AUTISTIC DAUGHTERS Uneasy Flowers (Staubgold) lp 17.98
Now, finally, on vinyl (via Staubgold, while the cd was on Kranky)...
Teeter-tottering betwixt morose indie-rock songishness and purely textural, experimental soundscapery, this avant garde and all together moody international trio, consisting of Dean Roberts (Thela, White Winged Moth), Werner Dafeldecker and Martin Brandlmayr (Radian, Trapist) brings us their second album for Kranky, following up 2004's Jealousy & Diamond. Slow and steady and suffused with low-key drama, Uneasy Flowers should satisfy anyone's yen for (again) an uneasy-feeling yet smoothly executed mix of New Zealand indie-murk free noise and European glitch-drone laptoppery. The album is pleasingly bathed in a glow of wavering distortion/feedback (shortwave static style), scattered with This Heatish percussive patterns (from Brandlmayr) and fragile vocals (from Roberts). Nice!!
MPEG Stream: "Uneasy Flowers"
MPEG Stream: "Liquid And Starch"

AUTO DA FE The Spectre (Secret Eye) cd 14.98
Female fronted primitive psych-folk... melancholic, mysterious, melodic. Could be from a Finnish forest, but is actually related to LA's Amps For Christ (specifically, singer Tara Tavi). Henry Barnes of AFC guests on guitar on one track too.

AUTO, SERGEJ s/t (Saas Fee) cd 15.98
Apparently Sergej Auto holds down a day job composing cartoon music in the Czech Republic. For his debut release "Auto", he's put together 13 tracks that starts out with some quaint pop-electronica a la Mouse On Mars / Jimi Tenor that eventually becomes Chain Reaction / Mike Ink style dub-house / click-hop / filter-tech / (fill in your own cute adjective for what Force Inc does). Like most stuff from the Germanic techno genre, Sergej Auto is not super innovative... but certainly effective in the deep groove department.

AUTOBODY s/t (Silly Bird) cd 10.98
Features occasional members of Dymaxion, as well as Sheila McCarthy whose sister happens to be Dawn McCarthy of Faun Fables! Much mischievous eccentricities are unfurled on their self-titled album. A whole nineteen tracks worth! truly bizarre and strange a la Captain Beefheart or Frank Zappa.
MPEG Stream: "Speake"
MPEG Stream: "Dark Side Of The Room"

AUTOCLAVE (Dischord) cd 10.98
These eleven tracks appear for the first time on cd. This band featured future members of Helium and Slant 6!

AUTODIGEST A Compressed History of Everything Ever Recorded, Vol. 2: Ubiquitous Eternal Live (Ash International) cd 14.98
Applause. And clapping. And...um cheering. Some whooping. And some stomping too. And, well that's basically it. In AQ's rich history of presenting you with unlikely sounds: hot rod races, life support machines, melting ice, barking dogs, frogs, zambonis, we can now add to the list crowds. Yep. One full hour of crowds, before thes songs start, after they finish, ovations, the whole deal, all seamlessly edited into one hour of cheering. There is some meta-interpretation and of course some uber concept, but ultimately this is nothing but clapping. Which is not to say we don't like it. We do. Although we've only made it all the way through once. On closer listening however, about halfway through, the crowd sounds are joined by an ominous whir / drone way way down in the mix, that unless you are listening really close or on headphones you might not even notice. And it seem to serve no real purpose except to perhaps help the crowd sounds blur into a fuzzy whole that is of course obviously the sounds of cheering, but at the same time indistinct enough that it becomes a weird scratchy, very un-smooth drone. Sort of. A little like when you say the same word over and over until it starts to sound like a made up word with no meaning. Interpret away, or just sit back and let the adulation roll over you, congratulating you with an hour long ovation, for everything you accomplished today!
MPEG Stream: "A Compressed History of Everything Ever Recorded, Vol. 2: Ubiquitous Eternal Live"

AUTOMATOR A Better Tomorrow (Ubiquity) cdep 8.98
With a title such as that you know the music is ferociously cool. Local boy and frequent Mo'Wax engineer/remix-savant Dan Nakamura recently broke out with this exciting ep. He says it pushes OUTward the boundaries of (american) hip hop, a very good thing to do, no? If you dig the Dr. Octagon record, then you'll like this one -- Dan along with Kool Keith are the principals on both albums.

AUTOMATOR A Much Better Tomorrow (Ark Entertainment) cd 12.98
Dan Nakamura's Automator release A Better Tomorrow gets re-issued with several more tracks to finally make this ep an lp - hence the addition of the word "much" in the title. For all you Kool Keith heads out there, there are some previously unreleased Dr Octagon tracks on here as well - not to mention some bonus scratching from Q-Bert. This stuff is so much better than much of the recent Kool Keith offerings. Highly recommended.
Apparently the Automator is selling just the previously-unreleased stuff for those folks who already bought "A Better Tomorrow", we'll try to scare up some copies...

AUTOMATOR A Much Better Tomorrow (75Ark) 2lp 6.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Dan Nakamura's 1996 Automator project is newly re-issued with several more tracks to finally make this ep an lp. For all you Kool Keith heads out there, there are some previously unreleased Dr. Octagon (aka Sinister 6000) tracks on here as well - not to mention some scratching from DJ Q-bert. This stuff is so much better than much of the recent Kool Keith offerings. Highly recommended.

AUTONERVOUS s/t (Cochon) cd 12.98
Autonervous are Jessie Evans of The Vanishing and Bettina Koster of Malaria -- bringing together two generations of post punk and new wave. Both Koster and Evans are hellions on the saxophone, so it's not surprising that that instrument is featured as prominently on the front cover as the ladies themselves. The two also share the synthesizer, bass and vocal duties on the album, but go it alone on guitar (Koster) and drums (Evans). It's clear they're having a blast together in producing their shiveringly cold marches, sharing an easy flair for dramatics with ample nods to their respective pasts.
MPEG Stream: "Ancors Aweigh"
MPEG Stream: "Still Kaltes"

AUTONERVOUS s/t (Cochon) lp 12.98
Autonervous are Jessie Evans of The Vanishing and Bettina Koster of Malaria -- bringing together two generations of post punk and new wave. Both Koster and Evans are hellions on the saxophone, so it's not surprising that that instrument is featured as prominently on the front cover as the ladies themselves. The two also share the synthesizer, bass and vocal duties on the album, but go it alone on guitar (Koster) and drums (Evans). It's clear they're having a blast together in producing their shiveringly cold marches, sharing an easy flair for dramatics with ample nods to their respective pasts.
MPEG Stream: "Ancors Aweigh"
MPEG Stream: "Still Kaltes"

AUTOPOESIES Live A Noir (Ritornell / Mille Plateaux) cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Autopoesies live album was recorded during the Mille Plateaux tour that skittered across Europe in late 1999. The success of this album (in direct contrast to the rather boring debut) unwittingly calls into question the role of the 'artist' in front of his / her laptop. This record (and thus the live performance) could have simply been made by inputing abstract images into Metasynth (a program that translates visual files into sound files - perfect for manufacturing Ovalesque clickiness), while 'the artist' could be playing Tetris or downloading internet porn or walking off the stage to get a beer. Sure, Roland Barthes' 'Death of The Author' becomes an easy conceptual basis to justify such a live show, but so is 'I couldn't think of anything else to do, so I'll act like Markus Popp snapping my gum and looking bored." Maybe this rant is without merit, and maybe Autoposies had a kick ass live show. Maybe. And maybe Andee will get that helper monkey he wants so badly for the store.
With all of this said, "Live A Noir" is an exceptional album of subatomic digital glitches and white hot crackle, turbulent sonic swells and terse glacial scrape. Fits just right with your Stilluppsteypa and Noto.

AUTOSALVAGE s/t (Acadia) cd 15.98
1968 psychedelia from New York City, that comes across a bit more like West Coast stuff (and consequently didn't do too well at the time). Noodly, fuzzy, upbeat psych-rock, very much of its era and thus pretty fun. Frank Zappa didn't produce this album, but was going to, if that indicates anything to you.
RealAudio clip: "Burglar Song"

AUTOUR DE LUCIE Faux Mouvement (Nettwork) cd 16.98
Not really sure why I ended up randomly listening to this cd (I had heard the name before and maybe seen their cds), and I don't really know anything about them, but this is some really great sixities style French pop but with a modern electronic feel, somewhere between Francoiz Breut or Brigitte Fontaine and Stereolab. Fans of the above and / or anyone who digs stuff on the Lithium label (Mendelson, Bertrand Betsch, etc.) should definitely check this out.

AUTUMNFAIR 1986-1989 (Mobilization) cd 12.98
Autumnfair was the shortlived side project of Savage Republic bassist Thom Fuhrmann and British transplant Val Haller. So shortlived, in fact, that by the time their first record was released on IPR in 1991, they had been broken up for two years. In spite of the personnel connection with Savage Republic, Autumnfair never really shared SR's aesthetic for nomadic punk and junk-yard percussion, instead bathing their sound with the bleak, post-punk atmospheres of Joy Division and Wire. Yet, Autumnfair did maintain some of the Savage Republic industrial grit with their dirgy flanged basslines and occasionally dissonant slabs of guitar noise, amidst ethereal synthetic tones. "1986-1989" is fairly comprehensive collection of Autumnfair's recorded output, featuring remastered versions of the tracks from their posthumous vinyl-only release"Glaciers and Gods", along with a couple of tracks that veer more into the LA goth / darkwave sound due to Caroline Topalian's floating vocal theatrics. A welcome trawl through the archives of days long since past.
RealAudio clip: "Collide"
RealAudio clip: "Novy Mir"
RealAudio clip: "She Only Smiles"

AVALANCHES, THE Since I Left You (Modular) cd 14.98
Super groovy! Here's the reissue of The Avalanches' debut album originally released in 2001. A swirling jetsetter affair brimming with samples galore (some more recognizable than others), phat bass, orchestral strings, spy movie horns, choral vocals, dialogue snippits, and turntable squidgey-squidge. Seems like a lot of 'stuff', don't it? But The Avalanches know just what to do with it all, meticulously crafting and arranging with a razor sharp finesse and an equally sharp wit to boot. A total genre melting pot, Since I Left you kicks off with such good time flair, you almost expect them to break out into "The Hustle" or to bust out their rainbow hued "dancing water" fountains. The latter half of the album gets a bit more woozy and hyper, almost as if from too much pink champagne and espresso. Fans of Daft Punk or Dan Nakamura (any of his numerous projects) just might wanna dip their toes into this party pool. This album is a blast!
MPEG Stream: "Since I Left You"
MPEG Stream: "Tonight"

AVARUS Horuksen Keskimmaisen Silman Mysteerikoulu (Lal Lal Lal) cd-r 6.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Will our love affair with Finland never end?!?! I sure hope not. And there doesn't seem to be any reason to worry. Certainly not with what seems to be more and more undiscovered AMAZING music cropping up all the time. First we discovered Circle and Mieskuoro Huutajaat and Keuhkot and Aavikko and the baffling and completely awesome Bad Vugum label. Then we learned of the dreamy clattery folk of Kemialliset Ystavat and their hippy percussion jam side project Anaksimandros. And let's not forget drone-doom lords Skepticism and Rapture and Tiermes. And now we have discovered Avarus and the adventurous Lal Lal Lal label. Avarus and Kemiallisett and Anaksimandros all share at least one member and definitely share an aesthetic, combining folk and Krautrock and free jazz and modern noise ala the Dead C into a totally mesmerising modern noise/folk. Avarus, while less percussive/clattery than Anaksimandros, is also less folk than Kemialliset, situating them in a unique musical position, unfurling lengthy meandering almost funereal jams, desolate and mournful, but dreamy and pastoral, motorik and hypnotic at the same time. Strummed acoustic guitars frame distant throbbing caveman percussion, dreamy soundscapes are punctuated by occasional clang and clatter, all swaddled in the warm drone of amp buzz and ambient hum. Wander into their dark forest and join the tribe.
A warning: as with their prior 3" cd-r release, this is a SUPER LIMITED EDITION CD-R. We may not be able to keep these in stock for long, so if you want one don't dawdle. Sorry, you'd think that because they're cd-rs they *wouldn't* really be limited 'cause they could just burn more, and xerox more covers, but apparently not. Oh well.
RealAudio clip: "Mars On Paljastanut Salaisuutensa"
RealAudio clip: "Feeniks-lintu Valitti Muista Enemman"
RealAudio clip: "Filipplinien Henkikirurgit"
RealAudio clip: "Eno Muista Mua"

AVARUS II (Eclipse) lp 16.98
What else can we really say about Finnish forest folk freaks Avarus that we haven't already said a million times? Maybe the most exciting free music ensemble out there. And by out there we mean really really out there. On the lp-only II, Avarus twist their usually shambolic free folk into a bizarre and druggy demented cartoon music from another dimension, a dizzying swirl of pitch shifted tape loops, manipulated sound samples, snippets of jazzy big band horns chopped and doused in outerspace FX, guitars scraping and scrabbling. feedback swooping and squealing, clattery percussion, strings being sawed and plucked, some sort of primitive DJ scratching, the whole thing King Tubbied into a dubbed out brain melting free-for-all. Over the course of these two sidelong tracks, Avarus take brief excursions into loping abstract post rock, tripped out psychedelic krautrock, dreamy droney ambient soundscape, and full on pummeling free rock, but it's like they got a new bandmate, THE STUDIO, as every bit of this disc is tweaked, or twisted, or affected or fucked with. Speeds slow down and speed up, parts are flipped backwards, different songs are spliced and butted up against each other creating short attention span collage like rhythms. But somehow, II still retains all the stuff about Avarus we already loved, just makes it a little bit more druggy and fucked up. And who can argue with that?
Packaged in a full color sleeve, with printed color insert. SUPER LIMITED as always. We got a whole bunch but they probably won't last.

AVARUS III (HP Cycle) lp 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Yet another release from one of our favorite Finnish psych-drone-free-rock ensembles (and yes, there are enough for us to have favorites). Thankfully this lp-only release, while still limited, is not nearly as limited as many of their previous cd-r/7"/tape releases. III starts off with a lo-fi, rambling, ramshackle blues jam that mutates into wildly propulsive psych-folk with intensely strummed guitars and far-away flute melodies. And from there on out, Avarus dip their toes into whatever variant of their unique 'sound' that strikes their fancy. From atonal Jandek-ian campfire hippy hoedowns, to wild jams with spastic hand drums and sing-songy melodies plucked out on beat up, out of tune guitars, to wild clattery bursts of percussion splattered haphazardly over a Skullflower-ish skree, to stripped down, jangly hyperactive psychedelic rock to loose ambient soundscapes of whir and buzz and twang, with slithery, sitar-like guitars. Gorgeous as always.

AVARUS Jattilaisrotta (Secret Eye) cd 14.98
After years of desperately trying to track down every cd-r and 7" and lathe cut lp by these underground Finnish forest psych folk weirdos, we're all about to be in Avarus heaven. Not only will Andee's tUMULt label be releasing a double cd compilation collecting all of those rare and impossible to find sonic artifacts next month, but right here we have a brand spanking new full length as good as anything these guys have ever done. So fans of all things clattery and pagan, foresty and folky, psychedelic and droney, krautrocky and hypnotic, DIG IN! Unlike the sometimes spare and sparse early recordings, that reminded us quite a bit of No Neck Blues Band, Sunburned Hand Of The Man and other like minded hippy pagan outsider free-folk tribes, this Avarus is definitely the most rocking. Intensely propulsive, fuzzy and murky, Finnish "krautrock" (huh) of the highest order. But fear not, all the misty mystery is still present. it's still like being lost in a Scandanavian forest, and stumbling across a strange pagan ritual, in some lost darkend glade. It's just that this ritual sometimes erupts into some serious rumbling drone rock. The muddy grooves, motorik rhythms, and creepy ambience definitely remind us of the recent AQ record of the week German Oak, so what else do you need? Finnish! NNCK! SHOTM! Krautrock! German Oak! C'mon!! Features members of other Finnish underground rock luminaries Kemialliset Ystevat and Anaksimandros.
MPEG Stream: "Donkkaavarappaava Kaalikoira"
MPEG Stream: "Iso Laakelaiva"

AVARUS Kirppujen Saari (Arbor) lp 14.98
What to say about Avarus that we haven't already said? Have a look at the aQ website for review after review extolling the virtues of these freaky foresty folky Finns. Heck, Andee even liked them enough to out out a double cd of theirs on tUMULt.
Longtime readers of the aQ list are no doubt by now familiar with Avarus and the sonic orbit they exist in. Kemialliset, Anaksimandros, Fonal Records, but of all the multitude of soundmakers and amazing records, there's just something special about Avarus that makes them maybe our favorite of the bunch.
This lp-only release captures the group on tour in the US in 2006 and 2007, and live Avarus can be a much heavier and riffier beast. Two sidelong jams, the first recorded in Washington D.C., finds the band channeling German Oak, offering up a murky buzzy groove, that sounds like it was recorded in some bunker, the guitars muddy and thick, the percussion simple and propulsive, a gorgeous and druggy blow out that takes up most of the side, but eventually the riffs drift off, leaving a scattered abstract soundscape of bird calls and weird vocalizations, of detuned guitar and stumbling skronk, swirling effects and mumbled chanting, angular and obtuse, building to a cacophonous finale.
The B side, recorded in Providence, is like the second half of the first side expanded to nearly half an hour, total abstract minimalism, dada-ist sound making of the highest order, reeds creak and shriek, percussion stumbles and skitters, vocals are spoken, hummed, broadcast through a megaphone, deep resonant swells surface and quickly fade away, the track growing gradually more and more chaotic, the vocals transformed into moans, the drumming growing more frenzied, the air seeming to thicken with murky buzz and fuzzed out whir, as if the fidelity in the room is slowly decreasing. A pretty neat trick, and one that surely suits Avarus' absurdist sensibilities.
Packaged in a full color fold over sleeve, with a printed full color insert. Pressed on beautiful greenish clear vinyl. And pretty limited of course, just can't remember HOW limited. VERY we're guessing...

AVARUS Live (267 Lattajjaa) cd-r 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
More limited cd-r madness, again from our Finnish faves Avarus. A super limited one track 22+ minute live set, and it'a a little surprising considering what we're used to from these guys. The last few Avarus releases have been dreamy, stumbly psychedelic tinged folk, with loose tribal drumming, and an odd assortment of bowed, plucked and strummed instruments, reminding us very much of AQ faves Kemialliset Ystavat (with whom Avarus share members) and tribal, free-rock collective the No Neck Blues Band. But this live record is a different beast altogether. Channelling the spirit of the Dead C, Avarus kick up quite a racket, a thick slab of sound, with LOTS of guitars, feedback and some seriously chaotic drumming, recorded hot and overblown, adding just the right amount of distortion and haze to the recording. It almost sounds like some New Zealand noise rock band like Gate or maybe UK psych/drone ensemble Sunroof! -covering- Avarus. A nice new direction for one of our favorite bands! In handpainted sleeves, every one unique!
RealAudio clip: "One"

AVARUS Posum Ekor Kait Dataran (Lal Lal Lal) 3" cd-r 5.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
A 3" cd-r from this obscure & primitive Finnish psych-folk entity. Stumbling psych jamming spread over two tracks, nearly twenty minutes. Imagine the Dead C playing Finnish forest music. Or Tower Recordings covering International Harvester next door to Reynols' practice space? Droning, damaged clatter, like the cavorting of drugged out hippy carpenters. This band may or may not have members in common with labelmates Kemialliset Ystavat, that OTHER amazing damaged Finnish folk combo (of which we have a new release, see nearby for review) -- but any rate, fans of Kemialliset will like this too. Numbered and limited to 100 copies.
RealAudio clip: "Horuksen"

AVARUS Rasvaaja (Secret Eye) lp 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Yet another blissful excursion into the wild Finnish Forests with one of our favorite troupes of intrepid sonic explorers Avarus. This limited lp only release finds these Finns exploring similar sonic terrain as past releases, but even though it may be a well trod part of the forest, Avarus know how to ferret out all the secret little hiding spots and all the beautiful sounds as yet undiscovered.
Drifting abstract melodies unfurl from detuned guitars, woodwinds flit and flutter like birds darting through the treetops, plenty of percussive clang and clatter underpin the action, while far off in the distance, the forest frolicking is threatened by thick black swells of grinding low end, and stormlike rumbles. The A side offers up a full on hippy kraut jam near the end, noisy and propulsive and about as rocking as these guys ever get, with pounding drums, looped riffs all amidst clouds of whirling swirling sound.
The B side is much more restrained, more mysterious and abstract, with long stretches of near silence, plenty of microscopic sonic happenings, an extended sprawl, as if the musicians, exhausted from side one's closing jam, are all stretched out in the shade of the forest, lazily plucking strings, and rubbing metals, kicking drums with their feet as they stretch out on the sun dappled forest floor, making music that is as relaxed as they are, strange, slow burning, haunting and dreamlike...
LIMITED TO 300 COPIES!! Each one hand numbered, packaged in super eye popping dayglo full color sleeves!

AVARUS Ruskea Timantti (tUMULt) 2cd 15.98
BACK IN PRINT AND BACK IN STOCK!!
Quite a few of you who read our list are probably already followers of the whole Finnish folk-psych underground, right? So this Avarus will most likely already be going in your basket (especially since it contains all of their WAY out of print early releases!)... But if you're not yet a Finn-folk-freak, you'll also find this to be a great introduction to one of the key bands from that scene...
This double cd collects the early recorded works of the mysterious Finnish free folk collective Avarus. Previously released as limited run cd-r's and 7"s (in tiny runs of 50-200 copies), these tracks are a tantalizing glimpse into the mist-shrouded musical world of Finnish underground music, equal parts the hypno rock of fellow countrymen Circle, the pagan ritualism of The Wicker Man, the droning throb of Faust, the propulsive rhythm of Can, and the lo-fi clatter and skree of the Dead C.
Imagine a land of forests and fjords, a land of dark skies and windswept landscapes. Then imagine the sort of music this land would evoke. Droning hypnotic clattery free folk, dark and propulsive, mesmeric Krautrock, rhythmic pagan musical rituals, all detuned guitars and hand drums, chanting and wild free percussion, and everything in between.
Avarus combine psychedelic folk rock, motorik Krautrock, free jazz and modern noise into a totally mesmerizing, totally unique modern avant noise/folk, unfurling lengthy meandering almost funereal jams, desolate and mournful, but dreamy and pastoral, machinelike and hypnotic at the same time. Strummed acoustic guitars frame distant throbbing caveman percussion, dreamy soundscapes are punctuated by occasional clang and clatter, all swaddled in the warm drone of amp buzz and ambient hum. Lo-fi, rambling, ramshackle blues jams mutate into wildly propulsive psych-folk with intensely strummed guitars and far-away flute melodies.
Dipping their toes into whatever variant of their unique 'sound' that strikes their fancy, Avarus sway woozily from atonal Jandek-ian campfire hippy hoedowns, to wild jams with spastic drumming and sing-songy melodies plucked out on beat up, strangely tuned guitars, to wild clattery bursts of percussion splattered haphazardly over a Skullflower-ish skree, to stripped down, jangly hyperactive psychedelic rock to loose ambient soundscapes of whir and buzz and twang, with slithery, sitar-like guitars. Occasionally Avarus kick up quite a racket, a thick slab of sound, with LOTS of guitars, feedback and some seriously dense drumming, recorded hot and overblown, adding just the right amount of distortion and haze to the recording. It almost sounds like some New Zealand noise rock band like Gate or UK psych/drone ensemble Sunroof! -covering- Avarus!
Epic and endless, rumbling and stumbling, spacey psychedelic folk jams spread over two discs, TWO PLUS HOURS. Imagine the Total or The Dead C playing Finnish forest music. Or the Tower Recordings covering International Harvester next door to Reynols' practice space? Droning, damaged clatter, like the wild drunken cavorting of drugged out hippy carpenters. Spacey and druggy and totally mesmerizingly beautiful.
MPEG Stream: "Horuksen Vasemman Silman Mysteerikoulu Royh Eli Vuh Tai Siis Moi Kaikki: Rikottu Noidat Haluavat Luusi Universumin Pienin Kysymys Varisten Kokoontumislaulu"
MPEG Stream: "Horuksen Oikean Silman Mysteerikoulu Astraalikaali 25 Metria Kavellen Veden Alla Kirjoitusmerkki Aikamerkki Arkistosali"
MPEG Stream: "Kihara Silmapisara"
MPEG Stream: "Yo Tuli Ja Beduiini"

AVARUS Vaahtera Janiksen Hannankieliset Seikkailut (Veglia) 7" 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Finnophile alert!! A new super limited 7" from our favorite avant-free-folk-forest collective Avarus. In cool hand screened sleeves. Lots of buzz and clatter, scrape and skree. Side one is less folk and more Sunroof! shimmer, while the other side is a wash of ambient folk, with a dark minimal throb beneath atonal sawing violins and kitchen sink percussion buried in the murk. Always so good. And again, let us remind you: VERY LIMITED!!!!

AVARUS Vesikansi (Secret Eye) cd 14.98
Once again these wide eyed Finnish forest freaks crawl out from under their mossy stones, from inside their firelit caves, out of their huts made of pine needles and sticks and twigs, set up around a campfire, under a full moon, dressed only in fur and animal bones, and conjure up the woodland spirits with their tribal free folk juju. Okay, so maybe it's actually just a bunch of music nerds like you or me with killer record collections and a bunch of old amps and guitars, but to us, it sure sounds like the glorious din these folks whip up could only be the product of some drug fueled ancient forest ritual. Which is precisely why we love Avarus and their Finnish underground rock brethren (and sistren!). The music they make sound not of this world. And we don't mean "Oh Finland's like a whole other world!" we mean, space, or an alternate dimension or even that huge hollow area at the center of the earth. The music of Avarus is that unique and that strange, exactly what we picture one might hear, stepping off of an interstellar transport, realizing for the first time that the atmosphere is breathable, and the vegetation is strangely lush and very Earth-like, that sound, "like music?" that lures us and our team deep into the alien forest. Or in the heart of South America, at an archaeological dig, strange markings on the rocks we've been unearthing from the very lowest levels of the lost temple, finally there's some sort of portal, a huge iron door, and... wait, is that... music? But what is it? It's like nothing we've ever heard, those sound like guitars, and voices, but so... strange....
For those of you who need more musical references, imagine a little Dead C, a little No Neck Blues Band, some Sunburned Hand Of The Man, Faust, Can, The Wickerman, all sorts of tribal musics, Parson Sound, Tower Recordings, Taj Mahal Travellers, even fellow countrymen Circle, Keukhot, Uton, Tivol and of course lots of drugs and lots and lots of space. This newest Avarus is a bit heavier on the guitar than previous outings, almost like they dug up a couple ancient fuzzboxes and ran their dang whole freaked out jam through 'em. There are lots of creepy krautrock bits, some blown out near noise parts, and lots of fuzzy disembodied psych, gurgling synths, splattery percussion, thick washes of feedback, primitive electronics, and loads of grungey guitar grit, it's all woven together into a crazy perfect psychedelic patchwork.
More crazy random collage artwork, this time no Garfield, but plenty of walruses, a map and an octopus. Half the record was recorded live in Dublin with Tara Burke of Fursaxa as a special guest! 
MPEG Stream: "Lapsivesi"
MPEG Stream: "Loylyvesi"

AVENGED SEVENFOLD City Of Evil (Warner) cd 14.98
The major label debut (after three AQ-recommended indie label releases) for these "you've got your emo chocolate in my heavy metal peanut butter" punk rock kids from SoCal. With their capable and practically seamless blend of soaring, melodic emo-styled vocal choruses, Sunset Strip cock rock swagger, slayin' metalcore breakdowns, and Maidenesque gallop (all flawlessly executed with tons of energy), Avenged Sevenfold certainly have their fans here at Aquarius! To be sure, we might have to lump 'em into the guilty pleasure catagory, 'specially with City Of Evil's big-leagues production polish. But if you're not afraid of a band whose vocalist unleashes a few heartfelt (if whiny) "Whoa-oh-oh-ohs" per song, then this album gets our recommendation for best Bad Religion-meets-Helloween record of the year, so far, for sure! Or is it Anthrax-meets-Faith No More? Or the Get Up Kids-meets-Bang Tango-meets-Metallica-meets-Alice In Chains-meets-The Offspring-meets-Yngwie Malmsteen-meets-Poison The Well-meets-Skid Row? Heck it's all of that and more. And even though they make it really easy to play games of "what's that part remind me of? and that part?" within each track, what's amazing is that their songs remain so dang catchy and definitely Avenged Sevenfold's when all's said and done. Reactions to A7X's cheese-to-crunch ratio (a lot of both, really, each drawn equally from their metal and punk influences, and that's ok with us) will assuredly vary according to one's individual taste -- we say yum!
MPEG Stream: "Beast And The Harlot"
MPEG Stream: "Bat Country"

AVENGED SEVENFOLD Sounding the Seventh Trumpet (Goodlife) cd 13.98
We were totally blown away by this band when we got the ep precurser to this record and we've been super anxious for the full length and it's finally here. Avenged Sevenfold are kids from Southern California who play some of the most explosive metallic hardcore (heavy on the metal) we've heard, but with crazy emo parts, 3 part harmonies and Get Up Kids-style sad boy vocals. And on that earlier ep there was even a straight up ballad (it shows up again here, as does most of that ep), complete with acoustic guitar and totally emotional outro. The cdep even came with a totally cheesy cd-rom video of this track, with a sad girl wandering the mean city streets. You know the type. Well, not much has changed for the full length, with ultra-complex metal-core, weird pop-punk, and some of the most insane double kick drumming we have *ever* heard still totally in effect. Somewhere between Coalesce, Slayer, Bad Religion, Guns n' Roses, and the Get Up Kids! A weird combination but it's kind of irresistible. You can't make it through a song without them throwing some sort of curve at you, whether it's a super catchy pop breakdown, a shrieking emo crescendo, a howling banshee female guest vocalist or just some insanely complex drum part or monstrous riff. Allan and Andee are *so* into this band -- but Allan's the only one who seems to have that ballad lodged in his brain (Andee's caught him singing it to himself!). Or at least Allan's the only one willing to admit it... Another record that definitely qualifies as 'fucked.'
RealAudio clip: "To End The Rapture"
RealAudio clip: "The Art Of Subconscious Illusion"
RealAudio clip: "We Come Out At Night"

AVENGED SEVENFOLD Waking The Fallen (Hopeless) cd 13.98
We eagerly anticipated this second full-length from SoCal's Avenged Sevenfold, and now that it's here, it proves to be equally as impressive as their AQ-fave debut. If you haven't heard 'em before, these kids are sick experts at blenderizing LA metal/emo/hardcore/pop-punk into something that shouldn't really work but does. It's like Jimmy Eat World meets Iron Maiden meets Pantera meets Get Up Kids. Their blender is friggin' clogged with chunky, chugging guitar riffs, emo vocal choruses, Euro-bright leads, punishing drumming, lush piano interludes, Zakk Wylde pick squeals, Phil Anselmo growls, and MTV-ready pop hooks. It's a total you-got-your-peanut butter-in-my-chocolate kind of thing, and it totally works, crushing you with metallic brutality one moment, lifting you up and wringing your heart with vocal melody the next, bridging the gap between the two with soaring '80s metal guitar harmonies... Avenged Sevenfold might not appeal to people stuck at either extreme end of that spectrum, but the rest of us are lovin' it. There's other hardcore bands attempting to mix these genres, but we think Avenged Sevenfold are the most traditionally metal AND one of the most poppy. Oh, is it at all ironic? Let's just say you can enjoy it on many levels. Maybe they were being fun and ironic before, but now they've realized the commerical potential of their approach. Recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Chapter Four"
MPEG Stream: "I Won't See You Tonight part 1"

AVENGED SEVENFOLD Warmness on the Soul (Goodlife) cd ep 9.98
Don't be fooled by the first track on this ep, a heartfelt piano ballad, complete with sentimental lyrics and an "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" style emotive guitar solo (the disc even contains an ultra cheesy video for this track as well -- is this song a joke? damn it's stuck in my head), 'cause everything changes with track two, "Darkness Surrounding". A roaring pop punk gallop, that breaks for some Beatle-esque three part harmonies, and then becomes a chugging, ultra-complex metal-core workout ala Coalesce or Converge. Fucking brutal, with some of the most insane drumming we have ever heard. The ep finishes off with a brief track that sounds like genuine eighties metal, but kind of supercharged and much heavier. A really weird, and great band. It seems that they're 16 year old kids from Orange County who can't decide if they want to play emo-punk, metallic hardcore, black metal (they all have silly names, like Synyster Gaytes and Shadows) or Guns 'N Roses-ish LA metal. And we're all for such indecision, 'cause joke or not they're really good at melding all those disparate styles, in a unique way. Can't wait for the full length!
RealAudio clip: "Warmness On The Soul"
RealAudio clip: "Darkness Surrounding"

AVEY TARE & KIRA BREKKAN Pullhair Rubeye (Paw Tracks) cd 14.98
We've said it before, we'll say it again, EVERYTHING sounds better backwards. As a child, the minute you discovered how to spin records backwards manually, no discs were safe. The Beatles, Kiss, the Beach Boys, it all sounded so alien in reverse, drums swooshed and vocals were transformed into garbled nonsense, it was a way to make EVERY record sound psychedelic. Screw the backwards masking, and the secret messages, it was the music that we needed to hear backwards.
Those early years must have had a lasting impact, as even today, we find ourselves drawn to sounds in reverse. The psychedelic pop of the Teenage Filmstars is one example, the B side of the first Sonic Youth on cassette featured the whole record BACKWARDS. Some of us even spent time opening up cassettes and flipping the tape over to make our own new backwards records...
So it should really come as no surprise that Avey Tare of the Animal Collective and his partner Kira Brekkan (of Mum), while recording their most recent record, discovered that it actually sounded better backwards (we could've told them that!). The surprising part, is that they actually decided to put it out that way! But we're definitely not complaining, as this slab of backwards psych pop has been tickling our ears nonstop since we got it in.
If you've never heard music backwards, it's hard to describe just why it sounds so much better. It has something to do with switching up the attack and decay, so a sound that usually starts suddenly and fades gradually, does just the opposite, fading in slowly and cutting out quite suddenly. It makes everything sound woozy and seasick, it gives rhythms a new twist, each beat suddenly having a strange 'FFFsssssst' at the end. Simple guitars become druggy calliopes, the vocals of course retain much of the melody, but remove the words from the equation, and suddenly the voice is transformed into some alien musical instrument.
Pullhair Rubeye was probably already a sort of trippy folky pop record, but flipping it backwards has only made it more so. Woozy and dreamlike, a musical trip through the looking glass, everything warped and wavering, guitars are pulses, waves drawn backwards from the shore, some of the shorter tracks sound like they were almost composed specifically to be backwards, the clipping and reverse swooshes turning simple melodies into stuttery Oval like smears of sound, while others are so blissful and abstract, you only occasionally notice that the sounds are coming at you in reverse order. And that's when the record shines, when it sounds like it was meant to be backwards, like instead of just flipping the tape, they actually crafted this strange alien sound. So beautiful and trippy. Our only complaint is Brekkan's elf like vocals, that when reversed and sped up sound a little too much like the Chipmunks, thankfully, they only surface here and there, and after a handful of listens, they begin to sound like an essential part of the warped and warbly Pullhair Rubeye landscape.
And if this record turns you on to the joys of backwards sound, then check out the Record Reverser elsewhere on the AQ site, a nifty little gizmo that allows you to turn all of your records backwards!!!
MPEG Stream: "Sis Around The Sandmill"
MPEG Stream: "Opis Helpus"
MPEG Stream: "Who Welsses In My Hoff"

AVEY TARE & KIRA BREKKAN Pullhair Rubeye (Paw Tracks) lp 14.98
We've said it before, we'll say it again, EVERYTHING sounds better backwards. As a child, the minute you discovered how to spin records backwards manually, no discs were safe. The Beatles, Kiss, the Beach Boys, it all sounded so alien in reverse, drums swooshed and vocals were transformed into garbled nonsense, it was a way to make EVERY record sound psychedelic. Screw the backwards masking, and the secret messages, it was the music that we needed to hear backwards.
Those early years must have had a lasting impact, as even today, we find ourselves drawn to sounds in reverse. The psychedelic pop of the Teenage Filmstars is one example, the B side of the first Sonic Youth on cassette featured the whole record BACKWARDS. Some of us even spent time opening up cassettes and flipping the tape over to make our own new backwards records...
So it should really come as no surprise that Avey Tare of the Animal Collective and his partner Kira Brekkan (of Mum), while recording their most recent record, discovered that it actually sounded better backwards (we could've told them that!). The surprising part, is that they actually decided to put it out that way! But we're definitely not complaining, as this slab of backwards psych pop has been tickling our ears nonstop since we got it in.
If you've never heard music backwards, it's hard to describe just why it sounds so much better. It has something to do with switching up the attack and decay, so a sound that usually starts suddenly and fades gradually, does just the opposite, fading in slowly and cutting out quite suddenly. It makes everything sound woozy and seasick, it gives rhythms a new twist, each beat suddenly having a strange 'FFFsssssst' at the end. Simple guitars become druggy calliopes, the vocals of course retain much of the melody, but remove the words from the equation, and suddenly the voice is transformed into some alien musical instrument.
Pullhair Rubeye was probably already a sort of trippy folky pop record, but flipping it backwards has only made it more so. Woozy and dreamlike, a musical trip through the looking glass, everything warped and wavering, guitars are pulses, waves drawn backwards from the shore, some of the shorter tracks sound like they were almost composed specifically to be backwards, the clipping and reverse swooshes turning simple melodies into stuttery Oval like smears of sound, while others are so blissful and abstract, you only occasionally notice that the sounds are coming at you in reverse order. And that's when the record shines, when it sounds like it was meant to be backwards, like instead of just flipping the tape, they actually crafted this strange alien sound. So beautiful and trippy. Our only complaint is Brekkan's elf like vocals, that when reversed and sped up sound a little too much like the Chipmunks, thankfully, they only surface here and there, and after a handful of listens, they begin to sound like an essential part of the warped and warbly Pullhair Rubeye landscape.
And if this record turns you on to the joys of backwards sound, then check out the Record Reverser elsewhere on the AQ site, a nifty little gizmo that allows you to turn all of your records backwards!!!
MPEG Stream: "Sis Around The Sandmill"
MPEG Stream: "Opis Helpus"
MPEG Stream: "Who Welsses In My Hoff"

AVEY TARE / DAVID GRUBBS split (Fat Cat) 12" 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
It's been a while, but finally a new release in Fatcat's split 12" series, this time ex-Gastr Del Sol, Bastro dude teams up with Avey Tare of super hyped outsider rock ensemble the Animal Collective. Grubbs side is mostly piano, the first half of which is hypnotic, melodic and melancholy, just a brief snippet of barroom piano, ala Billy Joel or Randy Newman, but looped Reich style, and occasionally drifting into moody spare minimalism. Grubbs' second track is a fuzzed out looped drone, and sounds like the opening guitar riff from "How Soon Is Now", cut up and reassembled. Avey Tare offers up two short tracks of Chipmunks style kiddie show vocals over glitchy cricket chirps and distant feedback, and a lengthy track of homemade crunched out lofi plunderphonia, all drone-y and minimal, underpinning whispered indie boy vocals. It's a weird combo, but it sort of works.

AVEY TARE AND PANDA BEAR Spirit They're Gone Spirit They've Vanished (Animal) cd ep 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Released in 2000 but only now coming to AQ's attention, this debut album by Avey Tare and Panda Bear is, well, it's really good! It's an intriguing combination of elements -- a plaintive, weak voice chirping sadly over rapidly strummed yet fractured guitar, which is normal enough but then there's these weirdly muffled, like, jungle beats in the background, so faint you barely even notice that they're there. The tension between the styles happening simultaneiously is carefully handled and forms a satisfying whole. Vocals are tremulous and tinny but somehow appealing, too, like the Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne making incredibly emotional dissonant, fuzzed-out bathroom electronica. There are also gentler numbers with moody piano and delicate vocal effects. And some raucous squealing feedback guitar (like a womans wail) over Reichian arpeggiated synths. The overall effect is slightly creepy but mostly just wintry, melancholy and sad. Windy's favorite not-new record.
RealAudio clip: "Spirit They've Gone"
RealAudio clip: "Penny Dreadfuls"

AVROCAR Cinematography (Earworm) cd 16.98
Birmingham's Avrocar slowly collapse into well-worn couches as the vallium starts to kick in, allowing thick sublime washes of electronics with mumbled pop structures to envelop them. A sort of drug appreciation outfit in that Spaceman 3 kind of way, Avocar's space-rock electronics recall some of the best and most sublime parts of the Michigan spacerock scene (Windy & Carl, Auburn Lull, etc.).

AVSKY Malignant (Moribund) cd 14.98
Hail Sweden's own grim hate-mongers (among many), Avsky. This is a band not intimidated by fiercely calculated genre boundaries, proudly celebrating the intersection between old style black metal, blackened death metal (a la lo-fi Hypocrisy), and charred crust punk. This is their second full-length in general, but their first for Moribund, specifically. While some may feel that the relatively high production value somehow cheapens the album, those interested in music and not just being kvlt will here be rewarded. Simply soak in the maleficent hate vibes, and lose yourself in a trance. Crushing guitars, searing riffs, blasting double-bass, and tortured, howling vocals. From mid-tempo to blast beats, it's all here. The bases are covered. Think old Darkthrone demos, Bathory, and Nattefrost all laying prostrate before Baphomet's throne.
MPEG Stream: "Cleanse the World"
MPEG Stream: "The Filth"

AVSOLUTIZED Den Svarta Vandans Genealogi (Neinsphere) cd 14.98
We're always on the lookout for more weird black metal. But sometimes it just finds us. We got an email from a mysterious band from Japan called Avsolutized. Like most black metal groups, they were exceedingly polite, and just very much wanted us to listen to their music. So we did, and holy shit did these guys blow us away. They've been a band for almost 12 years now, and this is their very first release, and it's only FIVE songs! But you know what, it doesn't even matter. We would gladly wait another 12 years for 5 more songs like this. It's that good. That black and freaked out and gloriously fucked up. Fans of weirdo black metal and outsider grimness NEED this.
The first track is an ambient intro, all mournful guitar, and moody drones, but with soaring operatic vocals over the top.
When the first proper song kicks in, the band buzzes and pounds, a looped repetitive riff, but then the vocals, beginning as a guttural growl and quickly sliding up to an eighties metal wail, and back again, it's dizzying. The song switches to half time, the vocals transform back into a rasp, but again, explode into falsetto shrieks. Fucking brilliant. And the music underneath is the perfect support, murky and washed out, buzzy and dense, looped and hypnotic, even without the vocals, we'd be way into it, super depressive black buzz, but the vocals just transform it into something totally unique and pretty insane sounding.
One of the 5 songs is a Setherial cover weirdly enough, and they do it pretty straight, maybe upping the buzz ante, filtering it through their own cracked sound, furious and thick and relentless, they sort of out-Setherial Setherial, and then there's those vocals, here more of a traditional black shriek, but still pretty impressive. A brief folky interlude leads to the records closer, a nearly 10 minute black blowout. Loping and buzzy, totally epic, the riffing majestic and mournful, and the vocals, growling out a low demonic rumble, spitting out hellish black rasps, and of course shrieking wildly, until the track breaks down into an ambient interlude, the vocals transformed into a throaty croon, and then quickly to a wild banshee wail. Not to make too much of the vocals, cuz the music here is excellent, some of the best grim black buzz we've heard, but when it's all tangled up with the convoluted compositions and bizarre vocals, it turns what would have been just a killer black metal record into a freaked out fucked up blackened classic.
MPEG Stream: "An Everlasting Circulation Of Void"
MPEG Stream: "Utan Dod..."

AVULSION Prince of a Thousand Enemies (Impatience or Indifference) 7" 3.50
Eight brand new tracks of pummelling blasting grind from these Buffalo thrashers (not actual thrashers of buffalos, but thrashers -from- Buffalo). Insane blast beats with a dual vocal attack (one bark, and one growl, the growl being maybe one of the best cookie monster vocalists we've heard!). On cool local label Impatience Or Indifference!

AXELROD, DAVID Earth Rot (Ascension) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
David Axelrod, whose resume includes a stint as Cannonball Adderley's producer as well as some time in the Electric Prunes, "Earth Rot" is a paisley clad polemic from the '70s on the pending destruction of the earth as a result of enviromental abuse. Excessively decorated with lots of orchestral flares and bass guitar noodle, this is pretty much a psychedelic choral number that mimics "Hair" in melodrama albeit with a different ideological bent.

AXELROD, DAVID The Edge: David Axelrod At Capitol Records 1966-1970 (Capitol) cd 16.98
So good! Axelrod founded the "black music" division of Capitol records in the '60s. During his reign at Capitol he produced amazing records by Cannonball Adderley, Lou Rawls and David McCallum. He also pretty much created the two weirdest Electric Prunes albums. What has been hardest to track down are three of his own records during that era: Songs of Experience, Songs Of Innocence, and Earth Rot. On these, Axelrod put together an orchestra of sound complete with strings, hammond organ and a super rich backbeat that's been sampled and worshiped by the likes of DJ Shadow, Madlib and Dr Dre. This collection compiles tracks from those three albums as well as a few choice cuts he produced for other artists at Captiol circa '66-'70. His sound is one that laid the foundation for the explosion in fusion which would happen in the '70s. Miles Davis always gave props to Axelrod and one could argue that he was very responsible for helping lay the foundation for a work like Bitches Brew to be born. Taking the richness of soul, the freedom of jazz, elements of classical composition and hints of rock and psych-pop Axelrod is one of the few guys who can get away with wearing sunglasses inside 'cause he was just that cool!
MPEG Stream: "Song Of Innocence"
MPEG Stream: "The Fly"

AXEMEN Peter Wang Pud (Flying Nun) cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Furious '80s garage punk from Australia on the fabulous Flying Nun label.

AXIS OF PERDITION, THE Physical Illucinations In The Sewer of Xuchilbara... (Code 666) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Awesome droning avant metal. A bit industrial, a little black, very dark and creepy.

AXOLOTL Archons?/Archons! (Jyrk Collective) cd-r 5.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
While I was listening to this the first time, I found myself literally singing along, making up words, something like "I love noise rock, I surely do" kind of facetiously, but as this record played on, I realized I actually still do. And this here slab of noise rock in particular. Dug the recent Axolotl cd and this cd-r is just as good. A swirling mess of drones and clatter and deconstructed melodies and propulsive almost rhythms and weird snatches of sonic detritus, all muddled up into a totally listenable, surprisingly catchy, really fucking good burst of avant/free/folk/noise/rock!
MPEG Stream: "Emme Ya"
MPEG Stream: "Sinthome"

AXOLOTL Chemical Theater (Gypsy Sphinx No Cat) 12" 14.98
We totally dig local free noise one man band Axolotl, and were ready for another blast of gorgeously abstract drone, clatter and skree when we threw this on, but holy cow is this record completely something else. We had to keep checking to see what we were listening to.
Some of the elements are certainly similar, but it's way dreamier and laid back, muted and murky, subtly propulsive, it actually sounds quite a bit like Oval or Gas! Which is a VERY good thing. Slow shifting underwater drift, a looped hypnotic dreamworld, rich waves of warm sound, a totally gorgeous abstract minimal ambience. So so so good!
SUPER LIMITED! 525 COPIES. Each copy is hand numbered and has a cool paste on cover.

AXOLOTL Live (Loci) cd-r 8.98
Even though Axolotl was San Francisco based, for some reason it was always difficult for us to get many of his releases. Most were extremely limited, a few times we managed to get merely a handful before they disappeared, but for the most part they came and went before we even discovered they were out.
Axolotl may have moved away, but he also started up his own little label, concentrating on releasing various bits of sonic Axolotica. Live shows, impromptu jams, and various other recorded sonic happenings. And thankfully this time we have a direct line to the source, and we've got copies of all three titles in the first batch. All packaged in miniature dvd-style cases, with photocopied covers and some with a little xeroxed insert. And while we're not sure just how limited these are, we're fairly sure it's VERY.
Live is a collection of live recordings (duh) from all over the globe, two from London, one from Glasgow, one from Amsterdam, one from right here in San Francisco, and two live on KALX. The London shows are much noisier than normal, dense clouds of crumbling distortion, static and hiss, but as always, melodies swirl beneath the skree, the various textures changing shape constantly, dizzying, and on the very dreamy pleasant side of noisy. The Glasgow show is a rich thick fluid drone assembled from glowing layers of burnished guitar shimmer and distant choir like vocals. The first KALX show is a deep tripped out druggy swirl, voices and fragments of melodies, all spinning drowsily, the second a super percussive steel string workout that sounds like solo dulcimer or something. San Francisco is a tripped out tribal drug jam, murky percussion, a haze of high end jangle, fluttering feedback, and tiny little squalls of buzz and skree. And finally, the Amsterdam show, a long stretch of high end hiss, manipulated tape, and fuzzy warbly static, all woven into a surprisingly dreamy drone. Once again, fantastic stuff.
MPEG Stream: "London"
MPEG Stream: "Glasgow"

AXOLOTL Memory Theatre (Important) cd 14.98
Long overdue collection of out of print material from SF based free noise sound sculptor Axolotl. Collecting tracks from the Jyrk cd-r Oranur, the Spirit Of Orr cd-r Object Phantom and the more recent Gypsy Sphinx 12" Chemical Theater.
As much as we pretty much love everything Axolotl has done, and as much as we're psyched to have some of the older stuff on a real cd, this disc is worth it alone for the two tracks from the Chemical Theater 12", the first record where we noticed a distinct stylistic shift in Axolotl's sound. Here's what we had to say about those tracks:
"We had to keep checking to see what we were listening to. Some of the elements are certainly similar, but it's way dreamier and laid back, muted and murky, subtly propulsive, it actually sounds quite a bit like Oval or Gas! Which is a VERY good thing. Slow shifting underwater drift, a looped hypnotic dream world, rich waves of warm sound, a totally gorgeous abstract minimal ambience."
Sounds pretty great huh? Well, it is. And the two tracks from Chemical Theater are nearly twenty minutes long! Basically half of the 12". Including the 11+ minute glorious dreamy drone "Illiaster".
But the funny thing is, revisiting the older tracks, they are just as good somehow, sounding way more fuzzy and blown out and beautiful than we remember. And we definitely remember digging them, a lot, but they sound SO great... Thick washes of murky gritty grime, drones that twist and rumble and give way to fragmented bits of melody. Soft focus stretches of pixelated ambience, guitar strums that come apart, the notes drifting in all different directions, each note enveloped in its own little swath of buzz or fuzz, simple percussion, damaged rhythms, all wrapped in a dense fog of glowing guitar growl and fuzzed out feedback...
So recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Chemical Theater"
MPEG Stream: "Oranur"
MPEG Stream: "Lake Garden"

AXOLOTL Object Phantom (Spirit Of Orr) cd-r 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

AXOLOTL Oranur (Jyrk Collective) cd-r 5.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

MPEG Stream: "Oranur"
MPEG Stream: "Holzwege"

AXOLOTL s/t (Psych-o-path) cd 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
First record from this mysterious troupe, and it's a good one. We heard a little from them on that recent Space Is No Place compilation, but Axolotl is the sort of band that requires a whole record to truly unwind and explore and get us to where we want to go. This is classic, minimal, creepy out-rock music, but minus most of the rock. Damaged drones constructed from warbling synths and moaning ambient flutter, garbled melodies of chopped up voices, excited strings and all sorts of minimally percussive scrabble. There are drones but this is most definitely NOT a drone record, it's far too unsettling and dynamic. The drones are just one of the many elements of Axolotl's otherworldly miasma of sonic muddle and seemingly random sound. Occasionally a machine like rrrroooaaarr emerges from the murk, but manages to remain somehow pleasingly but not at all obviously melodic (a la the Dead C) like an anvil dipped in tar and wrapped in feathers.
MPEG Stream: "track 1"
MPEG Stream: "track 3"