BEANS Crane Wars (Zum) lp 13.98
This is the third release from Vancouver, BC post rockers Beans (yeah, we still wish they had a different name, but what can you do?). The moody melodicism of "Crane Wars" continues the path set by last year's wonderful "Tired Snow" EP: melancholy and brittle, with so much to say, yet demonstrating so much restraint and hesitation rather than just blurting it all out. Obvious comparisons to the cinematic soundscapes of Godspeed You Black Emperor, Mogwai or Tarentel abound, and Beans also carry a post-rocky sound somewhat reminiscent of mid-period Gastr del Sol or A Minor Forest.

BEANS Inner Cosmosis (Foreverbad) cd 14.98
Ah, not to be confused with the other current artist by the same name (Beans of Antipop Consortium), this is indeed the wonderful experimental band from Vancouver. Released on their own label, Inner Cosmosis features a much more expansive and cohesive sound than their previous releases. This in itself is quite something to behold, as those three earlier cds (Portage on Zulu Records, Crane Wars and Tired Snow EP, both on Zum Records) were accomplished and quite enjoyable as they were. However, it seems they've moved away from their previous Godspeed/Mogwai leanings towards something more their own. Much like their Zum labelmates and pals Xiu Xiu, Beans incorporate homemade string and percussion instruments into the traditional band lineup. And along with a marimba, some tapeplayers, turntables and other electronics, they take you on an intriguing sonic journey. A very soothingly fluid and groovy hour plus (as the cd cover art tells, this is 63:19 long). Stretch out with Beans for a while. Of the seven tracks, all but one exceed six minutes in length. To top it all off, this impressive work was actually recorded live one rainy fall evening. So very nice!
MPEG Stream: "Sun"
MPEG Stream: "Absolute"

BEANS Now Soon Someday (Warp) cd 11.98

BEANS Shock City Maverick (Warp) cd 15.98
Beans follows up his acclaimed mini-lp, Tomorrow Right Now, with the jam-packed full-length Shock City Maverick. The backing tracks are what one might assume a hip-hop artist on Warp Records might sound like. Sophisticated, electronic-leaning party beats are minimal enough to carry Beans' cadence-changing lyricism with an undoubted coolness. The lyricism and production play well-balanced parts throughout Shock City. "You're Dead, Let's Disco" is awesomely more-or-less instrumental. "Shock City Maverick" is lyric heavy and low on musical exploration. The remaining songs blend these two elements in the coolest way you can imagine. Never boring, never annoying, never embarrassing, like some popular hip-hop can be. Overall, Shock City shines blissfully on Beans' path of evolution originating from his time with Anti-Pop Consortium.
MPEG Stream: "Papercuts"
MPEG Stream: "You're Dead, Let's Disco"

BEANS Thorns (Adored and Exploited) cd 16.98
Beans returns with his latest post-Antipop Consortium solo outing, and it offers up an infectious and tweaked out mix of primitive electro crunch and swaggering old school b-boy flow that further cements Beans as an outsider stuck between hip hop and something else. Beans' lyrical skills have never been sharper than they are here, as he spits and bites through topics ranging from the personal (fatherhood, his own childhood) to the polemic (the state of hip hop, race, politics) to the playful (fantastical sexcapades, taunts, boasts).
Likewise, the production (mostly by Beans himself, but with a few contributions from Dabrye and Holy Fuck) is more focused and consistent than it has been on previous outings - it's a dense, future primitive sound that manage to push boundaries and look forward without losing sight of its roots.
To anyone who has followed Beans' solo work, Thorns won't throw any curve balls; rather, it offers a more concise and focused approach to the music he's been making over the past half decade. The record is both brainy and brawny, and is recommended for anyone with a penchant for fractured electro beatsmithery, lyrical acrobatics, and hip hop that harkens back to the old school.
MPEG Stream: "In Effect"
MPEG Stream: "No Thrills"

BEANS Tired Snow (Zum) cd ep 12.98
The second release from this Vancouver, BC quintet (the first entitled "Portage" can be found on Zulu Records from their hometown). Six tracks totalling just under 40 minutes of moody melodiousness harking Mogwai, Godspeed You Black Emperor, but sparing us the propensity towards crescendos. Andee is convinced that the last track on this cd is actually an A Minor Forest cover. You be the judge.

BEANS, THE Bassplayer (Intr.version) cd 14.98
Although they've newly added a "The" to their band name (perhaps to distinguish themselves from Antipop Consortium's Beans), you might already be familiar with the string of fine, moody soundtrack-y / soundscape releases from this Vancouver experimental ensemble -- Crane Wars, Portage, Tired Snow, and Inner Cosmosis. A very lowkey group of artists, they've been quietly crafting their music since 1995. If you happen to be new to these Canadians though, any one of their cds including this one is a great place to start. Never limiting themselves to one style, mood nor tempo, The Beans are sometimes groovy, sometimes post-rock-y, sometimes airily atmospheric. Drawing from an array of electronic and acoustic sources -- cello drones, fuzzy percussion, a smattering of piano key strikes, wistful guitar string plucking, select loops and effects, fleeting spoken word, Bassplayer shows their more hushed and mesmerizing side, very much in a similar vein to Godspeed You Black Emperor! and Mogwai (to whom they're frequently compared). At once, both delicate and enveloping. Four tracks clocking in at just under forty five minutes. Beautifully packaged and released on Mitchell Akiyama's Intr.version label.
MPEG Stream: "May 6th Expires"
MPEG Stream: "Galuda"

BEAR BONES LAY LOW Djid Hums (Gipsy Sphinx) lp 17.98
We know close to nothing about this band, other than it's the work of an 18 year old Venezuelan kid who lives in Belgium (and is now a member of Silvester Anfang) and who in addition to having a cool and mysterious name, has managed to whip up a pretty seriously blissed out and beautiful record of gorgeous psych-drone.
Two sidelong krautrock drone jams, mining similar territory as fellow noisemakers like Astral Social Club, Hototogisu and Burning Star Core. The first side begins with glistening streaks of fuzzed out synths and decaying tape loops, all wrapped in smeared clouds of blissy FX, but it quickly transforms into a very SUNNO)))-like low end dirge, bombarded on all sides by hiss and glitch and crumbling effects before building into a fuzzed out epic, a wall of rich, thick, subtly shifting sound, droney, dreamlike and sort of cinematic.
The flipside is another slow building epic, this time a wash of fuzzy warble and layered drones, voices and melodic fragments all processed and blurred into a gorgeous abstract soundscape, peppered with bits of percussion and all sorts of swirling sonics. Eventually, the track begins to fall apart, until all that is left is a strange chaotic swirl of percussion, hissy and buzzy and murky, while a ghostlike super distorted melody drifts and sways in the foreground.
LIMITED TO 525 COPIES! Each cover is signed and hand numbered. Super striking paste on covers, SUPER thick sleeve, pressed on 180 gram vinyl, with a photocopied insert.

BEASTIE BOYS Aglio e Olio (Grand Royal) cdep 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
8 songs. 11 minutes. Punk rock.

BEASTIE BOYS Awesome: I Fucking Shot That! (Lionsgate) dvd 28.00
This dvd features live footage of the Beastie Boys performing at Madison Square Gardens back in 2004. Most of it was shot by audience members using fifty DV and Hi-8 cameras! The editing style is pretty darn chaotic at times -- you're definitely not going to feel like you're at the show -- but that just adds to the frantic, tripped-out, tricked-out fun that is the Beasties, don't it?! Lots of silly extras including a cappella tracks, band commentary and a 'documentary' about director Nathaniel Hornblower (aka Adam Yauch) that guest stars David Cross. This is sure to be a fan pleaser... especially if you were one of the peeps handling one of the cameras... hence the title...d'oh!

BEASTIE BOYS Check Your Head (Capitol) 2lp 28.00
So rad to finally have this Beastie Boys classic back on wax, all fancy gatefold 180 gram vinyl style. Originally released back in '92 it was a record that so many of us were dying for, as it was their first record in almost four years following the classic yet not totally embraced at the time sophomore outing Paul's Boutique. While they pretty much mastered the art of sampling on that album, they decided to pick up the instruments themselves on this one and along with their buddy Money Mark they hashed out most of the instrumentation themselves. There is a gritty aura to Check Your Head which found the Beastie Boys embracing their punk roots and finding how to create their own grooves which were just as tasty and funky as all the great stuff they had sampled in years past. Another Beastie Boys album that has passed the test of time, and whenever we blast this there's definitely some nostalgia but we're also reminded of how damn good these songs still sound!
MPEG Stream: "Pass The Mic"
MPEG Stream: "Jimmy James"

BEASTIE BOYS Hello Nasty (Capitol) cd 15.98
A description of this is not necessary, as we're sure you've heard it already and probably bought one too.

BEASTIE BOYS Intergalactic (Grand Royal) 12" 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Four-track ep showcasing an electro-flavor.

BEASTIE BOYS Intergalactic (Grand Royal) cdep 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Four-track ep showcasing an electro-flavor.

BEASTIE BOYS Paul's Boutique (20th Anniversary Edition) (Capitol) cd 17.98
Whoa, it's been twenty years since Paul's Boutique came out!!?? 20th anniversary records are usually for bands like Chicago or Journey or Led Zeppelin, but we guess it's just another sign that we're getting older, as all of us remember buying this record the first time around, many of us on cassette, and playing the shit out of it for years and years. While the Beastie Boys were bratty, obnoxious and fun on their debut License To Ill, they didn't really show us what the were capable of until this follow up which kind of flopped commercially when it first came out, but now is widely acknowledged as one of the most innovative hip-hop records and dense sampling tour de forces of all time. For so many of us who were pretty young when this came out, many of the many, many songs sampled on Paul's Boutique were unknown to us beyond the Sample. It wouldn't be 'til we grew up a bit that it became easier to place 'em all (Johnny Cash, Curtis Mayfield, Sly Stone, The Sweet, etc.). Of course producers The Dust brothers are due their share of the credit.
Paul's Boutique is like THE classic example of postmodernism at its most fun and creative. Taking bits and pieces of popular culture from the past and present, Paul's Boutique was jammed with so many rad obscure references in the clever lyrics as well as thick and bouncing beats and those now so recognizable MC personas. Several years before Beck was genre flipping and DJ Shadow was crate digging, this record set the blueprint for so much of the adventurous pop, hip-hop and electronica to follow. We can't help but get nostalgic when we listen to this now. So many memories... Skipping school for the first time, blasting the cassette on our brother's stereo when he was at his friend's house, forcing our folks to hear it over and over as we rode shotgun in the car. This is a record that so many of us grew up on and a disc that most definitely helped open our eyes and ears to the amazing lineage of hip-hop, funk, soul, rock etc. that the Beastie Boys were using as not just sound sources, but also for inspiration. They showed how wit and humor could be blended into music that was also smart and serious, and with a broad and complex sonic scope. While frat boys and squareheads may have ruined The Beastie Boys for some, you can never totally blame a band for their fans, and just because this record has been blasting in dorm rooms for the last 20 years doesn't mean it's not an amazing piece of music...because it is! The cd reissue features a pull out mini poster of the full artwork (much more than is on the cover), the lp folds out as a massive multiple gatefold, both versions include links to download some band commentaries.
MPEG Stream: "Egg Man"
MPEG Stream: "The Sounds Of Science"
MPEG Stream: "What Comes Around"
MPEG Stream: "Hello Brooklyn"

BEASTIE BOYS Paul's Boutique (20th Anniversary Edition) (Capitol) 2lp 26.00
Whoa, it's been twenty years since Paul's Boutique came out!!?? 20th anniversary records are usually for bands like Chicago or Journey or Led Zeppelin, but we guess it's just another sign that we're getting older, as all of us remember buying this record the first time around, many of us on cassette, and playing the shit out of it for years and years. While the Beastie Boys were bratty, obnoxious and fun on their debut License To Ill, they didn't really show us what the were capable of until this follow up which kind of flopped commercially when it first came out, but now is widely acknowledged as one of the most innovative hip-hop records and dense sampling tour de forces of all time. For so many of us who were pretty young when this came out, many of the many, many songs sampled on Paul's Boutique were unknown to us beyond the Sample. It wouldn't be 'til we grew up a bit that it became easier to place 'em all (Johnny Cash, Curtis Mayfield, Sly Stone, The Sweet, etc.). Of course producers The Dust brothers are due their share of the credit.
Paul's Boutique is like THE classic example of postmodernism at its most fun and creative. Taking bits and pieces of popular culture from the past and present, Paul's Boutique was jammed with so many rad obscure references in the clever lyrics as well as thick and bouncing beats and those now so recognizable MC personas. Several years before Beck was genre flipping and DJ Shadow was crate digging, this record set the blueprint for so much of the adventurous pop, hip-hop and electronica to follow. We can't help but get nostalgic when we listen to this now. So many memories... Skipping school for the first time, blasting the cassette on our brother's stereo when he was at his friend's house, forcing our folks to hear it over and over as we rode shotgun in the car. This is a record that so many of us grew up on and a disc that most definitely helped open our eyes and ears to the amazing lineage of hip-hop, funk, soul, rock etc. that the Beastie Boys were using as not just sound sources, but also for inspiration. They showed how wit and humor could be blended into music that was also smart and serious, and with a broad and complex sonic scope. While frat boys and squareheads may have ruined The Beastie Boys for some, you can never totally blame a band for their fans, and just because this record has been blasting in dorm rooms for the last 20 years doesn't mean it's not an amazing piece of music...because it is! The cd reissue features a pull out mini poster of the full artwork (much more than is on the cover), the lp folds out as a massive multiple gatefold, both versions include links to download some band commentaries.
MPEG Stream: "Egg Man"
MPEG Stream: "The Sounds Of Science"
MPEG Stream: "What Comes Around"
MPEG Stream: "Hello Brooklyn"

BEASTIE BOYS Scientists Of Sound (Hip Hop Series Vol. 1 (Grand Royal) 12" 5.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Hello Nasty cuts (including "Negotiation Limerick File", "Three MCs and One DJ", "Body Movin", and "Intergalactic") remixed by Kut Masta Kurt, Prince Paul, the Automator, and others!

BEASTIE BOYS The In Sound From the Way Out (Grand Royal) cd 11.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Shame on them for not giving credit to Perrey & Kingsley for the fab title. This is the cd version of the previously-fan-club-vinyl-only instrumental record. New versions of songs you've already heard that had vocals the first time 'round, plus pieces that were always instrumentals...

BEASTIE BOYS The Mix-Up (Capital) cd 14.98
A surprise of sorts comin' at ya from those beloved lil' Beasties. They've dished out a completely instrumental album! That's right no samples and no vocals whatsoever! The absence of their telltale voices allows for the tracks to reveal more clearly the deep and broad influences that other musical genres and elder artists have had on the Boys over the years -- '70s funk and soul, '60s spy movie kitsch, old school hip hop, Perrey & Kingsley, Afrika Bambaataa, The Meters, Santana and Run DMC. They checked their youthful, snotty, smartaleck, punky 'tudes at the door long ago, but despite their tempered maturity and composure, they clearly haven't lost their rambunctious playfulness. This is some solid fresh and funky goodness from start to finish. And yes, the ultra groove pop meister Money Mark is along for the ride too!
If you dug their 1996 In Sounds From Way Out! collection of instrumentals from their Ill Communication and Check Your Head albums, you won't wanna miss this.
MPEG Stream: "Suco De Tangerina"
MPEG Stream: "Dramastically Different"

BEASTIE BOYS The Sounds of Science (Grand Royal) 2cd 22.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
42 track, 2 disc anthology covering the entire span of the Beastie Boys extensive career. Includes the new single "Alive" plus rarities, unreleased tracks and an eighty-page booklet.

BEASTIE BOYS To The 5 Boroughs (Capitol) cd 17.98
You don't need us to tell you that there's a new Beastie Boys album out. And for a lot of people, that's all you're gonna need to know. However let's proceed with a cursory review anyway. Starting with the suppostion that you're familiar with the Beastie Boys, and in fact most likely a fan, should you buy this record? There's no doubt that the Beasties have been responsible for mucho musical good times over the years, from their party hardy License To Ill debut to their sampling masterpiece Paul's Boutique to the live-band innovation of Check Your Head...but if you kinda lost interest 'round about their last album Hello Nasty, well, we can't say that To The 5 Boroughs is gonna bring you back into the Beasties big time. However, if you're sticking with 'em, this record has its share of good times too. With wise-guy, white-guy rapping and lots of old skool boom-bapping it sure sounds like the Beastie Boys...but it kinda just makes me wanna listen to a Beastie Boys record. I mean, an old Beastie Boys record. And this album's NYC theme (did they move back? or is it a 9/11 inspired tribute, as the WTC towers in the skyline on the cover might suggest?) just adds to the nostalgic vibe. I guess we've gotta listen to this some more to really assess its merits. One thing about this that gets the gas face (whoops that's 3rd Bass, getting mixed up there): the FBI anti-piracy warning on the back. One of our more paranoid customers claims that this cd contains secret software that will inform the authorites if you rip it on your computer: visions of the Beasties knocking down our door Sabotage video style 'cause of the sound clips we made. But how else are we gonna ask you to ch-check it out?
MPEG Stream: "Ch-check It Out"
MPEG Stream: "Time To Build"

BEASTS OF EDEN, THE End Times (Expansion Team) cd ep 12.98
Sloan, Shins, Superchunk, The Stereo, Silver Sun... what do these bands have in common?
1. All their names start with an 's'.
2. They're great power pop bands.
3. They're some of our favorites for sure!
Well, this band just might be a case of "two out of three ain't bad"... and fortunately it's just the band name part that doesn't fit! But if The Beasts Of Eden's new cdep is any indication, they just might find themselves becoming a fave around here. High on energy and hooks with some glammy glossiness punchin' up the six songs!
MPEG Stream: "Malou"
MPEG Stream: "End Times"

BEAT HAPPENING Angel Gone (K) 7" 3.50
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
With a great deal of anticipation and apprehension, I dropped the needle on this, the first Beat Happening release in seven years. Almost immediately I felt a warm fuzzy nostalgic swelling of my heart. Honestly it's like Beat Happening never went away. It's Calvin, Bret and Heather just as we remember them. Of the two songs, Angel Gone is the prettier and stronger, while Zombie Limbo Time is much more ramshackle. The one thing I'd hoped for from this 7" was Heather on lead vocals, but you can have everything. Today it's primarily Calvin's turn on the mic. Groove back into their primal pop action. Stay tuned for the 6-box set of this very special and important band out very very soon.

BEAT HAPPENING Black Candy (K) lp 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Well, alright!!! To complete the list of Beat Happening newly re-issued LPs here's the absolutely wonderful 'Black Candy'. Jump up and down on your bed with glee to the sounds of "TV Girl" and "Knick Knack". This is the real deal bub! Lo-fi pop at it's best. Let's all raise our cups of cocoa in salute to the punker than punk Calvin, Bret and Heather.

BEAT HAPPENING Crashing Through (K) 7cd 52.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Kinda lost hope of ever seeing this special box set after the bazillionth time a new release date came and went. But holy hopscotch, here it is! "The final word on Beat Happening!" or so the sticker on the front proclaims. Was it really worth the wait? Well, for devoted fans of Calvin, Heather and Bret after all these years, who couldn't resist the appeal of a box set from their fearless K Punk faves all nicely compact and neatly designed? I'm sure that goes without saying, but for the rest, let's see...
Music-wise, you get all five albums (heck, these should already be a part of any self-respecting Beat Happening fan's library!) all uniformly presented in digipaks: the primal beat and often atonal singing of the self-titled debut and Jamboree, the more sing-song pretty Black Candy and Dreamy and the final You Turn Me On (produced in part by former Young Marble Giant Stuart Moxham). As well, you're also treated to a disc titled "Music To Climb The Apple Tree By" packed full of all the non-album previously released bells and whistles (which once again I have to say, any true blue B.H. devotee should already own!), that means all of their 7"s, compilation tracks and the 12" EP they did with the Screaming Trees. Other stuff? An exclusive cd/cd-rom collecting together music from the B.H./Vaselines split cassette and assorted early videos (including ones for "Hot Chocolate Boy" and "Pine Box Derby" as well as live footage of "Black Candy" on Olympia tv, "Cake Walk" from the International Pop Underground Convention '91 and "Cry For A Shadow" at a record store in Memphis). And for your reading enjoyment, queen of the Olympia/K Punk scene Ms Lois Maffeo has assembled a concise 92-page book filled with B.H. archives, personal recollections, grainy photos, interviews, etc. So is this the final word from the beloved Oly trio who were an immeasurable inspiration to indie kids everywhere and a d.i.y. force to be reckoned with back in the day? Who truly knows for sure? But it is without question the most comprehensive and lovingly assembled Beat Happening retrospective you'll ever find... and yes, it was worth the wait!
RealAudio clip: "Indian Summer"
RealAudio clip: "Cast A Shadow"
RealAudio clip: "Fortune Cookie Prize"
RealAudio clip: "Tiger Trap"
RealAudio clip: "Tales Of A Brave Aphrodite"

BEAT HAPPENING Dreamy (K) lp 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Lofi pop, deadpan vocals and super catchy melodies... ah, Beat Happening. And this reissue is quite possibly their best album (well, maybe next to 'Black Candy'). With such wonderful raw pop moments as "Fortune Cookie Prize", "Hot Chocolate Boy", "Nancy Sin", "Collide", "Cry For A Shadow", "Red Head Walking", "Me Untamed", "Revolution Come And Gone"... oh, that's almost the entire album! Relive the joyful, sweet early K days with Calvin, Heather and Bret. If you missed out back in '91, consider this your second chance at punker than punk-ness Oly-style 'cause this LP (along with 'You Turn Me On' and 'Jamboree') has been re-issued by K Records in preparation for the big Beat Happening cd boxset due out later this summer.

BEAT HAPPENING Jamboree (K) cd 12.98
Now (again?) on cd! Jamboree is a wonderfully primal and totally punk pop album originally released by Rough Trade in '88 on which Heather, Bret, and Calvin are helped out by two Screaming Trees and a Steve Fisk. This record is the home of one of the prettiest dreamy lo-fi pop songs ever: Indian Summer (later covered by such mellow popsters as Dean Wareham and his band Luna) and paved the way for many young rough-around-the-edges and wet-behind-the-ears K Records combos to come.
MPEG Stream: "Indian Summer"
MPEG Stream: "Drive Car Girl"

BEAT HAPPENING Jamboree (K) lp 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Yes, back in stock! Prepare yourself for the 6-cd Beat Happening boxset coming this summer. A wonderfully primal and totally punk pop album originally released by Rough Trade in '88 on which Heather, Bret, and Calvin are helped out by two Screaming Trees and a Steve Fisk. This record is the home of one of the prettiest dreamy lo-fi pop songs ever: Indian Summer (later covered by such mellow popsters as Dean Wareham and his band Luna) and paved the way for many young rough-around-the-edges and wet-behind-the-ears K Records combos to come.

BEAT HAPPENING Music To Climb The Apple Tree By (K) cd 14.98
Calvin, Heather and Bret have always walked to the beat of their own unique drum. Often that beat has been an unsteady or a just plain sloooow one. Case in point? Their Crashing Through 8 cd retrospective that was finally released in May of last year after an absurdly lengthy wait. Nonetheless, it was plenty welcome, and brought back many a fond memory. Such is the case with this Beat Happening odds'n'ends'n'rarities compilation too. Be forewarned, this cd was included in the boxset, so you very well might already own it!
For those as yet uninitiated to the true punk rock wonders of Beat Happening, this is actually a pretty good place to start. It's called Music To Climb The Apple Tree By, and that's perfectly appropriate for this one-of-a-kind band. These songs, compiled from a variety of 45s, promo 7"s and b-sides, are from as recent as 2000 ("Angel Gone" recorded by Phil Elvrum of the Microphones) and as far back as 1984 (the fabulous Heather-sung "Foggy Eyes" recorded in the KAOS radio studios). The last four tunes are from their rather obscure 1988 EP collaboration with Screaming Trees (hurrah!!!).
Of course, Beat Happening fans are a particularly devoted breed who undoubtedly have already loved to death their copy of the boxset, not to mention, tracked down each and every one of these tracks individually, but in case you haven't... A wonderful frequently atonal, primal pop treat.
MPEG Stream: "Not A Care In The World "
MPEG Stream: "Tale Of Brave Aphrodite"

BEAT HAPPENING s/t (K) cd 13.98
The re-issue of Beat Happening's debut from 1985! Includes a heap of rare stuff for your lo-fi true punk-hearted listenin' enjoyment.

BEAT HAPPENING You Turn Me On (K) lp 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The album that would be Beat Happening's swan song. In the years following this 1992 release, indie kids around the world waited faithfully and hopefully for more from this wonderful, important, primitive pop trio, but no... sadly not another note was heard. Instead, Calvin's Dub Narcotic Sound System surfaced, Heather vanished from the pop world, and Bret reportedly turned his attention towards the antiques business. Produced by Steve Fisk and Stuart Moxham (aka one third of the Young Marble Giants).

BEATALLICA Sgt. Hetfield's Motor Breath Pub Band (Oglio) cd 16.98
Yep, you guessed it... Beatles songs rocked out Metallica style! Like us, you might've marvelled at Beatallica back in 2001 when a number of their mp3s were making the rounds around the thing called the Internet. Over the years they've received the blessing from the Metallica camp, but were threatened with legal action by Sony (who hold a major chunk of The Beatles publishing rights).
This is the first time their tunes have been available in the retail arena, so it seems nothing further came of that scare.
Anyhoo, 'twas funny then and it's funny now. Don't know if we really need a full album's worth. We got our yuks'n'chortles out after a couple tunes, but we do give these Milwaukee-ites kudos for their stamina and gusto and good taste in music. A hoot in small doses.
MPEG Stream: "Sandman"
MPEG Stream: "Helvester Of Skelter"

BEATLES Anthology 1 (Capitol) 2cd 30.00
60 songs.

BEATLES Anthology 2 (Apple/Capitol) 2cd 30.00
Have fun pointing out how each song sounds like a different indie rock band. The winner so far: "Tomorrow Never Knows" sounds EXACTLY like Bugskull. This comp is much much better than the first volume.

BEATLES Let It Be... Naked (Apple / EMI) cd 17.98

BEATLES White Album (Capitol) 2cd 31.00

BEATRIK Journey Through The End Of Life (Total Holocaust) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

BEAU HUNKS Saxophone Soctette (Basta) cd 15.98
Holland's Beau Hunks are a "documentary orchestra" famous for their historically-accurate recordings of Leroy Shield's music from the Little Rascals films as well as that of curious genius Raymond Scott. With this project they turn their careful attention to arrangements by Paul Whiteman for his Sax Soc-tette, circa 1938. The 16 tracks on offer here include compositions by Irving Berlin, Bix Beiderbecke, and (fittingly) Raymond Scott, among others. Delightful.

BEAUSOLEIL, BOBBY Dreamways Of The Mystic (Arcanum) 2cd 28.00

MPEG Stream: "Dreamways Of The Mystic - Part One: Overture"
MPEG Stream: "Return To Punjab"
MPEG Stream: "Songs Of The Forest People"

BEAUSOLEIL, BOBBY Lucifer Rising Original Soundtrack (White Dog Music) cd-r 12.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Yes, it's a cd-r, but we're stoked to have it -- it's the only way to get a hold of this, the rare soundtrack to cult underground director and Crowley-ite Kenneth Anger's film Lucifer Rising (begun in the mid-'60s, completed in 1980). Originally Jimmy Page was supposed to do the score, but he bowed out and the music was instead handled by another cult figure, the musical visionary and imprisoned killer Bobby Beausoliel, who composed and performed this spacey psychedelic opus with his Freedom Orchestra (presumably all fellow prisoners with Bobby).
Bobby and the Freedom Orchestra play electric guitars, Fender Rhodes electric pianos, some synths and bass...there's two drummers, and a trumpet player. The result is a sometimes sinister, sometimes blissful, always beautiful and "cosmic" drifting soundscape. Gurgling old-school electronics blend with propulsive rock drumming, while psychedelic guitar soloing tears across the sunset horizon created by the synths...The combination results in what you might imagine an early '70s Tangerine Dream/Ennio Morricone collaboration might have sounded like. It's indeed a lost classic. And the composer's life story is at least as weird and interesting as the music...
In the late Sixties, Bobby was a rising star in the LA rock-pop scene, hanging with Zappa, the Beach Boys, and Love. But then a drug deal went bad and he was sent to death row for murder, arrested 3 days before the Manson killing spree. Fortunately for him, his sentence was eventually commuted, but he's spent like the last 30 years in jail. He's been a model prisoner, pursuing his talents in music and art despite his incarceration, and you'd think that the parole board would have let him out by now (he's been paying his debt to society longer than anybody else has for a similar crime, we're told) but sadly for Bobby, he's got to deal with his association with the notorious Charles Manson. While never a member of Manson's Family (a common misconception), he did play in a band with Manson, and the media hype surrounding anything to do with Manson hasn't helped Bobby's case, as you might imagine! (At least that's the way Beausoleil tells it. But the more one delves into the story of "Lucifer Rising", the weirder things get -- for instance, apparently Bobby was supposed to PLAY the role of Lucifer in the original 1966 version of Anger's film, but the two had a falling out and Bobby allegedly stole the footage and buried it in Death Valley! How this jibes with him later writing this soundtrack, we don't know.)
Yet, not being one to simply sit in his cell and rot, Bobby has, as we said, kept quite busy within the clutches of the California Penal system.
And now, with his wife Barbara dealing with business on the "outside", he's started the White Dog label to release his music. So far they've put out this soundtrack and also a couple of Bobby's newer compositions, stuff more in the New Age vein. They haven't yet made the jump to "real" cds, but their cd-rs are professionally duplicated and printed, with computer art by Bobby himself.
Although for obvious reasons Bobby wouldn't probably approve of the use of the word to describe himself and this soundtrack, in the Aquarius Records' musical context it's quite appropriate: Cult!
RealAudio clip: "track 1"
RealAudio clip: "track 5"

BEAUSOLEIL, BOBBY Lucifer Rising Sessions (Qbico) picture disc 25.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
We were able to get Bobby Beausoleil's legendary Lucifer Rising soundtrack on cd for a brief time, but it seems to be unavailable again, so for now, this super limited picture disc may be your only chance to hear this awesomely freaked out music. Side A was recorded live in San Francisco in 1967, and features a killer live version of "The Magick Powerhouse of Oz". The B side is a different version recorded a decade later, in Tracy State Prison where Bobby and and least one other Manson family member was doing time. Here's a truncated version of our review for the now out of print cd version to give you more background on Beausoleil and the Lucifer Rising soundtrack:
The rare soundtrack to cult underground director and Crowley-ite Kenneth Anger's film Lucifer Rising (begun in the mid-'60s, completed in 1980). Originally Jimmy Page was supposed to do the score, but he bowed out and the music was instead handled by another cult figure, the musical visionary and imprisoned killer Bobby Beausoliel, who composed and performed this spacey psychedelic opus with his Freedom Orchestra (presumably all fellow prisoners with Bobby).
Bobby and the Freedom Orchestra play electric guitars, Fender Rhodes electric pianos, some synths and bass...there's two drummers, and a trumpet player. The result is a sometimes sinister, sometimes blissful, always beautiful and "cosmic" drifting soundscape. Gurgling old-school electronics blend with propulsive rock drumming, while psychedelic guitar soloing tears across the sunset horizon created by the synths...The combination results in what you might imagine an early '70s Tangerine Dream/Ennio Morricone collaboration might have sounded like. It's indeed a lost classic. And the composer's life story is at least as weird and interesting as the music...
In the late Sixties, Bobby was a rising star in the LA rock-pop scene, hanging with Zappa, the Beach Boys, and Love. But then a drug deal went bad and he was sent to death row for murder, arrested 3 days before the Manson killing spree. Fortunately for him, his sentence was eventually commuted, but he's spent like the last 30 years in jail. He's been a model prisoner, pursuing his talents in music and art despite his incarceration, and you'd think that the parole board would have let him out by now (he's been paying his debt to society longer than anybody else has for a similar crime, we're told) but sadly for Bobby, he's got to deal with his association with the notorious Charles Manson. While never a member of Manson's Family (a common misconception), he did play in a band with Manson, and the media hype surrounding anything to do with Manson hasn't helped Bobby's case, as you might imagine! (At least that's the way Beausoleil tells it. But the more one delves into the story of "Lucifer Rising", the weirder things get -- for instance, apparently Bobby was supposed to PLAY the role of Lucifer in the original 1966 version of Anger's film, but the two had a falling out and Bobby allegedly stole the footage and buried it in Death Valley! How this jibes with him later writing this soundtrack, we don't know.)
Although for obvious reasons Bobby wouldn't probably approve of the use of the word to describe himself and this soundtrack, in the Aquarius Records' musical context it's quite appropriate: Cult!

BEAUSOLEIL, BOBBY Mantra (Qbico) Picture Disc 25.00

BEAUTIFUL NEW BORN CHILDREN, THE Hey People! (Domino) cd 10.98
These Beautiful New Born Children make brash, trashy garage rawk with distorted squawky vocals very much in the tradition of The Sonics or Billy Childish and his many bands (Thee Headcoats, Thee Milkshakes, Thee Buff Medways, Thee Mighty Caesars, etc). Think of it as the musical equivalent of your unruly buddy who bangs on your door in the middle of the night, raises a rowdy ruckus, spills cheap beer everywhere, breaks things, and refuses to go home. Case in point, the fiery final track "Up And Down And Round And Round" tears on and on and on. You can try and fight it, or give in and smash a few beer bottles yourself.
MPEG Stream: "Do The Do"
MPEG Stream: "Up And Down And Round And Round"

BEAUTIFUL SKIN Everything, All This, and More (GSL) cd 13.98
Beautiful Skin return... well, sort of. You might recall the duo's (Nick Forte and Ross Totino) fine debut album back in 2000 (Revolve on the Gold Standard Laboratories label) which we thoroughly dug. Sure as with most of Forte's musical projects, BS was very inspired by late '70s / early '80s bands such as Wire, Cabaret Voltaire, PiL and New Order, but they took the influences and ran with them... both prior to *and* further than where most of the current crop of similarly influenced bands have ventured. Totino brought a lightness not to mention a meticulous craftsmanship to Forte's usually brooding, raw dourness. Then, the duo became a quartet (with the addition of Charles Burst and Mitch Rackin), raising expectations even further. And then, they promptly disbanded. Ack! Sadly, they left us hangin' wanting more of their cool atmospheric propulsive synth-wave goodness. In the years since, Forte released music under another moniker (Christmas Decorations), but it paled in comparison. Now GSL has brought Beautiful Skin back into view with this collection of rarities. You might be thinking it's a bit odd to have a release of this sort considering the short life of the band, but actually this baker's dozen includes previously unreleased material that was recorded by the foursome just prior to the split. This bittersweetly revealing document unveils the promising directions in which the group was heading -- a broader range that ran the extremes from the bouyantly poppy (the 2-minute "Skin") to the more ominous and proggy (the 12-minute "Magic Solutions To Life's Many Problems"). Also included are tracks from their first demo (recorded in 1998) and their Work Will Set You Free 7". Sooo, let's be happy that these recordings have been made available, but let's also be bummed out once more by the early demise of a great band.
MPEG Stream: "Skin"
MPEG Stream: "Magic Solutions To Life's Many Problems"

BEAUTIFUL SKIN Revolve (Gold Standard Laboratories) cd 12.98
Channelling the early strains of Joy Division, Wire, and maybe a bit of Cabaret Voltaire and PiL are these two men. Nick Forte (ex-Rorschach!) and Rossano Totino churn the moody new wave machine into the next dimension. And they do it so well. Cool, varied and effected vocals stream through the synth-laden landscape. Fans of the above-mentioned bands as well as New Order and anyone who freaked out at the recent super-smooth Antarctica cd need this. A very very cool album with some very very cool cover art. Oh yes, and did I mention very very recommended.
RealAudio clip: "Revolve"

BEAUTIFUL SKIN Revolve (Gold Standard Laboratories) lp 10.98
Channelling the early strains of Joy Division, Wire, and maybe a bit of Cabaret Voltaire and PiL are these two men. Nick Forte (ex-Rorschach!) and Rossano Totino churn the moody new wave machine into the next dimension. And they do it so well. Cool, varied and effected vocals stream through the synth-laden landscape. Fans of the above-mentioned bands as well as New Order and anyone who freaked out at the recent super-smooth Antarctica cd need this. A very very cool album with some very very cool cover art. Oh yes, and did I mention very very recommended.

BEAUTIFUL SKIN Work Will Set You Free (Gold Standard Laboratories) 7" 3.99
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Very cool. Beautiful Skin are Nick Forte (formerly of Rorschach) and Rossano Totino. Like a distant younger cousin to Wire (Chairs Missing) and early Devo. Low, thick, rubber-y synth rumblings with slightly unhinged Blixa-esque vocals. These two songs left me perched on the edge of my seat eager for more, and word has it there's a full length on the way.

BEAVER Lodge (Man's Ruin Records) cd 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

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

BECK Guero (Geffen) cd 16.98
After his deliriously beautiful and crushingly romantic last album Sea Change broke many a heart back in 2002, in what musical direction could the lad head next? We very well knew to expect something completely different from Mr. Eclectic, and that's certainly what we got. Indeed, Guero's the answer, and by all indications it's a return to the land of Odelay... but the ol' slacker town's been all sleeked up into a shiny urban center. When the album kicked things off with some mild nu-metal riffin' and Sir Beck bustin' out a slouchy almost EMF-ish vocal rap, we sorta went "uh oh!", but after that, things settle into that trademark Beck funkiness, but with lots of nifty sound processing effects applied throughout. Despite the album's overall hi-tech shininess, stuff like the hootin' and hollerin' of the second track "Que Onda Guero", as well as the occasional slackly loping acoustic guitar, harmonica and cheesy casio-style bleep-blop sounds keep things feelin' suitably casual and off the cuff. The album's pace is an unhurried groovy slow-to-mid-tempo... y'know, one that your dashboard noddin' head doggy can easily keep time to. And actually that's sorta the pace at which you might find Guero growing on you. Its songs are definitely not the kind that'll immediate bowl you over. Great for those lazy days when you've got nowhere to be anytime soon.
MPEG Stream: "Que Onda Guero"
MPEG Stream: "Farewell Ride"