BIRCHVILLE CAT MOTEL WITH ANLA COURTIS Three Sparkling Echoes (Celebrate Psi Phenomenon) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
We're sort of surprised this match up hadn't already happened before. Pretty much a no brainer. Campbell Kneale, aka Birchville Cat Motel, and Anla Courtis, from the now defunct Reynols. While it most definitely seems like a match made in noise rock heaven, there was definitely the potential for a very chaotic mess, but the two most definitely brought out the best in each other, and the result might just be one of our favorite releases from either of these guys.
Three looooong tracks, each a gorgeous and languorous slow build, minimal, but dense and heavily layered, simple propulsive rhythms, and all sorts of warm rich sonic textures. The opener, is maybe one of the most beautiful 'noise rock' tracks EVER. Swirling, beautiful cello-like melodies, low and lumbering, moan and croon, a deep, resonant, cavernous, creeping minor key dirge, lurking mysteriously beneath a swirling cloud of metallic cicadas and oscillating whirs and flutters. One of those tracks that should go on forever. Building gradually in intensity, but never exploding into full on heaviness, instead just drifting dreamlike, until the various sounds peel back leaving just a gorgeous soundscape of simulated nature sounds and abstract ambience. The first time we threw this on we ended up listening to this track 3 or 4 times in a row. But as soon as we could tear ourselves away, we realized that the other two tracks were darn near just as beautiful.
The second track is a spacious and spare expanse of tinkling music box chimes, strange percussive thumps, guttural vocalizations, and a warm melodic whir, heavily panned, swooping dramatically from speaker to speaker. Those swoops eventually transforming into thick slabs of guitar whir, a gorgeously glacial epic, rife with muted melodies, and dense with sonic subtleties...
The closer pretty much seals the deal. Simple tribal drums, clattery junkyard percussion, over warbly warped FX drenched guitars and a loping dirge-like rhythm building in intensity until the guitars become a huge tangly squall above that static mesmerizing rhythm. It's almost like a noise rock Tom Waits.... like the Black Rider performed by Sunroof! Or a super blissed out take on old Swans. Guitars so thick and warm you just want to curl up and climb under, letting that clattery motorik rhythm just carry you away...
MPEG Stream: "First Sparkling Echo"
MPEG Stream: "Second Sparkling Echo"

BIRCHVILLE CAT MOTEL WITH LEE RANALDO 30th December 2004 (Celebrate Psi Phenomenon) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Now this is a bit of an odd combination, AQ faves Birchville Cat Motel, aka Campbell Kneale going one on one with none other than Mr. Lee Ranaldo, he of indie noiseniks Sonic Youth. How did it come about? Why did it come about? Who knows, and who really cares as the results speak for themselves. These two fellas, with some kind of 'noise' as their common thread, managed to conjure up some gorgeous dronescapes, that eventually ramp up to some serious NOISE, before drifting back into dreamy shimmery bliss. A single hour long track recorded live in New York at the Tonic in December of 2004 on BCM's last trip to the US, this is a slow building drone, equal parts chord organ, guitars, maybe even bagpipes (at least that's what it sounds like) all sort of swirling and reverberating, with distant tinkling chimes and simple stretched out melodies. About halfway through, Ranaldo kicks it up a notch and lets the distortion rip, a huge wall of white hot guitar, kept in line by a simple and very spare single snare-hit beat, a sort of free noise doom, with little bits of backwards electronic rhythm, and keening lawnmower like guitar melodies. The last fifteen minutes is a sweetly languid wind down, distortion disengaging, rhythms drifting into the ether, melodies dissipating like clouds after a storm, all as the chatter of the crowd slowly encroaches on the barely there sounds that moments later are not there at all.
MPEG Stream: "30th December 2004"

BIRD AND THE BEE, THE Interpreting The Masters Volume 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates (Blue Note) cd 16.98
There's no shame in our game when we tell you that pretty much every single one of us here at AQ are huge Hall & Oates fans. Not even in some ironic way, we just think there is no denying how damn good, suave and catchy their songs were and are. In fact our own Andee and his pal Jay Lesser even spent some time trying to get their H+O cover band Rich Girl going (although to be fair, much of it had to do with the then current swarthy state of Jay's facial hair, which in Andee's eyes made him a dead ringer for John Oates, but we digress...). In so many ways the music of Hall & Oats is more relevant then ever these days, with a whole new generation of sensitive boys channeling blue eyed soul and swoonsome dance beats (Junior Boys, Washed Out, Hot Chip, Neon Indian, Postal Service, etc.). So it was only a matter of time that someone cashed in on how damn great their songs were and made an entire record of covers. The Bird And The Bee have stepped up and tackled all the biggest and best Hall & Oates hits. "One On One", "Private Eyes", "Rich Girl", "Sara Smile", "Maneater", they're all here. All the songs that have seeped into your subconscious on one level or another, whether you wanted them to or not. But why would you not?
As their moniker would imply The Bird And The Bee are a duo who keep things very easy and breezy. The kind of group who has major NPR and KCRW affiliations. Some of us here think they make a great match for these Hall & Oates tunes, letting the songs shine through without ruining them with any forced gimmicks or sonic shtick. Very laid back and simple covers that also display moments where the band are able to really make these songs their own. Sort of.
Since so many of us are huge Hall & Oates fans,we did listen to this with very skeptical and critical ears and it's true some of us aren't feeling it as much as others. Lets just say those folks are humming along, sure, but not finding this to be any sort of an improvement on the originals. But if you can use a little light, carefree and smooth interpretations of Hall & Oates classics (sung by a girl, by the way) in your life then this does the trick mighty fine.
MPEG Stream: "I Can't Go For That"
MPEG Stream: "Sara Smile"
MPEG Stream: "Private Eyes"

BIRD AND THE BEE, THE s/t (Blue Note) cd 14.98
The Bird And The Bee describe their music as sounding like "A futuristic 1960's American film set in Brazil." This may be an accurate depiction of their sound, but the sixties are long gone. Fast forward to 2007 where, you too, may have noticed the ever-growing popularity of indie-pop backing primetime programming. Our money is on the band's music gracing the soundtrack of shows like The O.C. or Grey's Anatomy.
The L.A. based duo's sound is not innovative, but a very well done version of the same lounge-pop we have grown to know and love from bands like Broadcast and Camera Obscura. In fact, the whimsical vocal styling of Inara George is so familiar, you might find it difficult not to go digging through your record collection to pinpoint her former projects. A quick web search reveals that George met band mate Greg Kurstin a few years ago. The two quickly formed a friendship predicated upon their mutual love for old jazz standards (George is the daughter of the late Little Feat guitarist/singer Lowell George; Kurstin studied jazz piano with Mingus's pianist). In 2005 George recorded a solo album with producer Mike Andrews Ð Kurstin provided some of the backing instrumentation for that album.
While the pair's love of old jazz standards may only shine through for the discerning ear, anyone can appreciate the talent brought forth on their debut album. Kurstin plays nearly all of the instruments on the record, and you don't have to be a jazz aficionado to realize that he is a damn good pianist. The electric organ and synth melodies are unpretentious and come off California-surfy on some songs and a tinge psychedelic on others, but never distract from the bitter-sweet airy vocals put forth by George as she describes the often gritty push and pull of life and love.
MPEG Stream: "Again & Again"
MPEG Stream: "F-cking Boyfriend"

BIRD BY SNOW Antlers And The Sun (Gnome Life Records) lp 12.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Folky-psyche bliss featuring Spencer Doran (Cloaks)
and members of Whysp and Residual Echoes.
Records are hand screened on recycled sleaves
with clear red vinyl!

BIRD BY SNOW Common Wealth (Gnome Life) cd 11.98
Soft and mystical, Bird By Snow have been making dreamy folk pop with psych-ish elements for the past few years. Featuring former members of Whysp and Residual Echoes, their latest effort, Common Wealth, produced by Tim Green is their strongest to date, perfectly marrying strong songwriting with an elegant ambiance of needlepoint guitar work, spacious drumming and pretty female backing vocals. A perfect record to cozy up to a fire in the dark winter months. Fans of Vetiver, Hush Arbors, and Weird Weeds should check this out.
MPEG Stream: "Wobbly Legs"
MPEG Stream: "There Is A Marriage"

BIRD BY SNOW Common Wealth (Gnome Life) lp 15.98
Soft and mystical, Bird By Snow have been making dreamy folk pop with psych-ish elements for the past few years. Featuring former members of Whysp and Residual Echoes, their latest effort, Common Wealth, produced by Tim Green is their strongest to date, perfectly marrying strong songwriting with an elegant ambiance of needlepoint guitar work, spacious drumming and pretty female backing vocals. A perfect record to cozy up to a fire in the dark winter months. Fans of Vetiver, Hush Arbors, and Weird Weeds should check this out. LP is limited to 550 copies on white vinyl and comes with a 10" x 10" booklet of lyrics and artwork, and a coupon to download the record digitally.
MPEG Stream: "Wobbly Legs"
MPEG Stream: "There Is A Marriage"

BIRD BY SNOW Industrial Collapse (Gnome Life Records) 7" 4.98

BIRD BY SNOW Sky (Gnome Life Records) lp 12.98

BIRD BY SNOW Subtle Body (Gnome Life) cassette 5.98

BIRD OF OMEN Eulogy (Hand Hewn Timbre) 3"cd-r 4.98
After six releases as Monument Of Urns, whose blackened doom has long been a favorite with aQ metalheads, the mysterious man behind Urns returns with a new project, Bird Of Omen, meticulously packaged like the Urns releases in gorgeous hand screened printed vellum oversized sleeves, which led us to believe that Bird Of Omen would be a sonic continuation of the black dirgery of Urns, when in fact, BoO is something else entirely.
In fact before we get into it, we'd say that ANYone into Barn Owl, Earth and that sort of Morricone influenced dronefolk desert twang, should definitely check out Bird Of Omen, cuz that's definitely what BoO is all about. Some of the blackness and doominess of Urns is definitely present, but it's much more subtle, more in the ambience, and the vibe, cuz the vibe is definitely brooding and haunting, whipping winds, howling wolves, all over a distant drone, a rumbling low end, and subtly spacey shimmer, over which a guitar unfurls twangy tendrils of minor key guitar, the sound slightly distorted and blown out, so the low notes go into the red, and add a bit of distortion, the background low end droning ominously, and drifting in and our like some mysterious black sonic swell. And in fact, the more we listen to this, the more we can imagine how easy it would be to transform this into a Monument Of Urns record, and which also made us realize that minus the distortion, Bird Of Omen is not that far removed from Urns, the same sort of dismal miserablism, the same sort of brooding trudge, a lumbering slo-mo slither, but where Urns doused that in distorted guitars, here, those sounds are spare and unadorned, maybe wrapped in a bit of echo and delay, and in some weird way, the sound manages to be just as doomy. And the closing track, which might be our favorite, sounds a bit like Barn Owl mixed with Skepticism. The twang dialed way back, letting the murky low end drive the song, a grim black creep, surrounded by field recordings, voices, the sound of rain, and a final coda that hints at the doom that lurks in the background as the sound swells into a squall of detuned buzz and swirling feedback, before finally fading out, truly haunting and harrowing. So great!
As mentioned above, gorgeous packaging, a printed vellum outer sleeve over a screen printed inner sleeve, the 3"cd-r affixed to the inside.
MPEG Stream: "Euolgy I"
MPEG Stream: "Euolgy II"

BIRD SHOW Lightning Show (Kranky) cd 14.98

BIRD TRAPS Don't Be So Reckless (Black Cross Recordings) cd-r 9.98
A copy of this just showed up in the mail one day, all the way from Australia, a long time ago, but then somehow disappeared, lost we can only assume, amidst all of the stuff that is continually piling up here at aQ. Eventually, after some back and forth with the band we managed to secure another copy, and WOW are we glad we did. We were expecting something heavy and dark, not sure if it's the name that maybe had us confusing them with the Bird Blobs (bad ass Aussie garage punks) or the fact that they were pals with the Grey Daturas, either way, this is anything but dark and heavy, instead, Bird Traps traffic in something much more ethereal and ephemeral, slow shimmering soundscapes, cinematic and warm, lush and emotional, long slowly unfurling melancholic melodies, sun dappled and soft focus, dreamlike abstract chamber music of sorts reminding us of William Basinski, the Caretaker, Rachel's, Klimek, Max Richter, Tim Hecker, Belong, but unlike many of those sound sculptors, the music of Bird Traps is not distorted, or decayed, not warped or blown out, but IS hushed and delicate, mysterious and gauzy, a softly spun series of mini epics, long tones stretched out over hazy expanses of minimal whir, of blurred minimal melody, the songs developing gradually, soft swells giving way to gentle washes of crystalline sound, completely mesmerizing, able to envelop the listener in a velvet cocoon of sonic tranquility, but infused with just enough pathos and emotion, to make the sounds compelling, evocative, intimate and intense. A soundtrack to a slowly shifting, nearly static sepia toned film of the sky melting into the horizon, the stars fading into the cloak of night, this world slipping into the next...
MPEG Stream: "Floorboards"
MPEG Stream: "Don't Be So Reckless"

BIRD, ANDREW Armchair Apocrypha (Fat Possum) cd 14.98
We're guessin' that with his latest full length, Andrew Bird's already rapt followers will become even more so... and be joined by a whole bunch of new fans too. If you're already familiar with this unassuming, sensitive singer/songwriter, Armchair Apocrypha needs no introduction. It's a terrific progression from his last album Mysterious Production Of Eggs (2005). On songs like "Armchairs", Bird recalls the soft rock mellowness of '70s bands like Bread or America. On other tunes such as "Cataracts" he's more folksy leaning, bringing to mind contemporaries M. Ward, Will Oldham, or Ron Sexsmith. He closes the album with a haunting instrumental. Charming, pretty and never heavy-handed.
MPEG Stream: "Armchairs"
MPEG Stream: "Cataracts"

BIRD, ANDREW Armchair Apocrypha (Fat Possum) lp 14.98
NOW AVAILABLE ON VINYL!
We're guessin' that with his latest full length, Andrew Bird's already rapt followers will become even more so... and be joined by a whole bunch of new fans too. If you're already familiar with this unassuming, sensitive singer/songwriter, Armchair Apocrypha needs no introduction. It's a terrific progression from his last album Mysterious Production Of Eggs (2005). On songs like "Armchairs", Bird recalls the soft rock mellowness of '70s bands like Bread or America. On other tunes such as "Cataracts" he's more folksy leaning, bringing to mind contemporaries M. Ward, Will Oldham, or Ron Sexsmith. He closes the album with a haunting instrumental. Charming, pretty and never heavy-handed.
MPEG Stream: "Armchairs"
MPEG Stream: "Cataracts"

BIRD, ANDREW Break It Yourself (Mom + Pop) cd 13.98

BIRD, ANDREW Break It Yourself (Mom + Pop) 2lp 13.98

BIRD, ANDREW Noble Beast (Fat Possum) cd 13.98

BIRD, ANDREW The Mysterious Production of Eggs (Righteous Babe) cd 16.98
After enjoying Andrew Bird's latest album we thought we'd do a little backtracking and revisit his last album, 2005's The Mysterious Production Of Eggs which was released on Ani DiFranco's label Righteous Babe. Although he's been makin' some fine music since 1996, it was this album that really charmed lush pop loving ears far and wide. If you looked up "a distant, less eccentric, yet equally exceptional singer/songwriter cousin of Howe Gelb and M. Ward" in the dictionary, you just might find this gent. Polished, dark, elegant and earthy pop goodness for fans of the abovementioned fellows as well as Ron Sexsmith, Rufus Wainwright and Jeff Buckley.
MPEG Stream: "Sovay"
MPEG Stream: "Fake Palindromes"

BIRDFLESH Night of the Ultimate Mosh (Razorback) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Totally silly yet utterly killer grind metal from Sweden, featuring somebody from Nasum. The trio of Achmed Abdulex, Moshbastard, and Smattro Ansjovis (guitar, bass, drums respectively) thrash out ditties with titles like "Night Of The Ultimate Mosh", "Coffinfucker" and "Bowelthrasher", with typical grind-gore themes of blood and violence. Yet when you read the lyrics you'll see they're not entirely serious. And they also do songs that are a bit more unusual, like "Catmouth", which goes: "I pick up my cat, hold it in my arms/I take a smell, of its mouth/it doesn't smell good - CATMOUTH!/it doesn't smell bad - CATMOUTH!" What? There's also a song about having crows in your nose. Huh?
Birdflesh also throw in a smattering of violin and clarinet for spice, again not typical of their genre. But on pure grindcore terms they're no slouches either, raging with the best of 'em. Get this and you've got twenty-two mosh-friendly tracks of 100 mph absurdo-grind to enjoy whilst you peruse the lyric sheet for more gems like "Catmouth". Kinda like Agoraphobic Nosebleed or Nasum with the humorous spirit of a Spazztic Blurr.
RealAudio clip: "Coffinfucker"
RealAudio clip: "Night Of The Ultimate Mosh"
RealAudio clip: "Bowelthrasher"
RealAudio clip: "Carmolesting Dead"
RealAudio clip: "Victim Of The Grind"

BIRDFLESH / HATEBEAK Happy Death / The Thing That Should Not Beak (Relapse) 7" 3.50
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Finally! The return of our favorite parrot fronted grind metal outfit, Hatebeak! And as if realizing that a bird squawking along to death metal might be a one trick pony, the band has gone and mixed things up, turning their jokey avian death metal into something way more weird and damaged and in the long run, an even better (and more musically complex) joke.
It's still high concept: Waldo the parrot is lead vocalist for the band Hatebeak, a play on the band Hatebreed we can only assume. This time, the cover is some horrible creature (Cthulhu we presume) with a parrot perched on its shoulder. Titled "The Thing That Should Not Beak" coupled with the track "Hellbent For Feathers" (Metallica and Judas Priest jokes respectively for the metallically dim out there) and the Hatebeak logo is done in the style of the Relapse Records logo... it's all very funny, metal nerd inside jokes, but the thing is, as a band, Hatebeak totally shred!
The two tracks are bookended by what ends up being a parrot prank call, but in between it's raging, complex, super technical grinding death metal. Another one of those bands that had they ditched the whole bird on vocals angle, could probably be huge! And this time it's not just regular old bird squawks and squeaks, Waldo's 'vocals' are bizarre, obviously overdubbed, they go from strange almost talking, to screeches, to weird guttural almost death metal vocals, all tangled up amidst insanely brutal, super stop start grinding metal mayhem. Awesome!
On the B side are Swedish goof grinders Birdflesh, chosen for their monicker as much as their sound we'd assume, but sonically, they are the perfect match, a whole bunch of songs crammed onto their side, fast and furious, technical and brutal, and just a little bit goofy, like their bizarre, costumed band photos on the cover.
Pressed on swirled lime green vinyl and as with most things like this, extremely limited!

BIRDMAN 5 Star Stunna (Limited Edition) (Universal) cd 14.98

BIRDMONSTER No Midnight (self-released) cd 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Following up their bright punchy 3-song self-titled ep debut, Birdmonster deliver a full baker's dozen. With No Midnight, they do their best to keep the college rock fires burning -- meaning lots of crunchy, buzzing guitars and emotive male vocals churned out at a driving pace. Occasionally though they get into a bit more somber, sullen territory ("Balcony" and the title track for instance) than on their last release, but they also bring back a little rootsy rock into numbers such as "The Bar At The Back Of The Basement". Both are used to good effect. Note: one song from the debut ep makes a reappearance here ("All The Holes In The Walls").
MPEG Stream: "Skeleton Suit"
MPEG Stream: "No Midnight"

BIRDMONSTER s/t EP (self-released) cd ep 4.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Here's an all too brief introduction to this terrific new Bay Area band. These four boys churn out three fiery indie rock tunes with loads of energy, angst and passion. Birdmonster's music has frequently been compared to that of Modest Mouse, and we can definitely hear why (particularly in the vocal department), but they're actually far more rootsy and boot-stompin'. Probably pretty great live! Even from just this handful of songs, their finely tuned songcraft is more than apparent. A very promising debut.
MPEG Stream: "All The Holes In The Walls"

BIRDS & BATTERIES I'll Never Sleep Again (self-released) cd 12.98
Birds & Batteries kick off their debut album with a solid cover of Neil Young's "Heart Of Gold". It's a bit of an odd decision, but we guess it serves to illustrate an inspiration jumping off point for this SF band. Similar to that unpredictable Canadian singer/songwriter, B&B main man Mike Sempert has crafted a comfy blend of pop, traditional acoustic folk and country rock that is not without its share of gentle non-traditional twists. He seems to favor the latter a little more so here than on the previous Birds & Batteries cd-r release Nature Vs. Nature which interwove a rootsy singer/songwriter perspective with electronica and post rock elements. It's far more composed and cohesive. Nonetheless he keeps us on our toes, fleshing out and deepening some of the songs' timeless earthy folk atmospheres and melodies with occasional synth keyboard lines and textures. Sempert's songwriting is confident and engaging with lyrics drifting from the daydream-y contemplative to the yearningly melancholic. Highlights include the instrumental "Jungles (Oceans)" as well as "Star Clusters" and "Soft Surveillance".
MPEG Stream: "Jungles (Oceans)"
RealAudio clip: "Soft Surveillance"

BIRDS & BATTERIES Nature Vs. Nature (self-released) cd-r 8.98
Ah folks, proof that you shouldn't judge a book (or cd) by its cover! When Mike Sempert first dropped off a copy of this new cd-r release of his solo project Birds & Batteries its appearance (cover art, title, handmade sleeves, etc) initially struck us as perhaps a Jewelled Antler related or inspired release. Listening to it brought very different impressions. Blending together rootsy Americana, post-rock and electronica, the first song's stuttery programmed rhythms and hypnotic loops of arpeggiated melodies contrast well with Sempert's deep, melancholic vocals and guitar, bass and drums. Winding its way around the proceedings are some slippery stringy sounds that we guess is pedal steel or an e-bowed electric guitar or perhaps a synthesizer. He also enlists his friends to contribute saxophone, clarinet, female vocals (by Ms Heather Masse) and percussion in the form of a box of sugar! A very cool introduction to this recent SF transplant (from the far reaches of the Eastern Seaboard)!
MPEG Stream: "Summersalts"
MPEG Stream: "Goodbye Lullaby"

BIRDS OF AVALON Bazaar Bazaar (Volcom) cd 14.98
Birds of Avalon, the name makes us think of some sort of jazz fusion band, or maybe a RenFaire folk outfit, don't it? Nope, neither is the case. So, whatta we got here? Well friends, put pure and simple, we've got some real deal, real catchy CLASSIC rock done really really well, featuring the married (!) guitar duo of Cheetie Kumar and Paul Siler, both formerly of AC/DCish R&B rockers the Cherry Valence from Raleigh, North Carolina. This new band of theirs is equally retro and even more proggily awesome than their old one. It's '70s style, yeah, in the vein of Led Zep, Cheap Trick, Thin Lizzy and Southern stuff like the Allman Brothers. Should therefore also appeal to fans of current acts like Drunk Horse and Queens Of The Stone Age -- and, with the twin guitar harmonies that shine strong throughout this 11-tracker, moments could even be mistaken for the dual guitar heroics of Slough Feg. Though, you wouldn't call 'em metal. Meanwhile, the singer dude's vocals are expressive and melodic, he's possessed of soaring higher register pipes that will remind you at times of Robert Plant -- or even a non-ironic, less over-the-top version of that guy from The Darkness.
Thus armed, their songs range from full on riff rockin' heaviness to spacey, keyboard adorned psych -- always with those glorious guitar harmonies, and a more than competent pop component. A track like "Superpower" is typical of their energetic, guitar-driven '70ish verve, while we also dig on the mellower, moodier numbers like "Turn Gold" and "Instant Coma" that remind us of a heavy lidded Sabbath, a la "Planet Caravan".
More pop-minded fans of The Fucking Champs (pals of these guys by the way, as the Champs, and Drunk Horse too, always used to play shows with the Cherry Valence) who love it when the usually-instrumental Champs do one of their all-too rare vocal numbers, ought to really dig Birds Of Avalon. Oh, and they bring it live -- we've seen 'em and if they come through on tour, wherever you are, check 'em out. Our prediction: this debut will someday be considered a classic of retro-classic rock!
MPEG Stream: "Horse Called Dust"
MPEG Stream: "Superpower"

BIRDS OF AVALON Outer Upper Inner E.P. (Volcom) cd ep 7.98
This North Carolina band's debut last year, Bazaar Bazaar, we hailed as a brand new classic of, uh, classic rock. Super '70s yet super fresh too, with their kick ass combo of hard rock and power pop, fueled by killer twin guitar harmonies and fronted by a lead singer with the looks and the lungs of rock gods of daze past. Yep, if anyone's still making truly classic rock, these guys (and gal) are. They're on tour opening for the Raconteurs as we write this, a perfect match though we wouldn't be surprised if the Birds blow the headliners off the stage every night...
So, to tide us over 'til they've got a new full length, here's an ep, six new tracks, both badass and breezy, Birds Of Avalon always making it look easy... If anything, the blissful pop quota has been upped, with "Hazy 98" in particular sounding pretty darn Beatlesy. Elsewhere, they let the guitars lay it on thick and heavy, with "The Reeds" perhaps being the proggiest bit of asskickery (or vice versa) on this sweet lil' disc.
So again, we say check this out to anyone looking for a unique, modern day mix of (hints of) Cheap Trick, Led Zep, Big Star, Thin Lizzy, Southern rock, Rainbow, Raspberries, Nuggetsy garage psych, and other goodness... like maybe if somehow Drunk Horse and The Makes Nice were melded into one band, bathed in sunshine???
MPEG Stream: "Measure Of The Same"
MPEG Stream: "Earthbound"

BIRDS OF AVALON s/t (Bladen Country) cd 14.98

BIRDS OF AVALON Uncanny Valley (Volcom Entertainment) cd 14.98
It's only their 2nd full-length release and already Raleigh NC's Birds Of Avalon has become one of those bands that seems just so classic and capable that we find it hard to say anything other than that this is self evidently cool, please check it out if you like music! They're not easily pigeonholed you see. Early on when we heard their debut we could readily compare 'em to Thin Lizzy and Cheap Trick and the Allmans, but this album simply sounds like Birds Of Avalon. They're not as retro as before, or at least have incorporated an even wider range of influences, from '60s psychpop to '90s altrock... From track to track, we couldn't predict what was coming up next, so in some ways this the Birds Of Avalon at their experimental, eclectic, and warmly weird. That we've heard thus far anyway. There's plenty of melodic indie rock jangle goin' on, really pretty songs with mellow vocals, even a track ("Dadcage") that sounds like Frippertronics, all ambient guitar and gentle electronic gurgle. There's certainly some more rockin' stuff as well, but even that's got a sheen of laidback blissfulness to it. And power pop is still part of the Birds equation, but tripped out, with buzzing wooshing synths and stuff along with the (occasionally heavy, distorted) guitars.
Though we just said it's harder now to compare 'em to other bands, we like to try and do that anyway in our reviews, so at least will say that this is "recommended for fans of" these bands, and others: Swedish AQ faves Elope, Queens Of The Stone Age, The Cars, The Breeders, Sloan, 31Knots, and (thus) even early '70s Yes... plus all the others that Birds at one time or another has reminded us of.
A very satisfying listen. A bit different than before, but definitely like we said classic Birds Of Avalon no matter what. Experimenting, perhaps, but they know what they're doing.
MPEG Stream: "Side Two"
MPEG Stream: "Your Downtime Is Up"
MPEG Stream: "Student Teaching"

BIRDS OF AVALON Uncanny Valley (Volcom) lp 13.98
It's only their 2nd full-length release and already Raleigh NC's Birds Of Avalon has become one of those bands that seems just so classic and capable that we find it hard to say anything other than that this is self evidently cool, please check it out if you like music! They're not easily pigeonholed you see. Early on when we heard their debut we could readily compare 'em to Thin Lizzy and Cheap Trick and the Allmans, but this album simply sounds like Birds Of Avalon. They're not as retro as before, or at least have incorporated an even wider range of influences, from '60s psychpop to '90s altrock... From track to track, we couldn't predict what was coming up next, so in some ways this the Birds Of Avalon at their experimental, eclectic, and warmly weird. That we've heard thus far anyway. There's plenty of melodic indie rock jangle goin' on, really pretty songs with mellow vocals, even a track ("Dadcage") that sounds like Frippertronics, all ambient guitar and gentle electronic gurgle. There's certainly some more rockin' stuff as well, but even that's got a sheen of laidback blissfulness to it. And power pop is still part of the Birds equation, but tripped out, with buzzing wooshing synths and stuff along with the (occasionally heavy, distorted) guitars.
Though we just said it's harder now to compare 'em to other bands, we like to try and do that anyway in our reviews, so at least will say that this is "recommended for fans of" these bands, and others: Swedish AQ faves Elope, Queens Of The Stone Age, The Cars, The Breeders, Sloan, 31Knots, and (thus) even early '70s Yes... plus all the others that Birds at one time or another has reminded us of.
A very satisfying listen. A bit different than before, but definitely like we said classic Birds Of Avalon no matter what. Experimenting, perhaps, but they know what they're doing.
MPEG Stream: "Side Two"
MPEG Stream: "Your Downtime Is Up"
MPEG Stream: "Student Teaching"

BIRDS OF DECAY / DREAMCATCHER split (Not Not Fun) 7" 6.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

BIRDS OF JAPAN (OISEAUX DU JAPON) / JAPANESE SOUNDSCAPES (OLIVIER PROU) (CEBA) cd 22.00

BIRDS OF MAYA Ready To Howl (Agitated) cd 14.98
On a recent list, we reviewed the debut lp from Spacin', and over the last year or two, we raved endlessly about a band called Purling Hiss, even making on of those records our Record Of The Week. So what do those bands have in common? Well, they're both one man bands, and both of those man's play in THIS band as their 'day job'. In the Spacin' review we mentioned really needing to check out Birds Of Maya, and then BAM, this long out of print lp gets reissued on cd, and holy shit, how did we miss out on these guys. Forget all the weird psychedelic poppiness and classic rockisms of Purling Hiss and Spacin', Birds Of Maya is all sludgey crusty blown out low fidelity swaggery psychedelic space rock blooooz, equal parts Stooges, Groundhogs, Hawkwind, all of that stuff, but somehow, these guys make it sound even more mean and dirty and dangerous, locking into looped sounding churning riffage, wreathing their guitars in flanger and wah wah, the drum pounding away, but buried in the mix, the vocals yowled and yelped, but also buried in the mix.
The title track here is basically, a single riff, and single lyric repeated mantra like, the guitars chugging away, the drums a murky pounding pulse, super tribal and trancey, the sort of single riff psych rock mesmer that could easily have stretched out for another twenty minutes, but three is more than enough to get you totally mesmerized.
Then comes the twenty minute "Porch Dude" which definitely had us thinking of Liquor Ball or Monoshock, but a bit more bluesy, and a bit less damaged, but only a bit, the sound blown out and heavy as fuck, and then something weird happens at about three minutes in, the sound begins to mutate, and get all murky and muddy, almost as if the microphone was being lowered into water, the sound woozy and warped, and muted, which is how it remains for the remainder of the track, the band unfurling some of THEE most awesome shredding psych blues we've heard in ages. The 22 minute "Heavy On Sunday" offers up more of the same, but WAY more slowed down and swaggery, the sound like Les Rallizes Denudes, but the music full on seventies blues rock, some serious bar room boogie, but oozing with crumbling distortion, and once again plenty of shred, and like the song before it, with about seven minutes left, the song transforms again, and becomes a murky more lo-fi wild psych blowout, at which point we figure these guys just sort of cram recordings together to make these epics, but it works, and the two parts definitely fit, and the resulting weirdness only makes it that much more warped and psychedelic.
The cd reissue tacks on two bonus tracks, tucked away after about 90+ empty tracks, both of which find the band joined by a harmonica player for some serious psychedelic blooze, although the second bonus track starts off with a long stretch of weird buzzing lo-fi drones, before it explodes into one final burst of psych blues pound.
MPEG Stream: "Ready To Howl"
MPEG Stream: "Porch Dude"

BIRDS OF MAYA Vol. 1 (Holy Mountain) lp 14.98

BIRDS OF PREY Weight Of The Wound (Relapse) cd 14.98
Old school death metal, featuring members of Alabama Thunderpussy, Baroness and of course drum god Dave Witte... lotsa raghhh raaghh arghh growlin' vocals and oh so clever song titles, like "The Old Lady Rots (But The Checks Keep Coming)" and others we won't mention 'cause they're so terrible.

BIRDS, THE Birds Birds Birds In The World (Important) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Many folks were disappointed when Cotton Casino decided to drop out of the Acid Mothers Temple. And it wasn't just lecherous psych rock nerds who would no longer be able to ogle the tiny chain smoking, perpetually scowling waif, stationed stoically behind her synthesizers. No, she also happened to contribute some of AMT's most appealing elements with her burbling blooping bleeping space rock synths and her angelic ethereal otherworldly vocals. This is only her second proper, non cd-r release, post AMT, and her first release as Birds, with her musical partner Per Gisele Galaen who had previously played in the groups Sloburn and Del. And damn if this isn't the lovliest AMT related record we've yet heard. As one might imagine, the focus here is Cotton Casino's voice, at once totally delicate and tentative, but at the same time dreamy and haunting. However, it's the surrounding sounds that really make this record special. The record opens acapella, with Casino's quavering vocals sounding like a timid girlish singer in some sort of creepy opera, which only gets creepier once the music comes in, hauntingly strummed guitars that blur into a shimmering minor key backdrop, while tiny electrical impulses whoosh to and fro in the background. After that the record drifts like an unmoored ship, down a dark stream through a dark and ominous forest, the sounds throughout moody and melancholy, with slow motion strings swooping in morose minor key arcs, Casino gurgling like a baby, her bandmate Galaen singing in a barely audible deadpan over swirls of space-y sound effects, the sounds of running water, delicate melodies playing on a heavily reverbed piano far in the distance, the buzz of steel strings ringing out like an electric sitar, dizzying synth melodies careening from speaker to speaker interrupted by wild squalls of full on ultra distorted Japanoise guitar skree, gorgeous folky acoustic guitars beneath Casino's hypnotic sing song vocals, extended stretches of warm droning rumbles, playful Moog melodies and more of that Casino bloopy space synth, sounding almost like Perrey And Kingsley, and finally the whole record finishes off with a six minute blast of full on wall of guitar meltdown, noisy and punishing, but at the same time completely hypnotic, like getting buried in warm wet sound, feeling it fill your ears and your eyes and your mouth, so all you can see or hear or taste is GUITAR, roiling and swirling and pulsing, slowly fading and drifting into space, leaving only a battered old piano, playing a simple melody, accompanied by Casino's barely there angelic purr.
Gorgeously packaged with original Pete Fowler artwork (Andee sports several Fowler tattoos in fact!), an image of a pink smoke breathing, wooden helmeted, long stripey armed, black bearded demon, surrounded by birds and squirrels and hairy horses, all rendered in blurred out 3-D on one of those cool three dimensional stereo lenticular cards. Wow!
MPEG Stream: "Green To Me"
MPEG Stream: "Beethoven's Women"

BIRDTREE, THE Orchards and Caravans (Last Visible Dog) cd 11.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The Birdtree is multi-instrumentalist Glenn Donaldson, whom you may know as one of the driving forces of Thuja/Blithe Sons/Franciscan Hobbies/Skygreen Leopards/The Knit Separates and myriad other manifestions of the magical, mystical Jewelled Antler "collective", those psychedelic/folk/drone/experimental/improvised San Franciscian sound lovers who keep bringing us cd-rs and sometimes real cds of their wondrous musical projects. This cd in fact was once a cd-r on the Jewelled Antler label (reviewed back on list #135), but at last now it's a *real* cd courtesy of the Last Visible Dog imprint, adorned with even more of the same stunning collage artwork as before. We sold a bunch of the original limited version, and hope to do as well with this, since many folks didn't get copies the first time around, and as we said then, this stuff is so good it needs to be heard! Donaldson's Birdtree features his expressive guitar melodies in pursuit of a pensive and melancholic atmosphere. Occasionally accompanied by fellow Mirza / Thuja member Steven R. Smith, Donaldson has created a mysterious, semi-improvised set of songs incorporating field recordings, indeterminant drones, majestic pastoral psychedelia with repetitive organ lines, bowed oud, bells, harmonium, spectral guitar riffs, and, crucially, Donaldson's distant, wistful vocals. The Birdtree is simply a gorgeous, haunting record, similar in ways to Village of Savoonga, Graeme Jefferies, Greg Weeks, and even some of the Harvester / Parson Sound recordings. And Richard Youngs, especially Richard Youngs in his folky, finger-picking, extended vocal bliss mode. It's really beautiful. While there was something nice and personal about the handmade aspect of the original cd-r, we're really glad it's back in print as a proper cd. One of our favorites from the Jewelled Antler stable, and that's saying a lot! Recommended!
RealAudio clip: "Red Midnight Raven"
RealAudio clip: "Animals Of The Summit"
RealAudio clip: "Everyone Of Us A New Leaf"
RealAudio clip: "Raven Returns / The Uppermost Forest"

BIRGE, JEAN-JACQUES / FRANCIS GORGE / SHIRAC Defense De (MIO Records) cd + dvd 30.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
How 'bout that, we just noticed that this reissue of a rare, super-obscure 1975 improv jazz rock record got a 'review' in one of the latest issues of Vice magazine, of all places! But that kinda makes sense actually, since nudity, drugs, n' sex were seemingly all important elements of Birge/Gorge/Shirac's avant-hippy milieu. That is, judging by the movie on the DVD disc that comes in this deluxe two-disc package, which also features plenty of Vice-worthy fashion do's and don'ts from the freaky French scene back in the mid-seventies! The film in question, La Nuit Du Phoque, is an experimental student opus shot in 1974 by Jean-Jacques Birge and Bernard Mollerat. It's a surreal piece of work that's of course quite dated but certainly amusing and interesting. Political, humorous, psychedelic and very avant garde. Meanwhile Birge and two other cohorts were making crazy music as heard both on the soundtrack of La Nuit Du Phoque and the Defense De album, a truly cult ducument of abstract electronic jazz-prog-psych, one that made it onto the infamous Nurse With Wound list. It was recorded at a friend's dad's apartment who happened to be a free jazz producer and thus kept an 8-track tape recorder and a variety of interesting instruments from pipe organ (!) to cello to xylophone at home. Shiroc was the drummer, Birge played synth, sax, tapes, and more, and Gorge was on guitar, bass, the cello, etc. A friend supplied additional sax and another some electric piano. Sundry other electronics, percussion, ethnic instruments also made into the mix. A big sprawling free-for all, but not an unstructured mess. A lot of this is quite restrained and beautiful, droning and spacious. Apparently, these guys were in high school when they started doing stuff like this! Later they went on to found Un Drame Musical Instantane, an experimental music group still active today. The cd with Defense De contains not only the original LP but also four previously unissued tracks, while the DVD disc not only features the 41-minute La Nuit Du Phoque film but SIX MORE HOURS of previously unreleased Birge/Gorge/Shriac audio! And that's some of the best stuff on here. Wow.
MPEG Stream: "Le Reveil"
MPEG Stream: "Pourrait Etre Brutal"

BIRIGWA s/t (Porter Records) cd 16.98
Originally released in 1972, this album by the Uganda born Birigwa is one of the most unique and hard to categorize albums of afro-folk-jazz-blues-psych we've ever heard. Birigwa came to America to study at the New England Conservatory in the early '70s when he made this beautiful record, which falls somewhere between Tropicalia, pastoral South American psych, spiritual soul-jazz and eclectic blues, accented by his super versatile vocals which swing freely from deep to falsetto, playful to wonderfully weird (check out the last track!) to downright pretty. Backing Birigwa was a really strong band, his sound bolstered by the rich bass lines of Stark Reality member Phil Morrison and the perfect flute touches of Stan Strickland. Think of Caetano Veloso, Jorge Ben, Devendra Banhart or Milton Nascimento, with one foot in Africa, the other dipping its toes in sonic waters flowing from all sorts of great and unexpected places.
MPEG Stream: "Uganda"
MPEG Stream: "Obugumba"

BIRKIN , JANE & SERGE GAINSBOURG s/t (Je T'Aime....Moi Non Plus) (Light In The Attic) cd 14.98
We'd be hard pressed to think of a more romantically beautiful and sexually provocative song, that doesn't fall prey to cloying sentiment or cheap thrills, than Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin's "Je T'Aime...Moi Non Plus". But apparently the Pope at the time didn't agree and universally condemned the song which only garnered more international attention for the song and the couple who sang it. When will the Catholic Church ever learn?
This 1969 eponymous record is another classic reissue in the Gainsbourg catalog from Light In The Attic which also features the amazing songs "69 Annee Erotique" and "Jane B.", a french pop re-working of Chopin's Prelude No.4 in E minor. Sensual, playfully lurid, groovy, and albeit a bit corny at times (especially where they timely delve into pre-war popular song nostalgia), it's definitely a document of a controversial couple in love in full view of the world, and they're playing up the show with as much verve and joie de vivre as they can muster, which for the coolest of cool couples is one hell of a lot! Both the cd and the lp include liner notes with lyrics in French and English, original drawings and a telling interview about the recording with Jane Birkin herself! The 180 gram lp comes with a bonus 7" and a never before seen Serge and Jane comic drawn by David Lasky.
MPEG Stream: "Je T'Aime....Moi Non Plus"
MPEG Stream: "69 AnnŽe ƒrotique"
MPEG Stream: "Jane B"

BIRKIN , JANE & SERGE GAINSBOURG s/t (Je T'Aime....Moi Non Plus) (Light In The Attic) lp 21.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
We'd be hard pressed to think of a more romantically beautiful and sexually provocative song, that doesn't fall prey to cloying sentiment or cheap thrills, than Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin's "Je T'Aime...Moi Non Plus". But apparently the Pope at the time didn't agree and universally condemned the song which only garnered more international attention for the song and the couple who sang it. When will the Catholic Church ever learn?
This 1969 eponymous record is another classic reissue in the Gainsbourg catalog from Light In The Attic which also features the amazing songs "69 Annee Erotique" and "Jane B.", a french pop re-working of Chopin's Prelude No.4 in E minor. Sensual, playfully lurid, groovy, and albeit a bit corny at times (especially where they timely delve into pre-war popular song nostalgia), it's definitely a document of a controversial couple in love in full view of the world, and they're playing up the show with as much verve and joie de vivre as they can muster, which for the coolest of cool couples is one hell of a lot! Both the cd and the lp include liner notes with lyrics in French and English, original drawings and a telling interview about the recording with Jane Birkin herself! The 180 gram lp comes with a bonus 7" and a never before seen Serge and Jane comic drawn by David Lasky.
MPEG Stream: "Je T'Aime....Moi Non Plus"
MPEG Stream: "69 AnnŽe ƒrotique"
MPEG Stream: "Jane B"

BIRKIN, JANE Di Doo Dah (Light In The Attic) cd 16.98
Also here now on cd!
After the amazing reissue of the 1969 Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg album, Light In The Attic gives us this reissue of Jane Birkin's proper solo debut from 1973, Di Doo Dah. Of course, Serge and his producer in crime, Jean-Claude Vannier make their presence felt, the latter especially in the arrangements that begin soft and low-key, but build with orchestral nuance and grace. Di Doo Dah has less of the mod-pop feel of the earlier record with Serge and is more lush and intimate, Birkin's non-native french singing is amazingly natural and fluid. Like Francoise Hardy's great La Question album we reviewed awhile back, Di Doo Dah is that perfect transitional record from youthful hipness to something more true and deeper lasting.
MPEG Stream: "Di Doo Dah"
MPEG Stream: "C'Est La Vie Qui Veut ‚a"
MPEG Stream: "La Decadance (bonus)"

BIRKIN, JANE Di Doo Dah (Light In The Attic) 2lp 22.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
After the amazing reissue of the 1969 Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg album, Light In The Attic gives us this reissue of Jane Birkin's proper solo debut from 1973, Di Doo Dah. Of course, Serge and his producer in crime, Jean-Claude Vannier make their presence felt, the latter especially in the arrangements that begin soft and low-key, but build with orchestral nuance and grace. Di Doo Dah has less of the mod-pop feel of the earlier record with Serge and is more lush and intimate, Birkin's non-native French singing is amazingly natural and fluid. Like Francoise Hardy's great La Question album we reviewed awhile back, Di Doo Dah is that perfect transitional record from youthful hipness to something more true and deeper lasting.
MPEG Stream: "Di Doo Dah"
MPEG Stream: "C'Est La Vie Qui Veut Ca"

BIRKIN, JANE & SERGE GAINSBOURG s/t (Philips) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Reissue of the classic and highly controversial (at the time) record by Serge Gainsbourg and his wife, Jane Birkin. This CD contains some of Gainsbourg's (arguably) best works, from the sexually charged "Je T'aime Moi Non Plus" and "69 Annee Erotique" to playful classics ("Les Sucettes", "Elisa") to the beautifully orchestrated ("L'anamour", "Manon" & "Sous le Soleil Exactement"). Definitely a gem in the vast ouvre of Serge Gainsbourg!

BIRMINGHAM The Lucy Parr 7 (Hot Air) 7" 8.98
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Nic Birmingham (one half of Dummy Run, whose other member may very well be in Stock, Hausen & Walkman) presents a whole lot of maniacal drill & bass that pushes much more drill than bass (it's all on the high-end register, folks) with whip snap hard disc scratching over digitally crispy lego beats.

BIRTH CONTROL s/t (Metronome/Repertoire) cd 16.98
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BIRTH REFUSAL / CASSIS CORNUTA split (Ultra Eczema) lp 25.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Drone damage industrial synth noise collaboration between Belgian avant noisemaker Cassis Cornuta and our old pals Olson and Connelly of Wolf Eyes, who together, whip up a gloriously noisy (and surprisingly listenable) slab of buzz and hiss and drone and drift. Wrapped in some of the most stunning packaging EVER, like most of the Ultra Eczema stuff. A massive fold out thick paper sleeve, the outside adorned with weird veiny, brainy skull-like monster heads, white on a greyish brown background, super creepy and icky, the inside, a full color landscape with a orange rock monster attacking a pregnant lady with a knife in the middle of a foresty swamp, while all around lurk goopy green melty creatures, with the tops of their heads removed and their bright orange brains leaking out. Eeeuw. And as if that weren't enough, this one sided disc, features an amazing etching on the the b-side, another creature, all bulging eyes and dripping brains.
So what's it sound like? A dense staticky synth rumble beneath clouds of whirring electronic glitch, laid atop massive slow moving slabs of low end, rife with lots of almost-melodies, peals of feedback and high pitched sinewave like tones. Everything wrapped in thick swirls of distortion and and amp damage crumble, occasionally interrupted by stretches of near ambient grind, blown out spaced out FX and creaking industrial crunch and clatter.
It's definitely noisy, and harsh at times, this basically is a 'noise' record after all, but it's surprisingly listenable, and downright pretty at times, droney and drifty as often as it is abrasive or brutal. Nice.
LIMITED TO 500 COPIES!!!

BIRTHDAY PARTY Bad Seed EP / Mutiny Sessions (Buddha / 2.13.61) 11.98

BIRTHDAY PARTY Junk Yard (Buddha) cd 11.98