LAPORTE, JEAN-francois Mantra (Metamkine) 3" cd 7.98
When one of our friends told us about this little cd containing an experimental piece using the sounds of a Zamboni, we got very very excited. A Zamboni! (That's that unusual machine that resurfaces the ice in hockey rinks.) Upon hearing it, we were even more thrilled, 'cause it's an amazing 20 minute drone work! And practically everyone who works here has bought one by now...
This cute 3" cd, released through Metamkine's esteemed 'Cinema Pour L'Oreille' series of electro-acoustics and musique concrete, contains one track, "Mantra", which opens with a trio of motors starting up and emitting a gentle purr. As these engines warm up and shift through various perfunctory cycles, a wide spectrum of metallic vibrations slowly spins through the stereo field. While it would be nice to believe that these movements coincide with a Zamboni circling a really nice binaural microphone, it's more likely that Laporte exercised his artistic license with a judicious use of crossfading and stereo panning upon his field recordings. As the disc draws near its end, it sounds as if a screw or bolt is loosened by the vibrations and two pieces of metal begin a clamorous bell-ringing arrhythmia. When these motors finally are shut down, those pieces of metal still resonate for a beautifully sustained coda.
Back to the Zamboni issue: we'd been told by 'reliable' informants (Loren Chasse who heard about it from Ferarra Pan who heard it on Scot Jenerik's radio show) that the source material for Jean-francois Laporte's "Mantra" was a Zamboni. As the liner-notes (all in French mind you) indicate that Laporte incorporated the sound of an air compressor from an ice-skating rink, it didn't rule out the possibility that indeed that air compressor could belong to a Zamboni, but it didn't actually say anything about Zambonis. (Are they even called Zambonis in France, anyway?) As you can tell, we Aquarians like the Zamboni and would really like to believe that the Zamboni was responsible for this album. Thus, we contacted the label, who merely sent us an English translation of the original liner notes, which again stated the source material to be an air compressor. Thus, we are left to ponder the quandary: is it or is it not a Zamboni?
Putting this grand existential question aside and the true origin of the source material out of sight for the moment, what's true is that Laporte has indeed sculpted one of the most compelling drone compositions that we've encountered in quite some time. For loyal readers of these lists, that's no idle comment as artists like Oragnum, Jonathan Coleclough, Mirror, John Duncan, and Francisco Lopez still rank highly for us in the pantheon of dronescapers. Not only as working model but also as a something of belief system, Jean-francois Laporte applies the ideals of the mantra to the urban landscape. To him, the hypnotic audio elements of refrigerators, motorcycle engines, and in this case the Zamboni / air compressor rise above their mundane properties to become something that can be meditated upon and hold transcendent properties.
A very, very nice recording, Zamboni or not. Even if you don't normally buy all the weird, droney experimental stuff we recommend, you might want to take a chance and try this out. After all, it's only 20 minutes out of your day and eight bucks. And, maybe it's a Zamboni!
RealAudio clip: "Mantra (Excerpt 1)"
RealAudio clip: "Mantra (Excerpt 2)"
RealAudio clip: "Mantra (Excerpt 3)"

POISON THE WELL Tear From The Red (Trustkill ) cd 14.98
Every once in a while, there's a record that is so good and makes me so happy, I find it virtually impossible to write a review of it. There's all this pressure to somehow convey in the space of a hundred or so words how goddamn good a record is. To convince YOU that this record will move you as much as it did me. So I hem and haw and write all my other reviews around it until I have no choice but to face my fear and go for it. So here it is. The new record by Florida's Poison The Well. Up until now, I've been a fan, and definitely enjoyed their records. But 'Tear From The Red' is such a colossal leap from their last record. Ostensibly a 'metalcore' record, it manages to encompass so much more: rock, emo, hardcore, death metal, even pop. The heavy parts, even when the vocals are howled, are somehow as catchy and heart wrenching as any Get Up Kids weeper, if not more so. And then when PtW -do- go for it, and break it down and get all mellow and sweet and emotional it's just devastating. And the playing on this record is so phenomenal. The riffs are so thick and huge they just smack you upside the head, but you just kind of bob along, oblivious, banging your head and spitting out teeth and letting this wave of furious emotion watch over you. The songs shift from crunching near-death metal, to wild free-metal, to stuttering stop-start rhythms, to spacy almost Voi Vod-ish melodies, and dreamy shoegazey bliss out parts. Halfway through the record they break out with just vocals and acoustic guitar, but the melody is so odd, and the voice is so impassioned and the chord progression is so unexpected that it ends up being just as intense as any of the heavy stuff, and not cheesy at all. And track three! What can I say? If you could wear out a track from playing a cd too much, I would definitely need a new one by now. Track three has the absolutely most punishing part of almost any song I have ever heard, where the kick drums, guitars, and bass all stutter then stop, over and over. Huge and unbelievably heavy. I was listening to it in my housemate's truck, and when that part came on I had to turn up the stereo so loud that I could SEE the beat making little waves in the rear view mirror. We have been getting a little worn out on this whole metalcore explosion, but Poison The Well have stepped up to the plate with not only one of the best metalcore records ever, not just one of the best emo records ever, but one of the best records I have heard in a long time. Period.
RealAudio clip: "Turn Down Elliot"
RealAudio clip: "Botchla"
RealAudio clip: "Lazzaro"
RealAudio clip: "Horns And Tails"
RealAudio clip: "Moments Over Exaggerate"

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HELLA Hold Your Horse Is (5rc) cd 14.98
Well now, this record is certainly a breath of fresh air. I mean when was the last time you heard a decent mathrock record? Hella is two Sacramento guys on guitar and drums and they've made this loud 'n awesome record, which is super listenable and accessible, so those of you who aren't into mathrock, you should still hear this. While the guitarwork is manic and soaring and epic (akin to Don Cab or Storm & Stress), the drumming is even more insane! It's complicated and full of energy; there are quick stops and it's almost all hectic drum fills, one lightning speed kick drum attack after another, and another. Hella is the smart math radness of the (Fucking) Champs without the metal. Really cool. Highly recommended!
RealAudio clip: "Been A Long Time Cousin"
RealAudio clip: "Brown Metal"
RealAudio clip: "Cafeteria Bananas"

HELLA Hold Your Horse Is (5rc) lp 9.98
Well now, this record is certainly a breath of fresh air. I mean when was the last time you heard a decent mathrock record? Hella is two Sacramento guys on guitar and drums and they've made this loud 'n awesome record, which is super listenable and accessible, so those of you who aren't into mathrock, you should still hear this. While the guitarwork is manic and soaring and epic (akin to Don Cab or Storm & Stress), the drumming is even more insane! It's complicated and full of energy; there are quick stops and it's almost all hectic drum fills, one lightning speed kick drum attack after another, and another. Hella is the smart math radness of the (Fucking) Champs without the metal. Really cool. Highly recommended!

OXBOW An Evil Heat (Neurot) cd 15.98
This is REAL 'emo' rock, let me tell you. Not indie-pop emo but totally heavy, insane, noisy emotionally cathartic art rock mayhem. URB magazine says this is a 'must have', which is pretty bizarre because while WE think Oxbow rules, it's hard to imagine your average URB reader enjoying Oxbow's utterly fucked up, dark, hard, downright disturbing sounds! Yes, San Francisco's best kept secret have unleashed their long-awaited fifth album, via Neurosis' Neurot label (which is why they appeared at last year's Beyond The Pale festival, dropping many an astonished jaw even among the crusty, tough lookin' Neurosis fans in attendance). It's nine tracks of Zeppelin-heavy hard guitar rock melded to pounding noise and creepy ambience. Take your most intense Albini/Jesus Lizard mathrock, haunt it with Satanic blues ghosts, and top with the psycho-sexual theatrical vocals of a muscular frontman who writes for "Grappling" magazine when he's not on stage. Although his tortured, damaged wailings are difficult to decipher, you can follow along with the lyric sheet if you dare. And even without that aid, the emotions on display are quite plain, painful and raw. On much of this record, Oxbow brings things to a dark bluesy simmer, out of which the band bursts full bore whenever your defenses are down. And they have some help: with the song "S Bar X", the illustrious ranks of past Oxbow guest vocalists (Lydia Lunch, Marianne Faithfull, etc.) are now joined by Jarboe of Swans. We also must note that "An Evil Heat" ends with an immense, 32 minute freeform drone/noise/improv rock symphony, which could have been a whole album release by itself, really! (If you liked Old Man Gloom's "Seminar III" you'll want "An Evil Heat" for this track alone.)
RealAudio clip: "...The Stick"
RealAudio clip: "Sawmill"

XIU XIU Knife Play (5rc) cd 14.98
This band is great! Bravo to Xiu Xiu for being original in an indie rock world where originality just doesn't seem very important anymore -- groups like Adult and the Faint are copying '80s electro, every other band has got a member who made a (boring) "experimental" solo record with his laptop and wants to sound like Fennesz, and just how many Get Up Kids copycats do there need to be?
And then there's the local group Xiu Xiu who've put out a record on Kill Rock Stars' sister imprint 5RC. The two girls and two guys in Xiu Xiu are so familiar with indie rock's cliches that they anticipate them... and then mess with the formula, thereby coming up with a far artier and more interesting sound (kinda like how Bjork and Radiohead do). Example: the lead singer's voice is this super intense, desperate, achingly sad, warbly moan (a la The Cure / Talk Talk / Ultravox), and we're used to hearing that kind of voice accompanied with Brit-style synthpop stuff (i.e. "Melt With You"). Yet with Xiu Xiu the backup to that incredible voice is trumpets and saxophones and clattery percussion (bells, gongs, perhaps even pots 'n pans), with a solid yet obviously lo-fi Casio beat keeping time, and velvety basslines which are where the melody often resides. The band are also admirably unpredictable in leaving guitar pretty much in the background (if it's present at all) and instead letting this crazy synth action function *just like a guitar solo* -- distorted, climactic, wailing. So cool!
Xiu Xiu is arty and chaotic, but with new wave '80s poppiness. This is a very weird record that is also accessible and really good.
RealAudio clip: "Hives Hives"
RealAudio clip: "Poe Poe"
RealAudio clip: "Over Over"
RealAudio clip: "I Broke Up "
RealAudio clip: "Don Diasco"
RealAudio clip: "Tonight and Today"

V/A Disco Not Disco 2 (Strut) cd 17.98
As you probably know, the first volume of Strut's Disco Not Disco compilation has been a big hit here at AQ, with customers and staff alike. Well, we're happy to report that volume 2 is also great. It's a look back at the early days of *underground* disco when disco was an outgrowth of both New York punk and "No New York" proto new wave -- and although volume 2 doesn't limit itself to New York (there's Dutch, British, German musicians here), it is still ass kicking stripped down disco with no affectations and no stupid fashion victim Saturday Night Fever synth action to muck up the groove. Sure, this music has been sitting around for years and most of you have probably heard a track or two contained here, but Strut's stroke of genius has been to compile these tracks *together*, coming as they do from seemingly totally disparate groups who don't (to our ears today) share much in common -- from Laid Back's classic "White Horse" to Yello's much sampled "Bostitch", Can's "Aspectacle (Holger Czukay edit)", and yes, there's another Arthur Russell track to match the fucking brilliance of his piece "Tell You Today" on the first Disco Not Disco comp. The only misstep, in my opinion, is the inclusion of the Clash's "This is Radio Clash" at the tail end of the comp. The song is so familiar and even a bit tired, and while we appreciate that it rightfully belongs in this context, it still will make you run to your stereo to see if somehow the radio got turned on by accident. Still, highly recommended!
RealAudio clip: ARTHUR RUSSELL "Let's Go Swimming"
RealAudio clip: LAID BACK "White Horse"
RealAudio clip: ALEXANDER ROBOTNICK "Problemes d'Amour"

V/A Disco Not Disco 2 (Strut) 2lp 19.98
As you probably know, the first volume of Strut's Disco Not Disco compilation has been a big hit here at AQ, with customers and staff alike. Well, we're happy to report that volume 2 is also great. It's a look back at the early days of *underground* disco when disco was an outgrowth of both New York punk and "No New York" proto new wave -- and although volume 2 doesn't limit itself to New York (there's Dutch, British, German musicians here), it is still ass kicking stripped down disco with no affectations and no stupid fashion victim Saturday Night Fever synth action to muck up the groove. Sure, this music has been sitting around for years and most of you have probably heard a track or two contained here, but Strut's stroke of genius has been to compile these tracks *together*, coming as they do from seemingly totally disparate groups who don't (to our ears today) share much in common -- from Laid Back's classic "White Horse" to Yello's much sampled "Bostitch", Can's "Aspectacle (Holger Czukay edit)", and yes, there's another Arthur Russell track to match the fucking brilliance of his piece "Tell You Today" on the first Disco Not Disco comp. The only misstep, in my opinion, is the inclusion of the Clash's "This is Radio Clash" at the tail end of the comp. The song is so familiar and even a bit tired, and while we appreciate that it rightfully belongs in this context, it still will make you run to your stereo to see if somehow the radio got turned on by accident. Still, highly recommended!

MIRAH Advisory Committee (K) cd 14.98
An ambitious sophomore album from Ms Mirah. Thirteen songs that expand on the recent "Cold Cold Water" ep and follow her impressive debut "You Think It's Like This But Really It's Like This". At times lonely and sorrowful, at others uplifting and empowering, the music has a predominantly old west, folkish feel, but is definitely not country, often it's much more of an indie Morricone sound. Not to be kept pinned down, Mirah follows her muse wherever it may lead her - traversing much musical ground, be it chamber music or a cabaret-ish mode or music box melodies or pulsing casio programmed beats or straight-up indie pop. Building and bounding slowly like a tumbleweed, kicking up a small cloud of dust each time it brushes the earth. And you'll find you too are swept up into her world - her songwriting and performance capturing a sense of both immediacy and intimacy. Her voice slipping effortlessly from shy, frail whisper to mournful wail, sort of like Helium before Mary Timony was whisked away to the land of wizards and castles. Once again she's joined by fellow indie pop adventurer The Microphones' Phil Elvrum. Very recommended.
RealAudio clip: "Cold Cold Water"
RealAudio clip: "The Garden"

MIRAH Advisory Committee (K) lp 10.98
An ambitious sophomore album from Ms Mirah. Thirteen songs that expand on the recent "Cold Cold Water" ep and follow her impressive debut "You Think It's Like This But Really It's Like This". At times lonely and sorrowful, at others uplifting and empowering, the music has a predominantly old west, folkish feel, but is definitely not country, often it's much more of an indie Morricone sound. Not to be kept pinned down, Mirah follows her muse wherever it may lead her - traversing much musical ground, be it chamber music or a cabaret-ish mode or music box melodies or pulsing casio programmed beats or straight-up indie pop. Building and bounding slowly like a tumbleweed, kicking up a small cloud of dust each time it brushes the earth. And you'll find you too are swept up into her world - her songwriting and performance capturing a sense of both immediacy and intimacy. Her voice slipping effortlessly from shy, frail whisper to mournful wail, sort of like Helium before Mary Timony was whisked away to the land of wizards and castles. Once again she's joined by fellow indie pop adventurer The Microphones' Phil Elvrum. Very recommended.
RealAudio clip: "Cold Cold Water"
RealAudio clip: "The Garden"

SUN CITY GIRLS 330,003 Crossdressers From Beyond The Rig Veda (Locust) 3lp 25.00
Sun City Girls fans rejoice, the vinyl reissue of their epic crowning acheivement "300,003 Crossdressers..." is upon us. Originally released in 1996 on double cd only, "Crossdressers" almost certainly surpassed "Torch of the Mystics" as the Sun City Girls' most highly regarded recording. The tracks contained herein capture the Girls at their most creepy, beautiful and just downright inspired. Whether it's the plodingly gloomy song "CCC" with its rumbling piano, ominous guitar line, howled chorus and rain, or the So.Cal-esque punk arrangements of traditional sounding East Asian songs like "Soi Cowboy" or the numerous free-jazz meets Javanese gamelan experiments (actually sounds much better than the capsulated description might suggest), the Girls are at the peak of their game on these tracks. Possibly the most remarkable moment of all is the faux-Indian fusion acid-psych jam between the Girls and long time collaborator violinist Eyvind Kang, in which Kang convincingly plays Indian style violin improvisations with gentle accompaniment from the Girls before building into one of the most impressive freak-out frenzies the band has ever commited to tape. On the CD edition the track, "Ghost Ghat Trespass", had been wedded to another live jam between SCG and Kang "Sussmeier", but the two are separated at the spine on the LP with the first taking up the end of side 5 and the latter the beginning of side 6. Methinks this is a better setup any how because after listening to "Ghost Ghat..." it's nice not to be thrown immediately into the skronk of "Sussmeier" so directly. Which brings me to the issue of track arrangement. Though all the tracks included on the CD are present here, they are not in the same order. Which isn't that much of a problem, certainly not for those who've never owned the cd and have yet to wear a groove into their head of the way things "ought to be." The set is beautifully packaged in a double gatefold cover (though it appears the front cover image darkened a bit in the process) and includes a couple extra photos that did not come in the original package including a nice photo of the trio which many may recognize from their interview in The Wire a ways back and another of one of them exotic nekkid lady dancers they like so much. A final note, on the inside reads "this is a limited edition vinyl only release." You know what that means.
RealAudio clip: "Soi Cowboy"
RealAudio clip: "Lies Up The Niger"
RealAudio clip: "Ghost Ghat Trespass (excerpt 1)"
RealAudio clip: "Ghost Ghat Trespass (excerpt 2)"
RealAudio clip: "CCC"

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ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE & THE MELTING PARADISE U.F.O. In C In E (Squealer Music) cd 14.98
We didn't know it would come out on cd yet here it is: Acid Mother's Temple playing Terry Riley's famed composition "In C", wherein the musicians are instructed to play a series of 53 repetitive sections over and over as long as they wish. Almost all the renditions of In C that I've heard are light, meditative, and chaotic yet pleasant (due to everything being in the friendly key of C), and this version is no exception -- except that light and meditative are relative terms, and for an Acid Mothers Temple track to be relatively light and meditative still means it's going to be heavier, more chaotic and psychedelic and guitarfilled than any other rendition of In C. Really nice, and the cleverly titled additional jam "In E" will be familiar to those who've seen them live. Heavy and wonderful. For this compact disc edition, they've added a bonus non-LP track, called (guess what) "In D"!
The original Eclipse-label LP version has been repressed as well (with better constructed covers than before) and is also in stock.

AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD Source Tags & Codes (Interscope) cd 14.98
Following their absolutely dismal major label debut EP is this full length. We poke at it gingerly. Perhaps the EP was just a minor misguided faltering? Trying to appeal to a wider audience with tentative trials in emo-melodicism? I'd hoped they'd regained the firepower of "Madonna" or their self-titled debut (ah, 'twas such in-your-face rock thrashing and howling - yeah, it was a schtick, but it was one they did well) and feared they'd resigned themselves to a nosedive into supreme blanditude. Alas, although this album is a marked improvement on the EP, it's a pallid ghost of their former fiery selves. Sort of comes across as an uncomfortable, kinda confused Girls Against Boys meets Superchunk. While this new direction may win them some new fans, it just might alienate a greater number of their old ones. Disappointing.
RealAudio clip: "It Was There That I Saw You"
RealAudio clip: "Source Tags & Codes"

ANTIBALAS Talkatif (Ninja Tune) cd 16.98
Here at AQ we try as often as possible to review records without quoting or paraphrasing from the press releases (and when we do it makes us feel kind of dirty). But in the case of New York-based Antibalas, their self-written bio says it better than I can:
"Antibalas (Spanish for "Bulletproof" literally "Anti-bullets") is the next generation of afrobeat in the tradition of the Black President, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. This fourteen-plus piece band hits hard with the left and the right -- monstrous horns and bass layered over funky polyrhythmic beats and breaks coupled with furious lyrics challenging and attacking the dehumanizing capitalist system and inciting insurrection in English, Yoruba, and Spanish. Antibalas formed in May 1998 of members of Desco Records' Soul Providers and Daktaris. This union of Latinos, whites, Afro-Americans, Africans and Asian-Americans resides in New York, spread out over Brooklyn, Harlem, and the Bronx."
So, if you don't already have some Fela albums, by all means get one or two or twenty before you acquire Antibalas. But if you're already familiar with Fela's Afrobeat sound, how wonderful is it that a modern band can replicate the sound so joyously and exactly. This group must be *amazing* to see live.
RealAudio clip: "War is a Crime"

ANTICON. We Ain't Fessin' (Double Quotes) (Anticon) 10" 7.98
Now on vinyl. East Bay hip hop crew Anticon continue to impress with their wordy, staccato raps, so speedy that they sound like when you run your finger up piano keys really quick. They're really into the texture of the vocals as well as the lyrics, and as always there's that Cannibal-Ox-style of heavy rumbling melodicism to the production. Hey, John Herndon of Tortoise produced one of the three tracks here. Featuring Slug, Dose, Alias, Sole, Why? and a whole lot more. All three tracks are good, no filler.
RealAudio clip: "We Ain't Fessin' (Double Quotes)"
RealAudio clip: "Deep Puddle Dynamics"

ARCH ENEMY Wages Of Sin (Century Media) 2cd 14.98
We were always huge fans of Arch Enemy, the death metal band of Mike Ammott (formerly of the mighty Carnage and the even mightier Carcass, and currently with stoner rockers Spiritual Beggars) until their last record 'Burning Bridges', where they dropped the ball and veered dangerously into cheesy Satriani-style senti-metal too-melodic goop. Up until that point (only two records, but what records they were), they were a furious melodic black/death metal machine spitting out perfectly performed and produced, ultra melodic, completely shredding Swedish death metal. So this is quite a return to form. Tight and catchy and furious and unbelievably heavy. The first thing you notice though is the picture of a young blonde woman on the sleeve, looking all Southern California beach babe. So we were worried that Arch Enemy had gona all gothy metally doom ala Nightwish or Lullacry. But it turns out she's Arch Enemy's brand new singer, and boy, looks can be deceiving! The voice that comes out of this woman's mouth is not only perfect for the music, it's scary and fierce and will have most corpse-painted black metal dudes quaking in their spikes. A demonic growl that occasionally stretches into Cradle Of Filth shriek territory. Seriously impressive. And the music takes the In Flames formula of sped up and roughed up Iron Maiden even further infusing the songs with amazingly catchy melodies, gorgeous moody and melancholy bits, unforgettable riffs, great harmony leads and some really surprising stop/start breakdowns that sound almost like Meshuggah. And, as we said, it's all topped off by vocalist Angela Gossow's raspy, inhuman, demonic howl.
We have the limited double disc version (and as it's limited, not sure how long we will) that features a bonus disc of unreleased/rare tracks including a Judas Priest cover, an Iron Maiden cover, and a EUROPE cover (?!?!?), a bunch of Japanese only bonus tracks and a video, all with Arch Enemy's original (male) vocalist. Disc one also features a video clip as well as a bonus track.
RealAudio clip: "Enemy Within"
RealAudio clip: "Burning Angel"

ASANO, KOJI Crevasses (Solstice) cd 14.98
Disc number 25 (!) from one of our favorite Japanese experimental composers, the ever prolific Koji Asano. With his album-a-month schedule, we've been worried about quality control, but he rarely disappoints, although it's been tough for us to keep up -- we're still digesting his lovely four volume "The Last Shade of Evening Falls" drone-work. But for those of you ready for another dose of Koji, here's "Crevasses", a disc on which Koji generates (using a computer? we're not sure) over seventy minutes of intense, subtly-shifting, multi-tracked, various-pitched drone. It's not 'Japanese noise' in its harshest sense, but it's not about beats and melodies either. Rather, you get abstract bell-like electronics, buried bass burbling, extended sonar bleeps and strangely soothing siren sounds. Students of such 'dronology' should investigate! "Crevasses" is never *too* shrill, but there is more treble than bass in this example of alien, not-so-ambient electronics. As the disc develops, it gets dirtier and denser, and the 'buzz' factor builds until it's eventually like you've stuck your head into some sort of spaceship slash wasp's nest. After 73 minutes, you'd think you'd be ready for some silence, but the album's abrupt end just leaves you wanting more.

ATOM (TM) MIXED BY BURNT FRIEDMAN Replicant Rumba Rockers (Nonplace) cd 15.98
Not really anything new here. This is essentially just a live DJ set by Burnt Friedman, wherein Mr Friedman draws all his source material from the Rather Interesting back catalog. The liner notes claim that Friedman both "drastically" edits and subtly overdubs the works of Atom (TM) in this set, however there's not much that jumps out as being "drastically" different than the original tracks save for the gapless presentation. Those of you who already have any of the Atom / Rather Interesting catalog are admonished to refrain from purchasing this, but it might make a nice introduction to those unfamiliar with the strange world of Atom (TM). Comes irritatingly packaged in a digipak which one must cut through with a knife to open.
RealAudio clip: "El Ovin Mambo"
RealAudio clip: "Midi A Go Go"

ATOM (TM) MIXED BY BURNT FRIEDMAN Replicant Rumba Rockers (Nonplace) lp 11.98
Not really anything new here. This is essentially just a live DJ set by Burnt Friedman, wherein Mr Friedman draws all his source material from the Rather Interesting back catalog. The liner notes claim that Friedman both "drastically" edits and subtly overdubs the works of Atom (TM) in this set, however there's not much that jumps out as being "drastically" different than the original tracks save for the gapless presentation. Those of you who already have any of the Atom / Rather Interesting catalog are admonished to refrain from purchasing this, but it might make a nice introduction to those unfamiliar with the strange world of Atom (TM). Comes irritatingly packaged in a digipak which one must cut through with a knife to open.

BECKETT, SAMUEL Whole Thing's Coming Out Of The Dark (Intermedia / Strunz) cd 15.98
BACK IN PRINT! (Now in a jewelcase, not digipack.)
This is such a strange cd. And we've all become completely obsessed with it. A bizarre series of spoken instructions and long droning notes. Easier to just share Forced Exposure's description:
"The playing directions for the instrumentalist on this CD are derived directly from the so-called sucking stones sequence in Beckett's Molloy, where the author has his protagonists invent three variations of the correct way to suck 16 pebbles -- distributed between two coat or trouser pockets. Everything takes place inside the head, and yet these image provoking speech rituals find their way to the outside. Everything becomes the listener's projection room. We look on the speakers as we would an open, exposed interior. Speech is
its own dissecting instrument. Existence is transferred into speech, being is removed from its time. The images remain, the sound of speech remains -- in which the secret of an entire world is concealed." Simply, it's 3 actors, reciting instructions like: "Take a stone from pocket one. Put it in your mouth. Suck it. Suck it...." and so on. With the occasional moaning horn. Totally surreal and creepy and super great.
RealAudio clip: "Image 1"
RealAudio clip: "Rule Number 3"

BIG BAD LOVE (OST) (Nonesuch) cd 17.98
The soundtrack for this Debra Winger produced, Arliss Howard directed film features the weathered, soulful voices of Tom Waits, R.L. Burnside, and Steve Earle, as well as Tom Verlaine and Kronos Quartet (together), T-Model Ford, Junior Kimbrough, Robert Belfour, Asie Payton and Kenny Brown. Film connections aside, this album is an impressive collection of the many sounds of whiskey drenched, sun-scorched blues ranging from the gritty smoulder of R.L. Burnside to the rollick'n'holler footstomp of T-Model Ford to the slow creepin' slink guitar of Tom Verlaine "Sleepwalkin'".
RealAudio clip: R.L. BURNSIDE "Come On In (Live)"
RealAudio clip: TOM WAITS "Long Way Home"
RealAudio clip: STEVE EARLE "Goodbye"

BLIND GUARDIAN A Night At The Opera (Century Media) cd 14.98
Jesus here it is, what might be the most highly anticipated 'power metal' release of 2002. German metal gods Blind Guardian are a worldwide phenomenon these days, even making headway in the US of A. At least, we here at AQ have been waiting ever since their 1999 "Nightfall In Middle Earth" masterpiece for another full-length installment of the splendid, grandiose power-pomp metal that these guys conjure up so well. And since they're such big Beach Boys fans, you know they put the those last few years time in the studio to good use. The obvious comparison Blind Guardian's music evokes is to Queen, what with their multitracked vocal choruses and Brian May style overdubbed guitars. It's like "Bohemian Rhapsody" done by Iron Maiden, but without the (intentionally) camp elements of Queen (or quite the brilliance of either band, but c'mon, that's a lot to expect). Indeed, BG may be a little *too* serious, 'cause if it's sheer absurd over the topness you want, they get outdone by sillier power metal bands like Lost Horizon and Rhapsody (but BG's still pretty over the top). Unlike the Tolkien-themed "Nightfall", this new disc isn't a narrative concept album, although several songs seem to share references to Jesus -- which makes sense, since now that the Lord of the Rings is such bigtime Hollywood fare, the next best thing would be the Bible... Anyway, it's a great album, as we expected, essential for fans of the genre and a great example of how amazing melodic, symphonic, epic power metal can be for curious 'non-metallers' as well. But we do have two complaints: Firstly, as mentioned, BG must be heavily into Queen, so you think they'd know that the album title "A Night At The Opera" was already taken -- by Queen! What's up with that? Maybe it's some weird German idea of a tribute. And secondly, if you've already picked up the recent "And Then There Was Silence" ep (reviewed on AQ-L #127), then you've already got the last 14 minutes (not counting the bonus track) of this disc -- didn't realize that was going to be an album track, oh well. But, quibbles aside, fans of uber-produced, epic metal have A LOT to enjoy here!
RealAudio clip: "Precious Jerusalem"
RealAudio clip: "Under The Ice"
RealAudio clip: "Sadly Sings Destiny"

BRICK LAYER CAKE Whatchamacallit (Touch & Go) cd 14.98
Man, it's been a while since we heard the name Brick Layer Cake. Ten, twelve years maybe? Brick Layer Cake is Todd Trainer, drummer for Shellac, and while he is definitely partially responsible for the huge racket that Shellac kicks up, BLC is a much more personal, stripped down, languorous affair. Not to say it's not intense and heavy (in a way). Cause it is. It's just darker, and more claustrophobic, with downtuned dirge-guitars, urgently whispered vocals, and tarpit tempos. The label described it as Nick Drake singing Black Sabbath, but ONLY THE GOOD PARTS. Hmmm. Well, we can see where someone who wasn't entirely familiar with Black Sabbath or Nick Drake might draw such a comparison: the riffs are slow and plodding and minor key, there's a definite 'Children Of The Grave' vibe, the vocals are hushed and whispered, urgent and plaintive. But realistically, it's more of just a really cool, really dark, sort-of-slow-core, dirgey almost-metal, kind of post-rock, shimmering, brooding rock record. Really nice.
RealAudio clip: "Stars"
RealAudio clip: "Whats Her Face"

BRYSON, P. MILES Alejandro's Carneceria (Illegal Art) cd 14.98
From the label that brought you Corporal Blossom, Mutated Christmas, etc. is this puzzling audio work from P Miles Bryson. Ostensibly inspired by the films of Jodorowsky, it borrows from said movies and also adds lots of ambient sounds of children at play, street music, gunshots, etc. On the whole a gentle listen, except for a few noisy parts, but just not all that interesting, even knowing the Jodorowsky connection.
Packaging includes a Mexican spice packet with some chiles.
RealAudio clip: "The empty dress that swung in the breeze like a memory of lost love"

BURD EARLY Magnet Mountain (Western Vinyl) cd 13.98
Burd Early strikes us as being very Silver Jews-esque. Perhaps a bit Smog, Dieselhed, and Leonard Cohen-ish too. The liner notes offer precious little information on the mysterious figure who goes by the name Burd Early, and further investigation (i.e. a search online) reveals little more. What we can say is that these are heavy-hearted, weathered songs sung by a deep, weary voice delivered at a sauntering almost-spoken pace. Very intimate, earthy and oh so pretty.
RealAudio clip: "Tire"

CAN Ege Bamyasi (Spoon) lp 16.98
Oooh. Nice new vinyl reissues of several classic Can albums have just been released. Their fourth LP "Ege Bamyasi" was originally released in 1972 and is Allan's favorite Can album ever (although, it IS hard to choose). Can of course were one of the most important 'krautrock' bands, along with Amon Duul II, Kraftwerk, Cluster, Faust and a few others. "Ege Bamyasi" has Japanese singer Damo Suzuki at the mic, and on this he sings some of their best songs, like "Sing Swan Song" and "Vitamin C" and "I'm So Green". Actually EVERY song on here is wonderful. Languid and laidback, yet rhythmically insistent. Mellow and gorgeous and deep. Right on.
Enough. You know the score. Fans already know how good this is, everybody else should trust us and pick up one of these reissued LPs or the cd versions that we also have in stock, you won't be sorry!

CAN Monster Movie (Spoon) lp 16.98
Oooh. Nice new vinyl reissues of several classic Can albums have just been released. "Monster Movie" was the 1969 debut LP from The Can, that band of kraut-rockin', Stockhausen-studyin', JB's-lovin, beat-poetry-recitin' hippy freaks. This album features the unique vocals of black American singer Malcolm Mooney, and establishes Can's signature style of relentless rhythmic psychedelia with songs such as the 20-minute"Yoo Doo Right". Along with the Velvets and the Stooges, Can were one of the most 'advanced' groups of the era, and certainly one of the best Krautrock bands. We needn't say more, 'cause most probably if you're at all interested in this new vinyl version, you already are familar with the album (which we also stock on cd, of course) anyway. But if you've yet to explore the world of Can, you could do a lot worse than starting here.

CAN Tago Mago (Spoon) 2lp 19.98
Oooh. Nice new vinyl reissues of several classic Can albums have just been released. 1971's "Tago Mago" double album was their third full-length release, and their first with expatriate Japanese singer Damo Suzuki (who they discovered busking on the street outside a club). It's truly a sprawling masterpiece of krautrock. Witness the weird noise/drone stuff on the 17 minute "Aumgn", or the totally hypnotic rhythmic psych groove of the equally side-long "Halleluwah". Again, we probably don't have to say much more, you already have this, right? But if Can's new to you, we'd recommend this (as well as "Monster Movie" and "Ege Bamyasi") as among their best efforts. And we have it on cd, too, of course.
PS If you like Circle and you don't have this record, get it!!

CANNIBAL OX OXtrumentals (Caroline) cd 16.98
El-P, producer and beatmaker extraordinaire, here reprises in instrumental form the entire Cannibal Ox album Cold Vein, in order. And we have to say, good call. Because the music behind Cannibal Ox's rapping is totally stellar and indeed deserves its own showcase. Sinister heaviness, strange blaring honkings, unlikely samples ("The Big Chill"?!), and hiccupping beats tripping all over themselves. Really cool and not predictable at all.
RealAudio clip: "Iron Galaxy (instrumental)"
RealAudio clip: "Raspberry Fields (instrumental)"

CHASSE, LOREN Fantasy Apparition (s'agitarecordings) cd-r 11.98
During the past couple of years, San Francisco's Loren Chasse has split his time equally between textural minimalism, as found on his exceptional solo album "Exfolia Motors", and organic improvisations, as heard in Thuja as well as several other bands on the Jewelled Antler label. Yet, Chasse has released a couple of limited CD-Rs that bridge the two at times conflicting headspaces. "Fantasy Apparition" is one of those cross-pollenizing albums from Chasse, showcasing a good deal of sustained harmonium built into half melodies amongst Chasse's signature environmental abstractions, where low creaking drones emerge from blustery loops of slowed down cricket choruses and the hiss of burning wood. As always, Chasse contextualizes these field recordings and contact microphone striations with an amazing sense of mystery.
"Fantasy Apparition" is a super limited CD-R pressed in an edition of only 200 and wrapped in hand screened burlap bag. So, when these are gone, they're gone.
RealAudio clip: "Fantasy Apparition 1"
RealAudio clip: "Fantasy Apparition 6"

CONNORS, LOREN The Departing Of A Dream (Family Vineyard) cd 13.98
Loren (Mazzacane) Connors' newest album is solo guitar work again from this virtuosic player. The entire record is super slow and dreamlike, and the *gorgeous* guitar tone is eerily reminding me of the first track on Miles Davis' seventies jazz-fusion classic 'Get Up With It'. I think Reggie Lucas was playing the guitar with Miles, but anyway... here Loren Connors captures and distills that same guitar sound -- a slightly scratchy, very warm exploratory tone that goes wah wah wah as it trembles and whispers. Very very lovely, one of his best solo recordings that I've ever heard.
RealAudio clip: "The Departing of a Dream, part 1"

COSTELLO, ELVIS This Years Model (Rhino) 2cd 16.98
Long, long before he hooked up and mellowed out with Burt Bacharach (how 'bout twenty four years ago!?), a young Elvis Costello kicked ass with the punchy greatness of "Radio, Radio" and "Pump It Up" and here is the excellent album that featured these early British punk pop gems. It's been all remastered and presented with a whole second disc's worth of bonus material on which his youthful, nasal smart-aleck voice is in fine form! Features a heap of alternate and demo versions not to mention a fat booklet full of lyrics and a lively first person account from the man himself (including the infamous Saturday Night Live incident).
RealAudio clip: "Pump It Up"
RealAudio clip: "Radio, Radio (Capitol Radio Version)"
RealAudio clip: "Running Out Of Angels (Demo)"

DENVER'S NECK, NATE Prepare To Die (Anchor And Hope) cd 10.98
Total Shutdown bass player/vocalist Nate Denver (who also does time as lead vocalist in Dig That Body Up, It's Alive) heads out on his own and heads in a decidedly less skronky (but no less strange) direction. Ostensibly a 'folk' record, there are elements of folk, quietly strummed guitar, hushed vocals, but any semblance to traditional folk ends there. Mix in some quirky keyboards, primitive drum machines, TV samples, vibes, a guest appearance from who I believe to be Rahzel of the Roots making an answering machine message for Nate, weird chipmunk background vocals, a drum machine/electric keyboard cover of Slayer's 'Raining Blood', some strange spoken word, ominous soundscapes, and a final track of ominous circus music set to a litany of folks giving the ol' what's up to Nate Denver: Kerry King from Slayer, Glen Benton From Deicide, Trey Azagthoth from Morbid Angel, Del, Jeru The Damaja, Black Thought, Mos Def, Masta Ace and more. Pretty fucking funny.
Think Robert Johnson, Sebadoh, Ween, Anton Maiden, the Folkways Box, Total Shutdown, Elliott Smith, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Bongwater, They Might Be Giants, Will Oldham and Slayer and you might get an idea of what's going on in Nate Denver's head. Or you might not. Real nice.
RealAudio clip: "Blood Guzzler"
RealAudio clip: "Raining Blood"
RealAudio clip: "God of Worms"
RealAudio clip: "Lovely Creatures"

DESTINY'S CHILD This Is The Remix (Sony) cd 17.98
Everyone knows (or should know) that with the apparent cessation of recording/performing by TLC (the R+B band EVERYONE liked, even my 'metalhead' housemate Josh loves 'Fanmail') that Destiny's Child is the only R+B group that really and truly matters. They look great. They sound great. Their songs are great. Catchy, funky, funny, with huge wicked beats and gorgeous vocal harmonies. And if you have MTV or go to clubs, you've probably been hearing all these crazy versions of Destiny's Child songs that weren't on the record when you got it home. This remix record solves that problem. While 'the remix record', in most cases has become less about offering a different and unique take on a song and more about self promotion and career advancement and ends up being ultimately pointless, this one is actually pretty cool, with some drastically different versions, from the hip hopped version of "Jumpin' Jumpin'" with rapping from Lil Bow Wow, Da Brat and Jermaine Dupri to the slow-jam blissed out Timbaland version of 'Say My Name'. Nice.
RealAudio clip: "Jumpin', Jumpin' (Remix extended version)(Featuring Jermaine Dupri, Da Brat and Lil Bow Wow)"
RealAudio clip: "Say My Name (Timbaland Remix)"

DOIRON, JULIE Desormais (Jagjaguwar) cd 12.98
Since her departure from the fuzzy, feedback-laden world of Eric's Trip many moons ago, Julie Doiron has quietly and steadily amassed a lovely, intimate and sizeable body of work under her own name as well as under the moniker Broken Girl - garnering her much glowing praise from critics and fans alike. For those unfamiliar, her music is so subtle and low-key, it's almost hesitant in its fragile delivery. Fans of the gentle, pretty melancholia of bands like Ida, Cat Power or Low, if you've yet to do so, take note of Ms Doiron! "Desormais" is her new collection of ten disarmingly spartan, bittersweet numbers (nine sung in French, one in English). Very nice!
RealAudio clip: "La Jeune Amoreuse"
RealAudio clip: "Don't Ask"

FALCONER Chapters From A Vale Forlorn (Metal Blade) cd 15.98
Falconer's self-titled debut from last year was one of the "true metal" sensations around AQ at the time (that is, for Andee and Allan anyway, and I think we're getting Windy into 'em now too). The band's folk-derived melodicism and sheer heavy metal might was an unbeatable combination. This new disc is just as good, with songs that threaten to stick in your head for weeks (you're warned, listen to the sound samples a couple of times and you'll be humming 'em tomorrow). Of course, the folkiness and subject matter of songs like "Enter The Glade", "Lament Of A Minstrel" or "We Sold Our Homesteads" may seem silly to some, but that's ok. We like 'em that way. (The Lord Weird Slough Feg is another good example.) But it's not all Medieval folk-epics. Other songs, like "Busted To The Floor", demonstrate the rockin' Rainbow/Riot side of Falconer, complete with jamming Deep Purplish keyboards. You may recall the guitarist and drummer of Falconer used to be in a Viking black metal band called Mithotyn that we also really liked. They broke up but we're happy Falconer was the result, maintaining Mithotyn's heaviness but upping the melodic content. (Mithotyn fans, note: their sought-after final album, "Gathered Round The Oaken Table", has been reissued and is now back in stock!) The guitarist's riffs are still heavy, and catchier than ever, and their totally-NOT-black-metal vocalist utterly shines. It's not so much his voice itself that gets us, but his style and ability. He's damn good, and (because of his theatrical background) he does stuff other singers wouldn't think of -- there's lots of interesting detail in his vocal arrangements and delivery. He helps make Falconer one of the best 'power metal' bands on the planet. Catchy, heavy, majestic, a bit ridiculous, what more do you want?
RealAudio clip: "The Clarion Call"
RealAudio clip: "Busted To The Floor"

GIANT SAND Cover Magazine (Thrill Jockey) cd 15.98
On "Cover Magazine" the follow up to the wonderful "Chore Of Enchantment" from 2000 (and the beautiful recent reissue of OP8's "Slush"), Howe Gelb, he of the ever-severe countenance, takes a slightly different path and is joined by an illustrious gathering of musician friends as he presents his smouldering renditions of songs penned by the diverse likes of Nick Cave, Black Sabbath, Johnny Cash, Goldfrapp, Roger Miller, X, Marty Robbins and... Sonny & Cher. On this grand occasion, the Giant Sand roster swells to epic proportions with guest contributions from PJ Harvey, Neko Case, Kevin Salem, Matt Ward, Jim Fairchild (Grandaddy), Kelly Hogan, as well as frequent collaborators Joey Burns and John Convertino (Calexico, OP8). And the outcome? As stylistically and instrument varied, eccentricity packed and finely crafted as only Giant Sand can be. Intense, strange and weighty at times, but not without an occasional spark of wit. Piano, horns, wind around a plethora of odd unidentifiable sounds and textures. Most of these tracks were recorded in Tucson, AZ, except the handful which took place in Brussels, Belgium and Oslo, Norway.
RealAudio clip: "Johnny Hit And Run Pauline"
RealAudio clip: "Human/Lovely Head"

GIANT SAND Cover Magazine (Thrill Jockey) lp 11.98
On "Cover Magazine" the follow up to the wonderful "Chore Of Enchantment" from 2000 (and the beautiful recent reissue of OP8's "Slush"), Howe Gelb, he of the ever-severe countenance, takes a slightly different path and is joined by an illustrious gathering of musician friends as he presents his smouldering renditions of songs penned by the diverse likes of Nick Cave, Black Sabbath, Johnny Cash, Goldfrapp, Roger Miller, X, Marty Robbins and... Sonny & Cher. On this grand occasion, the Giant Sand roster swells to epic proportions with guest contributions from PJ Harvey, Neko Case, Kevin Salem, Matt Ward, Jim Fairchild (Grandaddy), Kelly Hogan, as well as frequent collaborators Joey Burns and John Convertino (Calexico, OP8). And the outcome? As stylistically and instrument varied, eccentricity packed and finely crafted as only Giant Sand can be. Intense, strange and weighty at times, but not without an occasional spark of wit. Piano, horns, wind around a plethora of odd unidentifiable sounds and textures. Most of these tracks were recorded in Tucson, AZ, except the handful which took place in Brussels, Belgium and Oslo, Norway.

GRANDMASTER FLASH The Official Adventures Of... (Strut) 2lp 21.00
Now on vinyl!
All right, we're all probably familiar with Grandmaster Flash, the guy that invented scratching and turntablism, who was instrumental in laying down one of the foundations of hip hop -- he was THE DJ. In the voluminous, entertaining liner notes (it's on the respected reissue label Strut after all) to this collection you read about the Dog Paddle Theory (walking your fingers along the outside rim of a record), the Phone Dial Theory (sticking your finger on the circle label inside the record), and the Clock Theory (finding a break and playing it over and over using the previous two methods to control it). Yep, this guy figured that stuff out and here we have a fun mix cd which includes lots of rare live tapes, lots of live scratching 'n sampling, excerpts of Flash talking about dating girls who had covetable record collections, and various favorite tracks he loves to mess with (Kraftwerk, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Babe Ruth's "The Mexican", etc.) -- all expertly sequenced into a party of a record, a fine tribute to the man (no "White Lines" though). Really fun.
RealAudio clip: BABE RUTH "The Mexican"
RealAudio clip: GRANDMASTER FLASH "Flash Got More Bounce"
RealAudio clip: GRANDMASTER FLASH "Tear the Roof Off"

H>OST Cin (V/VM Test Records) cd 14.98
First V/VM Test release that isn't a completely moronic conceptual art piece of shit. H>OST is the work of Polish artist Jacek Toszek. Cold and beautiful sonic landscapes much like those found in his native land, Toszek captures and embraces the frigidity inherent in electro-acoustic music and exploits it in the context of lifeless electronica.

HAWKWIND Doremi Fasol Latido (EMI) cd 14.98
I've been going Hawkwind crazy lately. I [Andee] pretty much missed out on Hawkwind completely the first time around. I was only 2 years old when this record came out. Later, I missed out again, having opted out of the whole high school, pot smoking, parking lot, Pink Floyd, Hawkwind thing as well. Third time's the charm though, and I am now immersing myself completely in HAWKWIND! And I'm not entirely surprised to find that some of my favorite bands have been borrowing heavily from Hawkwind (consciously or not) for years. This stuff is heavy and drone-y and hypnotic and endless. Like the Stooges or the MC5 stretched and stretched until they become these epic riffscapes of wah wah guitars and thrumming low end drone, all stretched loosely over an unwavering motorik beat. Monster Magnet, Circle, Salvatore, and basically every stoner metal band/psych rock ensemble I have ever heard owe it all to the 'wind, whether they know it or not. This is one of the best falling asleep records I have ever owned. And if did smoke pot, I bet you anything it would be perfect for that too. Features a youthful Lemmy Kilminster, pre-Motorhead.
This reissue contains the original album plus 5 bonus tracks!
RealAudio clip: "Brainstorm"
RealAudio clip: "Space Is Deep"

HAWKWIND Hall Of The Mountain Grill (EMI) cd 14.98
More Hawkwind. And more and more and more. Lately all I [Andee] want to listen to is Hawkwind. Somehow I manged to make it to 32 without hearing Hawkwind ever. And man, did I miss out. "Hall Of The Mountain Grill" seems to be the poppiest of these 4 Hawkwind reissues. But poppy is relative. The opening track '"The Psychedelic Warlords (Disappear In Smoke)" is classic and ultra catchy seventies hard rock with a totally unforgettable chorus. But even when they're spitting out the pop, it's still wrapped in dirty grungy super distorted riffs, wah wah guitars, super-affected vocals and drugged out instrumental bits. There's even some strings and sax on this one. AND I LOVE IT. But the sound is still dark and heavy and haunting and hypnotic, just poppier than the earlier Hawkwinds. There's a sort of Moody Blues/Pink Floyd vibe (this was '74/'75 and it sounds like maybe they were hoping for some radio play), with clean melodic harmony vocals, but they are always eventually overwhelmed by swirling organs, chugging guitars, chirping and squealing space effects, and pounding drums. If I was 15 you know I would have Hawkwind drawn all over my binder (or even at 32, if I only had a binder!). Awesome. Still features a young and (relatively) cute pre-Motorhead Lemmy on bass and vocals. This reissue contains the original album plus 5 bonus tracks.
RealAudio clip: "The Psychedelic Warlords (Disappear In Smoke)"
RealAudio clip: "Wind Of Change"

HAWKWIND In Search Of Space (EMI) cd 14.98
If you need a little background on my [Andee's] current Hawkwind obsession see the review for "Doremi Fasol Latido" elsewhere on the list. Needless to say, these records are killing me. How did I mange to miss Hawkwind for all this time. All the stuff I love, stoner rock, metal, drone, drone rock (ala Circle, Salvatore) drug soaked alcohol drenced rock and roll...Hawkwind has got it in spades. Relentless fuzzed out riffs that seem to go on forever, with a rhythm section that locks into a groove and stays in it, steady to the end. This stuff doesn't just lull me to sleep, it blisses me out. I feel like I'm in a different state of mind as I sink deeper and deeper into these super rocking MC5-on-angeldust vibes. Space-y and drone-y and hypnotic and fucking magical. Fans of Circle and all that kind of hypnotic repetitive psych need to own this stuff (if you don't already)!
Originally released in 1971. This reissue contains the whole original album plus 3 bonus tracks.
RealAudio clip: "You Shouldn't Do That"
RealAudio clip: "You Know You're Only Dreaming"

HAWKWIND Space Ritual (EMI) 2cd 21.00
Two discs of sonic mayhem beamed from space through a hazy cloud of pot smoke. Hawkwind are seriously kicking my [Andee's] ass. This is a double live disc of Hawkwind at their best (that would be Lemmy-era). Taking the studio cuts and stretching them out, twisting them all out of shape and turning them into endless jams, looping and repetetive and hypnotic. Once the rhythm section locks into their motorik groove, the rest of the band just follows, through a swirling morass of drug addled psychedlia and into another plane altogether. Never has a band made me want to get high so much. [This from a guy who's completely straight-edge.] I already almost feel high just listening, when I'm all stretched out, eyes closed, stereo turned up as loud as it'll go, my whole body vibrating from the sound, my mind drifting off. Like a faster, meaner, hippier Spacemen 3 but with better drugs, or Loop or Godflesh or Circle or any band that tries to transport you through repetition and subtle shift. Simple riffs spread out into a warm landscape of fuzz and thrum, while flutes and saxophones and tweaked wah wah guitars ride wildly atop the mayhem. So so so so good. Hawkwind make music to take drugs to make music by better than almost anyone else. This reissue contains the original live double album plus 3 bonus tracks.
RealAudio clip: "Born To Go"
RealAudio clip: "Down Through The Night"

HELL, RICHARD Time (Matador) cd 15.98
A double disc set for the price of one from the inimitable Richard Hell, founding member of New York-style punk in the '70s with the bands Television, the Heartbreakers, and the Voidoids. The first disc is a reissue of the formerly cassette-only ROIR release R.I.P., and contains live stuff, outtakes, demos, all of which Hell thought deserving to be included here. There's Heartbreakers and Voidoids rarities here. Some of it is wonderful but I have to say that other tracks just do not stand the test of time.
Disc two is a document of a few live shows, including one that took place in England on an ill-fated tour with the Clash. Hell calls this performance one of the most aggressive he'd ever given, but the recording quality is terrible throughout the live disc, and I don't really get why he chose to release it. Liner notes are extensive, with song by song recounts written by Hell himself, and lots of photos.
RealAudio clip: "Love Comes in Spurts"
RealAudio clip: "Time"

HONEYWELL, PEGGY Honey For Dinner (Galaxia) cd 9.98
Ms. Honeywell possesses a lilting, lamenting voice quite akin to that of Trailer Bride's Melissa Swingle, with the added sultriness of Cat Power and the dark hum of Edith Frost's delivery. On her debut album, we have gentle porchswing songs with strummy guitar and plucky banjo very reminiscent of a youthful, twangy Throwing Muses or Shams. Ten li'l tracks in barely 21 minutes including a closing rendition of Elvis' "All Shook Up". Dave Pajo (Papa M) plays some slide guitar, banjo, and bass. The album is dedicated to local artist Margaret Kilgallen who passed away recently and her baby Asha.
RealAudio clip: "Darlin Man"
RealAudio clip: "Hug My Heart"

INCREDIBLE STRING BAND Be Glad For The Song Has No Ending (Wienerworld) dvd 23.00
Here is the DVD release of "Be Glad For The Song Has No Ending", the film about the Incredible String Band. Hugely influential (the Stones tried to sign them, they played Woodstock, Van Morrison covered them), the band played a psychedelic folk music that has its modern antecedents in groups like P.G. Six, Six Organs of Admittance, Damon and Naomi, etc. This DVD has lovely footage of them playing live, lots of closeups and interviews with Robin Williamson and Mike Heron. There's also an interview with the filmmaker Peter Neal, and the short film The Pirate and the Crystal Ball -- which the liner notes claim is a "hallucinatory death and rebirth ritual", but which is actually like a '60s version of getting your friends to go out into the woods and videotaping them cavorting and flitting amongst the trees. With handmaidens, fairies, and warriors even. You know the type.

JACKIE-O MOTHERFUCKER U Sound Volume 2 (usoundarchive) cd-r 9.98
Run by Tom Greenwood and Josh Stevenson, both from Jackie-O Motherfucker, the U Sound series documents lost, hidden and forgotten musical history. Volume 2 features excerpts from two live Jackie-O Motherfucker shows in Portland and Vancouver back in 2000, showcasing the collective in both free-jazz freakout mode with constant saxophone squiggliness and non-rhythmic drum patter; as well as a couple of tracks of Appalachian folk scrambled into Parson Sound / Harvester druggy trances, the sound that made their recent "Liberation" album so engaging. Nicely recorded through a minidisc with binaural microphones and released as a CD-R.
RealAudio clip: "Charms Of The Viper (Live)"
RealAudio clip: "Ray-O-Graph (Live)"
RealAudio clip: "The Pigeon (Live)"

JACKIE-O MOTHERFUCKER U Sound Volume 3 (usoundarchive) cd-r 9.98
More live recordings from the Portland improv collective Jackie-O Motherfucker from 2001 from shows in Portland and Vancouver. This document opens with their often squiggly saxophone mellowing out into sultry almost snake charmers' slinkiness, fronting lots of vibraphones and random drum fills. Jackie-O continues through a couple of similar tracks until the rhythm section kicks into a laid back frontporch jig and the sax solo takes a backseat to tranced out ringing guitar chords. Again, nicely recorded through a minidisc with binaural microphones and released as a CD-R.
RealAudio clip: "Pray (Live)"
RealAudio clip: "She Cuts Heart Shapes (Live)"

JACKIE-O MOTHERFUCKER U Sound Volume 4 (usoundarchive) cd-r 9.98
Again, ESP-style revisionist jazz kicks off these two sets from Jackie-O Motherfucker from live shows in their native Portland and Seattle. Of all of the U Sound archives of Jackie-O live shows Volume 4 is the most free-jazz oriented, even their amazingly cinematic orchestration "The Pigeon" almost doesn't actualize itself because almost everybody's doin' their own thing. Again, nicely recorded through a minidisc with binaural microphones and released as a CD-R.
RealAudio clip: "Pigeon (Live)"

JECK, PHILIP Vinyl Coda I-III (Intermedia / Strunz) 2cd 16.98
YAY, THIS BACK IN PRINT! Now in a jewel case instead of the digipack.
Why Philip Jeck isn't as famous as Oval and DJ Spooky is beyond us, as we think his brand of repetitive, crazily evocative warmth is just as good if not better than Oval, and his turntable installations are more interesting than anything Spooky ever (wet)dreamed. For instance, Jeck has subtitled his turntablist experiments "low-fi classics for the electronic generation," working with his orchestra of antique Dansette turntables - an arsenal 180 machines strong!!! With the crackling hiss of records found at flea markets, Jeck's concept for his performances / compositions involve a bottle of glue and a scalpel forcing the record needle into locked grooves at the desired points on the records.
Anyway, for the three WONDERFUL "Vinyl Coda" pieces spread across these two cds, Jeck's scratchy vinyl-derived loops fade in and out of percussive polyphony, fractured orchestral majesty, almost industrial / factory grinding, 50's pop vocal snippets, and laughably long applause. It's quiet yet there's SO MUCH going on. And some points it sounds like the quiet parts of a Godspeed or Slint record, gently but urgently loping and hiccupping. Highly recommended!
RealAudio clip: "Vinyl Coda I"

JIMMY CASTOR BUNCH, THE 16 Slabs of Funk (RCA) cd 14.98
Heavy, heavy psychedelic acid funk with some Latin vibes, stuff that could have made Funkadelic proud, collected from the Jimmy Castor Bunch's earliest albums.
These 16 slabs of funk include almost all the really good songs (which is almost ALL of the songs) from the band's first 2 RCA albums ("It's Just Begun" and "Phase Two"), plus a few from their somewhat less awesome (actually quite weak) third and final RCA disc, the jazzy "Dimension III". Jimmy and the band bounced back and recorded many more funk classics after they left RCA, not letting disco get them down, and you can find those (and a few others from the earlier doo-wop phase of his career) on the "Everything Man" best of comp Rhino released a few years back, which only has a couple of the songs found here. There WAS a 2-on-1 import cd reissue of the first two of Castor's RCA LPs that we had a while ago, but we haven't been able to get it lately. I like the review I wrote of that disc a lot though, so why not quote some of it here:
"Blending fat funk guitar, '60s astrologically-obsessed psych rock, Hendrix worship (there's a weird tribute to Jimi here, a Purple Haze/Foxy Lady hybrid cover), as well as doo wop, soul and some sappy r&b...they don't make 'em like this anymore. "It's Just Begun" will send you back, way back, to the time of the "Troglodyte". The cave man theme recurs, with "Phase Two"'s "Luther The Anthropoid (Ape Man)"... Heavy acid funk stomp, silly sexual primal urge stuff to be sure, mixed with some lighter, more 'spiritually' oriented cuts. As we move into album no.2, there are definitely some really bad moments of love song cheese to interfere with your enjoyment of the BAAADDD moments of troglodyte funk, but on the whole this is deep and weird enough to be essential to the dedicated funkateer. For fans of early Kool & the Gang, Parliament, B.T. Express, that sort of thing, but the best stuff here's got a dosed and primordial edge unlike anything else excavated from the early '70s era."
This collection cuts out the worst of the "love song cheese" alluded to above (although the songs added from "Dimension III" aren't any better unfortunately) and so makes for, along with Rhino's "Everything Man" comp, a mandatory funk purchase. Not rare groove, but "everywhere groove" as it says in the liner notes.
RealAudio clip: "It's Just Begun"
RealAudio clip: "L.T.D. (Life, Truth & Death)"

JUDAS PRIEST Painkiller (Sony) cd 12.98
Supreme metal triumph. The last good (in fact, great) Judas Priest album, also happened to be their last with 'Metal God' Rob Halford at the mic. Originally released in 1990, "Painkiller" at the time seemed like the big Priest comeback, after a string of crap, commercial late-eighties releases ("Ram It Down", "Turbo"). But, it was SO good that the classic Priest line-up imploded soon thereafter. At least they went out with a bang (and never should have done anything else afterwards!). The proudly uber-metallic, melodic but mighty and punishing beast that is "Painkiller" influenced many a more recent metal band, with songs from this album even getting cover treatment from a host of younger outfits. Lyrically, it's totally over the top and cheesy (but cheesy in a good way, unlike "Turbo" et.al.) with song titles like "Leather Rebel" and "Metal Meltdown". The twin guitar attack of Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing was at an all-time peak, spitting out riffs and trading off leads left and right. New drummer Scott Travis' double bass barrage also added to the band's firepower. Belongs in the book of "ultimate metal albums" for sure. It's actually hard to imagine any record being MORE metal than this one! Like the other discs in the JP reissue series, this is remastered and includes a couple of ok but non-essential unreleased bonus tracks. Allan remembers buying this on cassette at Sam The Record Man on Toronto's Yonge St., back in his college days, and it's one of the albums that helped forge his love of metal. We had to physically restrain him from making this reissue "record of the week". Well, no, not really, but he likes it a lot, and was excited about this cd.
RealAudio clip: "Painkiller"

JULY s/t (Aftermath) cd 17.98
First cd issue of what is reportedly a highly sought after record of UK psychedelic rock. The singer's got a nice Skip Spence strain in his voice, and there's a lot of sitar on top of the more traditional instrumentation, and the winsome harmonies are sweet. Other than that, it's pretty good but not mindblowing so we're recommending it only to hardcore psych freaks who already have all the Kinks records, the West Coast Pop Art Experimental band reissues, etc. You know who you are.
RealAudio clip: "Jolly Mary"
RealAudio clip: "Hallo to Me"

JURADO, DAMIEN AND GATHERED IN SONG I Break Chairs (Sub Pop) cd 14.98
Man, does this guy never disappoint? Damien Jurado has released three solo albums of sad, downtrodden rock songs delivered often on acoustic guitar, his plaintive voice throaty and intense. I've compared those solo albums to Springsteen's Nebraska before, both in earnestness and quality. Now, get ready for a bigger sound -- the rockin' Damien Jurado -- 'cos on this album he's got a four piece band and they're quite good! The slight twang and drivin'-down-the-highway energy to it reminds me *a lot* of Uncle Tupelo (y'know, the "alternative country" band that spawned Son Volt and Wilco). Yep, it's that epic and lovely and down to earth. There is a fair share of Jurado's quiet introspective stuff, but the real surprise and pleasure here is the rock.
RealAudio clip: "Paperwings"
RealAudio clip: "Neverending"

KARATE Cancel/Sing (Southern) cd ep 7.98
"I've lost my calculator" or so we believe a line of the lyrics went to the second track of this two song, 26 minute ep. An intentional wink of humor? It's rather hard to say with this oft self-serious breed of apres-rock bands. It appears Karate have decided to settle it down even a bit more, don some smoking jackets and perform some supper club jazz. While there's certainly no denying Karate's chops (hahaha! erm... sorry) with their past efforts defined by fluid dynamics melding elements of emo, jazz and rock experimentations, this ends up as rather painful almost spoken beat poet vocalizing over lackluster noodling.
RealAudio clip: "Sing"

KELLY, R. & JAY-Z The Best Of Both Worlds (Jive) cd 18.98
This is indeed the best of both worlds. Touted as the first ever superstar, hip hop/R+B collaboration, ok maybe, but whatever. The pont is, this shit is goooood and I am digging this record like crazy. Imagine any of the last two or three Jay-Z records (and we have all been going a little Jay-Z nuts lately) with R. Kelly singing all the choruses (when he's not busy videotaping himself having sex with 14 year old girls, ummm). Reminds us of that Fat Joe/R. Kelly track from a few lists back that is still definitely one of the year's best singles. R. Kelly's got the most amazing voice, high and crystalline, silky and gorgeous. Definitely a case of 'he could sing the phone book...' And Jay-Z, what can you say? He's got a killer voice, a wicked flow and writes some fucking funny lyrics. Definitely recommended.
RealAudio clip: "Best of Both Worlds"
RealAudio clip: "Take You Home Wtih Me A.K.A. Body"

KNODEL Dawn Of The Butterfly (My Pal God) cd 12.98
The second album from this dorky (in a good way) electro-rock band. They play poppy, nerdy space-wave with emo undertones complete with alternating earnest boy vocals and vocoded robot voices over clunky early '80s synth lines. It's not unlike a lo-fi, Casio-laden version of early Man Or Astro-Man? minus the surf element. Or imagine Trans Am (their old college/tour buddies) doing silly Gary Numan impersonations. Knodel offer up plenty of self-referential lyrics, like "It's a Knodel world. Knodel's gonna take you home." That's what they say, but only you know if it's true for you. One clue: how do you feel about a synth-pop cover of "Kingdom Come" by epic metallers Manowar? 'Cause such a cover ends this album on a triumphant note. So dorky it's hard not to like.
RealAudio clip: "Dawn Of The Butterfly"
RealAudio clip: "Knodel Rocks"

LAUB Filesharing (Kitty-Yo) cd 15.98
Once again fans of Bjork, Lamb, and Portishead will find a kindred spirit in Berlin duo Laub who add their own experimental twists to those female fronted, melodramatic swansingers. Laub (comprised of Antye Greie-Fuchs and Jotka) produce sparse, crisp beats, with subdued, spiralling electronic melodies and cascading veils of glitched abstractions, that nonetheless maintain a strong pop sensibility. Antye secretly unfolds all of her German lyrics (which have been translated into English on a PDF file on the CD-Rom element of the program) through her breathy, effected voice, which adds to the antiseptic feel found within the electronic beatscapes.
RealAudio clip: "Temporaries"

LOST GOAT The Dirty Ones (Tee Pee Records) cd 13.98
New one (getting better) from this popular San Francisco hard rock trio. Not 'stoner rock', not 'punk', not 'metal', not 'grunge'...not exactly. Loud guitars, tough girl vocals, lots of attitude and rock action. Members of Amber Asylum show up to add strings to one song, and Leadbelly and Buffy Sainte-Marie both get covered.
RealAudio clip: "Rat Masters of the Icky Path"

LOVE Da Capo (Sundazed) lp 15.98
Love's second lp from 1967, originally issued by Elektra, now available again on 180 gram audiophile vinyl. Seven tracks, including the essential "Seven And Seven Is" as well as the sidelong epic, "Revelation".

LOVE Forever Changes (Sundazed) lp 15.98
Love's 1968 masterpiece, repressed on 180 gram audiophile vinyl by the lovely folks at Sundazed! Eleven blissfully wonderful psychedelic classics that transcend time and place. If you've never heard this classic record before, then you must buy one now. Period. You will love it, promise. After all, it's got "Alone Again Or", possibly the greatest song ever written. Listen to the soundclip and you'll see why, or you'll be like, "Oh my god I love this song!" See, that's why they're called Love.
Compact disc with bonus, alternate takes also available on Elektra.
RealAudio clip: "Alone Again Or"

LOVE s/t (Sundazed) lp 15.98
The classic 1966 debut from Arthur Lee and co. now reissued on 180 gram audiophile vinyl! Includes their intense take on Bacharach / David's "My Little Red Book", the fast paced, fuzzed out cover of "Hey Joe" and the heart-wrenching tearjerker "Signed D.C.".

MIRAH Cold Cold Water (K) 7" 4.50
Mirah's contribution to K Records' long-running International Pop Underground Series is a glimpse at what would become a grand cowboy folk-inflected affair... her second full length just-released album "Advisory Committee". She writes in cursive, moving tales of tragedy and heartbreak. One part Bjork's swooping, soaring vocals, one part Mary Timony's white knights and chariots (well, in Mirah's case, let's make 'em bandits and covered wagons), one part Juliana Hatfield/Frente/That Dog childlike voice. Mash all this together and you'll get something close to Mirah, but she's definitely walking her own dusty trail. With Phil Elvrum of the Microphones. Recorded by Calvin Johnson.
RealAudio clip: "Make It Hot"

MOULD, BOB Modulate. (Red Ink) cd 16.98
An agonizing kick in the teeth to Husker Du fans everywhere. This is appalling. Pseudo-rave, cheezy, electronic dance music that perhaps only Stephin Merritt and his Future Bible Heroes can get away with... and we're not even goin' near those over-Cher-ified vocal effects. On this, his first new album since '98, it's apparent that he's been experimenting with new approaches to his music making. The problem is the technology he's chosen to incorporate doesn't complement his songwriting at all. Although there are a few glimmers of that distinctive Mould songwriting pen (check out "Comeonstrong"), they're soon lost in a mass of electronic clutter and distractions. Oh dear!
RealAudio clip: "180 Rain"
RealAudio clip: "Comeonstrong"

MY BLOODY VALENTINE Isn't Anything (Sony / Creation) cd 14.98
As we recently listed My Bloody Valentine's hard to find collection "Ecstacy and Wine" as well as their masterpiece "Loveless," it's about time that we got "Isn't Anything" into the Aquarius Records archives.
I seem to remember an odd anecdote about the recording process of this album, that it was recorded somewhere in the outskirts of their native Dublin near a sheep farm and the band ended up crashing at the studio throughout the entire recording session. Yet, their sleep patterns were constantly interrupted by the incessant bleating of those sheep, and the collective insomnia contributed to the lethargy and torpor found within "Isn't Anything." Of course, I've been unable to verify this story with anything factual, but this album sure does sound sleepy, mostly sliding towards the realm of deep slumber, but occasionally hopped-up on punchy sleep-deprived nerves.
In the name of revisionist history, "Isn't Anything" stands as the transition album between the gilded jangle of "Ecstacy and Wine" and the radioluminescence of "Loveless." My Bloody Valentine had begun to bury much of their emulation of '60s psychedelic pop in Sonic Youth mack-truck riffage and intertwining guitar haze that upstages the Velvet Underground strum-as-drone. Tracks like "Feed Me With Your Kiss" and "Sueisfine" thickly blur the sad lullaby vocals from Kevin Shields and Bilinda Butcher through overblown bass distortion and strangely uptempo rhythms. Yet, My Bloody Valentine will instantly glide out of these into the shoegazing drone-pop of something like "Lose My Breath" with its tone bending extended chords and lack of pronounced rhythms. Only a couple of the songs on "Isn't Anything" are as memorable as those found on "Loveless," but there are plenty of swirling dreamy-pop songs that make this album a treat for shoegazing fans!
RealAudio clip: "Soft As Snow (But Warm Inside)"
RealAudio clip: "Lose My Breath"
RealAudio clip: "Feed Me With Your Kiss"
RealAudio clip: "Sueisfine"

N.E.R.D. In Search of... (Virgin France) cd 10.98
Finally available domestically (at a cheap price, for now anyway), this record should be of interest even to the folks who bought the import version, cos N.E.R.D. re-recorded their debut with a live band instead of all samples and pro-tools. It's actually not all that different, but the idea is interesting, and they supposedly decided to do it that way after working with No Doubt! N.E.R.D. (whose name stands for "noone ever really dies") also produce albums under the name the Neptunes. They've worked with Ol' Dirty Bastard, Mystikal ("Shake Ya Ass"), and Jay-Z. And 'Lapdance', the first track, does not disappoint. Funky, with super distorted synth-bass lines, cool gruff delivery that slips into old school soul falsetto, weird soaring fake strings and nasty female vocals. Unfortunately the rest of the record doesn't quite live up to the promise of the first track. Not to say it's a bad record, but the first track was such a knockout, we were just sort of hoping this would be the hip hop record of the year. But as it is, it's just a pretty decent soul/hip hop record, with cool staccato Timbaland-style rhythms throughout, simple rhymes, diva vocal choruses, and funky hiccuping bass. Not bad, but that first track destroys! Almost worth the price of admission.
RealAudio clip: "Lapdance"
RealAudio clip: "Things Are Getting Better"

NURSE WITH WOUND Man With The Woman Face (World Serpent) cd 17.98
Having retreated from London to an Irish farm many moons ago, Steve Stapleton has kept the personnel on his recent Nurse With Wound recordings down to just a few other people, with only David Tibet, Colin Potter, and Aranos appearing with any regularity. "The Man With The Woman Face," Nurse With Wound's first album in almost two years (discounting the recent terminally awful and painfully limited collaboration with Aranos) finds Stapleton working exclusively with Ora's Colin Potter, who has recently been working with Monos and Jonathan Coleclough. Regardless of who's working with Stapleton, Nurse With Wound actively pursues (or stimulates?) bizarre psychological states, often via obtuse free-associations and recontextualized leitmotifs. While many Nurse With Wound recordings have recycled various elements from other albums into new operating theaters, the only recurring theme that "Man With The Woman Face" shares with previous albums is Stapleton's gentle use of feedback generated by chains of effects boxes looped back upon themselves to generate buzzing electric tones to be manipulated how he sees fit. Here, Stapleton and Potter flutter warm pulses of feedback to undergrid spartan loops and skittering samples of little toy piano plucks, whirring motors, really angry bees, and something that sounds like an electronic varmint scurrying past its metallic cage into a pile of woodchips. Such strange whirring electronic sounds creak and moan until NWW bursts out of these oddly calming drones into a couple of minutes of nervous psychedelic grooviness that reminds us of the Sun City Girls ("330,003 Crossdressers" era), before collapsing back into whirring abstractions and murmuring vocal fragments. Nice.
RealAudio clip: "Beware The African Mosquito"
RealAudio clip: "A Canadh Thuas Sa Speir"

OLD DIRTY BASTARD The Trials And Tribulations Of Russell Jones (D3) cd 17.98
God, I love Ol' Dirty Bastard. Remember on that awards show, where he was so messed up he nearly walked into a fountain of flames? Or remember that other awards show where ODB ran on stage and started rambling incoherently about the Wu-Tang while some poor shlub was trying to thank their mother or father or God or something. And remember recently when ODB was wanted by the cops? Breaking and entering or assault or something. Well, while 'on the lam' (seriously) Ol' Dirty found time to record a brand new album that is only just now seeing the light of day (whereas ODB is not -- since he is still currently incarcerated). And it's pretty great. Everything we've come to expect, wacky falsetto choruses, soul singing back up singers, crazy production and ODB rapping all over it, all ridiculous rambling raps about sex, gangstas, money, and, well, sex. Lots of guests: Sunz Of Man, Mack 10, C-Murder, Too Short, E-40, and even Insane Clown Posse, who somehow manage to be kinda funny. Check it out!
RealAudio clip: "Caught Up"
RealAudio clip: "Dirty And Stinkin'"

OLDHAM, WILL / ERIK WESSELO Forest Time (Artimo) 10" 17.98
Limited as heck, this one-sided 10" with a brand new song from Will Oldham comes packaged with a rather lovely book-like selection of photographs from one Erik Wesselo. The photos are mostly soft-focus landscapes -- forest, sea cliffs, etc. Buy now or cry later, although at $17.98 for one song, this is for uber Oldham fans only.

PAPA M Songs of Mac Performed By Papa M (Western Vinyl) cd ep 8.98
Two new songs on this li'l single from Louisvillian Dave Pajo. It's called Songs of Mac, but who is Mac? It's totally not clear, although one of the songs is by a Mac Finley, about whom I find no info whatsoever, even on Google... Dave, clue us in already! Anyway, both songs feature Pajo's voice warmly close to the mic, accompanied by stately piano and spare guitar. Quite pretty. I like it when he does covers.
RealAudio clip: "So Warped"

PATTERN, THE Immediately (Lookout) cd ep 7.98
Trashy retro-rock guitars back up former PeeChees vocalist and Lookout! Records' wheeler'n'dealer Chris Applegren's trademark bratty boy nasal howling. Live, they're a lively flailing rock'n'roll party, but on record they've yet to capture that energy. Instead they come across as a rather anemic teen garage channelling of the motor city's finest. While their live shows undoubtedly win them new fans wherever they go, it's open to question whether their records do likewise. Time to revisit the originals, MC5 and the Stooges, who took care of business so thoroughly over thirty years ago.
RealAudio clip: "Breakfast"

PINE VALLEY COSMONAUTS The Executioner's Last Songs Vol. 1 (Bloodshot) cd 16.98
Following the rather unsettling "Anthology of American Literature" collaboration between the PVCs and Neal Pollack that we reviewed in the last AQ List, Jon Langford gets things back on track. On this new album, they - as described right on the cover - "consign songs of murder, mob-law & cruel, cruel punishment to the realm of myth, memory & history". Some of the familiar faces include Neko Case (sashaying out a rollicking "Poor Ellen Smith"), Sally Timms, Kelly Hogan, and Edith Frost, along with Steve Earle (on a swarthy rendition of "Tom Dooley"), Jenny Toomey (on a heavy-hearted, weary version of "Miss Otis Regrets") Rosie Flores, Johnny Dowd (with Jon Langford on "Judgement Day") and Paul Burch. A wonderfully rich and varied collection of songs and voices benefitting the Illinois Death Penalty Moratorium Project.
RealAudio clip: "Tom Dooley"
RealAudio clip: "Poor Ellen Smith"
RealAudio clip: "Miss Otis Regrets"

PRAM Owl Service (Domino) cd 6.98
This EP is comprised of a scant two tracks totalling eight minutes of music. No big surprises or stylistic departures here. As we've come to expect from Pram, drowsy female vocals murmur over angelic chiming melodies and slowly snaking subtly Middle Eastern-infused grooves.
RealAudio clip: "The Mermaids' Hotel"

SCREW, DJ All Work No Play Volume 2 (Reliant Entertainment) cd 16.98
Man, I should have been a rapper. What other career allows you the freedom to release record after record, even after you're already dead!!! In much the same fashion as Tupac and Biggie, Screw's posthumous output will soon outnumber the records released while he was alive (not counting the zillions of mix tapes). For those of you who don't know about Screw, he's from the 'Dirty South', and he struck gold with his peculiar brand of remixing (or 'screwing') which entailed, basically just slowing down the record to a crawl, making the record sound like it was dipped in a vat of cough syrup. Sounds weird, but goddamn if the results aren't mighty pleasing to the ear. Most of the stuff that gets 'screwed' here on volume two comes courtesy of Screw's buddies from down south: Fat Pat, Lil' Flip, UGK, 8-Ball, Juvenile, Lil' Keke and loads more. We LOVE DJ Screw.
RealAudio clip: "5.5 (Featuring Lil' Keke and 8-Ball)"
RealAudio clip: "Swang Down (Featuring Fat Pat and Southside Playas)"

SEMPER, JONTY Kenotaphion (Charrm) 2cd 18.98
"Kenotaphion" is one of the most unusual collections of archival recordings to pass through the Aquarius doors, as British artist Jonty Semper has culled through the archives at BBC, British Movietone, and ITN Reuters for recordings of the 2 minutes of communal silence. This ritual heralds back to November 11, 1919 to commemorate the Armistice of World War I when all of England literally stopped for two minutes of silence - the trains came to a halt, telephone relays were shut down, schools paused in the middle of lectures, everything except for the media. BBC radio would broadcast these public displays of silence, capturing the mighty bell tolls of Big Ben and a massive multiple gun salute followed by the environmental ambience at that exact moment. BBC didn't just turn off their signal, they captured the sounds around the Houses of Parliament: rain, birds, wind, etc. As various sources had recorded these memorial silences dating back to 1929, the recorded medium becomes apparant on a number of the older recordings, as scratchy surface noise and tape hiss. Thus these silences are not exactly silent.
Semper was not content to simply collect the solemn silences bracketed by the chiming of Big Ben and the crack of the rifles, he interspersed them with snippets of narration uttered by the BBC commentators, often poetic, yet certainly sentimental thoughts spoken in the finest of Queen's English. Disc one features the oldest recordings (1929 - 1965) and ripples with tons of surface noise, yet as the microphone technology improved through the later recordings (1967 - 2000) the quiet din of London trying to be silent makes itself known. A strangely alluring record.
RealAudio clip: "November 12, 1934"
RealAudio clip: "November 14, 1934"
RealAudio clip: "November 9, 1980"
RealAudio clip: "November 14, 1999"

SINERGY Suicide By My Side (Nuclear Blast) cd 14.98
If you are a fan of widdly heavy metal guitar (aren't you? I am) then chances are you'll enjoy this, the third offering from Finland's Sinergy! Much of the widdly guitar comes courtesy Alexi 'Wildchild' Laiho, better known for his main band, the awesome Children of Bodom. But Sinergy totally indulges in eighties metal fantasies, even more than CoB. For one thing, instead of Alexi's black metallish vocal screams, Sinergy boasts full-on '80s style high pitched metal vox. High pitched in part 'cause the singer's a girl, Alexi's girlfriend Kimberly Goss (a transplanted American, who's spent time in various Scandinavian black metal outfits like Ancient and Dimmu Borgir). Actually, Sinergy is really Kimberly's band, where she gives full reign to her heavy but melodic metal side. Nothing groundbreaking here, but these guys and girl are obvious pros. Plus, Kimberly's diverse vocals are a bit different than the Euro-male 'power metal' norm. We wouldn't pick this as something for non-metal fans to check out, but if 'Yngwie' is not a bad word in your vocab (or 'Wildchild' for that matter!) then proceed, if curious.
RealAudio clip: "I Spit On Your Grave"
RealAudio clip: "Nowhere For No One"

SMITH, PATTI Land (1975-2002) (Arista) 2cd 22.00
Fat double cd anthology of the work of former Blue Oyster Cult lyricist Patti Smith. A 'best of' her career of the past 27 years, digitally remastered and all that. Disc one's got the hits ("Gloria", "Rock N Roll Nigger", etc) and also a brand new cover version of Prince's "When Doves Cry". Disc two features a backers dozen of rare/demo/live tracks, unreleased until now. The package also includes a thick booklet of photos, lyrics, drawings, poems, etc. Basically, it's one of those collections that both serve as an introduction to an artist for novices as well as being a must-have for big fans who of course need the unreleased stuff even though they already have the album tracks.

STEREO TOTAL Wir Tanzen Im Viereck (Bungalow) 12" 8.98
Five remixes of the instant classic that Stereo Total has been performing live for the past four or so years, only recorded recently for their latest long player, "Musique Automatique". Remixers include Candie Hank (aka Patric Catani of EC8OR, Audio Chocolate, Flex Busterman, et al), Felix Kubin, Christopher Just (producer of a handful of Chicks On Speed tracks), Bis and Brezel Goring himself extend the one-and-a-half minute showstopper for maximum square dance action! Hot!!!

TOSCA Suzuki In Dub (Studio K7) cd 17.98
Tosca is the solo electronic project of Richard Dorfmeister of Kruder & Dorfmeister who is joined not by Kruder, but Huber! Rupert Huber, that is. Of course, Peter Kruder has his own solo endeavors under the moniker Peace Orchestra. This is the dubbed out mix collection of select tracks from the 2000 album "Suzuki" as reworked by the likes of Baby Mammoth, Burnt Friedman, and Dubphonic to name a few. For those of you who perhaps found the original album a bit too lullingly hypnotic, these remixes provide a much more active and interesting groove. Included in the eleven tracks are three versions of "Annanas" and four of "Busenfreund".
RealAudio clip: "Orozco (Dubphonic Dub)"

TOTAL SHUTDOWN Reflections (Thin The Herd) 12" 11.98
Total Shutdown. If you live in San Francisco and you've been following the contemporary music scene with even a smattering of interest, you've no doubt encountered this post-emo / screamo hardcore 'art' rock noise band. And it seems that Total Shutdown has been amassing a sizeable audience of ardent followers. And while we weren't all that impressed in the beginning, they have continued to get better and better live and more and more sonically appealing. But unfortunately, they've yet to capture their live mayhemic splatter on record. So this new one sided 12" is a bit of a let down. Sounding sloppy and noisy like an incongruous pastiche of the Angry Samoans, Happy Flowers, and Mars, TS seem to have mastered the sound but not the song. But for fans of the arty boot-to-the-head angular noise rock thing (ala Black Dice, Arab On Radar) there is plenty of ear shredding, rib kicking, gut humping pummel to soothe those tired ears. The vinyl itself is gorgeous. Cool cover art, and a one sided red vinyl lp, with a cool silkscreen on the other side. Also has the pesky concentric groove thing going on, so depending on where you put the needle down, you'll either get Total Shutdown or.......the Beatles?? While I appreciate the concept (I'm all for annoying vinyl oddities) the choice of the Beatles seems a little random. Would have been way funnier if they had made the other groove Arab On Radar or something like that (remember the big bouhaha over the 'fake' Oxes/Arab On Radar 10"? Good one Oxes!). Maybe they were afraid that then people wouldn't be able to tell the difference and wouldn't know if the needle was in the wrong groove or not.
But TS -are- one of the few local bands trying to kick up a shitstorm of some kind, and for that we salute them. You can't take it lightly since our once vibrant scene is slowly being whittled away to nothing (fewer bands that don't suck, fewer clubs period, jaded show go-ers, etc.) So keep your eye on these kids, 'cause one of these days everything's gonna hit at once, and maybe then we'll be singing their praises, but for now, recommended only for those with iron ear drums, bowels of steel and a not too discerning taste for skronk, chaos and noise.

TRISTEZA Mixed Signals (Rocket Racer) 2lp 17.98
San Diego's post-emo heartthrobs, posterboys of heartfelt, emotional atmospheric Windham Hill Records-esque post-rock get in bed with Windy & Carl, Fridge, Simon Raymonde (of the Cocteau Twins), Marumari, Randomnumber (ex-Hood), Scientific American, Styrofoam, Yellow6, Astorria, DJ Jims (of Tristeza), Lackluster, Diagram Of Suburban Chaos and Snodgrass. Beautifully packaged in a gatefold sleeve and cute op art.

UNCLE TUPELO 89/93: Anthology (Columbia) cd 16.98
So I'm going to try and not gush too much. I don't want to come across like a 13 year old girl reviewing the newest N-Sync record. But it's kind of hard to be objective when you're trying to turn people on to one of your all time favorite bands. And Uncle Tupelo happen to be one of ours (Andee & Windy). And like a lot of other bands that we love, I feel compelled to recommend against any sort of greatest hits, when to me, the actual records have so many great songs that a greatest hits collection invariably leaves out some of the best songs (especially when greatest hits are often determined by sales or radio play). But since their back catalog is currently unavailable, for now this is all we have to work with. So, for those of you who don't know, Uncle Tupelo were one of the first bands to really combine indie/underground american rock and traditional country, into something original and vital. So much so, that the name of their first record 'No Depression' (borrowed of course from the Carter Family) became an actual genre as well as the name of a magazine covering this new alternative country. But regardless of their influence, or their position as THE seminal indie alt.country band, it's all about the music, and over the course of 4 albums, Uncle Tupelo created some of the most stirring, innovative, evocative, gorgeous, and kick ass music of the last decade.
Their debut, 'No Depression' was a furious amalgam of punk rock and country, with guitars on 10, crashing drums and some totally intense songs (check out the sound clips for 'Whiskey Bottle' and 'Graveyard Shift' from that record). They managed to capture a midwestern working man's hopelessness so perfectly that the songs spoke to you even if you lived in the city and had never even seen a tractor.
Their second record 'Still Feel Gone' continued along the same lines but with a little less aggression and a little more melody. Their third record marked a big shift in their sound and direction, when they enlisted Peter Buck of R.E.M. to help them record a record of traditionals (Coal Miners songs and the like) as well as some acoustic (traditional sounding) originals (check out the sound clip for 'Fatal Wound').
Their fourth and sadly last record 'Anodyne' is the record where everything fell into place. The music was pefect. So was the production, and they were finally selling lots of records. A lot of folks criticise 'Anodyne' for being too professional and too polished, but it seems to me, that's where they were headed all along. Top rate players, a gorgeously lush production and probably the best songs of their career helped push them even further into the public eye (check out the sound clip for 'Chickamauga'). But unfortunately for us, that was to be it. The two main songwriters (who by that point essentially wrote their own songs and brought them completed to the band) just needed to follow their own muses. So Jay Farrar went on to form Son Volt and now performs solo, and Jeff Tweedy went on to start Wilco, who are currently in major label hell with an finished record that the label stupidly deemed unreleasable. (The album in its entirety is available for download from Wilco's website, and reportedly over a hundred thousand people have downloaded it!)
So while there -are- plans to eventually release their first three albums, those of you who have never heard Uncle Tupelo might want to pick this up, at least until the original albums are finally released. And those of you who, like me, are Uncle Tupelo obsessives, will find plenty of reasons to own this (two bonus tracks, a demo and a thouroughly Tupelo-ized version of the Stooges' 'I Wanna Be Your Dog' as well as loads of photos and liner notes). And anyone who is at all into "alt. country" and listens to the Palace Brothers, and Songs:Ohia and Red Red Meat and Califone really owes it to themselves to check out Uncle Tupelo. You won't be sorry.
And if you decide to heed our advice and look for the full albums, Uncle Tupelo's last record, 'Anodyne' , their last and perhaps best, -is- still available and we can not recommend it highly enough.
RealAudio clip: "Whiskey Bottle"
RealAudio clip: "Graveyard Shift"
RealAudio clip: "Fatal Wound"
RealAudio clip: "Chickamauga"
RealAudio clip: "I Wanna Be Your Dog"

WEEDEATER Sixteen Tons (Berserker) cd 14.98
Our friend Adam at Crucial Blast does it again (after his release of Finnish thrashers Katastrofialue from last week's list) with this new slab of blues-scum-metal from North Carolina's Weedeater. Featuring Dave from the mighty Buzzoven, Weedeater basically inhabit the same sonic (outer) space as Buzzoven, crusty, sludgy, stumbling, stoned, pummelling and relentless. Think a 'more rocking' Eyehategod or something. Filthy and furious and fucking awesome. A split release with Colorado's Berserker Records. Fans of sludge (Boris, Corrupted, Eyehategod, Melvins, Harvey Milk) and stoner rock (Kyuss, Electric Wizard, Eternal Elysium) will eat this up!
RealAudio clip: "Bull"
RealAudio clip: "Potbelly"

WHITE, TONY JOE s/t (Sepia Tone) cd 13.98
This is a reissue of Tony White's second (or third?) solo album, and the one that is considered his best. A prolific songwriter (the stunning "Rainy Night in Georgia" as well as hits performed by everyone from Elvis to Etta James to Ray Charles), he's got this husky deep bass of a voice that he lets growl and croon over his own version of blues-based white soul. It's not blowing us away or anything, but it's good strong wellcrafted music.
RealAudio clip: "My Kind of Woman"

WINDSOR FOR THE DERBY Earnest Powers + (Emperor Jones) cd 14.98
"Earnest Powers +" is a collection of long out of print singles and unreleased tracks from this Texas / New York interstate ensemble who traffic in post-rock repetitiveness. Many of these tracks didn't stand the test of time all that well and pigeonhole their earliest incarnation as an average Tortoise or Slint cover band. More recently they have really developed into an exceptional group with their "Difference and Repitition" album and guitarist Dan Matz' collaboration with Michael Gira, but this album is pretty much for Windsor For The Derby completists only, but for those completists who already know what the tracks are called, as Windsor provides absolute no information except "14 tracks, 70:42 minutes."
RealAudio clip: "Untitled"

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----* Byram's Dancehall Singles Section :
----*

BEENIE MAN Model Mi Gal (RMC) 7" 2.98
Another cool dance hall single from Jamaica, this time around the rhtyhm is "One Minute Man" (Missy Elliott). B-side, though supposedly containing a "Remix" of the aforementioned rhythm, has a version that is completely unrelated.

BEENIE MAN Trend Setter (RMC) 7" 2.98
Like a few of the newer hip hop dancehall remixes, this one utilizes a few different rhythms crossfaded in and out. The b-side says "version" on it, but -- surprize, surprize -- actually has the Elephant Man theme (using the melody to "Spiderman" of course.) Nice printing bonus on this single is a classic misspelling of Beenie Man as "Bennie Man".

ELEPHANT MAN & RICKY RUDY Living In Hell (RMC) 7" 2.98
Another Jamaican dancehall 7". This time the rhythm is again"One Minute Man" (Missy Elliott). And the B-side has a completely unrelated version. Yes indeed, as the title implies this is Elephant Man and Ricky Rudy paying homage to Bob Marley here, singing a slightly altered version of "Time Will Tell".

RICKY RUDY / ASSASSIN To Make Money / Flosslike We Do (RMC) 7" 2.98
Dancehall seven inches galore. This one agaian has the One Minute Man rhythm (Missy Elliott). B-side, though claiming to contain a "Remix" of the aforementioned rhythm, has a completely unrelated version.

STEPHENS, RICHIE / FRISCO KID Cant Do Me That (RMC) 7" 2.98
Still more Jamaican dance hall. The rhythm this time is "We Thuggin'" (Fat Joe). B-side has some completely unrelated version. Frisco Kid's "soulful" toasting is irritating at best. Ruins an otherwise kickass track.

SUPER CAT Long Longi La La (Wild Apache) 7" 3.98
The dancehall 7"s keep on coming. Reggae mix, b/w hip hop mix.

SUPER CAT Sexxy Go Check It (Wild Apache) 7" 3.98
More Jamican dancehall. Reggae mix, b/w hip hop mix.

----*
----* Compilations :
----*

V/A Blue Trail Of Sorrow: 16 Top Bluegrass Gems (Rounder) cd 16.98
Rounder Records does their part to continue milking the "O Brother" cash cow with 16 tracks from their back catalog. 16.98 for a label sampler? Can you say rip off? C'mon Rounder, if you want to get people's interest piqued on the bluegrass wares your label offers you should learn to introduce yourself on the cheap, like any good heroin dealer already knows. Includes a five page introduction to bluegrass, and while mentioning Bill Monroe as the cornerstone of the genre, not a single track of his is included. Hmmm... Didn't have any in your catalog, huh Rounder? Or maybe none of his songs made it into the "top 16" of bluegrass? Includes tracks from Allison Krauss, Tony Furtado, John Harford, Stanley Bros., The Cox Family, Hazel Dickens and more.

V/A From Koenji To Eternity (Inoxia) cd 15.98
BORIS BORIS BORIS BORIS BORIS. Okay. Just wanted to get the attention of all you freaks who can't get enough of Japan's mighty Boris (and we know there's a lot of you, since we can't seem to keep any Boris in stock for more than two seconds!!) And since this compilation features an unreleased Boris track we knew you'd want to have it. Lucky for us, the rest of the bands are pretty great too. Korean Buddhist God spit out a noisy Boredoms meets the Unsane ungodly racket. Gaji play a sort of lo-fi, stripped down Shellac-ish sort of rhythmic rock with wailing far away female vocals. Two tracks by Konk + Null (that's right, KK Null from Zeni Geva): one a crushing hyper distorted grind, and one a sort of tribal spiritual with industrial blurts. Three tracks by OAC, who play a sort of sped up, spazzed out, super nosiy almost-pop punk. Two tracks by the awesomely titled Mustard Maturbation, who lurch along heavily, in a Jesus Lizard-ish bass-heavy groove. One fairly straight ahead rock track from Kirihito. And of course Boris, who do a weird half ambient industrial whirr / found sound snippet collage, half pounding metallic noise rock, like the Stooges on PCP. This came out a few years ago, but this is the first time we've been able to get it. So don't miss out.
RealAudio clip: BORIS "Vacuuum"
RealAudio clip: KONK + NULL "Godzilla"
RealAudio clip: KOREAN BUDDHIST GOD "Big Oriental Muff"
RealAudio clip: MUSTARD MASTURBATION "Present"

V/A Global Turntables (Hip Hop Slam) cd 12.98
It's nice to see a compilation that pays tribute to and includes stuff from hip hop's past, as well as showcasing the vanguard of the future. The newest offering from HipHopSlam, the label run by local hiphop mainstay Billy Jam (he also did the Shiggerfragger comps), collects skratch tracks from ten countries, from South Korea to Australia to Italy, Norway, and the Netherlands! Very fun, and if that wasn't enough, the whole collection is dedicated to Grand Wizard Theodore who *invented* the scratch. He speaks about how he came up with the idea on track one here, and *also* included is the classic 1985 "Lesson 3" cut from Double Dee & Steinski, remastered by Double Dee just for this comp! DJ Shadow ("Lesson 4") and Cut Chemist ("Lesson 4", "Lesson 6"), among others, have paid direct homage to this track!
RealAudio clip: DOUBLE DEE & STEINSKI "Lesson 3 (the History of Hip Hop)"
RealAudio clip: DJ WRECKZ "Honest DJ"
RealAudio clip: ROB SWIFT "Enter the Ablist"

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----* Printed Matter :
----*

MCSWEENEY'S #7 literary journal 23.00
The format of a McSweeney's issue is always just as noteworthy as its contents. This time round Dave Eggers and co. have created an oldfashioned letterpressed hard cover which encloses eight separate little books by such hip writers as J.T. Leroy, Ann Cummins, Heidi Julavits, A.M. Homes, Courtney Eldridge, Allan Seager, Michael Chabon (an epilogue of sorts to Kavalier and Clay, with cover art by Chris Ware!), Kevin Brockmeier, and William T. Vollman (excerpt from an as-yet-unpublished study on violence, this case study takes place in Thailand). And it's all bound together by a jumbo rubber band. So nice.

SOUND COLLECTOR AUDIO REVIEW "Issue #1" magazine 2.95
Laris Kreslin's nicely done Sound Collector magazine here releases a supplement, the Audio Review, which is sort of Village Voice-format on newsprint, and gorgeously designed by Stacey Wakefield. L-o-n-g reviews of records old and new, and for the most part they're pretty thoughtful pieces, the subjects including Thin Lizzy, Freestyle Fellowship, Vashti Bunyan, Peter Jefferies, Chessie, Charley Patton, Ryoji Ikeda, the Langley Schools Music Project, Mantronix, Pulp, Supersilent, and many more. The writers are a notable who's who of indie writing, with Jason Gross (Perfect Sound Forever), Joel Schalit (Punk Planet, Elders of Zion), Mike McGonigal (Chemical Imbalance, Yeti), etc.

SKYSCRAPER Issue 10 magazine 4.99
Any magazine that has an Iggy Pop interview is fine by me, that's a surefire entertaining read. Also: Arab on Radar, Destroyer (Dan Bejar of New Pornographers), Hope Sandoval, Tindersticks, the history of Rough Trade Records, a "think piece" on The Strokes, and 8,437 record reviews.

THE WIRE #218 magazine 7.50
Alice Coltrane on the cover, plus Vibracathedral Orchestra, Sunn0))) (by our own Jim Haynes!), Steve Beresford, etc. and the Invisible Jukeboxer is David Grubbs (who doesn't recognize the first Tortoise record!).

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----* Also New & In Stock But Not Yet Reviewed :
----*

ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE "Pataphysical Freak Out MU!!" (Eclipse) 2lp 23.00
ASANO, KOJI "Spherical Moss Factory" (Solstice) cd 14.98
ATOMIC BITCHWAX "Spit Blood" (Meteor City) cd 13.98
BERROCAL, JACQUE / DOMINIQUE COSTER / ROGER FERLET "Musiq Musik" (Fractal) cd 16.98
BRIGHT "Full Negative (or) Breaks" (Ba Da Bing) cd 13.98
BUCKNOR, SEGUN "Poor Man Get No Brother" (Afro Strut) cd/lp 17.98/19.98
CATHETERS "Static Delusions and Stone-Still Days" (Sub Pop) cd 13.98
CHECK ENGINE "Check Engine" (Southern) cd 14.98
CHICAGO UNDERGROUND DUO "Axis And Alignment" (Thrill Jockey) cd 14.98
CHURCH STEPS / GANG WIZARD "split" 7" 3.98
CLINIC "Walking With Thee" (Domino US) lp 14.98
CLOUDDEAD "Sound of a Handshake" (Mush) 10" 8.98
COOPER, ALICE "Welcome To My Nightmare" (Atlantic) cd 16.98
CORN ON MACABRE "I & II" (Lumberjack) cd 13.98
COUNT FIVE "Psychotic Reaction" (Akarma) lp 21.00
COURSE OF ACTION "Carving Our Way By Tearing Our Faith" (Goodlife) cd 13.98
DANIEL "Phoenix" (World In Sound) cd 16.98
DO MAKE SAY THINK "& Yet & Yet" (Constellation) cd 14.98
DOUGLAS, DAVE "The Infinite" (RCA/Victor) cd 16.98
ELECTRONICAT "Amour Salò" (Disko B) 12" 8.98
FARIA, GLENN "s/t" (World In Sound) cd 16.98
FILLE QUI MOUSSE "Se Taire Pour Une Femme Trop Belle" (Fractal) cd 16.98
FLYNT, HENRY "C Tune" (Locust) cd 14.98
FRITH, FRED "Freedom In Fragments" (Tzadik) cd 16.98
GATE "The Lavender Head v3" (Language Recordings) cd 14.98
GATE "The Wisher Table" (Precious Metal) cd 14.98
GROUP 1850 "Paradise Now" (Free) cd 17.98
HELLACOPTERS "High Visibility" (Gearhead) cd 13.98
HENRY COW "Western Culture" (East Side Digital) cd 16.98
HERBERT "Secondhand Sounds" (Peacefrog) 2cd 21.00
HERBALISER "Something Wicked This Way Comes" (Ninja Tune) cd 16.98
HERBALISER, THE "Verbal Anim¦" (Ninja Tune) 12" 7.98
HESS, FELIX "Air Pressure Fluctuations" (Stadt Galerie) cd 16.98
HIROSHIGE, JOJO "The Very Best Of Jojo Hiroshige" (Alchemy) cd 19.98
HIRSCHE NICHT AUFS SOFA "Im Schatten Der Mohre" (Streamline / Drag City) cd 14.98
HOSOKAWA, TOSHIO "Koto-Uta" (Kairos) cd 16.98
INFORMATION "Biomekano" (Rune Gramaphone) cd 16.98
JECK, PHILIP/OTOMO YOSHIHIDE/MARTIN TETREAULT "Invisible Architecture #1" (Audiosphere) cd 16.98
JONES, JOE "Back and Forth Exhibition Sound" (? Records) cd 22.00
MAEROR TRI "Yearning Of The Secret Of Nature" (EE Tapes) 7" 13.98
MARDUK "Blackcrowned (Limited Edition)" (Regain) 2cd+video 40.00
MARU SANKAKU SHIKAKU "s/t" (Captain Trip) 3cd 34.00
MC SOLAAR "Cinquieme As" (Elektra) cd 17.98
MERZBOW "Amlux" (Important) cd 13.98
MORRICONE, ENNIO "Psycho Morricone" (GDM) cd 16.98
NEED NEW BODY "Need New Body" (File 13) cd 13.98
SPIRIT CARAVAN "So Mortal Be" (Tolotta) 7" 3.50
THEBOYLUCAS "Great Monsters" (Output) 7" 7.98
TIMESBOLD "Woe Be Gone..." (Tin Drum) cd ep 10.98
ULTRASOUND "Death Comes From The Left" (Drone Records) 7" 6.50
VAINO, MIKA/CHRISTIAN FENNESZ "Invisible Architecture #2" (Audiosphere) cd 16.98
V/A "Homework #8" (Hyped2Death) cd 9.98
V/A "Rough Trade Shops Electronic 01" (Rough Trade/Mute) 2cd 21.00
V/A "Stragglers #1" (Hyped2Death) cd-r 8.98
V/A "Straight Outta Hunters Point" (Mastamind) cd 12.98
YAU, R.H.Y. "The Hidden Tongue" (Ground Fault) cd 8.98


_______________________________________________________________________
AQ CO-SPONSORS THE FALL SHOW


---------------(( T H E F A L L ))---------------
w/ Zmrzlina
are playing the Great American Music Hall
on Sunday April 7 & Tuesday, April 9
9 pm show, 8:30 Doors / $20

We're proud to be co-sponsoring the amazing Fall.
AQ is giving away a pair of tickets for each show!
Come on in and fill out a ballot.
Random drawing to take place on April 2.


_______________________________________________________________________
SELECTED UPCOMING RELEASES


----> at any second/week now
X-Ray Spex "The Anthology" 2cd on Castle (includes all of "Germ Free Adolescents" + demos and live stuff!)
Matmos/J Lesser "Matmos Live With J Lesser: High Live And Dirty" cd on Vague Terrain

----> March 26th
Andrew WK "I Get Wet" domestic cd release
Neil Young "Are You Passionate" cd on Warner Bros.
Down "Down II" cd
Atomic Bitchwax "Spit Blood" 2cd on Meteor City
Tony Joe White "The Train I'm On" cd reissue on Sepia Tone

----> April 2nd
Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine "Rampton" cd on Southern Lord (members of Sunn, Iron Monkey, Cathedral, Khanate, Goatsnake, Burning Witch...)
v/a "You Don't Need Darkness To Do What You Need Is Right" cd on Geographic (mostly exclusive new tracks from Maher Shalal Hash Baz, The Pastels, Nagisa Ni Te, Appendix Out, Barbara Morgenstern, Kevin Shields and more)
Nagisa Ni Te "Feel" domestic cd release on Jagjaguwar
Cyclefly "Crave" cd on MCA
Parlour "Octopus Off-Broadway" cd on Temporary Residence (Tim Furnish from Crain/Aerial M/For Carnation)
Fantomas & Melvins "Millenium Monsterwork" cd on Ipecac
Anti-Pop Consortium "Arrhythmia" cd
XTC "Coat of Many Cupboards" box set
Foreigner "s/t" and "4" expanded and remastered reissues on Rhino

----> April 9th
Earth "Extra-Capsular Extraction" cd reissue on Sub Pop !!!!
Arcturus "The Sham Mirrors" cd on The End
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion "Plastic Fang" cd/2lp on Matador
v/a "Times Ain't What They Used To Be vol. 5" and "vol. 6" cds on Yazoo
Gravediggaz "Nightmare in A-minor" cd on Empire
Pulp "We Love Life" domestic cd release on Rough Trade/Sanctuary
764-Hero "Nobody Knows This Is Everywhere" cd/lp on Tigerstyle
Soul Center (Thomas Brinkman) "Soul Center III" cd/2lp on Mute
Steve Earle "Side Tracks" cd
The Crown "Crowned In Terror" cd on Metal Blade
Consonant "s/t" cd on Fenway (members of Mission of Burma, Come, Bedhead...)
Nina Nastasia "The Blackened Air" cd on Touch And Go
The National Trust "Dekkagar" cd on Thrill Jockey (members of Califone, Red Red Meat, Plush...)
Superchunk "Art Class (Song for Yayoi Kusama)" cdep on Merge
v/a All Tomorrows Parties 2.0 (curated by Shellac) cd on Touch and Go
Imperial Teen "On" cd on Merge
Guillermo E. Brown "Soul At The Hands Of The Machine" cd on Thirsty Ear

----> April 16th
Bananafish issue #16 magazine + cd
Dianogah "Millions of Brazilians" cd/lp on Southern
Fly Pan Am "Ceux Qui Enventent" cd/lp on Constellation
Sage Francis "Personal Journals" cd on Anticon
Grand Magus "s/t" cd on TMC

----> April 23rd
Naked City "Live Vol. 1: Knitting Factory 1989" cd on Tzadik
The Promise Ring "Woodwater" cd on Epitaph
Derek Bailey "Ballads" cd on Tzadik
Luna "Romantica" cd on Jetset
Damon and Naomi "Song To The Siren" live cd + DVD on Sub Pop
Badly Drawn Boy "About A Boy" OST cd on Arista/Twisted Nerve/XL
Cornershop "Handcream For A Generation" cd on Beggars Group
Q-Tip "Kaamal The Abstract" cd on Arista
v/a "Classic Bluegrass From Smithsonian Folkways" cd on Smithsonian Folkways

----> April 30th
Alice Coltrane "Eternity" cd reissue on Sepia Tone
Alice Coltrane "Transcendence" cd reissue on Sepia Tone
Panacea "Underground Stardom" cd

----> May 7th
Tom Waits "Blood Money" cd/lp on Anti/Epitaph
Tom Waits "Alice" cd/lp on Anti/Epitaph
Tarentel "Ephemera" CD on Temporary Residence
Fridge "Eph" Reissue 2CD on Temporary Residence
Cul De Sac "Immortality Lessons" live cd on Strange Attractors Audio House

----> May 15th
Mary Timony "The Golden Dove" cd/lp on Matador

----> May 21st
John Zorn "Iao" cd on Tzadik
Z'ev "The Sapphire Nature" cd on Tzadik
DJ Spooky vs. Shadow Records "Modern Mantra" mix cd on Shadow
Puffy Ami Yumi "An Illustrated History" domestic cd collection on Bar/None

----> also in May
v/a "156 Strings: Nineteen Totally Original Acoustic Guitarists" cd on Cuneiform (curated by Henry Kaiser, featuring Richard
Thompson, Jim O' Rourke, Fred Frith, Eugene Chadbourne, Rod Poole, Tisziji Munoz, nels Cline, Peter Lang, etc.)

----> future
v/a "Painted Black" on tUMULt
Circle "Taantalums" picture disc LP (and, eventually, cd w/bonus tracks) on tUMULt
Solar Anus "Skull Alcoholic: The Complete Solar Anus" 2cd on tUMULt
Electric Wizard "Let Us Prey" cd on TMC
Spaceboy "The Melting World" cd on Southern Lord
Tony Conrad & Faust "Outside the Dream Syndicate" expanded 2 d reissue on Table of the Elements (late summer 2002?)


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