KING RHYTHM What's Left (Quatermass) cd 14.98
Skewed leftfield hip hoptronica from Germany, a cool hybrid of classic hip hop and tech step drum and bass. Think Ed Rush or anyone on No U-Turn stepping in for Timbaland, and turning bouncing, loping booming hip hop big beats, into skittering two step workouts with rumbling, woofer-blowing basslines. Add a couple pretty wicked MC's and you're in business. Cool stuff.
MPEG Stream: "What's Left Breaks The Silence"
MPEG Stream: "Steve's Job"

KING TUBBY Firehouse Revolution (Pressure Sounds) cd 14.98
I really wanted to like this one a lot more. One thing Pressure Sounds can do really well is put together handsome album art and King Tubby's Firehouse Revolution is no exception. The vinyl especially cuts a dashing figure with its matte finish. Firehouse Revolution is a collection of late period recordings (1985 to Tubby's death in 1989) done at King Tubby's state of the art "100% Digital" facility that he built in Kingston's Waterhouse district, also known as the "Firehouse" due to the frequency of gun fire in the neighborhood. The collection is an attempt to demonstrate that, while his former apprentice Prince Jammy pioneered the digital reggae sound, Tubby was not one to rest on his laurels and that his work in his new studio was just as cutting edge in eighties Jamaica as his early experiments in dub were in the seventies. The problem is that this period of reggae is generally not highly regarded as the most inspired or crucial. Pressure Sounds argues that, like the cold reception that reggae received by the critics in its early stages, this era of digital reggae will eventually get its come uppance in the form of a plethora of reissues much like the profusion of 60's comps that everyone wants now. "You heard it here first" Pressure Sounds seems to say but, although there are some interesting electronic bass lines to be found here, I for one prefer to remember King Tubby by the ovesaturated analog tape and spring reverb that he built his reputation on. Having said that, I say also Kudos to Pressure Sounds for having the vision and or foresight to put together a collection of unique material in the hopes that this may inspire other labels in the business of reissuing Jamaican music to lay off the old standbys for a while and dig a little deeper into the vaults for some more previously un-exploited gems. A final word of caution to those making assumptions about King Tubby's career: you won't find many dub tracks here, but you will find lots of vocals from the likes of Anthony Red Rose, King Everall, Lloyd Hemmings, Little John, King Asha, Johnny Osbourne and more. Comes with several pages of well written liner notes.
RealAudio clip: "Original Sound"
RealAudio clip: "Version"

KING TUBBY Firehouse Revolution (Pressure Sounds) lp 12.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
For some reason the LP of this didn't get listed last time, so here's the description again for all you vinyl heads:
I really wanted to like this one a lot more. One thing Pressure Sounds can do really well is put together handsome album art and King Tubby's Firehouse Revolution is no exception. The vinyl especially cuts a dashing figure with its matte finish. Firehouse Revolution is a collection of late period recordings (1985 to Tubby's death in 1989) done at King Tubby's state of the art "100% Digital" facility that he built in Kingston's Waterhouse district, also known as the "Firehouse" due to the frequency of gun fire in the neighborhood. The collection is an attempt to demonstrate that, while his former apprentice Prince Jammy pioneered the digital reggae sound, Tubby was not one to rest on his laurels and that his work in his new studio was just as cutting edge in eighties Jamaica as his early experiments in dub were in the seventies. The problem is that this period of reggae is generally not highly regarded as the most inspired or crucial. Pressure Sounds argues that, like the cold reception that reggae received by the critics in its early stages, this era of digital reggae will eventually get its come uppance in the form of a plethora of reissues much like the profusion of 60's comps that everyone wants now. "You heard it here first" Pressure Sounds seems to say but, although there are some interesting electronic bass lines to be found here, I for one prefer to remember King Tubby by the ovesaturated analog tape and spring reverb that he built his reputation on. Having said that, I say also Kudos to Pressure Sounds for having the vision and or foresight to put together a collection of unique material in the hopes that this may inspire other labels in the business of reissuing Jamaican music to lay off the old standbys for a while and dig a little deeper into the vaults for some more previously un-exploited gems. A final word of caution to those making assumptions about King Tubby's career: you won't find many dub tracks here, but you will find lots of vocals from the likes of Anthony Red Rose, King Everall, Lloyd Hemmings, Little John, King Asha, Johnny Osbourne and more. Comes with several pages of well written liner notes.

KING TUBBY In Fine Style (Trojan) cd 18.98

KING TUBBY In the Mix: Classic Dub From the Master (Recall) 2cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Low priced double disc anthology of King Tubby, apparently a part of a series of anthologies of Jamaican artists being released by Recall. Each collection comes with a fair amount of biographical notes on the artist and generally make good starting points if you don't have anything already. Generally acknowledged as the father of dub, King Tubby has left a huge legacy of recordings as a producer and has been an ongoing influence and inspiration to engineers and dub aficionados from Jamaica to the Netherlands. If you have any of the numerous collections of King Tubby's then you're likely to get a good deal of overlap here, as even with a cursory listen I noticed several tracks that have been released already. In fact, I don't think you'll find a rare track on here. But if you love dub and don't already own any Tubby then there's really no reason you shouldn't just pick this up. It's cheap, packed with classic seventies dub and it comes with a decent bio on the King.
RealAudio clip: "Don't Try To Use Me"
RealAudio clip: "Fittest of the Fittest"

KING TUBBY Lost Treasures (Jamaican Recordings) cd 14.98
So this collection of King Tubby dubs called "Lost Treasures" was released some time ago. It's one of the few on this label that we haven't listed yet. It's not because it's a bad disc that it hasn't been listed, but because apparently the dubs on the album are suspect, ie: bogus dubs. After King Tubby was murdered in 1989, friends coming by the studio to pay their respects made off with armloads of master tapes (including a good deal of Lee Perry produced material that was in King Tubby's possession.) Apparently, according to those in the know, those tracks on that Tubby mix were not mixed on his board, and do not include the trademark effects gear that Tubby used. It's actually a nice record, with some great rhythm tracks and excellent playing all over the place, plus the fidelity is superb -- coming from the master tapes -- they just weren't mixed by King Tubby, but were more likely done posthumously. So I'm trying to sort out this mess with the Tubby dubs, because I still want to list it, and then I find out that the Lee Perry disc on Jamaican Recordings -- "Skanking With The Upsetter" -- is also chock full of bogus dubs. Boy do I feel like a sucker.
So now I'm wondering if any of the albums that Jamaican Recordings have released are legit. One of the biggest suspects in the 'theft' of Tubby's tapes is none other than Striker, a.k.a. Bunny, a.k.a. E. Lee (whose name is all over Jamaican Recordings' releases as producer and copywrite holder.) Bunny was one of King Tubby's biggest clients and through the seventies Tubby was essentially Bunny's engineer, so a lot of the sessions that make up the source material for much of Jamaican Recordings' catalog are in fact produced by him. In that case it is arguable that these tapes are legally his anyhow (except maybe the Perry tapes which make up 'Skanking With the Upsetter'). So technically these aren't even bootlegs, like the nefarious Abraham's LPs. But why bother faking it by calling them rare dub plates and yadda, yadda, yadda? If Mr Bunny Lee is the legit owner of the original master tapes, why not just release them as contemporary dub mixes of classic Aggrovators material? I think people would have more respect for that in the long run, as it is suspicion and allegations of illegitimacy that will eventually catch up with this label and hurt sales. Or maybe not; I've been surprised before. Legit-Tubby or ersatz-Tubby; this album is still fucking great. The slap-back delay on percussion never fails to float my boat and the source material is all first rate, taken primarily from mid-seventies Aggrovators productions by Bunny Lee and layed down at the best studios (Dynamic, Randy's & Channel 1.) Like all releases on Jamaican Recordings, the CD versions all have extra tracks not included on the vinyl and in the case of 'Lost Treasures' there are a few really nice ones that are only available on the aluminum disc.
RealAudio clip: "Cherry's Dub"
RealAudio clip: "Cold Hearted Dub"

KING TUBBY Lost Treasures (Jamaican Recordings) lp 14.98
So this collection of King Tubby dubs called "Lost Treasures" was released some time ago. It's one of the few on this label that we haven't listed yet. It's not because it's a bad disc that it hasn't been listed, but because apparently the dubs on the album are suspect, ie: bogus dubs. After King Tubby was murdered in 1989, friends coming by the studio to pay their respects made off with armloads of master tapes (including a good deal of Lee Perry produced material that was in King Tubby's possession.) Apparently, according to those in the know, those tracks on that Tubby mix were not mixed on his board, and do not include the trademark effects gear that Tubby used. It's actually a nice record, with some great rhythm tracks and excellent playing all over the place, plus the fidelity is superb -- coming from the master tapes -- they just weren't mixed by King Tubby, but were more likely done posthumously. So I'm trying to sort out this mess with the Tubby dubs, because I still want to list it, and then I find out that the Lee Perry disc on Jamaican Recordings -- "Skanking With The Upsetter" -- is also chock full of bogus dubs. Boy do I feel like a sucker.
So now I'm wondering if any of the albums that Jamaican Recordings have released are legit. One of the biggest suspects in the 'theft' of Tubby's tapes is none other than Striker, a.k.a. Bunny, a.k.a. E. Lee (whose name is all over Jamaican Recordings' releases as producer and copywrite holder.) Bunny was one of King Tubby's biggest clients and through the seventies Tubby was essentially Bunny's engineer, so a lot of the sessions that make up the source material for much of Jamaican Recordings' catalog are in fact produced by him. In that case it is arguable that these tapes are legally his anyhow (except maybe the Perry tapes which make up 'Skanking With the Upsetter'). So technically these aren't even bootlegs, like the nefarious Abraham's LPs. But why bother faking it by calling them rare dub plates and yadda, yadda, yadda? If Mr Bunny Lee is the legit owner of the original master tapes, why not just release them as contemporary dub mixes of classic Aggrovators material? I think people would have more respect for that in the long run, as it is suspicion and allegations of illegitimacy that will eventually catch up with this label and hurt sales. Or maybe not; I've been surprised before. Legit-Tubby or ersatz-Tubby; this album is still fucking great. The slap-back delay on percussion never fails to float my boat and the source material is all first rate, taken primarily from mid-seventies Aggrovators productions by Bunny Lee and layed down at the best studios (Dynamic, Randy's & Channel 1.) Like all releases on Jamaican Recordings, the CD versions all have extra tracks not included on the vinyl and in the case of 'Lost Treasures' there are a few really nice ones that are only available on the aluminum disc.

KING TUBBY Lost Treasures (Jamaican Recordings) lp 12.98

KING TUBBY Original King Key Dub (Cribouille Industry) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

KING TUBBY & SOUL SYNDICATE Freedom Sounds In Dub (Blood And Fire) cd 16.98

KING TUBBY, PRINCE JAMMYS & SCIENTIST Dubwise Revolution (Jet Star) cd 16.98

KING TUBBYS & FRIENDS Sound System Dub Vol. 1 (Original Music) lp 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Collection of all previously unreleased dubs recorded betweem 1975 and 1978. Features the usual cast of musical suspects: Sly & Robbie, Winston Wright, Scully, Tommy McCook, et al and the tracks were cut at Joe Gibb's, Randy's and King Tubby's studios. This is an excellent collection of dubs, from the zenith of Tubby's career. The only things that might keep this from the hands of many of you, our beloved customers, is the fact that it is only available on vinyl and that the vinyl is a Jamaican pressing in the very truest sense: scratchy, scratchy, scratchy. You are hereby forewarned not to expect such high faloot'n notions of fidelity.

KING TUFF Mind Blow (Spirit of Orr) cd-r 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
A few years ago, before Kyle Thomas delved into the neo-acid folk of Feathers or the stoner metal of Witch, he began working on his first musical project King Tuff, a buzzy and bright concoction of glam punk and '70s power pop, casually playing out with his friends at parties and recording songs in his basement. Finally having more time to devote to the project after a couple exhaustive years touring with Feathers, playing in Witch, and keeping up a side career as a visual artist, the uber-limited cd-r label, Spirit of Oar has released these early recordings to precede King Tuff's upcoming Fall tour, and what a treat!!. Imagine Sweet, Zolar X, and Televison playing at your Sweet Sixteen. Fucking Rad! Did we say limited?? Only 100 made and we got a handful, and not really sure if we can ever get more.
MPEG Stream: "Dancing On You"
MPEG Stream: "So Desperate"

KING, CAST Saw Mill Man (Locust) cd 14.98
We've been meaning to list this for a while now, but we were always stumped as to how to describe it. It's just so good, and so beautiful and so poignant, we weren't sure a review could do it justice. This is some gorgeously dark, dreamy, stripped down classic finger pickin' country blues, recorded on a 4 track in a shed on the side of a mountain. Cast King is a legendary (around some parts) picker and songsmith, playing since the 40's, even recording a handful of tracks at the legendary Sun Studios. Now in his eighties, these tracks were recorded a year or two back, with just Cast and Matt Downer, who tracked him down during a project to record the music and document the musicians of old Sand Mountain in Alabama.
The liner notes are hilarious, documenting how the two finally got together to "pick" and do some recording. The sound is super spare, stripped down, intimate and personal. King's vocals are warm and rich, weathered but still sweet and velvety. His strumming simple, his lead playing perfect. And his songs are stone cold classics. Any one of these songs, could have been played by Cash, or Jennings, or Haggard and been big ol' hits. In fact if the dice fell just a little bit differently, you'd be seeing Cast King tapes at truck stops all over the US. But as it is, he just sort of faded away, taking his "sackful of songs" with him.
And while this disc doesn't quite make up for the injustice of Cast King not being a household name or a country music legend, it's so damn good to hear these songs now. They definitely sound like timeless classics, so warm and familiar like you've heard them a million times before, but still original and distinctly Cast King. And as far as we're concerned, these are country classics, even if they were maybe never meant to be.
MPEG Stream: "Saw Mill Man"
MPEG Stream: "Long Time Now"
MPEG Stream: "Wino"

KING, CAST Saw Mill Man (Locust) lp 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
We've been meaning to list this for a while now, but we were always stumped as to how to describe it. It's just so good, and so beautiful and so poignant, we weren't sure a review could do it justice. This is some gorgeously dark, dreamy, stripped down classic finger pickin' country blues, recorded on a 4 track in a shed on the side of a mountain. Cast King is a legendary (around some parts) picker and songsmith, playing since the 40's, even recording a handful of tracks at the legendary Sun Studios. Now in his eighties, these tracks were recorded a year or two back, with just Cast and Matt Downer, who tracked him down during a project to record the music and document the musicians of old Sand Mountain in Alabama.
The liner notes are hilarious, documenting how the two finally got together to "pick" and do some recording. The sound is super spare, stripped down, intimate and personal. King's vocals are warm and rich, weathered but still sweet and velvety. His strumming simple, his lead playing perfect. And his songs are stone cold classics. Any one of these songs, could have been played by Cash, or Jennings, or Haggard and been big ol' hits. In fact if the dice fell just a little bit differently, you'd be seeing Cast King tapes at truck stops all over the US. But as it is, he just sort of faded away, taking his "sackful of songs" with him.
And while this disc doesn't quite make up for the injustice of Cast King not being a household name or a country music legend, it's so damn good to hear these songs now. They definitely sound like timeless classics, so warm and familiar like you've heard them a million times before, but still original and distinctly Cast King. And as far as we're concerned, these are country classics, even if they were maybe never meant to be.
MPEG Stream: "Saw Mill Man"
MPEG Stream: "Long Time Now"
MPEG Stream: "Wino"

KING, JD & THE COACHMEN American Mercury (Ecstatic Peace) cd 10.98
BACK IN STOCK, this highlight from list #251...
The Coachmen are probably mostly known as the band that featured a pre-Sonic Youth Thurston Moore. We always just assumed that JD King was in fact a made up entity and was in fact Moore. But apparently the two met way back in 1976, bonding over their love of all things Velvet Underground, Flamin' Groovies and the like. So the two joined forces, started a band, and jammed around NY until they broke up in 1979. At which point Moore went on to Sonic Youth while King went on to become a illustrator / cartoonist. A few of those records came out in the mid eighties on Ecstatic Peace, which is probably why we all assumed that The Coachmen was just Moore in disguise. But King and the Coachmen resurfaced in the mid nineties with a new record before sort of fading away again, and then wham! 2006 and they're back again!
So what the heck do these Coachmen sound like? Well, it's been ages since we've heard the old records, but we do remember it maybe being some sort of disconnected convoluted garage rock buzz blues stomp although it's been so long it's all a bit fuzzy. But fuzzy actually does begin to describe JD King And The Coachmen circa 2006. Imagine abstract streaks of fuzzed out guitar and dreamy tendrils of minor key melodies, hovering over thick swells of distorted buzz and a dense web of noodily bass lines, peppered with muted percussive thuds, or deep cavernous tangles of dense guitar over angular riffs and thick swaths of fuzznoise and simple tambourine, or tripped out space rock drift all tangled up in thickly reverbed guitar, freaked out psychguitar drift and moody mumbling backdrops of shimmering acoustic guitar and muddy bass rumble, or a tripped out disembodied Stoogesy stomp wrapped in swirling layers of distorted psychedelia and warm whirls of frothy fuzz.
This is some sort of alien garage rock, some disembodied blues, broadcast from some other time (past? future? both?) from some other plane, a mysterious alternate universe that has more in common musically with bands like the No Neck Blues Band, Avarus, Excepter, Sunburned Hand and the rest of those druggy free rock troubadours than it does with the Velvets or the Groovies. But that's the magic, it's like King and his cohorts are a tribe of modern mediums, who mixed up a magical brew of guitar, bass and percussion, managing to conjure up a brood of garage rock ghosts of the past, letting them get all tangled up with the free noise spectres of the present.
MPEG Stream: "Agony (For Arshile Gorky)"
MPEG Stream: "Bees Caught In The Wrong Hive"
MPEG Stream: "Blues For Elizabeth Bentley"

KING, PETER Shango (Afrostrut) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Nigeria-born, London-schooled bandleader Peter King started his career in the '60s playing highlife and jazz before venturing into the James Brown inspired realms of afro-funk, of which "Shango" (named after the Yoruba god of thunder) is a prime example. These mostly instrumental tracks (there are some chanted vocal parts, often with a political message like "Freedom!") are super jazzy and groovy, with King's sax and flute joined by a bunch of other horns, percussion, and electric guitar/bass/drums. Recorded in 1974 but actually never released at the time, "Shango" was rediscovered when the Afrostrut label was putting together the excellent "Nigeria 70" compilation -- King's wife remembered the recording, and it turned out the tapes had actually been sitting beneath the bed of Peter King's son for who knows how many years! You'd think having something this funky under your bed would keep you up at night... Anyway, it's cool they found this, anyone into the soulful sounds of the "Nigeria 70" comp or all the other Afro-funk stuff that's been getting reissued recently will be glad to hear this.
RealAudio clip: "Mystery Tour"

KING-CAT COMICS Number 67 magazine 3.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Wow, hard to believe that King Cat Comics is sixty seven issues old! The gent behind the endearingly Spartan King Cat line drawings and introspective stories is Mr. John Porcellino. Up until very recently he was based here in SF, but a couple of months ago he moved inland to the higher lands of Denver, CO. This here issue features a lot of Bay Area specific content including John P's top forty list for winter/summer 2006. It'll be interesting to see if the change in altitude will have any influence on his comics. S'pose we'll just have to wait 'til the next issue! Until then let's dig into #67!

KING-CAT COMICS Number 68 magazine 3.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Comic artist/writer John Porcellino might be based in the distant high altitudes of Colorado, but that doesn't keep him from sending us his latest issue of King-Cat Comics. Glad that he's keeping us in the King-Cat loop! We always look forward to a new issue filled with his low-key, quietly witty and endearing tales drawn out in simple black fine line ink. His writing always rings true with an uncommon sincerity and sensitivity. This issue comes with a much heavier heart than usual. Themes of loss are throughout -- the passings of a close friend and his beloved cat, as well as the loss of oneself. Also included are Porcellino's top forty list for October 2006 through September 2007 and a section titled Nature Notes (his observations on birds, bugs, weeds, other wildlife, etc).

KING-CAT COMICS Number 69 magazine 3.00
A new issue of John Porcellino's comic always brightens our day! What's not to love? Wistful musings and gently witty ponderings and simple thin-line drawings of people, places and things. Hurrah for King-Cat!

KING-CAT COMICS Number 70 magazine 3.00
John Porcellino's King-Cat comic book series reaches its seventieth issue, and not only that, it also marks King-Cat's twentieth anniversary! Wow! We're always delighted to see what curious observations and funny encounters have flown out of John Porcellino's skinny tipped drawing pens since the previous issue. He seldom disappoints. His very minimal sketches of himself, his friends, neighbors and strangers suggest a child-like vision, but the stories and anecdotes offer a far more world-weary outlook.

KINGDOM COME (ARTHUR BROWN'S) Galactic Zoo Dossier (Sanctuary / Castle) cd 12.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Most people probably know Arthur Brown, if at all, as the leader of the Crazy World of Arthur Brown, kind of a one-hit wonder in the UK and the US with their 1968 single "Fire". But I remember a few years ago somebody playing me a '70s vintage LP by Arthur Brown, and it was a pretty amazing, freaked out space rock artifact. I'm pretty sure it was one of these three Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come records that have just been reissued, remastered with bonus cuts -- although next to "amazing" I'd also have to use the word "ridiculous" 'cause these sure are some gonzo, over the top examples of early '70s rock excess. The story goes that after his "I am the God of Hellfire" 15 minutes of f(l)ame, Arthur's Crazy World broke up, and then he eventually regrouped with this band, who were dedicated to an altogether heavier, more guitar-oriented sort of showmanship, from dark psych-prog to simply silly music hall theatrics. Brown was capable of some incredible vocal stylings, from Tom Jones worthy croonery to sheer sheer manaical dramaturgy, and he demonstrates that full range on these discs, coming across a bit like early Alice Cooper (who may in turn have been influenced by Brown originally). Totally wigged out and acid fried, chaotic and confused. What they're trying to get across is hard to say, but if you delight in both failed genius and '70s hippy zaniness, then Arthur Brown is your new prog rock hero.
Galactic Zoo Dossier, from '71, was the first of the three Kingdom Come albums. You'll note that it was good enuff for a present-day psych fanzine to be named after it. A classic of sorts. Then came 1972's self-titled Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come record, whose contents, according to the liner notes, were affected by the band's communal living situation and increased LSD consumption. It's a little more disjointed than the first record but it does contain the "Traffic Light Song" which was both a pop psychology metaphor for personality types and an excuse for the band to wear traffic light costumes on stage as part of their increasingly bizarre live show. Last comes 1973's Journey, which may be the best of the three, or at least the weirdest, because rather than a human drummer, Journey features electronic drum machine rhythms programmed by Brown himself. Apparently the drummer on the previous two albums ran off with the bass player's wife! So they went with a drum machine, quite an unusal lark back in 1973 for sure! (And we thought that the Metal Urbain album was ahead of its time!). Crudely, it's kind of a collision of psychedelia and new wave and it's pretty cool. Though, all three discs have proto new wave elements alongside the space-rock and Zappa-ish tomfoolery. So, even now Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come isn't like anything else you've really ever heard (although whether the band was "good" or not is another, very subjective matter). Be brave and investigate!
MPEG Stream: "Internal Messenger"
MPEG Stream: "Metal Monster"

KINGDOM COME (ARTHUR BROWN'S) Journey (Sanctuary / Castle) cd 12.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Most people probably know Arthur Brown, if at all, as the leader of the Crazy World of Arthur Brown, kind of a one-hit wonder in the UK and the US with their 1968 single "Fire". But I remember a few years ago somebody playing me a '70s vintage LP by Arthur Brown, and it was a pretty amazing, freaked out space rock artifact. I'm pretty sure it was one of these three Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come records that have just been reissued, remastered with bonus cuts -- although next to "amazing" I'd also have to use the word "ridiculous" 'cause these sure are some gonzo, over the top examples of early '70s rock excess. The story goes that after his "I am the God of Hellfire" 15 minutes of f(l)ame, Arthur's Crazy World broke up, and then he eventually regrouped with this band, who were dedicated to an altogether heavier, more guitar-oriented sort of showmanship, from dark psych-prog to simply silly music hall theatrics. Brown was capable of some incredible vocal stylings, from Tom Jones worthy croonery to sheer sheer manaical dramaturgy, and he demonstrates that full range on these discs, coming across a bit like early Alice Cooper (who may in turn have been influenced by Brown originally). Totally wigged out and acid fried, chaotic and confused. What they're trying to get across is hard to say, but if you delight in both failed genius and '70s hippy zaniness, then Arthur Brown is your new prog rock hero.
Galactic Zoo Dossier, from '71, was the first of the three Kingdom Come albums. You'll note that it was good enuff for a present-day psych fanzine to be named after it. A classic of sorts. Then came 1972's self-titled Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come record, whose contents, according to the liner notes, were affected by the band's communal living situation and increased LSD consumption. It's a little more disjointed than the first record but it does contain the "Traffic Light Song" which was both a pop psychology metaphor for personality types and an excuse for the band to wear traffic light costumes on stage as part of their increasingly bizarre live show. Last comes 1973's Journey, which may be the best of the three, or at least the weirdest, because rather than a human drummer, Journey features electronic drum machine rhythms programmed by Brown himself. Apparently the drummer on the previous two albums ran off with the bass player's wife! So they went with a drum machine, quite an unusal lark back in 1973 for sure! (And we thought that the Metal Urbain album was ahead of its time!). Crudely, it's kind of a collision of psychedelia and new wave and it's pretty cool. Though, all three discs have proto new wave elements alongside the space-rock and Zappaish tomfoolery. So, even now Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come isn't like anything else you've really ever heard (although whether the band was "good" or not is another, very subjective matter). Be brave and investigate!
MPEG Stream: "Time Captives"
MPEG Stream: "Superficial Roadblocks"

KINGDOM COME (ARTHUR BROWN'S) s/t (Sanctuary / Castle) cd 12.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Most people probably know Arthur Brown, if at all, as the leader of the Crazy World of Arthur Brown, kind of a one-hit wonder in the UK and the US with their 1968 single "Fire". But I remember a few years ago somebody playing me a '70s vintage LP by Arthur Brown, and it was a pretty amazing, freaked out space rock artifact. I'm pretty sure it was one of these three Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come records that have just been reissued, remastered with bonus cuts -- although next to "amazing" I'd also have to use the word "ridiculous" 'cause these sure are some gonzo, over the top examples of early '70s rock excess. The story goes that after his "I am the God of Hellfire" 15 minutes of f(l)ame, Arthur's Crazy World broke up, and then he eventually regrouped with this band, who were dedicated to an altogether heavier, more guitar-oriented sort of showmanship, from dark psych-prog to simply silly music hall theatrics. Brown was capable of some incredible vocal stylings, from Tom Jones worthy croonery to sheer sheer manaical dramaturgy, and he demonstrates that full range on these discs, coming across a bit like early Alice Cooper (who may in turn have been influenced by Brown originally). Totally wigged out and acid fried, chaotic and confused. What they're trying to get across is hard to say, but if you delight in both failed genius and '70s hippy zaniness, then Arthur Brown is your new prog rock hero.
Galactic Zoo Dossier, from '71, was the first of the three Kingdom Come albums. You'll note that it was good enuff for a present-day psych fanzine to be named after it. A classic of sorts. Then came 1972's self-titled Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come record, whose contents, according to the liner notes, were affected by the band's communal living situation and increased LSD consumption. It's a little more disjointed than the first record but it does contain the "Traffic Light Song" which was both a pop psychology metaphor for personality types and an excuse for the band to wear traffic light costumes on stage as part of their increasingly bizarre live show. Last comes 1973's Journey, which may be the best of the three, or at least the weirdest, because rather than a human drummer, Journey features electronic drum machine rhythms programmed by Brown himself. Apparently the drummer on the previous two albums ran off with the bass player's wife! So they went with a drum machine, quite an unusal lark back in 1973 for sure! (And we thought that the Metal Urbain album was ahead of its time!). Crudely, it's kind of a collision of psychedelia and new wave and it's pretty cool. Though, all three discs have proto new wave elements alongside the space-rock and Zappaish tomfoolery. So, even now Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come isn't like anything else you've really ever heard (although whether the band was "good" or not is another, very subjective matter). Be brave and investigate!
MPEG Stream: "A Scientific Experiment Featuring 'Lower Colonic Irrigation'"
MPEG Stream: "Traffic Light Song"

KINGDOMS OF ELGALAND~VARGALAND National Anthem #1 (Ash International) cd 15.98
Certainly not a new title, but one that is new to us -- The National Anthem for The Kingdoms of Elgaland-Vargaland. In 1992, King Leif I (aka Leif Elggren) and King Michael I (aka CM von Hausswolff) declared the state of the Kingdoms of Elgaland-Vargaland, which annexed "All border frontier areas between all countries on earth, and all areas (up to a width of 10 nautical miles) existing outside all countries' territorial waters" as their physical domain. Furthermore, the twin kings claimed the Mental and perceptive territories such as the Hypnagogue State (civil), the Escapistic Territory (civil), and the Virtual Room (digital).
As with any legitimate nation, the first duty was to compose the national anthem... which is a lulling hypnotic composition built around a loop of a simple patriotic orchestral melody which is treated with an excess of delay and reverb. While Aquarius Records does not often voice our politics, we fully endorse the activities of The Kingdoms of Elgaland-Vargaland.

KINGS OF CONVENIENCE Declaration Of Dependence (Astralwerks) cd 15.98
One of our favorite features in Mojo magazine is this small section where they ask musicians a series of questions about records they love for certain moments/days, and one of the questions they always ask is what's your perfect Sunday morning record, and when we think about that question Kings Of Convenience is always one of the first bands that comes to mind.
No one makes more fragile and delicate sounds that are so perfect for the slow and quiet start of a lazy sun dappled morning. It's easy to forget, but Kings Of Convenience were crafting their mellow, Nick Drake tinged style of folk/pop before that sound would make such a huge resurgence, spawning bands and folks like Iron & Wine, Jose Gonzalez, Taken By Trees, Jens Lekman, El Perro Del Mar, Vetiver, Camera Obscura, etc.
It's been five years since this great Norwegian duo gave us the fantastic Riot On An Empty Street, though they have been keeping busy with a multitude of side and solo projects, including Erlend Oye's band The Whitest Boy Alive, which is also pretty great btw!
Declaration Of Dependence finds the duo as perfectly bittersweet as ever, both of their voices melding together with such ease, and the sparse and pastoral instrumentation keeps the breeze flowing with just the right hints of memory, sadness and introspection. Unlike many who have come after, nothing here feels forced or heavy handed, to the contrary, their songs really do feel like the slight rush of air blowing on a crisp autumn day, and this is becoming our perfect fall sweater soundtrack. So good!
MPEG Stream: "24-25"
MPEG Stream: "Boat Behind"
MPEG Stream: "Freedom And Its Owner"

KINGS OF CONVENIENCE Declaration Of Dependence (Astralwerks) lp 16.98
NOW AVAILABLE ON VINYL!
One of our favorite features in Mojo magazine is this small section where they ask musicians a series of questions about records they love for certain moments/days, and one of the questions they always ask is what's your perfect Sunday morning record, and when we think about that question Kings Of Convenience is always one of the first bands that comes to mind.
No one makes more fragile and delicate sounds that are so perfect for the slow and quiet start of a lazy sun dappled morning. It's easy to forget, but Kings Of Convenience were crafting their mellow, Nick Drake tinged style of folk/pop before that sound would make such a huge resurgence, spawning bands and folks like Iron & Wine, Jose Gonzalez, Taken By Trees, Jens Lekman, El Perro Del Mar, Vetiver, Camera Obscura, etc.
It's been five years since this great Norwegian duo gave us the fantastic Riot On An Empty Street, though they have been keeping busy with a multitude of side and solo projects, including Erlend Oye's band The Whitest Boy Alive, which is also pretty great btw!
Declaration Of Dependence finds the duo as perfectly bittersweet as ever, both of their voices melding together with such ease, and the sparse and pastoral instrumentation keeps the breeze flowing with just the right hints of memory, sadness and introspection. Unlike many who have come after, nothing here feels forced or heavy handed, to the contrary, their songs really do feel like the slight rush of air blowing on a crisp autumn day, and this is becoming our perfect fall sweater soundtrack. So good!
MPEG Stream: "24-25"
MPEG Stream: "Boat Behind"
MPEG Stream: "Freedom And Its Owner"

KINGS OF CONVENIENCE Quiet Is The New Loud (Astralwerks / Source) cd 15.98
Pretty ridiculously accomplished indiepop duo from as unlikely a place as Bergen, Norway -- also known as the hometown of incarcerated black metal poster boy Burzum/Varg Vikernes. Somehow I don't think the Kings were friends with Varg, as their music is so gentle, so lovely, so chillingly sweet that they bring to mind the very similar Belle and Sebastian, Sea and Cake, and Donovan. In other words, Varg would rather have stabbed his best friend in the back than have to listen to the quietly beautiful Kings of Convenience. Don't be befuddled by the fact that this album is on Source/Astralwerks -- their previous record was on the much more appropriate Kindercore label and fans of the indiepop genre that Kindercore documents so well will totally wet their pants over this. A pleasant record, and if AQ had a "song of the week" category, this record's instantly classic first song "Winning a Battle, Losing the War" would be it.
RealAudio clip: "Winning a Battle, Losing the War"
RealAudio clip: "Toxic Girl"

KINGS OF CONVENIENCE Riot On An Empty Street (Astralwerks) cd 17.98
Norway's answer to Simon & Garfunkel have returned! KOC vocalist Erlend Oye's interim solo efforts have left us flat, but his band's second full length sure doesn't! These folks are experts at dreamy pop songwriting, crafting the gentlest acoustic loveliness. Be forewarned, this may be far too soft and sweet for some folks, but if you have a penchant for songs that glow like sunbeams through honey (sorry... too cheesy?), don't miss Riot On An Empty Street (nor for that matter its predecessor Quiet Is The New Loud). Simply gorgeous end-of-summer songs.
MPEG Stream: "Homesick"
MPEG Stream: "Gold In The Air Of Summer"

KINGS OF CONVENIENCE s/t (Kindercore) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

KINGS OF CONVENIENCE Versus (Astralwerks) cd 16.98
The warm, folky daydream music of Norway's Kings Of Convenience get remixed and remade in a variety of ways by the likes of Four Tet, Andy Votel, Alfie and Ladytron among others. Also included are a collaboration with Erot and some newly arranged tracks (one with strings!). Adding a bit of groove and new shading to their already pretty pop tunes. Shifting the ideal listening locale for Kings of Convenience from a breezy day at the park to a stylin' late night lounge - especially on such tracks like the one by Evil Tordevil. And quite effectively accomplished too. Not just another "let's put the seemingly incongruous together and see what twisted cocktail comes out!" Give 'em a listen!
RealAudio clip: FOUR TET "The Weight Of My Words"
RealAudio clip: EVIL TORDEVIL "Leaning Against The Wall"
RealAudio clip: LADYTRON "Little Kids"

KINGS OF LEON Aha Shake Heartbreak (RCA) cd 11.98
Quelle hype! A huge, full page story following their sex, drugs n' rocknroll filled tour through New York in the New York Times, shamelessly spells out how they do it, where they did it and why the Hell they would. But alas, they're young and new, new, new! An easy push by the industry, right? Well, yes. But their album is actually pretty great!

KINGS, LOCUSTS, BEES, AND WHISKEY Life With Rich Morin, John Cobbett, & Chewy 1990-2005 (self-released) 2cd-r 14.98
When you think Chewy, do you think about taffy, or gum, or calamari? Or do those nerd genes kick in and send you in a completely different direction envisioning a seven foot tall hairy beast called Chewbacca? Well, if you live in SF, when you think Chewy, you more than likely think metal, and maybe country, oh and punk rock, and glam rock, or at the very least you think of the kick ass drumming of Mr. Chewy Marzolo. Most of you would know Chewy as the drummer for the mighty Hammers Of Misfortune, SF's killer black / true / opera metal kings! But Chewy has been tearing up a storm here in SF for well over a decade (most of the time with Hammers Of Misfortune head honcho John Cobbett and Rich Morin, who actually wrote most of these songs, right there by his side). Recently, Chewy celebrated his birthday by playing a show, where almost ALL of his bands played, in a row! Phew. To commemorate the occasion, there was this little two disc 'best of Chewy' set, covering all of his musical exploits over the last 15 years. From the majestic metal opera that is Hammers Of Misfortune, to the thrashy metal of Bay Area legends Osgood Slaughter, to the bizarre, epic sci-fi metal of Thunderchimp, to the sleazy glam rock of Pantz Noyzee, to the wild bluegrass of The Big Meat Combo, to the desert-y twang of King City. Tons of never before released stuff, most of it really amazing. Whether you know Chewy or not, these two discs are jam packed with some amazing music, from metal to country, silly to serious, and everywhere in between.
MPEG Stream: OSGOOD SLAUGHTER "The Stick"
MPEG Stream: HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE "Tyrant Dies"
MPEG Stream: THUNDERCHIMP "Scary Fear"
MPEG Stream: PANTZ NOYZEE "Grip The Rippa"

KINGSBURY MANX, THE Let You Down (Overcoat) cd 14.98
Okay, so is it just me or does this remind you of Alan Parsons' "Eye In The Sky"? Apologies to Kingsbury Manx, but once that vocal familiarity popped into my head it kinda got difficult to hear much else. Anyway, setting those initial comparisons aside, this is a pleasing, tranquil, folky pop sophomore release. Not a big departure from their self-titled debut, so if you enjoyed that one here's more of the same! This certainly seems to be the week of mellow. Add this to the list of current super soothers: Edison Woods, American Analog Set, and Owen.

KINGSLEY, GERSHON First Moog Quartet (Dagored) cd 15.98
Unlike the space-age Moog pop confections of Gershon "Perrey &" Kingsley's wonderful Music To Moog By (reviewed last list), this simultaneously reissued album was seemingly a more serious proposition, recorded at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in 1970. At the time, a live, four-Moog performance was considered rather astonishing. But with Robert Moog building the instruments and Kingsley training the musicians, they pulled it off.
The weird-sound-effects side of the synthesizer is definitely explored, providing an appropriate backing for some rather bizarre vocal parts including readings of poetry written by kids on subjects such as "The Brain" and "War". The overall effect is kinda new-music psychedelic, and there's a drummer and bassist present so they can fully rock out on occasion. Furthermore, Kingley's Quartet doesn't neglect to switch-on some (contemporary) classics: you get covers of "Sounds of Silence" and "Eleanor Rigby", the latter getting a super groovy treatment. Pretty cool, and quite kitschy despite the classical concert-hall, high-culture setting.
MPEG Stream: "In The Beginning"
MPEG Stream: "Eleanor Rigby"

KINGSLEY, GERSHON First Moog Quartet (Dagored) lp 16.98
Unlike the space-age Moog pop confections of Gershon "Perrey &" Kingsley's wonderful Music To Moog By (reviewed last list), this simultaneously reissued album was seemingly a more serious proposition, recorded at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in 1970. At the time, a live, four-Moog performance was considered rather astonishing. But with Robert Moog building the instruments and Kingsley training the musicians, they pulled it off.
The weird-sound-effects side of the synthesizer is definitely explored, providing an appropriate backing for some rather bizarre vocal parts including readings of poetry written by kids on subjects such as "The Brain" and "War". The overall effect is kinda new-music psychedelic, and there's a drummer and bassist present so they can fully rock out on occasion. Furthermore, Kingley's Quartet doesn't neglect to switch-on some (contemporary) classics: you get covers of "Sounds of Silence" and "Eleanor Rigby", the latter getting a super groovy treatment. Pretty cool, and quite kitschy despite the classical concert-hall, high-culture setting.

KINGSLEY, GERSHON God Is A Moog (Reboot Stereophonic) 2cd 16.98
Reboot Stereophonic is a new label with a mission to rescue from flea-market obscurity rare recordings that take Jewish identity into some surprising musical directions. What better, then, than this for one of their first releases? God Is A Moog is a double disc compiling the religious-themed compositions of Moog maestro Gershon Kingsley, of Perrey-Kingsley and "Pop Corn" fame. File under: Exotica/New Age/Judaism. And Rock Opera.
Subtitled "The Electronic Prayers Of Gershon Kingsley", this mostly features music recorded circa 1968-1974, much of it never before released. Disc one starts with a five-song suite called "Maven On The Moog", featuring cantor Harold Orbach singing Yiddish traditional folk songs accompanied by Kingsley's space-age synth. Then it gets more far-out sound-wise with "The Jewish Experience" parts 1-5. As this collection progresses, you'll also hear wise words from the Torah gravely intoned over bleepy-bloopy Moog backing, a track with a Bruce Haack-style computerized voice ("I Have A Little Brain", made on Kingsley's Macintosh in 1999) as well as much in the way of over-the-top rock opera a la Hair or Godspell, which is simultaneously the best and worst stuff here, perhaps. Kingsley's Moog-laden rock opera efforts ("Shabbat For Today" and "The Fifth Cup") are to be found on the second disc, which has got the most groove and weirdness and inadvertent laffs of the two. Some of these songs are just SOOOO kitschy and, well, let's just be honest: bad. Not the music so much, but some of the lyrics and singing are really terrible (though of course very well-meant). But it's in that so bad it's good, or well not good but darn funny category. Wait 'til you hear the song about the extinct dinosaurs, or the one about the ten plagues. Maybe the word we should use isn't terrible, it's awesome. Awesomely absurd. And sincere, you've gotta give it that. Moog for Moog's sake fans might prefer disc one (and/or yearn for an instrumental version of all of this), but anyone into unfettered goofball expressions of spiritual feeling, and Vietnam-era pop-prog silliness should be quite entertained by these tracks.
Complete with its interesting and informative liner notes, this whole thing is definitely a cool and unusual addition to the discography of Moog-related recordings!
MPEG Stream: "The Jewish Experience Part 5"
MPEG Stream: "L'cho Adonoy"
MPEG Stream: "1984 - One, One Is One"

KINGSLEY, GERSHON Music To Moog By (Dagored) cd 15.98
'60s Moog-pop pioneer Gershon Kingsley, of Perrey and Kingsley fame, made some fab music without partner Jean-Jacques Perrey as well -- such as his hit single "Pop Corn" which you'll find on this at-long-last reissued edition of Kingsley's 1969 masterpiece, the incredibly FUN album Music To Moog By. Along with snazzy originals like "Pop Corn" and energetic album-opener "Hey, Hey", Kingsley also gives the Moog instrumental treatment to Simon and Garfunkel's "Scarborough Fair" and both "Nowhere Man" and "Paperback Writer" by the Beatles. He also sneaks in some Beethoven too, and takes writing credit for a manic version of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"! Sometimes his Moog sounds like a church organ, other times like the whip-whip-wap of a hip hop dj's turntable. It's a frothy, hip, pop-psychedelic space age 'electronica' album all right. Released the year man landed on the moon, you can imagine it spinning on the Apollo 11 hi-fi, had the astronauts been partying up there. Wonderful stuff.
MPEG Stream: "Hey, Hey"
MPEG Stream: "Paperback Writer"
MPEG Stream: "Pop Corn"

KINGSLEY, GERSHON Music To Moog By (Dagored) lp 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
'60s Moog-pop pioneer Gershon Kingsley, of Perrey and Kingsley fame, made some fab music without partner Jean-Jacques Perrey as well -- such as his hit single "Pop Corn" which you'll find on this at-long-last reissued edition of Kingsley's 1969 masterpiece, the incredibly FUN album Music To Moog By. Along with snazzy originals like "Pop Corn" and energetic album-opener "Hey, Hey", Kingsley also gives the Moog instrumental treatment to Simon and Garfunkle's "Scarborough Fair" and The both "Nowhere Man" and "Paperback Writer" by the Beatles. He also sneaks in some Beethoven too, and takes writing credit for a manic version of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"! Sometimes his Moog sounds like a church organ, other times like the whip-whip-wap of a hip hop dj's turntable. It's a frothy, hip, pop-psychedelic space age 'electronica' album all right. Released the year man landed on the moon, you can imagine it spinning on the Apollo 11 hi-fi, had the astronauts been partying up there. Wonderful stuff.

KINKS BBC Sessions 1964-1977 (Sanctuary) 2cd 23.00
Double disc collection compiling the entire surviving body of the Kinks recordings for the BBC between 1964 and 1977. Includes an 18 page booklet with information on each of the sessions and a bio of the band.

KINKS, THE Are The Village Preservation Society (Sanctuary) 3cd 29.00
This total Kinks classic from 1968 receives the deluxe remastered reissue treatment... and deservingly so! Such an utterly expansive, deeply influential work that has more than stood the test of time. It's a whopping three discs -- the first is the album in stereo with four bonus tracks, the second is the album in mono with six bonus tracks, and the third is filled with 22 rarities (alternate versions, BBC sessions, etc). As an added treat, the liner note booklet includes interviews with the Davies brothers. 'Nuf said!
MPEG Stream: "Village Green (Orchestral Overdub)"
MPEG Stream: "Animal Farm (BBC Session Remix)"

KINNEY, KEVIN Kevin Kinney's Sun Tangled Angel Revival (Compadre) cd 16.98

MPEG Stream: "(Welcome To The) Sun Tangled Angel Revival"
MPEG Stream: "Fly Your Flag High"

KINSKI Airs Above Your Station (Sub Pop) cd 14.98
One of the so-called Terrastock Nation's heaviest ass-kickers, Pacific NW "space-rock" troupe Kinski continue their levitational ascent with this new full-length. We've especially been looking forward to it ever since Sub Pop released the teaser Semaphore ep late last year, which garnered high marks from us. The so-heavy-and-wintry-majestic-that-it's-almost-black metal title track from that ep reappears here, alongside seven new cuts that both drone-on and rock-out. Lengthy epics abound, structured to begin with moody, melodic mellowness before bursting into denser action at the half-way point, and are primarily instrumentals, with the fuzz of the overdriven guitars and the wallop of the drums taking full flight. From repetitive shoegazer post-rock to experimental pop to ambient Floydian psych, Kinski never falter, always full of energy, with sheer "set the controls for the nearest black hole" gravity-multiplying heaviness never far from kicking in. With Airs, Kinski should be taking their place in the space/drone rock fandom realm next to the likes of Circle, Sonic Youth, Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Subarachnoid Space, and a host of your cosmic krautrock greats of the past. Ol' Klaus would be proud.
RealAudio clip: "Schedule For Using Pillows & Beanbags"
RealAudio clip: "Your Lights Are (Out Or) Burning Badly"

KINSKI Airs Above Your Station (Strange Attractors Audio House) 2lp 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Double el-pee vinyl version via Strange Attractors (cd on Sub Pop)...
One of the so-called Terrastock Nation's heaviest ass-kickers, Pacific NW "space-rock" troupe Kinski continue their levitational ascent with this new full-length. We've especially been looking forward to it ever since Sub Pop released the teaser Semaphore ep late last year, which garnered high marks from us. The so-heavy-and-wintry-majestic-that-it's-almost-black metal title track from that ep reappears here, alongside seven new cuts that both drone-on and rock-out. Lengthy epics abound, structured to begin with moody, melodic mellowness before bursting into denser action at the half-way point, and are primarily instrumentals, with the fuzz of the guitars and the wallop of the drums taking full flight. From repetitive shoegazer post-rock to experimental pop to ambient Floydian psych, Kinski never falter, always full of energy, with sheer "set the controls for the nearest black hole" gravity-multiplying heaviness never far from kicking in. With Airs, Kinski should be taking their place in the space/drone rock fandom realm next to the likes of Circle, Sonic Youth, Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Subarachnoid Space, and a host of your cosmic krautrock greats of the past. Ol' Klaus would be proud.

KINSKI Alpine Static (Sub Pop) cd 14.98
God! How we love instrumental rock records! And while we'll be the first to admit that there have been some great vocalists, almost always, when we throw on a new record, we wait all tensed up, cowering, just waiting for the vocals to come in, and make or break the record. Well, thankfully we've never had that problem with Kinski (even on the rare occasions they do add vocals), a four piece mostly instrumental space rock band from Seattle, who we've loved from day one. Not just 'cuz of their killer monicker (we LOVE Klaus Kinski!) but for their blissed out shoegazey Hawkwind meets My Bloody Valentine meets Pink Floyd instrumental spaced out bliss rock. So the first thing we noticed when we threw on Alpine Static was how much, well, more rocking it was! I mean, they definitely rocked before, no doubt about it, but in much more of a laid back, stoned and moody and a little bit mellowed out way. But on Alpine Static, Kinski most definitely kick out the jams. There were moments on past records that hinted at the heavy and/or poppy rocking the band was capable of, but this is the record where uptempo RAWK is the first order of business. So take Kinski's knack for droning repetitive hypnorock, and then wrap that around some hyperdistorted Heavy Rocks (a la Boris), a bit of technical shredding (a la the Fucking Champs), some pulsing propulsive krautrock (a la Neu!), some ultra caustic squalls of guitar noise (a la Comets On Fire), some crunchy, stacatto dirgerock pound (a la Circle at their fiercest), a bit of moody post rock (a la June Of 44), some epic and blown out guitar freakouts (a la Dinosaur Jr., Swervedriver, Pixies) and then the occasional return to that blissed out cosmic dronerock Kinski are also so adept at and you've got a seriously solid slab of head banging, hip shaking space rocking kosmik heavy rock jams!
MPEG Stream: "Hot Stenographer"
MPEG Stream: "The Wives Of Artie Shaw"
MPEG Stream: "Hiding Drugs In The Temple (Part 2)"

KINSKI Alpine Static (Sub Pop) lp 15.98
God! How we love instrumental rock records! And while we'll be the first to admit that there have been some great vocalists, almost always, when we throw on a new record, we wait all tensed up, cowering, just waiting for the vocals to come in, and make or break the record. Well, thankfully we've never had that problem with Kinski (even on the rare occasions they do add vocals), a four piece mostly instrumental space rock band from Seattle, who we've loved from day one. Not just 'cuz of their killer monicker (we LOVE Klaus Kinski!) but for their blissed out shoegazey Hawkwind meets My Bloody Valentine meets Pink Floyd instrumental spaced out bliss rock. So the first thing we noticed when we threw on Alpine Static was how much, well, more rocking it was! I mean, they definitely rocked before, no doubt about it, but in much more of a laid back, stoned and moody and a little bit mellowed out way. But on Alpine Static, Kinski most definitely kick out the jams. There were moments on past records that hinted at the heavy and/or poppy rocking the band was capable of, but this is the record where uptempo RAWK is the first order of business. So take Kinski's knack for droning repetitive hypnorock, and then wrap that around some hyperdistorted Heavy Rocks (a la Boris), a bit of technical shredding (a la the Fucking Champs), some pulsing propulsive krautrock (a la Neu!), some ultra caustic squalls of guitar noise (a la Comets On Fire), some crunchy, stacatto dirgerock pound (a la Circle at their fiercest), a bit of moody post rock (a la June Of 44), some epic and blown out guitar freakouts (a la Dinosaur Jr., Swervedriver, Pixies) and then the occasional return to that blissed out cosmic dronerock Kinski are also so adept at and you've got a seriously solid slab of head banging, hip shaking space rocking kosmik heavy rock jams!
MPEG Stream: "Hot Stenographer"
MPEG Stream: "The Wives Of Artie Shaw"
MPEG Stream: "Hiding Drugs In The Temple (Part 2)"

KINSKI Be Gentle With The Warm Turtle (Intellectual Drunks Records / Strange Attractors Audio House) cd 13.98
Hot on the heels of their fine new full-length Alpine Static comes these long-awaited reissues of this Seattle space-rock band's first two albums: their debut, SpaceLaunch For Frenchie, originally self-released by the band, the second, Be Gentle With The Warm Turtle, originally issued on the now-defunct Pacifico label. Both have been tragically out of print for the past few years. Now that Kinksi is popular and all, it's about time these became available again! Both come with bonus tracks making the wait all the more rewarding.
1999's SpaceLaunch For Frenchie (what's up with that title, exactly?) is loaded down with the bonus tracks, actually. In addition to the original six songs on the album, there's four songs from an earlier 4-track demo tape, as well as a stormy, unreleased SpaceLaunch outtake. In total, 73 minutes of hummable, jamming, shoegazing, effects-pedal-reliant rawk! Whoo-hoo! Fans, feel free to freak out. Kinksi's Chris Martin notes on the back cover, "There are a few goofy moments, perhaps, but what the hell." I mean, you can't complain, it's the first album that a lot of us have never even heard before, plus more stuff. (Except we can complain that there's just just one flimsy square of paper for a cd "booklet" which is always lame.)
The album is definitely a youthful version of the Kinski you know and love: warm, fuzzy, floating melodic space rock instrumentals. And non-instrumentals too, with indie-rock vocals emerging on such tracks as "Floundering & Fluctuating" and their energetic cover of Spacemen 3's "Losing Touch With My Mind". Mostly this is mopey, mellow post-rock prettiness with plenty of hints towards the more massive sound that Kinski now reliably delivers. Some of the 4-track demos are maybe a bit poppier, but are still indicative of both their influences and future direction -- take the overtly Sonic Youthish "E-Jam (Daydream Intonation)" for instance. That's a track later re-recorded for their second album, demonstrating that Kinski fans going back to this older, unheard material won't be thrown for too many loops.
Then there's Be Gentle With The Warm Turtle, the 2001 album that first said to us, hi I'm Kinski! We quickly made friends with the music and wrote something like this about it: "Dense and hypnotic, warm and droney guitar rock. Everytime we play this in the store, everyone in the store wants to know what it is. Like some weird mix of old Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine. Big extended jams, simple and dumb, noisy and epic. Pretty great." It's still totally recommended, a fuzzy favorite for sure. Get it now if you missed it before! And this reissue also boasts a bonus track, only one of 'em but it's quite nice, a quiet coda to the album called "Montgomery".
MPEG Stream: "New India"
MPEG Stream: "Newport"

KINSKI Don't Climb On And Take The Holy Water (Strange Attractors Audio House) cd 13.98
Like the sticker on the cover of this says, it's "the next Kinski record but not the NEXT Kinski record". That is, it's not a studio album follow-up to Airs Above Your Station, last year's brilliant opus from this growing-ever-more-popular Seattle space rock outfit. What it is, is an album of live improvs played by Kinski minus their drummer -- just guitars and guitars and synth and effects, lots and lots of 'em. Apparently they enjoy doing shows of improvised material like this under the pseudonym Herzog, and this disc collects recordings of what they feel are some of the best of those sessions. For sure Kinski fans will be pleased, as these three guitar-wielding seekers of truth sure know how to craft some dense and beautiful sonic excursions, spacey and magnificent, especially the album's 29 minute tour-de-force "The Misprint In The Gutenberg Print Shop". Crackling with potential energy and eerie with tripped-out drone, Don't Climb On... is a document all 'heads' will surely appreciate, only upping our anticipation of their next (NEXT) venture.
MPEG Stream: "The Misprint In The Gutenberg Print Shop"
MPEG Stream: "Crepes the Cheap"

KINSKI Down Below It's Chaos (Sub Pop) cd 14.98
Such a good blend of glorious spaced-out shoegazing FUZZ and sheer toe-tapping POP. The Kinski guys and gals have mastered it. Maybe some folks aren't up for that combo but we can't get enough, and Kinski have plenty of fans so... Their latest is another slab of blown out, heavy yet gentle guitar explorations, this time adding more in the way of vocals to the mix (but they're still more-or-less an instrumental act, with singing only on three of the nine cuts here). Some moments seem really rock n' roll, others totally placid and lovely. It's space rock, it's indie pop, it's post rock (with that loud/soft dynamic, the loud parts adorned with hecka psychedelic fuzz though), it's uh, Kinski. As always, should get the nod from those into Dead Meadow, Monster Magnet, Bardo Pond stoner jams... and who are fans of the likes of Boris and Circle and Acid Mothers Temple... and who dig Kinski's Northwestern grunge ancestors on Sub Pop... and oh yeah, who love SONIC YOUTH.
Besides the added presence of vocals, also new to the Kinski scene this time 'round is Hammond B3 electric organ, heard on a few cuts, notably the driving "Child Had To Catch A Train". Shades of Deep Purple!
FYI for some unknown reason, the cover of the digipak comes in red, green, and blue tinted versions, other than that they're the same and if you're a mailorder customer you'll get a random color. And guess what? The cover of the vinyl version is purple!
MPEG Stream: "Crybaby Blowout"
MPEG Stream: "Passwords & Alcohol"
MPEG Stream: "Plan, Steal, Drive"

KINSKI Down Below It's Chaos (Sub Pop) lp 14.98
Such a good blend of glorious spaced-out shoegazing FUZZ and sheer toe-tapping POP. The Kinski guys and gals have mastered it. Maybe some folks aren't up for that combo but we can't get enough, and Kinski have plenty of fans so... Their latest is another slab of blown out, heavy yet gentle guitar explorations, this time adding more in the way of vocals to the mix (but they're still more-or-less an instrumental act, with singing only on three of the nine cuts here). Some moments seem really rock n' roll, others totally placid and lovely. It's space rock, it's indie pop, it's post rock (with that loud/soft dynamic, the loud parts adorned with hecka psychedelic fuzz though), it's uh, Kinski. As always, should get the nod from those into Dead Meadow, Monster Magnet, Bardo Pond stoner jams... and who are fans of the likes of Boris and Circle and Acid Mothers Temple... and who dig Kinski's Northwestern grunge ancestors on Sub Pop... and oh yeah, who love SONIC YOUTH.
Besides the added presence of vocals, also new to the Kinski scene this time 'round is Hammond B3 electric organ, heard on a few cuts, notably the driving "Child Had To Catch A Train". Shades of Deep Purple!
FYI for some unknown reason, the cover of the digipak comes in red, green, and blue tinted versions, other than that they're the same and if you're a mailorder customer you'll get a random color. And guess what? The cover of the vinyl version is purple!
MPEG Stream: "Crybaby Blowout"
MPEG Stream: "Passwords & Alcohol"
MPEG Stream: "Plan, Steal, Drive"