CURSE OF THE GOLDEN VAMPIRE Mass Destruction (Ipecac) cd 17.98
Ipecac unleashes the latest chapter in the saga of the Curse Of The Golden Vampire -- otherwise known as Alec Empire and Techno Animal (Justin Broadrick and Kevin Martin). The last CotGV was a crushing super distorted dub/breakbeat/jungle free for all that we all pretty much dug. The new one is too, sort of. It's a much sloppier and noisier affair, which could be a good thing I suppose. But for me, it's lacking the huge beats that made the first one so appealing. Well, they're still there, but they're buried under so much nosie and skree and shkkkkgghhhhhhh that the whole thing sometimes veers closer to Japanoise territory than their DHR lineage would have you expecting. So, if you need a noise fix, and like your noise with some beats, this may be just what you need.
MPEG Stream: "One"
MPEG Stream: "Two"
MPEG Stream: "Three"

CURSE OV DIALECT Wooden Tongues (Mush) cd 13.98
Never thought of Australia as a hot bed for hip hop, did ya? Us neither. But with rad artists like Macromantics and Curse Ov Dialect throwin' down the goods, things may be taking a turn. Mind you, Curse Ov Dialect aren't a new group, they've been releasing music overseas for years. These four MCs and one DJ of Indian, Macedonian, Maltese, Maori and Pakistani descent dish out their Wooden Tongues resplendent with world beat influences drawing from their respective roots and beyond, and world wise lyrics laden with potent yet not didactic social and political messages. A vigorous and vibrant sophomore album.
MPEG Stream: "Renegades"
MPEG Stream: "Word Up Forever"

CURSE, CHARLES Rain In Skull (Olde English Spelling Bee) lp 23.00

CURSED II (Goodfellow Records) cd 14.98

CURSILLISTAS Les Biches (Time-Lag) cd 13.98
We've been hearing about these guys for a while now, often mentioned in the same breath as other hyped underground groups like Natural Snow Buildings, King Kong Ding Dong, Barn Owl, etc. But this is the first time we've actually heard them, and we have to say it does live up to the hype. Although in many ways it reminds us way more of the Finnish forest folk(s), sort of abstract, meandery, a little clattery, spacious and skeletal, haunting and otherworldly. Another record it reminds us of a little bit is Smog's Julius Caesar, although this is way more abstract and deconstructed, but it has the same sort of barebones lo-fi songsmithery. The guitars creak and groan, the vocals are moaned and crooned, effects swirl, flutes flutter, all spread out in a slow shifting, dreamily drifting psych folk, that should definitely appeal to fans of Six Organs, Avarus, Steven R Smith and the like. But Cursillistas can be dark and noisy too, some of the songs building to sinister climaxes, plenty of careening FX, some WAY up in the mix, while others continue on lilting gently, vocals always distorted, but they still creak and crack with emotion, hand drums crank out tribal rhythms, bells chime, everything hazy and washed out and dreamy. A few tracks get all back porchy and twangy, reminding us of Red Red Meat or Souled American, while others get all droned out and effects drenched, twisting tangled stretches of overlapping tones, tweaked effects, garbled vox, and blurred melodies.
Beautiful hand screened sleeves, with printed vellum inserts. NICE.
MPEG Stream: "The Snake And The Motor"
MPEG Stream: "Toy Tone Yr. Death"
MPEG Stream: "Crooked Isle"

CURSIVE Art Is Hard (Saddle Creek) cd ep 4.98
Still holding down the emo wing of the Saddle Creek label is Cursive, and here is their new two song ep. Their inclusion of strings and horns with their basic punk rock assembly of guitar, bass and drums adds a wonderful dimension to Cursive. We caught a glimpse of this expanded instrumentation on their last release which was a split cd with Japan's Eastern Youth. It really works well! Increasing the dramatics of their already heavily emotive and dynamic music. An exciting peek at what's to come on their new full length due out soon.
RealAudio clip: "Art Is Hard"

CURSIVE Burst and Bloom (Saddle Creek) cd ep 11.98
It simply doesn't get much more emo than this. Capital E! M! O!

CURSIVE Happy Hollow (Saddle Creek) cd 13.98
Cursive come tearing out of the gate with the tumultuous opening number "Opening The Hymnal / Babies". They follow it with the vibrant, fiery "Dorothy At Forty", and we thought to ourselves, "Geez, this is great! If they keep going the way they're going, holy shit, this is gonna be a doozy!" And they do and it is! They've always crafted their music with more drama and dynamics than most of their emo contemporaries, but while they've certainly retained their very emo core, this is Cursive at perhaps their most varied and their least aggressive (tho' there's still an occasional gritty moment here and there). Happy Hollow is both more angular'n'skronky (yes, there are saxophones and trumpets!) and more Brit-poppy than previous Cursive releases. So it's not surprising that as a result they kinda end up sounding less like the Cursive of old, drawing comparisons to a number of other faves of AQ with whom you're probably already familiar. For instance, "So-So Gigolo" drives with a very Queens Of The Stone Age-y propulsion. "Bad Science" sounds like a latter day Cure song. The abovementioned second song and "Rise Up! Rise Up!" bring to mind the feverishness of Doug Martsch's pre-Built To Spill band Treepeople. Pretty darn great!
MPEG Stream: "Dorothy At Forty"
MPEG Stream: "cursivesosogigolo.mp3"

CURSIVE The Difference Between Houses And Homes: Lost Songs And Loose Ends 1995-2001 (Saddle Creek) cd 13.98
Hmmm, maybe the difference between houses and homes is that someone cares enough to do the housekeeping... which is what emo-punk band Cursive have done with six years worth of their recorded output. Out of print singles? Previously unreleased tracks? You bet! Cursive and their label Saddle Creek want you to have them all, right now on this Cursive collection! The cd starts and ends with their two unavailable-until-now songs "Dispenser" and "I Thought There'd Be More Than This". Sandwiched in between are ten tunes drawn from four of their 7"s -- The Disruption (1996), Sucker & Dry (1997), The Icebreaker (1998), and Makoto Split Series (2001).
All in all, the selections serve as a solid overview of the band's evolution from precarious abrasive angst boys to slightly more reined-in moody lads. Includes a 24 page booklet in which you'll find a story written by Tim Kasher and illustrated by Yuriko Yoshino (of Cursive pals Japanese punk rock band Eastern Youth).
MPEG Stream: "Dispenser"
MPEG Stream: "I Thought There'd Be More Than This"

CURSIVE The Recluse (Saddle Creek) cd ep 5.98
In just three songs, this ep shows off a few different shades of Cursive. You may recall the title track from their last album 2003's The Ugly Organ -- very reminiscent of Built To Spill and Modest Mouse. The second song "Once" is angst filled and churning and the third "Adapt" is a slow swooning number with handwringing strings.
MPEG Stream: "Once"

CURSIVE The Ugly Organ (Saddle Creek) cd 13.98
The title is a definite sign of what to expect from Cursive's new album. There's organs a-plenty, but whether they're specifically "ugly" is up for debate. There's also angstful emo a-plenty too as only Cursive can do. Particularly with their most recent releases, they've been adding more and more dimensions to the straight-up emo punk rock guitar sound. Andee loved the Art Is Hard ep that preceded The Ugly Organ, and this full length sure doesn't disappoint either. Once again, the big Cursive picture has been fleshed out with some cello, layers of vocals and the aforementioned organs. It's quite wonderful and dramatic, really - at once, emotionally charged, well composed, quirkily detailed and yes, very rocking too.
RealAudio clip: "The Recluse"

CURSIVE / EASTERN YOUTH 8 Teeth To Eat You (Better Looking) cd 11.98
An international punk rock mini-fest, this split release features four tunes each from Japanese trio Eastern Youth and Omaha, NE emo-punk boys Cursive. Consider this your preparation for their imminent U.S. tour together. Eastern Youth fares best when vocalist Hisashi Yoshino totally cuts loose - which in my opinion, he doesn't do hardly enough on these songs - 'cause when he's singing in a calmer fashion the songs tend to drag and stumble (although at times it sort of reminded me of Shudder To Think). I've noticed a prevalent and very distinct sound in the Japanese punk rock recordings I've heard to date (particularly noticeable in the guitar tone). The individual instruments/musicians sound isolated from one another. Clean and somewhat sterile, like the music production on Japanese tv variety shows. Made me think - sizeable budgets but lacking in a unified rockin' energy. Their live rage just fails to come across consistently in the recorded realm. As for Cursive, they've seldom let their fans down, and they're not gonna start now. Tim Kasher's raw, angstful voice is primed and ready as they kick out four new songs of angular punk rock aggression made even more moody by the relatively recent, highly complementary addition of cello to their standard guitar/bass/drums lineup.
RealAudio clip: "Excerpts From Various Notes Strewn Around The Bedroom Of April Connolly Feb. 24, 1997"
RealAudio clip: "Muyohnosuke"
RealAudio clip: "Bura Bura Bushi"

CURSOR MINER Explosive Piece of Mind (Lo Recordings) cd 15.98
This album from Cursor Miner (aka Robert Tubb) is a darn sonic rollercoaster ride. A super fun and eclectic album, it starts out with an ominous 40 second digital roar, then proceeds into a Beck-ish slouchy, loping fashion which mutates into more stuttery electronics and bumpity-bump programmed beats like Hrvatski or Kid 606. All chopped up, chunky and playful with a definite pop heart, it blends together acoustic guitars, rubbery blumps and bleeps, samples and processed vocals. Cool.
RealAudio clip: "Never Been Seen"
RealAudio clip: "U Want To Want"
RealAudio clip: "Battery Powered Joy"

CURTAINS, THE Alphabet Series N (Tomlab) 7" 6.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
In case the title didn't already give it away, this is part of the German label TomLab's special 7" single series dedicated to the alphabet! It all began with Mark Robinson and the letter 'A' back in July 2004. Now it's mid-2006 and they've reached the letter 'N', but don't punish yourself if you've missed a few (if not or all) of 'em thus far. Each edition has only been pressed in a super fleeting run of 500. Geez, you can barely catch a glimpse of them. 'M' by Max Tundra and 'L' by Les Georges Leningrad (which came out in May and March of this year respectively) are already long gone. Sooooo, while it lasts we have 'N' which features two tunes by SF art-popsters The Curtains (aka Deerhoof's Chris Cohen). Snooze and lose...

CURTAINS, THE Calamity (Asthmatic Kitty) cd 14.98
Asthmatic Kitty, the label that brought us a bunch of early Sufjan Stevens releases as well as two dream-folk albums by the Castanets, has released another likemindedly quirky lovely cd by The Curtains starring Mr. Chris Cohen formerly of Deerhoof. Not at all surprisingly, the mildly tweaked elements of his old band definitely make their way into the pastel pop weave of The Curtains, but the overall sound is more straightforward fluttery retro '60s psych-pop with very heavy Beach Boys and Beatles influences. It's all super sweet and wistful with female vocals courtesy of Nedelle Torrisi (also of SF duo Nedelle And Thom). Half-Handed Cloud's John Ringhofer also lends (more than half) a musical hand. Cohen has the kind of irresistible boyish wonder and charm that few possess. It's almost like he exists in a Michel Gondry film, so many wonderful colors, state of the bedroom invention and endless wonder. There's nothing but puffy clouds floating in a bright blue sky when this one's playin'!
MPEG Stream: "Green Water"
MPEG Stream: "Calamity"

CURTAINS, THE Fast Talks (Thin Wrist) lp 10.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
A beautifully rendered document of the early stages of this San Francisco trio. A posthumous release of sorts, considering the radical personnel changes since the recording of "Fast Talks". But alas, we can now enjoy the magic of what once was. Comparisons to Beefheart's Magic Band, The Shaggs or the reserved expansiveness of guitarists like Derek Bailey, Taku Sugimoto or Fred Frith certainly come to mind, though those likenesses are only fragments of the larger landscape. The duelling guitars of Chris Cohen and Trevor Shimizu weave into one another, not colliding or stepping on each others toes, but crafting a web in which the stumbling percussive rolls of drummer Jamie Peterson (ex-Saint Andre) are able to grasp onto. Peterson's unique style recalls the Magic Band's John "Drumbo" French, though with more reservation and a playful discretion. In fact most of the songs on "Fast Talks" are refreshing in their sheer simplicity and sense of discovery. You might be inclined to say "naive" upon first listen, as remnants of "outsider" artists such as The Shaggs can be traced through their arrangements, though these pieces are extremely well conceived, complex and strongly informed by restraint and the spaces in between. Several moments throughout the record even contain qualities which recall another SF avant-rock outfit -- Deerhoof -- whose guitarist John Dieterich, coincidentally, takes production controls here. Vinyl only, and gorgeously packaged as per the Thin Wrist standard of excellence.
RealAudio clip: "22nds"
RealAudio clip: "Athletes In The Stars"
RealAudio clip: "Dim Weeks"
RealAudio clip: "Slippers"

CURTAINS, THE Flybys (Thin Wrist) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Fresh from their split cd and tour with Japanese pop-psych shamblers Maher Shalal Hash Baz, The Curtains release their first full-length cd. On it, this Bay Area trio of synthesizers, guitars and drums make a precarious heap of quirksome dissonance... and it's really no wonder since its members are Chris Cohen, Andrew Maxwell, and Greg Saunier. These gents also make sounds with such groups as Deerhoof, Natural Dreamers and Open City. On Flybys, melodies are introduced and seemingly take root, only to have the notes scatter like a disturbed anthill. A tangles of plucked guitar strings. Woozy synthesized heaves. A tumbling snare drum. The three are joined on a number of tracks by their former Curtains comrades Jaime Peterson (electronics) and Trevor Shimizu (synthesizer and guitar). As the album progresses the tracks seem to teasingly approach a slightly more traditional song structure, but you'll find with The Curtains you're seldom on completely stable ground. 22 tracks in all with the longest one clocking in at 3 minutes and the shortest at sixteen seconds (most are around one to two minutes)!
MPEG Stream: "Partners"
MPEG Stream: "It's The Bunklords"

CURTAINS, THE Flybys (Thin Wrist) lp 12.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Now on vinyl! Fresh from their split cd and tour with Japanese pop-psych shamblers Maher Shalal Hash Baz, The Curtains release their first full-length cd. On it, this Bay Area trio of synthesizers, guitars and drums make a precarious heap of quirksome dissonance... and it's really no wonder since its members are Chris Cohen, Andrew Maxwell, and Greg Saunier. These gents also make sounds with such groups as Deerhoof, Natural Dreamers and Open City. On Flybys, melodies are introduced and seemingly take root, only to have the notes scatter like a disturbed anthill. A tangles of plucked guitar strings. Woozy synthesized heaves. A tumbling snare drum. The three are joined on a number of tracks by their former Curtains comrades Jaime Peterson (electronics) and Trevor Shimizu (synthesizer and guitar). As the album progresses the tracks seem to teasingly approach a slightly more traditional song structure, but you'll find with The Curtains you're seldom on completely stable ground. 22 tracks in all with the longest one clocking in at 3 minutes and the shortest at sixteen seconds (most are around one to two minutes)!
MPEG Stream: "Partners"
MPEG Stream: "It's The Bunklords"

CURTAINS, THE Vehicles of Travel (Frenetic) cd 11.98
Sometimes bedazzled, certainly bemused and maybe befuddled, that's where curious local art-rockers The Curtains keep the listener, one never knowing from track to track where the album is likely to lead. And there's a whole lotta tracks on here, like 23 of 'em! All share the The Curtains charming style of quirky, indie-rock confusion, that can be proggily grandiose one moment, innocent and simple the next. Faux-naive? Beefheart-complex? It's all good. The Curtains make their own rules, and we love 'em for it.
MPEG Stream: "April Galleons"
MPEG Stream: "Medallion Arrangement"

CURTIS, CHARLES Ultra White Violet Light / Sleep (Squealer) 2cd 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Charles Curtis is a classical cellist and avant garde composer and this is a reissue of a super limited double lp released only in Germany last year. Four long tracks that can be played separately, or in different combinations on multiple stereos. Three of the tracks are gorgeous drones built from cellos, electric guitars and sinewaves, while the fourth track is a dreamy hypnotic mini-epic ala Godspeed You Black Emperor; dark rumbling post rock with a monotone disembodied voice rambling throughout. Quite nice.

CURVED BLADE Be Like Death (Hospital Productions) cassette 8.98
Dom Fernow (Ash Pool, Vegas Martyrs, Prurient, Cold Cave) of Hospital Productions insisted that this record from mysterious USBM outfit Curved Blade was totally aQ worthy, and boy was he right. A stumbling damaged chunk of plodding, lumbering outsider death-obsessed doom flecked black metal grimnity.
The guitars are warbly and warped, the drums are loose and chaotic, the keyboards add a twisted droned out vibe, the vocals are barely vocals, more an inhuman moan, the tracks plod along, always seemingly on the verge of total collapse, constantly shifting tempos, giving the record a seriously twisted seasick feel, and when the band do attempt to blast, or even just up the tempo, they sound like they're struggling desperately to keep it together, only making it sound that much more primitive and raw and fucked up.
It's super short, one track split over two sides, but it's everything you could want in some mysterious weirdo black metal record, it's twisted and damaged, repetitive and droney, murky and atmospheric, buzz drenched and grim, and totally and brilliantly bizarre.

CUSACK, PETER Baikal Ice (Spring 2003) (ReR Megacorp) cd 17.98
Are you into Chris Watson's "Weather Report", that "Indian Soundscapes" double disc, "Night Sounds From Bali", and the like? Well field recording fans, here's another one for ya! This disc documents the journey of UK improvising musician Peter Cusack to a remote lake in Siberia, on a mission to record the sounds of ice creaking, cracking, and melting in the springtime. The ice in question covers the surface (up to a meter deep) of one Lake Baikal, which geography and/or trivia buffs will know as being the world's deepest, oldest lake, holding one fifth of the earth's fresh water. On his way to the lake, Cusack puts his recording equipment to good use, bringing us audio verite encounters with the Trans-Siberian Railway, percussion on a broken metal fountain, children playing with a village's loudspeaker system, bird calls, and other interesting sounds. Armchair travellers will delight. And then there's the whole reason for the trip: Lake Baikal's ice breaking up after a frozen winter. A crinkling, tinkling sound, like a sharp-edged rain, drones nicely, with louder, larger cracks and creaks and groanings. Several tracks are devoted to this crystalline rumbling, and it's both mysterious and lovely.
MPEG Stream: "Baikal Ice Flow Split 3"
MPEG Stream: "Port Baikal Weird"

CUSTER, BETH Dona Luz 30 Besos (City of Tribes) cd 13.98
Possibly the most polished and "full" sounding album (of the several we carry) from San Francisco's beloved Beth Custer, the restless innovator who, whether as a solo artist or in her prolific past as part of Club Foot Orchestra and other intrepid musical outfits, is always testing her musical boundaries. On Dona Luz 30 Besos, Custer indulges her love for Cuban music and other Latino influences, including a cover of a Manu Chao song ("Lagrimas de Oro"). She's got a full band and her vocal prowess is lovely.
RealAudio clip: "In the Broken Fields Where I Lie"

CUSTER, BETH In the Broken Fields Where I Lie (cd) cd 13.98
Collected solo work from reeds playin', multi instrumentalist Beth Custer, founding member of Club Foot Orchestra and Eighty Mile Beach, and all around San Francisco institution.

CUSTER, BETH Roam (self-released) cd 11.98

CUSTER, BETH The Shirt I Slept In (BCI) cd 13.98

CUSTER, BETH Vinculum Symphony Live (bc records) cd 13.98
Great San Francisco musician and composer Beth Custer (Club Foot Orchestra, Eighty Mile Beach) assembled these players and instrument builders for the Yerba Buena performance recorded on this disc.

CUSTER, BETH & THE JOE GOODE PERFORMANCE GROUP The Maverick Strain & Other Stories (Beth Custer) cd 13.98
Treasured local composer Beth Custer has self-released another collection of her clarinet-led music. Along with the clarinets Ms Custer also wields the piano and the keyboard sampler, and she sings. The Tin Hat Trio and the Club Foot Quintet (both groups also local gems) make appearances, as do several other folks. This is wide-open music with no attitude and plenty of originality. Silences and single-instrument passages that are evocative as much for what they don't say as for what they do. Gritty noir tangos that wouldn't be out of place in a Jim Jarmusch film. The (very occasional) vocal parts don't do much for me but I'm sure they were entirely appropriate in the context of the dance pieces these tracks were originally composed for: What the Body Knows, Take/Place, Undertaking Harry, and The Maverick Strain, all performed by the Joe Goode Performance Group. Nice.
RealAudio clip: "Hamlet"
RealAudio clip: "Tango"
RealAudio clip: "Tribal Duets"

CUSTER, BETH AND THE LEFT COAST CHAMBER ENSEMBLE Bernal Heights Suite (self-released) cd 9.98
Beth Custer can't be stopped and who'd want her to? She's one of the most prolific and most varied musicians in the Bay Area. You might recall one of her most recent projects was the scoring of the historic silent film A Trip Down Market Street (now on dvd). It's a wonderful treasure! Or how about Clarinet Thing! her clarinet collaboration with Ralph Carney? Or the electronic dance/jazz fusion duo Eighty Mile Beach? Or the inimitable Club Foot Orchestra? She's pretty much done it all, always with a meticulous eye for detail and usually with an unconventional twist.
Bernal Heights Suite finds her performing with The Left Coast Chamber Ensemble, and it's her first chamber music cd. These vocal and string arrangements are lively, colorful and have a definite theatrical feel. For non-SF savvy folks, Bernal Heights is the neighborhood directly south of the Mission District. Custer has lived there for over a decade, and this is her musical tribute to her ol' stompin' grounds. Terrific.
MPEG Stream: "Little Lundy's Lane"
MPEG Stream: "Daikon Radish"

CUSTER, BETH ENSEMBLE Respect As A Religion (Beth Custer) cd 12.98
Wow, we've got not one, but two new releases featuring Ms Beth Custer! Not only do we have her wonderful Clarinet Thing collaboration with Sheldon Brown, Ralph Carney, Ben Goldberg and Peter Josheff, but also this politically charged cd of her latest ensemble work with Carney and Goldberg (this time handling horn duty), the amazingly dextrous keyboardist Graham Connah, and Charming Hostess' Marika Hughes on cello, among others. Custer might be based here in SF but she's a music nomad through and through, covering an astounding expanse of styles from Latin jazz to ambient to country to trip hop and beyond (both as a solo artists and in groups such as the abovementioned Clarinet Thing, Club Foot Orchestra, Eighty Mile Beach, and Trance Mission) on an equally broad array of instruments. She simply can't/won't be pinned down. Respect As A Religion is no exception. It frolicks, grooves, wrestles, and enchants.
MPEG Stream: "Empire Of The United States"
MPEG Stream: "High Sense Of Adventure"

CUSTER, BETH ENSEMBLE / KOTE MIKABERIDZE My Grandmother (self-released) dvd 19.98

CUSTOM DRUMMER Meets DJ Monster (Bad Vugum) 7" 5.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

CUT CHEMIST Sound Of The Police (Stable Sound) cd 17.98
Cut Chemist really needs no introduction, he is a pioneer in the worlds of hip-hop and turntablism, being a part of one of the most refreshing and innovative hip-hop acts ever, Jurassic Five, as well as playing in Ozomatli, collaborating with folks like Madlib and DJ Shadow, and releasing his own solo albums that showcase his awe inspiring turntable skills. With Sound Of The Police, you can tell that he and Madlib are in a similar state of mind as far as really appreciating psychedelic sounds from the past and from all around the globe. Here CC takes amazing sounds from obscure records from South America and Africa as well as some modern tracks influenced by those musical movements, to make a seamless hip-hop spirited mix that is as infectious as it is flawless. What's totally mind blowing about this record is that it was recorded live with Cut Chemist creating the mix using only one turntable, one mixer and a delay pedal. No laptops involved in this creation and it really shows, as you hear the warmth and the crackling vinyl of these groove filled sounds that he pieces together into a distinctly hip-hop mix but while still being totally respectful and so appreciative of the sounds being sampled. Definitely turning into one of our favorite end of summer jams!
MPEG Stream: "I"
MPEG Stream: "II"

CUT CHEMIST Sound Of The Police (Stable Sound) lp 21.00
Cut Chemist really needs no introduction, he is a pioneer in the worlds of hip-hop and turntablism, being a part of one of the most refreshing and innovative hip-hop acts ever, Jurassic Five, as well as playing in Ozomatli, collaborating with folks like Madlib and DJ Shadow, and releasing his own solo albums that showcase his awe inspiring turntable skills. With Sound Of The Police, you can tell that he and Madlib are in a similar state of mind as far as really appreciating psychedelic sounds from the past and from all around the globe. Here CC takes amazing sounds from obscure records from South America and Africa as well as some modern tracks influenced by those musical movements, to make a seamless hip-hop spirited mix that is as infectious as it is flawless. What's totally mind blowing about this record is that it was recorded live with Cut Chemist creating the mix using only one turntable, one mixer and a delay pedal. No laptops involved in this creation and it really shows, as you hear the warmth and the crackling vinyl of these groove filled sounds that he pieces together into a distinctly hip-hop mix but while still being totally respectful and so appreciative of the sounds being sampled. Definitely turning into one of our favorite end of summer jams!
MPEG Stream: "I"
MPEG Stream: "II"

CUT CHEMIST The Audience's Listening (Warner) cd 14.98
The longtime dj collaborator and aQ fave turntable wizard Cut Chemist, who over the years has jammed with the likes of Jurassic 5, Ozomatli, DJ Shadow, Shortkut and Madlib, finally goes it alone... well, sorta. He's got a little help from his friends and the backing of a major label. Markedly absent is an abundance of wildly kinetic displays of scratchin' dexterity. With the exception of The Audience Is Listening's final track (and theme song!), his ol' over the top acrobatics on the decks have been tempered into the for the most part even-keeled energetically groovin' tracks. Its potential appeal is far broader. Although he is most renowned as a jaw-dropping turntablist, Cut Chemist has effectively done his part to further define the turntable as an everyday instrument rather than gimmick/trickster accessory -- muting its presence rather than trumpeting it. His beloved wit and playfulness are fortunately still fully intact in his samplin' selection as is evident in tracks such as "Spat". Other standouts surface midway through the proceedings, the sixth track "What's The Altitude" which features Hymnal (who along with Edan and Mr. Lif on "Storm" contributes the scant MC presence on the album -- both tracks shine a little bit extra) and the seventh "Metrorail Thru Space". A solid, skillfully composed and assembled solo debut.
MPEG Stream: "What's The Altitude"
MPEG Stream: "The Audience Is Listening Theme Song"

CUT COPY In Ghost Colours (Modular ) cd 12.98
Justice, Digitalism, Crystal Castles. The list of contemporary indie-electro goes on on and on. And it's all at least slightly retro: disco, French house, video games, or whatever. But what we have to high five Australia's Cut Copy for is attempting to revive the orchestrated power-pop sounds of bands like Electric Light Orchestra! Take that, throw in a drum machine, maybe a few heavy post-production filters, and that's where they're at. Above and beyond anything else, and unlike some of their contemporaries, these guys seem to understand that they're essentially making pop music. Whereas projects like Justice sometimes rely too heavily on form rather than content, Cut Copy has their eyes on the songwriting prize. Much like British producer Richard X, they have a healthy and addictive affection for the '80s. Severed Heads, Tears for Fears, even maybe a little Roxette. Yeah! Don't come expecting a challenging musical experiment, or something as conceptual and cohesive. But if you can handle great pop tracks, just give in and let your feet do the dancing. Recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Out There on the Ice"
MPEG Stream: "Far Away"

CUT COPY Zonoscope (Modular) cd 12.98
The last album from Australia's Cut Copy, In Ghost Color, is without a doubt one of our most listened to pop records of the last several years. It proved to have such amazing legs and grew on us so much so that even when we look back at the initial review we wrote, we would change it to speak more to what a perfect offering of uplifting, ecstatic pop it truly is. Zonoscope keeps our full on love for Cut Copy going super strong, as this album further proves these guys as some of the most skilled and talented folks around at crafting infectious and memorable pop that sticks in your head and seeps into your skin like crazy!
They take the blueprints of the Hacienda sound (Happy Mondays, New Order, etc.) and flesh it out with such a crisp and focused delivery that definitely taps into what folks like M83 have been moving towards in recent years. With nods to OMD, Erasure, Tears For Fears, Pet Shop Boys, even Men At Work on "Take Me Over" and of course New Order, CC have found a way to merge the romantic and dance minded side of '80s pop music glory into a sound that is so totally modern and refreshing. You can also tell they have a HUGE appreciation for the dynamic epic/huge pop sound that folks like ELO, Queen, and Cheap Trick were carving out in the '70s and have figured out how to inject a modern sensibility into that classic pop prowess.
Listening to Cut Copy is like being shot up with a rush of adrenaline and endless energy. All you want to do is jump and dance and run and accomplish all the things you have your heart set on. Not many folks are able to truly inspire that reaction with their music. Zonoscope is proving to be the greatest pop record so far in 2011 and we have a feeling at the end of the year we will still be saying the same thing.
MPEG Stream: "Need You Now"
MPEG Stream: "Pharaohs & Pyramids"
MPEG Stream: "Hanging Onto Every Heartbeat"

CUT COPY Zonoscope (Modular) lp 19.98
NOW ON VINYL!
The last album from Australia's Cut Copy, In Ghost Color, is without a doubt one of our most listened to pop records of the last several years. It proved to have such amazing legs and grew on us so much so that even when we look back at the initial review we wrote, we would change it to speak more to what a perfect offering of uplifting, ecstatic pop it truly is. Zonoscope keeps our full on love for Cut Copy going super strong, as this album further proves these guys as some of the most skilled and talented folks around at crafting infectious and memorable pop that sticks in your head and seeps into your skin like crazy!
They take the blueprints of the Hacienda sound (Happy Mondays, New Order, etc.) and flesh it out with such a crisp and focused delivery that definitely taps into what folks like M83 have been moving towards in recent years. With nods to OMD, Erasure, Tears For Fears, Pet Shop Boys, even Men At Work on "Take Me Over" and of course New Order, CC have found a way to merge the romantic and dance minded side of '80s pop music glory into a sound that is so totally modern and refreshing. You can also tell they have a HUGE appreciation for the dynamic epic/huge pop sound that folks like ELO, Queen, and Cheap Trick were carving out in the '70s and have figured out how to inject a modern sensibility into that classic pop prowess.
Listening to Cut Copy is like being shot up with a rush of adrenaline and endless energy. All you want to do is jump and dance and run and accomplish all the things you have your heart set on. Not many folks are able to truly inspire that reaction with their music. Zonoscope is proving to be the greatest pop record so far in 2011 and we have a feeling at the end of the year we will still be saying the same thing.
MPEG Stream: "Need You Now"
MPEG Stream: "Pharaohs & Pyramids"
MPEG Stream: "Hanging Onto Every Heartbeat"

CUT HANDS Afro Noise 1 - Volume 1 (Dirter) lp 28.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Now on limited edition vinyl, split into two volumes, each with bonus tracks!!! Here's what we wrote about this awesome, intense album when it came out on cd earlier in 2011...
What happens when a middle aged, extreme noise musician suddenly gets all voodoo "drum circle" on us? Cut Hands is what happens. Ethno-forgery, not exactly, ethno-freakery more like it!
Let's say this up front, so there's no confusion: this Cut Hands disc is bloody awesome, and nobody here at AQ (except maybe Jim) is all that big of a Whitehouse fan, either. We mention that 'cause Cut Hands is the new project by William Bennett, the perverse genius (?) behind infamous '80s industrial noise terrorists Whitehouse, who are up there with Merzbow in the noise that annoys pantheon. We appreciate the extremity of Whitehouse, sure, but unlike Merzbow, never really enjoyed listening to 'em all that much (maybe that's the point). As a result, we really weren't aware of the extent to which, in recent years, William Bennett had been getting into this so-called "Afro Noise" bag of his, with some of his more recent Whitehouse albums (like 2003's Bird Seed, which contained a track called "Cut Hands Has The Solution") incorporating the use, and probably abuse, of authentic ethnic Central African instruments.
Although, we do remember when, in 1997, Bennett's label Susan Lawly put out an amazing compilation, now long out of print, called Extreme Music From Africa, that we totally loved. It featured a bunch of mysterious artists like Rorogwela, Vicious Teengirl, Electricity Featuring Fire Eater, and National Bird, that we'd never heard of before or since, doing tracks that somehow combined what sounded like genuine African tribal music with Whitehouse style noise... and was really quite listenable, too! We always half-suspected it might not have been on the up and up, that the bands weren't really from Africa, and were instead the work of Mr. Bennett and friends, and we'd still like it just as much anyway... Cut Hands certainly makes us further assume that might be the case, since our description of the sort of sounds found on Extreme Music From Africa would also describe this Cut Hands disc quite well: "Chanting and hand drums are buried in washes of hiss and white noise. Merzbow style blasts of crunchy feedback dissolve into tribal rhythms and explode again into shards of jagged buzz. Intense and aggressive and totally great."
In any event, Cut Hands is the next logical step in Bennett's "Afro Noise" obsession. While there is of course an electronic noise component to this, it almost takes a backseat to the rhythmic, almost machine-like intensity of the hand percussion. Bennett has apparently amassed quite a large collection of Congolese and Ghanaian percussion instruments, and he puts 'em to use here, 13 varied tracks of primal, polyrhythmic, electro-acoustic pulsations. Djembes and doundouns played with jackhammer precision, mixed with washes and waves of hiss and drone. Some tracks attack with feedback, others are more quietly sinister and even shimmeringly atmospheric. There's one track with vocals, declaiming something in what sounds like an African language, amidst divebombing distortion and shuddering glitch, while the rest are purely instrumental. And all it is frighteningly trance-inducing. It's kind of insane, kind of incredible. We like, a lot.
MPEG Stream: "Who No Know Go Knows"
MPEG Stream: "Shut Up And Bleed"

CUT HANDS Afro Noise 1 - Volume 2 (Dirter) lp 28.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Now on limited edition vinyl, split into two volumes, each with bonus tracks!!! Here's what we wrote about this awesome, intense album when it came out on cd earlier in 2011...
What happens when a middle aged, extreme noise musician suddenly gets all voodoo "drum circle" on us? Cut Hands is what happens. Ethno-forgery, not exactly, ethno-freakery more like it!
Let's say this up front, so there's no confusion: this Cut Hands disc is bloody awesome, and nobody here at AQ (except maybe Jim) is all that big of a Whitehouse fan, either. We mention that 'cause Cut Hands is the new project by William Bennett, the perverse genius (?) behind infamous '80s industrial noise terrorists Whitehouse, who are up there with Merzbow in the noise that annoys pantheon. We appreciate the extremity of Whitehouse, sure, but unlike Merzbow, never really enjoyed listening to 'em all that much (maybe that's the point). As a result, we really weren't aware of the extent to which, in recent years, William Bennett had been getting into this so-called "Afro Noise" bag of his, with some of his more recent Whitehouse albums (like 2003's Bird Seed, which contained a track called "Cut Hands Has The Solution") incorporating the use, and probably abuse, of authentic ethnic Central African instruments.
Although, we do remember when, in 1997, Bennett's label Susan Lawly put out an amazing compilation, now long out of print, called Extreme Music From Africa, that we totally loved. It featured a bunch of mysterious artists like Rorogwela, Vicious Teengirl, Electricity Featuring Fire Eater, and National Bird, that we'd never heard of before or since, doing tracks that somehow combined what sounded like genuine African tribal music with Whitehouse style noise... and was really quite listenable, too! We always half-suspected it might not have been on the up and up, that the bands weren't really from Africa, and were instead the work of Mr. Bennett and friends, and we'd still like it just as much anyway... Cut Hands certainly makes us further assume that might be the case, since our description of the sort of sounds found on Extreme Music From Africa would also describe this Cut Hands disc quite well: "Chanting and hand drums are buried in washes of hiss and white noise. Merzbow style blasts of crunchy feedback dissolve into tribal rhythms and explode again into shards of jagged buzz. Intense and aggressive and totally great."
In any event, Cut Hands is the next logical step in Bennett's "Afro Noise" obsession. While there is of course an electronic noise component to this, it almost takes a backseat to the rhythmic, almost machine-like intensity of the hand percussion. Bennett has apparently amassed quite a large collection of Congolese and Ghanaian percussion instruments, and he puts 'em to use here, 13 varied tracks of primal, polyrhythmic, electro-acoustic pulsations. Djembes and doundouns played with jackhammer precision, mixed with washes and waves of hiss and drone. Some tracks attack with feedback, others are more quietly sinister and even shimmeringly atmospheric. There's one track with vocals, declaiming something in what sounds like an African language, amidst divebombing distortion and shuddering glitch, while the rest are purely instrumental. And all it is frighteningly trance-inducing. It's kind of insane, kind of incredible. We like, a lot.
MPEG Stream: "Munkisi Munkondi"
MPEG Stream: "Ezili Freda"

CUT HANDS s/t (aka Afro Noise I) (Very Friendly) cd 17.98
What happens when a middle aged, extreme noise musician suddenly gets all voodoo "drum circle" on us? Cut Hands is what happens. Ethno-forgery, not exactly, ethno-freakery more like it!
Let's say this up front, so there's no confusion: this Cut Hands disc is bloody awesome, and nobody here at AQ (except maybe Jim) is all that big of a Whitehouse fan, either. We mention that 'cause Cut Hands is the new project by William Bennett, the perverse genius (?) behind infamous '80s industrial noise terrorists Whitehouse, who are up there with Merzbow in the noise that annoys pantheon. We appreciate the extremity of Whitehouse, sure, but unlike Merzbow, never really enjoyed listening to 'em all that much (maybe that's the point). As a result, we really weren't aware of the extent to which, in recent years, William Bennett had been getting into this so-called "Afro Noise" bag of his, with some of his more recent Whitehouse albums (like 2003's Bird Seed, which contained a track called "Cut Hands Has The Solution") incorporating the use, and probably abuse, of authentic ethnic Central African instruments.
Although, we do remember when, in 1997, Bennett's label Susan Lawly put out an amazing compilation, now long out of print, called Extreme Music From Africa, that we totally loved. It featured a bunch of mysterious artists like Rorogwela, Vicious Teengirl, Electricity Featuring Fire Eater, and National Bird, that we'd never heard of before or since, doing tracks that somehow combined what sounded like genuine African tribal music with Whitehouse style noise... and was really quite listenable, too! We always half-suspected it might not have been on the up and up, that the bands weren't really from Africa, and were instead the work of Mr. Bennett and friends, and we'd still like it just as much anyway... Cut Hands certainly makes us further assume that might be the case, since our description of the sort of sounds found on Extreme Music From Africa would also describe this Cut Hands disc quite well: "Chanting and hand drums are buried in washes of hiss and white noise. Merzbow style blasts of crunchy feedback dissolve into tribal rhythms and explode again into shards of jagged buzz. Intense and aggressive and totally great."
In any event, Cut Hands is the next logical step in Bennett's "Afro Noise" obsession. While there is of course an electronic noise component to this, it almost takes a backseat to the rhythmic, almost machine-like intensity of the hand percussion. Bennett has apparently amassed quite a large collection of Congolese and Ghanaian percussion instruments, and he puts 'em to use here, 13 varied tracks of primal, polyrhythmic, electro-acoustic pulsations. Djembes and doundouns played with jackhammer precision, mixed with washes and waves of hiss and drone. Some tracks attack with feedback, others are more quietly sinister and even shimmeringly atmospheric. There's one track with vocals, declaiming something in what sounds like an African language, amidst divebombing distortion and shuddering glitch, while the rest are purely instrumental. And all it is frighteningly trance-inducing. It's kind of insane, kind of incredible. We like, a lot.
MPEG Stream: "Who No Know Go Knows"
MPEG Stream: "Shut Up And Bleed"
MPEG Stream: "Munkisi Munkondi"
MPEG Stream: "Ezili Freda"

CUT OFF T.B. Retrology/Loving the Alien Part 3 (Position Chrome) 12" 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Panacea and Future Boi team-up to make more bad-ass distorted pummelling beats that stutter with violence.

CUTE LEPERS, THE Can't Stand Modern Music (Blackheart) cd 13.98
Not at all surprisingly this new band The Cute Lepers hail from garage pop rawk haven the Pacific Northwest. Why do we say that? Well, because they dish out super retro bubble power pop with all the genre's prerequisites - jangly electric guitar strumming, carefully picked out uncomplicated crunchy guitar solos, upbeat walkin' basslines, snappy drum beats, just as snappy handclaps, generous shakes of the tambourine, and girl group backing vocals. Remarkably faithful to both the original '60s and the late '80s revival sounds. It made us wanna dig out our old albums from Flop and Buzzcocks! They even use the appropriate fonts on the cover art! It's also maybe not at all surprising that this album has been released on Joan Jett's record label. In fact the first song sounds like some sort of bastard child of "Bad Reputation" and "Summertime Blues". Ultra snappy fun from start to finish!
MPEG Stream: "Terminal Boredom"
MPEG Stream: "Prove It"

CUTE THEORY Cute Theories (self-released) cd-r 11.98
This new SF group sure do indeed have their cute dial turned up to 'full', bringing together very childlike singsong female vocals, chiming musicbox and piano melodies, and an occasional indie boyish vocal too. That said, they don't completely induce sugar shock by tempering the tracks with some buzzing and hissing IDM interventions. It's a promising direction to take, although it can be somewhat jarring to the flow of the album at times -- as if they weren't quite sure where to go next or perhaps as if individual members wanted to try their hands at different things. It'll be interesting to see where they go from here... whether they'll further fuse the two distinct styles or focus more on one or the other or something altogether different. Anyways, it's a very homespun affair right down to the packaging: both the jewelcase and cd-r are handscreened with an image titled "Polar bunny in a snowstorm" (sorta reminiscent of Zappa's Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch album illustration) and a sparkly sticker graces the traycard.
MPEG Stream: "Large Grain Container"
MPEG Stream: "Sprocket"

CUTLER, CHRIS / FRED FRITH 2 Gentlemen In Verona (Cuneiform) cd 14.98

CUTS, THE 2 Over 10 (Birdman) cd 13.98
It's kinda of ironic that what sounds to me like a fully authentic power pop record from the early '70s was actually made this year by young 'uns from Oakland! This is so pitch perfect Nuggets-y that even the purists amongst us will be impressed. The singer sound a li'l bit Tom Verlaine/Television, a li'l bit Ric Ocasek/Cars. The sweet poignancy of some of the tracks recalls "#1 Album"-era Big Star, when they rocked more than they wept. Recorded in Memphis with Greg Cartwright of the Oblivians. Recommended.
MPEG Stream: "How Can I Get Through"
MPEG Stream: "Flip A Coin"

CUTS, THE From Here On Out (Birdman) cd 14.98
The third cd long-player to come from these local sharp-dressed rock and roll revivalists about town, The Cuts. Yay! Every time we've seen 'em play, they've been great -- but just a little bit different from the last time. At one gig they'll come across all Cars-y, keyboards to the fore. The next, it's guitar-heavy rawkin' with an early '70s Alice Cooper vibe. Ya never know quite what to expect, except that they're always impressive and a real authentic rock n' roll good time. Just like this album. We dug albums one and two, but number three might be the best yet. It's like some amazing power pop band from the early '70s that you somehow never heard of, whose album just got reissued and makes you go, wow, they just don't make 'em like they used to. But they do, and The Cuts are doin' it. From Here On Out sees them honing their craft (and they ARE careful craftsmen, with so much attention to songwritiing, arrangement, and performance), doing their influences proud, from '60s garage to west coast ballroom psych to new wave pop. There's out-and-out guitar rock action here as well as lovely, pretty pop moves too, with vocal harmonies and all. Recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Demons"
MPEG Stream: "Lemonade"

CUTS, THE From Here On Out (Birdman) lp 9.98
Now on vinyl, yes indeed!!
The third long-player to come from these local sharp-dressed rock and roll revivalists about town, The Cuts. Yay! Every time we've seen 'em play, they've been great -- but just a little bit different from the last time. At one gig they'll come across all Cars-y, keyboards to the fore. The next, it's guitar-heavy rawkin' with an early '70s Alice Cooper vibe. Ya never know quite what to expect, except that they're always impressive and a real authentic rock n' roll good time. Just like this album. We dug albums one and two, but number three might be the best yet. It's like some amazing power pop band from the early '70s that you somehow never heard of, whose album just got reissued and makes you go, wow, they just don't make 'em like they used to. But they do, and The Cuts are doin' it. From Here On Out sees them honing their craft (and they ARE careful craftsmen, with so much attention to songwritiing, arrangement, and performance), doing their influences proud, from '60s garage to west coast ballroom psych to new wave pop. There's out-and-out guitar rock action here as well as lovely, pretty pop moves too, with vocal harmonies and all. Recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Demons"
MPEG Stream: "Lemonade"

CUTS, THE s/t (Birdman) cd 13.98
Two Oakland bands on Birdman, here for your consideration. The Gris Gris just came out, The Cuts has been hanging out for a few months (and is a first time on cd reissue of their debut vinyl album anyway) but both get the thumbs up from the garage psych squad here at the store. Starting with The Cuts...well you can chalk another one up for the rock and roll revival. Yeah maybe the Stripes and the Strokes made the world safe for labels to release retro rockers like this, but that's fine 'cause a band like this shouldn't have to toil in obscurity anyway...plus we know our pal Dave who runs Birdman isn't about hopping on trends, he just puts out music he likes (which explains a few things). And The Cuts are the real deal too, with all kinda influences stirring in their pot...Zombies, Big Star, Television... A lot of you (and us) liked their 2nd album (first cd) 2 Over 10, which did the '70s power pop thing to perfection. Hearing this, first I thought hey weren't they supposed to be some sort of Cars-like proposition, with their keyboards and all?, but this sure harks back further than those New Romantic Waver whatevers, all the way back to the Electric Prunes!! Rockin' the joint with lotsa fuzz and great Nuggety songs/vox. Next up, The Gris Gris...
MPEG Stream: "Salt In My Wounds"
MPEG Stream: "Lovers Lane"

CUYPERS, LEO Heavy Days Are Here Again (Atavistic) cd 14.98
Wow! I can barely remember the last time I heard a record as jubilantly bursting with Life and Laughter and Energy as this lost treasure of Dutch jazz. This record swings and stutters and gallops like Charlie Mingus' "Black Saint", like Rahsaan Roland Kirk's almost-rocking sets, like Otomo Yoshihide's spirited Ground Zero outfit. Imagine Vince Guaraldi's Peanuts piano taken on a roller coaster ride, and Charlie Brown's running around swearing like a sailor, and there's lots of thrills amidst the cacophony, and Lucy's stomach turns over when the roller coaster's upside down, and at some point Charlie loses his virginity. Yeah. That's how good this record is.
Recorded in 1981(!), the only existing document of pianist Leo Cuypers as leader, this recording also features the all star talents of unbelievably great percussionist Han Bennink, legendary reedist Willem Breuker, and bassist Arjen Gorter. All players had at one time or another been part of the esteemed Willem Breuker Kollektief, but here under the guidance of Cuypers, their skills are combined to produce one of the most EXUBERANT pieces of modern avant jazz I have ever heard.
RealAudio clip: "Alsdat de Olifantstand"