BEASTIE BOYS Ill Communication (Remastered Edition) (Capitol) 2cd 19.98
All these Beastie Boys reissues are reminding us just how damn good and timeless this stuff sounded and STILL sounds. With the utmost love and respect for classic hip-hop culture, the Beastie Boys managed to be pioneers as well, infusing elements of punk, rare groove, Latin music, and even Tuvan influences into their sound, resulting in this classic album, originally released in 1994.
In an age where bands seem to release a new record every few months, one of the strengths of the Beastie Boys, and no doubt a key component to their incredible sound, was that they've always given themselves ample time to really hash out and construct their records, with always at least a couple years in between releases. And that time and care definitely shows, the sound so layered and lush, so catchy and so totally unique. It had been ages since many of us had listened to Ill Communication but once we threw it on again we were all immediately transported back, to a time where this was all some of us listened to. Hearing it again with fresh ears, it still sounds fantastic, groundbreaking even. A rare example of a group with big time mainstream success but with their musical integrity fully intact.
The cd version of this comes with a bonus disc of remixes and a few live tracks. The vinyl version is a double lp, remastered and pressed on 180 gram vinyl.
MPEG Stream: "Root Down"
MPEG Stream: "Flute Loop"
MPEG Stream: "Shambala"
MPEG Stream: "Sure Shot (European B-Boy Mix)"

BEASTIE BOYS Ill Communication (Remastered Edition) (Capitol) 2lp 28.00
All these Beastie Boys reissues are reminding us just how damn good and timeless this stuff sounded and STILL sounds. With the utmost love and respect for classic hip-hop culture, the Beastie Boys managed to be pioneers as well, infusing elements of punk, rare groove, Latin music, and even Tuvan influences into their sound, resulting in this classic album, originally released in 1994.
In an age where bands seem to release a new record every few months, one of the strengths of the Beastie Boys, and no doubt a key component to their incredible sound, was that they've always given themselves ample time to really hash out and construct their records, with always at least a couple years in between releases. And that time and care definitely shows, the sound so layered and lush, so catchy and so totally unique. It had been ages since many of us had listened to Ill Communication but once we threw it on again we were all immediately transported back, to a time where this was all some of us listened to. Hearing it again with fresh ears, it still sounds fantastic, groundbreaking even. A rare example of a group with big time mainstream success but with their musical integrity fully intact.
The cd version of this comes with a bonus disc of remixes and a few live tracks. The vinyl version is a double lp, remastered and pressed on 180 gram vinyl.
MPEG Stream: "Root Down"
MPEG Stream: "Flute Loop"
MPEG Stream: "Shambala"

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 (Capitol) 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"

BEASTMILK Use Your Deluge (Svart) 7" 5.98
Second single from this Finnish apocalyptic post punk combo, which features members of Hexvessel, Code, DHG, and sounds a lot poppier than we expected, reminding us a bit of the Holograms (whose full length is reviewed elsewhere on this week's list), or like a punkier Interpol, which is not a bad thing at all, the music is murky and washed out, the guitars a buzzy blur, driving drums and cool crooned clean vox, making this sound like some goth pop new wave artifact, doomy and melodic, propulsive and cold wave-y, at times a bit like a gothier post punkier Katatonia, the same sort of super hooky melody but still plenty heavy hybrid, the track "Void Mother" might be our new favorite jam, a seriously hooky and heavy slab of gloom pop that in a perfect world would be a post punk mixtape staple. Super rad. And very limited!

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).

BEAT OF THE EARTH, THE s/t (Radioactive) cd 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

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, THE Anthology 1 (Capitol) 2cd 30.00
60 tracks... previously unreleased and rare Beatles material circa late '50s through to the mid-'60s.

BEATLES, THE Anthology 2 (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 (or rather, Bugskull sound exactly like "Tomorrow Never Knows"). This comp is much much better than the first volume. 45 tracks... previously unreleased and rare Beatles material circa mid to late '60s.

BEATLES, THE Anthology 3 (Capitol) 2cd 30.00
50 tracks... previously unreleased and rare Beatles material circa White Album, Let It Be and Abbey Road! Lots of demo recordings of classic songs in their embryonic stage... cool!

BEATLES, THE Beatles For Sale (Parlophone) lp 25.00
At this point nothing really need to be written about the Beatles. It's fair to say that they're one of the most important rock and roll bands ever. Fair to say they were probably one of the best too. Lots of folks like to talk about how much they hate the Beatles, but we often think those folks are just trying to be contrary, or provocative, but that sorta seems disingenuous. Certainly it's easy to be sick of hearing the same old Beatles songs. That's true with any band that gets played to death on the radio. We often fantasize about how amazing it would be to somehow hear Led Zeppelin or Queen for the first time EVER. How fucking totally mind blowing that would be. But we digress. Once again, all the Beatles records have been reissued, this time on fancy vinyl. Again, we like to think it's so young people who have somehow never heard the Beatles will get the joy of discovering a truly amazing band, who made so many incredible records, each one overflowing with all time classics. Odds are, a lot of the folks excited about this most recent reissue campaign will be buying the record for the umpteenth time, but you know what so what. These records are actually WORTH buying again. None moreso than Beatles For Sale, which is easily one of our favorites (the best Beatles record hands down, says the always controversial Andee), due in no small part to the second track "I'm A Loser", which barely gets mentioned when people talk about best Beatles songs, which seems insane, cuz it's so good, so perfect. catchy, a little bit dark, incredible harmonies, a fantastic chorus, gorgeous harmonies, even the harmonica is great! As if that weren't enough, the record opens with "No Reply", which has one of the most urgent, intense vocal deliveries EVER, and as a song, so dark and catchy and GREAT. It's actually pretty good after a long break to come back to these songs and realize how goddamn great they are.
And while there are classics here ("I'll Follow The Sun", "Eight Days A Week", "Words Of Love", "Every Little Thing"), and they ARE classics for a reason, they're SO good, but we find ourselves gravitating to the lesser knowns too. The opening 1-2-3 punch of "No Reply", "I'm A Loser" and "Baby's In Black" is pretty tough to beat! And closer "What You're Doing" sounds like the perfect pop template for every pop band that would follow.
If you don't own this record, and think you're too cool for the Beatles, get over it, buy this one, love it to death, and then get all the rest of em, you won't be sorry.
MPEG Stream: "I'm A Loser"
MPEG Stream: "No Reply"
MPEG Stream: "Baby's In Black"
MPEG Stream: "What You're Doing"

BEATLES, THE Beatles For Sale (2009 Stereo Remaster) (Capitol) cd 17.98
We said it about Nirvana a while back, and we'll say it about the Beatles, people who say they hate the Beatles are LYING. And if they're not lying, well, then we just feel sorry for them. We're perfectly willing to admit to Beatles oversaturation, and fair enough if you've heard enough Beatles on classic rock radio, that you never want to hear any again, but that's so unfair to a band's legacy, especially a band who wrote so many amazing songs. Take Led Zeppelin, imagine NEVER having heard them, and then getting your ears on "Stairway To Heaven" or "Immigrant Song" or "No Quarter" or "When The Levee Breaks". Your mind would be BLOWN, and you'd suddenly realize how much every metal band you ever loved owed to Zeppelin. We remember playing Neu! for a friend whose favorite band was Stereolab, she had never heard Neu! but the second the first song started, her whole idea of Stereolab changed, and in fact, if we remember correctly, she said something like "Stereolab is a total Neu! ripoff!!"...
So imagine, for a second, being super into pop music, and never having heard the Beatles, needless to say, you would be overwhelmed by their sheer genius, their utter mastery of pop music, and how much they defined the template for almost all pop to come. No band since has such a distinct and immediately recognizable sound, or such an expansive and hit filled catalog. And yeah, is this reissue campaign number 5, 6, 10? So odds are most of you have all the Beatles records, or at least the ones you like, and probably, you've had your fill of old record nerds getting all misty eyed for the Nth time, and talking about remastered sound quality and stereo versus mono.
But, we thought as long as these records are available again, nicely repackaged, and indeed (for the most part) sounding better than ever, we'd make the case for one of our favorites, a commonly dismissed, overlooked, and surprisingly depressive Beatles gem. Beatles For Sale came out in 1964 (we think), and was met with much confusion. Sure there were hits, "Eight Days A Week" was massive, "I'll Follow The Sun" has always been a favorite. But then there was record opener "No Reply", which begins as a total classic sounding, but is broken up by some seriously caustic (and almost heavy) parts, with voice on the verge of cracking, guitars distorted, and the hook, one of the Beatles' best. But our heart belongs to the second track "I'm A Loser", another total classic sounding Beatles jam, with incredible harmonies, and dark lyrics that are at odds with the song's lush sound and groovy feel, acoustic guitars, walking basslines, all sorts of melodic filigree, it's been 20 years or more since we first heard it, and not only are we still not tired of it (maybe partly cuz it NEVER gets played on the radio) but it still ranks up there with our all time favorite pop songs.
The one strange thing about Beatles For Sale, is the mix of dark brooding lush pop, and stomping rock and roll numbers. We had sort of forgotten about the more rocking tracks, cuz to be honest, when we made a tape of this way back when, and later put it on our iPod, we actually left those tracks off, not cuz they're BAD, just because they're not what made us fall in love with this record in the first place. Strip away those rockers, and this is a gorgeous, introspective, hook filled, dark and subtly depressive pop gem.
Fancy new digipak packaging, new liner notes, rare photos, a mini documentary about For Sale, and yeah, it's remastered and sounds AWESOME!
PS: we've got a bunch of the other newly reissued remastered digipacked Beatles discs in stock too, love 'em too, just happened to get extra excited to write about this one!
Oh, and if you're feeling extra splurge-y, there's also the Beatles Mono Box set which is in a league all its own (and which was at the tip-top of Cup's 2009 favorites list). The limited edition 13-disc box set contains all of their albums up to and including the White Album plus a collection of singles and eps - all in mono as they were originally produced! Unlike their stereo counterparts, the mono remasters haven't been given the modern rock treatment (i.e, everything loud). Hence, they have a stunning dynamic range, and sound a-m-a-z-i-n-g! Apart from the stereo versus mono distinctions, the recordings definitely sound different, and in many cases are actually different, as the stereo versions were often mixed at a much later date. Each of the cds is packaged in a beautiful mini replica lp jacket complete with mini replica inner sleeve to boot. Unfortunately the mono albums are not currently available individually, so this is the only way to get 'em... and only for a limited time. If you want one, we'd be happy to order one in for you!
MPEG Stream: "I'm A Loser"
MPEG Stream: "No Reply"
MPEG Stream: "I'll Follow The Sun"
MPEG Stream: "Every Little Thing"

BEATLES, THE Let It Be... Naked (Apple / EMI) cd 17.98
Stripped (pun not intended... really!) clean of Phil Spector's Wall Of Sound string and choral orchestrations, this is still not the Let It Be (original working title: Get Back) originally envisioned by The Beatles back in 1969, but is a new vision of it from Paul McCartney. Reassembled, rearranged, and remixed from the original tapes, the 2003 album has a different track listing (gone are "Maggie Mae" and "Dig It", added is "Don't Let Me Down") and running order.

BEATLES, THE Magical Mystery Tour (2009 Stereo Remaster) (EMI) cd 17.98
In case you haven't heard the ruckus, the Beatles albums have all been remastered and reissued with fancy new digipak packaging, new liner notes, rare photos, and more! We've got 'em, and we're loving them!
You might've read our recent glowing review of For Sale, well, Magical Mystery Tour is another particular fave around these parts. A wild mix of groundbreaking bizarre psychedelia and sumptuous heart-melting pop including "I Am The Walrus", "Blue Jay Way", "Hello Goodbye", "Penny Lane", and "All You Need Is Love" (the birthplace of math-rock... okay, maybe not really, but Lennon sure sings his way around a bunch of different meters)... yes!
Oh, and if you're feeling extra splurge-y, there's also the Beatles Mono Box set which is in a league all its own (and which was at the tip-top of Cup's 2009 favorites list). The limited edition 13-disc box set contains all of their albums up to and including the White Album plus a collection of singles and eps - all in mono as they were originally produced! Unlike their stereo counterparts, the mono remasters haven't been given the modern rock treatment (i.e, everything loud). Hence, they have a stunning dynamic range, and sound a-m-a-z-i-n-g! Apart from the stereo versus mono distinctions, the recordings definitely sound different, and in many cases are actually different, as the stereo versions were often mixed at a much later date. Each of the cds is packaged in a beautiful mini replica lp jacket complete with mini replica inner sleeve to boot. Unfortunately the mono albums are not currently available individually, so this is the only way to get 'em... and only for a limited time. If you want one, we'd be happy to order one in for you!

BEATLES, THE Revolver (2009 Stereo Remaster) (EMI) cd 17.98
It's Revolver. Remastered. If for some reason you don't already have this, get it. And some folks will be happy to get it again.

BEATLES, THE Rubber Soul (2009 Stereo Remaster) (EMI) cd 17.98
It's Rubber Soul. Remastered. If for some reason you don't already have this, get it. And some folks will be happy to get it again.

BEATLES, THE s/t (White Album 2009 Stereo Remaster) (EMI) 2cd 26.00
Are we really going to have to write a review of the White Album? That's like a born again Christian writing a review of the Bible. 2 questions? Do you have this already? If yes, then maybe you want to get it again for the "improved" remastered sound. Your call, but if any album could stand to be purchased more than once, this one certainly qualifies. If no, then why not?

BEATLES, THE White Album (Capitol) 2cd 31.00

BEATNIK FILMSTARS Beezer (Slumberland) cd 10.98

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
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

BEAUSOLEIL, BOBBY The Lucifer Rising Suite: Original Soundtrack And Sessions Anthology (Ajna) 4lp box 53.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
We've carried this longtime aQ fave several times over the years, in multiple formats, in varying degrees of availability, unfortunately, it never seemed to stick around for long. For a while we were even in contact with Beausoleil himself via his wife who was handling his business for a while, trying to get copies. Well, now you can thank the fine folks at Ajna, who have not only reissued it again, but added TONS of unreleased material, included all sorts of new, original artwork, pressed it up on VINYL and packed it all in a super deluxe box. These are expensive, but so worth it, after all, it's the only way to currently get Lucifer Rising, and of course it's a limited pressing, so these won't be around forever...
Ahhh Lucifer Rising, 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 Beausoleil, 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.
This new vinyl box set, includes all the music on the various versions we've carried over the years, plus SO MUCH MORE.
This version includes newly remastered recordings spanning 11 years, from the original 1967 recordings to the Tracy Prison recordings in 1978. 4 lps, 2 of which are entirely unreleased material, nine new pieces of art by Beausoleil, 8 on the printed inner sleeves, and one 2 foot by 3 foot poster, a second poster, a massive booklet, with tons of new liner notes, and loads of photos, the box gorgeous and hefty, full color outside and inside, this is THE outsider lost seventies occult rock soundtrack holy grail for sure.
And 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!

BEAUTIFUL LOSERS, THE Nobody Knows The Heaven (Lion Productions) cd 16.98
Reissue of obscure '70s artifact, for Devendra fans for sure.

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
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
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.