APSE Spirit (Acuarela) cd 17.98
This album arrived quietly enough. The band's name, the album title and stark black slipcover offered little fanfare of what sounds might lurk within. For that matter, Madrid based label Acuarela has such an eclectic array of artists on its roster that we weren't allowed any tell-tale hints from peeking at their catalog. So, we tentatively slipped the jewelcase out of its slipcover. It revealed a dreary, fog blurred outdoor photo with leafless tree branches vanishing into the mist and damp mossy banks sinking into the chilly river's edge. That image totally captures the overriding mood of Spirit, leaning towards the dark, the mysterious, the slightly sinister. Apse's stormy post rock soundscapes churn up the gloom with a goth industrial edge. Hushed high male vocals lend a ghostly quality to the already haunted atmosphere. In fact, this may draw comparisons to Sigur Ros, but its heart is far more heavy and unsettling.
MPEG Stream: "Shade Of The Moor"
MPEG Stream: "The Crowned"

APSE Spirit (ATP) cd 15.98
Now reissued on UK label All Tomorrow's Parties with a bonus track!
The original release of this album last year arrived quietly enough. The band's name, the album title and stark black slipcover offered little fanfare of what sounds might lurk within, nor where the band originated (psst, it's Connecticut!). For that matter, its original record label the Madrid based Acuarela has such an eclectic array of artists on its roster that we weren't allowed any tell-tale hints from peeking at their catalog. So, we tentatively slipped the jewelcase out of its slipcover. It revealed a dreary, fog blurred outdoor photo with leafless tree branches vanishing into the mist and damp mossy banks sinking into the chilly river's edge. Although that image could easily reside on any number of Norwegian Black Metal album covers, it totally captures the overriding mood of the non-BM Spirit, leaning towards the dark, the mysterious, the slightly sinister. Apse's stormy post rock soundscapes churn up the gloom with a goth industrial edge. Hushed high male vocals lend a ghostly quality to the already haunted atmosphere. In fact, this may draw comparisons to Sigur Ros, but its heart is far more heavy and unsettling.
MPEG Stream: "Shade Of The Moor"
MPEG Stream: "The Crowned"

APTORIAN DEMON Angst, Jammer og Fortbilelse / Til Helbete (Aftermath Music) 7" 10.98

AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE Volume Four (Warner) dvd 34.00

AQUARIAN, ISIS WITH ELECTRICITY AQUARIAN The Source: The Untold Story Of Father Yod, Ya Ho Wa 13 And The Source Family (Process) book + cd 24.95
An amazing compendium of facts (and some fantasy?) pertaining to the surprisingly under-documented '70s self proclaimed Aquarian tribe The Source Family and their freeflowing psychedelic jam branch Ya Ho Wha 13!
For years our awareness of this group was limited to the obscure recordings of the band (including the extraordinary giant box set God And Hair), and a smattering of vague and sensationalist 'cult' rumors. The members' secret oath and a marked absence of controversy, calamity and crime no doubt kept this group underwraps and off the pages of tabloids. Our fascination grew tenfold a couple of years ago thanks to the compelling dvd documentary "Yahowha 13: Re-visiting Father And The Source Family". It recounts the history of the movement founded by Father Yod (aka Ya Ho Wha, born Jim Baker) through interviews with original members and archive footage. Definitely recommended viewing. Fortunately for those whose interest has been piqued, we now also have this book. Isis Aquarian was one of Father Yod's fourteen 'women' or 'spiritual wives' and the group's appointed record keeper. Hence she was integral to the inner workings of the Source Family and has compiled an enormous archive of photographs, writings, and memorabilia. Her wealth of and deep connection to this knowledge makes for an immensely intimate and informative document. Lively and entertaining too, among other things, the book details living a utopic life in a mansion in the Hollywood Hills and a subsequent move to Hawaii, observing Father's integrated teachings of ancient philosophies and religions (strongly influenced by Yogi Bhajan and the writings of Manly P. Hall), practicing daily pre-dawn meditations and rituals, and eating a strictly vegetarian diet. In fact, the Source Family ran one of the very first and most wildly successful vegetarian / raw health food restaurants which was located on the Sunset Strip (recipes and photos from the restaurant are included!). Nowadays yoga has been mainstreamed into another physical fitness trend -- a glorified stretching if you will, the ancient spiritual teachings lost to the masses -- and terms like 'guru' and 'visionary' are bandied about with abandon, but back in the late '60s and early '70s there was a West Coast consciousness explosion goin' on, and these people lived it!
The bonus cd is a daunting experience unto itself featuring not only a mindblowing Ya Ho Wha 13 live performance at Beverly Hills High in 1974 (obviously not the most pristine recording quality nor anything resembling trained musicianship (we suspect that if any members had any formal schooling, it was tossed to the wind) -- this is a sensory overloaded moment captured in time of opened channels and the cathartic power of music), but also fascinating radio interview segments, enlightening Father Yod lecture snippets, and Source Family chants! Anyone curious about Ya Ho Wha is gonna want the book, we'd think, and this bonus disc pretty much makes it essential, with its several tracks of unreleased Ya Ho Wha jams, freaky stuff to be found nowhere on the infamous God & Hair 13 cd box set...
MPEG Stream: "Beer Recordings (Ya Ho Wha 13)"
MPEG Stream: "KPPC Interview"

AQUARIUS BUTTONS 2 x 1" buttons 1.00
Spread the word! Show the world your true aQ colors! COOL COOL COOL aQ buttons, in 5 different colors. TWO FOR $1!!! Colors are random, but buy enough and you'll be guaranteed to get 'em all! All 5 feature our spiffy James Gang style logo!!

AQUARIUS DUB (Uranus Music) lp 13.98

AQUARIUS MAILORDER GIFT CERTIFICATE gift certificate 0.00

AQUARIUS PANTIES Black boyshort panties! - Extra Large panties 12.98
American Apparel Black boyshort panties, with the AQ logo in Aqua on the hip!

AQUARIUS PANTIES Black boyshort panties! - Large panties 12.98
American Apparel Black boyshort panties, with the AQ logo in Aqua on the hip!

AQUARIUS PANTIES Black boyshort panties! - Medium panties 12.98
American Apparel Black boyshort panties, with the AQ logo in Aqua on the hip!

AQUARIUS PANTIES Black boyshort panties! - Small panties 12.98
American Apparel Black boyshort panties, with the AQ logo in Aqua on the hip!

AQUARIUS T SHIRT Dark green T shirt with light green logo - 2XL T shirt 15.98
Dark green T shirt with dark green logo.

AQUARIUS T SHIRT Dark green T shirt with light green logo - Extra Large T shirt 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Dark green T shirt with dark green logo.

AQUARIUS T SHIRT Dark green T shirt with light green logo - Large T shirt 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Dark green T shirt with dark green logo.

AQUARIUS T SHIRT Dark green T shirt with light green logo - Medium T shirt 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Dark green T shirt with dark green logo.

AQUARIUS T SHIRT Dark green T shirt with light green logo - Small T shirt 13.98
Dark green T shirt with dark green logo.

AQUARIUS T SHIRT Navy T shirt with aqua logo - 2XL T shirt 15.98
Navy T shirt with aqua logo.

AQUARIUS T SHIRT Navy T shirt with aqua logo - Extra Large T shirt 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Navy T shirt with aqua logo.

AQUARIUS T SHIRT Navy T shirt with aqua logo - Large T shirt 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Navy T shirt with aqua logo.

AQUARIUS T SHIRT Navy T shirt with aqua logo - Medium T shirt 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Navy T shirt with aqua logo.

AQUARIUS T SHIRT Navy T shirt with aqua logo - Small T shirt 13.98
Navy T shirt with aqua logo.

AQUARIUS T SHIRT Red T shirt with white logo - 2XL T shirt 15.98
Red T shirt with white logo.

AQUARIUS T SHIRT Red T shirt with white logo - Extra Large T shirt 13.98
Red T shirt with white logo.

AQUARIUS T SHIRT Red T shirt with white logo - Large T shirt 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Red T shirt with white logo.

AQUARIUS T SHIRT Red T shirt with white logo - Medium T shirt 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Red T shirt with white logo.

AQUARIUS T SHIRT Red T shirt with white logo - Small T shirt 13.98
Red T shirt with white logo.

AQUARIUS T SHIRT Special Limited Artists Edition #1: Justin Bartlett (Size: 2XL) T-Shirt 22.00
Finally! The first in a series of super limited, artist designed aQ T-Shirts, featuring original art by some of our favorite artists, who just so happen to be loyal aQ customers as well! Each one will be super special, totally unique, and will only be available for a limited time, as we're only making a finite amount of each.
The first shirt design is by aQ pal and infamous killustrator Justin Bartlett, whose style many of you no doubt will recognize. He's done tons of drawings for Oaken Throne black metal magazine, as well as record covers for grim groups like SUNNO))), Moss, Nadja, Pentemple and loads more. His style is incredible, super detailed, pen and ink with tons of stippling, lots of skulls and guts and demons and various crusty oozing offal. For aQ he's designed a super creepy and super evil mother and child, heads in bags, their rotten innards spilling out, skulls on spikes, and "Aquarius Records" carved into the stone archway in the background. It looks amazing, and will for sure get some eyes a popping as you wander through the grocery store or sit in church (heaven forbid).
The back features a small aQ logo up near the collar, the shirts are white on black, they are Hanes heavyweight T's, 100% preshrunk cotton, and we have sizes all the way from Youth Large (for kids and little ladies) all the way up to XXL (for the big guys).
We will only be selling these for a couple months, so don't miss out. Once they are gone, they won't be reprinted. EVER.
Future aQ Artist Edition T's will include designs by Savage Pencil, Stephen O'Malley, Aaron Turner and more more more!!!

AQUARIUS T SHIRT Special Limited Artists Edition #1: Justin Bartlett (Size: Extra Large) T-Shirt 22.00
Finally! The first in a series of super limited, artist designed aQ T-Shirts, featuring original art by some of our favorite artists, who just so happen to be loyal aQ customers as well! Each one will be super special, totally unique, and will only be available for a limited time, as we're only making a finite amount of each.
The first shirt design is by aQ pal and infamous killustrator Justin Bartlett, whose style many of you no doubt will recognize. He's done tons of drawings for Oaken Throne black metal magazine, as well as record covers for grim groups like SUNNO))), Moss, Nadja, Pentemple and loads more. His style is incredible, super detailed, pen and ink with tons of stippling, lots of skulls and guts and demons and various crusty oozing offal. For aQ he's designed a super creepy and super evil mother and child, heads in bags, their rotten innards spilling out, skulls on spikes, and "Aquarius Records" carved into the stone archway in the background. It looks amazing, and will for sure get some eyes a popping as you wander through the grocery store or sit in church (heaven forbid).
The back features a small aQ logo up near the collar, the shirts are white on black, they are Hanes heavyweight T's, 100% preshrunk cotton, and we have sizes all the way from Youth Large (for kids and little ladies) all the way up to XXL (for the big guys).
We will only be selling these for a couple months, so don't miss out. Once they are gone, they won't be reprinted. EVER.
Future aQ Artist Edition T's will include designs by Savage Pencil, Stephen O'Malley, Aaron Turner and more more more!!!

AQUARIUS T SHIRT Special Limited Artists Edition #1: Justin Bartlett (Size: Large) T-Shirt 22.00
Finally! The first in a series of super limited, artist designed aQ T-Shirts, featuring original art by some of our favorite artists, who just so happen to be loyal aQ customers as well! Each one will be super special, totally unique, and will only be available for a limited time, as we're only making a finite amount of each.
The first shirt design is by aQ pal and infamous killustrator Justin Bartlett, whose style many of you no doubt will recognize. He's done tons of drawings for Oaken Throne black metal magazine, as well as record covers for grim groups like SUNNO))), Moss, Nadja, Pentemple and loads more. His style is incredible, super detailed, pen and ink with tons of stippling, lots of skulls and guts and demons and various crusty oozing offal. For aQ he's designed a super creepy and super evil mother and child, heads in bags, their rotten innards spilling out, skulls on spikes, and "Aquarius Records" carved into the stone archway in the background. It looks amazing, and will for sure get some eyes a popping as you wander through the grocery store or sit in church (heaven forbid).
The back features a small aQ logo up near the collar, the shirts are white on black, they are Hanes heavyweight T's, 100% preshrunk cotton, and we have sizes all the way from Youth Large (for kids and little ladies) all the way up to XXL (for the big guys).
We will only be selling these for a couple months, so don't miss out. Once they are gone, they won't be reprinted. EVER.
Future aQ Artist Edition T's will include designs by Savage Pencil, Stephen O'Malley, Aaron Turner and more more more!!!

AQUARIUS T SHIRT Special Limited Artists Edition #1: Justin Bartlett (Size: Medium) T-Shirt 22.00
Finally! The first in a series of super limited, artist designed aQ T-Shirts, featuring original art by some of our favorite artists, who just so happen to be loyal aQ customers as well! Each one will be super special, totally unique, and will only be available for a limited time, as we're only making a finite amount of each.
The first shirt design is by aQ pal and infamous killustrator Justin Bartlett, whose style many of you no doubt will recognize. He's done tons of drawings for Oaken Throne black metal magazine, as well as record covers for grim groups like SUNNO))), Moss, Nadja, Pentemple and loads more. His style is incredible, super detailed, pen and ink with tons of stippling, lots of skulls and guts and demons and various crusty oozing offal. For aQ he's designed a super creepy and super evil mother and child, heads in bags, their rotten innards spilling out, skulls on spikes, and "Aquarius Records" carved into the stone archway in the background. It looks amazing, and will for sure get some eyes a popping as you wander through the grocery store or sit in church (heaven forbid).
The back features a small aQ logo up near the collar, the shirts are white on black, they are Hanes heavyweight T's, 100% preshrunk cotton, and we have sizes all the way from Youth Large (for kids and little ladies) all the way up to XXL (for the big guys).
We will only be selling these for a couple months, so don't miss out. Once they are gone, they won't be reprinted. EVER.
Future aQ Artist Edition T's will include designs by Savage Pencil, Stephen O'Malley, Aaron Turner and more more more!!!

AQUARIUS T SHIRT Special Limited Artists Edition #1: Justin Bartlett (Size: Small) T-Shirt 22.00
Finally! The first in a series of super limited, artist designed aQ T-Shirts, featuring original art by some of our favorite artists, who just so happen to be loyal aQ customers as well! Each one will be super special, totally unique, and will only be available for a limited time, as we're only making a finite amount of each.
The first shirt design is by aQ pal and infamous killustrator Justin Bartlett, whose style many of you no doubt will recognize. He's done tons of drawings for Oaken Throne black metal magazine, as well as record covers for grim groups like SUNNO))), Moss, Nadja, Pentemple and loads more. His style is incredible, super detailed, pen and ink with tons of stippling, lots of skulls and guts and demons and various crusty oozing offal. For aQ he's designed a super creepy and super evil mother and child, heads in bags, their rotten innards spilling out, skulls on spikes, and "Aquarius Records" carved into the stone archway in the background. It looks amazing, and will for sure get some eyes a popping as you wander through the grocery store or sit in church (heaven forbid).
The back features a small aQ logo up near the collar, the shirts are white on black, they are Hanes heavyweight T's, 100% preshrunk cotton, and we have sizes all the way from Youth Large (for kids and little ladies) all the way up to XXL (for the big guys).
We will only be selling these for a couple months, so don't miss out. Once they are gone, they won't be reprinted. EVER.
Future aQ Artist Edition T's will include designs by Savage Pencil, Stephen O'Malley, Aaron Turner and more more more!!!

AQUARIUS T SHIRT Special Limited Artists Edition #1: Justin Bartlett (Size: Youth Large) T-Shirt 22.00
Finally! The first in a series of super limited, artist designed aQ T-Shirts, featuring original art by some of our favorite artists, who just so happen to be loyal aQ customers as well! Each one will be super special, totally unique, and will only be available for a limited time, as we're only making a finite amount of each.
The first shirt design is by aQ pal and infamous killustrator Justin Bartlett, whose style many of you no doubt will recognize. He's done tons of drawings for Oaken Throne black metal magazine, as well as record covers for grim groups like SUNNO))), Moss, Nadja, Pentemple and loads more. His style is incredible, super detailed, pen and ink with tons of stippling, lots of skulls and guts and demons and various crusty oozing offal. For aQ he's designed a super creepy and super evil mother and child, heads in bags, their rotten innards spilling out, skulls on spikes, and "Aquarius Records" carved into the stone archway in the background. It looks amazing, and will for sure get some eyes a popping as you wander through the grocery store or sit in church (heaven forbid).
The back features a small aQ logo up near the collar, the shirts are white on black, they are Hanes heavyweight T's, 100% preshrunk cotton, and we have sizes all the way from Youth Large (for kids and little ladies) all the way up to XXL (for the big guys).
We will only be selling these for a couple months, so don't miss out. Once they are gone, they won't be reprinted. EVER.
Future aQ Artist Edition T's will include designs by Savage Pencil, Stephen O'Malley, Aaron Turner and more more more!!!

AQUARIUS T SHIRT The very evil black T shirt with shiny black logo. - 2XL T shirt 15.98
The very evil black T shirt with shiny black logo.

AQUARIUS T SHIRT The very evil black T shirt with shiny black logo. - Extra Large T shirt 13.98
The very evil black T shirt with shiny black logo.

AQUARIUS T SHIRT The very evil black T shirt with shiny black logo. - Large T shirt 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The very evil black T shirt with shiny black logo.

AQUARIUS T SHIRT The very evil black T shirt with shiny black logo. - Medium T shirt 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The very evil black T shirt with shiny black logo.

AQUARIUS T SHIRT The very evil black T shirt with shiny black logo. - Small T shirt 13.98
The very evil black T shirt with shiny black logo.

AQUEDUCT I Sold Gold (Barsuk) cd 13.98
One of our fave one-man bands is Aqueduct (aka David Terry), and here we have a brand spanking new full length. Once again he's tackling the lion's share of vocal, guitar, bass, keyboard and programming duties, but he's also brought in some friends to handle drums and additional guitar parts. With each release Mr. Terry's songs have gotten more polished, and the eleven on I Sold Gold are no exception, and they continue to give hearty nods to the pop craft influence of both the Beach Boys and XTC.
MPEG Stream: "The Suggestion Box"
MPEG Stream: "Laundry Baskets"

AQUEDUCT Or Give Me Death (Barsuk) cd 13.98
Whoa Aqueduct (aka David Terry), wha'happened?! It's as if sometime between now and your last album I Sold Gold you absorbed a cache of cheesy '80s TV sitcom theme song capsules into your system -- especially in the horn, keyboard and synth line departments. Think equal parts Billy Vera And The Beaters, Bruce Hornsby And The Range and Andrew Gold with lyrics like "you gotta keep it together before it all falls apart" ("Keep It Together") and "When it's all said and done you know that I'll be the one" (Broken Records")! Much of Or Give Me Death is strangely cliched in places and treads precariously on the borders of sappy schlock. Granted, that unto itself takes its own special skill. But that said, it's tempered back into something more palatable by Terry's consistently clever songwriting and vocals which do shine through and more closely resemble those of Andy Partridge and XTC.
MPEG Stream: "Keep It Together"
MPEG Stream: "Split The Difference"

AQUEDUCT Pistols At Dawn (Barsuk) cd ep 6.98
We totally dug Aqueduct's debut album Power Ballads from a couple of years ago, and we're pleased to report that the new ep by this one man band (aka Oklahoman David Terry) is just as much of a pop treat with its quirky, slightly ramshackle indie poppiness and funky little electronic bits. Our past comparisons to Pinback and Modest Mouse definitely still hold true. Totally catchy and sweet. Can't wait for his next full length due to be released next year!
MPEG Stream: "Hardcore Days & Softcore Nights"
MPEG Stream: "Who Wanna Rock?"

AQUEDUCT Power Ballads (Popular Music) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Check out this one-man band from Tulsa, OK! David Terry is Aqueduct. Don't be expecting any knee cymbals or harmonica-chinstraps though. Recorded in his apartment over the past three years, "Power Ballads" is Aqueduct's debut album, but we should also stress that you not be misled by the album's title (or the song "Growing Up With GNR"). This is not the music of spandex-clad hair farming romantics. Far from it! With minimal assistance from a few of his friends, David creates big pop sounds in the vein of XTC, Pinback, Modest Mouse or Built To Spill's detailed, catchy tunes. The dominant melodies are primarily carried out on piano and guitar, and the sound is fleshed out with acoustic drums, plik-plok drum machine beats, thick synth bleeeps and bloops. Very nice! It makes sense that Aqueduct has opened for bands like The Shins and Mates of State when they've ventured to Oklahoma.
RealAudio clip: "Assignment #1: Heart Design"
RealAudio clip: "Growing Up With GNR"
RealAudio clip: "Try It Now"
RealAudio clip: "Krushed (Special Edition)"

ARAB ON RADAR Queen Hygiene II / Rough Day At the Office (Three.One.G) cd 14.98

ARAB ON RADAR The Stolen Singles (Three.One.G) cd 14.98
OK, so Arab On Radar broke up, due to "irreconcilable differences" that have "compromised the creative process." This is their final "gift to the world" (their term) in the form of a collection of 7"s and a cassette from their 7 year career (includes their part of the Locust split, singles and comp tracks from Load and GSL, etc.). Them breaking up is really sad, because now we won't have anymore choice AOR quotes such as:
"Wire has that Pink Flag record which for a week or two in the 90's was OK."
(when asked about their influences) "Life... the totality of all stimuli since birth be it auditory or otherwise... But to humor your question, I guess... it was Six Finger Satellite, Birthday Party, Capt. Beefheart, Albert Ayler, Coltrane, Chuck Berry, Van Halen, but this is all when I learned guitar waaaay back when I was 12."
And my personal favorite: "If you read a Noam Chomsky book or two you will probably be educated enough to understand the irony of our band name... "
Weh-heh-hell! I bet YOU weren't listening to Beefheart waaay back when you were twelve, huh chump? Them's some awfully self-important pretensions for a band who sound suspiciously like Fugazi, when they don't sound like every other group of noisy post-hardcore-post-punk-no-wave referencing scensters currently crowding Providence and San Francisco. To give credit where it's most certainly due, Arab On Radar had been together since '94, so they were there first (OK, first in the sense of the newwer wave of bands that call to mind no-wave of the late seventies/early eighties- first wave of the second wave of no-wave? Oh yeah, Skin Graft called it now wave-- remember that?), and they're definitely one of the best of the bunch, so the fact that disco-beats meets fucked-up noise-punk is kinda starting to get boring really isn't their fault. For all that's been said about how annoying and harsh Arab On Radar are, "The Stolen Singles" is really listenable, and despite the time span, these obnoxious and spazzy and simultaneously juvenile (title examples: "Swimming With A Hard on," "Miss American Hair Pie") and pretentious (see above) songs work cohesively as an album. Recomended for those who dig Lightning Bolt, Black Dice, Total Shutdown, no wave, Pere Ubu, and, uh, Fugazi. Not recommended for TRUE Arab On Radar fans who bought all these singles three years before they even came out. Suckers.
RealAudio clip: "Inventor"
RealAudio clip: "Samurai Fight Song"

ARAB ON RADAR Yahweh or the Highway (Skin Graft) cd 14.98
Jeff was supposed to review this new Arab On Radar atrocity (their fourth long-player), 'cause he's one of the only folks here at Aquarius who actually likes these Providence, RI art-spazz noisemakers. Heck he even usually has one of their discs of yelping no-wave chaos stuck in his car stereo. For most of us, this would be pretty far from "driving music" but not for Jeff! Anyway, Jeff's been too busy modeling his latest eBay purchase -- a hairy gorilla costume -- to complete his reviewing duties. So it was left to us to at least mention that this was newly released, and if you're into this sort of thing, like Jeff, you should check it out! Sorry Jeff, this is what happens when you don't finish your reviews...but isn't the whole point of liking stuff like Arab On Radar is that other people find it annoying, anyway?:) ...wait, hold the presses -- here comes Jeff at the last minute with his review. So never mind what Allan just said. Ok, here's Jeff's views on the disc at hand: For the uninitiated, AOR produce a chaotic stew of dissonant, almost hypnotic (to some, annoying, see above) high pitched din of a racket akin to swarming insects, off kilter (some would say free jazz, but they would be so wrong) drumming. All this and a vocalist that sounds like Pere Ubu's Dave Thomas on helium! Recorded once again by Weasel Walter (Flying Luttenbachers, Hatewave, Lake of Dracula, et al.), eight more pottymouthed tracks about dicks, nuts, pussy and jerking off in general. I love it, and I love pissing off Allan and Andee with this shit. Yeah, but who's the one in the gorilla suit, huh? - Andee
RealAudio clip: "Birth Control Blues"
RealAudio clip: "My Mind Is A Muffler"

ARAB STRAP Elephant Shoe (Jetset) cd 14.98
Originally released in England on Go Beat in 1999, Arab Strap's third studio album follows the epic "Philophobia" album in spilling itself all over the floor of some grimey Scottish pub. These are sorrowful drunken dirges that encapsulate the Arab Strap sound: an elegance in simple arrangements, pedestrian drum machine, and minor key guitar strum. Aidan Moffat's half muttered/half sung vocals tell tales of sexual dependance and alcoholic self-desctruction, with a clarity in its miserablism that isn't far from the best work of Robert Smith or Morrissey. While a few tracks falter into uptempo jazzy stutters, Arab Strap make you want to either never drink again, or get really hammered and ramble for hours to an ex's answering machine.

ARAB STRAP Love Detective (Chemikal Underground) cd 8.98
After a handful of painfully limited edition 12"s which never really got any distribution in the States, Arab Strap has released this single with a fortunately much larger pressing. While the title track is one of Arab Strap's more idiosyncratically upbeat songs (with a funky Ninja Tune-esque trip hop / pseduo jazz groove), the other two tracks are more quintessentially Arab Strap -- dark, epic dramas that sound like the more dymanic moments of Mogwai and allow for Aidan Moffat to mutter his morose tales of heartbreak and alcoholism. It's good.
RealAudio clip: "Love Detective"

ARAB STRAP Mad For Sadness (Go Beat) cd 26.00
For a live recording this is a pretty damn good one... A superb recording quality of a great performance from these Scottish pessimists. Most of the songs come from Philophobia plus some new tracks that follow the Arab Strap aesthetic of simple acoustic songs, crappy drum machine, occasional Mogwai-style explosive guitars, and those mopey lyrics of too many pints and sexual frustration.

ARAB STRAP Mad For Sadness (Go Beat) lp 22.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
For a live recording this is a pretty damn good one... A superb recording quality of a great performance from these Scottish pessimists. Most of the songs come from Philophobia plus some new tracks that follow the Arab Strap aesthetic of simple acoustic songs, crappy drum machine, occasional Mogwai-style explosive guitars, and those mopey lyrics of too many pints and sexual frustration.

ARAB STRAP Monday At the Hug & Pint (Matador) cd 13.98
Arab Strap return with another record of lurid relationship confessionals. Tales of love and fucking gone wrong are given a musical backing that mixes up warm strings and outdated drum machine dance beats, languorous guitar downer pop and funky bass. As always, tragic and ugly, a made-to-order soundtrack for bad sex, worse breakups and the corner pub where you drown your sorrows afterwards. It's all singing this time from Aidan (half of the Strap), but I kinda miss the spoken confessions of nastiness, betrayal and sorrow, all breathy gruffness barely covering the underlying heartbreak on previous records (but then I have a personal fondness for spoken vocals). Arab Strap's strength is getting away with hyper-personal, depressing sentiments without sounding totally self-indulgent or whiny (maybe it has something to do with their singer being a burly, drunken Scot and not some fey, barely post-pubescent midwestern college boy? or is it due to the honesty in singing about fucking other people over as often as gettting fucked over?) That strength is thoroughly apparent on "Monday At The Hug & Pint," a wrenching experience even if it's not as deliciously dirty as my personal fave Strap album "Philophobia."
MPEG Stream: "Act Of War"
MPEG Stream: "Serenade"
MPEG Stream: "Shy Retirer"