "Hoos The Fuk That Et That Rest O Man Schoo"
RealAudio clip: "Let's Zeppelin'"
RealAudio clip: "Mystery-Dead Breaker"

NOKTURNAL MORTUM Lunar Poetry (The End) cd 11.98
Our favorite Ukrainian black metal band releases, not a new album, but a cd containing the music from their early demo cassette, previous to their "Goat Horns" debut. Majestic grimness from the pagan forests! If you don't already have their "NeChrist" disc, get that first, but fans should check this early stuff out, as we all know that demos are the are the most "cult", and Nokturnal Mortum knew what they were doing on this one! Also, this includes the original version of a track reworked/mixed on "NeChrist", as well as a bonus track I guess not found on the original demo.
RealAudio clip: "Perun's Celestial Silver"

ORQUESTA RIVERSIDE Baracoa (Tumbao) cd 13.98
The Orquesta Riverside, a cooperative of Cuban musicians, had the honor of being the most celebrated group of its day in Cuba. Not only did the group perform on a weekly basis for seven years on national radio and travel extensively throughout South America, but won numerous awards from radio stations and even the Association of Radio & Television Critics. The tracks on this collection were recorded in Cuba between 1953 and 1954.
RealAudio clip: "Cachita"

OUT OF FOCUS Four Letter Monday Afternoon (Kuckuck) 2cd 27.00
Not to be confused with Focus, of "Hocus Pocus" fame! This sprawling krautrock classic was actually reissued on cd some time ago, but we only have been able to get 'em in stock recently, and thought we should list it since it's so darn good. Out Of Focus were a German rock/psych/jazz/fusion outfit that made three albums (four counting a posthumous release) back in the early '70s. A band with radical political issues and avantgarde tendencies, their style was at times heavy, with full-on organ/guitar jams, at times mellow and folky...and always with lots of flute! (You've gotta love flutes, though, to get into this.) Krautrock fans who like Gila, My Solid Ground, Agitation Free, Nosferatu, McChurch Soundroom, Dies Irae, and other "heavy" obscurities from the pages of Crack in the Cosmic Egg should check these guys out if you haven't already!
On this, their third album (1972), the band expanded to include a large brass section (saxes, trumpet). Appropriately, disc one starts off dramatically with a massive, bombastic horn-riff onslaught that stretches into a hypnotic seventeen minute jam (titled "L.S.B.") that sounds something like an imaginary Terry Riley take on the music from Hawaii 5-0. Indeed, much of this album has a "late-night TV band on drugs playing repetitive minimalism" vibe, if you can imagine that. There's definitely a nod to prime Soft Machine in Out of Focus' rock/jazz fusion as well. But, there's more: calmer, creepier ballads, searing psychedelic guitar attacks, baroque flute noodling... only in the '70s I guess!
The vocals, when present, range from eastern-influenced meditative chants to wild nonsensical scatting to (when there's actual words) crazy drug-damaged lyrics like "...sometimes when you're playing flute/and the tones are surrounding you/and the pale face underneath your boots/is tumbling through your rooms" (I *think* that's what he's singing) delivered in a melancholy croon, or (later in the same song) the menacing refrain of "...three years of your life, or seven fingers". It's almost as weird as fellow krautrockers Paternoster (look for that recent review from list #111 elsewhere on our website).
Disc two indulges even further in psychedelic jazz jam excess, being a spacy 48-minute, three-part composition/improvisation called "Huchen 55" that originally spanned two whole album sides. Again, flutes to the fore! We've been fans of Out of Focus' other two albums ("s/t" and "Wake Up", also usually in stock, $16.98 each) for a while, but were especially stoked to finally acquire this set -- it lived up to all our hopes for it and then some.
RealAudio clip: "L.S.B."
RealAudio clip: "Where Have You Been"

PABLO, AUGUSTUS Dubbing With The Don (Jamaican ) cd 16.98
Collection of 15 previously unreleased dubs by melodica master Augustus Pablo and taken from sessions recorded in the 1970's. A few of the tracks here are alternate versions of dubs that Pablo did with King Tubby on the "Meets Rockers Uptown" album, but most of the tracks here are completely new and all of them were taken directly from the master tapes making this some clean, pristine dub.
RealAudio clip: "Wayout Rockers"

PAGANS Pink Album ... Plus! (Crypt) lp 10.98
From Cleveland, the land of Pere Ubu and The Electric Eels, comes the Pagans, totally essential, completely awesome late seventies scuzzed out punk rock. Noisy and sloppy and snotty and totally catchy. The lp includes 2 unreleased songs and two demos, one exclusive to the lp. The cd includes 3 unreleased tracks (as opposed to 4 on the vinyl) and tons of live stuff from 1979-1983 including tracks from their final tour and recordings. Also includes studio demos where the Pagans take on a handful of covers: Alice Cooper's 'Eighteen', Pere Ubu's 'Final Solution', Velvet Underground's 'There She Goes Again'. Also contains a video! Nice.

PAGANS Pink Album ... Plus! (Crypt) cd 14.98
From Cleveland, the land of Pere Ubu and The Electric Eels, comes the Pagans, totally essential, completely awesome late seventies scuzzed out punk rock. Noisy and sloppy and snotty and totally catchy. The lp includes 2 unreleased songs and two demos, one exclusive to the lp. The cd includes 3 unreleased tracks (as opposed to 4 on the vinyl) and tons of live stuff from 1979-1983 including tracks from their final tour and recordings. Also includes studio demos where the Pagans take on a handful of covers: Alice Cooper's 'Eighteen', Pere Ubu's 'Final Solution', Velvet UNderground's 'There She Goes Again'. Also contains a video! Nice.
RealAudio clip: "I'm Eighteen"
RealAudio clip: "Multiple Personalities"
RealAudio clip: "Nowhere To Run"

PAGANS Shit Street (Crypt) lp 10.98
From Cleveland, the land of Pere Ubu and The Electric Eels, comes the Pagans, totally essential, completely awesome late seventies scuzzed out punk rock. Noisy and sloppy and snotty and totally catchy. The lp includes 3 unreleased tracks and 2 super rare tracks from 1979 including the studio demo of 'She's A Cadaver' which is only on the lp. The cd includes 4 extra studio tracks (as opposed to 5 on the vinyl) PLUS tons of live stuff, including 2 tracks featuring Cheetah Chrome and Jimmy Zero from the Dead Boys.

PAGANS Shit Street (Crypt) cd 14.98
From Cleveland, the land of Pere Ubu and The Electric Eels, comes the Pagans, totally essential, completely awesome late seventies scuzzed out punk rock. Noisy and sloppy and snotty and totally catchy. The lp includes 3 unreleased tracks and 2 super rare tracks from 1979 including the studio demo of 'She's A Cadaver' which is only on the lp. The cd includes 4 extra studio tracks (as opposed to 5 on the vinyl) PLUS tons of live stuff, including 2 tracks featuring Cheetah Chrome and Jimmy Zero from the Dead Boys.

PEACHES The Teaches of Peaches (Kitty-Yo) lp 15.98
Now on vinyl.

PENA-GOVEA, RENE, Y SU FAMILIA Rene at 15 (Los Compas) cd 14.98
A nice breath of fresh air for our woefully understocked Latin / Mexican music section, this cd features Rene Pena-Govea and her family; Rene plays button accordian and sings, while her parents supply back up vocals and pluck the guitarron, sexto, etc. Father Miguel leads the city's most popular Latin music group Los Compas, who are equally adept at cumbias, merengue, Tex-Mex, salsa, Latin jazz, and more, but this here record is a smaller and more intimate affair. As Chuy Varela said in a recent Bay Guardian review, "stone cold conjunto norteno... the family who plays together stays together, and Rene is demonstrating some serious talent on the squeezebox. If corridos and dusty border classics are your thing, don't miss this one." Fifteen year-old Rene, we should point out, is also a seriously talented lyricist, given to such evocative and strongly worded phrases that translate as "Our naughahyde dreams / of completely lucid identities / are impossible. / Camote and sweet potatoes with marshmallow. / We slip laughingly through the lines of racial prejudice. / The oregano and epazote of our existence / tinging the pale palatability of others." Wow!
RealAudio clip: "Los Laureles"
RealAudio clip: "Cruz de olvido"

PINK FAIRIES Kings of Oblivion (Raceway) cd 15.98
Back in stock, the cd version of the aptly-titled third album by anti-commercial British rock semi-legends Pink Fairies. Features future founding Motorhead member, guitarist Larry Wallis. Original Pink Fairies Mick Farren and Twink however were long gone by the time "Kings" came out in, uh, '72 was it? Doesn't say on this cd. Whatever year it was, you can hear the last gasp of the hippy psychedelic sixties meet the wasted hard rock seventies, making for some pre-punk, post-psych rawk that, at its best, sounds like a cross between that other Pink band (Floyd) and, well, Motorhead. Now if only the other two, earlier, even better Pink Faires albums ("Never Neverland" and "What a Bunch of Sweeties") would come back into print on cd!! (Or, if anybody's got used copies of those cds they'd like to part with, let Allan know!)

POTENTIAM Balsyn (Avantgarde) cd 13.98
Iceland's third most popular band after Bjork and Sigur Ros! But they don't sound a whole lot like either of those artists, as Potentiam aren't pop or electronic, but a black metal band! Now, this isn't a new release, but it's a favorite of ours and we've never listed it before, so we recently got a bunch in to try to turn some of you Icelandic-music lovin' folks on to. Actually, come to think of it, they *do* sound just a little bit like Sigur Ros, as both bands share a similar penchant for bombastic cinematic soundscapes. There's even trumpet on Potentiam's fantastic gloom-pop instrumental "Alfablod", which really does remind us of some of the stuff from Sigur Ros' "Ny Batteri" ep. In the AQ-universe, it's Potentiam that should be the big hit! They also delve into eerie experimental soundscapey stuff (the album-closing "Flames of Potentiam" sounds like they burned a church just for the recording), but the balance of "Balsyn" is grim, dark, epic Viking metal in the mode of Satyricon or Enslaved (and no, we certainly can't find any Sigur Ros parallels there, although as many scribes would have us believe, the land/sea scapes of Iceland are probably an influence on both bands' music). A great, overlooked black metal record with (as the record label name suggests) avantgarde leanings. Recommended!!
RealAudio clip: "Latum Oss Bidja"
RealAudio clip: "Alfablod"
RealAudio clip: "Sorcery"
RealAudio clip: "Flames of Potentiam"

POZO, CHANO & ARSENIO RODRIGUEZ WITH MACHITO Legendary Sessions (Tumbao) cd 13.98
While in New York in 1947 researching surgery that might possibly repair his sight, Cuban tres guitarist Arsenio Rodriguez hooked up with fellow countrymen Chano Pozo (astounding percussionist and songwriter), and Machito (along with his orchestra.) The first six tracks, recorded in February of 1947, were made during that visit -- the first two with Pozo's small ensemble and the other four with Pozo, Machito and Machito's orchestra. The remaining ten tracks are all of Arsenio with his small conjunto and recorded in Havana & New York in 1948 and 1953 respectively.
RealAudio clip: "Seven Seven"
RealAudio clip: "Tumba Palo Cucuye"

PRESOCRATICS Presocratics Serve Imperialism (Table Of the Elements) cd 14.98
Yum. Held together with a political, not musical, theme (anarchism, I guess), Presocratics have made a wonderfully enjoyable schizophrenic ep. The first piece ostensibly takes a split second heavy metal guitar sample or two (so short they're practically unrecognizable as coming from any genre) and loops them so quickly it becomes an aggressively clicking percussive element, then all of a sudden adds incidental vocals with the half-thought-out tone of Jim O'Rourke or Gastr del Sol. The second continues with the clicking and adds deep ominous rumbles. The third and final piece on the 20-minute EP is an acoustic guitar ballad that again sounds like Jim O'Rourke mixed with Cat Stevens. Much like Brian and Chris' amazing Vectors record, somehow the basic song-ness of the third piece works because it comes after the first two experimental tracks. This is one of the few eps I've heard lately that I wish was a full album because the Presocratics have got the mix of genres down just right. Highly recommended, despite the high price (for an ep) for which you can thank the folks at Table Of The Elements.
RealAudio clip: "Nestor Mahkno Discovers America"
RealAudio clip: "The Break-Even Point"

ROBI DEL MAR Alone in the Belly (Magnetic) cd 11.98
Man or band? Well, both actually it's the name of this SF recording project lead by Steven Daubenspeck (formerly of Granfaloon Bus), and it's the alias of the person to whom this cd is dedicated. Steve's voice is very much akin to those of Canadian contemporaries Destroyer and the Weakerthans, or a very young Bob Dylan. Very sensitive and frail, and a perfect accompaniment to the gentle, roots-inflected guitar melodies. Other players contributing their two bits include Danny Heifetz (Mr. Bungle, Dieselhed, Secret Chiefs 3) and Victor Krummenacher (Camper Van Beethoven). Just lovely. Recommended.
RealAudio clip: "Red Dress Mary"

RODRIGUEZ, ARSENIO Dundunbanza (Tumbao) cd 13.98
Another great collection of recordings by Cuban tres guitarist Arsenio Rodriguez. "Dundunbanza", the title track of this collection is significant because it is a traditional Congolese song which Rodriguez - a Cuban of Congolese descent - adapted to his conjunto. Arsenio was the first Cuban musician to incorporate the conga into his group; a move that was quite controversial at the time, but which is now commonplace in Cuban music. The tracks here were recorded between 1946 & 1951 in Cuba.
RealAudio clip: "Dundunbanza"

ROVO Imago (Incidental) cd 14.98
At long last we have this much-sought after Japanese title back in stock, thanks new local label Incidental who have licensed it for domestic release. Here's what we said about the import version: SF's KUSF radio station has had this Japanese band in heavy rotation for months now...what's all the fuss about? Rovo is a new group featuring violinist Katsui Yuji (of Bondage Fruit) and guitarist Yamamoto Seiichi (of Boredoms, Omoide Hatoba, etc.) as well as two drummers (one from Bondage Fruit). The mix also includes bass, synth, flute, bells, bowls, effects, etc... Rovo play a unique sort of instrumental live electronica--a percolating, jazzy blend with surprises. For instance, track three begins with the lovely, meditative use of those bells and bowls, before erupting into a repetitive techno-funk trance-out.
All that still applies to this version (although there's no bonus 3" cd like the import came with). The band is soon to be touring here as well, in July. They'll be playing in San Francisco with Live Human, which should be a good, interesting matchup. Also look for a future live release on Zorn's Tzadik label...
RealAudio clip: " Larva"

RUINS Mar - Oct 1997 (Enterruption) cassette only 11.98
A collection of tracks culled from live shows in Japan in 1997. This cassette-only release is 46 minutes long, limited to 100 handnumbered copies, and comes w/a button and one of 6 color postcards featuring photos taken by Ruins dude Tatsuya Yoshida himself. First come, first served.

SAMHAIN III November Coming Fire (Evillive) cd 15.98
Reissue of Danzig's post-Misfits pagan goth-punk classic. Unfortunately, there are no liner notes, no lyric sheet, no bonus tracks, no extra photos. Gotta get the box set for all that extra stuff. Originally released in 1986, features the classics "In My Grip", "To Walk the Night", and the haunting reworking of the Misfit's anthem "Halloween II".

SCORCES Holding Breath Threads (Wholly Other) cd 13.98
Scorces is an improvised drone collaboration between Christina of Charalambides and Heather of Ash Castles On The Ghost Coast. The album starts off on the right foot with an extended drone from dualling organ chords, sweeping sustained vocals, and bells, sounding much like the Hermann Nitsch "Harmoniumwerk" pieces. Yet Sconces falters some thirty minutes into the recording with the vocals turning from a distant wail to a far too present hysterical shriek.

SENSATIONAL GUITARS OF DAN & DALE (SUN RA & THE BLUES PROJECT) Batman and Robin (Universe) cd 16.98
Amid the constant, welcome flood of reissued Sun Ra treasures, this is certainly an oddity (and that's saying something). Apparently Sun Ra (who plays Hammond B-3 on here), Marshall Allen, John Gilmore and other Arkestra greats decided to cash in on the national Batman and Robin mania back in 1966, and this LP was the result! It's got Neal Hefti's famous Batman theme, and about a dozen other Batman-inspired toons ("Joker Is Wild", "The Bat Cave", "Batman's Batmorang", you get the idea), all of 'em bouncy, jazzy, garagey fun stuff for the kids. Not your typical Sun Ra fare, but quite a novelty, very kitsch. Also features Al Kooper on organ...
RealAudio clip: "Batman Theme"
RealAudio clip: "Penguin Chase"
RealAudio clip: "Riddler's Retreat"

SIGMARSSON, SIGTRYGGUR BERG Ship (Trente Oiseaux) cd 16.98
Sigtryggur Berg Sigmarsson is a member of the transplanted Icelandic trio Stilluppsteypa, whose work has evolved over the past decade from avant-rock wackiness to studied drone / glitch work but has always maintained an off-kilter and at times absurdist approach toward their concepts. "Ship" is Sigmarsson's debut solo recording and continues in the minimalist direction that Stilluppsteypa has taken recently. Sigmarsson's album uses the metallic hull of a half buried ship as the source material for this album. Sigmarsson's "Ship" austerely floats through a gradually shifting topography of delicate, complementary harmonics, which come close to the more active drone moments from the latest Bernhard Gunter records.
RealAudio clip: "Ship"

SILVA AND THE CELESTRIAL COMMUNICATION ORCHESTRA, ALAN Seasons (BYG / Actuel / Get Back) 3lp 32.00
Fucking incredible document of early seventies free jazz recorded live in Paris, in December 1970. We shouldn't have to do anything but tell you who plays on this to convince you that this is utterly essential. Fans of Sun Ra, Art Ensemble of Chicago (most of whom, play on this) and all things ESP, MUST own this. Seriously beautiful and epic (3 lps!) outer-jazz-space exploration.
And here's the freakin' lineup:
Alan Silva - leader, bass, electric-violin, electric-sarangi, bow and spring (two French electroacoustic instruments) / Bernard Vitet - trumpet, french horn / Lester Bowie (AEC) - trumpet, flugelhorn / Alan Shorter - trumpet / Joseph Jarman (AEC) - saxes, flute, bassoon / Steve Lacy - soprano saxophone / Ronnie Beer - tenor and soprano saxophone, flute / Roscoe Mitchell (AEC)- saxes, flute, oboe / Robin Kenyatta - alto sax, flute / Michel Portal - alto sax, clarinet / Dieter Gewissler - electric violin / Jouk Minor - electric viola / Kent Carter - cello / Irene Aebi - cello, celeste / Dave Burrell - piano / Beb Guerin - bass / Don Moye (AEC) - drums, percussion / Jerome Cooper - drums, percussion, bronte / Oliver Johnson - tympani, percussion

SONNA We Sing Loud Sing Soft Tonight (Temporary Residence) cd 11.98
Just when you thought every "instrumental post rock" band should be buried alive in a hole never to be heard from again, here comes the Baltimore-based quartet Sonna with their first full length album that breathes so much fresh air into the genre we're feeling rejuvenated and happy. Sonna play the most complex quiet music we've heard in a long time. The drums and shimmering cymbals are forefront in the mix and are so tight, delicate, and careful. The two lead guitars weave in and out of each other making melodies even more sweetly pretty by way of the resulting harmonies. And there are real dynamics here, carefully thought out shades of color and mood that put to shame those lesser bands who think that soft-LOUD-soft are enough to make us think they're deep. Crisply recorded by Steve Albini. Highly recommended. Get this and their epic one-song EP The Eventual Bow, and you're set.
RealAudio clip: "The Opener"
RealAudio clip: "Sleep On It"
RealAudio clip: "Real Quiet"

SPACEHEADS AND MAX EASTLEY The Time Of The Ancient Astronaut (Bip Hop) cd 15.98
The UK duo Spaceheads have long been AQ staff favorites for their unique combination of the propulsive, addictive percussion of Richard Harrison and the otherworldy looped trumpet of Andy Diagram. And there have been times when we were so lulled by the endlessly evocative trumpet that we wish it would happen in slow-motion just to stretch out the blissfulness of it all. Well, on this new outing, Spaceheads have teamed up with Max Eastley, who wields The Arc (an electric acoustic monochord), and done just that -- removed the motorik syncopated driving beats and replaced them with shimmering cymbals and small percussive gestures and squiggles, while extending the trumpet into neverendingly evocative chilled-out washes of pure vibratoless horn. Although I am not quite sure what the monochord looks like or how it works, it sounds much like an early analogue moog synth, erupting in wails at times hellish and chaotic, at times placid and harmonious. An ambient record. Relaxing yet with an undercurrent that will unsettle you in a good way.
RealAudio clip: "The Black Drop of Venus"
RealAudio clip: "Generator X"

SQUAREPUSHER My Red Hot Car (Warp) cd ep 5.98
This ep is a comeback of sorts for our Tom Jenkinson, after a few weak (to our ears) records of breakbeats set to smooth jazz. "My Red Hot Car" is arguably Squarepusher's best dancefloor thumper since Big Loada's "Come On My Selector". Topped off with a catchy vocal line throughout, it's the perfect soundtrack to cruising with the windows down on a warm summer evening. Let's just hope this doesn't pop up in VW's next ad campaign. To complement the title track, there are two nice tracks of dark brooding drone work. Really nice.

SUBOTNICK, MORTON Volume 1: Electronic Works (Mode) cd 16.98
Collection of recordings spanning American electronic composer Morton Subotnick's career. It includes a remastered version of Touch, originally released in 1969 (his third commercially released composition) and created on the Buchla synthesizer and a four track. Also included is "A Sky of Cloudless Sulfur" (1978) also created using the Buchla, and a new piece entitled "Gestures" composed on a MacIntosh laptop computer using a graphical interface designed by his son Steven and includes voice from uber contemporary vocalist Joan La Barbara.
RealAudio clip: "Touch Part One"
RealAudio clip: "Gestures"

SUN RA It is Forbidden (Total Energy) cd 14.98
Sun Ra & His Intergalactic Arkestra return to the Ann Arbor Blues & Jazz Festival in Exile 1974, as documented on this live archival release. Eleven rambunctious and festive songs are presented (annoyingly programmed as one single track), and even without songtitles like "Second Stop Jupiter" and "Love In Outer Space" you'd be convinced that they're something just a little spaced-out about them. The title track, we're told, may be making its first recorded appearance here.

SUN RA The Other Side of the Sun (Universe) cd 16.98
1979 Sun Ra LP reissued as a mini-gatefold cd as well on vinyl. Lovely, loungey space-jazz, including Sun Ra standard/anthem "Space Is The Place".

SUN RA The Other Side of the Sun (Universe) lp 21.00
1979 Sun Ra LP reissued as a mini-gatefold cd as well on vinyl. Lovely, loungey space-jazz, including Sun Ra standard/anthem "Space Is The Place".

SUN RA & THE BLUES PROJECT (SENSATIONAL GUITARS OF DAN & DALE) Batman and Robin (Universe) lp 21.00
Amid the constant, welcome flood of reissued Sun Ra treasures, this is certainly an oddity (and that's saying something). Apparently Sun Ra (who plays Hammond B-3 on here), Marshall Allen, John Gilmore and other Arkestra greats decided to cash in on the national Batman and Robin mania back in 1966, and this LP was the result! It's got Neal Hefti's famous Batman theme, and about a dozen other Batman-inspired toons ("Joker Is Wild", "The Bat Cave", "Batman's Batmorang", you get the idea), all of 'em bouncy, jazzy, garagey fun stuff for the kids. Not your typical Sun Ra fare, but quite a novelty, very kitsch. Also features Al Kooper on organ...

TECHNO ANIMAL Dead Man's Curse (Matador) 12" 5.98
Fucking totally heavy and intense 3-song single from the English duo Techno Animal (Kevin Martin and Justin Broadrick who've worked variously in such outfits as Godflesh, Sidewinder, Ice, God, etc). This is dark, dark screwed-up mutant hip hop an unavoidably ferocious driving breakbeat on the bottom end that will appeal to fans of the Wordsound label (Sensational, Spectre, Hawd Gangstuh Rappuhs, etc). Techno Animal, who've released a full length on Digital Hardcore and have worked with everyone under the sun who're important in the new mutant hip hop world, will also be familiar to fans of Force Inc's crazy weird Electric Ladyland series, and they've worked with rappers from New Kingdom and Anti Pop Consortium -- on this new single, it's Roger Robinson/Attica Blues and on their upcoming album they've corralled El-P/Company Flow and the terminally weird Divine Styler. This is a perfect intro to Techno Animal's sound, so don't miss out any longer (like I did until now) cos you know how much it sucks to have to go backwards looking for out-of-print singles like you're gonna want to do. Highly recommended.

TECHNO ANIMAL Dead Man's Curse (Matador) cd ep 5.98
Fucking totally heavy and intense 3-song single from the English duo Techno Animal (Kevin Martin and Justin Broadrick who've worked variously in such outfits as Godflesh, Sidewinder, Ice, God, etc). This is dark, dark screwed-up mutant hip hop with an unavoidably ferocious driving breakbeat on the bottom end that will appeal to fans of the Wordsound label (Sensational, Spectre, Hawd Gangstuh Rappuhs, etc). Techno Animal, who've released a full length on Digital Hardcore and have worked with everyone under the sun who're important in the new mutant hip hop world, will also be familiar to fans of Force Inc's crazy weird Electric Ladyland series, and they've worked with rappers from New Kingdom and Anti Pop Consortium -- on this new single, it's Roger Robinson/Attica Blues and on their upcoming album they've corralled El-P/Company Flow and the terminally weird Divine Styler. This is a perfect intro to Techno Animal's sound, so don't miss out any longer (like I did until now) cos you know how much it sucks to have to go backwards looking for out-of-print singles like you're gonna want to do. Highly recommended.
RealAudio clip: "Dead Man's Curse"

TO ROCOCO ROT & I-SOUND Music Is A Hungry Ghost (Mute) cd 16.98
More wonderful burbling electronica from the lauded German quartet To Rococo Rot, of whom solo artist Robert Lippok is a member. Undercurrents of throbbing yet very gentle bass rhythms augmented with chattery percussion and serene melodies. Fans of Boards of Canada and Mouse on Mars really need to hear this group. Recommended.
RealAudio clip: "For a Moment"
RealAudio clip: "How We Never Went to Bed"

TO ROCOCO ROT & I-SOUND Music Is A Hungry Ghost (City Slang) lp 14.98
More wonderful burbling electronica from the lauded German quartet To Rococo Rot, of whom solo artist Robert Lippok is a member. Undercurrents of throbbing yet very gentle bass rhythms augmented with chattery percussion and serene melodies. Fans of Boards of Canada and Mouse on Mars really need to hear this group. Recommended.

TRACY AND THE PLASTICS Muscler's Guide to Videonics (Chainsaw) cd 13.98
Long awaited full length from Olympia, WA-based multimedia queen Wynne Greenwood, formerly of MeMeAmerica. Recorded by Joe Preston (Thrones), this cd compiles new material with songs previously heard on the cassette-only release put out last year by Heartcore. This is lo-fi new wave synth pop for the transfused. Carrie Brownstein (Sleater Kinney) makes an appearance on one track.

V/A Anticon Giga Single (Anticon) cd 7.98
Low priced compilation produced by Oakland's Anticon collective of hip hop artists. 17 tracks from the likes of Anticon, Sole, Dose, and much more.
RealAudio clip: BRANDON "Pedestrian For Vessel"
RealAudio clip: SAGE FRANCIS "Inherited Scars"

V/A Below the Radar (ROIR) cd 14.98
Collection of dub tracks originally released on the Wordsound label. Those who are already familiar with Wordsound and the "Crooklyn" dub sound probably have most of the tracks found here, but this make an excellent introduction to the unique world of Wordsound. Includes tracks from Spectre, Slotek, The Weakener (Mick Harris), Bill Laswell, Dubadelic and much more.
RealAudio clip: WORDSOUND I-POWA "Dungeon of Dub"
RealAudio clip: SPECTRE "Mayday / Nightstalker"

V/A FreakOff (Harmless) cd 21.00
A followup to the recent Broasted or Fried compilation released on the dependable UK label Harmless, FreakOff again collects "Latin breakbeats, basslines, and boogaloo" recorded from 1963 to '73, made predominantly by Puerto Rican Hispanics living in NYC, where the boogaloo sound found flower. Historic and important; uplifting and energizing. With Pete Rodriguez, Eddie Palmieri, Joe Bataan, Tito Puente, etc.
RealAudio clip: ISMAEL QUINONES "Control"

V/A Guitar Unlimited (Alchemy) cd 19.98
This actually came out in 1996, but we're listing it for the first time 'cause we've been on a big Alchemy restock kick. This is the first in Alchemy's "Guitar" compilations and features tracks by Seiichi Yamamoto (Boredoms, Omoide Hatoba, ROVO), Jojo Hiroshige (Hijokaidan), Sisho, and Kyoichi Tokuyama (Auschwitz).

V/A I Am Vengeance OST (Meteor City) cd 13.98
The long-awaited "stoner rock/doom metal" soundtrack to the perhaps equally long-awaited psychedelic splatter/gore flick "I Am Vengeance" by low-budget underground director Richard R. Anasky, who, inspired in his filmmaking by both '80s slasher movies *and* '80s doom metal like Witchfinder General, hooked up with Meteor City to put together this soundtrack, featuring the likes of Sheavy, Count Raven, Eternal Elysium, The Quill, Bloodfarmers, Space Probe Taurus, Naevus, Lowrider, Las Cruces, and others. I thought that doom legends Pentagram were supposed to be doing the theme song (it's on their last album), but here it's done by Doomsday Gouvernment (ex-members of Count Raven, who appear all over this comp). Anasky's liner notes seem to indicate that the Pentagram track will appear on a *second* volume of songs from the film to be released by doom label Game Two, but I haven't heard about a release date for that. Anyway, this is a fine comp of mostly-new (or hard-to-find) material by some excellent, if obscure, bands -- almost all of whom seem to have singers vying for the "Sounds Most Like Ozzy Osbourne" award!
RealAudio clip: BLOOD FARMERS "Bullet In My Head"
RealAudio clip: COUNT RAVEN "Scream"

V/A Laboratory Series Volume One (Planetsounds) cdr 8.98
Electronica compilation from the UK on relatively new label Planetsounds. Features: Daniel Weaver (ex Stock, Hausen, and Walkman), JJ Howard, Disco Operating Systems, and Magic City (who all record for the RSI label). Black Curtain, Whitecube, and Pendro and Oleum (both of the mighty Fflint Central label) and more!

V/A Leaf Compilation (Leaf) cd 15.98
A mix by Susumu Yokota includes works by Pole, Four Tet, Rothko, Faultline, Rob Ellis, P'Tang and Susumu himself.

V/A Modular Systems (Eighteenth Street Lounge) cd 15.98
"Modular Systems" is the latest ESL compilation of trip hop from Thievery Corporation, Nicola Conte, Thunderball, Blue States, Ursula 1000, Desmond Williams, and a few other Thievery Corporation-like groups. This also features a few remixes from Thievery Corporation, was compiled by Thievery Corporation, and released on Thievery Corporation's label. For fans of Thievery Corporation.

V/A People Get Up (Harmless) cd 21.00
A pretty great collection of "party funk and get down jazz", as the record is subtitled, People Get Ready collects just addictively grooving singles here, including a Lee Dorsey track that never made it onto any of his albums. Another fine collection form the UK label Harmless, home of the Pulp Fusion comps. With James Brown, Joe Thomas, The Capitols, etc. Highly recommended.
RealAudio clip: LEE DORSEY "Four Corners (Part 1)"
RealAudio clip: THE ISLEY BROTHERS "I Know Who You Been Socking It To"

V/A Shrine of Afrodigital: Future Sounds From the Motherland (Ocho) cd 19.98
"Shrine of Afrodigital" is sort of a sequel to the "Shrine of Afro-funk" that Ocho released last year. This compilation presents tracks from urban African artists exploring the future of afro-beat, drawing from legendary artists to up and coming afro-house dj's and remixers. The album is unfortunately a bit of a disappointment. The most notable tracks being Tony Allen's vocoder laden "Ariya", a Senegalese hip hop track from Youssou N'Dour's label which features sampled snippets from traditional Senegalese musicians, and a fairly catchy Rai-House track from Cheikha Rimitti. Also on this disc are Femi Kuti (remixed by Francois Kevorkian), Cesaria Evora (remixed by Body & Soul, a.k.a. Francois K. & Joaquin Clausell), Vivian N'Dour (who pays homage to Aaliyah's "Are You That Somebody), Babacar Faye and more.
RealAudio clip: ALLEN, TONY "Ariya"
RealAudio clip: KANTIOLIS "Comportement"
RealAudio clip: RIMITTI, CHEIKHA "Nakhla"

V/A Texas Bohemia (Trikont) cd 14.98
We're not sure just when we got this Trikont compilation in, but somehow it slipped under our radar and never got listed. That oversight will be redressed presently. For this collection Trikont has assembled an impressive collection of recordings of Bohemians, Moravians and Germans living in South Central Texas playing the music they love most: Polkas, Waltzes and Schottisches. Many of the recordings (dating from 1970 to 1993) were made live at festivals -- Oktoberfests and otherwise -- but there are some commercially released (but not widely) singles as well. Having never been a huge fan of polkas, I was pleasantly surprized to find myself really enjoying this cd. Part of it is the live, location recorded aspect of it -- I think that the performance of polka bands live at a country fair or a VFW hall has a certain sense of immediacy to it which gets lost when they get locked in a studio. And you can really hear the surroundings on many of these recordings, including the people in the audience (though never obtrusive.) My favorite track on the album has to be a version of "Edelweiss" as performed by the Tuba Meisters -- it's so plaintive as to almost make you forget that you're hearing a track from the Sound of Music. The cd comes with a 21 page booklet, but unless you know German (Trikont chose not to have a translation on this one) you won't benefit from much more than the included photos.
RealAudio clip: TUBA MEISTERS "Edelweiss"
RealAudio clip: VRAZELS & MAJEKS & BOBBY JONES CZECH BAND "Corn Cockle Polka"
RealAudio clip: BROSCH, HENRY ORCHESTRA "Wooden Heart"

VENETIAN SNARES Songs About My Cats (Planet Mu) cd 17.98
Venetian Snares is the damaged electronica outfit of Canada's Aaron Funk, whose work has absolutely nothing in common with his last name. After his previous record of overdosed digital noise and excessive breakbeat velocity (a collaboration with Speedranch), Venetian Snares' "Songs About My Cats" is a comparatively calm (but still complex and nervous) concept record about his cats, who must be a jittery bunch of creatures to spawn this album. This album is filled with an arsenal of erratic breakbeats and whirring, timestretched rhythms that could have easily found their way into the more recent Aphex Twin or Lesser recordings, with a similarly mischievous sensibility.
RealAudio clip: "Cleaning Each Other"
RealAudio clip: "Chinaski"

WEEZER Weezer (Geffen) cd 17.98
The first peep from these guys after a five year absence! And sure as heck it's full of those familiar power guitar melodies and sunshine-y, super-boy vocal harmonies. So why don't I feel any better? What's wrong? What's missing? Well for one thing the lyrical twists and odd subject matter for which Weezer were well known are nowhere to be found. And there just doesn't seem to be anything to distinguish this album as a Weezer record. Certainly it's got good pop tunes, but sorta in a faceless not-really-all-that-catchy kind of way. Fans obviously must own this, but even their admitedly weak last album Pinkerton was catchier and more distinctly Weezer. Oh well. Check out records by The Stereo, or the Get Up Kids or Reggie and the Full Effect to see how the students have surpassed their teachers.
RealAudio clip: "Hash Pipe"

ZENI GEVA 10,000 Light Years (Neurot Recordings) cd 14.98
Here's one to play loud! The first new album from Japanese heavyweights Zeni Geva in six years (their last being 1995's "Freedom Bondage" on Alternative Tentacles), their ninth-ish disc overall (more if you count tapes and splits etc.), is out now on Neurosis' Neurot label. Zeni Geva mastermind KK Null takes a break from his solo ambient/electronics projects to return to his roots: crushingly heavy metallic avant-rock, rooted in the Swans (and more proggy stuff too). Recorded by Steve Albini (who has collaborated with Zeni Geva many times before), this has a very Albini/Chicago vibe, sounding at times not unlike something like Dazzling Killmen. "10,000 Light Years" is mostly instrumental (although don't despair, there's still moments when you'll get to hear Null chant stuff like "Auto-Fuck!" in his gruff growl) with lots of quiet/loud dynamics, dissonant chords, and shifting song structures. It's perhaps Zeni Geva's most "post-rock" (prog rock?) record yet. And, they're still terrifyingly heavy, more brutal and metal than most "real" metal bands. Punishing, cathartic math-metal from the masters (the lineup this time: Null on guitar/vox, Tabata on guitar, and Fuji on drums).
RealAudio clip: "10,000 Light Years"
RealAudio clip: "Tyrannycide"

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----* Printed Matter :
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"LEE SCRATCH PERRY: PEOPLE FUNNY BOY" book by David Katz (Payback Press) 22.95
459-page exhaustive biography of the Upsetter himself, one of the most important figures in reggae music. Wow.

"DESPERADOES: THE ROOTS OF COUNTRY ROCK" book by John Einarson (Copper Square Press) 19.95
I wish I had time to read this book. It looks to be a pretty interesting look at the country rock scene of the late '60s and early '70s. Covers the obvious seminal artists like the Eagles, Gram Parson, the Byrds, Poco, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Flying Burrito Bros, and many more.

LITTLE ENGINES #1 zine 5.00
Issue numero uno from Little Engines, and it looks like a very worthy read. Digest sized and perfect-bound (much like Sound Collector) Lots of fiction and comics from the likes of Damien Jurado, Zak Sally (Low), Al Burian, etc. Also -- an interview with hip hop outfit Dalek. Quality.

STAY FREE #18 zine 3.95
"Commercialism and American Culture". Ads during WWII, the top ten Embarassing Moments in Textbook History, funny eBay items ("new swear word", "friendship", "DNA from a writer for The Onion"), etc.

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----* In Stock, No Time to Review :
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AMORES PERROS "OST" (Universal) 2cd 23.00
BIOSPHERE "Substrata 2" (Touch) 2cd 24.00
BULL, SANDY "Fantasias" (Vanguard) cd 16.98
BURNING AIRLINES "Identikit" (DeSoto) cd 14.98
CANDIRIA "300 Percent Density" (Century Media) cd 16.98
CLOUDDEAD "s/t" (Mush) cd 14.98
DELTRON 3030 "Instrumentals" (75Ark) cd/2lp 15.98/14.98 [this is awesome! possibly Record of (Next) Week!]
ELLIOT, MISSY "Miss E ... So Addictive" (Elektra) cd 16.98
FANTASTIC PLASTIC MACHINE "Beautiful" (Emperor Norton) cd 14.98
FROM QUAGMIRE "The Tropic of Barren" (VHF) cd 13.98
HARRIS, EMMYLOU "Anthology" (Warner / Reprise) 2cd 30.00
HINDS BROTHERS "420 Haight Street, San Francisco" (Omni Sonic) cd 11.98
KEELHAUL "II" (Hydra Head) cd 14.98
KHAN, USTAD ALI AKBAR "Volume 3" (AAMP) cd 13.98
KHAN, USTAD ALI AKBAR & PANDIT NIKHIL BANERJEE "Volume 4" (AAMP) cd 13.98
KHOLD "Masterpiss Of Pain" (Moonfog) cd 14.98
LADD, MIKE "Welcome to the Afterfuture" (Ozone) cd 16.98
LIES, THE "Resigned" (Kill Rock Stars) cd 13.98
MAINLINER "Imaginative Plan" (PSF) cd 19.98
MATCHING MOLE "Smoke Signals" (Cuneiform) cd 14.98
MOTHER MALLARD'S PORTABLE MASTERPIECE CO. "Like A Duck To Water" (Cuneiform) cd 14.98
NURSE WITH WOUND "Funeral Music For Perez Prado" (United Dairies) cd 17.98
ORTOLANI, RIZ "Una Sull'altra OST" (Dagored) cd 14.98
PARKER, ANDREA "The Dark Ages" (Quatermass) cd ep 8.98
QUEST, DJ "Questside (Untold Tales)" (Hip Hop Slam) cd 14.98
PLAYING ENEMY "Cesarean" (Escape Artist) cd 14.98
R.E.M. "Reveal" (Warner) cd 17.98
SPAIN "I Believe" (Restless) cd 17.98
V/A "Infrasonic Waves" (Ochre) 2cd 21.00
V/A "Knowing We Was Right From Da Start" (555) cd 13.98
VIVIAN SISTERS "s/t" (Avant) cd 19.98
WICKHAM-SMITH, SIMON, & RICHARD YOUNGS "Lammergeier" (VHF) cd 13.98
ZOVIET FRANCE "Decriminalization Of Country Music" cd 18.98 _______________________________________________________________________
OUR NEW ART EXHIBIT : 12x12


----> 12x12
----> Drawings, Paintings and Dioramas.

May 20 - July 16, 2001 / Opening Reception: Thursday May 24, 2001 -- 7:00 - 9:00 pm
The reception is free and open to the public.

Don't know what to say? Put on some music. Can't paint? Put on the right record and the inspiration will come. The root of the word "music" is "muse", after all. Every visual artist has weathered a time in his or her life when inspiration is not self-evident, when the frustrations of needing to create are overwhelmed by the inability to find that spark. While there are those tortured artists who recover their personal muse through alcohol, drugs, sex, or just raw abjection, there are those who have re-ignited the communication with the muse through the less sensational activity of listening to music.

The number of linguistic analogies between painting and music are too numerous to mention, but speak to artists and they will describe their work using the same terminology musicians invoke. Composition. Segue. Harmony. Dissonance. Patterns. Repetition. Landscape. The symbiosis between the visual and the less tangible (that which we call music). If you're lucky, you might be able to hear a color or see a sound.

Aquarius Records invites you to share in the pleasure of creating by featuring 14 individuals who are our customers as well as artists we admire, folks drawing inspiration from music as an inherent part of their process. The exhibit is titled 12x12 in reference to the original number of participating artists (along the way it turned into 14) as well as the dimensions of a vinyl album.

Following is a list of the participating artists as well as selected comments on the theme of music and art and how they relate. All the artists are local to San Francisco with the exception of New Zealand musician Chris Knox (Tall Dwarfs).

For a look at an image from the show, see here.


----> Exhibiting artists:

Loren Chasse - John Dwyer - Christopher Garrett - Jim Haynes - Maya Hayuk
Cliff Hengst - Scott Hewicker - Jo Jackson - Chris Knox - Trevor Montgomery
Cory Peipon - J Otto Seibold - William Swanson - Benjamin Weinerîî

----> Some artist statements:

Loren Chasse : "The Footpath" - Often when I am out listening in a landscape I can't help but notice a certain shape of the land... a cleft, a height, a hollow... that somehow amplifies my experience of myself. And more, a few objects I behold... the stones, rings in a cross-section of wood, the water lapping close to the remains of a shelter, the light on a particular color of grass... all of these variously pulse and vibrate. I feel that I play such instruments solely by moving in and out of the footpaths, my whole body become a sort of ear. These details from my day out in a field become essentialized and a bit fantastical in my music much they way they do in the diorama when particulars are chosen and arranged so as to evoke an entire place.

Jim Haynes : From working in the music industry for more than a decade, I have found my own aesthetics impacted by the visual ephemera of music -- packaging, image construction, video, etc. While there are clear differences in conceptual agendas, I see little difference between graphic designers and art world practitioners in their ability to express visual information. Thus, my work has been shaped by not only what is found within the package but also the package itself.

Maya Hayuk : I only paint because I'm not a musician.
Jo Jackson : Silence is better.

Chris Knox : Visual, tangible art is about line and tone and texture and shape and colour and exclusivity and content. Audible, ephemeral music is about line and tone and texture and shape and colour and inclusivity and content. They, therefore, have nothing in common.

Trevor Montgomery : Ear hand coordination.
Cory Peipon : What's the difference?

Bill Swanson : Sometimes I think music has even more influence on my visual thinking than seeing art. The abstract electronics coming out of Koln, Germany the past 3 years have been incredibly vital to my painting.


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SF DOCUMENTARY FILM FEST


AQ is proud to help sponsor the 1st San Francisco Documentary Film Festival. It will take place Memorial Day weekend, May 25-28, 2001 at the Academy of Art College's Post Street Theatre (formerly the First Congregational Church), on the corner of Post and Mason.

Eschewing the kind of overly serious documentaries that get nominated for Oscars, SF DocFest instead features docs that poke into the subcultural nooks and crannies of North America (with detours to Brazil and Japan), revealing strange and wonderful worlds that often lie right under our noses. Kooks, cranks, subversives, obsessives and lots of just-plain-fascinating folks populate these movies. There're docs about sci-fi author William Gibson, about cover bands (An Incredible Simulation), about our favorite fragile should-be rockstar Daniel Johnston, and about a town in Florida where all the circus freaks go to retire or wait out the off season (Gibtown). And more.

All of the films are San Francisco premieres, and since we've been lucky enough to see a few via videotape. I can heartily recommend that you all turn out for Plaster Caster, the documentary made about legendary Chicago groupie Cynthia Plaster Caster who cast musicians' erect (and as you will see, sometimes not so erect) members, starting with the like of Eric Burdon and Jimi Hendrix (whose dick is so big she can't get her hand around it), Wayne Kramer, Jello Biafra, Jon Langford etc. All those guys are in the movie as wels as two of her latest subjects who are cast during the making of the film: some dweeb from 5ive Style and the sweet Danny Doll Rod from Demolition Doll Rods. The film was produced by old-school AQ-pal Jeff Economy who also made that wonderful documentary about Alastair Galbraith and Peter Jefferies.

We hope that another highlight of the fest will be What About Me: The Rise of the Nihilist Spasm Band. This free improv group has been playing every Monday night for the past 35 years (no shit) in London, Ontario. The film goes into the private lives of each bandmember (one's a doctor, one's a teacher etc) and accompanies them on a trip to Japan where they discover the entire Japanese noise scene and are treated like heroes. There's also amazing footage of their annual Nihilist Picnic where they've played the same games and contest for years. Also contains live footage of them playing with Thurston Moore.

Another film that looks super interesting but which we haven't seen yet is about the making of a porn film by women, and then they show the porn film after the documentary.

The DocFest has got it all! :

Sex -- Plaster Caster, Ladyporn, The Money Shot, Hybrid

Music -- Plaster Caster, Karaoke Fever, An Incredible Simulation, Searching for Tony Joe, Daniel Johnston: Rock, Jimmy Scott: Alone Together, Bloodhag, El Rey de Rock 'n' Roll, What About Me

Cool Geezers -- Plaster Caster, Gibtown, Atomic Ed, Hybrid, Dolly, Searching for Tony Joe, Jimmy Scott, What About Me

Subcultures -- Plaster Caster, The Money Shot, Karaoke Fever, An Incredible Simulation, Gibtown, Atomic Ed, No Early Birds, Buy 1 Get 5 Free, What About Me

Benefit party -- The event Thursday the 24th is a Launch/Benefit party for the DocFest. Ambient DJs in the front room, short film projection in the back (selected from past SF IndieFest programs), beer/wine/munchies at the bar, and really nice paintings on the wall (HANG is an art gallery). We're asking for $10+ donations for the event to benefit the festival, which has no corporate sponsors and with the exception of a generous donation from Rainbow Grocery (which supports many non profit arts organizations) is funded solely from box office receipts.

Buy tickets and see expanded descriptions of each film at: http://www.sfindie.com


_______________________________________________________________________
SELECTED UPCOMING RELEASES (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)


----> should be here any minute, if not in already!
Deltron 3030 "Tron 3030 (The Instrumentals)" cd/2lp on 75Ark (delayed from before)
Arab Strap "Turbulence (Mixes)" cdep/12" on Chemikal Underground
various "State Of The Union 2001" 3cd (third in series of one-minute track avantgarde comps)

----> May 22, or sooner in some cases...
Absu "Tara" cd on Osmose
Abigor "Satanized" on Napalm
Steven R. Smith "Tableland" cd on Emperor Jones
Portastatic "Looking For Leonard" cd on Merge
Oval "Commers" cd/lp on Thrill Jockey
Peter Brotzmann Group "Fuck De Boere" reissue on Atavistic
Third Eye Foundation "I Poopoo On Your Juju" domestic release on Merge
Low + Dirty Three "In The Fishtank" cd on Konkurrent
The American Analog Set "Through The 90s - Singles and Unreleased" cd on Emperor Jones
Calexico "Even My Sure Things Fall Through" cdep on Quarterstick
Mark Eitzel "The Invisible Man" cd/lp on Matador

----> May 29
Air "10,000 Hz Legend" cd/lp on Astralwerks
Neu! "Neu! 1" cd legit reissue, remastered on Astralwerks
Neu! "Neu! 2" cd legit reissue, remastered on Astralwerks
Neu! "Neu! '75" cd legit reissue, remastered on Astralwerks
Spirit Caravan "Elusive Truth" cd/lp on Tolotta
Karaboudjan (Dan Swano) "Sbrodj" on Relapse
EyeHateGod "10 Years of Abuse and Still Broke" live cd on Century Media
Plaid "Double Feature" cd/2lp on Warp

----> June 5th
Kool Keith "Spankmaster" cd on Overcore/TVT
Rufus Wainwright "Poses" cd on Dreamworks
Lucinda Williams "Essence"
Pleasure Forever "s/t" cd on Sub Pop (formerly, Slaves)

----> June 12th
Sensational "Get On My Page" cd on Ipecac
Kid 606 "P.S. You Love Me" second cd/2lp on Mille Plateaux
Neu vinyl reissues (delayed from 5/15)
Brian Eno & Peter J. Schwalm "Drawn From Life" cd on Astralwerks
Neotropic "La Prochaine Fois" 2cd/2lp on Ninjatune
Coldcut "Re:volution" cdep/12"/7" on Ninjatune
Belle & Sebastian "Jonathan David" cdep/12" first of two new singles on Matador

----> June 19th
various "Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts From The British Empire and Beyond" 4cd box set on Rhino
Cradle of Filth "Bitter Suites To Succubi" cd on Spitfire
The Knit Separates/Orange Cake Mix "Ghost of a Ghost = Zenith Power Shell" split lp on Three Acre Floor
Swell "Everybody Wants To Know" cd on Beggars Banquet
Bonny Billy (Will Oldham) "More Revery" cdep on Temporary Residence Ltd.

----> June 26th
Squarepusher "Go Plastic" cd/2lp on Warp
Anata "Dreams Of Death and Dismay" on Relapse

----> also in June
Radiohead "Amnesiac"
Supersilent "5" cd on Rune Grammofon
Saul Williams "Amethyst Rock Star" on Virgin (delayed from before)
various "BiP-HOp Generation V. 3" cd with Pimmon, Neotropic, others
Stilluppsteyppa & TV Pow "We Are Everyone In The Room" on Erstwhile
Noto & Opiate "Optofiles" cd on Raster
Pullman "Viewfinder" cd/lp on Thrill Jockey

----> July 3rd
Beta Band "Hotshots II" cd/lp on Astralwerks
White Stripes "White Blood Cells" cd/lp on Sympathy for the Record Industry


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