ELEPHANT MAN Log On (Greensleeves) cd 14.98
With an album title like "Log On" you know that Elephant Man wants to let his audience know that he's still on the cutting edge... er, maybe. But this 2001 release does seem to follow in the trend of many rising stars in dancehall by working in a hip hop flavor into their productions. This newest album from Elephant Man hesitates from committing completely to the hip hop sound and the production here seems to be divided about 60 / 40 between dancehall and hip hop production aesthetics. The success of the album itself rests at around 50 / 50 good and bad. The biggest problem with the album is that it's just too damn long. I know it has probably been said before, but another great thing about the LP was that it limited just how much material an artist could put on their album without having to dish out for a double LP. Once technology allowed for the 80 minute CD it seems that everyone feels obliged to fill up that space. This disc, clocking in at just under 77 minutes, could probably been cut down to pretty tight 40 minute album. They could probably cut about 15 minutes off the album merely by trimming off every single "You Know!" uttered by Mr. Elephant Man. Though maybe just taking out the tracks with the circus calliope style melodies would be good enough. But along with cameos by Spragga Benz, Ricky Rudy, Buju Banton, Ward 21 and more, there's still a lot of good edgy, gruff and wheezy toasting on both dancehall and breakbeats.
RealAudio clip: "Warrior Cause"
RealAudio clip: "Yuh A War"
RealAudio clip: "Anything-A-Anything"

ELEPHANT MAN Log On (Greensleeves) lp 12.98
With an album title like "Log On" you know that Elephant Man wants to let his audience know that he's still on the cutting edge... er, maybe. But this 2001 release does seem to follow in the trend of many rising stars in dancehall by working in a hip hop flavor into their productions. This newest album from Elephant Man hesitates from committing completely to the hip hop sound and the production here seems to be divided about 60 / 40 between dancehall and hip hop production aesthetics. The success of the album itself rests at around 50 / 50 good and bad. The biggest problem with the album is that it's just too damn long. I know it has probably been said before, but another great thing about the LP was that it limited just how much material an artist could put on their album without having to dish out for a double LP. Once technology allowed for the 80 minute CD it seems that everyone feels obliged to fill up that space. This disc, clocking in at just under 77 minutes, could probably been cut down to pretty tight 40 minute album. They could probably cut about 15 minutes off the album merely by trimming off every single "You Know!" uttered by Mr. Elephant Man. Though maybe just taking out the tracks with the circus calliope style melodies would be good enough. But along with cameos by Spragga Benz, Ricky Rudy, Buju Banton, Ward 21 and more, there's still a lot of good edgy, gruff and wheezy toasting on both dancehall and breakbeats.

ELEPHANT MAN One (RMC) 7" 2.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Hip hop remix. Rhythm = "Shake Ya Ass" (Mystikal).

ELEPHANT MAN Pop It Out (Special Remix) 7" 2.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Hip hop remix. Rhythm = "One Minute Man" (Missy Elliott).

ELEPHANT MAN This Feeling (RMC) 7" 2.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Hip hop remix. Rhythm = "One Minute Man" (Missy Elliott). B-side says "version" but it actually has Capleton's "Forward Inna Clothes" (different mix?) on it.

ELEPHANT MAN & RICKY RUDY Living In Hell (RMC) 7" 2.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Another Jamaican dancehall 7". This time the rhythm is again"One Minute Man" (Missy Elliott). And the B-side has a completely unrelated version. Yes indeed, as the title implies this is Elephant Man and Ricky Rudy paying homage to Bob Marley here, singing a slightly altered version of "Time Will Tell".

ELEPHANT MAN (THE ENERGY GOD) Monsters Of Dancehall (Greensleeves) cd 12.98

MPEG Stream: "Log On"
MPEG Stream: "Watchie Pum"
MPEG Stream: "Shizzle Ma Nizzle"

ELEPHANT MAN / CAPLETON Mek She Cry / Rough N Tough (New Jeans) 12" 6.98

ELEPHONE Bunny Ears EP (Three Ring Records) 7" + cd-r 4.98
Elephone follow up their Shivering cdep with... bunny ears? Wha'?! Not sure if the cover art's intended for Easter time or maybe the band's been hangin' out with Hefner. Hey, that's a pretty good song title, innit? Anyways, these SF fellas have generously offered up a limited edition combo set of 7" record and cd-r (both with the same music). Sort of a return to their earlier more punchy and poppy selves, but also a bit more edgy and angular than their more dramatic, moody recent offerings. Includes a cover of U2's "Seconds". Limited to 200.
MPEG Stream: "Hemlock 3"
MPEG Stream: "Seconds"

ELEPHONE Canister (Talking House) cd 9.98
The latest album from this veteran Bay Area indie rock combo finds the band on a slightly different path. Most notable is the addition of female vocals courtesy of new band member Sierra Frost who also fleshes out things further on keyboards. Elephone has always been pretty darn punchy yet also well-crafted and dramatic, but these days they're even more so -- easily bringing to mind bands such as The Pixies and Arcade Fire. Heck, who doesn't love intelligent indie pop rock with boy-girl vocals and infectious hooks? This band always delivers the goods!

ELEPHONE Far Distant Parade (Brown Owl Bakery) cd 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

ELEPHONE Still Life With Vodka (self-released) cd ep 4.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Check out this emotive power pop EP from this Bay Area quintet who, as hinted at in the title, clearly enjoy a drink or three. This is the follow-up to their well-received album A Far Distant Parade. Although the very Devendra-Banhart-meets-Violent-Femmes'-Gordon-Dano high nasal male lead vocals might be considered an acquired taste, particularly on the first song, things seem much more locked in when other vocalists join into the slightly trippy, energetic fray. These are three solid, well-crafted and dramatic songs, the third brings things to a close with a solemnly meandering piano outro.
MPEG Stream: "Persona"

ELEPHONE The Camera Behind The Camera Behind The Camera (Three Ring) cd 12.98
The Camera Behind The Camera Behind The Camera is by far this SF band's most composed and focussed release to date. Tight and punchy (with the exception of the eighth song "Hollyhock" whose first half is slow and pretty and the vocal'n'guitar album closer "Something About Fire"), Elephone have smoothed out the rough edges in the vocals, tightened up the rhythm section and applied more attention to detail on each song's arrangement. The dynamics in the big sinewy guitars, synths and solid drumming are more pronounced and effective. The album as a whole is propelled by a brooding verve. On a bunch of these songs with their solid thumpin' beat, Elephone will have the indie rock kids making their way to the dancefloor in no time! Fits really well alongside the recent self-titled debut from their local pals (and frequent show bill sharers) Madelia.
Psst, the official release date is July 11, but we've got some now!
MPEG Stream: "Let Go Of My Arm"
MPEG Stream: "Hollyhock"

ELEPHONE The Shivering (DIYORELSE) cd ep 5.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Here's the new 5-song ep from local combo Elephone which treads a different, more expansive path than their last self-released ep 2003's Still Life with Vodka and its full length predecessor A Far Distant Parade (both now sadly out of print). The first two songs are very dramatic and surprisingly early/mid-Radiohead-eque, but on the third the band shifts into quite a different space... and for fans of the Elephone of old, it's a welcome one! The song "Style Style" is definitely more pop-oriented and more like their past efforts, but much more composed and crisply executed. High on energy and emotion. With cool artwork featuring a gasmasked frog and a goggled bird.
MPEG Stream: "Moving Beds"
MPEG Stream: "Style Style"

ELEVEN POND Bas Relief (Other Voices) cd 15.98
A lost classic from '86, reissued on lp back in 2010 by Dark Entries, now available as a handy cd!
What a total gem! An amazing unearthed, ultra obscure album from way back in 1986. Hailing from Rochester, NY, Eleven Pond crafted super infectious dark pop with wonderful synth moments and song writing that has really held up over the years. Some of the production, and much of the overall sound reminds us a bit of Seventeen Seconds era Cure, where basslines lead the tracks and the guitars and synths add such a nice mood and texture. We're also reminded a lot of another obscure mid '80s band, For Against, who had the same ability to take Factory/4AD elements and influences and meld them so nicely with classic eighties American college rock, they kind of sounded like this amazing hybrid of Joy Division and R.E.M.
With new romantic vocals that totally tap into vintage Depeche Mode and New Order territory, we also hear echoes of other lesser known yet great bands of this era like Soul Merchants and Jet Black Factory. With so many new bands lately referencing that era and looking to similarly vintage sounds for inspiration, it's so refreshing to hear an actual relic from that period, too bad it sadly somehow slipped through the cracks, but now we can finally enjoy this set of songs, so worthy of much wider appreciation.
MPEG Stream: "Tear & Cinnamon"
MPEG Stream: "Asterisk"
MPEG Stream: "Portugal"

ELEVEN POND Bas Relief (Dark Entries) lp 19.98
BACK IN PRINT!!!
What a total gem! An amazing unearthed, ultra obscure album from way back in 1986. Hailing from Rochester, NY, Eleven Pond crafted super infectious dark pop with wonderful synth moments and song writing that has really held up over the years. Some of the production, and much of the overall sound reminds us a bit of Seventeen Seconds era Cure, where basslines lead the tracks and the guitars and synths add such a nice mood and texture. We're also reminded a lot of another obscure mid '80s band, For Against, who had the same ability to take Factory/4AD elements and influences and meld them so nicely with classic eighties American college rock, they kind of sounded like this amazing hybrid of Joy Division and R.E.M.
With new romantic vocals that totally tap into vintage Depeche Mode and New Order territory, we also hear echoes of other lesser known yet great bands of this era like Soul Merchants and Jet Black Factory. With so many new bands lately referencing that era and looking to similarly vintage sounds for inspiration, it's so refreshing to hear an actual relic from that period, too bad it sadly somehow slipped through the cracks, but now we can finally enjoy this set of songs, so worthy of much wider appreciation.
Limited to a pressing of 500, each copy has been silk screened and contains two Eleven Pond postcards as well as a sticker from Dark Entries, the label who mark this as their first release and who we have a pretty good feeling we're going to be hearing a lot more from in the future. Grab one while you can, as this is highly recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Tear & Cinnamon"
MPEG Stream: "Asterisk"
MPEG Stream: "Portugal"

ELEVEN SHADOWS Sangsara (Adastra) cd 13.98
"If Brian Eno produced beautiful Italian arias in a Tibetan monastery". That's how the band's website describes AQ customer Ken Lee's Eleven Shadows and it's not that far off the mark. Haunting, creepy, sort-of-gothic epics with soaring strings, ominous atmospheres and operatic female vocals. Very cinematic and etherial with lots of traditional Tibetan instruments. Reminiscent of Dead Can Dance, Kate Bush, Enigma and the like. Nice.
RealAudio clip: "Amitabha"

ELEVEN TIGERS Clouds Are Mountains (Solid Motive) cd 15.98
Like Clubroot, Eleven Tigers is another artist pushing the boundaries of the dubstep sound. And as much as we love the stripped down dubstep big beat heaviness that's all stuttery thump and big bass warble, we're also pretty into these new dubstep variants that concern themselves with atmosphere, texture, mood and vibe, as much, if not more than beats, taking those beats, and setting them in some verdant otherworld of sound, lush and expansive, or submerging them in some swirling murky subterranean sonic sea, infusing the core dubstep sound with bits of techno, house, even soul, to create, in this case, a single linked set of songs, each one flowing into the next, slipping seamlessly from washed out hazy shimmer, to sweetly soulful dubpop, to bass heavy dubstep crunch, to playful almost ska flecked electronic skitter, to warped woozy downtempo drift, to Portishead-y trip hop and back again.
The record begins super atmospheric, with psychedelic streaks of sound, fragments of melody, all floating in a softly swirling haze, the beat a buried pulse, warm lush swells, when the beat does finally surface, it manages to be fierce, but still subdued and subtle, eventually the beat slips back under the surface again, leaving a whirling bit of muted murk, which slips directly into a short stretch of cool twisted processed sound, clipped and looped guitars, twisted into atmospheric smears, glitchy and hypnotic, like some Jeckian loop, which leads into the first proper song, a woozy bit of folk flecked electronica, the vocals wistful and sweet, balanced by some serious bass buzz, a little distant guitar strum, vocal harmonies looped over a tangle of skeletal rhythm and buzzing synth, so nice.
From there on out, the record is a continues flow of constantly evolving dubstep, dipping into the above mentioned sounds, but twisting each on up over the course of the track, darkly aggressive one minute, tranquil and dreamy the next, the beats varied and expressive, the surrounding sounds lush and layered and in constant motion, a long slow build that finally settles back down near the record's end, into some divinely dark and stripped down dubbed out electronic bliss.
Another new favorite electronic record, to add to the stack recent discoveries from Clubroot, Gold Panda, Actress, Glitterbug, Pantha Du Prince, Walls, Vex'd T++, Klimek...
MPEG Stream: "Open Mirror"
MPEG Stream: "Made Of"
MPEG Stream: "Songs For You"
MPEG Stream: "Flux"

ELEVENTH DREAM DAY Stalled Parade (Thrill Jockey) cd 14.98
The ninth record from this all-star ensemble (weird to think that EDD is going on 17 years now, but the band members side projects are so much more high profile: Freakwater, Tortoise, Brokeback, and Tara Key's band), 'Stalled Parade', is more of their dreamy, droney, funky, twangy, hypnotic rock. Nice.

ELEVENTH DREAM DAY Zeroes And Ones (Thrill Jockey) cd 14.98
It never fails to amaze just how incredibly strong Chicago, Illinois' musical roots are, and that they feed a sturdy community trunk from which have flourished countless awesome branches that themselves have become deeply interwoven. This band is a perfect example. Metaphors aside, throughout the '80s and '90s, Eleventh Dream Day was a consistently amazing outfit, and this new album proves that they still are. A little history lesson for ya... commencing in 1983 their original lineup included Janet Beveridge Bean (also of Freakwater), Doug McCombs (also of Tortoise, Brokeback, The For Carnation and Pullman). Baird Figi and Rick Rizzo. Over the years, a fella named John McEntire (also of Tortoise, duh!) stepped in from time to time to help produce and play stuff. Their current roster is graced by the talented former Coctail multi-instrumentalist Mark Greenberg. The sound of these pop rockers has always been comfortably nestled right in with the likes of fellow college pop veterans the Go-Betweens and Throwing Muses. They've surely shared a lot of fans. And with this, their return after six years of silence, they've picked right up where they left off. Perhaps with even more vigor and urgency than before. Catchy, smart, solid and executed with ease. Welcome back old friends!
Note: not to be mistaken with the album Ones and Zeroes by Canadian youngsters Immaculate Machine. Hmmm, does everyone have binary code on the brain?
MPEG Stream: "Dissolution"
MPEG Stream: "For Martha"

ELF POWER A Dream in Sound (Arena Rock/Elephant Six) cd 13.98
The newest release from probably the least well known of the Elephant 6 bands (Elephant 6, for the uninitiated, is a loose collective of experimental 60s-ish psychedelic bands including Neutral Milk Hotel, Olivia Tremor Control, Apples in Stereo and more). Not as intense and soul baring as NMH, and not as 'out there' as OTC, Elf Power play a raggedy catchy amalgam of the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Kinks all filtered through that lo-fi/4 track/ homespun Elephant 6 aesthetic.

ELF POWER Back To The Web (RykoDisc) cd 15.98
On Back To The Web, Elf Power's frontman Andrew Rieger's voice struck us as really familiar, and then we realized that it reminded us of Al "Year Of The Cat" Stewart. Is that a good or bad thing in your books? For us, we don't have a problem sayin' it's not bad at all. The album's pretty darn good from beginning to end, but stand-out songs are "The Spider And The Fly" and "Peel Back The Moon, Beware!" Both are entrancingly psychedelic and a bit folky at times, but also check out "All The World Is Waiting" which combines late night slinky electric guitar with the more characteristically Elf Power plucky folk guitar. It's a very groovy, very glammy tune. The album as a whole is infused with a '70s rock vibe, especially the final third which definitely reveals the potent influence of bands from that decade such as T-Rex and Led Zeppelin. While we do on occasion yearn for the toothsome dreamy psych pop of the Elf Power days gone by, we do quite dig the new direction the band's been taking on their last couple albums.
MPEG Stream: "The Spider And The Fly"
MPEG Stream: "All The World Is Waiting"

ELF POWER Creatures (Spin Art) cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Elf Power have quietly dwelled under the shadow of Neutral Milk Hotel, Olivia Tremor Control, and Apples In Stereo of the Elephant 6 collective, consistently releasing some fantastic, if quirky indie jangle with lots of thoughtfully constructed lo-fi fuzz (a la Sparklehorse, Mercury Rev, Flaming Lips) running through lots of references to the Beatles and the Kinks. "Creatures" is the least adventurous and most accessible album for this Athens, Georgia outfit, pushing closer towards the bubblegum pop of the Apples and further away from their earlier Neutral Milk-ish ramshackle pop as on "Dream In Sound" and "Winter Is Coming."
RealAudio clip: "Let The Serpent Sleep"
RealAudio clip: "Everlasting Scream"
RealAudio clip: "The Haze"

ELF POWER In A Cave (Rykodisc) cd 16.98
It's hard to believe that this is the 9th album from Elf Power. Seems like just yesterday that this Athens, GA band were the new kids on the Elephant Six block. They really haven't released a dud either over the years and like lots of bands who remain consistent over a long period of time it becomes easy to take what they do for granted. In A Cave might be their most fresh and immediate record since their 2000 album, Winter Is Coming, which has definitely become an all-time AQ favorite.
They've really excelled and created their own unique take on psych-pop that's so well constructed and pleasing on the ears. Swirling melodies, experiments with tape and subtle electronics all used to great success, and above all such great songwriting that continues to set Elf Power above the pack, far beyond the rest of those outfits desperate to tap into that paisley psychedelic pop sound but lacking the great songs and killer hooks. Like early R.E.M. paying homage to The Kinks and The Zombies, In A Cave is proving to be one of the better pop records of the year.
MPEG Stream: "Owl Cut (White Flowers In The Sky)"
MPEG Stream: "Spiral Stairs"
MPEG Stream: "Heads Of Dust, Hearts Of Lust"

ELF POWER Nothing's Going To Happen (Orange Twin) cd 14.98
An all covers collection by these Georgia-based Elephant 6'ers released on Jeff Mangum's label. 16 songs in all (six of which were previously released on their tour only limited edition "Come On" ep) including Tall Dwarfs' "Nothings Going to Happen", Billy Childish's "You Make Me Die", Bad Brains' "Pay To Cum", The Misfits' "Hybrid Moments" (with altered lyrics), Sonic Youth, Jesus & Mary Chain, Frogs, Buzzcocks, etc. The broad choice of covers all done in Elf Power's indierock style actually serves to highlight the excellent *songwriting* evident in each track, and this is a very pleasant listen. Earnest, fun, crowd-pleasing tributes to their favorite bands or neutered, lackluster indie pop versions? We're on the fence. We enjoyed this a lot, but does that mean it's great? Hmm. You decide.
RealAudio clip: "You Make Me Die"
RealAudio clip: "Pay To Cum"
RealAudio clip: "Hybrid Moments "

ELF POWER Vainly Clutching At Phantom Limbs (Arena Rock) cd 14.98
"Vainly Clutching At Phantom Limbs" is a reissue of a super limited edition lp, with the "Winterhawk" ep tacked on for good measure. When this was recorded in 1994, Elf Power's sound had not yet developed into the tropes of Elephant 6 avant-psych-pop, instead they dabbled in gritty lo-fi straight-forwardness of the kind that made all of those early Sebadoh / Sentridoh singles sound so brilliant in their crappiness. That said, the best track on this album is a cover of "Drug Store" by, yes, the Dwarves!

ELF POWER Walking With The Beggar Boys (Orange Twin) cd 14.98
Many of the Elephant 6 crafty retro pop experimental collective members have been resurfacing as of late. Not only have AQ faves the Olivia Tremor Control's albums been reissued, but many of the bands in the E6's second tier are stepping forward with new albums too! As soon as you press 'play' on Walking With The Beggar Boys, Elf Power are bursting from your speakers with their particular tasty blend of jubilant retro folk pop. Much less psychedelic than previous releases, instead it's very "Up With People" and filled with lyrics of wide-eyed innocence like "God is cool". It's not all sunshine and daffodils though, there are somber moments on this album. They just take a little time to materialize (how 'bout the sixth song "The Cracks"?). As per most E6 projects, this album features members (and ex-members) of other E6 bands, namely Laura Carter of Neutral Milk Hotel and Eric Harris of OTC. An additional highlight is the unmistakable voice of Vic Chesnutt! Yup, he sings on the title track.
MPEG Stream: "Never Believe"
MPEG Stream: "The Cracks"

ELF POWER When the Red King Comes (Arena Rock/Elephant 6) cd 13.98
Second album from the Athens-based pop group that was the last minute surprise act at Terrastock West.

ELF POWER Winter Is Coming (Sugar Free ) cd 14.98
With every Elf Power release the band grows in leaps and bounds, gleefully becoming more psychedelic and less sweetly pop. This is a good thing! Developing their own, original spin on the tried and true Elephant 6 sound (the underground pop collective typified by Neutral Milk Hotel, Olivia Tremor Control, and Apples in Stereo) has resulted in "Winter is Coming", which is filled with delightfully ambitious psychedelic rock with a few nods here and there to their toothy pop roots. Very well executed and stunningly melodic. Highly recommended!
RealAudio clip: "Embrace the Crimson Tide"
RealAudio clip: "Green Sea Days"

ELFMILK Extragalactic Distance (Independence) lp 13.98
We've mentioned it before, but we love it when people we know make amazing records, and we're then available to share them with all of you. Such is the case with this, the oddly monikered Elfmilk, the project of aQ customer/pal Eddie, who hails from Mexico, and who is solely responsible for the gorgeous sounds to be found on Extragalactic Distance, a collection of abstract ambience, deep drones, and experimental rhythmic minimalism.
Beginning with the brief minute long intro "Spiral", a smoldering bit of crumbling distorted piano, and shimmering overtone rich drift, Elfmilk reveals itself as something more raw and immediate than much of the ambient/drone/electronic music we hear. It's super well crafted, and lush and lovely, but it's still raw, and rough around the edges, which makes the sounds more warm, the vibe more human and organic, instead of sounds, these feel like songs, long tones shimmer and undulate, melodies seem to slowly evaporate into a haze of high end whir, scattered throughout are fragmented rhythms, dubby and abstract, disembodied pulses and ghostly beats, a sort of electrokrautrock that seems to be gradually coming apart, like some old space station left in orbit, the various pieces drifting off into the ether, some into the heart of the sun, some into the cold black void, here liquid squelches demarcate loose swirling melodic tangles, and thick swells of feedback wreathed buzz, acoustic guitars let loose spare notes, that flutter like leaves falling from trees, or mysterious detritus floating through space.
In a few places, the sounds go haywire, explosive bursts of almost jungle like rhythms, or exploding firecrackers woven into frantic beats, but even then the sounds surrounding these blasts are warm and whirling and sweetly soothing, while elsewhere, the sounds slip into dubby Portishead like low slung downtempo grooves, culminating in the 14+ minute epic "Obsidian", a constantly shifting soundscape that plays out like a soundtrack to some mysterious art film, swirling electronics, lush textures, fractured effects, pulsing synths, the sound seeming to shift ever minute or two, finishing off with a stretch of grinding downtuned lo-fi dirgery, which leads directly into the closing number, a fantastically blissed out sprawl of super distorted melodies, all hazy and spacey and dreamlike, but wrapped in crunchy buzz and hissy static, which eventually slips away, leaving lush lustrous sonic swells, lovely hushed computer vox and what sounds like field recording, all woven into a softly undulating bit of dreamlike drift.
Fantastic stuff. Highly recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Degenerate Dwarf (Mix C)"
MPEG Stream: "Rave Tonight Near Alfa Centauri!!!"
MPEG Stream: "Hawaii"
MPEG Stream: "Type Ia Supernova"

ELGAROY, TORE The Sound of The Sun (Rune Grammofon) cd 16.98

ELGGREN, LEIF All Animals Are Saints (The Tapeworm) cassette 7.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
One of two new Tapeworm cassettes on this week's list, the other being the truly strange Autodigest recording of 40 years of bootleg recordings, and then there's this, the latest from Swedish artist Leif Elggren, who has consistently delighted and baffled us with recordings that ranged from totally confusional high concept ultra minimalism, to gorgeous dark dronemuic, to full on NOISE, not to mention lots of writings and art projects, the most infamous being the creation of the 'imaginary' country, he dubbed the Kingdoms Of Elgaland-Vargaland (KREV), a country which just so happens to have Elggren as its king!
All Animals Are Saints is a collection of live recordings, the first of which is called "The Life Of The Plants" which features Elggren discussing experiments that found scientists placing electrodes and various recording devices on plants to record their electrical fields, resulting in, a series of strange glitched out minimal soundscapes, which pepper Elggren's talk. A staticky sound field of muted grinding rumbles, stuttery clicks and scrapes, fluttery bits of low end, a distinct drone component, lots of hiss and shimmer, and subtly swooping effects and glitches. As Elggren's story about the experiments continue, the scientists introduce stress into the plants' lives resulting in sounds that are much more abrasive, more rhythmic, a dense cloud of skittery streaks of high end and crackling sheets of skree. Hard to say if we're meant to believe the veracity of Elggren's storytelling, there are plenty of sound artists who have explored the electrical output of plants, or if it's just another high concept art piece, either way it's quite entertaining, and the sounds are definitely fantastic.
The piece on the B-side is called "Swedenborg's Organ", and again begins as a talk, about a man called Swedenborg, from the 1700's, a musician, a writer, Elggren 'plays' a recording of someone playing Swedenborg's organ, the sound of creaking floorboards, squeaks and moans, thumps and rumbles, precedes a truly haunting, seriously fucked up stretch of slowly unfurling, totally abstract, sort-of-organ music, it's hard to describe, notes moan and wheeze, partial melodies crumble in slow motion, a stumbling, lurching, slow motion, minor key lament, very reminiscent of the recordings of Gurdjieff, but with the addition of those never ending creaks and groans, it's very much like a busted organ being played on a rickety old pirate ship, and sounds very much like something Nurse With Wound could have conjured up!
Like all Tapeworm stuff, extremely limited, this one TO JUST 250 COPIES!!!

ELGGREN, LEIF Extraction (Firework Edition) cd 16.98
In playing with ideas of royality and rewriting the fundamental laws of creation with his ongoing series of conceptualizations, sound installations, actions, and photographs, Swedish artist Leif Elggren posits epistemological inquiries about how the utterances of power (essentially just a signifier) are communicated and valued. Such inquiries come in the form of absurd hypothetical situations which Elggren realizes with an aesthetic language that alternates between that of a royal edict and that of the village idiot. Elggren's most notable experiment has been the ongoing fictional country he founded with C.M. von Hausswolff called The Kingdoms of Elgaland / Vargaland, which operates in between country borders, in digital space, in dreams, etc. "Extraction" is a bit more of a convoluted proposition for Elggren, and is one that cannot be taken at face value. Elggren states that "this basic sound material was recorded in my biological mother's uterus with my not yet developed teeth used as a fundamental and simple recording device a few days before my birth. This sound material was kept recorded and hidden until recently inside one of my wisdom teeth, but has now been brought to daylight and exposure... For best results: load this CD in your CD player, confirm that sound is coming out through the speakers, and then just leave the room. When you come back everything will be totally changed."
No, the sound is not the sound of his mother's uterus; it appears more like the unfolding of a complex series of overlapping electrical fields, whose disturbances, flanges, and gradual fluctuations coalesce into a potentially dangerous sea of electricity. "Extraction" remains a very stoic construction of a very pure sound, but will it change everything in Aquarius records if I were to leave this on and step outside the shop for an hour? What would change? To what degree would things change? How? I would say that those questions become the crux of Elggren's oeuvre, with all of the obtuse soundsculptures and royal trinkets built from tin cans being merely the residues of thought.
RealAudio clip: "Extraction (excerpt 1)"
RealAudio clip: "Extraction (excerpt 2)"

ELGGREN, LEIF & THOMAS LILJENBERG 9.11 (Firework Editions) cd 14.98
These two Swedish conceptual / sound artists are quite amused by their actions which have warranted 58 minutes of their laughter, which runs through a litany of guffaws, giggles, evil cackles, hoots, and hollers. In the end it's certainly absurd in scope and strangely enjoyable in a delirious kind of way. As baffling as it may seem, Mr. Elggren decided to release this conceptual fuck-you as one of his Firework Editions. Strangely enough, I believe we only have one of these in stock at the moment...

ELGGREN, LEIF / PER JONSSON / KENT TANKRED Ung / Mat (Ash International) cd 15.98
It's a great to see that Ash International re-issued the "Ung" album from the Swedish conceptual art trio of Leif Elggren (co-founder of the Kingdom of Elgaland-Vargaland with CM von Hausswolff), Per Jonsson, and Kent Tankred. Originally "Ung" was released on vinyl by the oddball label Radium 226.5 -- which released scuzz rock from Union Carbide Productions and the Black Snakes, as well as expressive drone work from Phauss and Zbigniew Karkowski (sounds like Andee's tUMULt Laboratories, eh?). Featuring amplified ovens which oozed with spilt porridge, 27 girls dressed in white, and sledge hammers, "Ung" is an evocative acoustic drone record brigding the more conceptual tone float of Stockhausen's "Microphonie" and the visceral metallic screech of Organum. Very good.

ELGGREN, LEIF / THOMAS LILJENBERG Two Thin Eating One Fat (Firework Edition) cd 7.00
**SALE **SALE* *SALE**
Swedish conceptualists Leif Elggren and Thomas Liljenberg have published "Experiments With Dreams," a book which collects a number of outlandish letters to politicians, film stars, and business leaders, positing absurdist questions and claiming that the recipients of the letters had stolen Elggren's and Liljenberg's dreams. (The two had ostensibly found their dreams were intermingling, as if they were attempting to communicate through nightly visions, and the letters in the book were attempts to address intrusions from outside.)
"Two Thin Eating One Fat" appears to be a much more personal documentation of Elggren's and Liljenberg's dream communication, as they have recorded themselves quietly mumbling meandering narratives which are marked by strange political rhetoric and the repeated phrase "let me in." Thick metallic drones, distant pounding drums, and rhythmic exercises with a piezo buzzer accompany and at times interrupt the ongoing spoken murmur. While all of these recordings found on "Two Thin Eating One Fat" were originally produced for various collaborative installations and performances, there is remarkable consistency to this collection which articulates the absurdist intellect behind this artistic pairing.
RealAudio clip: "The Animanist"
RealAudio clip: "Lebed Rules"

ELGIBBOR Apolutrosis (E.E.E. Recordings) cd-r 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
More unblack metal, this time from way off in Poland, probably most notable, metalwise at least, for the mighty Graveland, but this, the 2004 release from Elgibbor, now remastered, remixed and re-released, has very little to do with Graveland, sonically, religiously, or politically.Ê
The sound of Elgibbor like much of the stuff on E.E.E., the home to most of the crucial white metal being produced and released these days, is utterly bizarre, all over the map, with a wide range of sounds and songs and even production qualities. The opener is super fast, completely distorted and ultra blown out, the drums and guitars and vocals, become one thick layer of buzz, so fast and distorted it almost sounds like some sort of noise record, but close listening does reveal some furious blasting and some intense buzzing riffage, the weirdest part is the keyboard, which hovers and lurks underneath the buzz, almost as if it had nothing to do with the songs themselves, a bit of random ambience, deep keyboard swells that ebb and flow hauntingly in the background, beneath a thick sheet of blacknoise. But then there's the second track, all clean reverbed guitars, distant chug, simple way-up-in-the-mix drumming, and super emotive actual singing. Like some strange deconstructed metallic pop. Song number three confuses things even more, with some midtempo Burzumic buzz, but with some strange glitched out rhythms, and some ultra distorted garbled vocals, it almost sounds like some sort of unearthed DHR demo. It goes on and on like that, some swirly ambient swirl, muted black metal blurred into soft focus fuzzed out dreaminess, some super strange techno-black metal, with rhythms that sound like boiling liquid, while all around it guitars churn and vocals howl, and probably our favorite song "Awesome God", that sounds like a choir singing hymns with black buzz wrapped all around it, the results are less evil than they are totally bizarre, it's like a Merzbow remix of Wold covering Incredible String Band. Worth it for that track alone, but the rest of the record is just as far out and fucked. Once again, the unblack bands are upping the ante on truly damaged demented and inspired musical 'blackness'.
MPEG Stream: "Annouchnou Ro'im (We See Jesus)"
MPEG Stream: "Psalm 42"
MPEG Stream: "Isaiah 60: 19-22"
MPEG Stream: "Psalm 43 (My God)"

ELGIBBOR Satan Is Defeated (E.E.E Recordings) cd-r 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

MPEG Stream: "Psalm 63"
MPEG Stream: "Powstan"
MPEG Stream: "Satan Is Defeated"

ELGIBBOR / MORIAH split (E.E.E. Recordings) cd-r 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Killer white metal and melodic doom metal from Poland & Brazil.
MPEG Stream: ELGIBBOR "Psalm 12"
MPEG Stream: ELGIBBOR "Za Mnie I Za Ciebie"
MPEG Stream: MORIAH "Where Death Is Your Victory"
MPEG Stream: MORIAH "Blood Fall"

ELIAS, HANIN In Flames (Digital Hardcore Limited) cd 21.00
The solo album from the Atari Teenage Riot vamp / diva Hanin Elias is a collection of the tracks which she had recorded outside of her ATR career. Electro-thud beats, analogue squiggliness, overblown vocal barks & screams, and a slick neo-goth behavior situates Hanin between the jet black electronica punk of ATR and Add (N) to X. Not surprisingly, Alec Empire supplies additional production on half the tracks.

ELITE Bekmorkt (No Colours) cd 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Everyone went nuts for Bifrost, the latest release from Norwegian black metallers Elite that we reviewed a few lists back, so while we're waiting to get retocked on that we figured we oughta list the ep that came out right before Bifrost. Elite have definitely earned their highly problematic monicker as they are indeed musically elite, the new wave of TRUE Norwegian black metal. Following in the black festering footprints of their BM forefathers, Mayhem, Gorgoroth, Darkthrone, Ulver and the like, Elite buzz and blast brilliantly and blackly. Each of these four tracks is a dizzying black swirl, thrashing and chaotic, wild spiked blurs, epic melodic riffing wrapped in thick dark swirls of harsh ambience, the drums a relentless pound and blast, vocals harsh and hateful, and is the case with the best black metal, strange haunting and hook filled melodies lurk just beneath the black buzzing surface. So good. Elite indeed.
MPEG Stream: "Antican"
MPEG Stream: "Misteltein"

ELITE Bifrost (No Colours) cd 16.98
It takes a lot of balls to call your black metal band ELITE. It would lead everyone to believe, that your black metal horde is indeed significantly more elite than all others. In fact, it pretty much means that your band is the most elite. So elite in fact, that you are just simply, ELITE. That's like naming your band 'cult' or even 'grim', oh wait a second, there is a band called Grimm, with two 'm's though, which must make them way MORE grim than all the other grim black metallers out there. Anyway, Elite are in fact a truly elite black metal outfit hailing from the forests of Norway, and they sound like it. This is the new wave of TRUE (and of course ELITE) Norwegian black metal. And it rules. Fierce and fast and pounding and buzzing. Think just the most epic elements of Taake, Burzum, Gorgoroth, etc. woven into a pitch black tapestry of spikes and blood and upside down crosses. Growled guttural vocals, huge thick buzzing guitars, and some of the most epic sounding riffs EVER. Fast and fuzzy, but totally triumphant, melancholic, repeated riffs become totally hypnotic and mesmerizing and weirdly moving, sort of cinematic even, listen to the first track and it will all make sense. Pummeling and grim as fuck, but so totally hook filled. The half time parts sound almost like some sort of blackened Nirvana, or at least Khold channelling Nirvana, either way it's catchy as hell and totally magical sounding. One of our new favorite black metal records for sure.
Amazing record cover too, a foggy winter forest, with some sort of hairy fanged beast lurking and ready to pounce.
While they last we have the super limited digipak version, limited to 500 copies, each one hand numbered, once those are gone you'll just get the regular jewelcase version.
MPEG Stream: "Aerelos"
MPEG Stream: "Take"

ELIZALDE, PETER Winter Playground Mystery (Riverman) cd 19.98
The crude cover painting is sorta psychedelic, and though this album dates from 1982, the breathless obi text claims this to be the work of an "unknown brilliant all original outsider loner singer songwriter who completely sounds trapped in 1972 not '82!!", so we kinda had to check it out, being big Bobb Trimble fans after all, who also fits that description. But, we were also a bit wary, 'cause while it's true that the reissue label Riverman, based in South Korea, HAS put out some pretty cool stuff - including the George-Edwards Group and Ted Lucas discs we've reviewed recently - they also have reissued a lot of things that, uh, we don't quite "get". They seem to have a thing for American '70s singer-songwriter soft rock, maybe it's more "exotic" for them than it is for us, but a lot of their catalog seems to consist of justly-forgotten thrift store mediocrities that we have a hard time understanding why collectors (in Korea or elsewhere) care about. But yeah, once in a while they nail it. So we're always curious about their reissues, hoping they'll come up with a really amazing, acid folk obscurity or something like that. Plus they sure look good in their mini-lp style sleeves, with beguiling blurbs on their obis - that, again, they rarely really live up to. However, guess what? Peter Elizalde's oddly titled Winter Playground Mystery, kinda actually does! There is certainly something "outsidery" about it, that's for sure. Your mileage may vary, indeed ours already has, some of us here are totally digging on this (enjoying it a bit ironically, maybe, but for reals too), others like Andee gave it the gong...
Here's the deal. While there's elements of psych and prog here, what this really is, is "yacht rock"! Outsider yacht rock, but yes, yacht rock. Even though it's from '82, the Berkeley-based Elizalde, an obviously talented multi-instrumentalist, was super into seventies soft rock and jazz fusion, and we figure exceedingly influenced by the likes of Todd Rundgren and Steely Dan. So, much of this is synth laden, sprightly '70s sounding AM radio pop, with, naturally, the occasional cheesy saxophone solo. And oh boy is it poppy, these songs sound like hits that never happened, y'know, totally like they should be familiar, and in fact soon will get stuck in your head... yet they're just a bit weird and warped at the same time. In part that's 'cause Elizalde has an ever so slightly strange singing voice, often oddly high and nasal, which might have to do with the fact that he grew up in Peru, perhaps that's a little trace of a Spanish accent we're hearing? Or more likely he was a big Al Jarreau fan. Besides that, this disc is also full of surprises. For instance, track 5, "Passion Play", an exuberantly uptempo, POP-PUNK song that we definitely weren't expecting, which would have opened the original lp's second side with a bang. Really cool though, especially with its slightly incongruous keyboard lines, like some sort of super happy new wave. The wild guitar soloing on this one is also pretty choice. Later on, the album's big finale, "Day Dreamer", is another stop-and-stare-at-your-stereo number. It's one of the catchiest cuts on the record, with high pitched Bee Gees style vocal harmonies, but Elizalde also cranks up the distortion on his guitar, and also indulges in some over the top synth soloing, turning the track into a burnin' jazz fusion freakout by the end of its rather proggy 7+ minutes! Wow.
Overall this album is an eccentric mix of goofy pop pleasures, synth shred, and moments of truly emotional beauty. We also wonder if the several songs with a lyrical focus on winter, are somehow part of an exercise in Beach Boys/Brian Wilson emulation, but just about the opposite season to summer?
Well, you'll either love this or hate it, if the AQ staff is anything to go by. Enough of us love it, though, to suggest you open your heart to it, those of us here who did are happier for it. If we're gonna listen to "yacht rock", this gets our boat afloat... Though Elizalde is no Bobb Trimble, this is still pretty cool, and catchy, and quirky, and equally kitschy.
MPEG Stream: "Winter Playground Mystery"
MPEG Stream: "Winter Reflexions (sic)"
MPEG Stream: "Passion Play"
MPEG Stream: "Day Dreamer"

ELLINGTON, DUKE AND HIS ORCHESTRA Jubilee Stomp (Monk) lp 21.00
Legendary composer Duke Ellington gets the deluxe Monk Records treatment here, bringing together 17 songs recorded in 1927 and 1928, right as his success was really beginning to take off thanks to a lucrative contract with agent Irving Mills. Ellington was an incredibly prolific songwriter and served as the perfect example of a big band leader. He also helped bring his art to the attention of white Americans, leading to unprecedented fame and elevating jazz music to a level of respectability that could not be ignored within America or the rest of the world. This record captures Duke and his Orchestra performing a variety of mostly Ellington penned tunes, with a couple of other numbers as well. Listening to this stuff is exciting, as one really gets the sense of a distinctly American artist creating and drawing on a distinctly American style of art, while also demonstrating how important the contributions of African-Americans were in establishing this new identity. Another winner from Monk!

ELLIOT, MISSY Lick Shots (Elektra) 12" 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The a capella version of Miss E's new single "Lick Shots" is so so so so good. That single track, certainly not the bad house remixes also included here, is the reason to buy this 12". Andee's going to try mixing this vocal track with, like, Circle underneath it. Adventurous DJs should really do something cool with this. And then burn a copy and send it to us.

ELLIOT, MISSY MISDEMEANOR Da Real World (Elektra) cd 15.98
More of that Timbaland style 'unfunky funk' that we've all grown to love. Lots of huge beats, lots of strings, lots of swearing, and lots of guests (Lil' Kim, Eminem, Aaliyah, Redman, Outkast, and more).

ELLIOTT, DEAN Zounds! What Sounds! (Basta) cd 17.98
After many years of being one of the holy grails of much sought after LPs in the "incredibly strange" variety, Dean Elliott's legendary Zounds! What Sounds is now finally available (legitimately) on cd as part of Basta's aptly titled "essential" series of reissues. Working with cartoon sound effects wizard Phil Kaye (Tom & Jerry), the resulting Zounds! is perhaps the zenith of orchestral easy listening records with sound effect accompaniment -- an inspiration for novelty music dating back to Leroy Anderson's experiments in the early 50's. Elliot's tour de force, originally released in 1963, is about 15 times more frantically schizoid than Anderson's work and his rhythm loops most certainly must have been on Perrey & Kingsley's minds when they set out to do The In Sound From Way Out a few years later. Bowling pins, ping pong playing, clocks, water, sawing wood, police & train whistles, celery stalks, the sound man's coat ripping as he picks up his watch, a vintage cement mixer from 1920 struggling to turn over and countless other noises all take turns holding first chair in Elliott's orchestra. And to top it off, Elliott comes up with some over the top arrangements with the musicians at his disposal, making their instruments sound more like sound effects at times. This re-issue also includes a six page interview with Dean Elliot conducted on WBBM shortly after the album's release. Highly recommended!
RealAudio clip: "Lonesome Road"
RealAudio clip: "All Of You"

ELLIOTT, MATT The Mess We Made (Merge) cd 14.98
As Third Eye Foundation, Matt Elliott was one of the pillars of the Bristol post-rock sound, producing a volatile concoction of drum and bass breaks suffocating under the weight of space-rock dissonance and apocalyptic references. It's been reported that Elliott was disbanding Third Eye Foundation and stepping away from music for good. Thankfully, those reports have turned out to be false and he's begun what we can only hope will be a long and fruitful 'solo' career. On "The Mess We Made," Elliott turns the corner on the rhythmic aspect of his work, instead building outward from melancholic piano melodies that fall between drunken-sailor waltzes, the paranoiac isolationism of David Shire's soundtrack to "The Conversation," and the more deconstructed renderings of Radiohead's "Kid A" or "Amnesiac." Using these morosely fragile melodies as the foundation for his music, Elliott saturates his music with theatrical orchestrations of french horns, accordions, lilting Spanish guitar lines, and windswept ambience. He furthers the creepy melodrama on "The Mess We Made" with an unusual production technique that warbles some of the sounds into an antiquated vibrato as if transmitted through a haunted Victrola from the 1930s. The title track to the album stands out with a two minute interlude of drum & bass, as Elliott tosses in a caustic Amen workout into the baroque cobwebs that dominate the remainder of this album. A very welcome return for Mr. Elliott!
MPEG Stream: "The Mess We Made"
MPEG Stream: "The Sinking Ship Song"

ELLIOTT, MISSY Get Ur Freak On Remixes (Combat Boots) 12" 9.98
These are some crappy two-step "remixes" of Missy Elliott's ever so popular "Get Ur Freak On". Apparently someone wants us to believe that they could shit a Timbaland beat on a 12" and people will buy it. These remixes have got nothing on the spartan "Bounce A Gal" (the Special Remix 7" of Lexxus plopped onto the GUFO rhythm), and the Capleton "Mi Food" single which uses the same rhythm track is also ten times better (we should still have both). This 12" does have something going for it though: it's got a really nice die cut of an assault rifle on the cover.

ELLIOTT, MISSY Miss E ... So Addictive (Elektra) cd 16.98
For those of you who don't have MTV, avoid mainstream hip hop radio, and thus may not ever have heard Missy Elliott before, take our advice and get this record. It's pretty damn worthwhile. Missy is a big and curvaceous hip hop diva (unlike the rail thin waifs we've become accustomed to seeing) whose cool 'n husky vocal delivery is here augmented by the manly talents of Ludacris, Redman, Ginuwine, Busta Rhymes, Jay Z, and Method Man, plus the divas-in-training lady vocalists Eve, Da Brat, Jade, etc. Girlfriend wrote or co-wrote almost all the songs with Timbaland, uh huh. But the production chops are what shines here -- with Timbaland behind the board you know that there are choppy melodies and stutttering, rumbling bass along with the all-important lurching rhythms and Timbaland's signature beats that are left OUT of the track, forcing YOUR ears to fill them in -- brilliant!
RealAudio clip: "Lick Shots"
RealAudio clip: "Get Ur Freak On"
RealAudio clip: "One Minute Man (featuring Ludacris)"