PORTLANDIA Season One (IFC) dvd 14.98

PROTESTING THE DIXIE CHICKS A Film By Christopher Fleeger dvd 9.98

PUBLIC ENEMY It Takes A Nation: The First London Invasion Tour 1987 (Media Works) 2dvd 16.98
This is a no frills dvd with a simple offering. P.E. LIVE. In LONDON. 1987. Their first European tour! Extras are very spare here, mostly just an available voice over by Dr. Dre. This definitely makes a case for Flavor Flav. Without him, there's no way they would have had the mass appeal they enjoyed. Regardless, it's an awesome document of P.E.'s raw energy at this time, just about to release their classic, It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back.

QBERT Qbert's Wave Twisters the movie video 21.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
50 minute video starring former Skratch Piklz Qbert, D-Styles, DJ Flare, and Yogafrog. All animated! We haven't seen it yet, but hear that the story involves personifications of the four arts of hip hop (MCing, B-boying, Graffiti, and DJing) who are being oppressed by an evil lord. For those of you who don't want to buy this video, we are renting it (local customers only).

QBERT & YOGA FROG Canadian Kung Fu (ISP Vision) videotape 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
"In Turntable TV 5.0, take a journey to the north with Yoga Frog and Q-Bert to the cold lands of Canada. Take a sneak peek at a behind-the-scenes look at the pre-DMC practice sessions with the Turnstyles crew and other Canadian DJs. Plus hear some cool interviews with all the DMC contestants as well. Watch ultra rare scratch sessions with Mix Master Mike, Q-Bert, Shortkut, and D-Styles. To top it off experience the deadly kung fu lessons by no other than the infamous toadman, with fight scenes of DJ Fat Blubber Belly."

QBERT, DJ DJ Qbert's Complete Do-It Yourself Volume 1: Skratching (Thud Rumble) dvd 26.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The Bay Area's own DJ Qbert, one of the most famous turntablists in the world, proves himself a pretty great teacher and comedian in this how-to-scratch DIY dvd. Whether you're a turntablist or not, this is *delightful* to watch. He demonstrates over 25 different scratches, beginning by talking about each scratch's history -- who invented 'em and when -- then breaks the move down into its parts. The demos loop so you can just leave 'em playing until you've mastered the crab, the lazer, the phaser, the swipe, etc., not to mention you can view the scratch demos from four different angles! Qbert looks at the camera a lot so you feel like he's talking right atcha, plus he's totally sweet 'n nice, not a trace of attitude, no talking down to the viewer at all. There's a whole section of tips and tricks where he demonstrates how to set up your turntable and customize it to your own liking, how to make your own slipmats, how to fix a record that's wobbly cos its center hole is too big, explains why fingertip moistener is better than lickin' yer fingers, even how to count bars. There is a volume issue with the dvd, though, it keeps fluctuating, but it's not terribly annoying and it never drops out completely. (And I suspect that it's my computer, not the dvd, at fault.)
There's even a battles section with several djs for you to trade scratches with. OK, this is how brilliant Qbert and his cohorts are: instead of taking the easy way out by just filming himself scratching, with pauses for you to scratch back, each of the battles (which are arranged in order of difficulty) have visual themes, like level 1's Dek Demon who is wearing a black cape, way oversized devil mask, and is surrounded by flames. Really. Another cute one features Spiderman scratching on a bus while another masked man is stitting next to him steering the bus. Pretty funny shit, you could just set it up at a party and let it run. Makes learning fun!
As if all that wasn't enough, there's some plum extras, like a mock "other videos in this series" section where Q demonstrates how to do plumbing repair with the help of a sock puppet, the trailer for his animated film Wave Twisters, even a hidden surprise.
The tone of the whole thing is casual and precise, he's constantly making jokes, and his love for the craft is clear. Get this dvd! You never know when you're gonna wanna learn how to scratch, plus, this glimpse into the mind, craft, and funny bone of Qbert is just about the nicest, friendliest, most hilarious thing I've seen in a long time. Highly recommended.

QBERT, DJ DJ Qbert's Complete Do-It Yourself Volume 2: Skratch Sessions (Thud Rumble) dvd 26.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The first volume of DJ Qbert's Complete Do-It Yourself scratching DVD was a huge hit 'round these parts due to its irresistable combination of both useful how-to-scratch DJ tips and humor. Even if you yourself wouldn't want to scratch a record with a ten foot pole, as long as you have an interest as a listener in hip hop and turntablist music, it was a pretty fascinating introduction to the basics of scratch DJing (or 'skratch' as they spell it). And Qbert is just such a charming guy. Volume one seems to be out of print at the moment (hopefully just between pressings or something) but here's volume two! Subtitled "Skratch Sessions" this takes up where volume one left off, providing budding scratch djs with TONS of stuff that'll help improve your skills (or just entertain). Over 20 top DJs appear in various band or battle situations where you can "jam" along with them at home. Multiple video angles and audio tracks make this one extremely interactive DVD. And the DIY lessons don't stop with just DJing, you get Qbert & co.'s home improvement tips as well. Super great.

QBERT, DJ Live : Australia - Asia (Turntable TV) dvd 19.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Ok turtablist fans, you all know that DJ Q-Bert is the bomb. Seeing him master his custom-made QFO (a battery-powered turntable with built-in mixer) is totally amazing. It would be great if a dvd about him actually showed his skratch-wizzardry predominately throughout. However, Live: Australia-Asia shows a little too much of all the most boring parts of being on tour: the airports, the non-partying hotel rooms, sitting in cabs, etc. Q-bert seems to be having good time though, what with the crowds, the ladies, the female DJ he crushes out on... Die-hard fans of Q-bert will want to see this regardless of the poor editing, just simply to see footage of him skratching up a storm and to get a feel for the man behind the QFO. We just wish there was more skratching footage throughout this region-free dvd.

QUEEN Rock Montreal & Live Aid (Eagle Vision) dvd 17.98

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE Over The Years And Through The Woods (Interscope) cd + dvd 21.00

RADIOHEAD OK Computer: A Classic Album Under Review (Sexy Intellectual) dvd 19.98

RAMONES End Of The Century, The Story Of The Ramones (Rhino) dvd 23.00
Tommy, Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee, and Marky. They lived to see themselves reach iconic status. Yet, through intense inter-personal strife impacted by the eclipsing success of the musical acts that followed in their footsteps, these guys seem to have barely enjoyed anything at all. This incredibly well-made rockumentary tells the story of four kids from Forest Hills, Queens who bonded over a mutual admiration of The Stooges and found a way out of their shitty home and school-life by playing music together. It follows their early career in the 70's as The Ramones, playing gnarly Bowery-bum ridden CBGB's alongside other new acts like Television, Talking Heads and Blondie to touring through Europe and Latin America with huge sold-out gigs. Success seemed to shine on them overseas solely, while in small shitty clubs across the US, they were boo'd, jeered, laughed at or the subject of thrown bottles and cans. Simultaneously, their record sales refused to escalate as they had hoped.
The Ramones were a musical force, however. Their songs were brutal, consice and earnest. Their sound was fast, fierce and fucking impenetrable - in the vein of garagey Americana pop punk. But God dammit, you already knew that! Well, you've probably forgotten how fucking GOOD they were. You'll see some pretty amazing live footage inside this over-two-hour film. Early live shows and incredibly endearing interviews with bandmembers (save Johnny) will regenerate anyone's adoration for these boys. Their story also emphasizes the emotions involved in being a Ramone. This is a tragic but important part of who they were. For instance, of the band's original personnel, Tommy (the only one to quit pretty early on), is the only one still alive.
Joey, Johnny, Dee Dee and Tommy created an inspirational legacy and this documentation does its absolute best to communicate to us their lives' work. It will award you with an awesome fight on stage, a re-telling of their experience with producer Phil Spector, priceless moments of Dee Dee's "other musical exploration", and... aw, c'mon, did you really think I'd tell you any more? I will tell you this and none more: extra features include bonus interview footage and among other things, the Marky Ramone Drum Technique! All you drummers out there will appreciate that little nugget.
By far, End Of The Century, The Story of The Ramones is not only an important addition to any rock collection, it's absolutely informative and inspirational to any musician and/or music-lover. But hey ho this baby's Region 1.

RAMONES Weird Tales Of The Ramones (Warner Bros. / Rhino) book+dvd+cd 73.00

RASTAN (Taito) video arcade game 0.25
Allan's always wanted his own Rastan machine, and finally, thanks to the magic of eBay, he got one, and for relatively cheap too, considering that he probably spent as much in quarters playing it in the arcade back in the day! As you've probably noticed, it's here in the store and up and running, along with Andee's prize Tron machine (reviewed last list). We thought we'd write a little bit about each machine in the usual AQ New Arrivals list style, just for kicks. No, you can't add this to your cart, but you can stop in and drop a quarter or two into it in person...
So, for those of you without the experience of wasting your adolescence and lunch money loitering in video arcades, and don't know the (vintage 1987) Rastan game, here's the rundown: the title character, Rastan, is your basic Conan the Barbarian style swords & sorcery adventurer running around, jumping and stabbing things and collecting treasure. If you're good enough, you'll advance from level to level (there's six levels of three screens each), beating each boss, exploring new and ever-more dangerous fantasy realms, and perhaps eventually finishing the game. Haven't made it to the end yet ourselves -- it would take a several hours of play and many many credits, even if we were skilled enough at the game.
What's so awesome about Rastan? Well the graphics are pretty cool, especially the backgrounds which are totally D&Dish and mystically evocative. There's wilderness scenes (from jungles to rocky barrens) and also castle and cavern interiors, complete with flaming pit traps and rolling bolders and Tarzan style rope swings. It's a two dimensional, moving left-to-right game, using what's called "parallax scrolling" to give an illusion of depth to the backgrounds. The monsters are pretty cool too -- four armed boomerang flingers and fire spitting hydra and (at higher levels) scary Medusa ladies whose green snakey hair extends to entrap you... But the most dangerous monsters have got to be the bats. Individually they don't seem that scary, but they're tough to hit, there are a lot of them and they'll come for you if you're taking too long getting from point A to point B. We've lost more lives to those pesky bats than anything else in the game... Another cool thing about the graphics is that they've left out a lot of the usual video game clutter -- there's no point values popping up on the screen when you slay something, it's more "realistic" than that... well sort of. The "life meter" is pretty cool too, your heart shown pumping at one end, louder and more desperately as you sustain hit after hit...
But the BEST thing about this game, by far, has got to be the theme music. It's brilliant. If we could get a cd soundtrack we'd be sooooooo stoked. Awesomely ominous '80s arcade electronica. We don't even know the name of the composer, but it's a bit like like John Carpenter making medieval metal music... sinister and suspenseful, especially when the music cresendos to warn of an impending bat swarm attack!
If you play the game be sure to ask Allan for some pointers: like, you gotta learn how to jump down with your sword or (other weapon) also pointing down to deal with certain obstacles/enemies... sword swipes combined with a jump seem much more powerful... you can go up ropes faster if you jump while you climb (as long as there's a wall next to the rope for you to "bounce" up)... and watch out for the vials of poison some monsters leave behind... but if you see the gold sheep's head, you want that, it'll restore your life meter to full... So come on by and try being a "brave adventurer who dared to challenge"!
MPEG Stream: "Rastan theme music"

REFUSED, THE The Refused Are Fucking Dead (Burning Hearts) dvd 13.98

RESIDENTS, THE Commercial DVD (Mute) dvd 19.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Probably the second most talked about Residents album, and some would argue their last great effort, is the brilliant Commercial Album. The concept was to craft 40 pop gems (in true Residents fashion) each spanning exactly 60 seconds (to match the time of the average television commercial in 1980). With the help of some of their friends: Chris Cutler, Fred Frith, Andy Partridge and of course Nessie Lessons and Snakefinger, the Residents crafted some truly beautiful, surreal and poignant tunes; each one completely trimmed of any excess fat. A classic Residents album wouldn't be complete without a jab at the Beatles, included here as the "Simple Song". Other songs take on psycho-sexual topics, dream-like narratives twisted love songs and down right non sequiturs. Four of these nuggets were made into one minute videos (always on the bleeding edge, the Residents predated the video craze) which equal the music in their visual surreality. The Residents had intended to make videos for the entire album, but the project was never completed... Until now. With the help of an international roster of video artists the new Commercial DVD comes packed with 56 one minute movies, 10 new Residents videos, lots of easter eggs, and a 5.1 surround sound remix of the original album.

RESIDENTS, THE Eskimo (Cryptic / Euro Ralph) dvd 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Now expanded in 5.1 surround! If there's one Residents record that is the one Residents record that people who aren't necessarily Residents fans own it is Eskimo (their sixth release, from 1979). There's good reason for this album being in so many libraries, if for no other reason than that it's one hell of a concept album. And if there's one thing the Residents do well it's concept albums. For Eskimo the Residents partially impersonate a Folkways ethnomusicological document from the 60's and a Firesign Theater record. The album is presented as a re-creation of "not only the Eskimo ceremonial music, but also a living context for its existence". And so included is a booklet of stories illustrating the daily life and ceremonies of the Eskimo with which you can read and follow along with the music. The Eskimo DVD has a psychedelic slide show of the events which unfold in the course of the album. The images, mostly in black & white are grainy, dare I say snowy and pixelated photos and drawings of the Eskimos doing the things described in the notes. The images are constantly shimmering and dissolve from one to another in an effect that must be truly enjoyable under the influence of certain illegal substances. The music is a combination of likely, but miscellaneous percussion instruments (Chris Cutler of Pere Ubu, Art Bears, Henry Cow fame is credited for his "precision drumming" here), analog synths, and chanted vocals. It's all about as convincing as genuine Eskimo music as you can imagine coming from the eyeballed wonders, and that's definitely part of its charm. The vocals themselves you can take as non-sensical made up words, or listen closely and you might be able to hear some familiar phrases here and there: "Coca Cola adds life" and "we want Coke, oh yeah!". The DVD version removes all doubt about what the eyeballed wonders are chanting in this final track: Along with an image of the Golden Arches in the background and a bag of McDonalds fries which floats by in the final minutes, a polar bear holding a bottle of Coke (remember those annoying commercials from a year or two ago?) floats out of nowhere to drive the line home. In addition to the entire album remixed in 5.1 surround, this disc comes with several "easter eggs" containing 25 minutes of additional material. For those outside the US the following information might be helpful: the DVD is encoded NTSC all regions.

RICE, DAMIEN O (Vector) cd + dvd 19.98

RICHMAN, JONATHAN Take Me To The Plaza (Vapor) dvd 25.00
Now you can see San Francisco's favorite New England ex-patriate Jonathan Richman perform live in your very own home! Recorded at The Great American Music Hall in 2002 "Take Me To The Plaza" features 17 tracks from the former Bostonian including such favorites as "I Was Dancing In the Lesbian Bar" and the oft covered standard "Pablo Picasso". For those who've never seen the man perform, Mr. Richman's performances are just as popular for their music as the off kilter humour that he delivers during his concerts. Also included are two interviews with Jonathan, a complete interactive bio (okay, maybe it's not interactive, but in the spirit of things it sounds nicer) and two bonus tracks: "You Can't Talk To The Dude" and "Nineteen In Naples". Total running time is approximately 94 minutes. This DVD is NTSC region 1.

ROCKFORD KABINE Xero OST (Clockwork / Cobra) cd + dvd 19.98
We first discovered amazing German duo Rockford Kabine via their debut full length, Italian Music: 31 Invalid Movie Themes, which on the surface played like a series of micro snippets of actual Italian soundtrack music, interspersed with snippets of dialogue, brief excerpts from what we can only assume are in fact real films, the music the perfect compliment, wah wah guitars, Morricone-ish twang, smoky synths, spooky rhythmic dronescapes. It was an incredible collection of music that very well could have been soundtrack music, but was in fact an original creation, imagined music for imaginary Italian films. And we were blown away. Not soon after, the band contacted us to let us know that they were already working on a follow up, this one an ACTUAL soundtrack, to some sort of arty XXX adult film, yep, a porno, which in some weird way made sense, what with RK's ability to conjure up super sultry and sexy sounds, that draw from all sorts of different sources, their music already cinematic on its own, seemingly perfect to be wedded to visuals, and heck, when the visuals turn out to consist of sexy women, some wielding daggers, wearing World War 2 style gasmasks and leather bodysuits and well, it's tough to argue with that.
But since the soundtrack was to be available ONLY as a bonus disc with the movie itself, it required some wrangling, and contacting an actual adult film distributor down in SoCal to get our hands on copies. But we're so glad we did. Even removed from the visuals, like all great soundtrack music, Rockford Kabine's score for XERO is incredible, haunting, mysterious, groovy, funky, abstract, cinematic for sure, but also lush and experimental and moody and mysterious. The strange thing too is that the film seems quite European, almost like some Inglorious Basterds style Tarantino war pic (or maybe that's just the aforementioned gas mask get up getting to us), but the music is very Eastern, in fact all the titles seem to be in Japanese, which only adds to the mystique of Rockford Kabine's fantastic soundworld.
So we'll discuss the film in a bit, but as aQ is a record store, and this is in fact our Record Of The Week, it's probably best to discuss the soundtrack/score all on its own first. Like Italian Music before it, XERO is a series of shortish tracks, between 1 and 2 minutes, each super distinctive, with the duo conjuring up incredible mysterious moods in a manner of seconds, leaving the listener in most cases wanting more more more. And like their Italian Music, this does play out like some sort of DJ Shadow style sonic collage, still drawing from Morricone, and the Italian giallo tradition, but also from classic '70s porno music, with some funk and groove, but instead of the oft ridiculed wah wah guitar style porn kitsch, this is much more evocative, and dark, guitars are slithery, basslines low slung, undulating, bells chimes, notes drift through fields of reverb, riffs chug and churn only to dissipate in a field of chimes, spaced out drones collide with almost Tangerine Dream like synths, flutes flit and flutter, the rhythms are minimal and motorik, some tracks playing out like some krautrock groove (reminding us that Can made softcore soundtracks too, way back when), others like some lost cosmic disco. It's actually quite hard to describe XERO, there are so many different sounds and styles, and it's hard to imagine them working as a soundtrack, especially to an super stylized XXX art film, but removed from the film, the music, as varied and constantly shifting as it is, somehow plays out cohesively, like an album proper, guitar twang is laced over a minimal footstep like rhythm, organs wheeze, everything sounds softly woozy and lysergic, exotic percussion collides with gamelan like melodies, minimal hip hop beats are wrapped around stuttering loops, occasionally coalescing into some seriously fuzzy hairy funk, other times drifting into Goblin style almost new wave sounding synthscapes, acoustic guitars unfurl some Western strum, but woven in are some haunting synth melodies, even some mysterious voices, soaring strings and sorrowful piano, tense droned out ambience, skittery almost Portishead style downtempo beats, bells and chimes, all sorts of strange production, the sound sometimes crystal clear and lush and lovely, other times hazy and druggy and gorgeously washed out, a kaleidoscopic sonic journey through some imaginary world of naked women, gasmasks and daggers, weird Asian masks, furry shag rugs, a world that would have stayed imaginary had these sounds not been used to edit the film of the same name.
The film is indeed pornographic, and XXX. It's all female-on-female, there's very little actual hardcore sex though. And while it IS a porno, with no plot to speak of, it's almost more like it's about the music. Indeed, the movie was edited to the music, much like Sergio Leone used to blast Morricone's scores on the set and have the actors move to the music, so the film here is a series of impressionistic tableaus, the colors acid drenched and super saturated, long slow stripteases, even the actual sex is strangely arty and not traditionally sexy, but the strange constantly shifting images, the cool, always changing music, work together, creating something much more than a porno, in fact, the film seemed more like something the band would project behind them when they performed live, strange masks, the aforementioned rubberclad gasmasked mystery woman, another woman who looks a bit like a sexier female version of Clint Eastwood's Man With No Name, long duster, big hat, face obscured by hair, and as the back cover proclaims, "See the shocking ending the censors didn't want you to witness", and we can definitely attest to the fact that the ending is really weird, depressing and violent, and not at all sexy, but in some way, that makes this whole project more interesting, and bizarre, and pretty much perfect for Rockford Kabine's incredible soundtrack. Though of course you don't HAVE to watch it, the prudish can enjoy the soundtrack fully without reference to the visuals.
Needless to say, this is TOTALLY RECOMMENDED, but, since the soundtrack cd does in fact come with an XXX rated adult dvd, thus is required some unaccustomed legalese on our part, as follows... This is only to be purchased by adults, and by purchasing this, and/or adding it to your online shopping cart, you are hereby agreeing to these stipulations: that you are an in fact an adult, being of legal age, 18 or 21, in your legal jurisdiction to view adult oriented material that may be sexual or graphical in nature. (Local laws vary throughout the United States, so if you are not 100 percent sure of the laws applicable to you, you are advised to check before purchasing.) Further, you agree that you will not redistribute this material to anyone for which it is illegal for them to view or possess such material, nor will you permit any minor, or any person who would find this personally offensive, to view this material, and finally that you will hold harmless aQuarius recOrds, its officers, ISP, and employees, from and against any claims, liability, losses, costs, damages, or expenses (including attorney's fees) arising from you use of the images contained on the dvd. Furthermore, you will defend aQuarius recOrds against all claims of impropriety regarding your purchase of this item. Phew. We'd have put all that in small print if we could.
MPEG Stream: "Dangai"
MPEG Stream: "Hana Gin"
MPEG Stream: "Pantsu Etchi Na"
MPEG Stream: "Saigo No Kisu Wa"
MPEG Stream: "Hotto Ni Naru"
MPEG Stream: "Rorikon"
MPEG Stream: "Xero Vs.The Black Angel"

ROKY ERICKSON You're Gonna Miss Me (Palm / Manga) dvd 33.00

ROTTING CORPSE The Demos (Stormspell) cd+dvd 14.98
Ew! Look out, it's a ROTTING CORPSE!!! Well, when these guys named their band Rotting Corpse, a name like that still had some shock value. Heck, it was like 1985, and they were the first and only thrash metal band in their part of Texas (Dallas Fort Worth). Their brand of punk inflected, speedy, shreddy, Slayerized thrash was pretty darn deathly for the era. Metal maniacs of a brutal bent into old school style morbidity ought to check them out, maybe you've heard 'em already on that terrific Texas Metal Archives Vol.1 compilation we highlighted here just a few weeks ago, which included Rotting Corpse's namesake tune "Rotting Corpse". Among the bands on that '80s comp, ol' Rotting Corpse were one of sickest, along with Death Tripper and Necrovore, sounding pretty gnarly next to a lot of the other acts, many of whom stylistically were in more of a traditional, epic, speed metal vein (also cool of course).
Now, as if someone knew we were primed to hear MORE Rotting Corpse, this showed up, a two disc cd -and- dvd set, the cd compiling all of the band's surviving demo tape tracks circa 1986-1990, recorded by various lineups, Rotting Corpse membership early on featuring future Solitude Aeturnus guitarist and Brainticket label boss John Perez, and always including founding member and former Pantera roadie Walter Trachsler (great surname for a thrash metaller, eh?) on guitars and sometimes vocals.
It's killer stuff if you like your thrash raw and underground, with the buzzsaws, we mean guitars, all about chop-chop-chop riffage and chaotic soloing. The vokills are guttural, throat-retched and/or punkish, expressing Reagan/Bush era hardcore 'tude. And all the while, the frantic drum battery and loose-strung bass threatens to shake your boombox to bits (a boombox, Walkman, or car stereo being the preferred playback equipment for the original demo cassettes we're sure). It's hard not to mosh, listening to this.
The cd booklet includes several pages of detailed band history (from which we learn that after they played a show with Nuclear Assault, Dan Lilker was heard to say that Rotting Corpse were "America's noisiest band", high praise from the likes of him, indeed), pictures, fliers, and lyrics. Oh, and the dvd disc, meanwhile, contains live concert footage of Rotting Corpse in action, a bunch of it filmed at reunion gigs in 2005 and 2006 (revealing that at least one guy in the band still has really long hair... and also likes to wear what appears to be a camouflage patterned kilt, for some reason). Better yet, it also includes some much more entertaining vintage video from a show back in '89.
MPEG Stream: "War On Drugs "
MPEG Stream: "Price Of God"
MPEG Stream: "Emotional Scars"

ROWLAND, JESS Scenes From The Silent Revolution (Pax) cd + dvd 11.98

RUINS / POCHAKAITE MALKO / CICALA MVTA / ABURADAKO Let's Dance With Irregular Rhythms (Magaibutsu) dvd 22.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Another one for the Ruins fans out there. Along with the amazing Koenji Hyakkei DVD that Magaibutsu also just put out, here's another live DVD, this time featuring Ruins themselves along with three other combos from the underground Tokyo prog rock scene. This certainly lives up to the "Let's Dance With Irregular Rhythms" title! All these bands were recorded one night last July at a club called FAB, shot with relatively static but pro camerawork and fine sound.
Ruins do nine songs, some old, some new, in their inimitable frenzied, just-bass-and-drums way. They're kind of an anomaly here, in a way, 'cause their brand of prog is so uniquely stripped-down and heavy. Nothing else on here quite approaches their mania, but prog-fiends will still want to check out the others. There's the exotic-sounding Pochakaite Malko, a quartet featuring electric violin, bass, drums and keys. Quite melodic and flashy. Rather more fierce is the hard-hitting, spazzed out Aburadako. Their singer's got a slicked-back Mike Patton hairstyle and a deadpan delivery, standing motionless in front of his mic with a thousand-yard stare when not singing. Weird, and probably our favorite here next to Ruins. The fourth band on here is a large ensemble called Cicala-Mvta, that's a bit more of a circusy-sounding chamber rock thing, not unlike gypsy wedding music actually, with strings and horns as well as the usual rock instrumentation. Tatsuya Yoshida of Ruins sits in as a second drummer!

SABISTON, WILLIAM s/t (Jyrk) 3" dvd-r 7.98
Sabiston is an ex-member of Axolotl, and records under the name Ball Lightning, we had a totally kick ass cd-r from BL a while back. A mindblowingly inventive percussionist, Sabiston is also a pretty amazing video artist as well.
This ultra limited 3" dvd-r features three short films, each one in glorious super lo-res black and white, filmed using a Pixelvision camera, one of those failed toys that became a prized possession for those who could find 'em. The Pixelvision uses regular old cassette audio tapes to capture super lo-fi video, high contrast black and white, very creepy and beautiful and alien looking. It's like watching an ultrasound, weird shapes stutter and jump, lines move, static drifts and wiggles, sort of like video feedback, but even more simple and abstract. So gorgeous and haunting. Each film features original music from Sabiston, a swirling fuzzscape of sound, stuttery glitchy skitter flitting over deep rumbling bass thrum, while buried within are soft snippets of looped melody, everything occasionally blissing out into dubbed out pulses and cavernous low end throbs.
Packaged in a mini 3" plastic DVD case, with black and white artwork.
LIMITED TO 90 COPIES!!!! Already out of print, these are the last copies ever...

SAGAN Unseen Forces (Vague Terrain) cd + DVD 13.98
We've been getting more and more tired of electronic music recently. How could you not? It seems that every week there's a hundred more glitchy wannabe Autechres or Aphex Twins. But thankfully, there are always groups of folks, quietly doing their own thing, thinking weird thoughts and making weird sounds, turning unlikely concepts into reality, and offering us amazing alternatives to the usual crap we are forced to sift through day after day. Thus we have Sagan. With a pedigree that would have us expecting no less. Jay Lesser, Bevin Blectum, Wobbly, film maker Ryan Junell, and the label run by Drew And Martin of Matmos. You'd almost find yourself shouting 'supergroup' if you didn't know that such behavior would get you a punch in the nose.
A massive concept album based on Carl Sagan and just good 'ol science in general, Unseen Forces is a heaping sensory overload of sonic irregularites and visual fuckery. The audio disc is a lot more listenable that you might expect from audio terrorists like Lesser and Blectum. It's a far spacier affair, channelling classic Tangerine Dream, Pink Floyd swoosh, Hawkwind spaciness, as well as modern glitch into a slowly swirling galaxy of shimmery synths, and stuttering starbursts, throbbing techno broadcast from a distant galaxy, and garbled through the light years into a smeary ambient blur, demarcated by chirps and clicks, thumps and throbs. A space opera for the IDM set.
We were a bit wary of the accompanying film, fearing at best, some sort of cool music videos, and at worst, home movies of band members mugging and acting silly. Well, somehow it's actually both, but the sum of those parts is infinitely more watchable than you might think and so completely compliments Sagan's techno space glitch swirl. So much so that after watching the film, every time we listen to the record now, all we can picture is the scenes from the film! Various historical scientific discoveries and encounters are fictionalized and re-enacted by the band members as well as the guys from Matmos and AQ pal Dave Cerf. Gorgeously filmed and masterfully edited, the grainy Viewmaster menus and segues perfectly balance the silent movie feel of the vignettes, with the action skipping and hiccupping to the music. Funny and fascinating, silly but emminently watchable. Also the opening sequence and the closing credits are AMAZING looking. This record and film have been in the works for a LONG time, but we are happy to report that the wait was worth it!
Also, the hybrid DVD contains 9 shows with over 6 hours of music!
MPEG Stream: "18,000 BC - Figurines Of Vulva And Waterbird"
MPEG Stream: "Fuguestate: Cosmic, Brah..."

SAINT VITUS Reunion 2003 (Claude & Elmo Music) dvd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Saint Vitus! In the doom metal pantheon, this '80s SoCal band is waaay up there, in the select group of second-gen Sabbath disciples that also includes Pentagram, Trouble, Witchfinder General, and Candlemass. Originally recording for SST, they were the throwback doom punk hippies of the hardcore scene. Hence such tunes as "Born Too Late". All of this, you should already know, and if not, there's little point in reading further about this release. 'Cause basically this item is something for true Vitus fans, those among you who know (and care) what we're talking about when we say that Andee and Allan here have a ongoing dispute about who was the best Vitus vocalist, Scott Reagers or his replacement, Scott "Wino" Weinrich. Extra points if you chime in, "what about Christian Lindersson?" If you yourself have formed an opinion on that subject (and particularly if you're a Wino fancier) then there's a good chance you'll want this DVD document of the legendary St. Vitus reunited (Dave Chandler, Armando Acosta, and Mark Adams, with Wino at the mic), live for one show only at the Double Door in Chicago, 2003. Billed as "the heaviest show ever" and well it's freaking Saint Vitus, they can say that if they want!
Ok, what else do you need to know? It's limited and numbered, it's an official release, it's a real DVD not DVD-R, it's a pro production (done by the Doomednation folks) shot on four cameras (which allow for some crazy close-ups and a diversity of "film stock"). The sound is decent, though it's also almost -too much- like you're actually at the show 'cause of all the crowd chatter you can hear. And here's the set list: "Clear Windowpane", "Dying Inside", "White Magic/Black Magic", "Living Backwards", "I Bleed Black", "Zombie Hunger", "White Stallions", "Born Too Late", "Mystic Lady", and "Saint Vitus"!
Right from the get-go it's obvious how Dave Chandler's frazzled, fuzzed wah-wah soloing makes Vitus sound so unique. Yeah they're hugely influenced by Black Sabbath. Wino gets as Ozzy as he can be. But there's something even more burnt out and deviant and, well, punk about the Vitus approach... and Dave Chandler's psychotic, psychedelic guitar playing (and personality) is a big part of that. Hell we're AMAZED that the dude still looks exactly the same -- imagine having that fabulous furry freak brothers frizzy long hair for all those years!! Right on.

SCHEFFER, FRANK From Zero: Four Films on John Cage (Mode) dvd 23.00

SCRATCH (Palm) dvd 25.00
Finally on DVD, the movie Scratch, a documentary about hiphop DJs by Doug Pray (who also made Hype!, that grunge doc). Not only is the subject matter super interesting, but the film is very well made (unlike most music docs!), and so it is a treat to watch! Features interviews with Grand Wizard Theodore, inventor of the scratch, with the legendary Afrika Baambaataa, and with todays' expert practitioners including Mixmaster Mike, QBert, Cut Chemist, DJ Shadow, Rob Swift, Z-trip, Babu, Faust & Shorteee etc. Lots of local folks make appearances, including Billy Jam (of HipHopSlam), Dave Paul (of Bomb Recordings, who released the groundbreaking all-DJ comp Return of the DJ), DJ Quest (of Live Human, along with his crew the Bulletproof Scratch Hamsters), even (weirdly) Naut Humon of Asphodel. The film is well made, clear, funny, and super enlightening. One plum scene has QBert getting all cosmic as he talks about about inspiration, which for him consists of trying to imagine what music from outer space sounds like, and then reproducing that sound on his turntables. Oh those Skratch Piklz. Another nice sequence features DJ Shadow at that record store that appears on the cover of Endtroducing, which is basically his nirvana, his treasure chest, where they let him into the basement to dig.
Also included is a director's commentary, extra scenes, etc. There is also a *second* disc loaded with material -- DJ Z-trip with useful tips on how to DJ a party, a segment of QBert's Wave Twisters movie, a DIY scratch lesson with QBert, a notation demonstration (so cool to see scratching represented on paper), etc. Whew! If the packaging is to be believed, there is in total over 5 hours of material here! Worth the money, methinks.

SCREAMERS Live in San Francisco Sept. 2nd 1978 (Target Video) dvd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Much like the equally amazing Cramps Live At Napa State Mental Hospital video, for years this live footage of the Screamers' seminal synth-punk action has been circulating in increasingly grainy, on the verge of disintegrating VHS copies. Not anymore! This must-see legendary video document has finally been dvd'd! Hallelujah! Hell yeah!

SCUMROCK A Film by Jon Moritsugu (At An Angle) dvd 25.00
A couple years after making its rounds of the indie film fest circuits (heck, we've had the soundtrack for ages!), Jon Moritsugu's latest film Scumrock is finally available on dvd!!!
As we mentioned in the cd's review, the film revolves around the tangled struggles of indie filmmakers and indie bands. It features many AQ-familiar faces including a pre-TV On The Radio Kyp Malone in one of the lead roles, Moritsugu's partner in crime and awesome illustrator Amy Davis, I Am Spoonbender's Dustin Donaldson as the bad-ass Church, fellow filmmakers Craig Baldwin and Danny Plotnick, J-Church's Lance Hahn and Cup as eager film students, and let's not forget Windy's ol' Trans Am! Oh, and there's James Duval (aka Donnie Darko's Frank aka the freaky bunny) too. Plus music by Casiotone For The Painfully Alone, J-Church, and Moritsugu and Davis' band Toni-Ann. Have we missed anyone?
Unflinchingly dedicated to keepin' it raw 'n' real, this renegade indie filmmaker keeps on keepin' on and critics and kids continue to shower him the accolades. Scumrock received some very high honors and hip cred including 'Best Feature' at both the Chicago and New York Underground Film Festivals and one of the Village Voice film critics' pick of 2003. Be forewarned though if you're an image- and/or audio-phile seeking crystal clarity, the glare'n'grit laden Scum Rock might not be for you. Possessing an appreciation for all of the different qualities and kinds of film and video, Moritsugu doesn't look at one as better than another. No, he view the image 'quality' variances as simply a personality trait of each format. He just as much celebrates the overblown, hazy images caught on Hi-8 as the razor crispness of HD. He'll shoot in whatever format suits his current creative vision and the project's budget. Degraded images and distorted sound are all part of Moritsugu's wild underground film playground. In turn, dizzying, disorienting, giddy, awkward, and sincere.
Moritsugu fans, we've been alerted that next in line for dvd-ification will be Fame Whore!

SECRET CHIEFS 3 Live At The Great American Music Hall (Mimicry) dvd 15.98

SECTION 25 So Far (LTM) dvd 32.00

SHADOW, DJ In Tune And On Time (Geffen) dvd + cd 30.00
Isn't it astounding that DJ Shadow is still milking the accolades of his stellar, career-highpoint debut from six years ago? And we don't mean to belabour the subject but... how's this for obnoxious? On the introduction to this new live cd/dvd, DJ Shadow gives a thorough 'shout-out' NOT to his fans and homies, but instead to all of his releases... including eps and comp tracks! Ack, unbelievable! Aah, 'tis such a love/hate relationship!
Alright, now that we've got that out of our system... In Tune And On Time is comprised of a 20-track cd documenting his 2002 performance at the London Brixton Academy and a dvd with that very same performance (expanded to include a couple extra tracks) as well as an additional invigorating performance in L.A. (which also stars his pals Cut Chemist and DJ Nu-Mark of Jurassic 5), an interview and other candid footage. Good stuff. It always is. But how many times do you really need to hear the same old songs, especially live? They're not ever all that different, after all he's not a band, he's a DJ, playing records. But if you want more Shadow, this will have to suffice, at least until he gets around to making another record as good as Endtroducing.
MPEG Stream: "In/Flux"
MPEG Stream: "Lonely Soul"

SHADOW, DJ & CUT CHEMIST Freeze dvd 21.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Not sure how much needs to be said about this. An awesome live film of Cut Chemist and DJ Shadow performing their legendary all-45 Brainfreeze set. Really fun and crazy and just a total blast. Also included are excerpts of the opening sets by Marvski, Dante, Nu-Mark and a really funny, amazingly dexterous set from Z-Trip. Extras include rehearsals, photo galleries and discographies. Not sure how long we're gonna have these so act fast! And for our international customers, it's all region!

SHIGGAR FRAGGAR SHOW Vol.4 (One Eyed Slug Entertainment) dvd-r 23.00
DJ Disk brought this in the other day, a dvd (or dvd-r, we're pretty sure, it's blue on the playing side, whatever that means) version of this video document of the infamous Invisible Skratch Picklz, originally released on VHS ten years ago. Disk, Q-bert, Flare, Shortkut, and the devilish brown-bag masked Shiggar Fraggar himself skritch-skritch-scratch the hell out of a bunch of vinyl on an array of turntables, in a crazed DJ jam session. It's pretty amazing to see them do this live, even today. Indeed, it's what Time Magazine (TIME MAGAZINE!) called "the greatest turntable scratch show ever created". Frenzied fun showcasing mad skillz. For live visuals of classic "Turntablist Orchestrated Music" with a wacky sense of humor, look no further!

SHIT, MARK Video Anthology (SPAME) dvd 11.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
When Brentley of SF's finest nerd-rock band Three Day Stubble brought these homespun dvds into AQ, he recommended wearing a diaper while viewing it -- i.e, 'cuz you're gonna shit yerself laughin'! While we didn't quite have that exact experience when we watched it, we did find ourselves put through the full spectrum of mental states -- shock, bummer, boredom, agitation and elation. The dvd is divided into five chapters that span fifteen years, and each one offers a home video glimpse into the life of the lad who calls himself Mark Shit. And we can tell you he was one intense kid! Sometimes hyper, sometimes bratty, often punk as fuck, but always completely focused on the video camera. In our opinion, the high point musically is the second chapter named TDRtones Session -- intentionally or not, it features a claustrophobic performance of some pretty great, tightly wound propulsive post-punk. Songs include "Spratley Went To The Bathroom", "She Didn't Know I Was A Midget", "Gah Gah's Coming Out" and an odd very Hendrix-icated "Star Spangled Banner". The low point in every sense is the 'reunion'. You'll have to see for yourself.

SIGUR ROS Heima (Deluxe Edition) (XL) 2dvd 32.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
We will forewarn you that we only have a handful of these super deluxe editions of this Sigur Ros double dvd release! So if you or someone you know is a Sigur Ros fan, and you wanna treat yourself (or him or her), you better hop to it!
This edition of Heima is ultra ultra limited (meaning we won't be able to get more than what we currently have in stock!). It comes packages in an elegant slipcover with a stylin' hardcover book filled with color photographs. As with everything Sigur Ros create, this is a beautiful treasure for the eyes and ears. The title is the clue to what's inside. The word "Heima" translates roughly from Icelandic into English as "at home" or "homeland". Dvd One features an hour and a half long band documentary, and Dvd Two is filled with fantastic live performance footage from their 2006 tour across Iceland (the shows were free and unannounced!). The camerawork is artfully shot in glimpses and lingering gazes of the band and their surroundings. As always the band leaves a haunting impression that's both epic and intimate, formidable and ephemeral!
FYI: We also have the regular version in stock. It's the same dvds but instead of a companion hardcover book, it comes with a considerably thinner but still splendid insert booklet.

SIGUR ROS Heima (Regular Edition) (XL) 2dvd 16.98
This is the regular (i.e., non-deluxe) slipcovered digipak'd version of Sigur Ros' Heima double dvd set. We have a handful of the limited edition hardcover book version, but if you miss the boat on 'em, don't feel too bad because c'mon folks, it's Sigur Ros we're talking about here! Nothing from them is ever ordinary or less than strikingly beautiful. The title is the clue to what's inside. The word "Heima" translates roughly from Icelandic into English as "at home" or "homeland". Dvd One features an hour and a half long band documentary, and Dvd Two is filled with fantastic live performance footage from their 2006 tour across Iceland (the shows were free and unannounced!). The camerawork is artfully shot in glimpses and lingering gazes of the band and their surroundings. As always the band leaves a haunting impression that's both epic and intimate, formidable and ephemeral!

SIGUR ROS Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endlanst (XL) cd+dvd+book 96.00
Okay folks, this is a total last-last-minute gift idea for that special Sigur Ros fanatic on your gift-giving list. Sure you might lose points for tardiness, but you'll surely score some bonus gold stars when the recipient sets his or her eyes on this extravagant Icelandic feast for the senses! Heck, you might even wanna make the recipient yourself!
This is the deluxe 12.25" wide x 9.5" high x 1" thick hardcover 200 page full color tome edition of the band's most recent album Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endlanst. Includes the cd and a 55 minute Region 0 dvd too! Not surprisingly, as with most every other Sigur Ros release, this is absolutely exquisite!
LAST COPY!

SIGUR ROS Saeglopur (Worker's Institute) cdep+dvd 10.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Here's an unbeatably splendid Sigur Ros deal -- a dvd and a cdep for less than eleven dollars!
Musically there aren't any surprises... but who needs surprises? They stick with their tried and true which is simply more of their gorgeous crystalline elegant atmospheres we know and love. The title track is taken from their most recent full length Takk and the other three songs are new new new!
Visually it's nothing short of Sigur Ros-ian shivering sumptuousness -- three breathtaking videos for "Saeglopur", "Glosoli" and "Hoppipolla". Oh la la!
MPEG Stream: "Refur"
MPEG Stream: "Kafari"

SILVER JEWS Silver Jew (Drag City) dvd 15.98
Faithful indie rockers knew that prior to 2006 there wasn't a hope in hell that they'd be seeing one of their favorite bands live in concert. Silver Jews' team captain David Berman chose to keep it that way, much to his fans despair. So, why the change of heart after fifteen long years? We've no idea, and we choose not to pry, but the band hit the road, and how! They toured right across the country and around the globe. This dvd doesn't document the entire trip, but heck, we've all seen tons of footage of bands on the road, right? The grueling, the touching, the hilarious, the ho hum, etc., etc. Instead filmmaker Michael Tully chose to focus on one particular stop in the band's travels, the distant land of Tel Aviv, Israel. The film does include a few clips of the band performing live, but more so, it resonates with the profound intimate impact the visit had on Berman. A must-see for any Silver Jews fan!

SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES Nocturne (Universal) dvd 29.00
Although the centerpiece of this new Siouxsie & The Banshees dvd is the composite live concert footage from two nights at the Royal Albert Hall back in 1983, arguably the best parts are in the extras. The band's self-produced 'tv show' with performances by The Banshees, The Creatures and The Glove is a delight -- particularly the individual Banshee's distinct segments in which Siouxsie, Budgie, Steve Severin and Robert Smith each recite a spoken word piece in his/her chosen setting -- and the Old Grey Whistle Test tv footage which show the band in top form doing "Melt!" and "Painted Bird". Oh and the main concert footage is pretty great too. A definite fan pleaser!

SIXTEEN (16) HORSEPOWER 16HP (Smooch) dvd 21.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Sixteen Horsepower are the masters of apocalyptic swamp folk, a dark and dolorous bluegrass infused with fire and brimstone, tales of Biblical damnation, and spiritual salvation, set to fiddle and accordion, banjo and mandolin, lit by a cresent moon and the dying embers of a campfire, delivered with the vitriol fury of a rivivalist preacher trying desperately to save our souls. Sixteen Horsepower (along with 16HP frontman David Eugene Edwards' side project Woven Hand) have been responsible for some of our favorite records of the last few years. The above description should tell you enough to know that these guys push all our buttons. So we were pretty excited to get this double DVD. The first, is a series of interviews, one a super arty, black and white, with the band by the railroad, among creepy mannequins, beautifully edited and gorgeously shot. The second is a standard sit down interview. The third is interviews with the various band members tracing the timeline of the band. All very interesting, especially to hear Edwards speak so unabashedly about his faith and growing up in the church. All evident in the music of 16HP but still sort of cool to hear explained in greater detail. Disc two is all the videos and some live footage. The videos, if you haven't already seen them, are perfect visual representations of the band's take on the dusty road to damnation, lots of grainy shots of desert, and leafless trees, plenty of high contrast black and white. The highlight being the 16HP video directed by the none other than the Brothers Quay, with animated white and black chalk in some alien battle between light and dark, good and evil, as a backdrop to the band performing!! Never having seen the band, the live footage was amazing. And they are just as intense live as you might imagine. And finally on disc 2 is a European behind the scenes documentary following the band around on tour, lots of backstage footage, travelling, soundchecks, and all that kind of stuff. Intimate and really interesting. This whole collection is a welcome glimpse into the minds and music of one of our favorite bands, which is especially exciting since in the past 16HP have been less than gregarious and hardly forthcoming in terms of interviews and such.

SIXTEEN (16) HORSEPOWER Live (Alternative Tentacles) dvd 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Lots of bands can 'rock' live, performing their record, their set, a little bit louder, a little bit wilder, a little more shambolic, feeding off the energy of the crowd, but rare is the band who can create a mood, evoke emotions, make standing in a smoky club feel like standing knee deep in the mud, in a swamp, watching the black night sky, thinking back over your life and just waiting' around to die. The music of 16 Horsepower is like that, a swampy backwoods bluegrass, hellfire and brimstone, Biblical damnation and spiritual salvation. A creepy campfire blues steeped in haunting late night misery and rainy day malaise. Banjos, and double basses, accordions and brushed drums, and the haunting soulful vocals of David Eugene Edwards. On record, closed eyes and open ears reveal a world long gone, preachers in tents set up in muddy fields, beat up old pick ups, the open road, the wrath of God and the loneliness of existence, all revealed through the slow slinky crawl of 16HP's funeral folk dirge, a murky gloomy beauty that is hard to describe. Live it's like watching a band possessed. Edwards grimaces and grits, strains and clenches, the accordion, banjo or bowed guitar like a serpent in his hands as he testifies, and tries to save our souls. This dvd conveys all the power and mystery of 16HP live. Disc one features a live show from 2002 in its entirety, recorded at Le Cirque Royal in Belgium, the sound is dark and dolorous, the stage set up is the same, dark and muted, Edwards up front bathed in a halo of muted yellow light, with soft blue light on the rest of the players, each in their own little corner, all summoning personal demons and exorcising them right there on stage. SO totally amazing.
Disc two features a handful of odds and ends. A live performance on German television show Rockpalast, complete with cheesy intro music and eighties neon logo, but a fiery and super intense set, the band possessed and inspired. Also a cool six minute montage of footage from their last tour, live performances, radio interviews, backstage, in the van, etc. as well as some footage of the band in their practice space rehearsing for their final tour. And maybe the most moving, live footage from a show in Antwerp, Belgium, intended for a documentary, but never used as that ended up being the band's last show ever. A handful of songs played in a cool dome-like outdoor amphitheater, with a strange fountain, right in front of the stage that sends up a tiny jets of water. A handful of songs, including a cover of "Heart And Soul" by Joy Division, which is the last song 16 Horsepower ever perform.
Comes with a big booklet of liner notes/photos. This disc is NTSC and region free.

SIXTEEN (16) HORSEPOWER Secret South (Alternative Tentacles) cd+dvd 15.98
We've long been champions of Mr. David Eugene Edwards, in both of his swampy apocalyptic folk ensembles, first the late great 16 Horsepower, and then later, his more personal, and seemingly more spiritual Woven Hand. As long time readers of the aQ list know, Edwards is like a modern day revivalist, conjuring up demons and darkness, death and pestilence, but simultaneously light and hope and sometimes even redemption. With a sound that shifts from stripped down and intimate, to dense and heavy and ominously rocking, the music of Edwards is easily some of the most powerful and passionate we've heard. Woven Hand played the aQuarius SXSW showcase, and our first impression was holy shit, these guys are HEAVY. And loud. And so intense. In fact, considering how many actual metal bands and super heavy rock bands played that showcase, it's pretty remarkable that WH might still have been the heaviest band in the lineup.
Secret South is one of our favorite 16HP records, originally released way back in 2000, and out of print for AGES, this was their first record after leaving their major label, and thus seems to be infused with an extraordinary amount of anger and darkness. This record is FIERCE, the classic 16HP lineup is on fire, the vocals incredible and impassioned, the guitars raw and rough, the drumming powerful, the bass thick and enveloping, strings moaning and singing, but the magic of 16HP is how all those elements are woven together, it's difficult to imagine a mere band could evoke this sort of ominous atmosphere, this sort of dread and darkness, this is so much more than music, it's energy in sound, it's sweat and blood rendered in notes and melodies. A swampy mysterious gothic folk, but infused with elements of classic bluegrass, dramatic cabaret, plenty of doom and gloom... You can check the aQ site for other reviews where we rave on and on and on about both 16HP and Woven Hand, needless to say, both bands are all time favorites around here, and Secret South ranks right up there as one of the best by either.
Both the cd version and the lp comes with a bonus dvd featuring the whole record in 5.1 surround sound DVD audio.
MPEG Stream: "Clogger"
MPEG Stream: "Wayfaring Stranger"
MPEG Stream: "Cinder Alley"

SIXTEEN (16) HORSEPOWER Secret South (Alternative Tentacles) lp+dvd 15.98
We've long been champions of Mr. David Eugene Edwards, in both of his swampy apocalyptic folk ensembles, first the late great 16 Horsepower, and then later, his more personal, and seemingly more spiritual Woven Hand. As long time readers of the aQ list know, Edwards is like a modern day revivalist, conjuring up demons and darkness, death and pestilence, but simultaneously light and hope and sometimes even redemption. With a sound that shifts from stripped down and intimate, to dense and heavy and ominously rocking, the music of Edwards is easily some of the most powerful and passionate we've heard. Woven Hand played the aQuarius SXSW showcase, and our first impression was holy shit, these guys are HEAVY. And loud. And so intense. In fact, considering how many actual metal bands and super heavy rock bands played that showcase, it's pretty remarkable that WH might still have been the heaviest band in the lineup.
Secret South is one of our favorite 16HP records, originally released way back in 2000, and out of print for AGES, this was their first record after leaving their major label, and thus seems to be infused with an extraordinary amount of anger and darkness. This record is FIERCE, the classic 16HP lineup is on fire, the vocals incredible and impassioned, the guitars raw and rough, the drumming powerful, the bass thick and enveloping, strings moaning and singing, but the magic of 16HP is how all those elements are woven together, it's difficult to imagine a mere band could evoke this sort of ominous atmosphere, this sort of dread and darkness, this is so much more than music, it's energy in sound, it's sweat and blood rendered in notes and melodies. A swampy mysterious gothic folk, but infused with elements of classic bluegrass, dramatic cabaret, plenty of doom and gloom... You can check the aQ site for other reviews where we rave on and on and on about both 16HP and Woven Hand, needless to say, both bands are all time favorites around here, and Secret South ranks right up there as one of the best by either.
Both the cd version and the lp comes with a bonus dvd featuring the whole record in 5.1 surround sound DVD audio.
MPEG Stream: "Clogger"
MPEG Stream: "Wayfaring Stranger"
MPEG Stream: "Cinder Alley"

SIXTOO Duration (Ninja Tune) cd+dvd 21.00

SKATERS Diminishing Shrine Recycles video 12.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Okay, we don't really have a VCR here so no one has been able to actually watch this video, but judging from how freaky people have gotten about local free noise outfit the Skaters recently, we figured we oughta list it anyway, especially since we only managed to get 8 copies. As far as we know these are the last copies and then it's gone for good. Made for their recent tour, Diminishing Shrine Recycles is the perfect lo-fi visual analogue to the Skater's dense sonic skree. First come first serve. These will probably be gone in a heartbeat...

SLAVIN, RAN Insomniac City (Mille Plateaux) cd+dvd 23.00